bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anti-TNF (adalimumab) injection for the treatment of pain-predominant early-stage frozen shoulder: the Anti-Freaze-Feasibility randomised controlled trial
Authors: Hopewell Sally , Srikesavan Cynthia , Evans Alison , Er Fema , Rangan Amar , Preece Jane , Francis Anne , Massa M Sofia , Feldmann Marc , Lamb Sarah , Nanchahal Jagdeep
Published: May 2024

Objective

The Anti-Freaze-F (AFF) trial assessed the feasibility of conducting a definitive trial to determine whether intra-articular injection of adalimumab can reduce pain and improve function in people with pain-predominant early-stage frozen shoulder.

Design

Multicentre, randomised feasibility trial, with embedded qualitative study.

Setting

Four UK National Health Service (NHS) musculoskeletal and related physiotherapy services.

Participants

Adults ≥18 years with new episode of shoulder pain attributable to early-stage frozen shoulder.

Interventions

Participants were randomised (centralised computer generated 1:1 allocation) to either ultrasound-guided intra-articular injection of: (1) adalimumab (160 mg) or (2) placebo (saline (0.9% sodium chloride)). Participants and outcome assessors were blinded to treatment allocation. Second injection of allocated treatment (adalimumab 80 mg) or equivalent placebo was administered 2–3 weeks later.

Primary feasibility objectives

(1) Ability to screen and identify participants; (2) willingness of eligible participants to consent and be randomised; (3) practicalities of delivering the intervention; (4) SD of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) score and attrition rate at 3 months.

Results

Between 31 May 2022 and 7 February 2023, 156 patients were screened of whom 39 (25%) were eligible. The main reasons for ineligibility were other shoulder disorder (38.5%; n=45/117) or no longer in pain-predominant frozen shoulder (33.3%; n=39/117). Of the 39 eligible patients, nine (23.1%) consented to be randomised (adalimumab n=4; placebo n=5). The main reason patients declined was because they preferred receiving steroid injection (n=13). All participants received treatment as allocated. The mean time from randomisation to first injection was 12.3 (adalimumab) and 7.2 days (placebo). Completion rates for patient-reported and clinician-assessed outcomes were 100%.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that current NHS musculoskeletal physiotherapy settings yielded only small numbers of participants, too few to make a trial viable. This was because many patients had passed the early stage of frozen shoulder or had already formulated a preference for treatment.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN 27075727, EudraCT 2021-03509-23, ClinicalTrials.govNCT05299242(REC 21/NE/0214).
Role of virtual reality in examining the effect of fear of falling (FOF) on postural stability in individuals without and with Parkinson’s disease in Egypt: a mixed-methods feasibility study protocol
Authors: Gomaa Yasmine S , Awad Mohammed I , Emara Tamer , Elbokl Ahmed , Al-Yahya Emad , ElMeligie Mohamed Magdy
Published: May 2024

Background

Falls are common in older people and individuals with neurological conditions. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is known for postural instability causing mobility disabilities, falls and reduced quality of life. The fear of falling (FOF), a natural response to unstable balance, can worsen postural control problems. Evaluating FOF relies largely on affected persons’ subjective accounts due to limited objective assessment methods available. The aim of this mixed-methods feasibility study is to develop an assessment method for FOF while in motion and walking within virtual environments. This study will assess a range of FOF-related responses, including cognitive factors, neuromuscular response and postural stability.

Methods and analysis

This feasibility study will consist of four phases: the first two phases will include people without PD, while the other two will include people diagnosed with PD. Participants will be assessed for direct and indirect responses to real life, as well as virtual environment walking scenarios that may induce FOF. Data from questionnaires, different neurophysiological assessments, movement and gait parameters, alongside evaluations of usability and acceptability, will be collected. Semistructured interviews involving both participants and research assistants shall take place to elicit their experiences throughout different phases of the assessments undertaken. Demographic data, the scores of assessment scales, as well as feasibility, usability and acceptability of the measurement methods, will be illustrated via descriptive statistics. Movement and gait outcomes, together with neurophysiological data, will be extracted and calculated. Exploring relationships between different factors in the study will be achieved using a regression model. Thematic analysis will be the approach used to manage qualitative data.

Ethics and dissemination

This feasibility study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Physical Therapy, Kafr El Sheikh University, Egypt (number: P.T/NEUR/3/2023/46). The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT05931692).
Sensorineural hearing loss among type 2 diabetic patients and its association with peripheral neuropathy: a cross-sectional study from a lower middle-income country
Authors: Asghar Saba , Ali Zeeshan , Abdullah Ali , Naveed Shabnam , Ahmad Masroor Syed , Rafi Tariq Syed Muhammad
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Despite potential links between diabetes and sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), routine hearing assessments for diabetic patients are not standard practice. Our study aimed to investigate the prevalence of SNHL and its association with diabetes-related factors among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Research design and methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Diabetes Clinic, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, Pakistan, from May to September 2021. A total of 396 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria participated after informed consent. Data collection involved a sociodemographic profile, Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument examination followed by pure-tone audiometry and laboratory tests including haemoglobin A1C (HbA1c). HL was defined using better ear four-frequency pure-tone average of ≥26 dB HL and graded as per WHO criteria. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS. χ2, independent t-test and multinomial logistic regression analyses were applied. P<0.05 at 95% CI was considered significant.

