bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Brain markers of subtraction and multiplication skills in childhood: task-based functional connectivity and individualized structural similarity
Authors: Li Zheng , Fang Haifeng , Fan Weiguo , Wu Jiaoyu , Cui Jiaxin , Li Bao-ming , Wang Chunjie
Published: September 2024

Arithmetic, a high-order cognitive ability, show marked individual difference over development. Despite recent advancements in neuroimaging techniques have enabled the identification of brain markers for individual differences in high-order cognitive abilities, it remains largely unknown about the brain markers for arithmetic. This study used a data-driven connectome-based prediction model to identify brain markers of arithmetic skills from arithmetic-state functional connectivity and individualized structural similarity in 132 children aged 8 to 15 years. We found that both subtraction-state functional connectivity and individualized SS successfully predicted subtraction and multiplication skills but multiplication-state functional connectivity failed to predict either skill. Among the four successful prediction models, most predictive connections were located in frontal–parietal, default-mode, and secondary visual networks. Further computational lesion analyses revealed the essential structural role of frontal–parietal network in predicting subtraction and the essential functional roles of secondary visual, language, and ventral multimodal networks in predicting multiplication. Finally, a few shared nodes but largely nonoverlapping functional and structural connections were found to predict subtraction and multiplication skills. Altogether, our findings provide new insights into the brain markers of arithmetic skills in children and highlight the importance of studying different connectivity modalities and different arithmetic domains to advance our understanding of children’s arithmetic skills.
RP-HPLC Study of the Complexation of Acetamiprid, Imidacloprid and Carboxin Guest Molecules With Thiophosphorylated Calix [6] Arene in Dimethylformamide-Acetonitrile-Water Mobile Phase
Authors: Sharma Chandramauly R , Mishra Vijay , Agrawal Yadvendra
Published: September 2024

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography was used to study the host-guest complexation of thiophosphacalixarenes (TPC 1–3) with acetamiprid, imidacloprid and carboxin as guests. The Onyx Monolithic C 18 column (150 × 0.1 mm) and Phenomenex® were used with UV detection at 254 nm. The mobile phase consisted of dimethylformamide-acetonitrile-water. The association constant of the 1:1 guest-host complexes was determined from the relationship between the retention factor of the guest and concentration of the thiophosphacalix [6] arene host in the mobile phase. The stability constants are influenced by size, nature, position and quantity of substituents in the benzene ring of the calixarene skeleton. The detection limits for TPC 1, TPC 2 and TPC 3 are 0.95, 1.20 and 1.40 μg/mL, while the quantification limits are 2.85, 3.60 and 4.20 μg/mL for TPC 1, TPC 2 and TPC 3, respectively.
Atrioventricular nodal re-entrant tachycardia unmasking cardiac sarcoidosis: a clinical case report
Authors: Casteur Laura , Rosseel Thomas , Van Kerrebroeck Margaretha , Van Aelst Lucas , Ector Joris
Published: September 2024

Background

Sarcoidosis is a rare disease, and cardiac involvement is seen in the minority of patients. The clinical symptoms depend on the location of the noncaseating granulomas in the heart and vary from asymptomatic to atrioventricular (AV) conduction block, ventricular arrhythmia, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death. Clinically manifest cardiac sarcoidosis seldomly presents with supraventricular tachycardia.

Case summary

We present a case where a female patient presented with AV nodal re-entrant tachycardia as an uncommon initial presentation of cardiac sarcoidosis. Her resting electrocardiogram showed a complete left bundle branch block and first-degree AV conduction block. During hospitalization, there was continuous switching between sinus rhythm with first-degree AV block, 2:1 AV block, and AV nodal re-entrant tachycardia.

Discussion

It is important to be aware that cardiac sarcoidosis can rarely present with supraventricular tachycardia as initial symptom. Given the elevated risk of sudden cardiac death, early detection is crucial and all patients who require permanent pacing should be considered for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation.
Deep-learning-driven optical coherence tomography analysis for cardiovascular outcome prediction in patients with acute coronary syndrome
Authors: Hamana Tomoyo , Nishimori Makoto , Shibata Satoki , Kawamori Hiroyuki , Toba Takayoshi , Hiromasa Takashi , Kakizaki Shunsuke , Sasaki Satoru , Fujii Hiroyuki , Osumi Yuto , Iwane Seigo , Yamamoto Tetsuya , Naniwa Shota , Sakamoto Yuki , Fukuishi Yuta , Matsuhama Koshi , Tsunamoto Hiroshi , Okamoto Hiroya , Higuchi Kotaro , Kitagawa Tatsuya , Shinohara Masakazu , Kuroda Koji , Iwasaki Masamichi , Kozuki Amane , Shite Junya , Takaya Tomofumi , Hirata Ken-ichi , Otake Hiromasa
Published: September 2024

Aims

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) can identify high-risk plaques indicative of worsening prognosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, manual OCT analysis has several limitations. In this study, we aim to construct a deep-learning model capable of automatically predicting ACS prognosis from patient OCT images following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods and results

