bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quality improvement initiative to standardise the anthropometric assessment for children under the age of 5 years at an urban primary health centre in New Delhi
Authors: Sethi Adhish Kumar , Velarambath Manalil Sumna , Das Sandeep , Singh Shahana , Manu Roshan Mariam , Biswas Riya , Shankar Pranav , Gilhotra Parshav , Kaur Ravneet , Nongkynrih Baridalyne
Published: June 2024

Background

Anthropometric assessment in the paediatric population is particularly important to assess the child’s general health status, nutritional adequacy, and growth and developmental pattern. However, there are often shortcomings in the quality of anthropometric assessment done in primary healthcare settings despite the presence of established guidelines. In this study, we plan to use the quality improvement (QI) principles to improve the anthropometric assessment of under-5 children attending an urban primary health centre in Delhi, India.

Methods

The study was conducted from December 2022 to February 2023. A baseline assessment was conducted to identify the gaps in the anthropometric measurement of under-5 children visiting the outpatient department. A QI team consisting of doctors and key health staff of urban health centre as its members was formed. A root cause analysis of the identified problems was done and changes were planned and implemented in a Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle.

Results

There was a marked improvement in the quality of anthropometric measurements, particularly in length measurement for children <24 months of age (0% at baseline vs 81.0% at end-line). However, the improvement in weight measurement of children less than 5 years was lesser (16.2% at baseline vs 44.6% at end-line).

Conclusion

Anthropometric assessment of under-5 children can be standardised through the involvement of all stakeholders and capacity building of the concerned healthcare providers, using the QI approach. Repeated assessments are required to ensure the sustainability of the change.
Procedural elements of the complete examination and screening of the healthy term neonate: a protocol for a scoping review and evidence map
Authors: Greene Liz M , O'Connell Rhona , Murphy Margaret , Hegarty Josephine
Published: June 2024

Introduction

All newborns undergo a Complete Examination and Screening of the Neonate (CESoN) to verify the general health and well-being of the neonate and to screen for signs and symptoms of illness and significant congenital disorders, typically within 72 hours of birth. For healthy, term gestation neonates, this examination is usually performed by a qualified healthcare practitioner that is, a midwife, nurse or physician just prior to discharge from the maternity services. As a precursor to modifying and adapting an instrument that measures the quality of performance of the CESoN by healthcare professionals, this review aims to identify, evaluate, synthesise and map the evidence and theory underpinning current practice and the procedural elements of the CESoN.

Methods and analysis

This review will be guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews and also the recommendations of the Campbell Collaboration for systematic evidence mapping. Based on the research question, the Person, Concept, Context framework will be used to develop eligibility criteria for inclusion in the review. Eligible information shall be sourced by searching electronic databases including PubMed, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Scopus, and the published guidance from expert bodies on newborn examination and screening (eg, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, American Academy of Pediatrics, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health) and the grey literature. This study will include primary and secondary research papers, evidence-based guidelines, and expert text and opinions published in English from 2013 to September 2023.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval is not required for this scoping review and systematic evidence mapping. The results from this study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed format, that is, conference proceedings and peer-reviewed healthcare journals.
Inflammatory imbalance in tracheal aspirate of very preterm newborns is associated with airway obstruction and lung function deficiencies at school age: a cohort study
Authors: Hagman Cecilia , Björklund Lars , Hansen Pupp Ingrid , Tufvesson Ellen
Published: June 2024

Objective

A low expression of club cell secretory protein (CC16) and high levels of proinflammatory cytokines at preterm birth are associated with airway inflammation and more severe neonatal lung disease. The present study aimed to investigate if low levels of CC16, proinflammatory cytokines and vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) in tracheal aspirate early after birth were associated with lung function impairment at school age.

Patients and methods

Participants were 20 children, born very preterm (median gestational age 25+3 weeks+days, IQR: 24+1–27+0 weeks+days), who had tracheal aspirates collected during mechanical ventilation in their first day of life. CC16, cytokines, VEGF and matrix metalloproteinase-9 were measured in the tracheal aspirate and later correlated to results from advanced lung function measurements at 12 years of age.

Results

Low levels of CC16 and high levels of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α in tracheal aspirate were associated with airway obstruction at school age but not with other lung function parameters. The correlation with airway obstruction was even stronger when the ratio between the respective proinflammatory cytokine and CC16 was used. In addition, low levels of VEGF and CC16 were associated with impaired diffusion capacity of the lung.

Conclusions

An imbalance in inflammatory mediators and growth factors in the lungs at birth may have consequences for airway function and vasculature at school age in preterm born children.
Nuclear receptors: pathophysiological mechanisms and drug targets in liver disease
Authors: Dubois Vanessa , Lefebvre Philippe , Staels Bart , Eeckhoute Jerome
Published: June 2024

