bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ground beetles suppress slugs in corn and soybean under conservation agriculture
Authors: Mugala Thabu , Brichler Kirsten , Clark Bobby , Powell Gareth S , Taylor Sally , Crossley Michael S
Published: May 2023

Conservation agriculture practices such as eliminating tillage and planting high residue cover crops are becoming increasingly important in field crop systems in the US Mid-Atlantic. However, these practices have sometimes been associated with an increase in moderate to severe damage to field crops by slugs. Conserving natural enemy populations is a desirable way to manage slug infestations because remedial control measures are limited. Here, we tested the effects of conservation practices, weather, and natural enemies on slug activity-density measured by tile traps placed among 41 corn and soybean fields during the spring of 2018 and 2019 in the Northern Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, USA. We found that a positive effect of cover crops on slug activity-density was reduced by tillage and that slug activity-density declined with increasing ground beetle activity-density. Slug activity-density also declined with decreasing rainfall and increasing average temperature. Weather was the only significant predictor of ground beetle activity-density, which was reduced in sites and weeks that were relatively hot and dry or that were cool and wet. However, we also found a marginally significant negative effect of pre-plant insecticides on ground beetles. We suggest that the observed interacting effects of cover crops and tillage reflect favorable conditions for slugs provided by increased small grain crop residue that can be mitigated to some extent by even low levels of tillage. More broadly, our study suggests that implementation of practices known to promote recruitment of ground beetles in crop fields can improve natural suppression of slugs in corn and soybean that are being increasingly cultivated according to conservation agriculture practices.
Healthcare cost and survival in patients with non-functioning pituitary adenoma
Authors: Olsson Daniel S , Svensson Mikael , Labori Frida , De Geer Anna , Johannsson Gudmundur
Published: May 2023

Objective

Pituitary adenomas and their consequences impact mortality and morbidity. We studied the healthcare costs, survival, and cost-effectiveness of growth hormone (GH) vs no GH replacement in patients with non-functioning pituitary adenoma (NFPA).

Design and methods

A cohort study including all NFPA patients followed from 1987 or the date of diagnosis until the time of death or December 31, 2019, in the Västra Götaland region, Sweden. Data to assess resource use, costs, survival, and cost-effectiveness were collected from patient records and regional/national healthcare registries.

Results

A total of 426 patients with NFPA (274 men) with a follow-up of 13.6 ± 6.8 years (mean ± SD) were included. The total annual healthcare cost was higher in patients receiving GH (€9287) than those without GH (€6770), mainly driven by a higher pharmaceutical cost. Glucocorticoid replacement therapy (P = .02), diabetes insipidus (P = .04), body mass index (BMI) (P < .01), and hypertension (P < .01) were all individually associated with a higher total annual cost. The survival rate was higher in the GH group (HR [hazard ratio] 0.60; P = .01) and reduced in patients with glucocorticoid replacement (HR 2.02; P < .01) or diabetes insipidus (HR 1.67; P = .04). The cost per gained life-year for GH vs no GH replacement was about €37 000.

Conclusions

This healthcare utilization study identified several factors driving the cost of care in NFPA patients, such as GH replacement, adrenal insufficiency, and diabetes insipidus. Life expectancy was increased in those with GH replacement and reduced in patients with adrenal insufficiency and diabetes insipidus.
Assessment of long-term adverse events regarding different COVID-19 vaccine regimens within an 18-month follow-up study
Authors: Sadat Larijani Mona , Sorouri Rahim , Eybpoosh Sana , Doroud Delaram , Moradi Ladan , Ahmadinezhad Mozhgan , Bavand Anahita , Ashrafian Fatemeh , Tajmehrabi Namini Parinaz , Zali Mahsan , Ramezani Amitis
Published: May 2023

Early reports on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines presented the short-term adverse events (AEs). This follow-up study investigated a standard regimen based on protein subunit vaccines, PastoCovac and PastoCovac Plus, and the combinational vaccine regimens including AstraZeneca/PastoCovac Plus and Sinopharm/PastoCovac Plus. The participants were followed up to 6 months post the booster shot. All the AEs were collected through in-depth interviews using a valid researcher-made questionnaire and were evaluated regarding the association with the vaccines. Of the 509 individuals, 6.2% of the combinational vaccine participants had late AEs, of whom 3.3% suffered from cutaneous manifestations, followed by 1.1% arthralgia complaints, 1.1% with neurologic disorders, 0.3% ocular problems and 0.3% metabolic complications, with no significant difference between the vaccine regimens. For the standard regimen, 2% of the individuals experienced late AEs as (1%), neurological disorders (0.3%), metabolic problems (0.3%) and involvement of joints (0.3%). Notably, 75% of the AEs were persistent up to the end of the study. A low number of late AEs were captured in 18 months as 12 improbable, 5 unclassifiable, 4 possible and 3 probable associated AEs with the vaccine regimens. The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination far exceed the potential risks and late AEs seem to be uncommon.
Frailty Resilience Score: A Novel Measure of Frailty Resilience Associated With Protection From Frailty and Survival
Authors: Milman Sofiya , Lerman Ben , Ayers Emmeline , Zhang Zhengdong , Sathyan Sanish , Levine Morgan , Ye Kenny , Gao Tina , Higgins-Chen Albert , Barzilai Nir , Verghese Joe
Published: May 2023

