bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancement effect of Ni on the mechanical and thermodynamic properties of Au-xNi (x = 0.5,1.0,1.5,2.0,2.5,3.0) alloy: a first-principles study
Authors: Dai Hua , Zhou Liming , Chen Jialin , Zhu Shaowu , Niu Haidong , Xu Hong , Wei Yan , Yuan Zhentao , Wang Xiao , Wu Haijun
Published: November 2024

Au-17.5Ni is a high-performance solder extensively utilized in the assembly of satellites, aircraft engines, and ceramic components, owing to its exceptional high-temperature properties. However, its inherent brittleness renders it susceptible to defects such as fractures, cracking, and delamination during the manufacturing of welding wires and foils. To mitigate these challenges, this study employs first-principles calculations to investigate the structural stability, mechanical properties, and thermal behavior of the primary phase in the Au-17.5Ni alloy, with a particular focus on the Au-rich phase, a solid solution of Ni in Au. The results indicate that the Au-2.0Ni composition exhibits the highest plasticity, characterized by a Pugh’s ratio (B/G) of 7.671 and a hardness value of 0.643 GPa, representing a 31.76% increase compared to pure Au. These improvements significantly enhance the processing performance of the Au-17.5Ni alloy. Moreover, the constant pressure specific heat capacity (Cp) of Au-xNi alloys exceeds that of pure Au and increases with higher Ni content. At 800 K, the Au-3.0Ni alloy exhibits the highest Cp at 31.179 J mol−1·K−1, indicating improved high-temperature stability. Additionally, the thermal expansion coefficients for Au-1.0Ni, Au-2.0Ni, and Au-3.0Ni increase by 13.037%, 22.858%, and 38.097%, respectively, which may lead to elevated thermal stresses in welded joints. Consequently, maintaining the Ni content in the Au-rich phase of the Au-17.5Ni solder below 2.0 wt% can significantly enhance solder processability, ultimately improving the yield of welding wires and foils.
A novel deep learning based method for myocardial strain quantification
Authors: Bernardo Agustín , Mato Germán , Calandrelli Matías , Medus Jorgelina , Curiale Ariel
Published: November 2024

Purpose.
This paper introduces a deep learning method for myocardial strain analysis while also evaluating the efficacy of the method across a public and a private dataset for cardiac pathology discrimination.
Methods.
We measure the global and regional myocardial strain in cSAX CMR images by first identifying a ROI centered in the LV, obtaining the cardiac structures (LV, RV and Myo) and estimating the motion of the myocardium. Finally, we compute the strain for the heart coordinate system and report the global and regional strain.
Results.
We validated our method in two public datasets (ACDC, 80 subjects, and CMAC, 16 subjects) and a private dataset (SSC, 75 subjects), containing healthy and pathological cases (acute myocardial infarction, DCM and HCM). We measured the mean Dice coefficient and Hausdorff distance for segmentation accuracy, and the absolute end point error for motion accuracy, and we conducted a study of the discrimination power of the strain and strain rate between populations of healthy and pathological subjects. The results demonstrated that our method effectively quantifies myocardial strain and strain rate, showing distinct patterns across different cardiac conditions achieving notable statistical significance. Results also show that the method’s accuracy is on par with iterative non-parametric registration methods and is also capable of estimating regional strain values.
Conclusion.
Our method proves to be a powerful tool for cardiac strain analysis, achieving results comparable to other state-of-the-art methods, and computational efficiency over traditional methods.
Paired autoencoders for likelihood-free estimation in inverse problems
Authors: Chung Matthias , Hart Emma , Chung Julianne , Peters Bas , Haber Eldad
Published: November 2024

We consider the solution of nonlinear inverse problems where the forward problem is a discretization of a partial differential equation. Such problems are notoriously difficult to solve in practice and require minimizing a combination of a data-fit term and a regularization term. The main computational bottleneck of typical algorithms is the direct estimation of the data misfit. Therefore, likelihood-free approaches have become appealing alternatives. Nonetheless, difficulties in generalization and limitations in accuracy have hindered their broader utility and applicability. In this work, we use a paired autoencoder framework as a likelihood-free estimator (LFE) for inverse problems. We show that the use of such an architecture allows us to construct a solution efficiently and to overcome some known open problems when using LFEs. In particular, our framework can assess the quality of the solution and improve on it if needed. We demonstrate the viability of our approach using examples from full waveform inversion and inverse electromagnetic imaging.
Boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation-related precipitation in eastern China modulated by Pacific sea surface temperature
Authors: Weng Liyuan , Liang Ping , Lin Yanluan
Published: November 2024

The boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO) is a key source of subseasonal to seasonal predictability, significantly enhancing precipitation in eastern China when BSISO convection is over the Indian Ocean. While background sea surface temperature (SST) modulates the strength and propagation of BSISO, how the SST further modulates the BSISO-caused precipitation change in eastern China is not well understood. Based on observations and National Center for the Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis, this study shows the enhanced rainband caused by BSISO shifts latitudinally on interannual timescale in eastern China. Composite and correlation analyses reveal that this interannual shift is closely associated with the Pacific meridional mode (PMM) in preceding boreal spring (February–April). Specifically, the rainband in eastern China shifts southward during the positive PMM phase and northward during the negative phase. During the positive PMM phase, an upper-level anticyclonic anomaly forms over the North Pacific, which strengthens the BSISO-triggered Rossby wave train and results in a southward shift of the westerly jet in eastern China. The ascent along the southern flank of the westerly jet also shifts southward. Besides, a lower-level cyclonic anomaly forms over the western North Pacific as a Gill-type response to warm SST anomalies in the eastern Pacific. This response weakens the western North Pacific subtropical high and the background easterly wind over the tropical Pacific, impeding the eastward propagation of BSISO. Both the weakened subtropical high and the impeded BSISO favour a southward shift of moisture convergence in eastern China. During the negative PMM phase, the BSISO-triggered Rossby wave train is weakened and the westerly jet and the ascent in eastern China shift northward. The moisture convergence in eastern China also shifts northward due to the strengthened subtropical high and the eastward extension of BSISO. These results can provide guidance for subseasonal forecast of summer precipitation in eastern China.
Impact of pharmacy involvement on care gap closure in Managed Medicaid patients
Authors: Montgomery Ellen , Sherod-Harris Tiffany , Adkins Marina , Hinely Molly
Published: November 2024

Purpose

A population health pharmacy team was developed to improve health and increase reimbursement for patients with value-based care plans. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of pharmacy involvement on care gap closure in Managed Medicaid patients.

Methods

This was a single-center, retrospective cohort study of Managed Medicaid patients seen at outpatient facilities. Patients had a pharmacy risk score (PRS) of 6 or greater and had not achieved the Medicaid quality measures for both glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and blood pressure (BP). The intervention group included patients reviewed by pharmacy, compared to a control group of patients not reviewed by pharmacy. The primary outcome was closure of at least one care gap by the end of 2022. Secondary outcomes were the number of each type of gap closed, the frequency at which recommendations were made by pharmacists, and the frequency at which pharmacist recommendations were implemented by providers.

Results

Data were collected for 80 patients for the period from January through October 2022. The primary outcome occurred in 37 (74%) patients in the intervention group and 15 (50%) patients in the control group (odds ratio, 2.85; P = 0.032). The HbA1c gap was closed in 30 (60%) patients in the intervention group and 8 (27%) patients in the control group. The BP gap was closed in 24 (48%) patients in the intervention group and 11 (37%) patients in the control group. The frequency with which recommendations were made by a pharmacist was associated with gap closure (P = 0.012). No significant difference was found based on the frequency at which recommendations were implemented by providers (P = 0.4).

Conclusion

Pharmacy intervention was associated with an almost 3-fold-higher likelihood of closing at least one care gap in Medicaid patients. HbA1c gap closure was achieved more frequently than BP gap closure due to pharmacy involvement. The frequency with which recommendations were made by pharmacy was associated with increased gap closure regardless of the frequency with which these recommendations were implemented by providers.
Less is more: relative rank is more informative than absolute abundance for compositional NGS data
Authors: Zheng Xubin , Jin Nana , Wu Qiong , Zhang Ning , Wu Haonan , Wang Yuanhao , Luo Rui , Liu Tao , Ding Wanfu , Geng Qingshan , Cheng Lixin
Published: November 2024

High-throughput gene expression data have been extensively generated and utilized in biological mechanism investigations, biomarker detection, disease diagnosis and prognosis. These applications encompass not only bulk transcriptome, but also single cell RNA-seq data. However, extracting reliable biological information from transcriptome data remains challenging due to the constrains of Compositional Data Analysis. Current data preprocessing methods, including dataset normalization and batch effect correction, are insufficient to address these issues and improve data quality for downstream analysis. Alternatively, qualification methods focusing on the relative order of gene expression (ROGER) are more informative than the quantification methods that rely on gene expression abundance. The Pairwise Analysis of Gene expression method is an enhancement of ROGER, designed for data integration in either sample space or feature space. In this review, we summarize the methods applied to transcriptome data analysis and discuss their potentials in predicting clinical outcomes.
FastTENET: an accelerated TENET algorithm based on manycore computing in Python
Authors: Sung Rakbin , Kim Hyeonkyu , Kim Junil , Lee Daewon
Published: November 2024

TENET reconstructs gene regulatory networks from single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) data using the transfer entropy (TE), and works successfully on a variety of scRNAseq data. However, TENET is limited by its long computation time for large datasets. To address this limitation, we propose FastTENET, an array-computing version of TENET algorithm optimized for acceleration on manycore processors such as GPUs. FastTENET counts the unique patterns of joint events to compute the TE based on array computing. Compared to TENET, FastTENET achieves up to 973× performance improvement.

