bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Morphological and electrophysiological evaluation of median and ulnar nerve in complex regional pain syndrome type 1
Authors: Yüksel Emine , Inan Levent Ertuğrul , Tok Fatih
Published: March 2023

Objective

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) can be distinguished as type I without and type II with electrophysiological evidence of major nerve lesion. The pathophysiology of both subgroups is still under investigation. The aim of this research is to demonstrate the nerve morphology and electrophysiology in CRPS type I patients.

Materials and Methods

Bilateral median and ulnar nerve cross‐sectional areas were evaluated with ultrasound and also median and ulnar nerve conduction studies of both hands were performed. Cross‐sectional areas of median and ulnar nerves and nerve conduction studies in healthy controls were also obtained and compared with the patients.

Results

Twenty‐five male patients and 11 healthy male controls were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the patients was 24.08 ± 5.50 years and controls was 23.18 ± 5.09 (p > 0.05). Compound muscle action potential (CMAP) and sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) amplitudes of the diseased side were found significantly lower than the healthy side (p < 0.05). Both median and ulnar nerve distal motor latency values were significantly higher in the patient group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the median and ulnar nerve cross‐sectional area when compared with the opposite extremity and healthy volunteers.

Conclusion

The lower SNAP and CMAP amplitudes of the median and ulnar nerves compared to the healthy side and the prolongation of the affected side median and ulnar nerve distal motor latencies of the affected individuals may indicate axonal involvement in patients with CRPS type 1. Decreased CMAP amplitudes may also indicate muscle atrophy due to a decrease in the number of functional motor units.
Long‐term benefits of mindfulness on white matter tracts underlying the cortical midline structures in panic disorder: A 2‐year longitudinal study
Authors: Bang Minji , Kim Borah , Lee Kang Soo , Choi Tai Kiu , Lee Sang‐Hyuk
Published: March 2023

Aims

We aimed to examine the long‐term benefits of mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy (MBCT) on white matter plasticity in the cortical midline structures (CMS) for a period of 2 years in patients with panic disorder and the relationships between white matter changes in the CMS and severity of state and trait symptoms.

Methods

Seventy‐one participants were enrolled and underwent diffusion tensor imaging at baseline and after 2 years (26 who received MBCT as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy [MBCT+PT], 20 treated with pharmacotherapy alone [PT‐alone], and 25 healthy controls [HCs]). The severity of symptoms and fractional anisotropy (FA) in white matter regions underlying the CMS were assessed at baseline and 2‐year follow‐up.

Results

The MBCT+PT group showed better outcomes after 2 years than the PT‐alone group. The groups showed different FA changes: the MBCT+PT group showed decreased FA in the left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC); the PT‐alone group showed increased FA in the bilateral dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and precuneus. Decreased white matter FA in the ACC, PCC, and precuneus was associated with improvements in the severity of state and trait symptoms in patients with panic disorder.

Conclusion

Alleviation of excessive white matter connectivity in the CMS after MBCT leads to improvements in clinical symptoms and trait vulnerability in patients with panic disorder. Our study provides new evidence for the long‐term benefits of MBCT on white matter plasticity and its clinical applicability as a robust treatment for panic disorder.
Successful sequential liver and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in a patient with Fanconi anemia
Authors: Di Stasio Fabiana , Bravi Michela , Bonanomi Sonia , Balduzzi Adriana , Prunotto Giulia , Migliorino Guglielmo Marco , Dufour Carlo , D'Antiga Lorenzo , Vendemini Francesca
Published: March 2023

Background

In Fanconi anemia bone marrow failure is the major cause of morbidity and mortality and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation represents the only curative treatment. Liver disease, in terms of elevated liver function tests, as well as benign and malignant liver tumors, occurs especially in case of androgen treatment. We report a unique case of a child with Fanconi anemia with FANCD2 mutation who developed neonatal cryptogenic liver cirrhosis and bone marrow failure. The child successfully underwent sequential liver transplantation and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the first 2 years of life. Nineteen months after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and 30 months after liver transplantation, the patient is clinically well with normal hematopoietic function and excellent liver function.

Conclusion

This is the first FA patient who successfully received sequential LT and HSCT highlighting that successful sequential transplantation is feasible in Fanconi anemia patients.
Photosensitizer‐Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Combination for Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy†
Authors: Prieto‐Montero Ruth , Arbeloa Teresa , Martínez‐Martínez Virginia
Published: March 2023

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are widely known for their versatile applications. One of the most extended is as drug delivery systems for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. This review compiles the most representative examples in the last years of functionalized MSNs as photosensitizer carriers for photodynamic therapy (PDT) against cancer. Several commercially available photosensitizers (PSs) demonstrated poor solubility in an aqueous medium and insufficient selectivity for cancer tissues. The tumor specificity of PSs is a key factor for enhancing the PDT effect and at the same time reducing side effects. The use of nanoparticles and particularly MSNs, in which PS is covalently anchored or physically embedded, can overcome these limitations. For that, PS‐MSNs can be externally decorated with compounds of interest in order to act as an active target for certain cancer cells, demonstrating enhanced phototoxicity in vitro and in vivo. The objective of this review is to collect and compare different nanosystems based on PS‐MSNs pointing out their advantages in PDT against diverse types of cancers.
Contract selection and piracy surveillance for video platforms in the age of social media
Authors: Jiang Zhong‐Zhong , Cui Shiliang , He Na , Li Kunyang , Tian Lin
Published: March 2023