Frailty is characterized by increased vulnerability to disability and high risk for mortality in older adults. Identification of factors that contribute to frailty resilience is an important step in the development of effective therapies that protect against frailty. First, a reliable quantification of frailty resilience is needed. We developed a novel measure of frailty resilience, the Frailty Resilience Score (FRS), that integrates frailty genetic risk, age, and sex. Application of FRS to the LonGenity cohort (n = 467, mean age 74.4) demonstrated its validity compared to phenotypic frailty and its utility as a reliable predictor of overall survival. In a multivariable-adjusted analysis, 1-standard deviation increase in FRS predicted a 38% reduction in the hazard of mortality, independent of baseline frailty (p < .001). Additionally, FRS was used to identify a proteomic profile of frailty resilience. FRS was shown to be a reliable measure of frailty resilience that can be applied to biological studies of resilience.
Pharmacy students’ opinion of the routine use of pharmaceutical pictograms on a health care train serving rural limited literacy patients
Authors: Dowse Ros
Published: May 2023

Objectives

To assess pharmacy student opinion of the routine use of pictograms for counselling and communicating medicine-related information.

Methods

A Google Forms survey was sent to co-ordinators at five Pharmacy Schools who distributed the link to 152 students following their 5-day work placement. The survey included Likert Scale and open questions on prior pictogram exposure, their usefulness in practice and their design.

Key findings

Opinion of pictogram usefulness in facilitating communication with patients was positive, with 104 (95.4%) rating their usefulness as good/excellent. Students noted language and low literacy as communication barriers which pictograms helped to mitigate. Only 24.8% (N = 27) reported that using pictograms required extra time during the dispensing process. Most students reported that patients liked the pictograms and found it easy to teach patients the pictogram meaning to clarify verbal and written medicine-related information. Pictograms were regarded by most students as simple, clear, culturally acceptable and able to communicate their core message clearly. A third agreed that they should have additional detail and be more realistic, some offered suggestions for modification. Many suggested expanding pictogram use to primary care clinics and hospitals.

Conclusions

This study presents unique finding relating to the role and value of pictograms in practice. Opinion of routine pictogram use was largely positive, particularly given significant language and literacy barriers in this rural population. The extra time taken using pictograms was generally not regarded as a barrier to their adoption. Pictogram quality and design were considered to be good, with expanded use of pictograms suggested.
Evaluating global Vaccinium germplasm for resistance against invasive Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae)
Authors: Sampson Blair , Stringer Stephen , Hummer Kim , Babiker Ebrahiem , Werle Chris , Adamczyk John , Shaw Donna
Published: May 2023

Control of spotted-wing Drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, in small fruits emphasizes biological, cultural, and chemical approaches, whereas studies of host plant resistance as a form of genetic control are just getting underway. The identification of resistance patterns among genotypes of host plants whose fruit, leaves, roots, stems, or seeds are specifically targeted by an invasive pest is the first step in the development of an effective genetic control. Therefore, a detached fruit bioassay was developed to screen for D. suzukii oviposition and larval infestation within berries from 25 representative species and hybrids of wild and cultivated Vaccinium. Ten Vaccinium species showed strong resistance; among them, two wild diploids originating from within the fly’s native range: V. myrtoides and V. bracteatum. Other resistant species came from the sections Pyxothamnus and Conchophyllum. They included New World V. consanguineum and V. floribundum. Large-cluster blueberry, V. amoenum, and three Floridian genotypes of related rabbiteye blueberry, V. virgatum, were the only hexaploids expressing strong resistance against D. suzukii. Most screened blueberry genotypes from managed lowbush and cultivated highbush types were susceptible to the flies’ attacks (i.e., oviposition). Tetraploid blueberries tended to host the most eggs, whereas diploids and hexaploids harbored 50%–60% fewer eggs, on average. D. suzukii cannot lay eggs or complete development in the smallest, sweetest, and firmest diploid fruits. Likewise, certain genotypes of large-fruited tetraploid and hexaploid blueberry strongly curbed D. suzukii egg-laying and larval growth, indicating the possibility of heritable resistance operating against this invasive fly species.
Association of rurality, socioeconomic status, and race with pancreatic cancer surgical treatment and survival
Authors: Brooks Gabriel A , Tomaino Marisa R , Ramkumar Niveditta , Wang Qianfei , Kapadia Nirav S , O’Malley A James , Wong Sandra L , Loehrer Andrew P , Tosteson Anna N A
Published: May 2023

Background

Pancreatectomy is a necessary component of curative intent therapy for pancreatic cancer, and patients living in nonmetropolitan areas may face barriers to accessing timely surgical care. We evaluated the intersecting associations of rurality, socioeconomic status (SES), and race on treatment and outcomes of Medicare beneficiaries with pancreatic cancer.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study, using fee-for-service Medicare claims of beneficiaries with incident pancreatic cancer (2016-2018). We categorized beneficiary place of residence as metropolitan, micropolitan, or rural. Measures of SES were Medicare–Medicaid dual eligibility and the Area Deprivation Index. Primary study outcomes were receipt of pancreatectomy and 1-year mortality. Exposure-outcome associations were assessed with competing risks and logistic regression.

