bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Insights into the daily life of ventricular assist device coordinators: Outcome of an international questionnaire
Authors: Mulzer Johanna , Kaufmann Friedrich , Mueller Marcus , Potapov Evgenij , Knierim Jan
Published: August 2023

Background

As the incidence of heart failure in developed countries is on the rise, mechanical circulatory support (MCS) often remains the only treatment option for patients with end‐stage heart failure and is well established worldwide. Even though VAD coordinators play a key role in VAD programs, their responsibilities and daily duties are not clearly defined and characterized. Recently published data from the first 5‐year multicenter clinical trial assessing experience with the HeartMate 3 left ventricular system (Abbott, Abbott Park, IL) show an overall survival of 61% at 5 years. When it comes to possible improvements to these systems, it is necessary for developers not only to know the status quo but also to determine and consider the visions and wishes of those individuals who take care of patients, provide education and deal with possible complications. This would be helpful a meaningful effort towards implementing a standard of care.

Methods

To fill this knowledge gap, we conducted an online survey using the SurveyMonkey tool, addressing representatives of programs implanting VADs worldwide. Representatives answered a standardized block of 14 questions and were asked to provide responses within 3 months.

Results

A total of 91 VAD coordinators from centers of various regions of the world completed the survey. The majority came from European countries. The numbers of patients followed up by the centers ranged from <20 to 390 patients. The majority of VAD coordinators had a nursing background (68%). Seventy‐seven percent of the centers operate a 24‐h hotline and 3‐monthly visits to the outpatient department are most common. Fifty‐nine percent of the centers do not use an infection scoring system for driveline wound care. The majority of the centers indicated that an optimized follow‐up concept including wound care, medication, and social care is crucial and the key issue for an improved outcome. Smaller components and intensified psychosocial support ranked highest in questions about how to improve quality of life. Surprisingly, the future prospects of telemetric monitoring were not rated high in significance.

Conclusions

There is a wide variability in the composition and tasks of VAD programs worldwide. Implementing a standard of care and improving psychosocial care as well as equipment is regarded most important to improve outcomes and quality of life. From the point of view of those responsible, the significance of telemetric monitoring seemed overrated.
Development of novel tracers for sentinel node identification in cervical cancer
Authors: Kodama Keisuke , Tateishi Chuya , Oda Tsuyoshi , Cui Lin , Kuramoto Kazutaka , Yahata Hideaki , Okugawa Kaoru , Maenohara Shoji , Yagi Hiroshi , Yasunaga Masafumi , Onoyama Ichiro , Asanoma Kazuo , Mori Takeshi , Katayama Yoshiki , Kato Kiyoko
Published: August 2023

Indocyanine green (ICG) with near‐infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging is used for lymphatic mapping. However, binding of ICG to blood proteins like serum albumin can shorten its retention time in sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs). Here, we investigated the efficacy and safety of a new fluorescence tracer comprising phytate and liposome (LP)‐encapsulated ICG. Coadministration of phytate with LP containing phosphatidic acid promotes chelation mediated by Ca2+ in bodily fluids to enhance SLN retention. Uniformly sized LPs (100 nm) encapsulating ICG under conditions that minimized fluorescence self‐quenching during storage were produced. We analyzed the behavior of the new tracer (ICG‐phytate‐LP) and control tracers (ICG and ICG‐LP) in the lymphatic flow of mice in terms of lymph node retention time. We also tested lymphatic flow and safety in pigs that have a more human‐like lymphatic system. LPs encapsulating stabilized ICG were successfully prepared. Mixing LP with phytate in the presence of Ca2+ increased both the particle size and negative surface charge. In mice, ICG‐phytate‐LP had the best lymph node retention, with a fluorescence intensity ratio that increased over 6 h and then decreased slowly over the next 24 h. In pigs, administration of ICG and ICG‐phytate‐LP resulted in no death or weight loss. There were no obvious differences between blood test results for the ICG and ICG‐phytate‐LP groups, and the overall safety was good. ICG‐phytate‐LP may be a useful new tracer for gynecological cancers that require time for lymph node identification due to a retroperitoneal approach.
Schizophrenia mediating the effect of smoking phenotypes on antisocial behavior: A Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Zhang Minghui , Tang Jie , Li Wei , Xue Kaizhong , Wang Zirui , Chen Yayuan , Xu Qiang , Zhu Dan , Cai Mengjing , Ma Juanwei , Yao Jia , Zhang Yijing , Wang He , Liu Feng , Guo Lining
Published: August 2023

Aims

Previous studies have indicated that smoking is linked to an increased risk of developing schizophrenia, and that individuals with schizophrenia are more prone to engaging in antisocial behavior. However, the causal effects of smoking behaviors on antisocial behavior and the potential mediating role of schizophrenia remains largely unclear.

Methods

In the present study, using the summary data from genome wide association studies of smoking phenotypes (N = 323,386–805,431), schizophrenia (Ncases = 53,386, Ncontrols = 77,258), and antisocial behavior (N = 85,359), we assessed bidirectional causality between smoking phenotypes and schizophrenia by the Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. Using a two‐step MR approach, we further examined whether causal effects of smoking phenotypes/schizophrenia on antisocial behavior were mediated by schizophrenia/smoking phenotypes.

