bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Waist circumference is independently associated with liver steatosis and fibrosis in LMNA-related and unrelated Familial Partial Lipodystrophy women
Authors: Viola Luiz F. , Valerio Cynthia M. , Araujo-Neto João M. , Santos Fabio F. , Matsuura Felipe , Moreira Rodrigo O. , Godoy-Matos Amélio F.
Published: September 2023

Background

Lipodystrophies are a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by the selective loss of subcutaneous adipose tissue and ectopic fat deposition in different organs, including the liver. This study aimed to determine the frequencies of liver steatosis (LS) and liver fibrosis (LF) in a sample of individuals with LMNA-related and unrelated Familial Partial Lipodystrophy.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 17 women with LMNA-related FPLD and 15 women with unrelated FPLD. LS and LF were assessed using transient elastography (TE) with FibroScan®. Anthropometric and biochemical variables were included in a multiple linear regression analysis to identify the variables that were independently related to liver disease.

Results

Regarding the presence of LF, 22 (68.2%) women were classified as having non-significant fibrosis, and 10 (31.8%) were classified as having significant or severe fibrosis. Regarding LS, only six women (20.7%) were classified as having an absence of steatosis, and 23 (79.3%) had mild to severe steatosis. After multiple linear regression, waist circumference (but not age, body mass index, or waist-to-hip ratio) was found to be independently related to LS and LF. Among the biochemical variables, only triglyceride levels were independently related to LS but not LF.

Conclusions

In women with FPLD, visceral fat accumulation appears to be the most important determinant of liver disease, including LF, rather than fat scarcity in the lower limbs.
Machine learning-identified stemness features and constructed stemness-related subtype with prognosis, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy responses for non-small cell lung cancer patients
Authors: Liu Mingshan , Zhou Ruihao , Zou Wei , Yang Zhuofan , Li Quanjin , Chen Zhiguo , jiang Lei , Zhang Jingtao
Published: September 2023

Aim

This study aimed to explore a novel subtype classification method based on the stemness characteristics of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

Based on the Cancer Genome Atlas database to calculate the stemness index (mRNAsi) of NSCLC patients, an unsupervised consensus clustering method was used to classify patients into two subtypes and analyze the survival differences, somatic mutational load, copy number variation, and immune characteristics differences between them. Subsequently, four machine learning methods were used to construct and validate a stemness subtype classification model, and cell function experiments were performed to verify the effect of the signature gene ARTN on NSCLC.

Results

Patients with Stemness Subtype I had better PFS and a higher somatic mutational burden and copy number alteration than patients with Stemness Subtype II. In addition, the two stemness subtypes have different patterns of tumor immune microenvironment. The immune score and stromal score and overall score of Stemness Subtype II were higher than those of Stemness Subtype I, suggesting a relatively small benefit to immune checkpoints. Four machine learning methods constructed and validated classification model for stemness subtypes and obtained multiple logistic regression equations for 22 characteristic genes. The results of cell function experiments showed that ARTN can promote the proliferation, invasion, and migration of NSCLC and is closely related to cancer stem cell properties.

Conclusion

This new classification method based on stemness characteristics can effectively distinguish patients' characteristics and thus provide possible directions for the selection and optimization of clinical treatment plans.
Mature human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes promote angiogenesis through alpha-B crystallin
Authors: Tanaka Yuki , Kadota Shin , Zhao Jian , Kobayashi Hideki , Okano Satomi , Izumi Masaki , Honda Yusuke , Ichimura Hajime , Shiba Naoko , Uemura Takeshi , Wada Yuko , Chuma Shinichiro , Nakada Tsutomu , Tohyama Shugo , Fukuda Keiichi , Yamada Mitsuhiko , Seto Tatsuichiro , Kuwahara Koichiro , Shiba Yuji
Published: September 2023

Background

Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) can be used to treat heart diseases; however, the optimal maturity of hiPSC-CMs for effective regenerative medicine remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the benefits of long-term cultured mature hiPSC-CMs in injured rat hearts.

Methods

Cardiomyocytes were differentiated from hiPSCs via monolayer culturing, and the cells were harvested on day 28 or 56 (D28-CMs or D56-CMs, respectively) after differentiation. We transplanted D28-CMs or D56-CMs into the hearts of rat myocardial infarction models and examined cell retention and engraftment via in vivo bioluminescence imaging and histological analysis. We performed transcriptomic sequencing analysis to elucidate the genetic profiles before and after hiPSC-CM transplantation.

Results

Upregulated expression of mature sarcomere genes in vitro was observed in D56-CMs compared with D28-CMs. In vivo bioluminescence imaging studies revealed increased bioluminescence intensity of D56-CMs at 8 and 12 weeks post-transplantation. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses showed that D56-CMs promoted engraftment and maturation in the graft area at 12 weeks post-transplantation. Notably, D56-CMs consistently promoted microvessel formation in the graft area from 1 to 12 weeks post-transplantation. Transcriptomic sequencing analysis revealed that compared with the engrafted D28-CMs, the engrafted D56-CMs enriched genes related to blood vessel regulation at 12 weeks post-transplantation. As shown by transcriptomic and western blot analyses, the expression of a small heat shock protein, alpha-B crystallin (CRYAB), was significantly upregulated in D56-CMs compared with D28-CMs. Endothelial cell migration was inhibited by small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of CRYAB when co-cultured with D56-CMs in vitro. Furthermore, CRYAB overexpression enhanced angiogenesis in the D28-CM grafts at 4 weeks post-transplantation.

