bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Challenges of Online Modules for Task-Based Learning of Mathematics for Effective Online Teaching-Learning Process
Authors: Upadhyay Poonam , Ali Mohammed Lubna
Published: July 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a sudden shut down of educational institutions, which resulted in learning challenges among the students as the education medium switched to online mode. Mathematics learning based on online modules tasks is challenging for the students due to its complexity.Therefore, thisstudy aims to elaborate challenges of online modules for task-based mathematics learning for an effective online teaching-learning process. In particular, this study explores the challenges involved in online mathematical education, the concepts of task-based learning for online mathematics modules and determined task-based learning of mathematics for an effective online teaching-learning process.Using a literature review methodology and content analysis approach to analyze the research papers, 33 recent articles (i.e., from 2020 to 2021) were selected with a focus to COVID-19 for analysis and extract data for the analysis. The research has proposed a conceptual framework that can guide researchers to explore and explain online modules' challenges for task-based mathematics learning for effective online teaching and learning processes.
Papel de la Universidad de La Laguna en la agenda 2030
Authors: García Lorenzo Cándido David , Domínguez Herrera Marta María
Published: July 2023

Las universidades son clave para la Agenda 2030. La ULL es líder en educación, investigación y acción en los ODS, pero debe mejorar la participación estudiantil en actividades relacionadas con los 17 ODS de la Agenda 2030.
Motion Verbs in Adventure Tourism
Authors: Durán-Muñoz Isabel , Jiménez-Navarro Eva Lucía
Published: July 2023

This paper investigates the terminological value of motion verbs in the specialized discourse of adventure tourism, being the primary focus placed on fictive meaning. Thus, we will delve into the participants surrounding motion verbs in context, given that the former activate the latter’s specialized meaning and are key to discover the type of motion represented. With this objective in mind, we will adopt a corpus-driven methodology and a lexico-semantic approach, following these steps: (1) the compilation of a specialized English corpus, (2) the automatic extraction of a list of candidate verbs and their manual verification, and (3) their categorization according to the type of motion depicted, that is, real, fictive or both. The main findings show that, despite having found a greater representation of real motion in this discourse, verbs denoting fictive motion were worth examining, as 50% of the results inferred at least one example of this type.
Homogeneous Intercalation Chemistry and Ultralow Strain of 1T’’’ MoS2 for Stable Potassium Storage
Authors: Xie Miao , Lv Zhuoran , Wang Yuan , Zhao Wei , Pang Xin , Zhao Chendong , Fang Yuqiang , Huang Jian , Huang Fuqiang
Published: July 2023

Intercalation anodes usually exhibit better cyclability than conversion and alloying anodes for lithium or sodium storage due to the robust layered structure. However, for larger‐sized potassium accommodation, these intercalation anodes usually undergo huge layer expansion and structural distortion, triggering severe capacity fading. Herein, the novel 1T’’’ MoS2 is revealed the intercalation anode for stable K+ storage, in which metallic Mo─Mo bonds and puckered S layers accelerate the charge transfer and homogeneous K+ insertion. Moreover, the ultralow strain (3.5%) induced by the non‐detachable potassium ions pillar sustains the layered structure. Consequently, 1T’’’ MoS2 achieves a reversible capacity of 125 mA h g−1 at 0.2 C and keeps nearly 100% capacity retention at 1 C over 500 cycles. In situ characterizations and density functional theory simulations reveal the in‐depth intercalation reaction accompanied by the MoS2 phase transformation between 1T’’’ and 1T’ during cycling. Furthermore, a 1T’’’ MoS2//MCMB K‐dual ion battery displays a superior cycling lifespan with 98% capacity retention over 250 cycles. This study provides a new intercalation anode and contribute to the electrode design for stable potassium ion storage.
FDG uptake reflects an immune‐enriched subtype of thyroid cancer: Clinical implications of imaging‐based molecular characterization
Authors: Suh Hoon Young , Choi Hongyoon , Cho Sun Wook , Paeng Jin Chul , Cheon Gi Jeong , Park Young Joo , Kang Keon Wook
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Iodine and FDG uptakes have been established as methods to define the biological properties of thyroid cancer. As various cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) affect tumor metabolism, we investigated the association between glucose metabolism in thyroid cancer and the TME using transcriptomic analyses.

Methods

We used F‐18 FDG PET and RNA sequencing data of thyroid cancer to find associations between TME cell types and glucose metabolism. In addition, publicly available single‐cell RNA sequencing data of papillary thyroid cancer was used to investigate glucose metabolism in cell types of the TME. The correlations between the FDG uptake and biological properties of the TME, including glucose metabolism and tumor differentiation score (TDS) were evaluated. Estimation of the proportions of immune and cancer cells (EPIC) was performed. The biological properties of each cell type were also assessed in the single‐cell RNA sequencing data.

