bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Governmental anti‐pandemic policies, vaccination, population mobility, Twitter narratives, and the spread of COVID‐19: Evidence from the European Union countries
Authors: Fedorova Elena , Ledyaeva Svetlana , Kulikova Oksana , Nevredinov Alexandr
Published: January 2023

We provide large‐scale empirical evidence on the effects of multiple governmental regulatory and health policies, vaccination, population mobility, and COVID‐19‐related Twitter narratives on the spread of a new coronavirus infection. Using multiple‐level fixed effects panel data model with weekly data for 27 European Union countries in the period of March 2020–June 2021, we show that governmental response policies were effective both in reducing the number of COVID‐19 infection cases and deaths from it, particularly, in the countries with higher level of rule of law. Vaccination expectedly helped to decrease the number of virus cases. Reductions in population mobility in public places and workplaces were also powerful in fighting the pandemic. Next, we identify four core pandemic‐related Twitter narratives: governmental response policies, people's sad feelings during the pandemic, vaccination, and pandemic‐related international politics. We find that sad feelings’ narrative helped to combat the virus spread in EU countries. Our findings also reveal that while in countries with high rule of law international politics’ narrative helped to reduce the virus spread, in countries with low rule of law the effect was strictly the opposite. The latter finding suggests that trust in politicians played an important role in confronting the pandemic.
Fine mapping of meiotic crossovers inBrassica oleraceareveals patterns and variations depending on direction and combination of crosses
Authors: Cai Chengcheng , Pelé Alexandre , Bucher Johan , Finkers Richard , Bonnema Guusje
Published: January 2023

Meiotic recombination is crucial for assuring proper segregation of parental chromosomes and generation of novel allelic combinations. As this process is tightly regulated, identifying factors influencing rate, and distribution of meiotic crossovers (COs) is of major importance, notably for plant breeding programs. However, high‐resolution recombination maps are sparse in most crops including theBrassicagenus and knowledge about intraspecific variation and sex differences is lacking. Here, we report fine‐scale resolution recombination landscapes for 10 female and 10 male crosses inBrassica oleracea, by analyzing progenies of five large four‐way‐cross populations from two reciprocally crossed F1s per population. Parents are highly diverse inbred lines representing major crops, including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kohlrabi, and kale. We produced approximately 4.56T Illumina data from 1248 progenies and identified 15 353 CO across the 10 reciprocal crosses, 51.13% of which being mapped to <10 kb. We revealed fairly similar Mb‐scale recombination landscapes among all cross combinations and between the sexes, and provided evidence that these landscapes are largely independent of sequence divergence. We evidenced strong influence of gene density and large structural variations on CO formation inB. oleracea. Moreover, we found extensive variations in CO number depending on the direction and combination of the initial parents crossed with, for the first time, a striking interdependency between these factors. These data improve our current knowledge on meiotic recombination and are important forBrassicabreeders.
The value of routine radiographic follow up in the postoperative management of canine medial patellar luxation
Authors: Brincin Charlie , Payne Dylan J. L. , Grierson James , Wood Philippa , Robinson William P. , Giustino Vincenza S. , O' Sullivan Joseph , Pilati Filipo , Karydas Stavros , Keeley Ben , Bright Steve , Bobis‐Villagra Diego , Martin Stephen , Schofield Imogen , Matiasovic Matt
Published: January 2023

Objective

To determine the influence of radiographic examination on the recommendations made at the time of planned re‐evaluation of dogs after medial patellar luxation (MPL) surgery.

Study design

Retrospective multi‐institutional case series.

Animals

Client‐owned dogs (N = 825) that underwent MPL surgery.

Methods

Records of 10 referral institutions were searched for dogs that had been treated surgically for unilateral MPL and underwent a planned follow‐up visit, including radiographs. The frequency of, and reasons for, changes in further recovery recommendations were investigated.

Results

Follow up was performed at a median of 6 (range, 4‐20) weeks postoperatively. Isolated radiographic abnormalities were identified in 3.3% (27/825) of dogs following MPL surgery and led to a change in recommendations in 3% (13/432) of dogs that were presented without owner or clinician concerns. Lameness, administration of analgesia at follow up, and history of unplanned visits prior to routine re‐examination were associated with a change in postoperative plan (P < .001). In the absence of owner and clinician concerns, the odds of having a change in convalescence plans were not different, whether or not isolated radiographic abnormalities were present (P = .641).

Conclusion

Routine radiographs at follow up did not influence postoperative management of most dogs after MPL surgery in the absence of abnormalities on clinical history or orthopedic examination.

