bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing capacity for primary care research in cancer survivorship: National Cancer Institute meeting report
Authors: Hudson Shawna V , Mollica Michelle A , Reed Crystal , Hahn Erin E , O’Malley Denalee M , Radhakrishnan Archana , Klemp Jennifer , Tonorezos Emily
Published: November 2024

Many components of long-term cancer follow-up and survivorship care are managed in the primary care context. Given the important role that primary care has in survivorship care, it is critical to ensure that teams in these settings are prepared to address long-term needs. Evidence-based strategies to deliver survivorship care in primary care settings in the United States remain limited. The National Cancer Institute Office of Cancer Survivorship conducted a day-long virtual event, Enhancing Capacity for Primary Care Research in Cancer Survivorship: A Workshop for Action, on February 28, 2024, to discuss research needs addressing the intersection between primary care and cancer survivorship. Topics discussed to advance this area of research included system-level interventions, methods and measurement, and mentorship and research team building, especially for early career researchers. The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of the key findings. Gaps and opportunities include (1) health systems–level research that investigates primary care practice–level capacity, (2) identification and characterization of the targeted cancer survivor populations for primary care research, (3) leveraging electronic medical records to track relevant patient outcomes throughout survivorship, and (4) development and creation of communities of practice to support and build research capacity. Team science approaches were identified as a core strategy to advance survivorship research. The meeting closed with a reflection and call to action focused on building collaborations that span different research areas, disciplines, and organizations and building a broad network of a primary care practice–focused research.
JWST lensed quasar dark matter survey – II. Strongest gravitational lensing limit on the dark matter free streaming length to date
Authors: Keeley Ryan E , Nierenberg A M , Gilman D , Gannon C , Birrer S , Treu T , Benson A J , Du X , Abazajian K N , Anguita T , Bennert V N , Djorgovski S G , Gupta K K , Hoenig S F , Kusenko A , Lemon C , Malkan M , Motta V , Moustakas L A , Oh Maverick S H , Sluse D , Stern D , Wechsler R H
Published: November 2024

This is the second in a series of papers in which we use JWST Mid Infrared Instrument multiband imaging to measure the warm dust emission in a sample of 31 multiply imaged quasars, to be used as a probe of the particle nature of dark matter. We present measurements of the relative magnifications of the strongly lensed warm dust emission in a sample of nine systems. The warm dust region is compact and sensitive to perturbations by populations of haloes down to masses $\sim 10^6$ M$_{\odot }$. Using these warm dust flux-ratio measurements in combination with five previous narrow-line flux-ratio measurements, we constrain the halo mass function. In our model, we allow for complex deflector macromodels with flexible third- and fourth-order multipole deviations from ellipticity, and we introduce an improved model of the tidal evolution of subhaloes. We constrain a WDM model and find an upper limit on the half-mode mass of $10^{7.6}\, {\rm M}_\odot$ at posterior odds of 10:1. This corresponds to a lower limit on a thermally produced dark matter particle mass of 6.1 keV. This is the strongest gravitational lensing constraint to date, and comparable to those from independent probes such as the Ly $\alpha$ forest and Milky Way satellite galaxies.
Cold Gas Subgrid Model (CGSM): a two-fluid framework for modelling unresolved cold gas in galaxy simulations
Authors: Butsky Iryna S , Hummels Cameron B , Hopkins Philip F , Quinn Thomas R , Werk Jessica K
Published: November 2024

The cold ($\sim 10^{4}\, {\rm K}$) component of the circumgalactic medium (CGM) accounts for a significant fraction of all galactic baryons. However, using current galaxy-scale simulations to determine the origin and evolution of cold CGM gas poses a significant challenge, since it is computationally infeasible to directly simulate a galactic halo alongside the sub-pc scales that are crucial for understanding the interactions between cold CGM gas and the surrounding ‘hot’ medium. In this work, we introduce a new approach: the Cold Gas Subgrid Model (CGSM), which models unresolved cold gas as a second fluid in addition to the standard ‘normal’ gas fluid. The CGSM tracks the total mass density and bulk momentum of unresolved cold gas, deriving the properties of its unresolved cloudlets from the resolved gas phase. The interactions between the subgrid cold fluid and the resolved fluid are modelled by prescriptions from high-resolution simulations of ‘cloud crushing’ and thermal instability. Through a series of idealized tests, we demonstrate the CGSM’s ability to overcome the resolution limitations of traditional hydrodynamics simulations, successfully capturing the correct cold gas mass, its spatial distribution, and the time-scales for cloud destruction and growth. We discuss the implications of using this model in cosmological simulations to more accurately represent the microphysics that govern the galactic baryon cycle.
The VST ATLAS Quasar Survey – II. Halo mass profiles of galaxies, LRGs and galaxy clusters via quasar and CMB lensing
Authors: Eltvedt Alice M , Shanks T , Metcalfe N , Ansarinejad B , Barrientos L F , Murphy D N A , Alexander D M
Published: November 2024

