bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kangaroo Mother Care prior to clinical stabilisation: Implementation barriers and facilitators reported by caregivers and health care providers in Uganda
Authors: Tumukunde Victor S. , Katongole Joseph , Namukwaya Stella , Medvedev Melissa M. , Nyirenda Moffat , Tann Cally J. , Seeley Janet , Lawn Joy E.
Published: January 2024

Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is an evidence-based method to improve newborn survival. However, scale-up even for stable newborns has been slow, with reported barriers to implementation. We examined facilitators and barriers to initiating KMC before stabilisation amongst neonates recruited to the OMWaNA study in Uganda.

A qualitative sub-study was conducted during the OMWaNA randomized controlled trial examining the mortality effect of KMC prior to stabilisation amongst newborns (700-2000g). At the four trial site hospitals, focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with caregivers, and separately with healthcare providers and in-depth interviews (IDIs) with caregivers (admitted/recently discharged), and key informant interviews (KII) with hospital administrators/neonatal healthcare providers. The WHO Building Blocks was used to guide thematic analysis.

Eight FGDs (4 caregivers, 4 healthcare workers), 41 caregiver IDIs (26 mothers, 8 grandmothers and 7 fathers) and 23 KIIs were conducted. Key themes based on the building blocks were family and community support and involvement, health workforce, medical supplies and commodities, infrastructure and design, financing, and health facility leadership. We found availability of an additional family member in the hospital, and support from healthcare workers, were facilitators for KMC before stability. The caregiver’s positive attitude towards KMC facilitated KMC practice but was impeded by the lack of knowledge on the benefits of KMC or how to perform it. Implementation barriers included: Fear of inadvertently causing harm to the newborn, inadequate space to perform KMC in the neonatal care unit and a limited number of trained healthcare workers coupled with insufficient medical supplies.

In the Ugandan government hospital setting, the presence of a family member in the hospital, adequate provision of healthcare workers knowledgeable in supporting KMC prior to stability, and adequate space for KMC beds where neonatal care is being delivered, can enable implementation of KMC before stability.
Understanding children’s behavioral health outcomes: A story of overcoming trauma and building strengths
Authors: McAllister Jordan H. , Vsevolozhskaya Olga A. , Tong Xiaoran , Lakin Daniel P. , Fairhurst Scott K. , Lyons John S.
Published: January 2024

Background

Among children enrolled in behavioral health treatment, those with multiple trauma experiences (known as Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs) typically see worse outcomes. In this study, we examine whether having or building strengths can help such children become more resilient and experience better outcomes.

Objective

We examined the relationship between children’s traumatic experiences, strengths, and clinical improvement, testing whether building strengths can help reduce the negative impact of ACEs on children’s response to treatment.

Participants and Setting

We used data from an evidence-based assessment to understand the clinical and functional needs and strengths of 5,423 children (ages 6-20) receiving treatment between 2019 and 2022 within a large community agency located in California.

Methods

To classify children by both level and rate of improvement, we relied on machine learning and principal components analysis. To determine the relationships between ACEs, strengths, and improvement, we used a variety of predictive models and descriptive analyses.

Results

After classifying children as being either “Faster”, “Slower”, or “Minimal” improvers, our analyses revealed that while higher total ACEs increases the likelihood of being a Slower improver, this effect can be mitigated by building strengths.

Conclusions

These results suggest that children with more ACEs are likely to require a longer duration of treatment before improvement is seen. They also suggest that promoting resilience— specifically focusing on building strengths—may lead to more efficient and effective care, particularly for children with significant trauma histories.
IntelliR: A comprehensive and standardized pipeline for automated profiling of higher cognition in mice
Authors: Gastaldi Vinicius Daguano , Hindermann Martin , Wilke Justus BH , Ronnenberg Anja , Arinrad Sahab , Kraus Sabine , Wildenburg Anne-Fleur , Ntolkeras Antonios , Provost Micah J , Ye Liu , Curto Yasmina , Cortés-Silva Jonathan-Alexis , Butt Umer Javed , Nave Klaus-Armin , Woznica Miskowiak Kamilla , Ehrenreich Hannelore
Published: January 2024

In the rapidly evolving field of rodent behavior research, observer-independent methods facilitate data collection within a social, stress-reduced, and thus more natural environment. A prevalent system in this research area is the IntelliCage, which empowers experimenters to design individual tasks and higher cognitive challenges for mice, driven by their motivation to access reward. The extensive amount and diversity of data provided by the IntelliCage system explains the growing demand for automated analysis among users. Here, we introduce IntelliR, a standardized pipeline for analyzing raw data generated by the IntelliCage software, as well as novel parameters including the cognition index, which enables comparison of performance across various challenges. With IntelliR, we provide the tools to implement and automatically analyze 3 challenges that we designed, encompassing spatial, episodic-like, and working memory with their respective reversal tests. Using results from 3 independent control cohorts of adult female wildtype mice, we demonstrate their ability to comprehend and learn the tasks, thereby improving their proficiency over time. To validate the sensitivity of our approach for detecting cognitive impairment, we used adult female NexCreERT2xRosa26-eGFP-DTA mice after tamoxifen induced diphtheria toxin-mediated ablation of pyramidal neurons in cortex and hippocampus. We observed deterioration in learning capabilities and cognition index across several tests. IntelliR can be readily integrated into and adapted for individual research, thereby improving time management and reproducibility of data analysis.

