bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PS-R07-5: A CASE OF PRIMARY ALDOSTERONISM WITH DECLINED GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE AFTER ADRENALECTOMY
Authors: Kohmoto Hikari , Kobayashi Sakiko , Miyashita Kazutoshi , Kinouchi Kenichiro , Nakamura Toshifumi , Mizutani Yosuke , Takeda Toshikazu , Oya Mototsugu , Tamura Masashi , Nakatsuka Seishi , Itoh Hiroshi
Published: January 2023

Background:

Primary aldosteronism (PA) has been known to cause organ damage, such as renal and cardiovascular disorders more frequently than essential hypertension (EH), independently of blood pressure. Among renal disorders, albuminuria is more prevalent in patients with PA than EH, while GFR tends to be higher in PA due to glomerular hyperfiltration. Surgical and medical treatments for PA correct these effects of excess aldosterone, which sometimes uncover preexisting chronic kidney disease (CKD). Here we present a case of PA with CKD who manifested decline of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and overt renal failure following resection of aldosterone-producing adenoma.

Case report:

A 53-year-old woman was diagnosed with hypertension at the age of 40. Her primary care physician started treatment with a calcium channel blocker (CCB). At the age of 49, she was diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome (SS). Blood tests revealed severe hypokalemia and eGFR of 50 mL/min/1.73m2, while 24-hr urine collection showed urinary protein of 0.5 g per day. SS was suspected to underlie her renal disease. A renal biopsy was performed, and suggested nephrosclerosis and IgA nephropathy. On the other hand, a 11mm-sized tumor in the left adrenal gland was discovered during the investigation of secondary hypertension. PA was confirmed based on active renin concentration (ARC) of 4.3 pg/mL, plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) of 342 pg/mL, an aldosterone-to-renin ratio of 79.5 (> 40), and 24-hr urinary aldosterone levels of 15.9 μg per day under the adequate salt-loaded condition. Adrenal venous sampling yielded aldosterone hypersecretion from the left adrenal vein, which indicated aldosterone-producing adenoma. Laparoscopic partial left adrenalectomy was performed and fully normalized ARC, PAC, and urinary aldosterone levels, which indicated biochemical cure of PA. Consequently, blood pressure had been well controlled with a single CCB. However, while her preoperative serum creatine level ranged from 0.9 to 1.1 mg/dL and eGFR was around 40–50 mL/min/1.73m2, her postoperative serum creatine level increased to 1.4 to 1.9 mg/dL and eGFR decreased to 25 to 35 mL/min/1.73m2 on average. In contrast, urinary protein level improved to less than 0.1 g/day, suggesting that post-treatment increase in creatine level indicated unveiling CKD rather than deterioration of renal function.

Conclusion:

PA treatment may unmask CKD through improving glomerular hyperfiltration from aldosterone excess.
Is Virtual Patient Simulation Superior to Human Patient Simulation
Authors: Sahin Karaduman Gul , Basak Tulay
Published: January 2023

Virtual and human patient simulation methods offer an effective way to increase patient safety, reduce the incidence of errors, and improve clinical decision-making skills. The study was conducted to compare the effects of virtual and human patient simulation methods on performance, simulation-based learning, anxiety, and self-confidence with clinical decision-making scores of nursing students. A quasi-experimental, stratified, randomized controlled study was conducted with third-year nursing students. The students (n = 166) were divided into experimental and control groups. The difference between the pretest-posttest scores of intragroup nursing anxiety and self-confidence with clinical decision-making and total and sub-scale scores of in-group simulation-based learning were statistically significant (P < .05). Performance scores were found to be statistically significantly high in the virtual patient simulation group (P < .001). It was determined that virtual patient simulation was superior to other methods in terms of nursing anxiety and self-confidence with clinical decision-making, simulation-based learning, and performance scores.
The InterFace of Social Media Recruitment and Nursing Education Research
Authors: McNelis Angela M. , Dreifuerst Kristina T. , Beebe Sarah L.
Published: January 2023

This study describes using social media in recruiting a large and hard-to-reach national sample of family nurse practitioner students in the United States enrolled in their final clinical course and the impact on survey response targets. Social media recruitment was initiated when sample targets were not met using traditional, direct email invitations. A cross-sectional, observational, complex-samples survey design was used to collect data from students enrolled in accredited programs. When inviting participants via emails to schools of nursing and program administrators was only moderately successful, direct recruitment via social media sites was used. Targeted study advertisements were shown 602 389 times to 77 410 unique Facebook users over 14 months. In the final sample of 3940 study participants, 46% (n = 1811) were recruited through social media. Survey responses for health education research are typically 50% or less of the target. Using Facebook was successful for recruiting a large, geographically disperse and representative student sample necessary to ensure findings were representative and generalizable. This recruitment strategy could be effectively used for a myriad of research in areas where social media use exists to gain access to participants who might otherwise not be accessible.
ABC score is an effective predictor of outcomes in peptic ulcer bleeding
Authors: Sakong Heon , Moon Hee Seok , Choi Seong Woo , Kang Sun Hyung , Sung Jae Kyu , Jeong Hyun Yong
Published: January 2023

Background:

Risk stratification is recommended for patients with gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. The ABC score is a new scoring tool with high accuracy for upper and lower GI bleeding. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the ABC score in predicting the outcomes of patients with peptic ulcer bleeding.

