bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long-term Prognosis of Vision Loss Caused by Facial Hyaluronic Acid Injections and the Potential Approaches to Address This Catastrophic Event
Authors: Zhang Lei , Zhou Qingyi , Xu Hong , Gu Qinhao , Shi Hangyan , Pan Lei , Sun Yi , Wu Sufan
Published: December 2022

Background

Vision loss is a serious complication of hyaluronic acid (HA) filler injections, and long-term observations regarding the prognosis, particularly with angiography, are rare.

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the long-term prognosis and living status of patients with visual defects due to HA filler injections.

Methods

Nine patients with vision loss caused by HA filler injections and receiving different treatments were included and followed up for 2 to 6 years after their accident. Follow-ups, including outpatient ophthalmologic examinations, were performed.

Results

In the follow-up observation, all patients had reintegrated into society and work. The prognosis was similar for all hyaluronidase treatments, including retrobulbar injections and superselective ophthalmic artery thrombolysis. The facial appearance was not remarkably affected, and only 3 patients reported slight scarring. Ptosis disappeared in all the patients, and slight strabismus was found in 5 patients. However, vision improvement was very limited, even in the patients whose occluded retinal central artery received reperfusion.

Conclusions

This long-term follow-up showed that the patients with vision loss caused by HA filler injections could reintegrate into society after treatment. Although the embolization of the retinal central artery led to reperfusion, vision was not restored, which further demonstrated the difficulty of recovering vision with the current treatment and the importance of prophylaxis. Autohydrolysis of HA by incorporating hyaluronidase-containing stimuli-responsive nanoparticles and a dual-pipe syringe are potential future approaches to address this catastrophic event.
Efficacy of Cold Tumescent for Prevention of Intraoperative Bleeding in Patients Undergoing Liposuction: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial–Half-Side Comparison
Authors: Pruksapong Chatchai , Buarabporn Naphan , Junkajorn Suttisan
Published: December 2022

Background

Bleeding, a common intraoperative complication of liposuction, often causes pain and discomfort during recovery. Because of the vasoconstrictive effect of adrenaline in the tumescent solution, bleeding can be reduced; however, reports of postoperative bleeding persist. Cold temperatures also have a vasoconstrictive effect.

Objectives

This study aimed to determine the efficacy of cold tumescent solution in preventing and reducing intraoperative bleeding.

Methods

This prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted between June 2018 and June 2019. The liposuction areas in each participant were divided into left and right sides; one side received operative room temperature tumescent solution (25 °C), and the other side received low-temperature tumescent solution (4 °C). The areas of ecchymosis, pain scores, and patient and surgeon satisfaction scores were compared and analyzed.

Results

Ten patients with 36 pairs of liposuction areas were enrolled in the study. Cold tumescent liposuction resulted in a significantly lower lipocrit than was obtained on the standard tumescent side (1.56 ± 0.69 vs 2.92 ± 0.94; P < .001). The ecchymosis area and pain score were significantly lower in the cold tumescent group on days 2, 4, 7, and 14. The satisfaction evaluation scores did not differ between patients and surgeons at 12 months postoperatively.

Conclusions

The use of cold tumescent anesthesia significantly improved liposuction outcomes by reducing the intraoperative blood loss and the postoperative ecchymosis and pain, with no immediate or short-term complications in low-volume liposuction (<1000 mL) procedures. Furthermore, it generated a standard outcome and good patient satisfaction scores.

Level of Evidence: 2
The Retention-Rate Improvement of Stromal Vascular Fraction Gel in Prefrontal Filling With Botulinum Toxin-A Injection: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Wang Zhizhou , Cheng Rong , Du Yuyang , Chen Xinyao , Li Rou , Hao Lijun , Luo Sai
Published: December 2022

Background

As a derivative of adipose tissues, stromal vascular fraction gel has been widely utilized in facial soft tissue filling, but it still does not achieve the expected effect in forehead filling. The reason may be related to the corrugator muscles movements.

Objectives

The authors aimed to evaluate the effect of botulinum toxin-A (BTX-A) on the retention rate of stromal vascular fraction gel by limiting the corrugator muscles movements and to provide a theoretical basis that short-term inhibition of movement in the affected area could improve the effects of the fat graft.

Methods

From January 2019 to June 2021, patients with stromal vascular fraction gel facial filling (including frontal and temporal parts) were selected. According to whether or not BTX-A treatment was received, patients were divided into injected and the noninjected groups. A questionnaire and the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS) were administered to evaluate 2-dimensional photos. The retention rate and curvature were calculated with 3-dimensional images utilizing Artec Studio 13 Professional and MATLAB software.

Results

The graft retention, forehead curvature, and GAIS scores were all higher in the injected group than the noninjected group (P < .01). On the questionnaire, the injected group also showed more satisfaction with the treatment effect and were more willing to recommend the treatment to their friends.

Conclusions

BTX-A injection can improve the retention rate of prefrontal stromal vascular fraction gel filling, with higher patient satisfaction and better postoperative effects.

