bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maximize the Security for Image Processing Using an Improved Watermarking Approach
Authors: Tyagi Manoj Kumar , Anitha Cuddapah , Ramyadevi R. , Pachar Sunita , Tata Ravi Kumar , Suman Preetam , Ahmadi Fardin
Published: September 2023

Creating a dependable and effective digital image watermarking (WM) method necessitates balancing imperceptibility, resilience, capacity, and security. Several studies have combined spatial and transform domains to meet these needs. We investigated the current state of hybrid digital image WM. When developing a hybrid WM strategy, it is critical to consider software compatibility. Following a brief review of the literature, we used a table to analyse and evaluate current hybrid approaches. Furthermore, the limitations and possibilities of these approaches are discussed. We investigated the limitations of current research methodologies and proposed new research directions. The internet’s role in distributing digital material has resulted in more digitalisation and more complex copyright concerns. Copyright breaches are being reduced through the deployment of innovative digital WM techniques. As a result of this research, a WM system capable of dealing with a wide range of threats is being developed. The goal of this study is to maximise security while maintaining visibility and resilience. Discrete wavelets transform (DWT) and singular value decomposition (SVD) were used to investigate covert operations; DWT was used to isolate each level of the host image, which was then processed using SVD. At the time, normalized correlation was the best method for measuring watermarked images. In research, DWT–SVD was more accurate in detecting assaults; it shows structural similarity index and normalized correlation are 98.4 and 98.35, respectively. Watermarked images can withstand a variety of assaults due to their invisibility and resilience; this system repels assaults that alter pixel values better than traditional methods.
Diagnostic Value of CD25, CD69, and CD134 on Tuberculosis-Specific Antigen-Stimulated CD4+ T Cells for Tuberculous Pleurisy
Authors: Shi Hanlu , Yang Liping , Zhang Fujie , Zhou Yu , Zhou Yonglie
Published: September 2023

Rapid and accurate methods for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy (TP) are urgently needed. Activation markers of tuberculosis (TB)–reactive T cells are considered promising for the diagnosis of active TB (ATB). Different activation indexes may play different roles in the progression of TB, but there are few reports on T cell activation indicators, except for HLA-DR. Hence, we evaluated the expression of early (CD25 and CD69) and late (CD134) activation markers on TB antigen-stimulated CD4+ T cells in populations with different TB infection status and investigated their diagnostic value for ATB, particularly, for TP. Moreover, we compared the differences in the diagnostic efficacy among the indexes from peripheral blood (PB) and pleural fluid (PF) for TP. The expression of each activation marker was significantly increased in TB-infected populations (patients with ATB and latent TB infection vs. healthy individuals; patients with TP vs. non-TP) and was significantly higher in the PF than in the PB of patients with TP. The diagnostic performance of the coexpressed activation markers was superior to that of single expression markers in the differential diagnosis of ATB and non-TB, with CD25+CD134+ showing the best diagnostic efficiency (AUC: 0.93, 95% CI, 0.87–0.99; sensitivity: 86.7%, 95% CI, 72.5%–94.5%; and specificity: 94.0%, 95% CI, 82.5%–98.4%). Except for TB-IGRA, the activation indexes were more accurate than conventional laboratory methods for ATB diagnosis. In addition, the expression of CD25+CD134+ in PB and PF was the best values for differential diagnosis of TP and NTP, with AUCs of 0.87 (95% CI, 0.77–0.96) and 0.95 (95% CI, 0.90–1.00), respectively. Our study provides information on the diagnostic value of different activation markers for TB and shows that the expression of CD25+CD134+ on CD4+ T cells in PF can serve as a potential marker for TP diagnosis.
Joint Virtual Machine Selection and Computation Resource Allocation in Mobile Edge Computing
Authors: Yang Huifeng , Meng Xianglong , Li Yichao , Wei Yong , Shang Li , Wang Jiucheng , Lin Peng
Published: September 2023

Mobile edge computing (MEC) is considered as an effective technology to enhance the storage and computation capability of smart power sensors (SPSs) in smart grid networks. The MEC server is composed of multiple virtual machines (VMs) with powerful computation capability, and each VM can process multiple tasks independently, which cannot be ignored during the task computation period. In this work, we aim to minimize the energy consumption of SPSs subject to the task offloading delay by jointly optimizing the VM selection and computation resource allocation. Considering the formulated problem is nonconvex, we first utilize the linearization method to transform it into a convex optimization problem. And then, by using the branch and bound method, we propose the joint VM selection and computation resource allocation (JVMSRA) algorithm. Considering the complexity of the JVMSRA algorithm is high, we decompose the primal problem into two subproblems and solve them by utilizing the ant colony method and CVX package, respectively. Based on the solutions of the two subproblems, the resource allocation‐based ant colony (RAAC) algorithm is proposed. Simulation results show that the proposed RAAC algorithm and JVMSRA algorithm decrease by 6% and 8.8% on average compared with the benchmark algorithm, respectively, when the computation resources of each VM increase from 1 to 3GHz.
Patellar Tendon Rupture 12 Years after ACL Reconstruction with BPTB Autograft
Authors: Paiz Christopher C. , Richter Dustin L.
Published: September 2023