Results

FDG uptake showed a positive correlation with the enrichment score of macrophages and glycolysis activity. In single‐cell RNA sequencing, immune cells had both high glucose transporters (GLUTs) and glycolysis signatures, while thyrocytes including cancer cells showed relatively low GLUTs and glycolysis signatures, suggesting that FDG uptake mainly occurred in immune cells of the TME. Moreover, the high GLUTs of myeloid cells were negatively associated with TDS.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that thyroid cancer with high FDG uptake can be mediated by enriched immune cells of the TME. We suggest that FDG uptake in thyroid cancer could be a marker for the immune‐rich type and provide clinical implications for treatment stratification.
Difference between forensic patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders in Italy and other European countries: Results of the EU‐VIORMED project
Authors: Castelletti Luca , Iozzino Laura , Zamparini Manuel , Heitzman Janusz , Markiewicz Inga , Nicolò Giuseppe , Picchioni Marco , Restuccia Giuseppe , Rivellini Gianfranco , Teti Fabio , Wancata Johannes , de Girolamo Giovanni
Published: July 2023

Background

There has been a substantial change in the law on the provision of secure health services for offender‐patients in Italy, a country currently with the lowest general psychiatry bed availability per head of the population in Europe, raising questions about possible differences in offender‐patient admissions between European countries.

Aims

In this multicentre case–control study, our aim was to compare the socio‐demographic, clinical and criminological characteristics of a sample of Italian forensic in‐patients with schizophrenia or similar psychosis with patients in a similar diagnostic range in specialist in‐patient services elsewhere in Europe.

Methods

Secure hospital unit in‐patients with psychosis were recruited across five European countries (Italy, Austria, Germany, Poland and England). Consenting patients were interviewed by researchers and assessed using a multidimensional standardised process. Within country similarities between Austria, Germany, Poland and England were confirmed.

Results

Overall, 39 Italian participants had had fewer years of education than the 182 patients in the other countries and were less likely to have ever had skilled or professional employment. The Italian patients had been older at first contact with any mental health services than the other Europeans. Diagnosed comorbidity rates were similar, but the Italian group reported higher levels of disability. Although the other European forensic patients were more likely to be undergoing treatment at the time of their index offence, they were also more likely to have been poorly compliant with treatment. The rate of suicide‐related behaviours was significantly lower among the Italian patients than among the others.

Conclusions

Notwithstanding similar diagnoses, important differences emerged between patients in Italian forensic mental health resident services and those in four other European countries, some possibly reflecting less access to earlier relevant services in Italy. Others, including lower disability ratings among the Italian patients and a lower rate of suicide‐related behaviours, may indicate that the Italian reforms carry benefits. This is worthy of further evaluation.
Changes in bowel symptoms after different pelvic organ prolapse surgeries among elderly women at the 1‐year follow up
Authors: Wang Xiaoxiao , Zhuang Xinrong , Zhang Lei , Lu Ye
Published: July 2023

Objective

To investigate the prevalence of bowel symptoms in patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP), to evaluate the changes in bowel symptoms after different POP surgeries, and to identify risk factors for unrelieved bowel symptoms.

Methods

This was an observational prospective cohort study conducted at Peking University First Hospital from 2020 to 2021. Demographic, clinical, and therapeutic data were collected. Participants underwent POP Quantification examination and completed the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory‐20 questionnaire at baseline and 1 year postoperatively.

Results

The prevalence of bowel symptoms and bothersome bowel symptoms in women with POP was 46.38% and 24.40%, respectively. Surgical correction of prolapse was associated with significant relief in bowel symptoms (P < 0.05). Colpocleisis may relieve bowel symptoms better than reconstructive surgeries (41% vs. 31%, P = 0.048). However, 35% of women had at least one bowel symptom at the 1‐year follow up. A long perineal body (Pb) and levator ani muscle injury were found to be predictors of unrelieved bowel symptoms in patients undergoing colpocleisis and those undergoing reconstructive surgery, respectively (odds ratio [OR] 2.306, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.112–4.783, P = 0.025 and OR 3.245, 95% CI 1.266–8.317, P = 0.014, respectively), and perineoplasty was a protective factor for women who underwent colpocleisis (OR 0.102, 95% CI 0.025–0.417, P = 0.001)

Conclusion

Women with POP have a high prevalence of bowel symptoms. Although bowel symptoms can be relieved after POP surgeries, one‐third of women still experience bowel symptoms. A long Pb and levator ani muscle injury were associated with unrelieved bowel symptoms, while perineoplasty was a protective factor.
Survey on blockchain‐based non‐fungible tokens: History, technologies, standards, and open challenges
Authors: Ko Kyungchan , Jeong Taeyeol , Woo Jongsoo , Hong James Won‐Ki
Published: July 2023

