bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Digestibility of energy and concentrations of metabolizable energy and net energy varies among sources of bakery meal when fed to growing pigs
Authors: Stein Hans H , Adeola Olayiwola , Kim Sung Woo , Miller Phillip S , Adedokun Sunday A ,   North Central Coordinating Committee on Swine Nutrition (NCCC-42), Azain M J , Baidoo S K , Carter S D , Crenshaw T D , Dilger R , Hill G M , Jha R , Kerr B J , Liao S , Liu Y , Nelssen J L , Patience J F , Shannon M S , Woyengo T , Beitz D
Published: December 2023

The null hypothesis that there are no differences in concentrations of digestible energy (DE), metabolizable energy (ME), and net energy (NE) among different sources of bakery meal was tested in a regional experiment involving 5 of the universities on the North Central Coordinating Committee-42 on Swine Nutrition. Eleven sources of bakery meal were procured from the swine producing areas in the United States and included in one diet as the only energy containing ingredient, and each diet was then divided into 5 batches that were used at the University of Illinois, Purdue University, University of Kentucky, University of Nebraska, and North Carolina State University. At each university, diets were fed to 22 growing pigs (2 pigs per diet) that were placed in metabolism crates, and feces and urine were collected for 5 d after a 7-d adaptation period. Diets and collected samples of feces and urine were dried and analyzed for gross energy. The apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter (DM) and gross energy and concentrations of DE, ME, and NE were calculated. Results indicated that there were considerable variation in the nutritional composition among the different sources of bakery meal with relatively large coefficients of variation for crude protein, starch, and acid hydrolyzed ether extract, but it was possible to analyze all sources of bakery meal to account for 100% of the ingredients. The average DE, ME, and NE in the 11 sources of bakery meal was 3,827, 3,678, and 2,799 kcal/kg DM, respectively. However, in contrast to the hypothesis, differences (P < 0.05) among sources of bakery meal in concentrations of DE (3,827 ± 201 kcal/kg DM), ME 3,678 ± 200 kcal/kg DM), and NE (2,799 ± 156 kcal/kg DM) were observed, but the variation among the 11 sources of bakery meal was not greater than what is usually observed among different sources of other ingredients. The differences observed are likely a consequence of the different product streams and production procedures used to produce the bakery meal. In conclusion, the average DE, ME, and NE in 11 sources of bakery meal is close to values previously reported, but there is some variation among sources depending on origin.
Effects of dietary supplementation with 3-nitrooxypropanol on enteric methane production, rumen fermentation, and performance in young growing beef cattle offered a 50:50 forage:concentrate diet
Authors: Kirwan Stuart F , Tamassia Luis F M , Walker Nicola D , Karagiannis Alexios , Kindermann Maik , Waters Sinéad M
Published: December 2023

There is an urgent requirement internationally to reduce enteric methane (CH4) emissions from ruminants to meet greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. Dietary supplementation with feed additives is one possible strategy under investigation as an effective solution. The effects of the CH4 inhibitor 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP) at reducing CH4 emissions in beef have been shown mainly in adult cattle consuming backgrounding and high-energy finishing diets. In this study, the effects of dietary supplementation of young growing (≤6 mo) beef cattle with 3-NOP were examined in a 50:50 forage:concentrate diet. A total of 68 Dairy × Beef (Aberdeen Angus and Hereford dairy cross) male calves (≤6 mo of age at the start of experiment, body weight: 147 ± 38 kg) underwent a 3-wk acclimatization period and were then assigned to one of two treatments in a completely randomized block design. Dietary treatments were (1) control, placebo (no 3-NOP), and (2) 3-NOP applied at 150 mg kg−1 DM. Calves were fed a partial mixed ration for 12 wk. Body weight was recorded weekly and feed intake daily using the Calan Broadbent feeding system. Methane and hydrogen emissions were measured using the GreenFeed system. Total weight gained, dry matter intake (DMI), and average daily gain were not affected by 3-NOP (P > 0.05) supplementation. On average, the inclusion of 3-NOP decreased (P < 0.001) CH4 emissions: g d−1; g kg−1 DMI; by 30.6% and 27.2%, respectively, during the study with a greater reduction occurring over time. Incorporating 3-NOP into beef cattle diets is an efficient solution to decrease CH4 emissions during indoor feeding and when offered 50:50 forage:concentrate diet.
Population dynamics of plague vector fleas in an endemic focus: implications for plague surveillance
Authors: Rasoamalala Fanohinjanaharinirina , Gostic Katelyn , Parany Mamionah J , Rahelinirina Soanandrasana , Rahajandraibe Soloandry , Gorgé Olivier , Valade Eric , Harimalala Mireille , Rajerison Minoarisoa , Ramasindrazana Beza
Published: December 2023

