bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Individuals with genetic high‐risk for psychosis experience impaired coping styles compared with healthy controls
Authors: He Xiao‐Yang , Huang Zhuo‐Hui , Wang Fei , Jia Fujun , Hou Cai‐Lan
Published: July 2024

Background

Individuals with schizophrenia tend to have negative coping styles and low levels of self‐esteem, but it is unclear whether coping styles and self‐esteem levels are altered in people in the prodromal phase of psychosis.

Aims

The study was designed to assess the role of coping style and self‐esteem in the context of different phases of schizophrenia.

Methods

Recurrent Schizophrenia (ReSch), first‐episode schizophrenia patients (FEP), genetic‐high risk for psychosis (GHR) patients, and healthy controls (HC) (40 per group) were subjected to in‐person clinical interviews. The results of these interviews were then used to gauge coping style and self‐esteem using the Coping Styles Questionnaire (CSQ) and the Rosenberg's Self‐Esteem Scale (RSES). Data were analyzed through ANCOVAs and logistic regression analyses.

Results

The results found that positive coping style (CSQ problem‐solving and CSQ seeking for help) generally decline with progression through the HC, GHR, and FEP groups, while negative coping style (CSQ fantasy, CSQ repression and CSQ self‐blame) generally increase with progression through the HC, GHR, and FEP groups (except that GHR group was slightly lower than HC group in CSQ self‐blame). Results for members of ReSch group were in line with those of members of the FEP group in coping style. At the level of self‐esteem, the GHR group was similar to the HC group and significantly higher than the FEP group and the ReSch group. Logistic regression analyses indicated that GHR group patients exhibited increased negative coping styles (CSQ fantasy) relative to members of the HC group, but had greater Positive coping style (CSQ problem‐solving) than did members of the FEP group.

Discussion

These findings suggest that both GHR individuals experience impaired negative coping styles which expands the understanding of the psychological characteristics of the prodromal group. Further explorations are warranted to develop optimal psychosocial interventions.
Embodying the nuclear: The moral struggle of family care in postfallout Japan
Authors: Cho Jieun
Published: July 2024

This paper examines the moral struggle of family care by focusing on parents’ efforts to raise “healthy” children in irradiated environments of Fukushima following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Drawing on fieldwork between 2017 and 2020, it explores the lived experiences of primary caretakers, mostly mothers, as they strive to cultivate “health” in their children while negotiating conflicting logics of radiological exposure, risk assessment, and gendered childcare. Central to this endeavor is what I call an ethical labor of “balancing:” the daily negotiation between protecting children and allowing them to live fully in risk‐laden environments. Emphasizing intercorporeal and interpersonal aspects of embodied care, the paper examines the nuanced ways in which three mothers recalibrate notions of health, personhood, and responsibility to safeguard their children's everyday lives. Such notions of “health” carry significant implications for family dynamics amid the uncertainties of postdisaster life. By highlighting the critical role of family care in potentially stigmatizing environments, the paper advocates for developing frameworks that address the real‐life complexities of making life in an increasingly compromised world.
Leveraging single‐cell sequencing analysis and bulk‐RNA sequencing analysis to forecast necroptosis in cutaneous melanoma prognosis
Authors: Xie Jiaheng , Zhang Pengpeng , Tang Qikai , Ma Chenfeng , Li Muyang , Qi Min
Published: July 2024

Cutaneous melanoma, a malignancy of melanocytes, presents a significant challenge due to its aggressive nature and rising global incidence. Despite advancements in treatment, the variability in patient responses underscores the need for further research into novel therapeutic targets, including the role of programmed cell death pathways such as necroptosis. The melanoma datasets used for analysis, GSE215120, GSE19234, GSE22153 and GSE65904, were downloaded from the GEO database. The melanoma data from TCGA were downloaded from the UCSC website. Using single‐cell sequencing, we assess the heterogeneity of necroptosis in cutaneous melanoma, identifying distinct cell clusters and necroptosis‐related gene expression patterns. A combination of 101 machine learning algorithms was employed to construct a necroptosis‐related signature (NRS) based on key genes associated with necroptosis. The prognostic value of NRS was evaluated in four cohorts (one TCGA and three GEO cohorts), and the tumour microenvironment (TME) was analysed to understand the relationship between necroptosis, tumour mutation burden (TMB) and immune infiltration. Finally, we focused on the role of key target TSPAN10 in the prognosis, pathogenesis, immunotherapy relevance and drug sensitivity of cutaneous melanoma. Our study revealed significant heterogeneity in necroptosis among melanoma cells, with a higher prevalence in epithelial cells, myeloid cells and fibroblasts. The NRS, developed through rigorous machine learning techniques, demonstrated robust prognostic capabilities, distinguishing high‐risk patients with poorer outcomes in all cohorts. Analysis of the TME showed that high NRS scores correlated with lower TMB and reduced immune cell infiltration, indicating a potential mechanism through which necroptosis influences melanoma progression. Finally, TSPAN10 has been identified as a key target for cutaneous melanoma and is highly associated with poor prognosis. The findings highlight the complex role of necroptosis in cutaneous melanoma and introduce the NRS as a novel prognostic tool with potential to guide therapeutic decisions.
Regional invasion history and land use shape the prevalence of non‐native species in local assemblages
Authors: Liu Daijun , Essl Franz , Lenzner Bernd , Moser Dietmar , Semenchuk Philipp , Blackburn Tim M. , Cassey Phillip , Biancolini Dino , Capinha César , Dawson Wayne , Dyer Ellie E. , Guénard Benoit , Economo Evan P. , Kreft Holger , Pergl Jan , Pyšek Petr , van Kleunen Mark , Rondinini Carlo , Seebens Hanno , Weigelt Patrick , Winter Marten , Purvis Andy , Dullinger Stefan
Published: July 2024