Nuclear receptors (NRs) are ligand-dependent transcription factors required for liver development and function. As a consequence, NRs have emerged as attractive drug targets in a wide range of liver diseases. However, liver dysfunction and failure are linked to loss of hepatocyte identity characterised by deficient NR expression and activities. This might at least partly explain why several pharmacological NR modulators have proven insufficiently efficient to improve liver functionality in advanced stages of diseases such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). In this perspective, we review the most recent advances in the hepatic NR field and discuss the contribution of multiomic approaches to our understanding of their role in the molecular organisation of an intricated transcriptional regulatory network, as well as in liver intercellular dialogues and interorgan cross-talks. We discuss the potential benefit of novel therapeutic approaches simultaneously targeting multiple NRs, which would not only reactivate the hepatic NR network and restore hepatocyte identity but also impact intercellular and interorgan interplays whose importance to control liver functions is further defined. Finally, we highlight the need of considering individual parameters such as sex and disease stage in the development of NR-based clinical strategies.
Patient-derived organoid biobank identifies epigenetic dysregulation of intestinal epithelial MHC-I as a novel mechanism in severe Crohn’s Disease
Authors: Dennison Thomas W , Edgar Rachel D , Payne Felicity , Nayak Komal M , Ross Alexander D. B. , Cenier Aurelie , Glemas Claire , Giachero Federica , Foster April R , Harris Rebecca , Kraiczy Judith , Salvestrini Camilla , Stavrou Georgia , Torrente Franco , Brook Kimberley , Trayers Claire , Elmentaite Rasa , Youssef Gehad , Tél Bálint , Winton Douglas James , Skoufou-Papoutsaki Nefeli , Adler Sam , Bufler Philip , Azabdaftari Aline , Jenke Andreas , G Natasha , Thomas Natasha , Miele Erasmo , Al-Mohammad Abdulrahman , Guarda Greta , Kugathasan Subra , Venkateswaran Suresh , Clatworthy Menna R , Castro-Dopico Tomas , Suchanek Ondrej , Strisciuglio Caterina , Gasparetto Marco , Lee Seokjun , Xu Xingze , Bello Erica , Han Namshik , Zerbino Daniel R. , Teichmann Sarah A , Nys Josquin , Heuschkel Robert , Perrone Francesca , Zilbauer Matthias
Published: June 2024

Objective

Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation (DNAm), have been proposed to play a key role in Crohn’s disease (CD) pathogenesis. However, the specific cell types and pathways affected as well as their potential impact on disease phenotype and outcome remain unknown. We set out to investigate the role of intestinal epithelial DNAm in CD pathogenesis.

Design

We generated 312 intestinal epithelial organoids (IEOs) from mucosal biopsies of 168 patients with CD (n=72), UC (n=23) and healthy controls (n=73). We performed genome-wide molecular profiling including DNAm, bulk as well as single-cell RNA sequencing. Organoids were subjected to gene editing and the functional consequences of DNAm changes evaluated using an organoid-lymphocyte coculture and a nucleotide-binding oligomerisation domain, leucine-rich repeat and CARD domain containing 5 (NLRC5) dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) colitis knock-out mouse model.

Results

We identified highly stable, CD-associated loss of DNAm at major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class 1 loci including
NLRC5
and cognate gene upregulation. Single-cell RNA sequencing of primary mucosal tissue and IEOs confirmed the role of NLRC5 as transcriptional transactivator in the intestinal epithelium. Increased mucosal MHC-I and NLRC5 expression in adult and paediatric patients with CD was validated in additional cohorts and the functional role of MHC-I highlighted by demonstrating a relative protection from DSS-mediated mucosal inflammation in NLRC5-deficient mice. MHC-I DNAm in IEOs showed a significant correlation with CD disease phenotype and outcomes. Application of machine learning approaches enabled the development of a disease prognostic epigenetic molecular signature.

Conclusions

Our study has identified epigenetically regulated intestinal epithelial MHC-I as a novel mechanism in CD pathogenesis.
Diamedica Draw-over Vaporiser: bench testing the UK Defence Anaesthesia System in the deployed environment
Authors: Bourn Sebastian , Rylah O , Fishenden T , Connor D
Published: June 2024

Introduction

The Diamedica Draw-over Vaporiser 2 (DDV2) is the sevoflurane vaporiser used by the UK Defence Medical Services to provide deployed volatile general anaesthesia. The Defence Anaesthesia System employs the DDV2 with a turbine-driven ventilator as a ‘push-over’ vaporiser, a modification from the manufacturer’s design. We investigated sevoflurane delivery at varying minute volumes (MVs), vaporiser settings and temperatures in this configuration.

Methods

A range of DDV2 settings (1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and induction) and MVs (2, 4, 6 and 8 L/min at 12 ventilations per minute) were tested at two ambient temperatures (20 and 30±3°C) over 30 min. A supplemental experiment, simulating anaesthesia during damage control surgery, was also completed, where he DDV2 was set to 2% with a 6 L/min MV for 90 min.

Results

In both experiments, two distinct phases of sevoflurane delivery were noted, a ‘wash-in phase’ followed by a ‘maintenance period’. The wash-in phase normally lasted less than 5 min. During the maintenance period at low MVs and vaporiser settings the DDV2 delivered a constant output, while at higher MVs and settings vapour output fell predictably. At 20±3°C, using DDV2 settings likely to be encountered in clinical practice, sevoflurane delivery was within 20% of that set. Higher vaporiser settings, MVs and temperatures resulted in greater variation between vaporiser setting and agent delivery. This variation is explained by the incomplete temperature compensation of the DDV2.

