bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhanced photochemical activity and ultrafast photocarrier dynamics in sustainable synthetic melanin nanoparticle-based donor–acceptor inkjet-printed molecular junctions
Authors: DeMarco Max , Ballard Matthew , Grage Elinor , Nourigheimasi Farnoush , Getter Lillian , Shafiee Ashkan , Ghadiri Elham
Published: August 2023

Melanin–TiO2 nanostructured molecular junctions with enhanced photochemical dynamics for optoelectronic and bioelectronic applications.
An orthogonal O,S-CKA monomer for the introduction of thioester and/or thionoester functionalities by radical polymerization
Authors: Pięta Marlena , Purohit Vishal B. , Paneth Piotr , Pietrasik Joanna , Li Le , Plummer Christopher M.
Published: August 2023

The introduction of thioester linkages into the backbone of free-radical polymerization-produced polymers has received recently renewed interest due to their use in preparing (bio)degradable polymers.
Exploring the effects of glyco-copolymer architectures on the solution self-assembly of amphiphilic thermoresponsive linear, star, and cyclic polymers
Authors: Ozawa Naoki , Lee Ji Ha , Akiba Isamu , Nishimura Tomoki
Published: August 2023

Despite the comparable ratios of the hydrophilic segment to the total mass of the polymers, the changes in polymer architecture lead to the formation of different nanostructures.
Benzophenones-natural metabolites with great Hopes in drug discovery: structures, occurrence, bioactivities, and biosynthesis
Authors: Ibrahim Sabrin R. M. , Fahad ALsiyud Duaa , Alfaeq Abdulrahman Y. , Mohamed Shaimaa G. A. , Mohamed Gamal A.
Published: August 2023

Fungi have protruded with enormous development in the repository of drug discovery, making them some of the most attractive sources for the synthesis of bio-significant and structural novel metabolites.
Achieving above 24% efficiency with non-toxic CsSnI3 perovskite solar cells by harnessing the potential of the absorber and charge transport layers
Authors: Hossain M. Khalid , Uddin M. Shihab , Toki G. F. Ishraque , Mohammed Mustafa K. A. , Pandey Rahul , Madan Jaya , Rahman Md. Ferdous , Islam Md. Rasidul , Bhattarai Sagar , Bencherif H. , Samajdar D. P. , Amami Mongi , Dwivedi D. K.
Published: August 2023

This study employs theoretical simulations to identify ways to improve the efficiency of CsSnI3-based perovskite solar cells with PCBM ETL. The optimized device with CFTS HTL with a structure of ITO/PCBM/CsSnI3/CFTS/Se shows the highest PCE of 24.73%.
Double cross-linked transparent superhydrophilic coating capable of anti-fogging even after abrasion and boiling
Authors: Liu Xingyu , Xu Lili , Zhao Shuaisheng , Hua Haoxuan , Su Yifan , Yu Xinquan , Wang Jinlei , Li Gang , Zhang Youfa
Published: August 2023

A tailored design strategy is used to yield a double cross-linked organic–inorganic hybrid superhydrophilic coating, achieving excellent anti-fogging and durability properties.
Mitochondria-targeting nanozyme alleviating temporomandibular joint pain by inhibiting the TNFα/NF-κB/NEAT1 pathway
Authors: Bai Qian , Zhou Yaoyao , Cui Xiaona , Si Haichao , Wu Tingting , Nasir Abdul , Ma Heng , Xing Junyue , Wang Yingying , Cheng Xiaolei , Liu Xiaojun , Qi Shaoyan , Li Zhisong , Tang Hao
Published: August 2023

Mitochondria-targeting MOF-based nanozyme alleviating temporomandibular joint pain by inhibiting the TNFα/NF-κB/NEAT1 pathway based on oxidative stress regulation.
Nitrogen defects and porous self-supporting structure carbon nitride for visible light hydrogen evolution
Authors: Han Jun , Wu Fangzhou , wang Zhongwei , Chen Xiyu , Hu De , Yu Feng , Gao Yan , Dai Bin , Wang Wei
Published: August 2023

Porous self-supporting carbon nitride with nitrogen defects not only optimizes the surface electronic structure of a catalyst but also provides an abundance of reactive sites for the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction.
ARDA‐UNIT recurrent dense self‐attention block with adaptive feature fusion for unpaired (unsupervised) image‐to‐image translation
Authors: Ghombavani Farzane Maghsoudi , Fadaeieslam Mohammad Javad , Yaghmaee Farzin
Published: August 2023

One of the most challenging topics in artificial intelligence is image‐to‐image translation, the purpose of which is generating images close to those in the target domain while preserving the important features of the images in the source domain. In this direction, various types of generative adversarial networks have been developed. ARDA‐UNIT, presented in this paper, seeks to meet the main challenges of these networks, that is, producing a high‐quality image in a reasonable amount of time, and transferring content between two images with different structures. The proposed recurrent dense self‐attention block, applied in ARDA‐UNIT's generator latent space, simultaneously increases its generating capability and decreases the training parameters. ARDA‐UNIT has a feature extraction module which feeds both the generator and the discriminator. This module uses a new adaptive feature fusion method which combines multi‐scale features in such a way that the characteristics of each scale are preserved. The module also uses a pre‐trained CNN that reduces the training parameters. Moreover, a feature similarity loss is introduced that guides the model to change the structure of the source domain in accordance with that in the target domain. Experiments performed on different datasets using FID, KID and IS evaluation criteria have shown that the model reduces computational loads, transfers structures well, and achieves better qualities.
Recovery performance improvement of image compressive sensing using complex‐valued Vandermonde matrix
Authors: Qiu Weiwei , Xue Linlin , Wang Zhongpeng
Published: August 2023

