bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Focused stimulation of dorsal versus ventral subthalamic nucleus enhances action–outcome learning in patients with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Willett Andrew , Wylie Scott A , Bowersock Jessica L , Dawant Benoit M , Rodriguez William , Ugiliweneza Beatrice , Neimat Joseph S , van Wouwe Nelleke C
Published: April 2024

Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus is an effective treatment for the clinical motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, but may alter the ability to learn contingencies between stimuli, actions and outcomes. We investigated how stimulation of the functional subregions in the subthalamic nucleus (motor and cognitive regions) modulates stimulus–action–outcome learning in Parkinson’s disease patients. Twelve Parkinson’s disease patients with deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus completed a probabilistic stimulus–action–outcome task while undergoing ventral and dorsal subthalamic nucleus stimulation (within subjects, order counterbalanced). The task orthogonalized action choice and outcome valence, which created four action–outcome learning conditions: action–reward, inhibit–reward, action–punishment avoidance and inhibit–punishment avoidance. We compared the effects of deep brain stimulation on learning rates across these conditions as well as on computed Pavlovian learning biases. Dorsal stimulation was associated with higher overall learning proficiency relative to ventral subthalamic nucleus stimulation. Compared to ventral stimulation, stimulating the dorsal subthalamic nucleus led to a particular advantage in learning to inhibit action to produce desired outcomes (gain reward or avoid punishment) as well as better learning proficiency across all conditions providing reward opportunities. The Pavlovian reward bias was reduced with dorsal relative to ventral subthalamic nucleus stimulation, which was reflected by improved inhibit–reward learning. Our results show that focused stimulation in the dorsal compared to the ventral subthalamic nucleus is relatively more favourable for learning action–outcome contingencies and reduces the Pavlovian bias that could lead to reward-driven behaviour. Considering the effects of deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus on learning and behaviour could be important when optimizing stimulation parameters to avoid side effects like impulsive reward-driven behaviour.
External magnetic field-driven circularly polarized luminescence and circularly polarized electroluminescence from optically inactive magnesium phthalocyanine luminophore
Authors: Suzuki Seika , Suzuki Daiya , Suzuki Satoko , Shikura Ryuta , Yamamoto Yuta , Yagi Shigeyuki , Imai Yoshitane
Published: April 2024

This article reports that an achiral optically inactive magnesium(II) phthalocyanine with fluorescent emission properties in the near-infrared region emits far-red-to-near-infrared circularly polarized luminescence (far-red-to-NIR-CPL) when photoexcited under an external magnetic field. Furthermore, the development of an external magnetic field-driven circularly polarized electroluminescence (CPEL) device by embedding the luminophore in the emission layer is detailed. The rotational direction of the optically inactive magnesium(II) phthalocyanine-derived CPL and CPEL can be completely controlled by Faraday geometrical inversion of the applied magnetic field.
Anisotropic adhesive interface formed by the spontaneous orientation behavior of liquid crystal polymers
Authors: Kondo Mizuho , Nagata Tatsuki , Hyodo Yukitaka , Okai Daisuke , Adachi Hiroki , Kawatsuki Nobuhiro
Published: April 2024

Adhesive layers were prepared using photoreactive polymer liquid crystals and their application as dismantled adhesives, based on the change in thermal properties associated with photoisomerization, was investigated. Anisotropy in adhesive strength was successfully achieved by controlling the alignment of the liquid crystal using a polyimide alignment film. Furthermore, anisotropy in the adhesive strength due to photoalignment was investigated using the axis-selective photoreactivity of polymer liquid crystals to linearly polarized light.
IBDTransDB: a manually curated transcriptomic database for inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Avram Victor , Yadav Shweta , Sahasrabudhe Pranav , Chang Dan , Wang Jing
Published: April 2024

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) therapies are ineffective in at least 40% patients, and transcriptomic datasets have been widely used to reveal the pathogenesis and to identify the novel drug targets for these patients. Although public IBD transcriptomic datasets are available from many web-based tools/databases, due to the unstructured metadata and data description of these public datasets, most of these tools/databases do not allow querying datasets based on multiple keywords (e.g. colon and infliximab). Furthermore, few tools/databases can compare and integrate the datasets from the query results. To fill these gaps, we have developed IBDTransDB (https://abbviegrc.shinyapps.io/ibdtransdb/), a manually curated transcriptomic database for IBD. IBDTransDB includes a manually curated database with 34 transcriptomic datasets (2932 samples, 122 differential comparisons) and a query system supporting 35 keywords from 5 attributes (e.g. tissue and treatment). IBDTransDB also provides three modules for data analyses and integration. IBDExplore allows interactive visualization of differential gene list, pathway enrichment, gene signature and cell deconvolution analyses from a single dataset. IBDCompare supports comparisons of selected genes or pathways from multiple datasets across different conditions. IBDIntegrate performs meta-analysis to prioritize a list of genes/pathways based on user-selected datasets and conditions. Using two case studies related to infliximab treatment, we demonstrated that IBDTransDB provides a unique platform for biologists and clinicians to reveal IBD pathogenesis and identify the novel targets by integrating with other omics data.

