bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genomic Safety of Transplantation
Authors:   , Peci Flavia
Published: December 2023

Sinds de eerste allogene hematopoëtische stamceltransplantatie (HSCT) in 1957 zijn de behandelingen verbeterd, maar HSCT-patiënten worden nog steeds geconfronteerd met levensbedreigende complicaties. In de periode 1957 - 2019 hebben wereldwijd ongeveer 1,5 miljoen patiënten een stamceltransplantatie ondergaan. Het minimaliseren van de toxiciteit van de behandeling en daarmee de overlevingskans zonder terugkerende ziekte blijven dus van belang. De vragen die nog openstaan over HSCT zijn onder ander: wat is het aandeel van de succesvol getransplanteerde stamcellen in de regeneratie van het hematopoëtische systeem, en daarnaast wat is de invloed van transplantatie op de genetische stabiliteit van de getransplanteerde cellen.

Het verouderingsproces beinvloedt het functioneren van het hematopoëtische systeem en verhoogt het risico op kanker door factoren zoals het opeenstapelen van somatische mutaties en telomeerafbraak in stamcellen. Op 60-jarige leeftijd hebben hematopoëtische stam en progenitor cellen (HSPC's) ongeveer 1.000 somatische mutaties in hun genoom. Door middel van sequencing-technieken zoals Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) kunnen deze mutaties gevonden worden en de impact hiervan worden bepaald. Single-cell sequencing maakt het mogelijk om mutaties en clonale relaties in het hematopoietische systeem te volgen, wat belangrijk is voor het begrijpen van gezondheid en ziekte. Voor genetisch beschadigde HSPC's, zoals die bij Fanconi Anemie, zijn nieuwe technieken zoals primaire template amplificatie (PTA) nodig om voldoende DNA te verkrijgen van een enkele cel voor genoomanalyse.

HSCT-conditionering voorafgaande aan de transplantatie bestaat vaak uit chemotherapie en bestraling en kan schade toebrengen aan de beenmergniche. Dit kan de functie van stamcellen en dus de hematopoëtische regeneratie beïnvloedt. Deze schade verhoogt het risico op morbiditeit en mortaliteit bij HSCT-patiënten.

Na de transplantatie zijn patiënten vatbaar voor infecties, wat antivirale nucleoside-analoge (NA) geneesmiddelen noodzakelijk maakt. Hoewel hun toxiciteit in vitro is getest, blijven hun mutagene en carcinogene effecten op stamcellen in de patient onbekend. Het begrijpen van de langetermijneffecten van anitvirale NA geneesmiddelen is essentieel voor het verbeteren van de uitkomsten van HSCT.
Peter Artedi's early observations of the spotted hyena and other exotic animals during a visit to London (1734–1735)
Authors: Pietsch Theodore W. , Aili Hans
Published: November 2023

Eye-witness accounts of a living “panther”, a leopard, two tigers and a hyena, appended to “Idea institutionum Trichozoologiae”, an unpublished manuscript on mammal classification by Swedish naturalist Peter Artedi (1705–1735), made during a visit to London sometime between early November 1734 and June 1735, are described. Interest is focused on his account of the hyena, which appears to have been the only modern source for Carl Linnaeus, who acknowledged Artedi in the first edition of Systema naturae. Evidence is provided to show that Artedi's account was accurate and original, having never had the opportunity to witness the animal previously.
Alternatif Kimlikler Üreten Bir Yeniden Yazım: Kırmızı Başlıklı Kız ve Vejetaryen Kurt
Authors: ÖZGÜRBÜZ Merve Esra
Published: November 2023

En eski anlatı biçimlerinden olan ve doğduğu kültürden beslenen masallar, mutlak ve klişe bir yapıya sahiptir. Ekseriyetle sıkıntılı bir durum içinde yer alan genç bir kız ile onu sıkıntılı durumundan kurtarmak için çaba gösteren güçlü bir erkek merkezinde kurgulanan masallar; feminist bakış açısıyla yeniden yazılma, uyarlanma ve sonuçta yeni anlatılara dönüştürülmeye uygundur. Bu araştırmanın amacı, Kırmızı Başlıklı Kız masalının yeni bir anlatı haline dönüştürüldüğü Kırmızı Başlıklı Kız ve Vejetaryen Kurt adlı eserin feminist kuram odağında incelenmesi yoluyla klasik masalın nasıl değiştiğinin gösterilmesidir. Klasik masalın toplumsal cinsiyet ve cins hiyerarşisi gibi değerlendirmeler yaratan kalıplaşmış örüntüleri, incelenen eser aracılığıyla alternatif karakter, hikâye ve durumlarla yapıbozuma uğratılarak yıkılmaktadır. Eserde Kırmızı Başlıklı Kız’ın kurt tarafından kandırılması ve avcı tarafından kurtarılması örgüsünün ötesine geçilerek diğer karakterlerin de kendilerine özgü varoluşlarının olduğu vurgulanmaktadır. Dolayısıyla eril niteliklerle kuşatılan masalların olay örgüsü ve karakterleri değiştirilmekte, yeni fırsatlar oluşturulmakta ve klasik haline gelmiş bir masalın farklı bir yorumu öne çıkmaktadır. Diğer bir ifadeyle çalışmada incelenen eserin masalın geleneksel yapı özelliklerine sahip olmadığını ve resimli kitap türü içinde klasik Kırmızı Başlıklı Kız anlatısından farklı bir yönde ilerlediğini söylemek mümkündür. Aynı zamanda, çocukların zihinsel dünyalarında olumsuz etkiler bırakan zorbalık ve şiddet gibi konular ele alınarak şiddet içeren masalların yeniden yazılması gerektiği vurgulanmaktadır.
Study of English self-learning perceptions throughout video games of narrative and fantasy
Authors: Rubio Alcalá Fernando , Hadjistassou Stella , Ferrero-Rodríguez Manuel
Published: December 2023

