bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The issues on the commercialization of perovskite solar cells
Authors: Zhang Lixiu , Wang Yousheng , Meng Xiangchuan , Zhang Jia , Wu Pengfei , Wang Min , Cao Fengren , Chen Chunhao , Wang Zhaokui , Yang Fu , Li Xiaodong , Zou Yu , Jin Xi , Jiang Yan , Li Hengyue , Liu Yucheng , Bu Tongle , Yan Buyi , Li Yaowen , Fang Junfeng , Xiao Lixin , Yang Junliang , Huang Fuzhi , Liu Shengzhong , Yao Jizhong , Liao Liangsheng , Li Liang , Zhang Fei , Zhan Yiqiang , Chen Yiwang , Mai Yaohua , Ding Liming
Published: March 2024

Perovskite solar cells have aroused a worldwide research upsurge in recent years due to their soaring photovoltaic performance, ease of solution processing, and low cost. The power conversion efficiency record is constantly being broken and has recently reached 26.1% in the lab, which is comparable to the established photovoltaic technologies such as crystalline silicon, copper indium gallium selenide and cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cells. Currently, perovskite solar cells are standing at the entrance of industrialization, where huge opportunities and risks coexist. However, towards commercialization, challenges of up-scaling, stability and lead toxicity still remain, the proper handling of which could potentially lead to the widespread adoption of perovskite solar cells as a low-cost and efficient source of renewable energy. This review gives a holistic analysis of the path towards commercialization for perovskite solar cells. A comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art level for perovskite solar cells and modules will be introduced first, with respect to the module efficiency, stability and current status of industrialization. We will then discuss the challenges that get in the way of commercialization and the corresponding strategies to address them, involving the upscaling, the stability and the lead toxicity issue. Insights into the future direction of commercialization of perovskite photovoltaics was also provided, including the flexible perovskite cells and modules and perovskite indoor photovoltaics. Finally, the future perspectives towards commercialization are put forward.
Acute alcohol ingestion decreases the work done above the end-test power during a 3-min all-out cycling exercise
Authors: dos Santos Danilo França Conceição , Wanner Samuel Penna , de Paula Rodolfo Ferreira , Zanetti Gustavo Oliveira , de Oliveira Donizete Cícero Xavier , Orsatti Fabio Lera , Teixeira-Coelho Francisco
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Alcohol ingestion influences metabolism during a subsequent exercise session, as evidenced by increased blood lactate concentration during fixed-intensity exercise. Therefore, augmented blood concentrations of alcohol may interfere with the anaerobic metabolism during high-intensity, short-duration exercise bout, thereby leading to impaired athletic performance.

Objective

This study investigated whether the acute ingestion of alcohol as ethanol modulates performance parameters derived from the power–duration relationship in a 3-min all-out cycling test that allows for identifying the power output related to heavy and severe exercise intensities.

Methods

Twenty-four recreationally active cyclists (16 men and 8 women) ingested a beverage containing either 0.4 g ethanol.kg−1 body mass (EtOH) or a placebo (PLA) solution. Thirty minutes following ingestion, they completed a 3-min all-out test to measure power output and determine the end-test power (EP) and the work done above EP (WEP).

Results

Alcohol ingestion decreased WEP by 16% (EtOH: 5.6 ± 2.5 kJ vs. PLA: 6.7 ± 2.4 kJ; P = .003) but did not change EP (EtOH: 211 ± 44 W vs. PLA: 212 ± 44 W; P = .671). The alcohol-mediated effect in WEP was not influenced when controlling for participants’ sex or accuracy in identifying the beverage ingested.

Conclusion

Our data indicate that alcohol ingestion impaired the anaerobic work capacity, as evidenced by the reduction in WEP during the 3-min all-out test. Moreover, the ability to exercise at an intensity above the heavy domain may be decreased after ingestion of a moderate alcohol dose.
NIEND: neuronal image enhancement through noise disentanglement
Authors: Zhao Zuo-Han , Liu Lijuan , Liu Yufeng
Published: March 2024

Motivation

The full automation of digital neuronal reconstruction from light microscopic images has long been impeded by noisy neuronal images. Previous endeavors to improve image quality can hardly get a good compromise between robustness and computational efficiency.

Results

We present the image enhancement pipeline named Neuronal Image Enhancement through Noise Disentanglement (NIEND). Through extensive benchmarking on 863 mouse neuronal images with manually annotated gold standards, NIEND achieves remarkable improvements in image quality such as signal-background contrast (40-fold) and background uniformity (10-fold), compared to raw images. Furthermore, automatic reconstructions on NIEND-enhanced images have shown significant improvements compared to both raw images and images enhanced using other methods. Specifically, the average F1 score of NIEND-enhanced reconstructions is 0.88, surpassing the original 0.78 and the second-ranking method, which achieved 0.84. Up to 52% of reconstructions from NIEND-enhanced images outperform all other four methods in F1 scores. In addition, NIEND requires only 1.6 s on average for processing 256 × 256 × 256-sized images, and images after NIEND attain a substantial average compression rate of 1% by LZMA. NIEND improves image quality and neuron reconstruction, providing potential for significant advancements in automated neuron morphology reconstruction of petascale.

