bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trimodal therapy vs radical cystectomy in patients with muscle‐invasive bladder cancer: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of comparative studies
Authors: Ditonno Francesco , Veccia Alessandro , Montanaro Francesca , Pettenuzzo Greta , Franco Antonio , Manfredi Celeste , Triggiani Luca , De Nunzio Cosimo , De Sio Marco , Cerruto Mariangela , Crivellaro Simone , Kutikov Alexander , Autorino Riccardo , Antonelli Alessandro
Published: April 2024

Objective

To perform a systematic review and meta‐analysis of trials comparing trimodal therapy (TMT) and radical cystectomy (RC), evaluating differences in terms of oncological outcomes, quality of life, and costs.

Materials and Methods

In July 2023, a literature search of multiple databases was conducted to identify studies analysing patients with cT2‐4 N any M0 muscle‐invasive bladder cancer (MIBC; Patients) receiving TMT (Intervention) compared to RC (Comparison), to evaluate survival outcomes, recurrence rates, costs, and quality of life (Outcomes). The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). Secondary outcomes were cancer‐specific survival (CSS) and metastasis‐free survival (MFS). Hazard ratios (HRs) were used to analyse survival outcomes according to different treatment modalities and odds ratios were used to evaluate the likelihood of receiving each type of treatment according to T stage.

Results

No significant difference in terms of OS was observed between RC and TMT (HR 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.81–1.4; P = 0.6), even when analysing radiation therapy regimens ≥60 Gy (HR 1.02, 95% CI 0.69–1.52; P = 0.9). No significant difference was observed in CSS (HR 1.12, 95% CI 0.79–1.57, P = 0.5) or MFS (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.66–1.16; P = 0.3). The mean cost of TMT was significantly higher than that of RC ($289 142 vs $148 757; P < 0.001), with greater effectiveness in terms of cost per quality‐adjusted life‐year. TMT ensured significantly higher general quality‐of‐life scores.

Conclusion

Trimodal therapy appeared to yield comparable oncological outcomes to RC concerning OS, CSS and MFS, while providing superior patient quality of life and cost effectiveness.
Gender diversity among adolescents with obesity in a weight management programme
Authors: Zytner Zachary J. E. , Stanley Joshua R. , Grewal Preeti , Dettmer Elizabeth , Toulany Alene , Palmert Mark R. , Sorbara Julia C.
Published: April 2024

Gender dysphoria (GD) and obesity share commonalities, including associations with mental health comorbidities, disordered eating, body dissatisfaction and may intensify with physical and developmental changes during adolescence. While associations of obesity and gender diversity have been identified, rates of gender diversity among adolescents with obesity remain unclear. The aim was to examine gender diversity among adolescents with obesity in a weight management programme. A single‐centre cross‐sectional questionnaire study was conducted. Eligible adolescents received the Gender Identity/GD Questionnaire for Adolescents and Adults (GIDYQ‐AA), a validated instrument measuring gender diversity and GD. Gender identities, sexual orientations, questionnaire scores, and frequency of GD (GIDYQ‐AA score <3) were determined. The relationship of GIDYQ‐AA scores and BMI Z‐score (BMIz) was assessed. Of 72 consenting youth, 29 assigned females (AF) and 17 assigned males (AM) completed GIDYQ‐AA and demographic questions. Seventeen (59%) AF reported non‐heterosexual orientations, and 6 (21%) reported non‐cisgender identities. One (6%) AM reported non‐cisgender identity. Two (4%) AF individuals had GD based on GIDYQ‐AA scores. GIDYQ‐AA scores did not correlate with BMIz. In conclusion, adolescents with obesity, particularly AF with non‐heterosexual orientation, reported high rates of non‐cisgender identity and GD. Routine screening for gender‐related concerns in weight management settings may be warranted.
Community engagement and power dynamics in conservation philanthropy grant making
Authors: Betsill Michele M. , Gruby Rebecca L. , Blackwatters Jeffrey , Enrici Ash , Le Cornu Elodie , Basurto Xavier , English Chad , Hudson Charlotte , Meth Leah , Fairweather‐Morrison Imani , Okano Dana , Secord David
Published: April 2024

Funding decisions influence where, how, and by whom conservation is pursued globally. In the context of growing calls for more participatory, Indigenous‐led, and socially just conservation, we undertook the first empirical investigation of how philanthropic foundations working in marine conservation globally engage communities in grant‐making decisions. We paid particular attention to whether and how community engagement practices reinforce or disrupt existing power dynamics. We conducted semistructured remote interviews with 46 individuals from 32 marine conservation foundations to identify how conservation foundations engage communities in setting their priorities and deciding which organizations and projects to fund. We found that community engagement in foundation decision‐making was limited in practice. Eleven of the 32 foundations reported some form of community engagement in funding decisions. Two of these foundations empowered communities to shape funding priorities and projects through strong forms of engagement. Many engagement practices were one way, one time, or indirect and confined to certain points in decision‐making processes. These weaker practices limited community input and reinforced unequal power relations, which may undermine the legitimacy, equity, and effectiveness of conservation efforts. We suggest that foundations aim for stronger forms of community engagement and reflect on how their grant‐making practices affect power relations between foundations and communities.
Participation of young people with Down syndrome: Moving beyond educating families
Authors: Kaelin Vera C. , Peyer Delia
Published: April 2024

