bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gender and the politics of maternalisms: Kinship-based imaginaries, responsibility and care in Australian refugee advocacy
Authors: Stivens Maila
Published: December 2023

Feminist scholarship has often been profoundly ambivalent about maternalist political mobilisations, seeing them as posing dangers of essentialising motherhood and of colluding with male-centred social orders, conservative politics and top-down state projects. This article looks at the complex and fluid politics of protest groups adopting familial kinship maternalist identities to militate politically for refugees and people seeking asylum, with particular reference to the Australian Grandmothers for Refugees organisation (G4R). A regular purple presence at demonstrations and on social media, the group’s 2000 members’ activities include vigils at ministerial and parliamentary members’ offices and detention centres, webinars, letter campaigns, petitions and parliamentary submissions. The G4R grandmothers’ role in the protests against the Australian asylum regime is part of a wider pattern of female predominance in contemporary organisations involved in such support and activism both locally and globally. The Grandmothers also exemplify the often-overlooked political energy of older women. The discussion explores questions about politicised kinship positionings, maternalist framings and mobilisations, and the cosmopolitan hospitality they offer. I am especially interested in how invocations of kinship-based location operate within these organisations, assuming ‘familial’ responsibility for and care of ‘Others’ within and beyond state and nation. Kinship tropes and imaginaries, while on occasion exclusionary and contradictory, arguably work to achieve a linking of political, ‘enraged’ affect with solidarity with the oppressed, enacting a transformative ethics in the public through effective political mobilisations of fictive kinship, responsibility, kindness, empathy and care.
“Pouring From an Empty Cup”: Manifestations, Drivers, and Protective Factors of Occupational Stress Among Healthcare Providers of Trauma-Informed Care
Authors: Najmabadi Leili , Agénor Madina , Tendulkar Shalini
Published: December 2023

In the United States alone, 10 million people are affected by family and domestic violence (DV). DV survivors experience many forms of victimization, including physical, psychological, and sexual abuse resulting in trauma. The DV workforce, including healthcare providers, social workers, advocates, and other providers, utilize trauma-informed care in a variety of settings to help DV survivors heal and recover from their traumatic experiences. Given the intensity of DV work and occupational stressors associated with navigating complex survivor cases and systems of care, health and mental health professionals can experience burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how professionals in the DV workforce, including healthcare and mental health professionals, experience and mitigate occupational stress. Twenty in-depth interviews were conducted with DV professionals, who worked in medical settings like urban hospitals as well as DV shelters and rape crisis centers in Boston, MA. A semistructured interview guide was developed, and pilot tested and addressed the following topics including experiences of occupational stress, and mitigators of occupational stress. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Codes were organized into themes and subthemes, which were reviewed and refined during research team discussions. Risk factors of occupational stress included caseload quantity and intensity, workplace isolation, and length of time in the field. Protective factors spanned individual, interpersonal, and organizational level factors. Participants described various strategies for mitigating occupational stress, including training, supervision, and self-care. Findings from this study have the potential to inform policies and practices among healthcare organizations that support professionals in the DV workforce who work with DV survivors.
The Strictest Taboo: The Marginalization of Marxism in Mainstream Communication Studies
Authors: Slaček Brlek Sašo , Mance Boris
Published: December 2023

Our study uses big data analysis to examine the influence of Marxism on communication studies throughout its history. We track citations of Marxist authors and the use of Marxist concepts in the titles, keywords, or abstracts of publications in the Web of Science scholarly database in the category of communication. We find that Marxian authors and ideas were almost completely absent from the mainstream of media studies until the end of the Cold War. The end of the Cold War and the Great Recession of 2008 significantly increased citations of Marxist authors. We use network analysis to identify different currents of thought or paradigmatic appropriations of Marxism within communication studies and identify five clusters of appropriation of Marx’s ideas within communication studies: Theories of Democracy, Political Economy of Communication, Critique of Power Relations, Feminism and Antiracism, and Critical Discourse Analysis.
Strategies to convert hospital beds for COVID-19 patients to minimize emergency department overcrowding
Authors: Nattino Giovanni , Paganuzzi Marco Maria , Ghilardi Giulia Irene , Costantino Giorgio , Rossi Carlotta , Cortellaro Francesca , Cosentini Roberto , Paglia Stefano , Migliori Maurizio , Bertolini Guido
Published: December 2023

Background: The shortage of hospital beds for COVID-19 patients has been one critical cause of Emergency Department (ED) overcrowding. Purpose: We aimed at elaborating a strategy of conversion of hospital beds, from non-COVID-19 to COVID-19 care, minimizing both ED overcrowding and the number of beds eventually converted. Research Design: Observational retrospective study. Study Sample: We considered the centralized database of all ED admissions in the Lombardy region of Italy during the second “COVID-19 wave” (October to December 2020). Data collection and Analysis: We analyzed all admissions to 82 EDs. We devised a family of Monte Carlo simulations to evaluate the performance of hospital beds’ conversion strategies triggered by ED crowding of COVID-19 patients, determining a critical number of beds to be converted when passing an ED-specific crowding threshold. Results: Our results suggest that the maximum number of patients waiting for hospitalization could have been decreased by 70% with the proposed strategy. Such a reduction would have been achieved by converting 30% more hospital beds than the total number converted in the region. Conclusions: The disproportion between reduction in ED crowding and additionally converted beds suggests that a wide margin to improve the efficiency of the conversions exists. The proposed simulation apparatus can be easily generalized to study management policies synchronizing ED output and in-hospital bed availability.
Model analysis and control of biped dynamic walker with fault steps in a gait cycle
Authors: Yadav Krishna Prakash
Published: December 2023

