bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)—A New Cardiovascular Risk Factor in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients
Authors: Mikolasevic Ivana , Milic Sandra , Racki Sanjin , Zaputovic Luka , Stimac Davor , Radic Mladen , Markic Dean , Orlic Lidija
Published: October 2015

Background

Recent investigations indicated that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a hepatic component of metabolic syndrome (MS), is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Accordingly, we were interested in exploring the frequency of NAFLD in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and analyzing factors in PD patients associated with NAFLD occurrence. In addition, we were interested in investigating whether NAFLD is associated with higher CVD risk in our PD patients.

Methods

In the present cross-sectional study, we analyzed 58 PD patients. The controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) was used to detect and quantify liver steatosis with the help of transient elastography (TE) (FibroScan, Echosense SA, Paris, France). A carotid ultrasound was performed in all patients to measure carotid intimae media thickness (IMT) and plaque as surrogate measures of increased CVD risk, and we investigated their association with NAFLD.

Results

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease was present in 74.1% of PD patients. Peritoneal dialysis/nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients had statistically greater daily (136.5 ± 62.6 vs 93.6 ± 36.1; p = 0.02) and monthly (4,095.3 ± 1,877.7 vs 2,806.6 ± 1,083.2; p = 0.02) glucose load in comparison to the non-NAFLD/PD patients. In the next step, we were interested in analyzing what demographic and clinical characteristics in our PD patients are associated with a higher NAFLD occurrence. Presence of diabetes mellitus (DM), arterial hypertension (AH), dyslipidemia, body mass index > 25 kg/m2, and daily glucose load > 100 g were associated with NAFLD occurrence. Peritoneal dialysis patients with NAFLD showed more carotid atherosclerosis than PD patients without NAFLD. In addition, CAP values (as indicator of liver steatosis) showed strong positive association with IMT (r = 0.801; p < 0.0001). Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease was a strong predictor of carotid atherosclerosis in PD patients.

Conclusion

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is highly prevalent in PD patients. Peritoneal dialysis patients with NAFLD are at high risk of atherosclerosis. Assessment of NAFLD in PD patients may be helpful for CVD risk stratification.
Hydration Status of Patients Dialyzed with Biocompatible Peritoneal Dialysis Fluids
Authors: Lichodziejewska-Niemierko Monika , Chmielewski Michał , Dudziak Maria , Ryta Alicja , Rutkowski Bolesław
Published: October 2015

Background

Biocompatible fluids for peritoneal dialysis (PD) have been introduced to improve dialysis and patient outcome in end-stage renal disease. However, their impact on hydration status (HS), residual renal function (RRF), and dialysis adequacy has been a matter of debate. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of a biocompatible dialysis fluid on the HS of prevalent PD patients.

Methods

The study population consisted of 18 prevalent PD subjects, treated with standard dialysis fluids. At baseline, 9 patients were switched to a biocompatible solution, low in glucose degradation products (GDPs) (Balance; Fresenius Medical Care, Bad Homburg, Germany). Hydration status was assessed through clinical evaluation, laboratory parameters, echocardiography, and bioimpedance spectroscopy over a 24-month observation period.

Results

During the study period, urine volume decreased similarly in both groups. At the end of the evaluation, there were also no differences in clinical (body weight, edema, blood pressure), laboratory (N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, NTproBNP), or echocardiography determinants of HS. However, dialysis ultra-filtration decreased in the low-GDP group and, at the end of the study, equaled 929 ± 404 mL, compared with 1,317 ± 363 mL in the standard-fluid subjects ( p = 0.06). Hydration status assessed by bioimpedance spectroscopy was +3.64 ± 2.08 L in the low-GDP patients and +1.47 ± 1.61 L in the controls ( p = 0.03).

Conclusions

The use of a low-GDP biocompatible dialysis fluid was associated with a tendency to overhydration, probably due to diminished ultrafiltration in prevalent PD patients.
Association of Body Mass Index with Mortality in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Ahmadi Seyed-Foad , Zahmatkesh Golara , Streja Elani , Mehrotra Rajnish , Rhee Connie M. , Kovesdy Csaba P. , Gillen Daniel L. , Ahmadi Emad , Fonarow Gregg C. , Kalantar-Zadeh Kamyar
Published: October 2015

Background

Although higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with better outcomes in hemodialysis patients, the relationship in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients is less clear. We aimed to synthesize the results from all large and high-quality studies to examine whether underweight, overweight, or obesity is associated with any significantly different risk of death in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Cochrane CENTRAL, and screened 7,123 retrieved studies for inclusion. Two investigators independently selected the studies using predefined criteria and assessed each study's quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. We meta-analyzed the results of the largest studies with no overlap in their data sources.

Results

We included 9 studies ( n = 156,562) in the systematic review and 4 studies in the meta-analyses. When examined without stratifying studies by follow-up duration, the results of the studies were inconsistent. Hence, we pooled the study results stratified based upon their follow-up durations, as suggested by a large study, and observed that being underweight was associated with higher 1-year mortality but had no significant association with 2- and 3- to 5-year mortalities. In contrast, being overweight or obese was associated with lower 1-year mortality but it had no significant association with 2-, and 3- to 5-year mortalities.

