bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The large family penalty in Italy: Poverty and eligibility to minimum incomes
Authors: Aprea Massimo , Gallo Giovanni , Raitano Michele
Published: March 2024

This paper argues that public policies, including minimum income schemes (MIS), should devote specific attention to large families, in terms of both benefits' generosity and targeting, to avoid unfair penalizations. Adopting a child‐centered approach to the definition of family size, and using a unique administrative‐survey linked database, this study provides two main contributions for the Italian case. First, it documents the consumption‐based absolute poverty outcomes according to sibling size, highlighting that large families are overexposed to this specific type of economic deprivation. Second, it investigates to what extent the household size and the number of children tend to be a penalizing factor for social benefit receipt. A key finding is that large families in absolute poverty are penalized in terms of both entitlement and generosity of MIS with the peculiar equivalence scale adopted by the scheme playing a crucial role.
Beliefs and practices of the nursing team related to pressure injury preventive measures: A analysis of social representations
Authors: de Almeida Rosa Maria Ferreira , Tura Luiz Fernando Rangel , Queiroz Ana Beatriz Azevedo , Ferreira Márcia de Assunção , da Silva Rafael Celestino
Published: March 2024

Aims and Objectives

To analyse the process of elaborating social representations about pressure injury preventive measures by the nursing team (nurses and nurse technicians) and how this process relates to preventive practices for hospitalized patients.

Design

Qualitative study, with the application of the theory of social representations in its procedural methodological approach.

Methods

The study was carried out in an inpatient clinic of a public hospital in the state of Rondônia, Brazil. Totally, 28 nursing professionals in the medical clinic sectors who had worked directly with patient care for more than 6 months participated. The data were collected between July and September 2021 via in‐depth interviews with the application of a semi‐structured instrument. Analysis was carried out with the help of ALCESTE software, which performed a lexicographic analysis, and also via thematic analysis. The COREQ guided the presentation of the research report.

Results

The social representations were developed based on the professionals' symbolic beliefs about the visibility/invisibility of the results of applying preventive care. These symbolic constructions mobilized positive and negative feelings among the nursing team, which guided the classification of prevention practices as being of greater or lesser priority among other care activities. There were favourable attitudes among professionals, which included applying prevention measures in their daily routines, and unfavourable attitudes of non‐adherence to the institution's protocol for preventing pressure injuries.

Conclusions

The nursing team's perception of pressure injury prevention is influenced by symbolic, affective, values, and social dimensions. Non‐adherence behaviours are attributed to the belief in the invisibility of prevention outcomes, resulting in a reluctance to implement preventive measures.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Understanding the subjective logic that explains the thinking and actions of the nursing team suggests the need to incorporate discussions on beliefs, values, sentiments, and attitudes of nursing professionals into educational programs on pressure injury prevention.

Patient or Public Contribution

No public contribution.
Inactivated Aeromonas salmonicida impairs adaptive immunity in lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus)
Authors: Chakraborty Setu , Gnanagobal Hajarooba , Hossain Ahmed , Cao Trung , Vasquez Ignacio , Boyce Danny , Santander Javier
Published: March 2024

Aeromonas salmonicida, a widely distributed aquatic pathogen causing furunculosis in fish, exhibits varied virulence, posing challenges in infectious disease and immunity studies, notably in vaccine efficacy assessment. Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) has become a valuable model for marine pathogenesis studies. This study evaluated several antigen preparations against A. salmonicida J223, a hypervirulent strain of teleost fish, including lumpfish. The potential immune protective effect of A. salmonicida bacterins in the presence and absence of the A‐layer and extracellular products was tested in lumpfish. Also, we evaluated the impact of A. salmonicida outer membrane proteins (OMPs) and iron‐regulated outer membrane proteins (IROMPs) on lumpfish immunity. The immunized lumpfish were intraperitoneally (i.p.) challenged with 104 A. salmonicida cells/dose at 8 weeks‐post immunization (wpi). Immunized and non‐immunized fish died within 2 weeks post‐challenge. Our analyses showed that immunization with A. salmonicida J223 bacterins and antigen preparations did not increase IgM titres. In addition, adaptive immunity biomarker genes (e.g., igm, mhc‐ii and cd4) were down‐regulated. These findings suggest that A. salmonicida J223 antigen preparations hinder lumpfish immunity. Notably, many fish vaccines are bacterin‐based, often lacking efficacy evaluation. This study offers crucial insights for finfish vaccine approval and regulations.
A novel process for rutin recovery from model solutions using nanofiltration: Experimental study, mathematical modeling, and scale‐up design
Authors: Tiwari Ashwani Kumar , Jain Manish
Published: March 2024

Pressure‐driven membrane processes represent a credible method for the separation and concentration of natural polyphenols. The separation characteristics and their productivity depend on several factors such as molecular weight cut‐off, operating conditions, and test cell parameters. In this study, a compact polyamide HFT‐NF150 nanofiltration membrane has been tested to separate different model solutions of rutin, and the effects of operating conditions like trans‐membrane pressure, feed concentration, and feed flow rates were analyzed. All the findings of the experiment revealed that the maximum permeate flux of 3.04 × 10−5 m3/m2 s and 98.5% rejection were obtained at a high feed flow rate of 36 L/h and a high pressure of 6 × 105 Pa. Also, the Spiegler–Kedem model is used to report the mass transport phenomenon across the membrane. The unconstrained minimization technique based on the simplex search method was applied for the estimation of the unknown parameters. The theoretical and experimental values for permeate characteristics were then compared for each experimental data point for the model validation. Later, a mathematical model was used to check the scale‐up viability of the process to the commercial limit.