Database URL: https://abbviegrc.shinyapps.io/ibdtransdb/
Effects of host plants on spotted lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) nymphal survival and development
Authors: Madalinska Katarzyna , Nielsen Anne L
Published: April 2024

Spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White), is an invasive planthopper from China, which was first detected in Berks County, PA, in 2014 and has since spread to adjacent states including New Jersey in 2018. Lycorma delicatula is a polyphagous species that gregariously feeds on over 172 known hosts. We investigated development on key host plants Ailanthus altissima (Miller) (Sapindales: Simaroubaceae), Juglans nigra (L.) (Fagales: Juglandaceae), Acer rubrum (L.) (Sapindales: Sapindaceae), and Vitis vinifera (L.) (Vitales: Vitaceae) for each instar to elucidate potential host use throughout the season and target monitoring efforts. Our study indicated significant differences in survivorship and time spent in each nymphal life stage between host plants. We applied a host suitability index as a function of survivorship and development for each host plant and instar, which indicated A. altissima and J. nigra as suitable hosts for all 4 nymphal instars. Vitis vinifera was highly suitable for first and second instars but had low indices for the third and fourth instars, although suitability of V. vinifera may have varied based on variety and age of the vine. Lycorma delicatula nymphs had the lowest survivorship and longest development time on A. rubrum across all 4 life stages, despite this being a preferred oviposition host. Host had a significant effect on the morphometrics we measured within the first and second instars.
An artificial intelligence–enabled Holter algorithm to identify patients with ventricular tachycardia by analysing their electrocardiogram during sinus rhythm
Authors: Gendelman Sheina , Zvuloni Eran , Oster Julien , Suleiman Mahmoud , Derman Raphaël , Behar Joachim A
Published: April 2024

Aims

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a dangerous cardiac arrhythmia that can lead to sudden cardiac death. Early detection and management of VT is thus of high clinical importance. We hypothesize that it is possible to identify patients with VT during sinus rhythm by leveraging a continuous 24 h Holter electrocardiogram and artificial intelligence.

Methods and results

We analysed a retrospective Holter data set from the Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel, which included 1773 Holter recordings from 1570 non-VT patients and 52 recordings from 49 VT patients. Morphological and heart rate variability features were engineered from the raw electrocardiogram signal and fed, together with demographical features, to a data-driven model for the task of classifying a patient as either VT or non-VT. The model obtained an area under the receiving operative curve of 0.76 ± 0.07. Feature importance suggested that the proportion of premature ventricular beats and beat-to-beat interval variability was discriminative of VT, while demographic features were not.

Conclusion

This original study demonstrates the feasibility of VT identification from sinus rhythm in Holter.
‘Slavic Irishness’ and the Fluidity of National Identity in Finnegans Wake
Authors: Mccreedy Jonathan
Published: April 2024

This article adopts a sociolinguistic approach to multilingualism within James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake (1939), paying attention to how, in Book 2, Chapter 3, two Irish soldiers called Butt and Taff extensively code-switch into numerous Slavonic languages (for which Bulgarian serves as the focus of this study), and how they do so for the purposes of bonding (through humour) and expressing their complex identities as ‘Slavic Irishmen’. The study looks in depth at the Wake’s extreme levels of multilingualism (with more than 70 languages present within the work) and how a sociolinguistic approach to reading it – one which specifically employs terminology and research drawn from the academic field of sociolinguistics – can provide fresh and intriguing academic perspectives on it. Within this article, I argue that this unique approach may ‘humanize’ Butt and Taff for the reader and that these figures may even be seen to acquire identities akin to ‘real-life’ personas through their use of code-switching. This makes them unlike the ‘avatars’ or ‘siglas’ that critics in Wake studies normally identify in the work.
Multi-omic Analyses Shed Light on The Genetic Control of High-altitude Adaptation in Sheep
Authors: Li Chao , Chen Bingchun , Langda Suo , Pu Peng , Zhu Xiaojia , Zhou Shiwei , Kalds Peter , Zhang Ke , Bhati Meenu , Leonard Alexander , Huang Shuhong , Li Ran , Cuoji Awang , Wang Xiran , Zhu Haolin , Wu Yujiang , Cuomu Renqin , Gui Ba , Li Ming , Wang Yutao , Li Yan , Fang Wenwen , Jia Ting , Pu Tianchun , Pan Xiangyu , Cai Yudong , He Chong , Wang Liming , Jiang Yu , Han Jian-Lin , Chen Yulin , Zhou Ping , Pausch Hubert , Wang Xiaolong
Published: April 2024

