bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic Effectiveness of Third-Trimester Fetal Doppler Studies in Pregnancy to Predict Late-and-Term Stillbirth and Neonatal Mortality in the Samrakshan Program in India
Authors: Choorakuttil Rijo Mathew , Satarkar Shilpa R. , Sharma Lalit K. , Gupta Anjali , Baghel Akanksha , Rajput Eesha , Nirmalan Praveen K.
Published: December 2022

Aim To determine the diagnostic effectiveness of third-trimester fetal Doppler studies in pregnancy for stillbirths and neonatal mortality in the Samrakshan program of the Indian Radiological and Imaging Association (IRIA).

Methods The mean uterine artery (UtA) pulsatility index (PI) > 95th percentile, umbilical artery PI > 95th percentile, middle cerebral artery (MCA) PI < 5th percentile, and/or cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) < 5th percentile in the third trimester fetal Doppler study was considered as abnormal. The results of the fetal Doppler study closest to childbirth were considered for analysis. Late stillbirth (SB) was defined as a fetal loss between 28 and 36 gestation weeks and the term SB was defined as a fetal loss at ≥ 37 gestation weeks. Neonatal death was defined as the demise of a live-born baby within the first 28 days of life. Parameters of diagnostic effectiveness such as sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and likelihood ratios, diagnostic odds ratio, and the area under receiver operator characteristic (AUROC) curve were assessed.

Results Screening of 1,326 pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy between September 2019 and February 2022, identified 308 (23.23%) abnormal Doppler studies, 11 (0.83%) SB, and 11 (0.84%) neonatal deaths. An abnormal Doppler study was significantly associated with late stillbirths (OR 37.2, 95% CI: 2.05, 674) but not with term SB (OR: 3.38, 95% CI: 0.76, 15) or neonatal deaths (OR 1.39, 95% CI: 0.40, 4.87). Mean UtA PI, umbilical artery PI, MCA PI, and CPR were significantly associated with late SB and not term SB. The AUROC of Doppler measures was excellent for late SB but did not show discriminatory ability for term SB or neonatal deaths.

Conclusion Integration of fetal Doppler with routine third-trimester antenatal scans can help identify pregnant women at high risk for late SB. The effectiveness of fetal Doppler to identify pregnant women at high risk for term SB and neonatal deaths needs further study on a larger sample size.
Observation of Aulter–Townes splitting in subwavelength grating metamaterial ring resonators
Authors: Li Wanxin , Li Jiewen , Yu Lin , Feng Yang , Yao Yong , Sun Yunxu , Zou Yi , Xu Xiaochuan
Published: December 2022

Subwavelength grating metamaterial (SGM) waveguide is typically treated as a homogeneous medium without considering intra-waveguide reflection. However, this approximation is not always valid, especially in resonators. In this paper, we show that the reflection-induced mutual coupling between the clock-wise and counter-clock-wise resonant modes in a subwavelength grating metamaterial waveguide ring resonator (SGMRR) breaks the degeneracy of the two modes, leading to the formation of Autler–Townes splitting. This phenomenon could be leveraged to improve the detection limit of SGMRR-based sensors.
Suppressing the filament formation by aluminum doping in anatase titanium oxide
Authors: Chung Chih-Hung , Lin Chiung-Yuan , Yang Tsung-Fu , Huang Hsin-Hui , Hou Tuo-Hung , Magyari-Köpe Blanka
Published: December 2022

For a resistance random access memory whose insulating matrix is based on transition metal oxides, the underlying microscopic mechanism of its conductive filaments is crucial yet challenging to understand. In this paper, our first-principles calculations predict that titanium oxide prefers its anatase phase over rutile either with or without aluminum doping. We report that an oxygen vacancy in the anatase titanium oxide is stable in its neutral charge state when free of an external field, while it is unstable in the singly and doubly charged states. By calculating the dissociation energy of a single vacancy from a conductive filament, we also study the filament rupture that is modeled by an array of oxygen vacancies, with or without a nearby aluminum dopant. We find that for the dopants at a specific site, the conductive filaments tend to disconnect, which, in turn, enhances the endurance of a non-filamentary resistance random access memory.
COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, acceptance and informational needs in an Australian cancer population: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Scanlon Brighid , Wyld David , Firman Paul , Nakagaki Midori , Durham Jo , Kennedy Glen , Moran Paul , Smith Michael , Gavin Nicole
Published: December 2022

Objective This study aimed to investigate COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, acceptance, and unmet informational needs in a cancer population during the first phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination rollout in Australia. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a large tertiary hospital in Queensland, Australia, between 10 May and 31 July 2021. The survey assessed health beliefs, experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and informational needs. Results COVID-19 was perceived to be a significant threat to both physical and mental health. While 57.9% (n = 110) of respondents believed the COVID-19 vaccines were safe and 64.2% (n = 122) believed they were effective, more than half (52.6%; n = 100) agreed that they worried about vaccine side effects. Most respondents (84.2%; n = 160) planned to receive the COVID-19 vaccine; however, feelings of hesitancy remained. There was a statistically significant association between those aged under 60 years (P = 0.003), those with previous vaccine hesitancy (P = 0.000), those who felt they had not received adequate information (P = 0.000) and vaccine hesitancy. Requested information pertained to interactions with cancer treatments, those with a history of blood clotting and information for those undergoing bone marrow transplantation. Conclusions There is a need for tailored COVID-19 vaccine communication that is responsive to the concerns of people with cancer. This will be beneficial during current and future vaccination rollouts.
Ideological and explanatory uses of the COVID-19 as a war metaphor in science
Authors: Augé Anaïs
Published: December 2022

