bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Historical Cohort of Severe Congenital Neutropenia in Iran: Clinical Course, Laboratory Evaluation, Treatment, and Survival
Authors: Spoor Jonathan , Farajifard Hamid , Keshavarz-Fathi Mahsa , Rezaei Nima
Published: April 2023

Introduction:

Severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) is one of the primary immunodeficiency diseases developed by genetic alterations. Mutations in several genes including HAX-1, G6PC3, jagunal, and VPS45 account for autosomal recessive SCN.

Patients and Methods:

Patients with SCN registered in the Iranian Primary Immunodeficiency Registry and referred to our clinic at the Children’s Medical Center were reviewed.

Results:

Thirty-seven eligible patients with a mean age of 28.51 ± 24.38 months at the time of diagnosis were included. Nineteen cases had consanguineous parents and 10 cases had confirmed or unconfirmed positive family history. The most prevalent infectious symptoms were oral infections followed by respiratory infections. We identified HAX-1 mutation in 4, ELANE mutation in 4 cases, G6PC3 mutation in 1, and WHIM syndrome in 1 case. Other patients remained genetically unclassified. After the median follow-up of 36 months from the time of diagnosis, the overall survival was 88.88%. The mean event-free survival was 185.84 months (95% CI: 161.02, 210.66).

Discussion:

Autosomal recessive SCN is more common in countries with high rates of consanguinity like Iran. The genetic classification was possible only for a few patients in our study. This might suggest that there are other autosomal recessive genes causative of neutropenia that have yet to be described.
Improved Facial and Skull-base Symmetry Following Osteotomy and Distraction of Unilateral Coronal Synostosis
Authors: Mellgren Jonas , Säljö Karin , Tarnow Peter , Maltese Giovanni , Bhatti-Søfteland Madiha , Olsson Robert , Hallén Tobias , Kölby Lars
Published: April 2023

Objectives:

Unilateral coronal synostosis (UCS) results in a surgically demanding deformation, as the deformity is asymmetric in the calvarium but also presents with facial scoliosis and orbital dystopia. Traditional cranioplasties correct the forehead but have little effect on the face and orbits. Here, we describe a consecutive series of patients operated for UCS with osteotomy of the fused suture combined with distraction osteogenesis (FOD).

Methods:

Fourteen patients [mean age: 8.0 months (range: 4.3–16.6 months)] were included in this study. We measured and compared the orbital dystopia angle (ODA), anterior cranial fossa deviation (ACFD), and anterior cranial fossa cant (ACFC) between results from preoperative computed tomography and those at distractor removal.

Results:

Blood loss was 6.1 mL/kg (range: 2.0–15.2 mL/kg), and length of stay was 4.4 days (range: 3.0–6.0 days). We observed significant improvements in the ODA from [median (95% confidence interval)] −9.8° (−12.6° to −7.0°) to −1.1° (−3.7° to −1.5°) (p<0.001), ACFD from 12.9° (9.2–16.6°) to 4.7° (1.5–7.9°) (p<0.001), and ACFC from 2.5° (1.5–3.5°) to 1.7° (0.0–3.4) (p=0.003).

Conclusions:

The results showed that osteotomy combined with a distractor for UCS straightened the face and relieved orbital dystopia by affecting the nose angle relative to the orbits, correcting the deviation of the cranial base in the anterior fossa, and lowering the orbit on the affected side. Furthermore, this technique demonstrated a favorable morbidity profile with low perioperative bleeding and a short inpatient period, suggesting its potential to improve the surgical treatment of UCS.
Do buccal flaps improve velopharyngeal insufficiency in conversion Furlow palatoplasty for patients with cleft palate?
Authors: Lignieres Austin , Anderson Brady , Alimi Oluwatofe , Cepeda Alfredo , Seitz Allison , Obinero Chioma G. , Teichgraeber John F. , Nguyen Phuong D. , Greives Matthew R.
Published: April 2023

Background:

Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) is a complication following primary palatoplasty that can lead to hypernasality of the voice and other speech problems. The conversion Furlow palatoplasty for VPI can be done with the addition of buccal flaps to provide additional tissue for palatal repair. In this study we aimed to determine the effectiveness of buccal flaps with conversion Furlow in secondary management of VPI.

Methods:

A retrospective review of patients undergoing surgical repair of VPI between 2016 and 2020 was performed. Patients underwent either conversion Furlow palatoplasty alone (FA) or conversion Furlow with buccal flaps (FB) for VPI after primary straight-line repair of the palate. We reviewed medical records to collect demographics, operative information, and preoperative and postoperative speech scores.

Results:

Of the 77 patients in the study, 16 (21%) had a revision that incorporated buccal flaps. The median age at cleft palate revision surgery was 8.97 years in the FA group and 7.96 years in the FB group (p = 0.337). In the FA group, 4 patients (7%) developed a postoperative fistula, compared to 0 patients in the FB group. The average time to follow-up after revision surgery was 3.4 years (7 months – 5.9 years). Both cohorts demonstrated a decrease in hypernasality and total parameter scores postoperatively.

