bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safety of female ride-hailing passengers: Perception and prevention
Authors: Hu Shixingyue , Yang Yazao
Published: February 2024

Ride-hailing, as part of wider transitions to smart city, has emerged as a beneficial complement to urban public transport. However, the frequent occurrence of ride-hailing safety accidents in multiple countries has raised concerns about passenger safety on an international scale. Within this context, this study aims to investigate female passengers’ safety perception and prevention action when using ride-hailing services, helping establish better management and protection mechanisms for passenger safety. Using objective data from 7898 ride-hailing criminal adjudications (674 passenger victimizations) and subjective data from 596 Chinese female respondents, the safety perception scale and prevention tendency scale, with six potential variables, are developed to further examine the heterogeneity of perception and prevention. Results reveal that driver’s words and actions directly influence female passengers’ safety judgments regarding ride-hailing services and that traveling with companions significantly enhances their perceived safety. The main preventative actions identified include relying on mobile phones for information and communication, as well as avoiding risky ride-hailing situations. Furthermore, the analysis of individual heterogeneity has uncovered perception and prevention differences based on factors such as age, education level, residence conditions, ride-hailing frequency, and victimization experiences. These differences are evident in perception biases towards driver attitudes and accompanying travel, as well as variations in risk avoidance behaviors. The insights inductively derived hold fundamental conceptual and empirical value for scholarship on safety evaluation and crime prevention in the context of shared mobility. Additionally, the countermeasures proposed in this study can serve as a theoretical reference for enhancing the safety supervision of ride-hailing services, contributing to the establishment of safer, more reliable and more sustainable shared travel environment.
Occurrence, spatial distribution, risk assessment, and management of environmental estrogens in surface waters of the Taihu basin
Authors: Wang Minhao , Ding Hongran , Liang Guiyu , Wang Xueyin , Yang Luyue , Tong Ting , Li Dongling , Zhou Xiao , Zhang Haifei , Wang Fang , Tie Xiaowei , Han Lei
Published: February 2024

Environmental context Environmental estrogens can disrupt the normal functioning of endocrine systems, and their occurrence in drinking water sources could cause potential health risk. We investigated concentrations of four estrogens in the lakes from the Taihu Basin, and found that BPA and EE2 were elevated in some sites. However, concentrations of all four environmental estrogens were below the national standards, and caused no health threat to local population. Rationale The Taihu Basin is a critical freshwater ecosystem susceptible to contamination from various anthropogenic activities. Environmental estrogens (also known as endocrine disrupting chemicals, EDCs) are exogenous substances that can disrupt the normal functioning of endocrine systems. The contamination of water by EDCs is primarily caused by effluents from sewage treatment plants and livestock poultry farms. In this study, we assessed the spatial distribution and potential risks of environmental estrogens in surface water in the Taihu basin. Various statistical evaluations were employed to establish connections between measured concentration of heavy elements, estrogens and physicochemical parameters, to identify potential sources of these contaminants. Methodology Water samples from 44 sampling points in five lakes in Suzhou were taken for evaluation of environmental estrogens. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was used for identification of concentrations of estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), ethinyl estradiol (EE2) and bisphenol A (BPA). Inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry was employed to identify heavy element concentrations in water samples. Results Environmental estrogen concentrations were detected ranging from 0.001 to 209 ng L–1, with the highest attributed to BPA, whereas E1, E2 and EE2 were comparatively lower. Correlation evaluation between environmental estrogens, physicochemical parameters and heavy element contents revealed a positive correlation (P < 0.05) between the total chromium and environmental estrogen contents. Consequently, the risk entropy value of Shanghu Lake exceeded 0.5, indicating a potentially high risk of estrogenic activity. Discussion The widespread distribution and high concentrations of BPA in freshwater raise urgent concerns, highlighting the need for frequent monitoring of environmental estrogens in surface waters throughout the year to mitigate potential risks in the future. Our results suggest that a potential estrogen risk exists in the Shanghu Lake in the Taihu basin. Potential treatment methods for endocrine disruptors have been proposed, which could provide actionable plans for stakeholders.
Understanding the mechanistic basis of plant adaptation to salinity and drought
Authors: Waseem Muhammad , Muhammad Aslam Mehtab , Kumar Sahu Sunil
Published: February 2024

Plant growth and development is adversely affected by environmental constraints, particularly salinity and drought. Climate change has escalated the effect of salinity and drought on crops in varying ways, affecting agriculture and most importantly crop productivity. These stressors influence plants across a wide range of levels, including their morphology and physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes. Plant responses to salinity and drought stress have been the subject of intense research being explored globally. Considering the importance of the impact that these stresses can have on agriculture in the short term, novel strategies are being sought and adopted in breeding programs. Better understanding of the molecular, biochemical, and physiological responses of agriculturally important plants will ultimately help promote global food security. Moreover, considering the present challenges for agriculture, it is critical to consider how we can effectively transfer the knowledge generated with these approaches in the laboratory to the field, so as to mitigate these adversities. The present collection discusses how drought and salinity exert effects on plants.
Biogeography of vine thickets and open woodland in subtropical eastern Australia: a case study of three camaenid land snail genera
Authors: Stanisic Lorelle , McDougall Carmel , Oliver Paul
Published: February 2024