Results

Our study revealed a high prevalence of SNHL among patients with T2DM. Mild HL was seen in 55.8%, while 18.7% suffered from moderate HL. Common audiological symptoms included difficulty understanding speech in noisy surroundings (44.2%), balance problems (42.9%), sentence repetition (35.9%), tinnitus (32.3%) and differentiating consonants (31.1%). Hearing impairment predominantly affected low (0.25–0.5 kHz) and high (4–8 kHz) frequencies with a significant difference at 4 kHz among both sexes (t(394)=2.8, p=0.004). Peripheral neuropathy was significantly associated with SNHL on multinomial logistic regression after adjusting with age, sex, body mass index and the presence of any comorbidities. Diabetes duration, HbA1c or family history of diabetes was found unrelated to SNHL severity.

Conclusions

The study highlights the substantial prevalence of SNHL among patients with T2DM and emphasises the importance of targeted audiological care as part of a holistic approach to diabetes management. Addressing HL early may significantly improve communication and overall quality of life.
Implementation of a primary-tertiary shared care model to improve the detection of familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH): a mixed methods pre-post implementation study protocol
Authors: Birkenhead Karen , Sullivan David , Trumble Claire , Spinks Catherine , Srinivasan Shubha , Partington Andrew , Elias Luke , Hespe Charlotte Mary , Fleming Gabrielle , Li Stephen , Calder Madeline , Robertson Elizabeth , Trent Ronald , Sarkies Mitchell N
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder of lipid metabolism and a preventable cause of premature cardiovascular disease. Current detection rates for this highly treatable condition are low. Early detection and management of FH can significantly reduce cardiac morbidity and mortality. This study aims to implement a primary-tertiary shared care model to improve detection rates for FH. The primary objective is to evaluate the implementation of a shared care model and support package for genetic testing of FH. This protocol describes the design and methods used to evaluate the implementation of the shared care model and support package to improve the detection of FH.

Methods and analysis

This mixed methods pre-post implementation study design will be used to evaluate increased detection rates for FH in the tertiary and primary care setting. The primary-tertiary shared care model will be implemented at NSW Health Pathology and Sydney Local Health District in NSW, Australia, over a 12-month period. Implementation of the shared care model will be evaluated using a modification of the implementation outcome taxonomy and will focus on the acceptability, evidence of delivery, appropriateness, feasibility, fidelity, implementation cost and timely initiation of the intervention. Quantitative pre-post and qualitative semistructured interview data will be collected. It is anticipated that data relating to at least 62 index patients will be collected over this period and a similar number obtained for the historical group for the quantitative data. We anticipate conducting approximately 20 interviews for the qualitative data.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval has been granted by the ethics review committee (Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Zone) of the Sydney Local Health District (Protocol ID: X23-0239). Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and an end-of-study research report to stakeholders.
Risk factors for asthma-related hospital and intensive care admissions in children, adolescents and adults: a cohort study using primary and secondary care data
Authors: Simms-Williams Nikita , Nagakumar Prasad , Thayakaran Rasiah , Adderley Nicola J , Hotham Richard , Mansur Adel H , Nirantharakumar Krishnarajah , Haroon Shamil
Published: May 2024

Background

Asthma remains a common cause of hospital admissions across the life course. We estimated the contribution of key risk factors to asthma-related hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions in children, adolescents and adults.

Methods

This was a UK-based cohort study using linked primary care (Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum) and secondary care (Hospital Episode Statistics Admitted Patient Care) data. Patients were eligible if they were aged 5 years and older and had been diagnosed with asthma. This included 90 989 children aged 5–11 years, 114 927 adolescents aged 12–17 years and 1 179 410 adults aged 18 years or older. The primary outcome was asthma-related hospital admissions from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2019. The secondary outcome was asthma-related ICU admissions. Incidence rate ratios adjusted for demographic and clinical risk factors were estimated using negative binomial models. Population attributable fraction (PAF) was estimated for modifiable risk factors.

Results

Younger age groups, females and those from ethnic minority and lower socioeconomic backgrounds had an increased risk of asthma-related hospital admissions. Increasing medication burden, including excessive use of short-acting bronchodilators, was also strongly associated with the primary outcome. Similar risk factors were observed for asthma-related ICU admissions. The key potentially modifiable or treatable risk factors were smoking in adolescents and adults (PAF 6.8%, 95% CI 0.9% to 12.3% and 4.3%, 95% CI 3.0% to 5.7%, respectively), and obesity (PAF 23.3%, 95% CI 20.5% to 26.1%), depression (11.1%, 95% CI 9.1% to 13.1%), gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (2.3%, 95% CI 1.2% to 3.4%), anxiety (2.0%, 95% CI 0.5% to 3.6%) and chronic rhinosinusitis (0.8%, 95% CI 0.3% to 1.3%) in adults.