Conclusions:

The use of buccal flaps in revision Furlow palatoplasty could decrease risk for postoperative complications. The use of data from a larger patient population from multiple institutions is warranted to determine true significance.
Conversion to mTOR Inhibitor to Reduce the Incidence of Cytomegalovirus Recurrence in Kidney Transplant Recipients Receiving Preemptive Treatment: A Prospective, Randomized Trial
Authors: Viana Laila Almeida , Cristelli Marina Pontello , Basso Geovana , Santos Daniel Wagner , Dantas Marcus Taver Costa , Dreige Yasmim Cardoso , Requião Moura Lucio R. , Nakamura Monica Rika , Medina-Pestana Jose , Tedesco-Silva Helio
Published: April 2023

Background.

Although mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors (mTORi) are associated with a lower incidence of the first episode of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection/disease in kidney transplant recipients receiving calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs), the efficacy and safety of the conversion from the antimetabolite to an mTORi for the prevention of CMV recurrence are unknown.

Methods.

In this single-center prospective randomized trial, low-immunological-risk, CMV-positive kidney transplant recipients receiving preemptive therapy were randomized to be converted (sirolimus [SRL]) or not (control [CTR]) immediately after the treatment of the first episode of CMV infection/disease and were followed for 12 mo. A sample size of 72 patients was calculated to demonstrate a 75% reduction in the incidence of CMV recurrence (80% power, 95% confidence level).

Results.

Of 3247 adult kidney transplants performed between September 13, 2015, and May 7, 2019, 1309 (40%) were treated for the first CMV infection/disease, and 72 were randomized (35 SRL and 37 CTR). In the SRL group, there were no episodes of CMV recurrence, compared with 16 patients in the CTR group (0% versus 43%; P < 0.0001). Four patients had a second and 1 a third recurrent CMV event. Three of them were converted to SRL and did not develop any further CMV events. There were no differences in the incidence of acute rejection, drug discontinuation, kidney function, and patient and graft survival at 12 mo.

Conclusions.

These data suggest that, in CMV-positive kidney transplant recipients, the conversion from an antiproliferative drug to SRL after the first CMV episode is an effective and safe strategy for recurrent episodes.
Efficacy of Autologous Skeletal Myoblast Cell Sheet Transplantation for Liver Regeneration in Liver Failure
Authors: Toya Keisuke , Tomimaru Yoshito , Kobayashi Shogo , Harada Akima , Sasaki Kazuki , Iwagami Yoshifumi , Yamada Daisaku , Noda Takehiro , Takahashi Hidenori , Kado Takeshi , Imamura Hiroki , Takaichi Shohei , Chijimatsu Ryota , Asaoka Tadafumi , Tanemura Masahiro , Miyagawa Shigeru , Doki Yuichiro , Eguchi Hidetoshi
Published: April 2023

Background.

No effective therapies have yet been established for liver regeneration in liver failure. Autologous skeletal myoblast cell sheet transplantation has been proven to improve cardiac function in patients with heart failure, and one of the mechanisms has been reported to be a paracrine effect by various growth factors associated with liver regeneration. Therefore, the present study focused on the effect of myoblast cells on liver regeneration in vitro and in vivo.

Methods.

We assessed the effect of myoblast cells on the cells comprising the liver in vitro in association with liver regeneration. In addition, we examined in vivo effect of skeletal myoblast cell sheet transplantation in C57/BL/6 mouse models of liver failure, such as liver fibrosis induced by thioacetamide and hepatectomy.

Results.

In vitro, the myoblast cells exhibited a capacity to promote the proliferation of hepatic epithelial cells and the angiogenesis of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, and suppress the activation of hepatic stellate cells. In vivo, sheet transplantation significantly suppressed liver fibrosis in the induced liver fibrosis model and accelerated liver regeneration in the hepatectomy model.

Conclusions.

Autologous skeletal myoblast cell sheet transplantation significantly improved the liver failure in the in vitro and in vivo models. Sheet transplantation is expected to have the potential to be a clinically therapeutic option for liver regeneration in liver failure.
Artificial Lungs for Lung Failure in the Era of COVID-19 Pandemic: Contemporary Review
Authors: Naito Noritsugu , Shigemura Norihisa
Published: April 2023

In patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), mortality remains high despite optimal medical management. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been widely used to support such patients. ECMO is not a perfect solution; however, there are several limitations and serious complications associated with ECMO use. Moreover, the overall short-term mortality rate of patients with COVID-19 supported by ECMO is high (~30%). Some patients who survive severe acute respiratory distress syndrome have chronic lung failure requiring oxygen supplementation, long-term mechanical ventilation, or ECMO support. Although lung transplant remains the most effective treatment for patients with end-stage lung failure from COVID-19, optimal patient selection and transplant timing for patients with COVID-19-related lung failure are not clear. Access to an artificial lung (AL) that can be used for long-term support as a bridge to transplant, bridge to recovery, or even destination therapy will become increasingly important. In this review, we discuss why the COVID-19 pandemic may drive progress in AL technology, challenges to AL implementation, and how some of these challenges might be overcome.
Effect of Serious Mental Illness on Surgical Consultation and Operative Management of Older Adults with Acute Biliary Disease: A Nationwide Study
Authors: Brown Danielle E , Finn Caitlin B , Roberts Sanford E , Rosen Claire B , Kaufman Elinore J , Wirtalla Chris , Kelz Rachel
Published: April 2023

Introduction:

Mental illness is associated with worse outcomes after emergency general surgery. To understand how pre-operative processes of care may influence disparate outcomes, we examined rates of surgical consultation, treatment, and operative approach between older adults with and without serious mental illness (SMI).