Here, a novel image‐based quantized compressive sensing (QCS) framework based on complex‐valued Vandermonde (Vander) matrix is proposed. In the proposed QCS framework, a discrete wavelet transform (DWT) serves as a sparse basis and a partial complex‐valued Vander matrix serves as a measurement matrix. The theoretical analysis based on mutual coherence metric of compressive sensing (CS) theory shows that the proposed Vander measurement matrix has the best reconstruction performance among other conventional measurement matrices. The simulation results also show that the recovery quality using the proposed measurement matrix can be greatly improved compared with the other existing real‐valued measurement matrices. In particular, the experiment results also show that under the same measurement matrix, the reconstruction performance of Smoothed l0 norm (SL0) algorithm is better than that of Orthogonal Matching Pursuit (OMP) algorithm, sparsity adaptive matching pursuit (SAMP) algorithm and approximate message passing (AMP) algorithm. In addition, a sparse measurement matrix scheme is further proposed to achieve a trade‐off between recovery performance and computational complexity. The theoretical analysis and simulation results both show the proposed image‐based QCS is efficient.
Telemedizin in der Rheumatologie
Authors: Krusche Martin , Xiong Tingting
Published: August 2023

Durch den wachsenden Einzug der Digitalisierung ergeben sich auch für die
Medizin neue Anwendungsmöglichkeiten und Herausforderungen. Die
COVID-19-Pandemie hat diese Entwicklung weiter verstärkt und dabei das
Themenfeld der Telemedizin zunehmend in den Fokus gerückt. Auch in der
Rheumatologie ergeben sich durch den Einsatz der Telemedizin neue
Einsatzmöglichkeiten sowohl im Bereich der Diagnostik als auch der
Therapieüberwachung und -steuerung. Konkret kommt vor allem der Video-
und Telefonsprechstunde, digitalen Applikationen (Gesundheitsapps) und Wearables
eine Bedeutung zu.
Epidemiological Profile of Neonates in Hearing Screening at a Maternity of a Tertiary Hospital in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil
Authors: Diego Gimenes Lopes Juan , Disconzi Dallegrave Carolina , Hellmann Delfino Nadine , Lauxen Rúbia , Marcelino Taise , Eduardo Monteiro Zappelini Carlos
Published: August 2023

Introduction The newborn hearing screening (NHS) test aims the early diagnostic of hearing deficits that may also harm the full development of communication and learning of the affected child.

Objective Trace the clinical and epidemiological profile of children born between July 2016 and July 2019; in addition to the outcome of the NHSs and factors related to failure in the hearing tests at a maternity of a tertiary hospital in Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Methods The present is a cross-sectional study. A census of those born in the period defined for study was performed and a script was developed for the review of medical records, based on the literature.

Results The sample can be considered homogeneous in relation to gender and age. The pregnant women had an average of 30.9 years. There were 30 neonates (1.9%) that did not undergo NHS. New evaluations were required in 288 patients (18.2%). Finally, 24 (1.5% of the population) remained with insufficient results in the retest. The following variables achieved statistical relevance with higher failure rates in tests and/or retests: natural delivery (p = 0.007), arterial hypertension present (p = 0.002), use of hydralazine (p = 0.038), and use of dipyrone in the test (p = 0.041) and retest (p = 0.003). Younger mothers had higher levels of normality in the test (p = 0.003) and retest (p = 0.161). The correlations between the other variables and the outcomes were not statistically significant.

Conclusion False positives (62.8%) in the first test showed a value higher than the ideal goal; those who did not undergo the NHS (1.9%) and who needed evaluation by a specialist, due to failure in the retest (1.5%), are within the quality goals defined by the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) in 2007.
Time-, spin-, and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with a 1-MHz 10.7-eV pulse laser
Authors: Kawaguchi Kaishu , Kuroda Kenta , Zhao Z. , Tani S. , Harasawa A. , Fukushima Y. , Tanaka H. , Noguchi R. , Iimori T. , Yaji K. , Fujisawa M. , Shin S. , Komori F. , Kobayashi Y. , Kondo Takeshi
Published: August 2023

We describe a setup of time-, spin-, and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (tr-SARPES) employing a 10.7 eV (λ = 115.6 nm) pulse laser at a 1 MHz repetition rate as a probe photon source. This equipment effectively combines the technologies of a high-power Yb:fiber laser, ultraviolet-driven harmonic generation in Xe gas, and a SARPES apparatus equipped with very-low-energy-electron-diffraction spin detectors. A high repetition rate (1 MHz) of the probe laser allows experiments with the photoemission space-charge effects significantly reduced, despite a high flux of 1013 photons/s on the sample. The relatively high photon energy (10.7 eV) also brings the capability of observing a wide momentum range that covers the entire Brillouin zone of many materials while ensuring high momentum resolution. The experimental setup overcomes the low efficiency of spin-resolved measurements, which gets even more severe for the pump-probed unoccupied states, and affords the opportunity to investigate ultrafast electron and spin dynamics of modern quantum materials with energy and time resolutions of 25 meV and 360 fs, respectively.
Study of lift enhancing mechanisms via comparison of the flapping trajectory of tandem flapping foil
Authors: Swain Prafulla Kumar , Dora Siva Prasad , Barik Ashok K. , Abhishikt Challa Balaji Naga Sai , Senapati Jnana Ranjan
Published: August 2023