Practical applications

In the past few years, naturally occurring bioactive compounds have revolutionized the whole scientific community for their exploration. Rutin is one such phenolic compound that is present in significant amounts in buckwheat and has a wide range of applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In this work, an energy‐efficient and cleaner method of nanofiltration is applied to concentrate the rutin from the model plant extract. Experiments were performed on a polyamide nanofiltration membrane with a molecular weight cut‐off of 150 Da at different operating conditions. Experimental results were fitted in a three‐parameter Spiegler–Kedem model to determine the transport parameters of the membrane for rutin. The values of transport parameters were also successfully validated using the experimental results. Experimental results and model predictions were then used to analyze the effects of different operating parameters. A scale‐up setup has been designed and simulated to check the feasibility of the process at the commercial level.
Household Income, Portfolio Choice, and Heterogeneous Consumption Responses to Monetary Policy Shocks
Authors: NAKAMURA FUMITAKA
Published: March 2024

This paper quantifies the roles played by income‐level heterogeneity in the response of consumption to monetary policy shocks using U.S. household data. We show empirically that the response of consumption to expansionary monetary policy shocks is larger for high‐income households than for low‐income households. Empirical facts related to household characteristics suggest two channels: the presence of illiquid assets and heterogeneity in government transfers. Motivated by these empirical findings, we develop a model that incorporates illiquid assets and heterogeneity in government transfers to quantify the importance. Simulations based on the model indicate that the presence of illiquid assets, whose return increases in response to expansionary monetary shocks, is essential for explaining the heterogeneous consumption response.
Assessing impaired gastric accommodation in children with functional constipation using the water load test
Authors: de Morais Mauro Batista , Boilesen Sabine N. , Dias Francine C. , Tahan Soraia , Melli Lígia C. F. L.
Published: March 2024

Background

This study aimed to evaluate gastric accommodation in pediatric patients with functional constipation using the water load test.

Method

This was a cross‐sectional case–control study. Herein, the water load test results of children aged >4 years with functional constipation referred to a Pediatric Gastroenterology Outpatient Clinic (functional constipation group) were compared with those of a control group (without functional constipation or chronic abdominal pain) recruited from two public schools. Clinical manifestations outlined in the Rome IV criteria were used to diagnose functional constipation. Water load tests were performed after 3 h of fasting. For the test, the participants were asked to drink as much water as possible in 3 min.

Key Results

A total of 36 patients and 77 students were included in the functional constipation and control groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in age between the groups (8.6 ± 2.3 years and 8.8 ± 1.8 years in the functional constipation and control groups, respectively). The water load test showed intake volumes of 390 ± 245 mL and 528 ± 219 mL in the functional constipation and control groups, respectively (p = 0.001). The maximum volume in the water load test correlated with the 24 h daily intake of energy (rS = +0.42, p = 0.012), protein (rS = +0.48, p = 0.004), and water (rS = +0.39, p = 0.020) only in the group with functional constipation.

Conclusions & Inferences

According to the water load test, gastric accommodation was impaired in children with severe functional constipation. The impairment of gastric accommodation in children with severe functional constipation is related to food intake.
Do we perceive sensations inside and outside of our body differently? Perceptual, emotional, and behavioral differences between visceral and somatic sensation, discomfort, and pain
Authors: Guadagnoli Livia , Hoffert Yannick , Den Hond Sofie , Dreesen Erwin , van Ryckeghem Dimitri , Van Damme Stefaan , Zaman Jonas , Van Oudenhove Lukas
Published: March 2024

Background

Experimental research evaluating differences between the visceral and somatic stimulation is limited to pain and typically uses different induction methods for visceral and somatic stimulation (e.g., rectal balloon distention vs. tactile hand stimulation). Our study aimed to compare differences in response time, intensity, unpleasantness, and threat between identical electrical visceral and somatic stimulations at both painful and non‐painful perceptual thresholds.

Methods

Electrical stimulation was applied to the wrist and distal esophagus in 20 healthy participants. A double pseudorandom staircase determined perceptual thresholds of Sensation, Discomfort, and Pain for the somatic and visceral stimulations, separately. Stimulus reaction time (ms, via button press), and intensity, unpleasantness, and threat ratings were recorded after each stimulus. General linear mixed models compared differences in the four outcomes by stimulation type, threshold, and the stimulation type‐by‐threshold interaction. Sigmoidal maximum effect models evaluated differences in outcomes across all delivered stimulation intensities.

Key Results

Overall, visceral stimulations were perceived as more intense, threatening, and unpleasant compared to somatic stimulations, but participants responded faster to somatic stimulations. There was no significant interaction effect, but planned contrasts demonstrated differences at individual thresholds. Across all delivered intensities, higher intensity stimulations were needed to reach the half‐maximum effect of self‐reported intensity, unpleasantness, and threat ratings in the visceral domain.

