bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effective colors for information design
Authors: Wang Zheng , Cheung Vien , Lonsdale Maria
Published: January 2023

This study evaluated the effectiveness of China’s high-speed railway map’s color system based on color design
principles in information design. Various design limitations of the color system were identified and analyzed. A new color system
which enhanced the legibility of the map was re-coded and was considered satisfactory in the usability test. The research explores
the effect of colors in map design and provides valuable color-coding guidance, which may be applied to map design and to the
design of other information materials. The color evaluation, re-coding and usability test methods may bring practical insights for
information designers and color design researchers.
Coping as a Moderator of Associations Between Symptoms and Functional and Affective Outcomes in the Daily Lives of Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Valentine Thomas R , Kuzu Duygu , Kratz Anna L
Published: January 2023

Background

Pain and fatigue are highly prevalent in multiple sclerosis (MS) and are associated with adverse physical, social, and psychological outcomes. There is a critical need to identify modifiable factors that can reduce the impact of these symptoms on daily life.

Purpose

This study examined the moderating role of dispositional coping in the relationships between daily fluctuations (i.e., deviations from a person’s usual level) in pain and fatigue and same-day functional/affective outcomes.

Methods

Adults with MS (N = 102) completed a self-report measure of dispositional coping (Brief COPE), followed by 7 days of ecological momentary assessment of pain and fatigue and end-of-day diaries assessing same-day pain interference, fatigue impact, social participation, upper extremity and lower extremity functioning, depressive symptoms, and positive affect and well-being (PAWB). Multilevel models tested interactions between daily symptom fluctuations and dispositional coping (avoidant/approach) in predicting same-day outcomes.

Results

Higher approach coping mitigated the same-day association between pain and pain interference, whereas higher avoidant coping augmented this association. Daily PAWB benefits were seen for those who reported high approach coping and low avoidant coping; effects were only observed on days of low pain (for approach coping) and low fatigue (for avoidant coping). Avoidant coping was associated with worse fatigue impact, social participation, lower extremity functioning, and depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

When faced with pain and fatigue, avoidant coping is associated with increased, and approach coping with decreased, functional/affective difficulties in the daily lives of individuals with MS. Altering coping strategy use may reduce the impact of pain and fatigue.
A Single-Center Experience With Gynecomastia Treatment Using Liposuction, Complete Gland Removal, and Nipple Areola Complex Lifting Plaster Technique: A Review of 448 Patients
Authors: Ramasamy Karthik , Tripathee Sanjib , Murugesh Anitha , Jesudass Joyce , Sinha Rakesh , Alagarasan Abisshek Raj
Published: January 2023

Background

Gynecomastia is defined as a benign enlargement of male breast glandular tissue. It is the most common breast condition in male, and the prevalence ranges from 32% to 72%. No standardized treatment exists for gynecomastia.

Objectives

The authors treat gynecomastia patient with liposuction and complete gland excision through periareolar incision without skin excision. In case of skin redundancy, the authors use their special technique called nipple areola complex (NAC) plaster lift technique.

Methods

The authors conducted the retrospective analysis of patient who underwent gynecomastia surgery between January 2020 and December 2021 at Chennai Plastic Surgery. All patients were treated with liposuction, gland excision, and NAC lifting plaster when required. The follow-up period ranges from 6 to 14 months.

Results

A total of 448 patients (896 breasts) were included in our study with average age of 26.6 years. Grade II gynecomastia was most common in our study. The average BMI of the patients was 27.31 kg/m2. One hundred and sixteen patients (25.9%) experienced some form of complication. Seroma was most common complications in our study followed by superficial skin necrosis. Patient satisfaction rate was high in our study.

Conclusions

Gynecomastia surgery is safe and highly rewarding procedure for surgeons. Various technologies and methods like liposuction, complete gland excision, and NAC lifting plaster technique should be adopted in gynecomastia treatment to give a better patient satisfaction. Complications are common in gynecomastia surgery but easily manageable.

Level of Evidence: 4
CasANGCL: pre-training and fine-tuning model based on cascaded attention network and graph contrastive learning for molecular property prediction
Authors: Zheng Zixi , Tan Yanyan , Wang Hong , Yu Shengpeng , Liu Tianyu , Liang Cheng
Published: January 2023

Motivation

Molecular property prediction is a significant requirement in AI-driven drug design and discovery, aiming to predict the molecular property information (e.g. toxicity) based on the mined biomolecular knowledge. Although graph neural networks have been proven powerful in predicting molecular property, unbalanced labeled data and poor generalization capability for new-synthesized molecules are always key issues that hinder further improvement of molecular encoding performance.