Clinical significance

Dogs that were presented for routine follow up after unilateral MPL surgery without owner concerns, lameness, analgesic treatment or a history of unplanned visits, and for which examination by a surgical specialist was unremarkable, were unlikely to benefit from radiographs.
An online implementation of a measure of spectro-temporal processing by cochlear-implant listeners
Authors: Archer-Boyd Alan W. , Harland Andrew , Goehring Tobias , Carlyon Robert P.
Published: January 2023

The spectro-temporal ripple for investigating processor effectiveness (STRIPES) test is a psychophysical measure of spectro-temporal resolution in cochlear-implant (CI) listeners. It has been validated using direct-line input and loudspeaker presentation with listeners of the Advanced Bionics CI. This article investigates the suitability of an online application using wireless streaming (webSTRIPES) as a remote test. It reports a strong across-listener correlation between STRIPES thresholds obtained using laboratory testing with loudspeaker presentation vs remote testing with streaming presentation, with no significant difference in STRIPES thresholds between the two measures. WebSTRIPES also produced comparable and robust thresholds with users of the Cochlear CI.
Description of Gut Mycobiota Composition and Diversity of Caprinae Animals
Authors: Lv Qing-Bo , Meng Jin-Xin , Ma He , Liu Rui , Qin Ya , Qin Yi-Feng , Geng Hong-Li , Ni Hong-Bo , Zhang Xiao-Xuan
Published: January 2023

In this study, we elucidated and analyzed the structure of the gut mycobiota of Caprinae animals from different regions. This study revealed differences in the structure of the gut mycobiota among Caprinae animals from different geographical environments. Based on previous findings, correlations between fungal and bacterial communities were analyzed. This study adds to previous research that has expanded the present understanding of the gut microbiome of Caprinae animals.
Chenodeoxycholic Acid-Amikacin Combination Enhances Eradication of Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Cui Kaiyu , Yang Weifeng , Liu Zhiyuan , Liu Guijian , Li Dongying , Sun Yanan , He Gaiying , Ma Shuhua , Cao Yu , Jiang Xuefan , Chevalier Sylvie , Cornelis Pierre , Wei Qing , Wang Yi
Published: January 2023

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is spreading globally with increasing speed. The search for new antibiotics is one of the key strategies in the fight against MDR.
Development of Nanoparticle Adaptation Phenomena in Acinetobacter baumannii: Physiological Change and Defense Response
Authors: McNeilly Oliver , Mann Riti , Cummins Max Laurence , Djordjevic Steven P. , Hamidian Mehrad , Gunawan Cindy
Published: January 2023

Several recent studies have reported on the development of bacterial resistance to broad-spectrum antimicrobial silver nanoparticles (nanosilver; NAg). NAg is currently one of the most important alternative antimicrobial agents.
Genomic Epidemiology and Multilevel Genome Typing of Australian Salmonella enterica Serovar Enteritidis
Authors: Luo Lijuan , Payne Michael , Wang Qinning , Kaur Sandeep , Rathnayake Irani U. , Graham Rikki , Gall Mailie , Draper Jenny , Martinez Elena , Octavia Sophie , Tanaka Mark M. , Jennison Amy V. , Sintchenko Vitali , Lan Ruiting
Published: January 2023

Salmonella enterica
serovar Enteritidis is a leading cause of foodborne infections. We previously developed a genomic typing database (MGTdb) for
S.
Enteritidis to facilitate global surveillance of this pathogen.
Cross-Canada Variability in Blood Donor SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence by Social Determinants of Health
Authors: O’Brien Sheila F. , Caffrey Niamh , Yi Qi-Long , Bolotin Shelly , Janjua Naveed Z. , Binka Mawuena , Thanh Caroline Quach , Stein Derek R. , Lang Amanda , Colquhoun Amy , Pambrun Chantale , Reedman Cassandra N. , Drews Steven J.
Published: January 2023

Canadian blood donors are a healthy adult population that shows clear disparities associated with racialization and material deprivation. This underscores the pervasiveness of the socioeconomic gradient on SARS-CoV-2 infections in Canada.
Mutual Effects of Single and Combined CFTR Modulators and Bacterial Infection in Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Cigana Cristina , Giannella Ruggero , Colavolpe Alice , Alcalá-Franco Beatriz , Mancini Giulia , Colombi Francesca , Bigogno Chiara , Bastrup Ulla , Bertoni Giovanni , Bragonzi Alessandra
Published: January 2023

CFTR modulators have been developed to correct and/or enhance CFTR activity in patients with specific cystic fibrosis (CF) genotypes. However, it is of great importance to identify potential off-targets of these novel therapies to understand how they affect lung physiology in CF.
Multimodal imaging of reactive retinal astrocytic vasoproliferative tumour in a case of systemic tuberculosis
Authors: Kandasamy Sindhuja , Agarwal Divya , Chawla Rohan
Published: January 2023

A man in his 20s presented with diminished vision in the left eye. He had a history of Pott’s spine and had been diagnosed elsewhere as having left eye tubercular granuloma in the retina. He was started on anti-tubercular therapy and high-dose oral steroids. He presented to us 1 month later. Presently fundus examination revealed a yellow to whitish mass temporal to disc with diffuse hard exudates throughout the retina. Swept-source optical coherence tomography (SSOCT) revealed a hyper-reflective mass involving the retina. SSOCT angiography and fundus fluorescein angiography revealed vascularity within the lesion. We made a diagnosis of a secondary reactive retinal astrocytic vasoproliferative tumour (VPT) and hence tapered the steroids and given intravitreal bevacizumab injection. At 6 weeks follow-up after intravitreal bevacizumab, there was some amount of resolution of hard exudates along with reduction of the vascular pattern of the lesion. The peripapillary location and development of a VPT following resolution of a presumed tubercular granuloma is rare.
Gestational weight gain and neonatal outcomes in different zygosity twins: a cohort study in Wuhan, China
Authors: Chen Yawen , Liu Mingzhu , Zhang Yiming , Chen Zhong , Mei Hong , Liu Yan , Wu Hongling , Zhou AiFen
Published: January 2023

Objective

To evaluate whether twin zygosity influences the association between neonatal outcomes and gestational weight gain (GWG) based on the Chinese guidelines in twin-pregnancy women.

