bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interracial Marriage
Authors: Osuji Chinyere
Published: March 2024

The concept of interracial marriage, previously referred to as “miscegenation,” relies on the notion created in the 15th and 16th centuries in Inquisition-era Spain that human beings can be separated into different races. As they expelled non-Christians from Europe, Spaniards employed these meanings to marriage and family formation both at home and in the Americas as they conquered indigenous peoples, enslaved Africans, and built colonial settlements. In what became the United States, European colonizers and their White descendants shaped law and society to expand or contract the rights of interracial couples and their descendants. Notwithstanding, interracial couples and their descendants reacted to the racial status quo to form the partnerships and families they desired. One of the major social functions of marriage is to determine inheritance and property rights. Throughout history, formal or legal marriage was often reserved for elites within a given society. Although enslaved Africans and their descendants were able to marry at the discretion of their masters, these relationships were legally binding depending on how the law saw enslaved people. Within Anglo-America, enslaved people were seen as property and could not marry; in Spanish and French America, under the influence of the Catholic Church, the enslaved were seen as having souls and could indeed marry. Becoming incorporated as a slave state into the post-independence United States (i.e., Florida, Louisiana) meant that enslaved people lost this ability to marry. White men often sexually assaulted the Black women they enslaved and forced them to give birth to children who increased their wealth and were part of the property that could be inherited or passed down to heirs. For these reasons, master-slave intimacies lie outside the scope of a marital union. At the same time, throughout US history, White men also engaged in a variety of marital unions with free Black women. These included formal religious or state-sanctioned marriage, cohabitation, and even concubinage across racial lines. Jim Crow laws made formal intermarriage illegal. This review provides a starting point for those interested in interracial marriage in the United States and beyond, with discussion of its social and legal history, perspectives on their meaning in society, contemporary realities of people in and affected by interracial marriages, and future directions in examining interracial marriage.
Black Classicism in the United States
Authors: Ronnick Michele Valerie
Published: March 2024

First defined by Michele Valerie Ronnick in the second edition of Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience, edited by Kwame Anthony Appiah and Henry Louis Gates Jr. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1999) and online at Oxford African American Studies Center, Black classicism (also known as Afro-Classicism or Classica Africana) is the history and analysis of the influence of Greco-Roman civilization upon the professional and creative lives of people of African descent. It is a division of a larger field known as classical reception, which examines the influence of Greco-Roman culture on people and places throughout the world after the end of antiquity. For hundreds of years, any person who wished to be considered educated and/or be part of the institutions of the Western world had training in Greek and Latin. This was true for many people of African descent as well as those of Mediterranean and European descent. A broad range of disparate material archived and/or published over many years in journals, newspapers, books, school catalogues, encyclopedias, and various handbooks provides vital evidence with which to understand the achievements made by people of African descent vis-à-vis classical studies. Using this evidence, scholars are now documenting this important and multifaceted dynamic. Although a comprehensive, full-blown academic study has yet to be made, it is clear that the history and culture of Greece and Rome have had an important impact upon people of African descent and can be seen in contemporary Afro-diasporic studies and Afro-European literatures.
GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra vs Unstimulated Interferon γ (IRISA-TB) for the Diagnosis of Tuberculous Pericarditis in a Tuberculosis-Endemic Setting
Authors: Randall Philippa , Esmail Aliasgar , Wilson Lindsay , Makambwa Edson , Pooran Anil , Tomasicchio Michele , Dheda Keertan , Ntsekhe Mpiko
Published: March 2024

Background

Tuberculous pericarditis (TBP) is a paucibacillary disease, where host biomarkers such as unstimulated interferon γ (IRISA-TB) have high diagnostic accuracy. However, DNA-based diagnostic tests (GeneXpert Ultra), more sensitive than an earlier versions, have recently become available. Given that the diagnosis of TBP is challenging, we performed a comparative diagnostic accuracy study comparing both assays.

Methods

We recruited 99 consecutive patients with suspected TBP in Cape Town, South Africa. Definite TBP was defined by microbiological confirmation of tuberculosis (TB) on pericardial fluid culture or an alternative polymerase chain reaction–based test (GeneXpert MTB/RIF) or by use of sputum (polymerase chain reaction or culture). Probable TBP was defined as a high clinical suspicion of TB accompanied by anti-TB treatment, while non-TBP was defined as negative microbiological test results for TB without initiation of TB treatment and/or the presence of an alternative diagnosis.

Results

There were 39 patients with definite TBP, 35 with probable TBP, and 23 with non-TBP. Approximately 70% of participants who received TB treatment were HIV coinfected. Overall, IRISA-TB was more sensitive than Xpert Ultra (88.6% [95% CI, 74.1%–95.5%] vs 71.5% [55.0%–83.7%], n = 53) and significantly more sensitive in participants who were HIV uninfected (100% [95% CI, 72.3%–100.0%] vs 60% [31.3%–83.2%], P = .03). In patients with definite and probable TBP combined (n = 84), sensitivity was significantly higher with IRISA-TB (77.3% [95% CI, 65.9%–85.8%] vs 37.9 [27.2%–50.0%], P < .0001). A similar pattern was seen in persons who were HIV uninfected (88.3% vs 35.3%, P = .002). Specificity was high for both assays (>95%).

