bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recommendations for the treatment and management of adult B‐Cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Asia‐Pacific: Outcomes from a pilot initiative
Authors: Lao Zhentang , Lam Kwong Yok , Cheung Yuk Man Carol , Teng Chieh‐Lin , Radhakrishnan Vivek , Bhurani Dinesh , Ko Bor‐Sheng , Goh Yeow Tee
Published: December 2023

The outcomes of adult B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) remain poor. Recent advancements in the field of leukemia research show potential for improved patient care. However, the adoption of research findings into clinical practice is fraught with practice‐ and country‐specific challenges. The continued addition of new findings warrants critical evaluation for the feasibility of incorporation into clinical practice. A uniform set of evidence‐based guidelines can favorably assist physicians in making optimal clinical decisions. Such a resource may also serve as a reference point for strategic planning of initiatives aimed at addressing critical barriers in the optimal management of B‐cell ALL. This initiative was undertaken to seek a collaborative perspective and understand the existing challenges. Concordance‐based recommendations were outlined through a systematic discussion on various aspects of treatment and management of adult B‐cell ALL. The outcomes and experiences gained from this exercise will serve as a foundation for future efforts encompassing the more granular aspects of the management of B‐cell ALL across the Asia‐Pacific region.
Trends in free flap reconstruction of the head and neck: a single surgeon series of 1027 free tissue transfers
Authors: Papanikolas Michael J. , Clark Jonathan R.
Published: December 2023

Background

Free tissue transfer has fundamentally changed head and neck surgery, enabling reliable reconstruction of large defects with better function and aesthetics. This study assesses two decades of trends in free flap reconstruction, and how disease incidence, survival, surgeon caseload, team approach, and technology have impacted practice.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of 1027 head and neck free flaps from 2006 to 2022. Outcomes examined include chronological changes in flap selection, indication, length of stay, incorporation of virtual surgical planning (VSP), annual caseload, survival, and their associations with the single versus multi‐team approach.

Results

There were 764 soft‐tissue and 263 osseous reconstructions utilizing 21 different flaps. Anterolateral thigh and radial forearm accounted for 76.7% of soft tissue flaps, with recent increase in superficial circumflex iliac perforator flaps in young patients. Osseous flap proportion remained stable, but fibula flaps increased five‐fold with more VSP, dental implants, oral cancer, and multi‐team surgery. Outcomes such as complication rates, length of stay and disease specific/overall survival have improved over time despite increasing complexity (P = 0.001, P = 0.001, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively). However, there was no significant difference in operative time, complication rate, or disease specific/overall survival between single team or multi‐team approaches (P = 0.45, P = 0.054, P = 0.57, and P = 0.60, respectively).

Conclusion

Single and multi‐team approaches may have similar fundamental outcomes, but as caseload, complexity, and life‐expectancy increases, both patients and surgeons benefit from a collaborative multi‐team approach that focuses on improving long‐term functional outcomes.
Surgical and health related quality of life outcomes following treatment with zygomatic implant perforated (ZIP) flaps
Authors: Watson Antonia L. , Hurrell Michael , Howes Dale , Leinkram David , Low Tsu‐Hui (Hubert) , Dunn Masako , Clark Jonathan R.
Published: December 2023

Background

The zygomatic implant perforated (ZIP) flap is a novel approach to the challenge of reconstructing the maxilla. We report on our experience using the ZIP flap technique for patients undergoing infrastructure maxillectomy at Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, Sydney, Australia.

Methods

Thirteen patients who underwent a ZIP flap reconstruction between August 2019 and August 2021 were identified. Demographic, surgical, and histopathological information was collected. Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) was assessed using the FACE‐Q Head and Neck Cancer module, the M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory, and the Speech Handicap Index.

Results

A total of 44 zygomatic implants were placed, of which 42 (95%) survived. The median time from surgery to dental rehabilitation was 35 days. HRQOL data was available for nine patients over 24 months, demonstrating improved speech and swallowing outcomes over the follow up period.

Conclusions

The ZIP flap is a reproducible surgical technique that facilitates rapid dental rehabilitation post infrastructure maxillectomy.
Morphological aspects of rumen papillae of lambs fed agro‐industrial wastes
Authors: Böck Marcelo José , Simões Robson Rodrigues , Rici Rose Eli Grassi , de Carvalho Sérgio , do Santos Roberts João Vlademir , de Morais‐Pinto Luciano
Published: December 2023

Sheep meet production systems require roughage feed of good nutritional quality. However, the production of sorghum or corn silage, besides expensive, also depends on large cultivable areas and favorable weather conditions. Thus, agro‐industrial residues have stood out as a feed alternative that contribute to the reduction of production costs and to the conservation of the environment. Fragments of the ruminal mucosa of 30 healthy lambs fed with agro‐industrial residues and slaughtered with a final weight of 36 kg were analyzed by light and scanning electron microscopy. We observed that the coproducts grape residue and wet brewery residue affected the shape, dimensions, and cytoarchitecture of the rumen epithelium in contrast to traditional sorghum silage. The rumen papillae of lambs fed grape waste were larger, and their epithelium was thinner when compared to the papillae of lambs fed wet brewery waste and sorghum silage. It can be assumed that the increased mucosal surface area of the rumen contributed to greater weight gain and reduced time to slaughter. The use of a greater variety of agro‐industrial residues as a substitute for traditional feedstuffs contributes to the increase in animal protein production in many countries, making the confinement of sheep more viable and sustainable.
Corporate change agents for sustainability: Transforming organizations from the inside out
Authors: Schaltegger S. , Girschik V. , Trittin‐Ulbrich H. , Weissbrod I. , Daudigeos T.
Published: December 2023

