bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cerebral Sinus Hemodynamics in Adults Revealed by 4D Flow MRI
Authors: Dai Chihang , Zhao Pengfei , Ding Heyu , Lv Han , Qiu Xiaoyu , Tang Ruowei , Xu Ning , Huang Yan , Han Xu , Yang Zhenghan , Wang Zhenchang
Published: January 2024

Background

The hemodynamics of the cerebral sinuses play a vital role in understanding blood flow‐related diseases, yet the hemodynamics of the cerebral sinuses in normal adults remains an unresolved issue.

Purpose

To evaluate hemodynamics in the cerebral sinus of adults using 4‐dimensional flow MRI (4D Flow MRI).

Study Type

Cross‐sectional.

Population

Ninety‐nine healthy volunteers (mean age, 42.88 ± 13.16 years old; females/males, 55/44).

Field Strength/Sequence

3 T/4D Flow MRI.

Assessment

The blood flow velocity, average blood flow rate (Q), and vortexes at the superior sagittal sinus (SSS), straight sinus (STS), transverse sinus, sigmoid sinus, and jugular bulb of each volunteer were evaluated by two independent neuroradiologists. The relationship between the total cerebral Q and sex and age was also assessed. Twelve volunteers underwent two scans within a month.

Statistical Tests

The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) evaluated the inter‐observer agreement. Blood flow parameters among volunteers were compared by the independent‐sample t‐test or Mann–Whitney U test. The multiple linear regression equation was used to evaluate the relationship between total cerebral Q and age and sex. P < 0.05 indicated statistical significance.

Results

The test–retest and interobserver reliability of average velocity and Q were moderate to high (ICC: 0.54–0.99). Cerebral sinus velocity varied by segment and cardiac cycle. The SSS's velocity and Q increased downstream and Q near torcular herophili was 3.5 times that through the STS. The total cerebral Q decreased by 0.06 mL/s per year (β = −0.06 ± 0.013) and was sex‐independent within the group. Vortexes were found in 12.12%, 8.9%, and 59.8% of torcular herophili, transverse‐sigmoid junction, and jugular bulb, respectively, and were related to higher upstream flow.

Data Conclusion

Cerebral sinuses could be measured visually and quantitatively in vivo by 4D Flow MRI, providing a basis for future research on pulsating tinnitus, multiple sclerosis, and other related diseases.

Evidence Level

2

Technical Efficacy

Stage 1
Novel antiviral discoveries for Japanese encephalitis virus infections through reporter virus‐based high‐throughput screening
Authors: Yin Chunhong , Yang Peipei , Xiao Qingcui , Sun Peng , Zhang Xuekai , Zhao Jiaxuan , Hu Xue , Shan Chao
Published: January 2024

Japanese encephalitis (JE) caused by JE virus (JEV), remains a global public health concern. Currently, there is no specific antiviral drug approved for the treatment of JE. While vaccines are available for prevention, they may not cover all at‐risk populations. This underscores the urgent need for prophylaxis and potent anti‐JEV drugs. In this context, a high‐content JEV reporter system expressing Nanoluciferase (Nluc) was developed and utilized for a high‐throughput screening (HTS) of a commercial antiviral library to identify potential JEV drug candidates. Remarkably, this screening process led to the discovery of five drugs with outstanding antiviral activity. Further mechanism of action analysis revealed that cepharanthine, an old clinically approved drug, directly inhibited virus replication by blocking GTP binding to the JEV RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase. Additionally, treatment with cepharanthine in mice models alleviated JEV infection. These findings warrant further investigation into the potential anti‐JEV activity of cepharanthine as a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of JEV infection. The HTS method employed here proves to be an accurate and convenient approach that facilitates the rapid development of antiviral drugs.
Hospital‐based norovirus surveillance in children <5 years of age from 2017 to 2019 in India
Authors: Giri Sidhartha , Chhabra Preeti , Kulkarni Ruta , Reju Sudhabharathi , Sabapathy Satheesh Kumar , Selvarajan Sribal , Varghese Tintu , Kalaivanan Maheshwari , Dorairaj Priyadharishini , Kalrao Vijay , Mankar Sanjay , Sangamnerkar Mukund , Chethrapilly Purushothaman Girish Kumar , Srikanth Padma , Kang Gagandeep , Vinjé Jan
Published: January 2024

After the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine into the Universal Immunization Program in India in 2016, relatively few studies have assessed the prevalence and epidemiological patterns of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) among hospitalized children ≤5 years of age. We used a uniform protocol to recruit children with AGE as well as standardized testing and typing protocols. Stool specimens from children with AGE younger than 5 years of age admitted to six hospitals in three cities in India were collected from January 2017 through December 2019. Norovirus was detected by real‐time reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) followed by typing positive specimens by conventional RT‐PCR and Sanger sequencing. Norovirus was detected in 322 (14.8%) of 2182 specimens with the highest rate in 2018 (17.6%, 146/829), followed by 2019 (14.4%, 122/849) and 2017 (10.7%, 54/504). Rotavirus vaccine status was known for 91.6% of the children of which 70.4% were vaccinated and 29.6% not. Norovirus positivity in rotavirus‐vaccinated children was 16.3% and 12% in unvaccinated children. GII.4 Sydney[P16] (39.3%), GII.4 Sydney[P31] (18.7%), GII.2[P16] (10%), GI.3[P13] (6.8%), GII.3[P16] (5.9%), and GII.13[P16] (5%) accounted for 85.8% (188/219) of the typed strains. Our data highlight the importance of norovirus in Indian children hospitalized with AGE.
Epitope delimitation: A new method for defining epitopes of human IgG‐reactive antigenic peptides based on rabbit‐recognized epitope motifs
Authors: Tang Hai‐Ping , He Ya‐Ping , Wang Jian , Zhan Jian‐Min , Lian Wen‐Bo , Xue Feng , Wang Li , Li Yijie , Zhang Ailian , Zhang Fuchun , Xu Chen , Li Jinyao , Xu Wan‐Xiang
Published: January 2024

