bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatiotemporal distribution of hematophagous flies (Diptera: Muscidae) on beef cattle farms in Bangkok, Thailand
Authors: Ngoen-Klan Ratchadawan , Khenmee Areerat , Paramathsakul Nawawan , Pitpeng Kodchakorn , Moophayak Kittikhun , Chareonviriyaphap Theeraphap
Published: March 2024

A spatiotemporal investigation of hematophagous fly prevalence was conducted over a 1-year period on 12 beef cattle farms located in major livestock areas of Bangkok, Thailand, using Vavoua traps. The survey revealed 5,018 hematophagous flies belonging to Muscidae and Tabanidae, with the 3 dominant species identified as Stomoxys calcitrans (Linnaeus) (2,354; 46.91%), Musca crassirostris Stein (1,528; 30.45%), and Haematobia exigua de Meijere (922; 18.37%). The abundance of S. calcitrans per trap per week was significantly higher during the rainy season (45.64 ± 14.10), followed by the cold and dry seasons (6.39 ± 2.16 and 3.04 ± 1.27, respectively). The relative abundance of S. calcitrans reached the highest apparent density per trap per day (ADT) index of 9.83 in August 2022 during the rainy season. Subsequently, there was a rapid decline, and the ADT index dropped to nearly zero in December 2022 during the cold season. This low abundance continued through the dry months from March to May 2023. The higher rainfall and relative humidity could significantly contribute to the high relative abundance of S. calcitrans. In contrast, M. crassirostris and H. exigua showed population fluctuations that were not significantly associated with seasonal changes and weather conditions. Remote sensing data and spatial regression analyses using ordinary least squares regression showed the high spatial density of S. calcitrans in the north direction of the Khlong Sam Wa district during the rainy season; it shifted toward the south in the cold and dry seasons, corresponding with rainfall.
Galactic disc heating by density granulation in fuzzy dark matter simulations
Authors: Yang Hsun-Yeong , Chiang Barry T , Su Guan-Ming , Schive Hsi-Yu , Chiueh Tzihong , Ostriker Jeremiah P
Published: March 2024

Fuzzy dark matter (FDM), an attractive dark matter candidate comprising ultralight bosons (axions) with a particle mass ma ∼ 10−22 eV, is motivated by the small-scale challenges of cold dark matter and features a kpc-size de Broglie wavelength. Quantum wave interference inside an FDM halo gives rise to stochastically fluctuating density granulation; the resulting gravitational perturbations could drive significant disc thickening, providing a natural explanation for galactic thick discs. Here we present the first self-consistent simulations of FDM haloes and stellar discs, exploring ma = 0.2–1.2 × 10−22 eV and halo masses Mh = 0.7–2.8 × 1011 M⊙. Disc thickening is observed in all simulated systems. The disc heating rates are approximately constant in time and increase substantially with decreasing ma, reaching dh/dt ≃ 0.04 (0.4) kpc Gyr−1 and ${\rm d}\sigma _z^2/{\rm d}t \simeq 4$ (150) km2 s−2 Gyr−1 for ma = 1.2 (0.2) × 10−22 eV and $M_{\rm h}=7\times 10^{10} \, \rm {M}_{\odot }$, where h is the disc scale height and σz is the vertical velocity dispersion. These simulated heating rates agree within a factor of two with the theoretical estimates of Chiang et al., confirming that the rough estimate of Church et al. overpredicts the granulation-driven disc heating rate by two orders of magnitude. However, the simulation-inferred heating rates scale less steeply than the theoretically predicted relation ${\rm d}\sigma ^2_z/{\rm d}t \propto m_a^{-3}$. Finally, we examine the applicability of the Fokker–Planck approximation in FDM granulation modelling and the robustness of the ma exclusion bound derived from the Galactic disc kinematics.
The effect of cosmic rays on the observational properties of the CGM
Authors: DeFelippis Daniel , Bournaud Frédéric , Bouché Nicolas , Tollet Edouard , Farcy Marion , Rey Maxime , Rosdahl Joakim , Blaizot Jérémy
Published: March 2024

The circumgalactic medium (CGM) contains information on the cumulative effect of galactic outflows over time, generally thought to be caused by feedback from star formation and active galactic nuclei. Observations of such outflows via absorption in CGM gas of quasar sightlines show a significant amount of cold (${\lesssim}10^4\,{\rm K}$) gas, which cosmological simulations struggle to reproduce. Here, we use the adaptive mesh refinement hydrodynamical code Ramses to investigate the effect of cosmic rays (CR) on the cold gas content of the CGM using three zoom realizations of a z = 1 star-forming galaxy with supernova mechanical feedback: one with no CR feedback (referred to as no-CR), one with a medium CR diffusion coefficient $\kappa = 10^{28} \, \rm {cm^{2}\, s^{-1}}$ (CR−κmed), and one with a high rate of diffusion of $\kappa = 3\times 10^{29} \, \rm {cm^{2}\,\, s^{-1}}$ (CR−κhigh). We find that, for CR−κmed, the effects of CRs are largely confined to the galaxy itself as CRs do not extend far into the CGM. However, for CR−κhigh, the CGM temperature is lowered and the amount of outflowing gas is boosted. Our CR simulations fall short of the observed Mg ii covering fraction, a tracer of gas at temperatures ${\lesssim}10^4\,{\rm K}$, but the CR−κhigh simulation is more in agreement with covering fractions of C iv and O vi, which trace higher temperature gas.
Cluster cosmology without cluster finding
Authors: Xhakaj Enia , Leauthaud Alexie , Lange Johannes , Krause Elisabeth , Hearin Andrew , Huang Song , Wechsler Risa H , Heydenreich Sven
Published: March 2024