Conclusions

Long-term cultured mature hiPSC-CMs promoted engraftment, maturation and angiogenesis post-transplantation in infarcted rat hearts. CRYAB, which was highly expressed in D56-CMs, was identified as an angiogenic factor from mature hiPSC-CMs. This study revealed the benefits of long-term culture, which may enhance the therapeutic potential of hiPSC-CMs.
Infodemic: Challenges and solutions in topic discovery and data process
Authors: Zhang Jinjin , Pan Yang , Lin Han , Sun Zhoubao , Wu Pingping , Tu Juan
Published: September 2023

Background

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was a huge shock to society, and the ensuing information problems had a huge impact on society at the same time. The urgent need to understand the Infodemic, i.e., the importance of the spread of false information related to the epidemic, has been highlighted. However, while there is a growing interest in this phenomenon, studies on the topic discovery, data collection, and data preparation phases of the information analysis process have been lacking.

Objective

Since the epidemic is unprecedented and has not ended to this day, we aimed to examine the existing Infodemic-related literature from January 2019 to December 2022.

Methods

We have systematically searched ScienceDirect and IEEE Xplore databases with some search limitations. From the searched literature we selected titles, abstracts and keywords, and limitations sections. We conducted an extensive structured literature search and analysis by filtering the literature and sorting out the available information.

Results

A total of 47 papers ended up meeting the requirements of this review. Researchers in all of these literatures encountered different challenges, most of which were focused on the data collection step, with few challenges encountered in the data preparation phase and almost none in the topic discovery section. The challenges were mainly divided into the points of how to collect data quickly, how to get the required data samples, how to filter the data, what to do if the data set is too small, how to pick the right classifier and how to deal with topic drift and diversity. In addition, researchers have proposed partial solutions to the challenges, and we have also proposed possible solutions.

Conclusions

This review found that Infodemic is a rapidly growing research area that attracts the interest of researchers from different disciplines. The number of studies in this field has increased significantly in recent years, with researchers from different countries, including the United States, India, and China. Infodemic topic discovery, data collection, and data preparation are not easy, and each step faces different challenges. While there is some research in this emerging field, there are still many challenges that need to be addressed. These findings highlight the need for more articles to address these issues and fill these gaps.
Hand hygiene knowledge, attitude, barriers and improvement measures among healthcare workers in the Republic of Korea: a cross-sectional survey exploring interprofessional differences
Authors: Kim Jaewoong , Yu Shi Nae , Jeong Yeon Su , Kim Jin Hwa , Jeon Min Hyok , Kim Tark , Choo Eun Ju , Lee Eunjung , Kim Tae Hyong , Park Se Yoon
Published: September 2023

Background

Hand hygiene (HH) is a fundamental component of infection prevention and control in healthcare settings. This study aimed to identify knowledge, attitude, and barriers to HH according to occupational groups and strategies to increase the rate of HH compliance among healthcare workers (HCWs).

Methods

This cross-sectional survey was conducted in July 2018 at four university-affiliated hospitals. The survey comprised seven parts with 49 items, including self-reported HH compliance, knowledge, attitudes, behaviours, barriers to HH, and improvement strategies.

Results

A total of 1046 HCWs participated in the survey. The nursing group’s self-reported HH compliance rate was the highest, followed by other HCWs and physicians. The scores regarding knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours regarding HH were the highest in the nursing group. The nursing group also had higher internal and emotional motivation scores. Physicians and nurses found HH the most challenging in emergencies, while other HCWs considered skin problems caused by HH products the most significant barrier. Among 12 improvement measures, approximately 20% of the respondents ranked “diversify types of hand sanitisers,“ “install soap and paper towels in each hospital room,“ and “change perception through various HH campaigns” as the top three priorities. The physician group deemed the timely reminder of HH compliance as the second most critical improvement measure.

Conclusion

Differences in knowledge, attitude and barriers hindering HH compliance and improvement plans were identified for each group. The findings suggest that targeted interventions tailored to the specific needs of different occupational groups may effectively improve HH compliance in healthcare settings.
Exosomal NOX1 promotes tumor-associated macrophage M2 polarization-mediated cancer progression by stimulating ROS production in cervical cancer: a preliminary study
Authors: Gu Liying , Feng Chunyang , Li Meng , Hong Zubei , Di Wen , Qiu Lihua
Published: September 2023

Background

Cervical cancer the fourth most frequently diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer death in women, with an estimated 604,000 new cases and 342,000 deaths worldwide in 2020 for high rates of recurrence and metastasis. Identification of novel targets could aid in the prediction and treatment of cervical cancer. NADPH oxidase 1 (NOX1) gene-mediated production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) could induce migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play important roles in cervical cancer. Tumor cell-derived exosomes mediate signal transduction between the tumor and tumor microenvironment. Elucidation of the mechanisms of NOX1-carrying exosomes involved in the regulation of TAMs may provide valuable insights into the progression of cervical cancer.