We present a case of a 33-year-old male with a history of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) with bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) autograft and prior ipsilateral hamstring harvest, who presented with a complete patella tendon rupture (PTR) 12 years after ACLR. The patient underwent a successful patellar tendon (PT) repair augmented with Achilles tendon allograft and cerclage with nonabsorbable suture tape. PTR after ACLR with BPTB autograft is rare, particularly in patients over a decade out from the index procedure, but can occur. This case report highlights a novel technique for PT repair following BTB ACLR in a hamstring deficient knee.
Healthcare Professionals’ Experiences with Functional Independence Measure (FIM) as a Structured Framework for Interprofessional Team Meetings in Danish Stroke Rehabilitation: A Qualitative Cross-Sectoral Collaborative Study
Authors: Lauesen Jon Damsager , Larsen Kristian , Lykke Johanne Laursen , Christensen Mona , Arens Christian Hedelund , Bigum Hanne
Published: September 2023

Purpose. An ethnographic and phenomenological mapping of the experiences of healthcare professionals with the functional independence measure (FIM) in stroke rehabilitation. Methods. This is a cross-sectoral qualitative study with triangulation of data from two focus group interviews, 15 individual interviews, and 11 participant observations of FIM assessments performed by six different healthcare professions in interprofessional teams. FIM assessments were performed at hospital and in a community rehabilitation centre as interprofessional meetings with a local facilitator certified in FIM. Results. Three overarching themes, learning space, improved interprofessional collaboration, and transferability, emerged from the data. The use of FIM within the provided structures established an environment that allowed the various healthcare professionals (HCP) to learn with, about, and from each other. This is perceived as promoting interprofessional collaboration and enhancing patient-specific knowledge within the interprofessional team. The established patient-specific knowledge is specific to the individual team and is difficult to transfer intraorganisationally and across sectors. Conclusion. FIM was a catalyst for improved interprofessional knowledge transfer and interprofessional collaboration within the individual teams, but intraorganisational and cross-sectoral dissemination of patient-specific knowledge was limited.
State-of-the-Art Review: Fiber-Reinforced Soil as a Proactive Approach for Liquefaction Mitigation and Risk Management
Authors: Alqawasmeh Hasan , Alzubi Yazan , Mahamied Ali
Published: September 2023

Soil liquefaction is a phenomenon that occurs in which the behavior of soils changes from solid to viscous liquid due to the effect of earthquake intensity or other sudden loadings. The earthquake results in excess pore water pressure, which leads to saturated loose soil with weaker characteristics and potentially causes large ground deformation and lateral spreading. Soil liquefaction is a dangerous event that can lead to catastrophic outcomes for humans and infrastructures, especially in countries prone to earthquake shaking, where soil liquefaction is considered one of the most prevalent types of ground failure. Hence, precautions to reduce and/or prevent soil liquefaction are essential and required. One of the countermeasures to avoid soil liquefaction is the introduction of fibers in the soil since fibers can act as reinforcement by enhancing the soil’s strength and resistance to liquefaction. The process of including fibers into the soil is known as soil stabilization and is considered one of the ground improvement techniques. Therefore, this paper aims to summarize and review the consequences of adding fiber as a reinforcement technique to overcome the issue of soil liquefaction.
A Mathematical Model of the Dynamics of Coffee Berry Disease
Authors: Nyaberi H. O. , Mutuku W. N. , Malonza D. M. , Gachigua G. W.
Published: September 2023

Coffee berry disease (CBD) is a fungal disease caused by Colletotrichum kahawae. CBD is a major constraint to coffee production to Kenya and Africa at large. In this research paper, we formulate a mathematical model of the dynamics of the coffee berry disease. The model consists of coffee plant population in a plantation and Colletotrichum kahawae pathogen population. We derived the basic reproduction number

R

k
0

, and analyzed the dynamical behaviors of both disease-free equilibrium and endemic equilibrium by the theory of ordinary differential equations. Using the MATLAB ode45 solver, we carried out numerical simulation, and the findings are consistent with the theoretical results.
Levodopa Prescription Patterns in Patients with Advanced Parkinson’s Disease: A Japanese Database Analysis
Authors: Takeda Atsushi , Baba Toru , Watanabe Jun , Nakayama Masahiko , Hozawa Hiroyuki , Ishido Miwako
Published: September 2023

