bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validation of the Utah Photophobia Symptom Impact Scale (version 2) as a headache‐specific photophobia assessment tool
Authors: Cortez Melissa M. , Martindale Cecilia , Brennan K. C. , Kean Jacob , Millar Morgan M. , Knudson Alexander , Katz Bradley J. , Digre Kathleen B. , Presson Angela P. , Zhang Chong
Published: May 2023

Objective

To present an updated version of the Utah Photophobia Symptom Impact Scale version 2 (UPSIS2), providing robust clinical and psychometric validation, to improve headache‐specific evaluation of light sensitivity and headache‐related photophobia.

Background

The original UPSIS filled a gap in available tools for assessment of headache‐associated light sensitivity by providing patient‐reported evaluation of the impact of light sensitivity on activities of daily living (ADLs). We have since revised the original questionnaire to provide a more robust item construct and refined validation approach.

Methods

We conducted a psychometric validation of the UPSIS2 through a primary analysis of an online survey of volunteers with recurrent headaches recruited from the University of Utah clinics and surrounding community. Volunteers completed the original UPSIS and UPSIS2 questionnaire versions in addition to measures of headache impact, disability, and frequency. The UPSIS2 now includes a pre‐defined recall period and a 1–4 Likert scale with standardized response anchors to improve clarity. Internal construct validity, external construct validity, and test–retest reliability, were evaluated.

Results

Responses were obtained from 163 volunteers, with UPSIS2 scores ranging from 15 to 57 (out of a possible 15–60) with a mean (standard deviation) of 32.4 (8.80). Construct validity was satisfactory, as evidenced by sufficient unidimensionality, monotonicity, and local independence. Reliability was excellent, with Rasch test reliability = 0.90 and Cronbach's alpha = 0.92, and an intraclass correlation of 0.79 (95% confidence interval 0.65–0.88) for participants who took the test twice. UPSIS2 correlates well with other headache measures (Spearman's correlations >0.50), as well as the original UPSIS (Spearman's correlation = 0.87), indicating good convergent validity. UPSIS2 scores differ significantly across International Classification of Headache Disorders (third edition) groups, indicating good known group validity.

Conclusion

The UPSIS2 provides a well‐validated headache‐specific outcome measure for the assessment of photophobia impact on ADLs.
Patient and public co‐creation of healthcare safety and healthcare system resilience: The case of COVID‐19
Authors: Albutt Abigail , Ramsey Lauren , Fylan Beth , Grindey Chloe , Hague Isabel , O'Hara Jane K.
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Healthcare system resilience is a conceptual approach that seeks to explore how health services adapt and respond to variability in demand and resources. As has been witnessed since the beginning of the COVID‐19 pandemic, healthcare services have undergone many reconfigurations. One understudied aspect of how the ‘system’ is able to adapt and respond is the contribution of key stakeholders—patients and families, and in the context of the pandemic, the general public as a whole. This study aimed to understand what people were doing during the first wave of the pandemic to protect the safety of their health, and the health of others from COVID‐19, and the resilience of the healthcare system.

Methods

Social media (Twitter) was used as a method of recruitment due to its ability for social reach. Twenty‐one participants took part in 57 semistructured interviews over three time points from June to September 2020. The included an initial interview and invitation to two follow‐up interviews after 3 and 6 weeks. Interviews were conducted virtually using Zoom—an encrypted secure video conferencing software. A reflexive thematic analysis approach to analysis was used.

Results

Three themes, each with its own subthemes were identified in the analysis: (1) A ‘new safety normal’; (2) Existing vulnerabilities and heightened safety and (3) Are we all in this together?

Conclusion

This study found that the public had a role in supporting the resilience of healthcare services and systems during the first wave of the pandemic by adapting their behaviour to protect themselves and others, and to avoid overwhelming the National Health Service. People who had existing vulnerabilities were more likely to experience safety gaps in their care, and be required to step in to support their safety, despite it being more difficult for them to do so. It may be that the most vulnerable were previously required to do this extra work to support the safety of their care and that the pandemic has just illuminated this issue. Future research should explore existing vulnerabilities and inequalities, and the heightened safety consequences created by the pandemic.

Patient and Public Contribution

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Yorkshire and Humber Patient Safety Translational Research Centre (NIHR Yorkshire and Humber PSTRC), Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Research Fellow and NIHR Yorkshire and Humber PSTRC Patient Involvement in Patient Safety theme lay leader are involved in the preparation of a lay version of the findings within this manuscript.
Consultation with patients for whom English is not their native language
Authors: Ekladious Adel , Bhandari Ritesh , Sudusinghe Thilini N. , Jiang Beisi , Jahan Fahim
Published: May 2023

Good communication with the patient is the cornerstone of effective and efficient consultation. The absence of a common language between the patient and physician negatively impacts the consultation outcome. Australia is a multicultural and multilingual country, with immigrants from all over the world. In the absence of a common language, it will be a challenging conversation affecting the patient's engagement with the healthcare system and poor treatment adherence. While involving an interpreter may help, it has its downsides and may not be ideal in all situations. Here, we discuss the experiences of various medical practitioners from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds (from Middle Eastern and Asian Countries) in managing non‐English‐speaking patients with a focus on the impacts of linguistic/cultural barriers in delivering optimal healthcare services and possible solutions to them.
CD83+ B cells alleviate uveitis through inhibiting DCs by sCD83
Authors: Feng Meng , Wang Xin , Zhou Shuping , Li Minghao , Liu Tingting , Wei Xunbin , Lin Wei
Published: May 2023

