bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology of Paget’s disease of bone in South Korea
Authors: Park Jung-Wee , Lee Dong-Hoon , Park Ki-Tae , Kim Sung Hwa , Lee Young-Kyun
Published: February 2025

Paget's disease of bone (PDB) is a chronic disorder characterized by abnormal bone remodeling, leading to enlarged and deformed bones, and commonly affecting older adults. The disease frequently involves the pelvis, skull, spine, and long bones. Despite significant geographical variations in PDB prevalence, data from Asian populations remain sparse. This study evaluates the incidence, skeletal distribution, comorbidities, and bisphosphonate use for PDB in South Korea from 2010 to 2020, using a retrospective analysis of the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment database. We identified 4252 patients diagnosed with PDB via ICD-10 codes (M880, M888, and M889) over the study period. The primary outcome measured was the incidence of PDB, stratified by sex and age, with secondary outcomes including anatomical site involvement, associated comorbidities, and bisphosphonate use. The mean age of patients was 56.3 ± 14.8 yr, with a mean prevalence of 1.20 per 100 000 and an age-adjusted incidence ranging from 0.38 to 1.26 per 100 000 person-years. The incidence of PDB decreased in men but showed a significant increase in women, especially after 2015. The spine (23.5%) and pelvis & femur (17.0%) were the most commonly affected sites. Gastritis and gastroesophageal reflux disease (91.6%), upper respiratory infections (78.9%), and endocrine disorders (69.5%) were frequent comorbidities. Despite the established efficacy of bisphosphonates in managing PDB, only 9.8% of patients received these treatments, predominantly etidronate (3.2%) and alendronate (2.2%). This study is the first comprehensive epidemiologic assessment of PDB in South Korea, highlighting a low but increasing incidence, particularly among women. The findings underscore the need for greater clinical awareness and more proactive management strategies, especially regarding the use of bisphosphonates to improve patient outcomes.
Consumption Solidarity: Healing Cultural Trauma Following Marketplace Violence
Authors: Fehl Amy Greiner , Mason Marlys , Györke Mariann
Published: February 2025

Targeted acts of violence in the marketplace disrupt the status quo and unravel the very fabric of community and consumption spaces. Despite the growing frequency of these shocking events, they remain underexplored in consumer research, particularly regarding their impact on consumer well-being and collective welfare. This research explores how individual reactions and choices in the face of incomprehensible violence can pave the way for consumer healing and collective regeneration through the re-establishment of community ties and marketplace exchanges. Our ethnographic inquiry ground these findings in the consumer response and solidarity that occurred in one community directly affected by the November 2015 Paris terrorist attacks. Our findings highlight how market spaces provide the scaffolding for communities to develop and foster interdependence through exchanges and shared moments. We also delineate cultural trauma as a subset of collective trauma. While both occur when a community one identifies with faces an existential threat, cultural trauma goes further by irrevocably altering the collective identity and transforming the community's members. Furthermore, we investigate cultural violence in a marketplace setting, when violent acts target culturally significant consumption practices and communal spaces.
Assessing the impact of pedigree attributes on the validity of quantitative genetic parameter estimates
Authors: Mawass Walid , Milot Emmanuel
Published: February 2025

Investigating the evolution of complex traits in nature requires accurate assessment of their genetic basis. Quantitative genetic (QG) modeling is frequently applied to estimate the additive genetic variance (VA) in traits, combining phenotypic and pedigree data from a sample of individuals. Whether reconstructed from social links or molecular markers, empirical pedigrees differ in completeness, genealogical error rates, and other attributes that can impact QG estimation. Here we investigate this impact using human genealogical data for 6 French–Canadian (FC) populations originating from the same genetic founding source but differing in their pedigrees’ attributes. First, we simulated phenotypic values along pedigrees and under different trait architectures and “true” parameter values (e.g., VA). Then we fitted mixed effects “animal” models to these simulated data, to assess how QG estimation was impacted by pedigree attributes. Our results show that pedigree size and depth were important determinants of the precision, but not accuracy, of genetic parameter estimates. In contrast, pedigree completeness and entropy, 2 attributes related to the density of genealogical links, were not clearly associated with the performance of parameter estimation. Noticeably, a slight increase in the genealogical error rate was sufficient to cause a detectable underestimation of VA. Including maternal genetic effects in the simulations led to a slight underestimation of VA with pedigrees of smaller size and depth. Despite originating from the same genetic source, the 6 pedigrees yielded wide variations in QG estimates under identical conditions. These findings highlight the importance of sensitivity analyses in pedigree-based genetic studies on natural populations.
Early identification of weight loss trajectories in advanced cancer and associations with survival
Authors: Fuller Sophia , Alexeeff Stacey , Caan Bette , Goncalves Marcus D , Dunne Richard F , Janowitz Tobias , Jamal-Hanjani Mariam , Sundaresan Tilak K , Cespedes Feliciano Elizabeth M
Published: February 2025