The use of precise epitope peptides as antigens is essential for accurate serological diagnosis of viral‐infected individuals, but now it remains an unsolvable problem for mapping precise B cell epitopes (BCEs) recognized by human serum. To address this challenge, we propose a novel epitope delimitation (ED) method to uncover BCEs in the delineated human IgG‐reactive (HR) antigenic peptides (APs). Specifically, the method based on the rationale of similarities in humoral immune responses between mammalian species consists of a pair of elements: experimentally delineated HR‐AP and rabbit‐recognized (RR) BCE motif and corresponding pair of sequence alignment analysis. As a result of using the ED approach, after decoding four RR‐epitomes of human papillomavirus types 16/18‐E6 and E7 proteins utilizing rabbit serum against each recombinant protein and sequence alignment analysis of HR‐APs and RR‐BCEs, 19 fine BCEs in 17 of 22 known HR‐APs were defined based on each corresponding RR‐BCE motifs, including the type‐specificity of each delimited BCE in homologous proteins. The test with 22 known 16/20mer HR‐APs demonstrated that the ED method is effective and efficient, indicating that it can be used as an alternative method to the conventional identification of fine BCEs using overlapping 8mer peptides.
SuPAR, biomarkers of inflammation, and severe outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID‐19: The International Study of Inflammation in COVID‐19
Authors: Vasbinder Alexi , Padalia Kishan , Pizzo Ian , Machado Kristen , Catalan Tonimarie , Presswalla Feriel , Anderson Elizabeth , Ismail Anis , Hutten Christina , Huang Yiyuan , Blakely Pennelope , Azam Tariq U. , Berlin Hanna , Feroze Rafey , Launius Christopher , Meloche Chelsea , Michaud Erinleigh , O'Hayer Patrick , Pan Michael , Shadid Husam R. , Rasmussen Line Jee Hartmann , Roberts Donald A. , Zhao Lili , Banerjee Mousumi , Murthy Venkatesh , Loosen Sven H. , Chalkias Athanasios , Tacke Frank , Reiser Jochen , Giamarellos‐Bourboulis Evangelos J. , Eugen‐Olsen Jesper , Pop‐Busui Rodica , Hayek Salim S. ,   ISIC investigators
Published: January 2024

Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is a hyperinflammatory syndrome. The biomarkers of inflammation best suited to triage patients with COVID‐19 are unknown. We conducted a prospective multicenter observational study of adult patients hospitalized specifically for COVID‐19 from February 1, 2020 to October 19, 2022. Biomarkers measured included soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), C‐reactive protein, interleukin‐6, procalcitonin, ferritin, and D‐dimer. In‐hospital outcomes examined include death and the need for mechanical ventilation. Patients admitted in the United States (US, n = 1962) were used to compute area under the curves (AUCs) and identify biomarker cutoffs. The combined European cohorts (n = 1137) were used to validate the biomarker cutoffs. In the US cohort, 356 patients met the composite outcome of death (n = 197) or need for mechanical ventilation (n = 290). SuPAR was the most important predictor of the composite outcome and had the highest AUC (0.712) followed by CRP (0.642), ferritin (0.619), IL‐6 (0.614), D‐dimer (0.606), and lastly procalcitonin (0.596). Inclusion of other biomarkers did not improve discrimination. A suPAR cutoff of 4.0 ng/mL demonstrated a sensitivity of 95.4% (95% CI: 92.4%–98.0%) and negative predictive value (NPV) of 92.5% (95% CI: 87.5%–96.9%) for the composite outcome. Patients with suPAR < 4.0 ng/mL comprised 10.6% of the cohort and had a 0.8% probability of the composite outcome. Applying this cutoff to the validation cohort yielded a sensitivity of 93.8% (90.4%–96.7%) and NPV of 95.5% (93.1%–97.8%) for the composite outcome. Among commonly measured biomarkers, suPAR offered stronger discriminatory ability and may be useful in triaging low‐risk patients with COVID‐19.
One dose versus two doses of COVID‐19 vaccine for the prevention of breakthrough infections among people previously infected with SARS‐Cov‐2
Authors: Guo Fangjian , Adekanmbi Victor , Hsu Christine D. , Polychronopoulou Efstathia , Berenson Abbey B.
Published: January 2024

Studies have suggested the effectiveness of COVID‐19 vaccines in preventing SARS‐CoV‐2 reinfection among those previously infected. However, it is not yet clear if one dose of the vaccine is enough to prevent breakthrough infections compared to two doses. Using data from Optum deidentified COVID‐19 Electronic Health Record (EHR) data set, we assessed breakthrough infection risks in individuals previously infected, comparing those with one vaccine dose to those with two doses. Propensity scores were applied to mitigate confounding factors. Follow‐up spanned 6 months, beginning 2 weeks postvaccination. Among 213 845 individuals, those receiving one vaccine dose had a significantly higher breakthrough infection risk than the two‐dose group (HR 1.69, 95% CI 1.54–1.85). This pattern was observed across genders, racial/ethnic groups, age categories, and vaccine types. This study reveals a substantial disparity in the risk of breakthrough infections between individuals receiving one versus two doses of the COVID‐19 vaccine, suggesting that a single dose may not provide adequate protection against reinfection.
Asymptomatic norovirus infection during outbreaks in China: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Wang Jun , Ji Zhen‐hao , Zhang Shao‐bai , Yang Zu‐rong , Sun Xue‐qiang , Zhang Hui
Published: January 2024

