bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lobular capillary hemangioma (pyogenic granuloma) of the gastrointestinal tract: Clinicopathologic analysis of 34 cases
Authors: Booth Adam L , Voltaggio Lysandra , Waters Rebecca , Goldblum John , Feely Michael M , Agostini-Vulaj Diana , Pezhouh Maryam , Gonzalez Raul S
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Lobular capillary hemangioma (LCH) rarely involves the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This study describes clinicopathologic features of LCH in a cohort of GI cases.

Methods

We defined lobular capillary hemangioma as “a proliferation of capillary-sized blood vessels arranged at least focally in a lobular configuration,” searched departmental archives for cases, and recorded clinicopathologic findings.

Results

We identified 34 GI tract LCHs from 16 men and 10 women; 4 patients had multiple lesions. Mean age was 64 years. Cases arose in the esophagus (n = 7), stomach (n = 3), small bowel (n = 7), and colorectum (n = 17). Twelve patients had anemia or rectal bleeding. No patients had a known genetic syndrome. The lesions manifested as mucosal polyps, with median size of 1.3 cm. Microscopically, 20 lesions were ulcerated, and most involved the mucosa, with 9 extending into the submucosa. Vessel dilation was present in 27 patients, endothelial hobnailing in 13, hemorrhage in 13, and focal reactive stromal atypia in 2. Follow-up information was available for 10 patients, none of whom developed same-site recurrence. Six of the 26 cases (23%) were extradepartmental consultations, including 2 of the multifocal cases.

Conclusions

Gastrointestinal tract LCHs often arise as colorectal polyps. They are typically small but can reach a few centimeters in size and can be multifocal.
Update and Novel Validation of a Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire
Authors: Chasan-Taber Lisa , Park Susan , Marcotte Robert T , Staudenmayer John , Strath Scott , Freedson Patty
Published: June 2023

The aim of this study was to update and validate the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ), using novel and innovative accelerometer and wearable camera measures in a free-living setting, to improve the measurement performance of this method for self-reporting physical activity. A prospective cohort of 50 eligible pregnant women were enrolled in early pregnancy (mean = 14.9 weeks’ gestation). In early, middle, and late pregnancy, participants completed the updated PPAQ and, for 7 days, wore an accelerometer (GT3X-BT; ActiGraph, Pensacola, Florida) on the nondominant wrist and a wearable camera (Autographer; OMG Life (defunct)). At the end of the 7-day period, participants repeated the PPAQ. Spearman correlations between the PPAQ and accelerometer data ranged from 0.37 to 0.44 for total activity, 0.17 to 0.53 for moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity, 0.19 to 0.42 for light-intensity activity, and 0.23 to 0.45 for sedentary behavior. Spearman correlations between the PPAQ and wearable camera data ranged from 0.52 to 0.70 for sports/exercise and from 0.26 to 0.30 for transportation activity. Reproducibility scores ranged from 0.70 to 0.92 for moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity and from 0.79 to 0.91 for sports/exercise, and were comparable across other domains of physical activity. The PPAQ is a reliable instrument and a valid measure of a broad range of physical activities during pregnancy.
Embracing the complexity of leaf shape: a commentary on ‘Anatomical determinants of gas exchange and hydraulics vary with leaf shape in soybean’
Authors: John Grace P , Garnica-Díaz Claudia J
Published: June 2023

This article comments on:

Bishal G. Tamang, Yanqun Zhang, Michelle A. Zambrano and Elizabeth A. Ainsworth Anatomical determinants of gas exchange and hydraulics vary with leaf shape in soybean, Annals of Botany, Volume 131, Issue 6, 9 May 2023, Pages 909–920, https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcac118
Revision Rhinoplasty Using Glued Diced Costal Cartilage Shaped With Mold for Management of Complicated Silicone Rhinoplasty
Authors: Fung Chak Yuen , Kim Jeong Heon , Liao Pei-Hsun , Jang Yong Ju
Published: June 2023

Background

Complicated silicone nose is a common clinical problem. Selection of replacement material for revision dorsal augmentation is a challenging task.

Objectives

The authors presented their experience in the use of molded glued diced cartilage graft (GDCG) for revision rhinoplasty in patients who had complicated silicone augmentation.

Methods

The authors performed a retrospective review of the medical records of 28 patients who underwent silicone implant removal and revision dorsal augmentation with costal cartilage at a tertiary center between February 1, 2018, and February 28, 2022. Patient demographics, surgical technique, anthropometric measurements, and complication data were retrieved and analyzed. Aesthetic outcome scoring and anthropometric measurements were performed.

Results

Twenty-eight patients (9 males and 19 females) who underwent revision rhinoplasty with augmentation were reviewed. The principal indication for revision was cosmetic dissatisfaction. Mean postoperative follow-up duration was 18.3 months. All patients had revision dorsal augmentation with molded GDCG. Other key surgical techniques include the use of caudal septal extension and extended spreader and tip grafts. The majority of the patients were judged to have good or excellent outcomes (91.1%). There were significant percentage increases in dorsal height, radix height, nasal length, and nasal tip projection (2.78%, 2.26%, 7.53%, and 2.40%, respectively; P < .05) and reduction of nasal axis deviation of 1.15° (P < .05) postoperatively. Two patients had postoperative complications, including infection and cosmetic dissatisfaction.

