bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Breaking Up Sedentary Time Reduces Recurrent Fall Risk, but Not Incident Fracture Risk in Older Men
Authors: Roe Lauren S. , Harrison Stephanie , Cawthon Peggy M. , Ensrud Kristine , Gabriel Kelley Pettee , Kado Deborah M. , Cauley Jane A. ,   the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study Research Group
Published: August 2023

Apart from physical activity volume, frequent breaks from sedentary bouts and active bouts may differentially reduce fall and fracture risk. We assessed the longitudinal relationship between frequency of breaks from time spent sedentary and frequency of active bouts with recurrent falls and fractures. The sample included 2918 men aged 79.0 ± 5.1 years with free‐living activity (SenseWear Armband) at the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study (MrOS) year 7 (2007–2009) visit. Men were divided into quartiles by the number of breaks from sedentary bouts (sedentary bout: 5+ minutes sedentary; <1.5 metabolic equivalents of task [METS]) and separately by active bout frequency (active bout: 5+ minutes of activity; ≥1.5 METS). Recurrent falls (2+ falls/year) and fractures were ascertained by self‐report; fractures were radiographically confirmed. Generalized estimating equations estimated the recurrent fall odds, with restricted cubic splines applied to assess nonlinear relationships. Cox proportional hazards models estimated fracture risk. Over 4 years of follow‐up after year 7, 1025 (35.1%) men were fallers. Over 8.40 ± 4.10 years of follow‐up, 640 (21.9%) men experienced a fracture. There was a significant nonlinear U‐shaped relationship between number of breaks from sedentary bouts and recurrent falls (p < 0.001); compared with men with few breaks from sedentary bouts (1.4–<13.6), the odds of recurrent falls were lower with a moderate number (13.6–<17.0, odds ratio [OR] = 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66, 1.01; 17.0–<20.4, OR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.64, 0.99), but not with the highest number of breaks from sedentary bouts (20.4–34.6, OR = 1.01, 95% CI 0.81, 1.27). Results remained borderline significant after adjusting for total sedentary time. Men with the highest compared with the lowest number of breaks from sedentary bouts had a lower fracture risk, but the association was attenuated after adjustment for total sedentary time. No associations were observed for active bout frequency. In conclusion, breaking up extended periods of sedentary time reduces fall risk regardless of total sedentary time. © 2023 The Authors.JBMR Pluspublished by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Empowering patients with sickle cell anemia and their families through innovative educational methods
Authors: Plett Riley , Eling Craig , Tehseen Sarah , Felton Kathleen , Martin Gina , Sheppard Vivian , Pegg Megan , Sinha Roona
Published: August 2023

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of inherited blood disorders caused by a mutation in the beta subunit of hemoglobin (HbS). SCD will hereafter be referred to as sickle cell anemia (SCA) as this is the term our patients and their families prefer. There are approximately 5000 Canadians living with SCA including children. Pediatric SCA patient education can: improve knowledge, decrease hospitalization, improve medication possession ratio, lead to better SCA‐related functioning, and lower pain impact. Innovative educational materials were developed to improve knowledge and self‐efficacy regarding the illness management of patients and parents/guardians. Patients (n = 5; aged 8–18) with SCA and parents (n = 5) of patients (aged 0–18) were recruited via flyers sent directly to patients and distributed through partner patient organization Sickle Cell Awareness Network of Saskatchewan. Patient and parent focus groups were held separately over Zoom to receive feedback for the video. An additional interview was held for a participant that required a translation of the video. Audio recordings were transcribed using Zoom and Otter.ai. The coding of transcripts was facilitated by NVivo (QSR International Pty Ltd, 2022, release 1.6.2). The thematic analysis centered around SCA management concepts relevant to the research aims. Important themes that emerged included ‘Age Appropriateness’, ‘Empowerment’, ‘Knowledge Gaps’, ‘Linguistic Accessibility’, ‘Medication Adherence’, ‘Strength in Community’, and ‘Transition to Adult Care’. The video was well received, and “brought peace of mind”. Patient feedback was incorporated into the final version of the educational materials.
O‐RADS MRI SCORE: An Essential First‐Step Tool for the Characterization of Adnexal Masses
Authors: Thomassin‐Naggara I. , Dabi Y. , Florin M. , Saltel‐Fulero A. , Manganaro L. , Bazot M. , Razakamanantsoa L.
Published: August 2023

The ovarian‐adnexal reporting and data system on magnetic resonance imaging (O‐RADS MRI) score is now a well‐established tool to characterize pelvic gynecological masses based on their likelihood of malignancy. The main added value of O‐RADS MRI over O‐RADS US is to correctly reclassify lesions that were considered suspicious on US as benign on MRI. The crucial issue when characterizing an adnexal mass is to determine the presence/absence of solid tissue and thus need to perform gadolinium injection. O‐RADS MR score was built on a multivariate analysis and must be applied as a step‐by‐step analysis: 1) Is the mass an adnexal mass? 2) Is there an associated peritoneal carcinomatosis? 3) Is there any significant amount of fatty content? 4) Is there any wall enhancement? 5) Is there any internal enhancement? 6) When an internal enhancement is detected, does the internal enhancement correspond to solid tissue or not? 7) Is the solid tissue malignant? With its high value to distinguish benign from malignant adnexal masses and its high reproducibility, the O‐RADS MRI score could be a valuable tool for timely referral of a patient to an expert center for the treatment of ovarian cancers. Finally, to make a precise diagnosis allowing optimal personalized treatment, the radiologist in gynecological imaging will combine the O‐RADS MRI score with many other clinical, biological, and other MR criteria to suggest a pathological hypothesis.

