bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pharmacokinetics of Tenofovir Alafenamide With Boosted Protease Inhibitors in Pregnant and Postpartum Women Living With HIV: Results From IMPAACT P1026s
Authors: Brooks Kristina M. , Pinilla Mauricio , Stek Alice M. , Shapiro David E. , Barr Emily , Febo Irma L. , Paul Mary E. , Deville Jaime G. , George Kathleen , Knowles Kevin , Rungruengthanakit Kittipong , Browning Renee , Chakhtoura Nahida , Capparelli Edmund V. , Mirochnick Mark , Best Brookie M. ,   on behalf of the IMPAACT P1026s Protocol Team
Published: February 2022

Background:

Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) is a key component of HIV treatment, but pharmacokinetic data supporting the use of TAF during pregnancy are limited. In this study, we report pharmacokinetic, safety, and birth outcomes for TAF 25 mg with a boosted protease inhibitor in pregnant women living with HIV.

Methods:

IMPAACT P1026s was a multicenter, nonrandomized, open-label, phase IV prospective study. Pregnant women living with HIV receiving TAF 25 mg with a boosted protease inhibitor were eligible. Intensive pharmacokinetic assessments were performed during the second and third trimesters and 6–12 weeks postpartum. Maternal and cord blood samples were collected at delivery. Infant washout samples were collected through 5–9 days postbirth. Comparisons of paired pharmacokinetic data between pregnancy and postpartum were made using geometric mean ratios (GMR) [90% confidence intervals (CIs)] and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests with P < 0.10 considered significant.

Results:

Twenty-nine women were enrolled from the United States (median age 31 years and weight 84.5 kg during the third trimester; 48% Black, 45% Hispanic/Latina). TAF AUCtau did not significantly differ in the second [GMR 0.62 (90% CI: 0.29 to 1.34); P = 0.46] or third trimester [GMR 0.94 (90% CI: 0.63 to 1.39); P = 0.50] vs. postpartum and were comparable with historical data in nonpregnant adults. TAF was only quantifiable in 2/25 maternal delivery samples and below the limit of quantification in all cord blood and infant washout samples, likely because of the short half-life of TAF.

Conclusion:

TAF AUCtau did not significantly differ between pregnancy and postpartum. These findings provide reassurance as TAF use during pregnancy continues to expand.
Secondary Gastrointestinal Amyloidosis With Increased 18F-FDG Uptake as the Only Presentation in a Patient With Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Ding Jie , Huo Li , Cui Ruixue , Luo Yaping
Published: February 2022

A 63-year-old woman presented with abdominal pain and hematochezia was referred for 18F-FDG PET/CT for the underlying malignancy. PET/CT detected diffuse thickening of the bowel walls with intense radioactivity in the colons. She was later diagnosed with multiple myeloma and secondary gastrointestinal amyloidosis, and achieved complete response of myeloma and amyloidosis after 9 cycles of chemotherapy. This case highlighted that gastrointestinal abnormality caused by amyloidosis might be the only presenting symptoms and findings in 18F-FDG PET/CT in patients with multiple myeloma.
Pentobarbital Coma Use in a Pregnant Patient With Refractory Intracranial Hypertension
Authors: Patel Devan , Dehne Kelly , Pajer Hengameh , Barnett Randaline , Sasaki-Adams Deanna , Quinsey Carolyn
Published: February 2022

Objective

Intracranial hypertension is a life-threatening condition that requires emergent diagnosis and management. Although pentobarbital coma for refractory intracranial hypertension has been studied in the general population, this study is the first reported case of pentobarbital coma use in a pregnant patient.

Methods

We performed a retrospective chart review of a pregnant patient with refractory intracranial hypertension and reviewed the current literature on the role of pentobarbital coma.

Results

We present the case of a 35-year-old woman at 26 weeks of gestation who developed refractory intracranial hypertension secondary to rupture of a dural arteriovenous fistula. The patient was taken to surgery for decompressive hemicraniectomy, clot evacuation, and dural arteriovenous fistula resection. Subsequently, the patient was treated with pentobarbital coma for 5 days and achieved adequate control of her intracranial pressures. The patient and fetus were closely monitored by the obstetrics team with no apparent harm to fetal well-being during her hospital stay. The patient underwent planned cesarean delivery at term, and both the mother and newborn were discharged in stable condition with no known pentobarbital-related complications.

Conclusions

Thus, we present the first case report demonstrating that pentobarbital coma may be a safe and efficacious option for treating pregnant patients with life-threatening refractory intracranial hypertension. We also provide dosing information for pentobarbital administration. Additional studies and reports involving pregnant patients are needed to better understand the impact of pentobarbital on both the mother and fetus. Furthermore, long-term follow-up of both the mother and newborn is critical to identifying any delayed sequelae of neonatal exposure to pentobarbital.
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension: Incidental Discovery Versus Symptomatic Presentation
Authors: Vosoughi Amir R. , Margolin Edward A. , Micieli Jonathan A.
Published: February 2022

Background:

We aim to compare the clinical characteristics, disease course and visual outcomes between Canadian patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) who were incidentally discovered and those who sought care due to symptoms of IIH.

