bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Eosinophil cationic protein and tidal flow volume loops in children 0-2 years of age
Authors: Lodrup Carlsen KC , Halvorsen R , Ahlstedt S , Carlsen KH
Published: August 2003

Many children with recurrent wheezing in early childhood develop asthma. Objective parameters to describe different groups of wheezers are limited, but tidal flow volume (TFV) response to inhaled salbutamol has demonstrated differences between children with and without asthma. Also, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) has been associated with declining lung function in older children. We therefore investigated whether lung function and serum ECP (s-ECP) could differentiate between groups of wheezy young children. TFV loops were measured in 79 awake children (mean age 14 months). Minimum two wheezy episodes (mean 3.2) or minimum 4 weeks persistent wheeze were reported in 41 children (cases), whereas the 38 controls had no history of wheeze. Airways responsiveness (change in ratio of time until peak expiratory flow to total expiratory time (tPEF/tE) after inhaled nebulized salbutamol) was measured in 26 cases and 24 controls. Serum ECP and serum myeloperoxidase (s-MPO) were measured in all children. Cases had significantly lower mean tPEF/tE (0.21) than controls (0.33), and higher mean s-ECP (21.9 micrograms.L-1) than controls (14.0 micrograms.L-1). Serum ECP (but not s-MPO) correlated significantly with the percentage change in tPEF/tE from baseline (r = 0.7), but not with initial tPEF/tE. Serum ECP increased significantly with increasing immunoglobulin E (IgE), airways responsiveness and eosinophil count, but decreased with increasing age. TFV responsiveness to salbutamol and s-ECP levels correlate strongly, both probably reflecting airways inflammation, and may possibly be valuable prognostic tools in recurrent wheezy infants and toddlers.
Leukotriene receptor antagonists and biosynthesis inhibitors: potential breakthrough in asthma therapy
Authors: Chung KF
Published: August 2003

Cysteinyl leukotrienes are potent bronchoconstrictors, inducers of airway microvascular leakage and oedema, and of mucus secretion, in addition to causing an eosinophilic airway infiltration. Increased urinary excretion of the cysteinyl leukotriene E4 (LTE4) has been demonstrated following allergen challenge and during acute asthma attacks. Strategies for inhibition of cysteinyl leukotriene effects include antagonism of cysteinyl leukotriene receptors and inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase activity. In experimental challenge studies in asthmatic patients, these compounds can inhibit bronchoconstriction in response to exercise, aspirin and allergen. Results from clinical studies using receptor antagonists, such as ICI 204,219 and MK-571, and synthesis inhibitors, such as zileuton, demonstrate beneficial effects, with improvement in symptoms and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and a reduction in the use of beta 2-adrenergic relief medication. Further studies are needed to clarify the exact mechanisms by which these compounds provide beneficial effects. Cysteinyl leukotrienes are important mediators of asthma, and inhibition of their effects may represent a potential breakthrough in the therapy of asthma.
Comparison of twenty three nebulizer/compressor combinations for domiciliary use
Authors: Smith EC , Denyer J , Kendrick AH
Published: August 2003

We have assessed the physical and dynamic characteristics of 23 home jet nebulizer/compressor combinations currently available in the UK and Europe. The combinations were evaluated in terms of pressure-flow characteristics, aerosol mass distribution, volume output, electrical costs, and sound level. In addition, we determined the effect of nebulizer fill volume on aerosol mass distribution and volume output. One nebulizer was used with six different compressors, and four compressors were tested with three different nebulizers. The pressure-flow relationships showed a wide variation between models, as did flow-rate at the nebulizer (range 3.0-8.0 L.min-1). The mean +/- SD volume nebulized after 10 min using an initial fill volume of 2.5 and 5.0 mL was 46 +/- 9 and 34 +/- 12%, respectively. The mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) over a 5 min nebulization ranged 2.6 to 10.2 microns. Nine of the nebulizations produced an MMAD of less than 5 microns at both fill volumes. Changing nebulizer/compressor combinations affected flow rate, MMAD and volume output. Sound levels varied between models. Running costs were low, with all using less than 74 kilowatt hours of energy per year. We conclude that there is a wide variation in performance of nebulizer/compressor combinations for use with nebulized bronchodilators. Correct matching of the nebulizer/compressor is seen to be important to ensure optimum performance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Haemodynamics and gas exchange before and after coil embolization of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations
Authors: Andrivet P , Lofaso F , Carette MF , Allegrini J , Adnot S
Published: August 2003

A complete description of haemodynamics and gas exchange before and after percutaneous coil embolization of multiple pulmonary arteriovenous malformations is reported in a 45 year old woman with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasis (HHT). Before treatment, whilst the patient complained of severe dyspnoea during daily activities, an intrapulmonary shunt of 31% was measured (inert gas elimination technique), together with a cardiac output (thermodilution technique) of 12.4 L.min-1, resulting in a resting arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) of 8.53 kPa. Effective occlusion of all visible pulmonary malformations resulted in a rapid and major improvement in exercise tolerance, whilst resting PaO2 remained almost unchanged. A second investigation performed 4 months after treatment revealed a persistent intrapulmonary shunt of 19%, a cardiac output of 7.35 L.min-1, and a resting PaO2 of 10.53 kPa. We conclude that major increases in cardiac output largely contribute to the maintenance of PaO2 in patients with multiple pulmonary arteriovenous malformations and intrapulmonary shunt. The benefit of coil embolization is due both to an improvement in arterial oxygenation and a normalization of cardiac output.
Non-small-cell lung cancer with multiple paraneoplastic syndromes
Authors: Monsieur I , Meysman M , Noppen M , de Greve J , Delhove O , Velckeniers B , Jacobvitz D , Vincken W
Published: August 2003