Sheep were domesticated in the Fertile Crescent and then spread globally, where they have been encountering various environmental conditions. The Tibetan sheep has adapted to high altitudes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau over the past 3000 years. To explore genomic variants associated with high-altitude adaptation in Tibetan sheep, we analyzed Illumina short-reads of 994 whole genomes representing ∼ 60 sheep breeds/populations at varied altitudes, PacBio High fidelity (HiFi) reads of 13 breeds, and 96 transcriptomes from 12 sheep organs. Association testing between the inhabited altitudes and 34,298,967 variants was conducted to investigate the genetic architecture of altitude adaptation. Highly accurate HiFi reads were used to complement the current ovine reference assembly at the most significantly associated β-globin locus and to validate the presence of two haplotypes A and B among 13 sheep breeds. The haplotype A carried two homologous gene clusters: (1) HBE1, HBE2, HBB-like, and HBBC, and (2) HBE1-like, HBE2-like, HBB-like, and HBB; while the haplotype B lacked the first cluster. The high-altitude sheep showed highly frequent or nearly fixed haplotype A, while the low-altitude sheep dominated by haplotype B. We further demonstrated that sheep with haplotype A had an increased hemoglobin–O2 affinity compared with those carrying haplotype B. Another highly associated genomic region contained the EGLN1 gene which showed varied expression between high-altitude and low-altitude sheep. Our results provide evidence that the rapid adaptive evolution of advantageous alleles play an important role in facilitating the environmental adaptation of Tibetan sheep.
Experimental and computational validation of thermal performance of an active greenhouse solar dryer in no-load conditions
Authors: Kumar Lalan , Prakash Om , Ahmad Asim , Salik Md , Pandey Shatrudhan , Hasnain S M Mozammil , Ragab Adham E , Deifalla Ahmed Farouk
Published: April 2024

This study focused on developing a finite element (FE) model using COMSOL Multiphysics to simulate the active mode of a greenhouse dryer under no-load conditions in Ranchi humid subtropical climate. The model visualized the temperature and humidity distribution within the dryer and was validated against real-world experimental results. Under unloaded conditions, the performance assessment revealed a 29.14% efficiency for the proposed dryer and a maximum overall convective heat transfer coefficient of 5.0 W/m2 °C. The internal temperature ranged from 50°C to 70°C, while the relative humidity hovered between 30% and 45%. The COMSOL Multiphysics-based FE model demonstrated close agreement between experimental and predicted results, with minimal statistical error. Overall, the findings suggest that the active mode of the greenhouse dryer could be a valuable tool for crop drying in humid subtropical climates. Additionally, the FE model presents a promising approach for future research and development.
Soil redox status governs within-field spatial variation in microbial arsenic methylation and rice straighthead disease
Authors: Gao A-Xiang , Chen Chuan , Gao Zi-Yu , Zhai Zhi-Qiang , Wang Peng , Zhang Si-Yu , Zhao Fang-Jie
Published: April 2024

Microbial arsenic (As) methylation in paddy soil produces mainly dimethylarsenate (DMA), which can cause physiological straighthead disease in rice. The disease is often highly patchy in the field, but the reasons remain unknown. We investigated within-field spatial variations in straighthead disease severity, As species in rice husks and in soil porewater, microbial composition and abundance of arsM gene encoding arsenite S-adenosylmethionine methyltransferase in two paddy fields. The spatial pattern of disease severity matched those of soil redox potential, arsM gene abundance, porewater DMA concentration, and husk DMA concentration in both fields. Structural equation modelling identified soil redox potential as the key factor affecting arsM gene abundance, consequently impacting porewater DMA and husk DMA concentrations. Core amplicon variants that correlated positively with husk DMA concentration belonged mainly to the phyla of Chloroflexi, Bacillota, Acidobacteriota, Actinobacteriota, and Myxococcota. Meta-omics analyses of soil samples from the disease and non-disease patches identified 5129 arsM gene sequences, with 71% being transcribed. The arsM-carrying hosts were diverse and dominated by anaerobic bacteria. Between 96 and 115 arsM sequences were significantly more expressed in the soil samples from the disease than from the non-disease patch, which were distributed across 18 phyla, especially Acidobacteriota, Bacteroidota, Verrucomicrobiota, Chloroflexota, Pseudomonadota, and Actinomycetota. This study demonstrates that even a small variation in soil redox potential within the anoxic range can cause a large variation in the abundance of As-methylating microorganisms, thus resulting in within-field variation in rice straighthead disease. Raising soil redox potential could be an effective way to prevent straighthead disease.
The recipient metabolome explains the asymmetric ovarian impact on fetal sex development after embryo transfer in cattle
Authors: Gimeno Isabel , Salvetti Pascal , Carrocera Susana , Gatien Julie , Le Bourhis Daniel , Gómez Enrique
Published: April 2024