Methods:

This single-center retrospective study included 809 patients, each with symptoms of upper GI bleeding, and who were diagnosed with ulcerative lesions between October 2011 and March 2021. The association between the ABC score’s variables and the patients’ outcome was analyzed. The score’s performance in predicting the patients’ outcome was validated using receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis and compared with that of other scores.

Results:

The study analyzed 772 patients with peptic ulcer bleeding. The primary outcome measure was all-cause 30-day mortality. Secondary outcome measures included rebleeding within 30 days and the need for radiologic/surgical intervention. Age (P = .013), serum albumin levels (P < .001), serum creatinine levels (P = .004), mental status (P < .001), and American Society of Anesthesiologists score (P < .001) were associated with the primary outcome. The ABC score predicted the 30-day mortality (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve [AUROC] 0.927; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.899–0.956) better than other scores. However, it was less accurate in predicting rebleeding (AUROC 0.630; 95% CI 0.563–0.697) and need for radiologic/surgical intervention (AUROC 0.641; 95% CI 0.550–0.732).

Conclusions:

The ABC score accurately predicts the 30-day mortality in patients with peptic ulcer bleeding. However, it may not be suitable for predicting rebleeding or the need for radiologic/surgical interventions.
Experience of CT diagnosis and management of primary renal Ewing’s sarcoma: A retrospective analysis of 6 cases and a literature review
Authors: Hu Xianwen , Li Dandan , Cai Jiong
Published: January 2023

To present the clinical experience of primary renal Ewing’s sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumors (rEWs/PNET) admitted to our hospital and systematically review the published literature. A retrospective analysis was performed on patients with pathologically confirmed renal EWs/PNET (rEWs) in our hospital, and the literature on rEWs published in PubMed and Embase databases before March 1, 2022 was searched for analysis. A total of 337 rEWs were included in the statistical analysis, including 6 cases of our patients and 331 cases published in the literature. The common clinical symptoms of rEWs are abdominal pain, hematuria, abdominal mass and so on. computed tomography (CT) plays an important role in the diagnosis of rEWs, and the typical manifestation is a large heterogeneous soft tissue density mass, with a specific “septum-like” enhancement in contrast-enhanced scan. The 2-year overall survival rate of rEWs was 48%, with a median survival time of 18 months. “Septum-like” enhancement on CT can be used as a relatively specific sign for the differential diagnosis of rEWs from Wilms tumor and neuroblastoma. The maximum diameter of the rEWs was usually greater than 10 cm, the clinical symptoms of weight loss, metastasis at diagnosis, tumor thrombogenesis of renal vein or/and inferior vena cava tumor, and the failure to undergo radical nephrectomy were the factors of poor prognosis. The incidence of primary rEWs is low and the prognosis is poor. Early diagnosis and radical nephrectomy combined with chemotherapy is the key to improve the prognosis of patients, and CT plays an important role in early diagnosis.
Emerging Treatment Options for Chronic Tendinopathy of the Foot
Authors: Chowdhary Kuntal , Sherrier Matthew , Onishi Kentaro
Published: January 2023

The patient is a 65-year-old female recreational skier and avid walker who presented with a several-month history of right ankle and foot pain. The patient’s pain began without inciting event and was described as a constant aching pain aggravated by downhill walking and alleviated with rest. She was diagnosed with right distal tibialis anterior tendinopathy with partial thickness tear noted on magnetic resonance imaging and musculoskeletal ultrasound. Given symptoms recalcitrant to conservative measures, the patient opted to pursue an ultrasound-guided prolotherapy injection and a course of physical therapy; unfortunately, she did not have any improvement in symptoms. The patient subsequently underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous ultrasonic tenotomy and debridement of the distal tibialis anterior tendon, followed by a postprocedure rehabilitation protocol of physical therapy with transition to home exercise program with complete resolution of her pain. Prolotherapy, and percutaneous ultrasonic tenotomy and debridement are two treatment modalities that show promise in the treatment of painful, chronic tendinopathy.
Baseline Function and Rehabilitation Are as Important as Stroke Severity as Long-term Predictors of Cognitive Performance Post-stroke
Authors: Girgenti Sophia G. , Brunson Autumn O. , Marsh Elisabeth B.
Published: January 2023

Objective

Although individuals with low stroke severity tend to recover well, cognitive impairment is common independent of stroke size or location. In this study, the patterns of recovery for individual cognitive domains and factors associated with outcome were examined.

Design

A prospectively enrolled cohort of patients with minor stroke was administered cognitive testing at 1, 6, and 12 mos postinfarct. Composite T scores were generated for global cognition and well as independent cognitive domains at each time point. Paired t tests compared changes in scores over time. Regression models identified factors associated with improvement.