This commentary is on the scoping review by Souto et al. and the original article by Brugnaro et al. on pages 1013–1030 and 1031–1044 of this issue.
Tap dancing frogs: Posterior toe tapping and feeding in Dendrobates tinctorius
Authors: Parrish Thomas Q. , Fischer Eva K.
Published: April 2024

Animals have myriad adaptations to help them hunt and feed in the most efficient and effective manner. One mysterious behavior related to hunting and feeding is the posterior toe tapping behavior of some frogs. Biologists and hobbyists alike have long noticed this behavior, but there is little empirical data to explain its causes and consequences. To test the hypothesis that tapping is related to feeding and modulated by environmental context, we conducted a series of related experiments in the Dyeing poison frog, Dendrobates tinctorius. We first confirmed that tap rate was higher during feeding as has been observed in other species. Interestingly, this effect was heightened in the presence of a conspecific. We next asked whether frogs tapped less under conditions when prey were visible, but inaccessible. Finally, we asked whether D. tinctorius adjusted tap rate based on substrate characteristics and whether prey capture success was higher when tapping. In addition to confirming an association between tapping and feeding, our work demonstrates modulation of toe tapping based on social context, prey accessibility, and substrate characteristics. Based on our findings, we suggest that tapping could act to induce prey movement and thereby facilitate prey detection and capture by frogs.
Ecological baselines in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea shifted long before the availability of observational time series
Authors: Steger Jan , Bogi Cesare , Lubinevsky Hadas , Galil Bella S. , Zuschin Martin , Albano Paolo G.
Published: April 2024

Native biodiversity loss and invasions by nonindigenous species (NIS) have massively altered ecosystems worldwide, but trajectories of taxonomic and functional reorganization remain poorly understood due to the scarcity of long‐term data. Where ecological time series are available, their temporal coverage is often shorter than the history of anthropogenic changes, posing the risk of drawing misleading conclusions on systems' current states and future development. Focusing on the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, a region affected by massive biological invasions and the largest climate change‐driven collapse of native marine biodiversity ever documented, we followed the taxonomic and functional evolution of an emerging “novel ecosystem”, using a unique dataset on shelled mollusks sampled in 2005–2022 on the Israeli shelf. To quantify the alteration of observed assemblages relative to historical times, we also analyzed decades‐ to centuries‐old ecological baselines reconstructed from radiometrically dated death assemblages, time‐averaged accumulations of shells on the seafloor that constitute natural archives of past community states. Against expectations, we found no major loss of native biodiversity in the past two decades, suggesting that its collapse had occurred even earlier than 2005. Instead, assemblage taxonomic and functional richness increased, reflecting the diversification of NIS whose trait structure was, and has remained, different from the native one. The comparison with the death assemblage, however, revealed that modern assemblages are taxonomically and functionally much impoverished compared to historical communities. This implies that NIS did not compensate for the functional loss of native taxa, and that even the most complete observational dataset available for the region represents a shifted baseline that does not reflect the actual magnitude of anthropogenic changes. While highlighting the great value of observational time series, our results call for the integration of multiple information sources on past ecosystem states to better understand patterns of biodiversity loss in the Anthropocene.
The Limits of Liminality: Where do Trans People Fit in to Pope Francis's Church?
Authors: Burbach Nicolete
Published: April 2024

This paper explores a tension between Francis's openness to ‘liminality’ and certain papal statements condemning transness that reproduce the ways in which people are marginalised as trans. It seeks to make sense of these tensions, reading them back through Francis's theology of history, and suggesting a place for trans people to locate ourselves within the Church in spite of them. It argues that Francis's failings around transness can be viewed as ‘limitations’ to be overcome in a redemptive movement. It then argues that Francis's theology of history is reflected in his ‘dialogical’ use of authority, which admits a space and role for us as pastorally accompanying the Church beyond these limitations. Finally, it argues that Francis's pastoral theology is founded on a theology of encounter which suggests that this process is an expression of divine love that draws people to God through a loving encounter with others. Trans people are thus called to put ourselves at the service of this love, and can take hope in its powers even amidst our own weakness.
Japanese survey of perioperative complications and ureteral stricture after ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy for upper urinary tract stones in multicenter collaborative study
Authors: Inoue Takaaki , Tanaka Hirokazu , Masuda Tomoko , Iba Akinori , Tambo Mitsuhiro , Okada Shinsuke , Hou Terunobu , Takazawa Ryoji , Izaki Hirofumi , Hamamoto Shuzo , Fujisawa Masato
Published: April 2024

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate perioperative complications and the details of postoperative ureteral stricture after ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy (URS‐L) for upper urinary tract stones in Japan.

Methods

Patient data on intra‐ and postoperative complications after ureteroscopy using URS‐L were retrospectively collected from multiple centers in Japan between April 2017 and March 2020 with the cooperation of the Japanese Society of Endourology and Robotics. Data included the number of patients undergoing URS‐L, number and type of intra‐ and postoperative complications, and detailed characteristics of postoperative ureteral stricture.