We cross-correlate a low-contamination subset of the VST ATLAS $g\lt 22.5$ quasar catalogue with $g\lt 21.5$ galaxy clusters, $r\lt 21$ galaxies and $r\lt 19.5$ luminous red galaxies (LRGs) to probe their halo mass profiles via quasar magnification bias caused by weak lensing. In the case of galaxy clusters, we find that at small scales their mass profiles are well fitted by Navarro, Frenk, and White models with masses within the expected range. For the galaxies, we find consistency with previous Sloan Digital Sky Survey-based results for the galaxy–quasar cross-correlation and the galaxy auto-correlation functions. Disagreement as to whether the cross-correlation results are in tension with $\Lambda$cold dark matter appears due to different assumptions as to whether galaxies trace mass. We conclude that halo occupation distribution (HOD) models fit the galaxy–quasar lensing results better than models where galaxies trace the mass. We further test the cluster and galaxy HOD models in the 2-halo range using the Planck cosmic microwave background (CMB) lensing map, finding that the cross-correlation with both the poorest clusters and the galaxies may be marginally overpredicted by the above HOD models. Finally, we measure the magnification bias of LRGs using both quasar and CMB lensing and find that the observed quasar lensing amplitude may be ${\approx} 2\times$ too high and, on larger scales, the CMB lensing amplitude may be too low to be explained by a standard LRG HOD model.
Instability and warping in vertically oscillating accretion discs
Authors: Held Loren E , Ogilvie Gordon I
Published: November 2024

Many accretion discs have been found to be distorted: either warped due to a misalignment in the system, or non-circular as a result of orbital eccentricity or tidal deformation by a binary companion. Warped, eccentric, and tidally distorted discs are not in vertical hydrostatic equilibrium, and thus exhibit vertical oscillations in the direction perpendicular to the disc, a phenomenon that is absent in circular and flat discs. In extreme cases, this vertical motion is manifested as a vertical ‘bouncing’ of the gas, potentially leading to shocks and heating, as observed in recent global numerical simulations. In this paper, we isolate the mechanics of vertical disc oscillations by means of quasi-2D and fully 3D hydrodynamic local (shearing-box) models. To determine the numerical and physical dissipation mechanisms at work during an oscillation we start by investigating unforced oscillations, examining the effect of initial oscillation amplitude, as well as resolution, boundary conditions, and vertical box size on the dissipation and energetics of the oscillations. We then drive the oscillations by introducing a time-dependent gravitational potential. A key result is that even a purely vertically oscillating disc is (parametrically) unstable to developing inertial waves, as we confirm through a linear stability analysis. The most important of these has the character of a bending wave, whose radial wavelength depends on the frequency of the vertical oscillation. The nonlinear phase of the instability exhibits shocks, which dampen the oscillations, although energy can also flow from the bending wave back to the vertical oscillation.
GCM and gcType in 2024: comprehensive resources for microbial strains and genomic data
Authors: Fan Guomei , Sun Qinglan , Sun Yan , Liu Dongmei , Li Shiwen , Li Min , Chen Qi , Wang Fang , Moriya Ohkuma , Itoh Takashi , Kawasaki Hiroko , Yu Yajing , Cai Man , Kim Song-Gun , Lee Jung-Sook , Ma Juncai , Wu Linhuan
Published: November 2024

Microbial culture collections play a crucial role in the collection, maintenance, and distribution of quality-assured living microbial strains, along with their associated phenotypic and omics data. To enhance the find-able, accessible, interoperable, and re-usable (FAIR) data utilization of microbial resources, the World Data Center for Microorganisms (WDCM) has developed the Global Catalogue of Microorganisms (GCM) and the Global Catalogue of Type Strains (gcType). These platforms provide interactive interfaces for cataloging the holdings of collections, along with detailed annotations of type strain genomes and curated metadata, including ecosystems, growth conditions, and collection locations. The system maximizes the scientific impact of microbial resources and culture collections through an integrated data mining tool that links strain- and species-related information from various public resources. Currently, the GCM and gcType include 574 422 strains from 154 culture collections across 51 countries and regions, along with 25 980 genomes from type species. Additionally, 2 702 655 articles and 103 337 patents are integrated with these microbial resources. The system supports microbial taxonomic research and provides evidence for implementing the Nagoya Protocol in the field of microbial resources and their digital sequence information (DSI). Access is freely available at gcm.wdcm.org and gctype.wdcm.org.
Gut Microbiome in Human Melioidosis: Composition and Resistome Dynamics from Diagnosis to Discovery
Authors: Chowdhury Soumi , Kullberg Robert F J , Haak Bastiaan W , Duran Claudio , Earny Venkat A , Eshwara Vandana K , Lawley Trevor D , Wiersinga W Joost , Mukhopadhyay Chiranjay
Published: November 2024

Background

Melioidosis, attributable to the soil-dwelling bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, stands as a paramount global health challenge, necessitating extended courses of antibiotics. While murine studies identified the gut microbiota as a modulator of bacterial dissemination during melioidosis, the human intestinal microbiota during melioidosis remains uncharacterized. Here, we characterized gut microbiota composition and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes at diagnosis, during treatment, and postdischarge for melioidosis. We hypothesized that the gut microbiota of melioidosis patients would be extensively distorted.

Methods

In this prospective observational cohort, stool samples of patients with culture-confirmed melioidosis admitted to a tertiary care hospital in India were collected at diagnosis, 14 days after diagnosis, or discharge (whichever occurred first) and at 6 months postinfection. Family members or neighbors served as community controls. The gut microbiota and resistome were profiled by shotgun metagenomic sequencing.

