bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SP11.15 Stress Exposure Training in Surgery – A Narrative and Systematic Review
Authors: White Annabelle , Limb Chris , Elahwah Mohamed , Edwards Mark
Published: August 2023

Aim

The operating theatre is an environment associated with intense cognitive stimulus. The coordinated application of technical and non-technical skills is necessary to achieve optimal patient care. Surgeons may undergo a significant “stress response”, activated when perceived demands of a situation exceed perceived resources, leading to measurable variations in physiological and biochemical parameters. This results in impaired performance, demonstrated most acutely in junior and trainee surgeons.  

Methods

A narrative and literature was undertaken searching for stress response, exposure, inoculation in healthcare, medicine, or surgery. 1332 eligible papers were identified, refined to 100 on abstract, with 37 undergoing full text review.

Results

Stress Exposure Training (SET) facilitates high performances in acutely stressful situations by inoculating individuals from the psychological and physiological impacts of stress. SET was initially a clinical intervention to treat stress-induced psychopathology. Routed in cognitive-behavioural therapy principles, it is now a generalisable training approach implemented by other high-stress high-performance industries, including the military and aeronautics.  

High-fidelity simulation training is a recognised tool that is commonly applied in medical education. It promotes decision-making, team-working, and technical and communication skills in a controlled environment. Importantly, this tool has been shown to elicit an equivalent stress response to “live” clinical scenarios.  

Conclusion

This review explores the current literature on mitigating stress responses in surgeons and SET, including its current applications and research localised to surgical education.   Finally, we propose a high-fidelity simulation training programme, aimed at junior surgeons-in-training based on the principles of SET comprised of gradually increasing stressors and appropriate psychological training in stress-response management.
Astrogliosis marker 11C-SL25.1188 PET in traumatic brain injury with persistent symptoms
Authors: Koshimori Yuko , Cusimano Michael D , Vieira Erica L , Rusjan Pablo M , Kish Stephen J , Vasdev Neil , Moriguchi Sho , Boileau Isabelle , Chao Thomas , Nasser Zahra , Ishrat Husain M , Faiz Khunsa , Braga Joeffre , Meyer Jeffrey H
Published: August 2023

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common but little is known why up to a third of patients have persisting symptoms. Astrogliosis, a pathophysiological response to brain injury, may be a potential therapeutic target, but demonstration of astrogliosis in the brain of humans with TBI and persistent symptoms is lacking.

Astroglial marker monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) total distribution volume (11C-SL25.1188 VT), an index of MAO-B density, was measured in 29 TBI and 29 similarly aged healthy control cases with 11C-SL25.1188 PET, prioritizing prefrontal cortex (PFC) and cortex proximal to cortical convexity. Correlations of PFC 11C-SL25.1188 VT with psychomotor and processing speed; and serum blood measures implicated in astrogliosis were determined.

11C-SL25.1188 VT was greater in TBI in PFC (P = 0.00064) and cortex (P = 0.00038). PFC 11C-SL25.1188 VT inversely correlated with Comprehensive Trail Making Test psychomotor and processing speed (r = −0.48, P = 0.01). In participants scanned within 2 years of last TBI, PFC 11C-SL25.1188 VT correlated with serum glial fibrillary acid protein (r = 0.51, P = 0.037) and total tau (r = 0.74, P = 0.001).

Elevated 11C-SL25.1188 VT argues strongly for astrogliosis and therapeutics modifying astrogliosis towards curative phenotypes should be tested in TBI with persistent symptoms. Given substantive effect size, astrogliosis PET markers should be applied to stratify cases and/or assess target engagement for putative therapeutics targeting astrogliosis.
Primary syphilis, an extremely uncommon cause of acute-onset phimosis
Authors: Grau-Echevarría Andrés , Labrander-Hoyos Carolina , Peñuelas-Leal Rodrigo , Finello Malena , Blaya-Imbernón Daniel , Pérez-Ferriols Amparo , Álvarez-Barrera Ariana , Hernández-Bel Pablo
Published: August 2023

We present a case of phimosis in the context of primary syphilis with a preputial chancre. An accurate diagnosis after an appropriate examination and patient history allowed conservative treatment with antibiotics and the avoidance of circumcision in this patient.
Female-specific enhancement of eosinophil recruitment and activation in a type 2 innate inflammation model in the lung
Authors: Karkout Rami , Gaudreault Véronique , Labrie Lydia , Aldossary Haya , Azalde Garcia Noelia , Shan Jichuan , Fixman Elizabeth D
Published: August 2023

A sex disparity in asthma prevalence and severity exists in humans. Multiple studies have highlighted the role of innate cells in shaping the adaptive immune system in chronic asthma. To explore the sex bias in the eosinophilic response, we delivered IL-33 to the lungs of mice and delineated the kinetics by which the inflammatory response was induced. Our data demonstrate that females recruited more eosinophils capable of responding to IL-33. Eosinophil activation occurred selectively in the lung tissue and was enhanced in females at all time points. This increase was associated with increased ex vivo type 2 cytokine and chemokine production and female-specific expansion of group 2 innate lymphoid cells lacking expression of the killer-cell lectin-like receptor G1. Our findings suggest that the enhanced eosinophilic response in females is due, firstly, to a greater proportion of eosinophils recruited to the lungs in females that can respond to IL-33; and secondly, to an enhanced production of type 2 cytokines in females. Our data provide insight into the mechanisms that guide the female-specific enhancement of eosinophil activation in the mouse and form the basis to characterize these responses in human asthmatics.
Simplified tree marking guidelines enhance value recovery as well as stand vigour in northern hardwood forests under selection management
Authors: Moreau Guillaume , Chagnon Catherine , Cecil-Cockwell Malcolm J L , Pothier David , Achim Alexis , Bédard Steve , Guillemette François , Caspersen John
Published: August 2023