Young people spend a considerable amount of time playing video games. As English is an international language, most games are developed in English. Users, who are often non-native speakers have to infer meanings by interacting with the controls, actions, artifacts, texts, and other paralinguistic elements. Narrative and fantasy video games can contain linguistic corpora of more than 20,000 words that players have to grapple with in order to understand the principles of the game, actions, and strategically determine their next steps to progress in the game. In this process, learners may engage in incidental learning. The aim of this study was to determine whether players are aware of language learning as it emerges while participating in these game-based activities and whether playing narrative and fantasy video games can lead to long-term language success. Four hundred and fifty-eight subjects completed an online ad hoc questionnaire addressing various areas of language learning while playing video games. The results indicated that playing narrative and fantasy video games can be an effective way to learn vocabulary and that the newly acquired terms can be stored in long-term memory.
Case Series: Dystonia with multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica
Authors: Hwang Helen , Levasseur Victoria A. , Perlmutter Joel S.
Published: December 2023

Dystonia is an uncommon complication of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) and related disorders. The types of dystonia described associated with MS are heterogenous, and the relationship between dystonia and MS remains unclear. Moreover, the anatomical correspondence between MS lesions and the site of dystonia has not been determined. Onset, treatment response, and outcomes of dystonia associated with MS still remain largely uncharacterized. Here, we report a case series of 14 patients with dystonia affecting different body parts in people with MS and neuromyelitis optica (NMO). We characterize the brain regions associated with this form of secondary dystonia and the response to botulinum toxin injections.
Research on the protection of athletes from injury by flexible conjugated materials in sports events
Authors: Liu Jian , Ren Tingting
Published: November 2023

Sports are essential to everyone’s health because they assist athletes to establish physical and mental balance by strengthening muscles and ligaments. High-intensity training and low-quality equipment for sports tend to cause a wide range of injuries to the athlete. Higher education graduates’ regular education and lives are disrupted, either directly or indirectly, by sports injuries. Therefore, understanding the prevalence and root causes of college athletes’ injuries is crucial for enhancing student athletes’ performance and fostering healthy development. The ever-changing nature of injuries associated with sports and the patchy availability of rehabilitation facilities across India cause alarm. Inaccurately identifying players’ physical indications, uncomfortable clothing, and dissatisfaction with sports equipment are among the issues that can arise. The study investigates the potential of nanoparticles combined with sports flexible conjugate materials for injury prevention in athletes. The article proposed nanotechnology combined with flexible conjugated materials in sports events (Nano-FCM-SE) in sports training, explores the possibility of conjugated materials in enhancing the training effects of athletes, monitoring the status of sports, and bettering equipment. Sports equipment can help keep athletes safe by incorporating nanotechnology and flexible conjugated materials with superior optical, electrical, and other capabilities. Convenience, waterproof materials, flexibility, lightweight, aesthetics, breathability, and durability are evaluated for use in Nano-conjugated sports equipment materials. Evidence suggests that using flexible conjugated materials in athletic training can improve athlete performance and help the overall development of sports. The proposed method yields less negative results than MSI-TENG, TCM-MS, and RANSAC. The proposed damage severity model performs poorly relative to competitors (0.2). Compared to conventional models, the given models are effective on equipment. The sports injury protection system reported in this research has 5.17 percentage points greater detection efficiency than the current state of the art. Hierarchical strategies have the best RMSE for athlete safety. The findings of such methodologies in athlete safety on Nano conjugate materials and sports biology on sporting events and equipment underline the importance of precise data for athlete safety and performance.
One-plasmid double-expression system for preparation of MS2 virus-like particles packaging SARS-CoV-2 RNA
Authors: Qi Lili , Zhang Zheng , Wang Mengting , Ke Zhijian , Mao Haiguang , Deng Gang , Wang Jinbo
Published: November 2023