Soluble CD83 (sCD83) exerts immunosuppressive functions in many autoimmune diseases, including experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU), but the cells and mechanisms involved are unclear. This study showed that CD83+ B cells were the main sources of sCD83. They alleviated the symptoms of EAU and decreased the percentage of T cells and DCs in the eyes and lymph nodes. These CD83+ B cells decreased IL‐1β, IL‐18 and IFN‐γ secretion by DCs through sCD83. sCD83 interacted with GTPase Ras‐related protein (Rab1a) in DCs to promote Rab1a accumulation in autolysosomes and inhibit mTORC1 phosphorylation and NLRP3 expression. Hence, CD83+ B cells play a regulatory role in EAU by secreting sCD83. The lack of regulation of CD83+ B cells might be an important factor leading to hyperimmune activation in patients with autoimmune uveitis. CD83+ B cells suppress activated DCs in uveitis, indicating the potential therapeutic role of CD83+ B cells in uveitis.
The role of human resource management and governance in addressing bullying, burnout and the depersonalization of junior and senior psychiatric nurses in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alharbi Jalal , Pont Suzanne , Tee SingWhat , Maxwell Stephen J.
Published: May 2023

This study examined the level of perceived responsibility junior and senior psychiatric nurses have for human resources and governance in Saudi Arabia. Bullying is a significant issue in nursing and an entrenched cultural practice that highlights a failure in governance and human resource responsibilities. A total of 90 responses (43.1%) to a 5‐point Likert Scale survey that sought respondent perceptions on leadership, governance and human resources. This study is reported using EQUATOR network recommendations (SQUIRE 2.0). This survey revealed that junior and senior nursing respondents weakly agree with all statements. Neither nurse rank, educational status nor nationality affected the answers of the respondents; there were age, gender and experience effects. There is a significant correlation between all responses to the statements implying there is a social desirability bias to the responses. If bullying, and its derived consequence of burnout, is to be addressed there needs to be a cultural shift in the attitudes of junior and senior nurses towards more acceptance of their HR and governance responsibilities. Furthermore, there needs to be an increased focus on shared leadership responsibilities, with greater nurse‐manager interaction and cooperation on transformational practices that will bring cultural change to the clinical space.
What is the prevalence of chronic venous disease among health care workers? A scoping review
Authors: Benn Sarah , Moore Zena , Patton Declan , O'Connor Tom , Nugent Linda , Harkin Denis , Avsar Pinar
Published: May 2023

Chronic venous disease (CVD) occurs because of structural or functional disturbances to the venous system of the lower limbs. Signs and symptoms include leg pain, swelling, varicose veins, and skin changes, with venous ulceration ultimately occurring in severe disease. To assess the prevalence of CVD among health care workers, a scoping review of existing publications exploring the prevalence of CVD among health care workers was conducted in July 2022. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines were used. A total of 15 papers met the inclusion criteria and these formed the basis of the review. Among health care workers, the mean prevalence of CVD was 58.5% and the mean prevalence for varicose veins was 22.1%. There is an increased prevalence of CVD in health care workers when compared with the general population. Therefore, there is a need for early diagnosis and the use of preventative measures to protect health care workers from CVD and varicose vein development.
Disruption of the left anterior ventrolateral temporal cortex along with the inferior longitudinal fasciculus impairs the ability to retrieve famous face names: Evidence from three longitudinal case studies
Authors: Burkhardt Eléonor , Lemaitre Anne‐Laure , Ng Sam , Moritz‐Gasser Sylvie , Hirsch Fabrice , Duffau Hugues , Herbet Guillaume
Published: May 2023

The cortical distribution of the proper name (PN) retrieval network has been widely studied contrary to its connectional anatomy. Here, we report the case of three patients with a low‐grade glioma damaging the mid‐to‐anterior part of the left temporal lobe. A longitudinal behavioural assessment showed that the surgery caused a long‐lasting decline in PN retrieval performances in all patients. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of surgery‐related structural disconnections revealed that interruption of the inferior longitudinal fasciculus was the unique common denominator.
Partial Klüver–Bucy syndrome in a Paediatric patient: A post‐neurosurgical and neuropsychological cases
Authors: Hernández‐Martínez Alejandra Estefanía , Serrano‐Juárez Carlos Alberto , Barrera‐Medellín Karen Grisel , Ramírez‐Quiroga Cecilia Inés , Ramírez‐Reyes Alma Griselda , Casarrubias Islas Roberto , Prieto‐Corona Belén
Published: May 2023

A variety of cognitive, behavioural, and emotional impairments have been reported in the literature that are associated with the resection of the temporal cortex. Klüver–Bucy syndrome is one infrequently reported disorder in the paediatric population. This paper describes the neuropsychological findings of a female paediatric patient at 7 and 10 years of age with a diagnosis of partial Klüver–Bucy syndrome (pKBS) following total resection of the amygdala and right hippocampus to resect a glioma. The patient presented emotional problems, aggressiveness, hypermetamorphosis, social indifference, and behavioural dysexecutive syndrome, which was found at both 7 and 10 years, but with a decrease in the severity of alterations in attention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, and aggressive behaviour in a second evaluation after she had a neuropsychological intervention. These findings describe the neuropsychological profile of paediatric case with resection of the amygdala and right temporal lobe.
Buying vertically farmed produce: Comparison of people with lower and higher stated purchase likelihood
Authors: Ares Gastón , Chheang Sok L. , Jaeger Sara R.
Published: May 2023

