bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sleep quality and psychological health in patients with pelvic and acetabulum fractures: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Ali Khan Akhtar , He LingXiao , Li Wenkai , Zhang Weikai , Huang Hui
Published: April 2024

Background and objectives

It is known that difficulty sleeping after a fracture can have negative effects on both mental and physical health and may prolong the recovery process. The objective of this study is to explore how sleep quality and psychological health are linked in patients with pelvic and acetabulum fractures.

Methods

A study was conducted on 265 patients between 2018 and 2022 who had suffered pelvic and acetabulum fractures. The study examined various factors, including age, gender, cause of injury, post-operative complications, and injury severity. The study employed ordinal logistic regression to examine the relationship between various pelvic fractures and seven subscales of the Majeed Pelvic Score (MPS), as well as the Sleep Disorder Questionnaire (SDQ) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The study focused on the postoperative outcome one year after surgery, and each patient was assessed at the one-year mark after surgical intervention. Additionally, the study evaluated the functional outcome, sleep quality, and psychological disorders of the patients.

Results

From 2018 to 2022, a total of 216 patients suffered from pelvic and acetabulum fractures. Among them, 6.6% experienced borderline clinical depression, and 45.2% reported mild mood disturbances. Anxiety was found to be mild to moderate in 46% of Tile C and posterior acetabulum wall fracture patients. About 24.8% of patients reported insomnia, while 23.1% reported sleep movement disorders. However, no significant correlation was found between fracture types and sleep disorders. The mean Majeed pelvic score (MPS) was 89.68.

Conclusions

Patients with pelvic and acetabular fractures typically experience functional improvement, but may also be at increased risk for insomnia and sleep movement disorders, particularly for certain types of fractures. Psychological well-being varies between fracture groups, with signs of borderline clinical depression observed in some cases. However, anxiety levels do not appear to be significantly correlated with pelvic and acetabular fractures.
Risk factors for scabies in hospital: a systematic review
Authors: Kim Dong-Hee , Kim Yujin , Yun Sook Young , Yu Hak Sun , Ko Hyun-Chang , Kim MinWoo
Published: April 2024

Background

Annually, 175.4 million people are infected with scabies worldwide. Although parasitic infections are important nosocomial infections, they are unrecognized compared to bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. In particular, nonspecific cutaneous manifestations of scabies lead to delayed diagnosis and frequent nosocomial transmission. Hospital-based studies on the risk factors for scabies have yet to be systematically reviewed.

Methods

The study followed the PRISMA guidelines and was prospectively registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023363278). Literature searches were conducted in three international (PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL) and four Korean (DBpia, KISS, RISS, and Science ON) databases. We included hospital-based studies with risk estimates calculated with 95% confidence intervals for risk factors for scabies infection. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. Two authors independently performed the screening and assessed the quality of the studies.

Results

A total of 12 studies were included. Personal characteristics were categorized into demographic, economic, residential, and behavioral factors. The identified risk factors were low economic status and unhygienic behavioral practices. Being a patient in a long-term care facility or institution was an important factor. Frequent patient contact and lack of personal protective equipment were identified as risk factors. For clinical characteristics, factors were categorized as personal health and hospital environment. People who had contact with itchy others were at higher risk of developing scabies. Patients with higher severity and those with a large number of catheters are also at increased risk for scabies infection.

Conclusions

Factors contributing to scabies in hospitals range from personal to clinical. We emphasize the importance of performing a full skin examination when patients present with scabies symptoms and are transferred from settings such as nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, to reduce the transmission of scabies. In addition, patient education to prevent scabies and infection control systems for healthcare workers, such as wearing personal protective equipment, are needed.
Clinical presentation of post-COVID pain and its impact on quality of life in long COVID patients: a cross-sectional household survey of SARS-CoV-2 cases in Bangladesh
Authors: Kabir Md. Feroz , Yin Khin Nyein , Jeffree Mohammad Saffree , Ahmedy Fatimah Binti , Zainudin Muhamad Faizal , Htwe Ohnmar , Jahan Sharmila , Hossain Md. Zahid , Hossain K. M. Amran , Hossain Tofajjal , Jahid Iqbal Kabir , Chakrovorty Sonjit Kumar
Published: April 2024

Background

Pain is one of the prevalent Long COVID Symptoms (LCS). Pain interferes with the quality of life (QoL) and induces disease burden.

Purpose

The study aimed to elicit the clinical presentation of pain and determine the relationships between QoL and pain in LCS.

Methods

This household cross-sectional study of 12,925 SARS-CoV-2 cases between July and December 2021 was carried out in eight administrative divisions of Bangladesh. Stratified random sampling from the cases retrieved from the Ministry of Health was employed. Symptom screening was performed through COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale, and long COVID was diagnosed according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. The analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS (Version 20.00).

Results

The prevalence of pain in long COVID was between 01 and 3.1% in the studied population. The study also found five categories of pain symptoms as LCS in Bangladesh: muscle pain 3.1% (95% CI; 2.4–3.8), chest pain 2.4% (95% CI; 1.8–3.1), joint pain 2.8% (95% CI; 2.2–2.3), headache 3.1% (95% CI; 2.4–3.8), and abdominal pain 0.3% (95% CI; 0.01–0.5). People with LCS as pain, multiple LCS, and longer duration of LCS had significantly lower quality of life across all domains of the WHOQOL-BREF (P < 0.001) compared to asymptomatic cases.