Plague is a zoonotic vector-borne disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. In Madagascar, it persists in identified foci, where it is a threat to public health generally from September to April. A more complete understanding of how the disease persists could guide control strategies. Fleas are the main vector for transmission between small mammal hosts and humans, and fleas likely play a role in the maintenance of plague. This study characterized the dynamics of flea populations in plague foci alongside the occurrence of human cases. From 2018 to 2020, small mammals were trapped at sites in the central Highlands of Madagascar. A total of 2,762 small mammals were captured and 5,295 fleas were collected. The analysis examines 2 plague vector species in Madagascar (Synopsyllus fonquerniei and Xenopsylla cheopis). Generalized linear models were used to relate flea abundance to abiotic factors, with adjustments for trap location and flea species. We observed significant effects of abiotic factors on the abundance, intensity, and infestation rate by the outdoor-associated flea species, S. fonquerniei, but weak seasonality for the indoor-associated flea species, X. cheopis. A difference in the timing of peak abundance was observed between the 2 flea species during and outside the plague season. While the present study did not identify a clear link between flea population dynamics and plague maintenance, as only one collected X. cheopis was infected, the results presented herein can be used by local health authorities to improve monitoring and control strategies of plague vector fleas in Madagascar.
“A life to enlighten us”: Remembering C. R. Rao, 1920–2023
Authors: O'Grady Cathleen
Published: December 2023

Professor C. R. Rao, the celebrated statistician whose work shaped the landscape of modern statistics, passed away on 22 August in Buffalo, New York, at the age of 102. A true giant in the field of statistics, Rao's monumental contributions have left an indelible mark on both academic and practical spheres. Some of those who knew him best talk to Cathleen O'Grady about his brilliant mind and immense legacy, as well as his famed gentleness and humility
Worthy winner: Why Rao deserved the “Nobel Prize for statistics”
Authors: Wasserstein Ron
Published: December 2023

Ron Wasserstein, executive director of the American Statistical Association and director of the International Prize Foundation, explains why C. R. Rao was awarded the 2023 International Prize in Statistics
Data viz whiz kids
Authors: Britten Anna
Published: December 2023

Taylor Swift albums, basketball stars and homework all inspired high-schoolers to show off their data visualisation skills for a colourful American Statistical Association contest this summer
Ensemble methods for testing a global null
Authors: Liu Yaowu , Liu Zhonghua , Lin Xihong
Published: December 2023

Testing a global null is a canonical problem in statistics and has a wide range of applications. In view of the fact that no uniformly most powerful test exists, prior and/or domain knowledge are commonly used to focus on a certain class of alternatives to improve the testing power. However, it is generally challenging to develop tests that are particularly powerful against a certain class of alternatives. In this paper, motivated by the success of ensemble learning methods for prediction or classification, we propose an ensemble framework for testing that mimics the spirit of random forests to deal with the challenges. Our ensemble testing framework aggregates a collection of weak base tests to form a final ensemble test that maintains strong and robust power for global nulls. We apply the framework to four problems about global testing in different classes of alternatives arising from whole-genome sequencing (WGS) association studies. Specific ensemble tests are proposed for each of these problems, and their theoretical optimality is established in terms of Bahadur efficiency. Extensive simulations and an analysis of a real WGS dataset are conducted to demonstrate the type I error control and/or power gain of the proposed ensemble tests.
Exploring urban co-presence and migrant integration on Beirut’s seafront
Authors: Khayat Nadine , Rishbeth Clare
Published: December 2023

This article focuses on investigating how uses and users of Beirut’s seafront spaces reflect city demographics and how these may offer specific affordances to migrant communities. The article documents co-presence and experiences of recreation and interactions to explore whether these can be meaningfully described as integrated leisure spaces. Beirut is a post-conflict, high migration city, and the country of Lebanon hosts the highest number of Syrian refugees per capita globally. The fieldwork and data capture took a multi-scalar approach linking spatial, temporal, and social qualities of using these public spaces through empirical work including a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, both conducted on site. The triangulation of quantitative and qualitative methods supported a fuller understanding of integration both in terms of physical co-presence and the experiential qualities of spaces used by diverse communities. Our findings demonstrate that though each of the four seafront spaces was used by people from a range of national backgrounds, there were important differences. Income level and gender were important intersecting factors. Time of day and week also shaped who was present in each space. The qualitative data informed better understandings of the experience of the seafront spaces by visitors from migrant backgrounds, finding that time by the sea was highly valued by many, but was not necessarily an escape from some of the prejudices and social inequalities found in Lebanon.
Survival, neurocognitive function, and health-related quality of life outcomes after rituximab—methotrexate, BCNU, teniposide, and prednisolone for primary CNS lymphoma: Final results of the HOVON 105/ALLG NHL 24 study
Authors: Bromberg Jacoline E C , Issa Samar , van der Holt Bronno , van der Meulen Matthijs , Dirven Linda , Minnema Monique C , Seute Tatjana , Durian Marc , Cull Gavin , van der Poel Marjolein W M , Stevens Wendy B C , Zijlstra Josee M , Brandsma Dieta , Nijland Marcel , Mason Kylie D , Beeker Aart , Abrahamse-Testroote Martine C J , van den Bent Martin J , de Jong Daphne , Doorduijn Jeanette K
Published: December 2023

Background

Studies on the efficacy of rituximab in primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) reported conflicting results. Our international randomized phase 3 study showed that the addition of rituximab to high-dose methotrexate, BCNU, teniposide, and prednisolone (MBVP) in PCNSL was not efficacious in the short term. Here we present long-term results after a median follow-up of 82.3 months.

