bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multibranched endovascular repair using a modified endograft with hydrogel-reinforced fenestrations
Authors: Azuma Takashi , Yokoi Yoshihiko , Hayakawa Namiko , Domoto Satoru , Niinami Hiroshi
Published: January 2022

OBJECTIVES

We devised a novel physician-modified endograft (PMEG) with hydrogel-reinforced fenestrations to provide a more secure connection with the bridging graft than fenestrations alone. We applied this novel PMEG in a clinical setting and evaluated the clinical and technical results.

METHODS

In this study, patients with complex thoraco-abdominal aortic pathologies involving the renal, superior mesenteric or coeliac artery were included. However, patients with pararenal abdominal aneurysm were excluded. Regardless of anatomical suitability, all patients referred to our hospital were enrolled. All patients were treated via compassionate use of PMEG. All PMEGs were used following the same procedure using hydrogel-reinforced fenestrations. A retrospective analysis was conducted on consecutive patients who were treated between October 2018 and April 2021.

RESULTS

Out of 40 patients, 29 and 11 were men and women, respectively. The median patient age was 73.6 (range: 49–87) years. Among the patients, 36 (90%) had true aneurysms, whereas the others had false lumen aneurysms and penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer. Despite anatomical challenges, all branches were successfully reconstructed. The mean operative time was 333 (standard deviation 98) min. Postoperative computed tomography angiography did not reveal type I and IIIc endoleaks from the hydrogel-reinforced fenestrations. The 30-day survival rate was 97.5%. One patient died due to brain haemorrhage on postoperative day 5. During follow-up, computed tomography revealed no migration of any bridging graft.

CONCLUSIONS

We confirmed the effectiveness of the hydrogel as a sealing material and the secure connection between hydrogel-reinforced fenestrations and side branches in vivo.

Clinical trial registration number

5287.
Surgery for infective endocarditis following low-intermediate risk transcatheter aortic valve replacement—a multicentre experience
Authors: Saha Shekhar , Joskowiak Dominik , Marin-Cuartas Mateo , Diab Mahmoud , Schwaiger Benedikt M , Sandoval-Boburg Rodrigo , Popov Aron-Frederik , Weber Carolyn , Varghese Sam , Martens Andreas , Cebotari Serghei , Scherner Maximilian , Eichinger Walter , Holzhey David , Dohle Daniel-Sebastian , Wahlers Thorsten , Doenst Torsten , Misfeld Martin , Mehilli Julinda , Massberg Steffen , Hagl Christian
Published: January 2022

OBJECTIVES

With the expansion of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) into intermediate and low risk, the number of TAVR procedures is bound to rise and along with it the number of cases of infective endocarditis following TAVR (TIE). The aim of this study was to review a multicentre experience of patients undergoing surgical intervention for TIE and to analyse the underlying indications and operative results.

METHODS

We retrospectively identified and analysed 69 patients who underwent cardiac surgery due to TIE at 9 cardiac surgical departments across Germany. The primary outcome was operative mortality, 6-month and 1-year survival.

RESULTS

Median age was 78 years (72–81) and 48(69.6%) were male. The median time to surgical aortic valve replacement was 14 months (5–24) after TAVR, with 32 patients (46.4%) being diagnosed with early TIE. Cardiac reoperations were performed in 17% of patients and 33% underwent concomitant mitral valve surgery. The main causative organisms were: Enterococcus faecalis (31.9%), coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. (26.1%), Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (15.9%) and viridians group streptococci (14.5%). Extracorporeal life support was required in 2 patients (2.9%) for a median duration of 3 days. Postoperative adverse cerebrovascular events were observed in 13 patients (18.9%). Postoperatively, 9 patients (13.0%) required a pacemaker and 33 patients (47.8%) needed temporary renal replacement therapy. Survival to discharge was 88.4% and survival at 6 months and 1 year was found to be 68% and 53%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that TIE can be treated according to the guidelines for prosthetic valve endocarditis, namely with early surgery. Surgery for TIE is associated with acceptable morbidity and mortality rates. Surgery should be discussed liberally as a treatment option in patients with TIE by the ‘endocarditis team’ in referral centres.
Not Just Sea Turtles, Let’s Protect Women Too: Invoking Public Morality Exception or Negotiating a New Gender Exception in Trade Agreements?
Authors: Bahri Amrita , Boklan Daria
Published: January 2022

The most common provisions we find in almost all multilateral, regional and bilateral trade agreements are the exception clauses that allow countries to protect public morals, humans, animals or plant health and life and conserve exhaustible natural resources. If countries can allow trade-restrictive measures that aim to protect these non-economic interests, is it possible to negotiate a specific exception to justify measures that are aimed at protecting women’s economic interests as well? Is the removal of barriers that impede women’s participation in trade any less important than the conservation of exhaustible natural resources such as sea turtles or dolphins? In that context, this article prepares a case for the inclusion of a specific exception that can allow countries to leverage women’s economic empowerment through international trade agreements. This is done after carrying out an objective assessment of whether a respondent could seek protection under the existing public morality exception to justify a measure that is taken to protect women’s economic interests.
Multiresidue pesticide analysis in tomato using GC-MS/MS using modified QuEChERS method with titanium-coated graphite with CNT-ABS nanocomposite as dispersive solid-phase extraction materials
Authors: Khetagoudar Mahadev C , Deepa G T , Goroji P T , Chetti Mahadev B , Praveen Kumar Avvaru , Bilehal Dinesh C
Published: January 2022