COVID-19 is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT–qPCR) assays are the gold standard molecular test for detection of RNA viruses. The aim of this study was to construct an RNA-positive control based on MS2 phage-like particles (MS2 VLPs) to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA. pCDFDuet-1 was used as a one-plasmid double-expression system to construct MS2 VLPs containing ssRNA of SARS-CoV-2. The sequence encoding one copy of maturase, His-tag and coat protein dimer was cloned and inserted into MCS1 of the plasmid; the fragment encoding protein N and ORF1ab from SARS-CoV-2 was cloned and inserted into MCS2. The prepared plasmid was transformed into Escherichia coli strain BL2 (DE3), and expression of the construct was induced by 1 mM isopropyl-L-thio-D-galactopyranoside (IPTG) at 30°C for 12 hours. MS2 VLPs were purified and collected with Ni-NTA affinity chromatography columns. The size and shape of the MS2 VLPs were verified by transmission electron microscopy, and the stability of MS2 VLP packaged RNA was evaluated by treatment with RNase A. Effects of storage temperature and buffer on MS2 VLP stability were also investigated. The results showed that SARS-CoV-2 MS2 VLPs could be successfully produced by this one-plasmid double-expression system. MS2 VLPs showed high stability and may be used as a positive control in molecular diagnosis of COVID-19.
Molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance patterns of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from patients admitted at ICUs of a teaching hospital in Zunyi, China
Authors: Xiong Lin , Deng Chengmin , Yang Guangwu , Shen Meijing , Chen Benhai , Tian Rengui , Zha He , Wu Kaifeng
Published: December 2023

Background

Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) has emerged as a predominant strain of healthcare-associated infections worldwide, particularly in intensive care units (ICUs). Therefore, it is imperative to study the molecular epidemiology of CRAB in the ICUs using multiple molecular typing methods to lay the foundation for the development of infection prevention and control strategies. This study aimed to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility profile, the molecular epidemiology and conduct homology analysis on CRAB strains isolated from ICUs.

Methods

The sensitivity to various antimicrobials was determined using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method, Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion (KBDD), and E-test assays. Resistance genes were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Molecular typing was performed using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA).

Results

Among the 79 isolates collected, they exhibited high resistance to various antimicrobials but showed low resistance to levofloxacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and tetracyclines. Notably, all isolates of A. baumannii were identified as multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (MDR-AB). The blaOXA-51-like, adeJ, and adeG genes were all detected, while the detection rates of blaOXA-23-like (97.5%), adeB (93.67%), blaADC (93.67%), qacEΔ1-sul1 (84.81%) were higher; most of the Ambler class A and class B genes were not detected. MLST analysis on the 79 isolates identified five sequence types (STs), which belonged to group 3 clonal complexes 369. ST1145Ox was the most frequently observed ST with a count of 56 out of 79 isolates (70.89%). MLST analysis for non-sensitive tigecycline isolates, which were revealed ST1145Ox and ST1417Ox as well. By using the MLVA assay, the 79 isolates could be grouped into a total of 64 distinct MTs with eleven clusters identified in them. Minimum spanning tree analysis defined seven different MLVA complexes (MCs) labeled MC1 to MC6 along with twenty singletons. The locus MLVA-AB_2396 demonstrated the highest Simpson’s diversity index value at 0.829 among all loci tested in this study while also having one of the highest variety of tandem repeat species.

Conclusion

The molecular diversity and clonal affinities within the genomes of the CRAB strains were clearly evident, with the identification of ST1144Ox, ST1658Ox, and ST1646Oxqaq representing novel findings.
Cardioneuroablation for successful treatment of symptomatic bradycardia in a 12-year-old child after a 6-month follow-up
Authors: Xu Xin , He Shuang , Liu Qian , Liu Ruixi , Zhang Lei , Chen Weijie , Yin Yuehui , Lu Tiewei
Published: November 2023

Background

Cardioneuroablation (CNA) is recognized as a promising therapeutic option for adults with severe symptomatic bradycardia caused by excessive vagal tone. However, no pediatric cases have been reported to date. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of CNA in children.

Methods

A 12-year-old male patient was hospitalized with symptoms of fatigue, palpitations, and syncope for more than 2 months, and was definitively diagnosed with functional sinoatrial node dysfunction by using a 12-lead electrocardiogram, 24-h Holter monitoring, loading dose of atropine test (0.04 mg/kg), and treadmill exercise test. Simultaneously, whole-exome sequencing was performed on the child and his core family members. After completing the preoperative examination and signing the informed consent form, the child underwent CNA therapy.

Results

First, the electroanatomic structures of both atria were mapped out by using the Carto 3 system, according to the protocol of purely anatomy-guided and local fractionated intracardiac electrogram–guided CNA methods. Then, the local fractionated intracardiac electrograms of each cardiac ganglionated plexus (GP), including the GP between the aortic root and the medial wall of the superior vena cava, the GP between the posterior wall of the coronary sinus ostium and the left atrium, the GP between the anterior antrum of the right superior pulmonary vein and the superior vena cava, the GP in the superolateral area around the root of the left superior pulmonary vein, the GP around the root of the right inferior pulmonary vein, and the GP around the root of the left inferior pulmonary vein, were used as targets for ablation at a power of 30 W with an ablation index of 350–400. At a 6-month follow-up, the child's heart rhythm saw a complete restoration to sinus rhythm and clinical symptoms disappeared.

Conclusion

The first application of CNA in a child with symptomatic sinus bradycardia was achieved with better clinical outcomes. CNA can be carried out cautiously in children under suitable indications.
Association of lipoprotein(a) with left ventricular hypertrophy assessed by electrocardiogram in adults: a large cross-sectional study
Authors: Yan Xuejiao , Gong Jing , Wang Zhenwei , Wang Fangfang , Qi Chunjian
Published: December 2023

Background and aims

Increasing evidence supports a causal relationship between lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, yet its association with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) assessed by electrocardiogram (ECG) remains unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between Lp(a) and LVH assessed by ECG in general population.

