bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Practice-enhancing publications about the medication-use process in 2021
Authors: Vest Tyler A , Gazda Nicholas P , O’Neil Daniel P , Eckel Stephen F
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This article identifies, prioritizes, and summarizes published literature on the medication-use process (MUP) from calendar year 2021 that can impact health-system pharmacy daily practice. The MUP is the foundational system that provides the framework for safe medication utilization within the healthcare environment. The MUP is defined in this article as having the following components: prescribing/transcribing, dispensing, administration, and monitoring, and monitoring/medication reconciliation. Articles evaluating at least one step of the MUP were assessed for their usefulness toward practice improvement.

A PubMed search was conducted in January 2022 for articles published in calendar year 2021 using targeted Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) keywords, and searches of the table of contents of selected pharmacy journals were conducted, providing a total of 7,178 articles. A thorough review identified 79 potentially practice-enhancing articles: 15 for prescribing/transcribing, 17 for dispensing, 4 for administration, 21 for monitoring, and 22 for monitoring/medication reconciliation. Ranking of the articles for importance by peers led to the selection of key articles from each category. The highest-ranked articles are briefly summarized, with a mention of their importance within health-system pharmacy. The other articles are listed for further review and evaluation.

Conclusion

It is important to routinely review the published literature and to incorporate significant findings into daily practice. This article assists in identifying and summarizing the most impactful publications. Health-system pharmacists have an active role in improving the MUP in their institution, and awareness of the significant published studies can assist in changing practice at the institutional level.
VII—The Straight-edge of Virtue: Aristotle on the Rational Significance of Beauty-in-Action
Authors: Lear Gabriel Richardson
Published: June 2024

Aristotle claims that the virtuous person acts for the sake of to kalon. To understand this idea, I examine the analogy he draws between craft and virtue. I argue that the kalon is a formal feature of well-ordered wholeness and that the virtuous person takes intellectual pleasure in perceiving (or remembering or imagining) the kalon-in-action, akin to pleasure in observing artworks or works of nature. However, the virtuous person’s pleasure in kalon action is primarily a pleasure of practical reason. In these ways, Aristotle’s concept of the kalon is and is not like the modern aesthetic concept of the beautiful.
Revolutionizing GPCR–ligand predictions: DeepGPCR with experimental validation for high-precision drug discovery
Authors: Zhang Haiping , Fan Hongjie , Wang Jixia , Hou Tao , Saravanan Konda Mani , Xia Wei , Kan Hei Wun , Li Junxin , Zhang John Z H , Liang Xinmiao , Chen Yang
Published: June 2024

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), crucial in various diseases, are targeted of over 40% of approved drugs. However, the reliable acquisition of experimental GPCRs structures is hindered by their lipid-embedded conformations. Traditional protein–ligand interaction models falter in GPCR–drug interactions, caused by limited and low-quality structures. Generalized models, trained on soluble protein–ligand pairs, are also inadequate. To address these issues, we developed two models, DeepGPCR_BC for binary classification and DeepGPCR_RG for affinity prediction. These models use non-structural GPCR–ligand interaction data, leveraging graph convolutional networks and mol2vec techniques to represent binding pockets and ligands as graphs. This approach significantly speeds up predictions while preserving critical physical–chemical and spatial information. In independent tests, DeepGPCR_BC surpassed Autodock Vina and Schrödinger Dock with an area under the curve of 0.72, accuracy of 0.68 and true positive rate of 0.73, whereas DeepGPCR_RG demonstrated a Pearson correlation of 0.39 and root mean squared error of 1.34. We applied these models to screen drug candidates for GPR35 (Q9HC97), yielding promising results with three (F545-1970, K297-0698, S948-0241) out of eight candidates. Furthermore, we also successfully obtained six active inhibitors for GLP-1R. Our GPCR-specific models pave the way for efficient and accurate large-scale virtual screening, potentially revolutionizing drug discovery in the GPCR field.
Interferon-tau infusion into the ovine corpus luteum delays luteolysis
Authors: Guzeloglu Aydin , Bishop Jeanette V , Van Campen Hana , Plewes Michele R , Gonzalez-Berrios Carolina L , Kincade Jessica N , Davis John S , Hansen Thomas R
Published: June 2024

Conceptus-derived interferon-tau (IFNT) initiates maternal recognition of pregnancy in ewes by paracrine actions on the endometrium and endocrine action on the corpus luteum (CL). To examine the effect of IFNT on the CL without inducing IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) in the endometrium, recombinant ovine IFNT (roIFNT) or bovine serum albumin was delivered directly into CLs via osmotic pumps at a rate of 10, 50, or 100 ng/h from days 9 to 12 of the estrous cycle. Endometrial and CL samples were collected on day 12. 50 ng/h of roIFNT induced ISG15 in the CL on day 12 without affecting endometrial ISG15 concentrations. In a second experiment, roIFNT (50 ng/h) was infused into the CL from days 10 to 17 of the estrous cycle and serum samples were collected daily. Serum progesterone concentrations were significantly higher from days 15 to 17 in roIFNT-infused ewes compared to controls. Levels of LHCGR, STAR, CYP11A1, HSL, OPA1, and protein kinase A mRNA and proteins were higher in the roIFNT-infused CLs compared to the controls. Levels of ISG15 and MX1 mRNA increased in the CLs of roIFNT-infused ewes but not in the endometrium. Endometrial ESR1 mRNA and protein concentrations were higher in the controls compared to roIFNT-infused ewes. In conclusion, intra-luteal delivery of roIFNT induced ISGs, stabilized steroidogenesis in the CL, and delayed luteolysis without inducing endometrial IFN-stimulated genes. Inhibition of ESR1 in the endometrium of roIFNT-infused ewes was observed suggesting that direct delivery of IFNT to the CL has an additional anti-luteolytic effect on the endometrium.
The transfer of male cuticular hydrocarbons provides a reliable cue of the risk and intensity of sperm competition in decorated crickets
Authors: House Clarissa M , Duffield Kristin , Rapkin James , Sakaluk Scott K , Hunt John
Published: June 2024

