bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Excimer laser coronary atherectomy with distal protection for neoatherosclerosis rupture: a case report
Authors: Watanabe Nobuhiro , Yamamoto Hiroyuki , Kawahara Kunimitsu , Takaya Tomofumi
Published: December 2023

Background

Neoatherosclerosis, a prominent contributor to in-stent restenosis (ISR), persists as a formidable challenge during percutaneous coronary intervention. Excimer laser coronary atherectomy (ELCA) and embolic protection devices may help reduce coronary flow disturbance from procedure-related distal embolization.

Case summary

A 71-year-old man experienced in-stent neoatherosclerosis rupture–related non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction. Multidisciplinary intracoronary imaging, including intravascular ultrasound and optical coherence tomography (OCT), suggested that the ISR was caused by a neoatherosclerosis rupture that can potentially lead to distal embolization. Excimer laser coronary atherectomy (fluence, 45 mJ/mm2 and frequency, 25 pulse/s) using a 1.7 mm concentric catheter was performed with distal protection using Filtrap (Nipro Corporation, Tokyo, Japan), which significantly reduced the volume of the neoatherosclerosis. However, subsequent ELCA on the highest setting (fluence, 60 mJ/mm2 and frequency, 40 pulse/s) led to a filter no-reflow phenomenon, although OCT revealed a further effective vaporization of the neoatherosclerosis and an apparent reduction of soft tissue compatible with the thrombus. After removing the embolic protection device, drug-coated balloon angioplasty provided optimal results without coronary flow disturbance.

Discussion

Excimer laser coronary atherectomy reduces soft plaque and thrombus burden, which can reduce the occurrence of distal embolization in select cases. In the case of this patient, procedure-related distal embolization may have been induced by the heightened photomechanical effects resulting from the use of the highest setting in ELCA under increased intracoronary arterial pressure caused by continuous saline injection during ELCA. Concomitant distal protection during ELCA may be more feasible for preventing coronary flow disturbance in patients with a large amount of neoatherosclerosis.
Antithrombotic therapy in patients after transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a network meta-analysis
Authors: Turgeon Ricky D , Ellis Ursula M , Barry Arden R
Published: December 2023

Aims

The optimal antithrombotic therapy to balance the risk of thrombosis and bleeding in patients who undergo transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is unknown. This systematic review/network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of different oral anticoagulant (OAC) and antiplatelet regimens in patients post-TAVI.

Methods and results

MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from inception to April 2023. Co-primary outcomes were all-cause death and major bleeding. We conducted Bayesian network meta-analyses to compare all interventions simultaneously. For each outcome, we generated odds ratios (ORs) with 95% credible intervals using a random-effects model with informative priors, and ranked interventions based on mean surface under the cumulative ranking curve. We included 11 RCTs (n = 6415), including 1 unpublished RCT. Three trials enrolled patients with an indication for an OAC. Overall risk of bias was low or with some concerns. Median age was 81 years. Median follow-up was 6 months. The combination of OAC plus single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) increased the risk of all-cause death compared with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) (OR 1.78, 95% credible interval 1.15–2.77). No other comparisons for all-cause death were significantly different. For major bleeding, SAPT reduced the risk compared with DAPT, direct-acting OAC, and OAC + SAPT (OR 0.20–0.40), and DAPT reduced the risk compared with OAC + SAPT. SAPT and DAPT ranked best for all-cause death, while SAPT ranked best for major bleeding.

Conclusion

In post-TAVI patients, SAPT may provide the optimal balance of reducing thrombotic events while minimizing the risk of bleeding.
The Third World and the Quest for Reparations: Afterword to the Foreword by Antony Anghie
Authors: von Arnauld Andreas
Published: December 2023

In his Foreword, Antony Anghie contrasts two systems of reparations: the Third World system, which is about reparations for colonial expropriation and disenfranchisement, and the Western system, according to which, in the context of decolonization, newly independent states were allowed to expropriate foreign corporations only in return for full compensation. While the Western system has been firmly anchored in international law through the law of aliens and – later – investment law, the Third World system still meets with resistance in international legal discourse. Convinced that international law should be instrumental in overcoming its own colonial origins, I attempt in the following article to explore possible legal foundations by countering the main arguments raised against demands for reparations from the global South: their disruptive effects on today’s societies, conceptual and technical legal obstacles, as well as the doctrine of non-retroactivity of the law. Not being a TWAIL scholar myself, I hope that this might serve as a constructive contribution to a common cause.
‘Well sorted and ordered’: sociable music-making and gentlemen’s recreation in the era of Byrd and Weelkes
Authors: Austern Linda Phyllis
Published: December 2023

Sociable music-making from notation had become a marker of status by the time of Byrd’s and Weelkes’s printed anthologies of part-songs. However, there was ambivalence about its suitability for gentlemen in a time when ideas of manhood were undergoing redefinition and when both gender and class were reinforced through display. Men of wealth and leisure were encouraged to balance musical recreation with more physically or intellectually demanding pursuits, not let it distract from necessary obligations nor be used for excessive devotion to women. Performing music among same-sex social equals in the context of other pastimes satisfied these conditions and reinforced friendship, collaboration, healthy competition and gamesmanship. Part-songs suggesting such strenuous cooperative ventures as warfare and hunting especially bridged the gentlemen’s domains of action and intellect. Single-sex performance also provided an opportunity to contest yet reinforce masculine ideals and to play a range of gender roles among social intimates, especially through compositions which encoded notions of manliness and effeminacy or which bridged the sensory domains of sight and sound.
Association between active commuting and low-grade inflammation: a population-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Allaouat Sara , Halonen Jaana I , Jussila Juuso J , Tiittanen Pekka , Ervasti Jenni , Ngandu Tiia , Mikkonen Santtu , Yli-Tuomi Tarja , Jousilahti Pekka , Lanki Timo
Published: December 2023

