bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of dietary supplementation with recombinant human lysozyme on growth performance, antioxidative characteristics, and intestinal health in broiler chickens
Authors: Tian Xuefeng , Cao Heng , Yan Juntong , Li Chunyue , Li Feiyu , Li Yunke , Huang Fei , Bao Chengling , Cao Yunhe , Rao Zhenghua
Published: May 2024

Lysozyme is often used as a feed additive to act as an antibacterial protein that boosts the immune system of livestock and poultry while protecting against pathogens. To investigate the effects of recombinant human lysozyme (rhLYZ) from Pichia pastoris and chlortetracycline on broiler chicken’s production performance, antioxidant characteristics, and intestinal microbiota, a total of 200, 1-d-old male Arbor Acres broiler chickens (46.53 ± 0.42 g) were selected for a 42-d experiment. Dietary treatments included a basal diet of corn-soybean meal supplemented with either 0 mg/kg (CON), 50 mg/kg aureomycin (ANT), 20 mg/kg rhLYZ (LOW), 60 mg/kg rhLYZ (MEDIUM), or 180 mg/kg rhLYZ (HIGH). Compared with CON, MEDIUM diet increased (P < 0.05) average daily gain (67.40 g) of broilers from day 22 to 42. In the early (1.29) and overall phases (1.69), MEDIUM led to a reduction (P < 0.05) in the feed conversion ratio of broiler chickens. Furthermore, in comparison to the CON and ANT, MEDIUM exhibited reduced (P < 0.05) levels of INF-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α in the serum. In the cecum, the abundance of Monoglobus and Family_XIII_AD3011_group was lower (P < 0.05) in the MEDIUM treatment compared to CON. Overall, supplementation of 60 mg/kg of rhLYZ improved growth performance, nutrient utilization efficiency, and serum immune function, while also influencing the composition of intestinal microbiota. This suggests lysozyme’s potential to replace antibiotic additives in feed.
Race in Consumer Research: Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Grier Sonya A , Crockett David , Johnson Guillaume D , Thomas Kevin D , Bradford Tonya Williams
Published: May 2024

Race has been a market force in society for centuries. Still, the question of what constitutes focused and sustainable consumer research engagement with race remains opaque. We propose a guide for scholars and scholarship that extends the current canon of race in consumer research toward understanding race, racism, and related racial dynamics as foundational to global markets and central to consumer research efforts. We discuss the nature, relevance, and meaning of race for consumer research and offer a thematic framework that critically categorizes and synthesizes extant consumer research on race along the following dimensions: (1) racial structuring of consumption and consumer markets, (2) consumer navigation of racialized markets, and (3) consumer resistance and advocacy movements. We build on our discussion to guide future research that foregrounds racial dynamics in consumer research and offers impactful theoretical and practical contributions.
Hidden Barriers to Marketplace Disability Accessibility: An Empirical Analysis of the Role of Perceived Trade-Offs
Authors: Grewal Lauren , van der Sluis Helen
Published: May 2024

Disability is a basic human condition that affects a significant proportion of the world’s population, yet many disability- and accessibility-relevant issues remain pressing and insufficiently addressed. With three experiments, the current research investigates potential reasons for why marketplace disability accessibility has not been universally accepted. Potential barriers to greater accessibility in marketplaces may arise because such efforts appear at odds with other salient priorities, at micro (i.e., consumer) and macro (i.e., firm, policy, or societal) levels. In the proposed framework and resulting experiments, micro-level trade-offs prompt perceptions of personal cost and macro-level trade-offs prompt perceptions of firm morality. In turn, these perceptions mediate firm evaluations, showing that consumers at baseline respond negatively to accessibility. Critically, however, several practical interventions emerge from these processes. Marketers can mitigate consumers’ negative responses to accessibility by employing simple framing choices such as emphasizing who benefits or noting what the purpose of the offering is. By demonstrating one way to better understand perceptions of the full spectrum of the consumer population, this research provides pathways for consumer researchers to further delve into disability-related research in the future.
Frequencies of insecticide resistance mutations detected by the amplicon sequencing in Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) and Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from China
Authors: Liu Zhangyang , Ma Haihao , Li Kaiqin , Liu Jia , Zhu Hang , Zhou Yong , Man Yilong , Zhou Xiaomao , Liu Zheming
Published: May 2024