The ecological impact of non‐native species arises from their establishment in local assemblages. However, the rates of non‐native spread in new regions and their determinants have not been comprehensively studied. Here, we combined global databases documenting the occurrence of non‐native species and residence of non‐native birds, mammals, and vascular plants at regional and local scales to describe how the likelihood of non‐native occurrence and their proportion in local assemblages relate with their residence time and levels of human usage in different ecosystems. Our findings reveal that local non‐native occurrence generally increases with residence time. Colonization is most rapid in croplands and urban areas, while it is slower and variable in natural or semi‐natural ecosystems. Notably, non‐native occurrence continues to rise even 200 years after introduction, especially for birds and vascular plants, and in other land‐use types rather than croplands and urban areas. The impact of residence time on non‐native proportions is significant only for mammals. We conclude that the continental exchange of biotas requires considerable time for effects to manifest at the local scale across taxa and land‐use types. The unpredictability of future impacts, implied by the slow spread of non‐native species, strengthens the call for stronger regulations on the exchange of non‐native species to reduce the long‐lasting invasion debt looming on ecosystems' future.
Detection of Inconsistencies in Isotope Ratios Certified in the Isotopic Primary Standards for Copper, Zinc and Nickel
Authors: Meija Juris , He Juan , Methven Brad , Mester Zoltán , Yang Lu
Published: July 2024

Calibrated isotope ratio measurements underpin numerous areas of scientific enquiry. Isotope measurement results rely on reference materials in order to correct instrumental isotopic fractionation, a bias induced by all mass spectrometers. The reference values assigned to these materials are typically obtained using gravimetric mixtures of separated isotopes but such experiments are costly and thus rarely cross‐examined. Here we advance the concept of linking measurements of various isotope systems to provide a cost‐effective way to assess the reliability of the values assigned to isotopic primary standards. Using MC‐ICP‐MS, we apply this workflow to examine the consistency of a couple of long‐standing isotopic primary standards of copper, nickel and zinc. Our measurement results of the reference materials that define the isotope ratios and consequently the atomic weights of zinc and nickel, Ar(Zn, IRMM‐3702) = 65.3604 ± 0.0023 (95% confidence interval) and Ar(Ni, NIST SRM 986) = 58.6979 ± 0.0010 (95% confidence interval), show zinc to be 15‐sigma lighter and nickel 16‐sigma heavier than their certified values. These discrepancies are suggestive of a wider reproducibility crisis surrounding isotopic standards and a further cross‐examination of isotope ratios associated with primary reference materials is likely to identify yet‐unrecognised biases for many other elements of the Periodic Table leading to improvements of the overall reliability of research conclusions that relies on them.
Natural fermentation of fresh Jasmine flowers inspired the development of a biotechnological ingredient with global anti‐ageing properties
Authors: Bergeron L. , Brulas M. , Mouret L. , Seassau A. , Magliano M. , Oger E. , Imbert I.
Published: July 2024

Objective

This study focused on the development of a new‐to‐world ingredient harnessing the natural potential of fresh Jasminum grandiflorum flowers to self‐ferment by its phytobiome revealing flower content. Analytical investigations were conducted to highlight specific phytocompounds generated during the natural fermentation of flowers in comparison to a conventional extraction. The synergy with another extraction technology maximized the generation of biocompounds for an interesting efficacy.

Methods

Jasmine extract was elaborated by combining two patented technologies: the phytofermentology™, inspired by plant–microorganisms interaction and designed to develop ingredients obtained by natural fermentation of the vegetal using its own phytobiota; and the PSR™ technology allowing the extraction of bioactive phytocompounds such as small RNAs from plants.

Results

Analytical investigations of Jasmine extract highlighted uniqueness and richness of the phytocompound profiles, such as organics acids and phenolic compounds, markers of fermentation only obtained after phytofermentology in comparison to conventional extraction. Jasmine extract has the particularity to contain jasmintides, flower small peptides belonging to the family of cysteine‐rich peptides (CRPs). Antioxidant and global anti‐ageing properties were investigated in cell‐free assays demonstrating interesting results: about 20% scavenging of free radicals from 0.5% of Jasmine extract and protection from DNA damage of 26% in comparison to a stressed control.

