bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A combinatorial approach to Berkovich type identities
Authors: Liu Ji-Cai
Published: December 2024

Motivated by Berkovich’s nine

q
q

-binomial identities involving the Legendre symbol

(

d
3

)

(\frac {d}{3})

, we establish a unified form of

q
q

-binomial identities of this type through a combinatorial approach. This unified form includes Berkovich’s nine identities as special cases. Many new such identities can be also deduced from this unified form.
State-level changes in racial disparities in probation and parole rates in the United States, 2001–2018
Authors: Rigby David , Hibi Daichi , Wygle Ruth , Lee Hedwig , Casey Joan , Gemmill Alison , Bruckner Tim
Published: December 2024

Although the public health field has increasingly studied the collateral consequences of incarceration, we know little about the health consequences of other forms of criminal legal contact, including probation and parole. Understanding spatial and racial-ethnic variation in probation/parole across US states provides new insights into how community supervision impacts population health disparities. However, state-level probation/parole prevalence has not been adequately described. Using data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the Census for the years 2001 to 2018, we provide the first state-level estimates of probation and parole populations by race over time in the US. We find large variation in disparities across states and time that is masked by national-level estimates. The US probation population decreased, and its racial composition remained steady between 2001 and 2018. However, in all but five states, the Black-White gap in probation rates declined. The Black-White gap in parole rates declined in all but seven states. The extent to which these race-specific changes in probation or parole over time reflect adjudication processes favoring White people, and/or affect population health, warrant further investigation.
Efficacy of haemoadsorption combined with continuous renal replacement therapy in patients with rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney injury: a retrospective study
Authors: Zhou Xiaochun , Yang Yingying , Li Peiyun , Wang Fang , Zhang Ling , Fu Ping
Published: December 2024

Background

Clearance of circulating myoglobin is crucial to prevent further damage in patients with rhabdomyolysis (RM) and acute kidney injury (AKI). The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of haemoadsorption (HA) combined with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in critically ill patients with RM and AKI.

Methods

Patients with RM and AKI who received CRRT + HA or CRRT with concomitant creatine kinase (CK) >10 000 IU/l in our intensive care unit (ICU) between May 2021 and December 2023 were retrospectively included. The primary outcome was 90-day mortality; secondary outcomes were kidney function recovery and CK decline rate. Adverse events were also evaluated, including hypotension, circuit clotting, albumin leakage and blood loss. Propensity score matching and Cox retrospective analysis were performed.

Results

A total of 111 RM patients with AKI were ultimately included. The ICU and in-hospital mortality were significantly lower in the CRRT + HA group compared with the CRRT group (ICU mortality: 18% versus 42%, P = .025; in-hospital mortality: 21% versus 42%, P = .048). However, the CRRT + HA group only showed a non-significant reduction in 90-day mortality compared with the CRRT group (47% versus 68%, P = .063). After treatment for 90 days, the number of patients with kidney function recovery was not significantly different between the CRRT + HA and CRRT groups (95% versus 84%, P = .639). Moreover, the incidence of hypotension and circuit clotting events did not increase during CRRT + HA treatment. In addition, the CRRT + HA group also appeared to have a higher rate of CK reduction and reduction of CK than the CRRT group at 24 and 48 hours after the initiation of CRRT. A multivariate Cox regression model demonstrated that CRRT + HA {hazard ratio [HR] 0.477 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.234–0.972], P = .042}, mean arterial blood pressure [per 1 mmHg; HR 0.967 (95% CI 0.943–0.992), P = .009] and CRRT treatment duration [per 1 h; HR 0.995 (95% CI 0.992–0.998), P = .002] played a favourably important role in the survival prognosis of RM and AKI patients. In contrast, serum phosphate before RRT [per 1 mmol/l; HR 1.531 (95% CI 1.113–2.106), P = .009] and McMahon score [per 1 score; HR 1.15 (95% CI 1.006–1.313), P = .04] were independent risk factors for 90-day mortality.

Conclusions

CRRT combined with HA therapy reduced ICU and in-hospital mortality in patients with RM and AKI and also had a cleansing effect on creatine kinase without significant adverse events.
Hungry for antiquity: Zbigniew Herbert and reception as ingestion
Authors: Leszczyk Marianna
Published: December 2024

This article examines the travel writing of the Polish poet Zbigniew Herbert (1924–98) through a reception-theoretical lens, identifying a pattern of representing contact with antiquity as food consumption in the travelogues Barbarian in the Garden (1962) and Labyrinth on the Sea (1973/2000). While closely situating this prandial language within the changing cultural discourses of consumption in socialist Poland, I argue for Herbert’s construction of a more widely applicable model of reception as ingestion that speaks to current debates on distance, temporality, and affective relations to the past. By rooting this reception model in Herbert’s lived experiences of post-war precarity, hunger, and the connection between food scarcity and economies of violence, as well as by linking it to his practice of ‘devouring’ knowledge about antiquity through intense research in Western libraries, I also highlight the centrality of embodied experience for seemingly abstract theory-making in reception studies and beyond.
The current state of the multidisciplinary heart team approach: a systematic review
Authors: Arjomandi Rad Arian , Streukens Sebastian , Vainer Jindra , Athanasiou Thanos , Maessen Jos , Sardari Nia Peyman
Published: December 2024