Methods

Uniformly standardized mRNA data of pan-carcinoma from the UCSC database were downloaded. Expression of NOX1 in tumor and adjacent normal tissues for each tumor type was calculated using R language software and significant differences were analyzed. SNP data set were downloaded for all TCGA samples processed using MuTect2 software from GDC. Cell experiment and animal tumor formation experiment were used to evaluate whether exosomal NOX1 stimulating ROS production to promote M2 polarization of TAM in cervical cancer.

Results

NOX1 is highly expressed with a low mutational frequency in pan-carcinoma. Upregulation of NOX1 may be associated with infiltration of M2-type macrophages in cervical cancer tissues, and NOX1 promotes malignant features of cervical cancer cells by stimulating ROS production. Exosomal NOX1 promotes M2 polarization of by stimulating ROS production. Exosomal NOX1 enhances progression of cervical cancer and M2 polarization in vivo by stimulating ROS production.

Conclusion

Exosomal NOX1 promotes TAM M2 polarization-mediated cancer progression through stimulating ROS production in cervical cancer.
The cause and effect of gut microbiota in development of inflammatory disorders of the breast
Authors: Gu Yibo , Hou Muye , Chu Jinyu , Wan Li , Yang Muyi , Shen Jiemiao , Ji Minghui
Published: September 2023

Background

Inflammatory disorders of the breast (IDB) damages the interests of women and children and hinders the progress of global health seriously. Several studies had offered clues between gut microbiota (GM) and inflammatory disorders of the breast (IDB). The gut–mammary gland axis also implied a possible contribution of the GM to IDB. However, the causality between them is still elusive.

Methods

The data of two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study related to the composition of GM (n = 18,340) and IDB (n = 177,446) were accessed from openly available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) database. As the major analytical method, inverse variance weighted (IVW) was introduced and several sensitive analytical methods were conducted to verify results.

Results

Inverse variance weighted revealed Eubacterium rectale group (OR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.02–3.43, p = 4.20E−02), Olsenella (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.02–1.64, p = 3.30E−02), Ruminiclostridium-6 (OR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.08–2.14, p = 1.60E−02) had an anti-protective effect on IDB. Peptococcus (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.60–0.94, p = 1.30E−02) had a protective effect on IDB. The results were credible through a series of test.

Conclusions

We revealed causality between IDB and GM taxa, exactly including Ruminiclostridium-6, Eubacterium rectale group, Olsenella and Peptococcus. These genera may become novel biomarkers and supply new viewpoint for probiotic treatment. However, these findings warrant further test owing to the insufficient evidences.
Effects of others’ gaze and facial expression on an observer’s microsaccades and their association with ADHD tendencies
Authors: Motomura Yuki , Hayashi Sayuri , Kurose Ryousei , Yoshida Hiroki , Okada Takashi , Higuchi Shigekazu
Published: September 2023

Background

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of others’ gaze on an observer’s microsaccades. We also aimed to conduct preliminary investigations on the relationship between the microsaccadic response to a gaze and a gazer’s facial expression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tendencies.

Methods

Twenty healthy undergraduate and graduate students performed a peripheral target detection task by using unpredictable gaze cues. During the task, the participants’ eye movements, along with changes in pupil size and response times for target detection, were recorded. ADHD tendencies were determined using an ADHD questionnaire.

Results

We found that consciously perceiving the gaze of another person induced the observer’s attention; moreover, microsaccades were biased in the direction opposite to the gaze. Furthermore, these microsaccade biases were differentially modulated, based on the cognitive processing of the facial expressions of the gaze. Exploratory correlation analysis indicated that microsaccade biases toward gazes with fearful expressions may specifically be correlated with participant characteristics, including inattention.

Conclusions

Our findings support that microsaccades reflect spatial attention processing and social cognitive processing. Moreover, the exploratory correlation analysis results suggested the potential benefit of using microsaccade bias toward spatial attention to assess pathophysiological responses associated with ADHD tendencies.
Fast adaptive multimodal feature registration (FAMFR): an effective high-resolution point clouds registration workflow for cultural heritage interiors
Authors: Foryś Piotr , Sitnik Robert , Markiewicz Jakub , Bunsch Eryk
Published: September 2023

