bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Individual Reparations Claims and Holocaust Research: The Forschungsgruppe Berliner Widerstand 1933–1945
Authors: Reuveni Gideon
Published: June 2023

The stacks of materials and amount of information collected as part of the individual reparation process since the late 1940s are immense. It is the largest untapped Holocaust-related archive. One might ask, what should we do with this enormous collection of documents? Will these documents provide new insights on the Holocaust? How will they change what we know about post-war societies? This is of course not the first time that such questions have been raised. By looking at the work of a group of historians using compensation claim files as a historical source at the end of 1950s in Berlin, my paper will seek to provide some insight into the compound interplay between individual compensation claims and historical research. The Forschungsgruppe Berliner Widerstand 1933–1945 commenced its work in October 1956. Funded by the Berlin city lottery, with overheads covered by the Berlin Ministry of Interior, this research unit was to conduct a broad-based study of persecution and resistance in Berlin during the Nazi period. Using extensive documentary evidence, the project was supposed to focus on the fate of the victims of Nazi policy and the efforts of individual groups to offer resistance. In terms of its approach and method, the project was ahead of its time. The initial idea of using individual victim experiences as a starting point for the depiction of Nazi crimes and the opposition against it made, even if only for a brief period of time, the compensation claim files into a valuable historical resource. The exploration of this Forschungsgruppe will help us to better understand the challenges of working with personal compensation claims as historical documents and will raise stimulating questions about the place of German reparation in Holocaust studies and commemoration of the Holocaust.
Pragmatic guidance for embedding pragmatic clinical trials in health plans: Large simple trials aren’t so simple
Authors: Cocoros Noelle M , Gurwitz Jerry H , Cziraky Mark J , Granger Christopher B , Harkins Thomas , Haynes Kevin , Li Xiaojuan , Parlett Lauren , Seeger John D , Singh Sonal , McMahill-Walraven Cheryl N , Platt Richard
Published: June 2023

Background:

There are unique opportunities related to the design and conduct of pragmatic trials embedded in health insurance plans, which have longitudinal data on member/patient demographics, dates of coverage, and reimbursed medical care, including prescription drug dispensings, vaccine administrations, behavioral healthcare encounters, and some laboratory results. Such trials can be large and efficient, using these data to identify trial-eligible patients and to ascertain outcomes.

Methods:

We use our experience primarily with the National Institutes of Health Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory Distributed Research Network, which comprises health plans that participate in the US Food & Drug Administration’s Sentinel System, to describe lessons learned from the conduct and planning of embedded pragmatic trials.

Results:

Information is available for research on more than 75 million people with commercial or Medicare Advantage health plans. We describe three studies that have used or plan to use the Network, as well as a single health plan study, from which we glean our lessons learned.

Conclusions:

Studies that are conducted in health plans provide much-needed evidence to drive clinically meaningful changes in care. However, there are many unique aspects of these trials that must be considered in the planning, implementation, and analytic phases. The type of trial best suited for studies embedded in health plans will be those that require large sample sizes, simple interventions that could be disseminated through health plans, and where data available to the health plan can be leveraged. These trials hold potential for substantial long-term impact on our ability to generate evidence to improve care and population health.
BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway-mediated microglial activation induces neuronal KCC2 downregulation contributing to dynamic allodynia following spared nerve injury
Authors: Hu Zihan , Yu Xinren , Chen Pei , Jin Keyu , Zhou Jing , Wang Guoxiang , Yu Jiangning , Wu Tong , Wang Yulong , Lin Fuqing , Zhang Tingting , Wang Yun , Zhao Xuan
Published: June 2023

Mechanical allodynia can be evoked by punctate pressure contact with the skin (punctate mechanical allodynia) and dynamic contact stimulation induced by gentle touching of the skin (dynamic mechanical allodynia). Dynamic allodynia is insensitive to morphine treatment and is transmitted through the spinal dorsal horn by a specific neuronal pathway, which is different from that for punctate allodynia, leading to difficulties in clinical treatment. K+-Cl− cotransporter-2 (KCC2) is one of the major determinants of inhibitory efficiency, and the inhibitory system in the spinal cord is important in the regulation of neuropathic pain. The aim of the current study was to determine whether neuronal KCC2 is involved in the induction of dynamic allodynia and to identify underlying spinal mechanisms involved in this process. Dynamic and punctate allodynia were assessed using either von Frey filaments or a paint brush in a spared nerve injury (SNI) mouse model. Our study discovered that the downregulated neuronal membrane KCC2 (mKCC2) in the spinal dorsal horn of SNI mice is closely associated with SNI-induced dynamic allodynia, as the prevention of KCC2 downregulation significantly suppressed the induction of dynamic allodynia. The over activation of microglia in the spinal dorsal horn after SNI was at least one of the triggers in SNI-induced mKCC2 reduction and dynamic allodynia, as these effects were blocked by the inhibition of microglial activation. Finally, the BDNF-TrkB pathway mediated by activated microglial affected SNI-induced dynamic allodynia through neuronal KCC2 downregulation. Overall, our findings revealed that activation of microglia through the BDNF-TrkB pathway affected neuronal KCC2 downregulation, contributing to dynamic allodynia induction in an SNI mouse model.
Towards a Vocal Constraints Model of Melodic Expectancy: Evidence from Two Listening Experiments
Authors: Ammirante Paolo , Russo Frank A.
Published: June 2023