Post-PCI OCT images from 418 patients with ACS were input into a deep-learning model comprising a convolutional neural network (CNN) and transformer. The primary endpoint was target vessel failure (TVF). Model performances were evaluated using Harrell’s C-index and compared against conventional models based on human observation of quantitative (minimum lumen area, minimum stent area, average reference lumen area, stent expansion ratio, and lesion length) and qualitative (irregular protrusion, stent thrombus, malapposition, major stent edge dissection, and thin-cap fibroatheroma) factors. GradCAM activation maps were created after extracting attention layers by using the transformer architecture. A total of 60 patients experienced TVF during follow-up (median 961 days). The C-index for predicting TVF was 0.796 in the deep-learning model, which was significantly higher than that of the conventional model comprising only quantitative factors (C-index: 0.640) and comparable to that of the conventional model, including both quantitative and qualitative factors (C-index: 0.789). GradCAM heat maps revealed high activation corresponding to well-known high-risk OCT features.

Conclusion

The CNN and transformer-based deep-learning model enabled fully automatic prognostic prediction in patients with ACS, with a predictive ability comparable to a conventional survival model using manual human analysis.

Clinical Trial Registration

The study was registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry (UMIN000049237).
Genome report: Genome sequence of tuliptree scale, Toumeyella liriodendri (Gmelin), an ornamental pest insect
Authors: Mongue Andrew J , Markee Amanda , Grebler Ethan , Liesenfelt Tracy , Powell Erin C
Published: September 2024

Scale insects are of interest both to basic researchers for their unique reproductive biology and to applied researchers for their pest status. In spite of this interest, there remain few genomic resources for this group of insects. To begin addressing this lack of data, we present the genome sequence of tuliptree scale, Toumeyella liriodendri (Gmelin) (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae). The genome assembly spans 536 Mb, with over 96% of sequence assembled into one of 17 chromosomal scaffolds. We characterize roughly 66% of this sequence as repetitive and annotate 16,508 protein-coding genes. Then we use the reference genome to explore the phylogeny of soft scales (Coccidae) and evolution of karyotype within the family. We find that T. liriodendri is an early-diverging soft scale, less closely related to most sequenced soft scales than a species of the family Aclerdidae is. This molecular result corroborates a previous, morphology-based phylogenetic placement of Aclerdidae within Coccidae. In terms of genome structure, T. liriodendri has nearly twice as many chromosomes as the only other soft scale assembled to the chromosome level, Ericerus pela (Chavannes). In comparing the two, we find that chromosome number evolution can largely be explained by simple fissions rather than more complex rearrangements. These genomic natural history observations lay a foundation for further exploration of this unique group of insects.
A new high-quality genome assembly and annotation for the threatened Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)
Authors: Romero Faye G , Beaudry Felix E G , Hovmand Warner Eyvind , Nguyen Tram N , Fitzpatrick John W , Chen Nancy
Published: September 2024

The Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens), a federally Threatened, cooperatively breeding bird, is an emerging model system in evolutionary biology and ecology. Extensive individual-based monitoring and genetic sampling for decades has yielded a wealth of data, allowing for the detailed study of social behavior, demography, and population genetics of this natural population. Here, we report a linkage map and a chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation for a female Florida Scrub-Jay made with long-read sequencing technology, chromatin conformation data, and the linkage map. We constructed a linkage map comprising 4,468 SNPs that had 34 linkage groups and a total sex-averaged autosomal genetic map length of 2446.78 cM. The new genome assembly is 1.33 Gb in length, consisting of 33 complete or near-complete autosomes and the sex chromosomes (ZW). This highly contiguous assembly has an NG50 of 68 Mb and a Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs completeness score of 97.1% with respect to the Aves database. The annotated gene set has a Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs transcriptome completeness score of 95.5% and 17,964 identified protein-coding genes, 92.5% of which have associated functional annotations. This new, high-quality genome assembly and linkage map of the Florida Scrub-Jay provides valuable tools for future research into the evolutionary dynamics of small, natural populations of conservation concern.
The clinical efficacy of “water-jet” hemostasis in gastrointestinal endoscopic submucosal dissection
Authors: Chen Ran , Zhang Qingyong , Hong Shiya , Chen Fengying , Huang Xiaoqing , Bao Xiongfei , Ni Zhi , Zhang Rongchun
Published: September 2024

Objective

This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of “water-jet” hemostasis during endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Methods

In this prospective single-arm clinical study, 10 patients aged 18–60 years with gastric or intestinal mucosal lesions who were admitted to Fujian Medical University Xiamen Humanity Hospital (Xiamen, P. R. China) between June 2022 and June 2023 and met the absolute indications for endoscopic treatment were finally analyzed. The primary outcomes of this study are the incidence rates of adverse events and R0 resection, and the secondary outcomes are length of hospital stay and short- and long-term outcomes.

