bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Associations of gestational age with gyrification and neurocognition in healthy adults
Authors: Schmitt Simon , Ringwald Kai G. , Meller Tina , Stein Frederike , Brosch Katharina , Pfarr Julia-Katharina , Hahn Tim , Lemke Hannah , Meinert Susanne , Repple Jonathan , Thiel Katharina , Waltemate Lena , Winter Alexandra , Grotegerd Dominik , Dempfle Astrid , Jansen Andreas , Krug Axel , Dannlowski Udo , Nenadić Igor , Kircher Tilo
Published: July 2022

Epidemiological studies have shown that gestational age and birth weight are linked to cognitive performance in adults. On a neurobiological level, this effect is hypothesized to be related to cortical gyrification, which is determined primarily during fetal development. The relationships between gestational age, gyrification and specific cognitive abilities in adults are still poorly understood. In 542 healthy participants, gyrification indices were calculated from structural magnetic resonance imaging T1 data at 3 T using CAT12. After applying a battery of neuropsychological tests, neuropsychological factors were extracted with a factor analysis. We conducted regressions to test associations between gyrification and gestational age as well as birth weight. Moderation analyses explored the relationships between gestational age, gyrification and neuropsychological factors. Gestational age is significantly positively associated with cortical folding in the left supramarginal, bilaterally in the superior frontal and the lingual cortex. We extracted two neuropsychological factors that describe language abilities and working memory/attention. The association between gyrification in the left superior frontal gyrus and working memory/attention was moderated by gestational age. Further, the association between gyrification in the left supramarginal cortex and both, working memory/attention as well as language, were moderated by gestational age. Gyrification is associated with gestational age and related to specific neuropsychological outcomes in healthy adulthood. Implications from these findings for the cortical neurodevelopment of cognitive domains and mental health are discussed.
Morphological features of 52 cases of breast phyllodes tumours with local recurrence
Authors: Bi Jiaxin , Tang Hongping , Lin Xiao , Yu Xuewen , Liang Yingying , Zhang Lu , Li Zhixin , Shao Mumin
Published: July 2022

Typical phyllodes tumours (PTs) of the breast are fibroepithelial neoplasms characterised histologically by stromal hypercellularity and leaf-like structures. However, morphological changes may be atypical in some cases, increasing the difficulty of diagnosis and the likelihood of misdiagnosis. To provide more morphological clues for pathological diagnosis of PTs, we retrospectively analysed 52 PT cases with typical morphological features after recurrence, and summarized the clinicopathological characteristics of the paired primary tumours. We found five special histological features in the primary tumours distinct from classic PTs, namely (1) PTs with epithelioid feature (three cases); (2) PTs with gland-rich feature (eight cases); (3) PTs with fibroadenoma-like feature (20 cases); (4) PTs with myxoid fibroadenoma-like feature (five cases); and (5) PTs with pseudohemangiomatoid stromal hyperplasia–like feature (four cases). All the features can exist independently, and a few cases displayed more than two distinctive features at the same time. In this cohort of recurrent PTs, all the primary tumours were absent of recognisable stromal hypercellularity and leaf-like structures that are the critical diagnostic criteria of PTs; however, they showed some other non-classic characteristics which may provide significant clues for the diagnosis of PTs. Particularly, tumours with epithelioid feature displayed high grade at earlier stages, tumours with fibroadenoma-like feature were most likely to be confused with classical fibroadenomas, and tumours with myxoid feature were prone to be neglected because of their hypocellularity.
To learn or not to learn? Evaluating autonomous, adaptive, automated traders in cryptocurrencies financial bubbles
Authors: Guarino Alfonso , Grilli Luca , Santoro Domenico , Messina Francesco , Zaccagnino Rocco
Published: July 2022

Financial bubbles represent a severe problem for investors. In particular, the cryptocurrency market has witnessed the bursting of different bubbles in the last decade, which in turn have had spillovers on all the markets and real economies of countries. These kinds of markets and their unique characteristics are of great interest to researchers. Generally, investors and financial operators study market trends to understand when bubbles might occur using technical analysis tools. Such tools, which have been historically used, resulted in being precious allies at the basis of more advanced systems. In this regard, different autonomous, adaptive and automated trading agents have been introduced in the literature to study several kinds of markets. Among these, we can distinguish between agents withZero/Minimal Intelligence (ZI/MI)andComputational Intelligence (CI)-based agents. The first ones typically trade on the market without resorting to complex learning strategies; the second ones usually use (deep) reinforcement learning mechanisms. However, these trading agents have never been tested on the cryptocurrencies market and related financial bubbles, which are still mostly overlooked in the literature. It is unclear how these agents can make profits/losses before, during, and after a bubble to adjust their strategy and avoid critical situations. This paper compares a broad set of trading agents (betweenZI/MIandCIones) and evaluates them with well-known financial indicators (e.g., volatility, returnsSharpe ratio, drawdown,SortinoandOmega ratio). Among the experiment’s outcomes,ZI/MIagents were more explainable thanCIones. Based on the results obtained above, we introduceGGSMZ, a trading agent relying on a neuro-fuzzy mechanism. The neuro-fuzzy system is able to learn from the trades performed by the agents adopted in the previous stage.GGSMZ’s performances overcome those of other tested agents. We argue thatGGSMZcould be used by investors as a decision support tool.
Metrics and Quasimetrics Induced by Point Pair Function
Authors: Dautova Dina , Nasyrov Semen , Rainio Oona , Vuorinen Matti
Published: July 2022

