bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lower fecal microbiota transplantation ameliorates ulcerative colitis by eliminating oral-derived Fusobacterium nucleatum and virulence factor
Authors: Li Dong-Hao , Li Zong-Wei , Sun Qi , Wang Lei , Ning Shou-Bin
Published: August 2024

Background

Recently, the oral oncobacterium Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum), has been linked with ulcerative colitis (UC). Here, we aim to investigate whether Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) can alleviate UC by restoring gut microbiota and eliminating oral-derived F. nucleatum and virulence factor fadA.

Method

C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a healthy control group (HC), Dextran Sulfate Sodium group (DSS), oral inoculation group (OR), upper FMT group (UFMT), and lower FMT group (LFMT). Disease activity index, body weight, survival rate, and histopathological scores were used to measure the severity of colitis. The function of the intestinal mucosal barrier was evaluated by performing immunohistochemical staining of the tight junction protein Occludin. Real-time PCR was used to assess the relative abundance of the nusG gene and the virulence gene fadA. Cytokine levels were detected by ELISA. Full-length sequencing of 16S rRNA was used to analyze the changes and composition of gut microbiota.

Findings

Oral incubation of F. nucleatum further exacerbated the severity of colitis and gut dysbiosis. Peptostreptococcaceae, Enterococcaceae, and Escherichia coli were significantly enriched in OR mice. However, LFMT mice showed an obvious decrease in disease activity and were more effective in restoring gut microbiota and eliminating F. nucleatum than UFMT mice. Bacteroidota, Lachnospiraceae, and Prevotellaceae were mainly enriched bacteria in LFMT mice. In addition, Genera such as Lactobacillus, Allobaculum, and Bacteroidales were found negative correlation with TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Genera like Romboutsia, Escherichia Shigella, Enterococcus, and Clostridium were found positively correlated with TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6.

Conclusions

Oral incubation of F. nucleatum further exacerbates the severity and dysbiosis in DSS-induced colitis mice. Besides, lower tract FMT can ameliorate colitis by restoring the gut microbiota diversity and eliminating F. nucleatum and virulence factor fadA.
An automated calculation pipeline for differential pair interaction energies with molecular force fields using the Tinker Molecular Modeling Package
Authors: Bänsch Felix , Daniel Mirco , Lanig Harald , Steinbeck Christoph , Zielesny Achim
Published: August 2024

An automated pipeline for comprehensive calculation of intermolecular interaction energies based on molecular force-fields using the Tinker molecular modelling package is presented. Starting with non-optimized chemically intuitive monomer structures, the pipeline allows the approximation of global minimum energy monomers and dimers, configuration sampling for various monomer–monomer distances, estimation of coordination numbers by molecular dynamics simulations, and the evaluation of differential pair interaction energies. The latter are used to derive Flory–Huggins parameters and isotropic particle–particle repulsions for Dissipative Particle Dynamics (DPD). The computational results for force fields MM3, MMFF94, OPLS-AA and AMOEBA09 are analyzed with Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations and DPD simulations for a mixture of the non-ionic polyoxyethylene alkyl ether surfactant C10E4 with water to demonstrate the usefulness of the approach.

Scientific Contribution

To our knowledge, there is currently no open computational pipeline for differential pair interaction energies at all. This work aims to contribute an (at least academically available, open) approach based on molecular force fields that provides a robust and efficient computational scheme for their automated calculation for small to medium-sized (organic) molecular dimers. The usefulness of the proposed new calculation scheme is demonstrated for the generation of mesoscopic particles with their mutual repulsive interactions.
Genetic structure of the European white elm (Ulmus laevis Pall., Ulmaceae) in Switzerland
Authors: Dermelj Lena , Fragnière Yann , Jacob Gwenaël , Küffer Nicolas , Sciboz Jacques , Parisod Christian , Kozlowski Gregor
Published: August 2024

Key message

Populations of the European white elm (Ulmus laevis Pall.) in Switzerland can be considered natural. They show no evidence of genetic differentiation from other European populations. In the past, the U. laevis populations were probably more widespread and continuous in Switzerland with a larger gene flow.

Context

In Switzerland, at the margin of its distribution range, U. laevis is rare and considered endangered. Whether the species is native to Switzerland has been disputed, and it is often surmised to be solely cultivated, without any natural population in the country.

Aims

The structure of genetic diversity among Swiss populations of U. laevis and comparison to European populations are expected to shed light on the origin of local populations and support their management.

Methods

We analyzed 19 populations (194 individuals) in Switzerland and 15 populations (158 individuals) from other European countries, using a set of five microsatellite loci.

Results

(1) 90% of the genetic variation in European and Swiss populations occurs within populations. (2) We did not detect isolation by distance at the regional or continental scale. (3) Clustering analysis did not reveal any spatial pattern in the level of admixture of individuals within Swiss or other European populations.

