bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of sleep quality on lapse to alcohol use during a quit attempt
Authors: Baskerville Wave-Ananda , Grodin Erica N , Ray Lara A
Published: February 2024

Aims

Sleep problems are common among individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and is often associated with a heightened relapse risk. The present study examines the relationship between sleep and alcohol use among individuals with current AUD during a 6-day quit attempt as part of a medication study.

Methods

The current study is a secondary analysis of a medication trial for individuals with AUD. Individuals with AUD (N = 53, 26 females) were randomized to active medication or matched placebo. Randomized participants completed a week-long medication titration (Days 1–7). Following the titration period, participants attended an in-person visit (Day 8) to begin a 6-day quit attempt. During the quit attempt, participants completed daily diary assessments to report on previous day alcohol consumption, sleep quality, and alcohol craving. In the present study, medication condition was controlled for in all models.

Results

Baseline global sleep quality was not a significant predictor of drinks per drinking day (P = 0.72) or percent days abstinent (P = 0.16) during the 6-day practice quit attempt. Daily diary analyses found that greater sleep quality was associated with higher next-day drinks per drinking day (b = 0.198, P = 0.029). In contrast, participants reported worse sleep quality following nights of greater alcohol intake, albeit at a trend-level (b = −0.12, P = 0.053).

Conclusions

These results suggest that better sleep quality was a risk factor for drinking during the 6-day quit period, such that better sleep may be associated with increased craving for alcohol and alcohol use the next day. These findings are limited to the early abstinence period and should be considered in studies exploring longer periods of abstinence.
“Somewhere listening for my name”: Black Queer Kinship and the Poetry of the HIV/AIDS Pandemic
Authors: Cran Rona
Published: February 2024

This essay is about poetry, publication, and intergenerational caretaking in the context of a mass death event—the HIV/AIDS pandemic. It reads the work of contemporary Black, queer American poets Danez Smith, Jericho Brown, and Pamela Sneed for their intertextual and interpersonal engagement with queer and of-color literary texts and voices (in particular, those of Essex Hemphill, Melvin Dixon, and Donald Woods) under threat of erasure by HIV/AIDS and its effects and aftermaths. In doing so, it argues that Smith, Brown, and Sneed enact in their writing a political, spiritual, and historical project of recuperation and republication, taking the term “republishing” to encompass varying forms of print, performance, allusion, thematic evocation, formal echoes, and citation. In examining the complex, varied, and cross-temporal processes of poetic and scholarly caretaking and kinship—and of publication, “depublication,” and republication—this essay shows that the imprinting of HIV/AIDS into countercanonical poetry offers a crucial, ongoing, and collective counterweight to prevailing assumptions and stereotypes about the virus and the disease it causes, as well as creating and sustaining alternative sites of memory, mourning, and meaning making.The implications of the kind of republishing that Smith, Brown, and Sneed gesture toward—this way of remembering and reminding others of lost texts and writers—are manifold, if complex and unavoidably constrained, and include new readerships; the preservation of stories, legacies, and knowledge; and the mitigation of Black queer literary losses as a result of HIV/AIDS.
Queer Studies Now; or, The (Political) Economy, Stupid
Authors: Stein Jordan Alexander
Published: February 2024

The 1990s witnessed the origin of a decades-long “discipline problem” in queer studies, a conflict between empirical and theoretical approaches, and the two monographs under review—lesbian and gay historian Marc Stein’s Queer Public History: Essays on Scholarly Activism and queer theorist Lee Edelman’s Bad Education: Why Queer Theory Teaches Us Nothing—might seem like excellent candidates to reprise it. However, this review argues that the place where lesbian and gay history and queer theory have now caught up with one another is a structural one. What’s changed since the 1990s is less our disciplines and more the political–economic conditions that sustain them.What unites these two works in a common project, however, is the way each betrays an investment in the possibility—one might say, the hope—of political and social change.
American Literary History in Pieces
Authors: Sinche Bryan
Published: February 2024

Daniel Diez Couch’s American Fragments offers a scholarly analysis of the fragment, a mainstay of American print culture in the early national period. In American Fragments, Couch argues that fragments were central to both American aesthetics and American political culture. Insisting that the fragment was an inclusive and progressive form that invited readers to consider the relationship between a part and the whole, Couch shows how fragments helped Americans understand themselves and their place in a democratic republic. Couch’s book is deeply researched, and it provides insightful readings of well-known texts like Hannah Fosters’s The Coquette, Charles Brockden Brown’s Edgar Huntly, and Washington Irving’s Sketch Book while also introducing readers to a host of poems and other shorter writings that appeared in newspapers, periodicals, and gift books throughout the early nineteenth century. The original research in American Fragments is engaging, and it is also emblematic of a new wave of scholarship enabled by the widespread digitization of books and newspapers in that it introduces so many new texts that are difficult to connect to existing timelines and canons. In this respect, Couch’s book also reveals the limitations of the monograph as a tool for revisioning our collective scholarly project.[R]ight now, the scholarship pushing us to reimagine our literary past is running ahead of the forms in which it might be published.
History in Oblivion
Authors: Yu Timothy
Published: February 2024