Design

A retrospective cohort study. And it is not a clinical trial.

Setting

Women with twin pregnancies living in Wuhan, China.

Participants

A total of 5140 women who delivered live and non-malformed twins from 1 January 2011 to 31 August 2017 were included in this study.

Main outcome measure

The primary neonatal outcomes included paired small for gestational age (SGA, <10 th percentile birth weight for gestational age and sex), low birth weight (LBW, <2500 g) and gestational age (<33 weeks and <37 weeks). The association between GWG and neonatal outcomes was examined by Logistic regression analyses.

Results

A total of 5140 women were included, of whom 22.24%, 54.78% and 22.98% were below, within and above the Chinese guidelines, respectively. Among the including 10 280 infants, 26.28% of them were monozygotic (MZ) twins and 73.72% of them were dizygotic (DZ) twins. Women with low GWG had a significantly higher proportion of LBW/LBW and LBW/NBW infants, a greater likelihood of SGA/SGA and SGA/appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants and a higher incidence of preterm birth. The associations persisted both in MZ and DZ twins, and twin zygosity influenced the degree of association between GWG and SGA, LBW and preterm birth. High GWG was associated with significant risk reductions in SGA/AGA pairs, LBW/LBW or LBW/NBW pairs, and less than 33 gestational weeks. However, high GWG was only associated with reduced risk of LBW/LBW pairs both in MZ and DZ twins.

Conclusions

GWG below the Chinese recommendations increased the risk of SGA, LBW and preterm birth in both MZ and DZ twins. The effect was more pronounced in MZ twins than that in DZ twin pairs. A high GWG only reduced the risk of LBW/LBW pairs both in MZ and DZ twins.
Pathway Of Low Anterior Resection syndrome relief after Surgery (POLARiS) feasibility trial protocol: a multicentre, feasibility cohort study with embedded randomised control trial to compare sacral neuromodulation and transanal irrigation to optimised conservative management in the management of major low anterior resection syndrome following rectal cancer treatment
Authors: Coxon-Meggy Alexandra Harriet , Vogel Irene , White Judith , Croft Julie , Corrigan Neil , Meggy Alun , Stocken Deborah D , Keller Deborah , Hompes Roel , Knowles Charles H , Quyn Aaron , Cornish Julie
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Rectal cancer is common with a 60% 5-year survival rate. Treatment usually involves surgery with or without neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy or adjuvant chemotherapy. Sphincter saving curative treatment can result in debilitating changes to bowel function known as low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). There are currently no clear guidelines on the management of LARS with only limited evidence for different treatment modalities.

Methods and analysis

Patients who have undergone an anterior resection for rectal cancer in the last 10 years will be approached for the study. The feasibility trial will take place in four centres with a 9-month recruitment window and 12 months follow-up period. The primary objective is to assess the feasibility of recruitment to the POLARiS trial which will be achieved through assessment of recruitment, retainment and follow-up rates as well as the prevalence of major LARS.

Feasibility outcomes will be analysed descriptively through the estimation of proportions with confidence intervals. Longitudinal patient reported outcome measures will be analysed according to scoring manuals and presented descriptively with reporting graphically over time.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval has been granted by Wales REC1; Reference 22/WA/0025. The feasibility study is in the process of set up. The results of the feasibility trial will feed into the design of an expanded, international trial.

Trial registration number

CT05319054.
Characteristics promoting behaviour change: physician experience with a coalition-led quality improvement initiative to reduce excessive laboratory test ordering
Authors: Mathura Pamela , Marini Sandra , Spalding Karen , Duhn Lenora , Kassam Narmin , Medves Jennifer
Published: January 2023

Background

Attempts have been made to reduce excessive laboratory test ordering; however, the problem persists and barriers to physician involvement in quality improvement (QI) remain. We sought to understand physician participation experience following a laboratory test overuse initiative supported by a QI coalition.

Methods

As part of a larger mixed-methods study, structured virtual interviews were conducted with 12 physicians. The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) and the Behavioural Change Wheel (BCW) were used to identify characteristics that influence physician behaviour change for QI leadership and participation and appropriate blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test ordering. A content analysis of physicians’ statements to the TDF was performed, resulting in overarching themes; relevant TDF domains were mapped to the intervention functions of the BCW.

Results

Nine overarching themes emerged from the data. Eight of 14 TDF domains influence QI leadership and participation, and 10 influence appropriate BUN-test ordering behaviours. The characteristics participants described that promoted a change in their QI participation, leadership and appropriate BUN-test ordering were: QI education with hands-on training; physician peer mentorship/support; personnel assistance (QI and analytics) and communication from a trusted/credible physician leader who shares data and insights about the physician role in the initiative, clinical best practice and past project success. Other elements included: a simply designed initiative requiring minimal effort and no clinical workflow disruptions; revised order forms/panels and limiting test-order frequency when laboratory tests are normal. Additionally, various future intervention strategies were identified. For their initial initiative participation, physicians acknowledged coalition leader or member credibility was more important than awareness of the coalition.