Conclusion

Phytofermentology™ technology combined with PSR™ technology, meant to be respectful of the environment, allowed to development of biofunctionals very close to nature with a unique analytical signature as Jasmine extract, using the potential of fresh flowers phytobiota to self‐ferment. The efficacy of the ingredient on global antioxidation and anti‐ageing via hyaluronidase/tyrosinase inhibitions was highlighted by cell‐free evaluation assays. Further and complementary studies should be conducted to confirm the bioefficacy of this ingredient with in vitro / ex vivo assays.
Mentha piperita leaf extract suppresses the release of ATP from epidermal keratinocytes and reduces dermal thinning as well as wrinkle formation
Authors: Fujita Yukiko , Biswas Kazal Boron , Kawai Yuka , Takayama Satoru , Masutani Teruaki , Iddamalgoda Arunasiri , Sakamoto Kotaro
Published: July 2024

Objectives

To achieve a more beautiful and younger appearance, reducing wrinkles is a key concern. The process of wrinkle formation is complex and the development of truly effective cosmetic ingredients to reduce wrinkles remains a challenge. Recent studies have revealed a close relationship between wrinkles and skin thinning, suggesting that preventing skin thinning could also prevent wrinkle formation. In this study, we examined the role of extracellular adenosine triphosphate (eATP) in the progression of thinning, as eATP reportedly increases skin ageing factors, such as senescence‐associated secreted phenotype (SASP) factors in epidermal cells. We determined the effects of Mentha piperita leaf extract on suppressing eATP to reduce thinning and wrinkles.

Methods

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels were measured in normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK) in the presence of M. piperita leaf extract. Dryness, high pH, and UVB radiation were used as extrinsic ageing factors. Intrinsic skin ageing was evaluated by comparing cells from adults (AD‐NHEK) and newborns (NB‐NHEK). A placebo‐controlled in vivo study was carried out with a formulation containing 1% M. piperita leaf extract.

Results

The eATP levels were significantly higher in AD‐NHEK compared with that in NB‐NHEK cells. M. piperita leaf extract significantly decreased eATP levels in adult cells. Extrinsic ageing factors increased eATP levels in NHEK, whereas M. piperita leaf extract significantly suppressed eATP under all conditions. The active components of M. piperita leaf extract, luteolin glucuronide and rosmarinic acid, also decreased eATP. Moreover, compared with placebo lotion, M. piperita leaf extract‐formulated lotion markedly increased dermal thickness and reduced wrinkles associated with crow's feet and the neck area.

Conclusion

We demonstrated for the first time that M. piperita leaf extract containing rosmarinic acid and luteolin‐7‐O‐glucuronide has the potential to reduce eATP release from epidermal keratinocytes. An increase in eATP was observed not only during inflammation but also during natural ageing. Furthermore, the in vivo experiment revealing that 1% M. piperita leaf extract‐containing lotion improved dermal thinning and wrinkles across multiple areas is attributed to the amelioration of dermal thinning. Thus, our data suggest the possibility of a novel cosmetic approach for reducing skin ageing by reducing eATP‐mediated dermal thinning.
Age‐related changes in the bacterial composition of healthy female facial skin in Beijing area
Authors: Zhou Jin , Mehling Annette , Wang Qiujing , Wang Xiaoyue , Hu Xinyue , Song Liya
Published: July 2024

Objective

Exploring the effects of age on microbial community structure and understanding the effects of chronological ageing as well as sun exposure on microbial community diversity.

Method

The microbial characteristics of the facial skin of 98 adult women aged 18–70 years were studied using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and differences based on age and reported sun exposure were assessed.

Results

The cheek skin's bacterial diversity and richness increased with age. The relative abundance of Cutibacterium decreased with age, while the relative abundance of Corynebacterium, Anaerococcus, Paracoccus, Micrococcus, Kocuria, Kytococcus, and Chryseobacterium increased. In addition, an increase in Micrococcus and a decrease in Cutibacterium were observed in volunteers with more than 2 h of daily sun exposure compared to volunteers with <2 h of daily sun exposure. Under low‐sunlight conditions, Cutibacterium was more prevalent in the youth group, and Corynebacterium, Anaerococcus, and Kytococcus were more prevalent in the older group.

Conclusion

The diversity and composition of the bacterial community on the cheeks are affected by age and extrinsic factors (sun exposure) may also play a role in this.
Generational differences in perceived severity of atopic dermatitis
Authors: Ureña‐Paniego Clara , Montero‐Vilchez Trinidad , Sanabria‐de‐la‐Torre Raquel , Ramírez‐Muñoz Arena , Arias‐Santiago Salvador
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis that affects all age groups. The impact of AD on patients' lives could differ across generations. Understanding the differences in objective and subjective severity of AD between generations may support more personalized care for the AD patients. Thus, this study aimed to compare the clinical severity and subjective impact of AD between generation Z (GZ) and the millennial generation (MG).

Materials and methods

We carried out a cross‐sectional observational study in patients diagnosed with moderate to severe AD born between 1993–2001 (GZ) and 1978–1992 (MG) who attended an AD specialist care unit for the first time. We collected severity indices evaluated by the dermatologist, such as the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) or the Investigator Global Assessment (IGA), and severity scales that included patient assessment, such as the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) or the Patient‐Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM).