Designing an aero/hydrovehicle that mimics natural swimmers such as fish is a challenging task. In the present study, an attempt has been made to mimic the fish tail motion that generates the lift energy. Two fishtail trajectories are replaced with two National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics 0012 foils in a tandem configuration for energy extraction. The energy induced due to lift force of the hind wing while flapping along fishtailed trajectory in single and tandem configurations is determined and compared with that of the simple flapping foil having heave and pitch motion only. The impact of various factors such as foil gap (G), phase angle (φ), and influence of Strouhal number (St) on the energy extraction performance is also investigated at a Reynolds (Re) number of 1173. The results show that a fishtail motion trajectory and foil gap ratio of 3c–4c (c being chord length) would enhance the energy extraction performance of the hindwing. The present research provides a new vision for the improvement of biomimetic power generators, as it aims to improve energy efficiency through the use of wake vortices.
Gelatin-modified 3D printed PGS elastic hierarchical porous scaffold for cartilage regeneration
Authors: Wang Sinan , Chen Hongying , Huang Jinyi , Shen Sisi , Tang Zhengya , Tan Xiaoyan , Lei Dong , Zhou Guangdong
Published: August 2023

Regenerative cartilage replacements are increasingly required in clinical settings for various defect repairs, including bronchial cartilage deficiency, articular cartilage injury, and microtia reconstruction. Poly (glycerol sebacate) (PGS) is a widely used bioelastomer that has been developed for various regenerative medicine applications because of its excellent elasticity, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. However, because of inadequate active groups, strong hydrophobicity, and limited ink extrusion accuracy, 3D printed PGS scaffolds may cause insufficient bioactivity, inefficient cell inoculation, and inconsistent cellular composition, which seriously hinders its further cartilage regenerative application. Here, we combined 3D printed PGS frameworks with an encapsulated gelatin hydrogel to fabricate a PGS@Gel composite scaffold. PGS@Gel scaffolds have a controllable porous microstructure, with suitable pore sizes and enhanced hydrophilia, which could significantly promote the cells' penetration and adhesion for efficient chondrocyte inoculation. Furthermore, the outstanding elasticity and fatigue durability of the PGS framework enabled the regenerated cartilage built by the PGS@Gel scaffolds to resist the dynamic in vivo environment and maintain its original morphology. Importantly, PGS@Gel scaffolds increased the rate of cartilage regeneration concurrent with scaffold degradation. The scaffold was gradually degraded and integrated to form uniform, dense, and mature regenerated cartilage tissue with little scaffold residue.
Photochemistry sample sticks for inelastic neutron scattering
Authors: Vong Daniel , Novak Eric C. , Moulé Adam J. , Daemen Luke L.
Published: August 2023

Every material experiences atomic and molecular motions that are generally termed vibrations in gases and liquids or phonons in solid state materials. Optical spectroscopy techniques, such as Raman, infrared absorption spectroscopy, or inelastic neutron scattering (INS), can be used to measure the vibrational/phonon spectrum of ground state materials properties. A variety of optical pump probe spectroscopies enable the measurement of excited states or elucidate photochemical reaction pathways and kinetics. So far, it has not been possible to study photoactive materials or processes in situ using INS due to the mismatch between neutron and photon penetration depths, differences between the flux density of photons and neutrons, cryogenic temperatures for INS measurements, vacuum conditions, and a lack of optical access to the sample space. These experimental hurdles have resulted in very limited photochemistry studies using INS. Here we report on the design of two different photochemistry sample sticks that overcome these experimental hurdles to enable in situ photochemical studies using INS, specifically at the VISION instrument at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. We demonstrate the use of these new measurement capabilities through (1) the in situ photodimerization of anthracene and (2) the in situ photopolymerization of a 405 nm photoresin using 405 nm excitation as simple test cases. These new measurement apparatus broaden the science enabled by INS to include photoactive materials, optically excited states, and photoinitiated reactions.
Drag on a sphere in a slow flow of a binary mixture of rarefied gases
Authors: Kalempa Denize , Sharipov Felix
Published: August 2023

The drag force on a sphere in an isothermal binary mixture of rarefied gases is calculated on the basis of the McCormack model for the linearized Boltzmann equation. The diffuse scattering of the gas–surface interaction law is assumed as the boundary condition. The rigid-spheres model of interatomic interaction potential is used as well as ab initio potentials for helium, argon, and krypton gases. The force is obtained in a wide range of the gas rarefaction, which covers the free molecular, transition, and slip regimes of the gas flow. In the free molecular and slip flow regimes, the problem is solved analytically, while in the transition regime, the system of kinetic equations is solved numerically via the discrete velocity method optimized to overcome the problem of discontinuity of the distribution function of molecular velocities on the convex surface. The calculations are carried out for the mixtures helium–argon and helium–krypton at 300 K. In the slip flow regime, the data available in the literature for the viscous slip coefficient of the helium–argon mixture are used, while for the mixture helium–krypton, it is calculated. The influence of the interatomic interaction potential, molar fraction, and ratio of atomic mass of species in the mixture on the drag force is analyzed.
Choosing the dark path
Authors: Robinson Michael D. , Irvin Roberta L. , Waters Micheal R.
Published: August 2023

