bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using a resource theoretic perspective to witness and engineer quantum generalized contextuality for prepare-and-measure scenarios
Authors: Wagner Rafael , Baldijão Roberto D , Tezzin Alisson , Amaral Bárbara
Published: November 2023

We employ the resource theory of generalized contextuality as a tool for analyzing the structure of prepare-and-measure scenarios. We argue that this framework simplifies proofs of quantum contextuality in complex scenarios and strengthens existing arguments regarding robustness of experimental implementations. As a case study, we demonstrate quantum contextuality associated with any nontrivial noncontextuality inequality for a class of useful scenarios by noticing a connection between the resource theory and measurement simulability. Additionally, we expose a formal composition rule that allows engineering complex scenarios from simpler ones. This approach provides insights into the noncontextual polytope structure for complex scenarios and facilitates the identification of possible quantum violations of noncontextuality inequalities.
Voter model under stochastic resetting
Authors: Grange Pascal
Published: November 2023

The voter model is a toy model of consensus formation based on nearest-neighbor interactions. A voter sits at each vertex in a hypercubic lattice (of dimension d) and is in one of two possible opinion states. The opinion state of each voter flips randomly, at a rate proportional to the fraction of the nearest neighbors that disagree with the voter. If the voters are initially independent and undecided, the model is known to lead to a consensus if and only if

d
⩽
2

. In this paper the model is subjected to stochastic resetting: the voters revert independently to their initial opinion according to a Poisson process of fixed intensity (the resetting rate). This resetting prescription induces kinetic equations for the average opinion state and for the two-point function of the model. For initial conditions consisting of undecided voters except for one decided voter at the origin, the one-point function evolves as the probability of presence of a diffusive random walker on the lattice, whose position is stochastically reset to the origin. The resetting prescription leads to a non-equilibrium steady state. For an initial state consisting of independent undecided voters, the density of domain walls in the steady state is expressed in closed form as a function of the resetting rate. This function is differentiable at zero if and only if

d
⩾
5

.
Observation of Doppler shift
modulated by the internal kink mode using conventional reflectometry in the EAST tokamak
Authors: LI 李 Gongshun 恭顺 , ZHANG 张 Tao 涛 , GENG 耿 Kangning 康宁 , WEN 文 Fei 斐 , YE 叶 Kaixuan 凯萱 , XU 徐 Liqing 立清 , ZHU 朱 Xiang 翔 , ZHANG 张 Xuexi 学习 , ZHONG 钟 Fubin 富彬 , ZHOU 周 Zhen 振 , YANG 杨 Shuqi 书琪 , ZHOU 周 Ziqiang 子强 , YU 喻 Lin 琳 , LAN 兰 Ting 婷 , WANG 王 Shouxin 守信 , TI 提 Ang 昂 , ZHANG 张 Shoubiao 寿彪 , LIU 刘 Haiqing 海庆 , LI 李 Guoqiang 国强 , GAO 高 Xiang 翔 , Team the EAST
Published: November 2023

In this paper we present a new experimental observation using a conventional reflectometry technique, poloidal correlation reflectometry (PCR), in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). The turbulence spectrum detected by the PCR system exhibits an asymmetry and induced Doppler shift

during the internal kink mode (IKM) rotation phase. This Doppler shift

is the target measurement of Doppler reflectometry, but captured by conventional reflectometry. Results show that the Doppler shift

is modulated by the periodic changes in the effective angle between the probing wave and cutoff layer normal, but not by plasma turbulence. The fishbone mode and saturated long-lived mode are typical IKMs, and this modulation phenomenon is observed in both cases. Moreover, the value of the Doppler shift

is positively correlated with the amplitude of the IKM, even when the latter is small. However, the positive and negative frequency components of the Doppler shift

can be asymmetric, which is related to the plasma configuration. A simulated analysis is performed by ray tracing to verify these observations. These results establish a clear link between

and IKM rotation, and are helpful for studying the characteristics of IKM and related physical phenomena.
Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Pre-pandemic Among Adults Hospitalized With Congestive Heart Failure or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Older Adults
Authors: Tippett Ashley , Ess Gabby , Hussaini Laila , Reese Olivia , Salazar Luis , Kelly Mary , Taylor Meg , Ciric Caroline , Keane Amy , Cheng Andrew , Gibson Theda , Li Wensheng , Hsiao Hui-Mien , Bristow Laurel , Hellmeister Kieffer , Al-Husein Zayna , Hubler Robin , Begier Elizabeth , Liu Qing , Gessner Bradford , Swerdlow David L , Kamidani Satoshi , Kao Carol , Yildirim Inci , Rouphael Nadine , Rostad Christina A , Anderson Evan J
Published: November 2023

Background

Data are limited on influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) in the prevention of influenza-related hospitalizations in older adults and those with underlying high-risk comorbidities.