Results

In total, 14 125 patients underwent URS‐L over 3 years at 82 institutions. Annual URS‐L numbers gradually increased from 4419 in 2017, to 4760 in 2018, and 4946 in 2019. The total complication rate was 10.5%, which was divided into intra‐operative complications in 1.40% and postoperative complications in 9.18%. The annual incidences of intra‐ and postoperative complications were not significantly different from year to year (p = 0.314 and p = 0.112). Ureteral perforation, ureteral avulsion, and the intra‐operative conversion rate were 1.35%, 0.03%, and 0.02%, respectively. Fever >38°C, septic shock, blood transfusion, and postoperative mortality were 7.44%, 0.81%, 0.07%, and 0.04%, respectively. Ureteral stricture occurred in 0.8% of cases. The median length of stricture site was 10.0 mm and the success rate of stricture treatment was 54.6%.

Conclusion

Although URS‐L utilization has increased in Japan, the annual complication rate has remained steady. Although URS‐L is a useful and less invasive procedure, devastating complications can still occur.
Patient perspectives about multiple sclerosis: A metaphor study
Authors: Uslu Esra , Özsaban Aysel , Ocak Şahika , Bayram Aysun , Demir Serkan
Published: April 2024

Aim

Determining patients' perceptions of multiple sclerosis, a disease with varying symptoms and prognosis for each individual, can significantly contribute to directing care and treatment. Metaphors may be an opportunity to determine perceptions of this unique illness experience. The aim of this study was to reveal the perceptions of patients with multiple sclerosis about “multiple sclerosis” through metaphors.

Methods

This study was conducted with metaphor analysis technique based on phenomenological method. The sample included 184 patients with multiple sclerosis. Data was collected face‐to‐face between July 2022 and January 2023. Each participant was interviewed individually and was asked to fill in the blanks in the sentence, “multiple sclerosis is like… because…”. Content analysis was performed for metaphors.

Results

The study revealed five main themes and twelve subthemes that provided insight into the participants' multiple sclerosis perceptions. The themes address (i) Manipulator multiple sclerosis; ambiguous multiple sclerosis, attritive multiple sclerosis, controller multiple sclerosis, demander multiple sclerosis, and conditional multiple sclerosis (ii) Temporal multiple sclerosis; cyclical multiple sclerosis and perpetual multiple sclerosis (iii) Follower multiple sclerosis; unaccepted multiple sclerosis, partner multiple sclerosis and ambusher multiple sclerosis (iv) Different multiple sclerosis; bittersweet multiple sclerosis and unique multiple sclerosis (v) Restorative multiple sclerosis.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that patients with multiple sclerosis mostly had negative perceptions regarding their relationship with multiple sclerosis. The results place a responsibility on healthcare professionals to improve how patients adapt to multiple sclerosis. This study's results can bridge theoretical knowledge and practice.
An experimental teeth bleaching agent containing casein phosphopeptide‐amorphous calcium phosphate
Authors: Balkaya Hacer , Demirbuğa Sezer , Dayan Serkan
Published: April 2024

Objectives

This study was aimed to obtain an experimental bleaching agent by adding casein phosphopeptide‐amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP‐ACP) in order to eliminate the mineral loss on the tooth surface after bleaching and to evaluate the bleaching effectiveness.

Materials and Methods

In this study, experimental bleaching agents containing 1%, 3% CPP‐ACP and without CPP‐ACP were obtained. Bleaching effectiveness (color change), the effect of bleaching agents on mineral content (energy dispersive x‐ray spectroscopy), surface morphology (scanning electron microscope), and surface hardness of enamel (Vicker's microhardness) before and after bleaching were evaluated. The obtained data were statistically analyzed.

Results

When the bleaching levels of the groups were compared, no statistically significant difference was observed between the control and 1% CPP‐ACP groups (p > 0.05) while the addition of 3% CPP‐ACP decreased significantly the effectiveness of the bleaching agent (p < 0.05). When the effects of experimental bleaching agents on surface hardness were examined, while the enamel surface hardness decreased statistically significantly after application in the control group (p < 0.05), no statistically significant change was observed in surface hardness after the application of 1% CPP‐ACP containing bleaching agent (p > 0.05). However, a statistically significant increase was observed in surface hardness after the application of 3% CPP‐ACP containing bleaching agent (p < 0.05). When the Ca and P ratio of the groups were compared, no statistically significant difference was observed between the control and 1% CPP‐ACP groups (p > 0.05), while they increased significantly in 3% CPP‐ACP group (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The addition of 1% CPP‐ACP to the bleaching agent had positive effects on the mineral content and surface hardness of the enamel, and did not negatively affect the whitening effectiveness.

Clinical Significance

Adding CPP‐ACP to the bleaching agent at appropriate concentrations can eliminate possible negative effects without compromising the effectiveness of the bleaching agent.
The efficacy of enoxolone in reducing erythema and pain after laser treatment: A randomized split‐face pilot study
Authors: Choi Sun Young , Koh Young Gue , Roh Yoon Jin , Park Kui Young
Published: April 2024

Background

Enoxolone, derived from licorice, possesses potent anti‐inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. However, its effectiveness in alleviating post‐laser reactions has not been extensively studied.

