bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glucagon receptor-mediated regulation of gluconeogenic gene transcription is endocytosis-dependent in primary hepatocytes
Authors: Cajulao Jan Mikhale B. , Hernandez Eduardo , von Zastrow Mark E. , Sanchez Erica L.
Published: August 2022

G protein-coupled receptors are endocytosed upon activation and several are active from internal membranes. When activated, glucagon receptor (GCGR) undergoes endocytosis and transits via EEA1-marked endosomes. Endocytosis-dependent induction of gluconeogenic genes in hepatocytes implicates the endosomal signaling paradigm for GCGR.
Microbes, Histology, Blood Analysis, Enterotoxins, and Cytokines: Findings From the ASERF Systemic Symptoms in Women–Biospecimen Analysis Study: Part 3
Authors: McGuire Patricia , Glicksman Caroline , Wixtrom Roger , Sung C James , Hamilton Robert , Lawrence Marisa , Haws Melinda , Ferenz Sarah , Kadin Marshall
Published: August 2022

Background

There has been an increasing need to acquire rigorous scientific data to answer the concerns of physicians, patients, and the FDA regarding the self-reported illness identified as breast implant illness (BII). There are no diagnostic tests or specific laboratory values to explain the reported systemic symptoms described by these patients.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to determine if there are quantifiable laboratory findings that can be identified in blood, capsule tissue pathology, or microbes that differentiate women with systemic symptoms they attribute to their implants from 2 control groups.

Methods

A prospective blinded study enrolled 150 subjects into 3 cohorts: (A) women with systemic symptoms they attribute to implants who requested implant removal; (B) women with breast implants requesting removal or exchange who did not have symptoms attributed to implants; and (C) women undergoing cosmetic mastopexy who have never had any implanted medical device. Capsule tissue underwent detailed analysis and blood was sent from all 3 cohorts to evaluate for markers of inflammation.

Results

No significant histologic differences were identified between the cohorts, except there were more capsules with synovial metaplasia in the non-BII cohort. There was no statistical difference in thyroid-stimulating hormone, vitamin D levels, or complete blood count with differential between the cohorts. Next-generation sequencing revealed no statistically significant difference in positivity between Cohort A and B. Of the 12 cytokines measured, 3 cytokines, interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-13, and IL-22, were found to be significantly more often elevated in sera of subjects in Cohort A than in Cohorts B or C. The enterotoxin data demonstrated an elevation in immunoglobulin G (IgG) anti–Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin A in Cohort A. There was no correlation between the presence of IgE or IgG anti-Staphylococcal antibody and a positive next-generation sequencing result.

Conclusions

This study adds to the current literature by demonstrating few identifiable biomedical markers to explain the systemic symptoms self-reported by patients with BII.
Fat Juice: A Novel Approach on the Usage and Preparation of Adipose Tissue By-Products
Authors: Cihantimur Bulent , Moret Gina , Ünal Gökhan
Published: August 2022

Background

Adipose tissue is considered to be naturally rich in a range of bioactive substances that may be extracted directly for therapeutic use without the need for cell isolation or culture

Objectives

The aim of this study was to introduce a novel approach that utilizes stromal vascular fraction in conjunction with fat extract, termed “fat juice,” and to perform a comprehensive biochemical analysis in relation to the potential clinical relevance of this new combination.

Methods

A total of 11 samples of fat juice from the abdominal lipoaspirate were extracted from 11 healthy patients and analyzed in terms of the quantity and viability of stem cells, the presence and quantification of connective tissue fibers on histopathologic examination, and the levels of interleukin-6, mannose receptor C type 1, and vascular endothelial growth factor measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Total stem cell amounts ranged from 0.14 × 105 to 1.31 × 105, and cell viability rates varied between 20% and 67.9%. Interleukin-6 protein and vascular endothelial growth factor expressions were highest in Sample 3, while staining intensity was highest in Sample 4. For collagen I, collagen III, and elastin, the highest expressions were observed in Samples 4 and 8, in Sample 3, and in Samples 2 and 4, respectively.

Conclusions

Fat juice provides an easy-to-inject concentration of adipocyte/preadipocytes, red blood cells, adipose-derived stem cells, endothelial-derived cells, and cell residues. Prepared through an easy isolation process enabling abundant availability, fat juice seems to be an effective skin quality enhancer with potential for widespread use in the fields of plastic surgery, dermatology, and aesthetic/regenerative medicine.
Mosaic adaptive peak shifts underlie body shape diversification in pelagiarian fishes (Acanthomorpha: Percomorpha)
Authors: Collar David C , Tremaine Samantha , Harrington Richard C , Beckett Hermione T , Friedman Matt
Published: August 2022

