bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Instruments to assess post-intensive care syndrome assessment: a scoping review and modified Delphi method study
Authors: Nakanishi Nobuto , Liu Keibun , Kawauchi Akira , Okamura Masatsugu , Tanaka Kohei , Katayama Sho , Mitani Yuki , Ota Kohei , Taito Shunsuke , Fudeyasu Kenichi , Masuka Yuki , Yoshihiro Shodai , Utsumi Shu , Nishikimi Mitsuaki , Masuda Mamoru , Iida Yuki , Kawai Yusuke , Hatakeyama Junji , Hifumi Toru , Unoki Takeshi , Kawakami Daisuke , Obata Kengo , Katsukawa Hajime , Sumita Hidenori , Morisawa Tomoyuki , Takahashi Masahiro , Tsuboi Norihiko , Kozu Ryo , Takaki Shunsuke , Haruna Junpei , Fujinami Yoshihisa , Nosaka Nobuyuki , Miyamoto Kyohei , Nakamura Kensuke , Kondo Yutaka , Inoue Shigeaki , Nishida Osamu
Published: November 2023

Background

The assessment of post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) is challenging due to the numerous types of instruments. We herein attempted to identify and propose recommendations for instruments to assess PICS in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors.

Methods

We conducted a scoping review to identify PICS follow-up studies at and after hospital discharge between 2014 and 2022. Assessment instruments used more than two times were included in the modified Delphi consensus process. A modified Delphi meeting was conducted three times by the PICS committee of the Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine, and each score was rated as not important (score: 1–3), important, but not critical (4–6), and critical (7–9). We included instruments with ≥ 70% of respondents rating critical and ≤ 15% of respondents rating not important.

Results

In total, 6972 records were identified in this scoping review, and 754 studies were included in the analysis. After data extraction, 107 PICS assessment instruments were identified. The modified Delphi meeting reached 20 PICS assessment instrument recommendations: (1) in the physical domain: the 6-min walk test, MRC score, and grip strength, (2) in cognition: MoCA, MMSE, and SMQ, (3) in mental health: HADS, IES-R, and PHQ-9, (4) in the activities of daily living: the Barthel Index, IADL, and FIM, (5) in quality of life: SF-36, SF-12, EQ-5D-5L, 3L, and VAS (6), in sleep and pain: PSQI and Brief Pain Inventory, respectively, and (7) in the PICS-family domain: SF-36, HADS, and IES-R.

Conclusion

Based on a scoping review and the modified Delphi method, 20 PICS assessment instruments are recommended to assess physical, cognitive, mental health, activities of daily living, quality of life, sleep, and pain in ICU survivors and their families.
Dynamic postural control in women athletes with and without nonspecific low back pain with high and low pain-related anxiety- A case-control study
Authors: Amerian Zahra , ShahAli Shabnam , Rezaeian Zahra Sadat , Shanbehzadeh Sanaz
Published: November 2023

Background

Low back pain is common among athletes and it has been shown that postural control is altered in the general population with nonspecific low back pain (NSLBP). Psychological factors may also predispose individuals to risk of altered postural control. Dynamic postural control is essential to the performance of athletes. This study aimed to compare the dynamic postural control between women athletes with and without NSLBP with high and low pain-related anxiety.

Methods

Forty-five female athletes (15 NSLBP with high pain-related anxiety, 15 NSLBP with low pain-related anxiety, and 15 healthy (control)) were included. Pain-related anxiety was assessed using the Pain Anxiety Symptom Scale-20 (PASS-20). Based on the cut-off score of 30 for the total score of PASS-20, NSLBP patients were classified into two groups of low and high pain-related anxiety. Participants performed double-leg vertical drop jump (DVJ) and single-leg vertical jump (SVJ) tests on a Kistler force plate (type 9260AA6, Kistler Instruments Inc, Switzerland). The total root mean square (RMS) of the center of pressure (COP), COP displacement in the anteroposterior (AP), and mediolateral (ML) directions, COP mean velocity, and time to stabilization (TTS) in vertical, AP, and total directions were extracted from COP and ground reaction force data using MATLAB software. One-way Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Welch’s ANOVA were employed to compare the groups. In case of significant findings, post hoc tests were performed.

Results

The results showed that during DJV, athletes with high pain-related anxiety had significantly greater TTS in all total, AP, and ML directions than other groups (P < 0.05). Also, the control group showed greater total RMS distance during DJV than either NSLBP group. However, no significant differences in TTS and COP parameters were found between the groups during SVJ (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

The findings suggest that pain-related anxiety may contribute to athletes’ postural control strategies. Therefore, it is important to consider the level of pain-related anxiety during planning postural control exercises for women athletes with NSLBP.
Artificial CT images can enhance variation of case images in diagnostic radiology skills training
Authors: Hofmeijer Elfi Inez Saïda , Wu Sheng-Chih , Vliegenthart Rozemarijn , Slump Cornelis Herman , van der Heijden Ferdi , Tan Can Ozan
Published: November 2023

Objectives

We sought to investigate if artificial medical images can blend with original ones and whether they adhere to the variable anatomical constraints provided.