Methods

We conducted a prospective, test-negative, case-control study at 2 US hospitals from October 2018–March 2020 among adults aged ≥50 years hospitalized with acute respiratory illnesses (ARIs) and adults ≥18 years admitted with congestive heart failure (CHF) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations. Adults were eligible if they resided in 1 of 8 counties in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs were tested using BioFire FilmArray (bioMérieux, Inc.) respiratory panel, and standard-of-care molecular results were included when available. Influenza vaccination history was determined from the Georgia vaccine registry and medical records. We used multivariable logistic regression to control for potential confounders and to determine 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

Among 3090 eligible adults, 1562 (50.6%) were enrolled. Of the 1515 with influenza vaccination history available, 701 (46.2%) had received vaccination during that season. Influenza was identified in 37 (5.3%) vaccinated versus 78 (9.6%) unvaccinated participants. After adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, immunosuppression, month, and season, pooled VE for any influenza-related hospitalization in the eligible study population was 63.1% (95% CI, 43.8–75.8%). Adjusted VE against influenza-related hospitalization for ARI in adults ≥50 years was 55.9% (29.9–72.3%) and adjusted VE against influenza-related CHF/COPD exacerbation in adults ≥18 years was 80.3% (36.3–93.9%).

Conclusions

Influenza vaccination was effective in preventing influenza-related hospitalizations in adults aged ≥50 years and those with CHF/COPD exacerbations during the 2018–2020 seasons.
Ultrasound-guided percutaneous puncturing technique: novel radiofrequency ablation technique for thoracic sympathectomy in the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis
Authors: Hu Rong , Wang Qiao , Liu Qianxi , Zhou Yi , Huang Dong , Zhou Haocheng
Published: November 2023

Radiofrequency thoracic sympathectomy is routinely conducted under computed tomographic or fluoroscopic guidance in the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis. However, it remains a great challenge to perform a thoracic paravertebral puncture precisely and safely, because it is associated with repeated exposure to radiation and the risk of a pneumothorax. Alternatively, an ultrasound-guided technique can provide high-resolution and real-time needle tracking during the percutaneous procedure. We have provided our experience of ultrasonic guidance in radiofrequency sympathectomy for the treatment of primary palmar hyperhidrosis.
‘A benevolent technology’: Desiring-production and the petromodern death drive in J. G. Ballard’s Crash
Authors: Taylor William
Published: November 2023

Published in the same year as the 1973 oil crisis, J. G. Ballard’s Crash examines the pathological desires that maintain the subject’s entanglement and complicity with fossil fuel infrastructure. The novel functions as a colliding network of hallucinatory renderings that reveal the unconscious, programmed compulsions underpinning petromodern destruction. Combining recent work in the energy humanities with Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari’s theory of ‘desiring-production’, I consider subjectivity as a form of energy input, arguing that a process of psychological engineering coopts flows of desiring-energy to fuel the engine of petroculture’s death drive. This engineering not only naturalizes petro-consumption but aggressively sexualizes the inherent violence of petrocultural values, aesthetics, and technologies. Drawing on the tropes and narratorial styles of horror, fantasy, and science fiction, Crash stages a contrast between this culture’s assumed technological ‘Autopia’ and the perverse reality of its dehumanizing ‘autogeddon’. In this way, the novel both echoes and undermines the utopian imaginaries that powered the construction of a social reality based on the movement of the car itself.
Identification of effective CCR2 inhibitors for cancer therapy using humanized mice
Authors: Sugiyama Shigeaki , Yumimoto Kanae , Fujinuma Shun , Nakayama Keiichi I
Published: November 2023

C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2) is the receptor for C-C motif chemokine 2 (CCL2) and is associated with various inflammatory diseases and cancer metastasis. Although many inhibitors for CCR2 have been developed, it remains unresolved which inhibitors are the most effective in the clinical setting. In the present study, we compared 10 existing human CCR2 antagonists in a calcium influx assay using human monocytic leukemia cells. Among them, MK0812 was found to be the most potent inhibitor of human CCR2. Furthermore, we generated a human CCR2B knock-in mouse model to test the efficacy of MK0812 against a lung metastasis model of breast cancer. Oral administration of MK0812 to humanized mice did indeed reduce the number of monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells and the rate of lung metastasis. These results suggest that MK0812 is the most promising candidate among the commercially available CCR2 inhibitors. We propose that combining these two screening methods may provide an excellent experimental method for identifying effective drugs that inhibit human CCR2.
Approaches to developing de novo cancer population models to examine questions about cancer and race in bladder, gastric, and endometrial cancer and multiple myeloma: the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network incubator program
Authors: Sereda Yuliia , Alarid-Escudero Fernando , Bickell Nina A , Chang Su-Hsin , Colditz Graham A , Hur Chin , Jalal Hawre , Myers Evan R , Layne Tracy M , Wang Shi-Yi , Yeh Jennifer M , Trikalinos Thomas A ,   for the CISNET Incubator Modeling Groups, Sereda Yuliia , Alarid-Escudero Fernando , Bickell Nina A , Chang Su-Hsin , Colditz Graham A , Hur Chin , Jalal Hawre , Myers Evan R , Layne Tracy M , Wang Shi-Yi , Yeh Jennifer M , Trikalinos Thomas A
Published: November 2023

Background

We are developing 10 de novo population-level mathematical models in 4 malignancies (multiple myeloma and bladder, gastric, and uterine cancers). Each of these sites has documented disparities in outcome that are believed to be downstream effects of systemic racism.

