bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine intention in a University population: a serial mediation approach
Authors: Paridans M , Dardenne N , Donneau A F , Gillet L , Bureau F , Guillaume M , Pétré B
Published: October 2023

Background

While many studies have used the Health Belief Model (HBM) to understand vaccination intention, few have explored the relationships between the HBM constructs. The aim of this study is to develop a serial mediation model dealing with latent variables to assess direct and indirect effects of the six HBM constructs (perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, self-efficacy and cue to action) on COVID-19 vaccine intention.

Methods

From April to June 2021, a questionnaire on vaccine intention against COVID-19 was administered to staff and students at the University of Liège (Belgium). To evaluate direct and indirect effects of the HBM constructs on vaccine intention (score 0-100), serial mediation models for each latent variable permutation were assessed with Partial Least Squares Path Modeling (PLS-PM). Bayesian information criterion (BIC) was used to compare models. Internal consistency reliability and discriminant validity were evaluated. Sociodemographic variables, health literacy, psychological profile, body mass index, chronic disease and previous COVID-19 infection were included in the models as covariates.

Results

The sample consisted of 1256 participants. After running all permutation chains, the final causal chain, with the lowest BIC value, was barriers (-0.09 (-0.15 - -0.03))* - severity (-0.13 (-0.20 - -0.07))* - low self-efficacy (0.20 (0.15 - 0.25))* - low susceptibility (-0.55 (-0.60 - -0.51))* - vaccine intention (outcome). This highlighted a significant indirect and direct effect (-0.20 (-0.25 - -0.15))* between barriers and vaccine intention. Constructs benefits and cue to action were removed due to no significant path and weak reliability. Non-significant confounding factors were also removed. *estimate

Conclusions

The results showed that perceived barriers are a key determinant of COVID-19 vaccine resistance. Public health actors should communicate messages to remove barriers that reduce vaccine intention primarily.

Key messages

• Serial mediations allow a better understanding of how a vaccination intention works.

• Public health communications should primarily focus on messages to remove barriers to get vaccinated.
Transformational Leadership & Social Capital as Determinants of Patient Safety: a Parsonian Approach
Authors: Stöcker A , Braithwaite J , Kuntz L , Pfaff H
Published: October 2023

Background

Health and safety, especially quality of care and patient safety, are central concerns in healthcare. In the past, researchers concentrated on special measures to promote safety. Fewer studies focused on general prerequisites of safety management. Drawing on Parson's adaptation (A), goal attainment (G), integration (I), and latent pattern maintenance (L) (AGIL)-scheme, we argue that safety management needs two components to succeed: an integrated group (I-factor) and leaders with goals and the ability to align the group to these goals (G-factor). Both factors together form the GI-factor.

Methods

Based on a 2008 survey of medical directors of German hospitals (N = 551) we administered a social capital scale (proxy for integration) and a transformational leadership scale (proxy for goal attainment). Both concepts - social capital and transformational leadership - are widely deployed in health care settings and acknowledged to impact patient safety. Via median-splits, we created three groups with low (G&I low), medium (G low/I high and vice versa) and high (G&I high) GI-factor. Survey data were aligned with 2012-2019 quality reports in a longitudinal study to test if hospitals with a low GI-factor had more quality deficiencies.

Results

There were continuous differences between the share of quality deficiencies and the GI level. A high GI-factor was associated with significantly lower share of quality deficiencies. A significant correlation with reported quality deficiencies in inpatient German health care was evident for multiple aspects of quality deficiencies. The results persisted when controlled for other organizational characteristics.

Conclusions

It seems evident that healthcare organizations have to meet two conditions to build up long-term patient safety: (1) goal setting and attaining, and (2) social integration. It is important for hospital managers to sustainably ensure better health care by building up the social infrastructure for health and safety.

Key messages

• Hospitals with a high GI-factor (i.e., exhibiting both strong goal attainment and social integration) were associated with significantly lower quality defects in inpatient care.

• To sustain patient safety, healthcare organizations need to keep a focus on organizational influencing factors in hospital management.
Empowering learning
Authors: Fahnert Beatrix
Published: October 2023

The content of the FEMS Microbiology Letters virtual Thematic Issue ‘Empowering learning’ is reviewed to provide context for further discussions towards supporting learners in becoming self-regulated and realising their potential.
Striving for equity in academia: embracing the power of no in decision-making
Authors: Swartz Talia H , Abdul-Mutakabbir Jacinda C
Published: October 2023