We describe the case of a patient with multiple paraneoplastic syndromes, six in total, associated with a non-small-cell cancer of the lung. In this single patient we found hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy, hyperkeratosis of palms and soles, erythema annulare centrifugum, syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH), and ectopic andrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and calcitonin production.
Diaphorase/Naphthoquinone Derivative-modified Electrode as an Anode for Diffusion-controlled Oxidation of NADH in Electrochemical Cells
Authors: Sato Atsushi , Kano Kenji , Ikeda Tokuji
Published: August 2003

Diaphorase and 2-amino-3-carboxy-1,4-naphthoquinone as an enzyme and a mediator for NADH oxidation, respectively, were successfully co-immobilized on a glassy carbon electrode with poly-l-lysine and glutaraldehyde as a polymer support and a cross-linking reagent, respectively. The diffusion-controlled oxidation of NADH (10 mM) was achieved around −0.25 V vs Ag|AgCl|KCl(sat.).
[CoII(phimpy)2](ClO4)2 and [CoII(ipimpy)2](ClO4)2: New Cobalt(II) Spin Crossover Compounds, and the Role of the Ligand Flexibility in Spin Transition Behavior
Authors: Juhász Gergely , Hayami Shinya , Inoue Katsuya , Maeda Yonezo
Published: August 2003

New spin-crossover compounds, [Co(phimpy)2](ClO4)2 (1) and [Co(ipimpy)2](ClO4)2 (2) (phimpy = 2,6-bis(N-phenylformimidoyl)pyridine and ipimpy = 2,6-bis(isopropyliminomethyl)pyridine) were prepared, and the crystal structures were determined. The magnetic susceptibility measurements showed gradual transition for both compounds, despite the strong intermolecular π stacking in 1.
Social Media Industry Standards Needed to Protect Adolescent Mental Health, Says National Academies
Authors: Anderer Samantha
Published: January 2024

This Medical News article discusses new recommendations to maximize the benefits and minimize the harms of the social media platforms, including suggestions for research and clinician training.
Polygenic Risk in Families With Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection
Authors: Tarr Ingrid , Hesselson Stephanie , Troup Michael , Young Paul , Thompson Jamie-Lee , McGrath-Cadell Lucy , Fatkin Diane , Dunwoodie Sally L. , Muller David W. M. , Iismaa Siiri E. , Kovacic Jason C. , Graham Robert M. , Giannoulatou Eleni
Published: January 2024

Importance

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a poorly understood cause of acute coronary syndrome that predominantly affects women. Evidence to date suggests a complex genetic architecture, while a family history is reported for a minority of cases.

Objective

To determine the contribution of rare and common genetic variants to SCAD risk in familial cases, the latter via the comparison of a polygenic risk score (PRS) with those with sporadic SCAD and healthy controls.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This genetic association study analyzed families with SCAD, individuals with sporadic SCAD, and healthy controls. Genotyping was undertaken for all participants. Participants were recruited between 2017 and 2021. A PRS for SCAD was calculated for all participants. The presence of rare variants in genes associated with connective tissue disorders (CTD) was also assessed. Individuals with SCAD were recruited via social media or from a single medical center. A previously published control database of older healthy individuals was used. Data were analyzed from January 2022 to October 2023.

Exposures

PRS for SCAD comprised of 7 single-nucleotide variants.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Disease status (familial SCAD, sporadic SCAD, or healthy control) associated with PRS.

Results

A total of 13 families with SCAD (27 affected and 12 unaffected individuals), 173 individuals with sporadic SCAD, and 1127 healthy controls were included. A total of 188 individuals with SCAD (94.0%) were female, including 25 of 27 with familial SCAD and 163 of 173 with sporadic SCAD; of 12 unaffected individuals from families with SCAD, 6 (50%) were female; and of 1127 healthy controls, 672 (59.6%) were female. Compared with healthy controls, the odds of being an affected family member or having sporadic SCAD was significantly associated with a SCAD PRS (where the odds ratio [OR] represents an increase in odds per 1-SD increase in PRS) (affected family member: OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.78-2.50; adjusted P = 1.96 × 10−4; sporadic SCAD: OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.37-1.89; adjusted P = 5.69 × 10−4). This association was not seen for unaffected family members (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.46-1.61; adjusted P = .91) compared with controls. Further, those with familial SCAD were overrepresented in the top quintile of the control PRS distribution (OR, 3.70; 95% CI, 2.93-4.47; adjusted P = .001); those with sporadic SCAD showed a similar pattern (OR, 2.51; 95% CI, 1.98-3.04; adjusted P = .001). Affected individuals within a family did not share any rare deleterious variants in CTD-associated genes.

Conclusions and Relevance

Extreme aggregation of common genetic risk appears to play a significant role in familial clustering of SCAD as well as in sporadic case predisposition, although further study is required.
An Automated System for Physician Trainee Procedure Logging via Electronic Health Records
Authors: Kwan Brian , Engel Jeffery , Steele Brian , Oyama Leslie , Longhurst Christopher A. , El–Kareh Robert , Daniel Michelle , Goldberg Charles , Clay Brian
Published: January 2024

Importance

Procedural proficiency is a core competency for graduate medical education; however, procedural reporting often relies on manual workflows that are duplicative and generate data whose validity and accuracy are difficult to assess. Failure to accurately gather these data can impede learner progression, delay procedures, and negatively impact patient safety.

