bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Geontopower as a feminist analytic: an interdisciplinary triangulation of women, water and feminist politics in India
Authors: Carralero Pamela
Published: December 2022

In this article, I theorise the presence of a contemporary Indian and feminist subaltern consciousness that counters infrastructural striations of female subjecthood. Subaltern Studies scholar Partha Chatterjee notes that India's decentralised distribution of natural resources resulted in a politics of governmentality that slowly erased the twentieth-century Indian peasantry's insurgent consciousness. Chatterjee's observation suggests the need to unpack infrastructural-environmental-ontological constellations in rural India to assess their impact on subaltern agency and politics. I examine the biopolitical indices of this constellation using case studies of gender participatory water management initiatives to assess the impact of water privatisation on rural Hindu women's relationship to water infrastructure. During this discussion, the shortcomings of biopower as a parameterisation of subaltern oppression become highlighted and Elizabeth Povinelli's concept of geontopower is offered as a new materialist analytic through which to better clarify women's conditions under neoliberal water infrastructures and resist the latters' regimes.. Ultimately, I offer geontopower as a conceptual tool to argue that a form of contemporary subaltern insurgent consciousness is still present in India. The latter half of this article explores performative constructions of this insurgent consciousness through literary drama. I read Dalit playwright Vinodini's street play Daaham (2002) as a work that points to insurgent consciousness through the material confluences of water, the human body and the affective infrastructure of local wells.
Sugar-free chewing gum versus conventional analgesic drugs for pain relief with fixed orthodontic appliances. A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Jabr Luay , Altuhafy Maryam , Barmak Abdul Basir , Rossouw Paul Emile , Michelogiannakis Dimitrios
Published: December 2022

Objective:

To compare the effect of chewing sugar-free gum towards alleviating self-reported orthodontic treatment (OT) pain compared with conventional analgesic drugs (CADs).

Search sources:

An unrestricted search of indexed databases and manual searching was performed up to September 2021.

Data selection:

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the impact of chewing gum and CADs on relieving self-reported orthodontic pain were included.

Data extraction:

Data screening, extraction and risk of bias (RoB) assessment were performed by two authors. Meta-analyses were performed using a random-effects model. The quality of available evidence was assessed using the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach.

Results:

Nine RCTs were included. Eight RCTs used the Visual Analogue Scale for self-reported pain assessment, while one RCT used the Numeric Rating Scale. Five RCTs had a high RoB and four RCTs had a moderate RoB. Power analysis for sample size estimation was performed in six RCTs. Separate meta-analyses were performed by pooling quantitative data from five RCTs that compared self-reported orthodontic pain between chewing gum and ibuprofen groups for the following timepoints: baseline; immediately; 2 hours; 6 hours; bedtime; 24 hours; 2 days; 3 days; 5 days; and 7 days after the placement of orthodontic appliances. None of the timepoints individually indicated a difference in self-reported pain scores between chewing sugar-free gum and ibuprofen groups. The overall level of evidence was very low.

Conclusion:

Chewing sugar-free gum is a potentially useful alternative to CADs towards pain alleviation during fixed OT.
Analysis of combustion chamber deposit growth on temperature swing thermal barrier coatings in a spark ignition engine
Authors: Gandolfo John , Gainey Brian , Yan Ziming , Patel Aakash , Filipi Zoran , Jiang Chen , Kumar Rishi , H. Jordan Eric , Lawler Benjamin
Published: December 2022

Temperature swing thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) have the potential to improve efficiency and performance through thermal management of the combustion chamber. However, the effects of combustion chamber deposits (CCDs) on the surface of the TBCs are unclear. Therefore, this paper analyzes the impact of CCD formation on a temperature swing TBC. A piston and a heat flux probe coated with a novel material are installed in a single-cylinder research engine at a low-load condition for 62.5 h to promote CCD growth. Every 12.5 h, the performance at a knock limited condition is assessed and thermophysical property measurements on the heat flux probe are performed. Net thermal efficiency increased by 0.4% absolute after 12.5 h relative to the baseline condition, but further CCD growth caused a dithering of efficiency between the 12.5 h and baseline points. The KLSA retarded consistently throughout this period. External property measurements with the coated heat flux probe showed an improvement in the thermophysical properties of the TBC/CCD layer.
The criminalisation and exploitation of irregular Chinese migrant workers in the United Kingdom
Authors: Luo Siyu , Gadd David , Broad Rose
Published: December 2022

This article draws on narrative interviews with irregular Chinese migrant workers (ICMWs) in the United Kingdom (UK) to show how the UK's immigration policies foster forms of illegal working and labour exploitation that they are supposed to combat. It argues that the binary conceptualisation of ‘forced labour’ as the polar opposite of ‘free labour’ leaves those migrants working without a right to do so at the risk of both criminalisation and exploitation. The article shows how the fear of criminalisation, together with the pressure to become economically successful in the West, among ICMWs diminishes their capacity to leave exploitative work, reinforcing the unequal power relations between them and their employers, landlords, advisers, and translators. Many ICMWs who are officially cast as ‘illegal immigrants’ need protection, not from ‘snakeheads’ and ‘traffickers’, but the exploitative and precarious work UK government policies render them economically reliant upon.
Nomograms Should Not Be Used by General Neurologists When Considering Referral for Epilepsy Surgery
Authors: King-Stephens David
Published: December 2022

