bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non-defendant bad character and s. 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003: A socio-legal analysis of admissibility gateways and trial tactics
Authors: Thomason Matt
Published: December 2022

This article presents a socio-legal analysis of the use of non-defendant bad character evidence in Crown Court criminal trials in England. Combining an in-depth doctrinal analysis of s. 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 with original qualitative empirical methods (interviews with trial counsel and observations of real Crown Court trials), the article explores the real-life practical operation of this rule of exclusion and its associated inclusionary exceptions, and the role that non-defendant bad character can have on trial tactics of counsel. In doing so, it argues that illogical Court of Appeal decisions on the use of bad character for credibility purposes are causing confusion in practice, that the ‘tit-for-tat’ gateway for defendant bad character is a more significant hurdle than s. 100 itself, and that counsel often eschew bad character applications for fear of alienating the jury.
Structural health monitoring based on the cumulative function and cumulative circle of a defective beam under a moving load
Authors: Nguyen Thanh Q , Nguyen Tuan A , Nguyen Thuy T
Published: December 2022

A defective structure has been evaluated and identified in beam models’ deflection measurement signals in much research. However, many results have not been optimally exploited and evaluated to find new parameters for data excavation. This manuscript proposes a cumulative welding model and a cumulative circle of deflection signals for a defective beam under the impact of a moving force. Based on this evaluation model, the manuscript recognizes that the speed of the moving force will determine the regression speed of the received datasets, which is considered the basis for showing the working ability of a beam structure with defects. Moreover, the structure’s cumulative regression circle also shows its resilience in that structure after the impact of the load. The development of defects in the structure will depend on both the structure’s level and resilience after each bearing-load cycle. Our research has shown us that the method of evaluation and use of both the cumulative model and cumulative circle from the deflection’s measured value have yielded more results compared to the previous method. This research can evaluate many defects in different situations while simultaneously evaluating many types of structures.
Understanding the subjective experiences of memory concern and MCI diagnosis: A scoping review
Authors: Carter Christine , James Tiffeny , Higgs Paul , Cooper Claudia , Rapaport Penny
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Many older people experience memory concerns; a minority receive a diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or Subjective Cognitive decline (SCD). There are concerns that medicalisation of MCI and memory concern may fail to acknowledge subjective experiences.

Aim

We explore the meaning individuals give to their memory concerns, with or without a diagnosis of MCI and SCD.

Method

We scoped literature exploring subjective experiences of memory concern, with or without a diagnosis of MCI or SCD. We searched CINAHL, PsycINFO and MEDLINE in March 2020, and updated in Sept 2021.We used (Arksey & O’Malley, 2005) framework to guide our scoping review method and thematic analysis to analyse our findings.

Results

We screened 12,033 search results reviewing the full texts of 92 papers. We included 24 papers, including a total of 453 participants, the majority of whom were female, from White ethnic majority populations (or from studies where ethnicity was not identified) with high levels of education. In 15 out of 24 studies, 272 participants were diagnosed with MCI. We identified two themes; Making a diagnosis personal and Remembering not to forget. We found that subjective experiences include normative comparison with others of the same age and responses including fear, relief, and acceptance, but culminating in uncertainty.

Conclusion

Drawing upon sociology, we highlight the subjective experiences of living with memory concerns, SCD and an MCI diagnosis. We identify a gap between the intended purpose of diagnostic labels to bring understanding and certainty and the lived experiences of those ascribed them.
End-of-life perspectives according to family caregivers of older adults with dementia: A qualitative study
Authors: Pires de Andrade Lage Cabral Bárbara , Martino Buttros Giulia , Leite Brito Eunice M , Giacomin Karla C , Guimarães Assis Marcella
Published: December 2022

Background

Family caregivers are primarily responsible for the care of older adults with dementia, and the demands of this care increase as the end of life approaches. Experiencing the end of a family member’s life can be stressful, and caregivers consider important to know how to identify when their loved one is approaching the end of life in order to prepare for this moment. Thus, as the family is primarily responsible for the older adult with dementia, it is essential to know the meanings of the end of life attributed by family caregivers.

Objective

To analyze the perceptions of family caregivers of older adults with dementia about the end of life.

Methods

This is a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory study. The convenience sample consisted of family caregivers of older adults with dementia. The inclusion criteria were being a family member directly involved in the care of the older adult with dementia and being 18 years of age or older. Data were collected from individual semi-structured interviews. The number of participants was defined during the interviews using the saturation criterion. Data were analyzed using the thematic analysis technique.