Level of Evidence: 5
An arachnid’s guide to being an ant: morphological and behavioral mimicry in ant-mimicking spiders
Authors: Subramaniam Nimish , Tamma Krishnapriya , Uma Divya
Published: December 2022

Batesian mimicry imposes several challenges to mimics and evokes adaptations in multiple sensory modalities. Myrmecomorphy, morphological and behavioral resemblance to ants, is seen in over 2000 arthropod species. Ant-like resemblance is observed in at least 13 spider families despite spiders having a distinct body plan compared to ants. Quantifying the extent to which spiders’ shape, size, and behavior resemble model ants will allow us to comprehend the evolutionary pressures that have facilitated myrmecomorphy. Myrmaplata plataleoides are thought to closely resemble weaver ants, Oecophylla smaragdina. In this study, we quantify the speed of movement of model, mimic, and non-mimetic jumping spiders. We use traditional and geometric morphometrics to quantify traits such as foreleg size and hindleg size, body shape between the model ant, mimic, and non-mimics. Our results suggest that while the mimics closely resemble the model ants in speed of movement, they occupy an intermediate morphological space compared to the model ants and non-mimics. Ant-mimicking spiders are better at mimicking ants’ locomotory movement than morphology and overall body shape. Some traits may compensate others, suggesting differential selection on these mimetic traits. Our study provides a framework to understand the multimodal nature of mimicry and helps discern the relative contributions of such traits that drive mimetic accuracy in ant-mimicking spiders.
ManyFold: an efficient and flexible library for training and validating protein folding models
Authors: Villegas-Morcillo Amelia , Robinson Louis , Flajolet Arthur , Barrett Thomas D
Published: December 2022

ManyFold is a flexible library for protein structure prediction with deep learning that (i) supports models that use both multiple sequence alignments (MSAs) and protein language model (pLM) embedding as inputs, (ii) allows inference of existing models (AlphaFold and OpenFold), (iii) is fully trainable, allowing for both fine-tuning and the training of new models from scratch and (iv) is written in Jax to support efficient batched operation in distributed settings. A proof-of-concept pLM-based model, pLMFold, is trained from scratch to obtain reasonable results with reduced computational overheads in comparison to AlphaFold.

Availability and implementation

The source code for ManyFold, the validation dataset and a small sample of training data are available at https://github.com/instadeepai/manyfold.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Symbolic kinetic models in python (SKiMpy): intuitive modeling of large-scale biological kinetic models
Authors: Weilandt Daniel R , Salvy Pierre , Masid Maria , Fengos Georgios , Denhardt-Erikson Robin , Hosseini Zhaleh , Hatzimanikatis Vassily
Published: December 2022

Motivation

Large-scale kinetic models are an invaluable tool to understand the dynamic and adaptive responses of biological systems. The development and application of these models have been limited by the availability of computational tools to build and analyze large-scale models efficiently. The toolbox presented here provides the means to implement, parameterize and analyze large-scale kinetic models intuitively and efficiently.

Results

We present a Python package (SKiMpy) bridging this gap by implementing an efficient kinetic modeling toolbox for the semiautomatic generation and analysis of large-scale kinetic models for various biological domains such as signaling, gene expression and metabolism. Furthermore, we demonstrate how this toolbox is used to parameterize kinetic models around a steady-state reference efficiently. Finally, we show how SKiMpy can implement multispecies bioreactor simulations to assess biotechnological processes.

Availability and implementation

The software is available as a Python 3 package on GitHub: https://github.com/EPFL-LCSB/SKiMpy, along with adequate documentation.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
DeepPHiC: predicting promoter-centered chromatin interactions using a novel deep learning approach
Authors: Agarwal Aman , Chen Li
Published: December 2022

Motivation

Promoter-centered chromatin interactions, which include promoter–enhancer (PE) and promoter–promoter (PP) interactions, are important to decipher gene regulation and disease mechanisms. The development of next-generation sequencing technologies such as promoter capture Hi-C (pcHi-C) leads to the discovery of promoter-centered chromatin interactions. However, pcHi-C experiments are expensive and thus may be unavailable for tissues/cell types of interest. In addition, these experiments may be underpowered due to insufficient sequencing depth or various artifacts, which results in a limited finding of interactions. Most existing computational methods for predicting chromatin interactions are based on in situ Hi-C and can detect chromatin interactions across the entire genome. However, they may not be optimal for predicting promoter-centered chromatin interactions.

Results

We develop a supervised multi-modal deep learning model, which utilizes a comprehensive set of features such as genomic sequence, epigenetic signal, anchor distance, evolutionary features and DNA structural features to predict tissue/cell type-specific PE and PP interactions. We further extend the deep learning model in a multi-task learning and a transfer learning framework and demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms state-of-the-art deep learning methods. Moreover, the proposed approach can achieve comparable prediction performance using predefined biologically relevant tissues/cell types compared to using all tissues/cell types in the pretraining especially for predicting PE interactions. The prediction performance can be further improved by using computationally inferred biologically relevant tissues/cell types in the pretraining, which are defined based on the common genes in the proximity of two anchors in the chromatin interactions.

