bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of ERK5 Elicits Cellular Senescence in Melanoma via the Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21
Authors: Tubita Alessandro , Lombardi Zoe , Tusa Ignazia , Lazzeretti Azzurra , Sgrignani Giovanna , Papini Dimitri , Menconi Alessio , Gagliardi Sinforosa , Lulli Matteo , Dello Sbarba Persio , Esparís-Ogando Azucena , Pandiella Atanasio , Stecca Barbara , Rovida Elisabetta
Published: November 2021

Melanoma is the deadliest skin cancer with a very poor prognosis in advanced stages. Although targeted and immune therapies have improved survival, not all patients benefit from these treatments. The mitogen-activated protein kinase ERK5 supports the growth of melanoma cells in vitro and in vivo. However, ERK5 inhibition results in cell-cycle arrest rather than appreciable apoptosis. To clarify the role of ERK5 in melanoma growth, we performed transcriptomic analyses following ERK5 knockdown in melanoma cells expressing BRAFV600E and found that cellular senescence was among the most affected processes. In melanoma cells expressing either wild-type or mutant (V600E) BRAF, both genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of ERK5 elicited cellular senescence, as observed by a marked increase in senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity and p21 expression. In addition, depletion of ERK5 from melanoma cells resulted in increased levels of CXCL1, CXCL8, and CCL20, proteins typically involved in the senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Knockdown of p21 suppressed the induction of cellular senescence by ERK5 blockade, pointing to p21 as a key mediator of this process. In vivo, ERK5 knockdown or inhibition with XMD8–92 in melanoma xenografts promoted cellular senescence. Based on these results, small-molecule compounds targeting ERK5 constitute a rational series of prosenescence drugs that may be exploited for melanoma treatment.

Significance:

This study shows that targeting ERK5 induces p21-mediated cellular senescence in melanoma, identifying a prosenescence effect of ERK5 inhibitors that may be exploited for melanoma treatment.
Disruption of β-Catenin–Dependent Wnt Signaling in Colon Cancer Cells Remodels the Microenvironment to Promote Tumor Invasion
Authors: Chen George T. , Tifrea Delia F. , Murad Rabi , Habowski Amber N. , Lyou Yung , Duong Madeleine R. , Hosohama Linzi , Mortazavi Ali , Edwards Robert A. , Waterman Marian L.
Published: November 2021

The recent classification of colon cancer into molecular subtypes revealed that patients with the poorest prognosis harbor tumors with the lowest levels of Wnt signaling. This is contrary to the general understanding that overactive Wnt signaling promotes tumor progression from early initiation stages through to the later stages including invasion and metastasis. Here, we directly test this assumption by reducing the activity of ß-catenin–dependent Wnt signaling in colon cancer cell lines at either an upstream or downstream step in the pathway. We determine that Wnt-reduced cancer cells exhibit a more aggressive disease phenotype, including increased mobility in vitro and disruptive invasion into mucosa and smooth muscle in an orthotopic mouse model. RNA sequencing reveals that interference with Wnt signaling leads to an upregulation of gene programs that favor cell migration and invasion and a downregulation of inflammation signatures in the tumor microenvironment. We identify a set of upregulated genes common among the Wnt perturbations that are predictive of poor patient outcomes in early-invasive colon cancer. Our findings suggest that while targeting Wnt signaling may reduce tumor burden, an inadvertent side effect is the emergence of invasive cancer.

Implications:

Decreased Wnt signaling in colon tumors leads to a more aggressive disease phenotype due to an upregulation of gene programs favoring cell migration in the tumor and downregulation of inflammation programs in the tumor microenvironment; these impacts must be carefully considered in developing Wnt-targeting therapies.