The biped robot has two identical legs that undergo alternating stance and swing phases during walking. The robot’s motion is facilitated by actuators positioned at the ankle and hip joints. The paper investigates various fault scenarios in dynamic walker models, specifically situations where one or both actuators experience failure while the robot is in motion. The first model assumes faults in both the hip and ankle joints, while the second model assumes a fault only in the ankle joint. The dynamic walker typically undergoes two steps in each cycle. This study specifically examines the different types of faults that may occur during the second step. The goal is to identify the potential walking gaits that can result from these faults. It is observed that walking with faults at both the hip and ankle joints exhibited greater stability and a wider range of stable states compared to walking with a fault only at the ankle joint. This suggests that incorporating hip joint faults or underactuation into robotic or prosthetic gait patterns could improve their stability and overall performance. The local and global stability of the dynamic walker were analyzed using Poincare’s method and the basin of attraction plot, respectively. Additionally, a control algorithm based on kinetic energy shaping is proposed for the second model, which resulted in an increased basin of attraction. Notably, the second model exhibited the ability to walk with variable step length and speed, akin to human locomotion.
Providing permanent protection to refugees in Australia: Real change or window dressing?
Authors: Failla Monique
Published: December 2023

This article argues that the recent changes to Australia’s rolling temporary protection regime do not mark a shift away from Australia’s flawed and unjust asylum system for two key reasons. First, the government did not repeal the temporary protection regime nor the fast track process. Secondly, the changes mobilise and perpetuate the inherent hostility of Australia’s asylum seeker policies targeting ‘irregular arrivals’. This article offers a critical analysis of the design and operation of Australia’s asylum system, as well as an examination of the 2023 changes and the political and journalistic discourse surrounding their announcement.
A Big Ten Leadership Approach to Service Animal Policy Development in Higher Education
Authors: McCombs Ryan G. , Lambert-Snodgrass Lisa A. , Olenchak F. Richard
Published: December 2023

There is a deficiency in scholarly research on higher education service animal policy that has created definitive gaps in how disability services office (DSO) directors approach policy development and how higher education institutions (HEIs) ensure access for service animal handlers. This qualitative research study aims to narrow these gaps by investigating the Big Ten Academic Alliance (Big Ten) DSO directors’ approaches to service animal policy development and exploring how federal and state legislation influence service animal policies. Participants in this study were five DSO directors from Big Ten institutions in the United States who participated in semistructured interviews. Findings reveal four themes associated with the approach Big Ten DSO directors take when developing and implementing service animal policies: (a) the influence of federal and state legislation, (b) transformational leadership, (c) social justice, access, and equity, and (d) involvement of institutional stakeholders in policy development.
Seminal Vesicle Stromal Lipofuscinosis: A Rare Incidental Finding with Potential for Misdiagnosis
Authors: Potterveld Susan K. , Sangoi Ankur R.
Published: December 2023

We report a patient with isolated stromal lipofuscinosis of the seminal vesicle, a rare entity characterized by intracytoplasmic pigmented granules within stromal cells intimately surrounding seminal vesicle epithelium. Only 4 patients with this unusual phenomenon have been previously reported in the literature. Recognizing this incidental and presumably non-pathologic finding is important to prevent misclassification as a more concerning lesion.
Real estate investment trusts during market shocks: Impact and resilience
Authors: Ampountolas Apostolos , Legg Mark , Shaw Gareth
Published: December 2023

The market value of a stock is a function of firm performance and market sentiment. Specific events can alter returns and present several challenges to market performances. Through an event study design, this study examines five real estate investment trusts (REITs) market indices’ responses to market shock from the initial COVID-19 outbreak. The results revealed negative cumulative abnormal returns for lodging, health care, and retail REITs over the 20-day trading window. Considering their lower drawdown losses, the remaining REIT sectors showed greater resilience than their counterparts. Block bootstrapping confirmed the returns were significantly worse for all sectors, with retail and lodging sectors having the poorest returns. This study advances the literature on pandemic-related market crashes along with how COVID-19 affected cross-sector REIT equities compared to other market indices. REIT firms can use the findings to develop more effective policy measures as responses to pandemic market conditions.
Serration Angioplasty Is Associated With Less Recoil in Infrapopliteal Arteries Compared With Plain Balloon Angioplasty
Authors: Fereydooni Arash , Chandra Venita , Schneider Peter A. , Giasolli Robert , Lichtenberg Michael , Stahlhoff Stefan
Published: December 2023

Purpose:

Recoil following balloon angioplasty of tibial arteries is a known mechanism of lumen loss and widely considered to be a contributing factor in early failure or later restenosis. The Serranator balloon has been designed to provide a controlled lumen gain while minimizing vessel injury. The objective of this study was to assess the ability to define and measure postangioplasty recoil in infrapopliteal arteries and to compare recoil after serration angioplasty and plain balloon angioplasty (POBA).

