bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatial diarrheal disease risks and antibiogram diversity of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli in selected access points of the Buffalo River, South Africa
Authors: Iwu Chidozie Declan , Nontongana Nolonwabo , Iwu-Jaja Chinwe Juliana , Anyanwu Brilliance Onyinyechi , du Plessis Erika , Korsten Lise , Okoh Anthony Ifeanyin
Published: August 2023

Freshwater sources, often used for domestic and agricultural purposes in low- and middle-income countries are repositories of clinically significant bacterial pathogens. These pathogens are usually diversified in their antibiogram profiles posing public health threats. This study evaluated the spatial diarrhoeal disease risk and antibiogram diversity of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) in four access points of the Buffalo River, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa using standard epidemiological, culture, and molecular methods. The diarrhoeal disease risk was characterised using the Monte Carlo simulation, while the antibiogram diversity was assessed using the species observed Whittaker’s single alpha-diversity modelling. E. coli mean count was highest in King William’s Town dam [16.0 × 102 CFU/100ml (SD: 100.0, 95% CI: 13.5 × 102 to 18.5 × 102)]. Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (stx1/stx2) was the most prevalent DEC pathotype across the study sites. A high diarrhoeal disease risk of 25.0 ×10−2 exceeding the World Health Organization’s standard was recorded across the study sites. The average single and multiple antimicrobial resistance indices of the DEC to test antimicrobials were highest in the Eluxolzweni dam [0.52 (SD: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.37 to 0.67)] and King William’s Town dam [0.42 (SD: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.27 to 0.57)] respectively. The prevalent antibiotic resistance genes detected were tetA, blaFOX and blaMOX plasmid-mediated AmpC, blaTEM and blaSHV extended-spectrum β-lactamases, which co-occurred across the study sites on network analysis. The phenotypic and genotypic resistance characteristics of the DEC in Maden dam (r = 0.93, p<0.00), Rooikrantz dam (r = 0.91, p<0.00), King William’s Town dam (r = 0.83, p = 0.0), and Eluxolzweni dam (r = 0.91, p<0.00) were strongly correlated. At least, three phylogenetic clades of the DEC with initial steep descent alpha-diversity curves for most of the test antimicrobials were observed across the study sites, indicating high diversity. The occurrence of diversified multi drug resistant DEC with diarrhoeal disease risks in the Buffalo River substantiates the role surface water bodies play in the dissemination of drug-resistant bacterial pathogens with public health implications.
Predicting the risk of hypertension using machine learning algorithms: A cross sectional study in Ethiopia
Authors: Islam Md. Merajul , Alam Md. Jahangir , Maniruzzaman Md , Ahmed N. A. M. Faisal , Ali Md Sujan , Rahman Md. Jahanur , Roy Dulal Chandra
Published: August 2023

Background and objectives

Hypertension (HTN), a major global health concern, is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, premature death and disability, worldwide. It is important to develop an automated system to diagnose HTN at an early stage. Therefore, this study devised a machine learning (ML) system for predicting patients with the risk of developing HTN in Ethiopia.

Materials and methods

The HTN data was taken from Ethiopia, which included 612 respondents with 27 factors. We employed Boruta-based feature selection method to identify the important risk factors of HTN. The four well-known models [logistics regression, artificial neural network, random forest, and extreme gradient boosting (XGB)] were developed to predict HTN patients on the training set using the selected risk factors. The performances of the models were evaluated by accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and area under the curve (AUC) on the testing set. Additionally, the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method is one of the explainable artificial intelligences (XAI) methods, was used to investigate the associated predictive risk factors of HTN.

Results

The overall prevalence of HTN patients is 21.2%. This study showed that XGB-based model was the most appropriate model for predicting patients with the risk of HTN and achieved the accuracy of 88.81%, precision of 89.62%, recall of 97.04%, F1-score of 93.18%, and AUC of 0. 894. The XBG with SHAP analysis reveal that age, weight, fat, income, body mass index, diabetes mulitas, salt, history of HTN, drinking, and smoking were the associated risk factors of developing HTN.

Conclusions

The proposed framework provides an effective tool for accurately predicting individuals in Ethiopia who are at risk for developing HTN at an early stage and may help with early prevention and individualized treatment.
Fourier Transform Infrared microspectroscopy identifies single cancer cells in blood. A feasibility study towards liquid biopsy
Authors: Dowling Lewis M. , Roach Paul , Magnussen Eirik A. , Kohler Achim , Pillai Srinivas , van Pittius Daniel G. , Yousef Ibraheem , Sulé-Suso Josep
Published: August 2023

