bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Burden and predictors of thirty-day readmission in patients with NSTEMI: a retrospective analysis of the 2020 NRD database
Authors: Jha Anil , Patel Palak , Krishnan Anand M. , Sherif Akil A. , Mishra Ajay K. , Mohamed Ahmed , Thirupathy Umabalan , Bhattad Pradnya B. , Roumia Mazen
Published: August 2024

Background

Non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) is an entity which was defined as a type of a coronary syndrome with positive cardiac biomarker of myocardial necrosis with no ST-segment elevation in ECG. Currently, the centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS) Hospital readmission reduction program assistance risk-adjusted 30-day readmission rates for five major clinical entities which includes acute myocardial infarction.

Methods

We performed this retrospective study to look into the current burden and predictors of NSTEMI readmission. Data were obtained from the Nationwide Readmission Database for the year 2020. We analyzed data on hospital readmission of 336 620 adults who were admitted for NSTEMI.

Results

The 30-day readmission rate was 13.5% with NSTEMI being the most common cause of readmission. Mortality was higher in readmitted patients compared to index admission (5.4 vs 3.6%, P = 0.000). Higher risk of readmission was associated with female sex, higher Charlson comorbidity index, and longer length of stay. Lower risk of admission was seen in patients from smaller communities, patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention, and discharged to rehabilitation facilities.

Conclusion

Although we found an improvement in readmission rates compared to prior studies, about 13% of patients continue to get readmitted within 30 days causing significant cost to the healthcare system and often these patients have worse outcomes. We need continuing large-scale studies to identify quality measures to prevent readmission, improve mortality during readmission, and make better use of financial resources.
Sex differences in sleep and sleep-disordered breathing
Authors: Schwarz Esther I. , Schiza Sophia
Published: August 2024

Purpose of review

There is increasing evidence for relevant sex differences in pathophysiology, symptom presentation and outcomes in obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). However, research on sex differences and sex-specific phenotypes in sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is still in its infancy and data on sex differences in other SDB is still very scarce.

Recent findings

While OSA is more common in men than in premenopausal women, the prevalence of OSA doubles postmenopausally and becomes comparable to that of men. Women have a lower collapsibility of the upper airway and a lower arousal threshold. In addition, the rapid eye movement (REM)-apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI) is typically higher in women than in men, but the non-REM-AHI and thus the total AHI is often lower. Women are often symptomatic at lower AHI and present more frequently with symptoms of sleep fragmentation and poor sleep quality. Both certain forms of OSA (e.g. REM-OSA) and certain phenotypes (e.g. COMISA) are more common in women. Men have a higher risk of high loop gain central sleep apnoea.

For a better understanding of sex-typical phenotypes with the aim of a more targeted treatment approach of SDB, adequately powered studies on sex differences in SDB should be conducted.
Predictors and markers of the cardiovascular impact of obstructive sleep apnoea
Authors: Dodani Krish , Pinilla Lucía , Sánchez-de-la-Torre Manuel
Published: August 2024

Purpose of review

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is the most common form of sleep-disordered breathing and has been linked to cardiovascular health. However, some of the findings supporting this are controversial. These discrepancies might be a result of heterogeneity among OSA patients, and thus, additional information would be required to better stratify OSA patients according to cardiovascular risk. In this review, we aim to discuss the potential of biomarkers to fulfil this role.

Recent findings

Randomized controlled trials have been unable to confirm whether OSA treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has a positive effect on cardiovascular outcomes. Emerging physiology-based metrics of OSA seem to be more suitable for identifying patients at higher risk of cardiovascular disease and predicting the effects of CPAP outcomes on cardiovascular health. Similarly, blood-based molecular markers have gained attention in this context over the last few years.

Accurate cardiovascular risk stratification and appropriate treatment allocation for OSA patients remain challenging. However, significant efforts are being made to develop novel tools to address these important issues.
Comparison of eye drop retention time using fluorophotometry in three commercially available lubricant eye drops
Authors: Jia Tianni , Stapleton Fiona , Iqbal Fatima , Showyin Jared , Roy Dibyendu , Roy Maitreyee , Tan Jacqueline
Published: August 2024

SIGNIFICANCE

This is the first study to evaluate the retention time of lubricating eye drops containing various concentrations of sodium hyaluronate using fluorophotometry in a symptomatic dry eye population. Information regarding eye drop retention may be useful for eye care practitioners to assist in the selection of more effective treatments for managing dry eye.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to use fluorophotometry to compare retention time on the ocular surface of three commercially available lubricating eye drops, each containing varying concentrations of sodium hyaluronic acid (HA), and their effects on tear film stability post-instillation in a population with symptoms of dry eye.

METHODS

Adults with symptoms of dry eye (Ocular Surface Disease Index score, >12) were enrolled in this prospective, double-masked comparison of eye drops containing 0.15% HA–hydroxypropyl guar (HPGuar), 0.2% HA, and 0.1% HA. Participants were randomized to the eye drop order and the study eye under evaluation. Each eye drop was admixed with a fluorescent tracer (70-kDa fluorescein isothiocyanate–dextran) at 10% wt/vol, and 10 μL volume was instilled for each evaluation. A fluorophotometer was used to measure the time for the tracer signal to return to baseline. Fluorescein tear breakup time was measured following fluorophotometry assessment.

