bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Gatting Tour and the Final Phase of the Sports Boycott
Authors: Llewellyn Matthew P , Rider Toby C
Published: November 2024

In February 1990, Mike Gatting’s rebel English cricket team touched down at the Jan Smuts Airport in Johannesburg and started a hugely controversial tour of the Republic. As Gatting and his team mates wandered through the terminal—sidestepping the congealing blood stains of anti-apartheid protesters—Thatcher’s Britain stood alone in the Commonwealth as the only country unwilling to apply firm economic sanctions on South Africa and still, as ever before, the worst violator of the sporting boycott. With the apartheid regime reeling from decisive geopolitical shifts, a waxing transnational and British-based Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM), a debilitating raft of sanctions, and an almost perpetual state of civil war, Britain’s support was not enough. While bridge-builders clung grimly to their dogmatic arguments about constructive engagement and all else besides, the tumultuous events that both foregrounded the Gatting tour and cascaded over it, finally forced the National Party to start negotiating the end of apartheid rule and, as part of this process, the cessation of sporting isolation.
Page Fillers and Genre
Authors: Damkjær Maria
Published: November 2024

Page fillers are small bits of text that appear from the 1840s onwards in many popular magazines. From one angle, the page filler is a blemish—a sign that the more prestigious content fell short of exact word count. But from another angle its value is precisely its randomization and its typographical distinction from the surrounding content. Using popular periodicals like Reynolds’s Miscellany, the Englishwoman’s Domestic Magazine, and Lloyd’s Entertaining Journal, this chapter lays the groundwork for the book’s preoccupation with embodied text—text that is generated and responds to the space it fills. Page fillers prompt a discussion of how we might be able to determine that something was added last or adjusted to its space. Fillers have a direct relationship between form and content, which means that they are records of a set of editorial decisions, as well as of a process of labour in time.
Master Humphrey’s Clock and the Print Imaginary
Authors: Damkjær Maria
Published: November 2024

In Charles Dickens’s hapless magazine frame story Master Humphrey’s Clock the fantasy of production and reception takes over from any real fictional plot or progression. This chapter attempts to take the appearance of Samuel Pickwick in Master Humphrey’s Clock seriously, not exactly as product placement, but as a cameo that engages uncomfortably with the commercial status of print culture. The idea of ‘unfolding’ story comes back in a narrative obsessed with narrative, and driven by a need to fill an awkward weekly periodical. The chapter also suggests that Master Humphrey is motivated in part by Dickens’s wish to understand and harness Pickwick’s unpredictable celebrity and uncontrollable afterlife. The print imaginary is central to Dickens’s vision for Master Humphrey, leading to sublimation of the printed object and a fantasy of the power of narrative.
Occupational exposure to aerosols in two French airports: multi-year lung function changes
Authors: Touri Léa , Tarantini Adeline , Suehs Carey , Nogué Erika , Marie-Desvergne Caroline , Dubosson Muriel , Dauba Ambre , Ravanat Jean-Luc , Chamel Véronique , Klerlein Michel , Artous Sébastien , Locatelli Dominique , Jacquinot Sébastien , Chanez Pascal , Vachier Isabelle , Molinari Nicolas
Published: November 2024

As differential exposure to airport-generated aerosols may affect employee lung function, the main objective of this study was to longitudinally evaluate spirometry measures among Air France employees. In addition, an exploratory exposure assessment to airport aerosol was performed in a small cohort of workers using personal monitoring devices. Change in lung function over a ~6.6-yr period was documented for office workers (n = 68) and mechanics (n = 83) at Paris-Roissy airport, France and terminal (n = 29), or apron (n = 35) workers at Marseille airport, France. Overall, an excessive decline in lung function was found for 24.75% of airport workers; excessive decline occurred more often for terminal workers (44.83%) as compared to mechanics (14.47%; P = 0.0056), with a similar tendency for apron workers (35.29%) as compared to mechanics (P = 0.0785). Statistically significant differences/tendencies were detected among the yearly rates of change for %-predicted values of forced expiratory volume in 1 s, forced vital capacity, peak expiratory flow, and from 25% to 75% forced expiratory flow. For the latter variables, the terminal and/or apron workers at Marseille generally had significantly faster lung function decline as compared to office workers and/or mechanics in Paris, although the latter were exposed to a higher level of elemental carbon. No relation between lung function decline and exposure to airport tarmac environments was evidenced. Multivariate exploration of individual variables representing sex, smoking, atopy, respiratory disease, residential PM2.5 pollution, the peak size of particles in lung exhalates or exhaled carbon monoxide at the time of follow-up failed to explain the observed differences. In conclusion, this study documents the first evidence of excessive lung function decline among certain airport workers in France, although the identification of emission sources (environmental factors, aircraft exhaust, etc) remains challenging.
ADM: adaptive graph diffusion for meta-dimension reduction
Authors: Feng Junning , Liang Yong , Yu Tianwei
Published: November 2024