Conclusion

Moderate levels of genetic diversity and evidence for recent gene flow between populations indicate that habitat deterioration, loss, and fragmentation are the main threats to the persistence of U. laevis populations in Switzerland.
Superior mesenteric artery syndrome following spine surgery in idiopathic adolescent scoliosis: a systematic review
Authors: Pappalardo Gaetano , Pola Enrico , Bertini Fracesca Alzira , Nasto Luigi Aurelio , Eschweiler Jörg , Schäfer Luise , Migliorini Filippo
Published: August 2024

Superior mesenteric artery syndrome (SMAS) is a rare and unpredictable complication after correction spine surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). The management of this condition is poorly investigated, with controversial outcomes. This investigation systematically reviewed current evidence on pathogenesis, risk factors, management, and outcomes of SMAS following correction spine surgery for AIS. The present systematic review was conducted according to the 2020 PRISMA statement. All the included investigations reported SMAS presentation following scoliosis correction surgery in AIS. 29 articles with 61 eligible patients were included in this review. The mean age of the patients was 15.8 ± 7.2 years. The mean weight was 45.3 ± 8.0 kg, the mean height 159.6 ± 13.6 cm, and the mean BMI 16.5 ± 2.9 kg/m2. The mean duration of the treatment for SMAS was 21.6 ± 10.3 days. The mean interval between spine surgery and symptoms of SAMS was 69 days, with high between-studies variability (3 days to 4 years). Prompt identification of risk factors and an early diagnosis are necessary to manage SMAS and reduce the risk of complications. Additional investigations are required to establish risk factors and diagnostic criteria.

Level of evidence Level IV, systematic review.
An insight into the origin of elemental chromium in the lacquer of Qin terracotta warriors
Authors: Chenchen Yang , Bo Rong , Jing Huang , Xutong Chen , Desheng Lan , Fengyi He , Shaojun Yan , Ling He , Lingjie Meng , Junyan Liang , Wenxian Lu
Published: August 2024

The origin of elemental chromium for the archaeological weapons from the pits of Qin terracotta warriors in China has been highly controversial. Although previous studies have highlighted that the chromium on the surface of weapon originated from the contamination of surrounding lacquer, the exact origin of chromium in the lacquer remains unclear. In this work, the measurement by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) firstly confirmed that the elemental chromium was indeed contained in the archaeological Qin original lacquer. Nevertheless, the amount of elemental chromium in the Qin lacquer was as low as 0.0759 μg/mg, disclosing that it was impossible to artificially add extra refined chromium-containing substance to the lacquer in the preparation of the terracotta warriors. The soil from the archaeological site of Qin lacquer was found to have a chromium amount of 0.0660 μg/mg by ICP-MS. After the hygrothermal and soil-buried aging cycles for the lab-prepared lacquer, the surface and depth elemental analyses by time of flight-secondary ion mass spectrometer (TOF–SIMS) showed a gradient distribution of elemental chromium from the surface to interior of aged lacquer, indicating the migration and enrichment behavior of elemental chromium from the burial soil towards the lacquer. To explore the migration mechanism of elemental chromium, fluorescence imaging technique was employed in combination with Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterizations. The results revealed that catechol-containing fragments were formed during hygrothermal and soil-buried aging of lacquer and consequently coordinated with chromium ions, inducing the migration of elemental chromium towards the lacquer.
Development of preoperative nomograms to predict the risk of overall and multifocal positive surgical margin after radical prostatectomy
Authors: Xu Lili , Peng Qianyu , Zhang Gumuyang , Zhang Daming , Zhang Jiahui , Zhang Xiaoxiao , Bai Xin , Chen Li , Guo Erjia , Xiao Yu , Jin Zhengyu , Sun Hao
Published: August 2024

Objective

To develop preoperative nomograms using risk factors based on clinicopathological and MRI for predicting the risk of positive surgical margin (PSM) after radical prostatectomy (RP).

Patients and methods

This study retrospectively enrolled patients who underwent prostate MRI before RP at our center between January 2015 and November 2022. Preoperative clinicopathological factors and MRI-based features were recorded for analysis. The presence of PSM (overall PSM [oPSM]) at pathology and the multifocality of PSM (mPSM) were evaluated. LASSO regression was employed for variable selection. For the final model construction, logistic regression was applied combined with the bootstrap method for internal verification. The risk probability of individual patients was visualized using a nomogram.

Results

In all, 259 patients were included in this study, and 76 (29.3%) patients had PSM, including 40 patients with mPSM. Final multivariate logistic regression revealed that the independent risk factors for oPSM were tumor diameter, frank extraprostatic extension, and annual surgery volume (all p < 0.05), and the nomogram for oPSM reached an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.717 in development and 0.716 in internal verification. The independent risk factors for mPSM included the percentage of positive cores, tumor diameter, apex depth, and annual surgery volume (all p < 0.05), and the AUC of the nomogram for mPSM was 0.790 in both development and internal verification. The calibration curve analysis showed that these nomograms were well-calibrated for both oPSM and mPSM.

