bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Cell-Based Papain-like Protease (PLpro) Activity Assay for Rapid Detection of Active SARS-CoV-2 Infections and Antivirals
Authors: Jimenez-Campos Anahi G. , Maestas Lucas I. , Velappan Nileena , Beck Brian , Ye Chunyan , Wernsing Keith , Mata-Solis Yaniksa , Bruno William J. , Bussmann Silas C. , Bradfute Steven , Baca Justin T. , Rininsland Frauke H.
Published: May 2024

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its variants are a continuous threat to human life and prosperity. An urgent need remains for simple and fast tests that reliably detect active infections with SARS-CoV-2 and its variants in asymptomatic and presymptomatic carriers. Here we introduce a simple and rapid activity-based diagnostic (ABDx) test that identifies SARS-CoV-2 infections by measuring the activity of a viral enzyme, Papain-Like protease (PLpro). The test system consists of a peptide that fluoresces when cleaved by SARS PLpro that is active in crude, unprocessed lysates from human tongue scrapes and saliva. Test results are obtained in 30 minutes or less using widely available fluorescence plate readers, or a battery-operated portable instrument for testing at point of care (PoC) sites and in low-resource and hard to reach populations. Proof-of-concept was obtained in a clinical study on clinical specimens collected from patients with COVID-19 like symptoms who tested positive (n=10) or negative (n=10) with diagnostic LIAT RT-PCR using nasal mid turbinate swabs. When saliva from these patients was tested with in-house endpoint RT-PCR only 3 specimens were negative and 17 were positive. PLpro activity correlated in 17 of these cases (3 out of 3 negatives and 14 out of 16 positives, with one invalid specimen. Despite the small number of samples, the agreement was significant (p value = 0.01). In one presumptive false positive patient viral RNA was detected in saliva 5 days later by endpoint RT-PCR. Two false negatives were detected, one from a sample with a late Ct value of 35 in diagnostic RT-PCR, indicating that an active infection was no longer present. The PLpro activity assay is easily scalable and expected to detect all viable SARS-CoV-2 variants and recombinants, making it attractive as a screening and surveillance tool. Additionally, we show feasibility of the platform as a new homogeneous phenotypic assay for rapid screening of SARS-CoV-2 antiviral drugs and neutralizing antibodies.
Temporal-Coherence Induces Binding of Responses to Sound Sequences in Ferret Auditory Cortex
Authors: Lu Kai , Dutta Kelsey , Mohammed Ali , Elhilali Mounya , Shamma Shihab
Published: May 2024

Binding the attributes of a sensory source is necessary to perceive it as a unified entity, one that can be attended to and extracted from its surrounding scene. In auditory perception, this is the essence of the cocktail party problem in which a listener segregates one speaker from a mixture of voices, or a musical stream from simultaneous others. It is postulated that coherence of the temporal modulations of a source’s features is necessary to bind them. The focus of this study is on the role of temporal-coherence in binding and segregation, and specifically as evidenced by the neural correlates of rapid plasticity that enhance cortical responses among synchronized neurons, while suppressing them among asynchronized ones. In a first experiment, we find that attention to a sound sequence rapidly binds it to othercoherentsequences while suppressing nearbyincoherentsequences, thus enhancing the contrast between the two groups. In a second experiment, a sequence of synchronized multi-tone complexes, embedded in a cloud of randomly dispersed background of desynchronized tones, perceptually and neurally pops-out after a fraction of a second highlighting the binding among its coherent tones against the incoherent background. These findings demonstrate the role of temporal-coherence in binding and segregation.
Occupancy of the HbYX hydrophobic pocket is sufficient to induce gate opening in the archaeal 20S proteasomes
Authors: Chuah Janelle J.Y. , Daugherty Madalena R. , Smith David M.
Published: May 2024

Enhancing proteasome function has been a long-standing but challenging target of interest for the potential treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, emphasizing the importance of understanding proteasome activation mechanisms. Most proteasome activator complexes use the C-terminal HbYX (hydrophobic-tyrosine-almost any residue) motif to bind and trigger gate-opening in the 20S proteasome. This study defines a critical molecular interaction in the HbYX mechanism that triggers gate opening. We focus on the Hb site interaction and find it plays a surprisingly central and crucial role in driving the allosteric conformational changes that induce gate opening in the archaeal 20S. We examined the cryo-EM structure of two mutant archaeal proteasomes, αV24Y T20S and αV24F T20S. These two mutants were engineered to place a bulky aromatic residue in the HbYX hydrophobic pocket; both mutants are highly active, though their mechanisms of activation are undefined. Collectively, our findings indicate that the interaction between the Hb group of the HbYX motif and its corresponding hydrophobic pocket is sufficient to induce gate opening in a mechanistically similar way to the HbYX motif. The activation mechanism studied here involves the expansion of the hydrophobic binding site, allosterically altering the state of the IT switch thus triggering gate-opening. Furthermore, we show that the canonical αK66 residue, previously understood to be critical for proteasome activator binding, also plays a key role in stabilizing the open gate, irrespective of activator binding. This study differentiates between the residues in the HbYX motif that support binding interactions (“YX”) versus those that allosterically contribute to gate opening (“Hb”). The insights reported here will guide future drug development efforts, particularly in designing small molecule proteasome activators, by targeting the identified hydrophobic pocket.
State-resolved mutual neutralization of
O+16
with
H−1
and
H−2
at collision energies below 100 meV
Authors: Schmidt-May Alice F. , Barklem Paul S. , Grumer Jon , Amarsi Anish M. , Björkhage Mikael , Blom Mikael , Dochain Arnaud , Ji MingChao , Martini Paul , Reinhed Peter , Rosén Stefan , Simonsson Ansgar , Zettergren Henning , Cederquist Henrik , Schmidt Henning T.
Published: May 2024