Methods

Artificial images were generated with a generative model trained on publicly available standard and low-dose chest CT images (805 scans; 39,803 2D images), of which 17% contained evidence of pathological formations (lung nodules). The test set (90 scans; 5121 2D images) was used to assess if artificial images (512 × 512 primary and control image sets) blended in with original images, using both quantitative metrics and expert opinion. We further assessed if pathology characteristics in the artificial images can be manipulated.

Results

Primary and control artificial images attained an average objective similarity of 0.78 ± 0.04 (ranging from 0 [entirely dissimilar] to 1[identical]) and 0.76 ± 0.06, respectively. Five radiologists with experience in chest and thoracic imaging provided a subjective measure of image quality; they rated artificial images as 3.13 ± 0.46 (range of 1 [unrealistic] to 4 [almost indistinguishable to the original image]), close to their rating of the original images (3.73 ± 0.31). Radiologists clearly distinguished images in the control sets (2.32 ± 0.48 and 1.07 ± 0.19). In almost a quarter of the scenarios, they were not able to distinguish primary artificial images from the original ones.

Conclusion

Artificial images can be generated in a way such that they blend in with original images and adhere to anatomical constraints, which can be manipulated to augment the variability of cases.

Critical relevance statement

Artificial medical images can be used to enhance the availability and variety of medical training images by creating new but comparable images that can blend in with original images.

Key points

• Artificial images, similar to original ones, can be created using generative networks.

• Pathological features of artificial images can be adjusted through guiding the network.

• Artificial images proved viable to augment the depth and broadening of diagnostic training.

Graphical Abstract
Comparison of osteoclast differentiation protocols from human induced pluripotent stem cells of different tissue origins
Authors: Blümke Alexander , Ijeoma Erica , Simon Jessica , Wellington Rachel , Purwaningrum Medania , Doulatov Sergei , Leber Elizabeth , Scatena Marta , Giachelli Cecilia M.
Published: November 2023

Background

Ever since their discovery, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have been extensively differentiated into a large variety of cell types. However, a limited amount of work has been dedicated to differentiating iPSCs into osteoclasts. While several differentiation protocols have been published, it remains unclear which protocols or differentiation methods are preferable regarding the differentiation of osteoclasts.

Methods

In this study, we compared the osteoclastogenesis capacity of a peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-derived iPSC line to a fibroblast-derived iPSC line in conjunction with either embryoid body-based or monolayer-based differentiation strategies. Both cell lines and differentiation protocols were investigated regarding their ability to generate osteoclasts and their inherent robustness and ease of use. The ability of both cell lines to remain undifferentiated while propagating using a feeder-free system was assessed using alkaline phosphatase staining. This was followed by evaluating mesodermal differentiation and the characterization of hematopoietic progenitor cells using flow cytometry. Finally, osteoclast yield and functionality based on resorptive activity, Cathepsin K and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) expression were assessed. The results were validated using qRT-PCR throughout the differentiation stages.

Results

Embryoid body-based differentiation yielded CD45+, CD14+, CD11b+ subpopulations which in turn differentiated into osteoclasts which demonstrated TRAP positivity, Cathepsin K expression and mineral resorptive capabilities. This was regardless of which iPSC line was used. Monolayer-based differentiation yielded lower quantities of hematopoietic cells that were mostly CD34+ and did not subsequently differentiate into osteoclasts.

Conclusions

The outcome of this study demonstrates the successful differentiation of osteoclasts from iPSCs in conjunction with the embryoid-based differentiation method, while the monolayer-based method did not yield osteoclasts. No differences were observed regarding osteoclast differentiation between the PBMC and fibroblast-derived iPSC lines.
Duck Tembusu virus induces incomplete autophagy via the ERK/mTOR and AMPK/mTOR signalling pathways to promote viral replication in neuronal cells
Authors: Wang Qing , Jiang Yaqian , Bao Guangbin , Yao Weiping , Yang Qing , Chen Shuyue , Wang Guijun
Published: November 2023

Duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV) is a neurotropic virus in the genus Flavivirus that causes massive economic losses to the poultry industry in China and neighbouring countries. Autophagy is pivotal in cellular responses to pathogens and in viral pathogenesis. However, little is known about the roles of autophagy in DTMUV replication and viral pathogenesis, especially in neuropathogenesis. In this study, mouse neuroblastoma cells (Neuro-2a) were used to establish a cell model of DTMUV infection. Our experiments indicated that DTMUV infection induced incomplete autophagy in Neuro-2a cells. Then, we used different autophagy regulators to alter the autophagy induced by DTMUV and found that incomplete autophagy promoted DTMUV replication. Furthermore, we showed that DTMUV infection activated the ERK and AMPK pathways, resulting in decreased phosphorylation of the autophagy repressor mTOR, subsequently leading to autophagic induction. In addition, we utilized ICR mice in an animal model of DTMUV infection to evaluate the autophagic responses in brain tissues and investigate the effects of autophagy on viral replication and tissue lesions. Our results confirmed that DTMUV induced incomplete autophagy in mouse brain tissues and that autophagy inducer treatment promoted DTMUV replication and aggravated DTMUV-induced lesions, whereas autophagy inhibitor treatment had the opposite effects. In summary, DTMUV infection induced incomplete autophagy through the ERK/mTOR and AMPK/mTOR signalling pathways to promote viral replication in mouse neuronal cells, and DTMUV-induced incomplete autophagy contributed to the neuropathogenesis of DTMUV.
Predictors of police response time: a scoping review
Authors: Verlaan Tim , Ruiter Stijn
Published: November 2023

Background

As rapid response has been a key policing strategy for police departments around the globe, so has police response time been a key performance indicator. This scoping review maps and assesses the variables that predict police response time.