In northern hardwood forests, tree markers select the trees to be harvested during logging operations using classification systems that assign harvest priorities based on the presence of a wide range of individual defects. According to the most recent advances in our understanding of the impact of defects on both tree vigour (the risk of mortality or decline in growth) and quality (the potential for recovering valuable sawlogs), tree markers should adopt a simpler classification system that considers fewer defects than the current operational practice, and they should prioritize the removal of trees with crown dieback. Since the probability of developing defects and dying increases substantially with tree diameter, tree markers should also favour the removal of larger trees that have maintained their quality. However, these recommendations were developed based on tree-level analyses. To provide further validation at the stand scale, we compared stand improvement and value recovery under three tree marking regimes: a new, simplified regime based on the recommendations above, and two regimes used in the province of Quebec, Canada. To do so, we conducted tree marking simulations and value recovery assessments in 14 managed stands distributed across the northern hardwood range of Quebec. Our results confirmed that the simplified tree marking regime not only facilitated stand improvement by removing a greater proportion of low-vigour trees, but also recovered significantly more value (17% on average) at the stand scale. By prioritizing the removal of trees with crown dieback, the simplified regime was superior at salvaging the current value of low-vigour trees before they die or decline in quality. Based on our results, we propose simplified and empirically-validated tree marking guidelines for northern hardwood forests.
Sp converted waves reveal the structure of the lithosphere below the Alps and their northern foreland
Authors: Kind Rainer , Schmid Stefan M , Schneider Felix , Meier Thomas , Yuan Xiaohui , Heit Ben , Schiffer Christian ,   AlpArray and SWATH-D Working Groups
Published: August 2023

The structure of the lithosphere is reflecting its evolution. The Moho of the European lithosphere has already been studied intensively. This is, however, not yet the case for the lower boundary of the lithosphere, that is the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary (LAB). We are using S-to-P converted seismic waves to study the structures of the Moho and the LAB beneath Europe including the greater Alpine Area with data from the AlpArray project and the European networks of permanent seismic stations. We use plain waveform stacking of converted waves without deconvolution and compare the results with stacking of deconvolved traces. We also compare Moho depths determinations using S-to-P converted waves with those obtained by other seismic methods. We present more detailed information about negative velocity gradients (NVG) below the Moho. Its lower bound may be interpreted as representing the LAB. We found that the thickness of the European mantle lithosphere is increasing from about 50°N towards the Alps along the entire east–west extension of the Alps. The NVG has also an east dipping component towards the Pannonian Basin and the Bohemian Massif. The Alps and their northern foreland north of about 50°N are surrounded in the east, west and north by a north dipping mantle lithosphere. Along 50°N, where the NVG is reversing its dip direction towards the north, is also the area along which the volcanoes of the European Cenozoic Rift System are located. Our results possibly indicate that the Alpine collision has deformed the entire lithosphere of the Alpine foreland as far north as about 50°N.
Using intersectionality to study gender and antimicrobial resistance in low- and middle-income countries
Authors: Gautron Juliette M C , Tu Thanh Giada , Barasa Violet , Voltolina Giovanna
Published: August 2023

Different sexes and genders experience differentiated risks of acquiring infections, including drug-resistant infections, and of becoming ill. Different genders also have different health-seeking behaviours that shape their likelihood of having access to and appropriately using and administering antimicrobials. Consequently, they are distinctly affected by antimicrobial resistance (AMR). As such, it is crucial to incorporate perspectives on sex and gender in the study of both AMR and antimicrobial use in order to present a full picture of AMR’s drivers and impact. An intersectional approach to understanding gender and AMR can display how gender and other components ‘intersect’ to shape the experiences of individuals and groups affected by AMR. However, there are insufficient data on the burden of AMR disaggregated by gender and other socio-economic characteristics, and where available, it is fragmented. For example, to date, the best estimate of the global burden of bacterial AMR published in The Lancet does not consider gender or other social stratifiers in its analysis. To address this evidence gap, we undertook a scoping review to examine how sex and gender compounded by other axes of marginalization influence one’s vulnerability and exposure to AMR as well as one’s access to and use of antimicrobials. We undertook a gendered analysis of AMR, using intersectionality as a concept to help us understand the multiple and overlapping ways in which different people experience exposure vulnerability to AMR. This approach is crucial in informing a more nuanced view of the burden and drivers of AMR. The intersectional gender lens should be taken into account in AMR surveillance, antimicrobial stewardship, infection prevention and control and public and professional awareness efforts, both donor and government funded, as well as national and international policies and programmes tackling AMR such as through national action plans.
Alternating Arenavirus Vector Immunization Generates Robust Polyfunctional Genotype Cross-Reactive Hepatitis B Virus–Specific CD8 T-Cell Responses and High Anti–Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Titers
Authors: Schmidt Sarah , Mengistu Meron , Daffis Stephane , Ahmadi-Erber Sarah , Deutschmann Daniela , Grigoriev Tetiana , Chu Ruth , Leung Cleo , Tomkinson Adrian , Uddin Mohammad Nizam , Moshkani Safiehkhatoon , Robek Michael D , Perry Jason , Lauterbach Henning , Orlinger Klaus , Fletcher Simon P , Balsitis Scott
Published: August 2023

