bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
INDIVIDUAL AND JOINT ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN SLEEP AND PAIN ON MENTAL HEALTH: DIFFERENCES BY WORK STATUS AND OCCUPATION
Authors: Mu Christina , Lee Soomi
Published: December 2023

Researchers have posited that healthcare workers (HCWs) are at greater risk of sleep and pain concerns due to their demanding work schedules and stressful workplace environment. Currently, more research is needed to understand the joint associations between sleep and pain and differences by work status and occupation type. This study examined the individual and joint associations between sleep and pain on mental health symptoms by workers (vs. non-workers) and HCWs (vs. non-HCWs). Data came from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study (Time 1: 2004-2005; Time 2: 2013-2019). At baseline, 2,894 participants were working (2,640 were not working; n=294 HCWs). Sleep quality, sleep duration, number of pain locations, and pain interference were assessed. Over time, as sleep quality worsened, sleep duration shortened, and the number and interference of pain increased, then depressive and anxiety symptoms increased across all groups. The individual associations of poor sleep or more pain with depressive and anxiety symptoms were stronger among non-workers compared to workers. The relationships between poor sleep or more pain with depressive symptoms was stronger among HCWs compared to non-HCWs, but weaker or not statistically significant when anxiety symptoms was the outcome. There was evidence that the combination of poor sleep characteristics and greater pain exacerbated anxiety symptoms among all groups. Findings show differences in mental health as functions of sleep and pain by work status and HCW status. Evidence of the joint associations of sleep and pain support the interrelated nature of sleep and pain.
EXAMPLES OF ENGAGING HARD-TO-REACH POPULATIONS IN CLINICAL RESEARCH
Authors: Plys Evan , Gerald Melissa
Published: December 2023

Individuals, communities, and settings that are systematically and historically under-represented in research are sometimes referred to as “hard-to-reach” populations. Investigators often face additional challenges to engaging hard-to-reach populations, as research commonly occurs in settings or situations where clinical science has not historically taken place. The perspectives of hard-to-reach participants are vital for moving toward health equity. Yet, investigators must be equipped with specific strategies and tools to conduct high-quality clinical research with hard-to-reach populations. In this symposium, a diverse panel of speakers will present examples of research with various hard-to-reach patient populations and settings. The first discusses research targeting socioeconomically disadvantaged short-stay skilled nursing residents and their care-partners. This presentation highlights challenges and solutions for partnership formation, budgeting, recruitment, and engaging community advisors in skilled nursing facilities. The second centers on research with Hispanic families caring for an elder living with dementia. This presentation highlights challenges and solutions for recruitment as well as language translation and cultural adaptation of study materials. The third discusses research with incarcerated older adults and those receiving treatment from outpatient substance use disorder clinics. This presentation highlights challenges and solutions for recruitment, assessment, and adapting protocols in these settings. The final discusses research with adults receiving Hospice care for advanced cancer. This presentation highlights practical, ethical, and cultural considerations for engaging participants in their final months of life. We conclude with a broader discussion of approaching clinical research with hard-to-reach populations, with the ultimate goal of inspiring investigators to enhance the reach of their science.
AGE DIFFERENCES IN THE EFFECTS OF PERIODONTAL TREATMENTS ON ORAL AND METABOLIC HEALTH IN PEOPLE WITH DIABETES
Authors: Zhu Zheng , Qi Xiang , Zheng Yaguang , Pei Yaolin , Wu Bei
Published: December 2023

Background

This systematic review aims to explore the age differences in the effect of multi-component periodontal treatments on oral and metabolic indicators among individuals with periodontitis and diabetes.

Methods

Six databases were searched from database inception to August 2022. Trials reporting the effects of multi-component periodontal treatments on oral and metabolic indicators among participants aged 18 and above with periodontitis and diabetes were included. We used bivariate and multivariate meta-regression models to examine the association between age and treatment effect size. The primary outcomes were changes in probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c).

Results

A total of 115 trials (119 articles) met inclusion criteria. We found that multi-component periodontal treatment significantly reduce PD (g=0.929, 95% CI [0.689-1.169], I2=94.1%), CAL (g=0.879, 95% CI [0.669-1.089], I2=92.1%), and HbA1c (g=0.603, 95% CI [0.443-0.763], I2=87.5%). A significant decreasing trend was observed in the effect size for PD (P for trend = 0.020) and CAL (P for trend = 0.028) as age increases. Results from multivariate meta-regression showed that age was associated with smaller effects of PD (β [standard error] = -0.123 [0.041], P=0.004) and CAL (-0.159 [0.055], P=0.006). Compared to their younger counterparts, the effect size for HbA1c was smaller among participants aged 55 and older (-0.792 [0.322], P=0.017).