Methods

This review considers empirical studies, written in english, that include quantitative data from which an association between the outcome variable police response time and any predictor can be observed or derived. This review provides both a narrative synthesis as well as what we termed a hybrid synthesis, a novel way of synthesizing a large quantitative dataset which is considered too rich for a mere narrative synthesis and yet does not allow for meta-analysis.

Results

The search, screening and selection process yielded 39 studies, which presented 630 associations between 122 unique predictor variables and police response time. In order to present the results in a digestible way, we classified these into categories and subcategories. All methodological steps and the findings are made public: https://github.com/timverlaan/prt.

Conclusions

Most of the conclusion and discussion focuses on lessons learned and recommendations for future research, as it proved hard to draw any definitive conclusions on causal factors related to police response time. We recommend that future studies clearly describe mechanisms, focus on the components of police response time (reporting time, dispatch time, travel time—or a combination of these), attempt to standardize predictors and outcome variables, and we call for more research into reporting time. We conclude this review with a first attempt at deriving a causal model of police response time from the subcategories of predictor variables we observed in the empirical studies included in this review.

Trail Registration: https://osf.io/hu2e9.
Microbiota-indole 3-propionic acid-brain axis mediates abnormal synaptic pruning of hippocampal microglia and susceptibility to ASD in IUGR offspring
Authors: Wang Tingting , Chen Beidi , Luo Mingcui , Xie Lulu , Lu Mengxi , Lu Xiaoqian , Zhang Shuai , Wei Liyi , Zhou Xinli , Yao Baozhen , Wang Hui , Xu Dan
Published: November 2023

Background

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been associated with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), but the underlying mechanisms are unclear.

Results

We found that the IUGR rat model induced by prenatal caffeine exposure (PCE) showed ASD-like symptoms, accompanied by altered gut microbiota and reduced production of indole 3-propionic acid (IPA), a microbiota-specific metabolite and a ligand of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). IUGR children also had a reduced serum IPA level consistent with the animal model. We demonstrated that the dysregulated IPA/AHR/NF-κB signaling caused by disturbed gut microbiota mediated the hippocampal microglia hyperactivation and neuronal synapse over-pruning in the PCE-induced IUGR rats. Moreover, postnatal IPA supplementation restored the ASD-like symptoms and the underlying hippocampal lesions in the IUGR rats.

Conclusions

This study suggests that the microbiota-IPA-brain axis regulates ASD susceptibility in PCE-induced IUGR offspring, and supplementation of microbiota-derived IPA might be a promising interventional strategy for ASD with a fetal origin.
Different roles of host and habitat in determining the microbial communities of plant-feeding true bugs
Authors: Yang Zi-Wen , Luo Jiu-Yang , Men Yu , Liu Zhi-Hui , Zheng Zi-Kai , Wang Yan-Hui , Xie Qiang
Published: November 2023

Background

The true bugs (Heteroptera) occupy nearly all of the known ecological niches of insects. Among them, as a group containing more than 30,000 species, the phytophagous true bugs are making increasing impacts on agricultural and forestry ecosystems. Previous studies proved that symbiotic bacteria play important roles in these insects in fitting various habitats. However, it is still obscure about the evolutionary and ecological patterns of the microorganisms of phytophagous true bugs as a whole with comprehensive taxon sampling.

Results

Here, in order to explore the symbiotic patterns between plant-feeding true bugs and their symbiotic microorganisms, 209 species belonging to 32 families of 9 superfamilies had been sampled, which covered all the major phytophagous families of true bugs. The symbiotic microbial communities were surveyed by full-length 16S rRNA gene and ITS amplicons respectively for bacteria and fungi using the PacBio platform. We revealed that hosts mainly affect the dominant bacteria of symbiotic microbial communities, while habitats generally influence the subordinate ones. Thereafter, we carried out the ancestral state reconstruction of the dominant bacteria and found that dramatic replacements of dominant bacteria occurred in the early Cretaceous and formed newly stable symbiotic relationships accompanying the radiation of insect families. In contrast, the symbiotic fungi were revealed to be horizontally transmitted, which makes fungal communities distinctive in different habitats but not significantly related to hosts.

Conclusions

Host and habitat determine microbial communities of plant-feeding true bugs in different roles. The symbiotic bacterial communities are both shaped by host and habitat but in different ways. Nevertheless, the symbiotic fungal communities are mainly influenced by habitat but not host. These findings shed light on a general framework for future microbiome research of phytophagous insects.
Multi-method analysis of a historic wooden trough from Kentucky, USA: a case study in corroborating artifact oral histories with heritage science
Authors: Napora Katharine G. , Crothers George M. , Hadden Carla S. , Guerre Lisa , Waldman Laura J. , Reyes-Centeno Hugo , Keppeler James , Imler Madeline , Jakaitis Edward , Metz Alexander , Mink Philip B.
Published: November 2023

