bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device therapy vs oral progestin treatment for reproductive-aged patients with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Suzuki Yukio , Ferris Jennifer S , Chen Ling , Dioun Shayan , Usseglio John , Matsuo Koji , Xu Xiao , Hershman Dawn L , Wright Jason D
Published: February 2024

Background

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine outcomes of patients with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia treated with oral progestins or a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (IUD).

Methods

We conducted a systematic review across 5 databases to examine outcomes of progestational treatment (oral progestins or levonorgestrel-releasing IUD) for patients with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia. The primary outcome was the best complete response rate within 12 months of primary progestational treatment. Sensitivity analyses were performed by removing studies with extreme effect sizes. Secondary outcomes included the pooled pregnancy rate.

Results

We identified 21 eligible studies, including 824 premenopausal patients with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia, for our meta-analysis. Among these, 459 patients received oral progestin, and 365 patients received levonorgestrel-releasing IUD as a primary progestational treatment. The pooled best complete response proportion within 12 months was 82% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 69% to 91%) following oral progestin treatment and 95% (95% CI = 81% to 99%) following levonorgestrel-releasing IUD treatment. After removing outlier studies, the pooled proportion was 86% (95% CI = 75% to 92%) for the oral progestin group and 96% (95% CI = 91% to 99%) for the levonorgestrel-releasing IUD group, with reduced heterogeneity. The pooled pregnancy rate was 50% (95% CI = 35% to 65%) after oral progestin and 35% (95% CI = 23% to 49%) after levonorgestrel-releasing IUD treatment.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis provides data on the effectiveness of oral progestins and levonorgestrel-releasing IUD treatment within 12 months of treatment among premenopausal patients with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia. Although based on small numbers, the rate of pregnancy after treatment is modest. These data may be beneficial for selecting progestational therapies that allow fertility preservation for patients with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia.
Bayesian semi-parametric inference for clustered recurrent events with zero inflation and a terminal event
Authors: Tian Xinyuan , Ciarleglio Maria , Cai Jiachen , Greene Erich J , Esserman Denise , Li Fan , Zhao Yize
Published: February 2024

Recurrent events are common in clinical studies and are often subject to terminal events. In pragmatic trials, participants are often nested in clinics and can be susceptible or structurally unsusceptible to the recurrent events. We develop a Bayesian shared random effects model to accommodate this complex data structure. To achieve robustness, we consider the Dirichlet processes to model the residual of the accelerated failure time model for the survival process as well as the cluster-specific shared frailty distribution, along with an efficient sampling algorithm for posterior inference. Our method is applied to a recent cluster randomized trial on fall injury prevention.
ggPlantmap: an open-source R package for the creation of informative and quantitative ggplot maps derived from plant images
Authors: Jo Leonardo , Kajala Kaisa
Published: February 2024

As plant research generates an ever-growing volume of spatial quantitative data, the need for decentralized and user-friendly visualization tools to explore large and complex datasets becomes crucial. Existing resources, such as the Plant eFP (electronic Fluorescent Pictograph) viewer, have played a pivotal role on the communication of gene expression data across many plant species. However, although widely used by the plant research community, the Plant eFP viewer lacks open and user-friendly tools for the creation of customized expression maps independently. Plant biologists with less coding experience can often encounter challenges when attempting to explore ways to communicate their own spatial quantitative data. We present ‘ggPlantmap’ an open-source R package designed to address this challenge by providing an easy and user-friendly method for the creation of ggplot representative maps from plant images. ggPlantmap is built in R, one of the most used languages in biology, to empower plant scientists to create and customize eFP-like viewers tailored to their experimental data. Here, we provide an overview of the package and tutorials that are accessible even to users with minimal R programming experience. We hope that ggPlantmap can assist the plant science community, fostering innovation, and improving our understanding of plant development and function.
How Do I Keep Myself Calm?
Authors: Goldstein Naomi E. S. , Serico Jennifer M. , Haney-Caron Emily , Giallella Christy L. , Kalbeitzer Rachel , Zelechoski Amanda D. , Riggs Romaine Christina L. , Kemp Kathleen
Published: February 2024

This chapter covers Session 8 of the Juvenile Justice Anger Management (JJAM) Treatment for Girls. In this session the group participants continue thinking of tools that they can use to cope with anger. The chapter focuses on the specific coping mechanism of self-talk, which can have an impact on a person’s feelings and reactions to certain situations. The movie clip shown in this session will help the girls to relate to and understand the self-talk concept. The session activities include self-talk role-playing and real-life role-playing. The materials, scripts, and sequences that the facilitators will need for the activities are provided.
Communication
Authors: Goldstein Naomi E. S. , Serico Jennifer M. , Haney-Caron Emily , Giallella Christy L. , Kalbeitzer Rachel , Zelechoski Amanda D. , Riggs Romaine Christina L. , Kemp Kathleen
Published: February 2024

