bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What is the role of selection bias in quality comparisons between the Veterans Health Administration and community care? Example of elective hernia surgery
Authors: Mull Hillary J. , Kabdiyeva Aigerim , Ndugga Nambi , Gordon Sarah H. , Garrido Melissa M. , Pizer Steven D.
Published: December 2022

Objective

To investigate the relationship between community care (CC) treatment and a postoperative surgical complication in elective hernia surgery among Veterans using multiple approaches to control for potential selection bias.

Data Sources and Study Setting

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) data sources included Corporate Data Warehouse (VHA encounters and patient data), the Program Integrity Tool and Fee tables (CC encounters), the Planning Systems Support Group (geographic information), and the Paid file (VHA primary care providers).

Study Design

Prior works suggest patient outcomes are better in VHA than in CC settings; however, these studies may not have appropriately accounted for the selection of higher‐risk cases into CC. We estimated (1) a naïve logistic regression model to calculate the effect of CC setting on the probability of a complication, controlling for facility fixed effects and patient and procedure characteristics, and (2) a 2‐stage model using the hernia patient's primary care provider's 1‐year prior CC referral rate as the instrument.

Data Collection

We identified patients residing ≤40 miles from a VHA surgical facility with elective VHA or CC hernia surgery from 2018 to 2019.

Principal Findings

Of 7991 hernia surgeries, 772 (9.7%) were in CC. The overall complication rate was 4.2%; 286/7219 (4.0%) among VHA surgeries versus 51/5772 (6.6%, p < 0.05) in CC. We observed a 2.8 percentage point increase in the probability of postoperative complication given CC surgery (95% confidence interval: 0.7, 4.8) in the naïve model. After accounting for the VHA provider's historical rate of CC referral, we no longer observed a relationship between surgery setting and risk of postoperative complication.

Conclusions

After accounting for the selection of higher‐risk patients to CC settings, we found no difference in hernia surgery postoperative complications between CC and VHA. Future VHA and non‐VHA comparisons should account for unobserved as well as observed differences in patients seen in each setting.
Optimization of a novel vacuum sublimation–rehydration thawing process
Authors: Chen Shanshan , Wu Weidong , Mao Shijie , Li Kun , Zhang Hua
Published: December 2022

To better guarantee the quality of the thawed meat, maximize the thawing rate, and minimize the system energy consumption, the multiparameter and multi‐objective coupling optimizations for the newly proposed vacuum sublimation–rehydration thawing (VSRT) process was conducted. The polynomial nonlinear regression equations of single and comprehensive objectives were established by the central composite rotatable design, and the corresponding test of fitting degree and the analysis of influencing factors order were carried out. Furthermore, the interaction effects of influencing factors were investigated through the response surface methodology and were experimentally validated to obtain the optimal process parameters. The results showed that the established regression equations were in good agreement with the experimental values. For the different objectives, there were great differences in the influence order and interaction of factors. In the sublimation and rehydration stages, there existed an optimal region in the response surface to achieve a better value for the single and comprehensive objectives. When the sublimation time was 19 min, the heating plate temperature was 26°C, the rehydration water volume was 1634 ml, the rehydration water temperature was 29°C, the thawing time was relatively short (1.00 h), and the thawing loss (1.19%), the total color difference (1.02), and the system‐specific energy consumption (0.026 kW h/kg) were relatively low. The comprehensive performance of the VSRT system reached the best state.

Practical Application

The purpose of this work is to make the novel vacuum sublimation–rehydration thawing method not only better guarantee the quality of thawed meat but also maximize the thawing rate and minimize the energy consumption of the system, which can provide a new idea and reference for the development of new high‐efficiency thawing equipment.
Strong chū‐hai, a Japanese ready‐to‐drink high‐alcohol‐content beverage, and hazardous alcohol use: A nationwide cross‐sectional study
Authors: Yoshioka Takashi , So Ryuhei , Takayama Atsushi , Okubo Ryo , Funada Satoshi , Takada Midori , Wakabayashi Mami , Tabuchi Takahiro
Published: December 2022

Background

A new ready‐to‐drink premixed high‐alcohol‐content beverage, called strong chū‐hai, was launched in Japan, and more recently, in Taiwan and Australia. We aimed to examine the popularity and association of strong chū‐hai with individual alcohol use, both of which remained unclear.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional study using data from the Japan “Society and New Tobacco” Internet Survey conducted from February 1 to 28, 2022, in Japan. We enrolled 27,993 respondents (aged 15 to 81 years; male 48.5%), including 15,083 current alcohol users. Using inverse probability weighting of data from the 2016 Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions on Health and Welfare, we estimated the weighted proportions of strong chū‐hai users among all respondents and constructed multivariable logistic regression models to estimate the weighted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of strong chū‐hai use for hazardous and harmful alcohol use, defined as a score ≥8 of the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, among current alcohol users.

Results

Among all respondents, 56.2% (weighted proportions: past, 35.9%; and current, 20.3%) drank strong chū‐hai. Among drinkers, both past and current strong chū‐hai use, compared to never use, were associated with hazardous and harmful alcohol use (past, OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.42 to 2.12; current, OR 2.19, 95% CI 1.79 to 2.69).

