bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Child soldiers in Nepal: re-conceptualizing reintegration and identity
Authors: Macfarlane Kate
Published: May 2023

This article contributes to a critical discussion of practices of child soldier reintegration and scholarship on the topic. Child soldiers' lived experience of reintegration is characterized by an interconnection between their child and adult worlds resulting from their conflict experience, social transition to adulthood and identity. The article provides a primary source of data based on 30 semi-structured interviews with former child soldiers, both boys and girls, from the former Communist Party of Nepal—Maoist. This article makes both practical and theoretical contributions. Firstly, reintegration practices assume that children and adults should be separated based on altogether different needs. However, a child soldiers' reintegration experience is framed by an important social interconnection between their child and adult worlds. Secondly, by theoretically engaging children as both a subject and an agent, this article contributes to a nuanced theorization of identity and agency that defies simplistic categories of victimhood and childhood. Finally, the article advances a new framework called ‘post-conflict identity’ that consists of three interconnected subject positions—victim, participant and political agent—to account for the complex ways that former child soldiers negotiate and respond to different life events and transitions across their conflict and post-conflict lives.
The origins of legitimation strategies in international organizations: agents, audiences and environments
Authors: Lenz Tobias , Söderbaum Fredrik
Published: May 2023

How do international organizations (IOs) claim legitimacy, and why do they do so in different ways? Confronted with contestation and critique, IOs seek to enhance audiences' beliefs in their legitimacy by justifying their governance competence through public communication and the change of institutions and behaviour. This article serves as an introduction to a special section on ‘Legitimizing international organizations’. It theorizes the origins of IOs' legitimation strategies and outlines the analytical framework for the special section. We propose the agents-audiences-environment (AAE) framework, which synthesizes diverse literatures on organizational legitimation. While existing literature focuses on audiencesapos; normative demands as a key source of legitimation strategies, we supplement this perspective with ones that consider IO agents' normative beliefs and the norms institutionalized in peer organizations. In this introduction, we first clarify what is at stake in the debate over IO legitimation. We then explain the benefits of shifting perspective from audience beliefs to the origins of IO legitimation. Thereafter, we define the main concepts and develop our AAE-framework. We conclude by summarizing how our contributors use the AAE-framework to advance our understanding of IO legitimation.
Exploring the Dual Functionality of Plant Pulvini Using a Physical Modeling Approach
Authors: Sleboda David A
Published: May 2023

Pulvini are plant motor organs that fulfill two conflicting mechanical roles. At rest, pulvini function as rigid beams that support the cantilevered weight of leafy appendages. During thigmonastic (touch-induced) or nyctinastic (“sleep”-induced) plant movements, however, pulvini function as flexible joints capable of active bending. I hypothesized that the ability to alternate between these roles emerges from the interaction of two structural features of pulvini: anisotropically reinforced parenchyma cells comprising the body of the pulvinus and a longitudinally stiff but flexurally pliant vascular bundle running through the pulvinus core. To investigate how these two components might interact within biological pulvini, I built a set of pulvinus-inspired physical models with varying combinations of these elements present. I compared the abilities of the models to (1) resist imposed bending deformation (i.e., act as rigid beams) and (2) exhibit bending deformation when asymmetrically pressurized (i.e., act as actively deformable joints). Pulvinus models displayed the greatest ability to resist bending deformation when both an anisotropically reinforced parenchyma and a vasculature-like core were present. Disruption of either element reduced hydrostatic fluid pressures developed within the models, resulting in a decreased ability to resist externally applied forces. When differentially pressurized to induce active bending, the degree of bending achieved varied widely between models with and without adequately reinforced parenchyma elements. Bending, however, was not influenced by the presence of a vasculature-like core. These findings suggest that biological pulvini achieve their dual functionality by pairing anisotropically reinforced parenchyma tissues with a longitudinally stiff but flexurally pliant vascular core. Together, these elements compose a hydrostatic skeleton within the pulvinus that strongly resists external deformation when pressurized, but that bends easily when the balance of fluid pressures within it is altered. These results illustrate the emergent nature of pulvinus motor abilities and highlight structural specialization as an important aspect of pulvinus physiology.
Small Fractional Parts of Polynomials and Mean Values of Exponential Sums
Authors: Yeon Kiseok
Published: May 2023

Let $k_i\ (i=1,2,\ldots ,t)$ be natural numbers with $k_1>k_2>\cdots >k_t>0$, $k_1\geq 2$ and $t<k_1.$ Given real numbers $\alpha _{ji}\ (1\leq j\leq t,\ 1\leq i\leq s)$, we consider polynomials of the shape $$\begin{align*} &\varphi_i(x)=\alpha_{1i}x^{k_1}+\alpha_{2i}x^{k_2}+\cdots+\alpha_{ti}x^{k_t},\end{align*}$$and derive upper bounds for fractional parts of polynomials in the shape $$\begin{align*} &\varphi_1(x_1)+\varphi_2(x_2)+\cdots+\varphi_s(x_s),\end{align*}$$by applying novel mean value estimates related to Vinogradov’s mean value theorem. Our results improve on earlier Theorems of Baker (2017).
The Canonical Bijection between Pipe Dreams and Bumpless Pipe Dreams
Authors: Gao Yibo , Huang Daoji
Published: May 2023

