bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of Extubated COVID and Non-COVID Patients Receiving Awake Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
Authors: Gurnani Payal K. , Michalak Lauren A. , Tabachnick Deborah , Kotwas Michael , Tatooles Antone J.
Published: February 2022

Cessation of continuous analgesia and sedation in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) receiving venovenous (VV) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) facilitates early extubation, family, patient and provider engagement, and mobility. Outcomes associated with an awake ECMO strategy have not been well described in the literature. The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes in patients receiving this strategy. This was a retrospective review of ARDS patients receiving awake VV ECMO. The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. Secondary outcomes included days requiring ECMO, time from cannulation to extubation, complications, patients requiring tracheostomy, hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS), and discharge disposition. In a subgroup analysis, outcomes were compared between non-COVID and COVID ECMO patients. Sixty-two patients were included with a survival to hospital discharge of 85.5%. Days requiring ECMO was 33.0 (0.0–75.0) and cannulation to extubation was 6.0 (4.0–11.0). Three patients received a tracheostomy (4.8%). Bleeding and infection were reported in 80.6% and 82.3% of patients, respectively. Intensive care unit length of stay was 46.0 days (29.0–90.0) and hospital LOS was 51.0 days (32.0–91.0). Over half of the patients (51.6%) were discharged to an acute rehabilitation facility and 27.4% were discharged home. There was similar survival to hospital discharge between the COVID and non-COVID awake ECMO patients (85% in both groups, p = 1.000). This study highlights the impact of an awake ECMO approach on survival to hospital discharge. Future studies are needed to evaluate this approach as compared to current practice to determine if this should become the standard.
Effects of uric acid-lowering therapy in patients with essential arterial hypertension
Authors: Gruszka Krystian , Drożdż Tomasz , Wojciechowska Wiktoria , Jankowski Piotr , Terlecki Michał , Bijak Magdalena , Hering Dagmara , Bilo Grzegorz , Drożdż Dorota , Rajzer Marek
Published: February 2022

Objectives

Asymptomatic hyperuricemia (AHU) is elevated serum uric acid (UA) without symptoms. This study aimed to determine the effects of AHU treatment with allopurinol on selected hypertension-mediated organ damage (HMOD) indices in patients with uncomplicated essential arterial hypertension (AH).

Methods

Patients aged 30–70 years with AHU and AH grade 1–2 with adequate blood pressure (BP) control, without previous urate-lowering therapy (ULT), were divided into two groups: (a) ULT (receiving allopurinol) and (b) control (age- and sex-matched patients without ULT). Both received a UA-lowering diet. BP (office, 24 h and central), echocardiographic parameters, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and lab tests [high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)] were measured at baseline and at 6 months follow-up.

Results

Of 100 participants, 87 (44 ULT, 43 controls) completed the study. At 6 months follow-up, there was a greater reduction in serum UA concentration in the ULT group than in the control group. Patients receiving allopurinol had significant reductions in office systolic and diastolic BP, central systolic BP, pulse pressure, IMT (0.773 ± 0.121 vs. 0.752 ± 0.13 mm, P = 0.044) and hs-CRP (3.36 ± 2.73 vs. 2.74 ± 1.91 mg/L, P = 0.028) compared to controls. Multivariate regression analysis revealed the independent relationship between reduction in IMT and UA lowering (P < 0.026).

Conclusion

In patients with AH and AHU, treatment with allopurinol leads to improvement in BP control and reduction in HMOD intensity, in particular IMT. The decrease in hs-CRP concentration associated with ULT may have a beneficial effect on a patient’s long-term prognosis.
Anxiety is associated with higher blood pressure rise induced by cuff inflation
Authors: Xie Feng , Wu Yanqing , Liu Huan , Yu Zuozhong , Xu Jinsong , Su Hai
Published: February 2022

Subjects

To assess whether anxiety is associated with a higher rise of blood pressure induced by cuff inflation.

Methods

At first, intro-aortic blood pressure was continuously record before cuff inflation as baseline value in 234 patients underwent coronary angiography, then the cuff was inflated to 200 mmHg and the intro-aortic blood pressure was record again as cuff inflation blood pressure. According to anxiety score, the patients were divided into anxiety group, subanxiety group, and nonanxiety group. The difference between the baseline blood pressure and the cuff inflation blood pressure was calculated as cuff inflation-induced blood pressure elevation. When the difference ≥10 mmHg, cuff inflation-induced blood pressure elevation was diagnosed.

Results

The cuff inflation systolic blood pressure (134.9 ± 22.4 versus 131.6 ± 22.3  mmHg, P < 0.01) and diastolic blood pressure (80.5 ± 11.9 versus 78.4 ± 11.6 mmHg, P < 0.01) were significantly higher than the baseline values, thus the mean cuff inflation-induced blood pressure elevation on systolic blood pressure was 3.3 ± 4.7 mmHg and that on diastolic blood pressure was 2.1 ± 4.9 mmHg. The anxiety subgroup had significantly higher percentage increase-systolic blood pressure and percentage increase-diastolic blood pressure levels (4.5 ± 3.1% and 5.6 ± 6.3%) than the nonanxiety subgroup (1.9 ± 3.3% and 2.0 ± 6.5%), meanwhile these values in the subanxiety subgroup were higher (3.2 ± 4.1% and 3.4 ± 5.7%) than the nonanxiety subgroup.

