bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alleviation of Methamphetamine Sensitization by Partially Lesioning Dopaminergic Terminals with 6-Hydroxydopamine in Nucleus Accumbens
Authors: Chen Shu-Chun , Chen Hsi , Yu Seong-Jin , Chen Yun-Hsiang , Wang Yun
Published: November 2021

Amphetamine-type stimulants have become important and popular abused drugs worldwide. Methamphetamine (Meth) sensitization, characterized by a progressive increase in behavioral responses after repeated administration, has been reported in rodents and patients. This behavioral effect has been used as a laboratory model to study drug addiction and schizophrenia. The mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway plays a significant role in the development of Meth behavioral sensitization. Previous studies have reported that the ablation of nucleus accumbens (NAc) by electrolytic or thermal lesioning attenuates addictive behavior to opioids in animals. However, these studies were only conducted in opioid addictive rodents. Furthermore, these ablation procedures also damaged the non-dopaminergic neurons and fibers passing through the NAc. The purpose of this study was to examine the therapeutic effect of NAc lesioning by a selective dopaminergic toxin in Meth-sensitized animals. Adult mice received repeated administration of Meth for 7 days. Open-field locomotor activity and stereotype behavior were significantly increased after Meth treatment, suggesting behavior sensitization. A partial lesion of dopaminergic terminals was made through stereotaxic administration of dopaminergic toxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) to the NAc in the Meth -sensitized mice. Meth behavioral sensitization was significantly antagonized after the lesioning. Brain tissue was collected for qRT-PCR analysis. Repeated administration of Meth increased the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), BDNF, and Shati, a marker for Meth sensitization, in the NAc. Treatment with 6-OHDA significantly antagonized the upregulation of TH and Shati. Taken together, these data suggest that local administration of 6-OHDA mitigated Meth sensitization in chronic Meth-treated animals. Our data support a new surgical treatment strategy for Meth abuse.
G Vernon Davies: unsung pioneer of old age psychiatry in Victoria
Authors: Draper Brian
Published: November 2021

Objective:

To provide a biography of G Vernon Davies who took up a career in old age psychiatry in 1955 at the age of 67 at Mont Park Hospital in an era when there few psychiatrists working in the field.

Conclusion:

In the 1950s and 1960s, Vernon Davies worked as an old age psychiatrist and published papers containing sensible practical advice informed by contemporary research and experience, broadly applicable to both primary and secondary care, presented in a compassionate and empathetic manner. His clinical research in old age psychiatry resulted in the first doctoral degree in psychiatry awarded at the University of Melbourne at the age of 79. Before commencing old age psychiatry, he served in the Australian Army Medical Corps as a Regimental Medical Officer and received the Distinguished Service Order. He spent 3 years as a medical missionary in the New Hebrides before settling at Wangaratta where he worked as a physician for over 30 years. He contributed to his local community in a broad range of activities. Vernon Davies is an Australian pioneer of old age psychiatry.
Establishing a COVID-positive mental health ward: an Australian-first case study
Authors: Keppich-Arnold Sandra , Hopkins Liza
Published: November 2021

Objective:

Managing mental health patients during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a global challenge. Current workforce arrangements tend to separate those skilled in caring for highly infectious medical patients from those whose specialism is in managing co-morbid mental health, substance misuse and/or behaviours of concern, including potential non-compliance with community or health care directives. This paper reports an innovative service development through the emergency establishment of a temporary COVID-positive mental health ward in response to a local outbreak in Melbourne.

Method:

A case study of service reorientation is presented, examining barriers and enablers to effective care of co-morbid mental illness, addiction and COVID-19.

Results:

Establishing a skilled multidisciplinary workforce across mental health and infectious disease is the most important consideration in optimising care. Other issues included suitable physical space, security arrangements and inter-disciplinary communication.

Conclusions:

The paper holds insights for managing mental health care during potential future infectious disease outbreaks across the country.
Why is formulation daunting? A response to Bagster et al.’s ‘instructions’ for developing skills in formulation
Authors: Smith Graeme C
Published: November 2021

Objective:

To explore the theme identified by Bagster et al.1in their selective psychiatric literature review that formulation can appear daunting.

