bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Real-World Treatment Outcomes Associated With Early Versus Delayed Vedolizumab Initiation in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Krugliak Cleveland Noa , Candela Ninfa , Carter John A , Kuharic Maja , Qian Joyce , Tang Zhaoli , Turpin Robin , Rubin David T
Published: October 2024

Background

Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) typically receive a targeted inflammatory bowel disease therapy after treatment with conventional therapies and after the development of significant morbidity. Evidence suggests that early biologic treatment after diagnosis could improve treatment response and prevent disease complications compared with delayed biologic treatment after conventional therapy.

Methods

RALEE was a retrospective study using claims data from IBM® MarketScan® Research Databases between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2019. Adults with UC and at least one claim for vedolizumab were categorized into Early or Delayed Vedolizumab groups according to whether they had received vedolizumab within 30 days of diagnosis or after conventional therapy (5-aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, and immunomodulators), respectively. Treatment response was assessed at 2, 6, and 12 months after vedolizumab treatment initiation and was analyzed with logistic regression (bivariate).

Results

At 2 months, Delayed Vedolizumab was associated with significantly higher odds of nonresponse than Early Vedolizumab (odds ratio [OR], 2.509; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.28-4.90). Delayed Vedolizumab was not significantly associated with odds of nonresponse at 6 months (OR, 1.173; 95% CI, 0.72-1.90) or at 12 months (OR, 0.872; 95% CI, 0.55-1.37). Mean total healthcare costs were similar in the Early Vedolizumab ($6492) and Delayed Vedolizumab ($5897) groups, although there were small differences in costs from different types of claims.

Conclusions

Patients who received vedolizumab early after UC diagnosis were less likely to experience nonresponse at 2 months and incurred similar healthcare costs at 12 months compared with patients who received delayed vedolizumab.
Successful treatment of atrial flutter post-radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation following atrial septal defect occlusion: a case report of pulsed field ablation
Authors: Hu Jing , Ding Ligang , Gunawan Evan , Lai Hengli , Yao Yan
Published: October 2024

Background

Atrial flutter (AFL) is a common arrhythmia following radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for atrial fibrillation (AF), with varying incidence depending on the ablation strategy. Patients with prior atrial septal defect (ASD) occlusion pose challenges for ablation, particularly when the lesions are located near the occluder. Pulsed field ablation (PFA) has emerged as a promising alternative to RFA for the treatment of AF or AFL; however, its use in patients with ASD occlusion remains unexplored.

Case summary

We present the case of a 46-year-old female with a history of ASD occlusion and subsequent RFA for AF. Despite the initial success, she developed symptomatic AFL 3 months post-procedure. Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE)–guided transseptal puncture guided by ICE revealed an AFL originating from the slow conduction area around the ASD occluder. Pulsed field ablation was successfully performed, and AFL was terminated without complications. Post-procedural follow-up demonstrated maintenance of sinus rhythm.

Discussion

Patients with ASD occlusion present unique challenges for ablation, including difficulties in transseptal puncture and risk of injury to the occluder. Pulsed field ablation offers a potential solution, with studies showing fewer reconnected pulmonary veins and larger lesion creation compared with traditional methods. In our case, PFA effectively terminated the refractory AFL, highlighting its utility in this patient population. Moreover, the use of the Jinjiang PFA catheter with pulse circuit self-checking technology ensured procedural safety, particularly near the occluder.
Use of suture-mediated closure device system after inadvertent medport placement in the subclavian artery leading to multi-focal ischaemic infarct: a case report
Authors: Rodríguez-Santiago María A , Rodríguez-Cruz Edwin , Mesa-Pabon Marcel A
Published: October 2024

Background

Totally implantable venous access devices or chemoports are progressively being used in oncologic patients for long-term chemotherapy administration. We present the case of an iatrogenic arterial catheter placement in the aortic arch complicated with multi-focal ischaemic stroke.

Case summary

A case of a 73-year-old woman with a history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, pineal gland tumour status post ventriculoperitoneal shunt, and breast and bladder cancer presented with a 2-week history of impaired balance, dysarthria, and right-sided facial drop. The chemoport was placed less than a month prior to the onset of symptoms at another institution. A brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed a left hemispheric supra- and infra-tentorial subacute ischaemic infarcts. The head and neck computed tomography angiography notably showed a misplaced venous port at the left subclavian artery with a distal tip projecting towards the ascending aortic arch, revealing the most likely aetiology of multi-focal ischaemic stroke. The patient underwent successful subclavian artery catheter extraction and endovascular repair with a suture-mediated closure device system without complications.