In academia, saying “yes” to opportunities and “no” to distractions is crucial for effective decision-making. Here, we emphasize the importance of carefully considering commitments and courageously declining those that may lead to overextension. We highlight that discernment is vital, particularly for junior faculty/scientists and those with marginalized identities, as overcommitment can hinder career advancement. The “Fame, Fortune, and Fun test” offers a practical heuristic for evaluating opportunities, enabling academics to make informed choices. Saying “no” effectively involves preserving personal and professional integrity by declining tasks that do not align with one’s abilities or interests. However, challenges in saying “no” are multifaceted, including fear of missing career advancements, pressures to please superiors or peers, and perceived negative consequences. This decision can be even more complex for individuals with minoritized identities, as additional expectations and responsibilities may arise due to implicit biases. The article provides a scheme for academics when deciding whether to accept or decline opportunities. The “Fame, Fortune, and Fun test” is a simplified scheme based on the Japanese concept of Ikigai, which comes from two words that mean life’s purpose. The concept allows an individual to determine their reason for being and aim to align their time spent with as many components that satisfy the following four categories: what one loves, what one is good at, what one can be paid for, and what the world needs. The more overlap, the more alignment with Ikigai, and the more compelling reason to say yes. Once one has determined that they can say no, effectively saying “no” involves clear and direct communication, offering alternatives, expressing gratitude, and considering a “not now” approach if unable to commit immediately. To promote inclusivity, we suggest recommending individuals from diverse backgrounds for opportunities. By amplifying underrepresented voices, we can foster a healthier academic environment. Saying “no” empowers academics to prioritize meaningful contributions and maintain work–life balance. Embracing the power of “no” is essential for maintaining integrity and well-being in academia. Junior faculty/scientists and individuals with marginalized identities may face additional challenges in their decision-making. By carefully evaluating commitments and effectively declining non-aligning opportunities, academics can focus on what truly matters, fostering a supportive and thriving academic environment.
Loneliness and Frailty Among Middle-Aged and Aging Sexual Minority Men Living With or Without HIV: A Longitudinal Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis
Authors: Meireles Paula , Ware Deanna , Henriques Ana , Nieves-Lugo Karen , Stosor Valentina , Brennan-Ing Mark , Meanley Steven , Haberlen Sabina , Okafor Chukwuemeka N , Shoptaw Steve , Friedman M Reuel , Plankey Michael
Published: October 2023

Background and Objectives

Loneliness is associated with frailty among older adults (60+), and there is evidence suggesting that this association may be bidirectional. However, there is limited evidence of this relationship over time among middle-aged and aging sexual minority men. We explored the bidirectional relationship between loneliness and frailty over 2 years among sexual minority men living with or without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from the Healthy Aging substudy of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study.

Research Design and Methods

We used data from 1 118 men (561 living with HIV; 557 living without HIV) aged 40 years or older with measurement of frailty or loneliness at Times 1 (September 2016 to March 2017) and 2 (September 2018 to March 2019). Descriptive statistics were generated. We used autoregressive cross-lagged panel analysis to examine the bidirectional association between frailty and loneliness at both time points while adjusting for time-stable and time-dependent covariates at Time 1. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were generated.

Results

The estimated prevalence of loneliness at both time points was 35.5%. The estimated prevalence of frailty at Times 1 and 2 were 7.8% and 12.1%, respectively. Participants reporting loneliness at Time 1 had greater odds of being frail at Time 2 (aOR = 2.14; 95% CI: 1.23–3.73). Frailty at Time 1 was not associated with loneliness at Time 2 (aOR = 1.00; 95% CI: .44–2.25). The autoregressive effects of frailty (aOR = 23.43; 95% CI: 11.94–46) and loneliness (aOR = 13.94; 95% CI: 9.42–20.61) were large.

Discussion and Implications

Men who felt lonely had higher odds of being frail 2 years later while the reciprocal association was not shown. This suggests that loneliness preceded frailty and not the other way around. Early and frequent assessments of loneliness may present opportunities for interventions that minimize the risk of frailty among sexual minority men living with and without HIV.
Water flow within and towards plant roots—a new concurrent solution
Authors: Graefe Jan , Pauwels Richard , Bitterlich Michael
Published: October 2023

Various analytical models that calculate the water flow either around or inside plant roots are available, but a combined analytical solution has not yet been derived. The classical solution of Landsberg and Fowkes for water flow within a root relates the second derivative of xylem water potential to the radial water influx term. This term can be linked to well-known steady state or steady rate-based solutions for computing soil water fluxes around roots. While neglecting lateral fluxes between local depletion zones around roots, we use this link to construct a system of continuous equations that combine root internal and external water flow that can be solved numerically for two boundary conditions (specified root collar water potential and zero distal influx) and one constraint (mean bulk matric flux potential). Furthermore, an iterative matrix solution for the stepwise analytical solution of homogeneous root segments is developed. Besides accounting for soil water flow iteratively, the intrinsic effect of variable axial conductance is accounted simultaneously. The reference and the iterative matrix solution are compared for different types of corn roots, soil textures and soil dryness states, which showed good correspondence. This also revealed the importance of accounting for variable axial conductance in more detail. The proposed reference solution can be used for the evaluation of different morphological and hydraulic designs of single or multiple parallel-connected roots operating in targeted soil environments. Some details of the iterative matrix solution may be adopted in analytical–numerical solutions of water flow in complex root systems.
Memory-efficient semantic segmentation of large microscopy images using graph-based neural networks
Authors: Jain Atishay , Laidlaw David H , Bajcsy Peter , Singh Ritambhara
Published: October 2023