HIGHLIGHTS

IntelliR is a standardized pipeline for analyzing raw data of IntelliCage software.

Domains include spatial, episodic-like, and working memory with reversals.

WT mice (3 cohorts) comprehend, learn and improve proficiency over time.

Cognition index permits comparison of performance across cognitive domains.

Mice with ablation of pyramidal neurons decline mainly in working memory.
High-parametric protein maps reveal the spatial organization in early-developing human lung
Authors: Sariyar Sanem , Sountoulidis Alexandros , Hansen Jan Niklas , Salas Sergio Marco , Mardamshina Mariya , Martinez Casals Anna , Navarro Frederic Ballllosera , Andrusivova Zaneta , Li Xiaofei , Czarnewski Paulo , Lundeberg Joakim , Linnarsson Sten , Nilsson Mats , Sundström Erik , Samakovlis Christos , Lundberg Emma , Ayoglu Burcu
Published: January 2024

The respiratory system, including the lungs, is essential for terrestrial life. While recent research has advanced our understanding of lung development, much still relies on animal models and transcriptome analyses. In this study conducted within the Human Developmental Cell Atlas (HDCA) initiative, we describe the protein-level spatiotemporal organization of the lung during the first trimester of human gestation. Using high-parametric tissue imaging with a 30-plex antibody panel, we analyzed human lung samples from 6 to 13 post-conception weeks, generating data from over 2 million cells across five developmental timepoints. We present a resource detailing spatially resolved cell type composition of the developing human lung, including proliferative states, immune cell patterns, spatial arrangement traits, and their temporal evolution. This represents an extensive single-cell resolved protein-level examination of the developing human lungs and provides a valuable resource for further research into the developmental roots of human respiratory health and disease.
Self-adjusting Engineered Probiotic for Targeted Tumor Colonization and Local Therapeutics Delivery
Authors: Zou Zhen-Ping , Wang Xin-Ge , Sun Shu-Ting , Mi Jing , Zhang Xiao-Peng , Yin Bin-Chen , Zhou Ying , Ye Bang-Ce
Published: January 2024

Engineered bacteria have demonstrated great potential for treating a broad array of tumors. However, the precision and safety of controlling the performance of engineered bacteria in vivo remains a central challenge. Here, we utilized genetic circuit programming strategy to construct an engineeredEscherichia coliNissle 1917 with accurate targeted colonizing and on-demand payloads releasing ability. The engineered probiotic survives only in the presence of more than 5 mM L-lactate by employing an improved lactate-sensing system, which leads to preventing the growth outside the permissive environments in mice. Meanwhile we introduce an expressing α-hemolysin (SAH) circuit based on quorum-sensing system to augment anti-tumor effect. Furthermore, coagulase induced by high-level lactate creates the closure to deprive tumor of nutrients and oxygen and prevents leakage of bacteria and SAH, which enhances the therapeutic effectiveness and biosafety. This self-adjusting living biotherapeutics significantly inhibits tumor proliferation and prolongs the survival time of colorectal tumor-bearing mice. Together, our work takes a step towards safer and more effective application of living bacteria for tumor treatment in practice.
Breaking free from the clock’s tyranny restores memory to brain damaged flies
Authors: Dissel Stephane , Morgan Ellen , Cao Lijuan , Wakefield Zachary Peters , Shetty Shohan , Chan Dorothy , Duong Vincent , Donlea Jeff , Farah Hamza , Loutrianakis Vasilios , Ford Melanie , Streett Lillith , Periandri Erica , Li Zhaoyi , Huang Irene , Abdala Dina , Kalra Arjan , Sousani Lea , Holder Brandon , McAdams Chloe , van Swinderen Bruno , Shaw Paul J.
Published: January 2024

The relationship between sleep and memory is an active topic of investigation. In this context, we demonstrate that enhancing sleep restores memory to flies with ablated Mushroom Bodies (MB), a key memory center; this is consistent across several memory assays. Mapping the underlying circuitry reveals circadian modulation of a subset of Dopaminergic neurons (DANs) that modulate aversive learning. Using imaging, we show that MB-ablation disrupts, and sleep restores the time of day these neurons are most responsive. Knocking down the receptor for the clock output signal,Pigment-dispersing factor(Pdfr), in this subset of DANs restores memory to MB-ablated flies. Crucially, MB-ablation does not result in memory impairments in the absence of a functioning clock. Our results reveal neuromodulation’s key role in cognitive restoration, where sleep aids memory in damaged brains, but a functioning clock unexpectedly hinders this process.
The translocation activity of Rad54 reduces crossover outcomes during homologous recombination
Authors: Sridalla Krishay , Woodhouse Mitchell V. , Hu Jingyi , Scheer Jessica , Ferlez Bryan , Crickard J. Brooks
Published: January 2024