Methods:

Retrospective chart review of consecutive IIH patients conducted at tertiary neuro-ophthalmology clinics. Patients were divided into Group 1 (incidentally discovered disease) and Group 2 (patients seeking medical care due to symptoms of intracranial hypertension).

Results:

One hundred eighty-six patients were included in the study; of which, 75 (40.3%; Group-1) were incidentally discovered and 111 presented due to symptoms of IIH (Group-2). There were no differences in proportion of females (P = 0.101), age (P = 0.450), body mass index (P = 0.386), MRI findings of empty or partially empty sella (P = 0.41), and sella grade (P = 0.704). Group-1 patients were less likely to have experienced headache (P = 0.001), transient visual obscurations (P < 0.001), and diplopia (P = 0.026) at presentation. Group-1 patients were less likely to receive medical (P < 0.001) and surgical (P = 0.004) treatment. There was no difference in proportion of patients who lost weight between the groups (P = 0.848). At baseline, Group-1 patients exhibited better visual acuity (P = 0.001), Humphrey mean deviation (P < 0.001) and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (P < 0.001). Group-1 patients continued to have better visual acuity (P = 0.002) and Humphrey mean deviation (P < 0.001) at final follow-up.

Conclusions:

A significant portion of IIH patients were incidentally discovered. This group exhibited a favorable prognosis and only a minority of these patients required treatment. The way in which patients enter the medical system may be a valuable way to risk stratify IIH patients.
Novel protein from larval sponge cells, ilborin, is related to energy turnover and calcium binding and is conserved among marine invertebrates
Authors: Borisenko Ilya , Daugavet Maria , Ereskovsky Alexander , Lavrov Andrey , Podgornaya Olga
Published: February 2022

Sponges (phylum Porifera) are early-branching animals, whose outwardly simple body plan is underlain by a complex genetic repertoire. The transition from a mobile larva to an attached filter-feeding organism occurs by metamorphosis, a process accompanied by a radical change of the body plan and cell transdifferentiation. The continuity between larval cells and adult tissues is still obscure. In a previous study, we have produced polyclonal antibodies against the major protein of the flagellated cells covering the larva of the sponge
Halisarca dujardini
, used them to trace the fate of these cells and shown that the larval flagellated cells transdifferentiate into the choanocytes. In the present work, we identified the sequence of this novel protein, which we named ilborin. A search in the open databases showed that multiple orthologues of the newly identified protein are present in sponges, cnidarians, flatworms, ctenophores and echinoderms, but none of them has been described yet. Ilborin has two conserved domains: triosephosphate isomerase-barrel, which has enzymatic activity against macroergic compounds, and canonical EF-hand, which binds calcium. mRNA of ilborin is expressed in the larval flagellated cells. We suggest that the new protein is involved in the calcium-mediated regulation of energy metabolism, whose activation precedes metamorphosis.
Fibroblast growth factor receptor signalling dysregulation and targeting in breast cancer
Authors: Francavilla Chiara , O'Brien Ciara S.
Published: February 2022

Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) signalling plays a critical role in breast embryonal development, tissue homeostasis, tumorigenesis and metastasis. FGFR, its numerous FGF ligands and signalling partners are often dysregulated in breast cancer progression and are one of the causes of resistance to treatment in breast cancer. Furthermore, FGFR signalling on epithelial cells is affected by signals from the breast microenvironment, therefore increasing the possibility of breast developmental abnormalities or cancer progression. Increasing our understanding of the multi-layered roles of the complex family of FGFRs, their ligands FGFs and their regulatory partners may offer novel treatment strategies for breast cancer patients, as a single agent or rational co-target, which will be explored in depth in this review.
Activity of the manganese efflux transporter SLC30A10 in dopaminergic but not GABAergic neurons protects against neurotoxicity
Authors: Taylor Cherish A. , Grant Stephanie , Jursa Thomas , Aschner Michael , Smith Donald R. , Gonzales Reuben , Mukhopadhyay Somshuvra
Published: February 2022

Metals such as copper, iron, and manganese (Mn) are essential for life, but induce neurotoxicity at elevated levels. Yet, the neuronal mechanisms of metal-induced neurological disease are largely unclear. A primary limitation has been an inability to selectively alter metal levels in specific neurons, so that the role of the targeted neurons in disease biology can be isolated. Here, we show that neuron-specific depletion of metal efflux transporters provides the feasibility to overcome this limitation by focusing on Mn, which accumulates in the basal ganglia and induces motor disease, and the Mn-specific efflux transporter SLC30A10. Pan-neuronal/glial Slc30a10 knockout mice exhibited increased basal ganglia Mn levels and hypolocomotor deficits in early-life (pre-adulthood), which were exacerbated by Mn exposure. The locomotor deficits of the pan-neuronal/glial strain was associated with a reduction in evoked striatal dopamine release without dopaminergic (DAergic) neurodegeneration or changes in striatal tissue dopamine levels. Furthermore, DAergic-specific, but not GABAergic-specific, Slc30a10 knockout mice recapitulated the hypolocomotor phenotype of the pan-neuronal/glial knockouts in early-life although Mn levels were elevated in the targeted basal ganglia regions of both the neuron-specific strains. Put together, our results imply that (1) activity of SLC30A10 in DAergic neurons is necessary to protect against early-life Mn neurotoxicity; (2) increasing Mn levels in DAergic neurons is sufficient to induce early-life motor disease, suggesting that Mn targets DAergic neurons in the early-life period to induce motor deficits; and (3) neuron-specific knockout of metal efflux transporters may be a widely applicable strategy to elucidate mechanisms of metal-induced neurotoxicity.
Modelling the tonotopic map using a two-dimensional array of neural oscillators
Authors: Biswas Dipayan , Srinivasa Chakravarthy V. , Tarsode Asit
Published: February 2022

