bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Technique of en bloc resection of the membranous urethra and bladder during robot‐assisted radical cystectomy in patients without simultaneous urethrectomy
Authors: Morizane Shuichi , Honda Masashi , Yumioka Tetsuya , Iwamoto Hideto , Hikita Katsuya , Takenaka Atsushi
Published: February 2022

Introduction

Prophylactic urethrectomy is often performed simultaneously with radical cystectomy (RC) in patients who are not selected for neobladder creation for urinary diversion. However, the indications for prophylactic urethrectomy are still controversial. Here, we introduce the ideal urethral dissection technique during robot‐assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) in patients without simultaneous prophylactic urethrectomy.

Materials and Surgical Technique

At our hospital, RARC is performed using a da Vinci surgical system with the operating table tilted to 20°. After lymph node dissection and bladder mobilization, periurethral dissection is commenced. A notable point of our technique is en bloc resection of the bladder and membranous urethra using a continuous intracorporeal approach. First, while applying traction on the isolated bladder in the cranial direction, we carefully and gradually dissect the urethral smooth muscle from the external urethral sphincter with electrocautery scissors. Next, we ligate the membranous urethra with suture material as far from the prostate as possible. Then, we cut the urethra as far from the prostate as possible after ligation of the urethra with a Hem‐o‐lok clip just beyond the apex of the prostate. Using this method, we are able to remove at least 1.0 cm of the membranous urethra en bloc with the bladder. Finally, we suture the pelvic floor, including the levator ani muscle, in two layers using 3–0 V‐Loc and 2–0 V‐Loc sutures.

Discussion

We believe this technique allows separation of the residual urethra from the abdominal cavity and enables safe performance of secondary urethrectomy.
Metabolite profiles and mass balance of fuzuloparib, a novel poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase inhibitor, in subjects with advanced solid cancers
Authors: Bian Yicong , Meng Jian , Ma Sheng , Li Guangze , Wang Yuya , Li Shaorong , Liu Linsheng , Huang Chenrong , Zhang Hua , Zhong Dafang , Miao Liyan
Published: February 2022

Aim

This trial (NCT04013048) investigated the metabolite profiles, mass balance and pharmacokinetics of fuzuloparib, a novel poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase inhibitor, in subjects with advanced solid cancers.

Methods

A single dose of 150 mg [14C]fuzuloparib was administered to five subjects with advanced solid cancers. Blood, urine and faecal samples were collected, analysed for radioactivity and unchanged fuzuloparib, and profiled for metabolites. The safety of the medicine was assessed during the study.

Results

The maximum concentrations (Cmax) of the total radioactivity (TRA) and unchanged fuzuloparib in plasma were 5.39 μg eq./mL and 4.19 μg/mL, respectively, at approximately 4 hours post dose. The exposure (AUC0‐t) of fuzuloparib accounted for 70.7% of the TRA in plasma, and no single metabolite was observed accounting for more than 10% of the plasma TRA. The recovery of TRA in excreta was 103.3 ± 3.8% in 288 hours, including 59.1 ± 9.9% in urine and 44.2 ± 10.8% in faeces. Sixteen metabolites of fuzuloparib were identified, including mono‐oxidation (M1), hydrogenation (M2), di‐oxidation (M3), trioxidation (M4), glucuronidation (M5, M7, M8) and de‐ethylation (M6) products, and there was no specific binding between these metabolites and blood cells. Aliphatic hydroxylated fuzuloparib (M1‐1) was the primary metabolite in the excreta, accounting for more than 40% of the dose for subjects. There were no serious adverse events observed in the study.

Conclusion

Fuzuloparib was widely metabolized and excreted completely through urine and faeces in subjects with advanced solid cancer. Unchanged fuzuloparib was indicated to be the primary drug‐related compound in circulation. [14C]fuzuloparib was well‐tolerated at the study dose.
Differential sleep/wake response and sex differences following acute suvorexant, MK‐1064 and zolpidem administration in the rTg4510 mouse model of tauopathy
Authors: Keenan Ryan J. , Daykin Heather , Chu Jiahui , Cornthwaite‐Duncan Linda , Allocca Giancarlo , Hoyer Daniel , Jacobson Laura H.
Published: February 2022

Background and Purpose

Transgenic mouse models of tauopathy display prominent sleep/wake disturbances which manifest primarily as a hyperarousal phenotype during the active phase, suggesting that tau pathology contributes to sleep/wake changes. However, no study has yet investigated the effect of sleep‐promoting compounds in these models. Such information has implications for the use of hypnotics as potential therapeutic tools in tauopathy‐related disorders.

Experimental Approach

This study examined polysomnographic recordings in 6‐6.5‐month‐old male and female rTg4510 mice following acute administration of suvorexant (50 mg·kg−1), MK‐1064 (30 mg·kg−1) or zolpidem (10 mg·kg−1), administered at the commencement of the active phase.

Key Results

Suvorexant, a dual OX receptor antagonist, promoted REM sleep in rTg4510 mice, without affecting wake or NREM sleep. MK‐1064, a selective OX2 receptor antagonist, reduced wake and increased NREM and total sleep time. MK‐1064 normalised the hyperarousal phenotype of male rTg4510 mice, whereas female rTg4510 mice exhibited a more transient response. Zolpidem, a GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulator, decreased wake and increased NREM sleep in both male and female rTg4510 mice. Of the three compounds, the OX2 receptor antagonist MK‐1064 promoted and normalised physiologically normal sleep, especially in male rTg4510 mice.