We present a direct bijection between reduced pipe dreams and reduced bumpless pipe dreams (BPDs) by interpreting reduced compatible sequences on BPDs and show that this is the unique bijection preserving bijective realizations of Monk’s formula, establishing its canonical nature.
Fertility desires of antiretroviral therapy-attending HIV-positive women and its associated factors in Harari region, Ethiopia
Authors: Assefa Sirgut , Dheresa Merga , Lami Magarsa , Berhanu Bekelu , Mohammed Hanan , Sertsu Addisu , Negash Abraham , Balcha Tegenu , Eyeberu Addis , Debella Adera , Getachew Tamirat , Yadeta Tesfaye Assebe
Published: May 2023

Background

The desire to have children among mothers living with HIV remains a serious public health issue in nations with low coverage for antiretroviral therapy and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, even if it is feasible to have an HIV-negative child. Therefore, this study aimed to assess fertility desire and associated factors among antiretroviral therapy-attending HIV-positive women at Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital, in Harari, Ethiopia.

Methods

A facility-based cross-sectional study design was employed among 639 anti retro-viral therapy attending HIV - positive women by systematic random sampling method selected from June 15 to November 30, 2020. A binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify the associated factors with fertility desire. Descriptive results were presented in percentages, whereas analytical results were reported in adjusted ORs (AORs) with a 95% CI. At p=0.05, statistical significance was declared.

Results

A total of 639 participants were included in the study; 69.5%(95% CI 65.7 to 72.9%) of the participants had fertility desire. Younger age (<35 years) (AOR=2.35, 95% CI 1.27 to 4.35), married women (AOR=3.02, 95% CI 1.32 to 12.25), childless women (AOR=2.86, 95% CI 1.17 to 4.82) and women whose duration of HIV diagnosis was ≤5 years (AOR=0.41, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.71) were significantly associated with fertility desire.

Conclusion

The majority of the study participants have a desire to have children. In light of the high prevalence of fertility desire among antiretroviral therapy-attending HIV-positive women, it is recommended to counsel younger women on reproductive planning and encourage partner testing.
“I don’t think it should take you three days to tell me my baby is dead.” A case of fetal demise: unintended consequences of immediate release of information
Authors: Rotholz Stephen , Lin Chen-Tan
Published: May 2023

The 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act) information blocking regulations mandate timely patient access to their electronic health information. In most healthcare systems, this technically requires immediate electronic release of test results and clinical notes directly to patients. Patients could potentially be distressed by receiving upsetting results through an electronic portal rather than from a clinician. We present a case from 2018, several years prior to the implementation of the Cures Act. A patient was notified of fetal demise detected by ultrasound through her electronic health record (EHR) patient portal before her clinician received the result. We discuss the patient's ensuing complaint and healthcare system response. This unusual and dramatic case of fetal demise is relevant today because it underscores the importance of involving a patient and family advisory council in decision-making. It also highlights the value of “anticipatory guidance” as a routine clinical practice in this era of immediate access to test results.
Innovation and Revivalism: Powell & Sons’ Opus Sectile Mosaic
Authors: Crowther Lily
Published: May 2023

The late-nineteenth century saw a flourishing of mosaic in British architecture. Both traditional and innovative methods of mosaic-making were deployed in a wide variety of contexts from the 1850s onwards: in domestic, public, sacred, and secular buildings; for interior and exterior decoration; at large and small scales. Widespread experimentation with new materials, facilitated by the affordability of energy-intensive manufacturing processes, was complemented by a growing body of scholarship on the history of mosaics. Opus sectile was a novel type of opaque glass for mosaic-making that was developed by glassmakers James Powell & Sons in the mid-1860s. This new material quickly gained in popularity and was used in a variety of architectural projects throughout the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries (for a list see Dennis Hadley, Powell’s Opus Sectile Locations [Coventry: Tiles & Architectural Ceramics Society, 2018]). Through a discussion of the development of opus sectile and its use in the 1860s, 1870s, and 1880s, the article explores its place in a landscape of both technological innovation and stylistic revivalism.
In situ pulsed electrical biasing TEM observation of AA7075
Authors: Grimm Tyler J , Mears Laine
Published: May 2023

Electrically assisted heat treatment is the process of applying an electric current to a sample during heat treatment. Literature has generally shown there to be a difference in the resulting effects of direct current (DC) current and highly transient current (i.e. electropulsing). However, these differences are poorly characterized. In situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation of an AA7075 sample while DC and pulsed current were passed through it was performed herein to explore the effects of an electric current on precipitate development. Numerical simulation results indicate that the thermal response of the samples was very rapid, causing the sample to reach steady-state temperatures almost instantly. There does not appear to be any significant difference between the results of pulsed current application and DC current. Additionally, the failure mechanism of an electrical biasing TEM sample is explored.
Developing an Evolutionary Baseline Model for Humans: Jointly Inferring Purifying Selection with Population History
Authors: Johri Parul , Pfeifer Susanne P , Jensen Jeffrey D
Published: May 2023