Conclusions

The proposed nomograms showed good performance and were feasible in predicting oPSM and mPSM, which might facilitate more individualized management of prostate cancer patients who are candidates for surgery.
Advances in the mechanism of small nucleolar RNA and its role in DNA damage response
Authors: Shen Li-Ping , Zhang Wen-Cheng , Deng Jia-Rong , Qi Zhen-Hua , Lin Zhong-Wu , Wang Zhi-Dong
Published: August 2024

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) were previously regarded as a class of functionally conserved housekeeping genes, primarily involved in the regulation of ribosome biogenesis by ribosomal RNA (rRNA) modification. However, some of them are involved in several biological processes via complex molecular mechanisms. DNA damage response (DDR) is a conserved mechanism for maintaining genomic stability to prevent the occurrence of various human diseases. It has recently been revealed that snoRNAs are involved in DDR at multiple levels, indicating their relevant theoretical and clinical significance in this field. The present review systematically addresses four main points, including the biosynthesis and classification of snoRNAs, the mechanisms through which snoRNAs regulate target molecules, snoRNAs in the process of DDR, and the significance of snoRNA in disease diagnosis and treatment. It focuses on the potential functions of snoRNAs in DDR to help in the discovery of the roles of snoRNAs in maintaining genome stability and pathological processes.
Collaborative inquiry in action: a case study of lesson study for intercultural education
Authors: Qin Xiaolei
Published: August 2024

The evolving nature of intercultural education necessitates a shift from static to reflective pedagogies among teachers. This case study investigates the efficacy of a collaborative lesson study (LS) approach in enhancing Chinese university instructors' proficiency in participatory, non-essentialist intercultural teaching. Six English as a Foreign Language instructors at a Chinese university engaged in three iterative LS cycles over one month, integrating new intercultural communication materials into their classes. Data were collected through lesson documents, observations, discussions, and interviews. The immersive LS process significantly expanded instructors' understanding of key intercultural communication concepts, encouraged the adoption of more student-centered methodologies, and prompted critical reflection on prior cultural assumptions. The collaborative engagement facilitated a deeper theoretical grasp and practical application of non-essentialist principles. Challenges included time constraints due to teaching workloads, discomfort in peer feedback exchange, and a broader lack of coordinated intercultural teacher training. Despite these challenges, this study underscores the potential of LS as a robust model for advancing intercultural teaching capacity through collaborative inquiry. It hints at the promise of LS in bridging the theory–practice divide in intercultural education, paving the way for more nuanced, non-essentialist instruction.
Real-world analysis of brain atrophy in multiple sclerosis patients with an artificial intelligence based software tool
Authors: Reinhardt Caroline , Angstwurm Klemens , Freudenstein David , Lee De-Hyung , Wendl Christina , Linker Ralf A.
Published: August 2024

Background

Atrophy of white and grey matter volumes occurs early in the brains of people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) and has great clinical relevance. In clinical trials, brain atrophy can be quantified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with automated software tools.

Methods

In this study, we analyze volumes of various brain regions with the software “md brain” based on routine MRI scans of 53 pwMS in a real-world setting. We compare brain volumes of pwMS with an EDSS ≥ 3.5 and a disease duration ≥ 10 years to the brain volumes of pwMS with an EDSS < 3.5 and a disease duration < 10 years as well as with or without immunotherapy.

Results

pwMS with an EDSS ≥ 3.5 and a disease duration ≥ 10 years had significantly lower volumes of the total brain, the grey matter and of the frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobe regions as compared to pwMS with an EDSS < 3.5 and a disease duration < 10 years. Regional brain volumes were significantly lower in pwMS without immunotherapy.

Conclusions

The study showed that higher EDSS, longer disease duration and absence of immunotherapy was associated with lower volumes in a number of brain regions. Further real-world studies may include larger patient cohorts in longitudinal analyses.
Efficacy of nano-silicon extracted from rice husk to modulate the physio-biochemical constituents of wheat for ameliorating drought tolerance without causing cytotoxicity
Authors: Abdo Rahma Ahmed , Hazem Mahmoud M. , El-Assar Abd El-Monaem , Saudy Hani Saber , El-Sayed Salwa M.
Published: August 2024

Background

Abiotic stresses, like drought, are the major cause of shrinking plant, growth crop yields and quality. Nanotechnology has provided a significant improvement in increasing plant growth and yield of crops under stress conditions. This work assessed the potential of silicon for mitigating the negative effects of drought against wheat. In completely randomized design with three replicates, wheat seedlings grown under three watering levels (100, 60 and 40% of water holding capacity) were treated by silicon dioxide (SiO2) as a normal or bulk form (Si) and SiO2 nanoparticles (SiNPs) with concentrations of 100 and 200 mg L−1. SiNPs was extracted from rice husk.

Results

Si and SiNPs treatments are shown to improve the growth of plants and increase the shoots and root weight, relative water content, photosynthetic pigments, and proline in wheat. SiO2 either normal or nanoparticles at 100 mg L−1 decreased lipid peroxidation as malondialdehyde was reduced. Also, nano-silicon increased free amino acids, antioxidant enzymes while decreased soluble sugars. Cytotoxicity assay proved the safety of nano-silicon usage.