RESULTS

Retention time for 0.15% HA-HPGuar and 0.2% HA was significantly longer compared with 0.1% HA (p=0.02 and p=0.03). Fluorescein tear breakup time was significantly longer for the 0.15% HA-HPGuar eye drop compared with both the 0.1% HA eye drop (p=0.01) and 0.2% HA eye drop (p=0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

Retention time on the ocular surface of the two eye drops containing higher concentrations of HA was longer than the eye drop with the lowest concentration of HA. The tear film was also more stable with the 0.15% HA-HPGuar eye drop compared with the eye drops containing HA alone, which may be attributable to the other components in the 0.15% HA-HPGuar eye drop.
The Relationship Between Work Environment and Missed Nursing Care in Nurses: The Moderator Role of Profession Self-Efficacy
Authors: Çiriş Yildiz Cennet , Değirmenci Öz Seda , Yilmaz Kuşakli Berra , Korkmaz Irem
Published: August 2024

Aims

This study aimed to examine the relationship between work environment and missed nursing care (MNC) in nurses and determine whether profession self-efficacy has a moderator role in this relationship.

Design

A quantitative, cross-sectional, correlational study design was used to test the study model.

Methods

The study was conducted with 433 nurses in 2 city hospitals in Istanbul, Turkey. Data were collected between November 2022 and February 2023 using the “MISSCARE Survey-Turkish,” the “Work Environment Scale,” and the “Nursing Profession Self-Efficacy Scale.”

Results

The participants had a mean Nursing Profession Self-Efficacy Scale score of 66.67 ± 14.37, a mean Work Environment Scale score of 84.96 ± 13.62, a mean elements of MNC score of 1.30 ± 0.73, and a mean reason for MNC score of 3.18 ± 0.78. Nursing profession self-efficacy was determined to be positively related to the work environment of the participants and their reasons for MNC (respectively, r = 0.276 and r = 0.114) and negatively related to elements of MNC (r = −0.216) (P < 0.05). There was also a negative relationship between the work environment and elements of MNC (r = −0.249; P < 0.05). Profession self-efficacy had a significant moderator role in the relationship between the work environment and elements of MNC. Having low or moderate levels of profession self-efficacy moderated the negative effects of the work environment on elements of MNC.

Conclusions

There is a need for interventions to reduce elements of missed nursing care in nurses. Especially nurses and/or nurse managers may have difficulties in improving their work environment, considering its multifaceted structure. In such cases, administrators can reduce missed nursing care by increasing the profession self-efficacy of nurses. Therefore, profession self-efficacy should be considered in addition to interventions for the work environment to improve care.
Assessing Between- and Within-Hospital Differences in Patient Safety Between Medicaid and Privately Insured Hospital Patients
Authors: Gangopadhyaya Anuj
Published: August 2024

Objectives

The aims of the study are to investigate differences in rates of adverse safety events between nonelderly adult patients with Medicaid and those with private insurance and to assess whether differences are driven by differences in access to quality hospitals or differences in the quality of care delivered within hospitals.

Data source

Inpatient records from 26 states in 2017 were collected from the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality’s Hospital Cost and Utilization Project.

Study Design

This study measures differences in 11 patient safety indicators between patients with Medicaid coverage and patients with private insurance coverage. I use regression analysis to investigate differences in adverse safety events within hospitals. I further establish hospital-level quality based on overall rates of adverse safety events and use regression analysis to evaluate the difference in the probability of admission to high-quality hospitals.

Data Collection/Extraction

This study uses hospital discharge data that is restricted to adults ages 19–64 with Medicaid or private coverage.

Principal Findings

Relative to privately insured patients, Medicaid patients had significantly higher rates of adverse safety events on 8 of 11 patient safety indicators, including on 6 of 7 surgery-related patient safety indicators. Medicaid patients experience respiratory failure and sepsis infections at rates that are 2.9 and 2.5 cases per 1000 greater than rates experienced by privately insured patients. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, patient diagnostic classifications and comorbidities, and geographic factors, 6 of 11 differences in patient safety indicators remained large and statistically significant. These differences were unchanged when further including hospital indicators, indicating that Medicaid and privately insured patients receive different quality of care within hospitals. There is little association between overall hospital quality and differences in the probability of admission between Medicaid and privately covered patients.

Conclusions

Medicaid patients received lower quality of care, based on patient safety metrics, relative to privately insured patients within the same hospitals. Reducing payer disparities in adverse safety events requires reforming staffing and treatment patterns for Medicaid and privately insured patients within hospitals.

Study Date and Location

Analysis for this study was conducted in 2023 at the Urban Institute and at Loyola University Chicago.
Reverse Encoding Distortion Correction for Clinical Head Echo-Planar Diffusion-Weighted MRI: Initial Experience
Authors: Kashiwagi Nobuo , Sakai Mio , Nakamoto Atushi , Takahashi Hiroto , Isogawa Yuka , Suzuki Yuki , Yamada Sawaka , Tomiyama Miyuki , Nakanishi Katsuyuki , Tomiyama Noriyuki
Published: August 2024

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of the recently commercialized reverse encoding distortion correction (RDC) method for echo-planar imaging (EPI) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) by applying clinical head MRI.