We present a graph neural network (GNN)–based framework applied to large-scale microscopy image segmentation tasks. While deep learning models, like convolutional neural networks (CNNs), have become common for automating image segmentation tasks, they are limited by the image size that can fit in the memory of computational hardware. In a GNN framework, large-scale images are converted into graphs using superpixels (regions of pixels with similar color/intensity values), allowing us to input information from the entire image into the model. By converting images with hundreds of millions of pixels to graphs with thousands of nodes, we can segment large images using memory-limited computational resources. We compare the performance of GNN- and CNN-based segmentation in terms of accuracy, training time and required graphics processing unit memory. Based on our experiments with microscopy images of biological cells and cell colonies, GNN-based segmentation used one to three orders-of-magnitude fewer computational resources with only a change in accuracy of ‒2 % to +0.3 %. Furthermore, errors due to superpixel generation can be reduced by either using better superpixel generation algorithms or increasing the number of superpixels, thereby allowing for improvement in the GNN framework’s accuracy. This trade-off between accuracy and computational cost over CNN models makes the GNN framework attractive for many large-scale microscopy image segmentation tasks in biology.
Cinematographic study of stochastic chemical events at atomic resolution
Authors: Harano Koji , Nakamuro Takayuki , Nakamura Eiichi
Published: October 2023

The advent of single-molecule atomic-resolution time-resolved electron microscopy (SMART-EM) has created a new field of ‘cinematic chemistry,’ allowing for the cinematographic recording of dynamic behaviors of organic and inorganic molecules and their assembly. However, the limited electron dose per frame of video images presents a major challenge in SMART-EM. Recent advances in direct electron counting cameras and techniques to enhance image quality through the implementation of a denoising algorithm have enabled the tracking of stochastic molecular motions and chemical reactions with sub-millisecond temporal resolution and sub-angstrom localization precision. This review showcases the development of dynamic molecular imaging using the SMART-EM technique, highlighting insights into nanomechanical behavior during molecular shuttle motion, pathways of multistep chemical reactions, and elucidation of crystallization processes at the atomic level.
Claiming a postcolonial differential citizenship. Contestation of family migration rights in the Netherlands in the wake of Suriname’s independence
Authors: Westra E (Eline) , Bonjour S A (Saskia) , Vermeulen F F (Floris)
Published: October 2023

Political struggles over national belonging often involve ideas on what a ‘proper’ family looks like. This article connects this important insight from the field of family migration politics to the study of postcolonial citizenship. Rather than focusing on dominant (State) perspectives, we ask: how do citizens from formerly colonised territories themselves conceptualise ‘the family’ and ‘the nation’ in the former metropole? We do so in a historical exploration of the political claims that three different Surinamese–Dutch organisations made regarding family migration rights, in the wake of Suriname’s independence (1975). We find that the organisations collectively claimed the recognition of Suriname-specific family forms in Dutch migration policy, such as unmarried coupledom (konkubinaat) and temporary foster children (kweekjes). Thereby they put forward a vision of postcolonial citizenship which challenged dominant conceptions of nationhood in the Netherlands, assuming instead that formerly colonised subjects and their ‘difference’ inherently and inevitably belong to Dutch national history and identity. In this vision, they reframed the Dutch nation’s spatio-temporal boundaries (the colonial past did not end at independence and there are ongoing transnational ties), and cultural boundaries (‘Surinamese difference’ is a constitutive element of Dutch postcolonial citizenship). In view of contemporary calls for decolonisation of European societies and scholarship, these claims represent important and inspiring contributions to ongoing debates on citizenship in a postcolonial nation.
Diagnostic delays in cutaneous coccidioidomycosis: A report from Central California
Authors: Policepatil Seema M , Sivasubramanian Geetha
Published: October 2023

Cutaneous Coccidioidomycosis (CC) infection can present with a wide variety of clinical presentations and is well known as a ‘great imitator’. We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with CC in a large referral center in Central Valley, California, from 2010 to 2022 using the ICD9 and ICD10 codes for coccidioidomycosis and CC. We identified 40 patients with CC during the study period. The mean age of the study population was 43 years (with standard deviation of 14.08). Among these, 60% were men and 40% women. The appearance of the lesions varied from ulcers, plaques, nodules, blisters, cellulitis, and abscesses. The most common site of CC lesions was in the lower extremities (42.5%), followed by upper extremities (30%), chest and abdomen, head and neck (25% each). Only 22.5% of the 40 cases were diagnosed as CC and 15% were diagnosed as erythema nodosum. Rest were diagnosed initially as bacterial cellulitis in 37.5%, tinea in 7.5%, and others in 12.5%. There was resolution of the cutaneous lesions in all patients with antifungal treatment. The mean time of diagnosis from onset of symptoms on an average was 12 weeks (8–16 weeks) in our study with 75% cases initially misdiagnosed. Comprehensive knowledge about the manifestations and evaluation of CC among primary care providers and emergency room physicians is essential to prevent delays in diagnosis and treatment.
Diverse Clinical Manifestations and Challenges of Mucormycosis: Insights From Serial Cases
Authors: Nielsen Marisa C , Cerqueira Filipe M , Kavuri Sri Bharathi , Raymond Caitlin M , Muneeb Aeman , Kudlicki Andrzej S , Tariq Shafaq , Liu Mingru , Routh Andrew L , Qiu Suimin , Ren Ping
Published: October 2023