Methods and results

In this cross-sectional study, we screened 4,052 adults from the participants of the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for analysis. Lp(a) was regarded as an exposure variable. LVH defined by the left ventricular mass index estimated from ECG was considered as an outcome variable. Multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) were used to assess the relationship between Lp(a) and LVH. Individuals with LVH had higher Lp(a) compared to individuals without LVH (P< 0.001). In the fully adjusted model, Lp(a) was strongly associated with LVH when as a continuous variable (per 1-unit increment, OR: 1.366, 95% CI: 1.043-1.789, P = 0.024), and higher Lp(a) remained independently associated with a higher risk of LVH when participants were divided into four groups according to quartiles of Lp(a) (Q4 vs Q1, OR: 1.508, 95% CI: 1.185-1.918, P = 0.001). And in subgroup analysis, this association remained significant among participants< 60 years, ≥ 60 years, male, with body mass index< 30 kg/m2, with hypertension and without diabetes (P< 0.05). In addition, we did not observe a nonlinear and threshold effect of Lp(a) with LVH in the RCS analysis (P for nonlinearity = 0.113).

Conclusion

Lp(a) was closely associated with LVH assessed by ECG in general population.
Overview of research progress on the association of dietary potassium intake with serum potassium and survival in hemodialysis patients, does dietary potassium restriction really benefit hemodialysis patients?
Authors: Sun Zuoya , Jiao Jian , Lu Gang , Liu Ruihong , Li Zhuo , Sun Yi , Chen Zhiyuan
Published: November 2023

For the general population, increasing potassium intake can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, since hyperkalemia is a common and life-threatening complication in maintenance hemodialysis patients, which can increase the risk of malignant arrhythmia and sudden death, the current mainstream of management for hemodialysis patients is dietary potassium restriction in order to prevent hyperkalemia. Hemodialysis patients are usually advised to reduce dietary potassium intake and limit potassium-rich fruits and vegetables, but there is limited evidence to support this approach can reduce mortality and improve quality of life. There is still no consistent conclusion on the association between dietary potassium intake and serum potassium and survival in hemodialysis patients. According to the current small observational studies, there was little or even no association between dietary potassium intake and serum potassium in hemodialysis patients when assurance of adequate dialysis and specific dietary patterns (such as the plant-based diet mentioned in the article) are being followed, and excessive dietary potassium restriction may not benefit the survival of hemodialysis patients. Additionally, when assessing the effect of diet on serum potassium, researchers should not only focus on the potassium content of foods, but also consider the type of food and the content of other nutrients. However, more large-scale, multi-center clinical trials are required to provide high-quality evidence support. Besides, further research is also needed to determine the optimal daily potassium intake and beneficial dietary patterns for hemodialysis patients.
Quantitation of olefins in sustainable aviation fuel intermediates using principal component analysis coupled with vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy
Authors: Kosir Shane , Feldhausen John , Bell David , Cronin Dylan , Boehm Randall , Heyne Joshua
Published: December 2023

Olefins, a common intermediate from biomass conversion processes, are undesirable in jet fuel because of their poor thermal stability. This paper presents an approach for olefin quantitation using 2D gas chromatography coupled with vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy. Principal component analysis was used to reduce the dimensionality of the spectroscopic data from a highly olefinic fuel intermediate. A principal component template was created that enabled olefin quantitation, which was compared to the existing GCxGC-VUV approach from the literature. The principal component method was able to identify and quantify trace amounts of cyclodienes, which were present at only 0.01 wt% in the fuel sample. The principal component approach also identifies species that fall outside of the GCxGC template. For instance, quantitation with the literature method resulted in an olefin concentration of 0.95 times that of the principal component method due to olefins falling outside of the expected GCxGC regions. The principal component results were compared with 13C and 1H NMR data, which confirmed that the fuel had a high concentration of olefins and alkanes with little aromatic content.
Delivery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis epitopes by Bordetella pertussis adenylate cyclase toxoid expands HLA-E-restricted cytotoxic CD8+ T cells
Authors: Badami Giusto D. , La Manna Marco P. , Di Carlo Paola , Stanek Ondrej , Linhartova Irena , Caccamo Nadia , Sebo Peter , Dieli Francesco
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Tuberculosis (TB) remains the first cause of death from infection caused by a bacterial pathogen. Chemotherapy does not eradicate Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) from human lungs, and the pathogen causes a latent tuberculosis infection that cannot be prevented by the currently available Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccine, which is ineffective in the prevention of pulmonary TB in adults. HLA-E-restricted CD8+ T lymphocytes are essential players in protective immune responses against Mtb. Hence, expanding this population in vivo or ex vivo may be crucial for vaccination or immunotherapy against TB.

Methods

The enzymatically inactive Bordetella pertussis adenylate cyclase (CyaA) toxoid is an effective tool for delivering peptide epitopes into the cytosol of antigen-presenting cells (APC) for presentation and stimulation of specific CD8+ T-cell responses. In this study, we have investigated the capacity of the CyaA toxoid to deliver Mtb epitopes known to bind HLA-E for the expansion of human CD8+ T cells in vitro.

