bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrated psychiatric and surgical care in managing self-inflicted abdominal trauma: a case report in a resource-limited setting
Authors: Adhikari Pratik
Published: September 2024

Introduction and importance:

Self-inflicted abdominal stab wounds present rare yet critical challenges requiring urgent surgical intervention and comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. Such injuries often correlate with psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and alcohol dependence, posing significant clinical and psychological management hurdles.

Case presentation:

A 36-year-old male with a history of chronic alcohol use and schizophrenia presented with a self-inflicted stab wound to the abdomen following auditory hallucinations. Upon admission, he was hemodynamically unstable, with eviscerated bowel loops and a lacerated greater omentum. Prompt surgical exploration revealed extensive abdominal trauma necessitating meticulous repair and intensive postoperative care.

Clinical discussion:

The case highlights the intricate interplay between severe psychiatric illness and self-harm, exacerbated by alcohol intoxication. Integrated psychiatric and surgical care proved pivotal in achieving stabilization and facilitating recovery. The challenges encountered in a resource-limited setting included a lack of advanced imaging modalities, limited access to specialized psychiatric care, and constraints in postoperative monitoring equipment, underscoring the importance of adaptive management strategies.

Conclusion:

This report emphasizes the critical need for a multidisciplinary approach in managing self-inflicted abdominal injuries. The successful outcome underscores the efficacy of timely surgical intervention and comprehensive psychiatric support. Integrated care models are essential for addressing the complex needs of patients with psychiatric comorbidities, ensuring holistic management, and reducing the risk of recurrence in similar cases.
Echogenic bowel on the second-trimester ultrasound as an indicator of jejunal atresia: a case report
Authors: Gholami Fatemeh , Mehrabi Sahar , Nazari Nooshin , Shateranni Fatemeh , Asemi Zatollah
Published: September 2024

Introduction and importance:

Fetal echogenic bowel (FEB) is a finding on prenatal ultrasound characterized by increased echogenicity of the fetal intestine. In this study we present a case of FEB with severe bowel dilatation identified on second-trimester ultrasound that was subsequently diagnosed with jejunal atresia postnatally.

Case presentation:

A 28-year-old primigravida woman was referred to our perinatology clinic at 18 weeks/3 days gestational age for a fetal anomaly scan. The anomaly scan examination identified grade 3 fetal bowel hyperechogenicity. The results of the fetal echocardiogram and maternal serum screening for TORCH infections were normal, and the NIPT analysis showed low-risk results for chromosomal aneuploidies.

Clinical discussion:

In our case, the fetal bowel diameter measured 21 mm at 29 weeks/6 days gestational age, which significantly exceeded the established clinical cut-off value for fetal bowel dilatation. This timing is crucial because if a specific problem is detected in the ultrasound that indicates an abortion of the fetus, it can only be performed legally under the 19th week of pregnancy; otherwise, termination of pregnancy is considered illegal according to the policies of this country.

Conclusion:

Nowadays, ultrasonography is a non-invasive tool that facilitates the early detection of many prenatal problems. In this case, with the early detection of FEB and further investigations, we were able to safely manage the pregnancy until the 39th week of pregnancy and plan the delivery in a tertiary referral center to ensure the availability of intensive care for the baby at birth.
Synchronous Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Hematologic Malignancies
Authors: Huang Pin-Ching , Lien Kai-Hua , Lin Cheng-Hsien , Liu Yi-Chun
Published: September 2024

Synchronous occurrence of solid tumors and hematological malignancy is a rare condition. There is no standard management or therapy for this complicated situation. The authors systematically reviewed articles searched using online databases. The patients are predominantly male, and the average age is similar to each malignancy. According to these studies, most patients are treated in order of aggressiveness. However, when a patient has multiple primary malignancies, all of which are aggressive, the treatment decision is challenging. Due to the limited number of cases, it is hard to have a firm conclusion about an optimal treatment policy. It appears that poor outcomes are mostly related to less adequate therapy. Because the condition is complicated in such cases and there is no standardized treatment, patients should be treated on an individual basis with treatments customized to a given patient’s particular circumstances. In addition, multidisciplinary communication and cooperation are crucial in the management of these patients. More in-depth research is still needed to reach a more conclusive treatment strategy and predictable outcomes.
Seizure Induced by Single-Pulse TMS Delivered to Lesioned Hemisphere in Stroke
Authors: Franco Sara Barbosa , Marques Lucas M. , Battistella Linamara R. , Fregni Felipe , Simis Marcel
Published: September 2024

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is used for therapeutic and research purposes, but it is still important to establish safety guidelines and recommendations mainly related to serious adverse effect (SAE). As part of this, safety reports need to be published. Our report highlights a case of a male patient who was a 30-year-old with a history of hemorrhagic stroke following an accidental seizure episode during a single-pulse TMS.
Social, not genetic, programming of development and stress physiology of a colonial seabird
Authors: Lemonnier Camille , Schull Quentin , Stier Antoine , Boonstra Rudy , Delehanty Brendan , Lefol Emilie , Durand Laureline , Pardonnet Sylvia , Robin Jean-Patrice , Criscuolo François , Bize Pierre , Viblanc Vincent A.
Published: September 2024