Conclusions

Unstimulated interferon γ (IRISA-TB) was significantly more sensitive than Xpert Ultra for the diagnosis of TB pericarditis in a TB-endemic resource-poor setting.
Supervised Telerehabilitation and Home-Based Respiratory Muscle Training for Post–COVID-19 Condition Symptoms: A Nested Qualitative Study Exploring the Perspectives of Participants in a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Palacios-Ceña Domingo , Bautista-Villaécija Oscar , Güeita-Rodríguez Javier , García-Bravo Cristina , Pérez-Corrales Jorge , Del Corral Tamara , López-de-Uralde-Villanueva Ibai , Fabero-Garrido Raúl , Plaza-Manzano Gustavo
Published: March 2024

Objective

The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of individuals with post–coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) condition symptoms who underwent a supervised telerehabilitation and home-based respiratory muscle training (TSHB-RMT) program.

Methods

A qualitative descriptive study was conducted. Participants were recruited using purposeful sampling. The inclusion criteria consisted of: patients aged over 18 years who presented persistent COVID-19 symptoms of fatigue and dyspnea for at least 3 months after the COVID-19 diagnosis. In total, 28 patients were included. In-depth interviews and researcher field notes were used to collect the data. A thematic analysis was performed.

Results

Three themes reflect the patients’ perspective on the TSHB-RMT before the program (reasons for participating), during the treatment program, and upon completion of the study. Among the reasons for participation, participants highlighted the absence of improvement and treatment, and feeling abandoned and forgotten by the health system. The treatment required discipline on behalf of the patients. Mondays and Tuesdays were the most difficult days for performing the therapy, and the physical therapist was perceived as a tool for adherence, change, and a source of validated information. The patients perceived positive effects quite soon; however, it was necessary to extend the follow-up after completing the program because they abandoned the program due to the lack of guidance for exercise supervision.

Conclusion

This study described relevant aspects that physical therapist professionals should consider when providing TSHB-RMT treatment.

Impact

TSHB-RMT requires discipline, perseverance, effort, and a commitment to the group. The physical therapist is perceived as the tool that facilitates adherence and participation. The effects are rapidly perceived, leading to improved self-confidence and autonomy; however, it is necessary to increase the follow-up time.
Metabolic profiling of aortic stenosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy identifies mechanistic contrasts in substrate utilization
Authors: Pal Nikhil , Acharjee Animesh , Ament Zsuzsanna , Dent Tim , Yavari Arash , Mahmod Masliza , Ariga Rina , West James , Steeples Violetta , Cassar Mark , Howell Neil J. , Lockstone Helen , Elliott Kate , Yavari Parisa , Briggs William , Frenneaux Michael , Prendergast Bernard , Dwight Jeremy S. , Kharbanda Rajesh , Watkins Hugh , Ashrafian Houman , Griffin Julian L.
Published: March 2024

Aortic stenosis (AS) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are distinct disorders leading to left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), but whether cardiac metabolism substantially differs between these in humans remains to be elucidated. We undertook an invasive (aortic root, coronary sinus) metabolic profiling in patients with severe AS and HCM in comparison with non‐LVH controls to investigate cardiac fuel selection and metabolic remodeling. These patients were assessed under different physiological states (at rest, during stress induced by pacing). The identified changes in the metabolome were further validated by metabolomic and orthogonal transcriptomic analysis, in separately recruited patient cohorts. We identified a highly discriminant metabolomic signature in severe AS in all samples, regardless of sampling site, characterized by striking accumulation of long‐chain acylcarnitines, intermediates of fatty acid transport across the inner mitochondrial membrane, and validated this in a separate cohort. Mechanistically, we identify a downregulation in the PPAR‐α transcriptional network, including expression of genes regulating fatty acid oxidation (FAO). In silico modeling of β‐oxidation demonstrated that flux could be inhibited by both the accumulation of fatty acids as a substrate for mitochondria and the accumulation of medium‐chain carnitines which induce competitive inhibition of the acyl‐CoA dehydrogenases. We present a comprehensive analysis of changes in the metabolic pathways (transcriptome to metabolome) in severe AS, and its comparison to HCM. Our results demonstrate a progressive impairment of β‐oxidation from HCM to AS, particularly for FAO of long‐chain fatty acids, and that the PPAR‐α signaling network may be a specific metabolic therapeutic target in AS.
Arthroscopic Hemitrapeziectomy and Extensor Carpis Radialis Longus Suspensioplasty With Intermetacarpal Ligament Reconstruction for Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint Osteoarthritis: Surgical Technique
Authors: Sous José , Tovar-Bazaga Miguel , Teixeira-Taborda Astrid
Published: March 2024