Conclusions and Implications

Our findings indicate that hyperphosphorylated tau accumulation and associated hyperarousal does not significantly alter the responses of tauopathy mouse models to hypnotics. However, the sex differences observed in the sleep/wake response of rTg4510 mice to MK‐1064, but not suvorexant or zolpidem, raise questions about therapeutic implications for the use of OX2 receptor antagonists in human neurodegenerative disorders.
Designing of kinase hinge binders: A medicinal chemistry perspective
Authors: Sharma Vikas , Gupta Mohit
Published: February 2022

Protein kinases are key regulators of cellular signaling and play a critical role in oncogenesis. Inhibitors of protein kinases are pursued by both industry and academia as a promising target for cancer therapy. Within the protein kinases, the ATP site has produced more than 40 FDA‐approved drugs. The ATP site is broadly composed of a hinge region, gatekeeper residues, DFG‐loop, ribose pocket, and other hydrophobic regions. The hinge region in the ATP site can be used for designing potent inhibitors. In this review, we discuss some representative studies that will highlight the interactions of heterocyclic compounds with hinge regions of different kinases like BRAF kinase, EGRF kinase, MAP kinase, and Mps1 kinase.
Capacity for sustainment of recently established syringe service programs in Appalachian Kentucky: The central role of staff champions
Authors: Cooper Hannah L. F. , Gross Skylar , Klein Emma , Fadanelli Monica , Ballard April , Lockard Scott , Batty Evan , Young April , Ibragimov Umed
Published: February 2022

Introduction

Ensuring adequate harm reduction infrastructure in rural areas is imperative, as drug‐related epidemics expand into them. Here, we explore the capacity for sustainment of syringe service programs (SSP) in Appalachian Kentucky.

Methods

We interviewed all staff (n = 16) of all SSPs (n = 7) in two Kentucky health districts in 2018–2019 using semi‐structured one‐on‐one qualitative interviews; local departments of health (DOH) operated the SSPs. Interview domains encompassed: (i) SSP establishment; (ii) day‐to‐day operations, participation and health impacts; (iii) perceived prospects for sustainment; and (iv) perceived influences on #i–#iii. We analysed verbatim transcripts using thematic analytic methods; Schell's ‘capacity for sustainment’ constructs were treated as sensitising concepts during the analysis.

Results

Most community members, law enforcement and DOH staff opposed SSPs before they opened, because of stigma and concerns about enabling and needlestick injuries; DOH staff also opposed SSPs because they believed they lacked the capacity to operate them. Training, technical assistance, visible evidence of the programs' public health impact and contact with SSP participants transformed DOH staff into program champions. As champions, SSP staff developed programs that had strong capacity for sustainment, as defined by Schell (e.g. visible public health impact, stable funding, political support). Staff reported that the SSPs had high prospects for sustainment.

Discussion and Conclusion

As in SSPs that opened in cities decades ago, staff in emerging SSPs in these rural areas appear to have become crucial champions for these controversial programs, and may serve as vital resources for expanding harm reduction programming more broadly in these underserved areas.
The effect of temperature and behaviour on the interaction between two dragonfly larvae species within the native and expanded range
Authors: Everling Sanne , Johansson Frank
Published: February 2022

Studies on interaction between species are needed to observe and predict the effects of climate change on species distributions. Here we studied intra‐ and interspecific competition and behaviour in larvae of a native and a northward expanding dragonfly species, Sympetrum vulgatum and Sympetrum fonscolombii, respectively. We estimated growth, mortality, and behaviour (prey capture success, activity, and boldness) at 20°C and 23°C.

The northward expanding S. fonscolombii had a higher growth rate and a higher survival compared with the native S. vulgatum in interspecific competition. In intraspecific conditions, there was no significant difference between species in mortality and growth. Temperature had no significant effect on growth and survival of S. fonscolombii, but S. vulgatum showed both a higher growth rate and a higher mortality at 23°C under intraspecific conditions. There was a correlation between growth and mortality, suggesting that cannibalism and intraguild predation caused the growth differences between treatments in the competition experiments.

Temperature had no significant effect on any of the behaviours. There were very few significant correlations between any of the behaviours and the life‐history traits survival and growth and there were also very few significant correlations between any of the behaviours. Repeatability of behaviours over ontogeny was low.

The results of the present study suggest that the range expanding S. fonscolombii has the potential to outcompete the native species, but that this competition advantage does not seem to be driven by the temperature effects explored in this study.
A prospective study of Skeletal survey versus Low‐dose whole‐body CT for Osteolytic lesions in Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Gundesen Michael T. , Asmussen Jon T. , Haukås Einar , Schubert Michael , Abildgaard Niels , Schjesvold Fredrik , Lund Thomas
Published: February 2022

Whole‐body low‐dose CT (WBLDCT) is recommended over classical skeletal surveys (CSS) for investigating bone disease in multiple myeloma (MM) based on retrospective studies. No prospective studies with serial follow‐up scans exist.

Objective

To compare WBLDCT to CSS for identifying progressive bone disease in MM in a prospective setting.

Methods

Ninety‐six patients with MM at Odense University Hospital and Stavanger Hospital were followed for up to four years. Patients were scanned with WBLDCT and CSS every year for the first two years and every six months thereafter or at suspicion of progression.