Results

We propose a novel self-supervised representation learning scheme based on a Cascaded Attention Network and Graph Contrastive Learning (CasANGCL). We design a new graph network variant, designated as cascaded attention network, to encode local–global molecular representations. We construct a two-stage contrast predictor framework to tackle the label imbalance problem of training molecular samples, which is an integrated end-to-end learning scheme. Moreover, we utilize the information-flow scheme for training our network, which explicitly captures the edge information in the node/graph representations and obtains more fine-grained knowledge. Our model achieves an 81.9% ROC-AUC average performance on 661 tasks from seven challenging benchmarks, showing better portability and generalizations. Further visualization studies indicate our model’s better representation capacity and provide interpretability.
Metapath-aggregated heterogeneous graph neural network for drug–target interaction prediction
Authors: Li Mei , Cai Xiangrui , Xu Sihan , Ji Hua
Published: January 2023

Drug–target interaction (DTI) prediction is an essential step in drug repositioning. A few graph neural network (GNN)-based methods have been proposed for DTI prediction using heterogeneous biological data. However, existing GNN-based methods only aggregate information from directly connected nodes restricted in a drug-related or a target-related network and are incapable of capturing high-order dependencies in the biological heterogeneous graph. In this paper, we propose a metapath-aggregated heterogeneous graph neural network (MHGNN) to capture complex structures and rich semantics in the biological heterogeneous graph for DTI prediction. Specifically, MHGNN enhances heterogeneous graph structure learning and high-order semantics learning by modeling high-order relations via metapaths. Additionally, MHGNN enriches high-order correlations between drug-target pairs (DTPs) by constructing a DTP correlation graph with DTPs as nodes. We conduct extensive experiments on three biological heterogeneous datasets. MHGNN favorably surpasses 17 state-of-the-art methods over 6 evaluation metrics, which verifies its efficacy for DTI prediction. The code is available at https://github.com/Zora-LM/MHGNN-DTI.
Predicting lncRNA–disease associations based on combining selective similarity matrix fusion and bidirectional linear neighborhood label propagation
Authors: Xie Guo-Bo , Chen Rui-Bin , Lin Zhi-Yi , Gu Guo-Sheng , Yu Jun-Rui , Liu Zhen-guo , Cui Ji , Lin Lie-qing , Chen Lang-cheng
Published: January 2023

Recent studies have revealed that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are closely linked to several human diseases, providing new opportunities for their use in detection and therapy. Many graph propagation and similarity fusion approaches can be used for predicting potential lncRNA–disease associations. However, existing similarity fusion approaches suffer from noise and self-similarity loss in the fusion process. To address these problems, a new prediction approach, termed SSMF-BLNP, based on organically combining selective similarity matrix fusion (SSMF) and bidirectional linear neighborhood label propagation (BLNP), is proposed in this paper to predict lncRNA–disease associations. In SSMF, self-similarity networks of lncRNAs and diseases are obtained by selective preprocessing and nonlinear iterative fusion. The fusion process assigns weights to each initial similarity network and introduces a unit matrix that can reduce noise and compensate for the loss of self-similarity. In BLNP, the initial lncRNA–disease associations are employed in both lncRNA and disease directions as label information for linear neighborhood label propagation. The propagation was then performed on the self-similarity network obtained from SSMF to derive the scoring matrix for predicting the relationships between lncRNAs and diseases. Experimental results showed that SSMF-BLNP performed better than seven other state of-the-art approaches. Furthermore, a case study demonstrated up to 100% and 80% accuracy in 10 lncRNAs associated with hepatocellular carcinoma and 10 lncRNAs associated with renal cell carcinoma, respectively. The source code and datasets used in this paper are available at: https://github.com/RuiBingo/SSMF-BLNP.
Dynamics of demand-side and supply-side responses to front-of-pack nutrition labels: a narrative review
Authors: De Marchi Elisa , Cavaliere Alessia , Pucillo Flavia , Banterle Alessandro , Nayga Rodolfo M
Published: January 2023

The European Union (EU) food market is characterised by the presence of several front-of-pack nutrition labels (FOPLs), some of which have only been introduced lately. While the EU Commission proposed to harmonise and possibly mandate the use of FOPLs, agreement on which label to adopt has not been reached. This review explores the main issues related to the adoption of FOPLs from both the demand-side and the supply-side perspective with the aim of providing an updated evidence-based road map for the development of future studies that can contribute to extend scientific evidence and guide future food policies.
Life-Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Forest Bioenergy Production at Combined Heat and Power Projects in Nova Scotia, Canada
Authors: Steenberg James W N , Laganière Jérôme , Ayer Nathan W , Duinker Peter N
Published: January 2023

Forest bioenergy production can represent a renewable energy supply while benefiting the forest sector. However, greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions are often not immediate. The point of carbon parity where bioenergy starts delivering GHG benefits may be years to decades in the future. This study examined the life-cycle emissions associated with bioenergy production at combined heat-and-power (CHP) projects in Nova Scotia, Canada. We examined the effects and sensitivities of different feedstock mixes of chips from harvested roundwood and mill residues, the implementation of intensive and extensive silviculture strategies, and different market/supply-chain assumptions around additionality and product substitution. We found contrasting GHG outcomes for bioenergy, depending largely on additionality assumptions and biomass type. When primary biomass (roundwood) was used as the feedstock type, carbon parity was achieved within four to nine years when pulp and paper products were substituted, whereas carbon parity was achieved in 86–100 years or longer when biomass harvests were additional. Net GHG benefits were achieved in 10 years with the use of secondary biomass (mill residues) as the bioenergy feedstock, although they were delayed when at lower energy conversion efficiencies. Adoption of more intensive silvicultural practices (plantations) reduced the time to carbon parity because of increased yields, although uncertainties in long-term soil carbon storage exist.