Accurate registration of 3D scans is crucial in creating precise and detailed 3D models for various applications in cultural heritage. The dataset used in this study comprised numerous point clouds collected from different rooms in the Museum of King Jan III’s Palace in Warsaw using a structured light scanner. Point clouds from three relatively small rooms at Wilanow Palace: The King’s Chinese Cabinet, The King’s Wardrobe, and The Queen’s Antecabinet exhibit intricate geometric and decorative surfaces with diverse colour and reflective properties. As a result, creating a high-resolution full 3D model require a complex and time-consuming registration process. This process often consists of several steps: data preparation, registering point clouds, final relaxation, and evaluation of the resulting model. Registering two-point clouds is the most fundamental part of this process; therefore, an effective registration workflow capable of precisely registering two-point clouds representing various cultural heritage interiors is proposed in this paper. Fast Adaptive Multimodal Feature Registration (FAMFR) workflow is based on two different handcrafted features, utilising the colour and shape of the object to accurately register point clouds with extensive surface geometry details or geometrically deficient but with rich colour decorations. Furthermore, this work emphasises the challenges associated with high-resolution point clouds registration, providing an overview of various registration techniques ranging from feature-based classic approaches to new ones based on deep learning. A comparison shows that the algorithm explicitly created for this data achieved much better results than traditional feature-based or deep learning methods by at least 35%.
Validity, acceptability, and procedural issues of selection methods for graduate study admissions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics: a mapping review
Authors: Kurysheva Anastasia , van Rijen Harold V. M. , Stolte Cecily , Dilaver Gönül
Published: September 2023

This review presents the first comprehensive synthesis of available research on selection methods for STEM graduate study admissions. Ten categories of graduate selection methods emerged. Each category was critically appraised against the following evaluative quality principles: predictive validity and reliability, acceptability, procedural issues, and cost-effectiveness. The findings advance the field of graduate selective admissions by (a) detecting selection methods and study success dimensions that are specific for STEM admissions, (b) including research evidence both on cognitive and noncognitive selection methods, and (c) showing the importance of accounting for all four evaluative quality principles in practice. Overall, this synthesis allows admissions committees to choose which selection methods to use and which essential aspects of their implementation to account for.
Preoperative CT-based radiomics combined with tumour spread through air spaces can accurately predict early recurrence of stage I lung adenocarcinoma: a multicentre retrospective cohort study
Authors: Wang Yuhang , Ding Yun , Liu Xin , Li Xin , Jia Xiaoteng , Li Jiuzhen , Zhang Han , Song Zhenchun , Xu Meilin , Ren Jie , Sun Daqiang
Published: September 2023

Objective

To develop and validate a prediction model for early recurrence of stage I lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) that combines radiomics features based on preoperative CT with tumour spread through air spaces (STAS).

Materials and methods

The most recent preoperative thin-section chest CT scans and postoperative pathological haematoxylin and eosin-stained sections were retrospectively collected from patients with a postoperative pathological diagnosis of stage I LUAD. Regions of interest were manually segmented, and radiomics features were extracted from the tumour and peritumoral regions extended by 3 voxel units, 6 voxel units, and 12 voxel units, and 2D and 3D deep learning image features were extracted by convolutional neural networks. Then, the RAdiomics Integrated with STAS model (RAISm) was constructed. The performance of RAISm was then evaluated in a development cohort and validation cohort.

Results

A total of 226 patients from two medical centres from January 2015 to December 2018 were retrospectively included as the development cohort for the model and were randomly split into a training set (72.6%, n = 164) and a test set (27.4%, n = 62). From June 2019 to December 2019, 51 patients were included in the validation cohort. RAISm had excellent discrimination in predicting the early recurrence of stage I LUAD in the training cohort (AUC = 0.847, 95% CI 0.762–0.932) and validation cohort (AUC = 0.817, 95% CI 0.625–1.000). RAISm outperformed single modality signatures and other combinations of signatures in terms of discrimination and clinical net benefits.

Conclusion

We pioneered combining preoperative CT-based radiomics with STAS to predict stage I LUAD recurrence postoperatively and confirmed the superior effect of the model in validation cohorts, showing its potential to assist in postoperative treatment strategies.
Central posterior hyaloid fibrosis: evolution and outcomes
Authors: Venkatesh Ramesh , Handa Ashit , Prabhu Vishma , Chitturi Sai Prashanti , Joshi Aishwarya , Acharya Isha , Mangla Rubble , Yadav Naresh Kumar , Chhablani Jay
Published: September 2023

Purpose

To report contributory factors and clinical outcomes of central posterior hyaloid fibrosis (CPHF) associated with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Methods

In this retrospective, single-center study, patients with CPHF and nAMD were included. Demographic and imaging characteristics, as well as the anatomical and functional outcomes, of these patients were analysed.

Results

We identified 530 eyes in 273 patients with chronic predominantly scarred macular neovascularisation (MNV), and 32 eyes in 29 patients revealed CPHF, representing a prevalence of 6%. Patients had a mean age of 72.76 years. Before and during the development of CPHF, Type 2 MNV was observed in all eyes. At the time of MNV diagnosis, mean logMAR visual acuity was 1.308 ± 0.559 (20/407). The average time to develop CPHF was 27.3 months since the diagnosis of MNV. At the time of CPHF identification, the mean logMAR visual acuity was 1.498 ± 0.374 (20/630). RPE tear was observed in 6% (n = 2) of CPHF eyes. The average number of intravitreal anti-VEGF injections administered prior to the diagnosis of CPHF was 2.4 and after the onset of CPHF was 0.9. The final visual acuity was not significantly different at the final follow-up visit [1.304 ± 0.42 (20/402); p = 0.646].