The globally prevalent pests, Diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) and Beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), pose significant threats to cruciferous vegetables. They have rapidly developed resistance to a wide range of insecticides, leading to significant yield losses and increased control expenses. In this study, we have established an efficient approach utilizing amplicon sequencing to detect the frequency of 15 target resistance mutant sites in 6 molecular targets, acetylcholinesterase 1 (ACE1), chitin synthase 1 (CHS1), the γ-aminobutyric acid receptor (GABAR), glutamate-gated chloride channel (GluCl), voltage-gated sodium channels (NaV), and ryanodine receptor (RyR) in P. xylostella and the frequency of 11 mutations in 5 molecular targets (except GluCl) in S. exigua in China. Our findings indicate that P. xylostella exhibits remarkably high frequency (over 88.67%) in pyrethroid resistance-related mutations T929I and L1014F of NaV. In S. exigua, the frequencies of L659F mutation were ranging from 41.92% to 74.89%. In addition, the organophosphorus resistance-related mutations A298S and G324A of ACE1 were detected at frequencies ranging from 34.29% to 75.66%, and these 2 mutations occurred simultaneously (from 29.22% to 65.79%) in P. xylostella. An interannual variation in mutation frequency from 2019 to 2021 was found for P. xylostella in HNCS. The frequency of A298S and G324A mutations steadily increased while the frequency of G4946E and I4790M mutations continuously decreased. These results unveil a worrisome scenario of multiple resistance sites in these 2 pests in China and provide valuable insights for the practical application of pesticides in the field.
Estimation of distribution algorithms with solution subset selection for the next release problem
Authors: Pérez-Piqueras Víctor , López Pablo Bermejo , Gámez José A
Published: May 2024

The Next Release Problem (NRP) is a combinatorial optimization problem that aims to find a subset of software requirements to be delivered in the next software release, which maximize the satisfaction of a list of clients and minimize the effort required by developers to implement them. Previous studies have applied various metaheuristics, mostly genetic algorithms. Estimation of Distribution Algorithms (EDA), based on probabilistic modelling, have been proved to obtain good results in problems where genetic algorithms struggle. In this paper we propose to adapt three EDAs to tackle the multi-objective NRP in a fast and effective way. Results show that EDAs can be applicable to solve the NRP with rather good quality of solutions. Furthermore, we prove that their execution time can be significantly reduced using a per-iteration solution subset selection method while maintaining the overall quality of the solutions obtained, and they perform the best when limiting the search time as in an interactive tool that requires fast responsiveness. The experimental framework, code and datasets have been made public in a code repository.
A comparative study of neural network architectures for software vulnerability forecasting
Authors: Cosma Ovidiu , Pop Petrică C , Cosma Laura
Published: May 2024

The frequency of cyberattacks has been rapidly increasing in recent times, which is a significant concern. These attacks exploit vulnerabilities present in the software components that constitute the targeted system. Consequently, the number of vulnerabilities within these software components serves as an indicator of the system’s level of security and trustworthiness. This paper compares the accuracy, trainability and stability to configuration parameters of several neural network architectures, namely Long Short-Term Memory, Multilayer Perceptron and Convolutional Neural Network. These architectures are utilized for forecasting the number of software vulnerabilities within a specified timeframe for a specific software product. By evaluating these neural network models, our aim is to provide insights into their performance and effectiveness in vulnerability forecasting.
Generalizing orthomodularity to unsharp contexts: properties, blocks, residuation
Authors: Giuntini Roberto , Ledda Antonio , Vergottini Gandolfo
Published: May 2024

This paper essentially originates from the notion of a block in an orthomodular lattice. What happens to orthomodularity when orthocomplementation is weakened? We will show that, under definitely smooth conditions, a great deal of the theory of orthomodular lattices carries over naturally.
Why location matters: associations between county-level characteristics and availability of National Cancer Oncology Research Program and National Cancer Institute sites
Authors: Caston Nicole E , Williams Courtney P , Levitan Emily B , Griffin Russell , Azuero Andres , Wheeler Stephanie B , Rocque Gabrielle B
Published: May 2024

Background

The majority of patients with cancer seek care at community oncology sites; however, most clinical trials are available at National Cancer Institute (NCI)–designated sites. Although the NCI National Cancer Oncology Research Program (NCORP) was designed to address this problem, little is known about the county-level characteristics of NCORP site locations.

Methods

This cross-sectional analysis determined the association between availability of NCORP or NCI sites and county-level characteristic theme percentile scores from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Social Vulnerability Index themes. Health Resources and Services Administration’s Area Health Resource Files were used to determine contiguous counties. We estimated risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using modified Poisson regression models to evaluate the association between county-level characteristics and site availability within singular and singular and contiguous counties.

Results

Of 3141 included counties, 14% had an NCORP, 2% had an NCI, and 1% had both sites. Among singular counties, for a standard deviation increase in the racial and ethnic theme score, there was a 22% higher likelihood of NCORP site availability (95% CI = 1.10 to 1.36); for a standard deviation increase in the socioeconomic status theme score, there was a 24% lower likelihood of NCORP site availability (95% CI = 0.67 to 0.87). Associations were of smaller magnitude when including contiguous counties. NCI sites were located in more vulnerable counties.