Methods:

This multi-center, sequential comparative study included patients with de novo or restenotic lesions of infrapopliteal arteries up to 22 cm in length. Patients were enrolled sequentially and underwent alternating POBA or serration angioplasty with Serranator. The study captured angiographic imaging at pre, immediately post, and 15-minute after angioplasty. Vessel recoil, final diameter stenosis, and dissection were compared using core laboratory analysis.

Results:

This study enrolled 36 patients who underwent treatment of 39 infrapopliteal lesions. There was no significant difference between Serranator (n=20) and POBA (n=19) with respect to baseline demographics and lesion characteristics. Arterial recoil (>10%) occurred in 25% of Serranator-treated lesions versus 64% in POBA-treated lesions (p=0.02. Clinically relevant recoil (>30%) was present after serration angioplasty in 10% of patients and after POBA in 53% (p=0.01). There was no significant difference in technical success (100% for both), dissection rate between Serranator (5%) and POBA (5.2%).

Conclusions:

Arterial recoil occurs after infrapopliteal angioplasty. Serration angioplasty produces substantially less arterial recoil compared with POBA. Additional studies are needed to assess whether reduced arterial recoil translates into superior long-term clinical outcomes.

Clinical Impact

Prior studies have demonstrated over 90% recoil in patients after balloon angioplasty (POBA) of the infrapopliteal vessels, which significantly impacts the durability and impact of endovascular interventions in this clinical space. This study compared recoil after infrapopliteal angioplasty with serration angioplasty and POBA. Serration angioplasty produces substantially less arterial recoil compared with POBA. Additional studies are needed to assess whether reduced arterial recoil translates into superior long-term clinical outcomes.
The use of fibrous face masks as a barrier against infectious biological airborne particles
Authors: Maduna Lebo , Patnaik Asis
Published: December 2023

The Covid-19 pandemic has created a global health crisis which has affected the economic and social development. Infectious airborne particles are transmitted via direct contact or inhalation. In order to reduce the infection rates, face masks such as cloth, surgical and filtering facepiece respirator masks are being used as a nonpharmaceutical intervention. Face cloth masks are recommended for public use due the global shortages of traditional single use surgical and filtering facepiece respirators. Decontamination of masks for reuse is also being suggested in order to address the shortages and environmental pollution. Single use masks are disposed after one-time use and pose an environmental and health risk if not properly disposed. Incinerating masks releases toxic gases during combustion. Contaminated masks can be treated with heat, ultraviolet, chemicals and antimicrobial agents to deactivate microbial particles. The protection provided by masks can be compromised if the decontamination method damages the structural integrity, and heat and chemicals have been reported to cause this. When electrostatic charged masks are exposed to water and chemicals, they lose their electrostatic charge and as result their filtration efficiency decreases. Mask’s filtration efficiency from the highest to the lowest is in the order filtering facepiece respirator, surgical and cloth. Because masks act as a barrier and they cause breathability difficulty which is associated with the discomfort experience for the wearer. Breathability from the highest to the lowest is in the order cloth, surgical and filtering facepiece respirator.
A robust class decomposition-based approach for detecting Alzheimer’s progression
Authors: Alwuthaynani Maha M , Abdallah Zahraa S , Santos-Rodriguez Raul
Published: December 2023

Computer-aided diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a rapidly growing field with the possibility to be utilized in practice. Deep learning has received much attention in detecting AD from structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI). However, training a convolutional neural network from scratch is problematic because it requires a lot of annotated data and additional computational time. Transfer learning can offer a promising and practical solution by transferring information learned from other image recognition tasks to medical image classification. Another issue is the dataset distribution’s irregularities. A common classification issue in datasets is a class imbalance, where the distribution of samples among the classes is biased. For example, a dataset may contain more instances of some classes than others. Class imbalance is challenging because most machine learning algorithms assume that each class should have an equal number of samples. Models consequently perform poorly in prediction. Class decomposition can address this problem by making learning a dataset’s class boundaries easier. Motivated by these approaches, we propose a class decomposition transfer learning (CDTL) approach that employs VGG19, AlexNet, and an entropy-based technique to detect AD from sMRI. This study aims to assess the robustness of the CDTL approach in detecting the cognitive decline of AD using data from various ADNI cohorts to determine whether comparable classification accuracy for the two or more cohorts would be obtained. Furthermore, the proposed model achieved state-of-the-art performance in predicting mild cognitive impairment (MCI)-to-AD conversion with an accuracy of 91.45%.
Predicting Academic Success Using a Critical Approach: The Impact of Campus Climate, Ethnic Identity, and Self-Esteem Among Latinx High School Students
Authors: Dighero Jaqueline V. , Cruz Ilene N. , Chavira Gabriela
Published: December 2023