Conclusions and Inferences

Differences exist between modalities for both non‐painful and painful sensations. These findings may have implications for translating paradigms and behavioral treatments from the somatic domain to the visceral domain, though future research in larger clinical samples is needed.
The impact of lung transplantation on esophageal motility and inter‐relationships with reflux and lung mechanics in patients with restrictive and obstructive respiratory disease
Authors: Alghubari Ali , Cheah Ramsah , Z. Shah Sadia , Naser Abdel‐Rahman N. , Lee Augustine S. , DeVault Kenneth R. , Houghton Lesley A.
Published: March 2024

Background

For many patients with lung disease the only proven intervention to improve survival and quality of life is lung transplantation (LTx). Esophageal dysmotility and gastroesophageal reflux (GER) are common in patients with respiratory disease, and often associate with worse prognosis following LTx. Which, if any patients, should be excluded from LTx based on esophageal concerns remains unclear. Our aim was to understand the effect of LTx on esophageal motility diagnosis and examine how this and the other physiological and mechanical factors relate to GER and clearance of boluses swallowed.

Methods

We prospectively recruited 62 patients with restrictive (RLD) and obstructive (OLD) lung disease (aged 33–75 years; 42 men) who underwent high resolution impedance manometry and 24‐h pH‐impedance before and after LTx.

Key Results

RLD patients with normal motility were more likely to remain normal (p = 0.02), or if having abnormal motility to change to normal (p = 0.07) post‐LTx than OLD patients. Esophageal length (EL) was greater in OLD than RLD patients' pre‐LTx (p < 0.001), reducing only in OLD patients' post‐LTx (p = 0.02). Reduced EL post‐LTx associated with greater contractile reserve (r = 0.735; p = 0.01) and increased likelihood of motility normalization (p = 0.10). Clearance of reflux improved (p = 0.01) and associated with increased mean nocturnal baseline impedance (p < 0.001) in RLD but not OLD. Peristaltic breaks and thoraco‐abdominal pressure gradient impact both esophageal clearance of reflux and boluses swallowed (p < 0.05).

Conclusions and Inferences

RLD patients are more likely to show improvement in esophageal motility than OLD patients post‐LTx. However, the effect on GER is more difficult to predict and requires other GI, anatomical and pulmonary factors to be taken into consideration.
Diverse INOSITOL PHOSPHORYLCERAMIDE SYNTHASE mutant alleles of Physcomitrium patens offer new insight into complex sphingolipid metabolism
Authors: Haslam Tegan M. , Herrfurth Cornelia , Feussner Ivo
Published: March 2024

Sphingolipids are widespread, abundant, and essential lipids in plants and in other eukaryotes. Glycosyl inositol phosphorylceramides (GIPCs) are the most abundant class of plant sphingolipids, and are enriched in the plasma membrane of plant cells. They have been difficult to study due to lethal or pleiotropic mutant phenotypes.

To overcome this, we developed a CRISPR/Cas9‐based method for generating multiple and varied knockdown and knockout populations of mutants in a given gene of interest in the model moss Physcomitrium patens. This system is uniquely convenient due to the predominantly haploid state of the Physcomitrium life cycle, and totipotency of Physcomitrium protoplasts used for transformation.

We used this approach to target the INOSITOL PHOSPHORYLCERAMIDE SYNTHASE (IPCS) gene family, which catalyzes the first, committed step in the synthesis of GIPCs. We isolated knockout single mutants and knockdown higher‐order mutants showing a spectrum of deficiencies in GIPC content. Remarkably, we also identified two mutant alleles accumulating inositol phosphorylceramides, the direct products of IPCS activity, and provide our best explanation for this unexpected phenotype.

Our approach is broadly applicable for studying essential genes and gene families, and for obtaining unusual lesions within a gene of interest.
Balancing Study and Work: Heterogeneous Impact of the Bologna Reform on the Labour Market
Authors: Avdeev Stanislav
Published: March 2024

The Bologna reform, the largest European education reform, was implemented in Russia in 2011. The reform shortened the duration of some undergraduate programmes by 1 year and compressed their curricula. Using a difference‐in‐differences design, I find that the reform had no short‐ or medium‐term adverse effects on employment. However, I find that null average effects on wages mask considerable heterogeneity. I find that female students with high relative returns worked less during their studies, invested in their human capital, and secured stable wages. In contrast, male students with low relative returns underinvested in human capital and experienced a decline in wages.
Transcriptomic investigation unveils the role of energy metabolism under low phosphorus and salt combined stress in soybean (Glycine max)
Authors: Zhou Xiuwen , Yao Xingdong , He Dexin , Sun Hexiang , Xie Futi
Published: March 2024