Availability and implementation

FastTENET is available on GitHub at https://github.com/cxinsys/fasttenet.
Skin microbiome dynamics in patients with polymorphic light eruption in response to UV radiations
Authors: Amar Yacine , Niedermeier Sebastian , Silva Rafaela , Kublik Susanne , Schloter Michael , Biedermann Tilo , Köberle Martin , Eberlein Bernadette
Published: November 2024

Background

Polymorphic light eruption (PLE) is the most frequent photodermatosis in Europe with an estimated prevalence of 10 to 20%, particularly in temperate climates. Itching or burning lesions appear only in sun-exposed areas, predominantly on the chest, the arms and forearms within a few hours following exposure. The disease’s cause is still unknown, yet studies have suggested that skin microbial elements may play a role in its pathogenesis.

Objectives

We investigated in this cohort the skin microbiome of PLE patients upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR), to assess its role in the onset of PLE lesions.

Methods

Forty-one skin swabs have been collected from eleven PLE patients at baseline and following a three-day exposure to UVR and from healthy controls. The collected swabs were analyzed for their microbial composition using a 16S amplicon sequencing approach.

Results

The PLE skin showed a dysbalanced microbiome, already at baseline, with significantly reduced microbial diversity and noticeable colonization by bacterial pathogens as Staphylococcus aureus. Upon UVR exposure, the PLE microbiome exhibited a further loss of diversity and decline of beneficial skin commensals. In line with this, we observed that UVR exerted strong antimicrobial effects in vitro against representative skin residents.

Conclusions

Taken together, UVR can lead to profound skin microbiome changes, allowing the proliferation of dysbiotic members that can release a variety of elements able to trigger PLE lesions. This is the first study investigating the cutaneous microbiome changes in PLE patients upon UVR, offering new insights into disease pathogenesis, so far unexplored.
Causal association of physical activity with lymphoma risk: a Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Zhao Jin , Wen Xiaolian , Zheng Meijing , Su Liping , Guo Xiaojing
Published: November 2024

Controversial relationship of physical activity with lower lymphoma risk has been reported in observational studies. The purpose of this study was to explore the causal correlation of physical activity with lymphoma risk using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR). Genetic variants associated with physical activity (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), average acceleration physical activity, number of days/week of moderate physical activity 10+ min, and number of days/week of vigorous physical activity 10+ min) and lymphoma [overall lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, mature T/NK-cell lymphomas, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and follicular lymphoma] were obtained from published genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and the FinnGen database and used as instrumental variables. Primary results were based on inverse variance-weighted (IVW) analysis and were described as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Higher levels of genetically predicted MVPA (OR = 0.079, 95% CI: 0.021–0.300, P = 0.0002) and number of days/week of vigorous physical activity 10+ min (OR = 0.237, 95% CI: 0.098–0.573, P = 0.0014) were negatively associated with Hodgkin lymphoma risk. There was a weak negative association between high levels of genetically predicted MVPA (OR = 0.114, 95% CI: 0.015–0.856, P = 0.0348) and average acceleration physical activity (OR = 0.830, 95% CI: 0.705–0.976, P = 0.0243) and risk of DLBCL. No causal relationship was observed between physical activity and the risk of overall lymphoma, mature T/NK-cell lymphomas, and follicular lymphoma (P > 0.05). This study supported the causal relationship between higher physical activity levels and lower risks of Hodgkin lymphoma and DLBCL.
Public health approaches to ‘Leave No One Behind’ in heatwave resilience: insights from the UK
Authors: Nunes Ana Raquel
Published: November 2024

Heatwaves pose significant threats to vulnerable populations, making resilience efforts crucial. This study aims to explore stakeholders' perspectives on heatwave resilience from a public health perspective, with a specific focus on operationalising the commitment to ‘Leave No One Behind’ (LNOB) as outlined in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with key stakeholders from national and local government, industry and business, academia, and civil society organizations. Interviews examined stakeholders' understanding of the progress and challenges associated with fulfilling the commitment of LNOB in the context of heat resilience from a public health perspective, in England, UK. Content analysis of interview transcripts was undertaken. Stakeholders emphasize the importance of equity, inclusivity, and public health priorities in heatwave resilience efforts while specifically addressing the commitment to LNOB. Disparities in vulnerability due to socioeconomic factors, challenges in identifying and supporting vulnerable populations, progress made in addressing heatwave resilience, and the role of government and society in improving resilience efforts were emphasized. Stakeholders highlighted the need for targeted interventions, strengthened community support networks, and policy changes to address systemic inequalities and promote inclusivity in resilience strategies. Stakeholders’ perspectives underscore the importance of aligning heatwave resilience efforts with global goals, particularly in promoting public health equity and inclusivity. By addressing the challenges identified and implementing the recommendations for improvement, policymakers and practitioners should work towards more equitable and inclusive resilience strategies to safeguard public health during heatwaves.
Heritability and age-dependent changes in genetic variation of telomere length in a wild house sparrow population
Authors: Chik Heung Ying Janet , Sibma Aaron , Mannarelli Maria-Elena , dos Remedios Natalie , Simons Mirre J P , Burke Terry , Dugdale Hannah L , Schroeder Julia
Published: November 2024