We study the point pair function in subdomains G of $${\mathbb {R}}^n$$

R

n

. We prove that, for every domain $$G\subsetneq {\mathbb {R}}^n$$

G
⊊

R

n

, this function is a quasi-metric with the constant less than or equal to $$\sqrt{5}/2$$

5

/
2

. Moreover, we show that it is a metric in the domain $$G={\mathbb {R}}^n{\setminus }\{0\}$$

G
=

R

n

\

{
0
}

with $$n\ge 1$$

n
≥
1

. We also consider generalized versions of the point pair function, depending on a parameter $$\alpha >0$$

α
>
0

, and show that in some domains these generalizations are metrics if and only if $$\alpha \le 12$$

α
≤
12

.
Identification of milk quality and adulteration by surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy coupled to artificial neural networks using citrate-capped silver nanoislands
Authors: Eid Sherif M. , el-Shamy Sherine , Farag Mohamed A.
Published: July 2022

Milk is one of the most important multicomponent superfoods owing to its rich macronutrient composition. It requires quality control at all the production stages from the farm to the finished products. A localized surface plasmon resonance optical sensor based on a citrate-capped silver nanoparticle (Cit-AgNP)–coated glass substrate was developed. The fabrication of such sensors involved a single-step synthesis of Cit-AgNPs followed by surface modification of glass slides to be coated with the nanoparticles. The scanning electron microscope micrographs demonstrated that the nanoparticles formed monolayer islands on glass slides. The developed surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (SEIRA) sensor was coupled to artificial neural networking (ANN) for the qualitative differentiation between cow, camel, goat, buffalo, and infants’ formula powdered milk types. Moreover, it can be used for the quantitative determination of the main milk components such as fat, casein, urea, and lactose in each milk type. The qualitative results showed that the obtained FTIR spectra of cow and buffalo milk have high similarity, whereas camel milk resembled infant formula powdered milk. The most difference in FTIR characteristics was evidenced in the case of goat milk. The developed sensor adds several advantages over the traditional techniques of milk analysis using MilkoScan™ such as less generated waste, elimination of pre-treatment steps, minimal sample volume, low operation time, and on-site analysis.

Graphical abstract
Biological control in a changing climate: plant-mediated impact of elevated CO2 concentration on Lobesia botrana eggs and egg parasitism by Trichogramma cacoeciae
Authors: Becker Christine , Herrmann Katharina , Reineke Annette
Published: July 2022

Climate change can affect biological pest control by altering trophic interactions. Elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations can reduce host plant quality and, in turn, alter herbivore and natural enemy preference and performance. Using the Geisenheim VineyardFACE (free-air carbon dioxide enrichment) facility, we studied plant- and herbivore-mediated bottom-up effects of elevated CO2 concentration on the European grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana, and the parasitoid Trichogramma cacoeciae. Grapevine inflorescences of two cultivars cultivated at ambient or elevated CO2 (aCO2 and eCO2: 400 and 480 ppm) in the VineyardFACE were incorporated into L. botrana artificial diet. Eggs laid by the respective adults were parasitized by T. cacoeciae. Egg size and emergence rate of L. botrana as well as parasitism rate, parasitoid emergence rate and egg size preference of T. cacoeciae were evaluated. We observed an indirect grapevine cultivar-dependent bottom-up effect of CO2 on both herbivore and egg parasitoid. Compared to aCO2, eCO2 resulted in larger host eggs and higher parasitism rates regarding Riesling-feeding but not regarding Cabernet Sauvignon-feeding L. botrana larvae. Parasitoid emergence rate was higher when L. botrana had fed on Riesling compared to Cabernet Sauvignon-diet. Egg size preference depended on the host’s diet: T. cacoeciae preferred larger L. botrana eggs when the larvae had fed on grapevine-containing diet but not when they fed on standard artificial diet. Our results highlight the importance of the host’s diet for the parasitoid’s preference and performance. They furthermore suggest that the future efficiency of L. botrana-biocontrol by T. cacoeciae will not decrease under elevated CO2 concentrations.
Adjusting Behavioural Surveillance and Assessing Disparities in the Impact of COVID-19 on Gay and Bisexual Men’s HIV-Related Behaviour in Australia
Authors: Holt Martin , Chan Curtis , Broady Timothy R. , Mao Limin , MacGibbon James , Rule John , Wilcock Ben , Prestage Garrett , Bavinton Benjamin R.
Published: July 2022

COVID-19 has disrupted sexual behaviour and access to health systems. We adapted regular HIV behavioural surveillance of gay and bisexual men (GBM) in Australia in response to COVID-19, assessed the impact on the profile of the sample, the participants’ HIV-related behaviour, and whether COVID-19 may have accentuated existing disparities in the Australian HIV epidemic. Data collected from five states during July 2017–June 2021 were included (N = 31,460). The emphasis on online recruitment after COVID-19 led to smaller sample sizes, greater geographic reach, and a higher proportion of bisexual-identifying participants. Most participants (88.1%) reported physical distancing and 52.1% had fewer sex partners due to COVID-19. In the COVID-19-affected rounds (July 2020–June 2021), the number of male partners, recent HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use all fell, and HIV risk among the smaller group of participants who reported casual sex increased. COVID-related changes were generally more pronounced among GBM aged under 25 years, participants from suburbs with fewer gay residents, and bisexual men. These groups should be prioritised when encouraging GBM to reengage with HIV testing services and effective prevention methods, like condoms and PrEP.
EU Harmonisation of Norms Regulating Detention: Is EU Competence (Art. 82(2)b TFEU) Fit for Purpose?
Authors: Wieczorek Irene
Published: July 2022