Consensus criteria to diagnose unintentional weight loss, a condition often termed cachexia that affects most patients with advanced cancer, are based on 6-month changes by which time intervention is often ineffective. Leveraging the large and diverse population in Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s community oncology practice, we studied 8338 patients with advanced lung, pancreatic, or colorectal cancers. We calculated weekly weight change measurements from 2 months pre- to 6 months post-diagnosis to identify 4 weight change trajectories (Gain, Stable, Moderate Loss, and Severe Loss) and associated these trajectories with survival. With high agreement, we classified patients into these trajectories after 3 months and found them to be prognostic; those classified in Moderate (HR = 1.55; 95% CI = 1.45 to 1.67) or Severe Loss (HR = 2.20; 95% CI = 2.01 to 2.41) at 3 months had significantly increased risk of death compared with the Stable trajectory. Weight loss at 3 months post-diagnosis can accurately classify deleterious weight trajectories, allowing for earlier clinical intervention.
Impact of screening for human papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal cancers: a microsimulation-based modeling study
Authors: Landy Rebecca , Haber Gregory W , Graubard Barry I , Fakhry Carole , Campos Nicole G , Burger Emily A , Cheung Li C , Katki Hormuzd A , Gillison Maura L , Chaturvedi Anil K
Published: February 2025

Background

We estimated the impact of screening on morbidity and mortality of HPV16-positive oropharyngeal cancer among US men aged 45-79 years.

Methods

We developed an individual-level, state-transition natural history microsimulation model to estimate the impact of screening using oral HPV16 detection, HPV16-E6 antibody detection, and transcervical-ultrasound of neck/oropharynx. We compared clinical detection to counterfactual screen detection for cancer stage, single- vs multiple-modality treatment, and survival. Screening scenarios encompassed four progression speeds across cancer stages (very-slow, slow, fast, and very-fast) and four screening frequencies.

Results

Among US men aged 45-79 years in 2021 (N = 54,881,311), 163,958 clinically diagnosed HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers and 32,009 deaths would occur through age 84 in the absence of screening. Assuming very-fast progression, 4%, 20%, 31%, and 60% of these cancers would be detected by one-off, 5-yearly, 3-yearly, and annual screening. Annual screening (very-fast progression) could reduce the number of cancers diagnosed at advanced stages (AJCC 7, Stages III/IV: 90.0% with no screening vs 59.1%) and treated by multiple-modalities (80.6% with no screening vs 50.6%). Cancer mortality would also be reduced by 36.2%, with a gain of 106,000 life-years. Annual screening would have a number needed to screen (NNS) of 561 per screen-detected cancer, 1,118 per additional cancer treated by single-modality, 4,740 per death prevented, and 520 per life-year gained; such high NNS reflect potential inefficiency of population-level screening.

Conclusions

If proven efficacious in randomized trials and cost-effective, screening for HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers could provide considerable population-level reductions in advanced stage cancers, treatment-related morbidities, and mortality.
Super-Resolution Ptychography with Small Segmented Detectors
Authors: Zhang Xiyue , Chen Zhen , Shao Yu-Tsun , Ray Ariana , Jiang Yi , Muller David
Published: February 2025

To overcome the spatial resolution limit set by aperture-limited diffraction in traditional scanning transmission electron microscopy, microscopists have developed ptychography enabled by iterative phase retrieval algorithms and high-dynamic-range pixel array detectors. Current detector designs are limited by the data rate off chip, so a high-pixel-count detector has a proportionally lower frame rate than the few-segment detectors used for differential phase contrast (DPC) imaging. This slower acquisition speed leads to heightened vulnerability to scan noise, drift, and potential sample damage. This creates opportunities for repurposing fast segmented detectors for ptychography by trading a reduction in reciprocal space pixels for an increase in real space pixels. Here, we explore a strategy of oversampling in real space and instead apply detector pixel upsampling during the reconstruction process. We demonstrate the viability of achieving super-resolution ptychography on thin objects using only 2 × 2 detector pixels, surpassing the resolution of integrated DPC (iDPC) imaging. With optimization using simulated datasets and experiments on MoTe2/WSe2 bilayer moiré superlattices, we achieved super-resolution ptychography reconstructions under rapid acquisition conditions (37.5 pA, 1 μs dwell time), yielding over 50% improvements in contrast and information limit compared to annular dark field and iDPC imaging on the same detectors.
Quantitative Analysis of Grain Boundary Segregation of Boron in Steel with Secondary-Ion Mass Spectrometry in Comparison to Atom Probe Tomography
Authors: Takahashi Jun , Kawakami Kazuto , Kubota Naoyoshi , Jinnai Takae
Published: February 2025

To identify the origin of high intensities of BO2− signals on grain boundaries (GBs) in boron (B) mapping using secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), atom probe tomography analysis was performed on high-brightness GBs in the steel with the addition of B. Homogeneous segregation of B atoms as a solid solution, rather than continuous GB precipitation of fine boride, was observed at the GBs. The amounts of B segregation varied between the GBs. An estimation of the incident angle of the GB from the sample surface in each GB indicated that the high-brightness GBs always have smaller incident angles than the median angle under the assumption of random GB orientation, resulting in an increase in the GB area in the SIMS analyzed region. The product of the actual B segregation amount and area increase factor roughly corresponded to the apparent B intensity of the GB in B-mapping with SIMS. The high brightness in the B-mapping originated mainly from small incident angles of GB from the sample surface in the steel. The incident angle of the GB plane must be considered for quantification of GB segregation of B in the SIMS analysis.
ACE I/D and AGT Met235Thr Polymorphisms Distinctly Affect Biomarker Levels and Risk of AKI and Exertional Rhabdomyolysis After Intense Exercise
Authors: Cruz Ayexa , Gomes Diego , Verdan Cintia , Branquinho Jessica , Xavier Michele , Kirsztajn Gianna , Guedes Miranda Dos Santos Caleb , Pesquero João Bosco , Carneiro Andreia
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER) is one of the severe complications attributable to prolonged and repeated muscle exercises and is most commonly seen in military personnel and elite athletes. In military personnel, ER usually results from the long and strenuous nature of military training and may sometimes result in severe outcomes, such as acute kidney injury (AKI) and cardiac arrhythmias. Besides, muscle tissue injuries impair physical function, decreasing strength and flexibility and delaying muscle soreness and inflammation. The existing literature has studied genetic polymorphisms related to the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, such as AGT*Met235Thr (rs699) and ACE I/D (rs1799752), and clinical chemistry-related markers about their influence on athletic performance and injury prevention from exercise-induced trauma. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between the ACE (rs1799752) and AGT (rs699) gene polymorphisms and the increased susceptibility to exertional rhabdomyolysis risk (ERR) and AKI induced by strenuous exercise in military personnel.

