bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Histology-specific standardized incidence ratio improves the estimation of second primary lung cancer risk
Authors: Eberl Marian , Tanaka Luana F. , Kraywinkel Klaus , Klug Stefanie J.
Published: May 2024

Background

Lung cancer (LC) survivors are at increased risk for developing a second primary cancer (SPC) compared to the general population. While this risk is particularly high for smoking-related SPCs, the published standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for lung cancer after lung cancer is unexpectedly low in countries that follow international multiple primary (IARC/IACR MP) rules when compared to the USA, where distinct rules are employed. IARC/IACR rules rely on histology-dependent documentation of SPC with the same location as the first cancer and only classify an SPC when tumors present different histology. Thus, SIR might be underestimated in cancer registries using these rules. This study aims to assess whether using histology-specific reference rates for calculating SIR improves risk estimates for second primary lung cancer (SPLC) in LC survivors.

Methods

We (i) use the distribution of histologic subtypes of LC in population-based cancer registry data of 11 regional cancer registries from Germany to present evidence that the conventional SIR metric underestimates the actual risk for SPLC in LC survivors in registries that use IARC/IACR MP rules, (ii) present updated risk estimates for SPLC in Germany using a novel method to calculate histological subtype-specific SIRs, and (iii) validate this new method using US SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program) data, where different MP rules are applied.

Results

The adjusted relative risk for lung cancer survivors in Germany to develop an SPLC was 2.98 (95% CI 2.53–3.49) for females and 1.15 (95% CI 1.03–1.27) for males using the novel histology-specific SIR. When using IARC/IACR MP rules, the conventional SIR underestimates the actual risk for SPLC in LC survivors by approximately 30% for both sexes.

Conclusions

Our proposed histology-specific method makes the SIR metric more robust against MP rules and, thus, more suitable for cross-country comparisons.
Cooperation of immune regulators Tollip and surfactant protein A inhibits influenza A virus infection in mice
Authors: Schaunaman Niccolette , Cervantes Diana , Nichols Taylor , Numata Mari , Ledford Julie G. , Kraft Monica , Chu Hong Wei
Published: May 2024

Background

Influenza A virus (IAV) infection is a significant risk factor for respiratory diseases, but the host defense mechanisms against IAV remain to be defined. Immune regulators such as surfactant protein A (SP-A) and Toll-interacting protein (Tollip) have been shown to be involved in IAV infection, but whether SP-A and Tollip cooperate in more effective host defense against IAV infection has not been investigated.

Methods

Wild-type (WT), Tollip knockout (KO), SP-A KO, and Tollip/SP-A double KO (dKO) mice were infected with IAV for four days. Lung macrophages were isolated for bulk RNA sequencing. Precision-cut lung slices (PCLS) from WT and dKO mice were pre-treated with SP-A and then infected with IAV for 48 h.

Results

Viral load was significantly increased in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid of dKO mice compared to all other strains of mice. dKO mice had significantly less recruitment of neutrophils into the lung compared to Tollip KO mice. SP-A treatment of PCLS enhanced expression of TNF and reduced viral load in dKO mouse lung tissue. Pathway analysis of bulk RNA sequencing data suggests that macrophages from IAV-infected dKO mice reduced expression of genes involved in neutrophil recruitment, IL-17 signaling, and Toll-like receptor signaling.

Conclusions

Our data suggests that both Tollip and SP-A are essential for the lung to exert more effective innate defense against IAV infection.
The association between triglyceride-glucose index and the likelihood of cardiovascular disease in the U.S. population of older adults aged ≥ 60 years: a population-based study
Authors: Liang Dan , Liu Chang , Wang Yan
Published: May 2024

Background

The association between the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the general elderly population in the United States aged 60 and above is not well understood. The objective of our study was to examine the relationship between the TyG index and CVD likelihood in the general elderly population over 60 years of age in the United States.

Methods

Data for this cross-sectional study were sourced from the 2003–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Weighted multivariable regression analysis and subgroup analysis were conducted to estimate the independent relationship between the TyG index and the likelihood of CVD. Non-linear correlations were explored using restricted cubic splines.

Results

A total of 6502 participants were included, with a mean TyG index of 8.75 ± 0.01. The average prevalence of CVD was 24.31% overall. Participants in the higher TyG quartiles showed high rates of CVD (Quartile 1: 19.91%; Quartile 2: 21.65%; Quartile 3: 23.82%; Quartile 4: 32.43%). For CVD, a possible association between the TyG index and the odds of CVD was observed. Our findings suggest a nonlinear association between the TyG index and the odds of CVD. The threshold of 8.73 for the likelihood of CVD. Interaction terms were employed to assess heterogeneities among each subgroup, revealing a significant difference specifically in alcohol consumption. This suggests that the positive association between the TyG index and the likelihood of CVD is dependent on the drinking status of the participants.

