bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The structure and properties of OMt prepared by a synergistic modification strategy using the emulsifier OP-10 and hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride as comodifiers
Authors: Zhang Jingdan , Zhai Yongqing
Published: February 2022

To improve the application performance of organic montmorillonite (OMt) and meet the OMt performance requirements of different fields, herein, we developed a synergistic modification method to prepare cationic–nonionic OMt (CN-Mt) using the emulsifier OP-10 and hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) as comodifiers. The structure, morphology and properties of CN-Mt, cationic-OMt (C-Mt) and nonionic OMt (N-Mt) were studied by XRD, SEM, DSC, and contact angle and swell index measurements. CN-Mt has a larger layer spacing and thinner lamellae, which are obviously different from those of C-Mt and N-Mt. Moreover, CN-Mt was hydrophobic due to its denser organic surface molecules. The interlayer spacing of CN-Mt is positively related to the amount of modifier, and the amount of OP-10 contributes more to the interlayer spacing than CTAC. When the amounts of OP-10 and CTAC are 1.3 and 0.8 times the Mt cation exchange capacity (CEC), the interlayer spacing of the optimal CN-Mt is 4.49 nm, which is significantly higher than that of C-Mt (4.11 nm) at a 2.9 CEC, N-Mt (4.26 nm) at a 1.7 CEC and CN-Mt (4.20 nm) at a 0.9OP-10 + 1.5CTAC CEC. Benefitting from its structural merits, CN-Mt shows a higher degree of lamella separation, peeling and dispersion than C-Mt and N-Mt, as well as good thermal stability. Moreover, the lipophilicity and expansion of CN-Mt in medium- and low-polarity media are better than those of single-component OMt. Therefore, the structure and properties of CN-Mt can be controlled by adjusting the types and amount of modifier, further meeting the performance requirements of various application fields.
New Methods for Tracking Development of Sociophonetic Competence: Exploring a Preference Task for Spanish /d/ Deletion
Authors: Solon Megan , Kanwit Matthew
Published: February 2022

Beyond language use, an important component of communicative competence is the ability to attend to sociolinguistic variation in the input, which requires knowledge regarding when to expect a particular form over another variant according to linguistic or extralinguistic factors. This study explores the acquisition of sociophonetic competence, employing a novel contextualized preference task with an aural component to examine second language (L2) learners’ knowledge of variable Spanish /d/ deletion—a sociolinguistic phenomenon constrained by linguistic, social, and contextual factors—regardless of whether learners produce the deleted variant in their speech. Fifty learners completed a background questionnaire, an elicited imitation task, and the contextualized preference task. Learners’ preference for a deleted variant tended to increase as proficiency level increased, as did sensitivity to variables previously shown to constrain native speaker patterns of variation, including speaker gender, surrounding phonetic context, and grammatical category of the lexical item containing /d/. Overall, findings suggest that this contextualized preference task provides an additional tool for accessing evidence of learners’ developing sociophonetic awareness, tapping an important skill as learners build communicative competence.
Deep learning-based identification of genetic variants: application to Alzheimer’s disease classification
Authors: Jo Taeho , Nho Kwangsik , Bice Paula , Saykin Andrew J ,   For The Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: February 2022

Deep learning is a promising tool that uses nonlinear transformations to extract features from high-dimensional data. Deep learning is challenging in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with high-dimensional genomic data. Here we propose a novel three-step approach (SWAT-CNN) for identification of genetic variants using deep learning to identify phenotype-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that can be applied to develop accurate disease classification models. In the first step, we divided the whole genome into nonoverlapping fragments of an optimal size and then ran convolutional neural network (CNN) on each fragment to select phenotype-associated fragments. In the second step, using a Sliding Window Association Test (SWAT), we ran CNN on the selected fragments to calculate phenotype influence scores (PIS) and identify phenotype-associated SNPs based on PIS. In the third step, we ran CNN on all identified SNPs to develop a classification model. We tested our approach using GWAS data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) including (N = 981; cognitively normal older adults (CN) = 650 and AD = 331). Our approach identified the well-known APOE region as the most significant genetic locus for AD. Our classification model achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.82, which was compatible with traditional machine learning approaches, random forest and XGBoost. SWAT-CNN, a novel deep learning–based genome-wide approach, identified AD-associated SNPs and a classification model for AD and may hold promise for a range of biomedical applications.
Phylogenetics of Gratioleae (Plantaginaceae): paraphyly of Stemodia and its implications for generic circumscriptions, with insights from floral evolution
Authors: Scatigna André Vito , Souza Vinicius Castro , Sosa Maria de las Mercedes , Colletta Gabriel Dalla , Machado Raquel Moura , Simões André Olmos
Published: February 2022

