bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social media and hiring: a survey experiment on discrimination based on online social class cues
Authors: Galos Diana Roxana
Published: April 2023

Discrimination based on social class is challenging to study, and therefore likely to be underappreciated due to its subtle nature. Social class is often difficult to gauge from traditional resumes, yet, the expansion of social networking platforms provides employers with an additional source of information. Given that many individuals have a social media presence today, employers can increasingly rely on additional information gleaned from such online platforms (e.g., Twitter, Instagram), which may alter hiring decisions. To study the role of social networking platforms vis-à-vis potential discrimination based on social class cues, I leverage an original online survey experiment in the United States. The aim of the investigation is (i) to measure the effect of cultural markers of social class expressed on social media profiles in a hypothetical hiring situation and (ii) to analyse potential channels that might explain class-based discrimination. I show that subjects favour the upper-class-signalling candidate over the lower-class-signalling candidate and that perceived competence and perceived warmth are two channels through which class-based discrimination may occur. The individual’s online presence might not be part of the formal application process, yet it seems to shape inferences about individuals’ employability, competence, and warmth.
Environmental drivers of the current and future distribution of high-yielding lacquer trees (Toxicodendron vernicifluum (stokes) F. A. Barkley)
Authors: Zhang Shuqiao , Wang Zizhi , Liao Shengxi
Published: April 2023

Lacquer trees (Toxicodendron vernicifluum (Stokes) F.A. Barkley) are an important natural resource with significant economic and cultural value in East Asia. The main product, raw lacquer, is in high demand due to its commercially valuable characteristics. This study analyzed environmental drivers of the current and future distribution of lacquer trees in high-yielding locations using a machine-learning algorithm and Maxent models. Results identified suitable value ranges for four key environmental variables and their relative contribution to environmentally suitable areas (shown as percentages in parentheses): solar radiation, 12 000–13 000 kJ m−2 day−1 (43.1 per cent); min temperature of the coldest month, −3.5 to 3°C (18.7 per cent); annual precipitation, 900–1400 mm (13.9 per cent) and water vapour pressure, 1.2–1.6 KPa (5.1 per cent). Overall, projected climate change until 2100 will reduce the extent of environments suitable for high-yielding lacquer trees in China and the Republic of Korea, although these areas will expand in Japan. In addition to the three East Asian countries in which lacquer trees and production are currently important, the study identified environmentally suitable areas for growing lacquer trees in other countries worldwide under future climate conditions. The study’s methodology, which divided high-yielding records from other occurrence records and modeled them separately, was applicable in analyzing environmental drivers and modelling suitable areas for lacquer trees. This approach may also be beneficial to study the distributions of other plants, especially economically important crops and trees. In future studies, additional data sets capturing anthropogenic drivers and information on single tree level could further improve models exploring the productivity and sustainability of lacquer trees under future climates.
Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in patients with diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Taghipour Ali , Javanmard Ehsan , Rahimi Hanieh Mohammad , Abdoli Amir , Matin Sara , Haghbin Marzieh , Olfatifar Meysam , Mirjalali Hamed , Zali Mohammad Reza
Published: April 2023

Patients with diabetes are at an increased risk of intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs). We evaluated the pooled prevalence and OR of IPIs in patients with diabetes through a systematic review and meta-analysis. A systematic search was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol for studies reporting IPIs in patients with diabetes through 1 August 2022. The collected data were analyzed using comprehensive meta-analysis software version 2. Thirteen case-control studies and nine cross-sectional studies were included in this study. The overall prevalence of IPIs in patients with diabetes was calculated to be 24.4% (95% CI 18.8 to 31%). Considering the case-control design, the prevalence of IPIs in case (25.7%; 95% CI 18.4 to 34.5%) was higher than controls (15.5%; 95% CI 8.4 to 26.9%) and a significant correlation was observed (OR, 1.80; 95% CI 1.08 to 2.97%). Moreover, a significant correlation was seen in the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. (OR, 3.30%; 95% CI 1.86 to 5.86%), Blastocystis sp. (OR, 1.57%; 95% CI 1.11 to 2.22%) and hookworm (OR, 6.09%; 95% CI 1.11 to 33.41%) in the cases group. The present results revealed a higher prevalence of IPIs in patients with diabetes than in controls. Therefore, the results of this study suggest a proper health education program to preventing measures for the acquisition of IPIs in patients with diabetes.
Induction of allograft tolerance by adoptive transfer of donor B cells: an immune regulatory strategy for transplantation using MHC-matched iPS cells
Authors: Murata Tomoki , Otsuka Ryo , Sasaki Airi , Kamatani Tomoki , Wada Haruka , Yamakawa Hisashi , Hasegawa Yoshinori , Seino Ken-ichiro
Published: April 2023