Materials and Methods

Sixty-four male volunteers from the Brazilian Marine Corps who were sent on the Sandstorm mission in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022 were enrolled in the study. Blood and urine samples were collected from the participants before and immediately after the mission.

Results

After physical exercise, 54 of 64 individuals (84%) were positive for ER. Of these, 13 participants (24%) were positive for AKI, representing 20% of the whole group. AKI was more frequent in T allele carriers, as 13 of 14 positive findings belonged to the MT + TT group, while only one case occurred in MM (approaching significance at P = .063). A significant postexercise increase in serum creatinine (CRE) levels was observed for carriers of I (II + ID) and T (MT + TT) alleles (P = .008 and P = .028, respectively), with a significantly higher ΔCRE in the (II + ID) group compared to the DD group (P = .001).

Conclusion

These findings suggest that the ACE I/D and AGT M235T polymorphisms might be related to an increased risk for AKI following intensive, mixed-type exercise in military personnel.
Utility of Mucorales polymerase chain reaction to diagnose Rhizomucor infections in neutropenic patients
Authors: Pfister Elliot , Brousse Xavier , Blanchard Elodie , Issa Nahema , Gabriel Frederic , Jubert Charlotte , Kaminski Hannah , Forcade Edouard , Dumas Pierre-Yves , Delhaes Laurence , Lefranc Maxime , Imbert Sebastien
Published: February 2025

Mucormycoses are life-threatening infections related to fungi from the Mucorales order. Based on fungal culture, the most frequently involved genera are Rhizopus spp., Mucor spp., or Lichtheimia spp. However, since the introduction of Mucorales polymerase chain reaction (PCR), many diagnoses have been made without positive fungal culture, biasing mucormycosis epidemiology. We conducted a single-centre retrospective observational study on invasive mucormycosis cases diagnosed between April 2020 and December 2022. Cases were classified according to EORTC/MSGERC definitions, adding a ‘PCR-only’ category for patients with a positive Mucorales PCR as the only mycological evidence. Genus/species identification was obtained by sequencing the Mucorales 18S rDNA directly on Mucorales PCR-positive samples. We identified 35 cases of mucormycosis, including 6 proven, 7 probable, and 22 ‘PCR-only’. Genus/species identification was achievable in 34 cases and surprisingly revealed the genus Rhizomucor as the main aetiological agent (n = 14, 41.2%). Interestingly, all the Rhizomucor infections, except one, were classified as ‘PCR-only’, while fungal culture was positive in 11/20 (55%) for other Mucorales genera (P <.001). Moreover, in comparison with other genera, the genus Rhizomucor was significantly more associated with neutropenia (11/14 [78.6%] vs. 2/20 [10%], P < .0001) and pulmonary localizations (11/14 [78.6%] vs. 6/20 [30%], P = .01). Our study reveals the changing epidemiology of mucormycosis in our centre with the use of Mucorales PCR and underlines the importance of the genus Rhizomucor, especially in neutropenic patients. This highlights the benefits of using Mucorales PCR in clinical practice for mucormycosis diagnosis in high-risk patients and the need to include it in diagnostic criteria.
Ensemble noise properties of the European Pulsar Timing Array
Authors: Goncharov Boris , Sardana Shubhit
Published: February 2025

The null hypothesis in Pulsar Timing Array (PTA) analyses includes assumptions about ensemble properties of pulsar time-correlated noise. These properties are encoded in prior probabilities for the amplitude and the spectral index of the power-law power spectral density of temporal correlations of the noise. Because multiple realizations of time-correlated noise processes are found in pulsars, these ensemble noise properties could and should be modelled in the full-PTA observations by parametrizing the respective prior distributions using the so-called hyperparameters. This approach is known as the hierarchical Bayesian inference. In this work, we introduce a new procedure for numerical marginalization over hyperparameters. The procedure may be used in searches for nanohertz gravitational waves and other PTA analyses to resolve prior misspecification at negligible computational cost. Furthermore, we infer the distribution of amplitudes and spectral indices of the power spectral density of spin noise and dispersion measure variation noise based on the observation of 25 millisecond pulsars by the European Pulsar Timing Array. Our results may be used for the simulation of realistic noise in PTAs.
Evolution of molecular clouds on galaxy-cloud scale revealed by gravitational network analysis: high-mass clouds may deplete nearby gas via accretion or merging
Authors: Zhou J W , Li Guang-Xing
Published: February 2025