Extreme body elongation in fishes is a major evolutionary transformation that extends the boundaries of morphological diversity and alters aspects of function, behaviour and ecology. Prior studies have identified features of the cranial and axial skeleton that characterize elongate fishes, but a lack of detailed reconstructions of anatomical evolution has limited inferences about factors that underlie major shifts in body shape. In this study, we fitted multi-peak adaptive (Ornstein–Uhlenbeck) evolutionary models to species body shape and anatomical dimensions in Pelagiaria, a radiation of open-ocean fishes whose species span a continuum from deep bodied to highly elongate. We inferred an ancestral fusiform adaptive peak that is retained by several major pelagiarian lineages (e.g. Scombridae) and found robust support for multiple transitions to deep-bodied optima (in the families Stromateidae, Bramidae and Caristiidae) and elongate-bodied optima (within Trichiuroidei), including two instances of sequential shifts towards increasingly elongate optima that followed distinct paths of anatomical evolution. Within Trichiuridae, initial increases in head length and the number of vertebrae were followed by changes in head and vertebral shape. Within an elongate-bodied subclade of taxa traditionally identified as ‘gempylids’, changes in head and vertebral shape and in the number of precaudal vertebrae preceded an increase in the number of caudal vertebrae. Altogether, this mosaic of anatomical peak shifts suggests that body shape transformations were associated with differing selective demands and developmental changes.
Techne and Teleios: A Christian Perspective on the Incarnation and Human Enhancement Technology
Authors: Cole-Turner Ron
Published: August 2022

Does the idea of human enhancement presuppose a goal or an ideal to direct technological modifications? In the absence of such an agreed ideal in today’s culture, can Christian theology help clarify the goal or the meaning of “perfection” when applied to human beings? A theological perspective rooted in scripture and in the writings of theologians such as Irenaeus, Athanasius, and Gregory of Nyssa suggests that theology instead of offering its own definition of the human ideal, theology rejects the possibility of any defined human goal. An analysis of the biblical word teleios (“mature” or “perfect”), along with Gregory’s view of infinite ascent, leads to the conclusion that the human goal is found in relationship to the triune God and not in any anthropologically-definable status.
Investigating cognitive ability using action-based models of structural brain networks
Authors: Arora Viplove , Amico Enrico , Goñi Joaquín , Ventresca Mario
Published: August 2022

Recent developments in network neuroscience have highlighted the importance of developing techniques for analysing and modelling brain networks. A particularly powerful approach for studying complex neural systems is to formulate generative models that use wiring rules to synthesize networks closely resembling the topology of a given connectome. Successful models can highlight the principles by which a network is organized (identify structural features that arise from wiring rules versus those that emerge) and potentially uncover the mechanisms by which it grows and develops. Previous research has shown that such models can validate the effectiveness of spatial embedding and other (non-spatial) wiring rules in shaping the network topology of the human connectome. In this research, we propose variants of the action-based model that combine a variety of generative factors capable of explaining the topology of the human connectome. We test the descriptive validity of our models by evaluating their ability to explain between-subject variability. Our analysis provides evidence that geometric constraints are vital for connectivity between brain regions, and an action-based model relying on both topological and geometric properties can account for between-subject variability in structural network properties. Further, we test correlations between parameters of subject-optimized models and various measures of cognitive ability and find that higher cognitive ability is associated with an individual’s tendency to form long-range or non-local connections.
Chromosomal-level genome of velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) provides resources for L-DOPA synthetic research and development
Authors: Hao Shijie , Ge Qijin , Shao Yunchang , Tang Benqin , Fan Guangyi , Qiu Canyu , Wu Xue , Li Liangwei , Liu Xiaochuan , Shi Chengcheng , Lee Simon Ming-Yuen
Published: August 2022

Mucuna pruriens, commonly called velvet bean, is the main natural source of levodopa (L-DOPA), which has been marketed as a psychoactive drug for the clinical management of Parkinson’s disease and dopamine-responsive dystonia. Although velvet bean is a very important plant species for food and pharmaceutical manufacturing, the lack of genetic and genomic information about this species severely hinders further molecular research thereon and biotechnological development. Here, we reported the first velvet bean genome, with a size of 500.49 Mb and 11 chromosomes encoding 28,010 proteins. Genomic comparison among legume species indicated that velvet bean speciated ∼29 Ma from soybean clade, without specific genome duplication. Importantly, we identified 21 polyphenol oxidase coding genes that catalyse l-tyrosine to L-DOPA in velvet bean, and two subfamilies showing tandem expansion on Chr3 and Chr7 after speciation. Interestingly, disease-resistant and anti-pathogen gene families were found contracted in velvet bean, which might be related to the expansion of polyphenol oxidase. Our study generated a high-quality genomic reference for velvet bean, an economically important agricultural and medicinal plant, and the newly reported L-DOPA biosynthetic genes could provide indispensable information for the biotechnological and sustainable development of an environment-friendly L-DOPA biosynthesis processing method.
Landscape Composition and Management History Affect Alfalfa Weevil but not its Parasitoid
Authors: Pellissier Makenzie E , Rand Tatyana A , Murphy Melanie A , Jabbour Randa
Published: August 2022