The new editions of Theresa Hak Kyung Cha’s Dictée and Exilée and Temps Morts from UC Press provide an opportunity for reflection on the texts’ histories. First published in 1982, just before Cha’s tragic murder, Dictée languished in obscurity until being rediscovered by Asian American critics in the 1990s. In the last few years, Dictée has gained increasing mainstream recognition, but that recognition has often been accompanied by criticism of academic scholars, who, despite their efforts in championing Cha’s work, are now viewed as gatekeepers who have avoided grappling with the facts of Cha’s life and death. Evidence that Cha’s life and work can be brought together emerges from the work of poets influenced by her, including Myung Mi Kim and Divya Victor, while the work collected in Exilée usefully places Cha’s writing in the larger context of her work as an artist. The best scholarly readings of Cha’s work, far from denying Cha’s embodiment, close the gap between word and body, following Cha’s own call to explore history “to the very flesh and bone, to the core.”[I]t is undoubtedly gratifying to see this new discovery of Cha by mainstream readers. But it’s a shame that literary scholars, who for 30 years have been her primary champions . . . are now being portrayed as gatekeepers.
Toward a Taxonomy of the Unpublished
Authors: Fagg John
Published: February 2024

Unpublished texts come in many forms: rejected submissions, lost manuscripts, unfinished, sometimes fabled, books. Our present moment, in which archival practices have made unpublished material widely accessible and the internet has frayed the binary un/published distinction, offers a perspective from which to view the unpublished within US literary history. Attending to the various circumstances in which writing went unpublished draws out the contingencies and inequities of publication and the transgressive allure of writing that, in one way or another, was not supposed to be read. F. Scott’s Fitzgerald’s lost short stories gain value from at first being rejected; Claude McKay’s novel was lost to the structural racism that thwarted the careers of mid–twentieth-century Black writers; and Eileen Myles’ various lost poems and notebooks suggest, perhaps, a casualization of attitudes toward getting work published. An awareness of the unpublished structures and illuminates our engagement with published writing.It is now possible to see the rigid un/published binary in its historical moment. . . . From this vantage, writers and practices that broke from that binary stand out, as do the time-bound value systems that reinforced it.
The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Symptom and Performance Validity Tests Among a Multiracial Sample Presenting for ADHD Evaluation
Authors: Gonzalez Christopher , Finley John-Christopher A , Khalid Elmma , Basurto Karen S , VanLandingham Hannah B , Frick Lauren A , Brooks Julia M , Ellison Rachael L , Ulrich Devin M , Soble Jason R , Resch Zachary J
Published: February 2024

Objective

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are commonly reported in individuals presenting for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) evaluation. Performance validity tests (PVTs) and symptom validity tests (SVTs) are essential to ADHD evaluations in young adults, but extant research suggests that those who report ACEs may be inaccurately classified as invalid on these measures. The current study aimed to assess the degree to which ACE exposure differentiated PVT and SVT performance and ADHD symptom reporting in a multi-racial sample of adults presenting for ADHD evaluation.

Method

This study included 170 adults referred for outpatient neuropsychological ADHD evaluation who completed the ACE Checklist and a neurocognitive battery that included multiple PVTs and SVTs. Analysis of variance was used to examine differences in PVT and SVT performance among those with high (≥4) and low (≤3) reported ACEs.

Results

Main effects of the ACE group were observed, such that high ACE group reporting demonstrated higher scores on SVTs assessing ADHD symptom over-reporting and infrequent psychiatric and somatic symptoms on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form. Conversely, no significant differences emerged in total PVT failures across ACE groups.

Conclusions

Those with high ACE exposure were more likely to have higher scores on SVTs assessing over-reporting and infrequent responses. In contrast, ACE exposure did not affect PVT performance. Thus, ACE exposure should be considered specifically when evaluating SVT performance in the context of ADHD evaluations, and more work is needed to understand factors that contribute to different patterns of symptom reporting as a function of ACE exposure.
Microbiologic Profile of Nipple Swab Culture and its Association With Postoperative Complications in Prosthetic Breast Reconstruction
Authors: Moon Yi-Jun , Chung Jae-Ho , Lee Hyung-Chul , Jung Seung-Pil , Yoon Eul-Sik
Published: February 2024

Background

In breast surgeries, a lactiferous duct leading to lactic glands of breast parenchyma allows direct contamination by normal bacterial flora of the nipple-areola complex. Complete blockage of nipple flora from the intraoperative field is almost impossible.

Objectives

We aimed to analyze the microbiological profile of nipple flora of breast cancer patients who underwent an implant-based immediate breast reconstruction after a total mastectomy, and to evaluate the association of nipple bacterial flora with postoperative complications.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed of patients who underwent an implant-based immediate breast reconstruction after a total mastectomy. A nipple swab culture was performed preoperatively. Patient demographics, surgical characteristics, and complications were compared between positive and negative nipple swab culture groups. Microbiological profile data including antibacterial resistance were collected.

