bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent advances in availability and synthesis of the economic costs of biological invasions
Authors: Ahmed Danish A , Haubrock Phillip J , Cuthbert Ross N , Bang Alok , Soto Ismael , Balzani Paride , Tarkan Ali Serhan , Macêdo Rafael L , Carneiro Laís , Bodey Thomas W , Oficialdegui Francisco J , Courtois Pierre , Kourantidou Melina , Angulo Elena , Heringer Gustavo , Renault David , Turbelin Anna J , Hudgins Emma J , Liu Chunlong , Gojery Showkat A , Arbieu Ugo , Diagne Christophe , Leroy Boris , Briski Elizabeta , Bradshaw Corey J A , Courchamp Franck
Published: August 2023

Biological invasions are a global challenge that has received insufficient attention. Recently available cost syntheses have provided policy- and decision makers with reliable and up-to-date information on the economic impacts of biological invasions, aiming to motivate effective management. The resultant InvaCost database is now publicly and freely accessible and enables rapid extraction of monetary cost information. This has facilitated knowledge sharing, developed a more integrated and multidisciplinary network of researchers, and forged multidisciplinary collaborations among diverse organizations and stakeholders. Over 50 scientific publications so far have used the database and have provided detailed assessments of invasion costs across geographic, taxonomic, and spatiotemporal scales. These studies have provided important information that can guide future policy and legislative decisions on the management of biological invasions while simultaneously attracting public and media attention. We provide an overview of the improved availability, reliability, standardization, and defragmentation of monetary costs; discuss how this has enhanced invasion science as a discipline; and outline directions for future development.
Legacies of Change: Probation Staff Experiences of the Unification of Services in England and Wales
Authors: Tidmarsh Matt
Published: August 2023

A discourse of professionalism has proved crucial to driving recent organizational restructurings of the probation service in England and Wales. The Coalition Government argued that bureaucratic, state provision of services had stifled probation practice—for which the introduction of market logic, via the 2014 Transforming Rehabilitation (TR) reforms, would restore professional discretion. And yet, the detrimental impact of TR on practice meant that re-professionalization was an important objective of yet more restructuring. This paper explores probation staff experiences of organizational change, particularly since services were returned to the public sector, in June 2021, through three dominant modes of workplace organization around which change has been articulated: professionalism, the market and bureaucracy. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 38 members of staff, it argues that the exercise of professionalism in probation has been, and continues to be, shaped by a legacy of organizational change that is both bureaucratic and dependent upon market(-like) mechanisms. It contends that the ongoing impact of a ‘discursive battle’ between market and bureaucratic forces has further eroded professionalism in probation.
Definitions of Histological Abnormalities in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: an ECCO Position Paper
Authors: Feakins Roger , Borralho Nunes Paula , Driessen Ann , Gordon Ilyssa O , Zidar Nina , Baldin Pamela , Christensen Britt , Danese Silvio , Herlihy Naoimh , Iacucci Marietta , Loughrey Maurice B , Magro Fernando , Mookhoek Aart , Svrcek Magali , Rosini Francesca
Published: August 2023

Histological assessment of endoscopic biopsies in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] plays an important role in clinical management, investigative studies, and clinical trials. Scoring schemes consisting of multiple histological items and offering considerable precision are widely available. However, definitions of histological abnormalities are often inconsistent. Furthermore, interobserver variability for their recognition and assessment may be high.

The European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation [ECCO] formed an expert panel to explore definitions of histological abnormalities in IBD, with the aim of improving the quality of diagnosis and facilitating development of scoring schemes. The process confirmed that the current definitions often have no evidence base and vary between sources. Using available evidence and expert knowledge, the panel produced a series of ECCO consensus position statements on histological features in IBD.
First myocardial infarction in patients with premature coronary artery disease: insights into patient characteristics and outcome after treatment with contemporary stents
Authors: Pinxterhuis Tineke H , Ploumen Eline H , Doggen Carine J M , Hartmann Marc , Schotborgh Carl E , Anthonio Rutger L , Roguin Ariel , Danse Peter W , Benit Edouard , Aminian Adel , Linssen Gerard C M , von Birgelen Clemens
Published: August 2023

Aims

Patients with premature coronary artery disease (CAD) have a higher incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) than patients with non-premature CAD. The aim of the present study is to asess differences in clinical outcome after a first acute MI, percutaneously treated with new-generation drug-eluting stents between patients with premature and non-premature CAD.

Methods and results

We pooled and analysed the characteristics and clinical outcome of all patients with a first MI (and no previous coronary revascularization) at time of enrolment, in four large-scale drug-eluting stent trials. Coronary artery disease was classified premature in men aged <50 and women <55 years. Myocardial infarction patients with premature and non-premature CAD were compared. The main endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE): all-cause mortality, any MI, emergent coronary artery bypass surgery, or clinically indicated target lesion revascularization. Of 3323 patients with a first MI, 582 (17.5%) had premature CAD. These patients had lower risk profiles and underwent less complex interventional procedures than patients with non-premature CAD. At 30-day follow-up, the rates of MACE [hazard ratio (HR): 0.22, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.07–0.71; P = 0.005), MI (HR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.05–0.89; P = 0.020), and target vessel failure (HR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.11–0.82; P = 0.012) were lower in patients with premature CAD. At 1 year, premature CAD was independently associated with lower rates of MACE (adjusted HR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.26–0.96; P = 0.037) and all-cause mortality (adjusted HR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.06–0.98; P = 0.046). At 2 years, premature CAD was independently associated with lower mortality (adjusted HR: 0.16, 95% CI: 0.05–0.50; P = 0.002).