Conclusions

Revision rhinoplasty following unsuccessful silicone augmentation is commonly encountered in the Asian population. Molded GDCG for revision dorsal augmentation is a reliable option that delivers good to excellent aesthetic outcomes with acceptable complication rates.

Level of Evidence: 4
Protein expression systems combining a flavonoid-inducible promoter and T7 RNA polymerase in Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Koreeda Ami , Taguchi Rina , Miyamoto Kanon , Kuwahara Yuna , Hirooka Kazutake
Published: June 2023

Recombinant protein production must be tightly controlled when overproduction adversely affects the host bacteria. We developed a flavonoid-inducible T7 expression system in Bacillus subtilis using the qdoI promoter to control the T7 RNA polymerase gene (T7 pol). Using the egfp reporter gene controlled by the T7 promoter in a multicopy plasmid, we confirmed that this expression system is tightly regulated by flavonoids, such as quercetin and fisetin. Altering the qdoI promoter for T7 pol control to its hybrid derivative increased the expression level by 6.6-fold at maximum values upon induction. However, faint expression leakage was observed under a noninducing condition. Therefore, the two expression systems with the original qdoI promoter and the hybrid construct can be used selectively, depending on the high control accuracy or production yield required.
Systematics and biogeography of Oleaceae subtribe Schreberinae, with recircumscription and revision of the Malagasy members
Authors: Hong-Wa Cynthia , Dupin Julia , Frasier Cynthia , Schatz George E , Besnard Guillaume
Published: June 2023

Clarifying generic circumscriptions in Oleaceae improves its complicated infrafamilial classification. Focusing on the small and disjunctly distributed subtribe Schreberinae, we use phylogenomic data from plastid and nuclear DNA from an extensive sampling to assess its phylogenetic patterns and biogeographic history. Results show paraphyly in the subtribe, with Comoranthus nested in Schrebera, leading us to synonymize these genera. Schrebera s.l. occurs in four major regions of the world, but its centre of origin remains uncertain, with three possible ancestral ranges identified. However, the diversification of this genus is estimated to have started in the Early Oligocene (c. 34 Mya), and its current distribution pattern is best explained by dispersal between landmasses rather than continental vicariance. Madagascar is the centre of diversity of Schrebera s.l., where ten endemic species, of which five are new, were recovered from analyses of morphological, molecular and ecoclimatic data. Therefore, a taxonomic treatment of the species from Madagascar and the Comoro Islands is presented. As currently circumscribed, Schrebera s.l., and thus the monogeneric subtribe, includes 16 species (one in South America, two in Southeast Asia, three in Africa, of which one is shared with Madagascar, and 11 in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands).
Peripheral CCL2-CCR2 signalling contributes to chronic headache-related sensitization
Authors: Ryu Sun , Liu Xuemei , Guo Tingting , Guo Zhaohua , Zhang Jintao , Cao Yu-Qing
Published: June 2023

Migraine, especially chronic migraine, is highly debilitating and still lacks effective treatment. The persistent headache arises from activation and sensitization of primary afferent neurons in the trigeminovascular pathway, but the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Animal studies indicate that signalling through chemokine C-C motif ligand 2 (CCL2) and C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) mediates the development of chronic pain after tissue or nerve injury. Some migraine patients had elevated CCL2 levels in CSF or cranial periosteum. However, whether the CCL2-CCR2 signalling pathway contributes to chronic migraine is not clear.

Here, we modelled chronic headache with repeated administration of nitroglycerin (NTG, a reliable migraine trigger in migraineurs) and found that both Ccl2 and Ccr2 mRNA were upregulated in dura and trigeminal ganglion (TG) tissues that are implicated in migraine pathophysiology. In Ccl2 and Ccr2 global knockout mice, repeated NTG administration did not evoke acute or persistent facial skin hypersensitivity as in wild-type mice. Intraperitoneal injection of CCL2 neutralizing antibodies inhibited chronic headache-related behaviours induced by repeated NTG administration and repetitive restraint stress, suggesting that the peripheral CCL2-CCR2 signalling mediates headache chronification. We found that CCL2 was mainly expressed in TG neurons and cells associated with dura blood vessels, whereas CCR2 was expressed in subsets of macrophages and T cells in TG and dura but not in TG neurons under both control and disease states. Deletion of Ccr2 gene in primary afferent neurons did not alter NTG-induced sensitization, but eliminating CCR2 expression in either T cells or myeloid cells abolished NTG-induced behaviours, indicating that both CCL2-CCR2 signalling in T cells and macrophages are required to establish chronic headache-related sensitization. At cellular level, repeated NTG administration increased the number of TG neurons that responded to calcitonin-gene-related peptide (CGRP) and pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) as well as the production of CGRP in wild-type but not Ccr2 global knockout mice. Lastly, co-administration of CCL2 and CGRP neutralizing antibodies was more effective in reversing NTG-induced behaviours than individual antibodies.