Conclusion

Rarely observed in eyes with predominantly scarred subfoveal type 2 MNVs and extensive subretinal fibrosis, CPHF is associated with poor visual outcomes. Its presence could possibly suggest a profibrotic effect of MNV on the posterior hyaloid. Trial Registration Number: Not applicable.
Anesthetic management of a patient with achalasia, a disease with a considerable risk for aspiration under anesthesia
Authors: Haraguchi-Suzuki Keiko , Aso Chizu , Nomura Masashi , Saito Shigeru
Published: September 2023

Background

Achalasia is a rare condition characterized by dysfunction of esophageal motility and impaired relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter. Anesthetic management of these patients is challenging due to the elevated risk of regurgitation and aspiration.

Case presentation

A 53-year-old man diagnosed with achalasia was scheduled for renal cancer surgery before esophageal myotomy. Since his severe dysphagia suggested the possibility of vomiting and aspiration under anesthesia, a stomach tube was inserted before induction of general anesthesia. After preoxygenation, rapid sequence induction was performed and an antiemetic was administered to prevent postoperative vomiting. Although anesthetic management was uneventful, the inserted stomach tube coiled up in the dilated esophagus and substantial residue was aspirated via the tube even after a prolonged fasting period.

Conclusion

Anesthesiologists should be familiar with achalasia even though it is an uncommon disease, since affected patients are at risk of regurgitation and aspiration under anesthesia.
Factors determining internal auditors’ behavioral intention to use computer-assisted auditing techniques: an extension of the UTAUT model and an empirical study
Authors: Almagrashi Ahmad , Mujalli Abdulwahab , Khan Tehmina , Attia Osama
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Computer-assisted audit techniques (CAATs) are used by auditors to automate some of their tasks. Since most transactions in accounting are computerized, auditing of accounting data follows this process as well. During the last two decades, many studies on technology acceptance have been published, and several new models proposed. This study aims to develop and empirically test a model to predict the factors affecting internal auditors’ behavioral intentions regarding CAATs.

Design/methodology/approach

This study explored the behavioral intention to use CAATs from the perspective of internal auditors by applying the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model. Added to this were satisfaction, trust, and organizational influence to understand people’s usage traits. Through an online survey the data were gathered from internal auditors in all Saudi public sector agencies. Structural equation modeling helped to analyze the data and support hypotheses or otherwise.

Findings

Effort expectancy, performance expectancy, social and organizational influences, facilitating conditions, trust, satisfaction, and behavioral intention are the main drivers of CAATs.

Practical implications

This study contributes to existing technology theory by expanding our understanding of the factors influencing CAATs adoption. Moreover, comprehending those determinants is extremely important to legislators. regulators and policymakers in the public sector. This study increases our knowledge about the adoption of CAATs by addressing it at the individual level instead of the organizational level. The results are consistent with the UTAUT model and deliver a practical reference for public sector officials and decision-makers involved in designing CAATs for government departments.
Intraprocedural versus next day transthoracic echocardiography following minimalist transfemoral TAVI
Authors: Savvoulidis Panagiotis , Nadir M. Adnan , Moody William E. , Steeds Richard , Ludman Peter F. , Bradley Joseph R. , Singh Aldrin , Lawton Ewa , Doshi Sagar N.
Published: September 2023

Background

Routine pre-discharge echocardiography (ECHO) is recommended post transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) as a baseline for future comparison. However, there is no clear guidance on the optimal timing of this study.

Aim

The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the safety and work-force efficiency of intraprocedural same-day ECHO versus next-day ECHO, following transfemoral TAVI.

Methods and results

In this retrospective study 100 consecutive patients who underwent intraprocedural ECHO only were compared with 100 consecutive patients undergoing both intraprocedural and routine next-day ECHO following elective transfemoral TAVI. All patients received the Sapien 3/Ultra transcatheter heart valve and were treated with a minimalist procedure with conscious sedation. The composite of in-hospital mortality, urgent ECHO and new tamponade after leaving the cath lab and before discharge was not different between the two groups (4 vs. 4%, P = 1). There was no paravalvular leak more than mild in any of the cases. Length of stay was similar (1 day).

Conclusions

Intraprocedural post-TAVI ECHO appears as safe as next day pre-discharge ECHO and obviates the need for a routine next day study, thereby reducing burden on echocardiography services and allows better utilisation of resources.
Multiple-frequency attribute blending via adaptive uniform manifold approximation and projection and its application on hydrocarbon reservoir delineation
Authors: Liu Naihao , Zhang Zezhou , Zhang Haoran , Wang Zhiguo , Gao Jinghuai , Liu Rongchang , Zhang Nan
Published: September 2023