Availability and implementation

https://github.com/lichen-lab/DeepPHiC.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Virtual wobble spaces: A pilot study of the outcomes of online therapeutic spaces on practitioner well-being and social work practice
Authors: Turner Denise , Linton Andrew
Published: December 2022

Stress, emotional exhaustion and job dissatisfaction have been prevailing issues in social work for decades, with recent research by BASW demonstrating poor psychological outcomes for social workers, amidst inadequate levels of staff retention and high burn out rates. The Covid-19 pandemic added to these existing stresses, with social workers experiencing multiple losses, including bereavements and changes to working practices. As a response to the pandemic, many hospitals and health care settings established bespoke wobble spaces, dedicated to enhancing staff well-being. However, despite the reported success of these wobble spaces, results from a literature review show that they have not been established within social work. The pilot study discussed in this article explored and evaluated the impacts of a virtual wobble space provided for social workers over three months at fortnightly intervals. The research design was purposefully creative and aimed at focussing on positivity and fun as a counter to much of the existing literature on stress and burnout in social work. The study is limited by a small sample size but nevertheless the unanimously positive findings and wider interest, suggest there may be a broader role for wobble space provision in social work.
Within-Person and Between-Sensor Variability in Continuous Glucose Monitoring Metrics
Authors: Selvin Elizabeth , Wang Dan , Rooney Mary R , Fang Michael , Echouffo-Tcheugui Justin B , Zeger Scott , Sartini Joseph , Tang Olive , Coresh Josef , Nisha Aurora R , Punjabi Naresh M
Published: December 2022

Background

The within-person and between-sensor variability of metrics from different interstitial continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensors in adults with type 2 diabetes not taking insulin is unclear.

Methods

Secondary analysis of data from 172 participants from the Hyperglycemic Profiles in Obstructive Sleep Apnea randomized clinical trial. Participants simultaneously wore Dexcom G4 and Abbott Libre Pro CGM sensors for up to 2 weeks at baseline and again at the 3-month follow-up visit.

Results

At baseline (up to 2 weeks of CGM), mean glucose for both the Abbott and Dexcom sensors was approximately 150 mg/dL (8.3 mmol/L) and time in range (70180 mg/dL [3.910.0 mmol/L]) was just below 80. When comparing the same sensor at 2 different time points (two 2-week periods, 3 months apart), the within-person coefficient of variation (CVw) in mean glucose was 17.4 (Abbott) and 14.2 (Dexcom). CVw for percent time in range: 20.1 (Abbott) and 18.6 (Dexcom). At baseline, the Pearson correlation of mean glucose from the 2 sensors worn simultaneously was r 0.86, root mean squared error (RMSE), 13 mg/dL (0.7 mmol/L); for time in range, r 0.88, RMSE, 8 percentage points.

Conclusions

Substantial variation was observed within sensors over time and across 2 different sensors worn simultaneously on the same individuals. Clinicians should be aware of this variability when using CGM technology to make clinical decisions.

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02454153.
Dissimilarity in coagulation system in adults after Fontan surgery based on thrombin generations
Authors: Skorek Paweł , Skubera Maciej , Natorska Joanna , Ząbczyk Michał , Trojnarska Olga , Pająk Jacek , Mazurek-Kula Anna , Bartczak-Rutkowska Agnieszka , Podolec Piotr , Tomkiewicz-Pająk Lidia
Published: December 2022

OBJECTIVES

The Fontan procedure is the treatment of choice in congenital cardiac malformations defined as the single ventricle. Fontan patients are at high risk of thromboembolism, but the exact mechanism of this is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate an involvement of thrombin generations and microparticles (MPs) in prothrombotic state in adults with Fontan circulation.

METHODS

This study included hospitalized patients after Fontan procedure and healthy volunteers. We assessed laboratory tests including thrombin generation by calibrated automated thrombography in three variants [platelet-poor plasma (impact of coagulation factors), platelet-rich plasma (PRP) (influence of platelets) and related with MPs]. The technique allows for a comprehensive evaluation of the coagulation system.

RESULTS

The study groups consisted of 81 adult Fontan patients [41 females (50.6%); median age 22 interquartile range [20–27] years] and 54 control subjects. In patients with Fontan circulation, higher values of endogenous thrombin potential and peak values were observed for both platelet-poor plasma (+17% and +33%) and MPs (+29% and 41%) compared to controls (all P < 0.05). Moreover, in the Fontan group, we found a 64.9% shorter lag time and a 70.4% time to peak for MP variant (both P < 0.001). Contrarily, analysis in the PRP showed 17.1% of reduced endogenous thrombin potential in Fontan. Furthermore, there were no differences in thrombin synthesis in PRP in Fontan patients receiving aspirin or those with thrombocytopaenia (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study for the first time showed that thrombin generation associated with MPs may be an important contributor to the prothrombotic state in the Fontan population.
Terminal ear 1 and phytochromes B1/B2 regulate maize leaf initiation independently
Authors: Busche Michael , Hake Sarah , Brunkard Jacob O
Published: December 2022