In cattle, lateral asymmetry affects ovarian function and embryonic sex, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. The plasma metabolome of recipients serves to predict pregnancy after embryo transfer (ET). Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether the plasma metabolome exhibits distinct lateral patterns according to the sex of the fetus carried by the recipient and the active ovary side (AOS), i.e., the right ovary (RO) or the left ovary (LO). We analyzed the plasma of synchronized recipients by 1H+NMR on day 0 (estrus, n = 366) and day 7 (hours prior to ET; n = 367). Thereafter, a subset of samples from recipients that calved female (n = 50) or male (n = 69) was used to test the effects of embryonic sex and laterality on pregnancy establishment. Within the RO, the sex ratio of pregnancies carried was biased toward males. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in metabolite levels were evaluated based on the day of blood sample collection (days 0, 7 and day 7/day 0 ratio) using mixed generalized models for metabolite concentration. The most striking differences in metabolite concentrations were associated with the RO, both obtained by multivariate (OPLS-DA) and univariate (mixed generalized) analyses, mainly with metabolites measured on day 0. The metabolites consistently identified through the OPLS-DA with a higher variable importance in projection score, which allowed for discrimination between male fetus- and female fetus-carrying recipients, were hippuric acid, l-phenylalanine, and propionic acid. The concentrations of hydroxyisobutyric acid, propionic acid, l-lysine, methylhistidine, and hippuric acid were lowest when male fetuses were carried, in particular when the RO acted as AOS. No pathways were significantly regulated according to the AOS. In contrast, six pathways were found enriched for calf sex in the day 0 dataset, three for day 7, and nine for day 7/day 0 ratio. However, when the AOS was the right, 20 pathways were regulated on day 0, 8 on day 7, and 13 within the day 7/day 0 ratio, most of which were related to amino acid metabolism, with phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis and phenylalanine metabolism pathways being identified throughout. Our study shows that certain metabolites in the recipient plasma are influenced by the AOS and can predict the likelihood of carrying male or female embryos to term, suggesting that maternal metabolism prior to or at the time of ET could favor the implantation and/or development of either male or female embryos.
The nature, causes, and consequences of inter-regional inequality
Authors: Bathelt Harald , Buchholz Maximilian , Storper Michael
Published: April 2024

Social scientists and policymakers alike have become increasingly concerned with understanding the nature, causes, and consequences of inter-regional inequality in economic living conditions. Contemporary spatial inequality is multi-faceted—it varies depending on how we define inequality, the scale at which it is measured, and which groups in the labor force are considered. Increasing economic inequality has important implications for broader social and political issues. Notably, it is difficult to account for the rise of far-right populism in industrialized countries without considering the context of growing inter-regional inequality. Important explanations for the rise in inter-regional inequality include changing patterns of worker and firm sorting processes across space, major transitions like the reorientation of the economy from manufacturing to digital technologies, and increasing global economic integration, as well as policy. Different causal explanations in turn imply a different role for place-based policy. This article introduces the context of the special issue on the nature, causes, and consequences of inter-regional inequality, focusing specifically on inequality in North America and Western Europe, and aims to identify challenges for, and spark further research on, inter-regional inequality.
A scoping review of triatomine control for Chagas disease prevention: current and developing tools in Latin America and the United States
Authors: Tian Yuexun , Durden Cassandra , Hamer Gabriel L
Published: April 2024

Chagas disease is an infectious disease of human and animal health concern, with 6–8 million chronic human infections and over 50,000 deaths throughout the Americas annually. Hematophagous insects of the subfamily Triatominae, also called kissing bugs, vector the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas (Trypanosomatida: Trypanosomatidae), that causes Chagas disease. Despite the large human health burden, Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease with inadequate funding for research and preventive practices. Given the resource-poor environment of most agencies trying to protect public health, it is critical to consider all control options for reducing vector populations and the risk of human exposure to T. cruzi to identify the most appropriate tools for each context. While numerous triatomine control methods exist, the literature lacks a compilation of the strategies used, a critical examination of their efficiency, and a particular focus on triatomine control in the United States compared to elsewhere in the Americas. Here, we present a review of the literature to assess historical intervention strategies of existing and developing triatomine control methods. For each method, we discuss progress in the field, future research to further advance the method, and limitations. While we found that pyrethroid insecticide is still the most commonly used method of triatomine and Chagas disease control, we suggest that complementing these techniques with alternative control methods in development will help to achieve Chagas disease reduction goals.
A Historical Perspective on Respiratory Syncytial Virus Prevention: A Journey Spanning Over Half a Century From the Setback of an Inactive Vaccine Candidate to the Success of Passive Immunization Strategy
Authors: Noor Asif , Krilov Leonard R
Published: April 2024

The efforts to prevent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in infants span over half a century. RSV vaccine development began in the 1960s, and it confronted a significant disappointment after testing a formalin-inactivated RSV (FI RSV) vaccine candidate. This inactivated RSV vaccine was not protective. A large number of the vaccinated RSV-naive children, when subsequently exposed to natural RSV infection from wild-type virus in the community, developed severe lung inflammation termed enhanced respiratory disease. This resulted in a halt in RSV vaccine development. In the 1990s, attention turned to the potential for passive protection against severe RSV disease with immunoglobulin administration. This led to studies on using standard intravenous immunoglobulins in high-risk infants, followed by high-titer RSV immunoglobulin preparation and, subsequently, the development of RSV monoclonal antibodies. Over the past 25 years, palivizumab has been recognized as a safe and effective monoclonal antibody as a prevention strategy for RSV in high-risk children. Its high cost and need for monthly administration, however, has hindered its use to ~2% of the birth cohort, neglecting the vast majority of newborns, including healthy full-term infants who comprise the largest portion of RSV hospitalizations and the greatest part of the burden of RSV disease. Still these efforts, helped pave the way for the present advances in RSV prevention that hold promise for mitigating severe RSV disease for all infants.
Estimating excess mortality in high-income countries during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: De Nicola Giacomo , Kauermann Göran
Published: April 2024