Gratioleae are the most species-rich tribe of Plantaginaceae in the tropics, spanning c. 30 genera and > 300 species, with a wide range of morphological variation and ecological strategies. As a first effort towards a phylogenetic classification of Gratioleae we generated a new phylogenetic hypothesis with improved taxa sampling, based on one nuclear and three plastid markers, using maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference approaches, and performed ancestral state reconstructions of ten morphological characters of flowers. The paraphyly of Stemodia s.l. was corroborated with members being retrieved in four clades; Bacopa, Conobea, Leucospora and Schistophragma are non-monophyletic. As actions towards recognizing only monophyletic genera in Gratioleae, we propose Stemodia s.s. as a monophyletic and morphological cohesive group, describe Umbraria as a new genus to accommodate two species segregated from Stemodia, transfer Stemodia vandelliodes to Darcya, merge Conobea with Bacopa and re-establish the names Chodaphyton ericifolium and Geochorda glechomoides. Traits used to define Stemodia s.l. are plesiomorphic in the tribe; the flower type (composed of seven floral characters) constitutes a good diagnostic set of traits for almost all genera in the tribe. Our study sheds light on the urgent need to reassess generic circumscriptions towards a unified classification in Gratioleae.
Fitness benefits play a vital role in the retention of the Pi-ta susceptible alleles
Authors: Liu Jia , Zhang Suobing , Xie Pengfei , Wang Long , Xue Jia-Yu , Zhang Yanmei , Lu Ruisen , Hang Yueyu , Wang Yue , Sun Xiaoqin
Published: February 2022

In plants, large numbers of R genes, which segregate as loci with alternative alleles conferring different levels of disease resistance to pathogens, have been maintained over a long period of evolution. The reason why hosts harbor susceptible alleles in view of their null contribution to resistance is unclear. In rice, a single copy gene, Pi-ta, segregates for 2 expressed clades of alleles, 1 resistant and the other susceptible. We simulated loss-of-function of the Pi-ta susceptible allele using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to detect subsequent fitness changes and obtained insights into fitness effects related to the retention of the Pi-ta susceptible allele. Our creation of an artificial knockout of the Pi-ta susceptible allele suffered fitness-related trait declines of up to 49% in terms of filled grain yield upon the loss of Pi-ta function. The Pi-ta susceptible alleles might serve as an off-switch to downstream immune signaling, thus contributing to the fine-tuning of plant defense responses. The results demonstrated that the susceptible Pi-ta alleles should have evolved pleiotropic functions, facilitating their retention in populations. As Pi-ta is a single copy gene with no paralogs in the genome, its function cannot be compensated by an alternative gene; whereas most other R genes form gene clusters by tandem duplications, and the function could be compensated by paralogs with high sequence similarity. This attempt to evaluate the fitness effects of the R gene in crops indicates that not all disease resistance genes incur fitness costs, which also provides a plausible explanation for how host genomes can tolerate the possible genetic load associated with a vast repertoire of R genes.
CHAMP1 disorder is associated with a complex neurobehavioral phenotype including autism, ADHD, repetitive behaviors and sensory symptoms
Authors: Levy Tess , Lerman Bonnie , Halpern Danielle , Frank Yitzchak , Layton Christina , Zweifach Jessica , Siper Paige M , Buxbaum Joseph D , Kolevzon Alexander
Published: February 2022

CHAMP1-related neurodevelopmental disorder, or CHAMP1 disorder, is a recently described genetic syndrome associated with developmental delay, intellectual disability, behavioral symptoms, medical comorbidities, and dysmorphic features. To date, literature has focused on medical review and dysmorphology but has yet to prospectively assess neurobehavioral core domains such as autism, or behavioral, language, cognitive, and sensory features. Here, we present deep phenotyping results for 11 individuals with CHAMP1 disorder, based on approximately 12 hours of remote clinician-administered assessments and standardized caregiver questionnaires. Diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder were given to 33% of participants; repetitive behaviors and sensory-seeking symptoms were prominent in this cohort. In addition, 60% of participants met the criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). High rates of ADHD and relatively low rates of treatment suggest potential areas for intervention. This study represents the first prospective phenotyping analysis of individuals with CHAMP1 disorder. The utility of specific measures as clinical endpoints, as well as benefits and limitations of remote phenotyping, are described.
Experiences and Stressors of Parents of Trans and Gender-Diverse Youth in Clinical Care from Trans Youth CAN!
Authors: Pullen Sansfaçon Annie , Temple Newhook Julia , Douglas Laura , Gotovac Sandra , Raiche Joe , Speechley Kathy Nixon , Lawson Margaret L , Bauer Greta R
Published: February 2022

Parents of trans and gender-diverse youth can experience challenges navigating gender-affirming (GA) care such as stigma, transphobia, and lack of support. There is little information available about stressors, worries, and positive feelings of parents as they try to support their youth accessing GA care. This article presents baseline survey data on experiences and stressors of 160 parents/caregivers in the Trans Youth CAN! cohort study, which examined medical, social, and family outcomes in youth age 16 years or younger considering puberty blockers or GA hormones. Data were collected at 10 Canadian gender clinics. Authors report on participating parents’ characteristics, levels of support toward youth, stressors, worries, concerns, and positive feelings related to youth’s gender. Most parent participants were White (85.1 percent), female (85.1 percent), birth or adoptive parents (96.1 percent), and reported strong support for youth’s gender. Participants’ concerns included their youth facing rejection (81.9 percent), generalized transphobia (74.6 percent), or encountering violence (76.4 percent). Parents also reported positive feelings about seeing their youth grow more confident. Most parental worries and stressors were situated outside the family, reflecting the systemic discrimination faced by youth and their families. Social workers could address these by developing systems-focused interventions and by further taking into account intersectional health disparities.
Quantitative Analysis of Two Pharmaceutical Combinations Containing Amlodipine with Either Bisoprolol or Candesartan Using Different UV Spectrophotometric Methods
Authors: Ramzy Sherif , Abdelazim Ahmed H , Shahin Mohamed
Published: February 2022

Background

Two fixed-dose combination tablets of amlodipine (AML) with bisoprolol (BIS) and amlodipine with candesartan (CAN) were recently approved for the treatment of hypertension.