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is a major driver of infectious disease mortality. Curative therapies are needed and ideally should induce CD8 T cell-mediated clearance of infected hepatocytes plus anti-hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) antibodies (anti-HBs) to neutralize residual virus. We developed a novel therapeutic vaccine using non-replicating arenavirus vectors. Antigens were screened for genotype conservation and magnitude and genotype reactivity of T cell response, then cloned into Pichinde virus (PICV) vectors (recombinant PICV, GS-2829) and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) vectors (replication-incompetent, GS-6779). Alternating immunizations with GS-2829 and GS-6779 induced high-magnitude HBV T cell responses, and high anti-HBs titers. Dose schedule optimization in macaques achieved strong polyfunctional CD8 T cell responses against core, HBsAg, and polymerase and high titer anti-HBs. In AAV-HBV mice, GS-2829 and GS-6779 were efficacious in animals with low pre-treatment serum HBsAg. Based on these results, GS-2829 and GS-6779 could become a central component of cure regimens.
Neuropeptide Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Promotes Immune Homeostasis of Bacterial Meningitis by Inducing Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II Ubiquitination
Authors: Li Yuxiang , Wang Lanying , Gao Zhenfang , Zhou Jie , Xie Shun , Li Ge , Hou Chunmei , Wang Zhiding , Lv Zhonglin , Wang Renxi , Han Gencheng
Published: August 2023

Background

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), an immunomodulatory neuropeptide, is important for regulating pain transmission, vasodilation, and the inflammatory response. However, the molecular mechanisms of the CGRP-mediated immune response remain unknown.

Methods

The effects of CGRP on bacterial meningitis (BM) and its underlying mechanisms were investigated in BM mice in vivo and macrophages in vitro.

Results

Peripheral injection of CGRP attenuated cytokine storms and protected mice from fatal pneumococcal meningitis, marked by increased bacterial clearance, improved neuroethology, and reduced mortality. When the underlying mechanisms were investigated, we found that CGRP induces proteasome-dependent degradation of major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) in macrophages and then inhibits CD4+ T-cell activation. MARCH1 was identified as an E3 ligase that can be induced by CGRP engagement and promote K48-linked ubiquitination and degradation of MHC-II in macrophages. These results provide new insights into neuropeptide CGRP-mediated immune regulation mechanisms.

Conclusions

We conclude that targeting the nervous system and manipulating neuroimmune communication is a promising strategy for treating intracranial infections like BM.
Infection with alternate frequencies of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine boosting for patients undergoing antineoplastic cancer treatments
Authors: Townsend Jeffrey P , Hassler Hayley B , Emu Brinda , Dornburg Alex
Published: August 2023

Patients undergoing antineoplastic therapies often exhibit reduced immune response to COVID-19 vaccination, necessitating assessment of alternate booster vaccination frequencies. However, data on reinfection risks to guide clinical decision making are limited. Here, we quantified reinfection risks for patients undergoing distinct antineoplastic therapies, given alternative frequencies of boosting with Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2. Integrating antibody data following vaccination with long-term antibody data from other coronaviruses in an evolutionary framework, we estimated infection probabilities based on antibody levels and calculated cumulative probabilities of breakthrough infection for alternate booster schedules over 2 years. Annual boosting reduced risks for targeted or hormonal treatments, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy-immunotherapy combinations similarly to the general population. Patients receiving no treatment or chemotherapy exhibited higher risks, suggesting that accelerated vaccination schedules should be considered. Patients treated with rituximab therapy presented the highest infection risk, suggesting that a combination of frequent boosting and additional interventions may be warranted for mitigating SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Quality of life after patient-initiated vs physician-initiated response to symptom monitoring: the SYMPRO-Lung trial
Authors: Billingy Nicole E , Tromp Vashti N M F , Aaronson Neil K , Hoek Rianne J A , Bogaard Harm Jan , Onwuteaka-Philipsen Bregje D , van de Poll-Franse Lonneke , Hugtenburg Jacqueline G , Belderbos José , Becker-Commissaris Annemarie , van den Hurk Corina J G , Walraven Iris ,   the SYMPRO-Lung Consortium, van Walree N C , de Jaeger K , Samii S , Lam-Wong W Y , Koppe F , Stigt J A , Herder G J M , Welling A , Schuurbiers-Siebers O C J , Smit J M , Staal-van den Brekel A J , de Jong W K
Published: August 2023

Background

Previous studies using patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs) to monitor symptoms during and after (lung) cancer treatment used alerts that were sent to the health-care provider, although an approach in which patients receive alerts could be more clinically feasible. The primary aim of this study was to compare the effect of weekly PROM symptom monitoring via a reactive approach (patient receives alert) or active approach (health-care provider receives alert) with care as usual on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) at 15 weeks after start of treatment in lung cancer patients.