Objective

To examine accuracy and procedure logging completeness of a system that extracts procedural data from an electronic health record system and uploads these data securely to an application used by many residency programs for accreditation.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This quality improvement study of all emergency medicine resident physicians at University of California, San Diego Health was performed from May 23, 2023, to June 25, 2023.

Exposures

Automated system for procedure data extraction and upload to a residency management software application.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The number of procedures captured by the automated system when running silently compared with manually logged procedures in the same timeframe, as well as accuracy of the data upload.

Results

Forty-seven residents participated in the initial silent assessment of the extraction component of the system. During a 1-year period (May 23, 2022, to May 7, 2023), 4291 procedures were manually logged by residents, compared with 7617 procedures captured by the automated system during the same period, representing a 78% increase. During assessment of the upload component of the system (May 8, 2023, to June 25, 2023), a total of 1353 procedures and patient encounters were evaluated, with the system operating with a sensitivity of 97.4%, specificity of 100%, and overall accuracy of 99.5%.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this quality improvement study of emergency medicine resident physicians, an automated system demonstrated that reliance on self-reported procedure logging resulted in significant procedural underreporting compared with the use of data obtained at the point of performance. Additionally, this system afforded a degree of reliability and validity heretofore absent from the usual after-the-fact procedure logging workflows while using a novel application programming interface–based approach. To our knowledge, this system constitutes the first generalizable implementation of an automated solution to a problem that has existed in graduate medical education for decades.
Feedforward Photoadaptive Organic Neuromorphic Transistor with Mixed‐Weight Plasticity for Augmenting Perception
Authors: Gao Changsong , Liu Di , Xu Chenhui , Bai Junhua , Li Enlong , Zhang Xianghong , Zhu Xiaoting , Hu Yuanyuan , Lin Zhixian , Guo Tailiang , Chen Huipeng
Published: January 2024

Organic photoelectric neuromorphic devices that mimic the brain are widely explored for advanced perceptual computing. However, current individual neuromorphic synaptic devices mainly focus on utilizing linear models to process optoelectronic signals, which means that there is a lack of effective response to nonlinear structural information from the real world, severely limiting the computational efficiency and adaptability of networks to static and dynamic information. Here, a feedforward photoadaptive organic neuromorphic transistor with mixed‐weight plasticity is reported. By introducing the potential of the space charge to couple gate potential, photoexcitation, and photoinhibition occur successively in the channel under the interference of constant light intensity, which enables the device to transform from a linear model to a nonlinear model. As a result, the device exhibits a dynamic range of over 100 dB, exceeding the currently reported similar neuromorphic synaptic devices. Further, the device achieves adaptive tone mapping within 5 s for static information and achieves over 90% robustness recognition accuracy for dynamic information. Therefore, this work provides a new strategy for developing advanced neuromorphic devices and has great potential in the fields of intelligent driving and brain‐like computing.
Reversion of ACP Nanoparticles into Prenucleation Clusters via Surfactant for Promoting Biomimetic Mineralization: A Physicochemical Understanding of Biosurfactant Role in Biomineralization Process
Authors: Shen Dongni , Zhou Zihuai , Xu Yuedan , Shao Changyu , Shi Ying , Zhao Weijia , Tang Ruikang , Pan Haihua , Yu Mengfei , Hannig Matthias , Fu Baiping
Published: January 2024

Amphiphilic biomolecules are abundant in mineralization front of biological hard tissues, which play a vital role in osteogenesis and dental hard tissue formation. Amphiphilic biomolecules function as biosurfactants, however, their biosurfactant role in biomineralization process has never been investigated. This study, for the first time, demonstrates that aggregated amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) nanoparticles can be reversed into dispersed ultrasmall prenucleation clusters (PNCs) via breakdown and dispersion of the ACP nanoparticles by a surfactant. The reduced surface energy of ACP@TPGS and the electrostatic interaction between calcium ions and the pair electrons on oxygen atoms of C‐O‐C of D‐α‐tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) provide driving force for breakdown and dispersion of ACP nanoparticles into ultrasmall PNCs which promote in vitro and in vivo biomimetic mineralization. The ACP@TPGS possesses excellent biocompatibility without any irritations to oral mucosa and dental pulp. This study not only introduces surfactant into biomimetic mineralization field, but also excites attention to the neglected biosurfactant role during biomineralization process.
Strongly Confined and Spectrally Tunable CsPbBr3 Quantum Dots for Deep Blue QD‐LEDs
Authors: Ding Pengbo , Ko Pui Kei , Geng Pai , Chen Dezhang , Xing Zengshan , Tsang Hoi Lam Tammy , Wong Kam Sing , Guo Liang , Halpert Jonathan E.
Published: January 2024