It is widely recognized that both local and landscape-scale factors can be important drivers of crop pests, natural enemies, and biocontrol services. However, recent syntheses have found that landscape effects are inconsistent across study systems, highlighting the need for system-specific research to guide management decisions. In particular, studies conducted in perennial crops and that examine landscape configuration, not just composition, are especially lacking. We studied the impact of local and landscape factors on alfalfa weevil Hypera postica and its parasitoid Bathyplectes curculionis. Although classical biological control efforts have largely suppressed H. postica in the eastern United States, it remains problematic in the western United States. We sampled 20 production alfalfa fields in southeastern Wyoming to estimate H. postica density, parasitism rates by B. curculionis, and vegetation at local scales. We used remotely sensed imagery to characterize both landscape composition and configuration surrounding each sampled field. We used a hypothesis-driven modeling approach to determine which model was most predictive of H. postica and parasitism rate by B. curculionis. Landscape composition was the best model to predict H. postica densities. Host density was the best predictor of parasitism rates by B. curculionis. Production fields that had received insecticide applications in the last 5 years had higher weevil densities than fields that had not received insecticide applications. Stand age was not associated with weevil density or parasitism rate. In conclusion, we found local, landscape, and management components to be important in this system.
Iatrogenic diversion of inferior vena cava to the left atrium presented as recurrent foetal loss: a case report
Authors: Darwazah Ahmad K , Ibrahim Baraa J , Nairat Moath , Khdour Issa , Madi Hamad
Published: August 2022

Background

Iatrogenic diversion of inferior vena cava (IVC) to the left atrium (LA) after atrial septal defect repair (ASD) is an unusual complication. It rarely occurred nowadays due to trans-oesophageal echocardiography (TEE) check during surgery, but there are still few numbers of patients who survived from an old operation during childhood and reached adulthood undiagnosed.

Case summary

We present a 27-year-old female post ASD repair in childhood with a unique presentation of recurrent abortion in adulthood besides exertional dyspnoea. A full workup of investigations was normal except for haemoglobin of 21 and oxygen saturation of 70%. TEE revealed abnormal drainage of IVC to the LA. Surgical correction was done to release the IVC opening to drain in the right atrium and the oxygen saturation reached 99% after weaning from the bypass machine. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged 5 days later. Two years later, she got pregnant twice and completed her pregnancies to term with well-developed infants.

Discussion

The diversion of the IVC may be either complete or partial. Such complications may result in intraoperative death on the table or may present as early desaturation, shortness of breath, cyanosis, and clubbing, or it may present with such symptoms in adulthood. Rarely, it may present with cerebral stroke. Our case presented with the unexpected presentation of recurrent abortion. So, even if it is rare, echocardiography should be considered as a workup for recurrent abortion in a patient with a history of congenital heart surgery.
Recovering individual haplotypes and a contiguous genome assembly from pooled long-read sequencing of the diamondback moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)
Authors: Whiteford Samuel , van’t Hof Arjen E , Krishna Ritesh , Marubbi Thea , Widdison Stephanie , Saccheri Ilik J , Guest Marcus , Morrison Neil I , Darby Alistair C
Published: August 2022

The assembly of divergent haplotypes using noisy long-read data presents a challenge to the reconstruction of haploid genome assemblies, due to overlapping distributions of technical sequencing error, intralocus genetic variation, and interlocus similarity within these data. Here, we present a comparative analysis of assembly algorithms representing overlap-layout-consensus, repeat graph, and de Bruijn graph methods. We examine how postprocessing strategies attempting to reduce redundant heterozygosity interact with the choice of initial assembly algorithm and ultimately produce a series of chromosome-level assemblies for an agricultural pest, the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.). We compare evaluation methods and show that BUSCO analyses may overestimate haplotig removal processing in long-read draft genomes, in comparison to a k-mer method. We discuss the trade-offs inherent in assembly algorithm and curation choices and suggest that “best practice” is research question dependent. We demonstrate a link between allelic divergence and allele-derived contig redundancy in final genome assemblies and document the patterns of coding and noncoding diversity between redundant sequences. We also document a link between an excess of nonsynonymous polymorphism and haplotigs that are unresolved by assembly or postassembly algorithms. Finally, we discuss how this phenomenon may have relevance for the usage of noisy long-read genome assemblies in comparative genomics.
Health worker motivation to deliver quality care in western Nigeria
Authors: Okafor Ifeoma P , Dada Adebisi A , Olubodun Tope , Olufunlayo Tolulope F
Published: August 2022

Background

Motivation of health service providers (HSPs) is an important factor for delivering quality services and achieving client satisfaction. Understanding the motivation to perform is therefore important in providing evidence for interventions.

Objective

To assess motivation to deliver quality service among antenatal care service providers in public secondary health facilities in western Nigeria.

Method

A cross-sectional, facility-based study was conducted using a validated, semi-structured self-administered questionnaire. In all, 280 HSPs were recruited using multistage sampling method. Data were analyzed using Epi-info statistical software. Inferential statistics such as chi square and binary regression were applied.