Study Implications: Our analysis shows that the use of forest biomass in local CHP facilities can deliver GHG benefits in the short term but there is substantial variability. Carbon parity times were the longest with the use of additional primary biomass feedstocks (i.e., roundwood) but were substantially reduced when biomass harvests substituted harvests for pulp and paper products and when secondary biomass (i.e., mill residues) was used. This study highlights the nuance of different forest management dimensions (e.g., silviculture) while also presenting novel findings on the importance of assumptions around biomass harvesting being additional to current practices or a substitution for declines in traditional forest products.
Pronunciations of Combining Forms and Affixes in the Oxford English Dictionary
Authors: Moreland Matthew , Sangster Catherine
Published: January 2023

The third edition of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED3) incorporates a new approach to the pronunciation sections of combining form and affix entries. Headword-level pronunciations are replaced by statements pertaining to typical stress patterns and vowel reduction, while thousands of lemmas contained within these entries receive British and American pronunciations for the first time. Accounting for the four different structures of current OED combining form and affix entries, the integration of pronunciation information is tailored to supply the user with an appropriate and useful level of information in each case.
The 2022 International Society for Hip Preservation (ISHA) physiotherapy agreement on assessment and treatment of greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS): an international consensus statement
Authors: Disantis Ashley , Andrade Antonio J , Baillou Alexander , Bonin Nicolas , Byrd Thomas , Campbell Ashley , Domb Benjamin , Doyle Holly , Enseki Keelan , Getz Barry , Gosling Lucie , Grant Louise , M. Ilizaliturri Jr. Victor , Kohlrieser Dave , Laskovski Jovan , Lifshitz Liran , P. McGovern Ryan , Monnington Katie , O’Donnell John , Takla Amir , Tyler Tim , Voight Mike , Wuerz Thomas , Martin RobRoy L
Published: January 2023

The 2022 International Society of Hip Preservation (ISHA) physiotherapy agreement on assessment and treatment of greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) was intended to present a physiotherapy consensus on the assessment and surgical and non-surgical physiotherapy management of patients with GTPS. The panel consisted of 15 physiotherapists and eight orthopaedic surgeons. Currently, there is a lack of high-quality literature supporting non-operative and operative physiotherapy management. Therefore, a group of physiotherapists who specialize in the treatment of non-arthritic hip pathology created this consensus statement regarding physiotherapy management of GTPS. The consensus was conducted using a modified Delphi technique to guide physiotherapy-related decisions according to the current knowledge and expertise regarding the following: (i) evaluation of GTPS, (ii) non-surgical physiotherapy management, (iii) use of corticosteroids and orthobiologics and (iv) surgical indications and post-operative physiotherapy management.
MYB/MYBL1::QKI fusion-positive diffuse glioma
Authors: Suh Ye Yoon , Lee Kwanghoon , Shim Yu-Mi , Phi Ji Hoon , Park Chul-Kee , Kim Seung-Ki , Choi Seung Hong , Yun Hongseok , Park Sung-Hye
Published: January 2023

The MYB/MYBL1::QKI fusion induces the protooncogene, MYB, and deletes the tumor suppressor gene, QKI. MYB/MYBL1::QKI rearrangement was previously reported only in angiocentric glioma (AG) and diffuse low-grade glioma. This report compares 2 tumors containing the MYB/MYBL1::QKI fusion: a diffuse pediatric-type high-grade glioma (DPedHGG) in an 11-year-old boy and an AG in a 46-year-old woman. We used immunohistochemistry, next-generation sequencing, and methylation profiling to characterize each tumor and compare our findings to the literature on AG and tumors with the MYB/MYBL1::QKI rearrangement. Both tumors were astrocytic with angiocentric patterns. The MYB::QKI fusion-positive DPedHGG, which recurred once, was accompanied by TP53 mutation and amplification of CDK6 and KRAS, suggesting malignant transformation secondary to additional genetic aberrations. The second case was the adult AG with MYBL1::QKI fusion, which mimicked ependymoma based on histopathology and its dot- and ring-like epithelial membrane antigen positivity. Combined with a literature review, our results suggest that MYB/MYBL1 alterations are not limited to low-grade gliomas, including AG. AG is most common in the cerebra of children and adolescents but exceptional cases occur in adults and the acquisition of additional genetic mutations may contribute to high-grade glioma. These cases further demonstrate that molecular characteristics, morphologic features, and clinical context are essential for diagnosis.
Beta-Lactam Allergy Association with Surgical Site Infections in Pediatric Procedures: A Matched Cohort Study
Authors: Scaggs Huang Felicia , Mangeot Colleen , Sucharew Heidi , Simon Katherine , Courter Joshua , Risma Kimberly , Schaffzin Joshua K
Published: January 2023

Background

Little is known about surgical site infection (SSI) risk among pediatric patients with reported beta-lactam allergy (BLA).