Conclusion:

Formulation is understandably daunting, even though it occurs in all human encounters. The plural nature of mental symptoms is such that anxiety-provoking intuitive judgement is required at all points in both the process and explication of formulation, a type of instinctive guessing. There are no rules for this, because the laws of vertical integration of systems are not established. Guidelines are more appropriate than ‘instructions’. Much of the wider mental health and clinical reasoning literature addresses intuitive judgement, but the current psychiatric literature tends to focus on pattern recognition as a deliberative cognitive act of Type 2 processes. Arguably this reductionism adds to the dauntingness. Anxiety detected about the intuitive judgement involved can be addressed in supervision, taking into account the psychological mindedness of the trainee.
The Impact of a Novel Outdoor Orientation Program on Incoming Medical Students
Authors: Kercheval Jacquelyn B. , Bernard Alec , Berlin Hanna , Byl Nicole , Marois Boone , Puttagunta Rahul , Holman Elizabeth , Bridge Patrick D.
Published: November 2021

Background: Undergraduate outdoor orientation programs facilitate students’ transition into college. Research has yet to be conducted on the few programs at medical schools, which may have unique benefits given the specific challenges of transitioning to medical school and high rates of burnout among medical students. Purpose: This mixed methods study examines the impact of one medical school's outdoor orientation program on its participants. Methodology/Approach: A survey was administered immediately following the 2018 trip ( N = 56 responses). Follow-up focus groups were conducted with a sample of the same participants ( N = 18) in 2019. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Findings/Conclusions: Participants felt that the program helped ease their transition into medical school, establish a support system, and hone personal development and wellness skills. Many of these effects persisted up to one year later. Implications: These findings are of particular interest to the medical and experiential education communities because many outcomes persisted for at least one year after the original trip and aligned with factors believed to protect against medical student burnout. There is opportunity for additional research as well as expansion of similar programs to other medical schools.
Primary total hip arthroplasty complications and costs in liver transplant recipients: a matched analysis using a national database
Authors: Douglas Scott J , Remily Ethan A , Sax Oliver C , Pervaiz Sahir S , Mohamed Nequesha S , Kelemen Margaret N , Delanois Ronald E , Johnson Aaron J
Published: November 2021

Background:

The number of liver transplant recipients (LTR) is worldwide increasing and, as the survival is improving as well, there is an increasing number of patients needing total hip arthroplasty (THA). There might be increased risks for this specific group of patients and due to their comorbidities costs might be higher too. Using a big national database outcome and cost of THA should be compared between liver transplant recipients and the general population.

Methods:

The study was performed using a collection of Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance claims. Length of stay (LOS), 30-day readmissions, complications rates up to 5 years, and 90-day total cost of care between liver transplant recipients and matched non-transplant patients should be compared. All primary THAs from 2010 to 2019 were identified. 513 patients with a liver transplant before their THA were matched to 10,759 patients without a history of solid organ transplant at a 1:20 ratio based on age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index, obesity, and diabetes status.

Results:

LTR had a longer average LOS (4.2 vs. 3.4 days, p < 0.001). There was no difference in the thirty-day readmissions (5.7% vs. 4.1%, p  = 0.117) and 90-day dislocation rates (2.9% vs. 2.4%, p  = 0.600). Total costs in the first ninety days after THA were not different between the LTR and controls ( p  = 0.756).

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that complications and costs are no major point of concern in patients with liver transplant that are operated with THA.
Key performance and training parameters in primary total hip arthroplasty – an expert consensus using the Delphi technique
Authors: Howgate Daniel , Garfjeld Roberts Patrick , Kendrick Ben , Rees Jonathan
Published: November 2021

Aims:

Primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a commonly performed and successful operation which orthopaedic trainees must demonstrate competence in prior to completion of surgical training. An assessment of agreement between surgical trainers regarding the critical steps of a primary THA has never been undertaken. The aim of this study was to define and rank the key steps of a primary THA regards ease of teaching and their importance in achieving the best patient outcome.

Materials and methods:

The Delphi technique with 3 iterative rounds was used to establish expert group consensus. The benchmark for consensus was set at an 80% agreement in any category for each step of a THR. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to report on the inter- and intra-rater reliabilities between and within participants responses respectively in rounds 2 and 3.

Results:

50 consultant orthopaedic hip surgeons completed round 2, and 28 completed round 3. Overall, 27 steps (54 parameters) were identified, with 16 parameters achieving consensus agreement for their impact on patient outcome, and 17 for ease of teaching. The inter-rater ICC for patient outcome parameters was 0.89 and 0.92 in rounds 2 and 3 respectively while for teaching parameters it was 0.82 and 0.73. 50% of surgeons agreed that acetabular reaming, assessing and accurately restoring leg length, and acetabular cup anteversion were the 3 most difficult steps to teach trainees, while 90% agreed these 3 steps were substantially important to patient outcome. Another 5 steps achieved consensus for their substantial impact on patient outcome but failed to achieve consensus for ease of teaching.