Conclusion

A higher TyG index is linked to an increased likelihood of CVD in US adults aged ≥ 60 years. TyG index is anticipated to emerge as a more effective metric for identifying populations at early likelihood of CVD.
Migrasomes from adipose derived stem cells enrich CXCL12 to recruit stem cells via CXCR4/RhoA for a positive feedback loop mediating soft tissue regeneration
Authors: Chen Yunzi , Li Ye , Li Bin , Hu Delin , Dong Ziqing , Lu Feng
Published: May 2024

Background

Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) represent the most advantageous choice for soft tissue regeneration. Studies proved the recruitment of ASCs post tissue injury was mediated by chemokine CXCL12, but the mechanism by which CXCL12 is generated after tissue injury remains unclear. Migrasomes are newly discovered membrane-bound organelles that could deliver CXCL12 spatially and temporally in vivo. In this study, we sought to investigate whether migrasomes participate ASC-mediated tissue regeneration.

Methods

Discrepant and asymmetrical soft tissue regeneration mice model were established, in which HE staining, immunofluorescent staining, western blot and qPCR were conducted to confirm the role of CXCL12 and migrasomes in ASC-mediated tissue regeneration. Characterization of ASC-derived migrasomes were carried out by confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy as well as western blot analysis. The function and mechanism of migrasomes were further testified by assisting tissue regeneration with isolated migrasomes in vivo and by in vitro transwell combined with co-culture system.

Results

Here, we show for the first time that migrasomes participate in soft tissue regeneration. ASCs generate migrasomes enriched with CXCL12 to mediate tissue regeneration. Migrasomes from ASCs could promote stem cells migration by activating CXCR4/RhoA signaling in vivo and in vitro. Chemoattracted ASCs facilitate regeneration, as demonstrated by the upregulation of an adipogenesis-associated protein. This positive feed-back-loop creates a favorable microenvironment for soft tissue regeneration. Thus, migrasomes represent a new therapeutic target for ASC-mediated tissue regeneration.

Conclusions

Our findings reveal a previously unknown function of ASCs in mediating tissue regeneration by generating migrasomes. The ASC-derived migrasomes can restore tissue regeneration by recruiting stem cells, which highlighting the potential application of ASC-derived migrasomes in regenerative medicine.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease increases the risk of complications after radical resection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Xiong Ke-Gong , Ke Kun-Yu , Kong Jin-Feng , Lin Tai-Shun , Lin Qing-Biao , Lin Su , Zhu Yue-Yong
Published: May 2024

Background and aims

The prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is increasing, yet its association with postoperative complications of HCC remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of MAFLD on complications after radical resection in HCC patients.

Methods

Patients with HCC who underwent radical resection were included. Patients were stratified into MAFLD group and non-MAFLD group. Clinical features and post-hepatectomy complications were compared between the two groups, and logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent risk factors associated with post-hepatectomy complications.

Results

Among the 936 eligible patients with HCC who underwent radical resection, concurrent MAFLD was diagnosed in 201 (21.5%) patients. Compared to the non-MAFLD group, the MAFLD group exhibited a higher incidence of complications, including infectious and major complications after radical resection in HCC patients. The logistic regression analysis found that MAFLD was an independent risk factor for complications, including infectious and major complications in HCC patients following radical resection (OR 1.565, 95%CI 1.109–2.343, P = 0.012; OR 2.092, 95%CI 1.386–3.156, P < 0.001; OR 1.859, 95% CI 1.106–3.124, P = 0.019; respectively). Subgroup analysis of HBV-related HCC patients yielded similar findings, and MAFLD patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) exhibited a higher incidence of postoperative complications compared to those without T2DM (all P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Concurrent MAFLD was associated with an increased incidence of complications after radical resection in patients with HCC, especially MAFLD with T2DM.
The clinical effectiveness and safety of Zone III REBOA for resection of sacropelvic tumors in patients older than 70 years
Authors: Zhao Zhiqing , Wang Jichuan , Niu Jianfang , Dong Sen , Shi Jingtian , Yan Taiqiang , Guo Wei , Yang Rongli , Tang Xiaodong
Published: May 2024

Background

REBOA is a method used to manage bleeding during surgery involving sacropelvic tumors. Nevertheless, studies on the use of REBOA among elderly people are lacking. The aim of this research was to investigate the efficacy and safety of Zone III REBOA in patients aged more than 70 years.

Methods

A comparative study was conducted using case-control methods. A group of patients, referred to as Group A, who were younger than 70 years was identified and paired with a comparable group of patients, known as Group B, who were older than 70 years. Continuous monitoring of physiological parameters was conducted, and blood samples were collected at consistent intervals.

Results

Totally, 188 participants were enrolled and received REBOA. Among the 188 patients, seventeen were aged more than 70 years. By implementing REBOA, the average amount of blood loss was only 1427 ml. Experiments were also conducted to compare Group A and Group B. No notable differences were observed in terms of demographic variables, systolic blood pressure (SBP), arterial pH, lactate levels, blood creatinine levels, potassium levels, or calcium levels at baseline. Additionally, after the deflation of the REBOA, laboratory test results, which included arterial pH, lactate, potassium concentration, calcium concentration, and blood creatinine concentration, were not significantly different (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

This study indicated that in selected patients aged more than 70 years can achieve satisfactory hemodynamic and metabolic stability with Zone III REBOA.