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study at a quaternary children’s hospital and compared procedures in patients ages 1–19 years old with and without BLA that required antimicrobial prophylaxis (AMP) during 2010–2017. Procedures were matched 1:1 by patient age, complex chronic conditions, year of surgery, and National Surgical Quality Improvement Program current procedural terminology category. The primary outcome was SSI as defined by National Healthcare Safety Network. The secondary outcome was AMP protocol compliance as per American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

Results

Of the 11 878 procedures identified, 1021 (9%) had a reported BLA. There were 35 (1.8%) SSIs in the matched cohort of 1944 procedures with no significant difference in SSI rates in BLA procedures (1.8%) compared to no-BLA (1.9%) procedures. Tier 3 AMP was chosen more frequently among BLA procedures (P < .01). Unmatched analysis of all procedures showed that 23.7% of BLA procedures received beta-lactam-AMP (vs. 93.7% of procedures without BLA). There were no major differences in SSI on sensitivity analysis of BLA procedures that did not receive beta-lactam AMP (1.4%) compared to no-BLA procedures with beta-lactam AMP (1.6%).

Conclusions

Our retrospective matched analysis of 1944 pediatric procedures found no increase in SSIs in procedures with reported BLA, which differs from studies in adults. We observed that the choice of beta-lactam-AMP was common, even in BLA procedures. More data are needed to delineate an association between non-beta-lactam AMP and SSI in children.
Attention and (Painful) Interest: Revisiting the Interest Theory of Attention
Authors: Textor Mark
Published: January 2023

The nineteenth century saw the development of reductive views of attention. The German philosopher and psychologist Carl Stumpf (1848-1936) proposed an original reductive view according to which attention is nothing but interest and interest itself is a positive feeling. Stumpf’s view was developed by Francis Bradley (1846-1924), George Frederick Stout (1860-1944), and Josiah Royce (1855-1916), but has been overlooked in the recent literature. In this paper, I will expound Stumpf’s view of attention, trace it back to its Aristotelian roots and defend the version offered by Stout and Royce. In this version a new kind of feeling, feelings of interest, and value, intellectual value, take centre stage.
Virtual Parent Coaching of Music Interventions for Young Autistic Children in Mexico
Authors: Hernandez-Ruiz Eugenia
Published: January 2023

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted education, peer interactions, and social access for a large percentage of learners and created increased stress and workloads for parents, particularly in families of autistic children, who lost access to specialized services. Providing parents with resources to support their children at home became a necessity. This exploratory study investigated the feasibility of a parent coaching model of music interventions through virtual sessions in a low-resource country. Eight families participated in six 1-hr weekly sessions where the music therapist shared music interventions for young autistic children through videoconferencing. Results show that parent coaching in a virtual setting is feasible, useful, and acceptable for parents. All parents improved in their ability to modify the environment to address child’s needs, adequately respond to their child’s communication attempts, and provide opportunities for engagement and natural reinforcement. Parents found the coaching important, useful, and supportive. Initial recommendations for practice include providing guidelines for safe sessions; adapting to family needs, strengths, and culture; relaying information quickly and concisely; and ensuring that parents can access local services to continue their parenting journey.
IDENTIFICATION OF AREAS OF HIGH POTENTIAL-BEARING MINERALIZATIONS, EASTERN DESERT OF EGYPT: INSIGHTS FROM AIRBORNE GAMMA-RAY SPECTROMETRIC DATA
Authors: Abu Donia Atef M
Published: January 2023

A major number of mineral deposits are related to hydrothermal processes. Therefore, the mapping of the hydrothermally alteration areas, connected with mineralization, is crucial in the search for metal deposits. To achieve this purpose, areas of hydrothermal alterations are targeted by processing the airborne gamma-ray spectrometric data to detect areas enriched in potassium that may indicate the existence of potassic alteration zones, which are often associated with hydrothermal alterations accompanied by mineral deposits. Data processing and analysis were performed using the K/eTh ratio, deviation of ideal potassium (Kd) and F-parameter. Besides, determining the environmental radiation risk due to the fact that the study area contains many excavation sites for various mining materials and quarries. Hydrothermal alteration indicator maps show five known mineralizations of gold, copper, molybdenum, fluorite and wolframite, which are associated with hydrothermal processes that took place in the study area. It is possible to note the intimate correlation of mineral deposits present in areas with high potassium content. Positive correlation between the computed hydrothermal alteration indicators (K/eTh, Kd and F-parameter), shown on the ternary image map, revealed favorable high and intermediate targets for the detection of various mineral deposits in the study area. On the other hand, the estimated mean values of absorbed dose rate for all rock units were within the permissible range (28–120 nGy h−1), and the mean annual effective dose rate was below the permissible limit of 1.0 mSv y−1 for these rocks.
Review of the role of MRI and 18F-sodium fluoride PET/computed tomography in the characterisation of spinal bone metastases in a cohort of patients with breast cancer
Authors: Panagiotidis Emmanouil , Pant Vineet , Vinjamuri Sobhan
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy and relative usefulness of MRI and 18F-NaF (sodium fluoride) PET/computed tomography (CT) for detection of spinal bone metastases in a cohort of patients with high-risk breast cancer (BrCa).