Availability and implementation

The study is conducted based on Vaa3D and Python 3.10. Vaa3D is available on GitHub (https://github.com/Vaa3D). The proposed NIEND method is implemented in Python, and hosted on GitHub along with the testing code and data (https://github.com/zzhmark/NIEND). The raw neuronal images of mouse brains can be found at the BICCN’s Brain Image Library (BIL) (https://www.brainimagelibrary.org). The detailed list and associated meta information are summarized in Supplementary Table S3.
HyperTMO: a trusted multi-omics integration framework based on hypergraph convolutional network for patient classification
Authors: Wang Haohua , Lin Kai , Zhang Qiang , Shi Jinlong , Song Xinyu , Wu Jue , Zhao Chenghui , He Kunlun
Published: March 2024

Motivation

The rapid development of high-throughput biomedical technologies can provide researchers with detailed multi-omics data. The multi-omics integrated analysis approach based on machine learning contributes a more comprehensive perspective to human disease research. However, there are still significant challenges in representing single-omics data and integrating multi-omics information.

Results

This article presents HyperTMO, a Trusted Multi-Omics integration framework based on Hypergraph convolutional network for patient classification. HyperTMO constructs hypergraph structures to represent the association between samples in single-omics data, then evidence extraction is performed by hypergraph convolutional network, and multi-omics information is integrated at an evidence level. Last, we experimentally demonstrate that HyperTMO outperforms other state-of-the-art methods in breast cancer subtype classification and Alzheimer’s disease classification tasks using multi-omics data from TCGA (BRCA) and ROSMAP datasets. Importantly, HyperTMO is the first attempt to integrate hypergraph structure, evidence theory, and multi-omics integration for patient classification. Its accurate and robust properties bring great potential for applications in clinical diagnosis.

Availability and implementation

HyperTMO and datasets are publicly available at https://github.com/ippousyuga/HyperTMO
Evaluation of the association between tetracycline-class antibiotic use in patients with acne and idiopathic intracranial hypertension risk: a population-level cohort study
Authors: Thang Christopher J , Garate David , O’Leary ​Sean , Golovko George , Wilkerson Michael G , Barbieri John S
Published: March 2024

We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study on the TriNetX US Collaborative Network to investigate whether tetracycline-class antibiotic exposure is associated with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) development in people with acne. Doxycycline exposure conferred a significantly decreased risk of IIH compared with minocycline, and minocycline exposure was associated with a significantly increased risk of IIH compared with nonsystemic acne treatment. Our findings underscore the need to carefully consider the use of minocycline in acne treatment.
Psychometric evaluation of the multidimensional Uraemic Pruritus in Dialysis patients (UP-Dial) scale: comparison of haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients with chronic pruritus
Authors: Nochaiwong Surapon , Ruengorn Chidchanok , Thavorn Kednapa , Noppakun Kajohnsak , Sood Manish M , Knoll Greg A , Bernstein Jonathan A , Szepietowski Jacek C , Chuamanochan Mati
Published: March 2024

Background

High-quality patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures for dialysis patients with chronic pruritus are urgently needed. However, no known, well-validated multidimensional tools have been investigated to measure pruritus symptoms in dialysis patients.

Objectives

To examine the psychometric properties of a multidimensional tool of chronic pruritus, the Uraemic Pruritus in Dialysis patients (UP-Dial) 14-item scale, by comparing haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis modality.

Methods

This validation study used data from the Thai Renal Outcomes Research-Uraemic Pruritus, a prospective, multicentre, longitudinal study. Data for this study were collected from 1 February 2019 to 31 May 2022. The adult sample of 226 haemodialysis and 327 peritoneal dialysis patients fulfilled the criteria of chronic pruritus based on the International Forum for the Study of Itch. Psychometric properties of the UP-Dial included validity and reliability, as measured across haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients. Patients completed a set of anchor-based measurement tools, including global itching, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), EuroQoL-5 dimension-5 level (EQ-5D-5L), Kidney Disease Quality of Life-36 (KDQOL-36), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), global fatigue, Somatic Symptom Scale-8 (SSS-8) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9).

Results

From the patient’s perspective, face validity was satisfactory for both dialysis samples. Psychometric analyses of the UP-Dial for each dialysis sample had good convergent validity. Spearman rho correlations indicate a positively strong correlation (0.73–0.74) with global itching, a positively moderate correlation (0.33–0.58) with DLQI, PSQI, global fatigue, SSS-8 and PHQ-9, and a negatively moderate correlation (–0.39 to –0.58) with EQ-5D-5L and KDQOL-36. The discriminant validity was satisfactory with a group of moderate and severe burden of pruritus for both dialysis samples. For scale reliability, the UP-Dial revealed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.89 and McDonald’s ω = 0.90) and reproducibility (intraclass correlation 0.84–0.85) for both dialysis samples. Regarding psychometric properties, no statistically significant differences between dialysis samples were observed (all P > 0.05).