The heart team (HT) approach, recommended for managing cardiovascular diseases, emphasizes multidisciplinary collaboration. Despite its potential benefits, evidence on its effectiveness and implementation is varied and sparse. This review assesses the HT approach’s impact on patient outcomes and care delivery in cardiovascular care. A systematic review was conducted across MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane and Google Scholar up to July 2023, focusing on studies that implemented an HT approach in coronary and heart valve disease management. Exclusion criteria included non-human studies, case reports and studies not focusing on HT outcomes. From 6270 identified articles, 20 met the inclusion criteria. These studies demonstrated significant variability in HT composition and organization, coupled with a lack of standardized metrics for evaluating clinical outcomes and the impact of the HT. Significant variability was observed in HT composition, with 13 of the 20 studies did not utilize structured templates, those that did demonstrated more consistent decision-making. In mitral valve interventions, HTs were linked to reduced in-hospital mortality and improved long-term survival (5-year survival probability of 0.74 vs 0.70, P = 0.04). In aortic valve interventions, 80% of patients underwent tailored valve procedures following HT evaluation. The HT approach in cardiovascular care demonstrates improved patient outcomes, particularly in specialized interventions for mitral and aortic valve diseases and coronary artery disease management. Despite these positive findings, the variability in HT implementation and the need for standardized outcome metrics call for further advances to optimize this collaborative care model.
Women in cardiac surgery: a global workforce analysis
Authors: Izumi Aliya , Lee Grace , Gomes Zoya , Ouzounian Maral , Adinku Penelope , Montes Lorena , Vervoort Dominique
Published: December 2024

OBJECTIVES

Cardiac surgery remains one of the most gender-imbalanced surgical specialties. Women constitute 6–11% of the North American workforce, while other regional data are scarce. Despite the acknowledged under-representation of women in cardiac surgery globally and evidence that surgeon–patient gender concordance enhances postoperative outcomes, precise figures remain poorly defined. Herein, we provide the 1st global quantification of women cardiac surgeons (WCS) and explore correlates of workforce diversity.

METHODS

The Cardiothoracic Surgery Network database was queried for cardiac surgeons within each country and cross-validated with external sources. Profile pronouns and the genderize.io application determined surgeon sex. Data were stratified by country, geographical region and national income group, and correlation analyses with socioeconomic and gender parity metrics were performed.

RESULTS

Women constitute 8.0% (1178/14 651) of the international cardiac surgical workforce, with a median of 0.00 WCS per million women (interquartile range: 0.00–0.09). North America (11.4%) and Europe (10.3%) lead regional representation, while East Asia (2.9%) and the Middle East (1.7%) rank lowest. High-income countries (9.9%) have double the proportion of WCS as low- and middle-income countries (4.8%), with a notable absence among low-income countries. Female representation correlates with Gross National Income per capita (τ = 0.39), the Global Gender Gap Index (τ = 0.26) and health expenditure (τ = 0.26).

CONCLUSIONS

Improving female representation in cardiac surgery is essential to advancing social justice and overall patient care. Yet, WCS remain a minority worldwide, with the most pronounced disparities in low- and middle-income countries and regions with low Gross National Income, Global Gender Gap Index and health expenditure. Confronting these inequities will require targeted mentorship efforts and addressing country-specific entry barriers, necessitating further research into the unique factors influencing women in low- and middle-income countries.
The Andes are a driver of physiological diversity in Anolis lizards
Authors: Salazar Jhan C , Londoño Gustavo A , Muñoz Martha M , Miles Donald B , Castañeda María del Rosario
Published: December 2024

The Andes, with its diverse topography and climate, is a renowned cradle for adaptive radiation, particularly for vertebrate ectotherms such as lizards. Yet, the role of temperature in promoting physiological specialization in the Andes remains unclear. Aseasonality in the tropics should favour physiological specialization across elevation in lizards, but empirical data are limited and equivocal. Determining how thermal tolerances are geographically and phylogenetically structured is therefore a priority, particularly as environments continue to change rapidly. However, there is a gap in our knowledge of thermal limits of species from the Andes, one of the planet’s most biodiverse regions. Anoles, a diverse lizard group found across thousands of metres of elevation in the Andes, can offer insights into evolutionary adaptations to temperature. This study focused on 14 anole species from two clades (Dactyloa and Draconura) that independently diversified along elevational gradients in the Andes. We measured critical thermal limits (CTmin and CTmax) and found patterns of thermal tolerance specialization across elevation, both among and within species. Patterns of thermal specialization are similar among anole clades, indicating parallel responses to similar environmental pressures. Specifically, high-elevation anoles are more cold tolerant and less heat tolerant than their low-elevation counterparts, rendering thermal tolerance breadths stable across elevation (thermal specialization). Evolutionary rates of physiological traits were similar, reflecting parallel specialization in heat and cold tolerance across elevation. The adaptive radiation of anole lizards reflects physiological specialization across elevation, and the endemism such specialization favours, probably catalysed their remarkable diversity in the tropical Andes.
Mexican Health and Aging Study Biomarker and Genetic Data Profile
Authors: Samper-Ternent Rafael , Zazueta-Borboa Jesús Daniel , Michaels-Obregon Alejandra , Reyes-Dumeyer Dolly , Barral Sandra , Tosto Giuseppe , Wong Rebeca
Published: December 2024

The Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) is one of the largest ongoing longitudinal studies of aging in Latin America, with six waves over 20 years. MHAS includes sociodemographic, economic, and health data from a nationally representative sample of adults 50 years and older in urban and rural Mexico. MHAS is designed to study the impact of diseases on adults’ health, function, and mortality. As Mexico is experiencing rapid population aging, providing adequate information to study this phenomenon is vital for designing and implementing public policies. The availability of biomarker and genetic data and longitudinal survey data elevates opportunities for research on aging in a low–middle-income country. This manuscript describes the profile of biomarkers and genetic data available in the MHAS study, including sample sizes and sociodemographic characteristics of participants who provided biospecimens for biomarker analyses, emphasizing recent genetic data. The sample size of individuals with anthropometric biomarkers was 2 707 (Wave 1—2001), 2 361 (Wave 2—2003), 2 086 (Wave 3—2012), and 2 051 (2016). Capillary blood samples were collected from 2 063 participants in 2012 (Wave 3) and 1 141 in 2016. Venous blood samples for blood-based biomarkers were collected from 2 003 participants in 2012 (Wave 3) and 752 in 2016. Venous blood samples were also collected for genetic data from 2 010 participants in 2012 (Wave 3) and 750 in 2016. A total of 7 821 participants provided saliva in 2018, and 2 671 provided hair in 2018. From these samples, a total of 7 204 have genome-wide genetic data, 8 600 have apolipoprotein-E genotype data, and 7 156 have genetic ancestry data.
Longitudinal Decline of Exercise Capacity in Male and Female Mice
Authors: Pajski Megan L , Maroto Rosario , Byrd Chris , Graber Ted G
Published: December 2024

The population of older adults is exponentially expanding. Alongside aging comes the onset of chronic disease, decline of functional capacity, and reduced quality of life. Thus, this population increase will stress the capacity and financial viability of health and long-term care systems. Developing preclinical models for age-related functional decline is imperative to advancing therapies that extend healthspan and prolong independence. Previously in a cross-sectional study, we established a powerful composite scoring system we termed CFAB (Comprehensive Functional Assessment Battery). CFAB measures physical function and exercise capacity using well-validated determinants to measure overall motor function, fore-limb strength, four-limb strength/endurance, aerobic capacity, and volitional exercise/activity rate. In the current work, we used CFAB to track cohorts of male and female C57BL/6 mice over the lifespan (measuring CFAB at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 28 months of age). Overall, we found statistically significantly declining function as the mice aged, with some differences between males and females in trajectory and slope. We also determined that body mass changes presented differently between sexes, and tracked body composition (fat percentage, using magnetic resonance imagery) in females. In a subset of mice, we tracked in vivo contractile physiology noting declines in plantar flexor maximum isometric torque. In summary, our data suggest that males and females declined at different rates. We confirmed the efficacy of CFAB to track longitudinal changes in exercise capacity and physical fitness in both males and females, further validating the system to track age-related functional decline.
Supporting older people experiencing homelessness and memory problems in hostels: Learning from an ethnographic study
Authors: Rapaport Penny , Livingston Gill , Manthorpe Jill , Shulman Caroline , Kidd Garrett , Mason Ava , Knapp Martin , Gaber Sophie Nadia
Published: December 2024

Background and Objectives

Older people with memory problems living in temporary hostel accommodation have longer stays and higher care needs than those without memory problems. In this ethnographic study, we aimed to elucidate how staff currently support older hostel residents with memory problems, what contextual factors determine support given and, what facilitates positive and meaningful outcomes for staff and residents.

Research Design and Methods

We conducted interviews and participant observations with older people (≥50 years) experiencing memory problems and homelessness (interviews n=17, observations n=13), hostel staff and managers (interviews n=15, observations n=20) from seven residential facilities (six hostels and one care home), and health and social care practitioners (interviews n=17, observations n=7), from September 2021-December 2022 in London, England. We analyzed thematically from a critical realist position.

Results

We identified four overarching themes: (1) Compensatory strategies and routines, (2) hostels are not homes, (3) meeting challenging interactions with compassion, and (4) facilitating opportunities for meaningful interactions. Social interactions for people with memory problems were restricted and, although sheltered by living in hostels, this did not equate to safety or provide opportunities for positive interactions.

Discussion and Implications

Staff worked hard to connect with older residents with memory problems, in resource and time-poor contexts, often left to provide care beyond their roles in contexts of unmet need. Our ethnographic account has informed co-design of a support intervention for hostel staff working with older people with memory problems, alongside recommendations for policy and practice.
Strategies to improve research participation by older people with cognitive impairment: a systematic review
Authors: Swan Lucinda , Kochovska Slavica , Ries Nola , Gilmore Imelda , Parker Deborah , Sinclair Craig , Sheehan Caitlin , Collier Aileen , Lobb Elizabeth , Sheahan Linda , Brown Linda , Chapman Michael , Lee Wei , Amgarth-Duff Ingrid , To Timothy , Agar Meera R , Hosie Annmarie
Published: December 2024

Background and Objectives

Older people with cognitive impairment are unrepresented in clinical research. Our objective was to review evidence for strategies to support their research inclusion and participation.

