bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
COVID-19 Induced Pancytopenia in a Major Molecular Response CML patient on Dasatinib: A Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Balraj Singh  , Sarah Ayad  , Parminder Kaur  , Vinod Kumar  , Sachin Gupta  , Michael Maroules
Published: May 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has caused a global health crisis. COVID-19 can have a multifaceted presentation. A wide range of complications and outcomes can emerge based on the severity and comorbidities of the infected patient.  We report a 42-year-old male with past medical history of CML on Dasatinib (in Major Molecular Response) who was diagnosed with COVID-19 and developed pancytopenia. Our case and review of available reports add to the limited literature available regarding COVID-19 in CML.
Giant Cell Arteritis among Fevers of Unknown Origin (FUO): An Atypical Presentation
Authors: Lorenzo Grazioli Gauthier  , Natalie Marcoli  , Gianluca Vanini  , Enos Bernasconi  , Dea Degabriel
Published: May 2021

Giant cell arteritis (GCA), or Horton’s arteritis, presenting solely as fever is very rare. Usually, it manifests with typical features such as visual problems, headache and jaw claudication, or it can be associated with polymyalgia rheumatica. We describe the case of a patient with GCA who presented only with prolonged fever, the cause of which was not determined by diagnostic tests.
Acute Epiglottitis Due to COVID-19 Infection
Authors: Jonathan Emberey  , Srinath Velala  , Ben Marshall  , Adil Hassan  , Salim Meghjee  , M Jamil Malik  , Muhammad Hussain
Published: May 2021

A 53-year-old man presented acutely to the Accident and Emergency department with a 2-day history of progressive odynophagia and shortness of breath. The patient had stridor at rest and acute epiglottitis was suspected. The patient was transferred urgently to theatre for intubation but due to a severely oedematous airway, this was unsuccessful and emergency tracheotomy was performed by the ENT team. Throughout admission the only positive microbiological sample was a nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 infection. In the absence of other positive microbiology, it is highly likely that COVID-19 was the aetiological cause of acute epiglottitis in this instance.
Synchronous Lung Adenocarcinoma and Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma - The Metastases at the Centre of the Discussion
Authors: Joana Ferra  , Cátia Guimarães  , Cristina Matos  , Fernando Nogueira
Published: May 2021

Synchronous tumours are defined as two or more independent primary neoplasms of different origins diagnosed at the same time in 1 individual. Although rare, its incidence is increasing and the proper diagnosis and staging of each tumour is crucial in defining the patient prognosis and the best therapeutic choice. We present a case of a 56-year-old woman presenting with a lung adenocarcinoma and pulmonary metastases initially diagnosed as stage IV and who was started on a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (erlotinib). In the meantime, she was also diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma and was submitted to complete thyroidectomy. After 6 cycles of erlotinib, thoracic CT showed a decrease in the dimensions of the primary pulmonary tumour, but an increase in the size and number of pulmonary metastases while blood tests showed elevated thyroglobulin. This therefore raised the possibility that the metastases could have originated from the thyroid carcinoma. Anatomo-pathological examination of the lung metastases confirmed this hypothesis. In conclusion, it is important to confirm the origin of metastases in synchronous tumours given this can lead to a re-staging of tumours and a different prognosis, along with other therapeutic options. A multidisciplinary team meeting is crucial to define management and therapeutic approaches for these patients.
Tension Pneumothorax as Initial Manifestation of Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA)
Authors: Rúben Reis  , Anneke Joosten  , Francelino Ferreira  , Magda Silva  , Catarina Parente  , Inês Maia
Published: May 2021

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener’s granulomatosis) is a systemic vasculitis that primarily affects small and medium vessels. Its manifestations are usually confined to the upper airway, lower airway and kidney. It can also affect other organs and systems, although this is unusual. We describe the case of a 67-year-old woman who presented with a tension pneumothorax due to rupture of a pulmonary cavity. This pulmonary cavity proved to be secondary to systemic disease which also caused a tumour in her kidney. Biopsy showed non-necrotizing granulomatosis, and even though antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) were negative, the diagnosis of granulomatosis with polyangiitis was made.
Streptococcus oralis Meningitis
Authors: Cardoso João , Ferreira David , Assis Rui , Monteiro Joana , Coelho Inês , Real André , Catorze Nuno
Published: May 2021

Streptococcus oralis is part of the normal flora of the oropharyngeal, nasal, gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts. Classically, it shows low pathogenicity and virulence, but can very rarely cause meningitis in patients who have undergone dental procedures and have poor oral hygiene. The purpose of this report is to highlight the importance of considering S. oralis as a cause of meningitis in patients with poor oral hygiene. A 53-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department with high fever (39.4°C), headache and drowsiness. His mouth was unhygienic. He was diagnosed with meningitis and empiric antibiotics (ceftriaxone plus ampicillin) and dexamethasone were started. S. oralis was isolated from cerebrospinal fluid. Ampicillin and dexamethasone were stopped, while ceftriaxone was continued with full recovery of the patient.
Severe Complication of Thiopurine Treatment in a Young Woman with Crohn’s Disease
Authors: Michiel PJ Voet  , TGA Calon  , MMC Hendriks  , RM Schreuder
Published: May 2021

