bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Right ventricular hypertrophy in apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Mihos Christos G. , Escolar Esteban , Fernandez Rafle
Published: May 2023

Background

Right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH+) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occurs in one third of patients, however, outcomes in apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (ApHCM) have not been described. We hypothesized that RVH+ in ApHCM is associated with more ventricular remodeling and dysfunction, and increased adverse events when compared with those without RVH (RVH−).

Methods

Ninety‐one ApHCM patients were retrospectively analyzed using 2D and speckle‐tracking echocardiography (64 ± 16 years old, 43% female). RVH+ was defined as wall thickness >5 mm and was present in 23 (25%). Ventricular mechanics were characterized by global longitudinal strain (GLS), RV free wall strain, and myocardial work.

Results

New York Heart Association functional class > II, atrial fibrillation, and prior stroke were more prevalent in RVH+. Left ventricular (LV) size and ejection fraction were similar between groups, with greater septal (17 vs. 14 mm, p = .001) and apical (20 vs. 18 mm, p = .04) wall thickness in RVH+. When compared with RVH− patients, RVH+ had worse LV GLS (−8.6 vs. −12.8%), global work index (820 vs. 1172 mmHg%) (both p < .001), and work efficiency (76 vs. 83%, p = .001), as well as RV GLS (−14 vs. −17.5%) and free wall strain (−17.3 vs. −21.3%) (both p = .02). At 3‐year follow‐up RVH+ had greater incidence of heart failure hospitalization compared with RVH− (35 vs. 7%, p = .003). RVH+ was associated with RV GLS (β = .2, p = .03), independent of clinical and echocardiographic variables.

Conclusions

RVH+ patients with ApHCM have worse biventricular mechanics and myocardial work, and more heart failure hospitalization, as RVH− at mid‐term follow‐up.
Demographic disparities in dental school selection: An analysis of current UK practices
Authors: Cunningham Claudia , Kiezebrink Kirsty , Greatrix Rachel , Patterson Fiona , Vieira Rute
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Specific social groups remain under‐represented within dentistry. While the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) aims to widen participation in under‐represented social groups, there is no evidence in dental education that this aim is being met.

Materials and Methods

Data over two admission cycles (2012 and 2013), including 3246 applicants to 10 UK dental schools, were analysed. Applicant and selected pools were compared to the UK population. Multiple logistic regression was used to investigate the association between demographic variables and UCAT and receiving an offer of a place at dental school.

Results

Over‐representation of Female, Asian, least deprived and grammar school groups were found in applicant and selected pools compared with the UK population. White ethnic applicants were significantly more selected than Black (OR 0.25), Asian (OR 0.57) and Mixed (OR 0.80) ethnicities, while least deprived applicants were significantly more selected than most deprived (OR 0.59). Grammar school education increased odds of selection by 1.8 when compared to state school. The addition of UCAT to the model for applicants reduced ethnic disparities but led to disparities between other groups.

Conclusion

Current widening participation practices focus on attracting applicants from lower socio‐economic groups. However, this study showed that ethnicity, sex and educational background biases also affect demographic diversity in dentistry.

The UCAT shows promise in levelling the playing field; however, widening access measures will only succeed if selection committees radically change selection processes to address the systemic biases, enabling the dentists of tomorrow to represent the society they serve.
Demographic and clinical determinants of the quality of life in adults with inherited and acquired myopathies
Authors: Menon Deepak , Alnajjar Sara , Katzberg Hans , Barnett Carolina , Bril Vera
Published: May 2023

Background and purpose

Measuring health‐related quality of life (QOL) is vital for understanding the disease impact, but the complex relationship between clinical parameters and QOL remains unclear. The objective was to determine the demographic and clinical factors that influence the QOL in adults with inherited and acquired myopathies.

Methods

The study was of cross‐sectional design. Detailed demographic and clinical details were collected. Patients answered Neuro‐QOL and Patient‐Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System short‐form questionnaires.

Results

Data was collected from 100 consecutive in‐person patient visits. Mean age of the cohort was 49.5 ± 20.1 (18–85) years, and the majority were male (53, 53%). Bivariate analysis between the various demographic and clinical features with the QOL scales revealed single simple question (SSQ), handgrip strength, Medical Research Council (MRC) sum score, female gender, and age to be nonuniformly associated with the QOL scales. There was no difference between inherited and acquired myopathies for any of the QOL scores, except for the poorer lower limb function domain in inherited myopathies (36.7 ± 7.3 vs. 40.9 ± 11.2, p = 0.049). Linear regression models revealed lower SSQ, lower handgrip strength, and lower MRC sum score to independently predict poor QOL.