Homologous recombination (HR) is a template-based DNA double-strand break repair pathway that requires the selection of an appropriate DNA template for repair during the homology search stage of HR. Failure to execute the homology search quickly and efficiently can result in complex intermediates that generate genomic rearrangements, a hallmark of human cancers. Rad54 is an ATP dependent DNA motor protein that functions during the homology search by regulating the recombinase Rad51. How this regulation reduces genomic rearrangements is currently unknown. To better understand how Rad54 can prevent genomic rearrangements, we evaluated several amino acid mutations in Rad54 that were found in the COSMIC database. COSMIC is a collection of amino acid mutations identified in human cancers. These substitutions led to reduced Rad54 function and the discovery of a conserved motif in Rad54. Through genetic, biochemical, and single-molecule approaches, we show that disruption of this motif leads to failure in stabilizing early strand invasion intermediates, causing loss-of-heterozygosity rearrangements. Our study also suggests that the translocation rate of Rad54 is a determinant in balancing genetic exchange. This mechanism is likely fundamental to eukaryotic biology.
CDX2 dose-dependently influences the gene regulatory network underlying human extraembryonic mesoderm development
Authors: Bulger Emily A. , McDevitt Todd C. , Bruneau Benoit G.
Published: January 2024

Proper regulation of gene dosage is critical for the development of the early embryo and the extraembryonic tissues that support it. Specifically, loss ofCdx2 in vivoleads to stunted development of the allantois, an extraembryonic mesoderm-derived structure critical for nutrient delivery and waste removal in the early embryo. In this study, we investigate how CDX2 dose-dependently influences the gene regulatory network underlying extraembryonic mesoderm development. We generate an allelic series forCDX2in human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) consisting of WT, heterozygous, and homozygous nullCDX2genotypes, differentiate these cells in a 2D gastruloid model, and subject these cells to multiomic single nucleus RNA and ATAC sequencing. We identify several genes that CDX2 dose-dependently regulate cytoskeletal integrity and adhesiveness in the extraembryonic mesoderm population, including regulators of the VEGF, canonical WNT, and non-canonical WNT signaling pathways. Despite these dose-dependent gene expression patterns, snATAC-seq reveals that heterozygous CDX2 expression is capable of inducing a WT-like chromatin accessibility profile, suggesting accessibility is not sufficient to drive gene expression when the CDX2 dosage is reduced. Finally, because the loss of CDX2 or TBXT phenocopy one anotherin vivo, we compare differentially expressed genes in our CDX2 knock-out model to those from TBXT knock-out hiPSCs differentiated in an analogous experiment. This comparison identifies several communally misregulated genes that are critical for cytoskeletal integrity and tissue permeability, includingANK3andANGPT1. Together, these results clarify how CDX2 dose-dependently regulates gene expression in the extraembryonic mesoderm and suggest these genes may underlie the defects in vascular development and allantoic elongation seen in the absence or reduction of CDX2in vivo.

Summary Statement

Using 2D human gastruloids, CDX2 is shown to dose-dependently influence genes related to tissue permeability, cell-cell adhesions, and cytoskeletal architecture during extraembryonic mesoderm development.
Epitranscriptomic Reader YTHDF2 Regulates SEK1(MAP2K4)-JNK-cJUN Inflammatory Signaling in Astrocytes during Neurotoxic Stress
Authors: Malovic Emir , Ealy Alyssa , Hsu Phillip J. , Sarkar Souvarish , Miller Cameron , Rokad Dharmin , Goeser Cody , Hartman Aleah Kristen , Zhu Allen , Palanisamy Bharathi , Zenitsky Gary , Jin Huajun , Anantharam Vellareddy , Kanthasamy Arthi , He Chuan , Kanthasamy Anumantha G.
Published: January 2024

As the most abundant glial cells in the CNS, astrocytes dynamically respond to neurotoxic stress, however, the key molecular regulators controlling the inflammatory status of these sentinels during neurotoxic stress have remained elusive. Herein, we demonstrate that the m6A epitranscriptomic mRNA modification tightly regulates the pro-inflammatory functions of astrocytes. Specifically, the astrocytic neurotoxic stresser, manganese (Mn), downregulated the m6A reader YTHDF2 in human and mouse astrocyte cultures and in the mouse brain. Functionally, YTHDF2 knockdown augmented, while its overexpression dampened, neurotoxic stress induced proinflammatory response, suggesting YTHDF2 serves as a key upstream regulator of inflammatory responses in astrocytes. Mechnistically, YTHDF2 RIP-sequencing identifiedMAP2K4(MKK4;SEK1) mRNA as a YTHDF2 target influencing inflammatory signaling. Our target validation revealed Mn-exposed astrocytes mediates proinflammatory response by activating the phosphorylation of SEK1, JNK, and cJUN signaling. Collectively, YTHDF2 serves a key upstream ‘molecular switch’ controlling SEK1(MAP2K4)-JNK-cJUN proinflammatory signaling in astrocytes.
Universal transport in periodically driven systems without long-lived quasiparticles
Authors: Esin Iliya , Kuhlenkamp Clemens , Refael Gil , Berg Erez , Rudner Mark S. , Lindner Netanel H.
Published: January 2024

