bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Engaging Victims of Child Sex Trafficking: Training for Child Welfare Workers
Authors: Harmon-Darrow Caroline , Rubenstein Amelia , Burruss-Cousins Karen , McTavish Gavin , Eisler Alexandra , Finigan-Carr Nadine
Published: July 2023

Child sex trafficking (CST) is the exploitation through commercial sex of a minor under 18. Federal law requires state child welfare agencies to respond and provide services to victims of CST. Social workers report lacking an understanding of state and federal law related to human trafficking, as well as resources for victims, and are often inadequately trained for identifying and serving survivors. As part of a CST awareness training including lecture, discussion, and game-based learning, child welfare workers were surveyed on their knowledge about CST and their self-efficacy in serving and engaging with survivors. Regression analyses showed that the training was associated with a positive change from pre- to posttest, on both knowledge (R2 = .472) and self-efficacy (R2 =.381), even when controlling for gender, race, experience, pretest knowledge, and position. Interactive trainings for child welfare workers on child trafficking survivor engagement that use a victim-centered, strengths-based lens are a promising practice.
Iron deficiency and sexual dysfunction in women
Authors: Serati Maurizio , Espuña-Pons Montserrat , Mouton-Puglisi Aurore , Padoa Anna
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Sexual dysfunction negatively affects approximately 40% to 50% of adult women across various stages of life. Common risk factors include sexual traumas, relationship problems, chronic conditions, medication side effects, and poor physical health, including iron deficiency.

Objectives

This review summarizes a presentation from a symposium that discussed the types and causes of sexual dysfunction at key times in women’s lives, focusing on the relationship between iron deficiency and sexual dysfunction.

Methods

The symposium was held at the XV Annual European Urogynaecological Association Congress, Antibes, France, in October 2022. Symposium content was identified through literature searches of PubMed. Original research, review articles, and Cochrane analyses discussing sexual dysfunction in association with iron deficiency/anemia were included.

Results

Iron deficiency in women is commonly caused by abnormal uterine bleeding, but women may develop iron deficiency anemia (IDA) because of increased iron needs or reduced iron intake/absorption. Treatment with oral iron supplementation has been shown to improve sexual function in women with IDA. Ferrous sulphate is considered as a standard of care for oral iron treatment; prolonged-release iron formulations have improved tolerability, enabling lower doses and better tolerability.

Conclusion

IDA and sexual dysfunction are related, so the identification of sexual dysfunction or iron deficiency in a woman should prompt an investigation of the other condition. Testing for iron deficiency is an inexpensive and simple step that can be routinely included in the workup of women with sexual dysfunction. Once identified, IDA and sexual dysfunction in women should be treated and followed to optimize quality of life.
Jujube Witches’ Broom Phytoplasma Effector Zaofeng3, a Homologous Effector of SAP54, Induces Abnormal Floral Organ Development and Shoot Proliferation
Authors: Chen Peng , Zhang Yu , Li Yonghua , Yang Qiqi , Li Qicheng , Chen Lichuan , Chen Yun , Ye Xia , Tan Bin , Zheng Xianbo , Cheng Jun , Wang Wei , Li Jidong , Feng Jiancan
Published: July 2023

Plant-pathogenic phytoplasmas secrete specific virulence proteins into a host plant to modulate plant function for their own benefit. Identification of phytoplasmal effectors is a key step toward clarifying the pathogenic mechanisms of phytoplasma. In this study, Zaofeng3, also known as secreted jujube witches’ broom phytoplasma protein 3 (SJP3), was a homologous effector of SAP54 and induced a variety of abnormal phenotypes, such as phyllody, malformed floral organs, witches’ broom, and dwarfism in Arabidopsis thaliana. Zaofeng3 can also induce small leaves, dwarfism, and witches’ broom in Ziziphus jujuba. Further experiments showed that the three complete α-helix domains predicted in Zaofeng3 were essential for induction of disease symptoms in jujube. Yeast two-hybrid library screening showed that Zaofeng3 mainly interacts with proteins involved in flower morphogenesis and shoot proliferation. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays confirmed that Zaofeng3 interacted with these proteins in the whole cell. Overexpression of zaofeng3 in jujube shoot significantly altered the expression patterns of ZjMADS19, ZjMADS47, ZjMADS48, ZjMADS77, and ZjTCP7, suggesting that overexpressing zaofeng3 might induce floral organ malformation and witches’ broom by altering the expression of the transcriptional factors involved in jujube morphogenesis.
Genome Sequence Resource of Alternaria alternata DZ Causing Tobacco Brown Spot
Authors: Lu Yaoxiong , Xiao Zhipeng , Xiong Youming , Yan Jin , Chen Wu , Tang Qianjun , Zhang Jiahui , Xie Gang , Chen Tianyu , Liu Tianbo , Wang Yunsheng
Published: July 2023