Conclusions

NCORP sites were more often in racially diverse counties and less often in socioeconomically vulnerable counties. Research is needed to understand how clinical trial representation will increase if NCORP sites strategically increase their locations in more vulnerable counties.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy pathognomonic lesions occurring in isolation adjacent to infiltrative and non-infiltrative white matter lesions
Authors: Scanlon Michaela M , Shields Margaret M , Perl Daniel P , Priemer David S
Published: May 2024

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is defined by perivascular neuronal phosphorylated-tau accumulation at cortical sulcal depths. CTE has been mainly described in the context of repetitive, impact-type traumatic brain injury (rTBI), principally from contact sports. Rarely, CTE has been associated with single TBIs, including in relationship to healed leucotomy sites in brains from formerly institutionalized psychiatric patients without documented rTBI. Given that leucotomy principally involves severing of white matter, this could suggest involvement of axonal injury in CTE pathophysiology. We present three cases wherein isolated CTE pathology was identified adjacent to distinct white matter lesions. Case 1 is a 41-year-old man with history of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia and resection of a cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Case 2 is a 46-year-old man with glioblastoma. Case 3 is a 52-year-old man with a remote cerebral infarct. Isolated CTE lesions were found adjacent to the aforementioned pathologies in each case. Additional CTE lesions were not identified despite extensive sampling. Multiple age-related tau astrogliopathy (ARTAG)-like lesions were also identified at other sulcal depths near the AVM resection site in Case 1. These cases may provide insights regarding the pathophysiology of the CTE pathognomonic lesion and the development of ARTAG-like pathology adjacent to long-standing mass lesions.
Deterrence and Foreign Election Intervention: Securing Democracy through Punishment, Denial, and Delegitimization
Authors: Marshall Palmer J , Wilner Alex
Published: May 2024

Democratic elections are under threat from foreign interference. Democracies around the world are experimenting with a range of responses, from threatening potential interveners with a variety of retaliatory punishments to bolstering election security, scrutiny, and counter-interference operations, and leveraging multilateral institutions to reinforce norms of behavior and rules of engagement. At their root, many of these approaches are anchored to the logic of deterrence, compellence, and denial. Surprisingly, however, scholars and practitioners have paid scant attention to how contemporary approaches to countering foreign election intervention (FEI) fit within the larger framework of deterrence theory and practice. Our article reframes existing contemporary responses to FEI within the unifying context of fifth-wave deterrence scholarship, an emerging subtext of research on coercion with a penchant for all-domain observations, interdisciplinarity, and sub-threshold challenges that bridge the divide between national security and public safety. By exploring FEI within the context of contemporary deterrence, we sharpen our collective understanding of the phenomena and how best to respond. Our analysis encourages a more nuanced understanding of adversaries’ cost–benefit calculations in deciding whether, when and how to intervene in elections, and, crucially, helps identify the tools, technologies, infrastructures, and processes needed to manipulate an adversary's calculus and preferences. In doing so, we gain a better sense of the conditions under which states can deter FEI all the while securing national elections.
Hierarchical multinomial processing tree models for meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy studies
Authors: Guolo Annamaria
Published: May 2024

Meta-analysis represents a widely accepted approach for evaluating the accuracy of diagnostic tools in clinical and psychological investigations. This article investigates the applicability of multinomial tree models recently suggested in the literature under a fixed-effects formulation for assessing the accuracy of binary classification tools, where the study specific disease prevalences are taken into account. The model proposed in this article extends previous results to a hierarchical structure accounting for the variability between the studies included in the meta-analysis. Interestingly, by exploiting the parameter separability of the complete likelihood function, the resulting hierarchical multinomial tree model is shown to coincide, in its interest parameter component, with the well-known bivariate random-effects model under an exact within-study distribution for the number of true positives and true negatives subjects. The proposal is in line with a latent-trait approach, where inference follows a frequentist point of view. The applicability of the proposed model and its performance with respect to its fixed-effects counterpart and to the approximate bivariate random-effects model based on normality assumptions commonly used in the literature is evaluated in a series of simulation studies. Methods are applied to a real meta-analysis about the accuracy of the confusion assessment method as delirium screening tool.
Unveiling stellar aurorae: simulating auroral emission lines in hot stars induced by high-energy irradiation
Authors: Kajan Michal , Krtička Jiří , Kubát Jiří
Published: May 2024

Auroral emission lines result from the interaction between magnetic field and stellar wind, offering valuable insights into physical properties and processes occurring within magnetospheres of celestial bodies. While extensively studied in planetary and exoplanetary atmospheres, in ultracool dwarfs, and as radio emission from early-type stars, the presence of specific auroral emission lines in hot star spectra remains unexplored. In this study, we utilized tlusty code to simulate the auroral lines, while modelling the effect of the interaction between stellar wind and magnetosphere through X-ray irradiation. Utilizing high-resolution synthetic spectra generated from model atmospheres, we identified potential candidate lines indicative of auroral emission, which were absent in non-irradiated spectra. Emission lines in synthetic spectra were present primarily in the infrared domain. The most prominent line generated by irradiation was He ii 69458 Å, which appeared in all our model atmospheres with effective temperatures ranging from 15 kK to 30 kK. We also calculated the minimum irradiation required to detect emission in this most prominent line. The presence of emission lines was interpreted by considering changes in the population of different excited states of given atoms. Besides the appearance of infrared emission lines, high-energy irradiation causes infrared excess. To complement our simulations, we also searched for auroral lines in Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) observations, which are deposited in the Multimission Archive at Space Telescope catalogue. The comparison of observed spectra with synthetic spectra did not identify any possible candidate emission lines in FUSE spectra.
A case of IgG4-related disease associated with ulcerative colitis that was successfully treated with a JAK inhibitor
Authors: Tanaka Tomonao , Aochi Satsuki , Uehara Masaaki , Shimizu Hiromichi , Yamamoto Motohisa
Published: May 2024