This paper proposes to investigate the varying implications of the war metaphor in scientific
publications discussing the COVID-19 pandemic. The corpus under study is composed of articles retrieved from the international
scientific journal Nature, the weekly magazine New Scientist, and the international agency
World Health Organisation. With a focus on three main characteristics of the pandemic – body health, medical
solutions, and global impact of the virus – the present study asks to what extent the use of the war metaphor can vary to
offer different viewpoints on the pandemic. The particular view on the virus – through metaphorical use – depends on the readers
each publication targets, the pressure to find solutions, the editorial requirements, and the aim of the publication. We conclude
that the war metaphor may not systematically be associated with disputable interpretations (as reported in literature),
it also serves an explanatory function.
The convergence and divergence of extension and intension on semantic change
Authors: Du Jing , Li Fuyin Thomas
Published: December 2022

Despite the fact that semantic change studies have intensively argued that intensional readings develop from the literal reading as a whole, diachronic prototype semantics proposes that intensional readings arise from the extensional subsets of the literal reading. This study empirically explored this proposal by carrying out a corpus-based diachronic study. It is proved from the semantic change of Chinesepòthat: (1) There exists a corresponding relationship between extensional usages and intensional readings of a lexical item. (2) Extension and intension both converge and diverge on semantic change. Their convergence lies in the fact that extensional usages give rise to intensional readings. Extensional usages, though nuanced, motivate the emergence and development of intensional readings. Their divergence is reflected in the independent development of extensional usages and intensional readings. The subsistence or dying out of extensional usages does not constrain the appearance or disappearance of intensional readings. (3) Semantic change involves three stages, namely the extensional stage, the intensional stage, and the grammaticalization stage. These three stages constitute an interweaving continuum in the process of semantic change.
Evaluation of the effect of the menstrual cycle on hearing
Authors: Kaya Beyza , Çiftçi Hatice Nihan , Çelebi Zehra , Yılmaz Oğuz , Şerbetçioğlu Mustafa Bülent
Published: December 2022

Objective:

In women, sudden changes in sex hormones occur due to the menstrual cycle. These hormonal changes cause changes in the concentrations of inner ear fluid. It is also known that acoustic trauma specifically affects the audiometric frequency of 4000 Hz, and oestrogen has a protective effect against acoustic trauma. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of hormonal changes on the peripheral auditory system during the menstrual cycle.

Methods:

Within the scope of this study, pure tone audiometry, wideband tympanometry and otoacoustic emission tests (TEOAEs, & DPOAEs) were performed on 38 normal hearing women, between the ages of 18–25 years who did not use contraceptive medication. Statistical evaluations were performed using IBM Statistics SPSS 20.0 package program.

Results:

Data from pure tone air-conduction hearing thresholds, middle ear function and Transient Evoked Otoacoustic emissions suggested that no significant changes were observed between follicular and luteal phases of the assessed subjects. However, for the Distortion Product Otoacoustic emission test, a significant difference was observed in the left ear at 4000 Hz (p ≤ 0.05).

Conclusion:

This study suggests that hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle do not have a significantly measurable effect on the peripheral auditory system.
Vibrational kinetics in repetitively pulsed atmospheric pressure nitrogen discharges: average-power-dependent switching behaviour
Authors: Davies Helen L , Guerra Vasco , van der Woude Marjan , Gans Timo , O’Connell Deborah , Gibson Andrew R
Published: December 2022

Characterisation of the vibrational kinetics in nitrogen-based plasmas at atmospheric pressure is crucial for understanding the wider plasma chemistry, which is important for a variety of biomedical, agricultural and chemical processing applications. In this study, a 0-dimensional plasma chemical-kinetics model has been used to investigate vibrational kinetics in repetitively pulsed, atmospheric pressure plasmas operating in pure nitrogen, under application-relevant conditions (average plasma powers of 0.23–4.50 W, frequencies of 1–10 kHz, and peak pulse powers of 23–450 W). Simulations predict that vibrationally excited state production is dominated by electron-impact processes at lower average plasma powers. When the average plasma power increases beyond a certain limit, due to increased pulse frequency or peak pulse power, there is a switch in behaviour, and production of vibrationally excited states becomes dominated by vibrational energy transfer processes (vibration–vibration (V–V) and vibration–translation (V–T) reactions). At this point, the population of vibrational levels up to

v
⩽
40

increases significantly, as a result of V–V reactions causing vibrational up-pumping. At average plasma powers close to where the switching behaviour occurs, there is potential to control the energy efficiency of vibrational state production, as small increases in energy deposition result in large increases in vibrational state densities. Subsequent pathways analysis reveals that energy in the vibrational states can also influence the wider reaction chemistry through vibrational–electronic (V–E) linking reactions (N + N

