bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nondiagnostic Test Result Rates Following Thyroid Extra-Fine-Needle Aspiration
Authors: Rechter Michael , Saraph Sivan , Cohen Hector , Ronen Ohad
Published: December 2022

Objectives

The first Bethesda classification category of thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is nondiagnostic (ND), which indicates that the specimen’s cellularity is inadequate for evaluation. This work investigated the effect of needle diameter size on ND rates by comparing diagnostic outcomes of FNAB samples collected with 23-, 25-, and 27-gauge needles.

Methods

This was a retrospective analysis of samples collected from patients undergoing FNAB between 2018 and 2021. It was conducted in an otolaryngology department in a university teaching hospital.

Results

Of the 699 aspirations, 144, 335, and 220 were performed using 23-, 25-, and 27-gauge needles, respectively. ND rates increased significantly when using 27-gauge compared with 23- to 25-gauge needles (P = .002), and a significantly lower ND rate was found for the 25-gauge needle compared with the 27-gauge needle (P = .001). Furthermore, increased nodule size was associated with reduced ND rate (odds ratio, 0.801; 95% confidence interval, 0.691-0.929).

Conclusions

The 25-gauge needles are superior to 27-gauge needles in reducing ND rates of thyroid nodule FNAB specimens. Future prospective studies should be performed to confirm these findings.
The M-Value: A Simple Sensitivity Analysis for Bias Due to Missing Data in Treatment Effect Estimates
Authors: Mathur Maya B
Published: December 2022

Complete-case analyses can be biased if missing data are not missing completely at random. We propose simple sensitivity analyses that apply to complete-case estimates of treatment effects; these analyses use only simple summary data and obviate specifying the precise mechanism of missingness and making distributional assumptions. Bias arises when treatment effects differ between retained and nonretained participants or, among retained participants, the estimate is biased because conditioning on retention has induced a noncausal path between the treatment and outcome. We thus bound the overall treatment effect on the difference scale by specifying: 1) the unobserved treatment effect among nonretained participants; and 2) the strengths of association that unobserved variables have with the exposure and with the outcome among retained participants (“induced confounding associations”). Working with the former sensitivity parameter subsumes certain existing methods of worst-case imputation while also accommodating less-conservative assumptions (e.g., that the treatment is not detrimental on average even among nonretained participants). As an analog to the E-value for confounding, we propose the M-value, which represents, for a specified treatment effect among nonretained participants, the strength of induced confounding associations required to reduce the treatment effect to the null or to any other value. These methods could help characterize the robustness of complete-case analyses to potential bias due to missing data.
Cognitive Complaints Assessment and Neuropsychiatric Disorders After Mild COVID-19 Infection
Authors: Hammerle Mariana Beiral , Sales Deborah Santos , Pinheiro Patricia Gomes , Gouvea Elisa Gutman , de Almeida Pedro Ignacio F M , de Araujo Davico Clarissa , Souza Rayanne S , Spedo Carina Tellaroli , Nicaretta Denise Hack , Alvarenga Regina Maria Papais , Pires Karina Lebeis , Thuler Luiz Claudio Santos , Vasconcelos Claudia Cristina Ferreira
Published: December 2022

Objectives

This study aimed to analyze cognitive impairment associated with long-term coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) syndrome and its correlation with anxiety, depression, and fatigue in patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study of 127 patients with COVID-19. Tests to screen for neuropsychiatric symptoms included the Fatigue Severity Scale, Mini-Mental State Exam 2 (MMSE-2), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

Results

In cognitive tests, SDMT was abnormal in 22%, being more sensitive than MMSE-2 to detect cognitive changes. Furthermore, although manifestations such as fatigue, depression, and anxiety were frequent in the post-COVID-19 phase, these 3 conditions, known to contribute to cognitive impairment, were slightly correlated with worse performance on the rapid screening tests.

Conclusions

In patients with mild COVID-19 and cognitive complaints, SDMT helped to confirm disturbances in the attention domain and processing speed.
RNAlight: a machine learning model to identify nucleotide features determining RNA subcellular localization
Authors: Yuan Guo-Hua , Wang Ying , Wang Guang-Zhong , Yang Li
Published: December 2022

Different RNAs have distinct subcellular localizations. However, nucleotide features that determine these distinct distributions of lncRNAs and mRNAs have yet to be fully addressed. Here, we develop RNAlight, a machine learning model based on LightGBM, to identify nucleotide k-mers contributing to the subcellular localizations of mRNAs and lncRNAs. With the Tree SHAP algorithm, RNAlight extracts nucleotide features for cytoplasmic or nuclear localization of RNAs, indicating the sequence basis for distinct RNA subcellular localizations. By assembling k-mers to sequence features and subsequently mapping to known RBP-associated motifs, different types of sequence features and their associated RBPs were additionally uncovered for lncRNAs and mRNAs with distinct subcellular localizations. Finally, we extended RNAlight to precisely predict the subcellular localizations of other types of RNAs, including snRNAs, snoRNAs and different circular RNA transcripts, suggesting the generality of using RNAlight for RNA subcellular localization prediction.
AKT/GSK-3beta/VEGF signaling is involved in P2RY2 activation-induced the proliferation and metastasis of gastric cancer
Authors: Dong Cai-Rong , Hu Dong-Xia , Liu Si-Cheng , Luo Hong-Liang , Zhang Wen-Jun
Published: December 2022