Results

A total of 46 patients, with an average NIH Stroke Scale score of 2.7, were enrolled. Average age was 61.3 yrs. Patients improved overall between 1 and 6 mos; however, distinct patterns of recovery were seen for different cognitive domains. The most significant improvement was in spatial memory. Verbal memory scores remained low longitudinally. Motor speed and executive function increased, then plateaued. Despite a mean education of 13.6 yrs, only 36% of global cognition scores were higher than or equal to the normative mean at 12 mos, and only 57% of patients improved their global scores from 6 to 12 mos. Late recovery was associated with lower NIH Stroke Scale scores, higher 1-mo Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores, and rehabilitation. Baseline function predicted overall long-term recovery.

Conclusion

Patterns of recovery are distinct for individual cognitive domains for patients with minor stroke. Stroke severity and rehabilitation influence trajectory. Premorbid baseline predicts long-term outcome.
Feasibility of an Enhanced Therapy Model of Care for Hospitalized Stroke Patients
Authors: Pruski April , Lavezza Annette , Ye Bingqing , Langton-Frost Nicole , Orient Stephanie , Adeyemo Jessica , Zink Elizabeth K. , Daley Kelly , Bahouth Mona N.
Published: January 2023

Introduction

The aim of this study was to determine the safety and feasibility of an enhanced therapy model for hospitalized stroke patients.

Methods

This was a quasi-experimental cohort study of acute stroke patients from a single hospital. In the intervention group, all hospitalized patients on the acute stroke service were seen by at least two therapy disciplines daily in addition to routine stroke care. The comparison group consisted of all patients admitted to the same stroke service 1 year before who received the standard of care. The primary endpoint was the number of completed therapy sessions. Exploratory endpoints compared the length of hospital stay, hospital readmission rates, and degree of disability measured by the 90-day modified Rankin Scale score.

Results

A total of 1110 records were analyzed with 553 subjects in the intervention group and 557 in the control group. The intervention group received a significantly higher number of therapy sessions. There was no significant difference in length of hospital stay. However, 30-day readmission rates were lower, and the percentage of patients who achieved a good functional outcome on the modified Rankin Scale was higher during the intervention period.

Conclusion

Increasing exposure to intensive multidisciplinary therapy comparable with that of acute inpatient rehabilitation in the hospital setting is feasible and may reduce both readmission rates and disability.
Bringing High-Dose Neurorestorative Behavioral Training Into the Acute Stroke Unit
Authors: Bahouth Mona N. , Zink Elizabeth K. , Ahmad Omar , Roy Promit , Zeiler Steven R. , Urrutia Victor C. , Krakauer John W.
Published: January 2023

Stroke remains common and is a leading cause of adult disability. While there have been enormous system changes for the diagnosis and delivery of hyperacute stroke treatments at comprehensive stroke centers, few advances have been made in those same centers for treatments focused on behavioral recovery and brain repair. Specifically, during the early hospital period, there is a paucity of approaches available for reduction of impairment beyond what is expected from spontaneous biological recovery. Thus, patients in the early stroke recovery period are not receiving the kind of training needed, at the requisite intensity and dose, to exploit a potential critical period of heightened brain plasticity that could maximize true recovery instead of just compensation. Here, we describe an ongoing pilot program to reconfigure the acute stroke unit experience to allow for a new emphasis on brain repair. More specifically, we have introduced a novel room-based video-gaming intervention; restorative neuroanimation, into the acute stroke hospital setting. This new intervention provides the opportunity for an extra hour(s) of high-intensity neurorestorative behavioral treatment that is complementary to conventional rehabilitation. To accomplish this, system redesign was required to insert this new treatment into the patient day, to properly stratify patients behaviorally and physiologically for the treatment, to optimize the digital therapeutic approach itself, and to maintain the impairment reduction after discharge.
Understanding the Relationship Between Perseveration, Comorbid Behavioral Symptoms, Motor Decline, Functional Decline, and Self-report Accuracy in Huntington Disease Can Help Inform Clinical Practice
Authors: Liu Andy M. , Koppel Erin , Anderson Karen E.
Published: January 2023

Background:

Perseveration is one of the most debilitating symptoms of Huntington disease (HD).

Objective:

To study perseveration and its relationship to comorbid behavioral symptoms, motor decline, functional decline, and subject self-report accuracy by analyzing cross-sectional data tracking individuals who have or are at risk for HD and healthy controls (HC).

Method:

We studied 96 individuals from HD families and 35 HC who were either family controls or gene negative. We used χ2 tests to compare patient demographic and survey outcomes data and to analyze the presence of obsessions and compulsions (OC), depression, and apathy relative to the presence of perseveration.

Results:

Individuals with HD and perseveration had a higher presence of OC, depression, and apathy compared with individuals with HD of the same stages without perseveration (19%, 47.6%, and 47.6% vs 15%, 40%, and 25%, respectively). In addition, individuals in HD Stages 1–3 with higher motor scores (showing a later stage of disease) displayed a significantly higher rate of perseveration than the HC (P = 0.0476; P = 0.0499, respectively). The presence of an informant resulted in a significantly higher rate of perseveration reporting for individuals in HD Stages 1 and 2 (41.2% and 53.8% with informant vs 23.5% and 11.1% without informant, respectively).