[Box: see text]
Informed Consent: Research Staff's Perspectives and Practical Recommendations to Improve Research Staff-Participant Communication
Authors: Eeckhout Delphine , Aelbrecht Karolien , Van Der Straeten Catherine
Published: December 2022

Informed consent (IC) is the process of communication between research staff and potential research participants. However, ensuring that participants clearly understand what research participation entails, raises significant challenges. The aim of this study is to provide insight into some communication barriers that research staff are confronted with and make practical recommendations to improve communication between research staff and participants. A qualitative research study using semi-structured interviews ( n = 13) with research staff from Ghent University Hospital was conducted. Data were transcribed verbatim and coded thematically. Our results indicate that communication- and process-related factors affect the IC process. Emergent recommendations include communication training, more interactive information materials and the use of digital alternatives, increasing general knowledge about research participation and patient- and public involvement.
Study on the threshold for superposed deformation of simply supported bridge creep and track slab upwarp in high-speed railway
Authors: Li Guolong , Gao Mangmang , Yang Fei , Wei Zilong , Yang Jingjing
Published: December 2022

Based on long-term inspection data about track geometric irregularity of 32 m-span simply supported girder bridge in China Railway High-Speed for nearly 10 years, it is found that there is continuous periodic track longitudinal level (TLL) with different wavelengths, thereinto, simply supported girder bridges creep and ballastless track slab upwarp are the primary reasons. Moreover, there are two types of variation trends for bridge creep of 32 m simply-supported bridges with ballastless track, that is, stable type and increasing type, and the maximum [Formula: see text] (the peak-to-peak value of track longitudinal level) is 7.1 mm for track longitudinal level caused by bridge creep, and the maximum [Formula: see text] caused by upwarp deformation of ballastless track slab is 3.2 mm. Hence, this paper investigated the effects on running performance and structure service performance of random track irregularity and additional track irregularity caused by bridge creep, track slab upwarp deformation or superposition of both, a three-dimensional finite element model of vehicle-track-bridge for dynamic simulation calculation was established, the threshold values for bridge creep and track slab deformation under 350 km/h were proposed based on running performance and structure service performance. Finally, research results show that bridge creep influences on the ride comfort significantly, but running safety barely. Due to the short wavelength of TLL, the track slab upwarp deformation affects both the ride comfort and running safety heavily. The car bodies are more sensitive to bridge creep and produce mainly low-frequency vibration, but the rate of wheel load reduction is more sensitive to the track deformation and shows the high-frequency vibration. For 32 m simply supported bridges without track slab deformation, the [Formula: see text] caused by bridge creep should be limited to 7 mm, and 9 mm in difficult situations. When the [Formula: see text] caused by bridge creep is small (less than 5 mm), the [Formula: see text] caused by track slab upwarp deformation must be less than 4 mm. When both deformations exist simultaneously, the [Formula: see text] caused by superposition deformations of both should not exceed 10 mm, with track slab upwarp deformation not exceeding 4 mm. In the presence of both structural deficiencies, it is suggested that the track slab deformation must be eliminated when it is difficult to eliminate the bridge creep.
The impact of wooden studs on the moisture risk of timber frame constructions
Authors: Roels Staf , Tijskens Astrid
Published: December 2022

Since timber frame constructions can help to reduce CO2-emissions and lower the embodied energy of buildings, the market share of timber-based buildings is growing across Europe. Unfortunately, timber frame constructions are found to be susceptible to moisture damage, such as interstitial condensation, mould growth and wood rot. To avoid moisture damage, a correct design of the wall composition is crucial, with special emphasis on the ratio between vapour resistance of wind and vapour barrier. Given that experimental investigations are time-consuming and expensive, numerical tools are common to assess the hygrothermal behaviour of building components. And although timber frame constructions are inherently two- or even three-dimensional due to the embedded wooden elements, most often, 1D-simulations focussing on the basic configuration with insulation between wind and vapour barrier are conducted. This paper investigates to what extent neglecting the embedded wooden elements influences the risk assessment of the wall. Three different wall configurations have been considered and their hygrothermal response, as predicted by 1D- and 2D-numerical simulations, are compared. Variability of the exterior climate is included by using four distinct different climate regions. Contrary to common assumptions, buffering of moisture in wooden elements does not always lower the risk on moisture damage, but might even increase it. While the predicted risk on mould growth was found to be similar between 1D and 2D-simulations, the opposite was found for the risk on interstitial condensation. Mainly for cold climates and wall configurations with hardly any other hygric buffering capacity, levels of interstitial condensation were found to be significantly higher when taking the wooden elements into account in the numerical simulations. Hence, care should be taken when assessing the reliability of timber frame walls based on 1D-simulations only.
‘For a good [civic] purpose?’: Black immortal teachings of citizenship
Authors: Johnson Marcus W , Thomas Daniel
Published: December 2022

