bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing systemic vascular resistance using arteriolar pulse transit time based on multi-wavelength photoplethysmography
Authors: Lu Yiqian , Yu Zengjie , Liu Jikui , An Qi , Chen Cong , Li Ye , Wang Yishan
Published: June 2022

Objective. Sympathetic nerve activity affects blood pressure by contracting the arteriole, which can increase systemic vascular resistance (SVR). Consequently, SVR is a key factor affecting blood pressure. However, a method for measuring SVR continuously is lacking. This paper formulated and experimentally validated a method that uses the arteriolar pulse transmit time (aPTT) to track changes in SVR. Approach. multi-wavelength photoplethysmogram (PPG), electrocardiogram (ECG), and galvanic skin response (GSR) data were simultaneously gathered using a measurement system designed by this study. Blood perfusion was monitored by laser Doppler. Least mean square (LMS) is an adaptive filtering algorithm. Our LMS-based algorithm formulated in this study was used to calculate the aPTT from the multi-wavelength PPGs. A cold stimulation experiment was conducted to verify the relationship between aPTT determined by algorithm and arteriole vasodilation. An emotinal stimulation experiment conducted, in which GSR was employed to further verify the relationship between aPTT and SVR. Twenty healthy young participants were asked to watch movie clips, which excited their sympathetic nerves. The dynamic time warping (DTW) distance is applied to evaluate between correlation of GSR and aPTT. Main results. The changes in aPTT was extracted using our LMS-based method. During the recovery period after cold stimulation, aPTT decreased with the average slope of −0.2080, while blood perfusion increased with the average slope of 0.7046. Meanwhile, 70% participants’ DTW distances median between aPTT and GSR were significantly smaller than that between PTT and GSR during emotion stimulation. Significance. Our method uses aPTT, a continuous measurable parameter, to closely reflect SVR, as verified through experiments.
Epoxy-free fabrication techniques for layered/2-2 magnetoelectric composite: a review
Authors: Kumar Amritesh , Arockiarajan A
Published: June 2022

Layered or 2-2 configuration magnetoelectric (ME) composites have gained significant interest in the last few decades owing to their ease of fabrication and relatively high ME output realizable at room temperature. Conventionally, layered ME composites are fabricated by bonding the constituent magnetostrictive and piezoelectric layers via an epoxy or adhesive. Thus, the epoxied interface acts as the medium of strain transfer between the constituent layers resulting in the ME effect. However, the presence of epoxy makes the composite prone to limitations such as reduced device life due to aging epoxy, reduced strain transfer efficacy due to low stiffness of epoxy, and degradation of composite properties at elevated temperatures due to the low glass transition temperature of epoxy material. Thus, various epoxy-free methods for layered or 2-2 type ME composite fabrication have been developed in the last two decades to circumvent these limitations. These methods include co-firing technique, electroless deposition, electrodeposition, shrink-fit, and press-fit. Each of these methods has tried to mitigate the disadvantages of its predecessors, however posing its own set of limitations. This review article captures the evolutionary journey of the development of each of these aforementioned techniques in a chronological sequence by highlighting the advantages and disadvantages offered by each of them. Subsequently, a brief overview of state of the art has been provided in summary, followed by a discussion on the potential avenues that may be probed further to improve the available epoxy-free fabrication techniques for layered or 2-2 ME composites.
Optical noise in a free-space quantum communications link from natural and nuclear disturbed environments*
Authors: Wilson Brandon A , Miloshevsky Alexander , Hooper David A , Grice Warren , Peters Nicholas A
Published: June 2022

Satellite communications at radio frequencies can experience a ‘blackout’ period following the atmospheric detonation of a nuclear weapon. The wavelengths used for free-space quantum communications will not incur the same ‘blackout’ effects from a nuclear detonation, but the optical systems will suffer from a phenomenon called redout. Redout occurs in an optical detector when ambient light scatters into the optical receiver, causing elevated background photon counts in the detector such that background noise overwhelms the signal. In this work, the duration of the redout effect is quantified from a nuclear disturbed environment on a ground-to-space quantum optical link. In addition, we comment on various techniques for reducing ambient and nuclear disturbed background counts in a quantum free-space optical link. For low-altitude nuclear detonations (i.e., under 50 km), the maximum interference time will be less than 1 min. Implementing a telescope, timing gate, and wavelength filter to the detector can reduce the background counts in the detector significantly. Aerosol levels and ground albedo are major contributors to background noise in a ground-to-satellite quantum channel, and ground station location should factor in both variables.
Testing super heavy dark matter from primordial black holes with gravitational waves
Authors: Samanta Rome , Urban Federico R.
Published: June 2022