Level of evidence

Therapeutic study, Level III.
VEGFR2 blockade inhibits glioblastoma cell proliferation by enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis
Authors: Guo Min , Zhang Junhao , Han Jiang , Hu Yingyue , Ni Hao , Yuan Juan , Sun Yang , Liu Meijuan , Gao Lifen , Liao Wangjun , Ma Chunhong , Liu Yaou , Li Shuijie , Li Nailin
Published: May 2024

Background

Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain tumor linked to significant angiogenesis and poor prognosis. Anti-angiogenic therapies with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) inhibition have been investigated as an alternative glioblastoma treatment. However, little is known about the effect of VEGFR2 blockade on glioblastoma cells per se.

Methods

VEGFR2 expression data in glioma patients were retrieved from the public database TCGA. VEGFR2 intervention was implemented by using its selective inhibitor Ki8751 or shRNA. Mitochondrial biogenesis of glioblastoma cells was assessed by immunofluorescence imaging, mass spectrometry, and western blot analysis.

Results

VEGFR2 expression was higher in glioma patients with higher malignancy (grade III and IV). VEGFR2 inhibition hampered glioblastoma cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis. Mass spectrometry and immunofluorescence imaging showed that the anti-glioblastoma effects of VEGFR2 blockade involved mitochondrial biogenesis, as evidenced by the increases of mitochondrial protein expression, mitochondria mass, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, all of which play important roles in tumor cell apoptosis, growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest and cell senescence. Furthermore, VEGFR2 inhibition exaggerated mitochondrial biogenesis by decreased phosphorylation of AKT and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1α), which mobilized PGC1α into the nucleus, increased mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) expression, and subsequently enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis.

Conclusions

VEGFR2 blockade inhibits glioblastoma progression via AKT-PGC1α-TFAM-mitochondria biogenesis signaling cascade, suggesting that VEGFR2 intervention might bring additive therapeutic values to anti-glioblastoma therapy.
Kernel-based testing for single-cell differential analysis
Authors: Ozier-Lafontaine A. , Fourneaux C. , Durif G. , Arsenteva P. , Vallot C. , Gandrillon O. , Gonin-Giraud S. , Michel B. , Picard F.
Published: May 2024

Single-cell technologies offer insights into molecular feature distributions, but comparing them poses challenges. We propose a kernel-testing framework for non-linear cell-wise distribution comparison, analyzing gene expression and epigenomic modifications. Our method allows feature-wise and global transcriptome/epigenome comparisons, revealing cell population heterogeneities. Using a classifier based on embedding variability, we identify transitions in cell states, overcoming limitations of traditional single-cell analysis. Applied to single-cell ChIP-Seq data, our approach identifies untreated breast cancer cells with an epigenomic profile resembling persister cells. This demonstrates the effectiveness of kernel testing in uncovering subtle population variations that might be missed by other methods.
Remission induced by renal protective therapy in nephrotic syndrome with thin basement membrane in an older patient: a case report
Authors: Yoshida Arisa Mizukawa , Isse Naohi , Shioji Ryoma , Sunami Kazuharu
Published: May 2024

Background

Adult nephrotic syndrome is a well-known kidney disease that causes heavy proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, hypercholesterolemia, edema, and hypertension. The treatment varies according to its underlying cause but often faces medication resistance or adverse drug effects.

Case presentation

A Japanese woman in her 80s presented with nephrotic syndrome after a 3 year latent period of urinary protein and occult blood. She did not have any secondary causes of nephrotic syndrome. Renal biopsy revealed thin glomerular basement membrane, partial foot process fusion on electron microscopy with minor glomerular change on light microscopy, and slight coarse immunoglobulin M deposition in the mesangium on immunofluorescence microscopy, which was inconsistent with any other glomerular diseases. Without steroid treatment, she dramatically remitted from proteinuria after the administration of the renal protective agents enalapril, ezetimibe, rosuvastatin, and dapagliflozin. Recurrence after 8 months of follow-up subsided with the administration of additional doses of the agents.