Results

A total of 63 family caregivers participated, 74.6% of whom were women, predominantly wives and daughters. Two themes resulted from the data analysis: (i) Different perspectives on the end of life: from death itself to a sad, painful and long grief process; and (ii) End of life in the perspective of transcendence. The meaning of the end of life was perceived in different ways by family caregivers. Understanding how they perceive and experience the end-of-life process of the older adult with dementia helps to clarify the best ways for the health professionals to approach and intervene with these families.
Mean distance from skin to epiglottis in parturients as measured by airway ultrasound
Authors: Neish Emma , Collins Jeremy , Sniecinski Roman M
Published: December 2022

Introduction:

There is an increasing interest in using airway ultrasound to predict difficult intubation. Studies to date have excluded pregnant women in reporting airway measurements. We performed this study to compare the mean distance from skin to epiglottis in parturients to that reported in previously published studies. We also assessed the correlation of mean distance from skin to epiglottis with other elements of the airway examination.

Methods:

A total of 100 parturients were recruited from a tertiary hospital’s labor and delivery floor. Standard physical examination parameters were recorded in addition to the mean distance from skin to epiglottis for all subjects. The ratio of height-to-thyromental distance was used to classify airways as potentially favorable or unfavorable.

Results:

The average mean distance from skin to epiglottis in parturients was 19.9 ± 3.3 mm and followed a normal distribution. The mean distance from skin to epiglottis was moderately correlated with height and body mass index. There was no difference in mean distance from skin to epiglottis between subjects with favorable versus unfavorable airways as classified by ratio of height-to-thyromental distance.

Conclusion:

The typical mean distance from skin to epiglottis in parturients falls between previously published values in mixed populations. Previously published cut-off values using airway ultrasound to predict difficult intubation are not likely to apply to parturients.
Hip replacement in femoral neck fractures: the role of cementation and its technical difficulties
Authors: Gasbarra Elena , Piccirilli Eleonora , Greggi Chiara , Trapani Flavio , Iundusi Riccardo , Tarantino Umberto
Published: December 2022

Hip fractures in elderly patients are an arising problem due to aging of population and still represent a controversial challenge for orthopedic surgeon who should help achieve the best functional recovery in the shortest time. Cementation in hip replacement plays an important role, but it should be carefully planned considering the possible risks. According to the literature, there are still no certainties regarding the superiority of an uncemented implant compared to a cemented one. The purpose of this work is to conduct an overview of the scientific literature that can clarify the advantages and disadvantages of cemented and non-cemented implants from a biological and biomechanical point of view.
Distinct roles of perceived teacher and peer relationships in adolescent students’ academic motivation and outcomes: Father absence as a moderator
Authors: Liu Diyue , Jiang Yi , Wu Fangwen , Yang Xiangdong , Huang Ruirui
Published: December 2022

In the learning environment, both teachers and peers are influential social agents. In the present study, we differentiated between positive and negative aspects of teacher and peer relationships and examined how they predict adolescent students’ academic interest and self-concept, which in turn lead to different levels of academic achievement and subjective well-being at school. Additionally, we explored whether father absence moderated these predictive relationships. Results based on a group of 4274 Chinese middle school students revealed that positive social relationships were more closely related to interest, self-concept, and well-being than negative ones. The predictive paths from teacher relationships to motivation and achievement were stronger than those from peer relationships. However, peers played a prominent role in helping students with absent fathers build a positive self-concept, which led to improved achievement.
An Explorative Investigation of the Effect of Naturalistic Light on Agitation-Associated Behavior in Nursing Home Residents With Dementia: A Pilot Study
Authors: Saidane Hafed Amin , Rasmussen Thomas , Andersen Knud , Iversen Helle Klingenberg , West Anders Sode
Published: December 2022

Aim:

To study the effect of naturalistic light, programmed to replicate the spectrum distribution of natural light from dusk to dawn, on agitation measured with a Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory–inspired score of nursing home residents with dementia.

Background:

Though the effects of different types of light on the sleep-wake patterns of senior adults and people with dementia have been examined in several studies, the effects of naturalistic light systems, as a possible nonpharmacological intervention to improve sleep and reduce agitation, have yet to be extensively evaluated due to the relative novelty of the technology.

Methods:

The study was designed as a 6-month pilot study of a prospective interventional longitudinal cohort study, with five participants recruited from a single department of a Danish nursing home. The effect of naturalistic lighting on agitation-associated behaviors was recorded over a 3-day period pre- and postintervention. Results: An overall 71.2% reduction in the frequency of agitation-associated behaviors was recorded, with the frequency of some behaviors even reduced by 100%.

Conclusions:

This pilot study estimates that naturalistic lighting may be a promising nonpharmacological intervention to improve the overall agitation of nursing home residents with dementia, with a possible added benefit of an improved work environment for the staff. This study, therefore, finds indication for the performance of a randomized controlled trial with the same intervention and a larger cohort.
A 15-year longitudinal analysis of the trends in the surgical management of renal and ureteric stones in Australia
Authors: Arora Bharti , Chung Eric
Published: December 2022

Objective:

This study evaluates the evolving surgical management of renal stones in Australia over the past 15 years.

Methods:

The National Australian Medicare and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIWH) data were used to obtain the annual number of hospital presentations for urolithiasis and surgical procedures for upper urinary tract stones from 2005 to 2020. The four treatment modalities observed included nephrolithotomy, shockwave lithotripsy (SWL), percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and endoscopic lithotripsy.