Ultra-light primordial black holes with masses M
BH < 109 g evaporate before big-bang nucleosynthesis producing all matter fields, including dark matter, in particular super-heavy dark matter: M
DM ≳ 1010 GeV. If the dark matter gets its mass via U(1) symmetry-breaking, the phase transition that gives a mass to the dark matter also produces cosmic strings which radiate gravitational waves. Because the symmetry-breaking scale ΛCS is of the same order as M
DM, the gravitational waves radiated by the cosmic strings have a large enough amplitude to be detectable across all frequencies accessible with current and planned experimental facilities. Moreover, an epoch of early primordial black hole domination introduces a unique spectral break in the gravitational wave spectrum whose frequency is related to the super-heavy dark matter mass. Hence, the features of a stochastic background of primordial gravitational waves could indicate that super-heavy dark matter originated from primordial black holes. In this perspective, the recent finding of a stochastic common-spectrum process across many pulsars by two nano-frequency pulsar timing arrays would fix the dark matter mass to be 3 × 1013 GeV ≲ M
DM ≲ 1014 GeV. The (non-)detection of a spectral break at 0.2 Hz ≲ f
* ≲ 0.4 Hz would (exclude) substantiate this interpretation of the signal.
Relative entropies of coherence of X states in three-dimensional mutually unbiased bases
Authors: Song Yuan-Feng , Ge Li-Zhu , Wang Yao-Kun , Tang Hui , Tian Yan
Published: June 2022

In this paper, we calculate the density matrices of one class of X states in the three-dimensional mutually unbiased bases and find that the density matrices are equal to their corresponding conjugate transpose matrices. After obtaining the relations of these density matrices, we calculate the relative entropies of coherence for the density matrices of X states in these nontrivial mutually unbiased bases and obtain that their relative entropies of coherence are equal. At last, the density matrices of other two classes of X states in these mutually unbiased bases are discussed. We also investigate their relative entropies of coherence and clarify their relationships.
A spectroscopic inference and SOLPS-ITER comparison of flux-resolved edge plasma parameters in detachment experiments on TCV
Authors: Perek A. , Wensing M. , Verhaegh K. , Linehan B.L. , Reimerdes H. , Bowman C. , van Berkel M. , Classen I.G.J. , Duval B.P. , Février O. , Koenders J.T.W. , Ravensbergen T. , Theiler C. , de Baar M.R. , the EUROfusion MST1 Team  , the TCV Team
Published: June 2022

This work presents the use of a collisional-radiative model to infer plasma parameters from 2D emissivities of several deuterium Balmer lines. The emissivities were obtained by MANTIS, an absolutely calibrated, ten-camera imaging polychromator with

<
5

m
m

spatial resolution, up to 800 Hz frame rate, viewing the lower divertor tangentially. Our analysis of those image frames generates 2D maps of plasma parameters such as electron density, temperature, neutral atomic density and the reaction rates for ionisation, recombination and charge exchange as a function of time. The analysis is compared and validated against a SOLPS-ITER simulation accounting for drifts. The results are compared against the simulation in 2D, radial and poloidal profiles to probe the numerous effects of particle transport in the scrape-off layer, in particular in the approach to detached divertor leg conditions. The inferred inner divertor leg radial profiles of the electron density and temperature were consistent with the SOLPS-ITER predictions. A significant transport of particles to the private flux region is found experimentally, that is not captured in the simulation. The simulation diverges from the experiment at the outer divertor target, where the plasma emission appears to be consistent with the emission driven by plasma–molecule interactions. Our analysis also shows prospects for aiding the power exhaust control efforts by potentially providing an optical tracking of the particle balance in the divertor.
A sensitive and flexible interdigitated capacitive strain gauge based on carbon nanofiber/PANI/silicone rubber nanocomposite for body motion monitoring
Authors: Hosseini Seyedmajid , Hajghassem Hassan , Ghazani Masoud Faraghi
Published: June 2022

Stretchable nanocomposites-based strain gauges have received much attention due to their adjustable properties in various applications, including soft robotics, human health monitoring, body motion detection, structural health monitoring, and artificial intelligence. Although low sensitivity (gauge factor) is one of the challenges of capacitive strain gauges, in this study, we design, manufacture, and illustrate characterizations of a stretchable interdigitated capacitive strain gauge based on carbon nanofiber/polyaniline/silicone rubber nanocomposite by an improvement in sensitivity with linearity, and low hysteresis. This strain gauge reaches a gauge factor of about 14 over an applied strain of 2% and about 2.8 over an applied strain of 20% and demonstrates linearity with negligible hysteresis. The sensitivity of the strain sensor is enhanced not only by the interdigitated design of electrodes but also by the electrodes’ outstanding electrical conductivity, even in a large strain. Due to its sensitivity, the proposed device is suitable for detecting small and large strains and can be used in wearable applications or straight on the skin for human motion detection.
Hadrons, better, faster, stronger
Authors: Buhmann Erik , Diefenbacher Sascha , Hundhausen Daniel , Kasieczka Gregor , Korcari William , Eren Engin , Gaede Frank , Krüger Katja , McKeown Peter , Rustige Lennart
Published: June 2022

