bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LacdiNAc to LacNAc: remodelling of bovine α-lactalbumin N-glycosylation during the transition from colostrum to mature milk
Authors: Gazi Inge , Reiding Karli R , Groeneveld André , Bastiaans Jan , Huppertz Thom , Heck Albert J R
Published: August 2024

α -Lactalbumin, an abundant protein present in the milk of most mammals, is associated with biological, nutritional and technological functionality. Its sequence presents N-glycosylation motifs, the occupancy of which is species-specific, ranging from no to full occupancy. Here, we investigated the N-glycosylation of bovine α-lactalbumin in colostrum and milk sampled from four individual cows, each at 9 time points starting from the day of calving up to 28.0 d post-partum. Using a glycopeptide-centric mass spectrometry-based glycoproteomics approach, we identified N-glycosylation at both Asn residues found in the canonical Asn-Xxx-Ser/Thr motif, i.e. Asn45 and Asn74 of the secreted protein. We found similar glycan profiles in all four cows, with partial site occupancies, averaging at 35% and 4% for Asn45 and Asn74, respectively. No substantial changes in occupancy occurred over lactation at either site. Fucosylation, sialylation, primarily with N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), and a high ratio of N,N′-diacetyllactosamine (LacdiNAc)/N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) motifs were characteristic features of the identified N-glycans. While no substantial changes occurred in site occupancy at either site during lactation, the glycoproteoform (i.e. glycosylated form of the protein) profile revealed dynamic changes; the maturation of the α-lactalbumin glycoproteoform repertoire from colostrum to mature milk was marked by substantial increases in neutral glycans and the number of LacNAc motifs per glycan, at the expense of LacdiNAc motifs. While the implications of α-lactalbumin N-glycosylation on functionality are still unclear, we speculate that N-glycosylation at Asn74 results in a structurally and functionally different protein, due to competition with the formation of its two intra-molecular disulphide bridges.
ABIOTIC STRESS GENE 1 mediates aroma volatiles accumulation by activating MdLOX1a in apple
Authors: Zhang Jing , Wang Yongxu , Zhang Susu , Zhang Shuhui , Liu Wenjun , Wang Nan , Fang Hongcheng , Zhang Zongying , Chen Xuesen
Published: August 2024

Fruit aroma is an important organoleptic quality, which influences consumer preference and market competitiveness. Aroma compound synthesis pathways in plants have been widely identified, among the lipoxygenase pathway is crucial for fatty acid catabolism to form esters in apple. However, the regulatory mechanism of this pathway remains elusive. In this study, linear regression analysis and transgene verification revealed that the lipoxygenase MdLOX1a is involved in ester biosynthesis. Yeast one-hybrid library screening indicated that a protein, MdASG1 (ABIOTIC STRESS GENE 1), was a positive regulator of MdLOX1a and ester production based on yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase assays, as well as correlation analysis among eight different apple cultivars. Overexpression of MdASG1 in apple and tomato stimulated the lipoxygenase pathway and increased the fatty acid-derived volatile content, whereas the latter was decreased by MdASG1 silencing and CRISPR/Cas9 knockout. Furthermore, MdASG1 overexpression enhanced the salt-stress tolerance of tomato and apple ‘Orin’ calli accompanied by a higher content of fatty acid-derived volatiles compared to that of non-stressed transgenic tomato fruit, while MdASG1-Cas9 knockdown calli do not respond to salt stress and promote the biosynthesis of fatty acid-derived volatiles. Collectively, these findings indicate that MdASG1 activates MdLOX1a expression and participates in the lipoxygenase pathway, subsequently increasing the accumulation of aroma compounds, especially under moderate salt stress treatment. The results also provide insight into the theory for improving fruit aroma quality in adversity.
A Comparison of the Mitochondrial Performance between Migratory and Sedentary Mimid Thrushes
Authors: Rhodes Emma M , Yap Kang Nian , Hill Geoffrey E , Hood Wendy R
Published: August 2024

Synopsis

Birds exhibit a variety of migration strategies. Because sustained flapping flight requires the production of elevated levels of energy compared to typical daily activities, migratory birds are well-documented to have several physiological adaptations to support the energy demands of migration. However, even though mitochondria are the source of ATP that powers flight, the respiratory performance of the mitochondria is almost unstudied in the context of migration. We hypothesized that migratory species would have higher mitochondrial respiratory performance during migration compared to species that do not migrate. To test this hypothesis, we compared variables related to mitochondrial respiratory function between two confamilial bird species—the migratory Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) and the non-migratory Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos). Birds were captured at the same location along the Alabama Gulf Coast, where we assumed that Gray Catbirds were migrants and where resident Northern Mockingbirds live year-round. We found a trend in citrate synthase activity, which suggests that Gray Catbirds have a greater mitochondrial volume in their pectoralis muscle, but we observed no other differences in mitochondrial respiration or complex enzymatic activities between individuals from the migrant vs. the non-migrant species. However, when we assessed the catbirds included in our study using well-established indicators of migratory physiology, birds fell into two groups: a group with physiological parameters indicating a physiology of birds engaged in migration and a group with the physiology of birds not migrating. Thus, our comparison included catbirds that appeared to be outside of migratory condition. When we compared the mitochondrial performance of these three groups, we found that the mitochondrial respiratory capacity of migrating catbirds was very similar to that of Northern Mockingbirds, while the catbirds judged to be not migrating were lowest. One explanation for these observations is these species display very different daily flight behaviors. While the mockingbirds we sampled were not breeding nor migrating, they are highly active birds, living in the open and engaging in flapping flights throughout each day. In contrast, Gray Catbirds live in shrubs and fly infrequently when not migrating. Such differences in baseline energy needs likely confounded our attempt to study adaptations to migration.
Early left atrial reverse remodelling in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy receiving transapical beating-heart septal myectomy
Authors: Lu Shirui , Zhang Jun , Zhu Ying , Zhou Wei , Cheng Xueqing , Wang Hui , Chen Yue , Wei Xiang , Liu Yani
Published: August 2024