Conclusions

The DDV2 functions predictably at a range of settings, MVs and temperatures. Anaesthetic delivery in the defence anaesthesia configuration is like that previously described in the draw-over configuration. The equipment was found to be reliable and robust. This experimental work supports the continued use of the Defence Anaesthesia System for the delivery of and training in deployed general anaesthesia.
Are physical fitness, a history of childbirth and injury history related to knee valgus in female Canadian Armed Forces members during a bodyweight overhead squat movement?
Authors: Edwards Chris Margaret , da Silva D , Puranda J L , Miller É , Semeniuk K , Adamo K B
Published: June 2024

Objectives

A history of childbirth is associated with musculoskeletal injury (MSKi) in female members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). While previous injury and pregnancy impact knee kinematics, it is unclear if a history of childbirth is associated with medial knee displacement (MKD) in an overhead squat movement screen. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between MKD and (1) MSKi and (2) parity status in female CAF members.

Methods

24 nulliparous and 21 parous female participants employed by the CAF completed a comprehensive physical fitness assessment of muscular flexibility, power, strength, endurance, aerobic capacity and a bodyweight overhead squat movement screen (recorded using two-dimensional video, and hip–knee–ankle angle measured using Kinovea software). Interactions between MKD, parity status and MSKi history were assessed by one-way analysis of variance and two-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) (adjusted for age).

Results

An interaction between parity status and acute injury of the lower extremity was observed (F=4.379, p=0.043, η2=0.099) in MKD of the right knee. The two-way ANCOVA examining acute injury of the lumbopelvic hip complex (lower back, pelvis, hip) yielded an interaction between acute injury to the lumbopelvic hip complex and parity status (F=4.601, p=0.038, η2=0.103) in MKD asymmetry.

Discussion

Parous participants with acute injury to the lower extremity had larger MKD than parous without this injury type. Parous participants without acute injury to the lumbopelvic hip complex had greater MKD asymmetry than nulliparous without this injury type. Our findings suggest that researchers and clinicians should consider parity status in conjunction with MSKi history when assessing knee kinematics in female military members.
Gazing Heads: Investigating Gaze Perception in Video-Mediated Communication
Authors: Schuessler Martin , Hormann Luca , Dachselt Raimund , Blake Andrew , Rother Carsten
Published: June 2024

Videoconferencing has become a ubiquitous medium for collaborative work. It does suffer however from various drawbacks such as zoom fatigue. This paper addresses the quality of user experience by exploring an enhanced system concept with the capability of conveying gaze and attention. Gazing Heads is a round-table virtual meeting concept that uses only a single screen per participant. It enables direct eye contact, and signals gaze via controlled head rotation. The technology to realise this novel concept is not quite mature though, so we built a camera-based simulation for four simultaneous videoconference users. We conducted a user study comparing Gazing Heads with a conventional “Tiled View” video conferencing system, for 20 groups of 4 people, on each of two tasks. The study found that head rotation clearly conveys gaze and strongly enhances the perception of attention. Measurements of turn-taking behaviour did not differ decisively between the two systems (though there were significant differences between the two tasks). A novel insight in comparison to prior studies is that there was a significant increase in mutual eye contact with Gazing Heads, and that users clearly felt more engaged, encouraged to participate and more socially present. Overall, participants expressed a clear preference for Gazing Heads. These results suggest that fully implementing the Gazing Heads concept, using modern computer vision technology as it matures, could significantly enhance the experience of videoconferencing.
Reporting Sacroiliac Joint Imaging Performed for Known or Suspected Axial Spondyloarthritis: Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society Recommendations
Authors: Diekhoff Torsten , Eshed Iris , Giraudo Chiara , Haibel Hildrun , Hermann Kay Geert A. , de Hooge Manouk , Jans Lennart , Jurik Anne Grethe , Lambert Robert G. , Machado Pedro , Mallinson Michael , Maksymowych Walter P. , Marzo-Ortega Helena , Navarro-Compán Victoria , Østergaard Mikkel , Pedersen Susanne J. , Reijnierse Monique , Rudwaleit Martin , Sommerfleck Fernando , Weber Ulrich , Baraliakos Xenofon , Poddubnyy Denis
Published: June 2024

The consensus recommendations by the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society provide a structured approach for effective communication from radiologists to rheumatologists for sacroiliac joint imaging of suspected or known axial spondyloarthritis, emphasizing the importance of detailed reporting, consideration of differential diagnoses, and expert collaboration.
Study of Solid-State Diffusion Impedance in Li-Ion Batteries Using Parallel-Diffusion Warburg Model
Authors: Zhu Xinhua , Soult Marta Cazorla , Wouters Benny , Mamme Mesfin Haile
Published: June 2024