Black experiences and discourse concerning citizenship are unique. Moreover, Black access to full citizenship is often a matter of life and death. The civic purposes driving this pursuit are often negated in conventional curriculum and pedagogy, especially in early childhood settings. Still, it is essential for educators and policymakers to understand the civic purposes that initiate and sustain civic engagement. The purpose of this study is to amplify the voices of young Black boys in regards to US citizenship. By employing notions of in the wake/wake work as the theoretical framework and curricular and pedagogical resuscitation (CPR) as the methodology, this study unearthed the power of children to examine the complexities and ironies of citizenship. More so, these first- and second-grade students linked Black citizenship to fundamental issues of life, death, and purpose. Ultimately, the authors call for instruction reflecting how for students, especially Black students, honorable civic purposes striving for full citizenship remain valued, respected, and enduring.
Mechanism of scaphoid waist fracture: finite element analysis
Authors: Santoshi John Ashutosh , Behera Prateek , Dwivedi Ravi Kumar , Srivastav Ayush
Published: December 2022

The mechanism of scaphoid waist fracture is not completely understood. We used finite element analysis to study the formation of scaphoid waist fractures. Clinical computed tomography scans of 12 wrists were used to create models for finite element analysis. The points of application of load were at different sites along the scaphotrapeziotrapezoid joint distally, and the scaphoid fossa plus the area underlying the radioscaphocapitate ligament was regarded as the fixed proximal support. A fracture was produced at the scaphoid waist in all cases. The location of failure of bone at its anterior or dorsal cortex, either in tension or in compression, was determined by the site of application of the load. The anterior cortex failed in compression when the point of impact was located along the trapezium facet or the entire distal pole, whereas it failed in tension when the point of impact was along the trapezoid facet.
Mental health and probation supervision in Ireland
Authors: Power Christina , McNally Gerry
Published: December 2022

In 2019, three internal studies were conducted in the Irish Probation Service exploring mental health among persons subject to probation supervision. This paper briefly considers, as context for the studies, the Irish and wider international literature exploring mental health problems among those engaged with probation services and outlines the key findings from the three studies. The studies though limited in scale, scope and methodology were consistent in identifying recurring themes supporting the broader research literature highlighting the prevalence of mental health problems among probation service clients. The paper discusses the key findings and implications for probation policy and practice, and looks to ongoing developments and related new initiatives in the field in Ireland.
Subsequent Surgery Up to 10 Years After Osteochondral Allograft and Osteochondral Autograft: An Analysis of More Than 2000 Patients
Authors: Burroughs Patrick J. , Kahan Joseph B. , Moran Jay , Gillinov Stephen M. , Joo Peter Y. , Schneble Christopher A. , Moore Harold G. , Grauer Jonathan N. , Medvecky Michael J.
Published: December 2022

Background:

Osteochondral allograft transplant (OCA) and osteochondral autograft transfer (OAT) replace damaged cartilage with a plug of bone and overlying articular cartilage; however, limited research is available regarding the survival of these osteoarticular grafting procedures.

Hypothesis:

We hypothesized that patients who underwent OCA would have a higher rate of subsequent surgery over the course of 5 years compared with patients who underwent OAT.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

The PearlDiver Mariner administrative database was used to identify patients 10 to 59 years old who had undergone OCA or OAT between 2010 and 2018. All included patients were assessed for subsequent knee surgeries, defined by the occurrence of a subsequent osteochondral procedure (OCA or OAT) or any type of knee arthroplasty for the duration of the time they were included in the data set (maximum of 10 years). Analyses were performed for the total population and those with allograft versus autograft (compared using the Fisher exact test). The 5-year Kaplan-Meier survival curves for operation-free survival were compared using a Mantel-Cox log-rank test.

Results:

In total, 2598 patients were identified: 1631 patients who underwent OCA (34.5 ± 12.1 years old; 51.6% female) and 967 patients who underwent OAT (32.1 ± 12.9 years old; 51.0% female). Both groups had similarly high rates of subsequent knee surgeries (23.9% vs 21.9%, respectively; P = .249), with no statistical differences in rates of subsequent surgery between groups. Kaplan-Meier survival curves comparing operation-free survival at 5 years indicated no significant difference between the groups (OCA, 88.0% vs OAT, 89.5%; P = .235).

Conclusion:

Both osteochondral grafting procedures carried a relatively high rate of secondary surgery, which increased with time. The 5-year survival analysis revealed similarly high rates of subsequent surgery.
Infarct Like Necrosis of Colorectal Liver Metastasis Without Chemotherapy: A Rare Phenomenon
Authors: Subasinghe Duminda , Wijesinghe Harshima , Abeygunasekera Priyanka , Sarawanamuththu Umagowry , Dassanayake Vihara , Sivaganesh Sivasuriya
Published: December 2022

Usual type necrosis (UN) and infarct like necrosis (ILN) occur in CRLMs. ILN is a rare form of necrosis in colorectal liver metastases which is usually seen following chemotherapy. De novo occurrence of ILN is a very rare phenomenon. ILN in CRLM without adjuvant chemotherapy following colorectal resection was not described previously. We describe the presence of complete ILN in a solitary metachronous liver metastasis from right colonic adenocarcinoma without prior chemotherapy.
Zebrafish: an efficient vertebrate model for understanding role of gut microbiota
Authors: Xia Hui , Chen Huimin , Cheng Xue , Yin Mingzhu , Yao Xiaowei , Ma Jun , Huang Mengzhen , Chen Gang , Liu Hongtao
Published: December 2022