Conclusions

Based on physicians’ described perceptions and experiences, coalition characteristics that influenced their QI leadership and participation, and appropriate BUN-test ordering behaviours were revealed; these characteristics aligned to several TDF domains. The findings suggest that these behaviours are multidimensional, requiring a multistrategy approach to change behaviour.
Physiotherapy assessment of breathing pattern disorder: a qualitative evaluation
Authors: Grillo Lizzie , Russell Anne-Marie , Shannon Harriet , Lewis Adam
Published: January 2023

Objectives

To explore physiotherapists’ opinions of physiotherapy assessment of Breathing Pattern Disorder (BPD).

Methods

Qualitative study using focus groups (FGs) with reflexive thematic analysis and survey methods. The survey was distributed via social media and email to UK specialist physiotherapy interest groups. Two FGs, conducted in different settings, included physiotherapists based in hospital outpatients/community, private practice and higher education.

Results

One-hundred-and-three physiotherapists completed the survey. Respondents identified a lack of consensus in how to define BPD, but some agreement in the components to include in assessment. Fifteen physiotherapists participated in the FGs. Three themes emerged from FG discussions: (1) nomenclature and language of breathing, (2) BPD and breathlessness and (3) The value of assessment of breathlessness.

Conclusion

The inconsistent nomenclature of dysfunctional breathing pattern impacts assessment, management and understanding of the diagnosis. Clarity in diagnosis, informing consistency in assessment, is fundamental to improving recognition and treatment of BPD. The findings are useful in the planning of education, training, future research and guideline development in BPD assessment.
Exploring procedure duration and risk for serious adverse events during congenital cardiac catheterization
Authors: Yeh Mary J , Lydon Elizabeth , Gauvreau Kimberlee , Jenkins Kathy J , Slater David , Bergersen Lisa
Published: January 2023

Objectives

While procedure length is considered an important metric for cardiothoracic surgical procedures, the relationship between procedure length and adverse events (AEs) in congenital cardiac catheterizations has little published data available. Furthermore, most existing congenital cardiac catheterization risk prediction models are built on logistic regression models. This study aimed to characterize the relationship between case length and AE occurrence in congenital cardiac catheterization while adjusting for known risk factors and to investigate the potential role of non-linear analysis in risk modeling.

Design

Age, case type, and procedure duration were evaluated for relationships with the primary outcome using logistic regression. Non-linearity of the associations with continuous risk factors was assessed using restricted cubic spline transformations.

Setting and participants

All diagnostic and interventional congenital cardiac catheterization cases performed at Boston Children’s Hospital between January 1, 2014 and October 31, 2019 were analyzed.

Main outcome measure

The primary outcome was defined as the occurrence of any clinically significant (level 3/4/5) AE.

Results

A total of 7011 catheterization cases met inclusion criteria, with interventional procedures accounting for 68% of cases. Median case duration was 97 min. A multivariable model including age, procedure type, and case duration showed a significant relationship between case duration and AE occurrence (OR 1.07 per 10 min increase, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.09, p<0.001).

Conclusions

This study demonstrated the importance of procedure duration as a potential frontier for procedure risk management. Better understanding of the role of procedure duration in cardiac catheterizations may provide opportunities for quality improvement in patient safety and resource planning.
Latent profiles of biological dysregulation and risk of mortality: time-to-event analysis using the Midlife in the US longitudinal study
Authors: Carbone Jason T , Holzer Katherine J , Clift Jennifer , Fu Qiang
Published: January 2023

Background

There is a well-established relationship between high allostatic load (AL) and increased risk of mortality. This study expands on the literature by combined latent profile analysis (LPA) with survival data analysis techniques to assess the degree to which AL status is associated with time to death.

Methods

LPA was employed to identify underlying classes of biological dysregulation among a sample of 815 participants from the Midlife in the US study. Sex-stratified Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the association between class of biological dysregulation and time to death while controlling for sociodemographic covariates.

Results

The LPA resulted in three classes: low dysregulation, immunometabolic dysregulation and parasympathetic reactivity. Women in the immunometabolic dysregulation group had more than three times the risk of death as compared with women in the low dysregulation group (HR=3.25, 95% CI: 1.47 to 7.07), but that there was not a statistically significant difference between the parasympathetic reactivity group and the low dysregulation group (HR=1.80, 95% CI: 0.62 to 5.23). For men, the risk of death for those in the immunometabolic dysregulation (HR=1.79, 95% CI: 0.88 to 3.65) and parasympathetic reactivity (HR=0.90, 95% CI: 0.34 to 3.65) groups did not differ from the low dysregulation group.

Conclusion

The findings are consistent with the previous research that demonstrates increased AL as a risk factor for mortality. Specifically, in women, that increased risk may be associated with immunometabolic dysregulation and not simply a generalised measure of cumulative risk as is typically employed in AL research.
Novel role of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor in modulating the differentiation and immunosuppressive functions of myeloid-derived suppressor cells
Authors: Lee Aram , Park Haesun , Lim Soyoung , Lim Jihyun , Koh Jaemoon , Jeon Yoon Kyung , Yang Young , Lee Myeong-Sok , Lim Jong-Seok
Published: January 2023

Background

Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) is a master regulator of melanogenesis and is mainly expressed in melanoma cells. MITF has also been reported to be expressed in non-pigmented cells, such as osteoclasts, mast cells, and B cells. However, the roles of MITF in immunosuppressive myeloid cells, including myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), remain unclear. Here, we investigated the role of MITF in the differentiation process of MDSCs during tumor development.