We propose that observations of supermassive galaxies contain cosmological statistical constraining power similar to conventional cluster cosmology, and we provide promising indications that the associated systematic errors are comparably easier to control. We consider a fiducial spectroscopic and stellar mass complete sample of galaxies drawn from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) and forecast how constraints on Ωm–σ8 from this sample will compare with those from number counts of clusters based on richness λ. At fixed number density, we find that massive galaxies offer similar constraints to galaxy clusters. However, a mass-complete galaxy sample from DESI has the potential to probe lower halo masses than standard optical cluster samples (which are typically limited to λ ≳ 20 and Mhalo ≳ 1013.5 M⊙ h−1); additionally, it is straightforward to cleanly measure projected galaxy clustering wp for such a DESI sample, which we show can substantially improve the constraining power on Ωm. We also compare the constraining power of M*-limited samples to those from larger but mass-incomplete samples [e.g. the DESI Bright Galaxy Survey (BGS) sample]; relative to a lower number density M*-limited samples, we find that a BGS-like sample improves statistical constraints by 60 per cent for Ωm and 40 per cent for σ8, but this uses small-scale information that will be harder to model for BGS. Our initial assessment of the systematics associated with supermassive galaxy cosmology yields promising results. The proposed samples have a ∼10 per cent satellite fraction, but we show that cosmological constraints may be robust to the impact of satellites. These findings motivate future work to realize the potential of supermassive galaxies to probe lower halo masses than richness-based clusters and to potentially avoid persistent systematics associated with optical cluster finding.
The statistics and environments of hostless supernovae
Authors: Qin Yu-Jing , Zabludoff Ann , Arcavi Iair , Smith Nathan , Faerman Yakov , Maoz Dan
Published: March 2024

Transient surveys routinely detect supernovae (SNe) without obvious host galaxies. To understand the demographics of these ‘hostless’ SNe and to constrain the possible host properties, we identify 161 SNe reported to the Transient Name Server since 2016 that do not have hosts catalogued from pre-explosion wide-field galaxy surveys. Using forced aperture photometry, we detect excess flux around only 56 of these SNe. Both thermonuclear and core-collapse (CC) SNe are present in our sample. Compared to flux-limited SNe samples with known hosts, superluminous supernovae (SLSNe), particularly hydrogen-deficient SLSNe, are over-represented here relative to all other SNe types; among CC SNe, there is also a higher fraction of interacting SNe than non-interacting. On the low-luminosity side, seven SNe have host absolute magnitude upper limits fainter than Mg = −12, about 1 per cent of the Small Magellanic Cloud’s luminosity; the faintest limits are close to the luminosity of globular clusters or ultra-faint dwarf galaxies (Mg ≃ −8). Fitting multiband forced photometry, 11 SNe have host stellar masses <106 M⊙ assuming quiescent hosts, and 13 SNe have host stellar masses <105 M⊙ assuming star-forming hosts. The spatial distribution of hostless SNe indicates that the majority are not associated with known galaxy groups and clusters, ruling out intracluster stellar light as the primary contributor of such SNe. Hostless Type Ia SNe tend to be more luminous and slow-fading than SNe Ia with known host galaxies, implying a hidden population of low-mass and star-forming hosts. We conclude that any undetected host galaxies are likely star-forming dwarfs in the field.
Clustering of binary black hole mergers: a detailed analysis of the eagle + mobse simulation
Authors: Peron Matteo , Ravenni Andrea , Libanore Sarah , Liguori Michele , Artale Maria Celeste
Published: March 2024

We perform a detailed study of the cosmological bias of gravitational wave (GW) events produced by stellar binary black hole mergers (BBHM). We start from a BBHM distribution modelled inside the eagle hydrodynamical simulation using the population synthesis code mobse. We then compare our findings with predictions from different halo occupation distribution (HOD) prescriptions and find overall agreement, provided that the modelled properties of host galaxies and haloes in the semi-analytical treatment match those in the simulations. By highlighting the sources of these discrepancies, we provide the stepping stone to build future more robust models that prevent the shortcoming of both simulation-based and analytical models. Finally, we train a neural network to build a simulation-based HOD and perform feature importance analysis to gain intuition on which host halo/galaxy parameters are the most relevant in determining the actual distribution and power spectrum of BBHM. We find that the distribution of BBHM in a galaxy does not only depend on its size, star formation rate and metallicity, but also by its kinetic state, namely its total energy and velocity dispersion.
Binarity enhances the occurrence rate of radiation belt emissions in ultracool dwarfs
Authors: Kao Melodie M , Pineda J Sebastian
Published: March 2024