Soybean (Glycine max) is economically significant, but the mechanisms underlying its adaptation to simultaneous low phosphorus and salt stresses are unclear. We employed the Shennong 94–1‐8 soybean germplasm to conduct a comprehensive analysis, integrating both physiochemical and transcriptomic approaches, to unravel the response mechanisms of soybean when subjected to simultaneous low phosphorus and salt stresses. Remarkably, the combined stress exhibited the most pronounced impact on the soybean root system, which led to a substantial reduction in total soluble sugar (TSS) and total soluble protein (TSP) within the plants under this treatment. A total of 20,953 differentially expressed genes were identified through pairwise comparisons. Heatmap analysis of genes related to energy metabolism pathways demonstrated a significant down‐regulation in expression under salt and low phosphorus + salt treatments, while low phosphorus treatment did not exhibit similar expression trends. Furthermore, the weighted gene co‐expression network analysis (WGCNA) indicated that the blue module had a strong positive correlation with TSS and TSP. Notably, 2,3‐bisphosphoglycerate‐dependent phosphoglycerate mutase 1, FCS‐Like Zinc finger 8, auxin response factor 18 isoform X2, and NADP‐dependent malic enzyme emerged as hub genes associated with energy metabolism. In summary, our findings indicate that soybean roots are more adversely affected by salt and combined stress than by low phosphorus alone due to reduced activity in energy metabolism‐related pathways and hub genes. These results offer novel insights into the adaptive mechanisms of soybeans when facing the combined stress of low phosphorus and salinity.
A novel HLA‐C*17 variant, HLA‐C*17:01:01:29, identified in a healthy individual from Greece
Authors: Kouniaki Diamanto , Tarassi Katerina , Tsirogianni Alexandra
Published: March 2024

HLA‐C*17:01:01:29 differs from the HLA‐C*17:01:01:05 allele by one nucleotide substitution in the 3′UTR.
Identification of the novel null allele HLA‐DPB1*1449:01N by next‐generation sequencing
Authors: Rodríguez‐Bayona Beatriz , Expósito Bey Alba , Balas Antonio , González Escribano María Francisca
Published: March 2024

The novel HLA‐DPB1*1449:01N allele differs from HLA‐DPB1*16:01:01:01 by a nucleotide at codon 92 in exon 2.
Identification of the novel HLA‐C*14:159 allele by next‐generation sequencing
Authors: Ko You‐Keun , Lee Jong Kwon , Lee Sookyeon , Lim Sori , Kang Eun‐Suk
Published: March 2024

The novel HLA‐C*14:159 allele was detected during the routine HLA typing for kidney transplantation.
Evaluation of new haematology analyser, XN‐31, for malaria detection in blood donors: A single‐centre study from India
Authors: Tiwari Aseem Kumar , Goel Shalini , Singh Ganesh , Gahlot Pawan Kumar , Saxena Renu , Jadhav Vaibhav , Sethi Monisha
Published: March 2024

Background and Objectives

Malaria continues to be a significant public health concern in India, with several regions experiencing endemicity and sporadic outbreaks. The prevalence of malaria in blood donors, in India, varies between 0.02% and 0.07%. Common techniques to screen for malaria, in blood donors and patients, include microscopic smear examination and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) based on antigen detection. The aim of this study was to evaluate a new fully automated analyser, XN‐31, for malaria detection, as compared with current practice of using RDT.

Materials and Methods

Cross‐sectional analytical study was conducted to evaluate clinical sensitivity and specificity of new automated analyser XN‐31 among blood donors' samples and clinical samples (patients with suspicion of malaria) from outpatient clinic collected over between July 2021 and October 2022. No additional sample was drawn from blood donor or patient. All blood donors and patients' samples were processed by malaria rapid diagnostic test, thick‐smear microscopy (MIC) and the haematology analyser XN‐31. Any donor blood unit incriminated for malaria was discarded. Laboratory diagnosis using MIC was considered the ‘gold standard’ in the present study. Clinical sensitivity and specificity of XN‐31 were compared with the gold standard.

Results

Fife thousand and five donor samples and 82 diagnostic samples were evaluated. While the clinical sensitivity and specificity for donor samples were 100%, they were 72.7% and 100% for diagnostic samples.

Conclusion

Automated haematology analysers represent a promising solution, as they can deliver speedy and sensitive donor malaria screening assessments. This method also has the potential to be used for pre‐transfusion malaria screening along with haemoglobin estimation.
In vitro
development of resistance against antipseudomonal agents: comparison of novel β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations and other β-lactam agents
Authors: Castanheira Mariana , Kimbrough John H. , Lindley Jill , Doyle Timothy B. , Ewald Jessica M. , Sader Helio S.
Published: March 2024

We subjected seven
P
.
aeruginosa
isolates to a 10-day serial passaging against five antipseudomonal agents to evaluate resistance levels post-exposure and putative resistance mechanisms in terminal mutants were analyzed by whole-genome sequencing analysis. Meropenem (mean, 38-fold increase), cefepime (14.4-fold), and piperacillin-tazobactam (52.9-fold) terminal mutants displayed high minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values compared to those obtained after exposure to ceftolozane-tazobactam (11.4-fold) and ceftazidime-avibactam (5.7-fold). Fewer isolates developed elevated MIC values for other β-lactams and agents belonging to other classes when exposed to meropenem in comparison to other agents. Alterations in
nalC
and
nalD,
involved in the upregulation of the efflux pump system MexAB-OprM, were common and observed more frequently in isolates exposed to ceftazidime-avibactam and meropenem. These alterations, along with ones in
mexR
and
amrR,
provided resistance to most β-lactams and levofloxacin but not imipenem. The second most common gene altered was
mpl,
which is involved in the recycling of the cell wall peptidoglycan. These alterations were mainly noted in isolates exposed to ceftolozane-tazobactam and piperacillin-tazobactam but also in one cefepime-exposed isolate. Alterations in other genes known to be involved in β-lactam resistance (
ftsI
,
oprD
,
phoP, pepA,
and
cplA
) and multiple genes involved in lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis were also present. The data generated here suggest that there is a difference in the mechanisms selected for high-level resistance between newer β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations and older agents. Nevertheless, the isolates exposed to all agents displayed elevated MIC values for other β-lactams (except imipenem) and quinolones tested mainly due to alterations in the MexAB-OprM regulators that extrude these agents.
Triple threat: how diabetes results in worsened bacterial infections
Authors: Darwitz Benjamin P. , Genito Christopher J. , Thurlow Lance R.
Published: March 2024