Discussion

Subclavian artery iatrogenic cannulation may lead to catastrophic outcomes, including stroke. A high level of suspicion for venous port misplacement must be entertained when ipsilateral multi-focal ischaemic infarct occurs in time relation to catheter placement. Conducting an endovascular catheter retrieval and using a suture-mediated closure device is an alternative approach to manual compression in locations where achieving an haemostasis is challenging. A suture-mediated closure device system might be useful for anatomy not amenable to manual compression, such as the subclavian artery.
Side branch preservation using tip detection-antegrade dissection re-entry after failed subintimal tracking and re-entry in chronic total occlusion: a case report
Authors: Dwiputra Bambang , Tadano Yutaka , Sugie Takuro , Fujita Tsutomu
Published: October 2024

Background

Techniques for treating difficult chronic total occlusions (CTOs) have evolved with the discovery of the tip detection-antegrade dissection re-entry (TDADR) guided by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). This case demonstrates TDADR as a viable bailout in failed subintimal tracking and re-entry (STAR) technique.

Case summary

A 78-year-old man with stable angina on optimal medical therapy had exertional angina pectoris secondary to a residual CTO lesion of the left circumflex coronary (LCX) artery. Percutaneous coronary intervention was performed for a mid-LCX CTO with a blunt proximal stump where the dissection plane expanded along the main vessel and side branch 2. Due to lack of promising collaterals for the retrograde approach, STAR successfully recanalized side branch 1. As main vessel failed to be recanalized, we proceeded with an AnteOwl IVUS-guided TDADR, intending guidewire penetration into the true lumen from the middle of the dissection plane at the main vessel, proximal to side branch 2 origin. Accurate wiring was achieved, and a guidewire was placed on side branch 2 for protection. After stent placement in the main vessel and kissing inflation, cutting balloon dilatation was performed to create re-entries for the STAR-induced extended main vessel haematoma. The procedure resulted in complete revascularization of main vessel and side branches. At 12-month follow-up, no further angina was reported, and coronary computed tomography showed patent side branches with no significant in-stent restenosis.

Discussion

Imaging-based TDADR method was effective in our present case despite failed STAR technique. Limited IVUS and operator availability may become a barrier in implementing TDADR.
Public Good Superstars: A Lab-in-the-Field Study of Wikipedia
Authors: Hergueux Jérôme , Algan Yann , Benkler Yochai , Fuster-Morell Mayo
Published: October 2024

Many field public goods are provided by a small number of contributors: the ‘superstars’ of their respective communities. This paper focuses on Wikipedia, one of the largest online volunteering platforms. Over nine consecutive years, we study the relationship between social preferences—reciprocity, altruism and social image—and field cooperation. Wikipedia editors are quite prosocial on average, and superstars even more so. But while reciprocal and social image preferences strongly relate to contribution quantity among casual editors, only social image concerns continue to predict differences in contribution levels between superstars. In addition, we find that social image–driven editors—both casual and superstars—contribute lower-quality content on average. Evidence points to a perverse social incentive effect, as quantity is more readily observable than quality on Wikipedia.
An endogenous cholinergic system controls electrical conduction in the heart
Authors: Xie Duanyang , Xiong Ke , Dong Nianguo , Wang Guanghua , Zou Qicheng , Shao Beihua , Chen Zhiwen , Wang Luxin , Kong Yu , Wang Xu , Su Xuling , Bai Wenli , Yang Jian , Liu Yi , Zhou Bin , Chen Yi-Han
Published: October 2024

Background and Aims

The cholinergic system is distributed in the nervous system, mediating electrical conduction through acetylcholine (ACh). This study aims to identify whether the heart possesses an intact endogenous cholinergic system and to explore its electrophysiological functions and relationship with arrhythmias in both humans and animals.

Methods

The components of the heart’s endogenous cholinergic system were identified by a combination of multiple molecular cell biology techniques. The relationship of this system with cardiac electrical conduction and arrhythmias was analysed through electrophysiological techniques.

Results

An intact cholinergic system including ACh, ACh transmitter vesicles, ACh transporters, ACh metabolic enzymes, and ACh receptors was identified in both human and mouse ventricular cardiomyocytes (VCs). The key components of the system significantly regulated the conductivity of electrical excitation among VCs. The influence of this system on electrical excitation conduction was further confirmed both in the mice with α4 or α7 nicotinic ACh receptors (nAChRs) knockouts and in the monolayers of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. Mechanistically, ACh induced an inward current through nAChRs to reduce the minimum threshold current required to generate an action potential in VCs, thereby enhancing the excitability that acts as a prerequisite for electrical conduction. Importantly, defects in this system were associated with fatal ventricular arrhythmias in both patients and mice.

Conclusions

This study identifies an integrated cholinergic system inherent to the heart, rather than external nerves that can effectively control cardiac electrical conduction. The discovery reveals arrhythmia mechanisms beyond classical theories and opens new directions for arrhythmia research.
Characterization of bacteriophage vB_AbaS_SA1 and its synergistic effects with antibiotics against clinical multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates
Authors: Rastegar Sanaz , Sabouri Salehe , Tadjrobehkar Omid , Samareh Ali , Niaz Hira , Sanjari Nafise , Hosseini-Nave Hossein , Skurnik Mikael
Published: October 2024