The management of cancer patients has markedly improved with the advent of personalised medicine where treatments are given based on tumour antigen expression amongst other. Within this remit, liquid biopsies will no doubt improve this personalised cancer management. Identifying circulating tumour cells in blood allows a better assessment for tumour screening, staging, response to treatment and follow up. However, methods to identify/capture these circulating tumour cells using cancer cells’ antigen expression or their physical properties are not robust enough. Thus, a methodology that can identify these circulating tumour cells in blood regardless of the type of tumour is highly needed. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy, which can separate cells based on their biochemical composition, could be such technique. In this feasibility study, we studied lung cancer cells (squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma) mixed with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The data obtained shows, for the first time, that FTIR microspectroscopy together with Random Forest classifier is able to identify a single lung cancer cell in blood. This separation was easier when the region of the IR spectra containing lipids and the amide A (2700 to 3500 cm-1) was used. Furthermore, this work was carried out using glass coverslips as substrates that are widely used in pathology departments. This allows further histopathological cell analysis (staining, immunohistochemistry, …) after FTIR spectra are obtained. Hence, although further work is needed using blood samples from patients with cancer, FTIR microspectroscopy could become another tool to be used in liquid biopsies for the identification of circulating tumour cells, and in the personalised management of cancer.
Temporal characterization of hyaluronidases after peripheral nerve injury
Authors: Kasper Mary M. , Ellenbogen Bret , Li Yuan , Schmidt Christine E.
Published: August 2023

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is ubiquitously found in biological tissues and mediates wound healing mechanisms after injury by promoting cell migration and proliferation. With the development of tissue-engineered neural therapeutics, including off-the-shelf grafts for peripheral nerve repair, HA is an attractive material for clinical use because of its various biological roles. HA-based biomaterials have been carefully engineered to elicit specificin vivohost responses, however an important design feature that should be considered in these scaffolds is endogenous degradation. Hyaluronidases (HYALs) are the complementary enzymes that are responsible for HA turnover. Although HYAL expression has been widely characterized in various tissues, including the central nervous system, and for different pathologies, there remains a lack of knowledge of HYAL mediated turnover in peripheral nerve tissue. In this work, gene expression of two hyaluronidases, HYAL1 and HYAL2, and HA-binding receptor, CD44, were studied in two injury models: rat sciatic nerve crush and critical gap transection. HYAL2 and CD44 were shown to be upregulated 3 days after crush injury, whereas HYAL1 was upregulated at 3 weeks, which collectively demonstrate temporal patterning of HA breakdown. Additionally, differences were observed between HYAL and HA expression at 3 weeks when compared for both nerve injury models. The activity of HYAL in peripheral nerve tissue was determined to be approximately 0.11 μmol/min, which could be used to further model HA-based biomaterial breakdown for peripheral nerve applications. Overall, this work provides a landscape of HA turnover in peripheral nerve that can be used for future neural applications.
Exploring the chemical composition, in vitro and in silico study of the anticandidal properties of annonaceae species essential oils from the Amazon
Authors: Cascaes Márcia Moraes , Marques da Silva Silvia Helena , de Oliveira Mozaniel Santana , Cruz Jorddy Neves , de Moraes Ângelo Antônio Barbosa , do Nascimento Lidiane Diniz , Ferreira Oberdan Oliveira , Guilhon Giselle Maria Skelding Pinheiro , Andrade Eloisa Helena de Aguiar
Published: August 2023

Chemical composition of the essential oils (EOs) from the leaves of five Annonaceae species found in the amazon region was analyzed by Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The antifungal activity of theses EOs was tested against Candida albicans, Candida auris, Candida famata, Candida krusei and Candida tropicalis. In addition, an in silico study of the molecular interactions was performed using molecular modeling approaches. Spathulenol (29.88%), α-pinene (15.73%), germacra-4(15),5,10(14)-trien-1-α-ol (6.65%), and caryophylene oxide (6.28%) where the major constitents from the EO of Anaxagorea dolichocarpa. The EO of Duguetia echinophora was characterized by β-phellanderene (24.55%), cryptone (12.43%), spathulenol (12.30%), and sabinene (7.54%). The major compounds of the EO of Guatteria scandens where β-pinene (46.71%), α-pinene (9.14%), bicyclogermacrene (9.33%), and E-caryophyllene (8.98%). The EO of Xylopia frutescens was characterized by α-pinene (40.12%) and β-pinene (36.46%). Spathulenol (13.8%), allo-aromadendrene epoxide (8.99%), thujopsan-2-α-ol (7.74%), and muurola-4,10(14)-dien-1-β-ol (7.14%) were the main chemical constituents reported in Xylopia emarginata EO. All EOs were active against the strains tested and the lowest inhibitory concentrations were observed for the EOs of D. echinophora, X. emarginata, and X. frutescens against C. famata the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration values of 0.07, 0.019 and 0.62 μL.mL-1, respectively. The fungicidal action was based on results of minimum fungicidal concentration and showed that the EOs showed fungicide activity against C. tropicalis (2.5 μL.mL-1), C. krusei (2.5 μL.mL-1) and C. auris (5 μL.mL-1), respectively. The computer simulation results indicated that the major compounds of the EOs can interact with molecular targets of Candida spp.
Suffering from chronic tinnitus, chronic neck pain, or both: Does it impact the presence of signs and symptoms of central sensitization?
Authors: De Meulemeester Kayleigh , Meeus Mira , De Pauw Robby , Cagnie Barbara , Keppler Hannah , Lenoir Dorine
Published: August 2023

