bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Gallium-doped cement for the treatment of bone cancers. The effect of ZnO ↔ Ga2O3 substitution of an ionomeric glass series on the rheological, mechanical, pH and ion-eluting properties of their corresponding glass polyalkenoate cements
Authors: Phull Sunjeev , Rahimnejad Yazdi Alireza , Towler Mark R
Published: June 2021

The primary treatment for patients suffering from bone cancers is resection of the tumour followed by reconstruction of the damaged bone. Despite the administration of post-operative chemotherapy, tumour recurrence continues to present itself as a severe complication leading to re-operation. Attempts to incorporate chemotherapeutic drugs into bone cements elicits local toxic effects on healthy bone, which could compromise implant fixation. Alternatively, the local administration of gallium (Ga) may prove to be more effective. This report considers the development of a Ga ionomeric glass series (0.48SiO2-0.355ZnO-0.06CaO-0.08SrO-0.02P2O5-0.005Ta2O5, with 0.01–0.05 mol% substitution for ZnO). X-ray Diffraction (XRD) confirmed the amorphous glass structure and Energy Dispersive x-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) verified the successful addition of Ga into the glass series at the expense of Zinc (Zn). A Ga-GPC series was then formulated by mixing the glass particles with aqueous poly(acrylic) acid (PAA) and trisodium citrate (TSC). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy demonstrated no structural changes to the GPC matrix with the incorporation of Ga. Measurements of the rheological properties demonstrated an exponential increase in setting time with increasing Ga content. Furthermore, the addition of

≥

3 mol% Ga demonstrated deleterious effects on the GPC’s mechanical properties and an analysis of pH confirmed that it decreased with increasing Ga content, suggesting a reduction in glass reactivity and PAA cross-linking. Finally, inductively coupled plasma—optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) demonstrated the controlled release of Ga across the GPC series, which will prove beneficial to future in vitro studies.
Quantum solvability of quadratic Liénard type nonlinear oscillators possessing maximal Lie point symmetries: An implication of arbitrariness of ordering parameters
Authors: Chithiika Ruby V , Lakshmanan M
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we investigate the quantum dynamics of underlying two one-dimensional quadratic Liénard type nonlinear oscillators which are classified under the category of maximal (eight parameter) Lie point symmetry group [Tiwari A K, Pandey S N, Senthilvelan M and Lakshmanan M 2013 J. Math. Phys.
54, 053 506]. Classically, both the systems were also shown to be linearizable as well as isochronic. In this work, we study the quantum dynamics of the nonlinear oscillators by considering a general ordered position dependent mass Hamiltonian. The ordering parameters of the mass term are treated to be arbitrary to start with. We observe that the quantum version of these nonlinear oscillators are exactly solvable provided that the ordering parameters of the mass term are subjected to certain constraints imposed on the arbitrariness of the ordering parameters. We obtain the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions associated with both the systems. We also consider briefly the quantum versions of other examples of quadratic Liénard oscillators which are classically linearizable.
Highly conductive ionogel electrolytes based on N-ethyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide FSI and NaFSI mixtures and their applications in sodium batteries
Authors: Malunavar Sneha , Wang Xiaoen , Makhlooghiazad Faezeh , Armand Michel , Galceran Montserrat , Howlett Patrick C. , Forsyth Maria
Published: June 2021

The development of highly conductive and safe electrolytes for sodium-ion batteries is an emerging field beyond lithium battery technologies. In this work we have developed new ionogel electrolytes consisting of a binary mixture of an organic ionic plastic crystal, N-ethyl-N-methylpyrrolidiniumbis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (C2mpyrFSI), mixed with NaFSI supported on a mat of electrospun poly (vinylidene fluoride) nanofibers. The salt mixture near the eutectic composition (35 mol% NaFSI) was selected for further study after a detailed phase diagram analysis and ionogel electrolytes based on this were prepared. The ionic conductivity of the prepared ionogel composite reaches 2.6 × 10−3 S cm−1 at ambient temperature. This ionogel membrane possessed a relatively high Na-ion transference number of 0.44 at 50 °C and we demonstrate the performance of a Na metal full cell using a NaFePO4 cathode (1.75–4.0 V). The assembled cells show a good capacity retention with coulombic efficiency close to 100% at various C rates between C/20, C/10 and C/5, achieving 120 mAh g−1 at C/20. The long term charge/discharge performance is also demonstrated. Our study provides a feasible method to prepare highly conductive ionogel electrolytes for future Na-battery applications
The changing notion of chimera states, a critical review
Authors: Haugland Sindre W
Published: June 2021

Chimera states, states of coexistence of synchronous and asynchronous motion, have been a subject of extensive research since they were first given a name in 2004. Increased interest has lead to their discovery in ever new settings, both theoretical and experimental. Less well-discussed is the fact that successive results have also broadened the notion of what actually constitutes a chimera state. In this article, we critically examine how the results for different model types and coupling schemes, as well as varying implicit interpretations of terms such as coexistence, synchrony and incoherence, have influenced the common understanding of what constitutes a chimera. We cover both theoretical and experimental systems, address various chimera-derived terms that have emerged over the years and finally reflect on the question of chimera states in real-world contexts.
An optimal antitumor response by a novel CEA/CD3 bispecific antibody for colorectal cancers
Authors: Wang Ninghai , Patel Harshal , Schneider Irene C , Kai Xin , Varshney Avanish K , Zhou Li
Published: June 2021