Conclusions

The effect of multi-component periodontal treatments on PD, CAL, and HbA1c may be more effective among younger populations. Our study suggests that tailored interventions are needed to improve oral health and diabetes management for individuals with periodontitis and diabetes.
HEALTH PROMOTION TO PREVENT AND REDUCE COGNITIVE DECLINE IN LATINOS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS
Authors: Weinstein Elliott , Kitaigorodsky Marcela , Behar-Zusman Victoria , Jimenez Daniel
Published: December 2023

Older Latinos living with HIV (LWH) are at increased risk for earlier onset of aging-related cognitive decline. HIV-related cognitive impairments are observed in several domains including memory, reasoning/executive functioning, and speed of processing. Depression, a known neurocognitive risk, has been reported at five times the level among older Latinos LWH than in the general population, and older Latinos LWH are more likely to be sedentary, and not as actively engaged in pursuing changes in physical activity compared to their non-Latino White counterparts. Thus, this is a population that is particularly vulnerable to cognitive decline due to multiple risk factors. The aim of this study is to assess feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary intervention effects on cognition of the Happy Older Latinos are Active (HOLA) health promotion intervention. Thirty Latinos living with HIV with a mean age of 61.6 years (SD=6.1) were enrolled in a pilot single-arm trial. Participants were assessed at two time points on measures of cognitive and psychosocial functioning as well as biomarkers of cognition. In 7 months, we met our enrollment target with <5% of eligible participants refusing participation. Participants attended over 70% of sessions and 3 participants were lost to follow up. These results indicate that HOLA is an innovative health promotion program that is uniquely tailored to address the multiple concerns that are prevalent in this community in a non-stigmatizing and culturally acceptable manner.
CEREBROSPINAL FLUID MARKERS OF ALZHEIMER’S-RELATED PATHOLOGY RELATE TO AMCI AMONG PEOPLE WITH HIV
Authors: Lobo Judith , Sunderman Erin , Gouaux Ben , Letendre Scott , Campbell Laura , Bondi Mark , Moore David
Published: December 2023

Older people with HIV (PWH) are at-risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and its precursor, amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Identifying aMCI among PWH is challenging because memory impairment is also common in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). To investigate the utility of CSF AD pathology markers in differentiating aMCI from HAND, we assessed how these markers differentially relate to aMCI versus HAND status among PWH. Participants included 74 PWH (Mean age=48 [SD=8.5]; 87.4% male, 56.5% White) from the National NeuroAIDS Tissue Consortium who completed a neurocognitive test battery assessing seven cognitive domains and had CSF biomarker data for Aβ42, p-tau181, p-tau181/Aβ42 ratio, Neopterin and NfL. aMCI was defined as impairment (<1.0 SD below normative mean) on ≥2 memory outcomes among learning, delayed recall and recognition with at-least one recognition impairment required. HAND was defined as impairment (<1.0 SD below normative mean) in ≥2 cognitive domains. Separate linear regression models adjusting for demographic and HIV-related characteristics were used to examine how individual biomarkers relate to diagnostic status. Fifty-eight percent of participants were diagnosed with HAND, 50.5% were diagnosed with aMCI. CSF p-tau/Aβ42 ratio levels were higher (indicative of greater pathology) in PWH with versus without aMCI (β=.363, p=.001), but did not differ by HAND status. No other AD biomarker significantly differed by group status. Results indicate that the CSF p-tau181/Aβ42 ratio relates specifically to an aMCI-like profile among PWH, and, thus, may contribute to disentangling aMCI from HAND and informing the need for further diagnostic procedures.
Expression of influenza A virus glycan receptor candidates in mallard, chicken, and tufted duck
Authors: Nilsson Jonas , Eriksson Per , Naguib Mahmoud M , Jax Elinor , Sihlbom Carina , Olsson Britt-Marie , Lundkvist Åke , Olsen Björn , Järhult Josef D , Larson Göran , Ellström Patrik
Published: December 2023

Influenza A virus (IAV) pandemics result from interspecies transmission events within the avian reservoir and further into mammals including humans. Receptor incompatibility due to differently expressed glycan structures between species has been suggested to limit zoonotic IAV transmission from the wild bird reservoir as well as between different bird species. Using glycoproteomics, we have studied the repertoires of expressed glycan structures with focus on putative sialic acid-containing glycan receptors for IAV in mallard, chicken and tufted duck; three bird species with different roles in the zoonotic ecology of IAV. The methodology used pinpoints specific glycan structures to specific glycosylation sites of identified glycoproteins and was also used to successfully discriminate α2-3- from α2-6-linked terminal sialic acids by careful analysis of oxonium ions released from glycopeptides in tandem MS/MS (MS2), and MS/MS/MS (MS3). Our analysis clearly demonstrated that all three bird species can produce complex N-glycans including α2-3-linked sialyl Lewis structures, as well as both N- and O- glycans terminated with both α2-3- and α2-6-linked Neu5Ac. We also found the recently identified putative IAV receptor structures, Man-6P N-glycopeptides, in all tissues of the three bird species. Furthermore, we found many similarities in the repertoires of expressed receptors both between the bird species investigated and to previously published data from pigs and humans. Our findings of sialylated glycan structures, previously anticipated to be mammalian specific, in all three bird species may have major implications for our understanding of the role of receptor incompatibility in interspecies transmission of IAV.
Process and experience of youth researchers within a Health Promoting Schools study in Nova Scotia, Canada
Authors: Kontak Julia C , Caldwell Hilary A T , Kulczycki Rena , Hancock Friesen Camille L , Kirk Sara F L
Published: December 2023

Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) is an approach to research that engages youth across the research process. The peer researcher method is a technique used in YPAR where youth are trained in research and ethics to interview their peers. The purpose of this study was to: (i) describe the process of engaging youth as peer researchers in a Health Promoting Schools (HPS) and student engagement project and (ii) understand the peer researchers’ perspectives of their experience throughout the project. Youth from across Nova Scotia, Canada in grades 7–10 (ages 12–16) were recruited as peer researchers in the Summer, 2022. The project included three stages: (i) peer researcher training, (ii) practicing, recruiting and conducting interviews and (iii) data interpretation workshop. To understand the peer researcher’s experience, quantitative data were collected from an evaluation questionnaire. Outputs were produced using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were collected through a focus group and interviews and analyzed using inductive content analysis. A total of 11 youth were recruited and completed peer researcher training. Most youth provided positive feedback on the training with a satisfaction score of 8.7/10. Qualitative analysis indicated benefits to the peer researchers including opportunities to build interview and social skills and learn about other’s perspectives. This study provides a detailed overview of how to use a peer researcher method in a YPAR project to involve youth in research related to HPS and student engagement. The research also highlights the benefits of engaging youth in YPAR. Future research will report on the findings from the peer interviews.
Ferramonti, not Palestine: The Failed Aliyah bet of the “Benghazi Group,” 1939–1943
Authors: Schrafstetter Susanna
Published: December 2023

This article focuses on the journey of “the Benghazi group,” three hundred European Jewish refugees fleeing Nazism, who, for several months in 1940, were stranded in Benghazi, then part of the Italian colonial empire. They organized and attempted to sail from Italy to Palestine in an Aliyah bet voyage, but were eventually forcibly returned to Italy and interned in the Ferramonti camp in the south of the country. Even though the British liberated Ferramonti in 1943, in 1941 and 1942 many Jews had already been transferred to internment locations further north. When Germany occupied Italy in fall 1943, many members of the Benghazi group thus fell victim to the Holocaust. This article examines the possibilities and limitations for self-help and agency among Jewish refugees in Fascist Italy. It describes their experiences in the context of Fascist Italy’s antisemitic policies and the history of Aliyah bet operations, which did not treat Jews in Italy as a high priority for rescue. At the core of this article lies the story of an encounter between central European Jews and the North African Jews of Benghazi. Having spent their last remaining financial means on the journey to Palestine, the members of the Benghazi group became dependent on the extraordinary hospitality of the Libyan Jews, making Benghazi a temporary sanctuary for European Jewish refugees.
Divergence-conforming methods for transient double-diffusive flows: a priori and a posteriori error analysis
Authors: Bürger Raimund , Khan Arbaz , Méndez Paul E , Ruiz-Baier Ricardo
Published: December 2023

The analysis of an $\textbf {H}(\textrm {div})$-conforming method for a model of double-diffusive flow in porous media introduced in Bürger, Méndez & Ruiz-Baier (2019, On H(div)-conforming methods for double-diffusion equations in porous media. SIAM J. Numer. Anal., 57,1318–1343) is extended to the time-dependent case. In addition, the efficiency and reliability of residual-based a posteriori error estimators for the steady, semidiscrete and fully discrete problems are established. The resulting methods are applied to simulate the sedimentation of small particles in salinity-driven flows. The method consists of Brezzi–Douglas–Marini approximations for velocity and compatible piecewise discontinuous pressures, whereas Lagrangian elements are used for concentration and salinity distribution. Numerical tests confirm the properties of the proposed family of schemes and of the adaptive strategy guided by the a posteriori error indicators.
A symmetric low-regularity integrator for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation
Authors: Alama Bronsard Yvonne
Published: December 2023

We introduce and analyze a symmetric low-regularity scheme for the nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation beyond classical Fourier-based techniques. We show fractional convergence of the scheme in $L^2$-norm, from first up to second order, both on the torus $\mathbb{T}^d$ and on a smooth bounded domain $\varOmega \subset \mathbb{R}^d$, $d\le 3$, equipped with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary condition. The new scheme allows for a symmetric approximation to the NLS equation in a more general setting than classical splitting, exponential integrators, and low-regularity schemes (i.e., under lower regularity assumptions, on more general domains, and with fractional rates). We motivate and illustrate our findings through numerical experiments, where we witness better structure preserving properties and an improved error-constant in low-regularity regimes.
Cancer vaccines: from an immunology perspective
Authors: Makker Shania , Galley Charlotte , Bennett Clare L
Published: December 2023