Higher plants generate new leaves from shoot meristems throughout their vegetative lifespan. The tempo of leaf initiation is dynamically regulated by physiological cues, but little is known about the underlying genetic signaling pathways that coordinate this rate. Two maize (Zea mays) mutants, terminal ear1 (te1) and phytochrome B1;phytochrome B2 (phyB1;phyB2), oppositely affect leaf initiation rates and total leaf number at the flowering time: te1 mutants make leaves faster whereas phyB1;phyB2 mutants make leaves slower than wild-type plants. To test whether PhyB1, PhyB2, and TE1 act in overlapping or distinct pathways to regulate leaf initiation, we crossed te1 and phyB1;phyB2 created an F2 population segregating for these three mutations and quantified various phenotypes among the resulting genotypes, including leaf number, leaf initiation rate, plant height, leaf length, leaf width, number of juvenile leaves, stalk diameter, and dry shoot biomass. Leaf number and initiation rate in phyB1;phyB2;te1 plants fell between the extremes of the two parents, suggesting an additive genetic interaction between te1 and phyB1;phyB2 rather than epistasis. Therefore, we conclude that PhyB1, PhyB2, and TE1 likely control leaf initiation through distinct signaling pathways.
On the measurement ofSdiff splitting caused by lowermost mantle anisotropy
Authors: Wolf Jonathan , Long Maureen D , Creasy Neala , Garnero Edward
Published: December 2022

Seismic anisotropy has been detected at many depths of the Earth, including its upper layers, the lowermost mantle and the inner core. While upper mantle seismic anisotropy is relatively straightforward to resolve, lowermost mantle anisotropy has proven to be more complicated to measure. Due to their long, horizontal ray paths along the core–mantle boundary (CMB), S waves diffracted along the CMB (Sdiff) are potentially strongly influenced by lowermost mantle anisotropy. Sdiff waves can be recorded over a large epicentral distance range and thus sample the lowermost mantle everywhere around the globe. Sdiff therefore represents a promising phase for studying lowermost mantle anisotropy; however, previous studies have pointed out some difficulties with the interpretation of differential SHdiff–SVdiff traveltimes in terms of seismic anisotropy. Here, we provide a new, comprehensive assessment of the usability of Sdiff waves to infer lowermost mantle anisotropy. Using both axisymmetric and fully 3-D global wavefield simulations, we show that there are cases in which Sdiff can reliably detect and characterize deep mantle anisotropy when measuring traditional splitting parameters (as opposed to differential traveltimes). First, we analyze isotropic effects on Sdiff polarizations, including the influence of realistic velocity structure (such as 3-D velocity heterogeneity and ultra-low velocity zones), the character of the lowermost mantle velocity gradient, mantle attenuation structure, and Earth’s Coriolis force. Secondly, we evaluate effects of seismic anisotropy in both the upper and the lowermost mantle on SHdiff waves. In particular, we investigate how SHdiff waves are split by seismic anisotropy in the upper mantle near the source and how this anisotropic signature propagates to the receiver for a variety of lowermost mantle models. We demonstrate that, in particular and predictable cases, anisotropy leads to Sdiff splitting that can be clearly distinguished from other waveform effects. These results enable us to lay out a strategy for the analysis of Sdiff splitting due to anisotropy at the base of the mantle, which includes steps to help avoid potential pitfalls, with attention paid to the initial polarization of Sdiff and the influence of source-side anisotropy. We demonstrate our Sdiff splitting method using three earthquakes that occurred beneath the Celebes Sea, measured at many transportable array stations at a suitable epicentral distance. We resolve consistent and well-constrained Sdiff splitting parameters due to lowermost mantle anisotropy beneath the northeastern Pacific Ocean.
Ambient temperature during pregnancy and fetal growth in Eastern Massachusetts, USA
Authors: Leung Michael , Laden Francine , Coull Brent A , Modest Anna M , Hacker Michele R , Wylie Blair J , Iyer Hari S , Hart Jaime E , Wei Yaguang , Schwartz Joel , Weisskopf Marc G , Papatheodorou Stefania
Published: December 2022

Background

Left unabated, rising temperatures pose an escalating threat to human health. The potential effects of hot temperatures on fetal health have been under-explored. Here, we examined the association between prenatal ambient temperature exposure and fetal growth measures in a Massachusetts-based pregnancy cohort.

Methods

We used ultrasound measurements of biparietal diameter (BPD), head circumference (HC), femur length and abdominal circumference (AC), in addition to birthweight (BW), from 9446 births at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center from 2011 to 2016. Ultrasound scans were classified into three distinct gestational periods: 16–23 weeks, 24–31 weeks, 32+ weeks; and z-scores were created for each fetal growth measure using the INTERGROWTH-21st standards. We fitted distributed lag models to estimate the time-varying association between weekly temperature and fetal growth, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, seasonal and long-term trends, humidity and particulate matter (PM2.5).

Results

Higher ambient temperature was associated with smaller fetal growth measures. The critical window of exposure appeared to be Weeks 1–20 for ultrasound parameters, and high temperatures throughout pregnancy were important for BW. Associations were strongest for head parameters (BPD and HC) in early to mid-pregnancy, AC late in pregnancy and BW. For example, a 5ºC higher cumulative temperature exposure was associated with a lower mean AC z-score of -0.26 (95% CI: -0.48, -0.04) among 24–31-Week scans, and a lower mean BW z-score of -0.32 (95% CI: -0.51, -0.12).