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to investigate the short-term effects of transapical beating-heart septal myectomy (TA-BSM) on left atrial (LA) anatomy and function and its association with clinical indicators in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM).

METHODS

A total of 105 HOCM patients who received TA-BSM were included. Clinical and comprehensive echocardiographic data were obtained before surgery, at discharge, and 3 months after myectomy. LA reverse remodelling was defined as LA maximum volume index (LAVI) ≤34 ml/m2 and a change of ≥10%.

RESULTS

At 3 months after TA-BSM, New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class and 6-min walking test were significantly improved, N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) decreased, left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) peak gradient and mitral regurgitation were significantly reduced. LAVI decreased in 76%, with a median change of 20%, and the criteria for LA reverse remodelling were met in 48%. LA strain parameters were improved at 3 months after TA-BSM. Moreover, left ventricular (LV) diastolic function was significantly improved, but LV global longitudinal strain was not significantly changed at 3 months after operation. Improvement in LVOT peak gradient, LAVI, LA reservoir strain (LASr) and conduit strain (LAScd) were associated with reduction in NT-proBNP.

CONCLUSIONS

Along with effectively relieving the obstruction of the LVOT and mitral regurgitation, TA-BSM could significantly improve LA size and function during the short-term follow-up for HOCM patients. The indicators of LA reverse remodelling were associated with reduction in a biomarker of myocardial wall stress, indicating the early recovery of LV relaxation and clinical status for patients.
Large attachment organelle mediates interaction between Nanobdellota archaeon YN1 and its host
Authors: Johnson Matthew D , Sakai Hiroyuki D , Paul Bindusmita , Nunoura Takuro , Dalvi Somavally , Mudaliyar Manasi , Shepherd Doulin C , Shimizu Michiru , Udupa Shubha , Ohkuma Moriya , Kurosawa Norio , Ghosal Debnath
Published: August 2024

DPANN archaea are an enigmatic superphylum that are difficult to isolate and culture in the laboratory due to their specific culture conditions and apparent ectosymbiotic lifestyle. Here, we successfully isolated and cultivated a coculture system of a novel Nanobdellota archaeon YN1 and its host Sulfurisphaera ohwakuensis YN1HA. We characterized the coculture system by complementary methods, including metagenomics and metabolic pathway analysis, fluorescence microscopy, and high-resolution electron cryo-tomography (cryoET). We show that YN1 is deficient in essential metabolic processes and requires host resources to proliferate. CryoET imaging revealed an enormous attachment organelle present in the YN1 envelope that forms a direct interaction with the host cytoplasm, bridging the two cells. Together, our results unravel the molecular and structural basis of ectosymbiotic relationship between YN1 and YN1HA. This research broadens our understanding of DPANN biology and the versatile nature of their ectosymbiotic relationships.
Long-Term Outcomes of a Cultured Autologous Dermo-Epidermal Skin Substitute in Children: 5-Year Results of a Phase I Clinical Trial
Authors: Schiestl Clemens , Neuhaus Kathrin , Meuli Martin , Farkas Melinda , Hartmann-Fritsch Fabienne , Elrod Julia , Bressan Jenny , Reichmann Ernst , Böttcher-Haberzeth Sophie
Published: August 2024

Limited donor sites and poor long-term outcomes with standard treatment for large skin defects remain a huge problem. An autologous, bilayered, laboratory-grown skin substitute (denovoSkin) was developed to overcome this problem and has shown to be safe in 10 pediatric patients in a Phase I clinical trial after transplantation. The goal of this article was to report on 48-month long-term results. The pediatric participants of the phase I clinical trial were followed up at yearly visits up to 5 years after transplantation. Safety parameters, including the occurrence of adverse events, possible deviations of vital signs, and changes in concomitant therapy as well as additional parameters regarding skin stability, scar quality, and tumor formation, were assessed. Furthermore, scar maturation was photographically documented. Of the 10 patients treated with denovoSkin in this phase I clinical trial, 7 completed the 5-year follow-up period. Skin substitutes continued to be deemed safe, remained stable, and practically unchanged, with no sign of fragility and no tumor formation at clinical examination. Scar quality, captured using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale, was evaluated as close to normal skin. Transplantation of this laboratory-grown skin substitute in children is to date considered safe and shows encouraging functional and aesthetical long-term results close to normal skin. These results are promising and highlight the potential of a life-saving therapy for large skin defects. A multicentre, prospective, randomized, phase II clinical trial is currently ongoing to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of this novel skin substitute. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT02145130.
Java Coffee, French Sardines and Malaga Raisins: Marketing Place in Colonial Australian Food Culture
Authors: Moran Frieda
Published: August 2024