The EU has acquired the competence to harmonise individual rights in the field of criminal procedure (Art. 82(2)b TFEU). This was hailed as a positive development helping redress the unbalance towards a too security-oriented development of the Area of Freedom Security and Justice. This article discusses the breath of this competence and designs an analytical framework illustrating what requirements need taking into account to legitimate EU regulatory action in the field of detention. It argues that the wording of the provision, especially its utilitarian framing, strongly limits its potential for the EU to act in at least two areas, compensation for unjust detention and material detention conditions.
Molecular Hydrogen Mediates Neurorestorative Effects After Stroke in Diabetic Rats: the TLR4/NF-κB Inflammatory Pathway
Authors: Yang Wan-Chao , Li Ting-ting , Wan Qiang , Zhang Xin , Sun Li-Ying , Zhang Yu-Rong , Lai Pei-Chen , Li Wen-zhi
Published: July 2022

Diabetes is an independent risk factor for stroke and amplifies inflammation. Diabetic stroke is associated with a higher risk of death and worse neural function. The identification of effective anti-inflammatory molecules with translational advantages is particularly important to promote perioperative neurorestorative effects. Applying molecular hydrogen, we measured blood glucose levels before and after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), 48-h cerebral oedema and infarct volumes, as well as 28-day weight, survival and neurological function. We also measured the levels of TLR4, NF-κB p65, phosphorylated NF-κB p65, catecholamines, acetylcholine and inflammatory factors. All measurements comprehensively showed the positive effect and translational advantage of molecular hydrogen on diabetic stroke. Molecular hydrogen improved the weight, survival and long-term neurological function of rats with diabetic stroke and alleviated changes in blood glucose levels before and after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), but no difference in circadian rhythm was observed. Molecular hydrogen inhibited the phosphorylation of NF-κB and significantly reduced inflammation. Molecular hydrogen mediates neurorestorative effects after stroke in diabetic rats. The effect is independent of circadian rhythms, indicating translational advantages. The molecular mechanism is related to the TLR4/NF-κB pathway and inflammation.

Graphical abstract

Molecular hydrogen (H2) affects outcomes of ischemic stroke with diabetes mellitus (DM).
The effectiveness of an orthogeriatric service in Ain Shams University, Egypt: a quality improvement study
Authors: Saber Heba G. , Aly Menna A. E. G.
Published: July 2022

Summary

This quality improvement study assessed the effectiveness of an orthogeriatric service regarding fracture care and outcomes in terms of time to surgery, length of hospital stay, postoperative pain score improvement, depression and treatment decisions. The findings showed a significant reduction in time to surgery and mean length of stay following the implementation of orthogeriatric services (OGS).

Introduction

Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease prevalent amongst the elderly, more commonly females, and puts them at increased risk of fragility fractures. OGS are recommended as a model of best practice for primary and secondary fracture care.

Methods

This quality improvement study, conducted in our facility at Ain Shams University Hospital, Cairo, aimed to determine the effectiveness of an orthogeriatric service. We compared fracture care and outcomes before and after the implementation of OGS in terms of time to surgery, length of hospital stay, degree of postoperative pain score improvement, depression and treatment decisions. We included 128 patients aged 60 and above presenting to the emergency department with a fracture.

Results

We found a significant reduction in the median time to surgery in the post-OGS group (p < 0.001) and a significant decrease in the mean length of stay in favour of the post-OGS group (p < 0.001). However, no significant difference was found between the two groups regarding the number of patients treated operatively, degree of postoperative pain improvement or susceptibility to depression.

Conclusion

Since the orthogeriatric service began, preliminary data have been encouraging, with significant reductions in time to surgery and length of stay. This along with preoperative medical optimisation and collaborative discharge recommendations has improved overall patient outcomes even though more research is needed.
How Stable are Moral Judgments?
Authors: Rehren Paul , Sinnott-Armstrong Walter
Published: July 2022

Psychologists and philosophers often work hand in hand to investigate many aspects of moral cognition. In this paper, we want to highlight one aspect that to date has been relatively neglected: the stability of moral judgment over time. After explaining why philosophers and psychologists should consider stability and then surveying previous research, we will present the results of an original three-wave longitudinal study. We asked participants to make judgments about the same acts in a series of sacrificial dilemmas three times, 6–8 days apart. In addition to investigating the stability of our participants’ ratings over time, we also explored some potential explanations for instability. To end, we will discuss these and other potential psychological sources of moral stability (or instability) and highlight possible philosophical implications of our findings.
Fekete–Szegö problem for Bavrin’s functions and close-to-starlike mappings in $${\mathbb {C}}^{n}$$
Authors: Długosz Renata , Liczberski Piotr
Published: July 2022

The paper is devoted to the study of a family of complex-valued holomorphic functions and a family of holomorphic mappings in $${\mathbb {C}}^{n}.$$

C

n

.