Acute gastroenteritis outbreaks may be caused by the excretion of norovirus (NoV) from asymptomatic individuals. Despite numerous studies involving asymptomatic NoV infection during outbreaks in China, a comprehensive assessment of its role has not been conducted, which is critical for emergency management. Our objective was to assess the prevalence of asymptomatic NoV infection during outbreaks in China. We conducted a comprehensive search of multiple databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Wanfang, and China Weipu, between January 1, 1997 and June 19, 2023. The retrieved articles and their references underwent screening, which utilized polymerase chain reaction‐based assays for the detection of NoV in asymptomatic individuals during outbreaks that occurred in China. The primary summary data were the prevalence of asymptomatic NoV infection in outbreaks. We generated pooled estimates of asymptomatic prevalence in the population as a whole and in subgroups by using random‐effect models. Of the 97 articles included, the pooled asymptomatic prevalence of NoV among 5117 individuals in outbreaks was 17.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 14.1–21.3). The asymptomatic prevalence of NoV GII (17.1%, 95% CI: 12.9–21.5) was similar to that of NoV GI (22.0%, 95% CI: 12.8–32.4). However, the proportion of asymptomatic individuals involved in NoV GII (57.44%) was significantly higher than that of NoV GI (5.12%), and NoV GII (75.26%) was reported much more frequently than NoV GI (14.43%) in the included articles. Meta‐regression analysis of 11 possible influencing factors (geographic region, setting, season, sample type, genotype, transmission route, occupation, age, per capita income, study quality, and cases definition) showed that the source of heterogeneity might be related to the outbreak settings, per capita income, and study quality (p = 0.037, 0.058, and 0.026, respectively). Of particular note was the asymptomatic prevalence peaked in preschoolers (27.8%), afterward, it fell into trough in elementary and junior school children (10.5%), before the second peak located in adults (17.8%), and the elderly (25.2%). Prevalent genotypes reported include GII.4, followed by GII.17, GII.2, GII.3, GII.6, and so forth. The estimated asymptomatic prevalence of NoV during outbreaks in China was as high as 17.6%, with NoV GII dominating. In addition, genetic subtypes of NoV in outbreaks should be detected whenever possible. The role of asymptomatic individuals in NoV outbreaks cannot be ignored. This knowledge will help governments develop public health policies and emergency response strategies for outbreaks, assess the burden, and develop vaccines.
SARS‐CoV‐2 NSP12 utilizes various host splicing factors for replication and splicing regulation
Authors: Yang Li , Zeng Xiao‐Tao , Luo Rong‐Hua , Ren Si‐Xue , Liang Lin‐Lin , Huang Qiu‐Xia , Tang Ying , Fan Hong , Ren Hai‐Yan , Zhang Wan‐Jiang , Zheng Yong‐Tang , Cheng Wei
Published: January 2024

The RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is a crucial element in the replication and transcription of RNA viruses. Although the RdRps of lethal human coronaviruses severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), SARS‐CoV, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS‐CoV) have been extensively studied, the molecular mechanism of the catalytic subunit NSP12, which is involved in pathogenesis, remains unclear. In this study, the biochemical and cell biological results demonstrate the interactions between SARS‐CoV‐2 NSP12 and seven host proteins, including three splicing factors (SLU7, PPIL3, and AKAP8). The entry efficacy of SARS‐CoV‐2 considerably decreased when SLU7 or PPIL3 was knocked out, indicating that abnormal splicing of the host genome was responsible for this occurrence. Furthermore, the polymerase activity and stability of SARS‐CoV‐2 RdRp were affected by the three splicing factors to varying degrees. In addition, NSP12 and its homologues from SARS‐CoV and MERS‐CoV suppressed the alternative splicing of cellular genes, which were influenced by the three splicing factors. Overall, our research illustrates that SARS‐CoV‐2 NSP12 can engage with various splicing factors, thereby impacting virus entry, replication, and gene splicing. This not only improves our understanding of how viruses cause diseases but also lays the foundation for the development of antiviral therapies.
First detection and characterization of hepatitis E virus (Rocahepevirus ratti) from urban Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) in the Republic of Korea
Authors: Park Kyungmin , Kim Jongwoo , Noh Juyoung , Kim Kijin , Yang Eunyoung , Kim Seong‐Gyu , Cho Hee‐Kyung , Byun Kwan Soo , Kim Ji Hoon , Lee Young‐Sun , Shim Jung Ok , Shin Minsoo , Kim Won‐Keun , Song Jin‐Won
Published: January 2024