Quantifying the number of deaths caused by the COVID-19 crisis has been an ongoing challenge for scientists, and no golden standard to do so has yet been established. We propose a principled approach to calculate age-adjusted yearly excess mortality and apply it to obtain estimates and uncertainty bounds for 30 countries with publicly available data. The results uncover considerable variation in pandemic outcomes across different countries. We further compare our findings with existing estimates published in other major scientific outlets, highlighting the importance of proper age adjustment to obtain unbiased figures.
Cluster analysis defines four groups of Japanese patients with adult-onset Still’s disease
Authors: Shirahama Yuri , Kokuzawa Ayako , Yamauchi Yusuke , Kirino Yohei , Nagai Hideto , Inoue Yasushi , Ota Toshiyuki , Chifu Yutaka , Mitoma Hiroki , Akahoshi Mitsuteru , Sakai Mariko , Maruyama Akihito , Ohta Akihide , Iwamoto Masahiro , Tada Yoshifumi
Published: April 2024

Objectives

To define groups and characterize differences in the prognosis of patients with adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD).

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study. Patients with AOSD were grouped using hierarchical unsupervised cluster analysis according to age, sex, clinical features, and laboratory data. The primary endpoints were overall survival and drug-free remission rate.

Results

A total of 153 patients with AOSD were placed into four clusters. Those in Cluster 1 had a young onset, tended to be female, and had fewer complications and moderate ferritin concentrations. Those in Cluster 2 had a young onset and had more complications and higher ferritin concentrations. Those in Cluster 3 had a young onset, tended to be male, and had no lymphadenopathy and fewer complications. Those in Cluster 4 had an older onset, tended to be female, and had more complications and higher ferritin concentrations. Overall survival tended to be lower (P = .0539) in Cluster 4, and drug-free remission was higher in Clusters 1, 2, and 3 [hazard ratios (HRs) 2.19, 3.37, and 3.62 vs. Cluster 4, respectively].

Conclusions

Four groups of AOSD that have distinct clinical manifestations, ferritin concentrations, severity, and drug-free remission rate were identified, which were lowest in Cluster 4.
The flattening of spacetime hierarchy of the N,N-dimethyltryptamine brain state is characterized by harmonic decomposition of spacetime (HADES) framework
Authors: Vohryzek Jakub , Cabral Joana , Timmermann Christopher , Atasoy Selen , Roseman Leor , Nutt David J , Carhart-Harris Robin L , Deco Gustavo , Kringelbach Morten L
Published: April 2024

The human brain is a complex system, whose activity exhibits flexible and continuous reorganization across space and time. The decomposition of whole-brain recordings into harmonic modes has revealed a repertoire of gradient-like activity patterns associated with distinct brain functions. However, the way these activity patterns are expressed over time with their changes in various brain states remains unclear. Here, we investigate healthy participants taking the serotonergic psychedelic N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) with the Harmonic Decomposition of Spacetime (HADES) framework that can characterize how different harmonic modes defined in space are expressed over time. HADES demonstrates significant decreases in contributions across most low-frequency harmonic modes in the DMT-induced brain state. When normalizing the contributions by condition (DMT and non-DMT), we detect a decrease specifically in the second functional harmonic, which represents the uni- to transmodal functional hierarchy of the brain, supporting the leading hypothesis that functional hierarchy is changed in psychedelics. Moreover, HADES’ dynamic spacetime measures of fractional occupancy, life time and latent space provide a precise description of the significant changes of the spacetime hierarchical organization of brain activity in the psychedelic state.
Real-World Dalbavancin Use for Serious Gram-Positive Infections: Comparing Outcomes Between People Who Use and Do Not Use Drugs
Authors: Zambrano Sarah , Paras Molly L , Suzuki Joji , Pearson Jeffrey C , Dionne Brandon , Schrager Harry , Mallada Jason , Szpak Veronica , Fairbank-Haynes Katie , Kalter Marlene , Prostko Sara , Solomon Daniel A
Published: April 2024

Background

Dalbavancin has been used off-label to treat invasive bacterial infections in vulnerable populations like people who use drugs (PWUD) because of its broad gram-positive coverage and unique pharmacological properties. This retrospective, multisite study examined clinical outcomes at 90 days in PWUD versus non-PWUD after secondary treatment with dalbavancin for bacteremia, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, and epidural abscesses.