2

(
40
⩽
v
⩽
45
)
→

N

(
2

D
)

+ N

2

(
A
)

and N + N

2

(
39
⩽
v
⩽
45
)
→

N + N

2

(

a
′

)

), which result in increased Penning ionisation and an increased average electron density. Overall, this study investigates the potential for delineating the processes by which electronically and vibrationally excited species are produced in nitrogen plasmas. Therefore, potential routes by which nitrogen-containing plasma sources could be tailored, both in terms of chemical composition and energy efficiency, are highlighted.
Generation of time-bin-encoded photons in an ion-cavity system
Authors: Ward Travers , Keller Matthias
Published: December 2022

We investigate two single-photon generation schemes and compare their suitability for use in time-bin entanglement encoding. A trapped ion coupled to an optical cavity produces single photons through a cavity-assisted Raman transition. By manipulating the phase relationship between time-bins of successive photons, distinct features in the interference pattern of a Hong–Ou–Mandel measurement emerge. Through careful selection of the initial state, detrimental effects of spontaneous emission can be significantly reduced. We demonstrate that this reduction allows us to impart a measurable phase profile onto the emitted photons making time-bin entanglement encoding feasible with an ion-cavity system.
Analytical approximations to a generalized forced damped complex Duffing oscillator: multiple scales method and KBM approach
Authors: Alhejaili Weaam , Salas Alvaro H , El-Tantawy S A
Published: December 2022

In this investigation, some different approaches are implemented for analyzing a generalized forced damped complex Duffing oscillator, including the hybrid homotopy perturbation method (H-HPM), which is sometimes called the Krylov-Bogoliubov-Mitropolsky (KBM) method and the multiple scales method (MSM). All mentioned methods are applied to obtain some accurate and stable approximations to the proposed problem without decoupling the original problem. All obtained approximations are discussed graphically using different numerical values to the relevant parameters. Moreover, all obtained approximate solutions are compared with the 4th-order Runge-Kutta (RK4) numerical approximation. The maximum residual distance error (MRDE) is also estimated, in order to verify the high accuracy of the obtained analytic approximations.
Anisotropic phonon and magnon vibration and gate-tunable optoelectronic properties of nickel thiophosphite
Authors: Muhammad Zahir , Szpakowski Jan , Abbas Ghulam , Zu Lin , Islam Rajibul , Wang Yan , Wali Faiz , Karmakar Arka , Molas Maciej R , Zhang Yue , Zhu Ling , Zhao Weisheng , Zhang Han
Published: December 2022

Transition metal phosphorus trichalcogenides retain spin-charge coupling and lattice vibrations in different layers, which are useful for spintronic and optoelectronic devices. The phonon, magnons and excitonic properties of two-dimensional ternary nickel-phosphorus trisulfides (NiPS3) are investigated using Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) study. With magnetic exchange interaction, an exotic phonon scattering degenerates the optical phonons into in-plane A
g and B
g modes. We have observed eight Raman modes with two acoustic anisotropic magnon modes (M
1, M
2) below the critical temperature for co-(XX), while only M
1 at cross (XY) polarizations. The M
1 mode is coupled with the phonon B
g mode that can survive after transition temperature. The phonon and magnon modes soften with variations in temperature, which is attributed to anharmonic phonon–phonon coupling and interlayer forces. The polarized Raman shows the two-fold and four-fold symmetry orientations of the phonon and magnon modes, respectively, which exhibit strong in-plane anisotropic phonon/magnon. The PL spectra revealed the existence of bound excitonic features and ensemble emitters in NiPS3. The robust interlayer excitation and structural stability further revealed the optothermal properties. Moreover, the fabricated field-effect transistor on NiPS3 reveals p-type semiconducting nature with an ON/OFF ratio of 5 × 106 and mobility of ∼16.34 cm2 V−1 s−1. In contrast, the rectification ratio indicates their diode characteristics. Similarly, the photocurrent is enhanced by changing the wavelength of light, which shows the potential for optoelectronics. The strong spin-charge interaction provides new insights into these materials’ magneto-optical and thermal properties for memory devices.
Study on the morphology and distribution of Fe phase in solidification structure of Cu-15Fe alloy ingots
Authors: Guo Junli , Hu Qiang , Lu Deping , Zou Jin
Published: December 2022

The realization of high strength of copper-iron (Cu-Fe) alloy is related to its solidification structure. The morphology and distribution characteristics of Fe phase in the solidification structure of Cu-15Fe alloy ingot were analyzed, and the deformation strength of the alloy was compared. The results show that the cooling conditions can affect the size, morphology and distribution of Fe phase in the solidified structure. The average distribution uniformity in the water-cooled copper mold ingot (W-ingot) is 0.45% higher than that in the quartz mold ingot (Q-ingot). The distribution quality of Fe phase in solidification structure can be evaluated by fractal dimension and average Fe phase area. The larger the fractal dimension is, the smaller the average Fe phase area is, where Fe phase is smaller and more uniform in the corresponding region. In the experiment, the strength of the strip increased from 510 to 547 Mpa corresponds to the Q-ingot and the W-ingot.
2023 roadmap on photocatalytic water splitting
Authors: Bahnemann Detlef , Robertson Peter , Wang Chuanyi , Choi Wonyong , Daly Helen , Danish Mohtaram , de Lasa Hugo , Escobedo Salvador , Hardacre Christopher , Jeon Tae Hwa , Kim Bupmo , Kisch Horst , Li Wei , Long Mingce , Muneer M , Skillen Nathan , Zhang Jingzheng
Published: December 2022