Dark personalities are those that are malevolent and antagonistic. Underlying such tendencies may be some
attraction to perceptual darkness, given that darkness has been symbolically linked to malevolence and evil throughout human
history. In the present research (total N = 501), participants were asked to choose whether they prefer dark or
light as abstract perceptual concepts. Preferences for darkness were non-normative as well as informative concerning interpersonal
functioning. Specifically, dark-preferring individuals scored lower in agreeableness or higher in antagonism (Study 1) and they
also exhibited lower levels of prosocial feeling and personality in the conduct of their daily lives (Study 2). An attraction to
darkness therefore belies tendencies toward antagonism and callousness. In total, the research highlights the manner in which a
simple preference judgment involving metaphor-rich stimuli can be used to gain key insights into the motivational substrates of
social functioning.
Nanoscale Si fishbone structures for manipulating heat transport using phononic resonators for thermoelectric applications
Authors: Lees James , Durham Ben , Reardon Christopher , Anderson-Taylor Martha , Probert Matt , Hasnip Philip , Thompson Sarah
Published: August 2023

Thermoelectric materials have the potential to convert waste heat into electricity, but their thermoelectric efficiency must be improved before they are effective and economically viable. One promising route to improving thermoelectric efficiency in thin-film thermoelectric materials is to reduce the material’s thermal conductivity through nanopatterning the surface. In this work nanoscale phononic resonators are introduced to the surface, and their potential to reduce thermal conductivity is explored via coupled experimental and theoretical techniques. Atomistic modelling is used to predict the dependence of the thermal conductivity on different design parameters and used to guide the design and fabrication of silicon fishbone nanostructures. The nanostructure design incorporates a variation on design parameters such as barb length, width and spacing along the shaft length to enable correlation with changes in thermal conductivity. The thermal characteristics of the nanostructures are investigated experimentally using the spatial resolution of scanning thermal microscopy to correlate changes in thermal conductivity with the changes in the structure parameters. The method developed uses a microheater to establish a temperature gradient along the structure which will be affected by any local variations in thermal conductivity. The impact on the thermal gradient and consequently on the tip temperature is modelled using finite element computer simulations. Experimental changes as small as 7.5% are shown to be detectable in this way. Despite the experimental technique being shown to be able to detect thermal changes far smaller than those predicted by the modelling, no modifications of the thermal conductivity are detected. It is concluded that in order to realise the effects of phononic resonators to reduce thermal conductivity, that much smaller structures with a greater ratio of resonator to shaft will be needed.
Who Benefits From Helping? Moderators of the Association Between Informal Helping and Mortality
Authors: Nakamura Julia S , Shiba Koichiro , Jensen Sofie M , VanderWeele Tyler J , Kim Eric S
Published: August 2023

Background

While informal helping has been linked to a reduced risk of mortality, it remains unclear if this association persists across different levels of key social structural moderators.

Purpose

To examine whether the longitudinal association between informal helping and all-cause mortality differs by specific social structural moderators (including age, gender, race/ethnicity, wealth, income, and education) in a large, prospective, national, and diverse sample of older U.S. adults.

Methods

We analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Study, a national sample of U.S. adults aged >50 (N = 9,662). Using multivariable Poisson regression, we assessed effect modification by six social structural moderators (age, gender, race/ethnicity, wealth, income, and education) for the informal helping (2006/2008) to mortality (2010–2016/2012–2018) association on the additive and multiplicative scales.

Results

Participants who reported ≥100 hr/year of informal helping (vs. 0 hr/year), had a lower mortality risk. Those who engaged in 1–49 hr/year most consistently displayed lower mortality risk across moderators, while those who engaged in 50–99 and ≥100 hr/year only showed decreased mortality risk across some moderators. When formally testing effect modification, there was evidence that the informal helping–mortality associations were stronger among women and the wealthiest.

Conclusions

Informal helping is associated with decreased mortality. Yet, there appear to be key differences in who benefits from higher amounts of informal helping across social structural moderators. Further research is needed to evaluate how the associations between informal helping and health and well-being are patterned across key social structural moderators.
AliGater: a framework for the development of bioinformatic pipelines for large-scale, high-dimensional cytometry data
Authors: Ekdahl Ludvig , Arrizabalaga Antton Lamarca , Ali Zain , Cafaro Caterina , de Lapuente Portilla Aitzkoa Lopez , Nilsson Björn
Published: August 2023

Motivation

AliGater is an open-source framework to accelerate the development of bioinformatic pipelines for the analysis of large-scale, high-dimensional flow cytometry data. AliGater provides a Python package for automatic feature extraction workflows, as well as building blocks to construct analysis pipelines.

