bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A monolithically integrated in-textile wristband for wireless epidermal biosensing
Authors: Ma Xiaohao , Wang Pengwei , Huang Liting , Ding Ruochen , Zhou Kemeng , Shi Yuqing , Chen Fan , Zhuang Qiuna , Huang Qiyao , Lin Yuanjing , Zheng Zijian
Published: November 2023

Textile bioelectronics that allow comfortable epidermal contact hold great promise in noninvasive biosensing. However, their applications are limited mainly because of the large intrinsic electrical resistance and low compatibility for electronics integration. We report an integrated wristband that consists of multifunctional modules in a single piece of textile to realize wireless epidermal biosensing. The in-textile metallic patterning and reliable interconnect encapsulation contribute to the excellent electrical conductivity, mechanical robustness, and waterproofness that are competitive with conventional flexible devices. Moreover, the well-maintained porous textile architectures deliver air permeability of 79 mm s
−1
and moisture permeability of 270 g m
−2
day
−1
, which are more than one order of magnitude higher than medical tapes, thus ensuring superior wearing comfort. The integrated in-textile wristband performed continuous sweat potassium monitoring in the range of 0.3 to 40 mM with long-term stability, demonstrating its great potential for wearable fitness monitoring and point-of-care testing.
Isothermal microcalorimetry improves accuracy and time to bacterial detection of periprosthetic joint infection after total joint arthroplasty
Authors: Cichos Kyle H. , Ruark Randall J. , Ghanem Elie S.
Published: November 2023

Isothermal microcalorimetry (IMC) was evaluated compared to conventional cultures to determine the clinical performance for diagnosing periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) of hip/knee replacements. We prospectively collected three to five deep tissue samples per patient from 152 patients undergoing conversion or revision hip/knee arthroplasty from July 2020 to November 2022. Cultures and IMC for each sample were compared for concordance, median time to detection (TTD), and diagnostic performance based on 2013 Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria. Secondary analyses involved patients on antibiotics at sampling. The 152 total patients had 592 tissue samples (mean 3.9 ± 0.3) with sample concordance between cultures and IMC of 90%. IMC demonstrated a sensitivity of 83%, specificity of 100%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 89%, and positive predictive value (PPV) of 100% for PJI. Cultures resulted in 69% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 81% NPV, and 100% PPV. The accuracy of IMC was 93% compared to 87% for cultures (
P
< 0.001). The median TTD of PJI by cultures was 51 (21–410) hours compared to 10 (0.5–148) hours for IMC (
P
< 0.001). For 39 patients on chronic antibiotics, sensitivity in PJI detection was 93%, specificity 100%, NPV 85%, and PPV 100% by IMC compared to 79% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 65% NPV, and 100% PPV for cultures. The accuracy was 95% for IMC compared to 85% for cultures (
P
< 0.001) with median TTD of 12 (0.5–127) hours compared to 52 (21–174) hours (
P
< 0.001). Utilizing IMC for PJI detection improves TTD by nearly 2 days while improving diagnostic accuracy compared to cultures, particularly in patients on chronic antibiotics.
Draft genome sequence of soil isolate
Mycolicibacterium fortuitum
DVD-1301
Authors: Bragin Eugeny Y. , Dovbnya Dmitry V. , Ivashina Tanya V. , Donova Marina V.
Published: November 2023

Some strains of
Mycolicibacterium
possess high sterol-oxidizing activity and are used in the pharmaceutical industry for the production of steroid precursors. Herein, we report a draft genome sequence of the soil-dwelling
Mycolicibacterium fortuitum
DVD-1301 isolated in the floodplain of the river Oka. The genome contains a full set of steroid catabolic genes.
Flexible changes to the Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h (HvAV-3h) virion components affect pathogenicity against different host larvae species
Authors: Yu Huan , Chen Hong , Li Ni , Yang Chang-Jin , Xiao Hua-Yan , Chen Gong , Huang Guo-Hua
Published: November 2023

The pathogenicity of a virus to a specific host species is an inerratic and describable ability of a virus to cause infection but is generally shaped by a variety of abiotic and biotic factors. In this investigation, the variations in pathogenicity of Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h (HvAV-3h) to five noctuid pests were assessed based on mass spectrometry analysis on the virion compositions. Twenty-nine common HvAV-3h proteins were shared across all hosts, and different flexible proteins were identified in the virions of each specific host. Different host proteins were identified as HvAV-3h virion-associated proteins, including different detoxification enzyme proteins. Furthermore, a relatively fixed relationship between viral replication and changes in host detoxification enzyme activity caused by deficiencies in various viral structural proteins was found in the host larvae using a correlation matrix analysis: the host larval carboxylesterase and cytochrome P450 monooxygenases generally had highly similar responses to the viruses blocked by different structural proteins’ antisera and their effects on viral DNA replication. Different interaction patterns for the virion structural proteins were found in different host larvae-produced virions, and the interactions between
Spodoptera litura
glutathione S-transferases and viral structural proteins were confirmed. The different host responses after viral infection could be the reason for the changes in viral pathogenicity, while the virus responses gradually adapted to the different hosts and there were flexible changes in the virion structures.