As a consequence of the issues resulting from global climate change many nations are starting to transition to being low or net zero carbon economies. To achieve this objective practical alternative fuels are urgently required and hydrogen gas is deemed one of the most desirable substitute fuels to traditional hydrocarbons. A significant challenge, however, is obtaining hydrogen from sources with low or zero carbon footprint i.e. so called ‘green’ hydrogen. Consequently, there are a number of strands of research into processes that are practical techniques for the production of this ‘green’ hydrogen. Over the past five decades there has been a significant body of research into photocatalytic (PC)/photoelectrocatalytic processes for hydrogen production through water splitting or water reduction. There have, however been significant issues faced in terms of the practical capability of this promising technology to produce hydrogen at scale. This road map article explores a range of issues related to both PC and photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen generation ranging from basic processes, materials science through to reactor engineering and applications for biomass reforming.
Increasing the manoeuvrability of power units of the thermal power plants due to applying the hydrogen-oxygen systems
Authors: Solovey Victor , Zipunnikov Mykola , Rusanov Roman
Published: December 2022

The article describes a method for providing additional peak power of a power-unit with help of an additional energy circuit involving a peak turbine and a hydrogen–oxygen system for energy storage and generation. This method is described on the example of K-300-240 turbine power unit. The proposed technical solutions result in the nominal, most economical mode of a power-unit operation during a day. Consequently, the specific fuel consumption is decreased, and reliability of equipment operation is increased. We have developed the technology for high-pressure gases generating that is realized in the membrane-less electrolysers. Thus, there is no need in the use of expensive and energy-intensive compressor equipment for the energy storage systems. That means that the cost of power unit modernization is reduced. Taking into account the environmental and economic factors, the use of hydrogen–oxygen systems for energy storage at the power generating enterprises provides a value of the energy return coefficient that is practically the same as for hydro-storage power plant. But capital costs of power unit modernization are significantly lowered and negative impact on the environment is minimal.
Crack-free high-aspect ratio holes in glasses by top–down percussion drilling with infrared femtosecond laser GHz-bursts
Authors: Balage Pierre , Lopez John , Bonamis Guillaume , Hönninger Clemens , Manek-Hönninger Inka
Published: December 2022

We report novel results on top-down percussion drilling in different glasses with femtosecond laser GHz-bursts. Thanks to this particular regime of light–matter interaction, combining non-linear absorption and thermal cumulative effects, we obtained crack-free holes of aspect ratios exceeding 30 in sodalime and 70 in fused silica. The results are discussed in terms of inner wall morphology, aspect ratio and drilling speed.
Home-made pulse magnet power supply for magnetizing permanent magnets and magnetic measurements
Authors: Sakon Takuo , Kitagawa Kazunari , Miyaoku Takumi
Published: December 2022

In this article, we propose a home-made pulse magnetic field generation system constructed using a thyristor and large capacitance capacitors to generate high magnetic fields to investigate magnetic properties and magnetize the magnet and high-performance magnetic materials at room temperature. The proposed system produced a magnetic induction (magnetic field) μ
0
H of 15.6 T with the 33.6 mF capacitor and an excitation voltage of 600 V. Further, we designed a new power supply system and a pulse magnet using the commercially available pulse magnet and power supply. We found that the duration time of the magnetic fields (t
d) and the generated magnetic fields were three and four times larger than those for a conventional system, respectively. We also performed magnetization of a NEOMAX permanent magnet; the coercivity (Β
CJ) was 2.0 T, and the magnetization saturated at ∼4.0 T. These results suggest that we can magnetise a permanent magnet such as NEOMAX with strong magnetic fields using this system. Further, the magnetic measurements of these magnets can be performed as well. The merit of our system is that the capacitance of the capacitor bank is larger than that of other studies or general commercial power supplies. Therefore, relatively high magnetic fields with long duration time can be generated. We also performed experiments on the magnetization process (M-H) of Gd to investigate the magnetocaloric effect in high magnetic fields. The magnetic entropy change was comparable to the result of former investigation. We believe that our research can contribute to the development of permanent magnets and magnetic materials for scientific and industrial use because our system allows the generation of strong magnetic fields at room temperature.
Boost invariant polynomials for efficient jet tagging
Authors: Munoz Jose M , Batatia Ilyes , Ortner Christoph
Published: December 2022

Given the vast amounts of data generated by modern particle detectors, computational efficiency is essential for many data-analysis jobs in high-energy physics. We develop a new class of physically interpretable boost invariant polynomial (BIP) features for jet tagging that achieves such efficiency. We show that, for both supervised and unsupervised tasks, integrating BIPs with conventional classification techniques leads to models achieving high accuracy on jet tagging benchmarks while being orders of magnitudes faster to train and evaluate than contemporary deep learning systems.
Deciding Between Contradicting Norms: Rights-Based Law vs. Duty-Based Law and Their Social Ramifications
Authors: Porat Benjamin
Published: December 2022

