bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gram-negative bacteria resist antimicrobial agents by a DzrR-mediated envelope stress response
Authors: Liang Zhibin , Lin Qiqi , Wang Qingwei , Huang Luhao , Liu Huidi , Shi Zurong , Cui Zining , Zhou Xiaofan , Gao Yong-Gui , Zhou Jianuan , Zhang Lian-Hui , Deng Yizhen
Published: March 2023

Background

Envelope stress responses (ESRs) are critical for adaptive resistance of Gram-negative bacteria to envelope-targeting antimicrobial agents. However, ESRs are poorly defined in a large number of well-known plant and human pathogens.Dickeya oryzaecan withstand a high level of self-produced envelope-targeting antimicrobial agents zeamines through a zeamine-stimulated RND efflux pump DesABC. Here, we unraveled the mechanism ofD.oryzaeresponse to zeamines and determined the distribution and function of this novel ESR in a variety of important plant and human pathogens.

Results

In this study, we documented that a two-component system regulator DzrR ofD. oryzaeEC1 mediates ESR in the presence of envelope-targeting antimicrobial agents. DzrR was found modulating bacterial response and resistance to zeamines through inducing the expression of RND efflux pump DesABC, which is likely independent on DzrR phosphorylation. In addition, DzrR could also mediate bacterial responses to structurally divergent envelope-targeting antimicrobial agents, including chlorhexidine and chlorpromazine. Significantly, the DzrR-mediated response was independent on the five canonical ESRs. We further presented evidence that the DzrR-mediated response is conserved in the bacterial species ofDickeya,Ralstonia, andBurkholderia, showing that a distantly located DzrR homolog is the previously undetermined regulator of RND-8 efflux pump for chlorhexidine resistance inB. cenocepacia.

Conclusions

Taken together, the findings from this study depict a new widely distributed Gram-negative ESR mechanism and present a valid target and useful clues to combat antimicrobial resistance.
Ethnic minority representation in UK COVID-19 trials: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Murali Mayur , Gumber Leher , Jethwa Hannah , Ganesh Divolka , Hartmann-Boyce Jamie , Sood Harpreet , Zaccardi Francesco , Khunti Kamlesh
Published: March 2023

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted health disparities affecting ethnic minority communities. There is growing concern about the lack of diversity in clinical trials. This study aimed to assess the representation of ethnic groups in UK-based COVID-19 randomised controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods

A systematic review and meta-analysis were undertaken. A search strategy was developed for MEDLINE (Ovid) and Google Scholar (1st January 2020–4th May 2022). Prospective COVID-19 RCTs for vaccines or therapeutics that reported UK data separately with a minimum of 50 participants were eligible. Search results were independently screened, and data extracted into proforma. Percentage of ethnic groups at all trial stages was mapped against Office of National Statistics (ONS) statistics. Post hoc DerSimonian-Laird random-effects meta-analysis of percentages and a meta-regression assessing recruitment over time were conducted. Due to the nature of the review question, risk of bias was not assessed. Data analysis was conducted in Stata v17.0. A protocol was registered (PROSPERO CRD42021244185).

Results

In total, 5319 articles were identified; 30 studies were included, with 118,912 participants. Enrolment to trials was the only stage consistently reported (17 trials). Meta-analysis showed significant heterogeneity across studies, in relation to census-expected proportions at study enrolment. All ethnic groups, apart from Other (1.7% [95% CI 1.1–2.8%] vs ONS 1%) were represented to a lesser extent than ONS statistics, most marked in Black (1% [0.6–1.5%] vs 3.3%) and Asian (5.8% [4.4–7.6%] vs 7.5%) groups, but also apparent in White (84.8% [81.6–87.5%] vs 86%) and Mixed 1.6% [1.2–2.1%] vs 2.2%) groups. Meta-regression showed recruitment of Black participants increased over time (p = 0.009).

Conclusions

Asian, Black and Mixed ethnic groups are under-represented or incorrectly classified in UK COVID-19 RCTs. Reporting by ethnicity lacks consistency and transparency. Under-representation in clinical trials occurs at multiple levels and requires complex solutions, which should be considered throughout trial conduct. These findings may not apply outside of the UK setting.
The normality assumption on between-study random effects was questionable in a considerable number of Cochrane meta-analyses
Authors: Liu Ziyu , Al Amer Fahad M. , Xiao Mengli , Xu Chang , Furuya-Kanamori Luis , Hong Hwanhee , Siegel Lianne , Lin Lifeng
Published: March 2023

Background

Studies included in a meta-analysis are often heterogeneous. The traditional random-effects models assume their true effects to follow a normal distribution, while it is unclear if this critical assumption is practical. Violations of this between-study normality assumption could lead to problematic meta-analytical conclusions. We aimed to empirically examine if this assumption is valid in published meta-analyses.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, we collected meta-analyses available in the Cochrane Library with at least 10 studies and with between-study variance estimates > 0. For each extracted meta-analysis, we performed the Shapiro–Wilk (SW) test to quantitatively assess the between-study normality assumption. For binary outcomes, we assessed between-study normality for odds ratios (ORs), relative risks (RRs), and risk differences (RDs). Subgroup analyses based on sample sizes and event rates were used to rule out the potential confounders. In addition, we obtained the quantile–quantile (Q–Q) plot of study-specific standardized residuals for visually assessing between-study normality.