Case Description: TA 28-year old woman receiving thiopurine treatment for Crohn’s disease presented with a systemic primo cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection affecting the gut (colitis), liver (hepatitis), lungs (pneumonitis) and eyes (retinitis). Secondary to this systemic infection, she developed splenomegaly, pancytopenia and lymphadenopathy. Anti-viral treatment resulted in complete resolution of clinical, biochemical and radiological abnormalities within 6 weeks.  Conclusion: Early recognition is crucial since CMV infection in a patient receiving thiopurine treatment may result in serious complications.
Azygos Continuation of the Inferior Vena Cava: Potential for Misdiagnosis as Lung Neoplasm
Authors: Sharjeel Shaikh  , Hind Awad  , Anna Kelly  , Tadhg Gleeson
Published: May 2021

Background: The azygos venous system is an accessory venous pathway supplying an important collateral circulation between the superior and inferior vena cava (IVC).  Case summary: We report a case of complicated community-acquired pneumonia with interruption of the IVC with azygos continuation that was misdiagnosed as lung neoplasm.  Discussion: The aim of this case report is to emphasize the importance of recognizing an enlarged azygos vein at the confluence with the superior vena cava and in the retrocrural space to avoid misdiagnosis as a right-sided para-tracheal mass. The angiographic features and clinical importance of this condition are discussed.
Marantic Endocarditis Associated with COVID-19: A Rare Case Report of a Potentially Deadly Disease
Authors: Kok Hoe Chan  , Ormena Joseph  , Eyad Ahmed  , Apoorva Kommidi  , Addi Suleiman  , Maria E Szabela  , Jihad Slim
Published: May 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has overwhelmed healthcare globally with millions of cases and over 2 million deaths worldwide. The hypercoagulable state associated with COVID-19 is a well-recognized complication that carries a poor prognosis. Marantic endocarditis, or non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE), is caused by a sterile vegetation on the cardiac valves resulting from the deposition of fibrin and platelet aggregates. It is highly associated with the hypercoagulable and acquired inflammatory states. Herein, we report a unique and rare case of COVID-19 presenting with NBTE.
Efficacy of Cannabinoids on Spasticity and Chronic Pain in a Patient with Co-occurrence of Multiple Sclerosis and Neurofibromatosis Type 1
Authors: Virgilio Eleonora , Vecchio Domizia , Naldi Paola , Cantello Roberto
Published: May 2021

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a rare autosomal dominant disease involving the skin and central nervous system (CNS), and also characterized by skeletal and spinal schwannomas that may cause chronic neurogenic pain. Furthermore, pain in NF1 is underestimated, even though it has an impact on quality of life. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common acquired demyelinating disease that may in later stages present with refractory spasticity, particularly in the lower limbs. Oromucosal cannabinoid sprays are currently available for spasticity treatment in MS, with encouraging results on MS pain, but few data have been reported regarding the use of cannabinoids in NF1. We report the successful treatment of chronic neurogenic pain and spasticity in a patient with co-occurrence of NF1 and MS after a poor response to standard approaches.
Disseminated Cysticercosis
Authors: Andreia Póvoa  , Pedro Vieira  , André Silva  , Iurie Pantazi  , João Correia
Published: May 2021

Cysticercosis is a parasitic infection caused by larval cysts of the tapeworm Taenia solium. It is highly prevalent in rural areas of developing countries with poor sanitary conditions. We report a rare case of extensive disseminated cysticercosis in a 98-year-old woman who was brought to the emergency department following a fall. The x-ray revealed numerous ‘rice grain’ calcifications predominantly oriented in the plane of muscle fibres. A broad review revealed pelvic, chest and inferior limb involvement. The findings were consistent with cysticercosis.
Invasive Mediastinal Mucormycosis with Pulmonary and Cardiac Involvement in an Adult with Chronic Granulomatous Disease: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Nadeem Ashraf , Wahla Ali , Altarifi Ashraf
Published: May 2021