Aims

This randomized split‐face pilot study aimed to evaluate the effects of enoxolone on skin following laser treatment.

Patients/Methods

Ten healthy subjects underwent non‐ablative 1550 nm Er:Glass fractional laser treatment and then randomly applied a moisturizer without enoxolone on one side of the face and a dermo‐cosmetic formular containing 2% enoxolone mixed with the same moisturizer on the other side. The erythema index (EI), clinician's erythema assessment (CEA), and pain scores were recorded at 30 min, 60 min, and 24 h posttreatment.

Results

The group treated with enoxolone showed significantly lower EI and CEA compared to the control group at 24 h posttreatment. Additionally, pain scores were notably reduced in the enoxolone‐treated group 30 min after treatment.

Conclusions

This study suggests that dermo‐cosmetic formular containing 2% enoxolone is effective in reducing erythema and pain following laser treatment.
Improving household and community disaster recovery: Evidence on the role of insurance
Authors: You Xuesong , Kousky Carolyn
Published: April 2024

We study the role of insurance in improving household and community disaster recovery. Our analysis harnesses both a unique survey of residents impacted by four land‐falling hurricanes in the United States and foot traffic data on visits to local businesses. Households sort into two groups when it comes to financing recovery: those primarily using property insurance and those largely uninsured, instead relying more on friends and family. Insurance improves households' ability to participate in the local economy. Postflood visitation rates to many local businesses increase with greater flood insurance take‐up rates. Expanded participation in the local economy is consistent with insurance reducing financial constraints; indeed, insured households are less likely to report experiencing high financial burdens in both the short and longer‐run postdisaster and are less likely to have unmet funding needs. Despite this, motivating the purchase of disaster insurance remains challenging, particularly among low‐income households who perceive insurance as less useful.
THE ARABIA – EURASIA COLLISION ZONE IN IRAN: TECTONOSTRATIGRAPHIC AND STRUCTURAL SYNTHESIS
Authors: Madanipour Saeed , Najafi Mahdi , Nozaem Reza , Vergés Jaume , Yassaghi Ali , Heydari Iraj , Khodaparast Sedigheh , Soudmand Zahra , Aghajari Lotfollah
Published: April 2024

The Arabia – Eurasia collision zone in the central part of the Alpine – Himalayan orogenic system has had a complex deformation history since the Palaeozoic. In Iran, the collision zone consists of the Alborz‐Talesh, Kopeh Dagh and Zagros foldbelts and the intervening Central Iran area. In this review paper, we summarize the structural architecture and tectonostratigraphic characteristics of these domains and attempt to correlate regional deformation events between them. The results show that six regional‐scale deformation phases can be recognized and correlated in Iran over a time interval extending from the Late Palaeozoic to the Late Cenozoic.

Late Palaeozoic rifting in northern Gondwana and subsequent oceanic spreading resulted in the separation of the Central and North Iran blocks from the Arabian Platform. These blocks later converged and collided with the southern margin of Eurasia due to the subduction of the intervening PalaeoTethys lithosphere (“Cimmerian orogeny”: Late Triassic). The convergent setting resulted in the initial development of the Alborz‐Talesh foldbelt in present‐day northern Iran, while extensional basins developed in the forebulge area in Central Iran. Continuing northward subduction of NeoTethyan oceanic lithosphere at the southern Eurasia margin produced Early Cretaceous back‐arc extension and associated volcanism in Central Iran and the Alborz‐Talesh area to the north. A phase of compressional deformation in the Late Cretaceous was related to the collision of a series of microcontinents derived from Northern Gondwana, including the Ercinjan and Bitlis massifs, with the Central Iran block, and is recorded in the Alborz‐Talesh foldbelt and in Central Iran. Further back‐arc extension in the late Paleocene – Eocene was accompanied by pervasive volcanism and volcaniclastic sedimentation throughout northern and Central Iran. The final closure of NeoTethys and convergence between the Arabian and Eurasian Plates evolved through phases of early Oligocene “soft” collision and middle Miocene “hard” collision. This was accompanied by thrusting in the internal parts of the Zagros foldbelt and by folding and subordinate thrusting in the more external parts, with related development of the flexural Mesopotamian Basin in the foreland to the SW.
REMOTE SENSING ANALYSIS AND NUMERICAL MODELLING OF SURFACE TEMPERATURE ANOMALIES OVER PETROLEUM ACCUMULATIONS: A CASE STUDY OF THE ALBORZ OILFIELD, CENTRAL IRAN
Authors: Asadzadeh Saeid , de Souza Filho Carlos Roberto
Published: April 2024