Methods

This study included 50 consecutive patients who underwent head MRI, including single-shot (SS) EPI DWI and RDC-EPI DWI. For evaluation of normal structures, qualitative scores for image distortion, Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) values, distortion ratios, and mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were assessed in the pons, temporal lobe at the skull base, and frontal lobe at the level of the lateral ventricles in 30 patients. To evaluate pathologies, qualitative scores for image distortion were assessed for 25 intracranial and 21 extracranial pathologies identified in 32 patients.

Results

Qualitative scores for image distortion, DSC values, distortion ratios, and mean ADC values of the pons and temporal lobe were significantly different between SS-EPI DWI and RDC-EPI DWI, whereas those of the frontal lobe at the level of the lateral ventricles were not significantly different between the 2 DWIs. The qualitative scores for image distortion and mean ADC values of extracranial pathologies were significantly different between the DWIs, whereas those of intracranial pathologies were not significantly different.

Conclusions

RDC-EPI DWI significantly reduced image distortion and showed higher mean ADC values of the brain parenchyma in the skull base and extracranial pathologies.
Prognostic Prediction of Multiterritory Flap: A Preliminary Clinical Study on the Classification of Priority Developing Artery and Arterial Anastomosis Utilizing Indocyanine Green Angiography
Authors: Cao Zilong , Jiao Hu , Gan Cheng , Tian Jia , Zhang Tiran , Li Rui , Yue Qiang , Liu Liqiang
Published: August 2024

Background:

Congestion and necrosis are frequent complications in multiterritory flaps. Indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) is a commonly utilized tool for evaluating blood flow and perforator location within the flap; however, there is currently no existing research investigating its potential to predict flap prognosis before surgery.

Methods:

The forehead skin of 50 surgical patients was assessed using preoperative ICGA, enabling observation and classification of the priority developing artery and arterial anastomosis among adjacent arterial perfusion territories during the arterial phase. Subsequently, 5 clinical cases of forehead flap transfer were studied to validate the classification method.

Results:

First, the priority developing artery can be classified into 4 types and 5 subtypes, encompassing type Ⅰa: Bilateral ST-As equalization type (9/50), type Ⅰb: unilateral ST-A dominance type (11/50), type II: SOT-As dominance type (14/50), type III: unilateral ST-A plus SOT-A dominance type (6/50), and type IV: bilateral ST-As plus SOT-As equilibrium type (10/50). Second, arterial anastomosis can be divided into 5 types: type I: complete choke anastomosis type (13/50), type II: complete true anastomosis type (7/50), type III: central choke anastomosis type (10/50), type IV: bilateral choke anastomosis type (8/50), and type V: unilateral choke anastomosis type (12/50). Finally, the clinical flap outcomes showed that the ICGA classification could serve as a good prognostic indicator.

Conclusions:

The hemodynamic classification of priority developing artery and arterial anastomosis employed by ICGA has the potential to predict flap prognosis and offer valuable insights for preoperative design and perioperative treatment strategies. More sample size is needed to optimize and validate this classification.
The Current State of Regionalization in Otolaryngologic Specialized Tumor Care for Tumor Diagnoses
Authors: Torabi Sina J. , Nguyen Theodore V. , Goshtasbi Khodayar , Roman Kelsey M. , Tjoa Tjoson , Haidar Yarah M. , Djalilian Hamid R. , Kuan Edward C.
Published: August 2024

Objective:

The current extent of otolaryngologic cancer care regionalization is unclear. This study characterizes case volume regionalization patterns for 4 distinct otolaryngologic tumors—head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs), thyroid cancers (TCs), vestibular schwannomas, and pituitary adenomas (PAs).

Methods:

The 2010–2016 National Cancer Database was queried for patients with HNSCCs, TCs, vestibular schwannomas, and PAs. Facility geographic locations were divided into 4 geographical quadrants. High-volume facilities (HVFs) were defined as top 100 by volume facility for ≥1 pathology.

Results:

A total of 191/1342 facilities (4.2%) were defined as an HVF. Vestibular schwannoma was the most regionalized, with 65.9% of patients treated at an HVF. Thyroid cancer (37.4%) and HNSCC (38.8%) were the least commonly treated at HVFs. Forty-one/191 (21.5%) were classified as HVFs for all 4 pathologies. Factors predictive of treatment at HVFs included age <65, higher income, and private insurance, larger tumor size, and lower American Joint Committee on Cancer stage.