Methods

Ten models are being independently developed as part of the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network incubator program. These models simulate trends in cancer incidence, early diagnosis, treatment, and mortality for the general population and are stratified by racial subgroup. Model inputs are based on large population datasets, clinical trials, and observational studies. Some core parameters are shared, and other parameters are model specific. All models are microsimulation models that use self-reported race to stratify model inputs. They can simulate the distribution of relevant risk factors (eg, smoking, obesity) and insurance status (for multiple myeloma and uterine cancer) in US birth cohorts and population.

Discussion

The models aim to refine approaches in prevention, detection, and management of 4 cancers given uncertainties and constraints. They will help explore whether the observed racial disparities are explainable by inequities, assess the effects of existing and potential cancer prevention and control policies on health equity and disparities, and identify policies that balance efficiency and fairness in decreasing cancer mortality.
Mental Health Predictors of Response to Standard Medical Intervention at a Military Pain Specialty Clinic
Authors: Espejo Emmanuel P , Sheridan Tara M , Pino Carlos A , Phillips Christopher R
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Chronic pain among active duty service members can negatively impact operational readiness and contributes to significant health care costs within military treatment facilities. Response to standard medical intervention (SMI) for chronic pain is highly variable. The objective of the current study was to examine whether mental health indicators predict individual variation in response to SMI for chronic pain in a military pain specialty clinic.

Methods

This is a retrospective observational study of data previously collected at the Pain Medicine Center at Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) approved by the NMCSD Institutional Review Board. We included 286 ADSMs who completed the Pain Assessment Screening Tool and Outcomes Registry (PASTOR) at two assessment points (mean = 118.45 days apart, SD = 37.22) as part of standard care. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to examine whether pretreatment mental health measures predict changes in the pain impact score (PIS)—a composite measure of pain intensity, pain interference, and physical functioning—over the course of treatment.

Results

After controlling for pretreatment PIS, pretreatment PTSD symptoms, fatigue, and anger were all significant predictors of posttreatment PIS: Higher PTSD symptoms, higher fatigue, and lower anger predicted poorer response to treatment (all Ps < .05).

Conclusion

Higher pretreatment PTSD and fatigue symptoms may portend poorer response to SMI for chronic pain. Poor response to treatment may also be predicted by lower pretreatment anger. Further investigation is warranted to identify the best strategies for treating chronic pain in military treatment facilities when these conditions are identified during initial evaluation.
Usability Enhancements to a Prototype Clinical Decision Support System for Combat Medics
Authors: Gaudaen James C , Papadopoulos Amy , Dockery Tee , Manemeit Carl
Published: November 2023

Introduction

A Clinical Decision Support System that provides just-in-time medical guidance at the point of injury is being developed. To develop a user interface, a user-centered design approach was taken.

Materials and Methods

To evaluate the system, personas of the users were created, a comparative analysis of the system against the Tactical Combat Casualty Care Card and Battlefield Assisted Trauma Distributed Observation Kit was completed, and user testing was performed.

Results

Many design recommendations were gathered from the user-centered design approach including replacing buttons with a homunculus, replacing prompts with a tree and node system, and allowing more user freedom in working with the system.

Conclusions

Through multiple different evaluations, design recommendations for a clinical decision support system were implemented in an iterative process. More iterations and more formalized user testing are planned to maximize the usability of the system.
Solitary recurrence of IgG4-related giant coronary aneurysm: Case report and review of the literature focusing on treatment strategies and complications
Authors: Kawahara Hiroyuki , Mizushima Ichiro , Matsumoto Yasushi , Sakata Kenji , Takamura Masayuki , Inoue Dai , Kasashima Satomi , Kawano Mitsuhiro
Published: November 2023

Coronary periarteritis is a dangerous manifestation of IgG4-related disease, because it forms coronary artery aneurysms, which may cause sudden cardiac death. We report the case of a 78-year-old woman with IgG4-related coronary periarteritis and a coronary aneurysm, which showed progressive enlargement despite maintenance therapy for Type 1 autoimmune pancreatitis. This case was unique, in that coronary periarteritis was the only active lesion that recurred. Low-dose glucocorticoids suppressed the progression of periarterial lesions but led to rapid thinning of the aneurysmal wall and an increase in the size of mural thrombi, which pose a risk of myocardial infarction. Our systematic literature review including 98 cases of 86 articles was performed to examine its treatment strategies and complications. Among the cases in which the effect of immunosuppressive therapy could be followed radiologically, 33 of 37 (89.1%) cases showed improvement in wall thickening/periarterial soft tissue, while 6 of 13 (46.2%) showed worsening increase in the outer diameter of the coronary aneurysms. We propose a draft treatment algorithm and suggest that immunosuppressive therapy for IgG4-related coronary periarteritis with coronary aneurysms should be conducted only after the therapeutic benefit has been determined to outweigh the risks. Because coronary periarteritis can occur without other organ involvement, as in our case, all cases of IgG4-related disease require careful monitoring of coronary artery lesions.
Divorcing abroad, sharīʿah style: Legal reforms and Moroccan women
Authors: Sona Federica
Published: November 2023