Methods:

We performed a nationwide, retrospective cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65.5 years hospitalized via the emergency department for acute cholecystitis or biliary colic. SMI was defined as schizophrenia-spectrum, mood, and/or anxiety disorders. The primary outcome was surgical consultation. Secondary outcomes included operative treatment and surgical approach (laparoscopic versus open). Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine outcomes with adjustment for potential confounders related to patient demographics, co-morbidities, and rates of imaging.

Results:

Of 85,943 included older adults, 19,549 (22.7%) had SMI. Prior to adjustment, patients with SMI had lower rates of surgical consultation (78.6% vs. 80.2%, p<0.001) and operative treatment (68.2% vs. 71.7%, p<0.001), but no significant difference regarding laparoscopic approach (92.0% vs. 92.1%, p=0.805). In multivariable regression models with adjustment for confounders, there was no difference in odds of receiving a surgical consultation [OR 0.98 (95% CI 0.93-1.03)] or undergoing operative treatment [OR 0.98 (95% CI 0.93-1.03)] for patients with SMI compared to those without SMI.

Conclusions:

Older adults with SMI had similar odds of receiving surgical consultation and operative treatment as those without SMI. As such, differences in processes of care that result in SMI-related disparities likely occur before or after the point of surgical consultation in this universally insured patient population.
DNA-targeting and cell-penetrating antibody-drug conjugate
Authors: Shirali Anupama , Dubljevic Valentina , Cao Fei , Nishimura Robert N. , Ebens Allen , Campbell James A. , Hansen James E.
Published: April 2023

DNA released by dying cancer cells offers a tumor targeting strategy that is independent of specific cell surface antigens. Anti-DNA antibodies preferentially localize to tumor microenvironments enriched in extracellular DNA and can penetrate live tumor cells through nucleoside salvage pathways. Nuclear-localizing variants of anti-DNA antibodies cause DNA damage and selectively kill cancer cells with defects in DNA repair. Here we show that an optimized full-length IgG1 anti-DNA antibody penetrates live cells and is synthetically lethal to BRCA2-deficient tumors but has minimal effect of DNA repair-proficient tumors. Linkage of the antibody to the anti-mitotic drug monomethyl auristatin E yields a DNA-targeting and cell-penetrating anti-DNA antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that is well tolerated in mice and highly toxic to tumors with intact DNA repair. This work provides proof-of-concept for the novel use of an anti-DNA antibody as the backbone of a DNA-targeting, cell-penetrating ADC that can impact tumors that otherwise lack specifically targetable surface antigens.

Statement of significance

A strategy for targeting tumors that lack specific surface antigens is revealed by an anti-DNA antibody-drug conjugate that localizes to tumor microenvironments enriched in DNA and penetrates cells through nucleoside salvage pathways.
Whole-brain mapping reveals the divergent impact of ketamine on the dopamine system
Authors: Datta Malika S. , Chen Yannan , Chauhan Shradha , Zhang Jing , De La Cruz Estanislao Daniel , Gong Cheng , Tomer Raju
Published: April 2023

Ketamine is a multifunctional drug with clinical applications as an anesthetic, as a pain management medication and as a transformative fast-acting antidepressant. It is also abused as a recreational drug due to its dissociative property. Recent studies in rodents are revealing the neuronal mechanisms that mediate the complex actions of ketamine, however, its long-term impact due to prolonged exposure remains much less understood with profound scientific and clinical implications. Here, we develop and utilize a high-resolution whole-brain phenotyping approach to show that repeated ketamine administration leads to a dosage-dependent decrease of dopamine (DA) neurons in the behavior state-related midbrain regions and, conversely, an increase within the hypothalamus. Congruently, we show divergently altered innervations of prefrontal cortex, striatum, and sensory areas. Further, we present supporting data for the post-transcriptional regulation of ketamine-induced structural plasticity. Overall, through an unbiased whole-brain analysis, we reveal the divergent brain-wide impact of chronic ketamine exposure on the association and sensory pathways.
A mechanistic model for nuclear migration in hyphae during mitosis
Authors: Som Subhendu , Paul Raja
Published: April 2023