Glucocorticoids (GC) are the standard of care for the induction and maintenance of remission in immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related diseases. However, IgG4-related diseases often relapse with GC dose reduction, not only making GC dose reduction difficult but also necessitating GC dose escalation in many cases. Therefore, other immunosuppressive drugs are required to maintain remission. Here, we report a 39-year-old man with ulcerative colitis and IgG4-related disease who experienced a relapse of both diseases despite treatment with tacrolimus and 6-mercaptopurine. Following the initiation of tofacitinib, a Janus-associated kinase inhibitor, it was possible to reduce the GC dose while maintaining remission of both diseases. This case highlights the potential utility of Janus-associated kinase inhibitors in managing complex cases of IgG4-related disease, especially those with concurrent conditions such as ulcerative colitis.
DNAforge: a design tool for nucleic acid wireframe nanostructures
Authors: Elonen Antti , Wimbes Leon , Mohammed Abdulmelik , Orponen Pekka
Published: May 2024

DNAforge is an online tool that provides a unified, user-friendly interface to several recent design methods for DNA and RNA wireframe nanostructures, with the possibility of integrating additional methods into the same framework. Currently, DNAforge supports three design methods for DNA nanostructures and two for RNA nanostructures. The tool enables the design, visualisation and sequence generation for highly complex wireframe nanostructures with a simple fully automated process. DNAforge is freely accessible at https://dnaforge.org/.
AIUPred: combining energy estimation with deep learning for the enhanced prediction of protein disorder
Authors: Erdős Gábor , Dosztányi Zsuzsanna
Published: May 2024

Intrinsically disordered proteins and protein regions (IDPs/IDRs) carry out important biological functions without relying on a single well-defined conformation. As these proteins are a challenge to study experimentally, computational methods play important roles in their characterization. One of the commonly used tools is the IUPred web server which provides prediction of disordered regions and their binding sites. IUPred is rooted in a simple biophysical model and uses a limited number of parameters largely derived on globular protein structures only. This enabled an incredibly fast and robust prediction method, however, its limitations have also become apparent in light of recent breakthrough methods using deep learning techniques. Here, we present AIUPred, a novel version of IUPred which incorporates deep learning techniques into the energy estimation framework. It achieves improved performance while keeping the robustness of the original method. Based on the evaluation of recent benchmark datasets, AIUPred scored amongst the top three single sequence based methods. With a new web server we offer fast and reliable visual analysis for users as well as options to analyze whole genomes in mere seconds with the downloadable package. AIUPred is available at https://aiupred.elte.hu.
AlphaFind: discover structure similarity across the proteome in AlphaFold DB
Authors: Procházka David , Slanináková Terézia , Olha Jaroslav , Rošinec Adrián , Grešová Katarína , Jánošová Miriama , Čillík Jakub , Porubská Jana , Svobodová Radka , Dohnal Vlastislav , Antol Matej
Published: May 2024

AlphaFind is a web-based search engine that provides fast structure-based retrieval in the entire set of AlphaFold DB structures. Unlike other protein processing tools, AlphaFind is focused entirely on tertiary structure, automatically extracting the main 3D features of each protein chain and using a machine learning model to find the most similar structures. This indexing approach and the 3D feature extraction method used by AlphaFind have both demonstrated remarkable scalability to large datasets as well as to large protein structures. The web application itself has been designed with a focus on clarity and ease of use. The searcher accepts any valid UniProt ID, Protein Data Bank ID or gene symbol as input, and returns a set of similar protein chains from AlphaFold DB, including various similarity metrics between the query and each of the retrieved results. In addition to the main search functionality, the application provides 3D visualizations of protein structure superpositions in order to allow researchers to instantly analyze the structural similarity of the retrieved results. The AlphaFind web application is available online for free and without any registration at https://alphafind.fi.muni.cz.
Possible X-ray cocoon emission from GRB 050709
Authors: Ogino Naoki , Arimoto Makoto , Hamidani Hamid , Sakamoto Takanori , Yonetoku Daisuke , Sawano Tatsuya , Serino Motoko , Asano Katsuaki , Kawai Nobuyuki
Published: May 2024