The presence of pesticide residues in food and vegetables is a growing concern for consumers. To monitor these residues reliably, a selective and sensitive multiresidue system has been developed and validated in tomato by gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Titanium-coated graphite with carbon nanotube (CNT) in acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) used as reversed-dispersive solid-phase (extraction materials with modified QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) method. Titanium-coated graphite with CNT-ABS is synthesized, characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The clean-up performance of titanium-coated graphite with CNT-ABS was demonstrated to be better to primary secondary amine and graphitized carbon black cartridges. The processing of two multiple reaction monitoring transformations for each analyte is done using GC-MS/MS in electron impact mode. Satisfactory purification and recovery effects (74%–100%) of 35 pesticides were achieved in tomato matrices when using 5 mg of titanium-coated graphite ABS-CNT nanocomposite. It was observed that quinolphos and deltamethrin are present above the maximum residue limit. The technique proved to be reliable and sensitive in tomato samples for the routine testing of 35 pesticides.
Migration of bisphenol A and its related compounds in canned seafood and dietary exposure estimation
Authors: Lin Na , Ma Derong , Liu Zhidong , Wang Xichang , Ma Liyan
Published: January 2022

The present study sought to investigate the migration of target bisphenols, such as bisphenol-A (BPA), bisphenol-F (BPA), bisphenol-A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), bisphenol-A (2,3-dihydroxypropyl) glycidyl ether (BADGE·H2O), bisphenol-A bis(2,3-dihydroxypropyl) ether (BADGE·2H2O), and bisphenol F diglycidyl ether (BFDGE) in 102 samples of several canned seafood, namely canned Antarctic krill, scallop, oysters, mussel, clam, and mantis shrimp stored for months at different temperatures through a high-performance liquid chromatographic-fluorescence detector combined with a microwave-assisted extraction method. Except for BFDGE, the other five bisphenols were observed in most of the analyzed samples. The canned shrimp showed the highest migration of BPA (0.089 mg/kg), exceeding the specific migration limit (SML) of BPA (0.05 mg/kg) specified by the European Union, while the migration levels of BADGE and its derivatives were within their SMLs. The migration behavior of bisphenols in the canned seafood was majorly affected by the analytes, storage conditions, and food types. BPA, BADGE·H2O, and BADGE·2H2O were characterized by a rapid migration during the first half of the shelf life, which increased with the increase of temperature, followed by a stabilization or decline of their concentrations for prolonged durations. Besides, the migration of target bisphenols was significantly influenced by the storage temperature in some seafood species. Notably, higher migration level of BPA was found in samples with higher fat content. The average dietary exposure of Chinese adults to BPA, BPF, BADGE·2H2O, BADGE·H2O, and BADGE of canned seafood was estimated at 11.69, 1.21, 6.47, 8.74, and 4.71 ng/(kg·d), respectively. The target hazard quotient values of all the analyzed bisphenols were below 1 for the Chinese adults, suggesting an insignificant exposure to these bisphenols through canned seafood consumption.
A Broad Survey of Gene Body and Repeat Methylation in Cnidaria Reveals a Complex Evolutionary History
Authors: Zhang Xinhui , Jacobs David
Published: January 2022

DNA methylation, an important component of eukaryotic epigenetics, varies in pattern and function across Metazoa. Notably, bilaterian vertebrates and invertebrates differ dramatically in gene body methylation (GbM). Using the frequency of cytosine-phospho-guanines (CpGs), which are lost through mutation when methylated, we report the first broad survey of DNA methylation in Cnidaria, the ancient sister group to Bilateria. We find that: 1) GbM differentially relates to expression categories as it does in most bilaterian invertebrates, but distributions of GbM are less discretely bimodal. 2) Cnidarians generally have lower CpG frequencies on gene bodies than bilaterian invertebrates potentially suggesting a compensatory mechanism to replace CpG lost to mutation in Bilateria that is lacking in Cnidaria. 3) GbM patterns show some consistency within taxonomic groups such as the Scleractinian corals; however, GbM patterns variation across a range of taxonomic ranks in Cnidaria suggests active evolutionary change in GbM within Cnidaria. 4) Some but not all GbM variation is associated with life history change and genome expansion, whereas GbM loss is evident in endoparasitic cnidarians. 5) Cnidarian repetitive elements are less methylated than gene bodies, and methylation of both correlate with genome repeat content. 6) These observations reinforce claims that GbM evolved in stem Metazoa. Thus, this work supports overlap between DNA methylation processes in Cnidaria and Bilateria, provides a framework to compare methylation within and between Cnidaria and Bilateria, and demonstrates the previously unknown rapid evolution of cnidarian methylation.
Whole-Genome Sequences of Two Kazachstania barnettii Strains Isolated from Anthropic Environments
Authors: Devillers Hugo , Sarilar Véronique , Grondin Cécile , Sterck Lieven , Segond Diego , Jacques Noémie , Sicard Delphine , Casaregola Serge , Tinsley Colin
Published: January 2022