Conclusions

Our study found that more than half of the respondents experienced strong chū‐hai consumption, suggesting that it is widely used in Japan. In addition, both past and current strong chū‐hai use were associated with hazardous and harmful alcohol use among current alcohol users.
Problem solving of wild animals in the Wet Tropics of Queensland, Australia
Authors: Rowell Misha K. , Rymer Tasmin L.
Published: December 2022

While many species of animals can solve food‐baited problems, most studies are conducted in captivity, which may not reflect the natural behavioural and cognitive abilities of wild animals. As few studies have explored problem solving of Australian animals generally, we investigated the problem solving abilities of native Australian species in natural rainforest in the Wet Tropics of Queensland. We baited multiple types of puzzles (matchbox task, cylinder task, and tile and lever tasks on a Trixie Dog Activity Board) with different food types (seeds, fruit, sardines) and placed the puzzles in front of trail cameras. We noted the species captured on camera, whether or not individuals interacted with the puzzles, the number of interactions with puzzles, and whether or not different animals solved them. We found that seven species from multiple taxa (mammals, birds, reptiles) could solve food‐baited problems in the wild, providing the first evidence of problem solving in these native species. As problem solving may help animals cope with anthropogenic threats, these results provide some insights into which Wet Tropics species may potentially be more vulnerable and which ones might be better at coping with changing conditions.
Pleiotropic architectures of porcine immune and growth trait pairs revealed by a self‐product‐based transcriptome method
Authors: Han Pingping , Wang Chao , Zhang Wei , Wu Yalan , Wang Daoyuan , Zhao Shuhong , Zhu Mengjin
Published: December 2022

Pleiotropy is an important biological phenomenon with complicated genetic architectures for multiple traits. To date, pleiotropy has been mainly identified by multi‐trait genome‐wide association studies, but this method has its disadvantages, and new developments for pleiotropy detection methods are needed. Here we define a novel metric, self‐product, to measure individual‐level co‐variation of two traits, and develop a novel self‐product‐based transcriptome method to detect pleiotropic genes (PGs). Our method was tested using four immune–growth trait pairs and four immune–immune trait pairs in pigs. Comparative transcriptome analyses identified hundreds of candidate PGs related to eight trait pairs from two tails of self‐product distribution. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis indicated that most of identified PGs were involved in immune‐ or growth‐related biological processes. We established PG interaction networks to exhibit core genes shared by eight trait pairs, of which CCL5 and IL‐10 genes were the hub genes. Genetic association analyses showed that SmaI‐polymorphisms of CCL5 and IL‐10 genes had significant associations with phenotypic co‐variations of multiple trait pairs, indicating that the variants in pleiotropic genes were also pleiotropic variants. Taken together, the validity of our proposed method was preliminarily verified, and our findings provide new insights into the genetic basis of pleiotropic architectures of immune and growth trait pairs in pigs.
Quality and readability of online patient information on the left ventricular assist device
Authors: Rouhi Armaun D. , Han Jason J. , Ghanem Yazid K. , Pervaiz Sahir S. , Suarez‐Pierre Alejandro , Choudhury Rashikh A. , Bermudez Christian A. , Williams Noel N. , Dumon Kristoffel R.
Published: December 2022

Background

As patients seek online health information to supplement their medical decision‐making, the aim of this study is to assess the quality and readability of internet information on the left ventricular assist device (LVAD).

Methods

Three online search engines (Google, Bing, and Yahoo) were searched for “LVAD” and “Left ventricular assist device.” Included websites were classified as academic, foundation/advocacy, hospital‐affiliated, commercial, or unspecified. The quality of information was assessed using the JAMA benchmark criteria (0–4), DISCERN tool (16–80), and the presence of Health On the Net code (HONcode) accreditation. Readability was assessed using the Flesch Reading Ease score.

Results

A total of 38 unique websites were included. The average JAMA and DISCERN scores of all websites were 0.82 ± 1.11 and 52.45 ± 13.51, respectively. Academic sites had a significantly lower JAMA mean score than commercial (p < 0.001) and unspecified (p < 0.001) websites, as well as a significantly lower DISCERN, mean score than commercial sites (p = 0.002). HONcode certification was present in 6 (15%) websites analyzed, which had significantly higher JAMA (p < 0.001) and DISCERN (p < 0.016) mean scores than sites without HONcode certification. Readability was fairly difficult and at the level of high school students.

Conclusions

The quality of online information on the LVAD is variable, and overall readability exceeds the recommended level for the public. Patients accessing online information on the LVAD should be referred to sites with HONcode accreditation. Academic institutions must provide higher quality online patient literature on LVADs.
Outpatient prescription of pulmonary vasodilator therapy to preterm children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Authors: Jeremiasen Ida , Tran‐Lundmark Karin , Dolk Mikaela , Naumburg Estelle
Published: December 2022

Aim

The use of pulmonary vasodilator therapy in children born preterm is largely unknown. Our aim was to map prescription patterns in children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia in Sweden.

Methods

This was a descriptive national registry‐based study of children <7 years who had been prescribed a pulmonary vasodilator during 2007–2017, were born preterm and classified as having bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Information on prescriptions, patient characteristics and comorbidities were retrieved from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register and linked to other national registers.

