bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of technology‐based psychosocial interventions for improving health‐related outcomes of family caregivers of stroke survivors: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Hounsri Kanokwan , Zhang Jinghua , Kalampakorn Surintorn , Boonyamalik Plernpit , Jirapongsuwan Ann , Wu Vivien Xi , Klainin‐Yobas Piyanee
Published: July 2024

Aim

To synthesize evidence regarding the effectiveness of technology‐based psychosocial interventions in improving health‐related outcomes among family caregivers of stroke survivors.

Design

A systematic review and meta‐analysis was reported by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines.

Methods

Randomized controlled trials that investigated the effects of psychosocial interventions delivered through information and communication technologies on self‐efficacy, caregiving competence, caregiver burden, perceived social support, anxiety, depression, health‐related quality of life and cost‐effectiveness were included. Two researchers independently selected studies, extracted data, and appraised the quality of the included studies. Subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and narrative synthesis were conducted.

Data Sources

Ten electronic databases (PubMed, CENTRAL, Web of Science, Scopus, CINHAL, Embase, Institution of Electrical Engineers Xplore, Ovid Medline, PsycINFO, ProQuest Dissertations and Thesis) were searched up to February 2023.

Results

Nineteen studies involving 1717 participants fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Technology‐based psychosocial interventions significantly improved self‐efficacy (SMD = .62), caregiving competence (SMD = .55), depression (SMD = −.25) and anxiety (SMD = −.35). However, perceived social support, caregiver burden, and health‐related quality of life did not show significant improvements. Subgroup analyses revealed that the interventions, lasting from 4 to 6 weeks and encompassing comprehensive contents, exhibited larger effect sizes. None of the studies measured cost‐effectiveness.

Conclusion

The technology‐based psychosocial interventions are effective in enhancing self‐efficacy and caregiving competence, as well as alleviating anxiety, and depression among family caregivers of stroke survivors. Future research should investigate interventions delivered through various digital platforms using well‐designed RCTs with in‐depth qualitative data collection and measurement of health and cost‐effectiveness outcomes.

Impact

Through psychosocial interventions, healthcare providers in clinical and community settings, particularly nurses, could incorporate technologies into current stroke care practices.

Patient or Public Contribution

It is not applicable as this is a systematic review.

Registration

The protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023402871).
Nurse led models of care for outpatient substance use disorder treatment: A scoping review
Authors: Abram Marissa D. , Marzano Maryta , Caniano Lori , Searby Adam
Published: July 2024

Aim

To map key characteristics and describe nurse led models of care for the treatment of persons with substance use disorders (SUDs) in the outpatient setting.

Design

A scoping review.

Methods

Conducted in accordance with the JBI methodology. The PRISMA‐ScR checklist was used.

Data Sources

Pubmed, CINAHL Complete (EBSCOhost), Cochrane Library, APA PsycNet and Scopus were searched from 1999 to May 2022 and updated on 28 November 2023. A handsearch and a grey literature search was conducted.

Results

Title and abstract screening was performed on 774 articles resulting in 88 articles for full text screening. Full text screening yielded 13 articles that met inclusion criteria.

Conclusion

Existing nurse‐led models of care for SUDS are scarce and limited in scope, with the majority focused on treating opioid use disorder. Additional research is needed to develop, test, and implement efficacious nurse‐led models of care for the treatment and management of SUDs.

Implications to Clinical Practice

Nurse led models of care have demonstrated their efficacy and quality in the management of other chronic diseases. As we move forward with innovative solutions for individuals with addiction, nurse led models of care can be a mechanism to deliver high quality, evidence‐based care for SUDs.

Impact

SUDs are chronic diseases that impact individuals, families, and communities. SUDs require a biopsychosocial approach to treatment. Globally, nurses are well positioned to provide high quality care to mitigate the impact of SUDs. This scoping review mapped the extant literature on nurse led models of care for substance use disorder treatment in the outpatient setting finding that additional research is needed to develop, test and implement evidence‐based interventions to care for individuals, families, and communities experiencing SUDs.

Reporting Method

PRISMA checklist for scoping reviews.

No patient or public contribution were part of this study.

Protocol Registration

Open Science Framework accessible at: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/NSW7V.
All‐cause and cause‐specific mortality risk and loss in life expectancy associated with incident type 2 diabetes onset age and duration
Authors: Zhang Yin , Song Mingyang , Wang Molin , Hertzmark Ellen , Wu Kana , Eliassen A. Heather , Mucci Lorelei A. , Sun Qi , Stampfer Meir J. , Willett Walter C. , Hu Frank B. , Giovannucci Edward L.
Published: July 2024

Background

Evidence on type 2 diabetes onset age and duration on mortality risk has been limited by short follow‐up, inadequate control for confounding, missing repeated measurements, and inability to cover the full range of onset age, duration, and major causes of death. Moreover, scarce data dissect how type 2 diabetes onset age and duration shape life expectancy.