Sustainable development requires sustainability transformations of (so far unsustainable) companies. Sustainability transformations of companies do not happen by themselves but are the result of individuals and groups who purposefully act for sustainability. It is individual managers and employees within an organization—so‐called “change agents for sustainability”—who play a vital role in advancing corporate sustainability, as they are responsible for starting initiatives, making decisions, and implementing measures. Recent contributions have started to address the transformational role of individual sustainability professionals and employees shaping decisions around social and environmental issues in organizations. An overview and conceptualization of what can be understood by change agents for sustainability, their roles, and interactions is however missing. This article therefore proposes a framework and typology of six archetypes of change agents for sustainability: their key competencies and roles in initiating, scaling, and sustaining change in and beyond organizational boundaries.
Abrupt Terminations In The Treatment of Suicidal and Self‐Harming Young People: The Negativel in the Therapeutic Relationship
Authors: Goldblatt Mark J.
Published: December 2023

Psychotherapy with suicidal and self‐harming young people is complex, as this population group is difficult to engage in treatment and their internal reactions may remain concealed, leading to impulsive suicide attempts or abandonment of treatment. The resulting countertransference reactions of confusion, guilt and shame are most distressing and often cause psychotherapists to avoid treating this population group. Safety concerns increase when self‐destructive patients abandon therapy, or their condition worsens despite the therapist's best efforts. The vicissitudes of the adolescent developmental process suggest that, in some cases, withholding information, rejection of the therapist's caring interventions, and abrupt termination of treatment arise from the need for separation and independence and are ego syntonic and therefore suicide protecting. In other cases, the risk for suicide may be increased because of the transference experience of hostile abandonment. A negative therapeutic reaction (NTR) is a disturbing development in the course of psychotherapy that has not been adequately explained in the treatment of suicidal young people. This article is a consideration of whether these negative reactions associated with abrupt, unplanned terminations, in the treatment of self‐destructive young people, should appropriately be thought of as an NTR or as a developmental stage in separation.
Vertical cross‐ownership, double marginalization, and social welfare
Authors: Wang Leonard F. S. , Gong Qiang , Sun Ji
Published: December 2023

In this paper, we study the impacts of cross‐ownership structure on double marginalization problem (DMP) and social welfare under downstream the Bertrand and Cournot competition. We find that in the Bertrand competition, DMP is more serious under backward cross‐ownership than under forward cross‐ownership. Under forward cross‐ownership, because the upstream firm internalizes part of a retailer's profit, it alleviates the DMP. However, for the whole society, forward cross‐ownership is beneficial with respect to backward cross‐ownership. The mark‐up ratio under forward cross‐ownership is the largest, followed by that under vertical separation. The lowest one is under backward cross‐ownership. The results hold under Cournot competition as well.
Antipodoplanin antibody enhances the antitumor effects of CTLA‐4 blockade against malignant mesothelioma by natural killer cells
Authors: Yoneda Hiroto , Mitsuhashi Atsushi , Yoshida Aito , Ogino Hirokazu , Itakura Satoshi , Nguyen Na Thi , Nokihara Hiroshi , Sato Seidai , Shinohara Tsutomu , Hanibuchi Masaki , Abe Shinji , Kaneko Mika K. , Kato Yukinari , Nishioka Yasuhiko
Published: December 2023

Combination immunotherapy with multiple immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has been approved for various types of malignancies, including malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Podoplanin (PDPN), a transmembrane sialomucin‐like glycoprotein, has been investigated as a diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for MPM. We previously generated and developed a PDPN‐targeting Ab reagent with high Ab‐dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement‐dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). However, the effects of anti‐PDPN Abs on various tumor‐infiltrating immune cells and their synergistic effects with ICIs have remained unclear. In the present study, we established a novel rat–mouse chimeric anti‐mouse PDPN IgG2a mAb (PMab‐1‐mG2a) and its core‐fucose‐deficient Ab (PMab‐1‐mG2a‐f) to address these limitations. We identified the ADCC and CDC activity of PMab‐1‐mG2a‐f against the PDPN‐expressing mesothelioma cell line AB1‐HA. The antitumor effect of monotherapy with PMab‐1‐mG2a‐f was not sufficient to overcome tumor progression in AB1‐HA‐bearing immunocompetent mice. However, PMab‐1‐mG2a‐f enhanced the antitumor effects of CTLA‐4 blockade. Combination therapy with anti‐PDPN Ab and anti‐CTLA‐4 Ab increased tumor‐infiltrating natural killer (NK) cells. The depletion of NK cells inhibited the synergistic effects of PMab‐1‐mG2a‐f and CTLA‐4 blockade in vivo. These findings indicated the essential role of NK cells in novel combination immunotherapy targeting PDPN and shed light on the therapeutic strategy in advanced MPM.
Epidemiological and clinical features of malignant hyperthermia: A scoping review
Authors: Cong Zhukai , Wan Tingting , Wang Jiechu , Feng Luyang , Cao Cathy , Li Zhengqian , Wang Xiaoxiao , Han Yongzheng , Zhou Yang , Gao Ya , Zhang Jing , Qu Yinyin , Guo Xiangyang
Published: December 2023