Watch the interview with Marian L. Waterman, PhD, recipient of the 2023 MCR Michael B. Kastan Award for Research Excellence: https://vimeo.com/847435577
Value of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in the Prognosis Assessment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients: A Retrospective, Multicentre Cohort Study
Authors: Ewert Ralf , Obst Anne , Mühle Andreas , Halank Michael , Winkler Jörg , Trümper Bernd , Hoheisel Gerhard , Hoheisel Andreas , Wiersbitzky Mark , Heine Alexander , Maiwald Alexander , Gläser Sven , Stubbe Beate
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common chronic diseases associated with high mortality. Previous studies suggested a prognostic role for peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) assessed during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in patients with COPD. However, most of these studies had small sample sizes or short follow-up periods, and despite their relevance, CPET parameters are not included in the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) tool for assessment of severity. Objectives: We therefore aimed to assess the prognostic value of CPET parameters in a large cohort of outpatients with COPD. Methods: In this retrospective, multicentre cohort study, medical records of patients with COPD who underwent CPET during 2004–2017 were reviewed and demographics, smoking habits, GOLD grade and category, exacerbation frequency, dyspnoea score, lung function measurements, and CPET parameters were documented. Relationships with survival were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox regression, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: Of a total of 347 patients, 312 patients were included. Five-year and 10-year survival probability was 75% and 57%, respectively. VO2peak significantly predicted survival (hazard ratio: 0.886 [95% confidence interval: 0.830; 0.946]). The optimal VO2peak threshold for discrimination of 5-year survival was 14.6 mL/kg/min (area under ROC curve: 0.713). Five-year survival in patients with VO2peak <14.6 mL/kg/min versus ≥ 14.6 mL/kg/min was 60% versus 86% in GOLD categories A/B and 64% versus 90% in GOLD categories C/D. Conclusions: We confirm that VO2peak is a highly significant predictor of survival in COPD patients and recommend the incorporation of VO2peak into the assessment of COPD severity.
The Lipopolysaccharide Mutant Re-LPS Is a Useful Tool for Detecting LPS Contamination in Rheumatoid Synovial Cell Cultures
Authors: Kohno Hiroki , Ouhara Kazuhisa , Mokuda Sho , Tokunaga Tadahiro , Sugimoto Tomohiro , Watanabe Hirofumi , Ishitoku Michinori , Yoshida Yusuke , Mizuno Noriyoshi , Ozawa Tatsuhiko , Kawataka Masatoshi , Hirata Shintaro , Kishi Hiroyuki , Sugiyama Eiji
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) contamination of commercially available proteins has seriously impeded research on citrullinated fibrinogen (cit-Fb) in rheumatoid synovial cells (RSCs). Methods: RSCs obtained from 4 rheumatoid arthritis patients who underwent full knee arthroplasty were cultured, stimulated with cit-Fb, and cytokine expression levels were measured. We then evaluated polymyxin-B (PMB), heat inactivation, and rough (R)-type LPS mutants for rapid detection of LPS contamination. Results: cit-Fb induced expression of CXCL10 and IFNB in RSCs via the toll-like receptor. PMB inhibited cit-Fb-mediated CXCL10 gene expression but not protein expression induced by 20 μg/mL cit-Fb. Heat inactivation did not affect LPS-mediated CXCL10 or IL-6 induction; however, cit-Fb-mediated CXCL10expression was inhibited. Wild-type LPS from Escherichia coli (WT-LPS) strongly induces CXCL10 expression, but induction by Ra-LPS was weak, and induction by Rc- and Re-LPS was minimal. Re-LPS suppression of WT-LPS-mediated CXCL10 induction in RSCs and peripheral blood monocytes (PBMs) was dose dependent. Furthermore, Re-LPS completely suppressed cit-Fb-mediated CXCL10 induction in RSCs and PBMs. Conclusion: To easily identify LPS contamination during routine experiments, our results suggest that Re-LPS is a better tool for rapid detection of LPS contamination compared to PMB and heat treatment.
Conceptual Issues in Acute and Transient Psychotic Disorders
Authors: Castagnini Augusto C. , Berrios German E.
Published: November 2021

Short-lived psychotic disorders as currently listed under “acute and transient psychotic disorder,” ICD-11 Classification of Mental, Behavioural, and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, and “brief psychotic disorder,” Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), constitute a point of divergence in the classification of psychotic disorders between the 2 diagnostic systems, which reveals the lack of knowledge about these conditions. Whether this is due to conceptual shortcomings inherent to the categories themselves and which spill over onto research or reflects a mismatch between the diagnostic criteria used and research techniques needs clarification. This study aimed to examine conceptual issues involved in the development of the above categories and shows that little continuity exists between earlier nosological concepts such as bouffée délirante, cycloid psychosis, and reactive psychosis and modern descriptive categories used to classify short-lived psychotic disorders. It seems likely that shortcomings in terms of symptom completeness, specificity, and heterogeneity, in addition to changes in definition and diagnostic criteria in successive DSM and ICD versions, have hampered empirical research, making it difficult to enhance the understanding of these conditions and achieve a closer concordance between the 2 classificatory systems.
Urban Noise Exposure and Cardiometabolic Diseases: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study in Lisbon
Authors: Martins Pereira Gonçalo , Brito José , Oliveira Maria João , Oliveira Pedro
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Urban noise pollution has been associated with an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Nevertheless, existing observational studies relating to noise exposure and metabolic syndrome are based on non-generalizable cohorts. Lisbon remains a noisy city where this association has not been evaluated, and for this reason, we studied the relationship between exposure to urban noise and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and hypertension. Methods: Diurnal, evening and nocturnal noise emission levels were obtained for each street in the city from the Lisbon noise map. After allocation of all roads to the respective parish of Lisbon, the noise emission for each parish was averaged for each day period. The number of adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity and hypertension in 2014, 2015 and 2016 in each parish of Lisbon was obtained from the Regional Health Administration of Lisbon and Tagus Valley. Prevalence as a percentage of the population was determined using the number of residents in each parish determined in the 2011 population census. Spearman’s non-parametric correlation coefficient was used due to the non-normal distribution of the variables, at the 5% significance level (α = 0.05). Results: No correlations were found between daytime, afternoon or night-time noise exposure and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity or hypertension, although correlations were found between the cardiometabolic variables. Nevertheless, noise levels in Lisbon were above the legally established limit and the World Health Organization guidelines for environmental noise exposure in the European region. Conclusion: Our results do not agree with previous studies and should be faced as preliminary due to a strong biological plausibility for an association between noise exposure and cardiometabolic diseases and to encourage further studies, with longitudinal cohorts.
Causal Effect of Obstructive Sleep Apnea on Atrial Fibrillation: A Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Chen Weiqi , Cai Xueli , Yan Hongyi , Pan Yuesong
Published: November 2021

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has shown to be associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation in observational studies. Whether this association reflect causal effect is still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the causal effect of OSA on atrial fibrillation.

