bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein, skin changes syndrome with dilated cardiomyopathy: A case report
Authors: Li Jia-Rong , Feng Lei-Yu , Li Jian-Wei , Liao Yu , Liu Fei-Qi
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

Polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein, skin changes (POEMS) syndrome is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome that encompass multiple systems. The most common clinical symptoms of POEMS syndrome are progressive sensorimotor polyneuropathy, organ enlargement, endocrine disorders, darkening skin, a monoclonal plasma cell proliferative disorder, and lymph node hyperplasia. The organomegaly consists of hepatosplenomegaly and/or lymphadenopathy; cases of cardiomyopathy are rare. Diagnoses are often delayed because of the atypical nature of the syndrome, exposing patients to possibly severe disability. Therefore, identifying atypical symptoms can improve the prognosis and quality of life among POEMS syndrome patients.

CASE SUMMARY

Herein, we report the case of a 59-year-old woman with POEMS syndrome that involved dilated cardiomyopathy. The patient presented to the hospital with complaints of shortness of breath and discomfort in the chest. The patient reported previous experiences of limb numbness. During hospitalization, the brain natriuretic peptide levels were 3504.0 pg/mL. Color doppler echocardiography showed an enlarged left side of the heart, along with ventricular wall hypokinesis and compromised functioning of the same side of the heart. Abdominal color ultrasonography revealed that the patient’s spleen was enlarged. Observations from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed that the left side of the heart was enlarged. Slight myocardical fibrosis was also observed. Electromyography was described as a symmetric sensorimotor demyelinating polyneuropathy. Further immunoelectrophoresis of the serum showed the presence of a monoclonal IGA λ M protein. The vascular endothelial growth factor levels were 622.56 pg/mL. Flow cytometric and immunohistochemical staining of the bone marrow detected no monoclonal plasma cells. Finally, the patient was diagnosed with POEMS syndrome associated with dilated cardiomyopathy. The chest-related discomfort and the shortness of breath resolved after the administration of lenalidomide and dexamethasone.

CONCLUSION

When patients with cardiomyopathy have systemic manifestations such as numb limbs and darkening skin, the POEMS syndrome is the most possible diagnosis.
Early selective enteral feeding in treatment of acute pancreatitis: A case report
Authors: Kashintsev Aleksei A , Anisimov Sergey V , Nadeeva Anastasya , Proutski Vitali
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

Early initiation of enteral feeding is recognized to play a crucial role in improving the outcomes of treatment of acute pancreatitis. However, the method of administration of enteral nutrition remains debatable. We present the experience of treating a patient with moderate-severe acute pancreatitis, at high risk of progressing to a severe or fatal condition, using a novel method of selective feeding with duodenal isolation.

CASE SUMMARY

A 27-year-old female patient presented to the emergency unit of the hospital with a typical manifestation of acute pancreatitis. Despite a conventional treatment, the patient’s condition deteriorated by day 2 of hospitalization. Using an endoscopic approach, a novel catheter PandiCath® was placed to the duodenum of the patient, isolating its segment between the duodenal bulb and the ligament of Treitz. In the isolated area created, a negative pressure was applied, followed by introduction of early selective enteral feeding. The patient’s condition subsequently improved in a rapid manner, and no complications often associated with moderate-to-severe acute pancreatitis developed.

CONCLUSION

Within 48 h of starting treatment with the novel method, it can prevent the development of multiple organ failure and, when combined with minimally invasive drainage methods, help prevent infection.
Pathological diagnosis and immunohistochemical analysis of giant retrosternal goiter in the elderly: A case report
Authors: Meng Yong-Chang , Wu Liu-Sheng , Li Ning , Li Hong-Wei , Zhao Jing , Yan Jun , Li Xiao-Qiang , Li Peng , Wei Jiang-Qi
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

Elderly giant retrosternal thyroid goiter is a rare yet significant medical condition, often presenting clinical symptoms that can be confused with other diseases, posing diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. This study aims to delve into the characteristics and potential mechanisms of this ailment through pathological diagnosis and immunohistochemical analysis, providing clinicians with more precise diagnostic and treatment strategies.

CASE SUMMARY

A 77-year-old male, was admitted to hospital with the chief complaint of finding a goiter in the semilunar month during physical examination, accompanied by dyspnea. Locally protruding into the superior mediastinum, the adjacent structure was compressed, the trachea was compressed to the right, and the local lumen was slightly narrowed. The patient was diagnosed with giant retrosternal goiter. Considering dyspnea caused by trachea compression, our department planned to perform giant retrosternal thyroidectomy. Immunohistochemical results: Tg (+), TTF-1 (+), Calcitonin (CT) (I), Ki-67 (+, about 20%), CD34 (-). Retrosternal goiter means that more than 50% of the volume of the thyroid gland is below the upper margin of the sternum. As retrosternal goiter disease is a relatively rare disease, once the disease is diagnosed, it should be timely surgical treatment, and the treatment is more difficult, the need for professional medical team for comprehensive treatment.