Phenotypic differences often stem from genetic/maternal differences and/or early-life adaptations to local environmental conditions. In colonial animals, little is known on how variation in the social environment is embedded into individual phenotypes, nor what the consequences are on individual fitness. We conducted an experimental cross-fostering study on king penguins (
Aptenodytes patagonicus
), exchanging eggs among 134 pairs breeding in high-density (67 pairs) or low-density (67 pairs) areas of the same breeding colony. We investigated differences in parent and chick phenotypes and survival in relation to the density of their origin and foster environment. Adults breeding in colony areas of high density exhibited decreased resting behaviour and increased aggression and vigilance, increased hypometabolism during incubation fasts, and more moderate corticosterone responses shaped by exposure to chronic stressors (e.g. constant aggression by neighbours). Chick phenotypes were more influenced by the environment in which they were raised than their genetic/maternal origin. Chicks raised in high-density colonial environments showed enhanced weight gain and survival rates regardless of the density of their genetic parents’ breeding areas. Our study experimentally shows advantages to breeding in colonial areas of higher breeder densities in king penguins, and highlights the importance of social settings in shaping phenotype expression in colonial seabirds.
Salmonella Weltevreden lung abscess and empyema without preceding gastrointestinal symptoms. An emerging pathogen in Australia?
Authors: Grey Victoria , Tee Ernest , Phillips Lauren , Micalizzi Gino , Armstrong Mark
Published: September 2024

Non-typhoidal Salmonella lung infections are rare and are usually confined to immunocompromised hosts. Previous case reports have found that usually patients have either gastroenteritis or bacteraemia in addition to pulmonary involvement. We present the first known reported case of a Salmonella Weltevreden lung abscess and empyema in an immunocompetent patient without gastroenteritis. Despite use of antimicrobials active against the pathogen, the patient needed surgical intervention to achieve adequate source control. Whilst S. Weltevreden has previously been associated with returned travellers, especially from South-East Asia, its incidence in Queensland is now increasing. Therefore, it is important for clinicians to be aware of its potential severity as well as range of presentations.
Disseminated hydatidosis an unusual presentation: a case report
Authors: Ziad Fatima , Zouaoui Imane , El Mamoune Mostaine , Aoufi Sarra
Published: September 2024

Hydatidosis, also known as cystic echinococcosis, is a widespread zoonosis, caused by a tapeworm of the genus Echinococcus. It presents a significant public health concern, particularly in endemic areas. The occurrence of disseminated hydatid disease is uncommon, even in regions where it is endemic, with an incidence ranging from 1–8%. The definitive diagnosis relies on a parasitological method.

In this work, we present an unusual case of disseminated hydatid disease that was diagnosed in the central parasitology–mycology laboratory of ‘The Ibn Sina University Hospital’.

This is a 21-year-old patient residing in a rural area, who presented with heaviness-type pain in the right hypochondrium, accompanied with nausea and vomiting. During the examination, the patient mentioned the contact with dogs. Abdominal radiography (ultrasound and CT) revealed findings suggestive of multiple hydatid cysts located in the liver and peritoneum. This suspicion was confirmed by positive hydatid serology.

After 9 months of treatment with albendazole, the patient underwent surgery for excision of the cysts shown on the x-ray, as well as other cysts incidentally discovered intraoperatively at the pelvic and rectal levels. All of the extracted specimens were sent to the parasitology laboratory. The direct examination, along with the viability test, revealed the presence of hooks and scolex of non-viable Echinococcus granulosus.

Disseminated hydatidosis is a rare but serious presentation, and the positive diagnosis relies on several epidemiological, clinical, radiological and parasitological arguments. Medical and surgical treatments play a crucial role in determining the patient’s prognosis.
Accept-rejectdecision-making revealed via a quantitative and ethological study ofC. elegansforaging
Authors: Haley Jessica A. , Chen Tianyi , Aoi Mikio , Chalasani Sreekanth H.
Published: September 2024

Decision-making is a ubiquitous component of animal behavior that is often studied in the context of foraging. Foragers make a series of decisions while locating food (food search), choosing between food types (diet or patch choice), and allocating time spent within patches of food (patch-leaving). Here, we introduce a framework for investigating foraging decisions using detailed analysis of individual behavior and quantitative modeling in the nematodeCaenorhabditis elegans. We demonstrate thatC. elegansmakeaccept-rejectpatch choice decisions upon encounter with food. Specifically, we show that when foraging amongst small, dispersed, and dilute patches of bacteria,C. elegansinitiallyrejectseveral bacterial patches, opting to prioritize exploration of the environment, before switching to a more exploitatory foraging strategy during subsequent encounters. Observed across a range of bacterial patch densities, sizes, and distributions, we use a quantitative model to show that this decision toexploreorexploitis guided by available sensory information, internal satiety signals, and learned environmental statistics related to the bacterial density of recently encountered andexploitedpatches. We behaviorally validated model predictions on animals that had been food-deprived, animals foraging in environments with multiple patch densities, and null mutants with defective sensory modalities. Broadly, we present a framework to study ecologically relevant foraging decisions that could guide future investigations into the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying decision-making.
BEDMS: A metadata standardizer for genomic region attributes
Authors: Tambe Saanika , Khoroshevskyi Oleksandr , Park Sang-Hoon , LeRoy Nathan J. , Campbell Donald R. , Zheng Guangtao , Zhang Aidong , Sheffield Nathan C.
Published: September 2024