Conclusions:

The results of this expert consensus have produced a rank-order list of the key steps in primary THA, which may be used for orthopaedic curriculum development and guiding focused improvements for surgical training in primary THR including simulation.
The Representation and Agency of Artistic Interventions in Community in Mainland China
Authors: Li Danzhou , Wang Qing , Wu You , Zhong Shuting
Published: November 2021

Based on immersive participatory observation of the curatorial practice of the 2019 OCAT exhibition Rural Construction through Art in Shenzhen, we identified two modes of community-based artistic interventions: a cultural “governance/capital” intervention deeply embedded in the social structure and a collective experimental art production intervention dissociated from the social structure. However, both forms of “production art” are essentially “unities of opposites” integrating incorporation and resistance, consistent with the socialist art policy of promoting the flourishing of all types of arts. Though the aesthetic divide between “art for society’s sake” and “art for art’s sake” positions these artistic interventions in different places in society, we argue that the domain of Chinese contemporary art is shifting away from the studio and toward scenes, events, experience, and dialogue. The approach of “the era of mass art” also means that “art-as-resistance” is being legitimized as “art-as-incorporation” in a subtle but unremitting way.
Understanding Prevention Networks in a Local Government Area: Insights From a Social Network Analysis Among Western Australian Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Prevention Programs
Authors: Jancey Jonine , Vidler Abbie-Clare , Leavy Justine E. , Chamberlain Dan , Riley Therese , Pollard Christina M. , Milligan Megan , Blackford Krysten
Published: November 2021

This study aimed to use systems thinking tools to understand network relationships to inform discussions, policy, and practice to improve nutrition, physical activity, and overweight/obesity prevention activities in a Western Australian local government area. An audit of nutrition, physical activity, and obesity prevention activities was conducted, and identified organizations were invited to participate in an organizational network survey. Social network analysis (SNA) determined the extent to which organizations shared information, knowledge, and resources; engaged in joint program planning; applied for and shared funding; and identified operational barriers and contributors. SNA data were mapped and analyzed using UCINET 6 and Netdraw software. Five organizations within the network were identified as core; the remainder were periphery. The strongest networks were sharing information, and the weakest was funding. The connections were centralized to one organization, enabling them to readily influence other organizations and network operations. Remaining organizations indicated limited partnership across the networks. Strengthened collaborations and partnerships are essential to health promotion, as they extend reach and organizational capabilities. This study provides a process for undertaking network analysis, identifying leverage points to facilitate communication and information sharing, and reorienting of collaborations and partnerships to consolidate scarce resources and act strategically within a bounded area. There is a need for stronger relationships between organizations and a reorientation of partnerships to facilitate resource sharing within the local government area, to improve nutrition, physical activity, and obesity prevention practices. SNA can assist in understanding organizational prevention networks within a bounded area to support future planning of practices and policy.
Identification of molecular subtyping system and four-gene prognostic signature with immune-related genes for uveal melanoma
Authors: Xia Fei , Yu Zhilong , Deng Aijun , Gao Guohong
Published: November 2021

Immunotherapy is the most promising treatment for uveal melanoma patients with metastasis. Tumor microenvironment plays an essential role in tumor progression and greatly affects the efficacy of immunotherapy. This research constructed an immune-related subtyping system and discovered immune prognostic genes to further understand the immune mechanism in uveal melanoma. Immune-related genes were determined from literature. Gene expression profiles of uveal melanoma were clustered using consensus clustering based on immune-related genes. Subtypes were further divided by applying immune landscape, and weighted correlation network analysis was performed to construct immune gene modules. Univariate Cox regression analysis was conducted to generate a prognostic model. Enriched immune cells were determined after gene set enrichment analysis. Three major immune subtypes (IS1, IS2, and IS3) were identified, and IS2 could be further divided into IS2A and IS2B. The subtypes were closely associated with uveal melanoma prognosis. IS3 group had the most favorable prognosis and was sensitive to PD-1 inhibitor. Immune genes in IS1 group showed an overall higher expression than IS3 group. Six immune gene modules were identified, and the enrichment score of immune genes varied within immune subtypes. Four immune prognostic genes ( IL32, IRF1, SNX20, and VAV1) were found to be closely related to survival. This novel immune subtyping system and immune landscape provide a new understanding of immunotherapy in uveal melanoma. The four prognostic genes can predict prognosis of uveal melanoma patients and contribute to new development of targeted drugs.
Ruptured Left Gastric Artery Aneurysm Associated with Fibromuscular Dysplasia
Authors: Ho Kelvin K. F. , Foo Gary , Bingley John , Redmond Kendal
Published: November 2021

Background: Fibromuscular dysplasia is a non-inflammatory, non-atherosclerotic vascular disease that commonly affects renal and carotid arteries but involvement of virtually any vascular territory has been observed.

Research Design/ Study sample: This is a case report of a ruptured left gastric artery aneurysm as the first presentation of fibromuscular dysplasia.

Data collection: After written consent from the patient, relevant clinical notes and imaging were retrospectively reviewed and critically analysed.

Purpose: This case reiterates the importance of considering fibromuscular dysplasia as an uncommon cause of visceral artery aneurysms. In addition, this case shows that the impact of visceral artery vasospasm on endovascular access should not be underestimated and subsequent attempts can be successful after a period of resuscitation.

Results: After initial difficulty in endovascular treatment due to visceral vasospasm, the case was successfully managed with with staged open ligation and endovascular embolization after a period of resuscitation.