Level of Evidence

5

Technical Efficacy Stage

3.
Patients' experiences of engaging with electronic Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) after the completion of radiation therapy for breast cancer: a pilot service evaluation
Authors: Hughes Jane , Flood Terri
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Over 60 % of people who develop breast cancer will receive radiation therapy (RT) as part of their treatment. Side effects of RT may include inflammation, erythema, desquamation and fatigue. Electronic Patient Reported Outcomes Measures (ePROMs) enable patients to report side effects prior to their scheduled post‐RT appointment. This pilot service evaluation aims to explore patients' perceptions regarding the value of the ePROM system, ease of its use and barriers to using the system, after breast irradiation.

Methods

From July–November 2021, evaluation surveys were posted to 100 people who had received RT to their breast to explore their experience of using the ePROM. Ethical approval was obtained through Ulster University and the Western Health and Social Care Trust (WHSCT), Northern Ireland.

Results

Fifty‐two people responded to the survey, of which 27 respondents indicated that they had accessed the ePROM. Despite few participants experiencing significant side effects, the majority of participants recommended the ePROM indicating that it was an important source of support. Those who experienced significant side effects found the system to be prompt and effective. Barriers to accessing the ePROM included technical issues with the link, concerns about confidentiality and forgetting to access the link. Access to the ePROM increased with higher education levels.

Conclusions

This pilot service evaluation demonstrated that ePROMs are valued by patients and can provide rapid real‐time access to support, offering individual care and reassurance. For patients with longer RT schedules (>10 fractions), the introduction of ePROMs during RT was viewed favourably by participants. All patients may benefit from the option of receiving ePROMs post‐RT.
Novel coding schemes for dual wavelength quantum cascade laser‐based free space optical links
Authors: Ashok P. , Madhan M. Ganesh , Raja P. M. Siva , Gopinath S.
Published: August 2023

Dual wavelength quantum cascade lasers (DW‐QCLs) are a type of semiconductor laser that can emit two different wavelengths of light simultaneously. They are constructed using quantum cascade structures, consisting of multiple layers of semiconductor materials carefully engineered to produce the desired wavelengths of light. This research article reports the numerical simulation and evaluation of the maximum capacity of free space optical (FSO) link employing novel coding schemes for DW‐QCL‐based pulsed optical transmitters. A 48‐stage DW‐QCL emitting at 10.5 and 8.9 μm wavelengths and a Quantum‐Well based Infrared Photodetector based receiver are considered for the study. The performance of the link is analyzed under short pulse transmission from the device at both wavelengths for various scenarios. Optical pulses are obtained either at a single wavelength or two different wavelengths by proper choice of electrical input current amplitude. This feature enables the implementation of four different coding schemes. Among the various coding approaches proposed, the scheme, which operates on symbols, performs the best, providing a maximum link length of 1700m, for a BER of 10−9.
A mini review on manipulation of carbohydrate for better use in surimi and surimi products: modification and compounding
Authors: Zhang Sijing , Zhang Liangzi , Yin Tao , You Juan , Liu Ru , Wang Lan , Huang Qilin , Wang Weisheng , Ma Huawei
Published: August 2023

Carbohydrate is widely used in the production of surimi and surimi products to improve their qualities, such as anti‐freezing capability, gelling ability, nutrition, flavor and 3D printability. More and more native carbohydrates have been modified through physical methods (e.g., ball milling, irradiation and differential sedimentation), chemical method (e.g., deacetylation, hydroxypropylation and acetic acid esterification) or enzymatic method (e.g., chitosanase) before being used in the processing of surimi and surimi products in recent years. At the same time, different carbohydrates are compounded and applied to surimi and surimi products. The modified and compounded carbohydrates in surimi have been proved to improve quality of surimi and surimi products more pronouncedly than native carbohydrates. Therefore, this review summarizes the manipulation of carbohydrate by modification and compounding to improve the qualities of surimi and surimi products. Moreover, the prospects for carbohydrate modification and compounding for use in surimi and surimi products are discussed. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Cochlear Nucleus Transcriptome of a Fragile X Mouse Model Reveals Candidate Genes for Hyperacusis
Authors: Sakano Hitomi , Castle Michael S. , Kundu Paromita
Published: August 2023

Objective

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a hereditary form of autism spectrum disorder. It is caused by a trinucleotide repeat expansion in the Fmr1 gene, leading to a loss of Fragile X Protein (FMRP) expression. The loss of FMRP causes auditory hypersensitivity: FXS patients display hyperacusis and the Fmr1‐ knock‐out (KO) mouse model for FXS exhibits auditory seizures. FMRP is strongly expressed in the cochlear nucleus and other auditory brainstem nuclei. We hypothesize that the Fmr1‐KO mouse has altered gene expression in the cochlear nucleus that may contribute to auditory hypersensitivity.