Motivated by the computational limitations of simulating interactions of particles in highly-granular detectors, there exists a concerted effort to build fast and exact machine-learning-based shower simulators. This work reports progress on two important fronts. First, the previously investigated Wasserstein generative adversarial network and bounded information bottleneck autoencoder generative models are improved and successful learning of hadronic showers initiated by charged pions in a segment of the hadronic calorimeter of the International Large Detector is demonstrated for the first time. Second, we consider how state-of-the-art reconstruction software applied to generated shower energies affects the obtainable energy response and resolution. While many challenges remain, these results constitute an important milestone in using generative models in a realistic setting.
Brief, interoceptive exposure focused treatment for anxiety in mild cognitive impairment
Authors: Schmidt Norman B , Schubert Frederick T , Sheffler Julia L
Published: June 2022

Anxiety is common in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Anxiety has also been identified as a risk factor for cognitive decline. Brief interventions targeting risk mechanisms of anxiety, such as anxiety sensitivity (AS), have been effective in reducing overall anxiety in a variety of populations. This case series investigated the feasibility and efficacy of a brief AS intervention in anxious older adults with MCI (n = 9). Paired samples t-test results indicate that this intervention is capable of significantly reducing AS as measured by the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (Δ = 5.11, Hedges g = 0.82, P < 0.05). Given these large AS reductions and high acceptability, further investigation of this intervention is warranted in older adults with MCI.
Decisions on antibiotic prescribing for suspected urinary tract infections in frail older adults: a qualitative study in four European countries
Authors: Hartman Esther A R , Groen Wim G , Heltveit-Olsen Silje Rebekka , Lindbæk Morten , Høye Sigurd , Sundvall Pär-Daniel , Skoglund Ingmarie , Snaebjörnsson Arnljots Egill , Gunnarsson Ronny , Kowalczyk Anna , Godycki-Cwirko Maciek , Kosiek Katarzyna , Platteel Tamara N , van de Pol Alma C , Verheij Theo J M , Monnier Annelie A , Hertogh Cees M P M
Published: June 2022

Background

a suspected urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common reason to prescribe antibiotics in a frail older patient. Frequently, antibiotics are prescribed unnecessarily. To increase appropriate antibiotic use for UTIs through antibiotic stewardship interventions, we need to thoroughly understand the factors that contribute to these prescribing decisions.

Objectives

(1) to obtain insight into factors contributing to antibiotic prescribing for suspected UTIs in frail older adults. (2) To develop an overarching model integrating these factors to guide the development of antibiotic stewardship interventions for UTIs in frail older adults.

Methods

we conducted an exploratory qualitative study with 61 semi-structured interviews in older adult care settings in Poland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. We interviewed physicians, nursing staff, patients and informal caregivers.

Results

participants described a chain of decisions by patients, caregivers and/or nursing staff preceding the ultimate decision to prescribe antibiotics by the physician. We identified five themes of influence: (1) the clinical situation and its complexity within the frail older patient, (2) diagnostic factors, such as asymptomatic bacteriuria, (3) knowledge (gaps) and attitude, (4) communication: interprofessional, and with patients and relatives and (5) context and organisation of care, including factors such as availability of antibiotics (over the counter), antibiotic stewardship efforts and factors concerning out-of-hours care.

Conclusions

decision-making on suspected UTIs in frail older adults is a complex, multifactorial process. Due to the diverse international setting and stakeholder variety, we were able to provide a comprehensive overview of factors to guide the development of antibiotic stewardship interventions.
SNIKT: sequence-independent adapter identification and removal in long-read shotgun sequencing data
Authors: Ranjan Piyush , Brown Christopher A , Erb-Downward John R , Dickson Robert P
Published: June 2022

Here, we introduce SNIKT, a command-line tool for sequence-independent visual confirmation and input-assisted removal of adapter contamination in whole-genome shotgun or metagenomic shotgun long-read sequencing DNA or RNA data.

Availability and Implementation

SNIKT is implemented in R and is compatible with Unix-like platforms. The source code, along with documentation, is freely available under an MIT license at https://github.com/piyuranjan/SNIKT.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
SPEAR: Systematic ProtEin AnnotatoR
Authors: Crown Matthew , Teruel Natália , Najmanovich Rafael , Bashton Matthew
Published: June 2022

We present Systematic ProtEin AnnotatoR (SPEAR), a lightweight and rapid SARS-CoV-2 variant annotation and scoring tool, for identifying mutations contributing to potential immune escape and transmissibility (ACE2 binding) at point of sequencing. SPEAR can be used in the field to evaluate genomic surveillance results in real time and features a powerful interactive data visualization report.

Availability and implementation

SPEAR and documentation are freely available on GitHub: https://github.com/m-crown/SPEAR and are implemented in Python and installable via Conda environment.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Multiple sclerosis and the microbiota
Authors: Engelenburg Hendrik J , Lucassen Paul J , Sarafian Joshua T , Parker William , Laman Jon D
Published: June 2022