Results

Our results show that the CyaA-toxoid containing five HLA-E-restricted Mtb epitopes causes significant expansion of HLA-E-restricted antigen-specific CD8+ T cells, which produce IFN-γ and exert significant cytotoxic activity towards peptide-pulsed macrophages.

Discussion

HLA-E represents a promising platform for the development of new vaccines; our study indicates that the CyaA construct represents a suitable delivery system of the HLA-E-binding Mtb epitopes for ex vivo and in vitro expansion of HLA-E-restricted CD8+ T cells inducing a predominant Tc1 cytokine profile with a significant increase of IFN-γ production, for prophylactic and immunotherapeutic applications against Mtb.
Developing cetacean-friendly guidelines, from whale watching to offshore wind farm operation
Authors: Chen Yu-Ju , Lee Pey-Yi
Published: December 2023

Developing offshore wind farms may impact cetaceans due to vessel collisions and underwater noise. Therefore, it is critical to protect cetaceans while developing offshore wind farms. We first studied the code of conduct/guidelines for whale watching and then interviewed members of the local whale-watching industry to learn about the interaction between cetaceans and vessels. After that, we compared current whale-watching guidelines in Taiwan with 69 published guidelines from other countries and locations, then developed guidelines for the offshore wind farm industry. The results show that rules related to approaching and interacting with cetaceans in Taiwan are similar to those in other countries. However, swimming with cetaceans and approaching calves are prohibited in Taiwan. From the survey of the whale-watching industry, most whale-watching guidelines in Taiwan were found to be feasible, and the guidelines should be described in the premise with different phenotypic traits of various cetaceans. Based on the whale-watching guidelines, we developed a code of conduct for protecting cetaceans from the impact of vessels, specifically in offshore wind farm operations in Taiwan.
Survey of attitudes toward performing and reflecting on required team service-learning (SASL): psychometric data and reliability/validity for healthcare professions students in preclinical courses
Authors: Van Winkle Lon J. , Rogers Shane L. , Thornock Bradley O. , Schwartz Brian D. , Horst Alexis , Fisher Jensen A. , Michels Nicole
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Previously we assessed healthcare professional students’ feelings about team-based learning, implicit bias, and service to the community using an in-house paper survey. In this study, we determined whether this survey is a reliable and valid measure of prospective medical students’ attitudes toward required service-learning in an Immunology course. To our knowledge, no published questionnaire has been shown to be dependable and useful for measuring such attitudes using only eight survey items.

Methods

Fifty-eight prospective medical students in Colorado (CO) and 15 in Utah (UT) completed the same Immunology course using remote technology. In addition to the usual course content, students were required to write critical reflections on required team service-learning. On the last day of class, they completed the survey of attitudes toward service-learning (SASL).

Results

Data analyses found Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.84 and 0.85 for the surveys of UT and CO students, respectively. Factor analysis of CO student data revealed only one Eigenvalue greater than one (3.95) justifying retention of a single factor termed “attitudes toward required service-learning.” In addition, CO students’ attitudes toward community service were highly positive, while UT students’ attitudes were nearer neutral (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Our factor analysis and good Cronbach’s alpha values support the conclusion that the SASL was a reliable measure of prospective medical students’ attitudes toward required team service-learning for an Immunology course. Moreover, we used the SASL to distinguish these attitudes in CO versus UT students, and, thus, the SASL appears to be a valid measure of this difference. Calculation of similarly good Cronbach’s alpha values – for a predecessor of the SASL among pharmacy, masters, and medical students at another institution – indicates that the SASL may be useful more widely. However, the reliability and validity of the SASL needs to be demonstrated more rigorously for other healthcare students at different universities.
Evaluation of multidetector CT Hounsfield unit measurements as a predictor of efficacy and complications in percutaneous vertebroplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
Authors: Yankov Dimo , Bussarsky Assen , Karakostov Vasil , Sirakov Alexander , Ferdinandov Dilyan
Published: November 2023

Introduction

More than 30 years after the initial experience of Galibert and Deramond with percutaneous vertebroplasty, the procedure has gone through countless refinements and clinical evaluations. Predictors for the success and failure of the procedure in the literature vary and are focused on the duration of complaints, type of fracture, presence of edema on MRI scans, etc. We propose using a quantitative method based on a standard CT examination of the thoracic or lumbar spine to assess the risks and potential success of performing vertebroplasty.

Materials and methods

This is a single-center prospective observational study on 139 patients treated with percutaneous vertebroplasty (pVPL) for a single symptomatic osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF). We measured the levels of disability and pain preoperatively and again at the 3-, 6- and 12-month marks using the standardized VAS and ODI questionnaires. Every patient in the study was evaluated with postoperative multidetector CT (MDCT) to determine the presence, extent, and localization of vertebral cement leakage and to measure the adjacent vertebrae’s minimal and mean density in Hounsfield units (HUmin and HUmean, respectively).

Results

We determined that a slight (r = −0.201) but statistically significant (p = 0.018) correlation existed between HU measurements taken from radiologically intact adjacent vertebrae and the procedure’s effect concerning the pain levels at the 3-month follow-up. This correlation failed to reach statistical significance at 12 months (p = 0.072). We found no statistically significant relationship between low vertebral cancellous bone density and cement leakage on postoperative scans (p = 0.6 for HUmin and p = 0.74 for HUmean).