Results

The results showed that smoking initiation (SmkInit) and age of smoking initiation (AgeSmk) causally increase the risk of schizophrenia (SmkInit: OR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.77–2.39, p = 4.36 × 10−21; AgeSmk: OR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.16–0.62, p = 8.11 × 10−4, Bonferroni corrected). However, there was no causal effect that liability to schizophrenia leads to smoking phenotypes. MR evidence also revealed causal influences of SmkInit and the amount smoked (CigDay) on antisocial behavior (SmkInit: OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.17–1.41, p = 2.53 × 10−7; CigDay: OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.06–1.27, p = 1.60 × 10−3, Bonferroni corrected). Furthermore, the mediation analysis indicated that the relationship between SmkInit and antisocial behavior was partly mediated by schizophrenia (mediated proportion = 6.92%, 95% CI = 0.004–0.03, p = 9.66 × 10−3).

Conclusions

These results provide compelling evidence for taking smoking interventions as a prevention strategy for schizophrenia and its related antisocial behavior.
What is in a name—Perifollicular fibroma or fibrofolliculoma?
Authors: Haneke Eckart , Happle Rudolf
Published: August 2023

So far, confusion exists regarding the question of whether hereditary perifollicular fibromas and fibrofolliculomas can be distinguished from each other. Here, histopathological arguments are presented to clarify this terminological problem. In 1977, Birt et al. described a large kindred affected with hereditary multiple “fibrofolliculomas,” which they thought were “a hitherto unrecognized pilar hamartoma,” but they never claimed the fibrofolliculomas were part of a syndrome. A careful microscopic comparison shows, however, that the tumors are clinically and histopathologically identical to perifollicular fibromas, as first described by Burnier and Rejšek in 1925. Their familial occurrence was discovered in 1971 by Civatte and Le Tréguilly. Before 1977, the term “perifollicular fibroma” was used for these skin tumors. By contrast, Hornstein and Knickenberg described in 1975 perifollicular fibromas as a cutaneous marker of a syndrome characterized by a predisposition to colon cancer and pneumothorax. Later, two French groups erroneously proposed the term “Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome” to describe the co‐occurrence of fibrofolliculomas, trichodiscomas, and acrochordons, which was contrary to what Birt et al. had in mind. Hence, today, we should discriminate between the hereditary nonsyndromic perifollicular fibromas, as documented by Civatte and Le Tréguilly and later by Birt et al., and the syndromic perifollicular fibromas, as delineated by Hornstein and Knickenberg.
Incorporation of colonization pressure into the propagule pressure‐based global ballast water standard
Authors: Hernandez Marco R. , Barker Justin R. , MacIsaac Hugh J.
Published: August 2023

Aim

In 2024, cargo vessels must meet the International Maritime Organization's global ballast water discharge standards (IMO D‐2) that limit the concentration of living organisms. D‐2 focuses on reducing invasion risk by reducing ‘community propagule pressure (CPP)’, though it does not consider colonization pressure (CP).

Location

Global.

Methods

We modelled risk differences in IMO D‐2‐compliant discharges (10 ind. m−3) for communities that had inverse patterns of CP and species' individual propagule pressures (IPP). Secondly, we determined the effect on risk of varying CPP and CP. As part of this, we tested whether the IMO D‐2 standard for zooplankton‐sized organisms of <10 individuals m−3 was an optimal choice. Risk was defined as probability of at least one species invading using four risk–release models.

Results

Risk differed strongly at the D‐2 limit based on community composition. At low CPP (<25 ind. m−3), risk was strongly affected by CP for hyperbolic and linear risk–release models and weakly for exponential and logistic models, while CPP affected only the former two model types. Across a much wider range of CPP values, risk was affected by CP, CPP and by their interaction for all models.

Main Conclusion

The IMO D‐2 standard for zooplankton‐sized organisms requires very low CPP and even lower IPPs in mixed‐species releases, which will impede successful colonization. Species‐abundance theory predicts that discharges meeting the D‐2 standard (low CPP) will also have low CP. Much more empirical data are required to determine whether vessels can consistently reduce CP as it lowers CPP in order to meet these requirements.
Glove box method: Simple and effective right‐hand free method for interventional endoscopy
Authors: Takenaka Mamoru , Lee Tae Hoon , Kudo Masatoshi
Published: August 2023

Watch a video of this article.
Lived experience adaptation of a psychosocial intervention for young adults with bipolar spectrum disorders: Process description and adaptation outcomes
Authors: Hawke Lisa D. , Bennett Rachel , Sheikhan Natasha Y. , Yanos Philip
Published: August 2023

Aim

Lived experience adaptation of mental health interventions can help ensure that the intervention is appropriate for the target population. This paper describes a youth‐led adaptation of a self‐stigma reduction intervention for young adults with bipolar spectrum disorders, that is, Narrative Enhancement and Cognitive Therapy.

Methods

Standard guidelines for youth engagement were followed. A youth lived experience adaptation lead and a five‐member youth lived experience advisory panel reviewed the intervention and made a number of adaptations to increase its relevance for young people with bipolar disorders. A brief evaluation of the engagement process was conducted.