Alternaria alternata is an economically important pathogen that can cause severe plant diseases in various crops, such as citrus, pear, strawberry, and tobacco. Here, we report on the genome sequence of A. alternata DZ causing tobacco brown spot disease in most tobacco-producing areas. A total of 11 contigs, including 10 essential chromosomes and 1 mitochondria genome, were assembled by combining Oxford Nanopore and Illumina sequencing technologies. All 10 assembled chromosomes enabled detection of at least one of the telomeric terminal repeat sequences CCCTAA/TTAGGG. The assembled chromosomes were a total of 34.11 Mb in length with a GC content of 50.95%, whereas the mitochondrial genome was 50,595 bp in length with a GC content of 29.16%. We were unable to identify any evidence of conditionally dispensable chromosomes in the genome of A. alternata DZ, nor were we able to locate any ACT gene orthologs. This genome resource will provide valuable insights for comparative genomics research of the Alternaria genus and serve as a useful resource in investigations of plant-pathogen molecular interactions.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Impact of Trimetazidine on the Incident Heart Failure After Coronary Artery Revascularization
Authors: Park Sangwoo , Chang Junhyuk , Hong Seung-Pyo , Jin Eun-Sun , Kong Min Gyu , Choi Ha-Young , Kwon Seong Soon , Park Gyung-min , Park Rae Woong
Published: July 2023

Abnormal myocardial metabolism is a common pathophysiological process underlying ischemic heart disease and heart failure (HF). Trimetazidine is an antianginal agent with a unique mechanism of action that regulates myocardial energy metabolism and might have a beneficial effect in preventing HF in patients undergoing myocardial revascularization. We aimed to evaluate the potential benefit of trimetazidine in preventing incident hospitalization for HF after myocardial revascularization. Using the common data model, we identified patients without prior HF undergoing myocardial revascularization from 8 hospital databases in Korea. To compare clinical outcomes using trimetazidine, database-level hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using large-scale propensity score matching for each database and pooled using a random-effects model. The primary outcome was incident hospitalization for HF. The secondary outcome of interest was major adverse cardiac events (MACEs). After propensity score matching, 6724 and 11,211 patients were allocated to trimetazidine new-users and nonusers, respectively. There was no significant difference in the incidence of hospitalization for HF between the 2 groups (HR: 1.08, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88–1.31; P = 0.46). The risk of MACE also did not differ between the 2 groups (HR: 1.07, 95% CI, 0.98–1.16; P = 0.15). In conclusion, the use of trimetazidine did not reduce the risk of hospitalization for HF or MACE in patients undergoing myocardial revascularization. Therefore, the role of trimetazidine in contemporary clinical practice cannot be expanded beyond its current role as an add-on treatment for symptomatic angina.
The existence of biliary intraepithelial neoplasia at resection margin is not a risk factor for recurrence of biliary tract cancer
Authors: Yoshida Naohiro , Koikawa Kazuhiro , Aoyagi Takeshi , Ogata Toshiro , Taniguchi Masahiko
Published: July 2023

Background

Invasive carcinoma or dysplasia (biliary intraepithelial neoplasia [BilIN]) is often found in the surgical stumps of biliary tract cancer. We investigated whether the presence of BilIN at the surgical margin is a risk factor for recurrence.

Materials and Methods

Seventy-five consecutive patients who underwent curative resection for biliary tract cancer were included in this study. We retrospectively evaluated the surgical margin status (negative, BilIN, or positive) and analyzed the postoperative disease recurrence rate and recurrence pattern by the status.

Results

The disease-free survival rate was significantly worse in the positive margin group than in the negative margin group (11 vs 18 months, P = 0.027). There were no statistical differences between the BilIN-positive group and the other two groups. In the multivariate analysis, infiltrative growth c (hazard ratio [HR], 3.348; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.368–8.195; P = 0.008) and pathological exhumed margin (HR, 2.670; 95% CI, 1.097–6.495; P = 0.030) were independent recurrence factors. The margin status of BilIN was not associated with recurrence (HR, 0.867; 95% CI, 0.491–2.946; P = 0.687).

Conclusions

The BilIN component at the surgical margin was not associated with short-term recurrence, but the pathological exhumed margin positive and infiltrative growth c were. Infiltrative growth c may be a potential predictive factor for recurrence.
Periorbital Ecchymosis Post Closed Rhinoplasty: Natural History, Risk Factors, and Validation of a New Scoring System
Authors: Mizrachi Matti , Layous Eli , Dror Amiel A. , Yakir Orly , Bader Ahmad , Sela Eyal
Published: July 2023

Background:

Postrhinoplasty periorbital ecchymosis is an inevitable side effect contributing to patients’ psychological aspect and early postoperative morbidity. Efforts are constantly being made to reduce ecchymosis using different methods with varying success. To evaluate treatment response, it is mandatory to have a reliable score. Several studies suggest other scoring systems, but none has been postrhinoplasty-specific, validated, and accepted. This study aimed to demonstrate the natural history of postrhinoplasty ecchymosis, find potential risk factors for worsening patterns, and suggest a useful and reliable periorbital ecchymosis scoring system for postrhinoplasty follow-up.

Methods:

This prospective study included 183 patients who underwent closed rhinoplasty by the same surgeon and the same principle method. Photographs of the periorbital ecchymosis were taken on postoperative days 1, 2, and 7. The periorbital area was divided into quarters, and three independent physicians assigned the dominant color of each quarter.