Conclusion

Higher temperatures were associated with impaired fetal growth. This has major health implications given that extreme temperatures are more common and escalating.
Terrain of Contestation: Complicating the Role of Aid in Border Diplomacy between Europe and Morocco
Authors: Gazzotti Lorena
Published: December 2022

Theorists of border externalization have portrayed aid in border control cooperation as a bargaining chip that the European Union uses to “buy” the cooperation of countries of “origin” and “transit.” More recent scholarship, instead, has depicted aid as a rent that Southern actors try to extract from Northern donors by capitalizing on the presence of foreign, “undesirable” populations within their own borders. Both explanations overlook the manifold ways countries of “origin” and “transit” maneuver aid in diplomatic relations over border control, thus failing to conceptualize aid beyond the incentive/rent binary. This paper analyses the implementation of three aid-funded projects in the field of migration in Morocco. Building on postcolonial international relations and organizational sociology, I argue that countries of “origin” and “transit” do not always welcome aid in the field of migration with open hands. Rather, they decide to cooperate (or not) with Global North donors and their subcontracting partners depending on how specific aid-funded projects fit into their broader domestic and international foreign policy strategy. I identify a three-tiered typology of engagement (facilitation, negotiation, and obstruction) to argue that aid rather works as a terrain where countries of “origin” and “transit” display, contest, and renegotiate diplomatic relations with Northern partners in situations of power asymmetry.
Genital self-amputation—its psychological urge
Authors: Ravichandran Srinath , Smith Peter Mark , Tang Vincent
Published: December 2022

Genital self-mutilation (GSM) is a rare phenomenon that can occur in patients with severe mental health illness. This case report highlights a rare case of self-inflicted bilateral testicular amputation and partial penile amputation in a patient who is a transwoman with a psychiatric history. The patient initially presented to urology in extremis with bilateral testicular amputation. The patient was resuscitated but required emergency surgery in the form of bilateral inguinal approach to ligate the cord and control haemostasis. The testes were not re-implanted as the patient refused and, after psychiatric discussion, was deemed to have capacity. She then re-presented within a week with self-inflicted partial amputation of penis. On both admissions, the patient had psychiatric evaluation but she was sectioned under the mental health act the second time. This case demonstrates how one can control haemostasis in the emergency scenarios of GSM and emphasizes the importance of psychiatric illness and evaluation in patients presenting with GSM.
A rare case of an incarcerated incisional hernia with gravid uterus
Authors: Chin Xinlin , Li Damon , Copertino Nicolas , Caleo Pamela J
Published: December 2022

Herniation of a gravid uterus through an abdominal wall incisional hernia with overlying skin necrosis is exceptionally rare. A 29-year-old multiparous K30 + 4/40 pregnant female presented with a 1-month history of worsening abdominal wall skin changes. Magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen and pelvis confirmed herniation of the gravid uterus into the hernia sac. A lower uterine segment caesarean section and hernia repair were performed by the general surgical and obstetrics team in view of the potential maternofoetal complications. This case highlights the importance of early recognition and the difficulties in managing gravid uterus herniation.
Prevalence of the Direct Antiglobulin Test and Its Clinical Impact on Multiply Transfused Thalassemia Patients: A Prospective Study Conducted at a Tertiary Care Center in Northern India
Authors: Kumar Yadav Brijesh , Chaudhary Rajendra K , Shrivastava Harsha , Elhence Priti
Published: December 2022

Objective

This study was conducted to estimate prevalence of direct antiglobulin test (DAT) positivity and its impact on transfusion support in patients with thalassemia.

Methods

The DAT testing was performed for patients with β-thalassemia who received transfusion from November 2021 to March 2022. Elution was done for DAT-positive samples.

Results

Of 180 patients, 21 (11.6%) were DAT positive. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) was present in 4 (19%) and IgG+C3d was present in 8 (38%). Only complement was present in 9 (42.8%) patients. The IgG-reactive DATs were associated with pan-reactive eluate. Patients who were DAT-positive had significantly higher levels of serum bilirubin, ferritin, and IgG than those who were DAT-negative.

Conclusion

Autoantibody formation in multiply transfused thalassemia patients is common and merits equal attention as alloimmunization. It is particularly important as DAT-positive red blood cells may undergo clinically significant hemolysis, which may increase the transfusion requirements with associated sequalae such as increased serum ferritin and splenomegaly.
Dark matter halos and scaling relations of extremely massive spiral galaxies from extended H i rotation curves
Authors: Di Teodoro Enrico M , Posti Lorenzo , Fall S Michael , Ogle Patrick M , Jarrett Thomas , Appleton Philip N , Cluver Michelle E , Haynes Martha P , Lisenfeld Ute
Published: December 2022