Background

CD3-based bispecific T cell engagers (bsTCEs) are one of the most promising bispecific antibodies for effective cancer treatments. To elicit target-specific T cell-mediated cytotoxicity, these bsTCEs contain at least one binding unit directed against a tumor antigen and another binding unit targeting CD3 in T cell receptor complex. Development of CD3-based bsTCEs, however, has been severely hampered by dose-limiting toxicities due to cytokine release syndrome. To address this limitation, we developed a novel functionally trivalent T cell engager (t-TCE) antibody containing affinity-reduced CD3 binding unit positioned to ensure monovalent CD3 engagement, in combination with bivalent tumor antigen binding of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA).

Methods

We modeled the variable region of anti-CD3 in the complementarity-determining regions of the heavy chain and obtained CD3 binders with reduced binding affinity. Two optimized versions CEA/CD3-v1 and CEA/CD3-v2 were identified and generated in tetravalent format, characterized and compared in vitro and in vivo for functional activity.

Results

Our lead candidate, CEA/CD3-v2, demonstrated subnanomolar binding and picomolar potency against a panel of CEA-expressing cancer cell lines. In addition, we detected reduced T cell cytokine release with potent cytotoxic activity. Our t-TCE CEA/CD3-v2 molecule demonstrated strong antitumor effect in a dose-dependent manner in human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) xenograft model. Furthermore, combination of CEA/CD3-v2 with atezolizumab provided synergistic antitumor effect.

Conclusions

Because of its effective tumor cell killing in vitro and in vivo with reduced cytokine release, CEA/CD3 bsTCE may greatly benefit in CEA-positive cancer immunotherapy.
Multimorbidity patterns and risk of frailty in older community-dwelling adults: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Tazzeo Clare , Rizzuto Debora , Calderón-Larrañaga Amaia , Roso-Llorach Albert , Marengoni Alessandra , Welmer Anna-Karin , Onder Graziano , Trevisan Caterina , Vetrano Davide Liborio
Published: June 2021

Background

the aim of this study was to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of different multimorbidity patterns with physical frailty in older adults.

Methods

we used data from the Swedish National study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen to generate a physical frailty measure, and clusters of participants with similar multimorbidity patterns were identified through fuzzy c-means cluster analyses. The cross-sectional association (n = 2,534) between multimorbidity clusters and physical frailty was measured through logistic regression analyses. Six- (n = 2,122) and 12-year (n = 2,140) longitudinal associations were determined through multinomial logistic regression analyses.

Results

six multimorbidity patterns were identified at baseline: psychiatric diseases; cardiovascular diseases, anaemia and dementia; sensory impairments and cancer; metabolic and sleep disorders; musculoskeletal, respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases; and an unspecific pattern lacking any overrepresented diseases. Cross-sectionally, each pattern was associated with physical frailty compared with the unspecific pattern. Over 6 years, the psychiatric diseases (relative risk ratio [RRR]: 3.04; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.59–5.79); cardiovascular diseases, anaemia and dementia (RRR 2.25; 95% CI: 1.13–4.49) and metabolic and sleep disorders (RRR 1.99; 95% CI: 1.25–3.16) patterns were associated with incident physical frailty. The cardiovascular diseases, anaemia and dementia (RRR: 4.81; 95% CI: 1.59–14.60); psychiatric diseases (RRR 2.62; 95% CI: 1.45–4.72) and sensory impairments and cancer (RRR 1.87; 95% CI: 1.05–3.35) patterns were more associated with physical frailty, compared with the unspecific pattern, over 12 years.

Conclusions

we found that older adults with multimorbidity characterised by cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric disease patterns are most susceptible to developing physical frailty.
scAMACE: model-based approach to the joint analysis of single-cell data on chromatin accessibility, gene expression and methylation
Authors: Wangwu Jiaxuan , Sun Zexuan , Lin Zhixiang
Published: June 2021

Motivation

The advancement in technologies and the growth of available single-cell datasets motivate integrative analysis of multiple single-cell genomic datasets. Integrative analysis of multimodal single-cell datasets combines complementary information offered by single-omic datasets and can offer deeper insights on complex biological process. Clustering methods that identify the unknown cell types are among the first few steps in the analysis of single-cell datasets, and they are important for downstream analysis built upon the identified cell types.

Results

We propose scAMACE for the integrative analysis and clustering of single-cell data on chromatin accessibility, gene expression and methylation. We demonstrate that cell types are better identified and characterized through analyzing the three data types jointly. We develop an efficient Expectation–Maximization algorithm to perform statistical inference, and evaluate our methods on both simulation study and real data applications. We also provide the GPU implementation of scAMACE, making it scalable to large datasets.

