bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Randomized Prospective Trial Comparing Repository Corticotropin Injection and Intravenous Methylprednisolone for Neuroprotection in Acute Optic Neuritis
Authors: Bennett Jeffrey L. , Grove Nathan C. , Johnson Ruth K. , Mizenko Christopher , DuPont Joan C. , Wagner Brandie D. , Lynch Anne M. , Frohman Teresa C. , Shindler Kenneth S. , Frohman Elliot M.
Published: June 2023

Background:

Repository corticotrophin injection (RCI, Acthar Gel) and intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) improve the rate but not the extent of visual recovery following acute optic neuritis. RCI has adrenal-stimulating and melanocortin receptor-stimulating properties that may endow it with unique anti-inflammatory properties relative to IVMP.

Methods:

Individuals with acute optic neuritis of less than 2 weeks duration were prospectively enrolled and randomized 1:1 to receive either RCI or IVMP. Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and ganglion cell plus inner plexiform layer thickness (GC + IPL) were serially evaluated by OCT. In addition, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) for changes in fatigue, mood, visual function, depression, and quality of life (QOL) were measured, and high and low contrast visual acuity were recorded.

Results:

Thirty-seven subjects were enrolled (19 RCI; 18 IVMP); the average time from symptom to treatment was 8.8 days. At 6 months, there was no difference in the primary outcome: loss of average pRNFL thickness in the affected eye (RCI vs IVMP: −13.1 vs −11.7 µm, P = 0.88) 6 months after randomization. Additional outcomes also showed no difference between treatment groups: 6-month attenuation of GC + IPL thickness (RCI vs IVMP: −13.8 vs −12.0 µm, P = 0.58) and frequency of pRNFL swelling at 1 month (RCI vs IVMP: 63% vs 72%, P = 0.73) and 3 months (RCI vs IVMP: 26% vs 31%, P = 0.99). Both treatments resulted in improvement in visual function and PROs.

Conclusion:

Treatment of acute optic neuritis with RCI or IVMP produced no clinically meaningful differences in optic nerve structure or visual function.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Community-Acquired Uropathogenic Escherichia coli, Dublin 2010-2022
Authors: Ali Saied , Ryan Laura
Published: June 2023

Background
Escherichia coli is a common cause of urinary tract infections. Due to the increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and global differences in antimicrobial susceptibility data, routine assessment of local antimicrobial susceptibility patterns is necessary to guide the selection of appropriate empiric therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of community-acquired uropathogenic Escherichia coli within a catchment area in Dublin over a 13-year period, 2010-2022.
Methods
All mid-stream urine samples received from local general practitioners in which there was a significant Escherichia coli bacteriuria during the study period, 2010-2022 were included in the analysis. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disc diffusion as per the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing recommendations.
Results
An average of 11,407 urine samples per month had significant bacteriuria; with Escherichia coli accounting for an average of 67% of those. Overall AMR rates were highest for ampicillin (53.9%), followed by trimethoprim (32.4%), gentamicin (18.6%), co-amoxiclav (16.5%), ciprofloxacin (12.3%), cephalexin (8.3%), cefpodoxime (6.8%) and nitrofurantoin (2%). While rates appeared grossly static, statistically significant reduced resistance rates were noted for co-amoxiclav (rs = -0.95; p = <0.001), cephalexin (rs = -0.923; p = <0.001) and trimethoprim (rs = -0.639; p = 0.019); with a statistically significant increase in non-susceptibility to cefpodoxime (rs = 0.802; p = 0.001).
Conclusions
In order to generate efficient empiric antimicrobial prescribing guidelines, knowledge of region-specific contemporaneous antimicrobial susceptibility patterns is pivotal. Our findings support the use of nitrofurantoin or cephalexin as empiric antimicrobial therapy within our setting.
Registry for vascular cognitive impairment treatment with traditional Chinese medicine (REVIEW-TCM): Rationale and design of a prospective, observational study
Authors: Yao Xie , Xie Le , Jiang Junlin , Yao Ting , Mao Guo , Fang Rui , Kang Fuliang , Wang Shiliang , Lin Anchao , Gao Ying , Ge Jinwen , Wu Dahua
Published: June 2023

Background

Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is one of the most common diseases among the elderly. However, few effective drugs have been approved for VCI. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used in dementia for thousands of years. Currently, there is limited high-quality evidence for the efficacy of TCM, and the specific characteristics of its effects and the appropriate patient populations for TCM therapies remain unclear. Herein, we aim to explore the effectiveness and safety of TCM by conducting a longitudinal, patient-centered study.

Methods

REgistry for Vascular cognitive Impairment trEatment With Traditional Chinese Medicine (REVIEW-TCM) is a prospective, observational disease registry study. 1000 VCI patients at the Hunan Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine will be recruited based on the following criteria: aged 18 years or older, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score < 26, and Hachinski Ischemic Score (HIS)≥7. There is no strict limit on the intervention, and different TCM formulas will be focused. Cognition, activity of daily living, quality of life, mental, psychology,ZHENGof TCM, and burden of caregiver will be evaluated at admission, and 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Meanwhile, biological tests and neuroimaging examination will be applied to further explore the mechanism of TCM. Especially, a mixed-methods embedded design will be applied by adopting quantitative and qualitative studies to explore patients-reported outcomes of TCM. Finally, propensity score matching will be adopted to analyze the effectiveness of TCM.