Results

A total of 73 patients were included, of which 56.2% (41/73) were women. 52.86% (37/73) of the patients belonged to the MG, and 43.8% (33/73) belonged to GZ. Patients belonging to GZ presented lower severity of their AD compared to the MG (EASI: 9.75 ± 11.68 vs. 16.63 ± 14.66; P < 0.05). However, their perception of disease severity was similar to the MG (SCORAD: 43.54 ± 28.99 vs. 32.98 ± 21.91; P = 0.96; POEM: 13.21 ± 8.98 vs. 15.48 ± 6.69; P = 0.14).

Conclusions

GZ presents a higher subjective perception of severity than millennials. Understanding these generational disparities contributes to creating more effective treatment strategies and provides a more targeted approach to care that addresses each generational group's unique needs and expectations.
Spatial resolution of the head and neck cancer tumor microenvironment to identify tumor and stromal features associated with therapy response
Authors: Berrell Naomi , Monkman James , Donovan Meg , Blick Tony , O'Byrne Ken , Ladwa Rahul , Tan Chin Wee , Kulasinghe Arutha
Published: July 2024

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the seventh most common cancer globally, resulting in 440 000 deaths per year. While there have been advancements in chemoradiotherapy and surgery, relapse occurs in more than half of HNCs, and these patients have a median survival of 10 months and a 2‐year survival of < 20%. Only a subset of patients displays durable benefits from immunotherapies in metastatic and recurrent HNC, making it critical to understand the tumor microenvironment (TME) underpinning therapy responses in HNC. To recognize biological differences within the TME that may be predictive of immunotherapy response, we applied cutting‐edge geospatial whole‐transcriptome profiling (NanoString GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler) and spatial proteomics profiling (Akoya PhenoCycler‐Fusion) on a tumor microarray consisting of 25 cores from 12 patients that included 4 immunotherapy‐unresponsive (8 cores) and 2 immunotherapy‐responsive patients (5 cores), as well as 6 immunotherapy naïve patients (12 cores). Through high‐plex, regional‐based transcriptomic mapping of the tumor and TME, pathways involved with the complement system and hypoxia were identified to be differentially expressed in patients who went on to experience a poor immunotherapy response. Single‐cell, targeted proteomic analysis found that immune cell infiltration of the cancer cell mass and interactions of CD8 T cells with tumor and other immune cells were associated with positive immunotherapy response. The relative abundance of specific tumor phenotypes and their interactions with various immune cells was identified to be different between response groups. This study demonstrates how spatial transcriptomics and proteomics can resolve novel alterations in the TME of HNC that may contribute to therapy sensitivity and resistance.
Generation of B7‐H3 isoform regulated by ANXA2/NSUN2/YBX1 axis in human glioma
Authors: Shen Yifen , Ma Chunfang , Li Xiangxiang , Li Xiaosong , Wu Yuxiang , Yang Tao , Hu Yanping , Liu Chao , Shen Hao , Guo Pin , Shen Yihang
Published: July 2024

In recent years, in the development of emerging immunotherapy, B7‐H3 is also termed as CD276 and has become a novel chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)‐T target against glioma and other tumours, and aroused extensive attention. However, B7‐H3 has three isoforms (2, 3 and 4Ig) with the controversial expression and elusive function in tumour especially glioma. The current study mainly focuses on the regulatory factors and related mechanisms of generation of different B7‐H3 isoforms. First, we have determined that 2Ig is dominant in glioma with high malignancy, and 4Ig is widely expressed, whereas 3Ig shows negative expression in all glioma. Next, we have further found that RNA binding protein annexin A2 (ANXA2) is essential for B7‐H3 isoform maintenance, but fail to determine the choice of 4Ig or 2Ig. RNA methyltransferase NOP2/Sun RNA methyltransferase 2 (NSUN2) and 5‐methylcytosine reader Y‐box binding protein 1 (YBX1) facilitate the production of 2Ig. Our findings have uncovered a series of factors (ANXA2/NSUN2/YBX1) that can determine the alternative generation of different isoforms of B7‐H3 in glioma. Our result aims to help peers gain a clearer understanding of the expression and regulatory mechanisms of B7H3 in tumour patients, and to provide better strategies for designing B7H3 as a target in immunotherapy.
Characterization of the forehead skin microbiome in the early phase of acne
Authors: Maître M. , Gravier E. , Simcic‐Mori A. , Géniès C. , Mias C. , Alvarez‐Georges S. , Noustens A. , Bouyer K. , Bessou‐Touya S. , Carballido F. , Duplan H.
Published: July 2024

Background

The skin microbiota is known to be imbalanced in acne vulgaris, but the changes occurring during the early stages of acne onset remain poorly described.

Objectives

To characterize the skin microbiome of subclinical stages of acne in adults and adolescents.

Methods

The composition and diversity of the microbiota from non‐lesional skin on the forehead of subjects with mild‐to‐moderate acne were compared to the ones from non‐acne subjects. Analyses of skin swab samples were performed using high‐throughput sequencing of the V1–V3 regions of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene, the tuf gene fragment ofStaphylococcusspecies and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) region of the fungal rRNA gene to determine the relative abundance, alpha‐diversity and beta‐diversity of bacteria and fungi.