CONCLUSION

The imaging manifestations of giant retrosternal goiter are atypical, histomorphology and immunohistochemistry can assist in its diagnosis. This article reviews the relevant literature of giant retrosternal goiter immunohistochemistry and shows that giant retrosternal goiter is positive for Tg, TTF-1, and Ki-67.
Inverse problems for real principal type operators
Authors: Oksanen Lauri , Salo Mikko , Stefanov Plamen , Uhlmann Gunther
Published: January 2024

abstract: We consider inverse boundary value problems for general real principal type differential operators. The first results state that the Cauchy data set uniquely determines the scattering relation of the operator and bicharacteristic ray transforms of lower order coefficients. We also give two different boundary determination methods for general operators, and prove global uniqueness results for determining coefficients in nonlinear real principal type equations. The article presents a unified approach for treating inverse boundary problems for transport and wave equations, and highlights the role of propagation of singularities in the solution of related inverse problems.
Channels Through the Humane The Exiled Body in Crystal Pite’s Flight Pattern
Authors: Golomb Sariel
Published: January 2024

Abstract: This article examines contemporary choreographer Crystal Pite’s celebrated work Flight Pattern (2017), created for the Royal Ballet, which depicts an unspecified group of refugees as allegory for the “human” condition. In striving to choreograph exile outside of place and time, Pite rewrites the refugee as a purely bodied condition of transience, and thus corporealizes what Alexander Weheliye calls a “travelling theory.” The work thus strategically obfuscates the political in the image of the refugee, serving a State-run stage; moreover, it downplays the significance of race to the refugee crisis in complement to a predominantly white company. Reading this dance against key texts of biopolitical discourse, I show how the refugee figures as a symbol of the magnitude of biopower and as such is ontologically tied to the notion of the population—yet the refugee is never engaged at the level of embodiment. Flight Pattern thus offers a critical intervention: how does the West envision the refugee as an individual body? On the dancerly body, this entails citations of Western concert dance’s conventions of aestheticized alterity, raising the specter of the “relatable abject”: a figure that is Other to its audience and yet invites their empathic projection. Flight Pattern thus raises important questions for researchers about the implications of aesthetic inquiry into biopolitical crises: what dance can capture—and what it erases—of the experience of refugitude and the struggle for recognition and legibility on the stage of international politics.
Nonlinear error analysis of fast optical delay lines
Authors: Zhu Lili , Xue Junwen , Ren Jiaojiao , Zhang Dandan , Gu Jian , Zhang Jiyang , Li Lijuan
Published: January 2024

Optical delay lines have wide applications in terahertz time-domain
spectroscopy and optical coherence tomography. In this study, a
fast-rotating optical delay line (FRODL) with 24 turntable reflection
surfaces was designed. By analyzing the working principle of the
FRODL, a mathematical model was established for the nonlinear
parameter error of the FRODL delay time. By constructing the
polarization Michelson interference system and testing the FRODL
structure, the error of actual assembly parameters of the FRODL was
approximately 0.015 mm, the actual delay time of the FRODL was greater
than 43.5 ps, and the linearity was 99.785%.
Real-time line-field optical coherence tomography for cellular resolution imaging of biological tissue
Authors: Neuhaus Kai , Khan Shanjida , Thaware Omkar , Ni Shuibin , Aga Mini , Jia Yali , Redd Travis , Chen Siyu , Huang David , Jian Yifan
Published: January 2024

A real-time line-field optical coherence tomography (LF-OCT) system is demonstrated with image acquisition rates of up to 5000 B-frames or 2.5 million A-lines per second for 500 A-lines per B-frame. The system uses a high-speed low-cost camera to achieve continuous data transfer rates required for real-time imaging, allowing the evaluation of future applications in clinical or intraoperative environments. The light source is an 840 nm super-luminescent diode. Leveraging parallel computing with GPU and high speed CoaXPress data transfer interface, we were able to acquire, process, and display OCT data with low latency. The studied system uses anamorphic beam shaping in the detector arm, optimizing the field of view and sensitivity for imaging biological tissue at cellular resolution. The lateral and axial resolution measured in air were 1.7 µm and 6.3 µm, respectively. Experimental results demonstrate real-time inspection of the trabecular meshwork and Schlemm’s canal on ex vivo corneoscleral wedges and real-time imaging of endothelial cells of human subjects in vivo.
Effects of the Earth curvature on Mie-scattering radiances at high solar-sensor geometries based on Monte Carlo simulations
Authors: Xu Fei , He Xianqiang , Shanmugam Palanisamy , Bai Yan , Jin Xuchen , Cai Wencai , Wang Difeng , Gong Fang , Zhu Qiankun
Published: January 2024