Results

Among 128 breasts, 60 cases (46.9%) had positive preoperative nipple swab culture results. Staphylococcus epidermidis accounted for 41.4% of microorganisms isolated. A multivariate logistic regression analysis of postoperative complications revealed that the presence of nipple bacterial flora was a risk factor for capsular contracture. Seven cases of postoperative infection were analyzed. In 2 cases (40% of pathogen-proven infection), the causative pathogen matched the patient's nipple bacterial flora, which was methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis in both cases.

Conclusions

Nipple bacterial flora was associated with an increased risk of capsular contracture. Preoperative analysis of nipple bacterial flora can be an informative source for treating clinically diagnosed postoperative infections. More studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of active antibiotic decolonization of the nipple.

Level of Evidence: 3
Artificial Intelligence–Generated Social Media Content Creation and Management Strategies for Plastic Surgeons
Authors: Abi-Rafeh Jad , Cattelan Leila , Xu Hong Hao , Bassiri-Tehrani Brian , Kazan Roy , Nahai Foad
Published: February 2024

Background

Social media platforms have come to represent integral components of the professional marketing and advertising strategy for plastic surgeons. Effective and consistent content development, however, remains technically demanding and time consuming, prompting most to employ, at non-negligible costs, social media marketing specialists for content planning and development.

Objectives

In the present study, we aimed to investigate the ability of presently available artificial intelligence (AI) models to assist plastic surgeons in their social media content development and sharing plans.

Methods

An AI large language model was prompted on the study's objectives through a series of standardized user interactions. Social media platforms of interest, on which the AI model was prompted, included Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter).

Results

A 1-year, entirely AI-generated social media plan, comprising a total of 1091 posts for the 3 aforementioned social media platforms, is presented. Themes of the AI-generated content proposed for each platform were classified in 6 categories, including patient-related, practice-related, educational, “uplifting,” interactive, and promotional posts. Overall, 91 publicly recognized holidays and observant and awareness days were incorporated into the content calendars. The AI model demonstrated an ability to differentiate between the distinct formats of each of the 3 social media platforms investigated, generating unique ideas for each, and providing detailed content development and posting instructions, scripts, and post captions, leveraging features specific to each platform.

Conclusions

By providing detailed and actionable social media content creation and posting plans to plastic surgeons, presently available AI models can be readily leveraged to assist in and significantly alleviate the burden associated with social media account management, content generation, and potentially patient conversion.
VariantDetective: an accurate all-in-one pipeline for detecting consensus bacterial SNPs and SVs
Authors: Charron Philippe , Kang Mingsong
Published: February 2024

Motivation

Genomic variations comprise a spectrum of alterations, ranging from single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to large-scale structural variants (SVs), which play crucial roles in bacterial evolution and species diversification. Accurately identifying SNPs and SVs is beneficial for subsequent evolutionary and epidemiological studies. This study presents VariantDetective (VD), a novel, user-friendly, and all-in-one pipeline combining SNP and SV calling to generate consensus genomic variants using multiple tools.

Results

The VD pipeline accepts various file types as input to initiate SNP and/or SV calling, and benchmarking results demonstrate VD's robustness and high accuracy across multiple tested datasets when compared to existing variant calling approaches.

Availability and implementation

The source code, test data, and relevant information for VD are freely accessible at https://github.com/OLF-Bioinformatics/VariantDetective under the MIT License.
T-S2Inet: Transformer-based sequence-to-image network for accurate nanopore sequence recognition
Authors: Guan Xiaoyu , Shao Wei , Zhang Daoqiang
Published: February 2024

Motivation

Nanopore sequencing is a new macromolecular recognition and perception technology that enables high-throughput sequencing of DNA, RNA, even protein molecules. The sequences generated by nanopore sequencing span a large time frame, and the labor and time costs incurred by traditional analysis methods are substantial. Recently, research on nanopore data analysis using machine learning algorithms has gained unceasing momentum, but there is often a significant gap between traditional and deep learning methods in terms of classification results. To analyze nanopore data using deep learning technologies, measures such as sequence completion and sequence transformation can be employed. However, these technologies do not preserve the local features of the sequences. To address this issue, we propose a sequence-to-image (S2I) module that transforms sequences of unequal length into images. Additionally, we propose the Transformer-based T-S2Inet model to capture the important information and improve the classification accuracy.

Results

Quantitative and qualitative analysis shows that the experimental results have an improvement of around 2% in accuracy compared to previous methods. The proposed method is adaptable to other nanopore platforms, such as the Oxford nanopore. It is worth noting that the proposed method not only aims to achieve the most advanced performance, but also provides a general idea for the analysis of nanopore sequences of unequal length.