The concept of a therapeutic cancer vaccine to activate anti-tumour immunity pre-dates innovations in checkpoint blockade immunotherapies. However, vaccination strategies have yet to show the hoped-for successes in patients, and unanswered questions regarding the underlying immunological mechanisms behind cancer vaccines have hampered translation to clinical practice. Recent advances in our understanding of the potential of tumour mutational burden and neo-antigen-reactive T cells for response to immunotherapy have re-ignited enthusiasm for cancer vaccination strategies, coupled with the development of novel mRNA-based vaccines following successes in prevention of COVID-19. Here we summarise current developments in cancer vaccines and discuss how advances in our comprehension of the cellular interplay in immunotherapy-responsive tumours may inform better design of therapeutic cancer vaccines, with a focus on the role of dendritic cells as the orchestrators of anti-tumour immunity. The increasing number of clinical trials and research being funnelled into cancer vaccines has demonstrated the ‘proof-of-principle’, supporting the hypothesis that therapeutic vaccines have potential as an immuno-oncology agent. For efficacious and safe cancer vaccines to be developed, better understanding of the underpinning immunological mechanisms is paramount.
The Arbovirus Mapping and Prediction (ArboMAP) system for West Nile virus forecasting
Authors: Nekorchuk Dawn M , Bharadwaja Anita , Simonson Sean , Ortega Emma , França Caio M B , Dinh Emily , Reik Rebecca , Burkholder Rachel , Wimberly Michael C
Published: December 2023

Objectives

West Nile virus (WNV) is the most common mosquito-borne disease in the United States. Predicting the location and timing of outbreaks would allow targeting of disease prevention and mosquito control activities. Our objective was to develop software (ArboMAP) for routine WNV forecasting using public health surveillance data and meteorological observations.

Materials and Methods

ArboMAP was implemented using an R markdown script for data processing, modeling, and report generation. A Google Earth Engine application was developed to summarize and download weather data. Generalized additive models were used to make county-level predictions of WNV cases.

Results

ArboMAP minimized the number of manual steps required to make weekly forecasts, generated information that was useful for decision-makers, and has been tested and implemented in multiple public health institutions.

Discussion and Conclusion

Routine prediction of mosquito-borne disease risk is feasible and can be implemented by public health departments using ArboMAP.
Relationship between parasitism and morphology of Trichogramma (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) on Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
Authors: Liu Sha , Yan Zhi-Chao , Zhou Feng-Wen , Wang Cheng-Xing , Li Yuan-Xi
Published: December 2023

In this study, 5 species of Trichogramma Westwood were evaluated for the biological control of Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith), concerning the physical characteristics of female Trichogramma. The results showed that Trichogramma chilonis Ishii, Trichogramma dendrolimi Matsumura, and Trichogramma ostriniae Pang et Chen exhibited high parasitism rates, emergence rates, and offspring numbers, with the highest values observed for T. ostriniae. The ovipositor length of Trichogramma japonicum Ashmead and T. dendrolimi were longer than those of other species, and the hind tibia length was the shortest in Trichogramma cacoeciae Marchal. We further evaluated relationships between the parasitism ability of Trichogramma and various morphological indexes based on Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients. A positive correlation was found between the parasitism rate and hind tibia length of T. cacoeciae. In T. dendrolimi, the parasitism rate was negatively correlated with ovipositor width and positively correlated with the length-width ratio of the ovipositor. A significant positive correlation was observed between the proportion of female offspring and the mother’s ovipositor length in T. japonicum. However, there were no significant correlations between morphological indexes and indexes of parasitism in T. ostriniae. Overall, the parasitic abilities of T. chilonis on S. frugiperda eggs were significantly correlated with the morphology of the female ovipositors.
Unfair competition in MERCOSUR and the challenges of new technologies
Authors: Leão Barcellos Milton Lucídio
Published: December 2023

This article reviews the unfair competition main practices in the MERCOSUR countries and the challenges posed by new technologies. This analysis is based on the most common considerations of unfair behaviour such as intentional confusion, discrediting, misleading and other unfair competition acts. How the MERCOSUR countries are currently dealing with traditional unfair competition acts and how case law is developing toward a refined comprehension of the unfair competition acts are important to understand which initiatives should be addressed to regulate such acts in the new technological environment. Based on recent case law involving online platforms and the recent change in Brazilian case law regarding the responsibility of online platforms and the goods/services advertised by other parties in violation of IP Rights, we can conclude that transparency and ethical behaviour are essential topics to be addressed by the Courts and further research is necessary when facing unfair conducts today.
The impact of multidisciplinary cancer conferences on overall survival: a meta-analysis
Authors: Huang Ryan S , Mihalache Andrew , Nafees Abdulwadud , Hasan Asad , Ye Xiang Y , Liu Zhihui , Leighl Natasha B , Raman Srinivas
Published: December 2023

Background

Multidisciplinary cancer conferences consist of regular meetings between diverse specialists working together to share clinical decision making in cancer care. The aim of this study was to systematically review and meta-analyze the effect of multidisciplinary cancer conference intervention on the overall survival of patients with cancer.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted on Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials for studies published up to July 2023. Studies reporting on the impact of multidisciplinary cancer conferences on patient overall survival were included. A standard random-effects model with the inverse variance–weighted approach was used to estimate the pooled hazard ratio of mortality (multidisciplinary cancer conference vs non–multidisciplinary cancer conference) across studies, and the heterogeneity was assessed by I2. Publication bias was examined using funnel plots and the Egger test.