Hepatitis E virus (HEV), an emerging zoonotic pathogen, poses a significant public health concern worldwide. Recently, rat HEV (Rocahepevirus ratti genotype C1; HEV‐C1) has been reported to cause zoonotic infections and hepatitis in humans. Human infections with HEV‐C1 are considered to be underestimated worldwide due to limited knowledge of transmission routes, genome epidemiology, and the risk assessment of zoonosis associated with these viruses. A total of 186 wild Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) were collected from the Republic of Korea (ROK) between 2011 and 2021. The prevalence of HEV‐C1 RNA was 8 of 180 (4.4%) by reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction. We first reported three nearly whole‐genome sequences of HEV‐C1 newly acquired from urban rats in the ROK. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that Korea‐indigenous HEV‐C1 formed an independent genetic group with those derived from R. norvegicus rats in other countries, indicating geographical and genetic diversity. Our findings provide critical insights into the molecular prevalence, genome epidemiology, and zoonotic potential of Rocahepevirus. This report raises awareness of the presence of Rocahepevirus‐related hepatitis E among physicians in the ROK.
Brain structural and functional abnormalities in patients with tension‐type headache: A systematic review of magnetic resonance imaging studies
Authors: Parsaei Mohammadamin , Taebi Morvarid , Arvin Alireza , Moghaddam Hossein Sanjari
Published: January 2024

Tension‐type headache (TTH) stands as the most prevalent form of headache, yet an adequate understanding of its underlying mechanisms remains elusive. This article endeavors to comprehensively review structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies investigating TTH patients, to gain valuable insights into the pathophysiology of TTH, and to explore new avenues for enhanced treatment strategies. We conducted a systematic search to identify relevant articles examining brain MRI disparities between TTH individuals and headache‐free controls (HFC). Fourteen studies, encompassing 312 diagnosed TTH patients, were selected for inclusion. Among these, eight studies utilized conventional MRI, one employed diffusion tensor imaging, and five implemented various functional MRI modalities. Consistent findings across these studies revealed a notable increase in white matter hyperintensity (WMH) in TTH patients. Furthermore, the potential involvement of the specific brain areas recognized to be involved in different dimensions of pain perception including cortical regions (anterior and posterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex, anterior and posterior insular cortex), subcortical regions (thalamus, caudate, putamen, and parahippocampus), cerebellum in TTH pathogenesis was identified. However, no significant association was established between TTH and intracranial abnormalities or total intracranial volume. In conclusion, these findings support the hypotheses regarding the role of central mechanisms in TTH pathophysiology and offer probable brain regions implicated in these mechanisms. Due to the scarce data on the precise role of these regions in the TTH, further preclinical and clinical investigations should be done to advance our knowledge and enhance targeted therapeutic options of TTH.
Assessing brain integrity in patients with long‐term and well‐functioning metal‐based hip implants
Authors: Taleb Shahnaz , Varela‐Mattatall Gabriel , Allen Abbigail , Haast Roy , Khan Ali R. , Kalia Vishal , Howard James L. , MacDonald Steven J. , Menon Ravi S. , Lanting Brent A. , Teeter Matthew G.
Published: January 2024

Production of metal debris from implant wear and corrosion processes is now a well understood occurrence following hip arthroplasty. Evidence has shown that metal ions can enter the bloodstream and travel to distant organs including the brain, and in extreme cases, can induce sensorial and neurological diseases. Our objective was tosimultaneously analyze brain anatomy and physiology in patients with long‐term and well‐functioning implants. Included were subjects who had received total hip or hip resurfacing arthroplastywith an implantation time of a minimum of 7 years (n = 28) and age‐ and sex‐matched controls (n = 32). Blood samples were obtained to measure ion concentrations of cobalt and chromium, and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment was performed. 3T MRI brain scans were completed with an MPRAGE sequence for ROI segmentation and multiecho gradient echo sequences to generate QSM and R2* maps. Mean QSM and R2* values were recorded for five deep brain and four middle and cortical brain structures on both hemispheres: pallidum, putamen, caudate, amygdala, hippocampus, anterior cingulate, inferior temporal, and cerebellum. No differences in QSM or R2* or cognition scores were found between both groups (p > 0.6654). No correlation was found between susceptibility and blood ion levels for cobalt or chromium in any region of the brain. No correlation was found between blood ion levels and cognition scores. Clinical significance: Results suggest that metal ions released by long‐term and well‐functioning implants do not affect brain integrity.
Humalite enhances the growth, grain yield, and protein content of wheat by improving soil nitrogen availability and nutrient uptake
Authors: Rathor Pramod , Rouleau Vianne , Gorim Linda Yuya , Chen Guanqun , Thilakarathna Malinda S.
Published: January 2024

Background

The application of synthetic chemical inputs in current agricultural practices has significantly increased crop production, but their use has caused severe negative consequences on the environment. Humalite is an organic soil amendment that is rich in humic acid and found in large deposits in southern Alberta, Canada. Humic products can enhance nutrient uptake and assimilation in plants by reducing nutrient losses and enhancing bioavailability in the soil.

Aim

Here, we evaluated the effects of different humalite rates in the presence of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (NPK) at recommended rates on soil nitrogen availability, wheat growth, grain yield, seed nutritional quality, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) under controlled environmental conditions.

Methods

A series of studies were conducted by applying five different rates of humalite (0, 200, 400, 800, and 1600 kg ha−1) with NPK at recommended rates. Soil nitrogen availability and shoot and root growth parameters were recorded at flowering stage. NUE was calculated based on the grain yield at maturity stage.