Taken together, these results suggest that migraine triggers activate CCL2-CCR2 signalling in macrophages and T cells. This consequently enhances both CGRP and PACAP signalling in TG neurons, ultimately leading to persistent neuronal sensitization underlying chronic headache. Our work not only identifies the peripheral CCL2 and CCR2 as potential targets for chronic migraine therapy, but also provides proof-of-concept that inhibition of both peripheral CGRP and CCL2-CCR2 signalling is more effective than targeting either pathway alone.
EphB6 deficiency in intestinal neurons promotes tumor growth in colorectal cancer by neurotransmitter GABA signaling
Authors: Yu Hao , Qin Xiao-Kang , Yin Kai-Wen , Li Zi-Ming , Ni En-De , Yang Jian-Ming , Liu Xun-Hua , Zhou Ai-Jun , Li Shu-Ji , Gao Tian-Ming , Li Ying , Li Jian-Ming
Published: June 2023

EphB6 belongs to the receptor tyrosine kinase, whose low expression is associated with shorter survival of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. But the role and mechanism of EphB6 in the progression of CRC need further study. In addition, EphB6 was mainly expressed in intestinal neurons. But how EphB6 is involved in functions of intestinal neurons has not been known. In our study, we constructed a mouse xenograft model of CRC by injecting CMT93 cells into the rectum of EphB6-deficient mice. We found that the deletion of EphB6 in mice promoted tumor growth of CMT93 cells in a xenograft model of CRC, which was independent of changes in the gut microbiota. Interestingly, inhibition of intestinal neurons by injecting botulinum toxin A into rectum of EphB6-deficient mice could eliminate the promotive effect of EphB6 deficiency on tumor growth in the xenograft model of CRC. Mechanically, the deletion of EphB6 in mice promoted the tumor growth in CRC by increasing GABA in the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, EphB6 deficiency in mice increased the expression of synaptosomal-associated protein 25 in the intestinal myenteric plexus, which mediated the release of GABA. Our study concluded that EphB6 knockout in mice promotes tumor growth of CMT93 cells in a xenograft model of CRC by modulating GABA release. Our study found a new regulating mechanism of EphB6 on the tumor progression in CRC that is dependent on intestinal neurons.
Neuroanatomical signatures associated with dispositional optimism predict COVID-19-related posttraumatic stress symptoms
Authors: Lai Han , Zhao Yajun , Li Jingguang , Gong Qiyong , Wang Song
Published: June 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has been increasingly documented to cause negative impacts on mental health outcomes, e.g. posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Dispositional optimism (“optimism” hereinafter), a crucial psychological characteristic defined by positive expectancies for future outcomes, is considered to provide remarkable protection against PTSS. Accordingly, this study was designed to identify neuroanatomical signatures of optimism and further examine the mechanism through which optimism protects against COVID-19-specific PTSS. Here, 115 volunteers from a general population of university students completed MRI scans and optimism tests before (October 2019–January 2020) and after (February–April 2020) the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whole-brain voxel-based morphometry analysis showed that a region from the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) to the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) was associated with optimism. Further seed-based structural covariance network (SCN) analysis using partial least-squares correlation found an optimism-linked SCN covarying with the combined dACC and dmPFC (the dACC-dmPFC). Additionally, mediation analyses revealed that the dACC-dmPFC volume and its SCN impacted COVID-19-specific PTSS through optimism. Our findings deepen the understanding of optimism and have the potential to identify vulnerable individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic or similar future events, as well as to guide optimism-related neural interventions to prevent and alleviate PTSS.
Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency and Coronavirus Disease 2019
Authors: Israel Ariel , Berkovitch Matitiahu , Merzon Eugene , Golan-Cohen Avivit , Green Ilan , Ruppin Eytan , Vinker Shlomo , Magen Eli
Published: June 2023

In this cohort study conducted in a national healthcare organization in Israel, we found that individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency had an increased risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and severity, with higher rates of hospitalization and diagnosed long COVID.
A White-box Implementation of SM4 with Self-equivalence Encoding
Authors: Chen Jie , Luo Yinuo , Liu Jun , Wang Chao , Zhang Yueyu , Dong Xiaoli
Published: June 2023

White-box implementation can ensure the security of cryptographic algorithm in white-box attack environment without changing the inputs and outputs of the original algorithm. Most existing white-box implementations construct a series of lookup tables to protect the key. However, with the development of white-box attack techniques, many white-box implementations have been proved to be insecure. In this paper, a new white-box implementation of SM4 is proposed, which is based on an equivalent partial SPN structure of the SM4 algorithm. Our implementation includes three types of table lookup operations and XOR operations. The round keys are obfuscated with the self-equivalences of the S-box and random affine encodings. Security analysis shows that our implementation can resist BGE-type attack, the attack based on affine equivalence algorithm, the structure attack, the collision attack and differential computational analysis. Furthermore, our scheme requires 8.125 MB of memory.
A distributed adaptive routing against selective forwarding attack in scale-free network considering cascading failure
Authors: Yin Rongrong , Ma Xuyao , Yuan Huaili , Zhai Mengfa , Guo Changjiang
Published: June 2023

To address the issues of data insecurity and unreliable transmission, redundancy-based data recovery can guarantee data security, but the increase of redundant data will reduce the robustness of network in the face of cascading failures. A distributed adaptive routing method in scale-free network is proposed to improve network resilience against selective forwarding attacks and the robustness against cascading failures. Based on the polynomial principle, the proposed routing method slices packets, adds redundancy reasonably and adopts multipath sequential routing method to completely send data to the destination node. The ability to resist selective forwarding attacks and robustness against cascading failures is investigated and analysed throughout the entire network operation. Simulation results show that our proposed routing method is not restricted by the number of disjoint paths, can maintain a higher data recovery ratio and resist effectively selective forwarding attacks, and also balances the network load well. Moreover, this routing method has a lower end-to-end latency for data transmission and is highly resistant to cascading failures under random and intentional attacks.
Cambridge Economics in the Post-Keynesian Era: How Mainstream Economics Replaced Cambridge Economics
Authors: Martins Nuno O
Published: June 2023