Conclusions

The findings reaffirm good measurement properties of the UP-Dial 14-item scale in haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients with chronic pruritus. These suggest a transferability of the UP-Dial as a PRO measure in clinical trial and practice settings.
Potential digenic inheritance of SERPINB7 and SERPINA12 variants in Chinese patients with Nagashima-type palmoplantar keratosis
Authors: Liu Yihe , Liu Juan , Chen Yuqi , Mo Ran , Xiang Ruiyu , Song Zhongya , Yang Yong , Chen Zhiming
Published: March 2024

Nagashima-type palmoplantar keratosis, caused by biallelic loss-of-function variants in SERPINB7, is the most prevalent palmoplantar keratoderma in East Asia and manifests as diffuse palmoplantar erythema and hyperkeratosis. We report four different variants of SERPINA12 in six Chinese individuals and identified the recurrent variant c.970_971del as a founder variant among East Asians.
Blockade of interleukin-13 signalling improves skin barrier function and biology in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis
Authors: Sander Nicole , Stölzl Dora , Fonfara Melina , Hartmann Jan , Harder Inken , Suhrkamp Ina , Jakaša Ivone , van den Bogaard Ellen , van Vlijmen-Willems Ivonne , Szymczak Silke , Rodriguez Elke , Gerdes Sascha , Weidinger Stephan
Published: March 2024

Background

Interleukin (IL)-13 is a key driver of inflammation and barrier dysfunction in atopic dermatitis (AD). While there is robust evidence that tralokinumab – a monoclonal antibody that neutralizes IL-13 – reduces inflammation and clinical disease activity, less is known about its effects on barrier function.

Objectives

To characterize the effects of tralokinumab treatment on skin barrier function.

Methods

Transepidermal water loss (TEWL), stratum corneum hydration (SCH), natural moisturizing factor content, histopathological characteristics, biomarker expression and microbiome composition were evaluated in lesional, nonlesional and sodium lauryl sulfate-irritated skin of 16 patients with AD over the course of 16 weeks of tralokinumab treatment.

Results

All clinical severity scores decreased significantly over time. At week 16, mean TEWL in target lesions decreased by 33% (P = 0.01) and SCH increased by 58% (P = 0.004), along with a histological reduction in spongiosis (P = 0.003), keratin 16 expression and epidermal thickness (P = 0.001). In parallel, there was a significant decrease in several barrier dysfunction-associated and proinflammatory proteins such as fibronectin (P = 0.006), CCL17/TARC (P = 0.03) and IL-8 (P = 0.01), with significant changes seen as early as week 8. Total bacterial load and Staphylococcus aureus abundance were significantly reduced from week 2.

Conclusions

Tralokinumab treatment improved skin physiology, epidermal pathology and dysbiosis, further highlighting the pleiotropic role of IL-13 in AD pathogenesis.
Exploration of a Potential DOOR Endpoint for Hospital-acquired Bacterial Pneumonia and Ventilator-associated Bacterial Pneumonia Using Six Registrational Trials for Antibacterial Drugs
Authors: Kinamon Tori , Waack Ursula , Needles Mark , Rubin Daniel , Collyar Deborah , Doernberg Sarah B , Evans Scott R , Hamasaki Toshimitsu , Holland Thomas L , Howard-Anderson Jessica , Chambers Henry , Fowler Vance G , Nambiar Sumati , Kim Peter , Boucher Helen W , Gopinath Ramya
Published: March 2024

Background

Desirability of outcome ranking (DOOR) is an innovative approach to clinical trial design and analysis that uses an ordinal ranking system to incorporate the overall risks and benefits of a therapeutic intervention into a single measurement. Here we derived and evaluated a disease-specific DOOR endpoint for registrational trials for hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (HABP/VABP).

Methods

Through comprehensive examination of data from nearly 4000 participants enrolled in six registrational trials for HABP/VABP submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) between 2005 and 2022, we derived and applied a HABP/VABP specific endpoint. We estimated the probability that a participant assigned to the study treatment arm would have a more favorable overall DOOR or component outcome than a participant assigned to comparator.

Results

DOOR distributions between treatment arms were similar in all trials. DOOR probability estimates ranged from 48.3% to 52.9% and were not statistically different. There were no significant differences between treatment arms in the component analyses. Although infectious complications and serious adverse events occurred more frequently in ventilated participants compared to non-ventilated participants, the types of events were similar.

Conclusions

Through a data-driven approach, we constructed and applied a potential DOOR endpoint for HABP/VABP trials. The inclusion of syndrome-specific events may help to better delineate and evaluate participant experiences and outcomes in future HABP/VABP trials and could help inform data collection and trial design.
Directed acyclic graphs in clinical research
Authors: Dekkers Olaf M , Laugesen Kristina , Groenwold Rolf H H
Published: March 2024

Directed acyclic graphs (DAGs), or causal diagrams, are graphical representations of causal structures that can be used in medical research to understand and illustrate potential bias, including bias arising from confounding, selection, and misclassification. Further, they provide guidance for researchers about how to address a potential bias.
Mouse Genome Informatics: an integrated knowledgebase system for the laboratory mouse
Authors: Baldarelli Richard M , Smith Cynthia L , Ringwald Martin , Richardson Joel E , Bult Carol J ,   Mouse Genome Informatics Group, Anagnostopoulos Anna , Begley Dale A , Bello Susan M , Christie Karen , Finger Jacqueline H , Hale Paul , Hayamizu Terry F , Hill David P , Knowlton Michelle N , Krupke Debra M , McAndrews Monica , Law Meiyee , McCright Ingeborg J , Ni Li , Onda Hiroaki , Sitnikov Dmitry , Smith Constance M , Tomczuk Monika , Wilming Laurens , Xu Jingxia , Zhu Yunxia , Blodgett Olin , Campbell Jeffrey W , Corbani Lori E , Frost Peter , Giannatto Sharon C , Miers David B , Motenko Howie , Neuhauser Steven B , Shaw David R , Butler Nancy E , Ormsby Janice E
Published: March 2024

Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI) is a federation of expertly curated information resources designed to support experimental and computational investigations into genetic and genomic aspects of human biology and disease using the laboratory mouse as a model system. The Mouse Genome Database (MGD) and the Gene Expression Database (GXD) are core MGI databases that share data and system architecture. MGI serves as the central community resource of integrated information about mouse genome features, variation, expression, gene function, phenotype, and human disease models acquired from peer-reviewed publications, author submissions, and major bioinformatics resources. To facilitate integration and standardization of data, biocuration scientists annotate using terms from controlled metadata vocabularies and biological ontologies (e.g. Mammalian Phenotype Ontology, Mouse Developmental Anatomy, Disease Ontology, Gene Ontology, etc.), and by applying international community standards for gene, allele, and mouse strain nomenclature. MGI serves basic scientists, translational researchers, and data scientists by providing access to FAIR-compliant data in both human-readable and compute-ready formats. The MGI resource is accessible at https://informatics.jax.org. Here, we present an overview of the core data types represented in MGI and highlight recent enhancements to the resource with a focus on new data and functionality for MGD and GXD.
What is new in FungiDB: a web-based bioinformatics platform for omics-scale data analysis for fungal and oomycete species
Authors: Basenko Evelina Y , Shanmugasundram Achchuthan , Böhme Ulrike , Starns David , Wilkinson Paul A , Davison Helen R , Crouch Kathryn , Maslen Gareth , Harb Omar S , Amos Beatrice , McDowell Mary Ann , Kissinger Jessica C , Roos David S , Jones Andrew
Published: March 2024

FungiDB (https://fungidb.org) serves as a valuable online resource that seamlessly integrates genomic and related large-scale data for a wide range of fungal and oomycete species. As an integral part of the VEuPathDB Bioinformatics Resource Center (https://veupathdb.org), FungiDB continually integrates both published and unpublished data addressing various aspects of fungal biology. Established in early 2011, the database has evolved to support 674 datasets. The datasets include over 300 genomes spanning various taxa (e.g. Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Chytridiomycota, Mucoromycota, as well as Albuginales, Peronosporales, Pythiales, and Saprolegniales). In addition to genomic assemblies and annotation, over 300 extra datasets encompassing diverse information, such as expression and variation data, are also available. The resource also provides an intuitive web-based interface, facilitating comprehensive approaches to data mining and visualization. Users can test their hypotheses and navigate through omics-scale datasets using a built-in search strategy system. Moreover, FungiDB offers capabilities for private data analysis via the integrated VEuPathDB Galaxy platform. FungiDB also permits genome improvements by capturing expert knowledge through the User Comments system and the Apollo genome annotation editor for structural and functional gene curation. FungiDB facilitates data exploration and analysis and contributes to advancing research efforts by capturing expert knowledge for fungal and oomycete species.
Real-World Effectiveness of Ustekinumab in Ulcerative Colitis in a United States Multicenter Cohort Consortium
Authors: Yarur Andres J , Ungaro Ryan , Huang Katherine , Wang Wenfei , Sasankan Priya , Zulqarnain Mir , Johnson Amanda M , Bader Geoffrey , Kay Carl , Costable Nicholas , Dulaney David , Fenster Marc , Beniwal-Patel Poonam , Syal Gaurav , Patel Anish , Loftus Jr Edward , Pekow Joel , Cohen Benjamin , Deepak Parakkal
Published: March 2024

Background

Pivotal trials have shown that ustekinumab is effective in ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the population included in these trials do not represent the cohort of patients treated in the real world. In this study, we aimed to describe the effectiveness and safety of ustekinumab in a clinical cohort of patients with UC.

Methods

We performed a multicenter retrospective cohort study and included patients with active UC starting ustekinumab. Variables collected included demographics, clinical data, and disease activity (measured using partial Mayo score [PMS] and endoscopic Mayo score) at follow-up. The primary outcomes were cumulative rates of steroid-free clinical and biochemical remission (SFCBR), defined as a PMS <2 while off steroids and a normal C-reactive protein and/or fecal calprotectin.

Results

A total of 245 patients met inclusion criteria. The median time of follow-up was 33 (interquartile range, 17-53) weeks, and 214 (87.3%) had previous exposure to a biologic and/or tofacitinib. Rates of SFCBR, clinical remission, and endoscopic remission at 6 and 12 months were 12.0% (n = 16 of 139), 29.0% (n = 71 of 175), and 18.0% (n = 7 of 39), and 23.8% (n = 15 of 63), 54.3% (n = 57 of 105), and 31.0% (n = 9 of 29), respectively. Non-Hispanic White race, higher baseline PMS, and the use of concomitant corticosteroids were independently associated with failure to achieve SFCBR. Of the 73 that were dose escalated, 28.4% did not respond, 49.3% experienced a benefit, and 21.6% achieved remission.