Methods and Results

We used a 2‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) method to evaluate the causal effect of OSA on atrial fibrillation. Summary data on genetic variant‐OSA association were obtained from a recently published genome‐wide association studies with up to 217 955 individuals and data on variant‐atrial fibrillation association from another genome‐wide association study with up to 1 030 836 individuals. Effect estimates were evaluated using inverse‐variance weighted method. Other MR analyses, including penalized inverse‐variance weighted, penalized robust inverse‐variance weighted, MR‐Egger, simple median, weighted median, weighted mode‐based estimate and Mendelian Randomization Pleiotropy Residual Sum and Outlier methods were performed in sensitivity analyses. The MR analyses in both the fixed‐effect and random‐effect inverse‐variance weighted models showed that genetically predicted OSA was associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (odds ratio [OR], 1.21; 95% CI, 1.12–1.31,
P
<0.001; OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.11–1.32,
P
<0.001) using 5 single nucleotide polymorphisms as the instruments. MR‐Egger indicated no evidence of genetic pleiotropy (intercept, −0.014; 95% CI, −0.033 to 0.005,
P
=0.14). Results were robust using other MR methods in sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions

This MR analysis found that genetically predicted OSA had causal effect on an increased risk of atrial fibrillation.
Shifting the Paradigm: A Population Health Approach to the Management of Direct Oral Anticoagulants
Authors: Allen Arthur L. , Lucas Jessica , Parra David , Spoutz Patrick , Kibert Jeffery L. , Ragheb Bishoy , Chia Linda , Sipe Amy
Published: November 2021

Over the past decade, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have contributed to a major paradigm shift in thrombosis management, replacing vitamin K antagonists as the most commonly prescribed anticoagulants in many countries. While DOACs provide distinct advantages over warfarin (eg, convenience, simplicity, and safety), they are frequently associated with inappropriate prescribing and adverse events. These events have prompted regulatory agencies to mandate oversight, which individual institutions may find difficult to comply with given limited resources. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has leveraged technology to develop the DOAC Population Management Tool (PMT) to address these challenges. This tool has empowered VHA to update a 60‐year standard of care from one‐to‐one provider‐to‐patient anticoagulation monitoring to a population‐based management approach. The DOAC PMT allows for the oversight of all patients prescribed DOACs and leads to intervention only when clinically indicated. Using the DOAC PMT, facilities across VHA have maximized DOAC oversight while minimizing resource usage. Herein, we discuss how the DOAC PMT was conceived, developed, and implemented, along with the challenges encountered throughout the process. Additionally, we share the impact of the DOAC PMT across VHA, and the potential of this approach beyond anticoagulation and VHA.
Natural Language Processing Enhances Prediction of Functional Outcome After Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Sung Sheng‐Feng , Chen Chih‐Hao , Pan Ru‐Chiou , Hu Ya‐Han , Jeng Jiann‐Shing
Published: November 2021

Background

Conventional prognostic scores usually require predefined clinical variables to predict outcome. The advancement of natural language processing has made it feasible to derive meaning from unstructured data. We aimed to test whether using unstructured text in electronic health records can improve the prediction of functional outcome after acute ischemic stroke.

Methods and Results

Patients hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke were identified from 2 hospital stroke registries (3847 and 2668 patients, respectively). Prediction models developed using the first cohort were externally validated using the second cohort, and vice versa. Free text in the history of present illness and computed tomography reports was used to build machine learning models using natural language processing to predict poor functional outcome at 90 days poststroke. Four conventional prognostic models were used as baseline models. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of the model using history of present illness in the internal and external validation sets were 0.820 and 0.792, respectively, which were comparable to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (0.811 and 0.807). The model using computed tomography reports achieved area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.758 and 0.658. Adding information from clinical text significantly improved the predictive performance of each baseline model in terms of area under the receiver operating characteristic curves, net reclassification improvement, and integrated discrimination improvement indices (all
P
<0.001). Swapping the study cohorts led to similar results.

