bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Altered PBP4 and GdpP functions synergistically mediate MRSA-like high-level, broad-spectrum β-lactam resistance in
Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Lai Li-Yin , Satishkumar Nidhi , Cardozo Sasha , Hemmadi Vijay , Marques Leonor B. , Huang Liusheng , Filipe Sergio R. , Pinho Mariana G. , Chambers Henry F. , Chatterjee Som S.
Published: March 2024

Infections caused by
Staphylococcus aureus
are a leading cause of mortality worldwide.
S. aureus
infections caused by methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) are particularly difficult to treat due to their resistance to next-generation β-lactams (NGBs) such as methicillin, nafcillin, and oxacillin. Resistance to NGBs, which is alternatively known as broad-spectrum β-lactam resistance, is classically mediated by PBP2a, a penicillin-binding protein encoded by
mecA
(or
mecC
) in MRSA. Thus, presence of
mec
genes among
S. aureus
spp. serves as the predictor of resistance to NGBs and facilitates determination of the proper therapeutic strategy for a staphylococcal infection. Although far less appreciated,
mecA
-deficient
S. aureus
strains can also exhibit NGB resistance. These strains, which are collectively termed as methicillin-resistant lacking
mec
(MRLM), are currently being identified in increasing numbers among natural resistant isolates of
S. aureus
. The mechanism/s through which MRLMs produce resistance to NGBs remains unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that mutations that alter PBP4 and GdpP functions, which are often present among MRLMs, can synergistically mediate resistance to NGBs. Furthermore, our results unravel that this novel mechanism potentially enables MRLMs to produce resistance toward NGBs at levels comparable to those of MRSAs. Our study provides a fresh new perspective about alternative mechanisms of NGB resistance, challenging our current overall understanding of high-level, broad-spectrum β-lactam resistance in
S. aureus
. It thus suggests reconsideration of the current approach toward diagnosis and treatment of β-lactam-resistant
S. aureus
infections.

IMPORTANCE

In
Staphylococcus aureus
, high-level, broad-spectrum resistance to β-lactams such as methicillin, also referred to as methicillin resistance, is largely attributed to
mecA
. This study demonstrates that
S. aureus
strains that lack
mecA
but contain mutations that functionally alter PBP4 and GdpP can also mediate high-level, broad-spectrum resistance to β-lactams. Resistance brought about by the synergistic action of functionally altered PBP4 and GdpP was phenotypically comparable to that displayed by
mecA
, as seen by increased bacterial survival in the presence of β-lactams. An analysis of mutations detected in naturally isolated strains of
S. aureus
revealed that a significant proportion of them had similar
pbp4
and
G
GDEF
d
omain
p
rotein containing
p
hosphodiesterase (
gdpP
) mutations, making this study clinically significant. This study not only identifies important players of non-classical mechanisms of β-lactam resistance but also indicates reconsideration of current clinical diagnosis and treatment protocols of
S. aureus
infections.
Draft genome sequence of a triple hybrid
Escherichia coli
strain isolated from a healthy donor feces
Authors: Ortega-Enríquez Judith Z. , Arenas-Hernández Margarita M. P. , Barrios-Villa Edwin
Published: March 2024

Herein is reported the draft genome sequence of a triple hybrid
Escherichia coli
strain isolated from a healthy donor feces. The assembly is 5.2 Mbp, composed of 247 contigs, with a N
50
of 77, 241 bp, presenting a GC content of 50.8%.
Microscale advection governs microbial growth and oxygen consumption in macroporous aggregates
Authors: Shen Rachel , Borer Benedict , Ciccarese Davide , Salek M. Mehdi , Babbin Andrew R.
Published: March 2024

Most microbial life on Earth is found in localized microenvironments that collectively exert a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem health and influencing global biogeochemical cycles. In many habitats such as biofilms in aquatic systems, bacterial flocs in activated sludge, periphyton mats, or particles sinking in the ocean, these microenvironments experience sporadic or continuous flow. Depending on their microscale structure, pores and channels through the microenvironments permit localized flow that shifts the relative importance of diffusive and advective mass transport. How this flow alters nutrient supply, facilitates waste removal, drives the emergence of different microbial niches, and impacts the overall function of the microenvironments remains unclear. Here, we quantify how pores through microenvironments that permit flow can elevate nutrient supply to the resident bacterial community using a microfluidic experimental system and gain further insights from coupled population-based and computational fluid dynamics simulations. We find that the microscale structure determines the relative contribution of advection vs diffusion, and even a modest flow through a pore in the range of 10 µm s
−1
can increase the carrying capacity of a microenvironment by 10%. Recognizing the fundamental role that microbial hotspots play in the Earth system, developing frameworks that predict how their heterogeneous morphology and potential interstitial flows change microbial function and collectively alter global scale fluxes is critical.

