bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validation of the Assurance® GDS for Cronobacter Tq II in Infant Formulas, Infant Cereals, Ingredients, and Environmental Samples Collaborative Study: First Action 2021.08
Authors: Koch Kateland , Thompson Wesley , Benzinger Jr. M Joseph , Bastin Benjamin , Crowley Erin , Lienau Andrew
Published: November 2022

Background

The Assurance® GDS for Cronobacter Tq II assay is a nucleic acid amplification system for the qualitative detection of Cronobacter. The method uses an upfront concentration of the target organism from the enrichment by immunomagnetic separation (IMS) using the PickPen® device.

Objective

The Assurance GDS for Cronobacter Tq II method was evaluated for Official Methods of AnalysisSM certification.

Method

The matrix was compared to the ISO 22964:2017: Microbiology of the Food Chain—Horizontal Method for the Detection of Cronobacter spp. standard and using an alternative confirmation procedure. The alternative method was evaluated using 10 g test portions in an unpaired study design for powdered infant formula (milk based with iron and DHA) containing probiotics. Eleven technicians from eight laboratories located within the United States and Europe participated in the collaborative study. Statistical analysis was conducted according to the probability of detection (POD) statistical model as presented in the AOAC validation guidelines. The difference in laboratory POD (dLPODC) values with 95% confidence intervals across collaborators was calculated for each level between the candidate and reference method results and between the candidate presumptive and confirmed results.

Results

Results obtained for the low inoculum level test portions produced a dLPOD value with a 95% confidence interval of 0.03 (−0.18, 0.15). The dLPOD results indicate equivalence between the candidate method and reference method for the matrix evaluated. The method also demonstrated acceptable inter-laboratory reproducibility as determined in the collaborative evaluation. There were no false negative results; the false positive rate was determined and produced a value of <2%.

Conclusions

Based on the data generated, the method demonstrated Assurance GDS for Cronobacter Tq II assay produced acceptable interlaboratory reproducibility data and statistical analysis.

Highlights

The Assurance GDS for Cronobacter Tq II method is suitable for the rapid qualitative detection of Cronobacter in infant formulas, infant cereals, ingredients, and environmental samples.
Prey tracking and predator avoidance in a Neotropical moist forest: a camera-trapping approach
Authors: Swinkels Constant , van der Wal Jessica E M , Stinn Christina , Monteza-Moreno Claudio M , Jansen Patrick A
Published: November 2022

Whether prey species avoid predators and predator species track prey is a poorly understood aspect of predator–prey interactions, given measuring prey tracking by predators and predator avoidance by prey is challenging. A common approach to study these interactions among mammals in field situations is to monitor the spatial proximity of animals at fixed times, using GPS tags fitted to individuals. However, this method is invasive and only allows tracking of a subset of individuals. Here, we use an alternative, noninvasive camera-trapping approach to monitor temporal proximity of predator and prey animals. We deployed camera traps at fixed locations on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, where the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is the principal mammalian predator, and tested two hypotheses: (1) prey animals avoid ocelots; and (2) ocelots track prey. We quantified temporal proximity of predators and prey by fitting parametric survival models to the time intervals between subsequent prey and predator captures by camera traps, and then compared the observed intervals to random permutations that retained the spatiotemporal distribution of animal activity. We found that time until a prey animal appeared at a location was significantly longer than expected by chance if an ocelot had passed, and that the time until an ocelot appeared at a location was significantly shorter than expected by chance after prey passage. These findings are indirect evidence for both predator avoidance and prey tracking in this system. Our results show that predator avoidance and prey tracking influence predator and prey distribution over time in a field setting. Moreover, this study demonstrates that camera trapping is a viable and noninvasive alternative to GPS tracking for studying certain predator–prey interactions.
Parallel faceted imaging in radio interferometry via proximal splitting (Faceted HyperSARA): I. Algorithm and simulations
Authors: Thouvenin Pierre-Antoine , Abdulaziz Abdullah , Dabbech Arwa , Repetti Audrey , Wiaux Yves
Published: November 2022

Upcoming radio interferometers are aiming to image the sky at new levels of resolution and sensitivity, with wide-band image cubes reaching close to the petabyte scale for SKA. Modern proximal optimization algorithms have shown a potential to significantly outperform clean thanks to their ability to inject complex image models to regularize the inverse problem for image formation from visibility data. They were also shown to be parallelizable over large data volumes thanks to a splitting functionality enabling the decomposition of the data into blocks, for parallel processing of block-specific data-fidelity terms involved in the objective function. Focusing on intensity imaging, the splitting functionality is further exploited in this work to decompose the image cube into spatiospectral facets, and enables parallel processing of facet-specific regularization terms in the objective function, leading to the ‘Faceted HyperSARA’ algorithm. Reliable heuristics enabling an automatic setting of the regularization parameters involved in the objective are also introduced, based on estimates of the noise level, transferred from the visibility domain to the domains where the regularization is applied. Simulation results based on a matlab implementation and involving synthetic image cubes and data close to gigabyte size confirm that faceting can provide a major increase in parallelization capability when compared to the non-faceted approach (HyperSARA).
Computational simulation of the bombardment of molecular clump by realistic cosmic ray field employing GEANT4 code
Authors: Pazianotto Maurício T , Pilling Sergio
Published: November 2022