Availability and implementation

The main program is available at https://github.com/guanxiaoyu11/S2Inet.
Randomized phase II selection design with order constrained strata
Authors: Chen Yi , Yu Menggang
Published: February 2024

The exploratory nature of phase II trials makes it quite common to include heterogeneous patient subgroups with different prognoses in the same trial. Incorporating such patient heterogeneity or stratification into statistical calculation for sample size can improve efficiency and reduce sample sizes in single-arm phase II trials with binary outcomes. However, such consideration is lacking in randomized phase II trials. In this paper, we propose methods that can utilize some natural order constraints that may exist in stratified population to gain statistical efficiency for randomized phase II designs. For thoroughness and simplicity, we focus on the randomized phase II selection designs in this paper, although our method can be easily generalized to the randomized phase II screening designs. We consider both binary and time-to-event outcomes in our development. Compared with methods that do not use order constraints, our method is shown to improve the probabilities of correct selection or reduce sample size in our simulation and real examples.
Quantifying the HIV reservoir with dilution assays and deep viral sequencing
Authors: Lotspeich Sarah C , Richardson Brian D , Baldoni Pedro L , Enders Kimberly P , Hudgens Michael G
Published: February 2024

People living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy often have undetectable virus levels by standard assays, but “latent” HIV still persists in viral reservoirs. Eliminating these reservoirs is the goal of HIV cure research. The quantitative viral outgrowth assay (QVOA) is commonly used to estimate the reservoir size, that is, the infectious units per million (IUPM) of HIV-persistent resting CD4+ T cells. A new variation of the QVOA, the ultra deep sequencing assay of the outgrowth virus (UDSA), was recently developed that further quantifies the number of viral lineages within a subset of infected wells. Performing the UDSA on a subset of wells provides additional information that can improve IUPM estimation. This paper considers statistical inference about the IUPM from combined dilution assay (QVOA) and deep viral sequencing (UDSA) data, even when some deep sequencing data are missing. Methods are proposed to accommodate assays with wells sequenced at multiple dilution levels and with imperfect sensitivity and specificity, and a novel bias-corrected estimator is included for small samples. The proposed methods are evaluated in a simulation study, applied to data from the University of North Carolina HIV Cure Center, and implemented in the open-source R package SLDeepAssay.
Cancer type and histology influence cutaneous immunotherapy toxicities: a multi-institutional cohort study
Authors: Wan Guihong , Khattab Sara , Leung Bonnie W , Zhang Shijia , Nguyen Nga , Tran Matthew , Lin Chuck , Chang Crystal , Alexander Nora , Jairath Ruple , Phillipps Jordan , Tang Kimberly , Rajeh Ahmad , Zubiri Leyre , Chen Steven T , Demehri Shadmehr , Yu Kun-Hsing , Gusev Alexander , Kwatra Shawn G , LeBoeuf Nicole R , Reynolds Kerry L , Semenov Yevgeniy R
Published: February 2024

Background

Cutaneous immune-related adverse events (cirAEs) are the most common toxicities to occur in the setting of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. Identifying patients who are at increased risk of developing cirAEs may improve quality of life and outcomes.

Objectives

To investigate the influence of cancer type and histology on the development of cirAEs in the setting of ICI therapy and survival outcomes.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included patients recruited between 1 December 2011 and 30 October 2020. They received ICI from 2011 to 2020 with follow-up of outcomes through October 2021. We identified 3668 recipients of ICI therapy who were seen at Massachusetts General Brigham and Dana-Farber. Of these, 669 developed cirAEs. Records that were incomplete or categories of insufficient sample size were excluded from the study cohort. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to investigate the impact of cancer organ system and histology on cirAE development, after adjusting for demographics, Charlson Comorbidity Index, ICI type, cancer stage at ICI initiation, and year of ICI initiation. Time-varying Cox proportional hazards modelling was used to examine the impact of cirAE development on mortality.

Results

Compared with other nonepithelial cancers (neuroendocrine, leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma, sarcoma and central nervous system malignancies), cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma [cSCC; hazard ratio (HR) 3.57, P < 0.001], melanoma (HR 2.09, P < 0.001), head and neck adenocarcinoma (HR 2.13, P = 0.009), genitourinary transitional cell carcinoma (HR 2.15, P < 0.001) and genitourinary adenocarcinoma (HR 1.53, P = 0.037) were at significantly higher risk of cirAEs in multivariate analyses. The increased risk of cirAEs translated into an adjusted survival benefit for melanoma (HR 0.37, P < 0.001) and cSCC (HR 0.51, P = 0.011).

Conclusions

The highest rate of cirAEs and subsequent survival benefits were observed in cutaneous malignancies treated with ICI therapies. This study improves our understanding of patients who are at highest risk of developing cirAEs and would, therefore, benefit from appropriate counselling and closer monitoring by their oncologists and dermatologists throughout their ICI therapy. Limitations include its retrospective nature and cohort from one geography.
Feasibility of daily pain measurement using text messages in hidradenitis suppurativa clinical trials; data from the THESEUS study
Authors: Hasan Samar B , Bates Janine , Cannings-John Rebecca , Collier Fiona , Evans Judith , Gibbons Angela , Harris Ceri , Howells Laura , Hood Kerenza , Howes Rachel , Leighton Paul , Riaz Muhammad , Rodrigues Jeremy , Stanton Helen , Thomas Kim S , Thomas-Jones Emma , Ingram John R
Published: February 2024