Dry rainforests and open woodlands occur across much of eastern Australia. However, the biogeographic history of these habitats remains poorly known, especially when compared to nearby moist rainforest areas. Land snails are commonly used as model organisms to understand patterns of origins of regional endemism due to their low vagility. Here we present an analysis of patterns of mitochondrial genetic diversity in three camaenid snail lineages with distributions centred on vine-thicket and open woodland habitats of eastern Queensland, specifically Euryladra from open woodlands, Brigaladra from inland semievergreen vine thickets, and Figuladra from coastal vine thickets. Lineages from habitats west of the Great Dividing Range show relatively low genetic divergence between localities, with particularly low structuring in the open woodland taxon Euryladra. Figuladra from vine-thicket habitats closer to the coast shows relatively deeper genetic divergence, with marked divergences between some upland and lowland areas in south-east Queensland, and across the St Lawrence Gap. This structuring suggests that taxa associated with vine thicket habitats have had a more discernible history of isolation than open woodlands. This said, genetic divergence across many vine thickets patches in lowland coastal regions is also shallow, suggesting many apparently disjunct vine thicket habitats and their associated species also have a recent history of connectivity.
YfmR is a translation factor that prevents ribosome stalling and cell death in the absence of EF-P
Authors: Hong Hye-Rim , Prince Cassidy R. , Tetreault Daniel D. , Wu Letian , Feaga Heather A.
Published: February 2024

Protein synthesis is performed by the ribosome and a host of highly conserved elongation factors. Elongation factor P (EF-P) prevents ribosome stalling at difficult-to-translate sequences, such as polyproline tracts. In bacteria, phenotypes associated with
efp
deletion range from modest to lethal, suggesting that some species encode an additional translation factor that has similar function to EF-P. Here we identify YfmR as a translation factor that is essential in the absence of EF-P in
Bacillus subtilis
. YfmR is an ABCF ATPase that is closely related to both Uup and EttA, ABCFs that bind the ribosomal E-site and are conserved in more than 50% of bacterial genomes. We show that YfmR associates with actively translating ribosomes and that depleting YfmR from Δ
efp
cells causes severe ribosome stalling at a polyproline tract in vivo. YfmR depletion from Δ
efp
cells was lethal and caused reduced levels of actively translating ribosomes. Our results therefore identify YfmR as an important translation factor that is essential in
B. subtilis
in the absence of EF-P.
Weakening warming on spring freeze–thaw cycle caused greening Earth’s third pole
Authors: Li Jialing , Wu Chaoyang , Zhang Yongguang , Peñuelas Josep , Liu Lei , Ge Quansheng
Published: February 2024

The Tibetan Plateau, recognized as Earth’s third pole and among the most responsive regions to climate shifts, profoundly influences regional and even global hydrological processes. Here, we discerned a significant weakening in the influence of temperature on the initiation of surface freeze–thaw cycle (the Start of Thawing, SOT), which can be ascribed to a multitude of climatic variables, with radiation emerging as the most pivotal factor. Additionally, we showed that the diminishing impact of warming on SOT yields amplified soil moisture within the root zone. This, in turn, fosters a greening third pole with increased leaf area index and solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence. We further showed that current Earth system models failed to reproduce the linkage between weakened sensitivity and productivity under various shared socioeconomic pathways. Our findings highlight the dynamic shifts characterizing the influence of climate warming on spring freeze–thaw process and underscore the profound ecological implications of these changes in the context of future climate scenarios.
RA-marking, delimitation, and TA-headed directional PPs in Persian
Authors: Moezzipour Farhad , Moezzipour Neda
Published: February 2024

In this article, we examine the semantics of RA in Persian, focusing on the aspectual notion of delimitation. Delimitation is a term commonly used in the study of aspect and information structure. We distinguish between two functions of RA: as a semantic operator that measures delimited events involving mereological theme and incremental path verbs, and as an information-structural marker where RA serves as frame-setting accusative adjuncts. We also explore the aspectuality of RA in correlation with a motion construction involving a TA-headed goal phrase within the scope of RA. The motion event with TA, representing the vector, is rendered bounded through the influence of RA, indicating the endpoint of the path. Using Croft’s (2012) two-phase dimensional model of aspect, we demonstrate that TA and RA are both associated with delimitation, but operate on different axes of boundedness – TA on the qualitative axis and RA on the temporal axis.
Long-term sealing performance evaluation and service life prediction of O-rings under thermal–mechanical coupling conditions
Authors: Li Ming , Zhang Tao , Fang Xing , Zhou Du , Xu Guoliang , Huang Xiaoming
Published: February 2024