Results

We illustrate the use of AliGater in a high-resolution flow cytometry-based genome-wide association study on 46 immune cell populations in 14 288 individuals.

Availability and implementation

Source code and documentation at https://github.com/LudvigEk/aligater and https://aligater.readthedocs.io
PACT: a pipeline for analysis of circulating tumor DNA
Authors: Webster Jace , Dang Ha X , Chauhan Pradeep S , Feng Wenjia , Shiang Alex , Harris Peter K , Pachynski Russell K , Chaudhuri Aadel A , Maher Christopher A
Published: August 2023

Motivation

Detection of genomic alterations in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is currently used for active clinical monitoring of cancer progression and treatment response. While methods for analysis of small mutations are more developed, strategies for detecting structural variants (SVs) in ctDNA are limited. Additionally, reproducibly calling small-scale mutations, copy number alterations, and SVs in ctDNA is challenging due to the lack to unified tools for these different classes of variants.

Results

We developed a unified pipeline for the analysis of ctDNA [Pipeline for the Analysis of ctDNA (PACT)] that accurately detects SVs and consistently outperformed similar tools when applied to simulated, cell line, and clinical data. We provide PACT in the form of a Common Workflow Language pipeline which can be run by popular workflow management systems in high-performance computing environments.

Availability and implementation

PACT is freely available at https://github.com/ChrisMaherLab/PACT.
A clear-cut difference in nuptial strategies may shape sperm traits in two paper wasps
Authors: De Souza André Rodrigues , Pedrosa Jéferson , Santos Do Nascimento Fábio , Lino-neto José , Mercati David , Beani Laura
Published: August 2023

Spermatozoa vary in quantity, quality and design across species and individuals. Here, we reported the first detailed analysis of sperm traits in two primitively eusocial paper wasps, Polistes dominula and Polistes gallicus, which differ in their nuptial strategies and body size as follows: lek-territoriality of the large P. dominula males, defending exclusive territories at landmarks; scramble competition of the small P. gallicus, where serial mating may occur because males interfere with rivals and replace them during copulation. We compared the number, viability, and length of sperm, and its coefficient of variation, between these sympatric paper wasps patrolling and marking the same landmarks during the same summer: a good opportunity to analyse sperm across species while controlling for environmental variables. Spermatozoa were more numerous and longer in P. dominula than in P. gallicus males. Viability was similar in both species and positively covaried with male body size. Intra-male variation in sperm length was significantly reduced in P. gallicus, as predicted in the case of selection for an optimal sperm design. We hypothesized that precopulatory sexual selection (lek-territoriality vs. scramble competition) may affect sperm traits.
Prognostic factors for primary cutaneous anaplastic large-cell lymphoma: a multicentre retrospective study from Japan
Authors: Miyagaki Tomomitsu , Inoue Norihito , Kamijo Hiroaki , Boki Hikari , Takahashi-Shishido Naomi , Suga Hiraku , Shimauchi Takatoshi , Kiyohara Eiji , Hirai Yoji , Yonekura Kentaro , Takeuchi Kengo , Sugaya Makoto
Published: August 2023

Background

The clinical implications of DUSP22 rearrangement and the association between DUSP22 rearrangement and lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1 (LEF1) expression pattern in CD30+ cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are unknown.

Objectives

This study assessed the incidence of DUSP22 rearrangement and its clinical and immunohistochemical implications in primary cutaneous anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (pcALCL), lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP) and CD30+ mycosis fungoides with large-cell transformation (MF-LCT), focusing especially on the association with the prognosis and LEF1 expression pattern. Prognostic factors of pcALCL were also examined.

Methods

We conducted a multicentre retrospective study including patients with pcALCL, LyP and MF-LCT diagnosed between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2018 in Japan. Baseline data at diagnosis, treatment course, overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were collected. Immunohistochemical analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization to detect DUSP22 and TP63 rearrangement were performed using skin samples at diagnosis. We investigated the association between staining pattern and these gene rearrangements. We also assessed the prognostic implications of clinical status, immunohistochemical results and the presence of gene rearrangements.

Results

DUSP22 rearrangement was detected in 50% (11 of 22) of cases of pcALCL, but not in any cases with LyP (0 of 14) or MF-LCT (0 of 11). TP63 rearrangement was not detected in any case. Clinically, patients with pcALCL with DUSP22 rearrangement did not tend to develop ulcers (P = 0.081). There was no significant association between DUSP22 rearrangement status and immunohistochemical results, including LEF1 expression pattern. T3 stage and the presence of lower limb lesions were significantly associated with shorter OS (P = 0.012 and 0.021, respectively, by log-rank test). Similarly, they were significantly correlated with shorter DSS (P = 0.016 and 0.0001, respectively).

Conclusions

DUSP22 rearrangement is relatively specific to pcALCL among CD30+ CTCLs in Japan. Although the LEF1 expression pattern was not related to DUSP22 rearrangement in pcALCL, there was no rearrangement if LEF1 was not expressed. We confirmed that T3 stage and the lower limb involvement were significantly associated with decreased OS and DSS. The presence or absence of lower limb lesions should be included in T-stage subcategorization in the future.
Aberrant expression of interleukin-17A in mast cells contributes to the pathogenesis of hidradenitis suppurativa
Authors: Chu Chia-Bao , Yang Chao-Chun , Hsueh Yuan-Yu , Chen Po-Chuan , Hong Yi-Kai , Kuo Yu-Yun , Tsai Shaw-Jenq
Published: August 2023

Background

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) significantly diminishes the quality of life for patients. Delayed diagnosis represents a significant challenge in effectively managing HS.