The detection of the short gamma-ray burst (SGRB) 050709 by the HETE-2 satellite opened the door to understanding the nature of SGRBs, offering clues about their emission mechanism and progenitors, with the crucial aid of optical follow-up observations. Here, we revisit the prompt emission of GRB 050709. Our analysis reveals an initial hard spike ∼200 ms long, followed by a subsequent soft-tail emission lasting ∼300 ms. These components could be common among other SGRBs originating from binary neutron merger events, such as GW 170817 and GRB 170817A. Detailed temporal and spectral analyses indicate that the soft-tail emission might be attributed to the cocoon formed by the relativistic jet depositing energy into the surrounding material. We find the necessary cocoon parameters at the breakout, as consistent with numerical simulation results. We compared the physical parameters of this cocoon with those of other SGRBs. The relatively higher cocoon pressure and temperature in GRB 050709 may indicate a more on-axis jet compared with GRB 170817A and GRB 150101B.
Effects of Residual Tensor and Pairing Forces on the Gamow–Teller states in Magic Nuclei, 48Ca, 90Zr, 132Sn, and 208Pb
Authors: Ha Eunja , Cheoun Myung-Ki , Sagawa H
Published: May 2024

We investigate the effects of residual tensor force (TF) and pairing force on the Gamow–Teller (GT) transitions in four magic nuclei, 48Ca, 90Zr, 132Sn and 208Pb. The TF is taken into account by using the Brückner G-matrix theory with the charge-dependent (CD) Bonn potential as the residual interaction of charge-exchange quasiparticle random phase approximation (QRPA). We found that particle–particle (p–p) tensor interaction does not affect the GT transitions because of the closed shell nature in the nuclei, but repulsive particle–hole (p–h) residual interaction for the p–h configuration of spin-orbit partners dominates the high-lying giant GT states for all of the nuclei. It is also shown that appreciable GT strengths are shifted to a lower energy region by the attractive p–h TF for the same jπ = jν configuration, and produce the low-lying GT peak about 2.5 MeV in 48Ca. Simultaneously, in 90Zr and 132Sn, the low-energy GT strength appears as a lower energy shoulder near the main GT peak. On the other hand, the shift of the low-lying GT state is not seen clearly for 208Pb because of the strong spin-orbit splitting of high j orbits, which dominates the GT strength.
Long-Term Follow-Up of a Person-Centered Prehabilitation Program Based on Cognitive-Behavioral Physical Therapy for Patients Scheduled for Lumbar Fusion
Authors: Kemani Mike K , Hanafi Rikard , Brisby Helena , Lotzke Hanna , Lundberg Mari
Published: May 2024

Objective

Long-term follow-ups of prehabilitation programs for lumbar spine surgery are lacking, and more comprehensive evaluations are needed. In the current study, we evaluated the long-term effects of a prehabilitation program compared with conventional care in relation to lumbar fusion surgery in patients with degenerative disc disease.

Methods

Patients (n = 118) receiving lumbar fusion surgery were included in a multicenter randomized controlled trial, involving 1 university hospital and 2 spine clinics. The intervention was a person-centered prehabilitation program based on cognitive-behavioral physical therapy that targeted psychological presurgical risk factors, physical activity, and overall health. The control group received conventional preoperative care. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) included assessments at 8 time-points: low back disability (primary outcome), back pain intensity, leg pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, fear of movement, anxiety and depressive mood, health-related quality of life, and patient-specific functioning. Physical activity and physical capacity were assessed at 5 time points. Linear mixed models were used to analyze the effects of the intervention.

Results

There were no significant differences between groups at the 12- and 24-month follow-ups for any outcome, except for the One Leg Stand test 1 year following surgery, in favor of the control group. There were significant improvements for both groups, from baseline to the 12- and 24-month follow-ups for all physical capacity test and patient-reported outcome measures, except for leg pain and self-efficacy for exercise.

Conclusion

No long-term effects were found for the prehabilitation program compared to conventional care. Physical activity did not improve over time, despite significantly improved self-reported functioning and physical capacity measurements.

Impact

These findings have implications for the current understanding of the long-term effects of prehabilitation and suggest that future research should focus on programs promoting physical activity both before and after lumbar spine surgery to decrease the risk of long-term adverse health outcomes.
Can we predict kidney involvement in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus? A retrospective cohort study with independent validation
Authors: Katechis Spyridon , Nikolopoulos Dionysis , Flouda Sofia , Adamichou Christina , Chavatza Katerina , Kapsala Noemin , Katsimbri Pelagia , Bertsias George , Boumpas Dimitrios T , Fanouriakis Antonis
Published: May 2024

Objectives

To discern predictive factors for incident kidney involvement in patients with SLE.

Methods

Patients with SLE from the ‘Attikon’ Lupus cohort were monitored for LN, defined by kidney histology and/or classification criteria. Demographic and clinical characteristics at baseline were compared against patients who did not develop LN. LN-free Kaplan–Meier survival curves were generated. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify independent predictors of LN. Independent validation was performed in the University of Crete Lupus registry.