Results

Based on 4234 eligible meta-analyses with binary outcomes and 3433 with non-binary outcomes, the proportion of meta-analyses that had statistically significant non-normality varied from 15.1 to 26.2%. RDs and non-binary outcomes led to more frequent non-normality issues than ORs and RRs. For binary outcomes, the between-study non-normality was more frequently found in meta-analyses with larger sample sizes and event rates away from 0 and 100%. The agreements of assessing the normality between two independent researchers based on Q–Q plots were fair or moderate.

Conclusions

The between-study normality assumption is commonly violated in Cochrane meta-analyses. This assumption should be routinely assessed when performing a meta-analysis. When it may not hold, alternative meta-analysis methods that do not make this assumption should be considered.
Association of the American Heart Association’s new “Life’s Essential 8” with all-cause and cardiovascular disease-specific mortality: prospective cohort study
Authors: Sun Jiahong , Li Yanzhi , Zhao Min , Yu Xiao , Zhang Cheng , Magnussen Costan G. , Xi Bo
Published: March 2023

Background

The American Heart Association recently updated its construct of what constitutes cardiovascular health (CVH), called Life’s Essential 8. We examined the association of total and individual CVH metrics according to Life’s Essential 8 with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-specific mortality later in  life.

Methods

Data were from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2018 at baseline linked to the 2019 National Death Index records. Total and individual CVH metric scores including diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep health, body mass index, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure were classified as 0–49 (low level), 50–74 (intermediate level), and 75–100 (high level) points. The total CVH metric score (the average of the 8 metrics) as a continuous variable was also used for dose–response analysis. The main outcomes included all-cause and CVD-specific mortality.

Results

A total of 19,951 US adults aged 30–79 years were included in this study. Only 19.5% of adults achieved a high total CVH score, whereas 24.1% had a low score. During a median follow-up of 7.6 years, compared with adults with a low total CVH score, those with an intermediate or high total CVH score had 40% (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.51–0.71) and 58% (adjusted HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.32–0.56) reduced risk of all-cause mortality. The corresponding adjusted HRs (95%CIs) were 0.62 (0.46–0.83) and 0.36 (0.21–0.59) for CVD-specific mortality. The population-attributable fractions for high (score ≥ 75 points) vs. low or intermediate (score < 75 points) CVH scores were 33.4% for all-cause mortality and 42.9% for CVD-specific mortality. Among all 8 individual CVH metrics, physical activity, nicotine exposure, and diet accounted for a large proportion of the population-attributable risks for all-cause mortality, whereas physical activity, blood pressure, and blood glucose accounted for a large proportion of CVD-specific mortality. There were approximately linear dose–response associations of total CVH score (as a continuous variable) with all-cause and CVD-specific mortality.

Conclusions

Achieving a higher CVH score according to the new Life’s Essential 8 was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause and CVD-specific mortality. Public health and healthcare efforts targeting the promotion of higher CVH scores could provide considerable benefits to reduce the mortality burden later in life.
Total portal vein replacement with peritoneal interposition graft during Whipple’s procedure for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a technical report
Authors: Marino Rebecca , Tudisco Antonella , Ratti Francesca , Pedica Federica , Aldrighetti Luca
Published: March 2023

Background

Aggressive surgical resection in locally advanced hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) malignancies is frequently advocated as the only potentially curative treatment. In recent years, advances in chemotherapy regimens and surgical techniques have led to improved oncologic outcomes and overall survival, by increasing the rates of radical (R0) resections. Vascular resections are increasingly reported to further increase disease clearance rates. Within this perspective, the issue of vascular reconstruction has raised growing interest, drawing particular attention to vascular substitutes and surgical techniques for reconstruction.

Case presentation

A case of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with high clinical suspicion of vascular infiltration of the portal trunk at preoperative assessment is reported. An autologous interposition graft, harvested from diaphragmatic peritoneum, was chosen as a vascular substitute leading to successful portal trunk reconstruction and overcoming all possible drawbacks associated with cadaveric and artificial grafts reconstructions.