Diabetes mellitus, characterized by impaired insulin signaling, is associated with increased incidence and severity of infections. Various diabetes-related complications contribute to exacerbated bacterial infections, including hyperglycemia, innate immune cell dysfunction, and infection with antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. One defining symptom of diabetes is hyperglycemia, resulting in elevated blood and tissue glucose concentrations. Glucose is the preferred carbon source of several bacterial pathogens, and hyperglycemia escalates bacterial growth and virulence. Hyperglycemia promotes specific mechanisms of bacterial virulence known to contribute to infection chronicity, including tissue adherence and biofilm formation. Foot infections are a significant source of morbidity in individuals with diabetes and consist of biofilm-associated polymicrobial communities. Bacteria perform complex interspecies behaviors conducive to their growth and virulence within biofilms, including metabolic cross-feeding and altered phenotypes more tolerant to antibiotic therapeutics. Moreover, the metabolic dysfunction caused by diabetes compromises immune cell function, resulting in immune suppression. Impaired insulin signaling induces aberrations in phagocytic cells, which are crucial mediators for controlling and resolving bacterial infections. These aberrancies encompass altered cytokine profiles, the migratory and chemotactic mechanisms of neutrophils, and the metabolic reprogramming required for the oxidative burst and subsequent generation of bactericidal free radicals. Furthermore, the immune suppression caused by diabetes and the polymicrobial nature of the diabetic infection microenvironment may promote the emergence of novel strains of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens. This review focuses on the “triple threat” linked to worsened bacterial infections in individuals with diabetes: (i) altered nutritional availability in diabetic tissues, (ii) diabetes-associated immune suppression, and (iii) antibiotic treatment failure.
Performance evaluation of the high-throughput quantitative Alinity m BK virus assay
Authors: Hirschhorn Julie W. , Sasaki Mark M. , Kegl April , Akter Tanjina , Dickerson Tanisha , Narlieva Momka , Nhan Nhi , Liu Tianxi , Jim Patricia , Young Stephen , Orner Erika , Thwe Phyu , Lucic Danijela , Goldstein D. Yitzchak
Published: March 2024

BK virus (BKV) infection or reactivation in immunocompromised individuals can lead to adverse health consequences including BKV-associated nephropathy (BKVAN) in kidney transplant patients and BKV-associated hemorrhagic cystitis (BKV-HC) in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. Monitoring BKV viral load plays an important role in post-transplant patient care. This study evaluates the performance of the Alinity m BKV Investigational Use Only (IUO) assay. The linearity of the Alinity m BKV IUO assay had a correlation coefficient of 1.000 and precision of SD ≤ 0.25 Log IU/mL for all panel members tested (2.0–7.3 Log IU/mL). Detection rate at 50 IU/mL was 100%. Clinical plasma specimens tested comparing Alinity m BKV IUO to ELITech MGB Alert BKV lab-developed test (LDT) on the Abbott
m
2000 platform using specimen extraction protocols for DNA or total nucleic acid (TNA) resulted in coefficient of correlation of 0.900 and 0.963, respectively, and mean bias of 0.03 and −0.54 Log IU/mL, respectively. Alinity m BKV IUO compared with Altona RealStar BKV and Roche cobas BKV assays demonstrated coefficient of correlation of 0.941 and 0.980, respectively, and mean bias of −0.47 and −0.31 Log IU/mL, respectively. Urine specimens tested on Alintiy m BKV IUO and ELITech BKV LDT using TNA specimen extraction had a coefficient of correlation of 0.917 and mean bias of 0.29 Log IU/mL. The Alinity m BKV IUO assay was performed with high precision across the dynamic range and correlated well with other available BKV assays.

IMPORTANCE

BK virus (BKV) in transplant patients can lead to adverse health consequences. Viral load monitoring is important in post-transplant patient care. This study evaluates the Alinity m BKV assay with currently available assays.
Circular metagenome-assembled genome of
Candidatus
Patescibacteria recovered from anaerobic digestion sludge
Authors: Sakurai Riku , Fukuda Yasuhiro , Tada Chika
Published: March 2024

A single-contig, circular metagenome-assembled genome (cMAG) of
Candidatus
(
Ca.
) Patescibacteria was reconstructed from a mesophilic full-scale food waste treatment plant in Japan. The genome is of small size and lacks fundamental biosynthetic pathways. Taxonomic analysis using the Genome Taxonomy Database revealed that this cMAG belonged to the genus JAEZRQ01 (
Ca
. Parcubacteria).
Effectiveness and safety of drugs for obesity
Authors: Henderson Lewis Kristina , Sloan Caroline E , Bessesen Daniel H , Arterburn David
Published: March 2024