Results

Nineteen cases of progressive bone disease were found using WBLDCT vs eight cases using CSS (p < 0.001). All cases of progressive bone disease using CSS were also identified by WBLDCT. Progression not found by CSS was primarily in the spine, sternum, and pelvis. Of the 19 cases, five patients had progressive bone disease only without other criteria for clinical progression. WBLDCT consistently identified more bone lesions per patient, 8.2 CI(6.8;9.6) vs CSS, 3.6 CI(2.7;4.5).

Conclusion

WBLDCT outperformed CSS for finding progressive bone disease and osteolytic lesions. More new lesions were found during follow‐up by WBLDCT than CSS. Using CSS for lytic lesions will underestimate progression rates. Our data offer prospective evidence for the current recommendation using WBLDCT for skeletal evaluations in patients with multiple myeloma.
Evaluation of thermal fatigue crack propagation in underfill resin materials for electronic packages
Authors: Watanabe Yusuke , Yamaguchi Hiroshi , Enomoto Toshiaki , Ogawa Kensuke , Kobayashi Takaya , Omiya Masaki
Published: February 2022

To improve the fatigue life of electronic packages, it is necessary to clarify thermal fatigue characteristics of underfill resin materials. In this study, a new setup for measuring thermal fatigue crack growth was developed, and the effects of thermal cycle conditions and silica filler contents on fatigue crack propagation were investigated. The results show that the likelihood of crack initiation increased with the filler content and the temperature of the thermal cycles. Comparing the results with those from mechanical fatigue tests, crack initiation and propagation occurred at lower ΔK and the crack growth rates were higher for thermal fatigue. Observations of the fracture surface revealed that the cracks propagated inside the underfill resin, which resulted in smaller crack growth resistance than that in mechanical fatigue. The addition of fillers introduced a crack propagation path at the interface between fillers and resins and enhanced the crack propagation resistance in thermal fatigue.
Long‐term survival of Atlantic salmon following catch and release: Considerations for anglers, scientists and resource managers
Authors: Keefe Donald , Young Mark , Van Leeuwen Travis E. , Adams Blair
Published: February 2022

To evaluate the scientific basis for catch and release as a management tool, a comprehensive 3‐year study compared long‐term survival of Atlantic salmon that were either angled, radio‐tagged and released, or trapped, radio‐tagged and released (control). Overall, the mean survival probability of angled salmon relative to the control group was between 0.94 and 0.98. At cool to moderate water temperatures (10–18°C) mean survival of angled salmon was between 0.96 and 0.98. Although the number of salmon caught and released above 21°C was low, catchability was slightly reduced at warm water temperatures (21–25°C) and the mean survival probability was between 0.43 and 0.69. Lastly, the number of fish that survived the spawning period did not differ between the angled group and the control group. However, the mean percentage of fish that overwintered and migrated downstream through a counting fence to sea was between 9% and 10% for those that were caught and released and between 13% and 19% for the control group. Results of this study suggest that mortality of caught and released Atlantic salmon can be delayed but remains low at cool to moderate water temperatures.
Fossils of Blackberry Hill, Wisconsin, USA: the first animals on land, 500 million years ago
Authors: Braddy Simon J. , Gass Kenneth C. , Gass Todd C.
Published: February 2022

Recent discoveries of trackways and trails on ancient tidal flats at Blackberry Hill, Wisconsin, USA, have transformed our understanding of the initial invasion of land, 500 Ma. Huge slug‐like molluscs grazed on microbial mats. Euthycarcinoid (stem myriapod) death traces (mortichnia) suggest that they did not come onto land to feed or breed, but simply to survive; Moon was closer to Earth then, and massive tides stranded animals in tidal pools that gradually dried up.
Iron‐phosphate glass‐ceramic anodes for lithium‐ion batteries
Authors: Qi Shibin , Li Xiangyu , Yue Yuanzheng , Zhang Yanfei
Published: February 2022

The oxide glass‐based anodes for lithium‐ion Batteries (LiBs) still suffer from two critical drawbacks, that is, low reversible capacity and low electrical conductivity. Here, we report a new way to overcome the two drawbacks. Specifically, we chose 50Fe2O3–50P2O5 (50Fe50P) glass as the anode material for LiBs, and then thermally treat it at 1118 K (Tg+345 K) for 0.5 h under reducing atmosphere (5 mol% H2+95 mol% Ar). The thermal reduction treatment led to formation of Fe2(P4O12) and Fe2Fe5(P2O7)4 crystals. The reduced glass‐based anode for LiBs exhibits the capacity of 373 mA h g−1 after 1 000 charge/discharge cycles at 1 A g−1, which is higher than that of the oxidized one. The reduction treatment greatly lowers the charge transfer resistance in the glass anode, indicating the enhancement of the electrical conductivity. This performance improvement could arise from the increase of accessible active sites for Li+ ion storage and transfer due to the existence of crystal–crystal/crystal–glass boundaries, as well as from the improvement of the electron transfer between Fe2+ and Fe3+ during cycling. This reduction–crystallization approach could help develop high‐performance oxide glass‐ceramics based anodes for advanced LiBs.
Unveiling idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis: pathology, immunohistochemistry, and ultrastructural study
Authors: Arbache Samir , Michalany Nilceo S. , de Almeida Hiram L. , Hirata Sergio H.
Published: February 2022

Background

Idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis (IGH) is a pigment disorder of unknown etiology. Despite its high prevalence and the unaesthetic appearance of the lesions, there are relatively few histological studies on this disorder. This is an important gap to understanding its pathogenesis.