Discussion

To the best of our knowledge, the REVIEW-TCM study is the first comprehensive, prospective, mixed-methods, registry-based study to evaluate TCM treatment in VCI, which will analyze the effectiveness and safety of TCM in the real world and explore population characteristics and subtypes of VCI suitable for TCM.

Study registration

This study was registered onwww.chictr.org.cn(ChiCTR2200064756).
Purinergic P2Y2 Receptor-Induced Activation of Endothelial TRPV4 Channels Mediates Lung Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Kuppusamy Maniselvan , Ta Huy Q. , Davenport Hannah N. , Bazaz Abhishek , Kulshrestha Astha , Daneva Zdravka , Chen Yen-Lin , Carrott Philip W. , Laubach Victor E. , Sonkusare Swapnil K.
Published: June 2023

Lung ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), characterized by inflammation, vascular permeability, and lung edema, is the major cause of primary graft dysfunction after lung transplantation. We recently reported that endothelial cell (EC) TRPV4 channels play a central role in lung edema and dysfunction after IR. However, the cellular mechanisms for lung IR-induced activation of endothelial TRPV4 channels are unknown. In a left-lung hilar ligation model of IRI in mice, we found that lung IR increases the efflux of extracellular ATP (eATP) through pannexin 1 (Panx1) channels at the EC membrane. Elevated eATP activated elementary Ca2+influx signals through endothelial TRPV4 channels through purinergic P2Y2 receptor (P2Y2R) signaling. P2Y2R-dependent activation of TRPV4 channels was also observed in human and mouse pulmonary microvascular endothelium inex vivoandin vitrosurrogate models of lung IR. Endothelium-specific deletion of P2Y2R, TRPV4, and Panx1 in mice had substantial protective effects against lung IR-induced activation of endothelial TRPV4 channels, lung edema, inflammation, and dysfunction. These results identify endothelial P2Y2R as a novel mediator of lung edema, inflammation, and dysfunction after IR, and show that disruption of endothelial Panx1–P2Y2R–TRPV4 signaling pathway could represent a promising therapeutic strategy for preventing lung IRI after transplantation.
From Bayes to Darwin: evolutionary search as an exaptation from sampling-based Bayesian inference
Authors: Csillag Márton , Giaffar Hamza , Szathmáry Eörs , Santos Mauro , Czégel Dániel
Published: June 2023

Building on the algorithmic equivalence between finite population replicator dynamics and particle filtering based approximation of Bayesian inference, we design a computational model to demonstrate the emergence of Darwinian evolution over representational units when collectives of units are selected to infer statistics of high-dimensional combinatorial environments. The non-Darwinian starting point is two units undergoing a few cycles of noisy, selection-dependent information transmission, corresponding to a serial (one comparison per cycle), non-cumulative process without heredity. Selection for accurate Bayesian inference at the collective level induces an adaptive path to the emergence of Darwinian evolution within the collectives, capable of maintaining and iteratively improving upon complex combinatorial information. When collectives are themselves Darwinian, this mechanism amounts to a top-down (filial) transition in individuality. We suggest that such a selection mechanism can explain the hypothesized emergence of fast timescale Darwinian dynamics over a population of neural representations within animal and human brains, endowing them with combinatorial planning capabilities. Further possible physical implementations include prebiotic collectives of non-replicating molecules and reinforcement learning agents with parallel policy search.
Adequacy of essential opioid analgesic consumption for anesthesia across 137 countries and territories from 2017 to 2021
Authors: Rao Shirish Ravichandra , Maroo Bhavya Ratan , Gowda Poorvikha , Zadey Siddhesh
Published: June 2023

Introduction: The Adequacy of Opioid Consumption (AOC) Index uses the human development index (HDI) to benchmark pain management. This does not account for health system factors such as the anesthesia workforce and can misrepresent high consumption as better. We improved the AOC index by adjusting it for physician anesthesia provider (PAP) density to provide a better indicator for pain management and perioperative care. Methods: Country-level mean opioid consumption in milligrams per capita (mg/capita) for 2017-2021 (five-year arithmetic mean) was obtained from the International Narcotics Control Board Annual Report 2022. For parsimonious analysis, we included 11 opioids and analogs present in the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines 2023. Projections for PAP density per 100,000 people for 2019 were based on the World Federation of Society of Anaesthesiologists Survey (2015-16) and physician density estimates (2015-2019) derived from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. A generalized linear regression model for 137 countries was run with mean essential opioid analgesic consumption as the dependent variable and PAP density and HDI (2019) were independent variables to get PAP-adjusted consumption values. The arithmetic mean of PAP-adjusted consumption values of the top 20 countries was used as the adequacy threshold. PAP-adjusted AOC index was calculated as the ratio of the country's adjusted essential opioid analgesic consumption to the threshold multiplied by 100. Results: PAP-adjusted AOC index values ranged from 129.14 for Switzerland to 0.23 for Mali. Merely 7.3% of countries had a high AOC. About 5.97 billion people are estimated to be living in regions of low to extremely low PAP-adjusted AOC which are mainly situated in low and middle-income countries in the global south. Conclusion: In this comprehensive up-to-date global analysis, we find that most low- and lower-middle-income countries lack access to essential opioid analgesics. These point to the need for investing in the anesthesia workforce and ensuring access to opioid analgesics in tandem.
Examining the implementation of Facility-Based Integrated Management of Childhood Illness and Insecticide Treated Nets in Bangladesh: lessons learned through implementation research
Authors: Huda Fauzia Akhter , Mathewos Kedest , Mahmood Hassan Rushekh , Faruk Omar , Hirschhorn Lisa R , Binagwaho Agnes
Published: June 2023