Conclusion

This solution was strategic to ensure complete oncologic clearance averting the risk of positive margins (R1) at final pathology.
Behavioral phenotype, intestinal microbiome, and brain neuronal activity of male serotonin transporter knockout mice
Authors: Shoji Hirotaka , Ikeda Kazutaka , Miyakawa Tsuyoshi
Published: March 2023

The serotonin transporter (5-HTT) plays a critical role in the regulation of serotonin neurotransmission. Mice genetically deficient in 5-HTT expression have been used to study the physiological functions of 5-HTT in the brain and have been proposed as a potential animal model for neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Recent studies have provided evidence for a link between the gut-brain axis and mood disorders. However, the effects of 5-HTT deficiency on gut microbiota, brain function, and behavior remain to be fully characterized. Here we investigated the effects of 5-HTT deficiency on different types of behavior, the gut microbiome, and brain c-Fos expression as a marker of neuronal activation in response to the forced swim test for assessing depression-related behavior in male 5-HTT knockout mice. Behavioral analysis using a battery of 16 different tests showed that 5-HTT−/− mice exhibited markedly reduced locomotor activity, decreased pain sensitivity, reduced motor function, increased anxiety-like and depression-related behavior, altered social behavior in novel and familiar environments, normal working memory, enhanced spatial reference memory, and impaired fear memory compared to 5-HTT+/+ mice. 5-HTT+/− mice showed slightly reduced locomotor activity and impaired social behavior compared to 5-HTT+/+ mice. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene amplicons showed that 5-HTT−/− mice had altered gut microbiota abundances, such as a decrease in Allobaculum, Bifidobacterium, Clostridium sensu stricto, and Turicibacter, compared to 5-HTT+/+ mice. This study also showed that after exposure to the forced swim test, the number of c-Fos-positive cells was higher in the paraventricular thalamus and lateral hypothalamus and was lower in the prefrontal cortical regions, nucleus accumbens shell, dorsolateral septal nucleus, hippocampal regions, and ventromedial hypothalamus in 5-HTT−/− mice than in 5-HTT+/+ mice. These phenotypes of 5-HTT−/− mice partially recapitulate clinical observations in humans with major depressive disorder. The present findings indicate that 5-HTT-deficient mice serve as a good and valid animal model to study anxiety and depression with altered gut microbial composition and abnormal neuronal activity in the brain, highlighting the importance of 5-HTT in brain function and the mechanisms underlying the regulation of anxiety and depression.
Reduced burden of antibiotic prescription in an italian pediatric primary care clinic during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic: a shot in the arm for antimicrobial resistance?
Authors: Monzani Alice , Minelli Giulia , Rabbone Ivana
Published: March 2023

Rates of antibiotic-resistant bacteria have increased worldwide over recent years, but the Italian Institute of Health reported a disruption to this trend in 2021 compared with 2020. Children are often recipients of unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions, especially for respiratory tract infections (RTIs). During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, common RTIs substantially decreased, so it is conceivable that antibiotic prescriptions also reduced during this time. To test this hypothesis, we retrospectively collected data on all visits to a pediatric primary care clinic in Northern Italy from February 20, 2020 to June 2, 2020 and compared data with the same period in 2019. We evaluated the antibiotic prescription rate according to the diagnosis at discharge. While the total number of visits significantly decreased (1335 in 2020 vs. 4899 in 2019), there was only a slight reduction in the antibiotic prescription rate (1039 in 2019, 21.2%, vs. 272 in 2020, 20.4%). However, this corresponded to a 73.8% decrease in the total number of antibiotic prescriptions, with antibiotics for RTI accounting for 69% of the total reduction. It is possible that, at the larger scale, reduced antibiotic prescription in pediatrics during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a slight reduction in antimicrobial resistance.
Hearing loss: an unusual presentation of neurobrucellosis: a case report
Authors: Sah Prem Kumar , Lamichhane Hari Krishna , Tariq Ezza Fatima , Saroj K. C. , Adhikari Prabhat
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease, caused by a Gram-negative coccobacillus of Brucella genus, transmitted to humans by animals, especially cattle. It rarely involves the nervous system (neurobrucellosis); only a few cases present with hearing loss. We report a case of neurobrucellosis, that presented with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and mild to moderate persistent headache. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first well-documented case from Nepal.

Case presentation

The patient was a 40-year-old Asian male shepherd from the western mountainous region of Nepal who came to the emergency department of Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara in May, 2018 and did a follow-up for 6 months. He presented with high-grade fever, profuse sweating, headache, myalgia, and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. His history of consuming raw milk of cattle, symptoms including persistent mild to moderate headache, bilateral hearing loss, and serological findings were suggestive of neurobrucellosis. Following treatment, the symptoms improved, including the complete recovery of hearing loss.

Conclusion

Hearing loss may be the manifestation of neurobrucellosis. Physicians should know about such presentations in brucella endemic areas.
Idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury related to use of novel selective androgen receptor modulator RAD140 (Testalone): a case report
Authors: Ladna Michael , Taylor Kellee , Bhat Adnan , Dideban Bahram
Published: March 2023

Background

RAD140 (Testalone) is a novel selective androgen receptor modulator with very limited data currently available on adverse effects related to this compound. The first-in-human phase 1 trial was recently published and did report a significant proportion of elevated aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, and total bilirubin among the test subjects. RAD140 may be associated with an idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury. It is easily purchased online as a workout supplement. Given its ease of use from being an oral formulation, and not requiring a physician’s prescription, its use among the young male population will likely rise. Clinicians should ask about the use of RAD140, and other workout supplements, in young men presenting with acute liver injury.