More precisely, the article concerns a Bavrin’s family of functions defined on a bounded complete n-circular domain $${\mathcal {G}}$$
G
of $${\mathbb {C}}^{n}$$

C

n

and a family of biholomorphic mappings on the Euclidean open unit ball in $${\mathbb {C}}^{n}.$$

C

n

.

The presented results include some estimates of a combination of the Fréchet differentials at the point $$z=0,$$

z
=
0
,

of the first and second order for Bavrin’s functions, also of the second and third order for biholomorphic close-to-starlike mappings in $${\mathbb {C}}^{n},$$

C

n

,

respectively. These bounds give a generalization of the Fekete–Szegö coefficients problem for holomorphic functions of a complex variable on the case of holomorphic functions and mappings of several variables.
Social Media and its Negative Impacts on Autonomy
Authors: Sahebi Siavosh , Formosa Paul
Published: July 2022

How social media impacts the autonomy of its users is a topic of increasing focus. However, much of the literature that explores these impacts fails to engage in depth with the philosophical literature on autonomy. This has resulted in a failure to consider the full range of impacts that social media might have on autonomy. A deeper consideration of these impacts is thus needed, given the importance of both autonomy as a moral concept and social media as a feature of contemporary life. By drawing on this philosophical literature, we argue that autonomy is broadly a matter of developing autonomy competencies, having authentic ends and control over key aspects of your own life, and not being manipulated, coerced, and controlled by others. We show how the autonomy of users of social media can be disrespected and harmed through the control that social media can have over its users’data,attention, andbehaviour. We conclude by discussing various recommendations to better regulate social media.
Analysis of scale-dependent kinetic and potential energy in sheared, stably stratified turbulence
Authors: Zhang Xiaolong , Dhariwal Rohit , Portwood Gavin , de Bruyn Kops Stephen M. , Bragg Andrew D.
Published: July 2022

Budgets of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and turbulent potential energy (TPE) at different scales$\ell$in sheared, stably stratified turbulence are analysed using a filtering approach. Competing effects in the flow are considered, along with the physical mechanisms governing the energy fluxes between scales, and the budgets are used to analyse data from direct numerical simulation at buoyancy Reynolds number$Re_b=O(100)$. The mean TKE exceeds the TPE by an order of magnitude at the large scales, with the difference reducing as$\ell$is decreased. At larger scales, buoyancy is never observed to be positive, with buoyancy always converting TKE to TPE. As$\ell$is decreased, the probability of locally convecting regions increases, though it remains small at scales down to the Ozmidov scale. The TKE and TPE fluxes between scales are both downscale on average, and their instantaneous values are correlated positively, but not strongly so, and this occurs due to the different physical mechanisms that govern these fluxes. Moreover, the contributions to these fluxes arising from the sub-grid fields are shown to be significant, in addition to the filtered scale contributions associated with the processes of strain self-amplification, vortex stretching and density gradient amplification. Probability density functions (PDFs) of the$Q,R$invariants of the filtered velocity gradient are considered and show that as$\ell$increases, the sheared-drop shape of the PDF becomes less pronounced and the PDF becomes more symmetric about$R=0$.
Eccentricity effect on horizontal capillary emptying
Authors: Tan Dongwen , Zhou Xinping , Zhang Gang , Zhu Chengwei , Fu Chenyu
Published: July 2022

This paper theoretically studies the effect of eccentricity on the conditions of capillary emptying (determined by critical Bond number) in a horizontal annular tube in a downward gravity field. Experiments are conducted to compare with theoretical results. We find that non-horizontal eccentricity can lead to the occurrence of a re-entrant liquid-state transition (from liquid non-occlusion to liquid plug to liquid non-occlusion) with increasing Bond number, when the eccentricity (e) or inner-to-outer radius ratio (χ) is large enough, and the two liquid non-occlusion states correspond to different emptying mechanisms dominated by the gravity effect and the ‘wedge’ effect, respectively. Existence of the re-entrant transition is accompanied by occurrence of unconditional liquid non-occlusion at large enough or small enough contact angles regardless of Bond numbers. The critical Bond numbers at a contact angle γ for vertical upward eccentricity are equal to those at a contact angle 180° − γ for vertical downward eccentricity. In a parameter space (γ, e/(1 − χ)), the region with the re-entrant transition becomes larger with the eccentric angle varying from 0° (horizontal) to 90° (vertical). Optimization of geometrical parameters and inner and outer contact angles can lead to better effect of capillary emptying. This paper provides a very effective scheme for removing a liquid blockage from a capillary in optofluidics/microfluidics.
Navigating the Intersection of PrEP and Medicaid
Authors: Seiler Naomi , Heyison Claire , Dwyer Gregory , Karacuschansky Aaron , Organick-Lee Paige , Osei Alexis , Stoll Helen , Horton Katie
Published: July 2022

The proposed national PrEP program would serve people who are uninsured as well as those enrolled in Medicaid. In this article, the authors propose a set of recommendations for the proposed program’s implementers as well as state Medicaid agencies and Medicaid managed care organizations to ensure PrEP access for people enrolled in Medicaid, addressing gaps without undermining the important role of the Medicaid program in covering and promoting PrEP.
Resolving the phylogenetic relationship betweenParmotrema crinitumandParmotrema perlatumpopulations
Authors: Stelate Ayoub , Del-Prado Ruth , Alors David , Tahiri Hikmat , Divakar Pradeep K. , Crespo Ana
Published: July 2022