Recent studies have suggested that species of the Kazachstania genus may be interesting models of yeast domestication. Among these, Kazachstania barnettii has been isolated from various microbially transformed foodstuffs such as sourdough bread and kefir. In the present work, we sequence, assemble, and annotate the complete genomes of two K. barnettii strains: CLIB 433, being one of the two reference strains for K. barnettii that was isolated as a spoilage organism in soft drink, and CLIB 1767, recently isolated from artisan bread-making sourdough. Both assemblies are of high quality with N50 statistics greater than 1.3 Mb and BUSCO score greater than 99%. An extensive comparison of the two obtained genomes revealed very few differences between the two K. barnettii strains, considering both genome structure and gene content. The proposed genome assemblies will constitute valuable references for future comparative genomic, population genomic, or transcriptomic studies of the K. barnettii species.
Piano Training Enhances Executive Functions and Psychosocial Outcomes in Aging: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Bugos Jennifer A , Wang Yan
Published: January 2022

Objectives

Preliminary evidence suggests that piano training may enhance areas of executive functions and psychosocial outcomes in aging adults. However, little is known regarding specific cognitive outcomes affected and whether or not enhancements are sustainable. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of piano training on cognitive performance, psychosocial well-being, and physiological stress and immune function in older adults.

Methods

Older adults (N = 155, 60–80 years) completed an initial 3-h assessment of standardized cognitive and psychosocial measures. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the 3 groups: piano training, computer-assisted cognitive training, or a no-treatment control group. Training groups completed a 16-week program with 2 group training sessions per week for 90 min each session. All participants completed a standard battery of executive functions (working memory, processing speed, verbal fluency), psychosocial measures (musical and general self-efficacy, mood), and physiological measures (cortisol and immune function) at pretesting, posttesting, and at a 3-month follow-up time point.

Results

The results showed that piano training and computer-assisted cognitive training enhanced working memory and processing speed as compared to controls. Piano training significantly increased verbal fluency skills in category switching, as compared to computer-assisted cognitive training and no-treatment controls. Participants in piano training demonstrated enhanced general and musical self-efficacy posttraining; however, no significant differences were found for physiological measures.

Discussion

Piano training resulted in a unique advantage in category switching as compared to computer-assisted cognitive training and no-treatment controls. Music training programs may mitigate or prevent cognitive deficits in verbal skills.

Clinical Trial Registration

NCT02564601
MBGC: Multiple Bacteria Genome Compressor
Authors: Grabowski Szymon , Kowalski Tomasz M
Published: January 2022

Background

Genomes within the same species reveal large similarity, exploited by specialized multiple genome compressors. The existing algorithms and tools are however targeted at large, e.g., mammalian, genomes, and their performance on bacteria strains is rather moderate.

Results

In this work, we propose MBGC, a specialized genome compressor making use of specific redundancy of bacterial genomes. Its characteristic features are finding both direct and reverse-complemented LZ-matches, as well as a careful management of a reference buffer in a multi-threaded implementation. Our tool is not only compression efficient but also fast. On a collection of 168,311 bacterial genomes, totalling 587 GB, we achieve a compression ratio of approximately a factor of 1,265 and compression (respectively decompression) speed of ∼1,580 MB/s (respectively 780 MB/s) using 8 hardware threads, on a computer with a 14-core/28-thread CPU and a fast SSD, being almost 3 times more succinct and >6 times faster in the compression than the next best competitor.
Inferior mesenteric artery diameter and number of patent lumbar arteries as factors associated with significant type 2 endoleak after infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair
Authors: Kondov Stoyan , Dimov Aleksandar , Beyersdorf Friedhelm , Maruschke Lars , Pooth Jan-Steffen , Kreibich Maximilian , Kaier Klaus , Siepe Matthias , Czerny Martin , Rylski Bartosz
Published: January 2022

OBJECTIVES

Our goal was to identify the inferior mesenteric artery diameter and number of patent lumbar arteries causing a significant type 2 endoleak to develop after infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Included were patients who underwent infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair between April 2002 and January 2017. Patients with an aneurysm involving the iliac arteries were excluded. Significant type 2 endoleak was defined as a type 2 endoleak observed after infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair and accompanied by abdominal aneurysm growth of at least 5 mm during that time.

RESULTS

A total of 277 patients were included. Mean follow-up was 38.9 (standard deviation 121.6) months. Immediately after infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair, type 2 endoleaks occurred in 55 patients (20%), resolving spontaneously in 2 patients 6 months after infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair. Thirty (10.8%) patients revealed a significant type 2 endoleak with aneurysm sack enlargement > 5 mm during follow-up, for which inferior mesenteric artery or lumbar artery coiling was performed. Mean time for coiling after primary infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair was 25.4 (standard deviation 19.10) months. Twenty-three patients (8.3%) showed a non-significant type 2 endoleak during follow-up (no aneurysm sack enlargement). We found that the inferior mesenteric artery diameter and number of patent lumbar arteries were factors associated with a significant type 2 endoleak (odds ratio 1.755, P = 0.001; odds ratio 1.717, P < 0.001, respectively). Prior to endovascular aneurysm repair, the inferior mesenteric artery was patent in 212 (76.5%) patients; its median diameter measured 3 (0.5–3.8) mm. The median number of patent lumbar arteries was 3 (2–4). According to our receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, an inferior mesenteric artery diameter ≥3 mm (sensitivity 93.3%, specificity 65%) and ≥3 patent lumbar arteries (sensitivity 87.5%, specificity 43.6%) proved to be optimal cut-off values related to developing a significant type 2 endoleak. We therefore propose a composite score for the development of a significant type 2 endoleak [(inferior mesenteric artery diameter + patent lumbar arteries)/2].