Methods

One hundred and ninety-nine eligible newly diagnosed, nonimmunocompromised patients with PCNSL aged 18–70 years with WHO performance status 0–3 was randomized between treatment with MBVP chemotherapy with or without rituximab, followed by high-dose cytarabine consolidation in responding patients, and reduced-dose WBRT in patients aged ≤ 60 years. Event-free survival was the primary endpoint. Overall survival rate, neurocognitive functioning (NCF), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were additionally assessed, with the IPCG test battery, EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BN20 questionnaires, respectively.

Results

For event-free survival, the hazard ratio was 0.85, 95% CI 0.61–1.18, P = .33. Overall survival rate at 5 years for MBVP and R-MBVP was 49% (39–59) and 53% (43–63) respectively. In total, 64 patients died in the MBVP arm and 55 in the R-MBVP arm, of which 69% were due to PCNSL. At the group level, all domains of NCF and HRQoL improved to a clinically relevant extent after treatment initiation, and remained stable thereafter up to 60 months of follow-up, except for motor speed which deteriorated between 24 and 60 months. Although fatigue improved initially, high levels persisted in the long term.

Conclusions

Long-term follow-up confirms the lack of added value of rituximab in addition to MBVP and HD-cytarabine for PCNSL.
Rice ILI atypical bHLH transcription factors antagonize OsbHLH157/OsbHLH158 during brassinosteroid signaling
Authors: Liu Mingqian , Lu Mingmin , Zhao Ziwei , Luo Qin , Liu Feng , Zhao Jing , He Yubing , Tian Yanan , Zhan Huadong
Published: December 2023

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a group of steroid hormones that play crucial roles in plant growth and development. Atypical bHLH transcription factors that lack the basic region for DNA binding have been implicated in BR signaling. However, the underlying mechanisms of atypical bHLHs in regulation of rice (Oryza sativa) BR signaling are still largely unknown. Here, we describe a systematic characterization of INCREASED LEAF INCLINATION (ILI) subfamily atypical bHLH transcription factors in rice. A total of 8 members, ILI1 to ILI8, with substantial sequence similarity were retrieved. Knockout and overexpression analyses demonstrated that these ILIs play unequally redundant and indispensable roles in BR-mediated growth and development in rice, with a more prominent role for ILI4 and ILI5. The ili3/4/5/8 quadruple and ili1/3/4/7/8 quintuple mutants displayed tremendous BR-related defects with severe dwarfism, erect leaves, and sterility. Biochemical analysis showed that ILIs interact with OsbHLH157 and OsbHLH158, which are also atypical bHLHs and have no obvious transcriptional activity. Overexpression of OsbHLH157 and OsbHLH158 led to drastic BR-defective growth, whereas the osbhlh157 osbhlh158 double mutant developed a typical BR-enhanced phenotype, indicating that OsbHLH157 and OsbHLH158 play a major negative role in rice BR signaling. Further transcriptome analyses revealed opposite effects of ILIs and OsbHLH157/OsbHLH158 in regulation of downstream gene expression, supporting the antagonism of ILIs and OsbHLH157/OsbHLH158 in maintaining the balance of BR signaling. Our results provide insights into the mechanism of BR signaling and plant architecture formation in rice.
The Vernacular Theology of the Old English Advent Lyrics: Monastic Devotion to Mary
Authors: Jones Jasmine
Published: December 2023

The cult of the Virgin Mary in England is typically perceived as beginning in the High Middle Ages and blossoming during the late medieval and early modern periods. Any recognition of English interest in Mary before the Norman Conquest is pushed to the end of the early medieval period (c. 500–c. 1100), with advanced thinking about Mary confined to the mid-to-late tenth century, during the English Benedictine Reform (c. 960–c. 1000). However, material and historical evidence indicates that sophisticated English Mariology dates from much earlier. An important, overlooked, and distinctive piece of evidence is The Advent Lyrics, probably composed by a monastic poet for a monastic audience before the upsurge of writing in Old English prose during the reign of King Alfred the Great (871–99). The work we call The Advent Lyrics is formed of twelve Old English lyric meditations which scholars have considered disconnected and have interpreted within the context of Benedictine Reform; however, this article argues that they form a unified, early composition. The Advent Lyrics demonstrate the complexity and longevity of Mariology in early medieval English culture. By drawing attention to new analogues from diverse traditions such as Syriac, Greek, Irish and Germanic-heroic, this article demonstrates how The Advent Lyrics provide insight to the earliest English poetry as a medium of vibrant vernacular theology.
Energy spectrum measurement of scattered X-rays during IVR procedure
Authors: Oikawa Joma , Sakai Jun , Fujiwara Yusuke , Tsurusawa Kota , Shimao Daisuke , Date Hiroyuki , Sugimori Hiroyuki
Published: December 2023