Conclusions: FMD is an important differential diagnosis to consider in cases of visceral aneurysms.
The role of the school leader in the inclusion of migrant families and students
Authors: Vassallo Brian
Published: November 2021

Social, political and economic upheavals, coupled with natural disasters, are recurring, major causes of the displacement of people worldwide. Hosting nations are constantly seeking ways and means to meet the diverse needs of migrants, immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers, with schools incessantly being urged to play a major role in the inclusion of migrant students in all aspects of school life. The study highlights the strategies being employed by a Maltese school leader in his quest to fulfil his noble mission of effectively including all students, irrespective of background of origin. The study also seeks to develop and expand the role of the school leader towards meeting the needs of migrant students and their families within the school set-up and beyond. It also seeks to engage readers in a critical and constructive discussion surrounding the effective inclusion of migrant students in schools and society. It transpired that the school leader‘s work can be summarised under four categories: 1) reconceptualising the meaning of diversity 2) promoting an inclusive school culture, 3) strengthening of language support and 4) the extension of school relationships beyond school boundaries.
The transfer of expertise to aerial skiing: Utility of an athletic profile in female athletes
Authors: Lewis Caleb , Rosalie Simon M , Gastin Paul B , Withers Sylvie , Netto Kevin
Published: November 2021

Australian aerial skiers are recruited from other acrobatic sports through a nationally coordinated transition program. However, there is limited understanding of how to train transferring athletes for both optimal performance and injury prevention. The aim of this study was to test whether an athletic profile could be used to identify which skills that gymnasts possess are more and less likely to transfer to aerial skiing based on similarities and differences in the athletes’ physical attributes. Six elite female aerial skiers and five state- and national-level female gymnasts completed a test protocol involving drop-landing, countermovement jump, isokinetic strength of the knee flexors and extensors, flexibility and anthropometrical profile. Aerial skiers and gymnasts had an anthropometrical profile ideal for acrobatic efficiency, but gymnasts had smaller thigh girth and greater knee range of motion. These results suggest that gymnasts are more likely to succeed in transferring to aerial skiing's acrobatic skills than skiing and landing skills. We suggest that gymnasts transferring to aerial skiing undertake pretransfer training designed to improve hamstring isometric strength and dynamic stability of the knee to reduce the risk of knee injury and improve their ability to maintain a crouched position.
The predictive value of disability at 2 weeks after plating of distal radial fractures: a prospective study of 101 patients
Authors: Boel Susanne , Juhl Carsten Bogh
Published: November 2021

Assuming that some patients may benefit from early supervised rehabilitation after distal radial fractures, we investigated to what extent self-reported measures of disability, pain and performance of daily activities 2 weeks after anterior locking plating of distal radial fractures could predict long-lasting disability. We included 101 patients in a prediction study and recorded the scores of the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire, visual analogue scales for pain and the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure. We found that the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand scores with a cut-off score of 50 were the best at predicting disability at 6 months in patients who did not receive early supervised therapy. The positive predictive value was 65% and the negative predictive value was 71%. We conclude that these scores could be used as a single measure to predict patient disability, although the predictive value was rather weak.

Level of evidence: II
School Nurses on the Front Lines of Healthcare: Emergencies Associated With Sport and Physical Activities (Part 2): Sudden Cardiac Arrest, Hypovolemic Shock, and Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Swaffield Thomas P. , Olympia Robert P.
Published: November 2021

Sport participation is an important part of the development, both physically and mentally, of children and adolescents in the United States. Illness and injury associated with sport and physical activities may occur in the school setting. Although most sport-related illness and injury in students are considered minor emergencies, life-threatening illnesses or injuries may occur. It is important for the school nurse to recognize potential life-threatening emergencies associated with sport and physical activity, to initiate stabilization of the student with life-threatening symptoms, and to triage these students to an appropriate level of care (back to the classroom, home with their guardian with follow up at their primary healthcare provider’s office, or directly to the closest emergency department via Emergency Medical Services). This article specifically describes the initial assessment and management of three potentially life-threatening conditions associated with sport and physical activity, namely sudden cardiac arrest, hypovolemic shock, and spinal cord injury.
Marxism and the logics of dis/integration
Authors: Castree Noel
Published: November 2021