Conclusions

First MI patients with premature CAD, treated with contemporary stents, showed lower rates of MACE and all-cause mortality than patients with non-premature CAD, which is most likely related to differences in cardiovascular risk profile.

TWENTE trials: TWENTE I, clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01066650), DUTCH PEERS (TWENTE II, NCT01331707), BIO-RESORT (TWENTE III, NCT01674803), and BIONYX (TWENTE IV, NCT02508714)
Insights into the mechanism of mycelium transformation of streptomyces toxytricini into pellet
Authors: Kumar Punit , Yadav Khushboo , Rajput Deepanshi , Dubey Kashyap Kumar
Published: August 2023

Formation of the mycelial pellet in submerged cultivation of Streptomycetes is unwanted in industrial fermentation processes as it imposes mass transfer limitations, changes in the rheology of a medium, and affects the production of secondary metabolites. Though detailed information is not available about the factors involved in regulating mycelial morphology, it is studied that culture conditions and genetic information of strain play a crucial role. Moreover, the proteomic study has revealed the involvement of low molecular weight proteins such as; DivIVA, FilP, ParA, Scy, and SsgA proteins in apical growth and branching of hyphae which results in the establishment of the mycelial network. The present study proposes the mechanism of pellet formation of Streptomyces toxytricini (NRRL B-5426) with the help of microscopic and proteomic analysis. The microscopic analysis revealed that growing hyphae contain a bud-like structure behind the apical tip, which follows a certain organized path of growth and branching, which was further converted into the pellet when shake flask to the shake flask inoculation was performed. Proteomic analysis revealed the production of low molecular weight proteins ranging between 20-95 kDa, which are involved in apical growth and hyphae branching, and can possibly participate in the regulation of pellet morphology.
Satisfaction With Children’s Achievements and Health Outcomes in a Sample of Community Older Adults in Nigeria
Authors: Olawa Babatola Dominic
Published: August 2023

Background and Objectives

In most African societies with little or no social welfare services for older adults, many parents regard their children as personal investments and security for the future. As a result, satisfaction with children’s achievements may be necessary for older parents’ physical and mental health. This study examined the association between satisfaction with adult children’s achievements (SACA) and health outcomes (regarding somatic health, self-rated health, anxiety, and depression) in a sample of Nigerian older adults.

Research Design and Methods

By using the multistage sampling technique in a cross-sectional survey, 465 older adults (mean age = 74.18 ± 9.42) consisting of 294 women were selected from 14 rural communities in a State in Nigeria. Data were collected using validated instruments and analyzed using multiple linear regression and multigroup analyses in SPSS AMOS.

Results

High SACA was significantly associated with low somatic health problems, positive self-rated health, and low levels of anxiety and depression, even after controlling for sociodemographic factors, children’s support, social engagement, and loneliness. Further analyses indicated that the relationship between SACA and depression was only significant in women and more robust in the widowed. Also, SACA was associated with somatic health among the married but not the widowed. The level of children’s support was not a significant moderator.

Discussion and Implications

Parents can experience positive emotions and, consequently, good health from being satisfied with their children’s achievements regardless of perceived children’s support. Assessing SACA may aid in better diagnoses and formulation of a more effective clinical intervention to improve the well-being of older adults in developing societies.
Multifaceted roles of LhWRKY44 in promoting anthocyanin accumulation in Asiatic hybrid lilies (Lilium spp.)
Authors: Bi Mengmeng , Liang Rui , Wang Jiawen , Qu Yuxiao , Liu Xin , Cao Yuwei , He Guoren , Yang Yue , Yang Panpan , Xu Leifeng , Ming Jun
Published: August 2023