Conclusion

Over the short-term, being underweight was associated with higher mortality and being overweight or obese was associated with lower mortality. The associations of body mass with mortality were not significant over the long-term.
Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress of Neutrophils Is Required for Ischemia/Reperfusion–Induced Acute Lung Injury
Authors: Hu Rong , Chen Zhi-Feng , Yan Jia , Li Qi-Fang , Huang Yan , Xu Hui , Zhang Xiao-Ping , Jiang Hong
Published: October 2015

Diverse clinical factors, including intestinal ischemia, contribute to acute lung injury (ALI), which has up to a 40% mortality rate. During the development of lung injury an immune response is elicited that exacerbates the lung insult. Neutrophils have been well studied in mediating the pulmonary insults through an assortment of mechanisms, such as release of granule contents and production of proinflammatory cytokines due to the overactivation of complement and cytokines. In this study, we found that enhanced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was observed in infiltrated neutrophils in the early stage of an ALI mice model. In neutrophils, complement 5a (C5a) inspires strong ER stress through inositol-requiring kinase 1a and, to a less extent, the protein kinase R–like ER kinase signaling pathway. The granule release induced by C5a was ER stress mediated. Knowkdown of X-box–binding protein 1, a downstream signaling molecule of inositol-requiring kinase 1a, impaired granule release, based on myeloperoxidase production. Further analysis revealed that C5a induced ER stress by binding to C5a receptor in neutrophils. Using xbpf/f MRP8-cre mice in which X-box–binding protein 1 is deficient specifically in neutrophils and ER stress is deprived, we confirmed that ER stress in neutrophils was required for granule release in vivo and led to ALI, whereas dampening ER stress in neutrophils substantially alleviated ALI. Taken together, our results demonstrated that C5a receptor–mediated ER stress induced granule release in neutrophils, contributing to the development of ALI. This novel mechanism suggests a new potential therapeutic target in autophagy regulation for ALI.
A Central Role for HLA-DR3 in Anti-Smith Antibody Responses and Glomerulonephritis in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Spontaneous Lupus
Authors: Chowdhary Vaidehi R. , Dai Chao , Tilahun Ashenafi Y. , Hanson Julie A. , Smart Michele K. , Grande Joseph P. , Rajagopalan Govindarajan , Fu Shu-Man , David Chella S.
Published: October 2015

MHC, especially HLA-DR3 and HLA-DR2, is one of the most important genetic susceptibility regions for systemic lupus erythematosus. Human studies to understand the role of specific HLA alleles in disease pathogenesis have been hampered by the presence of strong linkage disequilibrium in this region. To overcome this, we produced transgenic mice expressing HLA-DR3 (DRβ1*0301) and devoid of endogenous class II (both I-A and I-E genes, AE0) on a lupus-prone NZM2328 background (NZM2328.DR3+AE0). Both NZM2328 and NZM2328.DR3+AE0 mice developed anti-dsDNA and glomerulonephritis, but anti-dsDNA titers were higher in the latter. Although kidney histological scores were similar in NZM2328 and NZM2328.DR3+AE0 mice (7.2 ± 4.3 and 8.6 ± 5.7, respectively, p = 0.48), the onset of severe proteinuria occurred earlier in NZM2328.DR3+AE0 mice compared with NZM2328 mice (median, 5 and 9 mo respectively, p < 0.001). Periarterial lymphoid aggregates, classic wire loop lesions, and occasional crescents were seen only in kidneys from NZM2328.DR3+AE0 mice. Interestingly, NZM2328.DR3+AE0 mice, but not NZM2328 mice, spontaneously developed anti-Smith (Sm) Abs. The anti-Sm Abs were seen in NZM2328.DR3+AE0 mice that were completely devoid of endogenous class II (AE-/-) but not in mice homozygous (AE+/+) or heterozygous (AE+/−) for endogenous MHC class II. It appears that only HLA-DR3 molecules can preferentially select SmD-reactive CD4+ T cells for generation of the spontaneous anti-Sm immune response. Thus, our mouse model unravels a critical role for HLA-DR3 in generating an autoimmune response to SmD and lupus nephritis in the NZM2328 background.
Cohabitation in the Intestine: Interactions among Helminth Parasites, Bacterial Microbiota, and Host Immunity
Authors: Reynolds Lisa A. , Finlay B. Brett , Maizels Rick M.
Published: October 2015

Both intestinal helminth parasites and certain bacterial microbiota species have been credited with strong immunomodulatory effects. Recent studies reported that the presence of helminth infection alters the composition of the bacterial intestinal microbiota and, conversely, that the presence and composition of the bacterial microbiota affect helminth colonization and persistence within mammalian hosts. This article reviews recent findings on these reciprocal relationships, in both human populations and mouse models, at the level of potential mechanistic pathways and the implications these bear for immunomodulatory effects on allergic and autoimmune disorders. Understanding the multidirectional complex interactions among intestinal microbes, helminth parasites, and the host immune system allows for a more holistic approach when using probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, antibiotics, and anthelmintics, as well as when designing treatments for autoimmune and allergic conditions.
Canagliflozin Treatment in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Triplitt Curtis , Cornell Susan
Published: October 2015