In service, thermal–mechanical coupling conditions can exacerbate stress relaxation of O-rings and lead to their thermal expansion, further complicating the sealing problem. A finite element method is developed to simulate the mechanical deformation behavior of O-rings under thermal–mechanical coupling conditions, and its validity is verified by comparison with experimental data. Based on a substantial amount of simulation data, it is found that a dimensionless contact stress

S
G

˜

=

S
G

/

S

G
0

can be used as an indicator of the degradation of sealing performance and can be related to temperature T and time τ in the form of an aging kinetic equation. By combining this equation with the existing interfacial leakage model, an approach of predicting the long-term leakage rate of O-rings is proposed to quantitatively evaluate the effect of various factors on the performance of O-rings, and some important conclusions are drawn. Regarding the effect of temperature on O-rings, the thermal expansion effect dominates when the service time is less than 20 d, and the stress relaxation effect prevails when it is greater than 20 d. The higher the temperature, the more significant the stress relaxation, and the faster the leakage rate of O-rings. Increasing the fluid pressure enhances the relaxation effect. Using the maximum allowable leakage rate as the failure criterion, a pressure–temperature curve is plotted representing the safety boundaries, which can be used to guide the design of the sealing structures. Furthermore, an exhaustive study on the service life evaluation shows that at high temperature (T ⩾ 120 °C), the service life curves show a plunging segment near a pressure rise to 0.42 MPa.
Temperature and strain monitoring during thermoforming of thermoplastic composite laminates using optical frequency domain reflectometry
Authors: Fan Baocun , Chen Changhao , Wu Qi , Wang Yanfeng , Liu Yang , Zhang Hanqi
Published: February 2024

In this study, optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) was used to monitor the thermoforming processes of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTPs) to address the limitations of conventional sensors including large size and low spatial resolution. A bare single-mode fiber with a polyimide coating and a fiber encapsulated by a long metal capillary were cascaded and embedded into composite laminates to withstand the high pressure and temperature during thermoforming, and then connected to the OFDR for monitoring. A fiber encapsulated by a 2 cm short metal capillary was also embedded to demonstrate that a 1 mm resolution of the OFDR is beneficial for reflecting the local change in the composite. After processing by wavelet denoising, signal extraction, and decoupling, the frequency shift along the optical fiber sensor was successfully converted to strain and temperature. In two repeated thermoforming experiments that involved cooling from 340 °C, the average temperature difference measured by the OFDR and reference thermocouple was only 4.64 °C. The strain measured by the OFDR and reference fiber Bragg grating (FBG) decreases in the cooling stage, and has a clear knee point of 250 °C when correlated with the temperature and strain. This knee point is consistent with the liquid–liquid transition temperature of the polyetherimide and indicates the beginning of consolidation when the composite changes its properties significantly. The average strain difference measured by OFDR and the reference FBG was 69 μϵ when the total strain is approximately 1820 μϵ if only considering the consolidation process from 250 °C. The results of 1 mm spatial resolution and high accuracy demonstrate that OFDR is a promising high-resolution sensing solution for the in-situ temperature and strain monitoring of the thermoforming of CFRTPs.
Soft electrodes for simultaneous bio-potential and bio-impedance study of the face
Authors: Levit Bara , Funk Paul F , Hanein Yael
Published: February 2024

The human body’s vascular system is a finely regulated network: blood vessels can change in shape (i.e. constrict, or dilate), their elastic response may shift and they may undergo temporary and partial blockages due to pressure applied by skeletal muscles in their immediate vicinity. Simultaneous measurement of muscle activation and the corresponding changes in vessel diameter, in particular at anatomical regions such as the face, is challenging, and how muscle activation constricts blood vessels has been experimentally largely overlooked. Here we report on a new electronic skin technology for facial investigations to address this challenge. The technology consists of screen-printed dry carbon electrodes on soft polyurethane substrate. Two dry electrode arrays were placed on the face: One array for bio-potential measurements to capture muscle activity and a second array for bio-impedance. For the bio-potential signals, independent component analysis (ICA) was used to differentiate different muscle activations. Four-contact bio-impedance measurements were used to extract changes (related to artery volume change), as well as beats per minute (BPM). We performed concurrent bio-potential and bio-impedance measurements in the face. From the simultaneous measurements we successfully captured fluctuations in the superficial temporal artery diameter in response to facial muscle activity, which ultimately changes blood flow. The observed changes in the face, following muscle activation, were consistent with measurements in the forearm and were found to be notably more intricate. Both at the arm and the face, a clear increase in the baseline impedance was recorded during muscle activation (artery narrowing), while the impedance changes signifying the pulse had a clear repetitive trend only at the forearm. These results reveal the direct connection between muscle activation and the blood vessels in their vicinity and start to unveil the complex mechanisms through which facial muscles might modulate blood flow and possibly affect human physiology.
Development of patient-specific finite element model for study of composite dental implants
Authors: Gupta Vivek , Garg Anshika , Tewari Nitesh , Srivastav Sukeshana , Chanda Arnab
Published: February 2024