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted of patient and lesion-based analyses on 66 consecutive patients (median age, 62.5 years; age range, 33–91 years) who underwent Spinal MRI as well as 18F-NaF PET-CT for restaging of newly diagnosed recurrent BrCa with no previous bone metastases. Both scans were performed within 20 days of each other. Review of prior images, clinical decisions, multi-disciplinary team discussions and decisions as well as follow-up information including scans and definitive tests was performed at least 12 months after the initial scans.

Results

Of the 66 patients reviewed, 26 patients had documented spinal bone metastases on one or both modalities, while 40 patients were considered bone disease free on both modalities and this was confirmed on follow-up. On lesion-based analysis, the findings of 18F-NaF PET-CT and spinal MRI were concordant in 51 patients (77.3%). In the remaining patients, 18F-NaF PET/CT detected more lesions in 4 patients (7.6%) and MRI detected more lesions in 10 patients (15.1%). Interestingly, there was a very high, 97 % concordance (64 patients) between spinal MRI and 18F-NaF PET-CT when staging of spinal bone metastasis was taken into consideration. In one patient MRI identified two spinal bone metastases which were not seen on 18F-NaF PET/CT; and, in one patient 18F-NaF PET/CT showed few spinal bone metastases when no lesion was seen on MRI.

Conclusions

Our study showed a high level of concordance between 18F NaF PET-CT and spinal MRI within the setting of detection of bone lesions in the spine in a cohort of patients with high-risk BrCa. In our opinion, this high level of concordance negates the need to perform both tests although each test may be indicated for slightly different reasons. Further longitudinal studies across a longer duration and more centres may provide more definitive answers.
State-based policies to promote early childhood health and improve equity
Authors: Scarmo Stephanie , Fresina Lori
Published: January 2023

Purpose of review

Several states are advancing policies to promote equity and positively impact the health of infants, toddlers, and their families. We review five broad issues areas that states can pursue through policy or dedicated funding.

Recent findings

Policy campaigns to support nutrition security, early childhood education, healthcare access, tobacco cessation, and family income supports will improve the health and wellbeing of young children and their families through short-term and long-term impacts, including improved birth outcomes, social–emotional learning, and chronic disease prevention.

Clinicians, researchers, advocates, and decision-makers play a crucial role in advancing policies and programs that promote equity and positively impact the health of infants, toddlers, and families. To advance equity, states should strive to center families and communities in policy-change efforts.
Salvage radical prostatectomy
Authors: Nabavizadeh Reza , Karnes R. Jeffrey
Published: January 2023

Purpose of review

Salvage radical prostatectomy (sRP) is underutilized because of fear of historical high rates of peri-operative morbidities. However, there has been significant improvements in complication rates as well as oncologic outcomes in the recent years.

Recent findings

Complication rates have significantly declined for both open and robotic approach in the past decade. Rectal injury is now reported around 2%, which is down from 30% in the historic series. Similarly, the current risk of major vascular injury is low. About 75% of patients report social continence (up to one pad per day). However, erectile function recovery remains poor and patients should be counselled accordingly. Long-term durable oncologic response is achievable with 10-year recurrence-free survival reported in about 40–50% of well selected patients.

Recent improvements in oncologic and peri-operative outcomes make sRP a desirable option for local control. sRP treats the whole gland as opposed to focal therapies and allows for pelvic lymph node dissection and removal of seminal vesicles, which can be sanctuary site of disease. In experienced hands, regardless of the surgical approach, sRP can achieve a durable response resulting in delaying or avoiding androgen deprivation therapy and its associated morbidities.
Assessing individual-level measurement precision of the Short Physical Performance Battery using the test information function
Authors: Franchignoni Franco , Giordano Andrea , Rinaldo Linda , Kara Murat , Özçakar Levent
Published: January 2023

The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) is a commonly used tool to assess lower extremity function, composed of three assessments (standing balance, gait speed, and chair stand). While its validity for group-level decisions has been positively demonstrated, the measurement precision at the individual level needs more clarification. We aimed to examine the SPPB’s psychometric characteristics including its conditional measurement precision with Rasch methods in a sample of elderly patients admitted to cardiac rehabilitation. We analyzed prospectively collected SPPB data from 637 patients aged ≥75 years, admitted to our cardiac rehabilitation department (January 2018–July 2019). After classical Rasch analysis, we calculated the test information function to examine the measurement precision of the SPPB along the score continuum. The mean SPPB score was 6.3 points (SD 3.4) (potential range 0–12). Our results confirmed the SPPB unidimensionality (variance attributable to the main factor: 84.8%), appropriate functioning of rating scale categories, internal construct validity (infit and outfit mean-square statistics: 0.90–1.09), and no item local dependence (residual correlations <0.2). However, the measurement precision at the individual level was quite limited (SE > 0.94 logits): the confidence intervals for true scores were, at best, about one-third of the score range (four points). This limited measurement precision increases the risk of inappropriate clinical decisions about individuals in diagnostic classification or change assessment. Therefore, further research of high methodological quality is warranted on this point. Moreover, a clearer distinction between group-level vs. individual-level indicators of change is necessary.
Cryptococcal Meningitis in a Mexican Neurological Center
Authors: Cárdenas Graciela , Vargas-García Luis Felipe , Adames-Espinal Heidy , Soto-Hernández José Luis , Castañón-Olivares Laura Rocío
Published: January 2023

Background:

Cryptococcal meningitis, one of the most severe infections affecting the central nervous system, often involves severe neurological sequels and high mortality.