Results:

There were no significant variations between the three physicians’ scoring. The interobserver consistency defined as an excellent scoring system reliability, according to our statistical analysis. The postoperative ecchymosis demonstrated a consistent pattern of spread over time, dominating the medial quarters on early postoperative days 1 and 2, following into the lower lateral quarters in postoperative day 7. We found no correlation between patient demographics and clinical characteristics to ecchymosis patterns and temporal spread.

Conclusions:

Our study suggests a reliable and easy-to-use postrhinoplasty ecchymosis scoring system. This scoring method can be used for postrhinoplasty ecchymosis assessment and as a research-validated tool to quantify different perioperative treatments to reduce ecchymosis and estimate mid-face trauma.
Cervical Cancer Screening: Evolution of National Guidelines and Current Recommendations
Authors: Khan Michelle J.
Published: July 2023

Cancer of the cervix is preventable through vaccination against human papillomavirus and by screening and treatment of cervical precancers. Cervical cancer screening has evolved since the Pap smear was first discovered in the 1920s. Current guidelines from the US Preventive Services Task Force and the American Cancer Society incorporate the use of cervical cytology and high-risk human papillomavirus tests performed every 3 to 5 years for screening in average-risk asymptomatic patients. Testing should begin at age 21 to 25 years old and stop at 65 years old if sufficient cessation criteria has been met.
Should Medical Insurance Review Serve the Patient’s Best Interests? Examples and Considerations Illustrated by Behavioral Health Cases
Authors: Harris Peter Q. , Abraham Melissa E. , Cohen Bruce M.
Published: July 2023

Physician medical directors working for health care insurance companies conduct utilization reviews, participate in quality-of-care reviews, and adjudicate appeals. As a result, they have access to substantial and important clinical information. The medical director may have both current and historical information that can assist the treatment team in providing care. Sharing this information with a patient’s current health care provider(s) is problematic due to concerns about patient privacy and the insurer’s goal of not assuming legal liability for patient care. While this paper considers legal issues, it predominantly addresses the ethical responsibilities of medical directors who have valuable information unavailable to or unrecognized by the treatment team. Although it is important to consider sharing general medical information, this paper emphasizes the sharing of behavioral health information, which can be highly sensitive but also pertinent to psychiatric and other medical treatment choices. We suggest that clinical information should flow from insurer to provider when the insurer has information that will benefit the patient or prove crucial to optimal care rather than just flow from provider to insurer for the purposes of claims payments. To support and secure that flow, the paper outlines procedures for determining the need to share information, the means of providing that information, ways to separate liability, and processes for protecting privacy.
Validation of the JOYTECH DBP-6279B blood pressure monitor in adults and adolescents according to the AAMI/ESH/ISO universal standard(ISO 81060-2:2018 + Amd.1:2020)
Authors: Duan Baojing , He Le , Zhang Jianling , Fang Lixiu , Li Gang
Published: July 2023

This study aimed to validate the accuracy of DBP-6279B, an automated inflationary oscillometric upper-arm blood pressure (BP) monitor, in the sitting position according to the AAMI/ESH/ISO (81060-2 : 2018 + Amd.1 : 2020) universal standard protocol. SBPs and DBPs were measured simultaneously on the same arm in 88 adults (female : male = 47 : 41) with a mean age of 56.85 years using a mercury sphygmomanometer (two observers) and a DBP-6279B device (one supervisor). The AAMI/ESH/ISO 81060-2 : 2018 and Amd.1 : 2020 universal standards for the validation of BP-measuring devices in adults and adolescents were followed. A total of 259 valid pairs of data were used in the analysis. According to Criterion 1, the mean difference of SBP between the test device (DBP-6279B) and the reference device (the mercury sphygmomanometer) was 0.75 mmHg, with a SD of 7.66 mmHg. The mean difference in DBP was 1.13 mmHg, with a SD of 6.14 mmHg. The mean difference of both SBP and DBP was less than 5 mmHg, and the SD was less than 8 mmHg, which met the requirements. According to Criterion 2, the mean difference of SBP between the test device and the reference device was 0.85 mmHg, and the SD was 6.56 mmHg, which was less than 6.88 mmHg and met the requirements. The mean difference in DBP was 1.27 mmHg, and the SD was 5.42 mmHg, which was less than 6.82 mmHg and met the requirements. DBP-6279B fulfilled the requirements of the AAMI/ESH/ISO universal standard (ISO 81060-2 : 2018 + Amd.1 : 2020); hence, it can be recommended for both clinical and self/home BP measurement in adults and adolescents.
Noninvasive Colorectal Cancer Prevention Options in Older Adults
Authors: Chiu Laura S. , Calderwood Audrey H.
Published: July 2023

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and its incidence increases with age. The proportion of older adults in the United States continues to rise, making CRC prevention a key health priority for our aging population. CRC is a largely preventable disease through screening and polyp surveillance, and noninvasive modalities represent an important option for older adults in whom the burdens and risks of invasive testing are higher compared with younger adults. This review highlights the evidence, risks, and benefits of noninvasive CRC screening and surveillance options in older adults and discusses the challenges of CRC prevention in this cohort.
Evaluation of the Use of Appetite Stimulants in Pediatric Patients with Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Kennedy Kaitlin , Lee MinJae , Sathe Meghana , Ueng Ching-Sui , Sharma Preeti
Published: July 2023

Objective:

Poor nutrition in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) has been associated with lower lung function and increased morbidity and mortality. Conversely, better nutritional status has been associated with improved pulmonary function and fewer CF-associated complications. There is no consensus regarding appetite stimulant therapy in patients with CF (pwCF). The primary objective of this study was to determine if the use of appetite stimulants was associated with weight changes in pediatric pwCF in the ambulatory care setting.