Current guidelines for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) indicate a patient-centered approach that should go beyond glycemic control. Of the many antihyperglycemic agents available for treatment of T2DM, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors offer the advantages of reduced glycated hemoglobin (A1C), body weight (BW), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) and are associated with a low risk of hypoglycemia when used either as monotherapy or with other agents not typically associated with increased risk of hypoglycemia. Collaborative, multidisciplinary teams are best suited to provide care to patients with diabetes, and clinical pharmacists can enhance the care provided by these teams. This review aims to provide insight into the mode of action, pharmacology, potential drug–drug interactions, clinical benefits, and safety considerations associated with use of the SGLT2 inhibitor canagliflozin in patients with T2DM and to provide information to enhance clinical pharmacists' understanding of canagliflozin.
Drosophila Neuronal Injury Follows a Temporal Sequence of Cellular Events Leading to Degeneration at the Neuromuscular Junction
Authors: Lincoln Barron L. , Alabsi Sahar H. , Frendo Nicholas , Freund Robert , Keller Lani C.
Published: October 2015

Neurodegenerative diseases affect millions of people worldwide, and as the global population ages, there is a critical need to improve our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive neurodegeneration. At the molecular level, neurodegeneration involves the activation of complex signaling pathways that drive the active destruction of neurons and their intracellular components. Here, we use an in vivo motor neuron injury assay to acutely induce neurodegeneration in order to follow the temporal order of events that occur following injury in Drosophila melanogaster. We find that sites of injury can be rapidly identified based on structural defects to the neuronal cytoskeleton that result in disrupted axonal transport. Additionally, the neuromuscular junction accumulates ubiquitinated proteins prior to the neurodegenerative events, occurring at 24 hours post injury. Our data provide insights into the early molecular events that occur during axonal and neuromuscular degeneration in a genetically tractable model organism. Importantly, the mechanisms that mediate neurodegeneration in flies are conserved in humans. Thus, these studies have implications for our understanding of the cellular and molecular events that occur in humans and will facilitate the identification of biomedically relevant targets for future treatments.
Fair Taxation in the Middle East and North Africa
Authors: Mansour Mario , Mitra Pritha , Sdralevich Carlo , Jewell Andrew
Published: October 2015

Fairness – and what governments can do about it – is at the forefront of economic and social debate all over the world. In MENA, this has been at the core of recent political transitions but has not been adequately addressed. This SDN explores how tax systems – a critical interface between the state and citizens – can play a role in meeting demands for greater economic fairness in MENA countries. The SDN finds that for countries with well-established non-hydrocarbon tax systems (mostly oil importers) reforms should focus on simplifying tax structures and introducing more progressivity of personal income taxes, broadening tax bases, and better designing and enforcing property taxes. Tax administration should be more efficient and user-friendly while simplifying tax regimes will reduce the scope for arbitrary implementation. MENA countries with less established non-hydrocarbon revenue systems can begin with a “starter pack” that includes introduction of low-rate value-added and corporate income taxes, excises, and property taxes while building up administrative capacity and taxation expertise together with plans for introducing a personal income tax. Across the region, effective communication, transparency, and constructive dialogue between the State and citizens are critical to the success of reforms.
التعدد في الإسلام، أو الوعي بالآخرية
Authors: Geoffroy Eric
Published: October 2015

يتطرق الكاتب في هذه الدراسة للبحث في مبدأ التعددية من منطلق الدين الإسلامي. ويناقش الكاتب من مبدأ منطقي للتعدد في الإسلام، حيث أن "الله...هو الواحد الأحد. فإن كل ما عداه تعالى، أي خلقه، يحسب على التعدد". ويبدأ الكاتب بطرح المفاهيم الإلهية في الإسلام والتي تتمركز حول الوحدة الإلهية، مما يعني أن المسلم عليه أن "[يعترف] بحقيقة كل الأديان التى أوحى بها الله قبل الإسلام". ويقوم الكاتب بمناقشة هذا المفهوم من خلال الآيات القرآنية، وبالرغم من الأدلة التي تبرهن ذلك المنطق إلا أن الكاتب يناقش أيضاً وجهات النظر والأدلة التي تستخدم لتبرهن عكس ذلك. ويستنتج الكاتب أنه من خلال تلك القراءة التي تميز "بين نسيج العمق العقائدي والتقلبات التاريخية" من أجل الحد من سوء التفاهم وعدم إحترام الأديان الآخرى.
Marriage and Family values: a Case Study of Jiezhu (a religious menopausal ritual) performed in China
Authors: Tak-ching Cheung Neky
Published: October 2015

In traditional China, a woman’s role is defined by her attachment/ submission to three men – her father, her husband and her son – through her three stages of life. Jiezhu is an initiatory ritual for menopausal women. It espouses patriarchal family values with the husband as the transmitter of the Buddhist prayer beads and the male offspring as the lineage carrier. A woman is supposed to be “happy” if she has a husband and male heir. Jiezhu enacts and reinforces marriage as the “ideal” life for a woman with all the ritual symbols in its scriptures, texts, songs and accessories.
Need for Cognition and False Memory: Can One’s Natural Processing Style Be Manipulated by External Factors?
Authors: Wootan Samantha S. , Leding Juliana K.
Published: October 2015