We present a model of a tonotopic map known as the Oscillatory Tonotopic Self-Organizing Map (OTSOM). It is a 2-dimensional, self-organizing array of Hopf oscillators, capable of performing a Fourier-like decomposition of the input signal. While the rows in the map encode the input phase, the columns encode frequency. Although Hopf oscillators exhibit resonance to a sinusoidal signal when there is a frequency match, there is no obvious way to also achieve phase tuning. We propose a simple method by which a pair of Hopf oscillators, unilaterally coupled through a coupling scheme termed as modified power coupling, can exhibit tuning to the phase offset of sinusoidal forcing input. The training of OTSOM is performed in 2 stages: while the frequency tuning is adapted in stage 1, phase tuning is adapted in stage 2. Earlier tonotopic map models have modeled frequency as an abstract parameter unconnected to any oscillation. By contrast, in OTSOM, frequency tuning emerges as a natural outcome of an underlying resonant process. The OTSOM model can be regarded as an approximation of the tonotopic map found in the primary auditory cortices of mammals, particularly exemplified in the studies of echolocating bats.
Liver lipophagy ameliorates nonalcoholic steatohepatitis through lysosomal lipid exocytosis
Authors: Minami Yoshito , Hoshino Atsushi , Higuchi Yusuke , Hamaguchi Masahide , Kaneko Yusaku , Kirita Yuhei , Taminishi Shunta , Taruno Akiyuki , Fukui Michiaki , Arany Zoltan , Matoba Satoaki
Published: February 2022

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a progressive disorder with aberrant lipid accumulation and subsequent inflammatory and profibrotic response. Therapeutic efforts at lipid reduction via increasing cytoplasmic lipolysis unfortunately worsens hepatitis due to toxicity of liberated fatty acid. An alternative approach could be lipid reduction through autophagic disposal, i.e., lipophagy. We engineered a synthetic adaptor protein to induce lipophagy, combining a lipid droplet-targeting signal with optimized LC3-interacting domain. Activating hepatocyte lipophagy in vivo strongly mitigated both steatosis and hepatitis in a diet-induced mouse NASH model. Mechanistically, activated lipophagy promoted the excretion of lipid from hepatocytes via lysosomal exocytosis, thereby suppressing harmful intracellular accumulation of nonesterified fatty acid. A high-content compound screen identified alpelisib and digoxin, clinically-approved compounds, as effective activators of lipophagy. Administration of alpelisib or digoxin in vivo strongly inhibited the transition to steatohepatitis. These data thus identify lipophagy as a promising therapeutic approach to prevent NASH progression.
Clothing recognition based on deep sparse convolutional neural network
Authors: Xiang Jun , Pan Ruru , Gao Weidong
Published: February 2022

Purpose

The paper aims to propose a novel method based on deep sparse convolutional neural network (CNN) for clothing recognition. A CNN based on inception module is applied to bridge pixel-level features and high-level category labels. In order to improve the robustness accuracy of the network, six transformation methods are used to preprocess images. To avoid representational bottlenecks, small-sized convolution kernels are adopted in the network. This method first pretrains the network on ImageNet and then fine-tune the model in clothing data set.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper opts for an exploratory study by using the control variable comparison method. To verify the rationality of the network structure, lateral contrast experiments with common network structures such as VGG, GoogLeNet and AlexNet, and longitudinal contrast tests with different structures from one another are performed on the created clothing image data sets. The indicators of comparison include accuracy, average recall, average precise and F-1 score.

Findings

Compared with common methods, the experimental results show that the proposed network has better performance on clothing recognition. It is also can be found that larger input size can effectively improve accuracy. By analyzing the output structure of the model, the model learns a certain “rules” of human recognition clothing.

Originality/value

Clothing analysis and recognition is a meaningful issue, due to its potential values in many areas, including fashion design, e-commerce and retrieval system. Meanwhile, it is challenging because of the diversity of clothing appearance and background. Thus, this paper raises a network based on deep sparse CNN to realize clothing recognition.
Online learning readiness and online learning system success in Vietnamese higher education
Authors: Pham Lam Tra , Dau Thoa Kim Thi
Published: February 2022

Purpose

The article aims examine an integrated model of the technology acceptance model (TAM), the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and DeLone and McLean information systems (D&M IS) success model to determine the effects of online learning readiness (OLR) on learners' online learning system (OLS) usage and their satisfaction. The authors also investigate the relationship between performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and OLR of students. Moreover, this work examines the mediate role of learner satisfaction in the linking of OLS usage and performance in Vietnamese higher education.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 558 valid questionnaires were collected from students at five large universities in Vietnam to test the fit of proposed model, measurement model and structural relationships between constructs by using partial least squares (PLS) path analytics.