We present new and archival atomic hydrogen (H i) observations of 15 of the most massive spiral galaxies in the local Universe (${M_{\star }}\gt 10^{11} \, {\rm M}_\odot$). From 3D kinematic modeling of the datacubes, we derive extended H i rotation curves, and from these, we estimate masses of the dark matter halos and specific angular momenta of the discs. We confirm that massive spiral galaxies lie at the upper ends of the Tully–Fisher relation (mass vs velocity, M ∝ V4) and Fall relation (specific angular momentum vs mass, j ∝ M0.6), in both stellar and baryonic forms, with no significant deviations from single power laws. We study the connections between baryons and dark matter through the stellar (and baryon)-to-halo ratios of mass fM ≡ M⋆/Mh and specific angular momentum fj, ⋆ ≡ j⋆/jh and fj, bar ≡ jbar/jh. Combining our sample with others from the literature for less massive disc-dominated galaxies, we find that fM rises monotonically with M⋆ and Mh (instead of the inverted-U shaped fM for spheroid-dominated galaxies), while fj, ⋆ and fj, bar are essentially constant near unity over four decades in mass. Our results indicate that disc galaxies constitute a self-similar population of objects closely linked to the self-similarity of their dark halos. This picture is reminiscent of early analytical models of galaxy formation wherein discs grow by relatively smooth and gradual inflow, isolated from disruptive events such as major mergers and strong active galactic nuclei feedback, in contrast to the more chaotic growth of spheroids.
The Mira–Titan Universe – IV. High-precision power spectrum emulation
Authors: Moran Kelly R , Heitmann Katrin , Lawrence Earl , Habib Salman , Bingham Derek , Upadhye Amol , Kwan Juliana , Higdon David , Payne Richard
Published: December 2022

Modern cosmological surveys are delivering data sets characterized by unprecedented quality and statistical completeness; this trend is expected to continue in the future as new ground- and space-based surveys come online. In order to maximally extract cosmological information from these observations, matching theoretical predictions are needed. At low redshifts, the surveys probe the non-linear regime of structure formation where cosmological simulations are the primary means of obtaining the required information. The computational cost of sufficiently resolved large-volume simulations makes it prohibitive to run very large ensembles. Nevertheless, precision emulators built on a tractable number of high-quality simulations can be used to build very fast prediction schemes to enable a variety of cosmological inference studies. We have recently introduced the Mira–Titan Universe simulation suite designed to construct emulators for a range of cosmological probes. This gravity-only set of simulations covers the standard six cosmological parameters {ωm, ωb, σ8, h, ns, w0} and, in addition, includes massive neutrinos and a dynamical dark energy equation of state {ων, wa}. In this paper, we present the final emulator for the matter power spectrum based on 111 cosmological simulations, each covering a (2.1 Gpc)3 volume and evolving 32003 particles. An additional set of 1776 lower resolution simulations and TimeRG perturbation theory results for the power spectrum are used to cover scales straddling the linear to mildly non-linear regimes (maximum wavenumber k = 5 Mpc−1). The emulator provides predictions at the 2–3 per cent level of accuracy over a wide range of cosmological parameters and is publicly released as part of this paper.
Particle acceleration at ultrarelativistic, perpendicular shock fronts
Authors: Kirk John G , Reville Brian , Huang Zhi-Qiu
Published: December 2022

Using an eigenfunction expansion to solve the transport equation, complemented by Monte Carlo simulations, we show that ultrarelativistic shocks can be effective particle accelerators even when they fail to produce large amplitude turbulence in the downstream plasma. This finding contradicts the widely held belief that a uniform downstream magnetic field perpendicular to the shock normal inhibits acceleration by the first-order Fermi process. In the ultrarelativistic limit, we find a stationary power-law particle spectrum of index s = 4.17 for these shocks, close to that predicted for a strictly parallel shock.
Transit duration and timing variations from binary planets
Authors: Chakraborty Joheen , Kipping David
Published: December 2022

Systems of two gravitationally bound exoplanets orbiting a common barycentre outside their physical radii (‘binary planets’) may result from tidal capture during planet–planet scattering. These objects are expected to form in tight orbits of just a few times their summed radii due to dynamical tides. As a result of their close proximity, their transits overlap heavily, leading to the deceptive illusion of a single planet of larger effective size, an effect compounded in the presence of noisy data and/or long integration times. We show that these illusory single-component transits, dubbed ‘chimera transits’, exhibit large-amplitude transit duration variation (TDV) effects of the order of hours, as well as smaller transit timing variations (TTVs). We compute an analytical approximation for the transit duration upper bound, assuming binary planets with low impact parameter and orbits coplanar with the stellarcentric orbit. We verify the accuracy of our expressions against dynamical simulations of binary Jupiters using the luna algorithm, and provide a python code for numerical calculations of the TDV signal in binary planet systems (github.com/joheenc/binary-planet-transits). Additionally, chimera transits from binary planets exhibit TTVs of detectable amplitude and high frequency, falling within the recently identified exomoon corridor. Due to their anomalous shapes, depths, and durations, such objects may be flagged as false positives, but could be clearly surveyed for in existing archives.
Potentialities of Hubble parameter and expansion rate function data to alleviate Hubble tension
Authors: Yang Yingjie , Lu Xuchen , Qian Lei , Cao Shulei
Published: December 2022