Conclusions

In conclusion, the present study documented the significance of rice husk-extracted nano-silicon at rate of 100 mg L−1 for improving growth and increasing tolerance to drought in wheat grown under water deficit.
L-arginine: its role in human physiology, in some diseases and mainly in viral multiplication as a narrative literature review
Authors: Pedrazini Maria Cristina , Martinez Elizabeth Ferreira , dos Santos Victor Augusto Benedicto , Groppo Francisco Carlos
Published: August 2024

Background

L-arginine (Arg) is an amino acid that contributes to several aspects of human biochemistry. Individuals with malnutrition and certain physical conditions could benefit from arginine intake. However, as Arg is required by certain viruses, it is advised to avoid it in one's diet and supplementation during viral illnesses. New studies have emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, and pioneering research has been reviewed.

Main body of the abstract

The purpose of this review is to determine when and why Arg depletion, supplementation, or avoidance is advisable, considering the divergent results. A narrative review was conducted by surveying scientific publications indexed in electronic databases. Studies published from 1960 up to 2024, with no language restrictions, were included. Arg comes from proteins in the human diet. The kidney is the main site of endogenous Arg synthesis and also responsible for the overall metabolism of this amino acid, participating in synthesis, degradation and reabsorption. The liver can synthesize Arg, but since this is completely recycled in the urea cycle, it contributes little or no to the Arg plasma flux. Arg present in diet is passively absorbed in the small intestine and also transformed into urea and ornithine via urea cycle in hepatocytes. It is associated with macrophage metabolism, vasomotor control, intracellular signaling, memory formation, immune response, and an important messenger of the bronchopulmonary, cardiovascular and neural systems. Thus, excessive or decreased Arg concentration could impair health condition. High Arg concentrations stimulated rapid reactivation and resumption of protein synthesis in some viruses.

Conclusion

According to research, caution should be exercised when supplementing or depleting the amino acid arginine. Individuals who are carriers of latent viruses, such as herpesviruses, and/or who have been exposed to other viruses studied, should avoid arginine supplements and the consumption of foods rich in arginine. However, as prophylaxis or antiviral therapy, control of arginine intake as well as the use of lysine supplements, its antagonist, is recommended for short periods starting after a possible viral exposure, or in face of stimuli that can remove viruses from their latent state and/or at the very beginning of the viral manifestation, in order to avoid a large viral multiplication and consequently control the infection. Long-term arginine depletion can significantly affect cellular metabolism and its use as supplemental therapy needs case-by-case evaluation.

Graphical abstract
Revisiting diabetes risk of olanzapine versus aripiprazole in serious mental illness care
Authors: Agniel Denis , Normand Sharon-Lise T. , Newcomer John W. , Zelevinsky Katya , Poulos Jason , Tsuei Jeannette , Horvitz-Lennon Marcela
Published: August 2024

Background

Exposure to second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) carries a risk of type 2 diabetes, but questions remain about the diabetogenic effects of SGAs.

Aims

To assess the diabetes risk associated with two frequently used SGAs.

Method

This was a retrospective cohort study of adults with schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder or severe major depressive disorder (MDD) exposed during 2008–2013 to continuous monotherapy with aripiprazole or olanzapine for up to 24 months, with no pre-period exposure to other antipsychotics. Newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes was quantified with targeted minimum loss-based estimation; risk was summarised as the restricted mean survival time (RMST), the average number of diabetes-free months. Sensitivity analyses were used to evaluate potential confounding by indication.

Results

Aripiprazole-treated patients had fewer diabetes-free months compared with olanzapine-treated patients. RMSTs were longer in olanzapine-treated patients, by 0.25 months [95% CI: 0.14, 0.36], 0.16 months [0.02, 0.31] and 0.22 months [0.01, 0.44] among patients with schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder and severe MDD, respectively. Although some sensitivity analyses suggest a risk of unobserved confounding, E-values indicate that this risk is not severe.

Conclusions

Using robust methods and accounting for exposure duration effects, we found a slightly higher risk of type 2 diabetes associated with aripiprazole compared with olanzapine monotherapy regardless of diagnosis. If this result was subject to unmeasured selection despite our methods, it would suggest clinician success in identifying olanzapine candidates with low diabetes risk. Confirmatory research is needed, but this insight suggests a potentially larger role for olanzapine in the treatment of well-selected patients, particularly for those with schizophrenia, given the drug's effectiveness advantage among them.
Increased Prevalence of Binge Eating Disorder and Bulimia Nervosa in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Cooney Laura G , Gyorfi Kaley , Sanneh Awa , Bui Leeann M , Mousa Aya , Tay Chau Thien , Teede Helena , Stener-Victorin Elisabet , Brennan Leah
Published: August 2024

Context

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with disordered eating/eating disorders, but prior meta-analyses are limited by small numbers.

Objective

To inform the 2023 International PCOS Guideline, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the prevalence of disordered eating/eating disorders among women with and without PCOS.

Methods

Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, and All EMB were searched from inception through February 1, 2024, for studies that compared prevalences of eating disordered/disordered eating in adolescent or adult women. Random effects meta-analyses were used to estimate the pooled odds ratios (OR) or standardized mean differences (SMD) of outcomes in women with PCOS compared to controls. Methodological quality was assessed by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) system, and included studies were assessed for risk of bias.