Where does a listener's anticipation of the next note in an unfamiliar melody come from? One view is that expectancies reflect innate grouping biases; another is that expectancies reflect statistical learning through previous musical exposure. Listening experiments support both views but in limited contexts, e.g., using only instrumental renditions of melodies. Here we report replications of two previous experiments, but with additional manipulations of timbre (instrumental vs. sung renditions) and register (modal vs. upper). Following a proposal that melodic expectancy is vocally constrained, we predicted that sung renditions would encourage an expectation that the next tone will be a “singable” one, operationalized here as one having an absolute pitch height that falls within the modal register. Listeners heard melodic fragments and gave goodness-of-fit ratings on the final tone (Experiment 1) or rated how certain they were about what the next note would be (Experiment 2). Ratings in the instrumental conditions were consistent with the original findings, but differed significantly from ratings in the sung conditions, which were more consistent with the vocal constraints model. We discuss how a vocal constraints model could be extended to include expectations about duration and tonality.
Teacher Perspectives on Primary-Secondary School Transition Projects During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Tsegay Samson Maekele , Wheeler Lucie , Kirkman Phil , Pratt-Adams Simon
Published: June 2023

Opportunity areas are primarily selected to improve the social mobility of citizens using education. This paper explores teachers’ perspectives on school transitions, particularly emphasizing the role of school transition intervention activities in supporting students’ resilience, behavior, academic understanding, and positive parental involvement. Informed by Multiple and Multi-dimensional Transitions (MMT) theory, the paper focuses on the outcomes of school transition intervention activities applied to new Year 7 students in a UK opportunity area. Data was collected through document review, teacher survey, and semi-structured interviews. As a result, 14 interventions were identified, such as a summer school program, peer mentoring, and interschool visits, aiming to make primary to secondary school transition smoother. However, the findings suggested that many schools did not employ some of the school transition intervention projects. Moreover, the data indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the implementation of many of the school transition projects. The paper contributes to understanding the impact of school transition projects on students’ confidence, wellbeing, and academic achievement.
Strongman: The Extraordinary Leaders of India and the Philippines
Authors: Ruud Arild Engelsen
Published: June 2023

Both Narendra Modi and Rodrigo Duterte stand out as leaders that epitomise their respective reigns in ways that previous leaders did not. A juxtaposition of their political personae allows us to investigate a contemporary political phenomenon, that of the elected strongman leader. This article makes three points from this juxtaposition: (a) They presided over a period of ‘democratic backsliding’. (b) They came with social media. (c) They are their own message and that message is that they are extraordinary leaders, above ordinary constraints. This article concludes that they represent strongman politics—where they as their people’s representative engage in acts symbolic of the people’s sovereignty. In an age of discontent with democracy, new and social media have allowed them to portray themselves as true defenders of ‘the people’.
Book review: Shalin Jain, Identity, Community and State: The Jains Under the Mughals
Authors: Habib Irfan
Published: June 2023

Shalin Jain, Identity, Community and State: The Jains Under the Mughals (Delhi: Primus Books), 2017, 401 pp., ₹1,095 (Hb).
The Digital Undertow and Institutional Displacement: A Sociomaterial Approach
Authors: Orlikowski Wanda J. , Scott Susan V.
Published: June 2023

As “the digital” becomes pervasive within organizations and industries, it is increasingly evident that how we live, work, connect, coordinate, and govern are being significantly changed by digitalization. Many of these digital transformations are highly visible and dramatic, involving a purposeful repositioning and restructuring of organizations and industries. But in addition to these direct and visible changes, we argue that processes of digitalization are also producing less visible transformations in core institutional values, norms, and rules, which are indirectly, yet more profoundly, reconfiguring how organizations and industries perform. Referencing findings from two different sectors, we posit that the corollary effects of waves of digitalization—what we conceptualize as the “digital undertow”—are generating a set of dynamics that are displacing institutional apparatuses from their positions of primacy and authority within industries. We further suggest that our conventional toolkits for studying organizational phenomena are not well equipped for examining such corollary effects of digitalization. In addressing this challenge, we consider how the relational and performative theorizing of strong sociomateriality provides a powerful analytic for investigating these effects and we highlight how it offers valuable insights into the institutional displacements arising in the digital undertow.
Performance assessment of a triple-junction solar cell with 1.0 eV GaAsBi absorber
Authors: Paulauskas Tadas , Pačebutas Vaidas , Strazdienė Viktorija , Geižutis Andrejus , Devenson Jan , Kamarauskas Mindaugas , Skapas Martynas , Kondrotas Rokas , Drazdys Mantas , Rudzikas Matas , Šebeka Benjaminas , Vretenár Viliam , Krotkus Arūnas
Published: June 2023