IMPORTANCE

Microbial life is a key driver of global biogeochemical cycles. Similar to the distribution of humans on Earth, they are often not homogeneously distributed in nature but occur in dense clusters that resemble microbial cities. Within and around these clusters, diffusion is often assumed as the sole mass-transfer process that dictates nutrient supply and waste removal. In many natural and engineered systems such as biofilms in aquatic environments, aggregates in bioremediation, or flocs in wastewater treatment plants, these clusters are exposed to flow that elevates mass transfer, a process that is often overlooked. In this study, we show that advective fluxes can increase the local growth of bacteria in a single microenvironment by up to 50% and shape their metabolism by disrupting localized anoxia or supplying nutrients at different rates. Collectively, advection-enhanced mass transport may thus regulate important biogeochemical transformations in both natural and engineered environments.
Rehydrated glass embayments record the cooling of a Yellowstone ignimbrite
Authors: Befus Kenneth S. , Thompson James O. , Allison Chelsea M. , Ruefer Anna C. , Manga Michael
Published: March 2024

Hydration fronts penetrate 50–135 μm into glassy rhyolite embayments hosted in quartz crystals from the Mesa Falls Tuff in the Yellowstone Plateau volcanic field. The hydration fronts occur as steep enrichments that reach 2.4 ± 0.6 wt% H2O at the embayment opening, representing much higher values than interior concentrations of 0.9 ± 0.2 wt% H2O. Molecular water accounts for most of the water enrichment. Water speciation indicates the hydration fronts comprise absorbed meteoric water that modified the original magmatic composition of the rhyolitic glass. We used finite difference diffusion models to demonstrate that glass rehydration was likely produced over a few decades as the ignimbrite cooled. Such temperatures and time scales are consistent with rare firsthand observations of decadal hydrothermal systems associated with cooling ignimbrites at Mount Pinatubo (Philippines) and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes (Alaska).
Okanogan lobe tunnel channels and subglacial floods into Moses Coulee, Channeled Scabland, northwestern United States
Authors: Gombiner Joel , Lesemann Jerome-Etienne
Published: March 2024

Outburst floods from glacial Lake Missoula largely explain erosion of the Channeled Scabland, a system of overfit, basaltic channels in Washington, northwestern United States. However, it is challenging to explain Missoula flood routing into Moses Coulee due to its topographic isolation from flood routes. To clarify flood pathways into Moses Coulee, we mapped channels that delineate a radial-anastomosing network connecting to Moses Coulee. Channels consist of coulee-like features eroded mainly in basalt. Channels climb adverse slopes and cross divides, and the network is draped with eskers and recessional moraines. These channel geometries and glacial landform associations suggest a tunnel channel network. Large channel dimensions and network anastomosis indicate formation in subglacial floods. The network connects to Moses Coulee with sufficient cross-sectional area to convey megafloods, hinting that subglacial floods may have been a significant source of Moses Coulee meltwater, in addition to possible diverted Missoula floods.
Investigation of renal perfusion and pathological changes in patients with acute kidney disease and tubulointerstitial nephritis using intravoxel incoherent motion and arterial spin labelling MRI: a prospective, observational study protocol
Authors: Liu Jiajia , Wang Rui , Qiu Jianxing , Su Tao
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a critical condition with a complex aetiology and different outcomes, where haemodynamic dysfunction, renal hypoperfusion and inflammation serve as key contributors to its development and progression. Early and accurate diagnosis is vital for initiating targeted treatments like fluid resuscitation, vasoactive agents or steroid therapy, which are essential for improving patient outcomes. Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI assesses both capillary perfusion and tissue water diffusion, while arterial spin labelling (ASL) MRI measures renal blood flow without the need for contrast. Research on combined use of IVIM and ASL MRI in patients with AKI is rare. This study aims to investigate the MRI characteristics of IVIM and ASL in patients with tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN) and to explore their relationship with pathological findings and renal recovery.

Methods and analysis

Single-centre, prospective, observational cohort study of 30 patients with biopsy-proven TIN. Participants will undergo renal IVIM and ASL MRI within 7 days post-biopsy. The pathological assessments of active and chronic tubulointerstitial injuries will be semiscored using modified Banff criteria. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) during follow-up and prevalence of chronic kidney disease at 3 and 6 months will be reported. An eGFR below 45 mL/min is considered a poor renal outcome.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has been reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Peking University First Hospital and written informed consent will be obtained from all participants (2022Y503). The study results will be disseminated through publication in a relevant peer-reviewed journal and presentation at academic meetings to increase awareness and share findings with the scientific community.
Innovative services in home health nursing: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Eshghi Fateme , Pourgholam Nima , Kianian Toktam , Kashani Maryam , Azami Masoomeh
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Advances in the use of technology in home health nursing (HHN) not only can facilitate the delivery of home care but can also influence the entire healthcare system. Additionally, it can contribute to the individual autonomy in the area of health. The aim of this scoping review protocol is to identify, describe and map the types of innovative services and their delivery approaches in the HHN structure worldwide.