In nineteenth-century colonial Australian newspapers, foods were commonly identified by their place of origin. Advertisements spoke of global networks and exchanges, listing Scotch herring, Mauritius sugar, Ceylon coffee, Valencia raisins, and so forth. Disparate places were connected in newspaper advertisements and on the plates of Australian colonists. There is a substantial body of literature concerned with place of origin advertising, yet the historical roots of this phenomena have received less attention, particularly in relation to colonial food chains. Place of origin advertising was a semiotic device, a trustmark, communicating culturally contingent meanings of food safety and quality. Trustmarks were shortcuts that helped to make sense of complex food systems. Burgeoning global and industrialized food chains fed Australia in the nineteenth century, circulating goods and ideas through and beyond the networks of empire; place marketing inferred transparency and connectivity of supply chains. Using case studies of fish, coffee, and dried fruits, this article demonstrates how place labeling spoke to Australians about potential concerns around labor, class, race, culinary hierarchies, and new technologies. Discursive sources shaped “imaginative geographies,” which, accurately or not, likely informed ideas of food quality. Places attached to foods meant something to the nineteenth-century consumer, and by examining potential meanings, we can better understand how ideas of places and people informed Australian food choices.
Combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis identifies triterpenoid-induced defense responses in Myzus persicae Sülzer-infested peach
Authors: Pan Lei , Huang Rui , Lu Zhenhua , Duan Wenyi , Sun Shihang , Yan Lele , Cui Guochao , Niu Liang , Wang Zhiqiang , Zeng Wenfang
Published: August 2024

Piercing/sucking insects such as green peach aphid (GPA) (Myzus persicae) cause direct damage by obtaining phloem nutrients and indirect damage by spreading plant viruses. To investigate the response of peach trees (Prunus persica) to aphids, the leaf transcriptome and metabolome of two genotypes with different sensitivities to GPA were studied. The gene expression of aphid-susceptible plants infested with aphids was similar to that of control plants, whereas the gene expression of aphid-resistant plants infested with aphids showed strong induced changes in gene expression compared with control plants. Furthermore, gene transcripts in defense-related pathways, including plant–pathogen interaction, MAPK signaling, and several metabolic pathways, were strongly enriched upon aphid infestation. Untargeted secondary metabolite profiling confirmed that aphid infestation induced larger changes in aphid-resistant than in aphid-susceptible peaches. Consistent with transcriptomic alterations, nine triterpenoids showed highly significant GPA-induced accumulation in aphid-resistant peaches, whereas triterpenoid abundance remained predominantly unchanged or undetected in aphid-susceptible peaches. Furthermore, some types of transcription factors (including WRKYs, ERFs, and NACs) were strongly induced upon GPA infestation in aphid-resistant, but not in aphid-susceptible peaches. These results suggested that the accumulation of specialized triterpenoids and the corresponding pathway transcripts may play a key role in peach GPA resistance.
FNet II: spectral classification of quasars, galaxies, stars, and broad absorption line (BAL) quasars
Authors: Moradi R , Rastegarnia F , Wang Y , Mirtorabi M T
Published: August 2024

In this work, we enhance the FNet, a 1D convolutional neural network (CNN) with a residual neural network (ResNet) architecture, to perform spectral classification of quasars, galaxies, stars, and broad absorption line (BAL)-quasars in the SDSS-IV catalogue from DR17 of eBOSS. Leveraging its convolutional layers and the ResNet structure with different kernel sizes, FNet autonomously identifies various patterns within the entire sample of spectra. Since FNet does not require the intermediate step of identifying specific lines, a simple modification enabled our current network to classify all SDSS spectra. This modification involves changing the final output layer from a single value (redshift) to multiple values (probabilities of all classes), and accordingly adjusting the loss function from mean squared error to cross-entropy. FNet achieves a completeness of 99.00  per cent $\pm$ 0.20 for galaxies, 98.50  per cent $\pm$ 0.30 for quasars, 99.00  per cent $\pm$ 0.18 for BAL-quasars, and 98.80 per cent $\pm$ 0.20 for stars. These results are comparable to those obtained using QuasarNET, a standard CNN employed in the SDSS routine, comprises convolutional layers without the ResNet structure with equal kernel sizes, and is utilized for redshift measurement and classification by identifying seven emission lines. QuasarNET, in order to overcome the problem of finding a C iv emission line with broad absorption which is slightly more challenging than that of detecting emission lines requires to add BAL C iv line to the list of lines that the network learns to identify. However, this procedure is not necessary in FNet as it learns the features through a self-learning procedure.
Galaxy mergers in UNIONS – I. A simulation-driven hybrid deep learning ensemble for pure galaxy merger classification
Authors: Ferreira Leonardo , Bickley Robert W , Ellison Sara L , Patton David R , Byrne-Mamahit Shoshannah , Wilkinson Scott , Bottrell Connor , Fabbro Sébastien , Gwyn Stephen D J , McConnachie Alan
Published: August 2024