Prescription doses of levodopa in patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD) are generally lower in Japan than in the United States or Europe, although Japanese guidelines for the management of PD recommend increasing the dosage as the disease progresses. However, data regarding levodopa prescription practices in patients with advanced PD in the clinical setting are limited. This retrospective observational study analyzed patterns of drug use for patients with advanced PD in Japan using claims data from hospitalized patients in the Medical Data Vision Co. database. Eligible patients had at least two PD-associated claims in two different quarters between April 1, 2008, and November 30, 2018, and a 10-item activities of daily living score <60 upon hospital discharge (as a proxy for advanced PD). The primary endpoint was the prescribed dosage of levodopa at the index hospitalization. Dosages of other PD drugs (medications with an on-label indication for PD) and non-PD drugs were also assessed. Overall, 4029 patients met the inclusion criteria (mean age, 76.9 years; 83.3% aged ≥70 years). At the index date, 74.0% were receiving levodopa. Patients received a median of one PD drug in addition to levodopa, and 27.4% and 20.2% received one or two concomitant PD drugs, respectively. Patients received a median of two non-PD drugs. The median levodopa dosage and total levodopa equivalent dosage (LED) at the index hospitalization were 418.2 and 634.8 mg/day (adjusted for body weight, 9.0 and 13.7 mg/kg/day), respectively. The median levodopa and total LED dosage in each 6-month increment during the 5 years before and after the index date ranged between 263.9 and 330.2 mg/day (5.0 and 6.5 mg/kg/day) and 402.0 and 504.9 mg/day (8.3 and 10.1 mg/kg/day), respectively. This study suggests that many Japanese patients with advanced PD could receive more intensive treatment with higher doses of levodopa.
Figure S2 from Effects and Eradication of Mycoplasma Contamination on Patient-derived Colorectal Cancer Organoid Cultures
Authors: Dayanidhi Divya L. , Watlington Wylie K. , Mantyh John B. , Rupprecht Gabrielle , Hsu David S.
Published: September 2023

IC50 curves for one round of standard of care drug treatment
Data from Fusobacterium nucleatum Load Correlates with KRAS Mutation and Sessile Serrated Pathogenesis in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Takeda Koki , Koi Minoru , Okita Yoshiki , Sajibu Sija , Keku Temitope O. , Carethers John M.
Published: September 2023

Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) has been frequently detected in colorectal cancer. A high load of Fn has been associated with subtypes of colorectal cancers, located in the proximal colon, exhibiting microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H), MLH1 promoter hypermethylation, the CpG island hypermethylation phenotype-high, or BRAF mutation in some studies. Although these features characterize the sessile serrated pathway (SSP) of colon cancers, other studies have shown that Fn infection is associated with KRAS mutations mainly characteristic of non-serrated neoplasia. It is also not clear at what point the association of Fn infection with these genomic alterations is established during colorectal carcinogenesis. Here we show that MSI-H, MLH1 hypermethylation, BRAF mutation or KRAS mutations were independently associated with Fn infection in colorectal cancer. On the other hand, increasing Fn copy number in tissues was associated with increased probability to exhibit MSI-H, MLH1 hypermethylation or BRAF mutations but not KRAS mutations in colorectal cancer. We also show that Fn load was significantly less than that of colorectal cancer and no association was detected between BRAF/KRAS mutations or MLH1 hypermethylation and Fn infection in adenomas. Our combined data suggest that increasing loads of Fn during and/or after adenomacarcinoma transition might promote SSP but not KRAS-driven colorectal carcinogenesis. Alternatively, Fn preferentially colonizes colorectal cancers with SSP and KRAS mutations but can expand more in colorectal cancers with SSP.
Significance:
The authors demonstrated that Fn is enriched in colorectal cancers exhibiting the SSP phenotype, and in colorectal cancers carrying KRAS mutations. Fn infection should be considered as a candidate risk factor specific to colorectal cancers with the SSP phenotype and with KRAS mutations.
Topic Particles, Agreement, and Movement in an Arabic Dialect
Authors: Alshamari Murdhy , Holmberg Anders
Published: September 2023

The dialect of North Hail, a variety of Najdi Arabic, has a set of sentence-initial particles marking topics of various kinds that correspond to those argued by Frascarelli and Hinterhölzl (2007) to be characteristic of Italian and German: Shift-Topic, Contrastive Topic, and Familiar Topic. In their work, as in much other work in the cartographic tradition, a hierarchy of abstract topic heads is postulated in the C-domain, which host the topical phrases as specifiers. In North Hail Arabic, the topic heads are overt, realized as particles. Some of the topic heads mark topics by attraction to the C-domain; other particles mark topics by ϕ-feature agreement. The particles in the C-domain agree in ϕ-features with a TP-internal DP, subject or object. Analyzed in terms of Agree (Chomsky 2001, 2008), arguments and adverbials are assigned particular topic values either by agreement or by movement. The particles thus provide evidence that topicality can be a syntactic feature, inherent in lexical items (the particles) and assigned to constituents by operations familiar from standard syntactic relations like subject agreement and case. The theory articulated observes the Inclusiveness Condition, known to be a problem for the cartographic theory of topic and focus.
Benign and Radical Africanization in International Investment Law and Investor-State Dispute Settlement in Africa
Authors: Mbori Harrison Otieno
Published: September 2023

