bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
5-Flucytosine Longitudinal Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Cryptococcus neoformans: A Substudy of the EnACT Trial Testing Oral Amphotericin
Authors: McHale Thomas C , Akampurira Andrew , Gerlach Elliot S , Mucunguzi Atukunda , Nicol Melanie R , Williams Darlisha A , Nielsen Kirsten , Bicanic Tihana , Fieberg Ann , Dai Biyue , Meya David B , Boulware David R ,   ENACT Trial Team, Kagimu Enock , Musubire Abdu K , Tugume Lillian , Ssebambulidde Kenneth , Kasibante John , Nsangi Laura , Mugabi Timothy , Gakuru Jane , Kimuda Sarah , Kasozi Derrick , Namombwe Suzan , Turyasingura Isaac , Rutakingirwa Morris K , Mpoza Edward , Kigozi Enos , Muzoora Conrad , Ellis Jayne , Skipper Caleb P , Williams Darlisha A , Hullsiek Kathy H , Abassi Mahsa , Tukundane Asmus , Ndyetukira Jane F , Ahimbisibwe Cynthia , Sadiq Alisat , Kugonza Florence , Nabbale Shifa , Kiiza Tadeo , Namudde Alice , Luggya Tony , Kwizera Richard , Okiror Michael , Babirye Dora , Nanteza Catherine , Mulwana Susan , Muyise Rhona , Kisembo John , Luswata Andrew , Namujju Carol , Laker Eva , Walukaga Stewart , Liu Minda , Engen Nicole , Wele Abduljewad , Rwomushana Irene , Kabahubya Mable , Ssemusu Michael , Mwesigye James , Rukundo Joan , Jjunju Samuel
Published: November 2023

Background

The EnACT trial was a phase 2 randomized clinical trial conducted in Uganda, which evaluated a novel orally delivered lipid nanocrystal (LNC) amphotericin B in combination with flucytosine for the treatment of cryptococcal meningitis. When flucytosine (5FC) is used as monotherapy in cryptococcosis, 5FC can induce resistant Cryptococcus mutants. Oral amphotericin B uses a novel drug delivery mechanism, and we assessed whether resistance to 5FC develops during oral LNC–amphotericin B therapy.

Methods

We enrolled Ugandans with HIV diagnosed with cryptococcal meningitis and who were randomized to receive 5FC and either standard intravenous (IV) amphotericin B or oral LNC–amphotericin B. We used broth microdilution to measure the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the first and last cryptococcal isolates in each participant. Breakpoints are inferred from 5FC in Candida albicans. We measured cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) 5FC concentrations by liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry.

Results

Cryptococcus 5FC MIC50 was 4 µg/mL, and MIC90 was 8 µg/mL. After 2 weeks of therapy, there was no evidence of 5FC resistance developing, defined as a >4-fold change in susceptibility in any Cryptococcus isolate tested. The median CSF 5FC concentration to MIC ratio (interquartile range) was 3.0 (1.7–5.5) µg/mL. There was no association between 5FC/MIC ratio and early fungicidal activity of the quantitative rate of CSF yeast clearance (R2 = 0.004; P = .63).

Conclusions

There is no evidence of baseline resistance to 5FC or incident resistance during combination therapy with oral or IV amphotericin B in Uganda. Oral amphotericin B can safely be used in combination with 5FC.
Aggressive systemic mastocytosis with multiple organ involvement: a case report
Authors: Iranijam Effat , Salimi Maryam , Negaresh Mohammad , Javanshir Nima
Published: November 2023

Systemic mastocytosis is a rare malignancy whose main diagnostic finding is the abnormal proliferation of clonal mast cells. In this report, a 63-year-old woman is presented who was referred to the emergency department with lower back pain. Due to the hypereosinophilia in blood tests, a bone marrow biopsy was performed, and except for the presence of a large number of mastocytes, no other pathologic findings were seen. Furthermore, the immunohistochemistry test showed positive CD117 and CD25 markers, and the patient’s platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha test was positive. Hence, the patient was diagnosed with aggressive systemic mastocytosis. Treatment was initiated with the Cladribine regimen, but unfortunately, in the third course, the patient experienced bradycardia and loss of consciousness and expired. Systemic mastocytosis can manifest itself with non-cutaneous symptoms. Non-cutaneous symptoms do not rule out systemic mastocytosis as a differential diagnosis in patients with hypereosinophilia.
When do default nudges work?
Authors: Bonander Carl , Ekman Mats , Jakobsson Niklas
Published: November 2023

Nudging is a burgeoning topic in science and in policy, but evidence on the effectiveness of nudges among differentially incentivized groups is lacking. This paper exploits regional variations in the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine in Sweden to examine the effect of a nudge on groups whose intrinsic incentives are different: 16- to 17-year-olds, for whom Covid-19 is not dangerous, and 50- to 59-year-olds, who face a substantial risk of death or severe disease. We find a significantly stronger response in the younger group compared with the older (11.7 vs 3.6 percentage point increase in our study period), consistent with the theory that nudges are more effective for choices that are not meaningful to the individual.
Estrogen-dependent expression and function of secretogranin 2a in female-specific peptidergic neurons
Authors: Fleming Thomas , Tachizawa Masaya , Nishiike Yuji , Koiwa Ai , Homan Yuki , Okubo Kataaki
Published: November 2023