Availability and implementation

The software and datasets are available at https://github.com/cuhklinlab/scAMACE_py (python implementation) and https://github.com/cuhklinlab/scAMACE (R implementation).

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Vanillaflowers: much more than food-deception
Authors: Pansarin Emerson R
Published: June 2021

In many flowering plants the attraction of pollinators is related to some kind of deception. Pollination by food-deception occurs in several angiosperm groups and is particularly widespread in orchids. Despite the apparent evolutionary success of pollination by food-deception, food-deceptive orchids show a low level of fruit set. Although studies are scarce, the pollination of Vanilla has been usually associated with nectar-deception. In Vanilla spp. (Vanilla bahiana, V. bicolor, V. chamissonis, V. edwallii, V. hartii, V. phaeantha, V. paulista, V. planifolia, V. ribeiroi and V. pompona), understanding the factors associated with pollinators is essential, since in vanilla production a cumbersome process of supplementary manual pollination is necessary to increase fruit set, which is frequently low under natural conditions. The production of floral rewards was investigated here in ten Neotropical Vanilla spp. based on morpho-anatomy and histochemical analyses of flowers. Six species (Vanilla bahiana, Vanilla bicolor, Vanilla chamissonis, Vanilla hartii, Vanilla phaeantha and Vanilla pompona) offer nectar as a reward. In Vanilla ribeiroi, the long trichomes of the labellum base are rich in starch grains and proteins, characteristic of food-hairs. The only secretory structures of Vanilla edwallii are osmophores on the inner surface of the labellum that are related to the attraction of oil-collecting bees as pollinators. Vanilla spp. possess sepaline and labellar osmophores. Inside the labellum the osmophores are arranged along longitudinal lines and act as resource guides. Although it is widely known that Vanilla flowers attract pollinators by nectar deception, the present data reveal that there may be a lack of knowledge regarding pollination in this group since the offer of nectar appears to be a common condition, at least for the euglossine-pollinated Neotropical clade. The remaining Neotropical groups exhibit other pollination strategies, such as the production of food-hairs and fragrances that attract oil-collecting bees to the flowers. The study of Vanilla pollination is extremely important because the need for manual pollination, added to the ripening and curing time, causes vanilla to be one of the most expensive spices in the world. According to the data presented here, the pollination systems of vanilla are much more diverse than classical “food deception”.
Formation of Oxazolidine Derivatives by Reaction with Ephedrines and Aldehyde Impurities in Ethyl Acetate
Authors: Tsujikawa Kenji , Okada Yuki , Segawa Hiroki , Kuwayama Kenji , Yamamuro Tadashi , Kanamori Tatsuyuki , Iwata Yuko T
Published: June 2021

Ethyl acetate potentially contains formaldehyde and acetaldehyde as impurities. Ephedrines (ephedrine and pseudoephedrine) react with these aldehydes to give oxazolidines. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the effects of aldehydes in ethyl acetate on the analysis of ephedrines by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Ephedrines dissolved in a basic solution were extracted with five lots of ethyl acetate; then, injected into a GC/MS system. Acetaldehyde in ethyl acetate was determined by headspace GC/MS. Acetaldehyde-free ethyl acetate, prepared by washing with sodium bisulfite solution, was also subjected to ephedrine extraction and acetaldehyde determination. Four of the five ethyl acetate lots produced 3,4-dimethyl-5-phenyloxazolidines (formaldehyde adducts of ephedrines) and 2,3,4-trimethyl-5-phenyloxazolidines (acetaldehyde adducts of ephedrines). Acetaldehyde was detected in the range of 23–89 μL/L in four lots of ethyl acetate and not detected in one lot, and the detection of acetaldehyde was associated with oxazolidine formation. Washing with sodium bisulfite solution removed ~90% of acetaldehyde and prevented oxazolidine formation. The study indicated that ephedrines reacted with aldehydes in ethyl acetate to produce oxazolidines and washing with sodium bisulfite solution prevented it. It is necessary to exercise caution when using ethyl acetate to extract ephedrines.
Electrospun Polyacrylonitrile/Clinoptilolite Coating for SPME of PAHs from Water Samples
Authors: Mollahosseini Afsaneh , Rastegari Mohammad , Panahi-Dehghan Mohadeseh
Published: June 2021

Electrospun polyacrylonitrile/clinoptilolite (PAN/CP) nanofibers were used to extract polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (acenaphthene, acenaphthylene, naphthalene, and phenanthrene) from water samples by solid-phase microextraction (SPME). The target PAHs was detected and quantified by gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionization detector. The PAN/CP fibrous coating with uniform morphology and without beads was electrospun after optimizing the electrospinning parameters by the Taguchi method. Thermogravimetric analysis of PAN/CP nanofibers indicated that the nanofibers are thermally stable up to 357°C. The effective parameters that affect the extraction by SPME were optimized using the response surface methodology based on the central composite design. The limits of detection and limits of quantification by the proposed method were 0.10–0.32 and 0.45–1.12 ng mL−1, respectively. The relative standard deviations were below 12%. The method was assessed for extracting PAHs from real samples including agricultural water, rainwater and spring water. The obtained relative recoveries were higher than 86%.
Data-driven point-of-care risk model in patients with acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock
Authors: Helgestad Ole K L , Povlsen Amalie L , Josiassen Jakob , Möller Sören , Hassager Christian , Jensen Lisette O , Holmvang Lene , Schmidt Henrik , Møller Jacob E , Ravn Hanne B
Published: June 2021

Background

Prognosis models based on stepwise regression methods show modest performance in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS). Automated variable selection allows data-driven risk evaluation by recognizing distinct patterns in data. We sought to evaluate an automated variable selection method (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, LASSO) for predicting 30-day mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction and CS (AMICS) receiving acute percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared to two established scores.