Acinetobacter baumannii is a major cause of nosocomial infections globally. The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) A. baumannii has become an important public health concern. To combat drug resistance, alternative methods such as phage therapy have been suggested. In total, 30 MDR A. baumannii strains were isolated from clinical specimens, and their antibiotic susceptibilities were determined. The Acinetobacter phage vB_AbaS_SA1, isolated from hospital sewage, was characterized. In addition to its plaque size, particle morphology, and host range, its genome sequence was determined and annotated. Finally, the antibacterial effects of phage alone, antibiotics alone, and phage/antibiotic combinations were assessed against the A. baumannii strains. Phage vB_AbaS_SA1 had siphovirus morphology, showed a latent period of 20 min, and a 250 PFU/cell (plaque forming unit/cell) burst size. When combined with antibiotics, vB_AbaS_SA1 (SA1) showed a significant phage-antibiotic synergy effect and reduced the overall effective concentration of antibiotics in time-kill assessments. The genome of SA1 is a linear double-stranded DNA of 50 108 bp in size with a guanine-cytosine (GC) content of 39.15%. Despite the potent antibacterial effect of SA1, it is necessary to perform additional research to completely elucidate the mechanisms of action and potential constraints associated with utilizing this bacteriophage.
Postpartum hepatitis flares in mothers with chronic hepatitis B infection
Authors: OuYang Shi , Geng Yawen , Qiu Gongqin , Deng Yueying , Deng Haitao , Pan Calvin Q
Published: October 2024

Postpartum elevation of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in mothers with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) presents a significant clinical challenge. However, the existing literature demonstrates inconsistencies regarding its incidence and predictors in mothers infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Recent advancements in antiviral prophylaxis against mother-to-child transmission of HBV and postpartum cessation of antiviral therapy further complicate this issue. Our literature review, spanning PubMed, and two Chinese-language databases (CNKI and Wanfang) from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2023 aimed to consolidate and analyse available data on the frequency and severity of postpartum ALT flares, identify risk factors, and propose a management algorithm. Data from 23 eligible studies involving 8,077 pregnant women revealed an overall incidence of postpartum ALT elevation: 25.7% for mild cases, 4.4% for moderate cases, and 1.7% for severe cases. In the subgroup of mothers who were HBeAg-positive and on antiviral prophylaxis for preventing mother-to-child transmission, postpartum intermediate and severe ALT elevations were reported with pooled rates of 5.9% and 0.8%, respectively. Importantly, none resulted in mortality or necessitated liver transplantation. Identified risk factors for postpartum ALT flares in mothers with CHB included HBV DNA levels, ALT levels during pregnancy, postpartum cessation of antiviral treatment, and HBeAg status. By leveraging this evidence and recent data on predictors of intermediate or severe postpartum ALT flares, we propose a risk-stratified algorithm for managing postpartum ALT elevation and selecting therapy in mothers with CHB, tailoring different approaches for treatment-naive vs treatment-experienced populations. These recommendations aim to provide guidance for clinical decision-making and enhance patient outcomes.
Changes in Alcohol Intake by Educational Level Among Older Men and Women in Spain During the 21st Century
Authors: Donat Marta , Politi Julieta , Guerras Juan Miguel , Sordo Luis , Cea-Soriano Lucia , Pulido Jose , Ronda Elena , Regidor Enrique , Barrio Gregorio , Belza Maria José
Published: October 2024

Background and Objectives

Despite alcohol use being very common in older adults, studies are scarce and suggest alcohol use may be increasing. Furthermore, despite the known relationship between education and alcohol consumption, there is limited evidence of educational differences in older adults. Our objective was to describe trends in alcohol consumption in individuals aged ≥65 by sex and educational level in Spain.

Research Design and Methods

In total, 43,157 participants aged ≥65 years were drawn from Spain’s national health surveys between 2001 and 2020, representing the noninstitutionalized population. The outcomes were various measures of self-reported past-year alcohol intake. Age-standardized rates and negative binomial regression models were used to examine trends and differences in alcohol intake by educational level, sex, and period (2001–2009 vs 2011–2020).

Results

The average daily alcohol intake and prevalence of heavy average drinking (>20/10 g/day) decreased over time, especially among men, whereas moderate average drinking remained unchanged or even increased. Alcohol intake increased with increasing educational levels. All drinking measures showed educational inequalities, and these were greater in women than men. The mean amount of drinking showed the greatest inequality, with adjusted prevalence ratio of 2.6 in women and 1.1 in men between university relative to primary education level.

Discussion and Implications

Alcohol intake in older adults decreased over time in Spain for heavy average drinking and average drinking amount, although not for moderate average drinking. Consumption remains highest among the highest educational levels, which may negatively affect health. Programs addressing alcohol consumption among older adults are needed to minimize alcohol-related harm.
Free Reflection Multiarrangements and Quasi-Invariants
Authors: Abe Takuro , Enomoto Naoya , Feigin Misha , Yoshinaga Masahiko
Published: October 2024