Results

We longitudinally analyzed the gut microbiota of 70 fecal samples from 28 patients and 16 community controls. At diagnosis, the gut microbiota of patients differed from that of controls, characterized by high abundances of potentially pathogenic bacteria, a loss of butyrate-producing bacteria, and higher levels of AMR genes. Microbiota composition and resistome remained different from community controls at 6 months, driven by total antibiotic exposure. During hospitalization, gut microbiota profiles were associated with secondary Klebsiella pneumoniae infections.

Conclusions

This first study on gut microbiota composition and resistome in human melioidosis showed extensive disruptions during hospitalization, with limited signs of restoration 6 months postinfection. Given the adverse outcomes linked with microbiome perturbations, limiting microbiota disruptions or using microbiota-restorative therapies (eg, butyrate-producing probiotics) may be beneficial.
Religion and Liberty
Authors: Bazargan Mehdi
Published: November 2024

Born into a devout family of merchants, Mehdi Bazargan (Iran, 1907-1995) was a Frenchtrained engineer, a lay Islamic scholar, and a long-time pro-democracy activist. A deputy prime minister when the nationalists came briefly to power in the early 1950s, Bazargan also participated with Ayatollah Mahmud T aleqani (chapter 3) and others in a reform movement in the early I 960s aimed at democratizing the Shi’i clerical establishment. Bazargan was imprisoned several times during the I 960s and 1970s for his nonviolent opposition to the shah of Iran through groups such as the Liberation Movement of Iran, which he cofounded in 1961, and the Iranian Human Rights Association, which he cofounded in 1977. When the shah was forced out of Iran by revolution in 1979, Imam Ruhollah Khomeini appointed Bazargan as provisional prime minister, but he resigned within a year, complaining that radical clerics were undermining his government. He continued to serve in the Iranian parliament for several years, harassed by his radical opponents, then lived in a sort of political limbo until his death in early 1995, a barely tolerated symbol of opposition to the radical-Islamic government.
Christian-Muslim Democracy
Authors: Pundato Dimasangcay A.
Published: November 2024

Muslims are a minority of under IO percent in the Philippines, concentrated largely on the island of Mindanao. The Moro National Liberation Front, the largest organization representing the Muslims, has waged a war of independence since the 1970s. In 1982, the Reformist Group headed by Dimasangcay A. Pundato (Philippines, born 1947) broke from the front, objecting to the undemocratic internal structure of the movement and the socialist leanings of the movement’s leaders, and accepting autonomy rather than independence as the goal of the movement.1 In the mid-I 980s, the Reformist Group joined other pro-democracy forces in peaceful protest against the dictatorship. When the dictatorship fell in 1986, the Reformist Group, along with other Muslim groups such as the United Muslim Democrats of the Philippines, worked with the government to improve the position of Muslims in the Philippines, while the MNLF resumed its war of independence. In the speech and letter published here, Pundato explains his commitment to the democratic process and urges even closer cooperation among Christians and Muslims.
Democracy and Shura
Authors: Sulaiman Sadek J.
Published: November 2024

Sadek Jawad Sulaiman (Oman, born 1933), like many Omanis who came of age before the oil era, left his country in the 1950s. He worked as a journalist in Kuwait prior to his return to Oman in 1973. From 1976 until 1983, he worked for Oman’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he was director of political affairs ( 1977-1979) and ambassador to the United States ( 1979-1983). Since 1983, he has divided his time between Washington and Oman. This chapter was first presented as a talk in August 1996 at the al-Hiwar (Dialogue) Center in Washington, D.C., a discussion group of Arab intellectuals, diplo mats, and businessmen. Sulaiman’s comparison between the Qur’anic principle of shura and democracy as it has developed in the United States may at first appear unexpected. Sulaiman explains: “Many Arabs understand democracy as a slogan. Only by understanding it in history and practice does its compatibility with shuro emerge.” In the context of the Gulf states, Sulaiman’s argument-that the “logic of shuro, like the logic of democracy, does not accept hereditary rule, for wisdom and competence are never the monopoly of any one individual or family”-is bold and innovative.
Politics and the Muslim Woman
Authors: Bhutto Benazir
Published: November 2024

Benazir Bhutto (Pakistan, born 1953), twice prime minister of Pakistan ( 1988-1990 and 1993-1996), is known more for her political activities than for her religious scholarship. Following the overthrow and execution of her father, Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto adopted the leadership of his Pakistani People’s Party and opposed the Islamic regime of General Zia-ul-Haq. She spent years in jail, under house arrest, and in exile. As a political leader in an Islamic country, Bhutto has naturally been sensitive to charges that Islam prohibits women from holding such positions.1 In the speech excerpted here, from her period of exile, she argues that Islamic law does not treat women as inferior to men or incapable of leadership. have different interpretations with regard to the more secular aspects of the duties incumbent upon the Muslim.
Minorities in a Democracy
Authors: Kabir Humayun
Published: November 2024