Studies have revealed the contribution of ATP-G-protein-coupled P2Y2 receptor (P2RY2) in tumor progression, but the role of P2RY2 in regulating the progression of gastric cancer (GC) and related molecular mechanisms are relatively lacking. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of P2RY2 on the proliferation and migration of GC through in vivo and in vitro experiments. The results showed that P2RY2 was expressed in GC tissues and GC cell lines. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) increased the calcium influx in AGS and HGC-27 cells, and was dose-dependent with ATP concentration. ATP and UTP increased the intracellular glycogen content, enhanced the actin fiber stress response, and promoted the proliferation and migration of GC cells, while P2RY2 competitive antagonist AR-C118925XX reversed the changes induced by ATP. Knockdown of P2RY2 expression by shRNA inhibited the proliferation of GC cells. Activation of P2RY2 increased the expression of Snail, Vimentin, and β-catenin in GC cells, and down-regulated the expression of E-cadherin, while AR-C118925XX decreased the expression of these genes induced by ATP. Activation of P2RY2 activated AKT/GSK-3beta/VEGF signal to promote the proliferation of GC cells, and the P13/AKT signaling pathway LY294002 reversed the corresponding phenomenon, but no synergistic pharmacological properties of AR-C118925XX and LY294002 have been found. In vivo experiments showed that ATP-induced tumor growth, while AR-C118925XX inhibited ATP-induced tumor growth. Our conclusion is that P2RY2 activated the AKT/GSK-3beta/VEGF signal to promote the proliferation and migration of GC, suggesting that P2RY2 may be a new potential target for the treatment of GC.
Novel objects with causal event schemas elicit selective responses in tool- and hand-selective lateral occipitotemporal cortex
Authors: Leshinskaya Anna , Bajaj Mira , Thompson-Schill Sharon L
Published: December 2022

Tool-selective lateral occipitotemporal cortex (LOTC) responds preferentially to images of tools (hammers, brushes) relative to non-tool objects (clocks, shoes). What drives these responses? Unlike other objects, tools exert effects on their surroundings. We tested whether LOTC responses are influenced by event schemas that denote different temporal relations. Participants learned about novel objects embedded in different event sequences. Causer objects moved prior to the appearance of an environmental event (e.g. stars), while Reactor objects moved after an event. Visual features and motor association were controlled. During functional magnetic resonance imaging, participants viewed still images of the objects. We localized tool-selective LOTC and non-tool-selective parahippocampal cortex (PHC) by contrasting neural responses to images of familiar tools and non-tools. We found that LOTC responded more to Causers than Reactors, while PHC did not. We also measured responses to images of hands, which elicit overlapping responses with tools. Across inferior temporal cortex, voxels’ tool and hand selectivity positively predicted a preferential response to Causers. We conclude that an event schema typical of tools is sufficient to drive LOTC and that category-preferential responses across the temporal lobe may reflect relational event structures typical of those domains.
Co-inhibition of immunoproteasome subunits LMP2 and LMP7 enables prevention of transplant arteriosclerosis
Authors: Li Jun , Hu Shaobo , Johnson Henry W B , Kirk Christopher J , Xian Peng , Song Yanping , Li Yuan , Liu Nan , Groettrup Marcus , Basler Michael
Published: December 2022

Aims

The loss of vascular wall cells in allotransplanted arteries is the initial event leading to transplant arteriosclerosis (TA) and ensuing loss of allograft function. Pharmacological agents able to prevent TA are currently lacking. We previously showed that selective inhibition of the immunoproteasome prevented the chronic rejection of renal allografts. However, the role and mechanisms of selective inhibition of a single immunoproteasome subunit to prevent immune-mediated vascular allograft rejection and TA is not clear.

Methods and results

The effect and potential mechanism of combined or individual inhibition of peptidolytically active immunoproteasome LMP7 (β5i) and LMP2 (β1i) subunits on immune rejection-mediated TA was investigated using the epoxyketone inhibitor ONX 0914, and the recently developed LMP7-selective inhibitor KZR-329 and LMP2-selective inhibitor KZR-504 in a rat aorta transplantation model. We find that co-inhibition of LMP7 and LMP2 in allogeneic recipients significantly suppressed T-cell activation and function by expressing inhibitory surface markers and then activating inhibitory signals. Moreover, co-inhibition of LMP7 and LMP2 substantially reduced the number of immunoglobulin G-secreting cells and plasma cells and production of alloantibodies through activating the unfolded protein response and incapacitating the survival niche of plasma cells in the bone marrow. Consequentially, the accumulation of inflammatory cytokines, complement, and antibodies is reduced and the apoptosis of vascular wall cells decreased in aortic allografts via LMP7 and LMP2 co-inhibition with ONX 0914 treatment or combined KZR-329 and KZR-504 treatment. However, neither individual inhibition of LMP7 by KZR-329 nor individual inhibition of LMP2 by KZR-504 showed suppression of immune rejection and TA.