IMPORTANCE

Different pathogenic processes of a virus in different hosts are related to the host individual differences, which makes the virus undergoes different survival pressures. Here, we found that the virions of an insect virus, Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h (HvAV-3h), had different protein composition when they were purified from different host larval species. These “adaptive changes” of the virions were analyzed in detail in this study, which mainly included the differences of the protein composition of virions and the differences in affinity between virions and different host proteins. The results of this study revealed the flexible changes of viruses to help themselves adapt to different hosts. Also, these interesting findings can provide new insights to improve our understanding of virus adaptability and virulence differentiation caused by the adaptation process.
Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Spikes shapes their binding affinities to animal ACE2 orthologs
Authors: Yao Weitong , Li Yujun , Ma Danting , Hou Xudong , Wang Haimin , Tang Xiaojuan , Cheng Dechun , Zhang He , Du Chengzhi , Pan Hong , Li Chao , Lin Hua , Sun Mengsi , Ding Qiang , Wang Yingjie , Gao Jiali , Zhong Guocai
Published: November 2023

Spike-receptor interaction is a critical determinant for the host range of coronaviruses. Here, we investigated all the five World Health Organization-designated variants of concern (VOC), including Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Omicron (B.1.1.529), for their Spike receptor-binding domain (RBD)’s interactions with ACE2 orthologs of 18 animal species. We found that, compared to the RBD of an early isolate WHU01, the Alpha RBD has markedly increased affinity to cattle and pig ACE2 proteins and decreased affinity to horse and donkey ACE2 proteins. The RBDs of Beta and Gamma variants have almost completely lost affinity to bat, horse, and donkey ACE2 orthologs. Mainly due to the Q493R and N501Y mutations, the Omicron RBD showed markedly enhanced affinity to mouse ACE2. Molecular dynamic simulations further suggest that Omicron RBDs are optimal for electrostatic interactions with mouse ACE2. Interestingly, the Omicron RBD also showed decreased or complete loss of affinity to eight tested animal ACE2 orthologs, including that of horse, donkey, pig, dog, cat, pangolin, American pika, and bat. The K417N, G496S, and Y505H substitutions were identified as three major contributors that commonly have negative impact on RBD binding to these eight ACE2 orthologs. These findings show that Spike mutations have been continuously shaping SARS-CoV-2’s binding affinities to animal ACE2 orthologs and suggest the importance of surveillance of animal infection by circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.

IMPORTANCE

Spike-receptor interaction is a critical determinant for the host range of coronaviruses. In this study, we investigated the SARS-CoV-2 WHU01 strain and five WHO-designated SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs), including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and the early Omicron variant, for their Spike interactions with ACE2 proteins of 18 animal species. First, the receptor-binding domains (RBDs) of Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Omicron were found to display progressive gain of affinity to mouse ACE2. More interestingly, these RBDs were also found with progressive loss of affinities to multiple ACE2 orthologs. The Omicron RBD showed decreased or complete loss of affinity to eight tested animal ACE2 orthologs, including that of some livestock animals (horse, donkey, and pig), pet animals (dog and cat), and wild animals (pangolin, American pika, and
Rhinolophus sinicus
bat). These findings shed light on potential host range shift of SARS-CoV-2 VOCs, especially that of the Omicron variant.
Microporous and Hierarchical ZSM-5 Zeolites in Friedländer Synthesis
Authors: Grigor’eva N. G. , Bubennov S. V. , Artem’eva A. S. , Serebrennikov D. V. , Filippova N. A. , Kutepov B. I.
Published: November 2023

The study investigates the catalytic performance of microporous and granular micro–meso–macroporous zeolites (H-ZSM-5 and H-ZSM-5h, respectively) in synthesis of quinolines by the reaction of 2-aminoacetophenone with diketones (2,4-pentanedione or dimedone), known as the Friedländer synthesis. In the presence of H-ZSM-5h, 1-(2,4-dimethylquinolin-3-yl)ethanone (1a) and 3,4-dihydro-3,3,9-trimethyl-1(2H)-acridinone (1b) were produced in 82 and 93% yields, respectively.
Awareness and knowledge of diabetic ketoacidosis in people with type 1 diabetes: a cross-sectional, multicenter survey
Authors: Hepprich Matthias , Roser Pia , Stiebitz Sebastian , Felix Barbara , Schultes Bernd , Schmitz Daniela , Rutishauser Jonas , Schubert Sabine , Aberle Jens , Rudofsky Gottfried
Published: November 2023

Introduction

To evaluate awareness and knowledge of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a common and potentially life-threatening complication in people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Research design and methods

A survey was developed to assess individuals’ current knowledge, management, and unmet needs regarding DKA. The study was conducted in six Swiss and three German endocrine outpatient clinics specialized in the treatment of diabetes.

Results

A total of 333 participants completed the questionnaire (45.7% female, mean age of 47 years, average duration of T1D at 22 years). Surprisingly, 32% of individuals were not familiar with the term ‘diabetic ketoacidosis’. Participants rated their own knowledge of DKA significantly lower than their physicians (p<0.0001). 46% of participants were unable to name a symptom of DKA, and 45% were unaware of its potential causes. 64% of participants did not test for ketones at all. A significant majority (67%) of individuals expressed the need for more information about DKA.