Conclusion

Three out of ten people with long COVID experience painful symptoms, which can significantly reduce their quality of life. Comprehensive rehabilitation can improve the symptoms and reduce the burden of the disease.
Relationship between the natural cessation time of umbilical cord pulsation in full-term newborns delivered vaginally and maternal-neonatal outcomes: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Wu Ruijie , Zhang Yuan , Chen Jiaqi , Zhang Tongchao , Yang Xiaorong , Xu Xiangyu , Li Mi , Li Dong , Liu Xiaoyan , Lu Ming
Published: April 2024

Background

To analyze the impact of the time of natural cessation of the umbilical cord on maternal and infant outcomes in order to explore the time of clamping that would be beneficial to maternal and infant outcomes.

Methods

The study was a cohort study and pregnant women who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from September 2020 to September 2021. Analysis using Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test, Pearson’s Chi-squared test, generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) and repeated measures ANOVA. If the difference between groups was statistically significant, the Bonferroni test was then performed. A two-sided test of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

A total of 345 pregnants were included in this study. The subjects were divided into the ≤60 seconds group (n = 134), the 61–89 seconds group (n = 106) and the ≥90 seconds group (n = 105) according to the time of natural arrest of the umbilical cord. There was no statistically significant difference in the amount of postpartum hemorrhage and the need for iron, medication, or supplements in the postpartum period between the different cord spontaneous arrest time groups for mothers (P > 0.05). The weight of the newborns in the three groups was (3316.27 ± 356.70) g, (3387.26 ± 379.20) g, and (3455.52 ± 363.78) g, respectively, and the number of days of cord detachment was 12.00 (8.00, 15.75) days, 10.00 (7.00, 15.00) days and 9.00 (7.00, 13.00) days, respectively, as the time of natural cessation of the cord increased. The neonatal lymphocyte ratio, erythrocyte pressure, and hemoglobin reached a maximum in the 61–89 s group at (7.41 ± 2.16) %, (61.77 ± 8.17) % and (194.52 ± 25.84) g/L, respectively. Lower incidence of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in the 61–89 s group compared to the ≥90s group 0 vs 4.8 (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

In full-term singleton vaginal births, maternal and infant outcomes are better when waiting for 61–89 s after birth for the cord to stop pulsating naturally, suggesting that we can wait up to 90s for the cord to stop pulsating naturally, and if the cord does not stop pulsating after 90s, artificial weaning may be more beneficial to maternal and infant outcomes.
Effect of long-term care insurance policy on depression in non-disabled people: evidence from China
Authors: Jiang Wenjing , Yang Hongyan
Published: April 2024

Background

Policy effect might be multidimensional and spill over to non-recipients. It is unclear how the implementation of Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI) policy affects depression in non-disabled people and how this effect differs in different non-disabled groups.

Methods

Using time-varying differences-in-differences method and nationally representative health survey data in wave 2011, wave 2013, wave 2015 and wave 2018 from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, we assessed the effect of LTCI policy on depression in non-disabled people aged 45 years and older, and discussed the heterogeneity of effect across different population characteristics: retirement, financial support and social participation status.

Results

We found LTCI policy statistically significant reduced depression by 0.76 units in non-disabled people compared to non-pilot cities. Depression in non-disabled people who unretired, with financial support and without social participation was reduced by 0.8267, 0.7079 and 1.2161 units, respectively.

Conclusions

Depression in non-disabled people was statistically significant reduced because of LTCI policy in China, and non-disabled people who unretired, with financial support and without social participation benefited more from LTCI policy. Our findings highlight the depression-reducing effect of LTCI policy in non-recipients and suggest that non-disabled people who unretired, with financial support and without social participation should be concerned during LTCI policy progress.
Effect of lung isolation with different airway devices on postoperative pneumonia in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: a propensity score-matched study
Authors: Xiao Hongyi , Zhang Huan , Pan Jiying , Yue Fangli , Zhang Shuwen , Ji Fanceng
Published: April 2024

Background

Postoperative pneumonia is one of the common complications after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. There is no related study on the effect of lung isolation with different airway devices on postoperative pneumonia. Therefore, in this study, the propensity score matching method was used to retrospectively explore the effects of different lung isolation methods on postoperative pneumonia in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.

Methods

This is A single-center, retrospective, propensity score-matched study. The information of patients who underwent VATS in Weifang People 's Hospital from January 2020 to January 2021 was retrospectively included. The patients were divided into three groups according to the airway device used in thoracoscopic surgery: laryngeal mask combined with bronchial blocker group (LM + BB group), tracheal tube combined with bronchial blocker group (TT + BB group) and double-lumen endobronchial tube group (DLT group). The main outcome was the incidence of pneumonia within 7 days after surgery; the secondary outcome were hospitalization time and hospitalization expenses. Patients in the three groups were matched using propensity score matching (PSM) analysis.