Results

We identified 45 915 beneficiaries with pancreatic cancer, including 78.4%, 10.9%, and 10.7% residing in metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural areas, respectively. In analyses adjusted for age, sex, comorbidity, and metastasis, residents of micropolitan and rural areas were less likely to undergo pancreatectomy (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio = 0.88 for rural, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.81 to 0.95) and had higher 1-year mortality (adjusted odds ratio = 1.25 for rural, 95% CI = 1.17 to 1.33) compared with metropolitan residents. Adjustment for measures of SES attenuated the association of nonmetropolitan residence with mortality, and there was no statistically significant association of rurality with pancreatectomy after adjustment. Black beneficiaries had lower likelihood of pancreatectomy than White, non-Hispanic beneficiaries (subdistribution hazard ratio = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.72 to 0.89, adjusted for SES). One-year mortality in metropolitan areas was higher for Black beneficiaries (adjusted odds ratio = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.05 to 1.26).

Conclusions

Rurality, socioeconomic deprivation, and race have complex interrelationships and are associated with disparities in pancreatic cancer treatment and outcomes.
“The Dregs of the Mau Mau Barrel”: Permanent Exile and the Remaking of Late Colonial Kenya, 1954–61
Authors: Boender Niels
Published: May 2023

This article seeks to illustrate the emergence and significance of permanent exile in the latter years of British rule in Kenya. Drawing on concepts of the “state of exception” in the imperial context, the analysis places Kenyan policy into a longer history of penal practice. Exile as a mode of punishment was a permanent fixture in the repertoire of the British Empire as a method of controlling rebellious subjects. In Kenya, it was a tool to ostracize “troublemakers” from their home community, stabilizing the body politic in fractious moments. However, during the State of Emergency declared against the anti-colonial Mau Mau movement, the legal and spatial production of spaces of exception, settlements in the far-flung corners of the colony, reached its apotheosis. Drawing on long histories of colonial banishment, and specific legal precedents shrouded in liberal language, administrators hoped to make Kenya safe for a loyalist ascendancy by excising the “irreconcilables.” Critically, permanent exile was deemed necessary for a section of the population “infected” with Mau Mau ideology. In large exile settlements, rebellious subjects were expected to be remade into pacified workers. Colonial correspondence, as well as the petitions of the displaced, reveal the production of exile during these years as well as its misdiagnosis of the various imaginations of the exiled. “Settlers,” at exile camps like Hola, retained an autonomous vision of “land and freedom,” refusing their forced migration, and eventually precipitating the collapse of the scheme.
Soil nitrogen fertilization reduces relative leaf nitrogen allocation to photosynthesis
Authors: Waring Elizabeth F , Perkowski Evan A , Smith Nicholas G
Published: May 2023

The connection between soil nitrogen availability, leaf nitrogen, and photosynthetic capacity is not perfectly understood. Because these three components tend to be positively related over large spatial scales, some posit that soil nitrogen positively drives leaf nitrogen, which positively drives photosynthetic capacity. Alternatively, others posit that photosynthetic capacity is primarily driven by above-ground conditions. Here, we examined the physiological responses of a non-nitrogen-fixing plant (Gossypium hirsutum) and a nitrogen-fixing plant (Glycine max) in a fully factorial combination of light by soil nitrogen availability to help reconcile these competing hypotheses. Soil nitrogen stimulated leaf nitrogen in both species, but the relative proportion of leaf nitrogen used for photosynthetic processes was reduced under elevated soil nitrogen in all light availability treatments due to greater increases in leaf nitrogen content than chlorophyll and leaf biochemical process rates. Leaf nitrogen content and biochemical process rates in G. hirsutum were more responsive to changes in soil nitrogen than those in G. max, probably due to strong G. max investments in root nodulation under low soil nitrogen. Nonetheless, whole-plant growth was significantly enhanced by increased soil nitrogen in both species. Light availability consistently increased relative leaf nitrogen allocation to leaf photosynthesis and whole-plant growth, a pattern that was similar between species. These results suggest that the leaf nitrogen–photosynthesis relationship varies under different soil nitrogen levels and that these species preferentially allocated more nitrogen to plant growth and non-photosynthetic leaf processes, rather than photosynthesis, as soil nitrogen increased.
Carbon dredge-up required to explain the Gaia white dwarf colour–magnitude bifurcation
Authors: Blouin Simon , Bédard Antoine , Tremblay Pier-Emmanuel
Published: May 2023

The Gaia colour–magnitude diagram reveals a striking separation between hydrogen-atmosphere white dwarfs and their helium-atmosphere counterparts throughout a significant portion of the white dwarf cooling track. However, pure-helium atmospheres have Gaia magnitudes that are too close to the pure-hydrogen case to explain this bifurcation. To reproduce the observed split in the cooling sequence, it has been shown that trace amounts of hydrogen and/or metals must be present in the helium-dominated atmospheres of hydrogen-deficient white dwarfs. Yet, a complete explanation of the Gaia bifurcation that takes into account known constraints on the spectral evolution of white dwarfs has thus far not been proposed. In this work, we attempt to provide such a holistic explanation by performing population synthesis simulations coupled with state-of-the-art model atmospheres and evolutionary calculations that account for element transport in the envelopes of white dwarfs. By relying on empirically grounded assumptions, these simulations successfully reproduce the bifurcation. We show that the convective dredge-up of optically undetectable traces of carbon from the deep interior is crucial to account for the observations. Neither the convective dilution/mixing of residual hydrogen nor the accretion of hydrogen or metals can be the dominant drivers of the bifurcation. Finally, we emphasize the importance of improving theoretical models for the average ionization level of carbon in warm dense helium, which governs the shape of the diffusive tail of carbon and in turn the predicted amount of dredged-up carbon.
Nuclear star clusters as probes of dark matter haloes: the case of the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy
Authors: Herlan Robin , Mastrobuono-Battisti Alessandra , Neumayer Nadine
Published: May 2023

The Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal (Sgr dSph) galaxy is currently being accreted and disrupted by the tidal field of the Milky Way. Recent observations have shown that the central region of the dwarf hosts at least three different stellar populations, ranging from old and metal-poor over intermediate metal-rich to young metal-rich. While the intermediate-age metal-rich population has been identified as part of the galaxy, the oldest and youngest populations belong to M54, the nuclear star cluster (NSC) of the Sgr dSph galaxy. The old metal-poor component of M54 has been interpreted as at least one decayed globular cluster (GC) that was initially orbiting its host galaxy. The youngest population formed in situ from gas accreted into M54 after its arrival at the centre of the host. In this work, we use the observed properties of M54 to explore the shape of the inner density profile of the Sgr dSph galaxy. To do so, we simulate the decay of M54 towards the centre of the dark matter (DM) halo of its host. We model the DM density profile using different central slopes, and we compare the results of the simulations to the most recent observations of the structural properties of M54. From this comparison, we conclude that a GC that decays in a DM halo with a density profile ∝ r−γ and γ ≤ 1 shows a rotational signal and flattening comparable to those observed for M54. Steeper profiles produce, instead, highly rotating and more flattened NSCs which do not match the properties of M54.
Formation of the warped debris disc around β Pictoris
Authors: Smallwood Jeremy L
Published: May 2023

In light of the recent confirmation of an eccentric orbit giant planet, β Pic c, I revisit the formation and evolution of the warped debris disc in the system. β Pic c is interior to β Pic b, and the debris disc is exterior to both planets. Previous N-body simulations have shown that β Pic b is responsible for exciting the inclination of the debris disc. With hydrodynamical simulations, I model a protoplanetary gas disc misaligned with the planets. I find that the gas disc does not exhibit significant long lasting inclination excitation from the planets even for the observed disc size. The warp that is excited by the planets propagates through the entire disc with a time-scale much less than the gas disc lifetime. Therefore, the observed warp in the debris disc must be produced after the gas disc has dispersed. With analytical secular theory calculations, I show that two secular resonances are exterior to β Pic b, located at $\sim 20$ and $\sim 25\, \rm au$. This agrees with my N-body simulations that show that these secular resonances shape the inner edge of the β Pic debris disc at a radius that agrees with observations.
Associations of disease duration and anti-citrullinated peptide antibody status with the effectiveness of abatacept in biologic-naïve patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Post hoc analysis of a multicentre, real-world observational study in Japan (ORIGAMI)
Authors: Misaki Kenta , Tamura Naoto , Azuma Takanori , Shinoda Koichiro , Tanaka Masao , Fujiwara Hiroshi , Tsuboi Hideki , Kasama Tsuyoshi , Yoshimi Ryusuke , Hanyu Tadamasa , Kusaka Yoshiaki , Hirao Makoto , Onishi Makoto , Uchino Ayumi , Izumiyama Tomomasa , Yang Kwang-Seok , Ogawa Noriyoshi , Matsui Kiyoshi , Kurasawa Kazuhiro , Kawaai Satoshi , Yasuoka Hidekata , Okumura Noriaki , Ueda Yo , Tanaka Eiichi , Inoue Eisuke , Tsuritani Katsuki , Matsumoto Shigeru , Yamanaka Hisashi , Harigai Masayoshi
Published: May 2023

Objectives

The aim of the article is to investigate the associations of disease duration and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA) status with the effectiveness of abatacept in biologic-naïve patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

We performed post hoc analyses of the Orencia® Registry in Geographically Assembled Multicenter Investigation (ORIGAMI) study of biologic-naïve RA patients aged ≥20 years with moderate disease activity who were prescribed abatacept. Changes in the Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI) and Japanese Health Assessment Questionnaire (J-HAQ) at 4, 24, and 52 weeks of treatment were analysed in patients divided according to ACPA serostatus (positive/negative), disease duration (<1/≥1 year), or both.

Results

SDAI scores decreased from baseline in all groups. SDAI scores tended to decrease more in the ACPA-positive group and disease duration <1-year group than in the ACPA-negative group and disease duration ≥1-year group, respectively. In the disease duration <1-year group, SDAI tended to decrease more in the ACPA-positive group than in the ACPA-negative group. Disease duration was independently associated with the change in SDAI and SDAI remission at Week 52 in multivariable regression models.