Secretogranin 2 (Scg2) is a member of the secretogranin/chromogranin family of proteins that is involved in neuropeptide and hormone packaging to secretory granules and serves as a precursor for several secreted pleiotropic peptides. A recent study in zebrafish showed that the teleost Scg2 orthologs, scg2a and scg2b, play an important role in mating behavior, but its modes of action and regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we identify scg2a in another teleost species, medaka, by transcriptomic analysis as a gene that is expressed in an ovarian secretion-dependent manner in a group of neurons relevant to female sexual receptivity, termed FeSP neurons. Investigation of scg2a expression in the FeSP neurons of estrogen receptor (Esr)-deficient medaka revealed that it is dependent on estrogen signaling through Esr2b, the major determinant of female-typical mating behavior. Generation and characterization of scg2a-deficient medaka showed no overt changes in secretory granule packaging in FeSP neurons. This, along with the observation that Scg2a and neuropeptide B, a major neuropeptide produced by FeSP neurons, colocalize in a majority of secretory granules, suggests that Scg2a mainly serves as a precursor for secreted peptides that act in conjunction with neuropeptide B. Further, scg2a showed sexually biased expression in several brain nuclei implicated in mating behavior. However, we found no significant impact of scg2a deficiency on the performance of mating behavior in either sex. Collectively, our results indicate that, although perhaps not essential for mating behavior, scg2a acts in an estrogen/Esr2b signaling-dependent manner in neurons that are relevant to female sexual receptivity.
Analysing the role of police officer strength in the crime drop in England
Authors: Tura Ferhat , Hunter James , Thompson Rebecca , Tseloni Andromachi
Published: November 2023

According to evidence from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), there have been significant falls in crime levels in England and Wales since the 1990s. Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain these falls. However, there is scarce research on the role of the number of police officers in bringing about the crime drop in the UK. We fitted multilevel models to analyse the role of the number of police officers in the crime drop in England between 1991 and 2001 using a variety of data sources, including police recorded crime data, UK Census data, and police workforce data. We found that the role of police officer strength in the crime drop in England was limited to vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicle, and thefts from person. Given the relatively mixed picture, we recommend that police forces should focus on what newly recruited police officers do and where they are deployed, as opposed to becoming too focussed on the number of officers. More implications of the findings in relation to the recent Police Uplift Programme are discussed.
Learned interferometric imaging for the SPIDER instrument
Authors: Mars Matthijs , Betcke Marta M , McEwen Jason D
Published: November 2023

The Segmented Planar Imaging Detector for Electro-Optical Reconnaissance (SPIDER) is an optical interferometric imaging device that aims to offer an alternative to the large space telescope designs of today with reduced size, weight, and power consumption. This is achieved through interferometric imaging. State-of-the-art methods for reconstructing images from interferometric measurements adopt proximal optimization techniques, which are computationally expensive and require handcrafted priors. In this work, we present two data-driven approaches for reconstructing images from measurements made by the SPIDER instrument. These approaches use deep learning to learn prior information from training data, increasing the reconstruction quality, and significantly reducing the computation time required to recover images by orders of magnitude. Reconstruction time is reduced to ∼10 ms, opening up the possibility of real-time imaging with SPIDER for the first time. Furthermore, we show that these methods can also be applied in domains where training data are scarce, such as astronomical imaging, by leveraging transfer learning from domains where plenty of training data are available.
Status and developmental trends in recombinant collagen preparation technology
Authors: Guo Xiaolei , Ma Yuan , Wang Hang , Yin Hongping , Shi Xinli , Chen Yiqin , Gao Guobiao , Sun Lei , Wang Jiadao , Wang Yunbing , Fan Daidi
Published: November 2023

Recombinant collagen is a pivotal topic in foundational biological research and epitomizes the application of critical bioengineering technologies. These technological advancements have profound implications across diverse areas such as regenerative medicine, organ replacement, tissue engineering, cosmetics and more. Thus, recombinant collagen and its preparation methodologies rooted in genetically engineered cells mark pivotal milestones in medical product research. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the current genetic engineering technologies and methods used in the production of recombinant collagen, as well as the conventional production process and quality control detection methods for this material. Furthermore, the discussion extends to foresee the strides in physical transfection and magnetic control sorting studies, envisioning an enhanced preparation of recombinant collagen-seeded cells to further fuel recombinant collagen production.
Taking aim at innovation-crushing mergers: a killer instinct unleashed?
Authors: Eben Magali , Reader David
Published: November 2023