Taking advantage of Gaussian process (GP), we obtain an improved estimate of the Hubble constant, H0 = 70.41 ± 1.58 km s−1 Mpc−1, using Hubble parameter [H(z)] from cosmic chronometer (CCH) and expansion rate function [E(z)], extracted from Type Ia supernovae, data. We also use CCH data, including the ones with full covariance matrix, and E(z) data to obtain a determination of $H_0=72.34_{-1.92}^{+1.90}$ km s−1 Mpc−1, which implies that the involvement of full covariance matrix results in higher values and uncertainties of H0. These results are higher than those obtained by directly reconstructing CCH data with GP. In order to estimate the potential of future CCH data, we simulate two sets of H(z) data and use them to constrain H0 by either using GP reconstruction or fitting them with E(z) data. We find that the simulated H(z) data alleviate H0 tension by pushing H0 values higher towards ∼70 km s−1 Mpc−1. We also find that joint H(z) + E(z) data favour higher values of H0, which is also confirmed by constraining H0 in the flat concordance model and second-order Taylor expansion of H(z). In summary, we conclude that more and better-quality CCH data as well as E(z) data can provide a new and useful perspective on resolving H0 tension.
Time to normalisation of C-reactive protein and incidence of relapse in microscopic polyangiitis: A medical records review study in Japan
Authors: Yamaguchi Makoto , Ito Mayumi , Sugiyama Hirokazu , Iwagaitsu Shiho , Nobata Hironobu , Kinashi Hiroshi , Katsuno Takayuki , Ando Masahiko , Kubo Yoko , Banno Shogo , Ito Yasuhiko , Ishimoto Takuji
Published: December 2022

Objectives

Despite the identification of risk factors for relapses in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis, the relationship between changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) levels after the initial treatment and the incidence of relapse remains unknown. This study aimed to assess the association between the time taken for normalisation of CRP levels and the incidence of relapse in Japanese adult patients with microscopic polyangiitis.

Methods

This study included 85 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed microscopic polyangiitis who achieved remission after 6 months of immunosuppressive treatment at the Aichi Medical University Hospital between 2009 and 2017. The relationship between the time to normalisation of CRP after the initial immunosuppressive treatment and relapse incidences was evaluated using multivariable Cox proportional hazard models.

Results

During the follow-up period, 13 (30.2%), 7 (41.2%), and 16 (64.0%) patients relapsed (P = .025) within 1–14, 15–28, and ≥29 days of normalisation, respectively. The hazard ratios [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] for the time to normalisation of CRP of 1–14, 15–28, and ≥29 days were 1.00 (reference), 2.42 (95% CI: 0.92–6.39), and 3.48 (95% CI: 1.56–7.76), respectively.

Conclusions

A significant association between the time to normalisation of CRP and the relapse incidence in Japanese patients with microscopic polyangiitis was observed.
A Critical Review of Zebrafish Neurological Disease Models−2. Application: Functional and Neuroanatomical Phenotyping Strategies and Chemical Screens
Authors: Burton Edward A , Burgess Harold A
Published: December 2022

Extensive phylogenetic conservation of molecular pathways and neuroanatomical structures, associated with efficient methods for genetic modification, have been exploited increasingly to generate zebrafish models of human disease. A range of powerful approaches can be deployed to analyze these models with the ultimate goal of elucidating pathogenic mechanisms and accelerating efforts to find effective treatments. Unbiased neurobehavioral assays can provide readouts that parallel clinical abnormalities found in patients, although some of the most useful assays quantify responses that are not routinely evaluated clinically, and differences between zebrafish and human brains preclude expression of the full range of neurobehavioral abnormalities seen in disease. Imaging approaches that use fluorescent reporters and standardized brain atlases coupled with quantitative measurements of brain structure offer an unbiased means to link experimental manipulations to changes in neural architecture. Together, quantitative structural and functional analyses allow dissection of the cellular and physiological basis underlying neurological phenotypes. These approaches can be used as outputs in chemical modifier screens, which provide a major opportunity to exploit zebrafish models to identify small molecule modulators of pathophysiology that may be informative for understanding disease mechanisms and possible therapeutic approaches.
Kinase CIPK9 integrates glucose and abscisic acid signaling to regulate seed oil metabolism in rapeseed
Authors: Wang Nan , Tao Baolong , Mai Jiaming , Guo Yanli , Li Rihui , Chen Rundong , Zhao Lun , Wen Jing , Yi Bin , Tu Jinxing , Fu Tingdong , Zou Jitao , Shen Jinxiong
Published: December 2022

Rapeseed (Brassica napus), an important oil crop worldwide, provides large amounts of lipids for human requirements. Calcineurin B-like (CBL)-interacting protein kinase 9 (CIPK9) was reported to regulate seed oil content in the plant. Here, we generated gene-silenced lines through RNA interference biotechnology and loss-of-function mutant bnacipk9 using CRISPR/Cas9 to further study BnaCIPK9 functions in the seed oil metabolism of rapeseeds. We discovered that compared with wild-type (WT) lines, gene-silenced and bnacipk9 lines had substantially different oil contents and fatty acid compositions: seed oil content was improved by 3%–5% and 1%–6% in bnacipk9 lines and gene-silenced lines, respectively; both lines were with increased levels of monounsaturated fatty acids and decreased levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Additionally, hormone and glucose content analyses revealed that compared with WT lines the bnacipk9 lines showed significant differences: in bnacipk9 seeds, indoleacetic acid and abscisic acid (ABA) levels were higher; glucose and sucrose contents were higher with a higher hexose-to-sucrose ratio in bnacipk9 mid-to-late maturation development seeds. Furthermore, the bnacipk9 was less sensitive to glucose and ABA than the WT according to stomatal aperture regulation assays and the expression levels of genes involved in glucose and ABA regulating pathways in rapeseeds. Notably, in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), exogenous ABA and glucose imposed on developing seeds revealed the effects of ABA and glucose signaling on seed oil accumulation. Altogether, our results strongly suggest a role of CIPK9 in mediating the interaction between glucose flux and ABA hormone signaling to regulate seed oil metabolism in rapeseed.
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin induces multigenerational alterations in the expression of microRNA in the thymus through epigenetic modifications
Authors: Singh Narendra P , Yang Xiaoming , Bam Marpe , Nagarkatti Mitzi , Nagarkatti Prakash
Published: December 2022