Building evolutionarily appropriate baseline models for natural populations is not only important for answering fundamental questions in population genetics—including quantifying the relative contributions of adaptive versus nonadaptive processes—but also essential for identifying candidate loci experiencing relatively rare and episodic forms of selection (e.g., positive or balancing selection). Here, a baseline model was developed for a human population of West African ancestry, the Yoruba, comprising processes constantly operating on the genome (i.e., purifying and background selection, population size changes, recombination rate heterogeneity, and gene conversion). Specifically, to perform joint inference of selective effects with demography, an approximate Bayesian approach was employed that utilizes the decay of background selection effects around functional elements, taking into account genomic architecture. This approach inferred a recent 6-fold population growth together with a distribution of fitness effects that is skewed towards effectively neutral mutations. Importantly, these results further suggest that, although strong and/or frequent recurrent positive selection is inconsistent with observed data, weak to moderate positive selection is consistent but unidentifiable if rare.
Clostridioides difficileInfection: Clinical Practice and Health Outcomes in 6 Large Tertiary Hospitals in Eastern Australia
Authors: Stewart Adam G , Chen Sharon C A , Hamilton Kate , Harris-Brown Tiffany , Korman Tony M , Figtree Melanie , Worth Leon J , Kok Jen , Van der Poorten David , Byth Karen , Slavin Monica A , Paterson David L
Published: May 2023

Background

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in both healthcare and community settings. We aimed to define the predisposing factors, risks for severe disease, and mortality determinants of CDI in eastern Australia over a 1-year period.

Methods

This is an observational retrospective study of CDI in hospitalized patients aged ≥18 years in 6 tertiary institutions from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016. Patients were identified through laboratory databases and medical records of participating institutions. Clinical, imaging, and laboratory data were input into an electronic database hosted at a central site.

Results

A total of 578 patients (578 CDI episodes) were included. Median age was 65 (range, 18–99) years and 48.2% were male. Hospital-onset CDI occurred in 64.0%. Recent antimicrobial use (41.9%) and proton pump inhibitor use (35.8%) were common. Significant risk factors for severe CDI were age <65 years (P < .001), malignancy within the last 5 years (P < .001), and surgery within the previous 30 days (P < .001). Significant risk factors for first recurrence included severe CDI (P = .03) and inflammatory bowel disease (P = .04). Metronidazole was the most common regimen for first episodes of CDI with 65.2% being concordant with Australian treatment guidelines overall. Determinants for death at 60 days included age ≥65 years (P = .01), severe CDI (P < .001), and antibiotic use within the prior 30 days (P = .02). Of those who received metronidazole as first-line therapy, 10.1% died in the 60-day follow-up period, compared to 9.8% of those who received vancomycin (P = .86).

Conclusions

Patients who experience CDI are vulnerable and require early diagnosis, clinical surveillance, and effective therapy to prevent complications and improve outcomes.
Moving the Pendulum for Glioblastoma Treatment: One Injection at a Time
Authors: Wu Xizi , Alvarez-Breckenridge Christopher
Published: May 2023

Despite advances, glioblastoma is characterized by exceptionally high rates of recurrence and resistance to therapy. This commentary remarks on the recently published article by Maruyama et al, which reports the PMDA review of G47Δ injection for malignant glioma, in which the efficacy and safety results of G47Δ were evaluated and approval conditions clarified.
The competitive advantage of sanctioning institutions revisited: A multilab replication
Authors: Lo Iacono Sergio , Przepiorka Wojtek , Buskens Vincent , Corten Rense , van Assen Marcel , van de Rijt Arnout
Published: May 2023

Is peer sanctioning a sustainable solution to the problem of human cooperation? We conducted an exact multilab replication (N = 1,008; 7 labs × 12 groups × 12 participants) of an experiment by Gürerk, Irlenbusch, and Rockenbach published in Science in 2006 (Gürerk Ö, Irlenbusch B, Rockenbach B. The competitive advantage of sanctioning institutions. 2006. Science. 312(5770):108–111). In GIR2006 (N = 84; 1 lab × 7 groups × 12 participants), groups that allowed members to reward cooperators and punish defectors were found to outgrow and outperform groups without a peer-sanctioning institution. We find GIR2006 replicated in accordance with all preregistered replication criteria in five of the seven labs we sampled. There, the majority of participants joined groups with a sanctioning institution, and participants cooperated and profited more on average than in groups without a sanctioning institution. In the two other labs, results were weaker but still favored sanctioning institutions. These findings establish the competitive advantage of sanctioning institutions as a robust phenomenon within the European context.
Translating Akkadian to English with neural machine translation
Authors: Gutherz Gai , Gordin Shai , Sáenz Luis , Levy Omer , Berant Jonathan
Published: May 2023

Cuneiform is one of the earliest writing systems in recorded human history (ca. 3,400 BCE–75 CE). Hundreds of thousands of such texts were found over the last two centuries, most of which are written in Sumerian and Akkadian. We show the high potential in assisting scholars and interested laypeople alike, by using natural language processing (NLP) methods such as convolutional neural networks (CNN), to automatically translate Akkadian from cuneiform Unicode glyphs directly to English (C2E) and from transliteration to English (T2E). We show that high-quality translations can be obtained when translating directly from cuneiform to English, as we get 36.52 and 37.47 Best Bilingual Evaluation Understudy 4 (BLEU4) scores for C2E and T2E, respectively. For C2E, our model is better than the translation memory baseline in 9.43, and for T2E, the difference is even higher and stands at 13.96. The model achieves best results in short- and medium-length sentences (c. 118 or less characters). As the number of digitized texts grows, the model can be improved by further training as part of a human-in-the-loop system which corrects the results.
Reasoning about climate change
Authors: Bago Bence , Rand David G , Pennycook Gordon
Published: May 2023