Gut microbiota plays a critical role in the maintenance of host health. As a low-cost and genetically tractable vertebrate model, zebrafish have been widely used for biological research. Zebrafish and humans share some similarities in intestinal physiology and function, and this allows zebrafish to be a surrogate model for investigating the crosstalk between the gut microbiota and host. Especially, zebrafish have features such as high fecundity, external fertilization, and early optical transparency. These enable the researchers to employ the fish to address questions not easily addressed in other animal models. In this review, we described the intestine structure of zebrafish. Also, we summarized the methods of generating a gnotobiotic zebrafish model, the factors affecting its intestinal flora, and the study progress of gut microbiota functions in zebrafish. Finally, we discussed the limitations and challenges of the zebrafish model for gut microbiota studies. In summary, this review established that zebrafish is an attractive research tool to understand mechanistic insights into host-microbe interaction.
GCNCPR-ACPs: a novel graph convolution network method for ACPs prediction
Authors: Wu Xiujin , Zeng Wenhua , Lin Fan
Published: December 2022

Background

Anticancer peptide (ACP) inhibits and kills tumor cells. Research on ACP is of great significance for the development of new drugs, and the prediction of ACPs and non-ACPs is the new hotspot.

Results

We propose a new machine learning-based method named GCNCPR-ACPs (a Graph Convolutional Neural Network Method based on collapse pooling and residual network to predict the ACPs), which automatically and accurately predicts ACPs using residual graph convolution networks, differentiable graph pooling, and features extracted using peptide sequence information extraction. The GCNCPR-ACPs method can effectively capture different levels of node attributes for amino acid node representation learning, GCNCPR-ACPs uses node2vec and one-hot embedding methods to extract initial amino acid features for ACP prediction.

Conclusions

Experimental results of ten-fold cross-validation and independent validation based on different metrics showed that GCNCPR-ACPs significantly outperformed state-of-the-art methods. Specifically, the evaluation indicators of Matthews Correlation Coefficient (MCC) and AUC of our predicator were 69.5% and 90%, respectively, which were 4.3% and 2% higher than those of the other predictors, respectively, in ten-fold cross-validation. And in the independent test, the scores of MCC and SP were 69.6% and 93.9%, respectively, which were 37.6% and 5.5% higher than those of the other predictors, respectively. The overall results showed that the GCNCPR-ACPs method proposed in the current paper can effectively predict ACPs.
Non-negative low-rank representation based on dictionary learning for single-cell RNA-sequencing data analysis
Authors: Wang Juan , Zhang Nana , Yuan Shasha , Shang Junliang , Dai Lingyun , Li Feng , Liu Jinxing
Published: December 2022

In the analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data, how to effectively and accurately identify cell clusters from a large number of cell mixtures is still a challenge. Low-rank representation (LRR) method has achieved excellent results in subspace clustering. But in previous studies, most LRR-based methods usually choose the original data matrix as the dictionary. In addition, the methods based on LRR usually use spectral clustering algorithm to complete cell clustering. Therefore, there is a matching problem between the spectral clustering method and the affinity matrix, which is difficult to ensure the optimal effect of clustering. Considering the above two points, we propose the DLNLRR method to better identify the cell type. First, DLNLRR can update the dictionary during the optimization process instead of using the predefined fixed dictionary, so it can realize dictionary learning and LRR learning at the same time. Second, DLNLRR can realize subspace clustering without relying on spectral clustering algorithm, that is, we can perform clustering directly based on the low-rank matrix. Finally, we carry out a large number of experiments on real single-cell datasets and experimental results show that DLNLRR is superior to other scRNA-seq data analysis algorithms in cell type identification.
Machine learning framework for gut microbiome biomarkers discovery and modulation analysis in large-scale obese population
Authors: Liu Yaoliang , Zhu Jinlin , Wang Hongchao , Lu Wenwei , LEE Yuan Kun , Zhao Jianxin , Zhang Hao
Published: December 2022

Background

The gut microbiome has proven to be an important factor affecting obesity; however, it remains a challenge to identify consistent biomarkers across geographic locations and perform precisely targeted modulation for obese individuals.

Results

This study proposed a systematic machine learning framework and applied it to 870 human stool metagenomes across five countries to obtain comprehensive regional shared biomarkers and conduct a personalized modulation analysis. In our pipeline, a heterogeneous ensemble feature selection diagram is first developed to determine an optimal subset of biomarkers through the aggregation of multiple techniques. Subsequently, a deep reinforcement learning method was established to alter the targeted composition to the desired healthy target. In this manner, we can realize personalized modulation by counterfactual inference. Consequently, a total of 42 species were identified as regional shared biomarkers, and they showed good performance in distinguishing obese people from the healthy group (area under curve (AUC) =0.85) when demonstrated on validation datasets. In addition, by pooling all counterfactual explanations, we found that Akkermansia muciniphila, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Prevotella copri, Bacteroides dorei, Bacteroides eggerthii, Alistipes finegoldii, Alistipes shahii, Eubacterium sp. _CAG_180, and Roseburia hominis may be potential broad-spectrum targets with consistent modulation in the multi-regional obese population.