Dimension reduction is essential for analyzing high-dimensional data, with various techniques developed to address diverse data characteristics. However, individual methods often struggle to capture all intricate patterns and complex structures simultaneously. To overcome this limitation, we introduce ADM (Adaptive graph Diffusion for Meta-dimension reduction), a novel meta-dimension reduction method grounded in graph diffusion theory. ADM integrates results from multiple dimension reduction techniques, leveraging their individual strengths while mitigating their specific weaknesses.ADM utilizes dynamic Markov processes to transform Euclidean space results into an information space, revealing intrinsic nonlinear manifold structures that are hard to capture by conventional methods. A critical advancement in ADM is its adaptive diffusion mechanism, which dynamically selects optimal diffusion time scales for each sample, enabling effective representation of multi-scale structures. This approach generates robust, high-quality low-dimensional representations that capture both local and global data structures while reducing noise and technique-specific distortions. We demonstrate ADM’s efficacy on simulated and real-world datasets, including various omics data types. Results show that ADM provides clearer separation between biological groups and reveals more meaningful patterns compared to existing methods, advancing the analysis and visualization of complex biological data.
A versatile pipeline to identify convergently lost ancestral conserved fragments associated with convergent evolution of vocal learning
Authors: Li Xiaoyi , Zhu Kangli , Zhen Ying
Published: November 2024

Molecular convergence in convergently evolved lineages provides valuable insights into the shared genetic basis of converged phenotypes. However, most methods are limited to coding regions, overlooking the potential contribution of regulatory regions. We focused on the independently evolved vocal learning ability in multiple avian lineages, and developed a whole-genome-alignment-free approach to identify genome-wide Convergently Lost Ancestral Conserved fragments (CLACs) in these lineages, encompassing noncoding regions. We discovered 2711 CLACs that are overrepresented in noncoding regions. Proximal genes of these CLACs exhibit significant enrichment in neurological pathways, including glutamate receptor signaling pathway and axon guidance pathway. Moreover, their expression is highly enriched in brain tissues associated with speech formation. Notably, several have known functions in speech and language learning, including ROBO family, SLIT2, GRIN1, and GRIN2B. Additionally, we found significantly enriched motifs in noncoding CLACs, which match binding motifs of transcriptional factors involved in neurogenesis and gene expression regulation in brain. Furthermore, we discovered 19 candidate genes that harbor CLACs in both human and multiple avian vocal learning lineages, suggesting their potential contribution to the independent evolution of vocal learning in both birds and humans.
BioDSNN: a dual-stream neural network with hybrid biological knowledge integration for multi-gene perturbation response prediction
Authors: Tan Yuejun , Xie Linhai , Yang Hong , Zhang Qingyuan , Luo Jinyuan , Zhang Yanchun
Published: November 2024

Studying the outcomes of genetic perturbation based on single-cell RNA-seq data is crucial for understanding genetic regulation of cells. However, the high cost of cellular experiments and single-cell sequencing restrict us from measuring the full combination space of genetic perturbations and cell types. Consequently, a bunch of computational models have been proposed to predict unseen combinations based on existing data. Among them, generative models, e.g. variational autoencoder and diffusion models, have the superiority in capturing the perturbed data distribution, but lack a biologically understandable foundation for generalization. On the other side of the spectrum, Gene Regulation Networks or gene pathway knowledge have been exploited for more reasonable generalization enhancement. Unfortunately, they do not reach a balanced processing of the two data modalities, leading to a degraded fitting ability. Hence, we propose a dual-stream architecture. Before the information from two modalities are merged, the sequencing data are learned with a generative model while three types of knowledge data are comprehensively processed with graph networks and a masked transformer, enforcing a deep understanding of single-modality data, respectively. The benchmark results show an approximate 20% reduction in terms of mean squared error, proving the effectiveness of the model.
RNADiffFold: generative RNA secondary structure prediction using discrete diffusion models
Authors: Wang Zhen , Feng Yizhen , Tian Qingwen , Liu Ziqi , Yan Pengju , Li Xiaolin
Published: November 2024

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules are essential macromolecules that perform diverse biological functions in living beings. Precise prediction of RNA secondary structures is instrumental in deciphering their complex three-dimensional architecture and functionality. Traditional methodologies for RNA structure prediction, including energy-based and learning-based approaches, often depict RNA secondary structures from a static perspective and rely on stringent a priori constraints. Inspired by the success of diffusion models, in this work, we introduce RNADiffFold, an innovative generative prediction approach of RNA secondary structures based on multinomial diffusion. We reconceptualize the prediction of contact maps as akin to pixel-wise segmentation and accordingly train a denoising model to refine the contact maps starting from a noise-infused state progressively. We also devise a potent conditioning mechanism that harnesses features extracted from RNA sequences to steer the model toward generating an accurate secondary structure. These features encompass one-hot encoded sequences, probabilistic maps generated from a pre-trained scoring network, and embeddings and attention maps derived from RNA foundation model. Experimental results on both within- and cross-family datasets demonstrate RNADiffFold’s competitive performance compared with current state-of-the-art methods. Additionally, RNADiffFold has shown a notable proficiency in capturing the dynamic aspects of RNA structures, a claim corroborated by its performance on datasets comprising multiple conformations.
VGAE-CCI: variational graph autoencoder-based construction of 3D spatial cell–cell communication network
Authors: Zhang Tianjiao , Zhang Xiang , Wu Zhenao , Ren Jixiang , Zhao Zhongqian , Zhang Hongfei , Wang Guohua , Wang Tao
Published: November 2024