Results

Among the 570 patients in the derivation cohort, 59 exhibited LN as their initial presentation, while an additional 66 developed LN during the follow-up period (collectively, 21.9% incidence). In the latter group, baseline factors predictive of subsequent kidney involvement were male sex [multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 4.31; 95% CI: 1.82, 10.2], age of SLE diagnosis below 26 years (aHR 3.71; 95% CI: 1.84, 7.48), high anti-dsDNA titre (aHR 2.48; 95% CI: 1.03, 5.97) and low C3 and/or C4 (although not statistically significant, aHR 2.24; 95% CI: 0.83, 6.05; P = 0.11). A combination of these factors at time of diagnosis conferred an almost 90-fold risk compared with serologically inactive, older, female patients (aHR 88.77; 95% CI: 18.75, 420.41), signifying a very high-risk group. Independent validation in the Crete Lupus registry showed concordant results with the original cohort.

Conclusion

Male sex, younger age and serological activity at SLE diagnosis are strongly associated with subsequent kidney involvement. Vigilant surveillance and consideration of early use of disease-modifying drugs is warranted in these subsets of patients.
Physical Activity, Sleep, and Risk of Late-Onset Severe Mental Illness: A Prospective Cohort Study From UK Biobank
Authors: Zheng Xiaowei , Jiang Minglan , Ren Xiao , Han Longyang , Yang Pinni , Jia Yiming , Sun Lulu , Wang Ruirui , Shi Mengyao , Zhu Zhengbao , Zhang Yonghong
Published: May 2024

Background and Hypothesis

Previous studies have found that both physical inactivity and poor sleep are deleteriously associated with severe mental illness (SMI). The aim of current study was to investigate the joint association of physical activity (PA) and sleep with late-onset SMI (schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) risk.

Study Design

A total of 340 187 (for schizophrenia)/340 239 (for bipolar disorder) participants without schizophrenia or bipolar disorder from the UK Biobank were included. Baseline PA levels were categorized as high, intermediate, and low according to the total volume of PA. Sleep was categorized into healthy, intermediate, and poor according to an established composited sleep score of chronotype, sleep duration, insomnia, snoring, and daytime sleepiness. We derived 9 PA—sleep combinations, accordingly.

Study Results

After an average follow-up of 13.2 years, 814 participants experienced schizophrenia and 846 participants experienced bipolar disorder. Both low PA level, intermediate, and poor sleep were independently associated with increased risk of SMI. PA level and sleep had additive and multiplicative interactions on SMI risk. Compared to those with high PA level and healthy sleep, individuals with low PA and poor sleep had the highest risk of SMI (hazard ratio: 1.95; 95% CI: 1.02–3.70, P < .001) for schizophrenia; (hazard ratio: 3.81; 95% CI: 2.35–6.15) for bipolar disorder. A higher PA level may attenuate the detrimental effects of poor sleep.

Conclusion

Both low PA and poor sleep was associated with increasing risk of late-onset SMI. Those with low PA and poor sleep had the highest risk of late-onset SMI, suggesting likely synergistic effects. Our findings supported the need to target both PA and sleep behaviors in research and clinical practice.
Legislating Against Misinformation: Lessons from Australia’s Misinformation Bill
Authors: Humphery-Jenner Mark
Published: May 2024

Misinformation is decried in today’s discourse. Governments have been tempted to attempt to restrict or outlaw it. This may not be possible where there are Constitutional protections for free speech. However, many countries lack rigorous protections. Australia shows us an approach where there are limited protections. It is a cautionary tale, exacerbating ‘agency conflicts’ both at the political and regulatory level and at the corporate level. The Australian government has attempted to curtail ‘misinformation’ and ‘disinformation’ through the proposed ‘Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2023’. But, in so doing, the proposed bill casts a wide net, has unintended consequences, and unnecessarily chills free speech and intellectual inquiry. Ironically, the Bill also exempts the government’s own communications from attempts to curtail misinformation. The Bill would also incentivize corporate overreach by penalizing firms for inadvertently allowing ‘misinformation’, but not penalizing them for suppressing true information. The corporate governance literature gives additional insights into the value destruction that such a Bill could cause. The Bill’s failures provide lessons for any government that seeks to legislate against misinformation.
Microplastic presence in dog and human testis and its potential association with sperm count and weights of testis and epididymis
Authors: Hu Chelin Jamie , Garcia Marcus A , Nihart Alexander , Liu Rui , Yin Lei , Adolphi Natalie , Gallego Daniel F , Kang Huining , Campen Matthew J , Yu Xiaozhong
Published: May 2024