Conclusion:

Over 20% of HVFs were considered high-volume for all 4 pathologies. Vestibular schwannomas were the most regionalized compared with PAs, TCs, and HSNCCs.
Late Facial Edema After Lip Filling With Hyaluronic Acid: Possible Association With the Use of Ozempic
Authors: de Oliveira Ciaramicolo Nathaly , Bisson Gabriela Barbosa , Piedade Emanuela de Fatima da Silva , Osny Ferreira Junior
Published: August 2024

In recent years there has been an extraordinary increase in the use of different filler materials as facial cosmetic treatments. The popularity of injectable tissue fillers among individuals who wish to restore volume and gain a more youthful appearance is because it is a minimally invasive esthetic procedure for soft tissue augmentation. However, although they are considered efficient and safe, they can trigger complications such as swelling, bruising, erythema, pain, infection, nodule formation, vascular occlusion, and pigmentary changes. The objective of this article was to present a case of a 46-year-old patient who presented with significant facial edema 3 months after lip and infraorbital filling with hyaluronic acid, resistant to medication, which appeared and worsened after starting to use Ozempic for weight loss. Therefore, we chose to perform an intralesional application of hyaluronidase 2.000utr, immediately observing the decrease in edema. After a week, the patient was completely recovered, with no signs of edema, no allergic reactions and feeling very well. The etiology of late inflammatory reactions is unclear and we believe that some medications may be capable of initiating these immune responses. Hyaluronidase is an effective treatment to reverse adverse reactions from hyaluronic acid injection, dissolving the peptide bond proteins within the hyaluronic acid, increasing the viscosity of the material and allowing it to be dispersed throughout the soft tissue.
Operative Technique for Extirpation of Large Melanotic Neuroectodermal Tumor of Infancy Involving Alveolus and Anterior Maxilla in the Region of the Premaxilla
Authors: Isch Emily L. , Kozlowski Gabrielle , Meredith Luke , Aycart Mario , Caterson Edward J.
Published: August 2024

Background:

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumors of infancy are rare, benign neoplasms predominantly affecting the craniofacial region, and they are typically managed through resection with minimal need for reconstruction. However, in exceptional cases, larger or more complex tumors may necessitate open craniofacial approaches, with limited literature detailing the surgical strategies for these scenarios. The authors report a distinctive case of an aggressively expanding melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy in a pediatric patient, describing their approach for the tumor’s resection.

Methods:

A 10-week-old male presented to the hospital with a reported 2 weeks of swelling of the left upper gum line noted by his mother and pediatrician. Preoperative biopsy revealed a soft, fluid-filled lesion, prompting surgical planning for complete excision. Intraoperative assessment with a nasal speculum by ENT, and utilization of a piezoelectric saw by plastic surgery facilitated precise tumor resection. The surgical technique required meticulous dissection, ensuring clear margins while preserving surrounding structures.

Results:

The tumor, encompassing the alveolus and anterior maxilla, was completely excised with negative margins. Utilization of the piezoelectric saw facilitated safe bone cutting, preserving vital structures while ensuring comprehensive tumor removal. The patient tolerated the procedure well, with no immediate postoperative complications.

Conclusions:

Complete resection is essential in minimizing the risk of recurrence in MNTI. The utilization of piezoelectric surgery enhances precision and safety in tumor resection, preserving anatomic integrity and optimizing patient outcomes. This case underscores the importance of meticulous surgical techniques in managing craniofacial tumors, advocating for the adoption of advanced surgical tools to improve clinical outcomes.
Low expression of thiamine pyrophosphokinase-1 contributes to brain susceptibility to thiamine deficiency
Authors: Xia Yingfeng , Qian Ting , Fei Guoqiang , Cheng Xiaoqin , Zhao Lei , Sang Shaoming , Zhong Chunjiu
Published: August 2024

Thiamine deficiency is a well-known risk factor for the development of severe encephalopathy, such as Wernicke encephalopathy and Korsakoff syndrome, but the underlying mechanism is still mysterious. This study aims to investigate the expression levels of thiamine metabolism genes in different tissues and their impact on brain susceptibility to thiamine deficiency. The mRNA and protein levels of four genes known to be associated with thiamine metabolism: thiamine pyrophosphokinase-1 (Tpk), Solute carrier family 19 member 2 (Slc19a2), Slc19a3, and Slc25a19, in the brain, kidney, and liver of mice were examined. Thiamine diphosphate (TDP) levels were measured in these tissues. Mice were subjected to dietary thiamine deprivation plus pyrithiamine (PTD), a specific TPK inhibitor, or pyrithiamine alone to observe the reduction in TDP and associated pathological changes. TPK mRNA and protein expression levels were lowest in the brain compared to the kidney and liver. Correspondingly, TDP levels were also lowest in the brain. Mice treated with PTD or pyrithiamine alone showed an initial reduction in brain TDP levels, followed by reductions in the liver and kidney. PTD treatment caused significant neuron loss, neuroinflammation, and blood–brain barrier disruption, whereas dietary thiamine deprivation alone did not. TPK expression level is the best indicator of thiamine metabolism status. Low TPK expression in the brain appears likely to contribute to brain susceptibility to thiamine deficiency, underscoring a critical role of TPK in maintaining cerebral thiamine metabolism and preventing thiamine deficiency-related brain lesions.
Order of arrival and nutrient supply alter outcomes of co-infection with two fungal pathogens
Authors: Green Elizabeth T. , Grunberg Rita L. , Mitchell Charles E.
Published: August 2024