Chronic subjective tinnitus is a prevalent symptom, which has many similarities with chronic pain. Central sensitization is considered as a possible underlying mechanism of both symptoms. Central sensitization has already been investigated in chronic pain populations but not in patients with chronic subjective tinnitus. Therefore, the main objective of this cross-sectional study was to compare signs and symptoms, indicative for central sensitization, in tinnitus patients with and without chronic idiopathic neck pain, patients with chronic idiopathic neck pain only, and healthy controls. Also, differences in psychological and lifestyle factors, possibly influencing the association between central sensitization and tinnitus, were examined as well as correlations between signs and symptoms of central sensitization, and tinnitus, pain, psychological and lifestyle factors. Differences in signs and symptoms of central sensitization were examined using the self-report Central Sensitization Inventory and QST protocol (local and distant mechanical and heat hyperalgesia, conditioned pain modulation). Tinnitus, pain, psychological and lifestyle factors were evaluated using self-report questionnaires. Symptoms of central sensitization and local mechanical hyperalgesia were significantly more present in both tinnitus groups, compared to healthy controls, but were most extensive in the group with chronic tinnitus+chronic idiopathic neck pain. Distant mechanical hyperalgesia, indicative for central sensitization, was only observed in the group with both chronic tinnitus+chronic idiopathic neck pain. This group also displayed a significantly higher psychological burden and poorer sleep than patients with chronic tinnitus only and healthy controls. Signs and symptoms of central sensitization were also shown to be associated with tinnitus impact, pain-related disability, psychological burden and sleep disturbances. This study shows preliminary evidence for the presence of central sensitization in patients with chronic tinnitus+chronic idiopathic neck pain. This could be explained by the higher perceived tinnitus impact, psychological burden and sleep problems in this group.

Trial registration:This study is registered asNCT05186259(www.clinicaltrials.gov).
An efficient quasi-Monte Carlo method with forced fixed detection for photon scatter simulation in CT
Authors: Lin Guiyuan , Deng Shiwo , Wang Xiaoqun
Published: August 2023

Detected scattered photons can cause cupping and streak artifacts, significantly degrading the quality of CT images. For fast and accurate estimation of scatter intensities resulting from photon interactions with a phantom, we first transform the path probability of photons interacting with the phantom into a high-dimensional integral. Secondly, we develope a new efficient algorithm called gQMCFFD, which combines graphics processing unit(GPU)-based quasi-Monte Carlo (QMC) with forced fixed detection to approximate this integral. QMC uses low discrepancy sequences for simulation and is deterministic versions of Monte Carlo. Numerical experiments show that the results are in excellent agreement and the efficiency improvement factors are 4 ∼ 46 times in all simulations by gQMCFFD with comparison to GPU-based Monte Carlo methods. And by combining gQMCFFD with sparse matrix method, the simulation time is reduced to 2 seconds in a single projection angle and the relative difference is 3.53%.
Genomic characterization of a novel, widely distributed Mycoplasma species “Candidatus Mycoplasma mahonii” associated with the brittlestar Gorgonocephalus chilensis
Authors: Aroh Oluchi , Liles Mark R. , Halanych Kenneth M.
Published: August 2023

Symbiotic relationships are ubiquitous throughout the world’s oceans, yet for many marine organisms, including those in the high latitudes, little is understood about symbiotic associations and functional relationships. From a recently determined genome sequence of a filter-feeding basket star from Argentina, Gorgonocephalus chilensis, we discovered a novel Mycoplasma species with a 796Kb genome (CheckM completeness of 97.9%, G+C content = 30.1%). Similar to other Mycoplasma spp. within Mycoplasmatota, genomic analysis of the novel organism revealed reduced metabolic pathways including incomplete biosynthetic pathways, suggesting an obligate association with their basket star host. Results of 16S rRNA and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses revealed that this organism belonged to a recently characterized non-free-living lineage of Mycoplasma spp. specifically associated with marine invertebrate animals. Thus, the name “Candidatus Mycoplasma mahonii” is proposed for this novel species. Based on 16S rRNA PCR-screening, we found that Ca. M. mahonii also occurs in Gorgonocephalus eucnemis from the Northwest Pacific and other Gorgonocephalus chilensis from Argentinian waters. The level of sequence conservation within Ca. M. mahonii is considerable between widely disparate high-latitude Gorgonocephalus species, suggesting that oceanic dispersal of this microbe may be greater than excepted.
Temporal organization of stride-to-stride variations contradicts predictive models for sensorimotor control of footfalls during walking
Authors: Mangalam Madhur , Kelty-Stephen Damian G. , Sommerfeld Joel H. , Stergiou Nick , Likens Aaron D.
Published: August 2023

Walking exhibits stride-to-stride variations. Given ongoing perturbations, these variations critically support continuous adaptations between the goal-directed organism and its surroundings. Here, we report that stride-to-stride variations during self-paced overground walking show cascade-like intermittency—stride intervals become uneven because stride intervals of different sizes interact and do not simply balance each other. Moreover, even when synchronizing footfalls with visual cues with variable timing of presentation, asynchrony in the timings of the cue and footfall shows cascade-like intermittency. This evidence conflicts with theories about the sensorimotor control of walking, according to which internal predictive models correct asynchrony in the timings of the cue and footfall from one stride to the next on crossing thresholds leading to the risk of falling. Hence, models of the sensorimotor control of walking must account for stride-to-stride variations beyond the constraints of threshold-dependent predictive internal models.
High diversity of fungal ecological groups in Andean–Patagonian Nothofagus forests
Authors: Schön Max Emil , Zuern Sarah , Vera Milena , Garnica Sigisfredo
Published: August 2023