Group III–V semiconductor multi-junction solar cells are widely used in concentrated-sun and space photovoltaic applications due to their unsurpassed power conversion efficiency and radiation hardness. To further increase the efficiency, new device architectures rely on better bandgap combinations over the mature GaInP/InGaAs/Ge technology, with Ge preferably replaced by a 1.0 eV subcell. Herein, we present a thin-film triple-junction solar cell AlGaAs/GaAs/GaAsBi with 1.0 eV dilute bismide. A compositionally step-graded InGaAs buffer layer is used to integrate high crystalline quality GaAsBi absorber. The solar cells, grown by molecular-beam epitaxy, achieve 19.1% efficiency at AM1.5G spectrum, 2.51 V open-circuit voltage, and 9.86 mA/cm2 short-circuit current density. Device analysis identifies several routes to significantly improve the performance of the GaAsBi subcell and of the overall solar cell. This study is the first to report on multi-junctions incorporating GaAsBi and is an addition to the research on the use of bismuth-containing III–V alloys in photonic device applications.
Pallidal GABA B receptors: involvement in cortex beta dynamics and thalamic reticular nucleus activity
Authors: Villalobos Nelson , Magdaleno‐Madrigal Victor Manuel
Published: June 2023

The external globus pallidus (GP) firing rate synchronizes the basal ganglia-thalamus-cortex network controlling GABAergic output to different nuclei. In this context, two findings are significant: the activity and GABAergic transmission of the GP modulated by GABA B receptors and the presence of the GP-thalamic reticular nucleus (RTn) pathway, the functionality of which is unknown. The functional participation of GABA B receptors through this network in cortical dynamics is feasible because the RTn controls transmission between the thalamus and cortex. To analyze this hypothesis, we used single-unit recordings of RTn neurons and electroencephalograms of the motor cortex (MCx) before and after GP injection of the GABA B agonist baclofen and the antagonist saclofen in anesthetized rats. We found that GABA B agonists increase the spiking rate of the RTn and that this response decreases the spectral density of beta frequency bands in the MCx. Additionally, injections of GABA B antagonists decreased the firing activity of the RTn and reversed the effects in the power spectra of beta frequency bands in the MCx. Our results proved that the GP modulates cortical oscillation dynamics through the GP-RTn network via tonic modulation of RTn activity.
H-type hypertension is a risk factor for chronic total coronary artery occlusion: a cross-sectional study from southwest China
Authors: Xiao Kaiyong , Xv Zhe , Xv Yuling , Wang Jianping , Xiao Lian , Kang Zhou , Zhu Jianhui , He Zhongwei , Huang Guan
Published: June 2023

Background

Chronic total coronary occlusion (CTO) is serious and the "last bastion" of percutaneous coronary intervention. Hypertension and hyperhomocysteinemia (HHCY) are synergistic and significantly increase cardiovascular event risk. The relationship between H-type hypertension and CTO remains unclear; thus, this cross-sectional study investigated this potential association.

Methods

Between January 2018 and June 2022, 1446 individuals from southwest China were recruited to participate in this study. CTO was defined as complete coronary artery occlusion persisting for over three months. H-type hypertension was defined as hypertension with plasma homocysteine levels ≥ 15 µmol/L. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to assess the association between H-type hypertension and CTO. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to determine the accuracy of H-type hypertension in predicting CTO.

Results

Of the 1446 individuals, 397 had CTO, and 545 had H-type hypertension. After multivariate adjustment, the odds ratio (OR) for CTO in individuals with H-type hypertension was 2.3-fold higher (95% CI 1.01–5.26) than that in healthy controls. The risk of CTO is higher in individuals with H-type hypertension than in those with isolated HHCY and hypertension. The area under the ROC curve for CTO was 0.685 (95% CI, 0.653–0.717) for H-type hypertension.

Conclusions

In southwest China, H-type hypertension is significantly related to the occurrence of CTO.

Trial registration

This retrospective study was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR2100050519.2.2).
Closing the gap in our understanding of infectious diseases
Authors: Kalinda Chester , Temfack Elvis
Published: June 2023

Systematic reviews (SR) and meta-analyses (MA) have become important in addressing specific questions of clinical importance and presenting evidence from an in-depth analysis of literature and aiding clinical decision-making. The “Systematic Reviews on infectious diseases” collection will address several important questions by summarizing large bodies of evidence in a reproducible and concise approach to advance our knowledge and understanding of infectious diseases.
Establishment and validation of an AI-aid method in the diagnosis of myocardial perfusion imaging
Authors: Zhang Ruyi , Wang Peng , Bian Yanzhu , Fan Yan , Li Jianming , Liu Xuehui , Shen Jie , Hu Yujing , Liao Xianghe , Wang He , Song Chengyu , Li Wangxiao , Wang Xiaojie , Sun Momo , Zhang Jianping , Wang Miao , Wang Shen , Shen Yiming , Zhang Xuemei , Jia Qiang , Tan Jian , Li Ning , Wang Sen , Xu Lingyun , Wu Weiming , Zhang Wei , Meng Zhaowei
Published: June 2023

Background

This study aimed to develop and validate an AI (artificial intelligence)-aid method in myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) to differentiate ischemia in coronary artery disease.

Methods

We retrospectively selected 599 patients who had received gated-MPI protocol. Images were acquired using hybrid SPECT-CT systems. A training set was used to train and develop the neural network and a validation set was used to test the predictive ability of the neural network. We used a learning technique named “YOLO” to carry out the training process. We compared the predictive accuracy of AI with that of physician interpreters (beginner, inexperienced, and experienced interpreters).