The concept of rights stands at the very center of our legal universe. An imaginary alternative legal universe might have similar legal norms to ours, except that they are centered on the concept of duty. Is there any significant difference between these two legal universes? The Hohfeldian assumption of complete correlativity between rights and duties might imply that the difference between these two universes is merely a matter of rhetoric. This Article, however, argues that a rights-based legal world would presumably be significantly different from a legal world based upon duties. For this purpose, the Article examines the way in which contradictory norms are resolved. A rights-based system decides cases of contradictory norms according to a process that is different from that used by a duty-based system. The Article is devoted to examining the roots of this difference, its significance and its social implications. Alongside the discussion of the classical and modern legal sources from the Western legal tradition, the Article contains a comparative discussion of Jewish law sources, which demonstrates a typical example of a duty-based legal system.
Nucleotide augmentation for machine learning-guided protein engineering
Authors: Minot Mason , Reddy Sai T
Published: December 2022

Machine learning-guided protein engineering is a rapidly advancing field. Despite major experimental and computational advances, collecting protein genotype (sequence) and phenotype (function) data remains time- and resource-intensive. As a result, the quality and quantity of training data are often a limiting factor in developing machine learning models. Data augmentation techniques have been successfully applied to the fields of computer vision and natural language processing; however, there is a lack of such augmentation techniques for biological sequence data. Towards this end, we develop nucleotide augmentation (NTA), which leverages natural nucleotide codon degeneracy to augment protein sequence data via synonymous codon substitution. As a proof of concept for protein engineering, we test several online and offline augmentation implementations to train machine learning models with benchmark datasets of protein genotype and phenotype, revealing performance gains on par and surpassing benchmark models using a fraction of the training data. NTA also enables substantial improvements for classification tasks under heavy class imbalance.

Availability and implementation

The code used in this study is publicly available at https://github.com/minotm/NTA

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics Advances online.
SysBiolPGWAS: simplifying post-GWAS analysis through the use of computational technologies and integration of diverse omics datasets
Authors: Falola Oluwadamilare , Adam Yagoub , Ajayi Olabode , Kumuthini Judit , Adewale Suraju , Mosaku Abayomi , Samtal Chaimae , Adebayo Glory , Emmanuel Jerry , Tchamga Milaine S S , Erondu Udochukwu , Nehemiah Adebayo , Rasaq Suraj , Ajayi Mary , Akanle Bola , Oladipo Olaleye , Isewon Itunuoluwa , Adebiyi Marion , Oyelade Jelili , Adebiyi Ezekiel
Published: December 2022

Motivation

Post-genome-wide association studies (pGWAS) analysis is designed to decipher the functional consequences of significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the era of GWAS. This can be translated into research insights and clinical benefits such as the effectiveness of strategies for disease screening, treatment and prevention. However, the setup of pGWAS (pGWAS) tools can be quite complicated, and it mostly requires big data. The challenge however is, scientists are required to have sufficient experience with several of these technically complex and complicated tools in order to complete the pGWAS analysis.

Results

We present SysBiolPGWAS, a pGWAS web application that provides a comprehensive functionality for biologists and non-bioinformaticians to conduct several pGWAS analyses to overcome the above challenges. It provides unique functionalities for analysis involving multi-omics datasets and visualization using various bioinformatics tools. SysBiolPGWAS provides access to individual pGWAS tools and a novel custom pGWAS pipeline that integrates several individual pGWAS tools and data. The SysBiolPGWAS app was developed to be a one-stop shop for pGWAS analysis. It targets researchers in the area of the human genome and performs its analysis mainly in the autosomal chromosomes.

Availability and implementation

SysBiolPGWAS web app was developed using JavaScript/TypeScript web frameworks and is available at: https://spgwas.waslitbre.org/. All codes are available in this GitHub repository https://github.com/covenant-university-bioinformatics.
Optimal bail-out and complication management strategies in protected high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention with the Impella
Authors: Sinning Jan-Malte , Ibrahim Karim , Schröder Jörg , Sef Davorin , Burzotta Francesco
Published: December 2022

Despite the routine use of percutaneous mechanical circulatory support (pMCS) with the Impella heart pump, vascular and bleeding complications may occur during removal with or without pre-closure. To safely close the large-bore access (LBA), post-hoc selection of the appropriate treatment of vascular complications is critical to patient recovery and survival. Femoral artery access is typically utilized for LBA, and percutaneous axillary artery access is a common alternative, especially in the instance of severe peripheral artery disease. Optimization of patient outcomes and efficiency of pMCS can be achieved with adequate arterial access using state-of-the-art techniques. Impella removal techniques with or without pre-closure will be addressed as well as the management of large-bore femoral access complications. In addition, treatment strategies to manage patient deterioration during a protected high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention will be provided.
Organic and inorganic nutrients modulate taxonomic diversity and trophic strategies of small eukaryotes in oligotrophic oceans
Authors: Villiot Naomi , Maas Amy E , Poulton Alex J , Blanco-Bercial Leocadio
Published: December 2022