The current Africanization approaches mask some nuances present in current reform efforts of international investment law (IIL) and investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS) in Africa. I adopt the categorization of international law scholarship in Africa developed elsewhere into two trends: contributionist (weak) and critical (strong) scholarship. For reforms in African IIL and ISDS, I relabel this trends benign Africanization representing the contributionist (weak) strand and radical Africanization representing the critical (strong) strand. I argue that African states must focus on wider economic justice engendered in the radical Africanization approach. I propose three lines of action that will implement radical Africanization: first African States, in their reforms, must focus on both extra and intra-African investment; second, the reforms must engage deeply seated substantive issues in addition to the current procedural reforms; and finally, African States must have a real reckoning and engagement with the imperial history of IIL generally and ISDS specifically.
International Investment Law Reforms and the Draft Business and Human Rights Treaty: The More Things Change, the More They Remain the Same?
Authors: Lichuma Caroline
Published: September 2023

Foreign investors enjoy the best of both worlds, often to the detriment of local communities, indigenous groups and other rightsholders who suffer violations in their wake. Such investors operate transnationally and access vast amounts of resources in host States around the world enjoying substantial rights secured through numerous trade and investment agreements while their human rights and other obligations remain less clear and more difficult to enforce. Given the relatively undertheorized interaction between efforts to come up with a binding treaty within the regime of business and human rights (BHR) and the reforms currently underway in the regime of international investment law (IIL), this contribution argues that despite reforms in IIL and progress towards a BHR treaty, rightsholders are likely to remain under protected in reality.
Analysis of asymptomatic Drosophila models for ALS and SMA reveals convergent impact on functional protein complexes linked to neuro-muscular degeneration
Authors: Garcia-Vaquero Marina L. , Heim Marjorie , Flix Barbara , Pereira Marcelo , Palin Lucile , Marques Tânia M. , Pinto Francisco R. , de Las Rivas Javier , Voigt Aaron , Besse Florence , Gama-Carvalho Margarida
Published: September 2023

Background

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) share phenotypic and molecular commonalities, including the fact that they can be caused by mutations in ubiquitous proteins involved in RNA metabolism, namely SMN, TDP-43 and FUS. Although this suggests the existence of common disease mechanisms, there is currently no model to explain the resulting motor neuron dysfunction. In this work we generated a parallel set of Drosophila models for adult-onset RNAi and tagged neuronal expression of the fly orthologues of the three human proteins, named Smn, TBPH and Caz, respectively. We profiled nuclear and cytoplasmic bound mRNAs using a RIP-seq approach and characterized the transcriptome of the RNAi models by RNA-seq. To unravel the mechanisms underlying the common functional impact of these proteins on neuronal cells, we devised a computational approach based on the construction of a tissue-specific library of protein functional modules, selected by an overall impact score measuring the estimated extent of perturbation caused by each gene knockdown.

Results

Transcriptome analysis revealed that the three proteins do not bind to the same RNA molecules and that only a limited set of functionally unrelated transcripts is commonly affected by their knock-down. However, through our integrative approach we were able to identify a concerted effect on protein functional modules, albeit acting through distinct targets. Most strikingly, functional annotation revealed that these modules are involved in critical cellular pathways for motor neurons, including neuromuscular junction function. Furthermore, selected modules were found to be significantly enriched in orthologues of human neuronal disease genes.

Conclusions

The results presented here show that SMA and ALS disease-associated genes linked to RNA metabolism functionally converge on neuronal protein complexes, providing a new hypothesis to explain the common motor neuron phenotype. The functional modules identified represent promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets, namely given their alteration in asymptomatic settings.
The NIH Comparative Genomics Resource: addressing the promises and challenges of comparative genomics on human health
Authors: Bornstein Kristin , Gryan Gary , Chang E. Sally , Marchler-Bauer Aron , Schneider Valerie A.
Published: September 2023

Comparative genomics is the comparison of genetic information within and across organisms to understand the evolution, structure, and function of genes, proteins, and non-coding regions (Sivashankari and Shanmughavel, Bioinformation 1:376-8, 2007). Advances in sequencing technology and assembly algorithms have resulted in the ability to sequence large genomes and provided a wealth of data that are being used in comparative genomic analyses. Comparative analysis can be leveraged to systematically explore and evaluate the biological relationships and evolution between species, aid in understanding the structure and function of genes, and gain a better understanding of disease and potential drug targets. As our knowledge of genetics expands, comparative genomics can help identify emerging model organisms among a broader span of the tree of life, positively impacting human health. This impact includes, but is not limited to, zoonotic disease research, therapeutics development, microbiome research, xenotransplantation, oncology, and toxicology. Despite advancements in comparative genomics, new challenges have arisen around the quantity, quality assurance, annotation, and interoperability of genomic data and metadata. New tools and approaches are required to meet these challenges and fulfill the needs of researchers. This paper focuses on how the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Comparative Genomics Resource (CGR) can address both the opportunities for comparative genomics to further impact human health and confront an increasingly complex set of challenges facing researchers.
Anaplasma phagocytophilum Ats-1 enhances exosome secretion through Syntenin-1
Authors: Li Ruirui , Ma Zhongchen , Zheng Wei , Xiao Yangyang , Wang Zhen , Yi Jihai , Wang Yong , Chen Chuangfu
Published: September 2023