Results

After propensity score matching analysis, there was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative pneumonia and hospitalization time among the three groups (P > 0.05), but there was significant difference in hospitalization expenses among the three groups (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

There was no significant difference in the effect of different intubation lung isolation methods on postoperative pneumonia in patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery.
Multifunctional fucoidan-loaded Zn-MOF-encapsulated microneedles for MRSA-infected wound healing
Authors: Jiang Zichao , Li Jingyi , Wang Jiahao , Pan Yixiao , Liang Shuailong , Hu Yihe , Wang Long
Published: April 2024

Infected wound healing remains a challenging task in clinical practice due to several factors: (I) drug-resistant infections caused by various pathogens, (II) persistent inflammation that hinders tissue regeneration and (III) the ability of pathogens to persist intracellularly and evade antibiotic treatment. Microneedle patches (MNs), recognized for their effecacious and painless subcutaneous drug delivery, could greatly enhance wound healing if integrated with antibacterial functionality and tissue regenerative potential. A multifunctional agent with subcellular targeting capability and contained novel antibacterial components, upon loading onto MNs, could yield excellent therapeutic effects on wound infections. In this study, we sythesised a zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 nanoparticles (ZIF-8 NPs) loaded with low molecular weight fucoidan (Fu) and further coating by hyaluronic acid (HA), obtained a multifunctional HAZ@Fu NPs, which could hinders Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) growth and promotes M2 polarization in macrophages. We mixed HAZ@Fu NPs with photocrosslinked gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) and loaded it into the tips of the MNs (HAZ@Fu MNs), administered to mice model with MRSA-infected full-thickness cutaneous wounds. MNs are able to penetrate the skin barrier, delivering HAZ@Fu NPs into the dermal layer. Since cells within infected tissues extensively express the HA receptor CD44, we also confirmed the HA endows the nanoparticles with the ability to target MRSA in subcellular level. In vitro and in vivo murine studies have demonstrated that MNs are capable of delivering HAZ@Fu NPs deep into the dermal layers. And facilitated by the HA coating, HAZ@Fu NPs could target MRSA surviving at the subcellular level. The effective components, such as zinc ions, Fu, and hyaluronic acid could sustainably released, which contributes to antibacterial activity, mitigates inflammation, promotes epithelial regeneration and fosters neovascularization. Through the RNA sequencing of macrophages post co-culture with HAZ@Fu, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis reveals that the biological functionalities associated with wound healing could potentially be facilitated through the PI3K-Akt pathway. The results indicate that the synergistic application of HAZ@Fu NPs with biodegradable MNs may serve as a significant adjunct in the treatment of infected wounds. The intricate mechanisms driving its biological effects merit further investigation.
Hyaluronic acid stimulation of stem cells for cardiac repair: a cell-free strategy for myocardial infarct
Authors: Jeong Seon-Yeong , Park Bong-Woo , Kim Jimin , Lee Seulki , You Haedeun , Lee Joohyun , Lee Susie , Park Jae-Hyun , Kim Jinju , Sim Woosup , Ban Kiwon , Park Joonghoon , Park Hun-Jun , Kim Soo
Published: April 2024

Background

Myocardial infarction (MI), a representative form of ischemic heart disease, remains a huge burden worldwide. This study aimed to explore whether extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted from hyaluronic acid (HA)-primed induced mesenchymal stem cells (HA-iMSC-EVs) could enhance the cardiac repair after MI.

Results

HA-iMSC-EVs showed typical characteristics for EVs such as morphology, size, and marker proteins expression. Compared with iMSC-EVs, HA-iMSC-EVs showed enhanced tube formation and survival against oxidative stress in endothelial cells, while reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in cardiomyocytes. In THP-1 macrophages, both types of EVs markedly reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory signaling players, whereas HA-iMSC-EVs were more potent in augmenting anti-inflammatory markers. A significant decrease of inflammasome proteins was observed in HA-iMSC-EV-treated THP-1. Further, phospho-SMAD2 as well as fibrosis markers in TGF-β1-stimulated cardiomyocytes were reduced in HA-iMSC-EVs treatment. Proteomic data showed that HA-iMSC-EVs were enriched with multiple pathways including immunity, extracellular matrix organization, angiogenesis, and cell cycle. The localization of HA-iMSC-EVs in myocardium was confirmed after delivery by either intravenous or intramyocardial route, with the latter increased intensity. Echocardiography revealed that intramyocardial HA-iMSC-EVs injections improved cardiac function and reduced adverse cardiac remodeling and necrotic size in MI heart. Histologically, MI hearts receiving HA-iMSC-EVs had increased capillary density and viable myocardium, while showed reduced fibrosis.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that HA-iMSC-EVs improve cardiac function by augmenting vessel growth, while reducing ROS generation, inflammation, and fibrosis in MI heart.

Graphical Abstract
Access restrictions to forest resources, rather than COVID-19 bans, drive the selection of firewood species for bonfires during Festas Juninas in northeastern Brazil
Authors: Araújo Iara Vitória de Oliveira , Centeno-Alvarado Diego , Ramos Marcelo Alves
Published: April 2024

Background

The complex interplay of social and environmental factors shapes ecosystems, potentially leading to harmony or conflict, highlighting the importance of understanding these dynamics for coexistence. In developing countries, firewood serves as a primary energy source and plays a role in cultural-religious rituals and festivities. However, the specific patterns of woody species used for the latter remain poorly understood, including the impact of access restrictions to resources and local bans on practices. Therefore, our research focuses on examining how access restrictions to forest resources and bonfire bans due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) impact the cultural-religious tradition of bonfire making during Festas Juninas (June festivities) in northeastern Brazil.