The study explored attitudinal and socio‐demographic differences between potential buyers and non‐buyers of lettuce grown in a vertical farming (VF) system. Data were collected from people (n = 2193) in four countries—United States, Germany, Singapore, and Australia. Survey results demonstrated a clear link between positive VF attitude and intention to buy, and similarly for negative attitude and intention to not buy. A key difference between people with “lower” and “higher” purchase likelihood (more or less than 50% probability) was that the former were consistently less positive about the benefits of VF. The consumer groups largely perceived the disadvantages of VF similarly. Socio‐economic differences between the consumer groups related to country of living and having children below the age of 18 living at home. The latter significantly increased the likelihood that consumers would classify a having “higher” purchase likelihood for VF‐grown lettuce. German participants were less likely to have a “higher” purchase likelihood.

Practical applications

Major food system transformations are needed to feed growing global populations and ensure access to heathy diets. Proposed solutions include high‐technology production systems that disentangle food production from natural ecosystems. VF is among these; it is an indoor and fully controlled method for crop production. If most consumers are positive towards VF, as past research suggests, it is paramount that they also purchase VF foods. By comparing consumers who are positively and negatively inclined towards purchasing lettuce from VF, the present research identifies children below the age of 18 living in participants' households as a significant predictor of higher intention to purchase. This may be linked to parental concern for their offspring's future lives in a world likely to be impacted by ecological challenges. A likely positive consequence for VF uptake is that children carry forward some of their food‐related habits and behaviors into adulthood.
The Religious Right and Russia: Christian Nationalism and Americans’ Views on Russia and Vladimir Putin Before and After the Ukrainian Invasion
Authors: Perry Samuel L. , Riccardi‐Swartz Sarah , Davis Joshua T. , Grubbs Joshua B.
Published: May 2023

Since 2016, Americans’ attitudes toward Russia and Vladimir Putin have shifted, with Republicans becoming far more supportive of both. And though condemnation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 remains bipartisan, many Christian‐right leaders still support Putin and Russia. What undergirds this support? Drawing on three national data sets, we theorize Americans’ warmth toward Putin and Russia is reinforced by an ideology that seeks to institutionalize America's mythical Anglo Protestant ethno‐culture—Christian nationalism. Though we propose Christian nationalism's relationship with Russia is more contingent on Russia's geopolitical activity vis‐à‐vis the United States, we theorize that Christian nationalism consistently predicts Putin support due to his authoritarian ethno‐nationalism. April 2018 data show those who affirm America's Christian heritage in the past and/or present are more likely to view Putin and Russia favorably and Russia as our ally. March 2021 data also reveal a linear positive association between Christian nationalism and favorability toward Putin. And March 2022 data reveal a linear positive association between Christian nationalism and admiring Putin's leadership. They also show a U‐shaped curvilinear relationship with viewing Russia as a threat. Paradoxically, Christian nationalism may warm Americans toward foreign authoritarians like Putin even when it compels Americans to perceive their nations as threats.
Effect of using eye masks and earplugs in preventing delirium in intensive care patients: A single‐blinded, randomized, controlled trial
Authors: Kiliç Gülşen , Kav Sultan
Published: May 2023

Background

Delirium, which is frequently encountered in intensive care patients, can be prevented with multicomponent nursing interventions, and thus the negative consequences can be reduced.

Aim

To examine the effect of using eye masks and earplugs in preventing delirium in intensive care units (ICUs).

Study Design

A randomized, controlled, single‐blind intervention study. This study was conducted in the medical and surgical ICUs of a tertiary hospital, and nurses were given pre‐study training on delirium risks, diagnosis, prevention, and management. Data were collected using the patient information form, the Nursing Delirium Screening Scale, the Richard–Campbell Sleep Scale, and the daily follow‐up form. Various environmental modifications were made in the ICUs for all patients, and evidence‐based nonpharmacological nursing interventions were applied to the patients in both groups during the day and night shifts for 3 days. In addition, the patients in the intervention group were provided with eye masks and earplugs for three nights.

Results

The study included a total of 60 patients (30 in the intervention group and 30 in the control group). There was a statistically significant difference in the development of delirium between the intervention and control groups (night of the 2nd day, p = .019; day of the 3rd day p < .001; night of the 3rd day p ≤ .001). The average total sleep quality score of the intervention group was found to be significantly higher than the control group (p ≤ .001 for three nights). Staying in the internal medicine ICU affected (odds ratio [OR], 11.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.00–46.66; p = .017) more on the development of delirium than in coronary ICU, being in the age group of 65 and over, having a hearing impairment, coming to ICU from the operating room, and education level had an effect.