Despite recent advances, it is still difficult to fabricate deep blue‐emitting perovskite light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) that are immune to the color instability caused by halide mixing. This is largely because it is still challenging to achieve bright, stable, pure bromide perovskite materials with deep blue emission. Here, a novel strategy is reported for synthesizing ultrasmall CsPbBr3 quantum dots (QDs) under ambient conditions. Precise size control is used to tune the peak emission wavelengths, via the confinement effect, from 433 to 501 nm. These ultrasmall QDs, with sizes of 2–6 nm, exhibit ultralow trap density and stable photoluminescence quantum yields up to 94%, particularly in the deep blue spectral region (440–465 nm). QD‐LEDs fabricated with these materials achieve an external quantum efficiency of 1.0% at 459 nm. The exceptional control of the emission properties demonstrated here suggests a new strategy for building stable, efficient blue QD‐LEDs.
Exosomal circ_0032704 confers sorafenib resistance to hepatocellular carcinoma and contributes to cancer malignant progression by modulating the miR‐514a‐3p/PD‐L1 pathway
Authors: Dou Chengyun , Zhu Hongbo , Xie Xia , Huang Cuiqin , Tan Hui , Cao Chuangjie
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This study aims to explore the role of circ_0032704 in sorafenib‐resistant hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

The expression of circ_0032704, miR‐514a‐3p, and programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) mRNA was detected by quantitative real‐time PCR (qPCR). The expression of multidrug resistant‐related proteins, migration/invasion‐related proteins, exosome‐related proteins, and PD‐L1 protein was detected by western blot. Cell viability was detected by CCK‐8 assay. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were assessed by EdU assay, wound healing assay, and transwell assay. The binding between miR‐514a‐3p and circ_0032704 or PD‐L1 was verified by RIP assay, pull‐down assay, and dual‐luciferase reporter assay. Cell‐ or serum‐derived exosomes were isolated and identified by TEM and NTA. Xenograft models were established to determine the effect of circ_0032704 on drug resistance in vivo.

Results

Circ_0032704 was overexpressed in sorafenib‐resistant HCC tissues and cells. Circ_0032704 knockdown reduced sorafenib resistance in HCC cells and inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of sorafenib‐resistant HCC cells, while these effects were reversed by PD‐L1 overexpression. We found that circ_0032704 positively regulated PD‐L1 expression via targeting miR‐514a‐3p. Exosomes with circ_0032704 inhibition reduced sorafenib resistance in HCC cells and inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of sorafenib‐resistant HCC cells. Exosomes with circ_0032704 inhibition also inhibited tumor growth in vivo. The expression of circ_0032704 in exosomes was stable and possessed diagnostic value.

Conclusion

Circ_0032704 enhanced sorafenib resistance in HCC and promoted the malignant development of sorafenib‐resistant HCC. Circ_0032704 could be transported by exosomes, and exosomal circ_0032704 had diagnostic value.
Early diagnostic clues of mucolipidosis type II: Significance of radiological findings
Authors: Burgac Ezgi , Kaplan İrem , Köseci Burcu , Kara Esra , Kor Deniz , Bulut Fatma Derya , Atmış Anıl , Pişkin Ferhatcan , Tuğ Bozdoğan Sevcan , Urel Demir Gizem , İncecik Faruk , Önenli Mungan Neslihan
Published: January 2024

Mucolipidosis type‐II (ML‐II) is an ultra‐rare disorder caused by deficiency of N‐acetylglucosaminyl‐1‐phosphotransferase enzyme due to biallelic pathogenic variants in GNPTAB gene. There are a few known about the natural history of ML‐II. In this study, we presented the natural course of 24 patients diagnosed with ML‐II. Mean age at diagnosis was 9.3 ± 5.7 months. All patients had coarse face, developmental delay, and hypotonia. The mean survival time was 3.01 ± 1.4 years. The oldest patient was 6.5 years old. Twelve patients died due to lung infection and respiratory failure. We observed early and significant radiological findings of ML‐II were different from typical dysostosis multiplex such as femoral cloaking, rickets‐like changes, and talocalcaneal stippling. These are significant findings observed in the fetal or newborn period which is considered to be highly characteristic of ML‐II and disappears in the first year. Cloaking, rickets‐like changes, and stippling were not observed in patients older than three months of age and this suggests that these findings disappear within the first year. These radiological features can be used as important clues for diagnosis. We detected eight different pathogenic variants in GNPTAB gene, three of them were novel.
Naturally occurring splice variants dissect the functional domains of BHC80 and emphasize the need for RNA analysis
Authors: Hejla Duha , Huynh Stephanie , Samra Simran , Richmond Phillip A. , Dalmann Joshua , Del Bel Kate L. , Byres Loryn , Lehman Anna , Turvey Stuart E. , Boerkoel Cornelius F.
Published: January 2024

Pathogenic PHF21A variation causes PHF21A‐related neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Although amorphic alleles, including haploinsufficiency, have been established as a disease mechanism, increasing evidence suggests that missense variants as well as frameshift variants extending the BHC80 carboxyl terminus also cause disease. Expanding on these, we report a proposita with intellectual disability and overgrowth and a novel de novo heterozygous PHF21A splice variant (NM_001352027.3:c.[153+1G>C];[=]) causing skipping of exon 6, which encodes an in‐frame BHC80 deletion (p.(Asn30_Gln51del)). This deletion disrupts a predicted leucine zipper domain and implicates this domain in BHC80 function and as a target of variation causing PHF21A‐related NDDs. This extension of understanding emphasizes the application of RNA analysis in precision genomic medicine practice.
Relevance of various components present in plant protein ingredients for lipid oxidation in emulsions
Authors: Münch Katharina , Schroën Karin , Berton‐Carabin Claire
Published: January 2024