Despite a burgeoning set of ultracool dwarf (≤M7) radio detections, their radio emissions remain enigmatic. Open questions include the plasma source and acceleration mechanisms for the non-auroral ‘quiescent’ component of these objects’ radio emissions, which can trace Jovian synchrotron radiation belt analogs. Ultracool dwarf binary systems can provide test beds for examining the underlying physics for these plasma processes. We extend a recently developed occurrence rate calculation framework to compare the quiescent radio occurrence rate of binary systems to single objects. This generalized and semi-analytical framework can be applied to any set of astrophysical objects conceptualized as unresolved binary systems with approximately steady-state emission or absorption. We combine data available in the literature to create samples of 179 single ultracool dwarfs (82 M dwarfs, 74 L dwarfs, and 23 T/Y dwarfs) and 27 binary ultracool dwarf systems. Using these samples, we show that quiescent radio emissions occur in $54^{+11}_{-11}$ – $65^{+11}_{-12}$ per cent of binaries where both components are ultracool dwarfs, depending on priors. We also show that binarity enhances the ultracool dwarf quiescent radio occurrence rate relative to their single counterparts. Finally, we discuss potential implications for the underlying drivers of ultracool dwarf quiescent radio emissions, including possible plasma sources.
Recovery of the low- and high-mass end slopes of the IMF in massive early-type galaxies using detailed elemental abundances
Authors: den Brok Mark , Krajnović Davor , Emsellem Eric , Mercier Wilfried , Steinmetz Matthias , Weilbacher Peter M
Published: March 2024

Star formation in the early Universe has left its imprint on the chemistry of observable stars in galaxies. We derive elemental abundances and the slope of the low-mass end of the initial mass function (IMF) for a sample of 25 very massive galaxies, separated into brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) and their massive satellites. The elemental abundances of BGCs and their satellites are similar, but for some elements, satellite galaxies show a correlation with the global velocity dispersion. Using a subset of derived elemental abundances, we model the star formation histories of these galaxies with chemical evolution models, and predict the high-mass end slope of the IMF and star formation time-scales. The high-mass end IMF slope of the satellite galaxies correlates with the global velocity dispersion. The low- and the high-mass end IMF slopes are weakly correlated in a general sense that top heavy IMFs are paired with bottom heavy IMFs. Our results do not necessarily imply that the IMF was simultaneously bottom and top heavy. Instead, our findings can be considered consistent with a temporal variation in the IMF, where, for massive galaxies, the high-mass end IMF slope is representative of the very early age and the low-mass end slope of the later star formation. The small but noticeable differences between the BCGs and the satellites in terms of their elemental abundances and IMF slopes, together with their stellar kinematical properties, suggest somewhat different formation pathways, where BCGs experience more major, gas-free mergers.
The Milky Way bar pattern speed using Hercules and Gaia DR3
Authors: Lucchini Scott , D’Onghia Elena , Aguerri J Alfonso L
Published: March 2024

The distribution of moving groups in the solar neighbourhood has been used to constrain dynamical properties of the Milky Way for decades. The kinematic bimodality between the main mode (Hyades, Pleiades, Coma Berenices, and Sirius) and Hercules can be explained by two different bar models – via the outer Lindblad resonance of a bar with a high pattern speed (∼55 km s−1 kpc−1), or via the corotation resonance of a bar with a low pattern speed (∼40 km s−1 kpc−1). Recent works directly studying the kinematics of bar stars and gas flows near the centre of the Galaxy have converged on the low pattern speed model. In this paper, we independently confirm this result by using Gaia DR3 to directly study the variation of Hercules across Galactic azimuth. We find that Hercules increases in Vϕ and becomes stronger as we move towards the minor axis of the bar, and decreases in Vϕ and becomes weaker as we move towards the major axis of the bar. This is in direct agreement with theoretical predictions of a low pattern speed bar model in which Hercules is formed by the corotation resonance with stars orbiting the bar’s L4/L5 Lagrange points.
Exacerbation of CMV and Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infections Following PD-1 Blockade for HIV-Associated Kaposi Sarcoma
Authors: Anidi Ifeanyichukwu U , Sakai Shunsuke , Brooks Kelsie , Fling Steven P , Wagner Michael J , Lurain Kathryn , Lindestam Arlehamn Cecilia S , Sette Alessandro , Knox Kenneth S , Brenchley Jason M , Uldrick Thomas S , Sharon Elad , Barber Daniel L
Published: March 2024

Blockade of the co-inhibitory receptor PD-1 enhances antitumor responses by boosting the function of antigen-specific T cells. Although rare, PD-1 blockade in patients with cancer can lead to exacerbation of infection-associated pathology. Here, we detail the case of a 38-year-old man who was enrolled in a clinical trial for assessment of the safety and activity of anti–PD-1 therapy for Kaposi sarcoma in people with HIV well-controlled on antiretroviral therapy. Less than a week after receiving the first dose of anti–PD-1 antibody (pembrolizumab), he presented with severe abdominal pain associated with sudden exacerbations of preexisting cytomegalovirus (CMV) enteritis and nontuberculous mycobacterial mesenteric lymphadenitis. Plasma biomarkers of gastrointestinal tract damage were highly elevated compared with healthy controls, consistent with HIV-associated loss of gut epithelial barrier integrity. Moreover, CMV-specific CD8 T cells expressed high levels of PD-1, and 7 days following PD-1 blockade, there was an increase in the frequency of activated CD38+ Ki67+ CMV-specific CD8 T cells. This case highlights the potential for PD-1 blockade to drive rapid exacerbations of inflammatory symptoms when administered to individuals harboring multiple unresolved infections.
Prevalence and associated factors of premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction in young, single men who have sex with men in Lima, Peru
Authors: Santillán-Romero Anggie Stephany , Valladares-Garrido Mario J , Juarez-Ubillus Alejandro , Morocho Alburqueque Angie Giselle , Valladares-Garrido Danai , Vera-Ponce Víctor J , Pereira-Victorio César J , León-Figueroa Darwin A , Grandez-Urbina J Antonio
Published: March 2024

Background

While there is literature on erectile dysfunction (ED) and premature ejaculation (PE) in men, conclusive evidence regarding these sexual health issues and potential associated factors in the young, single men who have sex with men (MSM) population is lacking.