Cell–cell communication plays a critical role in maintaining normal biological functions, regulating development and differentiation, and controlling immune responses. The rapid development of single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics sequencing (ST-seq) technologies provides essential data support for in-depth and comprehensive analysis of cell–cell communication. However, ST-seq data often contain incomplete data and systematic biases, which may reduce the accuracy and reliability of predicting cell–cell communication. Furthermore, other methods for analyzing cell–cell communication mainly focus on individual tissue sections, neglecting cell–cell communication across multiple tissue layers, and fail to comprehensively elucidate cell–cell communication networks within three-dimensional tissues. To address the aforementioned issues, we propose VGAE-CCI, a deep learning framework based on the Variational Graph Autoencoder, capable of identifying cell–cell communication across multiple tissue layers. Additionally, this model can be applied to spatial transcriptomics data with missing or partially incomplete data and can clustered cells at single-cell resolution based on spatial encoding information within complex tissues, thereby enabling more accurate inference of cell–cell communication. Finally, we tested our method on six datasets and compared it with other state of art methods for predicting cell–cell communication. Our method outperformed other methods across multiple metrics, demonstrating its efficiency and reliability in predicting cell–cell communication.
Association of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type-9 inhibitors with risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Li Cheng-Yuan , Wang Wei-Ting , Ma Sheng-Hsiang , Lo Li-Wei , Wu Chen-Yi , Chang Wei-Chuan , Chen Yi-Ju , Chen Tai-Li
Published: November 2024

Background

Growing evidence has shown that cholesterol metabolism abnormalities involve carcinogenesis. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type-9 (PCSK9) inhibitors have been reported to inhibit tumour progression and prevent ultraviolet-related skin damage.

Objectives

To investigate the association of PCSK9 inhibitors with the risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC).

Methods

This retrospective cohort study analysed data from the US Collaborative Network in the TriNetX database. Adults aged ≥ 40 years with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) under statin therapy between 2016 and 2022 were identified. A target trial design was used to compare the risk of NMSC, including basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), in patients also treated with PCSK9 inhibitors or continuing statin treatment (the control group). Each head-to-head comparison involved propensity score matching. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models. Stratified analyses based on age, sex, Fitzpatrick skin type and immune status were also performed.

Results

A total of 73 636 patients with ASCVD were analysed. Compared with the control group, patients with ASCVD initiating PCSK9 inhibitors had lower risks of developing NMSC [HR 0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71–0.87], BCC (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.69–0.89) and cSCC (HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.67–0.93). Subanalyses revealed a reduced risk of NMSC with each PCSK9 inhibitor, namely evolocumab and alirocumab. Stratified analyses showed similar results in patients aged 65–79 years, those older than 80 years and in men.

Conclusions

Our study indicated that patients with ASCVD taking PCSK9 inhibitors have a lower risk of incident NMSC than those not taking PCSK9 inhibitors.
Abnormal neurovascular coupling exists in patients with peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis: evidence from a multi-mode MRI study
Authors: Yin Xiayan , Yang Wenbo , Song Lijun , Liu Jiamin , Li Mingan , Yang Zhenghan , Liu Wenhu , Wang Zhenchang , Wang Hao , Guo Weikang
Published: November 2024

Background

Neurovascular coupling (NVC), as indicated by a comprehensive analysis of the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and cerebral blood flow (CBF), provides mechanistic insights into neurological disorders. Patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) often face cognitive impairment, the causes of which are not fully understood.

Methods

ALFF was derived from functional magnetic resonance imaging, and CBF was quantified using arterial spin labeling in a cohort comprising 58 patients with PD, 60 patients with HD and 62 healthy controls. Voxel-based global analysis for both ALFF and CBF, alongside region-based analyses of ALFF-CBF coupling coefficients, were conducted. Additionally, the study explored the correlation between clinical laboratory indices and imaging metrics.

Results

Compared with HC, NVC was reduced in the bilateral medial superior frontal gyrus (SFGmed), insula, posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and caudate (CAU) among dialysis patients. Furthermore, the PD group exhibited lower NVC in the bilateral SFGmed, bilateral PCC and left CAU compared with the HD group. Within the PD group, sodium level was negatively correlated with the ALFF-CBF coupling coefficient in the right insula. Additionally, a positive correlation emerged between the ALFF-CBF coupling coefficient in bilateral SFGmed and the dialysis adequacy.

Conclusion

While Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores did not significantly differ between patients with PD and HD, PD group demonstrated poorer NVC in the bilateral SFGmed, bilateral PCC and left CAU. Sodium level and dialysis adequacy may affect NVC in patients with PD.
Elevated cardiac troponin secondary to heterophile antibodies: a case series highlighting an underrecognized differential
Authors: Millhouse James , Kamalanathan Harish , Jayasinghe Rohan
Published: November 2024

Background

Heterophile antibody presence confounds troponin assay results, causing falsely elevated troponin levels. This rare phenomenon is an important differential to consider when evaluating patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome. We present a case series of three patients with similar clinical presentations where the presence of heterophile antibodies was confirmed.