CONCLUSIONS

Patients in whom the diameter of the inferior mesenteric artery is ≥ 3 mm and with ≥ 3 patent lumbar arteries carry a higher risk of developing significant type 2 endoleak after infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair.
Incidence of Drug-Induced Delirium During Treatment With Antidepressants or Antipsychotics: A Drug Surveillance Report of German-Speaking Countries Between 1993 and 2016
Authors: Friedrich M E , Grohmann R , Rabl U , Winkler D , Konstantinidis A , Engel R , Seifert J , Toto S , Stübner S , Frey R , Kasper S
Published: January 2022

Objectives

Successful treatment of delirium depends on the detection of the reversible contributors. Drugs with delirogenic properties are the most prevalent reversible cause of delirium.

Methods

This observational study is based on data from Arzneimittelsicherheit in der Psychiatrie, a multicenter drug surveillance program in German-speaking countries recording severe adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in psychiatric inpatients. The present study analyzes drug-induced delirium (DID) during treatment with antidepressants and antipsychotics.

Results

A total of 436 565 psychiatric inpatients were treated with antidepressants and/or antipsychotics during the observation period from 1993 to 2016 in the participating 110 hospitals. Overall, 254 cases (0.06% of all patients treated with antidepressants and/or antipsychotics) of DID were detected. Implicated either in combination or alone (multiple drugs were implicated in 70.1% of DID), clomipramine (0.24%), amitriptyline (0.21%), and clozapine (0.18%) showed the highest incidence rates of DID. When implicated alone (98 cases overall), clozapine (0.11%) followed by amitriptyline (0.05%) were most likely causally associated with the occurrence of DID. Drugs with strong antimuscarinic properties generally exhibited higher risk of DID.

Conclusions

With an incidence rate of <0.1%, the use of antidepressants and antipsychotics was rarely associated with DID within the Arzneimittelsicherheit in der Psychiatrie program. Tricyclic antidepressants and clozapine were the most commonly implicated psychotropic drugs. These data support the specific role of antimuscarinic properties in DID.
Simplicity of Right-Angled Hecke C*-Algebras
Authors: Klisse Mario
Published: January 2022

By exploiting properties of boundaries associated with Coxeter groups we obtain a complete characterization of simple right-angled multi-parameter Hecke C$^{\ast }$-algebras. This extends previous results by Caspers, Larsen, and the author. Based on a work by Raum and Skalski, we further describe the center and the character space of right-angled Hecke C$^{\ast }$-algebras.
Romance and the Male Secular Body: The Case of Algerian Men in France and Québec
Authors: Selby Jennifer A
Published: January 2022

This article argues that state and cultural expectations for romance at the time of civil marriage in contemporary France and Québec serve as proxies for liberal sexual values laden in the “secular body.” To date, secularism studies scholars have primarily conceptualized gender in relation to how political-legal regimes aim to render religious and racialized women’s bodies “secular.” The omission of cis-gender men in this corpus parallels many states’ foci on women’s conspicuous religious signs and their sexual emancipation. I read the performative expectations for romance in civil marriage within state logics and consumer culture as revelatory of liberal values of free choice, sexual intimacy, and the legibility of secular bodies, which reverberate differently for men. Drawing on ethnographic data among cis-gender heterosexual and racialized men of Algerian origin in France and Québec, I argue that my interlocutors’ experiences reveal prescriptive and exclusionary gendered sexual-secular sensibilities that belie their emancipatory promises.
A systematic review investigating the use of microbiology outcome measures in randomized controlled trials evaluating antimicrobial stewardship interventions published between 2011 and 2021
Authors: Lau Tin Man Mandy , Daniel Rhian , Hughes Kathryn , Wootton Mandy , Hood Kerry , Gillespie David
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Antimicrobial stewardship interventions (ASIs) aim to reduce the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. We sought to systematically evaluate how microbiological outcomes have been handled and analysed in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating ASIs.

Methods

We searched PubMed and Embase from 2011–21. Studies were selected if they were RCTs evaluating ASIs. A narrative synthesis approach was taken, identifying whether the study reported any microbiological data (bacterial genus/species; bacterial colony counts; prevalence of bacterial, microbiologically defined infections; and antibiotic susceptibility, measured pre-randomization or post-randomization in one arm only) or outcomes (post-randomization data compared between arms). Studies with or without microbiological data/outcomes were summarized in terms of study characteristics, methods of reporting and analysis of these outcomes.

Results

We identified 117 studies, with 34 (29.1%) collecting microbiological data and 18 (15.4%) reporting microbiological outcomes. Most studies with microbiological outcomes were conducted in secondary care (12/18, 66.7%) and targeted adult populations (14/18, 77.8%), and the intervention involved biomarker-guided rapid diagnostic testing (7/18, 38.9%). The overall quality of reporting and analysing microbiological outcomes was low and inconsistent. The selected study population in analyses and methods of handling missing data were unclear.