Findings

Performance expectancy, effort expectancy and social influence have significant positive effects on OLR of students in online learning context. OLR has a positive impact on both learner satisfaction and OLS usage. The learner performance is significantly influenced by satisfaction while it is indirectly affected by OLS usage via satisfaction. In addition, OLS usage plays as a partial mediation variable in the relationship between OLR and satisfaction. The path model could explain 56% of variance of the learner performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study has a few limitations. First, this study is cross-sectional, which allows the elaboration of correlations between variables but lacks confidence in causality exploration. Second, the self-reported data are inherently subjective, which might generate biased results in measuring learner performance.

Practical implications

This research has implications for instructors and higher education organizations. The findings provide insights for instructors to manage efficiently the OLS adoption of students. Higher education organizations should understand and identify factors in terms of OLR, OLS usage, learner satisfaction and learner performance when OLSs are implemented in university. Performance expectancy, effort expectancy and social influence have been criticized for considering OLR.

Originality/value

This is the first empirical study to determine relationship between performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, OLR, OLS usage, satisfaction and performance in the context of online learning environment in Vietnam.
The impact of hiring local managers on foreign venture capital performance: evidence from China
Authors: Chen Wanyi , Hou Qingchuan , Tian Gary , Wang Lanfang
Published: February 2022

Purpose

This study examines whether recruitment of local managers helps foreign venture capital (VC) firms mitigate the liability of foreignness measured by cultural differences and improves their performance in relationship-based emerging markets such as China.

Design/methodology/approach

From a data set comprising 1,939 Chinese portfolio companies with first-round investments by 282 foreign lead VC firms during 2000–2015, the study tracks the outcome of each investment until the end of 2018 and collects the background information of partners of lead VC firms. A survival analysis using the Cox hazard model is conducted.

Findings

Cultural differences of the foreign VC's home country, when compared to China, positively influence the success of VC firms. Recruitment of local managers reinforces this positive influence. The influence of local manager recruitment is more pronounced for VC firms with politically connected local managers, during politically uncertain periods, in industries supported by the government, in provinces with high government intervention and in VC firms with decentralized decision rights given to local managers.

Originality/value

This research complements the international business literature on the advantages of hiring local managers and identifies the channels through which local managers help foreign VC firms obtain relationship-based resources. The findings also have practical implications for those foreign investors who intend to enter into relationship-based emerging markets.
Accounting, valuing and investing in health care: dealing with outdated accounting models
Authors: Vesty Gillian , Kokshagina Olga , Jansson Miia , Cheong France , Butler-Henderson Kerryn
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Despite major progress made in improving the health and well-being of millions of people, more efforts are needed for investment in 21st century health care. However, public hospital waiting lists continue to grow. At the same time, there has been increased investment in e-health and digital interventions to enhance population health and reduce hospital admissions. The purpose of this study is to highlight the accounting challenges associated with measuring, investing and accounting for value in this setting. The authors argue that this requires more nuanced performance metrics that effect a shift from a technical practice to one that embraces social and moral values.

Design/methodology/approach

This research is based on field interviews held with clinicians, accountants and administrators in public hospitals throughout Australia and Europe. The field research and multidisciplinary narratives offer insights and issues relating to value and valuing and managing digital health investment decisions for the post-COVID-19 “value-based health-care” future of accounting in the hospital setting.

Findings

The authors find that the complex activity-based hospital funding models operate as a black box, with limited clinician understanding and hybridised accounting expertise for informed social, moral and ethical decision-making. While there is malleability of the health economics-derived activity-based hospital funding models, value contestation and conflict are evident in the operationalisation of these models in practice. Activity-based funding (ABF) mechanisms reward patient throughput volumes in hospitals but at the same time stymie investment in digital health. Although classified as strategic investments, there is a limit to strategic planning.

Research limitations/implications

Accounting in public hospitals has become increasingly visible and contested during the pandemic-driven health-care crisis. Further research is required to examine the hybridising accounting expertise as it is increasingly implicated in the incremental changes to ABF in the emergence of value-based health care and associated digital health investment strategies. Despite operationalising these health economic models in practice, accountants are currently being blamed for dysfunctional health-care decisions. Further education for practicing accountants is required to effect operational change. This includes education on the significant moral and ethical dilemmas that result from accounting for patient mix choices in public hospital service provision.

Originality/value

This research involved a multidisciplinary team from accounting, digital health, information systems, value-based health care and clinical expertise. Unique insights on the move to digital health care are provided. This study contributes to policy development and the limited value-based health-care literature in accounting.
Does economy wide knowledge spillover determine firm level process innovation
Authors: Wedajo Abel Dula , Berhe Mesfin Welderufael , Xiao Huilin
Published: February 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to see how the economy-wide spillover effect affects company process innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

To account for national differences, the current study used a hierarchical model.