Results

Training performance showed that the accuracy ranged from 66.20% to 94.64%, the recall rate ranged from 76.96% to 98.76%, and the average precision ranged from 80.17% to 98.15%. In the ROC analysis of the validation set, the sensitivity range was 88.9 ~ 93.8%, the specificity range was 93.0 ~ 97.6%, and the AUC range was 94.1 ~ 96.1%. In the comparison between AI and different interpreters, AI outperformed the other interpreters (most P-value < 0.05).

Conclusion

The AI system of our study showed excellent predictive accuracy in the diagnosis of MPI protocols, and therefore might be potentially helpful to aid radiologists in clinical practice and develop more sophisticated models.
Clinical prediction score for prolonged length of hospital stay in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage
Authors: Prasetyo Bambang Tri , Kurniawan Ricky Gusanto , Rilianto Beny , Windiani Pratiwi Raissa , Gotama Kelvin Theandro , Salam Sardiana , Sari Ita Muharram , Musridharta Eka , Arham Abrar , Kusdiansah Muhammad , Kiemas Lyna Soertidewi , Bustami Mursyid
Published: June 2023

Background

Length of stay (LOS) is an important indicator of the optimization of health services and hospital financing efficiency in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) patients. The purpose of this study was to develop a scoring model to predict the LOS of patients with aSAH.

Method

A clinical scoring was developed based on retrospectively collected data from the cerebral aneurysm registry of the National Brain Center Hospital, Jakarta, from January 2019 to June 2022. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the odds ratio for risk-adjusted prolonged LOS. LOS predictors were obtained based on the regression coefficients and converted into a point score model.

Results

Of the 209 aSAH patients observed, 117 patients had prolonged LOS (> 14 days of hospital stay). A clinical score was developed with a range of 0–7 points. Four variables were chosen as predictors of prolonged LOS: the presence of high-grade aSAH (1 point), aneurysm treatment (endovascular coiling: 1 point; surgical clipping: 2 points), cardiovascular comorbidities (1 point), and hospital-acquired pneumonia (3 points). The score showed good discrimination with an area under the receiving operating characteristics curve (AUC) of 0.8183 (SE 0.0278) and ap-value for the Hosmer–Lemeshow (HL) goodness-of-fit of 0.9322.

Conclusion

This simple clinical score reliably predicted prolonged LOS in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage cases and may aid clinicians in improving patient outcomes and decreasing healthcare costs.
Personalized follow-up of circulating DNA in resected stage III/IV melanoma: PERCIMEL multicentric prospective study protocol
Authors: Geoffrois Lionnel , Harlé Alexandre , Sahki Nassim , Sikanja Aleksandra , Granel-Brocard Florence , Hervieu Alice , Mortier Laurent , Jeudy Géraldine , Michel Catherine , Nardin Charlée , Huin-Schohn Cécile , Merlin Jean-Louis
Published: June 2023

Background

With more than 15,000 new cases /year in France and 2,000 deaths, cutaneous melanoma represents approximately 4% of incidental cancers and 1.2% of cancer related deaths. In locally advanced (stage III) or resectable metastatic (stage IV) melanomas, medical adjuvant treatment is proposed and recent advances had shown the benefit of anti-PD1/PDL1 and anti-CTLA4 immunotherapy as well as anti-BRAF and anti-MEK targeted therapy in BRAF V600 mutated tumors. However, the recurence rate at one year is approximately 30% and justify extensive research of predictive biomarkers. If in metastatic disease, the follow-up of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has been demonstrated, its interest in adjuvant setting remains to be precised, especially because of a lower detection rate. Further, the definition of a molecular response could prove useful to personalized treatment.

Methods

PERCIMEL is an open prospective multicentric study executed through collaboration of the Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine (non-profit comprehensive cancer center) and 6 French university and community hospitals. A total of 165 patients with resected stage III and IV melanoma, eligible to adjuvant imunotherapy or anti-BRAF/MEK kinase inhibitors will be included. The primary endpoint is the presence of ctDNA, 2 to 3 weeks after surgery, defined as mutated ctDNA copy number calculated as the allelic fraction of a clonal mutation relative to total ctDNA. Secondary endpoints are recurrence-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival and specific survival. We will follow ctDNA along treatment, quantitatively through ctDNA mutated copy number variation, qualitatively through the presence of cfDNA and its clonal evolution. Relative and absolute variations of ctDNA during follow-up will be also analyzed.

PERCIMEL study aims at provide scientific evidence that ctDNA quantitative and qualitative variations can be used to predict the recurrence of patients with melanoma treated with adjuvant immunotherapy or kinase inhibitors, thus defining the notion of molecular recurrence.
Effect of alirocumab on cataracts in patients with acute coronary syndromes
Authors: Suc Gaspard , Schwartz Gregory G. , Goodman Shaun G. , Jukema J. Wouter , Manvelian Garen , Poulouin Yann , Pordy Robert , Scemama Michel , Szarek Michael , Steg Ph. Gabriel ,   ODYSSEY OUTCOMES Investigators
Published: June 2023

Background

Some data suggest that low levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) are associated with risk of cataracts. Proprotein convertase subtilisin–kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors reduce LDL-C below levels achieved with statins alone. We determined whether the incidence of cataracts was influenced by treatment with the PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab versus placebo, and whether that incidence was affected by achieved LDL-C levels.