Multifrequency attribute blending is a highly effective tool for characterizing hydrocarbon reservoirs. It begins by extracting multifrequency attributes of seismic data based on time-frequency transformation. Subsequently, a blending algorithm is used to fuse the extracted multifrequency components, thereby obtaining the interpretation results of the interested reservoirs. The red-green-blue (RGB) algorithm is commonly used to fuse the multifrequency components. However, it should be noted that the RGB blending algorithm can only fuse three frequency components, i.e., the low-, middle-, and high-frequency components. Moreover, it can occasionally introduce ambiguities, making it difficult to interpret areas that appear white or yellow. To address these issues, we develop a workflow for multiple-frequency component analysis to delineate hydrocarbon reservoirs. First, we apply the generalized S-transform to obtain the multiple-frequency components of seismic data. Then, the correlation analysis is developed and implemented to select the sensitive frequency components. Finally, we use the uniform manifold approximation and projection, a nonlinear dimension reduction algorithm, to blend the extracted multiple-frequency components and obtain reservoir interpretation results. We apply the suggested workflow to synthetic data and a 3D field data volume to evaluate its effectiveness. Our mathematical analysis demonstrates that the suggested workflow can effectively fuse multiple-frequency components to accurately characterize hydrocarbon reservoirs.
Estimation of net-to-gross ratio and net pay from seismic amplitude variation with offset using Bayesian inversion
Authors: Tschache Saskia , Vinje Vetle , Lie Jan Erik , Gundem Martin Brandtzæg , Iversen Einar
Published: September 2023

Net-to-gross ratio and net pay are essential properties for characterizing turbidite reservoirs. We present a Bayesian inversion that estimates the probability density distributions of the reservoir properties from the amplitude-variation-with-offset (AVO) attributes intercept and gradient, which are measured at the top of the reservoir. The method is adapted to the region-specific characteristics of the sand-shale interbedding as observed from well data. The likelihood function is estimated by a Monte Carlo simulation, which involves generating pseudo-wells, seismic modeling using the reflectivity method, picking the amplitudes at the top of the reservoir, and estimating the AVO intercept and gradient. In a North Sea oil field case example, the AVO gradient is most sensitive to variations in the net-to-gross ratio, while the AVO intercept is most sensitive to the type of pore fluid. The inversion was successfully tested on pseudo-wells and synthetic seismic AVO from well data. We show that the inversion can be applied to AVO maps to produce maps of the most likely estimates of the net-to-gross ratio and the net pay-to-net ratio, the resulting net pay, and the uncertainty.
The Klein-Gordon and Dirac oscillators with generalized Dunkl derivative
Authors: Rouabhia N. , Merad M. , Hamil B.
Published: September 2023

In this research, we shall present the Klein-Gordon and Dirac oscillators in the framework of the generalized Dunkl derivative with two parameters by using the Cartesian coordinates, the eigenvalues of energy and eigenfunctions are obtained. The thermodynamic properties are discussed and plotted graphically.
Loss of zebrafish pkd1l1 causes biliary defects that have implications for biliary atresia splenic malformation
Authors: Ali Rouknuddin Q. , Meyer-Miner Anne , David-Rachel Marie , Lee Fiona J. H. , Wilkins Benjamin J. , Karpen Saul J. , Ciruna Brian , Ghanekar Anand , Kamath Binita M.
Published: September 2023

Biliary atresia is a fibroinflammatory neonatal disease with no effective therapies. A subset of cases (10-20%) is associated with laterality defects – labeled biliary atresia splenic malformation (BASM) syndrome. Recently, whole-exome sequencing of patients with BASM identified deleterious variants in PKD1L1. PKD1L1 is involved in left-right axis determination; however, its role in cholangiocytes is unknown. We generated the pkd1l1hsc117 allele using CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis in zebrafish to determine the role of Pkd1l1 in biliary development and function. Wild-type and mutant larvae were assessed for laterality defects, biliary function and biliary tree architecture at 5 days post fertilization. pkd1l1hsc117 mutant larvae exhibited early left-right patterning defects. The gallbladder was positioned on the left in 47% of mutants compared to 4% of wild-type larvae. Accumulation of PED6 in the gallbladder, an indicator of hepatobiliary function, was significantly reduced in pkd1l1hsc117 mutants (46%) compared to wild-type larvae (4%). pkd1l1hsc117 larvae exhibited fewer biliary epithelial cells and reduced density of the intrahepatic biliary network compared to those in wild-type larvae. These data highlight the essential role of pkd1l1 in normal development and function of the zebrafish biliary system, supporting a role for this gene as a cause of BASM.
The E3 ubiquitin ligase CHIP drives monoubiquitylation-mediated nuclear import of the tumor suppressor PTEN
Authors: Chakraborty Shrabastee , Karmakar Subhajit , Basu Malini , Kal Satadeepa , Ghosh Mrinal K.
Published: September 2023

Monoubiquitylation is a principal mechanism driving nuclear translocation of the protein PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten). In this study, we describe a novel mechanism wherein the protein CHIP (C-terminus of Hsc70-interacting protein) mediates PTEN monoubiquitylation, leading to its nuclear import. Western blot analysis revealed a rise in both nuclear and total cellular PTEN levels under monoubiquitylation-promoting conditions, an effect that was abrogated by silencing CHIP expression. We established time-point kinetics of CHIP-mediated nuclear translocation of PTEN using immunocytochemistry and identified a role of karyopherin α1 (KPNA1) in facilitating nuclear transport of monoubiquitylated PTEN. We further established a direct interaction between CHIP and PTEN inside the nucleus, with CHIP participating in either polyubiquitylation or monoubiquitylation of nuclear PTEN. Finally, we showed that oxidative stress enhanced CHIP-mediated nuclear import of PTEN, which resulted in increased apoptosis, and decreased cell viability and proliferation, whereas CHIP knockdown counteracted these effects. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report elucidating non-canonical roles for CHIP on PTEN, which we establish here as a nuclear interacting partner of CHIP.
Trophoblast organoids with physiological polarity model placental structure and function
Authors: Yang Liheng , Liang Pengfei , Yang Huanghe , Coyne Carolyn B.
Published: September 2023