Results

Plants grown in the presence of humalite augmented root morphological parameters (root length, volume, and surface area), plant biomass (shoot and root), and nutrient uptake (N, P, K, and S) compared to the plants supplied with recommended fertilizer alone. Furthermore, humalite application significantly increased grain yield (14%–19%), seed protein content (23%–30%), and NUE (14%–60%) compared to the fertilizer application alone.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that humalite can be used as an organic soil amendment to reduce synthetic fertilizer application and improve plant growth and yield while enhancing fertilizer use efficiency.
The effects of landscape fascination on subjective well‐being and revisit intention: Evidence from agritourism destinations
Authors: Dat Le Thanh , Wu Homer C. , Li Tzu‐Ning , Huang Wen‐Shiung , Liou Gwo‐Bao , Hsieh Chi‐Ming
Published: January 2024

This study adopted the reasonable person model (RPM) in the context of agritourism to identify tourists' preferences for features of agricultural landscapes; to examine the effects of agritourism landscape's fascination on subjective well‐being and destination attachment, which in turn influence tourists' loyal behaviors; and to investigate the moderating effects of farm types. The quantitative and qualitative approaches were combined to obtain 1118 usable samples. The results validated the RPM by identifying the predictive power of landscape fascination, subjective well‐being, and destination attachment on tourists' destination loyalty. Managerial implications for enhancing visitors' retentions in Taiwan were discussed.
Performance of noninvasive seromarkers in predicting liver fibrosis among MAFLD patients with or without viral hepatitis
Authors: Huang Chung‐Feng , Liang Po‐Cheng , Wang Chih‐Wen , Jang Tyng‐Yuan , Hsu Po‐Yao , Tsai Pei‐Chien , Wei Yu‐Ju , Yeh Ming‐Lun , Hsieh Ming‐Yen , Lin Yi‐Hung , Huang Chao‐Kuan , Dai Chia‐Yen , Huang Jee‐Fu , Chuang Wan‐Long , Yu Ming‐Lung
Published: January 2024

The accuracy of noninvasive seromarkers in predicting liver fibrosis in metabolic dysfunction‐associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) patients with or without viral hepatitis is elusive. The AST to platelet ratio index (APRI), fibrosis‐4 index (FIB‐4), and NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) were assessed in 871 MAFLD patients who received elastography in a viral hepatitis‐endemic area. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve increased substantially with increasing fibrotic stage across the three biomarkers. APRI (AUROC range 0.73–0.80) and FIB‐4 (AUROC range 0.66–0.82) performed better than NFS (AUROC range 0.63–0.75). When patients were divided into viral and non‐viral MAFLD groups, a better AUROC of APRI (range 0.76–0.80) and FIB‐4 (range 0.68–0.78) than NFS (range 0.62–70) existed only in viral MALFD but not in non‐viral MAFLD. Regarding the NFS, the AUROC was higher in non‐viral MAFLD (range 0.69–0.86) and outperformed viral MAFLD at all fibrotic stages. The accuracy in predicting liver fibrosis increased with the advancement of liver disease for the three biomarkers. NFS exerted better diagnostic accuracy in non‐viral than in viral MAFLD patients across different fibrotic stages. The best accuracy was 91.1% using the cutoff value of −9.98 for the NFS in predicting liver cirrhosis in non‐viral MAFLD patients. The APRI and FIB‐4 performed better than the NFS in predicting liver fibrosis in MAFLD as a whole. The suboptimal performance and accuracy of the NFS existed only in viral MAFLD patients. Caution should be taken when assessing the NFS in MAFLD patients with viral hepatitis.
Complex Refraction Metasurfaces for Locally Enhanced Propagation Through Opaque Media
Authors: Perea‐Puente Sinuhé , Rodríguez‐Fortuño Francisco J.
Published: January 2024

Metasurfaces with linear phase gradients can redirect light beams. Controlling both phase and amplitude of a metasurface is proposed to extend Snell's law to the realm of complex angles, enabling a non‐decaying transmission through opaque media with complex refractive indices. This leads to the discovery of non‐diffracting and non‐decaying solutions to the wave equation in opaque media, in the form of generalized cosine and Bessel‐beams with a complex argument. While these solutions present nonphysical exponentially growing side tails, this is addressed via a windowing process, removing the side tails of the field profile while preserving significant transmission enhancement through an opaque slab on a small localized region. Such refined beam profiles may be synthesized by passive metasurfaces with phase and amplitude control at the opaque material's interface. The findings, derived from rigorous solutions of the wave equation, promise new insights and enhanced control of light propagation in opaque media.
Genomic analyses of an Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae urinary tract co‐infection using long‐read nanopore sequencing
Authors: Fordham Stephen Mark Edward , Barrow Magdalena , Mantzouratou Anna , Sheridan Elizabeth
Published: January 2024

Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates presenting with the same antimicrobial susceptibility profile were recovered from the same catheter sample of urine (CSU). Both strains were recovered from a patient with a long‐standing indwelling urinary catheter. Each isolate had its DNA extracted following culture. Nanopore long‐read sequencing was used to build the plasmids and chromosomes from each strain to closure to discern the potential horizontal propagation of resistance‐encoding plasmids and the relationship between resistance genes and insertion sequences. Plasmids derived from resistance strains in the urinary microbiota remain poorly characterized. The same 11 antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes were found in plasmids from each strain. The 185,239‐bp FIB(K) pKBM1, from the K. pneumoniae strain, additionally encoded the five AMR genes: sul2, strA, strB, blaTEM‐1B, and blaCTX‐M‐15. A multimeric array of AMR genes and IS26 insertion sequences were found in the plasmids from both isolates. Both plasmids from each isolate were similar. Horizontal transfer of plasmids, followed by subsequent plasmid rearrangement, is likely to have occurred during infection. Furthermore, the resistance region in the plasmids shared similarity against the internationally prevalent plasmid, pKPN3‐307_typeA, commonly identified in K. pneumoniae ST307. Biofilm formation in catheterized patients may allow close cell contact between strains. Horizontal propagation of resistance genes may occur, leading to polymicrobial infections.
A simulation approach to investigate factors influencing the cost of omitted objectives in multiattribute models
Authors: Kusumastuti Sarah A. , John Richard S.
Published: January 2024