Results

The study included 74 children, 54 (73%) born at 22–27 weeks' gestation and 20 (27%) at 28–36 weeks. Single therapy was most common, n = 64 (86.5%), and sildenafil was prescribed most frequently, n = 69 (93%). Bosentan, iloprost, macitentan and/or treprostinil were used mainly for combination therapies, n = 10 (13.5%). Patent ductus arteriosus or atrial septal defect were present in 29 (39%) and 25 (34%) children, respectively, and 20 (69%) versus 3 (12%) underwent closure. Cardiac catheterisation was performed in 19 (26%) patients. Median duration of therapy was 4.6 (1.9‐6.8, 95% CI) months. Mortality was 9%.

Conclusion

Preterm children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia were prescribed pulmonary vasodilators, often without prior catheterisation. Sildenafil was most commonly used. Diagnostic tools, effects, and drug safety need further evaluation.
Parental perspectives of outcomes following very preterm birth: Seeing the good, not just the bad
Authors: Milette Audrey‐Anne , Richter Lindsay L. , Bourque Claude Julie , Janvier Annie , Pearce Rebecca , Church Paige Terrien , Synnes Anne , Luu Thuy Mai
Published: December 2022

Aim

To describe parental perspective on health and developmental outcomes of their preterm child in relation to level of neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI).

Methods

A parental survey about their children aged 15–36 months corrected age born ˂29 weeks' gestation investigated parental concerns and positive attributes. Parental responses in relation to their child's level of NDI were examined using Kruskal‐Wallis and chi‐square for trend tests.

Results

One hundred ninety‐nine parental responses were obtained for 163 children, including 44% with NDI. Vast majority of parents reported their children were developing well with good physical health. All parents, irrespective of NDI, reported their children were happy and had a positive personality. Appreciation of social interactions was higher for parents of children without versus with NDI (96% vs. 87%, p = 0.039). Parents of children with NDI were more likely to express concerns than those without NDI. Overall, development was the most common area of concern (45%), followed by the child's future (40%) and physical health (35%).

Conclusion

Parents of preterm children report many positive points and concerns, some of which are not examined in neonatal follow‐up data. These parental perspectives could be used to inform parents of preterm infants, both antenatally and in the neonatal unit.
Manager bonding and the technical efficiency of cooperative credit unions‐parametric and non‐parametric analyses
Authors: Adusei Michael , Poku Kwasi , Akomea Samuel
Published: December 2022

We engage parametric and non‐parametric approaches to analyze unbalanced data (2012–16) from 225 credit unions in Ghana. The non‐parametric analysis involves using data envelopment analysis to assess the technical efficiency of the credit unions. We show that most of them are not technically efficient. The average five‐year overall technical efficiency and pure technical efficiency scores of a credit union are 0.87 and 0.91 respectively. Targeted at inquiring whether manager bonding significantly connects with the technical efficiency of credit unions, the parametric analysis which involves the use of probit and logit regression techniques, shows that, generally, the bonding of managers hurts the technical efficiency of credit unions. We are, thus, led to the conclusion that bonding of managers may not be in the best interest of credit unions in Ghana.
From the Streets to the Screen: Sex Work, Stigma, Desire and Covid‐19 in Mexico City
Authors: Motterle Livia
Published: December 2022

This article explores how the labour practices of sex workers in Mexico City have been affected by Covid‐19. More specifically, it analyses (a) how the pandemic increases the stigmatisation of sex workers; (b) the causes that prompted Mexican sex workers to resort to erotic online platforms; (c) the advantages and disadvantages of online sex work; (d) the forms of mutual support sex workers in Mexico City offer each other in order to familiarise themselves with this new modality of work. Thus, this study provides the basis for analysis of sex work, stigma and desire in the context of Covid‐19 in Mexico.
Review: Digital experiences and their impact on the lives of adolescents with pre‐existing anxiety, depression, eating and nonsuicidal self‐injury conditions – a systematic review
Authors: Kostyrka‐Allchorne Katarzyna , Stoilova Mariya , Bourgaize Jake , Rahali Miriam , Livingstone Sonia , Sonuga‐Barke Edmund
Published: December 2022

Background

Published systematic reviews provide evidence linking positive and negative digital experiences to adolescent mental health. However, these reviews focus on the general public rather than the digital experiences of adolescents with different pre‐existing mental health conditions and so may be limited in their clinical relevance. We review publications relating to anxiety, depression, eating disorders and nonsuicidal self‐injury to identify common and condition‐specific digital experiences and how these may be implicated in the origins and maintenance of these mental health conditions.

Methods

A systematic literature search using a combination of mental health, digital experience (including social media use), and age of the target population terms was conducted on four databases. Detailed findings from the included studies were summarised using a combination of thematic and narrative methods.

Results

Five qualitative and 21 quantitative studies met the eligibility criteria for inclusion (n = 5021). Nine studies included adolescents with depression, one with eating problems, two with nonsuicidal self‐injury and 14 with multiple emotional health conditions. The review identified six themes related to the target populations' digital experiences: (a) social connectivity and peer support; (b) escape and/or distraction; (c) social validation and social comparison; (d) accessing/creation of potentially harmful content; (e) cyberbullying; and (f) difficulties with self‐regulation during engagement with digital media.