The Asiatic hybrid lily (Lilium spp.) is a horticultural crop with high commercial value and diverse anthocyanin pigmentation patterns. However, the regulatory mechanism underlying lily flower color has been largely unexplored. Here, we identified a WRKY transcription factor from lily tepals, LhWRKY44, whose expression was closely associated with anthocyanin accumulation. Functional verification indicated that LhWRKY44 positively regulated anthocyanin accumulation. LhWRKY44 physically interacted with LhMYBSPLATTER and directly bound to the LhMYBSPLATTER promoter, which enhanced the effect of the LhMYBSPLATTER-LhbHLH2 MBW complex activator on anthocyanin accumulation. Moreover, EMSA and dual-luciferase assays revealed that LhWRKY44 activated and bound to the promoters of gene LhF3H and the intracellular anthocyanin-related glutathione S-transferase gene LhGST. Interestingly, our further results showed that LhWRKY44 participated in light and drought-induced anthocyanin accumulation, and improved the drought tolerance in lily via activating stress-related genes. These results generated a multifaceted regulatory mechanism for the LhWRKY44-meditaed enhancement by the environmental signal pathway of anthocyanin accumulation and expanded our understanding of the WRKY-mediated transcriptional regulatory hierarchy modulating anthocyanin accumulation in Asiatic hybrid lilies.
Who Gets Sick From COVID-19? Sociodemographic Correlates of Severe Adult Health Outcomes During Alpha- and Delta-Variant Predominant Periods: September 2020–November 2021
Authors: Wei Stanley C , Freeman Dane , Himschoot Austin , Clarke Kristie E N , Van Dyke Miriam E , Adjemian Jennifer , Ahmad Farida B , Benoit Tina J , Berney Kevin , Gundlapalli Adi V , Hall Aron J , Havers Fiona , Henley S Jane , Hilton Charity , Johns Dylan , Opsomer Jean D , Pham Huong T , Stuckey Matthew J , Taylor Christopher A , Jones Jefferson M
Published: August 2023

Background

Because COVID-19 case data do not capture most SARS-CoV-2 infections, the actual risk of severe disease and death per infection is unknown. Integrating sociodemographic data into analysis can show consequential health disparities.

Methods

Data were merged from September 2020 to November 2021 from 6 national surveillance systems in matched geographic areas and analyzed to estimate numbers of COVID-19–associated cases, emergency department visits, and deaths per 100 000 infections. Relative risks of outcomes per infection were compared by sociodemographic factors in a data set including 1490 counties from 50 states and the District of Columbia, covering 71% of the US population.

Results

Per infection with SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19–related morbidity and mortality were higher among non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native persons, non-Hispanic Black persons, and Hispanic or Latino persons vs non-Hispanic White persons; males vs females; older people vs younger; residents in more socially vulnerable counties vs less; those in large central metro areas vs rural; and people in the South vs the Northeast.

Discussion

Meaningful disparities in COVID-19 morbidity and mortality per infection were associated with sociodemography and geography. Addressing these disparities could have helped prevent the loss of tens of thousands of lives.
High-grain diet feeding alters ileal microbiota and disrupts bile acid metabolism in lactating dairy cows
Authors: Lai Zheng , Zhan Xiaoxiu , Lin Limei , Zhang Jiyou , Qi Weibiao , Yang Huisheng , Mao Shengyong , Jin Wei
Published: August 2023

Bile acids (BAs) play an important role in the regulation of lipid metabolic homeostasis, but little is known about their metabolism in dairy cows fed a high-grain (HG) diet. In the present study, we examined the bacterial community, BA profile, and the FXR/FGF19 signaling pathway in the ileum and liver to investigate the gut microbe-BA metabolism interactions response to HG diet and the changes in the subsequent enterohepatic circulation of dairy cows. The results showed that the ileal bacterial community was altered, with an increase of Paraclostridium, Anaerobutyricum, Shuttleworthia, and Stomatobaculum in the relative abundance in the HG group. Moreover, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) showed that the abundance of total bacteria and bacterial bile-salt hydrolase (BSH) genes was increased in the ileal digesta in the HG group. Meanwhile, HG feeding also decreased the total BA content in the digesta of jejunum and ileum and in feces. HG feeding altered the BA profile in the ileal digesta by increasing unconjugated BAs and decreasing conjugated BAs. In addition, the intestinal FXR/FGF19 signaling pathway was activated. The expression of CYP7A1 (cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase) was depressed, which inhibited BAs synthesis in the liver of cows fed HG. Overall, HG feeding altered the ileal bacterial community and BA profile, and activated FXR/FGF19 signaling pathway, resulting in a decrease of BA level in the ileal digesta via the inhibition of hepatic BA synthesis. The findings provided novel insights into understanding the relationship between gut microbiota and the homeostasis of BAs in dairy cows fed a HG diet.
Anthropogenic uranium signatures in turtles, tortoises, and sea turtles from nuclear sites
Authors: Conrad Cyler , Inglis Jeremy , Wende Allison , Sanborn Matthew , Mukundan Nilesh , Price Allison , Tenner Travis , Wurth Kimberly , Naes Benjamin , Fair Jeanne , Middlebrook Earl , Gaukler Shannon , Whicker Jeffrey , Gerard Jamie L , Aguilera Washington Tapia , Gibbs James P , Wolf Blair , Kattil-deBrum Tonie K , Hagemann Molly , Seminoff Jeffrey A , Brys Timothy , Brown Rafe , Derieg Katrina M
Published: August 2023