Mucormycosis is a severe and potentially life-threatening infection caused by a group of fungi classified as mucormycetes within the scientific order Mucorales. These infections are characterized by rapid and invasive fungal growth, presenting significant treatment challenges. Here we present 5 cases encountered from 2018 to 2022 at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas, including a novel Apophysomyces species. These cases illustrate the diverse clinical manifestations of mucormycosis, including pulmonary, rhino-cerebral, gastrointestinal, and soft tissue involvement. Our investigation incorporates information provided by a multidisciplinary team of clinical collaborators, emphasizing the findings from radiology, histopathology, and microbiology. Given the escalating global incidence of mucormycosis, it is crucial for clinicians to become familiar with associated clinical findings, comorbidities, and risk factors to facilitate prompt recognition, appropriate diagnostic testing, and timely initiation of treatment.
A Lung Cancer Patient’s Passionate Desire for Sexual Healing
Authors: Gurwitch Annabelle
Published: October 2023

Most female patients with lung cancer experience sexual dysfunction. This narrative describes one patient’s experience, focusing on how tobetter address issues related to toxicities stemming from long term treatment on targeted therapies.
Cultural Histories of South Africa
Authors: Gunner Liz
Published: October 2023

The chapter covers a broad swathe of South African cultural histories but keeps the focus on the performative aspects of culture. It situates praise poetry as the key genre that operated with deep connective roots across a number of languages and dialects and interwoven histories of the southern African region. It argues for a more holistic understanding of how praise poetry worked at both a personal and wider social level and makes a case for understanding its diplomatic roles as a point of contact between societies that moved between stability and flux over a long period. It also moves the discussion into the contemporary era and shows its operation in apartheid and post-apartheid settings in South Africa. As a point of contrast, still focusing on performative genres, the chapter explores smaller sung genres with their roots in older forms. This cluster of genres is linked to music made by migrants, both men and women, who move for work or for adventure from their settled homes to more densely populated areas of South Africa. In some cases, such as the acapella song by Ladysmith Black Mambazo, migrant music has had a global reach, but it has links to the ongoing practice of migrants making song in order to make a world and speak out an identity for themselves in a hostile space. The chapter links three migrant genres and shows how some are shaped distinctively by women as well as by men.
Edible fire buffers: Mitigation of wildfire with multifunctional landscapes
Authors: Fu Xiao , Lidar Abigail , Kantar Michael , Raghavan Barath
Published: October 2023

Wildfires ravage lands in seasonally dry regions, imposing high costs on infrastructure maintenance and human habitation at the wildland–urban interface. Current fire mitigation approaches present upfront costs with uncertain long-term payoffs. We show that a new landscape intervention on human-managed wildlands—buffers of a low-flammability crop species such as banana irrigated using recycled water—can mitigate wildfires and produce food profitably. This new intervention can complement existing fire mitigation approaches. Recreating a recent, major fire in simulation, we find that a medium-sized (633 m) banana buffer decreases fireline intensity by 96%, similar to the combination of prescribed burns and mechanical thinning, and delays the fire by 316 min, enabling safer and more effective firefighting. We find that under climate change, despite worsened fires, banana buffers will still have a protective effect. We also find that banana buffers with average yield could produce a profit of $56k USD/hectare through fruit sales, in addition to fire mitigation.
Managing nitrogen in maize production for societal gain
Authors: Goodkind Andrew L , Thakrar Sumil K , Polasky Stephen , Hill Jason D , Tilman David
Published: October 2023

Highly productive agriculture is essential to feed humanity, but agricultural practices often harm human health and the environment. Using a nitrogen (N) mass-balance model to account for N inputs and losses to the environment, along with empirical based models of yield response, we estimate the potential gains to society from improvements in nitrogen management that could reduce health and environmental costs from maize grown in the US Midwest. We find that the monetized health and environmental costs to society of current maize nitrogen management practices are six times larger than the profits earned by farmers. Air emissions of ammonia from application of synthetic fertilizer and manure are the largest source of pollution costs. We show that it is possible to reduce these costs by 85% ($21.6 billion per year, 2020$) while simultaneously increasing farmer profits. These gains come from (i) managing fertilizer ammonia emissions by changing the mix of fertilizer and manure applied, (ii) improving production efficiency by reducing fertilization rates, and (iii) halting maize production on land where health and environmental costs exceed farmer profits, namely on low-productivity land and locations in which emissions are especially harmful. Reducing ammonia emissions from changing fertilizer types—in (i)—reduces health and environmental costs by 46% ($11.7 billion). Reducing fertilization rates—in (ii)—limits nitrous oxide emissions, further reducing health and environmental costs by $9.5 billion, and halting production on 16% of maize-growing land in the Midwest—in (iii)—reduces costs by an additional $0.4 billion.
Closure and matching payoffs from college majors
Authors: Witteveen Dirk , Attewell Paul
Published: October 2023