Conclusion:

Cuff inflation can induce a transient rise of intro-aortic blood pressure. Anxiety is associated with higher cuff inflation-induced blood pressure elevation.
Associations of office brachial blood pressure, office central blood pressure, and home brachial blood pressure with arterial stiffness
Authors: Mizuno Hiroyuki , Hoshide Satoshi , Nozue Ryoko , Shimbo Daichi , Kario Kazuomi
Published: February 2022

Accurate blood pressure (BP) measurement is necessary for the evaluation and treatment of hypertension to prevent the progression of subclinical vascular disease, including arterial stiffness. We investigated the associations between brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), a measure of arterial stiffness, and each of office brachial systolic BP (SBP) with and without an observer present (attended or unattended office brachial SBP), attended or unattended office central SBP, and home brachial SBPs (specifically, the means of morning, evening, or morning–evening home brachial SBP) in patients being treated for hypertension. Measurements were performed among 70 adults (mean age, 67.0 ± 9.4 years; women, 51.4%) with a mean attended office brachial SBP of 127.6 ± 14.5 mmHg and mean baPWV of 16.3 ± 2.8 m/s. Univariate analysis showed that higher attended office brachial SBP, morning home brachial SBP, and morning–evening home brachial SBP were each statistically significantly associated with higher baPWV (r = 0.25, P = 0.04; r = 0.37, P = 0.002; and r = 0.32, P = 0.006, respectively). Multiple linear regression analysis with adjustments for traditional cardiovascular risk factors showed that only morning home brachial SBP was statistically significantly associated with baPWV [β = 0.06, 95% confidence interval (0.01–0.11), P = 0.02). In conclusion, higher morning home brachial SBP – but none of the office-measured SBP values – was associated with arterial stiffness.
Prognostic significance of sarcopenia in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with lenvatinib
Authors: Dong Dong , Shi Jin-Yu , Shang Xiao , Liu Bo , Xu Wei-Ling , Cui Guo-Zhen , Wang Nan-Ya
Published: February 2022

Our study investigated the correlation between sarcopenia and clinical outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with lenvatinib. We retrospectively evaluated 40 consecutive patients with unresectable HCC receiving lenvatinib between November 2018 and May 2020 at the First Hospital of Jilin University. Skeletal muscle mass was measured before treatment initiation. Prognostic significance was assessed with univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated for patients with and without sarcopenia. Sarcopenia was present in 23/40 patients (57.5%). After a median follow-up of 9.2 months, patients with sarcopenia had significantly worse OS and PFS compared with those without sarcopenia (OS: 8.4 months [m] vs 14.7 m, P = .02; PFS: 4.2 m vs 9.0 m, P = .04). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models identified presence of sarcopenia as an independent risk factor for shorter OS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.257; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.083–0.794; P = .02). In subgroup analysis, sarcopenia was associated with worse survival than non-sarcopenic patients, irrespective of age, Barcelona clinic liver cancer stage, or albumin–bilirubin grade. Our results show sarcopenia may be a predictor of poor prognosis in patients with HCC receiving lenvatinib. Management of sarcopenia is a vital factor for improving survival outcomes in patients with HCC.
Timely identification and successful treatment of acute fatty liver of pregnancy without obvious clinical symptoms
Authors: Cao Weiping , Chen Tingmei , Jiang Wen , Geng Yinping , Xie Bing , Wang Qin , Wang Xinzhi
Published: February 2022

Rationale:

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) is a rare and potentially fatal complication that occurs in the third trimester or early postpartum period. The diagnosis of AFLP is based on typical clinical and laboratory features and imaging examinations.

Patient concerns:

Case 1: a 25-year-old pregnant woman was hospitalized for threatened preterm birth at gestation of 35weeks and 2 days gestation. Laboratory tests revealed liver dysfunction, coagulopathy, hypoglycemia, hypoproteinemia, leukocytosis, and elevated creatinine and uric acid levels. Case 2: a 28-year-old (nulliparous) became pregnant after in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer at 29 weeks and 1 days’ gestation and came to the obstetric ward for vaginal bleeding. At 34 weeks and 1 day, laboratory investigations showed high serum creatinine, uric acid, liver dysfunction, coagulopathy, and hypoglycemia.

Diagnoses:

Two patients did not show obvious clinical symptoms, while the ultrasound findings confirmed a diagnosis of AFLP.

Interventions:

Immediate delivery and comprehensive supportive treatment are the most important methods for the treatment of AFLP.

Outcomes:

The 2 patients and their babies were discharged from the hospital in a good condition.

Lessons:

Special attention should be paid to mothers with AFLP after in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer. The clinical presentation of AFLP is variable, hence laboratory features and ultrasound examination may be important methods for screening for AFLP.
Excessive Oxygen Supplementation in the First Day of Mechanical Ventilation Is Associated With Multiple Organ Dysfunction and Death in Critically Ill Children*
Authors: Balcarcel Daniel R. , Coates Bria M. , Chong Grace , Sanchez-Pinto L. Nelson
Published: February 2022

OBJECTIVES:

To determine if greater cumulative exposure to oxygen despite adequate oxygenation over the first 24 hours of mechanical ventilation is associated with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome at 7 days and inhospital mortality in critically ill children.