Oral history indicates that a large wooden trough held in storage at the University of Kentucky’s William S. Webb Museum of Anthropology was a component of the saltpeter mining operation in Mammoth Cave in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, worked largely by enslaved persons. We used multiple heritage science methods, including radiocarbon wiggle-match dating, tree-ring dating, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS), and optical scanning, combined with historical research, to examine the trough. Our analysis supports the oral history of the trough as an artifact of the mining system in Mammoth Cave. This case study illustrates how heritage science methods can provide corroboration for the origins and biographies of poorly documented historical artifacts.
Designs and practices using generative AI for sustainable student discourse and knowledge creation
Authors: Lee Alwyn Vwen Yen , Tan Seng Chee , Teo Chew Lee
Published: November 2023

Utilizing generative artificial intelligence, especially the more popularly used Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) architecture, has made it possible to employ AI in ways that were previously not possible with conventional assessment and evaluation technologies for learning. As educational use cases and academic studies become increasingly prevalent, it is critical for education stakeholders to discuss design considerations and ideals that are key in supporting and augmenting learning via quality classroom discourse that sets the climate for student learning and thinking, and teachers’ transmission of expectations. In this paper, we seek to address how emergent technological advancements such as GPT, can be considered and utilized in designs that are consistent with the ideals of sustainable student discourse and knowledge creation. We showcase contemporary exemplars of possible designs and practices that are based on the pedagogy of knowledge building, with recent illustrations of how GPT may be utilized to sustain students’ knowledge building discourse. We also examine the potential effects and repercussions of technological utilization and misuse, along with insights into GPT’s role in supporting and enhancing knowledge building practices. We anticipate that the findings, through our exploration of designs and practices for knowledge creation, will be able to resonate with a broader audience and instigate meaningful change on issues of teaching and learning within smart learning environments.
Effects of Specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides in Combination with Concurrent Training on Running Performance and Indicators of Endurance Capacity in Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Jerger Simon , Jendricke Patrick , Centner Christoph , Bischof Kevin , Kohl Jan , Keller Simon , Gollhofer Albert , König Daniel
Published: November 2023

Background

First evidence indicates that the supplementation of specific collagen peptides (SCP) is associated with a significant improvement in running performance in physically active women; however, it is unclear if the same is true in males. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of a concurrent training program including 60 min of continuous moderate intensity running training and 15 min of dynamic resistance training combined with supplementation of SCP on parameters of running performance in moderately trained males.

Methods

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial, participants performed a 12 weeks concurrent training and ingested 15 g of SCP [treatment group (TG)] or placebo [control group (CG)] daily. Before and after the intervention, running endurance performance was measured by a 1-h time trial on a running track. Velocity at the lactate threshold (VLT) and at the individual anaerobic threshold (VIAT) were assessed on a treadmill ergometer. Body composition was evaluated by bioelectrical impedance analysis.

Results

Thirty-two men (28.4 ± 5.2 years) completed the study and were included in the analysis. After 12 weeks, TG had a statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) higher increase in running distance (1727 ± 705 m) compared to the CG (1018 ± 976 m) in the time trial. VLT increased in the TG by 0.680 ± 1.27 km h−1 and slightly decreased by − 0.135 ± 0.978 km h−1 in the CG, resulting in statistically significant group differences (p ≤ 0.05). A significantly higher improvement in VIAT (p ≤ 0.05) was shown in the TG compared with the CG only (1.660 ± 1.022 km h−1 vs 0.606 ± 0.974 km h−1; p ≤ 0.01). Fat mass decreased (TG − 1.7 ± 1.6 kg; CG − 1.2 ± 2.0 kg) and fat free mass increased (TG 0.2 ± 1.2 kg; CG 0.5 ± 1.3 kg) in both groups with no significant group differences.

Conclusion

In summary, supplementation with 15 g of SCP improved running performance in a 1-h time trial and enhanced indicators of endurance capacity at submaximal exercise intensities such as an increased velocity at the lactate as well as the anaerobic threshold more effectively than CT alone.

Trial registration: ETK: 123/17; DRKS-ID: DRKS00015529 (Registered 07 November 2018—Retrospectively registered); https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00015529
A global systematic overview of socioeconomic factors associated with antidiabetic medication adherence in individuals with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Studer Christian Ming , Linder Marie , Pazzagli Laura
Published: November 2023

Background

Antidiabetic medication adherence is a key aspect for successful control of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This systematic review aims to provide an overview of the associations between socioeconomic factors and antidiabetic medication adherence in individuals with T2DM.

Methods

A study protocol was established using the PRISMA checklist. A primary literature search was conducted during March 2022, searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, as well as WorldCat and the Bielefeld Academic Search Engine. Studies were included if published between 1990 and 2022 and included individuals with T2DM. During primary screening, one reviewer screened titles and abstracts for eligibility, while in the secondary screening, two reviewers worked independently to extract the relevant data from the full-text articles.

Results

A total of 15,128 studies were found in the primary search, and 102 were finally included in the review. Most studies found were cross-sectional (72) and many investigated multiple socioeconomic factors. Four subcategories of socioeconomic factors were identified: economic (70), social (74), ethnical/racial (19) and geographical (18). The majority of studies found an association with antidiabetic medication adherence for two specific factors, namely individuals’ insurance status (10) and ethnicity or race (18). Other important factors were income and education.