To a complex reflection arrangement with an invariant multiplicity function one can relate the space of logarithmic vector fields and the space of quasi-invariants, which are both modules over invariant polynomials. We establish a close relation between these modules. Berest–Chalykh freeness results for the module of quasi-invariants lead to new free complex reflection multiarrangements. Saito’s primitive derivative gives a linear map between certain spaces of quasi-invariants. We also establish a close relation between non-homogeneous quasi-invariants for root systems and logarithmic vector fields for the extended Catalan arrangements. As an application, we prove the freeness of Catalan arrangements corresponding to the non-reduced root system $BC_{N}$.
Infrastructures and International Relations: A Critical Reflection on Materials and Mobilities
Authors: Bakonyi Jutta , Darwich May
Published: October 2024

In a world of accelerated movements, this article examines how infrastructures matter in international relations. We first show that the International Relations (IR) discipline has relegated infrastructures to the background of their studies and treated them as passive tools despite their forcible role in the establishment of the modern state system. By adopting a sociological definition of “the international,” this article emphasizes the centrality of materials and mobilities in thinking about the international and calls for a novel infrastructural lens in the IR discipline. We argue that infrastructures provide crucial mechanisms for forging the distinctions between units that constitute the international as a separate realm. We outline how infrastructures continuously transform this realm through re-scaling and re-ordering spaces, polities, and people. In the meantime, infrastructures are at the heart of social processes, which generate knowledge practices that constitute the international. They inscribe themselves in discourses, produce meaning, and shape identities, and they are thus part of the ideational underpinning of the international. We conclude by advocating a shift in the analytical weight of materials in IR, premised on an interdisciplinary dialogue, and suggest a theoretical and methodological recalibration of the discipline’s treatment of infrastructures.
Online availability of antibiotics from within the UK: shifting patterns from 2016 to 2023
Authors: Boyd Sara Elizabeth , Zhu Nina , Whitney Laura , Surya Rohan , Holmes Alison Helen , Ahmad Raheelah
Published: October 2024

Background

We previously reported a cross-sectional analysis of online pharmacy practices and processes. Since then, the demand for and context of online healthcare has changed. However, the current state of access to and usage of antibiotics obtained online remains poorly understood.

Objectives

This study aimed to: (i) determine the legality of online pharmacies selling antibiotics in the UK; (ii) describe processes for obtaining antibiotics online; (iii) identify antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and patient safety issues; and (iv) compare data with those obtained in 2016 to understand changes in context, and set priorities for targeted research in antibiotic access and usage.

Methods

Searches for ‘buy antibiotics online’ were conducted using ‘Google’ and ‘Yahoo’. The first 10 websites with unique URL addresses for each were reviewed. Analyses were conducted on evidence of pharmacy registration, prescription requirement, whether choice was ‘prescriber-driven’ or ‘consumer-driven’, and whether information was required (allergies, comorbidities, pregnancy) or given (adverse effects) prior to purchase.

Results

Twenty unique URL addresses were analysed. Those evidencing UK location (n = 20; 100%) required a prescription and were appropriately registered. For 11 (55%) online pharmacies, decisions were initially consumer-driven for antibiotic choice, but not for dose or duration; contrasting with 2016 when for most (n = 16; 80%), decisions were consumer-driven for antibiotic choice, dose and quantity.

Conclusions

Variation continues to exist in relation to antibiotic practices online. We make several key recommendations for lawmakers and stakeholders. Targeted research, improved public engagement, professional education and new best practice guidelines are urgently needed for online UK antibiotic suppliers.
Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor (BL/BLI) drug combinations: insights from a pharmacometric simulation study
Authors: O’Jeanson Amaury , Nielsen Elisabet I , Friberg Lena E
Published: October 2024

Background

The emergence of β-lactamase-producing bacteria has led to the use of β-lactam (BL) antibiotic and β-lactamase inhibitor (BLI) drug combinations. Despite therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) being endorsed for BLs, the impact of TDM on BLIs remains unclear.

Objectives

Evaluate whether BLIs are available in effective exposures at the site of infection and assess if TDM of BLIs could be of interest.

Methods

Population pharmacokinetic models for 9 BL and BLI compounds were used to simulate drug concentrations at infection sites following EMA-approved dose regimens, considering plasma protein binding and tissue penetration. Predicted target site concentrations were used for probability of target attainment (PTA) analysis.

Results

Using EUCAST targets, satisfactory (≥90%) PTA was observed for BLs in patients with typical renal clearance (CrCL of 80 mL/min) across various sites of infection. However, results varied for BLIs. Avibactam achieved satisfactory PTA only in plasma, with reduced PTAs in abdomen (78%), lung (73%) and prostate (23%). Similarly, tazobactam resulted in unsatisfactory PTAs in intra-abdominal infections (79%), urinary tract infections (64%) and prostatitis (34%). Imipenem-relebactam and meropenem-vaborbactam achieved overall satisfactory PTAs, except in prostatitis and high-MIC infections for the latter combination.