Here, we present calculations on the energy delivered (and heating) by realistic cosmic rays (CRs) field at a typical molecular clump. The current model describes, with unprecedented spatial resolution, the energy delivery by a realistic CR field in molecular clumps. The calculations were performed employing the Geant4 code (considering full cascade physical processes and hadron physics) considering the cosmic ray field taken from the Voyager spacecraft measurements in the interstellar medium. The results showed that the total energy deposition rate, considering light particles (protons, electrons and alphas), medium-mass ions and heavy-ions, ranges from 400 MeV/g/s in the outer layer (at 105 AU) to roughly 100 MeV/g/s in the inner layer of the model (below 0.1 AU). The main energy deposition rate is due to the incoming protons. Incoming alphas represent 15–20 per cent of the energy deposition. In the deep core of the cloud, the fraction of energy delivered by medium-mass ions, electrons, and heavy ions are 5 per cent, 2.5 per cent, and 1 per cent, respectively. The heating induced by cosmic rays seems to affect mostly the regions above ∼500 AU. Considering a balanced heat model with warm dust grains (T∼16–18 K), we observe a small bump in temperature at 2000–5000 AU. We suggest this temperature enhancement by CRs might have some affect on the molecular formation or cometary formation in pristine Oort cloud region inside the Solar System.
Parallel faceted imaging in radio interferometry via proximal splitting (Faceted HyperSARA) – II. Code and real data proof of concept
Authors: Thouvenin Pierre-Antoine , Dabbech Arwa , Jiang Ming , Abdulaziz Abdullah , Thiran Jean-Philippe , Jackson Adrian , Wiaux Yves
Published: November 2022

In a companion paper, a faceted wideband imaging technique for radio interferometry, dubbed Faceted HyperSARA, has been introduced and validated on synthetic data. Building on the recent HyperSARA approach, Faceted HyperSARA leverages the splitting functionality inherent to the underlying primal-dual forward-backward algorithm to decompose the image reconstruction over multiple spatio-spectral facets. The approach allows complex regularization to be injected into the imaging process while providing additional parallelization flexibility compared to HyperSARA. This paper introduces new algorithm functionalities to address real data sets, implemented as part of a fully fledged matlab imaging library made available on GitHub. A large-scale proof of concept is proposed to validate Faceted HyperSARA in a new data and parameter scale regime, compared to the state of the art. The reconstruction of a 15 GB wideband image of Cyg A from 7.4 GB of Very Large Array data is considered, utilizing 1440 CPU cores on a high-performance computing system for about 9 h. The conducted experiments illustrate the reconstruction performance of the proposed approach on real data, exploiting new functionalities to leverage known direction-dependent effects, for an accurate model of the measurement operator, and an effective noise level accounting for imperfect calibration. They also demonstrate that, when combined with a further dimensionality reduction functionality, Faceted HyperSARA enables the recovery of a 3.6 GB image of Cyg A from the same data using only 91 CPU cores for 39 h. In this setting, the proposed approach is shown to provide a superior reconstruction quality compared to the state-of-the-art wideband clean-based algorithm of the wsclean software.
The chemical characterization of halo substructure in the Milky Way based on APOGEE
Authors: Horta Danny , Schiavon Ricardo P , Mackereth J Ted , Weinberg David H , Hasselquist Sten , Feuillet Diane , O’Connell Robert W , Anguiano Borja , Allende-Prieto Carlos , Beaton Rachael L , Bizyaev Dmitry , Cunha Katia , Geisler Doug , García-Hernández D A , Holtzman Jon , Jönsson Henrik , Lane Richard R , Majewski Steve R , Mészáros Szabolcs , Minniti Dante , Nitschelm Christian , Shetrone Matthew , Smith Verne V , Zasowski Gail
Published: November 2022

Galactic haloes in a Λ-CDM universe are predicted to host today a swarm of debris resulting from cannibalized dwarf galaxies. The chemodynamical information recorded in their stellar populations helps elucidate their nature, constraining the assembly history of the Galaxy. Using data from APOGEE and Gaia, we examine the chemical properties of various halo substructures, considering elements that sample various nucleosynthetic pathways. The systems studied are Heracles, Gaia-Enceladus/Sausage (GES), the Helmi stream, Sequoia, Thamnos, Aleph, LMS-1, Arjuna, I’itoi, Nyx, Icarus, and Pontus. Abundance patterns of all substructures are cross-compared in a statistically robust fashion. Our main findings include: (i) the chemical properties of most substructures studied match qualitatively those of dwarf Milky Way satellites, such as the Sagittarius dSph. Exceptions are Nyx and Aleph, which are chemically similar to disc stars, implying that these substructures were likely formed in situ; (ii) Heracles differs chemically from in situ populations such as Aurora and its inner halo counterparts in a statistically significant way. The differences suggest that the star formation rate was lower in Heracles than in the early Milky Way; (iii) the chemistry of Arjuna, LMS-1, and I’itoi is indistinguishable from that of GES, suggesting a possible common origin; (iv) all three Sequoia samples studied are qualitatively similar. However, only two of those samples present chemistry that is consistent with GES in a statistically significant fashion; (v) the abundance patterns of the Helmi stream and Thamnos are different from all other halo substructures.
The steady-state multi-TeV diffuse γ-ray emission predicted with galprop and prospects for the Cherenkov Telescope Array
Authors: Marinos P D , Rowell G P , Porter T A , Jóhannesson G
Published: November 2022