Against the backdrop of the fast-progressing legal reconfigurations happening in European countries and the Muslim world, this article brings to light two internationally noteworthy yet overlooked scenarios. The first regards the plasticity of the Italian provisions fostering the privatization of family matters via extra-judicial matrimonial dissolution formulae, which potentially accommodate Islamically inspired normativities either by granting legal validity to ex-spouses’ sharīʿah-compliant agreements, or by incorporating potential concessions for the Islamic legal waiting period. The second scenario concerns access to justice for Muslim Moroccan wives, who may strategically seek divorce before Italian tribunals through the implementation of Moroccan family law to benefit from more advantageous interpretations and judicial discretion. In-depth examinations of unpublished legal proceedings reveal an evolving legal vocabulary while documenting strengthened confidence in applying the Mudawwanah on European soil. While this can impede the validation of European (extra-)judicial divorces in Muslim-majority countries and lead to divergent implementations of the same norms in Italy and Morocco, the dynamics nonetheless foster forum shopping and women’s empowerment. Paying careful attention to the "gendered readings" of legal provisions introduced by disputing partners before the judiciary, the narrative depicting victimized Muslim women in migratory contexts is therefore challenged.
Introduction
Authors: Joas Hans , Pettenkofer Andreas
Published: November 2023

Émile Durkheim remains a highly provocative theorist. He defends a particularly strong version of the claim that the social should be treated as a real object in its own right and that even many of the mental phenomena we care about are constituted by “society.” At the same time, he breaks with the dominant version of sociology that has essentially accepted the modernist self-description of contemporary societies. For a long time, this has made it difficult for Durkheimian sociology to find a receptive audience. Today, however, the individualist theories that seemed to offer good reasons for rejecting a Durkheimian approach have lost much of their plausibility. For everybody who is interested in constructing theoretical alternatives to this individualism, Durkheim’s sociology can be a highly useful inspiration—not only because of the solutions it suggests, but because of the questions it asks. Still, making use of the theoretical possibilities offered by the Durkheimian tradition requires going beyond the dominant appropriations. This applies not only to those early appropriations which saw Durkheim as a theorist of immobile consensus-based order but also to the last decades’ dominant interpretations that, while critically reacting to these earlier appropriations, often retain some of their core premises.
A highly polymorphic South American collared lizard (Tropiduridae: Tropidurus) reveals that open–dry refugia from South-western Amazonia staged allopatric speciation
Authors: Carvalho André L G , Paredero Rafael C B , Villalobos-Chaves David , Ferreira Elaine , Rodrigues Miguel T , Curcio Felipe F
Published: November 2023

Research on Pleistocene Amazonian refugia has predominantly targeted forest-dwelling taxa, although evidence suggests that endemic species have also evolved in peripheral Amazonian enclaves of open–dry habitats. In Rondônia, Brazil, Tropidurus lizards are restricted to savannah relicts that were once connected to the core Cerrado biome. These populations are currently allocated under Tropidurus oreadicus but hypothesized to comprise allopatric species that evolved in response to landscape changes induced by Pleistocene climatic fluctuations. Phylogenetic analyses support the monophyly of populations from savannah enclaves from Rondônia but place them as distantly related to T. oreadicus. We describe these populations as a new species with unprecedented levels of chromatic polymorphism. A pre-Pleistocene origin is inferred for this new taxon, and dating analysis indicates that Tropidurus species endemic to savannah enclaves diverged from relatives distributed in core open–dry biomes in a non-temporally overlapping fashion. Species distribution models estimate vast climatically suitable areas for the new species during the Last Interglacial, followed by significant contraction during the Last Glacial Maximum, and subsequent expansion and northward displacement towards the Holocene and the present. We conclude that landscape transformations played an important role in the evolution of lizards from enclaves, but their speciation history is temporally deeper than previously thought.
Feasibility of Stress Research in Premature Infant–Maternal Dyads During and After Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Hospitalization
Authors: Malin Kathryn J. , Kruschel Kristin , Gondwe Kaboni , Lagatta Joanne , Carter C. Sue , Nazarloo Hossein P. , Conley Yvette , White-Traut Rosemary
Published: November 2023

Background:

Stress from preterm infant admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is associated with infant and maternal physiologic changes, including endocrine and epigenetic alterations. Little is known about the mechanisms connecting NICU stress to biologic changes, and whether preterm infant and maternal stress are reciprocal. As a preliminary step, feasibility and acceptability of measuring indicators of stress are required.

Purpose:

This study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of research examining perceptions and biologic markers of stress in premature infant–maternal dyads during and after NICU hospitalization.

Methods:

We evaluated study feasibility using a longitudinal descriptive design. Acceptability was measured via a maternal questionnaire. Exploratory data regarding hospitalization, perceptions of stress, social support and social determinants of health, and biologic markers of stress were collected during the first week of life and again 3 months after NICU.

Results:

Forty-eight mothers were eligible for the study, 36 mothers were approached, 20 mothers consented to participate, and 14 mothers completed data collection. Mothers reported high levels of study acceptability despite also voicing concern about the sharing of genetic data. Exploration of DNA methylation of SLC6A4 in preterm infants was significant for a strong correlation with perception of total chronic stress.