Findings

The findings of this study show that knowledge spillover is related to and influences the innovation process of businesses. Only a level two study that takes into account country-specific differences may reveal this. The current work uses a hierarchical model to try to capture knowledge spillover. Furthermore, the findings suggest that medium and large businesses, as well as businesses conducting research and development (R&D), are more inventive than small businesses and firms not conducting R&D. Furthermore, female-owned businesses are more likely than their male counterparts to innovate their processes.

Originality/value

This study is unique in that it makes predictions about how businesses innovate (behave) based on firm-level characteristics, or macroeconomic structure, without sacrificing information and variance. Furthermore, this study attempts to solve the difficulty of prior empirical research’s single-level analysis and cross-level inference. The research is based on data from the 2019 World Bank regular Enterprise Survey, which includes 18,148 businesses from 38 countries.
Evaluation of orthorexia nervosa tendency and fear of COVID-19 in university students receiving health education
Authors: Uzdil Zeynep , Üstüner Ayça Sevdanur
Published: February 2022

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate level of fear and the tendency toward orthorexia nervosa (ON) during the COVID-19 pandemic in the university students receiving health education.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 765 students, consisting of 626 females (81.8%) and 139 males (18.2%) were included in the study. The demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and the tendency toward ON were assessed using an online questionnaire.

Findings

The FCV-19S scores differed according to gender and were higher in the female students (P < 0.001). In students with a high EAT-26 score, the tendency toward ON was higher (P < 0.001). According to estimated regression models, a unit increase of the FCV-19S scores led to a decrease of 0.10 points in the Orthorexia Nervosa Evaluation Scale-11 (ORTO-11) scores. It was determined that students with high FCV-19S scores had a tendency toward ON and increased EAT-26 scores (P < 0.001 and P = 0.004, respectively). There was a weak negative correlation between the FCV-19S score and the ORTO-11 score (P < 0.001) and a weak positive correlation between the FCV-19S score and the EAT-26 score (P = 0.001).

Originality

In this cross-sectional study, it was determined that the fear of COVID-19 was related to an increase in the tendency toward ON and eating attitude in students receiving health education. Because of the fear and ON tendencies of students due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it would be beneficial to provide education on adequate and balanced nutrition during this period.
Strong variation in frequencies of male and female determiners between neighboring housefly populations
Authors: Li Xuan , Lin Fangfei , van de Zande Louis , Beukeboom Leo W.
Published: February 2022

Sex‐determination mechanisms evolve rapidly and vary between species. Occasionally, polymorphic systems are found, like in the housefly. Studying the dynamics and stability of such systems can provide a better understanding of the evolution of sex‐determination systems. In the housefly, dominant male‐determining loci (M) can lie not only on the Y chromosome (MY), but also on autosomes (MA) or the X chromosome (MX). M enforces male development by inhibiting the female‐determining gene transformer (tra). A mutant tra allele, traD, is insensitive to M and is a dominant female determiner. MY prevails at high latitudes and polymorphic M loci together with traD at low latitudes. To get more insight into the stability and frequencies of these sex determiners with mutually exclusive dominance, we investigated 5 regional Spanish populations. We found strong variation among populations. Two populations with hemizygous MIII were found, 2 contained homozygous MX with additional hemizygous MI and MII in 1 population. One population contained homozygous and hemizygous MX with additionally hemizygous MII. All females in populations with homozygous M, had traD, whereas no traD was found in populations without homozygous M. Our results indicate locally stable systems may either harbor a single hemizygous M and no traD, corresponding to a male heterogametic system, or homozygous and/or multiple M and heterozygous traD, reminiscent of a female heterogametic system. They support that M loci can accumulate in the presence of a dominant female determiner. Limited migration between populations may contribute to the stability of these systems.
Hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy for the treatment of malignant pleural effusion caused by breast and ovarian cancer: A systematic literature review and pooled analysis
Authors: Karampinis Ioannis , Dionysopoulou Anna , Galata Christian , Almstedt Katrin , Grilli Maurizio , Hasenburg Annette , Roessner Eric D.
Published: February 2022

Objectives

Breast and ovarian cancer account for over 30% of malignant pleural effusions (MPEs). Treatment of the metastatic disease requires control of the MPE. Even though primarily symptomatic, the treatment of the MPE can potentially affect the oncological course of the disease. The aim of this review is to analyze the effectiveness of intrathoracic chemotherapy in the treatment of MPE caused by breast and ovarian cancer.

Methods

A systematic literature research was conducted up until May 2021. Studies published in English on patients undergoing either surgical or interventional intrapleural chemotherapy were included.

Results

Thirteen studies with a total of 497 patients were included. Analysis was performed on 169 patients with MPE due to breast cancer and eight patients with MPE secondary to ovarian cancer. The pooled success rates of intrathoracic chemotherapy for controlling the MPE were 59.1% and 87.5%, respectively. A survival analysis was not possible with the available data. The overall toxicity of the treatment was low.

