bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A280 DOES THE PLACEMENT OF A MANOMETRY PROBE WITH ENDOSCOPY AND CONSCIOUS SEDATION EFFECT MEASUREMENTS ON ENSUING HIGH RESOLUTION MANOMETRY? A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY IN PATIENTS POST-PERORAL ENDOSCOPIC MYOTOMY
Authors: Sandhu N K , Bechara R , Rodrigues D M
Published: March 2023

Background

High resolution manometry (HRM) is the gold standard for diagnosis of esophageal motility disorders. This is traditionally conducted without sedation, using intranasal intubation with a manometry probe. Inserting the HRM probe immediately after endoscopic examination allows for endoscopic visualization and sedation for probe placement. This method is used commonly used for our patients who are post-peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). However, it is unclear whether short acting sedative drugs administered during endoscopy can affect contractility measurements during HRM.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine if conscious sedation with short-acting anaesthetic agents (Midazolam and Fentanyl) influenced HRM readings in patients undergoing evaluation post-perioral endoscopic myotomy (POEM).

Method

We conducted a retrospective cohort study, comparing patients post-POEM who had endoscopy under conscious sedation with placement of the manometry probe versus those without preceeding endoscopy/sedation. Post-POEM patients who had undergone HRM over a 3-year period (2019-2022) were identified from motility lab records. Electronic charts were reviewed for data abstraction, and HRM parameters (resting lower esophageal pressure and integrated relaxation pressure) were determined for both groups and compared using t-tests, and error listed as standard error of the mean.

Result(s)

From 2019-2022, 15 patients underwent manometry using a non-endoscopic approach with no sedation and 25 underwent manometry following endoscopy with conscious sedation and placement of the probe during the procedure. In the latter group, HRM occurred within 2 hours of probe placement. The mean doses of fentanyl and midazolam were 115mcg (+/-29.7) and 3.3mg (+/-1.3) respectively. The mean end-expiratory lower esophageal sphincter pressure was 9.8 mmHg (+/- 2.9) in the non-endoscopic group and 26.24mmHg (+/- 5) in the endoscopy group (p <0.02). The median integrated relaxation pressure was 11.2 mmHg (+/-1.2) in the non-endoscopic group and 14.52mmHg (+/- 0.9) in those in the endoscopy group (p <0.04).

Conclusion(s)

In conclusion, this small, retrospective cohort study shows that manometry probe placement after endoscopy with conscious sedation may affect esophgeal HRM measurement parameters in the post-POEM patient population. Physicians should consider delaying HRM measurements for >4 hours to maximize clearance of the sedative medications.

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None

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
A282 RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH UNSUCCESSFUL HIGH-RESOLUTION MANOMETRY: FAILURE IS COMMON BUT WHAT CAN WE CHANGE
Authors: Patel V , Rodrigues D
Published: March 2023

Background

High-resolution manometry (HRM) is a diagnostic tool used to evaluate esophageal motor function and diagnose motility disorders. A standardized protocol is used to make an accurate diagnosis based on the Chicago Classification. Some existing literature suggests that incomplete or imperfect manometry tests are common, however; there remains a paucity of data to evaluate risk factors for failure to help clinicians determine when a study may be difficult to perform.

Purpose

Our goal was to quantify how often failed tests occurred and determine specific factors that may be associated with failed HRM.

Method

We retrospectively evaluated records for HRM tests performed over 1 year at our academic centre. Based on clinical experience, we identified several factors that may be associated with the success of HRM testing including the following: indications and symptoms leading to testing, patient’s age and biological sex, previous esophageal manometry history, previous esophageal/gastric surgery, previous septal repair/deviated septum, history of significant nausea/vomiting, history of anxiety/depression, history of irritable bowel syndrome, and medication use (opioids, proton pump inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, nitrates). We then compared patients with successful HRM vs. unsuccessful HRM with regard to our pre-specified risk factors.

Result(s)

29 HRM tests were unsuccessful from a total of 152 that were performed (19% failure rate). Reasons for failure included the inability to pass the probe through LES (55%) and the inability to tolerate the manometry probe for a minimum of 10 saline swallows (45%). After separating the failed cases from successful tests, both groups had a similar distribution of age and sex. Specific symptoms and indications did not have a significant association with unsuccessful tests. A previous history of failed manometry was associated with unsuccessful HRM (OR: 15, 95% CI 1.88 to 183.8, p=0.0156). Conversely, PPI usage was associated with fewer failed HRM tests (OR: 0.37, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.90, p=0.0343). Other medical history or medication use was not found to be associated with testing failure in our study.

Conclusion(s)

HRM is useful for diagnosing esophageal motility disorders, but incomplete tests are common. Although this study did not identify any factors in a patient’s medical history that could be used to predict failure in patients who have never had testing, further investigations may identify if PPI therapy can make HRM testing more tolerable. Additionally, the association between previous failed HRM and repeat failures suggests that endoscopic probe placement techniques should be considered instead of retrying conventional probe placement.