Methods

We evaluate prospectively these topics based on 270,075 eligible participants in the Nurses’ Health Studies and Health Professionals Follow‐up Study, leveraging repeated measurements throughout up to 40 years of follow‐up. Cox models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

In fully adjusted analyses, incident early onset type 2 diabetes (diagnosed <40 years of age) was associated with significantly higher mortality from all‐causes (HR, 95% CI was 3.16, 2.64–3.79; vs. individuals without type 2 diabetes), cardiovascular disease (6.56, 4.27–10.1), respiratory disease (3.43, 1.38–8.51), neurodegenerative disease (5.13, 2.09–12.6), and kidney disease (8.55, 1.98–36.9). The relative risk elevations declined dramatically with each higher decade of age at diagnosis for deaths from most of these causes, though the absolute risk difference increased continuously. A substantially higher cumulative incidence of mortality and a greater loss in life expectancy were associated with younger age at type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Longer disease duration was associated with generally higher relative and absolute risk of mortality.

Conclusion

Early onset of type 2 diabetes and longer disease duration are associated with substantially increased risk of all‐cause and cause‐specific mortality and greater loss in life expectancy.
What has a year of social isolation due to the COVID‐19 pandemic influenced oral parafunctional habits and temporomandibular disorders? A case–control study
Authors: Leão Amanda Grossi , Lalue‐Sanches Monique , Hoyuela Carmen Paz Santibañez , Sanches Marcelo José , de Moraes Luis Otávio Carvalho
Published: July 2024

Objective

Few studies investigated the influence of oral parafunctional habits during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Since some studies have demonstrated that signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorder (TMD), as well as psychological alterations, increased during the COVID‐19 pandemic lockdown, the aim of this study was to investigate whether social isolation is a situation that increases the prevalence of oral parafunctional habits.

Methods

This was an observational case–control study. An online survey with questions about TMD symptoms (Diagnostic Criteria Symptom Questionnaire) and oral parafunctional habits (Oral Behaviours Checklist [OBC]) was administered to Brazilian residents at two different times (2020 and 2021). The participants were divided according to social isolation practices into study groups (GI: 2020, n = 507; GIII: 2021, n = 282) and control groups (GII: 2020, n = 98; GIV: 2021, n = 202).

Result

In each group, we evaluated the association of the frequency of oral parafunctional habits with the symptoms of TMD, and we observed that individuals with a greater presence of painful TMD present a greater number of oral parafunctional habits. Despite the literature showing that individuals who practiced social isolation developed more oral parafunctional habits, when analysing the association of the OBC questions in Groups GI × GII and GIII × GIV, only ‘sustained talking’ (p = .0022) and ‘hold telephone between your hand and shoulders’ (p = .0124) showed a significant difference in GI × GII. Kendall's coefficient of concordance revealed that there was a very strong concordance (GI × GII 0.9515 (p = .0087) and GIII × GIV 0.9655 (p = .0074)) between the ranks of the analysed oral parafunctional habits in all groups.

Conclusion

We can state that Individuals who practiced social isolation did not present more oral parafunctional habits than individuals who did not.
The impact of sweetness and saltiness preference on dietary diversity: Panel data analysis of households in South Korea
Authors: Kim Kyounghee , Eom Haram , Moon Junghoon
Published: July 2024

This study explores the relationship between consumers' taste preferences—specifically sweetness and saltiness—and dietary diversity. This study utilizes consumer panel data collected by the Rural Development Administration of South Korea, in combination with a food nutrient database. The study applies long‐term purchase data to derive indices of dietary diversity and taste preferences. The objective is to examine the impact of sweetness and saltiness preferences, as a consumer attitude, on dietary diversity as a consumption behavior. The findings suggest that consumer preference for sweet and salty tastes significantly contributes to dietary diversity, while preference for sweetness has a negative impact and preference for saltiness has a positive impact on dietary diversity.

Practical Applications

The utilization of long‐term consumer panel data for the calculation of household‐level dietary diversity, as an alternative to short‐term memory recall surveys, offers a more comprehensive and data‐driven approach to the measurement of dietary diversity. Furthermore, an integration of nutrient content with purchased items to quantify consumers' sweet and salty taste preferences and a measurement of preference based on nutrient intake can be employed as a more objective approach to assessing taste preferences.

The results indicate that consumption behavior, specifically dietary diversity, is significantly influenced by sweet and salty taste preferences. Consumers who prefer sweetness are expected to exhibit lower dietary diversity, contributing to the association between sweetness preference and poorer health outcomes. In particular, as sweetness preference is a learned behavior, it is necessary to recognize that frequent exposure to sweetness fosters its preference and that this, in turn, negatively impacts dietary diversity. Therefore, individuals aiming for a higher level of dietary diversity should actively reduce their exposure to sweetness.
Higher‐order being and time
Authors: Skiba Lukas
Published: July 2024

Higher‐order metaphysicians take facts to be higher‐order beings, i.e., entities in the range of irreducibly higher‐order quantifiers. In this paper, I investigate the impact of this conception of facts on the debate about the reality of tense. I identify two major repercussions. The first concerns the logical space of tense realism: on a higher‐order conception of facts, a prominent version of tense realism, dynamic absolutism, turns out to conflict with the laws of (higher‐order tense) logic. The second concerns our understanding of the positions occupying this logical space: on a higher‐order conception of facts, an attractive interpretation of the central tense realist notion of ‘facts constituting reality’ becomes unavailable. I discuss these results in the context of the more general project of higher‐order metaphysics and the (meta)metaphysics of time, drawing out their implications for the nature of the disputes both between realists and anti‐realists about tense and between different tense realist factions.
The marriage between stable isotope ecology and plant metabolomics – new perspectives for metabolic flux analysis and the interpretation of ecological archives
Authors: Gessler Arthur , Wieloch Thomas , Saurer Matthias , Lehmann Marco M. , Werner Roland A. , Kammerer Bernd
Published: July 2024