Background

Bangladesh significantly reduced under-5 mortality (U5M) between 2000 and 2015, despite its low economic development and projected high mortality rates in children aged under 5 years. A portion of this success was due to implementation of health systems-delivered evidence-based interventions (EBIs) known to reduce U5M. This study aims to understand how Bangladesh was able to achieve this success between 2000 and 2015. Implementation science studies such as this one provides insights on the implementation process that are not sufficiently documented in existing literature.

Methods

Between 2017 and 2020, we conducted mixed methods implementation research case studies to examine how six countries including Bangladesh outperformed their regional and economic peers in reducing U5M. Using existing data and reports supplemented by key informant interviews, we studied key implementation strategies and associated implementation outcomes for selected EBIs and contextual factors which facilitated or hindered this work. We used two EBIs – facility-based integrated management of childhood illnesses and insecticide treated nets – as examples of two EBIs that were implemented successfully and with wide reach across the country to understand the strategies put in place as well as the facilitating and challenging contextual factors.

Results

We identified strategies which contributed to the successful implementation and wide coverage of the selected EBIs. These included community engagement, data use, and small-scale testing, important to achieving implementation outcomes such as effectiveness, reach and fidelity, although gaps persisted including in quality of care. Key contextual factors including a strong community-based health system, accountable leadership, and female empowerment facilitated implementation of these EBIs. Challenges included human resources for health, dependence on donor funding and poor service quality in the private sector.

Conclusion

As countries work to reduce U5M, they should build strong community health systems, follow global guidance, adapt their implementation using local evidence as well as build sustainability into their programs. Strategies need to leverage facilitating contextual factors while addressing challenging ones.
Automating the analysis of eye movement for different neurodegenerative disorders
Authors: Li Deming , Butala Ankur A. , Moro-Velazquez Laureano , Meyer Trevor , Oh Esther S. , Motley Chelsey , Villalba Jesús , Dehak Najim
Published: June 2023

The clinical observation and assessment of extra-ocular movements is common practice in assessing neurological disorders but remains observer-dependent and subjective. In the present study, we propose an algorithm that can automatically identify saccades, fixation, smooth pursuit, and blinks using a non-invasive eye-tracker and, subsequently, elicit response-to-stimuli-derived interpretable features that objectively and quantitatively assess patient behaviors. The cohort analysis encompasses persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Parkinson’s disease mimics (PDM), and controls (CTRL). Overall, results suggested that the AD/MCI and PD groups exhibited significantly different saccade and pursuit characteristics compared to CTRL when the target moved faster or covered a larger visual angle during smooth pursuit. When reading a text passage silently, more fixations were an AD/MCI-specific feature. During visual exploration, people with PD demonstrated a more variable saccade duration than other groups. In the prosaccade task, the PD group showed a significantly smaller average hypometria gain and accuracy, with the most statistical significance and highest AUROC scores of features studied. The minimum saccade gain was a PD-specific feature distinguishing PD from CTRL and PDM. Furthermore, the PD and AD/MCI groups displayed more omitted antisaccades and longer average antisaccade latency than CTRL. These features, as oculographic biomarkers, can be potentially leveraged in distinguishing different types of NDs in their early stages, yielding more objective and precise protocols to monitor disease progression.
Artificial intelligence directed development of a digital twin to measure soft tissue shift during head and neck surgery
Authors: Männle David , Pohlmann Jan , Monji-Azad Sara , Hesser Jürgen , Rotter Nicole , Affolter Annette , Lammert Anne , Kramer Benedikt , Ludwig Sonja , Huber Lena , Scherl Claudia
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Digital twins derived from 3D scanning data were developed to measure soft tissue deformation in head and neck surgery by an artificial intelligence approach. This framework was applied suggesting feasibility of soft tissue shift detection as a hitherto unsolved problem.

Methods

In a pig head cadaver model 104 soft tissue resection had been performed. The surface of the removed soft tissue (RTP) and the corresponding resection cavity (RC) was scanned (N=416) to train an artificial intelligence (AI) with two different 3D object detectors (HoloLens 2; ArtecEva). An artificial tissue shift (TS) was created by changing the tissue temperature from 7,91±4,1°C to 36,37±1,28°C.