Merging and interactions can radically transform galaxies. However, identifying these events based solely on structure is challenging as the status of observed mergers is not easily accessible. Fortunately, cosmological simulations are now able to produce more realistic galaxy morphologies, allowing us to directly trace galaxy transformation throughout the merger sequence. To advance the potential of observational analysis closer to what is possible in simulations, we introduce a supervised deep learning convolutional neural network and vision transformer hybrid framework, Mummi (MUlti Model Merger Identifier). Mummi is trained on realism-added synthetic data from IllustrisTNG100-1, and is comprised of a multistep ensemble of models to identify mergers and non-mergers, and to subsequently classify the mergers as interacting pairs or post-mergers. To train this ensemble of models, we generate a large imaging data set of 6.4 million images targeting UNIONS with RealSimCFIS. We show that Mummi offers a significant improvement over many previous machine learning classifiers, achieving 95 per cent pure classifications even at Gyr long time-scales when using a jury-based decision-making process, mitigating class imbalance issues that arise when identifying real galaxy mergers from $z=0$ to 0.3. Additionally, we can divide the identified mergers into pairs and post-mergers at 96 per cent success rate. We drastically decrease the false positive rate in galaxy merger samples by 75 per cent. By applying Mummi to the UNIONS DR5-SDSS DR7 overlap, we report a catalogue of 13 448 high-confidence galaxy merger candidates. Finally, we demonstrate that Mummi produces powerful representations solely using supervised learning, which can be used to bridge galaxy morphologies in simulations and observations.
An attractive model: simulating fuzzy dark matter with attractive self-interactions
Authors: Painter Connor A , Boylan-Kolchin Michael , Mocz Philip , Vogelsberger Mark
Published: August 2024

Fuzzy dark matter (FDM), comprised of ultralight ($m \sim 10^{-22}\,{\rm eV}$) boson particles, has received significant attention as a viable alternative to cold dark matter (CDM), as it approximates CDM on large scales (${\gtrsim}1$ Mpc) while potentially resolving some of its small-scale problems via kiloparsec-scale quantum interference. However, the most basic FDM model, with one free parameter (the boson mass), is subject to a tension: small boson masses yield the desired cores of dwarf galaxies but underpredict structure in the Lyman-α forest, while large boson masses render FDM effectively identical to CDM. This Catch-22 problem may be alleviated by considering an axion-like particle with attractive particle self-interactions. We simulate an idealized FDM halo with self-interactions parametrized by an energy decay constant $f \sim 10^{15}~\rm {GeV}$ related to the axion symmetry-breaking conjectured to solve the strong-CP problem in particle physics. We observe solitons, a hallmark of FDM, condensing within a broader halo envelope, and find that the density profile and soliton mass depend on self-interaction strength. We propose generalized formulae to extend those from previous works to include self-interactions. We also investigate a critical mass threshold predicted for strong interactions at which the soliton collapses into a compact, unresolved state. We find that the collapse happens quickly, and its effects are initially contained to the central region of the halo.
Generalized emergent dark energy in the late-time Universe
Authors: Lozano Torres Jose Agustin
Published: August 2024

We investigate a new type of dark energy model called the generalized emergent dark energy (GEDE) model which encodes either phenomenologically emergent dark energy that has no effective presence in the early times and emerges strongly in late times or the standard model of cosmology Lambda cold dark matter ($\Lambda$CDM). We test this new brand dark energy model and compare it with the standard model of cosmology $\Lambda$CDM using the final baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) uncorrelated measurements in the effective redshift range $0.106 \le z \le 2.33$ of different surveys after two decades of dedicated spectroscopic observation combined with the compressed form of the Pantheon sample of Type Ia supernovae, the observational $H(z)$ measurements based on differential age method, and the recent Hubble constant value measurement from the Hubble Space Telescope and the SH0ES Team in 2022 as an additional Gaussian prior. In the GEDE model fit yields the cosmological parameters $\Omega _{m}=0.2713 \pm 0.0142$ and $\Omega _{\Lambda }=0.7245 \pm 0.0126$ for BAO + R22. Combining BAO with the observational $H(z)$ measurements based on the differential age method, and the Pantheon Type Ia supernova, the Hubble constant yields 69.92 $\pm$ 1.17 km s$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-1}$ and the sound horizon gives 145.97 $\pm$ 2.44 Mpc. We perform the Akaike information criteria, Bayesian information criterion, and Bayesian evidence to compare the GEDE and $\Lambda$CDM models and see that $\Lambda$CDM has a better performance without the inclusion of early-time observations as the cosmic microwave background.
Linking transients to their host galaxies – II. A comparison of host galaxy properties and rate dependencies across supernova types
Authors: Qin Yu-Jing , Zabludoff Ann
Published: August 2024