S. CerevisiaeandC. Albicans, the two well-known human pathogens, can be found in all three morphologies, i.e., yeast, pseudo-hyphae and true-hyphae. The cylindrical daughter-bud (germ tube) grows very long for true-hyphae, and the cell cycle is delayed compared to the other two morphologies. The place of the nuclear division is specific for true-hyphae determined by the position of the septin ring. However, the septin ring can localize anywhere inside the germ tube, unlike the mother-bud junction in budding yeast. Since the nucleus often migrates a long path in the hyphae, the underlying mechanism must be robust for executing mitosis in a timely manner. We explore the mechanism of nuclear migration through hyphae in light of mechanical interactions between astral microtubules and the cell cortex. We report that proper migration through constricted hyphae requires a large dynein pull applied on the astral microtubules from the hyphal cortex. This is achieved when the microtubules frequently slide along the hyphal cortex so that a large population of dyneins actively participate, pulling on them. Simulation shows timely migration when the dyneins from the mother cortex do not participate in pulling on the microtubules. These findings are robust for long migration and positioning of the nucleus in the germ tube at the septin ring.
Organizational culture and innovation: exploring the “black box”
Authors: Vargas-Halabi Tomás , Yagüe-Perales Rosa Maria
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This research aimed to conceptualize organizations as open and purposeful systems to study how organizational culture (OC) influences firms' Innovative Performance (IP). The authors proposed goal setting and internal integration/external adaptation paradox as central to explaining OC's mediating and suppressing effects on IP.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors collected data from 372 Costa Rican organizations and analyzed them with structural equations. This research used the Denison Model instead of the usual typology-based approaches.

Findings

The mission had a direct and high impact on IP. The mediated effect via adaptability was also elevated, as well as the suppressor effect through consistency. There was no effect on IP of involvement. According to these results, the Open and Rational Systems Framework emerge as the main theoretical explanatory concepts.

Originality/value

Disaggregating the OC through a performance-oriented dimensional model makes it possible to study the dynamics between the elements that compound it and facilitate integrating these findings with other research streams.
Extra-role behaviour of non-family employees in private family firms through job crafting: mediating role of workplace flourishing
Authors: Razzak Mohammad Rezaur
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The family business literature indicates that non-family employees (NFEs) working in private family firms often feel marginalized effecting their ability to flourish at work and contribute to the organization beyond their defined job roles. Therefore, this study examines whether enabling NFEs to craft their own jobs, leads them to reappraise their position in the organization, thus influencing workplace flourishing (WF) and supervisor-assessed extra-role behaviour (ERB).

Design/methodology/approach

Building on the Conservation of Resources theory, a set of hypotheses is posited relating the three dimensions of job crafting (resource seeking, challenge seeking and job demand reduction) to ERB, through WF as a mediator. The hypotheses are tested through matched employee–supervisor data collected from 256 individuals working in private family firms, where 232 were NFEs while 24 individuals were supervisors.

Findings

The result generated through PLS-SEM indicates that all three dimensions of job crafting have a positive influence on WF. In the case of direct effect on ERB, only the direct relationship between challenge seeking and ERB was significant. However, the relationships between all three dimensions of job crafting and ERB became positive and significant through WF as mediator.

Research limitations/implications

The implications of this study is that merely empowering NFEs to craft their own jobs may not lead them to contribute to the organization beyond their routine tasks. However, if they appraise such empowerment as a resource gain sufficient enough for them to feel that there are flourishing at the workplace, and then it is likely to influence their commitment to the organization to exhibit significant ERB. The study however is limited, as other potential exogenous variables that influence ERB were not considered.

Practical implications

This study presents evidence for family business owners and managers to provide the pertinent resource support to their NFEs, so that they can flourish and contribute to the employer.

Originality/value

The current study contributes to the under-researched and fragmented literature on NFEs working in family firms. Furthermore, this appears to be among the first study that looks into workplace flourishing and ERB among NFEs in the realm of family business.
Corporate social responsibility and dividend policy in India
Authors: Dahiya Monika , Singh Shveta , Chaudhry Neeru
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The study investigates the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and dividend policy in the context of Indian firms, as well as how regulatory interventions in the form of mandated CSR can moderate this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of the largest 500 companies listed on the National Stock Exchange from 2008 to 2019 is used in the study. The authors employ the system generalized method of moments since this estimation technique yields accurate and consistent findings in a dynamic panel data setting.

Findings

The authors find that CSR is positively associated with dividend payments. Increased incomes and lower financial constraints are the likely factors causing this relationship. Additional analysis suggests that the positive relationship is stronger for mature firms and for firms with higher information asymmetry. Financial reporting quality works in tandem with CSR to boost dividends. Regulatory interventions in the form of mandated CSR weaken the relationship. Finally, the speed of adjustment of dividends is relatively faster for socially responsible firms.

Practical implications

The positive association between CSR and dividends suggests that the interest of shareholders and other non-financial stakeholders can be reconciled. Additionally, businesses should attempt to strategically implement their CSR plans in accordance with the requirements of Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013 to avoid any unfavourable moderating effects of the legislation. The results also show that CSR disclosures complement rather than serve as a substitute for financial disclosures.

Originality/value

The study is the first to evaluate the relationship between CSR and dividends in the context of India, which is a pioneer in passing legislation that mandates CSR for firms surpassing a threshold. The authors also identify financial constraints as a channel through which CSR affects dividends.
Mesopredator release among invasive predators: Controlling red foxes can increase feral cat density and alter their behaviour
Authors: Rees Matthew W. , Pascoe Jack H. , Le Pla Mark , Robley Alan , Birnbaum Emma K. , Wintle Brendan A. , Hradsky Bronwyn A.
Published: April 2023

1. The mesopredator release theory predicts that the density of subordinate predators will increase as dominant predators decline. Persistent debate around mesopredator release in part reflects the lack of robust, replicated experiments that test this theory, and the use of population indices that confound changes in mesopredator density and detectability. This uncertainty has immediate impacts for conservationists who are faced with managing sympatric invasive predators.