An intriguing regime of universal charge transport at high entropy density has been proposed for periodically driven interacting one-dimensional systems with Bloch bands separated by a large single-particle band gap. For weak interactions, a simple picture based on well-defined Floquet quasiparticles suggests that the system should host a quasisteady state current that depends only on the populations of the system's Floquet-Bloch bands and their associated quasienergy winding numbers. Here we show that such topological transport persists into the strongly interacting regime where the single-particle lifetime becomes shorter than the drive period. Analytically, we show that the value of the current is insensitive to interaction-induced band renormalizations and lifetime broadening when certain conditions are met by the system's nonequilibrium distribution function. We show that these conditions correspond to a quasisteady state. We support these predictions through numerical simulation of a system of strongly interacting fermions in a periodically modulated chain of Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev dots. Our paper establishes universal transport at high entropy density as a robust far from equilibrium topological phenomenon, which can be readily realized with cold atoms in optical lattices.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Bipolar thermoelectric superconducting single-electron transistor
Authors: Battisti Sebastiano , De Simoni Giorgio , Chirolli Luca , Braggio Alessandro , Giazotto Francesco
Published: January 2024

Thermoelectric effects in normal metals and superconductors are usually very small due to the presence of electron-hole symmetry. Here, we show that superconducting junctions brought out of equilibrium manifest a sizable bipolar thermoelectric effect that stems from a violation of the detailed balance determined by the crucial role of the interactions at the mean-field level. To fully control the effect, we consider a thermally biased junction where the capacitance of the central S′ region is small enough to establish a Coulomb blockade regime. By exploiting charging effects we are able to tune the Seebeck voltage, the thermocurrent, and thereby the power output of this structure, via an external gate voltage. We then analyze the main figures of merit of bipolar thermoelectricity and we prospect for possible applications.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Modelling dynamical 3D electron diffraction intensities. II. The role of inelastic scattering
Authors: Mendis Budhika
Published: January 2024

The strong interaction of high-energy electrons with a crystal results in both dynamical elastic scattering and inelastic events, particularly phonon and plasmon excitation, which have relatively large cross sections. For accurate crystal structure refinement it is therefore important to uncover the impact of inelastic scattering on the Bragg beam intensities. Here a combined Bloch wave–Monte Carlo method is used to simulate phonon and plasmon scattering in crystals. The simulated thermal and plasmon diffuse scattering are consistent with experimental results. The simulations also confirm the empirical observation of a weaker unscattered beam intensity with increasing energy loss in the low-loss regime, while the Bragg-diffracted beam intensities do not change significantly. The beam intensities include the diffuse scattered background and have been normalized to adjust for the inelastic scattering cross section. It is speculated that the random azimuthal scattering angle during inelastic events transfers part of the unscattered beam intensity to the inner Bragg reflections. Inelastic scattering should not significantly influence crystal structure refinement, provided there are no artefacts from any background subtraction, since the relative intensity of the diffracted beams (which includes the diffuse scattering) remains approximately constant in the low energy loss regime.
Assessing the need for a deregulation of the insurance sector of Mauritius to combat money laundering: a comparative study with Singapore and UK
Authors: Mahadew Bhavna
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the current legal framework on money laundering control in the insurance sector. Essentially, this examination is premised on the interrogation of whether it is still appropriate for Mauritius to apply such stringent, opaque and unyielding Anti-Money Laundering/Combating Financing of Terrorism norms and rules on general insurance when developed nations such as the UK and Singapore have done away with them for a more effective combat against money laundering. It would also be assessed why the financial services commission (FSC) is not able to draw inspiration from its British and Singaporean counterparts in fighting money laundering more effectively.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses the doctrinal legal research methodology which is colloquially described as “black-letter law” approach. It is backed up by a contextual legal analysis that is based on an analysis of relevant legal provisions. It relies ground experience from the insurance industry through the experience of the authors. A comparative approach is used with Singapore and the UK as case studies given that there are significant commonalities to the Mauritian jurisdiction as well as useful differences.

Findings

It is observed that a move towards a de-regulation of the legal framework on money laundering in the insurance sector with a more relaxed approach is more effective for the Mauritian insurance sector. Evidence is drawn from the Singaporean and British models. A re-structuring of the FSC of Mauritius is also warranted for such an approach to be adopted.

Originality/value

This paper is among the first academic contribution that proposes a de-regulation and the adoption of a relaxed approach of and by the Mauritian Insurance Industry for a more effective combat against money laundering. It serves as a legal foundational basis for further research in this direction.
Disruptive innovation and e-micro-entrepreneurship in tourism: the IRMA model approach for Airbnb platform
Authors: Poulaki Ioulia , Chatzopoulou Evi , Constantoglou Mary , Konstantinidou Vaia
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to examine how Airbnb has been transformed from an informal form of tourism accommodation into an emerging form of tourism e-micro-entrepreneurship through an interesting triangle consisting of three distinct parts: hosts, platform and guests.

Design/methodology/approach

Considering that the peer-to-peer response has sealed the sharing economy's success, research methodology involves primary research that focuses on the adeptness of Airbnb hosts as e-micro-entrepreneurs from the customers' perspective. A quantitative methodology was employed by applying a convenience sampling strategy through a structured questionnaire that was distributed online, resulting in a collection of 150 useable responses. A statistical analysis has been performed to test the research's objectives.