The widespread speciesParmotrema crinitum(Ach.) M. Choisy andParmotrema perlatum(Huds.) M. Choisy are mainly distinguished by their reproductive strategies. WhileP. crinitumpropagates by isidia,P. perlatumproduces soredia. In this study, we aim to evaluate the phylogenetic relationship between both species and to critically examine their species boundaries. To this purpose, 46 samples belonging toP. crinitumandP. perlatumwere used in our analysis, including 22 for which we studied the morphology and chemistry, before extracting their DNA. We used 35 sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS) ofParmotrema perlatumfrom Europe and Africa (20 of which were newly generated), and 11 ofParmotrema crinitumfrom Europe, North America and North Africa (two newly generated). Additionally, 28 sequences of several species fromParmotremawere included in the ITS dataset. The ITS data matrix was analyzed using different approaches, such as traditional phylogeny (maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses), genetic distances, automatic barcode gap discovery (ABGD) and the coalescent-based method poisson tree processes (PTP), in order to test congruence among results. Our results indicate that all samples referred toP. crinitumandP. perlatumnested in a well-supported monophyletic clade, but phylogenetic relationships among them remain unresolved. Delimitations inferred from PTP, ABGD and genetic distance analyses were comparable and suggested thatP. crinitumandP. perlatumbelong to the same lineage. Interestingly, two samples ofP. perlatumseparate in a different monophyletic clade, which is supported as a different lineage by all the analyses.
Sex differences in conduct and emotional outcomes for young people with hyperactive/inattentive traits and social communication difficulties between 9 and 16 years of age: a growth curve analysis
Authors: Hollingdale Jack , Woodhouse Emma , Young Susan , Gudjonsson Gisli , Charman Tony , Mandy Will
Published: July 2022

Background

The purpose of this paper is to identify the trajectory of conduct and emotional problems for young people within the general population at four time points (between 9 years 7 months and 16 years 6 months), investigate their relationship with hyperactive/inattentive traits and explore the moderating effect of autistic social traits (ASTs).

Methods

Data from 9305 individuals involved in The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) study were included. Conduct and emotional problems and hyperactive/inattentive traits were measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. ASTs were assessed using the Social Communication Disorder Checklist. Individual trajectories for conduct and emotional problems were identified via growth curve modelling. Hyperactive/inattentive traits were included within the growth curve model as a time-varying covariate to determine their effect on these outcomes. Finally, participants were split into two groups (below and above clinical threshold ASTs Groups) and multi-group invariance testing was conducted on the data to identify the moderating effect of ASTs on the relationship between hyperactive/inattentive traits and outcomes (i.e. conduct and emotional problems).

Results

Hyperactive/inattentive traits were associated with higher rates of conduct and emotional problems for both boys and girls. The presence of ASTs moderated these relationships for boys, but not for girls, by increasing the risk of boys with hyperactive/inattentive traits developing greater conduct and emotional problems.

Conclusions

These findings underscore the importance of identifying hyperactive/inattentive traits and ASTs in young people and addressing the increased risk of conduct and emotional problems. Research and clinical implications are explored.
Acute neural effects of fluoxetine on emotional regulation in depressed adolescents
Authors: Capitão Liliana P. , Chapman Robert , Filippini Nicola , Wright Lucy , Murphy Susannah E. , James Anthony , Cowen Philip J. , Harmer Catherine J.
Published: July 2022

Background

Adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with disrupted processing of emotional stimuli and difficulties in cognitive reappraisal. Little is known however about how current pharmacotherapies act to modulate the neural mechanisms underlying these key processes. The current study therefore investigated the neural effects of fluoxetine on emotional reactivity and cognitive reappraisal in adolescent depression.

Methods

Thirty-one adolescents with MDD were randomised to acute fluoxetine (10 mg) or placebo. Seventeen healthy adolescents were also recruited but did not receive any treatment for ethical reasons. During functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), participants viewed aversive images and were asked to either experience naturally the emotional state elicited (‘Maintain’) or to reinterpret the content of the pictures to reduce negative affect (‘Reappraise’). Significant activations were identified using whole-brain analysis.

Results

No significant group differences were seen when comparing Reappraise and Maintain conditions. However, when compared to healthy controls, depressed adolescents on placebo showed reduced visual activation to aversive pictures irrespective of the condition. The depressed adolescent group on fluoxetine showed the opposite pattern, i.e. increased visuo-cerebellar activity in response to aversive pictures, when compared to depressed adolescents on placebo.

Conclusions

These data suggest that depression in adolescence may be associated with reduced visual processing of aversive imagery and that fluoxetine may act to reduce avoidance of such cues. This could reflect a key mechanism whereby depressed adolescents engage with negative cues previously avoided. Future research combining fMRI with eye-tracking is nonetheless needed to further clarify these effects.
Risk of acquiring Ascaris lumbricoides infection in an endemically infected rural community in Venezuela
Authors: Incani Renzo Nino , Mughini-Gras Lapo , Homan Tobias , Sequera Ivan , Sequera Luis , Serrano Ruth , Sequera Carlos , Salas Luis , Salazar Marisabel , Santos Paola
Published: July 2022