Results:

The total number of renal colic presentations in Australian hospitals and urology procedures claimed by Medicare has increased during the past 15 years. A total of 218,999 urological procedures were claimed by Medicare for renal stones over 15 years. There has been a dramatic rise in endoscopic lithotripsy surgery for stones. In 2005–2006, endoscopic lithotripsy comprised 56.6% of total stonework claimed by Medicare, and this proportion jumped to 88.9% in 2019–2020. All other modalities saw a decline in absolute and relative numbers.

Conclusion:

Endoscopic management of upper renal tract stones predominates in the current management of renal stone disease in Australia. Epidemiology audits such as this study can provide insight into national disease trends and guide future healthcare policies and resource planning.

Level of evidence:

2b
Unilateral primary carcinoma of the kidney with central nervous system invasion and vertebral lysis in a cat
Authors: Ludwig Latasha , Husnik Roman , Rätsep Emily , Beeler-Marfisi Janet , Stalker Margaret , Wood Geoffrey A , Woods J Paul
Published: December 2022

Case summary

A young adult female spayed domestic shorthair cat presented for acute hindlimb weakness and anorexia with a 1-month history of lethargy, hyporexia and weight loss. A mass was palpable in the caudolateral abdomen and the left hindlimb was diffusely edematous. Abdominal ultrasound showed hydronephrosis of the left kidney with suspected hydroureter and heterogeneous tissue in the dorsal abdomen. CT evaluation confirmed a mass extending from the left kidney through the lumbar musculature with hydronephrosis, aortic attenuation, caudal vena caval thrombosis and lysis of vertebrae 4 and 5. Fine-needle aspiration of the mass suggested squamous cell carcinoma. Owing to clinical deterioration, euthanasia was elected. At necropsy, the left kidney was firmly adhered to the lumbar region with tissue that obliterated the musculature and surrounded the aorta and vena cava. There was hydronephrosis of the left kidney. Histopathologic evaluation of the mass revealed islands of neoplastic epithelial cells separated by fibrous connective tissue and areas of gradual keratinization with rare squamous metaplasia. The histologic diagnosis was invasive carcinoma with desmoplasia and vascular invasion.

Relevance and novel information

Primary carcinomas of the kidney in cats are rare and this report documents a progression of disease not previously reported in cats. This is the second reported case of a primary carcinoma of renal origin with features of squamous cell carcinoma in a cat, and the first with lumbar and vascular invasion. This is also the first use of kidney injury molecule-1 to help investigate tumor differentiation in cats.
Using MDS preference plot as visual analytics of data: A machine learning approach
Authors: Zhang Yan , Ding Cody
Published: December 2022

The primary purpose of this paper is to advocate the use of multidimensional scaling (MDS) preference plot to study relationships among variables and individual differences in these variables. MDS preference plot is not a new visual technique; nevertheless, its application to visualize individual differences in variables for high-dimensional data is rare, particularly in education and social sciences. We illustrated its application using a real example in an educational setting. The results indicate that the MDS preference plot is a viable visualization technique for data mining and analytics. Traditional statistical methods, such as the analysis of variance, can be used to further support the visual analysis results.
Spatial-Temporal Differences in the Effect of Epidemic Risk Perception on Potential Travel Intention: A Macropsychology-Based Risk Perception Perspective
Authors: Lu You-Hai , Liu Peixue , Zhang Xiaowan , Zhang Jun , Shen Caiyun
Published: December 2022

Most of the previous studies on the impact of risk perception on travel intention are based on an individual psychological perspective, and the understanding based on the perspective of macropsychology is insufficient. Analyzing the temporal and spatial characteristics of risk perception theory at the macropsychological and regional levels will expand the scope of risk perception theory, which may help to promote the orderly recovery of tourism activities under the normalization of epidemics at the regional level. This study uses Baidu big data, through a panel VAR analysis, to explore the impact of people’s epidemic risk perception on travelers intentions from a macropsychological level and to analyze the temporal and spatial differences of this impact. From a temporal perspective, this study found that the early stage of epidemic risk perception had a negative impact on travel intentions, and later, a compensatory effect on travelers intentions appeared. From the perspective of risks at different threat levels, the Wuhan epidemic with a high degree of threat had a greater impact, while foreign epidemics had less impact. From the perspective of spatial differences, this study indicated that the negative impact of attention to epidemics on attention to tourism basically shows a gradual decay from the core to secondary and then to peripheral areas. This research will reveal some new findings on the impact of perceived risk on behavior intention at the temporal and spatial levels, and will have certain reference value for regional tourism restoration and marketing under the influence of epidemics.
Spatially disaggregated simulation of interactions between home prices and land-use change
Authors: Amindarbari Reza , Baran Perver , Meentemeyer Ross K.
Published: December 2022