We measured the product-state distribution and its dependence on the hydrogen isotope for the mutual neutralization between O+16 and H−1,2 at the double electrostatic ion-beam storage ring DESIREE for center-of-mass collision energies below 100 meV. We find at least six product channels into ground-state hydrogen and oxygen in different excited states. The majority of oxygen products populate terms corresponding to 2s22p3(4S∘)4s with S∘5 as the main reaction product. We also observe product channels into terms corresponding to 2s22p3(4S)3p. Collisions with the heavier hydrogen isotope yield a branching into these lower excited states smaller than collisions with H−1. The observed reaction products agree with the theoretical predictions. The detailed branching fractions, however, differ between the theoretical results, and none of them fully agree with the experiment.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Elongated quantum dot as a distributed charge sensor
Authors: Patomäki S. M. , Williams J. , Berritta F. , Lainé C. , Fogarty M. A. , Leon R. C. C. , Jussot J. , Kubicek S. , Chatterjee A. , Govoreanu B. , Kuemmeth F. , Morton J. J. L. , Gonzalez-Zalba M. F.
Published: May 2024

Increasing the separation between semiconductor quantum dots offers scaling advantages by facilitating gate routing and the integration of sensors and charge reservoirs. Elongated quantum dots have been utilized for this purpose in GaAs heterostructures to extend the range of spin-spin interactions. Here, we study a MOS device where two quantum dot arrays are separated by an elongated quantum dot (340 nm long, 50 nm wide). We monitor charge transitions of the elongated quantum dot by measuring radiofrequency single-electron currents to a reservoir to which we connect a lumped-element resonator. We operate the dot as a single-electron box to achieve charge sensing of remote quantum dots in each array, separated by an edge-to-edge distance of 480 nm. Charge detection on both ends of the elongated dot at a coinciding setpoint demonstrates that the charge states are well distributed across its nominal length, supported by the simulated quantum mechanical electron density. Likewise, we show elongated-peripheral quantum dot tunnel couplings can exceed 20GHz, above the electron temperature, fulfilling the requirement for mediated exchange. Our results illustrate how single-electron boxes can be realized with versatile footprints that may enable compact quantum processor layouts, offering distributed charge sensing in addition to the possibility of mediated coupling.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Unbiased estimation of gravitational-wave anisotropies from noisy data
Authors: Kouvatsos Nikolaos , Jenkins Alexander C. , Renzini Arianna I. , Romano Joseph D. , Sakellariadou Mairi
Published: May 2024

One of the most exciting targets of current and future gravitational-wave observations is the angular power spectrum of the astrophysical GW background. This cumulative signal encodes information about the large-scale structure of the Universe, as well as the formation and evolution of compact binaries throughout cosmic time. However, the finite rate of compact binary mergers gives rise to , which introduces a significant bias in measurements of the angular power spectrum if not explicitly accounted for. Previous work showed that this bias can be removed by cross-correlating GW sky maps constructed from different observing times. However, this work considered an idealized measurement scenario, ignoring detector specifics and in particular noise contributions. Here we extend this temporal cross-correlation method to account for these difficulties, allowing us to implement the first unbiased anisotropic search pipeline for LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA data. In doing so, we show that the existing pipeline is biased , due to previously neglected subleading contributions to the noise covariance. We apply our pipeline to mock LIGO data, and find that our improved analysis will be crucial for stochastic searches from the current observing run (O4) onwards.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Quantum Circuits with Multiterminal Josephson-Andreev Junctions
Authors: Matute-Cañadas F.J. , Tosi L. , Yeyati A. Levy
Published: May 2024

We explore superconducting quantum circuits where several leads are simultaneously connected beyond the tunneling regime, such that the fermionic structure of Andreev bound states in the resulting multiterminal Josephson junction influences the states of the full circuit. Using a simple model of single-channel contacts and a single level in the middle region, we discuss different circuit configurations where the leads are islands with finite capacitance and/or form loops with finite inductance. We find situations of practical interest where the circuits can be used to define noise-protected qubits, which map to the bifluxon and 0−π qubits in the tunneling regime. We also point out the subtleties of the gauge choice for a proper description of these quantum circuit dynamics.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Use of HIS in achieving preventive care performance: a resource orchestration study
Authors: Mohd Fadhil Noor Fadzlina , Teoh Say Yen , Young Leslie W. , Wickramasinghe Nilmini
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study investigated two key aspects: (1) how a hospital bundles limited resources for preventive care performance and (2) how to develop IS capabilities to enhance preventive care performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study method was adopted to examine how a hospital integrates its limited resources which leads to the need for resource bundles and an understanding of IS capabilities development to understand how they contribute to the delivery of preventive care in a Malaysian hospital.