Conclusions

We define a critical role of LMP7 and LMP2 in TA and strongly propose co-inhibition of both immunoproteasome subunits as promising therapeutic approach to suppress TA and allograft rejection.
JCAD promotes arterial thrombosis through PI3K/Akt modulation: a translational study
Authors: Liberale Luca , Puspitasari Yustina M , Ministrini Stefano , Akhmedov Alexander , Kraler Simon , Bonetti Nicole R , Beer Georgia , Vukolic Ana , Bongiovanni Dario , Han Jiaying , Kirmes Kilian , Bernlochner Isabell , Pelisek Jaroslav , Beer Jürg H , Jin Zheng-Gen , Pedicino Daniela , Liuzzo Giovanna , Stellos Konstantinos , Montecucco Fabrizio , Crea Filippo , Lüscher Thomas F , Camici Giovanni G
Published: December 2022

Aims

Variants of the junctional cadherin 5 associated (JCAD) locus associate with acute coronary syndromes. JCAD promotes experimental atherosclerosis through the large tumor suppressor kinase 2 (LATS2)/Hippo pathway. This study investigates the role of JCAD in arterial thrombosis.

Methods and results

JCAD knockout (Jcad−/−) mice underwent photochemically induced endothelial injury to trigger arterial thrombosis. Primary human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) treated with JCAD small interfering RNA (siJCAD), LATS2 small interfering RNA (siLATS2) or control siRNA (siSCR) were employed for in vitro assays. Plasma JCAD was measured in patients with chronic coronary syndrome or ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Jcad−/− mice displayed reduced thrombogenicity as reflected by delayed time to carotid occlusion. Mechanisms include reduced activation of the coagulation cascade [reduced tissue factor (TF) expression and activity] and increased fibrinolysis [higher thrombus embolization episodes and D-dimer levels, reduced vascular plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 expression]. In vitro, JCAD silencing inhibited TF and PAI-1 expression in HAECs. JCAD-silenced HAECs (siJCAD) displayed increased levels of LATS2 kinase. Yet, double JCAD and LATS2 silencing did not restore the control phenotype. si-JCAD HAECs showed increased levels of phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K)/ proteinkinase B (Akt) activation, known to downregulate procoagulant expression. The PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitor—wortmannin—prevented the effect of JCAD silencing on TF and PAI-1, indicating a causative role. Also, co-immunoprecipitation unveiled a direct interaction between JCAD and Akt. Confirming in vitro findings, PI3K/Akt and P-yes-associated protein levels were higher in Jcad−/− animals. Lastly, as compared with chronic coronary syndrome, STEMI patients showed higher plasma JCAD, which notably correlated positively with both TF and PAI-1 levels.

Conclusions

JCAD promotes arterial thrombosis by modulating coagulation and fibrinolysis. Herein, reported translational data suggest JCAD as a potential therapeutic target for atherothrombosis.
Strategic joining rules in unobservable queues with dynamic service rate
Authors: Ma Shuangfeng , Guo Wei
Published: December 2022

This paper considers an unobservable queue with adjustable service rate and strategic customers. A queueing-game-theoretic model is built to capture the interaction between the server’s service rate and customers’ joining decisions. Iterative and recursive methods are used to derive the steady-state distribution and the expected sojourn time in the queue. We obtain customers’ equilibrium and socially optimal joining strategies under two information scenarios which are unobservable and partially unobservable queues, separately. It is found that there are four equilibrium joining strategies at most in the fully unobservable queue and two equilibrium joining strategies in the almost unobservable queue. Interestingly, the social optimal arrival rate is between the minimum and maximum stable equilibria. Thus, in most cases, managers need to charge a price to induce the social optimal customers’ behaviour. However, if the minimum equilibrium is achieved, managers are required to provide a subsidy to maximize the social welfare. unobservable queue; $(m, N)$ policy; equilibrium strategy; social welfare.
Efficacy of an mHealth self-management intervention for persons living with HIV: the WiseApp randomized clinical trial
Authors: Schnall Rebecca , Sanabria Gabriella , Jia Haomiao , Cho Hwayoung , Bushover Brady , Reynolds Nancy R , Gradilla Melissa , Mohr David C , Ganzhorn Sarah , Olender Susan
Published: December 2022

Importance

Progression of HIV disease, the transmission of the disease, and premature deaths among persons living with HIV (PLWH) have been attributed foremost to poor adherence to HIV medications. mHealth tools can be used to improve antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence in PLWH and have the potential to improve therapeutic success.

Objective

To determine the efficacy of WiseApp, a user-centered design mHealth intervention to improve ART adherence and viral suppression in PLWH.

Design, Setting, and Participants

A randomized (1:1) controlled efficacy trial of the WiseApp intervention arm (n = 99) versus an attention control intervention arm (n = 101) among persons living with HIV who reported poor adherence to their treatment regimen and living in New York City.

Interventions

The WiseApp intervention includes the following components: testimonials of lived experiences, push-notification reminders, medication trackers, health surveys, chat rooms, and a “To-Do” list outlining tasks for the day. Both study arms also received the CleverCap pill bottle, with only the intervention group linking the pill bottle to WiseApp.

Results

We found a significant improvement in ART adherence in the intervention arm compared to the attention control arm from day 1 (69.7% vs 48.3%, OR = 2.5, 95% CI 1.4–3.5, P = .002) to day 59 (51.2% vs 37.2%, OR = 1.77, 95% CI 1.0–1.6, P = .05) of the study period. From day 60 to 120, the intervention arm had higher adherence rates, but the difference was not significant. In the secondary analyses, no difference in change from baseline to 3 or 6 months between the 2 arms was observed for all secondary outcomes.