DESIGN:

Retrospective, observational cohort study.

SETTING:

Two urban, academic PICUs.

PATIENTS:

Patients less than 18 years old who required mechanical ventilation within 3 days of admission between 2010 and 2018 (Lurie Children’s Hospital) or 2010 and 2016 (Comer Children’s Hospital).

INTERVENTIONS:

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:

There were 5,406 mechanically ventilated patients, of which 960 (17.8%) had multiple organ dysfunction syndrome on day 7 of admission and 319 died (5.9%) during their hospitalization. Cumulative exposure to greater amounts of supplemental oxygen, while peripheral oxygen saturation was 95% or more during the first 24 hours of mechanical ventilation was independently associated with an increased risk of both multiple organ dysfunction syndrome on day 7 and inhospital mortality after adjusting for confounders. Patients in the highest quartile of cumulative oxygen exposure had an increased odds of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome on day 7 (adjusted odds ratio, 3.9; 95% CI, 2.7–5.9) and inhospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1–2.9), when compared with those in the lowest quartile of cumulative oxygen exposure after adjusting for age, presence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome on day 1 of mechanical ventilation, immunocompromised state, and study site.

CONCLUSIONS:

Greater cumulative exposure to excess supplemental oxygen in the first 24 hours of mechanical ventilation is independently associated with an increased risk of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome on day 7 of admission and inhospital mortality in critically ill children.
Interference of Known or Suspected Endometriosis in Reporting FDG PET/CT Performed in Another Indication
Authors: Balogova Sona , Daraï Emile , Noskovicova Lucia , Lukac Ludovit , Talbot Jean-Noël , Montravers Françoise
Published: February 2022

Introduction

Endometriosis is a common gynecologic condition that may be visualized on 18F-FDG PET/CT and mimic lesions of malignancy. We analyzed the interference of known or suspected endometriosis in reporting 18F-FDG PET/CT performed in another indication.

Results

The PET/CT images of 18 women with known (n = 15) or suspected (n = 3) endometriosis were analyzed. Based on clinical follow-up and results of other imaging, biopsy, and/or postsurgical histology, the presence of lesions of endometriosis at the time of 18F-FDG PET/CT was confirmed in 13 of 18 patients (72%). The per-patient positivity rate of 18F-FDG PET/CT was 8/18 (44%; 95% confidence interval, 22%–69%). The patient-based detection rate of 18F-FDG PET/CT in patients with confirmed lesions of endometriosis was 8/13 (62%; confidence interval, 32%–86%). On per-lesion/site basis, 18F-FDG PET/CT detected 11 of 20 sites (55%) of endometriosis. The SUVmax of these lesions/sites ranged between 1.8 and 5.3 (median, 3.8). In 9 of 18 patients (50%), a total of 13 non–endometriosis-related lesions/sites were detected by 18F-FDG PET/CT; their SUVmax ranged between 2.7 and 23 (median, 9.4).

Conclusion

The interference of known or suspected endometriosis in reporting 18F-FDG PET/CT performed in another indication was limited but possible and should be kept in mind, even in postmenopausal women, as the oldest patient with 18F-FDG–positive endometriosis was aged 63 years. The lesions of endometriosis showed inconstant 18F-FDG uptake with overlap of SUVmax with low-grade malignancies. In our series, the greatest SUVmax value of lesion of endometriosis was 5.3, somewhat higher than the threshold of 4 previously proposed for identification of malignant transformation of endometriosis.
A Clinical Case of Delayed Posttraumatic Frontal Sinus Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage Management Via External Surgical Approach
Authors: Chrysouli Konstantina , Papanikolaou Vasileios , Chrysovergis Aristeidis , Kyrodimos Efthymios , Giotakis Evangelos
Published: February 2022

Cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea is frequently encountered after a fracture of the skull base. Individual fractures of the posterior wall of the frontal sinus after brain injury are uncommon. The authors present a case of a 33-year-old man with a distant history of skull base injury after a traffic accident, 12 years ago. He presented with intermittent rhinorrhea and reported 2 episodes of bacterial meningitis the last 7 years since the injury. Cerebrospinal fluid leakage was confirmed with β2-transferrin testing. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a small defect of the posterior and superior wall of the left frontal sinus and an ipsilateral meningoencephalocele.

Finally, there was a communication between intracranial space and frontal sinus that caused meningitis.

A coronal incision and frontal craniotomy with preservation of anterior pericranium was performed (frontal sinus cranialization using osteoplastic flap). In order to determine the precise margins of the frontal sinus and allow an accurate anterior table bone osteotomy and complete exposure of the sinus, the authors used a coronal view of skull X-ray. Scissors are then used to cut along the margins of the sinus. An “R” is scratched into the right side of template to record orientation. The template was sterilized and brought onto the surgical field and then placed over the left sinus

An external surgical approach (anterior table bone osteotomy) with the modern technique of osteoplastic flap access was performed. An elevator was used to separate the dura from the posterior table along the entire margin of the defect. Meningoplasty (cauterization of the meningoencephalocele) and closure of the osseous defect was followed. The authors repaired the defect of the posterior wall of the left frontal sinus using a combination of underlay and overlay technique. Femoral fascia from right thigh and fibrin glue were placed in order to cover the leak of the posterior wall of the left frontal sinus, respectively.