Most of the classical reconstructive procedures for the treatment of thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) joint osteoarthritis consist of partial or complete trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition (LRTI). Traditionally, this was performed with an open approach. In the last 2 decades, emerging arthroscopic techniques have been developed. Although more technically challenging, arthroscopic management of CMC pathology provides the potential benefits of minimally invasive surgery. Despite several different arthroscopic approaches that exist, in recent years, arthroscopic hemitrapeziectomy with suture button (SB) suspensionplasty has become popular, with overall good outcomes. However, several complications associated with the SB device have been described as requiring secondary surgery. In this report, we present and describe a new surgical technique for arthroscopic treatment of thumb CMC osteoarthritis that combines the benefits of arthroscopic management with the potential advantages of ligament reconstruction by creating a real anatomical and biological reconstruction of the intermetacarpal ligament using a distally based strip of the extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL) tendon with a minimally invasive approach. Our ongoing research data show encouraging preliminary clinical and radiologic outcomes at the latest follow-up, with further studies forthcoming.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV.
Trabeculotomy Using the Kahook Dual Blade for Exfoliation Glaucoma and Primary Open Angle Glaucoma: Comparison of Outcomes According to Incision Range
Authors: Irie Anna , Nakashima Kei-Ichi , Inoue Toshihiro , Kojima Sachi , Takihara Yuji , Takahashi Eri
Published: March 2024

Précis:

Large amount of trabeculotomy with Kahook Dual Blade (KDB) confers better intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering.

Purpose:

We compared the postoperative outcomes of trabeculotomy using the KDB in patients with exfoliation glaucoma (EXG) and primary open angle glaucoma between the 120-degree incision and the 210- to 240-degree incision groups.

Patients and Methods:

We retrospectively analyzed the postoperative outcomes of trabeculotomy performed using the KDB in 101 eyes with EXG and primary open angle glaucoma, who received 120- and 210- to 240-degree incisions at Kumamoto University Hospital between April 25, 2018, and August 11, 2021. Kaplan-Meyer survival curves were used to assess the outcomes. Surgical failure was defined as IOP ≥21 mm Hg (criterion A) and ≥19 mm Hg (criterion B), or an IOP ≤4 mm Hg in either criterion and the need for additional glaucoma surgery.

Results:

In total, 64 and 37 eyes were included in the 120 and 210- to 240-degree groups, respectively. The 210- to 240-degree group had a higher 1-year success rate compared with the 120-degree group, both when considering all eyes and when considering only those with EXG (P<0.05).

Conclusions:

In trabeculotomy with KDB, a 210- to 240-degree incision was more effective than a 120-degree incision in lowering IOP in EXG cases.
Long-Term Follow-Up of Myopic Glaucoma: Progression Rates and Associated Factors
Authors: Huh Min Gu , Shin Young In , Jeong Yoon , Kim Young Kook , Park Ki Ho , Jeoung Jin Wook
Published: March 2024

Précis:

In the group of glaucoma patients with myopia, the more severe the degree of myopia, the faster the loss of visual acuity and central visual field defect.

Design:

Longitudinal observational study.

Objective:

To investigate the progression rate of myopic glaucoma and associated factors by long-term analysis of its clinical course.

Methods:

Patients who had had at least 5 years of follow-up and a spherical equivalent of –0.5 diopters or less were included in this study. They were divided into 3 myopia groups according to myopic grade, namely mild myopia (–0.5 to –3.0 diopters), moderate myopia (–3.0 to –6.0 diopters), and high myopia (–6.0 diopters or more), and the clinical course, progression rate, and associated factors were compared among the groups and analyzed.

Results:

A total of 121 eyes of 121 patients with glaucoma with myopia were included in the study. The average follow-up period was 10.4 ± 2.9 years. In the analysis of progression rate, the change rate of average retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness (–0.75 μm/y in mild myopia, –0.82 μm/y in moderate myopia, –0.84 μm/y in high myopia) and the mean deviation change (–0.30 dB/y in mild myopia, –0.37 dB/y in moderate myopia, –0.39 dB/y in high myopia) both tended to be faster as the myopic grade increased. In a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, the high myopia groups demonstrated a significantly faster VA loss (of more than 3 lines) and a higher incidence of newly developed central visual field defect (CVFD) than did the mild and moderate myopia groups. Longer axial length (odds ratio: 1.72, CI: 1.03–3.07, P = 0.047) and RNFL defect extending to the macula (odds ratio: 4.14, CI: 1.54–12.30, P = 0.007) were significantly associated with newly developed CVFD.

Conclusions:

In patients with myopic glaucoma, the higher the degree of myopia, the faster the rate of visual acuity loss and CVFD occurrence. Occurrence of CVFD was associated with longer axial length and widening of RNFLr defect to the macula.
Surgical Outcomes of Early Versus Late Onset Glaucoma Associated With Sturge-Weber Syndrome
Authors: Senthilkumar Vijayalakshmi A. , Prakash Sarvesswaran , Puthuran George Varghese , Uduman Mohammed Sithiq , Krishnadas Subbaiah Ramasamy , Gedde Steven Jon
Published: March 2024

Précis:

Long-term intraocular pressure control can be difficult to achieve in eyes with Sturge-Weber syndrome glaucoma. The most commonly performed primary surgery was trabeculotomyin early onset disease and tube shunt implantation in late onset disease.

Purpose:

To compare long-term surgical outcomes of glaucoma associated with Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) in eyes with early and late-onset disease.

Methods:

Medical records of children with glaucoma associated with SWS who underwent surgical treatment between January 1990 and December 2018 were reviewed. Those diagnosed ≤2 years of age were categorized as early onset while those who were diagnosed >2 years of age were late onset. Failure was defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) >21 mm Hg or reduced <20% below baseline on 2 consecutive follow-up visits after 3 months, IOP ≤5 mm Hg on 2 consecutive follow-up visits, reoperation for glaucoma or a complication, or loss of light perception.