Objective

Three UV spectrophotometric analytical methods were developed for the estimation of the above drugs in their combination mixtures.

Methods

For the AML and BIS mixture, AML was quantified directly by a zero-order spectrophotometric method at 360 nm without interference from BIS, whereas BIS was quantified by the ratio difference (RD) spectrophotometric method by calculating the difference between the amplitude values of the ratio spectra at 226 and 215 nm. For the AML and CAN mixture, AML was quantified directly by a zero-order spectrophotometric method at 360 nm without interference from CAN, whereas CAN was quantified by the first derivative of ratio spectra method by measuring the amplitude values of the derived spectra at 259 nm.BIS)

Results

The proposed methods were successfully applied for quantitative analysis of AML with BIS and AML with CAN in their synthetic laboratory-prepared mixtures and pharmaceutical tablets with acceptable results in terms of accuracy and precision.

Conclusion and Highlights

Simple, accurate, and environmentally friendly spectrophotometric methods were described for selective determination of the investigated drugs in their fixed-dose combinations.
Which mammals can be identified from camera traps and crowdsourced photographs?
Authors: Kays Roland , Lasky Monica , Allen Maximilian L , Dowler Robert C , Hawkins Melissa T R , Hope Andrew G , Kohli Brooks A , Mathis Verity L , McLean Bryan , Olson Link E , Thompson Cody W , Thornton Daniel , Widness Jane , Cove Michael V
Published: February 2022

While museum voucher specimens continue to be the standard for species identifications, biodiversity data are increasingly represented by photographic records from camera traps and amateur naturalists. Some species are easily recognized in these pictures, others are impossible to distinguish. Here we quantify the extent to which 335 terrestrial nonvolant North American mammals can be identified in typical photographs, with and without considering species range maps. We evaluated all pairwise comparisons of species and judged, based on professional opinion, whether they are visually distinguishable in typical pictures from camera traps or the iNaturalist crowdsourced platform on a 4-point scale: (1) always, (2) usually, (3) rarely, or (4) never. Most (96.5%) of the 55,944 pairwise comparisons were ranked as always or usually distinguishable in a photograph, leaving exactly 2,000 pairs of species that can rarely or never be distinguished from typical pictures, primarily within clades such as shrews and small-bodied rodents. Accounting for a species geographic range eliminates many problematic comparisons, such that the average number of difficult or impossible-to-distinguish species pairs from any location was 7.3 when considering all species, or 0.37 when considering only those typically surveyed with camera traps. The greatest diversity of difficult-to-distinguish species was in Arizona and New Mexico, with 57 difficult pairs of species, suggesting the problem scales with overall species diversity. Our results show which species are most readily differentiated by photographic data and which taxa should be identified only to higher taxonomic levels (e.g., genus). Our results are relevant to ecologists, as well as those using artificial intelligence to identify species in photographs, but also serve as a reminder that continued study of mammals through museum vouchers is critical since it is the only way to accurately identify many smaller species, provides a wealth of data unattainable from photographs, and constrains photographic records via accurate range maps. Ongoing specimen voucher collection, in addition to photographs, will become even more important as species ranges change, and photographic evidence alone will not be sufficient to document these dynamics for many species.
Long-term variation of coronal holes latitudinal distribution
Authors: Maghradze D A , Chargeishvili B B , Japaridze D R , Oghrapishvili N B , Chargeishvili K B
Published: February 2022

We study the evolution of the latitudinal distribution of coronal holes using the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)/Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) 195 Å data from 1996 May to 2020 April. To measure the presence of coronal holes at a given latitude, we use the presence factor, which estimates the length of an object along a given parallel, expressed as a percentage of half of the equator length. By semi-automatic processing of the data series, we obtained the 361 × 7346 latitude–time matrix. The corresponding diagram shows the significant difference in evolutionary shapes of a latitudinal distribution of non-polar and polar coronal holes. However, the morphology of the evolutionary picture and the migration route of the geometric centre of activity of the coronal hole in the diagram indicate that non-polar and polar coronal holes have the same driving mechanism. It is believed that the migration of the centre of activity of the coronal hole in the latitude–time diagram is a combination of two opposite migration paths. They intersect at the equator and diverge to opposite poles, where they form the so-called polar coronal holes, then again move to lower latitudes, and this happens cyclically. Determining the opposite migration paths by antiphase sinusoids, their deviation from antiphase determines the detected north–south asymmetry in the activity of the coronal hole.
Clinical profile and outcome of large-vessel giant cell arteritis in Japanese patients: A single-centre retrospective cohort study
Authors: Yamaguchi Eriho , Kadoba Keiichiro , Watanabe Ryu , Iwasaki Takeshi , Kitagori Koji , Akizuki Shuji , Murakami Kosaku , Nakashima Ran , Hashimoto Motomu , Tanaka Masao , Morinobu Akio , Yoshifuji Hajime
Published: February 2022

Objectives

Recent advances in imaging revealed that giant cell arteritis (GCA) is frequently associated with large vessel involvement (LVI), but they may also contribute to earlier diagnosis and treatment of LV-GCA. We aimed to compare the clinical characteristics of GCA with or without LVI and evaluate its association with clinical outcomes.