Marxism is a large and diverse body of thought that has weathered many storms over the last 150 years. While its explanatory and political relevance to today's world is enormous, Marxism lacks mass appeal and largely resides in universities (notably, the social sciences and humanities). While this is, in one sense, a sign of defeat, in another sense it's been productive insofar as it's offered exponents space and time to make sense of capitalism's ever-changing configurations. This article homes-in on classical Marxism and its enduring importance as a tool of analysis and political thinking. It focuses on the author's attempts to understand how the biophysical world is entrained in the dynamics of capital accumulation, especially during the period of neoliberal political economy that began around 35 years ago. Marxist geographers continue to offer important insights into capitalism in a more-than-capitalist world that is, nonetheless, utterly dominated by the contradictory logics of growth, economic competition, endless technological innovation, uneven development, accumulation by dispossession and crisis. For me, classical Marxism's attention to capitalism as an expansive ‘totality’ is critical, obliging us to attend to how different places, people and political projects are brought into a single, if exceedingly complex, universe. The article reflects on how the embrace of classical Marxism necessarily folds the professional into the personal, though in ways that inevitably highlight some of the contradictions that Marx and Engels identified. It's to be hoped that a new and talented generation of Marxist geographers will continue the work initiated 50 years ago by David Harvey and others. The article suggests that a key research frontier for Marxist geography is normative: what sorts of political visions and proposals will gain traction in a variegated yet tightly connected world where capitalism is so manifestly dangerous for people and planet?
Healthcare educators’ experiences of challenging situations with their students during clinical practice: A qualitative study
Authors: Karjalainen Kati , Juntunen Jonna , Kuivila Heli-Maria , Tuomikoski Anna-Maria , Kääriäinen Maria , Mikkonen Kristina
Published: November 2021

During clinical practice, students become acquainted with the key work tasks associated with their professions. Students need more support from healthcare educators during clinical practice learning, particularly in challenging situations. This study aimed to describe healthcare educators’ experiences of challenging situations during clinical practice placements. A qualitative study design was used to collect data through interviews with ten healthcare educators from two higher education institutions. The data were analyzed with inductive content analysis. The SRQR reporting guidelines were used to improve the transparency of the study. Educator reactions commonly involved emotional, goal-oriented and pedagogical support towards their students. The interviewed educators felt that mentors – when facing a challenging situation during clinical practice – are tasked with creating an atmosphere that supports student learning. Students faced challenges that were related to self-evaluation, goal-oriented activities, and their attitudes towards feedback. The building of a safe clinical learning environment involves collaboration between students, their clinical mentors and educators.
Factors Associated With the Mechanism of ACL Tears in the National Football League: A Video-Based Analysis
Authors: Brophy Robert H. , Wojtys Edward M. , Mack Christina D. , Hawaldar Kalyani , Herzog Mackenzie M. , Owens Brett D.
Published: November 2021

Background:

The factors associated with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury mechanism in professional American football players are not well-understood.

Hypothesis:

It was hypothesized that football-related and player-specific factors, such as position and body mass index (BMI), are associated with ACL injury mechanism in these athletes.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods:

Videos of ACL tears occurring in National Football League (NFL) games over 6 consecutive seasons from 2014 to 2019 were reviewed by 2 orthopaedic surgeons who specialize in sports medicine. For each injury, the role of contact ( direct contact [contact to the injured knee/lower extremity], indirect contact [contact not involving the injured knee/lower extremity], or no contact) as well as playing situation and lower extremity position were recorded. Additional player characteristics, timing of injury, and surface information were obtained from NFL game-day and injury database statistics.

Results:

Of the 140 ACL tears, a minority occurred via direct contact to the injured lower extremity (30%), although this varied by position. Just over two-thirds (70%) of ACL tears in offensive linemen occurred via direct contact to the injured lower extremity, while wide receivers had no direct contact ACL tears. Elevated BMI was associated with a greater likelihood of ACL tears occurring via direct contact (53% in players with BMI ≥35 kg/m2 vs 24% in players with BMI <35 kg/m2; P = <.01). Rookies had the lowest percentage of direct contact ACL tears (18%; P = .22). ACL tears that occurred during the middle 8 weeks of the regular season resulted more often from direct contact (38%; P = .06). ACL tears that occurred in the third quarter were the most likely to occur via direct contact (44%), while those that occurred in the fourth quarter were the least likely to occur via direct contact (13%; P < .01).

Conclusion:

Although most NFL players sustained ACL tears via a noncontact mechanism (ie, through indirect or no contact), players with an elevated BMI, especially on the offensive line, were more likely to injure their ACL through direct contact. Position-dependent variance in injury mechanism may help guide injury prevention efforts in these athletes.
Destroying and Recreating Myths: A Subversive Response to Caste Ideology
Authors: Luhar Sahdevsinh Ratansinh , Nimavat Dushyant
Published: November 2021

Centred on a famous canonical Hindi fiction by Munshi Premchand (1880–1936), Godān (1936), which means ‘a gift of a cow’ and on contemporary Dalit fiction by Roop Narain Sonkar, Sūardān (2010), which means ‘a gift of a pig’, the present article discusses how the hegemonic Indian myths are destroyed and recreated as a subversive response to caste ideology. Godān, which can have a parallel to a popular Hindu myth of a ritual of gifting a cow which, as it is believed, guarantees moka (salvation) after mtyu (death), is condemned by Sūardān, which, in its turn, backs its assault by presenting a parallel myth of pig. Thus, the present article illustrates how the canonical literary texts are revisionized and re-appropriated by the vidrh writers using adaption techniques similar to the postcolonial strategies of ‘writing back’.
The Impact of Bariatric Procedures on Esophageal Motility
Authors: Herbella Fernando A. M. , Patti Marco G.
Published: November 2021