Soil-transmitted helminths, such as Ascaris lumbricoides, are the most prevalent parasites globally. Optimal anthelmintic treatment for A. lumbricoides in endemically infected communities is challenged by several host-related and environmental factors influencing infection acquisition. We assessed the risk of A. lumbricoides (re)infection after treatment in a Venezuelan rural community. Individual merthiolate-iodine-formaldehyde-fixed faecal samples were collected from 224 persons before a single-dose pyrantel treatment and at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 15 months after treatment. Effects of age, sex and socioeconomic status (SES) on A. lumbricoides prevalence, eggs/gram faeces (EPG) and infection (re)acquisition were assessed using both generalised linear mixed-effects models and survival analysis. Pre-treatment A. lumbricoides prevalence was 39.7%. Higher prevalence was associated with younger age and lower SES. Higher EPG values were observed among young children. Median time to A. lumbricoides infection was six months after treatment: at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 15 months post-treatment, cumulative incidence was 6.7%, 18.9%, 34.6%, 42.2%, and 52.6%, respectively. Younger age, lower SES, and pre-treatment A. lumbricoides infection status showed significantly elevated hazard ratios. Mass drug administration protocols would benefit from considering these factors in selective treatment strategies and possibly more than just annual or biannual treatments in the target population.
If You Catch the Ball, We Win the Game. If You Drop It, We Lose
Authors: Osorio Robert W.
Published: July 2022

As a transplant surgeon at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, I cannot forget those cases where I faced forks in the road and had to decide whether the right direction lay in the well-charted direction of objective metrics or immeasurable feelings of intuition. I carry those cases with me still.
A Journey to Arzrum during the 1829 Campaign by A. S. Pushkin: Translation with Commentary
Authors: Davis Derek
Published: July 2022

In 1829 Pushkin visited his brother and friends in the Caucasus Corps, going on to participate in the capture of Erzurum. This marked a decisive shift in the international balance of power. Victory over Persia in 1827 and Turkey in 1829 transformed Russia into the dominant force in the Middle East for a generation until the Crimean War. Spectacular success was an almost accidental by-product of the 1825 Decembrist Revolt. Many serving Decembrists had been reduced to the ranks and exiled south. A transient, fractious combination of prudent commander and free spirits rose to rare quality of achievement. Pushkin's A Journey to Arzrum (Erzurum) celebrates his friends’ part in delivering for Russia and salutes the Russia they stood for. The literary challenge was steep. Its text had to pass muster with an infuriated Tsar Nicholas, his “personal censor”. Pushkin's skilfully drafted and structured narrative met the test, contriving at the same time to accommodate a pervasive running commentary and political messages about reconciliation, combining the best of Russia's talents and a better future. Typically innovative and beautifully written, the travelogue conducts the reader on a lively tour of the Caucasus with a rich store of incident and issues along the way.
Immunoglobulin-Substitutionstherapie bei hämatologischen Patienten mit sekundärem Antikörpermangel
Authors: Braschler Thomas R. , Zeerleder Sacha
Published: July 2022

Zusammenfassung. Hämatologische Malignitäten und Immunochemotherapien sind häufig mit einer sekundären zellulären und humoralen Immunschwäche assoziiert. Durch die zunehmende Verwendung von effektiven therapeutischen Antikörpern und zellulären Therapien, die gerichtet Antikörper-produzierende Zellen (B- und Plasma-Zellen) eliminieren, nimmt die Häufigkeit des sekundären Antikörpermangel-Syndroms in der täglichen hämatologischen Praxis zu. Diese Übersichtsarbeit gibt einen kurzen Überblick über die Ätiologie des sekundären Antikörpermangels bei hämatologischen Patienten und widmet sich in der Folge der Wirksamkeit und Indikationsstellung für eine Immunglobulin-Substitutionstherapie sowie Überlegungen zur entsprechenden Präparatewahl in dieser Patientengruppe.
Therapie von Patient_innen mit Immunschwäche
Authors: Köppen Julius Christoph , Recher Mike
Published: July 2022

Zusammenfassung. Genetisch determinierte Immunschwächen (primäre Immundefekte, PID) können verschiedene Komponenten des angeborenen und/oder adaptiven Immunsystems betreffen. Häufig äussern sich PID mit einem Antikörpermangel, welcher die Anfälligkeit für Atemwegsinfekte und pulmonale Komplikationen erhöht. Um das Infektionsrisiko zu minimieren, wird eine Immunglobulinsubstitution durchgeführt. Die wichtigsten praktischen Fragen der klinischen Verwendung der Immunglobulinsubstitution werden hier erörtert. Mit der modernen genetischen Entschlüsselung von PID gelingt es zunehmend, molekulare Signalstörungen in individuellen Patient_innen zu dechiffrieren. Auf Grundlage dessen werden zielgerichtete immunmodulierende Therapien möglich – eine zukunftsträchtige Ergänzung zur Immunglobulinsubstitution, welche hier ebenfalls diskutiert wird.
Impfungen und Impfantwort bei Immundefekten
Authors: Rohner Géraldine Blanchard , Jandus Peter
Published: July 2022

Zusammenfassung. Die Impfung von Patenten mit Immundefekten stellt eine Herausforderung dar. Ein fehlender Anstieg von Impfantikörpertitern oder impfinduzierte Infektionen können auf einen primären Immundefekt hinweisen. Alle in der Schweiz zugelassenen Impfstoffe gegen SARS-CoV-2 können auch bei immungeschwächten Patienten verabreicht werden.
Perceived stress, workload and psychosomatic complaints in inpatient and outpatient care nurses
Authors: Werner Natalie S. , Bültmann Marina , Möckel Luis
Published: July 2022