Treatment of Hidradenitis Suppurativa Evaluation Study (THESEUS) was an observational study involving 10 centres in the UK and one of its objectives was to optimize the outcome measure instruments for use in future hidradenitis suppurativa trials. Part of the study included sending daily text messages to patients for 12 weeks once the intervention had been started. Our study showed that the response rates to the text messages were 70%, 60%, 55% and 20% after 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks, respectively.
Biallelic variants in SNUPN cause a limb girdle muscular dystrophy with myofibrillar-like features
Authors: Iruzubieta Pablo , Damborenea Alberto , Ioghen Mihaela , Bajew Simon , Fernandez-Torrón Roberto , Töpf Ana , Herrero-Reiriz Álvaro , Epure Diana , Vill Katharina , Hernández-Laín Aurelio , Manterola María , Azkargorta Mikel , Pikatza-Menoio Oihane , Pérez-Fernandez Laura , García-Puga Mikel , Gaina Gisela , Bastian Alexandra , Streata Ioana , Walter Maggie C , Müller-Felber Wolfgang , Thiele Simone , Moragón Saioa , Bastida-Lertxundi Nerea , López-Cortajarena Aitziber , Elortza Felix , Gereñu Gorka , Alonso-Martin Sonia , Straub Volker , de Sancho David , Teleanu Raluca , López de Munain Adolfo , Blázquez Lorea
Published: February 2024

Alterations in RNA-splicing are a molecular hallmark of several neurological diseases, including muscular dystrophies, where mutations in genes involved in RNA metabolism or characterized by alterations in RNA splicing have been described. Here, we present five patients from two unrelated families with a limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) phenotype carrying a biallelic variant in SNUPN gene.

Snurportin-1, the protein encoded by SNUPN, plays an important role in the nuclear transport of small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs), essential components of the spliceosome. We combine deep phenotyping, including clinical features, histopathology and muscle MRI, with functional studies in patient-derived cells and muscle biopsies to demonstrate that variants in SNUPN are the cause of a new type of LGMD according to current definition. Moreover, an in vivo model in Drosophila melanogaster further supports the relevance of Snurportin-1 in muscle.

SNUPN patients show a similar phenotype characterized by proximal weakness starting in childhood, restrictive respiratory dysfunction and prominent contractures, although inter-individual variability in terms of severity even in individuals from the same family was found. Muscle biopsy showed myofibrillar-like features consisting of myotilin deposits and Z-disc disorganization. MRI showed predominant impairment of paravertebral, vasti, sartorius, gracilis, peroneal and medial gastrocnemius muscles. Conservation and structural analyses of Snurportin-1 p.Ile309Ser variant suggest an effect in nuclear-cytosol snRNP trafficking. In patient-derived fibroblasts and muscle, cytoplasmic accumulation of snRNP components is observed, while total expression of Snurportin-1 and snRNPs remains unchanged, which demonstrates a functional impact of SNUPN variant in snRNP metabolism. Furthermore, RNA-splicing analysis in patients’ muscle showed widespread splicing deregulation, in particular in genes relevant for muscle development and splicing factors that participate in the early steps of spliceosome assembly.

In conclusion, we report that SNUPN variants are a new cause of limb girdle muscular dystrophy with specific clinical, histopathological and imaging features, supporting SNUPN as a new gene to be included in genetic testing of myopathies. These results further support the relevance of splicing-related proteins in muscle disorders.
Distinct functional subnetworks of cognitive domains in older adults with minor cognitive deficits
Authors: Drenth Nadieh , van Dijk Suzanne E , Foster-Dingley Jessica C , Bertens Anne Suzanne , Rius Ottenheim Nathaly , van der Mast Roos C , Rombouts Serge A R B , van Rooden Sanneke , van der Grond Jeroen
Published: February 2024

Although past research has established a relationship between functional connectivity and cognitive function, less is known about which cognitive domains are associated with which specific functional networks. This study investigated associations between functional connectivity and global cognitive function and performance in the domains of memory, executive function and psychomotor speed in 166 older adults aged 75–91 years (mean = 80.3 ± 3.8) with minor cognitive deficits (Mini-Mental State Examination scores between 21 and 27). Functional connectivity was assessed within 10 standard large-scale resting-state networks and on a finer spatial resolution between 300 nodes in a functional connectivity matrix. No domain-specific associations with mean functional connectivity within large-scale resting-state networks were found. Node-level analysis revealed that associations between functional connectivity and cognitive performance differed across cognitive functions in strength, location and direction. Specific subnetworks of functional connections were found for each cognitive domain in which higher connectivity between some nodes but lower connectivity between other nodes were related to better cognitive performance. Our findings add to a growing body of literature showing differential sensitivity of functional connections to specific cognitive functions and may be a valuable resource for hypothesis generation of future studies aiming to investigate specific cognitive dysfunction with resting-state functional connectivity in people with beginning cognitive deficits.
Synthesis, structural analysis, and gas-adsorption properties of a dibenzothiophene-based hydroxamate/zinc metal-organic framework
Authors: Sugamata Koh , Kobayashi Sho , Shirai Akihiro , Amanokura Natsuki , Minoura Mao
Published: February 2024