Objectives

To assess the microscopic structure of IGH lesions compared to normal adjacent skin areas and the possible interaction between melanocytes and the subjacent dermis.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional study, we took biopsy specimens of hypochromic lesions and adjacent normal skin from 20 patients with IGH. We analyzed the fragments using routine stains, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy.

Results

We found superficial dermal fibrosis in 90% (18/20) of our IGH cases and unreported keratinocyte cytoplasmic changes on electron microscopy.

Conclusion

Our results suggest an interaction between melanocytes and the subjacent dermis in IGH. These findings can help to understand melanocyte biology and the pathogenesis of other achromic lesions.
Morphology and phylogeny of two anaerobic freshwater ciliates: Brachonella comma sp. nov. and the widely distributed but little‐known caenomorphid, Ludio parvulus Penard, 1922
Authors: Bourland William , Pomahač Ondřej , Čepička Ivan
Published: February 2022

Hypoxic, sulfidic freshwater sediments typically support a diffuse consortium of distinctive ciliated protists, including caenomorphids, metopids, and odontostomatids among others. A recent resurgence of interest in these important members of sapropelic food webs has resulted in the description of many new species and an effort, still in its infancy, to characterize them from a morphologic, molecular, and metabolic standpoint and to determine their phylogenetic relationships. Their seemingly invariable association with prokaryotic endosymbionts and, less commonly, ectosymbionts has become a focus for many researchers. In this report, based on morphologic and molecular data, we describe a Brachonella species (Ciliophora, Metopida) new to science and analyze its phylogeny. We also provide a morphologic and molecular characterization of the smallest representative of the Caenomorphidae Poche, 1913, Ludio parvulus Penard, 1922. The phylogenetic analysis confirms the inclusion of this species in the Caenomorphidae.
Does amortization matter? Evidence from the syndicated loan market
Authors: Nguyen Ca
Published: February 2022

In this article, I investigate whether a firm's decision to adopt an amortizing payment schedule affects its cost of bank loans. Focusing on US syndicated loans from 1991 to 2018, I find that amortized loans on average have spreads that are 46 basis points lower than bullet unamortized loan facilities. This discount represents a decrease of $1.66 million in annual interest expenses. I also find that borrowers with higher fundamental volatility, debt rollover risk, or financial constraints enjoy a substantially larger amortization discount and stand a better chance of refinancing their loan debt. However, the discount on loan pricing is moderated if nonbank institutions such as hedge funds or collateralized loan obligations participate in the lending syndicate. My results remain robust when I measure the intensity of loan amortization, control for overall debt maturity profiles, and address the endogeneity issue with propensity score matching and within‐loan analyses. Overall, my article supports the liquidity risk hypothesis, which suggests that borrowing firms have incentives to spread loan payments across time to diversify their debt maturity structure and enhance the prospects of debt refinancing, thereby limiting the transmission of liquidity risk to credit risk.
Effect of microbial fermentation on nutritional and antinutritional contents of cassava leaf
Authors: Terefe Zemenu Kerie , Omwamba Mary , Nduko John Masani
Published: February 2022

Cassava leaves serves as a source of alternative proteins for people in developing countries who could not easily access the available protein sources. However, its use is limited by the presence of toxic compounds, particularly cyanogenic glycosides. Thus, use of appropriate processing technique is indispensable to reduce the toxic compounds to a safer limit before utilization of cassava leaf. The objective of this study was therefore to evaluate the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, and their co‐culture on nutritional contents and antinutritional factors of cassava leaf during fermentation. A 4 × 5 factorial experimental design was used to determine the effect of fermentation setups and time on chemical composition, antinutritional contents, in vitro protein digestibility and mineral contents of cassava leaf. During 48 h of fermentation, a significant change (p < 0.05) in moisture, protein, fiber, fat, and ash contents were observed. Protein content was improved by 34.91%, while in vitro digestibility of protein was improved by 28.07% during 48 h of L. plantarum fermentation. Cyanide, oxalate, tannin, and phytate contents were decreased significantly (p < 0.05) for all fermentation setups. The highest reduction in cyanide (97.17%) and oxalate (86.44%) was achieved under L. plantarum fermentation. The highest reduction in tannin (93.25%) and phytate (91.11%) was achieved under co‐culture fermentation of cassava leaf. A significant (p < 0.05) reduction of mineral contents except iron was observed during 48 h of fermentation. A significant (p < 0.0001) strong negative correlation was found between protein with cyanide (−0.8164), oxalate (−0.7991), phytate (−0.7851), and tannin (−0.6906). In vitro digestibility of protein also showed a strong significant (p < 0.0001) negative correlation with phytate (−0.9628), oxalate (−0.9407), cyanide (−0.9305), and tannin (−0.8493). Application of L. plantarum and S. cerevisiae in cassava leaf fermentation showed significant improvement of nutritional qualities by reducing the antinutritional factors and toxic compounds. Fermentation of cassava leaf using these strains ascertain utilization of cassava leaf for human consumption to tackle protein energy malnutrition.
Hospital organizational structure factors related to discharge planning activities for alcoholics by nurses in Japan
Authors: Adachi Madoka , Tamakoshi Koji , Watai Izumi
Published: February 2022

Aim

Nurses play a significant role in providing discharge support for alcoholics. We aimed to explore the organizational structures of hospitals that are related to effective discharge planning activities provided by nurses.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional survey of Japanese hospitals with psychiatric wards that accept alcoholics. The survey questionnaire was administered to one nurse per hospital from August to September 2019. The Discharge Planning Scale for Ward Nurses (DPWN) was used to assess the actual status of the hospital nurse teams' discharge planning activities. The DPWN consists of four subscales: subscale I, “collect information from patients and their families”; subscale II, “supports for decision‐making for the patients and families”; subscale III, “utilization of social resources”; and subscale IV, “discharge guidance by cooperating with community support teams and multidisciplinary teams.”