High-throughput sequencing technologies have generated vast omics data annotating genomic regions. A challenge arises in integrating this data because the associated metadata does not follow a uniform schema. This hinders data management, discovery, interoperability, and reusability. Existing tools that address metadata standardization issues are generally limited in scope and targeted toward specific data sets or types and are not generally applicable to custom schemas. To improve standardization of genomic interval metadata, we have developed BEDMS. We developed and evaluated several model architectures and trained models that achieved high performance on held-out training data. With a trained model, BEDMS provides users with predicted standardized metadata attributes that follow a standardized schema. Furthermore, BEDMS provides the ability to train custom models. To demonstrate, we trained BEDMS on three different schemas, allowing users to choose which schema to standardize into. We also deployed BEDMS on PEPhub, which provides a graphical user interface to allow users to standardize metadata without requiring any local training or software at all. In conclusion, BEDMS offers a practical one-stop solution for metadata management and standardization for genomic interval data.
Chromosome-level Genome Assembly and Annotation ofPetunia hybrida
Authors: Saei Ali , Hunter Donald , Hilario Elena , David Charles , Ireland Hilary , Esfandiari Azadeh , King Ian , Grierson Ella , Wang Lei , Boase Murray , Kramer Matthew , Shakya Shankar , Bowman Megan , Barbey Christopher R. , Chagné David
Published: September 2024

Petunia hybridais the world’s most popular garden plant and is regarded as a supermodel for studying the biology associated with the Asterid clade, the largest of the two major groups of flowering plants. Unlike other Solanaceae, petunia has a base chromosome number of seven, not 12. This along with recombination suppression has previously hindered efforts to assemble its genome to chromosome level. Here we achieve a chromosome-level assembly forP. hybridausing a combination of short-read and long-read sequencing, optical mapping (Bionano) and Hi-C technologies. The resulting assembly spans 1253.6 Mb with a BUSCO score of 99.8%. A total of 35,089 genes were predicted and of those 29,655 were functionally annotated. Syntenic regions between petunia, tomato and pepper were identified, highlighting rearrangements that have occurred since their divergence indicating that the 12 chromosomes of Solanaceae did not originate from whole genome duplication of an ancestral species with seven chromosomes like petunia. This chromosome-level assembly will significantly enhance trait mapping efficiency in petunia and serve as a valuable resource for functional genomic studies in this key plant model.
A Novel Technique for Fluorescence Lifetime Tomography
Authors: Nizam Navid Ibtehaj , Pandey Vikas , Erbas Ismail , Smith Jason T. , Intes Xavier
Published: September 2024

Fluorescence lifetime has emerged as a unique imaging modality for quantitatively assessingin vivothe molecular environment of diseased tissues. Although fluorescence lifetime microscopy (in 2D) is a mature field, 3D imaging in deep tissues remains elusive and challenging owing to scattering. Herein, we report on a deep neural network (coined AUTO-FLI) that performs both 3D intensity and quantitative lifetime reconstructions in deep tissues. The proposed Deep Learning (DL)-based approach involves anin silicoscheme to generate fluorescence lifetime data accurately. The developed DL model is validated bothin silicoand on experimental phantoms. Overall, AUTO-FLI provides accurate 3D quantitative estimates of both intensity and lifetime distributions in highly scattering media, demonstrating its unique potential for fluorescence lifetime-based molecular imaging at the mesoscopic and macroscopic scale.
The effect of intrauterine growth restriction on the developing pancreatic immune system
Authors: Golden Thea N. , Garifallou James P. , Conine Colin C. , Simmons Rebecca A.
Published: September 2024

Immune cells in the pancreas are known to participate in organ development. However, the resident pancreatic immune system has yet to be fully defined. Immune cells also play a role in pathology and are implicated in diseases such as diabetes induced by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). We hypothesized that the resident immune system is established during neonatal development and disrupted by IUGR. Using single cell RNAseq and flow cytometry we identified many immune cell populations in the near-term fetus (at embryologic day 22) and neonatal (postnatal day 1, 7, &14) islets, non-endocrine pancreas, and the spleen in the rat. Using flow cytometry, we observed the resident immune system is established during neonatal development in the pancreas and spleen. We identified 9 distinct immune populations in the pancreatic islets and 8 distinct immune populations in the spleen by single cell RNAseq. There were no sex-specific differences in the relative proportion of immune cells in the pancreas or spleen. Finally, we tested if IUGR disrupted the neonatal immune system using bilateral uterine artery ligation. We found significant changes to the percentage of CD11B+ HIS48- and CD8+ T cells in the islets and non-endocrine pancreas and in the spleen. IUGR-induced alterations were influenced by the tissue environment and the sex of the offspring. Future research to define the role of these immune cells in pancreatic development may identify disrupted pathways that contribute to the development of diabetes following IUGR.
PoreVision: A Program for Enhancing Efficiency and Accuracy in SEM Pore Analyses
Authors: Olevsky Levi M. , Jacques Mason , Hixon Katherine R.
Published: September 2024