Traumatic dental injuries can occur due to various reasons such as accidents, sports injuries, fights, falls, and others. These injuries can affect the teeth, gums, and surrounding tissues, and can range from minor chips and cracks to severe fractures, dislocations, and avulsions (when the tooth is completely knocked out of the socket). The most common way to address this is by replacing affected teeth with dental implants. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the use of composite materials in dental implants and compare them with the traditionally used materials using a patient specific cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) based finite element model (FEM). To conduct this research, two different implant groups i.e., traditional implant and composite implant were designed using Titanium grade 4, zirconium oxide-reinforced lithium silicate (ZLS), and Zirconia (ZrO2). Six dental implants were designed namely Ti implant, ZLS implant, ZrO2 implant, Ti-ZrO2 composite, Ti-ZLS composite, and ZLS-ZrO2 composite using 3D modelling software. Detailed full-scale 3D models of patient specific dental implant were developed and traumatic loading conditions were applied to the enamel of central incisor teeth or crown of dental implant, and maxilla was constrained in all directions. It was found that the use of composite materials for dental implants can reduce the stresses over the surface of abutment and implant as compared to traditional implants. The detailed models developed as a part of this study can advance the research on dental implants, and with further experimental validation allow the use of composite materials for fabrication of more stable dental implants.
Phenytoin enzyme induction for management of supratherapeutic tacrolimus levels due to drug-drug interaction with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir: Case series and discussion
Authors: Marsh Jennifer , Logan Angela T , Bilgili Erin P , Bowman Lyndsey J , Webb Allyssa R
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir is one of few options for outpatient treatment of COVID-19, but its use has been limited in transplant recipients due to significant drug interactions with immunosuppressants. Tacrolimus toxicity is possible when the drug is coadministered with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir and may require urgent reduction of tacrolimus levels. This case series describes the use of phenytoin for enzyme induction in 5 adult solid organ transplant recipients with supratherapeutic tacrolimus levels resulting from coadministration with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir.

Solid organ transplant recipients are at high risk for complications related to COVID-19. Outpatient treatment options are limited, and therapeutic drug monitoring is complex in patients requiring quarantine. The 5 solid organ transplant recipients described herein were initiated on nirmatrelvir/ritonavir in the outpatient setting and subsequently presented with supratherapeutic tacrolimus concentrations greater than 59 ng/mL and developed signs and symptoms of tacrolimus toxicity. In all patients, nirmatrelvir/ritonavir and tacrolimus were discontinued, and oral phenytoin (200-400 mg/day) was given for 2 to 4 days. Tacrolimus was resumed once tacrolimus levels decreased to appropriate levels.

Conclusion

These observations demonstrate that metabolism induction using phenytoin may be a useful strategy in the setting of supratherapeutic tacrolimus levels resulting from concomitant administration with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir.
Female-to-Male Chest Surgery in Transgender Patients: A Comparison Between 2 Different Techniques and a Satisfaction Study in a Single Center
Authors: Miszewska Claudia , Van Boeckel Virginie , Kittel Louis , Martin François , Nizet Christophe , Nizet Jean Luc
Published: February 2024

Background

Gender dysphoria is a distress caused by a mismatch between gender identity and the sex assigned at birth. About 0.5% of the population suffer from gender dysphoria, which represents 25 million people worldwide. Gender-affirming mastectomy is the most common procedure for female-to-male patients.

Objectives

The aim of this single-center retrospective study is to present the outcomes after mastectomy and to evaluate patient satisfaction using the BODY-Q questionnaire.

Methods

Several data regarding patient characteristics and surgery have been collected. A satisfaction survey has been sent to patients. Two groups, “NAC grafts” and “semicircular,” have been compared for complications and satisfaction.

Results

A total of 103 patients have had a transgender mastectomy performed by 3 surgeons, representing 206 mastectomies. There were 5 wound infections (4.8%), 8 seromas (6.8%), 10 hematomas (6.8%), and 23 partial/total nipple areolar complex (NAC) necrosis (20.4%). The complication rates in this study are similar to others in the literature. Few studies express interest in patient satisfaction after this type of surgery and even fewer use a suitable questionnaire.

Conclusions

Transgender mastectomy is a safe and often necessary procedure to improve the quality of life of patients suffering from gender dysphoria. Nevertheless, there is currently no validated tool to assess postoperative satisfaction within this specific population group.