Mucormycosis is a rare fungal infection that often causes rhinocerebral disease. However, there have been rare cases of mediastinal involvement. These patients remain a therapeutic challenge and mortality in this group is very high. We report a case of mediastinal mucormycosis with invasion of the heart and right lung in a patient with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) and also review the available literature on mediastinal mucormycosis.
Foix-Chavany-Marie Syndrome as a Manifestation of Unilateral Opercular Stroke
Authors: Roberto Abel Toledo-Trevino  , Diana Manrique-Otero  , Enrique Castellanos- Pedroza  , Vanessa Cano-Nigenda  , Alonso Alvarado-Bolanos  , Juan Calleja- Castillo  , Antonio Arauz
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Foix-Chavany-Marie syndrome (FCMS) is a type of pseudobulbar palsy that affects facio-pharyngo-glosso-masticatory muscles. Materials and Methods: A 62-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department after 9 hours of acute dysarthria and dysphagia. MRI showed restricted diffusion in the right operculum on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). No thrombolytic therapy was given. The patient had a history of mechanical aortic valve replacement under anticoagulation with a vitamin K antagonist. Work-up demonstrated suboptimal levels of INR. Due to severe dysphagia during hospitalization, a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) was performed. Results: The patient was discharged 5 days later, with a modified Rankin scale (mRs) score of 3, and secondary stroke prevention. He had achieved an excellent functional outcome (mRs 1) at 6-month follow-up. Conclusion: Our patient had a satisfactory recovery due to prompt diagnosis, secondary stroke prevention, and compliance with treatment.
Coombs-Negative Haemolytic Anaemia, Direct Hyperbilirubinaemia and Splenomegaly: A Rare Amalgam
Authors: Radhika Kulkarni  , Amjad Basheer  , Aziz Khan
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is notorious for its varied presentation in adults. Reactivation of EBV can occur at any time and is often due to weakened cellular immunity.  Case Description: Here we report the case of a young woman with no previous medical history who presented with cholestatic hepatitis, Coombs-negative haemolytic anaemia and splenomegaly. Due to the initial disjointed picture with no other localizing symptoms, she underwent extensive work-up for the same. Discussion: EBV has been associated with many malignancies, autoimmune diseases and chronic fatigue syndrome. EBV causes elevated liver enzymes; however, cholestatic hepatitis is exceedingly rare, with only a few cases reported. Haemolytic anaemia is a common complication of EBV infection and is often Coombs positive. Conclusion: EBV testing should be considered before more invasive and expensive work-up in a patient presenting with multi-systemic abnormalities.
Cardiac Arrest and Inverted Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy Following Intramyometrial Vasopressin Injection During Myomectomy
Authors: Golicnik Alenka , Vrtacnik Bokal Eda , Gorjup Vojka
Published: May 2021

Vasopressin is involved in cardiovascular homeostasis that can influence coronary perfusion. It is commonly used as a local vasoconstricting agent during gynaecological procedures. We present a case of cardiac arrest and inverse Takotsubo features following intramyometrial vasopressin administration during myomectomy. The patient was successfully resuscitated and recovered completely. Cardiac presentation was compatible with inverse Takotsubo cardiomyopathy that could have been triggered by high-dose vasopressin-induced coronary vasoconstriction. The patient’s cardiac function resolved with no long-term sequelae. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy usually results from an excessive catecholaminergic surge. High-dose vasopressin-induced coronary vasospasm could have been the mechanism underlying the clinical presentation in our patient.
Spinal Cord Compression Secondary to a Spontaneous Spinal Haematoma in a Patient Newly Treated with Rivaroxaban
Authors: Guerrero-Niño Javier , De Cesaris Sara , Jannot Xavier , Lorenzo Villalba Noel
Published: May 2021

A 74-year-old patient anticoagulated with rivaroxaban for chronic atrial fibrillation presented to the emergency department with acute lumbar pain with progressive weakness of the lower limbs and inability to stand up. No previous trauma was reported. Neurological examination was consistent with a complete spinal cord syndrome at the level of T6. Magnetic resonance imaging showed the presence of spinal cord compression associated with signs of extensive intramedullary inflammation secondary to a haematoma. The patient underwent thoracic laminectomy with evacuation of an intradural haematoma. No intraoperative complications were described, but no clinical improvement had been achieved 15 days after the surgical intervention.
Abstract Book of the 19th European Congress in Internal Medicine
Authors: Authors of ECIM  , Lorella La Leggia
Published: May 2021

Abstract Book of the 19th European Congress in Internal Medicine Internal Medicine in a Pandemic World: When One Size Fits All
Looking for Factors Affecting Food Security in the Province of Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY) in 2019
Authors: Suripto Suripto , Istanti Istanti
Published: May 2021

Food security is closely related to community welfare and poverty. The ultimate goal of food security is to improve human welfare which can be seen from the fulfillment of one's right to food. The type of data used in this study is the data from March 2019 Susenas DI Yogyakarta. The research includes measuring the degree of food security using indicators of household income and nutritional consumption. This study uses a factor analysis of the CFA (Confirmatory Factor Analysis) method. Resilience at the national level is based on resilience at the household level. For this reason, a study on household variables is the focus of the government in realizing food security. This study identifies 13 variables of household characteristics, identification using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to classify the variables into factors/dimensions of food security. Based on the results of research, 13 household characteristics variables are divided into 4 factors, namely the Dimension of Food Availability including the level of consumption of calories/capita/day, household BPNT acceptance in quintile 2, rice prices, and expenditure groups per capita with a loading factor of 0.80 are the dominant variables. The Food Stability dimension includes the sex of the head of the household, the number of household members, and the variable of the marital status of the head of the household is the dominant variable with a factor loading of 0.96. The dimensions of access to food to get food consist of the status of the area of residence, the status of the head of the household in the formal sector, the age of the head of the household, and the dominant variable of the education of the head of the household with a loading factor of 0.64. The dimensions of food use include the number of household members experiencing health complaints as the dominant variable with a loading factor value of 0.89 and the number of household members who have been outpatient in the last month.
Escola Livre de Dança da Maré: um chão em partilha
Authors: Soter Silvia , Pavlova M. Adriana
Published: May 2021

O artigo trata da experiência da Escola Livre de Dança da Maré, criada pela artista Lia Rodrigues e pela professora Silvia Soter em parceria com a Redes de Desenvolvimento da Maré. A formação em dança de jovens estudantes tem impacto para além de uma formação técnica e profissional, abrindo possibilidades de futuro e alargando subjetividades.  Palavras-chave: Ensino de Dança, Dança, Favela, Jovens
Os meios, o esquecimento e a anestesia a partir de Lima Barreto
Authors: Araujo Erick
Published: May 2021