We report the mixed-ligand synthesis of a novel hydroxamate/zinc metal-organic framework (MOF) with a dibenzothiophene scaffold. The reaction of dibenzothiophene-3,7-dicarbohydroxamic acid, isonicotinic acid, and zinc nitrate under solvothermal conditions afforded a porous hydroxamate/zinc MOF. The structure and gas-adsorption properties toward N2, H2, CO2, and CH4 of the hydroxamate/zinc MOF were investigated.
A superclinic model for tackling skin cancer referrals
Authors: Mann Nina , Cunliffe Amy , Levell Nick J , Bleiker Tanya O
Published: February 2024

Dermatology services in the UK are under pressure, with increasing numbers of potential skin cancer referrals and limited staffing. New models of care are being explored to maximize the efficient use of existing staff. We report the use of a superclinic (SC), which has aimed to improve efficiency of service delivery for patients with suspected skin cancer at a university hospital. The benefit of an SC model allows trainees to see a higher number of lesions and the focus is not only on increasing capacity, but also on education for juniors. The SC has been an efficient way of reviewing high numbers of patients to try to match the increasing demand.
Auditory training remodels hippocampus-related memory in adult rats
Authors: Jia Guoqiang , Sun Yutian , An Pengying , Wu Weiwei , Shen Yang , Liu Hui , Shan Ye , Wang Jie , Lai Cora Sau Wan , Schreiner Christoph E , He Hua , Zhou Xiaoming
Published: February 2024

Consequences of perceptual training, such as improvements in discriminative ability, are highly stimulus and task specific. Therefore, most studies on auditory training-induced plasticity in adult brain have focused on the sensory aspects, particularly on functional and structural effects in the auditory cortex. Auditory training often involves, other than auditory demands, significant cognitive components. Yet, how auditory training affects cognition-related brain regions, such as the hippocampus, remains unclear. Here, we found in female rats that auditory cue-based go/no-go training significantly improved the memory-guided behaviors associated with hippocampus. The long-term potentiations of the trained rats recorded in vivo in the hippocampus were also enhanced compared with the naïve rats. In parallel, the phosphorylation level of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and the expression of parvalbumin-positive interneurons in the hippocampus were both upregulated. These findings demonstrate that auditory training substantially remodels the processing and function of brain regions beyond the auditory system, which are associated with task demands.
Toe stimulation improves tactile perception of the genitals
Authors: Liang Xuesong , Lin Jiahui , Zhou Peng , Fu Wenbin , Xu Nenggui , Liu Jianhua
Published: February 2024

The human body is represented in a topographic pattern in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), and genital representation is displaced below the toe representation. However, the relationship between the representation of the genitals and toe in S1 remains unclear. In this study, tactile stimulation was applied to the big toe in healthy subjects to observe changes in tactile acuity in the unstimulated genital area, abdomen, and metacarpal dorsal. Then tactile stimulation was applied to the right abdomen and metacarpal dorsal to observe changes in tactile acuity in bilateral genitals. The results revealed that tactile stimulation of the big toe led to a reduction in the 2-point discrimination threshold (2PDT) not only in the stimulated big toe but also in the bilateral unstimulated genitals, whereas the bilateral abdomen and metacarpal dorsal threshold remained unchanged. On the other hand, tactile stimulation of the abdomen and metacarpal dorsal did not elicit 2-point discrimination threshold changes in the bilateral genitals. Cortical and subcortical mechanisms have been proposed to account for the findings. One explanation involves the intracortical interaction between 2 adjacent representations. Another possible explanation is that the information content of a specific body part is broadly distributed across the S1. Moreover, exploring the links between human behaviors and changes in the cerebral cortex is of significant importance.
Characterization of glomerular basement membrane components within pediatric glomerular diseases
Authors: Chen Dan , Zhou Xindi , Gan Chun , Yang Qing , Chen Wanbing , Feng Xiaoqian , Zhang Tao , Zhang Li , Dai Lujun , Chen Yaxi , Yang Haiping , Wang Mo , Jiang Wei , Li Qiu
Published: February 2024

Background

Disruptions in gene expression associated with the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) could precipitate glomerular dysfunction. Nevertheless, a comprehensive understanding of the characterization of GBM components within pediatric glomerular diseases and their potential association with glomerular function necessitates further systematic investigation.

Methods

We conducted a systematic analysis focusing on the pathological transformations and molecular attributes of key constituents within the GBM, specifically Collagen IV α3α4α5, Laminin α5β2γ1, and Integrin α3β1, across prevalent pediatric glomerular diseases.

Results

We observed upregulation of linear expression levels of COL4A3/4/5 and Laminin 5α proteins, along with a partial reduction in the linear structural expression of Podocin in idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS), encompassing minimal change disease (MCD) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), but showing a reduction in IgA nephropathy (IgAN), IgA vasculitis nephritis (IgAVN) and lupus nephritis (LN). Furthermore, our study revealed reductions in Laminin β2γ1 and Integrin α3β1 in both primary and secondary childhood glomerular diseases.