Methods

In vitro-generated murine MDSCs and primary MDSCs from breast cancer-bearing mice or lung carcinoma-bearing mice were used to determine the expression level of MITF and the activity of MDSCs. Additionally, we investigated whether in vivo tumor growth can be differentially regulated by coinjection of MDSCs in which MITF expression is modulated by small molecules. Furthermore, the number of MITF+monocytic (MO)-MDSCs was examined in human tumor tissues or tumor-free lymph nodes by immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Results

The expression of MITF was strongly increased in MO-MDSCs from tumors of breast cancer-bearing mice compared with polymorphonuclear MDSCs. We found that MITF expression in MDSCs was markedly induced in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and related to the functional activity of MDSCs. MITF overexpression in myeloid cells increased the expression of MDSC activity markers and effectively inhibited T-cell proliferation compared with those of control MDSCs, whereas shRNA-mediated knockdown of MITF in myeloid cells altered the immunosuppressive function of MDSCs. Modulation of MITF expression by small molecules affected the differentiation and immunosuppressive function of MDSCs. While increased MITF expression in MDSCs promoted breast cancer progression and CD4+or CD8+T-cell dysfunction, decreased MITF expression in MDSCs suppressed tumor progression and enhanced T-cell activation. Furthermore, IHC staining of human tumor tissues revealed that MITF+MO-MDSCs are more frequently observed in tumor tissues than in tumor-free draining lymph nodes obtained from patients with cancer.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that MITF regulates the differentiation and function of MDSCs and can be a novel therapeutic target for modulating MDSC activity in immunosuppressive TMEs.
Profiling of the genetic features of Chinese patients with gastric cancer with HRD germline mutations in a large-scale retrospective study
Authors: Zhang Chenghai , Zhu Dandan , Qu Yurong , Shi Min , Ma Jingjiao , Peng Yebo , Zhu Bowen , Tao Houquan , Ma Tonghui , Hou TieYing
Published: January 2023

Background

Approximately 10% of gastric cancers (GCs) are associated with strong familial clustering and can be attributed to genetic predisposition. Homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) leads to genomic instability and accumulation of genetic variations, playing an important role in the development and progression of cancer. We aimed to delineate the germline mutation characteristics of patients with HRD-mut GC in Chinese.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the genomic sequencing data of 1135 patients with Chinese GC. Patients harbouring at least one loss of function (LoF) germline mutations inBRCA1,BRCA2,ATM,PALB2,BRIP1,CHEK1,CHEK2,FANCAandFANCLwere selected for analysis.

Results

89 patients were identified with LoF germline mutations of HRD gene. Germline mutations occurred most commonly inATM(30.33%), followed byBRIP1(17.98%),BRCA2(14.61%),BRCA1(12.36%),FANCA(10.11%),PALB2(10.11%),FANCL(6.74%),CHEK1(3.37%) andCHEK2(3.37%). 14 out of 89 patients with HRD-mut harboured double mutations in HRD and MMR genes, with the median age of 51.5 years. The decreasing median age would be attributed to five patients with HRD+MMR double-muts harbouring mutations in both HRD and MMR genes. The median age of onset of patients with HRD+MMR double-muts is 47, which is significantly earlier than that of Chinese patients with GC (p=0.0235).

Conclusion

Our data suggest that carrying both HRD and MMR gene LoF germline mutations may cause early-onset GC. Germline mutations in the HRD gene should be of concern in the study of hereditary GC.
Neuropsychiatric symptoms in genetic frontotemporal dementia: developing a new module for Clinical Rating Scales
Authors: Samra Kiran , Macdougall Amy , Peakman Georgia , Bouzigues Arabella , Bocchetta Martina , Cash David M , Greaves Caroline V , Convery Rhian S , van Swieten John C , Jiskoot Lize C , Seelaar Harro , Moreno Fermin , Sánchez-Valle Raquel , Laforce Robert , Graff Caroline , Masellis Mario , Tartaglia Maria Carmela , Rowe James B , Borroni Barbara , Finger Elizabeth , Synofzik Matthis , Galimberti Daniela , Vandenberghe Rik , de Mendonca Alexandre , Butler Christopher R , Gerhard Alexander , Ducharme Simon , Le Ber Isabelle , Tiraboschi Pietro , Santana Isabel , Pasquier Florence , Levin Johannes , Otto Markus , Sorbi Sandro , Rohrer Jonathan D , Russell Lucy L
Published: January 2023

Background

Current clinical rating scales in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) often do not incorporate neuropsychiatric features and may therefore inadequately measure disease stage.