Case summary

We reviewed three patients from our hospital who presented with chest pain in a 12-month period. All patients were males aged 50–70. All patients had elevated troponin, and there was clinical concern for acute coronary syndrome in two patients. Two patients underwent coronary angiography during admission, and the third had a recent angiogram within the last 6 months. No obstructive lesions were found, and no alternative diagnoses were identified. Ultimately, the presence of heterophile antibodies was confirmed in all three patients.

Discussion

Heterophile antibody presence is an important differential to consider in patients with unexplained troponin elevation. Once the presence of heterophile antibodies is confirmed, this aids in clinician decision-making and helps to guide investigations and treatment in future.
Artificial intelligence and jobs: evidence from US commuting zones
Authors: Bonfiglioli Alessandra , Crinò Rosario , Gancia Gino , Papadakis Ioannis
Published: November 2024

We study the effect of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on employment across US commuting zones (CZs) over the period 2000–2020. A simple model shows that AI can automate jobs or complement workers, and illustrates how to estimate its effect by exploiting variation in a novel measure of local exposure to AI: job growth in AI-related professions built from detailed occupational data. Using a shift-share instrument that combines industry-level AI adoption with local industry employment, we estimate robust negative effects of AI exposure on employment across CZs and time. We find that AI’s impact is different from other capital and technologies, and that it works through services more than manufacturing. Moreover, the employment effect is especially negative for low-skill and production workers, while it turns positive for workers at the top of the wage distribution and for those in STEM occupations. These results are consistent with the view that AI has contributed to the automation of jobs and to widen inequality.
Targeting fibroblast phenotype switching in cardiac remodelling as a promising antifibrotic strategy
Authors: Kel Alexander , Thum Thomas , Kunduzova Oksana
Published: November 2024

Myocardial fibrosis, a common feature of heart disease, remains an unsolved clinical challenge. Fibrosis resolution requires activation of cardiac fibroblasts exhibiting context-dependent beneficial and detrimental dichotomy. Here, we explored the hypothesis of fibroblast reversible transition between quiescence and activated myofibroblastic states as a manifestation of cell phenotypic switching in myocardial remodelling. In support, gene regulatory networks executing conversion of cardiac fibroblasts to myofibroblasts and vice versa in fibrosis resolution are reconstructed using TRANSPATH database. In a scenario of fibroblast activation triggered by transforming growth factor β, a cardinal mediator of tissue fibrosis, signalling cascades governing entry into or exit from specific fibroblast statures in cardiac fibrotic remodelling were dissected. It is suggested that fibroblast phenotypic switching constitutes the central gait toward guiding cell state-gating strategies to counteract adverse cardiac fibrosis, a devastating disorder with no approved therapeutic option.
The benefit of surgery during systematic therapy for gastrointestinal stromal tumor liver metastasis: a SEER-based retrospective study
Authors: Hu Bozhi , Ye Yingjiang , Gao Zhidong
Published: November 2024

Background

The liver is the most common site of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) metastasis. Most patients who develop metastases gradually develop multiline drug resistance during long-term systematic treatment. We aimed to evaluate the benefit of surgery during the systematic treatment of GIST liver metastases.

Methods

Data on GISTs with liver metastasis were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. This study included 607 patients, of whom 380 patients were treated with chemotherapy alone (Chemo group) and 227 patients underwent surgery in addition to chemotherapy (Chemo&Surg group). The primary outcomes were cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS). Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to balance the baseline factors.

Results

According to the multivariate analysis, surgery benefitted both CSS and OS (P < 0.001). After PSM, surgical resection still showed significant benefits in terms of both CSS and OS (P < 0.001). Surgery combined with chemotherapy increased the median CSS by at least 63 months and the median OS by at least 76 months. Subgroup analysis of the Chemo&Surg group revealed that the timing of surgery was not an independent influencing factor for either CSS or OS.

Conclusions

We found that performing additional surgery, in addition to systematic therapy, for GIST liver metastasis resulted in improved CSS and OS. These benefits were not affected by the timing of surgery during systemic treatment.
Implicit multiparameter full waveform inversion of multioffset ground penetrating radar data
Authors: Sun Jian , Liu Ying , Lin Yuzhao , Xing Lei , Liu Huaishan
Published: November 2024

Full waveform inversion (FWI) of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data is one of the key methods for reconstructing high-resolution near-surface images and understanding changes in the near-surface environment. However, FWI faces great challenges due to the ill-posed nature of the optimization problem and its high sensitivity to the quality of the initial model. In this paper, we propose the implicit full waveform inversion (IFWI) algorithm for GPR that addresses these limitations by using an implicit and continuous function built by deep neural networks to represent multiple subsurface parameters. In this way, IFWI can be thought of as training a physically constrained neural network representation, allowing it to exploit the frequency principle in deep learning optimization, that is first recovering the low-frequency components of the subsurface parameters and large-scale structures, and then their high-frequency and fine-grained information, which makes IFWI an automated multiscale inversion approach without manual frequency band selection. Numerical experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness and performance of IFWI relative to FWI. The results demonstrate that IFWI can accurately reconstruct subsurface images and anomalies even with a suboptimal initial model, while FWI and multiscale FWI struggle to provide useful information due to being trapped in local minima. Consequently, IFWI exhibits less dependence on the initial model compared to FWI and multiscale FWI. To better understand the behaviour of IFWI and its sensitivity to neural network architecture, we comprehensively discuss the influences of these hyperparameters on IFWI, providing initial selection guidelines and practical guidance for adjustments.
Making a World of Climate Insecurity: The Threat Multiplier Frame and the US National Security Community
Authors: Cullum Rob
Published: November 2024