Why is disbelief in anthropogenic climate change common despite broad scientific consensus to the contrary? A widely held explanation involves politically motivated (system 2) reasoning: Rather than helping uncover the truth, people use their reasoning abilities to protect their partisan identities and reject beliefs that threaten those identities. Despite the popularity of this account, the evidence supporting it (i) does not account for the fact that partisanship is confounded with prior beliefs about the world and (ii) is entirely correlational with respect to the effect of reasoning. Here, we address these shortcomings by (i) measuring prior beliefs and (ii) experimentally manipulating participants’ extent of reasoning using cognitive load and time pressure while they evaluate arguments for or against anthropogenic global warming. The results provide no support for the politically motivated system 2 reasoning account over other accounts: Engaging in more reasoning led people to have greater coherence between judgments and their prior beliefs about climate change—a process that can be consistent with rational (unbiased) Bayesian reasoning—and did not exacerbate the impact of partisanship once prior beliefs are accounted for.
Reliability of C-reactive protein as an inflammatory marker in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases and liver dysfunction
Authors: Ross Yael , Ballou Stanley
Published: May 2023

Objectives

CRP is an acute-phase reactant widely used clinically as a marker of inflammation. CRP is a protein synthesized by hepatocytes. Previous studies have shown lower CRP levels in response to infections in patients with chronic liver disease. We hypothesized that CRP levels would also be lower during active immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) in patients with liver dysfunction.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study used Slicer Dicer in Epic, our electronic medical record system, to search for patients with IMIDs both with and without concomitant liver disease. Patients with liver disease were excluded if there was no clear documentation of liver disease staging. Patients were also excluded if a CRP level was not available during disease flare or active disease. Arbitrarily, we considered normal CRP as ≤0.7 mg/dl, mild elevation of CRP as ≥0.8 and <3mg/dl, and elevated CRP as ≥3mg/dl.

Results

We identified 68 patients with both liver disease and IMIDs (RA, PsA and PMR) and 296 patients with autoimmune disease and without liver disease. Presence of liver disease had the lowest odds ratio (odds ratio = 0.25, P < 0.0001) of having an elevated CRP during flare. Each specific IMID, except SLE and IBD, had higher median CRP levels during active disease episodes in patients without liver disease than in those with liver disease.

Discussion

Overall, IMID patients with liver disease had lower serum CRP levels during active disease than their counterparts without liver dysfunction. This observation has implications for clinical use of CRP level as a reliable marker of disease activity in patients with IMIDs and liver dysfunction.
Association of the AAV-PRO questionnaire with established outcome measures in AAV
Authors: Maunz Annika , Jacoby Johann , Henes Joerg , Robson Joanna C , Hellmich Bernhard , Löffler Christian
Published: May 2023

Objectives

The ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) patient-reported outcome (AAV-PRO) questionnaire was developed to capture the impact of AAV and its treatment. We investigated the association of specific AAV-PRO domains with disease activity and extent, damage, depression, health-related quality of life, and treatment.

Methods

In a prospective longitudinal study, AAV-PRO, Beck’s depression inventory (BDI), Short Form 36 (SF-36), BVAS and Vasculitis Damage Index (VDI) were completed at baseline (t1) and after 3–6 months (t2). In addition, patient data (including diagnosis, therapies, relapses, and organ manifestations) were recorded. Data were analysed by t-tests and correlation-based regression analyses.

Results

A total of 156 patients with AAV participated. The mean BVAS at the time of enrolment was 1.4 ± 3.74. The median AAV-PRO domain scores were higher in patients reporting ‘active disease‘ compared with those reporting ‘in remission’ (P < 0.001). In the correlation analyses, all AAV-PRO domain scores correlated strongly with the BDI (all r ≥ 0.319, all P ≤ 0.001) as well as with all eight SF-36 subdomains (all |r|≥0.267, all P ≤ 0.001). The regression analyses showed that AAV-PRO domains were strongly predicted by the BDI and SF-36 domains (|β| ≥ 0.240 for the strongest predictor of each domain). In the longitudinal comparison (t1/t2), there were no significant changes in the overall results.