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an intracellular obligate parasite that causes granulocytic anaplasmosis. Effector Ats-1 is an important virulence factor of A. phagocytophilum. Multiomics screening and validation has been used to determine that Ats-1 regulates host cell apoptosis and energy metabolism through the respiratory chain mPTP axis. In this study, a total of 19 potential binding proteins of Ats-1 in host cells were preliminarily screened using a yeast two-hybrid assay, and the interaction between syntenin-1 (SDCBP) and Ats-1 was identified through immunoprecipitation. Bioinformatics analysis showed that SDCBP interacted with SDC1, SDC2, and SDC4 and participated in the host exosome secretion pathway. Further studies confirmed that Ats-1 induced the expression of SDC1, SDC2, and SDC4 in HEK293T cells through SDCBP and increased the exosome secretion of these cells. This indicated that SDCBP played an important role in Ats-1 regulating the exosome secretion of the host cells. These findings expand our understanding of the intracellular regulatory mechanism of A. phagocytophilum, which may enhance its own infection and proliferation by regulating host exosome pathways.
How do we define high and low dose intensity of heart failure medications: a scoping review
Authors: Kwak Min Ji , Wang Qian , Onyebeke Chukwuma , Holder Travis , Goyal Parag , Aparasu Rajender , Dhoble Abhjeet , Holmes Holly M.
Published: September 2023

Background

Older adults with heart failure often experience adverse drug events with high doses of heart failure medications. Recognizing whether a patient is on a high or low dose intensity heart failure medication can be helpful for daily practice, since it could potentially guide the physician on which symptoms to look for, whether from overdosing or underdosing. However, the current guideline does not provide sufficient information about the dose intensity below the target dose. Furthermore, the definition of high or low-intensity heart failure medication is unclear, and there is no consensus.

Methods

To close the knowledge gap, we conducted a scoping review of the current literature to identify the most frequently used definition of high versus low doses of heart failure medications. We searched Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library using comprehensive search terms that can capture the intensity of heart failure medications.

Results

We reviewed 464 articles, including 144 articles that had information about beta-blockers (BB), 179 articles about angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi), 75 articles about angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), 80 articles about diuretics, 37 articles about mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA), and 33 articles about angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI). For hydralazine with isosorbide dinitrate or ivabradine, we could not identify any eligible articles. We identified 40 medications with most frequently used definitions of dose intensity. Four medications (nadolol, pindolol, cilazapril, and torsemide) did not reach consensus in definitions. Most of the BBs, ACEis, or ARBs used the definition of low being < 50% of the target dose and high being ≥ 50% of the target dose from the guideline. However, for lisinopril and losartan, the most commonly used definitions of high or low were from pivotal clinical trials with a pre-defined definition of high or low.

Conclusion

Our comprehensive scoping review studies identified the most frequently used definition of dose intensity for 40 medications but could not identify the definitions for 4 medications. The results of the current scoping review will be helpful for clinicians to have awareness whether the currently prescribed dose is considered high - requiring close monitoring of side effects, or low - requiring more aggressive up-titration.
Hysteresis effects of different levels of storm flooding on susceptible enteric infectious diseases in a central city of China
Authors: Luo Piao-yi , Chen Meng-xiang , Kuang Wen-tao , Ni Han , Zhao Jin , Dai Hao-yun , Ren Xiang , Yi Shang-hui , Hong Xiu-qin , Zha Wen-ting , Lv Yuan
Published: September 2023

Background

Recently, attention has focused on the impact of global climate change on infectious diseases. Storm flooding is an extreme weather phenomenon that not only impacts the health of the environment but also worsens the spread of pathogens. This poses a significant challenge to public health security. However, there is still a lack of research on how different levels of storm flooding affect susceptible enteric infectious diseases over time.

Methods

Data on enteric infectious diseases, storm flooding events, and meteorology were collected for Changsha, Hunan Province, between 2016 and 2020. The Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test was used to identify the enteric infectious diseases that are susceptible to storm flooding. Then, the lagged effects of different levels of storm flooding on susceptible enteric infectious diseases were analyzed using a distributed lag nonlinear model.

Results

There were eleven storm flooding events in Changsha from 2016 to 2020, concentrated in June and July. 37,882 cases of enteric infectious diseases were reported. During non-flooding days, the daily incidence rates of typhoid/paratyphoid and bacillary dysentery were 0.3/100,000 and 0.1/100,000, respectively. During flooding days, the corresponding rates increased to 2.0/100,000 and 0.8/100,000, respectively. The incidence rates of both diseases showed statistically significant differences between non-flooding and flooding days. Correlation analysis shows that the best lags for typhoid/paratyphoid and bacillary dysentery relative to storm flooding events may be 1 and 3 days. The results of the distributed lag nonlinear model showed that typhoid/paratyphoid had the highest cumulative RR values of 2.86 (95% CI: 1.71–4.76) and 8.16 (95% CI: 2.93–22.67) after 4 days of general flooding and heavy flooding, respectively; and bacillary dysentery had the highest cumulative RR values of 1.82 (95% CI: 1.40–2.35) and 3.31 (95% CI: 1.97–5.55) after 5 days of general flooding and heavy flooding, respectively.