Even though they share many thematical overlaps, plant metabolomics and stable isotope ecology have been rather separate fields mainly due to different mass spectrometry demands. New high‐resolution bioanalytical mass spectrometers are now not only offering high‐throughput metabolite identification but are also suitable for compound‐ and intramolecular position‐specific isotope analysis in the natural isotope abundance range. In plant metabolomics, label‐free metabolic pathway and metabolic flux analysis might become possible when applying this new technology. This is because changes in the commitment of substrates to particular metabolic pathways and the activation or deactivation of others alter enzyme‐specific isotope effects. This leads to differences in intramolecular and compound‐specific isotope compositions. In plant isotope ecology, position‐specific isotope analysis in plant archives informed by metabolic pathway analysis could be used to reconstruct and separate environmental impacts on complex metabolic processes. A technology‐driven linkage between the two disciplines could allow us to extract information on environment–metabolism interaction from plant archives such as tree rings but also within ecosystems. This would contribute to a holistic understanding of how plants react to environmental drivers, thus also providing helpful information on the trajectories of the vegetation under the conditions to come.
Inbreeding and cognition in wild populations: a relationship that remains unnoticed
Authors: Gavriilidi Ioanna , Van Linden Lisa
Published: July 2024

Anthropogenic activities are causing a steep decline of wildlife populations. Increased inbreeding in shrinking populations can substantially curb individual fitness and population viability. One potentially important but largely ignored component of inbreeding depression may be cognitive decline. Cognition affects an animal's capacity to respond to environmental disturbance, which, in the face of global change, may make the difference between persistence and extinction. While the effects of inbreeding on cognitive performance have been relatively well documented in humans, they remain largely unexplored in natural populations. Here we review the current (limited) knowledge on whether and how inbreeding impinges on animals' cognitive abilities. Insights into the relationship between inbreeding and cognition could prove valuable not only for comprehending the development and evolution of cognition but also for conservation.
Genome‐wide Characterization of Small Secreted Peptides in Nicotiana tabacum and Functional Assessment of NtLTP25 in Plant Immunity
Authors: Li Han , Liu Yanxia , Gao Weichang , Zhu Jingwei , Zhang Heng , Wang Zhiyao , Liu Changying , Li Xiang
Published: July 2024

Small secreted peptides (SSPs), serving as signaling molecules for intercellular communication, play significant regulatory roles in plant growth, development, pathogen immunity, and responses to abiotic stress. Despite several SSPs, such as PIP, PSK, and PSY having been identified to participate in plant immunity, the majority of SSPs remain understudied, necessitating the exploration and identification of SSPs regulating plant immunity from vast genomic resources. Here we systematically characterized 756 putative SSPs across the genome of Nicotiana tabacum. 173 SSPs were further annotated as established SSPs, such as nsLTP, CAPE, and CEP. Furthermore, we detected the expression of 484 putative SSP genes in five tissues, with 83 SSPs displaying tissue‐specific expression. Transcriptomic analysis of tobacco roots under plant defense hormones revealed that 46 SSPs exhibited specific responsiveness to salicylic acid (SA), and such response was antagonistically regulated by methyl jasmonate. It's worth noting that among these 46 SSPs, 16 members belong to nsLTP family, and one of them, NtLTP25, was discovered to enhance tobacco's resistance against Phytophthora nicotianae. Overexpression of NtLTP25 in tobacco enhanced the expression of ICS1, subsequently stimulating the biosynthesis of SA and the expression of NPR1 and pathogenesis‐related genes. Concurrently, NtLTP25 overexpression activated genes associated with ROS scavenging, consequently mitigating the accumulation of ROS during the subsequent phases of pathogenesis. These discoveries indicate that these 46 SSPs, especially the 16 nsLTPs, might have a vital role in governing plant immunity that relies on SA signaling. This offers a valuable source for pinpointing SSPs involved in regulating plant immunity.
Extracellular vesicles in fresh frozen plasma and cryoprecipitate: Impact on in vitro endothelial cell viability
Authors: Hwang Ji Hui , Tung John‐Paul , Harkin Damien G. , Flower Robert L. , Pecheniuk Natalie M.
Published: July 2024

Background

Transfusion‐related acute lung injury (TRALI) remains a major contributor to transfusion‐associated mortality. While the pathogenesis of TRALI remains unclear, there is evidence of a role for blood components. We therefore investigated the potential effects of fresh frozen plasma (FFP), cryoprecipitate, and extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from these blood components, on the viability of human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HLMVECs) in vitro.

Methods

EVs were isolated from FFP and cryoprecipitate using size‐exclusion chromatography and characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis, western blotting, and transmission electron microscopy. The potential effects of these blood components and their EVs on HLMVEC viability (determined by trypan blue exclusion) were examined in the presence and absence of neutrophils, either with or without prior treatment of HLMVECs with LPS.