For cellular or tissue transplantation using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), from the viewpoint of time and economic cost, the use of allogeneic ones is being considered. Immune regulation is one of the key issues in successful allogeneic transplantation. To reduce the risk of rejection, several attempts have been reported to eliminate effects of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on the iPSC-derived grafts. On the other hand, we have shown that minor antigen-induced rejection is not negligible even when the MHC’s impact is mitigated. In organ transplantation, it is known that donor-specific transfusion (DST) can specifically control immune responses to the donor. However, whether DST could control the immune response in iPSC-based transplantation was not clarified. In this study, using a mouse skin transplantation model, we demonstrate that infusion of donor splenocytes can promote allograft tolerance in the MHC-matched but minor antigen-mismatched conditions. When narrowing down the cell types, we found that infusion of isolated splenic B cells was sufficient to control rejection. As a mechanism, the administration of donor B cells induced unresponsiveness but not deletion in recipient T cells, suggesting that the tolerance was induced in the periphery. The donor B cell transfusion induced allogeneic iPSC engraftment. These results suggest for the first time a possibility that DST using donor B cells could induce tolerance against allogeneic iPSC-derived grafts.
Of Love and Frustration as Post-Yugoslav Women Scholars: Learning and Unlearning the Coloniality of IR in the Context of Global North Academia
Authors: Stavrevska Elena B , Lazic Sladjana , Musliu Vjosa , Karabegović Dženeta , Sardelić Julija , Obradovic-Wochnik Jelena
Published: April 2023

This collective discussion brings together six women scholars of and from the post-Yugoslav space, who, using personal experiences, analyze the dynamics of knowledge production in international relations (IR), especially regarding the post-Yugoslav space. Working in Global North academia but with lived experiences in the region we study, our research is often subjected to a particular gaze, seeped in assumptions about “ulterior” motives and expectations about writing and representation. Can those expected to be objects of knowledge ever become epistemic subjects? We argue that the rendering of the post-Yugoslav space as conflict-prone and as Europe's liminal semi-periphery in the discipline of IR cannot be decoupled from the rendering of the region and those seen as related to it as unable to produce knowledge that, in mainstream discussions, is seen as valuable and “objective.” The post-Yugoslav region and those seen as related to it being simultaneously postcolonial, postsocialist, and postwar, and characterized by marginalization, complicity, and privilege in global racialized hierarchies at the same time, can make visible specific forms of multiple colonialities, potentially creating space for anti- and/or decolonial alternatives. We further make the case for embracing a radical reflexivity that is active, collaborative, and rooted in feminist epistemologies and political commitments.
Assessing an electronic self-report method for improving quality of ethnicity and race data in the Veterans Health Administration
Authors: Almklov Erin , Cohen Alicia J , Russell Lauren E , Mor Maria K , Fine Michael J , Hausmann Leslie R M , Moy Ernest , Washington Donna L , Jones Kenneth T , Long Judith A , Pittman James
Published: April 2023

Objective

Evaluate self-reported electronic screening (eScreening) in a VA Transition Care Management Program (TCM) to improve the accuracy and completeness of administrative ethnicity and race data.

Materials and Methods

We compared missing, declined, and complete (neither missing nor declined) rates between (1) TCM-eScreening (ethnicity and race entered into electronic tablet directly by patient using eScreening), (2) TCM-EHR (Veteran-completed paper form plus interview, data entered by staff), and (3) Standard-EHR (multiple processes, data entered by staff). The TCM-eScreening (n = 7113) and TCM-EHR groups (n = 7113) included post-9/11 Veterans. Standard-EHR Veterans included all non-TCM Gulf War and post-9/11 Veterans at VA San Diego (n = 92 921).

Results

Ethnicity: TCM-eScreening had lower rates of missingness than TCM-EHR and Standard-EHR (3.0% vs 5.3% and 8.6%, respectively, P < .05), but higher rates of “decline to answer” (7% vs 0.5% and 1.2%, P < .05). TCM-EHR had higher data completeness than TCM-eScreening and Standard-EHR (94.2% vs 90% and 90.2%, respectively, P < .05). Race: No differences between TCM-eScreening and TCM-EHR for missingness (3.5% vs 3.4%, P > .05) or data completeness (89.9% vs 91%, P > .05). Both had better data completeness than Standard-EHR (P < .05), which despite the lowest rate of “decline to answer” (3%) had the highest missingness (10.3%) and lowest overall completeness (86.6%). There was strong agreement between TCM-eScreening and TCM-EHR for ethnicity (Kappa = .92) and for Asian, Black, and White Veteran race (Kappas = .87 to .97), but lower agreement for American Indian/Alaska Native (Kappa = .59) and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (Kappa = .50) Veterans.

Conculsions

eScreening is a promising method for improving ethnicity and race data accuracy and completeness in VA.
Effects of adding ruminal propionate on dry matter intake and glucose metabolism in steers fed a finishing ration
Authors: Rathert-Williams Abigail R , McConnell Hunter L , Salisbury Carlee M , Lindholm-Perry Amanda K , Lalman David L , Pezeshki Adel , Foote Andrew P
Published: April 2023

