bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of linezolid-resistant organisms among patients admitted to a tertiary hospital for critical care or dialysis
Authors: Dembicka Kornelia Maria , Powell James , O’Connell Nuala H. , Hennessy Noreen , Brennan Grainne , Dunne Colum P.
Published: September 2021

Background

Linezolid is an oxazolidinone antimicrobial regarded as a “last resort” antimicrobial, used typically for treatment of Gram-positive bacterial infections. It is acknowledged that prevalence of resistance to linezolid is increasing in Europe. In Ireland, a number of outbreaks of linezolid-resistant isolates have been reported, including an outbreak at the location for this study, the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of University Hospital Limerick (UHL).

Methods

The Chromagar™ Lin-R selective medium was validated using a panel of linezolid-sensitive and linezolid-resistant strains. Subsequently, the prevalence exercise focused on a convenience sample of patients (n = 159) in critical care wards, ICU (n = 23) and High-Dependency Unit (HDU, n = 51), in addition to patients undergoing dialysis therapy (n = 77). Eight additional patients had specimens collected when attending more than one location. Growth on Chromagar™ Lin-R agar was followed by drug sensitivity testing by disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing.

Results

A validation exercise was performed on 23 isolates: seven target and sixteen non-target organisms. Isolates performed as intended (100% sensitivity, 100% specificity). For the prevalence study, of 398 tests, 40 resulted in growth of non-target organisms (specificity approx. 90%). A sole patient (1/159) was identified as colonized by a linezolid-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis, a prevalence of 0.63%. Molecular investigation confirmed presence of the G2576T mutation in the 23S rRNA.

Conclusion

While this point prevalence study identified extremely low carriage of linezolid-resistant bacteria, it remains prudent to maintain vigilance as reports of outbreaks associated with linezolid-resistant S. epidermidis (LRSE) in European critical care units are increasing.
Current strategies of mechanical stimulation for maturation of cardiac microtissues
Authors: Carlos-Oliveira Maria , Lozano-Juan Ferran , Occhetta Paola , Visone Roberta , Rasponi Marco
Published: September 2021

The most advanced in vitro cardiac models are today based on the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs); however, the maturation of cardiomyocytes (CMs) has not yet been fully achieved. Therefore, there is a rising need to move towards models capable of promoting an adult-like cardiomyocytes phenotype. Many strategies have been applied such as co-culture of cardiomyocytes, with fibroblasts and endothelial cells, or conditioning them through biochemical factors and physical stimulations. Here, we focus on mechanical stimulation as it aims to mimic the different mechanical forces that heart receives during its development and the post-natal period. We describe the current strategies and the mechanical properties necessary to promote a positive response in cardiac tissues from different cell sources, distinguishing between passive stimulation, which includes stiffness, topography and static stress and active stimulation, encompassing cyclic strain, compression or perfusion. We also highlight how mechanical stimulation is applied in disease modelling.
Lifestyle Adjustments in Long-COVID Management: Potential Benefits of Plant-Based Diets
Authors: Storz Maximilian Andreas
Published: September 2021

Purpose of Review

The SARS-CoV-2-pandemic has caused mortality and morbidity at an unprecedented global scale. Many patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 continue to experience symptoms after the acute phase of infection and report fatigue, sleep difficulties, anxiety, and depression as well as arthralgia and muscle weakness. Summarized under the umbrella term “long-COVID,” these symptoms may last weeks to months and impose a substantial burden on affected individuals. Dietary approaches to tackle these complications have received comparably little attention. Although plant-based diets in particular were shown to exert benefits on underlying conditions linked to poor COVID-19 outcomes, their role with regard to COVID-19 sequelae is yet largely unknown. Thus, this review sought to investigate whether a plant-based diet could reduce the burden of long-COVID.

Recent Findings

The number of clinical trials investigating the role of plant-based nutrition in COVID-19 prevention and management is currently limited. Yet, there is evidence from pre-pandemic observational and clinical studies that a plant-based diet may be of general benefit with regard to several clinical conditions that can also be found in individuals with COVID-19. These include anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and musculoskeletal pain. Adoption of a plant-based diet leads to a reduced intake in pro-inflammatory mediators and could be one accessible strategy to tackle long-COVID associated prolonged systemic inflammation.

Summary

Plant-based diets may be of general benefit with regard to some of the most commonly found COVID-19 sequelae. Additional trials investigating which plant-based eating patterns confer the greatest benefit in the battle against long-COVID are urgently warranted.
Advancing the science of health professions education through a shared understanding of terminology: a content analysis of terms for “faculty”
Authors: Teunissen Pim W. , Atherley Anique , Cleland Jennifer J. , Holmboe Eric , Hu Wendy C. Y. , Durning Steven J. , Nishigori Hiroshi , Samarasekera Dujeepa D. , Schuwirth Lambert , Van Schalkwyk Susan , Maggio Lauren A.
Published: September 2021

Introduction Health professions educators risk misunderstandings where terms and concepts are not clearly defined, hampering the field’s progress. This risk is especially pronounced with ambiguity in describing roles. This study explores the variety of terms used by researchers and educators to describe “faculty”, with the aim to facilitate definitional clarity, and create a shared terminology and approach to describing this term.