Plant protein ingredients (isolates, concentrates) are increasingly used for food formulation due to their low environmental impact compared to animal‐based proteins. A specific application is food emulsions, of which the physical and oxidative stability need to be supported. The emulsifying properties of diverse plant proteins have already been largely covered in literature, whereas only in a few studies the chemical stability of such emulsions was addressed, especially regarding lipid oxidation. In the few examples available mostly the effects caused by proteins were elaborated, whereas those caused by non‐protein components have hardly been considered. Yet, plant protein ingredients are characterized by high compositional complexity, with notably a plethora of non‐protein components. Topics covered in this review, therefore, include the composition of various types of plant protein ingredients (i.e., legumes, oil seeds) in relation to the fractionation processes used, and the potential effects on lipid oxidation in emulsions. The composition varies greatly among species and depends on the harvest conditions (i.e., year, location), and genetics. In addition, fractionation processes may lead to the accumulation or dilution of components, and induce chemical changes. Both protein and non‐protein components can act as pro‐ or antioxidants contingent on their concentration and/or location in emulsions. Since the chemical composition of plant protein ingredients is often hardly reported, this makes a‐priori prediction of an overall effect difficult, if not impossible. Standardizing the fractionation process and the starting material, as well as in‐depth characterization of the resulting fractions, are highly recommended when aiming at rationally designing food emulsions.
Bemessung von CFK‐verstärkten Holzkanteln für Fensterprofile
Authors: Hofstetter Rolf
Published: January 2024

Mit dem vorliegenden Beitrag wird ein Bemessungskonzept von CFK‐verstärkten Holzkanteln für Fensterprofile vorgestellt bzw. erarbeitet. Infolge der gestiegenen Kosten für Holz und Baustoffe sowie der zunehmenden gestalterischen und architektonischen Anforderungen an eine filigrane Bauweise von Fensterkonstruktionen wird es erforderlich, die Querschnitte der Fensterprofile zu verkleinern bzw. zu verringern und so schmal wie möglich zu halten. Eine gute Möglichkeit hierfür bilden laminierte, zusammengesetzte Holzquerschnitte, die unter Einsatz von CFK‐Lamellen verstärkt werden können. So kann eine hohe Tragfähigkeit bei einer gleichzeitig schmalen bzw. geringen Querschnittsabmessung der Fensterprofile erreicht werden. Basierend auf allgemein anerkannten Berechnungsansätzen wird nachfolgend ein konservatives Bemessungsverfahren vorgestellt, welches die Tragfähigkeit des Verbundquerschnitts abbilden kann.
All Lives Matter discussions on Twitter: Varied use, prevalence, and interpretive repertoires
Authors: Goodman Simon , Perkins Krystal M. , Windel Friederike
Published: January 2024

All Lives Matter (ALM) has emerged as a response to, and critique of, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) anti‐racist movement. ALM has been shown to work to undermine and attempt to deracialise BLM; however, there is a need for a comprehensive understanding of how ALM functions in online interactions. The research questions are therefore: What different ways is ALM used in Twitter debates?, How prevalent are these different uses?, and What function do the different uses of ALM perform in the wider debate around BLM? To address these questions, we employed a mixed‐method approach drawing on topic modelling and critical discursive psychology of Twitter posts using the hashtag #AllLivesMatter. A corpus of 294,217 unique tweets sent by 145,994 unique users was subject to Structural Topic Modelling (STM), which resulted in 60 topics, and from this, a sub‐dataset of 180 tweets was generated for discourse analysis. The STM identified 12 distinct uses of ALM, ranging from direct and even extreme opposition to BLM to criticisms of ALM and support of BLM and anti‐racism messages, both of which are explored in the discourse analysis. Together, the analysis suggests that, at least on Twitter, the ALM hashtag is not one‐dimensional nor a settled debate. Moreover, the Twitter public can use the ALM hashtag to denounce racism and the ideological pretext of ALM.
‘Sins of their fathers’: Social groups parental incarceration and positive psychological outcomes across time in the US and UK
Authors: Bradshaw Daragh , Bornica Islam , Griffin Siobhán M. , McMahon Grace , Muldoon Orla T.
Published: January 2024

Paternal incarceration (PI) is recognised as a severely stigmatising event that undermines social connections leaving affected children isolated and vulnerable. However, few studies have explored social group membership as a potential mediator of positive outcomes. This paper analysed data from two national contexts, Scotland and the United States, to examine the potential for social group membership in childhood to mediate the association between PI and child behavioural and emotional outcomes. Study 1 reported on cross‐sectional data from the Growing Up in Scotland dataset of children aged 12 years. Study 2 used longitudinal data from the Fragile Families cohort study (USA) of children aged 9 years and then 15 years. Children and parents completed measures of PI, children's group membership, as well as positive functioning. In Study 1, a mediated indirect effect of PI on prosocial behaviour via children's group membership was observed. In Study 2, children's reported social group membership mediated the effect of PI on positive adolescent functioning longitudinally. Whilst experiences of PI at age 9 were linked with lower group membership at age 15, group membership was associated with higher levels of positive adolescent functioning. This has implications for the support families receive when a parent is incarcerated to avoid children serving sentences for ‘the sins of their fathers’.
An unusual case of transverse myelitis in dengue fever: A case report from Nepal
Authors: Shrestha Kipa , Poudel Bipin , Shrestha Shubham , Rai Binay Pravakar , Rajbhandari Pranaya , Mishra Deepak Kumar
Published: January 2024

Key Clinical Message

Dengue fever can also have various neurological complications but involvement of the spinal cord is often unusual. This is a case where the patient had transverse myelitis as a complication of dengue fever.