Results

Digital twins of RTP and RC in cold and warm conditions had been generated and volumes were calculated based on 3D surface meshes. Significant differences in number of vertices created by the different 3D scanners (HoloLens2 51313 vs. ArtecEva 21694, p<0.0001) hence result in differences in volume measurement of the RTC (p=0.0015). A significant TS could be induced by changing the temperature of the tissue of RC (p=0.0027) and RTP (p=<0.0001). RC showed more correlation in TS by heating than RTP with a volume increase of 3.1 μl or 9.09% (p=0.449).

Conclusions

Cadaver models are suitable for training a machine learning model for deformable registration through creation of a digital twin. Despite different point cloud densities, HoloLens and ArtecEva provide only slightly different estimates of volume. This means that both devices can be used for the task.TS can be simulated and measured by temperature change, in which RC and RTP react differently. This corresponds to the clinical behaviour of tumour and resection cavity during surgeries, which could be used for frozen section management and a range of other clinical applications.
Milti-Scale Detrended Partial Cross-Correlation Analysis of Tree Ring Width and Climate Variations: Revealing Heat and Drought Stress Resilience Factors in a Forest Ecosystem
Authors: Bogachev Mikhail I. , Gafurov Artur M. , Iskandirov Pavel Y. , Kaplun Dmitrii I. , Kayumov Airat R. , Lyanova Asya I. , Pyko Nikita S. , Pyko Svetlana A. , Safonova Anastasia N. , Sinitca Aleksandr M. , Usmanov Bulat M. , Tishin Denis V.
Published: June 2023

In a changing climate, forest ecosystems become increasingly vulnerable to the continuously exacerbating heat and drought stress conditions. Climate stress resilience is governed by a complex interplay of global, regional and local factors, with hydrological conditions among the key roles. Using a modified detrended partial cross-correlation analysis (DPCCA), we analyse the interconnections between long-term tree-ring width (TRW) data and regional climate variations at various scales and time lags. By comparing dendrochronological series of Scots pine trees near the southern edge of the boreal ecotone, we investigate how local hydrological conditions affect heat- and drought stress resilience of the forest ecosystem. While TRW are negatively correlated with spring and summer temperatures and positively cor-related with the Palmer drought severety index (PDSI) in the same year indicating that heatwaves and droughts represent the limiting factors, at interannual scales remarkable contrasts can be observed between areas with different local hydrological conditions. In particular, for the sphagnum bog area positive TRW trends over several consecutive years tend to follow negative PDSI trends and positive spring and summer temperature trends of the same duration with a time lag between one and three years, indicating that prolonged dry periods, as well as warmer springs and summers appear beneficial for the increased annual growth. In contrast, for the surrounding elevated dry land area a reversed tendency can be observed, with pronounced negative long-term correlations with temperature and positive correlations with PDSI. Moreover, by combining detrending models and partial correlation analysis, we show expicitly that the long-term temperature dependence could be partially attributed to the spurious correlations induced by coinciding trends of the trees ageing and climate warming, while contrasts in correlations between TRW and PDSI become only further highlighted, indicating the major impact of the local hydrological conditions on the drought stress resilience.

Graphical Abstract

Highlights

Climate stress resilience of forest ecosystems is largely driven by local hydrology

Multiscale analysis reveals reversed climate stress response in dry and wetland areas

Warmer springs and summers are favorable for tree growth under nondrought conditions

Warm and dry periods improve trees growth in the peat bog area with 1-3 year time lag

Climate stress response and ageing effects can be understood from partial correlation
Decoding fMRI Data: A Comparison Between Support Vector Machines and Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Liang Yun , Bo Ke , Meyyappan Sreenivasan , Ding Mingzhou
Published: June 2023

Multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA) examines the differences in fMRI activation patterns associated with different cognitive conditions and provides information not possible with the conventional univariate analysis. Support vector machines (SVMs) are the predominant machine learning method in MVPA. SVMs are intuitive and easy to apply. The limitation is that it is a linear method and mainly suitable for analyzing data that are linearly separable. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs), a class of AI models originally developed for object recognition, are known to have the ability to approximate nonlinear relationships. CNNs are rapidly becoming an alternative to SVMs. The purpose of this study is to compare the two methods when they are applied to the same datasets. Two datasets were considered: (1) fMRI data collected from participants during a cued visual spatial attention task (the attention dataset) and (2) fMRI data collected from participants viewing natural images containing varying degrees of affective content (the emotion dataset). We found that (1) both SVM and CNN are able to achieve above chance level decoding accuracies for attention control and emotion processing in both the primary visual cortex and the whole brain with, (2) the CNN decoding accuracies are consistently higher than that of the SVM, (3) the SVM and CNN decoding accuracies are generally not correlated with each other, and (4) the heatmaps derived from SVM and CNN are not significantly overlapping. These results suggest that (1) there are both linearly separable features and nonlinearly separable features in fMRI data that distinguish cognitive conditions and (2) applying both SVM and CNN to the same data may yield a more comprehensive understanding of neuroimaging data.