Petroleum accumulations may coincide with either positive or negative temperature anomalies, which are conventionally detected using in situ temperature measurements made in shallow boreholes 1‐3 m deep. Data gathered in this way, however, can be sparse and costly, and may require intensive fieldwork over a long time period. This article explores the possibility of detecting thermal anomalies associated with petroleum entrapment using satellite‐derived land surface temperature data. For this aim, a robust correction scheme based on a physically‐based land surface model was applied to night‐time kinetic temperature data derived from NASA's ASTER instrument. The numerical model, known as SKinTES, attempts to simulate diurnal effects and to remove them from the measured temperature data to yield a residual temperature anomaly map. The performance of this methodology was tested over the Alborz oilfield located on an anticline of the same name in the Qom region of Central Iran. The study area has an arid to semi‐arid climate and the surface geology is dominated by outcrops of the Lower Miocene Upper Red Formation. The modelling approach used successfully highlighted several negative temperature anomalies over the oil‐bearing parts of the Alborz structure. In comparison to the uncorrected data, the anomalies were shown to be highly enhanced in both spatial and magnitude terms. In addition, time series analysis indicated that the temperature anomalies were consistent over time. The authenticity of the anomalies was confirmed by a suite of in situ temperature measurements made at shallow boreholes. In conclusion, a unifying framework is proposed to explain the occurrence of both negative and positive temperature anomalies over petroleum accumulations. The new modelling and correction scheme is expected to broaden the application of remote sensing land surface temperature data not only in petroleum exploration but also in other types of geothermic investigations including geothermal exploration.
Clinical findings, treatment and outcome of trapped neutrophil syndrome in Border Collies: 12 cases (2011‐2022)
Authors: Suciu A. , Starybrat D. , Gil‐Morales C. , Matson H. , Jepson R. , Williams M. , Lyraki M. , McMahon L. , Nerhagen S. , Veitch A. , Llewellyn E.
Published: April 2024

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate clinical signs, diagnostic findings, treatment administered and short‐ (survival to 28 days) and long‐term prognosis (survival >6 months) in dogs diagnosed with trapped neutrophil syndrome.

Materials and Methods

Medical records of 12 dogs (10 Border Collies and two Border Collie Crossbreeds) homozygous for VPS13B gene mutation causing trapped neutrophil syndrome from seven veterinary institutions between January 2011 and June 2022 were evaluated retrospectively.

Results

The most common clinical signs at the time of diagnosis were pyrexia, abnormal gait and gastrointestinal signs. Concurrent metaphyseal osteopathy and immune‐mediated polyarthritis were common. Seven dogs had a segmented neutrophil count below, four dogs within and one dog above the analyser reference interval at presentation. Two dogs had a septic source identified and both were additionally identified to be homozygous mutant positive on DNA testing by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for canine cyclic neutropenia. All dogs received at least one antimicrobial agent and 10 dogs received treatment with prednisone or prednisolone (median starting dose 1 mg/kg/day; range 0.5 to 2.5 mg/kg/day). Nine dogs were alive at 28 days and six dogs were alive at 6 months post‐diagnosis.

Clinical Significance

Trapped neutrophil syndrome should be suspected in young Border Collies with pyrexia, lameness and gastrointestinal signs. Neutropenia may not always be present and long‐term survival is possible. A septic focus was not commonly identified in our population; however, our results suggest that if identified, testing for concurrent canine cyclic neutropenia should be considered.
Investigation of neutering status and age of neutering in female Dachshunds with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion
Authors: Doeven L. , Cardy T. , Crawford A. H.
Published: April 2024

Objectives

To evaluate neutering status and age of neutering in female Dachshunds with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion. We hypothesised that neutered Dachshunds presented with intervertebral disc extrusion at an earlier age, with a higher grade of neurological deficits and with more extensive extrusion of disc material compared with intact females.

Materials and Methods

Retrospective multi‐centre study of client‐owned female Dachshunds with surgically confirmed thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion. Dogs were classified as early, late or not neutered (intact). Age, body condition score, duration of clinical signs before presentation, modified Frankel score at presentation, length of extruded disc material, maximum spinal cord compression and whether dogs presented for a subsequent intervertebral disc extrusion were recorded.

Results

One hundred and fifty‐four dogs were included: 36 early neutered, 69 late neutered and 49 intact. No significant difference was found between early neutered, late neutered and entire female Dachshunds in any of the variables studied.

Clinical Significance

In this cohort of female dogs, neuter status and age of neutering were not found to affect age at onset nor severity of thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion.
Birthing hostages: Haitian women's stories of maternal medicine, debt, and hospital detention
Authors: Jordan Alissa
Published: April 2024

What does it mean that hospitals in Haiti have become widespread sites of “kidnapping” for mothers and babies? In at least 46 countries, including Haiti, indebted patients are extralegally held prisoner in hospitals until family members, kin, outside groups, or charities pay their outstanding bills. The majority of those detained globally are women following complicated births. This article introduces and situates the global problem of “hospital detention” as it is practiced in Haiti, tying it to transnational architectures that target Black reproduction in global health. In this piece, Senisha and Mari share their experiences of detention, revealing the practice as continuous with other forms of coercion, neglect, and violence they face in seeking safe births, and highlighting the communal care, refusals, and acts of self‐liberation that oppose these oppressions.
Distinct members of the Caenorhabditis elegans CeMbio reference microbiota exert cryptic virulence that is masked by host defense
Authors: Gonzalez Xavier , Irazoqui Javier E.
Published: April 2024