With the increase of the number of interventional radiology (IVR) procedures, the occupational exposure of operators and medical staff has attracted keen attention. The energy of scattered radiation in medical clinical sites is important for estimating the biological effects of occupational exposure. Recent years have seen many reports on the dose of scattered radiation by IVR, but few on the energy spectrum. In this study, the energy spectrum of scattered X-rays was measured by using a cadmium telluride (CdTe) semiconductor detector during IVR on several neurosurgical and cardiovascular cases. The cumulated spectra in each case were compared. The spectra showed little changes among neurosurgical cases and relatively large changes among cardiovascular cases. This was assumed to be due to the change of X-ray tube voltage and tube angle was larger in cardiovascular cases. The resulting energy spectra will be essential for the assessment of detailed biological effects of occupational exposure.
Application Potential of Extracellular Vesicles Derived From Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Renal Diseases
Authors: Li Enhui , Xu Jia , Liu Ning , Xiong Qi , Zhang Weiwei , Gong Yizi , Zhang Linlin , He Yikai , Ge Huipeng , Xiao Xiangcheng
Published: December 2023

The high prevalence and complex etiology of renal diseases already impose a heavy disease burden on patients and society. In certain kidney diseases such as acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease, current treatments are limited to slowing rather than stabilizing or reversing disease progression. Therefore, it is crucial to study the pathological mechanisms of kidney disease and discover new therapeutic targets and effective therapeutic drugs. As cell-free therapeutic strategies are continually being developed, extracellular vesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-EVs) have emerged as a hot topic for research in the field of renal diseases. Studies have demonstrated that MSC-EVs not only reproduce the therapeutic effects of MSCs but also localize to damaged kidney tissue. Compared to MSCs, MSC-EVs have several advantages, including ease of preservation, low immunogenicity, an inability to directly form tumors, and ease of artificial modification. Exploring the detailed mechanisms of MSC-EVs by developing standardized culture, isolation, purification, and drug delivery strategies will help facilitate their clinical application in kidney diseases. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of studies about MSC-EVs in kidney diseases and discuss their limitations at the human nephrology level.
TaCRT3 Is a Positive Regulator of Resistance to Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici in Wheat
Authors: Ren Jun , Song Panpan , Li Ruobing , Wang Qiao , Zhao Bingjie , Wang Baotong , Li Qiang
Published: December 2023

Wheat powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici ( Bgt), is one of the most prevalent diseases of wheat worldwide and can lead to severe yield reductions. Identifying genes involved in powdery mildew resistance will be useful for disease resistance breeding and control. Calreticulin (CRT) is a member of multigene family widely found in higher plants and is associated with a variety of plant physiological functions and defense responses. However, the role of CRT in wheat resistance to powdery mildew remains unclear. TaCRT3 was identified from the proteomic sequence of an incompatible interaction between the wheat ( Triticum aestivum) cultivar Xingmin 318 and the Bgt isolate E09. Following analysis of transient expression of the GFP-TaCRT3 fusion protein in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves, TaCRT3 was localized in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and cell membrane. Transcript expression levels of TaCRT3 were significantly upregulated in the wheat– Bgt incompatible interaction. More critically, knockdown of TaCRT3 using virus-induced gene silencing resulted in attenuated resistance to Bgt in wheat. Histological analysis showed a significant increase in Bgt development in TaCRT3-silenced plants, whereas the pathogen-related gene was significantly downregulated in TaCRT3-silenced leaves. In addition, overexpression of TaCRT3 in wheat enhanced the resistance to powdery mildew, the growth of Bgt was significantly inhibited, and the area of H2O2 near the infection site and the expression of defense-related genes of the salicylic acid pathway significantly increased. These findings imply that TaCRT3 may act as a disease resistance factor that positively regulates resistance to powdery mildew, during which SA signaling is probably activated.
Management of Severe Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
Authors: Samiappan Sathish Prabu Sathyamangalam , Hudson Miles , White Greg R. , McClendon Jamal
Published: December 2023

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is the most common form of scoliosis in the pediatric population. Skeletal maturity and curve severity play a major role when it comes to progression risks and indications for surgery. Curvatures of greater than 45 degrees in a skeletally immature patient pose a high risk for progression and subsequent deformity. Surgical correction of severe deformity is a complex topic and spans all phases of patient care, including preoperative testing/planning, intraoperative surgical techniques, and postoperative management. This article seeks to review current management strategies for patients with severe adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.
Blended Learning for Enhancing Nursing Students’ Confidence in Managing Psychiatric Nursing Problems
Authors: Chen Miao-Chuan
Published: December 2023

The purpose of the study was to understand the effectiveness of a blended learning model for improving nursing students’ confidence in the management of psychiatric care problems. A pretest-posttest design was used with 94 third-year student participants. Students’ self-confidence in managing problem behaviors improved from pretest scores. The experimental group demonstrated significant improvement (p < .05) in areas including distinguishing between delusion and disturbance, distinguishing and controlling behavioral disturbance, practicing gentle and firm interactions, showing empathy, interview guiding, accepting the responsibility of the team, and confidently enforcing constraints. Audiovisual teaching materials provided in the intervention had significant effects.
Pain Management in Patients With Opioid Use Disorder on Extended-release Buprenorphine: A Case Report
Authors: South Anna-Maria , Oller Devin , Lofwall Michelle , Fanucchi Laura C.
Published: December 2023