As the oligotrophic gyres expand due to global warming, exacerbating resource limitation impacts on primary producers, predicting changes to microbial assemblages and productivity requires knowledge of the community response to nutrient availability. This study examines how organic and inorganic nutrients influence the taxonomic and trophic composition (18S metabarcoding) of small eukaryotic plankton communities (< 200 µm) within the euphotic zone of the oligotrophic Sargasso Sea. The study was conducted by means of field sampling of natural microbial communities and laboratory incubation of these communities under different nutrient regimes. Dissimilarity in community composition increased along a depth gradient, with a homogeneous protist community within the mixed layer and distinct microbial assemblages at different depths below the deep chlorophyll maximum. A nutrient enrichment assay revealed the potential of natural microbial communities to rapidly shift in composition in response to nutrient addition. Results highlighted the importance of inorganic phosphorus availability, largely understudied compared to nitrogen, in constraining microbial diversity. Dissolved organic matter addition led to a loss of diversity, benefiting a limited number of phagotrophic and mixotrophic taxa. Nutrient history of the community sets the physiological responsiveness of the eukaryotic community to changing nutrient regimes and needs to be considered in future studies.
Watching Living Cells in Action in the Exocrine Pancreas: The Palade Prize Lecture
Authors: Petersen Ole H
Published: December 2022

George Palade’s pioneering electron microscopical studies of the pancreatic acinar cell revealed the intracellular secretory pathway from the rough endoplasmic reticulum at the base of the cell to the zymogen granules in the apical region. Palade also described for the first time the final stage of exocytotic enzyme secretion into the acinar lumen. The contemporary studies of the mechanism by which secretion is acutely controlled, and how the pancreas is destroyed in the disease acute pancreatitis, rely on monitoring molecular events in the various identified pancreatic cell types in the living pancreas. These studies have been carried out with the help of high-resolution fluorescence recordings, often in conjunction with patch clamp current measurements. In such studies we have gained much detailed information about the regulatory events in the exocrine pancreas in health as well as disease, and new therapeutic opportunities have been revealed.
Nomogram for predicting overall survival time of patients with stage IV colorectal cancer
Authors: Lv Min-Yi , Chen Xi-Jie , Chen Jun-Guo , Zhang Bin , Lin Yan-Yun , Huang Tian-Ze , He De-Gao , Wang Kai , Chi Zeng-Jie , Hu Jian-Cong , He Xiao-Sheng
Published: December 2022

Background

Prognosis varies among stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC). Our study aimed to build a robust prognostic nomogram for predicting overall survival (OS) of patients with stage IV CRC in order to provide evidence for individualized treatment.

Method

We collected the information of 16,283 patients with stage IV CRC in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and then randomized these patients in a ratio of 7:3 into a training cohort and an internal validation cohort. In addition, 501 patients in the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University (Guangzhou, China) database were selected and used as an external validation cohort. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were used to screen out significant variables for nomogram establishment. The nomogram model was assessed using time-dependent receiver-operating characteristic curve (time-dependent ROC), concordance index (C-index), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis. Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan–Meier method.

Result

The C-index of the nomogram for OS in the training, internal validation, and external validation cohorts were 0.737, 0.727, and 0.655, respectively. ROC analysis and calibration curves pronounced robust discriminative ability of the model. Further, we divided the patients into a high-risk group and a low-risk group according to the nomogram. Corresponding Kaplan–Meier curves showed that the prediction of the nomogram was consistent with the actual practice. Additionally, model comparisons and decision curve analysis proved that the nomogram for predicting prognosis was significantly superior to the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system.

Conclusions

We constructed a nomogram to predict OS of the stage IV CRC and externally validate its generalization, which was superior to the TNM staging system.
Abdominal trachelectomy in a case of cervical myoma as a fertility sparing surgery
Authors: Gari Abdulrahim , Alrajhi Balqes F
Published: December 2022

Cervical leiomyoma is considered a rare pathology with limited treatment options especially if preserving fertility is a concern. Traditional fertility-preserving surgery such as myomectomy has been the mainstay of management if it is possible (Ferrari F, Forte S, Valenti G, Ardighieri L, Barra F, Esposito V, et al. Current treatment options for cervical leiomyomas: a systematic review of literature. Medicina (Kaunas) 2021;57:1–15). Trachelectomy was described as fertility-preserving surgery in patients with early-stage cervical cancer. However, recent studies manage patients with trachelectomy for benign pathology and suggest that; it as an alternative option that otherwise will be treated as hysterectomy (Ferrari F, Forte S, Valenti G, Ardighieri L, Barra F, Esposito V, et al. Current treatment options for cervical leiomyomas: a systematic review of literature. Medicina (Kaunas) 2021;57:1–15). A 33-year-old female, Para 3, referred to a gynecology clinic with a history of heavy menstrual flow, pelvic pain and pressure symptoms. She is known case of fibroid uterus however after having done pelvic MRI with contrast it confirmed the diagnosis of cervical myoma, measured 10 cm × 10 cm, which is intraoperatively managed by trachelectomy as a fertility preservation surgery. The surgery was complicated by ureterovaginal fistula, which was managed with a DJ stent conservatively. Cervical myoma is a rare pathology, and trachelectomy should be considered as an option for a woman who wants to preserve her fertility. Complication and obstetrical outcome should be discussed with the patient; hence, more studies are needed to address the management of cervical myoma, surgical complications and outcome of this procedure, especially in a benign condition.
Context-dependent variation in innovation as a function of urbanization in a songbird
Authors: Weaver Melinda , McGraw Kevin J
Published: December 2022