Lida-se com a questão das drogas, meios benéficos e nocivos de esquecimento. Menos uma análise do que, quase, mera repetição das palavras de Lima Barreto. Algo que, por um lado, denota persistência de um estado de coisas enfrentado pelo autor, e, por outro, dá visibilidade ao caráter de herança de suas palavras: oferta ao futuro.
Entrevista com Tehching Hsieh
Authors: Pereira Davi , Hsieh Tehching
Published: May 2021

Entrevista para pesquisa de Tese de doutoramento pelo Programa de Pós-graduação em Artes da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro com o artista Tehching Hsieh, que gentilmente se dispôs a realizá-la via vídeo chamada no dia 14 de fevereiro de 2021 ao meio-dia.
Trânsitos
Authors: De Araújo Inês , Queiroz Tania
Published: May 2021

O artigo comenta e transcreve trechos da entrevista realizada pelas autoras com o artista indígena Xadalu Tupã Jekupé, relacionando suas intervenções artísticas e seu trânsito entre cidade e aldeias a modos de estabelecer contato entre a arte e seu público através do contágio, gesto que alcança a coletividade inadvertidamente, e contamina essas sociedades.
¿Todas las pestes la peste? Individuo, destino y modernidad en el Diario del año de la peste (1722)
Authors: Martínez Carolina
Published: May 2021

El artículo examina los efectos de la gran plaga de Londres (1665) tal como fue narrada por Daniel Defoe en Diario del año de la peste (1772) a partir de dos ejes de análisis: las tensiones entre individuo y comunidad en la temprana modernidad y su carácter propedéutico a la luz de los acontecimientos actuales.
Help – Mais além da era Bolsonaro
Authors: Sá Alexandre
Published: May 2021

Através de uma escrita deambulatória, é proposta uma reflexão mais além de um posicionamento dicotômico para pensar as possíveis relações com a contemporaneidade, bem como os imbricados diálogos com as políticas identitárias.
Efficacy Comparison of Different Acupuncture Treatments for Hot Flashes: A Systematic Review with Network Meta-Analysis
Authors: Jo Hyo Rim , Choi Seong Kyeong , Sung Won Suk , Kim Eun Jung , Choi Su Ji , Kim Dong Il , Noh Eun Ji
Published: May 2021

The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of various types of acupuncture for menopausal hot flashes (HF). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were retrieved from 8 electronic databases, and the risk of bias was evaluated for the included studies. Pairwise meta-analysis and network meta-analysis were performed using Review Manager and R software for indirect comparison and ranking, respectively. In total, 23 RCTs (2,302 patients) were eligible for systematic review, of which 10 were included in network meta-analysis. Network meta-analysis showed manual acupuncture (MA) had the highest probability of reducing HF frequency and severity, followed by sham acupuncture (SA), electroacupuncture, usual care, or no treatment; furthermore, warm acupuncture significantly improved menopause-specific quality of life compared with MA or electroacupuncture. Compared with hormone replacement therapy, acupuncture had less efficacy in reducing HF frequency but enhanced menopause-specific quality of life. There was no significant difference between MA and SA in mitigating HF. The existing evidence showed that MA could be used for alleviating menopausal HF. However, it is recommended that more high-quality RCTs should be performed.
A Retrospective Chart Review of 114 Patients with Knee Pain at a Korean Medicine Hospital Who Had Been Involved in a Traffic Accident
Authors: Park Ji Won , Shin Won Bin , Choi Hyo Jung , Back Hye Kyung , Kim Doo Ri
Published: May 2021

Background: This study aimed to investigate the demographic characteristics of patients with knee pain caused by traffic accidents and test the effectiveness of Korean medicine (KM) treatment.Methods: The medical charts of 114 inpatients with knee pain caused by a traffic accident were reviewed from July 1, 2019 to October 31, 2019 at Bucheon Jaseng Hospital of KM. The patients’ demographics including gender, age, period of hospitalization, and type of pharmacopuncture and herbal medicine prescribed were reviewed. The Numeric Rating Scale scores and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores were used to assess subjective knee pain.Results: There were more females (55%) than males in this study. Patients were more likely to be in their 30s (27.2%), be hospitalized for 11-14 days (41.2%), treated with Hwangryunhaedok pharmacopuncture (78.1%), and be prescribed Hwalhyeoljitong decoction (62.3%).The mean Numeric Rating Scale score for patients with knee pain caused by a traffic accident decreased significantly from 4.26 ± 1.39 to 2.53 ± 1.60 (p < 0.001), and the mean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score also decreased significantly from 32.72 ± 18.36 to 23.40 ± 15.80 (p < 0.001) following KM treatment.Conclusion: As a result of analyzing 114 hospitalized patients with knee joint pain due to TAs, inpatients were more likely to be female (55%), a patient in their 30s (27.2%), and be a patient hospitalized for 11-14 days (41.2%). KM treatment of traumatic knee injury using pharmacopuncture therapy and herbal medicine can be an may be effective at reducing pain, and healing functional disorders of the knee.
A Patient with Guillain-Barre Syndrome Treated with Combined Korean Medicine Treatments
Authors: Cha Hyun Ji , Kim Beom Seok , Lee Ye Ji , Kim Hyo Bin , Sung Ki Jung , Lee Young Rok , Kim Jin Youp , Kim Eun Seok , Jeon Ju Hyun , Kim Young Il
Published: May 2021