Conclusions

Digital practices of adolescents with pre‐existing clinical vulnerabilities are complex and encompass a range of positive and negative experiences, which appear to have common elements across different clinical populations. The literature is currently too limited to identify disorder‐specific practices, with too few direct or indirect comparisons between conditions.
Limb expression 1‐like protein promotes epithelial–mesenchymal transition and epidermal growth factor receptor‐tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance via nucleolin‐mediated ribosomal RNA synthesis in non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Li Minglei , Zhang Jiaxi , Meng Xue , Liu Bei , Xie Shelly M. , Liu Fang , Yao Demin , Zhang Jingguo , Shen Haitao , Xing Lingxiao
Published: December 2022

Limb expression 1‐like protein (LIX1L) might be an RNA‐binding protein involved in post‐transcriptional regulation. However, little is known regarding the biological function and mechanism of LIX1L in cancer cells. Here we demonstrate a clear correlation between LIX1L expression and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in 81 non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues and The Cancer Genome Atlas database, suggesting that LIX1L is a mesenchymal marker. Besides, LIX1L expression is obviously elevated in TGFβ1‐induced EMT NSCLC cells and enhances cell migration, invasion, anoikis resistance, epidermal growth factor receptor‐tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR‐TKI) resistance, and proliferation. Interestingly, the increased LIX1L expression prominently localizes to the nucleoli, where it physically interacts with the key ribosome biogenesis regulator NCL protein, inducing ribosomal RNA (rRNA) synthesis in EMT NSCLC cells. NCL knockdown or inhibition of rRNA synthesis reverses the enhanced EMT functions and proliferation ability caused by LIX1L overexpression in NSCLC cells, indicating that NCL expression and rRNA synthesis participates in LIX1L‐mediated biological functions during EMT. Collectively, our findings suggest that the LIX1L–NCL–rRNA synthesis axis is a novel EMT‐activated mechanism. Targeting the pathway might be a therapeutic option for EMT and EGFR‐TKI resistance in NSCLC.
Characterization of myeloid signature genes for predicting prognosis and immune landscape in Ewing sarcoma
Authors: Zhang Zhao , Shi Yubo , Zhu Zhijie , Fu Jun , Liu Dong , Liu Xincheng , Dang Jingyi , Tao Huiren , Fan Hongbin
Published: December 2022

Myeloid cells as a highly heterogeneous subpopulation of the tumor microenvironment (TME) are intimately associated with tumor development. Ewing sarcoma (EWS) is characterized by abundant myeloid cell infiltration in the TME. However, the correlation between myeloid signature genes (MSGs) and the prognosis of EWS patients was unclear. In this research, we synthetically characterized the expression of MSGs in a training cohort and classified EWS patients into two subtypes. Immune cell infiltration analysis revealed that MSGs subtypes correlated closely with different immune statuses. Furthermore, a three‐gene prognostic model (CTSD, SIRPA, and FN1) was constructed by univariate, LASSO, and multivariate Cox analysis, and it showed excellent prognostic accuracy in EWS patients. We also developed a nomogram for better predicting the long‐term survival of EWS. Functional enrichment analysis showed immune‐related pathways were distinctly different in the high‐ and low‐risk groups. Further analysis revealed that patients in the high‐risk group were tightly associated with an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Finally, we validated the expression of these candidate genes by Western blot (WB), qPCR, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis. To sum up, our study identified that the MSGs model was strongly linked to prognostic prediction and immune infiltration in EWS patients, providing novel insights into the clinical treatment and management of EWS patients.
Parents' experiences of their child's transition from tube to oral feeding during an intensive intervention programme
Authors: Lively Emily Jane , McAllister Sue , Doeltgen Sebastian Heinrich
Published: December 2022

Background

Persistent enteral tube feeding beyond the point of medical and/or physical necessity provides important nutrition to a child but may have implications for their development, gastrointestinal tract and quality of life. Tube dependency can affect parent–child relationships and sibling and family dynamics and place additional medical demands upon parents. It is therefore important to transition children from tube to oral eating and drinking as soon as is medically safe to do so. Tube weaning requires a skilled team to support the transition to oral intake; however, access to experienced teams is inconsistent. Without transparent discussions with their treating teams, many parents are left to navigate tube weaning options independently.

Methods

Fourteen parents were interviewed using semi‐structured interviews. We explored the experiences of parents across their child's progression towards oral feeding, from the decision‐making process to undertaking an intensive multi‐disciplinary tube weaning programme. Thematic analysis of the parents' stories shaped the development of seven themes.

Results

Parents were unaware that tube weaning would be required and how that would be facilitated. They expressed a strong belief that their child could learn to eat—if afforded an opportunity. Furthermore, parents are prepared to disengage from current services if they feel they are not respected members of their child's therapeutic team. Three key learnings were identified relating to the need for tube exit plans, parents as key team members and parents as change agents.