Chelonians (turtles, tortoises, and sea turtles) grow scute keratin in sequential layers over time. Once formed, scute keratin acts as an inert reservoir of environmental information. For chelonians inhabiting areas with legacy or modern nuclear activities, their scute has the potential to act as a time-stamped record of radionuclide contamination in the environment. Here, we measure bulk (i.e. homogenized scute) and sequential samples of chelonian scute from the Republic of the Marshall Islands and throughout the United States of America, including at the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range, southwestern Utah, the Savannah River Site, and the Oak Ridge Reservation. We identify legacy uranium (235U and 236U) contamination in bulk and sequential chelonian scute that matches known nuclear histories at these locations during the 20th century. Our results confirm that chelonians bioaccumulate uranium radionuclides and do so sequentially over time. This technique provides both a time series approach for reconstructing nuclear histories from significant past and present contexts throughout the world and the ability to use chelonians for long-term environmental monitoring programs (e.g. sea turtles at Enewetok and Bikini Atolls in the Republic of the Marshall Islands and in Japan near the Fukushima Daiichi reactors).
Aecial and Telial Host Specificity of Puccinia coronata var. coronata, a Eurasian Crown Rust Fungus of Two Highly Invasive Wetland Species in North America
Authors: Greatens Nicholas , Jin Yue , Olivera Firpo Pablo Daniel
Published: August 2023

The Eurasian crown rust fungus Puccinia coronata var. coronata (Pcc) was recently reported in North America and is widespread across the Midwest and Northeast United States. Pcc is a close relative of major pathogens of oats, barley, and turfgrasses. It infects two highly invasive wetland plants, glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus) and reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea), and could be useful as an augmentative biological control agent. We conducted large greenhouse trials to assess the host specificity of Pcc and determine any threat to cultivated cereals, turfgrasses, or native North American species. A total of 1,830 accessions of cereal crop species and 783 accessions of 110 other gramineous species were evaluated. Young plants were first inoculated with a composite uredinial inoculum derived from aecia. Accessions showing sporulation were further tested with pure urediniospore isolates. Sixteen potential aecial hosts in the families Rhamnaceae and Elaeagnaceae were tested for susceptibility through inoculation with germinating teliospores. Thirteen grass species within five genera in the tribe Poeae (Apera, Calamagrostis, Lamarckia, Phalaris, and Puccinellia) and four species in Rhamnaceae (Frangula alnus, F. californica, F. caroliniana, and Rhamnus lanceolata) were found to be susceptible to Pcc, with some species native to North America. All assessed crop species and turfgrasses were resistant. Limited sporulation, however, was observed on some resistant species within Poeae and four other tribes: Brachypodieae, Bromeae, Meliceae, and Triticeae. Among these species are oats, barley, and Brachypodium distachyon, suggesting the possible use of Pcc in studies of nonhost resistance.
Timing of Colposcopy and Risk of Cervical Cancer
Authors: Alimena Stephanie , Lykken Jacquelyn M. , Tiro Jasmin A. , Chubak Jessica , Kamineni Aruna , Haas Jennifer S. , Werner Claudia , Kobrin Sarah C. , Feldman Sarah
Published: August 2023

OBJECTIVE:

To quantify the association between time to colposcopy and risk of subsequent cervical cancer.

METHODS:

A longitudinal analysis of patients aged 21–79 years with an abnormal cervical cancer test result from health care systems in Texas, Massachusetts, and Washington was performed. The outcome was a cervical cancer diagnosis 12 months or more after the abnormal result. The primary analysis compared receipt of colposcopy within 3 months (91 days or less) with receipt of colposcopy at 3–12 months (92–365 days) and no colposcopy within 12 months of the abnormal test result; post hoc analyses compared colposcopy within 12 months (365 days or less) with no colposcopy within 12 months. Associations were assessed with multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression controlling for age, risk status, result severity, and health care system.

RESULTS:

Of 17,541 patients, 53.3% of patients received colposcopy within 3 months, 22.2% received colposcopy in 3–12 months, and 24.6% had no colposcopy within 12 months. One hundred forty-seven patients were diagnosed with cervical cancer within 12 months and removed from subsequent analyses. Sixty-five patients (0.4%) were diagnosed with cervical cancer more than 1 year (366 days or more) after the abnormal Pap or human papillomavirus test result. The risk of cervical cancer detection more than 1 year after the abnormal test result was not different in patients who received colposcopy within 3–12 months (hazard ratio [HR] 1.07, 95% CI 0.54–2.12) and higher among patients with no colposcopy within 12 months (HR 2.34, 95% CI 1.33–4.14) compared with patients who had colposcopy within 3 months. Post hoc analyses showed that the risk of cervical cancer diagnosis was 2.29-fold higher among those without colposcopy within 12 months compared with those who received colposcopy within 12 months (95% CI 1.37–3.83); among patients with high-grade cytology results, the risk of cervical cancer detection among those without colposcopy within 12 months was 3.12-fold higher compared with those who received colposcopy within 12 months (95% CI 1.47–6.70).

CONCLUSION:

There was no difference in cervical cancer risk at more than 1 year between patients who received colposcopy within 3 months compared with those who received colposcopy within 3–12 months of an abnormal result. Patients who did not receive colposcopy within 12 months of an abnormal result had a higher risk of subsequent cervical cancer compared with those who received a colposcopy within 12 months.
Psoriasis increases retinal vein occlusion risk in diabetic patients: A nationwide population-based study
Authors: Lee Mee Yon , Han Kyungdo , Koo Ha Yeh Rin , Yu Dong Soo , Lee Young Bok
Published: August 2023

Purpose:

The objective of this research is to explore how psoriasis is linked to the occurrence of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) in diabetic population.