Methods:

This was a retrospective study that evaluated 62 pediatric pwCF who received cyproheptadine or mirtazapine for appetite stimulation for at least 6 consecutive months. Weight z scores were collected for each patient at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months of therapy, if available.

Results:

Increase in weight z score after 3 months of therapy was statistically significant based on both univariable and multivariable models when evaluating the entire cohort. The adjusted mean difference for change in weight z score was 0.33 (P < 0.001) from baseline to month 3. There was a statistically significant improvement in pulmonary function after 3 and 6 months of therapy.

Conclusions:

Appetite stimulant therapy was associated with improvement in weight z score in the first 3 months of treatment. Appetite stimulant therapy was associated with improvement in pulmonary function in the first 3 months of therapy, which supports the relationship between weight gain and improved pulmonary function in pwCF. These findings suggest that appetite stimulants contribute to weight gain in pediatric pwCF, particularly within the first 3 months of therapy.
Left Lobe First With Purely Laparoscopic Approach
Authors: Fujiki Masato , Pita Alejandro , Kusakabe Jiro , Sasaki Kazunari , You Taesuk , Tuul Munkhbold , Aucejo Federico N. , Quintini Cristiano , Eghtesad Bijan , Pinna Antonio , Miller Charles , Hashimoto Koji , Kwon Choon Hyuck David
Published: July 2023

Objective:

Evaluate outcome of left-lobe graft (LLG) first combined with purely laparoscopic donor hemihepatectomy (PLDH) as a strategy to minimize donor risk.

Background:

An LLG first approach and a PLDH are 2 methods used to reduce surgical stress for donors in adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). But the risk associated with application LLG first combined with PLDH is not known.

Methods:

From 2012 to 2023, 186 adult LDLTs were performed with hemiliver grafts, procured by open surgery in 95 and PLDH in 91 cases. LLGs were considered first when graft-to-recipient weight ratio ≥0.6%. Following a 4-month adoption process, all donor hepatectomies, since December 2019, were performed laparoscopically.

Results:

There was one intraoperative conversion to open (1%). Mean operative times were similar in laparoscopic and open cases (366 vs 371 minutes). PLDH provided shorter hospital stays, lower blood loss, and lower peak aspartate aminotransferase. Peak bilirubin was lower in LLG donors compared with right-lobe graft donors (1.4 vs 2.4 mg/dL, P < 0.01), and PLDH further improved the bilirubin levels in LLG donors (1.2 vs 1.6 mg/dL, P < 0.01). PLDH also afforded a low rate of early complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ II, 8% vs 22%, P = 0.007) and late complications, including incisional hernia (0% vs 13.7%, P < 0.001), compared with open cases. LLG was more likely to have a single duct than a right-lobe graft (89% vs 60%, P < 0.01). Importantly, with the aggressive use of LLG in 47% of adult LDLT, favorable graft survival was achieved without any differences between the type of graft and surgical approach.

Conclusions:

The LLG first with PLDH approach minimizes surgical stress for donors in adult LDLT without compromising recipient outcomes. This strategy can lighten the burden for living donors, which could help expand the donor pool.
Presenting Symptoms and Imaging Features of Posterior Cerebral Artery Stroke Causing Homonymous Hemianopia
Authors: Liu Elaine A. , Murali Sadhana , Rivera-de Choudens Roberto , Trobe Jonathan D.
Published: July 2023

Background:

Posterior cerebral artery (PCA) stroke is a common cause of homonymous hemianopia and other neurologic deficits associated with more proximal ischemia in the vertebrobasilar circuit. Localization of the process can be challenging unless the symptom complex is well recognized, yet early diagnosis is critical to forestall dangerous driving and repeated stroke. We undertook this study to provide additional detail about the presenting symptoms and signs and their correlation with imaging abnormalities and stroke etiology.

Methods:

Retrospective study of medical records of patients presenting to a single tertiary care academic center between 2009 and 2020 with homonymous hemianopia from PCA stroke. We excerpted data on symptoms, visual and neurologic signs, incident medical procedures and diagnoses, and imaging features. We determined stroke etiology using the Causative Classification Stroke system.

Results:

In a cohort of 85 patients, 90% of strokes occurred without preceding symptoms. But in retrospect, 10% of strokes did have warning symptoms. In 20% of patients, strokes followed within 72 hours of a medical or surgical procedure or newly identified medical condition. In the subgroups of patients whose records contained a description of visual symptoms, 87% reported the visual sensation as negative, and 66% realized that it was located in a hemifield in both eyes. Concurrent nonvisual symptoms were present in 43% of patients, consisting commonly of numbness, tingling, and new headache. Infarction located outside the visual cortex affected primarily the temporal lobe, thalamus, and cerebellum, reflecting the widespread nature of ischemia. Nonvisual clinical manifestations and arterial cutoffs on imaging were associated with thalamic infarction, but the clinical features and location of the infarction did not correlate with the etiology of the stroke.