Conclusions

This review demonstrates that the quality of handling and reporting microbiological outcomes in RCTs of ASIs was low. The lack of consistency and clarity made it difficult to compare the findings across studies, limiting policy- and clinical decision-making. Therefore, there is a clear need for the development of guidance for handling microbiological outcomes in RCTs and adopting appropriate methods to evaluate these data carefully.
Successful Outcome of Inhalation Injury, Active SARS-CoV-2 Infection, and Concomitant Pneumonia in a Patient With 27% Full-Thickness Burn: A Case Report
Authors: Zivec Katarina , Arnez Tine , Lovsin Klemen , Kramaric Anja , Gradisek Primoz , Mirkovic Tomislav
Published: January 2022

Burn injuries are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Next to the inhalation injury, TBSA and age are strong predictors of mortality in burn victims. The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is associated with a fatality rate of around 3.5%. We present a case of burn victim with full-thickness burn to face, scalp, both upper extremities (27% of TBSA), inhalation injury, and active severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection with concomitant pneumonia. The inhalation injury in COVID-19 positive patient was severe. A bronchoscopy revealed a diffuse erythema of the trachea and both main bronchi, the whole bronchial tree up to the distal segments was covered with carbonaceous material which could not be removed. We decided to treat the inhalation injury according to the guidelines for burns and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Accordingly, the patient did not receive any antiviral drugs or corticosteroids. The reconstruction of a full-thickness scalp defect after burn presents a challenge in large size defects and in patients with comorbidities. Double layer Integra Dermal Regeneration Template (Integra LifeSciences, Plainsboro, New Jersey) was the reconstruction method of choice. The take of dermal template and split-thickness skin graft was 100% and good scalp contour was achieved. To our knowledge this is the first case report presenting a successful treatment outcome in a burn victim with inhalation injury, active severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, and concomitant pneumonia with full-thickness burn of 27% of TBSA.
Vasculocentric Axonal NfH in Small Vessel Disease
Authors: Anad Adam , Barker Miriam K , Katanga Jessica A , Arfanakis Konstantinos , Bridges Leslie R , Esiri Margaret M , Isaacs Jeremy D , Prpar Mihevc Sonja , Pereira Anthony C , Schneider Julie A , Hainsworth Atticus H
Published: January 2022

Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) causes lacunar stroke and vascular cognitive impairment in older people. The pathogenic pathways from vessel pathology to parenchymal damage in SVD are unknown. Neurofilaments are axonal structural proteins. Neurofilament-light (NfL) is an emerging biomarker for neurological disease. Here, we examined the high molecular weight form neurofilament-heavy (NfH) and quantified a characteristic pattern of peri-arterial (vasculocentric) NfH labeling. Subcortical frontal and parietal white matter from young adult controls, aged controls, and older people with SVD or severe Alzheimer disease (n = 52) was immunohistochemically labeled for hyperphosphorylated NfH (pNfH). The extent of pNfH immunolabeling and the degree of vasculocentric axonal pNfH were quantified. Axonal pNfH immunolabeling was sparse in young adults but a common finding in older persons (controls, SVD, or AD). Axonal pNfH was often markedly concentrated around small penetrating arteries. This vasculocentric feature was more common in older people with SVD than in those with severe AD (p = 0.004). We conclude that axonal pNfH is a feature of subcortical white matter in aged brains. Vasculocentric axonal pNfH is a novel parenchymal lesion that is co-located with SVD arteriopathy and could be a consequence of vessel pathology.
Potential Role of Neutrophil-Platelet Interaction in Increased Susceptibility to Infection of Patients with Down Syndrome
Authors: Abd El-Ghany Hoda M , Abdel Meguid Iman Ehsan , El Hawary Rabab , Meshaal Safa , Shimila Iman Taha Lafy , Radwan Eman Roshdy
Published: January 2022

Objective

Recurrent infection in Down syndrome (DS) has been previously documented; the potential role of platelets and neutrophil-platelet interaction has not been addressed in previous studies.

Patients and Methods

Using flow cytometry, we evaluated CD40 and CD18 expression as activation markers for neutrophils and CD62p as an activation marker for platelets, before and after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, in 34 patients with DS and 39 control patients.

Results

Markers were evaluated as percentage of positivity, mean fluorescent intensity (MFI), and activation index (MFI after stimulation/MFI before stimulation). Patients showed a significantly lower CD40 MFI (P = .019) after LPS stimulation, a lower CD62p percentage before and after LPS stimulation (P = .013 and P = .029), and a higher CD62p MFI (P = .011) after LPS stimulation. Patients showed a lower activation index for CD40 and CD18 (P ≤ .001) but not for CD62p (P = .338). Dysfunctional efficiency in neutrophils and in the neutrophil-platelet interaction could not be correlated to infection.