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a potentially fatal inherited pharmacogenetic disorder related to pathogenic variants in the RYR1, CACNA1S, or STAC3 genes. Early recognition of the occurrence of MH and prompt medical treatment are indispensable to ensure a positive outcome. The purpose of this study was to provide valuable information for the early identification of MH by summarizing epidemiological and clinical features of MH. This scoping review followed the methodological framework recommended by Arksey and O'Malley. PubMed, Embase, and Web of science databases were searched for studies that evaluated the epidemical and clinical characteristics of MH. A total of 37 studies were included in this review, of which 26 were related to epidemiology and 24 were associated with clinical characteristics. The morbidity of MH varied from 0.18 per 100 000 to 3.9 per 100 000. The mortality was within the range of 0%–18.2%. Identified risk factors included sex, age, disorders associated with MH, and others. The most frequent initial clinical signs included hyperthermia, sinus tachycardia, and hypercarbia. The occurrence of certain signs, such as hypercapnia, delayed first temperature measurement, and peak temperature were associated with poor outcomes. The epidemiological and clinical features of MH varied considerably and some risk factors and typical clinical signs were identified. The main limitation of this review is that the treatment and management strategies were not assessed sufficiently due to limited information.
Umbilical cord‐derived mesenchymal stem cell secretome promotes skin regeneration and rejuvenation: From mechanism to therapeutics
Authors: Li Xixian , Zhang Dan , Yu Yang , Wang Liang , Zhao Muxin
Published: December 2023

How to effectively repair cutaneous wounds and promote skin rejuvenation has always been a challenging issue for clinical medicine and medical aesthetics. Current conventional medicines exhibit several drawbacks, including limited therapeutic effects, prolonged treatment periods, and high costs. As a novel cell‐free therapy, the umbilical cord‐derived mesenchymal stem cell (UCMSC) secretome may offer a promising approach for skin regeneration and rejuvenation. The UCMSC secretome is a collection of all proteins secreted by mesenchymal stem cells, including conditioned media, exosomes, and other substances. The UCMSC secretome has numerous abilities to accelerate acute wound healing, including high fibroblast and keratinocyte proliferative activity, pro‐angiogenesis, anti‐inflammation, anti‐fibrosis, and anti‐oxidative stress. Its impact on the four stages of wound healing is manifested by inducing the haemostasis phase, inhibiting the inflammation phase, promoting the proliferation phase, and regulating the remodelling phase. Furthermore, it is highly effective in the treatment of chronic wounds, alopecia, aging, and skin homeostasis disturbance. This review focuses on the clinical therapies and application prospects of the UCMSC secretome, encompassing its source, culture, separation, identification, storage, and pretreatment. Additionally, a discussion on the dosage, administration route, efficacy, and biosafety in the clinical situation is presented. This review aims to provide scientific support for the mechanistic investigation and clinical utilisation of the UCMSC secretome in wound healing and skin rejuvenation.
Social organizations and political institutions: why China and Europe diverged
Authors: Mokyr Joel , Tabellini Guido
Published: December 2023

This paper discusses the historical and social origins of the bifurcation in the political institutions of China and Western Europe. An important factor, recognized in the literature, is that China centralized state institutions very early on, while Europe remained politically fragmented for much longer. These initial differences, however, were amplified by the different social organizations (clans in China, corporate structures in Europe) that spread in these two societies at the turn of the first millennium AD. State institutions interacted with these organizations, and were shaped and influenced by this interaction. The paper discusses the many ways in which corporate organizations contributed to the emergence of representative institutions and gave prominence to the Rule of Law in the early stages of state formation in Europe, and how specific features of lineage organizations contributed to the consolidation of the Imperial regime in China.
Efficient population representation with more genetic markers increases performance of a steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) genetic stock identification baseline
Authors: Hargrove John S. , Delomas Thomas A. , Powell John H. , Hess Jon E. , Narum Shawn R. , Campbell Matthew R.
Published: December 2023