Conclusion

Our data show convergent validity for all AAV-PRO subdomains, using the established questionnaires BDI and SF-36. The AAV-PRO domains scores were not correlated with clinician-derived instruments (including the BVAS and the VDI). Thus, we regard the AAV-PRO questionnaire as a valuable measure of outcomes that might complement traditional end-points in clinical trials.
The European Dimension of the ‘talks process’ in Northern Ireland
Authors: Lagana Giada
Published: May 2023

Analysis of efforts to develop peace in Northern Ireland often attributes the foundation of the peace process to the dialogue between the then Sinn Fein president, Gerry Adams, and the Social Democratic and Labour Party’s (SDLP) former leader, John Hume, in the late 1980s. However, it has been recognized that attempts to forge peace have a longer timeline, involving the interplay of several national and international historical contexts in which the European Community (EC) / European Union (EU) dimension and the role of the EU institutions in restoring peace and reconciliation has been generally neglected. The objective of this article is therefore to examine the European dimension of the Northern Ireland talks process, addressing the whole range of relationships affecting the political stalemate in the years preceding the signing of Belfast/Good Friday Agreement (GFA). Drawing on never-before-seen United Kingdom (UK) government and EC/EU archival documents and semi-structured élite interviews, this article highlights how the original dialogue on power-sharing and devolution in Northern Ireland included a much stronger EU dimension that it is publicly acknowledged. This article constitutes an emblematic case-study on the ‘Europeanisation’ of British politics in Northern Ireland, with findings uncovering a new and subtle dimension of the EC/EU role in the Northern Ireland peace process.
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus 2 from Singapore 2020 outbreak revealed an Australian recombinant variant
Authors: Koh Eileen Y , Ong Jasmine , Wang Yifan , Toh Xinyu , Fernandez Charlene Judith , Huangfu Taoqi , Hall Robyn N , Toh Steffie , Lim Kelvin , Sng Wendy , Lim Hwee Ping , Ho Kelvin , Chang Siow Foong , Yap Him Hoo
Published: May 2023

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) is a significant and debilitating viral disease affecting lagomorphs. In September 2020, Singapore reported its first cases of RHD virus (RHDV) infection in domesticated rabbits. The initial findings reported that the outbreak strain belonged to genotype GI.2 (RHDV2/RHDVb), and epidemiological investigations could not identify the definitive source of the virus origin. Further recombination detection and phylogenetic analyses of the Singapore outbreak strain revealed that the RHDV was a GI.2 structural (S)/GI.4 non-structural (NS) recombinant variant. Sequence analyses on the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database showed high homology to recently emerged Australian variants, which were prevalent in local Australian lagomorph populations since 2017. Time-structured and phylogeographic analyses for the S and NS genes revealed a close genetic relationship between the Singapore RHDV strain and the Australian RHDV variants. More thorough epidemiological inquiries are necessary to ascertain how an Australian RHDV was introduced into the Singapore rabbit population, and opportune development of RHDV diagnostics and vaccines will be important to safeguard lagomorphs from future RHDV infection and disease management.
Predictive Ecology and Management of Phyllosphere Microbial Communities Through Cross-Scale Synthesis
Authors: Armitage David W. , Carter Morgan E. , Choudhury Robin A. , Remus-Emsermann Mitja N. P. , Morris Cindy E. , Leveau Johan H. , Kinkel Linda L. , Dundore-Arias José Pablo
Published: May 2023

In this article, we summarize the main takeaways from a symposium and hybrid virtual and in-person participatory discussion focused on the challenges of scale in understanding the ecology and management of phyllosphere microbial communities. We provide an overview of the confounding effects of spatial scale on inference in microbial ecology, the spatial organization of microbial interactions in the phyllosphere, advances and remaining gaps in measuring phyllosphere colonization across scales, and the epidemiology in the phyllosphere. We hope to motivate further discussion and the development and adoption of creative approaches to solving the challenges of scale to enhance fundamental understanding and practical management of the phyllosphere microbiomes.
Genome-Wide Association Study of Resistance to Pseudomonas syringae in the USDA Collection of Citrullus amarus
Authors: Rennberger Gabriel , Branham Sandra E. , Wechter William P.
Published: May 2023

Pseudomonas leaf spot (PLS), caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae, is an emerging disease of watermelon in the United States with the potential to severely reduce yield under humid conditions. The genetic basis of resistance to this disease is not known and no resistant germplasm is available. Because Citrullus amarus is an important reservoir of resistance genes for the cultivated watermelon, C. lanatus, we screened the United States Department of Agriculture plant introduction collection of C. amarus for resistance to PLS. Accessions (n = 117) were phenotyped for their level of resistance to PLS in two separate tests. Accession means of percent leaf area affected ranged from 1.5 to 99.4%. The broad-sense heritability for the trait was 0.51. Whole-genome resequencing generated 2,126,759 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) which were used to perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) aimed at discovering molecular markers for resistance. Three different models—BLINK, FarmCPU, and MLM—were included in the GWAS analyses. BLINK and FarmCPU, which are multilocus models, found eight SNPs, located on chromosomes Ca01, Ca05, Ca06, Ca08, and Ca10, that were significantly associated with resistance to PLS. Two of these SNPs were found by both BLINK and FarmCPU. The MLM model did not detect any significant associations. BLINK and FarmCPU estimated an explained phenotypic variance of 43.6 and 28.5%, respectively, for SNP S6_19327000 and 25.0 and 26.0%, respectively, for SNP S1_33362258, the two most significant SNPs found. In total, 43 candidate genes with known involvement in disease resistance were discovered within the genomic intervals of seven of the eight peak SNPs. Eleven of the candidate genes that were found have been reported to be involved in resistance to P. syringae in other plant species. Two significant SNPs were within resistance genes previously documented to play important roles of plant resistance specific to P. syringae in other pathosystems. The SNPs identified in this study will be instrumental in finding causal genes involved in PLS resistance in watermelon and developing resistant germplasm through breeding.
Genome Resource for the Highly Virulent Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae Strain HN2011 from China
Authors: Zhao Pu , Li Quanlin , Yin Han , Du Zhenglin , Zhai Wenxue , Xia Zhihui , Zhou Yongli
Published: May 2023