Microbiotas are complex microbial communities that colonize specific niches in the host and provide essential organismal functions that are important in health and disease. Understanding the ability of each distinct community member to promote or impair host health, alone or in the context of the community, is imperative for understanding how differences in community structure affect host health and vice versa. Recently, a reference 12‐member microbiota for the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, known as CeMbio, was defined. Here, we show the differential ability of each CeMbio bacterial species to activate innate immunity through the conserved PMK‐1/p38 MAPK, ACh‐WNT, and HLH‐30/TFEB pathways. Although distinct CeMbio members differed in their ability to activate the PMK‐1/p38 pathway, the ability to do so did not correlate with bacterial‐induced lifespan reduction in wild‐type or immunodeficient animals. In contrast, most species activated HLH‐30/TFEB and showed virulence toward hlh‐30‐deficient animals. These results suggest that the microbiota of C. elegans is rife with bacteria that can shorten the host's lifespan if host defense is compromised and that HLH‐30/TFEB is a fundamental and key host protective factor.
A case of thoracic epidural angiolipoma with intracranial hypertension
Authors: Kinoshita Akinori , Sato Kota , Shinohara Yoshimi , Ohtonari Tatsuya , Terasawa Yuka , Shimoe Yutaka , Kohriyama Tatsuo
Published: April 2024

Spinal cord tumors sometimes present with intracranial hypertension and can be difficult to diagnose at the initial presentation without symptoms due to spinal cord compression. Here, we report a case of a patient with thoracic epidural angiolipoma complicated by increased intracranial pressure and normal protein levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). His neurological symptoms improved immediately after partial removal of the core part of epidural angiolipoma. Spinal cord lesions should be ruled out in cases with intracranial hypertension, even if the CSF protein levels are normal.
Quality of life in ICU survivors and their relatives with post‐intensive care syndrome: A systematic review
Authors: Gravante Francesco , Trotta Francesca , Latina Salvatore , Simeone Silvio , Alvaro Rosaria , Vellone Ercole , Pucciarelli Gianluca
Published: April 2024

Background

Post‐intensive care syndrome (PICS) is characterized by all three adverse survivorship dimensions: physical function, cognitive function and mental health status.

Aim

This review aimed to describe the quality of life (QoL) of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) survivors with PICS after discharge and of their relatives with Family Post‐intensive care syndrome (PICS‐F) and to report anxiety, depression and Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) in studies investigating PICS.

Study Design

A systematic review was carried out. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. This review was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42022382123).

Results

We included 19 studies of PICS and PICS‐F in this systematic review. Fourteen observational studies report the effects of PICS on depression, 12 studies on anxiety and nine on post‐traumatic stress disorder and 10 on QoL. Mobility, personal care, usual activities and pain/discomfort in QoL were the domains most affected by PICS. A significant association was demonstrated between a high level of ICU survivors' anxiety and high levels of ICU relatives' burden. Strain‐related symptoms and sleep disorders were problems encountered by ICU relatives with PICS‐F.

Conclusion

PICS and PICS‐F were widespread experiences among ICU survivors and their ICU relatives, respectively. The results of this review showed the adverse effects of PICS and PICS‐F on QoL.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

PICS and PICS‐F strongly impact the rehabilitation process and are measured in terms of health costs, financial stress and potentially preventable readmission.
Exploring the influence of a single‐nucleotide mutation in EIN4 on tomato fruit firmness diversity through fruit pericarp microstructure
Authors: Zhang Shiwen , Wu Shengqing , Jia Zhiqi , Zhang Junhong , Li Ying , Ma Xingyun , Fan Bingli , Wang Panqiao , Gao Yanna , Ye Zhibiao , Wang Wei
Published: April 2024

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) stands as one of the most valuable vegetable crops globally, and fruit firmness significantly impacts storage and transportation. To identify genes governing tomato firmness, we scrutinized the firmness of 266 accessions from core collections. Our study pinpointed an ethylene receptor gene, SlEIN4, located on chromosome 4 through a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) of fruit firmness in the 266 tomato core accessions. A single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (A → G) of SlEIN4 distinguished lower (AA) and higher (GG) fruit firmness genotypes. Through experiments, we observed that overexpression of SlEIN4AA significantly delayed tomato fruit ripening and dramatically reduced fruit firmness at the red ripe stage compared with the control. Conversely, gene editing of SlEIN4AA with CRISPR/Cas9 notably accelerated fruit ripening and significantly increased fruit firmness at the red ripe stage compared with the control. Further investigations revealed that fruit firmness is associated with alterations in the microstructure of the fruit pericarp. Additionally, SlEIN4AA positively regulates pectinase activity. The transient transformation assay verified that the SNP (A → G) on SlEIN4 caused different genetic effects, as overexpression of SlEIN4GG increased fruit firmness. Moreover, SlEIN4 exerts a negative regulatory role in tomato ripening by impacting ethylene evolution through the abundant expression of ethylene pathway regulatory genes. This study presents the first evidence of the role of ethylene receptor genes in regulating fruit firmness. These significant findings will facilitate the effective utilization of firmness and ripening traits in tomato improvement, offering promising opportunities for enhancing tomato storage and transportation capabilities.
The diagnostic difficulties of juvenile vulvar pemphigoid
Authors: Gart Sophie , Swali Ritu , Lee Erica B. , Harter Nicole
Published: April 2024