Anomalous diffusion impedance due to the solid-state Li+ diffusion in Li-ion batteries is often troublesome for the analysis. In this work, we propose a novel analytical Parallel-diffusion Warburg (PDW) model and couple it with the conventional equivalent electrical circuit model (EECM) analysis to tackle this long-standing challenge. The analytical expression of the PDW is derived from the classical Fickian diffusion framework, introducing non-unified diffusion coefficients that originate from the diverse crystalline conditions of Li+ diffusion paths, as theoretically demonstrated in the atomistic modeling results. The proposed approach (EECM + PDW) is successfully employed to study the diffusion impedance of thin-film LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) electrodes and porous LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) electrodes, demonstrating the applicability and robustness of this method.
Activation of alveolar epithelial ER stress by β-coronavirus infection disrupts surfactant homeostasis in mice: implications for COVID-19 respiratory failure
Authors: Murthy Aditi , Rodriguez Luis R. , Dimopoulos Thalia , Bui Sarah , Iyer Swati , Chavez Katrina , Tomer Yaniv , Abraham Valsamma , Cooper Charlotte , Renner David M. , Katzen Jeremy B. , Bentley Ian D. , Ghadiali Samir N. , Englert Joshua A. , Weiss Susan R. , Beers Michael F.
Published: June 2024

COVID-19 syndrome is characterized by hypoxemic respiratory failure and high mortality. In this report, we use two murine models to show that β-coronavirus infection produces acute lung injury, which results from an aberrant host response, activating multiple epithelial endoplasmic reticular stress pathways, disrupting pulmonary surfactant metabolism and function, and forcing emergence of an aberrant epithelial transition state. Our results offer a mechanistic link between SARS-CoV-2 infection, AT2 cell biology, and respiratory failure.
Stability and Synchronization of a Fractional‐Order Unified System with Complex Variables
Authors: Xie Yanyun , Cai Wenliang , Wang Jing
Published: June 2024

In this paper, a fractional‐order unified system with complex variables is proposed. Firstly, the basic properties of the system including the equilibrium points and symmetry are analyzed. Bifurcations of the system in commensurate‐order and incommensurate‐order cases are studied. Tangent and period‐doubling bifurcations can be observed when a derivative order or a parameter is varied. The stabilization the system is investigated via the predict feedback method. Based on the stability theory of fractional‐order systems, a projective synchronization for the fractional‐order unified complex system is proposed by designing an appropriate controller. Numerical simulations are applied to verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Assessing the Relationship between Biomarkers of Exposure and Biomarkers of Potential Harm: PATH Study Wave 1 (2013 to 2014)
Authors: Chang Cindy M. , Thakur Sapna , Montes de Oca Ruben , Rostron Brian L. , Cheng Yu-Ching , Wright M. Jerry , van Bemmel Dana M. , Wang Lanqing , Hatsukami Dorothy K.
Published: June 2024

Background:

The adequacy of biomarkers of potential harm (BOPH) for assessing tobacco products was explored based on their ability to distinguish tobacco use from non-use, change with cessation, and to show biological gradient.

Methods:

The sample included individuals with biomarker data in wave 1 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco Health study who never used tobacco, currently smoke cigarettes exclusively, used to smoke cigarettes exclusively (quit in past 12 months), currently use smokeless tobacco exclusively, and currently use e-cigarettes exclusively. We compared BOPH levels between groups and assessed the relationships between log-transformed biomarkers of exposure [BOE; total nicotine equivalents including seven nicotine metabolites (TNE-7), 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanonol (NNAL), N-acetyl-S-(2-cyanoethyl)-L-cysteine, 1-hydroxypyrene, cadmium, and serum cotinine (SCOT)], and BOPH [high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), fibrinogen, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), and 8-isoprostane].

Results:

Among people who smoke, both sICAM-1 and 8-isoprostane distinguished smoking from non-use and were associated with all six BOE. Among people who use smokeless tobacco, 8-isoprostane was associated with TNE-7 and NNAL whereas hs-CRP was associated with SCOT. Among people who use e-cigarettes, no associations between BOPH and BOE were observed.

Conclusions:

Both sICAM-1 and 8-isoprostane may be useful for assessing the use or changes in use of some tobacco products. Studies examining their predictive validity could further strengthen our understanding of these two biomarkers.

Impact:

We found that two biomarkers of potential harm, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and 8-isoprostane, may have utility in studies assessing the potential harm of tobacco use in absence of long-term epidemiological studies.
Reference Equations for Within-Breath Respiratory Oscillometry in White Adults
Authors: Veneroni Chiara , Gobbi Alessandro , Pompilio Pasquale Pio , Dellacà Raffaele , Fasola Salvatore , La Grutta Stefania , Leyva Agustin , Porszasz Janos , Stornelli Silvia Romana , Fuso Leonello , Valach Christoph , Breyer-Kohansal Robab , Breyer Marie-Kathrin , Hartl Sylvia , Contu Chiara , Inchingolo Riccardo , Hodgdon Kevin , Kaminsky David A.
Published: June 2024