Results

EVs isolated from FFP and cryoprecipitate displayed morphological and biochemical properties conforming to latest international criteria. While FFP, cryoprecipitate, and EVs derived from FFP, each reduced HLMVEC viability, no effect was observed for EVs derived from cryoprecipitate.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate clear differences in the effects of FFP, cryoprecipitate, and their respective EVs on HLMVEC viability in vitro. Examination of the mechanisms underlying these differences may lead to an improved understanding of the factors that promote development of TRALI.
An Improved Wiener Path Integral Approach for Stochastic Response Estimation of Nonlinear Systems Under Non-White Excitation
Authors: Zhao Ying , Fan Fengyu
Published: July 2024

An improved Wiener path integral (WPI) approach is developed for predicting the stochastic response probability density functions (PDFs) of nonlinear systems under non-white excitation. Specifically, the excitation process is modeled as the output of a filter whose input is Gaussian white noise, the joint response PDF of the nonlinear system is expressed as a functional integral of the stochastic action over the space of all possible trajectories between the initial and final states, and the second-order variation of the stochastic action is recast to a quadratic form and taken into account in the estimation of the joint response PDF. Compared to the standard WPI approach where the second-order variation of the stochastic action is regarded as a constant, the improved WPI approach developed herein considers the fluctuations of the second-order variation of the stochastic action in the computational domain, thus improving the accuracy of the stochastic response estimation. Two numerical examples are illustrated, and the nonstationary response PDFs estimated by the improved WPI approach agree well with the Monte Carlo simulation results.
Off-Equilibrium Linearization-Based Control of Nonlinear Time-Delay System and Application to a Turbofan Engine
Authors: Yang Wenchong , Tang Yifeng , Zhou Wenxiang , Yang Gang , Huang Jinquan , Cui Tao
Published: July 2024

Turbofan engines exhibit pronounced nonlinearity due to component characteristics and thermal processes, necessitating linearization to connect engine control with linear control theory. Off-equilibrium linearization offers excellent transient tracking and controller performance, making it ideal for military turbofan engines with rapid acceleration and deceleration. Hardware-in-Loop (HIL) experiments are crucial for verifying controller performance, but time delays in the HIL platform can cause oscillations in state variables when using this linearization method. To address this issue, this paper introduces an off-equilibrium linearization-based control strategy. This strategy employs an off-equilibrium linearized model to approximate the nonlinear time-delay system, followed by designing an H∞ controller for the linear time-delay system. The effectiveness of this approach applied to turbofan engines, including its antidelay and robust tracking capabilities, is validated through simulations, HIL experiments, and semiphysical experiments.
Magneto-transport study on Sn-rich Sn1−xGex thin films enabled by CdTe buffer layer
Authors: Basnet Rabindra , Upreti Dinesh , McCarthy Tyler T. , Ju Zheng , McMinn Allison M. , Sharma M. M. , Zhang Yong-Hang , Hu Jin
Published: July 2024

α-Sn, generally known as gray tin, has attracted significant scientific interest due to its potential to host novel topological phases. Studying the transport properties of α-Sn thin films grown on the InSb substrate has been challenging, as the InSb substrate also significantly contributes to the transport properties. In this article, we report a novel approach to epitaxially grow α-Sn thin films on an InSb substrate with a resistive buffer layer of CdTe. Thin films of α−Sn1−xGex (x = 0, 0.025) alloy of 15 nm thickness have been grown using molecular beam epitaxy. The high quality of the samples has been determined through high-resolution x-ray diffraction. The CdTe buffer layer has high resistance and acts as an insulating virtual substrate, which significantly suppresses contribution from InSb. Magnetotransport measurements show clear Shubnikov–de Hass oscillations in α−Sn1−xGex (x = 0, 0.025) thin films. A change in oscillation frequency is observed upon alloying with Ge, implying a modification in the electronic structure and demonstrating the effectiveness of the CdTe buffer layer approach. This work provides a new approach that enables the electronic transport characterization of the α−Sn1−xGex alloy system, which enables the study of the topological quantum states using electronic transport and their device applications.
Patterning functional oxides: Some failures and solutions in fabricating a Hall bar
Authors: Shoham Lishai , Das Brajagopal , Shacham Amit , Baskin Maria , Ternyak Orna , Schöpf Jörg , Lipp Eran , Kornblum Lior
Published: July 2024

Functional oxides exhibit diverse useful properties, opening attractive prospects for electronic, magnetic, and optoelectronic devices. However, the chemical instability of these oxides with some microfabrication processes, especially when dealing with thin films (<40 nm) or micrometer-scale lateral dimensions, can pose a considerable challenge. Here, we describe the fabrication process of a Hall bar device used as a test structure for thin functional oxide films. This process employs photolithography and dry etching, utilizing standard clean-room materials and methods. The device layout and fabrication process are described in detail, including conclusions and lessons gained from several failed attempts during process development. A key lesson is the advantage of employing an ultrathin protective layer to protect the oxide film surface. In addition, we encountered two additional fabrication challenges: photoresist hardening during dry etching and edge accumulation of photoresist during spin-coating. Effective solutions to these issues are described. We hope that our lessons and conclusions, not limited to functional oxides, will help to shorten the process development for other materials and devices.
Periodic cytokinin responses in
Lotus japonicus
rhizobium infection and nodule development
Authors: Soyano Takashi , Akamatsu Akira , Takeda Naoya , Watahiki Masaaki K. , Goh Tatsuaki , Okuma Nao , Suganuma Norio , Kojima Mikiko , Takebayashi Yumiko , Sakakibara Hitoshi , Nakajima Keiji , Kawaguchi Masayoshi
Published: July 2024