Conclusions

These results suggest that starting abatacept within 1 year of diagnosis was associated with greater effectiveness of abatacept in biologic-naïve patients with RA and moderate disease activity.
Tunable quantum anomalous Hall effects in ferromagnetic van der Waals heterostructures
Authors: Xue Feng , Hou Yusheng , Wang Zhe , Xu Zhiming , He Ke , Wu Ruqian , Xu Yong , Duan Wenhui
Published: May 2023

The quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) has unique advantages in topotronic applications, but it is still challenging to realize the QAHE with tunable magnetic and topological properties for building functional devices. Through systematic first-principles calculations, we predict that the in-plane magnetization induced QAHE with Chern numbers C = ±1 and the out-of-plane magnetization induced QAHE with high Chern numbers C = ±3 can be realized in a single material candidate, which is composed of van der Waals (vdW) coupled Bi and MnBi2Te4 monolayers. The switching between different phases of QAHE can be controlled in multiple ways, such as applying strain or (weak) magnetic field or twisting the vdW materials. The prediction of an experimentally available material system hosting robust, highly tunable QAHE will stimulate great research interest in the field. Our work opens a new avenue for the realization of tunable QAHE and provides a practical material platform for the development of topological electronics.
A Survey of Orthopedic Surgical Management of Pressure Ulcer–Related Pelvic Osteomyelitis
Authors: Russell Clark D , Tsang Shao-Ting Jerry , Dudareva Maria , R. W. Simpson Alasdair Hamish , Sutherland Rebecca K , McNally Martin A
Published: May 2023

Pressure-ulcer related pelvic osteomyelitis is managed with little high-quality evidence. We undertook an international survey of orthopedic surgical management, covering diagnostic parameters, multidisciplinary input, and surgical approaches (indications, timing, wound closure, and adjunctive therapies). This identified areas of consensus and disagreement, representing a starting point for future discussion and research.
Bacterium-enabled transient gene activation by artificial transcription factors for resolving gene regulation in maize
Authors: Zhao Mingxia , Peng Zhao , Qin Yang , Tamang Tej Man , Zhang Ling , Tian Bin , Chen Yueying , Liu Yan , Zhang Junli , Lin Guifang , Zheng Huakun , He Cheng , Lv Kaiwen , Klaus Alina , Marcon Caroline , Hochholdinger Frank , Trick Harold N , Liu Yunjun , Cho Myeong-Je , Park Sunghun , Wei Hairong , Zheng Jun , White Frank F , Liu Sanzhen
Published: May 2023

Understanding gene regulatory networks is essential to elucidate developmental processes and environmental responses. Here, we studied regulation of a maize (Zea mays) transcription factor gene using designer transcription activator-like effectors (dTALes), which are synthetic Type III TALes of the bacterial genus Xanthomonas and serve as inducers of disease susceptibility gene transcription in host cells. The maize pathogen Xanthomonas vasicola pv. vasculorum was used to introduce 2 independent dTALes into maize cells to induced expression of the gene glossy3 (gl3), which encodes a MYB transcription factor involved in biosynthesis of cuticular wax. RNA-seq analysis of leaf samples identified, in addition to gl3, 146 genes altered in expression by the 2 dTALes. Nine of the 10 genes known to be involved in cuticular wax biosynthesis were upregulated by at least 1 of the 2 dTALes. A gene previously unknown to be associated with gl3, Zm00001d017418, which encodes aldehyde dehydrogenase, was also expressed in a dTALe-dependent manner. A chemically induced mutant and a CRISPR-Cas9 mutant of Zm00001d017418 both exhibited glossy leaf phenotypes, indicating that Zm00001d017418 is involved in biosynthesis of cuticular waxes. Bacterial protein delivery of dTALes proved to be a straightforward and practical approach for the analysis and discovery of pathway-specific genes in maize.
Laisk measurements in the nonsteady state: Tests in plants exposed to warming and variable CO2 concentrations
Authors: Schmiege Stephanie C , Sharkey Thomas D , Walker Berkley , Hammer Julia , Way Danielle A
Published: May 2023

Light respiration (RL) is an important component of plant carbon balance and a key parameter in photosynthesis models. RL is often measured using the Laisk method, a gas exchange technique that is traditionally employed under steady-state conditions. However, a nonsteady-state dynamic assimilation technique (DAT) may allow for more rapid Laisk measurements. In 2 studies, we examined the efficacy of DAT for estimating RL and the parameter Ci* (the intercellular CO2 concentration where Rubisco's oxygenation velocity is twice its carboxylation velocity), which is also derived from the Laisk technique. In the first study, we compared DAT and steady-state RL and Ci* estimates in paper birch (Betula papyrifera) growing under control and elevated temperature and CO2 concentrations. In the second, we compared DAT-estimated RL and Ci* in hybrid poplar (Populus nigra L. × P. maximowiczii A. Henry “NM6”) exposed to high or low CO2 concentration pre-treatments. The DAT and steady-state methods provided similar RL estimates in B. papyrifera, and we found little acclimation of RL to temperature or CO2; however, Ci* was higher when measured with DAT compared to steady-state methods. These Ci* differences were amplified by the high or low CO2 pre-treatments. We propose that changes in the export of glycine from photorespiration may explain these apparent differences in Ci*.
Carotenoid sequestration protein FIBRILLIN participates in CmOR-regulated β-carotene accumulation in melon
Authors: Zhou Xuesong , Sun Tianhu , Owens Lauren , Yang Yong , Fish Tara , Wrightstone Emalee , Lui Andy , Yuan Hui , Chayut Noam , Burger Joseph , Tadmor Yaakov , Thannhauser Theodore , Guo Wangzhen , Cheng Lailiang , Li Li
Published: May 2023