Case presentation

We present the case of a 26-year-old Caucasian male without any significant past medical history who presented with nausea, vomiting, severe right upper quadrant abdominal pain, and jaundice from acute liver injury. Extensive inpatient workup did not reveal a definite cause for his liver injury other than the use of a novel selective androgen receptor modulator called RAD140 (Testalone). He was treated with supportive care and discharged after short hospitalization. He was instructed to stop RAD140, which he reported compliance with, and on 2-month follow-up his liver function panel had normalized without recurrence of any symptoms.

Conclusion

Novel selective androgen receptor modulators such as RAD140 may be associated with idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury. Workup of new liver injury in young and middle-aged males should involve asking about use of these novel compounds, for if missed and use continues, it can likely lead to fulminant liver failure or decompensated liver cirrhosis.
MiR-21-5p regulates the dynamic of mitochondria network and rejuvenates the senile phenotype of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) isolated from osteoporotic SAM/P6 mice
Authors: Sikora Mateusz , Śmieszek Agnieszka , Pielok Ariadna , Marycz Krzysztof
Published: March 2023

Background

Progression of senile osteoporosis is associated with deteriorated regenerative potential of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (BMSCs). According to the recent results, the senescent phenotype of osteoporotic cells strongly correlates with impaired regulation of mitochondria dynamics. Moreover, due to the ageing of population and growing osteoporosis incidence, more efficient methods concerning BMSCs rejuvenation are intensely investigated. Recently, miR-21-5p was reported to play a vital role in bone turnover, but its therapeutic mechanisms in progenitor cells delivered from senile osteoporotic patients remain unclear. Therefore, the goal of this paper was to investigate for the first time the regenerative potential of miR-21-5p in the process of mitochondrial network regulation and stemness restoration using the unique model of BMSCs isolated from senile osteoporotic SAM/P6 mice model.

Methods

BMSCs were isolated from healthy BALB/c and osteoporotic SAM/P6 mice. We analysed the impact of miR-21-5p on the expression of crucial markers related to cells’ viability, mitochondria reconstruction and autophagy progression. Further, we established the expression of markers vital for bone homeostasis, as well as defined the composition of extracellular matrix in osteogenic cultures. The regenerative potential of miR-21 in vivo was also investigated using a critical-size cranial defect model by computed microtomography and SEM–EDX imaging.

Results

MiR-21 upregulation improved cells’ viability and drove mitochondria dynamics in osteoporotic BMSCs evidenced by the intensification of fission processes. Simultaneously, miR-21 enhanced the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs evidenced by increased expression of Runx-2 but downregulated Trap, as well as improved calcification of extracellular matrix. Importantly, the analyses using the critical-size cranial defect model indicated on a greater ratio of newly formed tissue after miR-21 application, as well as upregulated content of calcium and phosphorus within the defect site.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that miR-21-5p regulates the fission and fusion processes of mitochondria and facilitates the stemness restoration of senile osteoporotic BMSCs. At the same time, it enhances the expression of RUNX-2, while reduces TRAP accumulation in the cells with deteriorated phenotype. Therefore, miR-21-5p may bring a novel molecular strategy for senile osteoporosis diagnostics and treatment.
Effects of landscape attributes and climate variables on catchment hydrology
Authors: Bati Hirpo Gudeta , Agumassie Tena Alamirew , Tegaye Tenalem Ayenew , Belete Mulugeta Dadi
Published: March 2023

Catchments characteristics, such as geomorphology, geology, soil, land use, and climatic variables, play an important role in total stream flow responses, a critical resource for people and the environment. Most of the previous literatures were applied a conventional statistical regression model to assess the relationship between landscape-climate descriptors, and streamflow and PET. However, a conventional statistical regression model didn’t consider dependence of explanatory variables that were collected or extracted across both space and time. This paper investigated the impacts of landscape attributes and climate variables on catchment scale temporal variation of total streamflow and spatio-temporal variation of potential evapotranspiration (PET) in the Mille catchment using multiple linear regression techniques, and the importance of this study was to test spatial autocorrelation in the spatial regression model which is required to properly assess and quantify the relationship between hydrological regime response components and Landscape-climate descriptors in a catchment with topographically complex, and high spatio-temporal climatic variation like in our case study area, the Mille catchment. Statistical regression analysis revealed significant relationships between streamflow and climate variables, especially with rainfall. Mean maximum temperature is the most dominant factor controlling temporal variation of potential evapotranspiration at a monthly scale, whereas NDVI is the most significant factor that controls the spatial variability of PET. The multiple regression model shows that 91.1% of temporal variation in streamflow was accounted for rainfall, whereas, 96.6% and 78.4% of temporal and spatial variation in potential evapotranspiration was accounted for in maximum temperature and NDVI, respectively. Methods also can be applied to catchments with similar landscape attributes and climate variables.
Moral, self-interested, and social motivation each predict compliance with social distancing rules: utilitarianism is an indirect positive predictor
Authors: Cohen Daniel B. , Saling Lauren L. , Lee Eunro , Zagura Anabella
Published: March 2023

Background

Social distancing rules have proven to be essential in reducing the spread of COVID-19. However, we can optimise these rules if we identify factors which predict compliance. Thus, in this study we investigated whether compliance with distancing rules is predicted by whether an individual is motivated by moral, self-interested, or social reasons. We also investigated the impact of an individual’s utilitarian orientation both on compliance itself and on reasons for compliance.