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None

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
A283 ROLE OF IMMUNOGLOBULIN E IN ABDOMINAL PAIN DUE TO INTERACTIONS BETWEEN DIET AND STRESS IN A MODEL OF IBS
Authors: Lopez Lopez C , Jaramillo Polanco J , Tsang Q K , Lomax A E , Vanner S J , Reed D E
Published: March 2023

Background

Food and stress are common triggers of symptoms in IBS patients. We previously showed in a murine model of IBS that exposure to a food antigen during a period of psychological stress leads to visceral hypersensitivity in both the ileum and colon upon re-exposure to the food antigen. This was inhibited by blocking mast cells and histamine receptors, suggesting that mast cell activation is involved in this increased pain signaling. However, it is unknown if immunoglobulin E (IgE) is involved in the activation of mast cells leading to visceral hypersensitivity.

Purpose

Determine the role of IgE in the increased pain signaling in ileum and colon of mice re-exposed to ovalbumin after an initial exposure to ovalbumin during chronic stress.

Method

Balb/c mice underwent water avoidance stress (WAS) for 10 days and were exposed to ovalbumin (OVA) from days 2-10. Five weeks later, mice were re-exposed to ovalbumin for two weeks (WAS/OVA+OVA mice). Mice were injected with anti-mouse IgE or isotype control antibody (1 mg/kg, i.p.) just prior and during ovalbumin re-exposure. Ex-vivo extracellular afferent recordings from nerves innervating the ileum were obtained to assess changes in mechanosensitivity. Ileum and colonic supernatants were also collected. Dorsal root ganglion neurons (DRG) from control mice (n = 12) were incubated with ileal and colonic supernatants. The excitability of these neurons was assessed by measuring the rheobase (minimum current required to evoke an action potential; lower rheobase=increased excitability) using perforated patch clamp. Data were analyzed by unpaired t-test or two-way ANOVA with Sidak’s post hoc test.

Result(s)

WAS/OVA+OVA mice treated with anti-IgE antibody had decreased mechanosensitivity of ileal nerves following lumen distention compared to WAS/OVA+OVA mice treated with isotype control antibody (7.7 ± 0.65 vs 12.9 ± 1.04 Hz, p = 0.034, n = 9 and 8 mice, respectively). Ileal supernatants from anti-IgE treated WAS/OVA+OVA mice evoked lower excitability (higher rheobase) in DRG neurons than neurons incubated with supernatants from isotype control treated WAS/OVA+OVA mice (rheobase: 89.2 ± 4.7 vs 71.9 ± 5.1 pA, p= 0.018). Colonic supernatants showed similar effects of the anti-IgE treatment (rheobase: 95.5 ± 4.4 vs 76.7 ± 5.4 pA, p = 0.01).

Conclusion(s)

IgE is involved in the increased pain signaling observed in both ileum and colon induced by antigen re-exposure following an initial stress-food antigen interaction. This suggests that IgE-mediated mast cell activation in response to food antigens may be a mechanism of meal-induced pain in IBS patients.

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Other

Please indicate your source of funding;

Department of Medicine, Translational Medicine Grant, Queen's University

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
A286 THE ROLE OF A GUT HORMONE VERSUS NUCLEAR FACTOR-KAPPA B IN PATIENTS WITH NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE
Authors: Abdel-Samiee M , Abdelsameea E , Badran A
Published: March 2023

NOT PUBLISHED AT AUTHOR’S REQUEST

Please acknowledge all funding agencies by checking the applicable boxes below

None

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared
Identifying the latent space geometry of network models through analysis of curvature
Authors: Lubold Shane , Chandrasekhar Arun G , McCormick Tyler H
Published: March 2023

A common approach to modelling networks assigns each node to a position on a low-dimensional manifold where distance is inversely proportional to connection likelihood. More positive manifold curvature encourages more and tighter communities; negative curvature induces repulsion. We consistently estimate manifold type, dimension, and curvature from simply connected, complete Riemannian manifolds of constant curvature. We represent the graph as a noisy distance matrix based on the ties between cliques, then develop hypothesis tests to determine whether the observed distances could plausibly be embedded isometrically in each of the candidate geometries. We apply our approach to datasets from economics and neuroscience.
Airway emergency after dental extraction
Authors: Cheng Dong Tony , Young Thomas , Kim Paul Mercedes , Nikolarakos Dimitrios
Published: March 2023

Life-threatening airway emergencies and uncontrolled haemorrhage following dental extractions is rarely encountered. Inappropriate handling of dental luxators may lead to unexpected traumatic events resulting from penetrating or blunt trauma to the surrounding soft tissues and vascular damage. Bleeding during or after surgery usually resolves spontaneously or with local haemostatic interventions. Pseudoaneurysms are rare occurrences secondary to blunt or penetrating trauma usually produced by arterial injury leading to extravasation of blood. The rapidly enlarging haematoma with risk of spontaneous pseudoaneurysm rupture is an airway and surgical emergency necessitating urgent intervention. The following case highlights the importance of appreciating the potential complications associated with extractions in the maxilla, significant anatomical relationships and recognizing the clinical signs of a threatened airway.
Caecal perforation from CT colonography: an unexpected complication
Authors: Pather Vijay , Rodrigues Justin , Sefa Tasmea , MacDermid Ewan
Published: March 2023

