bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reactions, Reality, and Resilience in Adults with Crohn’s Disease: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Jones Katherine , Baker Katherine , Tew Garry A , Naisby Jenni
Published: January 2025

Background

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a lifelong condition that poses unique challenges. This study reports findings from a person’s perspective of living with CD to help enhance the understanding of an individual’s specific care and support needs.

Methods

Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of adults with Crohn’s disease recruited from Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Data were analyzed after data collection using thematic analysis.

Results

Forty-one (68% female) participants aged 49.1 ± 12 years with a disease duration between 1 and 55 years were interviewed. Three overarching themes emerged, along with 12 subthemes: (1) reactions to presenting symptoms, emotions, and challenges at diagnosis; (2) reality of living with the condition, seeking information, decision making, psychological challenges, experiencing symptoms/complications during remission and the impact on social life, education, employment, and relationships; (3) Resilience involving emotional adaptations, strategies on self-management, social comparisons as a means of coping and barriers to resilience.

Conclusions

The results highlight the complex health journey and challenges faced by people living with Crohn’s disease and provide health care professionals with a greater insight into the psychological challenges and emotional complexities of the condition to facilitate a more holistic approach to planning care.
Ischaemia with non-obstructive coronary arteries in the 2024 European Society of Cardiology guidelines for the management of chronic coronary syndromes
Authors: Reynolds Harmony R , Smilowitz Nathaniel R
Published: January 2025

Aims

Chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) occur commonly in the absence of flow-limiting epicardial coronary stenosis. Ischaemia or angina with non-obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA/ANOCA) may be caused by coronary microvascular disease, coronary artery spasm, myocardial bridging, diffuse atherosclerosis, or a combination of disorders.

Methods and results

We highlight the new recommendations in the 2024 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines on CCS relevant to the diagnosis and management of INOCA/ANOCA. The guidelines place a new emphasis on consideration of INOCA/ANOCA early during cardiovascular risk stratification and the initial diagnostic workup for chest pain. There is a new Class I recommendation for the availability of invasive coronary function testing (CFT) at the time of initial coronary angiography, when the mechanisms of chest pain are uncertain after non-invasive testing, and in patients with established INOCA/ANOCA who have persistent symptoms and poor quality of life despite medical therapy. Once underlying disorders have been identified based on the results of invasive CFT, the ESC guidelines emphasize a patient-centred, mechanism-based approach to medical treatment of INOCA/ANOCA to improve the symptoms and quality of life.

Conclusion

The 2024 ESC CCS guidelines provide a new vision for the diagnosis and management of ANOCA/INOCA, with an expanded role for invasive CFT and targeted medical therapy to improve symptoms and quality of life in patients with angina.
Risk profile and prognostic implications of premature advanced coronary atherosclerotic disease among young to early middle-aged adults: the coronary artery calcium consortium
Authors: Boakye Ellen , Dehesh Mohammadmoein , Dardari Zeina , Obisesan Olufunmilayo H , Osei Albert D , Dzaye Omar , Jha Kunal , Rozanski Alan , Berman Daniel S , Budoff Matthew J , Miedema Michael D , Nasir Khurram , Rumberger John A , Shaw Leslee J , Blaha Michael J
Published: January 2025

Aims

Premature advanced subclinical coronary atherosclerosis among young adults is an under-recognized and unique disease phenotype that has not been well characterized.

Methods and results

We used data from 44 047 participants with no prior CVD history (59.8% male) from the Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Consortium. We defined advanced disease as CAC ≥ 90th percentile for age, sex, and race and compared the risk factor profile of persons with advanced disease to those without CAC and those with CAC < 90th percentile. Using multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazard and competing risks regression, we assessed the association of premature advanced disease with all-cause, cardiovascular, and coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality. Of 44 047 participants, 18 561 (42.2%) had CAC. Among those with CAC, 6680 (36.0%) had CAC ≥ 90th percentile. Notably, 76.4% of those with CAC ≥ 90th percentile had multivessel CAC compared with 40.6% of those with CAC < 90th percentile. After a mean follow-up of 12.5 ± 3.6 years, the incidence per 1000 person-years of all-cause (2.93 vs. 1.85 vs. 1.11), cardiovascular (1.11 vs. 0.39 vs. 0.21), and CHD mortality (0.65 vs. 0.19 vs. 0.08) was highest in the advanced disease group compared with CAC < 90th percentile and the no CAC group. Persons with CAC ≥ 90th percentile had a higher multivariable-adjusted risk of all-cause [HR: 2.17 (1.83–2.57)], cardiovascular [sub-distribution hazard ratios (SHR): 3.89 (2.78–5.44)], and CHD mortality [SHR: 5.45 (3.38–8.78)], compared with those without CAC. In the subgroup analysis, there was no difference in mortality between men and women with advanced CAC.