Aim

The study sought to determine the prevalence and factors associated with PE and ED in young single MSM in the capital of Peru.

Methods

This was an analytical cross-sectional study in MSM using an online questionnaire. The presence of ED and PE was assessed using the 5-item International Index of Erectile Function and 5-item Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool questionnaires, respectively. In addition, their association with personal, physical health, and sexual behavior variables was evaluated. Prevalence ratios (PRs) were estimated through regression models.

Outcomes

Premature ejaculation and Erectile dysfunction in MSM.

Results

Of 315 participants, most were between 20 to 29 years of age (71.8%), 43.5% identified as homosexual, 59.1% had between 2 and 5 sexual partners, and 40.6% reported that the duration of their sexual relationship was between 1 and 12 months. The prevalence of ED was 53.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 47.66%-58.95%), and PE was present in 8.3% (95% CI, 5.46%-11.86%). Factors associated with a higher prevalence of ED were having between 6 and 9 sexual partners (PR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.05-2.11) and having a sexual relationship lasting 13 to 24 months (PR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.50-0.98). Furthermore, for each additional year from the onset of the first sexual encounter with another man, the prevalence of PE increased by 7% (PR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02-1.13).

Clinical Implications

These findings suggest that there is a relationship between an increased number of sexual partners and a higher prevalence of ED. It also suggests that relationships that last for some time may have a protective effect against ED.

Strengths and Limitations

Strengths include the use of validated instruments, adequate sample size, robust multivariate analysis, and being one of the few studies in Latin America assessing PE and ED in the MSM population. Limitations include the cross-sectional design, nonprobability sampling, and access to participants.

Conclusion

Having more sexual partners is associated with increased ED, while relationships lasting 13 to 24 months are associated with decreased ED. Each additional year from the onset of the first sexual relationship increases the prevalence of PE. These findings can guide the design of health policies and programs tailored to the MSM community to enhance their well-being and sexual quality of life.
Efficacy of radiofrequency ablation vs. transcatheter arterial embolization for hepatic hemangiomas
Authors: Li Jushang , Zhang Shuaiguo , Ning Chunmin , Li Guoming , Guo Shigang
Published: March 2024

Objective

The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in the treatment of large hepatic hemangiomas (LHH) (5–9.9 cm in diameter).

Methods and materials

This study retrospectively collected data from 82 patients with LHH treated at Chaoyang Central Hospital. The study analyzed the differences in postoperative efficacy, operative time, blood routine, liver and kidney function on the first day after surgery, postoperative hospitalization time and postoperative complications.

Results

There were statistically significant differences in indicators such as white blood cell count, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and total bilirubin on the first day after surgery between the RFA group (39 cases) and the TACE group (43 cases) (P < 0.001). Compared to RFA, LHH patients treated with TACE had a general complication rate of 39.5% (vs. 43.6%; P = 0.7), a procedure-related complication rate of 30.2% (vs. 59.0%; P = 0.009), an effective rate at 6–12 months postoperatively of 55.8% (vs. 82.1%; P = 0.01), an operating-time of 41.2 ± 14.9 min (vs. 100.8 ± 35.5 min; P < 0.001) and hospitalization costs of 17052.7 ± 1364.8 yuan (vs. 30952.1 ± 4327.6 yuan; P < 0.001).

Conclusion

This study indicates that the efficacy of RFA in treating LHH is significantly superior to TACE. Microwave ablation and RFA appear to be safe treatments for LHH. The TACE group exhibited shorter operating-time, lower hospitalization costs and lower demands on cardiopulmonary function.
Diagnostic value of balloon expulsion test and anorectal manometry in patients with constipation: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Xu Dan , Kuang Mengfei , Liu Ya , Jiang Hua
Published: March 2024

This study aims to compare the diagnostic value of balloon expulsion test and anorectal manometry in patients with constipation through meta-analysis. Databases, encompassing PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, etc. were searched for all English publications on the diagnosis of constipation using balloon expulsion test and anorectal manometry. The publication date was restricted from the inception of the databases until December 2022. Data analysis was carried out utilizing Stata 15.0 and Meta-Disc 1.4 software. Thirteen studies involving 2171 patients with constipation were included. According to the meta-analysis, the balloon expulsion test showed a pooled sensitivity of 0.75 (95% CI: 0.72–0.77), a pooled specificity (Spe) of 0.67 (95% CI: 0.62–0.72), a pooled positive likelihood ratio (+LR) of 3.24 (95% CI: 1.53–6.88), a pooled negative likelihood ratio (−LR) 0.35 (95% CI: 0.23–0.52) and a pooled diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of 9.47 (95% CI: 3.27–27.44). For anorectal manometry, the pooled Sen, Spe, +LR, −LR and DOR were 0.74 (95% CI: 0.72–0.76), 0.73 (95% CI: 0.70–0.76), 2.69 (95% CI: 2.18–3.32), 0.35 (95% CI: 0.28–0.43), and 8.3 (95% CI: 5.4–12.75), respectively. The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve areas for balloon expulsion test and anorectal manometry were 0.8123 and 0.8088, respectively, with no statistically significant disparity (Z = −0.113, P > 0.05). Both the balloon expulsion test and anorectal manometry demonstrate comparable diagnostic performance, each offering unique advantages. These diagnostic procedures hold significance in the diagnosis of constipation.
A new and simple score to predict adequate and deep response to ursodeoxycholic acid in patients with primary biliary cholangitis: the ALP-A score
Authors: Cançado Guilherme Grossi Lopes , Gomes Nathalia Mota de Faria , Couto Cláudia Alves , Cançado Eduardo Luiz Rachid , Terrabuio Debora Raquel Benedita , Villela-Nogueira Cristiane Alves , Braga Michelle Harriz , Nardelli Mateus Jorge , Faria Luciana Costa , Oliveira Elze Maria Gomes , Rotman Vivian , Oliveira Maria Beatriz , Cunha Simone Muniz Carvalho Fernandes da , Mazo Daniel Ferraz de Campos , Mendes Liliana Sampaio Costa , Ivantes Claudia Alexandra Pontes , Codes Liana , Borges Valéria Ferreira de Almeida e , Pace Fabio Heleno de Lima , Pessôa Mário Guimarães , Signorelli Izabelle Venturini , Coral Gabriela Perdomo , Bittencourt Paulo Lisboa , Fucuta Patrícia , Filho Roberto José de Carvalho , Ferraz Maria Lucia Gomes
Published: March 2024