Conclusions

Typhoid/paratyphoid and bacillary dysentery are sensitive enteric infectious diseases related to storm flooding in Changsha. There is a lagging effect of storm flooding on the onset of typhoid/paratyphoid and bacillary dysentery, with the best lagging periods being days 1 and 3, respectively. The cumulative risk of typhoid/paratyphoid and bacillary dysentery was highest at 4/5 days lag, respectively. The higher of storm flooding, the higher the risk of disease, which suggests that the authorities should take appropriate preventive and control measures before and after storm flooding.
Perceptions of a virtual education platform: how plastic surgery education has progressed during the COVID-19 pandemic at one academic institution
Authors: Song Siyou , Nguyen Audrey , Rosser Micaela , Steiner Gabriela , Kim Esther A.
Published: September 2023

Background

To continue education during the COVID-19 pandemic, we implemented a Virtual Education Platform (VEP) and Virtual Visiting Professorship (VVP) in March 2020 into our plastic surgery residency curriculum. This study investigated resident and guest speaker perceptions of the VEP since the start of the pandemic.

Methods

The VEP consists of weekly VVP lectures and usual conferences held over Zoom. In May 2020, residents and speakers completed surveys that assessed the perceptions of the VEP using a 5-point Likert scale and open-ended responses. In August 2021, residents also completed follow-up surveys.

Results

A total of 19 (100%) residents and 10 (100%) speakers responded to the 2020 surveys and 15 (88.2%) residents responded to the 2021 follow-up survey. Speakers represented nine academic institutions, one international. 74% of residents responded that they learned a lot or a great deal from the VVP. In 2021, 100% of residents agreed that virtual conferences should remain a core component in PRS residency education, even after social distancing requirements subside.

The VVP lectures were mentioned as the most helpful lectures in both years. Easy accessibility without travel time was the most mentioned advantage of the VEP in both years, with significantly more residents citing this benefit in 2021 (p = 0.0076). The most reported disadvantage for residents was the lack of social interaction and community in both years, with significantly more residents in 2021 citing this as a disadvantage (p = 0.0307). Residents’ attitudes also shifted such that significantly more residents liked and were satisfied with the VVP lectures from 2020 to 2021 (p = 0.04).

Conclusion

Over a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, resident perceptions of a virtual education platform and virtual visiting professorship were very positive. The quick development, implementation, and high efficacy of these educational experiences underscore that learning is possible in alternative forms in unprecedented times.
Memory rehabilitation during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Varela-Aldás José Luis , Buele Jorge , Pérez Doris , Palacios-Navarro Guillermo
Published: September 2023

Background

Loss of cognitive and executive functions is a problem that affects people of all ages. That is why it is important to perform exercises for memory training and prevent early cognitive deterioration. The aim of this work was to compare the cognitive performance of the participants after an intervention by using two mnemonic techniques to exercise memory functions (paired-associate learning and method of loci).

Methods

A longitudinal study was conducted with 21 healthy participants aged 18 to 55 years over a 2-month period. To assess the impact of this proposal, the NEUROPSI brief battery cognitive assessment test was applied before and after the intervention. In each session, a previous cognitive training was carried out using the paired-associate learning technique, to later perform a task based on the loci method, all from a smart device-based application. The accuracy response and reaction times were automatically collected in the app.

Results

After the intervention, a statistically significant improvement was obtained in the neuropsychological assessment (NEUROPSI neuropsychological battery) reflected by the Wilcoxon paired signed-rank test (P < .05).

Conclusion

The task based on the method of loci also reflected the well-known age-related effects common to memory assessment tasks. Episodic memory training using the method of loci can be successfully implemented using a smart device app. A stage-based methodological design allows to acquire mnemic skills gradually, obtaining a significant cognitive improvement in a short period of time.
Construction of nursing-sensitive quality indicators for the care of patients with prone position ventilation using the Delphi method
Authors: Chen Xiuwen , Liao Peng , Zhou Yang
Published: September 2023

Background

Prone position ventilation (PPV) has gradually become an adjuvant treatment to improve oxygenation in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Scientific and comprehensive evaluation of the quality of nursing care for patients with PPV is of great significance to ensure the effectiveness of treatment and patient safety. However, there are no established objective indicators for evaluating the quality of nursing care for patients with PPV. This study intended to identify a set of scientific, systematic and clinically applicable nursing-sensitive quality indicators for the care of patients with PPV.

Methods

Based on the Donabedian structure-process-result theory model, the quality evaluation indicators of nursing care for patients with PPV were preliminarily constructed based on an evidence-based perspective, and two rounds of Delphi surveys were conducted with the purpose of collecting opinions from a panel of independent experts.

Results

The questionnaire recovery rates of the two rounds of correspondence were 100.00% and 95.00%, the recovery rates of expert opinions were 80.00% and 26.32%, the expert authority coefficient values were 0.89, and the Kendall coordination coefficient W values were 0.110 and 0.133, respectively. The final nursing-sensitive quality indicators for the care of patients with PPV included 3 first-level indicators, 9 s-level indicators and 29 third-level indicators.