Level of Evidence: 3
Bill shape reflects divergent prey consumption for island compared to mainland American kestrels (Falco sparverius)
Authors: Jones Landon R , Berns Chelsea M , Belk Mark C , Bogardus Robert M
Published: February 2024

Feeding morphology permits animals to adapt to changing environments and is often under strong selection. We evaluated if bill shape varies according to differences in dietary prey taken across geographical ranges (North America, Central America, South America, and Caribbean islands) in a ubiquitous, New World raptor species, the American kestrel (Falco sparverius). Specifically, we predicted that bills in geographies where kestrels consumed a larger proportion of vertebrates would be shorter and wider, with a larger tomial tooth. We reviewed the literature on kestrel diets across their range and quantified potential differences in bill shape using geometric morphometric methods for 245 museum specimens. The literature review revealed that most prey consumed by kestrels in North, South, and Central America were invertebrates (51.6–69.1%), whereas Caribbean kestrels consumed mostly vertebrates (61.4%), most of which were reptiles (77.3%). Morphometric analyses agreed with these findings; bill shape differed for island versus mainland kestrels but not among mainland regions. Bill shape on islands reflected a more robust bill with a larger tomial tooth, but had a longer hook, which we suggest is adaptive for consumption of lizard prey, more available on islands due to reduced competition with other raptors compared to mainland regions.
Imaging of calcific tendinopathy: natural history, migration patterns, pitfalls, and management: a review
Authors: Saran Sonal , Babhulkar Joban Ashish , Gupta Harun , Chari Basavaraj
Published: February 2024

Calcific tendinopathy is characterized by the deposition of calcium hydroxyapatite crystals in various tendons of the body. Terms like calcium tendinitis, tendinosis, and tendinopathy are used interchangeably. Calcific tendinopathy is a common and well-documented ailment in the literature. Although common, the natural history, aetiology, and progression of calcific tendinitis are poorly understood. The treatment options include conservative and interventional measures. However, these measures cannot be applied as a blanket and are often tailored depending on the stage/phase of the disease. Out of the recognized stages of the disease, the resorptive stage causes the utmost symptoms when the calcium is rather soft and unstable. During this stage, the calcium may migrate beyond expected resorption and get deposited in the adjacent tissues contiguous with the calcium focus. The common destinations include bursal migration, intraosseous migration, muscular migration, and other less common migration sites. Such atypical presentations can lead to dilemmas in the diagnosis, prolongation of the diagnostic pathway, unwarranted apprehension, and treatment delay. Radiologists’ role in this situation is to correctly recognize the imaging findings of atypical presentations of calcific tendinopathy and prevent unnecessary diagnostic and interventional studies. In this review article, we describe the pathogenic pathway and natural history of calcific tendinopathy from a radiologist’s perspective and discuss different migratory patterns of calcium in calcific tendinopathy not only around the shoulder but also in other areas of the body on different imaging modalities. We also show a few examples of mimics and pitfalls on imaging. Finally, we discuss the appropriate management option of this condition.
Evaluation of a bidirectional causal association between cardiovascular diseases and pneumonia: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhang Yeshen , Liu Haobin , Dai Yining , Ye Fei , Luo Wenzhi , Tu Shan , Chen Weikun , Kong Siyu , He Yu , Tan Ning , Zhang Zhihui , He Pengcheng , Liu Yuanhui
Published: February 2024

Aims

Observational evidence suggests a bidirectional relationship between cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and pneumonia. However, the causality between CVDs and pneumonia remains undetermined. Therefore, in this study, we aim to investigate the bidirectional causality between CVDs and pneumonia using a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Methods and results

A global genetic correlation analysis and a bidirectional two-sample MR analysis were performed to infer the genetic correlation and causality between CVDs and pneumonia by using genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data from a GWAS meta-analysis study and the FinnGen or UK Biobank consortium. Post hoc power calculation was conducted to assess the power for detecting the causality. The linkage disequilibrium score regression analysis suggested a significant positive genetic correlation between CVDs and pneumonia. In the MR analysis, it was found that only genetically predicted ischaemic stroke was causally associated with any pneumonia [odds ratio (OR): 1.119, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.031–1.393], bacterial pneumonia (OR: 1.251, 95% CI: 1.032–1.516), and pneumococcal pneumonia (OR: 1.308, 95% CI: 1.093–1.565), but the causality was attenuated to non-significance after adjusting for deep venous thrombosis. However, the causal effects of pneumonia on CVDs were not detected. Post hoc power calculations supported a strong power (>80%) to detect the causality.

Conclusion

Ischaemic stroke is causally associated with an increased risk of pneumonia, but there is no evidence for the causal effect of pneumonia on CVDs. Our findings have important implications, as they provide further support for thrombosis risk screening as a strategy to reduce the incidence of pneumonia in patients with ischaemic stroke.
Interactive data sharing for multiple questionnaire-based exposome-wide association studies and exposome correlations in the Personalized Environment and Genes Study
Authors: Lloyd Dillon , House John S , Akhtari Farida S , Schmitt Charles P , Fargo David C , Scholl Elizabeth H , Phillips Jason , Choksi Shail , Shah Ruchir , Hall Janet E , Motsinger-Reif Alison A
Published: February 2024