The partition of the British colonies in South Asia in 1947 left I 00 million Muslims in the newly independent nation of India, but Muslim Indians comprise only 12 percent of the population of India. The Muslims of India are therefore keenly interested in protection of the rights of minorities.1 This theme is prominent in the work of Humayun Kabir (India, 1906-1969), one of the premier political and intellectual leaders of the Muslim community of India. Born and raised in the West Bengal region and educated both in India and at Oxford University, Kabir supported the Indian nationalist movement and opposed Islamic demands for partition. After independence, he served in the Indian parliament for more than a decade, held a series of cabinet posts, and represented India at a variety of United Nations educational programs. At the same time, he wrote and lectured on Islam, developing a modernist and humanist interpretation that emphasized religious tolerance and cross-cultural communication. and there is harmony among them-the stronger the country. Where you have a completely homogeneous, monolithic society, the chances of survival of that society or community are always less than those of a heterogeneous society in which there are many centers of power, many ways of expression. The reason for this is easy to understand. Since society is changing, circumstances are changing, a monolithic society may not be able to react to a new situation with complete success.
Religious Liberty
Authors: Taibi Mohamed
Published: November 2024

Mohamed Talbi (Tunisia, born 1921) received his doctorate in history from the Sorbonne in 1968. Now a professor emeritus at the University ofT unit, Talbi began teaching there in the late 1950s and served as dean of Arts and Sciences in the late I 960s. In his retirement. Talbi has turned from his professional focus on medieval Islamic history to an enthusiastic participation in interreligious dialogue. His contributions to a variety of European and North American conferences and journals argue that Islam allows freedom of religion and that the traditional death penalty for apostasy involves a misreading of the Qur’an. From Old Relations to a New Context Religious liberty, as a common human concern and international preoccupation, is relatively new. In the old ages the problem was irrelevant. During antiquity all people felt it natural to worship the deities of their city. It was the job of these deities to protect the house and to look after the family and the welfare of the state. The deities of Carthage were by nature the enemies of the deities of Rome. In that context refusal to worship the deities of the city was disloyalty to the state.
The Downhill Path andDefense, Not Surrender
Authors: Mahmutcehajic Rusmir
Published: November 2024

Rusmir Mahmutcehajic (Yugoslavia-Bosnia, born 1948), a professor of electrical engineering, served in several cabinet posts in the first years of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s independence from Yugoslavia, 1991-1993. During this period, Bosnia’s Serb and Croat minorities-supported by the neighboring countries of Serbia (the dominant remaining segment of Yugoslavia) and Croatia-embarked on secessionist campaigns that involved the “ethnic cleansing” of Bosnian Muslims, who comprise almost 40 percent of the nation’s population, in areas under Serb and Croat control. The mass eviction, pillage, rape, and murder of Muslims drove the Bosnian government to adopt an increasingly strident Islamic identity. Mahmutcehajic and other Bosnian Muslims objected to this response as inconsistent with Bosnia’s destiny of “unity within diversity.” As he explains in the second excerpt here, Mahmutcehajic protested by resigning from the cabinet in 1993 and has turned to the historical study of Islam in Bosnia, particularly its Sufi traditions. While Mahmutcehajic defends multicultural pluralism, he appears to identify “democracy” with its most viru lent, xenophobic expressions, as exemplified for Mahmutcehajic by contemporary Serbia and Croatia.
Shari’a and Basic Human Rights Concerns
Authors: im ‘Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’
Published: November 2024

‘Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’im (Sudan-United States, born 1946) is a legal scholar and human-rights activist. He was until recently head of Africa Watch, a human-rights organization in Washington, D.C. He received law degrees from the University of Khartoum in the Sudan and Cambridge University in England and a doctorate in law from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He has taught at law schools in the Sudan, Canada, and the United States. An-Na’im’s legal training may define his work less than his identity as a prominent follower of Mahmoud Mohamed Taha (see chapter 28), an innovative some would say heterodox-Islamic reformer, whose work An-Na’im has translated into English. He has focused his own contributions on the compatibility of Taha’s interpretation of Islam and Western notions of human rights.
The Problem of ‘Ulama’
Authors: Ajijola Alhaji Adeleke Dirisu
Published: November 2024

Islamic reformers in Nigeria are divided in numerous factions, some of them liberal and most of them not The more moderate reformers tend to be members of the political elite, which has ruled Nigeria for much of the independence period through military dictatorship; their religious liberalism does not always carry over into their political beliefs.’ By contrast, Alhaji Adeleke Dirisu Ajijola (Nigeria, born 1932), an attorney and prolific author on Islamic themes, espouses reform in both the political and religious arenas. In this text, Ajijola forcefully defends the right of all Muslims to interpret religious doctrine, contesting the monopoly of the ‘ulama’ (religious scholars).
What’s Your Poison?
Authors: Hough Peter
Published: November 2024

The global regulation of hazardous chemicals trading is based on the Rotterdam Convention and Prior Informed Consent (PIC), allowing the legal export of toxic substances so long as the importer is aware of what they receive. PIC represents a compromise between competing stakeholders. Chemical exporters are satisfied that their products are not being banned, whilst proponents of action to address the problem of human poisoning by toxic chemicals, from civil society and the UN system, are satisfied by greater transparency. However, this consensus has come to be strained by PIC being viewed as a ban rather than just an information exchange requirement, making chemical exporters less acquiescent. It appears that the apparent hardening of law can sometimes serve to undermine regulation. At the same time, though, the sheer existence of the Rotterdam Convention continues to influence the issue of hazardous chemical trading, showing the importance of normative force in governance.
Epigenetic control of T-DNA during transgenesis and pathogenesis
Authors: Roca Paixao Joaquin Felipe , Déléris Angélique
Published: November 2024