Methods and analysis

The main question of the research is as follows: what are different types of innovative services and their delivery approaches in the HHN structure around the world? The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) method for scoping reviews will guide the conducting this scoping review, and the participants, concept and context framework will be used as eligibility criteria. MEDLINE databases via PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, Persian scientific databases and grey literature will be searched prior to May 2024 to include eligible studies, without any language restrictions. To be included, studies will be reviewed by two independent reviewers. A data extraction form developed for the study purpose will be used to extract the data relevant to the review questions. Data analysis will be performed based on each innovative service and answering the subquestions about it. According to the concepts of interest, the results will be analysed and presented using tables, figures, images and a narrative summary.

Ethics and dissemination

This study will not involve human or animal participants. Data will be sourced from the published literature. To be published, the results of the study will be submitted to an international peer-reviewed, open-access journal as well as scientific meetings on HHN and innovative services research.
Hidden hunger in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its effect on glycaemic control: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Mangal Daya Krishan , Gautam Diksha , Pandey Anuj Kumar , Shaikh Nida , Mishra Sidharth Sekhar , Tolani Himanshu , Sonnathi Yeshwanth , Gupta Shiv Dutt , Sharma Kamlesh Chand , Prasad Jagdish , Tewari Rajeev , Anwar Fahmina
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Hidden hunger or micronutrient deficiencies are quite common in many parts of the world, particularly in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Micronutrient deficiencies may impact insulin signalling pathways and glucose metabolism, potentially accelerating the onset and development of type 2 diabetes (T2D). This review aims to estimate the prevalence of multiple micronutrient deficiencies among patients with T2D and assess the effect of their deficiency on glycaemic control.

Methodology

The review follows the Cochrane Handbook and PRISMA 2020 guidelines. It includes all eligible studies reporting the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies and their effect on glycaemic control in T2D patients. We would undertake a comprehensive literature search across databases: PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, LILACS, ProQuest, Google Scholar and grey literature, and identify the studies meeting the inclusion criteria. We would perform data extraction using a prepiloted data extraction sheet and record relevant study characteristics and outcomes.

Analysis

Data will be analysed using JBI Sumari software and R software. Pooled prevalence/incidence of micronutrient deficiency will be estimated, and variance will be stabilised using logit transformation and a double-arcsine transformation of the data. The OR and risk ratio of glycaemic control among T2D cases with and without micronutrient deficiency will be estimated using the ‘rma’ function under the ‘meta’ and ‘metafor’ packages.

The study findings will have implications for diabetes management strategies and may inform interventions targeting improved glycaemic control through addressing micronutrient deficiencies.

Ethics and dissemination

This systematic review will be based on the scientific information available in the public domain; therefore, ethics approval is not required. We will share the study findings at national and international conferences and submit them for publication in relevant scientific journals.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42023439780.
Skeletal muscle relaxants as adjunctive pain control following cardiothoracic surgery: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Kabir Shadman , Whaley Quinn , Fernandez Melissa , Murphy Travis W
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Multimodal pain control following cardiothoracic surgery remains a focus in international guidelines. We hypothesise that non-depolarising skeletal muscle relaxants can prove to be a useful adjunct for this population.

Methods/analysis

This systematic review will focus on human adult studies of pain control using muscle relaxants within 1 week following cardiac and thoracic surgery available in PubMed, Cochrane Central, Web of Science and EMBASE. Target studies will have a primary focus on measured effects on quality of pain control and reduction in opioid usage. Studies that include non-depolarising skeletal muscle relaxants given during cardiothoracic surgery or in the week after will be included. Study selection will be in keeping with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Procedures and agents used will be analysed together, and a meta-analysis will be conducted then compared with current therapies recommended in international practice guidelines.

Ethics and dissemination

Formal ethical approval will not be required as primary data will not be collected. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication, conference presentation and lay press.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42023397917.
Efficacy and safety of natural killer cells injection combined with XELOX chemotherapy in postoperative patients with stage III colorectal cancer in China: a prospective randomised controlled clinical trial study protocol
Authors: Geng Shan , Yu Xingrui , Yu Shaohong
Published: March 2024

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death in China. However, resistance to multiple chemotherapeutics after surgery leads to failure of the main therapy to CRC. Natural killer (NK) cells are innate cytotoxic lymphocytes that exhibit strong cytotoxic activity against tumour cells. NK cell-based therapy, either alone or in combination with chemotherapy, has achieved favourable results and holds promise for addressing recurrence and metastasis in CRC patients after surgery.

Methods and analysis

This is a prospective, randomised controlled clinical trial to evaluate efficacy and safety of interleukin 2 activated NK cells injection combined with XELOX (capecitabine plus oxaliplatin)-based chemotherapy for postoperative CRC patients. Participants will be randomly divided into treatment group and control group, and every group includes 40 patients. The treatment group will also receive NK cells (5×109) with+XELOX-based chemotherapy, while the control group will receive only XELOX-based chemotherapy. This treatment will be repeated for eight cycles (6 months). The follow-up period lasts about 3 years, during which CEA, CA19-9, CA125, enhancement CT and colonoscopy will be conducted. The primary endpoints of this study are progression-free survival and overall survival, while the secondary endpoint is safety (number and severity of adverse events). Additionally, we aim to identify cancer stem cells in peripheral blood and predictive biomarkers (cytokines secreted by NK cells and activated markers of NK cells) that indicate patients who achieve an effective response.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has been approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of our hospital (approval number 2023LLSC006) and the Chinese Clinical Trials. It will be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants. The study findings will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals for publication.