Methods

Patients at 3 teaching hospitals who received dalbavancin for an invasive infection between March 2016 and May 2022 were included. Characteristics of PWUD and non-PWUD, infection highlights, hospital stay and treatment, and outcomes were compared using χ2 for categorical variables, t test for continuous variables, and nonparametric tests where appropriate.

Results

There were a total of 176 patients; 78 were PWUD and 98 were non-PWUD. PWUD were more likely to have a patient-directed discharge (26.9% vs 3.1%; P < .001) and be lost to follow-up (20.5% vs 7.14%; P < .01). Assuming loss to follow-up did not achieve clinical cure, 73.1% of PWUD and 74.5% of non-PWUD achieved clinical cure at 90 days (P = .08).

Conclusions

Dalbavancin was an effective treatment option for invasive gram-positive infections in our patient population. Despite higher rates of patient-directed discharge and loss to follow-up, PWUD had similar rates of clinical cure at 90 days compared to non-PWUD.
CsHSFA1d Promotes Drought Stress Tolerance by Increasing the Content of Raffinose Family Oligosaccharides and Scavenging Accumulated Reactive Oxygen Species in Cucumber
Authors: Dong Danhui , Qi Chuandong , Zhang Jialong , Deng Qilin , Xia Pingxin , Li Ping , Jia Congyang , Zhao Bing , Zhang Na , Guo Yang-Dong
Published: April 2024

Drought is the most severe form of stress experienced by plants worldwide. Cucumber is a vegetable crop that requires a large amount of water throughout the growth period. In our previous study, we identified that overexpression of CsHSFA1d could improve cold tolerance and the content of endogenous jasmonic acid in cucumber seedlings. To explore the functional diversities of CsHSFA1d, we treat the transgenic plants under drought conditions. In this study, we found that the heat shock transcription factor HSFA1d (CsHSFA1d) could improve drought stress tolerance in cucumber. CsHSFA1d overexpression increased the expression levels of galactinol synthase (CsGolS3) and raffinose synthase (CsRS) genes, encoding the key enzymes for raffinose family oligosaccharide (RFO) biosynthesis. Furthermore, the lines overexpressing CsHSFA1d showed higher enzymatic activity of GolS and raffinose synthase to increase the content of RFO. Moreover, the CsHSFA1d-overexpression lines showed lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and higher ROS-scavenging enzyme activity after drought treatment. The expressions of antioxidant genes CsPOD2, CsAPX1 and CsSOD1 were also upregulated in CsHSFA1d-overexpression lines. The expression levels of stress-responsive genes such as CsRD29A, CsLEA3 and CsP5CS1 were increased in CsHSFA1d-overexpression lines after drought treatment. We conclude that CsHSFA1d directly targets and regulates the expression of CsGolS3 and CsRS to promote the enzymatic activity and accumulation of RFO to increase the tolerance to drought stress. CsHSFA1d also improves ROS-scavenging enzyme activity and gene expression indirectly to reduce drought-induced ROS overaccumulation. This study therefore offers a new gene target to improve drought stress tolerance in cucumber and revealed the underlying mechanism by which CsHSFA1d functions in the drought stress by increasing the content of RFOs and scavenging the excessive accumulation of ROS.
Earth at risk: An urgent call to end the age of destruction and forge a just and sustainable future
Authors: Fletcher Charles , Ripple William J , Newsome Thomas , Barnard Phoebe , Beamer Kamanamaikalani , Behl Aishwarya , Bowen Jay , Cooney Michael , Crist Eileen , Field Christopher , Hiser Krista , Karl David M , King David A , Mann Michael E , McGregor Davianna P , Mora Camilo , Oreskes Naomi , Wilson Michael
Published: April 2024

Human development has ushered in an era of converging crises: climate change, ecological destruction, disease, pollution, and socioeconomic inequality. This review synthesizes the breadth of these interwoven emergencies and underscores the urgent need for comprehensive, integrated action. Propelled by imperialism, extractive capitalism, and a surging population, we are speeding past Earth's material limits, destroying critical ecosystems, and triggering irreversible changes in biophysical systems that underpin the Holocene climatic stability which fostered human civilization. The consequences of these actions are disproportionately borne by vulnerable populations, further entrenching global inequities. Marine and terrestrial biomes face critical tipping points, while escalating challenges to food and water access foreshadow a bleak outlook for global security. Against this backdrop of Earth at risk, we call for a global response centered on urgent decarbonization, fostering reciprocity with nature, and implementing regenerative practices in natural resource management. We call for the elimination of detrimental subsidies, promotion of equitable human development, and transformative financial support for lower income nations. A critical paradigm shift must occur that replaces exploitative, wealth-oriented capitalism with an economic model that prioritizes sustainability, resilience, and justice. We advocate a global cultural shift that elevates kinship with nature and communal well-being, underpinned by the recognition of Earth’s finite resources and the interconnectedness of its inhabitants. The imperative is clear: to navigate away from this precipice, we must collectively harness political will, economic resources, and societal values to steer toward a future where human progress does not come at the cost of ecological integrity and social equity.
Time-dependent risk of atopic dermatitis following nontyphoidal Salmonella infection
Authors: Chang Renin , Chen Hui-Yuan , Hung Yao-Min , Huang Jing-Yang , Wei James Cheng-Chung
Published: April 2024

Background

The pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD) remains unclear. Nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) infection might trigger immune-mediated reactions. We aimed to examine NTS and the risk of subsequent AD.