Mobile elements known as T-DNAs are transferred from pathogenic Agrobacterium to plants and reprogram the host cell to form hairy roots or tumors. Disarmed nononcogenic T-DNAs are extensively used to deliver transgenes in plant genetic engineering. Such T-DNAs were the first known targets of RNA silencing mechanisms, which detect foreign RNA in plant cells and produce small RNAs that induce transcript degradation. These T-DNAs can also be transcriptionally silenced by the deposition of epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation and the dimethylation of lysine 9 (H3K9me2) in plants. Here, we review the targeting and the roles of RNA silencing and DNA methylation on T-DNAs in transgenic plants as well as during pathogenesis. In addition, we discuss the crosstalk between T-DNAs and genome-wide changes in DNA methylation during pathogenesis. We also cover recently discovered regulatory phenomena, such as T-DNA suppression and RNA silencing-independent and epigenetic-independent mechanisms that can silence T-DNAs. Finally, we discuss the implications of findings on T-DNA silencing for the improvement of plant genetic engineering.
A Concrete Construction of a Topological Operator in Factorization Algebras
Authors: Kawahira Masashi
Published: November 2024

Factorization algebras play a central role in the formulation of quantum field theories given by Kevin Costello and Owen Gwilliam. In this paper, we propose a concrete construction of a topological operator using their formulation. We focus on a shift symmetry of a 1D massless scalar theory and discuss its $\mathbb {Z}$-gauging, i.e. compact scalar theory and its $\theta$-vacuum.
Addressing vaccine hesitancy and misinformation amidst Japan’s self-amplifying mRNA COVID-19 vaccine rollout
Authors: Hakariya Hayase , Ohashi Rio
Published: November 2024

As of 1 October 2024, Japan implemented a revised coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination strategy, shifting from a fully publicly funded model to one where costs are partially or fully borne by recipients. This new annual program targets individuals aged 65 and above, and those aged 60–64 at higher risk of severe illness, requiring them to cover some vaccination expenses. For others, the vaccine remains voluntary and self-funded. Notably, this program includes the world’s first self-amplifying mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, zapomeran (Kostaive®, Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd.) approved on 28 November 2023. This vaccine’s innovative self-amplifying feature has ignited debates across media platforms, with widespread public division and confusion. The new vaccine encodes replicase proteins and the spike protein antigen, allowing for reduced doses of 5 µg compared to traditional mRNA vaccines that require 30 µg. However, concerns have been raised, primarily around four misconceptions: shedding, perpetual mRNA replication, integration into human DNA, and its non-approval situation outside Japan. Despite these scientifically unfounded concerns, they have fueled vaccine hesitancy, influenced by misleading information spreading rapidly on social media. Alarmingly, biased statements from an academic university and an academic society aggravate this hesitancy. Japan’s history has experienced vaccine hesitancies in human papillomavirus and diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis vaccination cases. To prevent a public health crisis, it is crucial that governmental bodies and academic groups actively counter misinformation, advocating for evidence-based understanding and encouraging vaccination among those most at risk.
Recording of non-musculoskeletal manifestations, comorbidities and safety outcomes in European spondyloarthritis registries: a survey
Authors: Ahmadzay Zohra F , Heberg Jette , Jørgensen Jacob B , Ørnbjerg Lykke M , Østergaard Mikkel , Møller-Bisgaard Signe , Michelsen Brigitte , Loft Anne Gitte , Jones Gareth T , Hellamand Pasoon , Scherer Almut , Nissen Michael J , Pavelka Karel , Závada Jakub , Laas Karin , Vorobjov Sigrid , Nordström Dan , Sokka-Isler Tuulikki , Regierer Anne C , Reich Andreas , Gudbjornsson Bjorn , Thorarinsdottir Katrin , Iannone Florenzo , Favalli Ennio Giulio , van de Sande Marleen , Provan Sella Aarrestad , Kvien Tore K , Rodrigues Ana Maria , Gonçalves Cátia F , Codreanu Catalin , Mogosan Corina , Rotar Ziga , Prikmajer Katja Perdan , Castrejon Isabel , Otero-Varela Lucía , Di Giuseppe Daniela , Wallman Johan K , Ciurea Adrian , Möller Burkhard , Kenar-Artın Gökçe , Yıldırım Tuba Demirci , Macfarlane Gary J , Rotariu Ovidiu , Glintborg Bente , Hetland Merete Lund
Published: November 2024

Objectives

Real-world evidence is needed to inform treatment strategies for patients with PsA and axial SpA (axSpA) who have non-musculoskeletal manifestations (NMMs), various risk factors and comorbidities. International collaboration is required to ensure statistical power and to enhance generalizability. The first step forward is identifying which data are currently being collected. Across 17 registries participating in the European Spondyloarthritis Research Collaboration (EuroSpA), we aimed to map recording practices for NMMs, comorbidities and safety outcomes in patients with PsA and axSpA.

Methods

Through a survey with 4,420 questionnaire items, we explored the recording practices of 58 pre-defined conditions (i.e. NMMs, comorbidities and safety outcomes) covering 10 disease areas. In all registries we mapped for each condition whether it was recorded, the recording procedure and the potential to identify it through linkage to other national registries.