Conclusions

Parenting a tube‐fed child, initiating and engaging in tube weaning, is a stressful and emotional journey. However, by establishing care partnerships, parents are willing to put trust in a process if provided with options and afforded autonomy, empowerment, acknowledgement and relevant support.
Plasma inflammatory biomarkers in cerebral small vessel disease: A review
Authors: Wan Shuling , Dandu Chaitu , Han Guangyu , Guo Yibing , Ding Yuchuan , Song Haiqing , Meng Ran
Published: December 2022

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a group of pathological processes affecting small arteries, arterioles, capillaries, and small veins of the brain. It is one of the most common subtypes of cerebrovascular diseases, especially highly prevalent in elderly populations, and is associated with stroke occurrence and recurrence, cognitive impairment, gait disorders, psychological disturbance, and dysuria. Its diagnosis mainly depends on MRI, characterized by recent small subcortical infarcts, lacunes, white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS), cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), and brain atrophy. While the pathophysiological processes of CSVD are not fully understood at present, inflammation is noticed as playing an important role. Herein, we aimed to review the relationship between plasma inflammatory biomarkers and the MRI features of CSVD, to provide background for further research.
Multiple sclerosis as a model to investigate SARS‐CoV‐2 effect on brain atrophy
Authors: Rebsamen Michael , Friedli Christoph , Radojewski Piotr , Diem Lara , Chan Andrew , Wiest Roland , Salmen Anke , Rummel Christian , Hoepner Robert
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Data on structural brain changes after infection with SARS‐CoV‐2 is sparse. We postulate multiple sclerosis as a model to study the effects of SARS‐CoV‐2 on brain atrophy due to the unique availability of longitudinal imaging data in this patient group, enabling assessment of intraindividual brain atrophy rates.

Methods

Global and regional cortical gray matter volumes were derived from structural MRIs using FreeSurfer. A linear model was fitted to the measures of the matching pre‐SARS‐CoV‐2 images with age as an explanatory variable. The residuals were used to determine whether the post‐SARS‐CoV‐2 volumes differed significantly from the baseline.

Results

Fourteen RRMS patients with a total of 113 longitudinal magnetic resonance images were retrospectively analyzed. We found no acceleration of brain atrophy after infection with SARS‐CoV‐2 for global gray matter volume (p = 0.17). However, on the regional level, parahippocampal gyri showed a tendency toward volume reduction (p = 0.0076), suggesting accelerated atrophy during or after infection.

Conclusions

Our results illustrate the opportunity of using longitudinal MRIs from existing MS registries to study brain changes associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 infections. We would like to address the global MS community with a call for action to use the available cohorts, reproduce the proposed analysis, and pool the results.
The impacts of free‐roaming cats cannot be generalized and their role in rodent management should not be overlooked
Authors: Badenes‐Pérez Francisco Rubén
Published: December 2022

Cats, Felis catus L. (Carnivora: Felidae), were domesticated because of their role in rodent control around human settlements. Free‐roaming cats (henceforth, referred to as “cats”) can predate on a wide variety of small‐ to medium‐sized animals and affect biodiversity. The impact of cats on biodiversity varies from country to country, region to region, and habitat to habitat. Depending on the location and context, the overall impact of cats on biodiversity can be negative, neutral, or positive. Management of cats should take into account the complex interactions that occur between cats, rodents, and the species they prey upon.
The impact of postoperative cognitive impairment on mid‐term survival after heart transplantation
Authors: Xiong Tixiusi , Shi Jiawei , Zhang Jing , Sun Yongfeng , Wang Zhiwen , Wang Yixuan , Wang Guohua , Chen Si , Dong Nianguo
Published: December 2022

Background

Heart transplantation is the definitive therapy for patients with end‐stage heart failure. Antecedent studies reported that a substantial proportion of heart transplant recipients developed postoperative cognitive impairment in the long term. However, no studies have explored the association between postoperative cognitive impairment and survival after heart transplantation.

Methods

The data of 43 adult patients who underwent heart transplantation were consecutively enrolled and assessed using the MMSE and MoCA neuropsychological tests. Kaplan‐Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used for survival analyses. Primary component analysis was performed to integrate MoCA subtests into the “Attention factor,” “Naming factor,” and “Orientation factor.”

Results

About 30% of the patients were diagnosed with short‐term postoperative cognitive impairment. The impairment group was older and had lower baseline cognitive performances, larger LV diameter, worse MMSE decline and higher ratio of significant MoCA decline. Postoperative cognitive impairment was significantly associated with worse survival (P = .028). Multivariate Cox analyses showed that higher postoperative MoCA score was significantly associated with lower mid‐term post‐transplant mortality (HR = .744 [.584, .949], P = .017), in which “Attention factor” contributed to this association most (HR = .345 [.123, .970], P = .044) rather than “Naming factor” or “Orientation factor.” Notably, preoperative cognitive impairment was closely related with postoperative cognitive impairment and also indicated the worse post‐transplant survival (P = .015).

Conclusion

Postoperative as well as preoperative cognitive impairments were associated with a worse mid‐term survival after heart transplantation, indicating that neuropsychological assessments before and after heart transplantation should be routinely performed for heart transplant recipients for better risk stratification.
Neurodevelopmental profile and stages of regression in Phelan–McDermid syndrome
Authors: Dille Yumi , Lagae Lieven , Swillen Ann , Buggenhout Griet Van
Published: December 2022

Aim

To characterize the neurodevelopmental profile of patients with Phelan–McDermid syndrome (PMS) and describe the nature and trajectory of regression.

Method

This was a retrospective, monocentric study examining the clinical and developmental data of 24 patients (average age = 25 years 6 months, range = 6–56 years, n = 13 males) with a confirmed 22q13.3 terminal deletion carried out at the Centre for Human Genetics, University Hospital Leuven. The neurodevelopmental profile of individuals with PMS was examined, combining both cross‐sectional and longitudinal data obtained by systematic review of digital medical records.