Background: Within-breath analysis of oscillometry parameters is a growing research area since it increases sensitivity and specificity to respiratory pathologies and conditions. However, reference equations for these parameters in White adults are lacking and devices using multiple sinusoids or pseudorandom forcing stimuli have been underrepresented in previous studies deriving reference equations. The current study aimed to establish reference ranges for oscillometry parameters, including also the within-breath ones in White adults using multi-sinusoidal oscillations. Methods: White adults with normal spirometry, BMI ≤30 kg/m2, without a smoking history, respiratory symptoms, pulmonary or cardiac disease, neurological or neuromuscular disorders, and respiratory tract infections in the previous 4 weeks were eligible for the study. Study subjects underwent oscillometry (multifrequency waveform at 5–11–19 Hz, Resmon PRO FULL, RESTECH Srl, Italy) in 5 centers in Europe and the USA according to international standards. The within-breath and total resistance (R) and reactance (X), the resonance frequency, the area under the X curve, the frequency dependence of R (R5–19), and within-breath changes of X (ΔX) were submitted to lambda-mu-sigma models for deriving reference equations. For each output parameter, an AIC-based stepwise input variable selection procedure was applied. Results: A total of 144 subjects (age 20.8–86.3 years; height 146–193 cm; BMI 17.42–29.98 kg/m2; 56% females) were included. We derived reference equations for 29 oscillatory parameters. Predicted values for inspiratory and expiratory parameters were similar, while differences were observed for their limits of normality. Conclusions: We derived reference equations with narrow confidence intervals for within-breath and whole-breath oscillatory parameters for White adults.
Differential Neuroanatomical, Neurochemical, and Behavioral Impacts of Early-Age Isolation in a Eusocial Insect
Authors: Goolsby Billie C. , Smith E. Jordan , Muratore Isabella B. , Coto Zach N. , Muscedere Mario L. , Traniello James F.A.
Published: June 2024

Introduction: Social experience early in life appears to be necessary for the development of species-typical behavior. Although isolation during critical periods of maturation has been shown to impact behavior by altering gene expression and brain development in invertebrates and vertebrates, workers of some ant species appear resilient to social deprivation and other neurobiological challenges that occur during senescence or due to loss of sensory input. It is unclear if and to what degree neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, and behavior will show deficiencies if social experience in the early adult life of worker ants is compromised. Methods: We reared newly eclosed adult workers of Camponotus floridanus under conditions of social isolation for 2–53 days, quantified brain compartment volumes, recorded biogenic amine levels in individual brains, and evaluated movement and behavioral performance to compare the neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, brood-care behavior, and foraging (predatory behavior) of isolated workers with that of workers experiencing natural social contact after adult eclosion. Results: We found that the volume of the antennal lobe, which processes olfactory inputs, was significantly reduced in workers isolated for an average of 40 days, whereas the size of the mushroom bodies, centers of higher-order sensory processing, increased after eclosion and was not significantly different from controls. Titers of the neuromodulators serotonin, dopamine, and octopamine remained stable and were not significantly different in isolation treatments and controls. Brood care, predation, and overall movement were reduced in workers lacking social contact early in life. Conclusion: These results suggest that the behavioral development of isolated workers of C. floridanus is specifically impacted by a reduction in the size of the antennal lobe. Task performance and locomotor ability therefore appear to be sensitive to a loss of social contact through a reduction of olfactory processing ability rather than change in the size of the mushroom bodies, which serve important functions in learning and memory, or the central complex, which controls movement.
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Prevalence of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia in Mexico
Authors: Magallón-Zertuche Valeria , Garrido-Dzib Angel Gabriel , Salazar-Gonzalez Elizabeth , González-Castro Diana Gabriela , Chávez-Loría Geovanni , Avila-Nava Azalia , Gutiérrez-Solis Ana Ligia
Published: June 2024

Introduction: Age remains one of the major risk factors for the onset of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. Studies on the prevalence of these conditions in Mexico used different methods, tools, and populations with different health statuses. All these heterogeneous results may be a problem in identifying the true prevalence of MCI and dementia in Mexico. To our knowledge, there is not a systematic review available that presents essential figures on the prevalence of these conditions in Mexico. Therefore, we intend to access the maximum number of reports published on the topic and determine the prevalence of MCI and dementia in older Mexican adults. Methods: A systematic review using PubMed, Cochrane, Research Gate, Lilacs, and Scielo databases was performed. Meta-analysis of the prevalence of MCI and dementia was performed using a random-effects model and presented in a forest plot among cross-sectional, epidemiological, and pooled studies. Results: Sixteen articles were included. The overall prevalence of MCI of 18% (95% CI 0.10–0.27) was estimated from pooled information from 12 selected studies, in women 21% (95% CI 0.08–0.38) and in men 18% (95% CI 0.06–0.33). The overall prevalence of dementia of 10% (95% CI 0.06–0.14) was estimated from pooled information from 9 selected studies, in women 14% (95% CI 0.05–0.25) and in men 10% (95% CI 0.04–0.17). Conclusion: Mexican older individuals have a similar prevalence of dementia and MCI as reported by international data; nevertheless, the prevalence is higher than in some Latin American countries. Mexico has particular issues that must be resolved, such as a lack of research in the southern regions of the country and the high incidence of comorbidities.
The Fetal Spleen in Low-Risk Pregnancies and prior to Preterm Birth: Observational Study of the Role of Anatomical and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Hall Megan , Uus Alena , Preston Megan , Suff Natalie , Gibbons Deena , Rutherford Mary , Shennan Andrew , Hutter Jana , Story Lisa
Published: June 2024