Findings

This research proposes a comprehensive framework outlining resource-bundling and IS capabilities development to improve preventive care.

Research limitations/implications

We acknowledge that the problem of transferring and generalizing results has been a common criticism of a single case study. However, our objective was to enhance the reader’s understanding by including compelling, detailed narratives demonstrating how our research results offer practical examples that can be generalized theoretically. The findings also apply to similar-sized public hospitals in Malaysia and other developing countries, facing challenges like resource constraints, HIS adoption levels, healthcare workforce shortages, cultural and linguistic diversity, bureaucratic hurdles, and specific patient demographics and health issues. Further, lessons from this context can be usefully applied to non-healthcare service sector domains.

Practical implications

This study provides a succinct strategy for enhancing preventive care in Malaysian public hospitals, focusing on system integration and alignment with hospital strategy, workforce diversity through recruitment and mentorship, and continuous training for health equity and inclusivity. This approach aims to improve resource efficiency, communication, cultural competence, and healthcare outcomes.

Social implications

Efficiently using limited resources through HIS investment is essential to improve preventive care and reduce chronic diseases, which cause approximately nine million deaths annually in Southeast Asia, according to WHO. This issue has significantly impacted the socioeconomic development of developing countries.

Originality/value

This research refines resource orchestration theory with new mechanisms for resource mobilization, extends IS literature by identifying how strategic bundling forms specialized healthcare IS capabilities, enriches preventive care literature through actionable resource-bundling activities, and adds to HIS literature by advocating for an integrated, preventive care focus from the alignment of HIS design, people and institutional policies to address concerns raised by other research regarding the utilization of HIS in improving the quality of preventive care.
Short video narratives, brand equity dimensions and horti-tourism patronage: does real-world video matter?
Authors: Mohammed Iddrisu , Mahmoud Mahmoud Abdulai , Hinson Robert Ebo
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Using the transportation theory, and the brand equity model, this study aims to examine how short video narratives from a tourist perspective increased brand equity dimensions which could lead to intention to patronise. Further, the study tested the moderating role of real-world video between the brand equity dimensions and intention to patronise.

Design/methodology/approach

A sequential explanatory mixed method is adopted for this study. An empirical study was conducted in the first phase with 1,119 participants. In the second phase, the quantitative results were used to develop a semi-structured interview guide for in-depth interviews with 9 respondents to validate the quantitative outcomes. The structural equation modelling technique was utilised to analyse the quantitative data, whereas content analysis was used for the qualitative data.

Findings

The results revealed that short video narratives lead to horti-awareness, image and value. Additionally, horti-awareness, and value had a significant impact on intention to patronise horti-tourism destinations. Another interesting observation is that the negative perceived quality might be as a result of the short video emanating from a tourist perspective. Importantly, potential tourists perceived the real-world video to be authentic, thus strengthening the relationship between the brand equity dimensions and intention to patronise.

Practical implications

This research provided valuable insights for marketers/management and stakeholders within the tourism and hospitality sector to achieve benefits derived from the findings of the study.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors knowledge, this study is the first attempt to embed the theory of transportation and the brand equity model in understanding horti-tourism destinations, which can rarely be found in extant literature.
Religiosity as an intervening variable in consumers’ increased green purchase intention (GPI) toward natural dye batik in Indonesia
Authors: Susminingsih Susminingsih , Mujib Abdul , Wahdati Anis , Baharuddin Mochammad Achwan , Maylawati Dian Sa'adillah
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine the factors that influence the increase in purchase intention toward green batik products with religiosity as an intervening variable.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a survey method that involved a sample size of 185 participants selected through purposive and accidental sampling techniques. The analysis was conducted by using IBM SPSS AMOS 21 software. The collected data were subjected to path analysis using multiple linear regression models.

Findings

The result indicated that religiosity plays a mediating role in the association between factors and the intention to purchase green product (GPd) of the Indonesian natural dye batik product. This finding is in accordance with the construction of theory of planned behavior in understanding consumer purchase intentions. GPd, green brand and green price exhibited a positive correlation with green purchase intention (GPI). Interestingly, the price was found to no longer serve as the primary factor in GPI.

Research limitations/implications

The analysis would have been more compelling if it had used a mixed-method approach by introducing the variables of customer satisfaction and promotion.

Practical implications

This research postulates that increased prices are no longer a deterrent to the purchase of GPd. Instead, consumer consciousness regarding GPd plays a pivotal role in driving GPI. GPd have revolutionized individuals’ consumption patterns to contribute to environmental preservation. The use of green batik products is seen as advantageous in helping mitigate environmental degradation.