2. We used replicated experimental designs and spatially explicit models to examine whether mesopredator release of the feral cat Felis catus occurs in response to targeted control of the introduced red fox Vulpes vulpes. We surveyed three Control‐Impact paired landscapes in a region with long‐term fox control (1080 poison baiting) and conducted a Before‐After Control‐Impact Paired‐Series experiment in another region. We used fox occurrence as a simple metric of fox populations and estimated feral cat density with spatial mark–resight models.

3. Lethal fox control had varying effects on fox occurrence, consistent with variation in the duration and intensity of poison baiting. Correspondingly, responses in feral cat density ranged from negligible to a 3.7‐fold higher density in fox‐baited landscapes. At a fine spatial scale (200 m2), feral cat density was negatively associated with fox occurrence probability across both regions. These results were consistent with mesopredator release, although uncertainty was high in the region where fox control had only recently commenced.

4. Feral cat detectability also varied across the (artificially manipulated) gradients of fox occurrence probability. In one region, nonlinear models indicated that feral cats had lower detection and increased movement rates when foxes were uncommon, giving way to density suppression at high fox occurrence probabilities.

5. Synthesis and applications. Our study provides replicated, experimental evidence that dominant predator suppression can be associated with a higher mesopredator density. Mesopredator release can manifest as changes in both behaviour and density, distorting inference if these processes are not distinguished. Our results may help explain why fox control does not consistently improve native prey persistence, suggesting integrated pest management may be necessary to improve conservation outcomes.
The different facets of ‘experiential knowledge’ in Swedish women’s claims about systemic side effects of the copper intrauterine device
Authors: Gunnarsson Lena , Wemrell Maria
Published: April 2023

‘Experiential knowledge’ has been identified as a key epistemic resource used by lay people to contest medical authorities and build new knowledge related to health. The Internet has created unprecedented opportunities for such experience‐based epistemic projects. This article contributes to understandings of the as yet under‐theorised concept of experiential knowledge by analysing accounts of a group of Swedish women who claim that their use of contraceptive copper IUDs has led to systemic side effects not recognised by health care providers. Based on digital group interviews and written essays, we distinguish between three components or stages of experiential knowledge at work in the women’s use of experience as an epistemic resource: somatic knowing, collective validation and self‐experimentation. Drawing on a critical realist framework, we defend a notion of experiential knowledge as crucially, while only partially, based on a bodily and practical access to aspects of reality organised by extra‐discursive principles. By providing theoretical complexity to the notion of experiential knowledge, we contribute resources for discriminating between and evaluating various experience‐based claims, something that is particularly needed in the current ‘post‐truth’ era where experience‐based knowledge claims pointing in divergent directions flourish.
Return of the Whig: Reviewing Historiographies of the Meaning of “Secular” in the Australian Colonial Public Instruction Acts
Authors: Hastie David
Published: April 2023

The term “secular” in the Colonial Australian public instruction acts was always controversial. Recent policy debates seek to draw a connection between its original intent and removing religion from schools, notably Marion Maddox's Taking God to School (2014), and Catherine Byrne's “Free, Compulsory and (Not) Secular” (2013). The issue resurfaced recently in a NSW Teachers' Federation Research Paper (Waight, 2022), and in Gross and Rutland's Special Religious Education in Australia and Its Value to Contemporary Society (2021). I propose that while this is a valid public policy issue, any originalist argument actually relies upon a singular historiographical argument, namely a “Whig” historiography. However, across historians the meaning of “secular” has actually been evaluated through four different historiographies: a “Whig” progress narrative; economic materialism; critical theory; and a religious/nationalist approach. Maddox, Byrne and Waight's approaches can be characterised within a “Whig” approach to Australian education history, originally found in “The Melbourne School” of Austin and Gregory, and the textbooks of Barcan. Its revival presents a good opportunity to survey the topic of education historiography, assess the “Whig” argument, and to propose that religious/nationalist historiography provides a more accurate interpretation of the original intent of the term “secular.”
Influence of dialysis‐related stigma on health‐related indicators in Japanese patients undergoing hemodialysis
Authors: Sugisawa Hidehiro , Shimizu Yumiko , Kumagai Tamaki , Shishido Kanji , Koda Yutaka , Shinoda Toshio
Published: April 2023

Introduction

Focusing on impacts to health‐related indicators in older Japanese patients, this study analyzed both the direct influence of dialysis‐related stigma and influences of its intersectionality with other stigmatized characteristics.

Methods

Data were collected through a cross‐sectional survey of 7461 outpatients in dialysis facilities. Other stigmatized characteristics include lower income, lower education, disabled activities of daily living, and diabetic end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) as a cause for starting dialysis treatment.

Results

The average rate of an “agree” response on dialysis‐related stigma items was 18.2%. Dialysis‐related stigma significantly influenced all three health‐related indicators, including suspected depression, informal networks, and compliance with dietary therapy. In addition, each interaction between dialysis‐related stigma and educational attainment, gender, and diabetic ESRD significantly influence one health‐related indicator.