Porous bulk materials are frequently utilized as cell scaffolds in tissue engineering. Previous studies have highlighted the significance of scaffold pore size and pore orientation in influencing cell migration and differentiation. Moreover, there exists a considerable body of research focused on optimizing pore characteristics to enhance scaffold performance. However, current methods for numerical pore characterization typically involve expensive machines or manual size measurements using image manipulation software. In this project, our objective is to develop a user-friendly, versatile, and freely accessible software tool using Python scripting. This tool aims to streamline and objectify pore characterization, thereby accelerating research efforts and providing a standardized framework for researchers working with porous materials. By facilitating quantitative analysis of pore size, shape, and orientation, our software tool will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of scaffold properties and their impact on cellular behavior. Ultimately, we aim to aid researchers in the field of tissue engineering with a user-friendly tool that enhances the reproducibility and reliability of pore characterization analyses.
Artificial intelligence and omics-based autoantibody profiling highlights autoimmunity targeting ligand-receptor interaction in dementia
Authors: Matsuda Kazuki M , Umeda-Kameyama Yumi , Iwadoh Kazuhiro , Miyawaki Masashi , Yakabe Mitsutaka , Ishii Masaki , Ogawa Sumito , Akishita Masahiro , Sato Shinichi , Yoshizaki Ayumi
Published: September 2024

Dementia is a neurodegenerative syndrome marked by the accumulation of disease-specific proteins and immune dysregulation, including autoimmune mechanisms involving autoantibodies. Current diagnostic methods are often invasive, time-consuming, or costly. This study explores the use of proteome-wide autoantibody screening (PWAS) for noninvasive dementia diagnosis by analyzing serum samples from Alzheimer’s disease (AD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and age-matched cognitively normal individuals (CNIs). Serum samples from 35 subjects were analyzed utilizing our original wet protein arrays that covers approximately 90% of human transcriptome, revealing elevated gross autoantibody levels in AD and DLB patients compared to CNIs. A total of 229 autoantibodies were differentially elevated in AD and/or DLB, effectively distinguishing between patient groups. Machine learning models showed high accuracy in classifying AD, DLB, and CNIs. Gene ontology analysis highlighted autoantibodies targeting neuroactive ligands/receptors in AD and lipid metabolism proteins in DLB. Notably, autoantibodies targeting neuropeptide B (NPB) and adhesion G protein-coupled receptor F5 (ADGRF5) showed significant correlations with clinical traits including Mini Mental State Examination scores, suggesting a role in dementia pathogenesis. The study demonstrates the potential of PWAS and AI integration as a noninvasive diagnostic tool for dementia, uncovering biomarkers that could enhance understanding of disease mechanisms. Limitations include demographic differences, small sample size, and lack of external validation. Future research should involve longitudinal observation in larger, diverse cohorts and functional studies to clarify autoantibodies’ roles in dementia pathogenesis and their diagnostic and therapeutic potential.
Genetic Risk for Alcohol Use Disorder in Relation to Individual Symptom Criteria: Do Polygenic Indices Provide Unique Information for Understanding Severity and Heterogeneity?
Authors: Kim Yongguk , Lane Sean P. , Miller Alex P. , Wilhelmsen Kirk C. , Gizer Ian R.
Published: September 2024

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a heterogenous category with many unique configurations of symptoms. Previous investigations of AUD heterogeneity using molecular genetics methods studied the association between genetic liability and individual AUD symptoms at the latent level or focusing on a small number of genetic variants. Notably, these studies did not investigate potential severity differences between symptoms in their genetic analyses. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine the genetic risk for individual AUD symptom criteria by using a polygenic risk score (PRS) approach to assess the relative severity of each AUD symptom and test for associates with AUD symptoms above and beyond a unidimensional AUD construct. An AUD PRS was created using summary statistics obtained from published genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) models were employed to examine the effect of the PRS on overall AUD severity as well as on individual symptoms after accounting for this overall effect. The phenotypic severity of AUD symptoms was highly correlated with the genetic severity of AUD symptoms (r= 0.78). Results of MIMIC models indicated that the AUD PRS significantly predicted the AUD factor. Regression paths testing the unique, direct effects of the PRS on individual AUD symptoms, independent of the latent AUD factor, were not significant. These results imply that PRSs derived from GWAS of AUD influence symptom expression through a single genetic factor that is highly correlated with the relative severity of individual symptoms when measured at the phenotypic level. Item-level GWAS of AUD symptoms are needed to further parse heterogeneous symptom expression and allow for more nuanced tests of these conclusions.
How floods may affect the spatial spread of respiratory pathogens: the case of Emilia-Romagna, Italy in May 2023
Authors: Ascione Claudio , Valdano Eugenio
Published: September 2024