Conclusions

This study highlights the risk of solely relying on TDM of BLs, as this can indicate acceptable exposures of the BL while the BLI concentration, and consequently the combination, can result in suboptimal performance in terms of bacterial killing. Thus, dose adjustments also based on plasma concentration measurements of BLIs, in particular for avibactam and tazobactam, can be valuable in clinical practice to obtain effective exposures at the target site.
The optimal dietary sodium and chloride level for broiler chicks fed a corn-soybean meal diet between 1 and 21 d of age
Authors: Zhang Weiyun , Hu Yun , Hu Yangyang , Xue Mengxiao , Yang Ke , Cui Xiaoyan , Li Tingting , Wang Shengchen , Zhang Liyang , Luo Xugang
Published: October 2024

The experiment was conducted to estimate the ideal dietary sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl) level for broilers during day 1 to 21 using a corn-soybean meal diet under a dietary Na:Cl ratio of 1:1. A total of 490 1-d-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly allotted by body weight to one of seven treatments in a completely randomized design. Each treatment consisted of seven replicate cages with 10 chicks per cage. Broilers were fed a Na and Cl-unsupplemented corn-soybean meal basal diet (control, containing 0.02% Na and 0.08% Cl) and the Na and Cl-supplemented basal diets containing 0.14%, 0.20%, 0.26%, 0.32%, 0.38%, and 0.44% Na and Cl levels, respectively for 21 d. The results indicated that average daily gain, average daily feed intake, blood partial pressure of CO2 and concentrations of HCO3−, total CO2, Na+, Cl−, base excess and anion gap, tibial ash, and ash Na contents of broilers were affected (P < 0.001) by dietary Na and Cl level, and increased linearly (P < 0.001) and quadratically (P < 0.001) with increasing Na and Cl levels. Feed/gain ratio, mortality, blood K+ concentration, serum osmotic pressure and K+, glucose and uric acid concentrations as well as heart, liver, and kidney indices of broilers were affected (P < 0.01) by dietary Na and Cl level, and decreased linearly (P < 0.001) and quadratically (P < 0.001) with increasing Na and Cl levels. The estimates of dietary optimal Na and Cl levels were 0.07% to 0.16% according to the best-fitted broken-line or asymptotic models (P < 0.001) of the above sensitive indicators. Therefore, the optimal dietary Na and Cl level was suggested to be 0.16% to support all of the above Na and Cl metabolic requirements of broilers fed the corn-soybean meal diet during day 1 to 21, which is lower than the 0.20% recommendation by the Chinese Feeding Standard of Chicken (2004).
Coated oregano essential oil and cinnamaldehyde compounds supplementation improves growth performance, enhances immune responses, and inhibits cecal Escherichia coli proliferation of broilers
Authors: Liu Zhen , Mu Yingqi , Xing Tong , Zhao Liang , Li Jiaolong , Zhou Jianming , Zhang Lin , Gao Feng
Published: October 2024

Plant essential oils are unstable due to high volatility and easy oxidation, while microencapsulation provides a potentially effective strategy for increasing the stability of natural essential oils and preserving their function. This study examined the effects of feeding coated oregano essential oil and cinnamaldehyde (COEC) compounds on growth, immune organ development, intestinal morphology, mucosal immune function, and the cecal microbiota populations of broilers. Three hundred one-day-old male Arbor Acres broiler chicks were organized into 5 groups: 1) negative control fed basal diet alone (NC), 2) positive control receiving basal diet plus 50 mg/kg of chlortetracycline (CTC), 3) basal diet plus 150 mg/kg COEC (COEC150), 4) plus 300 mg/kg COEC (COEC300), and 5) plus 450 mg/kg COEC (COEC450). The supplement trial was continued for 42 d. The results showed that CTC, COEC300, and COEC450 treatments decreased the feed conversion ratio of broilers both in the starter and whole experiment phases, increased the height of jejunal villi at 21 d and the number of goblet cells and IgA-producing cells at 21 or 42 d compared with NC group (P < 0.05). Members of the COEC300 treatment group had a higher thymus weight index and jejunum length index than birds of NC or CTC groups at 21 d (P < 0.05). CTC and all COEC treatments decreased malondialdehyde content in jejunal mucosa at 42 d (P < 0.05). The population of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in the cecal digesta at 21 d was lower in the CTC, COEC300, and COEC450 treatment groups compared with the NC group (P < 0.05). In contrast to the CTC group, COEC supplementation dose-dependently accelerated body weight gain, improved jejunal morphology, decreased malondialdehyde content in jejunal mucosa, increased numbers of jejunal goblet cells and IgA-producing cells, and decreased the E. coli population in cecal digesta at 21 or 42 d (P < 0.05). Thus, we concluded that feeding broiler chickens with 300 or 450 mg/kg in antibiotic-free diets can improve growth performance, enhance immune responses, and inhibit the proliferation of cecal pathogenic bacteria.
Bone mineral density over ten years after primary parathyroidectomy in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1
Authors: Kuusela Emma , Kostiainen Iiro , Ritvonen Elina , Ryhänen Eeva M , Schalin-Jäntti Camilla
Published: October 2024