Conclusion:

Perseveration was seen across all motor and functional stages for the individuals with HD, without significant differences between the different stages. Additionally, informants were beneficial to obtaining accurate patient reports of perseveration. These findings should prove useful for physician evaluation and treatment considerations.
Phage DNA polymerase prevents deleterious on-target DNA damage and enhances precise CRISPR/Cas9 editing
Authors: Yang Qiaoyan , Abebe Jonathan S. , Mai Michelle , Rudy Gabriella , Kim Sang Y. , Devinsky Orrin , Long Chengzu
Published: January 2023

Common unintended chromosomal alterations induced by CRISPR/Cas9 in mammalian cells, particularly on-target large deletions and chromosomal translocations present a safety challenge for genome editing. Base editing and prime editing that can precisely introduce desired edits without double-stranded breaks and exogenous DNA templates face their own challenges. Thus, there is still an unmet need to develop safer and more efficient editing tools. We screened diverse DNA polymerases of distinct origins and identified T4 DNA polymerase derived from phage T4 that greatly prevents undesired on-target large deletions and chromosomal translocations while increasing the proportion of precise 1- to 2-base-pair insertions generated during CRISPR/Cas9 editing (termed CasPlus). CasPlus induced substantially fewer on-target large deletions while increasing the efficiency to correct common frameshift mutations inDMD(exon 52 deletion) and restored higher level of dystrophin expression than Cas9-alone in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. Moreover, CasPlus can greatly reduce the frequency of on-target large deletions in mouse germline editing. In multiplexed guide RNAs mediating gene editing, CasPlus represses chromosomal translocations while maintaining gene disruption efficiency that is higher or comparable to Cas9 in primary human T cells. Therefore, CasPlus offers a safer and more efficient gene editing strategy to treat pathogenic variants or to introduce genetic modifications in human applications.
Neuronal activity-driven O-GlcNAcylation promotes mitochondrial plasticity
Authors: Yu Seungyoon B. , Sanchez Richard G. , Papich Zachary D. , Whisenant Thomas C. , Ghassemian Majid , Koberstein John N. , Stewart Melissa L. , Pekkurnaz Gulcin
Published: January 2023

Neuronal activity is an energy-intensive process that is largely sustained by instantaneous fuel utilization and ATP synthesis. However, how neurons couple ATP synthesis rate to fuel availability is largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the metabolic sensor enzyme O-GlcNAc transferase regulates neuronal activity-driven mitochondrial bioenergetics. We show that neuronal activity upregulates O-GlcNAcylation mainly in mitochondria. Mitochondrial O-GlcNAcylation is promoted by activity-driven fuel consumption, which allows neurons to compensate for high energy expenditure based on fuel availability. To determine the proteins that are responsible for these adjustments, we mapped the mitochondrial O-GlcNAcome of neurons. Finally, we determine that neurons fail to meet activity-driven metabolic demand when O-GlcNAcylation dynamics are prevented. Our findings suggest that O-GlcNAcylation provides a fuel-dependent feedforward control mechanism in neurons to optimize mitochondrial performance based on neuronal activity. This mechanism thereby couples neuronal metabolism to mitochondrial bioenergetics and plays a key role in sustaining energy homeostasis.
Methyl 1-[(6-methoxy-5-methylpyrimidin-4-yl)methyl]-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-7-carboxylate: a combined X-ray and DFT study
Authors: Richter Adrian , Goddard Richard , Schönefeld Roy , Imming Peter , Seidel Rüdiger W.
Published: January 2023

The title compound, C16H16N4O3, was obtained as a side product during the synthesis of the previously reported antitubercular agent N-(2-fluoroethyl)-1-[(6-methoxy-5-methylpyrimidin-4-yl)methyl]-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-4-carboxamide and structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography and computational methods. In the crystal (space group P21/n, Z = 4), the title compound adopts a twisted conformation with a dihedral angle between the benzimidazole and pyrimidine mean planes of 84.11 (3)°. The carboxylate group and the 5-methyl group on the pyrimidine ring exhibit partial disorder. The DFT-optimized molecular structure resembles the structure of the minor component in the crystal.
Motivational background of work addiction: the role of perceived demanding organizational conditions
Authors: Morkevičiūtė Modesta , Endriulaitienė Auksė
Published: January 2023

Purpose

In the literature, work addiction is proposed to be considered a construct that requires an extensive approach for understanding it; consequently, it should be analyzed as the interaction between personal and situational factors. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the mediating role work motivation plays in the relationship between perceived demanding organizational conditions and employee work addiction.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenience sample of 669 workers from different organizations in Lithuania. Data were collected using online self-administered questionnaire. To test a mediation model, a structural equation modeling path analysis was performed.