Research Design and Methods

Systematic review of published reports of inclusion and participation strategies for older people with cognitive impairment in clinical research (PROSPERO CRD42020212092). Five databases were searched September 2020, March 2023 and April 2024. Screening, full text review and data extraction were independently performed. Risk of bias was assessed using Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network Methodology Checklists. Outcomes were participant characteristics, recruitment and consent processes, retention, experience, involvement of others, adverse events, and other reported outcomes.

Results

Of 4564 identified sources, 12 studies were included. Nine compared recruitment strategies; three examined consent processes. Of 4,208 participants (mean age 78.3 years), 61% were female. Median (interquartile range) monthly recruitment rate was 10.3 (5.6-14.8). Participants had mild cognitive impairment, dementia and/or delirium and two-thirds of studies involved proxies or study partners. Community outreach or population screening had higher recruitment compared to primary care referral and/or screening. Formal capacity and consent methods achieved lower rates of consent compared to informal. A memory and organisational aid increased participants’ ability to provide informed consent compared to standard assessment. Few studies reported participants’ or recruiters’ subjective experience, and no studies reported participant retention or adverse events.

Discussion and Implications

Targeted, tailored and multi-pronged recruitment and consent strategies to support inclusion of older people with cognitive impairment appear promising. Higher quality studies are needed to confirm this finding.
How Do Researchers Identify and Recruit Dementia Caregivers? A Scoping Review
Authors: Kashyap Bhavani , Crouse Bethany , Fields Beth , Aguirre Alyssa , Ali Talha , Hays Rachel , Li Xiaojuan , Shapiro Lily N , Tao Meng-Hua , Vaughn Ivana A , Hanson Leah R
Published: December 2024

Background and Objectives

Studies involving dementia caregivers are essential to transform care and inform new policies. However, identifying and recruiting this population for research is an ongoing challenge. This scoping review aimed to capture the current methodology for identifying and recruiting dementia caregivers in clinical studies. A focus was placed on methods for underrepresented populations and pragmatic trials to guide pragmatic and equitable clinical studies.

Research Design and Methods

Researchers conducted a literature search using PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases. Studies conducted in the US that enrolled at least 10 caregivers and were published within the last 10 years (2013–2023) were included.

Results

Overall, 148 articles were included in the review. The most common method for identification was community outreach, and paper advertisements for recruitment. Caregivers were most often approached in community settings, formal organizations, and/or dementia research centers. Most enrolled caregivers were female, White, and spouses of persons living with dementia. Race and ethnicity were underreported, as were the target recruitment goals. Limited studies were self-reported as pragmatic. Additionally, limited studies reported adaptations for methods of identification and recruitment in underrepresented populations.

Discussion and Implications

We identified gaps in current practices for the identification and recruitment of dementia caregivers. Future identification and recruitment methodologies should be tailored to the intervention’s intent, health care setting, and the research questions that need to be answered, while balancing available resources. Additionally, transparent reporting of identification and recruitment procedures, target recruitment goals, and comprehensive demographic data is warranted.
Spatio-temporal variability among loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, strandings off southern Brazil
Authors: da Fonseca Gabriel Fraga , Broadhurst Matt K , Nunes Tawane Yara , Di Domenico Maikon , Cantor Mauricio , Domit Camila
Published: December 2024

Since 2015, Brazilian legislation governing resource extraction in the Santos Basin has required daily monitoring of beaches (∼1490 km) in Rio de Janeiro (RJ), São Paulo (SP), Paraná (PR), and Santa Catarina (SC) for fauna strandings. All stranded specimens are necropsied or rehabilitated. Here, we investigate spatio-temporal variability among 5169 loggerhead turtles, Caretta caretta, stranded between 2015 and 2022, and discuss regional management implications. Weekly stranding rates among states ranged between 0.03 (RJ) and 0.54 (PR) C. caretta 100 km–1 and peaked during winter and spring—coinciding with concentrated regional penaeid-trawl effort. Almost all (99%) stranded C. caretta were dead and had advanced decomposition. Overall, there were biases towards female C. caretta (2:1), that increased during summer, and juveniles (2.2:1) across all states, especially in Paraná—encompassing an ecologically important and World Heritage-listed estuarine complex. Identified anthropogenic impacts among stranded C. caretta were low overall (14%) but biased towards fishing (8%) and greatest during winter and spring. Few (∼4%) C. caretta had ingested plastic or were entangled in marine debris. The data support prioritising the jurisdictional management of impacts across SP, PR, and SC during winter and spring, and in the presence of intensified regional trawling effort.
Importin α inhibitors act against the differentiated stages of apicomplexan parasites Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii
Authors: Bhambid Manasi , Walunj Sujata B , Anupama C A , Jain Shilpi , Mehta Diksha , Arya Anjali , Wagstaff Kylie M , Panda Ashutosh , Jans David A , Mohmmed Asif , Patankar Swati
Published: December 2024

Background

Nuclear import, dependent on the transporter importin α (IMPα), is a drug target for apicomplexan parasites Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii. Indeed, a panel of small molecule inhibit interactions between IMPα and nuclear localization signals (NLSs) in vitro and the growth of rapidly dividing stages (P. falciparum blood stages and T. gondii tachyzoites) in culture.