Conclusions

This article shows that based on our proposed machine-learning framework, we can obtain more comprehensive and accurate biomarkers and provide modulation analysis for the obese population. Moreover, our machine-learning framework will also be very useful for other researchers to further obtain biomarkers and perform counterfactual modulation analysis in different diseases.
Plant gene silencing signals move from the phloem to influence gene expression in shoot apical meristems
Authors: Minow Mark A. A. , Coneva Viktoriya , Lesy Victoria , Misyura Max , Colasanti Joseph
Published: December 2022

Background

Small RNAs (sRNA) are potent regulators of gene expression that can diffuse short distances between cells and move long distances through plant vasculature. However, the degree to which sRNA silencing signals can move from the phloem to the shoot apical meristem (SAM) remains unclear.

Results

Two independent transgenic approaches were used to examine whether phloem sRNA silencing can reach different domains of the SAM and silence SAM-expressed genes. First, the phloem companion-cell specificSUCROSE-PROTON SYMPORTER2(SUC2) promoter was used to drive expression of an inverted repeat to target theFDgene, an exclusively SAM-localized floral regulator. Second, theSUC2promoter was used to express an artificial microRNA (aMiR) designed to target a syntheticCLAVATA3(CLV3) transgene in SAM stem cells. Both phloem silencing signals phenocopied the loss of function of their targets and altered target gene expression suggesting that a phloem-to-SAM silencing communication axis exists, connecting distal regions of the plant to SAM stem cells.

Conclusions

Demonstration of phloem-to-SAM silencing reveals a regulatory link between somatic sRNA expressed in distal regions of the plant and the growing shoot. Since the SAM stem cells ultimately produce the gametes, we discuss the intriguing possibility that phloem-to-SAM sRNA trafficking could allow transient somatic sRNA expression to manifest stable, transgenerational epigenetic changes.
High relative amount of nodular calcification in femoral plaques is associated with milder lower extremity arterial disease
Authors: Azeez Mae , Laivuori Mirjami , Tolva Johanna , Linder Nina , Lundin Johan , Albäck Anders , Venermo Maarit , Mäyränpää Mikko I. , Lokki Marja-Liisa , Lokki A. Inkeri , Sinisalo Juha
Published: December 2022

Background

Clinical implications of different types of vascular calcification are poorly understood. The two most abundant forms of calcification, nodular and sheet calcification, have not been quantitatively analyzed in relation to the clinical presentation of lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD).

Methods

The study analyzed 51 femoral artery plaques collected during femoral endarterectomy, characterized by the presence of > 90% stenosis. Comprehensive clinical data was obtained from patient records, including magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) images, toe pressure and ankle brachial index measurements and laboratory values. The plaques were longitudinally sectioned, stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin and digitized in a deep learning platform for quantification of the relative area of nodular and sheet calcification to the plaque section area. A deep learning artificial intelligence algorithm was designed and independently validated to reliably quantify nodular calcification and sheet calcification. Vessel measurements and quantity of each calcification category was compared to the risk factors and clinical presentation.

Results

On average, > 90% stenosed vessels contained 22.4 ± 12.3% of nodular and 14.5 ± 11.8% of sheet calcification. Nodular calcification area proportion in lesions with > 90% stenosis is associated with reduced risk of critically low toe pressure (< 30 mmHg) (OR = 0.910, 95% CI = 0.835–0.992, p < 0.05), severely lowered ankle brachial index (< 0.4) (OR = 0.912, 95% CI = 0.84–0.986, p < 0.05), and semi-urgent operation (OR = 0.882, 95% CI = 0.797–0.976, p < 0.05). Sheet calcification did not show any significant association.

Conclusions

Large amount of nodular calcification is associated with less severe LEAD. Patients with nodular calcification may have better flow reserves despite local obstruction.
Performance of the pooled cohort equation in South Asians: insights from a large integrated healthcare delivery system
Authors: Mantri Neha M. , Merchant Maqdooda , Rana Jamal S. , Go Alan S. , Pursnani Seema K.
Published: December 2022

South Asian ethnicity is associated with increased atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk and has been identified as a “risk enhancer” in the 2018 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guidelines. Risk estimation and statin eligibility in South Asians is not well understood; we studied the accuracy of 10-years ASCVD risk prediction by the pooled cohort equation (PCE), based on statin use, in a South Asian cohort. This is a retrospective cohort study of Kaiser Permanente Northern California South Asian members without existing ASCVD, age range 30–70, and 10-years follow up. ASCVD events were defined as myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and cardiovascular death. The cohort was stratified by statin use during the study period: never; at baseline and during follow-up; and only during follow-up. Predicted probability of ASCVD, using the PCE was calculated and compared to observed ASCVD events for low < 5.0%, borderline 5.0 to < 7.5%, intermediate 7.5 to < 20.0%, and high ≥ 20.0% risk groups. A total of 1835 South Asian members were included: 773 never on statin, 374 on statins at baseline and follow-up, and 688 on statins during follow-up only. ASCVD risk was underestimated by the PCE in low-risk groups: entire cohort: 1.8 versus 4.9%, p < 0.0001; on statin at baseline and follow-up: 2.58 versus 8.43%, p < 0.0001; on statin during follow-up only: 2.18 versus 7.77%, p < 0.0001; and never on statin: 1.37 versus 2.09%, p = 0.12. In this South Asian cohort, the PCE underestimated risk in South Asians, regardless of statin use, in the low risk ASCVD risk category.
Machine learning-based techniques to improve lung transplantation outcomes and complications: a systematic review
Authors: Gholamzadeh Marsa , Abtahi Hamidreza , Safdari Reza
Published: December 2022

Background

Machine learning has been used to develop predictive models to support clinicians in making better and more reliable decisions. The high volume of collected data in the lung transplant process makes it possible to extract hidden patterns by applying machine learning methods. Our study aims to investigate the application of machine learning methods in lung transplantation.