Implications for Practice and Research:

Clinical practice at the bedside in the NICU should include standardized screening for and early interventions to minimize stress. Complex research of stress is feasible and acceptable. Future research should focus on linking early life stress with epigenetic alterations and evaluation of the dyad for reciprocity.
Efficacy and safety of sintilimab combined with apatinib as third-line or above therapy for patients with advanced or metastatic gastric cancer
Authors: Gao Loulu , Tang Lin , Li Xiaoqian , Peng Jieqiong , Hu Zixuan , Liu Bo
Published: November 2023

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination of sintilimab and apatinib for the treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic gastric cancer (GC) and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer. This retrospective study analyzed data from 34 patients who had advanced or metastatic GC/GEJ cancer and received the combination therapy of sintilimab and apatinib as a third-line or above treatment. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), and secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS), and safety. Among the 34 patients, none achieved a complete response (CR), 3 patients (8.8%) achieved a partial response, 23 patients (67.6%) had stable disease, and 8 patients (23.5%) experienced progressive disease. The ORR and DCR were 8.8% and 76.5%, respectively. The median PFS was 6.0 months (95% CI: 3.6–8.4), and the median OS was 11.6 months (95% CI: 8.1–15.1). Subgroup analysis revealed significant differences in OS between patients with high and low Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status scores and between patients with and without a history of gastrectomy. Common adverse events (AEs) during treatment included fatigue (52.9%), anemia (47.1%), leukopenia (26.5%), hypothyroidism (23.5%), nausea and vomiting (20.6%), neutropenia (20.6%), and thrombocytopenia (17.6%), most of which were grade 1 and 2 AEs. No deaths occurred due to AEs. These findings indicate that the combination of sintilimab and apatinib has a favorable therapeutic effect in patients with advanced GC. Moreover, the AEs associated with this therapy are generally manageable.
Association of Active Renin Content With Mortality in Critically Ill Patients: A Post hoc Analysis of the Vitamin C, Thiamine, and Steroids in Sepsis (VICTAS) Trial*
Authors: Busse Laurence W. , Schaich Christopher L. , Chappell Mark C. , McCurdy Michael T. , Staples Erin M. , Ten Lohuis Caitlin C. , Hinson Jeremiah S. , Sevransky Jonathan E. , Rothman Richard E. , Wright David W. , Martin Greg S. , Khanna Ashish K. ,   on behalf of the Vitamin C, Thiamine, and Steroids in Sepsis (VICTAS) Investigators
Published: November 2023

OBJECTIVE:

Sepsis is a leading cause of mortality. Predicting outcomes is challenging and few biomarkers perform well. Defects in the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) can predict clinical outcomes in sepsis and may outperform traditional biomarkers. We postulated that RAS dysfunction (elevated active renin, angiotensin 1-7 [Ang-(1-7)], and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) activity with depressed Ang-II and ACE activity) would be associated with mortality in a cohort of septic patients.

DESIGN:

Post hoc analysis of patients enrolled in the Vitamin C, Thiamine, and Steroids in Sepsis (VICTAS) randomized controlled trial.

SETTING:

Forty-three hospitals across the United States.

PATIENTS:

Biorepository samples of 103 patients.

INTERVENTIONS:

We analyzed day 0 (within 24 hr of respiratory failure, septic shock, or both) and day 3 samples (n = 103 and 95, respectively) for assessment of the RAS. The association of RAS values with 30-day mortality was determined using Cox proportional hazards regression with multivariable adjustments for age, sex, VICTAS treatment arm, systolic blood pressure, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score, and vasopressor use.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:

High baseline active renin values were associated with higher 30-day mortality when dichotomized to the median of 188.7 pg/mL (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.84 [95% CI, 1.10–7.33], p = 0.031) or stratified into quartiles (Q1 = ref, HRQ2 = 2.01 [0.37–11.04], HRQ3 = 3.22 [0.64–16.28], HRQ4 = 5.58 [1.18–26.32], p for linear trend = 0.023). A 1-sd (593.6 pg/mL) increase in renin from day 0 to day 3 was associated with increased mortality (HR = 3.75 [95% CI, 1.94–7.22], p < 0.001), and patients whose renin decreased had improved survival compared with those whose renin increased (HR 0.22 [95% CI, 0.08–0.60], p = 0.003). Ang-(1-7), ACE2 activity, Ang-II and ACE activity did not show this association. Mortality was attenuated in patients with renin over the median on day 0 who received the VICTAS intervention, but not on day 3 (p interaction 0.020 and 0.137, respectively). There were no additional consistent patterns of mortality on the RAS from the VICTAS intervention.

CONCLUSIONS:

Baseline serum active renin levels were strongly associated with mortality in critically ill patients with sepsis. Furthermore, a greater relative activation in circulating renin from day 0 to day 3 was associated with a higher risk of death.
Prevalence and Clinical Features of Radial Fundus Autofluorescence in High Myopic Women
Authors: Wang Shih-Wen , Igarashi-Yokoi Tae , Mochida Shiho , Fujinami Kaoru , Ohno-Matsui Kyoko
Published: November 2023

Purpose:

To determine the prevalence and characteristics of radial fundus autofluorescence (FAF) in highly myopic women.