Results

Remarkable loss of skills was present in 19 individuals affecting both language and motor skills. The first manifestations of neurodevelopmental regression occurred, on average, at the age of 7 years 6 months (range = 5–11 years). Language skills (active vocabulary) were primarily affected followed by, in order of loss, psychosocial adaptability, fine motor skills, and walking ability. The course of regression was characterized by a distinctive four‐stage pattern. The first stage often occurred around mid‐childhood and was defined by a pronounced and abrupt decline of language skills. This stage was generally followed by the second stage where a (prolonged) period of stagnation of regression was seen. The third stage was defined by acute neuropsychiatric decline (e.g. catatonia, hallucinations, psychosis). Acute events such as severe sickness, hormonal shifts, and psychosocial stress frequently preceded the fourth and final stage, which was characterized by severe neuromotor degeneration.

Interpretation

Neurodevelopmental regression should be considered as a key feature of PMS. We present a four‐stage model of neurodevelopmental regression, entailing language skills, fine and gross motor function, and psychosocial adaptation, which can be applied in future practice and research.
Evaluation of right ventricle systolic function after tetralogy of Fallot repair: A systematic review comparing cardiac magnetic resonance and global longitudinal strain
Authors: Oliveira Ana Laísa Andrada , de Oliveira Maria Eduarda Pereira , Guimarães Lucas Veiga , Trindade Gabrielly Machado , Chaves Guilherme Martins , Gonçalves Andreia Cristina Pernas , de Souza Talita Jaine Franchini , Moraes Letícia Santos , Lujan Victória Soares Coelho , Faria Lívia Silva de Paula , Manuel Valdano
Published: December 2022

Background

Most patients who undergo tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) repair experience late right ventricle (RV) dysfunction due to pulmonary valve regurgitation (PVR). Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is the gold standard method for evaluating RV during follow‐up. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) has been introduced as a novel method for the assessment of RV dysfunction. We aimed to compare the feasibility of GLS and CMR for assessing RV function after TOF repair.

Methods

We systematically reviewed the English literature using PubMed, SciELO and Google Scholar for articles published between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2020. Articles evaluating RV function comparing by GLS and CMR after TOF repair were included.

Results

Nine studies including 465 patients were analyzed. Most patients were men (280; 60%), the male:female ratio was 1.5:1, and the age range was .8 to 57.7 years. The mean follow‐up time was 6 to 32 months. The correlation between RV GLS and RV ejection fraction (EF) by CMR was negative for the articles and varied from moderate to strong (r = ‐.45, r = ‐.60, r = ‐.76).

Conclusion

Right ventricle GLS can be considered for routine follow‐up of TOF repair patients, even though CMR remains the noninvasive gold standard method. Using a single parameter may not allow comparison of the accuracy of 3D RV EF by using CMR and GLS. Further studies with a larger number of patients undergoing TOF repair are required to evaluate the correlation between these examinations.
Vendor independent myocardial strain values in children
Authors: Acheampong Benjamin , Parra David , Havens Corey , Jantzen David , Godown Justin , Soslow Jonathan
Published: December 2022

Background

Two‐dimensional (2D) strain imaging has become an important tool in assessing subclinical myocardial dysfunction in children. However, there are no published normal values for vendor‐independent strain software. The aim of this study was to estimate 2D strain values in a cohort of healthy children using Tomtec cardiac performance analysis (CPA), a vendor‐independent software.

Methods

Transthoracic echocardiograms of healthy pediatric outpatients (0–18 years) were retrospectively analyzed from the Vanderbilt Pediatric Heart Institute using CPA. The cardiac assessment included global longitudinal strain (GLS), global longitudinal strain rate (GLSR), global circumferential strain (GCS), and global circumferential strain rate (GCSR). Mean strain values with standard deviation (SD) are reported. The Wilcoxon rank sum test, linear regression, and one‐way analysis of variance were used to assess differences among the various groups.

Results

Among 142 children analyzed, 79 (56%) were male, and the median age was 5.5 (range, 0–18) years. The mean (SD) strain values were GLS –19.3 ± 3.4, GLSR –1.1 ± .22; GCS ‐24.7 ± 4.3, GCSR –1.5 ± .28. Age accounted for <8% of the variation in GLS, GCS, and GCSR. However, for GLSR, there was a statistically significant difference between younger and older age groups with higher GLSR in the younger age group. Age accounted for ∼25% of the variation in GLSR (R2 = .25, p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in strain based on sex.

Conclusion

We report normal myocardial strain values in healthy children by age for strain using CPA. These values add to the growing body of literature on myocardial strain in children and provide necessary data for the interpretation of strain imaging.
Normal lymphocyte homeostasis and function in MALT1 protease‐resistant HOIL‐1 knock‐in mice
Authors: Skordos Ioannis , Driege Yasmine , Haegman Mira , Kreike Marja , Staal Jens , Demeyer Annelies , Beyaert Rudi
Published: December 2022