Computer tomography colonography (CTC) is an increasingly utilized diagnostic modality in Australia. CTC aims to image the entire colon, and is often used in higher risk patient populations. Colonic perforation following CTC is a rare complication, with only 0.008% of patients undergoing CTC requiring surgical intervention. Most published cases of perforation following CTC are due to identifiable causes, often involving the left colon or rectum. We present a rare case of caecal perforation following CTC, requiring right hemicolectomy. This report highlights the need for high suspicion for CTC complications, despite their rarity, and the utility of diagnostic laparoscopy for diagnosis in atypical presentations.
A case of accidental ingestion of a hooked denture without symptoms for 6 years
Authors: Ishikawa Shinji , Fukuma Daiki , Taki Katsunobu , Ishiko Takatoshi
Published: March 2023

Six years prior, the patient accidentally swallowed a denture during a meal and immediately visited a nearby doctor. However, because spontaneous excretion was expected, regular imaging testing was used to monitor it. After 4 years, although the denture was still in the small bowel, as there were no symptoms, the regular follow-up was terminated. Because the patient’s anxiety increased, he visited our hospital 2 years later. Surgery was performed, as it was determined that there was no possibility of spontaneous excretion. The denture was palpated in the jejunum. The small intestine was incised, and the denture was removed. As far as we know, there are no guidelines prescribing a clear follow-up period for accidental denture ingestion. In addition, there are no guidelines specifying surgical indications in asymptomatic cases. Nonetheless, there have been reports of gastrointestinal perforations with dentures, and we consider that earlier preventive surgical intervention is better.
Sexual function and quality of life in women with idiopathic premature ovarian insufficiency
Authors: Gosset Anna , Claeys Jeanne Marie , Huyghe Eric , Tremollieres Florence
Published: March 2023

Background

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a disruptive diagnosis for women, with major consequences on fertility but also on quality of life and sexual functioning.

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of vaginal symptoms from the genitourinary syndrome of menopause on the quality of life and sexual functioning of women with POI.

Methods

This cross-sectional observational study involved 88 women who were investigated in a specialized setting at the University Hospital of Toulouse (France) between 2014 and 2019. All women completed the Day-to-Day Impact of Vaginal Aging (DIVA) questionnaire on well-being and quality of life and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) on sexual functioning. Analysis of total scores and subdomains of the questionnaire was performed and compared according to use of hormone replacement therapy or local low-dose estrogen treatment, age at POI, and use of antidepressant therapy or current psychological support.

Outcomes

Outcomes included the DIVA questionnaire and the FSFI.

Results

Among the 88 women who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, 66 (75%) answered the questionnaires. Mean ± SD age at POI diagnosis was 32.6 ± 6.9 years and mean age at questionnaire time was 41.6 ± 6.9 years. The highest mean scores on the DIVA questionnaire were found in the self-perception and body image domain (2.05 ± 1.36), followed by the sexual functioning domain (1.52 ± 1.28). The mean FSFI score was 23.08 (95% CI, 21.43-24.73), with 32 women (78% of sexually active women) having a score <26.55, which defines sexual dysfunction. There was no difference in the FSFI score and for all DIVA domains whether or not women were taking hormone replacement therapy or local hormone therapy.

Clinical Implications

This should encourage practitioners to systematically discuss the impact of POI on sexuality and vulvovaginal symptoms to provide women with specific care and advice to improve their quality of life.

Strengths and Limitations

This is the first French study that aimed to assess the impact of the genitourinary syndrome of menopause on the quality of life and sexual well-being in women with POI by using standardized validated questionnaires with a very good participation rate (75%). The sample size was limited, and we could not eliminate selection bias due to university hospital recruitment.

Conclusion

POI can have a negative impact on sexual quality of life, which raises the needs for specific advice and care.
Measuring Teaching Efforts in a Medical School Department or Division: A Scoping Review
Authors: Burke Kimberly , Jackson Kevin M
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The desire to measure faculty’s teaching productivity has led many medical school departments to create academic productivity metrics and evaluation systems to track clinical and/or nonclinical teaching efforts. The authors investigated these metrics and their impact on teaching productivity and quality in the literature.

Methods

The authors performed a scoping review using keywords to query three publication databases. A total of 649 articles were identified. The search strategy resulted in the screening of a total of 496 articles after the removal of duplicate articles, of which 479 were excluded. A total of 17 papers met the criteria.

Results

Four of the 17 institutions exclusively measured clinical teaching productivity, and all four reported 11-20% gains in teaching or clinical productivity. Four of the six institutions that tracked only nonclinical teaching productivity shared quantitative data and experienced a variety of gains from measuring teaching productivity that centered on greater participation in teaching. The six institutions that monitored both clinical and nonclinical teaching productivity provided quantitative data. The reported effects ranged from greater learner attendance at teaching events to increases in clinical throughput and teaching hours per faculty member. Five of the 17 institutions tracked quality using qualitative measures, and none of these institutions observed a decrease in teaching quality.