Conclusions

A large heterogeneity between studies was observed, with many studies relying on subjective data from interviewed individuals with a potential for recall bias. Several socioeconomic groups influencing medication adherence were identified, suggesting potential areas of intervention for the improvement of diabetes treatment adherence and individuals’ long-term well-being.
Effect of some irrigation systems on water stress levels of Washington navel orange trees
Authors: Youssef Ebtessam A. , Mahmoud Tarek A. , Abo-Eid Manal A. M.
Published: November 2023

Background

This experimental study was conducted during two successive seasons 2021–2022 on 10-year-old Washington navel orange trees (Citrus sinensis) budded on sour orange rootstock (Citrus aurantium) under sandy loamy soil conditions in Belbeis district, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. This experimental study was conducted to compare some irrigation systems with different water stress levels on Washington navel trees and to determine the best system in terms of irrigation water use efficiency using different irrigation systems (drip and micro-sprinklers) under different levels of water supply (100, 80, and 60% of ETc, i.e., the estimated water requirements of crops).

Results

The included data demonstrated that irrigation water amounts can be reduced by 20% for Washington navel trees, while maintaining production, with the possibility of increasing by using micro-sprinkler irrigation systems. In summary, water use efficiency increased with micro-sprinkler irrigation systems under ETc 80%, which resulted in 2.57 and 2.67 kg of fruit per cubic meter of irrigation water in the first and second seasons, respectively.

Conclusion

The results of the present study showed that using ETc 80% combined with micro-sprinklers irrigation system had a high economic return through increasing total yield, water use efficiency, and water unit return (WUR) which reached to 10.26 EGP/one cubic meter of irrigation water and using less water irrigation amount by 20% at the same time. Thus, we recommend applying the treatment of ETc 80% combined with micro-sprinklers irrigation system to Washington navel orange trees budded on sour orange rootstock to gain a high economic return.
Short-term recovery of post-fire vegetation is primarily limited by drought in Mediterranean forest ecosystems
Authors: Blanco-Rodríguez Miguel Ángel , Ameztegui Aitor , Gelabert Pere , Rodrigues Marcos , Coll Lluís
Published: November 2023

Background

Climate change is altering the fire regime and compromising the post-fire recovery of vegetation worldwide. To understand the factors influencing post-fire vegetation cover restoration, we calculated the recovery of vegetation in 200,000 hectares of western Mediterranean forest burned by 268 wildfires over a 27-year period (1988–2015). We used time series of the Tasseled Cap Transformation Brightness (TCTB) spectral transformation over Landsat imagery to calculate vegetation recovery. Then, we quantified the importance of the main drivers of post-fire vegetation recovery (climate, fire severity, and topography) along an aridity gradient (semi-arid, sub-humid, and humid) using Random Forest models.

Results

In most models (99.7%), drought duration was the most important factor, negatively affecting post-fire recovery especially in the extremes of the aridity gradient. Fire severity was the second most important factor for vegetation cover recovery, with its effect varying along the aridity gradient: there was a positive relationship between fire severity and recovery in sub-humid and humid areas, while semi-arid areas showed the opposite pattern. Topographic variables were the least important driver and had a marginal effect on post-fire recovery. Additionally, semi-arid areas exhibited a low mean recovery rate, indicating limitations in the short-term recovery after a fire.

Conclusions

Our study highlights the key role that drought duration plays in the recovery of vegetation after wildfires in the Mediterranean basin and, particularly, in forests located in climatically extreme areas. The results suggest that the predicted increase in drought duration coupled with a higher frequency and intensity of large fires may modify the structure and composition of Mediterranean forest ecosystems. Our analysis provides relevant information to evaluate and design adaptive management strategies in post-fire recovery hotspots of Mediterranean forest ecosystems.
Imaging changes of oil aspiration over time in children: a case series
Authors: Rashed Masoud Mahdavi , Hosseini Mojtaba Haji , Beizae Behnam , Alamdaran Seyed Ali , Alizadeh Anahita , Seyedi Seyed Javad , Hassannejad Ehsan , Tavakolizadeh Nahid
Published: November 2023

Background

Oil aspiration pneumonia is an uncommon form of lung disease due to aspiration or inhalation of oil-containing products. The present study reports the changes process of radiological findings over time in four children.

Case presentation

For 2 years, four cases (17 months until 3.5 years) with aspiration oil-containing (petroleum or benzene) products were referred to a tertiary center, Akbar Children’s Hospital, Mashhad Medical University of Science. They presented with respiratory distress and fever. The radiography, low-dose CT scan, and ultrasound findings were evaluated. Assessment of serial imaging findings in our patients shows decreased volume, ground glass opacity, and septal thickening in the lower lobes of the lungs are a predominant pattern in the first and second days. Consolidation and nodular opacity appear after 48 h. In the second week, the nodular pattern (fluid-filled pneumatoceles) is the main pattern and persists for 1 month. CT scan images showed that opaque nodules are actually fluid-filled pneumatoceles. Finally, air-filled pneumatoceles gradually appeared from the third week and disappeared in 6–8 months.

