bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long‐term mechanical ventilation of an 8‐week‐old dog with idiopathic polyradiculoneuritis
Authors: Calero Rodriguez Abraham , van Oostrom Hugo , de Grauw Janny
Published: January 2022

A 2‐month‐old labrador retriever diagnosed with progressive polyradiculoneuritis was anaesthetised and mechanically ventilated with the aid of pressure control ventilation due to severe hypoventilation and hypoxaemia. Anaesthesia was maintained with propofol and midazolam constant‐rate infusions (CRIs). Over time, once the patient was showing spontaneous breathing attempts and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide was within normal range, ventilatory mode was switched to pressure support ventilation. The anaesthetic protocol was modified to maintain an appropriate level of anaesthesia with a minimum amount of fluid administered. The midazolam CRI was substituted by a sufentanil CRI, followed by a change to a dexmedetomidine CRI. An intensive nursing care protocol was established. Intermittent hyperthermia and peripheral oedema were the main complications observed. Ventilatory support was reduced until the patient was successfully weaned from the ventilator at the third attempt, after 116 hours of ventilatory support.
Neoplastic transformation of arteriopathy‐derived bone infarct into nascent osteosarcoma in the proximal tibia of a miniature schnauzer
Authors: Jimenez Isabel A. , Pool Roy R. , Fischetti Anthony J. , Gabrielson Kathy , Canapp Sherman O.
Published: January 2022

A 9‐year‐old, entire, male miniature schnauzer with a history of chronic right hindlimb lameness was presented to a referral orthopaedic surgery practice for acute non‐weight bearing and suspected cranial cruciate ligament rupture. Radiographs revealed polyostotic bone infarcts, characterised by stippled medullary densities, and an aggressive osteolytic infarct in the right proximal tibia. Histopathology of the amputated limb revealed an arteriopathy of the nutrient artery and a zonal histologic pattern of neoplastic transformation: at the infarct apex, mesenchymal stromal cells were engaged in repair. As the cells proliferated towards the centre of the infarct within an environment of chronic ischaemia, cell features became consistent with low‐grade sarcoma, then nascent (early) osteosarcoma. This zonal progression has been described in humans, but not in dogs. It is unknown whether nascent osteosarcoma has the same biologic activity as long‐standing osteosarcoma. Veterinarians should be aware of canine bone infarcts and their potential sequelae.
Incremental deep learning for reflectivity data recognition in stomatology
Authors: Procházka Aleš , Charvát Jindřich , Vyšata Oldřich , Mandic Danilo
Published: January 2022

The recognition of stomatological disorders and the classification of dental caries are important areas of biomedicine that can hugely benefit from machine learning tools for the construction of relevant mathematical models. This paper explores the possibility of using reflectivity data to distinguish between healthy tissues and caries by deep learning and multilayer convolutional neural networks. The experimental data set includes more than 700 observations recorded in the stomatology laboratory. For rigor, the results obtained from the deep learning systems are compared with those evaluated for selected sets of features estimated for each observation and classified by a decision tree, support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbor, Bayesian methods, and two-layer neural networks. The classification accuracy obtained for the deep learning systems was 98.1% and 94.4% for data in the signal and spectral domains, respectively, in comparison with an accuracy of 97.2% and 87.2% evaluated by the SVM method. The proposed method conclusively demonstrates how the artificial intelligence and deep learning methodology can contribute to improved diagnosis of dental problem in stomatology.
Media and government framing of asylum seekers and migrant workers in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Stack Michelle , Wilbur Amea
Published: January 2022

One understudied area of adult education and lifelong learning is the role of media as educator and policy player. This article describes how the authors used critical discourse analysis to examine how asylum seekers, migrant workers and their advocates have challenged long-standing discursive framings of them as benefactors of Canadian generosity, criminals, burdens or victims – during the first ten months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis points to the difficulties of navigating media engagement to advocate for individuals facing deportation from Canada, while also attempting to challenge the dichotomy of people seen either as worthy of dignity (those who work for low pay and in dangerous conditions to care for Canadians) or as unworthy (those who work on farms or who are not able to work). However, it also reveals the potential for critical lifelong media education to inform the work of adult educators across classroom, labour and social movement contexts to disrupt exclusionary and oppressive media and government narratives.
Relationship of abdominal aortic calcification with lumbar vertebral volumetric bone mineral density assessed by quantitative computed tomography in maintenance hemodialysis patients
Authors: Chen Tian-Yi , Yang Jie , Zuo Li , Wang Ling , Wang Li-Fang
Published: January 2022

Introduction

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between abdominal aortic calcification (AAC), which is a marker of vascular calcification, and volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) by quantitative computed tomography (QCT) in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients.

Methods

All participants underwent lumbar vertebral vBMD measurement by QCT. Eight cross-sections were extracted sequentially and analyzed by ImageJ software to obtain the ratio of the calcified area to the abdominal aortic area (the calcification ratio). The AAC score was determined by the sum of the calcification ratios. The relationship between AAC and vBMD was analyzed using multivariate logistic regression.