Findings

Demanding organizational conditions (i.e. work addiction of a manager, the workload, a work role conflict, a competitive organizational climate and the family-unsupportive organizational environment) were related to increased work addiction through higher extrinsic motivation. The mediator of intrinsic motivation yielded different results: the indirect relationship between demanding organizational conditions and work addiction was significant only at lower levels of intrinsic motivation. Even having controlled work motivation as a mediator, the proposed direct links remained significant in most cases.

Originality/value

The study gives a profound understanding of work addiction and explains the mechanism activated by an organization that is of great importance for its development and maintenance.
Factors influencing university students in conducting ecotourism
Authors: Sánchez-Torres Javier A. , Hernández Fernández Yuri Lorene , Perlaza Lopera Carolina
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This study examines the factors that influence the ecotourist behavior of university students. The understanding of what motivates these students can inform future suggestions for strategies and actions in ecotourism.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was applied to university students of the University of Medellín, Colombia. It was an exploratory empirical study that surveyed a total of 696 students.

Findings

The results show that students with a positive attitude toward ecology tend to be interested in nature-related activities, therefore generating an intention to engage in ecotourism. The authors found that those who view ecotourism as an activity that promotes fun and happiness tend to engage more frequently in these activities.

Originality/value

This study is of great interest for research in motivational theory, specifically the analysis of personality profiles and how these relate to specific tourism behaviors. The findings of this study strongly suggest that those interested in the management and development of ecotourism should establish practices and programs that consider factors such as tourist segmentation, effective communication of the positive qualities of ecotourism and environmental stewardship involved in these activities.
Innovative profiles of TQM in banking management. The relationship between employee training and risk mitigation
Authors: Testa Mario , D'Amato Antonio , Singh Gurmeet , Festa Giuseppe
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between employee training and bank risk to verify whether and to what extent an increase in employee training, as a soft component of total quality management (TQM), affects bank risk.

Design/methodology/approach

The research adopts a panel regression, based on a unique dataset of a sample of Italian banks over the period 2011–2018, to test whether employee training affects bank risk, measured alternatively in terms of Z-score, a proxy of bank stability and non-performing loans (NPLs)/gross loans ratio as a proxy of credit risk.

Findings

Research findings reveal that increasing employee training leads to growing bank stability. In contrast, credit risk is not affected by employee training. However, by investigating training heterogeneity, this study found that the increase in the number of managerial training hours, as a proxy for soft skills training, negatively impacts credit risk. Therefore, an increase in soft skills leads to a reduction in bank credit risk.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides empirical evidence in support of the relationship between employee training and bank risk, which seems novel in the literature. From a managerial point of view, this study highlights the need for banks to pay attention to the skills, particularly soft skills, that banks' employees must possess to effectively manage bank risk and, more specifically, the core bank risk.

Originality/value

Empirical evidence on the relationship between employee training, soft/hard skills and bank risk appears limited if not absent. Therefore, the findings provide insights for a more nuanced interpretation of variables that affect bank risk.
iGlarLixi versus premixed insulin initiation in adults with type 2 diabetes advancing from basal insulin therapy: The SoliComplex real‐world study
Authors: Lajara Rosemarie , Heller Caroline , Pantalone Kevin M. , Lew Elisheva , Li Xuan , Dex Terry , Kilpatrick Catherine Rachel
Published: January 2023

Aim

To compare outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) suboptimally controlled with basal insulin who initiated treatment with iGlarLixi or premixed insulin.

Methods

This retrospective real‐world analysis was conducted using data from adults (age ≥ 18 years) with T2D in the US Optum Clinformatics database who had previously received basal insulin and newly initiated iGlarLixi or premixed insulin. Cohorts were propensity‐score matched on baseline characteristics using a greedy nearest neighbour‐matching algorithm, and outcomes were assessed at 12 months. Subgroup analyses were performed for those aged 65 years or older and those with a baseline HbA1c of 9% or higher. The primary endpoint was treatment persistence in the overall population. Secondary endpoints were treatment adherence, healthcare resource utilization (HRU), costs, hypoglycaemia events and change in HbA1c from baseline.

Results

Each cohort comprised 834 participants. In the overall population, treatment persistence at 12 months was statistically significantly higher for iGlarLixi versus premixed insulin: 42.5% versus 39.1%; hazard ratio 0.88; 95% confidence interval 0.778‐0.998; P = .0465. Adherence and HbA1c reduction were similar between groups, whereas hypoglycaemia events, HRU and costs were numerically lower for iGlarLixi. Outcomes in both the age 65 years or older subgroup and in those with an HbA1c of 9% or higher were consistent with those for the overall population.

Conclusions

In this observational study in people with T2D suboptimally controlled on basal insulin, once‐daily iGlarLixi was an effective treatment alternative to premixed insulin with significantly higher treatment persistence, similar adherence and HbA1c reduction, and numerically lower hypoglycaemia events, HRU and costs, regardless of age or baseline HbA1c.
European Federation of Neurological Societies: parent to the European Academy of Neurology
Authors: Olesen Jes
Published: January 2023

Background and purpose

The European Academy of Neurology (EAN) is a vigorous organization of great importance for all neurologists and for our patients. But how did neurology get organized at the European level? That is the topic of this article.