Methods The authors analyzed journal article abstracts to identify the specific words and phrases used to describe individuals or groups of people referred to as faculty. To identify abstracts, PubMed articles indexed with the Medical Subject Heading “faculty” published between 2007 and 2017 were retrieved. Authors iteratively extracted data and used content analysis to identify patterns and themes.

Results A total of 5,436 citations were retrieved, of which 3,354 were deemed eligible. Based on a sample of 594 abstracts (17.7%), we found 279 unique terms. The most commonly used terms accounted for approximately one-third of the sample and included faculty or faculty member/s (n = 252; 26.4%); teacher/s (n = 59; 6.2%) and medical educator/s (n = 26; 2.7%) were also well represented. Content analysis highlighted that the different descriptors authors used referred to four role types: healthcare (e.g., doctor, physician), education (e.g., educator, teacher), academia (e.g., professor), and/or relationship to the learner (e.g., mentor).

Discussion Faculty are described using a wide variety of terms, which can be linked to four role descriptions.
Building trust in rural producer organizations: results from a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Bernard Tanguy , Dänzer Pia Naima , Frölich Markus , Landmann Andreas , Viceisza Angelino , Wouterse Fleur
Published: September 2021

Trust is considered an important factor for successful collective action in groups of smallholder farmers. A prime example is collective commercialization of agricultural produce through producer organizations. While previous research has focused on trust as an exogenous determinant of participation in groups, this article tests whether trust within existing groups can be improved using a training program. We conduct a cluster-randomized controlled trial in rural Senegal to identify the effects of training members and/or leaders with respect to commercialization on intragroup trust. Our design allows identifying both direct treatment effects of having participated in the training and spillover effects on farmers who did not partake. Looking at different measures of trust in leaders’ competence and motives and of trust in members, we find that participating in the training significantly enhances both trust in leaders and trust in members. For trust in leaders, we also find a strong spillover effect. Our findings suggest that relatively soft and noncostly interventions such as group training appear to positively affect trust within producer organizations.
Introduction: Rethinking the American Renaissance
Authors: Joyce H. Horatio
Published: September 2021

This introduction to the special collection begins with a historiographical overview of the American Renaissance. Here we will see how both popular perception and academic study of the subject have been affected by wider forces, including the advent of modernism, the emergence of the preservation movement and the increased attention given to social inequalities in public discourse today. This is the context in which the articles in the collection are situated and introduced. The final section considers aspects of the subject requiring further work, in particular the American Renaissance as a transnational phenomenon linked to the notion of the ‘Angloworld’.
Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) predicts length of hospital stay in lung adenocarcinoma patients
Authors: Lang Jilu , Shao Yanan , Liao Jiehao , Chen Jia , Zhou Xuewen , Deng Rong , Wang Wei-Jan , Sun Xian
Published: September 2021

The prevalence of malnutrition is high among oncology patients in Northern China. Malnutrition is related to the longer hospital stay, and it can be used to predict the prognostic outcome of patients. This work focused on investigating the relationship of nutritional condition with the length of hospital stay (LOS) in Northern Chinese patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). The Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS 2002) score, recent weight loss and BMI were assessed in a probabilistic sample of 389 LUAD patients without epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. This study collected the demographic and clinical features of patients in a prospective manner. Then, we examined the association of nutritional status with LOS among the population developing LUAD. According to the PG-SGA, 63 (16·3 %), 174 (44·7 %) and 78 (20·1 %) patients were at risk for undernutrition, moderate undernutrition and severe undernutrition, respectively. Nutritional risk was found in 141 (36·2 %) patients based on the NRS 2002. The average LOS for tumour patients in Northern China was 12·5 d. At admission, a risk of undernutrition or undernutrition according to the PG-SGA (P < 0·001), NRS 2002 (P < 0·001) and latest weight loss (P < 0·001) predicted the longer LOS. LOS was related to nutritional status and hospitalisation expenses (P < 0·001). LUAD patients who stayed in the ICU had a poorer nutritional status and a longer LOS (P < 0·001). In Northern Chinese patients with LUAD, a risk for undernutrition evaluated by the PG-SGA, the NRS 2002 and recent weight loss, but not BMI, could predict a longer LOS.
COVID-19 and the Violation of the Right to Basic Education of Learners with Disabilities in South Africa: An Examination of Centre for Child Law v Minister of Basic Education
Authors: Kamga Serges Djoyou
Published: September 2021

This article explores the extent to which the right to basic education of learners with disabilities in South Africa was guaranteed during the COVID-19 pandemic. It uses the Centre for Child Law v Minister of Basic Education (Centre for Child Law) as the main canvas for discussion. It argues that, notwithstanding its normative compliance with the international regime of the right to an inclusive basic education, the government has failed learners with disabilities during COVID-19. An examination of Centre for Child Law reveals that, not only did the government's directions for the phased return to school exclude learners with disabilities, they also required the closure of special schools where compliance with social distancing rules was impossible. This violated the right to inclusive education and substantive equality of learners with disabilities and highlighted the need to advance these rights through reasonable accommodation initiatives.
Fontan operation for tricuspid atresia with absent pulmonary valve: a case series
Authors: Hasegawa Moyu , Iwai Shigemitsu , Kugo Yosuke
Published: September 2021

Combined tricuspid atresia and absent pulmonary valve with dysplasia of the right ventricular myocardium is a very rare congenital heart anomaly with a poor prognosis. We present three cases of this rare disease that reached the Fontan operation without prior surgical intervention of the right ventricle or pulmonary artery; no right ventriclar dilation was detected. All patients had uneventful post-operative courses.
Which patients with bipolar depression receive antidepressant augmentation? Results from an observational multicenter study
Authors: Musetti Laura , Tundo Antonio , Cambiali Erika , Del Grande Claudia , De Filippis Rocco , Franceschini Caterina , Proietti Luca , Betrò Sophia , Marazziti Donatella , Dell’Osso Liliana
Published: September 2021

Background

To identify demographic and clinical characteristics of bipolar depressed patients who require antidepressant (AD) augmentation, and to evaluate the short- and long-term effectiveness and safety of this therapeutic strategy.