This paper presents a survey of non‐fungible tokens (NFTs), including its history, technologies, standards, and challenges in their development. An NFT is a unique digital entity that is created and maintained using blockchain technology. Each NFT is identified using a unique smart contract and a token ID, so the whole history of the NFT can be globally identified by its address and token ID. The blockchain information indelibly identifies the current owner of any asset, previous owners, and original creator. NFTs are used to manage ownership of digital and physical assets and cryptocurrencies. The prices of popular NFTs have become very high, and the market for them has overheated in recent years. NFT technology and its ecosystem have evolved since Quantum, the first NFT, was stored in the Namecoin blockchain. Ethereum has become the main platform for NFT projects because it provides support for smart contracts. Currently, almost all NFT projects are launched on the Ethereum blockchain. NFT has two major standards called ERC‐721 and ERC‐1155, which have had important functions in the development of NFT. Starting with these two standards, other standards for NFT continue to emerge; they expand the functionality of NFT such as by adding utility. However, NFT is a very early technology, and it has not been long after the NFT concept was created and used. So there are several challenges for further improving NFT technology, in terms of usability, interoperability, and evolution. This paper presents a survey of NFT, including its history, technologies, standards, and challenges of NFT.
Indigenous crop diversity maintained despite the introduction of major global crops in an African centre of agrobiodiversity
Authors: Rampersad Chris , Geto Tesfu , Samuel Tarekegn , Abebe Meseret , Gomez Marybel Soto , Pironon Samuel , Büchi Lucie , Haggar Jeremy , Stocks Jonathan , Ryan Philippa , Buggs Richard J. A. , Demissew Sebsebe , Wilkin Paul , Abebe Wendawek M. , Borrell James S.
Published: July 2023

Societal Impact Statement

The global success and expansion of a small pool of major crops, including rice, wheat and maize, risks homogenising global agriculture. Focusing on the agriculturally diverse Ethiopian Highlands, this study tested whether farm diversity tends to be lower among farmers who grow more introduced crops. Surprisingly, it was found that farmers have successfully integrated introduced crops, resulting in more diverse and heterogenous farms without negatively impacting indigenous crop diversity. This is encouraging because diverse farms, comprising indigenous agricultural systems supplemented by introduced crops, may help address global challenges such as food insecurity.

The global expansion of a handful of major crops risks eroding indigenous crop diversity and homogenising agroecosystems, with significant consequences for sustainable and resilient food systems. Here, we investigate the farm‐scale impact of introduced crops on indigenous agroecosystems.

We surveyed 1369 subsistence farms stratified across climate gradients in the Ethiopian Highlands, a hotspot of agrobiodiversity, to characterise the richness and cultivated area of the 83 edible crops they contained. We further categorise these crops as being indigenous to Ethiopia, or introduced across three different eras. We apply non‐metric multidimensional scaling and mixed effects modelling to characterise agroecosystem composition across farms with different proportions of introduced crops.

Crops from different periods do not differ significantly in frequency or abundance across farms. Among geographically matched pairs of farms, those with higher proportions of modern introduced crops had significantly higher overall crop richness. Furthermore, farms with a high proportion of modern introduced crops showed higher heterogeneity in crop composition. An analysis of socio‐economic drivers indicated that poverty is negatively associated with the cultivated area of introduced crops.

In our Ethiopian case study, global patterns of major crop expansion are not necessarily associated with agrobiodiversity loss at the farm scale or higher homogeneity across indigenous agricultural systems. Importantly, socioeconomic factors may influence farmers' propensity to adopt novel species, suggesting targets for agricultural extension policies. Given the rapid climatic, economic and demographic changes impacting global food systems and the threats to food security these entail, robust indigenous agricultural systems enriched with diverse introduced crops may help maintain resilience.
Gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) can affect physiological processes in preimplantation embryos via GABAA and GABAB receptors
Authors: Kovaříková Veronika , Špirková Alexandra , Šefčíková Zuzana , Pisko Jozef , Kalatová Laura , Koppel Juraj , Fabian Dušan , Čikoš Štefan
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Several widely used substances (e.g., some therapeutics or food supplements) can act on gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, and we investigated whether the activation of these receptors could affect the preimplantation embryo.

Methods

Transcripts of all GABA receptor subunits and selected proteins were examined using quantitative RT‐PCR and immunohistochemistry. To analyze the effects of receptor activation, in vitro culture of mouse preimplantation embryos with natural and synthetic GABA receptor ligands was used.

Results

We detected nine GABA receptor transcripts in mouse blastocysts and 14 GABA receptor transcripts in ovulated oocytes. The results of this study indicate that ionotropic GABAA receptors can be formed from α5, β3, and γ3 (or δ, π) subunits, GABAA‐ρ receptors can be formed from ρ2 subunits and metabotropic GABA receptors can be formed from GABAB1b and GABAB2 subunits in mouse blastocysts. Supplementing the culture medium with GABA at concentrations of 2–10 mM or with specific GABAA and GABAB receptor agonists (at concentrations of 10–100 μM) significantly increased the proportion of dead cells in blastocysts. The GABA‐induced effects were prevented by pretreatment of embryos with GABAA and GABAB receptor antagonists.