Conclusion

A consensus on a scoring system for infection is needed for an objective evaluation of correlation to infection.
Belief contraction and erasure in fragments of propositional logic
Authors: Creignou Nadia , Ktari RaÏda , Papini Odile
Published: January 2022

Recently, belief change within the framework of fragments of propositional logic has gained attention. In the context of revision, it has been proposed to refine existing operators so that they operate within propositional fragments and that the result of revision remains in the fragment under consideration. Later, this notion of refinement was generalized to belief change operators. Whereas refinement allowed one to define concrete rational operators adapted to propositional fragments in the context of revision and update, it has to be specified for contraction and erasure. We propose a specific notion of refinement for contraction and erasure operators, called reasonable refinement. This allows us to provide refined contraction and erasure operators that satisfy the basic postulates. We study the logical properties of reasonable refinement of two model-based contraction operators and two model-based erasure operators. Our approach is not limited to the Horn fragment but applicable to many fragments of propositional logic, like Krom and affine fragments.
Ongoing Recombination in SARS-CoV-2 Revealed through Genealogical Reconstruction
Authors: Ignatieva Anastasia , Hein Jotun , Jenkins Paul A
Published: January 2022

The evolutionary process of genetic recombination has the potential to rapidly change the properties of a viral pathogen, and its presence is a crucial factor to consider in the development of treatments and vaccines. It can also significantly affect the results of phylogenetic analyses and the inference of evolutionary rates. The detection of recombination from samples of sequencing data is a very challenging problem and is further complicated for SARS-CoV-2 by its relatively slow accumulation of genetic diversity. The extent to which recombination is ongoing for SARS-CoV-2 is not yet resolved. To address this, we use a parsimony-based method to reconstruct possible genealogical histories for samples of SARS-CoV-2 sequences, which enables us to pinpoint specific recombination events that could have generated the data. We propose a statistical framework for disentangling the effects of recurrent mutation from recombination in the history of a sample, and hence provide a way of estimating the probability that ongoing recombination is present. We apply this to samples of sequencing data collected in England and South Africa and find evidence of ongoing recombination.
Retrospective single-center study on elderly patients with glioblastoma between 2014 and 2018 evaluating the effect of age and performance status on survival
Authors: Pirkkalainen Juha-Matti , Jääskeläinen Anna-Stina , Halonen Päivi
Published: January 2022

Background

Incidence of glioblastoma (GBM) increases with age and the prognosis is worse among the elderly. This was shown in a Finnish population-based register study evaluating GBM patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2013. The median overall survival (OS) was poor among the elderly (4.5 months), despite the OS increase during that period. We conducted a study to see if the OS has increased in our hospital area with current therapies.

Methods

One hundred and ninety-eight patients over 65 years at the time of diagnosis, with malignant glioma diagnosed January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2018 at the Helsinki Comprehensive Cancer Center were included. In addition to grade IV gliomas, grade III gliomas with nonmutated R132HIDH1 and only radiographically diagnosed gliomas were included. The demographics and treatment data were collected with performance status evaluated retrospectively. The Kaplan–Meier method and the multivariate Cox proportional hazard model were used for the statistical analysis.

Results

One hundred and seventy-seven patients with grade IV glioma, 6 with grade III glioma with nonmutated IDH1 and 15 radiologically diagnosed patients were included. One hundred and sixteen patients received chemoradiation, 59 only radiotherapy, 3 only temozolomide, and 27 patients did not receive oncological treatments. In the age group 65–70 years the OS was 9.95 months, 70–75 years 10.12 months, and >75 years 5.54 months. Lower WHO status correlated with longer survival independently of the age of the patient. Also methylated O(6)-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase and tumor resection correlated with better survival.

Conclusions

The performance status of elderly patients is the most important prognostic factor. When choosing treatment protocols for patients in this age group, the performance status not calendar age should be considered.
Epidemiology of pineoblastoma in the United States, 2000–2017
Authors: Greppin Kaitlyn , Cioffi Gino , Waite Kristin A , Ostrom Quinn T , Landi Daniel , Takaoka Kailey , Kruchko Carol , Barnholtz-Sloan Jill S
Published: January 2022

Background

Pineoblastoma (PB) is a rare malignant brain tumor originating in the pineal gland. Here, we provide a comprehensive epidemiological analysis of PB in the United States from 2000 to 2017.

Methods

Data on 1133 patients with PB were acquired from the Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute, from 2000 to 2017. Age-adjusted incidence rates (AAIRs) per 100 000 and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were reported for age, sex, race, and ethnicity. Using the National Program of Cancer Registries survival database, median survival and hazard ratios (HRs) were evaluated for overall survival from 2001 to 2016.

Results

Incidence was highest in ages 0–4 years (AAIR: 0.049, 95% CI: 0.042–0.056), decreasing as age increased. Incidence was higher among patients who are Black compared to patients who are White (IRR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.48–1.98, P < .001), and was impacted by age at diagnosis, with Black-to-White incidence highest in children ages 5–9 years (IRR: 3.43, 95% CI: 2.36–4.94, P < .001). Overall survival was lower for males (HR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.07–1.79, P = .013). All age groups, excluding those over 40, had improved survival compared to ages 0–4 years. Those who received surgical intervention had better survival compared to those who did not receive surgical treatment.

Conclusion

PB incidence is highest among children and patients who are Black, and there may be a potential interaction between these factors. Survival is worse among males, young children, and elderly adults, and those who received no surgery. Comprehensive, population-based statistics provide critical information on PB characteristics that could be useful in impacting patient care and prognosis.
Contribution of Biologic Response Modifiers to the Risk of Coccidioidomycosis Severity
Authors: Donovan Fariba M , Ramadan Ferris A , Lim James R , Buchfuhrer Julia E , Khan Rebia N , DeQuillfeldt Natalie P , Davis Natalie M , Kaveti Ashwini , De Shadarevian Melanie , Bedrick Edward J , Galgiani John N
Published: January 2022

Background

The risk of coccidioidomycosis (CM) as a life-threatening respiratory illness or disseminated CM (DCM) increases as much as 150-fold in immunosuppressed patients. The safety of biologic response modifiers (BRMs) as treatment for patients with autoimmune disease (AI) in CM-endemic regions is not well defined. We sought to determine that risk in the Tucson and Phoenix areas.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study reviewing demographics, Arizona residency length, clinical presentations, specific AI diagnoses, CM test results, and BRM treatments in electronic medical records of patients ≥18 years old with International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes for CM and AI from 1 October 2017 to 31 December 2019.