Host plants benefit from legume root nodule symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria under nitrogen-limiting conditions. In this interaction, the hosts must regulate nodule numbers and distribution patterns to control the degree of symbiosis and maintain root growth functions. The host response to symbiotic bacteria occurs discontinuously but repeatedly at the region behind the tip of the growing roots. Here, live-imaging and transcriptome analyses revealed oscillating host gene expression with approximately 6-hour intervals upon bacterial inoculation. Cytokinin response also exhibited a similar oscillation pattern. Cytokinin signaling is crucial to maintaining the periodicity, as observed in cytokinin receptor mutants displaying altered infection foci distribution. This periodic regulation influences the size of the root region responsive to bacteria, as well as the nodulation process progression.
Defective TiO

x

overlayers catalyze propane dehydrogenation promoted by base metals
Authors: Chen Sai , Xu Yiyi , Chang Xin , Pan Yue , Sun Guodong , Wang Xianhui , Fu Donglong , Pei Chunlei , Zhao Zhi-Jian , Su Dong , Gong Jinlong
Published: July 2024

The industrial catalysts utilized for propane dehydrogenation (PDH) to propylene, an important alternative to petroleum-based cracking processes, either use expensive metals or metal oxides that are environmentally unbenign. We report that a typically less-active oxide, titanium oxide (TiO
2
), can be combined with earth-abundant metallic nickel (Ni) to form an unconventional Ni@TiO

x

catalyst for efficient PDH. The catalyst demonstrates a 94% propylene selectivity at 40% propane conversion and superior stability under industrially relevant conditions. Complete encapsulation of Ni nanoparticles was allowed at elevated temperatures (>550°C). A mechanistic study suggested that the defective TiO

x

overlayer consisting of tetracoordinated Ti sites with oxygen vacancies is catalytically active. Subsurface metallic Ni acts as an electronic promoter to accelerate carbon-hydrogen bond activation and hydrogen (H
2
) desorption on the TiO

x

overlayer.
Two-dimensional chiral perovskites with large spin Hall angle and collinear spin Hall conductivity
Authors: Abdelwahab Ibrahim , Kumar Dushyant , Bian Tieyuan , Zheng Haining , Gao Heng , Hu Fanrui , McClelland Arthur , Leng Kai , Wilson William L. , Yin Jun , Yang Hyunsoo , Loh Kian Ping
Published: July 2024

Two-dimensional hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites with chiral spin texture are emergent spin-optoelectronic materials. Despite the wealth of chiro-optical studies on these materials, their charge-to-spin conversion efficiency is unknown. We demonstrate highly efficient electrically driven charge-to-spin conversion in enantiopure chiral perovskites (R/S-MB)
2
(MA)
3
Pb
4
I
13
(〈
n
〉 = 4), where MB is 2-methylbutylamine, MA is methylamine, Pb is lead, and I is iodine. Using scanning photovoltage microscopy, we measured a spin Hall angle θ
sh
of 5% and a spin lifetime of ~75 picoseconds at room temperature in 〈
n
〉 = 4 chiral perovskites, which is much larger than its racemic counterpart as well as the lower 〈
n
〉 homologs. In addition to current-induced transverse spin current, the presence of a coexisting out-of-plane spin current confirms that both conventional and collinear spin Hall conductivities exist in these low-dimensional crystals.
Genomic diversity improves disease discovery for all
Authors: Williamson Alice , Fatumo Segun
Published: July 2024

Genomic data from different populations will improve understanding of complex diseases
The interaction of the azetidine thiazole side chain with the active site loop (ASL) 3 drives the evolution of IMP metallo-β-lactamase against tebipenem
Authors: Ono Daisuke , Cmolik Anna , Bethel Christopher R. , Ishii Yoshikazu , Drusin Salvador I. , Moreno Diego M. , Vila Alejandro J. , Bonomo Robert A. , Mojica Maria F.
Published: July 2024