Conclusions:

In this cohort, clinical localization of the stroke was aided by the fact that many patients could lateralize their visual symptoms and had nonvisual symptoms suggestive of ischemia affecting the proximal vertebrobasilar circuit. Numbness and tingling were strongly linked to concurrent thalamic infarction. Clinical features and infarct location were not associated with the etiology of the stroke.
Demographics, Risk Factors, and Etiology of Posterior Cerebral Artery Stroke Causing Homonymous Hemianopia
Authors: Liu Elaine A. , Murali Sadhana , Rivera-de Choudens Roberto , Trobe Jonathan D.
Published: July 2023

Background:

Posterior cerebral artery (PCA) strokes account for up to 10% of all ischemic strokes, often presenting with homonymous hemianopia. The proportion of these strokes attributed to various etiologies varies widely in previously published studies, owing largely to differing patient populations, definitions of stroke pathogenesis, and vascular territories involved. The Causative Classification System (CCS), an automated version of the Stop Stroke Study (SSS) Trial of Org 10,172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) system, allows for a more rigorous assignment of stroke etiology.

Methods:

We excerpted clinical and imaging data on 85 patients who had PCA stroke with homonymous hemianopia examined at the University of Michigan. We compared the stroke risk factor profile of our PCA cohort with that of 135 patients with stroke in the distribution of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA) in an unpublished University of Michigan registry. We applied the CCS web-based calculator to our PCA cohort to determine stroke etiology.

Results:

In our PCA cohort, 80.0% had at least 2 conventional stroke risk factors and 30.6% had 4 risk factors, most commonly systemic hypertension. The risk factor profile of our PCA cohort resembled that of our ICA/MCA cohort except that the mean age of our PCA cohort was more than a decade younger and had a significantly lower frequency of atrial fibrillation (AF) than our ICA/MCA cohort. In nearly half of the patients with AF in our PCA cohort, AF was diagnosed after the stroke. Among stroke etiologies in our PCA cohort, 40.0% were of undetermined cause, 30.6% were from cardioaortic embolism, 17.6% were from other determined causes, and only 11.8% were from supra-aortic large artery atherosclerosis. Strokes after endovascular or surgical interventions were prominent among other determined causes.

Conclusions:

Most patients in our PCA cohort had multiple conventional stroke risk factors, a finding not previously documented. Mean age at stroke onset and AF frequency were lower than in our ICA/MCA cohort, in agreement with previous studies. As some other studies have found, nearly 1/3 of strokes were attributed to cardioaortic embolism. Within that group, AF was often a poststroke diagnosis, a finding not previously highlighted. Compared with earlier studies, a relatively high portion of strokes were of undetermined etiology and of other determined etiologies, including stroke after endovascular or surgical interventions. Supra-aortic large artery atherosclerosis was a relatively uncommon explanation for stroke.
How to address physical activity and exercise during treatment from eating disorders: a scoping review
Authors: Mathisen Therese Fostervold , Hay Phillipa , Bratland-Sanda Solfrid
Published: July 2023

Purpose of review

This scoping review aimed to provide a recent update on how to address dysfunctional physical activity and exercise (DEx), and on effects and experiences from including supervised and adapted physical activity or exercise (PAE), during treatment of eating disorders.

Recent findings

A systematic search for peer-reviewed publications in the period 2021–2023 generated 10 original studies and 6 reviews, including one meta-analysis (reporting according to PRISMA and SWiM). Findings showed that DEx was effectively managed by use of psychoeducation and/or PAE. Inclusion of PAE as part of treatment showed low-to-moderate impact on health and positive or neutral effects on eating disorder psychopathology. There were no reports of adverse events. For individuals with anorexia nervosa, PAE improved physical fitness with no influence on body weight or body composition unless progressive resistance training was conducted. For individuals with bulimia nervosa, DEx was reduced simultaneously with increased functional exercise and successful implementation of physical activity recommendations during treatment. Experiences by individuals with eating disorders and clinicians, including accredited exercise physiologists, pointed to positive benefits by including PAE in treatment.

Lack of consensus about DEx and of recommendations for PAE in official treatment guidelines hinder adequate approaches to these issues in eating disorder treatment.
Physical interactions in non-ideal fluids promote Turing patterns
Authors: Menou Lucas , Luo Chengjie , Zwicker David
Published: July 2023

Turing’s mechanism is often invoked to explain periodic patterns in nature, although direct experimental support is scarce. Turing patterns form in reaction–diffusion systems when the activating species diffuse much slower than the inhibiting species, and the involved reactions are highly nonlinear. Such reactions can originate from cooperativity, whose physical interactions should also affect diffusion. We here take direct interactions into account and show that they strongly affect Turing patterns. We find that weak repulsion between the activator and inhibitor can substantially lower the required differential diffusivity and reaction nonlinearity. By contrast, strong interactions can induce phase separation, but the resulting length scale is still typically governed by the fundamental reaction–diffusion length scale. Taken together, our theory connects traditional Turing patterns with chemically active phase separation, thus describing a wider range of systems. Moreover, we demonstrate that even weak interactions affect patterns substantially, so they should be incorporated when modelling realistic systems.
Usefulness and limitations of convergent cross sorting and continuity scaling methods for their application in simulated and real-world time series
Authors: Bahamonde Adolfo D. , Montes Rodrigo M. , Cornejo Pablo
Published: July 2023