The European Union (EU) has assigned competition policy an important role as part of an extensive new agenda to stimulate innovation, including by fostering the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The ability of EU merger control to be receptive and responsive to innovation harms has therefore come under scrutiny, with some observers doubting its capacity to address innovation-crushing ‘killer acquisitions’ of innovative SMEs. This article reflects on several recent developments that have shaped the EU’s response to these doubts. Substantively, the more central role afforded to innovation considerations in the European Commission’s recent enforcement practice may well demonstrate its willingness to engage with innovation theories of harm in mainstream merger control going forward, although questions remain about the standards and methodology it can adopt under the EU Merger Regulation (EUMR). Jurisdictionally, the recalibrated approach to the Article 22 EUMR referral mechanism—assisted, in certain circumstances, by the new pre-merger information obligation for digital gatekeepers under Article 14 DMA—is capable of bringing an almost boundless range of cases before the Commission. The Towercast judgment casts the net further still, by confirming the potential for below-threshold mergers to face ex post reviews at the national level under the Article 102 TFEU abuse of dominance prohibition. The effect of these developments is that the Commission and national competition authorities may now be better equipped to unleash a killer instinct when faced with innovation concerns arising from killer acquisitions. However, an unwelcome pendulum swing towards over-enforcement risks untold harm to legal certainty, merger activity, and innovation itself.
Genomic Features of the Host-Specific Fungal Biocontrol Agent Ramularia crupinae Approved for the Management of the Federally Noxious Weed Crupina vulgaris
Authors: Tancos Matthew A. , Fulcher Michael R.
Published: November 2023

Ramularia crupinae is a novel host-specific fungal pathogen of the invasive rangeland weed common crupina ( Crupina vulgaris). The foliar and stem blighting pathogen was originally identified in France and has been approved by the United States Department of Agriculture–Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service as the first biological control agent for the management of common crupina in the western United States. In this study, a chromosome-level genome assembly of R. crupinae 00-010 was performed using PacBio sequencing technology. The assembly had a total size of 37.9 Mb distributed across 14 (telomere to telomere) chromosomes, with a GC content of 47.6%. The genome encoded 10,159 protein-coding genes with 890 predicted secreted proteins that comprised both unique and conserved canonical pathogen effectors. Genome comparisons with closely related pathogen species in the family Mycosphaerellaceae demonstrated family-wide orthologous effector groups and Ramularia-specific orthogroups. This new reference sequence is a valuable genomic tool that will assist in characterizing Ramularia–Crupina interactions and increase our understanding of Ramularia pathogenicity on both crops and weeds.

[Formula: see text] The author(s) have dedicated the work to the public domain under the Creative Commons CC0 “No Rights Reserved” license by waiving all of his or her rights to the work worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law, 2024.
The Impact of Inadequate Energy Intake on Readmission Burden of Patients With Heart Failure
Authors: Li Anan , Zhu Chenya , Cheng Ming , Su Yue , Ma Tianyu , Chi Meixuan , Wang Naijuan , Nie Yangfan , Hou Yunying
Published: November 2023

Background

Adequate energy intake is essential for good clinical outcomes. The association between energy intake and readmission burden of patients with heart failure (HF) still needs to be clarified.

Objective

In this study, our aim was to determine the association between energy intake and readmission in patients with HF.

Methods

A total of 311 inpatients with HF were recruited. Demographic and clinical information were collected during hospitalization; the daily diets of the participants were collected in the second week after discharge using the 3-day diet record, and the energy intake was calculated using a standardized nutrition calculator. The inadequate energy intake was defined as <70% × 25 kcal/kg of ideal body weight. The participants were followed up for 12 weeks after discharge. The number, reasons, and length of stay of unplanned readmissions were collected. Regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations between inadequate energy intake, and readmission rate and readmission days.

Results

The median of the energy intake of participants was 1032 (interquartile range, 809–1266) kcal/d. The prevalence of inadequate energy intake was 40%. Patients with inadequate energy intake had a higher risk of unplanned readmission (odds ratio, 5.616; 95% confidence interval, 3.015–10.462; P < .001) and more readmission days (incidence rate ratio, 5.226; 95% confidence interval, 3.829–7.134, P < .001) after adjusting for potential confounders.

Conclusions

Patients with HF had a high incidence of inadequate dietary energy intake, and it increases the burden of readmission.
Identification of ferroptosis-related genes in acute kidney injury by bioinformatic analysis
Authors: Ye Jianfeng , Cen Yun , Li Man , Gu Wanjie , Lu Xuehao , Zhao Fengzhi , Shi Bowen , Xu Jun , Yin Haiyan
Published: November 2023

Background:

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a rapid decline in renal function characterized by a decrease in glomerular filtration rate in a short period. Ferroptosis affects the development of various kidney diseases. Therefore, searching for genes related to ferroptosis is crucial for understanding the occurrence and development of AKI.

Methods:

We obtained data from 18 samples (8 with acute kidney injury and 10 non-pathological tissue) in GSE53769 and 48 samples (39 with acute kidney injury and 9 non-pathological tissue) in GSE139061. We obtained differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of AKI/Control samples from both two datasets and intersected them with known ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) to obtain ferroptosis-related DEGs (FRDEGs). GO annotation, KEGG pathway analysis, and GSEA analysis were conducted on the FRDEGs to understand their enriched biological functions and pathways. Next, we constructed the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network.

Results:

A total of 312 genes were obtained, which were abnormally expressed in both two datasets. After intersecting with known FRGs, 14 FRDEGs were obtained, namely ACSF2, ADIPOR1, ARF6, ATF3, ATF6, DPEP1, FH, GLRX5, MIOX, NAP1L1, NDRG1, PPARA, SPHK1, YY1AP1. The results of the immune infiltration analysis showed that multiple gene expressions among 14 genes are correlated with immune cell infiltration.