Conclusions

This case illustrated the novel outcomes of combining medical treatment without steroid use for nephrotic syndrome with thin glomerular basement membrane disease. At the time of writing this report, the patient’s renal function was stable and she was free of edema, although moderate proteinuria and occult hematuria persisted. The final diagnosis was uncertain because of the lack of genetic investigation; however, the response to the aforementioned medical treatment suggests the effectiveness of the supportive therapy.
A novel approach on the sequential type ψ-Hilfer pantograph fractional differential equation with boundary conditions
Authors: Aly Elkhateeb S. , Maheswari M. Latha , Shri K. S. Keerthana , Hamali Waleed
Published: May 2024

This article investigates sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of solutions to the ψ-Hilfer sequential type pantograph fractional boundary value problem. Considering the system depends on a lower-order fractional derivative of an unknown function, the study is carried out in a special working space. Standard fixed point theorems such as the Banach contraction principle and Krasnosel’skii’s fixed point theorem are applied to prove the uniqueness and the existence of a solution, respectively. Finally, an example demonstrating our results with numerical simulations is presented.
Deciphering Müller cell heterogeneity signatures in diabetic retinopathy across species: an integrative single-cell analysis
Authors: Deng Xiyuan , Mo Ya , Zhu Xiuying
Published: May 2024

Diabetic retinopathy (DR), a leading cause of visual impairment, demands a profound comprehension of its cellular mechanisms to formulate effective therapeutic strategies. Our study presentes a comprehensive single-cell analysis elucidating the intricate landscape of Müller cells within DR, emphasizing their nuanced involvement. Utilizing scRNA-seq data from both Sprague–Dawley rat models and human patients, we delineated distinct Müller cell clusters and their corresponding gene expression profiles. These findings were further validated through differential gene expression analysis utilizing human transcriptomic data. Notably, certain Müller cell clusters displayed upregulation of the Rho gene, implying a phagocytic response to damaged photoreceptors within the DR microenvironment. This phenomenon was consistently observed across species. Additionally, the co-expression patterns of RHO and PDE6G within Müller cell clusters provided compelling evidence supporting their potential role in maintaining retinal integrity during DR. Our results offer novel insights into the cellular dynamics of DR and underscore Müller cells as promising therapeutic targets for preserving vision in retinal disorders induced by diabetes.
Midesophageal diverticulum with elevated intrabolus pressure: a case report
Authors: Mihara Kaito , Tsunoda Shigeru , Nishigori Tatsuto , Hisamori Shigeo , Okumura Shintaro , Kasahara Keiko , Fujita Yusuke , Sakamoto Takashi , Morimoto Tomoki , Kinoshita Hiromitsu , Itatani Yoshiro , Hoshino Nobuaki , Okamura Ryosuke , Maekawa Hisatsugu , Hida Koya , Obama Kazutaka
Published: May 2024

Background

Esophageal diverticulum is commonly associated with esophageal motility disorders, which can be diagnosed using high-resolution manometry (HRM) according to the Chicago classification. Although midesophageal diverticulum (M-ED) is associated with inflammatory processes, esophageal motility disorders have been recently identified as an etiology of M-ED.

Case presentation

We present the case of a patient with M-ED and elevated intrabolus pressure (IBP), which did not meet the criteria for esophageal motility disorders according to the Chicago classification. A 71-year-old man presented with gradually worsening dysphagia for two years and was diagnosed as having an 8-cm-long M-ED and multiple small diverticula in lower esophagus. HRM revealed a median integrated relaxation pressure of 14.6 mmHg, a distal latency of 6.4 s, and an average maximum IBP of 35.7 mmHg. He underwent thoracoscopic resection of the M-ED and myotomy, which successfully alleviated the symptoms and reduced the intrabolus pressure to normal levels.

Conclusions

It is important to recognize the esophageal diverticulum pathology with HRM findings even in cases where the results may not meet the Chicago classification and to include myotomy based on the results.
Salvage surgery for pouch-related complication after ileal pouch–anal anastomosis: a report of two cases
Authors: Izutani Yusuke , Ogino Takayuki , Sekido Yuki , Takeda Mitsunobu , Hata Tsuyoshi , Hamabe Atsushi , Miyoshi Norikatsu , Uemura Mamoru , Mizushima Tsunekazu , Doki Yuichiro , Eguchi Hidetoshi
Published: May 2024

Background

Pouch-related complications (PRCs), such as pelvic abscesses and perianal complex fistulas, can occur after ileal pouch–anal anastomosis (IPAA) in ulcerative colitis (UC). They are often difficult to treat and require salvage surgery. We report two cases of PRC associated with fistulas.

Case presentation

First case: A 38-year-old man was diagnosed with UC at age 26 years. Four months after the diagnosis of UC, the patient underwent hand-assisted laparoscopic restorative proctocolectomy, IPAA, and ileostomy for acute fulminant UC. Two years after the closure of the ileostomy, the patient developed a perianal abscess and underwent ileostomy reconstruction. He was referred to our department at 35 years of age, because his symptoms did not improve despite repeated seton drainage of a complicated perineal fistula. We diagnosed PRC with a pelvic abscess and complicated pouch fistula and performed salvage surgery. This diagnosis was revised to Crohn’s disease. Second case: A 50-year-old man was diagnosed with UC at age 18 years and was administered high doses of steroids; however, his symptoms did not improve. He underwent restorative proctocolectomy, IPAA, and ileostomy at another hospital. The ileostomy was closed, and his condition stabilized thereafter. At 35 years of age, perianal pain developed, and he was diagnosed with a complicated pouch–perineal fistula. A fistula was observed near the staple line of the ileal end closure on the head side of the pouch. Reconstruction of the ileostomy and seton drainage were performed; however, his symptoms did not improve, and he was referred to our hospital. We diagnosed PRC with a pelvic abscess and a complicated pouch fistula and performed salvage surgery. The resected specimen showed strictures in two locations: at the oral site of the afferent limb (at the pouch) and at the IPAA. Both patients returned to society and are currently outpatients.