Land-use regulations play a key role on both sides of the real estate market by regulating the supply of housing (e.g., through restrictions on unit density or building height) and by controlling the location and density of places of work, which are the primary drivers of the demand for housing. Developing geospatial models for this interaction between land use and home price on a spatially disaggregated level enables decisionmakers to evaluate the impact of their land-use decisions from the housing affordability perspective. However, existing standalone residential real estate pricing models are insensitive to changes in land use. In addition, the data preparation, calibration, and training of integrated land-use and transportation models is nontrivial too, and still impractical for most municipalities and planning agencies. This paper presents a simple-to-implement framework, SimP-R, for simulating changes in housing prices on a spatially disaggregated level in response to land-use change. It is composed of a residential real estate pricing model and an algorithm for computing a novel measure of supply-to-demand ratio. This paper then demonstrates the implementation of SimP-R in the city of San Francisco, with the entire Bay Area serving as the influence geography. Our findings showed our proposed measure of the supply-to-demand ratio is a strong predictor of and inversely related to housing prices. Simulation experimentation results highlighted SimP-R’s ability to capture the effect of local land-use changes on housing prices across the metropolitan area.
Attitudes and Opinions of the Teaching Faculty Toward the LGBT Community
Authors: Gururaj G. P. , Manohar J. Shivananda , Rao T. S. Sathyanarayana
Published: December 2022

Studies have shown physician homophobia as a barrier to health care, with LGBTQIA+ patients being more likely to delay or avoid getting care due to fear of harassment or discrimination.

Objectives:

Our aims and objective in this study were to determine the attitudes and opinions of the various medical and surgical teaching faculties and compare them for gender differences, if any, toward the LGBT community.

Methodology:

It was a cross-sectional study done among 129 teaching faculty between November and December 2019 at Sri Devaraj Urs Academy of Higher Education and Research, a rural tertiary medical college in southern India with regular and ongoing postgraduate training in all medical and surgical specialties, with assessment done using a structured and validated instrument, Riddle homophobia scale, meant for the assessment of attitudes and beliefs toward the LGBT community.

Results:

Most of the teachers in both the medical and surgical groups reported favorable positive attitudes/beliefs with statements like homophobia and heterosexism are wrong, and there is no need for the LGBT people to undergo reparative surgery; they deserve the same rights and privileges as everyone; however, there were negative attitudes and opinions reported with the statements like the LGBT people did not choose their sexual orientation and teachers themselves need to undergo introspection to be able to be supportive toward them, which is a significant source of concern. There were no differences in attitudes and opinions based on the age groups of the teachers of both the groups. Male teachers, when compared to female teachers (male:females—84:45), reported more favorable beliefs ( t2/ p value= 6.316/.0043) toward the LGBT community at p value ≤ .05.

Conclusions:

The teaching of sexuality, especially on the LGBT community, to medical professionals, especially teaching faculty, needs to be perceptive to the issues faced by people with different sexual orientations and identities.
Banking on virus-specific T cells to fulfill the need for off-the-shelf cell therapies
Authors: Quach David H. , Lulla Premal , Rooney Cliona M.
Published: December 2022

Adoptively transferred virus-specific T cells (VSTs) have shown remarkable safety and efficacy for the treatment of virus-associated diseases and malignancies in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients, for whom VSTs are derived from the HSCT donor. Autologous VSTs have also shown promise for the treatment of virus-driven malignancies outside the HSCT setting. In both cases, VSTs are manufactured as patient-specific products, and the time required for procurement, manufacture, and release testing precludes their use in acutely ill patients. Further, Good Manufacturing Practices–compliant products are expensive, and failures are common in virus-naive HSCT donors and patient-derived VSTs that are rendered anergic by immunosuppressive tumors. Hence, highly characterized, banked VSTs (B-VSTs) that can be used for multiple unrelated recipients are highly desirable. The major challenges facing B-VSTs result from the inevitable mismatches in the highly polymorphic and immunogenic human leukocyte antigens (HLA) that present internally processed antigens to the T-cell receptor, leading to the requirement for partial HLA matching between the B-VST and recipient. HLA mismatches lead to rapid rejection of allogeneic T-cell products and graft-versus-host disease induced by alloreactive T cells in the infusion product. Here, we summarize the clinical outcomes to date of trials of B-VSTs used for the treatment of viral infections and malignancies and their potential as a platform for chimeric antigen receptors targeting nonviral tumors. We will highlight the properties of VSTs that make them attractive off-the-shelf cell therapies, as well as the challenges that must be overcome before they can become mainstream.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as a targeted therapy for bone marrow failure in Ghosal hematodiaphyseal dysplasia
Authors: Brown Timothy J. , Barrett Neil , Meng Hu , Ricciotti Emanuela , McDonnell Ciara , Dancis Andrew , Qualtieri Julianne , FitzGerald Garret A. , Cotter Melanie , Babushok Daria V.
Published: December 2022