Results

Successful hemostasis was achieved in all the included cases. In one case, the “water-jet” hemostasis failed to stop bleeding in one blood vessel, so the hemostatic forceps were used instead. No adverse events occurred in all cases. Pathologic results showed R0 resection in all samples.

Conclusion

The “water-jet” method is safe and feasible for hemostasis in endoscopic submucosal dissection.
Harnessing population diversity: in search of tools of the trade
Authors: Bzdok Danilo , Wolf Guy , Kopal Jakub
Published: September 2024

Big neuroscience datasets are not big small datasets when it comes to quantitative data analysis. Neuroscience has now witnessed the advent of many population cohort studies that deep-profile participants, yielding hundreds of measures, capturing dimensions of each individual’s position in the broader society. Indeed, there is a rebalancing from small, strictly selected, and thus homogenized cohorts toward always larger, more representative, and thus diverse cohorts. This shift in cohort composition is prompting the revision of incumbent modeling practices. Major sources of population stratification increasingly overshadow the subtle effects that neuroscientists are typically studying. In our opinion, as we sample individuals from always wider diversity backgrounds, we will require a new stack of quantitative tools to realize diversity-aware modeling. We here take inventory of candidate analytical frameworks. Better incorporating driving factors behind population structure will allow refining our understanding of how brain–behavior relationships depend on human subgroups.
Non-conventional arrays for self-potential surveys
Authors: Souza de Araújo Oziel , Butler Samuel , Picotti Stefano , Francese Roberto G , Mendonça Carlos Alberto , Fischanger Federico , Giorgi Massimo
Published: September 2024

The exponential growth of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) methods for exploring the subsurface at large depths widened the applicability of the self-potential (SP) method, a passive geoelectrical technique suitable for a variety of purposes like mapping ore bodies or inferring fluid flow in the subsurface. Several new-generation resistivity meters have been designed to continuously log the electric potentials thus allowing for the identification of weak amplitude signals and resulting in deeper inversion models. In such approaches, long SP time-series are collected but are totally ignored as only marginal intervals are retained and analysed in the ERT procedure. The discarded SP records could be valuable although not collected using the traditional methodology, based on a reference electrode. We present an SP forward modelling feasibility study of different array techniques, based on numerical finite-element methods. The SP has been modelled in a variety of electrical settings to assess the imaging potentials of non-conventional (i.e. sparse gradient and full sparse gradient) arrays in comparison to traditional (i.e. fixed-base and the leapfrog) arrays. The analytic signal amplitude (ASA) algorithm was employed to compare numerical modelling results obtained from the different type of arrays, highlighting the great potentials of non-conventional arrays for the recognition of several sources of SP anomalies. The ASA maps, presenting a single peak centred over the targets, can significantly help in identifying the source anomalies for all the analysed array techniques. The cost-effectiveness along with the imaging capability of these non-conventional arrays constitute important benefits that could be exploited resulting in a systematic inclusion of SP analysis when collecting deep ERT data using distributed systems.
Logarithmic Sobolev Inequalities on Homogeneous Spaces
Authors: Gordina Maria , Luo Liangbing
Published: September 2024

We consider sub-Riemannian manifolds which are homogeneous spaces equipped with a sub-Riemannian structure induced by a transitive action by a Lie group. Then the corresponding sub-Laplacian is not an elliptic but a hypoelliptic operator. We study logarithmic Sobolev inequalities with respect to the hypoelliptic heat kernel measure on such spaces. We show that the logarithmic Sobolev constant can be chosen to depend only on the Lie group acting transitively on such a space but the constant is independent of the action of its isotropy group. This approach allows us to track the dependence of the logarithmic Sobolev constant on the geometry of the underlying space, in particular we show that the constant is independent of the dimension of the underlying spaces in several examples.
A Single Institution’s Surgical Care Model for Pediatric Burns With ≤10% Body Surface Area Involvement
Authors: Zuccaro Jennifer , Lee David , Kelly Charis , Chakera Hawwa , Turner Evan , Gus Eduardo , Fish Joel S
Published: September 2024

Small burn injuries are extremely prevalent in the pediatric population and continue to pose a challenge for clinicians. Despite their high incidence, a standardized algorithm for treating small burns does not currently exist, and care is often guided by clinical judgement and resource availability. The aim of this study was to explore the utility of a two-stage grafting technique, involving allograft and autograft, for treating small burns (≤10% total body surface area) in pediatric patients. A retrospective review of patients aged 0-18 years who had a small burn and underwent a two-stage grafting procedure between September 1, 2018 and September 1, 2022 was conducted. One hundred and seventy-five patients with 220 wounds met the inclusion criteria for this study. The mean time from presentation to allograft surgery was 11.4 days (SD 5.2) followed by autograft surgery approximately one week later. Most patients were discharged within 24 hours following allograft surgery (87.4%) and autograft surgery (81.1%). Mean autograft take was 97.7% (SD 11.8) with only four patients experiencing significant graft loss requiring subsequent re-grafting. These positive outcomes demonstrate that the two-stage technique can be successfully utilized for treating smaller pediatric burns. Moreover, these findings help to address the significant knowledge gap regarding the optimal approach to treating small burn wounds. Further research is warranted to learn more about aesthetic outcomes following two-stage grafting and determine how it compares to other techniques for treating small burns.
Uncovering the fragmentation and separation characteristics of sophorolipid biosurfactants with LC-MS-ESI
Authors: Ingham Benjamin , Hollywood Katherine , Wongsirichot Phavit , Veitch Alistair , Winterburn James
Published: September 2024