Given the importance of vector radiative transfer models in ocean color remote sensing and a lack of suitable models capable of analyzing the Earth curvature effects on Mie-scattering radiances, this study presents an enhanced vector radiative transfer model for a spherical shell atmosphere geometry by the Monte Carlo method (MC-SRTM), considering the effects of Earth curvature, different atmospheric conditions, flat sea surface reflectance, polarization, high solar and sensor geometries, altitudes and wavelengths. A Monte Carlo photon transport model was employed to simulate the vector radiative transfer processes and their effects on the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiances. The accuracy of the MC-SRTM was verified by comparing its scalar model outputs from Henyey-Greenstein (HG) phase function with the Kattawar-Adams model results, and the mean relative differences were less than 2.75% and 4.33% for asymmetry factors (g-values) of 0.5 and 0.7, respectively. The vector mode results of MC-SRTM for a spherical shell geometry with the Mie-scattering phase matrix were compared with the PCOART-SA model results (from Polarized Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Radiative Transfer model based on the pseudo-spherical assumption), and the mean relative differences were less than 2.67% when solar zenith angles (SZAs) > 70∘ and sensor viewing zenith angles (VZAs) < 60∘ for two aerosol models (coastal and tropospheric models). Based on the MC-SRTM, the effects of Earth curvature on TOA radiances at high SZAs and VZAs were analyzed. For pure aerosol atmosphere, the effects of Earth curvature on TOA radiances reached up to 5.36% for SZAs > 70∘ and VZAs < 60∘ and reduced to less than 2.60% for SZAs < 70∘ and VZAs > 60∘. The maximum Earth curvature effect of pure aerosol atmosphere was nearly same (10.06%) as that of the ideal molecule atmosphere. The results also showed no statistically significant differences for the aerosol-molecule mixed and pure aerosol atmospheres. Our study demonstrates that there is a need to consider the Earth curvature effects in the atmospheric correction of satellite ocean color data at high solar and sensor geometries.
Femtosecond pulse shaper built into a prism compressor
Authors: Faitz Zachary M. , Im Dasol , Zanni Martin T.
Published: January 2024

We present a frequency domain, AOM-based pulse shaper that utilizes Brewster prisms rather than the current standard of gratings. In doing so, we demonstrate a three-fold increase in efficiency and the ability to compensate for temporal dispersion created by the acousto-optic modulator that filters the pulse spectrum. The shaper is tested between the wavelengths of 520-660 and 840-1170 nm, creating sub-50 fs pulses for each, and used to collect a 2D white-light spectrum of a thin film of semiconducting carbon nanotubes.
Real-time millimeter wave holography with an arrayed detector
Authors: Penketh Harry , Ergoktas M. Said , Lawrence Christopher R. , Phillips David B. , Cunningham John E. , Hendry Euan , Mrnka Michal
Published: January 2024

Millimeter and terahertz wave imaging has emerged as a powerful tool for applications such as security screening, biomedical imaging, and material analysis. However, intensity images alone are often insufficient for detecting variations in the dielectric constant of a sample, and extraction of material properties without additional phase information requires extensive prior knowledge of the sample. Digital holography provides a means for intensity-only detectors to reconstruct both amplitude and phase images. Here we utilize a commercially available source and detector array, both operating at room temperature, to perform digital holography in real-time for the first time in the mm-wave band (at 290 GHz). We compare the off-axis and phase-shifting approaches to digital holography and discuss their trade-offs and practical challenges in this regime. Owing to the low pixel count, we find phase-shifting holography to be the most practical and high fidelity approach for such commercial mm-wave cameras even under real-time operational requirements.
Efficient polarization-insensitive quasi-BIC modulation by VO2 thin films
Authors: Zhong Hongkun , He Tiantian , Wang Yuhao , Qi Tiancheng , Meng Yuan , Li Dan , Yan Ping , Xiao Qirong
Published: January 2024

Bound states in the continuum (BIC) offer great design freedom for realizing high-quality factor metasurfaces. By deliberately disrupting the inherent symmetries, BIC can degenerate into quasi-BIC exhibiting sharp spectra with strong light confinement. This transformation has been exploited to develop cutting-edge sensors and modulators. However, most proposed quasi-BICs in metasurfaces are composed of unit cells with Cs symmetry that may experience performance degradation due to polarization deviation, posing challenges in practical applications. Addressing this critical issue, our research introduces an innovative approach by incorporating metasurfaces with C4v unit cell symmetry to eliminate polarization response sensitivity. Vanadium Dioxide (VO2) is a phase-change material with a relatively low transition temperature and reversibility. Here, we theoretically investigate the polarization-insensitive quasi-BIC modulation in Si-VO2 hybrid metasurfaces. By introducing defects into metasurfaces with Cs, C4, and C4v symmetries, we enable the emergence of quasi-BICs characterized by strong Fano resonance in their transmission spectra. Via numerically calculating the multipole decomposition, distinct dominant multipoles for different quasi-BICs are identified. A comprehensive investigation into the polarization responses of these structures under varying directions of linearly polarized light reveals the superior polarization-independent characteristics of metasurfaces with C4 and C4v symmetries, a feature that ensures the maintenance of maximum resonance peaks irrespective of polarization direction. Utilizing the polarization-insensitive quasi-BIC, we thus designed two different Si-VO2 hybrid metasurfaces with C4v symmetry. Each configuration presents complementary benefits, leveraging the VO2 phase transition's loss change to facilitate efficient modulation. Our quantitative calculation indicates notable achievements in modulation depth, with a maximum relative modulation depth reaching up to 342%. For the first time, our research demonstrates efficient modulation using polarization-insensitive quasi-BICs in designed Si-VO2 hybrid metasurfaces, achieving identical polarization responses for quasi-BIC-based applications. Our work paves the way for designing polarization-independent quasi-BICs in metasurfaces and marks a notable advancement in the field of tunable integrated devices.
Optical ranging and vibration sensing based on the lagging propagation phase of structured beams
Authors: Wan Zhenyu , Tang Ziyi , Wang Jian
Published: January 2024