Methods

Ethnobotanical fieldwork was conducted in two rural populations in northeastern Brazil between 2021 and 2022. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, observations, and the guided tour technique. The cultural-religious tradition of bonfire making (i.e., richness of native and exotic firewood species, firewood volume, and the number of bonfires related to this practice) was compared between populations (i.e., differing in access restrictions) and years (i.e., differing in COVID-19-related bans) using Mann–Whitney U tests.

Results

Results revealed significant differences in the richness of native (p value = 0.001) and exotic (p value < 0.001) firewood species for bonfire making due to access restrictions to forest resources. The number of native species used was higher among the population residing in the area with unrestricted access than among those with restricted access, while a greater number of exotic species was used in the population with restricted access. The rest of the variables were not influenced by access restrictions, and no variables were influenced by COVID-19 bans.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that access restrictions to forest resources, rather than COVID-19 bans, drive the selection of firewood species for bonfires during Festas Juninas in northeastern Brazil. In addition, as populations remain deeply entrenched in cultural-religious practices amid temporary bans imposed by health crises, there is a pressing need for culturally sensitive environmental policies. Fostering socio-ecological resilience demands a comprehensive approach that encompasses not only environmental factors but also cultural dimensions, which wield a pivotal influence on long-term sustainability.
Continuous or interrupted pledgeted suture technique in stented bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement: a comparison of in-hospital outcomes
Authors: Arabkhani Bardia , Gonthier Sebastien , Lorenz Veronica , Deschamps Samuel , Jahanyar Jama , Boute Marin , Vancraeynest David , Mastrobuoni Stefano , Khoury Gebrine El , de Kerchove Laurent
Published: April 2024

Background

There is ambiguity in the literature regarding the continuous suture technique (CST) for aortic valve replacement (AVR). At our center, there has been a gradual shift towards CST over the interrupted pledgeted technique (IPT). This study aims at comparing outcomes for both techniques.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of a single-center study of patients undergoing AVR between January 2011 and July 2020. Patients were divided into two groups: Continuous suture technique and interrupted pledget-reinforced sutures. The pre-operative and In-hospital clinical characteristics and echocardiographic hemodynamics (i.e. transvalvular gradients and paravalvular leakage) were compared between CST and IPT.

Results

We compared 791 patients with CST to 568 patients with IPT (median age: 73 and 74 years, respectively, p = 0.02). In CST there were 35% concomitant procedure vs. 31% in IPT (p = 0.16). Early mortality was 3.2% in CST versus 4.8% in IPT (p = 0.15), and a second cross-clamp due to a paravalvular-leak in 0.5% vs. 1.2%, respectively (p = 0.22). The CST was not associated with new-onset conduction-blocks mandating pacemaker implants(OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.54–2.14; P = 0.85). The postoperative gradients on echocardiography were lower in CST compared to IPT, especially in smaller annuli (peak gradients: 15.7mmHg vs. 20.5mmHg, in valve size < 23 mm, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The continuous suture technique was associated with lower postoperative gradients and shorter cross-clamp time compared to interrupted pledgeted technique. Differences in paravalvular leaks were non-significant, although slightly less in the continuous suture technique. There were no further differences in valve-related complications. Hence, continues suture technique is safe, with better hemodynamics compared to the interrupted pledgeted technique. This may be of clinical importance, especially in smaller size annular size.
Abnormal biochemical indicators of neonatal inherited metabolic disease in carriers
Authors: Guo Fang , Zhou Lingna , Zhang Feng , Yu Bin , Yang Yuqi , Liu Zhiwei
Published: April 2024

Background

Traditional biochemical screening for neonatal inherited metabolic diseases has high false-positive rates and low positive predictive values, which are not conducive to early diagnosis and increase parents’ anxiety. This study analysed the relationship between gene variant carriers and their biochemical indicators in traditional biochemical screening, aiming to find explanations for false positives in newborns.

Results

This retrospective study included 962 newborns. Newborns underwent traditional biochemical screening at birth using blood staining and genomic sequencing of their stored blood staining using the NeoSeq Pro panel, which was able to detect 154 pathogenic genes and 86 diseases. A total of 632 newborns were carriers of gene variants. 56% of congenital hypothyroidism carriers had higher thyroid-stimulating hormone levels than normal newborns. Abnormal biochemical indices were detected in 71% of carriers of organic acid metabolic diseases, 69% of carriers of amino acid metabolic diseases, and 85% of carriers of fatty acid β oxidation disorders. In carriers associated with organic acid metabolic diseases, the propionylcarnitine (C3), C3/acetylcarnitine (C2), and methylmalonylcarnitine (C4DC) + 3-hydroxyisovalerylcarnitine (C5OH) levels were higher than those in non-carriers (C3: 4.12 vs. 1.66 µmol/L; C3/C2: 0.15 vs. 0.09; C4DC + C5OH: 0.22 vs. 0.19 µmol/L). In carriers associated with amino acid metabolic diseases, phenylalanine levels were higher than those in non-carriers (68.00 vs. 52.05 µmol/L). For carriers of fatty acid β oxidation disorders, butyrylcarnitine levels were higher than those in non-carriers (0.31 vs. 0.21 µmol/L), while the free carnitine levels were lower than those in non-carriers (14.65 vs. 21.87 µmol/L). There was a higher occurrence of carriers among newborns who received false-positive results for amino acid metabolic diseases compared to those who received negative results (15.52% vs. 6.71%). Similarly, there was a higher occurrence of carriers among newborns who received false-positive results for fatty acid β oxidation disorders compared to those who received negative results (28.30% vs. 7.29%).