Conclusions

By using natural language processing, unstructured text in electronic health records can provide an alternative tool for stroke prognostication, and even enhance the performance of existing prognostic scores.
Using Earnings Calls to Understand the Political Behavior of Major Polluters
Authors: Mahdavi Paasha , Green Jessica , Hadden Jennifer , Hale Thomas
Published: November 2021

The role that private actors play in accelerating or preventing progressive climate policy and true decarbonization is a core research interest of global environmental politics. Yet scholars have struggled to measure the political behavior of multinational firms due to lack of transparency about their activities and inconsistency in reporting requirements across jurisdictions. In this research note, we present a new data source—firms’ earnings calls—that scholars might use to better understand the political behavior of major multinational polluters. To illustrate the value of earnings calls as a data source, we construct an original data set of all earnings calls made between 2005 and 2019 by major oil and gas firms. We then code these transcripts, demonstrating that although firms can be classified as more or less pro-climate, there is little evidence of the industry’s public acceptance of decarbonization. These unique data could permit researchers to explore important questions about climate politics, the evolution of private governance, and the relationship between policy and firms’ political behavior. Moreover, we suggest extensions of our approach, including other multinational industries that are amenable to this type of analysis.
Memory-Based Semantic Parsing
Authors: Jain Parag , Lapata Mirella
Published: November 2021

We present a memory-based model for context- dependent semantic parsing. Previous approaches focus on enabling the decoder to copy or modify the parse from the previous utterance, assuming there is a dependency between the current and previous parses. In this work, we propose to represent contextual information using an external memory. We learn a context memory controller that manages the memory by maintaining the cumulative meaning of sequential user utterances. We evaluate our approach on three semantic parsing benchmarks. Experimental results show that our model can better process context-dependent information and demonstrates improved performance without using task-specific decoders.
How the Milk Tea Alliance Inspired Singapore, and Why We Need to Let Youths Take the Lead
Authors: Ngerng Roy
Published: November 2021

I am a Singaporean activist currently living in Taiwan. In 2014, I was sued by the Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong over a blog post I wrote revealing how the Singapore government was investing the retirement funds of Singaporeans without being completely transparent to them. I was fired from my job on this pretext, and was later charged by the government for protesting over the same advocacy issue. In 2016, after supporting an opposition politician during a by-election, the police searched my home and took away my laptops and storage devices.
A review of the genus Scrobipalpa Janse, 1951 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) in the Afrotropical region
Authors: BIDZILYA OLEKSIY V.
Published: November 2021

The genus Scrobipalpa in the Afrotropical region is revised. Thirty-six species are recognized as valid, 20 of which are described as new: S. ochroxantha sp. nov. (South Africa), S. wieseri sp. nov. (Namibia, South Africa), S. turiensis sp. nov. (Kenya), S. wolframi sp. nov. (Namibia), S. natalensis sp. nov. (South Africa), S. varivansoni sp. nov. (South Africa), S. typica sp. nov. (South Africa), S. staudei sp. nov. (South Africa), S. afromontana sp. nov. (Kenya), S. erexita sp. nov. (South Africa), S. admirabilis sp. nov. (Namibia), S. griseata sp. nov. (South Africa), S. nigristriana sp. nov. (Kenya), S. munita sp. nov. (Malawi), S. ochracea sp. nov. (South Africa), S. asantesana sp. nov. (South Africa), S. selectoides sp. nov. (Namibia, RSA), S. etoshensis sp. nov. (Namibia), S. ethiopica sp. nov. (Ethiopia), and S. agassizi sp. nov. (Kenya). Six new synonyms are established: Phthorimaea blapsigona Meyrick, 1916 and Scrobipalpa asiri Povolný, 1980 syn. nov. of Scrobipalpa concreta (Meyrick, 1914); Scrobipalpa xylochroa Janse, 1963 and S. obsoletella hospes Povolný, 1964 syn. nov. of S. obsoletella (Fischer von Röslerstamm, 1841); S. vicaria (Meyrick, 1921) syn. nov. of S. geomicta (Meyrick, 1918); and Gelechia chersophila Meyrick, 1918 syn. nov. of S. portosanctana (Stainton, 1859). The following new combinations for five species previously placed in Scrobipalpa are proposed: Ephysteris cretigena (Meyrick, 1914) comb. nov., Microlechia colasta (Meyrick, 1921) comb. nov., Schizovalva costimacula (Janse, 1951) comb. nov., Gelechia trychnophylla (Janse, 1960) comb. nov. and Trychnopalpa phalacrodes (Meyrick, 1913) comb. nov. Two species, Phthorimaea pendens Meyrick, 1918 comb. rev. and Homaloxestis ocyphanes Meyrick, 1937 comb. rev., are excluded from Scrobipalpa but no current genus is available. The male genitalia of Scrobipalpa nomias (Meyrick, 1921) are described for the first time. All species are diagnosed, some of them are redescribed based on additional material. Identification keys and photographs of adults and genitalia are provided. New or additional host plants are recorded for Scrobipalpa incola (Meyrick, 1912), S. concreta, S. portosanctana, and S. ergasima (Meyrick, 1916). Scrobipalpa incola is recorded for the first time from Namibia, Tanzania, and Kenya; S. concreta is new for Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, Benin and Mauritius; S. subroseata for Tanzania and Kenya; S. aptatella (Walker, 1864) and S. biljurshi Povolný, 1980 for Ethiopia; S. obsoletella and S. traganella (Chrétien, 1915) for Namibia; S. geomicta for India and Ethiopia; and S. ergasima for Benin, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Yemen.
Falling between the Cracks of the Governing Systems: Risk and Uncertainty in Pastoralism in Northern Norway
Authors: Risvoll Camilla , Hovelsrud Grete K. , Riseth Jan Åge
Published: November 2021