A pathogen arriving on a host typically encounters a diverse community of microbes that can shape priority effects, other within-host interactions and infection outcomes. In plants, environmental nutrients can drive trade-offs between host growth and defence and can mediate interactions between co-infecting pathogens. Nutrients may thus alter the outcome of pathogen priority effects for the host, but this possibility has received little experimental investigation. To disentangle the relationship between nutrient availability and co-infection dynamics, we factorially manipulated the nutrient availability and order of arrival of two foliar fungal pathogens (
Rhizoctonia solani
and
Colletotrichum cereale
) on the grass tall fescue (
Lolium arundinaceum
) and tracked disease outcomes. Nutrient addition did not influence infection rates, infection severity or plant biomass.
Colletotrichum cereale
facilitated
R. solani
, increasing its infection rate regardless of their order of inoculation. Additionally, simultaneous and
C. cereale
-first inoculations decreased plant growth and—in plants that did not receive nutrient addition—increased leaf nitrogen concentrations compared to uninoculated plants. These effects were partially, but not completely, explained by the duration and severity of pathogen infections. This study highlights the importance of understanding the intricate associations between the order of pathogen arrival, host nutrient availability and host defence to better predict infection outcomes.
Eilat virus (EILV) causes superinfection exclusion against West Nile virus (WNV) in a strain-specific manner in Culex tarsalis mosquitoes
Authors: Joseph Renuka E. , Bozic Jovana , Werling Kristine L. , Krizek Rachel S. , Urakova Nadya , Rasgon Jason L.
Published: August 2024

West Nile virus (WNV) is the leading cause of mosquito-borne illness in the USA. There are currently no human vaccines or therapies available for WNV, and vector control is the primary strategy used to control WNV transmission. The WNV vector Culex tarsalis is also a competent host for the insect-specific virus (ISV) Eilat virus (EILV). ISVs such as EILV can interact with and cause superinfection exclusion (SIE) against human pathogenic viruses in their shared mosquito host, altering vector competence for these pathogenic viruses. The ability to cause SIE and their host restriction make ISVs a potentially safe tool to target mosquito-borne pathogenic viruses. In the present study, we tested whether EILV causes SIE against WNV in mosquito C6/36 cells and C. tarsalis mosquitoes. The titres of both WNV strains – WN02-1956 and NY99 – were suppressed by EILV in C6/36 cells as early as 48–72 h post-superinfection at both m.o.i. values tested in our study. The titres of WN02-1956 at both m.o.i. values remained suppressed in C6/36 cells, whereas those of NY99 showed some recovery towards the final timepoint. The mechanism of SIE remains unknown, but EILV was found to interfere with NY99 attachment in C6/36 cells, potentially contributing to the suppression of NY99 titres. However, EILV had no effect on the attachment of WN02-1956 or internalization of either WNV strain under superinfection conditions. In C. tarsalis, EILV did not affect the infection rate of either WNV strain at either timepoint. However, in mosquitoes, EILV enhanced NY99 infection titres at 3 days post-superinfection, but this effect disappeared at 7 days post-superinfection. In contrast, WN02-1956 infection titres were suppressed by EILV at 7 days post-superinfection. The dissemination and transmission of both WNV strains were not affected by superinfection with EILV at either timepoint. Overall, EILV caused SIE against both WNV strains in C6/36 cells; however, in C. tarsalis, SIE caused by EILV was strain specific potentially owing to differences in the rate of depletion of shared resources by the individual WNV strains.
Comparison of immunogenicity and protection efficacy of self-amplifying and circular mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Singh Oinam Ningthemmani , Berry Umang , Joshi Garima , Asuru Tejeswara Rao , Chandrasekar Kannan , Narayanan Sriram , Srivastava Puneet , Tiwari Mahima , Chattopadhyay Souvick , Mehdi Farha , Panda Bhisma Narayan , Nayak Debasis , Mani Shailendra , Shrivastava Tripti , Batra Gaurav , Ranjith-Kumar C.T. , Guchhait Prasenjit , Surjit Milan
Published: August 2024

Recent advances in vaccine technology have positioned messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines as safe and reliable options for human use. Conventionally, mRNA vaccines were designed using linear or self-amplifying mRNA (SAM), the latter considered to be superior. However, limited success was achieved with SAM vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, studies on Circular mRNA (Circ-RNA) vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2, Ebola and monkey pox proved their efficacy. Circ-RNAs are highly stable, neither they induce inflammatory response nor require any extracellular protein for their function. Here, we compared the efficacy of SAM- and Circ-RNA vaccines using the SARS-CoV-2-RBD (receptor binding domain) as the antigen. Both SAM-RBD and Circ-RBD induced a comparable anti-RBD IgG titer and virus-neutralizing antibody titer. However, the latter induced a significantly higher memory T-cell response. Immunization with SAM- and Circ-RBD showed no mortality and improved lung pathophysiology against acute SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice. The Circ-RBD vaccine is stable for 4 weeks at 40C. A bivalent vaccine containing Circ-RBD of both delta and omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants potently neutralized these viruses. These findings demonstrate Circ-RNA-RBD as an excellent vaccine candidate against COVID-19 and also provide a platform for developing bivalent Circ-RNA vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2 or other viruses with rapidly emerging variants.
Perception/action coupling is modulated by the age-related motor skills of the agent performing the action
Authors: Clavaud-Seon Nicole , Guillon Quentin , Schmitz Christina
Published: August 2024