This chapter covers Session 10 of the Juvenile Justice Anger Management (JJAM) Treatment for Girls. In this session the group participants learn about the importance of communication. This chapter provides the materials, preparations, and script to help the facilitators teach the girls about effectively communicating their feelings when they are upset. The session’s overall goal is for the participants to learn how to talk through a difficult situation without harming the relationship. The chapter introduces the concept of active listening, and the session activities teach participants how to effectively listen to another person by maintaining eye contact, nodding, and rephrasing what the other person has said. The “I” statements exercise helps the girls become more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and intentions and how best to express them.
Repairing Damaged Relationships
Authors: Goldstein Naomi E. S. , Serico Jennifer M. , Haney-Caron Emily , Giallella Christy L. , Kalbeitzer Rachel , Zelechoski Amanda D. , Riggs Romaine Christina L. , Kemp Kathleen
Published: February 2024

This chapter covers Session 13 of the Juvenile Justice Anger Management (JJAM) Treatment for Girls. This session focuses on the ways that group participants can repair damaged relationships. Many of the girls in the group are likely to have a history of reacting to anger in ways they regret, which results in damaged relationships with friends and family. Facilitators teach the girls effective ways to apologize and ask for forgiveness from others. In a role-play, the facilitators depict an ineffective way to apologize and then ask the girls to identify why it wasn’t an effective apology. A letter-writing activity is presented so the girls can practice apologizing as a way of repairing a damaged relationship.
Does Everyone See the Same Thing?
Authors: Goldstein Naomi E. S. , Serico Jennifer M. , Haney-Caron Emily , Giallella Christy L. , Kalbeitzer Rachel , Zelechoski Amanda D. , Riggs Romaine Christina L. , Kemp Kathleen
Published: February 2024

This chapter provides the facilitator materials needed for Session 4 of the Juvenile Justice Anger Management (JJAM) Treatment for Girls. This session primarily involves learning about how people have different perspectives. The session’s catch phrase is “Instead of thinking of the worst, seek other explanations first.” In line with their goal sheet’s task of seeing how their thoughts can affect their reactions, the participants will write down their thoughts and reactions to two different situations when they feel sad, upset, or angry. The chapter also provides figures and exercises needed for the session. The girls are expected to talk about their feelings, thoughts, and reactions to a situation to see how they are connected and to stay out of trouble.
Triggers of Anger
Authors: Goldstein Naomi E. S. , Serico Jennifer M. , Haney-Caron Emily , Giallella Christy L. , Kalbeitzer Rachel , Zelechoski Amanda D. , Riggs Romaine Christina L. , Kemp Kathleen
Published: February 2024

This chapter contains the facilitator materials needed for Session 6 of the Juvenile Justice Anger Management (JJAM) Treatment for Girls. This session revolves around triggers of anger. The facilitators will teach the girls how people, places, and things can trigger anger and will encourage the girls to identify the triggers in their lives. The Session 6 catch phrase is “When a match gets lit, slow down, don’t have a fit.” The goal sheet aims to teach the participants to avoid their triggers and to refrain from acting on their anger. The chapter lists the movie clips for the session, which feature conflicts or arguments to help the girls identify triggers. It also provides the figures needed for the session activities, such as creating individual matchbooks of triggers and making a catch phrase sign.
Self-Control
Authors: Goldstein Naomi E. S. , Serico Jennifer M. , Haney-Caron Emily , Giallella Christy L. , Kalbeitzer Rachel , Zelechoski Amanda D. , Riggs Romaine Christina L. , Kemp Kathleen
Published: February 2024

This chapter provides the facilitator materials for Session 7 of the Juvenile Justice Anger Management (JJAM) Treatment for Girls. This session teaches the participants about the different tools they can use to keep their temper at bay. Because it is difficult to remain calm when feeling tested and angry, the facilitators encourage the participants to use and practice different tools when they are angry to see which would work best for them. The Session 7 catch phrase is “Use your tools so you don’t break rules.” Materials are provided for the session activities, such as the taunt list for the “Ugly Bag” activity and the taunt list for the cards and memory game. Also provided are the materials that the facilitators will need to teach about the toolbox and tools and to create a catch phrase sign.
Identifying Options and Consequences
Authors: Goldstein Naomi E. S. , Serico Jennifer M. , Haney-Caron Emily , Giallella Christy L. , Kalbeitzer Rachel , Zelechoski Amanda D. , Riggs Romaine Christina L. , Kemp Kathleen
Published: February 2024

This chapter provides the facilitator materials for Session 12 of the Juvenile Justice Anger Management (JJAM) Treatment for Girls. This session focuses on the options and consequences of participants’ actions and reactions. The facilitators teach the girls about the different tools they can use to handle difficult situations. The participants learn to choose the best tool for dealing with their anger by weighing the advantages and disadvantages of each one. The girls are urged to think about the prices and rewards for different reactions when they get angry or upset. The Session 12 catch phrase is “When you’re angry, don’t get lost—think of options and their cost.” The goal sheet’s aim is to help the girls figure out the best reaction to certain situations.
Can I Be a Star?
Authors: Goldstein Naomi E. S. , Serico Jennifer M. , Haney-Caron Emily , Giallella Christy L. , Kalbeitzer Rachel , Zelechoski Amanda D. , Riggs Romaine Christina L. , Kemp Kathleen
Published: February 2024