The book Cambridge Economics in the Post-Keynesian Era: The Eclipse of Heterodox Traditions, by Ashwani Saith, explains how various approaches to the study of economics at Cambridge, UK, were replaced by mainstream economics, as practiced in leading North American universities. This article reviews the book, while also connecting the narrative provided in the book to central questions regarding the Cambridge economic tradition, and the various approaches that constitute it. The differences between the type of applied economics developed at Cambridge and in contemporary mainstream economics are also discussed. To do so, a distinction between Marshallian realism and Walrasian formalism is made here. Albeit this distinction is not emphasised in Saith’s book, it helps to supplement and understand the persuasive and important narrative provided by Saith.
Use of magnetic sphincter augmentation as an adjunct procedure in paraesophageal hernia repair
Authors: Wisniowski Paul , Putnam Luke R , Lipham John
Published: June 2023

Magnetic sphincter augmentation (MSA) is an anti-reflux procedure with comparable outcomes to fundoplication, yet its use in patients with larger hiatal or paraesophageal hernias has not been widely reported. This review discusses the history of MSA and how its utilization has evolved from initial Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 2012 for patients with small hernias to its contemporary use in patients with paraesophageal hernias and beyond.
Mobile health for cardiovascular risk management after cardiac surgery: results of a sub-analysis of The Box 2.0 study
Authors: Biersteker Tommas Evan , Boogers Mark J , Schalij Martin Jan , Braun Jerry , Groenwold Rolf H H , Atsma Douwe E , Treskes Roderick Willem
Published: June 2023

Aims

Lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) and blood pressure (BP) levels to guideline recommended values reduces the risk of major adverse cardiac events in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). To improve cardiovascular risk management, this study evaluated the effects of mobile health (mHealth) on BP and cholesterol levels in patients after standalone CABG.

Methods and results

This study is a post hoc analysis of an observational cohort study among 228 adult patients who underwent standalone CABG surgery at a tertiary care hospital in The Netherlands. A total of 117 patients received standard care, and 111 patients underwent an mHealth intervention. This consisted of frequent BP and weight monitoring with regimen adjustment in case of high BP. Primary outcome was difference in systolic BP and LDL-C between baseline and value after three months of follow-up. Mean age in the intervention group was 62.7 years, 98 (88.3%) patients were male. A total of 26 449 mHealth measurements were recorded. At three months, systolic BP decreased by 7.0 mmHg [standard deviation (SD): 15.1] in the intervention group vs. -0.3 mmHg (SD: 17.6; P < 0.00001) in controls; body weight decreased by 1.76 kg (SD: 3.23) in the intervention group vs. -0.31 kg (SD: 2.55; P = 0.002) in controls. Serum LDL-C was significantly lower in the intervention group vs. controls (median: 1.8 vs. 2.0 mmol/L; P = 0.0002).

Conclusion

This study showed an association between home monitoring after CABG and a reduction in systolic BP, body weight, and serum LDL-C. The causality of the association between the observed weight loss and decreased LDL-C in intervention group patients remains to be investigated.
Predicted clinical and economic burden associated with reduction in access to acute coronary interventional care during the COVID-19 lockdown in two European countries
Authors: Lunardi Mattia , Mamas Mamas A , Mauri Josepa , Molina Carmen Medina , Rodriguez-Leor Oriol , Eggington Simon , Pietzsch Jan B , Papo Natalie L , Walleser-Autiero Silke , Baumbach Andreas , Maisano Francesco , Ribichini Flavio L , Mylotte Darren , Barbato Emanuele , Piek Jan J , Wijns William , Naber Christoph K ,   the We CARE Initiative, Güell-Viaplana Francesc , Arjana Lorena Bernàldez , Álvarez Rosa Vidal , Solé Aida Ribera
Published: June 2023

Aims

As a consequence of untimely or missed revascularization of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, many patients died at home or survived with serious sequelae, resulting in potential long-term worse prognosis and related health-economic implications.

This analysis sought to predict long-term health outcomes [survival and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs)] and cost of reduced treatment of STEMIs occurring during the first COVID-19 lockdown.

Methods and results

Using a Markov decision-analytic model, we incorporated probability of hospitalization, timeliness of PCI, and projected long-term survival and cost (including societal costs) of mortality and morbidity, for STEMI occurring during the first UK and Spanish lockdowns, comparing them with expected pre-lockdown outcomes for an equivalent patient group.

STEMI patients during the first UK lockdown were predicted to lose an average of 1.55 life-years and 1.17 QALYs compared with patients presenting with a STEMI pre-pandemic. Based on an annual STEMI incidence of 49 332 cases, the total additional lifetime costs calculated at the population level were £36.6 million (€41.3 million), mainly driven by costs of work absenteeism. Similarly in Spain, STEMI patients during the lockdown were expected to survive 2.03 years less than pre-pandemic patients, with a corresponding reduction in projected QALYs (−1.63). At the population level, reduced PCI access would lead to additional costs of €88.6 million.