Objectives

To identify and characterize the key mediator in HS.

Methods

Bioinformatic transcriptomic analysis was applied to identify potential candidates contributing to the disease process of HS. Skin samples from 40 patients with HS, four with psoriasis and 29 with normal skin were included. The expression of interleukin (IL)-17A was evaluated and compared among samples of normal skin, psoriatic skin and skin from different stages of HS by immunohistochemistry or dual-colour immunofluorescence. In vitro experiments and RNA sequencing analysis were also conducted to validate the expression of IL-17A and its pathogenic effect in HS.

Results

Transcriptomic database analyses identified IL-17 signalling as a potential contributor to HS. In HS, the predominant IL-17A+ cell population was identified as mast cells. IL-17A+ mast-cell density was significantly elevated in HS, especially in samples with advanced Hurley stages, compared with normal skin and psoriasis samples. The close contact between IL-17A+ mast cells and IL-17 receptor A (IL-17RA)-expressing keratinocytes was demonstrated, along with the significant effects of IL-17A on keratinocyte cell proliferation and HS pathogenic gene expression. Treatment with biologics (brodalumab or adalimumab) reduced the severity of the disease and the number of IL-17A+ mast cells in affected tissues.

Conclusions

The presence of high-density IL-17A+ mast cells may serve as a valuable pathological marker for diagnosing HS. Moreover, developing therapeutic drugs targeting IL-17A+ mast cells may provide a new approach to treating HS.
Cerebellar mutism is linked to midbrain volatility and desynchronization from speech cortices
Authors: McAfee Samuel S , Robinson Giles , Gajjar Amar , Zhang Silu , Bag Asim K , Raches Darcy , Conklin Heather M , Khan Raja B , Scoggins Matthew A
Published: August 2023

Cerebellar mutism syndrome is a disorder of speech, movement and affect that can occur after tumour removal from the posterior fossa. Projections from the fastigial nuclei to the periaqueductal grey area were recently implicated in its pathogenesis, but the functional consequences of damaging these projections remain poorly understood.

Here, we examine functional MRI data from patients treated for medulloblastoma to identify functional changes in key brain areas that comprise the motor system for speech, which occur along the timeline of acute speech impairment in cerebellar mutism syndrome. One hundred and twenty-four participants, all with medulloblastoma, contributed to the study: 45 with cerebellar mutism syndrome, 11 patients with severe postoperative deficits other than mutism, and 68 without either (asymptomatic). We first performed a data-driven parcellation to spatially define functional nodes relevant to the cohort that align with brain regions critical for the motor control of speech. We then estimated functional connectivity between these nodes during the initial postoperative imaging sessions to identify functional deficits associated with the acute phase of the disorder. We further analysed how functional connectivity changed over time within a subset of participants that had suitable imaging acquired over the course of recovery. Signal dispersion was also measured in the periaqueductal grey area and red nuclei to estimate activity in midbrain regions considered key targets of the cerebellum with suspected involvement in cerebellar mutism pathogenesis.

We found evidence of periaqueductal grey dysfunction in the acute phase of the disorder, with abnormal volatility and desynchronization with neocortical language nodes. Functional connectivity with periaqueductal grey was restored in imaging sessions that occurred after speech recovery and was further shown to be increased with left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The amygdalae were also broadly hyperconnected with neocortical nodes in the acute phase. Stable connectivity differences between groups were broadly present throughout the cerebrum, and one of the most substantial differences—between Broca’s area and the supplementary motor area—was found to be inversely related to cerebellar outflow pathway damage in the mutism group.

These results reveal systemic changes in the speech motor system of patients with mutism, centred on limbic areas tasked with the control of phonation. These findings provide further support for the hypothesis that periaqueductal grey dysfunction (following cerebellar surgical injury) contributes to the transient postoperative non-verbal episode commonly observed in cerebellar mutism syndrome but highlights a potential role of intact cerebellocortical projections in chronic features of the disorder.
Use of multiple correspondence analysis to explore associations between caregivers and sun protective habits during summer vacations
Authors: Ezzedine Khaled , Bergqvist Christina , Baissac Catherine , Cullell Nuria Perez , Aroman Marketa Saint , Taïeb Charles , Lim Henry W
Published: August 2023

Background

Childhood exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) plays an important role in the development of keratinocyte carcinomas and melanomas. Therefore, sun protective measures ought to be implemented during early childhood. Young children are largely dependent upon adult care providers in order to achieve proper sun protection.

Objectives

To develop effective photoprotection in children, it is necessary to understand caregivers’ attitudes and knowledge about UVR exposure. This study aimed to explore the variables associated with sun protective behaviour in parents and grandparents during summer vacations.

Methods

A multinational, cross-sectional study was conducted using a web-based online survey with a representative sample of parents and grandparents of children aged ≤ 12 years, who cared for their children/grandchildren for at least 2 weeks during the summer of 2021, in five countries (France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the USA). Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) was used to explore in an unbiased way the possible relationships among all the variables and to identify specific profiles.