Results

Of 1352 articles identified, 20 were included, with a total of 28 922 women with PCOS and 258 619 controls. Individuals with PCOS had higher odds of any eating disorder (OR: 1.53 [1.29, 1.82], 8 studies), which persisted in studies where PCOS was diagnosed by Rotterdam criteria (OR: 2.88 [1.55, 5.34], 4 studies). Odds of bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and disordered eating, but not anorexia nervosa, were increased in PCOS. Mean disordered eating scores were higher in PCOS (SMD: 0.52 [0.28, 0.77], 13 studies), including when stratified by normal and higher weight body mass index. Most included studies were of moderate quality, with no evidence of publication bias.

Conclusion

Our study informs the 2023 PCOS Guideline recommendations for consideration of the risk of disordered eating/ eating disorders in care of women with PCOS, regardless of weight, especially during providing lifestyle counseling.
Association of Free Thyroxine With Progression-Free Survival in Intermediate and High-Risk Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Ghosh Raisa , Auh Sungyoung , Gubbi Sriram , Veeraraghavan Padmasree , Cochran Craig , Shobab Leila , Urken Mark L , Burman Kenneth D , Wartofsky Leonard , Klubo-Gwiezdzinska Joanna
Published: August 2024

Context

Supraphysiologic T4 doses are used in intermediate- and high-risk patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (IR/HR-DTC) to suppress tumor progression by TSH. However, preclinical data suggest that T4 can also act as a growth stimulus for cancer, but there is no clinical evidence supporting this claim.

Objective

We analyzed the association between free T4 (FT4) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with IR/HR-DTC.

Methods

This longitudinal cohort study, approved by multi-institutional review board, included patients with IR/HR-DTC treated uniformly with total thyroidectomy, radioiodine, and TSH suppression therapy, with at least 3 TSH and FT4 values available. Association between FT4 and PFS at landmarks 6, 12, and 18 months was assessed by Kaplan-Meier survival curves, whereas competing risks were assessed through Cox proportional hazards model.

Results

From 739 screened patients, 382 met the inclusion criteria and were characterized by a median age of 46 (34-59) years, 64.1% women, and treated with a median radioiodine dosage of 159 (110-410) mCi. During follow up of 7.1 (3.4-12.7) years, 34.6% experienced disease progression. Elevated FT4, observed in 29.3% of patients, was not associated with worse PFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.9; CI, 0.54-1.5; P = .69), whereas age (HR, 1.02; CI, 1.004-1.04; P = .01), tumor size (HR, 1.15; CI, 1.04-1.28; P = .01) and metastases to the lateral neck lymph nodes (HR, 2.9; CI, 1.7-4.74; P < .001), bones (HR, 4.87; CI, 1.79-13.3; P = .002), and brain (HR, 5.56; CI; 2.54-12.2; P < .001) were associated with shorter PFS.

Conclusion

Contrary to preclinical evidence, elevated FT4 levels do not affect PFS in patients with IR/HR-DTC.
Substance-Use Disorders in Critically Ill Patients: A Narrative Review
Authors: Piland Rebecca , Jenkins Russell Jack , Darwish Dana , Kram Bridgette , Karamchandani Kunal
Published: August 2024

Substance-use disorders (SUDs) represent a major public health concern. The increased prevalence of SUDs within the general population has led to more patients with SUD being admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) for an SUD-related condition or with SUD as a relevant comorbidity. Multiprofessional providers of critical care should be familiar with these disorders and their impact on critical illness. Management of critically ill patients with SUDs is complicated by both acute exposures leading to intoxication, the associated withdrawal syndrome(s), and the physiologic changes associated with chronic use that can cause, predispose patients to, and worsen the severity of other medical conditions. This article reviews the epidemiology of substance use in critically ill patients, discusses the identification and treatment of common intoxication and withdrawal syndromes, and provides evidence-based recommendations for the management of patients exposed to chronic use.
Effect of In Vivo Administration of Fibrinogen Concentrate Versus Cryoprecipitate on Ex Vivo Clot Degradation in Neonates Undergoing Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Downey Laura A. , Moiseiwitsch Nina , Nellenbach Kimberly , Xiang Yijin , Brown Ashley C. , Guzzetta Nina A.
Published: August 2024

BACKGROUND:

Neonates undergoing cardiac surgery require fibrinogen replacement to restore hemostasis after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Cryoprecipitate is often the first-line treatment, but recent studies demonstrate that fibrinogen concentrate (RiaSTAP; CSL Behring) may be acceptable in this population. This investigator-initiated, randomized trial compares cryoprecipitate to fibrinogen concentrate in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03932240). The primary end point was the percent change in ex vivo clot degradation from baseline at 24 hours after surgery between groups. Secondary outcomes included intraoperative blood transfusions, coagulation factor levels, and adverse events.

METHODS:

Neonates were randomized to receive cryoprecipitate (control group) or fibrinogen concentrate (study group) as part of a post-CPB transfusion algorithm. Blood samples were drawn at 4 time points: presurgery (T1), after treatment (T2), arrival to the intensive care unit (ICU) (T3), and 24 hours postsurgery (T4). Using the mixed-effect models, we analyzed the percent change in ex vivo clot degradation from a patient’s presurgery baseline at each time point. Intraoperative blood product transfusions, coagulation factor levels, perioperative laboratory values, and adverse events were collected.