Methods

The ODYSSEY OUTCOMES trial (NCT01663402) compared alirocumab with placebo in 18,924 patients with recent acute coronary syndrome receiving high-intensity or maximum-tolerated statin. Incident cataracts were pre-specified events of interest. In multivariable analysis using propensity score-matching on characteristics including cataract risk factors, incident cataracts were compared in the alirocumab and placebo groups according to LDL-C levels achieved with alirocumab.

Results

Over median follow-up of 2.8 years (interquartile range 2.3 − 3.4), the incidence of cataracts was similar with alirocumab (127/9462 [1.3%]) versus placebo (134/9462 [1.4%]); hazard ratio [HR] 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.74 − 1.20). In patients treated with alirocumab with ≥ 2 LDL-C values < 25 mg/dL (0.65 mmol/L), the incidence of cataracts was 71/4305 (1.6%), versus 60/4305 (1.4%) in propensity score-matched patients from the placebo group (HR 1.10, CI 95% 0.78 − 1.55). In patients treated with alirocumab with ≥ 2 LDL-C values < 15 mg/dL (0.39 mmol/L), the incidence of cataracts was 13/782 (1.7%), versus 36/2346 (1.5%) in matched patients from the placebo group (HR 1.03, CI 95% 0.54 − 1.94).

Conclusion

Treatment with alirocumab versus placebo, added to statin, did not influence the incidence of cataracts, even when achieved LDL-C levels on alirocumab were very low. Longer follow-up studies might be necessary to exclude the long-term effects on the incidence or progression of cataracts.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01663402.
Prevalence and risk factors of prehypertension/hypertension among freshman students from the Vietnam National University: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Vo Hong-Khoi , Nguyen Dung Viet , Vu Thom Thi , Tran Hieu Ba , Nguyen Hoai Thi Thu
Published: June 2023

Background

Prehypertension (PHT) and hypertension (HTN) in young adults are essential risk factors for other cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in later years of life. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the burden and risk factors of PHT/HTN for Vietnamese youth. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of PHT/HTN and risk factors among university students in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Methods

This study was designed as a cross-sectional investigation with 840 students (394 males and 446 females) randomly sampled from freshmen of Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU). Socio-demographic, anthropometric, and lifestyle data were collected using questionnaire forms and physical measurements. HTN was defined as blood pressure (BP) ≥ 140/90 mmHg and/or current treatment with antihypertensive medications. PHT was defined as a systolic BP from 120 to 139 mmHg and/or a diastolic BP from 80 to 89 mmHg. Body mass index (BMI) was classified according to the WHO diagnostic criteria for Asian adults: normal weight (BMI 18.5–22.9 kg/m2), underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2), overweight (BMI 23–24.9 kg/m2), and obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2). Bivariable and multivariable log-binomial regression analyses were conducted to explore the association of PHT/HTN with different risk factors.

Results

The overall prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension was 33.5% [95% CI: 30.3–36.8%] (54.1% in men and 15.3% in women) and 1.4% [95% CI: 0.7–2.5%] (2.5% in men and 0.5% in women), respectively. Regarding CVD major risk factors, 119 (14.2%) were identified as overweight/obese, 461 (54.9%) were physical inactivity, 29.4% of men and 8.1% of women reported consuming alcohol. The multivariable analysis indicated the male sex (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 3.07; 95% CI: 2.32–4.06), alcohol consumption (aPR = 1.28; 95% CI: 1.03–1.59) and obesity (aPR = 1.35; 95% CI: 1.08–1.68) as the independent risk factors for PHT/HTN.

Conclusions

The results revealed the high burden of prehypertension and hypertension among university freshmen in VNU. Male sex, alcohol consumption, and obesity were identified as important risk factors for PHT/HTN. Our study suggests an early screening program for PHT/HTN and campaigns to promote a healthy lifestyle for young adults in Vietnam.
The effect of carbodiimide on push-out bond strength of fiber posts and endogenous enzymatic activity
Authors: Josic Uros , Mazzitelli Claudia , Maravic Tatjana , Comba Allegra , Cadenaro Milena , Radovic Ivana , Sebold Maicon , Turco Gianluca , Breschi Lorenzo , Mazzoni Annalisa
Published: June 2023

Background

To investigate the effect of 0.3 M 1-ethyl-3(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) aqueous solution pretreatment on push-out bond strength (PBS) and matrix-metalloproteinases (MMPs) activity within radicular dentin when different post cementation strategies were employed.

Methods

One hundred and twenty monoradicular human teeth were endodontically treated and randomly divided into six groups, depending on the cementation strategy and root dentin pretreatment (n = 20): EAR: cementation with an etch-and-rinse adhesive (LuxaBond Total Etch, DMG) and resin cement (LuxaCore Z Dual, DMG); EAR/EDC: 1 min EDC pretreatment after etching + EAR; SE: cementation with a self-etch primer (Multilink Primer, Ivoclar Vivadent) and corresponding cement (Multilink Automix, Ivoclar Vivadent); SE/EDC: self-etch primer + EDC pretreatment + SE; SA: cementation with a universal self-adhesive cement (RelyX Universal, 3 M); SA/EDC: EDC pretreatment + SA. Slices were submitted to PBS test and interfacial nanoleakage evaluation 24 h after cementation or after thermocycling (40.000 cycles, 5–55 °C). To investigate the effect of EDC on MMPs activity, 4 additional first maxillary premolars per group were processed for in situ zymography analysis. Multivariate ANOVA and post hoc Tukey tests were used to analyze PBS values. The data from in situ zymography were analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis test and Dunn’s pairwise multiple comparison procedures (α = 0.05).