Methods and results

Consecutive patients with AMICS receiving acute PCI at one of two tertiary heart centres in Denmark 2010–2017. Patients were divided according to treatment with mechanical circulatory support (MCS); PCI–MCS cohort (n = 220) versus PCI cohort (n = 1180). The latter was divided into a development (2010–2014) and a temporal validation cohort (2015–2017). Cohort-specific LASSO models were based on data obtained before PCI. LASSO models outperformed IABP-SHOCK II and CardShock risk scores in discriminative ability for 30-day mortality in the PCI validation [receiver operating characteristics area under the curve (ROC AUC) 0.80 (95% CI 0.76–0.84) vs 0.73 (95% CI 0.69–0.77) and 0.70 (95% CI 0.65–0.75), respectively, P < 0.01 for both] and PCI–MCS development cohort [ROC AUC 0.77 (95% CI 0.70–0.83) vs 0.64 (95% CI 0.57–0.71) and 0.64 (95% CI 0.57–0.71), respectively, P < 0.01 for both]. Variable influence differed depending on MCS, with age being the most influential factor in the LASSO–PCI model, whereas haematocrit and estimated glomerular filtration rate were the highest-ranking factors in the LASSO–PCI–MCS model.

Conclusion

Data-driven prognosis models outperformed established risk scores in patients with AMICS receiving acute PCI and exhibited good discriminative abilities. Observations indicate a potential use of machinelearning to facilitate individualized patient care and targeted interventions in the future.
Lawyer Expertise and Contract Design—Evidence from M&A Negotiations
Authors: Karsten Christel , Malmendier Ulrike , Sautner Zacharias
Published: June 2021

We argue that the relative expertise of contracting parties strongly affects contractual outcomes. Using unique data on company acquisition contracts, we document that lawyers with higher expertise relative to their counterparties negotiate better risk allocation for their clients and more favourable target prices. The benefits of high expertise outweigh its costs, largely because high-expertise lawyers economise on transaction costs by shortening negotiation times. Our findings suggest a need for explicit modelling of contracting skills, and they help explain heterogeneity in legal fees across law firms and the role of league tables of law firms.
Long-read transcriptome and other genomic resources for the angiosperm Silene noctiflora
Authors: Williams Alissa M , Itgen Michael W , Broz Amanda K , Carter Olivia G , Sloan Daniel B
Published: June 2021

The angiosperm genus Silene is a model system for several traits of ecological and evolutionary significance in plants, including breeding system and sex chromosome evolution, host-pathogen interactions, invasive species biology, heavy metal tolerance, and cytonuclear interactions. Despite its importance, genomic resources for this large genus of approximately 850 species are scarce, with only one published whole-genome sequence (from the dioecious species Silene latifolia). Here, we provide genomic and transcriptomic resources for a hermaphroditic representative of this genus (S. noctiflora), including a PacBio Iso-Seq transcriptome, which uses long-read, single-molecule sequencing technology to analyze full-length mRNA transcripts. Using these data, we have assembled and annotated high-quality full-length cDNA sequences for approximately 14,126 S. noctiflora genes and 25,317 isoforms. We demonstrated the utility of these data to distinguish between recent and highly similar gene duplicates by identifying novel paralogous genes in an essential protease complex. Furthermore, we provide a draft assembly for the approximately 2.7-Gb genome of this species, which is near the upper range of genome-size values reported for diploids in this genus and threefold larger than the 0.9-Gb genome of Silene conica, another species in the same subgenus. Karyotyping confirmed that S. noctiflora is a diploid, indicating that its large genome size is not due to polyploidization. These resources should facilitate further study and development of this genus as a model in plant ecology and evolution.
An efficient i-GONAD method for creating and maintaining lethal mutant mice using an inversion balancer identified from the C3H/HeJJcl strain
Authors: Iwata Satoru , Sasaki Takahisa , Nagahara Miki , Iwamoto Takashi
Published: June 2021