Mucous membrane pemphigoid is a rare autoimmune disease affecting mucosal surfaces. Pediatric cases are exceptionally rare, one subtype being vulvar pemphigoid. Juvenile vulvar pemphigoid can be challenging to diagnose due to its rarity and subtle initial symptoms. We present a case of an 8‐year‐old girl successfully diagnosed early in the disease course via histopathology, and immunofluorescence. Detecting MMP can be complex due to variations in epitope binding typically not included in commercial ELISA assays, necessitating comprehensive workup. Missed diagnosis may lead to progression to systemic involvement with severe consequences; thus, timely diagnosis and treatment are crucial.
Approach for defining human adenovirus infection and disease for central review adjudication in clinical studies
Authors: Fisher Brian T. , Blumenstock Jesse , Boge Craig L. K. , Shuster Sydney , Seif Alix E. , Green Michael , Michaels Marian G. , Alexander Jessie L. , Ardura Monica I. , Miller Tamara P. , Hijano Diego R. , Muller William J. , Schuster Jennifer E. , Green Abby M. , Dulek Daniel E. , Kajon Adriana E. , Danziger‐Isakov Lara
Published: April 2024

Background

Pediatric allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo‐HCT) recipients are at risk for morbidity and mortality from human adenovirus (HAdV). HAdV can be detected in an asymptomatic state, referred to as infection or with signs or symptoms of illness, referred to as disease. Standardized case definitions are needed to distinguish infection from disease and allow for consistent reporting in both observational cohort studies and therapeutic clinical trials.

Methods

A working group of experts in virology, transplant infectious disease, and HCT was assembled to develop HAdV infection and disease definitions with the degree of certainty (i.e., possible, probable, and proven). Definitions were further refined through an iterative process and independently applied by two central review committees (CRCs) to 20 pediatric allo‐HCT recipients with at least one HAdV‐positive PCR.

Results

Initial HAdV infection and disease definitions were developed and updated through an iterative process after reviewing clinical and virological details for 81 subjects with at least one positive HAdV PCR detected in a clinical specimen. Independent application of final definitions to 20 HAdV positive allo‐HCT recipients by two CRCs yielded similar number of HAdV infection or disease events but with variation of degree of certainty for some events.

Conclusions

Application of definitions by a CRC for a study of HAdV infection and disease is feasible and can provide consistency in the assignment of outcomes. Definitions need further refinement to improve reproducibility and to provide guidance on determining clinical improvement or worsening after initial diagnosis of HAdV infection or disease.
Predictors for pathological bone fractures in children undergoing liver transplantation: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Astolfi Damiano , Rock Nathalie , Ceroni Dimitri , Wildhaber Barbara E.
Published: April 2024

Background

Hepatic osteodystrophy refers to bone disorders associated with chronic liver disease, including children undergoing liver transplantation (LT). The aim of this study was to quantify the prevalence of pathological fractures (PF) in children before and after LT and to identify associated factors for their occurrence.

Methods

Children aged 0–18 years who underwent LT from 1/2005 to 12/2020 were included in this retrospective study. Data on patient demographics, types and anatomical locations of fracture and biological workups were extracted. Variables were assessed at 3 time points: T − 1 at the moment of listing for LT; T0 at the moment of LT and T + 1 at 1‐year post‐LT.

Results

A total of 105 children (49 [47%] females) were included in this study. Median age at LT was 19 months (range 0–203). Twenty‐two patients (21%) experienced 65 PF, 11 children before LT, 10 after LT, and 1 before and after LT. The following variables were observed as associated with PF: At T − 1, low weight and height z‐scores, and delayed bone age; at T0, low weight and height z‐scores, high total and conjugated bilirubin; at T + 1, persistent low height z‐score. Patients in the PF‐group were significantly more under calcium supplementation and/or nutritional support at T − 1, T0 and T + 1.

Conclusion

More than one in five children needing LT sustain a PF before or after LT. Patients with low weight and height z‐scores and delayed bone age are at increased risk for PF. Nutritional support remains important, even if to date it cannot fully counteract the risks of PF.
The fusion of light and immunity: Advancements in photoimmunotherapy for melanoma
Authors: Volety Pranav , Shirley Carl A. , Chhabra Gagan , Ahmad Nihal
Published: April 2024

Metastatic melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer with high mortality and recurrence rates. Despite the clinical success of recent immunotherapy approaches, prevailing resistance rates necessitate the continued development of novel therapeutic options. Photoimmunotherapy (PIT) is emerging as a promising immunotherapy strategy that uses photodynamic therapy (PDT) to unleash systemic immune responses against tumor sites while maintaining the superior tumor‐specificity and minimally invasive nature of traditional PDT. In this review, we discuss recent advances in PIT and strategies for the management of melanoma using PIT. PIT can strongly induce immunogenic cell death, inviting the concomitant application of immune checkpoint blockade or adoptive cell therapies. PIT can also be leveraged to selectively remove the suppressive immune populations associated with immunotherapy resistance. The modular nature of PIT therapy design combined with the potential for patient‐specific antigen selection or drug co‐delivery makes PIT an alluring option for future personalized melanoma care.
Double‐stranded RNA uptake for the control of the maize pathogen Cercospora zeina
Authors: Marais Ingrid , Buitendag Carla , Duong Tuan A. , Crampton Bridget G. , Theron Jacques , Kidanemariam Dawit , Berger Dave K.
Published: April 2024