Results

Conditions were generally recorded at entry into the registry and clinical follow-up visits using a pre-specified list or a coding system. Most registries recorded conditions within the following disease areas: NMMs (number of registries, n = 15–16), cardiovascular diseases (n = 10–14), gastrointestinal diseases (n = 12–13), infections (n = 10–13) and death (n = 14). Nordic countries had the potential for data linkage and generally had limited recording of conditions in their registry, while other countries had comprehensive recording practices.

Conclusion

A wide range of conditions were consistently recorded across the registries. The recording practices of many conditions and disease areas were comparable across the registries. Our findings support the potential for future collaborative research.
Formal authorship in the wake of uncertain futures: the narrative of publish or perish in the humanities
Authors: Knöchelmann Marcel
Published: November 2024

Publish or Perish has a variety of meanings. Most often, the term is understood as a reference to the material requirements of publishing relentlessly in order to make or advance a career in contemporary academia. In this article, I show that Publish or Perish is also a cultural narrative that appears to provide a formal rationalistic solution to the uncertainty of early career scholars. Funds are scarce, competition is fierce, the individual future within academia is unknown—the Publish or Perish narrative claims that if you just keep publishing, you can overcome these obstacles. This narrative is perpetuated among aspiring scholars and creates peer pressure where it exerts its power to a certain extent regardless of material requirements, especially in the humanities. Based on extensive discussion of literature and data from a qualitative study with humanities scholars in Germany and the UK, employing a cultural sociological approach, I trace the meaning of Publish or Perish as this narrative. I look at how it is passed on among early career scholars, and how senior scholars respond to it in situations of mentorship and supervision. This perspective emphasizes the importance of everyday situations that trigger anxiety, as well as the importance of mentorship as a crucial means of reducing this anxiety. This is pertinent to reforms of evaluation practices that tend to abstract from such mundane situations. The notion of the slippery slope (Hartmut Rosa) helps comprehend this anxiety.
Evolution of Large Eyes in Stromboidea (Gastropoda): Impact of Photic Environment and Life History Traits
Authors: Irwin Alison R , Roberts Nicholas W , Strong Ellen E , Kano Yasunori , Speiser Daniel I , Harper Elizabeth M , Williams Suzanne T
Published: November 2024

Eyes within the marine gastropod superfamily Stromboidea range widely in size, from 0.2 to 2.3 mm—the largest eyes known in any gastropod. Despite this interesting variation, the underlying evolutionary pressures remain unknown. Here, we use the wealth of material available in museum collections to explore the evolution of stromboid eye size and structure. Our results suggest that depth is a key light-limiting factor in stromboid eye evolution; here, increasing water depth is correlated with increasing aperture width relative to lens diameter, and therefore an increasing investment in sensitivity in dim light environments. In the major clade containing all large-eyed stromboid families, species observed active during the day and the night had wider eye apertures relative to lens sizes than species observed active during the day only, thereby prioritizing sensitivity over resolution. Species with no consistent diel activity pattern also had smaller body sizes than exclusively day-active species, which may suggest that smaller animals are more vulnerable to shell-crushing predators, and avoid the higher predation pressure experienced by animals active during the day. Within the same major clade, ancestral state reconstruction suggests that absolute eye size increased above 1 mm twice. The unresolved position of Varicospira, however, weakens this hypothesis and further work with additional markers is needed to confirm this result.
Design and computational analysis of a novel Azurin-BR2 chimeric protein against breast cancer
Authors: Rehman Hafiz Muhammad , Yousaf Numan , Hina Syeda Mahlaqa , Nadeem Tariq , Ansari Mushtaq Ahmad , Chaudry Afeefa , Kafait Iram , Khalid Sania , Alanzi Abdullah R , Bashir Hamid
Published: November 2024

Cancer is one of most lethal diseases worldwide. Chemotherapeutics and surgeries are among the treatment facilities available for curing cancer. However due to their negative impact on normal cells and drug resistance development, new treatment strategies have yet to be developed. Some microbial products exhibit therapeutic potential for treating cancer. Pseudomonas aeruginosa Azurins have shown anticancer effects against breast cancer without affecting normal cells. To enhance its cytotoxic effect and targeted delivery, we fused Azurin with a cell-penetrating peptide (BR2) through a rigid linker and evaluated its anticancer potential via in silico analysis. The prediction of the secondary and the tertiary structures and analysis of physiochemical properties of chimeric proteins were computationally performed. The Azurin-BR2 chimeric protein has a basic nature with a molecular weight of 16.8 kDa. The quality indices and validation of chimeric proteins were performed with ERRAT2 and Ramachandran plot values, respectively. The quality index of the chimeric protein was predicted to be 81% to 84.6%, and residues residing in the most favoured region were identified. The HDOCK bioinformatics tool was used for docking a chimeric protein with a cancer suppressor protein p53. The results of the current study support that an Azurin-BR2 fusion protein has a high binding affinity for p53 can induce apoptosis in cancerous cells, and can be used in tumor-targeting therapy.
Bioinformatic workflows for deriving transcriptomic points of departure: current status, data gaps, and research priorities
Authors: O’Brien Jason , Mitchell Constance , Auerbach Scott , Doonan Liam , Ewald Jessica , Everett Logan , Faranda Adam , Johnson Kamin , Reardon Anthony , Rooney John , Shao Kan , Stainforth Robert , Wheeler Matthew , Dalmas Wilk Deidre , Williams Andrew , Yauk Carole , Costa Eduardo
Published: November 2024