Recently, studies have shown that the spatial confinement on waves or photons with beam shaping techniques would modify the propagation speed of optical fields including both group and phase velocities. Particularly, for the monochromatic spatially structured beams, the reduced longitudinal wave vector enables the phase velocity to be superluminal, causing a lagging propagation phase. In this Letter, we propose a novel, to the best of our knowledge, scheme for optical ranging and vibration sensing with the lagging propagation phase of structured beams. We experimentally demonstrate the extraction of displacement from the rotating angles of interfering fringes of superposed Gaussian and higher-order Bessel beams with lagging propagation phase difference. The measuring range is 0.2 m with the limitation of the tested moving stage, but it can be extended to tens of meters in principle. The measuring resolution can reach sub-millimeters, which can be further improved by carefully designing the probe beam and using a finer camera. The results may provide potential applications in position sensing and monitoring.
Dual and narrow-band optical filtering and sensing enabled by asymmetric dielectric metagratings
Authors: Abudula Aibibula , Abulaiti Abulizi , Mohamedsedik Melike , Xu Feng , Tuersun Paerhatijiang
Published: January 2024

Here, we propose a metagrating structure for dual-and narrow-band optical filtering and sensing in the VIS-NIR regime, comprising two closely spaced, optically thin layers of asymmetric dielectric nanostrip arrays with equal periods but varying nanostrip widths. Based on the numerical simulations, we clarify that the dual-narrow band filtering characteristics in the transmission spectrum is mainly due to the intercoupled antiphase Fano resonance modes in the each nanoslits and guided mode resonance (GMR) bound to top middle and bottom of the a binary metagratings, respectively. The intercoupled antiphase Fano resonance modes suppress the transmission in a way that adjoining nanostrips in the unit cell act as the dipole resonance, efficiently trapping the leaky radiation and enhance reflectance, while GMR modes at neighbouring wavelengths suppress transmission and enhance reflection, so as to shape the near-zero dual-narrow stopband dips. It is important that asymmetry of the nanostrips helps to improve the quality factor of both resonance modes and thus to reduce the stopband width. The sensitivity for this gas sensor structure was estimated to be 58 and 71 nm/RIU, with a transmission bandwidth of 2 and 4 nm for both modes, respectively. These new findings pave the way for subtractive optical wave modulation techniques, multiband filtering, sensing, and detection.
Human subcortical pathways automatically detect collision trajectory without attention and awareness
Authors: Guo Fanhua , Zou Jinyou , Wang Ye , Fang Boyan , Zhou Huanfen , Wang Dajiang , He Sheng , Zhang Peng
Published: January 2024

Detecting imminent collisions is essential for survival. Here, we used high-resolution fMRI at 7 Tesla to investigate the role of attention and consciousness for detecting collision trajectory in human subcortical pathways. Healthy participants can precisely discriminate collision from near-miss trajectory of an approaching object, with pupil size change reflecting collision sensitivity. Subcortical pathways from the superior colliculus (SC) to the ventromedial pulvinar (vmPul) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) exhibited collision-sensitive responses even when participants were not paying attention to the looming stimuli. For hemianopic patients with unilateral lesions of the geniculostriate pathway, the ipsilesional SC and VTA showed significant activation to collision stimuli in their scotoma. Furthermore, stronger SC responses predicted better behavioral performance in collision detection even in the absence of awareness. Therefore, human tectofugal pathways could automatically detect collision trajectories without the observers’ attention to and awareness of looming stimuli, supporting “blindsight” detection of impending visual threats.
Gender differences in adverse childhood experiences, resilience and internet addiction among Tunisian students: Exploring the mediation effect
Authors: Mlouki Imen , Majdoub Mariem , Hariz Emna , Silini Ahlem , Mrabet Houcem Elomma , Rezg Nejla , El Mhamdi Sana
Published: January 2024

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are a common public health issue with a variety of consequences, including behavioral addiction such as Internet Addiction (IA). Despite widespread recognition of this issue, the underlying mechanisms are not well studied in recent literature. Additionally, studies have indicated gender disparities in the prevalence and manifestation of ACEs and IA. The objective of this study was to investigate the mediating effect of resilience on the link between ACEs and IA among high-school students according to gender in Mahdia city (Tunisia). We conducted a cross-sectional survey for two months (January- February 2020), among 2520 schooled youth in Mahdia city (Tunisia). The Arabic-language edition of the World Health Organisation ACE questionnaire was used. The validated Arabic versions of the Adolescent Psychological Resilience Scale and the Internet Addiction Test were the screening tools for resilience and IA. Data were analyzed according to gender. The majority of youth (97.5%) were exposed to at least one ACE with the most prevalent being emotional neglect (83.2%). Exposure to extra-familial ACEs was also high reaching 86.9% with higher rates among boys for all types of social violence. Internet addiction was common among students (50%) with higher prevalence for boys (54.4% vs 47.7%for girls, p = 0.006). Resilience scores were86.43 ± 9.7 for girls vs 85.54 ± 9.79 for boys. The current study showed that resilience mediated the link between ACEs, especially intrafamilial violence, and internet addiction (%mediated = 15.1). According to gender, resilience had a significant mediating role on internet addiction for girls (%mediated = 17) and no significant role for boys. The mediating effect of resilience in the relationship between ACEs and cyberaddiction among schooled adolescents in the region of Mahdia (Tunisia) has been identified.
Infection prevention and control measures to reduce the transmission of mpox: A systematic review
Authors: Kuehn Rebecca , Fox Tilly , Guyatt Gordon , Lutje Vittoria , Gould Susan
Published: January 2024