Conclusion

We have moderately strong data that show a negative correlation between the mean values of vertebral cancellous bone density in patients with OVCF and the effect of pVPL in reducing pain. Lower bone densities, measured this way, showed no increased risk of cement leakage.
Identification of a HIV-1 circulating BF1 recombinant form (CRF75_BF1) of Brazilian origin that also circulates in Southwestern Europe
Authors: Bacqué Joan , Delgado Elena , Gil Horacio , Ibarra Sofía , Benito Sonia , García-Arata Isabel , Moreno-Lorenzo María , de Adana Ester Sáez , Gómez-González Carmen , Sánchez Mónica , Montero Vanessa , Thomson Michael M.
Published: December 2023

Introduction

The high recombinogenic potential of HIV-1 has resulted in the generation of countless unique recombinant forms (URFs) and around 120 reported circulating recombinant forms (CRFs). Here we identify through analyses of near full-length genomes (NFLG) a new HIV-1 CRF derived from subtypes B and F1.

Methods

HIV-1 protease-reverse transcriptase (Pr-RT) sequences were obtained by RT-PCR amplification from plasma RNA. Near full-length genome sequences were obtained after amplification by RT-PCR in 5 overlapping fragments. Phylogenetic sequence analyses were performed via maximum likelihood. Mosaic structures were analyzed by bootscanning and phylogenetic analyses of genome segments. Temporal and geographical estimations of clade emergence were performed with a Bayesian coalescent method.

Results

Through phylogenetic analyses of HIV-1 Pr-RT sequences obtained by us from samples collected in Spain and downloaded from databases, we identified a BF1 recombinant cluster segregating from previously reported CRFs comprising 52 viruses, most from Brazil (n = 26), Spain (n = 11), and Italy (n = 9). The analyses of NFLG genomes of 4 viruses of the cluster, 2 from Spain and 2 from Italy, allowed to identify a new CRF, designated CRF75_BF1, which exhibits a complex mosaic structure with 20 breakpoints. All 4 patients harboring CRF75_BF1 viruses studied by us had CD4+ T-cell lymphocyte counts below 220/mm3 less than one year after diagnosis, a proportion significantly higher (p = 0.0074) than the 29% found in other patients studied in Spain by us during the same period. The origin of the clade comprising CRF75_BF1 and related viruses was estimated around 1984 in Brazil, with subsequent introduction of CRF75_BF1 in Italy around 1992, and migration from Italy to Spain around 1999.

Conclusion

A new HIV-1 CRF, designated CRF75_BF1, has been identified. CRF75_BF1 is the 6th CRF of South American origin initially identified in Western Europe, reflecting the increasing relationship of South American and European HIV-1 epidemics. The finding of low CD4+ T-cell lymphocyte counts early after diagnosis in patients harboring CRF75_BF1 viruses warrants further investigation on the virulence of this variant.
Enhancing the nutritional value of sweet pepper through sustainable fertilization management
Authors: Stoleru Vasile , Mangalagiu Ionel , Amăriucăi-Mantu Dorina , Teliban Gabriel-Ciprian , Cojocaru Alexandru , Rusu Oana-Raluca , Burducea Marian , Mihalache Gabriela , Rosca Mihaela , Caruso Gianluca , Sekara Agnieszka , Jităreanu Gerard
Published: November 2023

Introduction

The need for healthy foods has become a major concern in our modern world, as the global population continues to grow and environmental challenges intensify. In response to these challenges, researchers have started to explore a range of sustainable solutions, including organic farming practices, precision agriculture, and the development and testing of innovative biofertilizers. Consistent with these ideas come the aim of this study, which sets out to give new insights into the cultivation of two sweet pepper cultivars with economic and nutritional importance in Romania.

Methods

Two sweet pepper cultivars (Blancina and Brillant), chemically (Nutrifine®), organically (Orgevit®) and biologically (Micoseed®) fertilized were cultivated over the course of two years (2019 and 2020), between April and October, in high-tunnel, by following a split-plot design with three replications. Production parameters (number of fruits, fruit weight, yield), proximate composition (water content, dry matter, total soluble solids, acidity, ash), the content of phytonutrients (polyphenols, lycopene, β-carotene, antioxidant activity), phytochemical composition (phenolic compounds) and minerals (macro- and micro-elements) were analyzed in order to determine the impact of fertilization on the quality of sweet peppers.

Results

The results showed that the biological and organic fertilizations had a significant positive impact on most of the parameters analyzed, starting with yield and continuing with acidity, phytonutrient content (total phenolic content, lycopene, β-carotene), antioxidant activity and phytochemical composition (chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, quercetin and isoquercetin). Only in the case of mineral content, the chemical treatment gave better results compared with the organic and biological fertilizers.