The ubiquitous existence of microplastics and nanoplastics raises concerns about their potential impact on the human reproductive system. Limited data exists on microplastics within the human reproductive system and their potential consequences on sperm quality. Our objectives were to quantify and characterize the prevalence and composition of microplastics within both canine and human testes and investigate potential associations with the sperm count, and weights of testis and epididymis. Using advanced sensitive pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, we quantified 12 types of microplastics within 47 canine and 23 human testes. Data on reproductive organ weights, and sperm count in dogs were collected. Statistical analyses, including descriptive analysis, correlational analysis, and multivariate linear regression analyses were applied to investigate the association of microplastics with reproductive functions. Our study revealed the presence of microplastics in all canine and human testes, with significant inter-individual variability. Mean total microplastic levels were 122.63 µg/g in dogs and 328.44 µg/g in humans. Both humans and canines exhibit relatively similar proportions of the major polymer types, with PE being dominant. Furthermore, a negative correlation between specific polymers such as PVC and PET and the normalized weight of the testis was observed. These findings highlight the pervasive presence of microplastics in the male reproductive system in both canine and human testes, with potential consequences on male fertility.
Development of a qPCR and a Lamp Assay for Verticillium longisporum Detection and a Triplex qPCR Assay for Simultaneous Detection of V. longisporum, Leptosphaeria biglobosa, and L. maculans from Canola Samples
Authors: Fu Heting , Yang Yalong , Jiang Junye , Daniels Greg C. , Hill Blake , Xue Shiming , Zahr Kher , Stellar L. , Harding Michael W. , Feindel David , Bvindi Carol , Fernando W. G. Dilantha , Wang Lipu , Feng Jie
Published: May 2024

Verticillium wilt, Verticillium stem striping, and Verticillium stripe are common disease names that all denote infection caused by Verticillium longisporum on canola or other brassica crops. In this study, a quantitative PCR (qPCR) and a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay were developed for the detection of V. longisporum from canola stem samples. Both assays are specific to V. longisporum at the species level and ubiquitous at the strain level across all whole-genome sequenced strains. The low limit for positive detection of the two assays is 1 pg fungal DNA in a 20-µl reaction or 700 fungal cells in 100-mg plant tissue. The qPCR assay was combined with the duplex qPCR assay for the two blackleg pathogens, Leptosphaeria biglobosa and L. maculans, to constitute a triplex qPCR system for simultaneous detection of all three pathogens. The usefulness of this triplex qPCR system was verified on canola samples collected from various locations in Alberta, Canada. Using this triplex qPCR system, V. longisporum was detected from one sample, while the two blackleg pathogens were detected at higher frequencies. Since it is sometimes difficult to differentiate Verticillium stripe and blackleg on Alberta canola samples based on visual symptoms, the triplex qPCR system is an important tool for the detection of V. longisporum, especially when its presence is masked or obscured by symptoms of blackleg.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Lactobacillus casei‐fermented Amomum xanthioides ameliorates metabolic dysfunction in high‐fat diet‐induced obese mice
Authors: Wang Jing‐Hua , Hwang Seung‐Ju , Choi Yu‐Jin , Woo Tae‐Wook , Son Chang‐Gue
Published: May 2024

Amomum xanthioides (AX) has been used as an edible herbal medicine to treat digestive system disorders in Asia. Additionally, Lactobacillus casei is a well‐known probiotic commonly used in fermentation processes as a starter. The current study aimed to investigate the potential of Lactobacillus casei‐fermented Amomum xanthioides (LAX) in alleviating metabolic disorders induced by high‐fat diet (HFD) in a mouse model. LAX significantly reduced the body and fat weight, outperforming AX, yet without suppressing appetite. LAX also markedly ameliorated excessive lipid accumulation and reduced inflammatory cytokine (IL‐6) levels in serum superior to AX in association with UCP1 activation and adiponectin elevation. Furthermore, LAX noticeably improved the levels of fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, and HOMA‐IR through positive regulation of glucose transporters (GLUT2, GLUT4), and insulin receptor gene expression. In conclusion, the fermentation of AX demonstrates a pronounced mitigation of overnutrition‐induced metabolic dysfunction, including hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and obesity, compared to non‐fermented AX. Consequently, we proposed that the fermentation of AX holds promise as a potential candidate for effectively ameliorating metabolic disorders.
Hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy
Authors: Đorđević Dragan B. , Koračević Goran P. , Đorđević Aleksandar D. , Lović Dragan B.
Published: May 2024

In the initial stage, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is adaptive, but in time, it transforms to maladaptive LVH which is specific for the development of various phenotypes that cause heart failure, initially with preserved, but later with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. Pathophysiological mechanisms, which are characteristic for remodeling procedure, are numerous and extremely complex, and should be subjected to further research with the aim of making a comprehensive overview of hypertensive heart disease (HHD) and discovering new options for preventing and treating HHD. The contemporary methods, such as cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and computed tomography (CT) provide very accurate morphological and functional information on HHD. The objective of this review article is to summarize the available scientific information in terms of prevalence, pathophysiology, diagnostics, prevention, contemporary therapeutic options, as well as to present potential therapeutic solutions based on the research of pathological mechanisms which are at the core of HHD.
Support Needs for Return to Work Among Self-employed Workers
Authors: de Wit Mariska , Montanus Alexandra , Bosma Astrid , Juurlink Trees
Published: May 2024

Objective

The aim of this study is to gain insight into the facilitators, barriers, and support needs of Dutch self-employed workers when returning to work (RTW) after sick leave.