Results

The primary adaptations made to the intervention fell into five areas: (1) wording revisions for recovery‐oriented language accessible to youth with a wide variety of language and literacy levels; (2) updating and tailoring to the diagnostic category, with the addition of new quotes describing the lived experience of stigma; (3) integration of a new, engaging graphic design; (4) development of a goal‐setting module, as recommended by the research team; and (5) identification of the role of a peer co‐facilitator. An evaluation of the engagement process showed that the engagement was extremely meaningful for the youth engaged.

Conclusions

Using a youth lived experience adaptation process, young people can make relevant, important changes to a psychosocial intervention. The resulting early intervention materials are research‐ready and are hypothesized to meet the needs of young people with BD in a youth‐friendly manner. Research on the acceptability, efficacy, and effectiveness of the newly adapted intervention will be required.
Use of digital tools for preclinical training in complete denture: A pilot study
Authors: Porcherot Audrey , Maniani Imane , Berteretche Marie‐Violaine , Citterio Hélène , Fromentin Olivier , Rignon‐Bret Christophe , Braud Adeline , Wulfman Claudine
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Advances in CAD–CAM complete dentures open up opportunities in preclinical laboratory education. A cross‐over study was conducted to assess the benefit of digital training in custom tray fabrication. Hypotheses were that digital training improved conceptual skill acquisition and that assessment of digital work helps in the discrimination of students' difficulty.

Materials and Methods

Third‐year students were allocated either into group A and took the manual practical classes before the digital ones, or into group B (N = 154). Prior to the sessions, a motor skill test was conducted. The influence on the learning process was evaluated by comparing the groups' results to the manual lab work with a Student's t‐test. The effectiveness of the assessment in discriminating manual aptitude and conceptual skill was studied through Spearman's rank coefficient between digital and manual scores in conceptual skill and with a subgroup analysis according to the results of the motor skill test. The level of significance was set up at .05. Students' satisfaction was also assessed with a questionnaire.

Results

Students in group B achieved better scores. Spearman's rank coefficient test showed a weak correlation, R = .16. For manual lab work, the most manually skilled students did significantly better. In contrast, for the digital session, the medium manually skilled students did better. More than half of the students (55%) found the manual and digital sessions complementary, without identifying any difference depending on the learning sequence.

Conclusion

Digital training improved the students' results in the conventional practical exercise. Assessments of the digital and conventional custom trays were complementary in order to distinguish conceptual and motor skills.
A novel automatic release cage increases survival of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolts released at night
Authors: Glover Ross S. , Stephen Alastair
Published: August 2023

Trap‐and‐transport of migratory fish is commonly used to bypass in‐river obstructions. On the River Conon in Scotland, Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolts are transported around two hydropower facilities. Smolt release occurs during daylight, when predation rates can be high. A novel automatic release cage (ARC) was designed to release smolts at night. Smolts were fitted with acoustic tags (n = 99) to compare survival. High post‐release mortality was identified in the day‐release group, with night‐release survival >40% higher. ARCs can provide fishery managers with a cost‐effective and reliable method of improving smolt survival.
The distribution of subarctic and boreal deep‐sea demersal fish assemblages across environmental gradients of the northwest Atlantic
Authors: Cote David , Sutton Jordan , Roul Sheena , Murua Hilario , Gonzales Fernando , Alpoim Ricardo , Angnatok Joey
Published: August 2023

The oceanography of the Labrador Sea is well studied because of its globally important deep‐water convection that oxygenates the deep ocean and drives climate‐regulating ocean currents. However, little is known about the fish communities that inhabit this area, particularly beyond the depths accessible to standard research surveys and commercial fishing activities. We used baited longline surveys to characterize important components of demersal fish communities across a depth gradient of 200–3000 m and compared these data to a similar dataset collected c. 1200 km to the south in the Flemish Cap Region. We found demersal fish communities in the Labrador Sea to be similar to those of the Flemish Cap Region despite unique oceanography and lower primary productivity in the Labrador Sea. Moreover, both areas had high abundance, biomass, and species richness at intermediate depths that suggests factors beyond depth drive community structure in the deep ocean. These data are important for identifying high‐value areas for potential protective measures in the northwest Atlantic and provide necessary data with which to assess potential environmental impacts of extractive industries that are expanding north and to deeper waters.
The mammalian gastro‐intestinal tract is a NOT a major extra‐pineal source of melatonin
Authors: Kennaway David J.
Published: August 2023

In 1992, a paper reported that the melatonin content of the rat duodenum was 24 000 ± 2000 pg/g tissue (range: 4000–100 000 pg/g) while the pineal melatonin content was 580 000 ± 36 000 pg/g. The data has been used for the last 30 years to infer that the gut produces 400 hundred times more melatonin than the pineal gland and that it is the source of plasma melatonin during the daytime. No‐one has ever challenged the statement. In this review, evidence is summarised from the literature that pinealectomy eliminates melatonin from the circulation and that studies to the contrary have relied upon poorly validated immunoassays that overstate the levels. Similarly studies that have reported increases in plasma melatonin following tryptophan administration failed to account for cross reactivity of tryptophan and its metabolites in immunoassays. The most extraordinary observation from the literature is that in those studies that have measured melatonin in the gut since 1992, the tissue content is vastly lower than the original report, even when the methodology used could be overestimating the melatonin content due to cross reactivity. Using the more contemporary results we can calculate that rather than a 400:1 ratio of duodenum: pineal melatonin, a ratio of 0.05–0.19: 1 is likely. The gut is not a major extra‐pineal source of melatonin; indeed it may well not produce any.
From gestational chronodisruption to noncommunicable diseases: Pathophysiological mechanisms of programming of adult diseases, and the potential therapeutic role of melatonin
Authors: Méndez Natalia , Corvalan Fernando , Halabi Diego , Ehrenfeld Pamela , Maldonado Rodrigo , Vergara Karina , Seron‐Ferre Maria , Torres‐Farfan Claudia
Published: August 2023