Results

From the valid responses of 116 hospitals, scores on subscale IV were significantly lower than scores on subscales I, II, and III, indicating that medical care guidance through multidisciplinary collaboration between hospitals and the community was inadequate. In addition, multiple regression analysis showed that “hospital management and administrators understanding about nurses' discharge support activities,” and “planning discharge schedules, such as using clinical paths” were significantly and independently related to the total DPWN and each of subscale scores, regardless of the hospital's establishment body and size. “Multidisciplinary discharge support” was significantly related to subscale II.

Conclusions

These findings have implications for the management of discharge planning activities provided by nurses for alcoholics through multidisciplinary collaboration.
Estrogen upregulates the firing activity of hypothalamic gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH1) neurons in the evening in female medaka
Authors: Ikegami Kana , Kajihara Sho , Umatani Chie , Nakajo Mikoto , Kanda Shinji , Oka Yoshitaka
Published: February 2022

The reproductive function of vertebrates is regulated by the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis. In sexually mature females, gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons in the preoptic area (POA) are assumed to be responsible for a cyclic large increase in GnRH release, the GnRH surge, triggering a luteinizing hormone (LH) surge, which leads to ovulation. Precise temporal regulation of the preovulatory GnRH/LH surge is important for successful reproduction because ovulation should occur after follicular development. The time course of the circulating level of estrogen is correlated with the ovulatory cycle throughout vertebrates. However, the neural mechanisms underlying estrogen‐induced preovulatory GnRH surge after folliculogenesis still remain unclear, especially in non‐mammals. Here, we used a versatile non‐mammalian model medaka for the analysis of the involvement of estrogen in the regulation of POA‐GnRH (GnRH1) neurons. Electrophysiological analysis using a whole brain‐pituitary in vitro preparation, which maintains the hypophysiotropic function of GnRH1 neurons intact, revealed that 17β‐estradiol (E2) administration recovers the ovariectomy‐induced lowered GnRH1 neuronal activity in the evening, indicating the importance of E2 for upregulation of GnRH1 neuronal activity. The importance of E2 was also confirmed by the fact that GnRH1 neuronal activity was low in short‐day photoperiod‐conditioned females (low E2 model). However, E2 failed to upregulate the firing activity of GnRH1 neurons in the morning, suggesting the involvement of additional time‐of‐day signal(s) for triggering GnRH/LH surges at an appropriate timing. We also provide morphological evidence for the localization of estrogen receptor subtypes in GnRH1 neurons. In conclusion, we propose a working hypothesis in which both estrogenic and time‐of‐day signals act in concert to timely upregulate the firing activity of GnRH1 neurons that trigger the GnRH surge at an appropriate timing in a female‐specific manner. This neuroendocrinological mechanism is suggested to be responsible for the generation of ovulatory cycles in female teleosts in general.
Resolution of large pelvic lymphocele after incidental intracystic hemorrhage caused by percutaneous catheter drainage: Case report
Authors: Nio Ai , Okadome Masao , Shimamoto Kumi , Sonoda Kenzo , Saito Toshiaki
Published: February 2022

We report the case of a large pelvic lymphocele after an ovarian cancer operation, which incidentally vanished after bleeding resulting from percutaneous catheter drainage. The patient was a 74‐year‐old woman with stage IVB ovarian cancer who underwent surgery including pelvic lymph node dissection. Three months after surgery, computed tomography revealed a large (13‐cm diameter) pelvic lymphocele with associated bilateral hydronephrosis and left femoral vein thrombosis. The lymphocele was repeatedly drained by percutaneous aspiration, and the day after the second procedure, the drainage fluid became bloody. The catheter was clamped for 3 days and then removed. The lymphocele volume gradually decreased, and it was not seen on a computed tomography scan 70 days after drainage. The lymphocele did not recur prior to her death. In this case, the intracystic hemorrhage was considered to have served as a blood patch for lymph leakage.
Gastrointestinal motility disorders in patients with multiple sclerosis: A single‐center study
Authors: Khanna Lehar , Zeydan Burcu , Kantarci Orhun H. , Camilleri Michael
Published: February 2022

Background

Most prevalent gastrointestinal symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS) relate to lower bowel dysfunction, often in association with bladder manifestations.

Objective

To assess clinical and objective gastrointestinal motor dysfunctions in patients with MS.

Methods

This was a single‐center, retrospective study of 166 patients evaluated between 1996 and 2020. We reviewed characterization of the MS, gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms, measurements of gastrointestinal and colonic transit, and anorectal manometry.

Key Results

At the time of the gastrointestinal evaluations of the 166 patients with MS (138 women; 83%), 111 were in the relapsing‐remitting phase and 52 were in the progressive phase. In 3 patients, disease phase was not assigned due to insufficient data. Constipation was identified in 82% (136/166) of patients. Most [103/116 (88%)] patients with bladder symptoms also had constipation or fecal incontinence. Delayed gastric emptying at 4 h and colonic transit at 24 h was identified in 16% and 7% of the cohort, respectively; 22% had accelerated gastric emptying. On anorectal manometry, resting anal sphincter pressure >90 mm Hg and rectoanal pressure differential below −50mm Hg suggested evacuation disorder in patients with constipation.