The negative impact of floods on public health has been increasing, as climate change makes these events more frequent and intense. Floods are known to cause direct injury and favor the spread of many waterborne and vector-borne pathogens. Their effect on the circulation of respiratory pathogens, like influenza and SARS-CoV-2, is, however, still unclear. In this study, we quantify this effect through the analysis of large-scale behavioral data coupled to mathematical models of epidemic spread. We focus on the devastating floods occurred in Italy in 2023 and measure how they impacted human contact patterns within and between communities. We find a substantial increase in contacts occurring 3 weeks after the floods, both among residents of the affected areas and between them and those living in distant, unaffected areas of Italy. Then, through mathematical simulations, we determine that these disrupted contact patterns can carry a circulating pathogen to previously unaffected geographic areas, as well as increasing infection counts across the country. Our findings may help set up protocols to use large-scale human contact data to contain epidemic outbreaks before, during and in the aftermath of floods.
AI-enabled CT-guided end-to-end quantification of total cardiac activity in 18FDG cardiac PET/CT for detection of cardiac sarcoidosis
Authors: Miller Robert JH , Shanbhag Aakash , Marcinkiewicz Anna M , Struble Helen , Fujito Hidesato , Kransdorf Evan , Kavanagh Paul , Liang Joanna X. , Builoff Valerie , Dey Damini , Berman Daniel S , Slomka Piotr J
Published: September 2024

Purpose

[18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) plays a central role in diagnosing and managing cardiac sarcoidosis. We propose a fully automated pipeline for quantification of [18F]FDG PET activity using deep learning (DL) segmentation of cardiac chambers on computed tomography (CT) attenuation maps and evaluate several quantitative approaches based on this framework.

Methods

We included consecutive patients undergoing [18F]FDG PET/CT for suspected cardiac sarcoidosis. DL segmented left atrium, left ventricular(LV), right atrium, right ventricle, aorta, LV myocardium, and lungs from CT attenuation scans. CT-defined anatomical regions were applied to [18F]FDG PET images automatically to target to background ratio (TBR), volume of inflammation (VOI) and cardiometabolic activity (CMA) using full sized and shrunk segmentations.

Results

A total of 69 patients were included, with mean age of 56.1 ± 13.4 and cardiac sarcoidosis present in 29 (42%). CMA had the highest prediction performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] 0.919, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.858 – 0.980) followed by VOI (AUC 0.903, 95% CI 0.834 – 0.971), TBR (AUC 0.891, 95% CI 0.819 – 0.964), and maximum standardized uptake value (AUC 0.812, 95% CI 0.701 – 0.923). Abnormal CMA (≥1) had a sensitivity of 100% and specificity 65% for cardiac sarcoidosis. Lung quantification was able to identify patients with pulmonary abnormalities.

Conclusion

We demonstrate that fully automated volumetric quantification of [18F]FDG PET for cardiac sarcoidosis based on CT attenuation map-derived volumetry is feasible, rapid, and has high prediction performance. This approach provides objective measurements of cardiac inflammation with consistent definition of myocardium and background region.
Elevated blood glucose levels are associated with the progression of brain hypometabolism, and HDL-C andAPOE4add to this association
Authors: Lathika Rajendrakumar Aravind , Ukraintseva Svetlana , Bagley Olivia , Duan Matt , Yashin Anatoliy I. , Arbeev Konstantin G. ,   the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: September 2024

Background

Brain glucose hypometabolism has consistently been found in neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). High blood glucose and HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels have also been linked to neurodegeneration and AD. However, there is limited understanding of the relationships between dementia-related risk factors in the brain and blood.

Methods

A linear mixed model was used to examine the relationship between blood glucose and HDL-C levels and the progression of brain hypometabolism, adjusting forAPOE4and other clinical covariates. The hypometabolic convergence index (HCI) was measured by fluorodeoxyglucose-18 (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in participants from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Data visualizations were generated to understand the joint effects of plasma glucose, HDL-C, andAPOE4on HCI.

Results

There were 336 individuals (781 observations), of whom 22.62% had AD. The majority were male (63.98%) and of white race, and 48.51% were carriers ofAPOE4. Over time, high blood glucose level was associated with the progression of brain glucose hypometabolism (β=0.33, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.64, p<0.05). A high plasma HDL-C level (β=1.22, 95% CI: 0.09, 2.35, p<0.05), more study visits (β=1.67, 95% CI: 1.37, 1.98, p<0.001), and being anAPOE4allele carrier (β=1.29, 95% CI: 0.15, 2.42, p<0.05) were also significant predictors of brain hypometabolism progression.APOE4carrier status and number of visits account for the largest proportion of the variance from the fixed effects model. Random effects due to participant characteristics and fixed effects together accounted for 95.2% of the model variance. Subgroup analysis revealed that these effects were observed only in those without AD.

Conclusion

High plasma glucose levels facilitated the progression of brain hypometabolism. The effect was more prominent in theAPOE4double-carriers with elevated HDL-C. Elevated blood glucose may reflect systemic insulin resistance, which could impair brain glucose uptake, resulting in brain hypometabolism. Controlling blood glucose and HDL-C levels inAPOE4carriers may improve brain metabolism, potentially delaying the onset of dementia.
“This is a quiz” Premise Input: A Key to Unlocking Higher Diagnostic Accuracy in Large Language Models
Authors: Asari Yusuke , Kurokawa Ryo , Sonoda Yuki , Hagiwara Akifumi , Kamohara Jun , Fukushima Takahiro , Gonoi Wataru , Abe Osamu
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Large language models (LLMs) are neural network models trained on vast amounts of textual data, showing promising performance in various fields. In radiology, studies have demonstrated the strong performance of LLMs in diagnostic imaging quiz cases. However, the inherent differences of prior probabilities of a final diagnosis between clinical and quiz cases pose challenges for LLMs, as LLMs had not been informed about the quiz nature in previous literature, while human physicians can optimize the diagnosis, consciously or unconsciously, depending on the situation. The present study aimed to test the hypothesis that notifying LLMs about the quiz nature might improve diagnostic accuracy.