Conclusion

The results of this study indicate that GABA and synthetic GABA receptor ligands can negatively affect preimplantation embryos via GABAA and GABAB receptors.
Parent Certainty and Consistency When Completing Vocabulary Checklists in Young Autistic Children
Authors: Lorang Emily , Hanania Alexandra , Venker Courtney E.
Published: July 2023

Purpose:

Using a novel parent report measure, this study investigated whether asking parents to rate their certainty when reporting on child vocabulary skills provided additional insight into parent report and emerging language abilities in young autistic children. Specifically, we investigated whether parent certainty varied based on whether the child was reported to understand, understand and say, or neither understand nor say the word and whether standardized measures of expressive and receptive language abilities and/or autistic traits predicted parent certainty. Lastly, we investigated whether certainty was associated with inconsistency in parent report of child word knowledge.

Method:

Twenty-one parents and their autistic children ages 2–5 years participated. One parent per child completed the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventories (MCDI) Words and Gestures form and a custom vocabulary checklist including 24 object nouns from the MCDI. Within the custom form, parents indicated whether their child understood, understood and said, or neither understood nor said 24 target nouns and reported how certain they were about their responses using a 5-point scale. Expressive language, receptive language, and autistic traits were measured via direct assessment using standardized measures.

Results:

Parent certainty varied widely and was higher for words the parents reported the children understood and said compared to that for words children either understood or neither understood nor said. Certainty ratings were higher when a child had higher standardized receptive and expressive language scores. Lastly, parent certainty was associated with reporting consistency, clarifying previous findings of inconsistencies in parent report of child vocabulary.

Conclusion:

Findings from this study indicate that measuring parent certainty provides critical information when assessing early vocabulary skills in autistic children.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.23671497
Adaptive interior penalty hybridized discontinuous Galerkin methods for Darcy flow in fractured porous media
Authors: Leng Haitao , Chen Huangxin
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we design and analyze an interior penalty hybridized discontinuous Galerkin (IP-HDG) method for the Darcy flow in the two- and three-dimensional fractured porous media. The discrete fracture model is used to model the fractures. The piecewise polynomials of degree $k$ are employed to approximate the pressure in the fractures and the pressure in the surrounding porous media. We prove that the IP-HDG method is well posed if the penalty parameter is large enough. Based on the discrete solutions of pressures, the discrete Darcy velocity in the matrix and the reduced fractures can be recovered, respectively, to be locally mass-conservative. A robust residual-based a posteriori error estimator is established for an energy-norm of pressure. Finally, numerical results are provided to show the efficiency of the proposed a posteriori error estimator.
Doctors’ duty to provide abortion information
Authors: Oberman Michelle , Lehmann Lisa Soleymani
Published: July 2023

With abortion remaining legal in over half of the country and a proliferation of websites offering information on how to access abortion medications, for those who know where to look, there are sound options for safely ending an unwanted early-stage pregnancy. But not all patients have equal access to reliable information. This Article addresses the urgent downstream harms caused by the lack of access to abortion information, and argues that in view of these consequences, regardless of abortion’s legal status, clinicians have a duty to provide their patients with abortion information. We begin by documenting clinicians’ hesitation to share abortion information, drawing on our interviews with 25 doctors practicing medicine in a state where abortion is criminalized. Next, we explain why clinicians are duty-bound to provide all-options counseling. We then consider whether such duties shift where abortion is criminalized. After identifying the limited legal risks associated with supplying abortion information, and showing how, by requiring all-options counseling, professional societies might reduce risks to patients and clinicians, we conclude that, regardless of the legal status of abortion, clinicians have a professional responsibility to share basic abortion information – including treatment options and how to access those options.
Cost-effectiveness of screening for primary aldosteronism in hypertensive patients in Australia: a Markov modelling analysis
Authors: Woode Maame Esi , Wong Kristina , Reid Christopher M. , Stowasser Michael , Russell Grant , Gwini StellaMay , Young Morag J. , Fuller Peter J. , Yang Jun , Chen Gang
Published: July 2023

Background:

Primary aldosteronism affects 3–14% of hypertensive patients in the primary care setting and up to 30% in the hypertensive referral units. Although primary aldosteronism screening is recommended in patients with treatment-resistant hypertension, diagnosis at an earlier stage of disease may prevent end-organ damage and optimize patient outcomes.

Methods:

A Markov model was used to estimate the cost-effectiveness of screening for primary aldosteronism in treatment and disease (cardiovascular disease and stroke) naive hypertensive patients. Within the model, a 40-year-old patient with hypertension went through either the screened or the unscreened arm of the model. They were followed until age 80 or death. In the screening arm, the patient underwent standard diagnostic testing for primary aldosteronism if the screening test, aldosterone-to-renin ratio, was elevated above 70 pmol/l : mU/l. Diagnostic accuracies, transition probabilities and costs were derived from published literature and expert advice. The main outcome of interest was the incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER).

Results:

Screening hypertensive patients for primary aldosteronism compared with not screening attained an ICER of AU$35 950.44 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. The results were robust to different sensitivity analyses. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis demonstrated that in 73% of the cases, it was cost-effective to screen at the commonly adopted willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of AU$50 000.