Conclusions

We encountered two cases of PRC after IPAA that did not improve with seton drainage or ileostomy. Pouch resection was performed after considering the patient’s quality of life and reintegration into society.
Exploring the typology of reasoning influencing university teachers’ language teaching and learning strategies
Authors: Alghamdi Abdulmajeed
Published: May 2024

Despite the critical role of reasoning in shaping language teaching and learning strategies in higher education, prior studies have either separately examined reasoning or focused on one specific type thereof and language teaching and learning strategies. To address this gap, this study took a comprehensive approach by examining various types of reasoning in language instruction and their alignment with language teaching strategies in higher education. It adopted a sequential mixed-methods design through two phases of data collection. The study instruments included a mixed-method questionnaire, interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. The quantitative phase collected data from 357 university teachers of Arabic-language disciplines at the university level who completed a mixed-methods questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale and brief written explanation. Exploratory factor analysis, descriptive and inferential analysis of variance and the Scheffé test were used to analyse the quantitative data. In the follow-up qualitative phase, 20 university teachers from the quantitative phase were observed in the classroom and interviewed, and their document tasks were analysed using thematic analysis. The results unveiled four distinct typologies of university teachers’ reasoning closely aligned with their language teaching and learning strategies: inductive, abductive, analogical, and deductive reasoning. Notably, these typologies were associated with cognitive, metacognitive, interactional, and Knowledge strategies. Furthermore, the findings highlighted the intricate interplay and mixture of these typologies, indicating that university teachers do not rely solely on one type or strategy. Finally, the conclusion section outlines critical areas for future research concerning reasoning and language teaching and learning strategies in higher education.
A novel nondestructive detection approach for seed cotton lint percentage using deep learning
Authors: Geng Lijie , Yan Pengji , Ji Zhikun , Song Chunyu , Song Shuaifei , Zhang Ruiliang , Zhang Zhifeng , Zhai Yusheng , Jiang Liying , Yang Kun
Published: May 2024

Background

The lint percentage of seed cotton is one of the most important parameters for evaluating seed cotton quality and affects its price. The traditional measuring method of lint percentage is labor-intensive and time-consuming; thus, an efficient and accurate measurement method is needed. In recent years, classification-based deep learning and computer vision have shown promise in solving various classification tasks.

Results

In this study, we propose a new approach for detecting the lint percentage using MobileNetV2 and transfer learning. The model is deployed on a lint percentage detection instrument, which can rapidly and accurately determine the lint percentage of seed cotton. We evaluated the performance of the proposed approach using a dataset comprising 66 924 seed cotton images from different regions of China. The results of the experiments showed that the model with transfer learning achieved an average classification accuracy of 98.43%, with an average precision of 94.97%, an average recall of 95.26%, and an average F1-score of 95.20%. Furthermore, the proposed classification model achieved an average accuracy of 97.22% in calculating the lint percentage, showing no significant difference from the performance of experts (independent-sample t-test, t = 0.019, P = 0.860).

Conclusion

This study demonstrated the effectiveness of the MobileNetV2 model and transfer learning in calculating the lint percentage of seed cotton. The proposed approach is a promising alternative to traditional methods, providing a rapid and accurate solution for the industry.
Gut microbiome and resistome characterization of pigs treated with commonly used post-weaning diarrhea treatments
Authors: Guitart-Matas Judith , Ballester Maria , Fraile Lorenzo , Darwich Laila , Giler-Baquerizo Noemí , Tarres Joaquim , López-Soria Sergio , Ramayo-Caldas Yuliaxis , Migura-Garcia Lourdes
Published: May 2024

Background

The global burden of antimicrobial resistance demands additional measures to ensure the sustainable and conscious use of antimicrobials. For the swine industry, the post-weaning period is critical and for many years, antimicrobials have been the most effective strategy to control and treat post-weaning related infections. Among them, post-weaning diarrhea causes vast economic losses, as it severely compromises piglets’ health and growth performance. In this study, 210 piglets were transferred from a farm with recurrent cases of post-weaning diarrhea to an experimental farm and divided into six different treatment groups to determine the effect of the different treatments on the growth performance and survival, the microbiome, and the resistome in a cross-sectional and longitudinal study. The different treatments included antimicrobials trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, colistin, and gentamicin, an oral commercial vaccine, a control with water acidification, and an untreated control. An extra group remained at the farm of origin following the implemented amoxicillin routine treatment. A total of 280 fecal samples from pigs at four different sampling times were selected for metagenomics: before weaning-treatment at the farm of origin, and three days, two weeks, and four weeks post-treatment.