Results

The variables “EDC pretreatment”, “root region” and “thermocycling” significantly influenced PBS (p < 0.05), while the variable “cementation strategy” had no influence (p > 0.05). Thermocycling significantly reduced PBS in SE and SA groups (p < 0.05). EDC was effective in preserving PBS after artificial aging. EDC pretreatment significantly reduced enzymatic activity at baseline in EAR and SE groups, and in SA group after thermocycling (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The use of EDC prevents the reduction of bond-strength values after artificial aging and silences endogenous enzymatic activity within radicular dentin when different cementation strategies were employed.
Identification of candidate metabolite biomarkers for metabolic syndrome and its five components in population-based human cohorts
Authors: Shi Mengya , Han Siyu , Klier Kristin , Fobo Gisela , Montrone Corinna , Yu Shixiang , Harada Makoto , Henning Ann-Kristin , Friedrich Nele , Bahls Martin , Dörr Marcus , Nauck Matthias , Völzke Henry , Homuth Georg , Grabe Hans J. , Prehn Cornelia , Adamski Jerzy , Suhre Karsten , Rathmann Wolfgang , Ruepp Andreas , Hertel Johannes , Peters Annette , Wang-Sattler Rui
Published: June 2023

Background

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is characterized by risk factors such as abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), hypertension, and hyperglycemia, which contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Here, we aim to identify candidate metabolite biomarkers of MetS and its associated risk factors to better understand the complex interplay of underlying signaling pathways.

Methods

We quantified serum samples of the KORA F4 study participants (N = 2815) and analyzed 121 metabolites. Multiple regression models adjusted for clinical and lifestyle covariates were used to identify metabolites that were Bonferroni significantly associated with MetS. These findings were replicated in the SHIP-TREND-0 study (N = 988) and further analyzed for the association of replicated metabolites with the five components of MetS. Database-driven networks of the identified metabolites and their interacting enzymes were also constructed.

Results

We identified and replicated 56 MetS-specific metabolites: 13 were positively associated (e.g., Val, Leu/Ile, Phe, and Tyr), and 43 were negatively associated (e.g., Gly, Ser, and 40 lipids). Moreover, the majority (89%) and minority (23%) of MetS-specific metabolites were associated with low HDL-C and hypertension, respectively. One lipid, lysoPC a C18:2, was negatively associated with MetS and all of its five components, indicating that individuals with MetS and each of the risk factors had lower concentrations of lysoPC a C18:2 compared to corresponding controls. Our metabolic networks elucidated these observations by revealing impaired catabolism of branched-chain and aromatic amino acids, as well as accelerated Gly catabolism.

Conclusion

Our identified candidate metabolite biomarkers are associated with the pathophysiology of MetS and its risk factors. They could facilitate the development of therapeutic strategies to prevent type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. For instance, elevated levels of lysoPC a C18:2 may protect MetS and its five risk components. More in-depth studies are necessary to determine the mechanism of key metabolites in the MetS pathophysiology.
Helicobacter pylori promotes gastric intestinal metaplasia through activation of IRF3-mediated kynurenine pathway
Authors: Liang Xinhua , Du Wenjun , Huang Ling , Xiang Li , Pan Wenxu , Yang Fangying , Zheng Fengfeng , Xie Yongwu , Geng Lanlan , Gong Sitang , Xu Wanfu
Published: June 2023

Background

Metabolic reprogramming is a critical event for cell fate and function, making it an attractive target for clinical therapy. The function of metabolic reprogramming in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-infected gastric intestinal metaplasia remained to be identified.

Methods

Xanthurenic acid (XA) was measured in gastric cancer cells treated with H. pylori or H. pylori virulence factor, respectively, and qPCR and WB were performed to detect CDX2 and key metabolic enzymes expression. A subcellular fractionation approach, luciferase and ChIP combined with immunofluorescence were applied to reveal the mechanism underlying H. pylori mediated kynurenine pathway in intestinal metaplasia in vivo and in vitro.

Results

Herein, we, for the first time, demonstrated that H. pylori contributed to gastric intestinal metaplasia characterized by enhanced Caudal-related homeobox transcription factor-2 (CDX2) and mucin2 (MUC2) expression, which was attributed to activation of kynurenine pathway. H. pylori promoted kynurenine aminotransferase II (KAT2)-mediated kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism, leading to XA production, which further induced CDX2 expression in gastric epithelial cells. Mechanically, H. pylori activated cyclic guanylate adenylate synthase (cGAS)-interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) pathway in gastric epithelial cells, leading to enhance IRF3 nuclear translocation and the binding of IRF3 to KAT2 promoter. Inhibition of KAT2 could significantly reverse the effect of H. pylori on CDX2 expression. Also, the rescue phenomenon was observed in gastric epithelial cells treated with H. pylori after IRF3 inhibition in vitro and in vivo. Most importantly, phospho-IRF3 was confirmed to be a clinical positive relationship with CDX2.