Rapid and interacting change poses an increasing threat to livelihoods and food production, and pastoralists in Nordland, northern Norway, are at a crossroads both economically and culturally. Some of these changes are localized and pertain to changing weather and grazing conditions caused by climate change and land fragmentation. Others, driven by national management policies and governance specifically related to predators, are poorly adjusted for the different and localized contexts. The pastoralists are inherently adaptive and have a long history of responding well to variable changing conditions. This is now changing with the continued increasing pressures from many directions. The central government systematically ignores pastoralists’ traditional knowledge and enforces narrow sector policies to be implemented at regional and local levels. We address the effect of how institutional, physical, and societal constraints challenge pastoralists’ prospects for sustainable adaptation. Our results show how pastoralists’ livelihoods become compromised and potentially threatened because they are forced to respond in ways that they know are counterproductive in the long run. Adaptation outcomes are affected by different approaches and epistemologies that are situated across scale and context in terms of regional and national regulations versus local empirical reality among the pastoral communities. This study concludes that radical change is needed toward a more holistic governance in which multiple knowledge systems are integrated to ensure sustainable adaptation at all levels. This study is based on extensive and long-term fieldwork among reindeer herders and sheep farmers in Nordland, through a collaborative process of knowledge coproduction.
Robotic Central Hepatectomy for the Treatment of Gallbladder Carcinoma. Outcomes of Minimally Invasive Approach
Authors: Sucandy Iswanto , Jabbar Furrukh , Syblis Cameron , Crespo Kaitlyn , Ross Sharona , Rosemurgy Alexander
Published: November 2021

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is an uncommon but very aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis. Concerns for oncological inferiority related to the technical difficulties in performing laparoscopic portal lymphadenectomy discourage many surgeons to undertake this operation minimally invasively. With wide application of robotic technology to solve limitations of conventional laparoscopy, we describe our initial outcomes of robotic central hepatectomy and portal lymphadenectomy for gallbladder carcinoma in 15 consecutive patients. Data were presented as median (mean ± SD). Patients were 70 (73 ± 10.9) years old with BMI of 26 (26 ± 3.6) kg/m2. Tumor size was 3(4 ± 1.9) cm. Operative duration was 222 (237 ± 85.7) minutes and estimated blood loss was 200 (222 ± 135.4) mL. There were no intraoperative complications and complete resection (R0) was obtained in nearly all patients. Postoperative complications were seen in two patients (bile leak (n = 1) and respiratory failure (n = 1)). Length of stay was 3 (4 ± 4.0) days without 30-day mortality. Robotic approach is safe and effective for the treatment of GBC.
Clinical Application of Vacuum Sealing Drainage for the Treatment of Deep Burn Wounds
Authors: Sun Tao , Ying Wenjie , Wang Shuangshuang , Chen Caiqiang , Sun Pengyu , Tan Jinglei
Published: November 2021

Background

This study aimed to determine the effect of the clinical application of vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) on the treatment of deep burn wounds.

Methods

This single-blind, randomized, controlled study included patients who were admitted to our hospital with deep burns from January 2018 to December 2020; the patients were randomly divided into the VSD and control (CON) groups. The number of days from treatment to skin grafting; survival rate of the first skin graft; rate of positive bacterial culture; visual analog scale (VAS) pain score; and durations of wound healing, antibiotic drug use, and hospitalization were analyzed and compared between the groups.

Results

The application of VSD significantly shortened the number of days from treatment to skin grafting ( P < .05); improved the survival rate of the first skin graft in patients with severe burns ( P < .05); reduced the rate of positive bacterial culture ( P < .05); reduced the VAS pain score ( P < .05); and shortened the durations of wound healing ( P < .05), antibiotic drug use ( P < .05), and hospitalization ( P < .05).

Conclusion

Vacuum sealing drainage had a good clinical effect on the recovery of deep burn wounds.
The Outcomes of Performing Partial Fundoplication Based on Endoflip Versus Manometric Findings
Authors: Fanous Medhat , Wei Wei
Published: November 2021

Background

The surgical management of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) involves extensive diagnostic studies and sophisticated surgical techniques. The workup should be comprehensive and purposeful. High resolution impedance manometry (HRIM) provides valuable information regarding peristalsis and lower esophageal sphincter relaxation. The disadvantages of HRIM such as intolerance or inability to pass the catheter led to its selective use or even omission especially in laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair with partial fundoplication. This pragmatic approach risks missing motility disorders in patients with secondary reflux symptoms related to achalasia or scleroderma. Endolumenal functional lumen imaging probe (endoFLIP) can fill this void as it evaluates the dynamics of the esophagogastric junction under sedation. This study aims to compare the outcomes of preoperative use of HRIM vs endoFLIP for laparoscopic repair of hiatal hernia with partial fundoplication.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study for consecutive patients who underwent antireflux surgery with partial fundoplication between July 2018 and February 2021. Preoperative and postoperative outcomes were compared between two cohorts of patients: those with preoperative HRIM and those with preoperative endoFLIP.