Conclusions and Inferences

In addition to slow colonic transit and anorectal dysfunction leading to constipation in MS, 22% of patients had accelerated gastric emptying.
Plant–microbe eco‐evolutionary dynamics in a changing world
Authors: Angulo Violeta , Beriot Nicolas , Garcia‐Hernandez Edisa , Li Erqin , Masteling Raul , Lau Jennifer A.
Published: February 2022

Both plants and their associated microbiomes can respond strongly to anthropogenic environmental changes. These responses can be both ecological (e.g. a global change affecting plant demography or microbial community composition) and evolutionary (e.g. a global change altering natural selection on plant or microbial populations). As a result, global changes can catalyse eco‐evolutionary feedbacks. Here, we take a plant‐focused perspective to discuss how microbes mediate plant ecological responses to global change and how these ecological effects can influence plant evolutionary response to global change. We argue that the strong and functionally important relationships between plants and their associated microbes are particularly likely to result in eco‐evolutionary feedbacks when perturbed by global changes and discuss how improved understanding of plant–microbe eco‐evolutionary dynamics could inform conservation or even agriculture.
Hydrogen sulphide alleviates cadmium stress in Trigonella foenum‐graecum by modulating antioxidant enzymes and polyamine content
Authors: Javad S. , Shah A. A. , Ramzan M. , Sardar R. , Javed T. , Al‐Huqail A. A. , Ali H. M. , Chaudhry O. , Yasin N. A. , Ahmed S. , Hussain R. A. , Hussain I.
Published: February 2022

Cadmium (Cd) toxicity reduces growth and yield of crops grown in metal‐polluted sites. Research was conducted to estimate the potential of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) to mitigate toxicity caused by Cd in fenugreek seedlings (Trigonella foenum‐graecum L.).

Different concentrations of CdCl2 (Cd1—1 mM, Cd2—1.5 mM, Cd3—2mM) and H2S (HS1—100 µM, HS2—150 µM, HS3—200 µM) were assessed. Seeds of fenugreek were primed with sodium hydrosulphide (NaHS), as H2S donor. Seedlings growing in Cd‐spiked media treated with H2S were harvested after 2 weeks.

Cd stress affected growth of fenugreek seedlings. Cd toxicity decreased leaf relative water content (LRWC), intercellular CO2 concentration, net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and transpiration. However, application of H2S significantly improved seedling morphological attributes by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes, i.e. APX, CAT and SOD, in Cd‐contaminated soil. H2S treatment also regulated phenolic and flavonoid content.

H2S‐induced biosynthesis of spermidine (Spd) and putrescine (Put) could account for the enhancement of growth and physiological performance of fenugreek seedlings under Cd stress. H2S treatment also reduced H2O2 production (38%) and electrolyte leakage (EL, 51%) in seedlings grown in different concentrations of Cd. It is recommended to evaluate the efficacy of H2S in alleviating Cd toxicity in other crop plants.
Long‐term use of foscarnet is associated with an increased incidence of acute kidney injury in hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients: A retrospective observational study
Authors: Inose Ryo , Takahashi Katsuyuki , Takahashi Masaya , Sugimoto Takashi , Nanno Satoru , Hino Masayuki , Nagayama Katsuya
Published: February 2022

Background

Foscarnet is an important drug for the treatment of cytomegalovirus infection in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Foscarnet is often discontinued because of the development of acute kidney injury (AKI). Thus, the identification of factors leading to the development of AKI is beneficial. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of AKI and the factors influencing AKI development in HSCT patients treated with foscarnet.

Methods

This was a retrospective observational study. Patients who underwent HSCT and received foscarnet at the Department of Hematology, Osaka City University Hospital, were identified from medical records. The patients were classified into AKI and non‐AKI groups, and the risk factors associated with AKI were evaluated. For continuous variables, receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to calculate the optimal cutoff value.

Results

Thirty‐five patients (47 cases) were assigned to the AKI (51.1%, 24/47) and non‐AKI groups (48.9%, 23/47). The AKI group had a significantly longer foscarnet administration period than the non‐AKI group (p = 0.049). The appropriate cutoff value for the foscarnet administration period using the ROC curve was 27 days. The incidence of AKI was significantly higher in cases who received foscarnet for more than 27 days (11/14, 78.6%) compared to those who received less than 27 days (13/33, 39.4%) (odds ratio: 5.64, 95% confidence interval 1.32–24.2, p = 0.024).

Conclusion

The incidence of AKI was 51.1% in HSCT patients treated with foscarnet, and foscarnet administration for more than 27 days may be associated with the incidence of AKI.
Impact of COVID‐19 on blood donor deferral patterns during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A retrospective analysis
Authors: Routray Suman Sudha , Ray Gopal Krushna , Prakash Satya , Sahu Ansuman , Naik Archana , Mukherjee Somnath
Published: February 2022

Background and Objectives

Blood donor deferral is an essential tool for blood safety. The ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic has adversely affected blood transfusion services all over the world. But its impact on donor deferral rate and the pattern is unclear in light of the new donor deferral policy due to the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Materials and Methods

This retrospective study was divided into pre‐COVID and COVID (15 March 2019–14 March 2021). All the deferred donors were divided into six different categories: (1) medical causes, (2) surgical causes, (3) drugs and vaccination, (4) risk of transfusion‐transmitted diseases, (5) miscellaneous causes and (6) flu‐like symptoms. In addition, COVID‐related deferrals were also incorporated. All these above categories along with the donor demography were analysed by SPSS software version 25.