Conclusions

Setting metrics and measurement of teaching seems to have had a generally positive effect on amounts of teaching; however, their impacts on the quality of teaching are less clear. The diversity of metrics reported makes it difficult to generalize the impact of these teaching metrics.
MRI-based classification of IDH mutation and 1p/19q codeletion status of gliomas using a 2.5D hybrid multi-task convolutional neural network
Authors: Chakrabarty Satrajit , LaMontagne Pamela , Shimony Joshua , Marcus Daniel S , Sotiras Aristeidis
Published: March 2023

Background

IDH mutation and 1p/19q codeletion status are important prognostic markers for glioma that are currently determined using invasive procedures. Our goal was to develop artificial intelligence-based methods to noninvasively determine molecular alterations from MRI.

Methods

Pre-operative MRI scans of 2648 glioma patients were collected from Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM; n = 835) and publicly available Brain Tumor Segmentation (BraTS; n = 378), LGG 1p/19q (n = 159), Ivy Glioblastoma Atlas Project (Ivy GAP; n = 41), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA; n = 461), and the Erasmus Glioma Database (EGD; n = 774) datasets. A 2.5D hybrid convolutional neural network was proposed to simultaneously localize glioma and classify its molecular status by leveraging MRI imaging features and prior knowledge features from clinical records and tumor location. The models were trained on 223 and 348 cases for IDH and 1p/19q tasks, respectively, and tested on one internal (TCGA) and two external (WUSM and EGD) test sets.

Results

For IDH, the best-performing model achieved areas under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) of 0.925, 0.874, 0.933 and areas under the precision-recall curves (AUPRC) of 0.899, 0.702, 0.853 on the internal, WUSM, and EGD test sets, respectively. For 1p/19q, the best model achieved AUROCs of 0.782, 0.754, 0.842, and AUPRCs of 0.588, 0.713, 0.782, on those three data-splits, respectively.

Conclusions

The high accuracy of the model on unseen data showcases its generalization capabilities and suggests its potential to perform “virtual biopsy” for tailoring treatment planning and overall clinical management of gliomas.
China's TOP10 breakthroughs in science and technology in 2022
Authors: Zhu He
Published: March 2023

The members of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Chinese Academy of Engineering have, for 29 years, selected every year's top 10 advancements in science and technology by domestic researchers. For 2022, the list was announced on 12 January, 2023 in China Science Daily. This year's collection includes 4 entries in space exploration and observation, 2 in biotechnology related to agriculture, 2 in earth and environmental sciences, and 2 in fundamental physics.
Clinical Prediction Rule to Guide Diagnostic Testing forShigellosisand Improve Antibiotic Stewardship for Pediatric Diarrhea
Authors: Ahmed Sharia M , Brintz Ben J , Pavlinac Patricia B , Hossain Md Iqbal , Khan Ashraful Islam , Platts-Mills James A , Kotloff Karen L , Leung Daniel T
Published: March 2023

Background

Diarrheal diseases are a leading cause of death for children aged <5 years. Identification of etiology helps guide pathogen-specific therapy, but availability of diagnostic testing is often limited in low-resource settings. Our goal is to develop a clinical prediction rule (CPR) to guide clinicians in identifying when to use a point-of-care (POC) diagnostic for Shigella in children presenting with acute diarrhea.

Methods

We used clinical and demographic data from the Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS) study to build predictive models for diarrhea of Shigella etiology in children aged ≤59 months presenting with moderate to severe diarrhea in Africa and Asia. We screened variables using random forests, and assessed predictive performance with random forest regression and logistic regression using cross-validation. We used the Etiology, Risk Factors, and Interactions of Enteric Infections and Malnutrition and the Consequences for Child Health and Development (MAL-ED) study to externally validate our GEMS-derived CPR.

Results

Of the 5011 cases analyzed, 1332 (27%) had diarrhea of Shigella etiology. Our CPR had high predictive ability (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.80 [95% confidence interval, .79–.81]) using the top 2 predictive variables, age and caregiver-reported bloody diarrhea. We show that by using our CPR to triage who receives diagnostic testing, 3 times more Shigella diarrhea cases would have been identified compared to current symptom-based guidelines, with only 27% of cases receiving a POC diagnostic test.

Conclusions

We demonstrate how a CPR can be used to guide use of a POC diagnostic test for diarrhea management. Using our CPR, available diagnostic capacity can be optimized to improve appropriate antibiotic use.
A Macro-Finance Model with Sentiment
Authors: Maxted Peter
Published: March 2023

This paper incorporates diagnostic expectations into a general equilibrium macroeconomic model with a financial intermediary sector. Diagnostic expectations are a forward-looking model of extrapolative expectations that overreact to recent news. Frictions in financial intermediation produce non-linear spikes in risk premia and slumps in investment during periods of financial distress. The interaction of sentiment with financial frictions generates a short-run amplification effect followed by a long-run reversal effect, termed the feedback from behavioural frictions to financial frictions. The model features sentiment-driven financial crises characterized by low pre-crisis risk premia and neglected risk. The conflicting short-run and long-run effect of sentiment produces boom–bust investment cycles. The model also identifies a stabilizing role for diagnostic expectations. Under the baseline calibration, financial crises are less likely to occur when expectations are diagnostic than when they are rational.
High-Quality Complete Genome Resource of Pectobacterium brasiliense Strain TS20HJ1 Causing Rhizome Rot on Ginger
Authors: Zhang Shangqing , Wu Beibei , Di Dianping , Lu Yuxiang , Yang Dongxu , Sun Xiangrui , Han Xiaoqing , Wang Jinhui
Published: March 2023