Conclusion

The effect of a 1-month lockdown on STEMI treatment led to a reduction in survival and QALYs compared to the pre-pandemic era. Moreover, in working-age patients, untimely revascularization led to adverse prognosis, affecting societal productivity and therefore considerably increasing societal costs.
Does Homeownership Reduce Crime? A Radical Housing Reform from the UK
Authors: Disney Richard , Gathergood John , Machin Stephen , Sandi Matteo
Published: June 2023

‘Right to Buy’, a large-scale natural experiment whereby incumbent tenants in public housing could buy properties at heavily subsidised prices, increased the United Kingdom homeownership rate by over 10 percentage points between its 1980 introduction and the 1990s. This paper studies the impact of this reform on crime by leveraging exogenous variation in eligibility for the policy. Results show that Right to Buy generated significant property crime reductions. Behavioural changes of incumbent tenants and renovation of public properties were the main drivers of this crime reduction. This is evidence of a novel means by which subsidised homeownership and housing policy can reduce criminality.
Comparison of the European and US guidelines for lipid-lowering therapy in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease
Authors: Delabays Benoît , de La Harpe Roxane , Vollenweider Peter , Fournier Stephane , Müller Olivier , Strambo Davide , Graham Ian , Visseren Frank L J , Nanchen David , Marques-Vidal Pedro , Vaucher Julien
Published: June 2023

Aims

Population-wide impacts of new guidelines in the primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) should be explored in independent cohorts. Assess and compare the lipid-lowering therapy eligibility and predictive classification performance of 2016 and 2021 European Society of Cardiology (ESC), 2019 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC), and 2022 US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines.

Methods and results

Participants from the CoLaus|PsyCoLaus study, without ASCVD and not taking lipid-lowering therapy at baseline. Derivation of 10-year risk for ASCVD using Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE1), SCORE2 [including SCORE2-Older Persons (SCORE2-OP)], and pooled cohort equation. Computation of the number of people eligible for lipid-lowering therapy based on each guideline and assessment of discrimination and calibration metrics of the risk models using first incident ASCVD as an outcome. Among 4,092 individuals, 158 (3.9%) experienced an incident ASCVD during a median follow-up of 9 years (interquartile range, 1.1). Lipid-lowering therapy was recommended or considered in 40.2% (95% confidence interval, 38.2–42.2), 26.4% (24.6–28.2), 28.6% (26.7–30.5), and 22.6% (20.9–24.4) of women and in 62.1% (59.8–64.3), 58.7% (56.4–61.0), 52.6% (50.3–54.9), and 48.4% (46.1–50.7) of men according to the 2016 ESC, 2021 ESC, 2019 AHA/ACC, and 2022 USPSTF guidelines, respectively. 43.3 and 46.7% of women facing an incident ASCVD were not eligible for lipid-lowering therapy at baseline according to the 2021 ESC and 2022 USPSTF, compared with 21.7 and 38.3% using the 2016 ESC and 2019 AHA/ACC, respectively.

Conclusion

Both the 2022 USPSTF and 2021 ESC guidelines particularly reduced lipid-lowering therapy eligibility in women. Nearly half of women who faced an incident ASCVD were not eligible for lipid-lowering therapy.
Novel and unusual genes for nitrogen and metal cycling in Planctomycetota- and KSB1-affiliated metagenome-assembled genomes reconstructed from a marine subsea tunnel
Authors: Suarez Carolina , Hackl Thomas , Wilen Britt-Marie , Persson Frank , Hagelia Per , Jetten Mike S M , Dalcin Martins Paula
Published: June 2023

The Oslofjord subsea road tunnel is a unique environment in which the typically anoxic marine deep subsurface is exposed to oxygen. Concrete biodeterioration and steel corrosion in the tunnel have been linked to the growth of iron- and manganese-oxidizing biofilms in areas of saline water seepage. Surprisingly, previous 16S rRNA gene surveys of biofilm samples revealed microbial communities dominated by sequences affiliated with nitrogen-cycling microorganisms. This study aimed to identify microbial genomes with metabolic potential for novel nitrogen- and metal-cycling reactions, representing biofilm microorganisms that could link these cycles and play a role in concrete biodeterioration. We reconstructed 33 abundant, novel metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) affiliated with the phylum Planctomycetota and the candidate phylum KSB1. We identified novel and unusual genes and gene clusters in these MAGs related to anaerobic ammonium oxidation, nitrite oxidation, and other nitrogen-cycling reactions. Additionally, 26 of 33 MAGs also had the potential for iron, manganese, and arsenite cycling, suggesting that bacteria represented by these genomes might couple these reactions. Our results expand the diversity of microorganisms putatively involved in nitrogen and metal cycling, and contribute to our understanding of potential biofilm impacts on built infrastructure.
Plasmodium falciparum COQ2 gene encodes a functional 4-hydroxybenzoate polyprenyltransferase
Authors: Zafra Camila Andrea , Crispim Marcell , Verdaguer Ignasi Bofill , Ríos Alejandro García , Moura Gabriel Cándido , Katzin Alejandro Miguel , Hernández Agustín
Published: June 2023