Results

A total of 72 patients were evaluated, 41 had preoperative HRIM and 31 had endoFLIP. There was no statistically significant difference in their age, sex, BMI, duration of GERD symptoms, or proton pump inhibitors use. The endoscopic findings of esophagitis, hiatal hernia, and Hill’s grade were comparable. There was no difference in the American Society of Anesthesiology classification or the choice of antireflux surgery. The improvement of postoperative GERD scores and dysphagia subscore was similar between the two groups.

Conclusion

Performing partial fundoplication based on endoFLIP evaluation of the dynamics of the esophagogastric junction is safe and does not increase postoperative dysphagia compared to preoperative manometric use. Randomized prospective studies are needed to confirm the findings of this study.
Evaluation of Postoperative Pain Management Using an Opioid-Sparing Protocol in Pediatric Surgical Patients
Authors: Jung Jinhyun A. , Higgins Kristi , Lange Patricia , Noda Cady
Published: November 2021

Background

Since the 1990s, the U.S. has faced increasing rates of opioid overuse, misuse, and overdose deaths. To combat the opioid epidemic, there have been national initiatives to limit prescribing of opioids. At our institution, we implemented an opioid-sparing protocol in pediatric surgical patients and sought to evaluate its impact on postoperative opioid prescribing patterns.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of the electronic medical record was performed for 9- to 18-year-old patients who underwent a laparoscopic appendectomy or cholecystectomy before and after the implementation of an opioid-sparing protocol. Data on postoperative opioids administered during the hospitalization and prescribed at discharge, postoperative pain control, use of non-opioid analgesics, and safety were collected.

Results

A total of 81 patient charts were analyzed. The median amount of opioids administered during hospitalization was 8 MMEs and 15 MMEs in the pre-implementation and post-implementation, respectively ( P = 0.310). The median amount of opioids prescribed at discharge was 150 MMEs and 60 MMEs in the pre-implementation and post-implementation, respectively ( P = 0.006). Patients reported mild pain scores throughout the hospitalization in both groups.

Discussion

Among young patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy or cholecystectomy, the administration of opioids during hospitalization for postoperative pain was minimal. The opioid sparing protocol did not reduce the amount of inpatient postoperative opioids administered but found a decrease in the amount of opioids prescribed at discharge. The study findings identified further areas of intervention and education to optimize postoperative opioid prescribing after these common pediatric surgical procedures.
Prevalence and Predictors of Iron Deficiency in Adolescent and Young Adult Outpatients: Implications for Screening
Authors: Eiduson Rose , Heeney Matthew M. , Kao Pei-Chi , London Wendy B. , Fleming Mark D. , Shrier Lydia A.
Published: November 2021

Current screening guidelines may not be adequate to identify iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in adolescent and young adults. Adolescent and young adult outpatients from 4 hospital-based clinics (N = 493) reported on diet, health, and bleeding, and had phlebotomy for iron and hematologic tests. We examined sex-specific factors associated with ID and IDA and ability of universal and risk factor–based screening using hemoglobin and hemoglobin plus ferritin to detect ID and IDA. Among females (n = 350), 34.6% had ID and 6.3% had IDA. Nearly 1 in 3 females with ID had no risk factors. Among males, 12.6% had ID; none had IDA. More than 1 in 3 males with ID did not have risk factors. Current screening approaches would have missed ID in 47% to 82% of females and 95% to 100% of males. ID was prevalent in both male and female adolescents and young adult outpatients. New approaches to screening for ID are needed to accurately evaluate iron status in this population.
Periodontitis Salivary Microbiota Worsens Colitis
Authors: Qian J. , Lu J. , Huang Y. , Wang M. , Chen B. , Bao J. , Wang L. , Cui D. , Luo B. , Yan F.
Published: November 2021

Evidence suggests that periodontitis contributes to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. However, few studies have examined the role of swallowing and saliva in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal diseases. Saliva contains an enormous number of oral bacteria and is swallowed directly into the intestine. Here, we explored the influence of periodontitis salivary microbiota on colonic inflammation and possible mechanisms in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)–induced colitis. The salivary microbiota was collected from healthy individuals and those with periodontitis and gavaged to C57BL/6 mice. Periodontitis colitis was induced by DSS for 5 d and ligature for 1 wk. The degree of colon inflammation was evaluated through hematoxylin and eosin staining, ELISA, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Immune parameters were measured with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence. The gut microbiota and metabolome analyses were performed via 16S rRNA gene sequencing and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Although no significant colitis-associated phenotypic changes were found under physiologic conditions, periodontitis salivary microbiota exacerbated colitis in a periodontitis colitis model after DSS induction. The immune response more closely resembled the pathology of ulcerative colitis, including aggravated macrophage M2 polarization and Th2 cell induction (T helper 2). Inflammatory bowel disease–associated microbiota, such as Blautia, Helicobacter, and Ruminococcus, were changed in DSS-induced colitis after periodontitis salivary microbiota gavage. Periodontitis salivary microbiota decreased unsaturated fatty acid levels and increased arachidonic acid metabolism in DSS-induced colitis, which was positively correlated with Aerococcus and Ruminococcus, suggesting the key role of these metabolic events and microbes in the exacerbating effect of periodontitis salivary microbiota on experimental colitis. Our study demonstrated that periodontitis contributes to the pathogenesis of colitis through the swallowing of salivary microbiota, confirming the role of periodontitis in systemic disease and providing new insights into the etiology of gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases.
Effects of Varying Levels of Data Use to Intensify a Multisyllabic Word Reading Intervention for Upper Elementary Students With or at Risk for Reading Disabilities
Authors: Filderman Marissa J. , Toste Jessica R.
Published: November 2021