As the efficiency of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/Cas system is extremely high, creation and maintenance of homozygous lethal mutants are often difficult. Here, we present an efficient in vivo electroporation method called improved genome editing via oviductal nucleic acid delivery (i-GONAD), wherein one of two alleles in the lethal gene was selectively edited in the presence of a non-targeted B6.C3H-In(6)1J inversion identified from the C3H/HeJJcl strain. This method did not require isolation, culture, transfer, or other in vitro handling of mouse embryos. The edited lethal genes were stably maintained in heterozygotes, as recombination is strongly suppressed within this inversion interval. Using this strategy, we successfully generated the first Tprkb null knockout strain with an embryonic lethal mutation and showed that B6.C3H-In(6)1J can efficiently suppress recombination. As B6.C3H-In(6)1J was tagged with a gene encoding the visible coat color marker, Mitf, the Tprkb mutation could be visually recognized. We listed the stock balancer strains currently available as public bioresources to create these lethal gene knockouts. This method will allow for more efficient experiments for further analysis of lethal mutants.
Race, Lifetime SES, and Allostatic Load Among Older Adults
Authors: Thomas Tobin Courtney S , Hargrove Taylor W
Published: June 2021

Background

Prior research demonstrates that Black Americans receive fewer health benefits at high levels of socioeconomic status (SES) relative to Whites. Yet, few studies have considered the role of lifetime SES (ie, changes in SES from childhood to adulthood) in shaping these patterns among older adults. This study investigates the extent to which racial disparities in allostatic load (AL), an indicator of accelerated physiological aging, vary across levels of lifetime SES among Black and White adults aged 50 and older.

Methods

With data from the Nashville Stress and Health Study, modified Poisson regression models were used to assess racial differences in the odds of high AL (4+ high-risk biomarkers) among Black and White older adults (N = 518) within each level of lifetime SES (ie, stable low SES, upward mobility, downward mobility, and stable high SES).

Results

Stable high SES was associated with greater odds of high AL; there was not a significant association between other lifetime SES trajectories and AL. However, the magnitude of racial disparities varied across levels of lifetime SES, with a significant Black–White difference in AL observed only among upwardly mobile (odds ratio [OR] = 1.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.24–2.51) and high SES groups (OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.37–3.58).

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates that racial disparities in AL among older adults depend on individuals’ lifetime SES trajectories and that older Black Americans receive fewer health benefits for achieving higher SES. These findings underscore the need to evaluate socioeconomic resources across the life course to clarify the extent of racial disparities among aging populations.
An analysis of security vulnerabilities in container images for scientific data analysis
Authors: Kaur Bhupinder , Dugré Mathieu , Hanna Aiman , Glatard Tristan
Published: June 2021

Background

Software containers greatly facilitate the deployment and reproducibility of scientific data analyses in various platforms. However, container images often contain outdated or unnecessary software packages, which increases the number of security vulnerabilities in the images, widens the attack surface in the container host, and creates substantial security risks for computing infrastructures at large. This article presents a vulnerability analysis of container images for scientific data analysis. We compare results obtained with 4 vulnerability scanners, focusing on the use case of neuroscience data analysis, and quantifying the effect of image update and minification on the number of vulnerabilities.

Results

We find that container images used for neuroscience data analysis contain hundreds of vulnerabilities, that software updates remove roughly two-thirds of these vulnerabilities, and that removing unused packages is also effective.

Conclusions

We provide recommendations on how to build container images with fewer vulnerabilities.
A large-scale metagenomic survey dataset of the post-weaning piglet gut lumen
Authors: Gaio Daniela , DeMaere Matthew Z , Anantanawat Kay , Eamens Graeme J , Liu Michael , Zingali Tiziana , Falconer Linda , Chapman Toni A , Djordjevic Steven P , Darling Aaron E
Published: June 2021

Background

Early weaning and intensive farming practices predispose piglets to the development of infectious and often lethal diseases, against which antibiotics are used. Besides contributing to the build-up of antimicrobial resistance, antibiotics are known to modulate the gut microbial composition. As an alternative to antibiotic treatment, studies have previously investigated the potential of probiotics for the prevention of postweaning diarrhea. In order to describe the post-weaning gut microbiota, and to study the effects of two probiotics formulations and of intramuscular antibiotic treatment on the gut microbiota, we sampled and processed over 800 faecal time-series samples from 126 piglets and 42 sows.

Results

Here we report on the largest shotgun metagenomic dataset of the pig gut lumen microbiome to date, consisting of >8 Tbp of shotgun metagenomic sequencing data. The animal trial, the workflow from sample collection to sample processing, and the preparation of libraries for sequencing, are described in detail. We provide a preliminary analysis of the dataset, centered on a taxonomic profiling of the samples, and a 16S-based beta diversity analysis of the mothers and the piglets in the first 5 weeks after weaning.