Multiple sclerosis (MS), a neurological autoimmune disorder, has recently been linked to neuro-inflammatory influences from the gut. In this review, we address the idea that evolutionary mismatches could affect the pathogenesis of MS via the gut microbiota. The evolution of symbiosis as well as the recent introduction of evolutionary mismatches is considered, and evidence regarding the impact of diet on the MS-associated microbiota is evaluated. Distinctive microbial community compositions associated with the gut microbiota of MS patients are difficult to identify, and substantial study-to-study variation and even larger variations between individual profiles of MS patients are observed. Furthermore, although some dietary changes impact the progression of MS, MS-associated features of microbiota were found to be not necessarily associated with diet per se. In addition, immune function in MS patients potentially drives changes in microbial composition directly, in at least some individuals. Finally, assessment of evolutionary histories of animals with their gut symbionts suggests that the impact of evolutionary mismatch on the microbiota is less concerning than mismatches affecting helminths and protists. These observations suggest that the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet for patients with MS may not be mediated by the microbiota per se. Furthermore, any alteration of the microbiota found in association with MS may be an effect rather than a cause. This conclusion is consistent with other studies indicating that a loss of complex eukaryotic symbionts, including helminths and protists, is a pivotal evolutionary mismatch that potentiates the increased prevalence of autoimmunity within a population.
Projected winter warming unlikely to affect germination success of balsam fir regeneration in Atlantic Canada
Authors: Vaughn William Robert , Taylor Anthony R
Published: June 2022

Climate warming has the potential to influence forest composition and species recruitment over the course of the 21st century. Although many of these impacts are expected to occur during the growing season, important life history events, like seed dormancy release, may be affected during the winter. For seeds of balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) to germinate, they require a lengthy cold stratification period to break seed dormancy, which may not be experienced under warmer winters. Moreover, within Atlantic Canada, balsam fir populations experience very different climates. Dissimilarities among the genetics of these balsam fir populations and adaptations to their local environments may engender variations in population response to winter warming. In this study, we selected three balsam fir seedlots each from four different seed origin zones within Atlantic Canada and subjected them to simulated winter warming in outdoor seed plots that were heated to ≈ 6°C above the ambient temperature from December to April. Contrary to our hypotheses, germination success of the heated balsam fir seeds did not significantly decrease relative to the controls, and there was no interaction between warming and seed origin zone. Seedlots of some seed origin zones exhibited variable responses to warming, suggesting that dormancy levels substantially differ among populations from similar climates. This diversity in phenotype expression within balsam fir populations may improve this species resilience under future climate change.
Pharmacokinetic modelling of caspofungin to develop an extended dosing regimen in paediatric patients
Authors: Gastine Silke , Hempel Georg , Neely Michael N , Walsh Thomas J , Groll Andreas H
Published: June 2022

Background

Echinocandins are commonly used in treatment and prophylaxis of invasive fungal diseases. Intravenous daily dosing for prophylaxis in the outpatient setting can however become a hurdle for adequate compliance in the paediatric population.

Objectives

Simulations were performed to assess extended twice-weekly dosing for antifungal prophylaxis using caspofungin.

Methods

A population pharmacokinetic model was developed based on previously published data from children aged 3 months to 17 years. Using the final model, Monte Carlo simulations were performed to assess the dose needed for adequate exposure in a twice-weekly setting. Mean weekly AUC0–24 h/MIC together with reported AUC0–24 h from previously reported paediatric trials were used to guide adequate exposure.

Results and Conclusions

A two-compartment model with linear elimination and allometric scaling using fixed exponents was found most adequate to describe the given paediatric populations. Simulations showed that a 200 mg/m2 twice-weekly regimen with maximal 200 mg total dose should result in exposures matching registered daily dosing as well as commonly used pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic targets.
The transcription factor SlWRKY37 positively regulates jasmonic acid- and dark-induced leaf senescence in tomato
Authors: Wang Zhirong , Gao Ming , Li Yafei , Zhang Jialong , Su Hui , Cao Meng , Liu Ziji , Zhang Xichun , Zhao Bing , Guo Yang-Dong , Zhang Na
Published: June 2022

Initiation and progression of leaf senescence are triggered by various environmental stressors and phytohormones. Jasmonic acid (JA) and darkness accelerate leaf senescence in plants. However, the mechanisms that integrate these two factors to initiate and regulate leaf senescence have not been identified. Here, we report a transcriptional regulatory module centred on a novel tomato WRKY transcription factor, SlWRKY37, responsible for both JA- and dark-induced leaf senescence. The expression of SlWRKY37, together with SlMYC2, encoding a master transcription factor in JA signalling, was significantly induced by both methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and dark treatments. SlMYC2 binds directly to the promoter of SlWRKY37 to activate its expression. Knock out of SlWRKY37 inhibited JA- and dark-induced leaf senescence. Transcriptome analysis and biochemical experiments revealed SlWRKY53 and SlSGR1 (S. lycopersicum senescence-inducible chloroplast stay-green protein 1) as direct transcriptional targets of SlWRKY37 to control leaf senescence. Moreover, SlWRKY37 interacted with a VQ motif-containing protein SlVQ7, and the interaction improved the stability of SlWRKY37 and the transcriptional activation of downstream target genes. Our results reveal the physiological and molecular functions of SlWRKY37 in leaf senescence, and offer a target gene to retard leaf yellowing by reducing sensitivity to external senescence signals, such as JA and darkness.
On the time evolution of the Md−M⋆ and Ṁ–M⋆ correlations for protoplanetary discs: the viscous time-scale increases with stellar mass
Authors: Somigliana Alice , Toci Claudia , Rosotti Giovanni , Lodato Giuseppe , Tazzari Marco , Manara Carlo F , Testi Leonardo , Lepri Federico
Published: June 2022