Methods:

A retrospective review was performed, including 76 cases admitted in a 10-year period at a neurological referral center in Mexico City. From 68 isolates, 52 fungal specimens were identified as part of the Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans complex, 15 as C. neoformans var gattii complex, and one as Cryptococcus non-neoformans/gattii.

Results:

Higher cryptococcal meningitis incidence and severity were found in HIV-infected men; other risk factors frequently observed were diabetes mellitus and labor exposure to poultry. The main clinical manifestations were subacute headache, cognitive alterations, and photophobia (exclusively in HIV patients). MRI was highly sensitive for pathologic findings such as meningeal enhancements and cryptococcomas, most of them associated to C. neoformans complex. Eleven patients developed severe brain vasculitis, as observed by transcranial Doppler. Hydrocephalus with intracranial hypertension was the most frequent complication.

Conclusions:

One-half of the population died, and the rest had neurological sequels, mainly neuropsychiatric manifestations and secondary headaches. These patients developed severe functional limitations in performing daily activities in an independent manner.
Neuronal miR-17-5p contributes to interhemispheric cortical connectivity defects induced by prenatal alcohol exposure
Authors: Altounian Mike , Bellon Anaïs , Mann Fanny
Published: January 2023

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is the leading cause of non-genetic intellectual disabilities in the Western world and is responsible of a wide spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders referred to as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Structural and functional deficits in brain connectivity have been reported in FASD patients; still, whether and how PAE affects the axonal development of neurons and disrupts the wiring between brain regions is not known. Here, we developed a mouse model of moderate alcohol exposure during prenatal brain wiring to study the impact of PAE on corpus callosum (CC) development, a major white matter tract reported to be affected in FASD patients. Our results show that PAE induces aberrant navigation of interhemispheric CC axons that persist even after the end of the exposure, causing their ectopic termination in the contralateral cortex. Furthermore, these defects in interhemispheric connectivity persist into adulthood and are associated with defective bilateral sensorimotor coordination in behavioral tasks requiring cortical control and interhemispheric communication. Finally, we identified neuronal miR-17-5p and its target Ephrin type A receptor 4 (EphA4) as mediators of the effect of alcohol on the contralateral targeting of CC axons. Taken together, our results suggest that alteration of miRNA-mediated regulation of axon guidance signaling by prenatal alcohol exposure affects interhemispheric cortical connectivity and associated behavior in FASD.
Assessment of lisavanbulin (BAL101553) as an anti-lymphoma agent
Authors: Spriano Filippo , Aresu Luca , Cascione Luciano , Risi Giorgia , Arribas Alberto J. , Napoli Sara , Rinaldi Andrea , Forster-Gross Nicole , Bachmann Felix , Engelhardt Marc , Lane Heidi , Bertoni Francesco
Published: January 2023

Microtubules are major components of the cellular cytoskeleton, ubiquitously founded in all eukaryotic cells. They are involved in mitosis, cell motility, intracellular protein and organelle transport, and maintenance of cytoskeletal shape. Avanbulin (BAL27862) is a microtubule-targeted agent (MTA) that promotes tumor cell death by destabilization of microtubules. Due to its unique binding to the colchicine site of tubulin, differently from other MTAs, avanbulin has previously shown activity in solid tumor cell lines. Its prodrug, lisavanbulin (BAL101553), has shown early signs of clinical activity, especially in tumors with high EB1 expression. Here, we assessed the preclinical anti-tumor activity of avanbulin in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and the pattern of expression of EB1 in DLBCL cell lines and clinical specimens.

Avanbulin showed a potentin vitroanti-lymphoma activity, which was mainly cytotoxic with potent and rapid apoptosis induction. Median IC50 was around 10nM in both activated B cell like (ABC) and germinal center B cell like (GCB) DLBCL. Half of the cell lines tested showed an induction of apoptosis already in the first 24h of treatment, the other half in the first 48h. EB1 showed expression in DLBCL clinical specimens, opening the possibility for a cohort of patients that could potentially benefit from treatment with lisavanbulin.