Key points

We compared the performance and characteristics of SVM and CNN, two major methods in MVPA analysis of neuroimaging data, by applying them to the same two fMRI datasets.

Both SVM and CNN achieved decoding accuracies above chance level for both datasets in the chosen ROIs and the CNN decoding accuracies were consistently higher than those of SVM.

The heatmaps derived from SVM and CNN, which assess the contribution of voxels or brain regions to MVPA decoding performance, showed no significant overlap, providing evidence that the two methods depend on distinct brain activity patterns for decoding cognitive conditions.
A comparison of the binding sites of antibodies and single-domain antibodies
Authors: Gordon Gemma L. , Capel Henriette L. , Guloglu Bora , Richardson Eve , Stafford Ryan L. , Deane Charlotte M.
Published: June 2023

Antibodies are the largest class of biotherapeutics. However, in recent years, single-domain antibodies have gained traction due to their smaller size and comparable binding affinity. Antibodies (Abs) and single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) differ in the structures of their binding sites: most significantly, single-domain antibodies lack a light chain and so have just three CDR loops. Given this inherent structural difference, it is important to understand whether Abs and sdAbs are distinguishable in how they engage a binding partner and thus, whether they are suited to different types of epitopes. In this study, we use non-redundant sequence and structural datasets to compare the paratopes, epitopes and antigen interactions of Abs and sdAbs. We demonstrate that even though sd-Abs have smaller paratopes, they target epitopes of equal size to those targeted by Abs. To achieve this, the paratopes of sdAbs contribute more interactions per residue than the paratopes of Abs. Additionally, we find that conserved framework residues are of increased importance in the paratopes of sd-Abs, suggesting that they include non-specific interactions to achieve comparable affinity. Further-more, the epitopes of sdAbs and Abs cannot be distinguished by their shape. For our datasets, sd-Abs do not target more concave epitopes than Abs: we posit that this may be explained by differences in the orientation and compaction of sdAb and Ab CDR-H3 loops. Overall, our results have important implications for the engineering and humanization of sdAbs, as well as the selection of the best modality for targeting a particular epitope.
Correlation between antibacterial activity of twoArtemisiasp. extracts and their plant characteristics
Authors: Mashraqi Abdullah , Al Abboud Mohamed A. , Ismail Khatib Sayeed , Modafer Yosra , Sharma Mukul , El-Shabasy A.
Published: June 2023

The present study evaluated the potential antibacterial activity ofArtemisia absinthiumL. andArtemisia herba-albaAsso. extracts through different organic and aqueous solvents. The tested bacteria were pathogenic types;Listeria monocytogenes,Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica andStaphylococcus aureus. There were different affinities for the studied organic solvents besides aqueous one. The comparative study was accomplished with comparing to the morphological, anatomical and palynological characters. The similarity parameter is obtained. ANOVA test analyzed MIC values for both plant extracts. Pearson Correlation Coefficients were determined for all both plant traits. MIC and MBC values were confirmed on using butanol and diethyl ether extracts besides butanol and chloroform extracts forArtemisia absinthiumL. andArtemisia hera albaAsso against tested pathogenic bacteria respectively as an alternative natural antibacterial inhibitor agent.
PROTOCOL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CORE OUTCOME SET FOR RESPECTFUL MATERNAL AND NEWBORN CARE IN A LOW-MIDDLE INCOME SETTING
Authors: Marenga Farai , Dube Kushupika , Goshomi Unice , Bedwell Carol , Kirkham Jamie J
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Disrespect and abuse have been seen as a real hindrance to achieving universal coverage for skilled delivery. Improving respectful maternal and newborn care (RMNC) and quality of care around the time of birth has been identified as a key strategy in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) for reducing the rates of stillbirths and maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity rates (Bohren et al., 2017). Currently, there is no core outcome set (COS) on RMNC, resulting in reporting of various study outcomes from different studies which hinders the improvement of maternal and neonatal health.

Objective

To develop a COS for RMNC that can be used in research studies and clinical practice in LMICs.

Methods /Design

An exploratory sequential mixed methods evidence synthesis design will be adopted for the study. This design will enable the utilisation of the COS methodology in three stages: (1) A systematic review and secondary analysis of qualitative interviews of women who utilise maternal care services in order to generate a list of outcomes (2) The list of outcomes will be used in a Delphi study with multiple stakeholder groups which include women and their partners, women representative groups, parents, health workers and researchers. Each person will score the outcomes in terms of the defined criteria. (3) The results of the Delphi will be summarised and discussed at a virtual consensus meeting with representation from all stakeholder groups where the final COS will be decided.