Conclusions

In a population enriched with refractory UC, ustekinumab was well tolerated and induced remission in a significant number of patients. Larger studies with a longer follow-up are warranted.
Obituary: Patrick Wyndham Hanks
Authors: Rundell Michael
Published: March 2024

Though best known for his extensive and often transformative writings on lexicography and corpus linguistics, Patrick Hanks was also a career lexicographer with a strong track record of managing a string of groundbreaking dictionaries. His experience at the lexicographic coalface led him to question dictionary conventions, especially when the corpus data seemed to be at odds with traditional approaches to identifying and explaining meanings. His ideas about meaning potentials, his focus on ‘the probable not the possible’, and his Theory of Norms and Exploitations all arose directly from the experience of analysing corpus data in order to describe how words behave and combine. He was involved in almost every major development in our field over the last 50 years, and his influence will continue to be felt for as long as people are analysing language and making dictionaries.
Clonal Expansion of a Streptococcus pneumoniae Serotype 3 Capsule Variant Sequence Type 700 With Enhanced Vaccine Escape Potential After 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Introduction
Authors: Kalizang'oma Akuzike , Swarthout Todd D , Mwalukomo Thandie S , Kamng’ona Arox , Brown Comfort , Msefula Jacquline , Demetriou Hayley , Chan Jia Mun , Roalfe Lucy , Obolski Uri , Lourenço Jose , Goldblatt David , Chaguza Chrispin , French Neil , Heyderman Robert S
Published: March 2024

Background

Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 3 remains a problem globally. Malawi introduced 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in 2011, but there has been no direct protection against serotype 3 carriage. We explored whether vaccine escape by serotype 3 is due to clonal expansion of a lineage with a competitive advantage.

Methods

The distribution of serotype 3 Global Pneumococcal Sequence Clusters (GPSCs) and sequence types (STs) globally was assessed using sequences from the Global Pneumococcal Sequencing Project. Whole-genome sequences of 135 serotype 3 carriage isolates from Blantyre, Malawi (2015–2019) were analyzed. Comparative analysis of the capsule locus, entire genomes, antimicrobial resistance, and phylogenetic reconstructions were undertaken. Opsonophagocytosis was evaluated using serum samples from vaccinated adults and children.

Results

Serotype 3 GPSC10-ST700 isolates were most prominent in Malawi. Compared with the prototypical serotype 3 capsular polysaccharide locus sequence, 6 genes are absent, with retention of capsule polysaccharide biosynthesis. This lineage is characterized by increased antimicrobial resistance and lower susceptibility to opsonophagocytic killing.

Conclusions

A serotype 3 variant in Malawi has genotypic and phenotypic characteristics that could enhance vaccine escape and clonal expansion after post-PCV13 introduction. Genomic surveillance among high-burden populations is essential to improve the effectiveness of next-generation pneumococcal vaccines.
The Mercurial Commitment: Revisiting the Unintended Consequences of Military Humanitarian Intervention and Anti-Atrocity Norms
Authors: Sawada Hiroto
Published: March 2024

The debate on whether military humanitarian intervention and anti-atrocity norms, such as the responsibility to protect, cause perverse incentives, and provocative violence by a rebel group, has yet to reach a consensus. Specifically, existing theories are unable to fully explain why “emboldened” rebel groups provoke the government in some cases but not others. This paper reconciles this unresolved debate by arguing that it is not anti-atrocity norms but the temporary feasibility of humanitarian intervention that induces the potential rebel group to actually provoke the government. The inherent temporariness of the feasibility of large-scale intervention causes a commitment problem: An expectation of a temporary intervention shifts the balance of power toward a potential rebel and opens a quickly closing window of opportunity. A three-player game shows that, among other findings, a higher probability of humanitarian intervention alleviates the potential rebel’s incentive to fight, implying that the criticism of anti-atrocity norms is a “false charge.” The model also (i) explains why weaker groups can rebel in the shadow of external intervention and (ii) presents a novel implication that lowering the intervention cost can exacerbate the adverse incentive when a domestic commitment problem caused by the consolidation of government power is not severe.
Diversity without Adversity? Ethnic Bias toward Refugees in a Co-Religious Society
Authors: Getmansky Anna , Matakos Konstantinos , Sinmazdemir Tolga
Published: March 2024

What shapes the host population’s willingness to accept refugees into social, economic, and political life in their country? We argue that refugees’ ethnicity plays a key role—both directly and indirectly—in shaping support for having refugees as neighbors and for granting them a work permit or citizenship. Fielding a conjoint experiment in Turkey (N = 2,362), we find that locals discriminate against Syrian Arab and Kurdish refugees compared to Turkomans. Although a university degree, social ties with locals, and knowledge of language boost prorefugee attitudes, ethnic bias may attenuate their effect. For example, local language knowledge increases support for Arab refugee profiles, but only when it comes to granting them a work permit, but not having them as neighbors or granting citizenship. In contrast, it increases support for profiles of Turkomans and Kurds in all the three domains. Thus, strategies such as learning the local language may not advance all refugees in all domains.
Elitist Remedies? Complaint Resources and Representation in International Human Rights Bodies
Authors: Steinert Christoph Valentin
Published: March 2024