Using LatCrit and QuantCrit, we examined the effect of school climate, ethnic identity, and self-esteem on grade point average (GPA) in a sample of 300 Latinx high school students. We found significant positive correlations between climate and GPA as well as self-esteem and GPA. Moreover, using structural equation modeling, we found self-esteem mediated the relationship between climate and GPA. This highlights the role of institutions in improving the educational experiences and increasing the educational attainment of Latinx students.
Sierra Leone and Peace Education: A Case Study of Transportation Poverty in the Aftermath of Civil War
Authors: Yu Yi , Wyness Michael
Published: December 2023

Unequal access to education and employment inequalities were major issues that led to the Sierra Leone civil war from 1991 to 2002. Many educational practices were introduced to the country in the direct aftermath of the war to bring more positive changes such as education opportunities and reconciliation. However, by using the social constructionist approach in our analysis, we found that infrastructural issues were neglected by researchers and practitioners which had a long-term negative effect on local residents. In particular, transportation poverty became a major issue in preventing the delivery of peace education practices and teaching pedagogies by preventing regular travelling from urban to rural areas. Consequently, more inequalities could be found in areas of social services. This study suggests that peace education initiatives should consider whether these promoted practices will generate different forms of inequalities.
Physical Activity as a Potential Tool in Therapeutic Works of University Mental Health Professionals in the United States
Authors: Daniels Bryce T. , Davis Robert E. , Howie Erin K.
Published: December 2023

Background: Students’ yearly visits to university counseling centers have increased, concurrent with an increase in diagnosed anxiety and depression. Physical activity (PA) has positive effects on mental health. PA referral may be an option to utilize PA in university mental healthcare. However, clinicians’ perceptions and capacity of PA referral need to be established before implementation. Methods: Using a qualitative descriptive design, 14 licensed mental health professionals across seven southern universities participated in semi-structured virtual interviews to explore perceptions of prescribing PA to patients and referring patients to a PA specialist. Results: Thematic analysis revealed professionals perceived PA to be important for mental health, support prescribing PA to patients, face barriers to prescribing PA, professionals support referring patients to a PA specialist, and professionals face barriers referring to a PA specialist. Conclusions: Professionals agreed that PA was important for mental health and referring to a PA specialist would be the most feasible strategy to incorporate PA in their therapeutic work for patients struggling with physical inactivity and mental health. Future studies should investigate a PA referral system's implementation within university counseling centers and how this system can affect the mental health and PA of college students seeking mental health treatment.
Aligning online and remote coaching with the digital age: Novel perspectives for an emerging field of research and practice
Authors: Bennett Blake , Szedlak Christoph
Published: December 2023

In the context of contemporary coaching, it is necessary to explore approaches that cater to the needs and preferences of modern learners. Given the emergence of online/remote coaching and coach development (ORC/CD) in recent years, this could involve the exploration of frameworks and onto-epistemologies that better ensure alignment with contemporary understandings of learning in the digital era. In the current article, we take the opportunity to explore some of the possible theoretical considerations that can inform future research in this emerging area; and thus support the application of technology-enhanced coaching/learning in sport coaching contexts. First, we philosophically position our arguments within a ‘new culture of learning’ (NCOL) – a framework that is congruent with online learning experiences. From there, we consider Connectivism – as an expression of New Materialism – as a suitable onto-epistemology to guide future research given its recognition of networked ways of being in the twenty-first century. We conclude by suggesting heutagogy (self-determined learning) as an appropriate signature ‘∼gogy’ for ORC/CD environments.
Two Birds With One Stone: Writing a Paper Entitled “ChatGPT as a Tool for Studying Human-AI Interaction in the Wild” with ChatGPT
Authors: Tenhundfeld Nathan L.
Published: December 2023

Few advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have seemed to be quite as captivating for the public as was the release of ChatGPT by OpenAI. This chatbot has been able to provide remarkably accurate answers to factual questions, write workable code in a variety of programming languages, and generate human-like text passages on any number of topics. Because, at the time of writing, this technology is so new, there is a need to understand the capabilities and limitations of the system. This includes understanding the nature of collaborative and iterative writing. This paper reviews an attempt to write a conference proceedings paper on the ways in which to use ChatGPT to study human-AI interaction. Evaluation of output and the iterative processes required shows the strengths of ChatGPT’s context awareness, while highlighting its limitations in attempts to provide academic references. Additionally, metrics of passage similarity to prior passages is assessed.
Physical distancing and its association with travel behavior in daily pre-pandemic urban life: An analysis utilizing lifelogging images and composite survey and mobility data
Authors: Thakuriah Piyushimita , Boididou Christina , Hong Jinhyun
Published: December 2023