Genetic stock identification (GSI) is an important fisheries management tool to identify the origin of fish harvested in mixed stock fisheries. Periodic updates of genetic baselines can improve performance via the addition of unsampled or under‐sampled populations and the inclusion of more informative markers. We used a combination of baselines to evaluate how population representation, marker number, and marker type affected the performance and accuracy of genetic stock assignments (self‐assignment, bias, and holdout group tests) for steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the Snake River basin. First, we compared the performance of an existing genetic baseline with a newly developed one which had a reduced number of individuals from more populations using the same set of markers. Self‐assignment rates were significantly higher (p < 0.001; +5.4%) for the older, larger baseline, bias did not differ significantly between the two, but there was a significant improvement in performance for the new baseline in holdout results (p < 0.001; mean increase of 25.0%). Second, we compared the performance of the new baseline with increased numbers of genetic markers (~2x increase of single‐nucleotide polymorphisms; SNPs) for the same set of baseline individuals. In this comparison, results produced significantly higher rates of self‐assignment (p < 0.001; +9.7%) but neither bias nor leave‐one‐out were significantly affected. Third, we compared 334 SNPs versus opportunistically discovered microhaplotypes from the same amplicons for the new baseline, and showed the latter produced significantly higher rates of self‐assignment (p < 0.01; +2.6%), similar bias, but slightly lower holdout performance (−0.1%). Combined, we show the performance of genetic baselines can be improved via representative and efficient sampling, that increased marker number consistently improved performance over the original baseline, and that opportunistic discovery of microhaplotypes can lead to small improvements in GSI performance.
Predicting microstructurally sensitive fatigue‐crack path in WE43 magnesium using high‐fidelity numerical modeling and three‐dimensional experimental characterization
Authors: Phung Brian R. , Greeley Duncan A. , Yaghoobi Mohammadreza , Adams Jacob F. , Allison John E. , Spear Ashley D.
Published: December 2023

Microstructurally small fatigue‐crack growth in polycrystalline materials is highly three‐dimensional due to sensitivity to local microstructural features (e.g., grains). One requirement for modeling microstructurally sensitive crack propagation is establishing the criteria that govern crack evolution, including crack deflection. Here, a high‐fidelity finite‐element modeling framework is used to assess the performance and validity of various crack‐growth criteria, including slip‐based metrics (e.g., fatigue‐indicator parameters), as potential criteria for predicting three‐dimensional crack paths in polycrystalline materials. The modeling framework represents cracks as geometrically explicit discontinuities and involves voxel‐based remeshing, mesh‐gradation control, and a crystal‐plasticity constitutive model. The predictions are compared to experimental measurements of WE43 magnesium samples subject to fatigue loading, for which three‐dimensional grain structures and fatigue‐crack surfaces were measured post‐mortem using near‐field high‐energy x‐ray diffraction microscopy and x‐ray computed tomography. Findings from this work are expected to improve the predictive capabilities of simulations involving microstructurally small fatigue‐crack growth in polycrystalline materials.
New keratose sponges after the end‐Permian extinction provide insights into biotic recoveries
Authors: Wu Siqi , Reitner Joachim , Harper David A. T. , Yu Jianxin , Chen Zhong‐Qiang
Published: December 2023

We challenge the prevailing view that the end‐Permian extinction impeded the Triassic evolution of sponges. Here, we report a deep‐water community dominated by abundant keratose sponges in the lowest Triassic strata from Southwest China. The sponge fossils occur as dark elliptical imprints in mudstone with distinct oscula on their tops. The structure of preserved fibers suggests closest affinity with the extant Dictyoceratida, an aspiculate demosponge. The exceptional preservation plays a crucial role in retaining their exquisite structures. Sedimentary, taphonomic, pyrite framboid, and trace elemental analyses indicate that the sponges proliferated in an oxygen‐poor habitat, demonstrating the high tolerance of sponges to severe conditions. Sponge proliferation is a signal of environmental upheaval but they also stabilized the ecosystem, driving the first phase of biotic recovery after the end‐Permian extinction.
Effect of chop length of grass silage harvested at two maturity stages, and of concentrate protein level, on feed intake and milk production in dairy cows
Authors: Randby Åshild T. , Dønnem Ingjerd , Prestløkken Egil , Martin Adam D. , Steen Arvid , Eknæs Margrete
Published: December 2023

This study in dairy cow feeding explored the effects of growth stage and chop length for grass‐clover silage, and of concentrate protein level, including the interactions of these three factors. The experiment was conducted with 48 Norwegian Red cows according to a cyclic change‐over design with four 4‐week experimental periods and eight dietary treatments in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Round bale silage from a mixed sward of timothy, meadow fescue, and red clover was harvested at two growth stages (H1, H2) and offered to dairy cows either unchopped with median particle length of 152 mm or chopped to 19 mm median particle length before feeding. A low protein (LP) concentrate containing 7% lignosulphonate treated soybean meal (SBM) and a high protein (HP) concentrate containing 12% solvent extracted SBM were compared. Silage was offered ad libitum and supplemented with 8 kg concentrate per day. Silage dry matter intake was 2.0 kg higher for H1 than H2 silage, which supported a higher yield of milk, energy‐corrected milk and the milk constituents, fat, protein, and lactose. All these measures of milk production, as well as feed energy efficiency and N use efficiency, increased when silage was fed chopped rather than unchopped. Lignosulphonate treated SBM spared N in the diet without milk yield reductions. For efficient milk production with high energy and N utilisation, we recommend chopping to 20 mm for timothy, meadow fescue, and clover silages harvested in late stem elongation or in reproductive growth stages.
Sources of knowledge empowerment amongst pregnant women with TB disease: A qualitative study in South Africa
Authors: Adrinah Mulondo Seani , Base Khoza Lunic , Tsakani Lebese Rachel
Published: December 2023

Background

Providing relevant knowledge to empower all pregnant women diagnosed and nondiagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) is essential worldwide. Proper dissemination of health information for pregnant women could assist in preventing TB complications amongst women and babies. The study aimed to describe the sources of knowledge that empower pregnant women diagnosed with TB and improve their quality of life in Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Methodology

The study followed a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research design. The study was conducted in 12 selected primary healthcare facilities in three crisis districts. Thirty‐five pregnant women with TB disease were purposively selected, and face‐to‐face interviews were conducted to generate data, which were analysed using the thematic approach. Measures to ensure trustworthiness and ethical standards were adhered to.