Methods

One hundred twenty-two bipolar depressed patients were consecutively recruited, 71.7% of them received mood stabilizers (MS)/second-generation antipsychotics (SGA) with AD-augmentation and 28.3% did not. Patients were evaluated at baseline, and after 12 weeks and 15 months of treatment.

Results

The AD-augmentation was significantly higher in patients with bipolar II compared with bipolar I diagnosis. Patients with MS/SGA + AD had often a seasonal pattern, depressive polarity onset, depressive index episode with anxious features, a low number of previous psychotic and (hypo)manic episodes and of switch. They had a low irritable premorbid temperament, a low risk of suicide attempts, and a low number of manic symptoms at baseline. After 12 weeks of treatment, 82% of patients receiving ADs improved, 58% responded and 51% remitted, 3.8% had suicidal thoughts or projects, 6.1% had (hypo)manic switch, and 4.1% needed hospitalization. During the following 12 months, 92% of them remitted from index episode, 25.5% did not relapse, and 11% needed hospitalization. Although at the start advantaged, patients with AD-augmentation, compared with those without AD-augmentation, did not significantly differ on any outcome as well on adverse events in the short- and long-term treatment.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that ADs, combined with MS and/or SGA, are short and long term effective and safe in a specific subgroup for bipolar depressed patients.
On the Elusive Moderators of Affective Organizational Commitment
Authors: Vandenberghe Christian
Published: September 2021

Departing from a universal perspective on affective organizational commitment, the present article examines the situational and personal variables that act as potential moderators of the relationship between affective commitment and its antecedents and outcomes. Based on emerging evidence and theory, it is argued that the relationship between extrinsic and intrinsic rewards and other job experiences and affective commitment is stronger when employees exert an influence over rewards and job experiences. This can be achieved when the organization offers opportunities for such influence or when employees’ traits help them earn expected rewards. Similarly, theory and empirical evidence suggest that the relationship between affective commitment and work outcomes is subject to moderating influences. For example, affective commitment may foster employee retention when more career opportunities are available, making one’s belongingness to the organization more attractive. Such career opportunities may result from the organization’s action or from individuals’ own proactivity to obtain them. Likewise, the relationship between affective commitment and work performance is likely stronger when supervisors’ leadership helps employees engage in those behaviors that are rewarded by the organization. Finally, we discuss avenues for future inquiry by identifying group-level and cultural variables as promising moderators that warrant attention.
Estimating and Forecasting Time‐Varying Groundwater Recharge in Fractured Rock: A State‐Space Formulation With Preferential and Diffuse Flow to the Water Table
Authors: Shapiro Allen M. , Day‐Lewis Frederick D.
Published: September 2021

Rapid infiltration following precipitation may result in groundwater contamination from surface contaminants or pathogens. In fractured rock, contaminants can migrate rapidly to points of groundwater withdrawals. In contrast to the temporal availability of groundwater quality chemical indicators, meteorological and groundwater level observations are available in real‐time to estimate time‐varying recharge, which can act as a surrogate to identify periods of rapid infiltration that may indicate contamination susceptibility. Estimating recharge using methods, such as base‐flow recession, unsaturated infiltration models, or water‐table fluctuations (WTF), cannot capitalize on currently available technologies and telecommunication infrastructure to conduct real‐time recharge estimation at scales relevant to characterizing rapid infiltration. We present a linear, physics‐based state‐space (SS) model of one‐dimensional infiltration to estimate recharge, which includes preferential and diffuse‐flow to the water table. The model can take advantage of real‐time data for water‐table altitude, precipitation, and evapotranspiration. Model parameters are calibrated over an observation period, and the Kalman Filter (KF) is subsequently applied to continuously update the observed (water‐table altitude) and unobserved (groundwater recharge) system states and predict future states as new data become available. The SS/KF algorithm is demonstrated at the Masser Groundwater Recharge Site in Pennsylvania, USA and comparisons are made with recharge estimates from WTF methods. Model results indicate that the frequency of observations (daily vs. sub‐daily) dictates the allocation between preferential and diffuse flow. Additionally, because infiltration processes encompass many nonlinearities, model parameters estimated from observation periods need to be updated at least seasonally to account for changing recharge conditions.
Tropical Climate Change Is a Puzzle—Could Aerosols Be a Piece?
Authors: Chapman Andrew
Published: September 2021