Method

A systematic search was conducted in five electronic databases from January 2000 to June 2022. Then, the title, abstracts, and full text of extracted articles were screened based on the PRISMA checklist. Then, eligible articles were selected according to inclusion criteria. The information regarding developed models was extracted from reviewed articles using a data extraction sheet.

Results

Searches yielded 414 citations. Of them, 136 studies were excluded after the title and abstract screening. Finally, 16 articles were determined as eligible studies that met our inclusion criteria. The objectives of eligible articles are classified into eight main categories. The applied machine learning methods include the Support vector machine (SVM) (n = 5, 31.25%) technique, logistic regression (n = 4, 25%), Random Forests (RF) (n = 4, 25%), Bayesian network (BN) (n = 3, 18.75%), linear regression (LR) (n = 3, 18.75%), Decision Tree (DT) (n = 3, 18.75%), neural networks (n = 3, 18.75%), Markov Model (n = 1, 6.25%), KNN (n = 1, 6.25%), K-means (n = 1, 6.25%), Gradient Boosting trees (XGBoost) (n = 1, 6.25%), and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) (n = 1, 6.25%). Most studies (n = 11) employed more than one machine learning technique or combination of different techniques to make their models. The data obtained from pulmonary function tests were the most used as input variables in predictive model development. Most studies (n = 10) used only post-transplant patient information to develop their models. Also, UNOS was recognized as the most desirable data source in the reviewed articles. In most cases, clinicians succeeded to predict acute diseases incidence after lung transplantation (n = 4) or estimate survival rate (n = 4) by developing machine learning models.

Conclusion

The outcomes of these developed prediction models could aid clinicians to make better and more reliable decisions by extracting new knowledge from the huge volume of lung transplantation data.
Long-term outcomes of endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage using a novel spiral plastic stent in acute calculus cholecystitis
Authors: Sato Junya , Nakahara Kazunari , Michikawa Yosuke , Suetani Keigo , Igarashi Yosuke , Sekine Akihiro , Satta Yusuke , Kobayashi Shinjiro , Otsubo Takehito , Tateishi Keisuke
Published: December 2022

Background

Endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder stenting (EGBS) is considered for patients with contraindications to early surgery for acute calculus cholecystitis. However, evidence regarding the long-term outcomes of EGBS is insufficient to date. The aim of the study was to evaluate the feasibility of EGBS as a bridge to or alternative to surgery when there are contraindications.

Methods

We reviewed the cases of patients who underwent EGBS using a novel spiral-shaped plastic stent for acute calculus cholecystitis between January 2011 and December 2019. We retrospectively evaluated the long-term outcomes of EGBS using a novel spiral-shaped plastic stent.

Results

Forty-nine patients were included. The clinical success rate of EGBS was 97%. After EGBS, 25 patients (surgery group) underwent elective cholecystectomy and 24 patients did not (follow-up group). In the surgery group, the median period from EGBS to surgery was 93 days. There was a single late adverse event with cholecystitis recurrence. In the follow-up group, the median follow-up period was 236 days. Late adverse events were observed in eight patients, including recurrence of cholecystitis (four patients), duodenal penetration by the distal stent end (two patients), and distal stent migration (two patient). In the follow-up group, the time to recurrence of biliary obstruction was 527 days.

Conclusions

EGBS with a novel spiral-shaped plastic stent is safe and effective for long-term acute calculus cholecystitis. There is a possibility of EGBS to be a bridge to surgery and a surgical alternative for acute calculus cholecystitis in patients with contraindications to early cholecystectomy.
The impact of Propolis on catheter exit site infection and peritonitis in peritoneal Dialysis patients: a clinical trial
Authors: Moghiseh Lila , Nobahar Monir , Ghorbani Raheb , Sirafian Shiva
Published: December 2022

Background

Peritonitis is one of the major complications of peritoneal dialysis. The most common cause of peritonitis is infection at the catheter exit site. This study aimed to determine the effect of propolis on the incidence of catheter exit site infection and peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Method

This study was a double-blind clinical trial (2019–2020) with peritoneal dialysis patients. Ninety peritoneal dialysis patients were allocated to three groups (placebo, control, intervention) using block randomization method. Catheter exit site was washed with 0.9% normal saline and dressing was done every other day after the morning peritoneal dialysis exchange by use of normal saline in placebo, mupirocin in control, and propolis in intervention group, for 6 months.