This article examines the undergraduate major as a closure mechanism in occupations among college graduates, using the American Community Surveys. We measure the college major density of occupations, termed “major specialization”, finding that greater major specialization of an occupation is associated with higher earnings, over and above previously identified closure devices (licensure, unionization, and vertical educational credentialing), and college selectivity. We conclude that major specialization operates as a powerful earnings-boosting closure device within higher-educated labor markets. Additional analyses regarding premiums from individuals matching their own college major with their occupation’s typical major indicate comparatively small earnings payoffs. Hence, deviating from one’s occupation’s usual credential does not generate a substantial earnings penalty. Furthermore, payoffs from major-occupation matching have a ceiling: there is no further payoff above the average match level. These findings demonstrate how occupational closure theory helps explain the substantial earnings advantages of certain college majors in the labor force.
Mendelian randomization in hepatology: A review of principles, opportunities, and challenges
Authors: Song Yilin , Ye Ting , Roberts Lewis R. , Larson Nicholas B. , Winham Stacey J.
Published: October 2023

Mendelian randomization has become a popular tool to assess causal relationships using existing observational data. While randomized controlled trials are considered the gold standard for establishing causality between exposures and outcomes, it is not always feasible to conduct a trial. Mendelian randomization is a causal inference method that uses observational data to infer causal relationships by using genetic variation as a surrogate for the exposure of interest. Publications using the approach have increased dramatically in recent years, including in the field of hepatology. In this concise review, we describe the concepts, assumptions, and interpretation of Mendelian randomization as related to studies in hepatology. We focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the approach for a non-statistical audience, using an illustrative example to assess the causal relationship between body mass index and NAFLD.
Demonstrating the Value of Ambulatory Care Nursing Through Measurement of Nurse-Sensitive Clinical Quality Indicators in the 2023 Magnet® Application Manual
Authors: May Nancy , Pruski Beth B. , Yarbrough Carey B. R.
Published: October 2023

The ANCC Magnet Recognition Program's® mission and vision is to continually elevate patient care and transform healthcare globally through an environment where nurses and the interprofessional team flourish. Reflecting the larger shifts in the healthcare delivery system from inpatient to ambulatory care settings, the Commission on Magnet® continues to emphasize the contributions of nurses in ambulatory care settings in the 2023 Magnet Application Manual®. This Magnet® Perspectives column will discuss the valuable role of ambulatory care nurses across the continuum of care and review new requirements in the 2023 Magnet Application Manual for measurement of nurse-sensitive outcomes in the ambulatory care setting using nationally benchmarked measures. In addition, potential sources of nationally benchmarked ambulatory data and selection of ambulatory care outcome measures will be discussed.
Safety-Specific Transformational Leadership
Authors: Fischer Shelly A.
Published: October 2023

Safety-specific transformational leadership (SSTFL) has been examined in high-risk industries for decades with solid evidence for its effectiveness and influence on safety climates and safety outcomes. The concept has recently been introduced to healthcare, with an operational definition developed through a concept derivation process and the development of a typology of factors that influence the relationship between leadership and safety climate. This article describes the evidence-based behavioral characteristics of leaders practicing SSTFL, which serve as a basis for the development and testing of an instrument to measure the latent variable of SSTFL in interprofessional healthcare leaders.
Recognizing and Addressing Ghosting of Nursing Candidates
Authors: Todt Kendrea
Published: October 2023

Ghosting of applicants in nursing recruitment can be considered uncivil behavior. Ghosting, or cutting off communication with another person without explanation, is a problem that can be addressed by setting organizational and industry standards for the handling of nursing applicants. This column reviews the phenomenon of ghosting in the recruitment process and offers suggestions to ensure this experience does not occur.
A Visionary Think Tank to Address the Nursing Workforce Crisis
Authors: Richard Angelique L. , Hornbogen Abby , Cooper Angela , Yohannan Stephanie , Hicks Frank D. , Anen Trish , Ferket Kathleen
Published: October 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated an existing problem plaguing hospital systems across the United States: a nursing workforce shortage. This article describes how one institution applied the American Organization for Nursing Leadership Nurse Executive Competencies to convene an immersive think tank to reimagine the nursing workforce.
Adipokine-Enriched Adipose Extract Restores Skin Barrier and Ameliorates Inflammatory Dysregulation in Atopic Dermatitis Mice
Authors: Guan Jingyan , Feng Jingwei , Xu Mimi , Liu Meiqi , He Yunfan , Lu Feng
Published: October 2023

Background:

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic dermatosis with high incidence worldwide characterized by skin barrier abnormalities and immune dysregulation. Conventional therapies are usually limited by side effects and high cost. Given the antiinflammatory and repairing properties, adipokines are increasingly considered as promising therapeutic agents for dermatoses. Adipose collagen fragments (ACF), a novel adipokine-enriched product, may alleviate AD through modulating immune microenvironment and restoring skin barrier.

Methods:

ACF was extracted from adipose tissue by means of high-speed homogenization (10,000 rpm/min for 1 minute) and centrifugation (3000 g for 3 minutes). Ovalbumin-induced AD female BALB/c mice (6-week-old) were intradermally injected with 0.2 mL of ACF or phosphate-buffered saline (negative control), with normal mice being set as normal control (n = 6). Dermatitis severity, inflammatory metrics (epidermal thickness, infiltrated mast cells, T helper cell [Th]–type cytokine expression), and skin barrier–related metrics (transepidermal water loss, skin barrier–related proteins expression) were evaluated after the AD induction period (day 50). ACF-derived bioactive components were also evaluated using proteomic analysis.