Conclusion

Premature advanced atherosclerosis is a distinct clinical phenotype that strongly predicts all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Among persons with CAC at young age, those with scores ≥90th percentile have the highest risk of early death and should be identified in future guidelines as a focus for aggressive clinical prevention.
Descriptive analysis of protein expression variations during pupal development of Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) using label-free proteomic techniques
Authors: Long Ren , Luo Chengyong , Zhang Peng , Zou Xing , Song Tao
Published: January 2025

Age estimation is a critical aspect of forensic entomology, especially in the examination of pupae. The use of proteins as a means for age identification shows great promise. In this study, proteomic techniques were employed to investigate differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) during the intrapuparial stage of Chrysomya megacephala. Specimens were sampled at four distinct time points: 0 h (Group A), 24 h (Group B), 48 h (Group C), and 72 h (Group D). Our analysis uncovered 56 DEPs between Groups B and A, 116 DEPs between Groups C and A, and a total of 152 DEPs between Groups D and A. These DEPs were categorized into nine clusters based on their expression patterns. Cluster 1 exhibited an increasing trend in protein expression, while Cluster 4 displayed the opposite pattern. Clusters 2, 6, and 9 showed an initial rise followed by a decline, whereas Cluster 3 demonstrated the reverse trend. Cluster 8 indicated an initial rise, a subsequent drop, and another rise, while Cluster 7 showed an initial decrease, followed by an increase and a minor decrease. Notably, the C-type lectin domain-containing (CTLD) protein and Failed axon connections (Fax) protein consistently displayed an upward trend. These two DEPs were selected for validation using the parallel reaction monitoring technique (PRM)-targeted proteomics, confirming the trends observed in the initial analysis. In summary, this study highlights the potential of using proteins as reliable biomarkers for estimating pupal age.
Robust Metabolomic Age Prediction Based on a Wide Selection of Metabolites
Authors: Faquih Tariq O , van Hylckama Vlieg Astrid , Surendran Praveen , Butterworth Adam S , Li-Gao Ruifang , de Mutsert Renée , Rosendaal Frits R , Noordam Raymond , van Heemst Diana , Willems van Dijk Ko , Mook-Kanamori Dennis O
Published: January 2025

Chronological age is a major risk factor for numerous diseases. However, chronological age does not capture the complex biological aging process. The difference between chronological age and biologically driven aging could be more informative in reflecting health status. Here, we set out to develop a metabolomic age prediction model by applying ridge regression and bootstrapping with 826 metabolites (678 endogenous and 148 xenobiotics) measured by an untargeted platform in relatively healthy blood donors aged 18–75 years from the INTERVAL study (N = 11 977; 50.2% men). After bootstrapping internal validation, the metabolomic age prediction models demonstrated high performance with an adjusted R2 of 0.83 using all metabolites and 0.82 using only endogenous metabolites. The former was significantly associated with obesity and cardiovascular disease in the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity study (N = 599; 47.0% men; age range = 45–65) due to the contribution of medication-derived metabolites—namely salicylate and ibuprofen—and environmental exposures such as cotinine. Additional metabolomic age prediction models using all metabolites were developed for men and women separately. The models had high performance (R² = 0.85 and 0.86) but shared a moderate correlation of 0.72. Furthermore, we observed 163 sex-dimorphic metabolites, including threonine, glycine, cholesterol, and androgenic and progesterone-related metabolites. Our strongest predictors across all models were novel and included hydroxyasparagine (Model Endo + Xeno β = 4.74), vanillylmandelate (β = 4.07), and 5,6-dihydrouridine (β = −4.2). Our study presents a robust metabolomic age model that reveals distinct sex-based age-related metabolic patterns and illustrates the value of including xenobiotic to enhance metabolomic prediction accuracy.
Estimation of the landslide source for the 1929 Grand Banks event using a deep-sea landslide tsunami simulation
Authors: Nakagaki Tatsuya , Tanioka Yuichiro
Published: January 2025

The 1929 Grand Banks earthquake (Mw 7.1) generated a large landslide that broke submarine cables near the source area. A large tsunami was generated by the large landslide that killed 28 people on the southern coast of the Burin Peninsula, Canada. The tsunami was also observed at a tide gauge in Halifax, Canada. In this study, the initial landslide mass distribution was estimated by fitting the first pulse of the tsunami waveform observed at Halifax and the timings of the submarine cable break with those computed values. A deep-sea landslide tsunami computation method was developed by modifying a previously developed Tsunami Squares method with a different friction term and an effect of deep water. The results showed that the tsunami waveform and timing of the cable break were well explained by the tsunami computed from the initial landslide mass volume of about 450 $\mathrm{km^3}$ located along the continental slope near the source area. The method developed to compute deep-sea landslide tsunamis should be useful for studying other types of landslide tsunamis.
Coding intensity variation in Medicare Advantage
Authors: Curto Vilsa E , Politzer Eran , Anderson Timothy S , Ayanian John Z , Souza Jeffrey , Zaslavsky Alan M , Landon Bruce E
Published: January 2025

Enrollment in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans rose to over 50% of eligible Medicare patients in 2023. Payments to MA plans incorporate risk scores that are largely based on patient diagnoses from the prior year, which incentivizes MA plans to code diagnoses more intensively. We estimated coding inflation rates for individual MA contracts using a method that allows for differential selection into contracts based on patient health. We illustrate the method using data on MA risk scores and health conditions from the most recent year available, 2014. This approach could also be used beginning in 2022, when Medicare transitioned to MA risk scores based on MA Encounter records. Several existing methods assess coding intensity, but this study's approach is novel in its use of plan-level mortality rates to infer plan-level coding intensity. We found an enrollment-weighted mean coding inflation rate of 8.4%, with rates ranging from 3.4% to 12.7% for the largest 8 MA insurers and from 1.1% to 22.2% for the largest 20 MA contracts in 2014. We found higher coding intensity for health plans that were HMOs, provider-owned, large, older, or had high star ratings. Approximately 68.1% of MA enrollees were in contracts with coding inflation rates larger than Medicare's coding intensity adjustment.
Modulation of morphogenesis and metabolism by plant cell biomechanics: From model plants to traditional herbs
Authors: Wang Zhengpeng , Ye Xiaoming , Huang Luqi , Yuan Yuan
Published: January 2025