Telomere length (TL) and/or its rate of change are popular biomarkers of senescence, as telomere dynamics are linked with survival and lifespan. However, the evolutionary potential of telomere dynamics has received mixed support in natural populations. To better understand how telomere dynamics evolve, it is necessary to quantify genetic variation in TL and how such variation changes with age. Here, we analyzed 2,083 longitudinal samples from 1,225 individuals across 16 years, collected from a wild, insular house sparrow (Passer domesticus) population with complete life history and genetic relatedness data. Using a series of “animal” models, we confirmed that TL changes with age, reflecting senescence in this population. We found TL to be repeatable (14.0%, 95% CrI: 9.1%–19.9%) and heritable (12.3%, 95% CrI: 7.5%–18.2%); and detected a genotype-by-age interaction, meaning that genotypes differ in their rate of change of TL, and additive genetic variance increases at older ages. Our findings provide empirical evidence from a wild population that supports hypotheses explaining the evolution of senescence and highlight the importance of telomere dynamics as a key biomarker of body physiology for the evolution of senescence.
Wild yeast isolation by middle-school students reveals features of populations residing on North American oaks
Authors: Yeager Randi , Heasley Lydia R , Baker Nolan , Shrivastava Vatsal , Woodman Julie , McMurray Michael A
Published: November 2024

Features of the natural life cycle of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were crucial to its domestication as a laboratory experimental model, especially the ability to maintain stable haploid clones and cross them at will to combine alleles via meiosis. Stable haploidy results from mutations in HO, which encodes an endonuclease required for haploid-specific mating-type switching. Previous studies found an unexpected diversity of HO alleles among natural isolates within a small geographic area. We developed a hands-on field and laboratory activity for middle-school students in Denver, CO, USA, to isolate wild yeast from oak bark, identify species via DNA sequencing, and sequence HO from S. cerevisiae isolates. We find limited HO diversity in North American oak isolates, pointing to efficient, continuous dispersal across the continent. In contrast, we isolated the “dairy yeast,” Kluyveromyces lactis, from a tree <10 m away and found that it represents a new population distinct from an oak population in an adjacent state. The outreach activity partnered middle-school, high-school, and university students in making scientific discoveries and can be adapted to other locations and natural yeast habitats. Indeed, a pilot sampling activity in southeast Texas yielded S. cerevisiae oak isolates with a new allele of HO and, from a nearby prickly pear cactus, a heat-tolerant isolate of Saccharomyces paradoxus.
A collection of split-Gal4 drivers targeting conserved signaling ligands in Drosophila
Authors: Ewen-Campen Ben , Joshi Neha , Hermon Ashley Suraj , Thakkar Tanuj , Zirin Jonathan , Perrimon Norbert
Published: November 2024

Communication between cells in metazoan organisms is mediated by a remarkably small number of highly conserved signaling pathways. Given this small number of signaling pathways, the existence of multiple related ligands for many of these pathways represents a key evolutionary innovation for encoding complexity into cell–cell signaling. Relatedly, crosstalk between pathways is another critical feature, which allows a modest number of pathways to ultimately generate an enormously diverse range of outcomes. It would thus be useful to have genetic tools to identify and manipulate not only those cells that express a given signaling ligand but also those cells that specifically coexpress pairs of signaling ligands. We present a collection of split-Gal4 knock-in lines targeting many of the ligands for highly conserved signaling pathways in Drosophila (Notch, Hedgehog, fibroblast growth factor (FGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor β (TGFβ), Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT), Jun kinase (JNK), and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-related receptor (PVR). We demonstrate that these lines faithfully recapitulate the endogenous expression pattern of their targets and that they can be used to identify cells and tissues that coexpress pairs of ligands. As a proof of principle, we demonstrate that the 4th chromosome TGFβ ligands myoglianin and maverick are broadly coexpressed in muscles and other tissues of both larva and adults and that the JAK/STAT ligands upd2 and upd3 are partially coexpressed from cells of the midgut following gut damage. Together with our previously collection of split-Gal4 lines targeting the 7 Wnt ligands, this resource allows Drosophila researchers to identify and genetically manipulate cells that specifically express pairs of conserved ligands from nearly all the major intercellular signaling pathways.
Transcriptomic Sexual Conflict at Two Evolutionary Timescales Revealed by Experimental Evolution in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Kasimatis Katja R , Willis John H , Sedore Christine A , Phillips Patrick C
Published: November 2024