Pirated video clips, a new form of piracy, have spread rapidly in recent years with the vigorous development of short‐video social media platforms such as TikTok and Douyin. This has led to a huge loss of revenue for the film and TV drama industry where the negative economic impact trickles down from legitimate video platforms to content creators. As video platforms fight back against copyright infringement, they need to decide how much effort to invest in detecting and taking down pirated video clips that emerge on social media platforms. In addition, they need to decide whether a lump sum or unit price contract should be used to secure the playing rights for a video from the content creator. A content creator has no incentive to engage in piracy surveillance together with the video platform after signing a lump sum contract but has an incentive to do so after signing a unit price contract because he/she would receive royalties each time someone watches the copyrighted video. Using an analytical model framework, we find that the video platform should use a unit price contract when production of the video is less costly for the same quality (e.g., music‐based, horror, and romance movies) but a lump sum contract when production is costly (e.g., Sci‐fi, animation, and fantasy genres). We show that in equilibrium, the total surveillance effort between the video platform and the content creator is smaller and the video platform charges customers less to watch the copyrighted video under the lump sum contract compared to the unit price contract. As a result, the lump sum contract not only achieves higher consumer surplus compared to the unit price contract but also leads to a higher percentage of customers legally accessing the video program. Finally, the content creator's revenue is the same under both contracts, but the content creator may prefer the lump sum contract because it attracts more (legal or illegal) viewers and the increased visibility could be beneficial in the long run.
Acetic acid enhances drought tolerance more in female than in male willows
Authors: Xia Linchao , Yao Yuan , Zeng Yi , Guo Zian , Zhang Sheng
Published: March 2023

Drought is an important stress factor that limits plant growth and development. Female willows generally display stronger drought tolerance than males. The application of exogenous acetic acid (AA) has emerged as an efficient and eco‐friendly approach to facilitate drought tolerance in willows. However, whether AA exerts sexually different effects on willows remains undefined. In this study, we comprehensively performed morphological and physiological analyses on three willow species, Salix rehderiana, Salix babylonica, and Salix matsudana, to investigate the sexually different responses to drought and AA. The results indicated that willow females were more drought‐tolerant than males. AA application effectively enhanced willows' drought tolerance, and females applied with AA displayed greater root distribution and activity, stronger osmotic and antioxidant capacity and photosynthetic rate but less reactive oxygen species, or abscisic acid‐mediated stomatal closure than males. In addition, AA application enhanced the jasmonic acid signaling pathway in females but inhibited it in males, conferring stronger drought defense capacity in female willows than in males. Overall, AA application improves drought tolerance more in female than in male willows, further enlarging the sexual differences in willows under drought‐stressed conditions.
Effects of frequency of the stale seedbed after autumn or spring ploughing on weed density and composition in sown lemon balm
Authors: Junker Charlotte , Neuhoff Daniel , Döring Thomas
Published: March 2023

Weed management in organic farming needs to integrate a wide range of preventive tools. Here we tested the stale seed bed technique in field experiments with organic lemon balm. In a two‐factorial trial, four intensities of stale seedbed after either autumn or spring ploughing were tested in 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 on alluvial loams of the research farm Wiesengut in the Rhineland, Germany. Increasing the number of stale seedbed passes did not promote weed emergence before sowing in 2020 due to serious spring drought; in 2021 only the two last stale seedbed passes in later spring caused extra weed flushes, while cold weather conditions in early spring prevented weed response to the earlier passes. Despite the differences in the number of germinating weeds in 2021 before sowing, intensification of the stale seedbed had no decreasing effect on weed density in lemon balm after sowing. However, weed species‐specific periods were identified in which the stale seedbed selectively promoted emergence. Autumn ploughing followed by a superficial incorporation of the catch crop in spring resulted in a lower weed emergence than complete residue incorporation by spring ploughing. Seedbank size differed greatly between fields, probably due to crop rotation. The overall weed reducing effect of the tested tillage treatments was low, probably due to high weed pressure on the organic farm. To increase the efficacy of the stale seed bed technique, sufficient soil moisture as well as temperature requirements of the dominating weed flora need to be considered.
Metabolic and ruck performance effects of a novel, light‐weight, energy‐dense ketogenic bar
Authors: Buga Alex , Crabtree Chris D. , Stoner Justen T. , Decker Drew D. , Robinson Bradley T. , Kackley Madison L. , Sapper Teryn N. , Buxton Jeffrey D. , D'Agostino Dominic P. , McClure Tyler S. , Berardi Anthony , Cline Shawn , Fleck Trevor , Krout Jared , Newby Doran , Koutnik Andrew P. , Volek Jeff S. , Prins Philip J.
Published: March 2023