The quality of traditional herbs depends on organ morphogenesis and the accumulation of active pharmaceutical ingredients. While recent research highlights the significance of cell mechanobiology in model plant morphogenesis, our understanding of mechanical signal initiation and transduction in traditional herbs remains incomplete. Recent studies reveal a close correlation between cell wall (CW) biosynthesis and active ingredient production, yet the role of cell mechanics in balancing morphogenesis and secondary metabolism is often overlooked. This review explores how the cell wall, plasma membrane, cytoskeleton, and vacuole collaborate to regulate cell mechanics and respond to mechanical changes. We propose CW biosynthesis as a hub in connecting cell mechanics with secondary metabolism and emphasize that understanding the relationship between mechanical remodeling and secondary metabolism could provide new insights into plant cell mechanobiology and the breeding of high-quality herbs.
Social life cycle assessment of industrial gold mining in Mali
Authors: Konaré Zan Mary , Ajayi Dickson Dare , Ba Sidy , Aremu Ademola Kabiru
Published: January 2025

Gold mining in Mali contributes significantly to the country's socioeconomic growth, employing hundreds of people and generating considerable export revenues and income. At the same time, gold mining still has a bad reputation in public opinion due to the environmental and socioeconomic challenges it poses. It is therefore important to integrate Mali's gold mining sector into a framework of social responsibility, using the social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) approach to identify and understand social opportunities and challenges. This study focuses on an application of the S-LCA approach to assess the social performance of industrial gold mining in Mali. Primary data were collected from company representatives, workers, and local communities. The results of the study show that in 85.2% of ratings, the company has at least good performance and poor performance in 14.8% of ratings. The results show also that excessive working hours, corruption, sexual harassment, and discrimination are identified as social hotspots in the gold mines in Mali. This article provides a useful addition to the literature on the application of S-LCA and for political and administrative decision-makers in the sector to promote fact-driven policies for socially profitable gold mining. Further research would be useful to address the hotspots identified, particularly with regard to the effective management of labor and the prevention of corruption and sexual harassment.
Excess fibroblast growth factor 23 in alcoholic osteomalacia is derived from the bone
Authors: Hidaka Naoko , Oyama Yuko , Koga Minae , Kondo Naoki , Yasunaga Yoichi , Shimakura Taketoshi , Yamamoto Noriaki , Takahashi Hideaki E , Iwafuchi Yoichi , Watanabe So , Kimura Soichiro , Hoshino Yoshitomo , Kato Hajime , Kinoshita Yuka , Kobayashi Hiroshi , Tanaka Takeyuki , Ushiku Tetsuo , Nangaku Masaomi , Tanaka Sakae , Makita Noriko , Saito Taku , Ito Nobuaki
Published: January 2025

Excess fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), a mature osteocyte-derived phosphaturic hormone, causes chronic hypophosphatemic osteomalacia in adults. This rare condition was recently reported in 2 alcoholic patients, with marked improvement upon cessation of alcohol consumption, suggesting a link between alcohol and FGF23-related hypophosphatemia within the highly limited cases. This study aimed to investigate whether the source of excess FGF23 in alcohol-induced FGF23-related hypophosphatemic osteomalacia is the bone or the other organs. To achieve this goal, an immunohistochemical approach for the bone obtained from a patient was employed. Initial attempts at quantifying FGF23 in the bone using conventional immunohistochemistry (IHC) faced issues in quantifiability and sensitivity for low FGF23 expression levels. Therefore, next-generation IHC with phosphor-integrated dots (PIDs) was applied, which enabled the quantification of FGF23 expression in the bone across a broad range. Preliminary analyses using IHC with PIDs on normal bone samples (n = 12) provided a reference level (154.5 PID particles per cell). IHC with PIDs quantified suppressed physiological FGF23 expression in the bone samples from 3 patients with tumor-induced osteomalacia, where FGF23 is oversecreted from a tumor (13.6 PID particles per cell). Subsequently, bone samples obtained from a 70-yr-old male with alcohol-induced FGF23-related hypophosphatemic osteomalacia were analyzed, showing a higher number of PID particles per cell (199.4 PID particles per cell) than the reference level. This study suggests that orthotopic, bone-derived FGF23 is implicated in alcohol-induced FGF23-related hypophosphatemic osteomalacia. Furthermore, the study also demonstrated that highly sensitive IHC with PIDs could aid in the differential diagnosis of FGF23-related hypophosphatemia of unknown origin. Specifically, a bone sample with a low number of PID particles per cell indicates an excess ectopic secretion of FGF23; a bone sample with a normal to high number of PID particles per cell indicates an excess orthotopic secretion of FGF23.
Collective Forgetting of American Vaginal Breech Delivery
Authors: Lazar-Shoef Tzipy , Efron Noah Jonathan , Davidovitch Nadav
Published: January 2025