Conclusion:

Fourteen ferroptosis genes (ACSF2, ADIPOR1, ARF6, ATF3, ATF6, DPEP1, FH, GLRX5, MIOX, NAP1L1, NDRG1, PPARA, SPHK1, YY1AP1) are involved in the occurrence and development of AKI, among which NDRG1 might be the core functional gene, and PPARA is expected to become the most effective therapeutic target gene.
Symptom Outcomes of Celiac Disease in Those on a Gluten-free Diet
Authors: Hujoel Isabel A. , Hujoel Margaux L.A. , Choung Rok Seon , Murray Joseph A.
Published: November 2023

Goals:

We aimed to evaluate symptom outcomes in those on a gluten-free diet during the 5 years after diagnosis.

Background:

Celiac disease is common; however, little is known about long-term symptom outcomes.

Study:

We performed a retrospective chart review on individuals with celiac disease followed at a tertiary referral center between 2012 and 2018. To minimize bias, strict inclusion/exclusion criteria were utilized. Only those with definitive biopsy-proven celiac disease, on a gluten-free diet, and with systematic follow-up were included. The standardized care at this center reduced the risk that decisions on testing and follow-up visits were determined by symptom status. Summary statistics were computed and generalized linear models with a logit link were used to associate the proportion of symptomatic visits with various covariates using R statistical programming.

Results:

Of the 1023 records reviewed, 212 met inclusion/exclusion criteria; 146 (69%) were female and the mean age at diagnosis was 43 (range: 11 to 84 y old). During follow-up, over 50% remained symptomatic, with many having the same symptoms that prompted the diagnosis. The only predictors for remaining symptomatic were female sex and younger age at diagnosis. Abnormal serology during follow-up and small bowel normalization were not predictive.

Conclusions:

In individuals with definitive celiac disease with systematic long-term follow-up in a Celiac Clinic, roughly half remained symptomatic despite a gluten-free diet. Many suffer from the same symptoms that prompted the diagnosis of celiac disease. Small bowel healing and abnormal serology in follow-up were not predictive of remaining symptomatic. These findings stress the importance of long-term care in celiac disease.
Safety of Percutaneous Endoscopic Jejunostomy Placement Compared With Surgical and Radiologic Jejunostomy Placement
Authors: Ramai Daryl , Heaton Joseph , Fang John
Published: November 2023

Background and Aims:

We compared the safety and outcomes of percutaneous jejunostomy tubes placed endoscopically (PEJ), fluoroscopically by interventional radiology (IR-jejunostomy), and open jejunostomy placed surgically (surgical jejunostomy).

Methods:

Using the Nationwide Readmissions Database, we identified hospitalized patients who underwent a jejunostomy from 2016 to 2019. Selected patients were divided into 3 cohorts: PEJ, IR-jejunostomy, and surgical jejunostomy. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) for adverse events were calculated using multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Results:

A total of 6022 (65.2±9.8 y) surgical jejunostomy patients, 3715 (63.6±11.0 y) endoscopic jejunostomy patients, and 14,912 (64.8±11.6 y) IR-jejunostomy patients were identified. Compared with surgery, PEJ patients were 32% less likely to experience postprocedure complications (OR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.58-0.79, P<0.001) while IR-jejunostomy patients were 17% less likely to experience complications (OR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.73-0.94, P<0.001); test of proportion showed that endoscopy had significantly fewer total adverse events compared with IR (P<0.001). For individual complications, compared with surgery, the odds of intestinal perforation using PEJ and IR, respectively, were 0.26 (95% CI: 0.14-0.49, P<0.001) and 0.31 (95% CI: 0.21-0.47, P<0.001), for postprocedure infection 0.32 (95% CI: 0.20-0.50; P<0.001) and 0.61 (95% CI: 0.45-0.83; P=0.001); and for hemorrhage requiring blood transfusion 0.71 (95% CI: 0.56-0.91; P=0.005) and 0.75 (95% CI: 0.61-0.91; P=0.003).

Conclusions:

Endoscopic placement of percutaneous jejunostomy tubes (PEJ) in inpatients is associated with significantly lower risks of adverse events and mortality compared with IR and surgical jejunostomy.
Use of his prostheses by a double upper limb amputee 6 years after amputation: From aesthetic to functional considerations, a case report
Authors: Noël Camille , Viton Jean-Michel , Bensoussan Laurent , Cotinat Maëva
Published: November 2023

Background:

Few studies have been published on the prosthetic management of bilateral upper limb amputees. Of particular interest is to study how a patient’s use of his upper limb protheses had evolved over a 6-year period in the aim to decrease their rejection rate.

Case description and methods:

Mr. D had undergone a bilateral upper limb amputation and had been fitted with 7 different prostheses in the past 6 years. Multiple validate instruments and analyses were then used to monitor the patient’s fitting and choices.

Findings and outcomes:

Initially, the left prosthesis was regarded as the dominant hand and the right one as the assistive power grip hand. However, the observational results showed that wearing only a left Greifer enabled the prosthetic user to perform the same tasks as with 2 prostheses. He has gained greater satisfaction and quality of life without losing his independence.