Method

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 36 patients with GCA in Kyoto University Hospital.

Results

Eighteen patients each were assigned to the LVI(+) and LVI(-) groups. Five-year survival rates in the LVI(+) group were better than in the LVI(-) group (p = .034), while five-year relapse-free survival rates were similar between the groups (p = .75). The LVI(+) group required lower doses of glucocorticoid at month 6 (p = .036). Disease activity evaluated with the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score at disease onset was higher in the LVI(-) group (p = .014), and the Vasculitis Damage Index score examined at the last visit was higher in the LVI(-) group (p = .011).

Conclusion

GCA without LVI had more active disease, severer vascular damage, and worse survival, possibly because of ophthalmic complications and their greater glucocorticoid requirement. Our results revisit the impact of cranial manifestations on disease severity and morbidity.
From “new social risks” to “COVID social risks”: the challenges for inclusive society in South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan amid the pandemic
Authors: Choi Young Jun , Kühner Stefan , Shi Shih-Jiunn
Published: February 2022

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has created tremendous hazards to people worldwide. Incidence, hospitalization, and mortality rates have varied by individual and regional socioeconomic indicators. However, little is known about the indirect social and economic losses following the COVID-19 pandemic and to what extent they have disproportionately affected different groups of people. Building on the traditional conceptualizations of “old” and “new social risks,” this article tracks and analyzes the emerging “COVID social risks” in five critical areas: physical health, employment and income, skills and knowledge, care, and social relationships. The article empirically examines to what extent the manifestations of “COVID social risks” describe the makings of a new class divide in South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Finally, this article discusses whether “COVID social risks” present a temporary or lasting phenomenon and to what extent interactions with processes of digitization and de-globalization are likely to produce similar problem pressures for East Asian governments amid future crises. East Asian governments should facilitate individuals’ ability to absorb “COVID social risks” and institutionalize a new welfare policy settlement that emphasizes complementarities between the social protection, social investment, and social innovation policy paradigms.
Written With Their Blood: Contemplating Death in South Africa in the Newspaper Poems of 1899–1902
Authors: Rawlinson-Mills Elizabeth
Published: February 2022

The South African War of 1899–1902 was a moment of crisis for the British Empire. Although it has been called the high point of British imperialism, its resonances in popular culture texts indicate that that the conflict was a source of national trauma and anxiety as well as an occasion for imperial patriotism. This essay explores the ways in which military and civilian poets writing in English for newspaper publication during the war, in Britain and around the world, were particularly troubled by the wartime landscapes of South Africa. I argue that in their representations of soldiers’ deaths, newspaper poets perform two related mapping exercises. In a cartography of loss, they reflect anxiously on a terrain strewn with British bodies, which were exposed to the extremity of the South African elements and threatened by the landscape’s otherness and apparent emptiness. Meanwhile, other newspaper poems attempt a reparative cartography of remembrance, in which a shared consciousness of buried British bodies and shed British blood could turn topographic locations into beacons in a cultural memory map. Employed by newspaper poets of different political persuasions, these tactics often aimed for patriotic or propagandistic effects, but they simultaneously express uneasiness, about British bodies and British imperial ambitions.
Comparing Risk Factors for Non-affective Psychotic Disorders With Common Mental Disorders Among Migrant Groups: A 25-Year Retrospective Cohort Study of 2 Million Migrants
Authors: Anderson Kelly K , Le Britney , Edwards Jordan
Published: February 2022

Background and Hypothesis

Although migration is a well-established risk factor for psychotic disorders, less is known about factors that modify risk within migrant groups. We sought to assess whether socio-demographic, migration-related, and post-migration factors were associated with the risk of non-affective psychotic disorders (NAPD) among first-generation migrants, and to compare with estimates for common mental disorders (CMD) to explore specificity of the effect.

Study Design

We constructed a retrospective cohort of first-generation migrants to Ontario, Canada using linked population-based health administrative data (1992–2011; n = 1 964 884). We identified NAPD and CMD using standardized algorithms. We used modified Poisson regression models to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRR) for each factor to assess its effect on the risk of each outcome.

Study Results

Nearly 75% of cases of NAPD met the case definition for a CMD prior to the first diagnosis of psychosis. Our findings suggest that younger age at migration, male sex, being of African-origin, and not having proficiency in national languages had a specificity of effect for a higher risk of NAPD. Among migrants who were over 19 years of age at landing, higher pre-migratory education and being married/common-law at landing showed specificity of effect for a lower risk of NAPD. Migrant class, rurality of residence after landing, and post-migration neighborhood-level income showed similar effects across disorders.