Conclusions

The earplugs and eye masks used by the intensive care patients overnight were found to be effective in increasing sleep quality and preventing delirium.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

The use of eye masks and earplugs is recommended for ICUs in preventing delirium.
Potential influence of nurses’ implicit racial bias on maternal mortality
Authors: Rattan Jesse , Bartlett T. Robin
Published: May 2023

Stark disparities persist in maternal mortality and perinatal outcomes for Black and other birthing people of color, such as Native Americans, and their newborns compared to White people in the United States. An increasing body of research describes the phenomenon of implicit racial bias among providers and how it may affect communication, treatment decisions, the patient care experience, and health outcomes. This synthesis of literature reviews and distills current research on the presence and influence of implicit racial bias among nurses as it may relate to maternal and pregnancy‐related care and outcomes. In this paper, we also summarize what is known about implicit racial bias among other types of healthcare providers and interventions that can mitigate its effects, identify a gap in research, and recommend next steps for nurses and nurse researchers.
On rational convexity of totally real sets
Authors: Boudreaux Blake J. , Shafikov Rasul
Published: May 2023

Under a mild technical assumption, we prove a necessary and sufficient condition for a totally real compact set in to be rationally convex. This generalises a classical result of Duval–Sibony.
A note on Kakeya sets of horizontal and SL(2)$SL(2)$ lines
Authors: Fässler Katrin , Orponen Tuomas
Published: May 2023

We consider unions of lines in . These are lines of the form
where . We show that if is a Kakeya set of lines, then the union has Hausdorff dimension 3. This answers a question of Wang and Zahl. The lines can be identified with horizontal lines in the first Heisenberg group, and we obtain the main result as a corollary of a more general statement concerning unions of horizontal lines. This statement is established via a point‐line duality principle between horizontal and conical lines in , combined with recent work on restricted families of projections to planes, due to Gan, Guo, Guth, Harris, Maldague and Wang. Our result also has a corollary for Nikodym sets associated with horizontal lines, which answers a special case of a question of Kim.
Tissue Growth Model for Maintaining Tensional Homeostasis With Applications to Hypertension and Stented Artery
Authors: Dong Pengfei , Nunes Kenia , Gu Linxia
Published: May 2023

In this work, a theoretical growth model for maintaining a homeostatic mechanical environment was developed to capture the growth behavior of the artery and its association with its mechanical environment. The multiplicative decomposition approach was adopted to decompose the deformation matrix into an elastic term and a growth term. A growth factor relating to homeostatic stress was used to regulate the progressive changes in the arterial morphology. In addition, a growth coefficient was adopted to avoid unlimited growth. The arterial growth model was implemented in a commercial finite element software and tested in the cases of hypertension and stenting. Results have demonstrated that the arterial growth induced by hypertension can mitigate abnormal arterial stresses and restore the stress level in the artery back to its homeostasis. Following stenting, the arterial growth pattern was consistent with the distribution of the von Mises stresses in the artery. The arterial growth homogenized the stress distribution in the artery, except for the regions under the stent struts. The heterogeneous growth of the artery disrupted the alignment of the maximum principal stresses in the artery, elongated the stent, reduced the lumen area, and aggregated the tissue prolapse. It is expected that the growth model developed in this work could help to understand and regulate the chronic response of the tissue. Appropriate modeling of arterial growth in connection with tensional homeostasis provided insights for predicting alterations to the arterial mechanical environment, identifying biomechanical factors leading to restenosis, and designing therapeutic strategies to regulate the tissue adaptations.
Intrinsic Foot Muscle Exercises With and Without Electric Stimulation
Authors: Newsham Katherine R.
Published: May 2023

Context: Exercising intrinsic foot muscles (IFMs) can improve dynamic balance and foot posture. The exercises are not intuitive and electrotherapy (neuromuscular electrical stimulation [NMES]) has been suggested to help individuals execute the exercises. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of training IFM program on dynamic balance and foot posture and compare traditional training methods (TRAIN) with traditional training plus NMES on the perceived workload of the exercises, balance, and foot posture. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Thirty-nine participants were randomized to control, TRAIN, or NMES. TRAIN and NMES performed IFM exercises daily for 4 weeks; NMES received electrotherapy during the first 2 weeks of training. The Y-Balance test and arch height index were measured in all participants at baseline. The training groups were measured again at 2 weeks; all participants were measured at 4 weeks and 8 weeks, after 4 weeks of no training. Perceived workload (National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index) of exercises was assessed throughout the first 2 weeks and at 4 weeks. Results: A 4-week IFM training program demonstrated increases in Y-Balance (P = .01) for TRAIN and in arch height index (seated P = .03; standing P = .02) for NMES, relative to baseline. NMES demonstrated improvement in Y-Balance (P = .02) and arch height index standing (P = .01) at 2 weeks. There were no significant differences between the training groups. Groups were similar in the number responding to exercises in excess of minimal detectable change on all clinical measures. Perceived workload of the exercises decreased during the first 2 weeks of training (P = .02), and more notably at 4 weeks (P < .001). The groups did not differ in how they perceived the workload. Conclusions: A 4-week IFM training program improved dynamic balance and foot posture. Adding NMES in early phases of training provided early improvement in dynamic balance and foot posture, but did not affect perceived workload.
Atmospheric nourishment of global ocean ecosystems
Authors: Westberry T. K. , Behrenfeld M. J. , Shi Y. R. , Yu H. , Remer L. A. , Bian H.
Published: May 2023