There is a pressing need to increase the efficiency and reliability of toxicological safety assessment for protecting human health and the environment. Although conventional toxicology tests rely on measuring apical changes in vertebrate models, there is increasing interest in the use of molecular information from animal and in vitro studies to inform safety assessment. One promising and pragmatic application of molecular information involves the derivation of transcriptomic points of departure (tPODs). Transcriptomic analyses provide a snapshot of global molecular changes that reflect cellular responses to stressors and progression toward disease. A tPOD identifies the dose level below which a concerted change in gene expression is not expected in a biological system in response to a chemical. A common approach to derive such a tPOD consists of modeling the dose–response behavior for each gene independently and then aggregating the gene-level data into a single tPOD. Although different implementations of this approach are possible, as discussed in this manuscript, research strongly supports the overall idea that reference doses produced using tPODs are health protective. An advantage of this approach is that tPODs can be generated in shorter term studies (e.g. days) compared with apical endpoints from conventional tests (e.g. 90-d subchronic rodent tests). Moreover, research strongly supports the idea that reference doses produced using tPODs are health protective. Given the potential application of tPODs in regulatory toxicology testing, rigorous and reproducible wet and dry laboratory methodologies for their derivation are required. This review summarizes the current state of the science regarding the study design and bioinformatics workflows for tPOD derivation. We identify standards of practice and sources of variability in tPOD generation, data gaps, and areas of uncertainty. We provide recommendations for research to address barriers and promote adoption in regulatory decision making.
Transcriptomic Profiling of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ in Different Citrus Tissues Reveals Novel Insights into Huanglongbing Pathogenesis
Authors: Lovelace Amelia H. , Wang Chunxia , Levy Amit , Ma Wenbo
Published: November 2024

‘ Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (Las) is a gram-negative bacterial pathogen associated with citrus huanglongbing (HLB) or greening disease. Las is transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) where it colonizes the phloem tissue, resulting in substantial economic losses to the citrus industry worldwide. Despite extensive efforts, effective management strategies against HLB remain elusive, necessitating a deeper understanding of the pathogen's biology. Las undergoes cell-to-cell movement through phloem flow and colonizes different tissues in which Las may have varying interactions with the host. Here, we investigate the transcriptomic landscape of Las in citrus seed coat vasculatures, enabling a complete gene expression profiling of Las genome and revealing unique transcriptomic patterns compared with previous studies using midrib tissues. Comparative transcriptomics between seed coat, midrib, and ACP identified specific responses and metabolic states of Las in different host tissue. Two Las virulence factors that exhibit higher expression in seed coat can suppress callose deposition. Therefore, they may contribute to unclogging sieve plate pores during Las colonization in seed coat vasculature. Furthermore, analysis of regulatory elements uncovers a potential role of LuxR-type transcription factors in regulating Liberibacter effector gene expression during plant colonization. Together, this work provides novel insights into the pathogenesis of the devastating citrus HLB.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Active Compared With Passive Voiding Trials After Midurethral Sling Surgery: A Systematic Review
Authors: Drangsholt Siri , Lleras Cassidy , Kindler Rebecca , Babajanian Maytal , Pollack Bracha , Harutyunyan Aleksandr , Grunfeld Matan , Gejerman Yehuda , Kilkenny Katherine , Bulmash Moshe , Hirani Rahim , Alerasool Parissa , McNeil Christopher , Popiel Patrick , Drugge Elizabeth D. , Grimes Cara
Published: November 2024

(Abstracted from Obstet Gynecol 2024;143(5):633–643)

Up to 14% of younger women and 35% of older women are affected by stress urinary incontinence, which is commonly addressed using mesh midurethral sling surgery, with a cure rate of up to 84%. One potential adverse effect of this surgery is postoperative urinary retention, which is defined as an inability to voluntarily pass enough urine after a surgical procedure to avoid catheterization.
Salvianolate injection ameliorates cardiomyopathy by regulating autophagic flux through miR-30a/becn1 axis in zebrafish
Authors: Li Jianxuan , Zhang Yang , Zuo Zhi , Zhang Zhenzhong , Wang Ying , Chang Shufu , Huang Jia , Dai Yuxiang , Ge Junbo
Published: November 2024

Background:

Salvianolate is a compound mainly composed of salvia magnesium acetate, which is extracted from the Chinese herb Salvia miltiorrhiza. In recent years, salvianolate injection has been widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, but the mechanism of how it can alleviate cardiotoxicity remains unclear.

Methods:

The cardiac injury model was constructed by treatment with doxorubicin (Dox) or azithromycin (Azi) in zebrafish larvae. Heart phenotype, heart rate, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis were observed in the study. RNA-seq analysis was used to explore the underlying mechanism of salvianolate treatment. Moreover, cardiomyocyte autophagy was assessed by in situ imaging. In addition, the miR-30a/becn1 axis regulation by salvianolate was further investigated.

Results:

Salvianolate treatment reduced the proportion of pericardial edema, recovered heart rate, and inhibited cardiomyocyte apoptosis in Dox/Azi-administered zebrafish larvae. Mechanistically, salvianolate regulated the lysosomal pathway and promoted autophagic flux in zebrafish cardiomyocytes. The expression level of becn1 was increased in Dox-induced myocardial tissue injury after salvianolate administration; overexpression of becn1 in cardiomyocytes alleviated the Dox/Azi-induced cardiac injury and promoted autophagic flux in cardiomyocytes, while becn1 knockdown blocked the effects of salvianolate. In addition, miR-30a, negatively regulated by salvianolate, partially inhibited the cardiac amelioration of salvianolate by targeting becn1 directly.