Results

Ninety MHD patients (58.89% male) with a mean age of 63.43 (standard deviation [SD] = 13.20) years were included in the study. AAC was present (AAC score > 0) in 93.33% of the patients. The 75th percentile of the AAC score corresponding to 119 was used as the cutoff point between the mild and severe groups. After full adjustment in the logistic model, AAC was found to be inversely associated with vBMD (odds ratio [OR], 0.970; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.944 to 0.996; P = 0.025), and patients with osteoporosis had a significantly higher risk of severe AAC than those with normal bone mass (OR, 14.498; 95% CI, 1.507 to 139.486; P = 0.021). The independent inverse association was still stable after adjusting for variables measured at different time periods and using different cutoff points of the AAC score.

Conclusion

There was an independent inverse association between AAC and vBMD, and osteoporosis was significantly associated with severe AAC in patients with MHD.
Liver transplantation as a treatment for Wilson’s disease with neurological presentation: a systematic literature review
Authors: Litwin Tomasz , Bembenek Jan , Antos Agnieszka , Przybyłkowski Adam , Skowrońska Marta , Kurkowska-Jastrzębska Iwona , Członkowska Anna
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Wilson’s disease (WD) is a potentially treatable, genetic disorder of copper metabolism, with survival similar to healthy populations if controlled. However, in almost 50% of WD patients, neurological symptoms persist despite treatment, and in up to 10% of patients, neurological deterioration is irreversible. International guidelines on WD treatment do not recommend liver transplantation (LT) as a treatment for neurological symptoms in WD. However, such treatment has been assessed in retrospective analyses, case and series reports. We aimed to systematically assess all available evidence on the effectiveness and safety of LT in WD patients with neurological presentation.

Methods

This systematic literature review was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies were identified by searching the PubMed database (up to 6 April 2021) and by screening reference lists.

Results

Based on the systematic literature review, 48 articles were identified, showing outcomes of LT in 302 WD patients with neurological symptoms. Of these patients, major improvement was found in 215 cases (71.2%), with no difference in neurological status before and after LT in 21 cases (6.9%). There were 29 deaths (9.6%), neurological worsening in 24 cases (7.9%), and 13 cases (4.3%) were lost to follow-up.

Conclusions

The results suggest that LT is a promising method of WD management in patients with severe, neurological symptoms, particularly if the patient has not responded to pharmacological de-coppering treatment. Further studies of LT in these patients are warranted.
Predictive Market Making via Machine Learning
Authors: Haider Abbas , Wang Hui , Scotney Bryan , Hawe Glenn
Published: January 2022

Market making (MM) is an important means of providing liquidity to the stock markets. Recent research suggests that reinforcement learning (RL) can improve MM significantly in terms of returns. In the latest work on RL-based MM, the reward is a function of equity returns, calculated based on its current price, and the inventory of MM agent. As a result, the agent’s return is maximised and liquidity is provided. If the price movement is known and this information is optimally utilised, there is potential that the MM agent’s return can be further improved. Important questions are, how to predict stock price movement, and how to utilise such prediction? In this paper, we introduce the concept of predictive market marking (PMM) and present our method for PMM, which comprises a RL-based MM agent and a deep neural network (DNN)-based price predictor. A key component of PMM is the consolidated price equation (CPE), which amalgamates an equity’s present and predicted market prices into a consolidated price, which is used to generate ask and bid quotes that reflect both current price and future movement. Our PMM method is evaluated against the state-of-the-art (RL-based MM) and a traditional MM method, using ten stocks and three exchange traded funds (ETFs). Out-of-sample backtesting showed that our PMM method outperformed the two benchmark methods.
Feasibility of Calculating Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity from Oscillometric Upper Arm Pulse Waves Using the Antares Algorithm
Authors: Baulmann Johannes , Dörr Marcus , Genzel Elisabeth , Stäuber Alexander , Richter Stefan , Ohlow Marc-Alexander , Eckert Siegfried
Published: January 2022

Background

Antares is an algorithm for oscillometric blood pressure (BP) monitors to determine aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) solely using oscillometric pulse waves without dependence of any other input. The aim of this study is to test Antares PWV for feasibility and whether the known age and blood pressure dependence of PWV can be shown with Antares PWV.

Methods

In total, 259 patients were investigated for PWV as sub-study of the invasive validation of Antares algorithm, of which 219 entered analyses. Non-invasive PWV determination by Antares algorithm, integrated into an oscillometric BP monitor (custo screen 400) was compared to five different ePWV equations based on age, BP, or both. Additionally, in a subset of 27 patients, comparison of ARCSolver PWV algorithm (Mobil-O-Graph) with Antares PWV and ePWV was conducted.

Results

Mean differences ± SD between Antares PWV and (A) ePWV (based on age and systolic BP) was − 0.05 ± 1.06 m/s (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, rS = 0.805); (B) ePWV (based on age) was − 1.75 ± 1.17 m/s (rS = 0.829); (C) ePWV (based on mean BP) was − 1.35 ± 1.24 m/s (rS = 0.763), and (D) ePWV (based on age and mean BP) was − 1.64 ± 1.22 m/s (rS = 0.810) and − 1.69 ± 1.18 m/s (rS = 0.802). Comparison of Antares PWV with ARCSolver PWV revealed a mean difference of − 0.65 ± 1.31 m/s (rS = 0.854).