Abstract. Background: Occupational stress, dissatisfaction, higher risk for chronical and psychological disorders impairs the well-being of care nurses staff and maintaining the quality of elderly and disabled care. However, few studies have compared the psychological and physical stress in nurses working in inpatient and outpatient care settings. Aim: The aim of the present study was to compare perceived stress, workload and psychosomatic complaints in nurses working in inpatient and outpatient care settings. Methods: 158 care nurses working in geriatric and disabled care participated in the quantitative cross-sectional survey study. Comparisons of stress, workload and psychosomatic complaints were made between the inpatient and outpatient care group. Results: Nurses working in the outpatient care reported more subjective experience of stress and more workload compared to nurses working in inpatient care. Additionally, nurses working in outpatient care reported more psychosomatic complaints compared to nurses in inpatient care. Conclusions: Our results suggest that inpatient and outpatient nurses experience their nursing activities differently stressful. In future research the differential stress factors need to be explored to provide adequate job training and develop stress prevention programs.
Clean fleets, different streets: evaluating the effect of New York City’s clean bus program on changes to estimated ambient air pollution
Authors: Lovasi Gina S. , Treat Christian A. , Fry Dustin , Shah Isha , Clougherty Jane E. , Berberian Alique , Perera Frederica P. , Kioumourtzoglou Marianthi-Anna
Published: July 2022

Background

Motor vehicles, including public transit buses, are a major source of air pollution in New York City (NYC) and worldwide. To address this problem, governments and transit agencies have implemented policies to introduce cleaner vehicles into transit fleets. Beginning in 2000, the Metropolitan Transit Agency began deploying compressed natural gas, hybrid electric, and low-sulfur diesel buses to reduce urban air pollution.

Objective

We hypothesized that bus fleet changes incorporating cleaner vehicles would have detectable effects on air pollution concentrations between 2009 and 2014, as measured by the New York City Community Air Survey (NYCCAS).

Methods

Depot- and route-specific information allowed identification of areas with larger or smaller changes in the proportion of distance traveled by clean buses. Data were assembled for 9670 300 m × 300 m grid cell areas with annual concentration estimates for nitrogen oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and black carbon (BC) from NYCCAS. Spatial error models adjusted for truck route presence and total traffic volume.

Results

While concentrations of all three pollutants declined between 2009 and 2014 even in the 39.7% of cells without bus service, the decline in concentrations of NO and NO2 was greater in areas with more bus service and with higher proportional shifts toward clean buses. Conversely, the decline in BC concentration was slower in areas with more bus service and higher proportional clean bus shifts.

Significance

These results provide evidence that the NYC clean bus program impacted concentrations of air pollution, particularly in reductions of NO2. Further work can investigate the potential impact of these changes on health outcomes in NYC residents.

Impact Statement

Urban air pollution from diesel-burning buses is an important health exposure. The New York Metropolitan Transit Agency has worked to deploy cleaner buses into their fleet, but the impact of this policy has not been evaluated. Successful reductions in air pollution are critical for public health.
Cardiomyocytes induced from hiPSCs by well-defined compounds have therapeutic potential in heart failure by secreting PDGF-BB
Authors: Li Hongmei , Wu Fenfang , Huang Guangrui , Wu Di , Wang Ting , Wang Xiashuang , Wang Kai , Feng Yuyin , Xu Anlong
Published: July 2022

Recent studies have suggested that transplant of hiPS-CMs is a promising approach for treating heart failure. However, the optimally clinical benefits have been hampered by the immature nature of the hiPS-CMs, and the hiPS-CMs-secreted proteins contributing to the repair of cardiomyocytes remain largely unidentified. Here, we established a saponin+ compound optimally induced system to generate hiPS-CMs with stable functional attributes in vitro and transplanted in heart failure mice. Our study showed enhanced therapeutic effects of optimally induced hiPS-CMs by attenuating cardiac remodeling and dysfunction, these beneficial effects were concomitant with reduced cardiomyocytes death and increased angiogenesis. Moreover, the optimally induced hiPS-CMs could gathering to the injured heart and secret an abundant PDGF-BB. The reparative effect of the optimally induced hiPS-CMs in the hypoxia-injured HCMs was mimicked by PDGF-BB but inhibited by PDGF-BB neutralizing antibody, which was accompanied by the changed expression of p-PI3K and p-Akt proteins. It is highly possible that the PI3K/Akt pathway is regulated by the PDGF-BB secreted from the compound induced hiPS-CMs to achieve a longer lasting myocardial repair effect compared with the standard induced hiPS-CMs. Taken together, our data strongly implicate that the compound induced hiPS-CMs promote the recovery of injured hearts via paracrine action. In this process, the paracrine factor PDGF-BB derived from the compound induced hiPS-CMs reduces isoproterenol-induced adverse cardiac remodeling, which is associated with improved cardiac function, and these effects are mediated by the PI3K/Akt pathway, suggesting that the optimally induced hiPS-CMs may serve as a new promising cell therapy for clinical applications.
Radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy: the dawn of cancer treatment
Authors: Zhang Zengfu , Liu Xu , Chen Dawei , Yu Jinming
Published: July 2022