During gestation, the developing fetus relies on precise maternal circadian signals for optimal growth and preparation for extrauterine life. These signals regulate the daily delivery of oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and other biophysical factors while synchronizing fetal rhythms with the external photoperiod. However, modern lifestyle factors such as light pollution and shift work can induce gestational chronodisruption, leading to the desynchronization of maternal and fetal circadian rhythms. Such disruptions have been associated with adverse effects on cardiovascular, neurodevelopmental, metabolic, and endocrine functions in the fetus, increasing the susceptibility to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in adult life. This aligns with the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease theory, suggesting that early‐life exposures can significantly influence health outcomes later in life. The consequences of gestational chronodisruption also extend into adulthood. Environmental factors like diet and stress can exacerbate the adverse effects of these disruptions, underscoring the importance of maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm across the lifespan to prevent NCDs and mitigate the impact of gestational chronodisruption on aging. Research efforts are currently aimed at identifying potential interventions to prevent or mitigate the effects of gestational chronodisruption. Melatonin supplementation during pregnancy emerges as a promising intervention, although further investigation is required to fully understand the precise mechanisms involved and to develop effective strategies for promoting health and preventing NCDs in individuals affected by gestational chronodisruption.
A genome‐scale metabolic reconstruction of soybean and Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens reveals the cost–benefit of nitrogen fixation
Authors: Holland Bethany L. , Matthews Megan L. , Bota Pedro , Sweetlove Lee J. , Long Stephen P. , diCenzo George C.
Published: August 2023

Nitrogen‐fixing symbioses allow legumes to thrive in nitrogen‐poor soils at the cost of diverting some photoassimilate to their microsymbionts. Effort is being made to bioengineer nitrogen fixation into nonleguminous crops. This requires a quantitative understanding of its energetic costs and the links between metabolic variations and symbiotic efficiency.

A whole‐plant metabolic model for soybean (Glycine max) with its associated microsymbiont Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens was developed and applied to predict the cost–benefit of nitrogen fixation with varying soil nitrogen availability.

The model predicted a nitrogen‐fixation cost of c. 4.13 g C g−1 N, which when implemented into a crop scale model, translated to a grain yield reduction of 27% compared with a non‐nodulating plant receiving its nitrogen from the soil. Considering the lower nitrogen content of cereals, the yield cost to a hypothetical N‐fixing cereal is predicted to be less than half that of soybean. Soybean growth was predicted to be c. 5% greater when the nodule nitrogen export products were amides versus ureides.

This is the first metabolic reconstruction in a tropical crop species that simulates the entire plant and nodule metabolism. Going forward, this model will serve as a tool to investigate carbon use efficiency and key mechanisms within N‐fixing symbiosis in a tropical species forming determinate nodules.
Dental evaluation and clearance prior to allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation
Authors: Dean David , Lee Stephanie J. , Cutler Corey , Gooley Ted A. , Hujoel Philippe , Oh Uhlee (Yuri) , Bennett‐Johnson Lisa , Hagstrom Mary K. , Rothen Marilynn , Lloid Michele , Sroussi Herve , Treister Nathaniel
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Dental examination and stabilization are performed prior to allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation to decrease infection risk during neutropenia. Burden of dental disease and treatment need is not well characterized in this population.

Objectives

This report describes the dental status of a cohort of patients within the Chronic Graft‐versus‐Host Disease Consortium and treatment rendered prior to transplant.

Methods

The cohort included 486 subjects (Fred Hutchinson: n = 245; Dana‐Farber: n = 241). Both centers have institutional‐based dental clearance programs. Data were retrospectively abstracted from medical records by calibrated oral health specialists.

Results

The median age at transplant was 55.9 years, 62.1% were male, and 88% were white. Thirteen patients were edentulous (2.7%). The mean teeth among dentate patients before clearance was 26.0 (SD, 4.6). Dental findings included untreated caries (31.2%), restorations (91.6%), endodontically treated teeth (48.1%), and dental implants (5.7%). Pretransplant procedures during clearance included endodontic therapy (3.6%; mean = 0.1 teeth), restorations (25.1%; mean = 0.7), dental prophylaxis (59.2%), scaling/root planing (5.1%), and extraction (13.2%; mean = 0.3). The mean teeth after clearance was 25.6 (SD, 5.0).