Conclusion

The Antares algorithm confirmed its feasibility to use an oscillometric BP monitor as a single-point measurement device to calculate aortic PWV with acceptable comparability and high correlation to both estimated PWV and ARCSolver PWV. Antares achieves these results solely based on analysis of waveform features without requiring any secondary input, like BP or age.
Under the Skin: Norwegian Bog Skeletons and Perceptions of Personhood, Value, and Sacrifice
Authors: Moen Marianne , Walsh Matthew J.
Published: January 2022

The authors set a relatively small and little-known corpus of human remains recovered from Iron Age wetland contexts in Norway in a wider theoretical framework of sacrifice and personhood. The material studied, fragmentary skeletal remains in wetland contexts, juxtaposed with the better-known bog body tradition of northern Europe, offers a base from which to query constructions and perceptions of personhood. Situating the discussion in a contextual framework and relational underpinnings of ways of being, the authors examine whether or not the assumption that personhood rests in a human body can be implicitly inferred when confronted with ancient human remains, and what this may imply for interpretations of human bodies in votive settings.
Moral Duties and Juridical Duties: The Ambiguity of Legal Ethics Considered Through the Prism of Kant’s Metaphysics of Morals
Authors: Ferrara Alessandro
Published: January 2022

My article aims to analyze the conflict between the duties deriving from the supranational deontological codification under a philosophical point of view. Specifically, I will discuss both rules implying the independence of a lawyer and the obligation to ensure that the legitimate interests of the client and the proper administration of justice are protected. I will conduct an analysis about the relationship between moral and juridical duties through a few parts from The Metaphysics of Morals, published by Immanuel Kant in 1797. Afterwards, I will try to verify if Kant’s conception of moral and juridical duties can provide a lawyer with the guidelines for the conflict resolution. I will suggest a meeting point capable of satisfying at the same time those interests whose protection is conflictingly established by the ethical code, and which is represented by the Alternative Dispute Resolution, precisely by the Assisted Negotiation procedure. Ultimately, I will propose an approach based on the identification of an agreement as a way to solve the conflict between the lawyer’s duties.
Two Cheers for Lost Sovereignty Referendums: Campaigns for Independence and the Pouvoir Constituant Mixte
Authors: Niesen Peter
Published: January 2022

In this article, I bring together three recent ideas from political theory and constitutional law. The first is the notion developed by Jürgen Habermas and Markus Patberg of a pouvoir constituant mixte. Complex polities such as supra-state federations should be understood as constitutional entities that combine two or more authorizing subjects. The default “mixed” conception is that of dual sovereignty, split between the federations’ member collectives and member individuals. The second idea is that of Stephen Tierney, that sub-state national societies should be seen as involved in struggles over constituent power. The third is the idea and practice of sovereignty referendums, which I illustrate by looking at the 2017 Catalonia independence referendum. I contend that, at a minimum, sovereignty referendums, especially lost ones, should be understood as strategies to bring about, shift or complement constituent powers, in achieving compound or mixed sovereignty. Finally, I venture into some ideas about the criteria of legitimacy for such endeavors, in distinguishing the activation of constituent powers from their articulation and exercise.
“Betrayed into the Hands of the Enemy”: The 1795–96 Russian Investigation of the Death of Hedayat-Allah Khan of Gilan
Authors: Gledhill Kevin
Published: January 2022

This article examines the Russian investigation of the death of Hedayat-Allah Khan, who ruled Gilan from the mid-1750s until his death in 1786. Using Russian consular reports and records of the 1795 Russian investigation of his death, the article offers two major conclusions. First, Hedayat-Allah Khan ruled a Caspian-centered polity linked to the Russian consulate and trade through partnerships with merchant intermediaries. As Qajar hegemony in Iran emerged by 1786, the consulate and merchants threw their support to Aqa Mohammad Khan. Second, the 1795 Russian investigation of his death was opened by Catherine II to solidify alliances in response to Qajar claims to Tiflis in 1795. Shifting Russian strategic priorities under Emperor Paul removed the need for this investigation.
BOOLEAN TYPES IN DEPENDENT THEORIES
Authors: KAPLAN ITAY , SEGEL ORI , SHELAH SAHARON
Published: January 2022

The notion of a complete type can be generalized in a natural manner to allow assigning a value in an arbitrary Boolean algebra
$\mathcal {B}$
to each formula. We show some basic results regarding the effect of the properties of
$\mathcal {B}$
on the behavior of such types, and show they are particularity well behaved in the case of NIP theories. In particular, we generalize the third author’s result about counting types, as well as the notion of a smooth type and extending a type to a smooth one. We then show that Keisler measures are tied to certain Boolean types and show that some of the results can thus be transferred to measures—in particular, giving an alternative proof of the fact that every measure in a dependent theory can be extended to a smooth one. We also study the stable case. We consider this paper as an invitation for more research into the topic of Boolean types.
Evidence for Short Temporal Atmospheric Variations Observed by Infrasonic Signals: 1. The Troposphere
Authors: Averbuch G. , Ronac‐Giannone M. , Arrowsmith S. , Anderson J. F.
Published: January 2022