Methods

The SYMPRO–Lung trial is a multicenter randomized controlled trial using a stepped wedge design. Stage I-IV lung cancer patients in the reactive and active groups reported PROM symptoms weekly, which were linked to a common alerting algorithm. HRQOL was measured by the EORTC QLQ-C30 at baseline and after 15 weeks. Linear regression analyses and effect size estimates were used to assess mean QOL–C30 change scores between groups, accounting for confounding.

Results

A total of 515 patients were included (160 active group, 89 reactive group, 266 control group). No differences in HRQOL were observed between the reactive and active group (summary score: unstandardized beta [B] = 0.51, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -3.22 to 4.24, Cohen d effect size [ES] = 0.06; physical functioning: B = 0.25, 95% CI = -5.15 to 4.64, ES = 0.02). The combined intervention groups had statistically and clinically significantly better mean change scores on the summary score (B = 4.85, 95% CI = 1.96 to 7.73, ES = 0.57) and physical functioning (B = 7.00, 95% CI = 2.90 to 11.09, ES = 0.71) compared with the control group.

Conclusions

Weekly PRO symptom monitoring statistically and clinically significantly improves HRQOL in lung cancer patients. The logistically less intensive, reactive approach may be a better fit for implementation.
Global epidemiologic patterns of oropharyngeal cancer incidence trends
Authors: Zumsteg Zachary S , Luu Michael , Rosenberg Philip S , Elrod Julia K , Bray Freddie , Vaccarella Salvatore , Gay Christopher , Lu Diana J , Chen Michelle M , Chaturvedi Anil K , Goodman Marc T
Published: August 2023

Background

The emergence of human papillomavirus (HPV)–positive oropharyngeal cancer and evolving tobacco use patterns have changed the landscape of head and neck cancer epidemiology internationally. We investigated updated trends in oropharyngeal cancer incidence worldwide.

Methods

We analyzed cancer incidence data between 1993 and 2012 from 42 countries using the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents database volumes V through XI. Trends in oropharyngeal cancer incidence were compared with oral cavity cancers and lung squamous cell carcinomas using log-linear regression and age period–cohort modeling.

Results

In total, 156 567 oropharyngeal cancer, 146 693 oral cavity cancer, and 621 947 lung squamous cell carcinoma patients were included. Oropharyngeal cancer incidence increased (P < .05) in 19 and 23 countries in men and women, respectively. In countries with increasing male oropharyngeal cancer incidence, all but 1 had statistically significant decreases in lung squamous cell carcinoma incidence, and all but 2 had decreasing or nonsignificant net drifts for oral cavity cancer. Increased oropharyngeal cancer incidence was observed both in middle-aged (40-59 years) and older (≥60 years) male cohorts, with strong nonlinear birth cohort effects. In 20 countries where oropharyngeal cancer incidence increased for women and age period–cohort analysis was possible, 13 had negative or nonsignificant lung squamous cell carcinoma net drifts, including 4 countries with higher oropharyngeal cancer net drifts vs both lung squamous cell carcinoma and oral cavity cancer (P < .05 for all comparisons).

Conclusions

Increasing oropharyngeal cancer incidence is seen among an expanding array of countries worldwide. In men, increased oropharyngeal cancer is extending to older age groups, likely driven by human papillomavirus–related birth cohort effects. In women, more diverse patterns were observed, suggesting a complex interplay of risks factors varying by country, including several countries where female oropharyngeal cancer increases may be driven by HPV.
Experimentally determined relative biological effectiveness of cyclotron-based epithermal neutrons designed for clinical BNCT: in vitro study
Authors: Hu Naonori , Suzuki Minoru , Masunaga Shin-ichiro , Kashino Genro , Kinashi Yuko , Chen Yi-Wen , Liu Yong , Uehara Koki , Mitsumoto Toshinori , Tanaka Hiroki , Ono Koji
Published: August 2023

A neutron beam for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) of deep-seated tumours is designed to maintain a high flux of epithermal neutrons, while keeping the thermal and fast neutron component as low as possible. These neutrons (thermal and fast) have a high relative biological effectiveness in comparison with high energy photon beams used for conventional X-ray radiotherapy. In the past, neutrons for the purpose of BNCT were generated using nuclear reactors. However, there are various challenges that arise when installing a reactor in a hospital environment. From 2006, the Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute, in collaboration with Sumitomo Heavy Industries, began the development of an accelerator-based neutron source for clinical BNCT in a bid to overcome the shortcomings of a nuclear reactor-based neutron source. Following installation and beam performance testing, in vitro studies were performed to assess the biological effect of the neutron beam. Four different cell lines were prepared and irradiated using the accelerator-based neutron source. Following neutron and gamma ray irradiation, the survival curve for each cell line was calculated. The biological end point to determine the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) was set to 10% cell survival, and the D10 for each cell line was determined. The RBE of the accelerator-based neutron beam was evaluated to be 2.62.
Primary non leukemic myeloid sarcoma of the ureteral wall: a case report of a rare disease
Authors: Quaresima Luigi , Polisini Giordano , Fasanella Daniela , Cammarata Vanessa , Galosi Andrea Benedetto , Giannubilo Willy
Published: August 2023

Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is an extramedullary tumor mass causing proliferation of mature or immature blast cells of one or more myeloid lineages. Involvement of the genitourinary tract is rare. We present a case of MS of the ureteral wall. A 74-year-old man was evaluated for left hydronephrosis and ipsilateral low back pain. A computed tomography scan showed a nodular formation in the pelvic ureter. Urinary cytology revealed cellular atypia, so ureteroscopy was performed showing a distal ureteral mass. The histological examination of the biopsy revealed to be malignant neoplasm. The patient underwent left laparoscopic nephroureterectomy with bladder cuff excision. Microscopic histological examination revealed a tumor compatible with MS. A postoperative positron emission tomography revealed residual hypercaptation of the bladder, pelvic muscle and iliac nodes, so the patient started chemotherapy. A multidisciplinary approach was required, taking into account the patient’s age, the already poor renal function and the location of the neoplasm.
A decision support tool for risk–benefit analysis of Japanese encephalitis vaccine in travellers
Authors: Lau Colleen L , Mills Deborah J , Mayfield Helen , Gyawali Narayan , Johnson Brian J , Lu Hongen , Allel Kasim , Britton Philip N , Ling Weiping , Moghaddam Tina , Furuya-Kanamori Luis
Published: August 2023

Background

During pre-travel consultations, clinicians and travellers face the challenge of weighing the risks verus benefits of Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccination due to the high cost of the vaccine, low incidence in travellers (~1 in 1 million), but potentially severe consequences (~30% case-fatality rate). Personalised JE risk assessment based on the travellers’ demographics and travel itinerary is challenging using standard risk matrices. We developed an interactive digital tool to estimate risks of JE infection and severe health outcomes under different scenarios to facilitate shared decision-making between clinicians and travellers.

Methods

A Bayesian network (conditional probability) model risk–benefit analysis of JE vaccine in travellers was developed. The model considers travellers’ characteristics (age, sex, co-morbidities), itinerary (destination, departure date, duration, setting of planned activities) and vaccination status to estimate the risks of JE infection, the development of symptomatic disease (meningitis, encephalitis), clinical outcomes (hospital admission, chronic neurological complications, death) and adverse events following immunization.

Results

In low-risk travellers (e.g. to urban areas for <1 month), the risk of developing JE and dying is low (<1 per million) irrespective of the destination; thus, the potential impact of JE vaccination in reducing the risk of clinical outcomes is limited. In high-risk travellers (e.g. to rural areas in high JE incidence destinations for >2 months), the risk of developing symptomatic disease and mortality is estimated at 9.5 and 1.4 per million, respectively. JE vaccination in this group would significantly reduce the risk of symptomatic disease and mortality (by ~80%) to 1.9 and 0.3 per million, respectively.

Conclusion

The JE tool may assist decision-making by travellers and clinicians and could increase JE vaccine uptake. The tool will be updated as additional evidence becomes available. Future work needs to evaluate the usability of the tool. The interactive, scenario-based, personalised JE vaccine risk–benefit tool is freely available on www.VaxiCal.com.
How plant roots respond to waterlogging
Authors: Daniel Kevin , Hartman Sjon
Published: August 2023

Plant submergence is a major abiotic stress that impairs plant performance. Under water, reduced gas diffusion exposes submerged plant cells to an environment that is enriched in gaseous ethylene and is limited in oxygen (O2) availability (hypoxia). The capacity for plant roots to avoid and/or sustain critical hypoxia damage is essential for plants to survive waterlogging. Plants use spatiotemporal ethylene and O2 dynamics as instrumental flooding signals to modulate potential adaptive root growth and hypoxia stress acclimation responses. However, how non-adapted plant species modulate root growth behaviour during actual waterlogged conditions to overcome flooding stress has hardly been investigated. Here we discuss how changes in the root growth rate, lateral root formation, density, and growth angle of non-flood adapted plant species (mainly Arabidopsis) could contribute to avoiding and enduring critical hypoxic conditions. In addition, we discuss current molecular understanding of how ethylene and hypoxia signalling control these adaptive root growth responses. We propose that future research would benefit from less artificial experimental designs to better understand how plant roots respond to and survive waterlogging. This acquired knowledge would be instrumental to guide targeted breeding of flood-tolerant crops with more resilient root systems.
Kilonovae of binary neutron star mergers leading to short-lived remnant neutron star formation
Authors: Kawaguchi Kyohei , Fujibayashi Sho , Domoto Nanae , Kiuchi Kenta , Shibata Masaru , Wanajo Shinya
Published: August 2023