Findings

Driven by Airbnb hosts' entrepreneurial behavior in managing their listings and guests' responses, research findings led to the development of a post-conceptual IRMA model, which describes this particular form of hosting as an e-micro-entrepreneurship opportunity, while guests' satisfaction confirms the platform's performance and hosts' efforts in service quality provision.

Research limitations/implications

This study brings valuable insights to the tourism e-entrepreneurship literature through the assessment of the Airbnb platform and the hosts as e-micro-entrepreneurs, providing useful information to researchers and managers involved in the Sharing Economy's disruptive innovation and a more complete understanding of the drivers of Airbnb's consumer adoption.

Originality/value

Research on Airbnb mainly focuses on service quality from the customer perspective, while the existing literature does not highlight how a new type of e-micro-entrepreneurship has emerged by operating in the sharing economy's disruptive innovation ecosystem, which illustrates the factors that motivate hosts and guests to share accommodation services in an equilibrium bond.
Misery loves company: evaluation of negative e-WOM effects at the post-service recovery stage
Authors: Sengupta Aditi Sarkar , Stafford Marla Royne , Fox Alexa K.
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The authors' research examines how negative electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) alters focal customers' post-recovery justice perceptions and attitudes to determine their future behavior with the service provider. Specifically, this paper develops and tests a conceptual model to investigate how negative e-WOM alters focal customers' perceptual and attitudinal outcomes after the service recovery experience. It also examines the post-recovery effect of negative e-WOM on focal customers’ willingness to patronize the service after their recovery experience.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the hypotheses, two pretests and two experimental studies with created scenarios in the retail context were conducted.

Findings

The authors' findings reveal that services are judged during and well beyond failure and recovery occurrences. To maintain a loyal customer base, service managers should develop processes that address service complaints both within and beyond the service consumption stage. The authors also find that despite a favorable recovery, focal customers gravitate toward the failure experience and develop unfavorable attitudes toward the service provider, leading to likely defections.

Originality/value

The authors' research demonstrates the persuasive power of negative e-WOM at the post-service recovery stage, making a unique contribution to the service recovery literature. This research also contributes to the persuasive effect of negative e-WOM, demonstrating message context as a boundary condition of negative e-WOM effects. In general, the authors' work highlights the importance of understanding the psychological processes involved in eliciting the persuasive influence of negative e-WOM in the post-service recovery stage that may lead to the defection of “so-called” successfully recovered customers.
Using butterfly survey data to model habitat associations in urban developments
Authors: Cooper Joseph E. J. , Plummer Kate E. , Middlebrook Ian , Siriwardena Gavin M.
Published: January 2024

One approach for measuring the potential biodiversity in new urban construction projects is through ecological models that predict how wildlife will respond. For the United Kingdom, such models have only been developed for birds, but to maximise the extent to which models represent overall biodiversity, species from different indicator groups must be considered.

Here, we assess this possibility for butterflies by combining citizen science survey data with high‐resolution digital maps. We derive detailed characteristics of urban landscapes around survey sites using previously established methods and quantify their relationship to counts of adults of 18 butterfly species in urban and peri‐urban settings.

Higher butterfly counts were found when traversing urban sites with larger areas of semi‐natural grassland, other managed greenspaces and adjacent arable land. Most of the butterfly community were found to have negative relationships with highly built‐up or fragmented landscapes.

We found high species‐specificity for different details of urban form, particularly in habitat elements such as gardens, vegetation around railways and grass verges.

Policy implications. Improving biodiversity is now part of legislation governing new construction projects from England and Wales. However, predicting quantitative changes from hypothetical land‐use modifications remains challenging. Our models provide the foundation through which butterfly abundance could be integrated into an urban biodiversity assessment tool, providing species‐ and community‐level statistics to non‐specialists from the urban planning and design sector. This would allow them to hone configurations for built surfaces, private gardens, greenspaces and wildlife areas and assess their capacity to provide residents with the intended access to nature.
Prognostic value and relapse pattern of HER2‐low in hormone receptor‐positive breast cancer
Authors: Wei Tong , Kang Yikun , Wang Xue , Yue Jian , Xu Binghe , Yuan Peng
Published: January 2024

Background

A new concept of HER2‐low has emerged in recent years. However, the prognostic value and the relapse pattern of HER2‐low is unclear.

Methods

Our study included patients diagnosed with HER2‐negative/hormone receptor‐positive breast cancer to explore the differences in survival outcomes between the HER2‐low group and the HER2‐zero group. More importantly, we explored different recurrence patterns, including the comparison of metastatic sites and recurrence time curve between the two groups.

Results

A total of 797 patients with hormone receptor‐positive breast cancer were analyzed. Similar disease‐free survival (DFS) was observed between the HER2‐low group and HER2‐zero group (HR 0.84, 95% CI: 0.61–1.16, p = 0.290). There was also no significant difference in OS between the HER2‐low group and the HER2‐zero group (HR 0.77, 95% CI: 0.46–1.28, p = 0.310). When IHC 1+ and 0 were taken as a group, the IHC 2+ group had significantly better DFS than the IHC 1+ and 0 group in some subgroups. The risk of bone metastasis in patients with HER2 IHC 1+ and 0 was significantly higher than that of patients with HER2 IHC 2+ (12.7% vs. 4.7%, p < 0.001). Compared with the HER2‐zero group, we found that the HER2‐low group had a more obvious peak in mortality at the time of postoperative 80th–100th month.