Persons with opioid use disorder (OUD) are receiving extended-release buprenorphine (ER-buprenorphine) for treatment of OUD. There are no clinical guidelines for management of patients with OUD on ER-buprenorphine experiencing acute or chronic pain. This case report describes 3 patient-involved, multidisciplinary approaches for pain management in various clinical scenarios, including a scheduled knee replacement, emergent surgery for an ischemic limb, and management of chronic pain from metastatic malignancy. These cases illustrate that adequate analgesia for patients who have received ER-buprenorphine is possible, and approaches can be individualized, with shared decision making between providers and patients addressing all barriers to optimize treatment outcomes. Options for acute pain management that can be considered include supplemental sublingual buprenorphine, nonopioid adjuncts, and short courses of full opioid agonists. Potential barriers that impact OUD and acute/chronic pain are provider bias, limited access to palliative care clinicians with addiction medicine training, and payor restrictions to adding sublingual buprenorphine for patients that are on ER-buprenorphine. Additional training for clinicians and other members of the health care team is recommended to improve patient-involved care of persons with OUD experiencing pain.
Focused Cardiac Ultrasound Findings of Fluid Tolerance and Fluid Resuscitation in Septic Shock
Authors: Prevalska Ina G. , Tucker Ryan V. , England Peter C. , Fung Christopher M.
Published: December 2023

OBJECTIVES:

Compliance with the fluid bonus component of the SEP-1 (severe sepsis and septic shock management) bundle remains poor due to concerns for iatrogenic harm from fluid overload. We sought to assess whether patients who received focused cardiac ultrasound (FCU) and were found to be fluid tolerant (FT) were more likely to receive the recommended 30 mL/kg fluid bolus within 3 hours of sepsis identification.

DESIGN:

Retrospective, observational cohort study.

SETTING:

University-affiliated, tertiary-care hospital in the United States.

PATIENTS:

Emergency department patients presenting with septic shock from 2018 to 2021. The primary exposure was receipt of FCU with identification of fluid tolerance 3 hours from onset of septic shock.

INTERVENTIONS:

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:

Two hundred ninety-two of 1,024 patients with septic shock received FCU within 3 hours of sepsis onset. One hundred seventy-seven were determined to be FT. One hundred fifteen patients were determined to have poor fluid tolerance (pFT). FT patients were more likely to reach the recommended 30 mL/kg fluid bolus amount compared with pFT (FT 52.0% vs. pFT 31.3%, risk difference: 20.7%, [95% CI, 9.4–31.9]). Patients who did not receive FCU met the bolus requirement 34.3% of the time. FT patients received more fluid within 3 hours (FT 2,271 mL vs. pFT 1,646 mL, mean difference 625 mL [95% CI, 330–919]). Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the association between fluid tolerance FCU findings and compliance with 30 mL/kg bolus after adjustment for patient characteristics and markers of hemodynamic instability. FT with associated with a higher likelihood of meeting bolus requirement (odds ratio 2.17 [1.52–3.12]).

CONCLUSIONS:

Patients found to be FT by FCU were more likely to receive the recommended 30 mL/kg bolus in the SEP-1 bundle when compared with patients found with pFT or those that did not receive FCU. There was no difference between groups in 28-day mortality, vasopressor requirement, or need for mechanical ventilation.
Associations between Alzheimer's disease biomarkers and postoperative delirium or cognitive dysfunction
Authors: Geng Jun , Zhang Yaowen , Chen Hui , Shi Hui , Wu Zhen , Chen Jianqing , Luo Foquan
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

The relationship between Alzheimer's disease biomarkers and postoperative complications, such as postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), remains a subject of ongoing debate.

OBJECTIVE

This meta-analysis aimed to determine whether there is an association between perioperative Alzheimer's disease biomarkers and postoperative complications.

DESIGN

We conducted a meta-analysis of observational clinical studies that explored the correlation between Alzheimer's disease biomarkers and POD or POCD in patients who have undergone surgery, following PRISMA guidelines. The protocol was previously published (INPLASY: INPLASY202350001).

DATA SOURCES

A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases until March 2023.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Surgical patients aged at least 18 years, studies focusing on POD or POCD, research involving Alzheimer's disease biomarkers, including Aβ or tau in blood or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and availability of the full text.

RESULTS

Our meta-analysis included 15 studies: six focusing on POD and nine on POCD. The findings revealed a negative correlation between preoperative CSF β-amyloid 42 (Aβ42) levels and the onset of POD [mean difference −86.1, 95% confidence interval (CI), −114.15 to −58.05, I
2: 47%]; this association was strongly supported by trial sequential analysis (TSA). A similar negative correlation was discerned between preoperative CSF Aβ42 levels and the incidence of POCD (−165.01, 95% CI, −261.48 to −68.53, I
2: 95%). The TSA also provided robust evidence for this finding; however, the evidence remains insufficient to confirm a relationship between other Alzheimer's disease biomarkers [β-amyloid 40 (Aβ40), total tau (T-tau), phosphorylated tau (P-tau), and Aβ42/T-tau ratio] and POD or POCD.