Conclusions

In patients treated in specialized centers, knowledge of DKA was found to be inadequate, with a lack of understanding regarding symptoms and causes. Healthcare professionals tended to overestimate individuals’ knowledge. Future efforts should focus on addressing these knowledge gaps and incorporating protective factors into the treatment of T1D.
ChatGPT and mental healthcare: balancing benefits with risks of harms
Authors: Blease Charlotte , Torous John
Published: November 2023

Against the global need for increased access to mental services, health organisations are looking to technological advances to improve the delivery of care and lower costs. Since November 2022, with the public launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, the field of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has received expanding attention. Although generative AI itself is not new, technical advances and the increased accessibility of large language models (LLMs) (eg, OpenAI’s GPT-4 and Google’s Bard) suggest use of these tools could be clinically significant. LLMs are an application of generative AI technology that can summarise and generate content based on training on vast data sets. Unlike search engines, which provide internet links in response to typed entries, chatbots that rely on generative language models can simulate dialogue that resembles human conversations. We examine the potential promise and the risks of using LLMs in mental healthcare today, focusing on their scope to impact mental healthcare, including global equity in the delivery of care. Although we caution that LLMs should not be used to disintermediate mental health clinicians, we signal how—if carefully implemented—in the long term these tools could reap benefits for patients and health professionals.
Association between infection and the onset of giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Pacoureau Lucas , Barde François , Seror Raphaele , Nguyen Yann
Published: November 2023

Objective

We aimed to analyse the association between infections and the subsequent risk of giant cell arteritis (GCA) and/or polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) by a systematic review and a meta-analysis of observational studies.

Methods

Two databases (Medline and Embase) were systematically reviewed. Epidemiological studies studying the association between any prior infection and the onset of GCA/PMR were eligible. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale. Outcomes and pooled statistics were reported as OR and their 95% CI.

Results

Eleven studies (10 case–control studies and one cohort study) were analysed, seven of them were included in the meta-analysis. Eight were at low risk of bias. A positive and significant association was found between prior overall infections and priorHerpes Zoster(HZ) infections with pooled OR (95% CI) of 1.27 (1.18 to 1.37) and 1.20 (1.08 to 1.21), respectively. When analysed separately, hospital-treated and community-treated infections, were still significantly associated with the risk of GCA, but only when infections occurring within the year prior to diagnosis were considered (pooled OR (95% CI) 1.92 (1.67 to 2.21); 1.67 (1.54 to 1.82), respectively). This association was no longer found when infections occurring within the year prior to diagnosis were excluded.

Conclusion

Our study showed a positive association between the risk of GCA and prior overall infections (occurring in the year before), and prior HZ infections. Infections might be the reflect of an altered immunity of GCA patients or trigger the disease. However, reverse causation cannot be excluded.

CRD42023404089.
Pharmacodynamic effects of filgotinib treatment driving clinical improvement in patients with active psoriatic arthritis enrolled in the EQUATOR trial
Authors: Chandran Vinod , Malkov Vladislav A , Ito Kaori L , Liu Yihua , Vestergaard Lene , Yoon Oh Kyu , Liu Jinfeng , Trivedi Mona , Hertz Angie , Gladman Dafna
Published: November 2023

Objectives

The goal of this study was to identify protein and transcriptional biomarkers and pathways associated with baseline disease state, the effect of filgotinib (FIL) treatment on these biomarkers, and to investigate the mechanism of action of FIL on clinical improvement in patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Methods

The phase II EQUATOR (NCT03101670) trial evaluated the efficacy of FIL, a Janus kinase 1-preferential inhibitor, in patients with PsA. Peripheral protein and gene expression levels in association with clinical state at baseline and post-treatment were assessed in 121 patients using linear mixed effects models for repeated measures analyses. Mediation analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM) were performed to investigate the mechanism of action of FIL at week 4 on downstream clinical improvement at week 16.

Results

Baseline analyses showed that markers of inflammation were significantly associated with multiple PsA clinical metrics, except for Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), which corresponded to Th17 markers. FIL treatment resulted in sustained transcriptional inhibition of immune genes and pathways, a sustained increase in B-cell fraction and mature B-cells in circulation, and a transient effect on other cell fractions. Mediation analysis revealed that changes in B cells, systemic inflammatory cytokines and neutrophils at week 4 were associated with changes in clinical metrics at week 16. SEM suggested that FIL improved PASI through reduction of IL-23 p19 and IL-12 p40 proteins.

Conclusions

Our results revealed that FIL treatment rapidly downregulates inflammatory and immune pathways associated with PsA disease activity corresponding to clinical improvement in PsA.

Trial registration number

NCT03101670.
Significance of the auditory meatus inferior wall cartilage in the surgical treatment of congenital first branchial cleft anomalies in children
Authors: Yu Bo , Zhu Ruiyang , Fu Yong , Xu Bin , Yu Lulu , Bi Jing
Published: November 2023

Objective

To investigate the clinical significance of the inferior wall cartilage of the auditory meatus in surgical treatment of congenital first branchial cleft anomalies (CFBCAs) in children.