The application of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (MS) is a challenging area of research for structural identification of sophorolipids, owing to the large number of possible variations in structure and limited knowledge on the separation and fragmentation characteristics of the variants. The aims of this work was to provide a comprehensive analysis of the expected characteristics and fragmentation patterns of a wide range of sophorolipid biosurfactant congeners, providing a methodology and process alongside freely available data to inform and enable future research of commercial or novel sophorolipids. Samples of acidic and lactonic sophorolipid standards were tested using reverse-phase ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and identified using electrospray ionization MS. 37 sophorolipid variants were identified and compared for their elution order and fragmentation pattern under MS/MS. The retention time of sophorolipids was increased by the presence of lactonization, unsaturation, chain length, and acetylation as hydrophobic interactions with the C18 stationary phase increased. A key finding that acidic forms can elute later than lactonic variants was obtained when the fatty acid length and unsaturation and acetylation are altered, in contradiction to previous literature statements. Fragmentation pathways were determined for lactonic and acidic variants under negative [M–H]− and positive [M+NH4]+ ionization, and unique patterns/pathways were identified to help determine the structural components present. The first publicly available database of chromatograms and MS2 spectra has been made available to aid in the identification of sophorolipid components and provide a reliable dataset to accelerate future research into novel sophorolipids and shorten the time to innovation.

One-Sentence Summary

This article describes the process and challenges in identifying different structures of eco-friendly biosurfactants, providing a novel database to compare results.
A comparison of 2 methods of diet analysis in Neotropical frugivorous bats reveals the hidden side of bat–plant interactions
Authors: Colorado Wendy B , Castro-Luna Alejandro A , Gómez-Gil Bruno , Andrade-Torres Antonio , Galindo-González Jorge , Flores-Estévez Norma , Palestina René A
Published: September 2024

Phyllostomid bats are a keystone group in the succession of Neotropical plant communities and knowledge of their diet is essential in the study of bat–plant interactions. The most used method to date has been taxonomic identification of the seeds found in bat feces, but this approach underestimates plant species with large seeds that cannot be ingested. With the aim of estimating how much our knowledge of the diet of frugivorous bats changes once we include those species of plants that are underrepresented, we determine the diet of 3 bat species using 18S rDNA V9 metabarcoding. Results were compared with those obtained from morphological identification of seeds found in feces. Using metabarcoding, we identified 20 plant species and with taxonomic identification of seeds, 10 species, with the latter being a subset of the first method. Metabarcoding made it possible to detect a greater number of interactions as well as a greater percentage of the samples were determined to species level. Fifty percent of the plant species (8 species) recorded in the diet of Sturnira hondurensis, 62% (8 species) for Carollia perspicillata, and 50% (4 species) for Artibeus lituratus were exclusively detected with metabarcoding. Plant species with fleshy fruits including Clusia lundellii, Annona cherimola, and Saurauia pedunculata were exclusively detected with metabarcoding and an important item in the diet. The incorporation of molecular biology to determine the diet of 3 species of frugivorous bats made it possible to demonstrate that their diet is more diverse than previously known. Hence, in the field of plant–bat interactions and knowledge of the natural history of species, it is important to consider this new form of analysis.
The role of the third sector in public health service provision: evidence from 25,338 heterogeneous procurement datasets
Authors: Rahal Charles , Mohan John
Published: September 2024

We examine the role of nonprofits within publicly funded healthcare which runs parallel to private provision in a ‘two-tier’ system through a unique Big Data pipeline. Scraping tens of thousands of heterogeneous transaction datasets across a commissioning hierarchy, the processed dataset contains over £445Bn worth of transactions in 1.9m+ rows of clean data, spanning 2012–2020. We utilize this dataset to test a range of hypotheses related to the introduction of the Health and Social Care Act of 2012. The proportion of contracts placed with nonprofit organizations is relatively low, with limited evidence as to whether the Act increased the involvement of third sector organizations in line with NHS ‘marketization’. We analyse the pattern of procurement by corporate category, the field of service delivery (International Classification of Nonprofit Organizations and Standard Industrial Classification codes), and ‘expense area’ to show the unique array of services which voluntary organizations supply. We also analyse the pattern of commissioning across entity class and size distributions of registered charities. We conclude with a consideration of high-value Community Interest Companies, and discuss potential further areas of research within a healthcare context which such government transaction data makes possible.
Conversational networks: prophets and kings in the Old Testament
Authors: Lee John S Y , Webster Carol
Published: September 2024