Ubiquinone (UQ) is a fundamental mitochondrial electron transport chain component. This compound is synthesized as the condensation of a p-substituted benzoic acid and a polyisoprenic moiety catalyzed by the enzyme 4-hydroxybenzoate polyprenyltransferase (EC 2.5.1.39). In Plasmodium spp., this enzyme is still uncharacterized. In this work, we expressed the sequence of the Plasmodium falciparum PF3D7_0607500 gene (abbreviated as PfCOQ2) in a coq2Δ mutant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and studied the functionality of its gene product. This open reading frame could complement S. cerevisiae coq2Δ mutant growth defect on media with glycerol as a carbon source. Further, UQ was unequivocally identified in lipid extracts from this coq2Δ mutant when expressing PfCOQ2. Remarkably, UQ was detected under those conditions when S. cerevisiae cells were metabolically labeled with either [ring-14C(U)]-p-aminobenzoic acid or [ring-14C(U)]-4-hydroxybenzoic acid. However, no UQ was detected in P. falciparum if labeled with p-aminobenzoic acid. These results indicate that PfCOQ2 is a 4-hydroxybenzoate polyprenyltransferase. Further, its substrate profile seems not dissimilar to that of S. cerevisiae, but, as in other organisms, p-aminobenzoic acid does not act as an aromatic precursor in UQ biosynthesis in P. falciparum. The reason for this last feature remains to be established, but may lie upstream of PfCOQ2.
Using LiDAR Data to Estimate Biomass in Afforested Bottomland Oak Sites in the Southern United States
Authors: Renninger Heidi J , Frey Brent R , Anderson Madelyn P , Evans David L
Published: June 2023

The extent of bottomland hardwood forests in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) has diminished, and federal programs like the Conservation Reserve Program provide incentives to afforest marginal agricultural areas with oaks to provide ecosystem services. Remote sensing technologies, like light detection and ranging (LiDAR), can be used to estimate biomass of these stands to potentially allow landowners to take advantage of carbon markets, but data are expensive to collect. Therefore, we determined whether freely available low-density LiDAR data could capture variability in tree- and stand-level characteristics in the LMAV, including aboveground biomass. We found that multiple regression LiDAR models captured more variability in tree-level than stand-level parameters and including soil type generally improved models. Model r2 values predicting tree and stand parameters including tree height, height to the live crown, quadratic mean diameter, crown area, trees per hectare, stand basal area, and stand biomass ranged from 0.34 to 0.82 and root mean square percent error (RMSPE) ranged from 7% to 36%. Specifically, models for stand biomass had an RMSE of about 19 Mg/ha or about 19% of mean values across sites. Therefore, freely available LiDAR data was useful in evaluating afforested bottomland oak sites for tree- and stand-level structural components in the LMAV.
Caring From a Distance: Experiences of Polish Immigrants in the United States Providing Care to Parents With Dementia Overseas
Authors: Leszko Magdalena , Allen Dorota J
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Aging populations and an increasing number of immigrants in recent years have led to numerous changes in intergenerational relationships. Although many studies have investigated the impact of providing care to a parent with dementia, little is known about the impact of caregiving activities provided from a distance, such as in the case of immigration, and over a long period of time to a person with dementia. Our understanding of how transnational caregiving for a person with dementia affects relationships is also limited. Using the Intergenerational Solidarity Theory as a theoretical framework, this paper examines the experiences of adult children and immigrant caregivers of a parent with dementia living in Poland.

Methods

A qualitative, semistructured interview was conducted with 37 caregivers living in the United States while providing transnational care to a parent with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. The data analysis was based on the thematic analysis strategy.

Results

Four themes were identified: (1) filial obligations and solidarity, (2) caregivers’ contradictory emotions regarding transnational care, (3) financial and emotional exhaustion, and (4) challenges of nursing home dilemmas.

Discussion

Transnational caregivers represent a unique group who face distinctive challenges related to competing demands and limited resources. This study contributes to a better understanding of their experiences whereas the findings highlight the importance of addressing the mental and physical well-being of immigrant caregivers of individuals with dementia and have important implications for health care professionals and immigration policies. Implications for future research were also identified.
Organizational Characteristics of Senior Centers and Engagement in Dementia-Friendly Communities
Authors: Scher Clara J , Somerville Ceara , Greenfield Emily A , Coyle Caitlin
Published: June 2023

Background and Objectives

Dementia-friendly communities (DFCs) are systematic and collaborative efforts to make local communities more supportive and inclusive of persons living with dementia and their care partners. This study explores how the organizational characteristics of senior centers influence their engagement in DFCs.

Research Design and Methods

We used a partially mixed, concurrent, equal status design, drawing on qualitative interviews with staff from 13 senior centers leading DFC initiatives as part of a statewide dementia-friendly network in Massachusetts, as well as quantitative data from 342 senior centers collected as part of a statewide survey.

Results

The qualitative results demonstrated ways in which human, social, tangible, and programmatic capital facilitate senior centers’ DFC engagement. In particular, the results illuminated the importance of social capital with organizations and groups outside of the senior center, spanning the municipal, regional, and state levels. Findings from multivariate analyses further indicated robust and strong associations between higher levels of social capital, as well as more dementia-focused programming and greater variety of funding sources, with greater likelihood of engagement in DFC work.