Bariatric operations may cause or cure gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The comprehension of esophageal motility following different types of bariatric procedures may help understand the relationship between GERD and bariatric surgery. This review focused on the impact of bariatric procedures on esophageal motility. We found that lower esophageal sphincter resting pressure is increased after adjustable gastric banding; is unaltered or decreased after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass; and is decreased after sleeve gastrectomy. Lower esophageal sphincter relaxation may be abnormal after all these procedures. Esophageal body contractility is worsened after sleeve gastrectomy.
Spastic Motility Disorders: Diagnosis and Management in the Era of the Chicago Classification
Authors: Costantini Mario , Salvador Renato , Costantini Andrea
Published: November 2021

Spastic esophageal motility disorders are represented, as per the Chicago classification 4.0, by diffuse esophageal spasm and hypercontractile esophagus. They are very rare and therefore poorly understood. The diagnosis is usually made by manometry in presence of dysphagia or chest pain, but often it is often an unexpected finding. In this paper, the authors review the current knowledge and possible treatments of these disorders, when needed. They underline that invasive treatments, as surgical myotomy or POEM, are rarely necessary and that the indications for them are based on low quality studies. Therefore, they should be used with extreme caution in treating spastic motility disorders other than achalasia.
Is EGJOO a Purely Manometric Diagnosis?
Authors: Elsbernd Benjamin L. , Dunbar Kerry B.
Published: November 2021

The diagnosis of esophagogastric outlet obstruction (EGJOO) includes a heterogenous group of disorders with a wide variation in clinical course ranging from spontaneous resolution to achalasia. EGJOO can be subdivided into primary EGJOO or secondary EGJOO in which structural, infiltrative, or medication-related causes can be implicated. Recently, research studies have focused on further phenotyping of patients with EGJOO using provocative testing during high resolution esophageal manometry (HRM) as well as non-manometric adjuvant testing. We will review the various modalities used for diagnosis and assessment of EGJOO as well as the available treatments.
COVID-19 in vaccinated adult patients with hematological malignancies: preliminary results from EPICOVIDEHA
Authors: Pagano Livio , Salmanton-García Jon , Marchesi Francesco , López-García Alberto , Lamure Sylvain , Itri Federico , Gomes-Silva Maria , Dragonetti Giulia , Falces-Romero Iker , van Doesum Jaap , Sili Uluhan , Labrador Jorge , Calbacho Maria , Bilgin Yavuz M. , Weinbergerová Barbora , Serrano Laura , Ribera-Santa Susana José-María , Malak Sandra , Loureiro-Amigo José , Glenthøj Andreas , Córdoba-Mascuñano Raúl , Nunes-Rodrigues Raquel , González-López Tomás-José , Karlsson Linda Katharina , Jiménez-Lorenzo María-Josefa , Hernández-Rivas José-Ángel , Jaksic Ozren , Ráčil Zdeněk , Busca Alessandro , Corradini Paolo , Hoenigl Martin , Klimko Nikolai , Koehler Philipp , Pagliuca Antonio , Passamonti Francesco , Cornely Oliver A.
Published: November 2021

In a Plenary Paper, Mittelman and colleagues assess the relative clinical efficacy of mRNA vaccination on COVID-19 disease incidence and outcomes in patients with hematologic malignancies compared with healthy matched controls. This population-based study from Israel links prior observations of poor serologic responses to vaccination to higher risk for breakthrough infection, hospitalization, and death in patients with blood cancer, especially those on active antineoplastic therapy. In an accompanying Letter to Blood, Pagano et al provide supportive data using a multination survey approach to capture outcomes for COVID-19 in vaccinated patients with hematologic neoplasms. They also emphasize the higher risk among patients with lymphoid malignancies. Together, these findings argue for both continued deployment of booster programs and ongoing public health guidance for this vulnerable group.
Removal of oxidative stress and genotoxic activities during drinking water production by ozonation and granular activated carbon filtration
Authors: Yu Maria , Lavonen Elin , Oskarsson Agneta , Lundqvist Johan
Published: November 2021

Background

Bioanalytical tools have been shown to be useful in drinking water quality assessments. Here, we applied a panel of in vitro bioassays to assess the treatment efficiency of two pilot-scale treatments: ozonation and granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration at a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP). The pilot-scale systems were studied alongside a full-scale treatment process consisting of biological activated carbon (BAC) filtration, UV disinfection, and monochloramine dosing. Both systems were fed the same raw water treated with coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation and sand filtration. The endpoints studied were oxidative stress (Nrf2 activity), genotoxicity (micronuclei formations), aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation, as well as estrogen receptor (ER) and androgen receptor (AR) activity.