Theoretically, males should increase their ejaculate expenditure when the probability of sperm competition occurring (or risk) is high but decrease ejaculate expenditure as the number of competing ejaculates (or intensity) increases. Here we examine whether male decorated crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus) use cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) transferred to females by rival males at mating to assess the risk and intensity of sperm competition and adjust their ejaculate accordingly. Unmated females and those perfumed with CHCs extracted from one, three, or five males could be distinguished chemically, providing a reliable cue of the risk and intensity of sperm competition. In agreement with theory, males mating with these females increased sperm number with the risk of sperm competition and decreased sperm number with the intensity of sperm competition. Similarly, as the risk of sperm competition increased, males produced a larger and more attractive spermatophylax (an important non-sperm component of the ejaculate) but these traits did not vary with the intensity of sperm competition. Our results therefore demonstrate that both sperm and non-sperm components of the male ejaculate respond to the risk and intensity of sperm competition in different ways and that CHCs provide males with an important cue to strategically tailor their ejaculate.
The War on Terror and the Victory Trap
Authors: Hall Jonny
Published: June 2024

Presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump have all used the language of “victory” and “defeat” in the War on Terror despite its ambiguous outcomes. This paper develops the concept of a “victory trap” to explain this phenomenon and its political consequences. On the one hand, the electoral consequences of “losing” wars lead presidents to make claims about “winning” and eventual “victory.” On the other hand, strategic realities and public reluctance to bear the costs of total victory result in policymakers facing criticism for being unable to produce results proportionate to their rhetoric. As such, whilst scholarship is clear on the effects of both “losing” and “winning” wars, this paper provides the first exploration of how these dual dynamics play out in practice. In arguing that policymakers are oftentimes politically “trapped,” this paper suggests the limits of a range of scholarship on effective (foreign) policy-related messaging that points toward ambiguity or accuracy.
Comparative Genomics and the Salivary Transcriptome of the Redbanded Stink Bug Shed Light on Its High Damage Potential to Soybean
Authors: Walt Hunter K , King Jonas G , Towles Tyler B , Ahn Seung-Joon , Hoffmann Federico G
Published: June 2024

The redbanded stink bug, Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is a significant soybean pest in the Americas, which inflicts more physical damage on soybean than other native stink bugs. Studies suggest that its heightened impact is attributed to the aggressive digestive properties of its saliva. Despite its agricultural importance, the factors driving its greater ability to degrade plant tissues have remained unexplored in a genomic evolutionary context. In this study, we hypothesized that lineage-specific gene family expansions have increased the copy number of digestive genes expressed in the salivary glands. To investigate this, we annotated a previously published genome assembly of the redbanded stink bug, performed a comparative genomic analysis on 11 hemipteran species, and reconstructed patterns of gene duplication, gain, and loss in the redbanded stink bug. We also performed RNA-seq on the redbanded stink bug's salivary tissues, along with the rest of the body without salivary glands. We identified hundreds of differentially expressed salivary genes, including a subset lost in other stink bug lineages, but retained and expressed in the redbanded stink bug's salivary glands. These genes were significantly enriched with protein families involved in proteolysis, potentially explaining the redbanded stink bug's heightened damage to soybeans. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found no support for an enrichment of duplicated digestive genes that are also differentially expressed in the salivary glands of the redbanded stink bug. Nonetheless, these results provide insight into the evolution of this important crop pest, establishing a link between its genomic history and its agriculturally important physiology.
An Environmental Scan of Tools That Help Individuals Living With Mild Cognitive Impairment or Neurocognitive Disorders Achieve Their Preferred Health or Well-Being
Authors: Grande Stuart W , Kotzbauer Greg , Hunt Shanda , Tan Karynn Yee-Huey , Yagnik Supriya , Ellenbogen Michael , Pederson Jane , Hager Andreas , Hoppe Heidi , Sutton Lisa , Villarejo-Galende Alberto , Epperly Mikele
Published: June 2024

Background and Objectives

Older adults experiencing neurocognitive disease (NCD) contend with complex care often characterized by high emotional strain. Mitigating complex care with decision support tools can clarify options. When used in conjunction with the practice of shared decision making (SDM), these tools can improve satisfaction and confidence in treatment. The use of these tools for cognitive health has increased, but more is needed to understand how these tools incorporate social needs into treatment plans.