Over the vast open ocean, vital nutrients for phytoplankton growth in the sunlit surface layer are largely provided through physical transport from deep waters, but some nutrients are also provided through atmospheric deposition of desert dust. The extent and magnitude of dust-mediated effects on surface ocean ecosystems have been difficult to estimate globally. In this work, we use global satellite ocean color products to demonstrate widespread responses to atmospheric dust deposition across a diverse continuum of phytoplankton nutritional conditions. The observed responses vary regionally, with some areas exhibiting substantial changes in phytoplankton biomass, whereas in other areas, the response reflects a change in physiological status or health. Climate-driven changes in atmospheric aerosols will alter the relative importance of this nutrient source.
A shift in the mechanisms controlling hippocampal engram formation during brain maturation
Authors: Ramsaran Adam I. , Wang Ying , Golbabaei Ali , Aleshin Stepan , de Snoo Mitchell L. , Yeung Bi-ru Amy , Rashid Asim J. , Awasthi Ankit , Lau Jocelyn , Tran Lina M. , Ko Sangyoon Y. , Abegg Andrin , Duan Lana Chunan , McKenzie Cory , Gallucci Julia , Ahmed Moriam , Kaushik Rahul , Dityatev Alexander , Josselyn Sheena A. , Frankland Paul W.
Published: May 2023

The ability to form precise, episodic memories develops with age, with young children only able to form gist-like memories that lack precision. The cellular and molecular events in the developing hippocampus that underlie the emergence of precise, episodic-like memory are unclear. In mice, the absence of a competitive neuronal engram allocation process in the immature hippocampus precluded the formation of sparse engrams and precise memories until the fourth postnatal week, when inhibitory circuits in the hippocampus mature. This age-dependent shift in precision of episodic-like memories involved the functional maturation of parvalbumin-expressing interneurons in subfield CA1 through assembly of extracellular perineuronal nets, which is necessary and sufficient for the onset of competitive neuronal allocation, sparse engram formation, and memory precision.
Writing for the reader
Scientific Papers Made Easy
Stuart West and Lindsay Turnbull
Oxford University Press, 2023. 208 pp.
Authors: Scott-Phillips Thom
Published: May 2023

Clarity and brevity are key to readable research papers
NIH stumbles on ‘pass the harasser’
Authors: Wadman Meredith
Published: May 2023

Agency allowed transfer of grants and handed new money to David Gilbert, despite “severe” behavior
Draft Genome Sequence of Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.) Microsymbiont
Rhizobium
sp. Strain RCAM05973
Authors: Guro Polina , Ulianich Pavel , Belimov Andrey , Sazanova Anna , Kuznetsova Irina , Vishnyakova Margarita , Safronova Vera
Published: May 2023

Here, we present the draft genome sequence of
Rhizobium
sp. strain RCAM05973 which was isolated from a
Cyamopsis tetragonoloba
(guar) root nodule. The genome contains 6,937,221 bp in 2 contigs and has a GC content of 60%.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Marine-Derived, Anticancer Compound-Producing Bacterium
Streptomyces
sp. Strain GMY01
Authors: Widada Jaka , Damayanti Ema , Herdini Camelia , Wijayanti Nastiti , Hosoyama Akira , Yamazoe Atsushi , Suzuki-Minakuchi Chiho , Hariwiyanto Bambang , Mubarika Sofia , Dinoto Achmad , Mustofa  , Nojiri Hideaki
Published: May 2023

The marine
Streptomyces
sp. strain GMY01 was isolated from Indonesian marine sediment. Genome mining analysis revealed that GMY01 has 28 biosynthetic gene clusters, dominated by genes encoding nonribosomal peptide synthetase and polyketide synthase.
Temporal and Habitat Dynamics of Soil Fungal Diversity in Gravel-Sand Mulching Watermelon Fields in the Semi-Arid Loess Plateau of China
Authors: Zhou Wenqing , Zhou Xin , Cai Lei , Jiang Qi , Zhang Rong
Published: May 2023

Gravel-sand mulching is a traditional agricultural practice in arid and semiarid regions, providing a surface barrier for soil and water conservation. However, application of such practice in monocropping systems may lead to outbreaks of several devastating plant diseases, such as watermelon
Fusarium
wilt.
Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Phage Collection against Avian-Pathogenic
Escherichia coli
Authors: Nicolas Marianne , Trotereau Angélina , Culot Antoine , Moodley Arshnee , Atterbury Robert , Wagemans Jeroen , Lavigne Rob , Velge Philippe , Schouler Catherine
Published: May 2023

Colibacillosis, the most common bacterial disease affecting poultry, is mainly treated by antibiotics. Due to the increased prevalence of multidrug-resistant avian-pathogenic
Escherichia coli
, there is an urgent need to assess the efficacy of alternatives to antibiotherapy, such as phage therapy.
hapE
and
hmg1
Mutations Are Drivers of
cyp51A
-Independent Pan-Triazole Resistance in an Aspergillus fumigatus Clinical Isolate
Authors: Souza Ana C. O. , Ge Wenbo , Wiederhold Nathan P. , Rybak Jeffrey M. , Fortwendel Jarrod R. , Rogers P. David
Published: May 2023

Triazole resistance is an important cause of treatment failure and high mortality rates for
A. fumigatus
human infections. Although Cyp51A-associated mutations are frequently identified as the cause of
A. fumigatus
triazole resistance, they do not explain the resistance phenotypes for several isolates.
Bonding Duality and Optoelectronic Properties of Bilayer Carbon Structures Based on the T12 Phase and Penta-Graphene
Authors: Toksumakov A. N. , Baidyshev V. S. , Kvashnin D. G. , Popov Z. I.
Published: May 2023