Discussion

The COS will predominantly be developed for use in a LMIC setting to measure and improve the quality of RMNC services.
Silicosis, tuberculosis and silica exposure among artisanal and small-scale miners: A systematic review and modelling paper
Authors: Howlett Patrick , Mousa Hader , Said Bibie , Mbuya Alexander , Kon Onn Min , Mpagama Stellah George , Feary Johanna
Published: June 2023

Background

An estimated 44 million artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM), largely based in developing economies, face significant occupational risks for respiratory diseases. We aimed to review studies that describe silicosis and tuberculosis prevalence and respirable crystalline silica (RCS) exposures among ASM and use background evidence to attempt to understand the relationship between exposures and disease outcomes.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Embase for studies published before the 24thMarch 2023. Our primary outcome of interest was silicosis or tuberculosis among ASM. Secondary outcomes included measurements of respirable dust or silica, spirometry and prevalence of respiratory symptoms. A systematic review and narrative synthesis was performed and risk of bias assessed using the Joanna Briggs Prevalence Critical Appraisal Tool. Logistic and Poisson regression models with predefined parameters were used to estimate silicosis prevalence and tuberculosis incidence at different distributions of cumulative silica exposure.

Results

We identified 18 eligible studies that included 29,562 miners from 13 distinct populations in 10 countries. Silicosis prevalence ranged from 11 to 37%, despite four of five studies reporting an average median duration of mining of <6 years. Tuberculosis prevalence was high; microbiologically confirmed disease ranged from 1.8 to 12% and clinical disease 3.0 to 17%. Average RCS intensity was very high (range 0.19-89.5 mg/m3) and respiratory symptoms were common. Our modelling demonstrated decreases in RCS result in reductions in silicosis and tuberculosis, with greater effects at higher mean exposures.

Discussion

Despite potential selection and measurement bias, prevalence of silicosis and tuberculosis were high in the studies identified in this review. Our modelling demonstrated the greatest respiratory health benefits of reducing RCS are in those with highest exposures. ASM face a high occupational respiratory disease burden which can be reduced by low-cost and effective reductions in RCS.
Automatic speaker diarization for natural conversation analysis in autism clinical trials
Authors: O’Sullivan James , Bogaarts Guy , Schoenenberger Philipp , Tillmann Julian , Slater David , Mesgarani Nima , Eule Eckhart , Kilchenmann Timothy , Murtagh Lorraine , Hipp Joerg , Lindemann Michael , Lipsmeier Florian , Cheng Wei-Yi , Nobbs David , Chatham Christopher
Published: June 2023

Challenges in social communication is one of the core symptom domains in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Novel therapies are under development to help individuals with these challenges, however the ability to show a benefit is dependent on a sensitive and reliable measure of treatment effect. Currently, measuring these deficits requires the use of time-consuming and subjective techniques. Objective measures extracted from natural conversations could be more ecologically relevant, and administered more frequently – perhaps giving them added sensitivity to change. While several studies have used automated analysis methods to study autistic speech, they require manual transcriptions. In order to bypass this time-consuming process, an automated speaker diarization algorithm must first be applied. In this paper, we are testing whether a speaker diarization algorithm can be applied to natural conversations between autistic individuals and their conversational partner in a natural setting at home over the course of a clinical trial. We calculated the average duration that a participant would speak for within their turn. We found a significant correlation between this feature and the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales (VABS) expressive communication score (r=0.51, p=7 × 10-5). Our results show that natural conversations can be used to obtain measures of talkativeness, and that this measure can be derived automatically, thus showing the promise of objectively evaluating communication challenges in ASD.

Index Terms

speaker diarization, autism spectrum disorder, talkativeness, natural conversations, mean length of utterance
Rice biological nitrification inhibition efficiency depends on plant genotype exudation rate
Authors: Kaur-Bhambra Jasmeet , Rajakulendran Joy Ebenezer , Bodington Dylan , Jaspars Marcel , Gubry-Rangin Cécile
Published: June 2023

Nitrification largely contributes to global nitrogen (N) fertiliser loss and nitrous oxide emissions in agricultural soils, including rice cultivation, Asia’s largest fertiliser consumer. One promising mitigation strategy to achieve greener agriculture involves biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) by plant-derived compounds. Future implementation of this nature-based approach in agricultural settings requires a better understanding of the impact of plant physiological traits on BNI efficiency and nitrification dynamics. We targeted those objectives in five rice genotypes grown in greenhouse conditions. The BNI efficiency was variable among the five plant genotypes, with a stronger inhibition of the ammonia-oxidiser in the rhizosphere than in the bulk soil. We identified that the root mass, root exudation rate and chemical composition are factors explaining the distinct BNI efficiencies in the rice genotypes, with plants having a high BNI efficiency having a small root mass and a high root exudation rate. Using the BNI efficiency assay of root exudates on multiple AO cultures, we demonstrated that AO bioassay could accurately represent the BNI variability in the soil. Finally, we identified a novel BNI compound,N-butyldodecane-1-amine (NBDA), in two high-BNI genotypes. NBDA specifically inhibited ammonia oxidisers by inhibiting enzymes involved in the ammonia oxidation pathway. These findings demonstrate that BNI research integrating plant physiology, microbial ecology, and chemistry has a strong potential for providing more sustainable agriculture.
Rhizoctonia solanidisease suppression: addition of keratin-rich soil amendment leads to functional shifts in soil microbial communities
Authors: Russ Lina , Andreo Jimenez Beatriz , Nijhuis Els , Postma Joeke
Published: June 2023