Conclusion:

The results from this study demonstrated that screening all hypertensive patients for primary aldosteronism from age 40 is cost-effective. The findings argue in favour of screening for primary aldosteronism before the development of severe hypertension in the Australian healthcare setting.
Brain PET and SPECT imaging and quantification: a survey of the current status in the UK
Authors: Michopoulou Sofia K. , Dickson John C. , Gardner Glen G. , Gee Thomas R. , Fenwick Andrew J. , Melhuish Timothy , Monaghan Clare A. , O’Brien Neil , Prosser Angus M.J. , Scott Catherine J. , Staff Roger T. , Taylor Jonathan
Published: July 2023

Objectives

With disease-modifying therapies in development for neurological disorders, quantitative brain imaging techniques become increasingly relevant for objective early diagnosis and assessment of response to treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of Brain SPECT and PET scans in the UK and explore drivers and barriers to using quantitative analysis through an online survey.

Methods

A web-based survey with 27 questions was used to capture a snapshot of brain imaging in the UK. The survey included multiple-choice questions assessing the availability and use of quantification for DaTscan, Perfusion SPECT, FDG PET and Amyloid PET. The survey results were reviewed and interpreted by a panel of imaging experts.

Results

Forty-six unique responses were collected and analysed, with 84% of responses from brain imaging sites. Within these sites, 88% perform DaTscan, 50% Perfusion SPECT, 48% FDG PET, and 33% Amyloid PET, while a few sites use other PET tracers. Quantitative Brain analysis is used in 86% of sites performing DaTscans, 40% for Perfusion SPECT, 63% for FDG PET and 42% for Amyloid PET. Commercial tools are used more frequently than in-house software.

Conclusion

The survey showed variations across the UK, with high availability of DaTscan imaging and quantification and lower availability of other SPECT and PET scans. The main drivers for quantification were improved reporting confidence and diagnostic accuracy, while the main barriers were a perception of a need for an appropriate database of healthy controls and a lack of training, time, and software availability.
Radiopharmaceutical extravasation in bone scintigraphy: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Fernandes Davide , Santos Márcia , Pinheiro Miguel , Duarte Hugo , Fontes Filipa
Published: July 2023

Objetives

Tc-99m Hydroxymethylene diphosphonate (HMDP) bone scintigraphy is commonly used to diagnose bone disorders. We aimed to quantify and characterize the occurrence of radiopharmaceutical extravasation in bone scintigraphy, using Tc-99m HMDP, as well as to compare the visual classification of the events with an independent analysis using image processing software.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study, using data from a total of 400 (9.1%) exams, randomly selected from all the procedures performed in 2018 in the Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Porto, Portugal. Prevalence estimate and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) was computed for the presence of extravasation. Odds ratios and 95% CI were computed to quantify the association between demographic and clinical characteristics, and the occurrence of extravasation.

Results

The prevalence of Tc-99m HMDP extravasation was 26.5% (95% CI: 22.4−31.0). Those from an inpatient setting had almost seven-fold higher odds of extravasation than those from an outpatient setting. When the wrist was used for administration, there was three times more odds of extravasation when compared to the use of hand. There were statistically significant differences in the median scores of extravasations severity obtained from image processing software according to the different grades attributed by visual appreciation (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Tc-99m HMDP extravasation occurred in one out of four patients, being more frequent among those from an inpatient setting and when the wrist was used for administration. Visual appreciation of the extravasation seems to be acceptable to classify its severity.
Cardiac problems in the fetus: a review for pediatric providers
Authors: Paul Erin A. , Cohen Jennifer , Geiger Miwa K.
Published: July 2023

Purpose of review

The aim of this study was to provide pediatric providers with a review of the diagnosis and management of fetal cardiac disease in the current era.

Recent findings

Prenatal detection of congenital heart disease (CHD) has improved but is still imperfect. In experienced hands, fetal echocardiography can detect severe CHD as early as the first trimester and a majority of more subtle conditions in the second and third trimesters. Beyond detection, a prenatal diagnosis allows for lesion-specific counseling for families as well as for development of a multidisciplinary perinatal management plan, which may involve in-utero treatment. Given the diversity of cardiac diagnoses and the rarity of some, collaborative multicenter fetal cardiac research has gained momentum in recent years.

Accurate diagnosis of fetal cardiac disease allows for appropriate counseling, pregnancy and delivery planning, and optimization of immediate neonatal care. There is potential for improving fetal CHD detection rates. Fetal interventions are available for certain conditions, and fetal and pediatric cardiac centers have developed management plans specific to the expected postnatal physiology.
Three-Dimensional Liver Model Application for Liver Transplantation
Authors: Sanchez-Garcia Jorge , Lopez-Verdugo Fidel , Shorti Rami , Krong Jake , Kastenberg Zachary J. , Walters Shannon , Gagnon Andrew , Paci Philippe , Zendejas Ivan , Alonso Diane , Fujita Shiro , Contreras Alan G. , Botha Jean , Esquivel Carlos O. , Rodriguez-Davalos Manuel I.
Published: July 2023

Background.