Conclusion:

The patient seemed to make a functional choice over his worrying about his physical appearance in favor of the efficiency of his prosthesis, which was essential for his everyday life, when he decided to wear only nonanthropomorphic prosthesis.
Lived experience of children and adolescents with lower-limb loss who used a prosthesis: A qualitative study
Authors: Chami Sara , Babaee Taher , Jalali Maryam , Saeedi Hassan , Kamali Mohammad
Published: November 2023

Purpose:

Children's and adolescents' level of activity, the type of activity, and other features are special to them and can result in unique experiences with lower-limb prosthesis. The specific objective of this study was to explore the lived experience of children and adolescents with lower-limb loss (LLL) who used a prosthesis.

Methods:

We used a descriptive qualitative study design and in-depth, semistructured, face-to-face interviews. Accordingly, 35 participants, including children and adolescents with LLL who used a prosthesis, their parents, and prosthetists, were interviewed. The collected data were analyzed thematically.

Results:

One hundred sixty-eight codes about the experiences of children, parent(s), and prosthetists were extracted from the transcripts and categorized into 32 subthemes. Finally, 7 broad themes including suitability, provoke reactions, intrinsic nature, infrastructures, the school, availability, and parenting role were extracted.

Conclusion:

The experiences of children and adolescents with lower-limb prosthesis are specific as each may face unique challenges and deal with different difficulties. In this study that has been conducted in a developing country, the main challenges faced by children using lower-limb prosthesis and their parents are the prosthetic components, social reactions, long distance, and costs of services. Moreover, designing a more natural prosthesis and gait training for children with LLL were the most important issues faced by prosthetists. However, close relationships with friends and family members, and children’s amazing ability to adapt can aid in facilitating prosthetic management.
Hospital Admissions Associated With Head and Neck Injuries From Olympic-style Sports and Activities Between 2010 and 2022
Authors: Liang Lang , Harris Jack A. , Patel Nisarg A. , Hajibandeh Jeffrey T. , Ji Yisi D.
Published: November 2023

The objective of this study was to evaluate which Olympic-style sports and activities are most likely to result in hospitalizations relating to head and neck injuries. This was a cross-sectional study using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database. Subjects with head and neck injuries from selected Olympic-style sports and activities between 2010 and 2022 were included. Independent variables were demographics and injury characteristics (injury location and sport). The primary outcome variable was hospitalization (yes/no). Survey-weighted descriptive, bivariate, and logistic regression statistics were computed to measure the association between demographic/injury variables and hospitalization. There were 175,995 subjects (national estimate, 5,922,584) meeting inclusion criteria. After adjusting for demographic and injury characteristics, head injuries (odds ratio [OR] = 2.17; 95% CI, 1.83–2.56; P<0.001) demonstrated higher odds of hospitalization compared with facial injuries. Injuries from cycling (OR = 2.52; 95% CI, 2.16–2.95; P<0.001), mountain biking (OR = 2.56; 95% CI, 1.80-3.65; P<0.001), and horseback riding (OR = 4.01; 95% CI, 2.76–5.83; P<0.001) demonstrated higher odds of hospitalization relative to baseball injuries. In conclusion, head and neck injuries associated with high velocity Olympic-style sports and activities such as cycling, mountain biking, and horseback riding had the highest odds of hospitalization.
Single-Splint, 2-Jaw Orthognathic Surgery for Correction of Facial Asymmetry: 3-Dimensional Planning and Surgical Execution
Authors: Sato Nobuhiro , Denadai Rafael , Hung Yi-Tan , Chung Kyung Hoon , Chou Pang-Yun , Pai Betty C.J. , Lo Lun-Jou , Lin Hsiu-Hsia
Published: November 2023

Three-dimensional (3D) planning of orthognathic surgery (OGS) improves the treatment of facial asymmetry and malocclusion, but no consensus exists among clinicians regarding technical details. This study verified the consistency of authors’ workflow and strategies between 3D planning and surgical execution for facial asymmetry. This retrospective study recruited consecutive patients (n=54) with nonsyndromic facial asymmetry associated with malocclusion. The stepwise workflow included orthodontic treatment, 3D imaging-based evaluation, planning, and transferring the virtual of single-splint 2-jaw OGS to actual surgery in all patients. Seven landmark-based measurements were selected for postoperative assessment of facial symmetry. Fifty patients had no anesthetic/surgical-related episode and procedure-related complications. Others experienced wound infection (n=1), transient TMJ discomfort (n=1), and facial numbness (n=3). Two cases had minor residual asymmetry (cheek and chin, respectively), but did not request revisionary bone or soft tissue surgery. Comparisons between the planned and postoperative 3D images with quantitative measurement revealed acceptable outcome data. The results showed a significant increase in facial symmetry at 7 landmark-based postoperative measurements for both male and female. This 3D-assisted pathway of OGS permitted achievement of consistent satisfactory results in managing facial asymmetry, with low rate of complications and secondary management.
Improved extraction efficiency of bakuchiol with antioxidant and whitening bioactivities from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia L.
Authors: Qin Tian , Liu Jinjun , Bi Yongxian , Wang Yanduo , Liu Jianzi , Ding Gang
Published: November 2023

Background

Mining new whitening ingredients from plants is an effective way to develop new cosmetic products. Bakuchiol, as one of the main active ingredients from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia L, displays whitening, antioxidant, antiaging, and free radical-scavenging activities and attracts wide attention especially in the cosmetics industry. However, environmentally friendly extraction technologies with high efficiency and high product purity remain to be developed for the scale production of bakuchiol.