Results

We reviewed 944 charts with overlapping ICD-10 codes for CM and AI, of which 138 were confirmed to have both diagnoses. Male sex was associated with more CM (P = .003), and patients with African ancestry were 3 times more likely than those with European ancestry to develop DCM (P < .001). Comparing CM+/AI+ (n = 138) with CM+/AI– (n = 449) patients, there were no significant differences in CM clinical presentations. Patients receiving BRMs had 2.4 times more DCM compared to pulmonary CM (PCM).

Conclusions

AI does not increase the risk of any specific CM clinical presentation, and BRM treatment of most AI patients does not lead to severe CM. However, BRMs significantly increase the risk of DCM, and prospective studies are needed to identify the immunogenetic subset that permits BRM-associated DCM.
The Importance of Being Authorized: The Genesis, Limitations, and Legacy of the Marriage Act 1898
Authors: Probert Rebecca , Akhtar Rajnaara C , Blake Sharon , Vora Vishal , Barton Tania
Published: January 2022

Every place of worship that is registered for weddings is able to appoint its own ‘authorised person’ to replace the civil registrar who would otherwise be required to attend weddings there. Nonetheless, 120 years after this option was first introduced by the Marriage Act 1898, there are still many places of worship with no authorised person. With provisional proposals for an officiant-based system having been put forward by the Law Commission, it is essential to understand why the existing option of being authorised has not been taken up more widely, and whether there would be similar issues with the Commission's proposed scheme. In this article we draw on a combination of historical and empirical research to analyse the past, present and possible future of the law in this area. The option of being authorised was, from the start, hedged around with restrictions. It is also not well understood, and some of those who wish to be authorised experience challenges in engaging with the system. Participants preferred the option of being an officiant, and their comments and experiences provide a useful insight into how the Law Commission's scheme would need to be implemented.
Meaning, Rationality, and Guidance
Authors: Sultanescu Olivia
Published: January 2022

In Wittgenstein on Rules and Private Language, Saul Kripke articulates a form of scepticism about meaning. Even though there is considerable disagreement among critics about the reasoning in which the sceptic engages, there is little doubt that he seeks to offer constraints for an adequate account of the facts that constitute the meaningfulness of expressions. Many of the sceptic's remarks concern the nature of the guidance involved in a speaker's meaningful uses of expressions. I propose that we understand those remarks as seeking to give shape to the idea that to use an expression under the guidance of one's understanding is to have a reason for that use, which one's understanding allows one to discern and act on. Any philosophical elucidation of meaning must adequately capture the rational nature of our linguistic acts.
Prevalence of moderate to severe lower urinary tract symptoms in systemic sclerosis
Authors: Rompsaithong Ukrit , Sirithanaphol Wichien , Mahakkanukrauh Ajanee , Suwannaroj Siraphop , Foocharoen Chingching
Published: January 2022

Objective

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are common in SSc. The severity of symptoms can affect the quality of life (QOL); however, LUTS is often neglected during routine assessments. We determined the prevalence of moderate to severe LUTS in SSc and its associated factors.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted between March 2020 and June 2020. Adult SSc patients were enrolled from the Scleroderma Clinic, Khon Kaen University, Thailand. All completed a self-administered questionnaire on LUTS using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), categorized into absent, mild, moderate or severe LUTS. In addition, we investigated the factors associated with moderate to severe LUTS, and the correlation between IPSS-QOL score and IPSS severity.

Results

A total of 135 patients were enrolled. Most cases were female (87 cases; 64.4%) and had dcSSc (88 cases; 65.2%). Twenty-six were defined as having moderate to severe LUTS, for a prevalence of 19.3% (95% CI 13.0, 26.9%). In addition, most had storage symptoms (63.0%), followed by voiding symptoms (19.3%) and post-voiding symptoms (12.6%). The factors associated with moderate to severe LUTS per the multivariable logistic regression included a modified Rodnan skin score ≥20 points and gastrointestinal symptoms with adjusted odds ratios 7.64 and 5.78, respectively. In addition, the IPSS-QOL score had a moderate positive correlation with IPSS severity (rho = 0.560, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Moderate to severe LUTS occurred in about one-fifth of SSc patients, particularly those with extensive skin tightness and gastrointestinal involvement. The more severe the LUTS, the poorer the QOL.
Effectiveness of baricitinib and tofacitinib compared with bDMARDs in RA: results from a cohort study using nationwide Swedish register data
Authors: Barbulescu Andrei , Askling Johan , Chatzidionysiou Katerina , Forsblad-d’Elia Helena , Kastbom Alf , Lindström Ulf , Turesson Carl , Frisell Thomas
Published: January 2022

Objectives

To describe the use of baricitinib and tofacitinib by Swedish RA patients and to compare their effectiveness with that of biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs).