How do dominant framings of climate change and security shape the future trajectory of climate security? This article answers these questions by analyzing the dominant threat multiplier framing of climate change and security in the American national security context. Using the emergent worldmaking concept, it argues that American national security organizations’ intellectual and physical responses to questions of climate security risk creating a dismal and limited future in which national security systems adopt a reactive and managerial posture toward the effects of climate change. The key effect of this frame is to reorient questions of climate and security around the priorities and agendas of national security organizations rather than at the sources of need and instability.
Postmating prezygotic isolation occurs at two levels of divergence in Drosophila recens and D. subquinaria
Authors: Duitsman Andrew P , Bomar Adam M , Powell Jerbrea , Dyer Kelly A
Published: November 2024

Identifying the presence and strength of reproductive isolating barriers is necessary to understand how species form and then remain distinct in the face of ongoing gene flow. Here, we study reproductive isolation at two stages of the speciation process in the closely related mushroom-feeding species Drosophila recens and Drosophila subquinaria. We assess 3 isolating barriers that occur after mating, including the number of eggs laid, the proportion of eggs laid that hatched, and the number of adult offspring from a single mating. First, all 3 reproductive barriers are present between D. recens females and D. subquinaria males, which are at the late stages of speciation but still produce fertile daughters through which gene flow can occur. There is no evidence for geographic variation in any of these traits, concurrent with patterns of behavioural isolation. Second, all 3 of these reproductive barriers are strong between geographically distant conspecific populations of D. subquinaria, which are in the early stages of speciation and show genetic differentiation and asymmetric behavioural discrimination. The reduction in the number of eggs laid is asymmetric, consistent with patterns in behavioural isolation, and suggests the evolution of postmating prezygotic isolation due to cascade reinforcement against mating with D. recens. In summary, not only may postmating prezygotic reproductive barriers help maintain isolation between D. recens and D. subquinaria, but they may also drive the earliest stages of isolation within D. subquinaria.
A rare complication of infantile hemangioma: Kasabach–Merritt phenomenon
Authors: Caravantes Ricardo A , Toralla José Manuel , Saenz Daniela
Published: November 2024

Infantile hemangiomas are the most common type of vascular tumors, affecting ~5% of infants within the first weeks of life. In rare instances, these tumors can lead to Kasabach–Merritt phenomenon (KMP), a life-threatening consumptive coagulopathy characterized by thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and hypofibrinogenemia. In the present case, a 20-month-old patient is diagnosed with KMP. This case report highlights the challenges in diagnosis and management, reinforcing the importance of multidisciplinary approach.
Acute avulsion fracture of the ischial tuberosity in an adolescent athlete treated by suture anchor fixation using the suture bridge technique: a case report
Authors: Omichi Yasuyuki , Goto Tomohiro , Momota Kaori , Takai Michihiro , Sato Ryosuke , Enishi Tetsuya , Nakano Shunji , Sairyo Koichi
Published: November 2024

This is the first report of acute avulsion fracture of the ischial tuberosity (AFIT) treated by suture anchor fixation using the suture bridge technique. A 13-year-old boy developed sudden, severe right hip pain while running a short distance. Pelvic images revealed the avulsion fracture of the right ischial tuberosity with displacement of the avulsed fragment by 35 mm. We performed open reduction and reconstruction fixation 5 days after the injury using the subgluteal approach with longitudinal skin incision. Four suture anchors were set at the ischial tuberosity, and the avulsed fragment was repositioned and fixed using the suture bridge technique. At 1 year postoperatively, the avulsion fracture was bony fused, and he had returned to his preinjury competitive level. Use of multiple suture anchors increases the strength of fixation, which overcomes the problem of anchor loosening and makes open reduction and reconstruction fixation an effective treatment for acute avulsion fracture of the ischial tuberosity.
Sleeve resection of a typical carcinoid tumour in a case of aberrant anatomy
Authors: Choi Jeesoo J , Palmares Abigail A
Published: November 2024

Neuroendocrine tumours of bronchial origin account for ~1%–2%. They can be typical or atypical in nature and are likely to be endobronchial in growth. We report a case of a 37-year-old woman with a carcinoid tumour in the bronchus intermedius with a background of aberrant bronchial anatomy. The tumour was removed by sleeve resection and histopathology confirmed a typical carcinoid tumour. This report describes successful surgical management of this carcinoid tumour despite aberrant bronchial anatomy.
Pericardial artery lymphoma in a patient with dermatomyositis: A case report
Authors: Hirose Kei , Katsuyama Takayuki , Kubota Natsuki , Terajima Yuya , Matsumoto Kazuya , Shidahara Kenta , Nakadoi Takato , Nawachi Shoichi , Katayama Yu , Miyawaki Yoshia , Katsuyama Eri , Narazaki-Takano Mariko , Matsumoto Yoshinori , Asada Noboru , Sada Ken-Ei , Wada Jun
Published: November 2024