Originality/value

The present research assesses the impact of religiosity, as an intervening variable, on the augmentation of GPI by gauging its significance in enhancing ecological consciousness and moral values.
Study on site selection evaluation of emergency material storage based on improved TOPSIS
Authors: Pang Xiaona , Yang Wenguang , Miao Wenjing , Zhou Hanyu , Min Rui
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Through the scientific and reasonable evaluation of the site selection of the emergency material reserve, the optimal site selection scheme is found, which provides reference for the future emergency decision-making research.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, we have chosen three primary indicators and twelve secondary indicators to construct an assessment framework for the determination of suitable locations for storing emergency material reserves. By mean of the improved entropy weight-order relationship weight determination method, the evaluation model of kullback leibler-technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (KL-TOPSIS) emergency material reserve location based on relative entropy is established. On this basis, 10 regional storage sites in Beijing are selected for evaluation.

Findings

The results show that the evaluation model of the location of emergency material reserve not only respects the objective knowledge, but also considers the subjective information of the experts, which makes the ranking result of the location of the emergency material reserve more accurate and reliable.

Originality/value

Firstly, the modification factor is added to the calculation formula of traditional entropy weight method to complete the improvement of entropy weight method. Secondly, the order relation analysis method is used to assign subjective weights to the indicators. The principle of minimum information entropy is introduced to determine the comprehensive weight of the index. Finally, KL distance and TOPSIS method are combined to determine the relative entropy and proximity degree of alternative solutions and positive and negative ideal solutions, and the scientific and effective of the method is proved by case study.
A synthetic difference-in-differences model for the influence of CR Express on Chongqing’s economy
Authors: Zhang Rong , Li Qi
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The China–Europe Railway Express (CR Express) in Chongqing has operated regularly and undergone large-scale development. Its impact on Chongqing’s economic growth has become increasingly evident, necessitating further research in this field.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs the opening of CR Express as a quasi-natural experiment, designating Chongqing, which inaugurated the CR Express in 2011, as the treatment group. 13 provinces and cities that had not yet opened the CR Express until 2017 were selected as the control group. Utilizing panel data from 14 provinces across China spanning from 2006 to 2017, the synthetic control method (SCM) is employed to synthetically construct Chongqing. To quantify the difference in economic development levels between Chongqing with the operation of the CR express and Chongqing without its operation. Key metrics such as gross domestic product (GDP), per capita GDP, total retail sales of consumer goods, import and export value and the proportions of the secondary and tertiary industries are employed to measure urban economic development capabilities. Chongqing is designated as the experimental group, and a double-difference model is constructed to regress the operation of the CR Express against economic development capabilities. Robustness tests are conducted to validate the analytical results.

Findings

The results indicate that, compared to provinces without the operation of the CR Express, the initiation of the CR Express in Chongqing significantly enhances the economic development level of the city. The opening of the CR Express exhibits a pronounced positive impact on Chongqing’s economic development, and these findings remain robust and effective even after parallel trend tests and placebo tests.

Originality/value

The study represents an expansion of the theoretical framework. In contrast to previous studies that relied on a single indicator such as GDP, this study selects six indicators from the dimensions of economy, trade and industry to measure regional economic development capabilities. Furthermore, employing the grey relational analysis method, the study screens these indicators, thereby providing a theoretical basis for the selection of indicators for measuring regional economic development capabilities.
Safety and effectiveness of apremilast in Japanese patients with psoriatic disease: Results of a post‐marketing surveillance study
Authors: Ohtsuki Mamitaro , Okubo Yukari , Saeki Hidehisa , Igarashi Atsuyuki , Imafuku Shinichi , Abe Masatoshi , Chaudhari Siddharth , Yaguchi Masafumi , Emoto Ayumi , Morita Akimichi
Published: May 2024

The safety and efficacy of apremilast in psoriatic disease has been demonstrated in clinical trials, including in Japanese patients. This post‐marketing surveillance study was conducted after approval of apremalast in Japan in 2016 to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the drug in Japanese patients with plaque psoriasis (PsO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in routine clinical practice. Patients (enrolled between September 1, 2017, and August 31, 2019), were observed for 12 months after apremilast treatment initiation or until discontinuation or withdrawal. Safety was assessed by evaluating adverse reactions (ARs) and serious ARs. Effectiveness measures in PsO included the proportion of patients who achieved global improvement and Physician's Global Assessment (PGA) scores of 0/1 and the change from baseline in the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) after 6 and 12 months treatment. The safety analysis set included 1063 patients (PsO, n = 992; PsA, n = 127). ARs and serious ARs were reported in 29.4% and 0.7% of patients, respectively; most occurred <1 month after apremilast initiation. There were no reports of fatal ARs, serious infections, hypersensitivity, or vasculitis. No new safety signals were identified. Among the key survey items, gastrointestinal disorders were the most common ARs (21.3%). In patients with PsO, after 6 and 12 months of treatment, effectiveness rates of achieving highly effective or effective global improvement of were 90.9% and 93.8%; PGA 0/1 was achieved by 42.7% and 58.1% of patients; mean decrease from baseline in total DLQI score was 4.2 (p < 0.0001) and 5.7 (p < 0.0001), respectively. Effectiveness was evaluated in a small number of patients with PsA for some measures; after 6 and 12 months of treatment, improvements were observed in global improvement effectiveness rates, Disease Activity Score in 28 Joints score, Visual Analog Scale score, and DLQI score. We conclude that orally administered apremilast was well tolerated and effective in Japanese patients with PsO and/or PsA enrolled in this post‐marketing surveillance study.
Resource expansion and its policy implication on agricultural sector development: Evidence from six Sub‐Saharan African countries
Authors: Wu Zhaolin , Udemba Edmund Ntom , Nkwor Michael Chukwuasiokwu , Peng Xuhui
Published: May 2024