This article analyzes discourse in the Old Testament in terms of the frequency of direct speech between the main characters. We visualize the speakers, the hearers, and the amount of conversation between them in graphs known as conversational networks. We investigate whether these networks can help identify speech genres and significant relationships between biblical kings, prophets, and God. In an analysis on three books in the Minor Prophets, the networks are shown to reveal differences in book structure and speech genres including prophetic call, prayer, vision report, judgment speech, and historical narrative. In an analysis on the books of Samuel and King, the networks are shown to capture the web of relationships between kings and prophets, as well as divine communication with kings and prophets. Furthermore, we demonstrate that a comparison between these networks and their counterparts in Chronicles can visualize some major content differences identified in biblical research. These findings are expected to promote conversational networks as a visualization tool to support quantitative discourse analysis in the Bible.
Modelling the impact of host galaxy dust on type Ia supernova distance measurements
Authors: Popovic B , Wiseman P , Sullivan M , Smith M , González-Gaitán S , Scolnic D , Duarte J , Armstrong P , Asorey J , Brout D , Carollo D , Galbany L , Glazebrook K , Kelsey L , Kessler R , Lidman C , Lee J , Lewis G F , Möller A , Nichol R C , Sánchez B O , Toy M , Tucker B E , Vincenzi M , Abbott T M C , Aguena M , Andrade-Oliveira F , Bacon D , Brooks D , Burke D L , Carnero Rosell A , Carretero J , Castander F J , da Costa L N , Pereira M E S , Davis T M , Desai S , Everett S , Ferrero I , Flaugher B , García-Bellido J , Gaztanaga E , Gruendl R A , Gutierrez G , Hinton S R , Hollowood D L , Honscheid K , James D J , Kuehn K , Lahav O , Lee S , Marshall J L , Mena-Fernández J , Miquel R , Myles J , Ogando R L C , Palmese A , Pieres A , Plazas Malagón A A , Sanchez E , Sanchez Cid D , Schubnell M , Sevilla-Noarbe I , Suchyta E , Swanson M E C , Tarle G , Vikram V , Weaverdyck N ,   (DES Collaboration)
Published: September 2024

Type Ia Supernovae (SNe Ia) are a critical tool in measuring the accelerating expansion of the universe. Recent efforts to improve these standard candles have focused on incorporating the effects of dust on distance measurements with SNe Ia. In this paper, we use the state-of-the-art Dark Energy Survey 5 year sample to evaluate two different families of dust models: empirical extinction models derived from SNe Ia data and physical attenuation models from the spectra of galaxies. In this work, we use realistic simulations of SNe Ia to forward-model different models of dust and compare summary statistics in order to test different assumptions and impacts on SNe Ia data. Among the SNe Ia-derived models, we find that a logistic function of the total-to-selective extinction $R_V$ best recreates the correlations between supernova distance measurements and host galaxy properties, though an additional 0.02 mag of grey scatter is needed to fully explain the scatter in SNIa brightness in all cases. These empirically derived extinction distributions are highly incompatible with the physical attenuation models from galactic spectral measurements. From these results, we conclude that SNe Ia must either preferentially select extreme ends of galactic dust distributions, or that the characterization of dust along the SNe Ia line-of-sight is incompatible with that of galactic dust distributions.
Serum creatinine is more strongly associated with hyperuricemia than eGFR in males but not in females
Authors: Chihara Yukana , Wakabayashi Ichiro , Kataoka Yuki , Yamamoto Tetsuya
Published: September 2024

Objectives

Serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration ratio (eGFR) are factors associated with hyperuricemia, though which is more closely associated with hyperuricemia remains unclear.

Subjects and Methods

This retrospective cross-sectional study examined the associations of serum creatinine and eGFR with hyperuricemia using health check-up findings. Enrolled were 6020 individuals (3509 males, 2511 females) who underwent health check-ups from 2017 to 2021. The subjects were divided based on serum uric acid level into the normuricemia (males 1.5–7.0 mg/dl, females 1.5–< 6.0 mg/dl) and hyperuricemia (males >7.0 mg/dl, female ≥ 6.0 mg/dl) groups. Matched-pair analysis was used to evaluate the association between hyperuricemia and variables related to serum uric acid.

Results

Matched-pair analysis results showed a significant association of serum creatinine with hyperuricemia in male subjects but not in females. Furthermore, propensity score obtained by binominal logistic regression demonstrated that serum creatinine had a greater association with hyperuricemia than eGFR in the males but not in females.