Human trophoblast organoids (TOs) are a three-dimensional ex vivo culture model that can be used to study various aspects of placental development, physiology and pathology. However, standard culturing of TOs does not recapitulate the cellular orientation of chorionic villi in vivo given that the multi-nucleated syncytiotrophoblast (STB) develops largely within the inner facing surfaces of these organoids (STBin). Here, we developed a method to culture TOs under conditions that recapitulate the cellular orientation of chorionic villi in vivo. We show that culturing STBin TOs in suspension with gentle agitation leads to the development of TOs containing the STB on the outer surface (STBout). Using membrane capacitance measurements, we determined that the outermost surface of STBout organoids contain large syncytia comprising >50 nuclei, whereas STBin organoids contain small syncytia (<10 nuclei) and mononuclear cells. The growth of TOs under conditions that mimic the cellular orientation of chorionic villi in vivo thus allows for the study of a variety of aspects of placental biology under physiological conditions.
Analysis of C9orf72 repeat expansions in Georgian patients with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Authors: Kekenadze Mariam , Rocca Clarissa , Turchetti Valentina , Nagy Sara , Kvirkvelia Nana , Vashadze Shorena , Kvaratskhelia Eka , Beridze Maia , Kaiyrzhanov Rauan , Houlden Henry
Published: September 2023

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects the upper and lower motor neurons. Several genetic risk factors have been identified in the past decade with a hexanucleotide repeat expansion in the C9orf72 gene being the most significant. However, the presence of C9orf72 repeat expansion has not been examined in the Transcaucasian region, therefore we aimed to analyze its frequency in Georgian patients with ALS.

Methods: We included 64 self-reported Georgian patients with ALS from different parts of the country, fulfilling the Gold Coast criteria. To investigate the presence of an expanded GGGGCC hexanucleotide repeat in the non-coding region of the C9orf72 gene, we performed Repeat-Primed PCR (RP-PCR).                     

Results: In total, 64 sporadic and two familial ALS cases were identified. Patients were aged 26 to 84 years with a mean age of 58.3 years at disease onset. Bulbar onset was observed in 21.88%, upper limb onset in 34.38%, and lower limb onset in 43.75% of the patients. Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) fulfilling the Strong criteria was diagnosed in seven patients (10.94%). C9orf72 repeat expansion was detected in only one case using RP-PCR; the patient had a family history of dementia.

Conclusions: Our results indicate that C9orf72      hexanucleotide expansion does not belong to the major genetic risk factor of ALS in Georgian patients. Further genetic studies in a bigger study population are needed to reveal the genetic causes of ALS in the Transcaucasian population.
The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children - a resource for COVID-19 research: questionnaire data capture July 2021 to December 2021, with a focus on long COVID
Authors: Northstone Kate , Suarez-Perez Almudena , Matthews Sarah , Crawford Michael , Timpson Nicholas
Published: September 2023

ALSPAC, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children is a prospective population-based cohort study. Pregnant women were recruited in 1990-1992 and the study has followed them, their partners (Generation 0; G0) and their offspring (Generation 1; G1) for over 30 years. During the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, ALSPAC deployed a series of online questionnaires to capture participant experiences during this unprecedented time. In July 2021, a fifth questionnaire was deployed which primarily focussed on the symptoms of long COVID, also known as post-COVID syndrome.

G0 and G1 participants were offered both online and paper questionnaires between 21st July 2021 and 11th December 2021. Of 21,138 invitations, 11,148 (52.8%) participants returned the questionnaire (4,763 original mothers [mean age 59.1 years], 2,074 original fathers/partners [mean age 62.0 years] and 4,311 offspring [mean age 29.0 years]). Of these 11,148 participants, 2835 (25.4%) had not completed any of the previous COVID-19 questionnaires, while 3480 (31.2%) had returned all four previous questionnaires.

In this questionnaire, 1077 participants (9.8%) reported a previous positive COVID-19 test over the course of the pandemic. Of these, 109 (1.0%) had received medical advice that they likely had COVID-19, and 838 (7.6%) suspected that they had had COVID-19. Almost a third of participants (n=796, 31.1%) reported possible long COVID (experiencing symptoms for at least 4 weeks), whilst 351 (13.7%) reported symptom duration of 12 weeks or more (post-COVID syndrome). G0 mothers were more likely to report a longer duration of symptoms compared to their partners and their children.