Results

The findings of this study revealed that healthcare workers, community stakeholders, and TB ambassadors are the primary sources of knowledge dissemination for capacitating women diagnosed with TB.

Conclusion

Most pregnant women lacked knowledge regarding TB ambassadors as sources of information for empowering women, community awareness campaigns, and Google searches as sources of information sharing. All stakeholders need to work together, considering the patients' charter for TB care that sets out the right for respect and information sharing. The emphasis of this study was on developing a comprehensive educational intervention that could assist in improving the quality of TB services offered to pregnant women.
Endobronchial spread of adenocarcinoma is a distinct pattern of invasion and associated with inferior clinical outcomes in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Takahara Taishi , Satou Akira , Tsuyuki Takuji , Ito Takanori , Taniguchi Natsuki , Yamamoto Yuki , Ohashi Akiko , Takahashi Emiko , Kadota Kyuichi , Tsuzuki Toyonori
Published: December 2023

Aim

The spread of lung adenocarcinoma cells into the bronchi and bronchioles is not well documented. We termed this histological finding “endobronchial spreading of adenocarcinoma” (EBSA) and investigated its prevalence and clinical significance.

Methods and Results

We reviewed 320 resected specimens from patients diagnosed with invasive adenocarcinoma, and EBSA was observed in 144 patients (45%). EBSA was significantly associated with advanced pathological stage, higher histological grade, larger tumour invasion, lymphovascular infiltration, and spread through air spaces. Patients with EBSA had significantly shorter relapse‐free survival (RFS) and cancer‐specific survival (CSS) in univariate analysis (P < 0.001). In a subgroup analysis of patient with small‐sized (invasion size ≤30 mm) adenocarcinoma in the localized stage, EBSA was an independent inferior prognostic indicator in multivariate analysis. In a subgroup analysis of patients with small‐sized Grade 1 nonmucinous adenocarcinoma (n = 61), EBSA was observed in 11 patients, and the presence of EBSA was associated with significantly shorter RFS and CSS (P = 0.026 and P = 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion

Our results demonstrated that EBSA is a significant risk factor for disease recurrence and cancer‐related deaths. EBSA can be regarded as a distinctive pattern of invasion and its recognition can be beneficial in the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma.
Food addiction and its impact on weight status in children and adolescents: The mediating role of responsive eating pattern
Authors: Wang Dan , Wang Dan , Ye Xian , Chen Junqing , Fu Junfen , Xu Hongzhen
Published: December 2023

Aims

This research explores the relationships between food addiction (FA), eating behaviours, and weight status in school‐aged children and adolescents, aiming to understand how FA influences weight.

Methods

By using a cross‐sectional design, 426 healthy children and their parents were enroled in Eastern China. FA was assessed using the Chinese version of the Dimensional Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children 2.0 (dYFAS‐C 2.0), while eating patterns were identified using latent profile analysis (LPA) derived from the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ). Weight status was indicated by Body Mass Index Z Score (BMIZ) and waist‐to‐height ratio (WHtR). The associations among FA, eating patterns, and weight status were explored using structural equation modelling (SEM).

Results

Two eating patterns, the Responsive and the Controlled Eating Patterns, were identified. The Responsive Eating Pattern was characterized by high food responsiveness, enjoyment of food, emotional eating, fast eating, low satiety responsiveness, and food fussiness and was associated with FA and weight status (p < 0.001). The SEM results showed the Responsive Eating Pattern partially mediated the relationship between FA and weight status, with a mediation effect of 1.183 (95% CI [0.784, 1.629]) for BMIZ and 0.043 (95% CI [0.025, 0.063]) for WHtR.

Conclusion

Increased FA is associated with a higher weight status through a specific eating behaviour pattern characterized by high responsiveness to food, emotional and rapid eating habits, and low satiety. The findings suggest that targeted interventions should take these eating behaviour patterns into account to reduce the impact of FA on weight status among children and adolescents.
Influence of severity of illnesses on risk of death in intensive care unit patients with severity of pressure injuries as mediating variable
Authors: Chang Wen‐Pei
Published: December 2023