Background

Prior studies suggest that physical activity lowers circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. However, little is known about the association between regular active commuting, i.e. walking or cycling to work, and CRP concentrations. This study examines whether active commuting is associated with lower CRP.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study using population-based FINRISK data from 1997, 2002, 2007 and 2012. Participants were working adults living in Finland (n = 6208; mean age = 44 years; 53.6% women). We used linear and additive models adjusted for potential confounders to analyze whether daily active commuting, defined as the time spent walking or cycling to work, was associated with lower high-sensitivity (hs-) CRP serum concentrations compared with passive commuting.

Results

We observed that daily active commuting for 45 min or more (vs. none) was associated with lower hs-CRP [% mean difference in the main model: −16.8%; 95% confidence interval (CI) −25.6% to −7.0%), and results were robust to adjustment for leisure-time and occupational physical activity, as well as diet. Similarly, active commuting for 15–29 min daily was associated with lower hs-CRP in the main model (−7.4; 95% CI −14.1 to −0.2), but the association attenuated to null after further adjustments. In subgroup analyses, associations were only observed for women.

Conclusions

Active commuting for at least 45 min a day was associated with lower levels of low-grade inflammation. Promoting active modes of transport may lead not only to reduced emissions from motorized traffic but also to population-level health benefits.
Loss and recovery of ecological diversity associated with evolutionary rescue in abruptly and gradually deteriorating environments
Authors: Zhou Dong-Hao , Zhang Quan-Guo
Published: December 2023

Populations may survive environmental deterioration by evolutionary adaptation. However, such evolutionary rescue events may be associated with ecological costs, such as reduction in growth performance and loss of ecologically important genetic diversity. Those negative ecological consequences may be mitigated by additional adaptive evolution. Both the ecological costs and the opportunities for additional evolution are contingent on the severity of environmental deterioration. Here, we hypothesize that populations evolutionarily rescued from faster, relative to slow, environmental deterioration suffer more severe long-term fitness decline and diversity loss. An experiment with the model adaptive radiation of bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens exposed to abruptly or gradually increased antibiotic stress supported our hypothesis. The effect of additional adaptive evolution in recovering population size and ecological diversity was far from perfect. Cautions are therefore needed in predicting the role of rapid evolution for mitigating the impacts of environmental changes, in particular very fast environmental deterioration. We also found that bacterial populations rescued from gradually increased antibiotic stress evolved higher levels of antibiotic resistance, lending more support to aggressive chemotherapy in pathogen control.
Pathogenic characteristics of the Vibrio parahaemolyticus which caused a gastroenteritis outbreak event in Huzhou
Authors: Wu Xiaofang , Zhu Yongying , Yan Wei , Zhang Peng , Chen Liping
Published: December 2023

The pathogenic characteristics of V. parahaemolyticus isolated from a gastroenteritis outbreak event in Deqing County of Huzhou City in 2022 were analyzed. Pathogen detection was performed on 30 anal swabs (26 patients, 1 chef and 3 waiters). The isolates of V. parahaemolyticus were analyzed by serum typing, pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) molecular typing, multiplex fluorescent PCR detection of tdh/trh virulence gene and drug sensitivity test. 15 patients were positive for V. parahaemolyticus, 1 patient was positive for V. parahaemolyticus and Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), 1 patient was positive for EAEC, and the chef was positive for EAEC. The serotype test results of the 16 V. parahaemolyticus were 14 O4:KUT and 2 O10:K4. All samples were negative for other tested bacteria. All V. parahaemolyticus strains were positive for tdh genes and negative for trh gene. The 16 isolates were 100% resistant to ampicillin (AMP), and sensitive to the other12 antibiotics. From the results of serotype and PFGE, the V. parahaemolyticus strains with two serotypes are clustered into two branches according to their serotypes. The three EAEC strains were non-homologous. In conclusion, we detected V. parahaemolyticus and EAEC from an outbreak of gastroenteritis. And V. parahaemolyticus with two serotypes may be the cause of this event, according to the traceability results.
Fabrication of telechelic DNA-bridged food emulsion gel as edible ink for 3D printing
Authors: Zhang Ruyuan , Huang Hao , Ai Rong , Li Dong , Xu Yanqun , Jin Weiwei , Luo Zisheng
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Interdroplet interactions affect the properties and textures of emulsions. In this study, we creatively introduced telechelic DNA to link oil droplets directly at molecular scale to further improve the viscoelastic properties of emulsions.

Materials and Methods

A stable emulsion with 70% oil fraction was prepared by adding 40 mg/mL of whey protein isolate and peach gum polysaccharide complex (WPI–PGP complex). The addition of telechelic DNA (0.125–0.375 μmol/L) made the emulsion change from a cream-like state to a self-supporting gel.