The objective of this experiment was to determine if supplying additional propionate to the rumen alters dry matter intake (DMI), feeding behavior, glucose metabolism, and rumen fluid metabolites in steers fed a finishing diet. Ruminally cannulated steers (n = 6) were fed a finishing diet ad libitum. Steers were randomly assigned to one of three treatments in a 3 × 6 Latin rectangle design with three 15 d periods. Treatments of no Ca propionate (Control), 100 g/d (Low), or 300 g/d (High) were ruminally dosed twice daily. Individual intake was measured using an Insentec feeding system. Pre-feeding blood samples were collected on day 7 and rumen fluid samples were collected on day 13. An intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) was conducted on day 14 and liver biopsies were collected on day 15. Liver samples were analyzed for expression of genes involved in gluconeogenesis. Data were analyzed using a mixed model with period, treatment, day, and their interaction included, with day and minute within period as a repeated measure and steer as a random effect. Meal size (P = 0.049), meal frequency (P = 0.046), and DMI (P < 0.001) were decreased in High steers. Day 7 plasma glucose (P = 0.23) and lactate (P = 0.47) were not affected by treatment, but insulin was decreased (P = 0.008) and non-esterified fatty acids were increased (P = 0.044) in the High treatment compared with the Control. Rumen fluid lactate was decreased (P = 0.015) in the High treatment compared with the Low treatment. Total VFA concentrations did not differ (P = 0.88) between treatments. There was treatment × time interaction for proportions of acetate and propionate (P < 0.001) and the acetate:propionate ratio (P = 0.005). The effect on acetate was due to a decrease in the High treatment 2 h after dosing the treatment. Propionate proportions were greater in the High treatment than the Control at all time points and differed from the Low except at 0 h. Propionate treatments had no major effects on the glucose and insulin parameters observed in the IVGTT other than a tendency (P = 0.09) for an increased insulin time to peak. These data indicate that exogenous propionate decreases DMI but the decrease in propionate from fermentation due to reduced DMI might negate the supply of exogenous propionate in VFA supply to the animal. Mechanisms other than hepatic oxidation of propionate might be responsible for DMI regulation.
American Burn Association Clinical Practice Guidelines on the Treatment of Severe Frostbite
Authors: Wibbenmeyer Lucy , Lacey Alexandra M , Endorf Frederick W , Logsetty Sarvesh , Wagner Anne L L , Gibson Angela L F , Nygaard Rachel M
Published: April 2023

This Clinical Practice Guideline addresses severe frostbite treatment. We defined severe frostbite as atmospheric cooling that results in a perfusion deficit to the extremities. We limited our review to adults and excluded cold contact or rapid freeze injuries that resulted in isolated devitalized tissue. After developing population, intervention, comparator, outcomes (PICO) questions, a comprehensive literature search was conducted with the help of a professional medical librarian. Available literature was reviewed and systematically evaluated. Recommendations based on the available scientific evidence were formulated through consensus of a multidisciplinary committee. We conditionally recommend the use of rapid rewarming in a 38 to 42°C water bath and the use of thrombolytics for fewer amputations and/or a more distal level of amputation. We conditionally recommend the use of “early” administration of thrombolytics (≤12 hours from rewarming) compared to “later” administration of thrombolytics for fewer amputations and/or a more distal level of amputation. No recommendation could be formed on the use of vascular imaging studies to determine the use of and/or the time to initiate thrombolytic therapy. No recommendation could be formed on the use of intravenous thrombolytics compared to the use of intra-arterial thrombolytics on fewer amputations and/or a more distal level of amputation. No recommendation could be formed on the use of iloprost resulting in fewer amputations and/or more distal levels of amputation. No recommendation could be formed on the use of diagnostic imaging modalities for surgical planning on fewer amputations, a more distal level of amputation, or earlier timing of amputation.
Validation of the water content of the digestive gland as an indicator of nutritional condition in the American lobsterHomarus americanus(H. Milne Edwards, 1837) (Decapoda: Nephropidae)
Authors: Couillard Catherine M , Maltais Domynick , Bruneau Benoît , Asselin Natalie , Boudreau Stephanie A
Published: April 2023

Simple nutritional condition indicators are needed to provide information on the influence of ecosystem changes on the populations of the American lobster Homarus americanus (H. Milne Edwards, 1837) on various timescales. This study validates the use of the water content (% wet mass) of the digestive gland as an indicator of nutritional condition in the lobster (carapace length 65–127 mm) by assessing its capacity to estimate digestive-gland lipid reserves under variable environmental and physiological conditions. The validation was completed using samples from wild lobsters dissected shortly after being captured during different seasons and in various locations in the St. Lawrence Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence (GSL), and data from an environmentally realistic laboratory study on post-ovigerous females from the southern and the northern GSL sampled at different stages of their molt cycle. In both wild and experimental lobsters, water content was the best predictor of lipid reserves compared to other condition indicators (i.e., condition factor, various digestive-gland indices, and hemolymph Brix index). A strong linear relationship was found between lipid and water contents. Lipid content and interrelated molting status were identified as two important factors leading to the variations in water-fat regression equations among groups of wild or experimental lobsters. As lipid content could vary spatiotemporally in unexpected ways in a changing environment, it is recommended to use a sampling event-specific regression line to estimate digestive-gland lipid content from measured water content in field monitoring programs. Combining water content with molt status indicators such as Brix index is recommended to support interpretation of the observed variations in condition.
Mitochondrial genetic diversity ofThrips tabaci(Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in onion growing regions of the United States
Authors: Iftikhar Romana , Ghosh Amalendu , Pappu Hanu R
Published: April 2023