Bilayer compounds of two-dimensional T12 phase carbon allotrope and penta-graphene have been studied using the electron density functional theory. The stability of the considered two-dimensional structures with different types of stacking order at different temperatures has been estimated from the calculated phonon spectra and molecular dynamics simulation. The stability of the two-dimensional planar structure up to 1350 K has been demonstrated. It has been shown that bilayer penta-graphene compounds with the AA' and AB' stacking orders have energy minima both in the state with the van der Waals interaction and in the form of covalently bonded layers in the AA-T12 and T12 phases. The barrier for the transition between covalently and van der Waals bonded AA' and AB' stacking orders has been analyzed. The calculated electronic and optical characteristics show that the band gap in the case of covalent bonding is much narrower than that in the case of van der Waals bonding.
Neurodevelopment, vision and auditory outcomes at age 2 years in offspring of participants in the ‘Women First’ maternal preconception nutrition randomised controlled trial
Authors: Fernandes Michelle , Krebs Nancy F , Westcott Jamie , Tshefu Antoinette , Lokangaka Adrien , Bauserman Melissa , Garcés Ana L , Figueroa Lester , Saleem Sarah , Aziz Sumera A , Goldenberg Robert L , Goudar Shivaprasad S , Dhaded Sangappa M , Derman Richard J , Kemp Jennifer F , Koso-Thomas Marion , Sridhar Amaanti , M McClure Elizabeth , Hambidge K Michael
Published: May 2023

Background

Maternal nutrition in preconception and early pregnancy influences fetal growth. Evidence for effects of prenatal maternal nutrition on early child development (ECD) in low-income and middle-income countries is limited.

Objectives

To examine impact of maternal nutrition supplementation initiated prior to or during pregnancy on ECD, and to examine potential association of postnatal growth with ECD domains.

Design

Secondary analysis regarding the offspring of participants of a maternal multicountry, individually randomised trial.

Setting

Rural Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guatemala, India and Pakistan.

Participants

667 offspring of Women First trial participants, aged 24 months.

Intervention

Maternal lipid-based nutrient supplement initiated preconceptionally (arm 1, n=217), 12 weeks gestation (arm 2, n=230) or not (arm 3, n=220); intervention stopped at delivery.

Main outcome measures

The INTERGROWTH-21st Neurodevelopment Assessment (INTER-NDA) cognitive, language, gross motor, fine motor, positive and negative behaviour scores; visual acuity and contrast sensitivity scores and auditory evoked response potentials (ERP). Anthropometric z-scores, family care indicators (FCI) and sociodemographic variables were examined as covariates.

Results

No significant differences were detected among the intervention arms for any INTER-NDA scores across domains, vision scores or ERP potentials. After adjusting for covariates, length-for-age z-score at 24 months (LAZ24), socio-economic status, maternal education and FCI significantly predicted vision and INTER-NDA scores (R2=0.11–0.38, p<0.01).

Conclusions

Prenatal maternal nutrition supplementation was not associated with any neurodevelopmental outcomes at age 2 years. Maternal education, family environment and LAZ24predicted ECD. Interventions addressing multiple components of the nurturing care model may offer greatest impact on children’s developmental potential.

Trial registration number

NCT01883193.
Life-threatening complication: the development of necrotising fasciitis in a preterm neonate with omphalitis
Authors: Jamal Maira , Ateeque Kanza , Quddusi Maida Binte Khalid , Qamar Farah Naz
Published: May 2023

Omphalitis is a mild medical condition that can turn severe in exceptional situations leading to necrotising fasciitis. The most common cause of omphalitis is umbilical vein catheterisation (UVC) where the cleanliness measures can be compromised. The treatment options for omphalitis include antibiotics, debridement and supportive care. Sadly, the fatality rate in such cases is high. This report is about a premature female baby who was admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit after her birth at 34 weeks of gestation. UVC was performed on her which led to abnormal changes in the skin around her umbilicus. Further tests revealed that she had omphalitis and was treated with antibiotics and supportive care. Unfortunately, her condition quickly worsened and she was diagnosed with necrotising fasciitis which ultimately resulted in her death. This report provides details about the patient’s symptoms, course of illness and treatment for necrotising fasciitis.
Cystic lesions of the adrenal gland
Authors: Solanki Sanket , Badwal Sonia , Nundy Samiran , Mehta Naimish N
Published: May 2023