This study analyzed physical distancing in people’s daily lives and its association with travel behavior and the use of transportation modes before the COVID-19 outbreak. We used data from photographic images acquired automatically by lifelogging devices every 5 seconds, on average, from 170 participants of a 2-day wearable camera study, in order to identify their physical distancing status throughout the day. Using deep-learning computer vision algorithms, we developed three measures which provided a near-continuous quantification of the proportion of time spent without anyone else within a distance of approximately 13 meters, as well as the proportion of time spent without others within approximately 2 meters. These measures are then used as outcomes in beta regression and multinomial logit models to explore the association between the participant’s physical distancing and travel behavior and transportation choices. The multidisciplinary research approach to understand these associations accounted for a number of social, economic, and cultural factors that potentially influenced their physical isolation levels. We found that participants spend a significant amount of time physically separated from others, without anyone else within 2 meters. The use of public transportation, automobiles, active travel, and an increase in trip frequency, including trips to transportation facilities, reduced the extent of physical distancing, with public transportation having the most significant impact. Higher incomes, strong social networks, and a sense of belonging to the community reduced the tendency for physical distancing. In contrast, factors such as age, obesity, dog ownership, intensive use of the Internet, and being knowledgeable about climate change issues increased the likelihood of physical distancing. The paper addresses a crucial gap in our understanding of how these factors intersect to create the dynamics of physical distancing in non-emergency situations and highlights their planning and operational implications while showcasing the use of unique person-based physical distancing measures derived from autonomously collected image data.
Guangyuanite, Pb3Cl3(Se4+O3)(OH), a new lead chloride selenite mineral from the El Dragón mine, Potosí, Bolivia
Authors: Yang Hexiong , Gu Xiangping , McGlasson James A. , Gibbs Ronald B. , Downs Robert T.
Published: December 2023

A new mineral species, guangyuanite, ideally Pb3Cl3(Se4+O3)(OH), was discovered from the El Dragón mine, Antonio Quijarro Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia. It occurs as equant crystals. Associated minerals are Co-bearing krut'aite–penroseite, chalcomenite, schmiederite, olsacherite, phosgenite, anglesite, cerussite and franksousaite. Guangyuanite is pale yellow–brown in transmitted light, transparent with white streak and vitreous lustre. It is brittle and has a Mohs hardness of ~3. No parting or cleavage was observed. The calculated density is 7.63 g/cm3. An electron microprobe analysis yielded an empirical formula [based on 7 (O + Cl) atoms per formula unit] of Pb3.02Cl3.01(Se4+0.99O3)(OH), which can be simplified to Pb3Cl3(Se4+O3)(OH).

Guangyuanite is isostructural with synthetic Pb3Br3(Se4+O3)(OH). It is orthorhombic, with space group Pnma and unit-cell parameters a = 11.0003(5), b = 10.6460(5), c = 7.7902 Å, V = 912.31(6) Å3 and Z = 4. The crystal structure of guangyuanite contains two symmetrically-distinct Pb (Pb1 and Pb2) cations, with Pb1 coordinated by eight anions (4O + 4Cl) and Pb2 only by six anions (3O + 3Cl), forming a marked lopsided coordination typical of Pb2+ with a stereochemically active 6s2 lone electron pair. The Se4+ cation forms a typical [Se4+O3] trigonal pyramid. The crystal structure of guangyuanite can be described as consisting of layers of edge-sharing [Pb1O4Cl4] polyhedra parallel to (100). These layers are linked together by sharing polyhedral corners (Cl atoms), as well as [Pb2O3Cl3] and [Se4+O3] groups. Chemically, guangyuanite is one of six lead chloride selenite minerals reported thus far and closely related to orlandiite Pb3Cl4(Se4+O3)⋅H2O.
Sorafenib plus intensive chemotherapy in newly diagnosed FLT3-ITD AML: a randomized, placebo-controlled study by the ALLG
Authors: Loo Sun , Roberts Andrew W. , Anstee Natasha S. , Kennedy Glen A. , He Simon , Schwarer Anthony P. , Enjeti Anoop K. , D’Rozario James , Marlton Paula , Bilmon Ian A. , Taper John , Cull Gavin , Tiley Campbell , Verner Emma , Hahn Uwe , Hiwase Devendra K. , Iland Harry J. , Murphy Nick , Ramanathan Sundra , Reynolds John , Ong Doen Ming , Tiong Ing Soo , Wall Meaghan , Murray Michael , Rawling Tristan , Leadbetter Joanna , Rowley Leesa , Latimer Maya , Yuen Sam , Ting Stephen B. , Fong Chun Yew , Morris Kirk , Bajel Ashish , Seymour John F. , Levis Mark J. , Wei Andrew H.
Published: December 2023