Onion thrips (Thrips tabaci Lindeman, Thysanoptera: Thripidae) causes severe damage to many horticultural and agronomic crops worldwide. It also acts as a vector of several plant viruses. T. tabaci is a key pest of Allium cepa in the United States. However, there is limited information available on the genetic variation within and between T. tabaci populations in the United States and its key evolutionary parameters. In the current study, 83 T. tabaci specimens were collected from A. cepa from 15 different locations comprising four states of the United States. A total of 92 mtCOI gene sequences of T. tabaci from A. cepa were analyzed to understand the genetic diversity and structure of T. tabaci collected from onion host. Seven distinct haplotypes of T. tabaci infesting A. cepa were identified from the current collection, while nine T. tabaci sequences retrieved from GenBank comprised 5 haplotypes. Overall, 15 haplotypes of T. tabaci infesting A. cepa were identified in the world that includes the ten haplotypes in the United States. In the phylogenetic analysis, all the populations collected during the study clustered with thelytokous lineage, while T. tabaci sequences retrieved from GenBank corresponded to leek-associated arrhenotokous lineage. The highest genetic variation was found in Elba and Malheur populations with 3 haplotypes identified in each. The results suggest that haplotypes 1 and 7 are more frequently prevailing haplotypes in the north-western United States, with haplotype 1 being the predominant all over the country. The eastern United States appears to have a more diverse group of haplotypes. The populations from Hungary constituted distinct haplotypes and a haplotype from Kingston linked it with the predominant haplotype.
Multigenerational variation in the nutrients and digestion of western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) depends on the nutritive quality of different foods
Authors: Yue Wen Bo , Zhou Dan , Li Ding Yin , Zhi Jun Rui , Fang Xin Lei , Qiu Xin Yue
Published: April 2023

Western flower thrips (WFTs), Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera, Thripidae), is one of the most serious pests that attack rose flowers. Little is known about the effect of different parts of the rose flower on nutritional contents and digestive enzyme activities in thrips. This study assessed variations in the nutritional contents and digestive enzyme activities in the second-instar larvae and adults WFTs fed on 3 food types (rose petals, rose flowers, and honey solution + kidney bean pods) for multiple generations. The highest contents of soluble sugar (in 10% honey solution + kidney bean pods), amino acid (in rose flowers), and protein (in rose flowers) were observed, respectively. Soluble sugar and protein contents in the second-instar larvae and adults fed on rose petals decreased in the F1 generation but increased in the F2 generation and remained at higher levels until the F7 generation. Feeding of thrips with 3 food types increased the lipid content in the F1 generation, which peaked in the F2 generation and remained high until the F7 generation. In most cases, α-amylase and trypsin activities significantly decreased in the F1 generation after feeding on rose petals and then prominently increased in the F2 generation. In contrast, chymotrypsin activity remarkably increased and peaked in the F1 generation after second-instar larvae thrips fed on rose petals. There were correlations among the contents of 3 nutrient related positively with the activities of α-amylase and trypsin in WFTs second-instar larvae and adults, respectively. Overall, variations in the nutrient properties of the 3 food types caused changes in nutrient contents and digestive enzyme activities in thrips.
The morphology of reionization in a dynamically clumpy universe
Authors: Cain Christopher , D’Aloisio Anson , Gangolli Nakul , McQuinn Matthew
Published: April 2023

A recent measurement of the Lyman-limit mean free path at z = 6 suggests it may have been very short, motivating a better understanding of the role that ionizing photon sinks played in reionization. Accurately modelling the sinks in reionization simulations is challenging because of the large dynamic range required if ∼104−108M⊙ gas structures contributed significant opacity. Thus, there is no consensus on how important the sinks were in shaping reionization’s morphology. We address this question with a recently developed radiative transfer code that includes a dynamical sub-grid model for the sinks based on radiative hydrodynamics simulations. Compared to assuming a fully pressure-smoothed intergalactic medium, our dynamical treatment reduces ionized bubble sizes by $10-20~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ under typical assumptions about reionization’s sources. Near reionization’s midpoint, the 21 cm power at k ∼ 0.1 hMpc−1 is similarly reduced. These effects are more modest than the $30-60~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ suppression resulting from the higher recombination rate if pressure smoothing is neglected entirely. Whether the sinks played a significant role in reionization’s morphology depends on the nature of its sources. For example, if reionization was driven by bright (MUV < −17) galaxies, the sinks reduce the large-scale 21 cm power by at most 20  per cent, even if pressure smoothing is neglected. Conveniently, when bright sources contribute significantly, the morphology in our dynamical treatment can be reproduced accurately with a uniform sub-grid clumping factor that yields the same ionizing photon budget. By contrast, if MUV ∼ −13 galaxies drove reionization, the uniform clumping model can err by up to 40  per cent.
Galaxy pairs inThe Three Hundredsimulations II: studying bound ones and identifying them via machine learning
Authors: Contreras-Santos Ana , Knebe Alexander , Cui Weiguang , Haggar Roan , Pearce Frazer , Gray Meghan , De Petris Marco , Yepes Gustavo
Published: April 2023

Using the data set of The Three Hundred project, i.e. 324 hydrodynamical resimulations of cluster-sized haloes and the regions of radius 15 ${{h^{-1}\, {\rm Mpc}}}$ around them, we study galaxy pairs in high-density environments. By projecting the galaxies’ 3D coordinates onto a 2D plane, we apply observational techniques to find galaxy pairs. Based on a previous theoretical study on galaxy groups in the same simulations, we are able to classify the observed pairs into ‘true’ or ‘false’, depending on whether they are gravitationally bound or not. We find that the fraction of true pairs (purity) crucially depends on the specific thresholds used to find the pairs, ranging from around 30 to more than 80 per cent in the most restrictive case. Nevertheless, in these very restrictive cases, we see that the completeness of the sample is low, failing to find a significant number of true pairs. Therefore, we train a machine learning algorithm to help us identify these true pairs based on the properties of the galaxies that constitute them. With the aid of the machine learning model trained with a set of properties of all the objects, we show that purity and completeness can be boosted significantly using the default observational thresholds. Furthermore, this machine learning model also reveals the properties that are most important when distinguishing true pairs, mainly the size and mass of the galaxies, their spin parameter, gas content, and shape of their stellar components.
Reconfigurable intelligent surface-empowered MIMO systems
Authors: Basar Ertugrul
Published: April 2023