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a potent AhR ligand, is an environmental contaminant that is known for mediating toxicity across generations. However, whether TCDD can induce multigenerational changes in the expression of microRNAs (miRs) has not been previously studied. In the current study, we investigated the effect of administration of TCDD in pregnant mice (F0) on gestational day 14, on the expression of miRs in the thymus of F0 and subsequent generations (F1 and F2). Of the 3200 miRs screened, 160 miRs were dysregulated similarly in F0, F1, and F2 generations, while 46 miRs were differentially altered in F0 to F2 generations. Pathway analysis revealed that the changes in miR signature profile mediated by TCDD affected the genes that regulate cell signaling, apoptosis, thymic atrophy, cancer, immunosuppression, and other physiological pathways. A significant number of miRs that showed altered expression exhibited dioxin response elements (DRE) on their promoters. Focusing on one such miR, namely miR-203 that expressed DREs and was induced across F0 to F2 by TCDD, promoter analysis showed that one of the DREs expressed by miR-203 was functional to TCDD-mediated upregulation. Also, the histone methylation status of H3K4me3 in the miR-203 promoter was significantly increased near the transcriptional start site in TCDD-treated thymocytes across F0 to F2 generations. Genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing study suggested that TCDD may cause alterations in histone methylation in certain genes across the three generations. Together, the current study demonstrates that gestational exposure to TCDD can alter the expression of miRs in F0 through direct activation of DREs as well as across F0, F1, and F2 generations through epigenetic pathways.
Systemic lupus erythematosus incidence and prevalence in a large population-based study in northeastern Italy
Authors: Zen Margherita , Salmaso Laura , Barbiellini Amidei Claudio , Fedeli Ugo , Bellio Stefania , Iaccarino Luca , Giollo Alessandro , Doria Andrea , Saia Mario
Published: December 2022

Objectives

We aimed at estimating the incidence and prevalence of SLE in northeastern Italy over the period 2012–20.

Methods

A retrospective population-based study was conducted in Veneto Region (4.9 million people) using the population registry, an administrative health database where all residents are recorded. Between 2012 and 2020, SLE prevalence was defined by a healthcare co-payment exemption for SLE (national registry code 028) or any hospital diagnosis of SLE (International Classification of Disease , Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification 710.0), whichever came first. Incident SLE was defined from 2013 to 2020 to exclude prevalent cases. Standardized incidence and prevalence rates were reported by age and sex.

Results

During the study period, we identified 4283 SLE patients (85% female), with 1092 incident cases. Across the study period, SLE standardized point prevalence increased from 63.5 (95% CI 61.2, 65.8) to 70.6 (95% CI 68.3, 73.0) per 100 000 residents, corresponding to an annual increment of 1.14% (P < 0.0001). The highest prevalence was observed in females aged 60–69 years. SLE incidence corresponded to 2.8 per 100 000 person-years (95% CI 2.6, 2.9), with an annual decline of 7.3% (P < 0.0001). Incidence was 5-fold higher in females (female-to-male incidence rate ratio: 5.00, 95% CI 4.25, 5.87; P < 0.0001), with a peak among women aged 30–39 years. At diagnosis, women were significantly younger (45 years, IQR 33–58) than men (52 years, IQR 38–64).

Conclusions

Over the last decade, SLE prevalence has increased, while incidence has stably declined. In view of the introduction of new high-cost drugs, a clear definition of the epidemiology of SLE is crucial for all healthcare stakeholders.
A systematic review of the sex differences in risk factors for knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Szilagyi Ingrid A , Waarsing Jan H , van Meurs Joyce B J , Bierma-Zeinstra Sita M A , Schiphof Dieuwke
Published: December 2022

Objectives

Previous systematic reviews focused on the evidence of common risk factors for knee OA (KOA); however, the effect and strength of association between risk factors and KOA might be different between the two sexes. The aim of the present systematic review was to determine the current evidence on sex differences in the association between risk factors and KOA and their prevalence.

Methods

We searched the following electronic bibliographic databases: MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE and Web of Science. A methodological quality assessment was conducted independently by two researchers according to an adapted version of the standardized set of criteria known as the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS). The NOS, a star system, was converted to three categories of quality.

Results

In total, 27 studies reported sex-specific risk estimates on several risk factors for KOA. Out of the 22 longitudinal cohort studies (except one nested case–control), 12 were of good quality and 10 were of fair quality. The five cross-sectional studies consisted of one of good, three of fair and one of poor quality. There was an indication of sex differences in risk factors leading to higher risk of KOA: high BMI, alcohol consumption, atherosclerosis and high vitamin E levels in women, and high physical activity, soft drink consumption and abdominal obesity in men. Knee injury, high blood pressure and low step rate seem to affect both women and men.

Conclusion

More good quality studies are needed to assess sex differences in risk factors for KOA, especially for symptomatic/clinical OA.