Conclusions

This study was conducted to generate a publicly available databank of the faecal metagenome of weaner piglets aged between 3 and 9 weeks old, treated with different probiotic formulations and intramuscular antibiotic treatment. Besides investigating the effects of the probiotic and intramuscular antibiotic treatment, the dataset can be explored to assess a wide range of ecological questions with regards to antimicrobial resistance, host-associated microbial and phage communities, and their dynamics during the aging of the host.
Trends in marine survival of Atlantic salmon populations in eastern Canada
Authors: Pardo Sebastián A , Bolstad Geir H , Dempson J Brian , April Julien , Jones Ross A , Raab Dustin , Hutchings Jeffrey A
Published: June 2021

Declines in wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) abundance throughout the north Atlantic are primarily attributed to decreases in survival at sea. However, comparing trends in marine survival among populations is challenging as data on both migrating smolts and returning adults are sparse and models are difficult to parameterize due to their varied life histories. We fit a hierarchical Bayesian maturity schedule model to data from seven populations in eastern Canada to estimate numbers of out-migrating smolts, survival in the first and second year at sea, and the proportion returning after 1 year. Trends in survival at sea were not consistent among populations; we observe positive, negative, and no correlations in these, suggesting that large-scale patterns of changes in marine survival are not necessarily representative for individual populations. Variation in return abundances was mostly explained by marine survival in the first winter at sea in all but one population. However, variation in the other components were not negligible and their relative importance differed among populations. If salmon populations do not respond in a uniform manner to changing environmental conditions throughout their range, future research initiatives should explore why.
Public Opinion and Crisis Behavior in a Nuclearized South Asia
Authors: Clary Christopher , Lalwani Sameer , Siddiqui Niloufer
Published: June 2021

Research on public opinion and crisis behavior has focused largely on pressures felt by leaders who have initiated a crisis, not on leaders in target states responding to adversary provocation. Our survey experiment involving 1,823 respondents in Punjab, Pakistan, finds public support for escalating rather than de-escalating in response to such provocation. It shows how public pressures can encourage conflict even in instances where a leader has engaged in no prior effort to generate audience costs following crisis onset. Survey respondents were more likely to support escalatory decisions if they were made by a military, rather than civilian, leader, although we do not find that military leaders receive more support in de-escalatory decisions. Finally, while we demonstrate that leaders can mitigate the costs of de-escalating by highlighting the dangers of conflict, they still incur opportunity costs in foregone public support when they opt to de-escalate rather than escalate a crisis.
Why National Ministries Consider the Policy Advice of International Bureaucracies: Survey Evidence from 106 Countries
Authors: Herold Jana , Liese Andrea , Busch Per-Olof , Feil Hauke
Published: June 2021

Scholars of international relations and public administration widely assume that international bureaucracies, in their role as policy advisors, directly influence countries’ domestic policies. Yet, this is not true across the board. Why do some countries closely consider the advice of international bureaucracies while others do not? This article argues that international bureaucracies’ standing as sources of expertise is crucial. We tested this argument using data from a unique survey that measured prevalent practices of advice utilization in thematically specialized policy units of national ministries in a representative sample of more than a hundred countries. Our findings show that ministries’ perceptions of international bureaucracies’ expertise, that is, specialized and reliable knowledge, are the key factor. International bureaucracies influence national ministries directly and without the support of other actors that may also have an interest in the international bureaucracies’ policy advice. Our analysis also demonstrates that the effects of alternative means of influence, such as third-party pressure and coercion, are themselves partly dependent on international bureaucracies’ reputation as experts. The findings presented in this article reinforce the emphasis on expertise as a source of international bureaucracies’ influence, and provide a crucial test of its importance.
Automation in nursing decision support systems: A systematic review of effects on decision making, care delivery, and patient outcomes
Authors: Akbar Saba , Lyell David , Magrabi Farah
Published: June 2021

Objective

The study sought to summarize research literature on nursing decision support systems (DSSs ); understand which steps of the nursing care process (NCP) are supported by DSSs, and analyze effects of automated information processing on decision making, care delivery, and patient outcomes.

Materials and Methods

We conducted a systematic review in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement. PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched from January 2014 to April 2020 for studies focusing on DSSs used exclusively by nurses and their effects. Information about the stages of automation (information acquisition, information analysis, decision and action selection, and action implementation), NCP, and effects was assessed.

Results

Of 1019 articles retrieved, 28 met the inclusion criteria, each studying a unique DSS. Most DSSs were concerned with two NCP steps: assessment (82%) and intervention (86%). In terms of automation, all included DSSs automated information analysis and decision selection. Five DSSs automated information acquisition and only one automated action implementation. Effects on decision making, care delivery, and patient outcome were mixed. DSSs improved compliance with recommendations and reduced decision time, but impacts were not always sustainable. There were improvements in evidence-based practice, but impact on patient outcomes was mixed.

Conclusions

Current nursing DSSs do not adequately support the NCP and have limited automation. There remain many opportunities to enhance automation, especially at the stage of information acquisition. Further research is needed to understand how automation within the NCP can improve nurses’ decision making, care delivery, and patient outcomes.
Evaluation of the Compatibility of Ethyl Glucuronide and Ethyl Sulfate Levels to Assess Alcohol Consumption in Decomposed and Diabetic Postmortem Cases
Authors: Dip Aybike , Mozayani Ashraf
Published: June 2021