This chapter provides the facilitator materials for Session 15 of the Juvenile Justice Anger Management (JJAM) Treatment for Girls. In this session the participants plan a play that they will perform in the next session. The play will allow the girls to showcase what they have learned and practiced in a creative way. The participants will need to find a good time to practice their lines and prepare for the play. The Session 15 catch phrase is “I’ve come so far, now I’ll be a star!” The goal sheet focuses on learning the lines for the play. The chapter also includes an invitation for the facility staff to attend the play.
Does Everyone See the Same Thing?
Authors: Goldstein Naomi E. S. , Serico Jennifer M. , Haney-Caron Emily , Giallella Christy L. , Kalbeitzer Rachel , Zelechoski Amanda D. , Riggs Romaine Christina L. , Kemp Kathleen
Published: February 2024

This chapter provides the participant materials for Session 4 of the Juvenile Justice Anger Management (JJAM) Treatment for Girls. This session focuses on the ability to see things from different points of view and to think of different reasons why a person did something. Having more information about a situation should help one understand the situation better and therefore have a better reaction. When someone else is angry, it is usually because of several different reasons. It is thus important to try to think about the situation from the other person’s point of view. The participant feedback form allows participants to reflect on examples of situations where they can practice looking at things from a different perspective.
Self-Control
Authors: Goldstein Naomi E. S. , Serico Jennifer M. , Haney-Caron Emily , Giallella Christy L. , Kalbeitzer Rachel , Zelechoski Amanda D. , Riggs Romaine Christina L. , Kemp Kathleen
Published: February 2024

This chapter provides the participant materials for Session 7 of the Juvenile Justice Anger Management (JJAM) Treatment for Girls. This session teaches the girls to practice self-control when they are angry. It is hard to think when one is angry, but tools can help one stay calm and deal with one’s anger without getting into trouble. One tool is to take a deep breath before talking back to someone so that one can have time to think about how to respond. The participant feedback form identifies acts of social aggression and allows participants to reflect on examples of situations where they can practice self-control.
Preparing for Our Futures
Authors: Goldstein Naomi E. S. , Serico Jennifer M. , Haney-Caron Emily , Giallella Christy L. , Kalbeitzer Rachel , Zelechoski Amanda D. , Riggs Romaine Christina L. , Kemp Kathleen
Published: February 2024

This chapter provides the participant materials for Session 14 of the Juvenile Justice Anger Management (JJAM) Treatment for Girls. In this session the girls learn how to prepare plans for the future. This includes the process of figuring out how to tell important people about the anger management tools they learned and how to ask for help. Planning ahead means thinking about one’s goals and writing them down. An example of a goal is to get better grades in school by the end of the year. When a participant is angry and needs help remembering these tools, it is useful for her to talk to her building block support people.
Digital Microscopy Augmented by Artificial Intelligence to Interpret Bone Marrow Samples for Hematological Diseases
Authors: Bermejo-Peláez David , Rueda Charro Sandra , García Roa María , Trelles-Martínez Roberto , Bobes-Fernández Alejandro , Hidalgo Soto Marta , García-Vicente Roberto , Morales María Luz , Rodríguez-García Alba , Ortiz-Ruiz Alejandra , Blanco Sánchez Alberto , Mousa Urbina Adriana , Álamo Elisa , Lin Lin , Dacal Elena , Cuadrado Daniel , Postigo María , Vladimirov Alexander , Garcia-Villena Jaime , Santos Andrés , Ledesma-Carbayo María Jesús , Ayala Rosa , Martínez-López Joaquín , Linares María , Luengo-Oroz Miguel
Published: February 2024

Analysis of bone marrow aspirates (BMAs) is an essential step in the diagnosis of hematological disorders. This analysis is usually performed based on a visual examination of samples under a conventional optical microscope, which involves a labor-intensive process, limited by clinical experience and subject to high observer variability. In this work, we present a comprehensive digital microscopy system that enables BMA analysis for cell type counting and differentiation in an efficient and objective manner. This system not only provides an accessible and simple method to digitize, store, and analyze BMA samples remotely but is also supported by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) pipeline that accelerates the differential cell counting process and reduces interobserver variability. It has been designed to integrate AI algorithms with the daily clinical routine and can be used in any regular hospital workflow.
Accurate Fourier-space statistics for line intensity mapping: Cartesian grid sampling without aliased power
Authors: Cunnington Steven , Wolz Laura
Published: February 2024