Research Design and Methods

We conducted an environmental scan using a MEDLINE-informed search strategy and feedback from an expert steering committee to characterize current tools and approaches for engaging older adults experiencing NCD. We assessed their application and development, incorporation of social determinants, goals or preferences, and inclusion of caregivers in their design.

Results

We identified 11 articles, 7 of which show that SDM helps guide tool development and that most center on clinical decision making. Types of tools varied by clinical site and those differences reflected patient need. A collective value across tools was their use to forge meaningful conversations. Most tools appeared designed without the explicit goal to elicit patient social needs or incorporate nonclinical strategies into treatment plans.

Discussion and Implications

Several challenges and opportunities exist that center on strategies to engage patients in the design and testing of tools that support conversations with clinicians about cognitive health. Future work should focus on building and testing adaptable tools that support patient and family social care needs beyond clinical care settings.
Allogenic Stem Cells in Anal Fistulas of Crohn’s Disease: From Promising Premises to Real Life Experience
Authors: Brochard Charlène , Siproudhis Laurent , Fathallah Nadia , Zerbib Philippe , Sabbagh Charles , Bouchard Dominique , Etienney Isabelle , Cotte Eddy
Published: June 2024

Background

Allogenic adipocyte stem cells represent an unprecedented opportunity for regenerative therapy to treat Crohn anal fistulas. Apart from the results of one 8-year-old trial, scientific evidence remains scarce.

Methods

Data from consecutive patients treated with darvadstrocel for Crohn anal fistulas were reviewed at 6 first tertiary reference centers. The judgment criteria combined asymptomatic status plus clinical occlusion of the fistula tract and MRI-confirmed healing of the tract (no inflammation and/or disappearance of the tract). Both clinical and MRI-confirmed healing of the tract defined a deep remission. Clinical remission was defined by an absence of complaint, occlusion of all external openings, and no fistula discharge.

Results

A total of 116 patients were extracted (median follow-up after cell stem injection: 11 [6-14] months). No severe adverse events were reported after surgery except for subsequent anal surgery in 29 (25%) patients. Fifty-one (44%) patients had clinical remission defined by the absence of complaints, the occlusion of all external openings, and the presence of no fistula discharge. Deep remission was observed in 23 (29%) patients. Patients with clinical remission more often received combined therapy (immunosuppressant antitumor necrosis factors) than those with no improvement (31 of 51 [61%] vs 23 of 65 [35%]; P = .007). Regression analysis showed that high fistulas (odds ratio, 3.8 [1.1-12.5]; P = .03) and younger age (<38 years, odds ratio, 2.3 [1.0-58;4]; P = .02) were associated with a better outcome.

Conclusions

Allogeneic stem cell treatment of Crohn’s anal fistulas results in complete remission in less than half of patients, with a significant reintervention rate.
Integration of transcriptome and machine learning to identify the potential key genes and regulatory networks affecting drip loss in pork
Authors: Yang Wen , Hou Liming , Wang Binbin , Wu Jian , Zha Chengwan , Wu Wangjun
Published: June 2024

Low level of drip loss (DL) is an important quality characteristic of meat with high economic value. However, the key genes and regulatory networks contributing to DL in pork remain largely unknown. To accurately identify the key genes affecting DL in muscles postmortem, 12 Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire) pigs with extremely high (n = 6, H group) and low (n = 6, L group) DL at both 24 and 48 h postmortem were selected for transcriptome sequencing. The analysis of differentially expressed genes and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were performed to find the overlapping genes using the transcriptome data, and functional enrichment and protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis were conducted using the overlapping genes. Moreover, we used machine learning to identify the key genes and regulatory networks related to DL based on the interactive genes of the PPI network. Finally, nine potential key genes (IRS1, ESR1, HSPA6, INSR, SPOP, MSTN, LGALS4, MYLK2, and FRMD4B) mainly associated with the MAPK signaling pathway, the insulin signaling pathway, and the calcium signaling pathway were identified, and a single-gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to further annotate the functions of these potential key genes. The GSEA results showed that these genes are mainly related to ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis and oxidative reactions. Taken together, our results indicate that the potential key genes influencing DL are mainly related to insulin signaling mediated differences in glycolysis and ubiquitin-mediated changes in muscle structure and improve the understanding of gene expression and regulation related to DL and contribute to future molecular breeding for improving pork quality.
Utilizing gas flux from automated head chamber systems to estimate dietary energy values for beef cattle fed a finishing diet
Authors: Proctor Jarret A , Smith Jason K , Long Nathan S , Gunter Stacey A , Gouvêa Vinícius N , Beck Matthew R
Published: June 2024