Sorafenib maintenance improves outcomes after hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) for patients with FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3–internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Although promising outcomes have been reported for sorafenib plus intensive chemotherapy, randomized data are limited. This placebo-controlled, phase 2 study (ACTRN12611001112954) randomized 102 patients (aged 18-65 years) 2:1 to sorafenib vs placebo (days 4-10) combined with intensive induction: idarubicin 12 mg/m2 on days 1 to 3 plus either cytarabine 1.5 g/m2 twice daily on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 (18-55 years) or 100 mg/m2 on days 1 to 7 (56-65 years), followed by consolidation and maintenance therapy for 12 months (post-HCT excluded) in newly diagnosed patients with FLT3-ITD AML. Four patients were excluded in a modified intention-to-treat final analysis (3 not commencing therapy and 1 was FLT3-ITD negative). Rates of complete remission (CR)/CR with incomplete hematologic recovery were high in both arms (sorafenib, 78%/9%; placebo, 70%/24%). With 49.1-months median follow-up, the primary end point of event-free survival (EFS) was not improved by sorafenib (2-year EFS 47.9% vs 45.4%; hazard ratio [HR], 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.51-1.51; P = .61). Two-year overall survival (OS) was 67% in the sorafenib arm and 58% in the placebo arm (HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.42-1.39). For patients who received HCT in first remission, the 2-year OS rates were 84% and 67% in the sorafenib and placebo arms, respectively (HR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.18-1.12; P = .08). In exploratory analyses, FLT3-ITD measurable residual disease (MRD) negative status (<0.001%) after induction was associated with improved 2-year OS (83% vs 60%; HR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.17-0.93; P = .028). In conclusion, routine use of pretransplant sorafenib plus chemotherapy in unselected patients with FLT3-ITD AML is not supported by this study.
Purine degradation pathway metabolites at birth and the risk of lower respiratory tract infections in infancy
Authors: Gutierrez Maria J. , Nino Gustavo , Restrepo-Gualteros Sonia , Mondell Ethan , Chorvinsky Elizabeth , Bhattacharya Surajit , Bera Bethlehem Solomon , Welham Allison , Hong Xiumei , Wang Xiaobin
Published: December 2023

Background

Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are the leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality worldwide, and altered metabolite production is recognised as a critical factor in LRTI pathogenesis.

Methods

This study aimed to identify prenatal metabolic changes associated with LRTI risk in infancy, using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry unbiased metabolomics analysis on cord blood from 810 full-term newborns.

Results

We identified 22 compounds linked to LRTIs in infancy, enriched for purine degradation pathway (PDP) metabolites. High cord blood PDP metabolites, including xanthine, hypoxanthine, xanthosine and inosine, were linked to reduced LRTI risk during infancy. Notably, a low xanthine to uric acid ratio at birth predicted a four-fold increased LRTI risk.

Conclusion

This study is the first to reveal that high cord blood PDP metabolites identify newborns at lower LRTI risk, stratifying disease risk at birth. Moreover, our results prompt further study on PDP enzymes as pharmacological targets to decrease LRTI morbidity and mortality for at-risk newborns.
Reverse shock index (RSI) as a predictor of post-intubation cardiac arrest (PICA)
Authors: Torabi Mehdi , Mahani Ghazal Soleimani , Mirzaee Moghaddameh
Published: December 2023

Background

Endotracheal intubation (ETI) in critically ill patients is a high-risk procedure due to the increased risk of cardiac arrest, and several factors may predict poor outcomes in these patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of some factors, especially newly introduced vital signs such as the reverse shock index (RSI), in predicting post-intubation cardiac arrest (PICA) in critically ill adult patients.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on critically ill patients over 18 years of age who were admitted to the emergency department (ED) and underwent ETI within 1 year. Patients who developed PICA and those without this event were included in the study, and their features were compared. The primary outcome was cardiac arrest.

Results

Of 394 patients, 127 patients were included, of whom 95 (74.8%) developed PICA, and 32 (25.2%) did not experience cardiac arrest after intubation. In multivariate analysis, age, RSI, oxygen saturation, and total bilirubin were significantly associated with PICA. In addition, patients with RSI < 1 had a significantly higher risk of developing PICA (odds ratio = 5.22, 95% CI 1.83–14.86,p = 0.002). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy for predicting PICA were 51.11%, 83.33%, 90.2%, 36.23%, and 59.17%, respectively. The ROC curve for RSI showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.66.

Conclusion

RSI may be useful in predicting PICA with higher diagnostic accuracy compared to the shock index. Furthermore, advanced age, hypoxia, and hyperbilirubinemia may increase the risk of PICA in patients admitted to the ED.
The draft genome of the Temminck’s tragopan (Tragopan temminckii) with evolutionary implications
Authors: Li Xuejuan , Wang Xiaoyang , Yu Xiaoping , Yang Chao , Lin Liliang , Huang Yuan
Published: December 2023

Background

High-quality genome data of birds play a significant role in the systematic study of their origin and adaptive evolution. The Temminck’s tragopan (Tragopan temminckii) (Galliformes, Phasianidae), a larger pheasant, is one of the most abundant and widely distributed species of the genus Tragopan, and was defined as class II of the list of national key protected wild animals in China. The absence of a sequenced genome has restricted previous evolutionary trait studies of this taxa.