We use the latest data set of supernova (SN) host galaxies to investigate how the host properties – stellar mass, star formation rate (SFR), metallicity, absolute magnitude, and colour–differ across SN types, with redshift-driven selection effects controlled. SN Ib and Ic host galaxies, on average, are more massive, metal-rich, and redder than SN II hosts. For subtypes, SN Ibn and Ic-BL have bluer hosts than their normal SN Ib and Ic siblings; SN IIb has consistent host properties with SN Ib, while hosts of SN IIn are more metal-rich than those of SN II. Hydrogen-deficient superluminous SNe feature bluer and lower luminosity hosts than most subtypes of core-collapse supernova (CC SN). Assuming simple proportionality of CC SN rates and host SFRs does not recover the observed mean host properties; either a population of long-lived progenitors or a metallicity-dependent SN production efficiency better reproduces the observed host properties. Assuming the latter case, the rates of SN II are insensitive to host metallicity, but the rates of SN Ib and Ic are substantially enhanced in metal-rich hosts by a factor of $\sim 10$ per dex increase in metallicity. Hosts of SN Ia are diverse in their observed properties; subtypes including SN Ia-91T, Ia-02cx, and Ia-CSM prefer star-forming hosts, while subtypes like SN Ia-91bg and Ca-rich prefer quiescent hosts. The rates of SN Ia-91T, Ia-02cx, and Ia-CSM are closely dependent on, or even proportional to, their host SFRs, indicating relatively short-lived progenitors. Conversely, the rates of SN Ia-91bg and Ca-rich transients are proportional to the total stellar mass, favouring long-lived progenitors.
The characterization of water ice in debris discs: implications for JWST scattered light observations
Authors: Kim Minjae , Kennedy Grant M , Roccatagliata Veronica
Published: August 2024

Water ice plays a crucial role throughout the different stages of planetary evolution and is abundant in the Universe. However, its presence and nature in debris discs of exoplanetary systems are not yet strongly established observationally. In this study, we quantify and discuss the impact of ice parameters such as volume fraction ${\mathcal {F}}_{\rm ice}$, blow-out grain size, size distribution, and its phase on the observational appearance of debris discs, considering the diverse nature of these systems around stellar spectral types ranging from A to M. Our findings reveal that the prominent ice features at approximately 2.7 and 3.3 μm depend on both the water ice fraction ${\mathcal {F}}_{\rm ice}$ and the scattering angle, with backscattering geometries yielding the most prominent signatures. When the phase function is considered and data are not background limited, strong forward and backward scattering (near edge-on discs) are expected to yield the strongest detections in images/spectra for A or F-type stars, while scattering angle matters less for later type stars. The Fresnel peak at 3.1 μm serves as a viable discriminant for the transitional phase (crystalline/amorphous), while simultaneously constraining the water ice temperature. For JWST imaging, we find that the F356W and F444W filter combination is most effective for constraining the grain size distribution, while the F356W and F277W filter combination provides better constraints on the ice fraction ${\mathcal {F}}_{\rm ice}$ in debris discs. However, degeneracy between the grain size distribution and ice fraction when using photometric flux ratios means that obtaining robust constraints will likely require more than two filters, or spectroscopic data.
Assessing the efficacy of haemoperfusion for dermatomyositis-associated acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease: A multicentre retrospective study
Authors: Sun Shuqin , Yu Yanfei , Feng Wenjing , Sun Luyan , Yang Shuo
Published: August 2024

Objectives

Haemoperfusion (HP) is used to treat various diseases, including sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, few studies have explored the efficiency of HP in dermatomyositis-associated acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study. Two hundred and sixteen patients with dermatomyositis-associated acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease were included. Patients were divided into the HP group (treatment group) and the control group. Changes in oxygenation, haemodynamic parameters, lung ultrasound scores, and inflammatory cytokine levels were evaluated before and after HP in the treatment group. The length of intensive care unit (ICU) stays, duration of ventilator therapy, mortality rate, and incidence of complications were compared between the treatment and control groups.

Results

Haemodynamic and oxygenation variables in the treatment group significantly improved after treatment. However, the levels of the inflammatory factors significantly decreased after treatment. The length of ICU stay and the duration of ventilator therapy were significantly shorter in the treatment group than in the control group. The mortality rate of the treatment group was significantly lower than that of the control group.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that HP could improve treatment efficacy in patients with dermatomyositis-associated acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease.
Epidemiological, Phylogenetic, and Resistance Heterogeneity Among Acinetobacter baumannii in a Large U.S. Deep South Healthcare system
Authors: Graffice Emma , Moates Derek B , Leal Sixto M , Amerson-Brown Megan , Calix Juan J
Published: August 2024

Background

Acinetobacter baumannii (Ab) disease in the United States is commonly attributed to outbreaks of 1 or 2 monophyletic carbapenem resistance (CR) Ab lineages that vary by region. However, there is limited knowledge regarding CRAb epidemiology and population structures in the U.S. Deep South, and few studies compare contemporary CR and carbapenem-susceptible (Cs) Ab, despite relative prevalence of the latter.

Methods

We performed a multiyear analysis of 2462 Ab cases in a large healthcare system in Birmingham, AL, and 89 post-2021 Ab isolates were sequenced and phenotyped by antibiotic susceptibility tests.