Observations show that molecular gas in spiral galaxies is organized into a network of interconnected systems through the gravitational coupling of multiscale hub-filament structures. Building on this picture, we model molecular gas in the galaxy NGC 628 as a gravitational network, where molecular clouds are represented as nodes. Through analysing this network, we can characterize both the gravitational interactions and the physical properties of the clouds using geometry-based network metrics. A strong correlation is observed between the geometric and physical properties of the nodes (clouds). High-mass clouds tend to exhibit less clustering and greater average separations, suggesting that they generally have fewer neighbours. During their formation and evolution, high-mass clouds may deplete nearby gas via accretion or merging, leading to more isolated characteristics within the network. This aligns with observations showing a decrease in the virial ratio of molecular clouds as their mass increases. For clouds at different evolutionary stages, less evolved clouds with lower mass are typically found in tighter gravitational subnetworks, with closer proximity to neighbouring clouds. As a result, they are more prone to accretion or merging during evolution.
Deciphering the Foundations of Mitochondrial Mutational Spectra: Replication-Driven and Damage-Induced Signatures Across Chordate Classes
Authors: Iliushchenko Dmitrii , Efimenko Bogdan , Mikhailova Alina G , Shamanskiy Victor , Saparbaev Murat K , Matkarimov Bakhyt T , Mazunin Ilya , Voronka Alexandr , Knorre Dmitry , Kunz Wolfram S , Kapranov Philipp , Denisov Stepan , Fellay Jacques , Khrapko Konstantin , Gunbin Konstantin , Popadin Konstantin
Published: February 2025

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutagenesis remains poorly understood despite its crucial role in disease, aging, and evolutionary tracing. In this study, we reconstructed a comprehensive 192-component mtDNA mutational spectrum for chordates by analyzing 118,397 synonymous mutations in the CytB gene across 1,697 species and five classes. This analysis revealed three primary forces shaping mtDNA mutagenesis: (i) symmetrical, replication-driven errors by mitochondrial polymerase (POLG), resulting in C > T and A > G mutations that are highly conserved across classes; (ii) asymmetrical, damage-driven C > T mutations on the single-stranded heavy strand with clock-like dynamics; and (iii) asymmetrical A > G mutations on the heavy strand, with dynamics suggesting sensitivity to oxidative damage. The third component, sensitive to oxidative damage, positions mtDNA mutagenesis as a promising marker for metabolic and physiological processes across various classes, species, organisms, tissues, and cells. The deconvolution of the mutational spectra into mutational signatures uncovered deficiencies in both base excision repair (BER) and mismatch repair (MMR) pathways. Further analysis of mutation hotspots, abasic sites, and mutational asymmetries underscores the critical role of single-stranded DNA damage (components ii and iii), which, uncorrected due to BER and MMR deficiencies, contributes roughly as many mutations as POLG-induced errors (component i).
Frequent detection of antinuclear antibodies and low-titre rheumatoid factor in female patients with undifferentiated peripheral spondyloarthritis in Japan: A prospective observational study
Authors: Mokuda Sho , Kobayashi Hiroki , Araki Kei , Ishitoku Michinori , Watanabe Hirofumi , Sugimoto Tomohiro , Yoshida Yusuke , Hirata Shintaro
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Studies on the clinical features of undifferentiated peripheral spondyloarthritis (upSpA) are limited. This study explores sex-based manifestations of upSpA and compares upSpA with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) under conditions of low human leukocyte antigen B27 positivity in Japan.

Methods

In this multicentre prospective observational study, physical and laboratory findings from 29 upSpA cases (19 females, 10 males) were collected to investigate sex differences. Fourteen patients with RA were also enrolled as a control group to evaluate clinical parameters distinguishing upSpA and RA.

Results

Tenderness at the humeral epicondyles and the Achilles tendon were more common in female patients with upSpA than in males. Serum C-reactive protein levels were lower in female patients with upSpA than in male patients. Serum rheumatoid factor levels were lower in upSpA cases than in RA, with a cut-off value of 84 IU/ml differentiating RA from upSpA. An antinuclear antibodies (ANA) test at a dilution of ≥1:160 was detected in about half of the female upSpA cases but not in male cases.

Conclusions

Among upSpA and RA cases, female patients with upSpA frequently present with multiple enthesitis, low serum C-reactive protein levels, low-titre rheumatoid factor positivity, and a high incidence of antinuclear antibodies positivity.
Telemedicine Offers Solutions for the Rural Disparities in Infectious Disease (ID) Care Delivery
Authors: Perez Christian
Published: February 2025

In the United States, there is a growing shortage of infectious diseases (ID) physicians that highlights disparity between rural versus urban ID expertise resulting in a healthcare gap with significant consequences for patients unable to have ID directed care available to them. Telemedicine is a crucial modality of healthcare that can be used to bridge that gap by providing quality care consistent with outcomes for inpatient ID service models, while also serving as a tool for much greater geographic coverage by a single ID physician. As a specialty, we must embrace telemedicine for the good of our patients, whose local communities may not have access to ID care, and to create the incentive of broader community impact for potential entrants into the ID field.
Enhancing Hepatitis C Virus Testing, Linkage to Care, and Treatment Commencement in Hospitals: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Mathews Rebecca , Shen Claudia , Traeger Michael W , O’Brien Helen M , Roder Christine , Hellard Margaret E , Doyle Joseph S
Published: February 2025

Background

The hospital-led interventions yielding the best hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing and treatment uptake are poorly understood.