Methods:

This was a retrospective, observational case study to determine the prevalence of radial FAF in the ultra-widefield FAF images in women. The clinical characteristics of these patients were evaluated.

Results:

Fifteen of 1935 (0.78%) highly myopic women were found to have radial FAF. Their mean age was 36.6±25.6 years, and their mean best-corrected visual acuity was 0.3±0.42 logMAR units. The mean axial length (AL) was 28.8±2.8 mm. Among the 15 cases, eight did not have pigmentary changes and 7 had pigmentary changes in the ultra-widefield FAF images. The women with the pigmentary changes were significantly older (P=0.021), had poorer BCVA (P=0.001), and had longer ALs (P=0.002). The visual fields and electroretinograms were worse in the eyes with pigmentary changes.

Conclusions

The prevalence of radial FAF was 0.78% in women with high myopia. These patients might have mutations in the RPGR or RP2 genes and can develop high myopia and retinitis pigmentosa. Ultra-widefield FAF images should be examined in all highly myopic patients for early detection of radial FAF, and myopia prevention and genetic counseling for possible genetic therapy are recommended.
Incidence and Risk Factors for Exudative Retinal Detachment Following Laser Photocoagulation for ROP
Authors: Cohen Devin , Binenbaum Gil , El-Jack Khalid , Spiller Alyssa , Yu Yinxi , Ying Gui-shuang , Jensen Anne , Scoles Drew
Published: November 2023

Purpose:

Exudative retinal detachment (ERD) may result from laser photocoagulation for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). While risk factors have been hypothesized from case reports, comparative studies have not been reported. We sought to evaluate risk factors for ERD following laser, comparing affected and unaffected infants.

Methods:

Retrospective cohort study of infants undergoing ROP laser at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia over 6 years. All received near-confluent laser of avascular retina. Demographic, medical, and procedural risk factors for ERD were evaluated in univariate analysis, due to the rarity of ERD.

Results:

Among 149 lasered infants, 6 (4%, 95%CI 1.5%-8.6%) infants developed ERD. Race was a significant risk factor (p=0.01). Among 71 African American or Hispanic infants, 6 (8.5%, 95% CI 3.2%-17.5%) developed ERD. Among 78 non-African American or Hispanic infants, 0 (0%, 95% CI 0%-4.6%) developed ERD. There were no significant differences in the other studied factors.

Conclusions:

ERD was uncommon (4%) following ROP laser. Despite so few cases, darker pigmented race with likely increased pigmented fundi was significantly associated with increased ERD risk. Further study may reveal if increased choroidal pigment causes greater laser tissue damage or makes it difficult to discern the ora, resulting in inadvertent lasering of the ciliary body, leading to ERD.
Predictive factors of surgical success with the Inverted ILM Flap Technique
Authors: Nawrocka Zofia Anna , Nawrocki Jerzy
Published: November 2023

Purpose:

To present new morphological features correlating with functional and anatomical outcomes of the Inverted internal limiting membrane Flap Technique (iILMFT) in full-thickness macular hole (FTMH).

Methods:

A retrospective study of 51 successful and 22 failed FTMH surgeries. In all eyes, preoperative SD-OCT or SS-OCTs were reviewed. The presence of supra-RPE (retinal pigment epithelium) granular deposits, presence of an epiretinal membrane (ERM) or epiretinal proliferation (EP), visibility of posterior hyaloid, continuity of the interdigitation zone or external limiting membrane, presence of cystoid spaces, irregular surface of the margins of FTMH, visibility of the suprachoroidal space, diameters of FTMH were analyzed.

Results:

In multivariate analysis, the success of the first surgery depended solely on the absence of ERM (p<0.05).

In univariate analysis, the success of the first surgery was correlated moreover with the absence of preoperative supra-RPE granular deposits (p=0.0010), the absence of an EP (p=0.0060), and the absence of an irregular border of the hole (p=0.010).

Conclusions:

In multivariate analysis, ERMs were a negative prognostic factor for macular hole closure when the iILMFT was used. Worse final visual acuity was observed in patients with primary anatomical failure, even if the hole was successfully closed during the second intervention.
ATYPICAL FOVEAL AND PARFOVEAL ABNORMALITIES IN SICKLE CELL DISEASE
Authors: Orssaud Christophe. , Flammarion E. , Michon A. , Ranque B. , Arlet J.B.
Published: November 2023

Purpose:

The primary aim was to describe patterns of para macular involvement, not yet reported but that OCT-A can now detect in SCD patients. The secondary aim was to search arguments concerning the physio pathogeny of para macular involvement.

Methods:

This institutional cohort retrospective study was conducted in a Referral Center for Ophthalmological Rare Diseases. Follow-up included an ophthalmological examination with optical coherent tomography and optical coherent tomography angiography.