Results

Although the cumulative CR rate was 17.7% in our cohort, rates regularly increased in winter months as result of seasonal changes in case incidence of CsAb, specifically. Genotyped CRAb belonged to clonal group (CG) 1, CG2, CG108, CG250, or CG499, with local clones of CG108, CG250, and CG499 persisting over multiple months. There was no clonal expansion of any CsAb lineage. Among CRAb isolates, levels of β-lactam antibiotic resistance and the repertoire of related genetic resistance determinants, which included the novel CR-conferring FtsI A515V polymorphism, differed according to CG. CG108 and CG499 isolates displayed specific heteroresistance to sulbactam and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, respectively, which resulted in discrepant susceptibility results in microbroth versus agar-based antibiotic susceptibility tests modalities.

Conclusions

We report an unusually high degree of CRAb phylogenetic diversity principally driven by emergent U.S. lineages harboring novel resistance elements that must be incorporated into diagnostic, surveillance, and preclinical research efforts.
Disseminated Mycobacterium avium Complex Infection Following CD3/CD20 Bispecific Antibody Therapy in a Patient With Follicular Lymphoma
Authors: Little Jessica S , Hurtado Rocio M , Boire Nicholas , Baden Lindsey R , Laga Alvaro C , Silk Ann W , Jacobson Caron A
Published: August 2024

Infections remain a major concern following bispecific antibody therapy but are not well described in pivotal trials. We present the first well-documented case of a classic but rare opportunistic infection, disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex, in a patient receiving bispecific antibody therapy.
The Amazon Basin’s rivers and lakes support Nearctic-breeding shorebirds during southward migration
Authors: Linscott Jennifer A , Basso Enzo , Bathrick Rosalyn , Bosi de Almeida Juliana , Anderson Alexandra M , Angulo-Pratolongo Fernando , Ballard Bart M , Bêty Joël , Brown Stephen C , Christie Katherine S , Clements Sarah J , Friis Christian , Gesmundo Callie , Giroux Marie-Andrée , Harrison Autumn-Lynn , Harwood Christopher M , Hill Jason M , Johnson James A , Kempenaers Bart , Laliberté Benoit , Lamarre Jean-Francois , Lanctot Richard B , Latty Christopher , Lecomte Nicolas , McDuffie Laura A , Navedo Juan G , Nol Erica , Pohlen Zachary M , Rausch Jennie , Renfrew Rosalind B , Ruiz Jorge , Russell Mike , Ruthrauff Daniel R , Saalfeld Sarah T , Sandercock Brett K , Schulte Shiloh A , Smith Paul A , Taylor Audrey R , Tibbitts T Lee , Valcu Mihai , Weegman Mitch D , Wright James R , Senner Nathan R
Published: August 2024

Identifying the migration routes and stopover sites used by declining species is critical for developing targeted conservation actions. Long-distance migratory shorebirds are among the groups of birds declining most rapidly, yet we frequently lack detailed knowledge about the routes and stopover sites they use during their hemisphere-spanning migrations. This is especially true for species that migrate through mid-continental regions in the Western Hemisphere. We therefore used satellite transmitters to track 212 individuals of 6 shorebird species during their southward migrations—Pluvialis dominica (American Golden-Plover), Limosa haemastica (Hudsonian Godwit), Tringa flavipes (Lesser Yellowlegs), Calidris subruficollis (Buff-breasted Sandpiper), C. melanotos (Pectoral Sandpiper), and Bartramia longicauda (Upland Sandpiper)—as they crossed the Amazon Basin of South America, a region from which reports of shorebird numbers are increasing but remain relatively rare. Our results make clear that the Amazon Basin provides stopover habitat for a large number of shorebirds: more than 74% of individuals tracked crossing the Amazon Basin stopped over in the region for an average of 2–14 days, with some spending the entire nonbreeding season there. All species selected stopover sites along the region’s many rivers and lakes, while within stopover sites each species exhibited distinct habitat preferences. The timing of stopovers within sub-basins of the Amazon Basin also coincided with periods of low water, when the muddy, shallow water habitats preferred by most shorebirds are likely plentiful. Together, our results highlight the need for detailed investigations into shorebird abundance and distribution within the Amazon Basin, threats to shorebirds within particular subbasins, and links between shorebird conservation efforts and those targeting the myriad other species that inhabit this dynamic, hyper-diverse region.
Kaluza–Klein Schwinger Effect
Authors: Yamada Yusuke
Published: August 2024

We show that electric fields in compactified spaces may produce Kaluza–Klein (KK) particles even when the energy of the electric fields is smaller than the KK scale. As an illustrative example, we consider a charged massless complex scalar coupled to U(1) gauge theory in $\mathbb {R}^{1,3}\times {\mathbb {S}}^1$ and discuss the effect of background gauge potential along a compact direction. The electric field produces the charged KK particle nonperturbatively, which we call the KK Schwinger effect. We quantitatively show that KK modes can be produced even when the electric field energy is far below the KK scale. The mechanism is rather general and similar phenomena would occur in any compactification models when a gauge potential along a compact direction evolves in time and experiences a large enough field excursion. We also discuss the subtlety of 4D effective theory truncated by KK modes at an initial time, when the electric field is turned on.
Analysis of risk factors for changes of renal artery resistance indexes in gout patients by ultrasound colour Doppler
Authors: Dang Wantai , Luo Hui , Hu Jin , Liu Jian
Published: August 2024

Objectives

Gout may disturb renal hemodynamics by promoting uric acid deposition; however, this relationship has not been elucidated with adequate clinical evidence. In this study, we measured the renal artery resistance index (ARI) in patients with gout to identify the risk factors and establish predictive models for elevated renal ARI in these patients.