Methods

One-hundred-and-fifty consecutive cases from the “Case of the Week” radiological diagnostic quiz case series on the American Journal of Neuroradiology website were analyzed. GPT-4o and Claude 3.5 Sonnet were used to generate top three differential diagnoses based on the textual clinical history and figure legends. The prompts included or excluded information about the quiz nature for both models. Two radiologists evaluated the accuracy of the diagnoses. McNemar’s test assessed differences in correct response rates.

Results

Informing the quiz nature improved the diagnostic performance of both models. Specifically, Claude 3.5 Sonnet’s primary diagnosis and GPT-4o’s top 3 differential diagnoses significantly improved when the quiz nature was informed.

Conclusion

Informing the quiz nature of cases significantly enhances LLMs’ diagnostic performances. This insight into LLMs’ capabilities could inform future research and applications, highlighting the importance of context in optimizing LLM-based diagnostics.
Mean daily temperatures can predict the thermal limits of malaria transmission better than rate summation
Authors: Shocket Marta S. , Bernhardt Joey R. , Miazgowicz Kerri L. , Orakzai Alyzeh , Savage Van M. , Hall Richard J. , Ryan Sadie J. , Murdock Courtney C.
Published: September 2024

Temperature shapes the distribution, seasonality, and magnitude of mosquito-borne disease outbreaks. Mechanistic models predicting transmission often use mosquito and pathogen thermal responses from constant temperature experiments. However, mosquitoes live in fluctuating environments. Rate summation (nonlinear averaging) is a common approach to infer performance in fluctuating environments, but its accuracy is rarely validated. We measured three mosquito traits that impact transmission (bite rate, survival, fecundity) in a malaria mosquito (Anopheles stephensi) across temperature gradients with three diurnal temperature ranges (0, 9 and 12°C). We compared thermal suitability models with temperature-trait relationships observed under constant temperatures, fluctuating temperatures, and those predicted by rate summation. We mapped results acrossAn. stephenesi’s native Asian and invasive African ranges. We found: 1) daily temperature fluctuation significantly altered trait thermal responses; 2) rate summation partially captured decreases in performance near thermal optima, but also incorrectly predicted increases near thermal limits; and 3) while thermal suitability characterized across constant temperatures did not perfectly capture suitability in fluctuating environments, it was more accurate for estimating and mapping thermal limits than predictions from rate summation. Our study provides insight into methods for predicting mosquito-borne disease risk and emphasizes the need to improve understanding of organismal performance under fluctuating conditions.
Sex-Specific Effects of Early Life Unpredictability on Hippocampal and Amygdala Responses to Novelty in Adolescents
Authors: Davis Elysia Poggi , Leonard Bianca T. , Jirsaraie Robert J. , Keator David B. , Small Steven L. , Sandman Curt A. , Risbrough Victoria B , Stern Hal S. , Glynn Laura M. , Yassa Michael A. , Baram Tallie Z. , Rasmussen Jerod M.
Published: September 2024

Background

Unpredictable childhood experiences are an understudied form of early life adversity that impacts neurodevelopment in a sex-specific manner. The neurobiological processes by which exposure to early-life unpredictability impacts development and vulnerability to psychopathology remain poorly understood. The present study investigates the sex-specific consequences of early-life unpredictability on the limbic network, focusing on the hippocampus and the amygdala.

Methods

Participants included 150 youth (54% female). Early life unpredictability was assessed using the Questionnaire of Unpredictability in Childhood (QUIC). Participants engaged in a task-fMRI scan between the ages of 8 and 17 (223 total observations) measuring BOLD responses to novel and familiar scenes.

Results

Exposure to early-life unpredictability associated with BOLD contrast (novel vs. familiar) in a sex-specific manner. For males, but not females, higher QUIC scores were associated with lower BOLD activation in response to novel vs. familiar stimuli in the hippocampal head and amygdala. Secondary psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analyses revealed complementary sex-specific associations between QUIC and condition-specific functional connectivity between the right and left amygdala, as well as between the right amygdala and hippocampus bilaterally.