Imipenemase (IMP) metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) hydrolyze almost all available β-lactams including carbapenems and are not inhibited by any commercially available β-lactamase inhibitor. Tebipenem (TP) pivoxil is the first orally available carbapenem and possesses a unique bicyclic azetidine thiazole moiety located at the R2 position. TP has potent
in vitro
activity against
Enterobacterales
producing extended-spectrum and/or AmpC β-lactamases. Thus far, the activity of TP against IMP-producing strains is understudied. To address this knowledge gap, we explored the structure activity relationships of IMP MBLs by investigating whether IMP-6, IMP-10, IMP-25, and IMP-78 [MBLs with expanded hydrolytic activity against meropenem (MEM)] would demonstrate enhanced activity against TP. Most of the
Escherichia coli
DH10B strains expressing IMP-1 variants displayed a ≥twofold MIC difference between TP and MEM, while those expressing VIM or NDM variants demonstrated comparable MICs. Catalytic efficiency (
k
cat
/
K
M
) values for the TP hydrolysis by IMP-1, IMP-6, IMP-10, IMP-25, and IMP-78 were significantly lower than those obtained for MEM. Molecular dynamic simulations reveal that V67F and S262G substitutions (found in IMP-78) reposition active site loop 3, ASL-3, to better accommodate the bicyclic azetidine thiazole side chain, allowing microbiological/catalytic activity to approach that of comparison MBLs used in this study. These findings suggest that modifying the R2 side chain of carbapenems can significantly impact hydrolytic stability. Furthermore, changes in conformational dynamics due to single amino acid substitutions should be used to inform drug design of novel carbapenems.
Genetic engineering of
Salmonella
spp. for novel vaccine strategies and therapeutics
Authors: Bansal Garima , Ghanem Mostafa , Sears Khandra T. , Galen James E. , Tennant Sharon M.
Published: July 2024

Salmonella enterica
is a diverse species that infects both humans and animals.
S. enterica
subspecies
enterica
consists of more than 1,500 serovars. Unlike typhoidal
Salmonella
serovars which are human host-restricted, non-typhoidal
Salmonella
(NTS) serovars are associated with foodborne illnesses worldwide and are transmitted via the food chain. Additionally, NTS serovars can cause disease in livestock animals causing significant economic losses.
Salmonella
is a well-studied model organism that is easy to manipulate and evaluate in animal models of infection. Advances in genetic engineering approaches in recent years have led to the development of
Salmonella
vaccines for both humans and animals. In this review, we focus on current progress of recombinant live-attenuated
Salmonella
vaccines, their use as a source of antigens for parenteral vaccines, their use as live-vector vaccines to deliver foreign antigens, and their use as therapeutic cancer vaccines in humans. We also describe development of live-attenuated
Salmonella
vaccines and live-vector vaccines for use in animals.
The Raf kinase inhibitors Dabrafenib and Regorafenib impair Zika virus replication via distinct mechanisms
Authors: Wilken Lucas , Rimmelzwaan Guus F. , Elbahesh Husni
Published: July 2024

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a re-emerging mosquito-borne flavivirus that has been associated with congenital neurological defects in fetuses born to infected mothers. At present, no vaccine or antiviral therapy is available to combat this devastating disease. Repurposing drugs that target essential host factors exploited by viruses is an attractive therapeutic approach. Here, we screened a panel of clinically approved small-molecule kinase inhibitors for their antiviral effects against a clinical isolate of ZIKV and thoroughly characterized their mechanisms of action. We found that the Raf kinase inhibitors Dabrafenib and Regorafenib potently impair the replication of ZIKV, but not that of its close relative dengue virus. Time-of-addition experiments showed that both inhibitors target ZIKV infection at post-entry steps. We found that Dabrafenib, but not Regorafenib, interfered with ZIKV genome replication by impairing both negative- and positive-strand RNA synthesis. Regorafenib, on the other hand, altered steady-state viral protein levels, viral egress, and blocked NS1 secretion. We also observed Regorafenib-induced ER fragmentation in ZIKV-infected cells, which might contribute to its antiviral effects. Because these inhibitors target different steps of the ZIKV infection cycle, their use in combination therapy may amplify their antiviral effects which could be further explored for future therapeutic strategies against ZIKV and possibly other flaviviruses.

IMPORTANCE

There is an urgent need to develop effective therapeutics against re-emerging arboviruses associated with neurological disorders like Zika virus (ZIKV). We identified two FDA-approved kinase inhibitors, Dabrafenib and Regorafenib, as potent inhibitors of contemporary ZIKV strains at distinct stages of infection despite overlapping host targets. Both inhibitors reduced viral titers by ~1 to 2 log
10
(~10-fold to 100-fold) with minimal cytotoxicity. Furthermore, we show that Dabrafenib inhibits ZIKV RNA replication whereas Regorafenib inhibits ZIKV translation and egress. Regorafenib has the added benefit of limiting NS1 secretion, which contributes to the pathogenesis and disease progression of several flaviviruses. Because these inhibitors affect distinct post-entry steps of ZIKV infection, their therapeutic potential may be amplified by combination therapy and likely does not require prophylactic administration. This study provides further insight into ZIKV-host interactions and has implications for the development of novel antivirals against ZIKV and possibly other flaviviruses.
Erratum to: Conditions of Formation of the Pavlik Gold–Sulfide–Quartz Deposit (Northeast of Russia) According to a Study of Fluid Inclusions
Authors: Volkov A. V. , Prokofiev V. Y. , Aristov V. V. , Sidorova N. V.
Published: July 2024

An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1075701524030024
Effect of combined rapid access point-of-care intestinal ultrasound clinic on the management of inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Grunshaw Nigel , Harrison Wendi , Owen Hayley , Smith Philip J
Published: July 2024

Background

Intestinal ultrasound (IUS), although less widely practiced in the UK, offers several advantages in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly with regard to the accessibility of the test and immediate availability of reports.

Aims

To assess the use of point-of-care IUS in influencing management change in IBD.