Large surveys of star-forming regions have unveiled power-law correlations between the stellar mass and the disc parameters, such as the disc mass $M_{\mathrm{d}} \!-\! {M_{\star }}$ and the accretion rate $\dot{M} \!-\! {M_{\star }}$. The observed slopes appear to be increasing with time, but the reason behind the establishment of these correlations and their subsequent evolution is still uncertain. We conduct a theoretical analysis of the impact of viscous evolution on power-law initial conditions for a population of protoplanetary discs. We find that, for evolved populations, viscous evolution enforces the two correlations to have the same slope, λm = λacc, and that this limit is uniquely determined by the initial slopes λm, 0 and λacc, 0. We recover the increasing trend claimed from the observations when the difference in the initial values, δ0 = λm, 0−λacc, 0, is larger than 1/2; moreover, we find that this increasing trend is a consequence of a positive correlation between the viscous time-scale and the stellar mass. We also present the results of disc population synthesis numerical simulations, that allow us to introduce a spread and analyse the effect of sampling, which show a good agreement with our analytical predictions. Finally, we perform a preliminary comparison of our numerical results with observational data, which allows us to constrain the parameter space of the initial conditions to λm, 0 ∈ [1.2, 2.1], λacc, 0 ∈ [0.7, 1.5].
TWIST1 methylation by SETD6 selectively antagonizes LINC-PINT expression in glioma
Authors: Admoni-Elisha Lee , Elbaz Tzofit , Chopra Anand , Shapira Guy , Bedford Mark T , Fry Christopher J , Shomron Noam , Biggar Kyle , Feldman Michal , Levy Dan
Published: June 2022

Gliomas are one of the most common and lethal brain tumors among adults. One process that contributes to glioma progression and recurrence is the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT is regulated by a set of defined transcription factors which tightly regulate this process, among them is the basic helix-loop-helix family member, TWIST1. Here we show that TWIST1 is methylated on lysine-33 at chromatin by SETD6, a methyltransferase with expression levels correlating with poor survival in glioma patients. RNA-seq analysis in U251 glioma cells suggested that both SETD6 and TWIST1 regulate cell adhesion and migration processes. We further show that TWIST1 methylation attenuates the expression of the long-non-coding RNA, LINC-PINT, thereby promoting EMT in glioma. Mechanistically, TWIST1 methylation represses the transcription of LINC-PINT by increasing the occupancy of EZH2 and the catalysis of the repressive H3K27me3 mark at the LINC-PINT locus. Under un-methylated conditions, TWIST1 dissociates from the LINC-PINT locus, allowing the expression of LINC-PINT which leads to increased cell adhesion and decreased cell migration. Together, our findings unravel a new mechanistic dimension for selective expression of LINC-PINT mediated by TWIST1 methylation.
LTBK-03. Targeted mass spectrometry of serial CSF and serum specimens from children with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma treated with intracranial B7-H3 CAR T cells
Authors: Vitanza Nicholas , Wilson Ashley , Huang Wenjun , Whiteaker Jeffrey , Gust Juliane , Orentas Rimas , Gardner Rebecca , Park Julie , Jensen Michael , Paulovich Amanda
Published: June 2022

Considering the high expression of B7-H3 (CD276) on diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) and preliminary evidence that repeated locoregional delivery of CAR T cells to patients with CNS tumors was feasible and tolerable, we open the phase 1 trial BrainChild-03 (NCT04185038). Children with DIPG in Dose Regimen 1 received 40 intraventricular B7H3CAR doses, with the two patients enrolling post-progression surviving >400 days from initial CAR T infusion. To evaluate for immune and tumor responses that may correlate with clinical and radiographic evaluations, we performed targeted proteomic analysis on serial CSF and serum biospecimens.

MRM-MS is a targeted mass spectrometry that provides sensitive measurement of proteins in cancer tissues and fluids. In 2 patients with longitudinal biospecimens, we identified 50 CSF and 59 serum proteins above level of detection. In general, there were fewer serum fluctuations compared to the CSF, supporting that intracranial delivery provides local immune activation. Sharp fluctuations of several immunoregulatory peptides were measured in the CSF at pre and post infusion timepoints, including BCL10, CXCL13, TIM-3, ICOSLG, and PD-L2. Notably, several analytes tracked consistently in the CSF of both patients, including markers of macrophage maturation and immune cell recruitment, including CD14, CD163, CD44, CSF-1, CXCL13 and VCAM-1. B7-H3 was detected in the CSF and serum of both patients. S005, who progressed on protocol therapy, had a sharp increase in B7-H3 in the CSF during Course 2, while S008, who had clinical improvement on protocol therapy, had consistently lower B7-H3 present. Notably, serum B7-H3 steadily declined in both patients over time, with the exception of a transient increase in S005 between Courses 4 and 5. Future work for all enrolled patients with DIPG will explore the correlation of these targeted proteomic measurements with clinical end points for potential use as markers of efficacy of therapy or adverse events.
Borrelia miyamotoi Meningoencephalitis in an Immunocompetent Patient
Authors: Gandhi Shiv , Narasimhan Sukanya , Workineh Aster , Mamula Mark , Yoon Jennifer , Krause Peter J , Farhadian Shelli F
Published: June 2022