A brief overview is presented in this perspective, considering the application of reconfigurable intelligent surfaces for future multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems.
Plasmodium 18S Ribosomal RNA Biomarker Clearance After Food and Drug Administration–Approved Antimalarial Treatment in Controlled Human Malaria Infection Trials
Authors: Chavtur Chris , Staubus Weston J , Ho Mabel , Hergott Dianna E B , Seilie Annette M , Healy Sara , Duffy Patrick , Jackson Lisa , Talley Angela , Kappe Stefan H I , Hoffman Stephen L , Richie Thomas L , Kublin James G , Chang Ming , Murphy Sean C
Published: April 2023

Background

Sensitive molecular assays, such as quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) of Plasmodium 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA), are increasingly the primary method of detecting infections in controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) trials. However, thick blood smears (TBSs) remain the main method for confirming clearance of parasites after curative treatment, in part owing to uncertainty regarding biomarker clearance rates.

Methods

For this analysis, 18S rRNA qRT-PCR data were compiled from 127 Plasmodium falciparum–infected participants treated with chloroquine or atovaquone-proguanil in 6 CHMI studies conducted in Seattle, Washington, over the past decade. A survival analysis approach was used to compare biomarker and TBS clearance times among studies. The effect of the parasite density at which treatment was initiated on clearance time was estimated using linear regression.

Results

The median time to biomarker clearance was 3 days (interquartile range, 3–5 days), while the median time to TBS clearance was 1 day (1–2 days). Time to biomarker clearance increased with the parasite density at which treatment was initiated. Parasite density did not have a significant effect on TBS clearance.

Conclusions

The Plasmodium 18S rRNA biomarker clears quickly and can be relied on to confirm the adequacy of Food and Drug Administration–approved treatments in CHMI studies at nonendemic sites.
Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Treated With R-CHOP in a Resource-Limited Setting in South Africa: A Real-World Study
Authors: Musimar Zola , Mpetani Mtonga , Abramson Jeremy S , Chabner Bruce A , Mohamed Zainab
Published: April 2023

Background

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma worldwide and particularly in Africa, where the incidence of HIV is the highest in the world. R-CHOP is the standard of care regimen for DLBCL, but access to rituximab is limited in developing countries.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study that included all HIV-negative patients with DLBCL who received R-CHOP at a single institution from January 2012 to December 2017. Clinical and demographic data were collected to assess factors that influenced survival.

Results

Seventy-three patients were included. Median age was 55 (17-76), 67.1% of patients were younger than 60 years, and 60.3% were female. Most presented with stages III/IV disease (53.5%) but with good performance status (56.% PS 0 and 1). Progression-free survival at 3 and 5 years was 75% and 69%, and overall survival at 3 and 5 years was 77% and 74%, respectively. Median survival had not been reached with a median follow-up of 3.5 years(0.13-7.9). Overall survival was significantly affected by performance status (P = .04), but not by IPI or age. Survival was significantly associated with response to chemotherapy after 4-5 cycles of R-CHOP (P = 0.005).

Conclusions

Treatment of DLBCL with R-CHOP is feasible and can achieve good outcomes in resource-limited settings with rituximab-based chemotherapy. Poor performance status was the most important adverse prognostic factor in this cohort of HIV-negative patients.
Detection of a new molecular cloud in the LHAASO J2108+5157 region supporting a hadronic PeVatron scenario
Authors: de la Fuente Eduardo , Toledano-Juarez Ivan , Kawata Kazumasa , Trinidad Miguel A , Tafoya Daniel , Sano Hidetoshi , Tokuda Kazuki , Nishimura Atsushi , Onishi Toshikazu , Sako Takashi , Hona Binita , Ohnishi Munehiro , Takita Masato
Published: April 2023