Chromoplasts are plant organelles with a unique ability to sequester and store massive carotenoids. Chromoplasts have been hypothesized to enable high levels of carotenoid accumulation due to enhanced sequestration ability or sequestration substructure formation. However, the regulators that control the substructure component accumulation and substructure formation in chromoplasts remain unknown. In melon (Cucumis melo) fruit, β-carotene accumulation in chromoplasts is governed by ORANGE (OR), a key regulator for carotenoid accumulation in chromoplasts. By using comparative proteomic analysis of a high β-carotene melon variety and its isogenic line low-β mutant that is defective in CmOr with impaired chromoplast formation, we identified carotenoid sequestration protein FIBRILLIN1 (CmFBN1) as differentially expressed. CmFBN1 expresses highly in melon fruit tissue. Overexpression of CmFBN1 in transgenic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) containing ORHis that genetically mimics CmOr significantly enhances carotenoid accumulation, demonstrating its involvement in CmOR-induced carotenoid accumulation. Both in vitro and in vivo evidence showed that CmOR physically interacts with CmFBN1. Such an interaction occurs in plastoglobules and results in promoting CmFBN1 accumulation. CmOR greatly stabilizes CmFBN1, which stimulates plastoglobule proliferation and subsequently carotenoid accumulation in chromoplasts. Our findings show that CmOR directly regulates CmFBN1 protein levels and suggest a fundamental role of CmFBN1 in facilitating plastoglobule proliferation for carotenoid sequestration. This study also reveals an important genetic tool to further enhance OR-induced carotenoid accumulation in chromoplasts in crops.
ANCA-associated scleritis: impact of ANCA on presentation, response to therapy and outcome
Authors: Perray Laura , Nguyen Yann , Clavel Refregiers Gaëlle , Chazal Thibaud , Héron Emmanuel , Pouchelon Clara , Dunogué Bertrand , Costedoat-Chalumeau Nathalie , Murarasu Anne , Régent Alexis , Puéchal Xavier , Thoreau Benjamin , Lifermann François , Graveleau Julie , Hié Miguel , Froissart Antoine , Baudet Antoine , Deroux Alban , Lavigne Christian , Puigrenier Sébastien , Mesbah Rafik , Moulinet Thomas , Vasco Claire , Revuz Sabine , Pugnet Grégory , Rieu Virginie , Combes Anaïs , Brézin Antoine , Terrier Benjamin
Published: May 2023

Objectives

To describe the characteristics, treatment and outcome of isolated ANCA-associated scleritis at diagnosis compared with idiopathic scleritis with negative ANCA tests.

Methods

This retrospective multicentre case–control study was performed within the French Vasculitis Study Group (FVSG) network and in three French tertiary ophthalmologic centres. Data from patients with scleritis without any systemic manifestation and with positive ANCA results were compared with those of a control group of patients with idiopathic scleritis with negative ANCA tests.

Results

A total of 120 patients, including 38 patients with ANCA-associated scleritis and 82 control patients, diagnosed between January 2007 and April 2022 were included. The median follow-up was 28 months (IQR 10–60). The median age at diagnosis was 48 years (IQR 33–60) and 75% were females. Scleromalacia was more frequent in ANCA-positive patients (P = 0.027) and 54% had associated ophthalmologic manifestations, without significant differences. ANCA-associated scleritis more frequently required systemic medications, including glucocorticoids (76% vs 34%; P < 0.001), and rituximab (P = 0.03) and had a lower remission rate after the first- and second-line treatment. Systemic ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) occurred in 30.7% of patients with PR3- or MPO-ANCA, after a median interval of 30 months (IQR 16.3–44). Increased CRP >5 mg/l at diagnosis was the only significant risk factor of progression to systemic AAV [adjusted hazard ratio 5.85 (95% CI 1.10, 31.01), P = 0.038].

Conclusion

Isolated ANCA-associated scleritis is mostly anterior scleritis with a higher risk of scleromalacia than ANCA-negative idiopathic scleritis and is more often difficult to treat. One-third of patients with PR3- or MPO-ANCA scleritis progressed to systemic AAV.
Development of a z-axis tilting technique using a chest phantom to reduce radiation exposure during computed tomography coronary angiography
Authors: Nosaka Rumiko , Shohji Tomokazu , Yanano Nobutaka , Kuriyama Kazuki , Nosaka Hiroki
Published: May 2023

Japan has the highest estimated exposure frequency of diagnostic X-rays in the world. Furthermore, the volumetric computed tomography dose index (CTDIvol) and dose length product (DLP) of computed tomography coronary angiography are relatively high in Japanese diagnostic reference levels, and it is important to reduce both dose indices. This study proposed a new exposure reduction technique, the vanishing liver position (VLP), where the body is tilted to the right in the z-axis. The VLP advantages include reduction in the scanning range and overlap between the heart and the liver. Three different electrocardiogram protocols were employed, and changes in the tube current in the z-axis were measured during each protocol. Additionally, changes in the radiation exposure caused by z-axis tilting were evaluated. Our results indicate that this technique reduced CTDIvol and DLP by 6.2 and 8.9%, respectively, at most, indicating that this technique can reduce radiation exposure.
Online Phylogenetics with matOptimize Produces Equivalent Trees and is Dramatically More Efficient for Large SARS-CoV-2 Phylogenies than de novo and Maximum-Likelihood Implementations
Authors: Kramer Alexander M , Thornlow Bryan , Ye Cheng , De Maio Nicola , McBroome Jakob , Hinrichs Angie S , Lanfear Robert , Turakhia Yatish , Corbett-Detig Russell
Published: May 2023