Borrelia miyamotoi is an underdiagnosed cause of tick-borne illness in endemic regions and, in rare cases, causes neurological disease in immunocompetent patients. Here, we present a case of serologically confirmed Borrelia miyamotoi meningoencephalitis in an otherwise healthy patient who rapidly improved following initiation of antibiotic therapy.
Half-century trends in alpha and beta diversity of phytoplankton summer communities in the Helsinki Archipelago, the Baltic Sea
Authors: Olli Kalle , Nyman Emil , Tamminen Timo
Published: June 2022

We analyzed phytoplankton biodiversity trends in a 52 year (1967–2018) monitoring time-series from the archipelago of Helsinki, Gulf of Finland, the Baltic Sea. The community ordination revealed strong ordering of samples along the time axis (generalized additive model—gam fit: R2 = 0.9). Species richness increased in time and was the most influential alpha diversity descriptor related to the community structure (gam fit: R2 = 0.56–0.70). Changes in species richness accounted for 35–36% of the mean between-sample beta diversity. The remaining 64–65% was due to species turnover—the dominant component of the biodiversity trend. The temporal beta diversity trend reflected the eutrophication history of the geographically confined region, with a turning point in mid-1990s demarking the adaptation and recovery phases of the phytoplankton community. Trends in spatial beta diversity revealed homogenization of the communities in the outer archipelago zone, but not in the inner bays. The temporal decay of community similarity revealed high turnover rate, with 23.6 years halving time in the outer archipelago and 11.3 years in the inner bays, revealing the differences in eutrophication strength. The observed phytoplankton trends manifest the regional eutrophication history, and dispersal of new species to the unsaturated brackish species pool.
The transcription factor OsMYBc and an E3 ligase regulate expression of a K+ transporter during salt stress
Authors: Xiao Longyun , Shi Yiyuan , Wang Rong , Feng Yu , Wang Lesheng , Zhang Hongsheng , Shi Xingyu , Jing Guangqin , Deng Ping , Song Tengzhao , Jing Wen , Zhang Wenhua
Published: June 2022

Sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) homeostasis is essential for plant survival in saline soils. A member of the High-Affinity K+ Transporter (HKT) family in rice (Oryza sativa), OsHKT1;1, is a vital regulator of Na+ exclusion from shoots and is bound by a MYB transcription factor (OsMYBc). Here, we generated transgenic rice lines in the oshkt1;1 mutant background for genetic complementation using genomic OsHKT1;1 containing a native (Com) or mutated (mCom) promoter that cannot be bound by OsMYBc. In contrast to wild-type (WT) or Com lines, the mCom lines were not able to recover the salt-sensitive phenotype of oshkt1;1. The OsMYBc-overexpressing plants were more tolerant to salt stress than WT plants. A yeast two-hybrid screen using the OsMYBc N-terminus as bait identified a rice MYBc stress-related RING finger protein (OsMSRFP). OsMSRFP is an active E3 ligase that ubiquitinated OsMYBc in vitro and mediated 26S proteasome-mediated degradation of OsMYBc under semi-in vitro and in vivo conditions. OsMSRFP attenuated OsMYBc-mediated OsHKT1;1 expression, and knockout of OsMSRFP led to rice salt tolerance. These findings uncover a regulatory mechanism of salt response that fine-tunes OsHKT1;1 transcription by ubiquitination of OsMYBc.
Switching charge states in quasi-2D molecular conductors
Authors: Huang Yulong , Mitchell Travis , Zheng Yixiong , Hu Yong , Benedict Jason B , Seo Jung-Hun , Ren Shenqiang
Published: June 2022

2D molecular entities build next-generation electronic devices, where abundant elements of organic molecules are attractive due to the modern synthetic and stimuli control through chemical, conformational, and electronic modifications in electronics. Despite its promising potential, the insufficient control over charge states and electronic stabilities must be overcome in molecular electronic devices. Here, we show the reversible switching of modulated charge states in an exfoliatable 2D-layered molecular conductor based on bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene molecular dimers. The multiple stimuli application of cooling rate, current, voltage, and laser irradiation in a concurrent manner facilitates the controllable manipulation of charge crystal, glass, liquid, and metal phases. The four orders of magnitude switching of electric resistance are triggered by stimuli-responsive charge distribution among molecular dimers. The tunable charge transport in 2D molecular conductors reveals the kinetic process of charge configurations under stimuli, promising to add electric functions in molecular circuitry.
Does latentToxoplasmainfection have a protective effect against developing multiple sclerosis? Evidence from an updated meta-analysis
Authors: Rostami Ali , Riahi Seyed Mohammad , Mollalo Abolfazl , Razavian Iman , Akbari Nahid , Marhoommirzabak Elika , Mahjour Sanaz , Sartip Behnam , Arshadi Mahdi , Razavian Elnaz , Ardekani Ali
Published: June 2022