Results

Rheological experiments confirmed that the telechelic DNA could improve the yield stress, storage modulus/loss modulus (Gʹ/Gʹʹ) and apparent viscosity of the emulsion gel in a concentration-dependent manner (0–0.375 μmol/L). Inverted fluorescence images clearly showed the interdroplet network of the emulsion gel linked by telechelic DNA. For 3D printing, the emulsion gel with a higher concentration (0.375 μmol/L) of telechelic DNA displayed better surface quality and dimensional resolution, indicating improved printability.

Conclusion

This study successfully designed a novel telechelic DNA-bridged emulsion gel, which showed great potential as edible ink for 3D printing.
Assembly and annotation of 2 high-quality columbid reference genomes from sequencing of a Columba livia × Columba guinea F1 hybrid
Authors: Maclary Emily T , Holt Carson , Concepcion Gregory T , Sović Ivan , Vickrey Anna I , Yandell Mark , Kronenberg Zev , Shapiro Michael D
Published: December 2023

Pigeons and doves (family Columbidae) are one of the most diverse extant avian lineages, and many species have served as key models for evolutionary genomics, developmental biology, physiology, and behavioral studies. Building genomic resources for columbids is essential to further many of these studies. Here, we present high-quality genome assemblies and annotations for 2 columbid species, Columba livia and Columba guinea. We simultaneously assembled C. livia and C. guinea genomes from long-read sequencing of a single F1 hybrid individual. The new C. livia genome assembly (Cliv_3) shows improved completeness and contiguity relative to Cliv_2.1, with an annotation incorporating long-read IsoSeq data for more accurate gene models. Intensive selective breeding of C. livia has given rise to hundreds of breeds with diverse morphological and behavioral characteristics, and Cliv_3 offers improved tools for mapping the genomic architecture of interesting traits. The C. guinea genome assembly is the first for this species and is a new resource for avian comparative genomics. Together, these assemblies and annotations provide improved resources for functional studies of columbids and avian comparative genomics in general.
Bradysia (Sciara) coprophila larvae up-regulate DNA repair pathways and down-regulate developmental regulators in response to ionizing radiation
Authors: Urban John M , Bateman Jack R , Garza Kodie R , Borden Julia , Jain Jaison , Brown Alexia , Thach Bethany J , Bliss Jacob E , Gerbi Susan A
Published: December 2023

The level of resistance to radiation and the developmental and molecular responses can vary between species, and even between developmental stages of one species. For flies (order: Diptera), prior studies concluded that the fungus gnat Bradysia (Sciara) coprophila (sub-order: Nematocera) is more resistant to irradiation-induced mutations that cause visible phenotypes than the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (sub-order: Brachycera). Therefore, we characterized the effects of and level of resistance to ionizing radiation on B. coprophila throughout its life cycle. Our data show that B. coprophila embryos are highly sensitive to even low doses of gamma-irradiation, whereas late-stage larvae can tolerate up to 80 Gy (compared to 40 Gy for D. melanogaster) and still retain their ability to develop to adulthood, though with a developmental delay. To survey the genes involved in the early transcriptional response to irradiation of B. coprophila larvae, we compared larval RNA-seq profiles with and without radiation treatment. The up-regulated genes were enriched for DNA damage response genes, including those involved in DNA repair, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis, whereas the down-regulated genes were enriched for developmental regulators, consistent with the developmental delay of irradiated larvae. Interestingly, members of the PARP and AGO families were highly up-regulated in the B. coprophila radiation response. We compared the transcriptome responses in B. coprophila to the transcriptome responses in D. melanogaster from 3 previous studies: whereas pathway responses are highly conserved, specific gene responses are less so. Our study lays the groundwork for future work on the radiation responses in Diptera.
Fusion of altimetry-derived model and ship-borne data in preparation of high-resolution marine gravity determination
Authors: Chen Xu , Kong Xiangxue , Zhou Runsheng , Zhang Shengjun
Published: December 2023

Satellite altimetry provides major data sources for marine gravity recovery, and typical altimetry derived models, for example, DTU21 and SS V32.1, were usually released with 1 arcmin × 1 arcmin gridding interval. Their true resolution is much lower than the nominal ∼2 km level. By contrast, the in situ ship-borne measurements are considered to have better short-wavelength resolution. In this paper, we aim to propose a new method to fully utilize satellite altimetry data and ship-borne measurements, namely the frequency-domain fusion method, and give certain analysis of new method along with two spatial-domain fusion methods. Comprehensive analysis is focus on four aspects: gravity signals in fusion images, numerical verifications, power spectra, as well as coherence analysis. Initial evaluation indicates that, first, the frequency-domain fusion method has advantage in flexibility, since it can autonomously select dominant bands to fuse different data sets. Secondly, the new method retains medium-long wavelength signals from altimetry-derived model and effectively incorporate dominant short-wavelength signals of in-situ measurements, while the spatial-domain methods are essentially full-wavelength fusion and inevitably diminish the role of satellite altimetry. To some extent, the new method maximize the positive contribution of satellite altimetry measurements and efficiently exploit the benefits of ship-borne data. Finally, verification experiments were similarly designed in three regions with different amount and ratio of ship-borne data to thoroughly evaluate various methods. In two regions with gridded and dense along-cruise ship-borne data, the average accuracy of this frequency-domain fusion results is improved by 0.346 and 0.613 mGal, respectively. In a region with sparse ship-borne data, we still recommend using spatial-domain fusion methods since the new method is unable to align ship-borne data with model grid. It is concluded from the above analysis that the new method effectively incorporates the short-wavelength signals from ship-borne data into the altimetry-derived gravity field model, and it is significant that the new method maximizes the application of advantageous bands from different data sources.
Phosphate deficiency induced by infection promotes synthesis of anthracnose-resistant anthocyanin-3-O-galactoside phytoalexins in the Camellia sinensis plant
Authors: Li Tongtong , Wang Shenrong , Shi Dandan , Fang Wen , Jiang Ting , Zhang Lixin , Liu Yajun , Gao Liping , Xia Tao
Published: December 2023