Native Andean–Patagonian Nothofagus forests harbour a unique diversity of microorganisms with diverse ecological roles. Although ectomycorrhizal associations constitute an important fragment of the biota associated with these forests, the factors affecting such communities are largely unknown. We investigated the biodiversity, relative abundance, and composition of ectomycorrhizal fungal communities in relation to two host tree species and ages and the soil properties in six monospecific and mixed evergreen–deciduous Nothofagus forests. We used the internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) region by sequencing 9,600 ectomycorrhizae (ECM) root tips for the identification of fungi. In total, 1,125 fungal taxa at the genus level distributed over 131 orders were identified. The phyla Ascomycota (34.5%) and Basidiomycota (62.1%) were the most abundant, whereas Mucoromycota (3.1%), Chytridiomycota, Cryptomycota, Olpidiomycota, and Zoopagomycota occurred less frequently. The highest taxon diversity was found in old trees, whereas young trees often exhibited a lower diversity of the associated fungi. The fungal taxa were grouped into seven broad ecological categories, of which saprotrophic associations were most common, followed by pathotrophic, pathotrophic–saprotrophic–symbiotrophic, pathotrophic–saprotrophic, and symbiotrophic associations. We did not detect significant differences in the number of taxa in each category between young and old N. dombeyi and N. obliqua. Overall, the scale of the Illumina sequencing approach allowed us to detect a fungal taxa diversity that would not be possible to find through surveys of fruiting bodies alone and that have never been observed in Nothofagus forests before. Our findings suggest the impact of the proximity between sites, the similarity of the soil conditions, and anthropogenic use of the forests on the belowground fungal community’s diversity and composition. Furthermore, there were differences between above- and belowground occurrences of the edible mushrooms B. loyo and Ramaria spp. However, future research, including on EMC tips found beneath fairy rings could provide significantly better correlations with the occurrence of aboveground fruiting body.
Approaches and geographical locations of respectful maternity care research: A scoping review
Authors: Shuman Hannah L. , Grupp Annika M. , Robb Lauren A. , Akers Katherine G. , Bedi Gurbani , Shah Miloni A. , Janis Andrea , Caldart Caroline G. , Gupta Urvashi , Vaghasia Janki K. , Panneerselvam Aishwarya , Kazeem Aisha O. , Amutah-Onukagha Ndidiamaka N. , Levine Diane L.
Published: August 2023

Background

Peripartum mistreatment of women contributes to maternal mortality across the globe and disproportionately affects vulnerable populations. While traditionally recognized in low/low-middle-income countries, the extent of research on respectful maternity care and the types of mistreatment occurring in high-income countries is not well understood. We conducted a scoping review to 1) map existing respectful maternity care research by location, country income level, and approach, 2) determine if high-income countries have been studied equally when compared to low/low-middle-income countries, and 3) analyze the types of disrespectful care found in high-income countries.

Methods

A systematic search for published literature up to April 2021 using PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Complete, and the Maternity & Infant Care Database was performed. Studies were included if they were full-length journal articles, published in any language, reporting original data on disrespectful maternal care received from healthcare providers during childbirth. Study location, country income level, types of mistreatment reported, and treatment interventions were extracted. This study was registered on PROSPERO, number CRD42021255337.

Results

A total of 346 included studies were categorized by research approach, including direct labor observation, surveys, interviews, and focus groups. Interviews and surveys were the most common research approaches utilized (47% and 29% of all articles, respectively). Only 61 (17.6%) of these studies were conducted in high-income countries. The most common forms of mistreatment reported in high-income countries were lack of informed consent, emotional mistreatment, and stigma/discrimination.

Conclusions

Mapping existing research on respectful maternity care by location and country income level reveals limited research in high-income countries and identifies a need for a more global approach. Furthermore, studies of respectful maternity care in high-income countries identify the occurrence of all forms of mistreatment, clashing with biases that suggest respectful maternity care is only an issue in low-income countries and calling for additional research to identify interventions that embrace an equitable, patient-centric empowerment model of maternity care.
The chaos law is a principal driver of natural selection: A proposition on the evolution of recently emerged coronaviruses
Authors: Roggero Pier Francesco , Calistri Arianna , Palù Giorgio
Published: August 2023

Here we propose that viruses emerging in the human population undergo an evolution that is conditioned by the rules of chaos. Our data support the notion that the initial growth rate “r” affects the chances of the virus to establish a long-lasting relationship with the new host. Indeed, an emerging virus is able to spread and adapt only when it displays an initial r falling in a range frankly associated with chaotic growth.
Is scientific evidence enough? Using expert opinion to fill gaps in data in antimicrobial resistance research
Authors: Cousins Melanie , Parmley E. Jane , Greer Amy L. , Neiterman Elena , Lambraki Irene A. , Graells Tiscar , Léger Anaïs , Henriksson Patrik J. G. , Troell Max , Wernli Didier , Søgaard Jørgensen Peter , Carson Carolee A. , Majowicz Shannon E.
Published: August 2023

Background

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a global problem with large health and economic consequences. Current gaps in quantitative data are a major limitation for creating models intended to simulate the drivers of AMR. As an intermediate step, expert knowledge and opinion could be utilized to fill gaps in knowledge for areas of the system where quantitative data does not yet exist or are hard to quantify. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify quantifiable data about the current state of the factors that drive AMR and the strengths and directions of relationships between the factors from statements made by a group of experts from the One Health system that drives AMR development and transmission in a European context.