Results

Factors with high mean scores as motivators were those related to individual aspects especially conscientiousness, cooperativeness, timeliness and attendance, and appreciation from patients. Factors with the lowest mean scores were those linked with work organization such as limited resources (insufficient staff and equipment) and poor promotion processes. Overall, only 69 (24.5%) of HSPs reported that they were motivated to deliver quality care. Predictors of motivation were nonphysician cadre and longer years of service. Nurse/midwives, lab scientists/lab technicians, and pharmacist/pharmacy technicians were all more likely to be motivated than physicians. HSPs with more than 10 years experience on their current job were almost 9 times more likely to be motivated than those who had spent a lesser duration [odds ratio (OR), 1.14; 95% CI, 1.06–1.22].

Conclusion

HSPs were not motivated to deliver quality care, especially physicians and those who had spent lesser duration on their current job. Interventions should focus on the provision of adequate resources and improving promotion process.
Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Thresholds and Yield Compensation Between Soybeans with Determinate and Indeterminate Growth Habits
Authors: Schug Hayden , Reisig Dominic , Huseth Anders , Thrash Ben , Vann Rachel
Published: August 2022

Soybean (Glycine max L.) is an important row crop in the United States and Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) is one of the most serious insect pests in this system. Economic thresholds for H. zea were developed from soybean varieties with determinate growth habits. However, southern USA farmers have recently planted more soybeans varieties with indeterminate growth habits. Trials were conducted with two determinate and two indeterminate varieties within the same relative maturity group. Levels were compared among groups with differing H. zea pressure (low, medium, high, naturally infested) and manipulated using insecticides. Our objectives were to evaluate yield compensation differences among determinate and indeterminate varieties at these different H. zea pressures and to see if the existing economic threshold should be adjusted between growth habits. Since H. zea larval populations varied across trials, we compared trials with low populations, high populations, and no population. Generally, larval counts did not differ among varieties. We found no yield differences among varieties or between growth habits, regardless of H. zea pressure. In the high population tests, yield was highest in the low population plots, but there was no compensation by the plant in yield components except in number of pods with one seed. In contrast, yield components varied widely across varieties, but these differences were independent of H. zea pressure. These results suggest the economic threshold can be used for determinate and indeterminate growth habits, but more research is needed to confirm this with a larger selection of varieties, planting dates, and maturity groups.
Online, computable and punctual structure theory
Authors: Askes Matthew , Downey Rod
Published: August 2022

Several papers (e.g. [7, 23, 42]) have recently sought to give general frameworks for online structures and algorithms ([4]), and seeking to connect, if only by analogy, online and computable structure theory. These initiatives build on earlier work on online colouring and other combinatorial algorithms by Bean [10], Kierstead, Trotter et al. [48, 54, 57] and others, as we discuss below. In this paper we will look at such frameworks and illustrate them with examples from the first author’s MSc Thesis ([58]). In this thesis, Askes looks at online, adversarial online and strongly online algorithms and structures. Additionally, we prove some new theorems about online algorithms on graphs of bounded pathwidth as well as some new results on punctually 1-decidable structures.
Semi-Strong Factors in Asset Returns
Authors: Connor Gregory , Korajczyk Robert A
Published: August 2022

We refine the approximate factor model of asset returns by distinguishing between strong factors, whose sum of squared factor betas grow at the same rate as the number of assets, and semi-strong factors, whose sum of squared factor betas grow to infinity, but at a slower rate. We develop a test statistic for strength of factors based on the cross-sectional mean-square of regression-estimated betas. We also describe an adjusted version of the test statistic to differentiate semi-strong factors from strong factors. We apply the methodology to daily equity returns to characterize some pre-specified factors as strong or semi-strong.
Developmentally Arrested Basket/Stellate Cells in Postnatal Human Brain as Potential Tumor Cells of Origin for Cerebellar Hemangioblastoma in von Hippel-Lindau Patients
Authors: Shively Sharon Baughman , Edwards Nancy A , MacDonald Tobey J , Johnson Kory R , Diaz-Rodriguez Natalia M , Merrill Marsha J , Vortmeyer Alexander O
Published: August 2022

von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease is an autosomal dominant hereditary cancer disorder caused by a germline mutation in the VHL tumor suppressor gene. Loss of the wild-type allele results in VHL deficiency and the potential formation of cerebellar hemangioblastomas, which resemble embryonic hemangioblast proliferation and differentiation processes. Multiple, microscopic, VHL-deficient precursors, termed developmentally arrested structural elements (DASEs), consistently involve the cerebellar molecular layer in VHL patients, indicating the tumor site of origin. Unlike hemangioblastomas, however, cerebellar DASEs do not express brachyury, a mesodermal marker for hemangioblasts. In this study, neuronal progenitors occupying the molecular layer were investigated as tumor cells of origin. By immunohistochemistry, cerebellar DASEs and hemangioblastomas lacked immunoreactivity with antibody ZIC1 (Zic family member 1), a granule cell progenitor marker with concordance from oligonucleotide RNA expression array analyses. Rather, cerebellar DASEs and hemangioblastomas were immunoreactive with antibody PAX2 (paired box 2), a marker of basket/stellate cell progenitors. VHL cerebellar cortices also revealed PAX2-positive cells in Purkinje and molecular layers, resembling the histological and molecular development of basket/stellate cells in postnatal non-VHL mouse and human cerebella. These data suggest that VHL deficiency can result in the developmental arrest of basket/stellate cells in the human cerebellum and that these PAX2-positive, initiated cells await another insult or signal to form DASEs and eventually, tumors.
AreDaojingandDejingstylistically independent of each other: A stylometric analysis with activity and descriptivity
Authors: Zhou Haiyan , Jiang Yue , Wang Letao
Published: August 2022