The correlations among individual exposures in the exposome, which refers to all exposures an individual encounters throughout life, are important for understanding the landscape of how exposures co-occur, and how this impacts health and disease. Exposome-wide association studies (ExWAS), which are analogous to genome-wide association studies (GWAS), are increasingly being used to elucidate links between the exposome and disease. Despite increased interest in the exposome, tools and publications that characterize exposure correlations and their relationships with human disease are limited, and there is a lack of data and results sharing in resources like the GWAS catalog. To address these gaps, we developed the PEGS Explorer web application to explore exposure correlations in data from the diverse North Carolina-based Personalized Environment and Genes Study (PEGS) that were rigorously calculated to account for differing data types and previously published results from ExWAS. Through globe visualizations, PEGS Explorer allows users to explore correlations between exposures found to be associated with complex diseases. The exposome data used for analysis includes not only standard environmental exposures such as point source pollution and ozone levels but also exposures from diet, medication, lifestyle factors, stress, and occupation. The web application addresses the lack of accessible data and results sharing, a major challenge in the field, and enables users to put results in context, generate hypotheses, and, importantly, replicate findings in other cohorts. PEGS Explorer will be updated with additional results as they become available, ensuring it is an up-to-date resource in exposome science.
“Cognitive” Criteria in Older Adults With Slow Gait Speed: Implications for Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome
Authors: Nester Caroline O , Gao Qi , Wang Cuiling , Katz Mindy J , Lipton Richard B , Verghese Joe , Rabin Laura A
Published: February 2024

Background

Motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR) is a predementia condition that combines slow gait speed and subjective cognitive concerns (SCC). The SCC criterion is presently unstandardized, possibly limiting risk detection. We sought to (a) characterize SCC practices through MCR literature review; (b) investigate the ability of SCC in slow gait individuals in predicting the likelihood of cognitive impairment in a demographically diverse sample of community-dwelling, nondemented older adults.

Methods

First, we comprehensively reviewed the MCR literature, extracting information regarding SCC measures, items, sources, and cognitive domain. Next, Einstein Aging Study (EAS) participants (N = 278, Mage = 77.22 ± 4.74, %female = 67, Meducation = 15 ± 3.61, %non-Hispanic White = 46.3) completed gait, Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR), and SCC assessment at baseline and annual follow-up (Mfollow-up = 3.5). Forty-two participants met slow gait criteria at baseline. Generalized linear mixed-effects models examined baseline SCC to predict cognitive impairment on CDR over follow-up.

Results

We reviewed all published MCR studies (N = 106) and documented ambiguity in SCC criteria, with a prevalent approach being use of a single self-reported memory item. In EAS, high SCC endorsement on a comprehensive, validated screen significantly affected the rate of cognitive impairment (CDR; βinteraction = 0.039, p = .018) in slow gait individuals.

Conclusions

An assessment approach that queries across numerous SCC domains was found to predict future decline in clinical dementia status in slow gait older adults. Current SCC practices in MCR, which tend to utilize a single-memory item, may not be the optimal approach. We discuss the implications of SCC criteria validation and standardization to enhance early dementia detection in MCR.
Measuring Psychological Resilience in Aging: Findings From the Health and Retirement Study and National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health
Authors: Taylor Miles G , Bruefach Tyler , Carr Dawn Celeste
Published: February 2024

Background and Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the measurement properties of 2 emerging psychological resilience (PR) measures constructed for use in large national data sources and to test their reliability across social axes including race/ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status.

Research Design and Methods

Using 2006/2008 data, the Simplified Resilience Score and the Add Health Resilience Scale were tested using overall and multigroup measurement models in a structural equation modeling framework.

Results

Both PR measures perform well as reliable, 1-factor latent constructs capturing adaptive capacity at various life stages. Both measures showed measurement consistency across social axes, with specific differences in item measurement across some racial/ethnic groups.

Discussion and Implications

The results indicate these measures represent high quality, consistent measures of PR in nationally representative aging and health data. The availability of reliable, valid measures of PR enables consistent evaluation of resilience in health and aging processes.
Transformer-based time-to-event prediction for chronic kidney disease deterioration
Authors: Zisser Moshe , Aran Dvir
Published: February 2024

Objective

Deep-learning techniques, particularly the Transformer model, have shown great potential in enhancing the prediction performance of longitudinal health records. Previous methods focused on fixed-time risk prediction, however, time-to-event prediction is often more appropriate for clinical scenarios. Here, we present STRAFE, a generalizable survival analysis Transformer-based architecture for electronic health records.

Materials and Methods

The input for STRAFE is a sequence of visits with SNOMED-CT codes in OMOP-CDM format. A Transformer-based architecture was developed to calculate probabilities of the occurrence of the event in each of 48 months. Performance was evaluated using a real-world claims dataset of over 130 000 individuals with stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Results

STRAFE showed improved mean absolute error (MAE) compared to other time-to-event algorithms in predicting the time to deterioration to stage 5 CKD. Additionally, STRAFE showed an improved area under the receiver operating curve compared to binary outcome algorithms. We show that STRAFE predictions can improve the positive predictive value of high-risk patients by 3-fold. Finally, we suggest a novel visualization approach to predictions on a per-patient basis.