Results

Compared with non‐acne subjects, acne subjects had a higher abundance ofCutibacterium(72.4% vs. 57.8%) and lower abundances ofCorynebacterium(2.8% vs. 4.8%) andStreptococcus(1.4% vs. 3.2%). Bacterial alpha‐ and beta‐diversity indices also differed significantly between the two groups, reflecting differences in richness, evenness, abundance and phylogenetic distance between bacterial populations. Differences were also observed at the level ofStaphylococcusspecies:S. capitiswas predominant in skin samples from non‐acne subjects (46.7%), whereasS. epidermidiswas the most abundantStaphylococcusspecies in non‐lesional forehead skin areas of acne subjects (44.2%). Conversely, no significant between‐group differences were found for fungi, withMalassezialesbeing the predominant order in both subject groups.

Conclusion

Dysbiosis was observed very early in subclinical acne stages of the forehead skin, with the overall abundance, richness and evenness of the bacterial population being lower in acne than in non‐acne skin samples. Dysbiosis was also found at the level ofStaphylococcusspecies. The development of acne lesions could therefore be prevented by using a skin care product that rebalances facial skin microbiota at very early stages.
Impacts of estuarine habitat degradation on the modeled life history of marine estuarine–dependent and resident fish species
Authors: ten Brink Hanna , van Leeuwen Anieke
Published: July 2024

Shallow coastal and estuarine habitats play an essential role in the life cycles of many fish species, providing spawning, nursery, feeding, and migration areas. However, these ecologically valuable habitats are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic activities, causing substantial changes in both habitat availability and quality. Fish species use these shallow coastal habitats and estuaries during various life stages, leading to their categorization into guilds based on how and when they rely on these areas. This differential functional use of estuaries means that changes to these habitats may affect each guild differently. To understand the impact of estuarine habitat degradation on fish populations, it is therefore necessary to consider the full life cycle of fish and when they rely on these coastal habitats. Here, we use conceptual size‐structured population models to study how estuarine habitat degradation affects two functionally different guilds. We use these models to predict how reduced food productivity in the estuary affects the demographic rates and population dynamics of these groups. Specifically, we model estuarine residents, which complete their entire life cycle in estuaries, and marine estuarine–dependent species, which inhabit estuaries during early life before transitioning offshore. We find that total fish biomass for both guilds decreases with decreasing food productivity. However, the density of juveniles of the marine estuarine–dependent guild can, under certain conditions, increase in the estuary. This occurs due to a shift in the population biomass distribution over different life stages and a simultaneous shift in which life stage is most limited by food. At the individual level, somatic growth of juveniles belonging to the estuarine‐dependent guild decreased with lower food supply in the estuary, due to increased competition for food. The somatic growth rates of fish belonging to the resident guild were largely unaffected by low food supply, as the total fish density decreased at the same time and therefore the per‐capita food availability was similar. These outcomes challenge the assumption that responses to habitat degradation are similar between fish guilds. Our study highlights the need to assess not only fish biomass but also size distributions, survival, and somatic growth rates for a comprehensive understanding of the effects of habitat degradation on fish populations. This understanding is crucial not only for estuary fish communities but also for successful conservation and management of commercially harvested offshore population components.
Serum zinc, selenium, and vitamin D levels in patients with acne vulgaris: A case–control study
Authors: Kazeminejad Armaghan , Hajheydari Zohreh , Taghian Seyed Shokoufe , Gholizadeh Nasim
Published: July 2024

Background

Acne vulgaris is a very common inflammatory skin disease that significantly impacts the quality of life of affected individuals. Previous studies have indicated that individuals with acne vulgaris often have low levels of zinc, selenium, and vitamin D. However, these three nutrients have rarely been collectively examined in a single study. The objective of this study was to compare serum levels of zinc, selenium, and vitamin D in patients with acne vulgaris in comparison to a control group.

Methods

This case–control study included 100 adult patients with acne vulgaris attending a dermatology clinic, in 2020. A group of 100 patients without acne vulgaris attending the same clinics were evaluated as controls. Participants' sociodemographic characteristics, including age, sex, occupation, alcohol consumption, and tobacco smoking were recorded. In addition, anthropometric indices, such as weight and height, were measured and the body mass index (BMI) was calculated accordingly. Acne severity was determined using Tutakne and Chari's grading system. Serum zinc, selenium, and vitamin D levels were evaluated in peripheral blood samples of all the participants.

Results

Acne patients and controls were comparable regarding age, sex, weight, height, BMI, occupation, alcohol consumption, and tobacco smoking (p > 0.05). Serum zinc, selenium, and vitamin D levels were all significantly lower in acne patients than in controls (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the frequency of abnormal zinc and vitamin D levels was significantly higher in acne patients (p = 0.002 and p = 0.001, respectively), but there was no significant difference between the two groups regarding abnormal serum selenium levels (p = 0.228). Also, serum zinc, selenium, and vitamin D levels lower levels in patients with grade 4 acne compared to other disease severity grades (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Patients with acne vulgaris have lower levels of serum zinc, selenium, and vitamin D compared to the control group. Additionally, there is a correlation between the severity of the disease and lower levels of these nutrients.
Tzveleviochloa uniyalii comb. nov. (Poaceae, Aveninae): taxonomic status and an update on distributions in India
Authors: Prasad Dileshwar , Tiwari Smita , Sharma Sangam , Yadav Rekha , Agnihotri Priyanka
Published: July 2024