Methods

RA patients who initiated baricitinib (n = 1420), tofacitinib (n = 316), abatacept (n = 1050), IL-6 inhibitors (IL-6is; n = 849), rituximab (n = 1101) or TNF inhibitors (TNFis; n = 6036) between January 2017 and November 2019 were followed for a minimum of 1 year using data from several linked Swedish national registers. Proportions reaching a good EULAR 28-joint DAS (DAS28) response, HAQ Disability Index (HAQ-DI) improvement >0.2 units and Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) remission were compared at 1 year, imputing discontinued treatments as ‘non-response’. Additionally, we compared drug retention and changes in DAS28, HAQ-DI and CDAI from baseline to 3 months after treatment initiation.

Results

On average, baricitinib, and particularly tofacitinib, were initiated as later lines of therapy and more frequently as monotherapy compared with rituximab and TNFi. Adjusted 1 year response proportions were consistently lower on TNFi compared with baricitinib, with differences of −4.3 percentage points (95% CI −8.7, 0.1) for good EULAR response, −9.9 (−14.4 to −5.4) for HAQ-DI improvement and −6.0 (−9.8 to −2.2) for CDAI remission. Comparisons with non-TNFi bDMARDs also favoured baricitinib, but not consistently. Treatment responses for tofacitinib were only marginally lower than those for baricitinib and generally similar to those of bDMARDs, with precision limited by low power. Comparisons of drug retention and changes in disease activity from baseline to 3 months supported the 1 year findings.

Conclusions

Baricitinib and tofacitinib showed at least equivalent effectiveness compared with bDMARDs after exploring several different effectiveness measures.
Effects of antimicrobial addition on lipid oxidation of rendered chicken fat
Authors: Dhakal Janak , Holt Dalton , Aldrich Charles G , Knueven Carl
Published: January 2022

This study evaluated the effects of antimicrobial acidulant addition on lipid oxidation of rendered chicken fat. Chicken fat was untreated (control) or treated with either sodium bisulfate (SBS) or lactic acid (LA) at 0.5% w/w and incubated for 6 wk at 40 °C. Peroxide value (PV), p-anisidine value (AV), and free fatty acid (FFA) levels were measured at days 0 (D0), 1(D1), 3 (D3), 5 (D5), and 7 (D7), and weeks 2 (W2), 3 (W3), 4 (W4), 5 (W5), and 6 (W6). The FFA level of untreated-control fat was ~7% and remained consistent throughout the incubation until W6 (~8.5%; P < 0.05). The FFA values in SBS-treated fat were constant (range 7.25%–8.30%) throughout the incubation, whereas the FFA in LA-treated fat peaked at W5 (9.3%; P < 0.05). For the control fat, PVs were between 0.56 and 0.67 meq/100 g until W1 then declined. For the SBS-treated fat, the PVs remained low and similar to the control with the exception of a slight increase on W4 to 0.38 meqv/100 g (P < 0.05). In the LA-treated fat, the PV was greater than (P < 0.05) the control from W1 and increased to a peak on W5 (2.52 meq/100 g). The AV of control fat averaged 2.12 at D0 and increased through W2. In control and LA-treated fat, the AV values declined slightly thereafter, whereas SBS-treated fat increased (P < 0.05) to 10.28 on W5. This study indicates that when included at antimicrobial effective levels, LA may reduce the shelf-life of chicken fat, but SBS had a minimal effect over 6 wk of storage.
Effect of a Lactobacillus fermentation product on postweaning heifer performance
Authors: Hall John B , Bloomsburg Maggie R , Goddard Sandra A
Published: January 2022

The objective of the experiment was to compare the effect of dietary inclusion of a prebiotic fermentation product of Lactobacillus acidophilus (LaP, RumaCell; 5 mL animal−1 d−1) or monensin on performance of replacement beef heifers. Heifers received a total mixed ration containing either LaP (n = 77) or monensin (MON; Rumensin; 200 mg animal−1 d−1; n = 79). Heifers were fed for 71 d in a GrowSafe unit, so individual feed intake could be measured. Heifers were weighed every 2 wk and feed efficiency calculated by residual feed intake (RFI). At the end of the RFI trial, heifers remained on their diets for an additional 27 d and were estrus synchronized using the 14-d CIDR + PG protocol and bred by artificial insemination (AI) followed by natural service. Prior to estrous synchronization, reproductive tract scores (RTS; 1 = infantile to 5 = cycling/presence of corpus luteum) were measured. Continuous variables were analyzed using generalized mixed models, whereas categorical data were analyzed by logistic regression. Body weights, average daily gain, feed intake, and RFI value were similar (P > 0.30) among MON- and LaP-supplemented heifers. Across treatments, heifers gained 0.9 ± 0.1 kg/d while consuming 9.3 ± 0.5 kg of diets daily. Reproductive development as indicated by RTS was similar (P > 0.28) between treatments. However, estrus response increased (P < 0.01) and AI pregnancy rates tended to be greater (P < 0.07) for MON compared to LaP heifers. In contrast, the percentage of heifers pregnant by 60 and 100 d (80.4% and 90.5%, respectively) was not different (P > 0.33) for MON and LaP heifers. In conclusion, addition of LaP to replacement heifer diets may result in growth and reproductive performance similar to an ionophore, if dietary energy is adequate for normal heifer growth.