Background

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is the standard treatment for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), but a significant proportion of patients do not respond adequately, leading to increased risk of adverse outcomes. This study aims to develop a new and straightforward predictive score to identify PBC patients likely to achieve a complete response to UDCA.

Methods

A logistic regression analysis was conducted using a derivation cohort of PBC patients to identify pre-treatment variables associated with response to UDCA. This analysis led to the development of the ALP-A score, calculated as: Age at diagnosis divided by (alkaline phosphatase at diagnosis/upper limit of normal). ALP-A score accuracy was evaluated using the area under the ROC curve, validated with a large external cohort from Brazil. Additionally, the correlation between the ALP-A score and the previously validated UDCA response score (URS) was assessed.

Results

ALP-A score had good predictive power for adequate (AUC 0.794; 95% CI, 0.737–0.852) and deep (0.76; 95% CI, 0.69–0.83) UDCA response at 1 year of treatment. A cutoff score of 17 and 23 points was determined to be the optimal threshold for distinguishing adequate and deep responders, respectively, from non-responders. ALP-A score demonstrated a sensitivity of 73%, specificity of 71%, positive predictive value of 65%, negative predictive value of 78%, and overall accuracy of 72% for biochemical response. The URS displayed similar discriminative ability (AUC 0.798; 95% CI, 0.741–0.855).

Conclusion

ALP-A score performs comparably to URS but offers the great advantage of simplicity for routine clinical use. It serves as a valuable tool to identify PBC patients less likely to respond to UDCA treatment, facilitating early consideration of alternative therapeutic approaches.
Replay of Interictal Sequential Activity Shapes the Epileptic Network Dynamics
Authors: Wang Kang , Wang Haixiang , Yan Yuxiang , Li Wenzheng , Cai Fang , Zhou Wenjing , Hong Bo
Published: March 2024

Both the imbalance of neuronal excitation and inhibition, and the network disorganization may lead to hyperactivity in epilepsy. However, the insufficiency of seizure data poses the challenge of elucidating the network mechanisms behind the frequent and recurrent abnormal discharges. Our study of two extensive intracranial EEG datasets revealed that the seizure onset zone exhibits recurrent synchronous activation of interictal events. These synchronized discharges formed repetitive sequential patterns, indicative of a stable and intricate network structure within the seizure onset zone (SOZ). We hypothesized that the frequent replay of interictal sequential activity shapes the structure of the epileptic network, which in turn supports the occurrence of these discharges. The Hopfield-Kuramoto oscillator network model was employed to characterize the formation and evolution of the epileptic network, encoding the interictal sequential patterns into the network structure using the Hebbian rule. This model successfully replicated patient-specific interictal sequential activity. Dynamic change of the network connections was further introduced to build an adaptive Kuramoto model to simulate the interictal to ictal transition. The Kuramoto oscillator network with adaptive connections (KONWAC) model we proposed essentially combines two scales of Hebbian plasticity, shaping both the stereotyped propagation and the ictal transition in epileptic networks through the interplay of regularity and uncertainty in interictal discharges.
Two-year clinical outcomes of staged transcatheter mitral edge-to-edge repair after transcatheter aortic valve replacement
Authors: NAGASAKA TAKASHI , Patel Vivek , Shechter Alon , Koren Ofir , Chakravarty Tarun , Cheng Wen , Ishii Hideki , Jilaihawi Hasan , Nakamura Mamoo , Makkar Raj
Published: March 2024