Helictotrichon uniyalii corresponds to the genus Tzveleviochloa based on the lemma apex, lodicules, and ovary morphological features. Therefore, here, a new combination, Tzveleviochloa uniyalii, is proposed. In addition, we have provided amended descriptions, taxonomic notes, habitat, and distributional range updates with a new record of the flora of Himachal Pradesh, illustration, and color photographs.
Inpatient diabetes management
Authors: Demidowich Andrew P. , Stanback Camille , Zilbermint Mihail
Published: July 2024

Diabetes mellitus is currently approaching epidemic proportions and disproportionately affects patients in the hospital setting. In the United States, individuals living with diabetes represent over 17 million emergency department visits and 8 million admissions annually. The management of these patients in the hospital setting is complex and differs considerably from the outpatient setting. All patients with hyperglycemia should be screened for diabetes, as in‐hospital hyperglycemia portends a greater risk for morbidity, mortality, admission to an intensive care unit, and increased hospital length of stay. However, the definition of hyperglycemia, glycemic targets, and strategies to manage hyperglycemia in the inpatient setting can vary greatly depending on the population considered. Moreover, the presenting illness, changing nutritional status, and concurrent hospital medications often necessitate thoughtful consideration to adjustments of home diabetes regimens and/or the initiation of new insulin doses. This review article will examine core concepts and emerging new literature surrounding inpatient diabetes management, including glycemic targets, insulin dosing strategies, noninsulin medications, new diabetes technologies, inpatient diabetes management teams, and discharge planning strategies, to optimize patient safety and satisfaction, clinical outcomes, and even hospital financial health.
Sella turcica and facial bones: Morphological integration in the human fetal cranium
Authors: Utsunomiya Natsuko , Katsube Motoki , Yamaguchi Yutaka , Kumakiri Masanori , Morimoto Naoki , Yamada Shigehito
Published: July 2024

Objectives

The cranial base plays a significant role in facial growth, and closer analyses of the morphological relationship between these two regions are needed to understand the morphogenesis of the face. Here, we aimed to study morphological integration between the sella turcica (ST) and facial bones during the fetal period using geometric morphometrics.

Materials and Methods

Magnetic resonance images of 47 human fetuses in the Kyoto Collection, with crown‐rump lengths of 29.8–225 mm, were included in this study. Anatomical homologous landmarks and semilandmarks were registered on the facial bones and the midsagittal contour of the ST, respectively. The shape variations in the craniofacial skeleton and the ST were statistically investigated by reducing dimensionality using principal component analysis (PCA). Subsequently, the morphological integration between the facial bones and ST was investigated using two‐block partial least squares (2B‐PLS) analysis.

Results

PCA showed that small specimens represented the concave facial profile, including the mandibular protrusion and maxillary retrusion. The 2B‐PLS showed a strong integration (RV coefficient = 0.523, r = .79, p < .01) between the facial bones and ST. The curvature of the anterior wall of the ST was highly associated with immature facial morphology characterized by a concave profile.

Conclusion

The strong integration between the two regions suggested that the anterior ST may be associated with facial morphology. This result quantitatively confirms previous studies reporting ST deformities in facial anomalies and induces further research using postnatal subjects.
Role of MTHFR, IRF6, PAX7 and TP63 SNPs in susceptibility to non‐syndromic orofacial cleft, a candidate gene study in a Portuguese population
Authors: Mendes João , Guimarães Adriana Rocha , Ribeiro Joana Martins , Oliveiros Bárbara , Mesquita Luís Alcides , Fernandes Maria Helena , do Vale Francisco José Fernandes , Silva Henriqueta Coimbra
Published: July 2024

Background

Non‐syndromic orofacial cleft (NSOC) is a complex phenotype, involving multiple genetic and environmental factors. Association studies exploring the genetic susceptibility to this prevalent oral malformation show variability of results in different populations. Using a candidate gene approach, we aimed to verify the role of four single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the susceptibility to NSOC in Portuguese patients.

Methods

A total of 254 non‐consanguineous individuals of Portuguese were recruited, including 120 patients with NSOC and 134 controls. About 92% of these patients had non‐syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) and 8% had only non‐syndromic cleft palate (NSCP). SNPs in the MTHFR (rs1801133), IRF6 (rs642961), PAX7 (rs742071) and TP63 (rs9332461) genes were studied, using a real‐time approach with TaqMan probes. Allelic, genotypic, dominant, recessive and over‐dominant models were explored using a chi‐squared test. Adjusted p‐value was calculated for multiple comparisons using the Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR).

Results

All SNPs were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. For MTHFR, IRF6, and PAX7 SNPs, no statistically significant difference was highlighted for any of the evaluated models. For TP63 SNP, data fitted an over‐dominant model, with a protective effect for heterozygotes (OR 1.897; CI 95% [1.144–3.147]; p < .016, when comparing controls vs. cases), but significance was lost when applying adjusted p‐value for multiple comparisons (4 × 5 tests).