Conclusion

Exposure to unpredictability in early life has persistent implications for the functional operations of limbic circuits. Importantly, consistent with emerging experimental animal and human studies, the consequences of early life unpredictability differ for males and females. Further, impacts of early-life unpredictability were independent of other risk factors including lower household income and negative life events, indicating distinct consequences of early-life unpredictability over and above more commonly studied types of early life adversity.
The Visual Experience Evaluation Tool: A Myopia Research Instrument for Quantifying Visual Experience
Authors: Sullivan David , Nicholls Aaron , Hatoun George , Thompson Samuel , Schwarzmiller Cory , Memarzanjany Fathollah , Gunderson Alyssa , Danielson Alexander , Lowes John , Petersen Jon , Backes Sam , Thomas Micah , Eha Hanna , Rutherford Lisa
Published: September 2024

Current myopia research has demonstrated the role of extended visual experience in healthy ocular development. Optical cues and the spectrum, intensity, and temporal characteristics of light landing on the retina are all known factors affecting the development of the eye. However, there is still limited understanding as to which of these extrinsic factors are most important or how they interplay with intrinsic physical and neural differences between individuals. Part of the problem is inadequate tooling. Our team at Reality Labs Research created the Visual Environment Evaluation Tool (VEET), a non-commercial research instrument, to accelerate myopia research. In this paper, we describe the VEET’s physical design, sensor suite and capabilities, and the associated software which makes it well-suited for research of quantified visual experience.
County by county estimation of deaths averted, infections averted, and cost savings of overdose prevention health centers in the United States
Authors: Sportiello Mike , Palli Rohith
Published: September 2024

Overdose prevention health centers (OPHCs), also known as overdose prevention centers or safe injection centers, are an evidence-based strategy for people to use drugs in an environment monitored by health care professionals with access to drug use education, sterile supplies, and referral infrastructure to access higher levels of medical and behavioral health resources. Though still illegal under federal law throughout the United States, many legal or quasi-legal (including some in the United States) have operated since the 1980s (Beletsky, Baker et al. 2018). Using CDC overdose deaths and United States Census Bureau population data, we estimate over 14,000 deaths could be averted between 2020 and 2022 if 1 out of 20 injections had taken place at an OPHC. At this rate, over 100 HIV transmissions and 57,000 Hepatitis C Virus transmissions would have been averted as well. Almost 20 billion dollars in discounted lifetime costs to treat those infections could have been saved as well. This data supports OPHCs as a viable public health intervention to avert deaths and avoid infections.
Prevalence of and risk factors for high-risk HPV and cervical cytological abnormalities in women living with HIV in Bali, Indonesia
Authors: Agus Somia I Ketut , Purwanta Made Lady Adelaida , Winarti Ni Wayan , Putra Dwija Ida Bagus Nyoman , Putri Pidari Desak Made , Sawitri A.A.S. , Yuli Gayatri Anak Agung Ayu , Gede Budiana I Nyoman , Putra Pinatih Komang Januartha , Parwati Merati Ketut Tuti
Published: September 2024

Background

Women living with HIV face a higher risk of developing cervical cancer compared to those without HIV. However, comprehensive cervical cancer screening programs for this population are still lacking in Indonesia. This has resulted in many cases of late-stage cervical cancer being diagnosed, especially in Bali, which has experienced an increase in cases of HIV and cervical cancer. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for cervical cytological abnormalities in women living with HIV in Bali and to explore their relationship with high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) types.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study with eligible participants recruited from outpatient HIV clinics in Bali. Between July to December 2023, participants were interviewed to collect demographic and historical medical information, followed by physical examination including collection of cervical swabs and blood samples. Pap smear sampling and swab collection using ThinPrep for cytology. HPV DNA was then identified by PCR and genotyped for HR-HPV 16,18,31,33,35,39,45,51,52,56,58,59,66,68. Blood samples were analyzed for CD4 and CD8 cell counts.

Results

A total of 245 women with HIV at median age of 38 years old (24-50 years) and with median time of ARV therapy of 7 years (0-18 years) were enrolled. Only 239 participants were included in the analysis for their valid initial results. Overall, 26 (10.87%) of samples showed abnormal cytology including 6 (2.5%) ASC-H, 9 (3.8%) ASC-US, 4 (1.7%) H-SIL and 7 (2.9%) L-SIL. Of the 58 (24%) that tested positive for HPV DNA, 18 (31%) samples had abnormal cytology. HPV 18 was the most common genotype detected (n=16 or 28%). Bivariate analysis revealed a significant association between positive HPV DNA and abnormal cytology, with those testing HPV-positive having seven times higher risk of ASC-US or greater (PR=7.022;95%CI=3.223-15.295). Multivariate regression identified having HPV 18 infection as an independent risk factor for abnormal cytology (ExpB=9.029;p=0.007), and a history of Pap smear screening associated with reduced risk of HR-HPV infection (ExpB=0.358;p=0.013).