Empirical evidence suggests that decision‐makers are ill‐equipped to identify all relevant objectives in a decision problem. We examine the effect of an incomplete set of objectives using a Monte Carlo simulation to compare a baseline model to a reduced model incorporating only a subset of objectives. We assess the performance of reduced models varying in the number of objectives, the number of alternatives, the correlations among objectives, and attribute weights. Results suggest that missing objectives will most impact multiattribute models with negative correlations between objectives; similarly, models with equally weighted objectives suffer more than models with unequal weights. Decision problems with more objectives tend to be less impacted by missing objectives, given the same proportion of missing objectives. In contrast, decision problems with more alternatives are more impacted for some performance measures but less on others. However, the variation in model performance due to the number of objectives and alternatives is relatively minor compared to the variation due to the nature of the correlation between objectives.
Newly discovered variants in unexplained neonatal encephalopathy
Authors: Zhang Rong , Xie Jingjing , Yuan Xiao , Yu Yan , Zhuang Yan , Zhang Fan , Hou Jianfei , Liu Yanqin , Huang Weiqing , Zhang Min , Li Junshuai , Gong Qiang , Peng Xiaoming
Published: January 2024

Background

The genetic background of neonatal encephalopathy (NE) is complicated and early diagnosis is beneficial to optimizing therapeutic strategy for patients.

Methods

NE Patients with unclear etiology received regular clinical tests including ammonia test, metabolic screening test, amplitude‐integrated electroencephalographic (aEEG) monitoring, brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanning, and genetic test. The protein structure change was predicted using Dynamut2 and RoseTTAFold.

Results

15 out of a total of 113 NE Patients were detected with newly reported pathogenic variants. In this sub‐cohort, (1) seizure was the primary initial symptoms; (2) four patients had abnormal metabolic screening results, and two of them were also diagnosed with excessive blood ammonia concentration; (3) the brain MRI results were irregular in three infants and the brain waves were of moderate–severe abnormality in about a half of the patients. The novel pathogenic variants discovered in this study belonged to 12 genes, and seven of them were predicted to introduce a premature translation termination. In‐silicon predictions showed that four variants were destructive to the protein structure of KCNQ2.

Conclusion

Our study expands the mutation spectrum of genes associated with NE and introduces new evidence for molecular diagnosis in this newborn illness.
Gut Microbiota Plays Essential Roles in Soyasaponin's Preventive Bioactivities against Steatohepatitis in the Methionine and Choline Deficient (MCD) Diet‐Induced Non‐Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) Mice
Authors: Su Chuhong , Wang Jiexian , Luo Huiyu , Chen Junbin , Lin Fengjuan , Mo Jiaqi , Xiong Fei , Zha Longying
Published: January 2024

Scope

Gut microbiota (GM) is involved in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) development. Phytochemicals soyasaponins can prevent NASH possibly by modulating GM. This study aims to investigate the preventive bioactivities of soyasaponin monomers (SS‐A1 and SS‐Bb) against NASH and explores the mechanisms by targeting GM.

Methods and results

Male C57BL/6 mice are fed with methionine and choline deficient (MCD) diet containing SS‐A1, SS‐Bb, or not for 16 weeks. Antibiotics‐treated pseudo germ‐free (PGF) mice are fed with MCD diet containing SS‐A1, SS‐Bb, or not for 8 weeks. GM is determined by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Bile acids (BAs) are measured by UPLC‐MS/MS. In NASH mice, SS‐A1 and SS‐Bb alleviate steatohepatitis and fibrosis, reduce ALT, AST, and LPS in serum, decrease TNF‐α, IL‐6, α‐SMA, triglycerides, and cholesterol in liver. SS‐A1 and SS‐Bb decrease Firmicutes, Erysipelotrichaceae, unidentified‐Clostridiales, Eggerthellaceae, Atopobiaceae, Aerococcus, Jeotgalicoccus, Gemella, Rikenella, increase Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Akkermansiaceae, Romboutsia, and Roseburia. SS‐A1 and SS‐Bb alter BAs composition in liver, serum, and feces, activate farnesoid X receptor (FXR) in liver and ileum, increase occludin and ZO‐1 in intestine. However, GM clearance abrogates the preventive bioactivities of SS‐A1 and SS‐Bb against NASH.

Conclusion

GM plays essential roles in soyasaponin's preventive bioactivities against steatohepatitis in MCD diet‐induced NASH mice.
Moral courage and its influencing factor among oncology specialist nurses: A multi‐centre cross‐sectional study
Authors: Zheng Hongling , Luo Lei , Tan Xiaohui , Cen Yao , Xing Naifang , Huang Hui , Cai Yanling
Published: January 2024

Aim

Moral courage among healthcare workers has been extensively studied. However, few studies have been conducted on oncology specialist nurses, who frequently encounter complex moral situations. This study aimed to describe the current situation regarding moral courage and explored its influence on oncology specialist nurses in China.

Design

This was an exploratory, descriptive study.

Methods

A convenience sample of 390 nurses was conducted from 15 hospitals in Sichuan Province, China, between March and May 2023. Participants were assessed using the Moral Distress Scale‐Revised, Nurses' Moral Courage Scale and the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire.