Conclusions

Handgrip strength and SSQ serve as novel predictors of QOL in myopathies. Handgrip strength has a significant impact on physical, mental, and social domains and deserves special attention with respect to rehabilitation. SSQ correlates well with QOL and can be employed as a quick and global assessment of a patient's well‐being. Differences in QOL scores between patients with inherited and acquired myopathies were minimal.
Policy diffusion, policy transfer, and policy mobilities revisited: A call for more interdisciplinary approaches in human geography
Authors: Haupt Wolfgang
Published: May 2023

Geographers and urban studies scholars tend to rely on policy mobilities approaches to explain processes of policy spread, whereas political scientists and public policy scholars usually draw on either policy diffusion or policy transfer. I challenge this widespread scholarly practice of selecting approaches based on the association with a certain discipline. Instead, first and foremost, the specific research aim(s) and question(s) should shape the choice of theoretical lens. Analytical or policy outcome‐oriented studies should rely on policy diffusion and policy transfer, while a policy mobilities approach is best suited for more (policy) critical analysis. The approaches can also complement each other to a certain degree. Analytical and policy outcome‐oriented approaches need a stronger critical perspective while policy mobilities scholars need to underpin their critique with constructive suggestions on how to improve established practices.
Hemoglobin and neutrophil levels stratified according to International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium risk predict the effectiveness of ipilimumab plus nivolumab in patients with advanced metastatic renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Tomiyama Nami , Tasaki Yoshihiko , Hamamoto Shuzo , Sugiyama Yosuke , Naiki Taku , Etani Toshiki , Taguchi Kazumi , Matsuyama Nayuka , Sue Yasuhito , Mimura Yoshihisa , Odagiri Kunihiro , Noda Yusuke , Aoki Maria , Moritoki Yoshinobu , Nozaki Satoshi , Kurokawa Satoshi , Okada Atsushi , Kawai Noriyasu , Furukawa‐Hibi Yoko , Yasui Takahiro
Published: May 2023

Objective

To identify biomarkers associated with the effectiveness of ipilimumab plus nivolumab against advanced metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the data of 75 patients treated with ipilimumab plus nivolumab at seven hospitals between August 2018 and April 2021. Prognostic biomarkers were assessed prior to initiating treatment with ipilimumab plus nivolumab. Median overall survival and progression‐free survival were examined using the Kaplan–Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of disease progression. The International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) risk factors most important for predicting disease progression were determined using classification and regression tree analysis.

Results

Median overall survival and progression‐free survival were longer in the intermediate IMDC risk group than in the poor IMDC risk group (overall: not reached vs. 18.3 months; progression‐free: not reached vs. 13.5 months). The multivariate analysis identified poor IMDC risk as a risk factor for disease progression (hazard ratio 2.61, 95% confidence interval: 1.05–6.51). Based on the results of the classification and regression tree analysis, the cohort was divided into non‐anemia, anemia + neutro‐Low, and anemia + neutro‐High groups. Median overall survival and progression‐free survival were longer in the non‐anemia and anemia + neutro‐Low groups than in the anemia + neutro‐High group (overall: not reached vs. 29.3 months vs. 4.3 months: progression‐free: not reached vs. 29.0 months vs. 3.9 months).

Conclusion

Hemoglobin and neutrophil levels may represent crucial biomarkers for predicting the effectiveness of ipilimumab plus nivolumab therapy in patients with renal cell carcinoma.
Managed diversion lead time effects on flood response in a tidal freshwater river
Authors: Miller Robert L.
Published: May 2023

River diversions are a commonly used water management tool throughout the world. Low‐gradient coastal rivers exhibit complex floodplain interactions and are subject to multiple uncertain drivers of future flood risk. The interacting factors make quantification of downstream diversion effects on ambient flood hazards in coastal riverine ecosystems challenging. This article analyzes the effects of a managed ecological diversion (MED) on downstream flood hazards in the flood‐prone tidal freshwater Vermilion River system situated within the Atchafalaya Basin region of Louisiana, USA. A flexible and efficient hydraulic and hydrologic (H&H) modeling setup and counterfactual approach is utilized to develop and analyze 60 simulation scenarios aimed at quantifying the effects of an existing baseflow augmentation program on downstream flood hazards under uncertain future conditions. The analysis demonstrated the significance of preemptive diversion closure on the downstream flood levels in downstream rivers. The role of wetland topography and residual floodplain storage on MED‐induced flood response was also highlighted. A variety of uncertain parameter/forcing scenarios were also evaluated to establish robustness of the findings and to extend the results to more general settings. The study provides insights on downstream flood response induced by MEDs, which are expected to become more prevalent in the future.
The association of allopurinol with persistent physical disability and frailty in a large community based older cohort
Authors: Zhou Zhen , Ryan Joanne , Nelson Mark R. , Woods Robyn L. , Orchard Suzanne G. , Zhu Chao , Gilmartin‐Thomas Julia F. M. , Fravel Michelle A. , Owen Alice J. , Murray Anne M. , Espinoza Sara E. , Ernst Michael E.
Published: May 2023

Background

The protective effects of allopurinol on physical function in older adults are not well understood, despite its potential to improve functional gains and reduce sarcopenia. This study aims to determine the association between allopurinol, persistent physical disability, and frailty in older gout patients.

Methods

This analysis used data from a randomized trial in an older cohort, ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE). ASPREE recruited 19,114 participants aged ≥65 years without prior cardiovascular events, dementia, or independence‐limiting physical disability at trial enrolment. This analysis examined the association of baseline and time‐varying allopurinol use with persistent physical disability and new‐onset frailty in participants with gout at baseline (self‐report or use of any anti‐gout medications). Frailty was measured using the Fried frailty phenotype (score ≥3/5) and a deficit accumulation frailty index (FI) (score >0.21/1.0). Multivariable Cox proportional‐hazards models were used for main analyses.