Discussion

10% of the patients in the placebo and 6.7% in the control group developed catheter Exit Site Infection, but none patient in the intervention group developed this infection (P = 0.469). Whereas 6.7% in both the placebo and control groups developed peritonitis, but none patient in the intervention group contracted peritonitis (P = 0.997). No significant differences in the incidence of catheter exit site infection and peritonitis among the three groups were observed. Considering that mupirocin is of chemical origin and may lead to drug resistance whereas propolis is of plant origin and does not produce drug resistance, the use of propolis is recommended.

Trial registration

Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials [IRCT20110427006318N10] (17/01/2019).
Prenatal assessment and pregnancy outcomes of foetal low-lying conus medullaris using 3D ultrasound
Authors: Jing Baihua , Zhang Huijing , Sun Yu
Published: December 2022

Objectives

This study aims to follow up on low-lying conus medullaris (CM) cases and explore the correlation between the CM location and the final prognosis. 

Methods

We retrospectively collected 37 cases diagnosed with low-lying CM during pregnancy in the Peking University First Hospital from January 2019 to December 2020. The location of CM was confirmed by 3D ultrasonography, and clinical data, including postnatal outcomes, were recorded. When the conus medullaris was below L3 (excluding L3), it was diagnosed as low-lying conus medullaris, regardless of gestational age. The short-term postnatal outcome included assessment of symptoms and signs of motor and sensory neuron dysfunction.

Results

The average gestational weeks of low-lying diagnosis was between 23 and 24 weeks. Among 37 cases, nine (24.3%) were complicated with spine dysraphism (3 cases of open spina bifida, 6 cases of tethered cord syndrome). Apart from 7 cases of pregnancy termination, the remaining 30 live births had a good prognosis in the short term, though 5 out of 6 cases of tethered cord syndrome underwent surgical release. The mean location of cases of open spinal dysraphism (n = 3) and those of closed dysraphism/tethered cord syndrome (n = 6) was at Lumber vertebra 5 (L5) and between L5 and Sacral vertebra 1 (S1), respectively, which showed statistical significance compared with the postnatally normal group. When we set Lumber 4.25 as the cut-off value to predict the diagnosis of spine dysraphism (mainly involving open spinal dysraphism and closed spinal dysraphism/tethered cord syndrome), the sensitivity was 66.7. At the same time, the specificity was 96%, along with the area under the curve (AUC) at 0.877.

Conclusion

The second trimester finding of low CM is associated with spinal defects, mainly open spinal dysraphism and closed spinal dysraphism/tethered cord syndrome. Careful assessment of the fetal spine should be considered especially when the location of CM is lower than L4.
Methionine regulates self-renewal, pluripotency, and cell death of GIC through cholesterol—rRNA axis
Authors: Yokogami Kiyotaka , Kikuchi Taisei , Watanabe Takashi , Nakatake Yasutaka , Yamashita Shinji , Mizuguchi Asako , Takeshima Hideo
Published: December 2022

Background

Glioma-initiating cells (GICs) are the source of glioma cells that can self-renew, have pluripotency, and are treatment-resistant, so are the starting point for relapse and eventual death despite multimodality therapy. L-[methyl-11C] methionine PET has observed high accumulation at the time of recurrence, it is important to understand the mechanism of tumor cell activation caused by the reorganization of methionine metabolism. 

Methods

We cultured cells in methionine-deprived culture medium for comprehensive analysis. Based on the obtained results, the possible target molecules were chemically inhibited and the respective markers were analyzed.

Results

Methionine depletion markedly decreased proliferation and increased cell death of GICs. Decreased S-adenosyl-methionine, which is synthesized intracellularly by catalyzed by methionine adenosyltransferase using methionine, triggered the following: (i) global DNA demethylation, (ii) hyper-methylation of signaling pathways regulating pluripotency of stem cells, (iii) decreased expression of the core-genes and pluripotent markers of stem cells including FOXM1, SOX2, SOX4, PROM1, and OLIG2, (iv) decreased cholesterol synthesis and increased excretion mainly through decreased SREBF2, and (v) down-regulation of the large subunit of ribosomal protein configured 28S and ACA43, small nucleolar RNA guiding the pseudouridylation of 28S rRNA, which is essential for translation. In addition, inhibition of cholesterol synthesis with statin resulted in a phenotype similar to that of methionine depletion and decreases in stem cell markers and small nucleolar RNA ACA43. Moreover, suppression of FOXM1 decreased stem cell markers such as SOX4 and PROM1. The gene expression profile for cholesterol production was obtained from the Ivy Glioblastoma Atlas Project database and compared between tumor cells with relatively low methionine levels in areas of pseudopalisading arrangement around necrosis and tumor cells in the infiltrating region, showing that cells in the infiltrating region have higher capacity to produce cholesterol.