Sex-specific regulation of gene expression is the most plausible way for generating sexually differentiated phenotypes from an essentially shared genome. However, since genetic material is shared, sex-specific selection in one sex can have an indirect response in the other sex. From a gene expression perspective, this tethered response can move one sex away from their wild-type expression state and potentially impact many gene regulatory networks. Here, using experimental evolution in the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, we explore the coupling of direct sexual selection on males with the transcriptomic response in males and females over microevolutionary timescales to uncover the extent to which postinsemination reproductive traits share a genetic basis between the sexes. We find that differential gene expression evolved in a sex-specific manner in males, while in females, indirect selection causes an evolved response. Almost all differentially expressed genes were downregulated in both evolved males and females. Moreover, 97% of significantly differentially expressed genes in males and 69% of significantly differentially expressed genes in females have wild-type female-biased expression profile. Changes in gene expression profiles were likely driven through trans-acting pathways that are shared between the sexes. We found no evidence that the core dosage compensation machinery was impacted by experimental evolution. Together, these data suggest a defeminization of the male transcriptome and masculinization of the female transcriptome driven by direct selection on male sperm competitive ability. Our results indicate that on short evolutionary timescales, sexual selection can generate putative sexual conflict in expression space.
Metabolic Signature of Insulin Resistance and Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Gutierrez-Tordera Laia , Panisello Laura , García-Gonzalez Pablo , Ruiz Agustín , Cantero José Luis , Rojas-Criollo Melina , Mursil Muhammad , Atienza Mercedes , Novau-Ferré Nil , Mateu-Fabregat Javier , Mostafa Hamza , Puig Domènec , Folch Jaume , Rashwan Hatem , Marquié Marta , Boada Mercè , Papandreou Christopher , Bulló Mònica
Published: November 2024

Background

Substantial evidence supports the relationship between peripheral insulin resistance (IR) and the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-dementia. However, the mechanisms explaining these associations are only partly understood. We aimed to identify a metabolic signature of IR associated with the progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to AD-dementia.

Methods

This is a case-control study on 400 MCI subjects, free of type 2 diabetes, within the ACE cohort, including individuals ATN + and ATN−. After a median of 2.1 years of follow-up, 142 subjects converted to AD-dementia. IR was assessed using the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). A targeted multiplatform approach profiled over 600 plasma metabolites. Elastic net penalized linear regression with 10-fold cross-validation was employed to select those metabolites associated with HOMA-IR. The prediction ability of the signature was assessed using support vector machine and performance metrics. The metabolic signature was associated with AD-dementia risk using a multivariable Cox regression model. Using counterfactual-based mediation analysis, we investigated the mediation role of the metabolic signature between HOMA-IR and AD-dementia. The metabolic pathways in which the metabolites were involved were identified using MetaboAnalyst.

Results

The metabolic signature comprised 18 metabolites correlated with HOMA-IR. After adjustments by confounders, the signature was associated with increased AD-dementia risk (HR = 1.234; 95% CI = 1.019–1.494; p < .05). The metabolic signature mediated 35% of the total effect of HOMA-IR on AD-dementia risk. Significant metabolic pathways were related to glycerophospholipid and tyrosine metabolism.

Conclusions

We have identified a blood-based metabolic signature that reflects IR and may enhance our understanding of the biological mechanisms through which IR affects AD-dementia.
A performance measure framework for ecosystem-based management
Authors: Haugen Janne B , Link Jason S , Fulton Elizabeth A , Dickey-Collas Mark , Brainard Rusty E , Bundy Alida
Published: November 2024

Effective management of ocean resources is crucial for achieving desired ecological, economic, and social outcomes. Marine ecosystem-based management (EBM) offers a comprehensive approach to achieve these goals, yet its implementation has been challenging and its effectiveness has been unclear. Therefore, we need performance measures to assess the effectiveness of EBM strategies. We developed a semi-quantitative assessment framework using existing indicators and performance measures from the business and project management world (e.g. Key Performance Indicators; KPIs), national and regional economic and social wellbeing performance measures (e.g. GDP, food security), and ecosystem status assessments (e.g. overfishing, biodiversity) to evaluate the success and performance of EBM outcomes. The framework consists of four main categories: (1) sector performance; (2) marine ecosystem status; (3) management and tradeoffs; and (4) human dimensions, each flexible enough to accommodate suitable indicators and reference points. We show how the framework responds to real case studies from Southern New England, the Gulf of Maine, and the Hawaiian Islands, USA; the Baltic Sea; and the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia. The main observation from these performance measures is that higher scores in the management and tradeoffs consideration correlate with higher scores in the marine ecosystem status. Additionally, higher human dimensions scores tend to lead to higher sectoral performance scores. Although it is not certain that one leads to the other, this suggests that EBM is functioning as intended. The framework results show that there are many possible indicators, performance targets, and associated desired directionalities that can be combined to form possible performance measures across combined ocean-use sectors to inform EBM. The challenge lies in using these different operational indicators to assess the strengths and weaknesses of EBM approaches.
30+ Years of European Social Dialogue: What Way Forward After the EPSU-Case?
Authors: Copeland Paul , ter Haar Beryl
Published: November 2024