Methods

Renal artery ultrasound examination was performed in 235 primary gout patients and 50 healthy controls (HCs); subsequently, their renal interlobar ARI (RIARI), renal segmental ARI (RSARI) and overall intrarenal ARI (OIARI) were recorded. Each ARI > 0.7 was considered elevated.

Results

RIARI, RSARI and OIARI were higher in patients with gout than in HCs (all P < 0.001). Nineteen (8.1%), 24 (10.2%) and 18 (7.7%) patients had elevated RIARI, RSARI and OIARI scores, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analyses disclosed that: age ≥ 60 years (P = 0.000), abnormal beta2 microglobulin (β2MG) (P = 0.028), and abnormal high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) (P = 0.030) were independently associated with elevated RIARI; age ≥ 60 years (P = 0.000), and abnormal β2MG (P = 0.013) were independently related to elevated RSARI; abnormal total protein (TP) (P = 0.014) were independently linked with elevated OIARI in gout patients. Consequently, predictive models for elevated ARI were established using nomograms based on the aforementioned independent risk factors, which showed a satisfactory value for estimating elevated RIARI [area under the curve (AUC):0.929], RSARI (AUC: 0.926) and OIARI (AUC: 0.660) in patients with gout, as validated by receiver operating characteristic curves.

Conclusion

Renal ARI were elevated in patients with gout, whose independent risk factors included older age and abnormal β2MG, HDLC and TP levels.
The impact of winning funding on researcher productivity, results from a randomized trial
Authors: Barnett Adrian , Blakely Tony , Liu Mengyao , Garland Luke , Clarke Philip
Published: August 2024

The return on investment of funding science has rarely been accurately measured. Previous estimates of the benefits of funding have used observational studies, including regression discontinuity designs. In 2013, the Health Research Council of New Zealand began awarding funding using a modified lottery, with an initial peer review stage followed by funding at random for short-listed applicants. This allowed us to compare research outputs between those awarded funding or not using a randomized experimental study design. The analysis included eighty-eight researchers who were followed for an average of 3.8 years of follow-up. The rate ratios (and 95 per cent credible intervals (CI)) for funding were 0.95 (95 per cent CI 0.67 to 1.39) for publications and 1.06 (95 per cent CI 0.79 to 1.43) for citations, showing no clear impact of funding on research outputs. The wider use of funding lotteries could provide robust estimates of the benefits of research funding to better inform science policy.
A novel deep learning model for obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis: hybrid CNN-Transformer approach for radar-based detection of apnea-hypopnea events
Authors: Choi Jae Won , Koo Dae Lim , Kim Dong Hyun , Nam Hyunwoo , Lee Ji Hyun , Hong Seung-No , Kim Baekhyun
Published: August 2024

Study Objectives

The demand for cost-effective and accessible alternatives to polysomnography (PSG), the conventional diagnostic method for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), has surged. In this study, we have developed and validated a deep learning model for detecting apnea-hypopnea events using radar data.

Methods

We conducted a single-center prospective cohort study, dividing participants with suspected sleep-disordered breathing into development and temporally independent test sets. Utilizing a hybrid CNN-Transformer architecture, we performed fivefold cross-validation on the development set to develop and subsequently validate the model. Evaluation metrics included sensitivity for event detection, mean absolute error (MAE), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Pearson correlation coefficient (r) for apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) estimation. Linearly weighted kappa statistics (κ) assessed OSA severity.

Results

The development set comprised 54 participants (July 2021–May 2022), while the test set included 35 participants (June 2022–June 2023). In the test set, our model achieved an event detection sensitivity of 67.2% (95% CI = 65.8% to 68.5%) and demonstrated a MAE of 7.54 (95% CI = 5.36 to 9.72), indicating good agreement (ICC = 0.889 [95% CI = 0.792 to 0.942]) and a strong correlation (r = 0.892 [95% CI = 0.795 to 0.945]) with the ground truth for AHI estimation. Furthermore, OSA severity estimation showed substantial agreement (κ = 0.780 [95% CI = 0.658 to 0.903]).

Conclusions

Our study highlights radar sensors and advanced AI models’ potential to improve OSA diagnosis, paving the path for future radar-based diagnostic models in sleep medicine research.
Prevalence of sexual dysfunction in health care workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chen Yubin , Zhang Linghui , Zhou Yuqiu , Zhang Jiayuan , Yu Hong , Li Qi , Xu Jun
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Health care workers represent a substantial demographic whose welfare and work efficiency are crucial to public health and societal well-being. However, the prevalence of sexual dysfunction within this group is often overlooked, despite its significant occurrence.

Objective

To evaluate the worldwide prevalence of sexual dysfunction among health care workers.

Methods

A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies ranging from 2003 to 2023 were performed to compile prevalence estimates of sexual dysfunction among health care workers. A random effects model was implemented to amalgamate the prevalence analysis. Study heterogeneity was discerned by I2 and χ2 statistics. To assess potential publication bias, an Egger’s test and a funnel plot were employed.