Conclusions

The WiseApp intervention initially improved ART adherence but did not have a sustained effect on outcomes.
The One-Man Show: The Effect of Joint Decision-Making on Investor Overconfidence
Authors: Piehlmaier Dominik M
Published: December 2022

This study examines the impact of shared decision-making on investor overconfidence. Data from 2,000 investors, 6,394 consumers, and 657 experimental participants shed light on whether consumers who engage in joint financial decision-making are less affected by investor overconfidence than those who decide on their own. The findings show that investors who jointly decide are substantially less overconfident. However, family- or friend-inclined interactions are more effective in reducing overconfidence than relying on a financial advisor. The current research theoretically argues and empirically shows that shared metaknowledge drives this diminishing effect by highlighting unknown aspects of a financial decision. Compared to providing investors with solutions, problem reformulation, validation, or legitimation, only metaknowledge consistently decreases overconfidence in joint financial decision-making. It is argued that the process of highlighting unknowns can explain why interactions with family and friends have a more pronounced impact on investor overconfidence than consulting a professional advisor. The study provides a feasible debiasing tool to consumers, financial institutions, and other financial service providers to decrease overconfidence by emphasizing unknown aspects of an investment toward improving the quality of a consumer’s financial decisions under uncertainty.
Temporal occurrence of three blue whale populations in New Zealand waters from passive acoustic monitoring
Authors: Barlow Dawn R , Klinck Holger , Ponirakis Dimitri , Holt Colberg Mattea , Torres Leigh G
Published: December 2022

Describing spatial and temporal occurrence patterns of wild animal populations is important for understanding their evolutionary trajectories, population connectivity, and ecological niche specialization, with relevance for effective management. Throughout the world, blue whales produce stereotyped songs that enable identification of separate acoustic populations. We harnessed continuous acoustic recordings from five hydrophones deployed in the South Taranaki Bight (STB) region of Aotearoa New Zealand from January 2016 to February 2018. We examined hourly presence of songs from three different blue whale populations to investigate their contrasting ecological use of New Zealand waters. The New Zealand song was detected year-round with a seasonal cycle in intensity (peak February–July), demonstrating the importance of the region to the New Zealand population as both a foraging ground and potential breeding area. The Antarctic song was present in two distinct peaks each year (June–July; September–October) and predominantly at the offshore recording locations, suggesting northbound and southbound migration between feeding and wintering grounds. The Australian song was only detected during a 10-day period in January 2017, implying a rare vagrant occurrence. We therefore infer that the STB region is the primary niche of the New Zealand population, a migratory corridor for the Antarctic population, and outside the typical range of the Australian population.
Review of the Clinical Presentation, Pathology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Leishmaniasis
Authors: Mathison Blaine A , Bradley Benjamin T
Published: December 2022

Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne infection caused by kinetoplastid protozoans in the genera Leishmania and Endotrypanum. The disease occurs worldwide in the tropics and subtropics and can be particularly burdensome in resource-limited settings. Diseases caused by leishmaniasis range in severity from mild cutaneous lesions to life-threatening visceral and disfiguring mucocutaneous illnesses. Rapid and accurate diagnosis is needed to ensure proper clinical management of patients afflicted with this disease. Complicating matters of diagnosis and treatment are the diversity of species within these 2 genera and the variable specificity of diagnostic assays. This mini-review provides laboratory professionals with an overview of Leishmania epidemiology, biology, pathogenesis, clinical presentations, and treatments with additional emphasis placed on the nuances involved in diagnosis.
First discovery of quasi-periodic oscillations in the dwarf nova HS 2325+8205 based on TESS photometry
Authors: Sun Qi-Bin , Qian Sheng-Bang , Zhu Li-Ying , Dong Ai-Jun , Zhi Qi-Jun , Liao Wen-Ping , Zhao Er-Gang , Han Zhong-Tao , Liu Wei , Zang Lei , Li Fu-Xing , Shi Xiang-Dong
Published: December 2022

HS 2325+8205 is a long-period eclipsing dwarf nova with an orbital period above the period gap (Porb > 3 h) and is reported to be a Z Cam-type dwarf nova. We study the light variation and the quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) of HS 2325+8205 based on the photometry of theTransiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Using a continuous wavelet transform, a Lomb–Scargle periodogram (LSP), and sine fitting methods, we find for the first time that there is a QPO of ∼2160 s in the long outburst top light curves of HS 2325+8205. Moreover, we find that the oscillation intensity of the QPOs of HS 2325+8205 is related to the orbital phase, and the intensity in orbital phases 0.5–0.9 is stronger than in orbital phases 0.1–0.5. Therefore, the relationship between the oscillation intensity of QPOs and the orbital phase may become a topic of research into the origin of QPOs. In addition, we use the LSP to correct the orbital period of HS 2325+8205 to 0.19433475(6) d.
The effect of linear background rotational flows on magnetoacoustic modes of a photospheric magnetic flux tube
Authors: Skirvin S J , Fedun V , Silva S S A , Van Doorsselaere T , Claes N , Goossens M , Verth G
Published: December 2022