Methods

832 participants from the Genetic FTD Initiative (GENFI) were recruited: 522 mutation carriers and 310 mutation-negative controls. The standardised GENFI clinical questionnaire assessed the frequency and severity of 14 neuropsychiatric symptoms: visual, auditory, and tactile hallucinations, delusions, depression, anxiety, irritability/lability, agitation/aggression, euphoria/elation, aberrant motor behaviour, hypersexuality, hyperreligiosity, impaired sleep, and altered sense of humour. A principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to identify key groupings of neuropsychiatric and behavioural items in order to create a new neuropsychiatric module that could be used as an addition to the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) plus National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center Behaviour and Language Domains (NACC FTLD) rating scale.

Results

Overall, 46.4% of mutation carriers had neuropsychiatric symptoms (51.6%C9orf72, 40.8%GRN, 46.6%MAPT) compared with 24.5% of controls. Anxiety and depression were the most common in all genetic groups but fluctuated longitudinally and loaded separately in the PCA. Hallucinations and delusions loaded together, with the remaining neuropsychiatric symptoms loading with the core behavioural features of FTD. These results suggest using a single ‘psychosis’ neuropsychiatric module consisting of hallucinations and delusions. Adding this to the CDR plus NACC FTLD, called the CDR plus NACC FTLD-N, leads to a number of participants being scored more severely, including those who were previously considered asymptomatic now being scored as prodromal.

Conclusions

Neuropsychiatric symptoms occur in mutation carriers at all disease stages across all three genetic groups. However, only psychosis features provided additional staging benefit to the CDR plus NACC FTLD. Inclusion of these features brings us closer to optimising the rating scale for use in trials.
Daratumumab for the treatment of refractory ANCA-associated vasculitis
Authors: Ostendorf Lennard , Burns Marie , Wagner Dimitrios Laurin , Enghard Philipp , Amann Kerstin , Mei Henrik , Eckardt Kai-Uwe , Seelow Evelyn , Schreiber Adrian
Published: January 2023

ObjectiveTreatment-refractory antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a life-threatening condition without evidence-based treatment options. One emerging treatment option for several antibody-mediated autoimmune diseases is the anti-CD38 antibody daratumumab, which depletes autoantibody-secreting plasma cells.

MethodsWe treated two patients with severe life-threatening AAV with renal and pulmonary manifestation despite induction therapy with rituximab and cyclophosphamide with four to eight doses of 1800 mg daratumumab. We followed clinical and immunological responses.

ResultsThe first patient with myeloperoxidase-ANCA-positive microscopic polyangiitis had resolution of pneumonitis and pleuritis and stabilisation of kidney function after daratumumab. The second patient with proteinase 3-ANCA-positive granulomatosis with polyangiitis, diffuse alveolar haemorrhage necessitating extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and acute kidney failure, requiring kidney replacement therapy, was weaned off ECMO, mechanical ventilation and dialysis and discharged home after daratumumab. Clinical improvement was paralleled by a strong reduction in serum ANCA levels as well as total IgG, indicating depletion of plasma cells. Apart from the depletion of CD38+natural killer cells, blood leucocyte levels were not notably influenced by daratumumab. Only mild adverse events, such as hypogammaglobulinaemia and an upper respiratory tract infection occurred.

ConclusionDaratumumab was safe and effective in inducing remission in two patients with severe treatment-refractory AAV, warranting prospective clinical trials to establish safety and efficacy.
College Students’ Autonomous Learning Behavior Based on Big Data and Internet of Things
Authors: Hong Haibing , Liu Xing
Published: January 2023

With the development of big data (BD) and Internet of things technology, college students, as an important talent resource in national construction, pay attention to their autonomous learning behavior. Based on the theory of BD and Internet of things, this paper studies the influencing factors of college students’ autonomous learning (CSAL) behavior. First, it introduces the definition, characteristics and existing problems of CSAL behavior, expounds the influencing factors of CSAL behavior, studies the application of BD and the Internet of things, and understands the situation of CSAL through questionnaires and interviews. Finally, the survey shows that more than half of the students surveyed believe that learning is to acquire skills so as to find better jobs and better material life in the future. On average, 25% of students graduate from university through study. On average, 18% of students have strong interest in their research field and hope to obtain professional skills and give full play to their talents. On average, 6% of students study to see their value. Freshmen are basically not absent from school, while the number of sophomores, juniors and seniors has reached 15% of the number of undergraduates. The situation will be more serious in class. The survey results show that 45% of undergraduate students have been absent from class, of which 30% are occasional absenteeism and the rest are frequent absenteeism, which accounts for 14% of the total number. Among the graduate students, 7.3% of the students have been absent from class, of which 6% are occasional absenteeism and the rest are frequent absenteeism, reaching 1.3% of the total. The main learning methods used by junior students are classroom notes and textbooks. With the improvement of grade, the proportion of students learning multimedia and online learning is higher and higher. These students’ learning strategies have changed from traditional learning to today’s autonomous learning. They have found their own solutions in the learning process, and their learning strategies have undergone qualitative changes. Whether undergraduate or graduate students, more than 50% of students prefer their own major when they study independently.
THE ROLES OF FORESIGHT IN LEVERAGING THE INNOVATIVENESS OF ORGANISATIONS
Authors: CAINELLI AMANDA , JANISSEK-MUNIZ RAQUEL
Published: January 2023