Methods

This study builds upon previous work that developed a causal loop diagram of AMR using input from two workshops conducted in 2019 in Sweden with experts within the European food system context. A secondary analysis of the workshop transcripts was conducted to identify semi-quantitative data to parameterize drivers in a model of AMR.

Main findings

Participants spoke about AMR by combining their personal experiences with professional expertise within their fields. The analysis of participants’ statements provided semi-quantitative data that can help inform a future of AMR emergence and transmission based on a causal loop diagram of AMR in a Swedish One Health system context.

Conclusion

Using transcripts of a workshop including participants with diverse expertise across the system that drives AMR, we gained invaluable insight into the past, current, and potential future states of the major drivers of AMR, particularly where quantitative data are lacking.
An accurate and interpretable model for antimicrobial resistance in pathogenic Escherichia coli from livestock and companion animal species
Authors: Chung Henri C. , Foxx Christine L. , Hicks Jessica A. , Stuber Tod P. , Friedberg Iddo , Dorman Karin S. , Harris Beth
Published: August 2023

Understanding the microbial genomic contributors to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is essential for early detection of emerging AMR infections, a pressing global health threat in human and veterinary medicine. Here we used whole genome sequencing and antibiotic susceptibility test data from 980 disease causing Escherichia coli isolated from companion and farm animals to model AMR genotypes and phenotypes for 24 antibiotics. We determined the strength of genotype-to-phenotype relationships for 197 AMR genes with elastic net logistic regression. Model predictors were designed to evaluate different potential modes of AMR genotype translation into resistance phenotypes. Our results show a model that considers the presence of individual AMR genes and total number of AMR genes present from a set of genes known to confer resistance was able to accurately predict isolate resistance on average (mean F1 score = 98.0%, SD = 2.3%, mean accuracy = 98.2%, SD = 2.7%). However, fitted models sometimes varied for antibiotics in the same class and for the same antibiotic across animal hosts, suggesting heterogeneity in the genetic determinants of AMR resistance. We conclude that an interpretable AMR prediction model can be used to accurately predict resistance phenotypes across multiple host species and reveal testable hypotheses about how the mechanism of resistance may vary across antibiotics within the same class and across animal hosts for the same antibiotic.
Lobeglitazone inhibits LPS-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation and inflammation in the liver
Authors: Seo Hye-Young , Lee So-Hee , Park Ji Yeon , Han Eugene , Han Sol , Hwang Jae Seok , Kim Mi Kyung , Jang Byoung Kuk
Published: August 2023

Liver inflammation is a common feature of chronic liver disease and is often associated with increased exposure of the liver to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Kupffer cells (KCs) are macrophages in the liver and produce various cytokines. Activation of KCs through the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway leads to release of proinflammatory cytokines and induces hepatocyte injury and hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation. Lobeglitazone is a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma ligand and a type of thiazolidinedione that elicits anti-inflammatory effects. However, there is no clear evidence that it has direct anti-inflammatory effects in the liver. This study showed that lobeglitazone reduces LPS-induced NLPR3 inflammasome activation and production of proinflammatory cytokines in primary KCs and hepatocytes. Cytokines secreted by activated KCs increased hepatocyte inflammation and HSC activation, and lobeglitazone inhibited these responses. In addition, lobeglitazone suppressed liver fibrosis by inhibiting LPS-induced transforming growth factor (TGF)-β secretion and TGF-β-induced CTGF expression. The inhibitory effect of lobeglitazone on inflammasome activation was associated with suppression of liver fibrosis. These results suggest that lobeglitazone may be a treatment option for inflammation and fibrosis in the liver.
Stock market reaction to product-harm crisis response strategies
Authors: Zheng Sujuan , Yang Guangqing , Chen Shuhan
Published: August 2023

Product-harm crises have detrimental effects on firm’s sales, reputation, and financial value, requiring crisis managers to promptly adopt appropriate response strategies to mitigate these impacts. Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) guides managers to align responsibility attribution with response strategies. Using Chinese listed firms’ product-harm crises sample from 2015 to 2021, this study analyzes the stock market’s reaction to different response strategies. The event study method reveals that a passive strategy is more effective during the disclosure stage, and accept+no recall and deny+recall are conforming strategies during the initial response stage. Additionally, firms with a crisis history should assume greater responsibility when developing response strategies for product-harm crises, as crisis history amplifies negative effects. The results provide recommendations to help managers formulate appropriate strategies.
Antimicrobial resistance- and pathogen patterns in the fecal microbiota of sows and their offspring in German commercial pig farms
Authors: Lührmann Anja , Palmini Andrea , Hellmich Justinus , Belik Vitaly , Zentek Jürgen , Vahjen Wilfried
Published: August 2023