Introduction: Spontaneous preterm birth complicates ∼7% of pregnancies and causes morbidity and mortality. Although infection is a common etiology, our understanding of the fetal immune system in vivo is limited. This study aimed to utilize T2-weighted imaging and T2* relaxometry (which is a proxy of tissue oxygenation) of the fetal spleen in uncomplicated pregnancies and in fetuses that were subsequently delivered spontaneously prior to 32 weeks. Methods: Women underwent imaging including T2-weighted fetal body images and multi-eco gradient echo single-shot echo planar sequences on a Phillips Achieva 3T system. Previously described postprocessing techniques were applied to obtain T2- and T2*-weighted imaging of the fetal spleen and T2-weighted fetal body volumes. Results: Among 55 women with uncomplicated pregnancies, an increase in fetal splenic volume, splenic:body volume, and a decrease in splenic T2* signal intensity was demonstrated across gestation. Compared to controls, fetuses who were subsequently delivered prior to 32 weeks’ gestation (n = 19) had a larger spleen when controlled for the overall size of the fetus (p = 0.027), but T2* was consistent (p = 0.76). Conclusion: These findings provide evidence of a replicable method of studying the fetal immune system and give novel results on the impact of impending preterm birth on the spleen. While T2* decreases prior to preterm birth in other organs, preservation demonstrated here suggests preferential sparing of the spleen.
Iron Status, Thyroid Dysfunction, and Iron Deficiency Anemia: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Huang Xianjun , Mao Mingqiu , Guo Tianhong , Wu Yuqin , Xu Qi , Dai Junliang , Huang Yuanshuai
Published: June 2024

Introduction: Given the clinical association between thyroid dysfunction and iron deficiency anemia (IDA), as well as their shared association with iron status, this study aimed to investigate the causal relationship between iron status and thyroid dysfunction, while also examining the risk of IDA in relation to thyroid dysfunction. Methods: A two-sample mendelian randomization (MR) study was conducted to identify the causal relationship of iron status on thyroid dysfunction, as well as thyroid dysfunction on IDA. Large-scale European population-based genome-wide association study databases were utilized (Genetics of Iron Status consortium, ThyroidOmics consortium, FinnGen consortium, and UK Biobank). Inverse variance-weighted (IVW) was used as the main analysis. In addition, we used weighted median and MR-Egger to enhance the robustness. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the robustness of MR results. Results: The IVW estimates did not reveal any significant causal relationship between serum iron status markers and thyroid dysfunction. However, a significant causal relationship was observed between hypothyroidism and IDA (odds ratio [OR] = 1.101, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.048–1.157, p < 0.001). Repeated analyses also demonstrated a similar trend (OR = 1.023, 95% CI = 1.011–1.035, p < 0.001). Sensitivity analysis supported that the MR estimates were robust. Conclusion: In our MR study, an upregulation of the hypothyroidism-associated gene was found to be significantly associated with an elevated risk of IDA in the European population. These findings may offer novel therapeutic insights for clinicians managing patients with hypothyroidism, IDA, or their comorbidities.
Machine learning-based anomaly detection for smart home networks under adversarial attack
Authors: Rejito Juli , Stiawan Deris , Alshaflut Ahmed , Budiarto Rahmat
Published: June 2024

As smart home networks become more widespread and complex, they are capable of providing users with a wide range of applications and services. At the same time, the networks are also vulnerable to attack from malicious adversaries who can take advantage of the weaknesses in the network's devices and protocols. Detection of anomalies is an effective way to identify and mitigate these attacks; however, it requires a high degree of accuracy and reliability. This paper proposes an anomaly detection method based on machine learning (ML) that can provide a robust and reliable solution for the detection of anomalies in smart home networks under adversarial attack. The proposed method uses network traffic data of the UNSW-NB15 and IoT-23 datasets to extract relevant features and trains a supervised classifier to differentiate between normal and abnormal behaviors. To assess the performance and reliability of the proposed method, four types of adversarial attack methods: evasion, poisoning, exploration, and exploitation are implemented. The results of extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed method is highly accurate and reliable in detecting anomalies, as well as being resilient to a variety of types of attacks with average accuracy of 97.5% and recall of 96%.
Implementation of automation configuration of enterprise networks as software defined network
Authors: Prasetyo Lindo , Prihandi Ifan , Rifqi Muhammad , Budiarto Rahmat
Published: June 2024

Software defined network (SDN) is a new computer network configuration concept in which the data plane and control plane are separated. In Cisco system, the SDN concept is implemented in Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (Cisco ACI), which by default can be configured through the main controller, namely the Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC). Conventional configuration on Cisco ACI creates problems, i.e.: the large number of required configurations causes the increase of time required for configuration and the risk of misconfiguration due to repetitive works. This problem reduces the productivity of network engineers in managing Cisco system. In overcoming these problems, this research work proposes an automation tool for Cisco ACI configuration using Ansible and Python as an SDN implementation for optimizing enterprise network configuration. The SDN is implemented and experimented at PT. NTT Indonesia Technology network, as a case study. The experimental result shows the proposed SDN successfully performs multiple routers configurations accurately and automatically. Observations on manual configuration takes 50 minutes and automatic configuration takes 6 minutes, thus, the proposed SDN achieves 833.33% improvement.
Predicting Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in the General Population Using Electronic Health Records
Authors: Perry Jessica , Brody Jennifer A. , Fong Christine , Sunshine Jacob E. , O’Reilly-Shah Vikas N. , Sayre Michael R. , Rea Thomas D. , Simon Noah , Shojaie Ali , Sotoodehnia Nona , Chatterjee Neal A.
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND:

The majority of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) occur among individuals in the general population, for whom there is no established strategy to identify risk. In this study, we assess the use of electronic health record (EHR) data to identify OHCA in the general population and define salient factors contributing to OHCA risk.