Objective

In this study, a new approach (acetic acid–steaming–assisted technique) was developed to improve the extraction efficiency of bakuchiol.

Methods

The factors influencing the extraction efficiency of bakuchiol, including seed powder granularity, acetic acid volume, temperature, and time, were optimized based on single-factor experiments.

Results

The extraction conditions were optimized as steaming the seed powder (100 g) of 40–100 meshes with acetic acid (50 mL) for 10 minutes, from which a crude extract (25.1 g) containing bakuchiol was obtained. High purity (99.1) of bakuchiol (6.02 g) was then prepared by silica gel column chromatography in a one-step process. The method established in this study had higher extraction rate than other methods. The antioxidant potential of bakuchiol was evaluated based on the ABTS free radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power. Furthermore, bakuchiol demonstrated stronger tyrosinase inhibitory activity than the positive control (arbutin).

Conclusions

Compared with the available methods, the method established in this study has increased extraction rate of bakuchiol and is environmentally friendly and economical, demonstrating the potential for industrial production.
Sir David John Weatherall. 9 March 1933—8 December 2018
Authors: Higgs FRS Douglas R.
Published: November 2023

Sir David Weatherall was the outstanding, internationally recognized, clinician scientist of his generation. His lifelong interest in the haemoglobinopathies first came from studying a child that he recognized as having beta thalassaemia while working as an army physician in Malaya. His interest in these diseases further developed as he undertook his PhD in the Department of Haematology under the supervision of Lockard Conley and Victor McKusick in Baltimore. There, together with John Clegg (FRS 1999), he developed the technology to directly measure the synthesis of the alpha and beta globin chains of haemoglobin, and his subsequent work at the University of Liverpool showed that thalassaemia resulted from imbalanced globin chain synthesis. Importantly, using the globin genes as their model, David's laboratory went on to make many of the first discoveries of how expression of the globin genes and mammalian genes in general could be perturbed to cause human genetic diseases. As professor of medicine in Oxford, he established one of the first institutes to develop the use of molecular biology in medicine and he trained many of the world's leading clinician scientists in this area of biomedical research. He also established worldwide networks to apply molecular biology to the haemoglobinopathies and infectious diseases, making a unique contribution to global medicine. He had outstanding qualities as a clinician, a scientist, and a leader, all of which he achieved with great humility and humanity.
Decoding life's inner workings: advances in quantitative bioimaging
Authors: Henriques Ricardo , Leterrier Christophe , Weigel Aubrey
Published: November 2023

This special feature of
Open Biology
, titled ‘Advances in Quantitative Bioimaging’, proposes an overview of the latest advancements in quantitative bioimaging techniques and their wide-ranging applications. The articles cover various topics, including modern imaging methods that enable visualization on a nanoscale, such as super-resolution microscopy and single-particle analysis. These techniques offer unparalleled insights into complex molecular structures and dynamic cellular processes
in situ
, such as mapping nuclear pore proteins or tracking single histone deposition events throughout the cell cycle. The articles presented in this edition showcase cutting-edge quantitative imaging techniques coupled with advanced computational analysis capable of precisely measuring biological structures and processes. Examples range from correlating calcium release events to underlying protein organization in heart cells to pioneering tools for categorizing changes in microglia morphology under various conditions. This editorial highlights how these advancements are revolutionizing our understanding of living systems, while acknowledging challenges that must be addressed to fully exploit the potential of these emerging technologies, such as improving molecular probes, algorithms and correlation protocols.
Advances in paper-based electrochemical immunosensors: review of fabrication strategies and biomedical applications
Authors: du Plooy Jarid , Jahed Nazeem , Iwuoha Emmanuel , Pokpas Keagan
Published: November 2023

Cellulose paper-based sensing devices have shown promise in addressing the accuracy, sensitivity, selectivity, analysis time and cost of current disease diagnostic tools owing to their excellent physical and physiochemical properties, high surface-area-to-volume ratio, strong adsorption capabilities, ease of chemical functionalization for immobilization, biodegradability, biocompatibility and liquid transport by simple capillary action. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in the field of electrochemical immunosensing for various diseases, particularly in underdeveloped regions and globally. It highlights the significant progress in fabrication techniques, fluid control, signal transduction and paper substrates, shedding light on their respective advantages and disadvantages. The primary objective of this review article is to compile recent advances in the field of electrochemical immunosensing for the early detection of diseases prevalent in underdeveloped regions and globally, including cancer biomarkers, bacteria, proteins and viruses. Herein, the critical need for new, simplistic early detection strategies to combat future disease outbreaks and prevent global pandemics is addressed. Moreover, recent advancements in fabrication techniques, including lithography, printing and electrodeposition as well as device orientation, substrate type and electrode modification, have highlighted their potential for enhancing sensitivity and accuracy.
Maths anxiety and subjective perception of control, value and success expectancy in mathematics
Authors: Szucs Denes , Toffalini Enrico
Published: November 2023