Reducing antibiotic use is one of the biggest challenges in pig farming, as antibiotics have been used for years to control typical problems such as newborn or post-weaning diarrhea. The pressure a one health approach has created on animal production regarding antimicrobial resistance is an opportunity to find other strategies against enterobacterial pathogens in suckling and weaned piglets. A farm-specific approach could have a good success due to the individual farm structures in Germany and other countries. In this study, non-metric multidimensional scaling, hierarchical clustering, and latent class analysis were used to determine the impact of antibiotic use on antibiotic resistance patterns and pathogen prevalence in 20 German pig farms. This may help to develop individualized health strategies. 802 fresh fecal samples were collected from sows and piglets from 20 piglet production and rearing farms at different production times (sows antepartum and postpartum, suckling piglets, weaned piglets). In addition, the use of antibiotics was recorded. DNA extracts were subjected to quantitative real-time qPCR with primers specific for antibiotic resistance genes (int1, sul1-3, dfrA1, mcr-1, blaCTX-M), and virulence factors of relevant bacteria (C. difficile, C. perfringens, Salmonella, Escherichia/Shigella/Hafnia, E. coli). Linear and logistic regression models were used to analyze the relationship between different antibiotics and the major genes contributing to the clustering of observations for the different animal groups. Clustering revealed different farm clusters for sows, suckling piglets, and weaned piglets, with the most remarkable diversity in antibiotic use among weaned piglets. Amoxicillin, lincomycin, and enrofloxacin were identified as the most probable cause of increased odds of the presence of relevant antibiotic resistance genes (mcr1, dfrA1, blaCTX-M). Still, direct effects of a specific antibiotic on its associated resistance gene were rare. Enrofloxacin and florfenicol favored the occurrence of C. difficile in sows. The E. coli fimbriae genes were less affected by antibiotic use in sows and piglets, but the F4 fimbriae gene could be associated with the integrase 1 gene in piglets. The results confirm that multidrug-resistant enterobacteria are widespread in German pig farms and give awareness of the impact of current antibiotic use while searching for alternative health strategies.
Evaluation of the industrial cooperation of the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area: Based on the Origin-Destination pairs of industrial parks and coupling model efficiency
Authors: Ma Sa , Ding Jinge , Huang Zhengdong , Guo Renzhong
Published: August 2023

The industrial cooperation of Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is one of the leading regional development strategies of this world-class urban agglomeration. This study constructed the industrial cooperation network based on the travel Origin-Destination (OD) connections among industrial parks. A multi-dimensional industrial cooperation and industrial development calculation index system were also set up to measure the nonlinear interaction relationship between them. The research found that an industrial collaboration network has been basically formed in the GBA, particularly presented by major cities. Some undeveloped cities may receive more benefits in the industrial collaboration network. The Covid-19 pandemic has had an impact in terms of within city connection instead of cross-city industrial cooperation. In addition, the degree of coupling between urban industrial coordination and urban industrial development has improved significantly over one decade and taking industrial collaboration as the input variables, industrial collaboration efficiently leads to industrial development outputs in almost every city in the GBA. Practically, decision makers should encourage and support intercity industrial collaboration, particularly between cities with closer geographic proximity, as it has been found to result in stronger cooperation and better economic enhancement. In addition, although industrial collaboration does not guarantee industrial development, when the collaboration systems and policies are enhanced, the synergy and coordination between them gradually improve. This highlights the potential benefits of continued investment in industrial collaboration for economic development.
Diagnostic yield and the number of tumor cells of ultrathin bronchoscopy for peripheral lung lesions: A comparison with thin bronchoscopy
Authors: Yatani Atsuhiko , Katsurada Naoko , Fukui Takafumi , Yamada Jun , Satoh Hiroki , Mimura Chihiro , Hazama Daisuke , Yamamoto Masatsugu , Jimbo Naoe , Tanaka Tomonori , Tachihara Motoko
Published: August 2023

Ultrathin bronchoscopy has been reported to have a higher diagnostic yield than thin bronchoscopy for small peripheral lung lesions in transbronchial biopsy under radial endobronchial ultrasonography (EBUS). However, data comparing the number of tumor cells in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are limited. We retrospectively compared the number of NSCLC tumor cells in peripheral lung lesions obtained using an ultrathin bronchoscope and a thin bronchoscope with radial EBUS between April 2020 and October 2021. In all patients, we used virtual bronchoscopic navigation (VBN) software, and guide sheaths were used in thin bronchoscopy cases. A total of 175 patients were enrolled in this study. Ultrathin bronchoscopy cases (n = 69) had lesions with a smaller diameter that are more peripherally located compared to thin bronchoscopy cases (n = 106) (median, 25.0 vs. 26.5 mm, mean bronchial generations accessed by bronchoscopy; 4.4±1.2 vs. 3.8±1.0, respectively; p<0.010). There were no significant differences in the overall diagnostic yield (ultrathin vs. thin bronchoscopy cases, 68.1% vs. 72.6%, p = 0.610) or diagnostic yield in only lung cancer cases (78.6% vs. 78.5%, p = 1.000). In histologically NSCLC cases (n = 102), the maximum number of tumor cells per slide as the primary endpoint was similar (average, 307.6±246.7 vs. 328.7±314.9, p = 0.710). The success rate of the Oncomine™ analysis did not differ significantly (80.0% vs. 55.6%, p = 0.247). The yield of NSCLC tumor cells was not different between the samples obtained by the ultrathin bronchoscope and those obtained by the thin bronchoscope.
Feline calicivirus and natural killer cells: A study of its relationship in chronic gingivostomatitis
Authors: Fontes Ana C. , Vieira Maria C. , Oliveira Marcela , Lourenço Lígia , Viegas Carlos , Faísca Pedro , Seixas Fernanda , Requicha João F. , Pires Maria A.
Published: August 2023

Background and Aim: Feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS) is a frequent chronic inflammatory condition in the oral cavity with an etiopathogenesis not completely identified. This study aimed to contribute to the knowledge of FCGS by identifying the presence of feline calicivirus (FCV) antigens and natural killer (NK) cells and comparing them.