When asked why nearly all doctors refer their breech cases to surgery, despite non-surgical breech birth being permitted throughout the United States, an obstetrician will likely cite the Term Breech Trial (TBT). This study, conducted in 2000, decisively concluded that planned cesarean delivery is safer than vaginal breech delivery. However, a review of the literature suggests that the decline of vaginal breech deliveries was a long time in the making. From the 1950s, once the perceived risks of breech births were accepted as a fact, numerous studies advocated more liberal use of cesarean delivery for breech babies and suggested strategies to limit vaginal breech births. By the late 1970s, as the majority of breech patients underwent surgery, a vicious cycle of collective forgetting began. Hospitals and medical training programs abandoned the non-surgical option, leaving younger generations of unskilled doctors reluctant to perform the complex procedure. As health organizations criticized the overuse of cesarean sections in the ensuing decades, obstetricians faced a growing dilemma in breech management, continuing to perform surgeries even while questioning their benefits. The 2000 study sanctioned this existing state of practice, which had been evolving over decades and in which collective forgetting played a crucial part.
State-space algorithm for detecting the nanohertz gravitational wave background
Authors: Kimpson Tom , Melatos Andrew , O’Leary Joseph , Carlin Julian B , Evans Robin J , Moran William , Cheunchitra Tong , Dong Wenhao , Dunn Liam , Greentree Julian , O’Neill Nicholas J , Suvorova Sofia , Thong Kok Hong , Vargas Andrés F
Published: January 2025

The stochastic gravitational wave background (SGWB) can be observed in the nanohertz band using a pulsar timing array (PTA). Here, a computationally efficient state-space framework is developed for analysing SGWB data, in which the stochastic gravitational wave strain at Earth is tracked with a non-linear Kalman filter and separated simultaneously from intrinsic achromatic pulsar spin wandering. The filter is combined with a nested sampler to estimate the parameters of the model and to calculate a Bayes factor for selecting between models with and without a SGWB. The procedure extends previous state-space formulations of PTA data analysis applied to individually resolvable binary black hole sources. The performance of the new algorithm is tested on synthetic data from the first International PTA Mock Data Challenge. It is shown that the algorithm distinguishes a SGWB from pure noise for $A_{\rm gw} \ge 3 \times 10^{-14}$, where $A_{\rm gw}$ denotes the standard normalization factor for a power spectral density with power-law exponent $-13/3$. Additional, systematic validation tests are also performed with synthetic data generated independently by adjusting the injected parameters to cover astrophysically plausible ranges. Full posterior distributions are recovered and tested for accuracy. The state-space procedure is memory-light and evaluates the likelihood for a standard-sized PTA data set in $\lesssim 10^{-1}$ s without optimization on a standard central processing unit.
The CO-fuelled Time Machine: tracing birth conditions and Terrestrial Planet Formation Outcomes in HD 163296 through Pebble Drift-induced CO Enhancements
Authors: Williams Joe , Krijt Sebastiaan
Published: January 2025

The architecture and composition of planetary systems are thought to be strongly influenced by the transport and delivery of dust and volatiles via ices on pebbles during the planet formation phase in protoplanetary discs. Understanding these transport mechanisms is crucial in building a comprehensive picture of planet formation, including material and chemical budget; constraining the birth properties of these discs is a key step in this process. We present a novel method of retrieving such properties by studying the transport of icy pebbles in the context of an observed gas-phase CO enhancement within the CO snowline in the protoplanetary disc around HD 163296. We combine Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling with a fast model of radial drift to determine the birth gas mass and characteristic radius of the disc, and compare our results against observations and models in the literature; we find the birth-condition disc gas mass to be $\log _{10}(M_{\rm {disc}}/\mathrm{ M}_{\odot })=-0.64^{+0.19}_{-0.24}$ and the characteristic radius to be $\log _{10}(r_{\rm {c}}/\rm {au})=2.30^{+0.45}_{-0.46}$. We additionally determine that dust grains must be ‘fragile’ ($v_{\mathrm{ f}}=100~\mathrm{cms}^{-1}$) to retain enough dust to match current dust mass observations, with our lowest fragmentation velocity model providing a current-age dust mass of $\rm {\mathit{ M}_{dust}}=662^{+518}_{-278}\, \rm {M_{\rm{\oplus}}}$ based on the retrieved birth conditions. Using our retrieved birth conditions, we extend our simulations to mass of material reaching the water snowline in the inner disc, where terrestrial and super-Earth planets may be forming, and speculate on the nature of these exoplanets.
A novel Bayesian approach for decomposing the radio emission of quasars – II. Link between quasar radio emission and black hole mass
Authors: Yue B -H , Duncan K J , Best P N , Arnaudova M I , Morabito L K , Petley J W , Röttgering H J A , Shenoy S , Smith D J B
Published: January 2025

Whether the mass of supermassive black hole ($M_\mathrm{BH}$) is directly linked to the quasar radio luminosity remains a long-debated issue, and understanding the role of $M_\mathrm{BH}$ in the evolution of quasars is pivotal to unveiling the mechanism of active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback. In this work, based on a two-component Bayesian model, we examine how $M_\mathrm{BH}$ affects the radio emission from quasars, separating the contributions from host galaxy star formation (SF) and AGN activity. By modelling the radio flux density distribution of Sloan Digital Sky Survey quasars from the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey Data Release 2, we find no correlation between $M_\mathrm{BH}$ and star formation rate (SFR) at any mass for quasars at a given redshift and bolometric luminosity. The same holds for AGN activity across most $M_\mathrm{BH}$ values; however, quasars with the top 20 per cent most massive supermassive black holes (SMBHs) are two to three times more likely to host strong radio jets than those with lower mass SMBHs at similar redshift and luminosity. We suggest defining radio quasar populations by their AGN and SF contributions instead of radio loudness; our new definition unifies previously divergent observational results on the role of $M_\mathrm{BH}$ in quasar radio emissions. We further demonstrate that this radio enhancement in quasars with the 20 per cent most massive SMBHs affects only the $\sim 5~{{\rm per\ cent}}$ most radio bright quasars at a given redshift and bolometric luminosity. We discuss possible physical origins of this radio excess in the most massive and radio-bright quasar population, which remains an interest for future study.
Morphological classification of galaxies through structural and star formation parameters using machine learning
Authors: Aguilar-Argüello G , Fuentes-Pineda G , Hernández-Toledo H M , Martínez-Vázquez L A , Vázquez-Mata J A , Brough S , Demarco R , Ghosh A , Jiménez-Teja Y , Martin G , Pearson W J , Sifón C
Published: January 2025