Patients who present with a short or/ and distant history of traumatic brain injury should be evaluated for complication of a cerebrospinal fluid leak.
Bypass Surgery Management of Complex Proximal and Distal Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Aneurysms
Authors: Zhao Haijun , Tong Xiaoguang
Published: February 2022

Background:

For the complex posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) aneurysms, standard microsurgical or endovascular technical options were not feasible. To determine the efficacy and outcomes of bypass surgery for complex PICA aneurysms, the authors herein review our recent surgical experience for complex PICA aneurysms.

Methods:

The authors retrospectively reviewed our experience of extracranial-intracranial bypass and intracranial-intracranial bypass surgery in treatment of proximal and distal complex PICA aneurysms at our institution from 2016 to 2020.

Results:

Twelve patients harboring 12 complex PICA aneurysms received bypass surgery at our institution. Seven (58.3%) patients with proximal PICA aneurysms underwent extracranial-intracranial bypass. Five (41.7%) patients with distal PICA aneurysms accepted intracranial-intracranial bypass. The postoperative symptom improvement: Of the 6 patients with preoperative hypoperfusion or ischemic of the cerebellar hemisphere, the symptom resolved in 5 patients, improved in 1 patient, of 5 patients with preoperative mass effect, the symptom resolved in 5 patients. During the follow-up period, ten patients had a modified Rankin scale (mRS) score of 0 to 1, and 1 patient had an mRS score of 2. One patient had an mRS score of 3. The long-term graft patency rate was 91.7%. All patients had no recurrence of intracranial aneurysm.

Conclusions:

Base on the complexity of anatomy structure and the vascular architecture, an individualized strategy was proposed for each patient. The use of different types of bypass procedures (occipital artery-PICA end-to-end bypass, PICA-PICA end-to-end anastomosis, and/or occipital artery graft) can safely and effectively manage these complex PICA aneurysms.
Zygoma Augmentation With 3D Printed Bioactive Glass-Ceramic Implant
Authors: Jo Hyunmi , Lee Ui-Lyong
Published: February 2022

Zygoma, which is located at the middle third of the face, has a significant impact on the facial impression with its volume and prominence. CaO-SiO2-P2O5-B2O3 glass-ceramics (BGS-7) has been reported as a new alternative of nonresorbable bone grafting material, which has bioactivity of inducing human osteoblast between bone and implant, resulting integration to the bone. Furthermore, its chemical characteristics are similar to bone, resulting in radiopacity with no metallic artifact on the radiographic images. With the development of Computer aided design-Computer aided manufacturing technology, BGS-7 can be manufactured into a patient-specific design.

During follow-up periods, 3D printed BGS-7 implant did not displace from the initial recipient site. By cone-beam computed tomography evaluation, a gap between bone and BGS-7 was filled with the radiopacity, which implied bony fusion. Consequently, this clinical case shows that the BGS-7 implant could be an effective and safe graft material for zygoma bone defects.
Epithelia are multiscale active liquid crystals
Authors: Armengol-Collado Josep-Maria , Carenza Livio Nicola , Eckert Julia , Krommydas Dimitrios , Giomi Luca
Published: February 2022

Biological processes such as embryogenesis, wound healing and cancer progression, crucially rely on the ability of epithelial cells to coordinate their mechanical activity over length scales order of magnitudes larger than the typical cellular size. While regulated by signalling pathways, such as YAP (yes-associated protein), MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) and Wnt, this behavior is believed to additionally hinge on a minimal toolkit of physical mechanisms, of which liquid crystal order is the most promising candidat. Yet, experimental and theoretical studies have given so far inconsistent results in this respect: whereas nematic order is often invoked in the interpretation of experimental data, computational models have instead suggested that hexatic order could in fact emerge in the biologically relevant region of parameter space. In this article we resolve this dilemma. Using a combination of in vitro experiments on Madin-Darby canine kidney cells (MDCK), numerical simulations and analytical work, we demonstrate that both nematic and hexatic order is in fact present in epithelial layers, with the former being dominant at large length scales and the latter at small length scales. In MDCK GII cells on uncoated glass, these different types of liquid crystal order crossover at 34 µm, corresponding approximatively to clusters of 21 cells. Our work sheds light on the emergent organization of living matter, provides a new set of tools for analyzing the structure of epithelia and paves the way toward a comprehensive and predictive mesoscopic theory of tissues.
Genomic signatures of host-specific selection in a parasitic plant
Authors: Bellis Emily S. , von Münchow Clara S. , Kronberger Alan , Odero Calvins O. , Kelly Elizabeth A. , Xia Tian , Huang Xiuzhen , Wicke Susann , Runo Steven M. , dePamphilis Claude W. , Lasky Jesse R.
Published: February 2022

Premise

Parasitic plants and their hosts are model systems for studying genetic variation in species interactions across environments. The parasitic plant Striga hermonthica (witchweed) attacks a range of cereal crop hosts in Africa and exhibits substantial variation in performance on different host species. Some of this variation is due to local adaptation, but the genetic basis of specialization on certain hosts is unknown.