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) impairs bone mineral density and causes osteoporosis already in young patients. We aimed to investigate bone mineral density (BMD) in a contemporary cohort of patients with MEN1-related PHPT after long-term follow-up and compare these results with that of healthy controls. Thirty-five patients with genetically confirmed MEN1 were diagnosed with MEN1 at mean age 28.7 ± 13.6 years. Thirty-two (91.4%) underwent primary parathyroidectomy at mean age 33.3 ± 13.7 years; 12 had undergone at least 2 surgeries with on average 7.3 ± 5.9 years between the operations. BMD was assessed by DXA at the end of mean follow-up, 13.2 years after the primary parathyroidectomy and compared with that of 35 age- and gender-matched controls. More than 10 years after the first parathyroidectomy, mean BMD in patients with MEN1 is in the normal range. However, it is still significantly lower compared with healthy controls.
An asymmetrical reinforcing spiral? Disentangling the longitudinal dynamics of media use and mainstream media trust
Authors: Tsfati Yariv , Vliegenthart Rens , Strömbäck Jesper , Lindgren Elina
Published: October 2024

While numerous studies have documented an association between mainstream media trust and mainstream media use, only little is known about potential causal mechanisms underlying the association. We theorize that selective exposure, social influence, and the reinforcing spirals model offer three possible mechanisms that may underlie the association. These possibilities were studied using random intercept cross-lagged panel models and latent curve models on a four-wave panel data set (n  = 3,540). For mainstream media, the results show an asymmetrical reinforcing spiral, in which the effect of mainstream media trust on use can be considered as one of yielding maintenance, while the impact of media use on mainstream media trust to a limited degree is in line with the notion of a spiral gradually (though inconsistently) increasing trust over time. We also find that use of right-wing alternative media consistently and sometimes robustly leads to decreasing mainstream media trust.
Postsurgical pyoderma gangrenosum after mastectomy with a familial component
Authors: Rogers Christine Courtney , Nepper Jordyn , Holzem Kassandra E , Cortina Chandler S
Published: October 2024

Postsurgical pyoderma gangrenosum (PSPG) is a rare, ulcerative skin condition that presents a diagnostic challenge due to its similar presentation to infectious etiologies in the postsurgical period—often leading to gratuitous and unnecessary surgery and antibiotic use. We report a 37-year-old female with breast cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy and underwent bilateral skin-sparing mastectomies who developed delayed bilateral mastectomy skin flap necrosis secondary to PSPG. This case had rare factors associated with the development of PSPG such as preoperative systemic therapy and a familial component. This case underscores the importance of early recognition of this rare disease and appropriate management of PSPG to prevent unnecessary interventions and ensure an optimal outcome.
An Analysis of Traditional and Contemporary Children’s Songs With Considerations for Music Therapy Practice
Authors: Jones Jennifer D , McCain Cicely , Burwell McAlpine Morgan
Published: October 2024

Children’s songs include a diverse collection of traditional and contemporary songs. (Yinger and Springer [2016]. Analyzing recommended songs for older adult populations through linguistic and musical inquiry. Music Therapy Perspectives 34, 116–125. https://doi.org/10.1093/mtp/miu048) analyzed musical and textual features of songs used by music therapists with older adults; however, studies on children’s songs in music therapy have not included musical and textual features analysis. Our purpose with this study was to analyze the musical and textual features of a sample of 20 traditional and 20 contemporary predominantly U.S. children’s songs and consider applications for music therapy. Text information was collected, including total and unique words, the song topic, and potential applications. Musical information was collected, including form, melodic range, and harmonic/chordal structure. Findings included that the traditional songs were strophic, had fewer overall words, were harmonized with three chords or fewer, and had melodic ranges of five to seven notes. By contrast, contemporary children’s songs used complex song forms, had more words, were harmonized with more than three chords, and had melodic ranges of eight or more notes. Song topics and applications had similar codes across the song types. A music therapist may apply traditional songs in clinical work, where a simpler musical structure and fewer words support the client’s needs. Likewise, a music therapist may apply contemporary songs for greater musical complexity and more vocabulary. Future studies of children’s songs in music therapy could include an analysis of music therapists’ composed songs and songs used by music therapists who work with young children.
Dog10K: an integrated Dog10K database summarizing canine multi-omics
Authors: Zhou Tong , Pu Shao-Yan , Zhang Shao-Jie , Zhou Qi-Jun , Zeng Min , Lu Jing-Sheng , Lu Xuemei , Wang Ya-Nan , Wang Guo-Dong
Published: October 2024

The diversity observed in canine breed phenotypes, together with their risk for heritabily disorders of relevance to dogs and humans, makes the species an ideal subject for studies aimed at understanding the genetic basis of complex traits and human biomedical models. Dog10K is an ongoing international collaboration that aims to uncover the genetic basis of phenotypic diversity, disease, behavior, and domestication history of dogs. To best present and make the extensive data accessible and user friendly, we have established the Dog10K (http://dog10k.kiz.ac.cn/) database, a comprehensive-omics resource summarizing multiple types of data. This database integrates single nucleotide variants (SNVs) from 1987 canine genomes, de-novo mutations (DNMs) from 43 dog breeds with >40× sequence, RNA-seq data of 105057 single nuclei from hippocampus, 74067 single cells from leukocytes and 30 blood samples from published canid studies. We provide clear visualization, statistics, browse, searching, and downloading functions for all data. We have integrated three analysis tools, Selscan, LiftOver and AgeConversion, to aid researchers in custom exploration of the comprehensive-omics data. The Dog10K database will serve as a foundational platform for analyzing, presenting and utilizing canine multi-omics data.
The biology of water homeostasis
Authors: D'Acierno Mariavittoria , Fenton Robert A , Hoorn Ewout J
Published: October 2024