Results

A total of 6190 adult participants responded to the questionnaire: 5104 parents (average age 42.0 years, 54.3% women) and 1086 grandparents (average age 64.2 years, 55.5% women). MCA allowed discrimination of two groups of respondents based on their answers: a profile with ‘unprotected sun exposure habits’ vs. those with ‘protective sun exposure habits’. Parents fell in closer proximity to the ‘unprotected sun exposure habits’, and ‘sunburn reported in youngest child’. Grandparents adopted more cautious behaviours than parents. Nevertheless, grandparents fell in proximity to ‘having exposed the grandchild to the sun between 11 h and 17.00 h’, ‘not using an umbrella’ and ‘not using sunglasses’.

Conclusions

Although grandparents appear to adopt more cautious behaviours than parents, many gaps in proper sun protection behaviour were observed in both groups of caregivers.
Prediction of perioperative myocardial infarction/injury in high-risk patients after noncardiac surgery
Authors: Meister Rebecca , Puelacher Christian , Glarner Noemi , Gualandro Danielle Menosi , Andersson Henrik A , Pargger Mirjam , Huré Gabrielle , Virant Georgiana , Bolliger Daniel , Lampart Andreas , Steiner Luzius , Hidvegi Reka , Lurati Buse Giovanna , Kindler Christoph , Gürke Lorenz , Mujagic Edin , Schaeren Stefan , Clauss Martin , Lardinois Didier , Hammerer-Lercher Angelika , Chew Michelle , Mueller Christian ,   for the BASEL-PMI Investigators, Rentsch Katharina , Seeberger Esther , Maiorano Silvia , Weder Samantha , de Lavallaz Jeanne du Fay , Arslani Ketina , Buser Andreas , Strebel Ivo , Wolff Thomas , Nestelberger Thomas , Haaf Philip , Bilici Murat , Lopez Pedro Lopez Ayala , Koechlin Luca
Published: August 2023

Aims

Perioperative myocardial infarction/injury (PMI) is a surprisingly common yet difficult-to-predict cardiac complication in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. We aimed to assess the incremental value of preoperative cardiac troponin (cTn) concentration in the prediction of PMI.

Methods and results

Among prospectively recruited patients at high cardiovascular risk (age ≥65 years or ≥45 years with preexisting cardiovascular disease), PMI was defined as an absolute increase in high-sensitivity cTnT (hs-cTnT) concentration of ≥14 ng/L (the 99th percentile) above the preoperative concentration. Perioperative myocardial infarction/injury was centrally adjudicated by two independent cardiologists using serial measurements of hs-cTnT. Using logistic regression, three models were derived: Model 1 including patient- and procedure-related information, Model 2 adding routinely available laboratory values, and Model 3 further adding preoperative hs-cTnT concentration. Models were also compared vs. preoperative hs-cTnT alone. The findings were validated in two independent cohorts. Among 6944 patients, PMI occurred in 1058 patients (15.2%). The predictive accuracy as quantified by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.73 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71–0.74] for Model 1, 0.75 (95% CI 0.74–0.77) for Model 2, 0.79 (95% CI 0.77–0.80) for Model 3, and 0.74 for hs-cTnT alone. Model 3 included 10 preoperative variables: age, body mass index, known coronary artery disease, metabolic equivalent >4, risk of surgery, emergency surgery, planned duration of surgery, haemoglobin, platelet count, and hs-cTnT. These findings were confirmed in both independent validation cohorts (n = 722 and n = 966).

Conclusion

Preoperative cTn adds incremental value above patient- and procedure-related variables as well as routine laboratory variables in the prediction of PMI.
A Gradient of Intestinal Inflammation in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
Authors: Wittek Agnes , Steglich Babett , Casar Christian , Seiz Oliver , Huber Philipp , Ehlken Hanno , Reher Dominik , Wende Sandra , Bedke Tanja , Kempski Jan , Böttcher Marius , Bang Corinna , Thingholm Louise , Krech Till , Lohse Ansgar W , Sauter Guido , Rösch Thomas , Franke Andre , Schramm Christoph , Gagliani Nicola , Pelczar Penelope , Huber Samuel
Published: August 2023

Background

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a progressive liver disease associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The percentage of PSC patients diagnosed with concomitant IBD varies considerably between studies. This raises the question whether all PSC patients would show intestinal inflammation if screened thoroughly, even in the absence of symptoms.

Methods

To address this question, we collected intestinal biopsies of healthy controls (n = 34), PSC (n = 25), PSC-IBD (n = 41), and IBD (n = 51) patients in a cross-sectional study and carried out cytokine expression profiling, 16S sequencing, in-depth histology, and endoscopy scoring.

Results

We found that the vast majority of PSC patients even without clinically manifest IBD showed infiltration of immune cells and increased expression of IL17A and IFNG in intestinal biopsies. However, expression of IL10 and FOXP3 were likewise increased, which may explain why these PSC patients have intestinal inflammation only on a molecular level. This subclinical inflammation in PSC patients was focused in the distal colon, whereas PSC-IBD patients showed inflammation either at the distal colon or on the right side of the colon and the terminal ileum. Furthermore, we observed that PSC patients without IBD showed signs of dysbiosis and exhibited a distinct microbial profile compared with healthy controls.