The perception/action coupling, underpinned by Mirror Neurons, allows the understanding of others’ action goal and intention picked up from cues conveyed by the individual’s kinematics and the context of the action. This mechanism can be modulated by familiarity with the observed action, by motor experience and motor expertise for that action, but could it be modulated by the age-related motor skills of the agent performing the action? We used an eye-tracking visual preference paradigm to study the modulation of perception/action coupling in 62 adults when viewing videos of daily actions presented in a forward reading direction or, for the same action, in a backward reading direction. Video actions were performed by young actors aged 4, 8, and 13 years and by adults. We found greater pupil dilation for all backward videos compared to forward videos. Interestingly, pupil dilation was greater for the forward videos with child actors than for those with adolescent/adult actors. An overall comparison of looking times during the preference phase did not reveal a preference for either video but testing for a context effect revealed a preference for backward videos when the last video observed in the exposure phase was forward. This study demonstrated the influence of the agent’s age-related motor abilities on the observer’s perception/action coupling and revealed that pupil dilation and the context effect could be relevant cues for exploring this coupling in a non-invasive, passive experimental setup that is particularly suitable for exploring perception/action coupling in very young children with a developmental disorder.
Decoding the elite soccer player’s psychological profile
Authors: Bonetti Leonardo , Vestberg Torbjōrn , Jafari Reza , Seghezzi Debora , Ingvar Martin , Kringelbach Morten L. , Goncalves Alberto , Petrovic Predrag
Published: August 2024

Soccer is arguably the most widely followed sport worldwide, and many dream of becoming soccer players. However, only a few manage to achieve this dream, which has cast a significant spotlight on elite soccer players who possess exceptional skills to rise above the rest. Originally, such attention was focused on their great physical abilities. However, recently, it a new perspective has emerged, suggesting that being an elite soccer player require a deep understanding of the game, rapid information processing and decision-making. This growing attention has led to several studies suggesting higher executive functions in soccer players compared to the general population. Unfortunately, these studies often had small and non-elite samples, focusing mainly on executive functions alone without employing advanced machine learning techniques. In this study, we used artificial neural networks to comprehensively investigate the personality traits and cognitive abilities of a sample of 328 participants, including 204 elite soccer players from the top teams in Brazil and Sweden. Our findings indicate that elite soccer players demonstrate heightened planning and memory capacities, enhanced executive functions, especially cognitive flexibility, elevated levels of conscientiousness, extraversion, and openness to experience, coupled with reduced neuroticism and agreeableness. This research provides insights into the psychology of elite soccer players, holding significance for talent identification, development strategies in soccer and offering insights into the psychological profiles associated with success.

Significance statement

This study explores the psychological profiles of elite soccer players, revealing that success on the field goes beyond physical ability. By analysing a sample of 328 participants, including 204 elite soccer players from the top teams in Brazil and Sweden, we found that elite players have exceptional cognitive abilities, including improved planning, memory, and decision-making skills. They also possess personality traits like high conscientiousness and openness, along with reduced neuroticism. Using artificial intelligence, we identified unique psychological patterns that could help in talent identification and development. These insights can be used to better understand the mental attributes that contribute to success in soccer and other high-performance fields.
Anxious individuals are more sensitive to changes in outcome variability and value differences in dynamic environments
Authors: McCoy Brónagh , Lawson Rebecca P.
Published: August 2024

Anxiety is known to alter learning in uncertain environments. Standard experimental paradigms and computational models addressing these differences have mainly assessed the impact of volatility, and anxious individuals have been shown to have a reduced learning rate when moving from a stable to volatile environment. Previous research has not, however, independently assessed the impact of both changes in volatility, i.e., reversals in reward contingency, and changes in outcome variability (noise) in the same individuals. Here we use a simple probabilistic reversal learning paradigm to independently manipulate the level of volatility and noise at the experimental level in a fully orthogonal design. We replicate general increases, irrespective of anxiety levels, in both positive and negative learning rates when moving from low to high volatility, but only in the context of low noise. When low volatility is combined with high noise, more anxious individuals display negative learning rates similar to high volatility with high noise, whereas those lower in anxiety show the usual negative learning rate increase from low to high volatility. Within-individual increases in lose-shift responses from low to high noise conditions scale with levels of anxious traits, but this occurs under low volatility only. We furthermore find that people with higher anxious traits are more accurate overall and utilize a more exploitative decision-making strategy in this dynamic environment. Our findings suggest that changes in both sources of uncertainty, volatility and noise, should be carefully considered when assessing learning, particularly in relation to anxiety and other neuropsychiatric conditions, and implicate anxiety-related differences in dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurotransmitter signalling when learning in highly changeable environments.
Neural correlates of age-related changes in social decisions from episodic memory
Authors: van Geen Camilla , Cohen Michael S. , Lempert Karolina M. , MacNear Kameron A. , Reckers Frances M. , Zaneski Laura , Wolk David A. , Kable Joseph W.
Published: August 2024