We employ the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) machine learning (ML) method for the morphological classification of galaxies into two (early-type, late-type) and five (E, S0–S0a, Sa–Sb, Sbc–Scd, Sd–Irr) classes, using a combination of non-parametric ($C,\, A,\, S,\, A_\mathrm{ S},\, \mathrm{Gini},\, M_{20},\, c_{5090}$), parametric (Sérsic index, n), geometric (axial ratio, $BA$), global colour ($g-i,\, u-r,\, u-i$), colour gradient [$\Delta (g - i)$], and asymmetry gradient ($\Delta A_{9050}$) information, all estimated for a local galaxy sample ($z\lt 0.15$) compiled from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey imaging data. We train the XGBoost model and evaluate its performance through multiple standard metrics. Our findings reveal better performance when utilizing all 14 parameters, achieving accuracies of 88 per cent and 65 per cent for the two-class and five-class classification tasks, respectively. In addition, we investigate a hierarchical classification approach for the five-class scenario, combining three XGBoost classifiers. We observe comparable performance to the ‘direct’ five-class classification, with discrepancies of only up to 3 per cent. Using Shapley Additive Explanations (an advanced interpretation tool), we analyse how galaxy parameters impact the model’s classifications, providing valuable insights into the influence of these features on classification outcomes. Finally, we compare our results with previous studies and find them consistently aligned.
Efficacy and safety of daprodustat in patients on peritoneal dialysis in the ASCEND-D trial
Authors: Dasgupta Indranil , Meadowcroft Amy M , Bhatt Purav R , Acharya Anjali , Aarup Michael , Correa-Rotter Ricardo , Gupta Shruti , Kher Vijay K , Neto Osvaldo M Viera , Rastogi Anjay , Ots-Rosenberg Mai , Rayner Brian , Wong Muh Geot , Shah Sunay , Taft Lin , Singh Ajay K
Published: January 2025

Background and hypothesis

Daprodustat, an oral hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor, is approved for treatment of anemia in dialysis patients with CKD in some parts of the world. This subgroup analysis examined the efficacy and safety of daprodustat versus darbepoetin alfa in patients with anemia of CKD undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD).

Methods

ASCEND-D (NCT02879305) was an open-label, Phase 3 trial; patients with CKD were randomized to daprodustat daily and epoetin alfa (HD patients) or darbepoetin alfa (PD patients). In PD patients, prespecified analyses of the co-primary endpoints of mean change in hemoglobin from baseline to Weeks 28–52 using an ANOVA model and first occurrence of a major cardiovascular event (MACE) using a Cox proportional hazards model were conducted. The secondary endpoints were average monthly intravenous iron dose to Week 52 and treatment-emergent adverse events. Additional post hoc analyses were conducted.

Results

Overall, 340 PD patients (daprodustat n = 171, darbepoetin alfa n = 169) were randomized. Mean age was 53.6 years (±14 SD), 55% male, 56% White. For daprodustat and darbepoetin alfa groups respectively, mean change in hemoglobin was 0.38 and 0.23 g/dL [adjusted mean difference 0.15, 95% confidence interval (CI), −0.04, 0.34], and first occurrence of adjudicated MACE occurred in 40 (23.4%) and 46 (27.2%) patients (HR 0.84; 95% CI, 0.55–1.28). No heterogeneity was observed between PD and HD patients for these endpoints in ASCEND-D. Serum hepcidin was lower with daprodustat; there was no difference in other iron parameters, intravenous iron usage, transfusion requirement, blood pressure, or quality of life. There were no differences in adverse events or incidence of peritonitis between the groups.

Conclusions

This subgroup analysis of the ASCEND-D trial demonstrated comparable efficacy and safety of daprodustat versus darbepoetin alfa in PD patients, supporting its use in the treatment of anemia in these patients.
Effects of Supplementation With Different Specificities of Dietary Fiber on Health-Related Indicators in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Xiang Mai , Qiao Li , Han Qi , Zha Yu , Sui Xuemei , Wang Qirong
Published: January 2025

Context

Dietary fiber (DF) exhibits variations in its chemical and physical complexity, as well as in its utilization by the gut microbiota. However, the impact of these differences on the health status of adults with overweight or obesity remains unclear.

Objective

This meta-analysis aimed to explore the varying effects of supplementing with different specificities of DF on the health of adults with overweight or obesity, providing guidance on selecting DF supplementation to improve health status.

Data Sources

The literature search encompassed 4 electronic databases—PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and EMBASE—and was conducted between January 1, 2012, and November 10, 2023. Randomized controlled trials comparing DF with placebo treatment, without energy restriction, were included.