Conclusions

Retrospective analysis of pre‐AlloHCT dental data in subjects at two large transplant centers identified low levels of dental need. Findings suggest high access to care.
Raman spectroscopy and U‐Net deep neural network in antiresorptive drug‐related osteonecrosis of the jaw
Authors: Matthies Levi , Gebrekidan Medhanie T. , Braeuer Andreas S. , Friedrich Reinhard E. , Stelzle Florian , Schmidt Constantin , Smeets Ralf , Assaf Alexandre T. , Gosau Martin , Rolvien Tim , Knipfer Christian
Published: August 2023

Objective

Application of an optical method for the identification of antiresorptive drug‐related osteonecrosis of the jaw (ARONJ).

Methods

We introduce shifted‐excitation Raman difference spectroscopy followed by U‐Net deep neural network refinement to determine bone tissue viability. The obtained results are validated through established histological methods.

Results

Discrimination of osteonecrosis from physiological tissues was evaluated at 119 distinct measurement loci in 40 surgical specimens from 28 patients. Mean Raman spectra were refined from 11,900 raw spectra, and characteristic peaks were assigned to their respective molecular origin. Then, following principal component and linear discriminant analyses, osteonecrotic lesions were distinguished from physiological tissue entities, such as viable bone, with a sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of 100%. Moreover, bone mineral content, quality, maturity, and crystallinity were quantified, revealing an increased mineral‐to‐matrix ratio and decreased carbonate‐to‐phosphate ratio in ARONJ lesions compared to physiological bone.

Conclusion

The results demonstrate feasibility with high classification accuracy in this collective. The differentiation was determined by the spectral features of the organic and mineral composition of bone. This merely optical, noninvasive technique is a promising candidate to ameliorate both the diagnosis and treatment of ARONJ in the future.
Long‐term outcomes, quality of life, and costs of treatment modalities for T1–T2 lip carcinomas
Authors: van Hof Kira S. , Wakkee Marlies , Sewnaik Aniel , Herkendaal Aimée F. , Tans Lisa , Mast Hetty , van den Bos Renate R. , Mureau Marc A. M. , Offerman Marinella P. J. , Baatenburg de Jong Robert J.
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Early stage lip squamous cell carcinoma (lip SCC) can be treated with conventional excision, Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS), or brachytherapy. The aim of this retrospective study was to describe the medical outcomes, patient‐reported outcomes, and costs of these treatments.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of T1–T2 lip SSCs treated between 1996 and 2019. Medical outcomes, recurrences, and survival were retrieved from medical records. Facial appearance, facial function, and Quality of Life (QoL) were measured with the Face‐Q H&N and EQ‐5D‐5L questionnaires. Costs were also calculated.

Results

Of the 336 lip SCCs, 122 were treated with excision, 139 with MMS, and 75 with brachytherapy. Locally, the recurrence rate was 2.7% and regionally 4.8%. There were 2% disease‐related deaths. T2‐stage and poor tumor differentiation were associated with recurrences. Posttreatment QoL, facial function, and appearance were rated as good. Brachytherapy was the most expensive treatment modality.

Conclusion

Early‐stage lip SCC has a good prognosis, with a disease‐specific survival of 98.2% after a median follow‐up of 36 months, there was a high QoL and satisfaction at long‐term follow‐up. Based on the costs and the risk of locoregional recurrences, we believe that, for most noncomplex lip SCCs, MMS would be the most logical treatment option.
ScAREB4 promotes potato constitutive and acclimated freezing tolerance associated with enhancing trehalose synthesis and oxidative stress tolerance
Authors: Liu Tiantian , Wang Jin , Chen Lin , Liu Shengxuan , Liu Tengfei , Yu Liu , Guo Jingjing , Chen Ye , Zhang Yiling , Song Botao
Published: August 2023

Cold is a major environmental factor that restrains potato production. Abscisic acid (ABA) can enhance freezing tolerance in many plant species, but powerful evidence of the ABA‐mediated signalling pathway related to freezing tolerance is still in deficiency. In the present study, cold acclimation capacity of the potato genotypes was enhanced alongside with improved endogenous content of ABA. Further exogenous application of ABA and its inhibitor (NDGA) could enhance and reduce potato freezing tolerance, respectively. Moreover, expression pattern of downstream genes in ABA signalling pathway was analysed and only ScAREB4 was identified with specifically upregulate in S. commersonii (CMM5) after cold and ABA treatments. Transgenic assay with overexpression of ScAREB4 showed that ScAREB4 promoted freezing tolerance. Global transcriptome profiling indicated that overexpression of ScAREB4 induced expression of TPS9 (trehalose‐6‐phosphate synthase) and GSTU8 (glutathione transferase), in accordance with improved TPS activity, trehalose content, higher GST activity and accumulated dramatically less H2O2 in the ScAREB4 overexpressed transgenic lines. Taken together, the current results indicate that increased endogenous content of ABA is related to freezing tolerance in potato. Moreover, ScAREB4 functions as a downstream transcription factor of ABA signalling to promote cold tolerance, which is associated with increased trehalose content and antioxidant capacity.
Expression of the far‐red D1 protein or introduction of conserved far‐red D1 residues into Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 impairs Photosystem II
Authors: Sheridan Kevin J. , Brown Toby J. , Eaton‐Rye Julian J. , Summerfield Tina C.
Published: August 2023