It has been qualitatively evidenced that Daojing and Dejing, the two sections of DaoDejing, are independent of each other in content, style, and authorship. However, this claim remains controversial because there has been scant quantitative study of them that probes into their syntactic structure to quantitatively evidence the independence due to methodological challenges to quantitative approaches. To address this problem, the present study employed two indexes of quantitative linguistics, activity and descriptivity, to capture the syntactic features of the inner structure of Daojing and Dejing to validate the independence as of the above. Results of this study reveal that (1) the chi-square test shows that both sections are significantly active texts; (2) the u-test and nonparametric two-related-sample test show that the two texts do not differ from each other significantly either holistically or by the 300-character segments in terms of activity and descriptivity; and (3) the activity sequences (Q-sequence) in the two sections can be both better fitted by two different functions, viz. the beta-function and the Morse function. Moreover, with the development of the text, a synergic relationship is found in the distribution of verbs and adjectives, indicative of a dynamic and complex self-regulating process of the text development. To conclude, contrary to the claim of prior studies that they were written by different authors, our stylometric study has quantitatively demonstrated that Daojing and Dejing are not independent of each other stylistically, especially in terms of activity and descriptivity.
Underexpanded gas jets of Mach 2: the changing physical structure and power transmission
Authors: Smith Michael D , Keogh Thomas L R
Published: August 2022

Supersonic jets with excess gas pressure are associated with many phenomena including radio galaxies, protostars, volcanic plumes, rocket exhausts, and champagne cork popping. Some common properties are derived here based on steady uniform hydrodynamic flow from a circular orifice. We present a systematic numerical study over a wide range of parameters for Mach 2 jets, concentrating on simulations of jets with pressures exceeding the ambient pressure. With cylindrical symmetry, we show how the location of the stand-off and following downstream shocks depend not only on the overpressure but also on the density due to a feedback loop, which results in an oscillatory flow pattern. We conclude that rapidly varying and gradually evolving shock patterns arise even from steady uniform jets. This can take the form of turbulent plumes at high overpressures and regular oscillations at low overpressures. We identify where this screeching contributes to noise and sound wave generation, which may aid the regulation of star and galaxy formation. However, the main effect for such low Mach number jets is to drive a circulatory motion in which the ambient medium is driven out along the axial direction while mass and energy flow laterally inwards, setting up a large advection pattern. Once the initial bow shock has propagated out, the noise from the jet is insufficient to significantly alter the environment. High Mach number jets do not follow these conclusions and will be treated separately.
Trends in the incidence of malignant central nervous system tumors in Brazil, 2000–2015
Authors: de Oliveira Letícia Lima , Bergmann Anke , Thuler Luiz Claudio Santos
Published: August 2022

Background

In Brazil, 5870 new cases of malignant central nervous system tumors (MCNST) were estimated for men and 5220 for women for each year of the 2020–2022 triennium. The objective of this study was to analyze incidence rate trends and compare demographic characteristics of new MCNST cases according to tumor topographies in Brazil from 2000 to 2015.

Methods

This study comprises an analytical cross-sectional assessment of secondary databases extracted from the Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA) website. Data comprised new neoplasm cases of meninges (C70), brain (C71), spinal cord, cranial nerves, and other central nervous system parts (C72) retrieved from 23 population-based cancer registries. A descriptive analysis was performed. Crude and age-adjusted incidence rates were calculated. Linear trends were calculated using a linear least squares regression for adjusted incidence rates versus time.

Results

A total of 24 986 new MCNST cases were recorded. The main topography was the brain (91.5%). Except for meninges tumors, where 62.4% of the cases were observed in women, MCNST cases were more frequent among men concerning the other evaluated topographies. All 3 topographies occurred predominantly in adult patients aged from 40- to 64-year-old. Between 2000 and 2015, incidence rates ranged from 5.12 to 4.95 (a 1.4% increase of per year; 95% CI −4.0 to 6.8; P = .584) in men and from 4.35 to 3.61 (a 3.1% increase per year; 95% CI −1.7 to 8.0; P = .189).