Objectives

As new drugs targeting multiple life cycle stages of both parasites are required, the panel of IMPα inhibitors was tested for their ability to inhibit nuclear transport in the rapidly dividing stages and the maturation of differentiated stages (P. falciparum gametocytes and T. gondii bradyzoites).

Methods

Using biophysical assays, Bay 11-7082, a Bay 11-7085 structural analogue, was tested for inhibition of IMPα:NLS interactions. The effect of the panel of inhibitors on the nuclear localization of reporter proteins was analysed in both parasites using transfections and microscopy. Also, using microscopy, the effect of inhibitors on differentiated stages of both parasites was tested.

Results

Bay 11-7085 can inhibit nuclear transport in tachyzoites, while GW5074 and Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE) can inhibit nuclear transport in the blood stages. Interestingly, CAPE can strongly inhibit gametocyte maturation, and Bay 11-7082 and Bay 11-7085 weakly inhibit bradyzoite differentiation.

Conclusions

As differentiation of gametocytes and bradyzoites is dependent on the activation of gene expression triggered by the nuclear translocation of transcription factors, our work provides a ‘proof of concept’ that targeting nuclear import is a viable strategy for the development of therapeutics against multiple stages of apicomplexan parasites, some of which are recalcitrant to existing drugs.
Comparing Refrigeration to Immediate Room Temperature Testing for Uric Acid Monitoring in Rasburicase-Treated Patients
Authors: Lin Leo , Filtz Michael , Wilson Jeffrey , Errigo Roscoe , Zuromski Lauren M , Nguyen Sorenson Anh , Young Brittany A
Published: December 2024

Background

Rasburicase retains activity at room temperature (RT), so specimens collected for uric acid-level monitoring require cooling protocols. Our objective was to determine if we could ease these preanalytical requirements to improve compliance while maintaining accuracy.

Methods

Fifty pairs of specimens were transported and stored either on ice or at RT. All were tested at 3 time points postcollection: immediately upon arrival to the laboratory (approximately 45 min), 90, and 135 min.

Results

Uric acid concentrations are not clinically significantly different in RT or iced specimens, as long as specimens are tested within approximately 45 min postcollection. There was a negative bias in uric acid levels in a subset of specimens if they were held at RT and tested at 90 min (−9.1%) and 135 min (−17.5%). Specimens tested within 2 rasburicase half-lives postinfusion have an additional 24% decrease in uric acid levels if kept at RT for 90 min. Specimens from patients given a 6 mg dose had an 18% decrease in uric acid concentration compared to a 3 mg dose.

Conclusions

Laboratories that can test uric acid levels rapidly after specimen collection may be able to validate alternative preanalytical methods to transporting and testing on ice.
H and B Blood Antigens Are Essential for In Vitro Replication of GII.2 Human Norovirus
Authors: Tamiya Shigeyuki , Matsumoto Naomi , Kurokawa Shiho , Nakamura Yutaka , Takahashi Yu , Sakon Naomi , Inoue Mikihiro , Koike Yuhki , Uchida Keiichi , Yuki Yoshikazu , Ushijima Hiroshi , Kiyono Hiroshi , Sato Shintaro
Published: December 2024

Background

Human norovirus (HuNoV) is a major cause of enteric infectious gastroenteritis and is classified into several genotypes based on its capsid protein amino acid sequence and nucleotide sequence of the polymerase gene. Among these, GII.4 is the major genotype worldwide. Epidemiological studies have highlighted the prevalence of GII.2. Although recent advances using human tissue– and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)–derived intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) have enabled in vitro replication of multiple HuNoV genotypes, GII.2 HuNoV could replicate only in tissue-derived IECs and not in iPSC-derived IECs.

Methods

We investigated the factors influencing GII.2 HuNoV replication in IECs, focusing on histo-blood group antigens. We also assessed the immunogenicity of GII.2 virus-like particles (VLPs) and their ability to induce neutralizing antibodies. Antibody cross-reactivity was tested to determine whether GII.2 VLPs could neutralize other HuNoV genotypes, including GII.4, GII.3, GII.6, and GII.17.

Results

Our findings indicated that GII.2 HuNoV replication in vitro requires the presence of both H and B antigens. Moreover, GII.2 VLPs generated neutralizing antibodies effective against both GII.2 and GII.4 but not against GII.3, GII.6, or GII.17. Comparatively, GII.2 and GII.17 VLPs induced broader neutralizing responses than GII.4 VLPs.