For 30+ years the European Social Dialogue (ESD) has been an important part of European Union law-making in the field of social policy, which makes it a good moment to look back, but mostly to look forward. The latter, especially after the rulings in the EPSU-case, which were criticised as meaning the end of the European Social Dialogue. The aim of our contribution is therefore to interrogate and assess the future of the ESD through an empirically grounded analyses of ESD and its dynamic relationship to the evolutionary process of European integration. Our conclusion is that in terms of input and output legitimacy, the ESD can improve, especially by building coalitions, and by improving the quality of their output by applying the Better Regulation principles to their agreements. Both activities would lead to the further maturing of their autonomy and might lead to a greater respect for horizontal subsidiarity by the Commission.
Longitudinal analysis of blood pressure control and influencing factors among 32 701 primary care hypertensive patients with or without diabetes: a prospective cohort study in Jianye District, China
Authors: Zhang Xia , Jiang Na , Zhang Ming , Ni Xiaoyan , Fan Lijun , Du Wei , Xue Hui
Published: November 2024

Background

We aimed to explore the variation in blood pressure (BP) control in primary care hypertensive patients with or without diabetes, and investigate potential factors associated with inadequate BP control during follow-up.

Methods

Primary care hypertensive patients with and without diabetes were recruited in 2020 from Jianye District of Nanjing and prospectively followed up until 2023. Effective BP control was measured in terms of consistent normal readings of systolic BP <140 mmHg and of diastolic BP <90 mmHg based on the most recent assessment during the follow-up period. We used the negative binomial model with total person-years as an offset to evaluate whether the study population would achieve BP control after the 3-y follow-up period in terms of rate ratio (RR) and 95% CI. We further conducted subgroup analysis based on the absence or presence of clinically confirmed diabetes and BP stability at baseline.

Results

Of a total of 32 701 patients with hypertension, compared with those without comorbid diabetes and stable BP at baseline, patients with comorbid diabetes and unstable BP at baseline were less likely to have effective BP control at follow-up (adjusted RR=2.01, 95% CI 1.89 to 2.15). We observed an elevated risk of ineffective BP control at follow-up in those aged 60–70 y (1.69; 95% CI 1.56 to 1.83) or ≥70 y (1.73; 95% CI 1.59 to 1.88), females (1.09; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.16), those with a higher waist-to-height ratio (1.25; 95% CI 1.17 to 1.34), overweight/obese in terms of body mass index (1.16; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.23) or regularly consuming alcohol (1.26; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.37). Higher educational attainment indicated a reduced risk of ineffective BP control at follow-up (0.68; 95% CI 0.63 to 0.75).

Conclusions

Achieving effective BP control remains a persistent challenge, especially for patients with comorbid hypertension and diabetes. In the absence of any novel strategies for hypertension care, the existing multidisciplinary care approaches could be repurposed and integrated for effective management of the aforementioned comorbid conditions in primary care settings.
Perception, practice and associated factors of labour pain management among obstetric care providers in public health facilities in Harari Region, Ethiopia: a multicentre cross-sectional study
Authors: Wondimu Loza , Bekana Miressa , Tura Abera Kenay , Getachew Tamirat
Published: November 2024

Background

Although providing relief from labour pain can improve the mother's satisfaction with the birthing process and lead to better reproductive outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the perceptions, practices and related aspects of labour pain management among obstetric care providers in public health institutions in the Harari Region of Ethiopia.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the labour and delivery wards of public health facilities in the Harari Region. Data were collected using a semi-structured and pretested self-administered questionnaire among systematically selected obstetrics care providers (OCPs). A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with the practice of labour pain management. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to determine the strength of associations and a p-value <0.05 was considered significantly associated.

Results

Data from 234 OCPs were employed for analysis. A total of 70.9% of OCPs have positive perceptions and 69.7% practiced labour pain management in the past 4 weeks. Being a female (adjusted OR [aOR] 2.33 [95% CI 1.06 to 5.15]), having a positive perception (aOR 7.76 [95% CI 3.21 to 18.72]), being a physician (aOR 6.35 [95% CI 1.94 to 20.82]), being a midwife (aOR 5.28 [95% CI 1.78 to 15.63]) and being a highly qualified OCP (aOR 17.89 [95% CI 5.22 to 61.30]) were associated with being more likely to practice labour pain management. Positive attitude (aOR 2.77 [95% CI 1.51 to 8.72]), being a physician (aOR 6.01 [95% CI 1.23 to 29.35]) and practicing labour pain management (aOR 12.89 [95% CI 4.57 to 36.38]) were associated with labour pain management perceptions.

Conclusions

Seven of ten OCPs practiced labour pain relief methods and had a positive perception of managing labour pain. Therefore, facilitating training and improving the perceptions and attitudes of OCPs towards labour pain management should be encouraged.
Modeling and feasibility of a pharmacotherapeutic follow-up service for psychiatric patients in secondary care: a pilot study
Authors: da Silva Lima Camila , Lacerda Barreto Joslene , Denisson Maurício Viana Max , Alves Izabel Almeida
Published: November 2024

Background

Patients with severe mental disorders lack pharmacotherapy monitoring in public outpatient clinics in Brazil.