Results

The whole genome of the Temminck’s tragopan was sequenced using Illumina and PacBio platform, and then de novo assembled and annotated. The genome size was 1.06 Gb, with a contig N50 of 4.17 Mb. A total of 117.22 Mb (11.00%) repeat sequences were identified. 16,414 genes were predicted using three methods, with 16,099 (98.08%) annotated as functional genes based on five databases. In addition, comparative genome analyses were conducted across 12 Galliformes species. The results indicated that T. temminckii was the first species to branch off from the clade containing Lophura nycthemera, Phasianus colchicus, Chrysolophus pictus, Syrmaticus mikado, Perdix hodgsoniae, and Meleagris gallopavo, with a corresponding divergence time of 31.43 million years ago (MYA). Expanded gene families associated with immune response and energy metabolism were identified. Genes and pathways associated with plumage color and feather development, immune response, and energy metabolism were found in the list of positively selected genes (PSGs).

Conclusions

A genome draft of the Temminck’s tragopan was reported, genome feature and comparative genome analysis were described, and genes and pathways related to plumage color and feather development, immune response, and energy metabolism were identified. The genomic data of the Temminck’s tragopan considerably contribute to the genome evolution and phylogeny of the genus Tragopan and the whole Galliformes species underlying ecological adaptation strategies.
Gut dysbacteriosis induces expression differences in the adult head transcriptome of Spodoptera frugiperda in a sex-specific manner
Authors: Junrui-Fu  , Rong Zixia , Huang Ximei , Wang Junhan , Long Xiaoyan , Feng Qili , Deng Huimin
Published: December 2023

Mounting evidence indicates that the gut microbiota influences the neurodevelopment and behavior of insects through the gut-brain axis. However, it is currently unclear whether the gut microbiota affect the head profiles and immune pathway in pests. Here, we find that gut bacteria is essential for the immune and neural development of adult Spodoptera frugiperda, which is an extremely destructive agricultural pest worldwide. 16 S rRNA sequencing analysis showed that antibiotics exposure significantly disturbed the composition and diversity of gut bacteria. Further transcriptomic analysis revealed that the adult head transcripts were greatly affected by gut dysbacteriosis, and differently expression genes critical for brain and neural development including A4galt, Tret1, nsun4, Galt, Mitofilin, SLC2A3, snk, GABRB3, Oamb and SLC6A1 were substantially repressed. Interestingly, the dysbacteriosis caused sex-specific differences in immune response. The mRNA levels of pll (serine/threonine protein kinase Pelle), PGRP (peptidoglycan-sensing receptor), CECA (cecropin A) and CECB (cecropin B) involved in Toll and Imd signaling pathway were drastically decreased in treated male adults’ heads but not in female adults; however, genes of HIVEP2, ZNF131, inducible zinc finger protein 1-like and zinc finger protein 99-like encoding zinc-finger antiviral protein (ZAP) involved in the interferon (IFNα/β) pathway were significantly inhibited in treated female adults’ heads. Collectively, these results demonstrate that gut microbiota may regulate head transcription and impact the S. frugiperda adults’ heads through the immune pathway in a sex-specific manner. Our finding highlights the relationship between the gut microbiota and head immune systems of S. frugiperda adults, which is an astonishing similarity with the discoveries of other animals. Therefore, this is the basis for further research to understand the interactions between hosts and microorganisms via the gut-brain axis in S. frugiperda and other insects.
tRNA-Cys gene clusters exhibit high variability in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Szymanski Maciej , Maurya Anand , Kopec Piotr , Karlowski Wojciech M.
Published: December 2023

Although most of the genes encoding tRNAs in plants are dispersed throughout the genome, a fraction of them form tRNA gene clusters. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the smallest of tRNA clusters on chromosome 5 consists of four tRNA-Cys-GCA genes placed within repeating units of 0.4 kbp. A systematic analysis of the genomic sequences of syntenic regions from various ecotypes of A. thaliana showed that the general structure of the cluster, consisting of a tRNA-Cys pseudogene followed by repeating units containing tRNA-Cys genes, is well conserved. However, there is significant heterogeneity in the number of repeating units between different ecotypes. A unique feature of this cluster is the presence of putative transposable elements (Helitron). In addition, two further tRNA-Cys gene mini-clusters (gene pairs) in A. thaliana were identified. RNA-seq-based evaluation of expression of tRNA-Cys-GCA genes showed a positive signal for 11 out of 13 unique transcripts. An analysis of the conservation of the tRNA-Cys clusters from A. thaliana with the corresponding regions from four other Arabidopsis species suggests a sequence of events that led to the divergence of these regions.
Genome-wide characterization of the wall-associated kinase-like (WAKL) family in sesame (Sesamum indicum) identifies a SiWAKL6 gene involved in resistance to Macrophomina Phaseolina
Authors: Yan Wenqing , Hu Peilin , Ni Yunxia , Zhao Hui , Liu Xintao , Cao Hengchun , Jia Min , Tian Baoming , Miao Hongmei , Liu Hongyan
Published: December 2023

Background

Sesame charcoal rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina is one of the most serious fungal diseases in sesame production, and threatens the yield and quality of sesame. WAKL genes are important in the plant response to biotic stresses by sensing and transmitting external signals to the intracellular receptor. However, there is still a lack about the WAKL gene family and its function in sesame resistance to M. phaseolina. The aim of this study was to interpret the roles of WAKL genes in sesame resistance to M. phaseolina.