Dengue fever can have various neurological complications but involvement of the spinal cord is often unusual. We report a case of a 49‐year‐old female, a known case of dengue fever, who presented with urine retention, inability to stand and walk with tingling sensation of bilateral lower limbs. Her vibration and joint position sensation was reduced below T2 level along with altered reflexes but MRI could not explain the examination findings. She was diagnosed clinically as transverse myelitis (TM) in the background of dengue fever. She showed drastic improvement with treatment of steroids. As TM as a complication in a patient with dengue fever is rare, and due to the paucity of similar case reports in Nepal, this case report is of value for the scientific community.
Automated enzymatic hydrolysis of urine samples for improved systematic toxicological analysis of drug‐facilitated sexual assault cases
Authors: Skov Kathrine , Johansen Sys Stybe , Linnet Kristian , Nielsen Marie Katrine Klose
Published: January 2024

Drug‐facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) is characterized by victim incapacitation due to intoxicating substances. Detection of single drug exposure from DFSA requires a systematic toxicological analysis strategy including sensitive methods covering a broad spectrum of substances. The aim of this study was to develop and validate an UHPLC–MS/MS screening method for analysis of samples from DFSA cases and incorporate an automated enzymatic pre‐treatment of urine samples into a robotic sample preparation for an efficient laboratory workflow. The screening method included 144 drugs of abuse, pharmaceuticals, and metabolites relevant to DFSA. The use of a recombinant enzyme showed an efficient glucuronide hydrolysis with an average parent drug recovery of 97%. Investigation of matrix effect showed no pronounced ion enhancement or suppression for most analytes (96%), and extraction recovery was above 80% for 97% of analytes. Process efficiency ranged from 50% to 138% for most analytes. The LODs ranged from 0.0001 mg/L to 2 mg/L depending on analyte, and most analytes met the SOFT recommended minimum performance limits. The validated method was applied to authentic suspected DFSA cases (n = 38). Results showed that drugs of abuse, benzodiazepines, and antidepressants were most commonly found in suspected DFSA cases. Incorporation of an automated enzymatic hydrolysis step during sample preparation enables a fast and simple workflow for simultaneous analysis of blood and urine samples for an improved systematic toxicological analysis strategy for DFSA cases.
Deciphering orbital hybridization in heterogeneous catalysis
Authors: Yue Xiaoyang , Cheng Lei , Baráth Eszter , Jagadeesh Rajenahally V. , Xiang Quanjun
Published: January 2024

The catalytic coordinate is essentially the evolving frontier orbital interaction while feeding with catalytic materials and adsorbates under proper reaction conditions. The heterogeneous catalytic reaction mechanism involves the initial adsorption and activation of reactants, subsequent intermediate transformation, final target product desorption, and regeneration of catalytic materials. In these catalytic processes, interaction modulations in terms of orbital hybridization/coupling allow an intrinsic control on both thermodynamics and kinetics. Concerned charge transfer and redistribution, orbital splitting and rearrangement with specific orientation, and spin change and crossover pose a formidable challenge on mechanism elucidation; it is hard to precisely correlate the apparent activity and selectivity, let alone rational modulations on it. Therefore, deciphering the orbital couplings inside a catalytic round is highly desirable and the dependent descriptor further provides in‐depth insights into catalyst design at the molecule orbital level. This review hopes to provide a comprehensive understanding on orbital hybridizations, modulations, and correlated descriptors in heterogeneous catalysis.
Australian Ocean surface waves dataset from SAR
Authors: Khan S. , Hemer M. , Echevarria E. , King E.
Published: January 2024

In this article, a regional ocean surface waves dataset from Sentinel‐1 A and B Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites has been described. The ocean wave data have been extracted from the Sentinel‐1 level‐2 OCN (ocean) product as provided by the European Space Agency and downloadable for this region from the Copernicus Australasia regional data hub. The source OCN data have been produced by evolving versions of Sentinel‐1 Instrument Processing Facility (IPF). The structure of the source OCN NetCDF files changes over time and presents a challenge in performing long duration, time series analyses, including the examination of potential inconsistencies in OCN wave data, due to employment of different IPF versions over the duration of the satellite missions. Here, the input OCN wave data have been homogenized to a single, easily usable standard format after applying a quality assurance and control procedure that removes various inconsistencies in variables, coordinates, dimensions and land flag, and through the addition of new auxiliary variables. The new format has the desirable properties of being compact in size, consistent in structure, and scalable in temporal and spatial coverage. It is also convenient to use and offers opportunities to perform fast, multi‐year regional processing and analysis for calibration and validation studies and scientific applications. No re‐processing of Sentinel‐1 level‐1 data has been carried out in this work.
A RaPID Response to SARS‐CoV‐2
Authors: Ullrich Sven , Nitsche Christoph
Published: January 2024