Conclusion

These finding suggested H. pylori contributed to gastric intestinal metaplasia through KAT2-mediated kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism via cGAS-IRF3 signaling, targeting the kynurenine pathway could be a promising strategy to prevent gastric intestinal metaplasia caused by H. pylori infection.
The impact of the Safe Delivery Application on knowledge and skills managing postpartum haemorrhage in a low resource setting: a cluster randomized controlled trial in West Wollega region, Ethiopia
Authors: Christiansen Ann-Marie Hellerung , Sørensen Bjarke Lund , Boas Ida Marie , Bedesa Tariku , Fekede Wondewossen , Nielsen Henriette Svarre , Lund Stine
Published: June 2023

Background

Postpartum haemorrhage is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in low-income countries. Improving health workers' competencies in obstetric emergencies in low-income settings, has been recognized as an important factor in preventing maternal mortality and morbidity. mHealth interventions in maternal and newborn health care has shown the potential to improve health service delivery. Strong study designs such as randomized controlled trials are missing to estimate the effectiveness of the mHealth interventions.

Methods

Between August 2013 and August 2014, 70 health facilities in West Wollega Region, Ethiopia were included and randomized to intervention or control in a cluster randomized controlled trial. At intervention facilities birth attendants were provided with a smartphone with the SDA installed. Of 176 midwives and “health extension workers,” 130 completed at 12 months follow-up. At baseline and after 6- and 12-months participants were assessed. Knowledge was tested by a Key Feature Questionnaire, skills by an Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills in a structured role-play scenario.

Results

Baseline skills scores were low and comparable with a median of 12/100 in the intervention and the control group. After 6 months skills had doubled in the intervention group (adjusted mean difference 29.6; 95% CI 24.2–35.1 compared to 1·8; 95% CI – 2.7 to 6.3 in the control group). At 12 months skills had further improved in the intervention group (adjusted mean difference 13.3; 95% CI 8.3–18.3 compared to 3.1; 95% CI – 1.0 to 7.3 in the control group). Knowledge scores also significantly improved in the intervention group compared to the control (adjusted mean difference after 12 months 8.5; 95% CI 2.0–15.0).

Conclusion

The Safe Delivery App more than doubled clinical skills for managing postpartum haemorrhage among birth attendants making it an attractive tool to reduce maternal mortality.

Trial registration: Clinicaltrial.gov Identifier NCT01945931. September 5, 2013.
Prevalence of malnutrition & anemia in preschool children; a single center study
Authors: Fouad Hanan Mina , Yousef Aly , Afifi Ahmed , Ghandour Ahmed A. , Elshahawy Amira , Elkhawass Ayman , Hawees Hazem , Shaheen Eman , Alaaeldin Mohamed , Kamal Mostafa , Bastawy Samah , Rabie Samah , Wissa Farah , Shalaby Sherine
Published: June 2023

Background

Malnutrition including undernutrition, overnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies are considerable problems worldwide, with variable burdens among different communities. Its complications include physical and cognitive impairment, with the probability of irreversible lifelong consequences. We aimed to assess the prevalence of undernutrition, overweight, obesity, and anemia in preschoolers, being a risk group for developmental adverse events.

Methods

We recruited 505 healthy preschool children, with a male: female ratio of 1.05:1. Children with chronic diseases were excluded. We used anthropometry and complete blood count to screen for malnutrition and anemia.

Results

The mean age of the study group was 3.8 ± 1.4 years (1.02–7). The screening results were average in 228 (45.1%) children, while 277 (54.9%) children had either abnormal anthropometry, anemia, or both. We observed undernutrition in 48 (9.5%) children; among them, 33 (6.6%) were underweight, 33 (6.6%) wasted, and 15 (3%) were stunted, with no significant difference between children aged below or above five. We identified overnutrition in 125 (24.8%); 43 (8.5%) were overweight, 12 (2.4%) were obese, and 70 (13.9%) had a high body mass index Z score, not qualifying the definition of overweight. Anemia was diagnosed in 141 (27.9%) children and was significantly more frequent among older children without gender discrimination. About 10% (50 children) had both anemia and abnormal anthropometry. The frequency of abnormal anthropometry was comparable between children with anemia and those with normal hemoglobin.

Conclusion

Malnutrition and anemia in preschoolers are still a heavy burden affecting about half of our study group, with an upward trend towards the overnutrition side. Anemia is still a moderate public health problem in preschoolers.
Feedback circuits are numerous in embryonic gene regulatory networks and offer a stabilizing influence on evolution of those networks
Authors: Massri Abdull Jesus , McDonald Brennan , Wray Gregory A. , McClay David R.
Published: June 2023