RESULTS:

Thirty-six neonates were enrolled (intent to treat [ITT]). Thirteen patients in the control group and seventeen patients in the study group completed the study per protocol (PP). After normalizing to the patient’s own baseline (T1), no significant differences were observed in clot degradation at T2 or T3. At T4, patients in the study group had greater degradation when compared to those in the control group (826.5%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 291.1–1361.9 vs −545.9%, 95% CI, −1081.3 to −10.4; P < .001). Study group patients received significantly less median post-CPB transfusions than control group patients (ITT, 27.2 mL/kg [19.0–36.9] vs 41.6 [29.2–52.4]; P = .043; PP 26.7 mL/kg [18.8–32.2] vs 41.2 mL/kg [29.0–51.4]; P < .001). No differences were observed in bleeding or thrombotic events.

CONCLUSIONS:

Neonates who received fibrinogen concentrate, as compared to cryoprecipitate, have similar perioperative ex vivo clot degradation with faster degradation at 24 hours postsurgery, less post-CPB blood transfusions, and no increased bleeding or thrombotic complications. Our findings suggest that fibrinogen concentrate adequately restores hemostasis and reduces transfusions in neonates after CPB without increased bleeding or thrombosis risk.
Mismatched: Intensive Mothering in China's Urban Villages
Authors: Jin Shuheng , Dai Haijing
Published: August 2024

As the PRC is woven ever more tightly into transnational circuits of culture and capital, Chinese working-class subjectivities—like middle-class ones, but also distinctively—become (re)produced through increasingly transnational processes. This includes the new reach of global discourses like intensive mothering into China’ s migrant-worker population. Intensive mothering has long been learned as the dominant culture of motherhood in North America. Along with other products and ideas, this ideology of intensive mothering is imported to China’ s new generation of mothers, supported by the state’ s emphasis on scientific child-rearing and the social media boom. Euro-American middle-class mothers, depicted as ideal mothers who abide by expert knowledge and cultivate their children’ s talent accordingly, are represented as counterexamples to traditional Chinese mothers in mass media. Migrant mothers in the urban villages of China have learned and internalized this ideology of intensive mothering along with their rural-to-urban migration through reading and interactions with medical and educational experts. Based on eight months of ethnographic research in two urban villages in southern China, this article presents research into how migrant mothers become trapped in the mismatches between the Euro-American, urban middle-class ideology of intensive mothering and their own position in the social class hierarchy. With limited economic and cultural resources, learning and internalizing intensive mothering disempowers migrant mothers and makes them feel even less competent. In response, they find other alternatives to reassert their agency.
The Sinophone as an Uneven Experience of Time and Place: Translocal Media Consumption in Chinese-Speaking Malaysia
Authors: Yu Ting-Fai
Published: August 2024

Based on interviews and ethnographic engagement with Malaysian consumers of post-1990s Chinese-language popular media products (television, film, and music), this article argues that overseas Chinese identity formation may be as much a translocal as a transnational phenomenon. Specifically, it demonstrates how Chinese-speaking Malaysia has been unevenly affected by Sinophone media flows across generations and regions, resulting in divergent cultural practices and aspirations, and it highlights intraethnic complexities that are determined by both temporal and spatial contexts. First, it examines Chinese Malaysians’ consumption of Chinese-language media as an intergenerational experience, vis-à-vis the general shift from the popularity of Hong Kong media before 2000, toward media from the People’s Republic of China in the present. Second, by highlighting the unique position of Johor, the Malaysian state bordering Singapore, in the Sinophone media circuit, the article demonstrates how in some cases geographic proximities may be more significant than national boundaries or policies in regulating cultural traffic. Finally, in the age of global China, this article highlights how interviewees’ present consumption of non-PRC Chinese-language media exemplifies a Sinophone logic of cultural and affective mobilities that resists the homogenization of PRC media in Southeast Asia. As an attempt to engage theorizations of translocality and transnationality in productive tension with each other, the article concludes by arguing for the significance of Malaysia in highlighting Sinophone cultures as uneven experiences of time and space.
A multi-layered integrative analysis reveals a cholesterol metabolic program in outer radial glia with implications for human brain evolution
Authors: Moriano Juan , Leonardi Oliviero , Vitriolo Alessandro , Testa Giuseppe , Boeckx Cedric
Published: August 2024