Objective

To test a model of pharmacotherapeutic follow-up for patients with severe mental disorders and to verify its feasibility.

Methods

The study was divided into three phases: (1) definition of a practice model for the pharmacotherapeutic follow-up service, (2) testing the model with regular consultations, and (3) evaluating the outcomes. The service model was adapted from the Brazilian Ministry of Health guidelines and was evaluated by comparing results before and after the pharmacotherapeutic follow-up.

Results

The study began with 27 participants and concluded with 10. The feasibility of the service exceeded the goal, corresponding to 81.5%. The pharmacotherapeutic follow-up increased medication adherence, as indicated by the MAT scores (initial 4.44 ± 0.681 and final 5.22 ± 0.572, [P = .020]), and minimized anxiety symptoms, as indicated by the GAD-7 scores (initial 12.4 ± 4.40 and final 7.0 ± 4.76, [P = .004]). In addition, there was a reduction in the complexity of pharmacotherapy, drug-related problems, and potential drug interactions.

Conclusion

The study concluded that the service was feasible, as evidenced by consistent attendance. Moreover, postintervention evaluation showed positive outcomes for medication adherence and anxiety reduction. Thus, the implementation of this service in the studied setting is satisfactory for meeting the needs of patients with severe mental disorders.
Comparison of basic lymphocyte phenotype results between a diagnostic and a research laboratory
Authors: Aziz Najib , LaBelle Erik , Jamieson Beth D , Mimiaga Matthew J , Detels Roger
Published: November 2024

Objective

Lymphocyte phenotyping is a valuable tool for monitoring the effects of antiretroviral therapy on individuals living with HIV-1. A switch study was conducted to compare T-cell subset quantification performed by a research laboratory and a diagnostic, laboratory to understand the impact on the retrospective and prospective results of a long-term study.

Methods

Using FACSCanto II Flow Cytometers, EDTA anticoagulated peripheral blood from 73 males enrolled in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study/Women Interagency HIV Combined Cohort Study was analyzed by both a research (laboratory 1) and a diagnostics laboratory (laboratory 2) for quantification of cluster of differentiation (CD)3, CD4, and CD8 T-cells. There were 47 males living with and 26 living without HIV-1.

Results

Bland-Altman (B-A) analysis was applied to assess the agreement between laboratory 1 and laboratory 2 results. There were 69 out of 73 CD3, 71 out of 73CD4, and 72 out of 73 CD8 T-cell results that fell within acceptable B-A limits of agreement. The mean differences between the 2 laboratories were –1.000, –0.945, and +0.685(%), respectively.

Conclusion

The strong agreement between results from laboratory 1 and laboratory 2 for CD3, CD4, and CD8 T-cell percentage suggests that the difference between laboratories using the same instrumentation and methodology will have a minimal effect on long-term study results.
Remarkable Evolutionary Rate Variations Among Lineages and Among Genome Compartments in Malaria Parasites of Mammals
Authors: Abu-Elmakarem Hend , MacLean Oscar A , Venter Frank , Plenderleith Lindsey J , Culleton Richard L , Hahn Beatrice H , Sharp Paul M
Published: November 2024

Genes encoded within organelle genomes often evolve at rates different from those in the nuclear genome. Here, we analyzed the relative rates of nucleotide substitution in the mitochondrial, apicoplast, and nuclear genomes in four different lineages of Plasmodium species (malaria parasites) infecting mammals. The rates of substitution in the three genomes exhibit substantial variation among lineages, with the relative rates of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA being particularly divergent between the Laverania (including Plasmodium falciparum) and Vivax lineages (including Plasmodium vivax). Consideration of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitution rates suggests that their variation is largely due to changes in mutation rates, with constraints on amino acid replacements remaining more similar among lineages. Mitochondrial DNA mutation rate variations among lineages may reflect differences in the long-term average lengths of the sexual and asexual stages of the life cycle. These rate variations have far-reaching implications for the use of molecular clocks to date Plasmodium evolution.
There will always be variants of uncertain significance. Analysis of VUSs
Authors: Zhang Haoyang , Kabir Muhammad , Ahmed Saeed , Vihinen Mauno
Published: November 2024