Methods

We searched Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases for studies assessing outcomes of hospital-led interventions for HCV antibody or RNA testing uptake, linkage to care, or direct-acting antiviral commencement compared with usual care, a historical comparator, or control group. We systematically reviewed hospital-led interventions delivered in inpatient units, outpatient clinics, or emergency departments. Random-effects meta-analysis estimated pooled odds ratios [pORs] measuring associations between interventions and outcomes. Subgroup analyses explored outcomes by intervention type.

Results

A total of 7872 abstracts were screened with 23 studies included. Twelve studies (222 868 participants) reported antibody testing uptake, 5 (n = 4987) reported RNA testing uptake, 7 (n = 3185) reported linkage to care, and 4 (n = 1344) reported treatment commencement. Hospital-led interventions were associated with increased antibody testing uptake (pOR, 5.83 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 2.49–13.61]; I2 = 99.9%), RNA testing uptake (pOR, 10.65 [95% CI, 1.70–66.50]; I2 = 97.9%), and linkage to care (pOR, 1.75 [95% CI, 1.10–2.79]; I2 = 79.9%) when data were pooled and assessed against comparators. Automated opt-out testing (5 studies: pOR, 16.13 [95% CI, 3.35–77.66]), reflex RNA testing (4 studies: pOR, 25.04 [95% CI, 3.63–172.7]), and care coordination and financial incentives (4 studies: pOR, 2.73 [95% CI, 1.85–4.03]) showed the greatest increases in antibody and RNA testing uptake and linkage to care, respectively. No intervention increased uptake at all care cascade steps.

Conclusions

Automated antibody and reflex RNA testing increase HCV testing uptake in hospitals but have limited impact on linkage to treatment. Other interventions promoting linkage must be explored.
The Stealth and Potentially Fatal Nature of Kingella kingae Outbreaks in Daycare Facilities
Authors: Yagupsky Pablo
Published: February 2025

Although Kingella kingae infections are usually sporadic, outbreaks of K. kingae disease have been reported. Outbreaks of invasive K. kingae infections in daycare centers were searched through the Pubmed database. Twenty-seven outbreaks have been detected in North America, Western Europe, and Israel. The median age of the 72 affected attendees was 14 months, and the attack rate was 18%. Osteoarthritis was diagnosed in 66 (92%) attendees, and endocarditis in 3 (4%), 2 of whom died. A high prevalence of the invasive strains was found among asymptomatic classmates. Genomic analysis of the available strains identified the highly invasive sequence-type complexes 23/25, 14, or 6 in 12 of 13 (92%) outbreaks. Kingella kingae strains causing daycare outbreaks exhibit enhanced colonization, transmissibility, and virulence. Increased awareness of this emerging public health problem and the use of molecular diagnostic methods are recommended for early identification of outbreaks and prevention of fatal outcomes.
Noun Class and Gender Systems
Authors: Aikhenvald Alexandra Y
Published: February 2025

Noun Classes And Genders are grammaticalized agreement systems which correlate-at least in part-with certain semantic characteristics (particularly in the domain of human and animate referents). They are sometimes caled concordial classes; they include grammaticalized ‘gender’ systems of the Indo-European type. They are realized outside the noun itself, usually on modifiers which most often include adjectives, but may also include modifiers from closed classes (demonstratives, interrogatives, possessives, etc). They can also be realized outside the noun phrase, i.e. be marked on the predicate, or even on adverbs. Some languages have a special smallish set of noun classes/genders restricted to closed classes of modifiers (demon stratives, and others) along with a different set which appears on modifiers from other classes. A terminological clarification is in order. The term GENDER was first used in the 5th century BC by the Greek philosopher Protagoras, when he divided Greek nouns into three classes: ‘feminine’, ‘masculine’, and ‘in animate’ (nowadays called ‘neuter’). This is a typical gender system, which is found in many lndo-European languages. Latin had a similar system; later, neuter nouns were redistributed between the other two genders, giving the modern system of masculine and feminine in French and Italian.
Classifiers in Possessive Constructions
Authors: Aikhenvald Alexandra Y
Published: February 2025

There are three ways of categorizing nouns in possessive constructions and these correspond to three kinds of noun categorization devices. The choice of classifiers in possessive constructions can be determined by the nature of the referent of the possessed noun in terms of its animacy, shape, form, etc. {cf. Craig forthcoming: 32; 1992). I shall call these classifiers ‘possessed’ classifiers {see §5.2). Categorizing the semantic nature of a relation between the possessee and the possessor in a possessive construction. The choice of possessive marker can be determined by the way the possessor handles or owns or otherwise relates to the possessee. I shall call this type of categorization ‘relational’ classifiers, following Lichtenberk (1983a: 148): ‘The crucial property of relational classifiers is that their use is determined ... by the semantic relation between two linguistic elements’, e.g., how the possessor might use the possessed.
Verbal Classifiers
Authors: Aikhenvald Alexandra Y
Published: February 2025