Conclusions

No significant difference in DFS and OS between the HER2‐low group and the HER2‐zero group was observed. Patients with HER2 IHC 1+ and 0 tend to develop bone metastasis. The HER2‐low group had a more obvious second peak in mortality.
The maternal microbiome in pregnancy, delivery, and early‐stage development of neonatal microbiome after cesarean section: A prospective longitudinal study
Authors: Foessleitner Philipp , Pjevac Petra , Granser Sonja , Wisgrill Lukas , Pummer Lisa , Eckel Fanny , Seki David , Berry David , Hausmann Bela , Farr Alex
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Changes within the maternal microbiome during the last trimester of pregnancy and the determinants of the subsequent neonatal microbiome establishment after delivery by elective cesarean section are described.

Material and methods

Maternal vaginal and rectal microbiome samples were collected in the last trimester and before cesarean section; intrauterine cavity, placenta, neonatal buccal mucosa, skin, and meconium samples were obtained at birth; neonatal sample collection was repeated 2–3 days postnatally. Microbial community composition was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Relative abundance measurements of amplicon sequencing variants and sum counts at higher taxonomic levels were compared to test for significant overlap or differences in microbial community compositions. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04489056.

Results

A total of 30 mothers and their neonates were included with available microbiome samples for all maternal, intrauterine cavity and placenta samples, as well as for 18 of 30 neonates. The composition of maternal vaginal and rectal microbiomes during the last trimester of healthy pregnancies did not significantly change (permutational multivariate analysis of variance [PERMANOVA], p > 0.05). No robust microbial signature was detected in the intrauterine cavity, placenta, neonatal buccal mucosa, skin swabs, or meconium samples collected at birth. After birth, the neonatal microbiome was rapidly established, and significantly different microbial communities were detectable 2–3 days postnatally in neonate buccal mucosa and stool samples (PERMANOVA, p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Maternal vaginal and rectal microbiomes in healthy pregnancies remain stable during the third trimester. No microbial colonization of the neonate was observed before birth in healthy pregnancies. Neonatal microbiomes in infants delivered by cesarean section displayed a taxonomic composition distinct from maternal vaginal and rectal microbiomes at birth, indicating that postnatal exposure to the extrauterine environment is the driving source of initial neonatal microbiome development in this cohort.
The dynamics of cytokine release during 24 hours continuous normothermic machine perfusion liver preservation: An explorative porcine study
Authors: Gilbo Nicholas , Blondeel Joris , Wylin Tine , Heedfeld Veerle , Jochmans Ina , Pirenne Jacques , Korf Hannelie , Monbaliu Diethard
Published: January 2024

Background

Normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) has been proposed to preserve liver grafts in a less pro‐inflammatory environment. However, the effect of NMP on liver inflammation remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed at characterizing the inflammatory response during continuous NMP with a comprehensive investigation of cytokine release during perfusion.

Methods

Ten porcine livers underwent either 24 h NMP or whole blood‐based NMP (WB‐NMP) immediately after procurement. WB‐NMP was used as a positive control to mimic early post‐reperfusion inflammation. High mobility group box‐1 (HMGB1), interleukin 1‐beta (IL‐1beta), tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNFalpha), interleukin 6 (IL‐6), 8 (IL‐8), and 10 (IL‐10), transforming growth factor‐beta (TGFbeta), aspartate transferase (AST), and hyaluronic acid were measured in the perfusate. The area under the curve (AUC) of their perfusate concentration was compared between groups. Median (IQR) is given.

Results

The AUC of HMGB1 and IL‐1beta was similar between groups. Compared to WB‐NMP, NMP inhibited the release of TNFalpha [NMP: 20275 (18402–32 152), WB‐NMP: 242100 (203511–244 238); p = 0.01], IL‐6 [NMP: 1206 (338.9–1686), WB‐NMP: 8444 (7359–10 087); p = 0.03], and IL‐8 [NMP: 1635 (106.90–2130), WB‐NMP: 3951 (3090–4116); p = 0.008]. The release of TGFbeta remained unchanged but IL‐10 release was lower in NMP [1612 (1313–1916), WB‐NMP: 5591 (4312–6421); p = 0.01]. The ratios TGFbeta:TNFalpha and IL‐10:TNFalpha were significantly higher in the NMP than in the WB‐NMP group. Importantly, the AUC of AST was significantly lower during NMP [1960 (1950–2893)] than WB‐NMP [6812 (6370–7916); p = 0.02].