Materials and Methods: Forty biopsies from the oral mucosa of cats diagnosed with chronic gingivostomatitis were subjected to immunohistochemical techniques to evaluate cells with FCV antigens and NK cells positive for CD56.

Results: NK cells were identified in all samples, with an average of 725.3 ± 409.1 cells. Regarding FCV, it was identified in 18 out of 30 samples (60%), with a different number of cells with virus in between the analyzed cases. In all cases, the number of cells infected with FCV was lower than the number of NK cells present in the same samples, but there was no statistical association between them.

Conclusion: This preliminary study shows that NK cells are present in gingivostomatitis lesions not exclusively caused by FCV-stimulus, as only 60% of all cases were positive for this virus, but other antigens should be considered in the etiology of FCGS.

Keywords: feline calicivirus, feline chronic gingivostomatitis, immunohistochemistry, natural killer cells.
A Lázár Piroska-féle leányiskola osztályképeinek utóemlékezete
Authors: Gera Judit
Published: August 2023

Az iskolai csoportképeket ritkán veszik komolyan tudományos szempontú elemzés tárgyaként. Marianne Hirsch és Leo Spitzer School Photos in Liquid Time. Reframing Difference (2020) című monográfiája kivételt képez. Szélsőséges történelmi és politikai helyzetekben keletkezett iskolai képeket elemeznek, melyek kapcsán többek között a következő kérdéseket fogalmazzák meg: mi ezeknek a képeknek a funkciója? Hányféle tekintet különböztethető meg egy-egy ilyen iskolai fotó kapcsán? Hogyan „olvashatjuk” őket? Ilyen és ehhez hasonló kérdések kapcsán hívok vissza a kulturális emlékezetbe egy méltatlanul elfelejtett pedagógust, Lázár Piroskát (1882–1944), akinek budapesti leánygimnáziuma a huszadik század első felében elsősorban zsidó növendékeknek jelentett tanulási lehetőséget a számukra egyre inkább beszűkülő politikai és kulturális térben.
„Nézzenek csak rá közelebbről az urak!”
Authors: Kapus Erika
Published: August 2023

Hamis képünk van Czóbel Minkáról. Egy 1974-es kötet fotója kapcsán terjedt el a mítosz, hogy csúnya nő volt. A mítosz lényege azonban nem az író külseje. A kép nyomán született, ám fiktív történetté állt össze: egy ‘herstory’ a magányos, írói pályáján sikertelen, ezért vidéken tengődő vénlányról. Egy másik fotó, amit az első találatok között hoz róla a Google kereső, nem őt ábrázolja. A 2010-es évek óta terjedő hamis "ellenfotó" a korábbi mítoszt igyekszik felülírni: jó választásnak tűnik cikkekhez, eseményekhez, hiszen végre egy szép nőt ábrázol. Czóbel költészetét gyakran a fotók mentén teremtődő narratívák felől értelmezik. A herstory átírja a szövegértelmezéseket. Dolgozatom azt a folyamatot járja körül, hogyan képes az irodalomtörténet-írás (vélhetően) egyetlen fotó alapján felépíteni egy egész narratívát, majd azt évtizedeken keresztül megerősíteni-fenntartani. A csúnya, magányos, sikertelen alkotó nő alakját a hivatalos intézményrendszerhez kötődő (férfi) irodalomtörténészek hozták létre, paradox módon éppen kanonizációs szándékkal. A kánonba emelendő nő így kontroll alatt maradhat, interpretációja kötött, a létrehozott koordinátarendszer által determinált. A kiszabadítási kísérletek többnyire irodalomtörténész nőkhöz köthetők, próbálva kimozdítani a recepciót az eltorzult szempontrendszerből. Ennek a folyamatnak katalizátora lesz az online tér, ami kevésbé kötődik a gender determinálta intézményi és hatalmi struktúrákhoz. A két kép, a csúnya nyomtatott és a hamis digitális olyan történet mesélnek, ami segít kiszabadítani a csúnya-nemcsúnya dichotómiából a Czóbel Minkáról való beszédmódot, és átkeretezheti az ismert történetet.
A női nézőpont elsajátításának és reprodukciójának gyakorlatai, avagy hogyan jegyzetelte ki Mészöly Miklós Baskircsev Mária naplóját
Authors: Urbanik Tímea
Published: August 2023

Mészöly Miklós szívesen használt női elbeszélői hangot is prózájában. Írói munkáját folyamatos adatgyűjtés előzte meg. Olvasói érdeklődésének egyik fontos területe volt a naplók olvasása. A műfajnak egy sajátos vonulatát képezik a női naplók, melyeken keresztül az önkifejezés, az emlékezés egy fokozottabban személyes vonatkozása, az események érzelmileg átélt formái kapnak teret. Mészöly egyik, jelenleg még kéziratban lévő műhelynaplójában oldalakon keresztül jegyzeteli ki Baskircsev Mária két kötetes naplóját. A tanulmányban azt vizsgálom, milyen jellegűek, témájúak, stilisztikájúak Mészölynek a naplóbeli kiemelései, s mennyiben szolgáltatnak alapanyagot az írónak.
A Review of Available Medical Therapies to Treat Moderate-to-Severe Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Chang Shannon , Murphy Megan , Malter Lisa
Published: August 2023