The developmental gene regulatory networks (dGRNs) of two sea urchin species, Lytechinus variegatus (Lv) and Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (Sp), have remained remarkably similar despite about 50 million years since a common ancestor. Hundreds of parallel experimental perturbations of transcription factors with similar outcomes support this conclusion. A recent scRNA-seq analysis suggested that the earliest expression of several genes within the dGRNs differs between Lv and Sp. Here, we present a careful reanalysis of the dGRNs in these two species, paying close attention to timing of first expression. We find that initial expression of genes critical for cell fate specification occurs during several compressed time periods in both species. Previously unrecognized feedback circuits are inferred from the temporally corrected dGRNs. Although many of these feedbacks differ in location within the respective GRNs, the overall number is similar between species. We identify several prominent differences in timing of first expression for key developmental regulatory genes; comparison with a third species indicates that these heterochronies likely originated in an unbiased manner with respect to embryonic cell lineage and evolutionary branch. Together, these results suggest that interactions can evolve even within highly conserved dGRNs and that feedback circuits may buffer the effects of heterochronies in the expression of key regulatory genes.
Ground strains induced by the 2022 Hunga-Tonga volcanic eruption, observed by a 1500-m laser strainmeter at Kamioka, Japan
Authors: Takamori Akiteru , Araya Akito , Miyo Kouseki , Washimi Tatsuki , Yokozawa Takaaki , Hayakawa Hideaki , Ohashi Masatake
Published: June 2023

In this study, we detected the horizontal ground strains induced by the atmospheric Lamb wave emitted from the 2022 eruption of the Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai undersea volcano, at an underground observatory in Kamioka, Japan. The observed strains were in the range of $${10}^{-11}$$

10

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11

–$${10}^{-10}$$

10

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10

and were measured precisely using a 1500-m laser strainmeter with a high resolution in the order of $${10}^{-12}$$

10

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12

. This was one of the first observations of a Lamb wave using a laser strainmeter. The strainmeter was constructed in a tunnel of the KAGRA gravitational-wave telescope. Our observations demonstrate that strain and atmospheric pressure were clearly correlated, resulting in a regression coefficient of $$- \left(2.3-3.7\right)\times {10}^{-10}$$

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2.3
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3.7

×

10

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10

strain/hPa. This finding was compared with the responses under regular pressure conditions and the estimations obtained using the local deformation and traveling wave models. The observed coefficients for the Lamb wave exhibited smaller magnitudes than those observed under regular conditions and take values between that of the two theoretical models. These results reflect the intermediate scale of the pressure distribution of the Lamb wave between the assumptions of the simple models. The strain variations were also found to have started earlier than the corresponding pressure changes at the observation site with characteristic time lags ranging from 25 to 155 s. In addition, several aspects related to the mechanism that created the time lags are discussed.

Graphical Abstract
Not Too Little, Not Too Much: Optimizing More Versus Less Locoregional Treatment for Older Patients With Breast Cancer
Authors: Tseng Jennifer , Bazan Jose G. , Minami Christina A. , Schonberg Mara A.
Published: June 2023

Although undertreatment of older women with aggressive breast cancers has been a concern for years, there is increasing recognition that some older women are overtreated, receiving therapies unlikely to improve survival or reduce morbidity. De-escalation of surgery may include breast-conserving surgery over mastectomy for appropriate candidates and omitting or reducing extent of axillary surgery. Appropriate patients to de-escalate surgery are those with early-stage breast cancer, favorable tumor characteristics, are clinically node-negative, and who may have other major health issues. De-escalation of radiation includes reducing treatment course length through hypofractionation and ultrahypofractionation regimens, reducing treatment volumes through partial breast irradiation, omission of radiation for select patients, and reducing radiation dose to normal tissues. Shared decision making, which aims to facilitate patients making decisions concordant with their values, can guide health care providers and patients through complicated decisions optimizing breast cancer care.
Dynamics of squirmers in explicitly modeled polymeric fluids
Authors: Zöttl Andreas
Published: June 2023

Biological microswimmers such as bacteria and sperm cells often encounter complex biological fluid environments. Here we use the well-known squirmer microswimmer model to show the importance of the local fluid microstructure and non-continuum effects on their swimming speed in different polymeric and filamentous fluids. Surprisingly, we find that different squirmer types move at considerably different speed in filamentous fluids which cannot be explained by existing continuum models, but by considering the local fluid and polymer properties around the squirmers. Furthermore, direct squirmer-polymer interactions slow down in particular pushers by trapping large stiff filaments in a self-generated recirculation region in front of them.
Dead or alive: Distinguishing active from passive particles using supervised learning
(a)
Authors: Janzen Giulia , Smeets Xander L. J. A. , Debets Vincent E. , Luo Chengjie , Storm Cornelis , Janssen Liesbeth M. C. , Ciarella Simone
Published: June 2023

A longstanding open question in the field of dense disordered matter is how precisely structure and dynamics are related to each other. With the advent of machine learning, it has become possible to agnostically predict the dynamic propensity of a particle in a dense liquid based on its local structural environment. Thus far, however, these machine-learning studies have focused almost exclusively on simple liquids composed of passive particles. Here we consider a mixture of both passive and active (i.e., self-propelled) Brownian particles, with the aim to identify the active particles from minimal local structural information. We compare a state-of-the-art machine learning approach for passive systems with a new method we develop based on Voronoi tessellation. Both methods accurately identify the active particles based on their structural properties at high activity and low concentrations of active particles. Our Voronoi method is, however, substantially faster to train and deploy because it requires fewer, and easy to compute, input features. Notably, both become ineffective when the activity is low, suggesting a fundamentally different structural signature for dynamic propensity and non-equilibrium activity. Ultimately, these efforts might also find relevance in the context of biological active glasses such as confluent cell layers, where subtle changes in the microstructure can hint at pathological changes in cell dynamics.