Conclusions

Continuous NMP leads to the release of detectable levels of cytokines with a slow, linear increase over time and a shift toward anti‐inflammatory signaling.
Decolonizing the midwifery curriculum: Jettisoning the Caldwell–Moloy pelvic types
Authors: Niemczyk Nancy A. , Sokunbi Adeyinka , Reale Barbara
Published: January 2024

As faculty in two different midwifery education programs, we have stopped teaching the Caldwell–Moloy classifications of the female pelvis, as have faculty in several other US midwifery programs. In this commentary, we explain the rationale for this change. We review the roots of the Caldwell–Moloy pelvic classification and the lack of contemporary scientific support for either classifying pelvic types or using such a classification for clinical decision‐making, and propose an alternative approach to teaching assessment of the bony pelvis.
Explaining varieties of social solidarity in supply chains: Actors, institutions and market risks distribution in outsourced public services
Authors: Mori Anna
Published: January 2024

On the basis of a comparative analysis of market risks (re)distribution between labour and management in public‐service outsourcing in Italy and Denmark, this article examines different cross‐national patterns of social solidarity in similar encompassing and co‐operative employment relations regimes. It seeks to explain why similar inclusive and collaborative systems of public‐sector employment relations are not functionally equivalent in preventing labour inequalities under market‐making pressure, as predicted by the extant literature. The analysis demonstrates that variation between the countries considered was due to three interrelated factors which mutually reinforced each other in either virtuous (Denmark) or (semi)vicious (Italy) circles: (i) the availability of legislative loopholes; (ii) the cross‐sectoral (public/private) organizational structure and strategy of trade unions and (iii) employers’ outward/inward orientation. The findings confirm the capacity of cross‐sectoral public/private dynamics to either build or erode solidarity in inclusive systems, and they highlight the importance of incorporating the strategic agency exerted by unions and public employers as a crucial determinant of the granular differences emerging between similar models.
Apolipoprotein‐E genotyping in formalin‐fixed and paraffin‐embedded post‐mortem brain tissue
Authors: Minshull James , Davidson Yvonne , Roncaroli Federico , Robinson Andrew C.
Published: January 2024

Formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) brain tissue held in tissue banks constitutes a valuable research resource, especially when associated with clinical annotations and longitudinal psychometric testing. Apolipoprotein‐E (APOE) genotyping is important to fully characterise this resource, however older FFPE tissue may not be suitable for genotyping. We performed polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) assays on DNA extracted from post‐mortem FFPE brain tissue ranging from 2‐19 years old. A maximum of three years in paraffin was determined for robust APOE genotyping of FFPE tissue using PCR‐RFLP which may suggest prolonged storage of fixed tissue as FFPE blocks may have deleterious effects on DNA.
Electrohydraulic lithotripsy treatment with mother–baby endoscopic system useful for gallstone impacted in ileum
Authors: Kazumori Hideaki , Fukuda Kousuke , Sato Takashi
Published: January 2024

Watch a video of this article.
Sustained pacifier use is associated with smaller vocabulary sizes at 1 and 2 years of age: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Muñoz Luis E. , Kartushina Natalia , Mayor Julien
Published: January 2024

Pacifier use during childhood has been hypothesized to interfere with language processing, but, to date, there is limited evidence revealing detrimental effects of prolonged pacifier use on infant vocabulary learning. In the present study, parents of 12‐ and 24‐month‐old infants were recruited in Oslo (Norway). The sample included 1187 monolingual full‐term born (without visual, auditory, or cognitive impairments) infants: 452 (230 girls; 222 boys) 12‐month‐olds and 735 (345 girls; 390 boys) 24‐month‐olds. Parents filled out an online Norwegian Communicative Development Inventory (CDI), which assesses the vocabulary in comprehension and production for 12‐month‐old infants and in production only for 24‐month‐old infants. CDI scores were transformed into age‐ and sex‐adjusted percentiles using Norwegian norms. Additionally, parents retrospectively reported their child's daytime pacifier use, in hours, at 2‐month intervals, from birth to the assessment date. Maternal education was used to control, in the analyses, for the socio‐economic status. We found that greater pacifier use in an infant's lifespan was associated with lower vocabulary size. Pacifier use later in life was more negatively associated with vocabulary size than precocious use, and increased the odds of being a low language scorer. In sum, our study moves beyond the findings of momentary effects of experimentally induced “impairment” in articulators’ movement on speech perception and suggests that, from 12 months of age, constraints on the infant's speech articulators (pacifier use) may be negatively associated with word comprehension and production.

Research Highlight

We examined the relationship between pacifier use and vocabulary sizes in production at 24 months of age and comprehension and production at 12 months of age.

Lifespan Pacifier Use (LPU) was negatively correlated with vocabulary sizes in comprehension and production among 12‐month‐old infants and negatively correlated with production for 24‐month‐olds.

Later pacifier use was found to be more negatively correlated with vocabulary size in infants, as compared to more precocious use.