Results

The control group with water acidification showed a reduced death risk in the survival analyses and non-significant differences in average daily weight gain in comparison to the antibiotic-treated groups. However, the growth-promoting effect among antibiotic-treated groups was demonstrated when comparing against the untreated control group at the experimental farm. After four weeks of treatment, diversity indexes revealed significantly decreased diversity for the untreated control and the group that remained at the farm of origin treated with amoxicillin. For this last group, impaired microbial diversity could be related to the continuous amoxicillin treatment carried out at the farm. Analysis of the resistome showed that both gentamicin and amoxicillin treatments significantly contributed to the emergence of resistance, while trimethoprim/sulphonamide and colistin did not, suggesting that different treatments contribute differently to the emergence of resistance.

Conclusions

Overall, this shotgun longitudinal metagenomics analysis demonstrates that non-antibiotic alternatives, such as water acidification, can contribute to reducing the emergence of antimicrobial resistance without compromising pig growth performance and gut microbiome.
Enrollment, adherence and retention rates among musculoskeletal disorders rehabilitation practitioners in knowledge translation studies: a systematic review and meta-regression
Authors: Gaid D. , Eilayyan O. , Ahmed S. , Bussières A.
Published: May 2024

Background

Practitioners’ enrollment, adherence, and retention rates influence estimates of effectiveness in knowledge translation (KT) studies and remain important concerns for implementation researchers. This review aimed to systematically summarize the current evidence on feasibility measures as gauged by enrollment, adherence, and retention rates in KT evaluation studies targeting rehabilitation practitioners treating musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

Methods

We searched five electronic databases from the inception to October 2022. We included KT studies that 1) had designs recommended by the Effective Practice and Organisation of Care, 2) targeted rehabilitation practitioners managing patients with MSDs, 3) delivered KT interventions according to the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change classification, and 4) reported on the feasibility measures (e.g., enrollment, adherence, and retention). Descriptive statistics were conducted to report on study-, practitioners- and intervention-related factors influencing enrollment, adherence, and retention rates. Meta-regression weighted by the sample size of included studies was used to estimate the effect of factors on overall enrollment, adherence, and retention rates.

Results

Findings from 33 KT studies reported weighted enrolment, adherence, and retention rate of 82% (range: 32%-100%), 74% (range: 44%-100%), and 65% (range: 36%-100%) respectively for both intervention and control groups. Factors positively influencing enrollment, adherence, and retention rates included designing short study period with short duration intervention.

Conclusions

Intense (e.g., high frequency, short duration) single KT intervention was more appealing for practitioners. Future evaluation studies should clearly report follow-up data, and practitioners’ prior training, Results may not apply to non-MSD healthcare providers.
Evaluating feedback from an implementation advisory board to assess the rollout of a postpartum patient navigation program
Authors: Green Hannah M. , Williams Brittney , Diaz Laura , Carmona-Barrera Viridiana , Davis Ka’Derricka , Feinglass Joe , Kominiarek Michelle A. , Dolan Brigid M. , Grobman William A. , Yee Lynn M.
Published: May 2024

Background

Patient navigation is an individualized intervention to facilitate comprehensive care which has not yet been fully implemented in obstetric or postpartum care.

Methods

We aimed to develop and evaluate a mechanism to incorporate feedback regarding implementation of postpartum patient navigation for low-income birthing individuals at an urban academic medical center. This study analyzed the role of an Implementation Advisory Board (IAB) in supporting an ongoing randomized trial of postpartum navigation. Over the first 24 months of the trial, the IAB included 11 rotating obstetricians, one clinic resource coordinator, one administrative leader, two obstetric nurses, one primary care physician, one social worker, and one medical assistant. Members completed serial surveys regarding program implementation, effects on patient care, and areas for improvement. Quarterly IAB meetings offered opportunities for additional feedback. Survey responses and meeting notes were analyzed using the constant comparative method and further interpreted within the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) Framework.

Results

Members of the IAB returned 37 surveys and participated in five meetings over 24 months. Survey analysis revealed four themes among the inner context: reduced clinician burden, connection of care teams, communication strategies, and clinic workflow. Bridging factors included improved patient access to care, improved follow-up, and adding social context to care. Innovation factors included availability of navigators, importance of consistent communication, and adaptation over time. Meeting notes highlighted the importance of bidirectional feedback regarding implementation, and members expressed positive opinions regarding navigators’ effects on patient care, integration into clinic workflow, and responsiveness to feedback. IAB members initially suggested changes to improve implementation; later survey responses demonstrated successful program adaptations.