Conclusions

This study showed that the carriers comprised a large number of newborns. Carriers had abnormal biochemical indicators compared with non-carriers, which could explain the false-positive rate for newborns using traditional newborn biochemical screening, especially in amino acid metabolic and fatty acid β oxidation disorders.
RBM10 C761Y mutation induced oncogenic ASPM isoforms and regulated β-catenin signaling in cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Chang Jiang , Zhang Yaodong , Zhou Tao , Qiao Qian , Shan Jijun , Chen Yananlan , Jiang Wangjie , Wang Yirui , Liu Shuochen , Wang Yuming , Yu Yue , Li Changxian , Li Xiangcheng
Published: April 2024

Background

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) comprises a heterogeneous group of biliary tract cancer. Our previous CCA mutation pattern study focused on genes in the post-transcription modification process, among which the alternative splicing factor RBM10 captured our attention. However, the roles of RBM10 wild type and mutations in CCA remain unclear.

Methods

RBM10 mutation spectrum in CCA was clarified using our initial data and other CCA genomic datasets from domestic and international sources. Real-time PCR and tissue microarray were used to detect RBM10 clinical association. Function assays were conducted to investigate the effects of RBM10 wild type and mutations on CCA. RNA sequencing was to investigate the changes in alternative splicing events in the mutation group compared to the wild-type group. Minigene splicing reporter and interaction assays were performed to elucidate the mechanism of mutation influence on alternative splicing events.

Results

RBM10 mutations were more common in Chinese CCA populations and exhibited more protein truncation variants. RBM10 exerted a tumor suppressive effect in CCA and correlated with favorable prognosis of CCA patients. The overexpression of wild-type RBM10 enhanced the ASPM exon18 exon skipping event interacting with SRSF2. The C761Y mutation in the C2H2-type zinc finger domain impaired its interaction with SRSF2, resulting in a loss-of-function mutation. Elevated ASPM203 stabilized DVL2 and enhanced β-catenin signaling, which promoted CCA progression.

Conclusions

Our results showed that RBM10C761Y-modulated ASPM203 promoted CCA progression in a Wnt/β-catenin signaling-dependent manner. This study may enhance the understanding of the regulatory mechanisms that link mutation-altering splicing variants to CCA.
A porcine kidney-derived clonal cell line with clear genetic annotation is highly susceptible to African swine fever virus
Authors: Cao Hua , Zhang Mengjia , Liao Zheyu , Li Dongfan , He Xinglin , Ma Hailong , Li Pengfei , Yu Xuexiang , Peng Guiqing , Xie Shengsong , He Qigai , Li Wentao
Published: April 2024

African Swine Fever virus (ASFV), the causative agent of African swine fever, is a highly lethal hemorrhagic virus affecting domestic pigs and wild boars. The primary target cells for ASFV infection are porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs), which are difficult to obtain and maintain in vitro, and less subjective to genetic editing. To overcome these issues and facilitate ASFV research, we obtained a subclonal cell line PK1-C5 by subcloning LLC-PK1 cells that support stable ASFV proliferation. This consequential cell line exhibited high ASFV infection levels and similar viral growth characteristics to PAMs, while also allowing high-efficiency genomic editing through transfection or lentivirus transduction of Cas9. Taken together, our study provided a valuable tool for research aspects including ASFV-host interactions, pathogenicity, and vaccine development.
Serum PYCARD may become a new diagnostic marker for rheumatoid arthritis patients
Authors: Geng Xue-Li , Jiang Yong-Sen , Zhao Chun-Nan , Zhang Ze-Zhi , Liu Yan-Ling , Ding Pei-Jian
Published: April 2024

Background

The objective of this investigation is to analyze the levels and clinical relevance of serum PYCARD (Pyrin and CARD domain-containing protein, commonly known as ASC—apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase activation and recruitment domain), interleukin-38 (IL-38), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in individuals afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

Our study comprised 88 individuals diagnosed with RA who sought medical attention at the Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University during the period spanning November 2021 to June 2023, constituting the test group. Additionally, a control group of 88 individuals who underwent health assessments at the same hospital during the aforementioned timeframe was included for comparative purposes. The study involved the assessment of IL-38, IL-6, PYCARD, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (anti-CCP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels in both groups. The research aimed to explore the correlations and diagnostic efficacy of these markers, employing pertinent statistical analyses for comprehensive evaluation.

Results

The test group had higher expression levels of PYCARD, IL-6, and IL-38 than the control group (P < 0.05). Based on the correlation analysis, there was a strong relationship between PYCARD and IL-38 (P < 0.01). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.97, 0.96, and 0.96 when using combinations of PYCARD and anti-CCP, IL-38 and anti-CCP, and IL-6 and anti-CCP for predicting RA, respectively. Importantly, all three of these pairs demonstrated superior AUC values compared to PYCARD, IL-38, IL-6, ESR, or anti-CCP used as standalone diagnostic indicators.