Mathematics anxiety (MA) is an academic anxiety related to doing, learning and testing mathematics. MA can negatively affect mathematics performance, motivation and maths-heavy science and technology-related career choices. Previous data suggest that subjective perceptions and interpretations of students are key in the genesis of MA. Here, based on expectancy-value and control-value theory, we aimed to identify potential, theoretically based subjective factors probably key to understanding MA. We analysed data from 151 745 fifteen-year-old children from 65 ‘countries and economies' from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012 dataset. Subjective self-perceptions had a stronger relationship with MA than maths achievement. We found that higher MA was associated with lower perceived control over maths activities and lower subjective expectation of success. Surprisingly, children with higher subjective valuation of maths had higher MA for similar levels of subjective control and success expectancy in maths. Results offer an improved understanding of potential antecedents of MA and suggest that effective interventions could be based on gradual confidence building in maths. These could primarily draw on a deeper understanding of the subject improving subjective success expectancy and feeling of control over maths activities. Cultural variation in findings is discussed.
Flutter instability in solids and structures, with a view on biomechanics and metamaterials
Authors: Bigoni Davide , Dal Corso Francesco , Kirillov Oleg N. , Misseroni Diego , Noselli Giovanni , Piccolroaz Andrea
Published: November 2023

The phenomenon of oscillatory instability called ‘flutter’ was observed in aeroelasticity and rotor dynamics about a century ago. Driven by a series of applications involving non-conservative elasticity theory at different physical scales, ranging from nanomechanics to the mechanics of large space structures and including biomechanical problems of motility and growth, research on flutter is experiencing a new renaissance. A review is presented of the most notable applications and recent advances in fundamentals, both theoretical and experimental aspects, of flutter instability and Hopf bifurcation. Open problems, research gaps and new perspectives for investigations are indicated.
Modulation instability and localized wave excitations for a higher-order modified self-steepening nonlinear Schrödinger equation in nonlinear optics
Authors: Wang Haotian , Zhou Qin , Yang Hujiang , Meng Xiankui , Tian Ye , Liu Wenjun
Published: November 2023

This paper investigates a higher-order modified nonlinear Schrödinger equation with higher-order dispersion and self-steepening effects, which can be used to study the dynamics of asymmetric and steepened optical pulse transmission in optical fibres. The modulation instability of the plane-wave solution has been analysed, and the state transition of the rogue waves under the higher-order dispersion effect is presented. The findings demonstrate that the self-steepening effect may also produce an asymmetric unstable frequency band. Combined with the modulation instability, the rogue wave, rational soliton and mixed interaction of localized waves have a quantitative relationship with plane-wave parameters. Various exact solutions can be accurately located and obtained according to the generalized Darboux transformation. The asymptotic analysis of rational solutions demonstrates the state transition of higher-order rogue waves. This paper illustrates the significance of modulation instability for studying the integrable systems by the Darboux transformation. It is a new guidance to solve the difficulty of exact excitation of asymmetric localized waves in complex integrable systems. The results have prospective applications and references for the emergence, amplification and compression of asymmetric pulses in optical experiments.
Transmission of social status drives cooperation and offspring philopatry
Authors: Rodrigues António M. M. , Gardner Andy
Published: November 2023

The evolution of cooperation depends on two crucial overarching factors: relatedness, which describes the extent to which the recipient shares genes in common with the actor; and quality, which describes the recipient's basic capacity to transmit genes into the future. While most research has focused on relatedness, there is a growing interest in understanding how quality modulates the evolution of cooperation. However, the impact of inheritance of quality on the evolution of cooperation remains largely unexplored, especially in spatially structured populations. Here, we develop a mathematical model to understand how inheritance of quality, in the form of social status, influences the evolution of helping and harming within social groups in a viscous-population setting. We find that: (1) status-reversal transmission, whereby parental and offspring status are negatively correlated, strongly inhibits the evolution of cooperation, with low-status individuals investing less in cooperation and high-status individuals being more prone to harm; (2) transmission of high status promotes offspring philopatry, with more cooperation being directed towards the higher-dispersal social class; and (3) fertility inequality and inter-generational status inheritance reduce within-group conflict. Overall, our study highlights the importance of considering different mechanisms of phenotypic inheritance, including social support, and their potential interactions in shaping animal societies.
The effects of early-life and intergenerational stress on the brain
Authors: LaDage Lara D. , McCormick Gail L. , Robbins Travis R. , Longwell Anna S. , Langkilde Tracy
Published: November 2023