The ACMG/AMP guidelines include five categories of which variants of uncertain significance (VUSs) have received increasing attention. Recently, Fowler and Rehm claimed that all or most VUSs could be reclassified as pathogenic or benign within few years. To test this claim, we collected validated benign, pathogenic, VUS and conflicting variants from ClinVar and LOVD and investigated differences at gene, protein, structure, and variant levels. The gene and protein features included inheritance patterns, actionability, functional categories for housekeeping, essential, complete knockout, lethality and haploinsufficient proteins, Gene Ontology annotations, and protein network properties. Structural properties included the location at secondary structural elements, intrinsically disordered regions, transmembrane regions, repeats, conservation, and accessibility. Gene features were distributions of nucleotides, their groupings, codons, and location to CpG islands. The distributions of amino acids and their groups were investigated. VUSs did not markedly differ from other variants. The only major differences were the accessibility and conservation of pathogenic variants, and reduced ratio of repeat-locating variants in VUSs. Thus, all VUSs cannot be distinguished from other types of variants. They display one form of natural biological heterogeneity. Instead of concentrating on eradicating VUSs, the community would benefit from investigating and understanding factors that contribute to phenotypic heterogeneity.
Oral dysbiosis initiates periodontal disease in experimental kidney disease
Authors: Randall David , Alsam Asil , Kieswich Julius , Joseph Susan , Aduse-Opoku Joseph , Swann Jonathan , Boyde Alan , Davis Graham , Mills David , McCafferty Kieran , Curtis Michael , Yaqoob Muhammed M
Published: November 2024

Background and hypothesis

It is presently unclear why there is a high prevalence of periodontal disease in individuals living with chronic kidney disease. Whilst some have argued that periodontal disease causes chronic kidney disease, we hypothesized that alterations in saliva and the oral microenvironment in organisms with kidney disease may initiate periodontal disease by causing dysbiosis of the oral microbiota.

Methods

Experimental kidney disease was created using adenine feeding and subtotal nephrectomy in rats, and by adenine feeding in mice. Loss of periodontal bone height was assessed using a dissecting microscope supported by micro-CT, light, confocal and electron microscopy, and immunohistochemistry. Salivary biochemistry was assessed using NMR spectroscopy. The oral microbiome was evaluated using culture-based and molecular methods, and the transmissibility of dysbiosis was assessed using co-caging and microbial transfer experiments into previously germ-free recipient mice.

Results

We demonstrate that experimental kidney disease causes a reproducible reduction of alveolar bone height, without gingival inflammation or overt hyperparathyroidism but with evidence of failure of bone formation at the periodontal crest. We show that kidney disease alters the biochemical composition of saliva and induces progressive dysbiosis of the oral microbiota, with microbial samples from animals with kidney disease displaying reduced overall bacterial growth, increased alpha diversity, reduced abundance of key components of the healthy oral microbiota such as Streptococcus and Rothia, and an increase in minor taxa including those from gram-negative phyla Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Co-housing diseased rats with healthy ones ameliorates the periodontal disease phenotype, whilst transfer of oral microbiota from mice with kidney disease causes periodontal disease in germ-free animals with normal kidney function.

Conclusions

We advocate that periodontal disease should be regarded as a complication of kidney disease, initiated by oral dysbiosis through mechanisms independent of overt inflammation or hyperparathyroidism.
The uremic solute 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropionate (CMPF) may enhance eryptosis and increase erythrocyte osmotic fragility through potential activation of Piezo1
Authors: Van Spitzenbergen Beatriz Akemi Kondo , Andrade Gabriela Bohnen , Dias Erika Sousa , Alegre Júlia Bacarin Monte , Dias Gabriela Ferreira , Grobe Nadja , Moreno-Amaral Andrea Novais , Kotanko Peter
Published: November 2024

Background and hypothesis

In patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), the lifespan of red blood cells (RBC) is often shortened, a condition attributed to the “uremic milieu.” We reported recently that the uremic solute 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropionate (CMPF) shares structural similarities with Jedi1, a chemical activator of the mechanosensitive cation channel Piezo1, whose activation increases calcium influx into cells. Against this backdrop, we hypothesized that CMPF may induce premature RBC death (eryptosis) through prolonged CMPF-induced activation of Piezo1 located on RBC. To test this hypothesis, we explored if CMPF, at concentrations found in uremia, interacts with Piezo1 located on RBC, increases intracellular calcium (icCa2+), and induces eryptosis.

Methods

RBC from healthy individuals were incubated with CMPF or Jedi1 (both at a concentration of 87 µM), in the presence or absence of the Piezo1 inhibitor GsMTx-4 (2 µM). We challenged RBC osmotically through incubation in solutions of NaCl at concentrations between 3.0 and 9.0 g/L and determined their osmotic fragility. Using flow cytometry, we quantified in incubated RBC icCa2+ levels and phosphatidylserine exposure, a cellular marker of eryptosis.

Results

Incubation of RBC with CMPF and Jedi1 significantly increased RBC osmotic fragility, an effect prevented by GsMTx-4. At 6.0 g/L NaCl, incubation with CMPF and Jedi1 increased exposure of phosphatidylserine and elevated icCa2+ levels of RBC, indicating increased eryptosis. Notably, at an isotonic NaCl concentration of 9.0 g/L, CMPF - but not Jedi1 - significantly increased RBC phosphatidylserine exposure and icCa2+ levels; both effects were diminished by GsMTx-4.

Conclusion

Our findings support the hypothesis that CMPF may function as an endogenous activator of Piezo1, increase icCa2+ levels, trigger eryptosis, and, through this pathway, possibly shorten the RBC life span. To what extent these in vitro findings are operative in advanced CKD warrants clinical studies.