Recent publicity around the use of new antiobesity medications (AOMs) has focused the attention of patients and healthcare providers on the role of pharmacotherapy in the treatment of obesity. Newer drug treatments have shown greater efficacy and safety compared with older drug treatments, yet access to these drug treatments is limited by providers’ discomfort in prescribing, bias, and stigma around obesity, as well as by the lack of insurance coverage. Now more than ever, healthcare providers must be able to discuss the risks and benefits of the full range of antiobesity medications available to patients, and to incorporate both guideline based advice and emerging real world clinical evidence into daily clinical practice. The tremendous variability in response to antiobesity medications means that clinicians need to use a flexible approach that takes advantage of specific features of the antiobesity medication selected to provide the best option for individual patients. Future research is needed on how best to use available drug treatments in real world practice settings, the potential role of combination therapies, and the cost effectiveness of antiobesity medications. Several new drug treatments are being evaluated in ongoing clinical trials, suggesting that the future for pharmacotherapy of obesity is bright.
Oncolytic varicella-zoster virus engineered with ORF8 deletion and armed with drug-controllable interleukin-12
Authors: Jiang Haifei , Nace Rebecca , Carrasco Talia Fernandez , Zhang Lianwen , Whye Peng Kah , Russell Stephen J
Published: March 2024

Background

The varicella-zoster virus (VZV), belonging to the group of human α-herpesviruses, has yet to be developed as a platform for oncolytic virotherapy, despite indications from clinical case reports suggesting a potential association between VZV infection and cancer remission.

Methods

Here, we constructed oncolytic VZV candidates based on the vaccine strain vOka and the laboratory strain Ellen. These newly engineered viruses were subsequently assessed for their oncolytic properties in the human MeWo melanoma xenograft model and the mouse B16-F10-nectin1 melanoma syngeneic model.

Results

In the MeWo xenograft model, both vOka and Ellen exhibited potent antitumor efficacy. However, it was observed that introducing a hyperfusogenic mutation into glycoprotein B led to a reduction in VZV’s effectiveness. Notably, the deletion of ORF8 (encodes viral deoxyuridine triphosphatase) attenuated the replication of VZV both in vitro and in vivo, but it did not compromise VZV’s oncolytic potency. We further armed the VZV Ellen-ΔORF8 vector with a tet-off controlled mouse single-chain IL12 (scIL12) gene cassette. This augmented virus was validated for its oncolytic activity and triggered systemic antitumor immune responses in the immunocompetent B16-F10-nectin1 model.

Conclusions

These findings highlight the potential of using Ellen-ΔORF8-tet-off-scIL12 as a novel VZV-based oncolytic virotherapy.
A latent profile analysis based on diet quality and eating behaviours in participants of the PREDISE study characterized by a higher BMI
Authors: Boulanger Benoît , Bégin Catherine , Bédard Alexandra , Lévy-Ndejuru Julia , Carbonneau Élise , Lemieux Simone
Published: March 2024

The aim of this study was to identify eating-related latent profiles based on diet quality and eating behaviours within a population characterized by a body mass index (BMI) of at least 25 kg/m2, and to compare metabolic variables between profiles. This analysis was conducted in a sample of 614 adults (45.6% women; 44.8 ± 12.9 years) from the cross-sectional PREDISE study. Participants completed the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, the Intuitive Eating Scale-2, the Regulation of Eating Behavior Scale, and three self-administered 24 h food recalls. Waist circumference, blood lipids, blood pressure, and fasting glucose were measured to identify carriers of the metabolic syndrome. A latent profile analysis was performed, and cases of metabolic syndrome were compared between profiles. A three-profile solution was found. Profile 1 (22.8%) was characterized by lower diet quality, lower self-determined motivation for eating, lower restraint, and higher intuitive eating. Profile 2 (44.5%) was characterized by higher diet quality, higher self-determined motivation for eating, higher restraint, lower disinhibition, and higher intuitive eating. Profile 3 (32.7%) was characterized by intermediate diet quality, higher non-self-determined motivation for eating, higher restraint and disinhibition, and lower intuitive eating. We found fewer cases of metabolic syndrome among participants in profile 2 than in the other profiles ( p = 0.0001). This study suggests that a profile characterized by a lower disinhibition and higher levels of restraint, intuitive eating, self-determined motivation, and diet quality is associated with a better metabolic health among individuals with a higher BMI.
Dynamic characteristics of a relief valve captured by a combination of fluid–solid coupling and feedforward neural network (FNN)
Authors: Wang Chuyan , Yuan Xianju , Chen Junjie , Chen Xiaobing , Qiu Tianyu
Published: March 2024

Considering multidisciplinary characteristics of thin plate vibration, fluid–solid coupling, and other aspects of a relief valve controlled by annular thin plates, a dynamic finite element (FE) model in view of fluid–solid coupling is firstly established for capturing relationships between dynamic characteristics of crucial indexes and partial working conditions. Secondly, the partial dataset of FE model under different conditions is statistically analyzed, and it will be utilized to train the feedforward neural network (FNN) model. The training process of FNN could be completed if results drawn from the FNN model are highly consistent with those of the FE model. Thirdly, dynamic characteristics under more conditions will be predicted through such a trained model, and dynamic behaviors from the FE model for same conditions of the FNN model are also obtained. Finally, comparing with results from the FE model, the maximum absolute error of steady-state displacement from the FNN is 0.0052 mm in an instance, thus verifying the rationality of this combined method. Consequently, such a combination of the FE model and the FNN model presents high accuracy and avoids repeated calculations of FE model with long times.
The 3D stress field of Nordland, northern Norway – insights from numerical modelling
Authors: Gradmann Sofie , Olesen Odleiv , Keiding Marie , Maystrenko Yuriy
Published: March 2024

The Nordland area in northern Norway is the seismically most active area on mainland Fennoscandia. It exhibits patterns of coastal extension, which contrasts with the first-order regional stress pattern that reflects compression aligned with the North Atlantic ridge push. The regional stress field has been considered to emanate from the interaction of ridge push and glacial isostatic adjustment; while the local stress pattern can be additionally influenced by gravitational, topographic stresses, as well as the flexural effects of erosion and sediment deposition.