The amount of pacifier use in the 2 months prior to a child's second birthday was predictive of a higher prevalence of low vocabulary scores in 24‐month‐olds.
Is it double chambered left ventricle? Unveiling the mirage using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Nalawade Digvijay D. , Wadhokar Partik S. , Jadhav Ajitkumar , Chaudhary Prakash , Khan Anishkumar , Malani Susheel Kumar
Published: January 2024

Double chambered left ventricle (DCLV) is an uncommon congenital heart condition typically identified incidentally, with the majority of patients showing no symptoms and experiencing a benign course. It is crucial to differentiate DCLV from other abnormalities like diverticulum or aneurysm, which can have significant clinical implications. Due to the limited available data, our understanding of the natural progression, prognosis, complications, and treatment options for this rare condition is poorly defined. A review of the medical literature reveals the use of various overlapping terms when describing DCLV. In our case report, we present the evaluation of a young male who sought medical attention for palpitations. Initially, DCLV was diagnosed through 2D echocardiography. However, subsequent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) did not confirm the presence of two distinct chambers but instead revealed an anomalous apical basal muscle bundle (ABMB) and atypical left ventricular (LV) trabecularization that resembled DCLV.
Skin grafting with the modified Meek technique in the standing horse using full thickness skin: Evaluation of acceptance, wound contraction and wound closure in chronic wounds
Authors: Wilmink Jacintha M. , van Weeren P. René
Published: January 2024

Background

The modified Meek technique is not commonly used in equine wound management, despite the consistent reliable and superior results compared with other grafting techniques. Major drawbacks are the need for specialised, expensive equipment and general anaesthesia.

Objectives

To describe adjustments of the modified Meek technique enabling use in the standing horse without the need for the full equipment. This implied the use of full‐thickness skin grafts manually harvested from the pectoral area and manually cut into micrografts. Graft acceptance; healing progress; and final functional and cosmetic result were outcome parameters.

Study design

Descriptive case series.

Methods

Eight horses with traumatic wounds at the dorsal side of the carpus or tarsus, healing by second intention, were treated. Original wound areas and areas of graft acceptance and rejection were determined from post‐processing of digital photographs and percentage acceptance, wound contraction and epithelialisation were calculated.

Results

The initial mean wound area was 55.4 cm2. Graft acceptance was 95.3 ± 2.5%. Wound closure was due to 46.0 ± 25.6% wound contraction and 54.0 ± 25.6% epithelialisation and resulted in 96.8 ± 1.9% reduction of the initial wound area 28.0 ± 8.5 days after grafting. The scar was flat, flexible and functional, usually with thin and regular hair growth. The adapted procedure was fast and efficient, with a learning curve for the increased manual work.

Main limitations

Small study population.

Conclusions

This adapted modified Meek technique can successfully be performed in the standing horse and obviates the need for the full expensive equipment and general anaesthesia. The acceptance of the full‐thickness grafts is excellent resulting in fast and satisfactory healing.
Fine‐scale bee species distribution models: Hotspots of richness and endemism in South Africa with species‐area comparisons
Authors: Melin Annalie , Beale Colin M. , Manning John C. , Colville Jonathan F.
Published: January 2024

While global patterns of bee diversity have been modelled, our understanding of fine‐scale regional patterns is more limited, particularly for under‐sampled regions such as Africa. South Africa is among the exceptions on the African continent; its bee fauna (ca. 1253 species) has been well collected and documented, including mass digitising of its natural history collections. It is a region with high floral diversity, high habitat heterogeneity and variable rainfall seasonality.

Here, we combine a South African bee species distributional database (877 bee species) with a geospatial modelling approach to determine fine‐scale (~11 × 11 km grid cell resolution) hotspots of bee species richness, endemism and range‐restricted species.

Our analyses, based on the probabilities of occurrence surfaces for each species across 108,803 two‐minute grid cells, reveal three bee hotspots of richness: Winter rainfall, Aseasonal rainfall and Early‐to‐late summer rainfall. These hotspots contain large numbers of endemic and geographically restricted taxa. Hotspots with particularly high bee diversity include the Fynbos, Succulent Karoo and Desert biomes; the latter showing 6–20 times more species per unit area than other biomes. Our results conform with global species‐area patterns: areas of higher‐than‐expected bee density are largely concentrated in Mediterranean and arid habitats.

This study further enhances our knowledge in identifying regional and global hotspots of richness and endemism for a keystone group of insects and enabling these to be accounted for when setting conservation priorities.
Deep skin homogeneity and light diffusion: An accelerated Monte Carlo model for in vivo skin characterization and consumer perception
Authors: Puccetti G.
Published: January 2024

The appearance of healthy and youthful skin is related to many factors of the skin optical properties as perceived by our visual sense. The optics of light travelling through human tissues has been extensively investigated in the field of biomedical applications, including the experimental characterization and modelling of skin optics and the propagation of light such as lasers through the layers. This work presents an innovative approach to probe deep skin by means of spectrally and spatially resolved light diffusion in the different layers of skin. Dual hyperspectral measurements of the panellist's skin are performed in vivo on subjects to obtain reflectance and light diffusion spectra. Both are simultaneously fitted by a GPU‐accelerated Monte Carlo model to obtain skin optical parameters as a function of depth. The results show a clear correlation between deep skin light diffusion at wavelengths above 590 nm and the subject age, which indicates a progressive degradation of skin homogeneity with age. The effect of this orange–red light diffusion background is to alter the colour tone of the skin. A skincare product is used to show that the warmer skin colour tone is clearly perceivable to consumers when evaluating facial images with and without the product. The product effect also correlates well with hyperspectral measurements. Lastly, this innovative approach demonstrates a first step in real‐time skin characterization for consumers and opens the door to customized cosmetic solutions for individual needs.