Conclusion

In our study, 10.87% of women living with HIV had abnormal cytology and 24% had positive HPV DNA tests. HPV 18 was associated with a greater risk of abnormal cytology compared to other high-risk HPV strains, but our sample size was small. History of pap smear was also shown to decrease the risk of HR-HPV infection. The results underscore the need for increased vaccination of younger women and screening of all women living with HIV in Indonesia in order to improve their cervical health outcomes.
Investigating Potential Microbial Contributors to Enhanced Metabolite Production under Oxygen Perturbations: An Integrated Metagenomic and Metabolomic Approach
Authors: Zhou Xueyang , Manna Bharat , Lyu Boyu , Singhal Naresh
Published: September 2024

The specific impacts of oxygen perturbation on microbial communities and their synthesis of metabolites remain unclear. We systematically explored how oxygen perturbations alter microbial growth, subsequently affecting the abundance of functional genes and promoting the synthesis of metabolites such as amino acids. Analysis of microbial community structure indicates dynamic stability under oxygen perturbations, with only a fraction of the microbial abundance being altered. By comparing the abundance of functional genes with metabolic features, we revealed how changes in the microbial community impact the overall system performance. Amino acid biosynthesis has an enhanced potential under conditions of oxygen perturbation. Through biological and statistical correlation analyses, we identified microbial species significantly correlated with the efficiency of target metabolic reactions under oxygen perturbations.Mycolicibacterium madagascariense,Mycolicibacterium fortuitum, andBurkholderia pseudomalleidisplayed strong associations with proline and tryptophan synthesis reactions. Moreover, the abundance of microbial genera includingLabrys,Actinomyces, andNitrosopumilusexhibited a highlysignificant positive correlation with metabolite abundance in enriched metabolic pathways under oxygen perturbations. These results suggest that microbial systems might achieve dynamic stability in community structure under oxygen perturbations, while exhibiting slightly differential metabolic potentials. Notably, enhanced efficiency in amino acid biosynthesis could help to assimilate more carbon and nitrogen resources in activated sludge during wastewater treatment.

SYNOPSIS

We provide an in-depth investigation into the impact of oxygen perturbations on microbial growth in activated sludge systems and the subsequent variations in the abundance of metabolic genes. Our research highlights the potential for subtle changes in amino acid biosynthesis and identifies key microbial species associated with synthesis efficiency. These insights into the dynamic stability and differentiated metabolic potentials of microbial communities during oxygen perturbations can inform the development of more effective resource recovery strategies.
Systematic changes in neural selectivity reflect the acquired salience of category-diagnostic dimensions
Authors: Luthra Sahil , Razin Raha N. , Tierney Adam T. , Holt Lori L. , Dick Frederic
Published: September 2024

Humans and other animals develop remarkable behavioral specializations for identifying, differentiating, and acting on classes of ecologically important signals. Ultimately, this expertise is flexible enough to support diverse perceptual judgments: a voice, for example, simultaneously conveys what a talker says as well as myriad cues about her identity and state. Mature perception across complex signals thus involves both discovering and learning regularities that best inform diverse perceptual judgments, and weighting this information flexibly as task demands change. Here, we test whether this flexibility may involve endogenous attentional gain to task-relevant dimensions. We use two prospective auditory category learning tasks to relate a complex, entirely novel soundscape to four classes of “alien identity” and two classes of “alien size.” Identity, but not size, categorization requires discovery and learning of patterned acoustic input situated in one of two simultaneous, frequency- delimited bands. This allows us to capitalize on the coarsely segregated frequency-band- specific channels of auditory tonotopic maps using fMRI to ask whether category-relevant perceptual information is prioritized relative to simultaneous, uninformative information. Among participants expert at alien identity categorization, we observe prioritization of the diagnostic frequency band that persists even when the diagnostic information becomes irrelevant in the size categorization task. Tellingly, the neural selectivity evoked implicitly in categorization aligns closely with activation driven by explicit, sustained selective attention to other sounds presented in the same frequency band. Additionally, we observe fingerprints of individual differences in the learning trajectories taken to achieve expert-level categorization in patterns of neural activity associated with the diagnostic dimension. In all, this indicates that acquiring categories can drive the emergence of acquired attentional salience to dimensions of acoustic input.
Acceptability of Overground Wearable Powered Exoskeletons for People with Spinal Cord Injury: a Multicenter Qualitative Study
Authors: Fortin-Bédard Noémie , Pellichero Alice , Leplaideur Stéphanie , Delebecque Marie-Caroline , Charette Caroline , Allègre Willy , Champagne Alyson , Rahn Caroline , Blanchette Andréanne K. , Bouyer Laurent , Kerdraon Jacques , Lamontagne Marie-Eve , Routhier François
Published: September 2024

Background

Exoskeletons are used in rehabilitation centers for people with spinal cord injury (SCI) due to the potential benefits they offer for locomotor rehabilitation. The acceptability of exoskeletons is crucial to promote rehabilitation and to ensure a successful implementation of this technology. The objective was to explore the acceptability of overground wearable powered exoskeleton used in rehabilitation among people with SCI.

Methods

Fourteen individuals with SCI (9 men, mean age 47 years [14,8], majority with traumatic and thoracic lesion (T6-T12)) who had utilized an exoskeleton in Canada or in France during their rehabilitation participated in a semi-structured interview. A thematic analysis using the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability was carried out.

Results

Participants were motivated to use an exoskeleton during their rehabilitation. They reported several perceived benefits to its use, including better walking pattern, increased endurance and greater muscle mass. They also experienced mild pain, notable concentration demands and fatigue. Most participants reported that using exoskeletons in their rehabilitation process was appropriate and relevant to them.

Conclusions

Exoskeletons are generally well accepted by participants in this study. Adjustments in their use, such as conducting training sessions in obstacle-free environment and technological improvements to address the device’s restrictive characteristics, heaviness, and massiveness are however still needed.