We study kilonova emission from binary neutron star (BNS) mergers for the case that a remnant massive neutron star (MNS) forms and collapses to a black hole within 20 ms after the onset of the merger (which we refer to as ‘a short-lived case’) by consistently employing numerical relativity and nucleosynthesis results. We find that such kilonovae are fainter and last shorter than those for BNSs resulting in the formation of long-lived (${\gg} 1\, {\rm s}$) MNSs, in particular in the optical band. The resulting light curves are too faint and last for a too short duration to explain the kilonova observation for the BNS associated with GW170817, indicating that the merger remnant formed in GW170817 is unlikely to have collapsed to a black hole within a short period of time (∼20 ms) after the onset of the merger. Our present result implies that early observation is necessary to detect kilonovae associated with BNSs leading to short-lived MNS formation in particular for the optical blue band as well as that kilonovae could be hidden by the gamma-ray burst afterglow for nearly face-on observation. We provide a possible approximate scaling law for near-infrared light curves with the given reference time and magnitude when the decline power of the z-band magnitude, dMz/dlog10t, reaches 2.5. This scaling law suggests that the HK-band follow-up observation should be at least 1 mag deeper than that for the z-band reference magnitude and earlier than 4 times the reference time.
Evolution in pulsating variable stars: long term and inter-cycle
Authors: Khan Uzair A
Published: August 2023

We used machine learning techniques to predict period changes in variable stars using noisy and sparse time-series data, while inferring underlying physics and generalizing predictions about cycle-to-cycle variations. Our focus was on Mira variables, a well-known class of pulsating stars. Preprocessing data from Mira, R Andromedae, U Orionis, and Chi Cygni, obtained from the American Association of Variable Star Observers, we predicted luminosity magnitude uncertainty and classified pulsation states. Employing various classification and regression algorithms, along with feature engineering, we aimed to generalize predictions. We created a generalized data set with collective averaged data points, limiting our analysis to a common time duration. Linear regression models yielded no successful predictions, but decision tree and KNN regressors accurately predicted luminosity magnitude errors, indicative of variation over time. Feature engineering successfully aided regression and classification of pulsating star states. After hyper-parameter tuning using Bayesian neural networks, we achieved a classification accuracy of 0.8 and 0.94 for the KNN classifier, respectively, in classifying pulsation states of Mira variables. The regression model achieved an R2 score of 0.98. Our work provides a foundation for developing tools to analyze various pulsating star variables, including Cepheids, RR Lyrae, and Delta Scuti variables, as well as other astrophysical data. These techniques demonstrate impressive performance with time series data sets.
Understanding the nature of the optical emission in gamma-ray bursts: analysis from TAROT, COATLI, and RATIR observations
Authors: Becerra R L , Klotz A , Atteia J L , Guetta D , Watson A M , De Colle F , Angulo-Valdez C , Butler N R , Dichiara S , Fraija N , Garcia-Cifuentes K , Kutyrev A S , Lee W H , Pereyra M , Troja E
Published: August 2023

We collected the optical light-curve data of 227 gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) observed with the TAROT, COATLI, and RATIR telescopes. These consist of 133 detections and 94 upper limits. We constructed average light curves in the observer and rest frames in both X-rays (from Swift/X-Ray Telescope) and the optical. Our analysis focused on investigating the observational and intrinsic properties of GRBs. Specifically, we examined observational properties, such as the optical brightness function of the GRBs at T = 1000 s after the trigger, as well as the temporal slope of the afterglow. We also estimated the redshift distribution for the GRBs within our sample. Of the 227 GRBs analysed, we found that 116 had a measured redshift. Based on these data, we calculated a local rate of ρ0 = 0.2 Gpc−3 yr−1 for these events with z < 1. To explore the intrinsic properties of GRBs, we examined the average X-ray and optical light curves in the rest frame. We use the afterglowpy library to generate synthetic curves to constrain the parameters typical of the bright GRB jet, such as energy (〈E0〉 ∼ 1053.6 erg), opening angle (〈θcore〉 ∼ 0.2 rad), and density (〈n0〉 ∼ 10−2.1 cm−3). Furthermore, we analyse microphysical parameters, including the fraction of thermal energy in accelerated electrons (〈ϵe〉 ∼ 10−1.37) and in the magnetic field (〈ϵB〉 ∼ 10−2.26), and the power-law index of the population of non-thermal electrons (〈p〉 ∼ 2.2).
TRPV2, a novel player in the human ovary and human granulosa cells
Authors: Eubler Katja , Caban Karolina M , Dissen Gregory A , Berg Ulrike , Berg Dieter , Herrmann Carola , Kreitmair Nicole , Tiefenbacher Astrid , Fröhlich Thomas , Mayerhofer Artur
Published: August 2023