Methods

Most important sources are memories and documents of the author, who was a moving force in developing the European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS), one of the two parents of the EAN.

Results

All European national neurological societies and the World Federation of Neurology were involved in a difficult political interaction resulting in the EFNS. Organizational and administrative development was the initial task. Scientific panels led by a scientific committee, teaching courses for young neurologists, teaching courses in middle and eastern Europe and successful congresses were developed. The purchase of headquarters as well as the creation of a fully owned scientific journal (European Journal of Neurology) were important and financially beneficial. The EFNS also promoted the formation of the European Brain Council and of the patient organization European Federation of Neurological Associations. All these elements have continued after fusion with the European Neurological Society to form the EAN.

Conclusion

The very successful development of the EFNS has largely been carried on into the EAN.
CuGaO2/TiO2 heterostructure nanosheets: Synthesis, enhanced photocatalytic performance, and underlying mechanism
Authors: Li Jia‐Qi , Zhao Qing‐Meng , Zhou Yong‐Dong , Zhao Zong‐Yan
Published: January 2023

Effective separation and fast transport of photogenerated carriers are vital links determining the photocatalytic performance. Heterostructure constructed by two complementary semiconductors is a feasible strategy to achieve this goal. By one‐pot hydrothermal method, 0D‐TiO2 nanoparticles are loaded onto 2D‐CuGaO2 nanosheets, forming a mixed dimension, closely combined heterostructure. The photocurrent density of CuGaO2/TiO2 heterostructure is ∼16.6 μA/cm2, which is 1.24 times higher than that of pristine CuGaO2 nanosheets (∼13.4 μA/cm2) and 15 times higher than that of TiO2 (∼1.1 μA/cm2). In the tetracycline hydrochloride degradation experiment, the degradation efficiency of tetracycline hydrochloride by CuGaO2/TiO2 heterostructure reached 99% within 90 min, which was 1.2 times the degradation efficiency of CuGaO2 nanoparticles (82%) and 20.2 times the degradation rate of TiO2 (4.9%). A series of experimental characterizations combined with density functional theory calculations revealed that it is the built‐in electric field in the CuGaO2/TiO2 interface region that drives the photogenerated electron–hole pairs to travel in the opposite direction, thus inhibiting their recombination. Furthermore, the energy band offset of the CuGaO2/TiO2 interface makes it easier for the photogenerated holes and electrons to gather onto the valence band of the CuGaO2 nanosheets and the conduction band of the TiO2 nanoparticles, respectively. Therefore, appropriate interface lattice matching, suitable configuration of band gap and band edge positions, and strong opposite drive of interface electric field enable CuGaO2/TiO2 heterostructure to achieve wide spectral response and effective separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs at the same time.
Variation in the parasite communities of three co‐occurring herbivorous coral reef fishes
Authors: Motson Katie , Hutson Kate S. , Hoey Andrew S.
Published: January 2023

Parasites are important, diverse, and abundant components of natural ecosystems and can influence the behaviour and health of their hosts, inter‐ and intraspecific interactions, and ultimately community structure. Coral reefs are one of the world's most biodiverse ecosystems, yet our understanding of the abundance, diversity, and composition of parasite communities of coral reef fishes is limited. Here, the authors aimed to compare the abundance, richness and composition of parasite communities among three co‐occurring herbivorous coral reef fishes (the barred rabbitfish Siganus doliatus, Ward's damsel Pomacentrus wardi and the obscure damsel Pomacentrus adelus) from an inshore reef of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). In total, 3978 parasites (3869 endoparasites and 109 ectoparasites) from 17 families were recovered from 30 individuals of each of the three fish species (mean = 44 ± 22 s.e. parasites per fish; range = 0–1947 parasites per fish). The parasite communities of P. wardi and P. adelus were characterised by pennellid copepods, derogenid and lecithasterid digeneans and were distinct from those of S. doliatus that were characterised by a higher abundance of atractotrematid and gyliauchenid digeneans. The abundance and family richness of all parasites were greatest in S. doliatus (abundance: 22.1 ± 5.0 parasites per fish; richness: 3.2 ± 0.3 families per fish), intermediate in P. wardi (abundance: 4.8 ± 1.1 parasites per fish; richness: 2.3 ± 0.3 families per fish) and lowest in P. adelus (abundance: 1.4 ± 0.4 parasites per fish; richness: 0.9 ± 0.2 families per fish). Similarly, the abundance of endoparasites was greatest in S. doliatus (19.7 ± 5.1 endoparasites per fish), intermediate in P. wardi (2.6 ± 0.7 endoparasites per fish) and lowest in P. adelus (1.2 ± 0.4 endoparasites per fish). Ectoparasite abundances were also lowest for P. adelus (0.2 ± 0.1 ectoparasites per fish), and S. doliatus and P. wardi had comparable abundances of ectoparasites (1.3 ± 0.3 and 2.1 ± 0.5 parasites per fish, respectively). Similarities between the parasite assemblages of the two pomacentrids may be related to their similar behaviours and/or diets vs. those of the larger‐bodied and more mobile rabbitfish. Investigating the causes and consequences of variation in parasite communities across a broader range of fish species will be critical to understand the potential role of parasites in coral reef ecosystems.
Reply to: Comment on: Differential effect of anticoagulation according to cognitive function and frailty in older patients with atrial fibrillation
Authors: Wang Weijia
Published: January 2023