Verbal classifiers appear on the verb,categorizing the referent of its argument in terms of its shape consistency,size,structure,position,and animacy .Verbal classifiers always refer to a predicate argument (usually, S in an intransitive or O in a semantic Every noun in a language does not necessarily require a verbal classifier; some nouns may be associated with more than one classifier.
Association between cerebral small vessel disease and periodic limb movements of sleep in patients with stroke/TIA
Authors: Veitch Matthew R , AlHamid May Adel , Muir Ryan T , Dharmakulaseelan Laavanya , Ramirez Joel R , Gao Fuqiang , Swartz Richard H , Murray Brian J , Black Sandra E , Boulos Mark I
Published: February 2025

Study Objectives

Periodic limb movements (PLMs) of sleep, which may be linked to increased vascular events via nighttime sympathetic overactivity, have shown associations with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) in small studies. This study examined the relationship between PLMs and CSVD in a larger cohort, accounting for comorbidities.

Methods

Patients with first-ever stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) were retrospectively analyzed. Polysomnography assessed the PLM index (PLMI) and PLM arousal index (PLMAI). CSVD was measured using radiographic markers, including the Fazekas score, total age-related white matter changes (ARWMC) score, microbleed counts, and lacunar infarcts. Multivariable regression models analyzed the association between an elevated PLMI and PLMAI with CSVD markers.

Results

This study included 86 patients (mean age 62.2 ± 14.3 years, 66.3% male, mean BMI 28.1 ± 5.7), 36 with a PLMI ≥ 5 (41.9%) and 11 with a PLMAI ≥ 5 (12.8%). Regression analyses showed that PLMI ≥ 5 and PLMAI ≥ 5 both predicted increased Fazekas and ARWMC total scores after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, and other comorbidities. Sensitivity analyses using age- and sex-specific PLMI cutoffs also showed that a PLMI exceeding the upper limit of normal predicted an increased Fazekas score and approached significance for the ARWMC score. PLMI was not significantly associated with cerebral microbleeds or lacunar infarcts.

Conclusions

In patients with first-ever minor stroke and TIA, a significant association was observed between PLMI and PLMAI with white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) after adjusting for confounders. Future studies may help determine the directionality of this association and whether PLMs independently predict CSVD.

Clinical Trial Information

Name: Sleep Disorders Managed and Assessed Rapidly in Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) and In Early Stroke (SMARTIES). URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT01528462 ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT01528462. Name: SLEep APnea Screening Using Mobile Ambulatory Recorders After TIA/Stroke (SLEAP SMART). URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02454023. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02454023.
Substantial gifts and unilateral transactions in favour of fiduciaries: the restoration of abuse of confidence
Authors: McLeod Gavin
Published: February 2025

There is a strict obligation upon fiduciaries who receive substantial gifts in unilateral transactions with their principals to demonstrate the fairness of their receipt by showing that independent and sufficient advice was taken before the transaction completed. The point, being that there is this burden upon them to justify their receipt—and quite apart from any issue of undue influence—is important, but yet little known. The rule is nevertheless no questionable novelty, but grounded in established precedent of an earlier era which appears over time to have been overlooked, or otherwise (and disputably) treated as simply concerning undue influence.
Evaluation of fungicides for hop downy mildew, Hubbard, Oregon, 2024
Authors: Richardson Briana , Gent David H. , Adair Nanci
Published: February 2025

Downy mildew of hop is caused by Pseudoperonospora humuli. The foliar symptoms of the disease are characterized by chlorotic, stunted shoots with down curled leaves. This report communicates efficacy data for various fungicides against downy mildew. The trial was conducted on the hop cultivar ‘Nugget’ during the spring of 2024, near Hubbard, Oregon. Results from this trial will aid producers in the development of more efficacious disease management programs for hop downy mildew.
Ref‐1 redox activity regulates retinal neovascularization by modulating transcriptional activation of HIF‐1α
Authors: Hartman Gabriella D. , Muniyandi Anbukkarasi , Sishtla Kamakshi , Kpenu Eyram K. , Miller William P. , Kaplan Bryan A. , Kim Leo A. , Liu Sheng , Wan Jun , Qi Xiaoping , Boulton Michael E. , Kelley Mark R. , Corson Timothy W.
Published: February 2025

Retinal neovascularization impairs visual function and is a hallmark of several neovascular eye diseases, including retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Current treatments include intravitreal injections of anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) biologics, but these therapeutics are often accompanied by high treatment burden and resistance to therapy. Prior studies indicate that APE1/Ref‐1, a multifunctional protein with both endonuclease (APE1) and redox‐mediated transcriptional regulatory activity (Ref‐1), activates multiple pro‐angiogenic and pro‐inflammatory signaling pathways by chemically reducing key cysteine residues in transcription factors, thereby activating them. Here, we investigated the previously unexplored role of Ref‐1 in retinal neovascularization. We demonstrate that Ref‐1 is highly expressed in endothelial cells in human PDR and in the oxygen‐induced retinopathy (OIR) mouse model of retinal neovascularization. Ref‐1 is also highly expressed in microglia and astrocytes in OIR. A small molecule Ref‐1 redox inhibitor, APX2009, decreased retinal neovascularization in OIR after systemic delivery. In vitro, hypoxic endothelial cells did not exhibit upregulation of Ref‐1 but rather increased Ref‐1 nuclear localization. APX2009 decreased hypoxic endothelial cell proliferation and HIF‐1α transcriptional activation. Thus, Ref‐1 redox activity may be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of retinal neovascularization, making APX2009 a promising systemic therapeutic approach for the treatment of vascular retinopathies such as ROP and PDR.
A PA-led telemedicine advance care planning intervention in a life-limiting illness
Authors: Cooper Christa S. , Karl Jessica A.
Published: February 2025

Objective:

To explore if a physician associate/assistant (PA)-led advance care planning (ACP) intervention would be successful and if patients and caregivers are comfortable having these discussions with PAs.