Conclusions

The present findings indicate an association of serum creatinine with hyperuricemia in males not only because of reduced renal function but other factors related to greater muscle mass, such as increased intake of protein-rich foods containing purines and increased uric acid production induced by accelerated creatinine metabolism.
Successful treatment of anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibody-positive dermatomyositis with rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease complicated by bilateral breast cancer following the additional tofacitinib: A case report
Authors: Yamane Takashi , Kitayama Midori
Published: September 2024

Anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA-5) antibody-positive dermatomyositis (MDA5-DM) often causes rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RP-ILD). Although cancer complications in MDA5-DM are less frequently reported compared to other forms of DM, they do occur. For MDA5-DM patients with cancer, particularly in paraneoplastic settings, the primary treatment strategy often targets the malignancy first. However, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy carry significant risks of exacerbating ILD, especially in patients with respiratory failure. Despite improved prognosis with initial immunosuppressive combination therapy, some cases of MDA5-DM with RP-ILD remain refractory to treatment. Recent studies have shown the potential benefit of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors for refractory cases, though their impact on cancer progression remains a concern. We report a 48-year-old woman with MDA5-DM, RP-ILD, and bilateral breast cancer. Due to her respiratory condition, radical surgery and chemotherapy were initially not possible. Endocrine therapy and immunosuppressive therapy were administered, but the disease remained refractory. Tofacitinib, combined with plasma exchange, improved her ILD, allowing for bilateral mastectomy. One year later, MDA5 antibody titers became negative, and glucocorticoids were discontinued after two years. Three years later, neither MDA5-DM nor breast cancer has recurred. This is the first report of MDA5-DM complicated by breast cancer, and the first use of JAK inhibitors in such a case. Effective treatment requires close collaboration with oncologists to balance the risks and benefits of therapy in cases of MDA5-DM with RP-ILD and cancer.
Testis-specific H2B.W1 disrupts nucleosome integrity by reducing DNA–histone interactions
Authors: Ding Dongbo , Pang Matthew Y H , Deng Mingxi , Nguyen Thi Thuy , Liu Yue , Sun Xulun , Xu Zhichun , Zhang Yingyi , Zhai Yuanliang , Yan Yan , Ishibashi Toyotaka
Published: September 2024

Multiple testis-specific histone variants are involved in the dynamic chromatin transitions during spermatogenesis. H2B.W1 (previously called H2BFWT) is an H2B variant specific to primate testis with hitherto unclear functions, although its single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are closely associated with male non-obstructive infertility. Here, we found that H2B.W1 is only expressed in the mid-late spermatogonia stages, and H2B.W1 nucleosomes are defined by a more flexible structure originating from weakened interactions between histones and DNA. Furthermore, one of its SNPs, H2B.W1-H100R, which is associated with infertility, further destabilizes the nucleosomes and increases the nucleosome unwrapping rate by interfering with the R100 and H4 K91/R92 interaction. Our results suggest that destabilizing H2B.W1 containing nucleosomes might change the chromatin structure of spermatogonia, and that H2B.W1-H100R enhances the nucleosome-destabilizing effects, leading to infertility.
TCR3d 2.0: expanding the T cell receptor structure database with new structures, tools and interactions
Authors: Lin Valerie , Cheung Melyssa , Gowthaman Ragul , Eisenberg Maya , Baker Brian M , Pierce Brian G
Published: September 2024

Recognition of antigens by T cell receptors (TCRs) is a key component of adaptive immunity. Understanding the structures of these TCR interactions provides major insights into immune protection and diseases, and enables design of therapeutics, vaccines and predictive modeling algorithms. Previously, we released TCR3d, a database and resource for structures of TCRs and their recognition. Due to the growth of available structures and categories of complexes, the content of TCR3d has expanded substantially in the past 5 years. This expansion includes new tables dedicated to TCR mimic antibody complex structures, TCR-CD3 complexes and annotated Class I and II peptide–MHC complexes. Additionally, tools are available for users to calculate docking geometries for input TCR and TCR mimic complex structures. The core tables of TCR–peptide–MHC complexes have grown by 50%, and include binding affinity data for experimentally determined structures. These major content and feature updates enhance TCR3d as a resource for immunology, therapeutics and structural biology research, and enable advanced approaches for predictive TCR modeling and design. TCR3d is available at: https://tcr3d.ibbr.umd.edu.
Contextualising Long Covid: Viral Sequelae, ‘Post-Encephalitis’ Lethargica and the Modern British Healthcare System, c. 1918–1945
Authors: McAllister Kate
Published: September 2024

In the months after March 2020, people across Britain began to seek medical attention for protracted illness following an infection with coronavirus disease 2019. Through the efforts of patients, these illnesses were eventually gathered into the diagnostic category of ‘Long Covid’ and therefore viewed as viral sequelae, in turn opening up the possibility for medical care and treatment in the British health system. This article adds to such patient-made knowledge of Long Covid through a comparative historical analysis with the problem of ‘Post-Encephalitis’ Lethargica (EL). In the early twentieth century, the viral sequelae of EL were parsed in line with and thus shaped by the binary divisions that were becoming used to structure healthcare in Britain. By telling this story of the past, this article provides a framework to understand if and how such administrative divisions within the National Health Service (NHS) might continue to inform perceptions of and responses to Long Covid in the present.
Cover Cropping Attenuates Population Growth of Macrophomina phaseolina by Limiting Weed Biomass, Despite Asymptomatic Colonization of Cover Crops
Authors: Qin Clara , Goldman Polly H. , Leap Jim , Henry Peter Montgomery
Published: September 2024