Conclusion

Our results show that four radiological phases of oil pneumonia, including ground glass opacities, segmental consolidation, fluid-filled pneumatoceles (nodule), and finally air-filled pneumatoceles, could be seen in radiography, CT scan, and ultrasound.
Nutritional support and prevention of post-intensive care syndrome: the Italian SIAARTI survey
Authors: Cotoia Antonella , Umbrello Michele , Ferrari Fiorenza , Pota Vincenzo , Alessandri Francesco , Cortegiani Andrea , De Rosa Silvia
Published: November 2023

Background

Malnutrition and muscle wasting are common in ICU patients and predict adverse patient-centered outcomes. The Italian Society of Anesthesia Analgesia Resuscitation and Intensive Care (SIAARTI) conducted a nationwide survey to identify the nutritional practices in the Italian ICUs and to plan future, training interventions to improve the national clinical practice.

Methods

Nationwide online survey, involving Italian ICUs, developed by experts affiliated with SIAARTI. Invitations to participate were distributed through emails and social networks. Data were collected over a period of three months (October 1 to December 31, 2022) during 2022.

Results

One hundred full responses from participating ICUs were collected. The number of beds is < 10 in most ICUs and > 20 in 11 ICUs. Most ICUs (87%) are mixed, cardiac (5%), neurosurgical (4%), or pediatric ICUs (1%). Although the nutritional program is widely prescribed based on the patients’ general evaluation, 52 ICUs (52%) do not perform nutritional risk evaluation at admission in case of > 24-h stay. Daily caloric intake is mainly based on the 25 kcal/kg equation; otherwise, the Harris-Benedict formula is mostly used, whereas indirect calorimetry is less used. Most clinicians apply a personalized nutritional approach to organ failure. Most ICUs have a nutritional management protocol, and enteral nutrition (EN) is frequently started within 2 days from admission, while supplemental parenteral nutrition is used when EN is insufficient by most clinicians. The EN administered seems to correspond to that prescribed, but it is stopped if the gastric residual gastric is > 300–500 ml in most ICUs.

Conclusion

Prescription, route, and mode of administration of nutritional support seem to be in line with international recommendations, while suggestions on the tools for assessing the nutritional risk and monitoring efficacy and complications seem far less followed. Future national clinical studies are necessary to investigate the optimal nutritional and metabolic management of critically ill patients and the correspondence with the results of this survey on actual practices.
Seismic resolution enhancement with variational modal-based fast-matching pursuit decomposition
Authors: Wang Chaohe , Zong Zhaoyun , Yin Xingyao , Li Kun
Published: November 2023

Enhancing vertical resolution and signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) is a key objective in seismic data processing. Considering the underground medium is inhomogeneous and incompletely elastic, seismic wave energy attenuation occurs during underground propagation, which has a significant impact on seismic data resolution and S/N. Traditional fast-matching pursuit (FMP) algorithms make it difficult to separate valid signals and noise effectively while reconstructing the noisy signals. Therefore, an improved FMP algorithm that combines the variational-mode decomposition (VMD) strategy is developed. The VMD algorithm is used to obtain intrinsic mode functions with varying amplitudes, frequencies, and center times. It can achieve a multiscale decomposition of nonstationary seismic data. Based on the intrinsic mode functions of different scales, the FMP algorithm can reconstruct prior information of the amplitude, frequency, and center time of valid signals and noise signals in the mode functions. Thus, the high-resolution sparse representation of intrinsic mode functions is achieved. The numerical results indicate that our method not only separates the effective signal and noise but also preserves the valid signal as much as possible. In addition, the feasibility of the method is further verified by field exploration data. The results indicate that this strategy can enhance the resolution of seismic data while restoring the attenuated energy using multiscale seismic data.
Bevacizumab Alone and in Combination With Irinotecan in Recurrent Glioblastoma
Authors: Friedman Henry S. , Prados Michael D. , Wen Patrick Y. , Mikkelsen Tom , Schiff David , Abrey Lauren E. , Yung W.K. Alfred , Paleologos Nina , Nicholas Martin K. , Jensen Randy , Vredenburgh James , Huang Jane , Zheng Maoxia , Cloughesy Timothy
Published: November 2023

PURPOSE

We evaluated the efficacy of bevacizumab, alone and in combination with irinotecan, in patients with recurrent glioblastoma in a phase II, multicenter, open-label, noncomparative trial.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred sixty-seven patients were randomly assigned to receive bevacizumab 10 mg/kg alone or in combination with irinotecan 340 mg/m2 or 125 mg/m2 (with or without concomitant enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs, respectively) once every 2 weeks. Primary end points were 6-month progression-free survival and objective response rate, as determined by independent radiology review. Secondary end points included safety and overall survival.