Recent human-induced transformations to the environment are significantly impacting wild animal populations. Whereas some animals thrive due to these changes, others are being extinguished. Many studies have attempted to identify behavioural traits (e.g. personality, diet versatility, cognition) that allow some animals to succeed in human-dominated landscapes, but few have studied multiple traits or environmental contexts concurrently, despite the fact that different environments may require different types of behavioural performance. We presented house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) captured from urban, suburban, and rural sites with two different environmental problems to solve (escaping from a confinement and finding food in multiple feeding structures) and measured the success and speed of solving the challenge as well as activity levels and stress behaviours of the birds. We found that urban birds were better at solving the escape challenge, but there was no difference in finding a hidden food source. In addition, we found that birds who solved the escape challenge were more active than those who did not solve this problem, although we observed no such behavioural difference in the food challenge. These results indicate that, because problem-solving challenges can vary across environments, certain types of innovation may be prioritized over others in urban-dwelling species.
Estimated excretion and clearance of uric acid as optimal surrogate indices for daily urinary uric acid excretion
Authors: Tsutani Hiroshi , Otsuki Nozomi , Mitsuke Yasuhiko , Ueda Takanori
Published: December 2022

Objectives

Daily uric acid excretion (Eua) is an essential index for patients with gout/hyperuricaemia. We identified alternative indices most correlated with 24-hour uric acid clearance (Cua 24 h) and 24-hour Eua (Eua 24 h) using data from the reference interval of urinary clearance and excretion of urate study.

Methods

The subjects were indoor workers aged 20–65 years who met the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute Guidelines C28-A3c. Alternative indices using spot urine were urine uric acid creatinine ratio, Cua—creatinine clearance ratio (Cua/Ccr), Eua—CCr ratio (Eua/Ccr), estimated Cua (eCua), and estimated Eua (eEua). eCua and eEua are the values obtained by multiplying Cua/Ccr and Eua/Ccr with the estimated glomerular filtration rate.

Results

The final number of subjects analysed was 739. Among the indices using spot urine, eCua and eEua showed the highest correlation with Cua 24 h and Eua 24 h, respectively. Compared with Cua 60 min and Eua 60 min obtained from 60-min urine collection, eCua and eEua showed lower root means squared error, lower bias, and significantly higher accuracy of within 30% and within 15%.

Conclusions

The newly proposed eCua and eEua may be appropriate from a practical perspective.
Nation-wide cohort study of remission induction therapy using rituximab in Japanese patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody–associated vasculitis: Effectiveness and safety in the first 6 months
Authors: Nagasaka Kenji , Amano Koichi , Dobashi Hiroaki , Nagafuchi Hiroko , Sada Ken-Ei , Komagata Yoshinori , Yamamura Masahiro , Kato Masaru , Endo Tomomi , Nakaya Izaya , Takeuchi Tsutomu , Murakawa Yohko , Sugihara Takahiko , Saito Masaya , Hayashi Taichi , Furuta Shunsuke , Tamura Naoto , Karasawa Kazunori , Banno Shogo , Endo Shuichiro , Majima Masako , Kaname Shinya , Arimura Yoshiriro , Harigai Masayoshi
Published: December 2022

Objectives

The aim of this article is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of rituximab (RTX) for microscopic polyangiitis and granulomatosis with polyangiitis in Japan.

Methods

In this prospective observational study, all patients with microscopic polyangiitis and granulomatosis with polyangiitis administered RTX were enrolled at each institution. During the observation period of 2 years, data up to 6 months were analysed. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to assess the factors associated with an outcome.

Results

Of the 75 patients who received RTX for remission induction therapy, 53 achieved remission by the sixth month and 50 were in remission at the sixth month. During therapy, 39 serious adverse events were observed in 24 patients, 21 serious infections in 16 patients, and 9 patients died. No factors were associated with remission; however, there was a significant difference between patients with and without remission in serious adverse events (22.6% vs. 54.5%), serious infections (11.3% vs. 45.4%), and death (1.9% vs. 36.4%). The hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for serious infection was 3.49 (1.29–9.74) for patients aged ≥ 75 years and 3.53 (1.31–9.53) for pulmonary complications. Four patients maintained remission for 6 months.

Conclusions

The effectiveness and safety of RTX for microscopic polyangiitis and granulomatosis with polyangiitis for up to 6 months was demonstrated.
Discovery of novel thyrointegrin αvβ3 antagonist fb-PMT (NP751) in the management of human glioblastoma multiforme
Authors: Godugu Kavitha , Hay Bruce A , Glinsky Gennadi V , Mousa Shaker A
Published: December 2022

Background

Thyrointegrin αvβ3 receptors are unique molecular cancer therapeutic targets because of their overexpression on cancer and rapidly dividing blood vessel cells compared and quiescent on normal cells. A macromolecule, TriAzole Tetraiodothyroacetic acid (TAT) conjugated to polyethylene glycol with a lipophilic 4-fluorobenyl group (fb-PMT and NP751), interacts with high affinity (0.21 nM) and specificity with the thyrointegrin αvβ3 receptors on the cell surface without nuclear translocation in contrast to the non-polymer conjugated TAT.