The purpose of this experiment was to provide an enhanced understanding of need for cognition (NFC) and its influence on one’s memory accuracy. People who are high in NFC tend to put more cognitive effort into their mental processes than their low-NFC counterparts. To determine whether one’s natural processing tendencies, as determined by NFC, can be influenced by external factors, manipulations to levels of processing were added. Participants viewed word lists from the Deese–Roediger–McDermott (DRM) paradigm and were instructed to process half of the DRM lists deeply and the other half shallowly. After all the lists were presented, participants completed 3 successive recall tests. The deep processing condition produced higher rates of false memories for both NFC groups than the shallow processing condition. In addition, the high-NFC group produced higher rates of target recall in both the deep and shallow conditions than the low-NFC group. However, the high-NFC group also produced higher rates of false recall for the shallowly processed lists. These data indicate that high-NFC people exhibit enhanced target recall for word lists, which may come at the expense of overall accuracy due to the increase of false recall.
Do Psychological Sex Differences Reflect Evolutionary Bisexual Partitioning?
Authors: Trofimova Irina
Published: October 2015

This article analyzes sex differences in communicative and exploratory abilities and mental disabilities from the rarely discussed perspective of sex differences in the shape of phenotypic distributions. The article reviews the most consistent findings related to such differences and compares them with the evolutionary theory of sex (ETS). The ETS considers sexual dimorphism as a functional specialization of a species into 2 partitions: variational and conservational. The analysis suggests that male superiority in risk and sensation seeking and physical abilities; higher rates of psychopathy, dyslexia, and autism; and higher birth and accidental death rates reflects the systemic variational function of the male sex. Female superiority in verbal abilities, lawfulness, socialization, empathy, and agreeableness is presented as a reflection of the systemic conservational function of the female sex. From this perspective psychological sex differences in communicative and exploratory abilities might not just be an accidental result of sexual selection or labor distribution in early humans. It might reflect a global functional differentiation tendency within a species to expand its phenotypic diversity and at the same time to conserve beneficial features in the species’ behavior. The article also offers an addition to the ETS by suggesting that the male sex (variable partition) plays an evolutionary role in pruning of the redundant excesses in a species’ bank of beneficial characteristics despite resistance from the conservational partition.
Variations of Language Learning Strategy Use among Three Colleges at a Private Four-year Technology University in Taiwan
Authors: Yeh Huei-Chen
Published: October 2015

This study aims to examine the college students in Taiwan for the attributes of how their English test scores are being affected by language learning strategy use. The university is recognized as a second-tier technology university in Taiwan, as the students are considered to have low levels of English proficiency and learning motivation. A group of 156 students from three colleges (Engineering, Business and Management, and Humanity and Social Science) participated in the study. The result found that the students from Humanity and Social Science have the highest mean scores on their English tests and the highest level language learning strategies among the three colleges at the university. Cognitive strategy is found to be the only statistically significant difference among the study students from three colleges; the other five strategies are not found to be statisically significant. Compensation strategy is found to be most frequently used by all of the students. Cognitive and metacognitive strategies are found to be the least used among the study group.
In vitro health beneficial activities of Pumpkin seeds from Cucurbita moschata cultivated in Lemnos
Authors: Sakka Danai , KARANTONIS HARALABOS
Published: October 2015

Pumpkin seeds are commonly consumed in Greece. Although Cucurbita moschata is locally grown in Lemnos and is traditionally used in pumpkin pies, the seeds are currently discarded after consumption of the fruit flesh. The aim of the present study was to investigate the nutritional functionality of pumpkin seeds from Cucurbita moschata grown in Lemnos. Cucurbita moschatas’ seeds, raw or roasted, were appropriately extracted and the results are presented for raw versus (vs) roasted seed extracts. The phenolic content was expressed as µg gallic acid/g of seeds according to Folin-Ciocalteau assay (370.3 ± 19.1 vs 551.0 ± 22.0). Antioxidant capacity was expressed as equivalent amount for 50% scavenging in mg of seeds for DPPH (50.03 ± 5.91 vs 25.82 ± 6.77) and ABTS (17.85 ± 0.77 vs 12.77 ± 0.76) assays, and as µmol of trolox/g of seeds for FRAP (1.19 ± 0.05 vs 2.50 ± 0.23) and CUPRAC (2.13 ±0.11 vs 3.25 ± 0.06) assays. Antiinflammatory/antithrombotic and anti-diabetic activities were expressed as mg of seeds for 50% inhibition of platelet activating factor (0.62 vs 0.15) and as µg of seeds for 25% inhibition of alpha-glycosidase (40.0 vs 61.0) activities respectively. Moreover, anti-atherogenic activity was expressed as the % increase in lag time of human plasma oxidation (62.7 versus 163.2) Raw and roasted pumpkin seed extracts exert anti-oxidant, anti-thrombotic/anti-inflammatory, antiatherogenic and antidiabetic activities. Cucurbita moschata seeds may represent a novel opportunity for development of functional foods, with a local interest in Lemnos that would contribute also to the regional public health improvement. 
Food innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education: a case study
Authors: C. Fonseca Susana , Pinheiro Rita , Barbosa Carla , Araujo Alberta , Vaz-Velho Manuela , Alves Rui
Published: October 2015