Methods

Our sample consisted of 301 participants recruited from four US states – California, Oregon, Mississippi, and Alabama – who completed an anonymous online survey. Six vignettes describing hypothetical social distancing rules were developed for the study. Participants indicated (i) how likely they were to violate each hypothetical distancing rule, (ii) how morally wrong violating each rule would be, (iii) how much risk of contracting COVID-19 they would tolerate in order to violate each rule, and (iv) how much social condemnation they would tolerate in order to violate each rule. Based on these responses, we gauged each participant’s overall degree of compliance with social distancing rules as well as the extent to which each participant’s compliance is motivated by moral, self-interested, and social reasons. We also measured other variables that could affect compliance including personality, level of religiosity, and inclination to engage in utilitarian reasoning. Multiple regression and exploratory structural equation modelling were used to determine predictors of compliance with social distancing rules.

Results

We found that moral, self-interested, and social motivation each positively predicted compliance, with self-interested motivation being the strongest predictor. Furthermore, utilitarian orientation indirectly predicted compliance, with moral, self-interested, and social motivation as positive mediating factors. No controlled covariates (personality factors, religiosity, political orientation, or other background variables) predicted compliance.

Conclusion

These findings have implications not only for the design of social distancing rules but also for efforts to ensure vaccine uptake. Governments need to consider how to harness moral, self-interested, and social motivation to promote compliance, perhaps by co-opting utilitarian reasoning, which positively influences these motivational forces.
Effects of classroom and school climate on language minority students’ PISA mathematics self-concept and achievement scores
Authors: Ramazan Onur , Danielson Robert William , Rougee Annick , Ardasheva Yuliya , Austin Bruce W.
Published: March 2023

Grounded in ecological theory, this study investigated relative contributions of perceived classroom and school climate variables to mathematics self-concept and achievement of English-at-home and English learner (EL) students using PISA 2012 data for American middle-grade students. For both outcomes, results of 3-step hierarchical linear regression models for the combined sample closely mirror those of English-at-home students and mask the unique characteristic of ELs. For self-concept, six (classroom management, cognitive activation, disciplinary climate, teacher support, sense of belonging, and teacher student relations) out of seven predictors were statistically significant and positive predictors for English-at-home students (teacher supportbeing the strongest); only two predictors (disciplinary climate,andteacher student relations) were significant and positive for ELs. Similarly, group discrepancies were found for mathematics achievement. Five variables (classroom management, teacher support, disciplinary climate, sense of belonging to school, and teacher student relations),were significant predictors of English-at-home students. Yet, only three variables (classroom management, disciplinary climate,andteacher support) significantly predicted achievement of ELs. Classroom climate was consistently an important predictor across outcomes and student populations and was the strongest contributor for ELs. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Spleen regeneration after subcutaneous heterotopic autotransplantation in a mouse model
Authors: Elchaninov Andrey , Vishnyakova Polina , Lokhonina Anastasiya , Kiseleva Viktoria , Menyailo Egor , Antonova Maria , Mamedov Aiaz , Arutyunyan Irina , Bolshakova Galina , Goldshtein Dmitry , Bao Xuhui , Fatkhudinov Timur , Sukhikh Gennady
Published: March 2023

Background

Splenectomy may lead to severe postoperative complications, including sepsis and cancers. A possible solution to this problem is heterotopic autotransplantation of the spleen. Splenic autografts rapidly restore the regular splenic microanatomy in model animals. However, the functional competence of such regenerated autografts in terms of lympho- and hematopoietic capacity remains uncertain. Therefore, this study aimed to monitor the dynamics of B and T lymphocyte populations, the monocyte-macrophage system, and megakaryocytopoiesis in murine splenic autografts.

Methods

The model of subcutaneous splenic engraftment was implemented in C57Bl male mice. Cell sources of functional recovery were studied using heterotopic transplantations from B10-GFP donors to C57Bl recipients. The cellular composition dynamics were studied by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Expression of regulatory genes at mRNA and protein levels was assessed by real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively.

Results

Characteristic splenic architecture is restored within 30 days post-transplantation, consistent with other studies. The monocyte-macrophage system, megakaryocytes, and B lymphocytes show the highest rates, whereas the functional recovery of T cells takes longer. Cross-strain splenic engraftments using B10-GFP donors indicate the recipient-derived cell sources of the recovery. Transplantations of scaffolds populated with splenic stromal cells or without them afforded no restoration of the characteristic splenic architecture.