Methods

Twenty children diagnosed with CFBCAs who underwent surgery between December 2018 and June 2022 at our hospital were retrospectively analyzed and classified according to their Work lesion type. The guiding significance of the inferior wall cartilage in the surgical treatment of CFBCAs was summarized by investigating the adjacent relationships of the surgical lesions with the external auditory canal and facial nerve.

Results

Of the 20 patients, 16 were classified as Work type I and 4 as Work type II. The lesions were adjacent to the inferior wall cartilage of the auditory meatus in all children. Work type I lesions were located in the upper lateral aspect and were not adjacent to the facial nerve. Work type II lesions were located in the inferior-medial region of the facial nerve. The lesions were completely resected in all children. One patient experienced recurrence 3 months postoperatively because of a residual endochondral fistula. No patients developed facial paralysis or other complications.

Conclusions

The inferior wall cartilage of the auditory meatus may help to the identify the initial lesion of the CFBCAs and can be regarded as a guiding anatomical structure. These lesions can be completely resected. For resection of Work type II first branchial cleft lesions, the surgical incision can be narrower, and can be precisely positioned with the assistance of endoscope.
First-principles study on electrical and optical properties of two-dimensional GaN/AlGaN heterostructures
Authors: He Jianwei , Tian Jian , Liu Lei
Published: November 2023

Based on first-principles, this paper calculates the structure, electrical properties and optical properties of g-GaN/AlGaN 2D/3D heterojunctions with different Al contents. By comparing the binding energies of different Al contents, it can be concluded that the structure of heterojunction is the most stable when the Al content is 0.5. The band gap of heterojunction widens as the Al content increases. When the Al content is 1, the band structure changes from direct band gap to indirect. Through the study of density of states, it can be found that impurity levels near the Fermi level mainly come from electronic states of N 2p, Al 3p, and Ga 4p. The appearance of impurity levels makes it easier to recombine the electron hole pairs in the heterojunction. The results of optical properties indicate that the heterojunction exhibits better wave absorption performance with the increase of Al content and is more conducive to the propagation of photoelectrons.
On the influencing factors of AH shares linkage in China under new regulation policy of reduction
Authors: Song Yuping , Li Zhenwei , Jin Guopeng , Huang Jiefei
Published: November 2023

AH stock premium and its price linkage have always been the key problems of concern for scholars and investors. Taking the stock price yield of AH stock as the explanatory variable, this paper adopts the panel quantile model to probe into the linkage mechanism of AH stock price from five aspects such as risk difference, liquidity difference, demand elasticity difference, information asymmetry and new regulation policy of reduction. Due to the herding effect, information asymmetry has a negative effect on the H-share yield in the income and loss intervals, and a positive effect in the stable interval. The negative effect of liquidity difference on the H-share yield in the loss interval is converted into the positive effect in the income interval, but it is the most sensitive in high risk areas. The influence of demand elasticity on H-share yield is characterized by the typical characteristics of Chinese stock market “chasing after go up and killing cheapen” or “buying the winners”. Risk difference is not obvious because the behavior of risk lover and risk averter is offset by each other. The introduction of a 2017-year reduction in the new rules has significantly reduced the share price yield of H-shares. Finally, some suggestions are put forward for investors to invest and avoid risk in AH stocks and some specific policy implications for financial regulators are also provided based on these results.
The Burgess Shale lagerstätte at the Walcott Quarry, Yoho National Park, Canada
Authors: Anderson Thomas B. , James Matthew J. , McNeil Paul
Published: November 2023

The Walcott Quarry was discovered in 1909 by the Smithsonian Institute's Charles Doolittle Walcott (1850–1927). The Cambrian Burgess Shale (505 Ma, Miaolingian) crops out in the quarry and the lagerstätte is the nexus of ongoing vigorous debate about fossil preservation (including taphonomy and diagenesis), taxonomy, classification, phylogeny, and the origin of phyla and baupläne. Smithsonian Institute's field crews collected from 1909–24, and the quarry was subsequently expanded by Harvard University (1930), the Canadian Geological Survey (1966–67), and the Royal Ontario Museum (1992–2000). Approximately 250 000 fossils, including soft-bodied forms, have been collected, making the Walcott Quarry with exposures of the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale, a significant geoheritage site and an important representation of the Cambrian Explosion.
Robust Graph Meta-Learning for Weakly Supervised Few-Shot Node Classification
Authors: Ding Kaize , Wang Jianling , Li Jundong , Caverlee James , Liu Huan
Published: November 2023