Food innovation and entrepreneurship are important topics in graduate food studies. Students should be challenged to promote an innovative attitude towards their future career in the food industry sector, as professionals working in a small and medium-sized enterprise, or in a large multinational company, or even as entrepreneurs with their own working projects. The present case study shows a curricular unit of a master course that intends to integrate the knowledge on new and sustainable technologies and products, based on seminars of experts on hot topics, on visits to food industry enterprises and market expositions and on the development of a state-of-the-art report about an emergent or novel food technology or product with oral presentation. Hot topic seminars included edible coatings, bioprocessing, allying tradition and innovation in food products, new convenience foods, challenging tests, and new clean and sustainable processes. Entrepreneur alumni lectures were also promoted allowing exchange of experiences. Visits included a high pressure technology unit of a food industry, an innovation and development department of a food industry, an entrepreneurship centre and a food exhibition. A satisfaction survey was made, through the response of a questionnaire by the students, proving the effectiveness and success of this unit course framework. A SWOT analysis was carried out to gain a better understanding of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats involved in the curricular unit objectives.
Simple and double microencapsulation of Lactobacillus acidophilus with chitosan using spray drying
Authors: A. Flores-Belmont Isela , Palou Enrique , Lopez-Malo Aurelio , Jiménez-Munguía María Teresa , Lopez-Malo Aurelio
Published: October 2015

The aim of this study was to evaluate the survival of Lactobacillus acidophilus that had been simple or double spray dried using chitosan to cause microencapsulation and which had been exposed to model gastrointestinal conditions. In addition, the study also determined the physicochemical properties of the powder containing the microencapsulated probiotic. Chitosan-inulin or chitosan-maltodextrin (1:15 or 1:25) solutions were inoculated with 1012 CFU mL−1 of L. acidophilus, for simple microencapsulation. The different solutions were dried using a spray dryer with an inlet air temperature of 130 ◦C and a solution flux of 4.8 g min−1 . A two-step process was used for the double microencapsulation. In the first step, the probiotic was added to a gelatin-maltodextrin (1:25) solution and then spray dried; for the second step, the microencapsulated probiotic was added to a chitosan-inulin or chitosan-maltodextrin (1:25) solution and then it was spray dried again. With the simple microencapsulated probiotic, a microbial reduction of 7 log cycles was obtained. With the double microencapsulated probiotic only 3 log reductions were achieved. The double microencapsulated probiotic thus demonstrated greater resistance to simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The powders produced were shown to have water activity values of 0.176 - 0.261 at 25 ◦C and moisture content of 0.8 – 1.0%, which are characteristic of spray dried products. The bulk density was significantly (p < 0.05) lower (300 kg m−3 ) for simple than for double (400 kg m−3 ) microencapsulated probiotic powders. Solubility and dispersibility of the powder microcapsules were better at lower pH values. Double microencapsulation using a process of spray drying is therefore recommended for probiotics, thus exploiting chitosan’s insolubility in water, which can be applied for the of development food products. 
Cognitive Trajectories in Older Adults Diagnosed With Hematologic Malignant Neoplasms
Authors: Huang Li-Wen , Shi Ying , Boscardin W. John , Steinman Michael A.
Published: August 2024

Importance

More people are surviving long-term after diagnosis with hematologic malignant neoplasm (HMN), yet there are limited data on cancer-related cognitive impairment in people with HMN. Better understanding cognitive outcomes after HMN in older adults is important for patient counseling and management.

Objective

To model cognitive trajectories and rates of cognitive decline before and after HMN diagnosis in older adults compared with a matched noncancer cohort.

Design, Setting, and Participants

In this population-based cohort study, older adults from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) diagnosed with HMN between 1998 and 2016 after age 65 years were matched 1:3 to participants without cancer from the same HRS wave using propensity scores incorporating variables relevant to cognition. Cognitive trajectories were modeled with piecewise linear splines, and rates of cognitive decline before, during, and after diagnosis were compared in the 2 groups. Data were analyzed from April 2022 to April 2024.

Exposures

HMN diagnosis by Medicare diagnosis codes.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Cognitive function was assessed by the Langa-Weir cognitive summary score from 1992 to 2020. Sociodemographic and health-related variables relevant to cognition were incorporated into propensity scores.

Results

At baseline, there were 668 participants in the HMN cohort (mean [SD] age, 76.8 [7.6] years; 343 [51.3%] male; 72 [10.8%] Black, 33 [4.9%] Hispanic, and 585 [87.6%] White) and 1994 participants in the control cohort (mean [SD] age, 76.5 [7.3] years; 1020 [51.2%] male; 226 [11.3%] Black, 91 [4.6%] Hispanic, and 1726 [86.6%] White). The HMN cohort consisted predominantly of more indolent diagnoses, and only 96 patients (14.4%) received chemotherapy. Before and in the 2 years around the time of diagnosis, the HMN and control cohorts had similar rates of cognitive decline. At 1 year postdiagnosis and beyond, the rate of cognitive decline was slower in the HMN cohort (−0.18; 95% CI, −0.23 to –0.14) than in the control group (−0.24; 95% CI, −0.26 to –0.23) (P = .02), but this difference was no longer significant after accounting for the competing risk of death (HMN group, −0.27; 95% CI, −0.34 to –0.19; control group, −0.30; 95% CI, −0.33 to –0.27; P = .48).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study of older adults, the HMN and matched noncancer control cohorts had similar rates of cognitive decline before, during, and after diagnosis after accounting for the competing risk of death.
Hydroxychloroquine and Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Grimaldi Lamiae , Duchemin Tom , Hamon Yann , Buchard Albert , Benichou Jacques , Abenhaim Lucien , Costedoat-Chalumeau Nathalie , Moride Yola
Published: August 2024