Results

Nrf2, AhR, and ER activities and genotoxic effects were detected in the incoming raw water and variability was observed between the sampling events. Compared to most of the samples taken from the full-scale treatment system, lower Nrf2, AhR, and ER bioactivities as well as genotoxicity were observed in all samples from the pilot-scale systems across all sampling events. The most pronounced treatment effect was a 12-fold reduction in Nrf2 activity and a sixfold decrease in micronuclei formations following ozonation alone. GAC filtration alone resulted in sevenfold and fivefold reductions in Nrf2 activity and genotoxicity, respectively, in the same sampling event. Higher bioactivities were detected in most samples from the full-scale system suggesting a lack of treatment effect. No androgenic nor anti-androgenic activities were observed in any sample across all sampling events.

Conclusions

Using effect-based methods, we have shown the presence of bioactive chemicals in the raw water used for drinking water production, including oxidative stress, AhR and ER activities as well as genotoxicity. The currently used treatment technologies were unable to fully remove the observed bioactivities. Ozonation and GAC filtration showed a high treatment efficiency and were able to consistently remove the bioactivities observed in the incoming water. This is important knowledge for the optimization of existing drinking water treatment designs and the utilization of alternative treatment technologies.
Robust optimization of convolutional neural networks with a uniform experiment design method: a case of phonocardiogram testing in patients with heart diseases
Authors: Ho Wen-Hsien , Huang Tian-Hsiang , Yang Po-Yuan , Chou Jyh-Horng , Qu Jin-Yi , Chang Po-Chih , Chou Fu-I. , Tsai Jinn-Tsong
Published: November 2021

Background

Heart sound measurement is crucial for analyzing and diagnosing patients with heart diseases. This study employed phonocardiogram signals as the input signal for heart disease analysis due to the accessibility of the respective method. This study referenced preprocessing techniques proposed by other researchers for the conversion of phonocardiogram signals into characteristic images composed using frequency subband. Image recognition was then conducted through the use of convolutional neural networks (CNNs), in order to classify the predicted of phonocardiogram signals as normal or abnormal. However, CNN requires the tuning of multiple hyperparameters, which entails an optimization problem for the hyperparameters in the model. To maximize CNN robustness, the uniform experiment design method and a science-based methodical experiment design were used to optimize CNN hyperparameters in this study.

Results

An artificial intelligence prediction model was constructed using CNN, and the uniform experiment design method was proposed to acquire hyperparameters for optimal CNN robustness. The results indicate Filters ($${X}_{1}$$

X
1

), Stride ($${X}_{3}$$

X
3

), Activation functions ($${X}_{6}$$

X
6

), and Dropout ($${X}_{7}$$

X
7

) to be significant factors considerably influencing the ability of CNN to distinguish among heart sound states. Finally, the confirmation experiment was conducted, and the hyperparameter combination for optimal model robustness was Filters ($${X}_{1}$$

X
1

) = 32, Kernel Size ($${X}_{2})$$

X
2

)

= 3 × 3, Stride ($${X}_{3}$$

X
3

) = (1,1), Padding ($${X}_{4})$$

X
4

)

as same, Optimizer ($${X}_{5})$$

X
5

)

as the stochastic gradient descent, Activation functions ($${X}_{6}$$

X
6

) as relu, and Dropout ($${X}_{7}$$

X
7

) = 0.544. With this combination of parameters, the model had an average prediction accuracy rate of 0.787 and standard deviation of 0.

Conclusion

In this study, phonocardiogram signals were used for the early prediction of heart diseases. The science-based and methodical uniform experiment design was used for the optimization of CNN hyperparameters to construct a CNN with optimal robustness. The results revealed that the constructed model exhibited robustness and an acceptable accuracy rate. Other literature has failed to address hyperparameter optimization problems in CNN; a method is subsequently proposed for robust CNN optimization, thereby solving this problem.
Laniakea@ReCaS: exploring the potential of customisable Galaxy on-demand instances as a cloud-based service
Authors: Tangaro Marco Antonio , Mandreoli Pietro , Chiara Matteo , Donvito Giacinto , Antonacci Marica , Parisi Antonio , Bianco Angelica , Romano Angelo , Bianchi Daniela Manila , Cangelosi Davide , Uva Paolo , Molineris Ivan , Nosi Vladimir , Calogero Raffaele A. , Alessandri Luca , Pedrini Elena , Mordenti Marina , Bonetti Emanuele , Sangiorgi Luca , Pesole Graziano , Zambelli Federico
Published: November 2021

Background

Improving the availability and usability of data and analytical tools is a critical precondition for further advancing modern biological and biomedical research. For instance, one of the many ramifications of the COVID-19 global pandemic has been to make even more evident the importance of having bioinformatics tools and data readily actionable by researchers through convenient access points and supported by adequate IT infrastructures. One of the most successful efforts in improving the availability and usability of bioinformatics tools and data is represented by the Galaxy workflow manager and its thriving community. In 2020 we introduced Laniakea, a software platform conceived to streamline the configuration and deployment of “on-demand” Galaxy instances over the cloud. By facilitating the set-up and configuration of Galaxy web servers, Laniakea provides researchers with a powerful and highly customisable platform for executing complex bioinformatics analyses. The system can be accessed through a dedicated and user-friendly web interface that allows the Galaxy web server’s initial configuration and deployment.