Infrasound monitoring is used in the forensic analysis of events, studying the physical processes of sources of interest, and probing the atmosphere. The dynamical nature of the atmosphere and the use of infrasound as a forensic tool lead to the following questions; (1) what is the timescale of atmospheric variability that affects infrasonic signals? (2) how do infrasound signals vary as a function of time? This study addresses these questions by monitoring a repetitive infrasound source and its corresponding tropospheric returns 54 km away. Source‐receiver empirical Green's functions are obtained every 20 s and used to demonstrate the effect of atmospheric temporal variability on infrasound propagation. In addition, observations are compared to predicted simulated signals based on realistic atmospheric conditions. Based on 127 events over 3 days, it is shown that infrasound properties change within tens of seconds. Particularly, phases can appear and disappear, the propagation time varies, and the signals' energy fluctuates. Such variations are attributed to changes in temperatures and winds. Furthermore, atmospheric models can partly explain the observed changes. Therefore, this study highlights the potential of high temporal infrasound‐based atmospheric sounding.
A Multivariate Index for Tropical Intraseasonal Oscillations Based on the Seasonally‐Varying Modal Structures
Authors: Wang Shuguang , Martin Zane K. , Sobel Adam H. , Tippett Michael K. , Dias Juliana , Kiladis George N. , Ren Hong‐Li , Wu Jie
Published: January 2022

The spatial structure and propagation characteristics of tropical intraseasonal oscillations vary substantially by season. In this study, these seasonal variations are identified using a multivariate sliding‐window Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis. The two modes comprising the leading EOF pair have equal variances and depict the propagation of intraseasonal oscillations in convection and low‐level circulation over the Indian Ocean, the Maritime Continent, and the western Pacific region in the equatorial summer hemisphere. In contrast, the upper tropospheric circulation shows more structure in the winter hemisphere. It is suggested that this variation in seasonality with height is an inherent feature of intraseasonal oscillations. A new multivariate index for tropical intraseasonal oscillations (MII) is developed based on the leading EOFs and represents the three‐dimensional structure of intraseasonal variability in all seasons. The MII is computed by projecting intraseasonal anomalies onto the leading EOFs pair, and it exhibits clearly delineated but smooth seasonal transitions and rich meridional structure. The real‐time version of this new index, rMII, is shown to be similar to MII, with a correlation of 0.9. Compared to the widely used Real‐time Multivariate MJO (RMM) index, the power spectrum of rMII represents substantially greater intraseasonal variance, and the application of rMII in dynamical forecast models indicates rMII is skillfully predicted for an additional week compared to RMM.
Discharge Determines Avulsion Regime in Model Experiments With Vegetated and Unvegetated Deltas
Authors: Lauzon Rebecca , Murray A. Brad
Published: January 2022

The dynamics and morphological evolution of deltas and their channel networks involve interactions between many factors, including water and sediment discharge and cohesion from fine sediment and vegetation. These interactions are likely to affect how strongly vegetation influences deltas. Altering water or sediment discharge may affect channel mobility, magnitude of deposition and erosion events, and may result in the delta being less suitable for vegetation colonization. Using the numerical model DeltaRCM Vegetation, we explore how water and sediment discharge affects delta evolution and under which conditions vegetation exerts a stabilizing effect on the channel network. We propose new insights into delta evolution under different discharge conditions. First, we observe a regime shift in avulsion dynamics, driven by delta‐scale water surface slopes, with increasing water discharge: from a few active channels undergoing occasional complete, global avulsions (with low discharge) to many active channels experiencing frequent partial, local avulsions (with high discharge). Second, with vegetation, increased sediment discharge results in more frequent switching of the dominant channels but also prevents vegetation from establishing in non‐dominant channels, resulting in more frequent channel reoccupation and therefore greater stability in channel network planform. These insights have important implications for understanding the distribution of water, sediment, and nutrients on deltas in the face of future changes in climate and human modifications of fluxes of sediment and water to the coast, especially for restored or engineered deltas with controlled water or sediment discharges.
Modeling of Barrier Breaching During Hurricanes Sandy and Matthew
Authors: Hegermiller Christie A. , Warner John C. , Olabarrieta Maitane , Sherwood Christopher R. , Kalra Tarandeep S.
Published: January 2022

Physical processes driving barrier island change during storms are important to understand to mitigate coastal hazards and to evaluate conceptual models for barrier evolution. Spatial variations in barrier island topography, landcover characteristics, and nearshore and back‐barrier hydrodynamics can yield complex morphological change that requires models of increasing resolution and physical complexity to predict. Using the Coupled Ocean‐Atmosphere‐Wave‐Sediment Transport (COAWST) modeling system, we investigated two barrier island breaches that occurred on Fire Island, NY during Hurricane Sandy (2012) and at Matanzas, FL during Hurricane Matthew (2016). The model employed a recently implemented infragravity (IG) wave driver to represent the important effects of IG waves on nearshore water levels and sediment transport. The model simulated breaching and other changes with good skill at both locations, resolving differences in the processes and evolution. The breach simulated at Fire Island was 250 m west of the observed breach, whereas the breach simulated at Matanzas was within 100 m of the observed breach. Implementation of the vegetation module of COAWST to allow three‐dimensional drag over dune vegetation at Fire Island improved model skill by decreasing flows across the back‐barrier, as opposed to varying bottom roughness that did not positively alter model response. Analysis of breach processes at Matanzas indicated that both far‐field and local hydrodynamics influenced breach creation and evolution, including remotely generated waves and surge, but also surge propagation through back‐barrier waterways. This work underscores the importance of resolving the complexity of nearshore and back‐barrier systems when predicting barrier island change during extreme events.
Disentangling the Impact of Global and Regional Climate Changes During the Middle Eocene in the Hampshire Basin: New Insights From Carbonate Clumped Isotopes and Ostracod Assemblages
Authors: Marchegiano Marta , John Cédric M.
Published: January 2022