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is a well-known beverage crop rich in polyphenols with health benefits for humans. Understanding how tea polyphenols participate in plant resistance is beneficial to breeding resistant varieties and uncovering the resistance mechanisms. Here, we report that a Colletotrichum infection-induced ‘pink ring’ symptom appeared outside the lesion, which is highly likely to occur in resistant cultivars. By identifying morphological feature-specific metabolites in the pink ring and their association with disease resistance, and analysis of the association between metabolite and gene expression, the study revealed that the accumulation of anthocyanin-3-O-galactosides, red phytotoxin compounds resistant to anthracnose, plays a pivotal role in the hypersensitive response surrounding infection sites in tea plants. The results of genetic manipulation showed that the expression of CsF3Ha, CsANSa, CsUGT78A15, CsUGT75L43, and CsMYB113, which are involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis, is positively correlated with anthracnose-resistance and the formation of the pink ring. Further phosphorus quantification and fertilization experiments confirmed that phosphate deficiency caused by anthracnose is involved in the occurrence of the pink ring. Genetic manipulation studies indicated that altering the expression levels of Pi transporter proteins (CsPHT2-1, CsPHT4;4) and phosphate deprivation response transcription factors (CsWRKY75-1, CsWRKY75-2, CsMYB62-1) enhances resistance to anthracnose and the formation of the pink ring symptom in tea plants. This article provides the first evidence that anthocyanin-3-O-galactosides are the anthracnose-resistant phytoalexins among various polyphenols in tea plants, and this presents an approach for identifying resistance genes in tea plants, where genetic transformation is challenging.
The Impact of Neighborhood-Level Factors on Perceived Quality of Hospice Service Satisfaction: A Geographic Information System Study
Authors: Sualp Kenan , Beltran Susanny , Chen Guochao
Published: December 2023

Racial/ethnic minorities are underrepresented in hospice care in the United States, despite this being the standard of care for terminally ill individuals. Research indicates that location of services (e.g., rural vs. urban) plays a role in the differences in quality and quantity of services observed. However, the influences of neighborhood structural characteristics on quality of hospice services have not been explored. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between hospice neighborhood characteristics and caregiver-rated satisfaction with services in Florida. Data were derived from the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Hospice Survey and American Community Survey; ArcGIS was used to generate heat maps to provide visual representations. Findings showed that higher neighborhood immigrant density predicted lower family satisfaction with timely care, communication, spiritual support, and likelihood to recommend the agency services. The U.S. population is projected to continue to grow in its diversity, and thus understanding neighborhood characteristics associated with racial/ethnic minorities’ perception of care quality are important for shaping care improvements.
How smart is a ‘smart factory’?: an organizational view
Authors: Chung Sunghoon , Kim Minho
Published: December 2023

This paper investigates the game-changing paradigm in modern manufacturing, known as the “smart factory,” from an organizational perspective. Factories get smarter—or smartized—by becoming more data-intensive and more tightly integrating operations with management. We design a unique survey to measure this intangible organizational capital accumulation process for 939 Korean manufacturing plants. Observing heterogeneous levels of smartization across factories, we explore their relationship with three performance dimensions: productivity, cost efficiency, and product variety. The drivers of smartization are also identified. Our analysis uncovers a strong association between smartization and heightened productivity, with varying interactions with other performance metrics based on the specific manufacturing process (e.g., lower defect rate only in assembly line process). Importantly, we find that investments in digital technologies drive smartization only when complemented by structured incentive management and proper chief executive officer (CEO) leadership.
El proceso constituyente español de 1873: origen y fracaso de la República FederalThe Spanish constituent process of 1873: origin and failure of the Federal Republic
Authors: Marzal Yetano Elia
Published: December 2023

The Spanish constitutional project of 1873 was intended to lay the foundations of the First Spanish Republic, whose proclamation took place in the context of the abdication of King Amadeo I to the throne. In this article I approach the analysis of the constituent process from a double perspective. On the one hand, that of the methodological rule of the possibility principle, which requires the project having a minimum probability of success in order to contribute to the theory of constituent processes. On the other hand, that of theory building process tracing, which allows us to causally reconstruct the failure and identify the intervening factors. I argue that, although the particular seriousness of the political crisis that existed in Spain at the beginning of the constituent process did not necessarily condemn it to failure, as the process progressed, the worsening of these circumstances, together with the novel but also divisive nature of the project, ended up dynamiting the initial consensus.
El fracaso del proceso constituyente en KeniaThe failure of the constituent process in Kenya
Authors: Arias Guedón Sonsoles
Published: December 2023