Conclusion

PYCARD, IL-6, and IL-38 exhibit promising potential as novel diagnostic markers and may constitute valuable tools for supporting the diagnosis of RA.
Pathways towards food sector sustainability: the case of vending
Authors: Bertossi Alberto
Published: April 2024

This paper reviews the literature on sustainability in the food vending industry to understand whether: (1) the topic of sustainable development is addressed at the academic level when it comes to the sector; (2) whether or not the industry is on the right track towards sustainability, considering only academic knowledge; and (3) what might be useful topics for its development. To this end, 71 articles were analysed using Scopus as a database. The results indicate a rather fragmented situation and a clear prevalence of studies focussed on social and nutritional issues, leaving little room for environmental or circular economy-related issues. However, the analysis also revealed that the field holds potential for sustainable transformation in the agribusiness sector. Future studies could use this review as a springboard for further investigation.
Opportunistic screening for osteoporosis using computed tomography scans and its comparison with DXA findings: a two-center cross-sectional study
Authors: Khoroushi Farzaneh , Keykhosravi Ehsan , Shakeri Mohammad Taghi , Salari Masoumeh , Hassan Nejad Ehsan , Payandeh Asma , Salarzaei Omid
Published: April 2024

Background

Osteoporosis is a prevalent condition leading to an increased risk of bone fractures.Osteoporosis poses a worldwide public health concern, impacting over 200 million individuals and resulting in a staggering 1.66 million hip fractures each year. Opportunistic osteoporosis screening can be employed during CT scans to assess bone mineral density (BMD) through Hounsfield units (HU) without the need for additional imaging, radiation exposure, or appointments. This study aimed to investigate a CT scan's diagnostic value in the opportunistic osteoporosis screening through L1 vertebra densitometry and compare it with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) findings.

Results

One hundred forty-nine patients with an average age of 67.70 ± 10.94 years were included in the study. The age of osteoporotic patients was significantly higher than osteopenic (p= 0.001) and normal individuals (p< 0.001). The HU of osteoporotic patients was found to be significantly lower compared to both osteopenic (p= 0.023) and normal individuals (p< 0.001). According to the ROC curve for osteoporosis prediction using the HU (AUC = 0.793 andp< 0.001), with a cut-off of 103 HU, the CT scan had a sensitivity of 69% and a specificity of 74% for the diagnosis of osteoporosis.

Conclusion

Individuals with osteoporosis exhibit a significantly lower average HU compared to both osteopenic and healthy individuals. A CT scan can serve as an effective predictor of osteoporosis in patients. The CT images obtained for reasons unrelated to osteoporosis diagnosis can be employed to discern patients with osteoporosis without incurring the added cost or radiation exposure.
Spherical quantum dot described by a scalar exponential potential under the influence of a linear scalar potential and a global monopole
Authors: Bakke K.
Published: April 2024

Based on the power-exponential potential, we study the confinement of a particle to a spherical quantum dot under the influence of a linear scalar potential. We show that the energy eigenvalues s-waves can be obtained from approximate solutions to the Schrödinger equation. Further, we consider the global monopole spacetime and study the topological effects of this spacetime background on the confinement of a particle to a spherical quantum dot under the influence of a linear scalar potential.
Time-updated Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 Is Predictive for Posttransplant Diabetes Mellitus in Kidney Transplant Recipients
Authors: van der Vaart Amarens , Kremer Daan , Niekolaas Tessa , Bakker Stephan J L , van Dijk Peter R , de Borst Martin H
Published: April 2024

Objective

This work aimed to study whether fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is predictive for incident posttransplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs).

Methods

We repeatedly analyzed plasma C-terminal FGF23 concentrations in 170 KTRs enrolled in the TransplantLines Biobank and Cohort Study. Associations of time-updated plasma FGF23 with incident PTDM were studied by Cox regression.

Results

A total of 170 KTRs (46% female, aged 54.4 ± 12.4 years) with 540 FGF23 measurements were included. Plasma FGF23 concentrations at transplantation were 31.1 (0.76-2576) pmol/L. During a follow-up of 24 (12-24) months, 38 patients developed PTDM. The highest FGF23 tertile (compared to the lowest) was associated with an increased risk for PTDM (fully adjusted hazard ratio 20.9; 95% CI, 3.4-130.0; P < .001).

Conclusion

In KTRs without diabetes at baseline, the highest tertile of FGF23, compared to the lowest, is predictive for development of PTDM.
Prefigurative Politics at Bread and Puppet Theater
Authors: Erdener Jasmine
Published: April 2024

Bread and Puppet (B&P) Theater is one of the oldest, most influential, and well-known puppet theaters both in the United States and abroad and has been at the forefront of puppetry, performance, and political protest for more than half a century. B&P also functions as a site of tension in prefigurative political theory, between creative world building and alternative decision-making structures. B&P fosters a powerful lived experience of prefigurative politics. The political process of envisioning alternative realities took place through performance, puppets, and the shifting sense of temporality in an isolated location. At the same time, B&P operates in a state of flux, at the center of a constant stream of apprentices, volunteers, and audience members. They rely on hierarchical decision-making to facilitate order, which challenges the prefigurative ideal of a democratic community. B&P models a mediated form of prefigurative politics in which a hierarchical governance structure and creative world building exist in tension with one another. The theater has worked within this tension to survive and even flourish. B&P complicates prefigurative politics in social movement theory and practice, as the hierarchy helps preserve some sense of order but conflicts with the more egalitarian vision of the world represented in their performances. B&P's intervention in prefigurative politics offers lessons to social movements and artistic practices in the contemporary resurgence of prefigurative politics.
The “Politics of the Faceless”
Authors: Pong Beryl
Published: April 2024