Results

A total of 134 287 patients with cancer from 59 studies were included in our analysis, with 48 467 managed by multidisciplinary cancer conferences and 85 820 in the control arm. Across all cancer types, patients managed by multidisciplinary cancer conferences had an increased overall survival compared with control patients (hazard ratio = 0.67, 95% confidence interval = 0.62 to 0.71, I2 = 84%). Median survival time was 30.2 months in the multidisciplinary cancer conference group and 19.0 months in the control group. In subgroup analysis, a positive effect of the multidisciplinary cancer conference intervention on overall survival was found in breast, colorectal, esophageal, hematologic, hepatocellular, lung, pancreatic, and head and neck cancer.

Conclusions

Overall, our meta-analysis found a significant positive effect of multidisciplinary cancer conferences compared with controls. Further studies are needed to establish nuanced guidelines when optimizing multidisciplinary cancer conference integration for treating diverse patient populations.
Risk of adverse birth outcomes after adolescent and young adult cancer
Authors: Anderson Chelsea , Baggett Christopher D , Engel Stephanie M , Getahun Darios , Cannizzaro Nancy T , Mitra Sara , Meernik Clare , Moy Lisa M , Laurent Cecile A , Zhou Xi , Xu Lanfang , Kwan Marilyn L , Wood William A , Luke Barbara , Chao Chun R , Kushi Lawrence H , Nichols Hazel B
Published: December 2023

Background

Many women diagnosed with cancer as adolescents and young adults (AYAs, age 15-39 years) want biological children after cancer but lack information on the potential impact of their cancer history on future reproductive outcomes. We investigated the risk of adverse birth outcomes among AYA cancer survivors.

Methods

We identified insured women diagnosed with AYA breast cancer, thyroid cancer, gynecologic cancers, lymphoma, or melanoma from 2003 to 2016 in the state of North Carolina or the Kaiser Permanente health care systems in northern and southern California. Post-diagnosis births to cancer survivors were each matched with up to 5 births to women without cancer. Risk ratios for preterm birth (<37 completed weeks), very preterm birth (<34 completed weeks), low birth weight (<2500 g), and small for gestational age (SGA, <10th percentile of weight for gestational age) were estimated using modified Poisson regression.

Results

Analyses included 1648 births to 1268 AYA cancer survivors and 7879 births to 6066 women without cancer. Overall, risk of preterm birth, very preterm birth, low birth weight, and SGA did not significantly differ between births to women with and without cancer. However, births to women with gynecologic cancers had a significantly increased risk of low birth weight (risk ratio = 1.82; 95% confidence interval: 1.03 to 3.21) and suggested increased risk of preterm birth (risk ratio = 1.59; 95% confidence interval: 0.99 to 2.54). Chemotherapy exposure was not associated with increased risk of adverse birth outcomes.

Conclusions

Women with gynecologic cancers, but not other cancers, had an increased risk of adverse birth outcomes compared to women without cancer.
Organizational dominance and the rise of corporate professionalism: The case of management consultancy in the UK
Authors: Kirkpatrick Ian , Muzio Daniel , Kipping Matthias , Hinings Bob
Published: December 2023

While recent debates about the professions have noted the pervasive influence of organizations, less is known about how this plays out at the macro or occupational level. In this paper, we address this concern, focusing on corporate professionalism (CP) as an emergent form which appears to be shaped by organizational interests. Drawing on relational perspectives of professions, we focus on the strategies of two associations in the UK management consultancy field over a 50-year period. Our analysis of archival and interview data reveals how, over time, both associations substantially modified their strategies in response to shifting priorities of firms employing large numbers of consultants—abandoning early commitments to occupational professionalism in favor of a corporate form. A key contribution of the paper is to develop a process model for understanding how and why CP emerges. We also highlight the need to pay more attention to the often neglected role of employing organizations in accounts of professional formation in contemporary society.
Targeting the CCL2–CCR2 signaling pathway: potential implications of statins beyond cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Gholamalizadeh Hanieh , Ensan Behzad , Sukhorukov Vasily N , Sahebkar Amirhossein
Published: December 2023

Background

The chemokine ligand CCL2 and its cognate receptor CCR2 have been implicated in the pathogenesis of a wide variety of diseases. Hence, the inhibition of the CCL2/CCR2 signaling pathway has been of great attention in recent studies. Among suggested medications, statins known as HMG-COA reductase inhibitors with their pleiotropic effects are widely under investigation.

Method

A comprehensive literature search on Scopus and PubMed databases was conducted using the keywords ‘CCL2’, ‘CCR2’, ‘monocyte chemoattractant protein-1’, ‘HMG-COA reductase inhibitor’, and ‘statin’. Both experimental and clinical studies measuring CCL2/CCR2 expressions following statin therapy were identified excluding the ones focused on cardiovascular diseases.

Results

Herein, we summarized the effects of statins on CCL2 and CCR2 expression in various pathologic conditions including immune-mediated diseases, nephropathies, diabetes, rheumatic diseases, neuroinflammation, inflammatory bowel diseases, gynecologic diseases, and cancers.

Conclusion

For the most part, statins play an inhibitory role on the CCL2–CCR2 axis which implies their potential to be further developed as therapeutic options in non-cardiovascular diseases either alone or in combination with other conventional treatments. However, the existing literature mostly focused on experimental models and is therefore inadequate to reach a conclusion.
Causes of death among international travellers in Peru, 2017 to 2021
Authors: Allel Kasim , Cabada Miguel M , Lau Collen , Mills Deborah , Franklin Richard C , Zhu Yan , Furuya-Kanamori Luis
Published: December 2023

Background

The wellbeing and safety of international tourists is a paramount concern for governments and stakeholders. Mortality among travellers and the causes of death serve as a significant metric of destination safety. We describe the epidemiology and causes of death among international travellers in Peru.