Data Extraction

Two independent reviewers extracted data using a standardized form, resolving discrepancies through discussion. The data included study characteristics, participant demographics, DF specifications, and outcome measures.

Data Analysis

Random-effects models and the generic inverse variance method were used to analyze data, assuming varying outcomes based on DF specificity. Meta-regression assessed the impact of population, duration, and dosage. Publication bias was evaluated using funnel plots and Egger's and Begg's tests. The analysis included 34 trials (n = 1804) examining DF supplementation at 1.5 to 40 g/day for 3 to 16 weeks. DF supplementation significantly reduced glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) by 0.13%, fasting insulin by 0.82 μIU/mL, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) by 0.33 in adults with overweight or obesity. Subgroup analyses based on DF specificity revealed differences in effects on HbA1c, fasting insulin, and systolic blood pressure. The low-specificity subgroup showed significant heterogeneity in body weight, body mass index, HbA1c, fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR, with a decrease in fasting insulin by 1.09 μIU/mL. The low-to-intermediate-specificity subgroup had reductions in HbA1c by 0.8%, fasting insulin by 2.08 μIU/mL, and HOMA-IR by 0.61. The intermediate-specificity subgroup experienced a 2.85-kg decrease in body weight and a 9.03-mg/dL increase in LDL cholesterol. The mixed subgroup showed an increase in systolic blood pressure by 3.85 mmHg.

Conclusion

Supplementing with different specificities of DF may have distinct effects on health-related indicators in adults with overweight or obesity. Considering individuals' gut microbiota composition and specific health goals is recommended when selecting DF supplementation for adults with overweight or obesity.

Systematic Review Registration

PROSPERO registration no. CRD42023432920.
Repacking-Driven Compaction in the Spirit Mountain Batholith, Southern Nevada
Authors: Florez Darien , Huber Christian , Bachmann Olivier , Sigworth Alicia , Claiborne Lily , Miller Calvin
Published: January 2025

Mechanical phase separation in crustal reservoirs is one of several processes that influences chemical differentiation in magmatic bodies and the generation of potentially eruptible horizons of magmas. The rate of melt-crystal separation in magmas remains hard to constrain, notably because of the poor understanding of the processes that govern phase separation, such as crystal settling and mush compaction. To that end, it is necessary to identify natural laboratories that record mechanical phase separation. Here, we investigate the Spirit Mountain Batholith (SMB) for chemical and textural evidences of mechanical phase separation. We identify a near-linear unmixing (of crystals and pore-occupying melt) trend in major, minor, and trace element geochemistry defined by samples within a ca. 3-km transect at the base of the exposed batholith and pooled leucogranites near the top of the batholith. Plagioclase compositions are similar in the samples within the transect, despite a broad range in bulk SiO2 (62–74 wt % SiO2), suggesting the samples crystallized from the same parental magma and subsequently either lost or accumulated SiO2-rich interstitial melt. Trace element modeling and mass balance calculations fortify this finding. The minimum volumetric trapped melt fraction calculated based on trace element modeling is 0.3, consistent with maximum packing fractions inferred by applications of compaction models to recent mechanical phase separation experiments. We find that the trapped melt volume fraction decreases with depth in the transect and that melt loss is accompanied by the development of fabric perpendicular to the axis of paleo-gravity, consistent with repacking-driven compaction. The batholith is comprised of numerous repeated injections of sills over the course of approximately two million years, as indicated by previous researchers using zircon secondary-ion mass spectrometry age dates (Walker Jr et al., 2007). We suggest that these sills underwent some degree of crystallization prior to melt-crystal separation by crystal repacking. Forward modeling of repacking-accommodated melt extraction within a single sill suggests that a lens of pure melt 3.5 km thick (approximate thickness of leucocratic layer of granite in the SMB) can be extracted in approximately 30 ka. This estimate is likely an upper bound as the extracted melt was likely sourced from several sills, the exact number of which is unclear.
A mirror-image experiment: Sorting carbon nanotubes by L-DNA
Authors: Zheng Ming , Sha Ruojie
Published: January 2025

DNA has found increasing applications in molecular engineering, yet its chiral property has rarely been utilized. Here, we report a mirror-image experiment using naturally occurring D-DNA and its enantiomer L-DNA to sort a chiral mixture of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). We find that parity conservation leads to a robust experimental outcome: changing DNA chirality results in handedness inversion of the purified nanotube. This finding provides a straightforward solution to the challenging problem of nanotube enantiomer sorting and a materials foundation for applications in fields such as spintronics and chiral sensing. To illustrate the latter, we show that enantiomeric pairs of DNA–SWCNTs can serve as bilateral chiral gauges for quantifying the degree of molecular chirality.
Kinetic Theory of Discontinuous Shear Thickening of a Moderately Dense Inertial Suspension of Frictionless Soft Particles
Authors: Takada Satoshi , Hara Kazuhiro , Hayakawa Hisao
Published: January 2025

We demonstrate that discontinuous shear thickening (DST) can take place even in a moderately dense inertial suspension consisting of frictionless soft particles. This DST can be regarded as ignited–quenched or exploded–continous shear thickening (CST) transitions in the inertial suspension. An approximate kinetic theory well recovers the results of the Langevin simulation in the wide range of the volume fraction without any fitting parameters.
Mode of Delivery and Subsequent Motor Function in Children With Myelomeningocele Without In Utero Repair
Authors: Palatnik Anna , Pan Amy Y. , Emery Stephen P. , Greene Stephanie , Muthiah Nallammai , Berman Deborah , Buchmiller Terry L. , Gebb Juliana , Lillegard Joseph , Miller Jena L. , Newton J. , Schneider Patrick , Blumenfeld Yair J. , Powne Amy B. , Cibulskis Catherine C. , Drennan Kathryn , Papanna Ramesha ,   for the NAFTNet (North American Fetal Therapy Network)
Published: January 2025

OBJECTIVE:

To assess the association between mode of delivery and 2-year motor function in children with prenatal diagnosis of myelomeningocele.