Background: Residual significant mitral regurgitation (MR) can increase the risk of adverse events following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The clinical benefits of staged transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) post-TAVR remain underexplored. This study aimed to investigate clinical outcomes of staged TEER for residual significant MR post-TAVR. Methods: This observational study included 314 consecutive patients with chronic residual grade 3+ or 4+ MR at 30 days follow-up post-TAVR, with 104 (33.1%) treated with staged TEER (TEER group) and 210 (66.9%) with medical therapy alone (MT group). The primary composite outcomes were all-cause mortality and heart failure (HF) hospitalization at 2 years. Additional analysis, including changes in MR grade and the New York Association (NYHA) functional classification, and subgroup outcome comparisons based on MR etiology were also conducted. Results: The rate of primary composite outcome was lower in the TEER group than that in the MT group (33.7% vs. 48.1%, p = 0.015). Significant improvement in MR grade and NYHA class was observed in the TEER group after 2 years. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that, among patients with degenerative MR, a lower incidence of composite outcome and HF hospitalization was observed in the TEER group (hazard ratio: 0.35; 95% confidence interval: 0.23?0.53, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Staged TEER post-TAVR was associated with reduced MR and improved clinical outcomes. The clinical significance of MR post-TAVR should be carefully evaluated, and TEER should be considered for patients with significant residual MR, particularly those with degenerative MR.
Effectiveness of an Impella versus intra-aortic balloon pump in patients who received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Authors: Nishimoto Yuji , Ohbe Hiroyuki , Nakata Jun , Takiguchi Toru , Nakajima Mikio , Sasabuchi Yusuke , Isogai Toshiaki , Matsui Hiroki , Sato Yukihito , Watanabe Tetsuya , Yamada Takahisa , Fukunami Masatake , Yasunaga Hideo
Published: March 2024

Background

Previous studies have suggested that left ventricular (LV) unloading with an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) or percutaneous ventricular assist device (Impella) in combination with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is associated with lower mortality; however, it is unclear which is better. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of LV unloading with an Impella versus IABP on in-hospital mortality and other clinical outcomes.

Methods

Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database from September 28, 2016, to March 31, 2022, we identified inpatients who received an Impella or IABP in combination with ECMO (ECPella or ECMO+IABP group, respectively). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality and the secondary outcomes were the length of hospital stay, length of ECMO, total hospitalization cost, and complications. Propensity score matching was performed to compare the outcomes between the groups.

Results

Of 14,525 eligible patients, 603 (4.2%) received ECPella and 13,922 (96%) received ECMO+IABP. After propensity score matching, there was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between the two groups (58.9% versus 56.6%; risk difference, 2.3%; 95% confidence interval, −3.9% to 8.5%). The ECPella group had a longer hospital stay, higher total hospitalization cost, and more frequent major bleeding, vascular complications, and renal replacement therapy during hospitalization than the ECMO+IABP group.

Conclusions

This nationwide inpatient database study showed that ECPella was not associated with a survival benefit but was associated with a longer hospital stay, higher total hospitalization cost, and more complications than ECMO+IABP.
Proteome-wide association studies using summary pQTL data of three tissues identified 30 risk genes of Alzheimer’s disease dementia
Authors: Hu Tingyang , Liu Qiang , Dai Qile , Parrish Randy L. , Buchman Aron S. , Tasaki Shinya , Seyfried Nicholas T. , Wang Yanling , Bennett David A. , De Jager Philip L. , Epstein Michael P. , Yang Jingjing
Published: March 2024

Background

Proteome-wide association study (PWAS) integrating proteomic data with genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data is a powerful tool for studying Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia. Existing PWAS analyses of AD often rely on the availability of individual-level proteomic and genetic data of a reference panel. Leveraging summary protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL) reference data of multiple AD-relevant tissues is expected to improve PWAS findings of AD dementia.

Methods

We conducted PWAS of AD dementia by integrating publicly available summary pQTL data of brain, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and plasma tissues, with the latest GWAS summary data of AD dementia. For each target protein per tissue, we employed our recently published OTTERS tool to obtain omnibus PWAS p-value, to test whether the genetically regulated protein abundance in the corresponding tissue is associated with AD dementia. Protein-protein interactions and enriched pathways of identified significant PWAS risk genes were analyzed by STRING. The potential causal effects of these PWAS risk genes were assessed by probabilistic Mendelian randomization analyses.

Results

We identified 30 unique significant PWAS risk genes for AD dementia, including 11 for brain, 9 for CSF, and 16 for plasma tissues. Four of these were shared by at least two tissues, and geneMAPK3was found in all three tissues. We found that 11 of these PWAS risk genes were associated with AD or AD pathological hall marks as shown in GWAS Catalog; 18 of these were detected by transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS); and 25 of these, including 8 out of 9 novel genes, were interconnected within a protein-protein interaction network involving the well-known AD risk geneAPOE. Especially, these PWAS risk genes were enriched in immune response, glial cell proliferation, and high-density lipoprotein particle clearance pathways. Mediated causal effects were validated for 13 PWAS risk genes (43.3%).

Conclusions

Our findings provide novel insights into the genetic mechanisms of AD dementia in brain, CSF, and plasma tissues, and targets for developing therapeutic interventions. We also demonstrated the effectiveness of integrating summary pQTL and GWAS data for mapping risk genes of complex human diseases.
Prediction of Severe Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease Using Radiomic Features from Resting Cardiac Ultrasound Images: A Pilot Study
Authors: Aziz Daniel , Jamthikar Ankush D. , Bhattaru Abhijit , Desingu Karthik , Rajiv Nivedita , Maganti Kameswari , Hamirani Yasmin , Bokhari Sabahat , Yanamala Naveena , Sengupta Partho P.
Published: March 2024

Background

Although cardiac ultrasound is frequently performed in patients with chest pain, the probability of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) cannot be quantified. We investigated the potential of cardiac ultrasound radiomics (ultrasomics) to identify obstructive CAD using limited echocardiography frames, suitable for cardiac point-of-care ultrasound evaluation.