The discovery of crude oil in a number of Sub‐Saharan African countries resulted in resource expansion that tends to have great implications for the socioeconomic development of the region. Deep poverty and low standards of living are still prevalent, in spite of the oil boom. On this premises, a panel study of six Sub‐Saharan African countries is undertaken for the period between 1983 and 2020. The goal is to identify the best ways to reduce overdependency on resource (crude oil) and enhance the socioeconomic situation of the selected countries. The linear (augmented mean group) approach and nonlinear (nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag) with relevant variables (Agricultural sector, crude oil price, government expenditure, official exchange rate, foreign direct investment, inflow, GDP, and trade openness) are employed in this study for the selected countries. The findings from both Augmented Mean Group and Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag and Granger causality attest to the resources curse on the socioeconomic development of the six countries through the contraction of their respective agricultural sectors. Crude oil price (proxy for the oil sector), trade openness, and real exchange rate are in particular found to have a negative influence on the agricultural sector. However, direct foreign investment in the agricultural sector in oil‐rich economies in Sub‐Saharan Africa is having a positive impact. This can be linked to over‐dependence on rising oil exports, which tends to crowd out non‐oil (agricultural) exports. Hence, a resource‐based policy targeted at diversification of the economies through revenue generated from crude oil is recommended.
Sequence variation of commercially available kratom products at universal DNA barcode regions
Authors: Graham Kari , Cantu Cesar , Houston Rachel
Published: May 2024

Mitragyna speciosa, commonly known as kratom, is a narcotic plant that is used for its unique mood‐enhancing and pain‐relieving effects. It is marketed throughout the United States as a ‘legal high’ and has gained popularity as an alternative to opioids. However, kratom's increasing involvement in accidental overdoses, especially among polydrug users, has prompted warnings from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Despite these warnings, kratom remains legal federally, although it is banned in six states. This legal disparity complicates monitoring and enforcement efforts in states where kratom is illegal. Common forensic techniques using morphology or chemical analysis are beneficial in some instances but are not useful in source attribution because most seized kratom is powdered and the alkaloid content of samples can vary within products, making sourcing unreliable. This study focused on developing a DNA barcoding method to access sequence variation in commercial kratom products. It evaluated the utility of one nuclear barcode region (ITS) and three chloroplast barcode regions (matK, rbcL, and trnH‐psbA) in assessing sequence variation across commercially available kratom products. Novel polymorphisms were discovered, and the ITS region showed the greatest variation between samples. Among the 15 kratom products tested, only two haplotypes were identified across the four barcoding regions. The findings highlight the potential of DNA barcoding as a forensic tool in the traceability and enforcement against illegal kratom distribution. Nonetheless, the limited haplotypic diversity points to a need for further development and expansion of the M. speciosa DNA sequence database.
Pulling back the veil of darkness: A proposed road map to disentangle racial disparities in traffic stops, a research note
Authors: Knode Jedidiah L. , Wolfe Scott E. , Carter Travis M.
Published: May 2024

The veil of darkness (VOD) is a practical and rigorous methodology for examining racial disparities in police traffic stop behavior. Past research, however, has been littered with methodological inconsistencies inhibiting cross‐study comparison and decisions regarding policy. Accordingly, we clarify four aspects of its implementation: 1) coding daylight, our treatment condition; 2) constructing an intertwilight period; 3) accounting for seasonal differences in driving or patrol patterns; and 4) modeling VOD multivariable regression equations. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of methodological decisions as they pertain to the method's functionality as a natural experiment. Furthermore, we propose a novel weighting procedure to account for seasonal driving population differences. We examined more than 50,000 traffic stops conducted by Michigan State Police during 2021 to demonstrate our suggested framework for future analyses.
Indonesia's Russia‐Ukraine war stance and the Global South: Between solidarity and transactionalism
Authors: Sebastian Leonard C. , Priamarizki Adhi
Published: May 2024

How does Indonesia's positioning in relation to the Russia‐Ukraine war shape the country's view on global order? President Joko Widodo or Jokowi visited both Russia and Ukraine in June 2022 in the pretext of brokering peace between the two countries. Indonesia though refrained from taking sides in the Russo‐Ukraine war. During his visit, Jokowi stressed the necessity for the war to end. Equally important but of greater significance was his emphasis on the importance of re‐establishing the global supply chains of food, fertiliser, and energy. The resumption of these global supply chains would safeguard Indonesia's economic stability. We argue that domestic determinants were influential in moulding Indonesia's policy position which aimed at shaping Global South solidarity into one privileging Indonesia's transactional stance. The country's economic interests were a key driver shaping its response to the Russia‐Ukraine war. Furthermore, Indonesia's approach towards the war reflected ‘varied consequentialism’ as cost–benefit analysis plays a significant role.
Seminal plasma hypersensitivity: A systematic review of clinical presentation, diagnostics, and management options
Authors: Schacher Kayla , Dalloul Mudar , Muneyyirci‐Delale Ozgul
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Seminal plasma hypersensitivity (SPH) is a rare and often misdiagnosed condition characterized by local and/or systemic reactions to seminal plasma proteins following exposure to semen. We aimed to summarize key symptomatology, diagnostic features, and management options for SPH.