Results:

Forty-three eyes of 36 children were studied, including 26 eyes in the early-onset group and 17 eyes in the late-onset group. The early-onset group more frequently presented with buphthalmos, corneal edema, and Haab striae, while late-onset group had higher baseline IOP, larger cup-to-disc ratio, and longer axial length. The most commonly performed primary surgery was trabeculotomy (50%) in early-onset group and tube shunt implantation (71%) in late-onset group. The cumulative probability of failure after 5 years follow-up was 50.6% in early-onset group and 50.9% in the late-onset group (P=0.56). Postoperative complications occurred in 3 eyes (12%) in early-onset group and 11 eyes (65%) in late-onset group (P<0.001).

Conclusions:

Early and late-onset SWS glaucoma may represent 2 entities with different pathogenetic mechanisms, clinical presentations, primary surgical choices, and outcomes, though this needs corroboration in future studies.
Venlafaxine-Associated Rhabdomyolysis
Authors: Ren Jieru , Wang Ying , Nie Jing , Sun Lei , Wu Huina , Li Yamei , Wu Jiyong
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This systematic review aimed to investigate the clinical manifestations and characteristics of venlafaxine-associated rhabdomyolysis.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Elsevier, Science Direct, Embase, Springer Link, Wiley Online Library, CNKI, and Wanfang databases from the date of database inception to January 2023. Previously reported cases of venlafaxine-associated rhabdomyolysis were identified, and relevant data from these cases were collected for descriptive statistical analysis. Cases that met the inclusion criteria were evaluated to determine the correlation between adverse reactions and venlafaxine.

Results

A total of 12 patients with venlafaxine-associated rhabdomyolysis were included. None of these patients had a history of muscle pain or discomfort. Of the 12 patients, 5 patients received venlafaxine at doses of ≤225 mg/d, whereas the remaining 7 patients received doses exceeding 225 mg/d. The main clinical symptoms included myalgia, muscle weakness, and renal injury. All 12 patients discontinued venlafaxine and received symptomatic care.

Conclusions

Venlafaxine, used either as a monotherapy or in combination with other drugs, may be associated with rhabdomyolysis. Creatine kinase levels may normalize or significantly decrease after discontinuation of venlafaxine and symptomatic treatment.
Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus
Authors: Nellis Julia , Gardner Kenzie
Published: March 2024

Lichen sclerosus (LS) et atrophicus et atrophicus, commonly referred to as LS, is a relatively uncommon chronic inflammatory condition that typically affects the skin of the vulvar and perianal regions but can involve extragenital areas. This review will focus primarily on vulvar LS. Although LS can affect men and prepubescent patients, LS has a much higher incidence in women over the age of 30 years. When correctly diagnosed and treated in its earlier stages, LS, although still chronic, is manageable with the appropriate protocol. When left untreated or poorly managed, LS can progress to its later “atrophic” stages and cause severe lichenification, atrophy, and destructive scarring, resulting in the loss of normal anatomic landmarks and function of the genitals. In addition, both men and women with genital LS have an increased risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma in the affected skin. In women, 65% of genital squamous cell carcinomas arise from a preexisting lesion from LS. This can negatively affect a patient's sleep and physical, mental, and social/emotional health. Increased awareness of the presentation and symptoms, in both providers and patients, of LS et atrophicus encourages earlier treatment and management while preventing long-term, irreversible physical, mental, and emotional damage.
Tumid Lupus Case Report
Authors: Valentine Elizabeth , Wallace Katie
Published: March 2024

Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) can present with a wide variety of dermatologic manifestations and is broken down into acute, subacute, and chronic subtypes. Tumid lupus, a variant of CLE, is rarely associated with systemic lupus erythematosus. Lesions of CLE and tumid lupus can mimic multiple other dermatologic conditions. We present a case of a patient with tumid lupus who was initially treated for erythema migrans and systemic symptoms suspected to represent Lyme disease. This article is intended for nurse practitioners, nurses, and other clinicians practicing in dermatology, primary care, urgent care, and emergency medicine settings in the care of patients presenting with annular skin lesions.
A Gender-Affirming Approach to Fertility Care for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Patients
Authors: Powers William J. , Costescu Dustin , Massarella Carys , Gale Jenna , Singh Sukhbir S.
Published: March 2024

Although many transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people express a desire to become parents, providing quality counseling that encompasses patients' short-term and long-term fertility options often represents a challenge for health care professionals. Fertility care (from preservation to restoration or assisted reproduction or both) has a low uptake in the TGD population, with barriers including financial cost, concerns regarding health care professionals’ biases, and patient misconceptions or lack of awareness of fertility outcomes. Fertility care is particularly important for the TGD population, because gender-affirming hormone therapy can negatively affect fertility. Despite this importance, existing guidelines and research on this subject are limited. This article summarizes the currently available fertility care options for TGD patients and provides our clinical opinion on their best provision. We highlight that it is essential for health care professionals to provide TGD patients with holistic counseling to facilitate informed decision making about their reproductive health before initiating gender-affirming therapy. Fertility counseling should outline the options available for the patient, keeping their needs and preferences at the center of the conversation while advising on the associated risks and financial costs.
Heterotopic Ossification Is Associated with Painful Neuromas in Transtibial Amputees Undergoing Surgical Treatment of Symptomatic Neuromas
Authors: Raasveld Floris V. , Liu Wen-Chih , Renthal William R. , Fleming Mark E. , Valerio Ian L. , Eberlin Kyle R.
Published: March 2024

Background:

A relationship between nerve and osseous regeneration has been described. During the surgical treatment of symptomatic neuroma in transtibial amputees, the authors have found that heterotopic ossification (HO) depicted on preoperative radiographs appeared to be associated with the location of symptomatic neuromas in both the peroneal and tibial nerve distributions.