Stress experienced during ontogeny can have profound effects on the adult phenotype. However, stress can also be experienced intergenerationally, where an offspring's phenotype can be moulded by stress experienced by the parents. Although early-life and intergenerational stress can alter anatomy, physiology, and behaviour, nothing is known about how these stress contexts interact to affect the neural phenotype. Here, we examined how early-life and intergenerational stress affect the brain in eastern fence lizards (
Sceloporus undulatus
). Some lizard populations co-occur with predatory fire ants, and stress from fire ant attacks exerts intergenerational physiological and behavioural changes in lizards. However, it is unclear if intergenerational stress, or the interaction between intergenerational and early-life stress, modulates the brain. To test this, we captured gravid females from fire ant invaded and uninvaded populations, and subjected offspring to three early-life stress treatments: (1) fire ant attack, (2) corticosterone, or (3) a control. Corticosterone and fire ant attack decreased some aspects of the neural phenotype while population of origin and the interaction of early-life stress and population had no effects on the brain. These results suggest that early-life stressors may better predict adult brain variation than intergenerational stress in this species.
Sub-communities of the vaginal microbiota in pregnant and non-pregnant women
Authors: Symul Laura , Jeganathan Pratheepa , Costello Elizabeth K. , France Michael , Bloom Seth M. , Kwon Douglas S. , Ravel Jacques , Relman David A. , Holmes Susan
Published: November 2023

Diverse and non-
Lactobacillus
-dominated vaginal microbial communities are associated with adverse health outcomes such as preterm birth and the acquisition of sexually transmitted infections. Despite the importance of recognizing and understanding the key risk-associated features of these communities, their heterogeneous structure and properties remain ill-defined. Clustering approaches are commonly used to characterize vaginal communities, but they lack sensitivity and robustness in resolving substructures and revealing transitions between potential sub-communities. Here, we address this need with an approach based on mixed membership topic models. Using longitudinal data from cohorts of pregnant and non-pregnant study participants, we show that topic models more accurately describe sample composition, longitudinal changes, and better predict the loss of
Lactobacillus
dominance. We identify several non-
Lactobacillus
-dominated sub-communities common to both cohorts and independent of reproductive status. In non-pregnant individuals, we find that the menstrual cycle modulates transitions between and within sub-communities, as well as the concentrations of half of the cytokines and 18% of metabolites. Overall, our analyses based on mixed membership models reveal substructures of vaginal ecosystems which may have important clinical and biological associations.
Misidentifying illuminant changes in natural scenes due to failures in relational colour constancy
Authors: Nascimento Sérgio M. C. , Foster David H.
Published: November 2023

The colours of surfaces in a scene may not appear constant with a change in the colour of the illumination. Yet even when colour constancy fails, human observers can usually discriminate changes in lighting from changes in surface reflecting properties. This operational ability has been attributed to the constancy of perceived colour relations between surfaces under illuminant changes, in turn based on approximately invariant spatial ratios of cone photoreceptor excitations. Natural deviations in these ratios may, however, lead to illuminant changes being misidentified. The aim of this work was to test whether such misidentifications occur with natural scenes and whether they are due to failures in relational colour constancy. Pairs of scene images from hyperspectral data were presented side-by-side on a computer-controlled display. On one side, the scene underwent illuminant changes and on the other side, it underwent the same changes but with images corrected for any residual deviations in spatial ratios. Observers systematically misidentified the corrected images as being due to illuminant changes. The frequency of errors increased with the size of the deviations, which were closely correlated with the estimated failures in relational colour constancy.
Synchronized locomotion can improve spatial accessibility inside ant colonies
Authors: Doering Grant Navid , Lee Carmen L. , Dalnoki-Veress Kari
Published: November 2023

Synchronization is a conspicuous form of collective behaviour that is of crucial importance in numerous biological systems. Ant colonies from the genera
Leptothorax
and
Temnothorax
form small colonies, typically made up of only a few hundred workers, and exhibit a form of synchronized behaviour where workers inside colonies' nests become active together in rhythmic cycles that have a period of approximately 20–200 min. However, it is not currently known if these synchronized rhythms of locomotion confer any functional benefit to colonies. By using a combination of multiple image analysis techniques, we show that inactive
Leptothorax
ants can act as immobile obstacles to moving ants, and that synchronized activity has the potential to reduce the likelihood that individual ants will encounter regions of immobile obstacles that impede access to portions of the nest. We demonstrate qualitatively similar findings using a computational model of confined active particles with oscillating activity.
A Morrison stem gekkotan reveals gecko evolution and Jurassic biogeography
Authors: Meyer Dalton , Brownstein Chase D. , Jenkins Kelsey M. , Gauthier Jacques A.
Published: November 2023

Geckos are a speciose and globally distributed clade of
Squamata
(lizards, including snakes and amphisbaenians) that are characterized by a host of modifications for nocturnal, scansorial and insectivorous ecologies. They are among the oldest divergences in the lizard crown, so understanding the origin of geckoes (
Gekkota
) is essential to understanding the origin of
Squamata
, the most species-rich extant tetrapod clade. However, the poor fossil record of gekkotans has obscured the sequence and timing of the assembly of their distinctive morphology. Here, we describe the first North American stem gekkotan based on a three-dimensionally preserved skull from the Morrison Formation of western North America. Despite its Late Jurassic age, the new species already possesses several key characteristics of the gekkotan skull along with retained ancestral features. We show that this new stem gekkotan, and several previously named species of uncertain phylogenetic relationships, comprise a widespread clade of early crown lizards, substantiating faunal homogeneity in Laurasia during the Late Jurassic that extended across disparate ecological, body-size and physiological classes.