The eastern tropical Pacific Ocean hasn’t warmed as much as climate change models projected. A new study shows that aerosols in the atmosphere could be responsible.
Papanin Ridge and Ojin Rise Seamounts (Northwest Pacific): Dual Hotspot Tracks Formed by the Shatsky Plume
Authors: Dürkefälden Antje , Geldmacher Jörg , Portnyagin Maxim , Garbe‐Schönberg Dieter , Werner Reinhard , Müller Dietmar , Hauff Folkmar , Hoernle Kaj
Published: September 2021

Although previous findings support an origin of the Shatsky Rise igneous plateau (Northwest Pacific) through interaction of a mantle plume with a mid‐ocean ridge triple junction, the evidence for the involvement of a mantle plume is equivocal. The identification of an intraplate hotspot track emanating from the plateau could solve this controversy. Here we present major and trace element geochemical data from two different bathymetric features that emanate from the youngest end of Shatsky Rise: Papanin Ridge and the Ojin Rise Seamount province. Combining our results with plate tectonic reconstructions, we conclude that Papanin Ridge represents a hotspot track formed by plume‐ridge interaction. Whereas the southwestern part was formed along the path of the retreating Pacific‐Farallon‐Izanagi triple junction, the northeastern part was built by preferential drainage into its Pacific‐Farallon branch. In contrast, the Ojin Rise Seamounts formed as a true intraplate hotspot track of the Shatsky plume tail. Our wide‐ranging study reveals systematic spatial geochemical variations, consistent with a lithospheric thickness control on magma composition derived from melting a heterogeneous plume source. The recognition of two hotspot tracks and in particular of the Ojin Rise Seamounts as an intraplate hotspot track that is directly linked to Shatsky plateau volcanism both in terms of geochemistry and plate tectonic reconstructions confirms the long‐disputed involvement of a mantle plume for the formation of Shatsky Rise.
Astrophysical Explosions Revisited: Collisionless Coupling of Debris to Magnetized Plasma
Authors: Le Ari , Winske Dan , Stanier Adam , Daughton William , Cowee Misa , Wetherton Blake , Guo Fan
Published: September 2021

The coupling between a rapidly expanding cloud of ionized debris and an ambient magnetized plasma is revisited with a hybrid (kinetic ion/fluid electron) simulation code that allows a study over a wide range of plasma parameters. Over a specified range of hypothetical conditions, simple scaling laws in terms of the total debris mass and explosion speed are derived and verified for the maximal size of the debris cloud and the fraction of debris that free‐streams from the burst along the magnetic field. The amount of debris that escapes from the burst with minimal coupling to the background magnetic field increases with the debris gyroradius. Test cases with two different debris species—including a heavy minority species with a relatively large gyroradius—highlight how the collisionless coupling of the debris depends on the single particle trajectories as well as the overall conservation of energy and momentum.
Mantle Flow in the Vicinity of the Eastern Edge of the Pacific‐Yakutat Slab: Constraints From Shear Wave Splitting Analyses
Authors: Yang Yuchen , Gao Stephen S. , Liu Kelly H. , Kong Fansheng , Fu Xiaofei
Published: September 2021

To investigate the effects of a slab edge and varying slab geometry on the mantle flow systems beneath south central Alaska, a total of 971 pairs of teleseismic shear wave (SKS, SKKS, and PKS) and 65 pairs of local S wave splitting parameters (fast orientations and splitting times) are measured using data from the USArray and other networks. The Pacific‐Yakutat slab edge separates two regions with different characteristics of the splitting measurements. The area to the west of the slab edge has greater splitting times and mostly trench parallel fast orientations, and the area to the east is dominated by smaller splitting times and spatially varying fast orientations. The spatial distribution of the splitting parameters and results of anisotropy layering and depth analyses can be explained by a model involving three flow systems. The sub‐slab flow initially entraining with the shallow‐dipping Yakutat slab deflects to a trench‐parallel direction due to slab retreat and an increase in slab dip, and flows northeastward toward the slab edge, where it splits into two branches. The first branch enters the mantle wedge as a toroidal flow and flows southwestward along the slab, and the second branch continues approximately eastward. The flowlines of the toroidal and continued flow systems are approximately orthogonal to each other in the vicinity of the slab edge, producing the observed small splitting times and spatially varying fast orientations.
Circadian PERformance in breast cancer: a germline and somatic genetic study of PER3VNTR polymorphisms and gene co-expression
Authors: Fores-Martos Jaume , Cervera-Vidal Raimundo , Sierra-Roca Julia , Lozano-Asencio Carlos , Fedele Vita , Cornelissen Sten , Edvarsen Hege , Tadeo-Cervera Irene , Eroles Pilar , Lluch Ana , Tabares-Seisdedos Rafa , Falcó Antonio , Van’t Veer Laura J. , Schmidt Marjanka , Quigley David A. , Børresen-Dale Anne-Lise , Kristensen Vessela N. , Balmain Allan , Climent Joan
Published: September 2021