Importance

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) predisposes individuals to early cardiovascular (CV) events. While hydroxychloroquine is thought to mitigate CV risk factors, its protective role against CV events, particularly arterial ones, remains to be confirmed.

Objective

To evaluate the association between hydroxychloroquine and the risk of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and other thromboembolic events (OTEs) in patients with SLE.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study using a nested case-control design was conducted within the National French Healthcare Database (SNDS), which represents 99% of the French population, from 2010 to 2020. Participants were the cohort of all patients with SLE recorded in the SNDS. Patients with SLE experiencing CV events during the study period were the case group; those without CV events were controls. The analysis period was from February 2022 to September 2023.

Exposures

Hydroxychloroquine use within 365 days prior to the index date, defined as current (within 90 days), remote (91-365 days), or no exposure within the previous 365 days.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Outcomes of interest were MI, stroke, and OTE, analyzed individually and as a composite outcome (primary analysis). Controls were matched to patients with CV events by age, sex, time since SLE onset and entry into the SNDS database, index date, prior antithrombotic and CV medication, chronic kidney disease, and hospitalization. Multivariable conditional logistic regression was performed using hydroxychloroquine exposure as the main independent variable.

Results

The SLE cohort included 52 883 patients (mean [SD] age, 44.23 [16.09] years; 45 255 [86.6%] female; mean [SD] follow-up, 9.01 [2.51] years), including 1981 patients with eligible CV events and 16 892 matched control patients. There were 669 MI events, 916 stroke events, and 696 OTEs in the individual outcome studies. For current exposure to hydroxychloroquine, the adjusted odds were lower for composite CV events (odds ratio [OR], 0.63; 95% CI, 0.57-0.69) as well as for MI (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.60-0.85), stroke (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.60-0.81), and OTEs (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.49-0.69) individually compared with no hydroxychloroquine exposure within 365 days.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this nationwide cohort study of patients with SLE, a protective association was found between the current use of hydroxychloroquine and the occurrence of CV events, but not between remote use of hydroxychloroquine and CV outcomes, highlighting the value of continuous hydroxychloroquine treatment in patients with SLE.
Emerging Active Materials for Solar Cells: Progress and Prospects
Authors: Tran Vy Anh , Le Van Thuan , Phan Thi Thu Trinh , Trinh Minh Tuan
Published: August 2024

Solar energy has become increasingly important in today's world as a clean and abundant energy source. Its significance spans across environmental, economic, and technological dimensions, making it a cornerstone for the future of energy production. However, widespread adoption of solar energy is hindered by the high costs associated with large‐scale implementation. To facilitate a broad transition to renewable energy, it is essential to actively explore various emerging materials for highly efficient and cost‐effective solar cells. With the recent advances in materials science, numerous emerging materials show high potential for these purposes. For example, rapid progress in perovskite research highlights its potential for making low‐cost and highly efficient solar cells. This review presents a comprehensive overview of emerging active materials for solar cells, covering fundamental concepts, progress, and recent advancements. The key breakthroughs, challenges, and prospects will be highlighted with a focus on solar cells based on organic materials, perovskite materials, and colloidal quantum dots. By delving into the progress and obstacles associated with these materials, this review offers valuable insights into the development of solar cell technology. As it is continued to unlock the potential of solar energy, this abundant and environmentally friendly energy source becomes increasingly viable.
Recursive set‐membership filtering for two‐dimensional shift‐varying systems with FlexRay protocol and hybrid cyber attacks
Authors: Zhang Pan , Zhu Chaoqun , Wang Zhiwen , Yang Bin
Published: August 2024

The problem of recursive set‐membership filter design for two‐dimensional (2‐D) systems subject to FlexRay communication protocol and hybrid cyber attacks (HCAs) is investigated in this article. The FlexRay protocol that integrates time‐triggered and event‐triggered mechanisms and involves a series of pre‐defined communication cycles based on bidirectional metrics is developed to alleviate the network bandwidth load. Furthermore, the envisioned system is exposed to false data injection and denial‐of‐service attacks that occur in a randomized manner. Subsequently, the dynamic filtering error system (FES) subject to bidirectional evolutionary HCAs and FlexRay scheduling protocol is constructed. Then, sufficient conditions are obtained such that the dynamic FES consistently resides within an ellipsoidal set by utilizing double mathematical induction and recursive linear matrix inequalities (RLMIs). Moreover, the optimal filtering algorithm is given by minimizing the ellipsoidal constraints from the perspective of the traces of the matrix. The effectiveness of the presented recursive set‐membership filter design approach is validated by a long‐distance transmission line example.
Boosting the Oxygen Evolution Reaction Performance of Ni‐Fe‐Electrodes by Tailored Conditioning
Authors: Gohlke Clara , Gallenberger Julia , Niederprüm Nico , Ingendae Hannah , Kautz Johann , Hofmann Jan P. , Mechler Anna K.
Published: August 2024