Cosmic rays (CRs) interact with the diffuse gas, radiation, and magnetic fields in the interstellar medium (ISM) to produce electromagnetic emissions that are a significant component of the all-sky flux across a broad wavelength range. The Fermi–Large Area Telescope (LAT) has measured these emissions at GeV γ-ray energies with high statistics. Meanwhile, the high-energy stereoscopic system (H.E.S.S.) telescope array has observed large-scale Galactic diffuse emission in the TeV γ-ray energy range. The emissions observed at GeV and TeV energies are connected by the common origin of the CR particles injected by the sources, but the energy dependence of the mixture from the general ISM (true ‘diffuse’), those emanating from the relatively nearby interstellar space about the sources, and the sources themselves, is not well understood. In this paper, we investigate predictions of the broad-band emissions using the galprop code over a grid of steady-state 3D models that include variations over CR sources, and other ISM target distributions. We compare, in particular, the model predictions in the very-high energy ( VHE; ≳100 GeV) γ-ray range with the H.E.S.S. Galactic plane survey (HGPS) after carefully subtracting emission from catalogued γ-ray sources. Accounting for the unresolved source contribution, and the systematic uncertainty of the HGPS, we find that the galprop model predictions agree with lower estimates for the HGPS source-subtracted diffuse flux. We discuss the implications of the modelling results for interpretation of data from the next generation Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA).
Constraining ΛCDM cosmological parameters with Einstein Telescope mock data
Authors: Califano Matteo , de Martino Ivan , Vernieri Daniele , Capozziello Salvatore
Published: November 2022

We investigate the capability of Einstein Telescope to constrain the cosmological parameters of the non-flat ΛCDM cosmological model. Two types of mock data sets are considered depending on whether or not a short gamma-ray burst is detected, and associated with the gravitational wave emitted by binary neutron stars merger, using the THESEUS satellite. Depending on the mock data set, two statistical estimators are applied: one assumes that the redshift is known, while the other marginalizes over it assuming a specific redshift prior distribution. We demonstrate that (i) using mock catalogues collecting gravitational wave signals emitted by binary neutron stars systems to which a short gamma-ray burst has been associated, Einstein Telescope may achieve an accuracy on the cosmological parameters of $\sigma _{H_0}\approx 0.40$ km s−1 Mpc−1, $\sigma _{\Omega _{k,0}}\approx 0.09$, and $\sigma _{\Omega _{\Lambda ,0}}\approx 0.07$; while (ii) using mock catalogues collecting all gravitational wave signals emitted by binary neutron stars systems for which an electromagnetic counterpart has not been detected, Einstein Telescope may achieve an accuracy on the cosmological parameters of $\sigma _{H_0}\approx 0.04$ km s−1 Mpc−1, $\sigma _{\Omega _{k,0}}\approx 0.01$, and $\sigma _{\Omega _{\Lambda ,0}}\approx 0.01$, once the redshift probability distribution of GW events is known from from population synthesis simulations and/or the measure of the tidal deformability parameter. These results show an improvement of a factor 2–75 with respect to earlier results using complementary data sets.
The response of dark matter haloes to gas ejection: CuspCore II
Authors: Li Zhaozhou , Dekel Avishai , Mandelker Nir , Freundlich Jonathan , François Thibaut L
Published: November 2022

We propose an analytic model, CuspCore II, for the response of dark matter (DM) haloes to central gas ejection, as a mechanism for generating DM-deficient cores in dwarfs and high-z massive galaxies. We test this model and three other methods using idealized N-body simulations. The current model is physically justified and provides more accurate predictions than the earlier version, CuspCore I (Freundlich et al. 2020a). The CuspCore model assumes an instantaneous change of potential, followed by a relaxation to a new Jeans equilibrium. The relaxation turns out to be violent relaxation during the first orbital period, followed by phase mixing. By tracing the energy diffusion dE = dU (r), iteratively, the model reproduces the simulated DM profiles with ∼10 per cent accuracy or better. A method based on adiabatic invariants shows similar precision for moderate mass change, but underestimates the DM expansion for strong gas ejection. A method based on a simple empirical relation between DM and total mass ratios makes slightly inferior predictions. The crude assumption used in CuspCore I, of energy conservation for shells that encompass a fixed DM mass, turns out to underestimate the DM response, which can be partially remedied by introducing an alternative ‘energy’ definition. Our model is being generalized to address the differential response of a multicomponent system of stars and DM in the formation of DM-deficient galaxies.
A possible overall scenario for the outburst evolution of MAXI J1820+070 revealed by Insight-HXMT
Authors: Peng J Q , Zhang S , Chen Y P , Kong L D , Wang P J , Zhang S N , Ji L , Tao L , Qu J L , Ge M Y , Shui Q C , Li J , Chang Z , Li Z S , Xiao Y X
Published: November 2022