PeVatrons are the most powerful naturally occurring particle accelerators in the Universe. The identification of counterparts associated to astrophysical objects such as dying massive stars, molecular gas, star-forming regions, and star clusters is essential to clarify the underlying nature of the PeV emission, i.e., hadronic or leptonic. We present 12,13CO (J = 2→1) observations made with the 1.85 m radio-telescope of the Osaka Prefecture University toward the Cygnus OB7 molecular cloud, which contains the PeVatron candidate LHAASO J2108+5157. We investigate the nature of the sub-PeV (gamma-ray) emission by studying the nucleon density determined from the content of H i and H2, derived from the CO observations. In addition to MML[2017]4607, detected via the observations of the optically thick 12CO (J = 1→0) emission, we infer the presence of an optically thin molecular cloud, named [FKT-MC]2022, whose angular size is 1${_{.}^{\circ}}$1 ± 0${_{.}^{\circ}}$2. We propose this cloud as a new candidate to produce the sub-PeV emission observed in LHAASO J2108+5157. Considering a distance of 1.7 kpc, we estimate a nucleon (H i + H2) density of 37 ± 14 cm−3, and a total nucleon mass(H i + H2) of 1.5 ± 0.6 × 104 M⊙. On the other hand, we confirm that Kronberger 82 is a molecular clump with an angular size of 0${_{.}^{\circ}}$1, a nucleon density ∼103 cm−3, and a mass ∼103 M⊙. Although Kronberger 82 hosts the physical conditions to produce the observed emission of LHAASO J2108+5157, [FKT-MC]2022 is located closer to it, suggesting that the latter could be the one associated to the sub-PeV emission. Under this scenario, our results favour a hadronic origin for the emission.
Remote diagnostic imaging using artificial intelligence for diagnosing hip dysplasia in infants: Results from a mixed-methods feasibility pilot study
Authors: Libon Jackie , Ng Candice , Bailey Allan , Hareendranathan Abhilash , Joseph Reg , Dulai Sukhdeep
Published: April 2023

Objectives

Infant hip dysplasia or Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH) occurs in 1–2% of births worldwide and leads to hip arthritis if untreated. We sought to evaluate the feasibility of implementing an artificial intelligence-enhanced portable ultrasound tool for infant hip dysplasia (DDH) screening in primary care, through determining its effectiveness in practice and evaluating patient and provider feedback.

Methods

A US-FDA-cleared artificial intelligence (AI) screening device for DDH (MEDO-Hip) was added to routine well-child visits from age 6 to 10 weeks. A total of 306 infants were screened during a 1-year pilot study within three family medicine clinics in Alberta, Canada. Patient and provider satisfaction were quantified using the System Usability Survey (SUS), while provider perceptions were further investigated through semi-structured interviews.

Results

Provider and user surveys commonly identified best features of the tool as immediate diagnosis, offering reassurance/knowledge and avoiding travel, and noted technical glitches most frequently as a barrier. A total of 369 scans of 306 infants were performed from Feb 1, 2021 until Mar 31, 2022. Eighty percent of hips scanned were normal on initial scans, 14% of scans required a follow-up study in the primary care clinic, and DDH cases were identified and treated at the expected 2% rate (6 infants).

Conclusions

It is feasible to implement a point-of-care ultrasound AI screening tool in primary care to screen for infants with DDH. Beyond improved screening and detection, this innovation was well accepted by patients and fee-for-service providers with a culture and history of innovation.
Blue light promotes ascorbate synthesis by deactivating the PAS/LOV photoreceptor that inhibits GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase
Authors: Bournonville Céline , Mori Kentaro , Deslous Paul , Decros Guillaume , Blomeier Tim , Mauxion Jean-Philippe , Jorly Joana , Gadin Stéphanie , Cassan Cédric , Maucourt Mickael , Just Daniel , Brès Cécile , Rothan Christophe , Ferrand Carine , Fernandez-Lochu Lucie , Bataille Laure , Miura Kenji , Beven Laure , Zurbriggen Matias D , Pétriacq Pierre , Gibon Yves , Baldet Pierre
Published: April 2023

Ascorbate (vitamin C) is an essential antioxidant in fresh fruits and vegetables. To gain insight into the regulation of ascorbate metabolism in plants, we studied mutant tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum) that produce ascorbate-enriched fruits. The causal mutation, identified by a mapping-by-sequencing strategy, corresponded to a knock-out recessive mutation in a class of photoreceptor named PAS/LOV protein (PLP), which acts as a negative regulator of ascorbate biosynthesis. This trait was confirmed by CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and further found in all plant organs, including fruit that accumulated 2 to 3 times more ascorbate than in the WT. The functional characterization revealed that PLP interacted with the 2 isoforms of GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase (GGP), known as the controlling step of the L-galactose pathway of ascorbate synthesis. The interaction with GGP occurred in the cytoplasm and the nucleus, but was abolished when PLP was truncated. These results were confirmed by a synthetic approach using an animal cell system, which additionally demonstrated that blue light modulated the PLP-GGP interaction. Assays performed in vitro with heterologously expressed GGP and PLP showed that PLP is a noncompetitive inhibitor of GGP that is inactivated after blue light exposure. This discovery provides a greater understanding of the light-dependent regulation of ascorbate metabolism in plants.
GUN4 appeared early in cyanobacterial evolution
Authors: Rockwell Nathan C , Lagarias J Clark
Published: April 2023

Photosynthesis relies on chlorophylls, which are synthesized via a common tetrapyrrole trunk pathway also leading to heme, vitamin B12, and other pigmented cofactors. The first committed step for chlorophyll biosynthesis is insertion of magnesium into protoporphyrin IX by magnesium chelatase. Magnesium chelatase is composed of H-, I-, and D-subunits, with the tetrapyrrole substrate binding to the H-subunit. This subunit is rapidly inactivated in the presence of substrate, light, and oxygen, so oxygenic photosynthetic organisms require mechanisms to protect magnesium chelatase from similar loss of function. An additional protein, GUN4, binds to the H-subunit and to tetrapyrroles. GUN4 has been proposed to serve this protective role via its ability to bind linear tetrapyrroles (bilins). In the current work, we probe the origins of bilin binding by GUN4 via comparative phylogenetic analysis and biochemical validation of a conserved bilin-binding motif. Based on our results, we propose that bilin-binding GUN4 proteins arose early in cyanobacterial evolution and that this early acquisition represents an ancient adaptation for maintaining chlorophyll biosynthesis in the presence of light and oxygen.
Bayesian network enables interpretable and state-of-the-art prediction of immunotherapy responses in cancer patients
Authors: Hozumi Hideki , Shimizu Hideyuki
Published: April 2023