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae ( Xoo) is the causal bacterium of rice bacterial blight (BB), which is one of the most destructive bacterial diseases of rice worldwide. Although more than 40 BB resistance genes ( Xa genes) have been identified, only a few conferring broad resistance (e.g., Xa4 and Xa21) have been widely used for rice breeding in Asia. The narrow genetic basis for the BB resistance of rice cultivars has resulted in the emergence of new pathogenic strains that can overcome the resistance of commonly grown rice cultivars derived from breeding programs. For example, Xoo strain HN2011, which was isolated in Hainan (China), can overcome the resistance mediated by multiple BB resistance genes, including Xa4 and Xa21. We herein present the complete genome sequence of HN2011 generated by Nanopore sequencing. The genomic data will be useful for elucidating the genomic variations of Xoo and will contribute to clarifying the interaction between Xoo and rice.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Current Concepts in Sternoclavicular Joint Injuries
Authors: Hesse Daniel , Paull Thomas , Cole Peter A.
Published: May 2023

Sternoclavicular joint (SCJ) injuries account for <3% of shoulder injuries. Anterior dislocations are far more common than posterior dislocations, but proper recognition is essential as posterior injuries are potentially life-threatening. The computed tomography scan is the gold standard in determining the direction of the SCJ injury and, furthermore, can help to determine the difference between medial clavicle fractures through an open physis and pure dislocations. Because the medial clavicle is one of the last physes to close and does not fuse until as late as 25 years of age in men, SCJ injuries in this age group most often represent physeal injuries; however, the treatment is similar to that for SCJ dislocations. Closed reduction maneuvers may be successful for the acute posterior SCJ dislocation, but operative reduction and repair is the gold standard of treatment. Anterior dislocations are not amenable to closed reduction due to deforming forces which cause recurrent dislocation but are believed to best be treated with closed management with the expectation for resolution of pain. Operative management of painful or unstable chronic dislocations includes medial clavicle resection and ligament reconstruction with allograft tendon in the setting of sternoclavicular instability.

Level of Evidence:

Therapeutic Level V. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Impact of a Dedicated Orthopaedic Trauma Room on Elective Arthroplasty Case Volume
Authors: Smith Austin , Chatterji Rishi , Diedring Benjamin , Waldron Jacob , Sharma Rajan , Fahs Adam , Knesek David , Klein Alan , Afsari Alan , Best Benjamin
Published: May 2023

Objective:

To examine the effects of implementing a dedicated orthopaedic trauma room (DOTR) on elective arthroplasty volume.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

Level I academic trauma center.

Intervention:

A retrospective analysis was performed for two 3-year intervals before and after DOTR introduction on January 20, 2013, at a Level I trauma center. Surgeons were included if they performed elective primary total hip arthroplasty (THA), total knee arthroplasty (TKA), total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), or reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) regularly from 2010 to 2015.

Main Outcome Measures:

Change in elective arthroplasty volume after the implementation of a DOTR.

Results:

A total of 2339 cases were performed by surgeons A-E, with an average of 303.3 cases per year pre-DOTR and an average of 476.3 cases per year post-DOTR. On average, within our institution, there were 75.79 per 10,000 cases/year in Michigan pre-DOTR and 104.2 per 10,000 cases/year in Michigan post-DOTR. Surgeons A-E averaged 173.0 more cases per year and increased their average proportion of elective arthroplasty case volume in Michigan. There was a statistically significant market share increase of 9.8 per 10,000 cases/year in Michigan, at our hospital in the post-DOTR periods (P = 0.039) (CI [0.5442, 19.21], SE = 4.523). This market share increase of 9.8 cases/10,000 cases was the yearly increase in market share that our average surgeons saw after the DOTR implementation, this took into account the observed annual increase in arthroplasty volume statewide during those years.

Conclusion:

Implementation of a DOTR was associated with increases in the total number, annual mean, and annual proportion of elective arthroplasty cases performed in Michigan for both elective surgeons and the institution as a whole. These findings reveal a benefit of DOTR implementation to elective arthroplasty surgeons and health systems on a larger scale, in the form of increased arthroplasty case volume.
Epidemiological characteristics and distribution of pediatric supracondylar fractures in South China: a retrospective analysis of 760 cases
Authors: Wu Jian Ping , Lu Yang Tao , Wei Xing Xing , Zou Pan Xin , Li Yi Qiang , Liu Yuan Zhong , Canavese Federico , Xu Hong Wen
Published: May 2023