We study the spectral and temporal properties of the black hole X-ray transient binary MAXI J1820+070 during the 2018 outburst with Insight-HXMT observations. The outburst of MAXI J1820+070 can be divided into three intervals. For the two intervals of the outburst, we find that low-energy (below 140 keV) photons lag high-energy (140–170 keV) ones, while in the decay of the outburst, high-energy photons lag low-energy photons, both with a time-scale of the order of days. Based on these results, the canonical hysteresis effect of the ‘q’ shape in the hardness–intensity diagram can be reformed into a roughly linear shape by taking into account the lag corrections between different energy bands. Time analysis shows that the high-frequency break of hard X-rays, derived from the power-density spectrum of the first interval of the outburst, is in general larger and more variable than that of soft X-rays. The spectral fitting shows that the coverage fraction of the hard X-rays drops sharply at the beginning of the outburst to about 0.5, and then increases slightly. The coverage fraction drops to roughly zero once the source steps into soft state and increases gradually to unity when the source returns to low–hard state. We discuss the possible overall evolution scenario of corona hinted from these discoveries.
Redshift drift cosmography with ELT and SKAO measurements
Authors: Rocha B A R , Martins C J A P
Published: November 2022

Mapping the expansion history of the universe is a compelling task of physical cosmology, especially in the context of the observational evidence for the recent acceleration of the universe, which demonstrates that canonical theories of cosmology and particle physics are incomplete and that there is new physics still to be discovered. Cosmography is a phenomenological approach to cosmology, where (with some caveats) physical quantities are expanded as a Taylor series in the cosmological redshift z, or analogous parameters such as the rescaled redshift y = z/(1 + z) or the logarithmic redshift x = ln (1 + z). Moreover, the redshift drift of objects following cosmological expansion provides a model-independent observable, detectable by facilities currently under construction, viz. the Extremely Large Telescope and the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (at least in its full configuration). Here, we use simulated redshift drift measurements from the two facilities to carry out an assessment of the cosmological impact and model discriminating power of redshift drift cosmography. We find that the combination of measurements from the two facilities can provide a stringent test of the Λ cold dark matter paradigm, and that overall the logarithmic-based expansions of the spectroscopic velocity drift are the most reliable ones, performing better than analogous expansions in the redshift or the rescaled redshift: the former nominally gives the smaller error bars for the cosmographic coefficients but is vulnerable to biases in the higher order terms (in other words, it is only reliable at low redshifts), while the latter always performs poorly.
Evidence for powerful winds and the associated reverse shock as the origin of the Fermi bubbles
Authors: Fujita Yutaka
Published: November 2022

The Fermi bubbles are large gamma-ray-emitting structures. They are symmetric about the Galactic Centre (GC), and their creation is therefore attributed to intensive energy injection at the GC. In this study, we focus on the non-equilibrium X-ray gas structures associated with the bubbles. We show that a combination of the density, temperature, and shock age profiles of the X-ray gas can be used to distinguish the energy-injection mechanisms. By comparing the results of numerical simulations with observations, we indicate that the bubbles were created by a fast wind from the GC because it generates a strong reverse shock and reproduces the observed temperature peak there. On the other hand, instantaneous energy injection at the GC cannot reproduce the temperature profile. The wind had a speed of ${\sim} 1000\rm \: km\: s^{-1}$, and blew for ∼107 yr. Because the mass flux of the wind is large, the entrainment of interstellar gas by wide-angle outflows from the black hole is required. Thus, the wind may be the same as active galactic nuclei outflows often observed in other galaxies and thought to regulate the growth of galaxies and their central black holes.
Ultra high energy cosmic rays from past activity of Andromeda galaxy
Authors: Zirakashvili V N , Ptuskin V S , Rogovaya S I
Published: November 2022

It is shown that the relativistic jets associated with the growth and past activity of the supermassive black hole in the Andromeda galaxy could be the main source of cosmic rays with energies above 1015 eV. Most of the cosmic ray energy is related to a bow shock of the jet that produces multi PeV cosmic rays with light composition. The highest energy cosmic rays with heavy composition are produced in the jet itself. The spectra of energetic particles produced in Andromeda galaxy and propagated to the Earth are calculated and compared with observations.
Circulating tumor cells and extracellular vesicles as liquid biopsy markers in neuro-oncology: prospects and limitations
Authors: Westphal, Manfred , Pantel Klaus , Ricklefs Franz L , Maire Cecile , Riethdorf Sabine , Mohme Malte , Wikman Harriet , Lamszus Katrin
Published: November 2022

For many tumor entities, tumor biology and response to therapy are reflected by components that can be detected and captured in the blood stream. The so called “liquid biopsy” has been stratified over time into the analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTC), extracellular vesicles (EVs), and free circulating components such as cell-free nucleic acids or proteins. In neuro-oncology, two distinct areas need to be distinguished, intrinsic brain tumors and tumors metastatic to the brain. For intrinsic brain tumors, specifically glioblastoma, CTCs although present in low abundance, contain highly relevant, yet likely incomplete biological information for the whole tumor. For brain metastases, CTCs can have clinical relevance for patients especially with oligometastatic disease and brain metastasis in cancers like breast and lung cancer. EVs shed from the tumor cells and the tumor environment provide complementary information. Sensitive technologies have become available that are able to detect both, CTCs and EVs in the peripheral blood of patients with intrinsic and metastatic brain tumors despite the blood brain barrier. In reference to glioblastoma EVs, being shed by tumor cells and microenvironment and being more diffusible than CTCs may yield a more complete reflection of the whole tumor compared to low-abundance CTCs representing only a fraction of the multiclonal tumor heterogeneity. We here review the emerging aspects of CTCs and EVs as liquid biopsy biomarkers in neuro-oncology.
Persistence of Neutralizing Antibodies and Clinical Protection up to 12 Months After Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection in the Elderly
Authors: Collarino Rocco , Vauloup-Fellous Christelle , Allemang-Trivalle Aude , Mouna Lina , Baudouin Edouard-Pierre , Keravec Héloise , Neiss Marie , Bouchareb Souhila , Bessai Cherif , Sanchez-Tamayo Jorge , Pujol Tom , Trikha Zeynab , Brunetti Nicoletta , Sitbon-Guichardon Magali , Roque-Afonso Anne Marie , Trivalle Christophe
Published: November 2022