Polymorphisms in the PER3 gene have been associated with several human disease phenotypes, including sleep disorders and cancer. In particular, the long allele of a variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism has been previously linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. Here we carried out a combined germline and somatic genetic analysis of the role of the PER3VNRT polymorphism in breast cancer. The combined data from 8284 individuals showed a non-significant trend towards increased breast cancer risk in the 5-repeat allele homozygous carriers (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 0.97–1.42). We observed allelic imbalance at the PER3 locus in matched blood and tumor DNA samples, showing a significant retention of the long variant (risk) allele in tumor samples, and a preferential loss of the short repetition allele (p = 0.0005). Gene co-expression analysis in healthy and tumoral breast tissue samples uncovered significant associations between PER3 expression levels with those from genes which belong to several cancer-associated pathways. Finally, relapse-free survival (RFS) analysis showed that low expression levels of PER3 were linked to a significant lower RSF in luminal A (p = 3 × 10−12) but not in the rest of breast cancer subtypes.
A systematic review on exercise and training-based interventions for freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Gilat Moran , Ginis Pieter , Zoetewei Demi , De Vleeschhauwer Joni , Hulzinga Femke , D’Cruz Nicholas , Nieuwboer Alice
Published: September 2021

Freezing of gait (FOG) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) causes severe patient burden despite pharmacological management. Exercise and training are therefore advocated as important adjunct therapies. In this meta-analysis, we assess the existing evidence for such interventions to reduce FOG, and further examine which type of training helps the restoration of gait function in particular. The primary meta-analysis across 41 studies and 1838 patients revealed a favorable moderate effect size (ES = −0.37) of various training modalities for reducing subjective FOG-severity (p < 0.00001), though several interventions were not directly aimed at FOG and some included non-freezers. However, exercise and training also proved beneficial in a secondary analysis on freezers only (ES = −0.32,p = 0.007). We further revealed that dedicated training aimed at reducing FOG episodes (ES = −0.24) or ameliorating the underlying correlates of FOG (ES = −0.40) was moderately effective (p < 0.01), while generic exercises were not (ES = −0.14,p = 0.12). Relevantly, no retention effects were seen after cessation of training (ES = −0.08,p = 0.36). This review thereby supports the implementation of targeted training as a treatment for FOG with the need for long-term engagement.
Cacao powder supplementation attenuates oxidative stress, cholinergic impairment, and apoptosis in d-galactose-induced aging rat brain
Authors: Yoo Hyoeun , Kim Hyun-Sook
Published: September 2021

Aging, a critical risk factor of several diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders, affects an ever-growing number of people. Cacao supplementation has been suggested to improve age-related neuronal deficits. Therefore, this study investigated the protective effects of raw cacao powder on oxidative stress-induced aging. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups: Control (C), d-galactose-induced aging (G), d-galactose injection with 10% (LC), and 16% (HC) cacao powder mixed diet. d-galactose (300 mg/3 mL/kg) was intraperitoneally injected into all but the control group for 12 weeks. Cacao supplemented diets were provided for 8 weeks. The levels of serum Malondialdehyde (MDA), Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs), brain and liver MDA, the indicators of the d-galactose induced oxidative stress were significantly decreased in LC and HC but increased in G. The Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity of brain showed that the cholinergic impairment was significantly lower in LC, and HC than G. Furthermore, the expression levels of catalase (CAT), phospho-Akt/Akt, and procaspase-3 were significantly increased in LC and HC. In conclusion, cacao consumption attenuated the effects of oxidative stress, cholinergic impairment and apoptosis, indicating its potential in future clinical studies.
Molecular characterization and cell type composition deconvolution of fibrosis in NAFLD
Authors: Pantano Lorena , Agyapong George , Shen Yang , Zhuo Zhu , Fernandez-Albert Francesc , Rust Werner , Knebel Dagmar , Hill Jon , Boustany-Kari Carine M. , Doerner Julia F. , Rippmann Jörg F. , Chung Raymond T. , Ho Sui Shannan J. , Simon Eric , Corey Kathleen E.
Published: September 2021

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of liver disease worldwide. In adults with NAFLD, fibrosis can develop and progress to liver cirrhosis and liver failure. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of fibrosis progression are not fully understood. Using total RNA-Seq, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of NAFLD and fibrosis. We sequenced liver tissue from 143 adults across the full spectrum of fibrosis stage including those with stage 4 fibrosis (cirrhosis). We identified gene expression clusters that strongly correlate with fibrosis stage including four genes that have been found consistently across previously published transcriptomic studies on NASH i.e. COL1A2, EFEMP2, FBLN5 and THBS2. Using cell type deconvolution, we estimated the loss of hepatocytes versus gain of hepatic stellate cells, macrophages and cholangiocytes with advancing fibrosis stage. Hepatocyte-specific functional analysis indicated increase of pro-apoptotic pathways and markers of bipotent hepatocyte/cholangiocyte precursors. Regression modelling was used to derive predictors of fibrosis stage. This study elucidated molecular and cell composition changes associated with increasing fibrosis stage in NAFLD and defined informative gene signatures for the disease.
Effects of an external compared to an internal focus of attention on the excitability of fast and slow(er) motor pathways
Authors: Kuhn Yves-Alain , Keller Martin , Egger Sven , Taube Wolfgang
Published: September 2021

The neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the behavioural improvements usually associated with an external (EF) compared with an internal focus of attention (IF) remain poorly investigated. Surround inhibition in the primary cortex has been shown to be more pronounced with an EF, indicating a more spatial restriction of the motor command. However, the influence of different foci on the temporal aspect of the motor command, such as the modulation of fast versus slow(er) motor pathways, remains unknown and was therefore investigated in this study. Fourteen participants were asked to press on a pedal with the right foot to match its position with a target line displayed on a screen. The deviation of the pedal from the target line was used as a behavioural parameter and compared between both foci (EF vs IF). Additionally, conditioned H-reflexes were evoked during the motor task to assess the excitability of fast (direct) and slower (more indirect) motor pathways when adopting an EF or IF. With an EF compared to an IF, the motor performance was enhanced (P = .001; + 24%) and the activation of slow(er) motor pathways was reduced (P < 0.001, − 11.73%). These findings demonstrate for the first time that using different attentional strategies (EF and IF) has an influence on the excitability of slow(er) motor pathways. Together with the increased intracortical inhibition and surround inhibition known from previous studies, the diminished activation in the slow(er) motor pathways further explains why using an EF is a more economic strategy.
Investigations on annual spreading of viruses infecting cucurbit crops in Uttar Pradesh State, India
Authors: Kumari Shweta , Krishnan Nagendran , Dubey Vikas , Das Bappa , Pandey Koshlendra Kumar , Singh Jagdish
Published: September 2021

During 2018 an intensive study was conducted to determine the viruses associated with cucurbitaceous crops in nine agroclimatic zones of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Total of 563 samples collected and analysed across 14 different cucurbitaceous crops. The results showed the dominance of Begomovirus (93%) followed by Potyvirus (46%), cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV-39%), Polerovirus (9%), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV-2%) and Orthotospovirus (2%). Nearly 65% of samples were co-infected with more than one virus. Additionally, host range expansion of CMV, CGMMV and polerovirus was also observed on cucurbit crops. A new potyvirus species, zucchini tigre mosaic virus, earlier not documented from India has also been identified on five crops during the study. Risk map generated using ArcGIS for virus disease incidence predicted the virus severity in unexplored areas. The distribution pattern of different cucurbit viruses throughout Uttar Pradesh will help identify the hot spots for viruses and will facilitate to devise efficient and eco-friendly integrated management strategies for the mitigation of viruses infecting cucurbit crops. Molecular diversity and evolutionary relationship of the virus isolates infecting cucurbits in Uttar Pradesh with previously reported strains were understood from the phylogenetic analysis. Diverse virus infections observed in the Eastern Plain zone, Central zone and North-Eastern Plain zone indicate an alarming situation for the cultivation of cucurbits in the foreseeable future.
The fatty degeneration of the lumbar erector spinae muscles affects dynamic spinal compensation ability during gait in adult spinal deformity
Authors: Miura Kousei , Kadone Hideki , Asada Tomoyuki , Koda Masao , Funayama Toru , Takahashi Hiroshi , Noguchi Hiroshi , Mataki Kentaro , Shibao Yosuke , Sato Kosuke , Eto Fumihiko , Kono Mamoru , Suzuki Kenji , Yamazaki Masashi
Published: September 2021

This study aimed to investigate whether fat infiltration in lumbar paravertebral muscles assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could be related to dynamic sagittal spino-pelvic balance during gait in adult spinal deformity (ASD). This is a retrospective analysis of 28 patients with ASD. The fat infiltration rate of lumbar erector spinae muscles, multifidus muscles and psoas major muscles was measured by T2 weighted axial MRI at L1-2 and L4-5. Dynamic sagittal spinal and pelvic angles during gait were evaluated using 3D motion analysis. The correlation between fat infiltration rate of those muscles with variations in dynamic kinematic variables while walking and static radiological parameters was analyzed. Spinal kyphosis and pelvic anteversion significantly increased during gait. Fat infiltration rate of erector spinae muscles at L1-2 was positively correlated with thoracic kyphosis (r = 0.392, p = 0.039) and pelvic tilt (r = 0.415, p = 0.028). Increase of spinal kyphosis during walking was positively correlated with fat infiltration rate of erector spinae muscles both at L1-2 (r = 0.394, p = 0.038) and L4-5 (r = 0.428, p = 0.023). Qualitative evaluation of lumbar erector spinae muscles assessed by fat infiltration rate has the potential to reflect dynamic spino-pelvic balance during gait.
Determination and benchmarking of 27Al(d,α) and 27Al(d,p) reaction cross sections for energies and angles relevant to NRA
Authors: Salimi M. , Kakuee O. , Masoudi S. F. , Rafi-kheiri H. , Briand E. , Ganem J.-J. , Vickridge I.
Published: September 2021

The cross-sections of deuteron-induced nuclear reactions suitable for ion beam analysis, measured in different laboratories, are often significantly different. In the present work, differential cross-sections of 27Al(d,p) and 27Al(d,α) reactions were measured, and the cross sections benchmarked with thick target spectra obtained from pure aluminium for the first time in two independent laboratories. The 27Al(d,p) and (d,α) differential cross-sections were measured between 1.4 and 2 MeV at scattering angles of 165°, 150°, and 135° in the VDGT laboratory in Tehran (Iran), and the same measurements for detector angle of 150° were repeated from scratch, including target making, with independent equipment on the SAFIR platform at INSP in Paris (France). The results of these two measurements at 150° are in good agreement, and for the first time a fitted function is proposed to describe the Al-cross sections for which no suitable theoretical expression exists. The obtained differential cross-sections were validated through benchmarking, by fitting with SIMNRA deuteron-induced particle spectra obtained from a high purity bulk Al target at both labs for deuteron incident energies between 1.6 and 2 MeV. The thick target spectra are well-reproduced. The evaluated and benchmarked cross sections have been uploaded to the ion beam analysis nuclear data library database (www-nds.iaea.org/ibandl/).
The impact of CASR A990G polymorphism in response to cinacalcet treatment in hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Ngamkam Jaruwan , Vadcharavivad Somratai , Areepium Nutthada , Auamnoy Titinun , Takkavatakarn Kullaya , Katavetin Pisut , Tiranathanagul Khajohn , Praditpornsilpa Kearkiat , Eiam-Ong Somchai , Susantitaphong Paweena
Published: September 2021