The aim of the study is to evaluate the contribution of ethanol metabolite detection in postmortem cases by showing the connection between the presence of ethanol metabolites, which are indicators of alcohol consumption, and the detection of potential postmortem ethanol formation in decomposed and diabetic cases. Determination of ethanol consumption before death is often one of the most important questions in death investigations. Postmortem ethanol formation or degradation products in the blood make it difficult to distinguish antemortem consumption or postmortem formation of ethanol and eventually may lead to misinterpretation. Decomposed bodies and diabetic cases are vulnerable to postmortem ethanol formation due to putrefaction, fermentation or other degradations. Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS) are two metabolites of ethanol produced only in the antemortem time interval. In this study, EtG and EtS levels in urine and vitreous humor samples of 27 postmortem cases, including diabetic and degraded bodies were compared to ethanol results of their blood, urine and vitreous humor samples. EtG and EtS in urine and vitreous humor were analyzed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, and ethanol was assayed by routine headspace gas chromatography–flame ionization detector. These cases were devoid of other influences from forensically relevant drugs, so ethanol and/or glucose were among the only positive findings in these cases. The results of this pilot study indicate the postmortem ethanol concentrations do not correlate with the measured EtG and EtS values but are beneficial in rulings of accidental or natural deaths. This preliminary study gives additional data to help distinguish between antemortem ethanol intake and postmortem formation. EtG and EtS were well correlated positively with antemortem ethanol use instead of forming spontaneously in samples from decedents who are decomposing or have a history of diabetic hyperglycemia.
Transmembrane protein 168 mutation reduces cardiomyocyte cell surface expression of Nav1.5 through αB-crystallin intracellular dynamics
Authors: Nguyen Le Kim Chi , Shimizu Akio , Soh Joanne Ern Chi , Komeno Masahiro , Sato Akira , Ogita Hisakazu
Published: June 2021

Transmembrane protein 168 (TMEM168) was found to be localized on the nuclear membrane. A heterozygous mutation (c.1616G>A, p. R539Q) in TMEM168 was identified in patients with Brugada syndrome. This mutation reduced expression of cardiomyocyte sodium channel Nav1.5 via Nedd4-2 E3 ubiquitin ligase-induced ubiquitination and degradation. However, the detailed molecular mechanism provoked by the TMEM168 mutant remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that small heat shock protein αB-crystallin, which can bind to Nav1.5 and Nedd4-2 and interfere with the association of both proteins, was strongly recruited from the cell surface to the perinuclear region because of the much higher affinity of αB-crystallin with the TMEM168 mutant than with wild-type TMEM168. Following knockdown of αB-crystallin in HL-1 cardiomyocytes, the interaction of Nav1.5 with Nedd4-2 was increased, despite the reduced expression of Nav1.5. Moreover, reduction of Nav1.5 expression by αB-crystallin knockdown was rescued in the presence of a proteasome inhibitor MG-132, suggesting the importance of the αB-crystallin-modulated ubiquitin–proteasome system for the stability of Nav1.5 expression. Collectively, the balance of molecular interactions among Nav1.5, Nedd4-2 and αB-crystallin plays a role in the regulation of cardiomyocyte cell surface expression of Nav1.5, and the TMEM168 mutant disturbs this balance, resulting in a decrease in Nav1.5 expression.
Oncologic and survival outcomes in elderly patients with locally advanced rectal cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and total mesorectal excision
Authors: He Fang , Chen Mo , Xiao Wei-Wei , Zhang Qun , Liu Yanping , Zheng Jian , Wan Xiang-Bo , Gao Yuan-Hong
Published: June 2021

Background

The efficacy of the addition of neoadjuvant chemotherapy to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and total mesorectal excision for locally advanced rectal cancer in elderly patients has not been established.

Methods

A total of 3096 locally advanced rectal cancer patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, along with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and total mesorectal excision, with or without adjuvant chemotherapy, between January 2010 and December 2018, were studied retrospectively. Patients were divided into elderly (>75 years) and younger (≤75 years) groups, and propensity score matching was used to balance a potentially confounding clinical bias. Overall survival, cancer-specific survival, disease-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival and local recurrence-free survival rates for the two groups were compared. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for different clinicopathological variables were calculated to determine predictors of 3-year overall survival.

Results

Mean follow-up was 39.0 (range, 5–140) months. The overall 3-year overall survival, cancer-specific survival, disease-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival and locoregional relapse-free survival rates were 86.1, 87.6, 80.0, 82.4 and 95.4%, respectively. Only 3-year overall survival rates differed significantly between the elderly (77.2%) and younger (88.9%) groups (P = 0.01). Cancer-specific survival, disease-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival and locoregional relapse-free survival rates did not differ significantly between the two groups. Significant negative independent prognostic factors for 3-year overall survival were age >75 years (HR = 2.016, 95% CI 1.157–23.511, P = 0.01) and high pathologic TNM stage (yp stage III, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

For elderly locally advanced rectal cancer patients who have good health and performance status, the addition of neoadjuvant chemotherapy to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and total mesorectal excision can result in disease-related survival rates and oncological outcomes similar to those experienced by younger patients. The decision to use this treatment approach in elderly patients should not be based solely on chronological age.
Suicide Risk Screening and Suicide Prevention in Patients With Cancer
Authors: Gascon Bryan , Leung Yvonne , Espin-Garcia Osvaldo , Rodin Gary , Chu Dominic , Li Madeline
Published: June 2021

Background

Suicide rates are up to 4 times greater in cancer compared with the general population, yet best practices for institutional suicide prevention are unknown. The objective of this study was to examine the association between suicide risk screening (SRS), clinician response, and suicide mortality at a comprehensive cancer treatment center.