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has severely affected the elderly, who are expected to display decreased immune responses due to immunosenescence.

Methods

This study retrospectively assesses neutralizing antibody (NAb) production up to 12 months after infection in long-term care patients. We used Roche Diagnostics immunoassay to quantify anti-spike (S) antibodies and a competitive immunoassay from YHLO as a surrogate test for NAb.

Results

We included 91 patients (mean age, 86 years). There was no significant variation in anti-S titers over time. There was a significant decrease of NAb titers between month 3 and month 6 but no further significant change up to month 12. Overall, 75 of 91 (82%) and 52 of 91 (57%) patients had, at least once, anti-S titers >75 U/mL and NAb titers >50 AU/mL, respectively, corresponding to a significant neutralizing activity in vitro. All 68 patients studied at M12 had detectable anti-S antibodies and 60 (88%) had detectable NAb; 60 of 68 (88%) and 29 of 68 (42.6%) still had anti-S titers >75 U/mL and NAb titers >50 AU/mL. Higher NAb titers were correlated with severe infection, higher levels of C-reactive protein, and lower lymphocyte counts. No patient developed reinfection.

Conclusions

Elderly people can display robust and persistent humoral response after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, with NAb lasting up to 12 months.
Affective auditing: The emotional weight of the research excellence framework
Authors: Watermeyer Richard , Derrick Gemma Elizabeth , Borras Batalla Mar
Published: November 2022

In aggressively neo-liberalized higher education systems and in ‘high-performing’ research units—typically academic schools in high-ranking research universities—research assessment has come to dominate the daily organization and enactment of research and research culture. So much so in fact that academics’ research praxis, their employability, career trajectories and very lexicon are in synthesis with the manufacture and mediation of performance values, often to the detriment of collegiality, critical citizenship, and self-efficacy. Research assessment as a technology of governance is thus also a ‘disruptive technology’ epidemic to the (re)making of academic lives. Notwithstanding, studies of the affective aspects of research assessment and its emotional manipulation of academic lives are at best thin. Further, less is known of what we call ‘affective auditing’ from the perspective of academic middle-managers with institutional responsibility for implementing assessment procedures and with direct experience of the disruptiveness of research assessment at meso and micro levels. By way of response, this article reports on findings from interviews with academic middle or quasi-managers responsible for overseeing research assessment in research elite universities in the high-performance and highly pressurized research context of the UK. These accounts elucidate the weight of ‘affective auditing’ on academic researchers and academic quasi-managers and the extent to which research assessment shapes the emotional contours of research lives.
The Prevalence of Self-injurious Behavior in Patients With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Lorentzen Eva Amanda , Mors Ole , Kjær Jesper Nørgaard
Published: November 2022

Background and Hypothesis

In patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD), the lifetime prevalence of self-harm (SH) and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is currently uncertain. The primary aim of this review was to provide a synthesis of the existing literature concerning the prevalence of SH/NSSI in individuals with SSD, and individuals at clinical high risk of psychosis (CHR-P). Secondary aims were to investigate methods, severity, and functions of self-injurious behavior in these populations.

Study Design

Studies quantifying the prevalence of SH/NSSI in individuals with SSD or at CHR-P were included in this review. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycInfo were searched for eligible studies June 10, 2022 and systematically screened by two independent reviewers. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joana Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Prevalence Studies by two independent reviewers. A meta-analysis of the lifetime prevalence of SH/NSSI was conducted using generalized linear mixed model with the logit transformation.

Study Results

Thirty-two studies were included in this review (n = 15 440), 4 of which included individuals at CHR-P (n = 397). The meta-analysis showed a pooled lifetime prevalence of SH of 31.0% (95% CI: 22.1%; 41.6%) in individuals with SSD (n = 2822) and 39.7% (95% CI: 17.5%; 70.0%) in individuals at CHR-P (n = 397). These estimates should be interpreted with caution due to substantial heterogeneity. Cutting was the most frequent method of SH/NSSI and SH command hallucinations may be an overlooked cause of self-injurious behavior in these patients.