To meet the rising demand for green hydrogen, efficient alkaline water electrolysis demands highly active and low‐cost electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). We address this issue by focusing our work on optimizing the conditioning of promising Ni‐(Fe)‐based electrodes to improve their electrocatalytic performances. Systematic parameter variation for cyclic voltammetry conditioning revealed that a large potential window, low scan rate, and a high number of cycles result in improved activation. If the conditioning time is fixed, a high scan rate was found beneficial. A remarkable 47±6 mV potential drop at 10 mA cm−2 was achieved for Ni70Fe30 when conditioning between −0.35–1.6 V at 100 mV s−1 for just 30 min. We could demonstrate that this activation persisted over 100 h at 100 mA cm−2, underscoring its enduring efficacy. We suggest that this activation effect results from the growth of a hydrous hydroxide layer, which is supported by energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Fe incorporation or dissolution played only a minor role in the differences in electrode activation, as demonstrated by variation of the Fe content in the electrolyte. Our work stresses the importance of conditioning in enhancing OER performance and explores how to improve the catalysts′ effectiveness by tailoring oxides.
International mergers and acquisitions and institutional differences: An integrated approach
Authors: Cieślik Andrzej , Tarsalewska Monika
Published: August 2024

In this paper we study the role of institutional differences in bilateral mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in an integrated framework. We contribute to the literature on the drivers of international M&As by integrating the gravity, knowledge‐capital (KK) and political economy theory (PET) approaches and explain cross‐border M&As using an international and comprehensive dataset. We estimate the model using Poisson Pseudo Maximum Likelihood (PPML) method with high dimension fixed effects. The main findings are that the variables that affect cross‐border M&As can be derived from three different approaches explaining activity of multinational enterprises (MNEs): the gravity equation, the KK model, and the PET frameworks. In particular, variables related to geographical proximity, size and similarity of markets and differences in regulatory quality are important in explaining M&A activity.
Islamic mutual funds: Seasonal patterns and determinants of performance across regions
Authors: Labidi Chiraz , Arreola Hernandez Jose , Uddin Gazi Salah , Ahmed Ali , Yahya Muhammad , Yoon Seong‐Min
Published: August 2024

Our study aims to investigate the seasonal patterns of returns and evaluate the effects that various factors have on the performance in a large data set (125 funds) of Islamic mutual funds from four regions: Asia‐Pacific, North America, Europe, and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). We employed indicators for consumer sentiment, economic policy uncertainty, implied stock market volatility, the trade‐weighted US dollar, the Carhart (1997) risk factors, and idiosyncratic risk. Our findings indicate that the seasonal patterns and determinants of Islamic mutual funds' financial performance tend to differ significantly across the regions. This may be explained by the different cultural/religious settings, the different backgrounds of the market participants as well as differences in the holiday seasons and end of fiscal year/taxation across regions/countries. Global fund managers and investors may benefit from the obtained results when constructing portfolios and designing hedging strategies.
B10 cells regulate macrophage polarization to alleviate inflammation and bone loss in periodontitis
Authors: Cao Guoqin , Xu Qiuping , Huang Shengyuan , Dai Dong , Wang Jilei , Li Wei , Zhao Yue , Lin Jiang , Han Xiaozhe
Published: August 2024

Background

The polarization of macrophages into an anti‐inflammatory phenotype is crucial for resolving periodontal inflammation. It has been reported that B10 cells can regulate the immune response of macrophages during inflammation and are also able to regulate inflammation in periodontitis. However, whether B10 cells’ regulation function in periodontitis is related to macrophage polarization remains unclear. This study aims to investigate whether B10 cells can regulate macrophage polarization in periodontitis.

Methods

Macrophages were cocultured with B10 cells in vitro for 5 days. After coculture, macrophages were obtained for analysis directly or followed by stimulation with Pg‐LPS/IFN‐γ or IL‐4/IL‐13. Flow cytometry and/or reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) were employed to detect the expression of IL‐1β, iNOS, TNF‐α, CD206, and ARG‐1 in macrophages. B10 cells were transferred on the 5th day after ligation in wild or macrophage‐depletion mice. Toluidine blue and TRAP staining were used to evaluate alveolar bone resorption and osteoclast activation. Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect the expression of CD68, IL‐1β, TNF‐α, iNOS, ARG‐1, and IL‐10. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression of CD68+CD86+M1 macrophages and CD68+CD206+M2 macrophages.

Results

In vitro, B10 cells inhibit the expression of IL‐1β, iNOS, and TNF‐α in macrophages while increasing the expression of CD206 and ARG‐1. In experimental periodontitis, B10 cells inhibit the polarization of CD68+CD86+M1 macrophages and iNOS expression but enhance the polarization of CD68+CD206+M2 macrophages and ARG‐1 expression. Importantly, the depletion of macrophages partially weakened the regulation function of B10 cells in periodontitis.