Results:

ACF-derived adipokines contained antiinflammatory, skin barrier– and lipid biosynthesis–related components. ACF treatment decreased dermatitis severity (6.2 ± 1.8 [P < 0.0001]), epidermal thickness (25.7 ± 12.8 μm [P = 0.0045]), infiltrated mast cells (31.3 ± 12.4 cells/field [P = 0.0475]), and expression of Th-type cytokines (interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin [IL]-4, IL-4R, IL-13, and IL-17A [P < 0.05]) in AD skins. Transepidermal water loss (29.8 ± 13.8 g/m2 per hour [P = 0.0306]) and skin barrier–related protein expression (filaggrin, 14,258 ± 4375 [P = 0.0162]; loricrin, 6037 ± 1728 [P = 0.0010]; claudin-1, 20,043 ± 6406 [P = 0.0420]; and zonula occludens-1, 4494 ± 1114 [P = 0.0134]) were also improved.

Conclusions:

ACF improved AD in a murine model by ameliorating inflammatory dysregulation and skin barrier defects. Further validation is needed in more advanced animal models.

Clinical Relevance Statement:

ACF is an injectable, adipose-derived collagen scaffold prepared from autologous harvested fat using fast and simple mechanical methods. ACF may reduce the limitations associated with health care regulatory issues and serve as a promising autologous therapeutic agent for skin disorders in clinics.
Menopause in Plastic Surgery Patients: An Underrecognized and Undertreated Comorbidity
Authors: Malphrus Elizabeth L. , Perelmuter Sara , Rubin Rachel , Percec Ivona
Published: October 2023

Nearly half of all patients undergoing plastic surgery are middle-aged cisgender women, all of whom will experience menopause. Plastic surgeons do not treat menopause directly, but it can be a concern—and even a motivating factor—for patients seeking plastic surgery. In addition, the changes associated with menopause underlie problems that many plastic surgeons seek to address, including with face lifts, breast surgery, and vaginal rejuvenation. Hormone replacement therapy has the potential to improve quality of life by treating bothersome symptoms and delaying the physical changes brought on by loss of estrogen. However, recent reports in the media highlight that women face significant barriers to accessing menopause care due to a lack of trained providers willing to manage hormone replacement therapy, as well as historical concerns regarding increased cancer risk, which recent evidence suggests were overestimated. Plastic surgeons may be the first, or only, providers with whom women discuss how their bodies change with age. As a result, plastic surgeons should consider menopause as an underlying risk factor or comorbidity for any woman presenting with aging-related complaints, and to ensure that these patients have access to appropriate menopause care in their communities. This is especially important for surgeons offering vaginal rejuvenation therapies, given that locally acting topical estrogen is a safe and highly effective treatment. The authors present guidance and recommendations for how plastic surgeons should take menopause into account when evaluating and advising patients. In addition, the authors present a treatment algorithm for safe prescribing of locally acting hormone replacement therapy for vaginal rejuvenation.
Examination of gammarid transcriptomes reveals a widespread occurrence of key metabolic genes from epibiont bdelloid rotifers in freshwater species
Authors: Ribes-Navarro Alberto , Kabeya Naoki , Castro L. Filipe C. , Gomes-dos-Santos André , Fonseca Miguel M. , Alberts-Hubatsch Hilke , Hontoria Francisco , Navarro Juan C. , Monroig Óscar
Published: October 2023

Previous data revealed the unexpected presence of genes encoding for long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) biosynthetic enzymes in transcriptomes from freshwater gammarids but not in marine species, even though closely related species were compared. This study aimed to clarify the origin and occurrence of selected LC-PUFA biosynthesis gene markers across all published gammarid transcriptomes. Through systematic searches, we confirmed the widespread occurrence of sequences from seven elongases and desaturases involved in LC-PUFA biosynthesis, in transcriptomes from freshwater gammarids but not marine species, and clarified that such occurrence is independent from the gammarid species and geographical origin. The phylogenetic analysis established that the retrieved elongase and desaturase sequences were closely related to bdelloid rotifers, confirming that multiple transcriptomes from freshwater gammarids contain contaminating rotifers' genetic material. Using the
Adineta steineri
genome, we investigated the genomic location and exon–intron organization of the elongase and desaturase genes, establishing they are all genome-anchored and, importantly, identifying instances of horizontal gene transfer. Finally, we provide compelling evidence demonstrating Bdelloidea desaturases and elongases enable these organisms to perform all the reactions for de novo biosynthesis of PUFA and, from them, LC-PUFA, an advantageous trait when considering the low abundance of these essential nutrients in freshwater environments.
Formyl-peptide receptor 2 signalling triggers aerobic metabolism of glucose through Nox2-dependent modulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase activity
Authors: Cimmino Tiziana Pecchillo , Pagano Ester , Stornaiuolo Mariano , Esposito Gabriella , Ammendola Rosario , Cattaneo Fabio
Published: October 2023