Methods

The databases PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Review were searched with key words “seminal plasma hypersensitivity” and “seminal fluid allergy” through September 2023. Exclusion criteria included non‐English articles, in vitro studies, publication before 1990, duplicates, and articles with no clinical relevance to SPH in women.

Results

The search yielded 53 articles for review. Of these, 60.5% described systemic SPH and 39.5% described localized.

Conclusion

Diagnosis of SPH relies on a thorough patient history and confirmatory skin prick testing. The use of IgE assays is controversial and less accurate for cases of localized SPH. Knowledge of disease immunopathology, systemic versus localized symptom presentation, patient preference, and desire to conceive should guide management options. Artificial insemination has the potential for severe adverse reactions in systemic SPH so necessitates extra procedural precautions. SPH does not appear to impair fertility. Additional research on specific allergens implicated in SPH can aid in the development of more targeted immunotherapy approaches with improved safety and efficacy.
Anterior scleral thickness in Marfan syndrome: A quantitative analysis
Authors: Alluyn Lien , Dequeker Laure , Dhaese Siska , Consejo Alejandra , De Zaeytijd Julie , Leroy Bart P. , De Backer Julie , Kreps Elke O.
Published: May 2024

Purpose

To investigate the anterior scleral thickness (AST) in patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS).

Methods

A prospective, cross‐sectional study was conducted at the Department of Ophthalmology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, including patients with a genetically confirmed clinical diagnosis of MFS and age‐, gender‐ and axial length‐matched controls. Subjects with known corneal, conjunctival or scleral pathology and a history of ocular surgery, including pars plana vitrectomy, recent contact lens use or high‐grade astigmatism were excluded. Subjects underwent non‐cycloplegic autorefraction, Scheimpflug‐based corneal tomography, axial length measurement and spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). AST was manually measured at 1 mm (AST1), 2 mm (AST2) and 3 mm (AST3) from the scleral spur, temporally and nasally.

Results

A total of 56 subjects (28 subjects in the MFS group and 28 matched subjects in the control group) were included in this study. In patients with MFS, AST was significantly reduced compared to matched controls, both overall and at every analysed measuring point in the nasal and temporal areas (p < 0.001). Central corneal thickness (CCT) and mean keratometry (Kmean) values were significantly lower in patients with MFS (p < 0.05). A positive correlation was found between nasal AST and CCT in patients with MFS. No correlation was found between AST and Kmean or between AST and axial length. In patients with MFS with ectopia lentis, compared to those without, temporal AST3 was significantly lower (p < 0.05). AST was significantly lower in patients with MFS harbouring a variant predicted to cause haploinsufficiency compared to those with a variant expected to lead to a dominant negative effect for both nasal and temporal measurements.

Conclusion

Based on anterior segment OCT measurements, AST of patients with MFS is significantly lower compared to matched controls.
Fumarate hydratase–deficient renal cell carcinoma: an oncology care institutional experience
Authors: Kamboj Meenakshi , Gupta Gurudutt , Pasricha Sunil , Mehta Anurag , Rawal Sudhir , Singh Amitabh , Sharma Anila , Durga Garima , Bansal Divya , Diwan Himanshi
Published: May 2024

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for 2% of all cancer cases worldwide, and majority are sporadic. The latest World Health Organization (WHO) classification of renal cell tumors (fifth edition, 2022) has molecularly defined renal tumor entities, which includes fumarate hydratase (FH)–deficient RCC. FH‐deficient RCC is an aggressive carcinoma caused by pathogenic alterations in FH gene, seen in 15% of patients with hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer syndrome (HLRCC) syndrome. These tumors occur more frequently at a younger age and present at an advanced stage, carrying a dismal prognosis. We report a series of 10 cases of FH‐deficient RCC. The mean age was 49.8 years, and all cases presented in advanced stages (III and IV). Morphologically, the cases had varied architectural patterns with characteristic eosinophilic macronucleoli and perinucleolar halo. On immunohistochemistry (IHC), all showed diffuse nucleo‐cytoplasmic expression of S‐(2‐succino)‐cysteine (2‐SC), with loss of FH in seven cases. FH‐deficient RCCs are aggressive neoplasms and can be diagnosed using specific IHC markers (FH and 2‐SC). These patients should undergo germline testing for FH gene mutation, genetic counseling, and surveillance of family members.
The criteria for chronic rhinosinusitis in children with cystic fibrosis are rarely fulfilled after initiation of CFTR modulator treatment
Authors: Bech Magne , Skov Marianne , Andersen Ida S. B. , von Buchwald Christian , Aanæs Kasper
Published: May 2024