This study was to verify whether the severity of pressure injuries (PIs) in intensive care unit (ICU) patients plays a mediating role in the relationship between severity of their illnesses and risk of death. I examined adult patients admitted to the ICUs between 1 January 2014 and 31 August 2021. The average follow‐up period was 11.34 months. A total of 390 ICU patients suffered from PIs. The influences of the APACHE II score of the ICU patients on the mediating variable ‘unstageable & DTPIs vs. Stage 1&2 PIs’ and on risk of death were significant. After controlling the influence of APACHE II score on risk of death, the influences of mediating variables ‘Stage 3&4 PIs vs. Stage 1&2 PIs’ and ‘unstageable & DTPIs vs. Stage 1&2 PIs’ on risk of death were also significant. The regression coefficient of APACHE II score of the ICU patients declined after the severity of PIs was included. The Sobel test on the indirect effects also reached the level of significance. The severity of illnesses is a factor that is beyond my control, severe PIs should still be prevented to lower the risk of death.
Influence of sodium hydroxide on phase transformation of gamma alumina to alpha alumina
Authors: Farrokhnemoun Darya , Sajjadivand Shahrzad , Parapari Sorour Semsari , Sturm Saso , Ow‐Yang Cleva W. , Gulgun Mehmet Ali
Published: December 2023

Corundum and transition alumina powders are commonly produced through the Bayer process—that is, by digestion of bauxite in a sodium hydroxide solution, followed by gibbsite precipitation, which contains significant amounts of Na+ ions. During the de‐hydroxylation of gibbsite, Na+ is associated with retardation of the structural phase transformations between transition alumina and corundum (α‐Al2O3) phases, although the exact role of Na is unclear. The influence of Na+ ions on the phase transformation of γ‐Al2O3 to α‐alumina was investigated by varying the concentration of NaOH in aqueous γ‐Al2O3 suspensions. The phase transformation behavior of γ‐Al2O3 was monitored through thermal analysis, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, X‐ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS), and transmission electron microscope. As the Na concentration in γ‐alumina suspensions increased, the amount of α‐Al2O3 decreased in samples that were heat treated at 1200°C for 2 h. XPS analysis indicated that washing transition alumina powders with NH4OH solutions had decreased the surface concentration of Na+ and facilitated the phase transformation to α‐Al2O3.
Effects of metformin on behavioral alterations produced by chronic sucrose consumption in male rats
Authors: Rey Mariana , Coirini Héctor , Marchena Agustina , González Deniselle María Claudia , Kruse María Sol
Published: December 2023

Excessive consumption of sugary drinks negatively impacts the developing brain, producing long‐lasting behavioral and metabolic disorders. Here, we study whether treatment with the antihyperglycemic agent metformin prevents some of the anxiety and memory alterations produced by chronic sucrose consumption. Male Sprague–Dawley rats had unrestricted access to water (control group) and a bottle containing a 10% sucrose solution (sucrose group, SUC) for 35 days. In parallel, a group of animals from SUC received metformin (25 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg, orally; MET 25 and MET 50 groups, respectively). After 2 weeks of metformin treatment, the animals weighed less than controls. SUC and MET 50 groups compensated for the caloric intake from the sugary solution by consuming less chow. In contrast, total energy intake in MET 25 was higher than the rest of the groups, but they still weighed less than control and SUC groups, suggesting that at this concentration, metformin delays body growth. The animals were then tested for the open field (OF), elevated plus maze (EPM) and novel object location (NOL) tests. In the OF, SUC animals spent more time in the central zone of the arena, evidenced by an increased number of entries and the distance traveled there. In the EPM, SUC animals spent more time in the open arms and less time in the central square. Metformin treatment prevented the decreased anxiety observed in SUC animals in the OF and EPM. In the NOL test, SUC animals showed less interest in novelty and metformin treatment did not improve this alteration. The preference for open spaces in the OF and EPM were associated with increased serum triglycerides (TG) and malondialdehyde levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the hippocampus (HIP), while poor memory performance was associated with high basal blood glucose levels. In conclusion, the decreased anxiety‐like behavior produced by chronic sucrose consumption was prevented by metformin treatment, through a mechanism that probably involves normalization of TG levels and decreased oxidative stress in mPFC and HIP.
Public Care for Children in (Post)Socialist European Films: On the Side of Sons and Stepdaughters of the Nation?
Authors: Shmidt Victoria
Published: December 2023

This article explores the multifaceted role of films that disseminate critical views on public care for children in terms of their epistemic sensitivity towards the main challenges of constructing discursive practices around children and their subjectivity. Three cohorts of Eastern European films produced between the 1960s and 1990s are examined through the prism of two approaches to the deconstruction of the traditional objectified child and the development of his subjectivity, radical psychoanalysis and ‘child fundamentalism’. The diversity of critical arguments against residential care reverberates with a variety of gender‐based approaches to presenting children’s subjectivity in the films. I explore the sustainable difference between the films with either male or female protagonists through political contexts concerning the production of films and the options to accept the mission of epistemic activism regarding the children deprived in their subjectivity, namely those placed in residential care. To conclude, I discuss the exodus of epistemic activism from the post‐socialist Eastern European films about public care in favour of serving the mission of delegitimizing authoritative past and achieving positive public reception.
State‐level safety net spending and educational gaps in maternal time with children
Authors: Jackson Margot , Song Haoming , Kalil Ariel
Published: December 2023

Objective

We examine how state spending on children is associated with the size of socioeconomic gaps in maternal childcare time.

Background

Persistent socioeconomic divides in the amount and nature of parental time with children have prompted consideration of the factors that mitigate inequalities within the family. At both the national and local levels, the welfare state plays an important role in structuring opportunities for children. Thus, it is important to understand the institutional factors that shape parental behavior. Yet, little research examines how the social safety net is associated with family processes.