Previous epidemiologic evidence suggests a protective effect of Toxoplasma gondii infection against multiple sclerosis (MS) development; however, inconsistent findings have been reported in this regard. Therefore, we performed an updated meta-analysis of observational studies to investigate the association of To. gondii infection with MS development. We searched all articles published in PubMed, Scopus, Embase and Web of Science databases as of 20 December 2021. A random effects meta-analysis model was used to generate the pooled OR at 95% CIs. The heterogeneity between studies was assessed using I2 and Cochran's Q statistics. Moreover, the likelihood of publication bias was determined by Egger's regression test. A total of 11 studies were eligible for meta-analysis, including 1172 MS cases and 1802 controls. Our findings indicated that 29.8% (95% CI 22.8 to 37.2%) of MS patients were seropositive for To. gondii infection, compared with 34.2% (95% CI 21.9 to 47.6%) of control subjects. The estimated pooled OR was 0.79 (95% CI 0.49 to 1.26), suggesting a non-significant negative association between To. gondii infection and MS development (p>0.05). The current study does not support the significant protective role of To. gondii infection on MS development. Our findings imply that further well-designed epidemiological and mechanistic studies are warranted to ascertain the possible association between To. gondii infection and MS and to exclude the potential confounders.
Evaluating the Effect of Duloxetine Premedication on Postoperative Analgesic Requirement in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomies
Authors: Nath Shivika , Saha Ambhrin , Srivastava Aarti
Published: June 2022

Objective:

The aim was to evaluate the effect of oral administration of preoperative duloxetine on postoperative pain and total analgesic requirement in the postoperative period as the primary objective. The secondary objective was to evaluate the perioperative hemodynamic parameters, sedation scores, demographic data, and incidence of side effects (if any) in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Materials and Methods:

This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted in a tertiary level medical college on 60 patients of either sex posted for laparoscopic cholecystectomies with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) I and II. The patients were divided into 2 groups (n=30), the patients were given duloxetine 60 mg capsules and placebo capsules (Becosules) 2 hours before surgery.

Results:

The total requirement for both first and second rescue analgesics was higher in placebo as compared with duloxetine and was found to be significant (P<0.05). The difference in mean visual analog scale score was significantly (P<0.001) higher in placebo as compared with duloxetine at all-time intervals postoperatively 0 minute (7.6±0.7 vs. 4.6±0.8); 15 minutes (5.9±0.8 vs. 4.2±1.0); 30 minutes (4.4±0.5 vs. 3.6±0.9); 4 hours (6.6±0.06 vs. 5.3±1.3); 8 hours (5.2±1.2 vs. 3.9±1.0); and 12 hours (5.1±1.3 vs. 2.3±0.7). The mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate were significantly higher in placebo compared with duloxetine in most of the time intervals in the perioperative period. There was no significant difference in the sedation score between the groups except the 30 minutes and 8 hours postoperative.

Discussion:

Preoperative oral duloxetine during laparoscopic cholecystectomy could reduce postoperative pain, postoperative analgesic requirements, and better optimization of hemodynamics without causing major side effects.
Perspectives From Advancing National Institutes of Health Research to Inform and Improve the Health of Women
Authors: Temkin Sarah M. , Noursi Samia , Regensteiner Judith G. , Stratton Pamela , Clayton Janine A.
Published: June 2022

The health of women remains understudied. In response to a request from Congress, the Office of Research on Women's Health of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) evaluated research on the health of women currently underway related to 1) rising rates of maternal morbidity and mortality, 2) rising rates of chronic debilitating conditions in women, and 3) stagnant cervical cancer survival rates. Input on the three priority areas was obtained from experts in women's health, members of the public, and federal stakeholders. The NIH research portfolios on these three topics were reviewed. On October 20, 2021, a conference on advancing NIH research on women's health was held to present, discuss, and delineate gaps and opportunities in the current portfolio. Across the life course, significant gaps in evidence regarding conditions, disorders, and diseases that occur in women were illustrated. Fundamental basic and translational knowledge gaps in many female-specific conditions and diseases with sex-specific presentations, symptoms, or responses to treatments have hampered the generation of robust scientific data needed to provide high-quality, evidence-based care to women. Key opportunities identified to improve the health of women include enhanced implementation of existing best practices and interventions to reduce disparities. Undertaking intentional clinical research on the health of women will produce significant returns on investment and has the potential to greatly improve human health.
Analysis of the Literature and Patient Counseling Considerations for Planned Oocyte Cryopreservation
Authors: Wilhoite Morgan N. , Warwar Rachel E. , Starostanko Andrea N. , Sax Megan R.
Published: June 2022