This article investigates determinants of representation in international human rights bodies. It is argued that socioeconomic factors shape whether human rights abuses translate into complaints to international human rights mechanisms. To seek international remedy, victims of human rights abuse must be aware of remedies, and they require complaint literacy to file complaints. Alternatively, they need ties to skilled networks that might represent their cases. Such complaint resources are systematically shaped by socioeconomic factors, implying that international human rights remedies tend to represent a self-selection of economic elites. The theoretical claims are tested both on the national and individual levels with novel data on the human rights complaint mechanisms operated by the UN Special Procedures (UNSP). While this mechanism is universally open, the follow-up statements of the UNSP reflect socioeconomic disparities both on the national and individual levels. On the national level, human rights abuses translate into more UNSP statements directed at richer countries. On the individual level, lawyers and professors tend to be more likely to be covered by the UNSP. The findings contribute to our understanding of representation in international human rights remedies, suggesting that these mechanisms struggle to reach marginalized groups in low-income countries.
The National Healthcare Safety Network’s digital quality measures: CDC’s automated measures for surveillance of patient safety
Authors: Shehab Nadine , Alschuler Liora , McILvenna Sean , Gonzaga Zabrina , Laing Andrew , deRoode David , Dantes Raymund B , Betz Kristina , Zheng Shuai , Abner Sheila , Stutler Elizabeth , Geimer Rick , Benin Andrea L
Published: March 2024

Objective

This article presents the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)’s approach to automation for public health surveillance using digital quality measures (dQMs) via an open-source tool (NHSNLink) and piloting of this approach using real-world data in a newly established collaborative program (NHSNCoLab). The approach leverages Health Level Seven Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) application programming interfaces to improve data collection and reporting for public health and patient safety beginning with common, clinically significant, and preventable patient harms, such as medication-related hypoglycemia, healthcare facility-onset Clostridioides difficile infection, and healthcare-associated venous thromboembolism.

Conclusions

The NHSN’s FHIR dQMs hold the promise of minimizing the burden of reporting, improving accuracy, quality, and validity of data collected by NHSN, and increasing speed and efficiency of public health surveillance.
An innovative framework for supporting content-based authorship identification and analysis in social media networks
Authors: Gaviria de la Puerta José , Pastor-López Iker , Tellaeche Alberto , Sanz Borja , Sanjurjo-González Hugo , Cuzzocrea Alfredo , Bringas Pablo G
Published: March 2024

Content-based authorship identification is an emerging research problem in online social media networks, due to a wide collection of issues ranging from security to privacy preservation, from radicalization to defamation detection, and so forth. Indeed, this research has attracted a relevant amount of attention from the research community during the past years. The general problem becomes harder when we consider the additional constraint of identifying the same false profile over different social media networks, under obvious considerations. Inspired by this emerging research challenge, in this paper we propose and experimentally assess an innovative framework for supporting content-based authorship identification and analysis in social media networks.
Extracellular sombrero vesicles are hallmarks of eosinophilic cytolytic degranulation in tissue sites of human diseases
Authors: Neves Vitor H , Palazzi Cinthia , Malta Kássia K , Bonjour Kennedy , Kneip Felipe , Dias Felipe F , Neves Josiane S , Weller Peter F , Melo Rossana C N
Published: March 2024

Eosinophil sombrero vesicles are large tubular carriers resident in the cytoplasm of human eosinophils, identifiable by transmission electron microscopy, and important for immune mediator transport. Increased formation of sombrero vesicles occurs in activated eosinophils in vitro and in vivo. In tissue sites of eosinophilic cytolytic inflammation, extracellular eosinophil sombrero vesicles are noted, but their frequency and significance in eosinophil-associated diseases remain unclear. Here, we performed comprehensive quantitative transmission electron microscopy analyses and electron tomography to investigate the numbers, density, integrity, and 3-dimensional structure of eosinophil sombrero vesicles in different biopsy tissues from 5 prototypic eosinophil-associated diseases (eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis/nasal sinuses, ulcerative colitis/intestines, hypereosinophilic syndrome/skin, dermatitis/skin, and schistosomiasis/rectum). The morphology of extracellular eosinophil sombrero vesicles was also compared with that of cytoplasmic eosinophil sombrero vesicles, isolated by subcellular fractionation from peripheral blood eosinophils. We demonstrated that (i) eosinophil cytolysis, releasing intact sombrero vesicles and membrane-bound granules, is a consistent event in all eosinophil-associated diseases; (ii) eosinophil sombrero vesicles persist intact even after complete disintegration of all cell organelles, except granules (late cytolysis); (iii) the eosinophil sombrero vesicle population, composed of elongated, curved, and typical sombreros, and the eosinophil sombrero vesicle 3-dimensional architecture, diameter, and density remain unchanged in the extracellular matrix; (iv) free eosinophil sombrero vesicles closely associate with extracellular granules; and (v) free eosinophil sombrero vesicles also associate with externalized chromatin during eosinophil ETosis. Remarkably, eosinophil sombrero vesicles appeared on the surface of other cells, such as plasma cells. Thus, eosinophil cytolysis/ETosis can secrete intact sombrero vesicles, alongside granules, in inflamed tissues of eosinophil-associated diseases, potentially serving as propagators of eosinophil immune responses after cell death.
(401) Insertion of A 2-Piece Inflatable Penile Prosthesis with Combined General and Regional Anesthesia
Authors: Hampel G , Pincus J , Koller C , Arnett Z , Raheem O
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Inflatable penile prosthesis placement is widely used for treatment of medically refractory erectile dysfunction. In patients with prior pelvic or abdominal surgery, use of a 2-piece inflatable penile prosthesis avoids the need for placement of a reservoir in the pelvis, which can be a complicated procedure due to possible retropubic scarring. A pudendal nerve block can be employed as a regional anesthesia strategy for penile surgery to reduce use of intraoperative and postoperative opiates.