METHODS:

The analytical cohort included 2366 individuals with OHCA and 23 660 age- and sex-matched controls receiving health care at the University of Washington. Comorbidities, electrocardiographic measures, vital signs, and medication prescription were abstracted from the EHR. The primary outcome was OHCA. Secondary outcomes included shockable and nonshockable OHCA. Model performance including area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and positive predictive value were assessed and adjusted for observed rate of OHCA across the health system.

RESULTS:

There were significant differences in demographic characteristics, vital signs, electrocardiographic measures, comorbidities, and medication distribution between individuals with OHCA and controls. In external validation, discrimination in machine learning models (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.80–0.85) was superior to a baseline model with conventional cardiovascular risk factors (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.66). At a specificity threshold of 99%, correcting for baseline OHCA incidence across the health system, positive predictive value was 2.5% to 3.1% in machine learning models compared with 0.8% for the baseline model. Longer corrected QT interval, substance abuse disorder, fluid and electrolyte disorder, alcohol abuse, and higher heart rate were identified as salient predictors of OHCA risk across all machine learning models. Established cardiovascular risk factors retained predictive importance for shockable OHCA, but demographic characteristics (minority race, single marital status) and noncardiovascular comorbidities (substance abuse disorder) also contributed to risk prediction. For nonshockable OHCA, a range of salient predictors, including comorbidities, habits, vital signs, demographic characteristics, and electrocardiographic measures, were identified.

CONCLUSIONS:

In a population-based case–control study, machine learning models incorporating readily available EHR data showed reasonable discrimination and risk enrichment for OHCA in the general population. Salient factors associated with OCHA risk were myriad across the cardiovascular and noncardiovascular spectrum. Public health and tailored strategies for OHCA prediction and prevention will require incorporation of this complexity.
Differential Downregulation of β
1
‐Adrenergic Receptor Signaling in the Heart
Authors: Xu Bing , Bahriz Sherif , Salemme Victoria R. , Wang Ying , Zhu Chaoqun , Zhao Meimi , Xiang Yang K.
Published: June 2024

Background

Chronic sympathetic stimulation drives desensitization and downregulation of β1 adrenergic receptor (β
1
AR) in heart failure. We aim to explore the differential downregulation subcellular pools of β
1
AR signaling in the heart.

Methods and Results

We applied chronic infusion of isoproterenol to induced cardiomyopathy in male C57BL/6J mice. We applied confocal and proximity ligation assay to examine β
1
AR association with L‐type calcium channel, ryanodine receptor 2, and SERCA2a ((Sarco)endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase 2a) and Förster resonance energy transfer‐based biosensors to probe subcellular β
1
AR‐PKA (protein kinase A) signaling in ventricular myocytes. Chronic infusion of isoproterenol led to reduced β
1
AR protein levels, receptor association with L‐type calcium channel and ryanodine receptor 2 measured by proximity ligation (puncta/cell, 29.65 saline versus 14.17 isoproterenol,
P
<0.05), and receptor‐induced PKA signaling at the plasma membrane (Förster resonance energy transfer, 28.9% saline versus 1.9% isoproterenol,
P
<0.05) and ryanodine receptor 2 complex (Förster resonance energy transfer, 30.2% saline versus 10.6% isoproterenol,
P
<0.05). However, the β
1
AR association with SERCA2a was enhanced (puncta/cell, 51.4 saline versus 87.5 isoproterenol,
P
<0.05), and the receptor signal was minimally affected. The isoproterenol‐infused hearts displayed decreased PDE4D (phosphodiesterase 4D) and PDE3A and increased PDE2A, PDE4A, and PDE4B protein levels. We observed a reduced role of PDE4 and enhanced roles of PDE2 and PDE3 on the β
1
AR‐PKA activity at the ryanodine receptor 2 complexes and myocyte shortening. Despite the enhanced β
1
AR association with SERCA2a, the endogenous norepinephrine‐induced signaling was reduced at the SERCA2a complexes. Inhibiting monoamine oxidase A rescued the norepinephrine‐induced PKA signaling at the SERCA2a and myocyte shortening.

Conclusions

This study reveals distinct mechanisms for the downregulation of subcellular β
1
AR signaling in the heart under chronic adrenergic stimulation.
The neural correlates of response inhibition across the transition from infancy to toddlerhood: An fNIRS study
Authors: Fiske Abigail , Collins-Jones Liam , de Klerk Carina , Lui Katie Y.K. , Hendry Alexandra , Greenhalgh Isobel , Hall Anna , Dvergsdal Henrik , Scerif Gaia , Holmboe Karla
Published: June 2024