Methods

In total, 333 patients who were either healthy controls (n=30), undergoing invasive coronary procedures (n=113), or coronary CT angiography (n=190) were divided into two temporally distinct training (n=271) and testing (n=62) cohorts. Machine learning models were developed using ultrasomics for predicting severe CAD (stenosis >70%) and compared with regional LV wall motion abnormalities (RWMA).

Results

In total, 94 (28.2%) patients had severe CAD with 50 (15.0%) having high-risk CAD defined as left main stenosis >50% (n=11), multivessel CAD (n=43), or 100% occlusion (n=20). The ultrasomics model was superior to RWMA for predicting severe CAD [area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) of 0.80 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.74 to 0.86) vs. 0.67 (95% CI: 0.61-0.72), p=0.0014] in the training set and [0.77 (95% CI: 0.64-0.90) vs. 0.70 (95% CI: 0.56-0.81), p=0.24] in the test set, respectively. The model also predicted high-risk CAD with an AUC of 0.84 (95% CI: 0.77-0.90) in the training set and 0.70 (95% CI: 0.48-0.88) in the test set. A combination of ultrasomics with RWMA showed incremental value over RWMA alone for predicting severe CAD.

Conclusions

Cardiac ultrasomic features extracted from limited echocardiography views can aid the development of machine learning models to predict the presence of severe obstructive CAD.
The metabolic cofactor Coenzyme A enhances alternative macrophage activation via MyD88-linked signaling
Authors: Jones Anthony E. , Rios Amy , Ibrahimovic Neira , Chavez Carolina , Bayley Nicholas A. , Ball Andréa B. , Hsieh Wei Yuan , Sammarco Alessandro , Bianchi Amber R. , Cortez Angel A. , Graeber Thomas G. , Hoffmann Alexander , Bensinger Steven J. , Divakaruni Ajit S.
Published: March 2024

Metabolites and metabolic co-factors can shape the innate immune response, though the pathways by which these molecules adjust inflammation remain incompletely understood. Here we show that the metabolic cofactor Coenzyme A (CoA) enhances IL-4 driven alternative macrophage activation [m(IL-4)]in vitroandin vivo. Unexpectedly, we found that perturbations in intracellular CoA metabolism did not influence m(IL-4) differentiation. Rather, we discovered that exogenous CoA provides a weak TLR4 signal which primes macrophages for increased receptivity to IL-4 signals and resolution of inflammation via MyD88. Mechanistic studies revealed MyD88-linked signals prime for IL-4 responsiveness, in part, by reshaping chromatin accessibility to enhance transcription of IL-4-linked genes. The results identify CoA as a host metabolic co-factor that influences macrophage function through an extrinsic TLR4-dependent mechanism, and suggests that damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) can prime macrophages for alternative activation and resolution of inflammation.
Unveiling Frequency-Specific Microstate Correlates of Anxiety and Depression Symptoms
Authors: Xue Siyang , Shen Xinke , Zhang Dan , Sang Zhenhua , Long Qiting , Song Sen , Wu Jian
Published: March 2024

Electroencephalography (EEG) microstates are canonical voltage topographies that reflect the temporal dynamics of resting-state brain networks on a millisecond time scale. Changes in microstate parameters have been described in patients with psychiatric disorders, indicating their potential as clinical biomarkers with broadband EEG signals (e.g., 1–30 Hz). Considering the distinct information provided by specific frequency bands, we hypothesized that microstates in decomposed frequency band could provide a more detailed depiction of the underlying psychological mechanism. In this study, with a large open access resting-state dataset (n = 203), we examined the properties of frequency-specific microstates and their relationship with emotional disorders. We conducted clustering on EEG topographies in decomposed frequency band (delta, theta, alpha and beta), and determined the number of clusters with a meta-criterion. Microstate parameters, including global explained variance (GEV), duration, coverage, occurrence and transition probability, were calculated for eyes-open and eyes-closed states, respectively. Their predictive power for the scores of depression and anxiety symptoms were identified by correlation and regression analysis. Distinct microstate patterns were observed across different frequency bands. Microstate parameters in the alpha band held the best predictive power for emotional symptoms. Microstates B (GEV, coverage) and parieto-central maximum microstate C’ (coverage, occurrence, transitions from B to C’) in the alpha band exhibited significant correlations with depression and anxiety, respectively. Microstate parameters of the alpha band achieved predictive R-square of 0.100 for anxiety scores, which is much higher than those of broadband (R-square = -0.026, p < .01). These results suggested the value of frequency-specific microstates in predicting emotional symptoms.
TraitProtNet: Deciphering the Genome for Trait Prediction with Interpretable Deep Learning
Authors: Wang Sijun
Published: March 2024

Genome data is far from fully explored. We present TraitProtNet, an innovative deep learning framework for predictive trait profiling in fungi, leveraging genome data and pretrained language models. The use of Integrated Gradients and bioinformatic analysis provides insights into the model’s interpretability, complementing traditional omics by highlighting the difference between protein importance and expression levels. This framework offers significant potential for future applications in both agriculture and medicine.
Human stem cell transplantation for Parkinson’s disease: A systematic review ofin situsurvival and maturation of progenitors derived from human embryonic or induced stem cells in Parkinsonian models
Authors: Comini Giulia , Dowd Eilís
Published: March 2024