Results

This analysis included 1155 gout participants, with 630 taking allopurinol at baseline and 525 not. During a median follow‐up of 5.7 years, 113 new allopurinol users were identified. Compared with nonusers, baseline allopurinol use was associated with a significant risk reduction of persistent physical disability (Adjusted HR 0.46, 95% CI 0.23–0.92, p = 0.03). The strength of the association was modestly attenuated in the time‐varying analysis (Adjusted HR 0.56, 0.29–1.08, p = 0.08). No significant associations with frailty measures were observed for either baseline allopurinol use (Fried frailty: Adjusted HR 0.83, 0.62–1.12; FI: Adjusted HR 0.96, 0.74–1.24) or time‐varying allopurinol use (Fried frailty: Adjusted HR 0.92, 0.69–1.24; FI: Adjusted HR 1.02, 0.78–1.33).

Conclusions

Allopurinol use in older adults with gout is associated with a reduced risk of persistent physical disability but not associated with risk of frailty.
Prevalence of adverse events in pronated intubated adult COVID‐19 patients: A systematic review with meta‐analysis
Authors: Gabiatti Daiane , Vieira Leticia Genova , Margatho Amanda Salles , dos Santos Bruna Nogueira , Clark Alexander Mark , Vasques Christiane Inocêncio , Silveira Renata Cristina De Campos Pereira
Published: May 2023

Aim

To present the pooled estimated prevalence of adverse events in pronated intubated adult COVID‐19 patients.

Design

A systematic review and meta‐analysis.

Data sources

This study used the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Embase, LILACS, Livivo, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases as data sources.

Methods

The studies were meta‐analysed using JAMOVI 1.6.15 software. A random‐effects model was used to identify the global prevalence of adverse events, confidence intervals and the heterogeneity data. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool, and the certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach.

Results

Of the 7904 studies identified, 169 were included for full reading, and 10 were included in the review. The most prevalent adverse events were pressure injuries (59%), haemodynamic instability (23%), death (17%) and device loss or traction (9%).

Conclusion

The most prevalent adverse events in mechanically ventilated pronated patients with COVID‐19 are pressure injuries, presence of haemodynamic instability, death and device loss or traction.

Implications for the patient care

The evidence identified in this review can help improve the quality and safety of patient care by helping to design care protocols to avoid the development of adverse events that can cause permanent sequelae in these patients.

Impact

This systematic review addressed the adverse events related to prone position in intubated adult COVID‐19 patients. We identified that the most prevalent adverse events in these patients were pressure injuries, haemodynamic instability, device loss or traction and death. The results of this review may influence the clinical practice of nurses who work in intensive care units and, consequently, the nursing care provided not only to COVID‐19 patients but for all intubated patients due to other reasons in intensive care units.

Reporting method

This systematic review adhered to the PRISMA reporting guideline.

Patient or public contribution

As this is a systematic review, we analysed data from primary studies conducted by many researchers. Thus, there was no patient or public contribution in this review.
Suitable, fit, competent and safe to practice nursing? Assessing nursing students' personal qualities in clinical placement—An integrative review
Authors: Natterøy Cathrine Selsvold , Tveit Bodil , Hunskår Irene , Raustøl Anne
Published: May 2023

Aims and objectives

This study aims to explore, describe, and synthesize the personal requirements student nurses are assessed in their clinical placement to be suitable, fit, competent, and safe for the nursing profession.

Background

There are different terms and concepts used when describing what nursing students are assessed by regarding personal requirements needed to be eligible to enter the nursing profession. This is regulated and enforced mainly by different standards and guidelines.

Design

An integrative review using Whittmore and Knafl's (2005) methodology.

Methods

Searches were systematically conducted in CINAHL, Education Source, ERIC, Academic Source Elite, MEDLINE and EMBASE, NORART, SveMed+, and Bibliotek.dk. The PRISMA checklist for systematic reviews was used.

Results

Eighteen studies were included in the review. The results present various factors student nurses are assessed by in clinical placements, which were categorized into three themes: attitude and personal characteristics, behavior, and basic knowledge. Assessing students is a complex and subjective endeavor, and decisions are based on a holistic assessment of several different aspects of the student's performance and behavior

Conclusions

The personal requirements to be deemed suited for det nursing profession are complex and composed of several different components. Assessments are often based more on assessors’ subjective standards and intuition than on the provided guidelines and standards. There is no universal understanding of which characteristics or qualities are considered necessary for a student to be deemed suited for the nursing profession.

Relevance to clinical practice

This study points at challenges with the assessment of nursing students today as there are no clear standards or understanding of the requirements needed.
Efficacy of nonpharmacologic interventions in preoperative anxiety: A systematic review of systematic reviews
Authors: Agüero‐Millan Basilio , Abajas‐Bustillo Rebeca , Ortego‐Maté Carmen
Published: May 2023

Aims and Objectives

Evidence suggests that preparing patients for surgery using nonpharmacological strategies reduces their anxiety. However, there is no consensus on what the best practices are. This study aims to answer the question: Are interventions using nonpharmacological therapies effective in reducing preoperative anxiety?