METHODS:

A multisite retrospective cohort study of children with myelomeningocele across 14 NAFTNet (North American Fetal Therapy Network) centers born between 2007 and 2020 who had a physical examination available at 2 years of life. Exclusion criteria were in utero myelomeningocele repair, postnatal myelomeningocele diagnosis, missing data on fetal presentation at delivery, and contraindications to labor. The primary outcome was the difference between the anatomic level of the spinal lesion and functional motor level at age 2 years. A general linear model was used to determine the effect of mode of delivery on the primary outcome, and multivariable analysis was performed to control for presence of labor, gestational age at delivery, defect size and origin level, and presence of ventriculomegaly.

RESULTS:

Of 566 children with myelomeningocele, 305 met inclusion criteria, with 216 (70.8%) having been delivered by cesarean and 89 (29.2%) having been delivered vaginally. Children delivered by cesarean had a mean±SE level of motor function of 0.07±0.21 segments below the anatomic level at age 2 years compared with 0.57±0.32 for children delivered vaginally (P=.19). After controlling for potential confounders, both groups improved in motor function by age 2 years compared with anatomic level. However, there was no difference in motor improvement between groups by mode of delivery (0.07 cesarean vs 0.57 vaginal delivery, adjusted difference 0.37 segments, P=.63).

CONCLUSION:

In this multisite NAFTNet cohort, mode of delivery was not associated with lower-extremity motor function at age 2 years.
The Utility of the Radiocapitellar View in Pediatric Medial Epicondyle Fracture Evaluation
Authors: Callanan Tucker C. , Milner John D. , Lou Mary Y. , Moschella Joseph , Molino Janine , Boulos Alexandre R. , Schiller Jonathan R. , Eberson Craig P. , Cruz Aristides I.
Published: January 2025

Background:

Anteroposterior (AP) and lateral radiographs often underestimate displacement in medial epicondyle fractures, further complicating the already debated operative indications. The radiocapitellar (RC) view is an alternative radiograph that allows for the separation of the humeroradial and humeroulnar joints. This study investigates the utility of the RC view in measuring displacement and identifying the need for operative intervention in pediatric medial epicondyle fractures.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis was conducted on pediatric patients who presented to our institution with a medial epicondyle fracture treated operatively from 2015 to 2022 and received initial AP and RC radiographs. Fracture displacement was measured by 3 orthopaedic surgeons using the corresponding point measurement method and inter/intra-rater reliability was computed. A fracture >5 mm was considered to be within the threshold for recommendation of operative treatment. McNemar test was used to assess differences in sensitivity in detecting operative fractures between AP and RC radiographs, with a P-value of < 0.05 considered significant.

Results:

A total of 45 patients met the inclusion criteria. The RC view had significantly higher sensitivity in identifying fractures greater than the operative threshold of 5 mm compared with the AP view (93.3% vs. 68.9%, P=0.0127), and on average, measured 2.5 mm more displacement (P<0.001) than the corresponding AP view. AP and RC radiographs both measured >5 mm of displacement in 62.2% (28/45) of fractures, with 6.7% (3/45) determined as >5 mm by AP view and ≤5 mm by RC view. 31.1% (14/45) of fractures were measured to be >5 mm by RC view and ≤5 mm by AP view.

Conclusion:

The RC view significantly increases sensitivity in detecting the 5 mm displacement threshold for operative treatment of pediatric medial epicondyle fractures due to improved visualization of fracture displacement.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, diagnostic study.
Bifurcating Method for Subcutaneous Indwelling of Nonabsorbable Threads
Authors: Akahori Makoto , Sakai Shigeki , Kishi Kazuo
Published: January 2025

Subcutaneous indwelling of nonabsorbable threads for tissue fixation and tension reduction is often used in plastic surgery and is applied in breast reduction surgery, umbilicoplasty, and in frontalis muscle lifting for congenital ptosis. However, in a few cases, exposure of the indwelling thread necessitates its removal. Exposure of the indwelling threads mostly occurs due to exposure of the knots. Therefore, we require a novel method to ensure that the knot of the indwelling thread remains unexposed. Hence, we created a stab incision to place the indwelling nonabsorbable threads ligated with moderate tensile force. Furthermore, we attached needles to each end of the ligated thread. The needles penetrated from the stab incision through the depths to separate sites farther away from each other. Finally, we towed and cut the exposed thread from the skin. Thus, the knots on the indwelling thread may be positioned deeper, reducing the risk of exposure to the indwelling thread. Furthermore, the risk of overcorrection is reduced as each end of the indwelling threads penetrates a different site. In addition, this method leaves certain length of the end of the knot under the skin, which improves the visibility of the indwelling thread during revision surgery, facilitates access, and reduces the operative time. Application of this method in subcutaneous indwelling of nonabsorbable threads may reduce complications and time required for revision surgery.
Secondary full thickness macular holes following complete vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment: rare occurrence with good closure rate
Authors: Schöneberger Verena , Jonas Rahul A. , Menghesha Leonie , Brockmann Claudia , Krohne Tim U. , Cursiefen Claus , Fuchsluger Thomas A. , Schaub Friederike
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Formation of a full thickness macular hole (FTMH) after vitrectomy is rare. The aim of this study was to describe risk factors, clinical course, anatomical and functional prognosis of secondary FTMH development following surgery for primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).