Conclusions

Intrathoracic chemotherapy achieves symptomatic control of the MPE in 59.1% of patients with metastatic breast cancer and 87.5% of patients with metastatic ovarian cancer. This is inferior to other forms of surgical pleurodesis. Data from small case series and studies on intraperitoneal chemotherapy show promising results. However, formal oncological studies on the use of intrathoracic chemotherapy for metastatic breast or ovarian cancer are lacking. Further prospective pilot studies are needed to assess the therapeutic oncological effects of this treatment.
Intelligent high‐throughput intervention testing platform in Daphnia
Authors: Cho Yongmin , Jonas‐Closs Rachael A. , Yampolsky Lev Y. , Kirschner Marc W. , Peshkin Leonid
Published: February 2022

We present a novel platform for testing the effects of interventions on the life‐ and healthspan of a short‐lived freshwater organism with complex behavior and physiology—the planktonic crustacean Daphnia magna. Within this platform, dozens of complex behavioral features of both routine motion and response to stimuli are continuously quantified over large synchronized cohorts via an automated phenotyping pipeline. We build predictive machine‐learning models calibrated using chronological age and extrapolate onto phenotypic age. We further apply the model to estimate the phenotypic age under pharmacological perturbation. Our platform provides a scalable framework for drug screening and characterization in both life‐long and instant assays as illustrated using a long‐term dose‐response profile of metformin and a short‐term assay of well‐studied substances such as caffeine and alcohol.
From binge eating to binge drinking: A new and robust paradigm for assessing binge ethanol self‐administration in male rats
Authors: Ruiz‐Leyva Leandro , Vázquez‐Ágredos Ana , Jiménez‐García Ana M. , López‐Guarnido Olga , Pla Antonio , Pautassi Ricardo Marcos , Morón Henche Ignacio , Cendán Cruz Miguel
Published: February 2022

Animal models of alcohol (ethanol) self‐administration are crucial to dissect the neurobiological mechanisms underlying alcohol dependence, yet only a few of these induce pharmacologically relevant levels of alcohol consumption and rarely the alcohol self‐administration co‐occurs with other addictive behaviours. The present study aims to validate a novel model of voluntary ethanol consumption in male Wistar rats, in which ethanol access follows a binge eating experience. Over 10 sessions, Wistar rats were exposed to binge or control eating (i.e., the ingestion of 11.66 and 0.97 kcal/3 min, respectively, derived from a highly palatable food), immediately followed by two‐bottle choice intake tests (2%, 6%, 10% or 14% w/w ethanol vs. water). Rats exposed to binge eating drank significantly more 6% or 10% (w/w) ethanol than control peers, reaching up to 6.3 gEtOH/kg. Rats stimulated with 2%, 6%, 10% or 14% ethanol after binge eating, but not those given those ethanol concentrations after control eating, exhibited significant within‐group increases in ethanol drinking. This ethanol consumption was not altered by quinine adulteration (up to 0.1 g/L), and it was blocked by naltrexone (10 mg/kg), administered immediately before binge eating. Blood ethanol levels significantly correlated with ethanol consumption; and the more ethanol consumed, the greater the distance travelled in an open field test conducted after the two‐bottle choice test. Altogether, this self‐administration model seems a valid and robust alternative with remarkable potential for research on different stages of the alcohol addiction and, particularly, to assess interactions between alcohol consumption and others addictive‐like behaviours.
Are North Carolina clinicians delivering opioid use disorder treatment to Medicaid beneficiaries?
Authors: Grove Lexie R. , Rao Nikhil , Domino Marisa Elena
Published: February 2022

Background and Aims

Medicaid is a public health insurance program in the United States that serves low‐income individuals. Medicaid beneficiaries have elevated risk of opioid use disorder (OUD), yet face barriers to receiving medications for OUD (MOUD). To inform efforts to increase MOUD receipt among Medicaid beneficiaries, this study: (1) estimated Medicaid participation prevalence among clinicians authorized to prescribe buprenorphine and (2) estimated the association between clinician characteristics and OUD care delivery to Medicaid beneficiaries.

Design, Setting and Participants

Retrospective study of North Carolina, USA licensed physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. Licensure data from 2018 were merged with 2019 US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) data to identify clinicians who received the DEA waiver required to prescribe buprenorphine (n = 1714). Medicaid claims data were used to characterize clinician engagement in OUD care delivery.

Measurements

Outcomes were indicators of any Medicaid professional claims and any Medicaid prescription claims for buprenorphine and/or naltrexone. Predictors included clinician characteristics (e.g. gender and race) and characteristics of clinicians’ practice location (e.g. area opioid overdose death rate).

Findings

Most waivered clinicians delivered services to Medicaid beneficiaries, ranging from 67.0% of behavioral health clinicians to 82.9% of specialist physicians. Among waivered clinicians with Medicaid professional claims, prevalence of prescribing buprenorphine to Medicaid beneficiaries ranged from 30.3% among specialist physicians to 51.6% among behavioral health clinicians. The probability of prescribing MOUD to Medicaid beneficiaries was higher among waivered clinicians identifying as male compared with female (8.5 percentage points, P = 0.004) or black compared with white (9.9 percentage points, P = 0.007), older clinicians (0.5 percentage point increase per year, P < 0.001) and clinicians in counties with a higher opioid overdose death rate (5.0 percentage point increase per additional death per 10 000 residents, P = 0.010).