Methods:

We conducted a randomized controlled trial with optional open-label crossover to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and effect on ACP engagement of a PA-led telemedicine-facilitated ACP (tele-ACP) intervention in a Huntington disease (HD) clinic.

Results:

All participants felt they could effectively express themselves to the PA during the tele-ACP visit, and 95.8% felt comfortable communicating with the PA about ACP. The PA-led tele-ACP intervention significantly increased ACP engagement.

Conclusions:

Our PA-led tele-ACP intervention was feasible, acceptable, and it increased ACP engagement.
The ethics of food allergy
Authors: Buckey Timothy M. , Singh Tarandeep , Sacta Maria A.
Published: February 2025

Purpose of review

Ethical dilemmas are a common occurrence in the provision of care to individuals with food allergies. Thus, an understanding of medical ethics is essential for allergists/immunologists.

Recent findings

Despite the importance of medical ethics in the clinical practice of food allergy, there has been little published on this topic. Some international allergy societies have published ethical guidelines. Further investigation on medical ethics in food allergy is required.

This review describes key ethical principles in relation to food allergy testing, oral food challenges, and various management strategies, including avoidance, omalizumab and oral immunotherapy. This review demonstrates the necessity for education and research on medical ethics in food allergy.
The impact of climate change in pollen food allergy syndrome
Authors: Skypala Isabel J.
Published: February 2025

Purpose of review

To evaluate the effect of climate change on pollen allergenicity, lengthening of the pollen season, and the spread of invasive species such as ragweed. To assess evidence to determine whether these effects are impacting the prevalence of pollen food syndrome (PFS).

Recent findings

There is good evidence to demonstrate that markers of climate change, including rising temperatures and to some extent greenhouse gases, are responsible for a rise in the allergenicity of pollen and an increase in the duration of the pollen season, especially for trees. These changes are likely to be linked to the increase in the prevalence of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR), especially in children. Sensitization to pollen, especially tree pollen, is also a risk factor for the development of PFS. Thought to mainly affect adults, recent evidence suggests that there is a rise in the prevalence of PFS in children, linked to an increase in SAR.

Increasing SAR due to climate change could lead to a greater number of children and adults developing PFS. Although PFS is generally considered to be a mild condition, severe reactions can occur and there might be numerous plant food triggers, which can adversely affect dietary choice and nutritional intake.
Infant-Led Incubator Weaning
Authors: Rath Jennifer , Stracuzzi Lauren A. , Wawrzynski Sarah E. , Haut Catherine
Published: February 2025

Background:

Thermoregulation is paramount in preterm infant care, traditionally addressed through nurse-led incubator weaning protocols. Recent research has introduced infant-driven incubator protocols that are demonstrating promise.

Purpose:

This study, conducted at a freestanding academic pediatric hospital in the mid-Atlantic, examined the impact of infant-led incubator weaning on a specific neonatal cohort. The primary hypothesis posited that infants in the infant-led weaning group would wean out of the incubator at earlier gestational ages and lower weights, while maintaining comparable or greater weight gain during the transition to open cribs.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review compared 40 infants weighing less than 1500 g before and after a weaning protocol change.

Results:

Infant-led weaning demonstrated lower weights at weaning to crib (M = 1836.80 g) compared with nurse-led weaning (M = 1975.9 g), with statistical significance (t [36] = 2.27, P = .02, Cohen’s d = 0.74). Infants in the infant-led group had a lower weight change 5 days prior to weaning (M = 141 g) compared with the nurse-led group (M = 185 g), which is also statistically significant (t [36] = 1.93, P = .03, Cohen’s d = 0.63). T-tests revealed no significant differences in gestational age at wean to crib, change in weight post-weaning, gestational age, or days to discharge.

Implications for Practice and Research:

Infant-led weaning emerges as a safe alternative with potential benefits for preterm neonates and their families. While initial positive outcomes are evident, further research with a larger neonatal cohort is imperative to validate the efficacy of infant-led weaning as a successful alternative to traditional methods.
Radiation Exposure in Operatively Treated Pediatric Femur Fracture Patients
Authors: Huffman Nickelas , Nair Ajay , Drees Summer M. , Bouck Trevor , Yatsonsky David , Krugh Kerry , Seegert Sara , Russell Benjamin H. , Lewis Adrian , Buerk Aaron , Georgiadis Gregory M.
Published: February 2025

Background:

Children who sustain femur fractures are exposed to medical radiation as part of their treatment. In addition to standard radiographs and fluoroscopy, computerized tomography (CT) is a major source of ionizing radiation (IR). These patients frequently undergo CT scans during their treatment. The aim of the current study was to quantify the factors associated with greater IR exposure in children with operatively treated femur fractures and compare radiation exposure among those who received CT scans versus those who did not.