These data show the basis for further preclinical and clinical evaluation of lisavanbulin in the lymphoma field.
Novelemm4 lineage associated with an upsurge in invasive group A streptococcal disease in the Netherlands, 2022
Authors: van der Putten Boas C.L. , Bril-Keijzers Wendy C.M. , Rümke Lidewij W. , Vestjens Stefan M.T. , Koster Linda A.M. , Willemsen Marloes , van Houten Marlies A. , Rots Nynke Y. , Vlaminckx Bart J.M. , de Gier Brechje , van Sorge Nina M.
Published: January 2023

Invasive group A streptococcal (iGAS) disease cases increased in the first half year of 2022 in the Netherlands with a remarkably high proportion ofemm4 isolates. Whole-genome sequence analysis of 66emm4 isolates, 40 isolates from the pre-COVID-19-pandemic period 2009-2019 and 26 contemporary isolates from 2022, identified a novelStreptococcus pyogeneslineage (M4NL22), which accounted for 85%emm4 iGAS cases in 2022. Surprisingly, we detected few isolates of theemm4 hypervirulent clone, which has replaced nearly all otheremm4 in the USA and the UK. M4NL22displayed genetic differences compared to otheremm4 strains, although these were of unclear biological significance. In publicly available data, we identified a single Norwegian isolate belonging to M4NL22, which was sampled after the isolates from this study, possibly suggesting export of M4NL22to Norway. In conclusion, our study identified a novelS. pyogenes emm4 lineage underlying an increase of iGAS disease in early 2022 in the Netherlands and results have been promptly communicated with public health officials.

Impact statement

Group AStreptococcus(predominantly comprisingStreptococcus pyogenes) has a long history of causing disease in humans. Over the past decades, researchers have described various changes in theS. pyogenespopulation circulating in humans. In this study, we describe a shift in theS. pyogenespopulation within typeemm4 in the Netherlands in early 2022. A novel lineage, which we termed M4NL22, became the predominantemm4 lineage during this period. This was surprising, as in other countries such as the USA and the UK, another recently emerged lineage became dominant. Our work informed public health officials on the possible causes of increasedS. pyogenescases in the Netherlands and underlines the added value of continued active bacteriological surveillance.

Data summary

Code is freely available fromhttps://github.com/boasvdp/GAS_M4. All sequencing data is freely available from BioProject PRJEB58654.
Influence of Electronic Polarization on the Binding of Anions to a Chloride-Pumping Rhodopsin
Authors: Phan Linda X. , Chamorro Victor Cruces , Martinez-Seara Hector , Crain Jason , Sansom Mark S.P. , Tucker Stephen J.
Published: January 2023

The functional properties of some biological ion channels and membrane transport proteins are proposed to exploit anion-hydrophobic interactions. Here, we investigate a chloride-pumping rhodopsin (ClR) as an example of a membrane protein known to contain a defined anion binding site composed predominantly of hydrophobic residues. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we explore Cl−binding to this hydrophobic site and compare the dynamics arising when electronic polarization is neglected (CHARMM36 (c36) fixed-charge force field), included implicitly (via the prosECCo force field), or included explicitly (through the polarizable force field, AMOEBA). Free energy landscapes of Cl−moving out of the binding site and into bulk solution demonstrate that the inclusion of polarization results in stronger ion binding and a second metastable binding site in ClR. Simulations focused on this hydrophobic binding site also indicate longer binding durations and closer ion proximity when polarization is included. Furthermore, simulations reveal that Cl−within this binding site interacts with an adjacent loop to facilitate rebinding events that are not observed when polarization is neglected. These results demonstrate how the inclusion of polarization can influence the behavior of anions within protein binding sites and thereby reveal novel mechanisms.

Statement of Significance

Molecular simulations based on classical (Newtonian) mechanics represent the most common method of visualizing the behavior of water and ions within channels and nanopores. Although computationally efficient, many of the approximations required mean that these simulations often do not fully capture the complex and dynamic interactions involved. Here, we use the prosECCo force field that offers an improved electronic description whilst maintaining computational efficiency. We show that using this method to include the effects of polarization greatly influences the binding dynamics of anions to a protein binding site and yields results similar to more accurate but computationally demanding methods.
Label-free and non-destructive pathology of human lung adenocarcinomas with ultraviolet single-plane illumination microscopy
Authors: Zhang Yan , Huang Bingxin , Kang Lei , Tsang Victor T. C. , Wu Jiajie , Lo Claudia T. K. , Wong Terence T. W.
Published: January 2023

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. The diagnosis of lung cancer based on the analysis of formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues is laborious and time-consuming, failing to guide surgeons intraoperatively. Here we proposed a rapid histological imaging method, termed microscopy with ultraviolet single-plane illumination (MUSI), to enable rapidex-orin-vivoimaging of fresh and unprocessed tissues in a label-free and non-destructive manner. The MUSI system allows surgical specimens with large irregular surfaces to be screened at a speed of 0.5 mm2/s with a subcellular resolution, which is sufficient to provide immediate feedback to surgeons and pathologists for intraoperative decision-making. We demonstrate that MUSI can differentiate between different subtypes of human lung adenocarcinomas, revealing diagnostically important features that are comparable to the gold standard FFPE histology. As an assistive imaging platform, MUSI could facilitate the development of precise image-guided surgery and revolutionize the current practice in surgical pathology.
Individualistic attitudes in iterative Prisoner’s Dilemma undermine evolutionary fitness and may drive cooperative human players to extinction
Authors: Pulcu Erdem
Published: January 2023