A woman in her 60s presented with erythema on both elbows, dyspnea on exertion, discomfort, and swelling of the left upper extremity, followed by swelling and myalgia of the right upper and lower extremities. She was diagnosed with anti-transcriptional intermediary factor 1-γ antibody-positive dermatomyositis with interstitial pneumonia. The initial screening tests for malignant diseases including contrast-enhanced computed tomography, upper and lower endoscopy, and gynecological examination did not reveal any obvious abnormalities. The patient experienced two recurrent episodes of muscle weakness and dysphagia during treatment with intravenous glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide. Five months after diagnosis, a bone marrow biopsy and positron emission tomography–computed tomography scan revealed a coronary malignant lymphoma with suspected systemic metastasis. Although chemotherapy was initiated, the patient ultimately succumbed to alveolar haemorrhage. Coronary lymphoma is very rare and there has been no report of cases associated with myositis. Positron emission tomography–computed tomography may be useful for searching malignancy in anti-transcriptional intermediary factor 1-γ antibody-positive dermatomyositis cases of recurrent relapse.
Unraveling climate change-induced compound low-solar-low-wind extremes in China
Authors: Wang Licheng , Liu Yawen , Zhao Lei , Lu Xi , Huang Liangdian , Jin Yana , Davis Steven J , Aghakouchak Amir , Huang Xin , Zhu Tong , Qin Yue
Published: November 2024

China's pursuit of carbon neutrality targets hinges on a profound shift towards low-carbon energy, primarily reliant on intermittent and variable, yet crucial, solar and wind power sources. In particular, low-solar-low-wind (LSLW) compound extremes present a critical yet largely ignored threat to the reliability of renewable electricity generation. While existing studies have largely evaluated the impacts of average climate-induced changes in renewable energy resources, comprehensive analyses of the compound extremes and, particularly, the underpinning dynamic mechanisms remain scarce. Here we show the dynamic evolution of compound LSLW extremes and their underlying mechanisms across China via coupling multi-model simulations with diagnostic analysis. Our results unveil a strong topographic dependence in the frequency of compound LSLW extremes, with a national average frequency of 16.4 (10th–90th percentile interval ranges from 5.3 to 32.6) days/yr, when renewable energy resources in eastern China are particularly compromised (∼80% lower than that under an average climate). We reveal a striking increase in the frequency of LSLW extremes, ranging from 12.4% under SSP126 to 60.2% under SSP370, primarily driven by both renewable energy resource declines and increasingly heavily-tailed distributions, resulting from weakened meridional temperature (pressure) gradient, increased frequency of extremely dense cloud cover and additional distinctive influence of increased aerosols under SSP370. Our study underscores the urgency of preparing for significantly heightened occurrences of LSLW events in a warmer future, emphasizing that such climate-induced compound LSLW extreme changes are not simply by chance, but rather projectable, thereby underscoring the need for proactive adaptation strategies. Such insights are crucial for countries navigating a similar transition towards renewable energy.
The Impact of Exercise and Protein Intake on Inflammaging: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Nejati Bervanlou Reyhaneh , Hlaváčová Nataša , Figueiredo Vandré C , Attarzadeh Hosseini Seyyed Reza , Motahari Rad Morteza
Published: November 2024

Context

Sarcopenia and cachexia lead to muscle wasting and increased health risks in older adults. Both sarcopenia and cachexia are associated with inflammaging, a chronic low-grade inflammatory state linked to aging. Strategies to preserve muscle mass and function are crucial for maintaining independence and quality of life among the elderly.

Objective

This meta-analysis and systematic review was conducted to comprehensively assess the individual and combined effects of exercise training and protein supplementation on circulatory markers of inflammation in older adults.

Data Sources

A systematic search of the PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane CENTRAL, and SPORTDiscus databases was conducted to identify relevant studies published until January 2024.

Data Extraction

The search focused on randomized controlled trials examining the impact of exercise training (Ex), protein consumption (Pro), or their combination (Ex-Pro) on inflammatory factors, including C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) compared with a control (Con).

Data Analysis

The meta-analysis revealed a significant decrease in CRP levels in the Ex vs Pro (P = .0003) and the Ex-Pro (P < .00001) group compared with the Ex group and in overall experimental (EXPL) subgroups (P = .0002) compared with the Con group. A similar reduction was found in IL-6 in the Ex group (P = .001), Ex-Pro group (P = .05), and EXPL (P = .0002) subgroup compared with the Pro group. However, for TNF-α levels, a significant reduction was noted only in the Ex-Pro group compared with the Ex group (P < .00001).