Methods

From 2002 to 2015, eligible patients (aged 0–100 years) with NTS were identified. NTS and non-NTS groups were matched at a 1:10 ratio on age and sex. We utilized conditional multivariable Cox proportional hazard models to estimate the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for AD development. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on age, sex, and severity of NTS infection. We utilized landmark analysis to explore the time-dependent hazard of AD following NTS.

Results

In the NTS group (N = 6624), 403 developed AD. After full adjustment of demographics and comorbidities, the NTS group had a higher risk of AD than the reference group (aHR = 1.217, 95% CI = 1.096–1.352). Age-stratified analysis revealed that NTS group exhibited an elevated risk compared to the reference group, particularly among those aged 13–30 years (aHR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.017–1.559), individuals aged 31–50 years (aHR = 1.388, 95% CI = 1.112–1.733), those aged 51–70 years (aHR = 1.301, 95% CI = 1.008–1.679), and individuals aged 71 years and over (aHR = 1.791, 95% CI = 1.260–2.545). Severe NTS was associated with a higher risk of AD than the reference group (aHR = 2.411, 95% CI = 1.577–3.685). Landmark analysis showed generally consistent findings.

Conclusions

Minimizing exposure to NTS infection may represent a prospective strategy for averting the onset and progression of atopic dermatitis.
Attitudes and Beliefs of Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Students Toward Working With Older Adults: A Systematic Review
Authors: Omaña Humberto , Sureshkumar Ashvene , Äijö Marja , Hunter Susan W
Published: April 2024

Objective

The aim of this study was to systematically review physical therapists’ and physical therapist students’ attitudes toward working with older adults.

Methods

CINAHL, EMBASE, ERIC, MEDLINE, Scopus, PsycINFO, and SocIndex databases were searched in duplicate (from inception to March 2023). Studies that assessed knowledge on aging, intention to work with older adults or attitudes toward older adults for physical therapist students and/or clinicians, and that were written in English, Finnish, Spanish, or Swedish were included. Grey literature, qualitative studies, or articles of people with a specific diagnosis (eg, dementia) were excluded. All articles were reviewed by 2 authors independently, and consensus was required for inclusion. Data extraction was completed using a standardized data extraction sheet.

Results

Of 2755 articles screened, 34 met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-five studies recruited only physical therapist students, 6 recruited only physical therapist clinicians, and 3 involved mixed samples of both. Ten intervention studies were included, all of which recruited physical therapist students. Overall, physical therapist students were observed to have predominantly positive attitudes toward older adults, while clinicians had neutral to weak positive attitudes toward older adults. Both physical therapist students and clinicians were observed to have low knowledge on aging and low intentions to work with older adults. Results from intervention studies suggest that education combined with clinical experience with older adults improves attitudes toward older adults.

Conclusion

A discrepancy is observed in physical therapists in that although attitudes toward older adults are positive, a lack of knowledge on aging and a disinterest in working with older adults exists. Intervention studies suggest that clinical experience may improve attitudes toward older adults in physical therapist students.

Impact

Predominantly positive attitudes toward older adults are reported by physical therapist students, while for clinicians mixed results are observed. Education coupled with clinical experiences appears to be effective interventions to improve attitudes toward older adults, but such research has only been explored in student samples.
Efficacy of Physical Activity Promoting Interventions in Physical Therapy and Exercise Therapy for Persons With Noncommunicable Diseases: An Overview of Systematic Reviews
Authors: Jung Andres , Geidl Wolfgang , Matting Leon , Hoessel Lina-Marie , Siemens Waldemar , Sudeck Gorden , Pfeifer Klaus
Published: April 2024

Objective

The objective of this study was to synthesize the evidence from systematic reviews on the efficacy of physical therapy and exercise therapy, including interventional elements explicitly aiming at physical activity promotion (PAP) in patients with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

Methods

PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched from inception to February 28, 2023. Two independent reviewers screened the literature to identify systematic reviews that evaluated the effects of physical therapy and exercise therapy, including PAP interventions. Patient-reported and device-based measures of physical activity (PA) outcomes were included. Qualitative and quantitative data from systematic reviews were extracted by 2 independent reviewers. Assessment of the methodological quality of the included systematic reviews was performed using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR 2). We assessed primary study overlap by calculating the corrected covered area and conducted the evidence synthesis in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.

Results

Fourteen systematic reviews were included in the present overview, including patients with a variety of NCDs. Most included systematic reviews had critically low (n = 5) to low (n = 7) methodological quality. Most meta-analyses (67%; 8/12) provided evidence supporting the short- and long-term efficacy of PAP interventions, but not all pooled estimates were clinically relevant. Only three of the systematic reviews with meta-analysis included an assessment of the certainty of the evidence. The evidence from systematic reviews without meta-analysis was inconclusive.