Stem cell-based brain repair is a promising emergent therapy for Parkinson’s which is based on years of foundational research using human fetal donors as a cell source. Unlike current therapeutic options for patients, this approach has the potential to provide long-term stem cell-derived reconstruction and restoration of the dopaminergic input to denervated regions of the brain allowing for restoration of certain functions to patients. The ultimate clinical success of stem cell-derived brain repair will depend on both the safety and efficacy of the approach, and the latter is dependent on the ability of the transplanted cells to survive and differentiate into functional dopaminergic neurons in the Parkinsonian brain. Because the pre-clinical literature suggests that there is a considerable variability in survival and differentiation between studies, the aim of this systematic review was to assess these parameters in human stem-derived dopaminergic progenitor transplant studies in animal models of Parkinson’s. To do so, a defined systematic search of the PubMed database was completed to identify relevant studies published up to March 2024. After screening, 76 articles were included in the analysis from which 178 separate transplant studies were identified. From these, graft survival could be assessed in 52 studies and differentiation in 129 studies. Overall, we found that graft survival ranged from <1% to 500% of cells transplanted, with a median of 51% of transplanted cells surviving in the brain; while dopaminergic differentiation of the cells ranged from 0% to 46% of cells transplanted with a median of 3%. This systematic review suggests that there is considerable scope for improvement in the differentiation of stem cell-derived dopaminergic progenitors in order to maximize the therapeutic potential of this approach for patients.
CDHu40: a novel marker gene set of neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC)
Authors: Liu Sheng , Nam Hye Seung , Zeng Ziyu , Deng Xuehong , Pashaei Elnaz , Zang Yong , Yang Lei , Li Chenglong , Huang Jiaoti , Wendt Michael K , Lu Xin , Huang Rong , Wan Jun
Published: March 2024

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most prevalent cancer affecting American men. Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) can emerge during hormone therapy for PCa, manifesting with elevated serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, continued disease progression, and/or metastasis to the new sites, resulting in a poor prognosis. A subset of CRPC patients shows a neuroendocrine (NE) phenotype, signifying reduced or no reliance on androgen receptor (AR) signaling and a particularly unfavorable prognosis. In this study, we incorporated computational approaches based on both gene expression profiles and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. We identified 500 potential marker genes, which are significantly enriched in cell cycle and neuronal processes. The top 40 candidates, collectively named as CDHu40, demonstrated superior performance in distinguishing NE prostate cancer (NEPC) and non-NEPC samples based on gene expression profiles compared to other published marker sets. Notably, some novel marker genes in CDHu40, absent in the other marker sets, have been reported to be associated with NEPC in the literature, such as DDC, FOLH1, BEX1, MAST1, and CACNA1A. Importantly, elevated CDHu40 scores derived from our predictive model showed a robust correlation with unfavorable survival outcomes in patients, indicating the potential of the CDHu40 score as a promising indicator for predicting the survival prognosis of those patients with the NE phenotype. Motif enrichment analysis on the top candidates suggests that REST and E2F6 may serve as key regulators in the NEPC progression.

Significance

our study integrates gene expression variances in multiple NEPC studies and protein-protein interaction network to pinpoint a specific set of NEPC maker genes namely CDHu40. These genes and scores based on their gene expression levels effectively distinguish NEPC samples and underscore the clinical prognostic significance and potential mechanism.
The Colorado potato beetle gene expression atlas
Authors: Wilhelm Léonore , Wang Yangzi , Xu Shuqing
Published: March 2024

The Colorado potato beetle (CPB) is a major pest of potato crops that has evolved resistance to more than 50 pesticides. For decades, CPB has been a model species for research on insecticide resistance, insect physiology, diapause, reproduction and evolution. Yet, the research progress in CPB is constrained by the lack of comprehensive genomic and transcriptomic information. Here, building on the recently established chromosome-level genome assembly, we built a gene expression atlas of the CPB using the transcriptomes of 61 samples representing major organs and developmental stages. By using both short and long reads, we improved the genome annotation and identified 6,658 more genes that were missed in previous annotations. We then established a web portal allowing the search and visualization of the gene expression for the research community. The CPB atlas provides useful tools and comprehensive gene expression data, which will accelerate future research in both pest control and insect biology fields.
Cis-vaccenic acid is a key product of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 and a critical oncogenic factor in prostate cancer
Authors: Scott Julia S , Young Reuben SE , Quek Lake-Ee , Miller Deanna C , Evergren Emma , Dehairs Jonas , Johnson Ian RD , Brooks Doug A , Loda Massimo , Hoy Andrew J , Blanksby Stephen J , Swinnen Johannes V , Nassar Zeyad D , Butler Lisa M
Published: March 2024

Altered monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) metabolism is a hallmark of oncogenic transformation. Recently, the MUFAcis-vaccenic acid (cVA) was identified as a putative regulator of prostate cancer cell viability. cVA production requires the activity of stearoyl CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), an enzyme frequently dysregulated in cancer, but the role of cVA in regulating cancer cell phenotypes has not been extensively explored, compared with the more commonly studied product and structural isomer of cVA, oleic acid. Here, we utilised SCD1 inhibition to study the effects of cVA in prostate cancer cells. We found that cVA consistently rescues reductions in cell viability due to SCD1 inhibition and promotes cell growth under normal conditions, thereby identifying cVA as an important and previously unrecognised product of SCD1 in prostate cancer. More broadly, we demonstrate that individual MUFA species exert a diverse range of influence on oncogenic phenotypes, highlighting a need to more precisely characterise the lipidome of cancer cells to understand the molecular pathology of the disease.