Methods

A retrospective service evaluation review of 3 years of a rapid access IUS clinic performed in combination with IBD nurses in a District General Hospital setting.

Results

A total of 227 examinations were performed on 168 patients. All scans were performed by a consultant radiologist. 162 examinations (79%) were scanned and reported within 2 weeks of referral. 101/227 (44%) had evidence of significant active/obstructing disease, and in patients with known IBD, this rises to 101/185 (55%). Overall, 59.5% (135) of ultrasound examinations resulted in management changes.

Conclusion

Wider adoption of IUS in a point-of-care setting has the potential to significantly guide patient management in IBD.
Temperature and firearm violence in four US cities: testing competing hypotheses
Authors: Bushover Brady , Mehranbod Christina A , Roberts Leah E , Gobaud Ariana N , Fish Carolyn , Gao Xiang , Zadey Siddhesh , Morrison Christopher N
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Firearm violence is a major public health issue in the USA. There is growing evidence that firearm violence is associated with higher ambient temperatures. The aim of this study was to test competing hypotheses that could explain associations between temperature and firearm violence: temperature-aggression theory and routine activities theory.

Methods

We examined associations between elevated daily temperatures and shooting incidents in four US cities: Chicago, Illinois; Cincinnati, Ohio; New York, New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Temperature was operationalised using two different measures: daily maximum temperature and deviations of the daily maximum temperature from 30-year averages. Generalised linear autoregressive moving average models related temperature to shooting incidence while controlling for seasonal effects.

Results

As maximum daily temperature deviates from the expected, there was an association with increased shooting incidents in all four cities (eg, New York: b=0.014, 95% CI=0.011 to 0.017). An interaction term created by multiplying daily maximum temperature by the daily difference of maximum temperature from a 30-year average was also found to have a positive association in all four cities (eg, New York: b=0.020, 95% CI=0.016 to 0.025).

Discussion

These findings accord with previous studies demonstrating a positive relationship between temperature and firearm violence and further support temperature-aggression theory as the primary causal mechanism.
Patients as knowledge partners in the context of complex chronic conditions
Authors: Hsu Vox Jo , Moodie Megan , Dumes Abigail A , Rogers Emily Lim , Carter Chelsey , Broder Emma , Couture Daisy , Löwy Ilana , Mendenhall Emily
Published: July 2024

This article conveys how taking patient knowledge seriously can improve patient experience and further medical science. In clinical contexts related to infection-associated chronic conditions and other complex chronic illnesses, patient knowledge is often undervalued, even when clinicians have limited training in diagnosing and treating a particular condition. Despite growing acknowledgement of the importance of patients as ‘stakeholders’, clinicians and medical researchers have yet to fully develop ways to evaluate and, when appropriate, meaningfully incorporate patient knowledge—experiential, scientific, social scientific, historical or otherwise—into clinical practice and research. We argue that there are opportunities for clinicians and researchers to collaborate with patients and colleagues from the social sciences and humanities. We use two examples to demonstrate why patient knowledge should inform medical engagement with chronic and complex conditions. The first comes from a disability studies scholar who describes the social biases that can sideline patient expertise, and the second is from an anthropologist whose reading in medical humanities led to an effective treatment for her recovery. Rather than merely acknowledging ‘lived experience’, clinical and research teams should include patients with complex chronic conditions as ‘knowledge partners’. These patients occupy unique and valuable epistemological positions, and their knowledge should be considered with as much openness and rigour as other forms of medical knowledge. As more medical schools, residency programmes and hospitals emphasise the need for ‘deep listening’ and patient input, we encourage meaningful engagement with patients whose insights can provide crucial knowledge for clinical and scientific advancement.
Association between timing of operative interventions and mortality in emergency general surgery
Authors: Silver David S , Lu Liling , Beiriger Jamison , Reitz Katherine M , Khamzina Yekaterina , Neal Matthew D , Peitzman Andrew B , Brown Joshua B
Published: July 2024

Background

Emergency general surgery (EGS) often demands timely interventions, yet data for triage and timing are limited. This study explores the relationship between hospital arrival-to-operation time and mortality in EGS patients.

Study design

We performed a retrospective cohort study using an EGS registry at four hospitals, enrolling adults who underwent operative intervention for a primary American Association for the Surgery of Trauma-defined EGS diagnosis between 2021 and 2023. We excluded patients undergoing surgery more than 72 hours after admission as non-urgent and defined our exposure of interest as the time from the initial vital sign capture to the skin incision timestamp. We assessed the association between operative timing quintiles and in-hospital mortality using a mixed-effect hierarchical multivariable model, adjusting for patient demographics, comorbidities, organ dysfunction, and clustering at the hospital level.

Results

A total of 1199 patients were included. The median time to operating room (OR) was 8.2 hours (IQR 4.9–20.5 hours). Prolonged time to OR increased the relative likelihood of in-hospital mortality. Patients undergoing an operation between 6.7 and 10.7 hours after first vitals had the highest odds of in-hospital mortality compared with operative times <4.2 hours (reference quintile) (adjusted OR (aOR) 68.994; 95% CI 4.608 to 1032.980, p=0.002). A similar trend was observed among patients with operative times between 24.4 and 70.9 hours (aOR 69.682; 95% CI 2.968 to 1636.038, p=0.008).