Kenya began its democratic era after its declaration of independence and the adoption of its first constitution in 1963. However, this supreme norm of the country would undergo countless reforms by the political elites from the very beginning, mostly to satisfy the partisan demands of the political leaders at the moment. These reforms succeeded in transforming the initially democratic model into an authoritarian, one-party system. After two decades of corruption and abuse of power, the political changes in the country and the wave of democratization after the fall of the Berlin Wall fueled the popular clamour for constitutional change. This article analyses the development of the constitution-making process, which began with the first constitutional amendments introduced to the constitution of the independence, as well as the main factors that led to the rejection of the new draft constitution in the ratification referendum held on 21 November 2005. A key element contributing to the failure of the whole process is the strong influence of political forces in the process and the partisan use of all of them to achieve their political advantages.
Longitudinal clustering of Life’s Essential 8 health metrics: application of a novel unsupervised learning method in the CARDIA study
Authors: Graffy Peter , Zimmerman Lindsay , Luo Yuan , Yu Jingzhi , Choi Yuni , Zmora Rachel , Lloyd-Jones Donald , Allen Norrina Bai
Published: December 2023

Objective

Changes in cardiovascular health (CVH) during the life course are associated with future cardiovascular disease (CVD). Longitudinal clustering analysis using subgraph augmented non-negative matrix factorization (SANMF) could create phenotypic risk profiles of clustered CVH metrics.

Materials and methods

Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) variables, demographics, and CVD events were queried over 15 years in 5060 CARDIA participants with 18 years of subsequent follow-up. LE8 subgraphs were mined and a SANMF algorithm was applied to cluster frequently occurring subgraphs. K-fold cross-validation and diagnostics were performed to determine cluster assignment. Cox proportional hazard models were fit for future CV event risk and logistic regression was performed for cluster phenotyping.

Results

The cohort (54.6% female, 48.7% White) produced 3 clusters of CVH metrics: Healthy & Late Obesity (HLO) (29.0%), Healthy & Intermediate Sleep (HIS) (43.2%), and Unhealthy (27.8%). HLO had 5 ideal LE8 metrics between ages 18 and 39 years, until BMI increased at 40. HIS had 7 ideal LE8 metrics, except sleep. Unhealthy had poor levels of sleep, smoking, and diet but ideal glucose. Race and employment were significantly different by cluster (P < .001) but not sex (P = .734). For 301 incident CV events, multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) for HIS and Unhealthy were 0.73 (0.53-1.00, P = .052) and 2.00 (1.50-2.68, P < .001), respectively versus HLO. A 15-year event survival was 97.0% (HIS), 96.3% (HLO), and 90.4% (Unhealthy, P < .001).

Discussion and conclusion

SANMF of LE8 metrics identified 3 unique clusters of CVH behavior patterns. Clustering of longitudinal LE8 variables via SANMF is a robust tool for phenotypic risk assessment for future adverse cardiovascular events.
Validation of the FSTestTM Aerobic Count Plates Method for Enumeration of Aerobic Bacteria in a Variety of Matrixes and Stainless Steel Environmental Surface: AOAC Performance Tested MethodSM 112301
Authors: Liu Yun , Fan Jun , Sun Xia , Zhou Zican
Published: December 2023

Background

The FSTestTM Aerobic Count (AC) Plates are ready-to-use culture media containing nutrients, a cold-water-soluble gelling agent, and a chromogenic indicator.

Objective

The objective of this study was to validate the FSTest AC plate method for AOAC INTERNATIONAL Performance Tested MethodsSM (PTM) certification for a variety of foods and stainless steel.

Methods

The performance of the FSTest AC plates were compared to the appropriate reference method, for the detection of total aerobic bacterial in a variety of foods matrixes (raw ground beef, raw ground pork, cooked ham, raw chicken breast, raw shrimp, frozen tuna, shredded bagged lettuce, cherry tomato, pasteurized liquid milk, nonfat milk powder) and on stainless steel surfaces. Robustness, consistency, and stability studies of the FSTest AC plate were also conducted.

Results

The results of the matrix study showed the standard deviation of repeatability (sr) was similar in both the FSTest AC plate method and the reference method. The 90% confidence interval of the difference between means between the two methods was found to fall within −0.5 to 0.5 log10 for all matrixes at all levels in the method developer and independent laboratory studies. The data in the report also support that the FSTest AC plate method is robust, manufactured in a consistent manner, and can be stable for 18 months at 4–10°C.

Conclusions

The FSTest AC method is validated to be equivalent to the appropriate reference methods for the enumeration of aerobic bacteria in a variety of food matrixes and on stainless steel surfaces at 36 ± 1°C, and 32 ± 1°C (for dairy matrixes) in 24 ± 1 h.