Conclusions

There are significant sociodemographic inequalities in the rates of asthma-related hospital and ICU admissions. Treating age-specific modifiable risk factors should be considered an integral part of asthma management, which could potentially reduce the rate of avoidable hospital admissions.
Lack of racial and ethnic disparities in mortality in minority patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in a mid-Atlantic healthcare system
Authors: Galiatsatos Panagis , Garibaldi Brian , Yao Dapeng , Xu Yanxun , Perin Jamie , Shahu Andi , Jackson John W , Piggott Damani , Falade-Nwulia Oluwaseun , Shubella Jocelyn , Michtalik Henry , Belcher Harolyn M E , Hansel Nadia N , Golden Sherita
Published: May 2024

Introduction

In the USA, minoritised communities (racial and ethnic) have suffered disproportionately from COVID-19 compared with non-Hispanic white communities. In a large cohort of patients hospitalised for COVID-19 in a healthcare system spanning five adult hospitals, we analysed outcomes of patients based on race and ethnicity.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort analysis of patients 18 years or older admitted to five hospitals in the mid-Atlantic area between 4 March 2020 and 27 May 2022 with confirmed COVID-19. Participants were divided into four groups based on their race/ethnicity: non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic white, Latinx and other. Propensity score weighted generalised linear models were used to assess the association between race/ethnicity and the primary outcome of in-hospital mortality.

Results

Of the 9651 participants in the cohort, more than half were aged 18–64 years old (56%) and 51% of the cohort were females. Non-Hispanic white patients had higher mortality (p<0.001) and longer hospital length-of-stay (p<0.001) than Latinx and non-Hispanic black patients.

Discussion

In this large multihospital cohort of patients admitted with COVID-19, non-Hispanic black and Hispanic patients did not have worse outcomes than white patients. Such findings likely reflect how the complex range of factors that resulted in a life-threatening and disproportionate impact of incidence on certain vulnerable populations by COVID-19 in the community was offset through admission at well-resourced hospitals and healthcare systems. However, there continues to remain a need for efforts to address the significant pre-existing race and ethnicity inequities highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic to be better prepared for future public health emergencies.
Modeling stand- and tree-level growth of Chinese fir plantations
Authors: Chen Hanyue , Cao Quang V. , Jiang Yihang , Hu Yuxin , Zhang Jianguo , Zhang Xiongqing
Published: May 2024

Growth and yield systems are essential tools for enhancing forest management decision-making. This study systematically evaluated three stand-level models and two data types for predicting stand survival and basal area of Chinese fir ( Cunning lanceolate (Lamb.) Hook.) plantations in southern China. The first model links survival and diameter through the self-thinning concept. The second model incorporates stand diameter, the previous year’s diameter, and stand survival, while the third model treats stand survival and diameter as mutually independent functions of only stand age. Model 2 was the best performer for short-term prediction (2–4 years), whereas Model 3 excelled in longer projection periods (6–10 years). Despite the independent predictions of stand survival and diameter in Model 3, it closely tracked observed self-thinning trajectories in long-term predictions. Tree-level model growth derived from Models 2 and 3 performed optimally for short-term and long-term tree-level predictions, respectively. While limited to four experimental sites, this research contributes theoretical groundwork to growth and yield modeling for Chinese fir plantations.
Heavy quark potential and jet quenching parameter in a rotating D-instanton background
Authors: Chen Jun-Xia , Hou De-Fu
Published: May 2024

We obtain the dual gravity metric of rotating nuclear matter by performing a standard Lorentz transformation on the static metric in the D-instanton background. We then study the effects of the angular velocity, instanton density, and temperature on the heavy quark potential. The results show that the angular velocity and the temperature promote dissociation of the quark–antiquark pair, and the instanton density suppresses dissociation. Similarly, according to the results for the jet quenching parameter, we find that the parameter increases with the increase in angular velocity, instanton density, and temperature, and the jet quenching parameter in the rotating D-instanton background is larger than that of $$\mathcal {N} =4$$

N
=
4

supersymmetric Yang–Mills (SYM) theory.
Smoothed Analysis of Information Spreading in Dynamic Networks
Authors: Dinitz Michael , Fineman Jeremy , Gilbert Seth , Newport Calvin
Published: May 2024

The best known solutions for
k
-message broadcast in dynamic networks of size
n
require Ω (
nk
) rounds. In this article, we see if these bounds can be improved by smoothed analysis. To do so, we study perhaps the most natural randomized algorithm for disseminating tokens in this setting: at every timestep, choose a token to broadcast randomly from the set of tokens you know. We show that with even a small amount of smoothing (i.e., one random edge added per round), this natural strategy solves
k
-message broadcast in

\(\tilde{O}(n+k^3)\)

rounds, with high probability, beating the best known bounds for

\(k=o(\sqrt {n})\)

and matching the Ω (
n
+
k
) lower bound for static networks for
k
=
O
(
n
1/3
) (ignoring logarithmic factors). In fact, the main result we show is even stronger and more general: Given ℓ-smoothing (i.e., ℓ random edges added per round), this simple strategy terminates in

\(O(kn^{2/3}\log ^{1/3}(n)\ell ^{-1/3})\)

rounds. We then prove this analysis close to tight with an almost-matching lower bound. To better understand the impact of smoothing on information spreading, we next turn our attention to static networks, proving a tight bound of

\(\tilde{O}(k\sqrt {n})\)

rounds to solve
k
-message broadcast, which is better than what our strategy can achieve in the dynamic setting. This confirms the intuition that although smoothed analysis reduces the difficulties induced by changing graph structures, it does not eliminate them altogether. Finally, we apply tools developed to support our smoothed analysis to prove an optimal result for
k
-message broadcast in so-called well-mixed networks in the absence of smoothing. By comparing this result to an existing lower bound for well-mixed networks, we establish a formal separation between oblivious and strongly adaptive adversaries with respect to well-mixed token spreading, partially resolving an open question on the impact of adversary strength on the
k
-message broadcast problem.
AGAR - Attention Graph-RNN for Adaptative Motion Prediction of Point Clouds of Deformable Objects
Authors: Gomes Pedro de Medeiros , Rossi Silvia , Toni Laura
Published: May 2024