Conclusion

These results suggest that dialysis‐related stigma has both a significant direct and synergic influence with other stigmatized characteristics on health‐related indicators.
Review of the Australian butterfly genus Cyprotides Tite, 1963 (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), with descriptions of three new taxa
Authors: Braby Michael F.
Published: April 2023

Taxonomic review of the monotypic Australian endemic lycaenid genus Cyprotides Tite, 1963, based on comparative evidence of adult and juvenile morphology and biology, indicates that it comprises three allopatric and ecologically distinct species: C. pallescens Tite, 1963 stat. rev., C. cyprotus (Olliff, 1886) and C. maculosus sp. nov. Cyprotides cyprotus is considered to comprise three subspecies: C. cyprotus cyprotus (Olliff, 1886) in the Sydney Sandstone region; C. cyprotus lucidus ssp. nov. in the semi‐arid zone of inland central New South Wales, north‐western Victoria, South Australia, and south‐western Western Australia; and C. cyprotus aridus ssp. nov. in the arid zone of southern Northern Territory and Western Australia. In contrast, C. maculosus sp. nov. appears to be a narrow‐range endemic, restricted to subalpine areas in south‐eastern Australia (~1100–1500 m asl). Information on the distribution, ecology and biology is reviewed and summarised for each of these five taxa, with additional data provided on the habitat and conservation status of C. maculosus sp. nov., which is considered to be Endangered under IUCN Red List Criteria. All three species appear to be characterised by predominantly univoltine life cycles but with variable pupal diapause that may last up to 2–3 years, larval polymorphism, facultative associations with ants, pupal stridulation and rapid larval development involving only four instars. It is hypothesised that speciation within this genus has occurred recently, driven by reinforcement following secondary contact, leading to pre‐mating isolation and character displacement, resulting in divergent phenotypes.
Editorial: first‐degree relatives of Mexican Americans with HCC are at increased risk of significant fibrosis
Authors: Guarnizo‐Ortiz Maria , Vilar‐Gomez Eduardo
Published: April 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Sharpton et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17384 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17475
Clinically relevant bidirectional drug‐drug interaction between midostaurin and voriconazole
Authors: Haefliger David , Marzolini Catia , Lamoth Frederic , Pabst Thomas , Buclin Thierry , Livio Francoise
Published: April 2023

Midostaurin is often prescribed with azole antifungals in patients with leukaemia, either for aspergillosis prophylaxis or treatment. Midostaurin is extensively metabolized by cytochrome (CYP) 3A4. In addition, it inhibits and induces various CYPs at therapeutic concentrations. Thus, midostaurin is associated with a high potential for drug‐drug interactions (DDIs), both as a substrate (victim) and as a perpetrator. However, data on midostaurin as a perpetrator of DDIs are scarce, as most pharmacokinetic studies have focused on midostaurin as a victim drug. We report a clinically relevant bidirectional DDI between midostaurin and voriconazole during induction treatment. A 49‐year‐old woman with acute myeloid leukaemia developed invasive pulmonary aspergillosis after induction chemotherapy. She was treated with voriconazole at standard dosage. Six days after starting midostaurin, she developed visual hallucinations with a concurrent sharp increase in voriconazole blood concentration (Ctrough 10.3 mg L−1, target Ctrough 1‐5 mg L−1). Neurotoxicity was considered to be related to voriconazole overexposure. The concentration of midostaurin was concomitantly six‐fold above the average expected level, but without safety issues. Midostaurin was stopped and the dosage of voriconazole was adjusted with therapeutic drug monitoring. The evolution was favourable, with quick resolution and no recurrence of visual hallucinations. To our knowledge, this is the first case suggesting that midostaurin and voriconazole reciprocally inhibit each other's metabolism, leading to increased exposure of both. This case highlights the knowledge gap regarding drug‐drug interactions between midostaurin and azole antifungals. Close clinical and therapeutic drug monitoring is advised in such cases.
The value of question‐first citizen science in urban ecology and conservation
Authors: Parris Kirsten M. , Steven Rochelle , Vogel Blythe , Lentini Pia E. , Hartel Jasmin , Soanes Kylie
Published: April 2023

Citizen‐science projects focused on ecology and conservation have been growing in popularity in recent years, offering many opportunities for researchers and volunteers alike. Two principal approaches to citizen‐science projects in ecology can be characterized as the data‐first approach and the question‐first approach. Here, we highlight the value of question‐first citizen‐science projects for providing insights into the ecology and management of urban wildlife, using case studies on (1) beneficial insects (pollinators, predators and parasitoids) and (2) possums and gliders in Australian cities and towns. The question‐first approach has many benefits, offering a platform to engage volunteers with the scientific process and the broader context of an ecological or conservation problem, while also connecting them with their local environment. Identifying the questions to be addressed in a citizen‐science project ahead of data collection allows for co‐design and stronger collaboration with volunteers, community groups, local experts, and landscape managers. Question‐first citizen science can also provide valuable ecological data that extend substantially beyond presence‐only records, including presence‐absence data collected via timed surveys and information on animal behavior and interspecific interactions. However, establishing and maintaining question‐first citizen‐science projects can be challenging, requiring the building and maintenance of many relationships and a multidisciplinary approach that goes well beyond the usual activities of an academic researcher. Well‐designed, question‐first citizen science has the capacity to achieve both scientific rigor and meaningful engagement with volunteer participants.
Fear of hyperglycaemia in parents of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus – A multi‐centre multinational study
Authors: Liberman Alon , Shenker Michal Nevo , Bello Rachel , Yackobovitch‐Gavan Michal , Shachar‐Lavie Iris , Wójcik Małgorzata , Starmach Anna , Starzyk Jerzy B. , Kostopoulou Eirini , Chrysis Dionisios , Phillip Moshe
Published: April 2023