Conclusions

Members of an implementation advisory board provided key insights into the implementation of postpartum patient navigation that may be useful to promote dissemination of navigation and establish avenues for the engagement of implementing partners in other innovations.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03922334. Registered April 19, 2019. The results here do not present the results of the primary trial, which is ongoing.
Outcome of MAFLD-related HCC in Egyptian patients: a single center study
Authors: Barakat Eman Mahmoud , Montasser Iman Fawzy , Zaky Doaa Zakaria , Abdelrazik Yasser Arafat , Farid Hoda Mohammed , Dorry Ahmed El , Shaker Mohammed Kamal
Published: May 2024

Background

Globally, MAFLD becomes in the top list of causes of liver disease. Its effect ranges from steatosis, metabolic steato-hepatitis to MAFLD-related cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. There is a growing evidence that MAFLD-related HCC seems to be different from HCCs of other causes pathologically, so the purpose of our study was to assess the effect of MAFLD on the prognosis of HCC regarding outcome after management of HCC and survival rate in comparison to a group of patients with HCV-related HCC.

Results

Twenty-nine patients with MAFLD related HCC were included in group A, while 58 patients with HCV related HCC were enrolled as group B. Both groups were matched regarding age and gender. The mean age in group A and B was 58.86 (±8.47) years and 60/05(± 6.83) years respectively. Comparison between both groups regarding tumor burden and characteristics of HCC, type of management, and post intervention follow-up showed no significant statistical difference between both groups except for lymph node metastases which was higher in patients with HCV related HCC with p = 0.045. Also, a significant difference between both studied groups regarding AFP was detected; the median of AFP in MAFLD-related HCC was (7.2 ng/ml) but much higher in HCV-related HCC group (129.2 ng/ml) with p = 0.001.

Conclusion

Our data showed no significant difference between the two studied groups regarding outcome of HCC or survival rate except for AFP level before and after management which was higher in HCV patients related HCC. Although both of inclusion and exclusion criteria were strict to the criteria, so the number of participants in the research were not large enough; to our knowledge, this is the first study on MAFLD-HCC in Egypt and Africa. More studies on prospective bases are essentially needed to stand on solid conclusion about the nature and outcome of MAFLD-related HCC.
Can Incorporating Molecular Testing Improve the Accuracy of Newborn Screening for Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia?
Authors: Sarafoglou Kyriakie , Gaviglio Amy , Wolf Carrie , Lorentz Cindy P , Lteif Aida , Kyllo Jennifer , Radloff Gretchen , Detwiler Zachary , Cuthbert Carla D , Hodges James S , Grosse Scott D , Greene Christopher N , Cordovado Suzanne
Published: May 2024

Context

Single-tier newborn screening (NBS) for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) using 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP) measured by fluoroimmunoassay (FIA) in samples collected at 24 to 48 hours produces a high false-positive rate (FPR). Second-tier steroid testing can reduce the FPR and has been widely implemented.

Objective

We investigated the accuracy of an alternative multitier CAH NBS protocol that incorporates molecular testing of the CYP21A2 gene and reduces the first-tier 17OHP cutoff to minimize missed cases.

Methods

We create a Minnesota-specific CYP21A2 pathogenic variants panel; developed a rapid, high-throughput multiplex, allele-specific-primer-extension assay; and performed a 1-year retrospective analysis of Minnesota NBS results comparing metrics between a conventional steroid-based 2-tier protocol and a molecular-based multitier NBS protocol, applied post hoc.

Results

CYP21A2 gene sequencing of 103 Minnesota families resulted in a Minnesota-specific panel of 21 pathogenic variants. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention created a molecular assay with 100% accuracy and reproducibility. Two-tier steroid-based screening of 68 659 live births during 2015 resulted in 2 false negatives (FNs), 91 FPs, and 1 true positive (TP). A 3-tier protocol with a lower first-tier steroid cutoff, second-tier 21-variant CYP21A2 panel, and third-tier CYP21A2 sequencing would have resulted in 0 FNs, 52 FPs, and 3 TPs.

Conclusion

Incorporation of molecular testing could improve the accuracy of CAH NBS, although some distinct challenges of molecular testing may need to be considered before implementation by NBS programs.
On Trans Use of the Many Sojourner Truths
Authors: Awkward-Rich Cameron
Published: May 2024

The image of Sojourner Truth addressing the 1851 Women’s Rights Convention has had a long, varied life; her question “Ain’t I a woman?” has circulated in various feminist contexts as a contestation of narrow, misogynist, and white supremacist conceptions of “woman.” This image has likewise been used in twenty-first-century contestations of trans-exclusionary feminisms. This chapter thinks critically about this relatively new trans life of Truth. It queries the rhetorical moves and effects of Truth’s invocation in white trans contexts, arguing that these invocations rely on a structure of analogy with and displacement of race. Further, it considers whether Truth actually posed her membership to “woman” as a question. White trans feminist investment in invoking Truth as the question “ain’t I a woman?” can teach something about the racist logics of liberal trans feminism. The chapter concludes with a turn toward Black trans feminist potentials embedded within the image of Truth.
1970s Trans Feminism as Decolonial Praxis
Authors: Kristjansson Margaux L. , Heaney Emma
Published: May 2024