This article focuses on motion prediction for point cloud sequences in the challenging case of deformable 3D objects, such as human body motion. First, we investigate the challenges caused by deformable shapes and complex motions present in this type of representation, with the ultimate goal of understanding the technical limitations of state-of-the-art models. From this understanding, we propose an improved architecture for point cloud prediction of deformable 3D objects. Specifically, to handle deformable shapes, we propose a graph-based approach that learns and exploits the spatial structure of point clouds to extract more representative features. Then, we propose a module able to combine the learned features in aadaptativemanner according to the point cloud movements. The proposed adaptative module controls the composition of local and global motions for each point, enabling the network to model complex motions in deformable 3D objects more effectively. We tested the proposed method on the following datasets: MNIST moving digits, theMixamohuman bodies motions [15], JPEG [5] and CWIPC-SXR [32] real-world dynamic bodies. Simulation results demonstrate that our method outperforms the current baseline methods given its improved ability to model complex movements as well as preserve point cloud shape. Furthermore, we demonstrate the generalizability of the proposed framework for dynamic feature learning by testing the framework for action recognition on the MSRAction3D dataset [19] and achieving results on par with state-of-the-art methods.
Learning Commonsense-aware Moment-Text Alignment for Fast Video Temporal Grounding
Authors: Wu Ziyue , Gao Junyu , Huang Shucheng , Xu Changsheng
Published: May 2024

Grounding temporal video segments described in natural language queries effectively and efficiently is a crucial capability needed in vision-and-language fields. In this article, we deal with the fast video temporal grounding (FVTG) task, aiming at localizing the target segment with high speed and favorable accuracy. Most existing approaches adopt elaborately designed cross-modal interaction modules to improve the grounding performance, which suffer from the test-time bottleneck. Although several common space-based methods enjoy the high-speed merit during inference, they can hardly capture the comprehensive and explicit relations between visual and textual modalities. In this article, to tackle the dilemma of the speed–accuracy tradeoff, we propose a commonsense-aware cross-modal alignment network (C
2
AN) that incorporates commonsense-guided visual and text representations into a complementary common space for fast video temporal grounding. Specifically, the commonsense concepts are explored and exploited by extracting the structural semantic information from a language corpus. Then, a commonsense-aware interaction module is designed to obtain bridged visual and text features by utilizing the learned commonsense concepts. Finally, to maintain the original semantic information of textual queries, a cross-modal complementary common space is optimized to obtain matching scores for performing FVTG. Extensive results on two challenging benchmarks show that our C
2
AN method performs favorably against states of the art while running at high speed. Our code is available at
https://github.com/ZiyueWu59/CCA
DeepOTF: Learning Equations-constrained Prediction for Electromagnetic Behavior
Authors: Xu Peng , Xu Siyuan , Chen Tinghuan , Chen Guojin , Ho Tsungyi , Yu Bei
Published: May 2024

High-quality passive devices are becoming increasingly important for the development of mobile devices and telecommunications, but obtaining such devices through simulation and analysis of electromagnetic (EM) behavior is time-consuming. To address this challenge, artificial neural network (ANN) models have emerged as an effective tool for modeling EM behavior, with NeuroTF being a representative example. However, these models are limited by the specific form of the transfer function, leading to discontinuity issues and high sensitivities. Moreover, previous methods have overlooked the physical relationship between distributed parameters, resulting in unacceptable numeric errors in the conversion results. To overcome these limitations, we propose two different neural network architectures: DeepOTF and ComplexTF. DeepOTF is a data-driven deep operator network for automatically learning feasible transfer functions for different geometric parameters. ComplexTF utilizes complex-valued neural networks to fit feasible transfer functions for different geometric parameters in the complex domain while maintaining causality and passivity. Our approach also employs an Equations-constraint Learning scheme to ensure the strict consistency of predictions and a dynamic weighting strategy to balance optimization objectives. The experimental results demonstrate that our framework shows superior performance than baseline methods, achieving up to 1,700× higher accuracy.
Phytopathogens Reprogram Host Alternative mRNA Splicing
Authors: Hewezi Tarek
Published: May 2024

Alternative splicing (AS) is an evolutionarily conserved cellular process in eukaryotes in which multiple messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts are produced from a single gene. The concept that AS adds to transcriptome complexity and proteome diversity introduces a new perspective for understanding how phytopathogen-induced alterations in host AS cause diseases. Recently, it has been recognized that AS represents an integral component of the plant immune system during parasitic, commensalistic, and symbiotic interactions. Here, I provide an overview of recent progress detailing the reprogramming of plant AS by phytopathogens and the functional implications on disease phenotypes. Additionally, I discuss the vital function of AS of immune receptors in regulating plant immunity and how phytopathogens use effector proteins to target key components of the splicing machinery and exploit alternatively spliced variants of immune regulators to negate defense responses. Finally, the functional association between AS and nonsense-mediated mRNA decay in the context of plant–pathogen interface is recapitulated.
Management of Huanglongbing of Citrus: Lessons from São Paulo and Florida
Authors: Graham James H. , Bassanezi Renato B. , Dawson William O. , Dantzler Rick
Published: May 2024