Causality detection methods are valuable tools for detecting causal links in complex systems. The efficiency of continuity scaling (CS) and the convergent cross sorting (CSS) methods to detect causality was analysed. Usefulness and limitations of both methods in their application to simulated and real-world time series was explored under different scenarios. We find that CS is more robust and efficient than the CSS method for all simulated systems, even when increasing noise levels were considered. Both methods were not able to infer causality when time series with a marked difference in their main frequencies were analysed. Minimum time-series length required for the detection of a causal link depends on intrinsic system dynamics and on the method selected to detect it. Using simulated time series, only the CS method was capable to detect bidirectional causality. Causality detection, using the CS method, should at least include: (i) causality strength convergence analysis, (ii) statistical tests of significance, (iii) time-series standardization, and (iv) causality strength ratios as a strength indicator of relative causality between systems. Causality cannot be detected by either method in simulated time series that exhibit generalized synchronization.
Diet and the evolution of
ADH7
across seven orders of mammals
Authors: Pinto Swellan L. , Janiak Mareike C. , Dutyschaever Gwen , Barros Marília A. S. , Chavarria Adrian Guadamuz , Martin Maria Pia , Tuh Fred Y. Y. , Valverde Carmen Soto , Sims Lisa M. , Barclay Robert M. R. , Wells Konstans , Dominy Nathaniel J. , Pessoa Daniel M. A. , Carrigan Matthew A. , Melin Amanda D.
Published: July 2023

Dietary variation within and across species drives the eco-evolutionary responsiveness of genes necessary to metabolize nutrients and other components. Recent evidence from humans and other mammals suggests that sugar-rich diets of floral nectar and ripe fruit have favoured mutations in, and functional preservation of, the
ADH7
gene, which encodes the ADH class 4 enzyme responsible for metabolizing ethanol. Here we interrogate a large, comparative dataset of
ADH7
gene sequence variation, including that underlying the amino acid residue located at the key site (294) that regulates the affinity of ADH7 for ethanol. Our analyses span 171 mammal species, including 59 newly sequenced. We report extensive variation, especially among frugivorous and nectarivorous bats, with potential for functional impact. We also report widespread variation in the retention and probable pseudogenization of
ADH7
. However, we find little statistical evidence of an overarching impact of dietary behaviour on putative
ADH7
function or presence of derived alleles at site 294 across mammals, which suggests that the evolution of
ADH7
is shaped by complex factors. Our study reports extensive new diversity in a gene of longstanding ecological interest, offers new sources of variation to be explored in functional assays in future study, and advances our understanding of the processes of molecular evolution.
Early-life sleep disruption impairs subtle social behaviours in prairie voles: a pose-estimation study
Authors: Bueno-Junior Lezio S. , Jones-Tinsley Carolyn E. , Milman Noah E. P. , Wickham Peyton T. , Watson Brendon O. , Lim Miranda M.
Published: July 2023

Early-life sleep disruption (ELSD) has been shown to have long-lasting effects on social behaviour in adult prairie voles (
Microtus ochrogaster
), including impaired expression of pair bonding during partner preference testing. However, due to the limitations of manual behaviour tracking, the effects of ELSD across the time course of pair bonding have not yet been described, hindering our ability to trace mechanisms. Here, we used pose estimation to track prairie voles during opposite-sex cohabitation, the process leading to pair bonding. Male–female pairs were allowed to interact through a mesh divider in the home cage for 72 h, providing variables of body direction, distance-to-divider and locomotion speed. We found that control males displayed periodic patterns of body orientation towards females during cohabitation. In contrast, ELSD males showed reduced duration and ultradian periodicity of these body orientation behaviours towards females. Furthermore, in both sexes, ELSD altered spatial and temporal patterns of locomotion across the light/dark cycles of the 72 h recordings. This study allows a comprehensive behavioural assessment of the effects of ELSD on later life sociality and highlights subtle prairie vole behaviours. Our findings may shed light on neurodevelopmental disorders featuring sleep disruption and social deficits, such as autism spectrum disorders.
Guppies in large groups cooperate more frequently in an experimental test of the group size paradox
Authors: Padget Rebecca F. B. , Fawcett Tim W. , Darden Safi K.
Published: July 2023

The volunteer's dilemma, in which a single individual is required to produce a public good, predicts that individuals in larger groups will cooperate less frequently. Mechanistically, this could result from trade-offs between costs associated with volunteering and costs incurred if the public good is not produced (nobody volunteers). During predator inspection, one major contributor to the cost of volunteering is likely increased probability of predation; however, a predator also poses a risk to all individuals if nobody inspects. We tested the prediction that guppies in larger groups will inspect a predator less than those in smaller groups. We also predicted that individuals in larger groups would perceive less threat from the predator stimulus because of the protective benefits of larger groups (e.g. dilution). Contrary to prediction, we found that individuals in large groups inspected more frequently than those in smaller groups, but (as predicted) spent less time in refuges. There was evidence that individuals in intermediate-sized groups made fewest inspections and spent most time in refuges, suggesting that any link between group size, risk and cooperation is not driven by simple dilution. Extensions of theoretical models that capture these dynamics will likely be broadly applicable to risky cooperative behaviour.
Food-caching chickadees with specialized spatial cognition do not use scrounging as a stable strategy when learning a spatial task
Authors: Heinen Virginia K. , Pitera Angela M. , Sonnenberg Benjamin R. , Branch Carrie L. , Benedict Lauren M. , Welklin Joseph F. , Whitenack Lauren E. , Bridge Eli S. , Pravosudov Vladimir V.
Published: July 2023