Highlights

The FSTest AC plate method offers the advantage of saving labor, space, and time, as results are available within 24 h for all tested matrixes.
Exciting Advances in Sustainable Spectrophotometric Micro-Quantitation of an Innovative Painkiller “Tramadol and Celecoxib” Mixture in the Presence of a Toxic Impurity, Promoting Greenness and Whiteness Studies
Authors: Bahgat Eman A , Hashem Hisham , Saleh Hanaa , Kamel Ebraam B , Eissa Maya S
Published: December 2023

Background

Tramadol (TRM) and celecoxib (CLX) form a novel mixture that helps relieve acute pain when other painkillers have no action. It is also reported that these drugs, TRM and CLX, are used to control COVID-19 symptoms.

Objective

The current work highlights three important pillars of modern pharmaceutical analysis, which are as follows; impurity profiling, greenness/whiteness studies and simplicity accompanied by sensitivity. Since 4-methyl acetophenone inhibits the human carbonyl reductase enzyme (type I) and since this compound may pose a health risk, it is crucial to regulate its concentration in all dosage forms of CLX.

Methods

Two simple and green spectrophotometric methods were developed, namely third derivative (D3) and Fourier self- deconvulation (FSD), for resolving severely overlapped spectra of TRM and CLX in the presence of 4-methyl acetophenone (4-MAP) as a process-related impurity in their novel tablet combination.

Results

The two approaches showed acceptable linearity with an excellent correlation coefficient. In both methods, TRM was measured when CLX and 4-methyl acetophenone were zero-crossing. The same procedure was applied for measuring CLX and its process-related impurity 4-MAP.

Conclusion

The methodologies developed were thoroughly validated in compliance with ICH (International Council on Harmonisation) guidelines. Student t- and F-tests revealed no statistically significant variation among the current methods and the reported method.

Highlights

No spectrophotometric methods have been published previously for the simultaneous analysis of TRM and CLX along with 4-MAP. As a result, the newly developed spectrophotometric approaches have great relevance and originality in the field of pharmaceutical analysis.
Quality Evaluation of Gentamicin Sulfate Reference Standards in Japanese Pharmacopoeia Using Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography Combined With Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Maekawa Keiko , Sawa Ryuichi , Matsui Mari , Konda Toshifumi , Kubota Yumiko , Matsuo Ayaka , Maeda Akiho , Takahashi Chisato , Tanimoto Tsuyoshi , Nakagawa Yukari , Yoneda Sachiyo , Mori Yuri , Suzuki Satowa
Published: December 2023

Background

Through the recent development of analytical technology, antibiotics quantification in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP) has changed from traditional microbiological assays to physicochemical methods with high specificity and precision. However, for several multicomponent antibiotics without typical UV absorption, potency cannot be directly determined using instrumental methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography; therefore, traditional microbiological assays are still used. Gentamicin sulfate (GmS), which consists of three major components, C1, C1a, and C2, is such a typical antibiotic, and its antimicrobial potency continues to be assayed using microbiological methods in JP monographs. Introduction of a physicochemical assay for GmS is needed to help ensure its quality and quantity.

Objective

This study aimed to develop quality control measures for GmS that could be complementary to quantitative assays and purity tests specified in the JP.

Methods

For each gentamicin C component (C1, C2, and C1a), theoretical potencies were determined based on the quantitative relationship between purity and potency, as measured by quantitative 1H NMR and microbiological assays, respectively. Two lots of the JP reference standard (RS) were used as test samples, with the contents of each component and impurity (sisomicin and garamine) being determined using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS).

Results

The ratios of theoretical potency for C1, C2, and C1a were 1.00, 1.21, and 1.80, respectively. The potencies of the GmS JP RSs, which were estimated based on the contents and theoretical potency of each C component, corresponded well with those determined through microbiological assays. Marked differences in impurities (%) between the two RS lots were highlighted by quantifying sisomicin and garamine.

Conclusions

The developed analytical procedure enabled the characterization of two different JP RSs in terms of content ratio, potencies, and impurities.

Highlights

Novel analytical procedures useful for routine quality control of GmS were developed using HILIC-MS/MS.
Effects of a novel direct-fed microbial on growth performance, carcass characteristics, nutrient digestibility, and ruminal morphology of beef feedlot steers
Authors: Opheim Tosha S , Sarturi Jhones O , Rodrigues Barbara M , Nightingale Kendra K , Brashears Mindy , Reis Beatriz Q , Ballou Michael A , Miller Markus , Casas Diego E
Published: December 2023