Rucksack marches (‘rucks’) are strenuous, military‐relevant exercises that may benefit from pre‐event fuelling. The purpose of this investigation was to explore whether acute ingestion of carbohydrate‐ or lipid‐based nutritional bars before rucking can elicit unique advantages that augment exercise performance. Recreationally active and healthy males (n = 29) were randomized and counterbalanced to consume 1000 kcal derived from a novel, energy‐dense (percentage energy from carbohydrate/fat/protein: 5/83/12) ketogenic bar (KB), or isocaloric high‐carbohydrate bars (CB; 61/23/16) 3 h before a time‐to‐exhaustion (TTE) ruck. Conditions were separated by a 1‐week washout. The rucksack weight was standardized to 30% of bodyweight. Steady‐state treadmill pace was set at 3.2 km/h (0.89 m/s) and 14% grade. TTE was the primary outcome; respiratory exchange ratio (RER), capillary ketones (R‐β‐hydroxybutyrate), glucose and lactate, plus subjective thirst/hunger were the secondary outcomes. Mean TTE was similar between conditions (KB: 55 ± 25 vs. CB: 54 ± 22 min; P = 0.687). The RER and substrate oxidation rates revealed greater fat and carbohydrate oxidation after the KB and CB, respectively (all P < 0.0001). Capillary R‐βHB increased modestly after the KB ingestion (P < 0.0001). Neither bar influenced glycaemia. Lactate increased during the ruck independent of the condition (P < 0.0001). Thirst/fullness perceptions changed independent of the nutritional bar consumed. A novel KB nutritional bar produced equivalent TTE ruck results to the isocaloric CBs. The KB's energy density relative to CB (6.6 vs. 3.8 kcal/g) may provide a lightweight (–42% weight), pre‐event fuelling alternative that does not compromise ruck physical performance.
Cavitation Modeling Using Lumped Parameter Approach Accounting for Bubble Dynamics and Mass Transport Through the Bubble Interface
Authors: Mistry Zubin , Vacca Andrea
Published: March 2023

Vaporous and gaseous cavitation cause several physical phenomena which are typically undesirable, such as reduction in compressibility and material damage. Therefore, the ability to capture these effects in simulation is highly valued. In the fluid power field, lumped parameter modeling technique has proven effective for analyzing components and systems, allowing for fast simulations. Past efforts in modeling cavitation using lumped parameter approach have assumed dependence of fluid properties such as bulk modulus, density, and viscosity directly to pressure and temperature. This cannot be considered as the fluid mixture is composed of different phases of matter. Some other formulations account for gaseous cavitation based on the equations that are derived from vaporous cavitation. This paper illustrates a better approach that combines the two cavitation effects by considering that both vapor and undissolved gas co-occupy a spherical bubble. The size of the spherical bubble is solved using the Rayleigh–Plesset equation, and the transfer of gas through the bubble interface is solved using Henry's law and diffusion of the dissolved gas in the liquid. These equations are coupled with a novel pressure derivative equation. To show the validity of the proposed approach, the instantaneous pressure of a closed fluid volume undergoing expansion/compression is compared with multiple experimental sources, showing an improvement in accuracy when compared to existing models. Integrating this modeling technique with current displacement chamber simulation can further improve the understanding of cavitation in hydraulic systems.
Personalizing Resistance Training Mitigates Neuromuscular and Perceived Fatigue: The Autoregulation Cluster Training Method
Authors: Dello Iacono Antonio , Hillan Josh , Watson Kevin
Published: March 2023

Purpose: To compare predetermined and autoregulated resistance training sessions on velocity loss and perceived fatigue. Methods: Twenty-six resistance-trained men completed 3 sessions including the back-squat and bench-press exercises matched for load (75% of 1-repetition maximum), volume (24 repetitions), and total rest (240 s). Sessions were randomly performed as traditional set (TRA), 3 sets of 8 repetitions with 120-second interset rests; cluster interset-rest redistribution (IRR), 6 clusters of 4 repetitions with 48-second between-clusters rests; and autoregulation cluster training (ACT), a personalized combination of clusters, repetitions per cluster, and between-clusters rest regulated on a velocity loss threshold. The comparative effects were evaluated on velocity loss outputs measured with a linear encoder and perceived fatigue responses reported using a single-item scale. Results: IRR and ACT induced less velocity loss than TRA (b = −2.09, P < .001). ACT also mitigated velocity loss more than IRR (b = −2.31, P < .001). The back squat resulted in greater velocity loss compared to the bench press (b = 1.83, P < .001). Perceived fatigue responses mirrored the pattern observed for the velocity loss outputs (IRR and ACT vs TRA: b = −0.64, P < .001; ACT vs IRR: b = −1.05, P < .001; back squat vs bench press: b = 0.46, P = .005). Conclusions: IRR and ACT reduced neuromuscular and perceived fatigue, likely due to their cluster-set structures’ embedding frequent windows of interset rest. However, the ACT was overall more effective, presumably given its personalized structure.
Molecular Markers of Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine Resistance in Samples from Children with Uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum at Three Sites in Angola in 2019
Authors: Rosillo Stefano R. , Dimbu Pedro Rafael , Cândido Ana Luisa M. , Oh Je-Hoon Michael , Ferreira Carolina Miguel , Nieto Andrade Benjamin , Labuda Sarah , Horth Roberta , Kelley Julia , Morais Joana F. M. , Fortes Filomeno , Martins José Franco , Talundzic Eldin , Pluciński Mateusz M.
Published: March 2023

Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) is used for prevention of malaria in pregnant women in Angola. We sequenced the
Plasmodium falciparum
dihydrofolate reductase (
pfdhfr
) and dihydropteroate synthase (
pfdhps
) genes, implicated in SP resistance, in samples collected during a 2019 study of artemisinin-based combination therapy efficacy in Benguela, Lunda Sul, and Zaire provinces.
Evaluation of the Impact of Comorbidities on Omadacycline Pharmacokinetics
Authors: Trang M. , Lakota E. A. , Safir M. C. , Bhavnani S. M. , Friedrich L. , Steenbergen J. N. , McGovern P. C. , Tzanis E. , Rubino C. M.
Published: March 2023

Omadacycline is approved in the United States for the treatment of patients with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia or acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections. Analyses were undertaken to evaluate pharmacokinetic differences among subjects or patients stratified by comorbidities.
Characterization of the Positive Transcription Regulator PfaR for Improving Eicosapentaenoic Acid Production in Shewanella putrefaciens W3-18-1
Authors: Wei Hehong , He Penghui , Yu Dianzhen , Liu Shuangyuan , Li Chengtao , Qiu Dongru
Published: March 2023

We have experimentally confirmed that PfaR is a positive transcription regulator that promotes EPA synthesis at low temperature in
Shewanella putrefaciens
W3-18-1. Overexpression of PfaR in WT strain W3-18-1 could lead to a 1.8-fold increase in EPA productivity at low temperature. It is further shown that PfaR may be regulated by housekeeping Sigma 70 factor at low temperature.
Regulation of Virus Replication by BK Polyomavirus Small T Antigen
Authors: Zou Wei , Imperiale Michael J.
Published: March 2023

BK polyomavirus is a virus that establishes a lifelong infection of the majority of people. The infection usually does not cause any clinical symptoms, but, in transplant recipients whose immune systems have been suppressed, unchecked virus replication can cause severe disease.
The Failure of AIDS Vaccine Efficacy Trials: Where to Go from Here
Authors: Desrosiers Ronald C.
Published: March 2023

The seven AIDS vaccine efficacy trials have yielded extremely disappointing results at great expense. Greater stringency is needed for government support of AIDS vaccine efficacy trials.
YTHDF2 Is Downregulated in Response to Host Shutoff Induced by DNA Virus Infection and Regulates Interferon-Stimulated Gene Expression
Authors: Hesser Charles R. , Walsh Derek
Published: March 2023

There is increasing recognition of the importance of
N
6
-methyladenosine (m
6
A) modifications to both viral and host mRNAs and the complex roles this modification plays in determining the fate of infection by diverse RNA and DNA viruses. However, in many instances, the functional contributions and importance of specific m
6
A writer, reader, and eraser proteins remains unknown.
Pangenome Analysis of a Salmonella Enteritidis Population Links a Major Outbreak to a Gifsy-1-Like Prophage Containing Anti-Inflammatory Gene
gogB
Authors: Svahn Adam J. , Suster Carl J. E. , Chang Sheryl L. , Rockett Rebecca J. , Sim Eby M. , Cliff Oliver M. , Wang Qinning , Arnott Alicia , Ramsperger Marc , Sorrell Tania C. , Sintchenko Vitali , Prokopenko Mikhail
Published: March 2023

We examined 5 years of genomic and epidemiological data for the significant global foodborne pathogen,
Salmonella enterica
. Although
Salmonella enterica
subspecies enterica serovar Enteritidis (
S. Enteritidis
) is the leading cause of salmonellosis in the USA and Europe, prior to 2018 it was not endemic in the southern states of Australia.
Braun Lipoprotein Protects against Escherichia coli-Induced Inflammatory Responses and Lethality in Mice
Authors: Shen Yuan , Gong Zhiguo , Zhang Shuangyi , Cao Jinshan , Mao Wei , Fu Yunhe , Su Niri , Ding Yulin , Zhao Jiamin , Gu Baichen , Feng Shuang , Liu Bo
Published: March 2023

In this study, we investigated the roles of bacterial outer membrane component BLP in regulating inflammatory responses and lethality in mice that were induced by a ubiquitous and serious pathogen,
Escherichia coli
. BLP could alleviate the mortality of mice and organ damage, as well as decrease proinflammatory cytokines and chemokine production and enhance anti-inflammatory cytokine production in mouse serum and organs.
Pre-Exposure of Foodborne Staphylococcus aureus Isolates to Organic Acids Induces Cross-Adaptation to Mild Heat
Authors: Liao Xinyu , Chen Xin , Sant'Ana Anderson S. , Feng Jinsong , Ding Tian
Published: March 2023

Cross-adaptation is one of the most important phenotypes in foodborne pathogens and poses a potential risk to food safety and human health. In this work, we found that pretreatment with acetic acid, citric acid, and lactic acid could induce subsequent heat tolerance development in
S. aureus
.
Novel Multiplex PCR Assay and Its Application in Detecting Prevalence and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Porcine Respiratory Bacterial Pathogens in Guangxi, China
Authors: Rao Jing , Wei Xinchen , Li Huan , Zhang Zhewei , Liu Jiahui , Lian Mengjie , Cao Weiwei , Yuan Long , Dou Beibei , Tian Yanhong , Chen Huanchun , Li Jinquan , Bei Weicheng
Published: March 2023

Pigs are closely associated with humans as the most common food animals and the vectors of numerous pathogens. PRDC, caused by multiple pathogens, is a serious disease that can cause growth retardation in swine and even sudden death.
Probiotics Mediate Intestinal Microbiome and Microbiota-Derived Metabolites Regulating the Growth and Immunity of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Authors: Zhao Chunyan , Men Xianhui , Dang Yongji , Zhou Yangen , Ren Yichao
Published: March 2023