Conclusions

Methionine metabolism is closely related with self-renewal, pluripotency, and cell death in GICs through modification of cholesterol biosynthesis, especially in the SREBF2-FOXM1 and ACA43 axis with modification of rRNA.
ncRNA-mediated overexpression of ubiquitin-specific proteinase 13 contributes to the progression of prostate cancer via modulating AR signaling, DNA damage repair and immune infiltration
Authors: Cui Xiaolu , Yu Hongyuan , Yao Jinlong , Li Jinling , Li Zhenhua , Jiang Zhenming
Published: December 2022

Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is a lethal form of prostate cancer, and the molecular mechanism driving mCRPC progression has not yet been fully elucidated. Immunotherapies such as chimeric antigen receptor, T-cell therapy and immune checkpoint blockade have exerted promising antitumor effects in hematological and solid tumor malignancies; however, no encouraging responses have been observed against mCRPC. The deubiquitinase USP13 functions as a tumor suppressor in many human cancers, as it sustains the protein stability of PTEN and TP53; however, its role in prostate cancer (PCa) and involvement in DNA damage and AR signaling remain unclear. In the current study, we explored the prognostic value of USP13 in PCa based on the TCGA database, and we analyzed the expression of USP13 in PCa tissues and adjacent normal tissues based on TCGA and our cohort. The results suggested that USP13 is overexpressed in PCa tumors and has the potential to be an independent biomarker for the overall survival of PCa patients. Additionally, enrichment analysis indicated that USP13 may participate in the AR pathway and PI3k/Wnt signaling, which are closely related to PCa progression. We also observed a significant correlation between the expression of USP13 and AR-related genes, DDR genes and mismatch repair genes based on the TCGA_PRAD dataset, which further supported the critical role of USP13 in AR activation and the DNA damage response of PCa. USP13 was also found to be enriched in protein neddylation, and expression of USP13 was significantly associated with infiltration of immune cells and expression of immunomodulators. Taken together, our study revealed a key role of USP13 in contributing to PCa progression by participating in multiple oncogenic signaling pathways, the DNA damage response and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Targeting USP13 may inhibit tumor growth and provide additional benefits in cooperation with DDR inhibitors and immunotherapy.
Increased HRD score in cisplatin resistant penile cancer cells
Authors: Winkelmann Ria , Bankov Katrin , Döring Claudia , Cinatl Jaroslav , Grothe Sebastian , Rothweiler Florian , Michaelis Martin , Schmitt Christina , Wild Peter J. , Demes Melanie , Cinatl Jindrich , Vallo Stefan
Published: December 2022

Background/Introduction

Penile cancer is a rare disease in demand for new therapeutic options. Frequently used combination chemotherapy with 5 fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin (CDDP) in patients with metastatic penile cancer mostly results in the development of acquired drug resistance. Availability of cell culture models with acquired resistance against standard therapy could help to understand molecular mechanisms underlying chemotherapy resistance and to identify candidate treatments for an efficient second line therapy.

Methods

We generated a cell line from a humanpapilloma virus (HPV) negative penile squamous cell carcinoma (UKF-PEC-1). This cell line was subject to chronic exposure to chemotherapy with CDDP and / or 5-FU to induce acquired resistance in the newly established chemo-resistant sublines (PEC-1rCDDP2500, adapted to 2500 ng/ml CDDP; UKF-PEC-1r5-FU500, adapted to 500 ng/ml 5- FU; UKF-PEC1rCDDP2500/r5-FU500, adapted to 2500 ng/ml CDDP and 500 ng/ml 5 -FU). Afterwards cell line pellets were formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded and subject to sequencing as well as testing for homologous recombination deficiency (HRD). Additionally, exemplary immunohistochemical stainings for p53 and gammaH2AX were applied for verification purposes. Finally, UKF-PEC-1rCDDP2500, UKF-PEC-1r5-FU500, UKF-PEC1rCDDP2500/r5-FU500, and UKF-PEC-3 (an alternative penis cancer cell line) were tested for sensitivity to paclitaxel, docetaxel, olaparib, and rucaparib.

Results and conclusions

The chemo-resistant sublines differed in their mutational landscapes. UKF-PEC-1rCDDP2500 was characterized by an increased HRD score, which is supposed to be associated with increased PARP inhibitor and immune checkpoint inhibitor sensitivity in cancer. However, UKF-PEC-1rCDDP2500 did not display sensitivity to PARP inhibitors.
Sudden gamer death: non-violent death cases linked to playing video games
Authors: Kuperczko Diana , Kenyeres Peter , Darnai Gergely , Kovacs Norbert , Janszky Jozsef
Published: December 2022

Background and aims

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is an emerging problem. Rarely, media reports about people, who have died during playing video games, but thus far no systematic, scientific study is available about the topic. We investigated such cases, looking for common characteristics, connection between gaming and death, and the possible reasons leading to death.

Methods

Cases were collected through internet search with general keywords, with ones specific to identified cases, and by working along cross references.

Results

24 cases were found: one from 1982, the others between 2002 and 2021. Twenty-three of the victims were male, age ranged from 11 to 40 years. More than half of the cases originated from Southeast Asia, and 12 deaths happened in internet cafes. Gamers played action-rich multiplayer games. In 18 cases the gaming session before death was extremely long (around a day or even several days) with minimal rest. The cause of death was pulmonary embolism in 5 cases, cerebral hemorrhage in 2 cases, most of the rest was presumably due to fatal cardiac arrhythmia.

Discussion

Long sedentary position and dehydration may precipitate thromboembolism, acute blood pressure elevation during gaming may promote cerebral hemorrhage, and several factors (including acute and chronic sleep deprivation, exhaustion, stress) can lead to acute autonomic dysfunction and fatal arrhythmia.

Conclusion

Incidence of non-violent death cases linked to playing video games is presumably very low. It mostly occurs in young males and it is often characterized by extremely long gaming time.