Trial registration number

Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (ChiCTR2300075861).
Association between osteoarthritis and cardiovascular disease in elderly in Japan: an administrative claims database analysis
Authors: Uematsu Takuya , Nojiri Shuko , Ishijima Muneaki , Nishizaki Yuji
Published: March 2024

Objective

To investigate whether osteoarthritis (OA) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD); whether there are differences concerning ischaemic heart disease (IHD), congestive heart failure (CHF) and stroke; and whether there are differences between OA sites (hips, knees and hand) in predicting CVD onset.

Design

Population-based matched case–control study.

Setting

Health insurance claims data among Japanese patients.

Participants

Japanese patients aged ≥65 years with newly diagnosed CVD and hospitalised between January 2015 and December 2020 (cases) and age-matched and sex-matched 1:1 individuals (controls).

Main outcome measures

A conditional logistic regression model was used to estimate the adjusted ORs and their 95% CIs for CVD, IHD, CHF and stroke risk, adjusting for covariates.

Results

A total of 79 296 patients were included, with respect to CVD (39 648 patients with newly diagnosed CVD and 39 648 controls). After adjustment for covariates, the exposure odds of knee OA (KOA), hip OA (HipOA) and hand OA (HandOA) for CVD were 1.192 (95% CI 1.115 to 1.274), 1.057 (95% CI 0.919 to 1.215) and 1.035 (95% CI 0.684 to 1.566), respectively, showing an association only for KOA. The exposure odds of KOA, HipOA and HandOA for IHD were 1.187 (95% CI 1.086 to 1.297), 1.078 (95% CI 0.891 to 1.306) and 1.099 (95% CI 0.677 to 1.784), respectively. The exposure odds of KOA, HipOA and HandOA for stroke were 1.221 (95% CI 1.099 to 1.356), 0.918 (95% CI 0.723 to 1.165) and 1.169 (95% CI 0.635 to 2.151), respectively. Similar to CVD, only KOA was associated with both. For CHF, neither KOA nor HipOA and HandOA were associated with CHF development.

Conclusion

This study confirms the association of KOA with CVD, particularly IHD and stroke, in the Japanese population. The finding that patients with KOA have a higher CVD risk can potentially assist in guiding future treatment strategies.
Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a sustainable obesity prevention programme for preschool children delivered at scale ‘HENRY’ (Health, Exercise, Nutrition for the Really Young): protocol for the HENRY III cluster randomised controlled trial
Authors: Bryant Maria , Burton Wendy , Collinson Michelle , Martin Adam , Copsey Bethan , Groves-Williams Dawn , Foster Alexis , Willis Thomas A , Garnett Philip , O'Cathain Alicia
Published: March 2024

Introduction

One-fifth of children start school already overweight or living with obesity, with rates disproportionately impacting those living in the most deprived areas. Social, environmental and biological factors contribute to excess weight gain and programmes delivered in early years settings aim to support families to navigate these in order to prevent obesity. One of these programmes (Health, Exercise and Nutrition for the Really Young, HENRY) has been delivered in UK community venues (hereon named ‘centres’) in high deprivation areas since 2008 and aims to help families to provide a healthy start for their preschool children. We aim to establish the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of HENRY, including its potential role from a wider systems perspective.

Methods and analysis

This is a multicentre, open-labelled, two-group, prospective, cluster randomised controlled trial, with cost-effectiveness analysis, systems-based process evaluation and internal pilot. Primary analysis will compare body mass index (BMI) z-score at 12 months in children (n=984) whose parents have attended HENRY to those who have not attended. Secondary outcomes include parent and staff BMI and waist circumference, parenting efficacy, feeding, eating habits, quality of life, resource use and medium term (3 years) BMI z-scores (child and siblings). 82 centres in ~14 local authority areas will be randomised (1:1) to receive HENRY or continue with standard practice. Intention-to-treat analysis will compare outcomes using mixed effects linear regression. Economic evaluation will estimate a within-trial calculation of cost-per unit change in BMI z-score and longer-term trajectories to determine lifelong cost savings (long-term outcomes). A systems process evaluation will explore whether (and how) implementation of HENRY impacts (and is impacted by) the early years obesity system. An established parent advisory group will support delivery and dissemination.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval has been granted by the University of York, Health Sciences’ Research Governance Committee (HSRGC/2022/537/E). Dissemination includes policy reports, community resources, social media and academic outputs.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN16529380.
Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a web-based cardiac rehabilitation programme for people with chronic stable angina: protocol for the ACTIVATE (Angina Controlled Trial Investigating the Value of the ‘Activate your heart’ Therapeutic E-intervention) randomised controlled trial
Authors: Williams Nefyn H , Collins Brendan , Comerford Terence J , Dodd Susanna , Fisher Michael , Hardwick Ben , Hennessy Sophie , Jolly Kate , Jones Ian , Lane Deirdre , Lip Gregory Y H , Morgan Erica , Ralph Penelope , Thijssen Dick , Singh Sally J
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Chronic stable angina is common and disabling. Cardiac rehabilitation is routinely offered to people following myocardial infarction or revascularisation procedures and has the potential to help people with chronic stable angina. However, there is insufficient evidence of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness for its routine use in this patient group. The objectives of this study are to compare the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the ‘Activate Your Heart’ cardiac rehabilitation programme for people with chronic stable angina compared with usual care.