The treatment armamentarium for inflammatory bowel disease has expanded rapidly in the past several years with new biologic and small molecule-agents approved for moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. This has made treatment selection more challenging with limited but evolving guidance as to where to position each medication. In this review, we discuss the efficacy data for each agent approved in the United States by reviewing their phase 3 trial data and other comparative effectiveness studies. In addition, safety considerations and use in special populations are summarized with proposed algorithms for positioning therapies. The aim is to provide a synopsis of high-impact data and aid in outpatient treatment decision-making for patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
Bridging External Stakeholders and Sustainability Literature
Authors: Santos Manoela Pastor dos , Raposo Marcela Melo Rego , Ferreira Edivan Alexandre , Berssaneti Fernando Tobal , Salerno Mario Sergio , Carvalho Marly Monteiro de
Published: August 2023

Goal: This study aims at bridging the stakeholder and sustainability literature, focusing on the project context. It aims at identifying the main challenges of mapping and dealing with the external stakeholders concerning the sustainability perspective during the project development.
Design/Methodology/Approach: The research design is a literature review merging bibliometric and content analysis. The sampling process includes two primary databases, Web of Science and Scopus. We applied the data on the software VoSViewer for the first phase of bibliometric analysis and on software NVivo for better content analysis.  
Results: This article contributed to the literature with an in-depth analysis of 96 articles that bridge stakeholder and sustainability. It identifies the stakeholder influence on sustainability issues in projects and the main environmental challenges faced. Besides, there is a prominence of the environmental dimension of the triple bottom line; therefore, the social aspect is little considered in stakeholder management projects.
Limitations of the investigation: This study presents limitations related to the research methods selected. First, the sampling strategy constrains the sample related to the search strings and logical operators applied. The application of the research's exclusion criteria brings subjectivity to the analysis.
Practical implications: The research highlights the significance of the identification and mapping of the critical stakeholders for alignment of the sustainability strategy for the project development, which helps to explore risks associated with the sustainability aspects.
Originality/Value: We contribute by exploring the gap in research in the intersection between stakeholders and sustainability literature in project management.
Assessing fungal endophyte diversity: a comparative study of three automated metabarcoding pipelines
Authors: Molina Lucía , Rajchenberg Mario , Aime M. Catherine , Pildain M. Belén
Published: August 2023

High-throughput sequencing approaches have become frequent in the study of endophyte communities allowing the cumulative description of fungal diversity in the last decade. However, they brought new challenges to researchers in terms of programming and developing of informatics tools. Currently, there is no consensus concerning the appropriate bioinformatics to process such sequence data. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of three pipelines of two cost-free toolkits designed to be friendly to non-programmer users, and specifically developed for fungal data: AMPtk and PIPITS. The sapwood-inhabiting fungal assemblages of two Nothofagus species from the Patagonian Forests were assessed through metabarcoding of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and compared with an extant sequence dataset obtained from culture prospection in the same study sites and trees. The AMPtk toolkit has performed better concerning community description in terms of precision of taxa clustering, mainly due to the DADA2 algorithm; PIPITS evidenced a higher sensitivity in detecting taxa known to be present, hence it is potentially useful for future specific taxa detection surveys. Because of a current lack of information of the reference databases, both bioinformatic toolkits performed poorly as to taxonomy assignment. It is imperative to continue studying these ecosystems to, concomitantly, improve databases and the explanatory potential of the new technologies.
A modal definition of ideal alveolar oxygen
Authors: Peyton Philip J.
Published: August 2023

In the three‐compartment model of lung ventilation‐perfusion heterogeneity (VA/Q scatter), both Bohr dead space and shunt equations require values for central “ideal” compartment O2 and CO2 partial pressures. However, the ideal alveolar gas equation most accurately calculates mixed (ideal and alveolar dead space) PAO2. A novel “modal” definition has been validated for ideal alveolar CO2 partial pressure, at the VA/Q ratio in a lung distribution where CO2 elimination is maximal. A multicompartment computer model of physiological, lognormal distributions of VA and Q was used to identify modal “ideal” PAO2, and find a modification of the alveolar gas equation to estimate it across a wide range of severity of VA/Q heterogeneity and FIO2. This was then validated in vivo using data from a study of 36 anesthetized, ventilated patients with FIO2 0.35–80. Substitution in the alveolar gas equation of respiratory exchange ratio R with achieved excellent agreement (r2 = 0.999) between the calculated ideal PAO2 and the alveolar‐capillary Pc'O2 at the modal VO2 point (“modal” Pc'O2), across a range of log standard deviation of VA 0.25–1.75, true shunt 0%–20%, overall VA/Q 0.4–1.6, and FIO2 0.18–1.0, where the modeled PaO2 was over 50 mm Hg. Modal ideal PAO2 can be reliably estimated using routine blood gas measurements.