Methods:

This was a retrospective, nationwide, population-based cohort study that examined medical records from January 2009 to December 2012. The study focused on patients ≥ 20 years of age who had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). We compared the incidence rate of RVO between a group of patients with psoriasis and a group of patients without psoriasis until December 2018 in all subjects.

Results:

Of 2,745,689 type 2 DM patients, 23,725 patients were classified in the psoriasis group, and the rest of 2,547,121 individuals in the control group. A total of 497 RVO cases occurred in psoriasis group (3.14 per 1000 person-years) and 42,388 RVO cases in controls (2.44 per 1000 person-years). According to multivariable Cox proportional hazard models, individuals with psoriasis had a significantly greater risk of developing RVO compared to controls (hazard ratio: 1.216, 95% confidence interval: 1.11–1.33) after adjustments for covariates.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrated that psoriasis was an independent risk factor for developing RVO in DM patients. Therefore, physicians need to be vigilant for the occurrence of RVO in DM patients who also have psoriasis.
Ups and downs in PCSK9 inhibition in the cardiovascular arena: a review
Authors: McClintick Daniel J. , Giugliano Robert P.
Published: August 2023

Purpose of review

This article reviews PCSK9 inhibitors (PCSK9i) with a focus on clinically relevant studies published in the last 18 months.

Recent findings

Prespecified subgroup evaluations, secondary analyses, and open-label extension studies from the two landmark trials, FOURIER and ODYSSEY Outcomes, have provided new data on the safety and efficacy of the monoclonal PCSK9 antibodies evolocumab and alirocumab. Recent studies of PCSK9i early in ACS and post percutaneous coronary intervention have explored early effects on biomarkers and plaque morphology with various imaging modalities. Two large outcome trials with PCSK9i in lower risk patients without prior myocardial infarction or stroke are ongoing and could expand the eligible population for these potent therapies. Additionally, novel methods to inhibit PCSK9 using oral administration, vaccination, and gene therapy are in various stages of clinical development.

PCSK9i represent a potent class of lipid-lowering therapies that are well tolerated and effective in a wide group of patients with high-risk atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Ongoing studies of PCSK9i in patients at lower risk and with acute myocardial infarction have the potential to broaden their indication. Alternative methods of PCSK9i are being evaluated and could provide easier and less expensive options for this important class of medication.
Adjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer after neo-adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy and surgery: A retrospective study in Vietnamese patients
Authors: Tran Thang , Van Nguyen Huy , Thi Nguyen Hoa , Van Nguyen Hung
Published: August 2023

Background:

Advances in preoperative chemoradiotherapy and surgical techniques offered improvements in rates of locoregional recurrence but did not address distant metastasis. Traditionally, adjuvant chemotherapy has been administered with the goal of limiting systemic recurrences.

Objective:

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer after preoperative chemoradiotherapy and surgery.

Methods:

From January 2017 to December 2018, 103 patients diagnosed with clinical stage II or III rectal cancer received adjuvant chemotherapy with capecitabine or XELOX regimens after neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy and total mesorectal excision. Overall survival, disease-free survival, and toxicity were analyzed.

Results:

The median follow-up time was 52.5 months (6.5–66.8 months). The mean 3-year disease-free survival and 3-year overall survival were 86.2% (95% CI: 82.8–89.6) and 92.2% (95% CI: 86.9–97.5), respectively. The rate of hematologic and nonhematologic toxicity was low, mostly grades 1 and 2 including anemia, leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, and liver enzymes elevations were 85.4, 50.5, 42.8, and 45.6%, respectively.

Conclusion:

The capecitabine and XELOX regimen in adjuvant settings for rectal cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery was a safe and effective modality. Further randomized trials need to be conducted to evaluate the role of postoperative therapy for these individuals.
Velopharyngeal Function Change after 2-Jaw Orthognathic Surgery in Patients with Cleft: A Study of 162 Consecutive Cases
Authors: Su Chun-Lin , Pai Betty C. J. , Wang Shu-Hui , Yun Claudia , Lo Lun-Jou
Published: August 2023

Background:

Orthognathic surgery (OGS) is a common intervention used to correct midfacial hypoplasia in patients with cleft. Previous studies have reported that Le Fort I maxillary advancement may affect velopharyngeal function, but similar investigations focusing on 2-jaw OGS have not been conducted.

Methods:

A total of 162 consecutive patients with cleft lip and palate who underwent 2-jaw OGS between 2015 and 2020 were enrolled. Clinical data were collected, and preoperative and postoperative skeletal measurements were obtained from cephalometric images. Velopharyngeal function was evaluated using perceptual analysis and nasopharyngoscopy. A logistic regression model was used for risk factors associated with changes in velopharyngeal function.