Methods and analysis

ACTIVATE is a multicentre, parallel-group, two-arm, superiority, pragmatic randomised controlled trial, with recruitment from primary and secondary care centres in England and Wales and a target sample size of 518 (1:1 allocation; allocation sequence by minimisation programme with built-in random element). The study uses secure web-based allocation concealment. The two treatments will be optimal usual care (control) and optimal usual care plus the ‘Activate Your Heart’ web-based cardiac rehabilitation programme (intervention). Outcome assessment and statistical analysis will be performed blinded; participants will be unblinded. Outcomes will be measured at baseline and at 6 and 12 months’ follow-up. Primary outcome will be the UK version of Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ-UK), physical limitations domain at 12 months’ follow-up. Secondary outcomes will be the remaining two domains of SAQ-UK, dyspnoea, anxiety and depression, health utility, self-efficacy, physical activity and the incremental shuttle walk test. All safety events will be recorded, and serious adverse events assessed to determine whether they are related to the intervention and expected. Concurrent economic evaluation will be cost–utility analysis from health service perspective. An embedded process evaluation will determine the mechanisms and processes that explain the implementation and impacts of the cardiac rehabilitation programme.

Ethics and dissemination

North of Scotland National Health Service Research Ethics Committee approval, reference 21/NS/0115. Participants will provide written informed consent. Results will be disseminated by peer-reviewed publication.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN10054455.
A rapid improvement event: progesterone prescribing in prevention of miscarriage
Authors: Bolger Lucy Anne , O'Riordan Nicola , Allen Cathy
Published: March 2024

A rapid improvement event (RIE) is a standard operational excellence technique that uses team-based problem solving to improve processes. In this study, a RIE was undertaken to improve progesterone prescribing rates for those with a history of miscarriage experiencing vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy. This was on the basis of a recent change in guidelines regarding prescribing in these instances. NICE guidelines changed in November 2021 after Cochrane meta-analysis and the PRISM (Progesterone in Spontaneous Miscarriage) randomised control trial demonstrated a higher incidence of live births in those prescribed vaginal micronised progesterone for threatened miscarriage, when compared with those not prescribed it.

A RIE involves a team approach and a standard sequence of events allowing analysis and improvement of a process. Analysis in the form of audit revealed a low progesterone prescribing rate for eligible patients in our unit. Dissection of this problem into its elements revealed a low level of staff knowledge regarding the change in guidelines and a lack of confidence in prescription of progesterone. A plan of actionable events to improve prescribing rates was devised. The updated guidance and local recommendations on appropriate micronised progesterone formulations were presented at hospital Grand Rounds with multidisciplinary attendance. Infographics were displayed in areas visible to stakeholders within the hospital and on the hospital’s social media pages. The validity of these educational measures to improve the process was reaudited after 3 months.

Progesterone prescribing improved by 48%. Those comfortable with prescribing as per the new guidelines improved from 43% to 78%. A RIE proved to be an effective and efficient approach to collaboration, decision-making and action.
Implementation of the Infant-Toddler Checklist in Swedish child health services at 18 months: an observational study
Authors: Dahlberg Anton , Levin Anna , Fäldt Anna Erica
Published: March 2024

Background

Communication and language disorders are common conditions that emerge early and negatively impact quality of life across the life course. Early identification may be facilitated using a validated screening tool such as the Infant-Toddler Checklist (ITC). We introduced the ITC at the 18-month visit to child health services (CHS) in a Swedish county. Using the RE-AIM implementation framework, this study assessed the implementation of the ITC according to five key dimensions: reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance.

Methods

This observational study used medical records at CHS as data source. Data were collected from children who visited a child health nurse at 17–22 months. The sample included 2633 children with a mean age of 17.8 months, 1717 in the pre-implementation group and 916 in the post implementation group. We calculated the ITC completion rate (reach) and use at each site (adoption). We compared rates of referral to speech and language therapy (effectiveness) before and after implementation of the ITC using OR and 95% CIs. We described actions to facilitate implementation and maintenance of ITC screening over time.

Results

The overall screening rate was 93% (reach) which increased from 80% initially to 94% at the end of the 2-year period (maintenance). All centres used the ITC (adoption). The ITC screen positive rate was 14%. Of children who had reached at least 24 months (n=2367), referral rate was 0.4% pre-implementation versus 6.9% post implementation (OR=18.17, 95% CI 8.15, 40.51, p<0.001) (effectiveness). Implementation strategies included training sessions, collaboration, written and automatic procedures and modifications to the medical records system.