Conclusions

Allogeneic subcutaneous transplantation of splenic fragments in a mouse model leads to their structural recovery within 30 days, with full reconstitution of the monocyte-macrophage, megakaryocyte and B lymphocyte populations. The circulating hematopoietic cells provide the likely source for the cell composition recovery.
Exploiting a targeted resistome sequencing approach in assessing antimicrobial resistance in retail foods
Authors: Shay Julie A. , Haniford Laura S. E. , Cooper Ashley , Carrillo Catherine D. , Blais Burton W. , Lau Calvin Ho-Fung
Published: March 2023

Background

With the escalating risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), there are limited analytical options available that can comprehensively assess the burden of AMR carried by clinical/environmental samples. Food can be a potential source of AMR bacteria for humans, but its significance in driving the clinical spread of AMR remains unclear, largely due to the lack of holistic-yet-sensitive tools for surveillance and evaluation. Metagenomics is a culture-independent approach well suited for uncovering genetic determinants of defined microbial traits, such as AMR, present within unknown bacterial communities. Despite its popularity, the conventional approach of non-selectively sequencing a sample’s metagenome (namely, shotgun-metagenomics) has several technical drawbacks that lead to uncertainty about its effectiveness for AMR assessment; for instance, the low discovery rate of resistance-associated genes due to their naturally small genomic footprint within the vast metagenome. Here, we describe the development of a targeted resistome sequencing method and demonstrate its application in the characterization of the AMR gene profile of bacteria associated with several retail foods.

Result

A targeted-metagenomic sequencing workflow using a customized bait-capture system targeting over 4,000 referenced AMR genes and 263 plasmid replicon sequences was validated against both mock and sample-derived bacterial community preparations. Compared to shotgun-metagenomics, the targeted method consistently provided for improved recovery of resistance gene targets with a much-improved target detection efficiency (> 300-fold). Targeted resistome analyses conducted on 36 retail-acquired food samples (fresh sprouts, n = 10; ground meat, n = 26) and their corresponding bacterial enrichment cultures (n = 36) reveals in-depth features regarding the identity and diversity of AMR genes, most of which were otherwise undetected by the whole-metagenome shotgun sequencing method. Furthermore, our findings suggest that foodborne Gammaproteobacteria could be the major reservoir of food-associated AMR genetic determinants, and that the resistome structure of the selected high-risk food commodities are, to a large extent, dictated by microbiome composition.

Conclusions

For metagenomic sequencing-based surveillance of AMR, the target-capture method presented herein represents a more sensitive and efficient approach to evaluate the resistome profile of complex food or environmental samples. This study also further implicates retail foods as carriers of diverse resistance-conferring genes indicating a potential impact on the dissemination of AMR.
Anxiety, sleep habits and executive function during the COVID-19 pandemic through parents’ perception: a longitudinal study
Authors: Navarro-Soria Ignasi , Costa-López Borja , Collado-Valero Joshua A. , de Mier Rocío Juárez-Ruiz , Lavigne-Cervan Rocío
Published: March 2023

The present study therefore aims to examine trait and state anxiety, sleep habits and executive functioning during 1 year and a half of the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents through the lens of parents. Assessments were conducted at three different times: April 2020 (T1), October 2020 (T2) and October 2021 (T3). The main sample included 953 children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years, and scales were used to assess anxiety (STAIC), sleep habits (BEARS) and executive functioning (BRIEF-2). The results showed that 6 months after the outbreak of the pandemic, state and trait anxiety, sleep disturbances and executive dysfunctions increased significantly. One and a half year later, trait anxiety and sleep disturbances have been maintained, while state anxiety and executive dysfunction have decreased their scores obtaining scores similar to those of April 2020. In conclusion, there has been a further decrease in children and adolescents’ mental health since the beginning of the pandemic, and it seems to remain at the present time, such as trait anxiety as a part of the personality.
The early clinical and laboratory predictors of GBS outcome: hospital-based study, Assiut University, Upper Egypt
Authors: Khedr Eman M. , Mohamed Mohamed Zayed , Shehab Mohamed Mostafa M.
Published: March 2023

Background

This study was designed to identify factors that influence outcomes in a large group of well-defined Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) patients with a 3-month follow-up period. Sixty-two cases of GBS with a mean age of 37.15 ± 17.60 years (33 males and 29 females) were recruited in the first 2 weeks after onset. Clinical history, examination, and a variety of rating scales including Medial Research Council sum score (MRC), Erasmus Guillain-Barré respiratory insufficiency score (EGRIS), at admission and 10 days later were performed. Follow-up investigations at 3 months included the Hughes Disability Scale (HDS), and Overall Neuropathy Limitation Scale (ONLS).

Results

64.5% of participants had cranial nerve deficits, 45% had neck muscle weakness, 30.6% had dysautonomia, and 8.1% were mechanically ventilated. C-reactive protein was elevated in 38.7%, and hyponatremia was recorded in 30.6% of patients. Older age, antecedent events particularly diarrhea, neck muscles weakness, low MRC sum score, impaired cough reflex, dysautonomia, and hyponatremia, were all significantly associated with poor outcomes at 3 months using HDS and ONLS. Regression analysis with dependent variables of HDS outcome showed that the presence of an antecedent event particularly diarrhea, neck muscle weakness, hyponatremia and the presence cytoalbuminous dissociation of CSF at onset, and low MRC sum score at 10th day after treatment, were predictors of poor outcome.