Advances in genomic diagnostics hold promise for improved care of rare hematologic diseases. Here, we describe a novel targeted therapeutic approach for Ghosal hematodiaphyseal dysplasia, an autosomal recessive disease characterized by severe normocytic anemia and bone abnormalities due to loss-of-function mutations in thromboxane A synthase 1 (TBXAS1). TBXAS1 metabolizes prostaglandin H2 (PGH2), a cyclooxygenase (COX) product of arachidonic acid, into thromboxane A2. Loss-of-function mutations in TBXAS result in an increase in PGH2 availability for other PG synthases. The current treatment for Ghosal hematodiaphyseal dysplasia syndrome consists of corticosteroids. We hypothesize that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which inhibit COX-1 and COX-2, could ameliorate the effects of TBXAS1 loss and improve hematologic function by reducing prostaglandin formation. We treated 2 patients with Ghosal hematodiaphyseal dysplasia syndrome, an adult and a child, with standard doses of NSAIDs (aspirin or ibuprofen). Both patients had rapid improvements concerning hematologic parameters and inflammatory markers without adverse events. Mass spectrometry analysis demonstrated that urinary PG metabolites were increased along with proinflammatory lipoxygenase (LOX) products 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid and leukotriene E4. Our data show that NSAIDs at standard doses surprisingly reduced both COX and LOX products, leading to the resolution of cytopenia, and should be considered for first-line treatment for Ghosal hematodiaphyseal dysplasia syndrome.
The role of Th17 cells in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: friend or foe?
Authors: Gamal Wael , Sahakian Eva , Pinilla-Ibarz Javier
Published: December 2022

T helper 17 (Th17) cells have a prominent role in autoimmune diseases. In contrast, the nature of these cells in cancer is controversial, with either pro- or antitumorigenic activities depending on various cancer settings. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a B-cell malignancy, is characterized by an imbalance in T-cell immune responses that contributes to disease progression and increased mortality. Many clinical reports indicate an increase in Th17 cells and/or interleukin 17 serum cytokine levels in patients with CLL compared with healthy individuals, which correlates with various prognostic markers and significant changes in the tumor microenvironment. The exact mechanisms by which Th17 cells might contribute to CLL progression remain poorly investigated. In this review, we provide an updated presentation of the clinical information related to the significance of Th17 cells in CLL and their interaction with the complex leukemic microenvironment, including various mediators, immune cells, and nonimmune cells. We also address the available data regarding the effects of CLL-targeted therapies on Th17 cells and the potential of using these cells in adoptive cell therapies. Having a sound understanding of the role played by Th17 cells in CLL is crucial for designing novel therapies that can achieve immune homeostasis and maximize clinical benefits.
Small molecule drug and biotech drug interaction prediction based on multi-modal representation learning
Authors: Huang Dingkai , He Hongjian , Ouyang Jiaming , Zhao Chang , Dong Xin , Xie Jiang
Published: December 2022

Background

Drug–drug interactions (DDIs) occur when two or more drugs are taken simultaneously or successively. Early detection of adverse drug interactions can be essential in preventing medical errors and reducing healthcare costs. Many computational methods already predict interactions between small molecule drugs (SMDs). As the number of biotechnology drugs (BioDs) increases, so makes the threat of interactions between SMDs and BioDs. However, few computational methods are available to predict their interactions.

Results

Considering the structural specificity and relational complexity of SMDs and BioDs, a novel multi-modal representation learning method called Multi-SBI is proposed to predict their interactions. First, multi-modal features are used to adequately represent the heterogeneous structure and complex relationships of SMDs and BioDs. Second, an undersampling method based on Positive-unlabeled learning (PU-sampling) is introduced to obtain negative samples with high confidence from the unlabeled data set. Finally, both learned representations of SMD and BioD are fed into DNN classifiers to predict their interaction events. In addition, we also conduct a retrospective analysis.

Conclusions

Our proposed multi-modal representation learning method can extract drug features more comprehensively in heterogeneous drugs. In addition, PU-sampling can effectively reduce the noise in the sampling procedure. Our proposed method significantly outperforms other state-of-the-art drug interaction prediction methods. In a retrospective analysis of DrugBank 5.1.0, 14 out of the 20 predictions with the highest confidence were validated in the latest version of DrugBank 5.1.8, demonstrating that Multi-SBI is a valuable tool for predicting new drug interactions through effectively extracting and learning heterogeneous drug features.
A novel glycosylation-related gene signature predicts survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Liang Jin-xiao , Chen Qian , Gao Wei , Chen Da , Qian Xin-yu , Bi Jin-qiao , Lin Xing-chen , Han Bing-bing , Liu Jin-shi
Published: December 2022

Background

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common malignant tumor that seriously affects human health. Previous studies have indicated that abnormal levels of glycosylation promote progression and poor prognosis of lung cancer. Thus, the present study aimed to explore the prognostic signature related to glycosyltransferases (GTs) for LUAD.

Methods

The gene expression profiles were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and GTs were obtained from the GlycomeDB database. Differentially expressed GTs-related genes (DGTs) were identified using edge package and Venn diagram. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) methods were used to investigate the biological processes of DGTs. Subsequently, Cox and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression analyses were performed to construct a prognostic model for LUAD. Kaplan–Meier (K–M) analysis was adopted to explore the overall survival (OS) of LUAD patients. The accuracy and specificity of the prognostic model were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic analysis (ROC). In addition, single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithm was used to analyze the infiltrating immune cells in the tumor environment.