Results

The results demonstrated that moral courage was negatively associated with moral distress, and positively associated with moral sensitivity. Having a master's degree or above, an intermediate title or senior title, medical ethics training, moral distress or moral sensitivity contributed to explaining 54.1% of the variance in moral courage.

Conclusions

Moral courage was associated with several factors. Developing clinical intervention strategies and effective teaching methods will be critical for improving moral courage.

No Patient or Public Contribution.
Resource roundup: New and ‘classic’ picks for your marketing bookshelf
Authors: Talarico Donna
Published: January 2024

Every year I say I’m going to read more for pleasure. But I always end up reading mostly business‐related books. There are just too many good ones out there! As I flesh out my reading list for 2024, I thought it might be time for another resource roundup.
The more things change in higher education, the more they stay the same
Authors: Dennis Marguerite J.
Published: January 2024

Richard Chaite, Executive Director of the National Center for Postsecondary Governance and Finance at the University of Maryland, wrote the following in September 1989:
Build diverse opportunities in grad business education
Authors: Elfman Lois
Published: January 2024

After a distinguished career as a business leader in private industry, Joy Jones turned her attention to business education in 2017, joining the Graduate Management Admission Council, where she became CEO in 2022. Jones is actively working to increase diversity at business and management schools as well as professionally.
Exploring the underpinnings of why millennials engage in charitable activities: Empirical evidence from Türkiye
Authors: Kocaman Rıdvan
Published: January 2024

Nonprofit organizations have long competed for limited funds due to the decrease in government funding and increased demand for social services. It is possible to meet this need by engaging millennials in charitable activities because of their power to achieve both growth and sustainability. However, they behave and communicate differently than other cohorts of individuals and thus nonprofits have substantial work to tap into their charitable behaviors. Accordingly, the current paper aims to explore the underpinnings of why millennials engage in charitable activities. To do this, in‐depth interviews were conducted with 18 participants who regularly donate their time and/or money. Then, data was analyzed with qualitative content analysis technique. Findings indicate that millennials support a range of charitable causes with the motivations of being socially recognized, being self‐satisfied, mitigating guilt, and having congruence with the organization. Results contribute to the growing body of knowledge on both individual charitable motivation and especially, charitable motivations of the relevant cohort of individuals. Additionally, the current study provides insightful knowledge that can help managers and marketers on how to engage with millennials in both nonprofits and other sectors.
Damage mechanisms in composite laminated shells subjected to multiple impacts at different points
Authors: Ferreira L. M. , Coelho C. A. C. P. , Reis P. N. B.
Published: January 2024

This study investigates the effect of damage interference resulting from impact loads on the mechanical response and impact fatigue life of E‐glass/epoxy composite laminate shells. The analysis involves single impacts at different points to evaluate the impact strength's dependency on boundary conditions. Notably, there is a gradual reduction in both maximum impact force and absorbed energy beyond 10 mm from the centre, towards unconstrained edges, accompanied by an increase in displacement. Specifically, at a distance of 30 mm, the maximum force and absorbed energy register a decrease of 9.4% and 7.9%, respectively, while the displacement rises by 14.5%. The findings reveal that the damage severity decreases as the impact point is closer to the unconstrained edge of the specimen, which can be attributed to a stiffness reduction, which can reach up to 22%. Symmetrically induced pre‐damages exhibit no discernible effect on the subsequent impact response. It is observed that beyond 10 mm from the shell's centre, the number of impacts required to reach puncture increases by 10.5% and 21.1% for distances of 20 and 30 mm, respectively. Furthermore, it is also found that alternating impacts between symmetrical points show no inclination towards a preferential point for puncture.

Highlights

The single impact strength's dependents on the boundary conditions.

Reduction in both maximum impact force and absorbed energy near the unconstrained edges.

Damage severity decreases as the impact point is closer to the unconstrained edges.

Symmetrically induced pre‐damages have no discernible effect on the subsequent impact response.

Alternating impacts between symmetrical points show no inclination towards a preferential point for puncture.
Green and efficient utilization of cellulose by in situ regenerating rod‐like cellulose crystals in dry blending rubber compounds
Authors: Li Peixing , Yuan Haoze , Wang Xinyu , Yu Cheng , Wang Xin , Sun Jutao
Published: January 2024

The crystalline cellulose has captured much attention as reinforcement material in rubber composites, but no successful cases have been found till now. Here, a facile approach of cellulose utilization was proposed by in‐situ regenerating cellulose in dry rubber matrix. Cellulose was dissolved in ionic liquid (IL), and then directly mixed with dry rubber, silica, and other ingredients. Taking advantages of the strong interaction between IL and silica, the dissolution equilibrium of cellulose/IL was destroyed and resulted in the regeneration of cellulose crystals in rubber matrix. The regenerated cellulose appeared at dry blending stage, and showed an ideal rod‐like shape (10–100 nm in diameter and 200–500 nm in length). While it grew in size at curing stage, and finally reached 100–200 nm in diameter and 1–2 μm in length. The regenerated cellulose exhibited pronounced reinforcement efficiency. This methodology has no any waste liquid discharged, and has a promising use in the preparation of cellulose/rubber composites.

Highlights

Nanosized rod‐like cellulose was regenerated in dry rubber, instead of latex.

Regeneration of cellulose was due to interaction between ionic liquid and silica.

The in situ regenerated cellulose dispersed well in cured rubber compounds.