Methods

To identify genomic regions that are strongly differentiated between parasites attacking different host species, we present an alignment-free analysis of S. hermonthica population diversity using whole genome sequencing (WGS) data for 68 individuals from western Kenya. We validate our findings with germination experiments and analyses based on a de novo assembled draft genome.

Results

Reference-free and reference-based analyses suggest that only a small portion of the S. hermonthica genome is strongly differentiated by host species in populations from western Kenya. Analysis of host-associated k-mers implicated genes involved in development of the parasite haustorium (a specialized structure used to establish vascular connections with host roots) and a potential role of chemocyanins in molecular host-parasitic plant interactions. Conversely, no phenotypic or genomic evidence was observed suggesting host-specific selection on parasite response to strigolactones, hormones exuded by host roots and required for parasite germination.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the utility of WGS for plant species with large, complex genomes and no available reference. Contrasting with theory emphasizing the role of early recognition loci for host specificity, our findings support host-specific selection on later interaction stages, recurring each generation after homogenizing gene flow.
Millennium-old Pathogenic Mendelian Mutation Discovery for Multiple Osteochondromas from a Gaelic Medieval Graveyard
Authors: Jackson Iseult , Mattiangeli Valeria , Cassidy Lara M , Murphy Eileen , Bradley Daniel G
Published: February 2022

Only a limited number of genetic diseases are diagnosable in archaeological individuals and none have had causal mutations identified in genome-wide screens. Two individuals from the Gaelic Irish Medieval burial ground of Ballyhanna, Co. Donegal, showed evidence of bone tumors consistent with the autosomal dominant condition multiple osteochondromas. Genome sequencing of the earlier individual uncovered a missense mutation in the second exon of EXT1, a specific lesion that has been identified in several modern patients. The later individual lacked this but displayed a novel frameshift mutation leading to a premature stop codon and loss of function in the same gene. These molecular confirmations of a paleopathological diagnosis within a single rural ancient context are surprisingly disjunct, given the observation of clusters of this disease in modern isolated populations and a de novo mutation rate of only 10%.
SdiA, a Quorum Sensing Transcriptional Regulator, Enhanced the Drug Resistance of Cronobacter sakazakii and Suppressed its Motility, Adhesion and Biofilm Formation
Authors: Cheng Chuansong , Yan Xiaotong , Liu Binxiong , Jiang Tao , Zhou Ziwen , Zhang Dongwei , Wang Huayan , Chen Dengyuan , Li Changcheng , Fanga Ting
Published: February 2022

Cronobacter sakazakii is a common foodborne pathogen, and the mortality rate of its infection is as high as 40-80%. Quorum sensing is a regulation system of bacterial density-dependent multigene expression and is an important regulatory mechanism involved in adhesion, biofilm formation and virulence. C. sakazakii contains a QS signal molecular receiver, which is the LuxR receptor homolog SdiA, but its regulatory mechanism in C. sakazakii QS has not been defined. Here, we further determined the effect of SdiA on the QS system of C. sakazakii. The SdiA gene in C. sakazakii was knocked out by gene editing technology, and the biological characteristics of the ΔsdiA gene deletion strain of C. sakazakii were studied, followed by transcriptome analysis to elucidate its effects. The results suggested that SdiA enhanced the drug resistance of C. sakazakii but diminished its motility, adhesion and biofilm formation ability and had no effect on its growth. Transcriptome analysis showed that the deletion of the SdiA gene upregulated the expression levels of D-galactose operon genes (including dgoR, dgoK, dgoA, dgoD and dgoT) and flagella-related genes (FliA and FliC) in C. sakazakii and downregulated the expression levels of related genes in the type VI secretion system (VasK gene was downregulated by 1.53-fold) and ABC transport system (downregulated by 1.5-fold), indicating that SdiA was related to the physiological metabolism of C. sakazakii. The results of this study may be useful for clarifying the pathogenic mechanism of C. sakazakii and provide a theoretical basis for controlling bacterial infection.

IMPORTANCE

Cronobacter sakazakii, as an emerging opportunistic foodborne pathogen, was associated with sepsis, meningitis and necrotizing enterocolitis in neonates and infants, with a mortality rate of 40-80%. Quorum sensing plays an important regulatory role in the pathogenicity of C. sakazakii. Nevertheless, the regulatory mechanism of QS in C. sakazakii remains unknown. Here, we studied the QS transcriptional regulator SdiA of C. sakazakii. We revealed the regulatory mechanisms of SdiA in C. sakazakii cell adhesion, motility, biofilm formation and drug resistance. It was helpful to further explore the function of the SdiA gene, revealing the pathogenic mechanism of C. sakazakii. It will also provide a new target for therapeutic interventions targeting the pathogenicity of C. sakazakii and developing quorum-sensing inhibitors.
Private Equity Acquisition in Ophthalmology and Optometry: A Time Series Analysis of the Pre-COVID, COVID Pre-Vaccine, and COVID Post-Vaccine Eras
Authors: Patil Sachi A. , Vail Daniel G. , Cox Jacob T. , Chen Evan M. , Mruthyunjaya Prithvi , Tsai James C. , Parikh Ravi
Published: February 2022

Objective

To identify temporal and geographic trends in private equity (PE) backed acquisitions of ophthalmology and optometry practices in the United States from 2012 to 2021.