Methods:

Data were collected for transtibial amputees who underwent surgical management of symptomatic neuroma and were prospectively enrolled from 2018 through 2023. Preoperative radiographs were assessed for the presence of HO located at the distal fibula and tibia. The presence of a peroneal or tibial neuroma was based on findings contained within the operative reports. Pain levels were measured on a numeric rating scale (0 to 10).

Results:

Sixty-five limbs of 62 amputees were included. Peroneal neuroma and presence of fibular HO (P = 0.001) and tibial neuroma and presence of tibial HO (P = 0.038) demonstrated an association. The odds of having a symptomatic peroneal neuroma with fibular HO present were greater than the odds of a symptomatic peroneal neuroma when fibular HO was absent (OR, 9.3 [95% CI, 1.9 to −45.6]; P = 0.006). Preoperative pain scores were significantly higher for all patients with HO (P < 0.001), those with fibular HO (P < 0.001), and those with tibial HO (P < 0.001), compared with patients without HO.

Conclusions:

In patients with symptomatic neuromas, preoperative pain was worse when HO was present in the transtibial amputee’s residual limb. Further research on the neuroma–HO complex in symptomatic amputees is required.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:

Risk, III.
Reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Prosthesis Embodiment Scale for Lower Limb Amputees
Authors: Demirdel Senem , Demirdel Ertuğrul , Söyler Osman , Akyol Mesut
Published: March 2024

Background:

Prosthetic embodiment is the perception of the prosthesis as a part of the body, and it is important for acceptance and adequate and effective use of the prosthesis.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Prosthesis Embodiment Scale for Lower Limb Amputees.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study included a total of 88 lower limb amputees. Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach α coefficient. The test-retest reliability of the scale, which was reapplied after 7–10 d, was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficient. Principal component analysis with Varimax rotation was used to analyze the factor structure. Spearman correlation coefficient with Trinity Amputation and Prosthesis Experience Scale subscales was calculated for concurrent validity.

Results:

The mean age of the participants was 45.13 ± 15.05 years, and 76.1% were male. Internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.905) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.822) were high. 76.1% of the total variance could be explained by the 3 dimensions. Significant correlation was found with the Trinity Amputation and Prosthesis Experience Scale subscales (r = 0.542 for psychosocial adjustment subscale, r = −0.452 for activity restriction subscale, r = 0.490 for prosthesis satisfaction subscale, p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

The results of this study showed that the Turkish version of the Prosthesis Embodiment Scale for Lower Limb Amputees is a valid and reliable tool that can be used to evaluate prosthetic rehabilitation outcomes.
Use of standardized outcome measures for people with lower-limb amputation: A survey of prosthetic practitioners in Canada
Authors: Pousett Brittany Mae , Kok Bram P. W. , Morgan Sara J. , Hafner Brian J.
Published: March 2024

Background:

Outcome measures (OMs) are useful tools; however, clinicians may find implementing them into clinical practice challenging.

Objectives:

To characterize Canadian prosthetists’ use of OMs for people with lower-limb amputation, including motivations for use, comfort selecting OMs, resources available for administration, and barriers to implementation.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted between March and July 2021. Orthotics Prosthetics Canada sent Canadian prosthetists an invitation to take the online survey.

Results:

Forty-nine Certified Prosthetists completed the survey. Only 16% of participants reported that they were expected to use OMs. Participants reported being more comfortable administering performance-based OMs than self-report surveys. More than two-thirds of participants agreed that OMs “can be administered with knowledge they have” and are “within their scope of practice.” However, less than 25% agreed that OMs are “administered in a standardized way in the profession,” and less than 40% indicated they are “easy to make part of my routine.” Participants reported they generally have time and space to do OMs, but there was no agreed-on reason to use them.

Conclusions:

Use of OMs among Canadian prosthetists seems to be low relative to prosthetists in the United States. Education, financial incentives, or changes to professional expectations are likely needed to increase routine OM use. Efforts to improve the standardization of OM administration and ease the incorporation of OMs into routine practice may also increase use. Canadian prosthetists may elevate their standards of clinical practice and better understand the impact of prosthetic treatments on their patients by more routinely using OMs.
Cumulative exposure to depressive symptoms and all-cause mortality among adults with HIV in Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda
Authors: Kemp Christopher G. , Pence Brian W. , Velloza Jennifer , Concepcion Tessa , Moitra Modhurima , Iroezindu Michael , Bahemana Emmanuel , Kibuuka Hannah , Semwogerere Michael , Owuoth John , Maswai Jonah , Langat Rither , Esber Allahna L. , Dear Nicole F. , Parikh Ajay , Crowell Trevor A. , Ake Julie A. , Polyak Christina S. , Collins Pamela Y. ,   the AFRICOS Study Group
Published: March 2024

Objective:

We estimated the effects of cumulative exposure to depressive symptoms on risk of all-cause mortality among people with HIV (PWH) in four African countries.