Discussion and Implications

Results indicate the importance of policy and practice to foster both organizational capacity and multilevel systems conditions to enable and motivate senior centers’ involvement in DFC initiatives.
A Plea for Less Hindsight in the Inventive Step Test
Authors: Ackermann Markus
Published: June 2023

This article provides a critical review of the case law of the European Patent Office (EPO) and some Member States regarding inventive step and is aimed, in particular, at judges at the Unified Patent Court (UPC) and practitioners before that court. The linchpin of the review is a discrepancy between, on the one hand, the legal principle of avoiding hindsight and, on the other, the EPO’s belief that hindsight is a necessary element of an objective assessment of inventive step. Although this aspect must be separated from the question of how the original disclosure affects the assessment of inventive step, in particular the formulation of the problem (see G 2/21), there are nevertheless mutual dependencies.
Gut Microbiota Signatures Are Associated With Psychopathological Profiles in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis: Results From an Italian Tertiary IBD Center
Authors: Scaldaferri Franco , D’Onofrio Antonio Maria , Calia Rosaria , Di Vincenzo Federica , Ferrajoli Gaspare Filippo , Petito Valentina , Maggio Eleonora , Pafundi Pia Clara , Napolitano Daniele , Masi Letizia , Schiavoni Elisa , Fanali Caterina , Puca Pierluigi , Turchini Laura , Lopetuso Loris Riccardo , Del Chierico Federica , Putignani Lorenza , Gasbarrini Antonio , Camardese and Giovanni
Published: June 2023

Background

Several patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) suffer from psychiatric disorders, such as major depressive disorder, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, and show specific personality traits. Despite this, there are few data about personality profiles’ characterization in UC patients and about correlation of their psychopathological profile with their intestinal microbiota.

The aim of our study is to analyze the psychopathological and personality profile of UC patients and correlate it with specific signatures of their gut microbiota.

Methods

This is a prospective interventional longitudinal cohort study. We enrolled consecutive patients affected by UC attending to the IBD Unit of Center for Digestive Disease of “A. Gemelli” IRCCS Hospital in Rome and a group of healthy subjects, matched for specific characteristics. Each patient was evaluated by a gastroenterologist and a psychiatrist. Moreover, all participants underwent psychological tests and a collection of stool samples.

Results

We recruited 39 UC patients and 37 healthy subjects. Most patients showed high level of alexithymia, anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, as well as neuroticism and hypochondria, with obsessive-compulsive features at the behavioral level, which significantly impaired their quality of life and abilities at work. Gut microbiota analysis in UC patients demonstrated an increase in actinobacteria, Proteobacteria and Saccharibacteria (TM7), with a reduction in verrucomicrobia, euryarchaeota and tenericutes.

Conclusions

Our study confirmed the presence of high levels of psycho-emotional distress in UC patients, alongside alterations of the intestinal microbiota, and highlighted some families and genera of bacteria (Enterobacteriaceae, Streptococcus, Veillonella, Klebsiella, and Clostridiaceae) as potential markers of an altered gut-brain axis in these patients.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Appalachian Kentucky: An Investigation of Outcomes and Health Care Utilization
Authors: Rhudy Christian N , Perry Courtney L , Hawk Gregory S , Flomenhoft Deborah R , Talbert Jeffery C , Barrett Terrence A
Published: June 2023

Background

Rural residence has been associated with a lower incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) but higher health care utilization and worse outcomes. Socioeconomic status is intrinsically tied to both IBD incidence and outcomes. Inflammatory bowel disease outcomes have not been investigated in Appalachia: a rural, economically distressed region rife with risk factors for both increased incidence and unfavorable outcomes.

Methods

Hospital inpatient discharge and outpatient services databases were utilized to assess outcomes in patients diagnosed with either Crohn’s disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) in Kentucky. Encounters were classified by patient residence in Appalachian or non-Appalachian counties. Data were reported as crude and age-adjusted rates of visits per 100,000 population per year collected in 2016 to 2019. National inpatient discharge data from 2019, stratified by rural and urban classification codes, were utilized to compare Kentucky to national trends.

Results

Crude and age-adjusted rates of inpatient, emergency department and outpatient encounters were higher in the Appalachian cohort for all 4 years observed. Appalachian inpatient encounters are more frequently associated with a surgical procedure (Appalachian, 676, 24.7% vs non-Appalachian, 1408, 22.2%; P = .0091). In 2019, the Kentucky Appalachian cohort had significantly higher crude and age-adjusted rates of inpatient discharges for all IBD diagnoses compared with national rural and nonrural populations (crude 55.2; 95% CI, 50.9-59.5; age-adjusted 56.7; 95% CI, 52.1-61.3).