Objective

This video covers the placement of a 2-piece inflatable penile prosthesis under general and regional anesthesia in a patient with a complex surgical history.

Methods

The video demonstrates a step-by-step technique for the pudendal nerve block and placement of the 2-piece prosthesis.

Results

A 63-year-old male with history of multiple abdominal and pelvic surgeries was treated severe, refractory ED with insertion of a 2-piece inflatable penile prosthesis under general and regional anesthesia. He did not require any intraoperative opiates. He had a normal and uneventful postoperative recovery with a reduced postoperative opiate requirement. The prosthesis cycled properly four weeks after surgery.

Conclusions

In select patients undergoing insertion of a penile prosthesis, the use of a pudendal nerve block in combination with general anesthesia can reduce the perioperative opiate requirement.

Disclosure

No
Carbohydrate distribution via SWEET17 is critical for Arabidopsis inflorescence branching under drought
Authors: Valifard Marzieh , Khan Azkia , Berg Johannes , Le Hir Rozenn , Pommerrenig Benjamin , Neuhaus H Ekkehard , Keller Isabel
Published: March 2024

Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters (SWEETs) are the most recently discovered family of plant sugar transporters. By acting as uniporters, SWEETs facilitate the diffusion of sugars across cell membranes and play an important role in various physiological processes such as abiotic stress adaptation. AtSWEET17, a vacuolar fructose facilitator, was shown to be involved in the modulation of the root system during drought. In addition, previous studies have shown that overexpression of an apple homolog leads to increased drought tolerance in tomato plants. Therefore, SWEET17 might be a molecular element involved in plant responses to drought. However, the role and function of SWEET17 in above-ground tissues of Arabidopsis under drought stress remain elusive. By combining gene expression analysis and stem architecture with the sugar profiles of different above-ground tissues, we uncovered a putative role for SWEET17 in carbohydrate supply and thus cauline branch elongation, especially during periods of carbon limitation, as occurs under drought stress. Thus, SWEET17 seems to be involved in maintaining efficient plant reproduction under drought stress conditions.
Prevalence of Pain With Movement in Active Duty US Army Soldiers
Authors: Emberton Jennifer S , Adams Benjamin G , Hotaling Brittany R , Zosel Kristen L , Grist Stephen M , Henderson Nancy , Kardouni Joseph , Westrick Richard B
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Soldiers must be able to perform a multitude of physically demanding tasks as part of their regular duty, but their physical readiness is often degraded due to pain and musculoskeletal injury (MSKI). The presence of pain with movement has been associated with increased MSKI risk in Soldiers. Improved awareness of the prevalence of painful movements in uninjured Soldiers could help inform Army injury mitigation efforts. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of pain with movement in a population of healthy active duty Soldiers.

Materials and Methods

The Selective Functional Movement Assessment—Top Tier Movements (SFMA-TTM), active range of motion (AROM) of the hips and shoulders, and the elicitation of pain with movement were measured in 268 healthy US Army Soldiers. Descriptive statistics were generated for the number of painful movements for each measure and inferential statistics; independent t-test and one-way independent analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for analysis of the other measures.

Results

Greater than half (59%) of the participants reported pain with at least 1 movement and more than 41% reported pain with 2 or more movements. Soldiers reported a mean of 1.35 painful movements on the SFMA-TTM assessment and a mean of 1.54 painful AROM movements.

Conclusions

Pain with functional movement patterns was common across a sample of uninjured Soldiers. The presence of pain with movement warrants further evaluation as it may impact a Soldier’s physical performance, risk for future injury, and overall quality of life.
A serendipitous discovery of H i-rich galaxy groups with MeerKAT
Authors: Glowacki M , Albrow L , Reynolds T , Elson E , Mahony E K , Allison J R
Published: March 2024

We report on the serendipitous discovery of 49 H i-rich galaxies in a 2.3 h Open Time observation with MeerKAT. We present their properties including their H i masses, intensity and velocity maps, and spectra. We determine that at least three H i-rich galaxy groups have been detected, potentially as part of a supergroup. Some members of these galaxy groups show clear interaction with each other in their H i emission. We cross-match the detections with PanSTARRS, Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, and Galaxy Evolution Explorer, and obtain stellar masses and star formation rates. One source is found to be a potential OH megamaser, but further follow-up is required to confidently determine this. For six sources with sufficient spatial resolution in H i, we produce rotation curves with BBarolo, generate mass models, and derive a dark matter halo mass. While the number of galaxies detected in this relatively short pointing appears to be at the high end of expectations compared to other MeerKAT observations and group H i mass function studies, this finding highlights the capability of MeerKAT for other serendipitous discoveries, and the potential for many more H i-rich galaxies to be revealed within both existing and upcoming Open Time data sets.
Opportunities and challenges of lupus care in Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific: A call to action
Authors: Mysler Eduardo , Monticielo Odirlei Andre , Al-Homood Ibrahim Abdulrazaq , Lau Chak Sing , Hussein Heselynn , Chen Yi-Hsing
Published: March 2024