Design:

An analysis of prospective cohort data.

Methods:

The African Cohort Study (AFRICOS) is a prospective cohort of people receiving care at twelve clinics in Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda. Every 6 months from January 2013 to May 2020, participants underwent laboratory monitoring, structured surveys, and assessment of depressive symptom severity using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). All-cause mortality was the outcome of interest. The predictor of interest was a time-updated measure of the percentage of days lived with depression (PDD). Marginal structural Cox proportional hazards regression models were used, adjusting for potential confounders including time-varying alcohol use, drug use, and viral load.

Results:

Among 2520 enrolled participants, 1479 (59%) were women and the median age was 38 (interquartile range [IQR]: 32–46). At enrollment, 1438 (57%) were virally suppressed (<200 copies/ml) and 457 (18%) had CES-D at least 16, indicating possible depression. Across 9093 observed person-years, the median PDD was 0.7% (IQR: 0–5.9%) with 0.8 deaths per 100 person-years. Leading causes of death included cancer (18% of deaths) and accidents (14%). Models suggested that each 25% absolute increase in PDD was associated with a 69% increase in the risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio: 1.69; 95% confidence interval: 1.18–2.43).

Conclusion:

Cumulative exposure to depressive symptoms was substantially associated with the risk of mortality in this cohort of PWH in Africa.
Oliver Smithies. 23 June 1925—10 January 2017
Authors: Ballou Byron
Published: March 2024

Oliver Smithies was born in Copley, near Halifax in Yorkshire, UK. He received his doctorate from Oxford in 1951, then began working at the Connaught Laboratories in Toronto, where he developed starch gel electrophoresis. This technology allowed identification of genetic variants in human serum proteins and revolutionized protein analysis. After moving to the University of Wisconsin, he studied the genetics of antibody variability, then turned to nucleic acid methods, developing safe cloning vectors, driving production of software for genetic analysis, sequencing several human genes and finally creating genetically engineered animals, for which he later received the Nobel Prize. He then moved to the University of North Carolina, where he developed methods for altering gene dosage in mice, which he used to develop ways to attack complex physiological questions, including blood pressure regulation. Finally, he formulated a new hypothesis to explain kidney glomerular filtration, then devised methods that confirmed the hypothesis. Oliver collaborated with his wife, Nobuyo Maeda, during a long and happy marriage. While maintaining separate laboratories, they stimulated each other's scientific understanding and frequently published together. During a 70-year life in science, he mentored many students, postdoctoral fellows and collaborators, nearly all remaining his friends for life.
Differential involvement of the senses in disgust memories
Authors: Lamond Elliott , Saluja Supreet , Hislop Chloe , J. Stevenson Richard
Published: March 2024

One prediction derived from the disease avoidance account of disgust is that proximal disgust cues (smells, tastes and touches) should elicit this emotion more intensely than distal disgust cues (sights and sounds). If correct, then memories of disgusting experiences should involve smelling, tasting or touching to a greater degree than seeing or hearing. Two surveys were conducted on university students to test this idea, drawing upon their naturalistic experiences. Survey 1 (
N
= 127) asked participants to detail their most
memorable
disgusting, fear-provoking, morally repulsive and yucky/gross experience, with each recollection self-rated for sensory involvement. Survey 2 (
N
= 89) employed the same task, but this time, participants recollected their most common disgusting, fear-provoking, morally repulsive and yucky/gross experience in the preceding week. The majority of disgusting experiences were core disgusts—i.e. related to disease/pathogen presence or stimuli. The proximal and distal sensory cues contributed equally to individuals’ most memorable core disgust experiences, but the proximal senses were more involved than the distal senses in individuals’ most common core disgust experiences. Further, the proximal sensory cues, as compared with the distal sensory cues, were signficantly more involved in core disgust experiences than in morally repulsive and fear-provoking experiences. The implications of these findings for a disease avoidance account of disgust, for multi-sensory disgust research, and core disgust’s classification as an emotion or a drive, are discussed.
Do human–wildlife interactions predict offspring hiding strategies in peri-urban fallow deer?
Authors: Faull Jane , Conteddu Kimberly , Griffin Laura L. , Amin Bawan , Smith Adam F. , Haigh Amy , Ciuti Simone
Published: March 2024