Conclusions

The findings of this study suggests that GII.2 and GII.17 VLPs may be advantageous as HuNoV vaccine candidates because they elicit neutralizing antibodies against the predominant GII.4 genotype, which could be particularly beneficial for infants without prior HuNoV exposure. These insights will contribute to the development of effective HuNoV vaccines.
Synthesizing Attachment Theory with the REBUS Model
Authors: Cherniak Aaron D. , Carhart-Harris Robin , Gruneau Brulin Joel , Mikulincer Mario , Östlind Sebastian , Granqvist Pehr
Published: December 2024

In this chapter, the authors synthesize the relational developmental perspective of attachment theory with a neuroscientific model: the RElaxed Beliefs Under pSychedelics (REBUS). This synthesis, the authors argue, can serve as an organizing framework for psychedelic science. Attachment theory posits that people develop internal working models (IWMs) of relational experiences with close others. These IWMs function as predictive models (“priors”) that, for better and for worse, contribute to people’s social and emotional worlds and organize how they navigate them. Effective psychedelic interventions may work by inducing a hyper-plastic neural state that, supported by corrective relational experiences (with therapists, God, or others), facilitates rapid and deep learning. This can include revision of IWMs toward greater security and other psychological transformations. Based on the attachment-REBUS synthesis, the authors describe three main proposals to guide future research. First, individual differences in attachment security predict the phenomenology of psychedelic experiences and processes related to their integration. Second, increasing attachment security may be a clinical outcome of efficacious psychedelic therapy. Third, among other process-level mechanisms, the clinical utility of psychedelic treatment involves attachment-related dynamics (e.g., connectedness to others and God, alleviation of attachment-related worries and defenses). Finally, the authors provide words of caution and future directions.
Gesture and Agency in Musical Performance
Authors: Montague Eugene
Published: December 2024

This chapter explores relationships between gesture and agency in musical performance, using the physical movements executed by performers as primary points of reference. It draws on two separate definitions of agency, from neuroscience and phenomenology, respectively. From these bases, the chapter examines how the movements of by performers may accrue additional relevance and meaning, and in the process can become seen and heard as gestures by both audience and musicians alike. Through such encounters with gesture in the contexts of performances, music serves as a location for the creation and communication of human agency. To support this argument, and give concrete examples of this process, the chapter analyzes videos and sound from performances by pianists Krystian Zimerman and Brad Mehldau. These case studies illustrate the potential provided by the connection between gesture and agency to deepen our understanding of the experience of musical performances and the activity of musical performers.
Beyond the National Paradigm
Authors: Burdett Charles , Polezzi Loredana
Published: December 2024

This chapter discusses the impact of a combined transnational and translational methodology on definitions of “Italian literature” and on the critical reading practices that inform the approach to literary texts. It calls into question assumptions of geographic, cultural, or linguistic homogeneity and their historical role in defining an Italian literary canon as well as ideas of “Italianness,” arguing instead in favor of a more fluid and inclusive notion of “Italian literature.” Using examples that range from colonial and postcolonial to diasporic and translingual writing, as well as recent (re)translations of classics, the article aims to illustrate the porous nature of the production, circulation, and reception of literary works, as well as the political nature of all acts of reading. It suggests how a transnational and translational approach to literature promotes a reading experience that is consonant with the complex interweaving of cultures that characterizes the realities in which we live.
Emotional Governance and Authoritarian Populism
Authors: Kinnvall Catarina
Published: December 2024

This chapter addresses the role of emotions for authoritarian populism and governance. It discusses how narratives of past practices, memories, and symbols become emotional, embodied, and material representations to which individuals and groups attach a sense of self and purpose. It also discusses how such narratives become avenues for elites to create and emotionally govern borders and boundaries around constructions of collective identities. The chapter provides a detailed understanding of how emotions, values, identities, experiences, and political beliefs are interrelated, as well as the structural, socioeconomic, and institutional conditions that underlie such relations at national and transnational levels. It provides a comprehensive account of authoritarian populism and its emotional ramifications in contemporary political contexts, with some illustrative examples from India, Russia, and Sweden.
Species- and organ-specific contribution of peroxisomal cinnamate:CoA ligases to benzoic and salicylic acid biosynthesis
Authors: Wang Yukang , Miao Huiying , Qiu Jiehua , Liu Menghui , Jin Gaochen , Zhang Wenxuan , Song Shuyan , Fan Pengxiang , Xin Xiufang , Hu Jianping , Li Ran , Pan Ronghui
Published: December 2024

Salicylic acid (SA) is a prominent defense hormone whose basal level, organ-specific accumulation, and physiological role vary widely among plant species. Of the 2 known pathways of plant SA biosynthesis, the phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) pathway is more ancient and universal but its biosynthetic and physiological roles in diverse plant species remain unclear. Studies in which the PAL pathway is specifically or completely inhibited, as well as a direct comparison of diverse species and different organs within the same species, are needed. To this end, we analyzed the PAL pathway in rice (Oryza sativa) and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), 2 distantly related model plants whose basal SA levels and distributions differ tremendously at the organism and tissue levels. Based on our recent identification of the rice peroxisomal cinnamate:CoA ligases (CNLs), we identified 2 peroxisomal CNLs from Arabidopsis and showed CNL as the most functionally specific enzyme among the known enzymes of the PAL pathway. We then revealed the species- and organ-specific contribution of the PAL pathway to benzoic and salicylic acid biosynthesis and clarified its physiological importance in rice and Arabidopsis. Our findings highlight the necessity to consider species and organ types in future SA-related studies and may help to breed new disease-resistant crops.
Modeling of randomized hepatitis C vaccine trials: Bridging the gap between controlled human infection models and real-word testing
Authors: Mackesy-Amiti Mary-Ellen , Gutfraind Alexander , Tatara Eric , Collier Nicholson T , Cotler Scott J , Page Kimberly , Ozik Jonathan , Boodram Basmattee , Major Marian , Dahari Harel
Published: December 2024