CONCLUSION

The study results indicate a negative correlation between preoperative CSF Aβ42 levels and the occurrence of both POD and POCD. Future investigations are warranted to identify the predictive cutoff value of preoperative CSF Aβ42 for POD and POCD.
Refinement of a Preliminary Case Definition for Use in Traumatic Brain Injury Surveillance
Authors: Daugherty Jill , Waltzman Dana , Breiding Matthew , Peterson Alexis , Chen Jufu , Xu Likang , Womack Lindsay S. , DePadilla Lara , Watson Kathleen , Corrigan John D.
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Current methods used to measure incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) underestimate its true public health burden. The use of self-report surveys may be an approach to improve these estimates. An important step in public health surveillance is to define a public health problem using a case definition. The purpose of this article is to outline the process that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention undertook to refine a TBI case definition to be used in surveillance using a self-report survey.

Setting:

Survey.

Participants:

A total of 10 030 adults participated via a random digit-dial telephone survey from September 2018 to September 2019.

Main Measures:

Respondents were asked whether they had sustained a hit to the head in the preceding 12 months and whether they experienced a series of 12 signs and symptoms as a result of this injury.

Design:

Head injuries with 1 or more signs/symptoms reported were initially categorized into a 3-tiered TBI case definition (probable TBI, possible TBI, and delayed possible TBI), corresponding to the level of certainty that a TBI occurred. Placement in a tier was compared with a range of severity measures (whether medical evaluation was sought, time to symptom resolution, self-rated social and work functioning); case definition tiers were then modified in a stepwise fashion to maximize differences in severity between tiers.

Results:

There were statistically significant differences in the severity measure between cases in the probable and possible TBI tiers but not between other tiers. Timing of symptom onset did not meaningfully differentiate between cases on severity measures; therefore, the delayed possible tier was eliminated, resulting in 2 tiers: probable and possible TBI.

Conclusion:

The 2-tiered TBI case definition that was derived from this analysis can be used in future surveillance efforts to differentiate cases by certainty and from noncases for the purpose of reporting TBI prevalence and incidence estimates. The refined case definition can help researchers increase the confidence they have in reporting survey respondents' self-reported TBIs as well as provide them with the flexibility to report an expansive (probable + possible TBI) or more conservative (probable TBI only) estimate of TBI prevalence.
Sleep, mental health, and access to health care of women truck drivers
Authors: Heaton Karen , Kham-Ai Prasert , Shattell Mona
Published: December 2023

Background:

The numbers of women in trucking are growing steadily, yet because they represent a minority group, little is known about their health issues. Most studies of truck drivers have focused on the mental and physical health, sleep, and health care access of male truck drivers.

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to characterize chronic stress, sleep, and mental health service and overall access to care among women truck drivers.

Methodology:

Twenty-five female truck drivers were a subsample of participants from a larger parent study of truck drivers. After approval from the institutional review board, participants completed a 59-item Qualtrics survey; data were transferred from Qualtrics to SPSS v. 24 for analysis.

Results:

No acute sleepiness or excess daytime sleepiness was observed, but participants only slept 6 hr per night, and all experienced poor sleep quality. Although 28% of participants met or exceeded the threshold score for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), only 8% sought care for feelings of upset or distress. Also, 80% of the women had health insurance, yet there were those who did not seek care because of job-related conflicts.

Conclusion/Implications:

Participants were sleep deprived and experienced poor-quality sleep. Mental health and other health services utilization was low. Implications for practice include consideration of telehealth services to improve health care access and screening and referral as needed to mental health care providers by Department of Transportation medical examiners. Future research should include younger women truck drivers to determine the potential contribution of perimenopause/menopause to some of the health issues experienced by this group of workers.
Fragile X syndrome in Democratic Republic of Congo: dysmorphic, cognitive and behavioral findings in 14 subjects from three families
Authors: Kasole Lubala Toni , Kayembe-Kitenge Tony , Lubala Nina , Kanteng Gray , Luboya Oscar , Hagerman Randi , Lukusa-Tshilobo Prosper , Lumaka Aimé
Published: December 2023

This study reports on 14 individuals with Fragile X syndrome from 3 Congolese Families. The majority (8/14) were males, with an average age of 18.4 (±11.1 [14–38]) years old. Typical dysmorphic characteristics of Fragile-X syndrome including elongated face, large and prominent ears were found in both males and females with the full mutation. Macroorchidism was found in all post-pubertal boys. The cognitive ability in our cohort varies widely ranging from mild (IQ 50–70) to moderate (IQ 35–49) intellectual disability (Average IQ of 60). All our female patients have ID.
Identifying patients with difficult-to-treat acute bacterial skin infections
Authors: Montravers Philippe , Soussan Romy , Tanaka Sébastien
Published: December 2023

Purpose of review

The early recognition of acute bacterial skin infections (ABSIs) and their swift and adequate care are the major determinants of success. The features that can hamper or delay surgical and medical management can lead to ‘difficult-to-treat’ ABSIs.

Recent findings

Delayed diagnosis and belated management are the key obstacles to be overcome. Clinicians should be careful about underestimating the severity of ABSIs and overlooking comorbidities, especially immunosuppression. Many conditions can lead to delayed source control, including a misdiagnosis, interhospital transfers, delayed re-exploration, or extensive injuries. Difficult therapeutic issues can occur, including rapidly destructive infections from highly pathogenic microorganisms (Group-A-streptococci, Vibrio spp., Clostridium spp. and Staphylococcus aureus) or inadequate antibiotic therapy resulting from multidrug-resistant bacteria. Impaired pharmacokinetic capacities of antibiotic agents should also be considered as a source of clinical failure due to insufficient antimicrobial activity at the site of infection.