Conclusions

Our findings help identify high-risk groups to target for intervention. Identifying factors that show specific effects for psychotic disorder, rather than mental disorders more broadly, are important for informing prevention and early intervention efforts.
Characterizing sleep–wake patterns in mothers and children in an agrarian community: results from the Ghana Randomized Air Pollution and Health Study
Authors: Kundel Vaishnavi , Agyapong Prince Darko , Parekh Ankit , Kaali Seyram , Prah Rebecca Kyerewaa Dwommoh , Taweesedt Pahnwat , Tawiah Theresa , Ayappa Indu , Mujtaba Mohammed Nuhu , Agyei Oscar , Jack Darby , Osei Musah , Kwarteng Adolphine Adofowa , Lee Alison , Asante Kwaku Poku
Published: February 2022

Study Objectives

Several studies have examined sleep patterns in rural/indigenous communities, however little is known about sleep characteristics in women of reproductive age, and children within these populations. We investigate sleep–wake patterns in mothers and children (ages 3–5 years) leveraging data from the Ghana Randomized Air Pollution and Health Study (GRAPHS).

Methods

The GRAPHS cohort comprises of rural/agrarian communities in Ghana and collected multiday actigraphy in a subset of women and children to assess objective sleep–wake patterns. Data were scored using the Cole–Kripke and Sadeh algorithms for mothers/children. We report descriptive, baseline characteristics and objective sleep measures, compared by access to electricity/poverty status.

Results

We analyzed data for 58 mothers (mean age 33 ± 6.6) and 64 children (mean age 4 ± 0.4). For mothers, mean bedtime was 9:40 pm ± 56 min, risetime 5:46 am ± 40 min, and total sleep time (TST) was 6.3 h ± 46 min. For children, median bedtime was 8:07 pm (interquartile range [IQR]: 7:50,8:43), risetime 6:09 am (IQR: 5:50,6:37), and mean 24-h TST 10.44 h ± 78 min. Children with access to electricity had a reduced TST compared to those without electricity (p = 0.02). Mean bedtime was later for both mothers (p = 0.05) and children (p = 0.08) classified as poor.

Conclusions

Mothers in our cohort demonstrated a shorter TST, and earlier bed/risetimes compared to adults in postindustrialized nations. In contrast, children had a higher TST compared to children in postindustrialized nations, also with earlier sleep-onset and offset times. Investigating objective sleep–wake patterns in rural/indigenous communities can highlight important differences in sleep health related to sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, and help estimate the impact of industrialization on sleep in developed countries.
Professionalism: COVID-19 made me do it!
Authors: Karuppiah Arunthevaraja , Zhang Elizabeth , Daniel Ronsard , Prasanna Praveen Dharmapalan
Published: February 2022

Purpose of review

COVID-19 pandemic has created profound ethical challenges, not only for clinical decision-making but also for defining physician professional conduct.

Recent findings

Multiple ethical questions arose as the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged globally, including physician obligations in a pandemic, allotment of personal protective equipment, care of unvaccinated patients, discern between evidence-based and unreliable information, addressing end-of-life wishes, implications of involving medical students in a public health crisis, and finally physician burnout aggravated by a pandemic.

There is a need to redefine existing medical professionalism standards so that future healthcare professionals are well prepared to deal with similar public health crisis.
Newborn Clavicle Fractures: Does Clavicle Fracture Morphology Affect Brachial Plexus Injury?
Authors: Ergün Tuğrul , Sarikaya Sevcan
Published: February 2022

Background:

Newborn clavicle fractures and brachial plexus injuries (BPIs) are rare but serious perinatal complications.

Methods:

The aim of this study was to examine the clinical relationship between the fracture morphology (spiral, oblique, transfer) of clavicle fractures that develop during delivery in newborns and BPI. We retrospectively reviewed all perinatal clavicle fractures diagnosed at our institution over 6 years.

Results:

The study included 55 newborn infants with perinatal clavicle fracture. Of these, 60% (n=33) were male. Right-side clavicle fractures were present in 56.4% (n=31) and shoulder dystocia was present in 58.2% (n=32) of the patients. Of the fracture localization of the patients, 85.5% (n=47) (Allman I) and 14.5% (n=8) (Allman II) were lateral. Allman type I fractures were not associated with increased BPI (P>0.05). It was observed that 40% (n=22) of the clavicle fractures were characterized by oblique morphology, 34.5% (n=19) of the fractures by spiral morphology, and 25.5% (n=14) of the fractures by transfer morphology. In all, 41.8% (n=23) of the sample also had BPI. Of the entire sample, 40% (n=22) most frequently showed oblique morphology fractures, whereas the patient group with BPI showed spiral morphology as the most common fracture, at a rate of 52.2% (n=10). After examining the relationship between fracture morphology and BPI, the study determined a statistically significant correlation between spiral and oblique morphology fractures and the development of BPI.