Children are removed from the liver transplant waitlist because of death or progressive illness. Size mismatch accounts for 30% of organ refusal. This study aimed to demonstrate that 3-dimensional (3D) technology is a feasible and accurate adjunct to organ allocation and living donor selection process.

Methods.

This prospective multicenter study included pediatric liver transplant candidates and living donors from January 2020 to February 2023. Patient-specific, 3D-printed liver models were used for anatomic planning, real-time evaluation during organ procurement, and surgical navigation. The primary outcome was to determine model accuracy. The secondary outcome was to determine the impact of outcomes in living donor hepatectomy. Study groups were analyzed using propensity score matching with a retrospective cohort.

Results.

Twenty-eight recipients were included. The median percentage error was –0.6% for 3D models and had the highest correlation to the actual liver explant (Pearson’s R = 0.96, P < 0.001) compared with other volume calculation methods. Patient and graft survival were comparable. From 41 living donors, the median percentage error of the allograft was 12.4%. The donor-matched study group had lower central line utilization (21.4% versus 75%, P = 0.045), shorter length of stay (4 versus 7 d, P = 0.003), and lower mean comprehensive complication index (3 versus 21, P = 0.014).

Conclusions.

Three-dimensional volume is highly correlated with actual liver explant volume and may vary across different allografts for living donation. The addition of 3D-printed liver models during the transplant evaluation and organ procurement process is a feasible and safe adjunct to the perioperative decision-making process.
Do not be scared of the genome's 5th base—Explaining phenotypic variability and evolutionary dynamics through DNA methylation analysis
Authors: Tost Jorg
Published: July 2023

Epigenetic processes have taken center stage for the investigation of many biological processes, and epigenetic modifications have shown to influence phenotype, morphology and behavioural traits such as stress resistance by affecting gene regulation and expression without altering the underlying genomic sequence. The multiple molecular layers of epigenetics synergistically construct the cell type‐specific gene regulatory networks, characterized by a high degree of plasticity and redundancy to create cell‐type‐specific morphology and function. DNA methylation occurring on the 5′ carbon of cytosines in different genomic sequence contexts is the most studied epigenetic modification. DNA methylation has been shown to provide a molecular record of the exposure to a large variety of environmental factors, which might be persistent through the entire lifetime of an organism and even be passed onto the offspring. Animals might display altered phenotypes mediated by epigenetic modifications depending on the developmental stage or the environmental conditions as well as during evolution. Therefore, the analysis of DNA methylation patterns might allow deciphering previous exposures, explaining ecologically relevant phenotypic diversity and predicting evolutionary trajectories enabling accelerated adaption to changing environmental conditions. Despite the explanatory potential of DNA methylation integrating genetic and environmental factors to shape phenotypic variation and contribute significantly to evolutionary dynamics, studies of DNA methylation are still scarce in the field of ecology. This might be at least partly due to the complexity of DNA methylation analysis and the interpretation of the acquired data. In the current issue of Molecular Ecology Resources, Laine and colleagues (Molecular Ecology Resources, 2022) provide a detailed summary of guidelines and valuable recommendations for researchers in the field of ecology to avoid common pitfalls and perform interpretable genome‐wide DNA methylation analyses.
Childhood myasthenia gravis in Japan: Pathophysiology and treatment options
Authors: Hayashi Masatoshi
Published: July 2023

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a disease that causes muscle weakness and fatigue due to an abnormality in the neuromuscular junction, which prevents the transmission of information. In the 1970s, it became clear that MG was caused by an autoimmune mechanism, and treatments began to be developed. Most studies on the pathophysiology and treatment of MG have been conducted in adults. However, even in terms of acetylcholine receptor antibodies, which are related to MG pathophysiology, adults and children differ significantly. Moreover, epidemiological studies around the world have revealed significant differences in the prevalence of MG between East Asia, Europe, and the United States. Treatment methods also differ slightly across countries, depending on the differences in pathophysiology and medical practices that have been developed in each region of the world. Japanese pediatric neurologists have revealed a pathophysiology unique to children and differences in treatment methods for childhood MG. However, few studies have systematically reported these findings. Therefore, this article reviews the current basic concepts related to the pathophysiology and treatment of childhood MG in Japan.
Effect of environmental factors, fungicide sensitivity, and pathogenicity of Fusarium spp. associated with fruit rot of melon
Authors: Maniçoba Francisca Elisângela , Negreiros Andréia Mitsa Paiva , Cavalcante Allinny Luzia Alves , Santos Alves Cynthia Patrícia de Sousa , Nascimento Maria Tereza de Albuquerque e , Ambrósio Márcia Michelle de Queiroz , Sales Júnior Rui
Published: July 2023