The definition of molecular and cellular mechanisms contributing to brain ontogenetic trajectories is essential to investigate the evolution of our species. Yet their functional dissection at an appropriate level of granularity remains challenging. Capitalizing on recent efforts that have extensively profiled neural stem cells from the developing human cortex, we develop an integrative computational framework to perform trajectory inference and gene regulatory network reconstruction, (pseudo)time-informed non-negative matrix factorization for learning the dynamics of gene expression programs, and paleogenomic analysis for a higher-resolution mapping of derived regulatory variants in our species in comparison with our closest relatives. We provide evidence for cell type-specific regulation of gene expression programs during indirect neurogenesis. In particular, our analysis uncovers a key role for a cholesterol program in outer radial glia, regulated by zinc-finger transcription factor KLF6. A cartography of the regulatory landscape impacted by Homo sapiens-derived variants reveals signals of selection clustering around regulatory regions associated with GLI3, a well-known regulator of radial glial cell cycle, and impacting KLF6 regulation. Our study contributes to the evidence of significant changes in metabolic pathways in recent human brain evolution.
Change in Biomarker Profile After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy is Prognostic and Common Among Patients with HER2+ Breast Cancer
Authors: Tchou Julia , Gottipati Soumy , Goldbach Macy , Baxter Molly , Venters Sara , Balassanian Ron , Vohra Poonam , Gonzalves Diego , Ahmad Zahra , Nayak Anupma , Boughey Judy C. , Mukhtar Rita A. , Chen Yunn-Yi
Published: August 2024

Background

Rates of pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for breast cancer have improved, especially among human epidermal growth factor 2-positive (HER2+) and triple-negative subtypes. The frequency and significance of biomarker profile change in residual disease are unclear. This study aimed to determine the rate of biomarker profile changes after NAC and the impact on clinical outcomes in a contemporary cohort.

Methods

Upon institutional review board approval, the study identified 634 consecutive patients treated with NAC between 2010 and 2022 at two academic institutions. The study cohort was focused on patients with residual disease who underwent biomarker profile retesting. Biomarker profile change for each subtype was compared across groups using Fisher-Irwin tests. Cox Proportional Hazards Model and Kaplan-Meier plots were performed to evaluate the association of changed versus unchanged biomarker profile with event-free survival.

Results

Biomarker retesting was performed for 259 (61.4 %) of 422 patients with residual disease. Biomarker profile change occurred in 18.1 % overall and was significantly higher among those with pre-NAC HER2+ disease (32.7 %, 17/52) than among those with HER2–disease (14.5 %, 30/207) (p = 0.004). Conversion of pre-NAC biomarker profiles of HR+HER2– and HR+HER2+ to triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) post-NAC may be associated with worse event-free survival, hazard ratios of 2.23 (95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.90–5.53; p = 0.08), trending toward significance, and 36.7 (95 % CI, 2.2–610.8; p = 0.01), respectively.

Conclusions

The results from one of the largest contemporary cohorts demonstrated that biomarker profile change in patients with residual disease after NAC was common. Furthermore, specific biomarker profile change in residual disease may have prognostic value. These findings strengthen the rationale for routine re-testing of biomarkers in residual disease after NAC.
Estimating dengue disease and economic burden to inform municipal-level policymakers: Method for a pragmatic city-level observational cohort study
Authors: Wilastonegoro Nandyan N. , Andriani Sri , Sebong Perigrinus H. , Agarwal-Harding Priya , Shepard Donald S.
Published: August 2024

Background Recent trials have confirmed the effectiveness of promising dengue control technologies – two vaccines and Wolbachia. These would generally be applied at the municipal level. To help local officials decide which, if any, control strategy to implement, they need affordable, timely, and accurate data on dengue burden. Building on our previous work in Mexico, Indonesia, and Thailand, we developed a streamlined prospective method to estimate dengue burden at the municipal level quickly, accurately, and efficiently. Methods The method entails enrolling and repeatedly interviewing 100 patients with laboratory-confirmed dengue. They will be selected after screening and testing about 1,000 patients with clinical dengue. The method will capture both acute and chronic effects relating to disease, economic burden, and psychological impacts (presenteeism). The total time requirements are 1.5 years, comprised of 0.25 years for planning and approvals, 1 year for data collection (a full dengue cycle), and 0 .25 years for data cleaning and analysis. A collaboration with municipal and academic colleagues in the city of Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia shows how the method could be readily applied in Indonesia’s eighth largest city (population 1.8 million). Conclusions Many surveillance studies gather only information on numbers of cases. This proposed method will provide a comprehensive picture of the dengue burden to the health system, payers, and households at the local level.
The genome sequence of the blonde ray, Raja brachyura Lafont, 1871
Authors: Adkins Patrick , Brittain Rachel , Scott-Somme Kesella ,   Marine Biological Association Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: August 2024

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Raja brachyura (Blonde Ray; Chordata; Chondrichthyes; Rajiformes; Rajidae). The genome sequence spans 2,700.50 megabases. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 49 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the X sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 17.12 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 24,252 protein-coding genes.
Auditoría externa durante la pandemia de la COVID-19, experiencia de las firmas auditoras en Medellín (Colombia)
Authors: Armijo-Perea Jonathan David , Jurado-Zambrano Diego Armando
Published: August 2024