Methods

Data retrieved from the Peruvian government’s deaths certificates registry included all non-residents who died between January 2017 and December 2021. We analysed the national incidence and causes of death among international travellers in Peru. Causes of death were classified into non-communicable diseases (NCD), communicable diseases and injuries. We classified fatalities according to the existence of preventive measures that could be provided during the travel medicine consultation to decrease the risk.

Results

We obtained records from 1514 deaths among international travellers (973 males, 64%). The incidence increased from 0.2 deaths per 10 000 travellers in 2017 to 9.9 in 2021. NCDs were the most common causes of death (n = 560, 37%), followed by communicable diseases (n = 487, 32%), and injuries (n = 321, 21%). Causes of death were unknown in 9.7% of the records. The leading causes of death in these categories were cancer, cardiovascular disease, COVID-19 and trauma. We found similar sex distribution of NCDs in travellers aged >50 years and higher rates of communicable diseases among males across all ages. Injury-associated deaths were significantly higher among males aged 18–29 years (P < 0.001) compared with other sex-age groups. We estimated that for 57.7% of deaths risk could have been decreased through pre-travel advice.

Conclusion

Rates of deaths among travellers to Peru increased over time. Most deaths were due to NCDs, followed by communicable diseases and injuries. Pre-travel medical optimization and effective advice focused on age-sex and destination specific risks could reduce risk among travellers. Increased awareness among travel medicine practitioners and improvement of emergency medical response systems in Peru could decrease mortality.
Carnivorous plant evolution: is a killer defense always the best option?
Authors: Procko Carl , Chory Joanne
Published: December 2023

This article comments on:

Pavlovič A, Koller J, Vrobel O, Chamrád I, Lenobel R, and Tarkowski P. 2024. Is the co-option of jasmonate signalling for botanical carnivory a universal trait for all carnivorous plants? Journal of Experimental Botany 75, 334–349.
Evidence for a dynamic corona in the short-term time lags of black hole X-ray binary MAXI J1820+070
Authors: Bollemeijer Niek , Uttley Phil , Basak Arkadip , Ingram Adam , van den Eijnden Jakob , Alabarta Kevin , Altamirano Diego , Arzoumanian Zaven , Buisson Douglas J K , Fabian Andrew C , Ferrara Elizabeth , Gendreau Keith , Homan Jeroen , Kara Erin , Markwardt Craig , Remillard Ronald A , Sanna Andrea , Steiner James F , Tombesi Francesco , Wang Jingyi , Wang Yanan , Zoghbi Abderahmen
Published: December 2023

In X-ray observations of hard state black hole X-ray binaries (BHXRBs), rapid variations in accretion disc and coronal power-law emission are correlated and show Fourier-frequency-dependent time lags. On short ($\sim$0.1 s) time-scales, these lags are thought to be due to reverberation and therefore may depend strongly on the geometry of the corona. Low-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) are variations in X-ray flux that have been suggested to arise because of geometric changes in the corona, possibly due to general relativistic Lense–Thirring precession. Therefore, one might expect the short-term time lags to vary on the QPO time-scale. We performed novel spectral-timing analyses on Neutron Star Interior Composition ExploreR observations of the BHXRB MAXI J1820+070 during the hard state of its outburst in 2018 to investigate how the short-term time lags between a disc-dominated and a coronal power-law-dominated energy band vary on different time-scales. Our method can distinguish between variability due to the QPO and broad-band noise, and we find a linear correlation between the power-law flux and lag amplitude that is strongest at the QPO frequency. We also introduce a new method to resolve the QPO signal and determine the QPO phase dependence of the flux and lag variations, finding that both are very similar. Our results are consistent with a geometric origin of QPOs, but also provide evidence for a dynamic corona with a geometry varying in a similar way over a broad range of time-scales, not just the QPO time-scale.
On the Origin and Evolution of the Mosquito Male-determining Factor Nix
Authors: Biedler James K , Aryan Azadeh , Qi Yumin , Wang Aihua , Martinson Ellen O , Hartman Daniel A , Yang Fan , Sharma Atashi , Morton Katherine S , Potters Mark , Chen Chujia , Dobson Stephen L , Ebel Gregory D , Kading Rebekah C , Paulson Sally , Xue Rui-De , Strand Michael R , Tu Zhijian
Published: December 2023