Cystic lesions of the adrenal glands are relatively uncommon and most of them are clinically silent. Though rarely associated with malignant changes, they may carry clinically detrimental consequences if misdiagnosed. Cystic adrenal lesions exhibit a broad histomorphological spectrum, ranging from pseudocysts, endothelial cysts, epithelial cysts and parasitic cysts. Here we present the case of a young woman with left-sided abdominal pain and contrast-enhanced CT showing a 10.4×7.7×7.8 cm fluid-filled left suprarenal lesion. The patient underwent exploratory laparotomy with cyst excision, and the histopathological examination of the specimen revealed a pseudocyst of the left adrenal gland. Despite being rare, usually benign and asymptomatic, the diagnosis and management of these cystic lesions of the adrenal glands are often unclear. Any functional lesion, potentially malignant lesion or lesion more than 5 cm deserves surgical management, whereas others can be managed conservatively.
Genetic factors affecting survival in Japanese patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a genome-wide association study and verification in iPSC-derived motor neurons from patients
Authors: Nakamura Ryoichi , Tohnai Genki , Nakatochi Masahiro , Atsuta Naoki , Watanabe Hirohisa , Ito Daisuke , Katsuno Masahisa , Hirakawa Akihiro , Izumi Yuishin , Morita Mitsuya , Hirayama Takehisa , Kano Osamu , Kanai Kazuaki , Hattori Nobutaka , Taniguchi Akira , Suzuki Naoki , Aoki Masashi , Iwata Ikuko , Yabe Ichiro , Shibuya Kazumoto , Kuwabara Satoshi , Oda Masaya , Hashimoto Rina , Aiba Ikuko , Ishihara Tomohiko , Onodera Osamu , Yamashita Toru , Abe Koji , Mizoguchi Kouichi , Shimizu Toshio , Ikeda Yoshio , Yokota Takanori , Hasegawa Kazuko , Tanaka Fumiaki , Nakashima Kenji , Kaji Ryuji , Niwa Jun-ichi , Doyu Manabu , Terao Chikashi , Ikegawa Shiro , Fujimori Koki , Nakamura Shiho , Ozawa Fumiko , Morimoto Satoru , Onodera Kazunari , Ito Takuji , Okada Yohei , Okano Hideyuki , Sobue Gen
Published: May 2023

Background

Several genetic factors are associated with the pathogenesis of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and its phenotypes, such as disease progression. Here, in this study, we aimed to identify the genes that affect the survival of patients with sporadic ALS.

Methods

We enrolled 1076 Japanese patients with sporadic ALS with imputed genotype data of 7 908 526 variants. We used Cox proportional hazards regression analysis with an additive model adjusted for sex, age at onset and the first two principal components calculated from genotyped data to conduct a genome-wide association study. We further analysed messenger RNA (mRNA) and phenotype expression in motor neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-MNs) of patients with ALS.

Results

Three novel loci were significantly associated with the survival of patients with sporadic ALS—FGF1at 5q31.3 (rs11738209, HR=2.36 (95% CI, 1.77 to 3.15), p=4.85×10−9),THSD7Aat 7p21.3 (rs2354952, 1.38 (95% CI, 1.24 to 1.55), p=1.61×10−8) andLRP1at 12q13.3 (rs60565245, 2.18 (95% CI, 1.66 to 2.86), p=2.35×10−8).FGF1andTHSD7Avariants were associated with decreased mRNA expression of each gene in iPSC-MNs and reduced in vitro survival of iPSC-MNs obtained from patients with ALS. The iPSC-MN in vitro survival was reduced when the expression ofFGF1andTHSD7Awas partially disrupted. The rs60565245 was not associated withLRP1mRNA expression.

Conclusions

We identified three loci associated with the survival of patients with sporadic ALS, decreased mRNA expression ofFGF1andTHSD7Aand the viability of iPSC-MNs from patients. The iPSC-MN model reflects the association between patient prognosis and genotype and can contribute to target screening and validation for therapeutic intervention.
Patients’ perceptions on clinical trials outcomes in pulmonary arterial hypertension therapy
Authors: Mai Vicky , Gosselin Camille , Tremblay Élodie , Rompré Gabrielle , Lajoie Annie Christine , Weatherald Jason , Lega Jean-Christophe , Bonnet Sébastien , Provencher Steeve
Published: May 2023

The value placed by patients and their caregivers on the components of composite outcomes in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains unknown. We surveyed the importance of these outcomes from a patients’ and caregivers’ perspective, with participants (n=335, including 257 patients with PAH) rating individual components defining clinical worsening in PAH trials as of critical, major, mild-to-moderate or minor importance. Most outcomes were considered of major or mild-to-moderate importance to patients. Death was the only outcome considered of critical importance. Perceptions of clinical outcomes varied between patients and caregivers. Integrating patients’ perception in the elaboration of clinical trials is essential.
Persistent alveolar inflammatory response in critically ill patients with COVID-19 is associated with mortality
Authors: de Brabander Justin , Boers Leonoor S , Kullberg Robert F J , Zhang Shiqi , Nossent Esther J , Heunks Leo M A , Vlaar Alexander P J , Bonta Peter I , Schultz Marcus J , van der Poll Tom , Duitman JanWillem , Bos Lieuwe D J ,   on behalf of the ArtDECO consortium,   the Amsterdam UMC COVID Study group
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Patients with COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) show limited systemic hyperinflammation, but immunomodulatory treatments are effective. Little is known about the inflammatory response in the lungs and if this could be targeted using high-dose steroids (HDS). We aimed to characterise the alveolar immune response in patients with COVID-19-related ARDS, to determine its association with mortality, and to explore the association between HDS treatment and the alveolar immune response.

Methods

In this observational cohort study, a comprehensive panel of 63 biomarkers was measured in repeated bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and plasma samples of patients with COVID-19 ARDS. Differences in alveolar–plasma concentrations were determined to characterise the alveolar inflammatory response. Joint modelling was performed to assess the longitudinal changes in alveolar biomarker concentrations, and the association between changes in alveolar biomarker concentrations and mortality. Changes in alveolar biomarker concentrations were compared between HDS-treated and matched untreated patients.

Results

284 BAL fluid and paired plasma samples of 154 patients with COVID-19 were analysed. 13 biomarkers indicative of innate immune activation showed alveolar rather than systemic inflammation. A longitudinal increase in the alveolar concentration of several innate immune markers, including CC motif ligand (CCL)20 and CXC motif ligand (CXCL)1, was associated with increased mortality. Treatment with HDS was associated with a subsequent decrease in alveolar CCL20 and CXCL1 levels.