Background

Preoperative anxiety causes physiological and psychological adverse effects, with a negative effect on postoperative recovery.

Introduction

According to the World Health Organization, between 266 and 360 million surgical procedures are performed annually worldwide, and it is estimated that more than 50% of patients will experience some degree of preoperative anxiety.

Design

Systematic review of systematic reviews with results of interventions aimed at mitigating preoperative anxiety.

Methods

A search was conducted for systematic reviews with meta‐analyses published between 2012 and 2021 in Medline, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. Quality was assessed using the AMSTAR‐2 scale. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO.

Results

A total of 1016 studies were examined, of which 17 systematic reviews were selected, yielding 188 controlled trials with 16,884 participants. In adults, the most common intervention included music, followed by massage, in children virtual reality and clowns. Almost all controlled trials reported a reduction in preoperative anxiety after the intervention, of which almost half had statistically significant results.

Conclusion

Interventions that include music, massage and virtual reality reduce preoperative anxiety and have shown that they are cost‐effective, minimally invasive and with a low risk of adverse effects. Preoperative anxiety can be reduced through a short‐term intervention involving nursing professionals as an alternative or complement to drugs.

Relevance to clinical practice

This review suggests that nursing professionals, in collaboration with other health professionals, should continue to conduct research on the reduction in preoperative anxiety. Further research in this area is needed, to reduce heterogeneity and consolidate the results.

No Patient or Public Contribution

Not applied to our study, as it is a systematic review of systematic reviews.
Wage response to corporate income taxes: A meta‐regression analysis
Authors: Knaisch Jonas , Pöschel Carla
Published: May 2023

The wage elasticity to corporate income tax (CIT) is an essential parameter for assessing tax policy reforms. This paper applies meta‐regression analysis to quantitatively review the growing empirical tax incidence literature that indicates a substantial shift of the tax burden onto employees. While most studies report a large wage‐reducing effect of the CIT, our findings suggest that estimates with positive values are published less often than they should. After accounting for the bias, we find no significant average association between wage rates and corporate taxation. We document that the tax variable, econometric method, type of tax variation, and underlying time and country coverage of studies drive the heterogeneity among reported effects. The implied best‐practice estimates suggest that the tax elasticity of wages is systematically larger for emerging countries and smaller when tax changes at the subnational level are exploited.
How does liberalization affect emerging stock markets? Theories and empirical evidence
Authors: Hoang Bao Trung , Mateus Cesario
Published: May 2023

This paper reviews the literature that discusses how liberalization affects emerging stock markets on the cost of equity, stock volatility, stock liquidity, and informational efficiency. The survey consists of two parts, theoretical arguments and empirical evidence. Four primary mechanisms explaining the impacts are risk diversification, information‐sharing, friction channel, and market competition. Our survey indicates that liberalization was evidenced to reduce the cost of equity (via risk diversification mechanism), stabilize stock volatility (mainly through risk diversification mechanism), increase stock market liquidity (in both friction channels and informational‐sharing mechanisms), and improve the local market's informational efficiency (by informational‐sharing mechanism). Also, we suggest some aspects of theoretical arguments that still need further examination by empirical research.
Echoes of “dead” colonialism: The voices and materiality of a (post)colonial Algerian newspaper
Authors: Love Stephanie V.
Published: May 2023

Through the concept of the echo, this article examines how postcolonial Algerians discursively locate and orient themselves in relation to the materiality of “dead” colonialism, which I broadly define as the physical presence of objects, voices, and sensual qualities (accompanied by aesthetic, value, and moral judgments) that Algerians see as persisting from the colonial before. I argue that an echo in discourse hinges on a tripartite dialogic structure: the dynamic interplay of past voices/signs, present listeners, and the material surfaces that reflect these voices/signs with delay, distortion, and varied intensity. Through the narratives of three directors of three different iterations of a local newspaper in Oran, Algeria, I examine how past voices and sounds reverberate across the threshold of the colonial and postcolonial divide and create sociopolitical and interpersonal effects that often challenge the notion that colonialism is “dead and gone.” This article advances scholarship on language materiality by positing that the material world is more than just the setting in which material speech and social action occur; rather, the material world shapes how language is heard and stances are taken in concrete ways. I conclude that echoes are central to how people tell stories about their past that matter in the present.
Rapid selection of potyviral cross‐protection effective mutants from the local lesion host after nitrous acid mutagenesis
Authors: Goh Reun‐Ping , Xie Xing‐Yun , Lin Ya‐Chi , Cheng Hao‐Wen , Raja Joseph A. J. , Yeh Shyi‐Dong
Published: May 2023

Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) seriously damages cucurbits worldwide. Control of ZYMV by cross‐protection has been practised for decades, but selecting useful mild viruses is time‐consuming and laborious. Most attenuated potyviruses used for cross‐protection do not induce hypersensitive reaction (HR) in Chenopodium quinoa, a local lesion host Chenopodium quinoa. Here, severe ZYMV TW‐TN3 tagged with green fluorescent protein (GFP), designated ZG, was used for nitrous acid mutagenesis. From three trials, 11 mutants were identified from fluorescent spots without HR in inoculated C. quinoa leaves. Five mutants caused attenuated symptoms in squash plants. The genomic sequences of these five mutants revealed that most of the nonsynonymous changes were located in the HC‐Pro gene. The replacement of individual mutated HC‐Pros in the ZG backbone and an RNA silencing suppression (RSS) assay indicated that each mutated HC‐Pro is defective in RSS function and responsible for reduced virulence. Four mutants provided high degrees of protection (84%–100%) against severe virus TW‐TN3 in zucchini squash plants, with ZG 4‐10 being selected for removal of the GFP tag. After removal of the GFP gene, Z 4‐10 induced symptoms similar to ZG 4‐10 and still provided 100% protection against TW‐TN3 in squash, thus is considered not a genetically engineered mutant. Therefore, using a GFP reporter to select non‐HR mutants of ZYMV from C. quinoa leaves is an efficient way to obtain beneficial mild viruses for cross‐protection. This novel approach is being applied to other potyviruses.
A rare case of acute embolic stroke related with undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma
Authors: Ghorpade Rina , Vojjini Rahul , Tissavirasingham Fiona , Khosravi Negin , Rawal Manav , Bracken Eric , Vemulapalli Sunitha
Published: May 2023

Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma is uncommonly seen and can be present in soft tissue as a slow‐growing and painless mass. The usual presenting symptoms of these tumors are swelling, pain, and constitutional symptoms. However, an initial presentation of pleomorphic sarcoma as an embolic stroke is rarely seen. We report a patient who presented with cerebellar stroke and had widespread pulmonary nodules on chest X‐ray. The Computed Tomography (CT)‐guided biopsy of the pulmonary nodules revealed a diagnosis of undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. These findings prompted a thorough physical examination in search of malignancy. Unfortunately, the patient was found to have left leg swelling, which was missed on the initial exam, delaying diagnosis and management. Additionally, the patient was found to have a patent foramen ovale (PFO) on transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE). However, no source of emboli was found.
HSV encephalitis relapse in the setting of chemotherapy
Authors: Crowe Jonathan , Bender Alex C. , Migdady Ibrahim , Izzy Saef
Published: May 2023

Patients who suffer a brain injury trigger are vulnerable to late relapse of herpes simplex encephalitis. We present an immunocompromised patient with late‐life relapse of herpes simplex encephalitis after an ischemic stroke.
Home‐based microbial solution to boost crop growth in low‐fertility soil
Authors: Jiang Meitong , Delgado‐Baquerizo Manuel , Yuan Mengting Maggie , Ding Jixian , Yergeau Etienne , Zhou Jizhong , Crowther Thomas W. , Liang Yuting
Published: May 2023

Soil microbial inoculants are expected to boost crop productivity under climate change and soil degradation. However, the efficiency of native vs commercialized microbial inoculants in soils with different fertility and impacts on resident microbial communities remain unclear.

We investigated the differential plant growth responses to native synthetic microbial community (SynCom) and commercial plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). We quantified the microbial colonization and dynamic of niche structure to emphasize the home‐field advantages for native microbial inoculants.

A native SynCom of 21 bacterial strains, originating from three typical agricultural soils, conferred a special advantage in promoting maize growth under low‐fertility conditions. The root : shoot ratio of fresh weight increased by 78–121% with SynCom but only 23–86% with PGPRs. This phenotype correlated with the potential robust colonization of SynCom and positive interactions with the resident community. Niche breadth analysis revealed that SynCom inoculation induced a neutral disturbance to the niche structure. However, even PGPRs failed to colonize the natural soil, they decreased niche breadth and increased niche overlap by 59.2–62.4%, exacerbating competition.

These results suggest that the home‐field advantage of native microbes may serve as a basis for engineering crop microbiomes to support food production in widely distributed poor soils.
A novel transcriptional repressor complex MYB22–TOPLESS–HDAC1 promotes rice resistance to brown planthopper by repressing F3′H expression
Authors: Sun Bo , Shen Yanjie , Chen Su , Shi Zhenying , Li Haichao , Miao Xuexia
Published: May 2023

The brown planthopper (BPH) is the most destructive pest of rice. The MYB transcription factors are vital for rice immunity, but most are activators. Although MYB22 positively regulates rice resistance to BPH and has an EAR motif associated with active repression, it remains unclear whether it is a transcriptional repressor affecting rice–BPH interaction.

Genetic analyses revealed that MYB22 regulates rice resistance to BPH via its EAR motif. Several biochemical experiments (e.g. transient transcription assay, Y2H, LCA, and BiFC) indicated that MYB22 is a transcriptional repressor that interacts with the corepressor TOPLESS via its EAR motif and recruits HDAC1 to form a tripartite complex.

Flavonoid‐3′‐hydroxylase (F3′H) is a flavonoid biosynthesis pathway‐related gene that negatively regulates rice resistance to BPH. Based on a bioinformatics analysis and the results of EMSA and transient transcription assays, MYB22 can bind directly to the F3′H promoter and repress gene expression along with TOPLESS and HDAC1.