Social animals may use alternative strategies when foraging, with producer–scrounger being one stable dichotomy of strategies. While ‘producers’ search and discover new food sources, ‘scroungers’ obtain food discovered by producers. Previous work suggests that differences in cognitive abilities may influence tendencies toward being either a producer or a scrounger, but scrounging behaviour in the context of specialized cognitive abilities is less understood. We investigated whether food-caching mountain chickadees, which rely on spatial cognition to retrieve food caches, engage in scrounging when learning a spatial task. We analysed data from seven seasons of spatial cognition testing, using arrays of radio frequency identification-enabled bird feeders, to identify and quantify potential scrounging behaviour. Chickadees rarely engaged in scrounging, scrounging was not repeatable within individuals and nearly all scrounging events occurred before the bird learned the ‘producer’ strategy. Scrounging was less frequent in harsher winters, but adults scrounged more than juveniles, and birds at higher elevations scrounged more than chickadees at lower elevations. There was no clear association between spatial cognitive abilities and scrounging frequency. Overall, our study suggests that food-caching species with specialized spatial cognition do not use scrounging as a stable strategy when learning a spatial task, instead relying on learning abilities.
Genetic characterization of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. from humans and poultry in Nigeria
Authors: Jesumirhewe Christiana , Cabal-Rosel Adriana , Allerberger Franz , Springer Burkhard , Ruppitsch Werner
Published: July 2023

The emergence of antibiotic resistance in livestock, especially food-producing animals, is of major public health importance as a result of the possibility of these bacteria entering the food chain. In this study, the genetic characteristics of antibiotic-resistant

Escherichia coli

and

Klebsiella

spp. isolates from humans and poultry in Edo state, Nigeria, were investigated. In April 2017, 45

Klebsiella

spp. and 46

E. coli

isolates were obtained from urine, clinical wounds, nasal and chicken faecal samples. Isolates were recovered and identified as previously described. Species identification was achieved by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and ribosomal multilocus sequence typing. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out using the Kirby–Bauer method for 12 antibiotics. A double disc synergy test was used to screen for extended-spectrum beta-lactamse (ESBL) production. Whole genome sequencing was performed for strain characterization of the isolates. Thirteen

Klebsiella

spp. isolates yielded positive results by the ESBL phenotypic test and harboured ESBL genes. Of the 46

E. coli

isolates, 21 human and 13 poultry isolates were resistant to at least one of the tested antibiotics. Four human

E. coli

isolates harboured ESBL genes and revealed positive results when applying ESBL double disc synergy tests. ESBL genes in the

Klebsiella

spp. and

E. coli

isolates include bla
CTX-M-15 and bla
SHV-28. Whole genome-based core gene multilocus sequence typing of the

Klebsiella

spp. and

E. coli

isolates revealed a close relatedness among the isolates. An integrated ‘One Health’ surveillance system is required to monitor transmission of antimicrobial resistance in Nigeria.
Bloodstream infections in cancer patients in central India: trend over five years
Authors: Choudhari Sonali , Gawande Ruchita , Watchmaker Jerestin , Bamnote Pooja , Mishra Pradeep , Dwivedi Pankaj
Published: July 2023

Bloodstream infection (BSI) is a frequent complication in patients with cancer with high mortality. Significant changing trends are observed in the epidemiology of BSI over a period of time and varies from country to country. With this background we aimed to study the distribution and antibiogram of bacterial pathogens causing BSI in cancer patients in central India. This was a single centre retrospective observational study done in a tertiary care cancer hospital in India. All adult and paediatric patients of haematological and solid organ malignancies whose blood culture was sent were included. Blood cultures were processed with the BacT/ALERT 3D system (BioMerieux, France) and identification of bacteria to species level and antimicrobial susceptibility (AST) was performed using the Vitek 2 compact system (BioMerieux, France) according to the recommendations of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). The demographic data and the microbiological data was retrieved from electronic medical records and microbiology laboratory records.Data was entered and tabulated using the Microsoft Excel software and statistical analysis was done using SPSS software. Culture positivity was higher in hemato-lymphoid malignancy as compared to solid organ malignancy. Gram-negative bacteria were more common etiologic agents of BSI in cancer patients. The rate of carbapenem resistant organisms was 24%. The MRSA rate was 60%. The poor sensitivity to primary empirical agent piperacillin–tazobactam and increasing prevalence of multidrug resistant organisms calls for stringent antimicrobial stewardship program.
Experimental procedures for flow cytometry of wild type mouse brain: A systematic review
Authors: Sharp Robert C. , Guenther Dylan T. , Farrer Matthew J.
Published: July 2023

Objective

To systematically review the neuroimmunology literature to determine the average immune cell counts reported by flow cytometry in wild-type (WT) homogenized mouse brain.