Conclusions

Patients with COVID-19-related ARDS showed an alveolar inflammatory state related to the innate host response, which was associated with a higher mortality. HDS treatment was associated with decreasing alveolar concentrations of CCL20 and CXCL1.
Charged Higgs prospects in extended gauge models
Authors: Coleppa Baradhwaj , Krishna Gokul B. , Sarkar Agnivo
Published: May 2023

In this paper, we explore the collider phenomenology of charged Higgs bosons in the context of a generic Beyond Standard Model scenario with extended gauge and scalar sectors. In such scenarios, the charged Higgs boson can decay via the $$W^{'}Z/ WZ^{'}$$

W

′

Z
/
W

Z

′

channels. We formulate a search strategy for the $$H^{\pm }$$

H
±

in the channel $$\sigma (g b \rightarrow H^{\pm }t){\mathcal{B}\mathcal{R}}(H^{\pm } \rightarrow W' Z)$$

σ

(
g
b
→

H
±

t
)

B
R

(

H
±

→

W
′

Z
)

considering the interesting cascade decay chain $$H^{\pm } \rightarrow W^{'} Z \rightarrow W^{\pm } Z Z$$

H
±

→

W

′

Z
→

W
±

Z
Z

. We find that the charged Higgs can be discovered in final states with multiple hard leptons and/or b-quarks which future LHC experiments with sufficiently large luminosity ($${\mathcal {L}} = 1000~\text {fb}^{-1}$$

L
=
1000

fb

-
1

and above) can probe. We then study the phenomenological implications of our findings in the context of a generic toy model with a $$H^{\pm }$$

H
±

as well as in a more realistic electroweak symmetry breaking scenario.
Semi-Supervised Node Classification via Semi-Global Graph Transformer Based on Homogeneity Augmentation
Authors: Li Jin , Huang Yisong , Chen Xinlong , Fu Yang-Geng
Published: May 2023

As a kind of generalization of Transformers in the graph domain, Global Graph Transformers are good at learning distant knowledge by directly doing information interactions on complete graphs, which differs from Local Graph Transformers interacting on the original structures. However, we find that most prior works focus only on graph-level tasks (e.g., graph classification) and few Graph Transformer models can effectively solve node-level tasks, especially semi-supervised node classification, which obviously has important practical significance due to the limitation and expensiveness of these node labels. In order to fill this gap, this paper first summarizes the theoretical advantages of Graph Transformers. And based on some exploring experiments, we give some discussions on the main cause of their poor practical performance in semi-supervised node classifications. Secondly, based on this analysis, we design a three-stage homogeneity augmentation framework and propose a Semi-Global Graph Transformer. Considering both global and local perspectives, the proposed model combines various technologies including self-distillation, pseudo-label filtering, pre-training and fine-tuning, and metric learning. Furthermore, it simultaneously enhances the structure and the optimization, improving its effectiveness, scalability, and generalizability. Finally, extensive experiments on seven public homogeneous and heterophilous graph benchmarks show that the proposed method can achieve competitive or much better results compared to many baseline models including state-of-the-arts.
DYNAMIC MANAGERIAL CAPABILITIES AND R&D SPENDING: THE ROLE OF CEO FOUNDER STATUS
Authors: HEUBECK TIM , MECKL REINHARD
Published: May 2023

Today’s hypercompetitive economy challenges chief executive officers (CEOs) to make complex yet integral investments in research and development (R&D). Although research has widely discussed R&D spending due to its implications for competitive advantage, it omits whether and how managers’ dynamic capabilities materialise in these long-term investment decisions. This study builds on dynamic managerial capability (DMC) theory to argue that strong managerial-level dynamic capabilities increase R&D spending by improving the capacities of CEOs to sense opportunities and threats, seize them, and reconfigure organisational resources. CEO founder status is additionally proposed as a moderator of this relationship, as founder CEOs differ from professional CEOs in their investment behaviour. The results reveal that DMCs only compositely contribute to R&D investments, while the DMC subcomponents–except for managerial social capital—exert no isolated effects. This study also finds that founder CEOs realise higher R&D investments through their DMCs than their professional counterparts.
Sigma chromatic number of the middle graph of some general families of trees of height 2
Authors: Manamtam Jay-R. A. , Garciano Agnes D. , Tolentino Mark Anthony C.
Published: May 2023

Let [Formula: see text] be a nontrivial connected graph and let [Formula: see text] be a vertex coloring of [Formula: see text] where adjacent vertices may have the same color. For a vertex [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] the color sum [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] is the sum of the colors of the vertices adjacent to [Formula: see text] The coloring [Formula: see text] is said to be a sigma coloring of [Formula: see text] if [Formula: see text] whenever [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are adjacent vertices in [Formula: see text] The minimum number of colors that can be used in a sigma coloring of [Formula: see text] is called the sigma chromatic number of [Formula: see text] and is denoted by [Formula: see text]

In this study, we show that the sigma chromatic number of the middle graph of full binary trees of height [Formula: see text] is 2. We also determine a lower bound for the sigma chromatic number of graphs containing an induced subgraph isomorphic to a complete graph joined by pendant vertices. With this lower bound, we obtain the sigma chromatic number of the middle graph of the graphs [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] stars, bistars, and the middle graph of some families of trees of height 2.