Macrophomina phaseolina is a fungus that causes charcoal rot in strawberry and a wide variety of crop species. Little is known about its potential to asymptomatically colonize crop plants or grow saprophytically on their tissues, both of which would create a potential for alternate, asymptomatic hosts to lead to increases in inoculum. To test the impact of cover cropping on M. phaseolina abundance, we conducted randomized-block field experiments in soils infested by M. phaseolina. None of the 15 cover crop varieties showed symptoms of charcoal rot. All Fabaceae and Brassicaceae varieties were asymptomatically colonized at varying rates, but among Poaceae M. phaseolina was recovered from only one individual oat plant. Soil samples collected at the time of planting, tillage, and 8 weeks after tillage showed that cover cropping attenuated the growth of M. phaseolina relative to fallow plots harboring the weedy legume Medicago polymorpha. This weed species was abundantly colonized by this pathogen in both living root samples and plant residue collected 8 weeks after tillage. Cover cropping also influenced the diversity and composition of bulk soil bacterial and fungal communities, but these effects were not associated with M. phaseolina population density. Although M. phaseolina was not detected in living wheat tissues, it was recovered from wheat residue, suggesting that it may be facultatively saprophytic. These results suggest that cover cropping does not pose a risk for increasing disease caused by M. phaseolina and could be beneficial as conducive weed species, such as M. polymorpha, are suppressed.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Allergen-specific immunotherapy at the extremes of age: below 5 years and elderly: evidence beyond indications?
Authors: Özdemiral Cansu , Gurel Deniz Ilgun , Sahiner Umit
Published: September 2024

Purpose of review

Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) has been used in clinical practice to treat allergic diseases for over 100 years. The effectiveness and safety of AIT have been substantiated in numerous studies; however, children before 5 years of age and elderly are not encompassed generally. This review aims to present the current understanding of AIT in the extremes of age.

Recent findings

Early allergen immunotherapy during infancy or early childhood may prevent the development of allergic sensitization to common allergens, thereby reducing the risk of developing allergic diseases later in life. In the elderly, improved symptoms and quality of life and reduced dependence on medication are indicated the importance on the implementation of AIT. Both clinical and immunological parameters demonstrated that the treatment was effective at the time of cessation and trend to sustained tolerance.

There is no specific lower or upper age limit for initiating immunotherapy; however, it is important to thoroughly evaluate the severity of disease and the risks and benefits in each case.
Urban–rural disparities in mortality due to stroke subtypes in China and its provinces, 2015–2020
Authors: Ren Yi , Yang Jia , Yin Peng , Liu Wei , Long Zheng , Zhang Chen , Wang Zixin , Liu Haijie , Zhou Maigeng , Ma Qingfeng , Hao Junwei
Published: September 2024

Background:

Death burden of stroke is severe in China with over one-third rural residents, but there is still a lack of specific national and high-quality reports on the urban–rural differences in stroke burden, especially for subtypes. We aimed to update the understanding of urban–rural differences in stroke deaths.

Methods:

This is a descriptive observational study. Data from the national mortality surveillance system, which covers 323.8 million with 605 disease surveillance points (DSPs) across all 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in China. All deaths from stroke as the underlying cause from 2015 to 2020 according to DSPs. Crude mortality rate and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) were estimated through DSPs. Average annual percentage change was used to explain the change in mortality rate.

Results:

From 2015 to 2020, the majority of deaths from all stroke subtypes occurred in rural areas. There were significant differences between the changes of urban and rural ASMRs. On the whole, the changes in urban areas were evidently better, and the ASMR differences were basically expanding. Stroke ASMR in urban China decreased by 15.5%. The rural ASMR of ischemic stroke (IS) increased by 12.9%. The rural and urban ASMRs of intracerebral hemorrhage decreased by 24.9% and 27.4%, and those of subarachnoid hemorrhage decreased by 29.5% and 40.4%, respectively. The highest ASMRs of all stroke subtypes and the increasing trend of IS ASMR make rural males the focus of stroke management.

Conclusions:

The death burden of stroke varies greatly between urban and rural China. Rural residents face unique challenges.
Systemic comparison of molecular characteristics in different skin fibroblast senescent models
Authors: Fang Xiaokai , Zhang Shan , Wu Mingyang , Luo Yang , Chen Xingyu , Zhou Yuan , Zhang Yu , Liu Xiaochun , Yao Xu
Published: September 2024

Background:

Senescent human skin primary fibroblast (FB) models have been established for studying aging-related, proliferative, and inflammatory skin diseases. The aim of this study was to compare the transcriptome characteristics of human primary dermal FBs from children and the elderly with four senescence models.

Methods:

Human skin primary FBs were obtained from healthy children (FB-C) and elderly donors (FB-E). Senescence models were generated by ultraviolet B irradiation (FB-UVB), D-galactose stimulation (FB-D-gal), atazanavir treatment (FB-ATV), and replication exhaustion induction (FB-P30). Flow cytometry, immunofluorescence staining, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, co-culturing with immune cells, and bulk RNA sequencing were used for systematic comparisons of the models.