Human activities can induce significant behavioural changes in wildlife. Often explored through extractive interactions (e.g. hunting) that can favour certain behavioural traits, the implications of non-extractive ones, such as wildlife feeding, remain understudied. Research shows that people tend to favour bolder individuals within populations despite their dynamics and consequences being unclear. Using fallow deer in a peri-urban environment, we studied whether mothers that show reduced fear of humans and consistently approach them for food adopt weaker anti-predator strategies by selecting less concealed fawning bedsites closer to human hotspots. This would provide the advantage of additional feeding opportunities in comparison with shyer mothers while keeping their fawns close. Our dataset encompassed 281 capture events of 172 fawns from 110 mothers across 4 years. Surprisingly, mothers that regularly accepted food from humans selected more concealed bedsites farther from human hotspots, giving their offspring better protection while also benefitting from additional food during lactation. Our results show behavioural adaptations by a subset of females and, for the first time, link the tendency to approach humans and strategies to protect offspring. Given previous findings that these begging females also deliver heavier fawns at birth, our research further investigates human–wildlife feeding interactions and their behavioural implications.
Graphene Multiplexed Sensor for Point-of-Need Viral Wastewater-Based Epidemiology
Authors: Geiwitz Michael , Page Owen Rivers , Marello Tio , Kumar Narendra , Hummel Stephen , Belosevich Vsevolod , Ma Qiong , van Opijnen Tim , Batten Bruce , Meyer Michelle M. , Burch Kenneth S.
Published: March 2024

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) can help mitigate the spread of respiratory infections through the early detection of viruses, pathogens, and other biomarkers in human waste. The need for sample collection, shipping, and testing facilities drives up the cost of WBE and hinders its use for rapid detection and isolation in environments with small populations and in low-resource settings. Given the ubiquitousness and regular outbreaks of respiratory syncytial virus, SARS-CoV-2 and various influenza strains, there is a rising need for a low-cost and easy-to-use biosensing platform to detect these viruses locally before outbreaks can occur and monitor their progression. To this end, we have developed an easy-to-use, cost-effective, multiplexed platform able to detect viral loads in wastewater with several orders of magnitude lower limit of detection than mass spectrometry. This is enabled by wafer scale production and aptamers pre-attached with linker molecules, producing forty-four chips at once. Each chip can simultaneously detect four target analytes using twenty transistors segregated into four sets of five for each analyte to allow for immediate statistical analysis. We show our platform’s ability to rapidly detect three virus proteins (SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and Influenza A) and a population normalization molecule (caffeine) in wastewater. Going forward, turning these devices into hand-held systems would enable waste-water epidemiology in low-resource settings and be instrumental for rapid, local outbreak prevention.
LarvaTagger: Manual and automatic tagging ofDrosophilalarval behaviour
Authors: Laurent François , Blanc Alexandre , May Lilly , Gándara Lautaro , Cocanougher Benjamin T. , Jones Benjamin M.W. , Hague Peter , Barré Chloé , Vestergaard Christian L. , Crocker Justin , Zlatic Marta , Jovanic Tihana , Masson Jean-Baptiste
Published: March 2024

Motivation

As more behavioural assays are carried out in large-scale experiments onDrosophilalarvae, the definitions of the archetypal actions of a larva are regularly refined. In addition, video recording and tracking technologies constantly evolve. Consequently, automatic tagging tools forDrosophilalarval behaviour must be retrained to learn new representations from new data. However, existing tools cannot transfer knowledge from large amounts of previously accumulated data. We introduce LarvaTagger, a piece of software that combines a pre-trained deep neural network, providing a continuous latent representation of larva actions for stereotypical behaviour identification, with a graphical user interface to manually tag the behaviour and train new automatic taggers with the updated ground truth.

Results

We reproduced results from an automatic tagger with high accuracy, and we demonstrated that pre-training on large databases accelerates the training of a new tagger, achieving similar prediction accuracy using less data.

Availability

All the code is free and open source. Docker images are also available. Seegit-lab.pasteur.fr/nyx/LarvaTagger.jl.
mLiftOver: Harmonizing Data Across Infinium DNA Methylation Platforms
Authors: Chen Brian H. , Zhou Wanding
Published: March 2024

Infinium DNA methylation BeadChips are widely used for genome-wide DNA methylation profiling at the population scale. Recent updates to probe content and naming conventions in the EPIC version 2 (EPICv2) arrays have complicated integrating new data with previous Infinium array platforms, such as the EPIC and the HumanMethylation450 (HM450) BeadChip. We presentmLiftOver, a user-friendly tool that transfers probe ID, methylation level, and signal intensity data across different Infinium platforms. It manages probe replicates, missing data imputation, and platform-specific bias for accurate data conversion. We validated the tool by applying HM450-based cancer classifiers to EPICv2 cancer data, achieving high accuracy. Additionally, we successfully integrated EPICv2 healthy tissue data with legacy HM450 data for tissue identity analysis and produced consistent copy number profiles in cancer cells.

Availability and implementation

mLiftOver is implemented R and available in the Bioconductor package SeSAMe (version 3.21.13+):https://bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/sesame.htmlAnalysis of EPIC and EPICv2 platform-specific bias and high-confidence mapping is available athttps://github.com/zhou-lab/InfiniumAnnotationV1/blob/main/Anno/EPICv2/EPICv2ToEPIC_conversion.tsv.gzThe source code is available athttps://github.com/zwdzwd/sesame/blob/devel/R/mLiftOver.Runder the MIT license.
Regulation of Diseases-Associated Microglia in the Optic Nerve by Lipoxin B4and Ocular Hypertension
Authors: Maurya Shubham , Lin Maggie , Karnam Shruthi , Singh Tanirika , Kumar Matangi , Ward Emily , Sivak Jeremy , Flanagan John G , Gronert Karsten
Published: March 2024

Background

The resident astrocyte-retinal ganglion cell (RGC) lipoxin circuit is impaired during retinal stress, which includes ocular hypertension-induced neuropathy. Lipoxin B4produced by homeostatic astrocytes directly acts on RGCs to increase survival and function in ocular hypertension-induced neuropathy. RGC death in the retina and axonal degeneration in the optic nerve are driven by the complex interactions between microglia and macroglia. Whether LXB4neuroprotective actions include regulation of other cell types in the retina and/or optic nerve is an important knowledge gap.