We employ finite element numerical models at a crustal scale to study the 3D stress field, using existing geometric constraints from previous geophysical studies. Internal body forces, induced by variations in density, topography or Moho depth, already yield significant deviatoric stresses. In the models tested, these can strongly influence the near-surface stress regime, in particular for the continental margin setting we are investigating.

In addition, redistribution of rock mass, which occurred mainly under Pleistocene glaciation, can modify the stress field significantly on a semi-regional scale. We consider this process to be the main driver for the coastal extension, in particular in areas where erosion has been high.
Using Data Science to Predict How Rituals Will Evolve
Authors: Hazzan Orit , Binah-Pollak Avital
Published: March 2024

In each issue of
Communications
, we publish selected posts or excerpts from the many blogs on our website. The views expressed by bloggers are their own and not necessarily held by
Communications
or the Association for Computing Machinery.

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Orit Hazzan and Avital Binah-Pollak consider how the data science perspective helped to predict the transformation of Israel's 2023 social protest.
The Fine-Grained Complexity of Graph Homomorphism Parameterized by Clique-Width
Authors: Ganian Robert , Hamm Thekla , Korchemna Viktoriia , Okrasa Karolina , Simonov Kirill
Published: March 2024

The generic homomorphism problem, which asks whether an input graph

\(G\)

admits a homomorphism into a fixed target graph

\(H\)

, has been widely studied in the literature. In this article, we provide a fine-grained complexity classification of the running time of the homomorphism problem with respect to the clique-width of

\(G\)

(denoted

\({\operatorname{cw}}\)

) for virtually all choices of

\(H\)

under the Strong Exponential Time Hypothesis. In particular, we identify a property of

\(H\)

called the signature number

\(s(H)\)

and show that for each

\(H\)

, the homomorphism problem can be solved in time

\(\mathcal{O^{*}}(s(H)^{{\operatorname{cw}}})\)

. Crucially, we then show that this algorithm can be used to obtain essentially tight upper bounds. Specifically, we provide a reduction that yields matching lower bounds for each

\(H\)

that is either a projective core or a graph admitting a factorization with additional properties—allowing us to cover all possible target graphs under long-standing conjectures.
Social Media Analytics of User Evaluation for Innovative Digital Cultural and Creative Products: Experiences regarding Dunhuang Cultural Heritage
Authors: Ai Ziyan , Chiu Dickson K. W. , Ho Kevin K. W.
Published: March 2024

Social media platforms play an increasingly important role in cultural communication as society develops, attracting promotions and discussions about digital cultural and creative products (CACPs). This research investigates the cultural collaboration between Tencent and Dunhuang Research Academy (Dunhuang Academy) and analyzes user evaluation of integrating cultural heritage education into CACPs. We obtained data through Weibo and compared user evaluations and semantic social network analysis of digital CACPs, including interactive products, games, and music. Results indicated that users were more interested in landscapes, dubbing, and user-generated content (UGC) for interactive products, character versions, posters and skills for games, and singers and songs for concerts. Semantic social network analysis was also used to explore the Dunhuang CACP Circle. Scant studies evaluate the usefulness of integrating cultural heritage into different digital CACPs, especially in Asia. Our suggestions help promoters understand user needs for digital CACPs and better user experience and value.
In Vitro Antibacterial, DPPH Radical Scavenging Activities, and In Silico Molecular Modeling of Isolated Compounds from the Roots of Clematis hirsuta
Authors: Duguma Tolessa , Melaku Yadessa , Garg Ankita , Ensermu Urgessa
Published: March 2024

Clematis hirsuta is one of the traditional medicinal plants used in Ethiopia to treat different ailments, such as cancer and diseases related to the respiratory system. This study aimed to isolate the phytochemical components of the root of C. hirsuta and evaluate their in vitro and in silico biological activities. Oleic acid (1), palmitic acid (2), sterols (3 and 4), boehmenan (5), and carolignans E (6 and 7) were isolated by silica gel column chromatography and preparative thin layer chromatography and characterized by NMR spectroscopy. Compounds 5–7 were isolated from the plant for the first time. At 5 mg/mL, the inhibition zone of evaluated compounds ranged from 8.80 to 11.10 mm against all selected bacteria. The MIC of the MeOH and n-hexane: EtOAc (1 : 1) extracts was greater than or equal to 50 mg/mL against all selected bacteria. At 62.5 μg/mL, the % DPPH radical scavenging activity of tested compounds ranged from 30.3% to 92.1% with an IC50 value of 19.4 to 2.1 μg/mL. The results of molecular docking studies indicated that the docking scores of compounds 3–7 ranged from −6.4 to −7.9 kcal/mol against E. coli DNA gyrase B, −8.3 to −9.0 kcal/mol against the Pseudomonas quinolone signal A, −7.1 to −8.5 kcal/mol against pyruvate kinase M2, and −7.9 to −8.5 kcal/mol against human topoisomerase IIβ. The results of the in silico antibacterial activity of compounds 3, 5, and 6 supported the in vitro antibacterial test results. Compound 5 had a better docking score against human topoisomerase IIβ than the other test samples demonstrating its potential as an anticancer agent. Therefore, compounds 3–7 could be considered as a lead for developing antibacterial and anticancer drugs. Moreover, the presence of these active phytochemicals supports the traditional use of this plant against cancer and bacteria.
Aeroengine Remaining Life Prediction Using Feature Selection and Improved SE Blocks
Authors: Wang Hairui , Xu Shijie , Zhu Guifu , Li Ya
Published: March 2024