Pectobacterium brasiliense is a worldwide distributed bacterial pathogen causing soft rot and blackleg of a wide range of economically important crops. Here, we present the complete, high-quality genome of P. brasiliense strain TS20HJ1, which was isolated from a ginger ( Zingiber officinale) rhizome showing soft rot symptoms. The genome assembly consists of a circular 4,766,353-bp chromosome with 52.1% GC content. The genome harbors 4,128 protein-coding genes, 22 rRNA genes, and 77 tRNA genes. We believe that the complete genome sequence of P. brasiliense TS20HJ1 will provide a valuable resource for understanding the molecular basis of host adaptation and evolution of pathogenesis.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Mavacamten—A Targeted Therapy for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Schenk Ashley , Fields Nathan
Published: March 2023

The pathophysiology of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is primarily comprised of dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, mitral regurgitation, and diastolic dysfunction. Symptoms such as dyspnea, angina, or syncope can occur because of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and reduced LV cavity size. Currently, focus on symptom relief through optimizing LV preload and reducing inotropy is the mainstay of therapy through the use of β-blockers, nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, and disopyramide. Mavacamten is a novel cardiac myosin inhibitor recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Mavacamten normalizes myosin and actin cross-bridging to decrease contractility and ultimately reduce LV outflow tract gradients to maximize cardiac output. In this review, we report on the mechanism of action of mavacamten, safety profile, and phase 2 and 3 clinical trial data. Because of the risk of heart failure resulting from systolic dysfunction, careful patient selection and close monitoring are key for implementing this therapy into cardiovascular practice.
A State-of-the-Art Review of Teach-Back for Patients and Families With Heart Failure
Authors: Howie-Esquivel Jill , Bidwell Julie T.
Published: March 2023

Background

Heart failure (HF) prevalence has risen for more than a decade. Effective patient and family education strategies for HF are needed on a global scale. One widely used method of education is the teach-back method, where learners are provided information, then their understanding assessed by “teaching it back” to the educator.

Purpose

This state-of-the-art review article seeks to examine the evidence focusing on the teach-back method of patient education and patient outcomes. Specifically, this article describes (1) the teach-back process, (2) teach-back's effect on patient outcomes, (3) teach-back in the context of family care partners, and (4) recommendations for future research and practice.

Conclusions

Study investigators report the use of teach-back, but few describe how teach-back was utilized. Study designs vary widely, with few having a comparison group, making conclusions across studies challenging. The effect of teach-back on patient outcomes is mixed. Some studies showed fewer HF readmissions after education using teach-back, but different times of measurement obscure understanding of longitudinal effects. Heart failure knowledge improved across most studies after teach-back interventions; however, results related to HF self-care were mixed. Despite family care partner involvement in several studies, how they were included in teach-back or the associated effects are unclear.

Clinical implications

Future clinical trials that evaluate the effect of teach-back education on patient outcomes, such as short- and long-term readmission rates, biomarkers, and psychological measures, are needed, as patient education is the foundation for self-care and health-related behaviors.
Prominent 68Ga-FAPI Uptake in Renal Parenchyma Caused by Immunoglobulin G4–Related Nephropathy
Authors: Zhang Hongzhe , Pan Qingqing , Luo Yaping
Published: March 2023

A 57-year-old man presented with a dry cough and renal insufficiency. Serum immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) level was markedly elevated, and IgG4-related disease was clinically considered. 18F-FDG PET/CT revealed mild uptake in salivary glands and also moderately increased activity in renal parenchyma and prostate. 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT detected prominent and evenly distributed 68Ga-FAPI uptake in the kidney, and the pancreas, salivary gland, and prostate also showed intense activity, consistent with IgG4-related disease involving the kidney, pancreas, salivary gland, and prostate.
Extraction of biological signals by factorization enables the reliable analysis of single-cell transcriptomics
Authors: Zeng Feng , Kong Xuwen , Yang Fan , Chen Ting , Han Jiahuai
Published: March 2023

Accurately and reliably capturing actual biological signals from single-cell transcriptomics is vital for achieving legitimate scientific results, which is unfortunately hindered by the presence of various kinds of unwanted variations. Here we described a deep auto-regressive factor model known as scPhenoXMBD, demonstrated that each gene’s expression can be split into discrete components that represent biological signals and unwanted variations, which effectively mitigated the effects of unwanted variations in the data of single-cell sequencing. Using scPhenoXMBD, we evaluated various factors affecting IFNβ-stimulated immune cells and demonstrated that biological signal extraction facilitates the identification of IFNβ-responsive pathways and genes. Numerous experiments were conducted to show that scPhenoXMBDcould be utilized successfully in enhancing cell clustering stability, obtaining identical cell populations from diverse data sources, advancing the single-cell CRISPR screening of functional elements, and minimizing the influence of inter-subject discrepancies in the cell-disease relationships. scPhenoXMBDis anticipated to be a dependable and repeatable method for the precise analysis of single-cell data.
Cyclohexane plastic phase I: single-crystal diffraction images and new structural model
Authors: Bernès Sylvain , Camargo Sebastian
Published: March 2023