As oocyte cryopreservation use increases among reproductive-aged women, health care professionals are challenged with counseling patients on fertility-sparing technology based on limited high-quality research. Since the first successful slow freezing of mouse embryos in England in 1972, reproductive scientists have employed various protocols for successful cryopreservation and warming of gametes. From outdated slow-freeze technologies to improved vitrification methods, science has successfully shifted the pendulum from cryoinjury-related cell death to the preservation of cellular immortality. The clinical applications of oocyte cryopreservation first increased among oncofertility patients faced with limited fertility-sparing options. Breakthroughs in oncofertility opened a window of opportunity for the transgender community, which also led to an entirely new frontier—planned oocyte cryopreservation for potential future use. Reasons for cryopreservation are complex and often overlap. Socially, these can include not having a support person to share childcare responsibilities, prioritizing career goals and aspirations, and the financial constraints of the ever-rising cost of childrearing. Medically, reasons can include diseases, primary ovarian insufficiency, traumatic injury, planned female to male gender transition, and fertility loss that occurs with aging. Women are faced with many, if not all, of the above scenarios during their “ideal” reproductive window. These women are presenting to fertility centers in hopes of allowing for future reproductive freedom. Owing to media influence, women may be misled of the success potential of cryopreserved oocytes as a guarantee of future biological children. Here, we review current literature and propose guidelines for counseling patients on planned oocyte cryopreservation.
Perioperative Myomectomy Outcomes Based on the Current Coding Rules
Authors: Andrews Brooke , Siewertsz van Reesema Lauren , Gaughan Thomas , Hoffman Mark , Movilla Peter
Published: June 2022

OBJECTIVE:

To assess postoperative outcomes based on surgical approach for myomectomies with increasing leiomyoma burden.

METHODS:

We conducted a retrospective analysis using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2014 to 2019 of benign myomectomy procedures. These cases were categorized into “smaller” and “larger” procedures based on leiomyoma burden. Smaller myomectomies included leiomyomas weighing less than 250 g or with one–four leiomyomas (Current Procedural Terminology [CPT] codes 58545 and 58140); larger myomectomies included leiomyomas weighing 250 g or more or with five or more leiomyomas (CPT codes 58546 and 58146). Postoperative complications estimated using the Clavien-Dindo classification system were compared based on surgical approach.

RESULTS:

Of 8,363 total myomectomy procedures, 3,117 (37.3%) were performed using minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and 5,246 (62.7%) were performed using laparotomy. Among MIS cases, 2,080 (66.7%) were categorized as smaller myomectomies and 1,037 (33.3%) cases as larger myomectomies. Among laparotomy cases, 2,587 (49.3%) were smaller myomectomies, and 2,659 (50.7%) were larger myomectomies. Regardless of myomectomy size, MIS was associated with a lower perioperative blood transfusion rate than laparotomy (1.63% vs 8.93%, respectively, P<.01). Laparotomy was associated with an increased rate of minor complications (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.86 (95% CI 2.24–3.67) for smaller leiomyoma burden (11.91% vs 4.28%) and for larger leiomyoma burden (21.59% vs 6.75%, aOR 3.43, 95% CI 2.64–4.47) cases. Laparotomy demonstrated an increased cumulative major complication rate (3.31% vs 1.25%) (aOR 2.45, 95% CI 1.35–4.45) for larger myomectomies.

CONCLUSION:

A minimally invasive surgical approach for both smaller and larger myomectomies was associated with fewer minor complications compared with laparotomy. Minimally invasive surgery for larger myomectomies was associated with fewer cumulative major complications compared with laparotomy.
Predicting Route of Delivery Using Quantification of Maternal Expulsive Efforts in the Second Stage of Labor
Authors: Lee Derek , Duong Lisa , Ross Michael G.
Published: June 2022

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the association between the number of pushing contractions and the likelihood of spontaneous vaginal delivery, operative vaginal delivery, cesarean delivery and maternal and neonatal complications.

METHODS:

This was a retrospective analysis of patients who entered the second stage of labor with singleton, term pregnancies at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2019. Probabilities of spontaneous vaginal delivery, operative vaginal delivery, and cesarean delivery were calculated for each hour of pushing and for every 10 maternal pushing contractions. Maternal and neonatal morbidities were assessed in relation to second-stage pushing contractions.

RESULTS:

Four hundred thirty-nine nulliparous and 424 multiparous patients who entered the second stage of labor were included. Nulliparous patients had significantly more pushing contractions than multiparous patients (20.3±1.8 vs 7.8±1.0 pushes, P<.001). In nulliparous patients, 91.8% (326/355 patients) of spontaneous vaginal deliveries and 50.0% (12/24 patients) of cesarean deliveries occurred by 40 pushing contractions. In multiparous patients, 94.3% (369/391) of spontaneous vaginal deliveries and 50.0% of cesarean deliveries (4/8) occurred by 20 pushing contractions. The probabilities of cesarean delivery were at their highest after 80 pushing contractions in nulliparous patients and after 50 pushing contractions in multiparous patients. In both nulliparous and multiparous patients, there was no significant change in maternal and neonatal composite morbidities as the number of pushing contractions increased.

CONCLUSION:

Results from this study suggest that pushing contractions may be a viable alternative method for prediction of the likelihood of spontaneous vaginal delivery and probabilities of operative vaginal delivery and cesarean delivery for patients reaching the second stage of labor. Providing patients with a goal for expected number of pushing contractions may be of motivational benefit.