The effects of a novel direct-fed microbial (DFM) on feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, digestibility, ruminal morphology, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) profile of finishing steers were evaluated. Single-source Angus-crossbred yearling steers (n = 144; initial body weight (BW) = 371 ± 19 kg) were used in a randomized complete block design. Steers were blocked by initial BW and randomly assigned to treatments (12 pens/treatment; 4 steers/pen). Treatments included (A) CONTROL (no DFM, tylosin, or monensin, (B) MONTY (monensin sodium [330 mg/animal-daily] and tylosin phosphate [90 mg/animal-daily]), and (C) MONPRO (monensin sodium [same as previous] and Lactobacillus salivarius L28 [1 × 106 CFU/animal-daily]). Treatments were included in a steam-flaked corn-based finisher diet offered once daily using a clean-bunk management for ~149 d. The digestibility assessment was performed from days 70 to 74. Ruminal fluid and rumen tissue samples were collected at the slaughter for VFA profile and papillae morphology analyses, respectively. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS with pen serving as the experimental unit, treatment as fixed effect, and BW block as random effect. Steers offered MONPRO had on average 5.3% less (P < 0.01) dry matter intake (9.56 kg/d) compared with either CONTROL (10.16 kg/d) or MONTY (9.96 kg/d). The carcass-adjusted final BW (613 kg; P = 0.23), overall average daily gain (1.64 kg/d; P = 0.23), and gain-efficiency (0.165; P = 0.61) were not affected by treatments. Steers offered CONTROL had greater (P < 0.01) marbling score and tended (P = 0.06) to have less carcasses grading Select and tended (P = 0.10) to have more carcasses grading Upper-Choice, while other carcass characteristics and liver-abscesses were not affected (P ≥ 0.23) by treatments. The digestibility of nutrients (P ≥ 0.13) and the ruminal VFA profile (P ≥ 0.12) were not affected by treatments. Steers offered MONPRO tended (P = 0.09) to have 16% greater average papillae number compared to other treatments. Yearlings offered finishing diets containing L. salivarius L28 plus monensin did not affect growth performance, digestibility, or ruminal VFA, but reduced feed intake. Carcass quality was negatively affected by treatments, while animals consuming L. salivarius L28 and monensin tended to improve ruminal morphology. Current findings in ruminal morphology and feed intake may warrant further assessment of diets containing L. salivarius L28 on beef cattle food safety aspects.
Unified Magnifying Endoscopic Classification (UMEC) of Gastrointestinal Lesions: A North American Validation Study
Authors: Fujiyoshi Mary Raina Angeli , Fujiyoshi Yusuke , Gimpaya Nikko , Bechara Robert , Jeyalingam Thurarshen , Calo Natalia Causada , Forbes Nauzer , Pawlak Katarzyna Monika , Khalaf Kareem , Khan Rishad , Atalla Michael , Toshimori Akiko , Shimamura Yuto , Tanabe Mayo , Teshima Christopher , Mosko Jeffrey D , May Gary , Inoue Haruhiro , Grover Samir C
Published: December 2023

Background and study aim

Magnifying endoscopy enables the diagnosis of advanced neoplasia throughout the gastrointestinal tract. The unified magnifying endoscopic classification (UMEC) framework unifies optical diagnosis criteria in the esophagus, stomach, and colon, dividing lesions into three categories: non-neoplastic, intramucosal neoplasia, and deep submucosal invasive cancer. This study aims to ascertain the performance of North American endoscopists when using the UMEC.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, five North American endoscopists without prior training in magnifying endoscopy independently diagnosed images of gastrointestinal tract lesions using UMEC. All endoscopists were blinded to endoscopic findings and histopathological diagnosis. Using histopathology as the gold standard, the endoscopists’ diagnostic performances using UMEC were evaluated.

Results

A total of 299 lesions (77 esophagus, 92 stomach, and 130 colon) were assessed. For esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy ranged from 65.2% (95%CI: 50.9–77.9) to 87.0% (95%CI: 75.3–94.6), 77.4% (95%CI: 60.9–89.6) to 96.8% (95%CI: 86.8–99.8), and 75.3% to 87.0%, respectively. For gastric adenocarcinoma, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy ranged from 94.9% (95%CI: 85.0–99.1) to 100%, 52.9% (95%CI: 39.4–66.2) to 92.2% (95%CI: 82.7–97.5), and 73.3% to 93.3%. For colorectal adenocarcinoma, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy ranged from 76.2% (95%CI: 62.0–87.3) to 83.3% (95%CI: 70.3–92.5), 89.7% (95%CI: 82.1–94.9) to 97.7% (95%CI: 93.1–99.6), and 86.8% to 90.7%. Intraclass correlation coefficients indicated good to excellent reliability.

Conclusion

UMEC is a simple classification that may be used to introduce endoscopists to magnifying narrow-band imaging and optical diagnosis, yielding satisfactory diagnostic accuracy.
Distribution of invasive Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) (Decapoda: Astacidea: Cambaridae) in South Korea, with a study of the spatial variation of benthic macroinvertebrate taxa
Authors: Woo Jung Sang , Bae Mi-Jung , Kim SuHwan , Kawai Tadashi
Published: December 2023

The introduction and spread of non-native species pose major threats to biodiversity and ecosystem stability. We conducted a study to assess the spread, growth rate, and interactions of the exotic crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) throughout South Korea. A total of 343 individuals (223 from reservoirs, 120 from streams) were studied in four provinces. This species has expanded its distribution to 24 regions in South Korea. The length-weight relationship indicated positive allometric growth, expressed as W = 2.855L3.0073. The highest number of adult P. clarkii individuals eradicated was 11,438 in 2022. Using the MaxEnt model and environmental variables related to the climate, a highly accurate forecast was generated for the potential distribution of P. clarkii in South Korea. The factors influencing the current distribution probability were identified as the highest temperature of the warmest month, mean temperature of the wettest quarter, and mean temperature of the warmest quarter, which contributed the most to the present distribution probability. The predicted distribution indicated a rapid increase in P. clarkii density in the southwestern region, extending towards the southeastern and central regions, including the brackish zone. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis (stress = 0.07) was conducted based on benthic macroinvertebrates, revealing distinct variations among the four sampling sites. The distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates was significantly influenced by the proportion of sand in the substrate (R = 0.39, P < 0.05) and water quality as estimated by the electrical conductivity (R = 0.51, P < 0.05).
Biology and ecology of insect pests in macadamia: a review of the current status of IPM strategies in Australia
Authors: Ellis Kirsten L , Anderson Jay M , Yonow Tania , Kriticos Darren J , Andrew Nigel R
Published: December 2023