Objectives

To make inferences regarding the effectiveness of respiratory interventions and case isolation measures in reducing or preventing the transmission of mpox based on synthesis of available literature.

Methods

The WHO Clinical Management and Infection Prevention and Control 2022 guideline and droplet precautions in healthcare facilities and home isolation infection prevention control measures for patients with mpox. We conducted a systematic review that included a broad search of five electronic databases. In a two-stage process, we initially sought only randomized controlled trials and observational comparative studies; when the search failed to yield eligible studies, the subsequent search included all study designs including clinical and environmental sampling studies.

Results

No studies were identified that directly addressed airborne and droplet precautions and home isolation infection prevention control measures. To inform the review questions the review team synthesized route of transmission data in mpox. There were 2366/4309 (54.9%) cases in which investigators identified mpox infection occurring following transmission through direct physical sexual contact. There were no reported mpox cases in which investigators identified inhalation as a single route of transmission. There were 2/4309 cases in which investigators identified fomite as a single route of transmission. Clinical and environmental sampling studies isolated mpox virus in a minority of saliva, oropharangeal swabs, mpox skin lesions, and hospital room air.

Conclusions

Current findings provide compelling evidence that transmission of mpox occurs through direct physical contact. Because investigators have not reported any cases of transmission via inhalation alone, the impact of airborne and droplet infection prevention control measures in reducing transmission will be minimal. Avoiding physical contact with others, covering mpox lesions and wearing a medical mask is likely to reduce onward mpox transmission; there may be minimal reduction in transmission from additionally physically isolating patients with mild disease at home.
Femicide, intimate partner femicide, and non-intimate partner femicide in South Africa: An analysis of 3 national surveys, 1999–2017
Authors: Abrahams Naeemah , Mhlongo Shibe , Chirwa Esnat , Dekel Bianca , Ketelo Asiphe , Lombard Carl , Shai Nwabisa , Ramsoomar Leane , Mathews Shanaaz , Labuschagne Gérard , Matzopoulos Richard , Prinsloo Megan , Martin Lorna J. , Jewkes Rachel
Published: January 2024

Background

In most countries, reliable national statistics on femicide, intimate partner femicide (IPF), and non-intimate partner femicide (NIPF) are not available. Surveys are required to collect robust data on this most extreme consequence of intimate partner violence (IPV). We analysed 3 national surveys to compare femicide, IPF, and NIPF from 1999 to 2017 using age-standardised rates (ASRs) and incidence rate ratios (IRRs).

Methods and findings

We conducted 3 national mortuary-based retrospective surveys using weighted cluster designs from proportionate random samples of medicolegal laboratories. We included females 14 years and older who were identified as having been murdered in South Africa in 1999 (n = 3,793), 2009 (n = 2,363), and 2017 (n = 2,407). Further information on the murdered cases were collected from crime dockets during interviews with police investigating officers. Our findings show that South Africa had an IPF rate of 4.9/100,000 female population in 2017. All forms of femicide among women 14 years and older declined from 1999 to 2017. For IPF, the ASR was 9.5/100,000 in 1999. Between 1999 and 2009, the decline for NIPF was greater than for IPF (IRR for NIPF 0.47 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.42 to 0.53) compared to IRR for IPF 0.69 (95% CI 0.63 to 0.77). Rates declined from 2009 to 2017 and did not differ by femicide type. The decline in IPF was initially larger for women aged 14 to 29, and after 2009, it was more pronounced for those aged 30 to 44 years. Study limitations include missing data from the police and having to use imputation to account for missing perpetrator data.