Immune checkpoint inhibitors, especially PD-1/PD-L1 blockade, have revolutionized cancer treatment and brought tremendous benefits to patients who otherwise would have had a limited prognosis. Nonetheless, only a small fraction of patients respond to immunotherapy, and the costs and side effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors cannot be ignored. With the advent of machine and deep learning, clinical and genetic data have been used to stratify patient responses to immunotherapy. Unfortunately, these approaches have typically been “black-box” methods that are unable to explain their predictions, thereby hindering their responsible clinical application. Herein, we developed a “white-box” Bayesian network model that achieves accurate and interpretable predictions of immunotherapy responses against nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This tree-augmented naïve Bayes (TAN) model accurately predicted durable clinical benefits and distinguished two clinically significant subgroups with distinct prognoses. Furthermore, our state-of-the-art white-box TAN approach achieved greater accuracy than previous methods. We hope that our model will guide clinicians in selecting NSCLC patients who truly require immunotherapy and expect our approach to be easily applied to other types of cancer.
Corporate Investment and Financing Dynamics
Authors: Hackbarth Dirk , Sun Dongming
Published: April 2023

We consider the behavior of leverage ratios in a trade-off model with investment. Debt underutilization to retain financial flexibility persists even when firms exercise their last investment options, and it is more (less) severe for more back-loaded (front-loaded) investment opportunities. Leverage paths crucially hinge on the structure of the investment process, which leads firms to have significantly different target leverage ratios. Structural estimation of key parameters reveals that simulated model moments can match data moments. In simulated panels, leverage regression results are in line with the evidence, and average leverage ratios are path-dependent and persistent for extended periods of time. (JEL G31, G32)
Financial Cycles with Heterogeneous Intermediaries
Authors: Coimbra Nuno , Rey Hélène
Published: April 2023

We develop a dynamic macroeconomic model with heterogeneous financial intermediaries and endogenous entry. Time-varying endogenous macroeconomic risk arises from the risk-shifting behaviour of the cross-section of financial intermediaries. When interest rates are high, a decrease in interest rates stimulates investment and decreases aggregate risk. In contrast, when they are low, further stimulus can increase financial instability while inducing a fall in the risk premium. In this case, there is a trade-off between stimulating the economy and financial stability. This provides a model of the risk-taking channel of monetary policy.
In-depth proteomic analysis of juvenile dermatomyositis serum reveals protein expression associated with muscle-specific autoantibodies
Authors: Sato Hironori , Inoue Yuzaburo , Kawashima Yusuke , Konno Ryo , Ohara Osamu , Kuwana Masataka , Kobayashi Norimoto , Takezaki Shunichiro , Akioka Shinji
Published: April 2023

Objectives

The clinical symptoms and complications of JDM differ depending on the type of muscle-specific autoantibodies (MSAs) present. We aimed to identify protein expression profiles specific for MSAs that characterize various clinical features by comprehensively analyzing the proteins present in the serum of patients with JDM.

Methods

We analysed sera from patients with JDM that were positive for anti–melanoma differentiation–associated protein 5 (MDA5) antibodies (n = 5), anti–nuclear matrix protein 2 (NXP2) antibodies (n = 5) and anti–transcriptional intermediary factor 1 alpha or gamma subunit (TIF1-γ) antibodies (n = 5), and evaluated healthy controls (n = 5) via single-shot liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (MS) in data-independent acquisition mode, which is superior for comparative quantitative analysis. We identified different protein groups based on MSAs and performed pathway analysis to understand their characteristics.

Results

We detected 2413 proteins from serum MS analysis; 508 proteins were commonly altered in MSAs, including many myogenic enzymes and IFN-regulated proteins. Pathway analysis using the top 50 proteins that were upregulated in each MSA group revealed that the type I IFN and proteasome pathways were significantly upregulated in the anti-MDA5 antibody group alone.

Conclusion

Although JDM serum contains many proteins commonly altered in MSAs, the pathways associated with clinical features of MSAs differ based on protein accumulation. In-depth serum protein profiles associated with MSAs may be useful for developing therapeutic target molecules and biomarkers.
Exposures to information about castration and emotional trauma before puberty are associated with men’s risk of seeking genital ablation as adults
Authors: Agapoff Jame A , Wassersug Richard J , Johnson Thomas W , Wibowo Erik
Published: April 2023

Background

Little is known about childhood experiences, outcomes, and self-recollections of those men who were voluntarily castrated as adults.

Aim

The study sought to determine how learning about castration before and after 13 years of age is associated with differential childhood experiences, outcomes, and self-recollections of those who were voluntarily castrated as adults.

Methods

We designed a survey of voluntarily castrated individuals, who learned about castration before and after 13 years of age. Our survey consisted of both validated questionnaires and questions. Data were from 208 individuals. Both descriptive and quantitative statistics were performed.