Conclusion

The constructed nursing-sensitive quality indicators for the care of patients with PPV involve quality supervision during the whole process of PPV from three dimensions: structure, process and results. These indicators have strong operability, reliability, practicability and scientificity and can provide a reference for the quality evaluation and monitoring of nursing care for patients with PPV.

Implications for nursing management

The quality indicators of nursing care for patients with PPV constructed in this research are scientific and reliable, and the content of the quality indicators can better reflect the technical characteristics of special nursing. Nursing managers are encouraged to use these quality indicators to evaluate the quality of clinical nursing care and improve safety for patients with PPV.
Disulfidptosis-associated long non-coding RNA signature predicts the prognosis, tumor microenvironment, and immunotherapy and chemotherapy options in colon adenocarcinoma
Authors: Xue Weijie , Qiu Kang , Dong Bingzi , Guo Dong , Fu Junhua , Zhu Chengzhan , Niu Zhaojian
Published: September 2023

Background

Disulfidptosis is independent of apoptosis, ferroptosis, and cuproptosis and is associated with cancer progression, treatment response, and prognosis. However, the predictive potential of disulfidptosis-associated lncRNAs in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) and their features in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) require further elucidation.

Methods

RNA transcriptome, clinical information, and mutation data of COAD samples were obtained from the TCGA database. The risk model was first constructed by co-expression analysis of disulfidptosis genes and lncRNAs, and prognostic lncRNAs were screened using Cox regression, followed by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis. Enrichment analyses were performed to explore the underlying biological functions and signaling of model-associated differentially expressed genes (MADEGs). Moreover, TIME of MADEGs was analyzed to assess the immunotherapy. Finally, the expression levels of the lncRNAs were verified by taking specimens of patients with COAD from the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University.

Results

We constructed a prognosis-related risk model based on four disulfidptosis-associated lncRNAs (ZEB1-AS1, SNHG16, SATB2-AS1, and ALMS1-IT1). By analyzing the survival of patients in the whole, training, and test groups, we found that patients with COAD in the low-risk group had better overall survival than those in the high-risk group. Validation of the model via Cox analysis and clinical indicators demonstrated that the model had a decent potential for predicting the prognosis of patients with COAD. Enrichment analyses revealed that the MADEGs were related to disulfidptosis-associated biological functions and cancer pathways. Furthermore, patients with COAD in the high-risk group had more positive responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) than those in the low-risk group, as confirmed by TIME analysis. ZEB1-AS1, SNHG16, and ALMS1-IT1 were expressed at higher levels in tumor samples than those in the corresponding paracancerous samples (p < 0.05), whereas SATB2-AS1 was upregulated in the paracancerous samples (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

This signature may guide prognosis, molecular mechanisms, and treatment strategies, including ICIs and chemotherapy, in patients with COAD.
Molecular and cytogenetic analysis of small supernumerary marker chromosomes in prenatal diagnosis
Authors: Yang Yang , Hao Wang
Published: September 2023

Background

Small supernumerary marker chromosome (sSMC) is a structurally abnormal chromosome of unknown origin by conventional cytogenetics. The understanding of clinical significance of sSMC is still limited in prenatal diagnosis. The presence of sSMC poses a challenge for genetic counselling.

Methods

We obtained the clinical information of 25 cases with sSMC. The fetal samples were subjected to multiple molecular and cytogenetic approaches including karyotype analysis, chromosomal microarray analysis, bacterial artificial chromosomes-on-beads assay, and fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Results

Seven sSMCs were found to be r(X), and five of the cases terminated the pregnancy. Three markers were idic(15), and one of the cases was normal at birth. Two markers were i(12p), and both cases terminated the pregnancy. Other markers were r(Y) (outcome: normal at birth), i(18p) (outcome: stillbirth), der(15) (outcome: terminated), del(9) (outcome: terminated), dup(13) (outcome: follow-up loss), and derived from chromosome 21 (outcome: stillbirth). Seven markers were of unknown origin because not all methods were applied to them.

Conclusion

Applying multiple molecular and cytogenetic approaches could identify the origin and genetic content of sSMC to assist the genetic counselling in prenatal diagnosis.
Prophylactic platelet transfusion response in critically ill patients: a prospective multicentre observational study
Authors: Reizine Florian , Le Marec Sarah , Le Meur Anthony , Consigny Maëlys , Berteau Florian , Bodenes Laetitia , Geslain Marie , McQuilten Zoe , Le Niger Catherine , Huntzinger Julien , Seguin Philippe , Thibert Jean-Baptiste , Simon David , Reignier Jean , Egreteau Pierre-Yves , Tadié Jean-Marc , Huet Olivier , Asfar Pierre , Ehrmann Stephan , Aubron Cécile
Published: September 2023

Background

Response to prophylactic platelet transfusion is suspected to be inconsistent in critically ill patients questioning how to optimize transfusion practices. This study aimed to describe prophylactic platelet transfusion response, to identify factors associated with a suboptimal response, to analyse the correlation between corrected count increment and platelet count increment and to determine the association between poor platelet transfusion response and clinical outcomes.