Conclusions:

To our knowledge, our study is the first to examine the relationship between newborn clavicle fracture morphology and BPI. We think that they should be evaluated for increased BPI risk in newborn patients that have clavicle fractures with spiral and oblique morphology.
Bypass of Epiphyseal Fragmentation Following Early Salter Innominate Osteotomy and Its Clinical Relevance in Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease
Authors: Mishima Kenichi , Kamiya Yasunari , Matsushita Masaki , Imagama Shiro , Kitoh Hiroshi
Published: February 2022

Background:

It has been demonstrated that early femoral varus osteotomy (FVO) produces a greater probability of skipping or interruption of epiphyseal fragmentation, thereby shortening the length of fragmentation stage for hips in the active stage of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease. This “bypassing phenomenon” is thought to effect less disease severity or outcome, whereas it remains to be elucidated whether this phenomenon is specific to early FVO. We sought to investigate the presence and characteristics of the “bypassing phenomenon” following pelvic osteotomy performed in the avascular necrosis or early fragmentation stage as well as its correlation with disease severity and radiographic outcomes.

Methods:

A retrospective review of data was conducted for 79 patients with unilateral Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease who had been diagnosed from 1987 to 2015, undergone the Salter innominate osteotomy (SIO) during the stage of avascular necrosis or in the early part of the fragmentation stage between 6.0 and 12.0 years of age, and followed up until skeletal maturity. Epiphyseal fragmentation was classified into 4 patterns according to a previous study. We compared lateral pillar groups and Stulberg grades between patients with and without bypass of the fragmentation stage.

Results:

The mean age at surgery and follow-up period was 8.1 and 7.9 years, respectively. Sixty hips were in the Waldenström stage I and 19 hips in stage IIa at the surgery. In hips receiving SIO during stage I, the mean duration of the fragmentation stage was 276 days. The fragmentation pattern was typical for 40 hips, abortive for 17 hips, and atypical with horizontal fissure for 3 hips. Patients whose fragmentation was aborted experienced significantly less severe lateral pillar involvement and more favorable Stulberg outcomes at skeletal maturity.

Conclusions:

Incomplete bypass of epiphyseal fragmentation was observed in 28% of patients following early SIO performed in the avascular necrosis stage. In contrast to FVO, no patient bypassed fragmentation completely. Patients with incomplete bypass had a significantly higher proportion of less severe hips and a significantly greater probability of being associated with favorable radiographic outcomes compared with those without bypass.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV—therapeutic study.
Electricians’ Health After Electrical Shocks
Authors: Biering Karin , Nielsen Kent J. , Carstensen Ole , Kærgaard Anette
Published: February 2022

Objectives:

To examine whether demographic and health factors are associated with risk of electrical shocks and compared mental and physical health before and after an electrical shock.

Methods:

A 6-month cohort study of 6960 electricians involved weekly questionnaires regarding exposure to electrical shocks, and health. We examined the association between health and demographic factors and the risk of eventual electrical shocks and health before and after a shock

Results:

Youth and poor health were associated with risk of shocks. Reporting of numbness, cramps/spasms, tremors, tinnitus, dizziness, and flashbacks increased in the week of the shock, but only tinnitus and flashbacks persisted, as other symptoms receded. Severity, high voltage, cross-body exposure, wet entry/exit points, and direct current as well as health worries and/or neuroticism increased some estimates

Conclusion:

Electrical shocks are common, but rarely result in health effects.
COVID-19-Related Workplace Bullying and Customer Harassment Among Healthcare Workers Over the Time of the COVID-19 Outbreak
Authors: Iida Mako , Sasaki Natsu , Imamura Kotaro , Kuroda Reiko , Tsuno Kanami , Kawakami Norito
Published: February 2022

Objective:

To investigate the prevalences of COVID-19-related workplace bullying and harassment (WBH) and customer harassment among healthcare workers (HCWs) compared to non-HCWs during COVID-19 outbreaks.

Methods:

A baseline (March 2020) and follow-up surveys (May, August, and November 2020) were conducted of full-time employees, with an online questionnaire that included items on COVID-19-related WBH and customer harassment. The prevalences were compared between HCWs and non-HCWs using generalized linear models with repeated measures.

Results:

A total of 800 (56%) respondents completed all the surveys. Prevalences of WBH and customer harassment were 5% to 10% and 10% to 13%, respectively, among HCWs during the follow-up. HCWs had a significantly higher prevalence of WBH in May (Adjusted OR = 2.3) and customer harassment in November (Adjusted OR = 2.7), compared to non- HCWs.

Conclusions:

HCWs remained at high risk of COVID-19-related WBH and customer harassment during the pandemic.
Breastfeeding in a COVID-19 world
Authors: Sakalidis Vanessa S. , Perrella Sharon L. , Prosser Stuart A. , Geddes Donna T.
Published: February 2022

Purpose of review

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the birthing and postnatal experience of women. This review highlights how policy changes have affected pregnant and breastfeeding women, the evidence for continued breastfeeding and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines, and how the pandemic's unexpected consequences have affected these women's wellbeing. Additionally, we postulate the future of lactation and perinatal support as the pandemic continues.