The wavelengths of light harvested in oxygenic photosynthesis are ~400–700 nm. Some cyanobacteria respond to far‐red light exposure via a process called far‐red light photoacclimation which enables absorption of light at wavelengths >700 nm and its use to support photosynthesis. Far‐red‐light‐induced changes include up‐regulation of alternative copies of multiple proteins of Photosystem II (PS II). This includes an alternative copy of the D1 protein, D1FR. Here, we show that D1FR introduced into Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (hereafter Synechocystis 6803) can be incorporated into PS II centres that evolve oxygen at low rates but cannot support photoautotrophic growth. Using mutagenesis to modify the psbA2 gene of Synechocystis 6803, we modified residues in helices A, B, and C to be characteristic of D1FR residues. Modification of the Synechocystis 6803 helix A to resemble the D1FR helix A, with modifications in the region of the bound ß‐carotene (CarD1) and the accessory chlorophyll, ChlZD1, produced a strain with a similar phenotype to the D1FR strain. In contrast, the D1FR changes in helices B and C had minor impacts on photoautotrophy but impacted the function of PS II, possibly through a change in the equilibrium for electron sharing between the primary and secondary plastoquinone electron acceptors QA and QB in favour of QA−. The addition of combinations of residue changes in helix C indicates compensating effects may occur and highlight the need to experimentally determine the impact of multiple residue changes.
Nitrogen supply alleviates seed yield reduction by improving the morphology and carbon metabolism of pod walls in shaded rapeseed
Authors: Kuai Jie , Nie Xiaoyu , Lou Hongxiang , Li Zhen , Xie Xiongze , Sun Yingying , Xu Zhenghua , Wang Jing , Wang Bo , Zhou Guangsheng
Published: August 2023

Shading significantly affects rapeseed yield, while reasonable nitrogen (N) application has efficiency gains. However, the functions and mechanisms of N are not fully established for shaded rapeseed plants. Therefore, we conducted a 2‐year field experiment to study the effect of N on pod wall morphology and carbon metabolism of shaded rapeseed. Two varieties, three N rates (120 [N1], 240 [N2], and 360 [N3] kg hm−2) and two light intensities (100 and 70% light transmission) from 10 to 35 days after the end of flowering were set as experimental parameters. Shading decreased the pod wall chlorophyll content, ribulose 1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase (Rubisco) activity and glucose content at 25 and 35 days after flowering (DAF). Decreased sucrose synthase (SuSy) and sucrose phosphate synthase activity caused by shading reduced sucrose and fructose content. They are responsible for the decline in the 1000‐seed weight and a 22.1–37.6% decline in seed yield. More N under shading promoted pod elongation and pigment content, improved chloroplast ultrastructure, increased Rubisco and SuSy activity at 35 DAF, thus contributing to pod wall photosynthesis and fructose and glucose levels in shaded rapeseed plants. Similar trends were observed in pod number, pod weight, and seed weight, while the greatest increase in seed/wall ratio was observed under N2 for shaded rapeseed plants. The results indicated that N can reduce the yield difference between different light conditions and balance partitioning and conversion of photoassimilates in pod wall, but avoid applying an excessive amount of nitrogen.
Interactive Mechanisms to Improve Service Innovation Among Sports Clubs: A Consumer Perspective
Authors: Behnam Mohsen , Sato Mikihiro , Baker Bradley J. , Jalili Mahdiyeh
Published: August 2023

Value co-creation for service innovation is a rapidly developing concept in the current competitive market. Prior studies emphasize the conceptual aspects of the value co-creation, with limited research focusing on the interactive effects between firms and their customers created in the process of value co-creation. We propose a framework for synthesizing the interactive concepts associated with service innovation based on the service-dominant logic. We recruited participants (N = 448) from 11 sports clubs in Iran. Results indicated that openness and consumer engagement facilitate value co-creation, which in turn leads to perceived service innovation. Furthermore, perceived brand interactivity moderated the mediating role of value co-creation in the relationship between consumer engagement and perceived service innovation. Results from this research suggest openness and consumer engagement are key antecedents of value co-creation and highlight the significance of perceived brand interactivity and value co-creation in promoting service innovation at sports clubs.
Developing relevant community mental health programmes in North India: five questions we ask when co-producing knowledge with experts by experience
Authors: Pillai Pooja , Rawat Meenal , Jain Sumeet , Martin Rachelle Anne , Shelly Kakul , Mathias Kaaren
Published: August 2023

Knowledge co-production can improve the quality and accessibility of health, and also benefit service users, allowing them to be recognised as skilled and capable. Yet despite these clear benefits, there are inherent challenges in the power relations of co-production, particularly when experts by experience (EBE) are structurally disadvantaged in communication skills or literacy. The processes of how knowledge is co-produced and negotiated are seldom described. This paper aims to describe processes of co-production building on the experiences of EBE (people with lived experience of psychosocial or physical disability), practitioners and researchers working together with a non-profit community mental health programme in North India. We describe processes of group formation, relationship building, reflexive discussion and negotiation over a 7-year period with six diverse EBE groups. Through a process of discussion and review, we propose these five questions which may optimise co-production processes in communities: (1) Who is included in co-production? (2) How can we optimise participation by people with diverse sociodemographic identities? (3) How do we build relationships of trust within EBE groups? (4) How can we combine psychosocial support and knowledge co-production agendas in groups? and (5) How is the expertise of experts by experience acknowledged?
Children with extended oligoarticular and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis have alterations in B and T follicular cell subsets in peripheral blood and a cytokine profile sustaining B cell activation
Authors: Tomé Catarina , Oliveira-Ramos Filipa , Campanilho-Marques Raquel , Mourão Ana F. , Sousa Sandra , Marques Cláudia , Melo Ana T. , Teixeira Rui L. , Martins Ana P. , Moeda Sofia , Costa-Reis Patrícia , Torres Rita P. , Bandeira Matilde , Fonseca Helena , Gonçalves Miroslava , Santos Maria J. , Graca Luis , Fonseca João E. , Moura Rita A.
Published: August 2023