Probiotics are kinds of beneficial live microbes that impart beneficial effects on the host. Recent studies have proven that when given supplementation with probiotics, farmed fish showed improved disease prevention and growth promotion.
Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 Distribution and Microbial Succession in a Clinical Microbiology Testing Facility during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic
Authors: Sah Govind Prasad , Kovalick Grace , Chopyk Jessica , Kuo Peiting , Huang Lina , Ghatbale Pooja , Das Promi , Realegeno Susan , Knight Rob , Gilbert Jack A. , Pride David T.
Published: March 2023

For decades, diagnostic clinical laboratories have been an integral part of the health care systems that perform diagnostic tests on patient’s specimens in bulk on a regular basis. Understanding their microbiota should assist in designing and implementing disinfection, and cleaning regime in more effective way.
Novel Trimethoprim Resistance Gene
dfrA49
Identified in Riemerella anatipestifer from China
Authors: Jiang Yongjia , Peng Kai , Wang Qiaojun , Wang Mianzhi , Li Ruichao , Wang Zhiqiang
Published: March 2023

Trimethoprim is a synthetic antimicrobial agent inhibiting dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), which is encoded by the
folA
gene. Acquired genes that confer trimethoprim resistance due to mutations in the
folA
gene are designated
dfr
and divided into two main families including
dfrA
and
dfrB
.
Sporulation Activated via σ
W
Protects
Bacillus
from a Tse1 Peptidoglycan Hydrolase Type VI Secretion System Effector
Authors: Pérez-Lorente Alicia I. , Molina-Santiago Carlos , de Vicente Antonio , Romero Diego
Published: March 2023

The study of bacterial interactions is helping to define species-specific strategies used to modulate the competition dynamics underlying the development of community compositions. In this study, we deciphered the role of
Pseudomonas
T6SS when competing with
Bacillus
and the mechanism by which a T6SS-toxin modifies
Bacillus
physiology.
Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase Genes Traverse the Escherichia coli Populations of Intensive Care Unit Patients, Staff, and Environment
Authors: Moran Robert A. , Baomo Liu , Doughty Emma L. , Guo Yingyi , Ba Xiaoliang , van Schaik Willem , Zhuo Chao , McNally Alan
Published: March 2023

ESBL resistance significantly impacts clinical management of
E. coli
infections in hospitals globally. It is important to understand the structures of ESBL-EC populations carried by hospital patients and staff, their capacity to persist in hospital environments, and the dynamics of mobile genes that drive the spread of ESBL resistance.
Erratum to: Electronic and Spin Structure of Topological Surface States in MnBi4Te7 and MnBi6Te10 and Their Modification by an Applied Electric Field
Authors: Shikin A. M. , Zaitsev N. L. , Tarasov A. V. , Makarova T. P. , Glazkova D. A. , Estyunin D. A. , Klimovskikh I. I.
Published: March 2023

An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0021364023340015
Spontaneous regression of pancreatic cancer with liver metastases
Authors: Saade Lemus Patricia , Anderson Kevin , Smith Martin , Bullock Andrea
Published: March 2023

Spontaneous cancer regression is a rare event, scarcely reported among gastrointestinal malignancies. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma regression has been documented in five previous cases, none of which included liver metastases, and the mechanism by which this occurs is not known. A 56-year-old woman with history of discoid lupus, homocysteinemia and peripheral vascular disease was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) metastatic to the liver. She received palliative chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan and oxaliplatin (FOLFIRINOX) for 6 months, complicated by mucositis, diarrhoea, vomiting and twoClostridium difficilecolitis episodes. Cancer initially responded to chemotherapy. However, due to substantial toxicities, she decided to discontinue cytotoxic chemotherapy and focus on palliation alone. Thereafter, CT and carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 showed further response and ultimately complete cancer regression that has persisted for 33 months after cessation of chemotherapy. This is the first report in the English literature showing spontaneous regression of a PDA with liver metastases. Two possible mechanisms are proposed: antitumoral autoimmunity and tumour hypoxia related to vascular disease.
Cholangitis caused by surgical clip migration into the common bile duct: a rare complication of a daily practice
Authors: Sheffer Daniel , Gal Oren , Ovadia Baruch , Kopelman Yael
Published: March 2023

A 54-year-old female patient complained of right upper quadrant abdominal pain 11 years following a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. A CT scan demonstrated a collection in the surgical bed and a surgical clip in the proximal bile duct. Cholangitis developed a few days later. Another CT showed that the surgical clip migrated to the distal common bile duct. The clip was removed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiography and the cholangitis was resolved.
Follicular lymphoma presenting as hyperleucocytosis
Authors: Worth Heidi A , Cochrane Katherine , Aljadir David
Published: March 2023