Estimators for n-point clustering statistics in Fourier-space demand that modern surveys of large-scale structure be transformed to Cartesian coordinates to perform Fast Fourier Transforms (FFTs). In this work, we explore this transformation in the context of pixelized line intensity maps (LIM), highlighting potential biasing effects on power-spectrum measurements. Current analyses often avoid a complete resampling of the data by approximating survey geometry as rectangular in Cartesian space, an increasingly inaccurate assumption for modern wide-sky surveys. Our simulations of a $20\, {\times }\, 20\, \text{deg}^2$ 21 cm LIM survey at $0.34\, {\lt }\, z\, {\lt }\, 0.54$ show this assumption biases power-spectrum measurements by ${\gt }\, 20~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ across all scales. We therefore present a more robust framework for regridding the voxel intensities on to a 3D FFT field by coordinate transforming large numbers of Monte-Carlo sampling particles. Whilst this unbiases power-spectrum measurements on large scales, smaller scale discrepancies remain, caused by structure smoothing and aliasing from separations unresolved by the grid. To correct these effects, we introduce modelling techniques, higher order particle assignments, and interlaced FFT grids to suppress the aliased power. Using a piecewise cubic spline (PCS) particle assignment and an interlaced FFT field, we achieve sub-per cent accuracy up to 80 per cent of the Nyquist frequency for our 21 cm LIM simulations. We find a more subtle hierarchical improvement in results for higher order assignment schemes, relative to the gains made for galaxy surveys, which we attribute to the extra complexity in LIM from additional discretizing steps. python code accompanying this paper is available at github.com/stevecunnington/gridimp.
Rapid neutron star cooling triggered by dark matter
Authors: Ávila Afonso , Giangrandi Edoardo , Sagun Violetta , Ivanytskyi Oleksii , Providência Constança
Published: February 2024

We study the effect of asymmetric fermionic dark matter (DM) on the thermal evolution of neutron stars (NSs). No interaction between DM and baryonic matter is assumed, except the gravitational one. Using the two-fluid formalism, we show that DM accumulated in the core of a star pulls inwards the outer baryonic layers of the star, increasing the baryonic density in the NS core. As a result, it significantly affects the star’s thermal evolution by triggering an early onset of the direct Urca (DU) process and modifying the photon emission from the surface caused by the decrease of the radius. Thus, due to the gravitational pull of DM, the DU process becomes kinematically allowed for stars with lower masses. Based on these results, we discuss the importance of NS observations at different distances from the Galactic Centre. Since the DM distribution peaks towards the Galactic Centre, NSs in this region are expected to contain higher DM fractions that could lead to a different cooling behavior.
Bridge: A New Algorithm for Rooting Orthologous Genes in Large-Scale Evolutionary Analyses
Authors: Campos Leonardo R S , Trefflich Sheyla , Morais Diego A A , Imparato Danilo O , Chagas Vinicius S , Albanus Ricardo D’Oliveira , Dalmolin Rodrigo J S , Castro Mauro A A
Published: February 2024

Orthology information has been used for searching patterns in high-dimensional data, allowing transferring functional information between species. The key concept behind this strategy is that orthologous genes share ancestry to some extent. While reconstructing the history of a single gene is feasible with the existing computational resources, the reconstruction of entire biological systems remains challenging. In this study, we present Bridge, a new algorithm designed to infer the evolutionary root of orthologous genes in large-scale evolutionary analyses. The Bridge algorithm infers the evolutionary root of a given gene based on the distribution of its orthologs in a species tree. The Bridge algorithm is implemented in R and can be used either to assess genetic changes across the evolutionary history of orthologous groups or to infer the onset of specific traits in a biological system.
The Dynamic Interplay Between Ribosomal DNA and Transposable Elements: A Perspective From Genomics and Cytogenetics
Authors: Garcia Sònia , Kovarik Ales , Maiwald Sophie , Mann Ludwig , Schmidt Nicola , Pascual-Díaz Joan Pere , Vitales Daniel , Weber Beatrice , Heitkam Tony
Published: February 2024

Although both are salient features of genomes, at first glance ribosomal DNAs and transposable elements are genetic elements with not much in common: whereas ribosomal DNAs are mainly viewed as housekeeping genes that uphold all prime genome functions, transposable elements are generally portrayed as selfish and disruptive. These opposing characteristics are also mirrored in other attributes: organization in tandem (ribosomal DNAs) versus organization in a dispersed manner (transposable elements); evolution in a concerted manner (ribosomal DNAs) versus evolution by diversification (transposable elements); and activity that prolongs genomic stability (ribosomal DNAs) versus activity that shortens it (transposable elements). Re-visiting relevant instances in which ribosomal DNA–transposable element interactions have been reported, we note that both repeat types share at least four structural and functional hallmarks: (1) they are repetitive DNAs that shape genomes in evolutionary timescales, (2) they exchange structural motifs and can enter co-evolution processes, (3) they are tightly controlled genomic stress sensors playing key roles in senescence/aging, and (4) they share common epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation and histone modification. Here, we give an overview of the structural, functional, and evolutionary characteristics of both ribosomal DNAs and transposable elements, discuss their roles and interactions, and highlight trends and future directions as we move forward in understanding ribosomal DNA–transposable element associations.
A multi-institutional phase I study of acetazolamide with temozolomide in adults with newly diagnosed MGMT-methylated malignant glioma
Authors: Driscoll Riley K , Lyne Sean B , Voce David J , Maraka Stefania , Gondi Vinai , Chmura Steven J , Dixit Karan S , Kumthekar Priya U , Karrison Theodore G , Pytel Peter , Collins John M , Stupp Roger , Merrell Ryan T , Lukas Rimas V , Yamini Bakhtiar
Published: February 2024

Background

A significant unmet need exists for the treatment of glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype (GBM). Preclinical work shows that acetazolamide sensitizes GBM to temozolomide (TMZ) by overcoming TMZ resistance due to BCL-3-dependent upregulation of carbonic anhydrase. Acetazolamide is Food and Drug Administration-approved for the treatment of altitude sickness. Drug repurposing enables the application of drugs to diseases beyond initial indications. This multi-institutional, open-label, phase I trial examined a combination of acetazolamide and TMZ in patients with MGMT promoter-methylated high-grade glioma.