Phylogenetics has been foundational to SARS-CoV-2 research and public health policy, assisting in genomic surveillance, contact tracing, and assessing emergence and spread of new variants. However, phylogenetic analyses of SARS-CoV-2 have often relied on tools designed for de novo phylogenetic inference, in which all data are collected before any analysis is performed and the phylogeny is inferred once from scratch. SARS-CoV-2 data sets do not fit this mold. There are currently over 14 million sequenced SARS-CoV-2 genomes in online databases, with tens of thousands of new genomes added every day. Continuous data collection, combined with the public health relevance of SARS-CoV-2, invites an “online” approach to phylogenetics, in which new samples are added to existing phylogenetic trees every day. The extremely dense sampling of SARS-CoV-2 genomes also invites a comparison between likelihood and parsimony approaches to phylogenetic inference. Maximum likelihood (ML) and pseudo-ML methods may be more accurate when there are multiple changes at a single site on a single branch, but this accuracy comes at a large computational cost, and the dense sampling of SARS-CoV-2 genomes means that these instances will be extremely rare because each internal branch is expected to be extremely short. Therefore, it may be that approaches based on maximum parsimony (MP) are sufficiently accurate for reconstructing phylogenies of SARS-CoV-2, and their simplicity means that they can be applied to much larger data sets. Here, we evaluate the performance of de novo and online phylogenetic approaches, as well as ML, pseudo-ML, and MP frameworks for inferring large and dense SARS-CoV-2 phylogenies. Overall, we find that online phylogenetics produces similar phylogenetic trees to de novo analyses for SARS-CoV-2, and that MP optimization with UShER and matOptimize produces equivalent SARS-CoV-2 phylogenies to some of the most popular ML and pseudo-ML inference tools. MP optimization with UShER and matOptimize is thousands of times faster than presently available implementations of ML and online phylogenetics is faster than de novo inference. Our results therefore suggest that parsimony-based methods like UShER and matOptimize represent an accurate and more practical alternative to established ML implementations for large SARS-CoV-2 phylogenies and could be successfully applied to other similar data sets with particularly dense sampling and short branch lengths.
Telehealth Simulation: Effect on Nurse Learner Knowledge, Confidence, and Attitudes
Authors: Moore Jeanne , Jairath Nalini , Montejo Leigh , O’Brien Sandra , Want David
Published: May 2023

Limited research explores the effectiveness of educational interventions in meeting telehealth technology competencies. A combined didactic and simulation intervention was implemented with 66 prelicensure and 15 nurse practitioner students. Telehealth knowledge, confidence, and attitudes were evaluated using the Telemedicine Objective Structured Clinical Exam survey. Results were analyzed using descriptive and inferential strategies, and responses to an open-ended question were content analyzed. Survey scores significantly increased from pre- to post-intervention. Learners recognized the value of telehealth and the educational intervention. This effective and well-received intervention can be used by schools of nursing to facilitate student attainment of telehealth competencies.
Return to the Operating Room for Unplanned Pin Removal After Percutaneous Pinning of Supracondylar Humerus Fractures: A Retrospective Review
Authors: Lindsay Sarah E. , Crawford Lindsay , Holmes Stephanie , Kadado Allen A. , Memon Ramiz , Souder Christopher D. , Swarup Ishaan , Halsey Matthew
Published: May 2023

Background:

Pin migration is a common complication associated with closed reduced and percutaneous pinning (CRPP) of supracondylar humerus fractures (SCHF) in children. Though this complication occurs frequently, little work has been done to elicit circumstances surrounding this complication. The purpose of this study was to evaluate patients with SCHF treated with percutaneous pins who needed to return to the operating room for pin removal.

Methods:

This was a multicenter study involving children treated at 6 pediatric tertiary care centers between 2010 and 2020. Retrospective chart review was performed to identify children aged 3 to 10 years of age with a diagnosis of a SCHF. Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes were used to identify patients who underwent CRPP of their injuries. CPT codes for deep hardware removal requiring procedural sedation or anesthesia were used to identify patients who needed to return to the operating room for hardware removal.

Results:

Between 2010 and 2020, 15 out of 7862 patients who were treated for SCHF at our 6 participating study centers experienced pin migration requiring a return to the operating room for pin removal, yielding a complication rate of 0.19%. Twelve (80%) of these injuries were Wilkins modification of the Gartland classification Type III, while the remaining injuries were Type II. 2-pin fixation constructs were used in nine (60%) children; 3-pin fixation constructs were used in 6 (40%) children. Pin migration was noted 23.2±7.0 days postoperatively at clinic follow-up. Four patients were noted to have multiple pins buried at follow-up. Four patients required 1-centimeter incisions for exposure of the buried pins, while surgeons were able to remove the buried pin with just a needle driver and blunt dissection in the remainder of patients.

Conclusions:

Pin migration is a common complication of closed reduction and percutaneous pinning of SCHF. There is variation in pin site management to prevent migration in the absence of underlying risk factors.

Level of Evidence:

Level III.
Patient-reported Outcome after Surgical Evacuation of Postoperative Spinal Epidural Hematomas at One-year Follow-up
Authors: Nerelius Fredrik , Sigmundsson Freyr G. , Karlén Niklas , Wretenberg Per , Joelson Anders
Published: May 2023

Study Design.

Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from the National Swedish Spine Register (Swespine).

Objective.

To evaluate the effects of symptomatic spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) requiring reoperation on one-year patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in a large cohort of patients treated surgically for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS).

Summary of Background Data.