We revealed a transcriptional regulatory mechanism influencing the rice–BPH interaction that differs from previously reported mechanisms. Specifically, MYB22–TOPLESS–HDAC1 is a novel transcriptional repressor complex with components that synergistically and positively regulate rice resistance to BPH through the transcriptional repression of F3′H.
(Post‐)industrial optics: The role of the Hereford Mappa Mundi in Christopher Meredith'sShifts
Authors: Bednarski Aleksander
Published: May 2023

Christopher Meredith's novelShifts(1988) is firmly established in the canon of English‐language Welsh literature as one of the most accomplished representatives of (post‐)industrial fiction, a genre this small country has produced in quality and amount ‘out of all proportion to its size or population’ (Knight, 2004). The aim of this paper is to explore the role of the medieval Mappa Mundi which two characters see in Hereford Cathedral in the context of the novel's circular structure and a rich network of other visual insets. Looking at the map from a variety of perspectives, including Murray Krieger's concept of ekphrasis as the superimposition of spatial relationships on a text by a visual work of art, I propose to read the fictional continuum of the novel as a mirror image of the medievalorbis terrarumon several planes: compositional, visual‐optical and symbolic. This reading is embedded within the broader context of the characteristics of the Welsh industrial novel discussed by Raymond Williams in his essay ‘The Welsh industrial novel’ (1979).
Disseminated Ureaplasma polyarthritis in a renal transplant recipient
Authors: Schwartz Samantha , Aldrich Aileen , Kessler Elizabeth , Abulaban Khalid , Steinke Julia M.
Published: May 2023

Background

The risk of infection following kidney transplant increases substantially in the setting of hypogammaglobulinemia and T‐cell‐depleting therapy. Ureaplasma has been described to cause invasive disease in immunocompromised hosts with humoral immunodeficiency. We describe a kidney transplant recipient with history of antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA) vasculitis remotely treated with rituximab who developed Ureaplasma polyarthritis following transplant. The purpose of this report is to highlight the unique risks that kidney transplant patients face particularly if hypogammaglobulinemic.

Case Report

Patient is a 16‐year‐old female with history of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) treated with maintenance dose of rituximab 13 months prior to transplant. Patient underwent deceased donor kidney transplant with thymoglobulin induction. IgG was 332 mg/dL and CD20 was zero at the time of transplant. One month posttransplant, the patient developed polyarticular arthritis without fever, pyuria, or evidence of GPA reactivation. MRI had diffuse tenosynovitis, myositis, fasciitis, cellulitis, and effusions of three involved joints. Bacterial, fungal, and AFB cultures remained negative, but 16 s ribosomal PCR testing from joint aspirates detected Ureaplasma parvum. The patient was treated with levofloxacin for 12 weeks with the resolution of symptoms.

Conclusions

Ureaplasma infection is an under‐recognized pathogen in kidney transplant patients. A high index of clinical suspicion should be employed to identify Ureaplasma infection, especially in those with secondary hypogammaglobulinemia, as this is often missed due to its lack of growth on standard media and the need for molecular testing. In patients with prior B‐cell depletion, routine monitoring for B‐cell recovery to identify risk factors for opportunistic infections is indicated.
Coordination of intertracheid pit traits and climate effects among cycads
Authors: Pang Yu‐Kun , Qin Lan‐Li , Zhang Tian‐Hao , Lei Jin‐Yan , Zhang Ya , Roddy Adam B. , Jiang Guo‐Feng
Published: May 2023

Interconduit pit membranes, which are permeable regions in the primary cell wall that connect to adjacent conduits, play a crucial role in water relations and the movement of nutrients between xylem conduits. However, how pit membrane characteristics might influence water‐carbon coupling remains poorly investigated in cycads. We examined pit characteristics, the anatomical and photosynthetic traits of 13 cycads from a common garden, to determine if pit traits and their coordination are related to water relations and carbon economy. We found that the pit traits of cycads were highly variable and that cycads exhibited a similar tradeoff between pit density and pit area as other plant lineages. Unlike other plant lineages (1) pit membranes, pit apertures, and pit shapes of cycads were not coordinated as in angiosperms; (2) cycads exhibited larger pit membrane areas but lower pit densities relative to ferns and angiosperms, but smaller and similar pit membrane densities to non‐cycad gymnosperms; (3) cycad pit membrane areas and densities were partially coordinated with anatomical traits, with hydraulic supply of the rachis positively coordinated with photosynthesis, whereas pit aperture areas and fractions were negatively coordinated with photosynthetic traits; (4) cycad pit traits reflected adaptation to wetter habitats for Cycadaceae and drier habitats for Zamiaceae. The large variation in pit traits, the unique pit membrane size and density, and the partial coordination of pit traits with anatomical and physiological traits of the rachis and pinna among cycads may have facilitated their dominance in a variety of ecosystems from the Mesozoic to modern times.
Periodontal diseases and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Present and future
Authors: Bobetsis Yiorgos A. , Ide Mark , Gürsoy Mervi , Madianos Phoebus N.
Published: May 2023