Conclusions

There is disproportionately higher IBD health care utilization in Appalachian Kentucky compared with all cohorts, including the national rural population. There is a need for aggressive investigation into root causes of these disparate outcomes and identification of barriers to appropriate IBD care.
Probing the Phycosphere: Techniques to Study Bacteria-Phytoplankton Interactions
Authors: Platt Amanda J , Whalen Kristen E
Published: June 2023

Synopsis

The cumulative outcome of bacteria-phytoplankton cell-cell interactions has global-scale consequences that necessitate a more comprehensive understanding of the species that form these relationships, the chemical exchanges that govern them, and the chemical cues that trigger them. However, the diffuse liquid environment supporting these exchanges is inherently difficult to interrogate, which has moved researchers to combine multi-omics analyses, genome mining tools, genetic probes, and mathematical models to gain insight into the species and chemical networks existing around individual phytoplankton cells. Yet, fundamental questions still remain about these micro-scale interactions, creating an opportunity for innovating new methods where biology and chemistry interface with engineering and mathematics.
The mining sector: profit-seeking strategies, innovation patterns, and commodity prices
Authors: Calzada Olvera Beatriz , Iizuka Michiko
Published: June 2023

Innovation in the mining sector is crucial for industrial, economic, and sustainable development, particularly for developing economies. It is important to understand the factors that stimulate innovation in this sector to upgrade productivity and growth. In the mining sector, innovation is driven by profit structure, which in turn depends strongly on commodity prices. We hypothesize two innovation responses to prices, which we test against existing evidence found in recent literature and available industry data. We find two different innovation responses to prices: exploration and in-house research and development (R&D) investments by mining companies increase as commodity prices rise, while the use of suppliers’ innovation intensifies when prices decrease. Policies to strengthen the sector should provide long-term support for the Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) sector so that they can continuously invest in R&D to provide innovative solutions for mining firms, possibly extending to lateral linkages, applying digital and low-carbon solutions developed for the mining sector and beyond.
Venous concerns after lingula sparing left upper lobectomy
Authors: Lafouasse Chloé , Gossot Dominique , Seguin-Givelet Agathe
Published: June 2023

Postoperative ischaemia of the lingula is a complication of left upper lobe trisegmentectomy, usually attributed to a twist of the remaining lingula. It can also be related to other factors such as venous interruption. We report 3 cases of reoperation after lingula-sparing left upper lobectomy for suspected ischaemia. None were related to torsion. Accidental injury of the lingular venous drainage or abnormal venous pattern can be the leading cause of these ischaemia.
Upstaged from cT1a-c to pT2a lung cancer, related to visceral pleural invasion patients, after segmentectomy: is it an indication to complete resection to lobectomy?
Authors: Lula Lukadi Joseph , Mariolo Alessio Vincenzo , Ozgur Emrah Gokay , Gossot Dominique , Baste Jean-Marc , De Latour Bertrand , Seguin-Givelet Agathe
Published: June 2023

OBJECTIVES

Segmentectomy may be indicated for T1a-cN0 non-small-cell lung cancer. However, several patients are upstaged pT2a at final pathological examination due to visceral pleural invasion (VPI). As resection is usually not completed to lobectomy, this may raise issue of potential worse prognosis. The aim of this study is to compare prognosis of VPI upstaged cT1N0 patients operated on by segmentectomy or lobectomy.

METHODS

Data of patients from 3 centres were analysed. This was a retrospective study, of patients operated on from April 2007 to December 2019. Survival and recurrence were assessed by Kaplan–Meier method and cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

Lobectomy and segmentectomy were performed in 191 (75.4%) and in 62 (24.5%) patients, respectively. No difference in 5-year disease-free survival rate between lobectomy (70%) and segmentectomy (64.7%) was observed. There was no difference in loco-regional recurrence, nor in ipsilateral pleural recurrence. The distant recurrence rate was higher (P = 0.027) in the segmentectomy group. Five-year overall survival rate was similar for both lobectomy (73%) and segmentectomy (75.8%) groups. After propensity score matching, there was no difference in 5-year disease-free survival rate (P = 0.27) between lobectomy (85%) and segmentectomy (66.9%), and in 5-year overall survival rate (P = 0.42) between the 2 groups (lobectomy 76.3% vs segmentectomy 80.1%). Segmentectomy was not impacting neither recurrence, nor survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Detection of VPI (pT2a upstage) in patients who underwent segmentectomy for cT1a-c non-small-cell lung cancer does not seem to be an indication to extend resection to lobectomy.
A dynamical model of TGF-β activation in asthmatic airways
Authors: Pybus Hannah J , O’Dea Reuben D , Brook Bindi S
Published: June 2023

Excessive activation of the regulatory cytokine transforming growth factor $\beta $ (TGF-$\beta $) via contraction of airway smooth muscle (ASM) is associated with the development of asthma. In this study, we develop an ordinary differential equation model that describes the change in density of the key airway wall constituents, ASM and extracellular matrix (ECM), and their interplay with subcellular signalling pathways leading to the activation of TGF-$\beta $. We identify bistable parameter regimes where there are two positive steady states, corresponding to either reduced or elevated TGF-$\beta $ concentration, with the latter leading additionally to increased ASM and ECM density. We associate the former with a healthy homeostatic state and the latter with a diseased (asthmatic) state. We demonstrate that external stimuli, inducing TGF-$\beta $ activation via ASM contraction (mimicking an asthmatic exacerbation), can perturb the system irreversibly from the healthy state to the diseased one. We show that the properties of the stimuli, such as their frequency or strength, and the clearance of surplus active TGF-$\beta $, are important in determining the long-term dynamics and the development of disease. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of this model in investigating temporal responses to bronchial thermoplasty, a therapeutic intervention in which ASM is ablated by applying thermal energy to the airway wall. The model predicts the parameter-dependent threshold damage required to obtain irreversible reduction in ASM content, suggesting that certain asthma phenotypes are more likely to benefit from this intervention.