Older adults are frequent victims of financial scams. Previous behavioral research suggests that this may be due to systematic biases in how they make decisions about whom to trust: for instance, Lempert et al. (2022) found that relative to younger adults, older adults were more likely to base decisions about whether to re-engage with someone on how generous that person looked, rather than on their memory for how they had previously behaved. Here, we aimed to identify the neural correlates of these age-dependent changes in social decision-making in order to clarify the mechanism by which they emerge. Using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), we measured neural activity while a total of 86 participants – 45 younger and 41 older adults – learned about how much of a $10 endowment an individual, represented by a picture of their face, was willing to share with them in a dictator game. After this encoding phase, participants then made decisions about whom they wanted to play another round of the dictator game with. In line with previous findings, we found that older adults did not reliably prefer to re-engage with people who had proven themselves to be generous. This bias was the result of several factors: (1) older adults had worse associative memory for how much each person had shared, possibly due to an age-dependent decrease in neural activity in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) during encoding, (2) older adults had a stronger tendency to re-engage with familiar over novel faces regardless of their past behavior, and (3) while activity in value-responsive brain regions tracked with how generous a face looked across the age range, older adults were less able to inhibit the influence of these irrelevant perceptual features when it was necessary to do so. In line with this behavioral effect, younger adults showed greater activation in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) during choices that required suppressing irrelevant perceptual features in favor of associative memory. Taken together, our findings highlight age-dependent changes in both the ability to encode relevant information and to adaptively deploy it in service of social decisions.
An Integrative Study to Investigate Sex-Specific Biomarkers in Bladder Cancer Patients
Authors: Wang Yizhou , Bhandary Priyanka , Griffin Kevin , Moore Jason H. , Li Xue , Wang Zhiping Paul
Published: August 2024

Bladder cancer shows distinct sex-related patterns, with male patients experiencing significantly higher incidence and female patients facing worse survival outcomes. In this paper, we aimed to address the lack of understanding of the biological mechanisms responsible for this sex-based divergence through an integrative analysis using bladder cancer data from TCGA and GTEx. Our study analyzed various bladder cancer data types, including genomic mutation data, gene expression data, and clinical data. We conducted an in-depth study of protein-protein interactions, pathway analysis, survival analysis, and immune cell correlations. Notably, we discovered that the androgen receptor (AR) related pathways were unique to male hub genes, while the Wnt signaling pathway was unique to female hub genes. Additionally, we identified 14 hub genes with significant sex-biased survival rates, including known DLGAP5, SOX2, LAMA2, and COL5A2, as well as new discoveries of male-specific markers ERCC5, NID1, and ANK2, and female-specific RAD51C, COL22A1 and COL5A2. Furthermore, we identified four male hub genes—DAXX, IKBKB, PDGFRA, and PPARG—that overlapped with immune-related genes. The expression of these genes exhibited differential interactions with immune cells between males and females. These insights could pave the way for more personalized and effective therapeutic interventions tailored to male and female patients.
VISTA Uncovers Missing Gene Expression and Spatial-induced Information for Spatial Transcriptomic Data Analysis
Authors: Liu Tianyu , Lin Yingxin , Luo Xiao , Sun Yizhou , Zhao Hongyu
Published: August 2024

Characterizing cell activities within a spatially resolved context is essential to enhance our understanding of spatially-induced cellular states and features. While single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) offers comprehensive profiling of cells within a tissue, it fails to capture spatial context. Conversely, subcellular spatial transcriptomics (SST) technologies provide high-resolution spatial profiles of gene expression, yet their utility is constrained by the limited number of genes they can simultaneously profile. To address this limitation, we introduce VISTA, a novel approach designed to predict the expression levels of unobserved genes specifically tailored for SST data. VISTA jointly models scRNA-seq data and SST data based on variational inference and geometric deep learning, and incorporates uncertainty quantification. Using four SST datasets, we demonstrate VISTA’s superior performance in imputation and in analyzing large-scale SST datasets with satisfactory time efficiency and memory consumption. The imputation of VISTA enables a multitude of downstream applications, including the detection of new spatially variable genes, the discovery of novel ligand-receptor interactions, the inference of spatial RNA velocity, the generation for spatial transcriptomics with in-silico perturbation, and an improved decomposition of spatial and intrinsic variations.
EarlyHoxGene Expression in Echinoderms
Authors: Ezhova Olga V. , Ageenko Natalya V. , Kiselev Konstantin V. , Lukinykh Anastasiya I. , Malakhov Vladimir V.
Published: August 2024

Breakages of sequentialHoxexpression in Echinodermata may reflect evolutionary changes in the body plan. We quantifiedHoxgene expression at early larval stages, i.e., blastula at 13 hpf, gastrula at 35 hpf, prism stage at 46 hpf, and echinoplutei at 4 and 9 dpf, in the sea urchin with indirect development,Strongylocentrotus intermedius. The design of specific primers for real-time PCR (q-RT–PCR) forS. intermediuswas performed. At blastula stage, onlySiHox7(medialHoxgroup),SiHox11/13bandSiHox11/13c(posteriorHoxgroup) were expressed. At gastrula and prism stages, the expression ofSiHoxgenes was lower than that in unfertilized eggs. Significant increase in the expression of allSiHoxgenes was observed in 4-day pluteus with further increase ofSiHox1, SiHox8, SiHox9/10, andSiHox11/13bexpression in 9-day pluteus.