Results

This meta-analysis incorporated 39 studies from 16 countries, encompassing 44 017 health care workers. The pooled prevalence of sexual dysfunction among health care workers was 46.79% (95% CI, 38.09%-55.68%), with a slightly higher prevalence of 49.57% (95% CI, 38.18%-61.01%) among clinical health care workers. The most prevalent forms of sexual dysfunction identified were loss of libido (51.26%), erectile dysfunction (36.99%), sexual dissatisfaction (36.90%), pain during intercourse (28.23%), orgasmic disorders (25.13%), low sexual arousal (23.54%), and lubrication disorders (22.62%). Among various health care professions, nurses exhibited the highest prevalence of sexual dysfunction (56.29%), followed by doctors (37.63%) and other health care workers (24.96%). Additionally, female health care workers experienced a higher prevalence of sexual dysfunction (47.61%) as compared with their male counterparts (32.01%).

Conclusion

This study indicates that nearly half of health care professionals report experiencing sexual dysfunction, with loss of libido being the most common manifestation. Addressing this issue requires a multistakeholder approach.
Metolazone Versus Chlorothiazide in Acute Heart Failure Patients With Diuretic Resistance and Renal Dysfunction: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Gibson Caitlin M. , Beard Meghan M. , Escano Alisa K. , Good Brittany L. , Potter Teresa G. , Truong Albert M. , Van Tassell Benjamin
Published: August 2024

Guidelines recommend intravenous loop diuretics as first-line therapy for patients hospitalized with acute heart failure (AHF) and volume overload. Additional agents can be used for augmentation, but there is limited guidance on agent selection. The study objective was to determine if chlorothiazide or metolazone is associated with differences in diuretic efficacy or safety in loop diuretic-resistant patients with AHF and renal dysfunction (eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73 m²). We conducted a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of patients hospitalized with AHF and renal dysfunction who received metolazone or chlorothiazide in addition to intravenous loop diuretics. The primary end point was a comparison of 24-hour urine output (UOP) between the 24 hours before and after thiazide administration. Secondary and safety end points included weight change, requirement for vasopressors or inotropes, electrolyte abnormalities, and changes in renal function. A total of 221 patients were included. The mean daily diuretic doses were chlorothiazide 632 mg and metolazone 7 mg. The mean 24-hour UOP increased more among chlorothiazide-treated (from 1668 mL to 3826 mL) versus metolazone-treated patients (from 1672 mL to 2834 mL) (P < 0.001) after the addition of the second diuretic. Statistically significant reductions in serum creatinine were observed in the chlorothiazide group following 72 hours of treatment (P = 0.016). More hypomagnesemia was observed in the chlorothiazide group; no differences in other electrolytes or changes in weight were observed. Overall, chlorothiazide was associated with a greater increase in 24-hour UOP than metolazone without an excess of potassium or serum creatinine derangements. However, weight changes did not differ significantly between groups. Future prospective studies are needed to confirm potential differences in diuretic response and safety.
Adverse complications of cervical spinal fusion in patients with different types of diabetes mellitus: a retrospective nationwide inpatient sample database cross-sectional study
Authors: Liao Yuan-Jing , Xu Lan-Wei , Xie Hao , Yang Qin-Feng , Wang Jian , Fan Lei , Cao Sheng-Lu
Published: August 2024

Background:

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a prevalent chronic condition that influences spine surgery outcomes. The impact of type Ⅰ and type Ⅱ DM on adverse postoperative outcomes, mortality, prolonged length of stay (LOS), and increased in-hospital costs following cervical fusion surgery remains unclear in the past decade. This study aims to determine the specific effect of different classifications of DM on postoperative complications in patients experiencing cervical fusion surgery.

Method:

Data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database was acquired between 2010 and 2019. Patients experiencing cervical fusion were included and classified as having type I DM, type II DM, or neither. Patient demographics, hospital characteristics, operative variables, comorbidities, complications, and other postoperative outcomes were assessed. Propensity score matching analysis was used to balance baseline differences. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were employed to determine the risk of postoperative outcomes in patients with different classifications of DM.

Result:

A total of 267 174 cervical spinal fusions were identified (224 255 were patients without DM, 670 patients had type I DM, and 42 249 patients had type II DM). After propensity score matching, the multivariate analysis of non-DM and type I DM patients shows a significant difference in pneumonia (P=0.020). However, type Ⅱ DM served as an independent predictor of an increased risk of acute cerebrovascular disease (P=0.001), acute myocardial infarction (P=0.014), pneumonia (P=0.045), continuous trauma ventilation (P=0.016), chest pain (P<0.001), urinary tract infection (P<0.001), transfusion (P=0.005) and dysphagia (P=0.013), prolonged LOS (P<0.001), and increased costs (P=0.008).

Conclusion:

Using non-DM patients as a reference, the type II DM group demonstrated a higher risk of postoperative complications than the type I DM group among patients receiving cervical fusion surgery. This vital distinction could enhance risk stratification and guidance for patients diagnosed with DM before cervical fusion surgery.