Conclusion

In INS, notably MCD and FSGS, there is a notable increase in the linear expression levels of COL4A3/4/5 and Laminin 5α proteins. In contrast, in IgAN, IgAVN, and LN, there is a consistent reduction in the expression of these markers. Furthermore, the persistent reduction of Laminin β2γ1 and Integrin α3β1 in both primary and secondary childhood glomerular diseases suggests a shared characteristic of structural alterations within the GBM across these conditions.
Worst-Case Analysis of Heapsort, Exactly
Authors: Suchenek Marek A
Published: February 2024

This paper completes analysis of the worst-case running time of $ {\tt{Heapsort}}$ measured by the number of comparisons of keys performed while sorting. A derivation of an exact formula for the maximum number of comparisons of keys performed by $ {\tt{Heapsort}} $ on any array of size $ N \geq 2 $ is presented. It is equal to $$ \begin{align}& \nonumber 2(N-1)\lceil \lg N \rceil - 2 ^{\lceil \lg N \rceil +1} - 2 s_2(N) - e_2(N) + \min (\lceil \lg N \rceil, 3) + 5 + c, \end{align} $$ where $s_2(N)$ is the sum of digits of the binary representation of $N$, $e_2(N)$ is the exponent of $2$ in the $N$’s prime factorization and $ c $ is a binary function on the set of positive integers defined by $$ \begin{align}& \nonumber c = \left\{ \begin{array}{@{}ll} 1 \text{ if} \; N \leq 2 ^{\lceil \lg N \rceil} - 4 \\[4pt] 0 \text{ otherwise}. \end{array} \right. \end{align} $$ The above formula allows for deciding, in $ O(N \log N) $ time, if any given $ N $-element array is a worst-case array for $ {\tt{Heapsort}} $. Its proof yields an algorithm for construction, in $ O(N \log N) $ time, of worst-case arrays of arbitrary sizes $ N \geq 2 $ for $ {\tt{Heapsort}} $.
The role of endoplasmic reticulum–mitochondria-associated membranes in diabetic kidney disease
Authors: Elwakiel Ahmed , Mathew Akash , Isermann Berend
Published: February 2024

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide. The pathomechanisms of DKD are multifactorial, yet haemodynamic and metabolic changes in the early stages of the disease appear to predispose towards irreversible functional loss and histopathological changes. Recent studies highlight the importance of endoplasmic reticulum–mitochondria-associated membranes (ER-MAMs), structures conveying important cellular homeostatic and metabolic effects, in the pathology of DKD. Disruption of ER-MAM integrity in diabetic kidneys is associated with DKD progression, but the regulation of ER-MAMs and their pathogenic contribution remain largely unknown. Exploring the cell-specific components and dynamic changes of ER-MAMs in diabetic kidneys may lead to the identification of new approaches to detect and stratify diabetic patients with DKD. In addition, these insights may lead to novel therapeutic approaches to target and/or reverse disease progression. In this review, we discuss the association of ER-MAMs with key pathomechanisms driving DKD such as insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia, ER stress, and inflammasome activation and the importance of further exploration of ER-MAMs as diagnostic and therapeutic targets in DKD.
The genome of a globally invasive passerine, the common myna, Acridotheres tristis
Authors: Stuart Katarina C , Johnson Rebecca N , Major Richard E , Atsawawaranunt Kamolphat , Ewart Kyle M , Rollins Lee A , Santure Anna W , Whibley Annabel
Published: February 2024

In an era of global climate change, biodiversity conservation is receiving increased attention. Conservation efforts are greatly aided by genetic tools and approaches, which seek to understand patterns of genetic diversity and how they impact species health and their ability to persist under future climate regimes. Invasive species offer vital model systems in which to investigate questions regarding adaptive potential, with a particular focus on how changes in genetic diversity and effective population size interact with novel selection regimes. The common myna (Acridotheres tristis) is a globally invasive passerine and is an excellent model species for research both into the persistence of low-diversity populations and the mechanisms of biological invasion. To underpin research on the invasion genetics of this species, we present the genome assembly of the common myna. We describe the genomic landscape of this species, including genome wide allelic diversity, methylation, repeats, and recombination rate, as well as an examination of gene family evolution. Finally, we use demographic analysis to identify that some native regions underwent a dramatic population increase between the two most recent periods of glaciation, and reveal artefactual impacts of genetic bottlenecks on demographic analysis.
Current aspects in the management of esophageal trauma: a systematic review and proportional meta-analysis
Authors: Papaconstantinou Dimitrios , Kapetanakis Emmanouil I , Mylonakis Adam , Davakis Spyridon , Kotidis Efstathios , Tagkalos Evangelos , Rouvelas Ioannis , Schizas Dimitrios
Published: February 2024