Follicular lymphoma is the second most common subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma affecting adults. Clinically, follicular lymphoma is generally indolent, most often presenting as a painless peripheral lymphadenopathy; however, a leucocytosis at presentation is exceedingly rare. We present the case of a 63-year-old woman with follicular lymphoma with a presenting hyperleucocytosis at diagnosis of 1 327 000/μL demonstrated on laboratory analysis work while hospitalised for progressive weakness. fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) panel was consistent with follicular lymphoma, which was positive for B-cell leukaemia/lymphoma 2 and negative for MYC Proto-Oncogene. Cytoreduction with rituximab-containing therapy was initiated, with the patient ultimately expiring. A leukaemic phase at presentation appears to be associated with poor outcome. The findings from our case, in addition to others, have potential implications in regard to prognostic utility. The current prognostic tool used to estimate overall survival for follicular lymphoma, Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index, does not take leucocytosis into account.
COVID-19 presenting as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)
Authors: Altowyan Essam , Alnujeidi Omar , Alhujilan Atheer , Alkathlan Mohammed
Published: March 2023

We present the case of a 39-year-old man with epigastric pain, nausea and vomiting. The patient scored 4 in the Visual Triage Checklist of acute respiratory symptoms; a COVID-19 swab was taken. Prompt review of the peripheral blood smear showed evidence of microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia and thrombocytopenia. Because the patient had a picture of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, plasma exchange and corticosteroids were started immediately. After 3 days, he developed severe ischaemic stroke and his swabs came back positive for COVID-19 by reverse transcription PCR. Therefore, triple therapy was started (lopinavir/ritonavir, ribavirin and interferon beta-1b). White blood cell count reached 50×109/L (normal range, 4.5–11×109/L), mainly neutrophils. All the workup for autoimmune diseases was negative. The patient showed delayed improvement in lactate dehydrogenase, haemoglobin and platelet count until we increased the volume of plasma exchange and subsided the inflammatory response of COVID-19. After that, the patient showed an excellent recovery.
Discitis following urinary tract infection manifesting as recurrent autonomic dysreflexia related to truncal movements in a person with tetraplegia
Authors: Subramanian Vaidyanathan , Hughes Peter , Soni Bakul , Oo Tun
Published: March 2023

A 44-year-old male person with tetraplegia (C-5 AIS—A (American Spinal Cord Injury Association Standard Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury Impairment Scale)) developed urinary tract infection and received appropriate antibiotic. Subsequently, he started sweating and shivering when he was sitting up; these symptoms resolved while lying on his back. Autonomic dysreflexia triggered by truncal movements continued to occur for 3 months. CT of the spine showed L5–S1 discitis. MRI of the spine showed diffuse marrow oedema in L5 and S1 vertebrae and a large abscess at L5/S1 level. Blood culture yieldedSerratia marcescenssensitive to meropenem. Meropenem followed by ertapenem was given for 12 weeks. After 11 months, MRI showed resolution of discitis and epidural collection. The patient was able to sit up for 9 hours without developing autonomic dysreflexia. If a person with cervical spinal cord injury develops posture-related autonomic dysreflexia (eg, in sitting position, lying on sides or while hoisted), disco-vertebral pathology should be suspected.
Acalculous cholecystitis with gallbladder necrosis in a patient presenting without abdominal pain
Authors: Altshuler Ellery , Case Robert
Published: March 2023

An 83-year-old man with a history of chronic myelogenous leukaemia in remission maintained with bosutinib presented with new-onset fevers. He denied pain and had no other focal symptoms. Ultrasound imaging revealed mild gallbladder wall thickening. Non-contrasted CT revealed right upper quadrant inflammation of indeterminate source. The diagnosis of acalculous cholecystitis was made on the third day when a CT with oral contrast demonstrated a remarkably inflamed biliary tree. The gallbladder was surgically removed and found to be necrotic. The case highlights an unusual presentation for a well-known condition. Both ultrasound and CT have limited diagnostic sensitivity for acalculous cystitis. This case adds to existing literature to support development of acalculous cholecystitis in non-critically ill patients. Clinicians should maintain awareness of this condition among patients presenting to the hospital or clinic with abdominal pain. Careful discussion with radiology and surgery is indicated to guide diagnostic testing when initial imaging results are indeterminate.
Course of fear of falling after hip fracture: findings from a 12-month inception cohort
Authors: Scheffers-Barnhoorn Maaike N , Haaksma Miriam L , Achterberg Wilco P , Niggebrugge Arthur HP , van der Sijp Max PL , van Haastregt Jolanda CM , van Eijk Monica
Published: March 2023

Objectives

To examine the course of fear of falling (FoF) up to 1 year after hip fracture, including the effect of prefracture FoF on the course.

Design

Observational cohort study with assessment of FoF at 6, 12 and 52 weeks after hip fracture.

Setting

Haaglanden Medical Centre, the Netherlands.

Participants

444 community-dwelling adults aged 70 years and older, admitted to hospital with a hip fracture.

Main outcome measure

Short Falls Efficacy Scale International (FES-I), with a cut-off score ≥11 to define elevated FoF levels.

Results

Six weeks after hip fracture the study population-based mean FES-I was located around the cut-off value of 11, and levels decreased only marginally over time. One year after fracture almost one-third of the population had FoF (FES-I ≥11). Although the group with prefracture FoF (42.6%) had slightly elevated FES-I levels during the entire follow-up, the effect was not statistically significant. Patients with persistent FoF at 6 and 12 weeks after fracture (26.8%) had the highest FES-I levels, with a mean well above the cut-off value during the entire follow-up. For the majority of patients in this group, FoF is still present 1 year after fracture (84.9%).