Conclusions

The most frequent topography was the brain. Incidence rates of MCNST remained relatively stable over time in both sexes.
Multisystem T-cell Chronic Active Epstein-Barr Virus Infection: From the Eye to the Kidney
Authors: Vial Guillaume , Barthod Laure , Schneider Sophie , Mercié Patrick , Duffau Pierre , Vermorel Agathe , Ribeiro Emmanuel
Published: August 2022

Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (CAEBV) infection is usually a fatal disease associated with clonal proliferation of EBV-infected T or NK cells. We present the case of a 33-year-old Peruvian patient who developed a multisystem CAEBV, notably responsible for exceptional ophthalmological and renal damage. We describe the clinicopathological features of EBV-induced lymphoproliferative disorder.
Petrological and Geochemical Study of Sundoro Volcano, Central Java, Indonesia: Temporal Variations in Differentiation and Source Processes During the Growth of an Individual Volcano
Authors: Wibowo Haryo Edi , Nakagawa Mitsuhiro , Kuritani Takeshi , Furukawa Ryuta , Prambada Oktory , Harijoko Agung
Published: August 2022

Volcanic rocks of the Java sector of Sunda arc have a wide range of isotopic compositions that indicate significant addition of subjected sediment. What processes control these geochemical characteristics is a topic of long-standing debate. Here we report Sr–Nd–Pb radiogenic isotope ratios and geochemical data from stratigraphically well-constrained rocks of Sundoro volcano in central Java that represent the volcano’s activity since 34 ka. The rocks range from basalt (51 wt % SiO2) to andesite (63 wt % SiO2) and are dominated by basaltic andesite. We divide them into magma types A, B and C, having low, medium and high 87Sr/86Sr and Pb isotopic ratios, respectively. According to various differentiation indices, the three magma types have separate, parallel 87Sr/86Sr, Ba/Zr and La/Yb trends and disparate Pb isotopic trends. The dominant process of intracrustal differentiation appears to be magma mixing, in which each of the three magma types represents the mixing of a distinct mafic end-member and a distinct felsic end-member. The distinct geochemical profiles of these magma types indicate that the three mafic end-members are genetically unrelated and that their differences may represent characteristics of their magma sources. On the basis of trace element ratios (Ba/Yb and La/Yb) and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic compositions, we estimate that magma types A, B and C represent mantle wedge materials fluxed by ~1%, ~1.5% and ~2% slab-derived materials containing 50%, 55% and 65% sediment component, respectively, reflecting increasing proportions of sediments and increasing slab flux. Geochemical data from Merapi volcano, interpreted using the same approach, reveal a similar increase in the slab-derived flux to the magma source, raising the possibility that such short-lived variations in magma genesis, perhaps related to the subduction of bathymetric relief features, characterize the unusual magmatism beneath the volcanic front of the central Java sector of the Sunda arc.
Recent advances in elucidating the genetic basis of systemic sclerosis
Authors: Villanueva-Martín Gonzalo , Martín Javier , Bossini-Castillo Lara
Published: August 2022

Purpose of review

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex autoimmune disorder that affects the connective tissue and causes severe vascular damage and fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. There are recent advances in the field that apply novel methods to high throughput genotype information of thousands of patients with SSc and provide promising results towards the use of genomic data to help SSc diagnosis and clinical care.

Recent findings

This review addresses the development of the first SSc genomic risk score, which can contribute to differentiating SSc patients from healthy controls and other immune-mediated diseases. Moreover, we explore the implementation of data mining strategies on the results of genome-wide association studies to highlight subtype-specific HLA class II associations and a strong association of the HLA class I locus with SSc for the first time. Finally, the combination of genomic data with transcriptomics informed drug repurposing and genetic association studies in well characterized SSc patient cohorts identified markers of severe complications of the disease.

Early diagnosis and clinical management of SSc and SSc-related complications are still challenging for rheumatologists. The development of predictive models and tools using genotype data may help to finally deliver personalized clinical care and treatment for patients with SSc in the near future.
Non-small cell lung cancer harboring EGFR G724S mutation and exon 19 deletion responded to afatinib monotherapy after multiple lines of target therapies
Authors: Cortiula Francesco , Pelizzari Giacomo , Corvaja Carla , De Maglio Giovanna , Fasola Gianpiero
Published: August 2022

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) G724S mutation represents a resistance mechanism to first- and third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Limited data are available regarding the efficacy of afatinib in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring G724S mutation, particularly after osimertinib. A patient diagnosed with advanced EGFR-mutated (exon 19 deletion) NSCLC after several lines of treatment – gefitinib, osimertinib, heat shock protein inhibitors and chemotherapy-developed EGFR G724S mutation retaining the exon 19 deletion. She was then treated successfully with afatinib leading to a progression free survival of 9 months (and counting). This is the first report of the emergence of G724S mutation, together with ex19del, after three subsequent lines of therapy following progressive disease to Osimertinib, and we report for the first time the activity of afatinib against EGFR exon 18 G724S mutation in this setting.
A Nursing Approach to Improving Critical Care Compliance With Vital Signs and Neurological Assessments in Post-IV-Alteplase Stroke Patients
Authors: Cohen Vicki L. , Anderson Amanda , Noah Patty , Super Jamie
Published: August 2022

Ischemic stroke represents 87% of all strokes. As global initiatives move forward with stroke care, health care providers and institutions will be called on to deliver the most current evidence-based care. The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) estimates that 795 000 strokes occur each year; 610 000 are new strokes, and 185 000 are recurrent strokes. Eighty-seven percent are ischemic strokes; the overall mortality rate from stroke was 273 000, which makes stroke the fifth leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the United States. Stroke costs the United States an estimated $34 billion each year.