This chapter proceeds from writings by trans feminine people active in 1970s Trans Liberation political projects in New York City, Philadelphia, and Miami. The chapter was written in the ongoing life of an anti-Black and settler colonial order, where trans feminine life and resistance continue under conditions set by logics of sexual violence, murder, disappearance, and the carcerality of everyday life. In this scene of ongoing dispossession, settler states offer “trans inclusion.” Agents of this state position legislation such as the trans bathroom bills as the representative form of anti-trans violence and recommend legal challenges. As important as these legal efforts are in protecting trans access to public space, delimiting trans struggle to the promise of inclusion in state protection is revealed to be an effort to conscript trans people into the reproduction of the settler nation that is structured by enslavement, genocide, and bureaucratic and carceral enforcement of cisness.
Denaturing Cisness, or, Toward Trans History as Method
Authors: Velocci Beans
Published: May 2024

To counter arguments that transness is a new, illegitimate way of being, historians of transness and nonacademic trans people seek to locate trans individuals in the past. While this approach promises validation, it has unintended consequences. Because trans history developed out of a paradigm that uses genealogies of contemporary categories and tight historicization of identities, it deals with the problem of “who counts” as a subject of trans history. This insistence on a coherent, recognizable trans subject presupposes an ontological gender stability. A search for trans people in the past reproduces a cis/trans binary, where most people’s gender identity or social role naturally mapped onto their sexed body. This renders invisible how all sex and gender—including cisgender—fail to fit into normative taxonomies. Cisness was constructed as arguments about racialized and classed sexual difference, scientific study of bodily anomalies, and gender-norm violations threatened to undermine a binary sex system.
Afterword
Authors: Mitra Durba
Published: May 2024

The afterword addresses a key question that animates this project: how do we write the lifeworlds of trans people who are denied basic access to life at every turn? Abolishing cisness is an ongoing project that refuses the endless demands placed on trans people to be both the crisis and site of redemption for contemporary politics. The contributions to this volume reveal the challenges of this project: the failed promises of historical presence in archives built to reinforce structures of gender difference, the nonconsensual demands of confession, the enduring misuse of political speech, and even the inadequacies of seemingly more transphilic genres of the revelatory memoir or autotheory. The proof of the existence of trans people in the past and present is both essential and insufficient to dismantling cisgender economies that traffic in recognition, disclosure, and the perpetual diagnosis of trans people for easy consumption.
Generation and characterization of mature hepatocyte organoids for liver metabolic studies
Authors: Liu Yuchen , Zhou Yaxing , Ahodantin James , Jin Yu , Zhu Juanjuan , Sun Zhonghe , Wu Xiaolin , Su Lishan , Yang Yingzi
Published: May 2024

Hepatocyte organoids (HOs) generated in vitro are powerful tools for liver regeneration. However, previously reported HOs have mostly been fetal in nature with low expression levels of metabolic genes characteristic of adult liver functions, hampering their application in studies of metabolic regulation and therapeutic testing for liver disorders. Here, we report development of novel culture conditions that combine optimized levels of triiodothyronine (T3) with the removal of growth factors to enable successful generation of mature hepatocyte organoids (MHOs) of both mouse and human origin with metabolic functions characteristic of adult livers. We show that the MHOs can be used to study various metabolic functions including bile and urea production, zonal metabolic gene expression, and metabolic alterations in both alcoholic liver disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, as well as hepatocyte proliferation, injury and cell fate changes. Notably, MHOs derived from human fetal hepatocytes also show improved hepatitis B virus infection. Therefore, these MHOs provide a powerful in vitro model for studies of human liver physiology and diseases. The human MHOs are potentially also a robust research tool for therapeutic development.
A surgical technique for individual control of the muscles of the rabbit lower hindlimb
Authors: Baggaley Michael , Sawatsky Andrew , Ross Stephanie A. , Herzog Walter
Published: May 2024

Little is known regarding the precise muscle, bone and joint actions resulting from individual and simultaneous muscle activation(s) of the lower limb. An in situ experimental approach is described herein to control the muscles of the rabbit lower hindlimb, including the medial and lateral gastrocnemius, soleus, plantaris and tibialis anterior. The muscles were stimulated using nerve-cuff electrodes placed around the innervating nerves of each muscle. Animals were fixed in a stereotactic frame with the ankle angle set at 90 deg. To demonstrate the efficacy of the experimental technique, isometric plantarflexion torque was measured at the 90 deg ankle joint angle at a stimulation frequency of 100, 60 and 30 Hz. Individual muscle torque and the torque produced during simultaneous activation of all plantarflexor muscles are presented for four animals. These results demonstrate that the experimental approach was reliable, with insignificant variation in torque between repeated contractions. The experimental approach described herein provides the potential for measuring a diverse array of muscle properties, which is important to improve our understanding of musculoskeletal biomechanics.