Graph machine learning (Graph ML) models typically require abundant labeled instances to provide sufficient supervision signals, which is commonly infeasible in real-world scenarios since labeled data for newly emerged concepts (e.g., new categorizations of nodes) on graphs is rather limited. To efficiently learn with a small amount of data on graphs, meta-learning has been investigated in Graph ML. By transferring the knowledge learned from previous experiences to new tasks, graph meta-learning approaches have demonstrated promising performance on few-shot graph learning problems. However, most existing efforts predominately assume that all the data from the seen classes is gold labeled, yet those methods may lose their efficacy when the seen data is weakly labeled with severe label noise. As such, we aim to investigate a novel problem of weakly supervised graph meta-learning for improving the model robustness in terms of knowledge transfer. To achieve this goal, we propose Meta-GIN (Meta Graph Interpolation Network), a new graph meta-learning framework. Based on a new robustness-enhanced episodic training paradigm, Meta-GIN is meta-learned to interpolate node representations from weakly labeled data and extracts highly transferable meta-knowledge, which enables the model to quickly adapt to unseen tasks with few labeled instances. Extensive experiments demonstrate the superiority of Meta-GIN over existing graph meta-learning studies on the task of weakly supervised few-shot node classification.
Individually Integrated Virtual/Augmented Reality Environment for Interactive Perception of Cultural Heritage
Authors: Hu Jia
Published: November 2023

The need to preserve and care for cultural heritage makes information technology a tool for finding, documenting, describing, and visualizing important historical and archaeological sites. This article offers an example of a demo platform providing users with a unique immersive experience in a virtual clothing museum environment. The proposed concept combines such types of media resources as audio, video, text, and 3D models of the virtual environment. The augmented reality elements perform the function of additional informing the users about certain facts about the exhibits. The methodology of platform development and the application's architecture are described. The creation of the platform is intended to achieve the objectives set by VR/AR technologies, namely, to provide a wide range of opportunities for interaction of the user with the objects of cultural heritage. The peculiarity of the application is the possibility to choose between exploring the objects of cultural heritage on one's own or following a programmed path with the help of an audio guide. The proposed solution can be used for stationary expositions of art objects, historical or archaeological relics, and objects of national economy and creativity. Testing of the demo version showed a rather high degree of user satisfaction (89% of respondents reported a positive experience). Users noted the atmospheric and immersive experience of virtual reality. The developed platform can perform educational and popularization functions.
Fast and Perfect Sampling of Subgraphs and Polymer Systems
Authors: Blanca Antonio , Cannon Sarah , Perkins Will
Published: November 2023

We give an efficient perfect sampling algorithm for weighted, connected induced subgraphs (or
graphlets
) of rooted, bounded degree graphs. Our algorithm utilizes a vertex-percolation process with a carefully chosen rejection filter and works under a percolation subcriticality condition. We show that this condition is optimal in the sense that the task of (approximately) sampling weighted rooted graphlets becomes impossible in finite expected time for infinite graphs and intractable for finite graphs when the condition does not hold. We apply our sampling algorithm as a subroutine to give near linear-time perfect sampling algorithms for polymer models and weighted non-rooted graphlets in finite graphs, two widely studied yet very different problems. This new perfect sampling algorithm for polymer models gives improved sampling algorithms for spin systems at low temperatures on expander graphs and unbalanced bipartite graphs, among other applications.
IETIF: Intelligent Energy‐Aware Task Scheduling Technique in IoT/Fog Networks
Authors: Nazari Amin , Sohrabi Sakine , Mohammadi Reza , Nassiri Mohammad , Mansoorizadeh Muharram
Published: November 2023

Nowadays, with the advent of various communication technologies such as the internet of things (IoT), a large volume of data is produced that needs to be processed in real‐time. Fog computing is an appropriate solution to address the requirements of different types of IoT applications. In most cases, IoT applications consist of a set of dependent tasks that can be separately processed in a heterogeneous fog environment. Scheduling these tasks in a fog environment is an NP‐hard problem that needs a vast amount of time and computation resources to solve, making it infeasible for real‐time applications. In addition, reducing response time and energy consumption in fog computing is an essential issue that should be taken into account in task scheduling algorithms. To address these challenges, we aim to propose a multiobjective task scheduling model to jointly improve energy efficiency and response time. To solve the model, we also propose an intelligent solution named IETIF which combines and leverages the benefits of simulated annealing and NSGA‐III algorithms. Simulation results show that IETIF outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art methods in terms of energy consumption, response time, and speedup.
Efficacy of Khaya grandifoliola Stem Bark Ethanol Extract in the Treatment of Cerebral Malaria in Swiss albino Mice Using Plasmodium berghei NK65 Strain
Authors: Guy-Armand Gamago Nkadeu , Cedric Yamssi , Nadia Noumedem Anangmo Christelle , Kevin Tako Djimefo Alex , Sandra Tientcheu Noutong Jemimah , Sidiki Ngouyamsa Nsapkain Aboubakar , Azizi Mounvera Abdel , Payne Vincent Khan
Published: November 2023