Magnetoacoustic waves in solar magnetic flux tubes may be affected by the presence of background rotational flows. Here, we investigate the behaviour of m = 0 and m = ±1 modes of a magnetic flux tube in the presence of linear background rotational flows embedded in a photospheric environment. We show that the inclusion of a background rotational flow is found to have little effect on the obtained eigensolutions for the axisymmetric m = 0 sausage mode. However, solutions for the kink mode are dependent on the location of the flow resonance modified by the slow frequency. A background rotational flow causes the modified flow resonances to possess faster phase speeds in the thin-tube (TT) limit for the case m = 1. This results in solutions for the slow body and slow surface kink modes to follow this trajectory, changing their dispersive behaviour. For a photospheric flux tube in the TT limit, we show that it becomes difficult to distinguish between the slow surface and fast surface kink (m = 1) modes upon comparison of their eigenfunctions. 2D velocity field plots demonstrate how these waves, in the presence of background rotational flows, may appear in observational data. For slow body kink modes, a swirling pattern can be seen in the total pressure perturbation. Furthermore, the tube boundary undergoes a helical motion from the breaking of azimuthal symmetry, where the m = 1 and m = −1 modes become out of phase, suggesting the resulting kink wave is circularly polarized. These results may have implications for the seismology of magnetohydrodynamic waves in solar magnetic vortices.
Epistatic Effects Between Amino Acid Insertions and Substitutions Mediate Toxin resistance of Vertebrate Na+,K+-ATPases
Authors: Mohammadi Shabnam , Özdemir Halil İbrahim , Ozbek Pemra , Sumbul Fidan , Stiller Josefin , Deng Yuan , Crawford Andrew J , Rowland Hannah M , Storz Jay F , Andolfatto Peter , Dobler Susanne
Published: December 2022

The recurrent evolution of resistance to cardiotonic steroids (CTS) across diverse animals most frequently involves convergent amino acid substitutions in the H1-H2 extracellular loop of Na+,K+-ATPase (NKA). Previous work revealed that hystricognath rodents (e.g., chinchilla) and pterocliform birds (sandgrouse) have convergently evolved amino acid insertions in the H1-H2 loop, but their functional significance was not known. Using protein engineering, we show that these insertions have distinct effects on CTS resistance in homologs of each of the two species that strongly depend on intramolecular interactions with other residues. Removing the insertion in the chinchilla NKA unexpectedly increases CTS resistance and decreases NKA activity. In the sandgrouse NKA, the amino acid insertion and substitution Q111R both contribute to an augmented CTS resistance without compromising ATPase activity levels. Molecular docking simulations provide additional insight into the biophysical mechanisms responsible for the context-specific mutational effects on CTS insensitivity of the enzyme. Our results highlight the diversity of genetic substrates that underlie CTS insensitivity in vertebrate NKA and reveal how amino acid insertions can alter the phenotypic effects of point mutations at key sites in the same protein domain.
Autoantibodies in lupus nephritis useful in distinguishing proliferative nephritis from membranous nephritis
Authors: Asanuma Yuko , Nozawa Kazuhisa , Matsushita Masakazu , Kusaoi Makio , Abe Yoshiyuki , Yamaji Ken , Tamura Naoto
Published: December 2022

Objectives

This study was conducted to determine autoantibodies associated with lupus nephritis (LN), especially those useful in diagnosing proliferative and membranous nephritis.

Methods

A total of 106 patients with LN and 63 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus but no nephritis were enrolled; then, 55 patients were selected from the LN group and were divided into two groups: proliferative nephritis patients (n = 36) and membranous nephritis patients (n = 19). The autoantibody profiles of patients’ sera were evaluated using the EUROLINE ANA Profile 3 (IgG) kit.

Results

A higher positivity rate of anti-double-stranded DNA antibody and anti-histone antibody was seen in LN patients compared to nonrenal systemic lupus erythematosus patients. In comparing between proliferative and membranous nephritis, the positivity of anti-nucleosome antibody was higher in proliferative nephritis, although it was not statistically significant. However, anti-nucleosome antibody–positive patients with LN had a higher prevalence of haematuria and pyuria, which are strong indications of proliferative nephritis. Also, a significantly higher positivity rate of anti-RNP70 antibody was seen in membranous nephritis compared to proliferative nephritis.

Conclusions

Our results showed that anti-nucleosome and anti-RNP70 antibodies may be predictive nonhistological factors for discriminating between proliferative and membranous LN.
Post-Collisional Silica-Undersaturated Bamaoqiongzong Volcanic Rocks from Northern Qiangtang: Indicators of the Mantle Heterogeneity and Geodynamic Evolution of Central Tibet
Authors: Qi Yue , Wang Qiang , Wei Gang-Jian , Wyman Derek A , Zhang Xiu-Zheng , Dan Wei , Zhang Le , Yang Ya-Nan
Published: December 2022