For students who show inadequate response to research-based intervention, intensification of intervention using data-based decision making (DBDM) is recommended. There is a paucity of research on upper elementary students related to the efficacy of (a) word reading interventions and (b) DBDM procedures. This randomized controlled trial examined the differential effects of data use at two timepoints to intensify a multisyllabic word reading intervention for Grades 4 and 5 students with or at risk for reading disabilities (RD). Eighty-eight students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: initial customization of the intervention (IC-only), initial customization with DBDM (IC + DBDM), or a business-as-usual comparison condition. Results indicated that (a) students in both treatment conditions outperformed the comparison condition on multisyllabic word reading and (b) students in the IC + DBDM condition also outperformed comparison students on decoding. Implications, including the use of DBDM in addition to IC-only as well as methods for decision-making within a small-group context, are discussed.
The ‘Olympic Hurdles’ of Obtaining Federal Benefits for Inmates with Disabilities: A Study of Two Massachusetts County Jails
Authors: Sajadi Shahrzad
Published: November 2021

Sixty-four percent of US jail inmates are reported to suffer from mental health issues, compared to just 18.9% of the general population. This disparity becomes greater when considering a broader definition of disability, and individuals with disabilities are overrepresented in correctional facilities. They are often left without the ability to find employment at reentry, with Supplementary Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) providing pathways to housing and improved living conditions. However, complicated application procedures often result in the formerly jailed returning to prior lifestyles and rearrests. This study explores SSI/SSDI systems at two Massachusetts county jails.
It Is My Turn Now: How and Why ‘Single’ Women Complain about Non-Reciprocal Gift-Giving
Authors: Kravel-Tovi Michal , Lahad Kinneret
Published: November 2021

This article employs the prism of gift-exchange to analyse the marginalised status of singles within social relations. We trace an emerging critique voiced by single women, who challenge the unilateral etiquette of gifting marital and family-making celebrations. While dominant social norms normalise gift-giving at weddings and subsequent family-related occasions, there are no commensurable opportunities for singles to receive back their accumulative investments in the life events of others. Drawing on various online sources, we explore the discursive articulations through which single women highlight the unfairness that underpins their position as constant givers. We show how single women manage the social risks that such public complaints entail, and how they claim to be worthy receivers themselves. This article offers singlehood as a valuable case study for engaging with broader questions concerning reciprocity – specifically, what happens when reciprocal gifting is not an established norm within ostensibly reciprocal social relations.
Petrous Bone Cholesteatoma: Facial and Hearing Preservation
Authors: Pace Annalisa , Visconti Irene Claudia , Iannella Giannicola , Milani Alessandro , Rossetti Valeria , Cocuzza Salvatore , Maniaci Antonino , Messineo Daniela , Magliulo Giuseppe
Published: November 2021

Objectives: Petrous bone cholesteatoma (PBC) is a rare condition of the petrous portion of the temporal bone. Treatment of choice consists of radical surgical removal, paying attention to protect the facial nerve and inner ear as far as possible. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of modified translabyrinthine techniques in preserving hearing function and the use of the adjuvant endoscopic techniques in a group of PBC patients. Methods: This study comprised 16 cases of PBCs surgically treated in our Department. Pre- and post-operative hearing status was assessed with pure tone audiometry and speech discrimination and graded according to the Gardner- Robertson classification system. Facial function was based on the House Brackman (HB) classification. PBCs were grouped using Sanna’s classification. The choice of surgical technique was based on the above findings together with preoperative evidence. Post-operative follow-up ranged from 1 to 10 years and also included Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging assessment. Results: PBCs were classified as follows: 37.5% infralabyrinthine; 43.75% supralabyrinthine; and 18.75% massive. Preservation of the bone conduction threshold was feasible in 62.5% of patients. For supralabyrinthine PBCs a subtotal petrosetomy was performed in all cases and hearing preservation was possible in 57% of them: an adjuvant endoscopic approach was performed in 43%. Infralabyrinthine PBCs were treated using a modified translabyrinthine approach with preservation of bone conduction in 83% of patients; an adjuvant endoscopic approach was performed in 50% cases. One patient with a massive cholesteatoma was treated by modified translabyrinthine approach, preserving a serviceable level of hearing. In all massive cases, an adjuvant endoscopic approach was performed. In 2 patients with preoperative palsy, facial nerve function showed an improvement. The follow-up period revealed evidence of limited recurrence at CT imaging in 2 patients. Conclusions: The introduction of modified surgical approaches, able to preserve the anatomical-functional structures, have shown an improvement of post-operative hearing outcomes.
Examining the Relationships Between Fear of Coronavirus, State Anxiety, and Relationship Happiness Among Married Turkish Individuals During COVID-19
Authors: Dilmaç Bülent , Karababa Ali , Seki Tolga , Şimşir Zeynep , Kurnaz M. Furkan
Published: November 2021