Results:

After 2-jaw OGS, 82.1% of patients showed no change in velopharyngeal function, 3.7% experienced improvement, and 14.2% exhibited worsening of function. Changes in velopharyngeal function were statistically significant compared with velopharyngeal status before OGS. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that the amount of maxillary advancement independently predicted the deterioration of velopharyngeal function after OGS (odds ratio, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.20–2.52; P = 0.004). The receiver operating characteristic curve based on maxillary advancement demonstrated good discrimination, with an area under the curve of 0.727 (95% CI, 0.62–0.83; P = 0.001). The Youden index was 4.27 mm.

Conclusions:

Despite the risk of velopharyngeal function deterioration in patients with cleft palate undergoing OGS, some individuals experienced improved function after 2-jaw OGS. The extent of maxillary advancement has a negative effect on velopharyngeal function.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:

Therapeutic, III.
Duhuo Jisheng Decoction Regulates Intracellular Zinc Homeostasis by Enhancing Autophagy via PTEN/Akt/mTOR to Improve Knee Cartilage Degeneration
Authors: Wang Ye-Hui , Zhou Yi , Gao Xiang , Sun Sheng , Xie Yi-Zhou , Hu You-Peng , Fu Yang , Fan Xiao-Hong , Xie Quan
Published: August 2023

Background

Articular cartilage degeneration as well as cartilage matrix degradation is one of the key pathological changes in the early stage of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). However, currently, there are limited early prevention and treatment options available. Duhuo Jisheng Decoction (DHJSD) is a formula fromBei Ji Qian jin Yao Fangcompiled by Sun Simiao in the Tang Dynasty of China. As a complementary therapy, it is widely used to treat early-stage KOA in China, but its mechanism has not been fully elucidated.

Objective

This study is aiming at investigating the potential role and mechanism of DHJSD in protecting cartilage from degradation.

Methods

The mechanism of DHJSD in alleviating OA was explored by gene silencing technology combined with a series of functional experiments in primary rat chondrocytes. Next, 25 wistar rats were used to validate the results obtainedin vitro. The PTEN, Akt, mTOR, MMP13, Zn, collagen II, autophagy and apoptosis were determined.

Results

DHJSD reduced the phosphorylation of Akt and mTOR and the expression of zinc, MMP13, Bax and Bcl2. DHJSD increased the level of autophagy and the expression of autophagy proteins LC3 and Beclin1. After silencing PTEN gene, the phosphorylation levels of Akt and mTOR and the effects of Bax, Bcl2, LC3 and Beclin1 were weakened by DHJSD. DHJSD increased the formation of autophagosomes in chondrocytes. Histopathological staining revealed that DHJSD had a protective effect on cartilage.

Conclusion

DHJSD inhibits Akt/mTOR signaling pathway by targeting PTEN to promote autophagy in chondrocytes, which may be closely to repress the formation of MMP-13 by regulating the level of zinc in chondrocytes.
Structural basis for the ligand recognition and signaling of free fatty acid receptors
Authors: Zhang Xuan , Guseinov Abdul-Akim , Jenkins Laura , Li Kunpeng , Tikhonova Irina G. , Milligan Graeme , Zhang Cheng
Published: August 2023

Free fatty acid receptors 1-4 (FFA1-4) are class A G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). FFA1-3 share substantial sequence similarity whereas FFA4 is unrelated. Despite this FFA1 and FFA4 are activated by the same range of long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) whilst FFA2 and FFA3 are instead activated by short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) generated by the intestinal microbiota. Each of FFA1, 2 and 4 are promising targets for novel drug development in metabolic and inflammatory conditions. To gain insights into the basis of ligand interactions with, and molecular mechanisms underlying activation of, FFAs by LCFAs and SCFAs, we determined the active structures of FFA1 and FFA4 bound to the polyunsaturated LCFA docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), FFA4 bound to the synthetic agonist TUG-891, as well as SCFA butyrate-bound FFA2, each complexed with an engineered heterotrimeric Gqprotein (miniGq), by cryo-electron microscopy. Together with computational simulations and mutagenesis studies, we elucidated the similarities and differences in the binding modes of fatty acid ligands with varying chain lengths to their respective GPCRs. Our findings unveil distinct mechanisms of receptor activation and G protein coupling. We anticipate that these outcomes will facilitate structure-based drug development and underpin future research to understand allosteric modulation and biased signaling of this group of GPCRs.
How Many Patients Do You Need?Investigating Trial Designs for Anti-Seizure Treatment in Acute Brain Injury Patients
Authors: Parikh Harsh , Sun Haoqi , Amerineni Rajesh , Rosenthal Eric S. , Volfovsky Alexander , Rudin Cynthia , Westover M. Brandon , Zafar Sahar F.
Published: August 2023

Objectives

Epileptiform activity (EA) worsens outcomes in patients with acute brain injuries (e.g., aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage [aSAH]). Randomized trials (RCTs) assessing anti-seizure interventions are needed. Due to scant drug efficacy data and ethical reservations with placebo utilization, RCTs are lacking or hindered by design constraints. We used a pharmacological model-guided simulator to design and determine feasibility of RCTs evaluating EA treatment.