Conclusions

Self-injurious behavior is a highly prevalent, and possibly overlooked concern, in individuals with SSD and at CHR-P.
Local and Systemic Overexpression of COMP-Ang1 Induces Ang1/Tie2-Related Thrombocytopenia and SDF-1/CXCR4-Dependent Anemia
Authors: Sim Hyun-Jaung , Bhattarai Govinda , Kim Min-Hye , So Han-Sol , Poudel Sher Bahadur , Cho Eui-Sic , Kook Sung-Ho , Lee Jeong-Chae
Published: November 2022

While supplemental angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) improves hematopoiesis, excessive Ang1 induces bone marrow (BM) impairment, hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) senescence, and erythropoietic defect. Here, we examined how excessive Ang1 disturbs hematopoiesis and explored whether hematopoietic defects were related to its level using K14-Cre;c-Ang1 and Col2.3-Cre;c-Ang1 transgenic mice that systemically and locally overexpress cartilage oligomeric matrix protein-Ang1, respectively. We also investigated the impacts of Tie2 inhibitor and AMD3100 on hematopoietic development. Transgenic mice exhibited excessive angiogenic phenotypes, but K14-Cre;c-Ang1 mice showed more severe defects in growth and life span with higher presence of Ang1 compared with Col2.3-Cre;c-Ang1 mice. Dissimilar to K14-Cre;c-Ang1 mice, Col2.3-Cre;c-Ang1 mice did not show impaired BM retention or senescence of HSCs, erythropoietic defect, or disruption of the stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1)/CXCR4 axis. However, these mice exhibited a defect in platelet production depending on the expression of Tie2 and globin transcription factor 1 (GATA-1), but not GATA-2, in megakaryocyte progenitor (MP) cells. Treatment with Tie2 inhibitor recovered GATA-1 expression in MP cells and platelet production without changes in circulating RBC in transgenic mice. Consecutive AMD3100 administration not only induced irrecoverable senescence of HSCs but also suppressed formation of RBC, but not platelets, via correlated decreases in number of erythroblasts and their GATA-1 expression in B6 mice. Our results indicate that genetic overexpression of Ang1 impairs hematopoietic development depending on its level, in which megakaryopoiesis is preferentially impaired via activation of Ang1/Tie2 signaling, whereas erythropoietic defect is orchestrated by HSC senescence, inflammation, and disruption of the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis.
A Coculture of Enterobacter and Comamonas Species Reduces Cadmium Accumulation in Rice
Authors: Wang Xing , Xu Qing , Hu Kang , Wang Gejiao , Shi Kaixiang
Published: November 2022

The accumulation of cadmium (Cd) in plants is strongly impacted by soil microbes, but its mechanism remains poorly understood. Here, we report the mechanism of reduced Cd accumulation in rice by coculture of Enterobacter and Comamonas species. In pot experiments, inoculation with the coculture decreased Cd content in rice grain and increased the amount of nonbioavailable Cd in Cd-spiked soils. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and scanning electron microscopy detection showed that the coculture colonized in the rhizosphere and rice root vascular tissue and intercellular space. Soil metagenomics data showed that the coculture increased the abundance of sulfate reduction and biofilm formation genes and related bacterial species. Moreover, the coculture increased the content of organic matter, available nitrogen, and potassium and increased the activities of arylsulfatase, β-galactosidase, phenoloxidase, arylamidase, urease, dehydrogenase, and peroxidase in soils. In subsequent rice transcriptomics assays, we found that the inoculation with coculture activated a hypersensitive response, defense-related induction, and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway in rice. Heterologous protein expression in yeast confirmed the function of four Cd-binding proteins (HIP28-1, HIP28-4, BCP2, and CID8), a Cd efflux protein (BCP1), and three Cd uptake proteins (COPT4, NRAM5, and HKT6) in rice. Succinic acid and phenylalanine were subsequently proved to inhibit rice divalent Cd [Cd(II)] uptake and activate Cd(II) efflux in rice roots. Thus, we propose a model that the coculture protects rice against Cd stress via Cd immobilization in soils and reducing Cd uptake in rice.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Alternative Management Strategies and Impact of the Northern Root-Knot Nematode in Daylily Production
Authors: Howland Amanda D. , Cole Emilie , Poley Kristin , Quintanilla Marisol
Published: November 2022

Bare-root production of Hemerocallis spp., daylily, is of major economic importance to Michigan's ornamental industry, but production of clean nursery material is challenging due to plant-parasitic nematodes. The northern root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne hapla, is the most important perennial ornamental pathogen in northern North America; it causes over 20% yield loss in Hemerocallis spp. production and reduces marketability and distribution. A field trial was established in 2018 to 2020 at a Michigan commercial nursery to determine effective and long-term management strategies to reduce nematode population levels. Eleven treatments were tested: a control, four bio-nematicides, two nematicides, a nematicide root dip, and three compost blends. Soil samples were taken three times per year, along with annual root samples and plant height measurements. Results indicated that TerraClean 5.0 (hydrogen peroxide) and Majestene 304 ( Chromobacterium subtsugae) nematicides best controlled M. hapla populations by 49 and 37%, respectively, compared with the control, whereas Indemnify (fluopyram) significantly increased plant biomass and yields by 31%. A greenhouse study was conducted to determine the impact of M. hapla on Hemerocallis spp. production by inoculating daylily with varying nematode inoculation densities. Even at low population levels, plant biomass reductions were observed, and M. hapla was readily able to reproduce on Hemerocallis spp. These experiments highlight the importance of managing M. hapla and provide effective, alternative management methods that can reduce the application of fumigants and prevent yield losses to increase profitability for ornamentals.
Development and Statistical Validation of E-Probe Diagnostic Nucleic Acid Analysis (EDNA) Assays for the Detection of Citrus Pathogens from Raw High-Throughput Sequencing Data
Authors: Dang Tyler , Wang Huizi , Espindola Andres S. , Habiger Josh , Vidalakis Georgios , Cardwell Kitty
Published: November 2022