Aims

Study aims: (1) developing and validating a novel questionnaire for measuring fear of hyperglycaemia among parents of children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) – the Hyperglycaemia Fear Survey – Parent version (FoHyper‐P); (2) investigating correlations between parental fear of hyperglycaemia and objective measures of glycaemic control.

Methods

A multi‐centre, multinational study of 152 parents of children with T1D was conducted in three large diabetes clinics from Israel, Poland, and Greece. Inclusion criteria were parents of children aged 6–16 years, at least 6 months from diagnosis, at least 3 months of CGM use and parental involvement in care. Parents filled the FoHyper‐P and the Hypoglycaemia Fear Survey – Parent Version (HFS‐P). Patient data were obtained via electronic medical records and informative questionnaires. Bonferroni correction was performed to counteract multiple comparisons.

Results

Significant strong‐moderate correlations were found between FoHyper‐P and HFS‐P including total questionnaires scoring (r = 0.747, pBonf < 0.001), worries subscales (r = 0.735, pBonf <0.001), and behaviour subscales (r = 0.532, pBonf <0.001). Using linear regression models, we found a positive association between the worry subscale and HbA1C. Weak correlations (p < 0.05, not significant after Bonferroni correction) were found between time in range, time above range and parental fear of hyperglycaemia as well as between worry subscales and a higher HbA1C in the past year, percent of hyperglycaemia and lower TIR.

Conclusions

The FoHyper‐P is a novel, validated tool for assessing parental fear of hyperglycaemia. Integrating it into clinical practice addresses an underestimated aspect of parental diabetes management, enabling better care for children with T1D.
Sex comparisons in the association of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes with cognitive function, depression, and quality of life: The Maastricht study
Authors: de Ritter Rianneke , Sep Simone J. S. , van der Kallen Carla J. H. , van Greevenbroek Marleen M. J. , Koster Annemarie , Eussen Simone J. P. M. , Dagnelie Pieter C. , van Boxtel Martin , Schram Miranda T. , Köhler Sebastian , Martens Jordi A. J. , Snobl Lucia , Vos Rimke C. , Stehouwer Coen D. A. , Peters Sanne A. E.
Published: April 2023

Aims

There are sex differences in the excess risk of diabetes‐associated cardiovascular disease. However, it is not clear whether these sex differences exist with regard to other complications like mental health aspects. Therefore, we investigated sex differences in the association of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2D) with cognitive function, depression, and quality of life (QoL).

Materials and Methods

In a population‐based cross‐sectional cohort study (n = 7639; age 40–75 years, 50% women, 25% T2D), we estimated sex‐specific associations, and differences therein, of prediabetes and T2D (reference: normal glucose metabolism) with measures of cognitive function, depression, and physical and mental QoL. Sex differences were analysed using multiple regression models with interaction terms.

Results

In general, T2D, but not prediabetes, was associated with higher odds of cognitive impairment, major depressive disorder, and poorer QoL. The odds ratio (OR) of cognitive impairment associated with T2D was 1.29 (95% CI: 0.96–1.72) for women and 1.39 (1.10–1.75) for men. The OR of major depressive disorder associated with T2D was 1.19 (0.69–2.04) for women and 1.68 (1.02–2.75) for men. The mean difference of the physical QoL score (ranging from 0 to 100, with 100 indicating the best possible QoL) associated with T2D was −2.09 (−2.92 to −1.25) for women and −1.81 (−2.48 to −1.13) for men. The mean difference of the mental QoL score associated with T2D was −0.90 (−1.79 to −0.02) for women and −0.52 (−1.23 to 0.20) for men. There was no clear pattern of sex differences in the associations of either prediabetes or T2D with measures of cognitive function, depression, or QoL.

Conclusions

In general, T2D was associated with worse cognitive function, depression, and poorer QoL. The strength of these associations was similar among women and men.
Comparison of the effects of gemigliptin versus glimepiride on cardiac function in patients with type 2 diabetes uncontrolled with metformin: The gemi‐heart study
Authors: Chung Seung Min , Moon Jun Sung , Hong Jun Hwa , Hwang In‐Chang , Lim Soo
Published: April 2023

Aim

To investigate the effects of gemigliptin on cardiac function and compare the effects of gemigliptin and glimepiride in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Materials and Methods

Sixty T2D patients being treated with metformin were assigned to a gemigliptin group (50 mg daily) or a glimepiride group (2 mg daily) for 24 weeks. The preadjudicated extension period was up to 52 weeks. Glucose metabolism variables and cardiac biomarkers were measured. Echocardiography was used to evaluate cardiac functions.