Discussion

Time-to-event predictions are the most appropriate approach for clinical predictions. Our deep-learning algorithm outperformed not only other time-to-event prediction algorithms but also fixed-time algorithms, possibly due to its ability to train on censored data. We demonstrated possible clinical usage by identifying the highest-risk patients.

Conclusions

The ability to accurately identify patients at high risk and prioritize their needs can result in improved health outcomes, reduced costs, and more efficient use of resources.
Laser-Assisted Drug Delivery in the Treatment of Hypertrophic Scars and Keloids: A Systematic Review
Authors: Bernabe Rendell M , Choe Deborah , Calero Tiffany , Lin Joshua , Pham Christopher , Dang Justin , Madrigal Paloma , Yenikomshian Haig A , Gillenwater T Justin
Published: February 2024

Hypertrophic scars and keloids are the results of an exaggerated healing process and are often associated with significant patient morbidity. Fractional ablative lasers create microchannels in the skin and penetrate into the substance of the scar, inducing a normal healing response in zones of created damage. Focal delivery of scar-modulating agents into the scar through these microchannels—a process termed laser-assisted drug delivery (LADD)—is a promising and developing treatment modality. In this systematic review, we aim to critically examine the evidence of LADD in the treatment of hypertrophic scars and keloids. The evidence suggests that LADD improves outcomes in hypertrophic scars and keloids. LADD is a more effective treatment modality than the topical application of agents in hypertrophic scars and equally effective as the intralesional injection of agents in keloids. There were few reports of adverse events. Evidence supports the use of LADD as an adjunct to non-surgical measures or a treatment modality to be used before more invasive measures such as surgical excision. However, the quality of evidence supporting this conclusion is inconsistent and lacks power. Additional studies are required to optimize dosages, laser settings, and agent choices for the treatment of these lesions.
Revisiting the effects of maternal education on adolescents’ academic performance: Doubly robust estimation in a network-based observational study
Authors: McNealis Vanessa , Moodie Erica E M , Dean Nema
Published: February 2024

In many contexts, particularly when study subjects are adolescents, peer effects can invalidate typical statistical requirements in the data. For instance, it is plausible that a student’s academic performance is influenced both by their own mother’s educational level as well as that of their peers. Since the underlying social network is measured, the Add Health study provides a unique opportunity to examine the impact of maternal college education on adolescent school performance, both direct and indirect. However, causal inference on populations embedded in social networks poses technical challenges, since the typical no interference assumption no longer holds. While inverse probability-of-treatment weighted (IPW) estimators have been developed for this setting, they are often highly unstable. Motivated by the question of maternal education, we propose doubly robust (DR) estimators combining models for treatment and outcome that are consistent and asymptotically normal if either model is correctly specified. We present empirical results that illustrate the DR property and the efficiency gain of DR over IPW estimators even when the treatment model is misspecified. Contrary to previous studies, our robust analysis does not provide evidence of an indirect effect of maternal education on academic performance within adolescents’ social circles in Add Health.
Rare finding of a symptomatic epidermoid cyst of the diaphragm – a case report
Authors: Welsh Fraser , Weilert Frank , Grunewald Bernd , Lanka Laxmi , Patil Sudha
Published: February 2024

Cystic lesions of the diaphragm are rare and accordingly present a diagnostic challenge. Specific radiological features with which to clinch a diagnosis may be elusive. Herein we present the case of a patient who presented with symptoms attributable to a cyst in the left upper abdomen, irritating the diaphragm. Surgery was considered appropriate for diagnostic and symptomatic purposes. Final histology demonstrated an epidermoid cyst. Resolution of symptoms was reported after surgery. Diaphragmatic epidermoid cysts appear to be a rare entity with only three prior cases reported in the literature. Given the rarity of this lesion and the lack of unique features by which they can be characterized, accurately diagnosing epidermoid cysts of the diaphragm is likely to remain difficult without surgery, although they are presumed to have a benign behaviour.
Multi-regulated GDP-l-galactose phosphorylase calls the tune in ascorbate biosynthesis
Authors: Baldet Pierre , Mori Kentaro , Decros Guillaume , Beauvoit Bertrand , Colombié Sophie , Prigent Sylvain , Pétriacq Pierre , Gibon Yves
Published: February 2024