Conclusions

In this study population, representing patients in relative good health condition that are able to attend the outpatient follow-up at 6 and 12 weeks, FoF as defined by an FES-I score ≥11 was common within the first year after hip fracture. Patients with persistent FoF at 12 weeks have the highest FES-I levels in the first year after fracture, and for most of these patients the FoF remains. For timely identification of patients who may benefit from intervention, we recommend structural assessment of FoF in the first 12 weeks after fracture.
Oxidative stress involves phenotype modulation of morbid soreness symptoms in fibromyalgia
Authors: Hung Chih-Hsien , Tsai Ming-Hsien , Wang Po-Sheng , Liang Fu-Wen , Hsu Chung-Yao , Lee Kuo-Wei , Fong Yi-On , Han Der-Sheng , Lee Cheng-Han , Lai Chiou-Lian , Chen Chih-Cheng
Published: March 2023

Objectives

Muscle soreness occurs after exercise and also in musculoskeletal diseases, such as fibromyalgia (FM). However, the nosography and pathoetiology of morbid soreness in FM remain unknown. This study aimed to investigate the morbid soreness of FM, evaluate its therapeutic responses and probe its pathophysiology with metabolomics profiling.

Methods

Patients with newly diagnosed FM were prospectively recruited and completed self-report questionnaires pertaining to musculoskeletal symptoms. The phenotypes and metabotypes were assessed with variance, classification and correlation analyses.

Results

Fifty-one patients and 41 healthy controls were included. Soreness symptoms were prevalent in FM individuals (92.2%). In terms of manifestations and metabolomic features, phenotypes diverged between patients with mixed pain and soreness symptoms (FM-PS) and those with pain dominant symptoms. Conventional treatment for FM did not ameliorate soreness severity despite its efficacy on pain. Moreover, despite the salient therapeutic efficacy on pain relief in FM-PS cases, conventional treatment did not improve their general disease severity. Metabolomics analyses suggested oxidative metabolism dysregulation in FM, and high malondialdehyde level indicated excessive oxidative stress in FM individuals as compared with controls (p=0.009). Contrary to exercise-induced soreness, lactate levels were significantly lower in FM individuals than controls, especially in FM-PS. Moreover, FM-PS cases exclusively featured increased malondialdehyde level (p=0.008) and a correlative trend between malondialdehyde expression and soreness intensity (r=0.337, p=0.086).

Conclusions

Morbid soreness symptoms were prevalent in FM, with the presentation and therapeutic responses different from FM pain conditions. Oxidative stress rather than lactate accumulation involved phenotype modulation of the morbid soreness in FM.

Trial registration number

NCT04832100.
Time-dependent multiconfiguration self-consistent-field and time-dependent optimized coupled-cluster methods for intense laser-driven multielectron dynamics
Authors: Sato Takeshi , Pathak Himadri , Orimo Yuki , Ishikawa Kenichi L.
Published: March 2023

We reviewed the time-dependent multiconfiguration self-consistent-field (TD-MCSCF) method and the time-dependent optimized coupled-cluster (TD-OCC) method for first-principles simulations of high-field phenomena such as tunneling ionization and high-order harmonic generation in atoms and molecules irradiated by a strong laser field. These methods provide a flexible and systematically improvable description of the multielectron dynamics by expressing the all-electron wavefunction by configuration interaction expansion or coupled-cluster expansion, using time-dependent one-electron orbital functions. The time-dependent variational principle plays a key role in deriving these methods while satisfying gauge invariance and Ehrenfest theorem. The real-time/real-space implementation with an absorbing boundary condition enables the simulation of high-field processes involving multiple excitation and ionization. We present a detailed, comprehensive discussion of such features of the TD-MCSCF and TD-OCC methods.
The myokine decorin improves the cardiac function in a rat model of isoprenaline-induced myocardial infarction
Authors: Hassan Ghida Mohamed , Ebrahim Reham Hassan
Published: March 2023

Myocardial infarction is a common cause of disability. Decorin is a myokine that has anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic effects. Some studies stated that decorin protects myocardium from ischemia. Other studies stated that decorin levels are associated with acute coronary syndrome. The study aimed to investigate the therapeutic role of decorin on cardiac function in a rat model of myocardial infarction. Thirty adult male Wistar rats were divided into control group—rats were subcutaneously injected with normal saline, isoprenaline-injected group—rats were subcutaneously injected with isoprenaline (85 mg/kg) once daily for 2 days to induce myocardial infarction, and decorin ± isoprenaline-injected group—rats were injected as the previous group, followed by decorin injection (0.1 mg/kg) once daily for 7 days. Cardiac hemodynamics, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase–MB (CK–MB), oxidative stress markers, gene expression for myocardial-transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), interleukin 1 b (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and cardiac caspase-3 immunohistochemical analysis were done. Isoprenaline + decorin group had significant improvement in cardiac hemodynamics and oxidative stress markers; significant decrease in serum CK–MB, LDH, and myocardial gene expression for TNF-α, IL-1β, and TGF-β1; and decreased cardiac caspase-3 immunoreactivity was present. Therefore, decorin can be used as a therapeutic agent after myocardial infarction as it improved the cardiac function.
The Normalized Laplacian Spectrum of Folded Hypercube with Applications
Authors: Niu Baohua , Zhou Shuming , Zhang Hong
Published: March 2023