São Paulo, Brazil, and Florida, USA, were the two major orange production areas in the world until Huanglongbing (HLB) was discovered in São Paulo in 2004 and Florida in 2005. In the absence of resistant citrus varieties, HLB is the most destructive citrus disease known because of the lack of effective tools to reduce spread of the vector, Diaphorina citri (Asian citrus psyllid), and transmission of the associated pathogen, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. In both countries, a three-pronged management approach was recommended and begun: planting only disease-free nursery trees, effective psyllid control, and removal of all symptomatic trees. In Brazil, these management procedures were continued and improved and resulted in relatively little overall loss of production. In contrast, in Florida the citrus industry has been devastated with annual production reduced by approximately 80%. This review compares and contrasts various cultural and pest management strategies that have been used to reduce infection by the pathogen and increase tolerance of HLB in the main orange-growing regions in the world.
Racialized Horizontal Stratification in US Higher Education: Politics, Process, and Consequences
Authors: Hamilton Laura T. , Dawson Caleb E. , Armstrong Elizabeth A. , Waller-Bey Aya
Published: May 2024

In this review, we integrate three bodies of scholarship—education stratification research, political-historical sociology of higher education, and sociological theories of race and racism—to understand the production of “separate and unequal” postsecondary experiences for racially marginalized college students in the United States. We argue that the US postsecondary system is plural, heterogeneous, and stratified partly as a result of hundreds of years of contested efforts to deploy higher education in the service of white supremacy and capital accumulation. Organizational stratification of higher education along racial lines leads to horizontal stratification in individual experiences within the same level of schooling, and even within the same university. We review literature on racialized sorting between schools, which channels racially marginalized students to different parts of the postsecondary system relative to their racially advantaged peers. We also describe stratification within schools, as students are tracked, often by race, into divergent academic and social pathways internal to a single university. Both types of sorting have racial consequences for students’ career trajectories, economic security, and well-being. Finally, we detail recent efforts to challenge horizontal stratification, responses to those efforts, and avenues for future research.
Hyperglycemia impairs EAAT2 glutamate transporter trafficking and glutamate clearance in islets of Langerhans: implications for type 2 diabetes pathogenesis and treatment
Authors: Galli Alessandra , Moretti Stefania , Dule Nevia , Di Cairano Eliana Sara , Castagna Michela , Marciani Paola , Battaglia Cristina , Bertuzzi Federico , Fiorina Paolo , Pastore Ida , La Rosa Stefano , Davalli Alberto , Folli Franco , Perego Carla
Published: May 2024

The glutamate transporter SLC1A2/excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (EAAT2) is expressed on the plasma membrane of pancreatic β-cells and controls islet glutamate clearance and β-cells survival. We found that the EAAT2 membrane expression is lost in the islets of Langerhans from type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients due to hyperglycemia-induced downregulation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway and modification of its intracellular trafficking. Pharmacological rescue of EAAT2 expression prevents β-cell dysfunction and death, suggesting EAAT2 as a new potential target of intervention in T2DM.
Influence of error-augmentation on the dynamics of visuomotor skill acquisition: insights from proxy-process models
Authors: Parmar Pritesh N. , Patton James L.
Published: May 2024

Breaking new ground in motor learning, our research unveils the intricacies of skill acquisition without continuous feedback. By using a specialized training approach with intermittent feedback, our study reveals the previously elusive mechanisms behind this process. The introduction of innovative proxy-process models, particularly the dynamic-Proxy support Multi-Rate Motor Learning (dPxMRML) model, brings a fresh perspective to understanding the impact of error-augmentation (EA) training on learning and retention of motor skills.
Cell type-specific and frequency-dependent centrifugal modulation in olfactory bulb output neurons in vivo
Authors: Puche Adam C. , Hook Chelsea , Zhou Fu-Wen
Published: May 2024

Neuronal local circuits in the olfactory bulb are modulated by centrifugal long circuits. In vivo study here shows that inhibitory horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca (HDB) modulates all five types of mitral/tufted cells (M/TCs), by direct inhibitory circuits HDB → M/TCs and indirect disinhibitory long circuits HDB → interneurons → M/TCs. The HDB net effect exerts excitation in all types of M/TCs but more powerful in deeper layer output neurons as HDB activation frequency increases, which may sharpen the tuning specificity of classes of M/TCs to odors during sensory processing.
Forelimb movements contribute to hindlimb cutaneous reflexes during locomotion in cats
Authors: Harnie Jonathan , Al Arab Rasha , Mari Stephen , Yassine Sirine , Eddaoui Oussama , Jéhannin Pierre , Audet Johannie , Lecomte Charly , Iorio-Morin Christian , Prilutsky Boris I. , Rybak Ilya A. , Frigon Alain
Published: May 2024

During quadrupedal locomotion, the coordination of forelimb and hindlimb movements involves central circuits and somatosensory feedback. To demonstrate how forelimb movement affects hindlimb cutaneous reflexes during locomotion, we stimulated the superficial peroneal nerve in intact cats during quadrupedal and hindlimb-only locomotion as well as in spinal-transected cats during hindlimb-only locomotion. We show that forelimb movement influences the modulation of hindlimb cutaneous reflexes, particularly the occurrence of long-latency reflex responses.
Altered pattern of theta and gamma oscillation to visual stimuli in patients with postconcussion syndrome
Authors: Roh Haewon , Kim Won , Hwang Soon-Young , Lee Moon Soo , Kim Jong Hyun
Published: May 2024

Patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) with postconcussional syndrome (PCS) exhibited altered patterns of changes in oscillatory activities in the theta and gamma bands in response to visual affective stimuli. Distinguishable patterns of brain oscillation may represent the mechanism behind various psychiatric symptoms in patients with mTBI.
The execution of saccadic eye movements suppresses visual processing of both color and luminance in the early visual cortex of humans
Authors: Zhang Yuan , Valsecchi Matteo , Gegenfurtner Karl R. , Chen Jing
Published: May 2024

The present study demonstrates that saccadic eye movements reduce the processing of both luminance and chromatic stimuli in the early visual cortex of humans. By modeling the contrast response function, the study further shows that saccades affect visual processing by reducing the response gain rather than altering the contrast gain, suggesting that a multiplicative mechanism of visual attenuation affects both parvocellular and magnocellular pathways.
Genetic causal relationship between multiple immune cell phenotypes and Parkinson’s disease: a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Chen Hong , Wang Xie , Chang Ze , Zhang Juan , Xie Daojun
Published: May 2024

In this study, based on the GWAS Immunophenotyping Database, a Mendelian randomization approach was used to assess the genetic causal associations between 731 immunophenotypes and traits and Parkinson’s disease (PD), which not only provides a reference for the immune response mechanism of PD but also provides ideas for exploring the effective diagnosis and treatment of PD.
A Novel Designation of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell‐Integrated System Using LPG as Fuel for Marine Vessels
Authors: Duong Phan Anh , Ryu Bo Rim , Jung Jinwon , Lee Sangmok , Yoon Kyoung-Kuk , Kang Hokeun
Published: May 2024

This research showcases the seamless integration of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) with waste heat recovery systems, utilizing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as the primary fuel source. The focus of the study is on efficiently harnessing the cold energy from the LPG supply to produce substantial power for the entire system. To optimize energy utilization, a gas turbine (GT) and steam Rankine cycle (SRC) are integrated to effectively convert waste heat from the system into useful work and power. Additionally, a waste heat boiler (WHB) is incorporated to provide superheated vapor steam for seafarer accommodation. A detailed thermodynamic analysis and investigation of the proposed integrated system are performed. The simulations and optimizations of combined system are conducted using ASPEN HYSYS V12.1. Thermodynamic equations based on the fundamental laws of thermodynamics are employed to estimate system performance indicators, and the exergy destruction in major components is assessed to optimize the system’s design and operation. The proposed system exhibits impressive energy and exergy efficiencies, calculated at 52.65% and 51.10%, respectively. Moreover, the waste heat recovery combined cycles contribute an additional 1,759.73 kW, equivalent to 31.65% of the total system output. The innovative models are validated against experimental data from the literature, demonstrating strong agreement. Furthermore, a comprehensive parametric study investigates the influence of varying the current density from 900 to 1,950 A/m2, leading to a total energy efficiency variation of 41.59%, ranging from 82.45% to 40.86%. The organic Rankine cycle (ORC) performs exceptionally well, capitalizing on both cold energy and high‐temperature waste heat to achieve high energy recovery efficiency. The WHB is capable of providing 8,200 kg/h of superheated vapor stream at 151°C and 499 kPa for seafarer accommodation and heating purposes. The economic viability analysis is conducted to assess the potential for investment, maintenance costs, and the payback period associated with the proposed system.
Characterization of Rhizobia Isolated from Tigray Soil and Assessment of Their Effect on Germination and Seedling Vigor of Wheat and Field Pea
Authors: Mesele Etsay , Yaekob Ashenafi Teklay , Kasegn Melaku Mekonen , Meresa Birhanu Kahsay , Weldemichael Micheale Yifter , Redda Yisehak Tsegaye , Gebreyohanns Genet , Hadush Roza , Semere Tesfakiros
Published: May 2024

Nowadays, the inoculation of plant growth-promoting rhizobia in leguminous and nonleguminous crops is given great emphasis as it improves germination and seedling vigor, resulting in increased yields. In this study, 32 rhizobia isolates were obtained from five different sampling sites in Tigray, Ethiopia. Based on morphological, biochemical, and confirmatory tests, including sugar fermentation, the isolates were identified as belonging to the rhizobia genera. In vitro assessment of plant growth-promoting properties revealed that all isolates produced indole-acetic-acid, ammonia, and solubilized phosphate, except TA8, which did not solubilize phosphate. Only 3 isolates (TA1, TA2, and TA8) produced hydrogen cyanide, so they can be used as biocontrol agents. Nineteen isolates showed a growth reduction activity against Fusarium oxysporum, with a percent inhibition range of 34.2%–65.8%. All isolates tolerated a pH range of 4.0–9.0. The isolates showed growth variations in various temperatures and salt concentrations. A few isolates were tolerant up to 45°C temperature and 6% (w/v) CaCl2 and NaCl concentrations. Inoculation of the isolates to wheat seeds increased seed germination, seedling shoot/root length, and seedling vigor index compared to the positive and negative controls. Isolates KO3, KO4, ME3, and TA5 increased seed germination by 4%. KO1 (11.60 cm) and TA7 (11.70 cm) showed a significantly enhanced shoot length, and ME3 showed a maximum root length (13.90 cm). SH1, KO2, and the positive control showed a significant (P≤0.05) increase in pea seed germination (by 20%) compared to the negative control. The positive control had the longest field pea shoot (5.70 cm), and isolate TA9 had the longest field pea root (5.32 cm) compared to the negative control. Generally, the wheat and field pea seedlings responded differently to the inoculation of different isolates. This study shows that Tigray soils harbor a variety of rhizobia species, which can be used as plant growth-promoting and biocontrol agents.
Comparison of the Film Properties of Lemon and Sour Cherry Seed Essential Oil‐Added Glycerol and/or Sorbitol‐Plasticized Corn, Potato, Rice, Tapioca, and Wheat Starch‐Based Edible Films
Authors: Kazak Merve Basut , Tugrul Nurcan
Published: May 2024