The cation channel ‘transient receptor potential vanilloid 2’ (TRPV2) is activated by a broad spectrum of stimuli, including mechanical stretch, endogenous and exogenous chemical compounds, hormones, growth factors, reactive oxygen species, and cannabinoids. TRPV2 is known to be involved in inflammatory and immunological processes, which are also of relevance in the ovary. Yet, neither the presence nor possible roles of TRPV2 in the ovary have been investigated. Data mining indicated expression, for example, in granulosa cells (GCs) of the human ovary in situ, which was retained in cultured GCs derived from patients undergoing medical reproductive procedures. We performed immunohistochemistry of human and rhesus monkey ovarian sections and then cellular studies in cultured GCs, employing the preferential TRPV2 agonist cannabidiol (CBD). Immunohistochemistry showed TRPV2 staining in GCs of large antral follicles and corpus luteum but also in theca, endothelial, and stromal cells. TRPV2 transcript and protein levels increased upon administration of hCG or forskolin. Acutely, application of the agonist CBD elicited transient Ca2+ fluxes, which was followed by the production and secretion of several inflammatory factors, especially COX2, IL6, IL8, and PTX3, in a time- and dose-dependent manner. CBD interfered with progesterone synthesis and altered both the proteome and secretome, as revealed by a proteomic study. While studies are somewhat hampered by the lack of highly specific TRPV2 agonist or antagonists, the results pinpoint TRPV2 as a modulator of inflammation with possible roles in human ovarian (patho-)physiology. Finally, as TRPV2 is activated by cannabinoids, their possible ovarian actions should be further evaluated.
Effect of sarilumab on unacceptable pain and inflammation control in Japanese patients with moderately-to-severely active rheumatoid arthritis: Post hoc analysis of a Phase III study (KAKEHASI)
Authors: Tanaka Yoshiya , Takahashi Toshiya , van Hoogstraten Hubert , Kato Naoto , Kameda Hideto
Published: August 2023

Objective

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of sarilumab on unacceptable pain [UP; visual analogue scale (VAS) >40 mm] and inflammation in patients with moderately-to-severely active rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods

In this post hoc analysis of the KAKEHASI study, 243 patients received methotrexate with sarilumab 150 or 200 mg or placebo every other week, over 52 weeks. The proportion of patients with UP and correlations of changes in pain VAS from baseline with uncontrolled inflammation (C-reactive protein ≥1 mg/dl) and disease activity indices were assessed.

Results

Almost 80% of patients (192/243) had UP at baseline, including ∼60% of patients with uncontrolled inflammation. Among patients receiving sarilumab, inflammation decreased rapidly, with 90% of patients achieving controlled inflammation by Week 2, while 63.1% continued to have UP. The proportion of patients with UP further decreased by Week 16 (28.5%, sarilumab vs. 64.0%, placebo). By Week 52, only ∼10% of patients had UP. Changes in pain VAS correlated with most disease activity indices and patient-reported outcomes. However, marked correlations between changes in pain VAS and C-reactive protein were observed only at Week 16.

Conclusion

Sarilumab treatment reduced UP and inflammation in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
A case of anti-NPX-2 antibody-positive dermatomyositis resulting in massive haemothorax with acquired factor XIII deficiency
Authors: Matsuda Takuya , Haga Taiki , Sakaguchi Takaaki , Kan Toshiaki , Otsuka Yasunori
Published: August 2023

Autoimmune diseases, including dermatomyositis, can be complicated by an acquired autoimmune coagulation factor XIII deficiency, which sometimes results in fatal bleeding. Here, we report the case of a young woman with anti-NPX-2 antibody-positive dermatomyositis who developed massive haemothorax with acquired factor XIII deficiency during treatment, including plasma exchange therapy. Emergency transcatheter arterial embolisation was performed and coagulation factor XIII concentrates (Fibrogammin P® 240 U/day for 5 days) were supplemented. Subsequently, the patient was discharged and managed with oral prednisolone and tacrolimus. Coagulation system test results were followed up regularly and remained within normal limits and the patient progressed without recurrence of bleeding symptoms. Coagulation factor XIII deficiency cannot be assessed without measuring coagulation factor XIII activity because common coagulation-fibrinolytic system test results are not abnormal. The measurement of factor XIII activity should be performed when autoimmune diseases are complicated by unexplained bleeding.
The dynamic process of covalent and non-covalent PARylation in the maintenance of genome integrity: a focus on PARP inhibitors
Authors: Beneyton Adèle , Nonfoux Louis , Gagné Jean-Philippe , Rodrigue Amélie , Kothari Charu , Atalay Nurgul , Hendzel Michael J , Poirier Guy G , Masson Jean-Yves
Published: August 2023

Poly(ADP-ribosylation) (PARylation) by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) is a highly regulated process that consists of the covalent addition of polymers of ADP-ribose (PAR) through post-translational modifications of substrate proteins or non-covalent interactions with PAR via PAR binding domains and motifs, thereby reprogramming their functions. This modification is particularly known for its central role in the maintenance of genomic stability. However, how genomic integrity is controlled by an intricate interplay of covalent PARylation and non-covalent PAR binding remains largely unknown. Of importance, PARylation has caught recent attention for providing a mechanistic basis of synthetic lethality involving PARP inhibitors (PARPi), most notably in homologous recombination (HR)-deficient breast and ovarian tumors. The molecular mechanisms responsible for the anti-cancer effect of PARPi are thought to implicate both catalytic inhibition and trapping of PARP enzymes on DNA. However, the relative contribution of each on tumor-specific cytotoxicity is still unclear. It is paramount to understand these PAR-dependent mechanisms, given that resistance to PARPi is a challenge in the clinic. Deciphering the complex interplay between covalent PARylation and non-covalent PAR binding and defining how PARP trapping and non-trapping events contribute to PARPi anti-tumour activity is essential for developing improved therapeutic strategies. With this perspective, we review the current understanding of PARylation biology in the context of the DNA damage response (DDR) and the mechanisms underlying PARPi activity and resistance.
The neural model of front-of-package label processing
Authors: Chen Jing , Fan Yixuan , Zhang Manlu , Wu Shuhuan , Li Huiyan
Published: August 2023