Aeroengines use numerous sensors to detect equipment health and ensure proper operation. Currently, filtering useful sensor data and removing useless data is challenging in predicting the remaining useful life (RUL) of an aeroengine using deep learning. To reduce computational costs and improve prediction performance, we use random forest to evaluate the feature importance of sensor data. Based on the size of the feature corresponding to the Gini index, we select the appropriate sensor. This helps us to determine which sensor to use and ensures that the computational resources are not wasted on unnecessary sensors. Considering that the RUL of equipment changes in a progressively more complex manner as the equipment is used over time, we propose an improved squeeze and excitation block (SSE) and combine it with a convolutional neural network (CNN). By enhancing the feature selection ability of CNN through segmented squeeze and excitation block, the model can focus on important information within features to effectively improve prediction performance. We compared our experiments with other RUL experiments on the CMAPSS aeroengine dataset and then conducted ablation experiments to verify the critical role of the methods we used.
A Prospective Double-Blinded Comparison of Reflectance Confocal Microscopy with Conventional Histopathology for In Vivo Assessment in Oral Cancer
Authors: Zanoni Daniella K. , Demétrio De Souza França Paula , Valero Cristina , Peterson Gary , Ardigo Marco , Ghossein Ronald , Dusza Stephen W. , Matsuura Danielli , Scholfield Daniel W. , Adilbay Dauren , Montero Pablo H. , Migliacci Jocelyn , Pillarsetty Naga Vara Kishore , Kose Kivanc , Ganly Ian , Rajadhyaksha Milind , Patel Snehal G.
Published: March 2024

Purpose:

We investigated reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) as a possible noninvasive approach for the diagnosis of cancer and real-time assessment of surgical margins.

Experimental Design:

In a phase I study on 20 patients, we established the RCM imaging morphologic features that distinguish oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) from normal tissue with a newly developed intraoral RCM probe. Our subsequent phase II prospective double-blinded study in 60 patients tested the diagnostic accuracy of RCM against histopathology. Five RCM videos from the tumor and five from normal surrounding mucosa were collected on each patient, followed by a 3-mm punch biopsy of the imaged area. An experienced RCM reader, who was blinded to biopsy location and histologic diagnosis, examined the videos from both regions and classified each as “tumor” or “not tumor” based on RCM features established in phase I. Hematoxylin and eosin slides from the biopsies were read by a pathologist who was blinded to RCM results. Using histology as the gold standard, we calculated the sensitivity and specificity of RCM.

Results:

We report a high agreement between the blinded readers (95% for normal tissue and 81.7% for tumors), high specificity (98.3%) and negative predictive values (96.6%) for normal tissue identification, and high sensitivity (90%) and positive predictive values (88.2%) for tumor detection.

Conclusions:

RCM imaging is a promising technology for noninvasive in vivo diagnosis of OSCC and for real-time intraoperative evaluation of mucosal surgical margins. Its inherent constraint, however, stems from the diminished capability to evaluate structures located at more substantial depths within the tissue.
Posterior Uveitis in Ocular-Involving Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and the Utility of Negative MYD88 L265P Testing in the Diagnosis
Authors: Balikov Daniel A. , Brown Noah A. , Elner Victor M. , Wubben Thomas J. , Rao Rajesh C. , Demirci Hakan
Published: March 2024

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate if a negative test result for MYD88 L265P mutation, associated with vitreoretinal lymphoma (VRL) and primary CNS lymphoma, in liquid biopsies from intraocular fluids can be a useful adjuvant test to diagnose chronic lymphocytic leukemia in clinically challenging cases. Case Presentations: We selected patients with a past medical history or examinations findings suspicious for intraocular lymphoma. We evaluated both vitreous and aqueous humor-derived (AHD) MYD88 L265P mutation from patients that had suspected intraocular lymphoma that warranted a liquid biopsy procedure. Gold-standard cytopathology, flow cytometry, and gene rearrangement studies were also performed. All 4 patients had negative AHD MYD88 L265P mutation testing. Gold-standard testing (cytology) either showed paucicellular specimens (1/4) or specimens with high background inflammation (3/4). One case showed a rare B-cell clonal population (CD5+, Kappa-restricted by flow cytometry), but this was not sufficient to make any definitive diagnosis. All patients were subsequently initiated on systemic therapy and had improvement in their disease burden. Conclusions: Negative AHD MYD88 L265P mutation testing can serve as an adjuvant molecular test to diagnose difficult cases of intraocular CLL.