We present a novel multiproxy data set (bulk and clumped isotopes on gastropod shells and variations in ostracod assemblages) of the Hampshire Basin (Southern‐England) that sheds light on the connection between the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel during the deposition of the Barton clay formation (latest Lutetian—Bartonian, middle Eocene; ∼41–40 Ma). During this time period, the English Channel operated as a gateway between the warmer Atlantic Ocean and the colder North Sea waters. High‐latitude water mixing combined with the regional hydrological cycle and sea‐level variations, may have contributed to mitigate the water temperatures in the Hampshire Basin, with an average recorded of ca. 25°C. In the uppermost part of the section the connection between the two water masses was limited or absent as evidenced by warmer (up to ca. 35°C) Atlantic Ocean temperatures in the Hampshire Basin. The large differences in average oxygen isotope composition of seawater (δ18Owater) recorded (from δ18Owater −1.7‰ to δ18Owater of −0.7‰) evidenced large salinity differences between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. Ostracods suggest that the temporary connection between those two water masses was caused by relative regional sea‐level variations. This scenario could be partially linked to glacio‐eustatic sea‐level changes related to climate fluctuations probably associated with the MECO event.
Mining Threatens Isolated Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon
Authors: Rodrigues Meghie
Published: January 2022

A bill in the Brazilian congress could grant a wide expansion for mining on Indigenous lands. New research shows how this could radically affect isolated peoples.
Expanding the Scope of Radio Science
Authors: Salous Sana
Published: January 2022

AGU’s Radio Science journal announces an expansion in scope in response to technological developments and welcomes Technical Reports presenting measurements and experimental studies.
Torture exposure and the functional brain: investigating disruptions to intrinsic network connectivity using resting state fMRI
Authors: Liddell Belinda J. , Das Pritha , Malhi Gin S. , Felmingham Kim L. , Outhred Tim , Cheung Jessica , Den Miriam , Nickerson Angela , Askovic Mirjana , Aroche Jorge , Coello Mariano , Bryant Richard A.
Published: January 2022

Torture has profound psychological and physiological consequences for survivors. While some brain structures and functions appear altered in torture survivors, it is unclear how torture exposure influences functional connectivity within and between core intrinsic brain networks. In this study, 37 torture survivors (TS) and 62 non-torture survivors (NTS) participated in a resting-state fMRI scan. Data-driven independent components analysis identified active intrinsic networks. Group differences in functional connectivity in the default mode network (DMN), salience network (SN) and central executive network (CEN) of the triple network model, as well any prefrontal network, were examined while controlling for PTSD symptoms and exposure to other potentially traumatic events. The analysis identified 25 networks; eight comprised our networks of interest. Within-network group differences were observed in the left CEN (lCEN), where the TS group showed less spectral power in the low-frequency band. Differential internetwork dynamic connectivity patterns were observed, where the TS group showed stronger positive coupling between the lCEN and anterior dorsomedial and ventromedial DMN, and stronger negative coupling between a lateral frontal network and the lCEN and anterior dorsomedial DMN (when contrasted with the NTS group). Group differences were not attributed to torture severity or dissociative symptoms. Torture survivors showed disrupted dynamic functional connectivity between a laterally-aligned lCEN that serves top-down control functions over external processes and the midline DMN that underpins internal self-referential processes, which may be an adaptive response to mitigate the worst effects of the torture experience. This study provides a critical step in mapping the neural signature of torture exposure to guide treatment development and selection.
Clinico-biological features of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia with fusion proteins
Authors: Steimlé Thomas , Dourthe Marie-Emilie , Alcantara Marion , Touzart Aurore , Simonin Mathieu , Mondesir Johanna , Lhermitte Ludovic , Bond Jonathan , Graux Carlos , Grardel Nathalie , Cayuela Jean-Michel , Arnoux Isabelle , Gandemer Virginie , Balsat Marie , Vey Norbert , Macintyre Elizabeth , Ifrah Norbert , Dombret Hervé , Petit Arnaud , Baruchel André , Ruminy Philippe , Boissel Nicolas , Asnafi Vahid
Published: January 2022