Design

Cross-sectional time series analysis using acquisition data from 10/21/2019 to 9/1/2021 compared to previously published data from 1/1/2012-10/20/2019. Acquisition data was compiled from 6 financial databases, 5 industry news outlets, and publicly available press releases. Linear regression models were used to compare rates of acquisition.

Subjects

245 PE acquisitions of ophthalmology and optometry practices in the United States between 10/21/2019 and 9/1/2021.

Measures

Number of total acquisitions, practice type, locations, provider details, and geographic footprint.

Results

245 practices associated with 614 clinical locations and 948 ophthalmologists or optometrists were acquired by 30 PE-backed platform companies. 18 of 30 platform companies were new compared to our prior study. Of these acquisitions from 10/21/2019 - 9/1/2021, 127, 29, and 89 were comprehensive, retina, and optometry practices, respectively. From 2012 to 2021, monthly acquisitions increased by 0.947 acquisitions per year (p<0.001*). Texas, Florida, Michigan, and New Jersey were the states with the greatest number of PE acquisitions with 55, 48, 29, 28 clinic acquisitions, respectively. Average monthly PE acquisitions were 5.71 per month from 1/1/2019 - 2/29/2020 (pre-COVID), 5.30 per month 3/1/2020-12/31/2020 (COVID pre-vaccine, p=0.8072), and were 8.78/month 1/1/2021-9/1/2021 (COVID post-vaccine, p=0.1971).

Conclusion

PE acquisitions increased from 2012-2021 as companies continue to utilize both regionally focused and multi-state models of add-on acquisitions.
p53 mutation in normal esophagus promotes multiple stages of carcinogenesis but is constrained by clonal competition
Authors: Murai Kasumi , Dentro Stefan , Ong Swee Hoe , Sood Roshan , Fernandez-Antoran David , Herms Albert , Kostiou Vasiliki , Hall Benjamin A , Gerstung Moritz , Jones Philip H
Published: February 2022

Aging normal human epithelia, such as the esophagus, accumulate a substantial burden of TP53 mutant clones. These are the origin of most esophageal squamous carcinomas, in which biallelic TP53 disruption is almost frequent. However, the cellular mechanisms by which p53 mutants colonize the esophagus and participate in the subsequent stages of transformation are unclear. Here we show that inducing the p53R245W mutant in single esophageal progenitor cells in transgenic mice confers a proliferative advantage that drives clonal expansion but does not disrupt normal epithelial structure or function. Loss of the remaining p53 allele in mutant cells does not increase their competitive fitness, creating a bottleneck to the development of chromosomally unstable p53R245W/null epithelium. In carcinogenesis, p53 mutation does not initiate tumor formation, but tumors developing from areas with p53 mutation and LOH are larger and show extensive chromosomal instability compared to lesions arising in wild type epithelium. We conclude that p53 has distinct functions at different stages of carcinogenesis and that LOH within p53 mutant clones in normal epithelium is a critical step in malignant transformation.
Meis1 supports leukemogenesis through stimulation of ribosomal biogenesis and Myc
Authors: Garcia-Cuellar Maria-Paz , Prinz Andreas , Slany Robert K.
Published: February 2022

The homeobox transcription factors HoxA9 and Meis1 are causally involved in the etiology of acute myeloid leukemia. While HoxA9 immortalizes cells, cooperation with Meis1 is necessary to induce malignancy. Here, we apply degron techniques to elucidate the leukemogenic contribution of Meis1. ChIP-seq demonstrated that Meis1 localized mainly to H3K27ac and H3K4me1 modified enhancers pre-bound by HoxA9. HoxA9 was epistatic to Meis1 as degradation of HoxA9 caused an immediate release of Meis1 from chromatin. Nascent-RNA sequencing revealed the Meis1 gene expression pattern to be dominated by Myc, ribosome biogenesis and rRNA synthesis. While Myc accounted for cell-cycle stimulation, it could not substitute the leukemogenic effects of Meis1. Enhanced ribosomal biogenesis was accompanied by elevated resistance against RNA polymerase I and translation blocking inhibitors without affecting steady-state protein synthesis. HoxA9 and Meis1 protein stability was controlled by casein kinase 2 (CK2). CK2 inhibition caused rapid degradation of HoxA9 and Meis1 suggesting a potentially exploitable regulatory pathway.
Real-time luminescence enables continuous drug-response analysis in adherent and suspension cell lines
Authors: Wandishin Clayton M. , Robbins Charles John , Tyson Darren R. , Harris Leonard A. , Quaranta Vito
Published: February 2022