A patient diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) suffering from numbness in the toes and fingers, paralysis in the face, and back pain received intravenous immunoglobulin on December 28, 2019. Without an improvement in symptoms the patient was admitted to a Korean medicine hospital on January 1, 2020 to receive combined Korean medicine treatment including herbal medicine (Sipjeondaebo-tanggami and Hyangbujasunkipalmul-tang), acupuncture treatment, moxibustion, cupping treatment, and physical therapy. Treatment was administered over 51 days, of which 17 days were during hospitalization. Paralysis of facial muscle, and numbness in fingers and toes were evaluated using the Yanagihara score and numeric rating scale (NRS) score, respectively. Facial paralysis improved (21 to 40 based on Yanagihara score) and paresthesia of the hands and feet disappeared (NRS score 6-7 to NRS score 0). There were no side effects or sequela. This study suggested combined Korean medicine treatment may be effective for the treatment of GBS.
The Analgesic Effect of Aconitum Sinomontanum Nakai Pharmacopuncture in Sprague-Dawley Rats
Authors: Lee Jung Hee , Lee Yun Kyu , Lee Hyun-Jong , Kim Jae Soo
Published: May 2021

Background: Aconitum sinomontanum Nakai (ASN) has been reported to have analgesic effects. In this study an animal model of pharmacopuncture using ASN (100-500 mg/kg) was examined.Methods: Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (n = 40) were randomly assigned to ASN-Low (1 mg/mL, 1.8 mL, ASN-L), ASN-Intermediate (5 mg/mL, 1.8 mL, ASN-M), ASN-High (10 mg/mL, 1.8 mL, ASN-H), negative control (0.2 mL normal saline), and positive control (0.2 mL 0.5% lidocaine) groups. All experiments were administered to the rats’ left hind leg. The analgesic response was assessed by monitoring the physical (hot plate, and von Frey test) and chemical (formalin) responses to pain.Results: All ASN pharmacopuncture groups demonstrated significant differences in pain response to the hot plate test, von Frey test, and formalin test, compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The response of the ASN-M group and ASN-H groups to the hot plate, the formalin, and the von Frey tests were significantly different, compared to the lidocaine group (p < 0.05).Conclusion: ASN pharmacopuncture had a significant analgesic effect on SD rats in response to physical and chemical models of pain.
Photodiode working in zero-mode: detecting light power change with DC rejection and AC amplification
Authors: Wei Yuan , Lehmann Torsten , Silvestri Leonardo , Wang Han , Ladouceur Francois
Published: May 2021

We propose a new mode of operation when using a photodiode to extract a variable optical signal from a constant (ambient) background. The basic idea of this ‘zero-mode’ of operation is to force the photodiode to operate at either zero current or zero voltage. We present possible implementations of this novel approach and provide the corresponding equivalent circuits while also demonstrating experimentally its performance. The gain and bandwidth of the zero-mode photodetector are measured and simulated, and they show highly agreement. The gain compression effect because of the nonlinearity of the forward bias region is also explored. Comparing to the conventional photoconductive photodetector, the zero-mode photodetector is able to obtain higher AC gain and lower noise. With the same component used in the circuit, the measured input referred root mean square noise of zero-mode photodetector is 4.4mV whereas that of the photoconductive mode photodetector is 96.9mV respectively, showing the feasibility of the zero-mode of operation for measuring the small variable light signal under a high power constant background light.
Yeast Fin1-PP1 dephosphorylates an Ipl1 substrate, Ndc80, to remove Bub1-Bub3 checkpoint proteins from the kinetochore during anaphase
Authors: Bokros Michael , Sherwin Delaney , Kabbaj Marie-Helene , Wang Yanchang
Published: May 2021

The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) prevents anaphase onset in response to chromosome attachment defects, and SAC silencing is essential for anaphase onset. Following anaphase onset, activated Cdc14 phosphatase dephosphorylates the substrates of cyclin-dependent kinase to facilitate anaphase progression and mitotic exit. In budding yeast, Cdc14 dephosphorylates Fin1, a regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), to enable kinetochore localization of Fin1-PP1. We previously showed that kinetochore-localized Fin1-PP1 promotes the removal of the SAC protein Bub1 from the kinetochore during anaphase. We report here that Fin1-PP1 also promotes kinetochore removal of Bub3, the Bub1 partner, but has no effect on another SAC protein Mad1. Moreover, the kinetochore localization of Bub1-Bub3 during anaphase requires Aurora B/Ipl1 kinase activity. We further showed that Fin1-PP1 facilitates the dephosphorylation of kinetochore protein Ndc80, a known Ipl1 substrate. This dephosphorylation reduces kinetochore association of Bub1-Bub3 during anaphase. In addition, we found that untimely Ndc80 dephosphorylation causes viability loss in response to tensionless chromosome attachments. These results suggest that timely localization of Fin1-PP1 to the kinetochore controls the functional window of SAC and is therefore critical for faithful chromosome segregation.
Chlorophyll content and fluorescence as physiological parameters for monitoring Orobanche foetida Poir. infection in faba bean
Authors: Amri Moez , Abbes Zouhaier , Trabelsi Imen , Ghanem Michel Edmond , Mentag Rachid , Kharrat Mohamed
Published: May 2021