This article outlines a nursing intervention regarding the use of intravenous thrombolytic therapy for treating acute ischemic stroke, the risk factors related to IV-alteplase, best-practice protocols, and the nursing role in efforts to deliver safe care. The conclusion reveals the need for health care organizations to explore opportunities, continually inspire innovation at the bedside, highlight nursing's essential contribution to acute stroke care, and encourage publishing improvements in patient care and the nurse practice environment.
Comprehensive Review of Reported Nonclassical Spindle Cell Lipoma Presentations and a Unique Case Report
Authors: Engwall-Gill Abigail J. , Xiong Mulin , Bray Stephanie M. C.
Published: August 2022

Introduction:

Spindle cell lipoma (SCL) is a rare subset of benign lipomatous neoplasms, making up approximately 1.5% of all adipocytic neoplasms. Since SCLs were first described in 1975, numerous nonclassical cases have been reported in the literature, with variation in location, cytologic composition, patient demographic, and progression. Although some previous reports review related cases of specific rare presentations or institution-based summaries, no comprehensive summary of published nonclassical SCL case reports has been done.

Methods:

PubMed was queried for nonclassical presentations of SCL from 1978 to 2018. The nonclassical characteristics were analyzed and described. Those with multiple nonclassical features were studied for common characteristics. The Fisher exact test was used, and a P value of 0.05 was determined to be statistically significant.

Results:

We present the first case of a patient with six nonclassical findings: a fast-growing, infiltrating into skeletal muscle, located in two positions on the chin of an 18-year-old African American woman. In this review of the existing nonclassical SCL, we evaluate 125 cases for demographics, location, size, erosion/infiltration, multiple lesions in one individual, and the number of nonclassical findings in one individual. Women and younger than 40-year-old patients significantly present with more than one nonclassical finding.

Conclusions:

Thorough characterization of the rare nonclassical cases of this benign condition could guide diagnostic decision-making and identify trends in disease presentation over time as well as alert the clinician to the increased risk of rapid regrowth or invasion in an individual with nonclassical findings especially young age and female gender.
Lower Extremity Nerve Decompression for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Fadel Zahir T. , Imran Wafa M. , Azhar Turki
Published: August 2022

Background:

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a leading cause of morbidity. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluate the efficacy of lower extremity nerve decompression in reducing DPN symptoms and complications.

Methods:

A database search was performed using Medline, Embase, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Articles addressing surgical decompression of lower limb peripheral nerves in patients with diabetes were screened for inclusion. Two independent reviewers undertook the assessment. Methodological quality measures were the Cochrane risk of bias and Newcastle-Ottawa scale.

Results:

The pooled sample size from 21 studies was 2169 patients. Meta-analysis of 16 observational studies showed significant improvement in the visual analog scale (VAS) (P < 0.00001) and two-point discrimination (P = 0.003), with strong reliability. Decompression of the tarsal tunnel region had the highest improvement in VAS [MD, 6.50 (95% CI, 3.56–9.44)]. A significant low-risk ratio (RR) of ulcer development and lower limb amputation was detected (P < 0.00001). Lowest RR of ulcer development was detected with tarsal tunnel release [RR, 0.04 (95% CI, 0.00–0.48)]. Improvements in VAS, two-point discrimination, and nerve conduction velocity were nonsignificant in the meta-analysis of five randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The RCT analysis was limited to only two studies for each outcome.

Conclusions:

Meta-analysis of observational studies highlights the efficacy of lower extremity nerve decompression in reducing DPN symptoms, ulcerations, and amputations. Releasing the tibial nerve in the tarsal tunnel region was the most effective observed procedure. Nevertheless, high-quality RCTs are required to support the utility of this intervention in DPN.
A Case of Atypical Alzheimer Disease With Clinical Manifestation That Straddled the Boundary Between Primary Progressive Aphasia and Posterior Cortical Atrophy
Authors: Chandregowda Adithya , Clark Heather M. , Machulda Mary M. , Pham Nha Trang Thu , Lowe Val J. , Josephs Keith A. , Whitwell Jennifer L.
Published: August 2022

Introduction:

In the context of Alzheimer disease phenotypes, patients may present with symptoms and signs that do not exclusively fit into one of the existing phenotypic categories, which often delays timely diagnosis and initiation of services to optimize patient awareness and coping.

Case Report:

A 74-year-old woman presented with the complaint of progressive word-finding difficulty, raising our suspicion for primary progressive aphasia. Clinical evaluations, however, also revealed emerging cortical visual deficits consistent with posterior cortical atrophy. During evaluation 1 year later, Gerstmann syndrome was evident. Her in vivo neuroimaging was positive for beta-amyloid and tau biomarkers of Alzheimer disease pathology.