Methods

Three focus groups were conducted, involving 15 Dutch self-employed workers who were on sick leave due to health problems. The transcripts were analyzed through thematic content analysis.

Results

Five main themes regarding barriers, facilitators, and needs of self-employed workers to RTW were identified: autonomy, social support, client management, financial security, and information on sick leave. Having autonomy was considered a facilitator for RTW. However, the participants expressed a need for more financial support, additional guidance from occupational health professionals, and tailored information regarding RTW.

Conclusions

The results of this study emphasize a need for optimizing national policy and support for self-employed workers regarding sick leave and RTW.
New Born Screening of Hemoglobinopathies in a Center Tunisian Population
Authors: Chaouch Leila , Moumni Imen , Ben Abdallah Jihene , Bouchahda Rim , Methlouthi Jihene , Mahdhaoui Nabiha , Matamri Wided , Braham Najia , Bouguila Fatma , Mejri Lina , Charefeddine Bassem , Chaieb Anouar , Khairi Hedi , Menif Samia
Published: May 2024

Sickle cell diseases, β-thalassemia, and other hemoglobinopathies are common in Africa. Their distribution differs from one region to another. There are higher frequencies in Western and Northern Africa. Their clinical complications presented a real public health problem in each country. For this, early treatment can improve the severity of these diseases. Hemoglobinopathies targeted by screening are associated with SCD, β, and α thalassemia. Our study aim is to report our experience with newborn screening for hemoglobinopathy in Tunis. The 156 newborn’s cord blood was collected at the time of childbirth in the center region (Farhat Hached Hôspital). We opted for hemoglobin exploration to achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness in screening. After that, all patients suspected to have hemoglobinopathies are affected by molecular investigation. Our findings showed the presence of some hemoglobinopathies such as β-thalassemia and α-thalassemia with the following frequencies: 12% and 0.33%. The molecular results show the presence of HBB: c.93-21G>A, IVS-I-110G>A, HBBc. –106G>A –56G>C, HBBc.404T>C, Hb Yaounde described for the first time in Tunisia and α 3,7. In conclusion, newborn screening diagnoses neonates with different examples of hemoglobinopathies, which will be beneficial not only for the care of the child but also for genetic counseling of the potential risk’s parents.
From diagnosis to management: current perspectives on congenital cytomegalovirus infection
Authors: Buchfellner Markus , Ross Shannon
Published: May 2024

Purpose of review

Congenital CMV (cCMV) infection is the most common infection of newborns and a leading cause of hearing loss and other neurologic disabilities in children. This review focuses on the diagnosis, presentation and management of cCMV infection.

Recent findings

Cytomegalovirus is one of the leading causes of sensorineural hearing loss in children. It also leads to neurodevelopmental disabilities and learning problems throughout childhood in both symptomatic and asymptomatic newborns. Urine and saliva PCR testing are the preferred methods of testing newborn infants for cCMV. In recent years, newborn-targeted and universal screening programs have been implemented in several states and major medical centers with the goal of identifying infected infants at risk for hearing loss. Treatment for infants diagnosed with cCMV infection should be limited to those who are moderately to severely symptomatic at birth with cCMV infection, though treatment may be beneficial for children who are asymptomatic with isolated sensorineural hearing loss.

As more children with cCMV are being identified through newborn screening, understanding the clinical presentation and sequelae is important for appropriate management of children with cCMV.
MR Safety of Inductively Coupled and Conventional Intraoral Coils
Authors: Tesfai Agazi Samuel , Reiss Simon , Lottner Thomas , Bock Michael , Özen Ali Caglar
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Intraoral coils (IOCs) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) significantly improve the signal-to-noise ratio compared with conventional extraoral coils. To assess the safety of IOCs, we propose a 2-step procedure to evaluate radiofrequency-induced heating of IOCs and compare maximum temperature increases in 3 different types of IOCs.

Methods

The 2-step safety assessment consists of electric field measurements and simulations to identify local hotspots followed by temperature measurements during MRI. With this method, 3 different coil types (inductively coupled IFC, transmit/receive tLoop, and receive-only tLoopRx) were tested at 1.5 T and 3 T for both tuned and detuned coil states. High SAR and regular MRI protocols were applied for 2 coil positions.

Results

The measured E field maps display distinct hotspots for all tuned IOCs, which were reduced by at least 40-fold when the IOCs were detuned. Maximum temperature rise was higher when the coils were positioned at the periphery of the phantom with the coil planes parallel to B0. When neither active nor passive detuning was applied, maximum temperature increase of ΔT = 1.3/0.5/1.8 K was found for IFC/tLoop/tLoopRx coils. Hotspots detected by E field measurements, and simulations were consistent. In the simulations, the results were different for homogeneous phantoms compared with full anatomical models. The 2-step test procedure is applicable to different coil types.

Conclusions

The results indicate that a risk for radiofrequency-induced heating exists for tuned IOCs, so that adequate detuning circuits need to be integrated in the coils to ensure safe operation.