RNA interference (RNAi) using double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) against fungal pathogens is an emerging field of crop disease control. We aimed to evaluate RNAi against the fungus Cercospora zeina causing grey leaf spot (GLS) disease on maize. Orthologues of Dicer‐like 1, Dicer‐like 2, RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase and two copies of Argonaute were identified in the C. zeina genome and were shown to be expressed in vitro and in planta. Confocal microscopy showed that C. zeina took up exogenously applied dsRNA labelled with fluorescein. GFP‐transgenic C. zeina was treated with GFP‐specific dsRNA, and GFP mRNA expression and protein fluorescence were reduced by 57% and 61%, respectively. A Cz3‐dsRNA targeting C. zeina chitin synthase D (CHSD), phosphatidylserine decarboxylase proenzyme 3 (PSD3) and extracellular protein 2 (ECP2) was constructed. Treatment of C. zeina cultures with the Cz3‐dsRNA reduced CHSD expression by 47% and reduced cell viability by 34%. Maize leaves were inoculated with C. zeina conidia, and Cz3‐dsRNA was applied either with the conidia or 16 h later. GLS disease was significantly reduced compared to the water control for the 16 h post‐inoculation (hpi) treatment with Cz3‐dsRNA, but not for the GFP‐dsRNA specificity control or treatments at 0 hpi. We hypothesized that germination of C. zeina conidia was required for effective dsRNA‐mediated control, and this was borne out by microscopy observations that most of the C. zeina conidia (70%) germinated successfully on the maize leaf surface within 16 hpi. This work lays the groundwork for a dsRNA‐based fungicide against this foliar pathogen.
“South Asians don't count as Asian”: Using Reddit to Explore Discussions of Anti‐Asian Racism within the South Asian Diaspora
Authors: Poojary Monisha
Published: April 2024

In 2019, the COVID‐19 pandemic impacted people across the world like no other disease of its kind. The origins of the virus were identified to be from Wuhan, China, which led to East Asians becoming the targets of racist attacks and discrimination. “Other” Asian subgroups such as South Asians and Southeast Asians have also experienced hate crimes targeted toward them (CCNCTO, “Another Year: Anti‐Asian Racism Across Canada Two Years Into the COVID‐19 Pandemic.” 2022). Yet, their voices have largely been missing from conversations on anti‐Asian racism. Using thematic analysis, I explore how South Asians construct their positionality within conversations of anti‐Asian racism. I examine the use of terms such as “anti‐Asian,” “Asian racism,” “racism,” “hate crime,” and “discrimination” in 209 posts and 20, 388 comments between 2020 and 2022 within r/ABCDesis, a Reddit community formed by and for the South Asian diaspora, primarily residing in the United States, and Canada. Findings suggest that while most members have personally not been impacted by anti‐Asian racism, they are wary of being the next target. Redditors expressed the need for greater solidarity with East Asians and POC's, and yet demonstrate how ethnic ambiguity and complex intergroup relations can pose difficulties when expressing positionality within discussions of anti‐Asian racism.
A review and analysis of outcomes in randomized clinical trials of plasma transfusion in patients with bleeding or for the prevention of bleeding: The BEST collaborative study
Authors: Apelseth Torunn O. , Raza Sheharyar , Callum Jeannie , Ipe Tina , Blackwood Bronagh , Akhtar Adeel , Hess John R. , Marks Denese C. , Brown Bethany , Delaney Meghan , Wendel Silvano , Stanworth Simon J. ,   for the Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion Collaborative
Published: April 2024

Background

Previous systematic reviews have revealed an inconsistency of outcome definitions as a major barrier in providing evidence‐based guidance for the use of plasma transfusion to prevent or treat bleeding. We reviewed and analyzed outcomes in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to provide a methodology for describing and classifying outcomes.

Study Design and Methods

RCTs involving transfusion of plasma published after 2000 were identified from a prior review (Yang 2012) and combined with an updated systematic literature search of multiple databases (July 1, 2011 to January 17, 2023). Inclusion of publications, data extraction, and risk of bias assessments were performed in duplicate. (PROSPERO registration number is: CRD42020158581).

Results

In total, 5579 citations were identified in the new systematic search and 22 were included. Six additional trials were identified from the previous review, resulting in a total of 28 trials: 23 therapeutic and five prophylactic studies. An increasing number of studies in the setting of major bleeding such as in cardiovascular surgery and trauma were identified. Eighty‐seven outcomes were reported with a mean of 11 (min–max. 4–32) per study. There was substantial variation in outcomes used with a preponderance of surrogate measures for clinical effect such as laboratory parameters and blood usage.

Conclusion

There is an expanding literature on plasma transfusion to inform guidelines. However, considerable heterogeneity of reported outcomes constrains comparisons. A core outcome set should be developed for plasma transfusion studies. Standardization of outcomes will motivate better study design, facilitate comparison, and improve clinical relevance for future trials of plasma transfusion.