Methods

Cellular targets and signaling of LXB4in the retina were defined by single-cell RNA sequencing. Retinal neurodegeneration was induced by injecting silicone oil into the anterior chamber of the mouse eyes, which induced sustained and stable ocular hypertension. Morphological characterization of microglia populations in the retina and optic nerve was established by MorphOMICs and pseudotime trajectory analyses. The pathways and mechanisms of action of LXB4in the optic nerve were investigated using bulk RNA sequencing. Transcriptomics data was validated by qPCR and immunohistochemistry. Differences between experimental groups were assessed by Student’s t-test and one-way ANOVA.

Results

Single-cell transcriptomics identified microglia as a primary target for LXB4in the healthy retina. LXB4downregulated genes that drive microglia environmental sensing and reactivity responses. Analysis of microglial function revealed that ocular hypertension induced distinct, temporally defined, and dynamic phenotypes in the retina and, unexpectedly, in the distal myelinated optic nerve. Microglial expression of CD74, a marker of disease-associated microglia in the brain, was only induced in a unique population of optic nerve microglia, but not in the retina. Genetic deletion of lipoxin formation correlated with the presence of a CD74 optic nerve microglia population in normotensive eyes, while LXB4treatment during ocular hypertension shifted optic nerve microglia toward a homeostatic morphology and non-reactive state and downregulated the expression of CD74. Furthermore, we identified a correlation between CD74 and phospho-phosphoinositide 3-kinases (p-PI3K) expression levels in the optic nerve, which was reduced by LXB4treatment.

Conclusion

We identified early and dynamic changes in the microglia functional phenotype, reactivity, and induction of a unique CD74 microglia population in the distal optic nerve as key features of ocular hypertension-induced neurodegeneration. Our findings establish microglia regulation as a novel LXB4target in the retina and optic nerve. LXB4maintenance of a homeostatic optic nerve microglia phenotype and inhibition of a disease-associated phenotype are potential neuroprotective mechanisms for the resident LXB4pathway.
Identifying leaf anatomy and metabolic regulators that underpin C4photosynthesis inAlloteropsis semialata
Authors: Alenazi Ahmed S , Pereira Lara , Christin Pascal-Antoine , Osborne Colin P , Dunning Luke T
Published: March 2024

C4photosynthesis is a complex trait requiring multiple developmental and metabolic alterations. Despite this complexity, it has independently evolved over 60 times. However, our understanding of the transition to C4is complicated by the fact that variation in photosynthetic type is usually segregated between species.

Here, we perform a genome wide association study (GWAS) using the grassAlloteropsis semialata, the only known species to have C3, intermediate, and C4accessions. We aimed to identify genomic regions associated with the strength of the C4cycle (measured using δ13C), and the development of C4leaf anatomy.

Genomic regions correlated with δ13C include regulators of C4decarboxylation enzymes (RIPK), non-photochemical quenching (SOQ1), and the development of Kranz anatomy (SCARECROW-LIKE). Regions associated with the development of C4leaf anatomy in the intermediate accessions contain additional leaf anatomy regulators, including those responsible for vein patterning (GSL8) and meristem determinacy (GRF1).

The detection of highly correlated genomic regions with a modest sample size indicates that the emergence of C4photosynthesis inA. semialatarequired a few loci of large effect. The candidate genes could prove to be relevant for engineering C4leaf anatomy in C3species.
NanoPlex: a universal strategy for fluorescence microscopy multiplexing using nanobodies with erasable signals
Authors: Mougios Nikolaos , Cotroneo Elena R. , Imse Nils , Setzke Jonas , Rizzoli Silvio , Simeth Nadja A. , Tsukanov Roman , Opazo Felipe
Published: March 2024

Fluorescence microscopy has long been a transformative technique in biological sciences. Nevertheless, most implementations are limited to a few targets, revealed using primary antibodies (1.Abs) and fluorescently conjugated secondary antibodies. Super-resolution techniques such as Exchange-PAINT and, more recently, SUM-PAINT have increased multiplexing capabilities, but they require specialized equipment, software, and knowledge. To enable multiplexing for any imaging technique in any laboratory, we developed NanoPlex, a streamlined method based on conventional 1.Abs revealed by engineered secondary nanobodies (2.Nbs) that allow to selectively erase the fluorescence signals. We developed three complementary signal removal strategies: OptoPlex (light-induced), EnzyPlex (enzymatic), and ChemiPlex (chemical). We showcase NanoPlex reaching 21 targets for 3D confocal analyses and 5-8 targets fordSTORM and STED super-resolution imaging. NanoPlex has the potential to revolutionize multi-target fluorescent imaging methods, potentially redefining the multiplexing capabilities of antibody-based assays.