Conclusion:

In addition to contributing to the literature on the heterogeneity of the clinical manifestations of Alzheimer disease, this report highlights that a breakdown in the visual-lexical interface can account for anomia in posterior cortical atrophy at least in some cases. Other relevant clinical insights pertinent to this case are discussed.
Remotely provided open-label placebo reduces frequency of and impairment by allergic symptoms
Authors: Kube Tobias , Kirsch Irving , Glombiewski Julia A. , Witthöft Michael , Bräscher Anne-Kathrin
Published: August 2022

Objective

Placebos being prescribed with full honesty and disclosure (i.e., open-label placebo = OLP) have been shown to reduce symptom burden in a variety of conditions. With regard to allergic rhinits, previous research provided inconclusive evidence for the effects of OLP, possibly related to a separate focus on either symptom severity or symptom frequency. Overcoming this limitation of previous research, the present study aimed to examine the effects of OLP on both the severity and frequency of allergic symptoms.

Methods

In a randomized-controlled trial, patients with allergic rhinits (N = 74) were randomized to OLP or treatment as usual (TAU). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, OLP was administered remotely in a virtual clinical encounter. Participants took placebo tablets for 14 days. The primary outcomes were the severity and frequency of allergic symptoms. The secondary endpoint was allergy-related impairment.

Results

OLP did not significantly improve symptom severity over TAU, F(1, 71) = 3.280, p = .074, ɳ2
p = .044, but did reduce symptom frequency, F(1, 71) = 7.272, p = .009, ɳ2
p = .093, and allergy-related impairment more than TAU, F(1, 71) = 6.445, p = .013, ɳ2
p = .083, reflecting medium to large effects. The use of other anti-allergic medication did not influence the results.

Conclusions

While OLP was able to lower the frequency of allergic symptoms and allergy-related impairment substantially, its effects on symptom severity were weaker. The remote provision of OLP suggests that physical contact between patients and providers might not be necessary for OLP to work.
The Relationship of John Henryism With Cognitive Function and Decline in Older Black Adults
Authors: McSorley Veronica Eloesa , Howard Christopher , Shah Raj C. , James Bryan D. , Boyle Patricia A. , Barnes Lisa L.
Published: August 2022

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between John Henryism, a psychological trait typified by high-effort active coping that has been associated with adverse health outcomes among Blacks, and cognitive decline.

Methods

In a cohort of community-dwelling older Black adults (N = 611), we investigated the relationship between John Henryism and cognitive decline. John Henryism was measured using the John Henryism Active Coping Scale (JHACS), a nine-item validated measure of self-reported high-effort coping (mean [standard deviation] = 16.9 [4.8]; range, 4–27). We implemented a three-step modeling process using mixed-effects models to assess the relationship between the JHACS and global cognitive function as well as five cognitive domains. We adjusted for demographics and for factors known to be associated with cognitive function and decline including vascular risk factors, discrimination, and income.

Results

The trait of high-effort active coping was associated with lower-average cognitive function (β = −0.07, 95% confidence interval = −0.10 to −0.03), but not with decline. The results remained after further adjustment for experiences of discrimination, income, and vascular risk factors. In domain-specific analyses, we found that the JHACS was associated with baseline levels of working memory, semantic memory, and visuospatial ability, but not decline.

Conclusions

These results highlight the importance of using culturally specific measures in considering the heterogeneity of cognitive health outcomes in minoritized populations. Understanding how stress responses relate to late-life cognition among older Black adults could help promote aspects of behavioral resilience along with healthful coping responses.
Child Maltreatment and Inflammatory Response to Mental Stress Among Adults Who Have Survived a Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Suglia Shakira F. , Hardy Shakia T. , Cammack Alison L. , Kim Ye Ji , Pearce Bradley D. , Shah Amit J. , Sullivan Samaah , Wittbrodt Matthew , Bremner J. Douglas , Vaccarino Viola
Published: August 2022

Objective

Experiences of child maltreatment are associated with cardiovascular risk and disease in adulthood; however, the mechanisms underlying these associations are poorly understood.

Methods

We examined associations between retrospectively self-reported exposure to child maltreatment (Early Trauma Inventory Self-Report Short Form) and inflammatory responses to mental stress among adults (mean age = 50 years) who recently had a myocardial infarction (n = 227). Inflammation was assessed as blood interleukin-6 (IL-6), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 concentrations, measured before and after a standardized public speaking stress task. We used mixed linear regression models adjusting for cardiovascular disease severity, medication usage, and psychosocial, demographic, and life-style factors.

Results

In women, increases in IL-6 levels and MMP-9 levels with stress were smaller in those exposed to sexual abuse, relative to those unexposed (IL-6 geometric mean increases = 1.6 [95% confidence interval {CI} = 1.4–1.9] pg/ml versus 2.1 [95% CI = 1.8–2.4] pg/ml; MMP-9 geometric mean increases = 1.0 [95% CI = 0.9–1.2] ng/ml versus 1.2 [95% CI = 1.1–1.4] ng/ml). No differences were noted for emotional or physical abuse. By contrast in men, individuals exposed to sexual abuse had larger IL-6 responses than those not exposed to abuse.

Conclusions

These findings suggest sex differences in stress response among survivors of a myocardial infarction exposed to abuse early in life. They also underscore the importance of examining sex as an effect modifier of relationships between exposure to early life adversity and inflammatory responses to mental stressors in midlife.