Outcomes

Learning about castration before 13 years of age is associated with more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as being threatened with castration and other forms of emotional, physical, and sexual trauma.

Results

As compared with those who learned about castration after 13 years of age, those who knew about castration earlier were more likely to have self-injured their penis (χ21 = 5.342, P < 0.05), had thoughts of performing self-castration (χ21 = 10.389, P < 0.01), witnessed animal castration (χ21 = 10.023, P < 0.01), been threatened with castration as a child (χ21 = 21.749, P < 0.001), had childhood physical trauma (χ21 = 4.318, P < 0.05), had childhood emotional trauma (χ21 = 3.939, P < 0.05), and had childhood sexual trauma (χ21 = 5.862, P < 0.05).

Clinical Implications

Mental health screening and support should be offered to any men seeking emasculating procedures in line with the World Professional Association of Transgender Health’s Standards of Care Version 8.

Strengths and Limitations

This study had a large sample size and used a validated questionnaire to evaluate for ACEs. The average age of respondents was above 50 years of age, which may increase recall bias.

Conclusion

Understanding how ACEs influence the age when some eunuchs first desire, pretend, and become castrated can help clinicians develop better assessments and treatment protocols for individuals with male-to-eunuch gender dysphoria, and other conditions in which emasculating medical procedures are requested.
Liver Disease and Cell Therapy: Advances Made and Remaining Challenges
Authors: Khan Sheeba , Mahgoub Sara , Fallatah Nada , Lalor Patricia F , Newsome Philip N
Published: April 2023

The limited availability of organs for liver transplantation, the ultimate curative treatment for end stage liver disease, has resulted in a growing and unmet need for alternative therapies. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) with their broad ranging anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties have therefore emerged as a promising therapeutic agent in treating inflammatory liver disease. Significant strides have been made in exploring their biological activity. Clinical application of MSC has shifted the paradigm from using their regenerative potential to one which harnesses their immunomodulatory properties. Reassuringly, MSCs have been extensively investigated for over 30 years with encouraging efficacy and safety data from translational and early phase clinical studies, but questions remain about their utility. Therefore, in this review, we examine the translational and clinical studies using MSCs in various liver diseases and their impact on dampening immune-mediated liver damage. Our key observations include progress made thus far with use of MSCs for clinical use, inconsistency in the literature to allow meaningful comparison between different studies and need for standardized protocols for MSC manufacture and administration. In addition, the emerging role of MSC-derived extracellular vesicles as an alternative to MSC has been reviewed. We have also highlighted some of the remaining clinical challenges that should be addressed before MSC can progress to be considered as therapy for patients with liver disease.
Pulmonary immune response regulation, genotoxicity, and metabolic reprogramming by menthol- and tobacco-flavored e-cigarette exposures in mice
Authors: Muthumalage Thivanka , Rahman Irfan
Published: April 2023

Menthol and tobacco flavors are available for almost all tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes (e-cigs). These flavors are a mixture of chemicals with overlapping constituents. There are no comparative toxicity studies of these flavors produced by different manufacturers. We hypothesized that acute exposure to menthol and tobacco-flavored e-cig aerosols induces inflammatory, genotoxicity, and metabolic responses in mouse lungs. We compared two brands, A and B, of e-cig flavors (PG/VG, menthol, and tobacco) with and without nicotine for their inflammatory response, genotoxic markers, and altered genes and proteins in the context of metabolism by exposing mouse strains, C57BL/6J (Th1-mediated) and BALB/cJ (Th2-mediated). Brand A nicotine-free menthol exposure caused increased neutrophils and differential T-lymphocyte influx in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and induced significant immunosuppression, while brand A tobacco with nicotine elicited an allergic inflammatory response with increased Eotaxin, IL-6, and RANTES levels. Brand B elicited a similar inflammatory response in menthol flavor exposure. Upon e-cig exposure, genotoxicity markers significantly increased in lung tissue. These inflammatory and genotoxicity responses were associated with altered NLRP3 inflammasome and TRPA1 induction by menthol flavor. Nicotine decreased surfactant protein D and increased PAI-1 by menthol and tobacco flavors, respectively. Integration of inflammatory and metabolic pathway gene expression analysis showed immunometabolic regulation in T cells via PI3K/Akt/p70S6k-mTOR axis associated with suppressed immunity/allergic immune response. Overall, this study showed the comparative toxicity of flavored e-cig aerosols, unraveling potential signaling pathways of nicotine and flavor-mediated pulmonary toxicological responses, and emphasized the need for standardized toxicity testing for appropriate premarket authorization of e-cigarette products.
When the weight of evidence does not weigh enough: EFSA’s draft scientific opinion on BPA
Authors: Zagorski Joseph W , Kaminski Norbert E
Published: April 2023

In November of 2021, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) released a draft scientific opinion on bisphenol A (BPA) exposure and health outcomes released to the public. EFSA concluded that the most sensitive outcome category to BPA exposure is the immune system. In this scientific opinion, EFSA utilized a weight of evidence approach to conclude that it is likely that BPA exposure promotes the development of TH17 cell-mediated atopic respiratory disease (eg, wheezing, rhinitis and asthma). Here, we present a dissenting analysis to that put forward in the draft EFSA scientific opinion and raise concerns about the studies and EFSA’s interpretation of data that were used to arrive at their conclusion.