Front-of-package (FOP) labels have been adopted in many countries to battle the obesity pandemic and its serious health consequences by providing clearer and easier-to-understand nutrition and health information. The effectiveness of FOP labels has been generally confirmed, with some contextual and individual factors modifying their effectiveness. Existing theories (eg, the dual-process theory) and shifting priorities for self-control, provide some explanations for the FOP label effect. However, the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying the processing of FOP labels remain unknown. Here, a new model, namely, the neural model of FOP label processing, has been proposed to fill this gap by providing an integrated account of FOP label processing while simultaneously considering multiple important situational and individual factors in the same framework. This neural model is built on the core eating network (ie, the ventral reward pathway and the dorsal control pathway) for food cue processing and actual food consumption. The new model explains how FOP labels may facilitate attention, influence the core eating network, and thus alter food choices. It also demonstrates how motivation may modify FOP label processing in 2 ways: affecting attention (the indirect way) and changing the process of evaluating the food (the direct way). It further explains how some contextual and individual factors (eg, ego depletion, time pressure, and health knowledge) influence the process. Thus, the neural model integrates evidence from behavioral, eye-tracking, and neuroimaging studies into a single, integrated account, deepening understanding of the cognitive and neural mechanisms of FOP label processing. This model might facilitate consensus on the most successful FOP label. Moreover, it could provide insights for consumers, food industries, and policy makers and encourage healthy eating behaviors.
Mesopotamian Mythology and Genesis 1–11
Authors: Klamm Kacie , Winitzer Abraham
Published: August 2023

The imprint of Mesopotamia’s mythic thought and literature on Genesis’ Primeval History (Genesis 1–11) is hard to overstate, even if the biblical unit also contains much that is non-Mesopotamian in origins, and even if it must ultimately be considered on its own terms and, more broadly, those of the Bible as a whole. But these factors cannot take away from the place of Mesopotamia’s stories of origins in the Bible’s opening chapters; and the latter, remarkably, do not fully conceal these antecedents. To the contrary, in its layout the biblical text appears frank about the locale of what preceded its eventual epic-making call to Abraham to “go forth” (Gen. 12:1) from his homeland and begin anew in a faraway place. The reason for this admission of Mesopotamian priority is easy enough to appreciate. When it came to world origins, the traditions of this “nation from old” (Jer. 5:15)—traditions that, as the story of Gilgamesh makes explicit, brim with their own antiquity—could not simply be brushed aside. If, then, the Bible was to offer something meaningful about such topics, Mesopotamia’s version of events would necessarily have to be addressed. The challenge presented by Mesopotamia, therefore, would amount to a delicate balancing act: How was the Bible to incorporate this ancient tradition while at the same time not losing its own claim for a theological revolution? The question is no less challenging for modern interpretation, which must struggle with the evaluation of specific parallels, contact points, or alleged borrowings, and, more generally, articulate a broader vision of the nature of this interaction. The bibliography appearing below strives to shed light on specific topics in the broader subject, with an emphasis on recent Assyriological research bearing on the overall topic. This research has advanced considerably in the last generation in ways not fully appreciated or even known in biblical studies; the latter discipline appears to have departed in considerable ways from the sort of comparatism promoted in former days, partly, it seems, in reaction to overly confident speculation of earlier studies. But this shift also suggests a decreased interest in such matters in favor of other topics and interests. In order to enable renewed research on the matter—appropriately cautious but better informed by the latest in Assyriology—the following includes translations of texts, broad overviews, and more focused studies pertaining to the Mesopotamian mythic background of the Primeval History.
Andean Social Movements (Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru)
Authors: Pereira da Silva Fabricio
Published: August 2023

There is a considerable literature on social movements in the Andean space and specifically for each Andean country. Some notable works capture articulations across national state borders, as well as comparing social movements of different motivations. However, most of the literature focuses on national cases, particularly Bolivian and Ecuadorian ones. This bibliography is limited to the Andean states themselves (Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru), although some of the literature suggested may eventually contribute scholarship on Chilean, Colombian, or other countries with some presence in the Andean space. The emphasis of specialized literature dialogues has been on the transformations in the field of identities in the last decades, from a classist emphasis to a more plural approach. Until the 1970s, the debate was centered on the study of peasant and worker movements (especially mining). In the last decades the predominant debates have been about Indigenous movements, cocaleros [coca growers], ayllus [family clans in a given territory], Indigenous thoughts and concepts, and other related discussions—especially in Bolivia. From an interest in movements of a classist character and anchored in the world of labor, the literature has opened up to dobles, triples or even múltiples miradas [double, triple, multiple looks], and thus to approaches that consider intersectionality with issues of gender and ethnicity among others. There is also a growing body of literature with supranational approaches—analyzing social movement networks beyond colonial and republican state borders—in an effective “Pan-Andean” approach focusing on articulations of movements (specially Aymara and Quechua), circulation of ideas and repertoires, and cross-border interactions.