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias (T-ALL) represent 15% of pediatric and 25% of adult ALL. Since they have a particularly poor outcome in relapsed/refractory cases, identifying prognosis factors at diagnosis is crucial to adapting treatment for high-risk patients. Unlike acute myeloid leukemia and BCP ALL, chromosomal rearrangements leading to chimeric fusion-proteins with strong prognosis impact are sparsely reported in T-ALL. To address this issue an RT-MPLA assay was applied to a consecutive series of 522 adult and pediatric T-ALLs and identified a fusion transcript in 20% of cases.PICALM-MLLT10(4%,n = 23),NUP214-ABL1(3%,n = 19) andSET-NUP214(3%,n = 18) were the most frequent. The clinico-biological characteristics linked to fusion transcripts in a subset of 235 patients (138 adults in the GRAALL2003/05 trials and 97 children from the FRALLE2000 trial) were analyzed to identify their prognosis impact. Patients with HOXA trans-deregulated T-ALLs with MLLT10, KMT2A and SET fusion transcripts (17%, 39/235) had a worse prognosis with a 5-year EFS of 35.7% vs 63.7% (HR = 1.63;p = 0.04) and a trend for a higher cumulative incidence of relapse (5-year CIR = 45.7% vs 25.2%, HR = 1.6;p = 0.11). Fusion transcripts status in T-ALL can be robustly identified by RT-MLPA, facilitating risk adapted treatment strategies for high-risk patients.
Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy transcriptome signatures correlate with different stages of disease and are marked by different MRI biomarkers
Authors: van den Heuvel Anita , Lassche Saskia , Mul Karlien , Greco Anna , San León Granado David , Heerschap Arend , Küsters Benno , Tapscott Stephen J. , Voermans Nicol C. , van Engelen Baziel G. M. , van der Maarel Silvère M.
Published: January 2022

With several therapeutic strategies for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) entering clinical testing, outcome measures are becoming increasingly important. Considering the spatiotemporal nature of FSHD disease activity, clinical trials would benefit from non-invasive imaging-based biomarkers that can predict FSHD-associated transcriptome changes. This study investigated two FSHD-associated transcriptome signatures (DUX4 and PAX7 signatures) in FSHD skeletal muscle biopsies, and tested their correlation with a variety of disease-associated factors, including Ricci clinical severity score, disease duration, D4Z4 repeat size, muscle pathology scorings and functional outcome measures. It establishes that DUX4 and PAX7 signatures both show a sporadic expression pattern in FSHD-affected biopsies, possibly marking different stages of disease. This study analyzed two imaging-based biomarkers—Turbo Inversion Recovery Magnitude (TIRM) hyperintensity and fat fraction—and provides insights into their predictive power as non-invasive biomarkers for FSHD signature detection in clinical trials. Further insights in the heterogeneity of—and correlation between—imaging biomarkers and molecular biomarkers, as provided in this study, will provide important guidance to clinical trial design in FSHD. Finally, this study investigated the role of infiltrating non-muscle cell types in FSHD signature expression and detected potential distinct roles for two fibro-adipogenic progenitor subtypes in FSHD.
Functional consequences of Palaeozoic reef collapse
Authors: Bridge Tom C. L. , Baird Andrew H. , Pandolfi John M. , McWilliam Michael J. , Zapalski Mikołaj K.
Published: January 2022

Biogenic reefs have been hotspots of biodiversity and evolutionary novelty throughout the Phanerozoic. The largest reef systems in Earth’s history occurred in the Devonian period, but collapsed during the Late Devonian Mass Extinction. However, the consequences for the functional diversity of Palaeozoic reefs have received little attention. Here, we examine changes in the functional diversity of tabulate coral assemblages over a 35 million year period from the middle Devonian to the Carboniferous, straddling the multiphase extinction event to identify the causes and ecological consequences of the extinction for tabulate corals. By examining five key morphological traits, we show a divergent response of taxonomic and functional diversity to the mass extinction: taxonomic richness peaked during the Givetian (~ 388–383 Ma) and coincided with peak reef building, but functional diversity was only moderate because many species had very similar trait combinations. The collapse of taxonomic diversity and reef building in the late Devonian had minimal impact on functional richness of coral assemblages. However, non-random shifts towards species with larger corallites and lower colony integration suggest a shift from photosymbiotic to asymbiotic taxa associated over the study period. Our results suggest that the collapse of the huge Devonian reef systems was correlated with a breakdown of photosymbiosis and extinction of photosymbiotic tabulate coral taxa. Despite the appearance of new tabulate coral species over the next 35 million years, the extinction of taxa with photosymbiotic traits had long-lasting consequences for reef building and, by extension, shallow marine ecosystems in the Palaeozoic.
The triponderal mass index as a measure of adiposity in pediatric survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Zhang Alissa W. , Wiernikowski John T. , Portwine Carol , Thabane Lehana , Samaan M. Constantine
Published: January 2022