In this study, lemon, and sour cherry seed essential oil‐added glycerol and/or sorbitol‐plasticized corn, potato, rice, tapioca, and wheat starch‐based edible films were produced using the casting method. Starch, essential oil type and glycerol and/or sorbitol effects on the thickness, moisture content, water solubility, swelling index, and water vapor transmission rate of the films have been studied. The interaction of the film components was evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. It was seen that wheat starch‐based control films give the lowest thickness value (0.010 mm). Wheat starch‐based control films (15.50%), sour cherry seed essential oil‐added corn starch (17.80%), and lemon essential oil‐added rice starch‐based composite films (17.70%) have high moisture content. The lowest solubility values were obtained from wheat starch control (22%) and sour cherry seed essential oil‐added corn starch composite (16.40%) films. The highest swelling index values were obtained from wheat starch‐based control (210.90‐289.0%), sour cherry seed essential oil‐added tapioca starch (388.80%), and lemon essential oil‐added potato starch‐based (433.20%) composite films. Rice starch‐based control films have the lowest water vapor transmission rate (3.30 × 10−8 − 5.70 × 10−8). FTIR spectra of edible composite films proved that there is no chemical interaction between the film component and that they kept their structure. The main difference of this study from previous studies was the use of sour cherry seed essential oil for the first time in edible film production and the comparison of the film properties of corn, potato, rice, tapioca, and wheat starch‐based edible films plasticized with glycerol or sorbitol.
Supplementary Figure S6 from Breast Cancer Stem Cells Secrete MIF to Mediate Tumor Metabolic Reprogramming That Drives Immune Evasion
Authors: Yan Linlin , Wu Mingming , Wang Tianyu , Yuan Hui , Zhang Xiao , Zhang Huafeng , Li Tao , Pandey Vijay , Han Xinghua , Lobie Peter E. , Zhu Tao
Published: May 2024

Supplementary Figure S6 shows that BCSCs regulate cancer cell metabolic reprogramming through ALDOC.
Table S1 from Risk of Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer after a Nonsuspicious Prostate MRI—A Comparison with the General Population
Authors: Pylväläinen Juho , Hoffström Jaakko , Kenttämies Anu , Auvinen Anssi , Mirtti Tuomas , Rannikko Antti
Published: May 2024

MRI specifications. A table listing the MRI sequence parameters used by the two MRI scanners used in the study. Images were obtained with phased-array coil and without endorectal coil.
Supplementary Table 5 from Association between Airport Ultrafine Particles and Lung Cancer Risk: The Multiethnic Cohort Study
Authors: Bookstein Arthur , Po Justine , Tseng Chiuchen , Larson Timothy V. , Yang Juan , Park Sung-shim L. , Wu Jun , Shariff-Marco Salma , Inamdar Pushkar P. , Ihenacho Ugonna , Setiawan Veronica W. , DeRouen Mindy C. , Le Marchand Loïc , Stram Daniel O. , Samet Jonathan , Ritz Beate , Fruin Scott , Wu Anna H. , Cheng Iona
Published: May 2024

Supplementary Table 5 shows an analysis of the association between Airport-Related UFP and Lung Cancer Risk Overall by Histology and Time Period among California MEC participants between 1993-2013.
Supplementary Figure 5 from Diffsig: Associating Risk Factors with Mutational Signatures
Authors: Park Ji-Eun , Smith Markia A. , Van Alsten Sarah C. , Walens Andrea , Wu Di , Hoadley Katherine A. , Troester Melissa A. , Love Michael I.
Published: May 2024

This figure shows the simulation results with liver cancer signatures from COSMIC
Supplementary Figure 3 from Diffsig: Associating Risk Factors with Mutational Signatures
Authors: Park Ji-Eun , Smith Markia A. , Van Alsten Sarah C. , Walens Andrea , Wu Di , Hoadley Katherine A. , Troester Melissa A. , Love Michael I.
Published: May 2024

This figure shows the distribution of the number of mutations in simulation compared to real data from TCGA breast cancer data
Data from Prognostic Value of Pretreatment Plasma C-Reactive Protein in Patients with Early-Stage Breast Cancer
Authors: Andersen Høgni H. , Bojesen Stig E. , Johansen Julia S. , Ejlertsen Bent , Berg Tobias , Tuxen Malgorzata , Madsen Kasper , Danø Hella , Flyger Henrik , Jensen Maj-Britt , Nielsen Dorte L.
Published: May 2024