The human formyl-peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) is activated by an array of ligands. By phospho-proteomic analysis we proved that FPR2 stimulation induces redox-regulated phosphorylation of many proteins involved in cellular metabolic processes. In this study, we investigated metabolic pathways activated in FPR2-stimulated CaLu-6 cells. The results showed an increased concentration of metabolites involved in glucose metabolism, and an enhanced uptake of glucose mediated by GLUT4, the insulin-regulated member of GLUT family. Accordingly, we observed that FPR2 transactivated IGF-IR
β
/IR
β
through a molecular mechanism that requires Nox2 activity. Since cancer cells support their metabolism via glycolysis, we analysed glucose oxidation and proved that FPR2 signalling promoted kinase activity of the bifunctional enzyme PFKFB2 through FGFR1/FRS2- and Akt-dependent phosphorylation. Furthermore, FPR2 stimulation induced IGF-IR
β
/IR
β
-, PI3K/Akt- and Nox-dependent inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase activity, thus preventing the entry of pyruvate in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Consequently, we observed an enhanced FGFR-dependent lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and lactate production in FPR2-stimulated cells. As LDH expression is transcriptionally regulated by c-Myc and HIF-1, we demonstrated that FPR2 signalling promoted c-Myc phosphorylation and Nox-dependent HIF-1
α
stabilization. These results strongly indicate that FPR2-dependent signalling can be explored as a new therapeutic target in treatment of human cancers.
Quantum chaos in the Dicke model and its variants
Authors: Tiwari Devvrat , Banerjee Subhashish
Published: October 2023

Recently, the out-of-time-ordered correlator (OTOC) has gained much attention as an indicator of quantum chaos. In the semi-classical limit, its exponential growth rate resembles the classical Lyapunov exponent. The quantum–classical correspondence has been supported for the one-body chaotic systems as well as realistic systems with interactions, as in the Dicke model, a model of multi-two-level atoms and cavity field interactions. To this end, we calculate the OTOC for different variations of the Dicke model in an open quantum system setting. The connection between the superradiant phase transition of the Dicke model and the OTOC is studied. Further, we establish a relation between the OTOC and the second-order coherence function. This becomes important for the experimental studies of the OTOC and quantum chaos in the models of quantum optics.
HIF-1 inactivation empowers HIF-2 to drive hypoxia adaptation in aggressive forms of medulloblastoma
Authors: Contenti J. , Guo Y. , Larcher M. , Mirabal-Ortega L. , Rouleau M. , Irondelle M. , Tiroille V. , Mazzu A. , Duranton-Tanneur V. , Pedeutour F. , Ben-Sahra I. , Lago C. , Leva G. , Tiberi L. , Robert G. , Pouponnot C. , Bost F. , Mazure N.M.
Published: October 2023

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most prevalent brain cancer in children. Four subgroups of MB have been identified; of these, Group 3 is the most metastatic. Its genetics and biology remain less clear than the other groups, and it has a poor prognosis and few effective treatments available. Tumor hypoxia and the resulting metabolism are known to be important in the growth and survival of tumors but, to date, have been only minimally explored in MB. Here we show that Group 3 MB tumors do not depend on the canonical transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) to mount an adaptive response to hypoxia. We discovered that HIF-1α is rendered inactive either through post-translational methylation, preventing its nuclear localization specifically in Group 3 MB, or by a low expression that prevents modulation of HIF-target genes. Strikingly, we found that HIF-2 takes over the role of HIF-1 in the nucleus and promotes the activation of hypoxia-dependent anabolic pathways. The exclusion of HIF-1 from the nucleus in Group 3 MB cells enhances the reliance on HIF-2’s transcriptional role, making it a viable target for potential anticancer strategies. By combining pharmacological inhibition of HIF-2α with the use of metformin, a mitochondrial complex I inhibitor to block respiration, we effectively induced Group 3 MB cell death, surpassing the effectiveness observed in Non-Group 3 MB cells. Overall, the unique dependence of MB cells, but not normal cells, on HIF-2-mediated anabolic metabolism presents an appealing therapeutic opportunity for treating Group 3 MB patients with minimal toxicity.
Open-top Bessel beam two-photon light sheet microscopy for three-dimensional pathology
Authors: Park Won Yeong , Yun Jieun , Shin Jinho , Oh Byung Ho , Yoon Gilsuk , Hong Seung-Mo , Kim Ki Hean
Published: October 2023

Nondestructive pathology based on three-dimensional (3D) optical microscopy holds promise as a complement to traditional destructive hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained slide-based pathology by providing cellular information in high throughput manner. However, conventional techniques provided superficial information only due to shallow imaging depths. Herein, we developed open-top two-photon light sheet microscopy (OT-TP-LSM) for intraoperative 3D pathology. An extended depth of field two-photon excitation light sheet was generated by scanning a nondiffractive Bessel beam, and selective planar imaging was conducted with cameras at 400 frames/s max during the lateral translation of tissue specimens. Intrinsic second harmonic generation was collected for additional extracellular matrix (ECM) visualization. OT-TP-LSM was tested in various human cancer specimens including skin, pancreas, and prostate. High imaging depths were achieved owing to long excitation wavelengths and long wavelength fluorophores. 3D visualization of both cells and ECM enhanced the ability of cancer detection. Furthermore, an unsupervised deep learning network was employed for the style transfer of OT-TP-LSM images to virtual H&E images. The virtual H&E images exhibited comparable histological characteristics to real ones. OT-TP-LSM may have the potential for histopathological examination in surgical and biopsy applications by rapidly providing 3D information.
Patient-derived tumor organoids from resected non-small cell lung cancers for high-throughput response testing with approved and repurposed drugs
Authors: Suvilesh Kanve N. , Manjunath Yariswamy , Nussbaum Yulia I. , Gadelkarim Mohamed , Srivastava Akhil , Li Guangfu , Warren Wesley C. , Shyu Chi-Ren , Gao Feng , Ciorba Matthew A. , Mitchem Jonathan B. , Rachagani Satyanarayana , Kaifi Jussuf T.
Published: October 2023