Dietary net energy for maintenance (NEm) and gain (NEg) can be estimated using calculations based on live performance or adjusted-final body weight, which is calculated based on carcass characteristics. These values are commonly referred to as performance-adjusted (pa) NEm (paNEm) and NEg (paNEg). The NEm and NEg of a diet can also be estimated by adding recovered energy (RE) with heat production (HP) derived from an automated head chamber system (AHCS), which we will term gas-adjusted (ga) NEm (gaNEm) and NEg (gaNEg). Furthermore, HP from the Brouwer equation requires an estimate of urinary nitrogen (UN) excretion, which can be calculated based on N intake, blood urea N, UN concentration, and urine creatinine, or it could be zeroed. Alternatively, HP can be calculated using an alternative equation based on the respiratory quotient. Demonstrating agreement between pa and ga derived dietary energy values provides an opportunity to validate using the AHCS for energetic experiments and this comparison has not been conducted previously. Accordingly, the objective of this experiment was to assess the agreement between live and carcass paNEm and paNEg with gaNEm and gaNEg, where HP was calculated using 4 different approaches. Estimates of HP were not different (P = 0.99) between the 4 approaches employed, indicating that all options investigated are appropriate. Live paNEm and paNEg had a higher agreement (Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient [CCC] = 0.91) with gaNEm and gaNEg than carcass values (CCC ≤ 0.84). These results suggest that researchers can implement the AHCS to provide good estimates of dietary energy values in finishing beef cattle that are unrestrained.
Factors associated with work sustainability in patients with bone metastasis
Authors: Sawada Ryoko , Shinoda Yusuke , Ohki Takahiro , Ishibashi Yuki , Kobayashi Hiroshi , Tanaka Sakae , Haga Nobuhiko
Published: June 2024

Background

Working while receiving cancer treatment is challenging for patients, with considerable impact on their quality of life (QOL). However, there have been no reports on the factors that prevent employment in patients with bone metastases. This study aimed to investigate the employment status and factors impacting the continued employment of patients with bone metastases.

Methods

We analyzed clinical data from new patients consulting The University of Tokyo Hospital team for bone metastasis treatment between June 2015 and September 2017. Patients who were working at the time of cancer diagnosis (n = 124) completed four QOL questionnaires. Factors associated with work sustainability were identified via univariate analysis and a chi-squared test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used for significant variables. Relationships between employment and QOL scales were investigated using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test, with P < .05 considered as statistically significant.

Results

Among the 124 patients, only 45 (36.3%) were still working when the questionnaire was administered. Multivariate analysis revealed temporary employment, lytic or mixed bone metastases, and lower limb or acetabular metastasis, as significant factors hindering work sustainability. The QOL scores were high in the continued employment group. However, the relationship between employment status and pain remains unclear.

Conclusions

Lytic or mixed bone metastases and the lower limb and acetabular metastasis were significantly associated with employment resignation. Mobility difficulties may prevent patients with bone metastases from sustaining employment. Collaboration between rehabilitation professionals, oncologists, and workplaces is imperative to address this problem.
Assessing the importance of landscape, anthropogenic and spatial factors in predicting urban nesting sites: the Columbidae of the city of Rabat (Morocco) as a case study
Authors: Eddajjani Aicha , Hanane Saâd , Hamza Foued , Agharroud Kamal , El Kandry Ayoub , Qninba Abdeljebbar
Published: June 2024

To adequately control the urban bird populations, the determinants of nest habitat selection must be identified and its processes well understood. In this study, we investigated this issue with regard to Columba palumbus (WP) and Streptopelia decaocto (CD) in the city of Rabat, Morocco. We used data from landscape composition, anthropogenic presence, and spatial structure, to identify the best predictors that cause variation in the CD (84 nests) and WP (141) nest occurrence using generalized linear mixed models and variation partitioning analyses (VP). Our results show that WP nest occurrence was positively associated with urban park cover and long distances to agricultural areas and negatively with short distances to roads. Significant interactions between the average noise intensity and the number of passers-by/5 min and between maximum NDVI and density of roads also explain WP nest occurrence. In CD, the nest occurrence was positively associated with covers of built-up areas and parks, the density of roads, and average noise intensity, and negatively with short distances to roads and the number of passers-by/5 min. The VP revealed that the joint effect of landscape composition and space was the most robust in explaining the WP nests occurrence, whereas the pure fraction of space and the joint effect of human presence and space were the most robust in CD. As CD and WP nest in several Mediterranean cities, it would be worthwhile to test the generality of our results using the same analytical approach in other urban areas.
Finding a role for Britain in the new global order
Authors: Miliband David
Published: June 2024

Britain is no longer a superpower. It is now among many ‘middle powers’ in a multi-aligned world. In developing a coherent British foreign policy, we must understand where Britain started, what Britain wants, who Britain stands with, and what Britain can afford.
The MdHSC70–MdWRKY75 module mediates basal apple thermotolerance by regulating the expression of heat shock factor genes
Authors: Zhang Zhijun , Yang Chao , Xi Jing , Wang Yuting , Guo Jing , Liu Qianwei , Liu Yusong , Ma Yang , Zhang Jing , Ma Fengwang , Li Chao
Published: June 2024