Orobanchespp. are root parasitic plants that cause yield losses in faba bean (Vicia fabaL.). In Tunisia,O.crenataandO.foetidaare among the major problems limiting faba bean production and productivity. Breeding for resistance and development of resistant varieties remain the most efficient control strategy to combat these parasites. In our study, field trials were conducted over two consecutive cropping seasons. A set of 42 genotypes were used in this study; 39 advanced lines and three checks; Najeh and Baraca (resistant) and Badi (susceptible). The trials were conducted in highly infestedO.foetidaplot at Oued-Beja Research Station in Tunisia. Results showed that advanced lines XAR-VF00.13-1-2-1-2-1 and XBJ90.04-2-3-1-1-1-2A expressed high resistance level exceeding those recorded for resistance checks Najeh and Baraca.O.foetidasignificantly affected the biomass, grain yield, chlorophyll content index (CCI) and the maximum quantum efficiency (Fv/Fmratio). No significant effect was observed on host plant water content (WC). CCI decreases varied from 46.4% for the susceptible check Badi and 4.2% and 9.3%, respectively, for Baraca and XBJ90.04-2-3-1-1-1-2A.Orobancheparasitism resulted in a slight decreases of Fv/Fmratio for the advanced lines XBJ90.04-2-3-1-1-1-2A and XAR-VF00.13-1-2-1-2-1 against important decreases observed for Badi and Baraca. Correlation between resistance toO.foetidaand CCI and Fv/Fmmakes this, easy-to-measure, parameter very useful as a practical screening tool for early parasitism detection, diagnosis and identification and selection of high resistant plants against this parasite.
LPCAT1-TERT fusions are uniquely recurrent in epithelioid trophoblastic tumors and positively regulate cell growth
Authors: Oliver Gavin R. , Marcano-Bonilla Sofia , Quist Jonathan , Tolosa Ezequiel J. , Iguchi Eriko , Swanson Amy A. , Hoppman Nicole L. , Schwab Tanya , Sigafoos Ashley , Prodduturi Naresh , Voss Jesse S. , Knight Shannon M. , Zhang Jin , Fadra Numrah , Urrutia Raul , Zimmerman Michael , Egan Jan B. , Bilyeu Anthony G. , Jen Jin , Veras Ema , Al-Safi Rema’a , Block Matthew , Kerr Sarah , Fernandez-Zapico Martin E. , Schoolmeester John K. , Klee Eric W.
Published: May 2021

Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a heterogeneous group of lesions arising from placental tissue. Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT), derived from chorionic-type trophoblast, is the rarest form of GTD with only approximately 130 cases described in the literature. Due to its morphologic mimicry of epithelioid smooth muscle tumors and carcinoma, ETT can be misdiagnosed. To date, molecular characterization of ETTs is lacking. Furthermore, ETT is difficult to treat when disease spreads beyond the uterus. Here using RNA-Seq analysis in a cohort of ETTs and other gestational trophoblastic lesions we describe the discovery ofLPCAT1-TERTfusion transcripts that occur in ETTs and coincide with underlying genomic deletions. Through cell-growth assays we demonstrate that LPCAT1-TERT fusion proteins can positively modulate cell proliferation and therefore may represent future treatment targets. Furthermore, we demonstrate thatTERTupregulation appears to be a characteristic of ETTs, even in the absence ofLPCAT1-TERTfusions, and that it appears linked to copy number gains of chromosome 5. No evidence ofTERTupregulation was identified in other trophoblastic lesions tested, including placental site trophoblastic tumors and placental site nodules, which are thought to be the benign chorionic-type trophoblast counterpart to ETT. These findings indicate thatLPCAT1-TERTfusions and copy-number drivenTERTactivation may represent novel markers for ETT, with the potential to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome for women with this rare form of GTD.
Unsupervised tensor decomposition-based method to extract candidate transcription factors as histone modification bookmarks in post-mitotic transcriptional reactivation
Authors: Taguchi Y-h. , Turki Turki
Published: May 2021

The histone group added to a gene sequence must be removed during mitosis to halt transcription during the DNA replication stage of the cell cycle. However, the detailed mechanism of this transcription regulation remains unclear. In particular, it is not realistic to reconstruct all appropriate histone modifications throughout the genome from scratch after mitosis. Thus, it is reasonable to assume that there might be a type of “bookmark” that retains the positions of histone modifications, which can be readily restored after mitosis. We developed a novel computational approach comprising tensor decomposition (TD)-based unsupervised feature extraction (FE) to identify transcription factors (TFs) that bind to genes associated with reactivated histone modifications as candidate histone bookmarks. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first application of TD-based unsupervised FE to the cell division context and phases pertaining to the cell cycle in general. The candidate TFs identified with this approach were functionally related to cell division, suggesting the suitability of this method and the potential of the identified TFs as bookmarks for histone modification during mitosis.
Adjusting to university: Perceptions of first-year health professions students
Authors: Malau-Aduli Bunmi S. , Adu Mary D. , Alele Faith , Jones Karina , Drovandi Aaron , Mylrea Martina , Sfera Kornelija , Ross Simone , Jennings Ernest
Published: May 2021

Background

The transition experience into university can be challenging for health profession students as they are required to rapidly learn diverse and adaptable problem solving skills and advanced reflective thinking processes which are necessary to address complex patient-care problems, particularly in the face of uncertainty within a dynamic and rapidly evolving learning environment.