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of calcium sensing receptor (CASR) A990G genetic polymorphism on parathyroid hormone (PTH) lowering response to cinacalcet treatment when controlling for significant influencing clinical factors. This retrospective study was conducted on 135 Thai hemodialysis (HD) patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). CASR A990G genotypes were determined. The patients were identified as either G carriers (heterozygous or homozygous CASR 990G allele carriers) or noncarriers (homozygous CASR 990A carriers). Tested covariates were baseline PTH level (bPTH), baseline serum phosphate (bPhos), baseline serum calcium (bCa), baseline calcitriol equivalent dose (bCtriol), baseline ergocalciferol dose (bErgo), and age. The ANCOVA showed that intact PTH levels after 12 weeks of cinacalcet treatment (PTHw12) was significantly lower among G carriers compared with noncarriers after controlling for bPTH, bPhos, bCtriol, and bErgo (F(1, 127) = 15.472, p < 0.001), with the adjusted mean difference of 253.7 pg/mL. The logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds of a G carrier achieving 30% PTH reduction after 12-week cinacalcet treatment were 3.968 times greater than the odds for a noncarrier after adjusting for bPhos, bCtriol, and age. In conclusion, the CASR A990G polymorphism significantly influences cinacalcet response in HD patients with SHPT.
Making assembly line in supply chain robust and secure using UHF RFID
Authors: Sharif Abubakar , Kumar Rajesh , Ouyang Jun , Abbas Hasan T. , Alomainy Akram , Arshad Kamran , Assaleh Khaled , Althuwayb Ayman , Imran Muhammad Ali , Abbasi Qammer H.
Published: September 2021

This paper presents a block-chain enabled inkjet-printed ultrahigh frequency radiofrequency identification (UHF RFID) system for the supply chain management, traceability and authentication of hard to tag bottled consumer products containing fluids such as water, oil, juice, and wine. In this context, we propose a novel low-cost, compact inkjet-printed UHF RFID tag antenna design for liquid bottles, with 2.5 m read range improvement over existing designs along with robust performance on different liquid bottle products. The tag antenna is based on a nested slot-based configuration that achieves good impedance matching around high permittivity surfaces. The tag was designed and optimized using the characteristic mode analysis. Moreover, the proposed RFID tag was commercially tested for tagging and billing of liquid bottle products in a conveyer belt and smart refrigerator for automatic billing applications. With the help of block-chain based product tracking and a mobile application, we demonstrate a real-time, secure and smart supply chain process in which items can be monitored using the proposed RFID technology. We believe the standalone system presented in this paper can be deployed to create smart contracts that benefit both the suppliers and consumers through the development of trust. Furthermore, the proposed system will paves the way towards authentic and contact-less delivery of food, drinks and medicine in recent Corona virus pandemic.
Development and validation of a novel risk assessment model to estimate the probability of pulmonary embolism in postoperative patients
Authors: Wang Mao-feng , Li Fei-xiang , Feng Lan-fang , Zhu Chao-nan , Fang Shuang-yan , Su Cai-min , Yang Qiong-fang , Ji Qiao-ying , Li Wei-min
Published: September 2021

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a leading cause of mortality in postoperative patients. Numerous PE prevention clinical practice guidelines are available but not consistently implemented. This study aimed to develop and validate a novel risk assessment model to assess the risk of PE in postoperative patients. Patients who underwent Grade IV surgery between September 2012 and January 2020 (n = 26,536) at the Affiliated Dongyang Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University were enrolled in our study. PE was confirmed by an identified filling defect in the pulmonary artery system in CT pulmonary angiography. The PE incidence was evaluated before discharge. All preoperative data containing clinical and laboratory variables were extracted for each participant. A novel risk assessment model (RAM) for PE was developed with multivariate regression analysis. The discrimination ability of the RAM was evaluated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, and model calibration was assessed by the Hosmer–Lemeshow statistic. We included 53 clinical and laboratory variables in this study. Among them, 296 postoperative patients developed PE before discharge, and the incidence rate was 1.04%. The distribution of variables between the training group and the validation group was balanced. After using multivariate stepwise regression, only variable age (OR 1.070 [1.054–1.087], P < 0.001), drinking (OR 0.477 [0.304–0.749], P = 0.001), malignant tumor (OR 2.552 [1.745–3.731], P < 0.001), anticoagulant (OR 3.719 [2.281–6.062], P < 0.001), lymphocyte percentage (OR 2.773 [2.342–3.285], P < 0.001), neutrophil percentage (OR 10.703 [8.337–13.739], P < 0.001), red blood cell (OR 1.872 [1.384–2.532], P < 0.001), total bilirubin (OR 1.038 [1.012–1.064], P < 0.001), direct bilirubin (OR 0.850 [0.779–0.928], P < 0.001), prothrombin time (OR 0.768 [0.636–0.926], P < 0.001) and fibrinogen (OR 0.772 [0.651–0.915], P < 0.001) were selected and significantly associated with PE. The final model included four variables: neutrophil percentage, age, malignant tumor and lymphocyte percentage. The AUC of the model was 0.949 (95% CI 0.932–0.966). The risk prediction model still showed good calibration, with reasonable agreement between the observed and predicted PE outcomes in the validation set (AUC 0.958). The information on sensitivity, specificity and predictive values according to cutoff points of the score in the training set suggested a threshold of 0.012 as the optimal cutoff value to define high-risk individuals. We developed a new approach to select hazard factors for PE in postoperative patients. This tool provided a consistent, accurate, and effective method for risk assessment. This finding may help decision-makers weigh the risk of PE and appropriately select PE prevention strategies.
Carotid smooth muscle contractility changes after severe burn
Authors: DeSpain Kevin , Rosenfeld Charles R. , Huebinger Ryan , Wang Xiaofu , Jay Jayson W. , Radhakrishnan Ravi S. , Wolf Steven E. , Song Juquan
Published: September 2021