Background

Mouse models of gene dysfunction are widely used to study age-associated neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The importance of the neuroimmune system in these multifactorial disorders has become increasingly evident, and methods to quantify resident and infiltrating immune cells in brain, including flow cytometry, are necessary. However, there appears to be no consensus on the best approach to perform flow cytometry or quantify/report immune cell counts. The development of more standardized methods would accelerate neuroimmune discovery/validation by meta-analysis.

Methods

Examination of the PROSPERO registry confirmed a systematic review of ‘neuroimmunology’ by ‘flow cytometry’ has yet to be reported. A protocol for a systematic review was subsequently based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) using Studies, Data, Methods and Outcomes (SDMO) criteria. Literature searches were conducted in Google Scholar and PubMed databases. From that search, 900 candidate studies were identified and 437 studies were assessed for eligibility based on formal exclusion criteria.

Results

Out of the 437 studies reviewed, 58 were eligible for inclusion and comparative analysis. Each study assessed immune cell subsets within homogenized mouse brain and used flow cytometry. Nonetheless, there was considerable variability in methods, data analysis, reporting and results. Descriptive statistics are presented on study designs and results, including medians with interquartile ranges (IQRs) and overall means with standard deviations (SD) for specific immune cell counts and their relative proportions, within and between studies. Results derived from 58 studies reported the most abundant immune cells within the brains were TMEM119+microglia, bulk CD4+T cells, and bulk CD8+T cells.

Conclusion

Experiments to conduct and report flow cytometry data, derived from WT homogenized mouse brains, would benefit from a more standardized approach. While within study comparisons are valid, variability in methods counts of immune cell populations are too broad for meta-analysis. Inclusion of a minimal protocol with more detailed methods, controls and standards could enable this nascent field to compare results across studies.
Threat expectation does not improve perceptual discrimination despite causing heightened priority processing in the frontoparietal network
Authors: Haddara Nadia , Rahnev Dobromir
Published: July 2023

Threat cues have been widely shown to elicit increased sensory and attentional neural processing. However, whether this enhanced recruitment leads to measurable behavioral improvements in perception is still in question. Here we adjudicate between two opposing theories: that threat cues do or do not enhance perceptual sensitivity. We created threat stimuli by pairing one direction of motion in a random dot kinematogram with an aversive sound. While in the MRI scanner, 46 subjects (both men and women) completed a cued (threat/safe/neutral) perceptual decision-making task where they indicated the perceived motion direction of each moving dots stimulus. We found strong evidence that threat cues did not increase perceptual sensitivity compared to safe and neutral cues. This lack of improvement in perceptual decision-making ability occurred despite the threat cue resulting in widespread increases in frontoparietal BOLD activity, as well as increased connectivity between the right insula and the frontoparietal network. These results call into question the intuitive claim that expectation automatically enhances our perception of threat, and highlight the role of the frontoparietal network in prioritizing the processing of threat-related environmental cues.

Significance Statement

Threatening information receives enhanced priority processing in the brain. Evidence of increased neural activity to threat has fostered the current view that such selective processing leads to a boost in perception, suggesting that motivationally relevant top-down effects can directly change what we see. In the real world, danger is often preceded by an environmental cue that predicts its imminent approach. Here we used an aversive conditioning paradigm to test whether threat cues can change subjects’ ability to visually distinguish between threat and safe stimuli. Our results provide strong evidence for the lack of an effect of threat expectation on perceptual sensitivity, supporting the theory that perception is impenetrable by top-down cognitive influences despite robust neural attentional priority.
Investigating the ‘Bolsonaro effect’ on the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic: an empirical analysis of observational data in Brazil
Authors: Razafindrakoto Mireille , Roubaud François , Castilho Marta Reis , Pero Valéria , Saboia João
Published: July 2023

Brazil counts among the countries the hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. A great deal has been said about the negative role played by President Bolsonaro’s denialism, but relatively few studies have attempted to measure precisely what impact it actually had on the pandemic. Our paper conducts econometric estimates based on observational data at municipal level to quantitatively assess the ‘Bolsonaro effect’ over time from March 2020 to December 2022. To our knowledge, this paper presents the most comprehensive investigation of Bolsonaro’s influence in the spread of the pandemic from two angles: considering Covid-19 mortality and two key transmission mitigation channels (social distancing and vaccination); and exploring the full pandemic cycle (2020-2022) and its dynamics over time. Controlling for a rich set of relevant variables, our results find a strong and persistent ‘Bolsonaro effect’ on the death rate: municipalities that were more pro-Bolsonaro recorded significantly more fatalities. Furthermore, evidence suggests that the president’s attitude and decisions negatively influenced the population’s behaviour. Firstly, pro-Bolsonaro municipalities presented a lower level of compliance with social distancing measures. Secondly, vaccination was relatively less widespread in places more in favour of the former president. Finally, our analysis points to longer-lasting and damaging repercussions. Regression results are consistent with the hypothesis that the ‘Bolsonaro effect’impacted not only on Covid-19 vaccination, but has affected vaccination campaigns in general thereby jeopardizing the historical success of the National Immunization Program in Brazil.