Methods

A mixed-methods study was conducted to identify factors influencing this transition for first-year medical, dental, and pharmacy students at a regional Australian university. The Student Adaption to College Questionnaire (SACQ) examined participants’ levels of adjustment to university, while Schlossberg’s 4 S transition model was utilised in a framework analysis of the focus group and interview responses.

Results

Complete survey responses were obtained from 198 students, 17 of whom also participated in focus group discussions or interviews. Mean adjustment ratings obtained from the SACQ responses were academic (6.09 ± 1.3) personal-emotional (5.53 ± 1.55), social (6.30 ± 1.38), and institutional attachment (6.96 ± 1.6). These results indicate that the personal and emotional aspects of this transition were more challenging for the students. Analysis of the qualitative data revealed that generally, for these highly motivated health-professions students, dropping out of university was not an option and this had a positive influence on their ability to adjust to their new learning environment. Nonetheless, the transition involved role change; school-leavers were excited about their newly found independence, while for mature-aged students, returning to university allowed them to pursue their lifelong dreams. Adjustment was more challenging for international, mature-aged and female students, with personal and social factors influencing the transition for each of these demographic groups.

Conclusions

To facilitate smooth transition into university, tertiary education institutions must consider tailored on-going support strategies that promote social interaction among students with varied backgrounds and personal characteristics.
Modified secreted alkaline phosphatase as an improved reporter protein for N-glycosylation analysis
Authors: Olczak Mariusz , Szulc Bożena
Published: May 2021

N-glycosylation is a common posttranslational modification of proteins in eukaryotic cells. The modification is often analyzed in cells which are able to produce extracellular, glycosylated proteins. Here we report an improved method of the use of genetically modified, secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) as a reporter glycoprotein which may be used for glycoanalysis. Additional N-glycosylation sites introduced by site-directed mutagenesis significantly increased secretion of the protein. An improved purification protocol of recombinant SEAP from serum or serum-free media is also proposed. The method enables fast and efficient separation of reporter glycoprotein from a relatively small amount of medium (0.5–10 ml) with a high recovery level. As a result, purified SEAP was ready for enzymatic de-glycosylation without buffer exchange, sample volume reductions or other procedures, which are usually time-consuming and may cause partial loss of the reporter glycoprotein.
Evaluation of RNA quality and functional transcriptome of beef longissimus thoracis over time post-mortem
Authors: Lam Stephanie , Kommadath Arun , López-Campos Óscar , Prieto Nuria , Aalhus Jennifer , Juárez Manuel , Dugan Michael E. R. , Vahmani Payam
Published: May 2021

Evaluating RNA quality and transcriptomic profile of beef muscle over time post-mortem may provide insight into RNA degradation and underlying biological and functional mechanisms that accompany biochemical changes occurring post-mortem during transformation of muscle to meat. RNA was extracted from longissimus thoracis (LT) sampled from British Continental crossbred heifer carcasses (n = 7) stored at 4°C in an abattoir drip cooler at 5 time points post-mortem, i.e., 45 min (0 h), 6 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h. Following RNA-Sequencing, processed reads were aligned to the ARS-UCD1.2 bovine genome assembly. Subsequent differential expression (DE) analysis identified from 51 to 1434 upregulated and 27 to 2256 downregulated DE genes at individual time points compared to time 0 h, showing a trend for increasing counts of both upregulated and downregulated genes over time. Gene ontology and biological pathway term enrichment analyses on sets of DE genes revealed several processes and their timelines of activation/deactivation that accompanied or were involved with muscle transformation to meat. Although the quality of RNA in refrigerated LT remained high for several days post-mortem, the expression levels of several known biomarker genes for meat quality began to change from 24 h onwards. Therefore, to ensure accuracy of predictions on meat quality traits based on the expression levels of those biomarker genes in refrigerated beef muscle tissue, it is crucial that those expression measurements be made on RNA sampled within 24 h post-mortem. The present study also highlighted the need for more research on the roles of mitochondrial genes and non-coding genes in orchestrating muscle tissue processes after death, and how pre-mortem immune status might influence post-mortem meat quality.
On the sensitivity of plankton ecosystem models to the formulation of zooplankton grazing
Authors: Chenillat Fanny , Rivière Pascal , Ohman Mark D.
Published: May 2021