Heat stress severely restricts the growth and fruit development of apple (Malus domestica). Little is known about the involvement of WRKY proteins in the heat tolerance mechanism in apple. In this study, we found that the apple transcription factor (TF) MdWRKY75 responds to heat and positively regulates basal thermotolerance. Apple plants that overexpressed MdWRKY75 were more tolerant to heat stress while silencing MdWRKY75 caused the opposite phenotype. RNA-seq and reverse transcription quantitative PCR showed that heat shock factor genes (MdHsfs) could be the potential targets of MdWRKY75. Electrophoretic mobility shift, yeast one-hybrid, β-glucuronidase, and dual-luciferase assays showed that MdWRKY75 can bind to the promoters of MdHsf4, MdHsfB2a, and MdHsfA1d and activate their expression. Apple plants that overexpressed MdHsf4, MdHsfB2a, and MdHsfA1d exhibited heat tolerance and rescued the heat-sensitive phenotype of MdWRKY75-Ri3. In addition, apple heat shock cognate 70 (MdHSC70) interacts with MdWRKY75, as shown by yeast two-hybrid, split luciferase, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, and pull-down assays. MdHSC70 acts as a negative regulator of the heat stress response. Apple plants that overexpressed MdHSC70 were sensitive to heat, while virus-induced gene silencing of MdHSC70 enhanced heat tolerance. Additional research showed that MdHSC70 exhibits heat sensitivity by interacting with MdWRKY75 and inhibiting MdHsfs expression. In summary, we proposed a mechanism for the response of apple to heat that is mediated by the “MdHSC70/MdWRKY75-MdHsfs” molecular module, which enhances our understanding of apple thermotolerance regulated by WRKY TFs.
Shoot hydraulic impairments induced by root waterlogging: Parallels and contrasts with drought
Authors: Haverroth Eduardo J , Da-Silva Cristiane J , Taggart Matthew , Oliveira Leonardo A , Cardoso Amanda A
Published: June 2024

Soil waterlogging and drought correspond to contrasting water extremes resulting in plant dehydration. Dehydration in response to waterlogging occurs due to impairments to root water transport, but no previous study has addressed whether limitations to water transport occur beyond this organ or whether dehydration alone can explain shoot impairments. Using common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) as a model species, we report that waterlogging also impairs water transport in leaves and stems. During the very first hours of waterlogging, leaves transiently dehydrated to water potentials close to the turgor loss point, possibly driving rapid stomatal closure and partially explaining the decline in leaf hydraulic conductance. The initial decline in leaf hydraulic conductance (occurring within 24 h), however, surpassed the levels predicted to occur based solely on dehydration. Constraints to leaf water transport resulted in a hydraulic disconnection between leaves and stems, furthering leaf dehydration during waterlogging and after soil drainage. As leaves dehydrated later during waterlogging, leaf embolism initiated and extensive embolism levels amplified leaf damage. The hydraulic disconnection between leaves and stems prevented stem water potentials from declining below the threshold for critical embolism levels in response to waterlogging. This allowed plants to survive waterlogging and soil drainage. In summary, leaf and stem dehydration are central in defining plant impairments in response to waterlogging, thus creating similarities between waterlogging and drought. Yet, our findings point to the existence of additional players (likely chemicals) partially controlling the early declines in leaf hydraulic conductance and contributing to leaf damage during waterlogging.
Stories, Statistics, and Memory
Authors: Graeber Thomas , Roth Christopher , Zimmermann Florian
Published: June 2024

For many decisions, we encounter relevant information over the course of days, months, or years. We consume such information in various forms, including stories (qualitative content about individual instances) and statistics (quantitative data about collections of observations). This article proposes that information type—story versus statistic—shapes selective memory. In controlled experiments, we document a pronounced story-statistic gap in memory: the average impact of statistics on beliefs fades by 73% over the course of a day, but the impact of a story fades by only 32%. Guided by a model of selective memory, we disentangle different mechanisms and document that similarity relationships drive this gap. Recall of a story increases when its qualitative content is more similar to a memory prompt. Irrelevant information in memory that is similar to the prompt, on the other hand, competes for retrieval with relevant information, impeding successful recall.
The Power of Habits: BCG Vaccination and Building the Socialist State in Post-war Poland
Authors: Stasiak Marcin
Published: June 2024

The article discusses the BCG vaccination campaigns in post-war Poland. The issue of vaccination is examined as a space for the exercise of power by the socialist, authoritarian state. It is also studied as social situation—a realm where top-down and bottom-up agency meet. The BCG vaccinations are considered on the one hand as a fragment of a political project and, on the other as a practice blended into everyday life. The text is an attempt to identify factors that affect the degree of vaccination acceptance in Poland in the first two decades of the Polish People's Republic.

Drawing on Chandra Mukerji and Patrick Joyce works, I argue that in the making a habit of BCG vaccination, its incorporation was derived from the intersection of two types of agency: (i) top-down political will (strategic power) and (ii) locally situated control over materiality (logistic power).
Slovakia: Private foundations and trust-like institutes in Slovakia
Authors: Csach Kristián , Havel Bohumil
Published: June 2024

Slovak private law significantly lags behind modern European trends. Family foundations and trusts or trust-like institutions are unknown to Slovak law. None of the recently proposed reforms has yet remedied this inappropriate state. The intergenerational transfer of family property remains very complicated. The use of foreign trust structures is also restricted by Slovak private international law and negative tax consequences. This article provides an overview of the development of Slovak legislation, its current state, efforts to change the regulation of foundations, and the practical ways of evading Slovak law by using foreign legal structures—private foundations and trusts.
Injecting postpartal gilts or sows with a supraphysiological dose of oxytocin: effects on sow and piglet performances
Authors: Farmer Chantal , Bolduc Sylvie-Anne , Guay Frédérick , Cormier Isabelle
Published: June 2024