The uniqueness of MALT1 protease activity in controlling several aspects of immunity in humans has made it a very attractive therapeutic target for multiple autoimmune diseases and lymphoid malignancies. Despite several encouraging preclinical studies with MALT1 inhibitors, severe reduction in regulatory T cells and immune‐mediated pathology seen in MALT1 protease‐dead (MALT1‐PD) mice and some, but not all, studies analysing the effect of prolonged pharmacological MALT1 protease inhibition, indicates the need to further unravel the mechanism of MALT1 protease function. Notably, the contribution of individual MALT1 substrates to the immune defects seen in MALT1‐PD mice is still unclear. Previous in vitro studies indicated a role for MALT1‐mediated cleavage of the E3 ubiquitin ligase HOIL‐1 in the modulation of nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) signalling and inflammatory gene expression in lymphocytes. Here, we addressed the immunological consequences of inhibition of HOIL‐1 cleavage by generating and immunophenotyping MALT1 cleavage‐resistant HOIL‐1 knock‐in (KI) mice. HOIL‐1 KI mice appear healthy and have no overt phenotype. NF‐κB activation in T or B cells, as well as IL‐2 production and in vitro T‐cell proliferation, is comparable between control and HOIL‐1 KI cells. Inhibition of HOIL‐1 cleavage in mice has no effect on thymic T‐cell development and conventional T‐cell homeostasis. Likewise, B‐cell development and humoral immune responses are not affected. Together, these data exclude an important role of MALT1‐mediated HOIL‐1 cleavage in T‐ and B‐cell development and function in mice.
Doubling protected land area may be inefficient at preserving the extent of undeveloped land and could cause substantial regional shifts in land use
Authors: Di Vittorio Alan V. , Narayan Kanishka B. , Patel Pralit , Calvin Katherine , Vernon Chris R.
Published: December 2022

Projection of land use and land‐cover change is highly uncertain yet drives critical estimates of carbon emissions, climate change, and food and bioenergy production. We use new, spatially explicit land availability data in conjunction with a model sensitivity analysis to estimate the effects of additional land protection on land use and land cover. The land availability data include protected land and agricultural suitability and is incorporated into the Moirai land data system for initializing the Global Change Analysis Model. Overall, decreasing land availability is relatively inefficient at preserving undeveloped land while having considerable regional land‐use impacts. Current amounts of protected area have little effect on land and crop production estimates, but including the spatial distribution of unsuitable (i.e., unavailable) land dramatically shifts bioenergy production from high northern latitudes to the rest of the world, compared with uniform availability. This highlights the importance of spatial heterogeneity in understanding and managing land change. Approximately doubling the current protected area to emulate a 30% protected area target may avoid land conversion by 2050 of less than half the newly protected extent while reducing bioenergy feedstock land by 10.4% and cropland and grazed pasture by over 3%. Regional bioenergy land may be reduced (increased) by up to 46% (36%), cropland reduced by up to 61%, pasture reduced by up to 100%, and harvested forest reduced by up to 35%. Only a few regions show notable gains in some undeveloped land types of up to 36%. Half of the regions can reach the target using only unsuitable land, which would minimize impacts on agriculture but may not meet conservation goals. Rather than focusing on an area target, a more robust approach may be to carefully select newly protected land to meet well‐defined conservation goals while minimizing impacts to agriculture.
Relationship between index of orthodontic treatment need dental health component (IOTN‐DHC) and caries prevalence in school‐age children
Authors: Hasegawa Yuh , Batbayar Nomintsetseg , Sukhbaatar Nomingerel , Bazar Amarsaikhan , Kageyama Ikuo
Published: December 2022

Objectives

The objectives of the study were to investigate the relationship between caries prevalence and the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need Dental Health Component (IOTN‐DHC) in school‐age children who live in the dentistless area and to consider the effective way to reduce the potential progression of malocclusion with the growth through the dental survey in Arbulag district, Khövsgöl province, Mongolia.

Materials and Methods

The 95 school‐age children (49 males, 46 females) who participated in the study were born in and were residents of Arbulag district, Khövsgöl province, Mongolia. The mean ages of the participants were 8.3 years (y) ± 1.7 y for males and 8.8 y ± 1.7 y for females. The Mann–WhitneyUtest was performed to determine the sex difference for the dmf/DMF index. The relationship between the IOTON‐DHC and the dmf/DMF index was statistically examined using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.

Results

Regarding the dmf/DMF index, no sex difference was observed. There were significant, fair positive correlations between the IOTON‐DHC grade and F; between the IOTON‐DHC grade and DMF index in males. There were significant, fair positive correlations between the IOTON‐DHC grade and M; between the IOTON‐DHC grade and DMF index in females.

Conclusions

Significant, fair positive correlations were found between the caries prevalence and the grade of malocclusion. Thus, prevention and early treatment of dental caries in a mixed dentition may be effective to reduce the potential progression of malocclusions in dentistless area.
Characteristics of ulcerated and non‐ulcerated necrobiosis lipoidica
Authors: Hines Alexander , Butterfield Richard , Boudreaux Blake , Bhullar Puneet , Severson Kevin J. , McBane Robert D. , Davis Mark D. P. , Pittelkow Mark R. , Mangold Aaron R. , Alavi Afsaneh
Published: December 2022

Background

Necrobiosis lipoidica (NL) is complicated by ulceration in up to 35% of cases.

Methods

Retrospective study of patients with NL seen at our institution between January 1, 1992, and May 25, 2021, was conducted. Ulcerated NL (UNL, n = 83) and non‐ulcerated NL (NUNL, n = 233) groups were compared.