Conclusion

The implementation of the ITC was associated with high reach, higher referral rate, complete adoption, and sustained maintenance over time.
Nocturnal gastro-oesophageal reflux and respiratory symptoms are increased in sleep apnoea: comparison with the general population
Authors: Emilsson Össur Ingi , Aspelund Thor , Janson Christer , Benediktsdottir Bryndis , Juliusson Sigurdur , Maislin Greg , Pack Allan I , Keenan Brendan T , Gislason Thorarinn
Published: March 2024

Aim

To assess respiratory symptoms and nocturnal gastro-oesophageal reflux (nGER) among untreated obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients, compared with the general population. Also, if nGER associates differently with respiratory symptoms among OSA patients.

Methods

2 study cohorts were included: 822 newly diagnosed subjects with moderate–severe OSA and 738 Icelandic general population study participants. All participants answered the same questionnaires. Those reporting nGER symptoms at least once per week were defined as ‘with nGER’; those without nGER symptoms and without nGER medication were defined as ‘no nGER’; and other participants were defined as having ‘possible nGER’. Propensity score-based weights were used to minimise confounding and selection bias and facilitate causal interpretations.

Results

The prevalence of nGER among OSA patients was 14.1%, compared with 5.8% in the general population. This increased prevalence in OSA was not explained by differences in age, gender, body mass index, smoking, hypertension and diabetes (adjusted OR (95% CI)=3.79 (2.24 to 6.43)). OSA patients ‘with nGER’ and with ‘possible nGER’ reported more wheezing (44% and 44% vs 25%, respectively) and productive cough (47% and 42% vs 29%, respectively), compared with OSA patients with ‘no nGER’. The same pattern was seen in the general population, although with a generally lower prevalence. The effect of nGER on respiratory symptoms was similar between the two cohorts.

Conclusion

nGER was more often reported among untreated moderate–severe OSA patients than in the general population. Participants with nGER had more wheezing and productive cough, both among untreated OSA patients and in the general population.
Variant characterisation and clinical profile in a large cohort of patients with Ellis-van Creveld syndrome and a family with Weyers acrofacial dysostosis
Authors: Altunoglu Umut , Palencia-Campos Adrian , Güneş Nilay , Turgut Gozde Tutku , Nevado Julian , Lapunzina Pablo , Valencia Maria , Iturrate Asier , Otaify Ghada , Elhossini Rasha , Ashour Adel , K. Amin Asmaa , Elnahas Rania F , Fernandez-Nuñez Elisa , Flores Carmen-Lisset , Arias Pedro , Tenorio Jair , Chamorro Fernández Carlos Israel , Güven Yeliz , Özsu Elif , Eklioğlu Beray Selver , Ibarra-Ramirez Marisol , Diness Birgitte Rode , Burnyte Birute , Ajmi Houda , Yüksel Zafer , Yıldırım Ruken , Ünal Edip , Abdalla Ebtesam , Aglan Mona , Kayserili Hulya , Tuysuz Beyhan , Ruiz-Pérez Victor
Published: March 2024

Background

Ellis-van Creveld syndrome (EvC) is a recessive disorder characterised by acromesomelic limb shortening, postaxial polydactyly, nail-teeth dysplasia and congenital cardiac defects, primarily caused by pathogenic variants in
EVC
or
EVC2
. Weyers acrofacial dysostosis (WAD) is an ultra-rare dominant condition allelic to EvC. The present work aimed to enhance current knowledge on the clinical manifestations of EvC and WAD and broaden their mutational spectrum.

Methods

We conducted molecular studies in 46 individuals from 43 unrelated families with a preliminary clinical diagnosis of EvC and 3 affected individuals from a family with WAD and retrospectively analysed clinical data. The deleterious effect of selected variants of uncertain significance was evaluated by cellular assays.

Main results

We identified pathogenic variants in
EVC/EVC2
in affected individuals from 41 of the 43 families with EvC. Patients from each of the two remaining families were found with a homozygous splicing variant in
WDR35
and a de novo heterozygous frameshift variant in
GLI3
, respectively. The phenotype of these patients showed a remarkable overlap with EvC. A novel
EVC2
C-terminal truncating variant was identified in the family with WAD. Deep phenotyping of the cohort recapitulated ‘classical EvC findings’ in the literature and highlighted findings previously undescribed or rarely described as part of EvC.