Results

The HbA1c levels decreased significantly from 8.1% ± 0.6% to 6.8% ± 0.6% in the gemigliptin group and from 8.1% ± 0.6% to 7.0% ± 0.7% in the glimepiride group, without a between‐group difference. Gemigliptin reduced insulin resistance, high sensitivity C‐reactive protein and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and blood pressure, and increased adiponectin level compared with glimepiride therapy. Gemigliptin induced favourable changes in body composition. Left ventricular end‐diastolic volume decreased in the gemigliptin group but increased in the glimepiride group, with a borderline between‐group difference. Cardiac biomarkers did not change significantly in either group. At 52 weeks, the HbA1c levels in both groups increased slightly; 7.3% ± 0.8% in the gemigliptin group versus 7.7% ± 1.3% in the glimepiride group, without a between‐group difference.

Conclusions

Gemigliptin had a comparable glucose‐lowering efficacy without deleterious effects on cardiac functions or on biomarkers reflective of myocardial injury or heart failure during the 24‐week observation period. However, larger, longer‐term studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Which factors are associated with duration of untreated illness in borderline personality disorder?
Authors: Esposito Cecilia Maria , Auxilia Anna Maria , Ceresa Alessandro , Zanvit Francesco Giuseppe , Zanelli Quarantini Francesco , Capuzzi Enrico , Caldiroli Alice , Clerici Massimo , Buoli Massimiliano
Published: April 2023

Aim

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a prevalent condition associated with high rates of hospitalizations. The purpose of this manuscript was to detect the factors associated with duration of untreated illness (DUI) in BPD.

Methods

Through chart review, we identified 152 patients followed up by community psychiatry services in Milan and Monza, Italy. The association between DUI and socioeconomic and clinical variables was examined using Pearson correlation and analyses of variances. The statistically significant variables from univariate analyses were then inserted in regression models.

Results

A longer DUI was associated with several variables (substance misuse after the onset of BPD, older age, earlier age at onset, longer duration of illness), but these results were not maintained in the regression analyses.

Conclusions

In conclusion, DUI does not seem to be significantly associated with specific clinical aspects of BPD, or significantly modify the course and outcome of the disorder. Studies with larger samples have to confirm these preliminary findings.
House sparrows exhibit individual differences in generalization when confronted with different novel stimuli
Authors: McLaughlin Allison L. , Westneat David F.
Published: April 2023

Generalization refers to the process by which animals assign different stimuli into cognitive categories based on their similarity/dissimilarity to previously experienced stimuli. Stimuli that strongly deviate from previous experience may be avoided due to their novelty (i.e., neophobia), while stimuli that are sufficiently similar to a known/recognized cue may elicit the same response as that cue (i.e., generalization). While generalization has been widely researched, few studies have examined among‐individual variance in its expression. Our study quantified among‐individual variation in neophobia and generalization in house sparrows (Passer domesticus) by placing a series of different objects next to each subject's food source on successive days and measuring the subject's latency to approach the food source in the presence versus absence of each object. Similar to previous work, we found that house sparrows are neophobic on average and exhibit significant among‐individual variance in neophobia. More interestingly, we found that the neophobic response declined across presentations of different novel objects. This implies that the sparrows generalized some aspect(s) of the objects. We also found significant among‐individual variance in the rate at which approach latency changed across this series, possibly reflecting individual differences in propensity to generalize. These results raise new questions about how neophobia, habituation, and generalization are linked and about the potential for selection to act on these traits under different ecological conditions.
SE_SPnet: Rice leaf disease prediction using stacked parallel convolutional neural network with squeeze‐and‐excitation
Authors: Bhuyan Parag , Singh Pranav Kumar , Das Sujit Kumar , Kalla Anshuman
Published: April 2023

Rice is one of the significant crops, and the early identification and prevention of its diseases are essential to ensure adequate and healthy availability to the world's growing population. The use of image processing is an encouraging method for automatic rice leaf disease identification and detection. In particular, the recent advancements indicate the effectiveness of convolutional neural network (CNN) based deep learning approaches. In this direction, the present work proposes a novel stacked parallel convolution layers‐based network (SPnet) with the squeeze‐and‐excitation (SE) architecture, named (SE_SPnet), for classifying diseased rice leaf images. The stacked parallel network block comprises four parallel convolution layers with different kernel sizes for abstractions of the global and local features. The SE block extracts feature information automatically while removing invalid ones. We compare the SE_SPnet model with state‐of‐the‐art CNN models such as VGG16, DenseNet121, and InceptionV3 based on computational effort, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, recall, and F1‐score. The experimental results show that the SE_SPnet outperforms standard CNN models for the considered rice leaf disease image datasets. In particular, the SE_SPnet achieves the highest accuracy (99.2%), sensitivity (98.2%), specificity (98.5%), precision (98.4%), recall (98.2%), and F1‐score (98.5%) while using stochastic gradient descent (with momentum) optimizer with a 0.01 learning rate. Furthermore, the SE_SPnet also exhibits to outperform when compared with some of the most recent and relevant existing works.