The mosquito family Culicidae is divided into 2 subfamilies named the Culicinae and Anophelinae. Nix, the dominant male-determining factor, has only been found in the culicines Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, 2 important arboviral vectors that belong to the subgenus Stegomyia. Here we performed sex-specific whole-genome sequencing and RNAseq of divergent mosquito species and explored additional male-inclusive datasets to investigate the distribution of Nix. Except for the Culex genus, Nix homologs were found in all species surveyed from the Culicinae subfamily, including 12 additional species from 3 highly divergent tribes comprising 4 genera, suggesting Nix originated at least 133 to 165 million years ago (MYA). Heterologous expression of 1 of 3 divergent Nix open reading frames (ORFs) in Ae. aegypti resulted in partial masculinization of genetic females as evidenced by morphology and doublesex splicing. Phylogenetic analysis suggests Nix is related to femaleless (fle), a recently described intermediate sex-determining factor found exclusively in anopheline mosquitoes. Nix from all species has a conserved structure, including 3 RNA-recognition motifs (RRMs), as does fle. However, Nix has evolved at a much faster rate than fle. The RRM3 of both Nix and fle are distantly related to the single RRM of a widely distributed and conserved splicing factor transformer-2 (tra2). The RRM3-based phylogenetic analysis suggests this domain in Nix and fle may have evolved from tra2 or a tra2-related gene in a common ancestor of mosquitoes. Our results provide insights into the evolution of sex determination in mosquitoes and will inform broad applications of mosquito-control strategies based on manipulating sex ratios toward nonbiting males.
Methods for Estimating Personal Disease Risk and Phylogenetic Diversity of Hematopoietic Stem Cells
Authors: Craig Jack M , Gerhard Glenn S , Sharma Sudip , Yankovskiy Anastasia , Miura Sayaka , Kumar Sudhir
Published: December 2023

An individual's chronological age does not always correspond to the health of different tissues in their body, especially in cases of disease. Therefore, estimating and contrasting the physiological age of tissues with an individual's chronological age may be a useful tool to diagnose disease and its progression. In this study, we present novel metrics to quantify the loss of phylogenetic diversity in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which are precursors to most blood cell types and are associated with many blood-related diseases. These metrics showed an excellent correspondence with an age-related increase in blood cancer incidence, enabling a model to estimate the phylogeny-derived age (phyloAge) of HSCs present in an individual. The HSC phyloAge was generally older than the chronological age of patients suffering from myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). We present a model that relates excess HSC aging with increased MPN risk. It predicted an over 200 times greater risk based on the HSC phylogenies of the youngest MPN patients analyzed. Our new metrics are designed to be robust to sampling biases and do not rely on prior knowledge of driver mutations or physiological assessments. Consequently, they complement conventional biomarker-based methods to estimate physiological age and disease risk.
Unilateral gluteal myositis as a unique presentation in mesenteric Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease
Authors: Watanabe Kazuhisa , Yamamoto Masaki , Matsubayashi Tadashi
Published: December 2023

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is a self-limiting disease, characterised by fever and cervical lymphadenopathy. Lymphadenopathy without cervical lymph node involvement is rare and may mimic lymphoma. Although KFD can be associated with extranodal involvement, muscle involvement has not been reported. Herein, we report a novel case of unilateral gluteal myositis associated with mesenteric KFD in a patient who presented with persistent fever and right hip pain. Radiological imaging revealed an inflammatory lesion on the right gluteal muscle and multiple enlarged abdominal lymph nodes. No cervical lymphadenopathy was observed. A mesenteric lymph node biopsy was performed, and the histopathological findings led to a diagnosis of KFD. By day 29, the patient’s body temperature gradually returned to normal without any therapeutic intervention. Follow-up radiological imaging showed resolution of the gluteal lesion and a significant decrease in abdominal lymph node size. Considering the clinical course, the unilateral myositis may have developed as an extranodal involvement of KFD. Even if the clinical findings appear unrelated to those of KFD, a differential diagnosis that includes KFD should be considered in patients with unknown origin of fever.
Association Between Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in the General U.S. Adult Nonsmoker Population
Authors: Liu Enqian , Li Qiuping , Pan Tongtong , Chen Yongping
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Smoking is a cause of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but the dose–response relationship between secondhand smoke exposure (SHS) and NAFLD is unclear. This study sought to determine the relationship between SHS and NAFLD risk among adult nonsmokers in the United States.

Aims and Methods

Data from 7412 adult nonsmokers aged ≥20 years who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2007 and 2016 were used in this study. SHS was defined as a nonsmoker with a serum cotinine concentration of 0.05–10.00 ng/mL. NAFLD was identified using the U.S. fatty liver index (USFLI), hepatic steatosis index (HSI), and fatty liver index (FLI). Weighted multivariable logistic regression and restricted cubic spline models were applied to evaluate the relationship between SHS and NAFLD risk.

Results

The participants had a weighted mean age of 49.2 years, and 55.5% were female. SHS was associated with NAFLD (odds ratio [OR] 1.22; 95% confidence interval CI: 1.05 to 1.42), showing a linear dose–response relationship (natural log of cotinine level: OR 1.10, 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.17). Sensitivity analyses using different NAFLD definitions (HSI: OR 1.21, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.46; FLI: OR 1.26, 95% CI: 1.06 to 1.49), excluding participants taking hepatotoxic drugs, and propensity score-adjusted analysis yielded similar results. The association between SHS and NAFLD was consistent in analyses stratified by age, sex, and race/ethnicity.

Conclusions

Among this nationally representative sample of U.S. adults, SHS had a linear dose–response relationship with the risk of NAFLD, suggesting that measures to lower SHS might lower NAFLD risk.