The regenerated cellulose exhibited a good reinforcement efficiency in rubber.

The whole machining process had no any waste liquid discharged.
Ductile poly[(3‐hydroxybutyrate)‐co‐(4‐hydroxybutyrate)]‐based blends derived from biomass
Authors: Wang Guoqiang , Chi Xiang
Published: January 2024

Poly[(3‐hydroxybutyrate)‐co‐(4‐hydroxybutyrate)] (P34HB), poly[(butylene succinate)‐co‐(butylene furandicarboxylate)] (PBSF) and poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) were melt‐blended to prepare P34HB/PBSF/PVAc blends with improved ductility. The thermal properties, mechanical properties, rheological properties and morphology of the blends were systematically studied. The addition of PBSF promoted the melt crystallization of P34HB. The temperatures at 5% weight loss of the blends were higher than that of P34HB. The surface of the blends was investigated using scanning electron microscopy. The surface of P34HB was very smooth, but the surfaces of the blends were rough. PVAc can increase the compatibility between P34HB and PBSF. Compared with P34HB, the elongation at break of the blends was increased to 219.1%. © 2024 Society of Industrial Chemistry.
Crystal structure of GTP‐dependent dephospho‐coenzyme A kinase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon, Thermococcus kodakarensis
Authors: Kita Akiko , Ishida Yuna , Shimosaka Takahiro , Michimori Yuta , Makarova Kira , Koonin Eugene , Atomi Haruyuki , Miki Kunio
Published: January 2024

The biosynthesis pathways of coenzyme A (CoA) in most archaea involve several unique enzymes including dephospho‐CoA kinase (DPCK) that converts dephospho‐CoA to CoA in the final step of CoA biosynthesis in all domains of life. The archaeal DPCK is unrelated to the analogous bacterial and eukaryotic enzymes and shows no significant sequence similarity to any proteins with known structures. Unusually, the archaeal DPCK utilizes GTP as the phosphate donor although the analogous bacterial and eukaryotic enzymes are ATP‐dependent kinases. Here, we report the crystal structure of DPCK and its complex with GTP and a magnesium ion from the archaeal hyperthermophile Thermococcus kodakarensis. The crystal structure demonstrates why GTP is the preferred substrate of this kinase. We also report the activity analyses of site‐directed mutants of crucial residues determined based on sequence conservation and the crystal structure. From these results, the key residues involved in the reaction of phosphoryl transfer and the possible dephospho‐CoA binding site are inferred.
Advantages and challenges of AI in enhancing healthcare equity
Authors: Okenyi Emmanuel , Walker Lauren
Published: January 2024

The potential benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare are wide ranging, from drug discovery to clinical decision making to improving health equity. This article focuses on the advantages and potential pitfalls of using AI to enhance equity and fairness in healthcare.
Design, synthesis, and analysis of macrobicyclic peptides for targeting the Gαi protein
Authors: Pepanian Anna , Binbay F. Ayberk , Pei Dehua , Imhof Diana
Published: January 2024

Bicyclic peptides are important chemical tools that can function, for example, as bioactive ligands switching on/off signaling pathways mediated by guanine nucleotide‐binding proteins as bicycles are more broadly applicable. Despite their relevance in medicinal chemistry, the synthesis of such peptides is challenging, and the final yield is highly dependent on the chemical composition and physicochemical properties of the scaffold. We recently discovered novel, state‐specific peptide modulators targeting the Gαi protein, namely, GPM‐2/GPM‐3, by screening a one‐bead‐two‐compound combinatorial library. A more detailed analysis, including sequence alignments and computer‐assisted conformational studies based on the hit compounds, revealed the new peptide 10 as a potential macrobicyclic Gαi ligand sharing high sequence similarity to the known Gαi modulators. The Gαs protein was included in this study for comparison and to unravel the criteria for the specificity of modulator binding to Gαi versus Gαs. This work provides in‐depth computer‐assisted experimental studies for the analysis of novel macrobicyclic, library‐derived Gαi protein ligands. The sequence and structural comparison of 10 with the lead compounds GPM‐2 and GPM‐3 reveals the importance of the size and amino acid composition of one ring of the bicyclic system and suggests features enhancing the binding affinity of the peptides to the Gαi protein.
A Novel Self‐Powered and High Switching Ratio UV–vis Photodetector Based on Multilayer Bi2O3/In2O3 Heterojunction
Authors: Wang Yue , Yang Lei , Huang Mingkun , Kang Yuanhao , Wang Le , Zhang Niumiao
Published: January 2024

Metal oxides have attracted more and more attention as common candidates for photodetectors. However, most metal oxide detectors are limited by the shortcomings such as wide bandgap, high manufacturing cost, and slow response speed. Herein, a UV–vis Bi2O3/In2O3 heterojunction photodetector is successfully achieved by a two‐step spin coating method. Based on X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy measurements, the crystal form and morphology of the Bi2O3/In2O3 heterojunction are determined. The UV–vis absorption spectroscopy and UV photoelectron spectroscopy tests indicate that the Bi2O3/In2O3 forms a type II heterojunction and the successful combination of the two enhances the light detection capability of the photodetector. Additionally, the Bi2O3/In2O3 heterojunction photodetector possesses a self‐powered characteristic with a responsivity, detectivity, and response time of 0.66 mA W−1, 5.78 × 1010 Jones, and 1.90 s, respectively. The above results demonstrate that the multilayer Bi2O3/In2O3 heterojunction is a promising UV–vis broadband photodetector.