Conclusion

Clinical and laboratory predictors of poor outcome were older age, the presence of an antecedent event particularly diarrhea, low MRC sum score at the 10th day, elevated CRP, hyponatremia and the presence cytoalbuminous dissociation.
Defect detection of gear parts in virtual manufacturing
Authors: Xu Zhenxing , Wang Aizeng , Hou Fei , Zhao Gang
Published: March 2023

Gears play an important role in virtual manufacturing systems for digital twins; however, the image of gear tooth defects is difficult to acquire owing to its non-convex shape. In this study, a deep learning network is proposed to detect gear defects based on their point cloud representation. This approach mainly consists of three steps: (1) Various types of gear defects are classified into four cases (fracture, pitting, glue, and wear); A 3D gear dataset was constructed with 10000 instances following the aforementioned classification. (2) Gear-PCNet+ + introduces a novel Combinational Convolution Block, proposed based on the gear dataset for gear defect detection to effectively extract the local gear information and identify its complex topology; (3) Compared with other methods, experiments show that this method can achieve better recognition results for gear defects with higher efficiency and practicability.
Role of interventional radiology in upper abdominal cancer pain management
Authors: Ahmed Khaled A. , Mahmoud Amr , Mohammed Khalid A. , Ibrahim Bassem R.
Published: March 2023

Background

The major indication for celiac plexus block is abdominal pain that is nonresponsive to analgesic interventions; often these patients are nonresponsive to high-dose opioid therapies. One of the most common indications for the celiac plexus block is the treatment of abdominal pain associated with pancreatic cancer.

Aim of the work

The differences between two techniques (ultrasound and fluoroscopy guided) are highlighted in terms of effectiveness by means of a Visual Analog Scale (VAS), a percentage reduction in daily morphine consumption and any complications are recorded and evaluated at the time of implementation of each technique from start to finish.

Results

Through the data that have been recorded and statistically analyzed, we found that the mean values of VAS were decreased in the two groups, and there was statistically significant difference between ultrasound and fluoroscopy groups.

Conclusions

It is noticeable and good in conducting this research that there are no major complications that include a large space on the study sample, despite the presence of some minor with no significant differences between ultrasound and fluoroscopy groups. This effective celiac block, regardless of the technique used, produced immediate analgesics that permitted significant opioid decrease in the study sample with a significant improvement in the unwanted adverse effects on account of opioids.
Higher-order topological insulator in a spring-mass system
Authors: Zhang Chao , Mei Jun
Published: March 2023

Higher-order topological insulators (HOTIs) have attracted much attention in various fields in the recent years. In this work, we propose a two-dimensional (2D) square lattice spring-mass model, where restoring forces between nearest neighbors can be induced by either longitudinal or transverse vibrations. Edge states exist on the interface between topological nontrivial and trivial lattices, and two different types of corner states are identified. The proposed spring-mass model has plenty of degrees of freedoms (DOFs), including both longitudinal and transverse spring constants as well as the mass of each particle. It turns out that edge and corner states with flexible spatial distributions can be realized by slightly tuning the elastic and inertial parameters. A lot of interesting topological patterns such as edge states along 4, 2, or only 1 edge, and second-order corner states around 4, 2, or 1 corner are unambiguously demonstrated. Our work provides an easy-to-tune platform to realize HOTIs, which is useful when multipole bulk polarizations or negative couplings are absent or difficult to realize. Classical spring-mass models governed by Newton's laws also have the advantage of superior controllability and feasible experimental implementability.
Delay in Surgery and Papillary Thyroid Cancer Survival in the United States: A SEER-Medicare Analysis
Authors: Chaves Natalia , Broekhuis Jordan M , Fligor Scott C , Collins Reagan A , Modest Anna M , Kaul Sumedh , James Benjamin C
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Delays in surgery and their impact on survival in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is unclear. We sought to investigate the association between time to surgery and survival in patients with PTC.

Methods

A total of 8170 Medicare beneficiaries with PTC who underwent thyroidectomy were identified within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked data files between 1999 and 2018. Disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using Kaplan-Meir analysis, and Cox proportional hazards models were specified to estimate the association between time to surgery and survival.

Results

Among 8170 patients with PTC, mean age 69.3 (SD+/− 11.4), 89.8% had surgery within the first 90 days, 7.8% had surgery 91 to 180 days from diagnosis, and 2.4% had surgery after 180 days. Increasing time to surgery was associated with increased mortality for OS in the >180-day group [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.24; 95% CI, 1.01-1.53]. Moreover, on stratification by summary stage, those with localized disease in the 91- to 180-day group increased risk by 25% (aHR 1.25; 95%CI, 1.05-1.51), and delaying over 180 days increased risk by 61% (aHR 1.61; 95%CI, 1.19-2.18) in OS. Those with localized disease in the >180-day group had almost 4 times the estimated rate of DSS mortality (aHR3.51; 95%CI, 1.68-7.32). When stratified by T stage, those with T2 disease in the >180 days group had double the estimated rate of all-cause mortality (aHR 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.3) and almost triple the estimated rate of disease-specific mortality (aHR 2.7; 95% CI, 1.05-6.8).