Conclusions

We found a gradient of intestinal inflammation in the vast majority of PSC patients even in the absence of IBD. Thus, further studies evaluating the effect of anti-inflammatory therapies in PSC patients and their impact on the emergence of clinically manifest IBD and colorectal cancer development are needed.
Research Progress of Interleukin-27 in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Wang Qing , Chen Feifan , Peng Yingqiu , Yi Xuanyu , He Yu , Shi Yuan
Published: August 2023

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be identified as an inflammatory disorder in the intestine, being characterized by maladjusted immune responses and chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract. However, as the etiology and pathogenesis are still unclear, more effective therapeutic approaches are needed. Recent studies have discovered a new cytokine, interleukin-27 (IL-27), which belongs to the superfamily of IL-6 and IL-12, demonstrating multiple functions in many infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancers. Interleukin-27 is mainly produced by antigen presentation cells (APCs) such as dendritic cells and mononuclear macrophages, playing a dual regulatory role in immunological response. Therefore, this updated review aims to summarize the new progress of the regulatory role of IL-27 in IBD and focus more on the interaction between IL-27 and immune cells, hoping to provide more evidence for the potential IBD treatment mediated by IL-27.
Increased Risk of Herpes Zoster in Adult Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease After SARS-CoV2 Infection: A Propensity-Matched Cohort Study
Authors: Desai Aakash , Soni Aakriti , Hayney Mary S , Hashash Jana G , Kochhar Gursimran S , Farraye Francis A , Caldera Freddy
Published: August 2023

Background

There is evidence that SARS-CoV2 infection can increase the risk of herpes zoster (HZ) in the general population. However, the risk in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is not known.

Methods

The TriNetX database was utilized to conduct a retrospective cohort study in patients with IBD after SARS-CoV2 infection and patients without a SARS-CoV2 infection (IBD control cohort). The primary outcome was to evaluate the risk of HZ between the 2 cohorts. One-to-one (1:1) propensity score matching was performed for demographic parameters, HZ risk factors and IBD medications between the 2 cohorts. Adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated.

Results

After propensity score matching, patients with IBD with a SARS-CoV2 infection were at an increased risk for HZ (aOR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.53-3.04) compared with IBD control cohort in the pre-COVID-19 vaccine era. There was no difference in the risk (aOR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.44-1.75) of a composite outcome of HZ complications (hospitalization, post-herpetic neuralgia, and neurologic complications) between the 2 cohorts. The IBD SARS-CoV2 cohort was also at an increased risk for HZ (aOR, 3.04; 95% CI, 1.48-6.24) compared with IBD control cohort in the postvaccine era. However, the risk of HZ in the postvaccine era was decreased (aOR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.27-0.76) compared with IBD SARS-CoV2 cohort in the prevaccine era.

Conclusions

Our study showed that SARS-CoV2 infection is associated with an increased risk of HZ in patients with IBD.
An assessment of the barriers to the adoption of green building technologies in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Mohamed Mohamed Ahmed Said , Ibrahim Ahmed Osman , Bashir Faizah Mohammed , Chammam Abdeljelil , Gnaba Hela , Kadhim Sokaina Issa , Khalilpoor Nima
Published: August 2023

The implementation of green buildings is widely regarded as a primary solution for optimizing fuel consumption in the construction and housing sector. Through an examination of relevant research literature, the most prominent hindrances to the implementation and proliferation of green buildings in Saudi Arabia were identified. Furthermore, the present study employed the Fuzzy Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (FDEMATE) to prioritize the aforementioned obstacles via the Fuzzy Analytic Network Process (FANP), while the Decision Super model was utilized. The findings indicate that the primary criteria section identified marketing barriers as the most significant obstacle, with a weight of 0.213, followed by risk and cost barriers with a weight of 0.207, knowledge and information barriers with a weight of 0.195, government-related barriers with a weight of 0.193 and human resources barriers with a weight of 0.192, respectively, ranked from first to fifth. According to the study's analysis, marketing obstacles carried the most weight, followed by risk and cost obstacles, government obstacles, knowledge and information obstacles and resources obstacles. The country has not adequately promoted green building technology. According to experts in the field, this is the greatest obstacle to implementing environmentally friendly building practices.
Susceptibility to COVID-19 and Immunologic Response to Vaccination in Patients With Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases
Authors: Finckh Axel , Ciurea Adrian , Raptis Catherine E , Rubbert-Roth Andrea
Published: August 2023

Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) are a highly heterogeneous group of diseases that share a common etiology of immune dysregulation, such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and psoriasis, among others. It is estimated that the prevalence of IMIDs ranges between 5% and 7% in developed countries. As current management of IMIDs includes the use of immunomodulatory medications, the resulting weakened immune response can increase the risk of infection, including with SARS-CoV-2 (the causative agent of COVID-19) and reduce response to vaccination, placing these individuals at continued risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19. In this article, we summarize the current literature related to COVID-19 outcomes and the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of COVID-19 mRNA vaccination among patients with rheumatologically dominated IMIDs, as well as the effect of immunomodulatory therapies on these outcomes. We conclude by providing current COVID-19 vaccination recommendations for individuals with IMID.