The cost for high-throughput sequencing (HTS) has decreased significantly and has made it possible for the application of this technology for routine plant diagnostics. There are constraints to the use of HTS as a diagnostic tool, including the need for dedicated personnel with a bioinformatic background for data analysis and the lack of a standardized analysis pipeline that makes evaluating and validating results generated at different HTS laboratories difficult. E-probe diagnostic nucleic acid analysis (EDNA) is an in-silico bioinformatic tool that utilizes short curated electronic probes (e-probes) designed from pathogen-specific sequences that allow users to detect and identify single or multiple pathogens of interest in raw HTS data sets. This platform streamlines the bioinformatic data analysis into a graphical user interface as a plant diagnostic tool used by diagnosticians. In this study, we describe the process for the development, validation, and use of e-probes for detection and identification of a wide range of taxonomically unique citrus pathogens that include citrus exocortis viroid, citrus tristeza virus, ‘ Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’, and Spiroplasma citri. We demonstrate the process for evaluating the analytical and diagnostic sensitivity and specificity metrics of the in-silico EDNA assays. In addition, we show the importance of including background noise (internal controls) to generate variance in noninfected samples for a valid statistical test using the quadratic discriminant analysis. The fully validated EDNA assays from this study can be readily integrated into existing citrus testing programs that utilize HTS.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Rh Immune Globulin After the Transfusion of RhD-Positive Blood in a Patient with a Partial D Antigen
Authors: Lesser Tal Henry , O'Malley Michael , Ehsanipoor Robert M.
Published: November 2022

BACKGROUND:

Patients with a serologic weak D phenotype may demonstrate variable RhD expression. We present a case in which clinical management would have been simplified if RHD genotyping had been performed previously.

CASE:

A 33-year-old patient, G11P4155, presented with an incomplete miscarriage and was transfused RhD-positive packed red blood cells after typing RhD-positive. The patient had been historically typed RhD-negative by a different testing methodology. Indirect antiglobulin testing was performed, which revealed a serologic weak D phenotype. The patient was given 9,600 micrograms of Rh immune globulin. Molecular testing revealed a partial D antigen, which was originally thought to be at risk for alloimmunization; however, this has since been disproven.

CONCLUSION:

Although not yet universal practice, prenatal RHD genotyping for partial D antigen could have prevented the characterization of this patient as RhD-positive at the time of transfusion.
Association Between Giving Birth During the Early Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic and Serious Maternal Morbidity
Authors: Metz Torri D. , Clifton Rebecca G. , Hughes Brenna L. , Sandoval Grecio J. , Grobman William A. , Saade George R. , Manuck Tracy A. , Longo Monica , Sowles Amber , Clark Kelly , Simhan Hyagriv N. , Rouse Dwight J. , Mendez-Figueroa Hector , Gyamfi-Bannerman Cynthia , Bailit Jennifer L. , Costantine Maged M. , Sehdev Harish M. , Tita Alan T.N. , Macones George A. ,   for the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network
Published: November 2022

OBJECTIVE:

We aimed to evaluate whether delivering during the early the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was associated with increased risk of maternal death or serious morbidity from common obstetric complications compared with a historical control period.

METHODS:

This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study with manual medical-record abstraction performed by centrally trained and certified research personnel at 17 U.S. hospitals. Individuals who gave birth on randomly selected dates in 2019 (before the pandemic) and 2020 (during the pandemic) were compared. Hospital, health care system, and community risk-mitigation strategies for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in response to the early COVID-19 pandemic are described. The primary outcome was a composite of maternal death or serious morbidity from common obstetric complications, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (eclampsia, end organ dysfunction, or need for acute antihypertensive therapy), postpartum hemorrhage (operative intervention or receipt of 4 or more units blood products), and infections other than SARS-CoV-2 (sepsis, pelvic abscess, prolonged intravenous antibiotics, bacteremia, deep surgical site infection). The major secondary outcome was cesarean birth.

RESULTS:

Overall, 12,133 patients giving birth during and 9,709 before the pandemic were included. Hospital, health care system, and community SARS-CoV-2 mitigation strategies were employed at all sites for a portion of 2020, with a peak in modifications from March to June 2020. Of patients delivering during the pandemic, 3% had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result during pregnancy through 42 days postpartum. Giving birth during the pandemic was not associated with a change in the frequency of the primary composite outcome (9.3% vs 8.9%, adjusted relative risk [aRR] 1.02, 95% CI 0.93–1.11) or cesarean birth (32.4% vs 31.3%, aRR 1.02, 95% CI 0.97–1.07). No maternal deaths were observed.