Ascorbate is involved in numerous vital processes, in particular in response to abiotic but also biotic stresses whose frequency and amplitude increase with climate change. Ascorbate levels vary greatly depending on species, tissues, or stages of development, but also in response to stress. Since its discovery, the ascorbate biosynthetic pathway has been intensely studied and it appears that GDP-l-galactose phosphorylase (GGP) is the enzyme with the greatest role in the control of ascorbate biosynthesis. Like other enzymes of this pathway, its expression is induced by various environmental and also developmental factors. Although mRNAs encoding it are among the most abundant in the transcriptome, the protein is only present in very small quantities. In fact, GGP translation is repressed by a negative feedback mechanism involving a small open reading frame located upstream of the coding sequence (uORF). Moreover, its activity is inhibited by a PAS/LOV type photoreceptor, the action of which is counteracted by blue light. Consequently, this multi-level regulation of GGP would allow fine control of ascorbate synthesis. Indeed, experiments varying the expression of GGP have shown that it plays a central role in response to stress. This new understanding will be useful for developing varieties adapted to future environmental conditions.
Ascorbate degradation: pathways, products, and possibilities
Authors: Ford Christopher M , Sweetman Crystal , Fry Stephen C
Published: February 2024

A role for l-ascorbate as the precursor of several plant compounds adds to its already broad metabolic utility. There are many examples of plant species in which oxalate and l-threonate are formed from l-ascorbate breakdown, and a number of roles have been proposed for this: structural, physiological, and biochemical. On the other hand, the synthesis of l-tartrate from l-ascorbate remains limited to a very few species, amongst which we must be grateful to count the domesticated grapevine Vitis vinifera and its relatives on which wine production is based. Pathways for the degradation of ascorbate were first proposed ~50 years ago and have formed the basis of more recent biochemical and molecular analyses. The present review seeks to summarize some of these findings and to propose opportunities for future research.
Rainbow phlebotomy collection and urine aliquots for emergency department add-on testing in the era of pandemic-driven supply shortages
Authors: Potter Scott , Rudolf Joseph W , Pearson Lauren N
Published: February 2024

Background

Rainbow blood draws for add-on testing in the emergency department (ED) are a common practice at our institution. We sought to determine the prevalence of this practice among reference laboratory clients and characterize the impact of pandemic-driven supply shortages.

Methods

This cross-sectional study surveyed 354 client laboratories to understand specimen collection practices in specific clinical environments and how these practices may have been affected by supply chain shortages. Data analysis by descriptive statistics was performed in Qualtrics.

Results

A total of 138 laboratories took the survey (39% response rate) with 57% indicating that their ED performed rainbow draws. Of these, 16% have a formal policy regarding rainbow draws, and 76% of respondents indicated that their institution was required to modify practices due to pandemic-driven supply shortages. A total of 19% indicated they routinely collect multiple urine aliquots for add-on testing.

Conclusion

Rainbow draws and collection of urine aliquots in the ED for add-on testing are relatively common practices, with few institutions maintaining formal policies regarding the practice. Pandemic-driven supply chain shortages affected a majority of respondent laboratories and local cost-benefit analysis regarding extra specimen collection is recommended to limit waste of laboratory resources.
Modalities combining two negations
Authors: Luis Castiglioni JosÉ , Ertola-Biraben Rodolfo C
Published: February 2024

In the context of positive logic expanded with the dual of intuitionistic negation, obtaining intuitionistic negation itself as a consequence, those two connectives allow to introduce modal concepts such as necessity and possibility. We study the resulting modal logic, paying attention to different extensions of it. We provide a syntactic approach and both algebraic and Kripke semantics.
Resection of DNA double-strand breaks activates Mre11–Rad50–Nbs1- and Rad9–Hus1–Rad1-dependent mechanisms that redundantly promote ATR checkpoint activation and end processing in Xenopus egg extracts
Authors: Tatsukawa Kensuke , Sakamoto Reihi , Kawasoe Yoshitaka , Kubota Yumiko , Tsurimoto Toshiki , Takahashi Tatsuro S , Ohashi Eiji
Published: February 2024

Sensing and processing of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are vital to genome stability. DSBs are primarily detected by the ATM checkpoint pathway, where the Mre11–Rad50–Nbs1 (MRN) complex serves as the DSB sensor. Subsequent DSB end resection activates the ATR checkpoint pathway, where replication protein A, MRN, and the Rad9–Hus1–Rad1 (9–1–1) clamp serve as the DNA structure sensors. ATR activation depends also on Topbp1, which is loaded onto DNA through multiple mechanisms. While different DNA structures elicit specific ATR-activation subpathways, the regulation and mechanisms of the ATR-activation subpathways are not fully understood. Using DNA substrates that mimic extensively resected DSBs, we show here that MRN and 9–1–1 redundantly stimulate Dna2-dependent long-range end resection and ATR activation in Xenopus egg extracts. MRN serves as the loading platform for ATM, which, in turn, stimulates Dna2- and Topbp1-loading. Nevertheless, MRN promotes Dna2-mediated end processing largely independently of ATM. 9–1–1 is dispensable for bulk Dna2 loading, and Topbp1 loading is interdependent with 9–1–1. ATR facilitates Mre11 phosphorylation and ATM dissociation. These data uncover that long-range end resection activates two redundant pathways that facilitate ATR checkpoint signaling and DNA processing in a vertebrate system.