Implications

This study assessed the association between secondhand smoke exposure and the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) using data from 7412 adult nonsmokers aged 20 years or older who participated in the United States NHANES between 2007 and 2016. Secondhand smoke exposure was measured using serum cotinine levels. Three different noninvasive indexes were used to measure NAFLD. Secondhand smoke exposure was associated with an increased risk of NAFLD, with a linear dose–response relationship. The results of sensitivity analyses and subgroup analyses were consistent.
Probiotics for adults with major depressive disorder compared with antidepressants: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Zhao Shilin , Liang Suisha , Tao Jun , Peng Ye , Chen Siqi , Wai Hogan K F , Chung Feng-Ying , Sin Zhen Y , Wong Matthew K L , Haqq Andrea M , Chang Wing C , Ni Michael Y , Chan Francis K L , Ng Siew C , Tun Hein M
Published: December 2023

Context

Despite recent advances in antidepressants in treating major depression (MDD), their usage is marred by adverse effects and social stigmas. Probiotics may be an efficacious adjunct or standalone treatment, potentially circumventing the aforementioned issues with antidepressants. However, there is a lack of head-to-head clinical trials between these 2 interventions.

Objective

A systematic review and network meta-analysis was conducted to compare the efficacy and acceptability of these 2 interventions in treating MDD.

Data Sources

Six databases and registry platforms for the clinical trial were systematically searched to identify the eligible double-blinded, randomized controlled trials published between 2015 and 2022.

Data Exaction

Two authors selected independently the placebo-controlled trials of antidepressants and microbiota-targeted interventions (prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics) used for the treatment of MDD in adults (≥18 years old). Standardized mean differences (SMDs) of depressive symptom scores from individual trials were pooled for network meta-analysis (PROSPERO no. CRD42020222305).

Results

Forty-two eligible trials covering 22 interventions were identified, of which 16 were found to be effective in MDD treatment and the certainty of evidence was moderate to very low. When all trials were considered, compared with placebo, SMDs of interventions ranged from −0.16 (95% credible interval: −0.30, −0.04) for venlafaxine to −0.81 (−1.06, −0.52) for escitalopram. Probiotics were superior to brexpiprazole (SMD [95% credible interval]: −0.42 [−0.68, −0.17]), cariprazine (−0.44 [−0.69, −0.24]), citalopram (−0.37 [−0.66, −0.07]), duloxetine (−0.26, [−0.51, −0.04]), desvenlafaxine (−0.38 [−0.63, −0.14]), ketamine (−0.32 [−0.66, −0.01]), venlafaxine (−0.47 [−0.73, −0.23]), vilazodone (−0.37 [−0.61, −0.12]), vortioxetine (−0.39 [−0.63, −0.15]), and placebo (−0.62 [−0.86, −0.42]), and were noninferior to other antidepressants. In addition, probiotics ranked the second highest in the treatment hierarchy after escitalopram. Long-term treatment (≥8 weeks) using probiotics showed the same tolerability as antidepressants.

Conclusion

Probiotics, compared with antidepressants and placebo, may be efficacious as an adjunct or standalone therapy for treating MDD.

Systematic Review Registration

PROSPERO registration no. CRD42020222305.
Fine-scale forest structure, not management regime, drives occupancy of a declining songbird, the Olive-sided Flycatcher, in the core of its range
Authors: Hack Benjamin , Cansler C Alina , Peery M Zachariah , Wood Connor M
Published: December 2023

Climate change, management legacies, pest outbreaks, and fire regimes are combining to pose a growing risk of broad-scale loss of forest cover throughout western North America. Already, habitat changes have been linked with declines in numerous bird species; understanding the relative importance of management regimes and habitat structure may be critical to conserving at-risk species. The Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) is a declining songbird associated with tall, open forests in California’s Sierra Nevada, the core of its breeding range, where the management regimes of the National Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) have led to divergent forest conditions over the past century. We combined a landscape-scale passive acoustic monitoring program, the BirdNET animal sound identification algorithm, and single-season occupancy models to explore the relationships between Olive-sided Flycatchers in the Sierra Nevada and both management regimes and fine-scale forest structure. Olive-sided Flycatcher site occupancy increased as canopy cover decreased relative to mean tree diameter, which is consistent with their preference for mature, open forests. These “open forest” conditions were most prevalent on NPS-managed lands, which is consistent with the assumption that the NPS management regime is more faithful to the historical conditions that had supported a larger Olive-sided Flycatcher population than at present. Thus, the support we found for a positive association with USFS-managed lands after controlling for “open forest” suggests that other habitat features are also important. Our results suggest that conservation strategies for Olive-sided Flycatcher breeding habitat should prioritize the protection and generation of open canopies in areas with large trees, as well as the identification of other important habitat features. Prescribed fire, mechanical thinning, and a return of Indigenous forest management practices could help to restore historical forest and fire conditions beneficial to this and other species with similar habitat requirements. Fine-scale alterations to forest structure can be implemented much more rapidly and at much broader scales than the imposition of strict protected status, suggesting that there may be multiple pathways to conservation when species respond to habitat at fine spatial scales.