Conclusion

Exercise training and protein supplementation, particularly when combined, show greater benefits in mitigating inflammaging. These findings highlight the importance of combined interventions against muscle wasting. Future studies and meta-analyses should further address the effects of Ex and Pro and Ex-Pro on inflammatory markers of older adults, considering specific conditions and larger sample sizes to identify optimal strategies for the aging population.
Association of opioid tapering with pain-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and primary care visits: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Magnan Elizabeth , Tancredi Daniel J , Xing Guibo , Agnoli Alicia , Tseregounis I E , Fenton Joshua J
Published: November 2024

Objective

Tapering of chronic opioids has increased, with subsequent reports of exacerbated pain among patients who tapered. We aimed to evaluate the association between opioid dose tapering and subsequent pain-related healthcare utilization (emergency department [ED] visits, hospitalizations and primary care visits).

Design, Setting, and Subjects

We conducted a retrospective cohort study from years 2015–2019 using data from the Optum Labs Data Warehouse that contains de-identified retrospective administrative claims data for commercial and Medicare Advantage enrollees in the United States. Adults aged ≥18 years who were prescribed stable doses of opioids, ≥50 morphine milligram equivalents (MME)/day, during a 12-month baseline period.

Methods

Tapering was defined as ≥15% relative reduction in mean daily opioid dose during one of 6 overlapping 60-day periods. Tapered patient-periods were subclassified as tapered-and-continued (MME > 0) vs tapered-and-discontinued (MME = 0). We modeled monthly counts of visits for pain diagnoses up to 12 months after cohort entry using negative binomial regression as a function of tapering, baseline utilization, and patient level-covariates.

Results

Among 47 033 patients, 13 793 patients tapered. Compared to no taper, any taper was associated with more ED visits for pain (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11–1.30), tapered then continued status was associated with more ED visits (aIRR 1.23, CI: 1.14–1.32) and hospitalizations (aIRR 1.14, CI: 1.03–1.27) f-or pain, and tapered-and-discontinued was associated with fewer primary care visits for pain (aIRR 0.68, CI: 0.61–0.76).

Conclusions

These associations suggest that opioid tapering may lead to increased emergency and hospital utilization for acute pain and possibly a decreased perceived need for primary care for those whose opioids were discontinued.
Modulation of antigen delivery and lymph node activation in nonhuman primates by saponin adjuvant saponin/monophosphoryl lipid A nanoparticle
Authors: Yousefpour Parisa , Zhang Yiming J , Maiorino Laura , Melo Mariane B , Arainga Ramirez Mariluz A , Kumarapperuma Sidath C , Xiao Peng , Silva Murillo , Li Na , Michaels Katarzyna K , Georgeson Erik , Eskandarzadeh Saman , Kubitz Michael , Groschel Bettina , Qureshi Kashif , Fontenot Jane , Hangartner Lars , Nedellec Rebecca , Love J Christopher , Burton Dennis R , Schief William R , Villinger Francois J , Irvine Darrell J
Published: November 2024

Saponin-based vaccine adjuvants are potent in preclinical animal models and humans, but their mechanisms of action remain poorly understood. Here, using a stabilized HIV envelope trimer immunogen, we carried out studies in nonhuman primates (NHPs) comparing the most common clinical adjuvant aluminum hydroxide (alum) with saponin/monophosphoryl lipid A nanoparticles (SMNP), an immune-stimulating complex–like adjuvant. SMNP elicited substantially stronger humoral immune responses than alum, including 7-fold higher peak antigen-specific germinal center B-cell responses, 18-fold higher autologous neutralizing antibody titers, and higher levels of antigen-specific plasma and memory B cells. Positron emission tomography and computed tomography imaging in live NHPs showed that, unlike alum, SMNP promoted rapid antigen accumulation in both proximal and distal lymph nodes (LNs). SMNP also induced strong type I interferon transcriptional signatures, expansion of innate immune cells, and increased antigen-presenting cell activation in LNs. These findings indicate that SMNP promotes multiple facets of the early immune response relevant for enhanced immunity to vaccination.
What drives commodity price variation?
Authors: Han Meng , Dam Lammertjan , Pohl Walter
Published: November 2024

We investigate the importance of time-varying discount rates for commodity prices using an index based on twenty-three commodities for the period 1959–2024. We show that in commodities markets, unlike other financial markets, time variation in discount rates plays a much smaller role. Instead, prices forecast cash flows as well as discount rates. A high price for a commodity today, measured as a low percentage net convenience yield, forecasts both a high future convenience yield and a low expected return. For longer horizons, variation in percentage net convenience yields seems mainly driven by net convenience yield growth, making commodities much closer to the classical textbook view of price changes representing news about cash flows.
Life Satisfaction and Social Identity: On the Socio-economic Determinants of Compliant Behaviour
Authors: Kanzola Anna-Maria , Papaioannou Konstantina , Papadaki Andriani , Petrakis Panagiotis E
Published: November 2024

This study investigates the intricate relationship between rules, regulations, and human behaviour, specifically focusing on how these elements influence life satisfaction. By adopting a broad approach, this study explores how compliance with social norms and laws interacts with individual economic and social behaviour framed through social identity theory. Our findings indicate that life satisfaction is positively associated with happiness, social values, such as religiosity and trust, and financial resources. Conversely, strict adherence to social norms and health issues negatively affects life satisfaction. Thus, while compliance can be beneficial in fostering long-term social cohesion, it may also limit life satisfaction when it is overly restrictive. Therefore, policymakers and lawmakers should focus on a framework that balances social norms with individual well-being to enhance compliance and life satisfaction.
Race, Class, and the Displacement of White Residents from Gentrifying U.S. Neighborhoods
Authors: Somashekhar Mahesh
Published: November 2024