Method

Using rich data on maternal time with children from the American Time Use Surveys (2003–2016), combined with longitudinal data on public spending in states on major programs affecting children and families, we examine how state spending on children is associated with the size of socioeconomic gaps in maternal childcare time.

Results

We found that higher levels of state spending were associated with significant increases in childcare time among low‐educated mothers at both the extensive and intensive margin, increasing the likelihood of spending any minutes on primary childcare in a typical day, as well as increasing the number of minutes spent on childcare. In contrast, we observed no variation in the behavior of highly educated mothers as state spending changes.

Implications

State‐level investments could meaningfully narrow socioeconomic gaps in maternal time with children.
Stabilisation of femoral capital physeal fractures using transcervical pinning in cats: 19 cases (2014‐2022)
Authors: De Vreught L. , Fontenay R. , Berthelot P. H. , Josens A. , Coutant T. , Méheust P.
Published: December 2023

Objectives

To report the short‐term clinical and radiographic outcomes in cats with femoral capital physeal fractures stabilised with transcervical pinning.

Materials and Methods

Medical records of cats diagnosed with femoral capital physeal fractures and treated with transcervical pinning were reviewed. The collected data included signalment, weight, time from lameness to surgery, reported trauma, affected side, concomitant orthopaedic injuries, radiographs, osteoarthritis, femoral neck osteolysis, proximal femoral epiphysis to femoral neck ratio, fracture reduction, implants, complications and clinical evaluation results. An owner questionnaire was used for long‐term follow‐up.

Results

Nineteen cats with a total of 21 fractures met the inclusion criteria. Fifteen of the 19 cats showed no signs of lameness at the 1‐month follow‐up. Major and catastrophic complications occurred in 9.5% and 23.8% of the fractures, respectively. All catastrophic complications occurred in fractures with a high preoperative osteolysis grade (2 or 3).

Clinical Significance

In our study, transcervical pinning was found to be a reliable fixation method for the treatment of femoral capital physeal fractures in cats with minimal preoperative femoral neck osteolysis. High rates of implant failure with loss of fracture reduction were observed in cats with high‐grade preoperative osteolysis.
Glymphatic dysfunction coincides with lower GABA levels and sleep disturbances in succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency
Authors: Tokatly Latzer Itay , Yang Edward , Afacan Onur , Arning Erland , Rotenberg Alexander , Lee Henry H. C. , Roullet Jean‐Baptiste , Pearl Phillip L.
Published: December 2023

Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency (SSADHD) is an inherited metabolic disorder of γ‐aminobutyrate (GABA) catabolism. Cerebral waste clearance along glymphatic perivascular spaces depends on aquaporin 4 (AQP4) water channels, the function of which was shown to be influenced by GABA. Sleep disturbances are associated independently with SSADHD and glymphatic dysfunction. This study aimed to determine whether indices of the hyperGABAergic state characteristic of SSADHD coincide with glymphatic dysfunction and sleep disturbances and to explicate the modulatory effect that GABA may have on the glymphatic system. The study included 42 individuals (21 with SSADHD; 21 healthy controls) who underwent brain MRIs and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) for assessment of glymphatic dysfunction and cortical GABA, plasma GABA measurements, and circadian clock gene expression. The SSADHD subjects responded to an additional Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). Compared with the control group, SSADHD subjects did not differ in sex and age but had a higher severity of enlarged perivascular spaces in the centrum semiovale (p < 0.001), basal ganglia (p = 0.01), and midbrain (p = 0.001), as well as a higher MRS‐derived GABA/NAA peak (p < 0.001). Within the SSADHD group, the severity of glymphatic dysfunction was specific for a lower MRS‐derived GABA/NAA (p = 0.04) and lower plasma GABA (p = 0.004). Additionally, the degree of their glymphatic dysfunction correlated with the CSHQ‐estimated sleep disturbances scores (R = 5.18, p = 0.03). In the control group, EPVS burden did not correlate with age or cerebral and plasma GABA values. The modulatory effect that GABA may exert on the glymphatic system has therapeutic implications for sleep‐related disorders and neurodegenerative conditions associated with glymphatic dysfunction.
The Plasmodium falciparumCCCH zinc finger protein MD3 regulates male gametocytogenesis through its interaction with RNA‐binding proteins
Authors: Farrukh Afia , Musabyimana Jean Pierre , Distler Ute , Mahlich Vanessa Jil , Mueller Julius , Bick Fabian , Tenzer Stefan , Pradel Gabriele , Ngwa Che Julius
Published: December 2023