Conclusions

Among clinicians in North Carolina, USA who are authorized to prescribe buprenorphine, 67–83% (depending on type of specialist) deliver services to Medicaid beneficiaries, but only 30–52% of those prescribe medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) to Medicaid beneficiaries. Engagement in OUD care delivery to Medicaid beneficiaries varies by clinician demographic and area characteristics.
Managing oral health care and prevention: The experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders living in a rural community in Queensland, Australia
Authors: Tynan Anna , Walker David , Tucker Taygan , Fisher Barry , Fisher Tarita
Published: February 2022

Objective

To understand the experience of rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in engaging with oral health care services and programs in order to support the development of oral health services and prevention programs that better meet their needs.

Design

The study used a qualitative research design, which aims to describe participants' lived experience of engaging with oral health services and prevention programs in a rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Focus group discussions and in‐depth interviews were conducted with 27 participants. The 15 transcribed discussions were analysed using a 6‐step phenomenological process.

Setting

A rural community in Queensland, Australia, with a predominantly Aboriginal population.

Participants

Participants were purposively recruited from established health and community groups.

Main outcome

System‐level barriers to accessing and engaging with oral health services and prevention influence how communities manage oral health and seek treatment.

Results

The study identified 4 main themes describing the community's experience: service location and the efforts required to access oral health services; the financial burden of accessing oral health care and practising prevention; lack of confidence in oral health services; and the avoidance or delaying of accessing care for dental problems. Results confirmed a high burden of oral disease but limited attendance at an oral health facility and difficulties engaging in preventative oral health behaviours. Treatment seeking was usually instigated by the experience of pain and typically at a tertiary health facility.

Conclusion

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in rural communities experience a high burden of oral disease but have limited engagement with oral health services. This is associated with system‐level barriers to accessing and engaging with oral health services and prevention.
Empirical benchmarks for changes in social and emotional skills over time
Authors: Soland James , Rimm‐Kaufman Sara E. , Kuhfeld Megan , Ventura‐Abbas Nadia
Published: February 2022

This study provides empirical benchmarks that quantify typical changes in students’ reports of social and emotional skills in a large, diverse sample. Data come from six cohorts of students (N = 361,815; 6% Asian, 8% Black, 68% White, 75% Latinx, 50% Female) who responded to the CORE survey from 2015 to 2018 and help quantify typical gains/declines in growth mindset, self‐efficacy, self‐management, and social awareness. Results show fluctuations in skills between 4th and 12th grade (changes ranging from −.33 to .23 standard deviations). Growth mindset increases in fourth grade, declines in fifth to seventh grade, then mostly increases. Self‐efficacy, self‐management, and social awareness decline in sixth to eighth grade. Self‐management and social awareness, but not self‐efficacy, show increases in 10th to 12th grade.
A qualitative exploration of weight management duringCOVID‐19
Authors: Thomson Meigan , Martin Anne , Long Emily , Logue Jennifer , Simpson Sharon A.
Published: February 2022

COVID‐19 has been associated with worse outcomes in people living with obesity and has altered how people can engage with weight management. However, the impact of risk perceptions and changes to daily life on weight loss has not been explored. This study aimed to examine how COVID‐19 and perception of risk interacted with weight loss attempts in adults participating in a behavioural weight management programme. Forty‐eight participants completed a semi‐structured interview exploring the impact of COVID‐19 on their weight management experience. Interviews were completed via telephone and analysed using a thematic approach. Reaction to perceived risk varied, but most participants reported the knowledge of increased risk promoted anxiety and avoidance behaviours. Despite this, many reported it as a motivating factor for weight loss. Restrictions both helped (e.g., reduced temptation) and hindered their weight loss (e.g., less support). However, there was consensus that the changes to everyday life meant participants had more time to engage with and take control of their weight loss. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to explore the impact of COVID‐19 on participation in a weight management programme started during the pandemic in the United Kingdom. Restrictions had varying impacts on participant's weight loss. How risk is perceived and reported to participants is an important factor influencing engagement with weight management. The framing of health information needs to be considered carefully to encourage engagement with weight management to mitigate risk. Additionally, the impact of restrictions and personal well‐being are key considerations for weight management programmes.
Quality of life meta‐analysis following coloanal anastomosis versus abdominoperineal resection for low rectal cancer
Authors: Maguire Barry , Clancy Cillian , Connelly Tara M. , Mehigan Brian J. , McCormick Paul , Altomare Donato F. , Gosselink Martijn Pieter , Larkin John O.
Published: February 2022

Aim

In low rectal cancers without sphincter involvement a permanent stoma can be avoided without compromising oncological safety. Functional outcomes following coloanal anastomosis (CAA) compared to abdominoperineal excision (APR) may be significantly different. This study examines all available comparative quality of life (QoL) data for patients undergoing CAA versus APR for low rectal cancer.