Methods

A total of 24 patients (GBM, IDH-wildtype = 22; Grade 4 astrocytoma, IDH-mutant = 1; Grade 3 astrocytoma, IDH-mutant = 1) were accrued over 17 months. All patients received oral acetazolamide (250 mg BID for 7 days increased to 500 mg BID for Days 8–21 of each 28-day cycle) during the adjuvant phase of TMZ for up to 6 cycles.

Results

No patient had a dose-limiting toxicity. Adverse events were consistent with known sequelae of acetazolamide and TMZ. In the 23 WHO Grade 4 patients, the median overall survival (OS) was 30.1 months and the median progression-free survival was 16.0 months. The 2-year OS was 60.9%. In total 37% of the study population had high BCL-3 staining and trended toward shorter OS (17.2 months vs N.R., P = .06).

Conclusions

The addition of acetazolamide is safe and tolerable in GBM patients receiving standard TMZ. Survival results compare favorably to historical data from randomized trials in patients with MGMT promoter-methylated GBM and support examination of acetazolamide in a randomized trial. BCL-3 expression is a potential biomarker for prognosis in GBM or for patients more likely to benefit from TMZ.
Diagnostic Accuracy of Point-of-Care Gram Stains in Obstructive Pyelonephritis due to Ureteral Stones
Authors: Hayano Satoshi , Hidaka Toshiya , Tadakuma Risako , Kashima Masayuki
Published: February 2024

Background

The diagnostic utility of point-of-care (POC) Gram stains for obstructive pyelonephritis with hydronephrosis is not well established. The current study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of urine Gram stains in patients with obstructive pyelonephritis due to ureteral stones.

Methods

A retrospective observational study was conducted on patients with obstructive pyelonephritis admitted to our hospital between January 2011 and December 2021. The diagnostic accuracy of Gram stains was evaluated based on the severity of hydronephrosis, including Gram stains performed by both trained physicians and microbiological technicians.

Results

After analyzing 210 patients, POC Gram stains of bladder urine presented a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 86.8%, 81.8%, 93.7%, and 66.7%, respectively, for gram-negative rods and 65.7%, 83.4%, 48.9%, and 91.0%, respectively, for gram-positive cocci. The agreement between POC Gram stains and urine culture was good for gram-negative rods, with a kappa (κ) coefficient of 0.637 and agreement rate of 85.6%, and moderate for gram-positive cocci, with a κ coefficient of 0.435 and agreement rate of 80%. The agreement between POC Gram stains and bladder urine culture results for gram-negative rods was higher in the mild hydronephrosis group (κ coefficient = 0.677) than in the severe hydronephrosis group (κ coefficient = 0.466). Discrepancies in Gram stain results between physicians and technicians were observed in 21 of 180 cases (11.7%).

Conclusions

POC Gram stains for gram-negative rods may be a useful diagnostic tool for obstructive pyelonephritis, particularly in cases of mild hydronephrosis.
Divergent Protein Redox Dynamics and Their Relationship with Electron Transport Efficiency during Photosynthesis Induction
Authors: Yoshida Keisuke , Hisabori Toru
Published: February 2024

Various chloroplast proteins are activated/deactivated during the light/dark cycle via the redox regulation system. Although the photosynthetic electron transport chain provides reducing power to redox-sensitive proteins via the ferredoxin (Fd)/thioredoxin (Trx) pathway for their enzymatic activity control, how the redox states of individual proteins are linked to electron transport efficiency remains uncharacterized. Here we addressed this subject with a focus on the photosynthetic induction phase. We used Arabidopsis plants, in which the amount of Fd–Trx reductase (FTR), a core component in the Fd/Trx pathway, was genetically altered. Several chloroplast proteins showed different redox shift responses toward low- and high-light treatments. The light-dependent reduction of Calvin–Benson cycle enzymes fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase) and sedoheptulose 1,7-bisphosphatase (SBPase) was partially impaired in the FTR-knockdown ftrb mutant. Simultaneous analyses of chlorophyll fluorescence and P700 absorbance change indicated that the induction of the electron transport reactions was delayed in the ftrb mutant. FTR overexpression also mildly affected the reduction patterns of FBPase and SBPase under high-light conditions, which were accompanied by the modification of electron transport properties. Accordingly, the redox states of FBPase and SBPase were linearly correlated with electron transport rates. In contrast, ATP synthase was highly reduced even when electron transport reactions were not fully induced. Furthermore, the redox response of proton gradient regulation 5-like photosynthetic phenotype1 (PGRL1; a protein involved in cyclic electron transport) did not correlate with electron transport rates. Our results provide insights into the working dynamics of the redox regulation system and their differential associations with photosynthetic electron transport efficiency.
Reassortments in single-stranded DNA multipartite viruses: Confronting expectations based on molecular constraints with field observations
Authors: Torralba Babil , Blanc Stéphane , Michalakis Yannis
Published: February 2024