RESULTS

In the bevacizumab-alone and the bevacizumab-plus-irinotecan groups, estimated 6-month progression-free survival rates were 42.6% and 50.3%, respectively; objective response rates were 28.2% and 37.8%, respectively; and median overall survival times were 9.2 months and 8.7 months, respectively. There was a trend for patients who were taking corticosteroids at baseline to take stable or decreasing doses over time. Of the patients treated with bevacizumab alone or bevacizumab plus irinotecan, 46.4% and 65.8%, respectively, experienced grade ≥ 3 adverse events, the most common of which were hypertension (8.3%) and convulsion (6.0%) in the bevacizumab-alone group and convulsion (13.9%), neutropenia (8.9%), and fatigue (8.9%) in the bevacizumab-plus-irinotecan group. Intracranial hemorrhage was noted in two patients (2.4%) in the bevacizumab-alone group (grade 1) and in three patients (3.8%) patients in the bevacizumab-plus-irinotecan group (grades 1, 2, and 4, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Bevacizumab, alone or in combination with irinotecan, was well tolerated and active in recurrent glioblastoma.
Current Recommended Estrogen Dosing for Pubertal Induction in Turner Syndrome Results in Normal Uterine Growth
Authors: Lindsay Mart Faith , Gutmark-Little Iris , Streich-Tilles Tara , Trout Andrew T , Khoury Jane , Bowers Katherine , Casnellie Lori , Backeljauw Philippe
Published: November 2023

Context

Most individuals with Turner syndrome (TS) require estrogen for pubertal induction. Current estrogen dosing guidelines are based on expert consensus opinion.

Objective

Evaluate whether current international guidelines for estrogen dosing during pubertal induction of individuals with TS result in normal uterine growth. We hypothesized that uterine size in individuals with TS who reached adult estrogen dosing is smaller than in mature females without TS.

Methods

Cross-sectional study of patients with TS at the Cincinnati Center for Pediatric and Adult Turner Syndrome Care. Twenty-nine individuals (age 15-26 years) with primary ovarian insufficiency who reached adult estrogen dosing (100 µg of transdermal or 2 mg of oral 17β-estradiol) were included. Comparison of uterine measurements with a published sample of 292 age-appropriate (age 15-20 years) controls without TS. Uterine length, volume, and fundal–cervical ratio (FCR) were measured. Clinical information (karyotype, Tanner staging for breast development, laboratory data) was extracted from an existing institutional patient registry.

Results

There was no evidence of compromise of the uterine size/configuration in the TS cohort compared with the controls; in fact, uterine length, mean 7.7 cm (±1.3) vs 7.2 cm (±1.0) (P = .03), and volume, mean 60.6 cm3 (±26.6) vs 50.5 cm3 (±20.5) (P = .02), were both larger in individuals with TS.

Conclusion

Current international guidelines for hormone replacement using 17β-estradiol in individuals with TS appear adequate to allow for normal uterine growth by the end of pubertal induction.
Serum Tsukushi Level Is Associated With the Severity of Liver Fibrosis Independent of Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Lam Sum , Lee Chi-Ho , Fong Carol H Y , Wong Ying , Shiu Sammy W M , Mak Lung-Yi , Yuen Man-Fung , Lam Karen S L , Tan Kathryn C B
Published: November 2023

Background and Aims

Tsukushi (TSK) is a recently identified hepatokine, and we aimed to investigate the association between systemic TSK and the severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in subjects with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods

Three hundred ninety-three DM and 289 without DM individuals were recruited for transient elastography assessment to determine liver steatosis and fibrosis. Serum TSK was measured by ELISA. The presence of NAFLD was defined as controlled attenuation parameter ≥ 248 dB/m.

Results

NAFLD was present in 276 (70.2%) and 129 (44.6%) subjects with and without DM respectively, and they had higher serum TSK levels than those without NAFLD [DM group: 91.0 ng/mL (61.7-133.8) vs 82.5 (60.9-118.5), P < .01 respectively; without DM group: 97.1 ng/mL (69.3-148.6) vs 80.8 (53.4-111.6) respectively, P < .01]. Univariate analysis showed that serum TSK significantly correlated with the degree of steatosis and fibrosis both in subjects with and without DM. On multivariable regression analysis, only liver stiffness and estimated glomerular filtration rate were significant determinants of TSK level, and the relationship was independent of diabetes and serum adiponectin. Out of 405 subjects with NAFLD, 49 had either advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve of serum TSK to indicate advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis was 0.70 (95% CI .62-.77), which was significantly better than that of fibrosis-4 index, 0.64 (95% CI .55-.72), P < .05.

Conclusion

Serum TSK levels were increased in subjects with NAFLD and reflected the severity of liver fibrosis.
TSH Pulses Finely Tune Thyroid Hormone Release and TSH Receptor Transduction
Authors: Guillou Anne , Kemkem Yasmine , Lafont Chrystel , Fontanaud Pierre , Calebiro Davide , Campos Pauline , Bonnefont Xavier , Fiordelisio-Coll Tatiana , Wang Ying , Brûlé Emilie , Bernard Daniel J , Le Tissier Paul , Steyn Frederik , Mollard Patrice
Published: November 2023