Results

A total of 48 DGTs were mainly enriched in the processes of glycosylation, glycoprotein biosynthetic process, glycosphingolipid biosynthesis-lacto and neolacto series, and cell-mediated immune response. Furthermore, B3GNT3, MFNG, GYLTL1B, ALG3, and GALNT13 were screened as prognostic genes to construct a risk model for LUAD, and the LUAD patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups. K–M curve suggested that patients with a high-risk score had shorter OS than those with a low-risk score. The ROC analysis demonstrated that the risk model efficiently diagnoses LUAD. Additionally, the proportion of infiltrating aDCs (p < 0.05) and Tgds (p < 0.01) was higher in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group. Spearman’s correlation analysis manifested that the prognostic genes (MFNG and ALG3) were significantly correlated with infiltrating immune cells.

Conclusion

In summary, this study established a novel GTs-related risk model for the prognosis of LUAD patients, providing new therapeutic targets for LUAD. However, the biological role of glycosylation-related genes in LUAD needs to be explored further.
Genome-wide association study reveals the genetic determinism of serum biochemical indicators in ducks
Authors: Tang Hehe , Zhang He , Liu Dapeng , Wang Zhen , Yu Daxin , Fan Wenlei , Guo Zhanbao , Huang Wei , Hou Shuisheng , Zhou Zhengkui
Published: December 2022

Background

The serum is rich in nutrients and plays an essential role in electrolyte and acid–base balance, maintaining cellular homeostasis. In addition, serum parameters have been commonly used as essential biomarkers for clinical diagnosis. However, little is known about the genetic mechanism of the serum parameters in ducks.

Results

This study measured 18 serum parameters in 320 samples of the F2 segregating population generated by Mallard × Pekin duck. The phenotypic correlations showed a high correlation between LDH, HBDH, AST, and ALT (0.59–0.99), and higher coefficients were also observed among TP, ALB, HDL-C, and CHO (0.46–0.87). And then, we performed the GWAS to reveal the genetic basis of the 18 serum biochemical parameters in ducks. Fourteen candidate protein-coding genes were identified with enzyme traits (AST, ALP, LDH, HBDH), and 3 protein-coding genes were associated with metabolism and protein-related serum parameters (UA, TG). Moreover, the expression levels of the above candidate protein-coding genes in different stages of breast muscle and different tissues were analyzed. Furthermore, the genes located within the high-LD region (r2 > 0.4 and − log10(P) < 4) neighboring the significant locus also remained. Finally, 86 putative protein-coding genes were used for GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, the enzyme-linked receptor protein signaling pathway and ErbB signaling pathway deserve further focus.

Conclusions

The obtained results can contribute to new insights into blood metabolism and provide new genetic biomarkers for application in duck breeding programs.
Differential Grainy head binding correlates with variation in chromatin structure and gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Ertl Henry A. , Hill Mark S. , Wittkopp Patricia J.
Published: December 2022

Phenotypic evolution is often caused by variation in gene expression resulting from altered gene regulatory mechanisms. Genetic variation affecting chromatin remodeling has been identified as a potential source of variable gene expression; however, the roles of specific chromatin remodeling factors remain unclear. Here, we address this knowledge gap by examining the relationship between variation in gene expression, variation in chromatin structure, and variation in binding of the pioneer factor Grainy head between imaginal wing discs of two divergent strains of Drosophila melanogaster and their F1 hybrid. We find that (1) variation in Grainy head binding is mostly due to sequence changes that act in cis but are located outside of the canonical Grainy head binding motif, (2) variation in Grainy head binding correlates with changes in chromatin accessibility, and (3) this variation in chromatin accessibility, coupled with variation in Grainy head binding, correlates with variation in gene expression in some cases but not others. Interactions among these three molecular layers is complex, but these results suggest that genetic variation affecting the binding of pioneer factors contributes to variation in chromatin remodeling and the evolution of gene expression.
A base substitution in OsphyC disturbs its Interaction with OsphyB and affects flowering time and chlorophyll synthesis in rice
Authors: Lin Xiaoli , Huang Yongping , Rao Yuchun , Ouyang Linjuan , Zhou Dahu , Zhu Changlan , Fu Junru , Chen Chunlian , Yin Jianhua , Bian Jianmin , He Haohua , Zou Guoxing , Xu Jie
Published: December 2022

Background

Phytochromes are important photoreceptors in plants, and play essential roles in photomorphogenesis. The functions of PhyA and PhyB in plants have been fully analyzed, while those of PhyC in plant are not well understood.