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common type of childhood cancer. Treatments of ALL predispose survivors to obesity, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The hallmark of obesity is excess fat mass, and adiposity is a superior predictor of cardiometabolic risk when compared to Body Mass Index (BMI), yet clinical measures of adiposity in children are lacking. The Tri-Ponderal Mass Index (TMI) (kg/m3) is a more accurate adiposity measure compared to BMI z-score in the general pediatric population. This cross-sectional study aimed to validate TMI as an adiposity measure against DEXA scan-derived adiposity, and to compare it to BMI z-score, in pediatric ALL survivors. This study was a retrospective chart review of pediatric ALL survivors diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 at McMaster Children’s Hospital, a tertiary pediatric center in Ontario, Canada. One hundred and thirteen patients (Female n = 55, 48.70%) were included, and adiposity was measured using DEXA scans. Exploratory partial correlations and linear regression analyses were adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, and ALL risk status. Both TMI and BMI z-score correlated with the DEXA-measured fat mass percentage (FM%) (partial correlation TMI versus FM% r = 0.56; p value < 0.0001; BMI z-score versus FM% r = 0.55; p value < 0.0001). In regression analyses, the association of TMI was not inferior to BMI z-score in assessing adiposity (TMI versus FM% estimated unstandardized B 0.80, 95% CI 0.56, 1.02; p value < 0.0001; BMI z-score versus FM% (unstandardized B 0.37, 95% CI 0.26, 0.49; p value < 0.0001). The TMI is a useful clinical adiposity-specific measure in survivors of pediatric ALL.
Permeability-controlled migration of induced seismicity to deeper depths near Venus in North Texas
Authors: Chang Kyung Won , Yoon Hongkyu
Published: January 2022

Migration of seismic events to deeper depths along basement faults over time has been observed in the wastewater injection sites, which can be correlated spatially and temporally to the propagation or retardation of pressure fronts and corresponding poroelastic response to given operation history. The seismicity rate model has been suggested as a physical indicator for the potential of earthquake nucleation along faults by quantifying poroelastic response to multiple well operations. Our field-scale model indicates that migrating patterns of 2015–2018 seismicity observed near Venus, TX are likely attributed to spatio-temporal evolution of Coulomb stressing rate constrained by the fault permeability. Even after reducing injection volumes since 2015, pore pressure continues to diffuse and steady transfer of elastic energy to the deep fault zone increases stressing rate consistently that can induce more frequent earthquakes at large distance scales. Sensitivity tests with variation in fault permeability show that (1) slow diffusion along a low-permeability fault limits earthquake nucleation near the injection interval or (2) rapid relaxation of pressure buildup within a high-permeability fault, caused by reducing injection volumes, may mitigate the seismic potential promptly.
Network controllability solutions for computational drug repurposing using genetic algorithms
Authors: Popescu Victor-Bogdan , Kanhaiya Krishna , Năstac Dumitru Iulian , Czeizler Eugen , Petre Ion
Published: January 2022

Control theory has seen recently impactful applications in network science, especially in connections with applications in network medicine. A key topic of research is that of finding minimal external interventions that offer control over the dynamics of a given network, a problem known as network controllability. We propose in this article a new solution for this problem based on genetic algorithms. We tailor our solution for applications in computational drug repurposing, seeking to maximize its use of FDA-approved drug targets in a given disease-specific protein-protein interaction network. We demonstrate our algorithm on several cancer networks and on several random networks with their edges distributed according to the Erdős–Rényi, the Scale-Free, and the Small World properties. Overall, we show that our new algorithm is more efficient in identifying relevant drug targets in a disease network, advancing the computational solutions needed for new therapeutic and drug repurposing approaches.
Numerical simulation of foundation pit dewatering using horizontal seepage reducing body
Authors: Wang Jianxiu , Long Yanxia , Zhao Yu , Liu Xiaotian , Pan Weiqiang , Qu Jianxun , Wang Hanmei , Shi Yujin
Published: January 2022

Groundwater level has to be lowered during deep excavation. A vertical curtain is usually adopted to control the drawdown inside and outside a foundation pit in a built-up area. However, the cost and working difficulty increases substantially with the rise in depth of vertical curtains. In the manuscript, a man-made horizontal seepage reducing body (HSRB) was introduced to shorten the vertical curtain depth and control drawdown. With the No. 4 shaft foundation pit of Guangyuan Project, Shanghai as background, HSRB was proposed in foundation pit dewatering. Microbially induced carbonate precipitation grouting technology was recommended to form an environment-friendly HSRB. Numerical method was used to simulate and understand the influence of position, thickness, and hydraulic conductivity of HSRB on groundwater level. The non-separated HSRB was better than the separate HSRB. Decreasing HSRB hydraulic conductivity was better than increasing HSRB depth. Four seepage modes were summarized considering vertical curtain penetration conditions into multi-aquifer, and the fifth seepage mode was formed for vertical curtain using man-made HSRB, which can be referred by similar engineering applications.
Detection of Gag C-terminal mutations among HIV-1 non-B subtypes in a subset of Cameroonian patients
Authors: Teto Georges , Nka Alex Durand , Fokam Joseph , Bouba Yagai , Takou Désiré , Fabeni Lavinia , Carioti Luca , Armenia Daniele , Semengue Ezéchiel Ngoufack Jagni , Dambaya Béatrice , Sosso Samuel Martin , Colizzi Vittorio , Perno Carlo-Federico , Ceccherini-Silberstein Francesca , Santoro Maria Mercedes , Ndjolo Alexis
Published: January 2022