Methods

We conducted a naturalistic, retrospective cohort study of patients attending the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, where routine screening for suicidal intent within the Distress Assessment and Response Tool (DART-SRS) was implemented in 2010. Inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to evaluate the impact of DART-SRS completion on suicide mortality from 2005 to 2014. Chart audits were conducted for clinician response to suicidality, and crude suicide rates over the study period were analyzed. All statistical tests were 2-sided.

Results

Among 78 650 cancer patients, 89 (0.1%) died by suicide, of whom only 4 (4.5%) had completed DART-SRS. Among DART-SRS completers (n = 14 517), 69 (0.5%) reported suicidal intent, none of whom died by suicide. DART-SRS completion was associated with increased clinician response to suicidality (17.4% vs 6.7%, P = .04), more psychosocial service usage (30.5% vs 18.3%, P < .001), and lower suicide mortality (hazard ratio = 0.29, 95% confidence interval = 0.28 to 0.31). Crude suicide rates at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre were lower in patients whose first contact year was after DART-SRS implementation.

Conclusion

DART-SRS completion is associated with lower suicide mortality and increased access to psychosocial care, but patients who did not complete DART-SRS were at highest suicide risk. Further research is needed to identify mechanisms to ensure psychosocial and suicidality assessment in cancer patients who do not complete SRS.
Patterns of HIV Self-Disclosure in the Oncology Setting
Authors: Fuzzell Lindsay N , Vadaparampil Susan T , Giuliano Anna R , Liu Yifen , Coghill Anna E
Published: June 2021

Higher rates of cancer treatment toxicity and uniquely poor outcomes following a cancer diagnosis have been reported for persons living with HIV (PLWH). This highlights the importance of active HIV status ascertainment in the oncology setting. Self-disclosure of HIV via electronic questionnaire at patient intake is a low-cost option that has not been thoroughly evaluated. We examined 10 years (2009-2019) of patient intake questionnaire data at Moffitt Cancer Center. Self-disclosure of an HIV diagnosis was not uniform, with 36.1% (n = 299, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 32.8% to 39.4%) of 828 patients disclosing. Identification of HIV through this method was highest for anal cancer patients (66.7%, 95% CI = 57.8% to 74.7%). Self-disclosure among patients with hematopoietic malignancies, the most common diagnosis among PLWH at our institution, was lower (19.4%, 95% CI = 14.6% to 25.0%). Patient characteristics associated with HIV self-disclosure included cancer site, natal gender, and race and ethnicity. Findings highlight gaps to motivate future efforts to increase HIV ascertainment prior to initiating cancer care.
Domestic Contestations against International Courts and Tribunals: Introduction to the Special Issue
Authors: Fromageau Edouard , Kanetake Machiko , Wittich Stephan , Gattini Andrea
Published: June 2021

Domestic authorities, including national courts, at times, resist accepting the decisions of international courts and tribunals. The formal division between the national and international legal orders creates space for domestic authorities to contest or avoid international binding judicial decisions. The present special issue examines domestic contestations in multiple fields of international law, including human rights and investment law. In contesting some of the international decisions, domestic authorities invoke a wide range of legal bases in resisting the effect of international decisions. The contributions in the present issue examine various such argumentative bases of contestations. The contributions also consider whether domestic resistance could give rise to the opportunity for international courts and tribunals to critically reflect on their own decisions and underlying reasoning.
Retropharyngeal Edema and Neck Pain in Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-c)
Authors: Jenkins Elan , Sherry Whitney , Smith Alison G C , Rostad Bradley S , Rostad Christina A , Jones Kaitlin , Jaggi Preeti
Published: June 2021

We defined the prevalence of neck pain, trismus, or dysphagia (28.4%) and retropharyngeal edema (2.9%) among 137 patients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-c). Retropharyngeal edema or phlegmon has been documented radiologically in at least 9 children. Symptoms of neck inflammation are common in MIS-c.
Recurrent pancreatitis due to intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm in a young adult
Authors: Yang Ryan C , Abuhakmeh Yousef , Schriver John P , Nelson Daniel W
Published: June 2021

A young adult male presented with recurrent pancreatitis and a 2.2 cm mixed duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) located in the pancreatic body.

Our patient presented at age 21 with his second hospitalization for acute pancreatitis within a year. A mixed duct IPMN with main ductal dilation was identified, which prompted additional workup. Based upon the findings the patient was counseled regarding the risks and benefits of surveillance versus surgery. The patient elected to undergo a robotic-assisted laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy. Final pathology revealed an IPMN involving branch and main pancreatic ducts with low and focally high-grade dysplasia.

IPMNs are increasingly being identified. Consensus guidelines generally propose surveillance, but management in young adults can be complex. Herein we present the second youngest reported case and highlight the continued need for consensus management guidelines.