Genetically encoded peptide libraries are at the forefront ofde novodrug discovery. The RaPID (Random Nonstandard Peptides Integrated Discovery) platform stands out due to the unique combination of flexiblein vitrotranslation (FIT) and mRNA display. This enables the incorporation of non‐canonical amino acids, improving chemical diversity and allowing macrocyclisation of the peptide library. The resulting constrained peptides are valued for their strong binding affinity and stability, especially in the context of protein‐protein interactions. In response to SARS‐CoV‐2, the causative agent of the COVID‐19 pandemic, the RaPID system proved valuable in identifying high‐affinity ligands of viral proteins. Among many peptide ligands of SARS‐CoV‐2 spike and main protease (Mpro), several macrocycles stand out for their exceptional binding affinities. Structural data showcases distinct binding modes in complex with the receptor‐binding domain (RBD) of the spike glycoprotein or the catalytic active site of Mpro. However, translating thesein vitrofindings into clinical applications remains challenging, especially due to insufficient cell permeability.
Development of handheld optical coherence tomography based on commercial intra‐oral scanner shape for extended clinical utility in dentistry
Authors: Kim Hayoung , Cho Hoseong , Lee Weonjoon , Son Keunbada , Lee Kyubok , Jeon Mansik , Kim Jeehyun
Published: January 2024

The main objective of this study is to develop a handheld dental optical coherence tomography (OCT) system capable of imaging the target area of the teeth in the oral cavity and demonstrate the applicability of the developed system to in vivo dental disease diagnosis based on a user‐friendly scanner form. The design of the developed system is based on mimicking the shape of a commonly used commercial intra‐oral scanner (IOS) so that the system users do not feel awkward when using it. A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) scanning unit was used to optimize the overall size of the system, and the optical axis was designed in a Z‐shape to maximize the beam size reflected by the MEMS mirror. A pre‐study of in vivo oral scanning was performed to demonstrate the enhanced clinical feasibility of the developed system. Furthermore, the main experiment classified teeth with worn cervical regions into two groups according to the cervical abrasion shape. The developed dental OCT system produced a three‐dimensional image of the scanning area and quantitatively analyzed the margin gap through an A‐scan profile based on cross‐sectional images. This study confirms the effectiveness of the developed handheld dental OCT system in actual dental clinical practice, and we expect our system to be utilized for various dental diseases, not only for diagnosing a cervical abrasions.
A novel alternative method for long‐term evaluation of male reproductive toxicity and its recovery using a pre‐pubertal mouse testis organ culture system
Authors: Hashimoto Kiyoshi , Arakawa Hiroshi , Imamura Rikako , Nishimura Takuya , Kitajima Satoshi , Sato Takuya , Makiyama Kazuhide , Ogawa Takehiko , Yokota Satoshi
Published: January 2024

Successful treatment of pediatric cancers often results in long‐term health complications, including potential effects on fertility. Therefore, assessing the male reproductive toxicity of anti‐cancer drug treatments and the potential for recovery is of paramount importance. However, in vivo evaluations are time‐intensive and require large numbers of animals. To overcome these constraints, we utilized an innovative organ culture system that supports long‐term spermatogenesis by placing the testis tissue between a base agarose gel and a polydimethylsiloxane ceiling, effectively mirroring the in vivo testicular environment. The present study aimed to determine the efficacy of this organ culture system for accurately assessing testicular toxicity induced by cisplatin, using acrosin‐green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic neonatal mouse testes. The testis fragments were treated with different concentrations of cisplatin‐containing medium for 24 h and incubated in fresh medium for up to 70 days. The changes in tissue volume and GFP fluorescence over time were evaluated to monitor the progression of spermatogenesis, in addition to the corresponding histopathology. Cisplatin treatment caused tissue volume shrinkage and reduced GFP fluorescence in a concentration‐dependent manner. Recovery from testicular toxicity was also dependent on the concentration of cisplatin received. The results demonstrated that this novel in vitro system can be a faithful replacement for animal experiments to assess the testicular toxicity of anti‐cancer drugs and their reversibility, providing a useful method for drug development.
Activation of the receptor KIT induces the secretion of exosome‐like small extracellular vesicles
Authors: Pfeiffer Annika , Bandara Geethani , Petersen Jennifer D. , Falduto Guido H. , Zimmerberg Joshua , Metcalfe Dean D. , Olivera Ana
Published: January 2024

The receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) KIT and its ligand stem cell factor (SCF) are essential for human mast cell (huMC) survival and proliferation. HuMCs expressing oncogenic KIT variants secrete large numbers of extracellular vesicles (EVs). The role KIT plays in regulating EV secretion has not been examined. Here, we investigated the effects of stimulation or inhibition of KIT activity on the secretion of small EVs (sEVs). In huMCs expressing constitutively active KIT, the quantity and quality of secreted sEVs positively correlated with the activity status of KIT. SCF‐mediated stimulation of KIT in huMCs or murine MCs, or of transiently expressed KIT in HeLa cells, enhanced the release of sEVs expressing exosome markers. In contrast, ligand‐mediated stimulation of the RTK EGFR in HeLa cells did not affect sEV secretion. The release of sEVs induced by either constitutively active or ligand‐activated KIT was remarkably decreased when cells were treated with KIT inhibitors, concomitant with reduced exosome markers in sEVs. Similarly, inhibition of oncogenic KIT signalling kinases like PI3K, and MAPK significantly reduced the secretion of sEVs. Thus, activation of KIT and its early signalling cascades stimulate the secretion of exosome‐like sEVs in a regulated fashion, which may have implications for KIT‐driven functions.
Ion mobility–tandem mass spectrometry of bulky tert‐butyl thiol ligated gold nanoparticles
Authors: Wijesinghe Kalpani H. , Hood Christopher , Mattern Daniell , Angel Laurence A. , Dass Amala
Published: January 2024