Results

The donor deferral rate was 17.03% and 12.74% during the pre‐COVID and COVID periods, respectively. During the pre‐COVID period, Category 3 deferrals and during COVID period, Category 6 deferrals were significantly higher. A reversal in pattern with increased blood pressure (40.2% vs. 24.04%) over‐riding low haemoglobin (34.77% vs. 55.5%) was noted in the Category 1 deferral during the COVID period. Category 1 deferral was more in middle‐aged adults as compared to young and old adults (p < 0.05). Among middle‐aged adults, deferral due to flu‐like symptoms was also significantly more during the COVID period (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

COVID‐19 significantly affected the donor pool and changed the pattern of donor deferral. Understanding donor deferral patterns may help in identifying targeted donor populations and planning donor recruitment strategies in future pandemic crises.
The legacy of A. V. Hill's Nobel Prize winning work on muscle energetics
Authors: Barclay Chris J. , Curtin Nancy A.
Published: February 2022

A. V. Hill was awarded the 1922 Nobel Prize, jointly with Otto Meyerhof, for Physiology or Medicine for his work on energetic aspects of muscle contraction. Hill used his considerable mathematical and experimental skills to investigate the relationships among muscle mechanics, biochemistry and heat production. The main ideas of the work for which the Nobel Prize was awarded were superseded within a decade, and the legacy of Hill and Meyerhof's Nobel work was not a set of persistent, influential ideas but rather a prolonged period of extraordinary activity that advanced the understanding of how muscles work far beyond the concepts that led to the Nobel Prize. Hill pioneered the integration of mathematics into the study of physiology and pharmacology. Particular aspects of Hill's own work that remain in common use in muscle physiology include mathematical descriptions of the relationships between muscle force output and shortening velocity and between force output and calcium concentration, and the model of muscle as a contractile element in series with an elastic element. We describe some of the characteristics of Hill's broader scientific activities and then outline how Hill's work on muscle energetics was extended after 1922, as a result of Hill's own work and that of others, to the present day.

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Children's syntactic parsing and sentence comprehension with a degraded auditory signal
Authors: Martin Isabel A. , Goupell Matthew J. , Huang Yi Ting
Published: February 2022

During sentence comprehension, young children anticipate syntactic structures using early-arriving words and have difficulties revising incorrect predictions using late-arriving words. However, nearly all work to date has focused on syntactic parsing in idealized speech environments, and little is known about how children's strategies for predicting and revising meanings are affected by signal degradation. This study compares comprehension of active and passive sentences in natural and vocoded speech. In a word-interpretation task, 5-year-olds inferred the meanings of novel words in sentences that (1) encouraged agent-first predictions (e.g., The blicket is eating the seal implies The blicket is the agent), (2) required revising predictions (e.g., The blicket is eaten by the seal implies The blicket is the theme), or (3) weakened predictions by placing familiar nouns in sentence-initial position (e.g., The seal is eating/eaten by the blicket). When novel words promoted agent-first predictions, children misinterpreted passives as actives, and errors increased with vocoded compared to natural speech. However, when familiar words were sentence-initial that weakened agent-first predictions, children accurately interpreted passives, with no signal-degradation effects. This demonstrates that signal quality interacts with interpretive processes during sentence comprehension, and the impacts of speech degradation are greatest when late-arriving information conflicts with predictions.
Making sense of periodicity glimpses in a prediction-update-loop—A computational model of attentive voice tracking
Authors: Luberadzka Joanna , Kayser Hendrik , Hohmann Volker
Published: February 2022

Humans are able to follow a speaker even in challenging acoustic conditions. The perceptual mechanisms underlying this ability remain unclear. A computational model of attentive voice tracking, consisting of four computational blocks: (1) sparse periodicity-based auditory features (sPAF) extraction, (2) foreground-background segregation, (3) state estimation, and (4) top-down knowledge, is presented. The model connects the theories about auditory glimpses, foreground-background segregation, and Bayesian inference. It is implemented with the sPAF, sequential Monte Carlo sampling, and probabilistic voice models. The model is evaluated by comparing it with the human data obtained in the study by Woods and McDermott [Curr. Biol. 25(17), 2238–2246 (2015)], which measured the ability to track one of two competing voices with time-varying parameters [fundamental frequency (F0) and formants (F1,F2)]. Three model versions were tested, which differ in the type of information used for the segregation: version (a) uses the oracle F0, version (b) uses the estimated F0, and version (c) uses the spectral shape derived from the estimated F0 and oracle F1 and F2. Version (a) simulates the optimal human performance in conditions with the largest separation between the voices, version (b) simulates the conditions in which the separation in not sufficient to follow the voices, and version (c) is closest to the human performance for moderate voice separation.
Reconfigurable perovskite nickelate electronics for artificial intelligence
Authors: Zhang Hai-Tian , Park Tae Joon , Islam A. N. M. Nafiul , Tran Dat S. J. , Manna Sukriti , Wang Qi , Mondal Sandip , Yu Haoming , Banik Suvo , Cheng Shaobo , Zhou Hua , Gamage Sampath , Mahapatra Sayantan , Zhu Yimei , Abate Yohannes , Jiang Nan , Sankaranarayanan Subramanian K. R. S. , Sengupta Abhronil , Teuscher Christof , Ramanathan Shriram
Published: February 2022