For more than two decades the possible association between periodontal diseases and adverse pregnancy outcomes has been extensively evaluated. Numerous observational, intervention, and mechanistic studies have offered valuable information on this topic. However, several methodologic limitations still remain a significant drawback for this set of investigations, and therefore safe conclusions are not always easy to draw. Unfortunately, despite the strong recommendations from the scientific community, recent studies have not sufficiently addressed these limitations and, therefore, have not significantly altered our perception regarding the association between periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes. This review briefly describes the established knowledge and gives emphasis to the current literature. In addition, owing to the main theme of this Periodontology 2000 volume, special reference will be made regarding the results from European studies on periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Finally, new strategies and research guidelines are proposed in order to move on to the next level of evidence that will help connect the theoretical knowledge with meaningful clinical interventions that will benefit our pregnant patients and their offspring.
Removing the cardiac field artifact from the EEG using neural network regression
Authors: Arnau Stefan , Sharifian Fariba , Wascher Edmund , Larra Mauro F.
Published: May 2023

When EEG recordings are used to reveal interactions between central‐nervous and cardiovascular processes, the cardiac field artifact (CFA) poses a major challenge. Because the electric field generated by cardiac activity is also captured by scalp electrodes, the CFA arises as a heavy contaminant whenever EEG data are analyzed time‐locked to cardio‐electric events. A typical example is measuring stimulus‐evoked potentials elicited at different phases of the cardiac cycle. Here, we present a nonlinear regression method deploying neural networks that allows to remove the CFA from the EEG signal in such scenarios. We train neural network models to predict R‐peak centered EEG episodes based on the ECG and additional CFA‐related information. In a second step, these trained models are used to predict and consequently remove the CFA in EEG episodes containing visual stimulation occurring time‐locked to the ECG. We show that removing these predictions from the signal effectively removes the CFA without affecting the intertrial phase coherence of stimulus‐evoked activity. In addition, we provide the results of an extensive grid search suggesting a set of appropriate model hyperparameters. The proposed method offers a replicable way of removing the CFA on the single‐trial level, without affecting stimulus‐related variance occurring time‐locked to cardiac events. Disentangling the cardiac field artifact (CFA) from the EEG signal is a major challenge when investigating the neurocognitive impact of cardioafferent traffic by means of the EEG. When stimuli are presented time‐locked to the cardiac cycle, both sources of variance are systematically confounded. Here, we propose a regression‐based approach deploying neural network models to remove the CFA from the EEG. This approach effectively removes the CFA on a single‐trial level and is purely data‐driven, providing replicable results.
50+ years of R&D Management: a retrospective synthesis and new research trajectories
Authors: Ferrigno Giulio , Crupi Antonio , Di Minin Alberto , Ritala Paavo
Published: May 2023

In 2020, R&D Management celebrated 50 years of publication. The present study honors that milestone by conducting a retrospective examination of the research conducted in the journal over time and reflects on its rich history to look forward in the R&D management field. Using bibliometric techniques, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the journal's most prominent topics and themes, as well as its most prolific authors, institutions, and countries. The findings indicate that R&D Management has increased its productivity and reputation as measured by the number of published articles and citations per year and expanded its international reach from the initial European‐dominated author base. We complement this analysis by performing an in‐depth systematic literature review of the most frequently cited papers – annually and of all time – to disentangle the themes and concepts that prominently shaped the progress of the discipline itself. The results suggest that R&D Management has progressively widened its field of investigation from an intra‐organizational perspective (1970–1992) to an inter‐organizational view (1992–2006) and then to an extra‐organizational outlook (2006–2018). Finally, based on this history and viewing the contributions from 2019 onwards, we identify an emerging set of research trajectories that we expect will pave the way for the future impact of R&D Management and the field at large.
Sex differences in change of direction deficit and asymmetries in footballers with cerebral palsy
Authors: Henríquez Matías , Peña‐González Iván , Albaladejo‐García Carlos , Sadarangani Kabir P. , Reina Raul
Published: May 2023

The aims of this study were (1) to describe and examine differences in change of direction (COD) performance and the magnitude of asymmetries in para‐footballers with cerebral palsy (CP) and controls and (2) to evaluate the association between COD outcomes and linear sprint performance. Twenty‐eight international para‐footballers with CP and thirty‐nine non‐impaired football players (control group) participated in this study. All participants completed a 10‐m sprint and two attempts of the 505 COD test with the dominant and non‐dominant leg. The COD deficit was calculated using the difference between the 505 test and the 10‐m sprint time, while the asymmetry index was determined by comparing each leg's completion time and COD deficit. Players across groups showed interlimb asymmetries between the dominant and non‐dominant legs in COD outcomes and deficit (p < 0.05, dg = −0.40 to −1.46), although these asymmetries imbalance were not significantly different between the sexes with and without impairment. Males with CP exhibited a faster directional COD speed and a shorter COD deficit than their female counterparts (p < 0.01, dg = −1.68 to −2.53). Similarly, the control group had faster scores than the CP groups of the same sex (p < 0.05, dg = 0.53 to 3.78). Lastly, the female CP group and male control groups showed a significant association between sprint and the COD deficit in the dominant leg (p < 0.05, r = −0.58 to 0.65). Therefore, the use of directional dominance, the COD deficit, and asymmetry outcomes could be helpful for classification purposes to assess the impact of the impairment on sport‐specific activity testing according to sex.
Characterization of the novel HLA‐B*27:05:57 allele detected in a potential hematopoietic stem cell donor
Authors: Shagimardanova Elena I. , Aksenova Liliya , Elvira Ziyatdinova , Ananeva Anastasiia , Andryushkina Anna V.
Published: May 2023