Methods

In a single-center cohort of adults (age >18) with aSAH and EA, we employed a mechanistic pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic framework to model treatment response using observational data. We subsequently simulated RCTs for levetiracetam and propofol, each with three treatment arms mirroring clinical practice and an additional placebo arm. Using our framework we simulated EA trajectories across treatment arms. We predicted discharge modified Rankin Scale as a function of baseline covariates, EA burden, and drug doses using a double machine learning model learned from observational data. Differences in outcomes across arms were used to estimate the required sample size.

Results

Sample sizes ranged from 500 for levetiracetam 7 mg/kg vs placebo, to >4000 for levetiracetam 15 vs. 7 mg/kg to achieve 80% power (5% type I error). For propofol 1mg/kg/hr vs. placebo 1200 participants were needed. Simulations comparing propofol at varying doses did not reach 80% power even at samples >1200.

Interpretation

Our simulations using drug efficacy show sample sizes are infeasible, even for potentially unethical placebo-control trials. We highlight the strength of simulations with observational data to inform the null hypotheses and assess feasibility of future trials of EA treatment.
Spatiotemporal molecular dynamics of the developing human thalamus
Authors: Kim Chang N , Shin David , Wang Albert , Nowakowski Tomasz J
Published: August 2023

The thalamus plays a central coordinating role in the brain. Thalamic neurons are organized into spatially-distinct nuclei, but the molecular architecture of thalamic development is poorly understood, especially in humans. To begin to delineate the molecular trajectories of cell fate specification and organization in the developing human thalamus, we used single cell and multiplexed spatial transcriptomics. Here we show that molecularly-defined thalamic neurons differentiate in the second trimester of human development, and that these neurons organize into spatially and molecularly distinct nuclei. We identify major subtypes of glutamatergic neuron subtypes that are differentially enriched in anatomically distinct nuclei. In addition, we identify six subtypes of GABAergic neurons that are shared and distinct across thalamic nuclei.

One-Sentence Summary

Single cell and spatial profiling of the developing thalamus in the first and second trimester yields molecular mechanisms of thalamic nuclei development.
Does corporate social responsibility always lead to positive effects?
Authors: Seo HaeJin , Liu Xiyuan , Song Tae Ho
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Brand crisis has become an increasingly common phenomenon recently. While corporate social responsibility (CSR) plays a role in mitigating the negative consequences of brand crisis, it is not always effective, especially for foreign companies. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the differential effects of CSR on brand crisis, considering the impact of country of origin and consumer ethnocentrism.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a 2 (country of origins: domestic vs foreign) × 2 (consumer ethnocentrism: high vs low) × 2 (CSR: before vs after related information is presented) between-subjects experiment to simulate a brand crisis. A fictional WeChat Moment posting was used as a stimulus. Data from 210 Chinese respondents were analyzed.

Findings

When consumer ethnocentrism is high, the impact of CSR on consumer attitude toward the company undergoing a crisis was greater for domestic than for foreign companies. Conversely, for consumers with low ethnocentrism, the effectiveness of CSR in attenuating the negative impact of the brand crisis (i.e. the insurance-like effect of CSR) was insignificant across domestic and foreign companies.

Originality/value

This study extends the prior literature and clarifies the unclear results of previous studies on the effect of CSR on brand crisis by examining the impact of country of origin and consumer ethnocentrism. Novel insights into the insurance-like effect of CSR in brand crises were obtained.
Approach using interpretive structural model and MICMAC analysis for identifying barriers influencing e-administration implementation in Egypt
Authors: Hassan Rasha
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This study aims to identify and analyze the key barriers that obstruct the effective implementation of Egypt’s e-administration.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a literature review and experts’ opinions, 14 key barriers were identified and classified into dependent, independent and linkage barriers using interpretive structural modeling with the help of MICMAC analysis.

Findings

Resistance to change, lack of HR specialized in information and communication technologies and lack of financial support were found to be the most crucial driving barriers to implementing e-administration developments.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the barriers to e-administration in Egypt using these methods and is expected to provide useful contributions to help decision-makers better understand e-administration implementation barriers in Egypt.
Contract and Aqd, are they functionally different?
Authors: Al-Umari Mohammad Rasmi , Alqudah Mutasim Ahmad
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine whether there is any fundamental difference in the meaning of contract in these two legal systems by analysing some of the essential principles of contract particularly parties’ agreement and consideration.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper seeks to investigate the degree of equivalency of the term contract and its Islamic law counterpart “Aqd”. To implement this task, it applies some comparative law techniques to examine certain contractual elements under common law and Islamic law.

Findings

The argument that “contract” and “Aqd” are not equivalent is superficial, and it is not well-supported by concrete evidence. The examples used to build this argument are merely limited exceptions to the general principles of contract, and some of them even exist under both legal systems in a similar manner such as “deed” and “Hibah”.

Practical implications

The paper is of interest to legal practitioners and professionals working in cross-cultural or international contexts, as understanding points of conformity and disconformity between “contract” and “Aqd” can help in multiple ways. These may include negotiating international transactions, contract drafting and dispute-resolution processes involving parties from Western and Islamic law-based jurisdictions. It may also aid policymaking and lawmaking processes aiming to harmonize contract principles across different jurisdictions.