Promoting soil suppressiveness against soil borne pathogens could be a promising strategy to manage crop diseases. One way to increase pathogen suppression would be the addition of soil organic amendments, however the mechanism behind this effect remains unexplored. The presented study will focus onRhizoctonia solanidisease in sugar beet grown in two different soils. We aim to find how microbial communities and their molecular functions can be linked toRhizoctonia solanidisease suppression in sugar beet seedlings after soil is amended with a keratin-rich side stream from the farming industry. Amended soil samples were analyzed using shotgun metagenomics sequencing, and the disease score of plants infected withRhizoctoniaand grown in the same soil was collected. Results showed that both keratin-rich amended soils were rich in bacteria from the Flavobacteriaceae, Sphingobacteriaceae, Boseaceae, Phyllobacteriaceae, Caulobacteraceae, Oxalobacteraceae, Comamonadaceae, Rhodanobacteraceae and Steroidobacteraceae, as well as taxa from the phylum Bdellovibrionota, containing obligate predatory bacteria. The only fungal group that increased significantly was the Mortierellaceae family. Keratinases were abundant in the keratin-rich amended samples. Pfam domain enrichment analysis showed a decline in domains that could be annotated in both keratin-rich amended soils (Lisse ∼18% and Vredepeel ∼30%), showing an increase in unknown proteins. Among proteins that were enriched were those potentially involved in the production of secondary metabolites/antibiotics, proteins involved in motility, keratin-degradation, and contractile secretion system proteins (mostly type VI secretion system). These results could show that keratin-rich soil amendments can support the transformation into a disease suppressive soil by stimulating the same taxa that have been found in other disease suppressive soils. We hypothesize that these taxa are responsible for the suppression effect due to their genomic potential to produce antibiotics, secrete effectors via the contractile secretion system, and degrade oxalate, which is considered a virulence factor ofR. solani, while simultaneously possessing the ability to metabolize keratin.
The lipid flippase ATP10B enables cellular lipid uptake under stress conditions
Authors: Wouters Rosanne , Beletchi Igor , Van den Haute Chris , Baekelandt Veerle , Martin Shaun , Eggermont Jan , Vangheluwe Peter
Published: June 2023

Pathogenic ATP10B variants have been described in patients with Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy body disease, and we previously established ATP10B as a late endo-/lysosomal lipid flippase transporting both phosphatidylcholine (PC) and glucosylceramide (GluCer) from the lysosomal exoplasmic to cytoplasmic membrane leaflet. Since several other lipid flippases regulate cellular lipid uptake, we here examined whether also ATP10B impacts cellular lipid uptake. Transient co-expression of ATP10B with its obligatory subunit CDC50A stimulated the uptake of fluorescently (NBD-) labeled PC in HeLa cells. This uptake is dependent on the transport function of ATP10B, is impaired by disease-associated variants and appears specific for NBD-PC. Uptake of non-ATP10B substrates, such as NBD-sphingomyelin or NBD-phosphatidylethanolamine is not increased. Remarkably, in stable cell lines co-expressing ATP10B/CDC50A we only observed increased NBD-PC uptake following treatment with rotenone, a mitochondrial complex I inhibitor that induces transport-dependent ATP10B phenotypes. Conversely, Im95m and WM-115 cells with endogenous ATP10B expression, present a decreased NBD-PC uptake following ATP10B knockdown, an effect that is exacerbated under rotenone stress. Our data show that the endo-/lysosomal lipid flippase ATP10B contributes to cellular PC uptake under specific cell stress conditions.
Associative memory neurons of encoding multi-modal signals are recruited by neuroligin-3 mediated new synapse formation
Authors: Xu Yang , Cui Tian-Liang , Li Jia-Yi , Chen Bingchen , Wang Jin-Hui
Published: June 2023

The joint storage and reciprocal retrieval of leant associated signals are presumably encoded by associative memory cells. In the accumulation and enrichment of memory contents in lifespan, a signal often becomes a core signal associatively shared for other signals. One specific group of associative memory neurons that encode this core signal likely interconnects multiple groups of associative memory neurons that encode these other signals for their joint storage and reciprocal retrieval. We have examined this hypothesis in a mouse model of associative learning by pairing the whisker tactile signal sequentially with the olfactory signal, the gustatory signal and the tail-heating signal. Mice experienced this associative learning show the whisker fluctuation induced by olfactory, gustatory and tail-heating signals, or the other way around, i.e., memories to multi-modal associated signals featured by their reciprocal retrievals. Barrel cortical neurons in these mice become able to encode olfactory, gustatory and tail-heating signals alongside the whisker signal. Barrel cortical neurons interconnect piriform, S1-Tr and gustatory cortical neurons. With the barrel cortex as the hub, the indirect activation occurs among piriform, gustatory and S1-Tr cortices for the second-order associative memory. These associative memory neurons recruited to encode multi-modal signals in the barrel cortex for associative memory are downregulated byneuroligin-3knockdown. Thus, associative memory neurons can be recruited as the core cellular substrate to memorize multiple associated signals for the first-order and the second-order of associative memories by neuroligin-3-mediated synapse formation, which constitutes neuronal substrates of cognitive activities in the field of memoriology.