Response to ritonavir-boosted-protease inhibitors (PI/r)-based regimen is associated with some Gag mutations among HIV-1 B-clade. There is limited data on Gag mutations and their covariation with mutations in protease among HIV-1 non-B-clades at PI/r-based treatment failure. Thus, we characterized Gag mutations present in isolates from HIV-1 infected individuals treated with a PI/r-regimen (n = 143) and compared them with those obtained from individuals not treated with PI/r (ART-naïve [n = 101] or reverse transcriptase inhibitors (RTI) treated [n = 118]). The most frequent HIV-1 subtypes were CRF02_AG (54.69%), A (13.53%), D (6.35%) and G (4.69%). Eighteen Gag mutations showed a significantly higher prevalence in PI/r-treated isolates compared to ART-naïve (p < 0.05): Group 1 (prevalence < 1% in drug-naïve): L449F, D480N, L483Q, Y484P, T487V; group 2 (prevalence 1–5% in drug-naïve): S462L, I479G, I479K, D480E; group 3 (prevalence ≥ 5% in drug-naïve): P453L, E460A, R464G, S465F, V467E, Q474P, I479R, E482G, T487A. Five Gag mutations (L449F, P453L, D480E, S465F, Y484P) positively correlated (Phi ≥ 0.2, p < 0.05) with protease-resistance mutations. At PI/r-failure, no significant difference was observed between patients with and without these associated Gag mutations in term of viremia or CD4 count. This analysis suggests that some Gag mutations show an increased frequency in patients failing PIs among HIV-1 non-B clades.
Bupivacaine reduces GlyT1 expression by potentiating the p-AMPKα/BDNF signalling pathway in spinal astrocytes of rats
Authors: Lu Kaimei , Zhao Liyan , Zhang Yonghai , Yang Fan , Zhang Huiwen , Wang Jie , Li Bin , Ji Guimei , Yu Jianqiang , Ma Hanxiang
Published: January 2022

Bupivacaine, a local anaesthetic, is widely applied in the epidural or subarachnoid space to clinically manage acute and chronic pain. However, the underlying mechanisms are complex and unclear. Glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) in the spinal cord plays a critical role in various pathologic pain conditions. Therefore, we sought to determine whether bupivacaine exerts its analgesic effect by regulating GlyT1 expression and to determine the underlying mechanisms of regulation. Primary astrocytes prepared from the spinal cord of rats were treated with bupivacaine. The protein levels of GlyT1, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylated adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase α (p-AMPKα) were measured by western blotting or immunofluorescence. In addition, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF, BDNF receptor agonist) and AMPK shRNA were applied to verify the relationship between the regulation of GlyT1 by bupivacaine and the p-AMPKα/BDNF signalling pathway. After treatment with bupivacaine, GlyT1 expression was diminished in a concentration-dependent manner, while the expression of BDNF and p-AMPK was increased. Moreover, 7,8-DHF decreased GlyT1 expression, and AMPK knockdown suppressed the upregulation of BDNF expression by bupivacaine. Finally, we concluded that bupivacaine reduced GlyT1 expression in spinal astrocytes by activating the p-AMPKα/BDNF signalling pathway. These results provide a new mechanism for the analgesic effect of intrathecal bupivacaine in the treatment of acute and chronic pain.
SARS-CoV-2 viability on sports equipment is limited, and dependent on material composition
Authors: Edwards Thomas , Kay Grant A. , Aljayyoussi Ghaith , Owen Sophie I. , Harland Andy R. , Pierce Nicholas S. , Calder James D. F. , Fletcher Tom E. , Adams Emily R.
Published: January 2022

The control of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK has necessitated restrictions on amateur and professional sports due to the perceived infection risk to competitors, via direct person to person transmission, or possibly via the surfaces of sports equipment. The sharing of sports equipment such as tennis balls was therefore banned by some sport’s governing bodies. We sought to investigate the potential of sporting equipment as transmission vectors of SARS-CoV-2. Ten different types of sporting equipment, including balls from common sports, were inoculated with 40 μl droplets containing clinically relevant concentrations of live SARS-CoV-2 virus. Materials were then swabbed at time points relevant to sports (1, 5, 15, 30, 90 min). The amount of live SARS-CoV-2 recovered at each time point was enumerated using viral plaque assays, and viral decay and half-life was estimated through fitting linear models to log transformed data from each material. At one minute, SARS-CoV-2 virus was recovered in only seven of the ten types of equipment with the low dose inoculum, one at five minutes and none at 15 min. Retrievable virus dropped significantly for all materials tested using the high dose inoculum with mean recovery of virus falling to 0.74% at 1 min, 0.39% at 15 min and 0.003% at 90 min. Viral recovery, predicted decay, and half-life varied between materials with porous surfaces limiting virus transmission. This study shows that there is an exponential reduction in SARS-CoV-2 recoverable from a range of sports equipment after a short time period, and virus is less transferrable from materials such as a tennis ball, red cricket ball and cricket glove. Given this rapid loss of viral load and the fact that transmission requires a significant inoculum to be transferred from equipment to the mucous membranes of another individual it seems unlikely that sports equipment is a major cause for transmission of SARS-CoV-2. These findings have important policy implications in the context of the pandemic and may promote other infection control measures in sports to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and urge sports equipment manufacturers to identify surfaces that may or may not be likely to retain transferable virus.