Social implications

The research paper is important for public attitude, as understanding similarities and differences between “contract” and “Aqd” fosters mutual respect, tolerance and cooperation between individuals and communities adhering to different legal systems.

Originality/value

There is a common belief that the term “contract” substantially differs from “Aqd”, and it is by no means safe to presume that every “Aqd” qualifies as a contract. The current research introduces a new point view on the degree of conceptual equivalency of the two terms by showing resemblances in aspects relating to some contractual elements which have always been viewed as an area of divergence rather than convergence.
Resilience in service firms: the impact of social capital on firm performance during turmoil
Authors: Ergen Keleş Fatma Hilal , Keleş Emrah
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine whether social capital contributes to service firms' resilience during crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

This study measures social capital via environmental and social (ES) ratings and firm performance via buy-and-hold-abnormal returns derived from Refinitiv ESG and CRSP databases. Using a sample of 404 US service firms, this study runs cross-sectional regressions to estimate the effect of social capital on service firms' crisis returns.

Findings

This study finds that high-social capital service firms outperformed in the first quarter of 2020. The crisis response is heterogeneous among service sub-sectors and diverges (i.e. calming or deepening) over time depending on social capital. Service sub-sector analysis notably posits that social capital impact is positively related to returns of Health- and Business Services and firms with utilitarian nature. The study also indicates that ES commitments targeting internal stakeholders contribute more to resilience. Overall, social capital might be a relevant value driver, generate real impact and provide insurance-like protection for service firms during turmoil.

Originality/value

The service industry is one of the most severely hit industries during COVID-19. However, there is limited knowledge about whether and when social capital creates value in the service industry during crises. This study makes two main contributions: first, it extends to the continuous efforts toward the role of social capital in firm performance, and second, it provides important insights related to the resilience search for service firms.
The association between care integration and care quality
Authors: Aaron Micah B. , Kerrissey Michaela , Novikov Zhanna , Tietschert Maike V. , Scherling Adam , Bahadurzada Hassina , Phillips Russell S. , Sinaiko Anna D. , Singer Sara J.
Published: August 2023

Objective

The study aims to analyze the relationship between care integration and care quality, and to examine if the relationship varies by patient risk.

Data Sources and Study Setting

The key independent variables used validated measures derived from a provider survey of functional (i.e., administrative and clinical systems) and social (i.e., patient integration, professional cooperation, professional coordination) integration. Survey responses represented data from a stratified sample of 59 practice sites from 17 health systems. Dependent variables included three quality measures constructed from patient‐level Medicare data: colorectal cancer screening among patients at risk, patient‐level 30‐day readmission, and a practice‐level Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) composite measure of publicly reported, individual measures of ambulatory clinical quality performance.

Data Collection/Extraction Method

We obtained quality‐ and beneficiary‐level covariate data for the 41,966 Medicare beneficiaries served by the 59 practices in our survey sample.

Study Design

We estimated hierarchical linear models to examine the association between care integration and care quality and the moderating effect of patients' clinical risk score. We graphically visualized the moderating effects at ±1 standard deviation of our z‐standardized independent and moderating variables and performed simple slope tests.

Principal Findings

Our analyses uncovered a strong positive relationship between social integration, specifically patient integration, and the quality of care a patient receives (e.g., a 1‐point increase in a practice's patient integration was associated with 0.31‐point higher HEDIS composite score, p < 0.01). Further, we documented positive and significant associations between aspects of social and functional integration on quality of care based on patient risk.

Conclusions

The findings suggest social integration matters for improving the quality of care and that the relationship of integration to quality is not uniform for all patients. Policymakers and practitioners considering structural integrations of health systems should direct attention beyond structure to consider the potential for social integration to impact outcomes and how that might be achieved.
Application of Gaussian Beam Summation Migration in Reflected In‐seam Wave Imaging
Authors: HAN Jianguang , LÜ Qingtian , ZHANG Zhiheng , YANG Shun , WANG Shuo
Published: August 2023

The geological conditions for coal mining in China are complex, with various structural issues such as faults and collapsed columns seriously compromising the safety of coal mine production. In‐seam wave exploration is an effective technique for acquiring detailed information on geological structures in coal seam working faces. However, the existing reflected in‐seam wave imaging technique can no longer meet the exploration precision requirements, making it imperative to develop a new reflected in‐seam wave imaging technique. This study applies the Gaussian beam summation (GBS) migration method to imaging coal seams' reflected in‐seam wave data. Firstly, with regard to the characteristics of the reflected in‐seam wave data, methods such as wavefield removal and enveloped superposition are employed for the corresponding wavefield separation, wave train compression and other processing of reflected in‐seam waves. Thereafter, imaging is performed using the GBS migration technique. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method for reflected in‐seam wave imaging are validated by conducting GBS migration tests on 3D coal‐seam fault models with different dip angles and throws. By applying the method to reflected in‐seam wave data for an actual coal seam working face, accurate imaging of a fault structure is obtained, thereby validating its practicality.