Single-stranded DNA multipartite viruses, which mostly consist of members of the genus Begomovirus, family Geminiviridae, and all members of the family Nanoviridae, partly resolve the cost of genomic integrity maintenance through two remarkable capacities. They are able to systemically infect a host even when their genomic segments are not together in the same host cell, and these segments can be separately transmitted by insect vectors from host to host. These capacities potentially allow such viruses to reassort at a much larger spatial scale, since reassortants could arise from parental genotypes that do not co-infect the same cell or even the same host. To assess the limitations affecting reassortment and their implications in genome integrity maintenance, the objective of this review is to identify putative molecular constraints influencing reassorted segments throughout the infection cycle and to confront expectations based on these constraints with empirical observations. Trans-replication of the reassorted segments emerges as the major constraint, while encapsidation, viral movement, and transmission compatibilities appear more permissive. Confronting the available molecular data and the resulting predictions on reassortments to field population surveys reveals notable discrepancies, particularly a surprising rarity of interspecific natural reassortments within the Nanoviridae family. These apparent discrepancies unveil important knowledge gaps in the biology of ssDNA multipartite viruses and call for further investigation on the role of reassortment in their biology.
Endophyte-Mediated Populus trichocarpa Water Use Efficiency Is Dependent on Time of Day and Plant Water Status
Authors: Banan Darshi , Sher Andrew W. , Tournay Robert J. , Doty Sharon L. , Kim Soo-Hyung
Published: February 2024

Endophytes are potential partners for improving the resource use efficiency of bioenergy feedstock systems such as short rotation coppice Populus species. Endophytes isolated from members of the Salicaceae family have broad host compatibility and can improve water use efficiency (WUE) through decreases in stomatal conductance. However, the literature is inconsistent with regard to the environmental conditions and temporal patterns of these benefits. This study investigated how endophyte-mediated changes in Populus trichocarpa ‘Nisqually-1’ stomatal conductance and WUE shift with time and scale in response to water deficit stress. Leaf gas exchange and aboveground productivity were used to evaluate the carbon and water balance of greenhouse-grown plants in response to endophyte inoculation and water deficit. Differences in stomatal conductance between control and inoculated plants were more pronounced (39.7% decrease, Welch two-sample t [14.34 adjusted degrees of freedom] = –2.358, P = 0.033) under water deficit conditions in the late morning during a period of higher light intensity. The decrease in stomatal conductance accompanied a substantial increase in intrinsic WUE (iWUE) for water deficit inoculated plants. However, increases in iWUE did not result in improvements in aboveground productivity or shoot biomass WUE for water deficit inoculated plants. This decoupling between iWUE and aboveground productivity may be an indicator of assimilate allocation to microbial metabolism as an additional carbon sink or a shift in carbon allocation toward belowground biomass. Future work should take a whole plant approach that accounts for diurnal patterns in incident irradiance to evaluate the impact of endophyte inoculation on host WUE and stress tolerance.
Chromosome-Scale Genome Sequence of Nothopassalora personata (syn. Cercosporidium personatum), a Devastating Fungal Pathogen of Peanut
Authors: Gonzales Maricel , Abernathy Brian L. , Kemerait Robert , Bertioli David , Brewer Marin , Bertioli Soraya
Published: February 2024

Nothopassalora personata, the causal agent of late leaf spot, is an economically important fungus that poses a significant threat to peanut production worldwide. Currently, studies on N. personata are focused on epidemiology, host resistance, early environmental detection, and molecular studies based on a limited number of genes for classification. A high-quality whole-genome sequence can be a valuable tool for studying complex species and identifying molecular mechanisms in pathogenicity and adaptation. This study reports a high-quality, chromosome-scale genome assembly for N. personata with a total length of 54.6 Mb, an N50 of 2.54 Mb, a longest contig length of 4.47 Mb, and a BUSCO genome completeness score of 99.5% with mostly single-copy genes. Genome annotation revealed 11,295 protein-encoding genes and 12,121 transcripts in which 411 of the 995 predicted proteins were putative effectors. Genome comparison with the closely related fungi Dothistroma septosporum NZE10 and Fulvia fulva (syn . Passalora fulva, Cladosporium fulvum) isolate Race 5 revealed 13 chromosomes. This genome sequence resource can be used as a reference for aligning sequences of multiple isolates to provide relevant information on the diversity and population genetic structure of N. personata to further inform peanut resistance breeding programs and devise the best disease management strategies.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .
Prospectively Collected Comparison of Outcomes Between Surgically and Conservatively Treated Patients With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
Authors: Whitaker Colin M. , Miyanji Firoz , Samdani Amer F. , Pahys Joshua M. , Sponseller Paul D. , Bryan Tracey P. , Newton Peter O. ,   Harms Study Group, Hwang Steven W.
Published: February 2024

Study Design.

Retrospective review of a prospectively collected multicenter registry.

Objective.

To evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures in an operative cohort of patients (OP) and compare them with a matched nonoperative cohort (NON).

Summary of Background Data.