Background. Cerebral malaria is one of the most severe and dangerous forms of malaria and is potentially fatal. This study was aimed at evaluating the anticerebral malaria efficacy of Khaya grandifoliola used by traditional healers. Method. Fifty grams of Khaya grandifoliola stem bark was macerated in 1 L ethanol (95%) for 72 h. The filtrate was dried at 40°C until the obtention of a dry extract. The antimalarial test was evaluated using the Peter 4-day suppressive test and the Rane curative test. Mice were group into 6 groups of 6 mice each. For the antioxidant test, parameters such as malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), and nitric oxide (NO) were assessed. The livers of mice were crushed and centrifuged in order to be measured. Aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) using the Dutch Diagnostics Kit and blood were collected for haematological parameters. Results. The ethanol extract showed a suppressive activity of 78.12%, 75.30%, and 68.69% at 500 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg, and 125 mg/kg, respectively. Similarly, the curative activity showed a statistically significant reduction in parasitemia (

p
<
0.05

). Antioxidant parameter assays showed a low value of MDA and a high value of SOD, CAT, NO, and GSH in the negative control group. A statistically significant higher values of ASAT and ALAT were observed in the negative control compared to the other test groups (

p
<
0.05

). Haematological parameters showed a statistically significant decrease in white blood cells, red blood cells, haemoglobin, and platelets in the negative control group (

p
<
0.05

). Conclusion. The results of this study justify the traditional usage of Khaya grandifoliola in the treatment of cerebral malaria. However, in vivo toxicity assessment is still necessary to verify its safeness.
Can Ultrasound-Guided Continuous Paravertebral Block Reduce the Incidence of Chronic Postsurgical Pain in Patients with Thoracoscopic Lung Cancer Surgery? A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Ran Wei , Luo Huan , Wang Zhiqiao , Hao Yonggang , Liang Ning , Li Ping , Yin Xia , Gao Jin
Published: November 2023

Background. Thoracoscopic lung cancer surgery is accompanied by severe pain. Both continuous paravertebral block (CPVB) and continuous wound infiltration (CWI) are widely used for perioperative analgesia in thoracoscopic surgery. However, the effects of these different methods on chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) are still unknown. Patients and Methods. This prospective randomized controlled trial assessed the eligibility of 113 patients. Ninety-seven patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into a CPVB group and a CWI group, and 80 patients were analyzed in the final study. The primary outcome measures were the incidence and intensity of chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) at 3, 6, and 9 months after surgery. The secondary outcome measures were the numerical rating scale (NRS) score of rest and activity at 12, 18, and 24 hours and on the 2nd, 3rd, and 7th days postoperatively; the Barthel Activities of Daily Living (ADL) score of activity levels on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 7th days postoperatively; and the long-term quality of the life score at 3, 6, and 9 months postoperatively. Results. The incidence of chronic postsurgical pain in the CWI group was significantly higher than that in the CPVB group at 3, 6, and 9 months after surgery (all

P
<
0.05

). The intensity of chronic postsurgical pain was significantly decreased in the CPVB group at 3, 6, and 9 months after surgery (

P
<
0.05

. NRS-R and NRS-A scores were significantly decreased in the CPVB group within the first week after thoracoscopic surgery (

P
<
0.001

). ADL scores were increased in the CPVB group within 3 days postoperatively. However, there were no differences in the ADL score on the 7th postoperative day or the long-term quality of the life score at 3, 6, and 9 months postoperatively. Conclusion. Continuous ultrasound-guided paravertebral block reduced the intensity of acute pain within 7 days postoperatively and reduced the incidence of chronic pain at 3, 6, and 9 months after surgery, but there was no significant advantage in long-term quality of life. This trial is registered with ChiCTR2000038505.
Measurement and Analysis of Deformation of Underlying Tunnel Induced by Foundation Pit Excavation
Authors: Yin Quan , Xin Tan , Zhenggang Hu , Minghua Huang
Published: November 2023

The excavation of a foundation pit can exert a notable impact on the underlying tunnel. This research paper aims to analyze and synthesize measured deformation outcomes caused by foundation pit excavation on the underlying tunnel. The paper employs a two-stage analysis approach to derive the calculation formula for additional stress and the deformation control equation of the adjacent tunnel under the influence of foundation pit excavation. Subsequently, the Hermite spectrum method is applied to transform the deformation control equation of the underlying tunnel into a set of linear equations, enabling the determination of the deformation curve. To verify the precision of the theoretical calculation method, a comparative study is conducted between theoretical results and actual measurements. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis of crucial project factors is performed. The research findings reveal minimal disparity between theoretical calculation outcomes and measured deformation of the underlying tunnel, thus affirming the accuracy and rationality of the theoretical calculation formula. The excavation of the foundation pit leads to an uplift deformation in the underlying tunnel, resulting in an “n”-shaped deformation profile. Notably, the stiffness of the foundation soil and the depth at which the tunnel is buried emerge as pivotal factors influencing the deformation of the underlying tunnel. As the stiffness of the foundation soil and the depth of tunnel burial increase, the uplift deformation gradually diminishes, albeit within a restricted range of reduction.
Biomarkers of Autologous Whole Blood Injection Efficacy in Patients with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria with Autoreactivity: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Chen Qiquan , Luo Jincheng , Yang Xianjie , Chen WenChieh , Liu Wenying , Song Zhiqiang
Published: November 2023