CONCLUSION:

Despite substantial hospital, health care, and community modifications, giving birth during the early COVID-19 pandemic was not associated with higher rates of serious maternal morbidity from common obstetric complications.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION:

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04519502.
Long-term Relugolix Combination Therapy for Symptomatic Uterine Leiomyomas
Authors: Al-Hendy Ayman , Lukes Andrea S. , Poindexter Alfred N. , Venturella Roberta , Villarroel Claudio , McKain Laura , Li Yulan , Wagman Rachel B. , Stewart Elizabeth A.
Published: November 2022

OBJECTIVE:

In the LIBERTY 1 and LIBERTY 2 placebo-controlled trials, once-daily relugolix combination therapy reduced menstrual blood loss volume and pain in women with heavy menstrual bleeding associated with uterine leiomyomas and was well tolerated, with preservation of bone mineral density (BMD) through 24 weeks. Here we report the long-term efficacy and safety of relugolix combination therapy treatment for up to 52 weeks.

METHODS:

Women with uterine leiomyoma–associated heavy menstrual bleeding who completed any treatment arm in either the LIBERTY 1 or LIBERTY 2 trial were eligible to enroll in a 28-week long-term extension study. All participants received once-daily relugolix combination therapy (40 mg relugolix, estradiol 1 mg, norethindrone acetate 0.5 mg) in the extension study. The primary efficacy endpoint was the proportion of women who achieved or maintained a menstrual blood loss volume of less than 80 mL and a 50% or greater reduction in menstrual blood loss volume from LIBERTY study baseline to the last 35 days of treatment (defined as responders). Analyses were conducted for all three randomized treatment groups from pivotal studies.

RESULTS:

Overall, 477 women enrolled, 476 were treated, and 363 (76.1%) completed 52 weeks. Among patients treated with relugolix combination therapy through 52 weeks (n=163), sustained improvement in heavy menstrual bleeding was observed in 87.7% (responders). The least squares mean menstrual blood loss volume reduction was 89.9%, with 70.6% of patients achieving amenorrhea. At week 52, 59.0% of patients with anemia at baseline had improvements in hemoglobin concentration of greater than 2 g/dL. Distress due to uterine leiomyoma–associated symptoms measured by the BPD (Bleeding and Pelvic Discomfort) scale score was reduced by 51.3 points. Sustained reductions in uterine and uterine leiomyoma volume were observed. Bone mineral density was preserved through week 52.

CONCLUSION:

Improvements in heavy menstrual bleeding and anemia and reduction of uterine leiomyoma–associated symptom burden were sustained through up to 52 weeks of treatment with relugolix combination therapy in women with uterine leiomyomas. No new safety concerns were identified, and BMD was maintained.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION:

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03049735; NCT03103087; NCT03412890.

FUNDING SOURCE:

Myovant Sciences GmbH.
Temporal Changes in Counseling for and Use of Emergency Contraception
Authors: Uwanaka Ogechukwu , Qureshey Emma , Wagner Stephen M. , Gupta Megha , Theva Meena , Brown Benjamin
Published: November 2022

Our objective was to evaluate changes in the prevalence of emergency contraception counseling and use after policy changes in the United States between 2011 and 2019. This was a serial cross-sectional study using the National Survey of Family Growth data set from two survey windows: 2011–2013 (4,177 women) and 2017–2019 (4,477 women). The incidence of emergency contraception counseling in the prior year did not differ between the 2011–2013 and 2017–2019 survey windows (3.3% vs 2.5%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.73, 95% CI 0.51–1.05). There was a significant increase in ever use of emergency contraception between the 2011–2013 and 2017–2019 survey windows (19.0% vs 26.1%; aOR 1.44, 95% CI 1.22–1.72). This suggests that changes facilitating access to care may have a larger effect on emergency contraception access and uptake than health care professional counseling.
Guideline-Discordant Care in Early-Stage Vulvar Cancer
Authors: Bercow Alexandra S. , Rauh-Hain J. Alejandro , Melamed Alexander , Mazina Varvara , Growdon Whitfield B. , del Carmen Marcela G. , Goodman Annekathryn , Bouberhan Sara , Bregar Amy , Eisenhauer Eric L. , Molina George , Minami Christina
Published: November 2022

OBJECTIVE:

To describe the use of National Comprehensive Cancer Network guideline-concordant inguinofemoral lymph node (LN) evaluation in individuals with early-stage vulvar cancer.

METHODS:

This retrospective cohort study identified patients with T1b and T2 vulvar squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed between 2012 and 2018 using the National Cancer Database. Factors associated with LN evaluation were examined using logistic regression analyses, adjusting for patient, disease, and facility-level characteristics. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis using log rank test and Cox regression was performed for the entire cohort and a subgroup of older patients, defined as individuals aged 80 years or older.

RESULTS:

Of the 5,685 patients with vulvar cancer, 3,756 (66.1%) underwent guideline-concordant LN evaluation. In our adjusted model, age 80 years or older (odds ratio [OR], 0.30; 95% CI 0.22–0.42) and Black race (OR 0.72; 95% CI 0.54–0.95) were associated with lower odds of LN evaluation. High-volume hospitals were associated with increased odds of LN evaluation compared with low-volume hospitals (OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.28–2.05). Older individuals who did not undergo LN evaluation had significantly worse overall survival than those with pathologically negative LNs (hazard ratio [HR] 0.45; 95% CI 0.37–0.55) and similar overall survival as those with pathologically positive LNs (HR 1.05; 95% CI 0.77–1.43).

CONCLUSION:

Guideline-concordant LN evaluation for early-stage vulvar squamous cell carcinoma is low. Lower utilization is associated with older age, Black race, and care at a low-volume hospital.