Historically, the surgical outcomes of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) have been radiographically evaluated. However, the importance of HRQOL measures and their impact on surgical outcomes are increasingly being understood.

Materials and Methods.

We identified 90 NON patients with curves in the operative range who were observed for at least two years. These patients were matched with an OP cohort of 689 patients. All patients completed the Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22) questionnaire at the initial evaluation and at a minimum of two-year follow-up. Subgroup comparisons were based on curve type: primary thoracic (Th), primary thoracolumbar/lumbar (TL/L), and double major (DM) curves.

Results.

The preoperative major curves in the Th, TL/L, and DM OP subgroups averaged 50.4°, 45.4°, and 51.5°, respectively, and 49.4°, 43.7°, and 48.9° in the NON cohort (P>0.05). At two years postoperatively, the major curve in the Th, TL/L, and DM OP subgroups improved to 19.0°, 19.2°, and 19.3°, respectively, compared with the progression to 51.3°, 44.5°, and 49.7° in the NON group at two-year follow-up (P<0.05). The SRS-22 self-image, mental health, satisfaction, and total scores at the two-year follow-up were significantly better in all OP subgroups (P<0.001) but remained largely unchanged in the NON group. A significant percentage of patients (P<0.001) in the OP cohort reported better SRS-22 scores at the two-year follow-up in the self-image, mental health, and satisfaction domains than the NON group at two years.

Conclusions.

Surgically treated patients with AIS have improved HRQOL outcomes in several domains compared with age-matched and curve magnitude-matched nonoperatively treated patients at two-year follow-up.
Predictors of live-in migrant caregiver employment for people with dementia in Taiwan
Authors: Li Jia-Ru , Tsai Chia-Fen , Huang Mao-Hsuan , Lee Jun-Jun , Wang Wen-Fu , Huang Ling-Chun , Hsu Chih-Cheng , Lin Yung-Shuan , Kuo Yu-Shan , Fuh Jong-Ling
Published: February 2024

Background:

With the increasing number of individuals with dementia, families have hired an increasing number of live-in migrant caregivers (LIMCs). Currently, limited evidence is available regarding the influence of long-term care resource utilization on the hiring of LIMCs for caring for individuals with dementia in Taiwan.

Methods:

We recruited individuals with dementia who did not hire LIMCs and their primary family caregivers from nine hospitals in Taiwan as baseline. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the utilization of long-term care resources for individuals with dementia and other factors that may affect the decision to hire LIMCs.

Results:

The users of non-long-term care resources had the highest likelihood of hiring LIMCs (odds ratio [OR] = 4.24, 95% CI, 2.30-7.84). Compared with spouses, nonimmediate family caregivers (OR = 3.40, 95% CI, 1.16-9.90) were significantly more likely to hire LIMCs. A higher likelihood of hiring LIMCs was observed for those with Lewy body dementia compared with other individuals (OR = 2.31, 95% CI, 1.03-5.14). Compared with individuals who did not hire LIMCs, those who hired LIMCs exhibited higher scores on the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and higher severity of individual NPI items.

Conclusion:

Hiring LIMCs is strongly correlated with the utilization of non-long-term care resources and is influenced by the dynamics between individuals with dementia and their primary family caregivers. A higher likelihood of hiring LIMCs was observed for individuals with Lewy body dementia and individuals with elevated NPI scores compared with their counterparts. Given these observations, various support strategies and interventions should be tailored to the specific requirements of individuals with dementia and their families.
Optimizing nonintubated laryngeal microsurgery: The effectiveness and safety of superior laryngeal nerve block with high-flow nasal oxygen—A prospective cohort study
Authors: Kuo Yu-Ting , Chang Ting-Shou , Tsai Chih-Chi , Chang Hsin-Chih , Chia Yuan-Yi
Published: February 2024

Background:

Laryngeal microsurgery (LMS) typically requires intubated general anesthesia (ITGA). Although nonintubated general anesthesia (NIGA) with high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) can be applied with LMS, a muscle relaxant is required, which can cause apnea and hypercapnia. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a superior laryngeal nerve block (SLNB) in improving safety during LMS.

Methods:

This prospective cohort study enrolled a cumulative total of 61 adult patients received LMS under intravenous general anesthesia and allocated to three groups: ITGA group (n = 18), which patients performed intubation; neuromuscular blocking (NMB) group (n = 21), which patients administrated muscle relaxant without intubation and superior laryngeal nerve block (NB) group (n = 22), which patients performed SLNB without intubation or muscle relaxant.

Results:

The average (SD) values of PaCO2 after surgery in ITGA, NMB, and NB group were 50.8 (7.5), 97.5 (24.9), and 54.8 (8.8) mmHg, respectively. The mean postoperative pH values were 7.33 (0.04), 7.14 (0.07), and 7.33 (0.04), respectively. The results were all p < 0.001, and the average pH value of the NMB group was lower than that of the ITGA and NB groups. During the LMS, the mean heart rate (HR) (93.9 [18.1] bpm) and noninvasive blood pressure systolic (NBPs) (143.5 [28.2] mmHg) in the NMB group were higher than those in the ITGA group (HR = 77.4 [13.5] bpm and NBPs = 132.7 [20.8] mmHg) and NB group (HR = 82.3 [17.4] bpm and NBPs = 120.9 [25.0] mmHg). The results of p value by HR and NBPs are p < 0.001. The PaCO2 and pH values are similar between ITGA group and NB group.