Introduction: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) with autoreactivity is often resistant to antihistamines. Autologous whole blood injection (AWBI) has shown potential efficacy in the treatment of this disease, but it is controversial. It is necessary to screen patients who are suitable for this therapy in advance. This study aimed to identify biomarkers that predict the efficacy of AWBI treatment in CSU patients with autoreactivity. Methods: A total of 30 patients with autologous serum skin test-positive CSU treated with AWBI were included in this study; urticaria activity score (UAS7) was recorded and the treatment response was judged based on it. Levels of total serum IgE, anti-high-affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI) IgG, and basophils CD63 and FcεRI expressions, and D-dimer of all patients were determined and analyzed. Results: Baseline levels of total IgE, D-dimer, basophil FcεRI and CD63 expressions showed good correlations with UAS7 variations. D-dimer, basophil FcεRI and CD63 expressions changed significantly before and after AWBI treatment in AWBI responders, and the basophil FcεRI and CD63 expressions consistently and dynamically decreased in AWBI responders during the treatment. Baseline levels of total IgE, D-dimer, basophil FcεRI and CD63 expressions showed certain predictive values for AWBI response. Conclusions: Baseline levels of total IgE, D-dimer, basophil FcεRI and CD63 expressions could be biomarkers of predicting AWBI efficacy in patients with CSU with autoreactivity.
miR-874-3p Is Identified as a Biomarker for Acute Kidney Injury and Mediates Disease Development via Targeting MSRB3
Authors: Ge Jun , Zhang Xuefeng , Liu Ye , Liu Hang , Liu Xiaoming
Published: November 2023

Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinical disease, especially in the intensive care unit. Identification of reliable biomarker is of great clinical significance and benefit the therapy and prevention of AKI. The clinical significance and function of miR-874-3p in AKI development were evaluated in this study aiming to explore a novel biomarker for AKI. Methods: There were 83 AKI patients and 56 healthy individuals included, and the serum samples were collected. The AKI animal models were established via ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) and LPS on C57BL/6 mice. The expression of miR-874-3p was evaluated using PCR, while the potential downstream targets were also validated in AKI mice. The regulatory mechanism of miR-874-3p was investigated in AKI cell model established with HK-2 cell by I/R. Results: miR-874-3p was downregulated in both AKI patients and established AKI mice models. The downregulation of miR-874-3p could discriminate against AKI patients and predict poor prognosis of patients. miR-874-3p was negatively correlated with the levels of serum creatine, blood urea nitrogen, CRP, NEU, and PCT and positively correlated with the eGFR of AKI patients. In I/R- and LPS-induced AKI mice, overexpressing miR-874-3p could alleviate renal dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation induced by AKI. Additionally, miR-874-3p could negatively regulate the expression of MSRB3, which was speculated as the potential mechanism underlying the function of miR-874-3p in AKI. Overexpression of miR-874-3p could alleviate the I/R-induced HK-2 cell apoptosis and decreased proliferation, which was reversed by the upregulation of MSRB3. Conclusion: miR-874-3p served as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of AKI and mediate the severity and development of AKI via targeting MSRB3.
Social Networks and Cardiovascular Disease Events in the Jackson Heart Study
Authors: Glover LáShauntá , Sutton Janiyah , O'Brien Emily , Sims Mario
Published: November 2023

Background

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) disproportionately affects Black adults. Greater social networks (SNs), or social connectedness, may lower the risk of CVD events. This study determined the association of SNs and incident CVD and tested mediation by depressive symptoms, hypertension control, and diabetes control.

Methods and Results

We used the Social Network Index at exam 1 (2000–2004) to develop a continuous standardized SN score and binary categories (high versus low) among participants in the Jackson Heart Study (n=4686; mean age, 54.8 years). Surveillance of coronary heart disease, stroke, and heart failure events occurred after exam 1 (2005 for HF) until 2016. Using Cox proportional hazards regression, we estimated the association of SNs and CVD events by sex and tested the mediation of depressive symptoms, hypertension control, and diabetes control. Models adjusted for age, education, health behaviors, CVD comorbidities, and depressive symptoms. Among women, the SN score was associated with a lower hazard of stroke, coronary heart disease, and heart failure after full adjustment (hazard ratio [HR], 0.78 [95% CI, 0.64–0.95]; HR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.71–0.88]; and HR, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.66–0.92], respectively). SN scores were also associated with a lower hazard of coronary heart disease in men (HR, 0.84 [95% CI, 0.75–0.94]) after full adjustment. High versus low SNs were associated with a lower hazard of coronary heart disease and heart failure among women after full adjustment. There was no evidence of mediation by depressive symptoms, diabetes control, and hypertension control.

Conclusions

Higher SNs may lower the risk of CVD events, especially in women.
Association of Bypass Surgery and Mortality in Moyamoya Disease
Authors: Park Hyunjun , Han Minkyung , Jang Dong‐Kyu , Kim Dal‐Soo , Huh Pil‐Woo , Park Hae‐Kwan , Park Ik Seong , Han Young‐Min , Sung Jae Hoon , Lee Kwan‐Sung , Lee Hyung‐Jin , Kim Young Woo
Published: November 2023

Background

Patients with moyamoya disease (MMD) have a high risk of stroke or death. We investigated whether extracranial to intracranial bypass surgery can reduce mortality by preventing strokes in patients with MMD.