To evaluate demographic characteristics and distribution of pediatric supracondylar fractures (SCFs) at a tertiary hospital in South China. A retrospective observational study was conducted on children aged 15 years or younger with a diagnosis of SCFs during the period from January 2016 to December 2018. Patients’ medical records and radiographs were retrospectively analyzed for age at the time of injury, sex, site and mechanism of traumatic injury. A total of 760 patients with 761 SCFs were reviewed (453 males, 59.6%, and 307 females, 40.4%). There were 748 extension-type fractures (98.3%) and 13 flexion-type fractures (1.7%). Associated injuries were identified in 30/760 (3.9%) patients: associated fracture (n = 15; 2%), nerve injury (n = 12; 1.6%), open fracture (n = 2; 0.2%) and compartment syndrome (n = 1; 0.1%). Age at the time of fracture has a bimodal pattern with a first peak around the age of 1 year and a second peak around the age of 4–5 years. The fractures occurred mostly around 11 a.m. and between 4 and 9 p.m. in the evening. Most fractures occurred at home (50.7%), and falling down (62.2%) was the most frequent mechanism of injury. SCFs occurred most frequently in children aged 1 and 4–5 years, and during daylight hours. In about 96% of cases, these were isolated injuries, and falling down was found to be the most frequent traumatic mechanism. Based on our findings, targeted educational efforts and interventions can be set up in order to prevent the occurrence of SCFs in South China. Level of evidence: III.
Telehealth follow-up in the postoperative care of surgically treated pediatric supracondylar humerus fractures
Authors: Makarewich Christopher A. , Cheminant Jenna R. , Biddle Nicholas C. , Brennan Jayden N. , San Juan Angielyn
Published: May 2023

Supracondylar humerus fractures are a common pediatric orthopedic injury requiring surgery. These patients are typically seen 4 weeks post-op for cast and pin removal followed by an 8–12-week post-op motion check. Our study aimed to limit the number of in-office visits by conducting this last motion check by telehealth. This was a single-surgeon series of consecutive surgically treated supracondylar humerus fractures. The primary outcome was the number of patients who completed their range of motion check remotely. Loss to follow-up at the telehealth visit was compared to a prior cohort for whom the range of motion visit was performed in person. Secondary outcomes included number of patients missing work/school for the in-person vs. telehealth visits and satisfaction with the in-person and telehealth visits. Twenty-two patients were enrolled during the study period. Sixteen (73%) successfully completed their telehealth follow-up, which was similar to the prior in-person cohort. Significantly more parents/children had to take a day off from work/school to attend the in-person visit. No patient required a subsequent in-person visit or referral to physical therapy. A total of 100% of patients reported excellent satisfaction with their telehealth visit. Overall satisfaction was similar comparing the in-person vs. telehealth visits (84% vs. 100% reporting excellent satisfaction, P = 0.12). Telehealth is a viable option for the postoperative care of surgically treated supracondylar humerus fractures. This approach limits in-office visits and decreases the need for parents/children to miss work/school while maintaining excellent satisfaction scores.
Potential biomarkers for diagnosis and disease evaluation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Wang Qing , Xie Zhaoliang , Wan Nansheng , Yang Lei , Jin Zhixian , Jin Fang , Huang Zhaoming , Chen Min , Wang Huiming , Feng Jing
Published: May 2023

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive lung disease characterized by progressive lung fibrogenesis and histological features of usual interstitial pneumonia. IPF has a poor prognosis and presents a spectrum of disease courses ranging from slow evolving disease to rapid deterioration; thus, a differential diagnosis remains challenging. Several biomarkers have been identified to achieve a differential diagnosis; however, comprehensive reviews are lacking. This review summarizes over 100 biomarkers which can be divided into six categories according to their functions: differentially expressed biomarkers in the IPF compared to healthy controls; biomarkers distinguishing IPF from other types of interstitial lung disease; biomarkers differentiating acute exacerbation of IPF from stable disease; biomarkers predicting disease progression; biomarkers related to disease severity; and biomarkers related to treatment. Specimen used for the diagnosis of IPF included serum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, lung tissue, and sputum. IPF-specific biomarkers are of great clinical value for the differential diagnosis of IPF. Currently, the physiological measurements used to evaluate the occurrence of acute exacerbation, disease progression, and disease severity have limitations. Combining physiological measurements with biomarkers may increase the accuracy and sensitivity of diagnosis and disease evaluation of IPF. Most biomarkers described in this review are not routinely used in clinical practice. Future large-scale multicenter studies are required to design and validate suitable biomarker panels that have diagnostic utility for IPF.
Increased functional connectivity of amygdala subregions in patients with drug-naïve panic disorder and without comorbidities
Authors: Zhang Ping , Yang Xiangyun , Wang Yun , Liu Huan , Meng Limin , Yan Zijun , Zhou Yuan , Li Zhanjiang
Published: May 2023

Background:

Amygdala plays an important role in the neurobiological basis of panic disorder (PD), and the amygdala contains different subregions, which may play different roles in PD. The aim of the present study was to examine whether there are common or distinct patterns of functional connectivity of the amygdala subregions in PD using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and to explore the relationship between the abnormal spontaneous functional connectivity patterns of the regions of interest (ROIs) and the clinical symptoms of PD patients.

Methods:

Fifty-three drug-naïve, non-comorbid PD patients and 70 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. Seed-based resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) analyses were conducted using the bilateral amygdalae and its subregions as the ROI seed. Two samples t test was performed for the seed-based Fisher's z-transformed correlation maps. The relationship between the abnormal spontaneous functional connectivity patterns of the ROIs and the clinical symptoms of PD patients was investigated by Pearson correlation analysis.