Results

A rice mutant,late heading date 3(lhd3), was characterized, and the geneLHD3was identified with a map-based cloning strategy.LHD3encodes phytochrome C in rice. Animo acid substitution in OsphyC disrupted its interaction with OsphyB or itself, restraining functional forms of homodimer or heterodimer formation. Compared with wild-type plants, thelhd3mutant exhibited delayed flowering under both LD (long-day) and SD (short-day) conditions, and delayed flowering time was positively associated with the day length via the Ehd1 pathway. In addition,lhd3showed a pale-green-leaf phenotype and a slower chlorophyll synthesis rate during the greening process. The transcription patterns of many key genes involved in photoperiod-mediated flowering and chlorophyll synthesis were altered inlhd3.

Conclusion

The dimerization of OsPhyC is important for its functions in the regulation of chlorophyll synthesis and heading. Our findings will facilitate efforts to further elucidate the function and mechanism of OsphyC and during light signal transduction in rice.
Fluoroscopic anterior approach versus ultrasound guided superior hypogastric plexus neurolysis in cancer pelvic pain: a randomized controlled study
Authors: Abdelghaffar Nevert A. , Farahat Tamer Elmetwally
Published: December 2022

Background

Cancer-related pelvic pain can be difficult and debilitating to treat. Superior hypogastric plexus neurolysis (SHPN) is a good choice for adequate pain relief with fewer side effects. The current study compared between fluoroscopic anterior approach and ultrasound guided SHPN in the management of cancer-related pelvic pain.

Methods

Patients were randomly allocated into two equal groups. The ultrasound group (US group) (n = 48) received SHPN by an ultrasound-guided anterior approach using 3 ml 5% bupivacaine plus 20 ml 10% phenol, while the fluoroscopy group (n = 48) received SHPN by a fluoroscopy-guided anterior approach using 3 ml 5% bupivacaine plus 20 ml 10% phenol.

Results

The time of the procedure was shorter in the fluoroscopic group (21.31 ± 4.79 min) than the US group (24.88 ± 6.02 min) (P = 0.002). Patient satisfaction was higher in the fluoroscopy group (5.38 ± 1.482) than the US group (2.98 ± 1.495) (P˂0.001). The need for analgesia using morphine was significantly limited in each group, at 1, 2 and 3 months intervals (P1˂0.001, P2 ˂0.001 and P3 ˂0.001). There were statistically significant differences between both groups regarding fatigue at baseline, drowsiness at 3 months, nausea and vomiting at 1, 2 and 3 months and anorexia at 3 months. Group comparison also revealed statistically significant differences regarding depression at one month, anxiety at 2 and 3 months and insomnia at baseline.

Conclusion

The fluoroscopic anterior approach SHPN was more superior than the US guided SHPN regarding the time of the procedure and patient satisfaction, while both technique were similar regarding the numeric rating scale and the complications during block.

Trial registration

Registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT05299047) at 28/03/2022.
Exercise-induced myocardial ischemia presenting as exercise intolerance after carbon monoxide intoxication and smoke inhalation Injury: case report
Authors: Wang Yu-Mei , Huang Chao-Chun , Liu Kuan-Fu , Chou Chen-Liang , Lee Jen-Ting , Hung Su-Ying , Hsu Po-Cheng
Published: December 2022

Background

Carbon monoxide intoxication and smoke inhalation injury can lead to severe disorders, and the current literature has elaborated on the importance of major cardiopulmonary impairment. Exercise intolerance has seldom been discussed, particular in patient with low cardiovascular risk.

Case presentation

Two young male fire survivors who presented with exercise intolerance after CO intoxication and smoke inhalation injury. Both received bronchodilator and glucocorticoid therapy, high-flow oxygen therapy, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy for airway edema and CO intoxication during acute care. Serum carboxyhemoglobin levels improved after treatment (8.2–3.9% in Case A and 14.8–0.8% in Case B). However, subjective exercise intolerance was noted after discharge. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing revealed exercise-induced myocardial ischemia during peak exercise (significant ST-segment depression on exercise electrocardiogram). They were instructed to exercise with precaution by setting the intensity threshold according to the ischemic threshold. Their symptoms improved, and no cardiopulmonary events were reported in the 6-month follow-up.

Conclusion

The present case report raised the attention that exercise intolerance after carbon monoxide intoxication and smoke inhalation injury in low cardiovascular risk population may be underestimated. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing help physician to discover exercise-induced myocardial ischemia and set up the cardiac rehabilitation program accordingly.
Dry needling for the treatment of acute myofascial pain syndrome in general practitioners’ clinics: a cohort study
Authors: Yehoshua Ilan , Rimon Oded , Mizrahi Reuveni Miri , Peleg Roni , Adler Limor
Published: December 2022

Background

Musculoskeletal pain is one of the leading complaints in the ambulatory setting. There are many ways to treat it, including pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches. Dry needling (DN) is an option that is easy to learn, cheap and has a good safety profile. The aim of this study was to assess the association between DN performed by GPs for acute myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) and pain relief and to evaluate factors associated with treatment success.