Global elimination of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) remains difficult without an effective vaccine. Since injection drug use is the leading cause of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission in Western Europe and North America, people who inject drugs (PWID) are an important population for testing HCV vaccine effectiveness in randomized-clinical trials (RCTs). However, RCTs in PWID are inherently challenging. To accelerate vaccine development, controlled human infection (CHI) models have been suggested as a means to identify effective vaccines. To bridge the gap between CHI models and real-world testing, we developed an agent-based model simulating a two-dose vaccine to prevent CHC in PWID, representing 32,000 PWID in metropolitan Chicago and accounting for networks and HCV infections. We ran 500 trial simulations under 50 and 75% assumed vaccine efficacy (aVE) and sampled HCV infection status of recruited in silico PWID. The mean estimated vaccine efficacy (eVE) for 50 and 75% aVE was 48% (SD ± 12) and 72% (SD ± 11), respectively. For both conditions, the majority of trials (∼71%) resulted in eVEs within 1 SD of the mean, demonstrating a robust trial design. Trials that resulted in eVEs >1 SD from the mean (lowest eVEs of 3 and 35% for 50 and 75% aVE, respectively), were more likely to have imbalances in acute infection rates across trial arms. Modeling indicates robust trial design and high success rates of finding vaccines to be effective in real-life trials in PWID. However, with less effective vaccines (aVEs∼50%) there remains a higher risk of concluding poor vaccine efficacy due to post-randomization imbalances.
Bidirectional links between sleep and pain among heavy-drinking veterans with insomnia
Authors: Tracy Eunjin Lee , So Christine J , Shoemaker Sydney D , Kanaley Jill A , Trull Timothy , Manrique-Acevedo Camila , McCrae Christina S , Borsari Brian , Miller Mary Beth
Published: December 2024

Study Objectives

Military veterans often suffer from chronic pain and sleep issues at a greater frequency than the general population, leading some to self-medicate with alcohol. While research shows a connection between sleep and pain, few studies have examined bidirectional links between sleep and pain at the daily level—or the extent to which alcohol use may moderate these associations.

Methods

Heavy-drinking veterans seeking treatment for insomnia (N = 109, 82.5% male, mean age 38.9 years) completed 14 days of morning diaries documenting sleep patterns, pain intensity, and alcohol consumption. Multilevel modeling examined within- and between-person associations between sleep (quality, duration, and efficiency) and next-day pain as well as pain and same-night sleep.

Results

Individuals with longer sleep duration, better sleep quality, and higher sleep efficiency (SE) reported lower pain levels compared to those with shorter sleep, poorer sleep quality, and lower SE (p values <.001 to .01). In addition, on days when individuals experienced better sleep quality compared to their own average, they reported lower pain levels the following day (p = .01). In contrast to hypotheses, daily pain levels did not predict sleep outcomes at the daily within-person level, although significant between-person correlations were noted. Daily alcohol intake did not affect these relationships.

Conclusions

Sleep quality is associated with the daily experience of pain among heavy-drinking veterans with insomnia. Daily variations in sleep quality significantly impact pain, irrespective of alcohol consumption, highlighting a predominantly unidirectional influence from sleep to pain. These findings underscore the importance of optimizing sleep to mitigate pain in this population.
A Multi-scalar Feminist Project for a Care Right: Angles for a Deepening Understanding
Authors: Torres Santana Ailynn
Published: December 2024

Guarantees of the right to care, decent working conditions, and co-responsibility in the exercise of care continue to be disputed. The areas where these disputes occur are key to understanding the extent to which there are windows of opportunity for a dignified life. This article analyzes critical angles for understanding the multi-scalar feminist political action in Latin America to advance the guarantees of the right to care. Dimensions related to states, feminist political action, contradictions within care policy, the relevance of Latin American theorization of care, and the challenges posed by the retraditionalization of care in the current context are mentioned.
Determination of pesticide residues in bee honey and pollen grains with their potential human health risks in the Nile Delta, Egypt
Authors: Abd-Alla Asmaa El-Metwally , Salem Rasha Adel , Amro Abdulraouf Mohamed
Published: December 2024

A growing trend in understanding human health involves looking at the bigger picture by examining all potential environmental exposures that may cause health risks, with a particular focus on dietary intake of anthropogenic chemicals. This study investigated the presence of pesticide residues in honey and pollen samples collected randomly from ten locations in four agricultural governorates during the spring season of 2023 in the Nile Delta, Egypt. A QuEChERS extraction was employed for sample preparation before GC–MS analysis for pesticide residues. The human health risk associated with these residues were evaluated using hazard quotient (HQ). Our findings indicate that the detection rate and levels of pesticide residues are greater than previously reported. Giza governorate exhibited the highest content of residues in both honey and pollen samples, followed by El-Dakahlia, El-Qalyubia and Gharbia. Also, honey samples from El-Dakahlia, El-Qalyubia, and Giza contained the highest concentrations of aldrin, hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and chlorpyrifos, ranging from 10.45 to 19.6 μg kg−1, 21.70 to 62.23 μg kg−1, and 167.55 to 190.74 μg kg−1, respectively. Pollen grain samples from Giza and El-Dakahlia showed high levels of chlorpyrifos (76.20 μg kg−1) and HCH (33.60 μg kg−1), respectively. Health hazard and quotient studies indicate that the residue levels of pesticides in all tested honey did not pose a significant risk for human consumption. Out of all pesticides, aldrin is the only one that requires further risk assessment to determine its potential impact on honeybee colonies.
Creating a Public Service Announcement as a Teaching Strategy to Advocate for Populations at Risk due to Climate Change
Authors: Laverentz Delois M. , Young Elizabeth
Published: December 2024