Water homeostasis is controlled by a brain–kidney axis that consists of central osmoreceptors, synthesis and secretion of arginine vasopressin (AVP) and AVP-responsive aquaporin-2 (AQP2) water channels in kidney collecting duct principal cells that facilitate water reabsorption. In addition to AVP, thirst represents a second line of defence to maintain water balance. Water balance disorders arise because of deficiency, resistance or inappropriate secretion of AVP or disturbances in thirst sensation (hypodipsia, polydipsia). People with water balance disorders are prone to develop hyponatraemia or hypernatraemia, which expose cells to osmotic stress and activate cell volume regulation mechanisms. This review covers several recent insights that have expanded our understanding of central osmoregulation, AQP2 regulation and cell volume regulation. This includes the role of with no lysine kinase 1 (WNK1) as a putative central osmolality sensor and, more generally, as an intracellular crowding sensor that coordinates the cell volume rescue response by activating sodium and potassium cotransporters. Furthermore, several new regulators of AQP2 have been identified, including AVP-dependent AQP2 regulation (yes-associated protein, nuclear factor of activated T-cells, microRNAs) and AVP-independent AQP2 regulation (epidermal growth factor receptor, fluconazole, prostaglandin E2). It is also becoming increasingly clear that long-term cell volume adaptation to chronic hypotonicity through release of organic osmolytes comes at the expense of compromised organ function. This potentially explains the complications of chronic hyponatraemia, including cognitive impairment, bone loss and vascular calcification. This review illustrates why these new insights derived from basic science are also relevant for developing new approaches to treat water balance disorders.
Designing a 2D van der Waals oxide with lone-pair electrons as chemical scissor
Authors: Du Zhipeng , Chen Xu , Liu Wei , Wang Han , Xu Qianting , Shang Xiaoying , Song Yipeng , Chen Xueyuan , Luo Junhua , Zhao Sangen
Published: October 2024

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) materials are known for their intriguing physical properties, but their rational design and synthesis remain a great challenge for chemists. In this work, we successfully synthesized a new non-centrosymmetric oxide, i.e. InSbMoO6, with Sb3+ lone-pair electrons serving as chemical scissor to generate its 2D vdW crystal structure. Monolayer and few-layer InSbMoO6 flakes are readily obtained via facile mechanical exfoliation. They exhibit strong second-harmonic generation (SHG) response with an effective second-order nonlinear optical susceptibility $\chi _{{\rm{eff}}}^{{\rm{(2)}}}\ $of 32.4 pm·V−1. Meanwhile, the SHG response is in-plane anisotropic and directly proportional to the layer thickness, independent of layer parity. In addition, the InSbMoO6 flakes exhibit excellent thermal and atmospheric stability, along with pronounced anisotropy in Raman spectroscopy. This work implies that using lone-pair electrons as chemical scissor is an effective strategy for designing and synthesizing new 2D vdW materials for integrated photonic applications.
Remembrance and Anticipation
Authors: Hammer Espen
Published: October 2024

The chapter discusses Adorno’s philosophy of literature. Contrasting Adorno’s approach to traditional forms of ideology critique and to the Hegelian approach to literature in Lukács, it locates in his work a particular commitment to form and formal experimentation, and to viewing literature in terms of its exploration of human experience and its conditions. It is then shown how Adorno’s readings of Beckett and Proust exemplify this orientation. Beckett is for Adorno a writer dealing with the question of meaning, and the loss of meaning, in the context of late modernity. Proust, by contrast, finds a promise of meaning in privileged experiences. In both cases, the text challenges traditional codes and vehicles of representation, being more preoccupied with the very possibility of experience than with that which is experienced. The difficulty of responding adequately to these modernist writers is reflected in Adorno’s paratactic, often literary, style. That said, his literary essays make up an integral part of his philosophical contribution.
The Campaign Industry
Authors: Yablon Robert
Published: October 2024

Electioneering in America is big business. Paid campaign staffers, consultants, and vendors are central players in virtually every major electoral contest. This booming, multi-billion-dollar campaign industry is both a product of the nation’s electoral system and a shaper of that system. The industry developed, in substantial part, as an accidental outgrowth of how the United States regulates political parties and campaign finance, and industry actors now exert a strong pull on the nation’s politics. The incentives and proclivities of campaign professionals affect everything from who seeks office to how campaigns reach voters to what policies candidates and public officials prioritize. Having long boosted the campaign industry, election law could instead seek to constrain it, although reformers should bear in mind the strictures of constitutional doctrine and the risk of unintended consequences. Reforms could target specific abuses, such as the misappropriation of campaign funds, or, more ambitiously, could aim to shake up America’s system of campaign capitalism by promoting alternative modes of campaigning.
Counting Votes and Declaring Winners
Authors: Foley Edward B.
Published: October 2024