The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of state anxiety in the relationship between the fear of COVID-19 and relationship happiness among married individuals. An additional aim of the study also tested the moderating role of joint family activities between state anxiety and relationship happiness. The study sample consisted of 1713 married individuals (1031 women and 682 men). The study findings showed both the significant direct associations among the studied variables and the mediating role of state anxiety in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and relationship happiness. It also found that the path of state anxiety to relationship happiness among married individuals having family activities was significantly lower than those who did not. Directions for future research and application were discussed.
Intraperitoneal exposure of iron oxide nanoparticles causes dose-dependent toxicity in Wistar rats
Authors: Verma Gajraj S , Nirmal Naresh K , Gunpal Deepika , Gupta Hemant , Yadav Monika , Kumar Navneet , John Placheril J
Published: November 2021

Nanoparticles of iron oxide, with diameters beteween 1 to 100 nm, have notable implications for human health and well being. In the current study, we have investigated the effects of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONP) exposure on general physiology and health of adult Wistar rats. IONP used in the study had spherical shape and average size in the range of 15–20 nm. A total of eight groups of rats were repeatedly injected with 0 (control), 20, 40, and 80 mg IONP per kg body weight intraperitoneally under two different exposure schemes (sub-acute and sub-chronic). IONP exposure caused significant changes in lungs, liver, and kidney indices in both exposure schemes. Sub-acute exposure did not affect body weight gain in treated rats, but longer duration exposure was responsible for significant reduction in body weight. Mesenteries, visceral fatty tissues, and visceral peritoneal membranes demonstrated apparent accumulations of IONP in a dose and time-dependent manner. Hematological analysis showed that total RBC count, hemoglobin content, hematocrit, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and mean platelet volume (MPV) were not affected by IONP exposure. Total lymphocyte count, however, was elevated in low- and mid-dose treated rats, but not in high-dose group. Serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) increased significantly in rats treated with mid and high doses as compared to control. Serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels were also significantly altered in treated rats. Histological study found significant hepatic damage and mild spleen toxicity. Our report suggests that IONP exhibit significant toxicity in rats.
Modular sovereignty and infrastructural power: The elusive materiality of international statebuilding
Authors: Bakonyi Jutta
Published: November 2021

This article uses the example of the Mogadishu International Airport zone and takes a spatio-temporal lens to explore how (sovereign) power unfolds in international interventions that aim at building a sovereign state. I show that the Mogadishu International Airport zone emerges as an elastic frontier zone that contradicts the sovereign imaginary intervenors aim to project and undermines many of the taken-for-granted boundaries that states tend to produce. The Mogadishu International Airport and similar zones emphasize the centrality of logistics and circulation in interventions, but also point towards their temporal and liminal character. Modularity became the material answer to the demand to secure circulation while adapting to the rapid rhythm and short timeframes of statebuilding. Modular designs enable the constant adaptation of the intervention terrain, allow intervenors to deny their power and imprint and facilitate the commercialization of supply chains and intervention materials. Sovereign power that operates through such zones becomes modular itself. It is exercised as an adaptable, in parts exchangeable, and highly mobile form of power that operates through crises and emergencies. The spaces and materials created by modular forms of sovereign power remain elusive, but nonetheless stratify experiences of power and security.
Investigation on mechanical properties of hybrid aluminum/composite tubes manufactured by filament winding and hand lay-up
Authors: Yadegari Hani , Taherian Reza , Dariushi Soheil
Published: November 2021

Nowadays, composite tubes have a wide range of applications in industries. Composite tubes are appropriate alternatives for metal energy absorbers. In this investigation, aluminum-composite tubes are made using Filament Winding (FW) and hand lay-up methods. Carbon Fiber (CF) and Glass Fiber (GF) are used in the FW method, and for the hand lay-up method, glass cloth is used. Five samples were fabricated with different stacking sequences, specimens with one, two, and three glass layers, one carbon layer, and hybrid carbon/glass layers. Characterization is performed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis and mechanical tests (bending, compressive, and fatigue). The maximum bending force in the triple-layer GF tube is higher than other samples, while the maximum compressive force is observed in the hybrid carbon and GF tube. On the other hand, the fatigue strength of single-layer CF tubes is higher than single-layer GF tubes, so that the fracture cycles of single-layer CF tubes (600597) is significantly more than that of single-layer GF tubes (470068) at the force of 35  N. In addition, the compressive and bending energies absorption of samples were calculated. The hybrid carbon and GF tube absorbed higher energy than other samples. In GF and CF hybrid tubes, failure did not occur suddenly but gradually. This appropriate failure mechanism in the hybrid tube resulted in higher energy absorption and made it a suitable choice for industrial applications.