The fifth COVID-19 questionnaire deployed by ALSPAC and the data obtained from are described in this data note.
Conflicted Analysts and Initial Coin Offerings
Authors: Barth Andreas , Laturnus Valerie , Mansouri Sasan , Wagner Alexander F.
Published: September 2023

This paper studies the contribution of analysts to the functioning and failure of the market for initial coin offerings (ICOs). The assessments of freelancing analysts exhibit biases because of reciprocal interactions of analysts with ICO team members. Even favorably rated ICOs tend to fail raising some capital when a greater portion of their ratings reciprocate prior ratings. Ninety days after listing on an exchange, the market capitalization relative to the initial funds raised is smaller for tokens with more reciprocal ratings. These findings suggest that conflicts of interest help explain the failure of ICOs.

This paper was accepted by Bruno Biais, Special Section of Management Science: Blockchains and Crypto Economics.

Funding: A. Barth acknowledges financial support from the Chaire Fintech at University Paris Dauphine - PSL. A. F. Wagner acknowledges financial support from the University of Zurich Research Priority Program “Financial market regulation.” This paper was initiated when A. F. Wagner was visiting the Center for Advanced Studies on the Foundations of Law and Finance, funded by the German Research Foundation under the project FOR 2774 at Goethe University Frankfurt.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.02928 .
Selecting Cover Images for Restaurant Reviews: AI vs. Wisdom of the Crowd
Authors: Khern-am-nuai Warut , So Hyunji , Cohen Maxime C. , Adulyasak Yossiri
Published: September 2023

Problem definition: Restaurant review platforms, such as Yelp and TripAdvisor, routinely receive large numbers of photos in their review submissions. These photos provide significant value for users who seek to compare restaurants. In this context, the choice of cover images (i.e., representative photos of the restaurants) can greatly influence the level of user engagement on the platform. Unfortunately, selecting these images can be time consuming and often requires human intervention. At the same time, it is challenging to develop a systematic approach to assess the effectiveness of the selected images. Methodology/results: In this paper, we collaborate with a large review platform in Asia to investigate this problem. We discuss two image selection approaches, namely crowd-based and artificial intelligence (AI)-based systems. The AI-based system we use learns complex latent image features, which are further enhanced by transfer learning to overcome the scarcity of labeled data. We collaborate with the platform to deploy our AI-based system through a randomized field experiment to carefully compare both systems. We find that the AI-based system outperforms the crowd-based counterpart and boosts user engagement by 12.43%–16.05% on average. We then conduct empirical analyses on observational data to identify the underlying mechanisms that drive the superior performance of the AI-based system. Managerial implications: Finally, we infer from our findings that the AI-based system outperforms the crowd-based system for restaurants with (i) a longer tenure on the platform, (ii) a limited number of user-generated photos, (iii) a lower star rating, and (iv) lower user engagement during the crowd-based system.

Funding: The authors acknowledge financial support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council [Grant 430-2020-00106].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2021.0531 .
Effects of Seed Germination on Physicochemical and Bioactive Compounds Characteristics of Velvet Bean Tempe
Authors: Astawan Made , Faishal Muhammad Ariq , Prayudani Ayu P. G. , Wresdiyati Tutik , Sardjono Ratnaningsih Eko
Published: September 2023

Indonesia, known as the largest tempe-producing country globally with approximately 160,000 producers, faces a challenge in meeting the demand for tempe due to insufficient local soybean supply. To address this issue, Indonesia has been compelled to import significant quantities of soybeans, reaching 1.68 million tons in 2020, which escalated by 47.78% to 2.49 million tons in 2021. This study aims to scientifically investigate the impact of velvet bean seed germination on the physicochemical characteristics and bioactive components of velvet bean tempe. The research methodology involved quantitative analysis to obtain reliable results. The preliminary analysis established that the optimal velvet bean tempe fermentation time was 48 hours. Following germination, the physical properties of velvet bean sprouts exhibited an increase in weight accompanied by a reduction in bulk density and absolute density. Furthermore, the germination treatment resulted in decreased brightness, saturation, whiteness, and pH values, while simultaneously increasing the hardness of the tempe. Chemical analysis demonstrated that germination of velvet bean seeds led to an elevation in moisture content and a decrease in carbohydrate content within the produced tempe. Additionally, bioactive component analysis revealed that the germination treatment contributed to a reduction in total phenol content from 52.46 to 36.30 mg AAE/100g, antioxidant capacity from 132.80 to 66.90 mg GAE/100g, and GABA content from 54.20 to 21.50 mg/100g in the tempe. These findings provide valuable scientific insights into alternative ingredient utilisation and production processes optimisation of velvet bean tempe.
A Case Series of Sleep Bruxism Treated With Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure: Craniofacial Feature and Polysomnographic Findings
Authors: Shin Hye-Rim , Kim Hye-Kyoung , Kim Jee Hyun
Published: September 2023

Sleep bruxism (SB) is a common disorder that presents as repetitive jaw muscle activity with clenching or grinding of teeth and/or bracing or thrusting of the mandible. Several studies have suggested that SB is associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, the effect of treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on SB concomitant with OSA has not been well recognized, except in a few reported cases. Herein, we present three cases of SB with various OSA severities that were successfully treated with CPAP, as indicated by the improvement in their clinical symptoms and bruxism index on polysomnography. Our results suggest that clinicians should raise suspicion of OSA in patients with SB and be aware that patients with SB and concomitant moderate-to-severe OSA can be successfully treated with CPAP.