La auditoría externa se ha consolidado como una herramienta de control para la toma de decisiones organizacionales, máxime en momentos críticos como la expansión global de la COVID-19, que ocasionó la adopción de nuevas prácticas por las restricciones. Objetivo: esta investigación identificó los cambios en las prácticas de auditoría externa por las restricciones de la pandemia en firmas de auditoría de Medellín y sus implicaciones en la calidad de los servicios de auditoría externa desde la visión de los auditores. Metodología: se empleó un enfoque cualitativo de alcance descriptivo en el que se aplicó un protocolo de entrevista semiestructurada a un grupo de auditores séniores, socios o líderes que coordinaron auditorías externas en sus firmas a organizaciones situadas en Medellín, Colombia. Resultados principales: se encontró que la realización de auditorías remotas, mediadas por tecnología, la analítica de datos, la evaluación continua de los riesgos y la materialidad cambiante resaltan como los cambios más importantes durante ese periodo crítico. Conclusiones: hubo modificaciones en la carga laboral de los auditores y los honorarios; a futuro se vislumbran cambios completos en las auditorías externas incluso ante la ausencia de restricciones como las pandémicas.
Erratum to: Linear Convergence of Dual Coordinate Descent on Nonpolyhedral Convex Problems
Authors: Necoara Ion , Fercoq Olivier
Published: August 2024

Our proof of linear convergence for Dykstra’s algorithm was erroneous, and in fact, there even exists a counterexample showing that the result is false.
Immune-related Adverse Event with Checkpoint Inhibitors Might Be an Emerging Underlying Disease of Steroid-related Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head: A Case Report
Authors:   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan., Nishimura Ryosuke , Kutsuna Tatsuhiko ,   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan., Kinoshita Tomofumi ,   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan., Kono Kohei ,   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan., Mashima Naohiko ,   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan., Takao Masaki ,   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan.
Published: August 2024

Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are increasingly being used in the treatment of advanced metastatic and immunogenic cancers. However, these therapies could cause immune-related adverse events (irAEs), which require high-dose glucocorticoid administration. Case Report: A 52-year-old man with metastatic renal cell carcinoma received ICI therapy. Two weeks later, he suffered from severe irAEs and received glucocorticoid therapy for 13 months. Twenty-one months after the initiation of glucocorticoid administration, he presented to us with bilateral hip pain and was diagnosed with bilateral osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). Conclusion: IrAEs associated with ICI therapy might be an emerging underlying disease of ONFH. Keywords: Immune checkpoint inhibitors, immune-related adverse events, glucocorticoid, osteonecrosis.
The influence of conflict on agenda setting in the US Congress
Authors: Lewallen Jonathan
Published: August 2024

Agenda setting involves prioritisation: paying attention to some issues means others go unaddressed. Institutions develop divisions of labour to increase their attention capacity but making a decision requires focusing on one issue at a time, a move called the ‘serial shift’. Issues also represent different conflicts and ways of organising disagreement, so the serial shift involves prioritising and legitimising some disagreements above others. This article examines the relationship between conflict at the decision stage and disagreement in agenda setting. Using data on US congressional committee report views and amendments offered during floor debate, I show that prioritisation ‘certifies’ conflict: the issues that see more disagreement in agenda setting tend to be those that see more disagreement at the decision stage. I also find the statistical relationship is strongest for three issues: Environment in the House of Representatives; and in the Senate, Science and Technology, and International Affairs. While the relationship is short-lived, issues that recur on the decision agenda experience persistent disagreements as the committee system sets the institution’s agenda. Divisions of labour are thought to allow for a broader spectrum of voices to be heard, but the serial shift means that winnowing down the decision agenda can limit which conflicts are expressed when institutions ‘decide what to decide’.
Thomas Mathiesen as a public intellectual
Authors: Franko Katja
Published: August 2024

Could Thomas Mathiesen be described as a public intellectual? What, after all, is a public intellectual? And does the label still carry any kind of relevance? Today, the meaning of the term public intellectual is far from clear. The notion of a public intellectual has moreover become controversial because of its connotations of academic elitism, and its gendered nature. However, its gradual decline also carries pressing concerns that academics are increasingly withdrawing from the public arena. Reflecting on these developments and ambiguities, the article explores the meaning of the term and uses it as a starting point for the discussion of Thomas Mathiesen’s remarkable life and work.
Machine learning-driven optimization of photonic crystal structures for superior optical NOR gate performance
Authors: Parandin Fariborz , Karami Pouya , Mohamadi Alireza
Published: August 2024

In this study, we employ a two-dimensional photonic crystal structure to design a NOR logic gate, utilizing dielectric rods in air. The compact size and simplicity of the design make this optical gate particularly suitable for integration into photonic integrated circuits. To optimize the optical NOR gate design and achieve superior results, we leverage machine learning techniques, specifically XGBoost and RandomForestRegressor. By fine-tuning the radii of defect rods within the photonic crystal lattice, we maximize output power and ensure optimal gate functionality across various input scenarios. Through extensive simulations and comparative analyses, we showcase the effectiveness of our approach in accurately predicting optimal rod radii and enhancing NOR gate performance. Notably, our design utilizes only two defect rods, highlighting the structure’s efficiency. Moreover, alongside the simplicity of our proposed design, it boasts high output power for logical 1 and low power for logical 0. This feature contributes to minimized errors in logical output detection, further underscoring the practicality and efficacy of our approach.