Conclusion

In this Portuguese population, there was no evidence of an association between the evaluated SNPs and NSOC. For TP63 SNP, the possibility of a protective effect of heterozygotes should be further investigated.
Characteristics and clinical significance of tertiary lymphoid structures in OSCC
Authors: Yao Mianfeng , Yang Tianru , Li Qiulan , Zhang Xinle , Zheng Ziran , Li Jiang , Huang Jiajun , Sun Yuanxin , Gao Xing , Fang Changyun
Published: July 2024

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and their association with clinical and pathological features.

Materials and Methods

12 TLS‐related chemokines in TCGA database were analyzed to investigate the TLSs in OSCC. The density, maturity, and location of TLSs in a large cohort of 189 OSCC patients (114 of which had clinical and prognostic information) were assessed. And the significance between TLSs and clinicopathologic characteristics was analyzed.

Results

Bioinformatics and analysis showed that TLSs were associated with better clinical outcomes in OSCC. Histological staining and analysis showed that the overall survival rate of the high‐density group (71/112, 63.4%) was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) than that of the low‐density group (41/112, 36.6%), and the high‐density group had fewer lymph node metastases (50.0%/68.3%, p = 0.021). And TLSs were divided into 4 types according to the maturity and location. Different types of TLSs are associated with prognosis (OS, p < 0.0001), clinical features (T stage, p = 0.028; degree of differentiation, p = 0.043), and precancerous lesion types (OSF, p = 0.049) of OSCC patients.

Conclusion

TLSs were closely associated with better OSCC prognosis, and a more systematic classification may better guide the formulation of further treatment options.
The invertase gene PWIN1 confers chilling tolerance of rice at the booting stage via mediating pollen development
Authors: Wang Yanli , Gong Chunyan , Liu Lingtong , Wang Tai
Published: July 2024

Pollen fertility is a primary regulator of grain yield and is highly susceptible to cold and other environmental stress. We revealed the roles of rice cell wall invertase gene PWIN1 in pollen development and chilling tolerance. We uncovered its preferential expression in microspores and bicellular pollen and identified its knock‐down and knock‐out mutants. pwin1 mutants produced a higher proportion of abnormal pollen than wild‐type plants. The contents of sucrose, glucose, and fructose were increased, while ATP content and primary metabolism activity were reduced in the mutant pollen. Furthermore, the loss of function of PWIN1 coincided with an increase in SnRK1 activity and a decrease in TOR activity. Under chilling conditions, pwin1 mutants displayed significantly reduced pollen viability and seed‐setting rate, while overexpressing PWIN1 notably increased pollen viability and seed‐setting rate as compared with the wild‐type, indicating that PWIN1 is essential for rice pollen development and grain yield under cold stress. This study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying rice pollen fertility during chilling stress, and a new module to improve chilling tolerance of rice at the booting stage by molecular design.
Efficacy of aprepitant for refractory pruritus in patients with epidermolysis bullosa and atopic dermatitis: A retrospective study
Authors: Hartzell Cheryl J. , Szabova Alexandra , Collins Andrew B. , Morel Armand N. , Mijatovic Desimir , Goldschneider Kenneth R.
Published: July 2024

Introduction

At a single‐center pediatric hospital, the neurokinin‐1 receptor antagonist aprepitant was used to treat refractory pruritus in epidermolysis bullosa (EB) and atopic dermatitis (AD).

Methods

Thirty‐seven patients were included (24 EB patients, 13 AD patients), ages 10 months to 37 years.

Results

58% (14/24) of patients with EB and 85% (11/13) of patients with AD reported aprepitant was effective in decreasing their pruritus, with age‐related differences in efficacy observed in EB patients, and access to the medication by insurance denial or availability of the drug as a barrier to use.

Conclusions

Aprepitant shows promise in controlling refractory pruritus in pediatric EB and AD patients and deserves further study.
Is rapid urbanisation in Africa jeopardising the health and education of the population?
Authors: Ngounou Borice Augustin , Tekam Oumbe Honoré , Fowagap Jean‐Marie Gankou , Domguia Edmond Noubissi
Published: July 2024

Improving and achieving better health and education is one of the main objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and there is an extremely fertile literature on this issue. Therefore, in this paper, we study the impact of urbanisation on health and education in a sample of 49 African countries. To this end, we specify and estimate panel data models using fixed effects methods, the Driscoll–Kraay method, whose robustness has been demonstrated by Lewbel, 2SLS and the Kinky least squares method over the period 1996–2020. Our results suggest that urbanisation has a positive impact on healthcare spending and education in African countries. We obtain the same result by regional zone (North and West Africa), by level of development (Low Middle‐Income Countries) and by dominant religion (Christianity) with the exception of Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, Middle Income Countries and Islamic religion and Others. Similarly, our results reveal that although urbanisation significantly worsens healthcare spending and significantly improves education in African countries, this result may be further amplified by the level of development and religious practices. This result remains the same when we take into account public (national government health expenditure) and private (private health insurance and household consumption expenditure on health) health expenditure, as well as secondary and tertiary education enrolment rates, with the exception of reducing external support for health in government, where urbanisation rather contributes to its reduction. Furthermore, taking into account other health measures, such as life expectancy at birth, prevalence of undernutrition, birth rate, prevalence of tuberculosis and mortality rate, our results indicate that urbanisation plays an important role. This leads to an increase in life expectancy, a higher prevalence of undernutrition, an increase in the birth rate and a decrease in tuberculosis and mortality rates. We therefore suggest that the governments of African countries invest in advanced information and communication technologies and encourage their adoption, particularly among marginalised populations, as these new tools have the potential to considerably improve health outcomes. These technologies make it possible to monitor and manage epidemics and sexually transmitted diseases more effectively. They can also facilitate better training in health and education, leading to better results in both areas.
Mapping Black geographies
Authors: Hawthorne Camilla
Published: July 2024