Conclusions

In this study, we observed a reduction in femicide overall and different patterns of change in IPF compared to NIPF. The explanation for the reductions may be due to social and policy interventions aimed at reducing IPV overall, coupled with increased social and economic stability. Our study shows that gender-based violence is preventable even in high-prevalence settings, and evidence-based prevention efforts must be intensified globally. We also show the value of dedicated surveys in the absence of functional information systems.
High prevalence of Zika virus infection in populations of Aedes aegypti from South-western Ecuador
Authors: López-Rosero Andrea , Sippy Rachel , Stewart-Ibarra Anna M. , Ryan Sadie J. , Mordecai Erin , Heras Froilán , Beltrán Efraín , Costales Jaime A. , Neira Marco
Published: January 2024

We performed an arboviral survey in mosquitoes from four endemic Ecuadorian cities (Huaquillas, Machala, Portovelo and Zaruma) during the epidemic period 2016–2018. Collections were performed during the pre-rainy season (2016), peak transmission season (2017) and post-rainy season (2018). Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were pooled by date, location and sex. Pools were screened by RT-PCR for the presence of ZIKV RNA, and infection rates (IRs) per 1,000 specimens were calculated. A total of 2,592 pools (comprising 6,197 mosquitoes) were screened. Our results reveal high IRs in all cities and periods sampled. Overall IRs among female mosquitoes were highest in Machala (89.2), followed by Portovelo (66.4), Zaruma (47.4) and Huaquillas (41.9). Among male mosquitoes, overall IRs were highest in Machala (35.6), followed by Portovelo (33.1), Huaquillas (31.9) and Zaruma (27.9), suggesting that alternative transmission routes (vertical/venereal) can play important roles for ZIKV maintenance in the vector population of these areas. Additionally, we propose that the stabilization of ZIKV vertical transmission in the vector population could help explain the presence of high IRs in field-caught mosquitoes during inter-epidemic periods.
An α-Gal antigenic surrogate as a biomarker of treatment evaluation in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected children. A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Abal Manuel , Balouz Virginia , Lopez Rosana , Giorgi M. Eugenia , Marino Carla , Cruz Cintia V. , Altcheh Jaime , Buscaglia Carlos A.
Published: January 2024

Background

Proper evaluation of therapeutic responses in Chagas disease is hampered by the prolonged persistence of antibodies to Trypanosoma cruzi measured by conventional serological tests and by the lack of sensitivity of parasitological tests. Previous studies indicated that tGPI-mucins, an α-Gal (α-d-Galp(1→3)-β-d-Galp(1→4)-d-GlcNAc)-rich fraction obtained from T. cruzi trypomastigotes surface coat, elicit a strong and protective antibody response in infected individuals, which disappears soon after successful treatment. The cost and technical difficulties associated with tGPI-mucins preparation, however, preclude its routine implementation in clinical settings.

Methods/principle findings

We herein developed a neoglycoprotein consisting of a BSA scaffold decorated with several units of a synthetic α-Gal antigenic surrogate (α-d-Galp(1→3)-β-d-Galp(1→4)-β-d-Glcp). Serological responses to this reagent, termed NGP-Tri, were monitored by means of an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (α-Gal-ELISA) in a cohort of 82 T. cruzi-infected and Benznidazole- or Nifurtimox-treated children (3 days to 16 years-old). This cohort was split into 3 groups based on the age of patients at the time of treatment initiation: Group 1 comprised 24 babies (3 days to 5 months-old; median = 26 days-old), Group 2 comprised 31 children (7 months to 3 years-old; median = 1.0-year-old) and Group 3 comprised 26 patients (3 to 16 years-old; median = 8.4 years-old). A second, control cohort (Group 4) included 39 non-infected infants (3 days to 5 months-old; median = 31 days-old) born to T. cruzi-infected mothers. Despite its suboptimal seroprevalence (58.4%), α-Gal-ELISA yielded shorter median time values of negativization (23 months [IC 95% 7 to 36 months] vs 60 months [IC 95% 15 to 83 months]; p = 0.0016) and higher rate of patient negative seroconversion (89.2% vs 43.2%, p < 0.005) as compared to conventional serological methods. The same effect was verified for every Group, when analyzed separately. Most remarkably, 14 out of 24 (58.3%) patients from Group 3 achieved negative seroconversion for α-Gal-ELISA while none of them were able to negativize for conventional serology. Detailed analysis of patients showing unconventional serological responses suggested that, in addition to providing a novel tool to shorten follow-up periods after chemotherapy, the α-Gal-ELISA may assist in other diagnostic needs in pediatric Chagas disease.

Conclusions/significance

The tools evaluated here provide the cornerstone for the development of an efficacious, reliable, and straightforward post-therapeutic marker for pediatric Chagas disease.
Large-scale gene expression changes in APP/PSEN1 and GFAP mutation models exhibit high congruence with Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Gammie Stephen C. , Messing Albee , Hill Mason A. , Kelm-Nelson Cynthia A. , Hagemann Tracy L.
Published: January 2024