Fusarium rot is one of the main postharvest diseases of melons, directly interfering with the quality and commercial use of the fruit. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of environmental factors (temperature, pH and salinity) and the pathogenicity of four Fusarium species (F. falciforme, F. kalimantanense, F. pernambucanum and F. sulawesiense) belonging to three different species complexes on disease development on melon, as well as the in vitro and in vivo sensitivity of these species to the fungicides azoxystrobin + fludioxonil, imazalil and thiabendazole. The results showed optimum fungal growth temperatures from 24.5 to 27.2°C, and optimum pH from 6.10 to 8.37 for all Fusarium species. NaCl concentrations (250–1000 mM) significantly reduced in vitro mycelial growth for all isolates. All species were pathogenic to melon plants and fruit, with an isolate of F. falciforme being the most aggressive, causing the highest disease severity in plants and fruit (43.3% and 62.5%, respectively). The isolate of F. sulawesiense tested showed high in vitro sensitivity to two fungicides (azoxystrobin + fludioxonil and imazalil), with EC50 values below 1 mg/L of a.i. Fruit inoculated with the selected isolates of F. falciforme and F. pernambucanum showed a reduction in the disease severity on the peduncle when treated with the fungicide thiabendazole (9.0% and 4.0%, respectively). Azoxystrobin + fludioxonil was responsible for the lowest disease severity in the epicarp caused by the same isolates (0.0% and 2.5%, respectively). These results are relevant to improve management strategies for diseases of melon caused by Fusarium spp.
Translations of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index: A systematic review
Authors: Lake Eileen T. , Rosenbaum Kathleen E. Fitzpatrick , Sauveur Christina , Buren Catherine , Cho Priscilla
Published: July 2023

Since 2002, the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index has been used worldwide to evaluate nurse work environments. High quality translations in different languages can help advance science and inform practice globally. The study purposes were to conduct a systematic review of published translations of the instrument and to assess their linguistic equivalence and psychometric performance. We conducted a comprehensive search, a quality assessment and synthesis of linguistic equivalence, reliability, and validity data. Studies published through July 2021 were identified in the CINAHL, LILACS, EMCare, and Scopus databases. Thirty‐eight publications were selected, comprising 46 translations into 24 languages and 15 language variants, and 35 countries. Translations are in predominantly European, Southeast Asian, and Middle Eastern languages. Two‐thirds of the translations reflected medium to high fulfillment of translation quality criteria. The GRADE ratings, reflecting satisfactory fulfillment of cross‐cultural equivalence and psychometric properties, were predominantly high (n = 23), then low (n = 15), then moderate (n = 8). The identified translations will support the advancement of global science and the improvement of nurses' work environments.
Clinical features and later prognosis of replicable early‐life wheeze clusters from two birth cohorts 12 years apart
Authors: Ngo Suzanne Y. , Venter Carina , Anderson William C. , Picket Kaci , Zhang Hongmei , Arshad S. Hasan , Kurukulaaratchy Ramesh J.
Published: July 2023

Background

Clustering techniques can define the heterogeneity of asthma and wheezing. Defining early‐life wheezing clusters and associated asthma risk could potentially inform patient management strategies. Clustering models that yield replicable cluster groups will have greater validity and clinical utility. This study sought to identify early‐life wheezing clusters that are translatable into clinical practice and assess their stability over time in two whole‐population birth cohorts established a decade apart from the same geographical location.

Methods

Nonparametric K‐means cluster analysis was performed separately on two birth cohorts from the Isle of Wight, UK; the Isle of Wight Birth Cohort (IOWBC) and Food Allergy and Intolerance Research Cohort (FAIR), using clinically defining variables in wheezing subjects in the first 3–4 years. Associations of resulting clusters with potential early‐life risk factors and 10‐year asthma outcomes were further assessed.

Results

Five clusters were identified in both cohorts: (1) infantile‐onset‐transient‐non‐atopic‐wheeze, (2) infantile‐onset‐persistent‐non‐atopic‐wheeze, (3) infantile‐onset‐atopic‐wheeze, (4) early‐childhood‐onset‐non‐atopic‐wheeze, and (5) early‐childhood‐onset‐atopic‐wheeze. Two atopic wheezing clusters (3 and 5) were associated with greatest early‐life wheeze frequency, highest wheeze persistence, and asthma prevalence at 10 years. Cluster 1 was commonest but had lowest early‐life wheeze frequency and asthma prevalence at 10 years. Cluster 2, characterized by limited atopy but recurrent infantile respiratory infections and ongoing early‐life wheezing, had high 10‐year asthma prevalence only in IOWBC.