Conclusions

This study presents the largest cohort of living patients with EvC to date, contributing to better understanding of the full clinical spectrum of EvC. We also provide comprehensive information on the
EVC
/
EVC2
mutational landscape and add
GLI3
to the list of genes associated with EvC-like phenotypes.
Bouncing and collapsing universes dual to late-time cosmological models
Authors: Mukherjee Dipayan , Jassal H. K. , Lochan Kinjalk
Published: March 2024

We use the Jordan frame–Einstein frame correspondence to explore dual universes with contrasting cosmological evolutions. We study the mapping between Einstein and Jordan frames where the Einstein frame universe describes the late-time evolution of the physical universe, which is driven by dark energy and non-relativistic matter. The Brans–Dicke theory of gravity is considered to be the dual scalar–tensor theory in the Jordan frame. We show that an Einstein frame universe, with cosmological evolution of the $$\Lambda $$
Λ
CDM model, always corresponds to a bouncing Jordan frame universe governed by a Brans–Dicke theory. On the other hand, quintessence models of dark energy with non-relativistic matter component are shown to be always dual to a Brans–Dicke Jordan frame with a turn-around, i.e., a bounce or a collapse. The evolution of the equation of state of the quintessence field determines whether the turn-around is a bounce or a collapse. The point of the Jordan frame turn-around for all the cases can be tuned anywhere by choosing an appropriate Brans–Dicke parameter. This essentially leads to alternative descriptions of the late-time evolution of the physical universe, in terms of bouncing or collapsing Brans–Dicke universes in the Jordan frame. Therefore, the effect of dark energy can equivalently be seen as collapse of space in a conformally connected universe. We further study the stability of such conformal maps against linear perturbations. The effective bouncing and collapsing descriptions of the current accelerating universe may have interesting implications for the evolutions of perturbations and quantum fluctuations in the cosmological background.
Online disinformation in the 2020 U.S. election: swing vs. safe states
Authors: Pratelli Manuel , Petrocchi Marinella , Saracco Fabio , De Nicola Rocco
Published: March 2024

For U.S. presidential elections, most states use the so-called winner-take-all system, in which the state’s presidential electors are awarded to the winning political party in the state after a popular vote phase, regardless of the actual margin of victory. Therefore, election campaigns are especially intense in states where there is no clear direction on which party will be the winning party. These states are often referred to as swing states. To measure the impact of such an election law on the campaigns, we analyze the Twitter activity surrounding the 2020 US preelection debate, with a particular focus on the spread of disinformation. We find that about 88% of the online traffic was associated with swing states. In addition, the sharing of links to unreliable news sources is significantly more prevalent in tweets associated with swing states: in this case, untrustworthy tweets are predominantly generated by automated accounts. Furthermore, we observe that the debate is mostly led by two main communities, one with a predominantly Republican affiliation and the other with accounts of different political orientations. Most of the disinformation comes from the former.
Damage Object Detection of Steel Wire Rope-Core Conveyor Belts Based on the Improved YOLOv5
Authors: Wang Baomin , Ding Hewei , Teng Fei , Wang Zhirong , Liu Hongqin
Published: March 2024

In response to the challenges in detecting damage features in X-ray images of steel wire rope-cores in conveyor belts, such as complex damage shapes, small sizes, low detection precision, and poor generalization ability, an improved YOLOv5 algorithm was proposed. The aim of the model is to accurately and efficiently identify and locate damage in the X-ray images of steel wire rope-cores in conveyor belts. First, the Adaptive Histogram Equalization (AHE) method is used to preprocess the images, reducing the interference of harsh mining environments and improving the quality of the dataset. Second, to better retain image details and enhance the detection ability of damage features, transpose convolutional upsampling is adopted, and the C3 module in the backbone network is replaced by C2f to ensure lightweight network models, meanwhile, it obtains richer gradient flow information and optimizing the loss function. Finally, the improved algorithm is compared with four classical detection algorithms using the damage feature dataset of steel wire rope-core conveyor belts. The experimental result shows that the proposed algorithm achieves an average detection precision of 91.8% and a detection speed of 40 frames per second (FPS) for images collected in harsh mining environments. The designed detection model provides a reference for the automatic recognition and detection of damage to steel wire rope-core conveyor belts.
Improved SVM Algorithm Financial Management Model for Data Mining
Authors: Yuan Dongxia , Wang Xuemei
Published: March 2024

Financial crisis early warning is an important link in financial management. With its relatively simple structure and excellent classification performance, support vector machine is often used in intelligent warning of financial crises. A financial warning model based on improved support vector machine is proposed to address the shortcomings of current financial warning methods that cannot handle large-scale data well, and the accuracy and efficiency are not ideal. In response to the excessive indicators in the financial early warning indicator system, the principal component analysis method is studied for dimensionality reduction, reducing the computational complexity of the model, and improving the training and operational efficiency of the model. In response to the limited practicality of support vector machine, which can only search for the optimal solution under constraint conditions, the use of smooth support vector machine to replace support vector machine for predictive classification is studied. Finally, a financial crisis early warning model is constructed based on smooth support vector machine using principal component analysis for dimensionality reduction of input data. The performance of the model is tested using an internet listed company as an example. The findings demonstrate that Model 1 outperforms the other three models in terms of accuracy rate (95%), MAE, MSE and [Formula: see text] values (0.162, 0.174 and 0.169, respectively). Therefore, the financial crisis early warning model constructed by the research can properly forecast the company’s financial situation, thereby helping the enterprise to develop better.
PECJ: Stream Window Join on Disorder Data Streams with Proactive Error Compensation
Authors: Zeng Xianzhi , Zhang Shuhao , Zhong Hongbin , Zhang Hao , Lu Mian , Zheng Zhao , Chen Yuqiang
Published: March 2024