Methods

Retrospective study. Eyes treated for RRD at two centers between 01/2012 and 12/2022 were screened and those that developed secondary FTMH after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) without membrane peeling were included in our analysis.

Results

29 eyes (mean age 58.9±9.5 years, 51.7% female) of 5,219 eyes developed secondary FTMH following PPV for retinal detachment, equaling a rate of 0.56%. Median interval between vitrectomy and FTMH diagnosis was 14.0 months (Q1 2.0; Q3 61.0; range 1 – 373). FTMH was treated by re-PPV, Membrane limitans interna peeling, sulfur hexafluoride (SF6 20-25%) endotamponade in 22, silicone oil in 6, and heavy silicone oil in 1 eye. In 88.0% FTMH closure was observed after surgery. Postoperative mean visual acuity of all eyes was 20/145 Snellen (0.86±0.76 logMAR) versus preoperative 20/215 (1.03±0.43; p<0.001).

Conclusion

Secondary FTMH after RRD repair is a rare occurrence complication and can often be successfully treated by re-PPV. Visual acuity improves following successful hole closure, but less than in primary FTMHs.
A 19-year-old asymptomatic woman
Authors: Carrera William , Liang Michelle C.
Published: January 2025

Purpose:

To describe a case of stellate multiform amelanotic choroidopathy (SMACH) with focal hyperfluorescence on indocyanine green angiography (ICGA).

Methods:

Case report.

Results:

A 19-year-old Caucasian woman was seen for an asymptomatic choroidal lesion. Visual acuity was 20/20. Fundus examination revealed an irregular, tan-colored lesion with overlying speckled hyperpigmentation in the macula of the left eye. Multimodal imaging demonstrated a thickened choroidal lesion with stellate, radially oriented projections most visible on near-infrared reflectance, red-free photography, en-face OCT, and ICGA. ICGA demonstrated early hypofluorescence outlining the borders of the lesion and a late, pinpoint area of hyperfluorescence with faint staining. The patient’s fundus examination remained stable over 4 years of follow-up.

Conclusion:

SMACH may present with focal choroidal hyperpermeability on ICGA while lacking typical features of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR). This finding expands the clinical spectrum of SMACH.
Multimodal imaging findings of the fellow eye in Stellate Nonhereditary Idiopathic Foveomacular Retinoschisis (SNIFR)
Authors: Del Fabbro Sebastiano , Bianco Lorenzo , Antropoli Alessio , Bousyf Soufiane , Bruno Lorenza , Arrigo Alessandro , Malegori Angela , Cicinelli Maria Vittoria , Bandello Francesco , Parodi Maurizio Battaglia
Published: January 2025

Purpose:

This study examines the multimodal imaging (MMI) findings in two cases of unilateral Stellate Nonhereditary Idiopathic Foveomacular Retinoschisis (SNIFR), including detailed findings from the unaffected fellow eye.

Methods:

Macular spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) and 3x3 mm optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), microperimetry, full-field electroretinography (ff-ERG) for both the affected and the fellow eye were reviewed.

Results:

The MMI findings were consistent across the two cases (71-year-old female and 60-year-old female). OCT imaging of the affected eyes revealed cystoid spaces between the outer nuclear layer (ONL) and the outer plexiform layer (OPL), with the vascular network remaining intact, indicating no alterations in vessel flow. Microperimetry showed slightly lower pointwise sensitivity in both eyes compared to a normative database.

Conclusion:

Although SNIFR typically presents as a unilateral condition, our findings suggest that patients may have an inherent structural predisposition to macular schisis, resulting in subtle functional impairments. We hypothesize that the structural damage may involve the macular Müller cells. These observations highlight the importance of further studies to understand SNIFR’s pathophysiology and inform therapeutic approaches.
Effect of grinding size and inoculation rates on barley nuruk quality characteristics and volatile compounds of makgeolli
Authors: Shin Yejin , Kim Chan-woo , Choi Ji-ho , Lim Bora
Published: January 2025

This study aimed to assess the quality characteristics of barley nuruk and makgeolli based on grinding size and inoculation rates, with a focus on identifying key aroma compounds contributing to nuruk off-flavors. Barley was hulled to 30%, using coarse (5 mm) and fine (1 mm) ratios, and inoculated with Aspergillus luchuensis 34-1 at 0.1% and 1% rates. Quality parameters such as moisture, pH, acidity, amino acidity, organic acids, and free amino acids were analyzed. At the same time, enzyme activities like saccharogenic power, α-glucosidase, glucoamylase, α-amylase, and carboxypeptidase were measured. Microbial contamination was assessed, and volatile aroma compounds were quantified using gas chromatography. Results indicated that finer milling (1 mm) and higher inoculation (1%) significantly increased enzyme activity and free amino acid content in nuruk, leading to a higher concentration of fruity volatile compounds in makgeolli. Thus, adjusting the grinding size and inoculation rates in nuruk production is key to enhancing makgeolli flavor quality.