In other echinoderms, the genes of anteriorHoxgroup are nearly not expressed in the early stages of development. At blastula, gastrula and prism stages, the genes of medialHoxgroup (mainlyHox7andHox8) and posteriorHoxgroup (mainlyHox11/13a, 11/13b, 11/13c) are significantly expressed. This breakage of sequentialHoxexpression in echinoderm ancestors may be caused by loss of metameric gill slits, which are the most important synapomorphy of deuterostomes.
A long-context RNA foundation model for predicting transcriptome architecture
Authors: Saberi Ali , Choi Benedict , Wang Simai , Hernández-Corchado Aldo , Naghipourfar Mohsen , Namini Arsham Mikaeili , Ramani Vijay , Emad Amin , Najafabadi Hamed S. , Goodarzi Hani
Published: August 2024

Linking DNA sequence to genomic function remains one of the grand challenges in genetics and genomics. Here, we combine large-scale single-molecule transcriptome sequencing of diverse cancer cell lines with cutting-edge machine learning to build LoRNASH, an RNA foundation model that learns how the nucleotide sequence of unspliced pre-mRNA dictates transcriptome architecture—the relative abundances and molecular structures of mRNA isoforms. Owing to its use of the StripedHyena architecture, LoRNASHhandles extremely long sequence inputs at base-pair resolution (∼65 kilobase pairs), allowing for quantitative, zero-shot prediction of all aspects of transcriptome architecture, including isoform abundance, isoform structure, and the impact of DNA sequence variants on transcript structure and abundance. We anticipate that our public data release and the accompanying frontier model will accelerate many aspects of RNA biotechnology. More broadly, we envision the use of LoRNASHas a foundation for fine-tuning of any transcriptome-related downstream prediction task, including cell-type specific gene expression, splicing, and general RNA processing.
Mycoplasma gallisepticum(MG) infection inhibits mitochondrial respiratory function in a wild songbird
Authors: Ramanathan Chidambaram , Thomas Elina , Henschen Amberleigh E. , Adelman James S. , Zhang Yufeng
Published: August 2024

An animal’s immune function is vital for survival, but some pathogens could manipulate their hosts’ immune and metabolic responses. One example isMycoplasma gallisepticum(MG), which infects both the respiratory system and conjunctiva of the eye in house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus). MG has been shown to exhibit immune- and metabolic-suppressive properties, but the physiological mechanisms underlying these properties are still unknown. Recent studies demonstrated that mitochondria could serve as powerhouses for both ATP production and immunity, notably inflammatory processes, through regulating complex II and its metabolites. Consequently, in this study, we investigate the short-term (3d post inoculation) and long-term (34d post inoculation) effects of MG infection on the hepatic mitochondrial respiration of house finches from two populations and infected with two different MG isolates. After short-term infection, MG-infected birds had significantly lower state 2 and state 4 respiration, but only when using complex II substrates. After long-term infection, MG-infected birds exhibited lower state 3 respiration with both complex I and II substrates, resulting in lower respiratory control ratio compared to uninfected controls, which aligned with the hypothesized metabolic-suppressive properties of MG. Interestingly, mitochondrial respiration showed limited differences with house finch population of origin, MG isolate, and whether birds were recovered from infection or not. We propose that MG may target mitochondrial complex II for its immune-suppressive properties during the early stages of infection and inhibit mitochondrial respiration for its metabolic-suppressive properties at later stage of infection, both of which should delay recovery of the host and extend infectious periods.
Exploring the missing link between top management teams' characteristics and environmental information disclosures of construction corporations
Authors: Yiling Lu , He Qinghua , Wang Ge , Deng Xiaopeng , Zhang Jingxiao
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Given the heavy pollution feature of the construction industry, construction corporations need to adopt an effective environmental governance strategy. The quality and quantity of environmental information disclosure (EID) implementation, as an essential part of a corporate environmental governance strategy, is impacted by the characteristics of the top management team (TMT). This paper aims to analyze the relationship between the demographic characteristics of the TMT (i.e. gender, age, tenure, educational level, and duality) and corporate EID.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from listed construction corporations generated between 2014 to 2018 in China, this study employs the Tobit regression model to test the research hypotheses. Also, this study applies a novel analytical approach, necessary condition analysis (NCA), to conduct a series of additional tests.

Findings

The results reveal that tenure and educational level are significantly and positively related to EID, while gender, age, and duality in the executive role are not significantly related to EID. When considering the TMT size as a moderator, the TMT age is positively related to the corporate EID, and the size of the TMT acts as a moderator to weaken the positive effect of the TMT age on the EID. The NCA results show that TMT gender, age, tenure, and educational level are necessary when the levels of EID exceed 40%.

Originality/value

Our findings suggest that TMT characteristics have a relatively significant effect on corporate EID levels, which extends EID research to the construction industry. Corporate planners can endeavor to shape TMT characteristics to improve EID levels. The results of NCA provide insights into what TMT characteristics construction corporations need to satisfy in their pursuit of transparent EID, as well as the levels at which these characteristics are desired.