Conclusions

Early‐life wheeze comprises several disease clusters (two more severe and three mild–moderate) with differing relationships to later childhood asthma, which can be replicated over time supporting their potential validity and clinical utility.
The pivotal ripening gene SlDML2 participates in regulating disease resistance in tomato
Authors: Zhou Leilei , Gao Guangtong , Li Xiaojing , Wang Weihao , Tian Shiping , Qin Guozheng
Published: July 2023

Fruit ripening and disease resistance are two essential biological processes for quality formation and maintenance. DNA methylation, in the form of 5‐methylcytosine (5mC), has been elucidated to modulate fruit ripening, but its role in regulating fruit disease resistance remains poorly understood. In this study, we show that mutation of SlDML2, the DNA demethylase gene essential for fruit ripening, affects multiple developmental processes of tomato besides fruit ripening, including seed germination, leaf length and width and flower branching. Intriguingly, loss of SlDML2 function decreased the resistance of tomato fruits against the necrotrophic fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea. Comparative transcriptomic analysis revealed an obvious transcriptome reprogramming caused by SlDML2 mutation during B. cinerea invasion. Among the thousands of differentially expressed genes, SlβCA3 encoding a β‐carbonic anhydrase and SlFAD3 encoding a ω‐3 fatty acid desaturase were demonstrated to be transcriptionally activated by SlDML2‐mediated DNA demethylation and positively regulate tomato resistance to B. cinerea probably in the same genetic pathway with SlDML2. We further show that the pericarp tissue surrounding B. cinerea infection exhibited a delay in ripening with singnificant decrease in expression of ripening genes that are targeted by SlDML2 and increase in expression of SlβCA3 and SlFAD3. Taken together, our results uncover an essential layer of gene regulation mediated by DNA methylation upon B. cinerea infection and raise the possible that the DNA demethylase gene SlDML2, as a multifunctional gene, participates in modulating the trade‐off between fruit ripening and disease resistance.
Several Alphaherpesviruses Interact Similarly with the NF-κB Pathway and Suppress NF-κB-Dependent Gene Expression
Authors: Romero Nicolás , Tishchenko Alexander , Verhamme Ruth , Wuerzberger-Davis Shelly M. , Van Waesberghe Cliff , Nauwynck Hans J. , Miyamoto Shigeki , Favoreel Herman W.
Published: July 2023

The current study provides a side-by-side comparison of the interaction of different alphaherpesviruses with NF-κB, a key and central player in the (proinflammatory) innate host response, in infected nontransformed epithelial cell lines. We report that all studied viruses prevent expression of the hallmark NF-κB-dependent gene IκB, often but not always via similar strategies, pointing to suppression of NF-κB-dependent host gene expression in infected epithelial cells as a common and therefore likely important aspect of alphaherpesviruses.
Development of a Gold Nanoparticle-Based Immunochromatographic Strip for Rapid Detection of Porcine Circovirus Type 2
Authors: Jiang Min , Wang Aiping , Sun Yaning , Li Yuan , Chen Yumei , Zhou Jingming , Liu Hongliang , Ding Peiyang , Qi Yanhua , Li Ning , Zhang Gaiping
Published: July 2023

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) Cap protein is the only structural and the main immunogenic protein constituting the viral capsid. Although many methods can be used to identify PCV2 or PCV2 Cap protein in vaccine research, they usually require high workload and time.
Logics and Algorithms for Hyperproperties
Authors: Finkbeiner Bernd
Published: July 2023

System requirements related to concepts like information flow, knowledge, and robustness cannot be judged in terms of individual system executions, but rather require an analysis of the relationship between multiple executions. Such requirements belong to the class of hyperproperties, which generalize classic trace properties to properties of sets of traces. During the past decade, a range of new specification logics has been introduced with the goal of providing a unified theory for reasoning about hyperproperties. This paper gives an overview on the current landscape of logics for the specification of hyperproperties and on algorithms for satisfiability checking, model checking, monitoring, and synthesis.
Evaluation of the Potential for Improvement of Clinical Outcomes in Trauma Patients with Massive Hemorrhage by Maintaining a High Plasma-to-Red Blood Cell Ratio during the First Hour of Hospitalization
Authors: Kwon Junsik , Yoo Jayoung , Kim Sora , Jung Kyoungwon , Yi In Kyong
Published: July 2023

Several reports indicate that early plasma transfusion may promote survival and reduce the incidence of traumatic coagulopathy in situations of massive bleeding. Consequently, it is recommended to maintain a plasma and RBC transfusion ratio between 1 : 1 and 1 : 2 at the start of admission. This retrospective study examined the effect of an early high plasma : RBC ratio on mortality rates by adopting a massive transfusion protocol (MTP) that forced an early and rapid issue of plasma products. Patients who received massive transfusions at a single trauma center between January 2014 and May 2020 were included in the study. A new protocol was established in January 2020, wherein a fixed amount of plasma was issued following MTP activation. Patients who underwent massive transfusions before and after the adoption of the new protocol were compared. In total, 1059 patients met the inclusion criteria. Fifty-one patients who underwent MTP were propensity score-matched with the patients who received a nonprotocolized massive transfusion. The MTP group had a higher plasma : RBC ratio at 1 h (0.8 vs. 0.2) and 4 h of hospitalization (1.1 vs. 0.6), with no significant between-group difference in the plasma : RBC ratio at 24 h of hospitalization. The MTP group had a lower 24 h mortality rate than the control group. There was no significant difference in the 30-day mortality. Using MTP to achieve a high plasma : RBC ratio in the early period of hospitalization appeared to affect 24-hour mortality; however, 30-day mortality did not change.