Conclusion:

This study has proved that salvianolate reduces cardiomyopathy by regulating autophagic flux through the miR-30a/becn1 axis in zebrafish and is a potential drug for adjunctive Dox/Azi therapy.
A Novel Artificial Endothelial Replacement Membrane for the Treatment of Chronic Corneal Edema
Authors: Daphna Ofer , Auffarth Gerd U. , Lapid-Gortzak Ruth , Chaurasia Sunita , Gilboa Efrat , Lemze Anat , Dover Michael , Marcovich Arie L.
Published: November 2024

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to report the safety and efficacy results of an artificial lamellar implant for the treatment of chronic corneal edema.

Methods:

The EndoArt (EyeYon Medical, Ness Ziona, Israel), an artificial endothelial replacement membrane designed to treat corneal edema, was implanted in 24 eyes of 24 patients with low-to-normal visual potential. We present the safety and efficacy results from a prospective, open-label, single-arm, multicenter study conducted over a 12-month period.

Results:

Twenty-four patients were enrolled, with no device-related serious adverse events reported. Seventeen patients completed 12-month follow-up, showing a reduction in average central corneal thickness from 759 ± 116 μm to 613 ± 135 μm. Best-corrected distance visual acuity improved from 1.88 ± 0.79 logarithmic minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) to 1.34 ± 0.57 logMAR. Sixty percent gained at least 3 early treatment diabetic retinopathy study (ETDRS) lines. The EndoArt was removed in 5 cases due to incomplete attachment and replaced by corneal transplants; 1 patient was lost to follow-up, and 1 had a procedure failure. No device-related long-term complications, infections, or inflammations were reported. The implants remained transparent throughout the study.

Conclusions:

The first-in-human results of EndoArt implantation demonstrated the device's potential to treat patients suffering from corneal edema with a favorable safety profile and effective edema reduction in most subjects, with no device-related serious adverse event. The EndoArt may offer a viable solution in regions facing a shortage of donor corneas, as well as for patients who have poor prognosis with human tissue.
Vision-Related Quality of Life After Fyodorov–Zuev Keratoprosthesis in China
Authors: Li Yan , Mei Lina , Zhuo Deyi , Wu Jie , Xu Weiwei , Wang Qun , Wang Yu-qi , Li Manmei , Wang Xiu , Feng Kexuan , Du Cuimei , Feng Huiping , Huang Yifei , Wang Liqiang
Published: November 2024

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to assess vision-related quality of life (VR-QoL) and its determinants in patients with implanted Fyodorov–Zuev (MICOF) KPro.

Methods:

Eighty-eight patients with bilateral corneal blindness who underwent unilateral Fyodorov–Zuev (MICOF) KPro implantation were included in this cross-sectional study. VR-QoL was assessed using the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (NEI-VFQ-25). Univariate analyses and multivariate linear regression were used to identify VR-QoL determinants.

Results:

Eighty-eight patients, aged 50.00 ± 13.72 years, with a mean postoperative time of 5.13 ± 3.31 years, were included. The composite NEI-VFQ-25 score improved from 17.04 ± 5.60 to 46.00 ± 19.21 (P < 0.01) after Fyodorov–Zuev (MICOF) KPro implantation. The multivariate linear regression analysis results showed that the postoperative composite score was correlated with postoperative visual acuity (VA) of the operative eye (B = −21.66, P < 0.01). Improvement in NEI-VFQ scores was associated with better postoperative VA of the operative eye (B = −18.67, P < 0.01) and poorer preoperative VA of the fellow eye (B = 7.11, P < 0.05).

Conclusion:

VR-QoL in patients with bilateral corneal blindness was significantly impaired but improved after Fyodorov–Zuev (MICOF) KPro implantation. Improvement in VR-QoL was inversely associated with postoperative VA of the operative eye but positively correlated with preoperative VA of the fellow eye. This study affirmed that Fyodorov–Zuev (MICOF) KPro was an effective alternative for patients with corneal blindness with respect to VR-QoL.
Crescentic Autograft—Graft Salvage Technique for Undersized Donor Lenticules in Superficial Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty
Authors: Bari Aafreen , Nair Sridevi , Sharma Namrata , Sinha Rajesh , Agarwal Tushar
Published: November 2024

Purpose:

To describe the use of crescentic autograft as a graft salvage technique for inadvertently undersized donor lenticules in superficial anterior lamellar keratoplasty (SALK).

Methods:

A prospective interventional study included 5 eyes of 4 patients who underwent SALK and had an inadvertently undersized donor lenticule. The described technique involves the preparation of a crescent-shaped graft from the host lenticule itself that is matched to fit into the remaining bare recipient stromal bed.

Results:

At 6-week follow-up, the crescentic autograft was uniformly epithelized along with the donor tissue. There were no incidences of graft dehiscence, rejection, or infection.

Conclusions:

Crescentic autograft from the host lenticule offers a simple, easy-to perform, and unique technique to manage cases of undersized donor lenticules in SALK with no additional risks.