Methods

The following in vitro assays were carried out to evaluate NP751 including binding affinity to different integrins, transthyretin (TTR)-binding affinity, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cell adhesion, proliferation assays, nuclear translocations, chorioallantoic membrane model of angiogenesis, and microarray for molecular mechanisms. Additionally, in vivo studies were carried out to evaluate the anticancer efficacy of NP751, its biodistribution, and brain GBM tumor versus plasma levels kinetics.

Results

NP751 demonstrated a broad spectrum of antiangiogenesis and anticancer efficacy in experimental models of angiogenesis and xenografts of human GBM cells. Tumor growth and cancer cells’ viability were markedly decreased (by > 90%; P < .001) in fb-PMT-treated U87-luc or 3 different primary human GBM xenograft-bearing mice based on tumor in vivo imaging system (IVIS) imaging and histopathological examination, without relapse upon treatment discontinuation. Additionally, it effectively transports across the blood-brain barrier via its high-affinity binding to plasma TTR with high retention in brain tumors. NP751-induced effects on gene expression support the model of molecular interference at multiple key pathways essential for GBM tumor progression and vascularization.

Conclusions

fb-PMT is a potent thyrointegrin αvβ3 antagonist with potential impact on GBM tumor progression.
Short Course of Antifungal Therapy in Patients With Uncomplicated Candida Bloodstream Infection: Another Case of Less Is More in the Clinical Setting?
Authors: Vena Antonio , Bovis Francesca , Tutino Stefania , Santagostino Barbone Alessandro , Mezzogori Laura , Ponzano Marta , Taramasso Lucia , Baldi Federico , Dettori Silvia , Labate Laura , Russo Chiara , Giacobbe Daniele Roberto , Mikulska Malgorzata , Dentone Chiara , Magnasco Laura , Marchese Anna , Robba Chiara , Ball Lorenzo , Battaglini Denise , Pelosi Paolo , Crea Francesca , Di Pilato Vincenzo , Di Biagio Antonio , Bouza Emilio , Muñoz Patricia , Bassetti Matteo
Published: December 2022

Background

The objective of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of patients receiving a short course (SC) vs a prolonged course (PC) of antifungal therapy for uncomplicated Candida bloodstream infections (BSIs).

Methods

All episodes of uncomplicated Candida BSI from September 1, 2018, to August 31, 2020, were reviewed. We compared the primary (all-cause 90-day mortality) and secondary study end points (1-year recurrent Candida BSI and all-cause 1-year mortality) among patients who underwent SC (5–11 days) or PC (12–24 days) therapy using propensity score analysis with the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method.

Results

A total of 114 patients with uncomplicated Candida BSI were included: 35 (30.7%) were classified into the SC group (median [interquartile range {IQR}], 9 [7–11] days) and 79 (69.3%) into the PC group (median [IQR], 14 [14–16] days). Patients in the SC group compared with the PC group had a higher rate of hospitalization in the surgical ward (40.0% vs 19.0%; P = .02) or septic shock at the time of Candida BSI onset (11.4% vs 1.3%; P = .03). The risk of 90-day mortality was not different between the SC and PC groups (n = 8 [22.9%] vs 17 [21.5%], respectively; IPTW-adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio [sHR], 0.67; 95% CI, 0.31–1.47; P = .20). The risk for recurrent Candida BSI within 1 year of completing therapy (IPTW-adjusted sHR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.20–5.80; P = .94) or for all-cause 1-year mortality (IPTW-adjusted HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.35–1.50; P = .38) did not differ between groups.

Conclusions

Receiving a short vs prolonged course of antifungal therapy did not affect mortality or BSI recurrence in patients with uncomplicated candidemia.
Transparent communication of evidence does not undermine public trust in evidence
Authors: Kerr John R , Schneider Claudia R , Freeman Alexandra L J , Marteau Theresa , van der Linden Sander
Published: December 2022

Does clear and transparent communication of risks, benefits, and uncertainties increase or undermine public trust in scientific information that people use to guide their decision-making? We examined the impact of reframing messages written in traditional persuasive style to align instead with recent “evidence communication” principles, aiming to inform decision-making: communicating a balance of risks and benefits, disclosing uncertainties and evidence quality, and prebunking misperceptions. In two pre-registered experiments, UK participants read either a persuasive message or a balanced and informative message adhering to evidence communication recommendations about COVID-19 vaccines (Study 1) or nuclear power plants (Study 2). We find that balanced messages are either perceived as trustworthy as persuasive messages (Study 1), or more so (Study 2). However, we note a moderating role of prior beliefs such that balanced messages were consistently perceived as more trustworthy among those with negative or neutral prior beliefs about the message content. We furthermore note that participants who had read the persuasive message on nuclear power plants voiced significantly stronger support for nuclear power than those who had read the balanced message, despite rating the information as less trustworthy. There was no difference in vaccination intentions between groups reading the different vaccine messages.