The goal of this project was to determine the effects of a supraphysiological dose of oxytocin given to gilts or multiparous sows 8 to 12 h after the end of farrowing on the performance of their progeny. Sows from three parity groups (1 = parity 1; 2 = parities 2, 3, and 4; 3 = parities 5 to 14) received no injection (CTL, controls; n = 17, 27, and 23 for parity groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively) or one intramuscular injection of 75 IU of oxytocin (OXY, n = 17, 24, and 26 for parity groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively) 8 to 12 h after birth of the last piglet. Colostrum samples were obtained 8 h after oxytocin injection in 18 sows from parity group 2 (CTL, n = 10; OXY, n = 8). Standard milk composition was measured as well as the Na/K ratio, and IGF-1, IgG, and IgA concentrations. The same sows were used to obtain blood samples from four male piglets of average litter body weight (BW) 8 h post-treatment to measure concentrations of IGF-1, IgG, and IgA. Piglets and sows were weighed at farrowing and weaning (day 21) and sow feed intake and piglet mortality were recorded. There was no effect of OXY on sow or piglet BW at any measured times and percent preweaning piglet mortality was not affected by OXY or parity. First-parity sows had lower BW than multiparous sows at both times (P < 0.001), and piglet average daily gain from birth to weaning was greater in parity group 2 compared with first-parity litters (P < 0.05). Average daily sow feed intake over the first week of lactation tended to be greater in OXY vs CTL sows (P = 0.07), and multiparous sows consumed more feed than first-parity sows on all weeks of lactation (P < 0.001). Eight hours after treatment, there was a tendency for colostral Na to be greater in OXY vs CTL sows (P = 0.06), and none of the measured variables in piglet blood were affected by treatment. In conclusion, injecting 75 IU of oxytocin 8 to 12 h after the birth of the last piglet did not prolong the period of colostrogenesis or improve the growth or survival of piglets and this was consistent across parities.
Human infections by Hymenolepis diminuta in Europe: a case report and literature review
Authors: Mijatović Stefan , Štajner Tijana , Čalovski Ivana Čolović , Dubljanin Eleonora , Bobić Branko , Leković Zoran , Barać Aleksandra , Džamić Aleksandar M
Published: June 2024

We performed a review of published and gray literature of human Hymenolepis diminuta cases across Europe up to July 2022. Of all detectable publications and records, we further analyzed only those that contained demographic, clinical or epidemiological data regarding the infected subjects. Additionally, one case of hymenolepiasis in a 16-mo-old boy living in the urban part of Belgrade was included in the analysis. Published studies were based in 13/50 European countries and identified 104 laboratory-confirmed cases in total. Almost one-half (49%) of all cases originated from Mediterranean countries. Among symptomatic children, the infection most often manifested with diarrhea, abdominal pain, allergic reaction and behavioral changes. The diagnosis was made by the detection and identification of H. diminuta eggs or parts of strobila in stool samples, although cases of misdiagnosis were also reported. The parasite clearance was established with praziquantel or niclosamide, while the administration of albendazole or mebendazole led to unfavorable results. Future multicentric prospective studies focused on infection screening and the gathering of detailed sociodemographic and clinical data could provide an updated insight into the true distribution and characteristics of H. diminuta infection across Europe.
Measuring Pain-related Behavioral Inhibition and Behavioral Activation System Responses
Authors: López-Martínez Alicia E. , Esteve Rosa , Sainero-Tirado Gloria , Ramírez-Maestre Carmen , Serrano-Ibáñez Elena R. , de la Vega Rocío , Day Melissa A. , Jensen Mark P.
Published: June 2024

Objectives:

The Pain Responses Scale and its Short Form (PRS-SF) were recently developed to assess the affective, behavioral, and cognitive responses to pain based on the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and behavioral activation system (BAS) model of chronic pain. The purpose of this study was to provide additional tests of the psychometric properties of the PRS-SF in a new sample of individuals with chronic pain.

Methods:

A sample of Spanish adults (N = 190) with chronic non-cancer pain completed a translated version of the PRS-SF and a battery of questionnaires measuring validity criteria hypothesized the be associated with BIS and BAS activation, including measures of sensitivity to punishment, sensitivity to reward, pain intensity, pain interference, catastrophizing, and pain acceptance.

Results:

Confirmatory factor analysis supported a 4-factor structure for the PRS-SF assessing despondent, escape, approach, and relaxation responses (S-B χ2 [5] = 1.49, Comparative Fit Index = 0.99, Non-Normed Fit Index = 0.99, root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.051, Akaike Information Criterion = 4113.66), with marginal internal consistency for 1 scale (relaxation) and adequate to good internal consistency for the others. The pattern of associations found between the PRS-SF Scale scores and the validity criterion supports the validity of the instrument.