Are the adverse consequences of gentrification distributed more along racial or class lines? To answer this question, scholars must consider when and where racially dominant groups are affected by gentrification in addition to minoritized groups. Therefore, this study centers White residents displaced from gentrifying U.S. neighborhoods as its analytic focus. Using restricted-access Panel Study of Income Dynamics data between 2001 and 2019, I find that White displacees shared many demographic characteristics with non-White displacees. White residents were also involuntarily displaced at a rate comparable to that of non-White residents, and both groups were equally likely to move into neighborhoods that were poorer than the ones from which they were displaced. Nevertheless, White displacees earned larger incomes and were displaced from richer neighborhoods. White displacees’ wealthier starting points made their downward mobility less dramatic, enabling them to continue living in better-off neighborhoods after displacement. The spatial and financial advantages of White displacees highlight how race and class can be interwoven to mitigate White residents’ experiences of displacement in ways that are largely unavailable to non-White residents. Findings support elements of both race- and class-based perspectives of gentrification but ultimately suggest that a blended, race-and-class perspective is useful when conceptualizing gentrification-induced displacement.
Stem cell factor‐mediated upregulation of SIRT1 protects melanin‐deprived keratinocytes against UV‐induced DNA damage in individuals with vitiligo
Authors: Brahmbhatt Hemang D. , Chowdhary Manish , Gupta Rohit , Priya Anshu , Kundu Akta , Singh Praveen , Dhamija Sonam , Gupta Aayush , Singh Archana
Published: November 2024

Despite the loss of melanocytes, individuals with vitiligo have a significantly lower risk of developing skin malignancies compared to ethnicity‐matched controls. The study investigated the molecular mechanisms that protect skin cells (keratinocytes) from UV‐B‐induced DNA damage in individuals with vitiligo. The study found that upregulation of stem cell factor (SCF) signaling significantly reduced γ‐H2AX positivity and cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer formation and improved mitochondrial health (elongated mitochondria, reduced reactive oxygen species [ROS] and lipid peroxidation) in keratinocytes upon UV‐B exposure. Interestingly, SCF treatment also reduced lipid droplet accumulation and triacylglyceride levels by upregulating lipoprotein lipase (LPL). Further, siLPL increased DNA damage and lipid droplet (LD) accumulation, while NO‐1886, an LPL agonist, reversed both, suggesting a direct link between lipid metabolism and DNA damage. Downregulation of NAD‐dependent deacetylase sirtuin1 (SIRT1) with siRNA or with Ex‐527, a pharmacological inhibitor of SIRT1, diminished the protective effects mediated by SCF and NO‐1886, suggesting SIRT1 to be the final effector protein in the SCF‐LPL‐SIRT1 signaling axis. Analysis of clinical samples of vitiligo corroborated the upregulation of SCF and LPL in lesional epidermis. In conclusion, our study demonstrates a novel SCF‐LPL‐SIRT1 signaling axis that confers protection to vitiligo keratinocytes from the harmful effects of UV‐B radiation.
Impact of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocol Compliance on Outcome After Pancreatic Surgery: Results From a Certified ERAS Center
Authors: Ritter Alina S. , Welsch Thilo , Brodersen Freya , Auinger Julia , Moll-Khosrawi Parisa , Goetz Mara R. , Bardenhagen Jan , Nitschke Christine , Schneider Tobias , Wellge Björn , Suling Anna , Uzunoglu Faik G. , Heumann Asmus , Nickel Felix , Hackert Thilo , Izbicki Jakob R.
Published: November 2024

Objective:

The aim was to evaluate the sustainability of the pancreatic Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program and the effect of ERAS items on patient morbidity and hospital stay.

Background:

The current ERAS guideline recommendations encompass 27 items to improve recovery after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD).

Methods:

Patients who underwent pancreatic resection at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf between February 2016 and June 2023 were included. The datasets were retrospectively collected from a central database. The effects of individual ERAS items and compliance on morbidity and hospital stay were assessed by uni- and multivariable analyses.

Results:

In total, 594 patients who underwent PD (44.8%), distal pancreatectomy (14.6%), total pancreatectomy (17.8%), or other pancreatic resections (22.7%) were included. Of these, 90 patients (15.2%) achieved a high overall ERAS compliance of ≥70%. High compliance was associated with significantly less complications (Clavien–Dindo ≥ 3a), reduced 30-day mortality, and a shorter hospital stay. Early mobilization on the first postoperative day (POD1), restrictive intravenous fluid administration, and timely removal of urinary catheters were significant multivariable predictors for lower morbidity. Early mobilization on POD1 also correlated with reduced morbidity in the subcohort of PD cases.

Conclusions:

The pancreatic ERAS protocol can be sustainably implemented and applied to both, PD and non-PD cases. A high level of compliance with the ERAS protocol after pancreatic resections correlated with improved outcomes but was achieved by less than one-fifth of patients. Early mobilization on POD1 and restrictive fluid management were key indicators for optimized short-term outcomes.