Objectives

The main goal of this study was to characterise the frequency and phenotype of B, T follicular helper (Tfh) and T follicular regulatory (Tfr) cells in peripheral blood and the cytokine environment present in circulation in children with extended oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (extended oligo JIA) and polyarticular JIA (poly JIA) when compared with healthy controls, children with persistent oligoarticular JIA (persistent oligo JIA) and adult JIA patients.

Methods

Blood samples were collected from 105 JIA patients (children and adults) and 50 age-matched healthy individuals. The frequency and phenotype of B, Tfh and Tfr cells were evaluated by flow cytometry. Serum levels of APRIL, BAFF, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, IL-21, IL-22, IFN-γ, PD-1, PD-L1, sCD40L, CXCL13 and TNF were measured by multiplex bead-based immunoassay and/or ELISA in all groups included.

Results

The frequency of B, Tfh and Tfr cells was similar between JIA patients and controls. Children with extended oligo JIA and poly JIA, but not persistent oligo JIA, had significantly lower frequencies of plasmablasts, regulatory T cells and higher levels of Th17-like Tfh cells in circulation when compared with controls. Furthermore, APRIL, BAFF, IL-6 and IL-17A serum levels were significantly higher in paediatric extended oligo JIA and poly JIA patients when compared with controls. These immunological alterations were not found in adult JIA patients in comparison to controls.

Conclusions

Our results suggest a potential role and/or activation profile of B and Th17-like Tfh cells in the pathogenesis of extended oligo JIA and poly JIA, but not persistent oligo JIA.
Impact of different classes of immune-modulating treatments on B cell-related and T cell-related immune response before and after COVID-19 booster vaccination in patients with immune-mediated diseases and primary immunodeficiency: a cohort study
Authors: Koehm Michaela , Klippstein Maximilian , Dauth Stephanie , Hallmann Konstantin , Kohmer Niko , Burkhardt Harald , Ciesek Sandra , Geisslinger Gerd , Rabenau Holger F , Behrens Frank
Published: August 2023

Objectives

To evaluate the potential of immunosuppressed patients to mount B-cell and T-cell responses to COVID-19 booster vaccination (third vaccination).

Methods

Patients with primary immunodeficiency (PID), immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) on CD20-depleting treatment with rituximab (RTX), or IMIDs treated with conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) or biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARDs) were included and assessed before (baseline visit (BL)) and 2, 4 and 8 weeks after COVID-19 booster vaccination. Serum B-cell responses were assessed by antibody levels against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (anti-spike IgG antibody (S-AB)) and a surrogate virus neutralisation test (sVNT). T-cell responses were assessed by an interferon gamma release assay (IGRA).

Results

Fifty patients with PID (n=6), treated with RTX therapy (n=13), or treated with csDMARDs/bDMARDs (n=31) were included. At BL, anti-S-AB titres in PID and csDMARD/bDMARD-treated patients were low (although significantly higher than RTX patients); measures of B-cell-mediated response increased significantly after booster vaccination. In the RTX cohort, low BL anti-S-AB and sVNT values did not improve after booster vaccination, but patients had significantly elevated IGRA responses post booster vaccination compared with the other groups. csDMARD/bDMARD-treated patients showed the highest BL values in all three assays with greater increases in all parameters after booster vaccination compared with patients with PID.

Conclusion

Patients with IMID on therapeutic B-cell depletion have low anti-S-AB and sVNT values before and after booster vaccination but show significantly higher levels of IGRA compared with other immunosuppressed patients, suggesting an underlying mechanism attempting to compensate compromised humoral immunity by upregulating T-cell responsiveness. PID appears to have a stronger impact on antiviral immune response than csDMARD/bDMARD treatment.
Fifty years after the discovery of the association of HLA B27 with ankylosing spondylitis
Authors: Braun Juergen , Sieper Joachim
Published: August 2023