The formation of post-collisional mantle-derived rocks in the Tibetan Plateau has been linked to the deep geodynamic processes that cause surface uplift. Co-existing silica-oversaturated to silica-undersaturated mantle-derived rocks have been identified in the northern Qiangtang Terrane (NQT). However, the origins of silica-undersaturated magmas are controversial, and the mechanisms responsible for variable silica activity in the mantle-derived rocks are unclear. Here, we present 40Ar/39Ar chronology, mineral chemistry, and whole-rock geochemical data for the Bamaoqiongzong (BMQZ) volcanic rocks of the NQT. The BMQZ volcanic rocks consist of olivine leucitites, trachybasalts, and phonolites and were erupted at ca. 29 Ma. All samples are unsaturated in silica and characterized by enrichment in light rare earth elements and large-ion lithophile elements, depletion in high-field-strength elements, and the presence of negative Nb–Ta–Ti anomalies and positive Pb anomalies. All samples show limited variation in (87Sr/86Sr)i (0.7079–0.7085) and εNd(t) values (−6.9 to −5.3). The geochemical compositions of the BMQZ volcanic rocks indicate that they were produced by partial melting of carbonated phlogopite–lherzolite within the lithospheric mantle. The formation of the olivine leucitites-trachybasalts-phonolites suite was controlled by fractional crystallization and magma mixing in a magmatic plumbing system. This plumbing system included several independent reservoirs and conduits within the crust. The enriched mantle sources of the BMQZ volcanic rocks were formed by the addition of carbonate-rich melts released from the southward-subducted Songpan–Ganzi Terrane after the Late Cretaceous. Our new results, together with published data, reveal systematic variations in geochemical compositions between silica-undersaturated and silica-oversaturated rocks in the NQT, which are ascribed to variations in the nature of the subducted continental materials added during intracontinental subduction. Carbonate-rich melts that were formed by the breakdown of carbonate minerals helped to generate the mantle sources of silica-undersaturated rocks, whereas silicate melts produced by the partial melting of sediment diapirs contributed to the generation of the silica-oversaturated rocks. On the basis of published numerical modelling of continental subduction and crustal deformation records in the NQT, we suggest that intracontinental subduction and lithospheric thinning together contributed to the generation of post-collisional mantle-derived rocks in the Tibetan Plateau.
A contribution to the mathematical theory of diffraction: a note on double Fourier integrals
Authors: Assier R C , Shanin A V , Korolkov A I
Published: December 2022

We consider a large class of physical fields $u$ written as double inverse Fourier transforms of some functions $F$ of two complex variables. Such integrals occur very often in practice, especially in diffraction theory. Our aim is to provide a closed-form far-field asymptotic expansion of $u$. In order to do so, we need to generalise the well-established complex analysis notion of contour indentation to integrals of functions of two complex variables. It is done by introducing the so-called bridge and arrow notation. Thanks to another integration surface deformation, we show that, to achieve our aim, we only need to study a finite number of real points in the Fourier space: the contributing points. This result is called the locality principle. We provide an extensive set of results allowing one to decide whether a point is contributing or not. Moreover, to each contributing point, we associate an explicit closed-form far-field asymptotic component of $u$. We conclude the article by validating this theory against full numerical computations for two specific examples.
Two Species of Stemphylium, S. astragali and S. henanense sp. nov., Causing Leaf and Stem Spot Disease on Astragalus sinicus in China
Authors: Qian Ning , Feng Cailian , Cheng Yapu , Zhang Guozhen , Bhadauria Vijai , Lu Xunli , Zhao Wensheng
Published: December 2022

Astragalus sinicus is a versatile legume crop, primarily utilized as a green manure in China. During 2020 and 2021, A. sinicus plants exhibiting dark brown or reddish-brown lesions or spots on leaves and stems were collected from fields in the Henan, Sichuan, and Guangxi provinces of China. Sixteen single-spore isolates were isolated from the infected leaf and stem tissue samples. Phylogenetic analyses based on the concatenated internal transcribed spacer, gapdh, and cmdA sequences indicated that 14 of them belong to Stemphylium astragali, whereas two isolates can be well separated from other known species in this genus. Based on the morphological characteristics and nucleotide polymorphisms with sister taxa, the two isolates were identified as a new species named S. henanense. Furthermore, pathogenicity assays showed that the S. astragali and S. henanense isolates caused leaf and stem spot symptoms on A. sinicus. Altogether, we describe a new species of Stemphylium (i.e., S. henanense sp. nov.) causing leaf spot disease of A. sinicus. In addition, this is the first report of S. astragali causing stem spot disease of A. sinicus.
Lessons Learned in Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Research in Children Following Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
Authors: Monteleone Matthew , Salorio Cynthia
Published: December 2022

Neurodevelopmental outcomes research in children following extracorporeal membrane oxygenationis a complex and evolving field. From systematic reviews to multi-center prospective cohort studies, a variety of research endeavors in this domain have already been conducted. Recent attention has redirected the focus on biomarkers and imaging studies to help better understand the neurological, developmental, and behavioral effects of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation on surviving children. This review provides an overview of major research in the field, ongoing and future studies, and a summary of lessons learned from these efforts.
Perinatal Anesthesia Exposure and Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Houck Philipp , Naus Claire , Croen Lisa , Sun Lena S.
Published: December 2022

Epidural analgesia is frequently used during labor among pregnant people in the United States. Different factors have been associated with the development of autism spectrum disorder in the epidemiological literature: maternal health, infectious and pharmacological etiologies, social factors, and environmental exposures. Current data indicates no clear association between the use of epidural labor analgesia and the development of autism spectrum disorder in the offspring. This review presents the public health perspective on the postulated association between perinatal anesthesia exposure and autism spectrum disorders.
Adverse Events in the Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization Suite: Does Having Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiologists Make a Difference?
Authors: Lin Albert Y. , Habib Anthony , Ko Riva , Jerome E. Heidi , Gou Wenhao , Wang Shuang , Sun Lena S.
Published: December 2022

Introduction:

It has been suggested that anesthesiologists with subspecialty expertise in pediatric cardiac anesthesia are best qualified to care for patients with complex congenital cardiac anomalies and manage the complex physiology frequently encountered in the pediatric cardiac catheterization lab. We evaluated the incidence of adverse events in our pediatric cardiac catheterization lab, comparing care provided by cardiac and noncardiac pediatric attending anesthesiologists.