While practices of visibility, visuality, and visualization have long impacted migration, recently the drone's-eye view has become part of the iconology and iconography of mobility. With the European “migration crisis” of 2015, varieties of drones were used by states to securitize borders, by NGOs to increase accountability and to aid migrants, and by independent drone photojournalists to document the event. This article discusses how the politics of drone use involves understanding the homologies between militarism, securitization, and humanitarianism in the history of the aerial view, and why drone ethics are intertwined with drone aesthetics. Focusing on the photojournalism of Rasmus Degnbol and Rocco Rorandelli, it argues that, while humanitarian drone images are becoming increasingly mundane and unremarkable in news media, there is an aporia immanent to such images, which require confrontation with histories of racialization and colonialism. It seeks to cultivate “aesthetic literacy” in drone journalism by addressing the way humanitarian events are being revisualized through remote technologies that are underpinned by histories of targeting and racialization in which “the human” is often hardly visible at all.
Deciphering dynamic interactions between spermatozoa and the ovarian microenvironment through integrated multi-omics approaches in viviparous Sebastes schlegelii
Authors: Li Rui , Qu Jiangbo , Yan Kai , Chen Ying , Zhao Xi , Liu Zhiying , Xie Mengxi , Zhang Quanqi , He Yan , Niu Jingjing , Qi Jie
Published: April 2024

The ovarian microenvironment plays a crucial role in ensuring the reproductive success of viviparous teleosts. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the interaction between spermatozoa and the ovarian microenvironment has remained elusive. This study aimed to contribute to a better understanding of this process in black rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii) using integrated multi-omics approaches. The results demonstrated significant upregulation of ovarian complement-related proteins and pattern recognition receptors, along with remodeling of glycans on the surface of spermatozoa at the early spermatozoa-storage stage (1 month after mating). As spermatozoa were stored over time, ovarian complement proteins were progressively repressed by tryptophan and hippurate, indicating a remarkable adaptation of spermatozoa to the ovarian microenvironment. Before fertilization, a notable upregulation of cellular junction proteins was observed. The study revealed that spermatozoa bind to ZPB2a protein through GSTM3 and that ZPB2a promotes spermatozoa survival and movement in a GSTM3-dependent manner. These findings shed light on a key mechanism that influences the dynamics of spermatozoa in the female reproductive tract, providing valuable insights into the molecular networks regulating spermatozoa adaptation and survival in species with internal fertilization.
Intensive Care Unit: The concept of a special care
Authors: Vartela Vasiliki
Published: April 2024

No abstract available
La poesía testimonial womanista y transnacional de Nancy Morejón: de la mujer negra cubana a George Floyd
Authors: Zapata Calle Ana
Published: April 2024

Este libro explora la obra poética de la escritora cubana Nancy Morejón desde sus primeras creaciones, publicadas en los años sesenta, hasta su poemario más reciente: "Madrigal para un príncipe negro" (2020), dedicado a George Floyd. En el análisis de las composiciones, producidas en las distintas décadas de su vida profesional, se abordan temas diversos que comparten dos ejes fundamentales y recurrentes: la lucha por el desarrollo de la intelectualidad de la mujer negra cubana y el compromiso de la autora con la justicia social. El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido demostrar cómo Morejón ha usado su poesía como plataforma poética y política, al crear un género híbrido en el que ha mezclado la poesía clásica tradicional con el género testimonial para dejar constancia de realidades sociales a nivel local, nacional e internacional que conectan directamente con el womanismo o feminismo negro estadounidense.
Punished for Success? A Natural Experiment of Displaying Clinical Hospital Quality on Review Platforms
Authors: Jiang Lianlian (Dorothy) , Hou Jinghui (Jove) , Ma Xiao , Pavlou Paul A.
Published: April 2024

The healthcare market struggles with information asymmetry, limiting patients’ ability to make informed hospital choices. Aiming to bridge this gap, review platforms like Yelp have begun displaying hospitals’ clinical quality data alongside consumer reviews. However, our research uncovers that Yelp’s introduction of maternity care clinical quality measures unexpectedly resulted in lower subsequent Yelp ratings for high-quality hospitals with insufficient staffing. Employing precise foot traffic data and transfer deep learning, we discovered that high-quality, yet understaffed, hospitals experienced a surge in patient volume, which strained their resources and diminished patient satisfaction, leading to negative reviews. This finding has significant implications, signaling the unintended consequences of revealing clinical quality measures, including potential financial losses for hospitals because of reduced federal funding. This research not only contributes to our understanding the dynamics of patient satisfaction but also, offers actionable insights for high-quality hospitals to mitigate the negative impacts of unexpected visibility on review platforms. Our research underscores the importance for patients to discern between objective clinical quality measures and self-reported subjective ratings in their decision-making process. This research applies machine learning and transfer deep learning techniques to healthcare analytics, offering a deeper understanding of the interplay between information disclosure, online reviews, patient satisfaction, and hospital management.
Exercising Market Power Without Using Prices: Service Time in Online Grocery
Authors: Ater Itai , Shany Adi
Published: April 2024