Microbiological samples should be used for guiding antimicrobial therapy. Risk factors for multidrug-resistant bacteria should be considered, including local epidemiology and comorbidities. The optimization of antibiotic therapy should be achieved. Optimized care should be achieved through multidisciplinary management involving professionals with sufficient and appropriate training.
Divalent Manganese Complexes as Potential Replacements for Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agents
Authors: Caravan Peter
Published: December 2023

Recent safety concerns surrounding the use of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) have spurred research into identifying alternatives to GBCAs for use with magnetic resonance imaging. This review summarizes the molecular and pharmaceutical properties of a GBCA replacement and how these may be achieved. Complexes based on high-spin, divalent manganese (Mn2+) have shown promise as general purpose and liver-specific contrast agents. A detailed description of the complex Mn-PyC3A is provided, describing its physicochemical properties, its behavior in different animal models, and how it compares with GBCAs. The review points out that, although there are parallels with GBCAs in how the chemical properties of Mn2+ complexes can predict in vivo behavior, there are also marked differences between Mn2+ complexes and GBCAs.
Development and Initial Performance of the Hospital Mental Health Risk Screen
Authors: Carlson Eve B , Palmieri Patrick A , Barlow M Rose , Macia Kathryn , Bruns Brandon R , Shieh Lisa , Spain David A
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND:

Patients hospitalized after emergency care are at risk for later mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma standards for verification require Level I and II trauma centers to screen patients at high risk for mental health problems. This study aimed to develop and examine the performance of a novel mental health risk screen for hospitalized patients based on samples that reflect the diversity of the US population.

STUDY DESIGN:

We studied patients admitted after emergency care to 3 hospitals that serve ethnically, racially, and socioeconomically diverse populations. We assessed risk factors during hospitalization and mental health symptoms at follow-up. We conducted analyses to identify the most predictive risk factors, selected items to assess each risk, and determined the fewest items needed to predict mental health symptoms at follow-up. Analyses were conducted for the entire sample and within 5 ethnic and racial subgroups.

RESULTS:

Among 1,320 patients, 10 items accurately identified 75% of patients who later had elevated levels of mental health symptoms and 71% of those who did not. Screen performance was good to excellent within each of the ethnic and racial groups studied.

CONCLUSIONs:

The Hospital Mental Health Risk Screen accurately predicted mental health outcomes overall and within ethnic and racial subgroups. If performance is replicated in a new sample, the screen could be used to screen patients hospitalized after emergency care for mental health risk. Routine screening could increase health and mental health equity and foster preventive care research and implementation.
Persistent immune imprinting after XBB.1.5 COVID vaccination in humans
Authors: Tortorici M. Alejandra , Addetia Amin , Seo Albert J. , Brown Jack , Sprouse Kaitlin R. , Logue Jenni , Clark Erica , Franko Nicholas , Chu Helen , Veesler David
Published: December 2023

Immune imprinting - also known as ‘original antigenic sin’ - describes how the first exposure to a virus shapes the immunological outcome of subsequent exposures to antigenically related strains. SARS-CoV-2 Omicron breakthrough infections and bivalent COVID-19 vaccination were shown to primarily recall cross-reactive memory B cells and antibodies induced by prior mRNA vaccination with the Wuhan-Hu-1 spike rather than priming naive B cells that recognize Omicron-specific epitopes. These findings underscored a strong immune imprinting resulting from repeated Wuhan-Hu-1 spike exposures. To understand if immune imprinting can be overcome, we investigated memory and plasma antibody responses after administration of the updated XBB.1.5 COVID mRNA vaccine booster. Our data show that the XBB.1.5 booster elicits neutralizing antibody responses against current variants that are dominated by recall of pre-existing memory B cells previously induced by the Wuhan-Hu-1 spike. These results indicate that immune imprinting persists even after multiple exposures to Omicron spikes through vaccination and infection, including post XBB.1.5 spike booster mRNA vaccination, which will need to be considered to guide the design of future vaccine boosters.
Contentopic mapping in ventral and dorsal association cortex: the topographical organization of manipulable object information
Authors: Almeida J. , Kristensen S. , Tal Z. , Fracasso A.
Published: December 2023