Radiotherapy (RT) is delivered for purposes of local control, but can also exert systemic effect on remote and non-irradiated tumor deposits, which is called abscopal effect. The view of RT as a simple local treatment has dramatically changed in recent years, and it is now widely accepted that RT can provoke a systemic immune response which gives a strong rationale for the combination of RT and immunotherapy (iRT). Nevertheless, several points remain to be addressed such as the interaction of RT and immune system, the identification of the best schedules for combination with immunotherapy (IO), the expansion of abscopal effect and the mechanism to amplify iRT. To answer these crucial questions, we roundly summarize underlying rationale showing the whole immune landscape in RT and clinical trials to attempt to identify the best schedules of iRT. In consideration of the rarity of abscopal effect, we propose that the occurrence of abscopal effect induced by radiation can be promoted to 100% in view of molecular and genetic level. Furthermore, the “radscopal effect” which refers to using low-dose radiation to reprogram the tumor microenvironment may amplify the occurrence of abscopal effect and overcome the resistance of iRT. Taken together, RT could be regarded as a trigger of systemic antitumor immune response, and with the help of IO can be used as a radical and systemic treatment and be added into current standard regimen of patients with metastatic cancer.
LncRNA ANRIL mediates endothelial dysfunction through BDNF downregulation in chronic kidney disease
Authors: Su Hong , Liu Bing , Chen Huimin , Zhang Tingwei , Huang Tongtong , Liu Yue , Wang Cheng , Ma Qiqi , Wang Qianhui , Lv Zhimei , Wang Rong
Published: July 2022

Endothelial dysfunction is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), but the mechanism is unknown. In this study, we found that the circulating ANRIL level was increased and correlated with vascular endothelial dysfunction in patients with CKD, also negatively correlated with plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentration. We constructed the ANRIL knockout mice model, and found that ANRIL deficiency reversed the abnormal expression of BDNF, along with endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), vascular adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) and Von Willebrand factor (vWF). Meanwhile, mitochondrial dynamics-related proteins, Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) and mitofusins (Mfn2) level were also recovered. In addition, in vitro, serum derived from CKD patients and uremia toxins induced abnormal expression of ANRIL. By making use of the gain- and loss-of-function approaches, we observed that ANRIL mediated endothelial dysfunction through BDNF downregulation. To explore the specific mechanism, RNA pull-down and RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) were used to explore the binding of ANRIL to histone methyltransferase Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2). Further experiments found increased EZH2 and histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) levels at the BDNF promoter region. Collectively, we demonstrated that ANRIL mediate BDNF transcriptional suppression through recruitment of EZH2 to the BDNF promoter region, then regulated the proteins expression related to endothelial function and mitochondrial dynamics. This study provides new insights for the study of endothelial dysfunction in CKD.
Cohesin couples transcriptional bursting probabilities of inducible enhancers and promoters
Authors: Robles-Rebollo Irene , Cuartero Sergi , Canellas-Socias Adria , Wells Sarah , Karimi Mohammad M. , Mereu Elisabetta , Chivu Alexandra G. , Heyn Holger , Whilding Chad , Dormann Dirk , Marguerat Samuel , Rioja Inmaculada , Prinjha Rab K. , Stumpf Michael P. H. , Fisher Amanda G. , Merkenschlager Matthias
Published: July 2022

Innate immune responses rely on inducible gene expression programmes which, in contrast to steady-state transcription, are highly dependent on cohesin. Here we address transcriptional parameters underlying this cohesin-dependence by single-molecule RNA-FISH and single-cell RNA-sequencing. We show that inducible innate immune genes are regulated predominantly by an increase in the probability of active transcription, and that probabilities of enhancer and promoter transcription are coordinated. Cohesin has no major impact on the fraction of transcribed inducible enhancers, or the number of mature mRNAs produced per transcribing cell. Cohesin is, however, required for coupling the probabilities of enhancer and promoter transcription. Enhancer-promoter coupling may not be explained by spatial proximity alone, and at the model locus Il12b can be disrupted by selective inhibition of the cohesinopathy-associated BET bromodomain BD2. Our data identify discrete steps in enhancer-mediated inducible gene expression that differ in cohesin-dependence, and suggest that cohesin and BD2 may act on shared pathways.
DNA methylation-based epigenetic signatures predict somatic genomic alterations in gliomas
Authors: Yang Jie , Wang Qianghu , Zhang Ze-Yan , Long Lihong , Ezhilarasan Ravesanker , Karp Jerome M. , Tsirigos Aristotelis , Snuderl Matija , Wiestler Benedikt , Wick Wolfgang , Miao Yinsen , Huse Jason T. , Sulman Erik P.
Published: July 2022

Molecular classification has improved diagnosis and treatment for patients with malignant gliomas. However, classification has relied on individual assays that are both costly and slow, leading to frequent delays in treatment. Here, we propose the use of DNA methylation, as an emerging clinical diagnostic platform, to classify gliomas based on major genomic alterations and provide insight into subtype characteristics. We show that using machine learning models, DNA methylation signatures can accurately predict somatic alterations and show improvement over existing classifiers. The established Unified Diagnostic Pipeline (UniD) we develop is rapid and cost-effective for genomic alterations and gene expression subtypes diagnostic at early clinical phase and improves over individual assays currently in clinical use. The significant relationship between genetic alteration and epigenetic signature indicates broad applicability of our approach to other malignancies.