Detection of circulating TSH is a first-line test of thyroid dysfunction, a major health problem (affecting about 5% of the population) that, if untreated, can lead to a significant deterioration of quality of life and adverse effects on multiple organ systems. Human TSH levels display both pulsatile and (nonpulsatile) basal TSH secretion patterns; however, the importance of these in regulating thyroid function and their decoding by the thyroid is unknown. Here, we developed a novel ultra-sensitive ELISA that allows precise detection of TSH secretion patterns with minute resolution in mouse models of health and disease. We characterized the patterns of ultradian TSH pulses in healthy, freely behaving mice over the day-night cycle. Challenge of the thyroid axis with primary hypothyroidism because of iodine deficiency, a major cause of thyroid dysfunction worldwide, results in alterations of TSH pulsatility. Induction in mouse models of sequential TSH pulses that mimic ultradian TSH profiles in periods of minutes were more efficient than sustained rises in basal TSH levels at increasing both thyroid follicle cAMP levels, as monitored with a genetically encoded cAMP sensor, and circulating thyroid hormone. Hence, this mouse TSH assay provides a powerful tool to decipher how ultradian TSH pulses encode thyroid outcomes and to uncover hidden parameters in the TSH-thyroid hormone set-point in health and disease.
Evaluation of Ex Vivo Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Responsiveness of Human Fetal Testis
Authors: Schröder Mariska A M , Greenald David , Lodewijk Renate , van Herwaarden Antonius E , Span Paul N , Sweep Fred C G J , Mitchell Rod T , Claahsen-van der Grinten Hedi L
Published: November 2023

Testicular adrenal rest tumors (TARTs), commonly occurring in males with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, may arise from chronic stimulation of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)–sensitive cells in the testes. It is not yet established whether the human fetal testis (HFT) is responsive to ACTH. To investigate this, we cultured HFT tissue with and without ACTH for up to 5 days, and quantified adrenal steroid hormones and expression of adrenal steroidogenic enzymes. Fetal testis and adrenal tissue produced high levels of testosterone and cortisol, respectively, indicating viability. In contrast to fetal adrenal tissues, the expression of ACTH receptor MC2R was either absent or expressed at extremely low levels in ex vivo HFT tissue and no clear response to ACTH in gene expression or steroid hormone production was observed. Altogether, this study suggests that the HFT is unresponsive to ACTH, which would indicate that a TART does not arise from fetal testicular cells chronically exposed to ACTH in utero.
Postnatal Development and Maintenance of Functional Pituitary Gonadotrophs Is Dependent on PI4-Kinase A
Authors: Constantin Stephanie , Sokanovic Srdjan J , Mochimaru Yuta , Smiljanic Kosara , Sivcev Sonja , Prévide Rafael M , Wray Susan , Balla Tamas , Stojilkovic Stanko S
Published: November 2023

Postnatal development of functional pituitary gonadotrophs is necessary for maturation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, puberty, and reproduction. Here we examined the role of PI4-kinase A, which catalyzes the biosynthesis of PI4P in mouse reproduction by knocking out this enzyme in cells expressing the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor. Knockout (KO) mice were infertile, reflecting underdeveloped gonads and reproductive tracts and lack of puberty. The number and distribution of hypothalamic GnRH neurons and Gnrh1 expression in postnatal KOs were not affected, whereas Kiss1/kisspeptin expression was increased. KO of PI4-kinase A also did not alter embryonic establishment and neonatal development and function of the gonadotroph population. However, during the postnatal period, there was a progressive loss of expression of gonadotroph-specific genes, including Fshb, Lhb, and Gnrhr, accompanied by low gonadotropin synthesis. The postnatal gonadotroph population also progressively declined, reaching approximately one-third of that observed in controls at 3 months of age. In these residual gonadotrophs, GnRH-dependent calcium signaling and calcium-dependent membrane potential changes were lost, but intracellular administration of inositol-14,5-trisphosphate rescued this signaling. These results indicate a key role for PI4-kinase A in the postnatal development and maintenance of a functional gonadotroph population.
Severe Insulin Resistance in a Patient Treated With Nivolumab and Brentuximab-Vedotin for Hodgkin Lymphoma
Authors: Tama Elif , Black Meghan , Moustafa Muhamad Alhaj , Hurtado Maria D
Published: November 2023

This is a case of a 26-year-old male patient, with relapsing Hodgkin lymphoma, treated with nivolumab and brentuximab-vedotin, who was admitted with hyperglycemia and severe insulin resistance requiring approximately 2000 units of intravenous insulin per day. He had no prior diagnosis of diabetes. He was eventually diagnosed with massive cytokine release and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis that led to multi-organ failure and death. The mechanisms behind the hyperglycemia with severe insulin resistance remain unclear but are possibly related to hyperinflammation and immune dysregulation resulting from massive cytokine release. Nivolumab among other immunotherapeutic agents, brentuximab-vedotin, and lymphoid malignancies are rare but known risk factors for massive cytokine release and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.
Intoxicated
Authors: Chen Mel Y.
Published: November 2023

In Intoxicated Mel Y. Chen explores the ongoing imperial relationship between race, sexuality, and disability. They focus on nineteenth-century biopolitical archives in England and Australia to show how mutual entanglements of race and disability take form through toxicity. Examining English scientist John Langdon Down’s characterization of white intellectual disability as Asian interiority and Queensland’s racialization and targeting of Aboriginal peoples through its ostensible concern with black opium, Chen explores how the colonial administration of race and disability gives rise to “intoxicated” subjects often shadowed by slowness. Chen charts the ongoing reverberations of these chemical entanglements in art and contemporary moments of political and economic conflict or agitation. Although intoxicated subjects may be affected by ongoing pollution or discredited as agents of failure, Chen affirmatively identifies queer/crip forms of unlearning and worldmaking under imperialism. Exemplifying an undisciplined thinking that resists linear or accretive methods of inquiry, Chen unsettles conventional understandings of slowness and agitation, intellectual method, and the toxic ordinary.