The drug-induced proliferation (DIP) rate is a metric of in vitro drug response that avoids inherent biases in commonly used metrics such as 72h viability. However, DIP rate measurements rely on direct cell counting over time, a laborious task that is subject to numerous challenges, including the need to fluorescently label cells and automatically segment nuclei. Moreover, it is incredibly difficult to directly count cells and accurately measure DIP rates for cell populations in suspension. As an alternative, we use real-time luminescence measurements derived from the cellular activity of NAD(P)H oxidoreductase to efficiently estimate drug response in both adherent and suspension cell populations to a panel of known anticancer agents. For the adherent cell lines, we collect both luminescence reads and direct cell counts over time simultaneously to assess their congruency. Our results demonstrate that the proposed approach significantly speeds up data collection, avoids the need for cellular labels and image segmentation, and opens the door to significant advances in high-throughput screening of anticancer drugs.
Ecological insights into soil health according to the life-history traits and environment-wide associations of bacteria in agricultural soils
Authors: Wilhelm Roland C. , Amsili Joseph P. , Kurtz Kirsten S.M. , van Es Harold M. , Buckley Daniel H.
Published: February 2022

Soil health assessment may be enhanced by monitoring changes in bacterial populations that are indicators of various biological, physical, and chemical properties of soil. However, the lack of ecological information for many abundant bacteria in agricultural soils limits our understanding of indicator responses and, thus, their utility for guiding management. We identified bacterial indicators of twelve conventional measures of soil health, and tillage intensity, from a 16S rRNA gene-based survey of farmland across North America. We then analyzed trends according to bacterial life-history frameworks and an environment-wide association survey (EWAS) to gain ecological insights. Life-history traits were assessed using genomic traits inferred from taxonomic classifications and included: genome size,rrncopy number, and coding density. An EWAS was conducted using 89 studies of agricultural land management. Most bacterial indicators were positively correlated with biological measures and negatively correlated with physical and chemical measures of soil health, revealing broad differences in the way management shapes bacterial associations with soil health. High soil health ratings corresponded with life-history traits associated with metabolic dependency (smaller genome and lower coding density), while lower health scores corresponded with traits selected for by environmental instability and disturbance (larger genome and multiplerrn). Trade-offs in community-weighted genome size explained most variation in overall health score. EWAS confirmed the importance of disturbance-adapted bacterial indicators, underscoring the impacts of tillage on soil bacterial communities. These findings provide insights into the ecological relationships between bacterial indicators and soil health and illustrate new approaches for interpreting patterns in microbiome data.
Reconstitution reveals friction-driven membrane scission by the human ESCRT-III proteins CHMP1B and IST1
Authors: Cada A. King , Pavlin Mark R. , Castillo Juan P. , Tong Alexander B. , Larsen Kevin P. , Ren Xuefeng , Yokom Adam , Tsai Feng-Ching , Shiah Jamie , Bassereau Patricia M. , Bustamante Carlos J. , Hurley James H.
Published: February 2022

The endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT) system is an ancient and ubiquitous membrane scission machinery that catalyzes the budding and scission of membranes. ESCRT-mediated scission events, exemplified by those involved in the budding of HIV-1, are usually directed away from the cytosol (‘reverse-topology’), but they can also be directed towards the cytosol (‘normal-topology’). Of the ESCRT complexes 0-III, ESCRT-III is most directly implicated in membrane severing. Various subunits of ESCRT-III recruit the AAA+ ATPase VPS4, which is essential for ESCRT disassembly and reverse topology membrane scission. The ESCRT-III subunits CHMP1B and IST1 can coat and constrict positively curved membrane tubes, suggesting that these subunits could catalyze normal topology membrane severing, perhaps in conjunction with a AAA+ ATPase. CHMP1B and IST1 bind and recruit the microtubule-severing AAA+ ATPase spastin, a close relative of VPS4, suggesting that spastin could have a VPS4-like role in normal topology membrane scission. In order to determine whether CHMP1B and IST1 are capable of membrane severing on their own or in concert with VPS4 or spastin, we sought to reconstitute the process in vitro using membrane nanotubes pulled from giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) using an optical trap. CHMP1B and IST1 copolymerize on membrane nanotubes, forming stable scaffolds that constrict the tubes, but do not, on their own, lead to scission. However, CHMP1B-IST1-scaffolded tubes were severed when an additional extensional force was applied, consistent with a friction-driven scission mechanism. Spastin colocalized with CHMP1B enriched sites but did not disassemble the CHMP1B-IST1 coat from the membrane. VPS4 resolubilized CHMP1B and IST1 but did not lead to scission. These data show that the CHMP1B and IST1 tubular coat contributes to membrane scission. Constriction alone is insufficient for scission. However, the dynamical extension of the coated tube does lead to scission. Finally, we find that in the normal topology setting analyzed here, scission is independent of VPS4 and spastin. These observations show that the CHMP1B-IST1 ESCRT-III combination is capable of severing membranes by a friction-driven mechanism.
An exploratory study into manufacturing supply chain vulnerability and its drivers
Authors: Deshpande Sujeet , Hudnurkar Manoj , Rathod Urvashi
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Manufacturing supply chains (SCs) across the world have become increasingly vulnerable to disruptions due to the increasing fragmentation of business functions and tasks across many firms located within the country and abroad. Despite the numerous instances of SC disruptions being reported in the literature, the study of SC vulnerability lacks adequate conceptual and empirical support. This study aims to address this research gap.