Background

The five-year survival for non-metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients undergoing curative surgery remains poor at ∼50% that is due to locoregional and/or distant metastatic recurrences. Patient-derived tumor organoids (PDTOs) have high potential as clinically relevant high-throughput drug testing platforms to personalize and improve treatment of NSCLC patients. We aimed to develop PDTOs from non-metastatic NSCLC patients to assess their suitability to study tumor heterogeneities and personalized drug responses.

Methods

Ten non-metastatic (stage I-IIIA) NSCLC patients undergoing curative surgical resection were prospectively enrolled. PDTOs were established from resected lung tumor tissues and were compared with matched primary tumors by histopathology, immunohistochemistry, whole exome and whole transcriptome sequencing analysis. PDTO responses to standard of care carboplatin/paclitaxel chemotherapy were determined by measuring organoid growth using bright-field 3D imaging. Transcriptomic differential gene expression analysis identified molecular targets for drug repurposing to overcome chemoresistance.

Results

NSCLC PDTOs were successfully generated from all 10 (100%) primary tumors with a median time of 12 days (range 4-16 days). All 10 PDTOs could be grown from cryopreserved tumor tissues or reconstituted from frozen PDTOs (living biobank). PDTOs retained histopathological, immunohistochemical protein expression and mutational landscape of the matched primary tumors. Microenvironment cell population analysis revealed epithelial cell signatures of the PDTOs that matched the patients’ lung tumor tissues. Treatment responses of PDTOs to carboplatin/paclitaxel were determined by growth differences versus vehicle control group. 5/10 (50%) PDTOs were chemo-sensitive, whereas 5/10 (50%) were chemo-resistant. Upregulation of aldo-keto reductases (AKR1B10/15) was observed in chemoresistant PDTOs by differential gene expression analysis and confirmed by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry in PDTOs and tumor tissues. Epalrestat, an anti-diabetic AKR1B10 inhibitory drug, was repurposed to effectively sensitize PDTOs to carboplatin/paclitaxel.

Conclusions

PDTOs can be established from resected NSCLC primary tumor tissues with high success rates and conserve cellular, molecular and genomic characteristics of the matched NSCLC tumors. PDTOs can serve as clinically applicable and relevant personalized drug screening platforms to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of drugs, including repurposed drugs, to overcome chemoresistance.
Towards a species-level phylogeny for Neotropical Myrtaceae: notes on topology and resources for future studies
Authors:   The Neotropical Myrtaceae Working Group, Staggemeier Vanessa G. , Amorim Bruno , Bünger Mariana , Costa Itayguara R. , Quintino de Faria Jair Eustáquio , Flickinger Jonathan , Giaretta de Oliveira Augusto , Kubo Marcelo T. , Lima Duane Fernandes , Lima dos Santos Leidiana , Lourenço Ana Raquel , Lucas Eve , Mazine Fiorella Fernanda , Murillo-A José , Ibrahim Uehbe de Oliveira Marla , Parra-O Carlos , E. B. Proença Carolyn , Reginato Marcelo , Rosa Priscila , Santos Matheus Fortes , Stadnik Aline , Tuler Amélia Carlos , Valdemarin Karinne Sampaio , Vasconcelos Thais
Published: October 2023

Premise of the study

Increasingly complete phylogenies underpin studies in systematics, ecology, and evolution. Myrteae (Myrtaceae), with c. 2,500 species, is a key component of the exceptionally diverse Neotropical flora, but given its complicated taxonomy, automated assembling of molecular supermatrices from public databases often lead to unreliable topologies due to poor species identification.

Methods

Here, we build a taxonomically verified molecular supermatrix of Neotropical Myrteae by assembling 3,954 published and 959 unpublished sequences from two nuclear and seven plastidial molecular markers. We infer a time calibrated phylogenetic tree that covers 712 species of Myrteae (c. 28% of the total diversity in the clade) and evaluate geographic and taxonomic gaps in sampling.

Key results

The tree inferred from the fully concatenated matrix mostly reflects the topology of the plastid dataset and there is a moderate to strong incongruence between trees inferred from nuclear and plastid partitions. Large, species-rich genera are still the poorest sampled within the group. Eastern South America is the best-represented area in proportion to its species diversity, while Western Amazon, Mesoamerica, and the Caribbean are the least represented.

Conclusions

We provide a time-calibrated tree that can be more reliably used to address finer-scale eco-evolutionary questions that involve this group in the Neotropics. Gaps to be filled by future studies include improving representation of taxa and areas that remain poorly sampled, investigating causes of conflict between nuclear and plastidial partitions and the role of hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting in relationships that are poorly supported.