Methods:

Data were collected on each anesthetic in the pediatric cardiac catheterization lab from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2019. A generalized linear mixed effect model was used to identify associations between pediatric cardiac and noncardiac anesthesiologists and the presence of adverse events adjusting for age, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status, emergency status, and interventional versus diagnostic procedures.

Results:

A total of 3,761 procedures involving 1,729 patients were included in the study. There was no significant difference between noncardiac and cardiac anesthesia attendings for overall adverse events (odds ratio [OR], 1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.82 to 1.75 P=0.349). Specific respiratory adverse events (OR, 1.22; 95%, CI 0.73 to 2.03 P=0.443) or cardiac adverse events (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 0.64 to 2.48 P=0.502) were also not significantly different with respect to noncardiac compared with cardiac attending anesthesiologists.

Conclusions:

In our analysis, the incidence of adverse events in the pediatric cardiac catheterization lab during the study period was not statistically different, whether anesthesia care was provided by a cardiac or a noncardiac anesthesiologist.
Variability in Resource Utilization in the Evaluation and Management of Simple Febrile Seizures Inpatients in US Children’s Hospitals
Authors: Saksa Dane , Sun Lena S. , Rodean Jonathan , Berry Jay , Hall Matt , Leahy Izabela , Ferrari Lynne , Huang Yolanda Y.
Published: December 2022

Objective:

To characterize resource utilization in the evaluation and treatment of hospitalized simple febrile seizure (SFS) patients in US tertiary pediatric hospitals.

Methods:

This is a retrospective cohort study using the Pediatric Health Information System from 2010 to 2015. Children 6 months to 5 years of age who were inpatients with a diagnosis of SFS. Children who had brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG), or received anticonvulsants were compared with those who did not have testing or anticonvulsant treatment. Hospital-level variation in the utilization rates of MRI, EEG, or treatment with anticonvulsants was also evaluated.

Results:

In Pediatric Health Information System-participating institutions, 8.4% (n=3640) of children presenting to the emergency department with SFS were hospitalized. Among these SFS inpatients, 57.8% (n= 2104) did not receive further evaluation with MRI/EEG or treatment with anticonvulsants. There was evidence of wide inter-hospital variation in resource utilization rates. The median (interquartile range) utilization rate was 6.2% (3.0 to 11.0%) for MRI, 28.5% (16.0 to 46.3%) for EEG and 17.1% (10.9 to 22.3%) for treatment with anticonvulsants.

Conclusion:

No specific hospital-level factors were identified that contributed to the variation in resource utilization in the evaluation and management of hospitalized SFS patients.
Introducing Nursing Students to Pastoral Care Providers Via Simulation
Authors: Joyce Lindsey K. , L'Ecuyer Kristine M. , Rubbelke Cynthia S.
Published: December 2022

During a mock code simulation scenario in a medical–surgical undergraduate nursing course, two priests as pastoral care providers were included as interprofessional team members. Perceptions of the inclusion of pastoral care in an end-of-life simulation were assessed as part of a mixed-method study that included a qualitative analysis of debriefing sessions. Students reported an increase in awareness of the role of pastoral care in healthcare and learned to consider the spiritual aspects of end-of-life care. Participation of priests in an end-of-life simulation enhanced students' learning of spirituality as an aspect of nursing care.
Predictors of an Academic Career in Radiation Oncology 5 to 10 Years After Residency
Authors: Culbert Matthew M. , Parekh Akash , Shah Anjay , Morris Christopher G. , Amdur Robert J.
Published: December 2022

Objective:

To report the percentage of resident graduates in the modern era who establish careers in academic radiation oncology 5 to 10 years after residency.

Materials and Methods:

The study population included 1147 radiation oncologists who completed residency between 2011 and 2017 and were practicing radiation oncologists in 2021.

Results:

The percentage of 2011–2017 graduates with an academic career in 2021 (5 to 10 y after residency): Holman Pathway resident: Yes, 74% versus No, 43% (P<0.05); PhD degree before residency: Yes, 67% versus No, 38% (P<0.05), Doximity top-10 ranked residency program: Yes, 66% versus No, 37% (P<0.05).

Logistic regression multivariate analysis confirmed PhD and Doximity top-10 as strong independent predictors for all endpoints.

Regarding gender, no significant differences were observed for all 4 endpoints in the percentage of women versus men establishing academic careers at the 5-year to 10-year post-residency time point.

Conclusion:

Since 2011, at least one-third (~35%) of radiation oncology residents have gone into academic medicine and are academically productive 5 to 10 years after residency. Holman Pathway, PhD degree, or Doximity top-10 residency program approximately doubles the probability of an academic career. Moreover, radiation oncology is on track to achieve gender equity in academic medicine.
AVACOPAN: A New Adjunctive Therapy for Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis
Authors: Garg Jasmine , Frishman William H.
Published: December 2022