Conclusion:

Our approach of using HFNO with SLNB was successful for performing nonintubated LMS, enabling the patients to maintain spontaneous breathing and effectively eliminate CO2. This approach reduces the risks of hypercapnia and acidosis even when the duration of LMS exceeds 30 minutes.
Applied Force Alters Sensorineural and Peripheral Vascular Function in a Rat Model of Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome
Authors: Krajnak Kristine , Warren Christopher , Xu Xueyan , Chapman Phillip , Waugh Stacey , Boots Theresa , Welcome Daniel , Dong Renguang
Published: February 2024

Objective

This study described the effects of applied force (grip) on vascular and sensorineural function in an animal model of hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS).

Methods

Rat tails were exposed to 0, 2, or 4 N of applied force 4 hr/d for 10 days. Blood flow and sensitivity to transcutaneous electrical stimulation and pressure were measured.

Results

Applied force increased blood flow but reduced measures of arterial plasticity. Animals exposed to force tended to be more sensitive to 250-Hz electrical stimulation and pressure applied to the tail.

Conclusions

Effects of applied force on blood flow and sensation are different than those of vibration. Studies examining co-exposures to force and vibration will provide data that can be used to determine how these factors affect risk of workers developing vascular and sensorineural dysfunction (ie, HAVS).
The impact of BMI on breast cancer – an updated systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tzenios Nikolaos , Tazanios Mary E. , Chahine Mohamed
Published: February 2024

Background:

Breast cancer is the most frequent form of cancer in women all over the world. It is the main cause of cancer death and the most often diagnosed cancer in women in 140 of the world’s 184 countries. The link between breast cancer risk and body mass index (BMI) has gotten increasing attention in recent years, although the results are still debatable. Therefore, the current systematic review and meta-analysis evaluate the impact of BMI on breast cancer.

Methods:

The current study was carried out as a systematic review and meta-analysis, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We systematically searched Cochrane, Google Scholar, PubMed, EMBASE and Scopus databases to identify eligible articles impact of BMI on breast cancer with the appropriate Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). The Newcastle–Ottawa checklist was used for the risk of assessment for the included studies. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3 software.

Results:

Forty-six studies were included in the current review, which met the selection criteria of the current review. Among included 46 studies in this review, 50% (n = 23) of the studies found the HER2 type of breast cancer followed by triple-negative and HR-positive. The obesity was significantly higher in the case group compared with the control group (P < .001). Heterogeneity between the 14 studies is medium (I
2 = 72%). In this review, there was no significant relation between overweight and breast cancer in women (P > .05). Heterogenecity between the 14 studies is medium (I
2 = 89%). However, after removing the publication bias a significant relation between overweightness and breast cancer in women (P = .0005) was observed.

Conclusion:

Obese breast cancer patients are a specific type of patient. They are more likely to develop cancer. Their need to surgery and radiation may cause greater difficulties. Obesity and overweight in women greatly increase the risk of breast cancer, according to the findings of the current meta-analysis. To confirm these findings and understand the pathogenic pathways, more research is required.
High-definition chromoendoscopy results in more significant dysplasia detection than white light endoscopy with random biopsies in ulcerative colitis patients: A single-center retrospective study
Authors: Hoang Thomas T. , Leung Yvette , Rosenfeld Gregory , Bressler Brian
Published: February 2024

The goal of this study was to determine whether high-definition white light endoscopy with random biopsies (HD-WLR) or chromoendoscopy (HDCE) yielded a higher dysplasia detection rate in ulcerative colitis patients. Ulcerative colitis (UC) patients have a 2.4-fold increased future risk of developing colorectal cancer compared to the general population and require careful dysplasia screening modalities. Both HD-WLR and HDCE are regularly used, and recent guidelines do not suggest a preference. UC patients who underwent dysplasia surveillance at our site between January 2019 and 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. We calculated the dysplasia detection rate of both techniques at the first CRC screening colonoscopy. Eighteen dysplastic lesions were detected in total, 3 by HD-WLR and fifteen by HDCE. Dysplasia was detected in 4% (3/75) and 20% (15/75) of UC patients by HD-WLR and HDCE respectively, with significantly fewer biopsies (4.44 ± 4.3 vs 29.1 ± 13.0) required using the former. HD-WLR detected 2 polypoid and one non-polypoid lesion, while HDCE detected eleven polypoid and 4 non-polypoid lesions. No invisible dysplasia or colorectal cancer was detected. Screening was performed at 10.8 ± 4.8 and 9.72 ± 3.05 years following UC diagnosis for HDCE and HD-WLR respectively. Median withdrawal time was 9.0 ± 2.7 minutes (HD-WLR) vs 9.6 + 3.9 minutes (HDCE). HDCE is associated with higher dysplasia detection rates compared to HD-WLR in a UC patient population. Given the former technique is less tedious and costly, our findings complement existing studies that suggest HDCE may be considered over HD-WLR for UC dysplasia surveillance.