In this work, we determine all the eigenvalues and their corresponding multiplicities of the normalized Laplacian matrix for folded hypercubes. Furthermore, we establish the explicit formula to calculate Kemeny’s constant for random walks on the folded hypercube, which indicates that its growth is roughly consistent with the network order. In addition, we also determine the number of spanning trees and degree-Kirchhoff index of folded hypercubes. Especially, we make some comparisons with that of hypercubes to verify that folded hypercubes have superior properties than hypercubes.
Development of a Test in German Language to Assess Middle School Students’ Physics Proficiency
Authors: Feser Markus Sebastian , Höttecke Dietmar
Published: March 2023

This short contribution reports the development of a test for assessing middle school students’ physics proficiency via multiple-choice single-select items in German language. The test assesses students’ content and procedural knowledge across various content areas that are typical of physics education at the middle-school level and is based on adapted items developed within the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). We report the study design we used to develop this test, as well as the results and selected parameters regarding the test’s psychometric quality.
Slope stability assessment of a major trunk road at Scrabster Harbour, Scotland, UK
Authors: Katchkin M. C. , Thomson J. , McConnell R. , Fitzgerald R. , Moore Roger
Published: March 2023

In 2017 two landslides resulted in a temporary closure of the main access road to Scrabster Harbour, located in the north of the Scottish mainland. A slope stability assessment was commissioned to investigate the occurrence, causes and mechanisms of historical landslides, and their associated consequences to inform future landslide hazard potential.

Within Scotland, most slope stability studies are undertaken using qualitative rather than quantitative methods, largely due to insufficient historical data. This paper presents a case study where a semi-quantitative risk assessment was used to assess the stability of coastal slopes above the A9 trunk road at Scrabster Harbour.

A database of historical landslides and slope characteristics was compiled and used in a semi-quantitative risk assessment to provide the client with targeted information on which areas of the slope can be stabilized most effectively. This was based on ranking the slopes in terms of relative risk, thus providing the road operator and maintenance contractor with an indication of those slopes presenting a higher risk so that these areas could be prioritized for remedial works. The analysis showed that surface-water drainage intersecting the slopes and locally oversteepened slopes were primary controls for the observed landslides.
The Diversity and Functions of Plant RNA Modifications: What We Know and Where We Go from Here
Authors: Sharma Bishwas , Prall Wil , Bhatia Garima , Gregory Brian D.
Published: March 2023

Since the discovery of the first ribonucleic acid (RNA) modifications in transfer RNAs (tRNAs) and ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), scientists have been on a quest to decipher the identities and functions of RNA modifications in biological systems. The last decade has seen monumental growth in the number of studies that have characterized and assessed the functionalities of RNA modifications in the field of plant biology. Owing to these studies, we now categorize RNA modifications based on their chemical nature and the RNA on which they are found, as well as the array of proteins that are involved in the processes that add, read, and remove them from an RNA molecule. Beyond their identity, another key piece of the puzzle is the functional significance of the various types of RNA modifications. Here, we shed light on recent studies that help establish our current understanding of the diversity of RNA modifications found in plant transcriptomes and the functions they play at both the molecular (e.g., RNA stability, translation, and transport) and organismal (e.g., stress response and development) levels. Finally, we consider the key research questions related to plant gene expression and biology in general and highlight developments in various technologies that are driving our insights forward in this research area.
Cognition from the Body-Brain Partnership: Exaptation of Memory
Authors: Buzsáki György , Tingley David
Published: March 2023

Examination of cognition has historically been approached from language and introspection. However, human language–dependent definitions ignore the evolutionary roots of brain mechanisms and constrain their study in experimental animals. We promote an alternative view, namely that cognition, including memory, can be explained by exaptation and expansion of the circuits and algorithms serving bodily functions. Regulation and protection of metabolic and energetic processes require time-evolving brain computations enabling the organism to prepare for altered future states. Exaptation of such circuits was likely exploited for exploration of the organism's niche. We illustrate that exploration gives rise to a cognitive map, and in turn, environment-disengaged computation allows for mental travel into the past (memory) and the future (planning). Such brain-body interactions not only occur during waking but also persist during sleep. These exaptation steps are illustrated by the dual, endocrine-homeostatic and memory, contributions of the hippocampal system, particularly during hippocampal sharp-wave ripples.
Synthesis and Optical Characterization of Novel Chemically-Deposited AgCrO2 Thin Films at Low Temperature
Authors: Saleh Hisham A. , Dahy T. M. , Deraz Nasrallah M.
Published: March 2023

At a low temperature of 50 oC, the chemical bath deposition approach was effectively utilized to deposit delafossite AgCrO2 thin films. The deposited films are naturally crystalline, according to X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). The observed reflection planes were indexed to a Rhombohedral crystal structure of the space group

R

3
¯

m
.

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and related chosen area electron diffraction patterns were used to confirm the crystalline nature of the deposited films. The structural investigation of the as-prepared films indicated that the anticipated particle size increases as deposition time increases. The optical reflection and transmission spectra were spectrophotometrically calculated in the 300–2500 nm wavelength range. The fluctuation of the optical band gap energy, Eg, Refractive index, n, and the associated dispersion parameters, for instance oscillator energy, Eo, and dispersion energy Ed, as a function of deposition time, were studied. In addition, the non-linear refractive index n was calculated.