Results

“Laniakea@ReCaS”, the first instance of a Laniakea-based service, is managed by ELIXIR-IT and was officially launched in February 2020, after about one year of development and testing that involved several users. Researchers can request access to Laniakea@ReCaS through an open-ended call for use-cases. Ten project proposals have been accepted since then, totalling 18 Galaxy on-demand virtual servers that employ ~ 100 CPUs, ~ 250 GB of RAM and ~ 5 TB of storage and serve several different communities and purposes. Herein, we present eight use cases demonstrating the versatility of the platform.

Conclusions

During this first year of activity, the Laniakea-based service emerged as a flexible platform that facilitated the rapid development of bioinformatics tools, the efficient delivery of training activities, and the provision of public bioinformatics services in different settings, including food safety and clinical research. Laniakea@ReCaS provides a proof of concept of how enabling access to appropriate, reliable IT resources and ready-to-use bioinformatics tools can considerably streamline researchers’ work.
Binding affinity prediction for protein–ligand complex using deep attention mechanism based on intermolecular interactions
Authors: Seo Sangmin , Choi Jonghwan , Park Sanghyun , Ahn Jaegyoon
Published: November 2021

Background

Accurate prediction of protein–ligand binding affinity is important for lowering the overall cost of drug discovery in structure-based drug design. For accurate predictions, many classical scoring functions and machine learning-based methods have been developed. However, these techniques tend to have limitations, mainly resulting from a lack of sufficient energy terms to describe the complex interactions between proteins and ligands. Recent deep-learning techniques can potentially solve this problem. However, the search for more efficient and appropriate deep-learning architectures and methods to represent protein–ligand complex is ongoing.

Results

In this study, we proposed a deep-neural network model to improve the prediction accuracy of protein–ligand complex binding affinity. The proposed model has two important features, descriptor embeddings with information on the local structures of a protein–ligand complex and an attention mechanism to highlight important descriptors for binding affinity prediction. The proposed model performed better than existing binding affinity prediction models on most benchmark datasets.

Conclusions

We confirmed that an attention mechanism can capture the binding sites in a protein–ligand complex to improve prediction performance. Our code is available athttps://github.com/Blue1993/BAPA.
Characterization of phytohormone and transcriptome profiles during protocorm-like bodies development of Paphiopedilum
Authors: Guo Beiyi , Zeng Songjun , Yin Yuying , Li Lin , Ma Guohua , Wu Kunlin , Fang Lin
Published: November 2021

Background

Paphiopedilum, commonly known as slipper orchid, is an important genus of orchid family with prominent horticultural value. Compared with conventional methods such as tillers and in vitro shoots multiplication, induction and regeneration of protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) is an effective micropropagation method in Paphiopedilum. The PLB initiation efficiency varies among species, hybrids and varieties, which leads to only a few Paphiopedilum species can be large-scale propagated through PLBs. So far, little is known about the mechanisms behind the initiation and maintenance of PLB in Paphiopedilum.

Results

A protocol to induce PLB development from seed-derived protocorms of Paphiopedilum SCBG Huihuang90 (P. SCBG Prince × P. SCBG Miracle) was established. The morphological characterization of four key PLB developmental stages showed that significant polarity and cell size gradients were observed within each PLB. The endogenous hormone level was evaluated. The increase in the levels of indoleacetic acid (IAA) and jasmonic acid (JA) accompanying the PLBs differentiation, suggesting auxin and JA levels were correlated with PLB development. Gibberellic acid (GA) decreased to a very low level, indicated that GA inactivation may be necessary for shoot apical meristem (SAM) development.

Comparative transcriptomic profiles of four different developmental stages of P. SCBG Huihuang90 PLBs explore key genes involved in PLB development. The numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in three pairwise comparisons (A vs B, B vs C, C vs D) were 1455, 349, and 3529, respectively. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that DEGs were implicated in secondary metabolite metabolism and photosynthesis. DEGs related to hormone metabolism and signaling, somatic embryogenesis, shoot development and photosynthesis were discussed in detail.

Conclusion

This study is the first report on PLB development in Paphiopedilum using transcriptome sequencing, which provides useful information to understand the mechanisms of PLB development.