The plastic phase of cyclohexane (polymorph I) was studied by Kahn and co-workers, without achieving a satisfactory determination of the atomic coordinates [Kahn et al. (1973). Acta Cryst. B29, 131–138]. The positions of the C atoms cannot be determined directly as a consequence of the disorder in a high-symmetry space group, an inherent feature of plastic materials. Given this situation, the building of a polyhedron describing the disorder was the main tool for determining the molecular structure in the present work. Based on the shape of reflections {111}, {200} and {113} in space group Fm
3
m, we assumed that cyclohexane is disordered through the action of rotation group 432. The polyhedral cluster of disordered molecules is then a rhombic dodecahedron centred on the nodes of an fcc Bravais lattice. The vertices of this polyhedron are the positions of C atoms for the cyclohexane molecule, which is disordered over 24 positions. With such a model, the asymmetric unit is reduced to two C atoms placed on special positions, and an acceptable fit between the observed and calculated structure factors is obtained.
A hybrid intelligent gearbox fault diagnosis method based on EWCEEMD and whale optimization algorithm-optimized SVM
Authors: Men Zhihui , Hu Chaoqun , Li Yong-Hua , Bai Xiaoning
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This paper proposes an intelligent fault diagnosis method, which aims to obtain the outstanding fault diagnosis results of the gearbox.

Design/methodology/approach

An intelligent fault diagnosis method based on energy entropy-weighted complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EWCEEMD) and support vector machine (SVM) optimized by whale optimization algorithm (WOA) is proposed. The raw signal is first denoised by the wavelet noise reduction method. Then, complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition (CEEMD) is used to generate several intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). Next, energy entropy is used as an indicator to measure the sensibility of the IMF and converted into a weight coefficient by function. After that, IMFs are linearly weighted to form the reconstruction signal, and several features are extracted from the new signal. Finally, the support vector machine optimized by the whale optimization algorithm (WOA-SVM) model is used for gearbox fault classification using feature vectors.

Findings

The fault features extracted by this method have a better clustering effect and clear boundaries under each fault mode than the unimproved method. At the same time, the accuracy of fault diagnosis is greatly improved.

Originality/value

In most studies of fault diagnosis, the sensitivity of IMF has not been appreciated. In this paper, energy entropy is chosen to quantify sensitivity. In addition, high classification accuracy can be achieved by applying WOA-SVM as the final classification model, improving the efficiency of fault diagnosis as well.
Understanding civil servants' intentions to open data: factors influencing behavior to disclose data
Authors: Kleiman Fernando , Jansen Sylvia J.T. , Meijer Sebastiaan , Janssen Marijn
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The opening of government data is high on the policy agenda of governments worldwide. However, data release faces barriers due to limited support of civil servants, whereas the literature neglects civil servants' role in opening data. This paper aims at understanding why civil servants can be reluctant to support the disclosure of data. The authors developed a model to explain civil servants' behavioral intention to open data.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors test a series of hypotheses by collecting and analyzing survey data from 387 civil servants and by applying multivariate hierarchical regression.

Findings

The results indicate the factors influencing the behavior of civil servants. Social influences, performance expectancy, data management knowledge and risks have a significant influence. Personal characteristics control these effects.

Research limitations/implications

Caution is needed to generalize the findings towards the support to open data provision by civil servants. Though the analyzed sample was limited to Brazil, other countries and cultures might yield different outcomes. Larger and more diversified samples might indicate significant effects on variables not found in this research.

Practical implications

The insights can be used to develop policies for increasing the support of civil servants towards governmental data disclosure.

Originality/value

This study suggests factors of influence to civil servants' behavior intentions to disclose governmental data. It results in a model of factors, specifically for their behavioral intention at the individual level.
How low can you go: An investigation of depth sensitivity and resolution using towed marine controlled‐source electromagnetic systems
Authors: King Roslynn B. , Constable Steven
Published: March 2023

Understanding the depth of investigation for electromagnetic and electrical methods is important in experimental design and for interpreting inversions. Many studies have defined the depth of investigation for electromagnetic sounding methods, but none have included continuously towed controlled‐source electromagnetic methods. Nodal controlled‐source electromagnetic surveys using ocean‐bottom electromagnetic receivers have generally been found to have a depth of investigation limited to about half the maximum source‐receiver spacing, but experience using continuously towed arrays suggests sensitivity to targets at depths approaching the source‐receiver spacing. We test this on two‐dimensional synthetic data using two methods. A rigorous approach is to re‐invert data as a highly conductive or resistive basement is included at successively shallower depths. When the data misfit becomes unacceptably high we can conclude that the maximum depth of inference has been passed. Rather than rely on overall misfit, we note that it is more realistic to preferentially examine those data most sensitive to largest depths (longest offsets and lowest frequencies). A more practical approach is to determine the depth at which a conductivity contrast can be imaged by inversion, noting that knowledge of a contrast is geologically useful even if the actual conductivities cannot be recovered. Both approaches confirm that the increased data density of towed electromagnetic systems at longest offset increases the depth of investigation to about the maximum offset distance.
Photoperiod affects growth, seed production, and biochemical composition in Salicornia species under salinity
Authors: Izadi Yazdan , Nabipour Majid , Ranjbar Gholamhassan
Published: March 2023