Design/methodology/approach

The concept of SC vulnerability was examined considering the outcome and contextual models of vulnerability, which are well established in extant multi-disciplinary vulnerability literature. An exploratory Delphi study was then conducted to understand the extent of vulnerability of various manufacturing SCs in India, drivers of this vulnerability and the key hazards exploiting this vulnerability.

Findings

The study confirms the increasing vulnerability of manufacturing SCs in India. It also highlights the lack of top management commitment to risk mitigation as the key vulnerability driver and frequent changes in government laws and regulations as the key hazard being faced by the manufacturing SCs in India.

Originality/value

This study highlights the utility of outcome and contextual models of vulnerability as conceptual frameworks for understanding SC vulnerability. These conceptual insights along with the key manufacturing SC vulnerability drivers and hazards identified in the study should provide a basis for SC redesign for vulnerability reduction and the selection of SC risk mitigation strategies.
Narrowing ideal self-discrepancy: the roles of organizational career management and protean career orientation
Authors: Zhu Linna , Wang Lan
Published: February 2022

Purpose

This study investigated the joint impact of organizational and individual career management on employees' ideal self-discrepancy. Drawing on the identity literature, the authors aimed to uncover the mechanism and boundary condition of this impact, focusing on how organizations influence ideal and actual selves of employees with different protean career orientation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a four-wave time-lagged study over eight months, with a sample of 331 employees from various organizations.

Findings

Perceived organizational career management negatively influenced ideal self-discrepancy via organizational identification, and such relationship was strengthened by protean career orientation. Employees with stronger protean career orientation saw a stronger moderating effect of individual career management on the relationship between organizational identification and ideal self-discrepancy, whereas their counterparts saw an opposite effect.

Practical implications

This study highlighted the essential role of organization in narrowing employees' ideal self-discrepancy in the protean career era. It suggested that organizations should set differentiated career practices depending on employees' protean career orientation levels.

Originality/value

By integrating vocational psychology and organizational scholarship, this study extended the ideal self-discrepancy literature by offering a nuanced understanding of the mechanism and boundary condition of the role of organizational career management in narrowing ideal self-discrepancy in the protean career era. It identified the joint efforts of organization and employee as a fascinating avenue for future studies.
Assessing the impacts of climate change on cereal production in Bangladesh: evidence from ARDL modeling approach
Authors: Chandio Abbas Ali , Jiang Yuansheng , Fatima Tehreem , Ahmad Fayyaz , Ahmad Munir , Li Jiajia
Published: February 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impacts of climate change (CC), measured average annual rainfall, average annual temperature and carbon dioxide (CO2e) on cereal production (CPD) in Bangladesh by using the annual dataset from 1988–2014, with the incorporation of cereal cropped area (CCA), financial development (FD), energy consumption (EC) and rural labor force as important determinants of CPD.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used an auto-regressive distributive lag (ARDL) model and several econometric approaches to validate the long- and short-term cointegration and the causality directions, respectively, of the scrutinized variables.

Findings

Results of the bounds testing approach confirmed the stable long-term connections among the underlying variables. The estimates of the ARDL model indicated that rainfall improves CPD in the short-and long-term. However, CO2e has a significantly negative impact on CPD both in the short-and long-term. Results further showed that temperature has an adverse effect on CPD in the short-term. Among other determinants, CCA, FD and EC have significantly positive impacts on CPD in both cases. The outcomes of Granger causality indicated that a significant two-way causal association is running from all variables to CPD except temperature and rainfall. The connection between CPD and temperature is unidirectional, showing that CPD is influenced by temperature. All other variables also have a valid and significant causal link among each other. Additionally, the findings of variance decomposition suggest that results are robust, and all these factors have a significant influence on CPD in Bangladesh.

Research limitations/implications

These findings have important policy implications for Bangladesh and other developing countries. For instance, introduce improved cereal crop varieties, increase CCA and familiarizes agricultural credits through formal institutions on relaxed conditions and on low-interest rates could reduce the CPD’s vulnerability to climate shocks.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first attempt to examine the short- and long-term impacts of CC on CPD in Bangladesh over 1988–2014. The authors used various econometrics techniques, including the ARDL approach, the Granger causality test based on the vector error correction model framework and the variance decomposition method.
What research tells us about leadership styles, digital transformation and performance in state higher education?
Authors: Carvalho Alba , Alves Helena , Leitão João
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Considering the current importance of leadership, digital transformation and performance in the changes state higher education institutions (HEIs) have been subject to, this study aims to present an analysis of how these three concepts have been related in the literature.

Design/methodology/approach

This study proposes to study the state-of-the-art of research on leadership styles, digital transformation and performance in a single study, through a systematic literature review using two major databases, ISI Web of Science and Scopus.

Findings

The results reveal that the most common leadership style in the articles analysed is transformational; the most studied dimension of performance is the one representing teaching and learning activities; and the most discussed aspects of digital transformation are those concerning online learning systems and various types of technology. Identifying gaps in the literature, a future research agenda is formulated.

Originality/value

Amongst the theoretical implications of this study are the importance of understanding leadership styles and digital transformation for better understanding of state HEIs' performance as well as its dimensions, considering the relations found between these constructs. Therefore, there is greater theoretical advancement in the study of transformational leadership, diverse educational technologies, online teaching systems, global performance and teaching/learning.