This paper studies how online grocers use service time to respond to local competition and demand conditions when prices are uniformly set at the national level. Using comprehensive data collected twice a week over three years from 172 Israeli local markets, we show that an online grocer sets identical prices in all markets. By contrast, service time is shorter in more competitive markets and on low-demand days. Next, we exploit regional and temporal variation in entry decisions to examine how the incumbent adjusts its service time when new online grocers enter the market. The incumbent’s service time falls significantly on low-demand days and in monopolistic markets. This decrease begins shortly before entry and is greater when the entrant poses a larger competitive threat. On high-demand days and in competitive markets we do not find a significant change in service time in the months surrounding entry. Our findings suggest that firms use service time to exercise their local market power when prices are unresponsive and that operational considerations affect the extent to which they respond.

This paper was accepted by Joshua Gans, business strategy.

Funding: Financial support by Eli Hurvitz Institute of Strategic Management, The Henry Crown Institute of Business Research in Israel, The Maurice Falk Institute for Economic Research in Israel Ltd., Coller Foundation, and the Israeli Science Foundation [Grant 568/17] is gratefully acknowledged.

Supplemental Material: The online appendices and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.01820 .
Energiewende im Dialog – Zur Kopplung von politischer Beteiligung und dialogischem Wissenstransfer
Authors: Brendler Viktoria , Fücker Sonja
Published: April 2024

In diesem Beitrag wird Zusammenhalt als Resilienz der Gesellschaft gegenüber konfliktbasierten Spaltungstendenzen betrachtet. Dabei wird zum einen aus einer reaktiv-konfliktzentrierten Perspektive gefragt, wie sich gesellschaftliche Konflikte angemessen bearbeiten lassen. Im Fokus stehen dabei Konflikte im Kontext der Energiewende und Beteiligungsverfahren als möglicher Konfliktlösungsmechanismus. Zum anderen wird aus einer aktiv-gestaltenden Perspektive betrachtet, inwiefern Zusammenhalt mithilfe von dialogorientiertem Wissenstransfer auch proaktiv gestaltet werden kann. Zur Beantwortung dieser Fragen werden innerhalb eines dialogorientierten Transferformats zunächst Erfahrungen aus der bisherigen Beteiligungspraxis zusammengetragen und diskutiert. Anschließend wird erhoben, wie das Transferformat von den Teilnehmenden wahrgenommen wurde und inwiefern es zu einer Veränderung oder Verfestigung bestehender Sichtweisen beigetragen hat. Im Ergebnis wird das Konfliktbearbeitungspotenzial von Beteiligungsverfahren eher kritisch bewertet. Insbesondere kann eine Kluft zwischen dem gesellschaftlichen Bedürfnis nach Dialog und den in der Praxis häufig engen Verfahrensgrenzen von Beteiligungsformaten festgestellt werden. Genau hier kann dialogischer Wissenstransfer ansetzen. Diskursorientierte Dialogformate schaffen einen alternativen, kollaborativen Raum, der durch die Überwindung bestehender Konfliktlinien und die Etablierung gemeinsamer Diskurspraktiken einen aktiv-gestaltenden Beitrag zum Zusammenhalt leisten kann.
Wissensbeziehungen gestalten – Vertrauen schaffen in Transferprozessen. Probleme, Herangehensweisen und Lösungen in der gemeinsamen Wissensproduktion von Wissenschaft und Verwaltung
Authors: Leipold Kathrin
Published: April 2024

Der vorliegende Beitrag stellt die Frage, wie Wissen in der Kooperation zwischen Wissenschaft und Projektpartner:innen entstehen kann. Ausgangspunkt sind die Entwicklungen im Transferprojekt ‚Fortbildungsprogramm für Integrationsbeauftragte‘. Anhand von Hindernissen und Problemen im Voranschreiten des Projekts wird gezeigt, welche lösende Rolle Beziehungsstrukturen spielen. Ausgehend von Methoden der ethnografischen Wissensgenerierung wird ein kollaborativer Modus der Wissensherstellung vorgeschlagen. So gelingt es im Transferprojekt ‚Fortbildungsprogramm für Integrationsbeauftragte‘, Vertrauen aufzubauen und partizipative, machtsensible und transparente Räume zu schaffen, die den Transfer fördern. Der Beitrag schlägt drei Arbeitsweisen vor – ko-laborativ, care-full und relational – und zeigt, wie entstandene Schieflagen und Irrtümer über Absichten und Modi der Zusammenarbeit im Transferprojekt ausgeräumt und damit Misstrauen in Vertrauen, Machtungleichheit in egalitäre Verhältnisse und Missverständnisse in ein transparentes Kommunikationsverhältnis überführt werden. Abschließend werden Beziehungsstrukturen in Wissenschaft-Praxis-Arrangements betrachtet und es wird besprochen, was das Schaffen vertrauensvoller Beziehungen im Wissenstransfer für den gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt bedeuten kann.