This paper unfolds in three parts. In Part 1, I describe how I have contended with the fraught relationships among mapping, nationalism, and colonialism in my teaching and research. When writing my first book, Contesting Race and Citizenship, I had to reckon with the positivist impulse to enumerate and map Black Italianness—and, more broadly, with the politics of visibility at a time of increasingly virulent racial nationalisms, xenophobia, and outright anti‐Black violence. In Part 2, I describe the ways my own thinking about mapping has been pushed in new directions by insights from Black geographies. Drawing on Clyde Woods, Katherine McKittrick, and Édouard Glissant—as well as essays from the edited volume The Black Geographic—I argue that Black geographic counter‐cartographies foreground insurgent Black spatial knowledges and practices that have always exceeded racial‐spatial violence, and approach mapping as both a material and poetic process. In Part 3, I conclude by advancing some tentative ideas about what it might mean to map new or alternative geographies of abolitionist struggle that attend to the interconnections between Black Atlantic and Black Mediterranean histories of racial capitalism.
The sharp doubling threshold for approximate convexity
Authors: van Hintum Peter , Keevash Peter
Published: July 2024

We show for of equal volume and that if , then (up to translation) is bounded. This establishes the sharp threshold for the quantitative stability of the Brunn–Minkowski inequality recently established by Figalli, van Hintum, and Tiba, the proof of which uses our current result. We additionally establish a similar sharp threshold for iterated sumsets.
Effect of Vegetation Cover Changes on the Runoff Coefficient Characteristics in the Cisangkuy Watershed, Indonesia
Authors: Ismail Arif , Greve Klaus , Widiawaty Millary Agung , Dede Moh , Nandi Nandi
Published: July 2024

The hydrological response of a watershed is a key aspect of watershed management. Long-term monitoring is faced with a lack of empirical data. This study implements Cook’s method to determine the run-off coefficient in the Cisangkuy watershed. This method involved watershed characteristic data such as slope, soil, stream, and vegetation greenness. Run-off related to vegetation greenness, as the component of hydrological responses, data retrieved from satellite imageries (Landsat series) over 30 years using Google Earth Engine were used for this analysis. High-density vegetation areas in the Cisangkuy watershed tended to degrade from 1990 to 2010 and then increased significantly from the last ten years until 2020. Meanwhile, there was no significant change in the run-off coefficient over the 30 years measured. Non-vegetated areas increased over low- and moderate-vegetation lands, especially after 2010. The Cisangkuy watershed has a high run-off coefficient with a larger area compared to other classes with a run-off coefficient of 60-63%. In the Cisangkuy watershed, a decrease in the area of the normal category run-off coefficient contributes to an increase in this phenomenon in the high and extreme classes. The physical characteristics of the watershed, especially in terms of the utilization of water resources and flood mitigation, were examined in this study to achieve sustainable management.
The anatomy of brainwashing
Authors: Kipnis Jonathan
Published: July 2024

Glymphatic-lymphatic brain cleansing may reveal new therapeutic strategies
Down to the bone
Authors: Jain Sanket
Published: July 2024

There’s growing evidence that breathing polluted air increases the risk of osteoporosis
Practical updates in clinical antiviral resistance testing
Authors: Wang Hannah
Published: July 2024

The laboratory diagnosis of antiviral resistance is a quickly changing field due to new drug availability, the sunsetting of older drugs, the development of novel technologies, rapid viral evolution, and the financial/logistic pressures of the clinical laboratory. This mini-review summarizes the current state of clinically available antiviral resistance testing in the United States in 2024, covering the most commonly used test methods, mechanisms, and clinical indications for herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus, human immunodeficiency virus, influenza, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus drug resistance testing. Common themes include the move away from phenotypic to genotypic methods for first-line clinical testing, as well as uncertainty surrounding the clinical meaningfulness of minority variant detection as next-generation sequencing methods have become more commonplace.
Complete genome of
Priestia filamentosa
H146 isolated from tobacco leaves
Authors: Gao Qin , Yang Mengmeng , Ji Yuan , Hu Liwei , Dong Xiangzhou , Liang Taibo , Zhai Zhen , Cheng Yanming , Dai Huaxin , Zhao Limei , Zhang Guo , Zhou Qifa
Published: July 2024

We report the complete genome of
Priestia filamentosa
H146 isolated from tobacco leaves. H146 contained a circular chromosome and five circular plasmids. A total of 4,669 genes were predicted, of which 4,372 genes were in the chromosome and other genes were located on plasmids. The genome sequence data provide an important basis for studying
Priestia filamentosa
.