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder with both genetic and non-genetic causes. Animal research models are available for a multitude of diseases and conditions affecting the central nervous system (CNS), and large-scale CNS gene expression data exist for many of these. Although there are several models specifically for AD, each recapitulates different aspects of the human disease. In this study we evaluate over 500 animal models to identify those with CNS gene expression patterns matching human AD datasets. Approaches included a hypergeometric based scoring system that rewards congruent gene expression patterns but penalizes discordant gene expression patterns. The top two models identified were APP/PS1 transgenic mice expressing mutant APP and PSEN1, and mice carrying a GFAP mutation that is causative of Alexander disease, a primary disorder of astrocytes in the CNS. The APP/PS1 and GFAP models both matched over 500 genes moving in the same direction as in human AD, and both had elevated GFAP expression and were highly congruent with one another. Also scoring highly were the 5XFAD model (with five mutations in APP and PSEN1) and mice carrying CK-p25, APP, and MAPT mutations. Animals with the APOE3 and 4 mutations combined with traumatic brain injury ranked highly. Bulbectomized rats scored high, suggesting anosmia could be causative of AD-like gene expression. Other matching models included the SOD1G93A strain and knockouts for SNORD116 (Prader-Willi mutation), GRID2, INSM1, XBP1, and CSTB. Many top models demonstrated increased expression of GFAP, and results were similar across multiple human AD datasets. Heatmap and Uniform Manifold Approximation Plot results were consistent with hypergeometric ranking. Finally, some gene manipulation models, including for TYROBP and ATG7, were identified with reversed AD patterns, suggesting possible neuroprotective effects. This study provides insight for the pathobiology of AD and the potential utility of available animal models.
The interplay among individuals’ distress, daily activities, and perceptions of COVID-19 and neighborhood cohesion: A study using network analysis
Authors: Yang Zhenchuan , Huang Jianwei , Kwan Mei-Po , Liu Dong
Published: January 2024

The reduction of social interactions through non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) has been shown to effectively curb COVID-19 transmission. However, these control measures were often accompanied by changes in people’s daily routines and constraints on their activity space, which could lead to mental distress (i.e., anxiety and depression). This study examined the interplay among individuals’ anxiety, depression, daily activities, and perceptions of COVID-19 and neighborhood cohesion. Taking Hong Kong as an example, an online survey (N = 376) was conducted to collect data from participants between March 14 to May 11, 2022. The data include respondents’ self-reported anxiety and depressive symptoms, daily activities (e.g., smartphone use), perceptions of COVID-19 (e.g., the possibility of infecting COVID-19), and perceptions of neighborhood cohesion. Using network analysis, we found that excessive smartphone use, life disturbance by COVID-19, and a community with people getting along well with each other were significant factors associated with participants’ anxiety and depression. Using critical path analysis, we observed that NPIs reduced human mobility, led to delayed bedtime, and increased smartphone use, which were associated with participants’ mental distress. We also found that NPIs and COVID-19 were associated with people’s perceptions of infection and the severity of COVID-19 and human mobility flexibility, which may further lead to mental distress. Our results also demonstrated that people with high education levels were vulnerable. These results provided important insights for designing appropriate interventions without generating deleterious impacts on people’s mental health in the future.
A mechanical model of ocular bulb vibrations and implications for acoustic tonometry
Authors: Tambroni Nicoletta , Tomassetti Giuseppe , Lombardi Silvia , Repetto Rodolfo
Published: January 2024

In this study, we propose a comprehensive mechanical model of ocular bulb vibrations and discuss its implications for acoustic tonometry. The model describes the eye wall as a spherical, pre-stressed elastic shell containing a viscoelastic material and accounts for the interaction between the elastic corneoscleral shell and the viscoelastic vitreous humor. We investigate the natural frequencies of the system and the corresponding vibration modes, expanding the solution in terms of scalar and vector spherical harmonics. From a quantitative point of view, our findings reveal that the eyebulb vibration frequencies significantly depend on IOP. This dependency has two origins: “geometric” stiffening, due to an increase of the pre-stress, and “material” stiffening, due to the nonlinearity of the stress-strain curve of the sclera. The model shows that the second effect is by far dominant. We also find that the oscillation frequencies depend on ocular rigidity, but this dependency is important only at relatively large values of IOP. Thus close to physiological conditions, IOP is the main determinant of ocular vibration frequencies. The vitreous rheological properties are found to mostly influence vibration damping. This study contributes to the understanding of the mechanical behavior of the eye under dynamic conditions and thus has implications for non-contact intraocular pressure measurement techniques, such as acoustic tonometry. The model can also be relevant for other ocular pathological conditions, such as traumatic retinal detachment, which are believed to be influenced by the dynamic behavior of the eye.
MPPT control of a solar pumping system based five-phase impedance source inverter fed induction motor
Authors: Hassan Ahmed M. , Hassan Abd El-Wahab , Elbarbary Z. M. S. , Al-Gahtani Saad F. , Omar Ahmed I. , Metwally Mohamed Eladly
Published: January 2024

This paper presents a control method for a system composed of a photovoltaic (PV) array, five-phase impedance source inverter, five-phase induction motor and centrifugal pump. This method is based on controlling the motor speed to control the pump power as the insolation level or temperature change to attain the maximum power extraction from the PV-array. The motor speed is controlled by using artificial neural network (ANN) which is trained to provide the desired inverter frequency and modulation index at any insolation level and temperature to attain the maximum PV operating power. The data of the neural network are based on the operation of the induction motor at constant air gap flux and perturb and observe method for maximum power point tracking. Simulation results are obtained using MATLAB Simulink to verify the proposed control method.
International accounting network memberships and audit fees: Evidence from China
Authors: Xiong Xuemei , Zheng Ruoting , Liu YanJian , Huang Xuanhao
Published: January 2024