This letter comments on the letter by Kudo et al.
Interaction of environmental factors with the polygenic risk scores of thinness‐related genes in preventing obesity risk in middle‐aged adults: The KoGES
Authors: Zhou Jun‐Yu , Liu Meiling , Park Sunmin
Published: January 2023

Background

Some persons are genetically resistant to obesity, but only a few studies have evaluated thinness genes for preventing obesity. We aimed to investigate the association of polygenic variants with being underweight and their interaction with the lifestyles of middle‐aged and elderly persons and identify potential new genetic approaches for managing body weight.

Methods

In total, 58,701 participants aged 40–77 years were recruited from urban hospitals in Korea. Underweight (case) was defined as body mass index (BMI) < 18.5 kg m2 (n = 991) and normal weight (control, n = 21,921) was defined as 18.5 ≤ BMI < 23 kg m2. A genome‐wide association study was run to identify thinness‐related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) after adjustment for compound factors using Gplink. The generalised multifactor dimensionality reduction program was used to identify the genetic variants with SNP–SNP interactions. The polygenic risk score (PRS) was calculated by summing up the number of risk alleles in each SNP and classifying them into low‐, medium‐ and high‐PRS.

Results

The best model included the ANK2_rs7656666, CAST_rs28042, SLC1A3_rs928431867, CHST12_rs2906173, ALOX5_rs1051713, RGS6_rs17180754, ST8SIA5_rs79491311 and DCC_rs35721894 alleles. The participants with high‐PRS had a lower BMI (p < 0.0001) than those with low‐PRS and were 3.834 (2.58–5.70) times more likely to be underweight after multivariate adjustment (p < 0.001). The selected SNPs were correlated with each other and highly expressed in brain‐related genes. The genes with minor alleles of CAST_rs28042 and CHST12_rs2906173 exhibited a higher expression frequency in brain‐related tissues. PRS had significant interactions with protein, sodium, indigestible carbohydrates, calcium intake and exercise (p < 0.05), influencing the underweight state. People with a high‐PRS were more underweight than those with low‐PRS under high protein, sodium, high calcium, low indigestible carbohydrate intake and low exercise by 3.75, 3.88, 7.05, 3.18 and 3.80 times, respectively (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

In conclusion, adults having a high‐PRS were significantly correlated with being underweight, especially in combination with a particular nutritional status. These results show the potential for thinness genes to be applied to personalised nutrition for preventing obesity through targeted gene therapy.
Representing disabling experiences: Rethinking quality of life when evaluating public health interventions
Authors: Atkin Karl , Berghs Maria , Chattoo Sangeeta
Published: January 2023

Interventions that promote public health have the potential to transform lives, particularly for those who experience disability, where marked social and material inequalities occur across the life‐course. When evaluating such interventions, health‐related quality‐of‐life is regarded as a primary outcome and used to inform evidence‐based practice. Quality‐of‐life measures, however, are not straightforward heuristic devices but express technologies of epistemic power. By prioritizing methodological certainty over the credibility of personal testimonies, those experiencing disability can find themselves excluded from the evidence base on which public health interventions are based. Our study explores how disability is represented by tools informing evaluative public health research and establishes the possibility of alternate practices, including the potential for more appropriate measures better suited to representing experiences. We conclude by considering how discussions about “flourishing” can create more inclusive and empowering practices able to challenge inequalities and discrimination consistent with a commitment to social justice.

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Airborne versus soilborne inoculum: White mould, where do you come from?
Authors: Leyronas Christel , Halkett Fabien , Faloya Vincent
Published: January 2023

Identifying the sources of fungal inoculum that induces epidemics is instrumental to managing crop health in a more efficient way by implementing prophylactic methods and by using better targeted biocontrol and fungicide applications. For some phytopathogenic fungi, this identification is hampered by the multiplicity of inoculum types. This is the case for Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, the agent of white mould, which can produce ascospores disseminated via the atmosphere, sclerotia stored in the soil and mycelium in plant debris of a large variety of hosts. The present study aims to assess the relative importance of airborne and soilborne inocula in white mould disease development and its persistence across two crop seasons. S. sclerotiorum isolates were collected from air, soil and carrot plants during two crop seasons in south‐western France and genotyped with 16 microsatellite markers. Among the 490 isolates, 162 clonal lineages were identified. The genetic characteristics did not differ significantly among isolates collected from air, soil and carrots. The epidemics of white mould on carrots were initiated either by airborne inoculum or by soilborne inoculum. It also appears that some isolates from airborne inoculum persisted from year to year.
Investigation of the monocyte/high‐density lipoprotein ratio as a prognostic criterion in burn patients
Authors: Akkoç Mehmet Fatih , Bulbuloglu Semra , Kapi Emin , Bayram Mehmet , Gurgah Tuba
Published: January 2023