Methods:

Thirty-eight patients below 18 years old with operatively treated traumatic femur fractures were included in the study. They fell into one of 2 groups: 1 received 1 or more CT scans (CT group), and the other did not receive a CT scan (non-CT scan). The 2 groups were then compared by total quantitative radiation exposure, age, BMI, location of the femur fracture, open versus closed fracture, and the presence versus absence of fracture displacement.

Results:

The effective dose of IR exposure that occurred within the operating room (OR) made up 75.7%±27.4% of the total IR exposure among all patients. Patients in the CT group had over a 5-fold greater quantitative cumulative IR exposure compared with the non-CT group (P<0.0001). Furthermore, patients in the CT group were significantly older than (P=0.004) and had a greater BMI (P=0.045) than the non-CT group.

Conclusion:

Children with pediatric femur fractures often exceed what is considered a low level of radiation. There is a significant difference in radiation exposure between pediatric femur fracture patients who receive 1 or more CT scans compared with those who do not receive a CT scan.

Level of Evidence:

Level III—retrospective cohort study.
Functional Deficits Associated with Dark Without Pressure
Authors: Cobbs Lucy V. , Bijon Jacques , Freund K. Bailey
Published: February 2025

Purpose:

To describe a patient with progressive visual symptoms and reduced retinal sensitivity corresponding to dark without pressure (DWP).

Methods:

Retrospective chart review of a single patient. Comprehensive ophthalmic examinations and multimodal imaging techniques, including optical coherence tomography (OCT), OCT-angiography, and microperimetry, were analyzed.

Results:

A 23-year-old male presented with progressive peripheral areas of blurred vision superiorly in his right eye and temporally in his left eye. These disturbances corresponded with dark areas of retina inferiorly in his right eye and nasally in his left eye having characteristic features of DWP on multimodal imaging. Although Humphrey visual field (HVF) 24-2 testing was normal, microperimetry showed decreased retinal sensitivity in areas of DWP relative to adjacent areas without DWP.

Conclusion:

Prior descriptions of DWP have described it as a benign retinal finding showing no functional deficits. We demonstrate that DWP can be associated with progressive visual complaints showing decreased retinal sensitivity on microperimetry and undetected with HVF 24-2 testing.
Postoperative acute pain trajectory and chronic postsurgical pain after abdominal surgery: a prospective cohort study and mediation analysis
Authors: Chen Dong Xu , Zhang Yu Yang , Liu Jing , Chen Yu
Published: February 2025

Background:

This study aimed to investigate the trajectories of acute postoperative pain intensity during the initial 5 days after abdominal surgery, and to analyze their association with the risk of developing chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP).

Methods:

We enrolled patients with elective abdominal surgery with pain measurements taken across postoperative days 1 through 5. Since postoperative pain is often unavoidable and its initial intensity is closely related to the invasiveness of the surgery, focusing on the overall pain trajectory may be more meaningful than evaluating pain at a single time point. Therefore, the primary outcome of this study was to identify distinct pain trajectories. Secondary outcome was the incidence of CPSP between differences pain trajectories. Lastly, mediation analyses were performed to explore the mediating role of the quality of recovery and subacute pain on the studied associations.

Results:

The final analysis encompassed 1170 patients (36.75% female) with a median age of 55 years. Two distinct clusters were identified: with movement (high: 533 [45.56%]; low: 637 [54.44%]) and at rest (high: 363 [31.03%]; low: 807 [68.97%]). Patients in the high pain trajectory group (during movement [odds ratio [OR] 2.04, 95% CI 1.56–2.68] or at rest [OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.44–2.53]) exhibited nearly doubled risk of CPSP. Moreover, these patients exhibited a significantly poorer recovery quality. Mediation analyses revealed that the poor recovery quality at postoperative 5 days (17.62%–18.57%) and higher subacute pain at postoperative 1 month (29.46%–32.75%) were significant mediators in the association between adverse postoperative acute pain trajectory patterns and CPSP.

Conclusion:

This study highlights the clinical significance of postoperative pain trajectory profiles in predicting the risk of CPSP, emphasizing postoperative acute pain trajectory as a critical indicator and subacute pain as a significant mediator. The findings underscore the potential for tailored pain management strategies targeting acute pain trajectories to reduce such risk.
Development and prospects of natural orifice specimen extraction surgery for colorectal cancer: a review article
Authors: Huang Xingxiang , Wei Ran , Li Qinghai , Qiu Xingfeng , Li Peng , He Weiling
Published: February 2025

The natural orifice specimen extraction surgery (NOSES) procedure is an innovative approach to treating colorectal cancer that offers several advantages. First, the NOSES technique is minimally invasive, reducing the incidence of postoperative complications such as wound infection and fat liquefaction. Second, it provides excellent pain relief and improves cosmetic outcomes by requiring fewer abdominal incisions, thereby increasing patient satisfaction. Additionally, NOSES provides all of the advantages of minimally invasive surgery and enables patients to recover quickly, helping patients return to their normal lives faster. This approach aligns with the concept of patient-centered care and significantly improves patient quality of life. The positive results noted at both short- and long-term postoperative follow-up indicate that NOSES is a valuable option in cancer care. Despite its many benefits, NOSES has also been challenged by bacteriology, oncology, and ethics. This paper presents a review of recent research progress regarding NOSES in the treatment of colorectal cancer. In this article, we examined the advantages and disadvantages of NOSES in clinical practice and discussed potential issues and solutions.