Historically, the rules and procedures for counting ballots have been decentralized in the United States, as state rather than federal law has determined these matters, causing considerable variation among the states. Some shared principles and practices have emerged, nonetheless, which this chapter surveys, including the division of the overall counting process into several components: the canvass of preliminary returns, the recount (where required) of previously counted ballots, and the judicial contest of certified results (when a losing candidate pursues this type of litigation). History has also shown a recurrence of common questions, most prominently whether certain kinds of errors in the administration of the voting process—usually ones that do not concern the eligibility of the voter—should be deemed inconsequential for purposes of counting votes. Even when vote-counting disputes have been highly divisive, as with the U.S. Supreme Court’s controversial 5–4 Bush v. Gore decision in the 2000 presidential election, these disputes have been historically resolved for the most part pursuant to the rule of law. In the 2020 presidential election, however, there emerged a new attack on using the rule of law as the basis for settling disputed elections. The phenomenon of “election denialism” developed in the aftermath of 2020, whereby candidates and partisans refused to acknowledge electoral defeat according to the unambiguous applicable law and evidence. Prior to 2024, it remains unclear just how dangerous to the ongoing operation of American democracy this outbreak of election denialism may be. Measures must be taken to reduce the risk that that an election’s valid outcome may be successfully repudiated in defiance of the law and the electorate’s authentic choice.
Election Law and Empirical Social Science
Authors: Spencer Douglas M.
Published: October 2024

The academic study of election law spawns from the fields of both constitutional law and political science. A stylized account might place lawyers and legal scholars on one pedestal, steeped in the doctrinal intricacies of the political process but lacking a facility with the methods of social science. On a second pedestal sit empirical social scientists who might suggest that legal problems can be solved with numbers rather than values. This chapter discusses the gap between these two pedestals. The story of election law’s relationship with empirical social science is mixed. For example, empirical social science has played a central role in the protection of minority voting rights but has been viewed more skeptically in cases dealing with voter fraud and partisan gerrymandering. Courts have been receptive to social science research in cases about voting technology and ballot design, but have largely discounted this evidence in cases related to the regulation of Super PACs and the organization of primary elections. Looking to the future, it will not be constructive for legal scholars and jurists to dismiss important quantitative research as “sociological gobbledygook” because it is imperfect and evolving. On the other hand, social scientists must recognize that sometimes courts make value-based judgments as a matter of law, independent of the empirical record. Social scientists must thus consider new ways to connect their research to these values.
Voting Under State Constitutions
Authors: Codrington Wilfred U.
Published: October 2024

Unlike their federal counterpart, state constitutions confer the right to vote in plain and affirmative terms. State charters also contain unique provisions that, among other things, regulate the redistricting process and set out the terms for political participation, including direct citizen lawmaking. And critically, state constitutions interact with the federal Constitution, which limits them in meaningful respects, while also governing the local administration of elections. Indeed, every political contest has aspects that are governed by state constitutions, making them an integral, yet underappreciated, source of American election law. This chapter underscores these and other crucial points by examining several dimensions of voting under state constitutions. It first lays out a broad history of voting under state charters. Then it provides a general overview of key structural components of state constitutions that govern the right to vote, followed by a brief assessment of two particularly important doctrinal matters explained in the context of particularly contested issues. Finally, the chapter closes by raising a few topics that would benefit from additional research and exploration to advance the scholarship in this ever-developing area of election law.
Italian Crime Fiction
Authors: Serafini Stefano
Published: October 2024

This contribution challenges existing scholarship that interprets Italian crime fiction as historically and theoretically anomalous within the larger framework of Western crime literature. The author’s contention is that continuity rather than exceptionalism characterizes its various forms and incarnations from the late nineteenth century to the present. The chapter explores what is truly and uniquely Italian in Italian crime fiction, bringing to light those distinctive and pervasive elements that run through this narrative form across different historical periods. It seeks to trace a path that highlights key sociocultural and historical elements of continuity, such as the question of social order, the role of the police in society, and the detective paradigm. The aim is to show that even those crime narratives perceived as isolated or exceptional examples are, in fact, the result of a long-standing and deep-seated tradition that at a cursory look may seem invisible and ungraspable.
The Economic and Social Models of Pre-1917 Development in the Russian Empire and Central Europe
Authors: Nafziger Steven
Published: October 2024

The processes of economic and political development were constrained across Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and the Russian Empire prior to 1917. Geography, population heterogeneity, and institutional factors impeded policies, productivity improvements, and market development. While the forces of globalization—trade, capital flows, migration, etc.—were active across the region in the half century before the October Revolution, connections to the global economy were constrained in a number of ways, which limited convergence with the era’s leading economies. Institutions and governments remained mostly autocratic throughout the period. Overall, the region largely failed to transition to modern economic growth or modernizing political structures prior to World War I, leaving a legacy of underdevelopment that persists through to today.