Results:

Hundred and thirty-two sickle cell patients were included. Typical sickle cell maculopathy was observed in temporal area in 84 eyes (40.0 %) of SS patients and 8 eyes (14.8 %) of SC patients (p < 0.001). Enlargement of the foveal avascular zone was observed in 10 eyes whom 8 of SS patients. Two atypical parafoveal abnormalities were found in SS patients only. The first one consisted in macular thinning with normal vascularization in 15 eyes of 11 patients. The second atypical maculopathy was large areas of loss of vascularization without retina thinning 10 eyes of six patients. Multivariate analysis did not show a statistically significant relation between the PSR stage and the different type of sickle cell maculopathy (p = 0.21)

Conclusion:

Those atypical sickle cell maculopathy may correspond to early forms preceding a typical SCM. This would point towards several physiopathogenic mechanisms. The first one included the existence of ischemia which can be related to anemia. Presence of retinal thinning without vascular involvement point out to a neurogenic mechanism.
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: A Common Cause of Chronic Orchialgia
Authors: Zheng Amy , Bramwell Austin K. , Kane Jennifer A. , Pham Jonathan T. , MacDonald Susan M.
Published: November 2023

Purpose:

We determined the prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) as an etiology for chronic orchialgia in a single tertiary care practice and characterized the presenting symptoms of chronic orchialgia patients with PFD.

Materials and Methods:

An IRB-approved retrospective review was performed for patients diagnosed with chronic orchialgia from 2016 to 2021 using CPT codes N50.82 (scrotal pain), N50.819 (testicle pain), and G89.29 (chronic pain in testicle). Patients with acute orchialgia (<3 months) were excluded. PFD was diagnosed on a 360-degree digital rectal examination when increased tone or pain to palpation of the levator ani muscle group was noted. Suspected etiology of the orchialgia and accompanying urinary, bowel, or sexual symptoms were recorded. Unpaired t-tests were used to determine significant associations while accounting for differences in sample size.

Results:

Of 136 patients with chronic orchialgia, the most common etiologies were classified as idiopathic (37.7%); prior surgery (32.1%); varicocele, hydrocele, or spermatocele (28.3%); PFD (17.6%); and postinfection (11.3%). Chronic orchialgia patients with PFD (n = 24) were significantly more likely to present with accompanying urinary (P < .01), bowel (P < .01), and sexual dysfunction (P = .04) symptoms. Orchialgia patients with PFD were more likely to report symptoms of functional obstruction, particularly urinary hesitancy (P < .01), constipation (P < .01), and painful ejaculation (P < .01), compared with patients without PFD.

Conclusions:

PFD was determined to be the etiology in 1 in 6 patients with chronic orchialgia. All patients presenting with chronic orchialgia and obstructive symptoms warrant a 360-degree rectal examination as part of their initial evaluation.

IRB Protocol Number:

10677.
Transplanted: Chinese Herbal Medicine in the United States, 1800-1911
Authors: Venit Shelton Tamara
Published: November 2023

Chinese medicine has a long history in the United States, dating back to its colonial period and extending up to the present. This essay focuses on the earliest generation of practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine in the United States. Although acupuncture is the modality most commonly associated with Chinese medicine in today’s medical marketplace, up until the 1970s, Chinese healers in the United States typically specialized in herbalism. Well before mass emigration from China to the United States began, Chinese material medica crossed the oceans, in both directions: Chinese medicinal teas and herbs came west while Appalachian ginseng went east. Beginning in the 1850s, Chinese immigrants came to the United States and transplanted their health practices, sometimes quite literally by propagating medicinal plants in their adopted home. Over time, Chinese doctors learned how to sell their services to non-Chinese patients by presenting herbalism as “nature’s remedies.”
Origin of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Cuba in the 19th Century from Its Main Exponents and Some Notable Medical Descendants in the 20th Century
Authors: Alpizar Caballero Lourdes Bárbara , Oquendo Lourdes de la Caridad Borges
Published: November 2023

The Cuban people are made up of three major migratory currents, the Chinese are one of them. They brought their culture, the methods, and procedures of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the 19th century. Few were able to return and so they created families in Cuba; some of their descendants dedicated themselves to medicine. In order to investigate the practices that were predecessors of TCM in Cuba in the 19th century, a qualitative phenomenological research was carried out, reviewing what was published by various sources, applying documentary analysis, logical historical analysis, abstraction, synthesis, and systematization of the results on the regularities of the work and human behavior of Chinese doctors in the Cuban 19th and 20th centuries. This made it possible to identify six Chinese doctors in the 19th century in Cuba who gave rise to the beginning of some practices of TCM in Cuba, and five from the 20th century, descendants of coolies who dedicated themselves to other specialties of medicine. It was found that despite their geographical and time disperse, they were all notorious for their outstanding professional and human behavior, with a trail of accumulated successes in achieving “almost the impossible” with the patient. They have left their mark on Cuban culture.
A bibliometric and visualization analysis of global research on postherpetic neuralgia from 2000 to 2022: A review
Authors: He Yujun , He Jiujie , Miao Furui , Fan Yushan , Zhang Fangzhi , Wang Zibin , Wu Yu , Zhao Yiping , Yang Pu
Published: November 2023