Conclusions

The results of the present overview suggest that PAP interventions in physical therapy or exercise therapy may be effective in improving PA for patients with NCDs in the short and long term. The results should be interpreted with caution due to the limited certainty of evidence and critically low-to-low methodological quality of the included systematic reviews. Both high-quality primary studies and systematic reviews are required to confirm these results.

Impact

There is limited evidence that PAP interventions in physical therapy and exercise therapy may be effective in improving PA for patients with NCDs.
Prognostic significance of CAD-RADS for patients with suspected coronary artery disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kato Shingo , Azuma Mai , Horita Nobuyuki , Utsunomiya Daisuke
Published: April 2024

Background

Coronary Artery Disease-Reporting and Data System (CAD-RADS) is a standardized reporting system that offers a structured method for interpreting and reporting results obtained through coronary computed tomography angiography. It has been deemed useful in the prognostication of patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD).

Purpose

The present meta-analysis sought to assess the prognostic value of CAD-RADS in individuals with suspected CAD.

Materials and Methods

We conducted a systematic search of the electronic databases of PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane advanced search, and EMBASE. A random-effects model was implemented to evaluate the pooled hazard ratio (HR) for each CAD-RADS category and area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for predicting major adverse cardiovascular events.

Results

Data from 37 596 coronary computed tomography angiography examinations from 13 studies were analyzed. During follow-up, 2,536 (6.7%) adverse events were observed. Pooled HRs for prediction of adverse events were significant for all CAD-RADS categories, with incremental increase in HRs with progressively higher categories. For prediction of all-cause mortality, all categories except CAD-RADS 1 showed significant HR compared with CAD-RADS 0. Combination of CAD-RADS to conventional clinical risk factors and CAC resulted in a high predictive capacity for adverse events (pooled area under the receiver operating characteristics curve: 0.82 ([95% confidence interval, 0.73-0.91]).

Conclusion

The CAD-RADS category imparts information on the CAD severity and shows incremental increase in HR for adverse events with progressively higher categories, especially beyond CAD-RADS4b.
Prodromal symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in a primary care database: variation by ethnicity and socioeconomic status
Authors: d’Elia Alexander , Baranskaya Aliaksandra , Haroon Shamil , Hammond Ben , Adderley Nicola J , Nirantharakumar Krishnarajah , Chandan Joht Singh , Falahee Marie , Raza Karim
Published: April 2024

Objectives

To assess whether prodromal symptoms of RA, as recorded in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum (CPRD) database of English primary care records, differ by ethnicity and socioeconomic status.

Methods

A cross-sectional study to determine the coding of common symptoms (≥0.1% in the sample) in the 24 months preceding RA diagnosis in CPRD Aurum, recorded between 1 January 2004 and 1 May 2022. Eligible cases were adults with a code for RA diagnosis. For each symptom, a logistic regression was performed with the symptom as dependent variable, and ethnicity and socioeconomic status as independent variables. Results were adjusted for sex, age, BMI and smoking status. White ethnicity and the highest socioeconomic quintile were comparators.

Results

In total, 70 115 cases were eligible for inclusion, of which 66.4% were female. Twenty-one symptoms were coded in >0.1% of cases so were included in the analysis. Patients of South Asian ethnicity had higher frequency of codes for several symptoms, with the largest difference by odds ratio being muscle cramps (1.71, 99.76 % confidence interval 1.44–2.57) and shoulder pain (1.44, 1.25–1.66). Patients of Black ethnicity had higher prevalence of several codes including unintended weight loss (2.02, 1.25–3.28) and ankle pain (1.51, 1.02–2.23). Low socioeconomic status was associated with morning stiffness (1.74, 1.08–2.80) and falls (1.37, 2.03–1.82)

Conclusion

There are significant differences in coded symptoms between demographic groups, which must be considered in clinical practice in diverse populations and to avoid algorithmic bias in prediction tools derived from routinely collected healthcare data.
The gender gap in attitudes toward workplace technological change
Authors: Borwein Sophie , Magistro Beatrice , Loewen Peter , Bonikowski Bart , Lee-Whiting Blake
Published: April 2024

We provide the first systematic analysis of how attitudes toward workplace automation and artificial intelligence (AI) vary by gender, using survey data from ten countries. Our analyses reveal a significant gender gap in the perceived fairness of automation and AI, similar in magnitude to that of job offshoring. Drawing on the literature on economic shocks, we examine four explanations based on gender differences in (a) economic self-interest, (b) technological knowledge, (c) sociotropic concerns and (d) social status perceptions. Including these variables in our models, however, narrows the observed gender gap by only 40%. To better understand the sources of attitudinal variation by gender, we rely on Kitagawa–Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition, which shows that distributional differences in group characteristics, specifically women’s lower levels of technological knowledge and self-reported social status, account for approximately one-third of the gap, while the other two-thirds are explained by differences in how specific variables differentially influence attitudes.