Humans perform inarguably the richest plethora of prosocial behaviors in the animal kingdom. Prosocial behaviors such as interpersonal cooperation and altruistic punishment are important for understanding how humans navigate their social environment. The success and failure of strategies human players device have implications for determining their long-term socio-economic/evolutionary fitness. Following the footsteps of Press and Dyson’s (2012), I implemented their evolutionary game theoretic models developed for the Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma (a behavioral economic probe of interpersonal cooperation) and analysed human choice behavior in the Ultimatum Game (a behavioral economic probe of altruistic punishment) involving 50 human participants versus computerized opponents with prosocial or individualistic social value orientation. Although the results indicate that it is more likely to break cycles of mutual defection in ecosystems in which humans interact with individualistic opponents, analysis of social-economic fitness at the Markov stationary states suggested that this comes at an evolutionary cost. Overall, human players acted in a significantly more cooperative manner than their opponents, but they failed to overcome extortion from individualistic agents, risking “extinction” in 70% of the cases. These findings demonstrate human players might be short-sighted and social interactive decision strategies they device while adjusting to different types of opponents may not be optimal in the long run.
Career implications of career shocks through the lens of gender: the role of the academic career script
Authors: Van Helden Daphne Lisanne , Den Dulk Laura , Steijn Bram , Vernooij Meike Willemijn
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this explorative study is to investigate through the lens of gender the role of career shocks in career advancement experiences in academia. By taking a contextual approach, this study increases understanding of the role of the academic career script as a potential boundary for career shock implications.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors studied career advancement experiences of a cohort of 75 men and women associate professors in the Netherlands via biographical interviews and conducted theoretically informed inductive analysis.

Findings

The analysis revealed the ambiguities and contradictions in the role of most career shocks in career advancement experiences. Failure to fit the majority of career shocks into the “rigid” academic career script generates discretionary latitude in handling shocks. These shocks pose unique barriers – and to a lesser extent unique benefits – to women's perceived opportunities for career advancement.

Practical implications

Academic organizations should focus on cultivating more inclusive work environments with respect to career shocks. The 75 diverse biographies offer leverage to challenge traditional notions of academic career advancement.

Originality/value

This paper extends “structure and agency” literature on career building by showing how career shock implications are inherently contextual in the academic setting. Gendered support provisions for handling career shocks offer a novel explanation for the numerical minority of women in academic leadership.
The effect of entrepreneurial culture on innovation in a negative business environment: the case of Greece
Authors: Falaras Athanasios , Moschidis Odysseas
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The aim of the paper is to study and propose a model of the effect of entrepreneurial culture on innovation, with the country's relevant institutional framework as a mediator. The model applies to the field of wine industry within the Greek institutional framework.

Design/methodology/approach

The research population consists of wineries in Greece. A questionnaire was used to collect the data. Due to the fact that the model includes latent variables and indirect effects, the partial least squares (PLS) algorithm and the SMART-PLS software were chosen to analyze the data. The effect of entrepreneurial culture and institutional framework on innovation was examined as well as the role of institutional framework as a mediator.

Findings

It was found that entrepreneurial culture affects innovation positively and statistically significantly. What is more, it was found that the Greek institutional framework affects innovation negatively and statistically significantly. Finally, institutional framework negatively mediates between entrepreneurial culture and innovation, highlighted as a partial mediator.

Practical implications

It is highlighted that it is up to entrepreneurs themselves to succeed. Furthermore, policymakers have to take the necessary measures to improve the external business environment of Greece. Indeed, entrepreneurship can succeed even further if the external environment is favorable.

Originality/value

It is interesting that despite the negative effect of institutional framework on innovation, the indirect positive effect of entrepreneurial culture on innovation is still statistically significant. This means that entrepreneurs who have the right mindset can overcome external barriers.
Promoting traditional ikat textiles: ethnographic perspectives on indigenous knowledge, cultural heritage preservation and ethnic identity
Authors: Chantamool Atcharee , Suttisa Choopug , Gatewongsa Thom , Jansaeng Apiradee , Rawarin Narongsak , Daovisan Hanvedes
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This study aims to explore how indigenous knowledge, cultural heritage preservation and ethnic identity influence the production of traditional ikat textiles in northeast Thailand.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative research method used an ethnographic perspective with a realistic design. Purposive sampling was used to conduct 30 in-depth ethnographic interviews with members of Phu Thai ikat textile groups in Kalasin province. Interview transcripts were studied using thick descriptive analysis (themes, categorisation, coding and keywords).

Findings

The ethnographic study shows that natural dyeing, traditional crafts, materials, designs and patterns are used in Phu Thai ikat textile weaving. The results reveal that indigenous knowledge, cultural heritage preservation and ethnic identity are relevant to traditional ikat textiles.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study uniquely focuses on a deeper theoretical understanding of indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage preservation, to sustain traditional ikat textiles.