Stream Window Join (SWJ), a vital operation in stream analytics, struggles with achieving a balance between accuracy and latency due to out-of-order data arrivals. Existing methods predominantly rely on adaptive buffering, but often fall short in performance, thereby constraining practical applications. We introduce PECJ, a solution that proactively incorporates unobserved data to enhance accuracy while reducing latency, thus requiring robust predictive modeling of stream oscillation. At the heart of PECJ lies a mathematical formulation of the posterior distribution approximation (PDA) problem using variational inference (VI). This approach circumvents error propagation while meeting the low-latency demands of SWJ. We detail the implementation of PECJ, striking a balance between complexity and generality, and discuss both analytical and learning-based approaches. Experimental evaluations reveal PECJ's superior performance. The successful integration of PECJ into a multi-threaded SWJ benchmark testbed further establishes its practical value, demonstrating promising advancements in enhancing data stream processing capabilities amidst out-of-order data.
Efficient High-Quality Clustering for Large Bipartite Graphs
Authors: Yang Renchi , Shi Jieming
Published: March 2024

A bipartite graph contains inter-set edges between two disjoint vertex sets, and is widely used to model real-world data, such as user-item purchase records, author-article publications, and biological interactions between drugs and proteins. k-Bipartite Graph Clustering (k-BGC) is to partition the target vertex set in a bipartite graph into k disjoint clusters. The clustering quality is important to the utility of k-BGC in various applications like social network analysis, recommendation systems, text mining, and bioinformatics, to name a few. Existing approaches to k-BGC either output clustering results with compromised quality due to inadequate exploitation of high-order information between vertices, or fail to handle sizable bipartite graphs with billions of edges.

Motivated by this, this paper presents two efficient k-BGC solutions, HOPE and HOPE+, which achieve state-of-the-art performance on large-scale bipartite graphs. HOPE obtains high scalability and effectiveness through a new k-BGC problem formulation based on the novel notion of high-order perspective (HOP) vectors and an efficient technique for low-rank approximation of HOP vectors. HOPE+ further elevates the k-BGC performance to another level with a judicious problem transformation and a highly efficient two-stage optimization framework. Two variants, HOPE+ (FNEM) and HOPE+ (SNEM) are designed when either the Frobenius norm or spectral norm is applied in the transformation. Extensive experiments, comparing HOPE and HOPE+ against 13 competitors on 10 real-world datasets, exhibit that our solutions, especially HOPE+, are superior to existing methods in terms of result quality, while being up to orders of magnitude faster. On the largest dataset MAG with 1.1 billion edges, HOPE+ is able to produce clusters with the highest clustering accuracy within 31 minutes, which is unmatched by any existing solution for k-BGC.
gSWORD: GPU-accelerated Sampling for Subgraph Counting
Authors: Ye Chang , Li Yuchen , Sun Shixuan , Guo Wentian
Published: March 2024

Subgraph counting is a fundamental component for many downstream applications such as graph representation learning and query optimization.Since obtaining the exact count is often intractable,there have been a plethora of approximation methods on graph sampling techniques. Nonetheless, the state-of-the-art sampling methods still require massive samples to produce accurate approximations on large data graphs.We propose gSWORD, a GPU framework that leverages the massive parallelism of GPUs to accelerate iterative sampling algorithms for subgraph counting. Despite the embarrassingly parallel nature of the samples, there are unique challenges in accelerating subgraph counting due to its irregular computation logic. To address these challenges, we introduce two GPU-centric optimizations: (1) sample inheritance, enabling threads to inherit samples from neighboring threads to avoid idling, and (2) warp streaming, effectively distributing workloads among threads through a streaming process. Moreover, we propose a CPU-GPU co-processing pipeline that overlaps the sampling and enumeration processes to mitigate the underestimation issue. Experimental results demonstrate that deploying state-of-the-art sampling algorithms on gSWORD can perform millions of samples per second. The co-processing pipeline substantially improves the estimation accuracy in the cases where existing methods encounter severe underestimations with negligible overhead.
Worst-Case-Optimal Similarity Joins on Graph Databases
Authors: Arroyuelo Diego , Bustos Benjamin , Gómez-Brandón Adrián , Hogan Aidan , Navarro Gonzalo , Reutter Juan
Published: March 2024

We extend the concept of worst-case optimal equijoins in graph databases to the case where some nodes are required to be within the k-nearest neighbors (kNN) of others under some similarity function. We model the problem by superimposing the database graph with the kNN graph and show that a variant of Leapfrog TrieJoin (LTJ) implemented over a compact data structure called the Ring can be seamlessly extended to integrate similarity clauses with the equijoins in the LTJ query process, retaining worst-case optimality in many relevant cases. Our experiments on a benchmark that combines Wikidata and IMGpedia show that our enhanced LTJ algorithm outperforms by a considerable margin a baseline that first applies classic LTJ and then completes the query by applying the similarity predicates. The difference is more pronounced on queries where the similarity clauses are more densely connected to the query, becoming of an order of magnitude in some cases.