The transmission of malaria parasites to mosquitoes is dependent on the formation of gametocytes. Once fully matured, gametocytes are able to transform into gametes in the mosquito's midgut, a process accompanied with their egress from the enveloping erythrocyte. Gametocyte maturation and gametogenesis require a well‐coordinated gene expression program that involves a wide spectrum of regulatory proteins, ranging from histone modifiers to transcription factors to RNA‐binding proteins. Here, we investigated the role of the CCCH zinc finger protein MD3 in Plasmodium falciparum gametocytogenesis. MD3 was originally identified as an epigenetically regulated protein of immature gametocytes and recently shown to be involved in male development in a barcode‐based screen in P. berghei. We report that MD3 is mainly present in the cytoplasm of immature male P. falciparum gametocytes. Parasites deficient of MD3 are impaired in gametocyte maturation and male gametocytogenesis. BioID analysis in combination with co‐immunoprecipitation assays unveiled an interaction network of MD3 with RNA‐binding proteins like PABP1 and ALBA3, with translational initiators, regulators and repressors like elF4G, PUF1, NOT1 and CITH, and with further regulators of gametocytogenesis, including ZNF4, MD1 and GD1. We conclude that MD3 is part of a regulator complex crucial for post‐transcriptional fine‐tuning of male gametocytogenesis.
Does severe and chronic esophageal distension by air (observed in SGB and GB) affect the esophageal mucosa integrity (MNBI)
Authors: Voulgaris Theodoros , Hoshino Shintaro , Sifrim Daniel , Yazaki Etsuro
Published: December 2023

Background

Supragastric belching (SGB) and aerophagia are behavioral disorders characterized by air induced esophageal distension. SGB is known to be associated with Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Low Mean Nocturnal Baseline Impedance (MNBI) values support GERD diagnosis. We aimed to assess if chronic esophageal distension by air affects the esophageal mucosa integrity by assessing changes in MNBI.

Methods

In a single‐center database study, we searched retrospectively for patients with a diagnosis of pathological SGB (n = 146) or aerophagia (n = 34) based on impedance‐pH reflux monitoring. During the examined period, patients with a conclusive negative diagnosis of SGB and no evidence of aerophagia were used as a control cohort (n = 191). MNBI at 3, 5, and 17 cm over Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) was evaluated. GERD was diagnosed if acid exposure time (AET) >6%. All impedance studies of included patients were prospectively reevaluated.

Results

GERD was diagnosed in 31.7% patients with SGB, a rate not different in comparison to patients without SGB (30.8%, p = 0.906). MNBI at 3 and 5 cm above the LES was significantly decreased among patients with SGB. SGB was not correlated with MNBI at 3 cm over the LES, (p: 0.086 OR: 1.000 95% CI: 0.999–1.001) when using multivariate analysis. Moreover no difference was spotted as far as MNBI at 3, 5, and 17 cm over the LES is concerned among patients with or without aerophagia.

Conclusion

Even if patients with SGB do show lower MNBI values, esophageal distention due to excessive air movement does not directly lead to impairment of esophageal mucosa integrity.
Metatranscriptomics sheds light on the links between the functional traits of fungal guilds and ecological processes in forest soil ecosystems
Authors: Auer Lucas , Buée Marc , Fauchery Laure , Lombard Vincent , Barry Kerry W. , Clum Alicia , Copeland Alex , Daum Chris , Foster Brian , LaButti Kurt , Singan Vasanth , Yoshinaga Yuko , Martineau Christine , Alfaro Manuel , Castillo Federico J. , Imbert J. Bosco , Ramírez Lucia , Castanera Raúl , Pisabarro Antonio G. , Finlay Roger , Lindahl Björn , Olson Ake , Séguin Armand , Kohler Annegret , Henrissat Bernard , Grigoriev Igor V. , Martin Francis M.
Published: December 2023

Soil fungi belonging to different functional guilds, such as saprotrophs, pathogens, and mycorrhizal symbionts, play key roles in forest ecosystems. To date, no study has compared the actual gene expression of these guilds in different forest soils.

We used metatranscriptomics to study the competition for organic resources by these fungal groups in boreal, temperate, and Mediterranean forest soils. Using a dedicated mRNA annotation pipeline combined with the JGI MycoCosm database, we compared the transcripts of these three fungal guilds, targeting enzymes involved in C‐ and N mobilization from plant and microbial cell walls.

Genes encoding enzymes involved in the degradation of plant cell walls were expressed at a higher level in saprotrophic fungi than in ectomycorrhizal and pathogenic fungi. However, ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi showed similarly high expression levels of genes encoding enzymes involved in fungal cell wall degradation. Transcripts for N‐related transporters were more highly expressed in ectomycorrhizal fungi than in other groups. We showed that ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi compete for N in soil organic matter, suggesting that their interactions could decelerate C cycling.

Metatranscriptomics provides a unique tool to test controversial ecological hypotheses and to better understand the underlying ecological processes involved in soil functioning and carbon stabilization.
George K. Smelser (1908–1973): Atmospheric oxygen and the corneal response to contact lens wear
Authors: Vincent Stephen J.
Published: December 2023

Professor George Smelser was a scientist who played a crucial role in advancing the understanding of the anatomical and physiological changes within the cornea during contact lens wear. In a series of unique experiments conducted in the early 1950s, using both humans and animal models, his research team provided the first conclusive evidence that contact lenses impaired the delivery of atmospheric oxygen to the cornea, resulting in an excess of lactate within the cornea and a subsequent ingress of water, leading to corneal oedema and disturbed vision (Sattler's veil). This historical note reviews the career of George Smelser, with particular emphasis on his contributions to understanding the importance of atmospheric oxygen in maintaining corneal homeostasis.