Methods

Published studies with comparative data on QoL outcomes following CAA versus APR for low rectal cancer were extracted from electronic databases. The study was registered with PROSPERO and adhered to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items in Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analyses) guidelines. Data was combined using random‐effects models.

Results

Seven comparative series examined QoL in 527 patients. There was no difference in the numbers receiving neoadjuvant radiotherapy in the APR and CAA groups (OR: 1.19, 95% CI: 0.78–1.81, p = 0.43). CAA was associated with higher mean scores for physical functioning(std mean diff −7.08, 95% CI: −11.92 to −2.25, p = 0.004) and body image (std. mean diff 11.11, 95% CI: 6.04–16.18, p < 0.0001). Male sexual problems were significantly increased in patients who had undergone APR compared to CAA (std. mean diff −16.20, 95% CI: −25.76 to −6.64, p = 0.0009). Patients who had an APR reported more fatigue, dyspnoea and appetite loss. Those who had a CAA reported higher scores for both constipation and diarrhoea.

Discussion

It is reasonable to offer a CAA to motivated patients where oncological outcomes will not be threatened. QoL outcomes appear to be superior when intestinal continuity is maintained, and permanent stoma avoided.
The anorectal defaecation reflex: a prospective intervention study
Authors: Verkuijl Sanne J. , Trzpis Monika , Broens Paul M. A.
Published: February 2022

Aim

Our hypothesis is that there may be a neural pathway with sensory afferent neurons in the anal canal that leads to rectal contraction to assist defaecation. We aimed to compare rectal motility between healthy participants with or without anal anaesthesia.

Method

This prospective intervention study consisted of two test sessions: a baseline session followed by an identical second session. During each session we performed the anal electrosensitivity test, the rectoanal inhibitory reflex test and rapid phasic barostat distensions. Prior to the second session, participants were randomly assigned to receive either a local anal anaesthetic or a placebo.

Results

We included 23 healthy participants aged 21.1 ± 0.5 years, 13 of whom received an anal anaesthetic and 10 a placebo. All participants showed a transient rectal contraction during the first test session, which decreased significantly after anal anaesthesia (18.6 ml vs. 4.9 ml, p = 0.019). The maximum rectal contraction was comparable to the baseline results in the placebo group. Furthermore, the electrosensitivity at the highest centimetre of the anal canal correlated with the maximum rectal contraction (r = −0.452, p = 0.045).

Conclusion

All healthy study participants display an involuntary, reproducible rectal reflex contraction that appears to be innervated by afferent nerves in the proximal anal canal. The rectal reflex contraction appears to play a role in defaecation and we therefore refer to this phenomenon as the anorectal defaecation reflex. Knowledge of the anorectal defaecation reflex may have consequences for the diagnostics and treatment of constipation.
Melanocytic matricoma: A report of three cases, review of the literature, and suggestion of a new terminology
Authors: Ferrier Mary , Husain Akhtar
Published: February 2022

Melanocytic matricoma is a rare, biphasic adnexal tumor. It typically presents as a pigmented papule on the sun‐damaged skin of elderly patients. Histopathology shows a dermal nodule composed of basaloid cells, ghost cells, and deeply pigmented dendritic melanocytes. The basaloid cells are usually positive for β‐catenin and these tumors show overlapping histopathological and molecular features with pilomatricoma. Here, we review the literature on melanocytic matricoma and present three new cases. We suggest different terminology to reflect the overlapping features with pilomatricoma that recognizes that melanocytic matricoma is likely to be a variant of pilomatricoma associated with melanocytic hyperplasia. Although melanocytic matricoma is usually considered benign, malignant transformation has been reported. This highlights the need for increased awareness of this entity.
Deep demersal fish communities respond rapidly to warming in a frontal region between Arctic and Atlantic waters
Authors: Emblemsvåg Margrete , Werner Karl Michael , Núñez‐Riboni Ismael , Frelat Romain , Torp Christensen Helle , Fock Heino O. , Primicerio Raul
Published: February 2022

The assessment of climate impact on marine communities dwelling deeper than the well‐studied shelf seas has been hampered by the lack of long‐term data. For a long time, the prevailing expectation has been that thermal stability in deep ocean layers will delay ecosystem responses to warming. Few observational studies have challenged this view and indicated that deep organisms can respond exceptionally fast to physical change at the sea surface. To address the depth‐specific impact of climate change, we investigated spatio‐temporal changes in fish community structure along a bathymetry gradient of 150–1500 m between 1998 and 2016 in East Greenland. Here, the Arctic East Greenland Current and the Atlantic Irminger Current meet and mix, representing a sub‐Arctic transition zone. We found the strongest signals of community reorganizations at depths between 350 and 1000 m and only weak responses in the shallowest and deepest regions. Changes were in synchrony with atmospheric warming, loss in sea ice and variability in physical sea surface conditions both within our study region and North of the Denmark Strait. These results suggest that interannual variability and long‐term climate trends of the larger ecoregion can rapidly affect fish communities down to 1000‐m depth through atmospheric ocean coupling and food web interactions.