Conclusion

Overall, this study provides valuable information on the potential of organic and biological fertilizers to enhance the nutritional value of sweet peppers from Blancina F1 and Brillant F1 cultivars, paving the way for subsequent research aimed at achieving superior quality and increased yields.
Spatio-temporal interactive fusion based visual object tracking method
Authors: Huang Dandan , Yu Siyu , Duan Jin , Wang Yingzhi , Yao Anni , Wang Yiwen , Xi Junhan
Published: November 2023

Visual object tracking tasks often struggle with utilizing inter-frame correlation information and handling challenges like local occlusion, deformations, and background interference. To address these issues, this paper proposes a spatio-temporal interactive fusion (STIF) based visual object tracking method. The goal is to fully utilize spatio-temporal background information, enhance feature representation for object recognition, improve tracking accuracy, adapt to object changes, and reduce model drift. The proposed method incorporates feature-enhanced networks in both temporal and spatial dimensions. It leverages spatio-temporal background information to extract salient features that contribute to improved object recognition and tracking accuracy. Additionally, the model’s adaptability to object changes is enhanced, and model drift is minimized. A spatio-temporal interactive fusion network is employed to learn a similarity metric between the memory frame and the query frame by utilizing feature enhancement. This fusion network effectively filters out stronger feature representations through the interactive fusion of information. The proposed tracking method is evaluated on four challenging public datasets. The results demonstrate that the method achieves state-of-the-art (SOTA) performance and significantly improves tracking accuracy in complex scenarios affected by local occlusion, deformations, and background interference. Finally, the method achieves a remarkable success rate of 78.8% on TrackingNet, a large-scale tracking dataset.
Gut microbiota depletion minimally affects the daily voluntary wheel running activity and food anticipatory activity in female and male C57BL/6J mice
Authors: Ehichioya David E. , Taufique S. K. Tahajjul , Magaña Isabel , Farah Sofia , Obata Yuuki , Yamazaki Shin
Published: December 2023

Emerging evidence has highlighted that the gut microbiota plays a critical role in the regulation of various aspects of mammalian physiology and behavior, including circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are fundamental behavioral and physiological processes that are governed by circadian pacemakers in the brain. Since mice are nocturnal, voluntary wheel running activity mostly occurs at night. This nocturnal wheel-running activity is driven by the primary circadian pacemaker located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Food anticipatory activity (FAA) is the increased bout of locomotor activity that precedes the scheduled short duration of a daily meal. FAA is controlled by the food-entrainable oscillator (FEO) located outside of the SCN. Several studies have shown that germ-free mice and mice with gut microbiota depletion altered those circadian behavioral rhythms. Therefore, this study was designed to test if the gut microbiota is involved in voluntary wheel running activity and FAA expression. To deplete gut microbiota, C57BL/6J wildtype mice were administered an antibiotic cocktail via their drinking water throughout the experiment. The effect of antibiotic cocktail treatment on wheel running activity rhythm in both female and male mice was not detectable with the sample size in our current study. Then mice were exposed to timed restricted feeding during the day. Both female and male mice treated with antibiotics exhibited normal FAA which was comparable with the FAA observed in the control group. Those results suggest that gut microbiota depletion has minimum effect on both circadian behavioral rhythms controlled by the SCN and FEO respectively. Our result contradicts recently published studies that reported significantly higher FAA levels in germ-free mice compared to their control counterparts and gut microbiota depletion significantly reduced voluntary activity by 50%.
Is the association between sleep and socio-emotional development mediated by weight in toddlers aged 12 to 36 months?
Authors: Duarte Ana , Martins Silvana , Lopes Luís , Silva Maria José , Augusto Cláudia , Santos Rute , Rosário Rafaela
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Childhood is an important stage for socio-emotional development. Understanding the associations of lifestyle habits with the healthy development of social and emotional skills is crucial for better interventions early in life. This study aims to analyze the association between sleep and socio-emotional development in toddlers aged 12 to 36 months and examine whether weight mediated these associations.

Methods

This study is part of a cluster randomized controlled trial developed in Portuguese childcare centers. A sample of 344 children (176 females) enrolled in the study. Participants’ anthropometrics were measured while at childcare centers using standardized procedures. Body mass index (BMI) was computed as the body weight/height2 (kg/m2) ratio. Sleep quality was collected with the Tayside Children’s Sleep Questionnaire, a 10-item scale that evaluates the child’s ability to initiate and maintain sleep. Two additional questions regarding sleep duration were added. Parental questionnaires assessed the child’s sex and date of birth, socioeconomic status, and total energy intake (TEI). Motor (fine and gross) was assessed using Bayley-III scales and socio-emotional (SE) by the Greenspan Social–Emotional Growth Chart questionnaire. Linear regression models were used to examine the associations between sleep (duration and quality) and SE with adjustments for sex, age, BMI, mothers’ education, motor development, and TEI. Mediation analysis was conducted using path analysis.

Results

SE development was significantly associated with nighttime sleep duration even when adjusted for confounders (β = 0.223; 95% CI: 0.001, 0.004 and β = 0.168; 0.0003, 0.003; respectively). Sleep quality was not significantly associated with SE development, and the weight did not explain the associations between sleep and SE development.