Recent findings

Women who have given birth during the pandemic have had restricted access to postnatal care. Although pregnant and breastfeeding women who contract SARS-CoV-2 are more vulnerable to poor health outcomes than their nonpregnant counterparts, they are also at higher risk of mental health difficulties, with limited access to support. Continued breastfeeding may be protective to the infant, offering passive immunity against SARS-CoV-2, and vaccination against COVID-19 is safe and effective for pregnant and lactating women. Innovative and adaptable lactation care, including holistic perinatal, mental health, and social support services, both digital and in-person, will help mothers continue breastfeeding during future outbreaks.

Continued breastfeeding and vaccination may confer protection to the infant against SARS-CoV-2 infection. New mothers should not be isolated in future pandemics. Prioritizing lactation and perinatal care, including in-person services, remains paramount to optimizing breastfeeding during COVID-19.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease: a year in review
Authors: Alharthi Jawaher , Gastaldelli Amalia , Cua Ian Homer , Ghazinian Hasmik , Eslam Mohammed
Published: February 2022

Purpose of review

In 2020, a novel comprehensive redefinition of fatty liver disease was proposed by an international panel of experts. This review aims to explore current evidence regarding the impact of this new definition on the current understanding of the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and clinical trials for fatty liver disease.

Recent findings

The effectiveness of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) was compared to the existing criteria for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Recent data robustly suggest the superior utility of MAFLD in identifying patients at high risk for metabolic dysfunction, the hepatic and extra-hepatic complications, as well as those who would benefit from genetic testing, including patients with concomitant liver diseases. This change in name and criteria also appears to have improved disease awareness among patients and physicians.

The transformation in name and definition from NAFLD to MAFLD represents an important milestone, which indicates significant tangible progress towards a more inclusive, equitable, and patient-centred approach to addressing the profound challenges of this disease. Growing evidence has illustrated the broader and specific contexts that have tremendous potential for positively influencing the diagnosis and treatment. In addition, the momentum accompanying this name change has included widespread public attention to the unique burden of this previously underappreciated disease.
Cardiovascular effects of intrauterine exposure to maternal HIV and antiretroviral therapy in Ethiopian infants followed from fetal life
Authors: García-Otero Laura , Walles John , Balcha Taye Tolera , Merga Gadissa , López Marta , Crispi Fatima , Björkman Per
Published: February 2022

Objective:

To assess cardiovascular effects of in-utero HIV and antiretroviral treatment (ART) exposure on offspring of HIV-positive mothers in Ethiopia.

Design:

HIV-positive and HIV-negative pregnancies were identified from a prospective cohort of women recruited at their first antenatal care visit in Ethiopia, using a nested case-control design.

Methods:

Fetal standard ultrasound and echocardiography were performed at 2237 weeks of pregnancy to assess fetal biometry and cardiac structure. Postnatal cardiovascular evaluation, including echocardiography and vascular assessment, was performed at 6 months of age. Cardiovascular data were correlated to HIV serostatus, antiretroviral drug exposure and HIV-unrelated maternal characteristics.

Results:

Fetuses from 29 HIV-positive and 67 HIV-negative women paired by gestational age at scan were included. Among HIV-positive women, 25 were on ART before conception, and 4 initiated ART during pregnancy. Estimated fetal weight was similar in both groups [mean 1873 g (standard deviation; SD 569) vs. 1839 g (SD 579) P = 0.79, respectively]. Fetal cardiac morphometry was similar with regard to maternal HIV serostatus: cardiothoracic ratio mean 0.26 (SD 0.05) vs. 0.25 (SD 0.06), P = 0.48; and septal wall thickness mean 4.03 mm (SD 0.58) vs. 3.98 mm (SD 0.70), P = 0.94. No significant cardiovascular differences were detected postnatally according to maternal HIV serostatus: septal wall thickness mean 5.46 mm (SD 0.65) vs. 5.49 (SD 0.89); P = 0.896; isovolumic relaxation time 55.08 ms (SD 6.57) vs. 56.56 (SD 6.74); P = 0.359.

Conclusion:

In offspring of Ethiopian women, intrauterine exposure to HIV and ART were not associated with cardiovascular changes from fetal life up to infanthood.
Positive FAPI PET/CT in a Bilateral Mammary Angiosarcoma Patient With Less Impressive FDG PET/CT Images
Authors: Qiu Siwen , Zou Sijuan , Cheng Siyuan , Song Shuang , Zhu Xiaohua
Published: February 2022

Bilateral primary angiosarcoma of the breast is an extremely rare disease. We describe a case with bilateral angiosarcoma of the breast well visualized on 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT in a 30-year-old woman with a history of right breast–conserving surgery. However, the lesions are less impressive on 18F-FDG PET/CT. No additional findings including lymph node and distant metastases were noted. The patient underwent bilateral mastectomy, and histopathology revealed well-differentiated angiosarcoma that involved bilateral breast parenchyma and the left nipple. Our case illustrates that 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT can be more sensitive in detecting well-differentiated angiosarcoma of the breast.
Effects of Tai Chi Chuan on cortical sources of EEG rhythms in the resting state in elderly individuals: a cross-sectional study
Authors: He Tingting , Hu Zhigang
Published: February 2022