Methods

This prospective multicentre observational study recruited patients who received at least one prophylactic platelet transfusion in one of the nine participating intensive care units for a period up to 16 months. Poor platelet transfusion response was defined as a corrected count increment (CCI) that adjusts for platelet dose and body surface area, less than 7 at 18–24 h after platelet transfusion. Factors associated with poor platelet transfusion response were assessed in a mixed-effect model. Sensitivity analyses were conducted in patients with and without haematology malignancy and chemotherapy.

Results

Poor platelet transfusion response occurred in 349 of the 472 (73.9%) prophylactic platelet transfusions and in 141/181 (77.9%) patients. The mixed-effect model identified haemoglobin at ICU admission (odds ratio (OR): 0.79 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.7–0.89]) and body mass index (BMI) (OR: 0.93 [0.89–0.98]) being positively and independently associated with platelet transfusion response, while a haematological malignancy (OR 1.93 [1.09–3.43]), sepsis as primary ICU admission diagnosis (OR: 2.81 [1.57–5.03]), SOFA score (OR 1.10 [1.03; 1.17]) and maximum storage duration of platelet (OR: 1.24 [1.02–1.52]) were independently associated with a suboptimal platelet increment. Clinical outcomes did not differ between groups, nor the requirement for red blood cells. Poor platelet transfusion response was found in 93.5% of patients with haematology malignancy and chemotherapy.

Conclusions

In this study of critically ill patients, of whom more than half had bone marrow failure, almost three quarters of prophylactic platelet transfusions led to suboptimal platelet increment measured 18 to 24 h following platelet transfusion. Platelet storage duration was the only factor associated with poor platelet response that may be accessible to intervention.

Trial registration in October 2017: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03325140.
Next generation sequencing identifies a pathogenic mutation of WFS1 gene in a Moroccan family with Wolfram syndrome: a case report
Authors: Sahli Maryem , Zrhidri Abdelali , Boualaoui Imad , Cherkaoui Jaouad Imane , El Kadiri Youssef , Nouini Yassine , Sefiani Abdelaziz
Published: September 2023

Background

Wolfram syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder that affects 1/200,000 to 1/1,000,000 children. It is characterized by juvenile onset diabetes, optic nerve atrophy and other systemic manifestations. Symptoms of the disease arise mostly in early childhood with a high mortality rate due to severe neurological complications. Two causative genes have been identifed in this syndrome; the classical form is caused by autosomal recessive mutations of the WFS1 gene, and a smaller portion of patients has mutations in the CIDS2 gene, which are responsible for autosomal recessive Wolfram syndrome 2.

Case presentation

We report the case of a 28-year-old Moroccan boy born from consanguineous parents referred to the department of medical genetics at the National Institute of Health in Rabat. The diagnosis of Wolfram syndrome was made based on insulin-dependent diabetes, optic nerve atrophy, sensorineural deafness, urological abnormalities and psychiatric illness. To establish the diagnosis at a molecular level, we performed next-generation sequencing in the index patient, which revealed compound heterozygous WFS1 mutations: c.1113G > A (p.Trp371Ter) and c.1223_1224insGGAACCACCTGGAGCCCTATGCCCATTT (p.Phe408fs). This second variant has never been described in patients with Wolfram syndrome.

Conclusion

The identification of the genetic substrate in our patient confirmed the clinical diagnosis of Wolfram syndrome and allowed us to provide him an appropriate management and genetic counseling to his family.
The gut metabolite 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid rejuvenates spermatogenic dysfunction in aged mice through GPX4-mediated ferroptosis
Authors: Jin Zirun , Yang Yuzhuo , Cao Yalei , Wen Qi , Xi Yu , Cheng Jianxing , Zhao Qiancheng , Weng Jiaming , Hong Kai , Jiang Hui , Hang Jing , Zhang Zhe
Published: September 2023

Background

Aging-related fertility decline is a prevalent concern globally. Male reproductive system aging is mainly characterized by a decrease in sperm quality and fertility. While it is known that intestinal physiology changes with age and that microbiota is shaped by physiology, the underlying mechanism of how the microbiota affects male reproductive aging is still largely unexplored.

Results

Here, we utilized fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to exchange the fecal microbiota between young and old mice. Cecal shotgun metagenomics and metabolomics were used to identify differences in gut microbiota composition and metabolic regulation during aging. Our results demonstrated that FMT from young to old mice alleviated aging-associated spermatogenic dysfunction through an unexpected mechanism mediated by a gut bacteria-derived metabolite, 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (3-HPAA). 3-HPAA treatment resulted in an improvement of spermatogenesis in old mice. RNA sequencing analysis, qRT-PCR and Western blot revealed that 3-HPAA induced an upregulation of GPX4, thereby restraining ferroptosis and restoring spermatogenesis. These findings were further confirmed by in vitro induction of ferroptosis and inhibition of GPX4 expression.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that the microbiome-derived metabolite, 3-HPAA, facilitates spermatogenesis of old mice through a ferroptosis-mediated mechanism. Overall, these findings provide a novel mechanism of dysregulated spermatogenesis of old mice, and suggest that 3-HPAA could be a potential therapy for fertility decline of aging males in clinical practice.