The transition from late infancy into toddlerhood represents a fundamental period in early development. During this time, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is undergoing structural and functional maturation processes that parallel the emergence and improvement of executive function skills, such as inhibitory control. Despite the importance of this developmental period, relatively little is known about the emergence and development of response inhibition, a form of inhibitory control, and the associated neural substrates across this key transition. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), an optical imaging technique suitable for imaging the developing brain, and an age-appropriate response inhibition task, we investigated the brain regions associated with response inhibition in 16-month-old toddlers. This pre-registered study extends our previous work with 10-month-old infants (Fiske et al., 2022) as it follows the same cohort of participants, now at 16 months of age. Whilst our previous work demonstrated that 10-month-old infants recruited right-lateralised regions of the PFC and parietal cortex when inhibition was required, the current study suggests that by 16 months, toddlers recruit the left superior parietal gyrus, the right inferior frontal gyrus, and bilateral regions of the dorsolateral PFC and orbital frontal cortex. Although there was no longitudinal change in response inhibition performance, more widespread, bilateral regions of the PFC were recruited during response inhibition at 16 months compared with 10 months. We acknowledge the need for replication of these results. Nevertheless, our findings suggest that the transition from infancy to toddlerhood may constitute an important period of reorganisation of the PFC that might support the development of early inhibitory control processes.
Atlas for the Lateralized Visuospatial Attention Networks (ALANs): Insights from fMRI and network analyses
Authors: Labache Loïc , Petit Laurent , Joliot Marc , Zago Laure
Published: June 2024

Hemispheric specialization is central to human evolution and fundamental to human cognitive abilities. While being a defining feature of functional brain architecture, hemispheric specialization is overlooked to derive brain parcellations. Alongside language, which is typically lateralized in the left hemisphere, visuospatial attention is set to be its counterpart in the opposite hemisphere. However, it remains uncertain to what extent the anatomical and functional underpinnings of lateralized visuospatial attention mirror those supporting language. Building on our previous work, which established a lateralized brain atlas for language, we propose a comprehensive cerebral lateralized atlas delineating the anatomo-functional bases of visuospatial attention, Atlas for Lateralized visuospatial Attentional Networks (ALANs). Combining task and resting-state functional connectivity analyses, we identified 95 lateralized brain areas comprising three networks supporting visual (visu), motor (somato-motor), and spatial processing (posterior-medial) processes at work during a line judgment bisection task, and two large-scale networks related to integrated visuospatial attention processes, the parieto-frontal and temporo-frontal networks. We identify hubs playing a pivotal role in the intra-hemispheric interaction within visuospatial attentional networks. The rightward lateralized parieto-frontal encompasses one hub, the inferior frontal sulcus, while the temporo-frontal network encompasses two right hubs: the inferior frontal cortex (pars triangularis and the anterior insula) and the posterior part of the superior temporal sulcus. Compared with our language lateralized atlas, we demonstrated that specific regions within these networks encompass the homotope of the language network from the left hemisphere. This atlas of visuospatial attention provides valuable insights for future investigations into the variability of visuospatial attention and hemispheric specialization research. Additionally, it facilitates more effective comparisons among different studies, thereby enhancing the robustness and reliability of research in the field of attention.
The impact of Parkinson’s disease on striatal network connectivity and corticostriatal drive: An in silico study
Authors: Carannante Ilaria , Scolamiero Martina , Hjorth J. J. Johannes , Kozlov Alexander , Bekkouche Bo , Guo Lihao , Kumar Arvind , Chachólski Wojciech , Kotaleski Jeanette Hellgren
Published: June 2024

Striatum, the input stage of the basal ganglia, is important for sensory-motor integration, initiation and selection of behavior, as well as reward learning. Striatum receives glutamatergic inputs from mainly cortex and thalamus. In rodents, the striatal projection neurons (SPNs), giving rise to the direct and the indirect pathway (dSPNs and iSPNs, respectively), account for 95% of the neurons, and the remaining 5% are GABAergic and cholinergic interneurons. Interneuron axon terminals as well as local dSPN and iSPN axon collaterals form an intricate striatal network. Following chronic dopamine depletion as in Parkinson’s disease (PD), both morphological and electrophysiological striatal neuronal features have been shown to be altered in rodent models. Our goal with this in silico study is twofold: (a) to predict and quantify how the intrastriatal network connectivity structure becomes altered as a consequence of the morphological changes reported at the single-neuron level and (b) to investigate how the effective glutamatergic drive to the SPNs would need to be altered to account for the activity level seen in SPNs during PD. In summary, we predict that the richness of the connectivity motifs in the striatal network is significantly decreased during PD while, at the same time, a substantial enhancement of the effective glutamatergic drive to striatum is present.
The golden butterfly: a new species of Pampasatyrus Hayward, extending northwards the range of the genus in the Andes (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Satyrinae)
Authors: Pyrcz Tomasz W. , Boyer Pierre , Mahecha-J. Oscar , Farfán Jackie , Zając Kamila S. , Bálint Zsolt , Cerdeña-G. José
Published: June 2024

A remarkable new species, Pampasatyrus karri sp.n. is described from the upper valley of the river Pampas on the border of the departments of Apurímac and Ayacucho in the central Andes of Peru. It occurs in grassland puna on rocky slopes around 3500 m a.s.l. It is characterized by bright golden wing uppersides, a colour unique among the Satyrinae. It is only the third known Andean representatives of this, otherwise predominantly low to mid elevation genus associated with Brazilian and Argentinian pampa, and is most closely related, as indicated by COI data and male genitalia, to P. gorkyi found 200 km south-eastwards in Cuzco. Its discovery extends the northern range limit of the genus Pampasatyrus in the Andes.