Studies exploring the outcomes of reoperations after SSEH are scarce and often lack validated outcome measures. As SSEH is considered a serious complication, understanding of the outcome following hematoma evacuation is important.

Materials and Methods.

After retrieving data from 2007 to 2017 from Swespine, we included all patients with LSS without concomitant spondylolisthesis who were treated surgically with decompression without fusion. Patients with evacuated SSEH were identified in the registry. Back/leg pain numerical rating scales (NRS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and EQ VAS were used for outcome assessment. PROMs before and one-year after decompression surgery were compared between evacuated patients and all other patients. Multivariate linear regression was performed to determine if hematoma evacuation predicted inferior one-year PROM scores.

Results.

A total of 113 patients with an evacuated SSEH were compared with 19527 patients with no evacuation. One-year after decompression surgery, both groups showed significant improvement in all PROMs. When comparing the two groups’ one-year improvement there were no significant differences in any PROM. The proportion of patients achieving the minimum important change was not significantly different for any PROM. Multivariate linear regression found that hematoma evacuation significantly predicted inferior one-year ODI (β=4.35, P=0.043), but it was not a significant predictor of inferior NRS Back (β=0.50, P=0.105), NRS Leg (β=0.41, P=0.221), or EQ VAS (β=−1.97, P=0.470).

Conclusions.

A surgically evacuated SSEH does not affect outcome in terms of back/leg pain or health-related quality of life. Commonly used PROM surveys may not capture neurologic deficits associated with SSEH.
Effect of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation in Patients With Critical Illness: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Nakanishi Nobuto , Yoshihiro Shodai , Kawamura Yusuke , Aikawa Gen , Shida Haruka , Shimizu Motohiro , Fujinami Yoshihisa , Matsuoka Ayaka , Watanabe Shinichi , Taito Shunsuke , Inoue Shigeaki
Published: May 2023

OBJECTIVES:

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is used in the rehabilitation of patients with critical illness. However, it is unclear whether NMES prevents ICU-acquired weakness (ICU-AW). For this purpose, we conducted an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

DATA SOURCES:

We searched the MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Igaku Chuo Zasshi databases from April 2019 to November 2022 to identify new randomized controlled trials to the previous meta-analysis.

STUDY SELECTION:

We systematically searched the literature for all randomized controlled trials on the effect of NMES in patients with critical illness.

DATA EXTRACTION:

Two authors independently selected the studies and extracted data. They calculated the pooled effect estimates associated with the occurrence of ICU-AW and adverse events as primary outcomes and muscle mass change, muscle strength, length of ICU stay, mortality, and quality of life as secondary outcomes. The certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach.

DATA SYNTHESIS:

Overall, eight studies were added to the previous 10 studies. Evidence suggests that the use of NMES reduces the occurrence of ICU-AW (six trials; risk ratio [RR], 0.48; 95% CI, 0.32–0.72); however, NMES may have little to no effect on pricking sensation in patients (eight trials; RR, 6.87; 95% CI, 0.84–56.50). NMES is likely to reduce the change in muscle mass (four trials; mean difference, –10.01; 95% CI, –15.54 to –4.48) and may increase muscle strength (six trials; standardized mean difference, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.19–0.68). Further, NMES may result in little to no difference in the length of ICU stay, and the evidence is uncertain about the effect on mortality and quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS:

This updated meta-analysis revealed that the use of NMES may result in a lower occurrence of ICU-AW in patients with critical illness, but its use may have little to no effect on pricking sensation in patients.
Reduced Risk of Lymphedema With Intensity-modulated Radiation Therapy Compared With 3-dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy in Patients With Cervical Cancer Who Received Postoperative Pelvic Radiation Therapy
Authors: Uezono Haruka , Tsujino Kayoko , Miyazaki Shuichiro , Marudai Mitsuru , Bessyo Ryosuke , Takabayashi Hatamei , Yamaguchi Satoshi , Ota Yosuke
Published: May 2023

Objectives:

To compare the long-term adverse events of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) with those of 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) in patients with intermediate-risk and high-risk uterine cervical cancer who underwent postoperative pelvic radiation therapy (PORT).

Methods:

We reviewed the medical records of 177 patients with cervical cancer who underwent radical surgery and PORT. IMRT and 3D-CRT were administered to 93 and 84 patients, respectively. Follow-up and toxicity assessments were then carried out.

Results:

The median follow-up period was 63 months (range: 3 to 177). There was a significant difference in the follow-up period between the IMRT and 3D-CRT cohorts (median: 59 vs. 112 mo, P<0.0001). The crude incidences of acute grade 2+ and grade 3+ gastrointestinal toxicities were significantly lower with IMRT than with 3D-CRT (22.6% vs. 48.1%, P=0.002, and 3.2% vs. 11.1%, P=0.04, respectively). The Kaplan-Meier estimates of late toxicities revealed that IMRT significantly reduced grade 2+ genitourinary (GU) toxicity and lower-extremity lymphedema ([LEL] requiring intervention) compared with 3D-CRT ([6.8% vs. 15.2% at 5-year, P=0.048] and [3.1% vs. 14.6% at 5-year, P=0.0029], respectively). IMRT was the only significant predictor of reducing LEL risk.

Conclusions:

The risks of acute gastrointestinal toxicity, late GU toxicity, and LEL from PORT for cervical cancer were reduced by IMRT. Lower inguinal doses may have contributed to a lower risk of developing LEL, which should be validated in future studies.