A standard low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) technique was used to observe the effect of long-term Tai Chi Chuan practice on the resting state of the brains of elderly individuals. Eyes-closed resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) signals were collected from 14 long-term Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) elderly practitioners, 14 demographically matched healthy controls (HCs) and 14 healthy young adults (HYs). The EEG rhythms of delta, theta, alpha 1, alpha 2, beta 1 and beta 2 were analyzed. The cortical sources of these EEG rhythms were estimated by sLORETA. The data showed that the theta and alpha 1 brain sources in the central, parietal and occipital regions displayed the pattern HY > TTC > HC (P < 0.01). However, the current density of the slow delta rhythm brain sources was significantly higher in HC than in TTC and HY (P < 0.05). The current density of the alpha 1 and alpha 2 rhythm cortical sources in the parietal and occipital cortices increased with an increase in TCC training experience, whereas the current density of the slow rhythm delta increased with an increase in age. Long-term TCC practice is related to cortical neural synchronization of alpha oscillations and the desynchronization of slow delta oscillations in the elderly and might delay physiologic aging effects on brain cognitive function.
Neuroprotective effects of N-acetylcysteine amide against oxidative injury in an aging model of organotypic hippocampal slice cultures
Authors: Kim Un Jeng , Lee Kyung Hee
Published: February 2022

Objectives

Oxidative stress produces neurotoxicity and has been associated with disorders of the nervous system. We observed the neuroprotective effects of N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA) against kainic acid (KA)-induced oxidative stress in aging organotypic hippocampal slice cultures (OHSCs).

Materials and methods

We used 6–8-day-old rats for long-term cultured OHSCs (9 w). Cultured slices were injured by KA (5 µM) treatment for 18 h. OHSCs were treated with NACA dose-dependently in a medium for 24 h after KA treatment. The effects of NACA treatment were observed with propidium iodide (PI) uptake, western blotting, and optical imaging.

Results

Neuronal cell death, as assessed by PI uptake, was dose-dependently reduced by NACA treatment. Western blot analysis revealed that the 1 mM NACA-treated group exhibited significantly increased expression of superoxide dismutase compared with the KA-only group. In addition, NACA activated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2-dependent anti-inflammation signaling, which is well known to affect reactive oxygen species. Optical imaging revealed that NACA treatment reduced the latency and increased amplitude of the optical signals, which shows that synaptic activity and strength are associated with neuronal survival.

Conclusion

Therefore, the neurons that survived due to the neuroprotective effects of NACA also showed enhanced functional activity in long-term cultured OHSCs using electrophysiological and biochemical assays.
Mesobacterium pallidum gen. nov., sp. nov., Heliomarina baculiformis gen. nov., sp. nov. and Oricola indica sp. nov., three novel Alphaproteobacteria members isolated from deep-sea water in the southwest Indian ridge
Authors: Kong Yan-Hui , Ren Wen-Ting , Xu Lin , Cheng Hong , Zhou Peng , Wang Chun-Sheng , Wu Yue-Hong , Xu Xue-Wei
Published: February 2022

Three Gram-staining-negative, aerobic and rod-shaped strains, designated as T40-1T, T40-3T and JL-62T, were isolated from the deep-sea water in the southwest Indian ridge. For strain T40-1T, growth occurred at 15–37 °C (optimum, 28 °C), pH 6.0–9.0 (optimum, pH 7.5) and in the presence of 0.5–5.0 % NaCl (w/v; optimum, 2.0 %). Strain T40-3T could grow at 15–40 °C (optimum, 28 °C), with 0.5–11.0 % NaCl (optimum, 2.0 %, w/v) at pH 6.0–9.5 (optimum, 8.0). The temperature, pH and salinity ranges for growth of strain JL-62T were 15–40 °C (optimum, 30 °C), pH 5.5–9.0 (optimum, pH 7.5–8.0) and 0.5–9.0 % NaCl (w/v; optimum, 4.0 %). Ubiquinone-10 was the sole ubiquinone in all strains, the major fatty acids (>20 %) were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1
 ω7c / C18 : 1
 ω6c). The major polar lipids of strains T40-1T and T40-3T were phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and diphosphatidylglycerol. Strain JL-62T contained phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol as major polar lipids. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene and core-genomic sequences revealed affiliation of strains T40-1Tand T40-3T to the family

Roseobacteraceae

and formed two independent clades from other

Roseobacteraceae

genera, and those two strains had average nucleotide identities of 62.0–72.0 % to their phylogenetically related species which fell into to the genus boundary range, indicating that they represent two novel genera. While strain JL-62T represents a novel species in the genus

Oricola

belonging to the family

Phyllobacteriaceae

, which was supported by overall genomic relatedness index calculations. The DNA G+C contents of strains T40-1T, T40-3T and JL-62T were 66.5, 60.1 and 62.1 mol %, respectively. Based on the polyphasic taxonomic data, strains T40-1T (=MCCC M24557T=KCTC 82975T) and T40-3T (=MCCC 1K05135T=KCTC 82976T) are classified as representing two novel genera belonging to the family

Roseobacteraceae

with the names Mesobacterium pallidum gen. nov., sp. nov. and Heliomarina baculiformis gen. nov., sp. nov. are proposed, and strain JL-62T (=MCCC M24579T=KCTC 82974T) is proposed to represent a novel species within the genus

Oricola

with the name Oricola indica sp. nov. is proposed.