The human lymphocyte antigen B27 (HLA B27) is a member of the HLA class I family of genes in the major histocompatibility complex whose name goes back to its discovery in studies of transplanted tissue compatibility. Its prevalence in the mid-European population is about 8%. The association of HLA B27 alleles with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a highly heritable disease, which is part of the spectrum of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), was discovered 50 years ago. HLA B27 explains less than 30% of the total genetic load. About 60%–90% of axSpA patients worldwide carry HLA B27. The prevalence of the disease is linked to the frequency of HLA B27 in the population which implies that there are relevant differences. Among the roughly 200 subtypes known there are two which are not disease associated. The function of HLA class I molecules is to present peptides to the immune system to defend the organism against microbes targeted by CD8+T cells. This is much supported by the role of the endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 1 (ERAP 1) in AS, an enzyme that is responsible for the intracellular trimming of peptides, since polymorphisms of this gene are only associated with HLA-B27+ disease. The arthritogenic peptide hypothesis trying to explain the pathogenesis of AS is based on that very immune function assuming that also self peptides can be presented. HLA-B27 also plays an important role in classification, diagnosis and severitiy of axSpA.
Should primary anastomosis be considered more? A retrospective analysis of anastomotic complications in young children
Authors: Eeftinck Schattenkerk Laurens D. , Musters Gijsbert D. , de Jonge Wouter J. , van Heurn L.W. (Ernest) , Derikx Joep PM
Published: August 2023

Objective

Little is known about intestinal anastomotic leakage and stenosis in young children (≤3 years of age). The purpose of this study is to answer the following questions: (1) what is the incidence of anastomotic stenosis and leakage in infants? (2) which surgical diseases entail the highest incidence of anastomotic stenosis and leakage? (3) what are perioperative factors associated with anastomotic stenosis and leakage?

Methods

Patients who underwent an intestinal anastomosis during primary abdominal surgery in our tertiary referral centre between 1998 and 2018 were retrospectively included. Both general incidence and incidence per disease of anastomotic complications were determined. Technical risk factors (location and type of anastomosis, mode of suturing, and suture resorption time) were evaluated by multivariate Cox regression for anastomotic stenosis. Gender and American Society of Anaesthesiology (ASA) score of ≥III were evaluated by χ2test for anastomotic leakage.

Results

In total, 477 patients underwent an anastomosis. The most prominent diseases are intestinal atresia (30%), Hirschsprung’s disease (29%), and necrotizing enterocolitis (14%). Anastomotic stenosis developed in 7% (34/468) of the patients with highest occurrence in necrotizing enterocolitis (14%, 9/65). Colonic anastomosis was associated with an increased risk of anastomotic stenosis (hazard ratio (HR) =3.6, 95% CI 1.8 to 7.5). No technical features (type of anastomosis, suture resorption time and mode of suturing) were significantly associated with stenosis development. Anastomotic leakage developed in 5% (22/477) of the patients, with the highest occurrence in patients with intestinal atresia (6%, 9/143). An ASA score of ≥III (p=0.03) and male gender (p=0.03) were significantly associated with anastomotic leakage.

Conclusions

Both anastomotic stenosis and leakage are major surgical complications. Identifying more patient specific factors can result in better treatment selection, which should not solely be based on the type of disease.
Ruscogenin Alleviates Myocardial Ischemia via Myosin IIA-Dependent Mitochondrial Fusion and Fission Balance
Authors: Liu Jin-Cheng , Zhao Qing-Fei , Zhang Ling , Yu Bo-Yang , Li Fang , Kou Jun-Ping
Published: August 2023

Ruscogenin (RUS), a major effective steroidal sapogenin derived from Ophiopogon japonicas, has been reported to alleviate myocardial ischemia (MI), but its cardioprotective mechanism is still not completely clear. In this study, we observed that RUS markedly reduced MI-induced myocardial injury, as evidenced by notable reductions in infarct size, improvement in biochemical markers, alleviation of cardiac pathology, amelioration of mitochondrial damage, and inhibition of myocardial apoptosis. Moreover, RUS notably suppressed oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)-triggered cell injury and apoptosis. Notably, RUS demonstrated a considerable decrease of the interaction between myosin IIA and F-actin, along with the restoration of mitochondrial fusion and fission balance. We further confirmed that the effects of RUS on MI were mediated by myosin IIA using siRNA and overexpression techniques. The inhibition of myosin IIA resulted in a significant improvement of mitochondrial fusion and fission imbalance, while simultaneously counteracting the beneficial effects of RUS. By contrast, overexpression of myosin IIA aggravated the imbalance between mitochondrial fusion and fission and partially weakened the protection of RUS. These findings suggest that myosin IIA is essential or even a key functional protein in the cardioprotection of RUS. Overall, our results have elucidated an undiscovered mechanism involving myosin IIA-dependent mitochondrial fusion and fission balance for treating MI. Furthermore, our study has uncovered a novel mechanism underlying the protective effects of RUS.
Intelligent Inspection for Evaluating Severity of Surface Defects in Investment Casting
Authors: Yousef Nabhan , Sata Amit
Published: August 2023

Casting parts are widely utilized in the industry as a cost-effective alternative to original parts. However, surface defects may occur on casting components due to various factors such as the manufacturing process and material characteristics. In this study, a deep learning model was implemented to detect defects on the surface of casting products and measure their size according to a proposed standard. This enables the evaluation of the performance of the casting products and determines their reliability for use in different applications. A new dataset was collected and preprocessed, consisting of four types of casting defects. The dataset was used to train a U-Net model to identify surface defects on the casting products. Once a defect was detected, the output of the U-Net algorithm was passed through a function to generate a histogram. The size of the defect was then calculated by determining the ratio between the defect size and the total surface area of the casting product. The U-Net model achieved a satisfactory performance, with a dice coefficient of 81% obtained for both training and validation data. This result demonstrates the effectiveness of the deep learning model in solving this type of problem.