The vast majority of people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) have untreated secondary chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Whereas the introduction of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator modulator (CFTRm) treatment regime has improved the lung function of pwCF, few studies have been published examining the effect on sinonasal symptoms in children. Our aim was to explore the effect of double CFTRm treatment on CRS and olfaction in children with CF. pwCF were included in this non‐randomized cross‐sectional study, where an otolaryngologist performed a complete ENT examination before initiating treatment with elaxacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI). Twenty‐three pwCF aged 6–12 years were included. Eighteen of 23 patients were on a double CFTRm treatment, and 5 patients were CFTRm naive, respectively. Altogether, 19 had normal olfaction, 20 had none or mild CRS symptoms according to SNOT‐22, and 14 had a normal endoscopy. None of the patients had symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis lasting for more than 12 weeks, thus none of the patients fulfilled the criteria for CRS. Children with CF treated with double CFTRm have few to no symptoms of CRS and normal olfaction, which is an improvement compared with children following treatment modalities prior to CFTRm.
4‐Quinolinylhydrazone analogues kill Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis by inducing apoptosis and mitochondria‐dependent pathway cell death
Authors: Granato Juliana da Trindade , Silva Emerson Teixeira da , Lemos Ari Sérgio de Oliveira , Machado Patrícia de Almeida , Midlej Victor do Valle , Antinarelli Luciana Maria Ribeiro , Silva Neto Adolfo Firmino da , Souza Marcus Vinícius Nora , Coimbra Elaine Soares
Published: May 2024

Despite efforts, available alternatives for the treatment of leishmaniasis are still scarce. In this work we tested a class of 15 quinolinylhydrazone analogues and presented data that support the use of the most active compound in cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania amazonensis. In general, the compounds showed activity at low concentrations for both parasitic forms (5.33–37.04 μM to promastigotes, and 14.31–61.98 μM to amastigotes). In addition, the best compound (MHZ15) is highly selective for the parasite. Biochemical studies indicate that the treatment of promastigotes with MHZ15 leads the loss of mitochondrial potential and increase in ROS levels as the primary effects, which triggers accumulation of lipid droplets, loss of plasma membrane integrity and apoptosis hallmarks, including DNA fragmentation and phosphatidylserine exposure. These effects were similar in the intracellular form of the parasite. However, in this parasitic form there is no change in plasma membrane integrity in the observed treatment time, which can be attributed to metabolic differences and the resilience of the amastigote. Also, ultrastructural changes such as vacuolization suggesting autophagy were observed. The in vivo effectiveness of MHZ15 in the experimental model of cutaneous leishmaniasis was carried out in mice of the BALB/c strain infected with L. amazonensis. The treatment by intralesional route showed that MHZ15 acted with great efficiency with significantly reduction in the parasite load in the injured paws and draining lymph nodes, without clinical signs of distress or compromise of animal welfare. In vivo toxicity was also evaluated and null alterations in the levels of hepatic enzymes aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase was observed. The data presented herein demonstrates that MHZ15 exhibits a range of favorable characteristics conducive to the development of an antileishmanial agent.
Dehydration in cerebral venous sinus thrombosis
Authors: Ding Jiayue , Lan Duo , Zhang Xiaoming , Li Xiangyu , Duan Yanli , Tian Xiaobing , Liao Zhangyuan , Yue Xuanye , Zou Ming , Meng Ran
Published: May 2024

Aims

This study aimed to unravel the dehydration status of patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) to facilitate the understanding of dehydration in CVST.

Methods

This was a multicenter retrospective study and three populations were recruited, namely, patients with CVST, CVST mimics, and healthy subjects. Blood samples were obtained 1–2 days after admission to assess dehydration status. Stata 15.1 was performed for statistical analysis.

Results

A total of 208 patients were diagnosed with CVST, 237 with CVST mimics, and 200 healthy individuals were enrolled. The urine specific gravity (USG, 1.020 [1.014, 1.029] vs. 1.017 [1.011, 1.021]) was higher in patients with CVST than in those with mimics (all p < 0.001). The percentage of USG >1.03 was also higher in CVST (22.6%) than in its mimics (6.3%, p < 0.001). With the development of CVST, USG (acute vs. sub‐acute vs. chronic, 1.022 [1.015, 1.033] vs. 1.021 [1.015, 1.031] vs. 1.019 [1.014, 1.025]) decreased. All dehydration‐related markers could not differentiate CVST from its mimics and healthy populations, and they were not associated with CVST severity and prognosis (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

High levels of USG, especially USG >1.013, were more common in patients with CVST. Dehydration‐related indices could not characterize CVST and were not associated with CVST severity and prognosis.
Indications for oropharyngeal biopsy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary: A systematic review (HNSCCUP)
Authors: Thomas Rachael , Kelemen Noemi , Molena Emma , Lester Shane
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Patients presenting with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary (HNSCCUP) remain challenging clinical scenarios as large variation exists in practices used to locate the primary.

Objective

The objective of this systematic review is to review of the literature and offer recommendations for oropharyngeal biopsies in HNSCCUP.