Conclusions

Delays in surgery for PTC may impact OS and DSS in localized disease, prior to nodal metastasis.
Disparities in the Glycemic and Incretin Responses to Intraduodenal Glucose Infusion Between Healthy Young Men and Women
Authors: Xie Cong , Huang Weikun , Sun Yixuan , Xiang Chunjie , Trahair Laurence , Jones Karen L , Horowitz Michael , Rayner Christopher K , Wu Tongzhi
Published: March 2023

Context

Premenopausal women are at a lower risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared to men, but the underlying mechanism(s) remain elusive. The secretion of the incretin hormones, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), from the small intestine is a major determinant of glucose homeostasis and may be influenced by sex.

Objectives

This study compared blood glucose and plasma insulin and incretin responses to intraduodenal glucose infusions in healthy young males and females.

Design

In Study 1, 9 women and 20 men received an intraduodenal glucose infusion at 2 kcal/min for 60 minutes. In Study 2, 10 women and 26 men received an intraduodenal glucose at 3 kcal/min for 60 minutes. Venous blood was sampled every 15 minutes for measurements of blood glucose and plasma insulin, GLP-1 and GIP.

Results

In response to intraduodenal glucose at 2 kcal/min, the incremental area under the curve between t = 0-60 minutes (iAUC0-60min) for blood glucose and plasma GIP did not differ between the 2 groups. However, iAUC0-60min for plasma GLP-1 (P = 0.016) and insulin (P = 0.011) were ∼2-fold higher in women than men. In response to intraduodenal glucose at 3 kcal/min, iAUC0-60min for blood glucose, plasma GIP, and insulin did not differ between women and men, but GLP-1 iAUC0-60min was 2.5-fold higher in women (P = 0.012).

Conclusion

Healthy young women exhibit comparable GIP but a markedly greater GLP-1 response to intraduodenal glucose than men. This disparity warrants further investigations to delineate the underlying mechanisms and may be of relevance to the reduced risk of diabetes in premenopausal women when compared to men.
Are Small Firms Labor Constrained? Experimental Evidence from Ghana
Authors: Hardy Morgan , McCasland Jamie
Published: March 2023

We report the results of a field experiment that randomly placed unemployed young people as apprentices with small firms in Ghana and included no cash subsidy to firms (or workers) beyond in-kind recruitment services. Treated firms experienced increases in firm size of approximately half a worker and firm profits of approximately 10 percent for each apprentice placement offered, documenting frictions to novice hiring. We interpret the program as providing a novel worker screening technology to firms, as (voluntary) worker participation included nonmonetary application costs, echoing the widespread use of an entrance fee mechanism for hiring apprentices in the existing labor market. (JEL D22, J13, J23, L25, M51, M53, O14)
A New Spatial Hedonic Equilibrium in the Emerging Work-from-Home Economy?
Authors: Brueckner Jan K. , Kahn Matthew E. , Lin Gary C.
Published: March 2023

This paper studies the impacts of work from home (WFH) in the housing market from both intercity and intracity perspectives. Our results confirm the theoretical prediction that WFH puts downward pressure on housing prices and rents in high-productivity counties, a result of workers starting to relocate to cheaper metro areas during the pandemic without forsaking their desirable jobs. We also show that WFH tends to flatten intracity house-price gradients, weakening the price premium associated with good job access. (JEL J24, J31, J61, R21, R23, R31)
Effect of land preparation methods on restoration success of degraded oak forest ecosystems
Authors: Filothei Mela , Petros Ganatsas
Published: March 2023

Estimation of the success of ecosystem restoration through different methods is essential of planning restoration projects, especially nowadays when the world community has declared the target for an effective restoration of 25% of degraded ecosystems in the next years. In the present study, we intro­duce the results of the application of two land preparation methods – soil ripping and land terracing - on ecosystem restoration success twenty years after restoration actions. The study concerns two reforested areas with the species Quercus pubescens, a deciduous oak species. In both reforested areas an estimation of the ecological conditions was carried out as well as stand growth and volume data, based on the following field measurements: soil fertility data, vegetation analysis, tree morphological characteristics, and tree vol­umetric characteristics. The analysis of the results showed that the land preparation method “soil ripping”, greatly improved all the studied ecosystem parameters as well as oak stand characteristics, comparing to the “terracing” method. More specifically, it improved the physical and chemical properties of the soils, the coverage and the composition of flora species, and enhanced the existence of more woody species. It privi­leged the growth of Quercus pubescens trees contributing to a higher stand volume.