The current study was conducted in two separate factorial experiments based on completely randomized block design with three replicates and three destructive samples for each replication. The first experiment consisted of two parts. The first part aimed to determine the effect of four photoperiod levels (10‐, 12‐, 14‐, and 16‐h daylight length) on fresh and dry mass, 1000‐seed weight, and seed yield of four ecotypes of Salicornia persica (Gorgan, Central plateau, Urmia, and Bushehr) along with two Salicornia species (S. bigelovii and S. europaea L.). The second part aimed to investigate the chemical properties of the shoots and seeds of Salicornia plants under short‐ and long‐day (10‐ and 16‐h daylight length) photoperiod treatments. The second trial intended to test the eight levels of salinity stress (control, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 dS/m with NaCl) on seedling growth traits of three native ecotypes of S. persica (Urmia, Bushehr, and Central plateau) under the best photoperiod treatment resulting from previous experiments (16‐h daylight length). The results showed that fresh mass and dry mass of Salicornia plants are promoted by long days. The maximum values of 1000‐seed weight (0.41 g) and seed yield (7.19 g/plant) were obtained at 16‐h daylight length for S. bigelovii. Nearly in all Salicornia plants, the maximum values of chemical traits were due to exposure to 16‐h daylight length except for seed and shoot flavonoids. In the second experiment, results revealed that S. persica ecotypes positively responded to salinity levels in the range of 10–30 dS/m, while seedling growth was inhibited at 70 dS/m of salinity stress except for S. persica Central plateau.
Adult tiger beetles Cicindela gemmata modify their foraging strategy in different hunting contexts
Authors: Wang Shumin , Fei Panshuai , Wu Zifeng , Luo Zeyi , Wu Yichen , Sun Ningning , Wang Yujie , Zi Shumei , Gao Lifang , Du Bo
Published: March 2023

Predator–prey interaction has long been an interesting item in the research of animal behaviors. Given that live prey can damage their predators, predators must trade foraging efficiency for safety while hunting, but the extent of this trade‐off is not yet clear. Tiger beetles display diversity in their diets and hunting strategies, and hence, they become an ideal system to address how self‐security affects foraging efficiency. We addressed this question in captive adult tiger beetles Cicindela gemmata. By offering several types of arthropod and plant foods, we confirmed that C. gemmata is carnivorous. We found that C. gemmata hunt by either ambushing or chasing their prey, and that they switch between strategies based on differences in the number of prey, the prey status and encounter rate, and the number of predators. Ambushing success increased with the number of prey but decreased with prey encounter rate. Chasing success decreased as prey body size and encounter rate increased. Foraging Cicindela gemmata often gave up an attack when it was nonfatal. This active giving up of hunting may be a consequence of a trade‐off between foraging efficiency and self‐security. Therefore, it is an adaptive response to the risk of injury when hunting for larger live prey.
Comparative analysis of two nonlethal methods for the study of the gut bacterial communities in wild lizards
Authors: HERNÁNDEZ Mauricio , ANCONA Sergio , HEREIRA‐PACHECO Stephanie , DÍAZ DE LA VEGA‐PÉREZ Aníbal H. , NAVARRO‐NOYA Yendi E.
Published: March 2023

Fecal samples or cloacal swabs are preferred over lethal dissections to study vertebrate gut microbiota for ethical reasons, but it remains unclear which nonlethal methods provide more accurate information about gut microbiota. We compared the bacterial communities of three gastrointestinal tract (GIT) segments, that is, stomach, small intestine (midgut), and rectum (hindgut) with the bacterial communities of the cloaca and feces in the mesquite lizard Sceloporus grammicus. The hindgut had the highest taxonomic and functional alpha diversity, followed by midgut and feces, whereas the stomach and cloaca showed the lowest diversities. The taxonomic assemblages of the GIT segments at the phylum level were strongly correlated with those retrieved from feces and cloacal swabs (rs > 0.84 in all cases). The turnover ratio of Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) between midgut and hindgut and the feces was lower than the ratio between these segments and the cloaca. More than half of the core‐ASVs in the midgut (24 of 32) and hindgut (58 of 97) were also found in feces, while less than 5 were found in the cloaca. At the ASVs level, however, the structure of the bacterial communities of the midgut and hindgut were similar to those detected in feces and cloaca. Our findings suggest that fecal samples and cloacal swabs of spiny lizards provide a good approximation of the taxonomic assemblages and beta diversity of midgut and hindgut microbiota, while feces better represent the bacterial communities of the intestinal segments at a single nucleotide variation level than cloacal swabs.
A new diagnostic method for retinal breaks in patients with posterior vitreous detachment: Ultra‐wide‐field imaging with the Zeiss Clarus 700
Authors: Karatepe Hashas Arzu Seyhan , Popovic Zoran , Abu‐Ishkheidem Emad , Bond‐Taylor Martin , Svedberg Karin , Jarar Dana , Zetterberg Madeleine
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This study was performed with the aim of finding a more convenient and less time‐consuming method to diagnose retinal breaks in posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) patients.