This paper investigates the international accounting network memberships’ impact on audit fees. We find that, firstly, the audit fees charged by the member audit firms are significantly higher; secondly, if the revenue, ranking or audit and accounting business share of the international network the audit firm join is higher, the charge is also higher. Additional results show that economic policy uncertainty will intensify this positive relationship, and member audit firms charge higher fees by improving their overseas expertise. We also find that international network memberships will reduce abnormal audit fees, and improve the quality of financial reports.
Clinical evaluation of a fully electronic microfluidic white blood cell analyzer
Authors: Sui Jianye , Lin Zhongtian , Azizpour Shahriar , Chen Fei , Gaur Sunanda , Keene Kelly , Soleimani Farzad , Bhowmick Tanaya , Rafique Zubaid , Javanmard Mehdi
Published: January 2024

The White Blood Cell (WBC) count is one of the key parameters signaling the health of the immune system. Abnormal WBC counts often signal a systemic insult to the body such as an underlying infection or an adverse side effect to medication. Typically, the blood collected is sent to a central lab for testing, and results come back within hours, which is often inconvenient and may delay time-sensitive diagnosis or treatment. Here, we present the CytoTracker, a fully electronic, microfluidic based instant WBC analyzer with the potential to be used at point-of-care. The CytoTracker is a lightweight, portable, affordable platform capable of quantifying WBCs within minutes using only 50 μl of blood (approximately one drop of blood). In this study, we clinically evaluated the accuracy and performance of CytoTracker in measuring WBC and granulocyte counts. A total of 210 adult patients were recruited in the study. We validated the CytoTracker against a standard benchtop analyzer (Horiba Point of Care Hematology Analyzer, ABX Micros 60). Linear dynamic ranges of 2.5 k/μl– 35 k/μl and 0.6 k/μl– 26 k/μl were achieved for total WBC count and granulocyte count with correlation coefficients of 0.97 and 0.98. In addition, we verified CytoTracker’s capability of identifying abnormal blood counts with above 90% sensitivity and specificity. The promising results of this clinical validation study demonstrate the potential for the use of the CytoTracker as a reliable and accurate point-of-care WBC analyzer.
The impact of cineole treatment timing on common cold duration and symptoms: Non-randomized exploratory clinical trial
Authors: Michalsen Andreas , Goldenstein Kim , Kardos Peter , Klimek Ludger , Palm Jürgen , Parganlija Dajana , Stöckl Johannes
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Common cold (CC) symptoms arise from an inflammatory response treatable with cineole and generally peak within two days, which complicates research implementation. We therefore explored the benefits of early cineole administration with enrolment of participants prior to CC onset.

Methods

Out of 522 adults enrolled in our phase IV, open-label, non-randomized, exploratory clinical trial (EudraCT No. 2020-000860-51), 329 developed a CC and used 200 mg cineole (Soledum®, CNL-1976) t.i.d. for max. 15 (± 2) days. Primary endpoint was burden of disease based on the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey (WURSS-11).

Results

Comparing three strata based on time to treatment (≤ 12 h, > 12 to ≤ 24 h and > 24 h), earliest treatment resulted in lowest AUC-WURSS (Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.36) and reduced the overall burden of disease by 38% (p < 0.0001). Earlier and lower symptom severity peak resulted, with shorter time to remission (average 8.9 vs. 10.7 days with latest treatment initiation, p < 0.05), and higher and faster recovering quality of life (p < 0.05). Tolerability was mostly rated as “very good”, with adverse events of suspected causal relationship reported in 4.3% of participants.

Conclusions

Early intervention shows clinical benefits relevant for the effective treatment of CC with cineole.
Kuura—An automated workflow for analyzing WES and WGS data
Authors: Jambulingam Dhanaprakash , Rathinakannan Venkat Subramaniam , Heron Samuel , Schleutker Johanna , Fey Vidal
Published: January 2024

The advent of high-throughput sequencing technologies has revolutionized the field of genomic sciences by cutting down the cost and time associated with standard sequencing methods. This advancement has not only provided the research community with an abundance of data but has also presented the challenge of analyzing it. The paramount challenge in analyzing the copious amount of data is in using the optimal resources in terms of available tools. To address this research gap, we propose “Kuura—An automated workflow for analyzing WES and WGS data”, which is optimized for both whole exome and whole genome sequencing data. This workflow is based on the nextflow pipeline scripting language and uses docker to manage and deploy the workflow. The workflow consists of four analysis stages—quality control, mapping to reference genome & quality score recalibration, variant calling & variant recalibration and variant consensus & annotation. An important feature of the DNA-seq workflow is that it uses the combination of multiple variant callers (GATK Haplotypecaller, DeepVariant, VarScan2, Freebayes and Strelka2), generating a list of high-confidence variants in a consensus call file. The workflow is flexible as it integrates the fragmented tools and can be easily extended by adding or updating tools or amending the parameters list. The use of a single parameters file enhances reproducibility of the results. The ease of deployment and usage of the workflow further increases computational reproducibility providing researchers with a standardized tool for the variant calling step in different projects. The source code, instructions for installation and use of the tool are publicly available at our github repository https://github.com/dhanaprakashj/kuura_pipeline.