Reconfigurable devices offer the ability to program electronic circuits on demand. In this work, we demonstrated on-demand creation of artificial neurons, synapses, and memory capacitors in post-fabricated perovskite NdNiO3devices that can be simply reconfigured for a specific purpose by single-shot electric pulses. The sensitivity of electronic properties of perovskite nickelates to the local distribution of hydrogen ions enabled these results. With experimental data from our memory capacitors, simulation results of a reservoir computing framework showed excellent performance for tasks such as digit recognition and classification of electrocardiogram heartbeat activity. Using our reconfigurable artificial neurons and synapses, simulated dynamic networks outperformed static networks for incremental learning scenarios. The ability to fashion the building blocks of brain-inspired computers on demand opens up new directions in adaptive networks.
How NFTs could transform health information exchange
Authors: Kostick-Quenet Kristin , Mandl Kenneth D. , Minssen Timo , Cohen I. Glenn , Gasser Urs , Kohane Isaac , McGuire Amy L.
Published: February 2022

Can patients regain control over their health information?
Natural history–guided omics reveals plant defensive chemistry against leafhopper pests
Authors: Bai Yuechen , Yang Caiqiong , Halitschke Rayko , Paetz Christian , Kessler Danny , Burkard Konrad , Gaquerel Emmanuel , Baldwin Ian T. , Li Dapeng
Published: February 2022

Although much is known about plant traits that function in nonhost resistance against pathogens, little is known about nonhost resistance against herbivores, despite its agricultural importance.
Empoasca
leafhoppers, serious agricultural pests, identify host plants by eavesdropping on unknown outputs of jasmonate (JA)–mediated signaling. Forward- and reverse-genetics lines of a native tobacco plant were screened in native habitats with native herbivores using high-throughput genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic tools to reveal an
Empoasca
-elicited JA-JAZi module. This module induces an uncharacterized caffeoylputrescine–green leaf volatile compound, catalyzed by a polyphenol oxidase in a Michael addition reaction, which we reconstitute in vitro; engineer in crop plants, where it requires a berberine bridge enzyme-like 2 (BBL2) for its synthesis; and show that it confers resistance to leafhoppers. Natural history–guided forward genetics reveals a conserved nonhost resistance mechanism useful for crop protection.
An adaptive device for AI neural networks
Authors: John Rohit Abraham
Published: February 2022

The perovskite nickelate can transform among four different electronic components
Failing the test
Authors: Piller Charles
Published: February 2022

DNA barcoding brought botanist Steven Newmaster scientific fame and entrepreneurial success. Was it all based on fraud?
Whole-Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas sp. Strain MM211, Isolated from Soil in Langenfeld, Germany
Authors: Wulf Donat , Arndt Jonas , Bleile Isabell E. , Bramers Charlotte , Gülpen Pia L. , Verwaaijen Bart
Published: February 2022

Here, we present the genome sequence of
Pseudomonas
sp. strain MM211, which was isolated from garden soil. The complete circular genome consists of a 5,281,862-bp chromosome, with a GC content of 61.5%.
Complete Genome Sequence of Acidithiobacillus ferriphilus GT2, Isolated from Gold Mill Tailings
Authors: Guzman Michael S. , Reed David , Fujita Yoshiko , Jiao Yongqin , Park Dan M.
Published: February 2022

We report the complete genome sequence of
Acidithiobacillus ferriphilus
GT2, an acidophile isolated from gold mill tailings. The circular genome of GT2 contains 2,489 predicted protein-coding units and a single plasmid. Functional analysis indicates the metabolic potential to oxidize iron and reduced sulfur compounds and to fix N
2
and CO
2
.
Choriocapillaris perfusion assessed using swept source optical coherence tomographic angiography and the severity of diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Wang Wei , Guo Xiao , Chen Yifan , Xiong Kun , Gong Xia , Yuan Meng , Liang Xiaoling , Huang Wenyong
Published: February 2022

Aims

To investigate the relationship between choriocapillaris (CC) blood perfusion and the severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR) using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA).

Methods

Type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Guangzhou was recruited. DR was graded according to the standardised seven-field colour retinal images adhering to the ETDRS scale. CC perfusion was quantified by evaluating the flow deficit (FD) density, FD number and FD size using SS-OCTA. Multivariable linear regressions were used to evaluate the correlation between CC FD metrics and DR severity.

Results

A total of 1692 patients (eyes) were included in the final analysis. Participants with DR had a significantly higher FD density than the NDR group, with the differences of 1.61% (95% CI 1.04 to 2.18; p<0.001) among mild non-proliferative DR (NPDR) patients, 2.23% (95% CI 1.76 to 2.70; p<0.001) among moderate NPDR patients and 3.31% (95% CI 2.27 to 4.36; p<0.001) among severe DR than NDR patients after adjusting for confounding factors. Similarly, the higher FD number and size were also correlated with severer degree of DR (all p<0.05). Furthermore, the addition of FD density to conventional risk factors significantly improved the performance for discriminating DR from NDR patients (AUC 0. 829, 95% CI 0. 804 to 0. 855; p<0.001).

Conclusion

Quantitative FD density, number and size assessed by using SS-OCTA were independently correlated with the severity of DR. The assessment of the CC perfusion metrics in the macula may be a sensitive biomarker of DR changes.