Methods and Results

This nationwide retrospective cohort study encompassed patients with MMD registered under the Rare Intractable Diseases program via the Relieved Co‐Payment Policy between 2006 and 2019, using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. Following a 4‐year washout period, landmark analyses were employed to assess mortality and stroke occurrence between the bypass surgery group and the nonsurgical control group at specific time points postindex date (1 month and 3, 6, 12, and 36 months). The study included 18 480 patients with MMD (mean age, 40.7 years; male to female ratio, 1:1.86) with a median follow‐up of 5.6 years (interquartile range, 2.5–9.3; mean, 6.1 years [SD, 4.0 years]). During 111 775 person‐years of follow‐up, 265 patients in the bypass surgery group and 1144 patients in the nonsurgical control group died (incidence mortality rate of 618.1 events versus 1660.3 events, respectively, per 10
5
person‐years). The overall adjusted hazard ratio (HR) revealed significantly lower all‐cause mortality in the bypass surgery group from the 36‐month landmark time point, for any stroke mortality from 3‐ and 6‐month landmark time points, and for hemorrhagic stroke mortality from the 6‐month landmark time point. Furthermore, the overall adjusted HRs for hemorrhagic stroke occurrence were beneficially maintained from all 5 landmark time points in the bypass surgery group.

Conclusions

Bypass surgery in patients with MMD was associated with a lower risk of all‐cause and hemorrhagic stroke mortality and hemorrhagic stroke occurrence compared with nonsurgical control.
Reflections on Cross-Modal Correspondences: Current Understanding and Issues for Future Research
Authors: Motoki Kosuke , Marks Lawrence E. , Velasco Carlos
Published: November 2023

The past two decades have seen an explosion of research on cross-modal correspondences. Broadly speaking, this term has been used to encompass associations between and among features, dimensions, or attributes across the senses. There has been an increasing interest in this topic amongst researchers from multiple fields (psychology, neuroscience, music, art, environmental design, etc.) and, importantly, an increasing breadth of the topic’s scope. Here, this narrative review aims to reflect on what cross-modal correspondences are, where they come from, and what underlies them. We suggest that cross-modal correspondences are usefully conceived as relative associations between different actual or imagined sensory stimuli, many of these correspondences being shared by most people. A taxonomy of correspondences with four major kinds of associations (physiological, semantic, statistical, and affective) characterizes cross-modal correspondences. Sensory dimensions (quantity/quality) and sensory features (lower perceptual/higher cognitive) correspond in cross-modal correspondences. Cross-modal correspondences may be understood (or measured) from two complementary perspectives: the phenomenal view (perceptual experiences of subjective matching) and the behavioural response view (observable patterns of behavioural response to multiple sensory stimuli). Importantly, we reflect on remaining questions and standing issues that need to be addressed in order to develop an explanatory framework for cross-modal correspondences. Future research needs (a) to understand better when (and why) phenomenal and behavioural measures are coincidental and when they are not, and, ideally, (b) to determine whether different kinds of cross-modal correspondence (quantity/quality, lower perceptual/higher cognitive) rely on the same or different mechanisms.
Wet land’s past futures
Authors: Keizer Joost , Lehmann Ann-Sophie , Porras Stephanie
Published: November 2023

This article introduces the conceptual framework of the volume Wetland. Shaping environments in Netherlandish art and presents a brief state of research. Using three examples – the loss of woodlands and its impact on painting, Dutch hydrological technology in the service of the colonization of Brazil, and the surge of a new Land art in the Netherlands in the face of climate change – the authors highlight the contemporaneity of early modern representations of Netherlandish landscapes against the background of ecological crisis.
Zwadderen in oil paint
Authors: Brauer Theresa
Published: November 2023

Landscape painting can directly address concepts of the world’s origin and its organization. Dutch dune landscapes, however, were and continue to be extremely unstable environments, consisting of damp hollows and wind-borne sand, and resisting any attempt to be shaped or organized. Theresa Brauer’s essay asks its readers to closely examine two of Jan van Goyen’s landscapes that exhibit exceptional fluidity both in painting technique – Van Goyen utilizes a wet-on-wet application of oil pigments – and in the subject they depict: the transitional coastal landscape of Holland. The works are discussed in dialogue with Samuel van Hoogstraten’s description of a painting technique he calls zwadderen, and with Joost van den Vondel’s poetic yet dismissive reflection on incidental forms in landscape painting. The essay contextualizes Jan van Goyen’s landscapes within the framework of nature-theoretical discourse prevalent in the seventeenth century, which contemplates a particular world in a state of motion.
A raptor’s-eye view in the early modern Netherlands
Authors: Hadjinicolaou Yannis
Published: November 2023

Yannis Hadjinicolaou’s contribution focuses on Netherlandish landscape painting in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, a time when visual constructions of territory were often accomplished through the lens of falconry as a political tool. Depicting the falcon flying high above the territory transforms the natural landscape into a political one through substituting and extending the ruler’s sovereignty over it. A vertical perspective of power is allowed through the human-fabricated ‘bird’s-eye view’. This territorial aerial ‘view’ offers a political and privileged perspective over a vast, flat, and shapeable landscape through evoking the very etymology of land-schap in Dutch, here embodied by a ‘raptor’s eye’. Notably, an artist has to act like a falcon, sharply monitoring an area, if he or she wants to produce fine landscapes according to art theoretical works of the time. Studying the epistemic imagery of falconry can teach us much about the merging of art and nature together with their respective political implications through visual representations.