Conclusion:

The results provide additional support for the validity of the 4 PRS-SF Scale scores, and the reliability of 3 of the scales. If these findings are replicated in future research, investigators may wish to administer more items from the original Relaxation Scale when assessing this domain to ensure adequate reliability for this scale. The other items from the PRS-SF assessing despondent, escape, and approach responses appear to provide at least adequate reliability. When used in this way, the PRS-SF may be used to measure BIS and BAS responses to pain to: (1) provide further tests of the BIS-BAS model of chronic pain and/or (2) understand the potential mediating effects of BIS and BAS responses on the effects of psychological pain treatments to help determine which specific responses are most responsible for the benefits of treatment, and, therefore, which responses should be specifically targeted to enhance treatment response.
Ipsilateral Supracondylar and Medial Epicondyle Humerus Fractures in Pediatric Patients: A Retrospective Analysis of Incidence, Epidemiology, Treatment, and Outcomes
Authors: McGraw-Heinrich Jessica , Amaral Jason Zarahi , Williams Elizabeth , Schultz Rebecca , Rosenfeld Scott
Published: June 2024

Background:

Pediatric supracondylar humerus (SCH; AO/OTA13-M/3.1) and medial epicondyle fractures (AO/OTA13u-M/7.1) are common. Concomitant SCH with ipsilateral medial epicondyle fractures remain scarcely reported. We investigated the epidemiology, treatment, and outcomes of this rare, combined injury.

Methods:

A retrospective review of pediatric patients with concomitant SCH and medial epicondyle fractures at a level 1 hospital from 2010 to 2020 was performed. Patient data, treatments, and outcomes were assessed. Radiographs were reviewed for fracture classification and alignment. Patients aged above 18 years and those with inaccessible imaging were excluded. Descriptive statistics were performed.

Results:

Of 3344 patients undergoing surgery for SCH fractures, 14 (6 females, mean: 10.59 y) with concomitant SCH and medial epicondyle fractures were included. Overall, 28.6% of patients exhibited preoperative nerve palsies (3 PIN, 1 median nerve). There was 1 flexion type and 13 Gartland type III SCH fractures. Medial epicondyle fracture displacement averaged 4.13 mm (range: 2 to 7 mm). Thirteen medial epicondyle fractures occurred medial to the physis with 1 through the physis. Eight patients (57.1%) had medial fixation—7 medial pins, 1 medial screw—which captured both the medial epicondyle and medial column of the SCH fracture. Six medial epicondyles were treated closed. The average time to pin pull was 33.1 days (range: 27 to 51 d) with average follow-up of 138.6 days (range: 27 to 574 d). Overall, 50% of patients completed physical therapy (PT). Complications occurred in 4 cases: prominence of a medial pin, 1 patient required additional PT and dynamic splinting for loss of functional extension, 1 patient underwent a manipulation under anesthesia 3.5 months postoperatively for flexion contracture, and 1 patient developed medial epicondyle nonunion and SCH malunion that underwent corrective osteotomy 10.5 months postoperatively.

Conclusions:

Concurrent SCH and medial epicondyle fractures exhibited a high rate of nerve palsy (28.6%) and complications (28.6%) and were frequently referred to physical therapy. While patients treated without medial fixation went on to union, this combined injury might represent a relative indication for medial pinning of the SCH fracture. Further studies on this rare injury pattern are needed to determine optimal treatment methods.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV—therapeutic.
Prognostic Value and Immune Signatures of Anoikis-related Genes in Breast Cancer
Authors: Wu Qing , Luo Yang , Lin Nan , Zheng Shiyao , Xie Xianhe
Published: June 2024

From databases of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and GSE42568, transcriptome data of breast cancer patients was obtained. Then, anoikis-related genes (ANRGs) were identified and constructed a risk score system. As a threshold value, the median risk score was used to stratify patients into low-risk and high-risk groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis was then conducted to evaluate the prognostic ability of the risk score system, which was validated using GSE7390. Furthermore, we identified potential enrichment of function and tumor immune infiltration in the model. Finally, the biological functions of a risk gene (EPB41L4B) in breast cancer were investigated through in vitro experiments. We constructed a risk score system via 9 prognosis ANRGs (CXCL2, EPB41L4B, SLC7A5, SFRP1, SDC1, BHLHE41, SPINT1, KRT15, and CD24). The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that both TCGA-BRCA (training set) and GSE7390 (testing set) patients with high-risk status had significantly worse survival outcomes. In addition, the calibration plots were in good agreement with the prognosis prediction. Breast cancer patients with immunosuppressive microenvironment could be screened using risk groups since risk scores were correlated negatively with ESTIMATE score, tumor-infiltration lymphocytes, immune checkpoints, and chemotactic factors. Furthermore, cellular viability and cell migration of cancerous breast cells were inhibited and apoptosis was promoted by down-regulation of EPB41L4B gene expression. Based on ANRGs, a 9-gene prognostic model could be developed to predict breast cancer prognosis; moreover, patients of the high-risk group were in an immunosuppressed tumor microenvironment.
Challenging Treatment of Disseminated Aspergillosis in a Child With Nephrotic Syndrome
Authors: Dizi Işik Aylin , Akkoç Gülşen , Ergenç Zeynep , Yılmaz Seyhan , Aslan Tuncay Sevgi , Parlak Burcu , Canizci Erdemli Pınar , Büyüktaş Aytaş Didem , Abacı Çapar M. Çağla , Sönmez Özcan , Dağçınar Adnan , Öcal Demir Sevliya , Kepenekli Eda
Published: June 2024

Introduction:

Central nervous system (CNS) aspergillosis is an opportunistic infection with an increasing incidence and a high mortality rate. It is seen in immunocompromised patients as well as in immunocompetent patients. Here, we present disseminated aspergillosis in a child with nephrotic syndrome treated with long-term and aggressive systemic antifungal treatment and intraventricular (IVent) liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB) as well as surgical excision and drainage due to difficulty in management.