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the monocyte/high‐density lipoprotein ratio as a prognostic criterion in adult burn patients. A descriptive and cross‐sectional method was adopted in this study. The sample included 177 patients with burn injuries. This study was conducted in a research and training hospital in Turkey. Data were collected by the researchers in the burn unit. Descriptive methods, Kruskal–Wallis, Mann–Whitney U, ROC curve, and correlation analyses were used for the statistical analyses of the data. While 66.1% of the patients were second‐degree burn patients, 96.6% of all patients recovered and were discharged from the hospital, and the rest died. In this study, the monocyte/high‐density lipoprotein ratios of the patients decreased as their clinical condition worsened. The mean C‐reactive protein value of the patients was 8.52 ± 5.02 on the 7th day. A statistically significant correlation was found between an increase in monocyte counts and a decrease in high‐density lipoprotein concentrations at the 24th hour, 3rd day and 7th day after the burn (p < 0.01). The monocyte/high‐density lipoprotein ratio can be considered a biomarker in the identification and follow‐up of sepsis and morbidity durations in burn patients. A low monocyte/high‐density lipoprotein ratio in burn patients can provide an insight into the severity of sepsis.
Clinical application of EOS imaging system: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Brage Karen , Mussmann Bo , Geijer Mats , Larsen Palle , Jensen Janni
Published: January 2023

Objective:

The objective of this scoping review is to examine and map the existing literature on the clinical application of the EOS imaging system and to identify related evidence gaps.

Introduction:

The EOS imaging system was originally developed to conduct imaging for medical conditions, such as scoliosis and anisomelia. However, recent research suggests that the modality has other clinical uses that may benefit patients via reduced radiation dose and, thus, improve patient safety.

Inclusion criteria:

This scoping review will consider all quantitative study designs, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Imaging phantom studies and conference abstracts will be excluded.

Methods:

Databases that will be searched include Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL Complete, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Academic Search Premier, and OpenGrey. Relevant secondary material will be identified using citation searching (backwards and forwards) of included studies through Google Scholar. In addition, we will search by author name where more than 3 included studies from the same first author are identified. Articles published from 2003 in English, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, French, and German will be included. Two independent reviewers will perform title/abstract screening, followed by full-text screening. Data extraction will include study type and design, age of participants, anatomical/physiological region, pathology, clinical endpoint, outcome measures, sample size, and clinical application. Data will be presented in tabular format and as a narrative summary.

Review registration number:

Open Science Framework https://osf.io/yc85j/
Autonomy-Supportive Teaching Enhances Prosocial and Reduces Antisocial Behavior via Classroom Climate and Psychological Needs: A Multilevel Randomized Control Intervention
Authors: Cheon Sung Hyeon , Reeve Johnmarshall , Marsh Herbert W.
Published: January 2023

Autonomy-supportive teaching increases prosocial and decreases antisocial behavior. Previous research showed that these effects occur because autonomy-supportive teaching improves students’ need states (a student-level process). However, the present study investigated whether these effects also occur because autonomy-supportive teaching improves the classroom climate (a classroom-level process). Teachers from 80 physical education classrooms were randomly assigned to participate (or not) in an autonomy-supportive teaching intervention, while their 2,227 secondary-grade students reported their need satisfaction and frustration, supportive and hierarchical classroom climates, and prosocial and antisocial behaviors at the beginning, middle, and end of an academic year. A doubly latent, multilevel structural equation model showed that teacher participation in the intervention (experimental condition) increased class-wide need satisfaction, a supportive climate, and prosocial behavior and decreased class-wide need frustration, a hierarchical climate, and antisocial behavior. Together, greater collective need satisfaction and a more supportive climate combined to explain increased prosocial behavior, while lesser need frustration and a less hierarchical climate combined to explain decreased antisocial behavior. These classroom climate effects have been overlooked, yet they are essential to explain why autonomy-supportive teaching improves students’ social functioning.
Insects as feed for livestock production
Authors: van Huis Arnold , Gasco Laura
Published: January 2023

Insect farming for livestock feed has the potential to replace conventional feed
A Germin-Like Protein GLP1 of Legumes Mediates Symbiotic Nodulation by Interacting with an Outer Membrane Protein of Rhizobia
Authors: Zeng Xiaobo , Li Dongzhi , Lv Yanfei , Lu Yao , Mei Lingli , Zhou Donglai , Chen Dasong , Xie Fuli , Lin Hui , Li Youguo
Published: January 2023

This study is the first report to characterize a legume host plant protein to sense and interact with an outer membrane protein (OMP) of rhizobia. It can be speculated that GLP1 plays an essential role to mediate early symbiotic process through interacting with OMPs of rhizobia.