Understanding how object information is neurally organized is fundamental to unravel object recognition1–4. The best-known neural organizational principle of information is topographical mapping of specific dimensions. Such maps have been shown mainly for sensorimotor information within sensorimotor cortices (e.g., retinotopy)5–9. Thus, here we ask whether there are topographic maps – by analogy, contentopic maps – for mid-level object-related dimensions. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging and population receptive field analysis7to measure tuning of neural populations to selected manipulable object-related dimensions. Here we show maps in dorsal and ventral occipital cortex that code for the score of each object on each target dimension in a linear progression following a particular direction along the cortical surface. Maps for each dimension are distinct, and consistent across individuals. Thus, object information is coded in multiple topographical maps – i.e., contentopic maps. These contentopic maps refer to intermediate level visual and visuomotor representations, and are potentially computed from the grouping of lower-level information through non-linear transformation following gestalt principles4,10. This shows that topography is a widespread and non-incidental strategy for the organization of information in the brain that leads to greatly reduced connectivity-related metabolic costs and fast and efficient readouts of information for stimuli discrimination11,12.
A disengaging property of medial accumbens shell dopamine
Authors: Valyear Milan D. , Eustachon Noémie M-L. , Alymova Irina , Tremblay Bryanna N. , Mitrikeski Nastasia M. , Britt Jonathan P.
Published: December 2023

Electrical stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle vigorously reinforces self-stimulation behaviour, yet rodents perform operant responses to terminate this stimulation. The accumbens shell emerged as a substrate subserving the reinforcing properties of electrical medial forebrain bundle stimulation, whereas disengaging properties were attributed to incidentally recruited substrates near the electrode. Here, we examine whether there are dissociable reinforcing and disengaging properties of medial accumbens shell dopamine and probe the substrates underlying these properties. Using a temporally delimited self-stimulation procedure, transgenic DAT-Cre mice expressing channelrhodopsin-II in ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons were trained to hold-down a lever to engage, and then release the lever to disengage, optogenetic stimulation of dopaminergic inputs to the medial accumbens shell through an implanted optic fiber. The cumulative and mean duration of hold-downs show divergent frequency responses identifying dissociable reinforcing and disengaging properties of medial accumbens shell dopamine. At higher stimulation frequencies the cumulative duration of hold-downs grows, whereas the mean duration of hold-downs wanes. Dopamine agonists reduced the cumulative duration of self-stimulation hold-downs, but only a D1 agonist produced this reduction through decreases in the mean duration of hold-downs, which were lengthened with a D2 antagonist. Thus, reinforcing and disengaging properties of electrical medial forebrain stimulation may arise from the downstream activation of dopamine receptors, uncovering a disengaging property of medial accumbens shell dopamine.

Significance Statement

Dopamine is thought to promote behaviour by acting as a reinforcer or error signal. Here, we show that mice vigorously self-stimulate dopamine inputs to the medial accumbens shell but control the duration of duration of these stimulations and prefer them to be brief. This disengaging property of medial accumbens shell dopamine depends on downstream neurotransmission at dopamine type 1 and 2 receptors. Thus, a single dopaminergic substrate, inputs to the medial accumbens shell, reinforces and disengages self-stimulation behaviour, highlighting the complexity and regional specificity of striatal dopamine function.
Dynamics of Brain Lateralization during Chinese Natural Speech Processing under the Influence of Sex Hormones: a 7T fMRI study
Authors: Zhang Ruohan , Geng Shujie , Zheng Xiaoqing , Guo Wanwan , Lo Chun-Yi Zac , Zhang Jiaying , Chang Xiao , Wu Xinran , Zhang Jie , Cao Miao , Feng Jianfeng
Published: December 2023

Though language is considered unique to humans with left dominant lateralization in the brain, the dynamic nature of the interplay between hemispheres during language processing remains largely unknown. Here, we investigated whole-brain functional dynamic lateralization patterns during Chinese language processing and potential sex disparities using functional MRI data of 20 subjects listening to narrative stories in a 7T MRI scanner. Our findings revealed two distinct dynamic lateralization states, with regions of the language system consistently showing the left lateralization but reversed lateralization for other regions. These two states, characterized by higher-level functioning regions exhibiting left- or right-lateralization, corresponded to the processing of rational and emotional contents, respectively. We observed pronounced inclinations towards the former state in males and the latter state in females, especially during the processing of rational contents. Finally, genetic analyses revealed that the sex differences in lateralization states were potentially influenced by sex hormones.
Precision sampling of discrete sites identified during in-vivo functional testing in the mammalian heart
Authors: Vermoortele Dylan , Olianti Camilla , Amoni Matthew , Giardini Francesco , De Buck Stijn , Nagaraju Chandan K. , Willems Rik , Roderick H. Llewellyn , Sipido Karin R. , Sacconi Leonardo , Claus Piet
Published: December 2023

Ventricular arrhythmias after myocardial infarction (MI) originate from discrete areas within the MI border zone (BZ), identified during functional electrophysiology tests. Accurate sampling of arrhythmogenic sites forex vivostudy remains challenging, yet is critical to identify their tissue, cellular and molecular signature. In this study, we developed, validated, and applied a targeted sampling methodology based on individualized 3D prints of the human-sized pig heart. To this end, 3D anatomical models of the left ventricle were created from magnetic resonance imaging and fused with biplane fluoroscopy. Regions of interest for sampling were annotated on the anatomical models, from which we created a unique 3D printed cast with custom slits identifying the annotated regions for sampling. The methodology was validated by retrieving ablation lesions created at predefined locations on the anatomical model. We applied the methodology to sample arrhythmia-vulnerable regions after MI during adrenergic stimulation. A novel pipeline of imaging was developed to create a 3D high-resolution map of each sample, highlighting the complex interplay of cellular organization, and altered innervation in the BZ.