The 2022 National League for Nursing Vision Statement, Climate Change and Health, identified gaps in nursing education regarding the issue of climate change and its impact on at-risk populations. Our innovative teaching strategy requires nursing students to use clinical judgment to synthesize ideas and communicate the health risks of climate change for population at risk in a brief video or public service announcement. This teaching strategy can prepare nursing students to advocate for population health.
Pericapsular Nerve Group (PENG) Block Versus Lumbar Erector Spinae Plane Block (ESPB) in Pediatric Hip Surgery: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Controlled Trial
Authors: Reysner Malgorzata , Reysner Tomasz , Janusz Piotr , Kowalski Grzegorz , Shadi Milud , Daroszewski Przemysław , Wieczorowska-Tobis Katarzyna , Kotwicki Tomasz
Published: December 2024

Background:

The effectiveness and safety of the pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block and lumbar erector spinae plane block (ESPB) in pediatric hip surgeries is limited mainly to case reports. This study assessed the efficacy of ultrasound-guided PENG block versus lumbar ESPB under spinal anesthesia.

Methods:

Ninety patients aged 2 to 7 years, ASA I-III scheduled for hip surgery were randomly assigned to 3 equal groups, each receiving the PENG block group (n=30), the ESPB group (n=30), or the control group (n=30). After the spinal anesthesia, the block was performed with 0.5 kg/mL of 0.2% ropivacaine. The primary outcome was the pain scores (FLACC) 48 hours after surgery. The secondary outcomes included postoperative FLACC pain scores, neutrophile-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and total opioid consumption.

Results:

The FLACC score was significantly lower in the lumbar ESPB and PENG groups compared with the control group (P<0.0001) at all time points. The NLR and PLR levels were substantially lower in the PENG and lumbar ESPB groups (P<0.0001) compared with the control group. The NLR and PLR levels were significantly lower in the PENG and lumbar ESPB groups compared with the control group (P<0.0001). The total opioid consumption was significantly lower in the PENG and lumbar ESPB groups compared with the control group (P<0.0001). Forty-three percent of children in the PENG group and 50% of children in the lumbar ESPB group did not require opioids postoperatively.

Conclusions:

The PENG block and the lumbar ESPB provide efficient postoperative analgesia in children undergoing hip surgery. The PENG block and lumbar ESPB lower cumulative opioid consumption and the stress response to surgery, expressed by NLR and PLR levels.

Level of evidence:

Level I.
Lhx2 specifically expressed in hepatic stellate cells promotes liver regeneration and inhibits liver fibrosis
Authors: Tao Jiawang , Wu Zichao , Liang Yanran , Wang Jiongliang , Tang Miaoxiu , Huang Sunan , Jiang Fan , Zhou Guangqi , Guo Lin , Yuan Shengxian , Li Yinxiong , Wang Jie
Published: December 2024

Background and Aims:

Promoting liver regeneration while inhibiting fibrogenesis represented an attractive strategy for treating liver diseases, with hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) being crucial to both processes. This study aimed to identify specific targets in HSCs that simultaneously facilitated regeneration and suppressed fibrosis, and elucidated their molecular mechanisms.

Approach and Results:

Through comparing acute and chronic liver injury mouse models induced by CCl4 injections, we revealed that HSCs exhibited dual functionality, expressing pro-regenerative and pro-fibrogenic genes following injury. Analyzing RNA-seq data from primary HSCs of these models, along with publicly available single-cell RNA-seq data of HSCs, we identified transcription factor Lhx2, specifically expressed in HSCs, emerged as a potential regulator of the dual functions. Notably, Lhx2 showed significantly higher expression in HSCs from healthy liver tissue compared to fibrotic liver, in both mouse and human models. Lhx2 knockdown impaired liver function recovery and cellular proliferation after acute liver injury. Consistent changes were observed in mice with HSC-specific Lhx2 overexpression. Additionally, Lhx2 overexpression not only promoted hepatocyte proliferation but also exhibited an anti-fibrogenic function after chronic injury. Mechanistically, Lhx2 suppressed multiple functions of activated HSCs, including fibrogenesis, proliferation and migration, and up-regulated SMAD6 to block TGF-β signaling pathway. Moreover, Lhx2 was an upstream regulator of various pro-regenerative factors, especially HGF, which is crucial for liver regeneration.

Conclusions:

We demonstrated that Lhx2 had pro-regenerative and anti-fibrogenic functions, and elucidated its regulatory mechanism. The study provided a potential target with dual effects for treating liver diseases.