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that prompt operative intervention is associated with lower in-hospital mortality rates among EGS patients. Further work to identify the most time-sensitive populations is warranted. These results may begin to inform benchmarking for triaging interventions in the EGS population to help reduce mortality rates.

Level of evidence

IV.
On increasing equity and inclusion of early-career professionals for conferences and conference networking in Canadian fisheries and aquatic science societies
Authors: Semeniuk Christina A.D. , Church Kathleen D.W. , Eissenhauer Felix , Grimm Jaime , Hechler Robert M. , Howell Bradley E. , Ivanova Silviya V. , Klemet-N'Guessan Sandra , Madliger Christine L. , Reid Jessica , Thompson-Kumar Kendra A. , Arismendi Ivan , Penaluna Brooke E. , Kirkwood Andrea E. , Febria Catherine M.
Published: July 2024

As early-career professionals (ECPs) navigate their education and professional development in the aquatic sciences, many seek to build a network to help guide their entrance into the field. As influential organizations, scientific societies play a vital role through hosted conferences, where ECPs can meet and share ideas with others, and find mentors to facilitate their colleagues’ journey within the profession. However, not all ECPs are the same, and those from marginalized backgrounds face unique challenges. Here, we provide a perspective on ways scientific societies can ensure all members are provided with equitable opportunity to discover, access, and build career-defining networks at conference events, including the critical role of mentors in navigating obstacles to success. Our recommendations originate from an early-career networking workshop in 2022 at a Canadian fisheries and aquatic sciences conference. The day-long hybrid event comprised interactive activities and discussions on how societies and their conferences can foster and promote inclusive networking for all, including suggestions on maximizing inclusivity for online attendees. This perspective serves as a call to action for scientific societies and senior-career professionals to meaningfully engage with ECPs and marginalized members to promote transformative science.
4D Weyl anomaly and diversity of the interior structure of quantum black hole
Authors: Ho Pei-Ming , Kawai Hikaru , Liao Henry , Yokokura Yuki
Published: July 2024

We study the interior metric of 4D spherically symmetric static black holes by using the semi-classical Einstein equation and find a consistent class of geometries with large curvatures. We approximate the matter fields by conformal fields and consider the contribution of the 4D Weyl anomaly, giving a state-independent constraint. Combining this with an equation of state yields an equation that determines the interior geometry completely. We explore the solution space of the equation in a non-perturbative manner for $$\hbar $$
ħ
. First, we find four types of asymptotic behaviors and examine the general features of the solutions. Then, by imposing physical conditions, we obtain approximately a general class of interior geometries: various combinations of dilute and dense structures without a horizon or singularity. This represents the diversity of the interior structure. Finally, we show that the number of possible patterns of such interior geometries corresponds to the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy.
Symmetry and symmetry breaking of quasicrystals and their applications
Authors: Fan Tian-You , Tang Zhi-Yi
Published: July 2024

This paper gives a detailed review on symmetry and symmetry breaking of quasicrystals. The symmetry groups of solid and soft-matter quasicrystals observed so far are summarized and the symmetry breakings of quasicrystals are systematically discussed. The present review connects several branches of mathematics and physics and related applications in science and technology are also discussed.
Effects of strain and ferromagnetic metal stripe on the electron transport properties in a graphene
Authors: Ling S. J. , Yu Z. Q. , Shu J. , Liu S. Q. , Wang J. H. , Lu J. D.
Published: July 2024

Because the electron transport mechanism in graphene is heavily impacted by the strain and the ferromagnetic metal stripe as well as several other avenues, in this paper we investigate the effects of the strained barrier induced by the strain and the magnetic field generated by the ferromagnetic metal stripe on the valley polarization through numerical calculation. When the strength and the width of the strained barrier as well as the magnitude of the magnetic field are changed, the rapid variation of the valley polarization is observed. This study will be helpful for devising and manufacturing new-style valleytronic devices.
HGLeNet DEEP LEARNING FOR SKIN CANCER DETECTION WITH SKIN LESION SEGMENTATION
Authors: MARIAPPAN SUGUNA , MOSES DIANA
Published: July 2024

Skin cancer is deemed to be the most dangerous type of cancer. It occurs due to the damage caused to the DNA and if left untreated can lead to death. Various methods have been devised over the last few years for skin cancer detection. However, their performance was affected by various challenges in image analysis, like color illumination variations, differences in shape, size, etc. Therefore, to tackle these issues the novel framework, deep learning (DL) technique for accurate skin cancer detection and lesion segmentation is developed. Primarily, the skin image is pre-processed by employing a weighted median filtering to eradicate the noises contained. Then, the segmentation of skin lesions is carried out by employing the efficient neural network (ENet). After that, augmentation is accomplished to avoid overfitting, and later, feature extraction is carried out. At last, skin cancer detection is effectuated with the help of hybrid GoogleNet-LeNet (HGLeNet), which is obtained by merging GoogleNet and LeNet, here layers are modified using the regression concept. Furthermore, the introduced framework is examined for its effectiveness through accuracy, sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, HGLeNet attained the highest accuracy of 0.922, sensitivity of 0.928, as well as specificity of 0.924.