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) represents a notable clinical challenge as it is the most prevalent and severe complication of herpes zoster (HZ). The primary objective was to investigate the current research status and hotspots of PHN research during the period from 2000 to 2022. The literature pertaining to PHN was gathered through the utilization of the Web of Science Core Collection, spanning from January 2000 to December 2022. The software, CiteSpace version 6.2.R2, was employed to produce visual depictions of publications related to PHN across various dimensions such as year, country/region, institution, journal, author, keyword, and reference. This study involved a total of 3505 papers. The USA held a dominant position in the production of scholarly articles. Argentina exhibited the highest frequency of participation in international collaboration. Out of all the institutions, Pfizer exhibited the highest degree of productivity. Harvard University exhibited the highest frequency of participation in international collaboration. The Pain exhibited the most noteworthy productivity rate and citation count among all other journals. Ralf Baron was identified as the most productive author, whereas DWORKIN RH attained the highest citation count. Contemporary scholarly investigations are predominantly centered on identifying risk factors, devising preventative measures, and exploring novel and secure methods of pain management. The current investigation has revealed the focal areas and patterns of studies pertaining to PHN. Presently, the research in this field is focused on identifying the risk factors and preventive measures for PHN, alongside exploring novel and secure pain management strategies.
Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. strain NTM048 ameliorated nasal symptoms in patients with Japan cedar pollinosis: Randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Yamamoto Yuta , Sugita Gen , Hiraoka Masanobu , Takagi Saori , Yamagishi Naoko , Kawashima Shuji , Tanioka Kensuke , Nishi Toshio , Yamamoto Sachi , Kakutani Chiemi , Yanase Agi , Kanai Yoshimitsu , Kato Seiya , Hotomi Muneki
Published: November 2023

Background:

Lactobacillales including L mesenteroides have beneficial effects on human health, including improvement of psychological status and alleviation of allergic rhinitis. In mice, L mesenteroides subsp. strain NTM048 (NTM048) increased intestinal s-IgA. In humans, however, the effects of NTM048 on s-IgA secretion have been unclear.

Study:

This 16-week trial was performed using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group design. We aimed to establish whether Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. strain NTM048 increases the secretion of s-IgA in saliva. Forty healthy adults and forty patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis were recruited. Participants took either 2 test capsules including NTM048 (1010 CFU/day), or 2 placebo capsules per day, for 16 weeks. They were asked to collect their saliva and answered POMS2, a questionnaire about psychological status. The patients also answered questions about nasal symptoms. Blood samples were collected from the patients with Japanese Cedar pollinosis. Stool samples were collected at the start and on the last day of the trial.

Results:

All subjects completed the trial. It was conducted during the season when Japanese cedar pollen is most scattered. Serum concentration of Japanese cedar pollen-specific IgE was > 2.0 UA/mL in patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis. The amount of s-IgA in saliva was not increased by NTM048 in overall subjects, and Japanese cedar pollen-specific IgE was not changed by NTM048 in patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis. The symptom of nasal blockage was improved by NTM048 12 weeks after the start of trial. post hoc analysis indicated a positive correlation between improving psychological status and the increase in occupation ratio of lactobacillus including NTM048.

Conclusion:

The amount of s-IgA in saliva was not increased by NTM048, but nasal blockage was improved by it. Psychological status might be improved if dosage of NTM048 is raised to the degree that NTM048 might be increased in the intestinal tract.
Tolerability and effectiveness of albuvirtide combined with dolutegravir for hospitalized people living with HIV/AIDS
Authors: Liu Huanxia , He Shenghua , Yang Tongtong , Lu Chunrong , Yao Yuan , Zhou Ruifeng , Yin Ke , He Yuanhong , Cheng Jing
Published: November 2023

Treatment options for hospitalized people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) with opportunistic infections and comorbidities are limited in China. Albuvirtide (ABT), a new peptide drug, is a long-acting HIV fusion inhibitor with limited drug-drug interactions and fast onset time. This single-center, retrospective cohort study investigated the effectiveness and safety of ABT plus dolutegravir (DTG) therapy in a real-world setting. We performed a chart review on the electronic patient records for hospitalized PLWHA using ABT plus DTG between April and December 2020. The clinical outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. Among 151 PLWHA (mean age 47.6 ± 15.9 years), 140 (93%) had at least 1 episode of bacterial and/or fungal infections and 64 (42%) had other comorbidities including syphilis, hepatitis B, and/or hypertension. ABT plus DTG was given to 87 treatment-naïve (TN) and 64 treatment-experienced (TE) PLWHA. Regardless of treatment history, mean HIV-1 RNA levels significantly decreased from 4.32 log10copies/mL to 2.24 log10copies/mL, 2.10 log10copies/mL and 1.89 log10copies/mL after 2, 4 and 8 weeks of treatment, respectively (P < .0001). Compared with baseline mean CD4 + T-cell counts of 122.72 cells/μL, it increased to 207.87 cells/μL (P = .0067) and 218.69 cells/μL (P = .0812) after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment. Except for limited laboratory abnormalities such as hyperuricemia, increased creatinine level, and hyperglycemia observed after treatment, no other clinical adverse events were considered related to ABT plus DTG. Data suggests that ABT plus DTG is safe and effective for critically-ill hospitalized PLWHA. In view of the rapid viral load suppression and restoration of CD4 + count within 8 weeks of treatment, its clinical application warrants further investigation.