Severe burns result in cardiovascular dysfunction, but responses in the peripheral vasculature are unclear. We hypothesize that severe burns disturb arterial contractility through acute changes in adrenergic and cholinergic receptor function. To address this, we investigated the changes in carotid artery contractility and relaxation following a severe burn. Thirty-four adult Sprague–Dawley male rats received a 40% total body surface area (TBSA) scald burn and fluid resuscitation using the Parkland formula. Control animals received sham burn procedure. Animals were serially euthanized between 6 h and 14 days after burn and endothelium-intact common carotid arteries were used for ex vivo force/relaxation measurements. At 6 h after burn, carotid arteries from burned animals demonstrated a > 50% decrease in cumulative dose-responses to norepinephrine (p < 0.05) and to 10−7 M angiotensin II (p < 0.05). Notably, pre-constricted carotid arteries also demonstrated reduced relaxation responses to acetylcholine (p < 0.05) 6 h after burn, but not to sodium nitroprusside. Histologic examination of cross-sectional planes revealed significant increases in carotid artery wall thickness in burned rats at 6 h versus 3 days, with increased collagen expression in tunica media at 3 days (p < 0.05). Carotid artery dysfunction occurs within 6 h after severe burn, demonstrating decreased sensitivity to adrenergic- and angiotensin II-induced vasoconstriction and acetylcholine-induced relaxation.
Real-world data analyses unveiled the immune-related adverse effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors across cancer types
Authors: Wang Feicheng , Yang Shihao , Palmer Nathan , Fox Kathe , Kohane Isaac S. , Liao Katherine P. , Yu Kun-Hsing , Kou S. C.
Published: September 2021

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have demonstrated significant survival benefits in treating many types of cancers. However, their immune-related adverse events (irAEs) have not been systematically evaluated across cancer types in large-scale real-world populations. To address this gap, we conducted real-world data analyses using nationwide insurance claims data with 85.97 million enrollees across 8 years. We identified a significantly increased risk of developing irAEs among patients receiving immunotherapy agents in all seven cancer types commonly treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. By six months after treatment initialization, those receiving immunotherapy were 1.50–4.00 times (95% CI, lower bound from 1.15 to 2.16, upper bound from 1.69 to 20.36) more likely to develop irAEs in the first 6 months of treatment, compared to matched chemotherapy or targeted therapy groups, with a total of 92,858 patients. The risk of developing irAEs among patients using nivolumab is higher compared to those using pembrolizumab. These results confirmed the need for clinicians to assess irAEs among cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy as part of management. Our methods are extensible to characterizing the effectiveness and adverse effects of novel treatments in large populations in an efficient and economical fashion.
Can determination of extractable organofluorine (EOF) be standardized? First interlaboratory comparisons of EOF and fluorine mass balance in sludge and water matrices
Authors: Kärrman Anna , Yeung Leo W. Y. , Spaan Kyra M. , Lange Frank Thomas , Nguyen Minh Anh , Plassmann Merle , de Wit Cynthia A. , Scheurer Marco , Awad Raed , Benskin Jonathan P.
Published: September 2021

The first step towards the urgently needed standardization of EOF methods for PFAS-total assessment is presented in this interlaboratory study.
High performance polarization-sensitive self-powered imaging photodetectors based on a p-Te/n-MoSe2van der Waals heterojunction with strong interlayer transition
Authors: Zhao Qixiao , Gao Feng , Chen Hongyu , Gao Wei , Xia Mengjia , Pan Yuan , Shi Hongyan , Su Shichen , Fang Xiaosheng , Li Jingbo
Published: September 2021

A p-Te/n-MoSe2vdWH polarization-sensitive photodetector with high comprehensive performance is proposed, which would provide an opportunity for constructing a compact monolithic polarization-sensitive imaging system with low energy consumption.
Free energy surface of initial cap formation in carbon nanotube growth
Authors: Fukuhara Satoru , Shibuta Yasushi
Published: September 2021

Free energy surface of the formation of a carbon nanotube cap is investigated by metadynamics simulation with a two-dimensional collective variable space.