Results:

PD patients showed increased rsFC of the bilateral amygdalae and almost all the amygdala subregions with the precuneus/posterior cingulate gyrus compared with the HC group (left amygdala [lAMY]: t = 4.84, P <0.001; right amygdala [rAMY]: t = 4.55, P <0.001; left centromedial amygdala [lCMA]: t = 3.87, P <0.001; right centromedial amygdala [rCMA]: t = 3.82, P = 0.002; left laterobasal amygdala [lBLA]: t = 4.33, P <0.001; right laterobasal amygdala [rBLA]: t = 4.97, P <0.001; left superficial amygdala [lSFA]: t = 3.26, P = 0.006). The rsFC of the lBLA with the left angular gyrus/inferior parietal lobule remarkably increased in the PD group (t = 3.70, P = 0.003). And most of the altered rsFCs were located in the default mode network (DMN). A significant positive correlation was observed between the severity of anxiety and the rsFC between the lSFA and the left precuneus in PD patients (r = 0.285, P = 0.039).

Conclusions:

Our research suggested that the increased rsFC of amygdala subregions with DMN plays an important role in the pathogenesis of PD. Future studies may further explore whether the rsFC of amygdala subregions, especially with the regions in DMN, can be used as a biological marker of PD.
Microblading-Induced Granulomatous Reaction: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Ibraheim Marina Kristy , Desai Mansee , Tawfik Melanie , Elsensohn Ashley , Furukawa Betsy
Published: May 2023

Microblading is a common cosmetic procedure that can modify the appearance of one's eyebrows. Although generally well-tolerated, the procedure can cause a number of dermatologic issues; on rare occasions, granulomatous reactions can manifest. We use this case to highlight a presentation of a nonsarcoidal granulomatous dermatitis and review the literature on granulomatous reactions secondary to microblading. Of the 21 cases included in our review, approximately half (10/21) were diagnosed with foreign-body granulomas and the other half with sarcoidosis (7 of 21 with systemic sarcoidosis and 4 of 21 with cutaneous sarcoidosis). Although microblading remains a commonplace cosmetic technique, it is not without risk. Much like other types of tattoos, microblading can cause granulomatous reactions for which we must be vigilant, and further workup for sarcoidosis might be considered in select patients.
Abortion and Reproductive Freedom: Constitutional and Practical Issues
Authors: Smith Steven R.
Published: May 2023

In Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, the Supreme Court reversed constitutional protection for abortion. The law will affect the practice of medicine and patients. Practitioners should understand the decision. Protection for reproductive liberties has a checkered history. Much of the constitutional controversy is over the basis for reproductive rights, “substantive due process,” the proposition that substantive rights arise from a procedural guarantee in the fourteenth amendment. The change in constitutional protection for abortion will play out differently among the states. Physicians should be prepared to assist patients with new rules and to participate in the public discussion of reproductive liberties.
NK Cell Phenotype Is Associated With Response and Resistance to Daratumumab in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Verkleij Christie P.M. , Frerichs Kristine A. , Broekmans Marloes E.C. , Duetz Carolien , O’Neill Chloe A. , Bruins Wassilis S.C. , Homan-Weert Paola M. , Minnema Monique C. , Levin Mark-David , Broijl Annemiek , Bos Gerard M.J. , Kersten Marie José , Klein Saskia K. , Shikhagaie Medya M. , Casneuf Tineke , Abraham Yann , Smets Tina , Vanhoof Greet , Cortes-Selva Diana , van Steenbergen Laure , Ramos Elena , Verona Raluca I. , Krevvata Maria , Sonneveld Pieter , Zweegman Sonja , Mutis Tuna , van de Donk Niels W.C.J.
Published: May 2023

The CD38-targeting antibody daratumumab has marked activity in multiple myeloma (MM). Natural killer (NK) cells play an important role during daratumumab therapy by mediating antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity via their FcγRIII receptor (CD16), but they are also rapidly decreased following initiation of daratumumab treatment. We characterized the NK cell phenotype at baseline and during daratumumab monotherapy by flow cytometry and cytometry by time of flight to assess its impact on response and development of resistance (DARA-ATRA study; NCT02751255). At baseline, nonresponding patients had a significantly lower proportion of CD16+ and granzyme B+ NK cells, and higher frequency of TIM-3+ and HLA-DR+ NK cells, consistent with a more activated/exhausted phenotype. These NK cell characteristics were also predictive of inferior progression-free survival and overall survival. Upon initiation of daratumumab treatment, NK cells were rapidly depleted. Persisting NK cells exhibited an activated and exhausted phenotype with reduced expression of CD16 and granzyme B, and increased expression of TIM-3 and HLA-DR. We observed that addition of healthy donor-derived purified NK cells to BM samples from patients with either primary or acquired daratumumab-resistance improved daratumumab-mediated MM cell killing. In conclusion, NK cell dysfunction plays a role in primary and acquired daratumumab resistance. This study supports the clinical evaluation of daratumumab combined with adoptive transfer of NK cells.