Results:

In comparison with FB-C, FB-E showed elevated expression of senescence-related genes related to the skin barrier and extracellular matrix, proinflammatory factors, chemokines, oxidative stress, and complement factors. In comparison with FB-E, FB-UVB and FB-ATV showed higher levels of senescence and expression of the genes related to the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), and their shaped immune microenvironment highly facilitated the activation of downstream immune cells, including T cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells. FB-P30 was most similar to FB-E in terms of general transcriptome features, such as FB migration and proliferation, and aging-related characteristics. FB-D-gal showed the lowest expression levels of senescence-related genes. In comparisons with the single-cell RNA sequencing results, FB-E showed almost complete simulation of the transcriptional spectrum of FBs in elderly patients with atopic dermatitis, followed by FB-P30 and FB-UVB. FB-E and FB-P30 showed higher similarity with the FBs in keloids.

Conclusions:

Each senescent FB model exhibited different characteristics. In addition to showing upregulated expression of natural senescence features, FB-UVB and FB-ATV showed high expression levels of senescence-related genes, including those involved in the SASP, and FB-P30 showed the greatest similarity with FB-E. However, D-galactose-stimulated FBs did not clearly present aging characteristics.
Gender and Sex-Based Differences in Hypertension Risk Factors Among Non-Hispanic Asian Adults in the United States
Authors: Tanglai Wirampa , Jeamjitvibool Thanakrit , Chen Pei , Lockwood Mark B. , Cajita Mia
Published: September 2024

Introduction

The prevalence of hypertension (HTN) is rising at an accelerated rate, and it remains the primary factor contributing to cardiovascular illnesses. Sex can serve as an influencing factor, leading to variations in the factors affecting HTN.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate gender and sex differences in the prevalence of HTN and explore the associations between HTN and 4 categories of risk factors: demographics, habits or lifestyle, body measurement, and laboratory blood results among non-Hispanic Asians in the United States.

Methods

This secondary analysis included non-Hispanic Asian adults aged 18 years or older from the 2017 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.

Results

Among the 815 participants, 35% of men (140 of 399) and 37% (154 of 416) of women had HTN (P = .610). The mean age for men is 46.03 ± 16.9 years, whereas the mean age for women is 49.24 ± 16.8 years. After regression analysis, advancing age, increased body mass index, and increased serum uric acid were significant predictors of HTN in both sexes. However, men developed HTN earlier compared with women. Marital status and increased fasting glucose were only significant in men. Compared with their never-married counterparts, men who were currently married or living with a partner had lower odds of having HTN (odds ratio, 0.28; P = .034).

Conclusions

There was no significant difference in the prevalence of HTN between the sexes. Age, body mass index, and serum uric acid were significant risk factors in both men and women. Meanwhile, marital status and fasting glucose were only significant in men.
A meta-analysis of ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion block on the quality of recovery after cancer surgery
Authors: Dong Yuhui , Zuo Youbo
Published: September 2024

Background:

Pain is a prevalent symptom among patients with cancer, significantly impacting their health and quality of life. Stellate ganglion block (SGB) has been employed as a diagnostic, prognostic, or therapeutic intervention for various pain syndromes. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the effects of ultrasound-guided SGB on postoperative recovery quality and other functional indicators following cancer surgery.

Methods:

Data were sourced from PubMed, PEDro, CINAHL, SportDiscus, and Scopus. Inclusion criteria followed the population-intervention-comparison-outcome principle. The evaluation process involved meticulous screening, judicious data extraction, and rigorous assessment of trial methodology quality, conducted independently by 2 researchers. Standardized mean differences with corresponding 95% confidence intervals were pooled using either a random-effects or fixed-effects model.

Results:

Ultrasound-guided SGB exhibited potential for improving postoperative pain scores after cancer surgery (RR, 7.81 [95% confidence interval (CI), 5.43–10.19]), reducing daily consumption of oxycodone (RR, 0.78 [95% CI, −1.37 to 2.93]) and pregabalin (RR, −22.26 [95% CI, −91.37 to 46.85]), enhancing physical health (RR, −2.50 [95% CI, −11.00 to 6.00]) and mental health (RR, −5.10 [95% CI, −13.45 to 3.25]), and influencing mean arterial pressure (RR, −10.60 [95% CI, −17.92 to −3.27]), mean pulmonary artery pressure (RR, −1.02 [95% CI, −2.83 to 0.79]), heart rate (RR, −11.18 [95% CI, −17.91 to −4.46]), and central venous pressure (RR, −0.05 [95% CI, −1.53 to 1.43]) as effective treatment modalities.

Conclusion:

This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that ultrasound-guided SGB therapy is effective in reducing pain levels and improving mobility and quality of life compared to conventional treatments. Therefore, clinicians should consider administering SGBs to patients with chronic cancer pain, emphasizing sensory exercise to achieve a balance between movement and rest.