Trauma-related esophageal injuries (TEIs) are a rare but highly lethal condition. The presentation of TEIs is very diverse depending on the location and mechanism of injury (blunt vs. penetrating), as well as the presence or absence of concurrent injuries. The aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis is to delineate the clinical features impacting TEI management. A systematic review of the Medline, Embase, and web of science databases was undertaken for studies reporting on patients with TEIs. A random effects model was employed in the meta-analysis of aggregated data. Eleven studies, incorporating 4605 patients, were included, with a pooled mortality rate of 19% (95% confidence interval (CI) 13–25%). Penetrating injuries were 34% more likely to occur (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.49–0.89, P = 0.01), predominantly in the neck compartment. Surgery was employed in 53% of cases (95% CI 32–73%), with 68% of patients having associated injuries (95% CI 43–94%). In terms of choice of surgical repair technique, primary suture repair was most frequently reported, irrespective of injury location. Postoperative drainage was employed in 27% of the cases and was more common following repair of thoracic esophageal injuries. The estimated dependence on mechanical ventilation was 5.91 days (95% CI 5.1–6.72 days), while the length of stay in the intensive care unit averaged 7.89 days (95% CI 7.14–8.65 days). TEIs are uncommon injuries in trauma patients, associated with considerable mortality and morbidity. Open suture repair of ensuing esophageal defects is by large the most employed approach, while stenting may be indicated in carefully selected cases.
Randomized controlled trial of nasogastric tube use after esophagectomy: study protocol for the kinetic trial
Authors: Hedberg Jakob , Sundbom Magnus , Edholm David , Aahlin Eirik Kjus , Szabo Eva , Lindberg Fredrik , Johnsen Gjermund , Førland Dag Tidemann , Johansson Jan , Kauppila Joonas H , Svendsen Lars Bo , Nilsson Magnus , Lindblad Mats , Lagergren Pernilla , Larsen Michael Hareskov , Åkesson Oscar , Löfdahl Per , Mala Tom , Achiam Michael Patrick
Published: February 2024

Esophagectomy is a complex and complication laden procedure. Despite centralization, variations in perioparative strategies reflect a paucity of evidence regarding optimal routines. The use of nasogastric (NG) tubes post esophagectomy is typically associated with significant discomfort for the patients. We hypothesize that immediate postoperative removal of the NG tube is non-inferior to current routines. All Nordic Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer centers were invited to participate in this open-label pragmatic randomized controlled trial (RCT). Inclusion criteria include resection for locally advanced esophageal cancer with gastric tube reconstruction. A pretrial survey was undertaken and was the foundation for a consensus process resulting in the Kinetic trial, an RCT allocating patients to either no use of a NG tube (intervention) or 5 days of postoperative NG tube use (control) with anastomotic leakage as primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints include pulmonary complications, overall complications, length of stay, health related quality of life. A sample size of 450 patients is planned (Kinetic trial: https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN39935085). Thirteen Nordic centers with a combined catchment area of 17 million inhabitants have entered the trial and ethical approval was granted in Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark. All centers routinely use NG tube and all but one center use total or hybrid minimally invasive-surgical approach. Inclusion began in January 2022 and the first annual safety board assessment has deemed the trial safe and recommended continuation. We have launched the first adequately powered multi-center pragmatic controlled randomized clinical trial regarding NG tube use after esophagectomy with gastric conduit reconstruction.
Peripheral Joint and Enthesis Involvement in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Symptoms, and Clinical and Ultrasound Findings – A Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Vladimirova Nora , Terslev Lene , Attauabi Mohamed , Madsen Gorm , Fana Viktoria , Wiell Charlotte , Døhn Uffe Møller , Bendtsen Flemming , Seidelin Jakob , Burisch Johan , Østergaard Mikkel
Published: February 2024

Objectives

Musculoskeletal [MSK] manifestations in patients with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] are common and associated with poorer outcomes. Hence, early detection is important to optimally tailor treatment. We aimed to determine the prevalence and distribution of inflammatory lesions in peripheral joints and entheses in newly diagnosed IBD patients.

Design

Patients with newly diagnosed IBD from a prospective population-based inception cohort were consecutively included. Data on MSK symptoms were collected by questionnaires and by structured rheumatological interview. Peripheral joints and entheses were assessed clinically and by ultrasound [US], using standardized definitions.

Results

Of 110 included patients (mean age: 42 years, 40% male, 70 with ulcerative colitis [UC], 40 with Crohn’s disease [CD]), a history of ≥1 peripheral musculoskeletal symptom was reported by 49%. Clinical examination revealed peripheral MSK manifestations in 56 [52.3%] patients; 29 [27.1%] had ≥1 tender and/or swollen joints and 49 [45.8%] ≥1 tender entheses. Small peripheral joints were predominantly affected. US found inflammation in ≥1 joint or enthesis in 52 [49.5 %] patients; 29 [27.4 %] had US synovitis in ≥1 joint, while 36 [34%] had US enthesitis. Fibromyalgia classification criteria were fulfilled in seven [7.9%] patients. There was no difference in clinical or US findings between patients with UC and CD, nor between patients with active and inactive IBD.

Conclusion

Half of the patients with newly diagnosed IBD had inflammation in their peripheral joints and/or entheses, documented by rheumatological clinical and US evaluations. This indicates a need for multidisciplinary collaboration to ensure an optimal therapeutic strategy for suppressing inflammation in all disease domains.