Incorporating foresight practices into the innovation process is relevant to enhance the competitiveness of companies in dynamic and complex environments. From a systematic literature review, this paper maps three roles that foresight assumes when associated with innovation and that help leverage the innovativeness of firms: the informational role concerns monitoring weak signals that indicate future developments; the facilitation role concerns using prospective tools that stimulate collective visions of the future; and the strategic influence role deals with recommendations that support decision-making. From these roles, an integrative framework is proposed to explain the relationships among the constructs researched and that can serve as a model to be tested in the future. This study aims to present foresight practices that can leverage the innovativeness of organisations and contribute to the development of the theory that still lacks depth in relation to the impact of foresight on innovation.
Mining Weighted Sequential Patterns Based on Prefix-Tree and Prism Encoding
Authors: Pham Thi-Thiet , Vu Thuy-Duong , Nguyen Tai-Du , Huynh Bao , Van Trang
Published: January 2023

The purpose of mining sequential patterns problem with weighted constraints is to find high-valued patterns, including infrequent patterns but having items which appear in the pattern of high importance in the sequence database (SD). Therefore, weighted sequential pattern mining will collect a set of more complete patterns with items of low support but of high importance. This paper proposes a new algorithm called WSPM_PreTree to find highly weighted sequential patterns. To collect a set of complete sequential patterns with the stricter weighted constraints of sequential patterns, the proposed algorithm uses both the minimum support constraint and the actual values of items appearing in the SD. To increase the performance of the finding weighted sequential patterns process, the algorithm uses the parent–child relationship on the prefix tree structure to create candidates and combines the weighted mean of the sequential 1-patterns that is calculated from the actual value of items in the SD as conditions to find the weighted sequential patterns. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is more efficient than sequential patterns mining with weight constraint (SPMW) algorithm [Ref. 20 ] in the runtime.
ILP-based Substrate Routing with Mismatched Via Dimension Consideration for Wire-bonding FBGA Package Design
Authors: Wu Jun-Sheng , Pan Chi-An , Liu Yi-Yu
Published: January 2023

With the rapidly growing demand for system-level integration, package substrates have become one of the most important carriers in semiconductor industry. Fine pitch ball grid array (FBGA) packaging is a widely used technology thanks to its relative cost-effectiveness compared to other advanced packaging technologies. In addition, it is also widely used in space-constrained applications, such as mobile and handheld devices. These packaging substrate interconnections are usually customized by layout engineers taking many complex and stringent design rules into consideration. However, fully net-by-net manual design for FBGA is time-consuming and error-prone. In this article, we propose an integer linear programming (ILP)-based router for wire-bonding FBGA packaging design. Our ILP formulation not only can handle design-dependent constraints but also take the problem of mismatched via dimension into account, which is caused by the mechanical processes and greatly increases design complexity. In addition to the ILP formulation for substrate routing, three optimization stages and several ILP constraint reduction techniques are also developed to boost the run time of ILP solver. Experimental results indicate that the proposed framework can achieve high routing completion rates, which could effectively reduce the cycle time of substrate layout design. In addition, in combination with the proposed optimization strategies, 278× speedup can be achieved compared to the ILP constraint optimized router.
Sequential Monte Carlo: A Unified Review
Authors: Wills Adrian G. , Schön Thomas B.
Published: January 2023

Sequential Monte Carlo methods—also known as particle filters—offer approximate solutions to filtering problems for nonlinear state-space systems. These filtering problems are notoriously difficult to solve in general due to a lack of closed-form expressions and challenging expectation integrals. The essential idea behind particle filters is to employ Monte Carlo integration techniques in order to ameliorate both of these challenges. This article presents an intuitive introduction to the main particle filter ideas and then unifies three commonly employed particle filtering algorithms. This unified approach relies on a nonstandard presentation of the particle filter, which has the advantage of highlighting precisely where the differences between these algorithms stem from. Some relevant extensions and successful application domains of the particle filter are also presented.
Addressing Consumer Desires for Sustainable Food Systems: Contentions and Compromises
Authors: Upright Craig
Published: January 2023

Consumers and social movement activists have been the driving force to create alternative, sustainable food systems over the past 100 years. Although larger agribusiness market players and the state were at first reluctant to respond to these concerns, as organic food products (the most prominent example of alternative food) became a viable economic market, these market players embraced them. The international trade of organic food has developed into a major agricultural and retail sector, but with this growth many of the varied original critiques of conventional, industrial farming practices have yet to be adequately addressed. Every major advancement in sustainable agriculture has raised new issues of equity and access for producers, laborers, and consumers. Although consumers often believe that they are contributing to a project of larger social change with every market transaction they make, the continued success of the organic food system has spurred calls for more explicit forms of collective behavior to promote the larger goals of the original sustainable agriculture movements.
Metabolic Signatures from Genebank Collections: An Underexploited Resource for Human Health?
Authors: Sreenivasulu Nese , Alseekh Saleh , Tiozon Rhowell N. , Graner Andreas , Martin Cathie , Fernie Alisdair R.
Published: January 2023