Model representations of plankton structure and dynamics have consequences for a broad spectrum of ocean processes. Here we focus on the representation of zooplankton and their grazing dynamics in such models. It remains unclear whether phytoplankton community composition, growth rates, and spatial patterns in plankton ecosystem models are especially sensitive to the specific means of representing zooplankton grazing. We conduct a series of numerical experiments that explicitly address this question. We focus our study on the form of the functional response to changes in prey density, including the formulation of a grazing refuge. We use a contemporary biogeochemical model based on continuum size-structured organization, including phytoplankton diversity, coupled to a physical model of the California Current System. This region is of particular interest because it exhibits strong spatial gradients. We find that small changes in grazing refuge formulation across a range of plausible functional forms drive fundamental differences in spatial patterns of plankton concentrations, species richness, pathways of grazing fluxes, and underlying seasonal cycles. An explicit grazing refuge, with refuge prey concentration dependent on grazers’ body size, using allometric scaling, is likely to provide more coherent plankton ecosystem dynamics compared to classic formulations or size-independent threshold refugia. We recommend that future plankton ecosystem models pay particular attention to the grazing formulation and implement a threshold refuge incorporating size-dependence, and we call for a new suite of experimental grazing studies.
The cost-effectiveness of a two-step blood pressure screening programme in a dental health-care setting
Authors: Andersson Helen , Svensson Mikael , Bergh Håkan
Published: May 2021

Background

Hypertension is one of the largest contributors to the disease burden and a major economic challenge for health-care systems. Early detection of persons with high blood pressure can be achieved through screening and has the potential to reduce morbidity and mortality. We evaluate the cost-effectiveness of an opportunistic hypertension screening programme in a dental-care facility for individuals aged 40–75 in comparison to care as usual (the no-screening baseline scenario).

Methods

A cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) was carried out from the payer and societal perspectives, and the short-term (from screening until diagnosis has been established) cost per identified case of hypertension and long-term (20 years) cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) were reported. Data on the short-term cost were based on a real-world screening programme in which 2025 healthy individuals were screened for hypertension. Data on the long-term cost were based on the short-term outcomes combined with modelling in a Markov cohort model. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were carried out to assess uncertainty.

Results

The short-term analysis showed an additional cost of 4,800 SEK (€470) per identified case of hypertension from the payer perspective and from the societal perspective 12,800 SEK (€1,240). The long-term analysis showed a payer cost per QALY of 2.2 million SEK (€210,000) and from the societal perspective 2.8 million SEK per QALY (€270,000).

Conclusion

The long-term model results showed that the screening model is unlikely to be cost-effective in a country with a well-developed health-care system and a relatively low prevalence of hypertension.
Active steering control based on preview theory for articulated heavy vehicles
Authors: Tian Jie , Zeng Qingkang , Wang Peng , Wang Xiaoqing
Published: May 2021

This paper investigates the active steering control of the tractor and the trailer for the articulated heavy vehicle (AHV) to improve its high-speed lateral stability and low-speed path following. The four-degree-of-freedom (4-DOF) single track dynamic model of the AHV with a front-wheel steered trailer is established. Considering that the road information at the driver’s focus is the most clear and those away from the focus blurred, a new kind controller based on the fractional calculus, i.e., a focus preview controller is designed to provide the steering input for the tractor to make it travel along the desired path. In addition, the active steering controllers based on the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) and single-point preview controller respectively are also proposed for the trailer. However, the latter is designed on the basis of the articulation angle between the tractor and trailer, inspired by the idea of the driver’s single-point preview controller. Finally, the single lane change maneuver and 90o turn maneuver are carried out. And the simulation results show that compared with the single-point preview controller, the new kind preview controller for the tractor can have good high speed maneuvering stability and low speed path tracking ability by adjusting the fractional order of the controller. On this basis, three different AHVs with the same tractor are simulated and the simulation results show that the AHV whose trailer adopts the single-point preview controller has better high-speed lateral stability and low-speed path tracking than the AHV whose trailer adopts the LQR controller.
Prediction of suicidal ideation and attempt in 9 and 10 year-old children using transdiagnostic risk features
Authors: Harman Gareth , Kliamovich Dakota , Morales Angelica M. , Gilbert Sydney , Barch Deanna M. , Mooney Michael A. , Feldstein Ewing Sarah W. , Fair Damien A. , Nagel Bonnie J.
Published: May 2021

The objective of the current study was to build predictive models for suicidal ideation in a sample of children aged 9–10 using features previously implicated in risk among older adolescent and adult populations. This case-control analysis utilized baseline data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, collected from 21 research sites across the United States (N = 11,369). Several regression and ensemble learning models were compared on their ability to classify individuals with suicidal ideation and/or attempt from healthy controls, as assessed by the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia–Present and Lifetime Version. When comparing control participants (mean age: 9.92±0.62 years; 4944 girls [49%]) to participants with suicidal ideation (mean age: 9.89±0.63 years; 451 girls [40%]), both logistic regression with feature selection and elastic net without feature selection predicted suicidal ideation with an AUC of 0.70 (CI 95%: 0.70–0.71). The random forest with feature selection trained to predict suicidal ideation predicted a holdout set of children with a history of suicidal ideation and attempt (mean age: 9.96±0.62 years; 79 girls [41%]) from controls with an AUC of 0.77 (CI 95%: 0.76–0.77). Important features from these models included feelings of loneliness and worthlessness, impulsivity, prodromal psychosis symptoms, and behavioral problems. This investigation provided an unprecedented opportunity to identify suicide risk in youth. The use of machine learning to examine a large number of predictors spanning a variety of domains provides novel insight into transdiagnostic factors important for risk classification.