Lupus remains a disease with a low prioritisation in the national agendas of many countries in Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, where there is a dearth of rheumatologists and limited access to new or even standard lupus treatments. There is thus an important need for education, advocacy, and outreach to prioritise lupus in these regions to ensure that patients receive the care they need. This article reviews some of the specific challenges facing the care and management of people with lupus in these regions and suggests strategies for improving patient outcomes. Specifically, we review and discuss (with a focus on the aforementioned regions) the epidemiology of lupus; economic costs, disease burden, and effects on quality of life; barriers to care related to disease assessment; barriers to effective treatment, including limitations of standard treatments, high glucocorticoid use, inadequate access to new treatments, and low adherence to medications; and strategies to improve lupus management and patient outcomes. We hope that this represents a call to action to come together and act now for the lupus community, policymakers, health authorities, and healthcare professionals to improve lupus management and patient outcomes in Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
Differences in Pertussis Incidence by Race and Ethnicity in the United States, 2010–2017
Authors: Patel Jaymin C , Cole Matthew , Rubis Amy B , Burzalff Kari , Cruz Victor , Edge Karen , Kudish Kathy , Liko Juventila , Pena Sandra , Thomas Ebony S , Skoff Tami H , McNamara Lucy A
Published: March 2024

Background

An increased pertussis burden has been demonstrated among Hispanic or Latino and American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) infants. However, data on potential disparities among other age and racial groups are limited.

Methods

We analyzed pertussis cases reported through Enhanced Pertussis Surveillance from 2010 to 2017. Pertussis and severe pertussis incidence were calculated by race (White, Black or African American, AI/AN, and Asian or Pacific Islanders), ethnicity (Hispanic or Latino and non-Hispanic or non-Latino), and age.

Results

Compared with White persons, overall incidence was lower among Black or African American (incidence rate ratio [IRR], .57; 95% confidence interval [CI], .53-.61), AI/AN (IRR, 0.65; 95% CI, .58-.72), and Asian or Pacific Islander persons (IRR, 0.39; 95% CI, .35-.43). Overall incidence of pertussis was higher (1.5-fold; 95% CI, 1.37-1.60) among Hispanic or Latino compared with non-Hispanic or non-Latino adults, potentially related to household size or lower pertussis vaccine uptake among adult Hispanic or Latino cases. Severe pertussis incidence was similar among Black or African American and AI/AN persons compared with White persons. Among infants, severe pertussis incidence was 1.4-fold higher (95% CI, 1.03-1.82) among Black or African American infants than among White infants, and 2.1-fold higher (95% CI, 1.67-2.57) among Hispanic or Latino infants than non-Hispanic or non-Latino infants.

Conclusions

The contrast between lower reported incidence but similar or higher severe pertussis incidence among Black or African American and AI/AN persons compared with White persons warrants further investigation and may reflect underdiagnosis or underreporting of mild disease.
Asynchronous Video Directly Observed Therapy to Monitor Short-Course Latent Tuberculosis Infection Treatment: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Garfein Richard S , Liu Lin , Cepeda Javier , Graves Susannah , San Miguel Stacie , Antonio Antonette , Cuevas-Mota Jazmine , Mercer Valerie , Miller McKayla , Catanzaro Donald G , Rios Phillip , Raab Fredric , Benson Constance A
Published: March 2024

Background

Observing medication ingestion through self-recorded videos (video directly observed therapy [VDOT]) has been shown to be a cost-effective alternative to in-person directly observed therapy (DOT) for monitoring adherence to treatment for tuberculosis disease. VDOT could be a useful tool to monitor short-course latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) treatment.

Methods

We conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial comparing VDOT (intervention) and clinic-based DOT (control) among patients newly diagnosed with LTBI who agreed to a once-weekly 3-month treatment regimen of isoniazid and rifapentine. Study outcomes were treatment completion and patient satisfaction. We also assessed costs. Pre- and posttreatment interviews were conducted.

Results

Between March 2016 and December 2019, 130 participants were assigned to VDOT (n = 68) or DOT (n = 62). Treatment completion (73.5% vs 69.4%, P = .70) and satisfaction with treatment monitoring (92.1% vs 86.7%, P = .39) were slightly higher in the intervention group than the control group, but neither was statistically significant. VDOT cost less per patient (median, $230; range, $182−$393) vs DOT (median, $312; range, $246−$592) if participants used their own smartphone.

Conclusions

While both groups reported high treatment satisfaction, VDOT was not associated with higher LTBI treatment completion. However, VDOT cost less than DOT. Volunteer bias might have reduced the observed effect since patients opposed to any treatment monitoring could have opted for alternative unobserved regimens. Given similar outcomes and lower cost, VDOT may be useful for treatment monitoring when in-person observation is prohibited or unavailable (eg, during a respiratory disease outbreak). The trial was registered at the National Institutes of Health (ClinicalTrials.gov NTC02641106).

Clinical Trials Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NTC02641106; registered 24 October 2016.