Despite the almost universal acceptance of the phrase “you are what you eat,” investment in understanding diet-based nutrition to address human health has been dwarfed compared to that for medicine-based interventions. Moreover, traditional breeding has focused on yield to the detriment of nutritional quality, meaning that although caloric content has remained high, the incidence of nutritional deficiencies and accompanying diseases (so-called hidden hunger) has risen dramatically. We review how genome sequencing coupled with metabolomics can facilitate the screening of genebank collections in the search for superior alleles related to the nutritional quality of crops. We argue that the first examples are very promising, suggesting that this approach could benefit broader ranges of crops and compounds with known relevance for human health. We argue that this represents anapproach complementary to metabolic engineering by transgenesis or gene editing that could be used to reverse some of the losses incurred through a recent focus on breeding for yield, although we caution that ensuring such approaches are not (re)introducing antinutrients is also necessary.
Diet-Derived Antioxidants: The Special Case of Ergothioneine
Authors: Halliwell Barry , Tang Richard M.Y. , Cheah Irwin K.
Published: January 2023

This article reviews what is presently known about the biological roles of the diet-derived compound ergothioneine (ET). ET seems important to humans because it is rapidly taken up from the diet by a transporter largely or completely specific for ET, and once taken up it is retained within the body for weeks or months. The various possible functions of ET in vivo are explored. Much emphasis has been placed on the antioxidant properties of ET, but although these are well established in vitro, the evidence that antioxidant activity is the principal function of ET in vivo is weak. ET is not unique in this: The evidence for the antioxidant roles of vitamin C and polyphenols such as the flavonoids in vivo is also weak. By contrast, α-tocopherol has demonstrated in vivo antioxidant effects in humans.
Effect of an obesogenic high-fat and high-sucrose diet on hepatic gene expression signatures in male Collaborative Cross mice
Authors: Tryndyak Volodymyr P. , Willett Rose A. , Nagumalli Suresh K. , Li Dan , Avigan Mark I. , Beland Frederick A. , Rusyn Ivan , Pogribny Igor P.
Published: January 2023

Feeding male Collaborative Cross mice an obesogenic diet allows modeling NAFLD at the population level. The development of NAFLD coincided with significant hepatic transcriptomic changes in this model. Genes (724) were differentially expressed and expression of 68 genes strongly correlated with the extent of hepatic lipid accumulation. Partial least squares modeling showed that derived hepatic gene expression signatures may help to identify individual mouse strains that are highly susceptible to the development of NAFLD.
Premature Ejaculation after Lithium Treatment in a Patient with Bipolar Disorder
Authors: Almeida Pedro Amadeu , Caldas Filipa , de Melo Inês Homem , Moreira Ana Maria , Santos Gustavo França
Published: January 2023

Lithium has proven its efficacy in treating bipolar disorder. Severe side effects caused by lithium, including renal and endocrine outcomes, have already been amply documented. The impact of lithium on sexual function, however, is less well known. A 33-year-old man, with no past medical history, diagnosed with bipolar disorder, developed premature ejaculation after short-term use of lithium. The dose of lithium was reduced, leading to a rapid clinical resolution. Retrospectively, lithium-induced premature ejaculation was deemed the most likely diagnosis. Premature ejaculation is a rare side effect of lithium. Changing the time of medication administration and lowering dose could be considered as alternatives. Given lithium’s pharmacological profile, it is likely that the pathophysiologic mechanism behind premature ejaculation is altered levels or altered serotonin receptor sensitivity in the ejaculatory modulating centers of the central nervous system. Given the reluctance to spontaneously report sexual adverse effects, clinicians should be aware of this possible side effect.
Therapeutic Efficiency of Nasal Mucosa-Derived Ectodermal Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Rats with Acute Hepatic Failure
Authors: Xiang Wen , Wang Xinhe , Yu Xinghui , Xie Yan , Zhang Li , Lu Naiyan , Jiang Wentao
Published: January 2023

Background. Liver transplantation is limited by the insufficiency of liver organ donors when treating end-stage liver disease or acute liver failure (ALF). Ectodermal mesenchymal stem cells (EMSCs) derived from nasal mucosa have emerged as an alternative cell-based therapy. However, the role of EMSCs in acute liver failure remains unclear. Methods. EMSCs were obtained from the nasal mucosa tissue of rats. First, EMSCs were seeded on the gelatin-chitosan scaffolds, and the biocompatibility was evaluated. Next, the protective effects of EMSCs were investigated in carbon tetrachloride- (CCl4-) induced ALF rats. Finally, we applied an indirect coculture system to analyze the paracrine effects of EMSCs on damaged hepatocytes. A three-step nontransgenic technique was performed to transform EMSCs into hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) in vitro. Results. EMSCs exhibited a similar phenotype to other mesenchymal stem cells along with self-renewal and multilineage differentiation capabilities. EMSC-seeded gelatin-chitosan scaffolds can increase survival rates and ameliorate liver function and pathology of ALF rat models. Moreover, transplanted EMSCs can secrete paracrine factors to promote hepatocyte regeneration, targeted migration, and transdifferentiate into HLCs in response to the liver’s microenvironment, which will then repair or replace the damaged hepatocytes. Similar to mature hepatocytes, HLCs generated from EMSCs possess functions of expressing specific hepatic markers, storing glycogen, and producing urea. Conclusions. These results confirmed the feasibility of EMSCs in acute hepatic failure treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first time that EMSCs are used in the therapy of liver diseases. EMSCs are expected to be a novel and promising cell source in liver tissue engineering.