Methods

In this prospective cohort study, two GPs performed DN in their clinics. Patients were asked to rank their pain using the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) before, 10-min and 1-week after the procedure. The SF-MPQ index consists of 3 parts; visual analog scale (VAS), pain rating index (PRI) and present pain intensity (PPI).

Logistic regressions were performed to assess the variables associated with short- and medium- term success.

Results

Fifty two patients were recruited from September 2019 until August 2020. VAS was 6.0 ± 2.3 (before), 4.1 ± 2.5 (10-min after) and 2.6 ± 2.71 (1-week after), P < 0.05. PRI was 17 ± 9.1 (before), 10.8 ± 8.5 (10-min after) and 5.1 ± 6.5 (1-week after), P < 0.05. PPI was 2.6 ± 1.0 (before), 1.7 ± 1.0 (10-min after) and 1.1 ± 1.2 (1-week after), P < 0.05.

Short-term success was associated with the physician who performed the procedure (OR 10.08, 95% CI 1.15,88.4) and with the use of a single needle (vs. multiple needles inserted) (OR 4.55, 95% CI 1.03,20.11). Medium-term success was associated with being a native born (non-immigrant), OR 8.59, 95% CI 1.11,66.28 and with high level of initial pain, OR 11.22, 95% CI 1.82,69.27.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated improvement in acute pain 10-min and 1-week after DN performed by a GP, in all parts of the SF-MPQ. Therefore, we believe DN is a good therapeutic option for GPs to aid patients suffering from MPS.
Endoluminal ultrasound versus magnetic resonance imaging in assessment of rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy
Authors: Ghoneem Elsayed , Shabana Ahmed Shekeib Abdein , El Sherbini Mohamed , Zuhdy Mohammad , Eldamshety Osama , Gouda Mohamed , El Shamy Ahmed , Saleh Gehad Ahmad , Saleh Ahmed Abdel Ghafar
Published: December 2022

Background

Accurate rectal tumor staging guides the choice of treatment options. EUS and MRI are the main modalities for staging.

Aim of the work

To compare the performance of EUS and MRI for loco-regional staging of anorectal cancer after neo-adjuvant therapy.

Methods

Seventy-three (37 male, 36 female) patients with rectal cancer after neo-adjuvant chemoradiotherapy were enrolled. Histopathological staging after surgery were used as reference for comparing the yield of loco-regional staging for EUS and MRI. EUS and MRI were done 1 month after completion of neo-adjuvant therapy.

Results

Regarding post-surgical T staging, eight patients had early tumor (T2 = 16 and T1 = 9) and thirty six were locally advanced (T3 = 36), while N staging, forty patients with negative nodes and 33 were positive (N1 = 22 and N2 = 11). Comparing EUS to MRI, it showed a higher sensitivity (95.7% vs. 78.7%), specificity (84.6% vs. 68.0%) and accuracy (91.8% vs. 75.3%) for staging early and locally advanced tumor. Also, it had a higher sensitivity (78.8% vs. 69.7%), specificity (75.0% vs. 65.0%) and accuracy (76.7% vs. 67.1%) for detection of lymph nodes.

Conclusion

EUS appears to be more accurate than MRI in loco-regional staging of rectal carcinoma after neo-adjuvant therapy.
Long-term care use among people living with dementia: a retrospective register-based study from Sweden
Authors: sm-Rahman Atiqur , Meinow Bettina , Hydén Lars-Christer , Kelfve Susanne
Published: December 2022

Background

Although many people with dementia need progressive support during their last years of life little is known to what extent they use formal long-term care (LTC). This study investigates the use of LTC, including residential care and homecare, in the month preceding death, as well as the number of months spent in residential care, among Swedish older decedents with a dementia diagnosis, compared with those without a dementia diagnosis.

Methodology

This retrospective cohort study identified all people who died in November 2019 in Sweden aged 70 years and older (n = 6294). Dementia diagnoses were collected from the National Patient Register (before death) and the National Cause of Death Register (death certificate). The use of LTC was based on the Social Services Register and sociodemographic factors were provided by Statistics Sweden. We performed regression models (multinomial and linear logistic regression models) to examine the association between the utilization of LTC and the independent variables.

Results

Not only dementia diagnosis but also time spent with the diagnosis was crucial for the use of LTC in the month preceding death, in particular residential care. Three out of four of the decedents with dementia and one fourth of those without dementia lived in a residential care facility in the month preceding death. People who were diagnosed more recently were more likely to use homecare (e.g., diagnosis for 1 year or less: home care 29%, residential care 56%), while the predicted proportion of using residential care increased substantially for those who had lived longer with a diagnosis (e.g., diagnosis for 7 + years: home care 11%, residential care 85%). On average, people with a dementia diagnosis stayed six months longer in residential care, compared with people without a diagnosis.

Conclusions

People living with dementia use more LTC and spend longer time in residential care than those without dementia. The use of LTC is primarily influenced by the time with a dementia diagnosis. Our study suggests conducting more research to investigate differences between people living with different dementia diagnoses with co-morbidities.