Methods

A prospective double‐blind observational case study was performed with patients who were admitted to the Eye Emergency Department Sahlgrenska University Hospital with PVD symptoms and approved to participate in the study (n = 128). Standard slit lamp examination was compared with images from a Zeiss Clarus 700 ultra‐wide‐field camera (UWFC). Patients were examined and photographed by an independent operator. Data and image review was performed by three independent reviewers with varying experience. Retinal break detection with the two different methods (detailed eye examination by well‐trained ophthalmologist and UWFC evaluations) was analysed statistically.

Results

After excluding diagnoses other than PVD as well as unclear images due to cataracts, vitreous bleeding, etc., a total of 103 eyes with PVD were evaluated. A total of 38 ruptures in 25 patients were detected by routine examination and were subjected to laser treatment. UWFC images were reviewed by three ophthalmology consultants and compared with routine examinations. Sensitivity values in detecting retinal ruptures in UWFC images of the three reviewers were 0.89, 0.87 and 0.79, and specificity values were 0.88, 0.86 and 0.93 (kappa values: 0.742, 0.689 and 0.728) respectively.

Conclusion

Although there have been rapid developments in imaging with UWFC in recent years and it is a very promising method for the future, routine clinical examination is still the only valid method for the detection of retinal tears today.
Outcomes reported in randomized controlled trials for mixed and non‐IgE‐mediated food allergy: Systematic review
Authors: Bel Imam Manal , Stikas Charalampos‐Vlasios , Guha Payal , Chawes Bo L. , Chu Derek , Greenhawt Matthew , Khaleva Ekaterina , Munblit Daniel , Nekliudov Nikita , van de Veen Willem , Schoos Ann‐Marie M. ,   Core Outcome Measures for Food Allergy (COMFA) consortium
Published: March 2023

Background

Mixed and non‐IgE‐mediated food allergy is a subset of immune‐mediated adverse food reactions that can impose a major burden on the quality of life of affected patients and their families. Clinical trials to study these diseases are reliant upon consistent and valid outcome measures that are relevant to both patients and clinicians, but the degree to which such stringent outcome reporting takes place is poorly studied.

Objective

As part of the Core Outcome Measures for Food Allergy (COMFA) project, we identified outcomes reported in randomized clinical trials (RCT) of treatments for mixed or non‐IgE‐mediated food allergy.

Design

In this systematic review, we searched the Ovid, MEDLINE and Embase databases for RCTs in children or adults investigating treatments for food protein‐induced enterocolitis syndrome, food protein‐induced allergic proctocolitis, food protein‐induced enteropathy and eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders including eosinophilic esophagitis [EoE], eosinophilic gastritis and eosinophilic colitis published until 14 October 2022.

Results

Twenty‐six eligible studies were identified, with 23 focused on EoE (88%). Most interventions were corticosteroids or monoclonal antibodies. All EoE studies assessed patient‐reported dysphagia, usually using a non‐validated questionnaire. Twenty‐two of 23 EoE studies used peak tissue eosinophil count as the primary outcome, usually using a non‐validated assessment method, and other immunological markers were only exploratory. Thirteen (57%) EoE studies reported endoscopic outcomes of which six used a validated scoring tool recently recommended as a core outcome for EoE trials. Funding source was not obviously associated with likelihood of an RCT reporting mechanistic versus patient‐reported outcomes. Only 3 (12%) RCTs concerned forms of food allergy other than EoE, and they reported on fecal immunological markers and patient‐reported outcomes.

Conclusions

Outcomes measured in clinical trials of EoE and non‐IgE‐mediated food allergy are heterogeneous and largely non‐validated. Core outcomes for EoE have been developed and need to be used in future trials. For other forms of mixed or non‐IgE‐mediated food allergies, core outcome development is needed to support the development of effective treatments.

Systematic review registration

OSF public registry DOI:10.17605/OSF.IO/AZX8S
Neuroinflammation and neuroimmunology in Alzheimer's disease: The role of T‐lymphocytes in Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Chihara Norio , Tsuji Asato , Matsumoto Riki
Published: March 2023

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia, with the number of patients with AD expected to double in the next quarter‐century. Brain deposition of amyloid‐β (Aβ) and tau proteins is a necessary but insufficient condition for AD pathogenesis. There is also growing evidence to suggest that chronic neuroinflammation due to excessive microglial activation and astrocyte dysfunction exacerbates the pathophysiology of AD, but the factors that disrupt these homeostatic processes remain unclear. Research into AD pathophysiology has shown interest in the changes in adaptive T‐cells, which play a pivotal role in immunity. The immune alterations in the peripheral circulation and increased blood–brain‐barrier permeability observed in patients with AD, even in the initial stages of the disease, require investigation of the immune mechanisms resulting from T‐cell infiltration into the central nervous system (CNS) during disease initiation and exacerbation. Since T‐cells play a two‐faceted role in the CNS immune response, including pathogenic and neuroprotective roles, the role of T‐cells in AD has been debated. Memory T‐cells reside in the brain and communicate with glial cells and neurons. In this review, the role of immune responses in AD is discussed, focusing on the contribution of T‐cells.