Conclusion

This study supports that sleep duration is directly associated with SE development in toddlers. From a public health perspective, sleep duration should be prioritized in intervention programs to improve socio-emotional development early in life.
Metacognitive training in the acute psychiatric care setting: feasibility, acceptability, and safety
Authors: Fischer Rabea , Nagel Matthias , Schöttle Daniel , Lüdecke Daniel , Lassay Franziska , Moritz Steffen , Scheunemann Jakob
Published: November 2023

Patients on acute psychiatric wards desire more psychosocial treatment than they receive, according to recent studies, but evidence-based interventions tailored to this setting are currently lacking. Metacognitive Training for psychosis (MCT) is a flexible, easy-to-administer group therapy that has been adapted to meet this demand (MCT-Acute). Thirty-seven patients with severe mental illness took part in MCT-Acute twice a week during their stay on a locked acute ward and were interviewed before, during, and after the intervention period regarding subjective utility, subjective adverse events, and symptom severity; attendance rates and reasons for absence were recorded. In addition, staff rated adverse events, symptom severity, and functioning (German Clinical Trial Register ID: DRKS00020551). Overall, most patients evaluated MCT-Acute positively and reported symptom stabilization. Staff also reported improvement in functioning. No clinician-rated adverse events related to participation in MCT-Acute were reported. Conducting MCT-Acute is feasible and safe and may contribute to meeting patients’, practitioners’, and researchers’ demands for more evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions for the acute psychiatric care setting.

Clinical Trial Registration

ID: DRKS00020551, https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00020551
A co-design living labs philosophy of practice for end-to-end research design to translation with people with lived-experience of mental ill-health and carer/family and kinship groups
Authors: Palmer Victoria J. , Bibb Jennifer , Lewis Matthew , Densley Konstancja , Kritharidis Roxanne , Dettmann Elise , Sheehan Pam , Daniell Ann , Harding Bev , Schipp Tricia , Dost Nargis , McDonald Gregor
Published: December 2023

There is increased recognition that people with lived-experience of mental ill-health ought to be centred in research design, implementation and translation, and quality improvement and program evaluation of services. There is also an increased focus on ways to ensure that co-design processes can be led by people with lived-experience of mental ill-health. Despite this, there remains limited explanation of the physical, social, human, and economic infrastructure needed to create and sustain such models in research and service settings. This is particularly pertinent for all health service sectors (across mental and physical health and social services) but more so across tertiary education settings where research generation occurs for implementation and translation activities with policy and services. The Co-Design Living Labs program was established in 2017 as an example of a community-based embedded approach to bring people living with trauma and mental ill-health and carers/family and kinship group members together with university-based researchers to drive end-to-end research design to translation in mental healthcare and research sectors. The program’s current membership is near to 2000 people. This study traces the evolution of the program in the context of the living labs tradition of open innovation. It overviews the philosophy of practice for working with people with lived-experience and carer/family and kinship group members—togetherness by design. Togetherness by design centres on an ethical relation of being-for that moves beyond unethical and transactional approaches of being-aside and being-with, as articulated by sociologist Zygmunt Bauman. The retrospective outlines how an initial researcher-driven model can evolve and transform to become one where people with lived-experience of mental ill-health and carer/family kinship group members hold clear decision-making roles, share in power to enact change, and move into co-researcher roles within research teams. Eight mechanisms are presented in the context of an explanatory theoretical model of change for co-design and coproduction, which are used to frame research co-design activities and provide space for continuous learning and evolution of the Co-Design Living Labs program.
Epidemiological and laboratory characteristics of Omicron infection in a general hospital in Guangzhou: a retrospective study
Authors: Chen Jingrou , Wang Yang , Yu Hongwei , Wang Ruizhi , Yu Xuegao , Huang Hao , Ai Lu , Zhang Tianruo , Huang Bin , Liu Min , Ding Tao , Luo Yifeng , Chen Peisong
Published: November 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has emerged as a major global public health concern. In November 2022, Guangzhou experienced a significant outbreak of Omicron. This study presents detailed epidemiological and laboratory data on Omicron infection in a general hospital in Guangzhou between December 1, 2022, and January 31, 2023. Out of the 55,296 individuals tested, 12,346 were found to be positive for Omicron. The highest prevalence of positive cases was observed in the 20 to 39 age group (24.6%), while the lowest was in children aged 0 to 9 years (1.42%). Females had a higher incidence of infection than males, accounting for 56.6% of cases. The peak time of Omicron infection varied across different populations. The viral load was higher in older adults and children infected with Omicron, indicating age-related differences. Spearman’s rank correlation analysis revealed positive correlations between Ct values and laboratory parameters in hospitalized patients with Omicron infection. These parameters included CRP (rs = 0.059, p = 0.009), PT (rs = 0.057, p = 0.009), INR (rs = 0.055, p = 0.013), AST (rs = 0.067, p = 0.002), LDH (rs = 0.078, p = 0.001), and BNP (rs = 0.063, p = 0.014). However, EO (Eosinophil, rs = −0.118, p < 0.001), BASO (basophil, rs = −0.093, p < 0.001), and LY (lymphocyte, rs = −0.069, p = 0.001) counts showed negative correlations with Ct values. Although statistically significant, the correlation coefficients between Ct values and these laboratory indices were very low. These findings provide valuable insights into the epidemiology of Omicron infection, including variations in Ct values across gender and age groups. However, caution should be exercised when utilizing Ct values in clinical settings for evaluating Omicron infection.