The novel HLA‐B*27:05:57 allele differs by two nucleotide changes from HLA‐B*27:05:02:01.
The dynamics of touch‐responsive gene expression in cereals
Authors: Darwish Essam , Ghosh Ritesh , Bentzer Johan , Tsardakas Renhuldt Nikos , Proux‐Wera Estelle , Kamal Nadia , Spannagl Manuel , Hause Bettina , Sirijovski Nick , Van Aken Olivier
Published: May 2023

Wind, rain, herbivores, obstacles, neighbouring plants, etc. provide important mechanical cues to steer plant growth and survival. Mechanostimulation to stimulate yield and stress resistance of crops is of significant research interest, yet a molecular understanding of transcriptional responses to touch is largely absent in cereals. To address this, we performed whole‐genome transcriptomics following mechanostimulation of wheat, barley, and the recent genome‐sequenced oat. The largest transcriptome changes occurred ±25 min after touching, with most of the genes being upregulated. While most genes returned to basal expression level by 1–2 h in oat, many genes retained high expression even 4 h post‐treatment in barley and wheat. Functional categories such as transcription factors, kinases, phytohormones, and Ca2+ regulation were affected. In addition, cell wall‐related genes involved in (hemi)cellulose, lignin, suberin, and callose biosynthesis were touch‐responsive, providing molecular insight into mechanically induced changes in cell wall composition. Furthermore, several cereal‐specific transcriptomic footprints were identified that were not observed in Arabidopsis. In oat and barley, we found evidence for systemic spreading of touch‐induced signalling. Finally, we provide evidence that both the jasmonic acid‐dependent and the jasmonic acid‐independent pathways underlie touch‐signalling in cereals, providing a detailed framework and marker genes for further study of (a)biotic stress responses in cereals.
Non‐planarity of SL(2,Z)$\operatorname{SL}(2,\mathbb {Z})$‐orbits of origamis in H(2)$\mathcal {H}(2)$
Authors: Jeffreys Luke , Matheus Carlos
Published: May 2023

We consider the ‐orbits of primitive ‐squared origamis in the stratum . In particular, we consider the 4‐valent graphs obtained from the action of with respect to a generating set of size two. We prove that, apart from the orbit for and one of the orbits for , all of the obtained graphs are non‐planar. Specifically, in each of the graphs we exhibit a minor, where is the complete bipartite graph on two sets of three vertices.
New results for MaxCut in H$H$‐free graphs
Authors: Glock Stefan , Janzer Oliver , Sudakov Benny
Published: May 2023

The MaxCut problem asks for the size of a largest cut in a graph . It is well known that for any ‐edge graph , and the difference is called the surplus of . The study of the surplus of ‐free graphs was initiated by Erdős and Lovász in the 70s, who, in particular, asked what happens for triangle‐free graphs. This was famously resolved by Alon, who showed that in the triangle‐free case the surplus is , and found constructions matching this bound. We prove several new results in this area.

Confirming a conjecture of Alon, Krivelevich and Sudakov, we show that for every fixed odd , any ‐free graph with edges has surplus . This is tight, as is shown by a construction of pseudo‐random ‐free graphs due to Alon and Kahale. It improves previous results of several researchers, and complements a result of Alon, Krivelevich and Sudakov which is the same bound when is even.

Generalising the result of Alon, we allow the graph to have triangles, and show that if the number of triangles is a bit less than in a random graph with the same density, then the graph has large surplus. For regular graphs, our bounds on the surplus are sharp.

We prove that an ‐vertex graph with few copies of and average degree has surplus , which is tight when is close to provided that a conjectured dense pseudo‐random ‐free graph exists. This result is used to improve the best known lower bound (as a function of ) on the surplus of ‐free graphs.

Our proofs combine techniques from semi‐definite programming, probabilistic reasoning, as well as combinatorial and spectral arguments.
Counseling Goals of Athletes During Injury Rehabilitation: A Descriptive Analysis
Authors: Schlierf Jacob R. , Jaskiw Trevor S. , Brewer Britton W. , Van Raalte Judy L.
Published: May 2023

Although goal setting is widely recommended for sport injury rehabilitation, little is known about the content of the goals set by athletes with injuries. Toward this end, a qualitative content analysis was performed on the goals and barriers to goal attainment identified by 163 intercollegiate student athletes (117 men and 46 women) participating in counseling interventions during sport injury rehabilitation. Most of the 956 goals set (84%) contained a physical element. A physical barrier was identified for 49% of the goals. Economic, cognitive, emotional, and social elements were noted as both goals and barriers. Goal content did not change significantly over the course of rehabilitation. Most goals were specific, process, short term, and positively phrased. The findings provide a detailed description of the types and qualities of counseling goals set by athletes during injury rehabilitation, offering professionals insight into the wide range of concerns expressed by athletes with injury during counseling.