Macadamia spp. are native to Australia and have significant commercial value worldwide for their edible nuts. Integrated pest management (IPM) can be challenging in Australia because macadamia is a native plant cultivated commercially in its native range alongside its native insect pests and their natural enemies. Attaining viable commercial yields of macadamia in Australia has historically relied heavily upon the use of chemical insecticides, including organophosphates, and a shift away from reliance on these practices has not yet happened. Amblypelta spp. have historically been the pests of greatest concern to the Australian macadamia industry and that has not changed, but the make-up of the other major and minor pests has changed over time. More recently, the more southern-growing regions have experienced increases in Cercotingis decoris, Proteatingis howardi, and Kuschelorhynchus macadamiae, and there are currently no long-term viable control options for these species. The Australian macadamia pests, Cryptophlebia ombrodelta and Acanthococcus ironsidei, not necessarily of major concern in Australia, have spread to macadamias in other countries and have become significant pests as they do not have the corresponding native natural enemies. There are critical gaps in the identification of macadamia pest species and their natural enemies, as well as an understanding of their biology and ecology, distribution, host preferences, and movement. The identified knowledge gaps need to be addressed to support IPM in macadamia, both in Australia and internationally.
The AI cycle of health inequity and digital ageism: mitigating biases through the EU regulatory framework on medical devices
Authors: van Kolfschooten Hannah
Published: December 2023

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) medical devices is rapidly growing. Although AI may benefit the quality and safety of healthcare for older adults, it simultaneously introduces new ethical and legal issues. Many AI medical devices exhibit age-related biases. The first part of this paper explains how ‘digital ageism’ is produced throughout the entire lifecycle of medical AI and may lead to health inequity for older people: systemic, avoidable differences in the health status of different population groups. This paper takes digital ageism as a use case to show the potential inequitable effects of AI, conceptualized as the ‘AI cycle of health inequity’. The second part of this paper explores how the European Union (EU) regulatory framework addresses the issue of digital ageism. It argues that the negative effects of age-related bias in AI medical devices are insufficiently recognized within the regulatory framework of the EU Medical Devices Regulation and the new AI Act. It concludes that while the EU framework does address some of the key issues related to technical biases in AI medical devices by stipulating rules for performance and data quality, it does not account for contextual biases, therefore neglecting part of the AI cycle of health inequity.
Enhancing the efficacy of vaccinia-based oncolytic virotherapy by inhibiting CXCR2-mediated MDSC trafficking
Authors: Tan Zhiwu , Chiu Mei Sum , Yue Ming , Kwok Hau Yee , Tse Man Ho , Wen Yang , Chen Bohao , Yang Dawei , Zhou Dongyan , Song You-Qiang , Man Kwan , Chen Zhiwei
Published: December 2023

Oncolytic virotherapy is an innovative approach for cancer treatment. However, recruitment of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) into the tumor microenvironment (TME) after oncolysis-mediated local inflammation leads to tumor resistance to the therapy. Using the murine malignant mesothelioma model, we demonstrated that the in situ vaccinia virotherapy recruited primarily polymorphonuclear MDSCs (PMN-MDSCs) into the TME, where they exhibited strong suppression of cytotoxic T lymphocytes in a reactive oxygen species–dependent way. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis confirmed the suppressive profile of PMN-MDSCs at the transcriptomic level and identified CXCR2 as a therapeutic target expressed on PMN-MDSCs. Abrogating PMN-MDSC trafficking by CXCR2-specific small molecule inhibitor during the vaccinia virotherapy exhibited enhanced antitumor efficacy in 3 syngeneic cancer models, through increasing CD8+/MDSC ratios in the TME, activating cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and skewing suppressive TME into an antitumor environment. Our results warrant clinical development of CXCR2 inhibitor in combination with oncolytic virotherapy.
Leadership and Teamwork During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences of Music Therapy Business Leaders
Authors: Meadows Anthony , Shoemark Helen , Magee Wendy L
Published: December 2023

This study investigated the experiences of music therapy private practice business leaders providing services in school, healthcare, and community settings, including clients’ homes, during the first 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative content analysis was utilized to analyze semi-structured interview data collected from 10 business leaders (5 CEOs and 5 clinical directors) recruited from 5 businesses. 8 themes were revealed: (1) significant impact shaped by uncertainty and values, (2) temporal dimensions of change, (3) changing dynamics of relationships, (4) issues leading to burnout, (5) unexpected opportunities for all stakeholders, (6) the weight of being responsive, (7) the ambiguity of role changes, and (8) the collective functioning of the clinical team. In the context of leadership and teamwork, these themes illuminated the challenges these business leaders encountered while also providing insights into the importance of collaborative structures, transparent communication, and flexibility integral to leading organizational change. Further, resilience, robustness, and antifragility provide theoretical constructs through which to consider change processes, providing music therapy professionals with the opportunity to consider core leadership, teamwork, and organizational characteristics essential to music therapy teams.