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) synthesized in the 1–3 nm range have a specific number of gold core atoms and outer protecting ligands. They have become one of the “hot topics” in recent decades because of their interesting physical and chemical properties. The characterization of their structures is usually achieved by crystal X‐ray diffraction although the structures of some AuNPs remain unknown because they have not been successfully crystallized. An alternative method for studying the structure of AuNPs is electrospray ionization–ion mobility–tandem mass spectrometry (ESI‐IM‐MSMS). This research evaluated how effectively ESI‐IM‐MSMS using the commercially available Waters Synapt XS instrument yielded useful structural information from two AuNPs; Au23(S‐tBu)16 and Au30(S‐tBu)18. The study used the maximum range of available collision energies along with ion mobility separation to measure the energy‐dependence of the product ions and their drift times which is a measure of their spatial size. For Au23(S‐tBu)16, the dissociation gave the masses of the outer protecting monomeric [RS–Au–SR] and trimeric [SR–Au–SR–Au–SR–Au–SR] staples where R = tBu, and complete dissociation of the outer layer Au and tBu groups to reveal the Au15S8 core. For Au30(S‐tBu)18, the dissociation products was primarily through the loss of the partial ligands S‐tBu and tBu from the outer protecting layer and the loss of single Au4(S‐tBu)4 unit. These results showed the that ESI‐IM‐MSMS analysis of the smaller Au23(S‐tBu)16 gave information on all it major structural components whereas for Au30(S‐tBu)18, the overall structural information was limited to the ligands of the outer layer.
Genetics may affect the risk of undergoing surgery for rhizarthrosis
Authors: Henkel Cecilie ,   DBDS Genomic Consortium, Erikstrup Christian , Ostrowski Sisse R. , Pedersen Ole B. , Troelsen Anders
Published: January 2024

Osteoarthritis is a prevalent and severe disease. Involvement of the trapeziometacarpal joint is common and can lead to both pain and disability. Genetics are known to affect the risk of osteoarthritis, but it remains unclear how genetics affect disease trajectories. In this study, we investigated whether the genetic associations of trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis (rhizarthrosis) vary with the need for surgical treatment. The study was conducted as a case‐control genome‐wide association study using individuals from the Copenhagen Hospital Biobank pain and degenerative musculoskeletal disease study and the Danish Blood Donor Study (N = 208,342). We identified patients diagnosed with rhizarthrosis and grouped them by treatment status, resulting in two case groups: surgical (N = 1083) and nonsurgical (N = 1888). The case groups were tested against osteoarthritis‐free controls in two genome‐wide association studies. We then compared variants suggestive of association (p < 10−6) in either of these analyses directly between the treatment groups (surgical vs. nonsurgical rhizarthrosis). We identified 10 variants suggestive of association with either surgical (seven variants) or nonsurgical (three variants) rhizarthrosis. None of the variants reached nominal significance in the opposite treatment group (p ≥ 0.14), and all 10 variants were significantly different between the treatment groups at a false discovery rate of 5%. These results suggest possible differences in the genetic associations of rhizarthrosis depending on surgical treatment. Clinical significance: Uncovering genetic differences between clinically distinct patient groups can reveal biological determinants of disease trajectories.
Sampling and reconstruction of multi‐dimensional bandlimited signals in the special affine Fourier transform domain
Authors: Gao Ni , Jiang Yingchun
Published: January 2024

The paper is concerned with the sampling and reconstruction of bandlimited signals in the multi‐dimensional special affine Fourier transform domain. First, we define the multi‐dimensional special affine Fourier transform and establish the convolution theorem. Then, sampling and reconstruction of the multi‐dimensional deterministic bandlimited signals in the special affine Fourier transform domain is studied. Finally, the definition of multi‐dimensional random bandlimited signals in the special affine Fourier transform domain is given and a sampling theorem is demonstrated.
Referenceless Nyquist ghost correction outperforms standard navigator‐based method and improves efficiency of in vivo diffusion tensor cardiovascular magnetic resonance
Authors: Huo Zimu , Wen Ke , Luo Yaqing , Neji Radhouene , Kunze Karl P. , Ferreira Pedro F. , Pennell Dudley J. , Scott Andrew D. , Nielles‐Vallespin Sonia
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The study aims to assess the potential of referenceless methods of EPI ghost correction to accelerate the acquisition of in vivo diffusion tensor cardiovascular magnetic resonance (DT‐CMR) data using both computational simulations and data from in vivo experiments.

Methods

Three referenceless EPI ghost correction methods were evaluated on mid‐ventricular short axis DT‐CMR spin echo and STEAM datasets from 20 healthy subjects at 3T. The reduced field of view excitation technique was used to automatically quantify the Nyquist ghosts, and DT‐CMR images were fit to a linear ghost model for correction.

Results

Numerical simulation showed the singular value decomposition (SVD) method is the least sensitive to noise, followed by Ghost/Object method and entropy‐based method. In vivo experiments showed significant ghost reduction for all correction methods, with referenceless methods outperforming navigator methods for both spin echo and STEAM sequences at b = 32, 150, 450, and 600  . It is worth noting that as the strength of the diffusion encoding increases, the performance gap between the referenceless method and the navigator‐based method diminishes.

Conclusion

Referenceless ghost correction effectively reduces Nyquist ghost in DT‐CMR data, showing promise for enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of measurements in clinical practice without the need for any additional reference scans.