Avacopan is a small-molecule complement 5a receptor (CD88) antagonist recently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration as an adjunct therapy in combination with immunosuppressants and corticosteroids for treatment of ANCA-vasculitis. The selective ability of avacopan to inhibit the C5a receptor blocks neutrophil chemoattraction, activation, and adhesion while maintaining other beneficial complement pathways. Therefore, avacopan’s unique selective property provides a breakthrough treatment for ANCA- vasculitis given that current therapies of corticosteroid treatment often lead to a decreased quality of life and a possible relapse. Clinical trials prove that avacopan is an excellent adjunctive treatment option, although it is not approved for the primary treatment of ANCA-vasculitis at this time. Initial clinical trials show substantial promise for avacopan, but additional studies with a longer duration will be needed to test for its durability and safety.
Evaluation of Treatment Patterns and Outcomes of Patients With PIK3CA-related Overgrowth Spectrum
Authors: Engel-Nitz Nicole M. , Martin Carolyn , Balu Sanjeev , Frieden Ilona J. , Anderson Amy , Belland Angela , Paul Mary Lisha
Published: December 2022

Objectives:

PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum (PROS) is difficult to diagnose clinically and categorize in observational real-world data. This study used an innovative approach to identify and explore a population with suspected PROS. The purpose of this study was to describe characteristics, treatment patterns, and healthcare utilization among patients with evidence of PROS.

Methods:

This retrospective study used electronic health records (EHRs) identified using a key word search for PROS terms recorded in provider clinical notes from January 01, 2007 through June 30, 2019 from the Optum EHR database, which included records from more than 140,000 providers. Both structured data fields and clinician review of provider open text notes were used to evaluate disease status.

Results:

A total of 657 patients had records with PROS search terms and 82 patients had records eligible for clinician review of provider notes. Following clinician review, 41.5% of patients were confirmed PROS positive, 25.6% were PROS negative, and 32.9% were not able to be categorized. All patients identified with confirmed/suspected PROS from provider notes and from the PROS-specific structured data cohort had an ambulatory visit and more than half had an inpatient stay or emergency visit during the study period. More than half of patients were also prescribed an antiseizure medication and three-fourths were prescribed pain medications.

Conclusion:

Distinguishing patients with PROS using a search-term strategy remained difficult, even after clinician review of individual provider notes. Patients identified as having PROS experienced a considerable clinical burden with high rates of medication use and frequent healthcare visits.
Side effect profile of pharmacologic therapies for liver fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Li Yilin , Lei Rong , Lei Honglin , Xiong Qin , Xie Fengjiao , Yao Chengjiao , Feng Peimin
Published: December 2022

Several studies have found that antifibrosis treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can cause a variety of side effects. No network meta-analysis (NMA) analyzes the adverse events of antifibrotic drugs for NAFLD. This NMA aimed to systematically compare the drug-related side effects when using different pharmacological agents for the treatment of liver fibrosis in NAFLD. PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were systematically searched to select related studies published in English from the database inception until 30 June 2022. We conducted Bayesian fixed-effects NMA using data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to derive relative risks (RRs). The surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) probabilities was used to assess ranking. A total of 26 RCTs with 19 interventions met the inclusion criteria. SUCRA analysis suggested that the lanifibranor group had the highest risk of diarrhea (SUCRA, 94), whereas the liraglutide group had the highest risk of constipation (SUCRA, 92.9). The semaglutide group showed the highest incidence of nausea (SUCRA, 81.2) and abdominal pain (SUCRA, 90.5), respectively. The cenicriviroc group showed the highest risk in the incidence of fatigue (SUCRA, 82.4). The MSDC-0602K group had the highest risk of headache (SUCRA, 76.4), whereas the obeticholic acid group had the highest risk of pruritus (SUCRA, 80.1). The risk of side effects significantly varied among different pharmacologic regimens, and evidence showed that lanifibranor, liraglutide, semaglutide, cenicriviroc, MSDC-0602K and obeticholic acid were the pharmacological interventions with the highest risk in patients with NAFLD. This study may guide clinicians and support further research.
Role of endoscopic ultrasound in the evaluation of unexplained extrahepatic bile duct dilatation
Authors: Chen Long-Jiang , Wang Xiao-Yi , Dai Jian-Hua , Tang Zhi-Gang
Published: December 2022

Objective

This study was performed to assess the diagnostic performance of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) in patients with extrahepatic bile duct (EBD) dilatation and develop a novel model incorporating EUS-based signature with clinical parameters for distinguishing the malignant dilation of EBD.

Methods

The EUS data and clinical parameters of the patients were collected and analyzed retrospectively. First, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of EUS in detecting the cause of EBD dilatation. Then, we performed univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses based on clinical and EUS features. Finally, a nomogram was established to aid in distinguishing between malignant dilation and noncalculous benign dilatation of EBD in patients.

Results

A total of 184 patients were enrolled. For the diagnosis of malignant dilation, EUS achieved an accuracy of 90.76%, sensitivity of 85.96%, and specificity of 92.91%. For the diagnosis of calculous dilation, EUS achieved an accuracy of 100%, sensitivity of 100%, and specificity of 100%. For the diagnosis of noncalculous benign dilatation, EUS achieved an accuracy of 90.76%, sensitivity of 90.90%, and specificity of 90.58%. Multivariable logistic regression analyses indicated that abnormal liver function test, elevated tumor markers, and EUS findings were the well-diagnostic factors of malignant EBD dilation. The nomogram established by these factors showed good calibration and discrimination.

Conclusion

EUS is a useful examinational modality in the work-up of EBD dilatation. In combination with abnormal liver function test and elevated tumor markers, EUS may provide additional information for the detection of malignant dilation of EBD and should be further investigated.