Results

Twenty‐six percent (83/316) of patients with NL experienced ulceration. UNL was significantly more likely to be painful (52% vs. 36%, P = 0.01), was more likely to have a lesion‐associated cutaneous malignancy (7% vs. 0%, P < 0.001), and had a larger median size (7 vs. 5 cm, P = 0.004) compared to NUNL. Vascular studies were performed on a subset of patients and revealed transcutaneous oxygen pressure (TcPO2) < 40 mm Hg in 53% and venous insufficiency in 62% with no significant differences between UNL and NUNL groups. In patients with unilateral ulceration, mean TcPO2 values (39.7 vs. 46.6 mm Hg), regional perfusion index <0.6 (29% vs. 14%), and TcPO2 < 40 mm Hg (43% vs. 14%) were worse in the ulcerated leg compared to the non‐ulcerated leg, but these differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusions

UNL was more likely to be painful, develop lesion‐associated malignancy, and be larger in size compared to NUNL. There were no statistically significant differences in venous insufficiency, arterial Doppler/ankle brachial index, or TcPO2 values between UNL and NUNL patients, however, a significant portion of the cohort demonstrated abnormal vascular studies, particularly on TcPO2 and venous insufficiency testing.
Calcium lactate efficiently induces production of bacillomycin D in Bacillus subtilisNS‐174 and inhibition of spore germination of Aspergillus flavus in rice
Authors: Qian Shiquan , Li Jingwen , Xu Tiansheng , Diao Enjie , Tang Yuting , Zhou Xinrong , Liu Ying
Published: December 2022

The present study provided a new alternative for efficiently producing lipopeptides by calcium lactate and expanded potential applications of lipopeptides for ensuring food safety. The results indicated that the addition of calcium lactate significantly improved bacillomycin D production. When fed 150 mL of fermentation medium with 6.5 g/L calcium lactate at the batch fermentation time of 102 h, the maximum production of C14 bacillomycin D (C14BD), C15 bacillomycin D (C15BD), C16 bacillomycin D (C16BD), C17 bacillomycin D (C17BD) and total C14‐17 bacillomycin D (TBD) were 298.96, 345.43, 149.56, 216.6 and 1010.55 mg/L at 162 h, respectively. In addition, calcium lactate effectively induced biosynthesis of bacillomycin D through upregulating 2‐ketobutyric acid in the valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis (VLIB) pathway that was closely related to threonine dehydratase and threonine and increasing expression of bacillomycin D synthase genes. Moreover, bacillomycin D could remarkably inhibit spore germination of Aspergillus flavus in rice.
Effects of different souring methods on phenolic constituents and antioxidant properties of non‐alcoholic gruels from sorghum and amaranth
Authors: Adeyanju Adeyemi A. , Duodu Kwaku G.
Published: December 2022

Functional foods have developed in modern food markets as a result of consumers' rising choice for healthier food options in recent years. This study looked at how non‐alcoholic gruels made from sorghum and amaranth were affected by lactic acid fermentation and exogenous acidification with lactic acid in terms of their phenolic content and antioxidant capacities. The phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC‐MS). Total phenolic content was determined by Folin–Ciocalteu method, and antioxidant properties by 2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulphonicacid) (ABTS), 2,2′‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide (NO) assays as well as inhibition of oxidative damage of vector DNA. In comparison to cooked gruels without fermentation or acidification, both fermented and lactic acid acidified gruels (cooked) had considerably greater total phenolic acid (4%–32%), total flavonoid content (20%–30%), and radical scavenging capacities (114%–195%, 166%–208%, and 10%–28% for ABTS, DPPH and NO radical scavenging capacities respectively). Overall, fermentation and exogenous acidification enhanced the extractability of phenolic compounds and radical scavenging capacities. Therefore, souring of cereal‐based foods either by fermentation or exogenous acidification has the potential to shield the body from illnesses linked to oxidative stress.
Oil extraction from catfish (Netuma barba) waste through the supercritical fluid
Authors: da Silva Vanessa Barbosa , Igansi Andrei Vallerão , da Silva Patrick Peres , Engelmann Jenifer Inês , Cadaval Jr Tito Roberto Sant'Anna , Pinto Luiz Antonio de Almeida
Published: December 2022

This work aimed at oil extraction from catfish (Netuma barba) heads through the CO2 supercritical fluid (SFE‐CO2), and the ranges of supercritical conditions were extraction time (1 and 3 h), temperature (40 and 60 °C) and pressure (15 and 25 MPA). The crude oil from catfish heads presented the yield in the thermomechanical extraction was 86% compared to the Bligh and Dyer method, with concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid DHA of approximately 9.0% and 11.9%, respectively, in the catfish oil profiles after the refining process. In the supercritical extraction, the highest yield was around 84% at 25 MPa and 40 °C in 3 h, with lower concentrations of EPA and DHA, respectively, 2.1% and 9.1%. At 25 MPa, 60 °C and 3 h, the extraction yield was around 81%, with concentrations of EPA and DHA about 3.4% and 10.0%, respectively. The highest concentration of EPA and DHA was 18.3% found in the experiment at 25 MPa, 40 °C and 1 h. The catfish head oil obtained by supercritical fluid extraction process (SFE‐CO2) showed similar characteristics to oil obtained by thermomechanical extraction and chemically refined. Thus, SFE‐CO2, besides being a promising potential for use of the fish waste, leads to sustainable food production through green technology.