AbstractBackground:
Breast cancer incidence is now the highest among all cancers and accountable for 6.6% of all cancer-related deaths worldwide. Studies of the prognostic utility of plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) measurement in early-stage breast cancer have given discrepant results.
Methods:
We identified 6,942 patients in the Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group database with early-stage breast cancer diagnosed between 2002 and 2016 who had a measure of pretreatment plasma CRP. Outcomes were recurrence-free interval and survival for a period up to 10 years. We analyzed associations with plasma CRP using Fine-Gray proportional subdistribution hazards model with recurrence-free interval. Data on plasma CRP were analyzed per doubling of concentration and in relation to CRP levels of <3 mg/L, 3 to 10 mg/L, and >10 mg/L and stratified according to standard clinical parameters in sensitivity analyses.
Results:
A doubling of the plasma CRP concentration was associated with increased risk of recurrence (multivariate adjusted HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01–1.08) and shorter survival (HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.09–1.16) in multivariate analyses. Survival was shorter in patients with plasma CRP levels of 3 to 10 and >10 mg/L versus <3 mg/L, with multivariate adjusted HRs of 1.30; 95% CI, 1.17–1.45 and 1.65; 95% CI, 1.39–1.95, respectively.
Conclusions:
Elevated plasma CRP measured before treatment in patients with early-stage breast cancer is an independent biomarker of increased risk of recurrence and early death.
Impact:
CRP measures before treatment might be used to individualize follow-up of patients with early-stage breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Screening: Can We Justify Deescalation?
Authors: Jatoi Ismail
Published: May 2024

Novel breast cancer screening methods that detect greater numbers of occult (nonpalpable) tumors have been rapidly incorporated into clinical practice, with the aim of reducing mortality. Yet, tumor detection has never been validated as a proper surrogate outcome measure for breast cancer mortality. Moreover, the detection of greater numbers of occult cancers increases the risk of overdiagnosis, which refers to detection of tumors that pose no threat to life and would never have been detected in the absence of screening. With recent advances in breast cancer therapy, many cancers that were previously curable only if detected as occult tumors with mammography screening are perhaps now curable even when detected as small palpable tumors, thereby giving us an opportunity to deescalate screening and mitigate the risk of overdiagnosis. Thus, a randomized trial comparing screening mammography versus screening clinical breast examination (CBE), with breast cancer mortality as the endpoint, is now warranted. In such a trial, hand-held ultrasound might aid in the interpretation of screening CBE findings. In conclusion, recent improvements in breast cancer therapy provide the justification to assess the deescalation of breast cancer screening.

See related article by Farber et al., p. 671
Supplementary Figure S2 from Targeting Dendritic Cell Dysfunction to Circumvent Anti-PD1 Resistance in Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Saito Shin , Kono Michihisa , Nguyen Hoang C.B. , Egloff Ann Marie , Messier Cameron , Lizotte Patrick , Paweletz Cloud , Adkins Douglas , Uppaluri Ravindra
Published: May 2024

Figure S2
A. Bulk RNA-sequencing data from MOC22 tumors harvested on day 17, and MOC1 and MOC1-esc1 tumors harvested on day 14 post implantation are shown for indicated genes as z-score. (n=3 for each model.)
B. qPCR data of Xcr1 from in vivo established tumors harvested on day 12 post-inoculation. n=16, pooled data from two independent experiments.
C. Bulk RNA-seq data of indicated genes in pretreatment tumor samples from patients who received subsequent aPD1 therapy shown as z-score.
“NK signature” represents the average z-score of GNLY, KLRC3, KLRD1, KLRF1, and NCR1 (10). (n=8 responders, n=15 non-responders.)
D, E. Flow cytometric analysis of MOC22, MOC1P and MOC1esc1 tumors harvested on day 12 post-inoculation. (n=8 tumors each, representative
data of two independent experiments.)
F, G. Representative gating strategies for T and NK cells (F) and DCs (G) used throughout the paper
Supplementary Figure S6 from Selective CDK7 Inhibition Suppresses Cell Cycle Progression and MYC Signaling While Enhancing Apoptosis in Therapy-resistant Estrogen Receptor–positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Guarducci Cristina , Nardone Agostina , Russo Douglas , Nagy Zsuzsanna , Heraud Capucine , Grinshpun Albert , Zhang Qi , Freelander Allegra , Leventhal Mathew Joseph , Feit Avery , Cohen Feit Gabriella , Feiglin Ariel , Liu Weihan , Hermida-Prado Francisco , Kesten Nikolas , Ma Wen , De Angelis Carmine , Morlando Antonio , O'Donnell Madison , Naumenko Sergey , Huang Shixia , Nguyen Quang-Dé , Huang Ying , Malorni Luca , Bergholz Johann S. , Zhao Jean J. , Fraenkel Ernest , Lim Elgene , Schiff Rachel , Shapiro Geoffrey I. , Jeselsohn Rinath
Published: May 2024

PalboS and PalboR T47D and MCF7 transcriptomic and proteomic profile.
Supplementary Figure S4 from Radiotherapy Enhances Metastasis Through Immune Suppression by Inducing PD-L1 and MDSC in Distal Sites
Authors: Hou Yuzhu , Yang Kaiting , Wang Liangliang , Wang Jiaai , Huang Xiaona , Piffkó András , Luo Sean Z. , Yu Xinshuang , Rao Enyu , Martinez Carlos , Bugno Jason , Mack Matthias , Vokes Everett E. , Pitroda Sean P. , Chmura Steven J. , Weichselbaum Ralph R. , Liang Hua Laura
Published: May 2024

Supplementary figure 4. Multiplex Cytokine assay of local tumor, distal tumor, lung, and serum
of mice treated as indicated