Case report:

A 10-year-old boy with nephrotic syndrome on steroid therapy was admitted with limping and weakness. The cranial magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple intraparenchymal scattered abscesses. The largest one was excised and drained. Abscess culture revealed Aspergillus fumigatus and histopathological examination revealed septate hyphae compatible with Aspergillosis. Intravenous (IV) voriconazole was started, and IV L-AmB was added. The size of lesions and perilesional edema continued to increase, and then IVent L-AmB was added. With IVent and systemic antifungal treatment, regression of the lesions was observed. He was followed up with oral voriconazole and weekly IVent L-AmB. After 2 and a half months, he was re-operated because of increased lesion size, number and perilesional edema, and IV voriconazole and other salvage antifungal therapies were started. Since the lesions had decreased and remained stable, IV voriconazole was switched to oral therapy, and he was followed up as an outpatient. Immunodeficiency diseases were excluded by immunological and genetic tests.

Conclusion:

Management of central nervous system aspergillosis can be challenging despite long-term and aggressive systemic and IVent antifungal treatment as well as surgical excision and drainage.
Dermatology resident comfort level treating hair conditions related to patients with skin of color
Authors: Tolliver Starling , Cascardo Camilla , Wong Nikita , Abushukur Yasmine , Potts Geoffrey
Published: June 2024

Background:

Although recent studies demonstrated resident satisfaction in the treatment of skin of color (SOC) related disease, comfort levels treating hair specific to populations within the SOC spectrum is unclear.

Objective:

The purpose of this study is to assess dermatology residents comfort level in recognizing and treating various common hair conditions with a focus on those specific to SOC.

Methods:

An Institutional Review Board-approved survey was distributed to United States residents of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited dermatology programs. Data pertaining to hair care knowledge and treatment comfort levels were collected. Analysis was completed using equal variance 2-sample t tests and analysis of variance F tests, P < .05.

Results:

Dermatology residents were relatively comfortable with common conditions such as androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata, but uncomfortable with creating healthy hair regimens, discussing natural hair care products, and treating trichorrhexis nodosa. Resident self-identification as underrepresented in medicine significantly impacted resident knowledge of hair care and treatment in patients with SOC.

Limitations:

This study was limited due to small sample size and potential recall bias.

Conclusion:

This study highlights knowledge gaps in understanding hair-related care for patients with SOC, affirming the continued importance of diversifying dermatology programs as well as hair-specific training for residents.
Outcomes After Exoscopic Versus Microscopic Type 1 Tympanoplasty
Authors: Fan Caleb J. , Fritz Christian G. , Lucas Jacob C. , Conway Robert M. , Kato Masanari G. , Babu Seilesh C.
Published: June 2024

Objective

To analyze the outcomes of exoscopic versus microscopic type 1 tympanoplasty.

Study Design

Retrospective chart review.

Setting

Tertiary care otology-neurotology practice.

Patients

Adult subjects with a diagnosis of tympanic membrane perforation from 2018 to 2022.

Intervention

Exoscopic or microscopic tympanoplasty with cartilage + perichondrium or perichondrium/fascia graft.

Main Outcome Measures

Primary outcomes were graft success rate (1 wk, 3 wk, 3 mo, and 6 mo postoperatively) and operative time. Secondary outcomes included audiometric outcomes of postoperative air-bone gap (ABG), change in ABG, pure tone average (PTA), speech reception threshold (SRT), and word recognition score (WRS) at 6-month follow-up and complication rates of cerebrospinal fluid leak, facial nerve injury, persistent tinnitus, and persistent vertigo.

Results

Seventy-one patients underwent type 1 tympanoplasty by a single surgeon. Thirty-six patients underwent exoscopic tympanoplasty, and 35 patients underwent microscopic tympanoplasty. Cartilage and perichondrium were utilized in 27 subjects (75.0%) in the exoscopic group and in 25 subjects (71.4%) in the microscopic group (p= 0.7, Cramer’s V = 0.04). Graft success rate was as follows (exoscope versus microscope): 100% (36/36) versus 100% (35/35) at 1 week (p= 1.0, Cramer’s V = 0.0), 97.2% (35/36) versus 100% (35/35) at 3 weeks (p= 1.0, Cramer’s V = 0.1), 97.2% (35/36) versus 94.3% (33/35) at 3 months (p= 1.0, Cramer’s V = 0.07), and 91.7% (33/36) versus 91.4% (32/35) at 6 months (p= 0.7, Cramer’s V = 0.0). Operative time was 57.7 minutes for the exoscopic group and 65.4 minutes for the microscopic group (p= 0.08, 95% CI [−16.4, 0.9], Cohen’s d = 0.4). There were no serious complications. All preoperative and postoperative audiometric outcomes were comparable.

Conclusions

The outcomes after exoscopic versus microscopic type 1 tympanoplasty are comparable.