Results

In this study, a comprehensive study of the WAKL gene family was conducted and 31 WAKL genes were identified in the sesame genome. Tandem duplication events were the main factor in expansion of the SiWAKL gene family. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the sesame SiWAKL gene family was divided into 4 groups. SiWAKL genes exhibited different expression patterns in diverse tissues. Under M. phaseolina stress, most SiWAKL genes were significantly induced. Notably, SiWAKL6 was strongly induced in the resistant variety “Zhengzhi 13”. Functional analysis showed that SiWAKL6 was induced by salicylic acid but not methyl jasmonate in sesame. Overexpression of SiWAKL6 in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants enhanced their resistance to M. phaseolina by inducing the expression of genes involved in the salicylic acid signaling pathway and reconstructing reactive oxygen species homeostasis.

Conclusions

Taken together, the results provide a better understanding of functions about SiWAKL gene family and suggest that manipulation of these SiWAKL genes can improve plant resistance to M. phaseolina. The findings contributed to further understanding of functions of SiWAKL genes in plant immunity.
Effect of thermal softening of double-lumen endobronchial tubes on postoperative sore throat in patients with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Yan Wenlong , Cai Jianyue , Zhu Chenchen , Chen Yu , Fang Jun , Xu Hui , Zheng Xiaojing , Zhou Yingting , Xie Yanhu , Zhang Min , Shu Shuhua
Published: December 2023

Background

The incidence of postoperative sore throat (POST) after tracheal intubation using double-lumen endobronchial tubes (DLTs) is higher in patients with prior severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection than in the general population. This prospective trial was conducted to determine whether thermal softening of DLTs could decrease the incidence of POST or other airway injuries in patients with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods

A total of 120 patients with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection undergoing thoracoscopic surgery were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 60 each). In the thermal softening group, the distal portion of the DLT was placed in thermostatic saline (50 °C) for 10 min before endotracheal intubation. In the control group, the distal portion of the DLT was placed in room temperature saline for 10 min before endotracheal intubation. The incidence and severity of POST and hoarseness were assessed at 1, 6 and 24 h postoperatively. The primary outcomes were the incidence and severity of POST at 6 h postoperatively. The secondary outcomes were the incidence and severity of hoarseness, vocal cord and tracheal injuries, and hemodynamic changes in patients at intubation.

Results

The incidence of POST at 6 h postoperatively was greater in the control group than in the thermal softening group [41 (68%) vs. 22 (37%), P = 0.001]. The overall incidence of POST at 24 h postoperatively was greater in the control group than in the thermal softening group [46 (76%) vs. 24 (40%), P < 0.001]. The overall incidence of tracheal injuries was also greater in the control group than in the thermal softening group (P = 0.016). Vocal cord injuries occurred more frequently in the control group than in the thermal softening group (P = 0.006).

Conclusion

Thermal softening of DLTs before intubation can reduce the incidence of POST and airway injuries in patients with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection undergoing DLT insertion.

Trial registration

This trial has been registered at www.chictr.org.cn (registration number: ChiCTR2200066821; registration date: December 19, 2022).
A novel nomogram for predicting the prolonged length of stay in post-anesthesia care unit after elective operation
Authors: Fang Fuquan , Liu Tiantian , Li Jun , Yang Yanchang , Hang Wenxin , Yan Dandan , Ye Sujuan , Wu Pin , Hu Yuhan , Hu Zhiyong
Published: December 2023

Background

Prolonged length of stay in post-anesthesia care unit (PLOS in PACU) is a combination of risk factors and complications that can compromise quality of care and operating room efficiency. Our study aimed to develop a nomogram to predict PLOS in PACU of patients undergoing elective surgery.

Methods

Data from 24017 patients were collected. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) was used to screen variables. A logistic regression model was built on variables determined by a combined method of forward selection and backward elimination. Nomogram was designed with the model. The nomogram performance was evaluated with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for discrimination, calibration plot for consistency between predictions and actuality, and decision curve analysis (DCA) for clinical application value.

Results

A nomogram was established based on the selected ten variables, including age, BMI < 21 kg/m2, American society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status (ASA), surgery type, chill, delirium, pain, naloxone, operation duration and blood transfusion. The C-index value was 0.773 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.765 - 0.781] in the development set and 0.757 (95% CI = 0.744-0.770) in the validation set. The AUC was > 0.75 for the prediction of PLOS in PACU. The calibration curves revealed high consistencies between the predicted and actual probability. The DCA showed that if the threshold probability is over 10% , using the models to predict PLOS in PACU and implement intervention adds more benefit.

Conclusions

This study presented a nomogram to facilitate individualized prediction of PLOS in PACU for patients undergoing elective surgery.