Method

Pubmed, Medline and Embase were searched to identify studies from inception to October 2021. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed.

Results

A total of 483 articles were included and screened, 41 studies met the inclusion criteria, including over 3400 patients from the original articles (122 of these patients were reported on in two sequential articles by a single author – table 1) and 4 large metaanalyses including 1852 patients. The primary site identification rate following random biopsies or deep tissue biopsies is less than 5% in most studies. The mean detection rate following ipsilateral tonsillectomy is 34%; two pooled analyses indicate that the mean detection rate following tongue base mucosectomy is 64%, with this figure rising when the tonsils are negative.

Conclusions

High level evidence is lacking, with heterogeneity in the reported studies. Published meta‐analyses are based on retrospective data. There is little evidence supporting the practice of random/non‐directed oropharyngeal biopsies. Available evidence supports palatine tonsillectomy and tongue base mucosectomy compared to deep tissue biopsies.
Conventional clinical signs and symptoms are poor predictors of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak: A single‐centre cohort perspective
Authors: Pang Jonathan C. , Meller Leo L. T. , Nguyen Cecilia H. , Abiri Arash , Chung Dean D. , Nguyen Theodore V. , Bitner Benjamin F. , Hsu Frank P. K. , Kuan Edward C.
Published: May 2024

Background

Postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak remains a concerning complication of the endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) for skull base pathology. Signs and symptoms suggesting CSF leak often trigger additional workup during the postoperative course. We systematically evaluate associations between subjectively reported clinical signs/symptoms noted during the immediate postoperative period and incidence of postoperative CSF leaks.

Methods

Retrospective chart review was conducted at a tertiary academic medical centre including 137 consecutive patients with intraoperative CSF leak during EEA with primary repair between July 2018 and August 2022. Postoperative CSF leak associations with clinical signs and symptoms were evaluated using positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV), sensitivity, specificity and odds ratio (OR) via univariate logistic regression.

Results

Seventy‐nine patients (57.7%) had high‐flow leaks repaired and 5 (3.6%) developed CSF leaks postoperatively. Of reported symptoms, rhinorrhea was most common (n = 52, 38.0%; PPV [95% CI] = 7.6% [4.8%, 11.9%]), followed by severe headache (n = 47, 34.3%; 6.3% [3.1%, 12.5%]), dizziness (n = 43, 31.4%; 2.3% [0.4%, 12.1%]), salty or metallic taste (n = 20, 14.6%; 9.9% [3.3%, 25.8%]), and throat drainage (n = 10, 7.3%; 9.9% [1.7%, 41.4%]). Nausea or vomiting constituted the most reported sign concerning for CSF leak (n = 73, 53.3%; PPV [95% CI] = 4.1% [2.0%, 8.1%]). On univariate regression, no sign or symptom, including rhinorrhea (OR [95% CI] = 7.00 [0.76–64.44]), throat drainage (3.42 [0.35–33.86]), salty/metallic taste (4.22 [0.66–27.04]), severe headache (3.00 [0.48–18.62]), dizziness (0.54 [0.06–4.94]), fever (3.16 [0.50–19.99]), and nausea/vomiting (1.33 [0.22–8.21]), associated with postoperative CSF leak.

Conclusions

A range of subjectively reported symptoms and signs failed to predict postoperative CSF leak. Further investigation is warranted to inform appropriate attention and response.
Surgical complications and technical failure of simultaneous pancreas‐kidney transplantation: A 22‐year experience from a single center
Authors: Dias Bruno Fraga , Marques Roberto Calças , Cardoso Catarina , Faria Vitória , Domingues Patrícia , Ribeiro Catarina , Silvano José , Silva Donzília , Pedroso Sofia , Almeida Manuela , Malheiro Jorge , Martins La Salete
Published: May 2024

Simultaneous pancreas‐kidney transplantation (SPKT) is the best treatment for selected individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus and end‐stage renal disease. Despite advances in surgical techniques, donor and recipient selection, and immunosuppressive therapies, SPKT remains a complex procedure with associated surgical complications and adverse consequences. We conducted a retrospective study that included 263 SPKT procedures performed between May 2000, and December 2022. A total of 65 patients (25%) required at least one relaparotomy, resulting in an all‐cause relaparotomy rate of 2.04 events per 100 in‐hospital days. Lower donor body mass index was identified as an independent factor associated with reoperation (OR .815; 95% CI:  .725–.917, p = .001). Technical failure (TF) occurred in 9.9% of cases, primarily attributed to pancreas graft thrombosis, intra‐abdominal infections, bleeding, and anastomotic leaks. Independent predictors of TF at 90 days included donor age above 36 years (HR 2.513; 95% CI 1.162–5.434), previous peritoneal dialysis (HR 2.503; 95% CI 1.149–5.451), and specific pancreas graft reinterventions. The findings highlight the importance of carefully considering donor and recipient factors in SPKT. The incidence of TF in our study population aligns with the recent series. Continuous efforts should focus on identifying and mitigating potential risk factors to enhance SPKT outcomes, thereby reducing post‐transplant complications.