Conclusions

B10 cells promote M2 macrophage polarization, inhibit M1 macrophage polarization in periodontitis, and alleviate periodontitis partially by regulating macrophage polarization.
Nachruf: Dieter Ziessow (1940 – 2024)
Authors: Blümich Bernhard , Fels Gregor , Gasteiger Johann , Kast Stefan , Sielaff Marco , Steinbeck Christoph , Wille Eva E.
Published: August 2024

Dieter Ziessows Leitmotiv war die Kombination von Chemie/ Spektroskopie, Computer und Lehre.
Reliability of reconstructed population survivorship from transition analysis age estimation
Authors: Simon Allyson M. , Hubbe Mark
Published: August 2024

Skeletal age markers are often used to estimate age‐at‐death to reconstruct population survivorship in the past, which is essential to draw conclusions about population health, fertility, and mortality. Transition Analysis age estimation was developed to address common issues facing traditional age estimation methods such as age mimicry and broad ranges for middle and older aged adults. However, some studies have shown Transition Analysis' limitations in overcoming these challenges, with regards to the method's accuracy and bias when applied at the individual‐level. It was previously found that the method performed poorly in a sample from the Hamann‐Todd Osteological Collection due to a series of factors. This study re‐examines the application of Transition Analysis (ADBOU) age estimation in a sample from the Hamann‐Todd Collection for reconstructing the survivorship profile of this skeletal sample. Although Transition Analysis is argued to be better suited for reconstructing trends in population mortality compared to traditional age estimation methods, results of Kaplan–Meier and log rank tests show that Transition Analysis produced significantly different survival curves compared to the known survival curves for White males (χ2 = 6.828, p = 0.009) and females (χ2 = 11.270, p = 0.001), but not for Black males (χ2 = 1.363, p = 0.243) and females (χ2 = 0.071, p = 0.790). Age‐at‐death distributions between the estimated maximum likelihoods and known ages also differed significantly (t = 4.249, p < 0.001). Therefore, caution should be employed when drawing conclusions from trends in survivorship based on skeletal age estimates, even when using more recently developed methods such as Transition Analysis, as the informative priors in ADBOU may not be accurate for all populations.
Site Suitability Analysis of a Municipal Solid Waste Management System in Ranchi City Using AHP: A Multi‐Criteria Decision Approach
Authors: Dwivedi Chandra Shekhar , Kumari Sweta , Pandey Arvind Chandra , Parida Bikash Ranjan , Sikka Gaurav
Published: August 2024

In this modern age of industrialization, waste from houses and factories has a major impact on the environment, and its management has become one of the most difficult tasks for the whole world. This study attempts to locate suitable sites for disposing of solid waste using geospatial techniques in Ranchi, Jharkhand. Moreover, as Ranchi is a part of the smart city project, it is important to find new sites for dumping to control the environmental issue that arises due to the increasing pressure of population growth and the rate of human migration. Site selection of solid waste dumping considers several parameters, such as land use, land cover, road, geomorphology, soil, slope, water bodies, forest, and built‐up. The present study has taken a multicriteria decision approach and used the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to delineate the suitable landfill site for the medium‐sized city of Ranchi. The study adopts the overlay analysis operation for several factors and geospatial techniques to perform site suitability analysis. The result shows four classes of suitable dumping sites, where low or restricted area covers 1145.52 km2 (63.92%), moderately restricted covers 477.74 km2 (26.65%), whereas about 140 km2 (7.81%) of the area can be constructed but with restrictions, and 28.79 km2 (1.60%) of the area is highly recommended for dumping site construction. The site suitability map and the identified four new dumping sites are highly useful to the municipality corporation and decision‐makers to alleviate environmental pollution and human health problems.
Patient Facing Applications
Authors: Sargsyan Karine , Muradyan Armen
Published: August 2024

In a changing digital healthcare environment, Patient-facing Applications (PFAs) are becoming increasingly important to bridge the gap in healthcare access in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). These digital tools not only allow patients to stay on top of their health information but also enable healthcare professionals to provide patient-centric care regardless of geographic location. PFAs cover a wide range of applications, including telemedicine applications, health information portals, appointment scheduling systems, medication reminders, disease-specific education platforms, and mHealth (mHealth) applications. Much research indicates that PFAs can significantly transform the usability, affordability, availability, and in some cases, even quality of health services in LMICs.
Digital Healthcare: Population-Level Applications
Authors: Cheong Io Hong , Huang Ju-Fang , Lei Si Man , Wang Hui
Published: August 2024

Digital technologies are now an essential part of daily life, and they have provided many solutions that were not possible before. According to the United Nations, the world population is now three times greater than in the mid-twentieth century. Equally public health demands have increased with different concerns and priorities at different points in time, for example, the use of vaccines to control major life-threatening diseases such smallpox and polio to molecular diagnostics for targeted therapies in cancers. Despite these advances, enabling access to these services remains very challenging. The emergence of digital technologies has made these services more accessible than before but has also introduced new complications to the system such as increasing demands on the operations of the system. In this chapter, we will discuss the latest developments in digital healthcare applications to ease population-wide public health challenges.