Highlight

The coactivity of cerebral cortices during associative learning induces their interconnections.

Interconnections endorse the first order and the second order of associative memory.

Associative memory cells in cerebral cortices are recruited by mutual synapse innervations.

Neuroligin-3 mediates the recruitment of associative memory cells for associative memory.
Life Span Assessment in the African Turquoise KillifishNothobranchius furzeri
Authors: Bedbrook Claire N. , Nath Ravi D. , Barajas Rogelio , Brunet Anne
Published: June 2023

The African turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) is the shortest-lived vertebrate bred in captivity, with a median life span of 4–6 mo. Within its short life span, the killifish recapitulates critical aspects of human aging, including neurodegeneration and increased frailty. Developing standardized protocols for life span assessment in killifish is critical for identifying environmental and genetic factors that impact vertebrate life span. A standardized life span protocol should have low variability and high reproducibility, and it should enable comparison of life spans between laboratories. Here, we report our standardized protocol for measuring life span in the African turquoise killifish.
Measurement of Taste Memory inDrosophila
Authors: Brown Elizabeth , Worden Kurtresha , Li Yuanyuan , Masek Pavel , Keene Alex C.
Published: June 2023

The ability to modify behavior as a result of previous experience allows an organism to adapt to changes in its environment. Even innate behaviors, like feeding initiation, can change if previously associated with a noxious stimulus. Here, we describe a taste memory assay pairing appetitive and bitter tastants, resulting in aversive taste conditioning. By training a fly to associate sweet sucrose applied to the tarsus with bitter quinine applied to the proboscis, flies quickly learn to suppress the reflexive proboscis extension to sucrose, providing a bioassay for behavioral and molecular plasticity. This single-fly taste memory assay may be applied to adultDrosophilaof any genetic background and allows for interrogation of the neural circuitry and molecular processes encoding memories while simultaneously measuring behavior. Unlike many other memory assays, this system requires few custom components, and therefore can be easily established in laboratories with minimal expertise in the study of fly behavior.
The impact of AI chatbots on customer trust: an empirical investigation in the hotel industry
Authors: Nguyen Van Thanh , Phong Le Thai , Chi Nguyen Thi Khanh
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the impact of AI chatbots on customer trust in AI chatbots for hotel services.

Design/methodology/approach

The probability sampling method was employed to develop a research sample. The research uses correlation analysis and structural equation modeling to analyze the data of 413 valid observations collected in the structured questionnaire survey in Vietnam.

Findings

The paper reports that empathy response, anonymity and customization significantly impact interaction. Empathy response is found to be the strongest influence on interaction. Meanwhile, empathy response and anonymity were revealed to indirectly affect customer trust. This paper also contributes several implications for hotel providers in emerging economies.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to shed light on the role of AI chatbots in explaining customers’ behavior. The results provide an enhanced understanding of how the AI chatbot system influences customers’ decision-making. It has been used to plan the chatbot application and highlight which implementation issues need the most attention in the hospitality industry.
On site/ off site/ in transit - Aspects of emergency preparedness and risk management for library collections
Authors: Posch Cornelia
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to provide insights into the state of emergency preparedness in libraries, highlight critical aspects of risk and prevention and present ideas and resources for libraries to take action.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on examples and results from research and practice on planning and risk assessment, the paper introduces key concepts and offers practical steps to improve library preparedness.

Findings

Despite evidence of emergencies and disasters seriously impacting libraries and other cultural institutions, the level of preparedness at these venues tends to be low. Institutional and psychological issues keep decisionmakers and practitioners from taking action to plan concretely for the protection of written cultural heritage. Examples from libraries that experienced emergencies or prepared for a major disruption can help define tasks that can be easily implemented and serve as starting point for hesitant institutions.

Practical implications

The paper offers numerous examples of activities staff can engage in, increasing their knowledge of their institution, improving the safety of the collection, and emphasizing agency of individuals.

Originality/value

In the face of climate change, increasingly extreme weather and political instability around the world, protecting cultural heritage is of the utmost importance.
Optimal design of composite cylindrical shells subject to compression buckling strength
Authors: Choudhary Prashant Kumar
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The objective of the present work is to present the design optimization of composite cylindrical shell subjected to an axial compressive load and lateral pressure.

Design/methodology/approach

A novel optimization method is developed to predict the optimal fiber orientation in composite cylindrical shell. The optimization is carried out by coupling analytical and finite element (FE) results with a genetic algorithm (GA)-based optimization scheme developed in MATLAB. Linear eigenvalue were performed to evaluate the buckling behaviour of composite cylinders. In analytical part, besides the buckling analysis, Tsai-Wu failure criteria are employed to analyse the failure of the composite structure.

Findings

The optimal result obtained through this study is compared with traditionally used laminates with 0, 90, ±45 orientation. The results suggest that the application of this novel optimization algorithm leads to an increase of 94% in buckling strength.

Originality/value

The proposed optimal fiber orientation can provide a practical and efficient way for the designers to evaluate the buckling pressure of the composite shells in the design stage.