Methods

RNA was isolated from cochlear nuclei of Fmr1‐KO and WT mice. Using next‐generation sequencing (RNA‐seq), the transcriptomes of Fmr1‐KO mice and WT mice (n = 3 each) were compared and analyzed using gene ontology programs.

Results

We identified 270 unique, differentially expressed genes between Fmr1‐KO and WT cochlear nuclei. Upregulated genes (67%) are enriched in those encoding secreted molecules. Downregulated genes (33%) are enriched in neuronal function, including synaptic pathways, some of which are ideal candidate genes that may contribute to hyperacusis.

Conclusion

The loss of FMRP can affect the expression of genes in the cochlear nucleus that are important for neuronal signaling. One of these, Kcnab2, which encodes a subunit of the Shaker voltage‐gated potassium channel, is expressed at an abnormally low level in the Fmr1‐KO cochlear nucleus. Kcnab2 and other differentially expressed genes may represent pathways for the development of hyperacusis. Future studies will be aimed at investigating the effects of these altered genes on hyperacusis.

Level of Evidence

N/A Laryngoscope, 134:1363–1371, 2024
Subtotal Submucosal Arytenoidectomy with Lateralization Sutures (SMALS) Covered by a Mucosal Flap
Authors: Shoffel‐Havakuk Hagit , Lahav Yonatan , Reuven Yonatan , Shopen Yoni , Shapira‐Galitz Yeal , Hamzany Yaniv
Published: August 2023

Objective

Glottic airway stenosis (GAWS) may result from bilateral paralysis (BVFP) or posterior glottic stenosis (PGS). Since the glottis is the principal airway sphincter, surgeons shift on the balance between airway, aspirations, and voice. We aim to describe our surgical technique and outcome of the SMALS procedure for GAWS correction.

Methods

A retrospective cohort of patients who underwent SMALS for PGS between 2018 and 2021. SMALS involves: endoscopic submucosal subtotal arytenoidectmy (preserving medial mucosal flap) and lateralization sutures. The sutures lateralize the mucosal flap to cover the arytenoidectomy bed without lateralization of the membranous vocal fold; expanding the posterior glottis, while preserving a relatively good voice. Covering the arytenoidectomy bed enhances healing. Medical and surgical data, airway, voice, and swallowing symptoms were collected. Relative glottic opening area (RGOA) and relative glottic insufficiency area (RGIA) were calculated.

Results

Eleven PGS patients who underwent 15 SMALS were included (4 bilateral), all patients had post‐intubation PGS, 1 patient also had prior radiation to the larynx. All patients were tracheostomy‐dependent. There were no major complications. No granulation or retracting scar was observed at follow‐up. None had a persistent voice or swallowing disability. Successful outcome (decannulation) was achieved in 8 (73%); RGOA increased in all (Δ = 0.37; p = 0.003), while RGIA remained relatively stable (Δ = 0.02; p = 0.055).

Conclusions

SMALS is a safe and effective, novel modification of the classic arytenoidectomy, for GAWS correction that can be easily applied and may expand the airway without significant glottic insufficiency symptoms.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 134:353–360, 2024
Ammoniated straw incorporation coupled with N management synergistically enhanced soil structure and crop productivity in a desert oasis farmland
Authors: Zhou Lifeng , Chang Wenlong , Yang Rong , Feng Hao , Yang Qiliang
Published: August 2023

Straw return is the simplest and the most economic method to improve soil structure. Slow decomposition rate limits straw return in sandy fields, which has becoming one of the obstacles in sandy land reclamation. Ammonification of straw before return accelerates straw decomposition, but it requires the use of extra N fertilizer, however, little is known about N fertilizer management in fields with ammoniated straw incorporation. So, a 3‐year field experiment was conducted with different proportions of N fertilizer aimed to maize straw ammonification and field broadcasting, and evaluated straw decomposition proportion, straw N release, soil organic carbon content, soil aggregates, soil water and N availability, and grain yield. Total N application rate was 300 kg per hectare, with five N input amounts for straw per hectare ammonification: 0 (SN0), 40 (SN40), 80 (SN80), 120 (SN120), and 160 (SN160) kg, and the rest of N broadcasted in soil during maize growing season. Ammonification accelerated straw decomposition and N release, and these effects showed no significant difference between SN80, SN120, and SN160. After straw decomposition for 150 days, the decomposition proportion was 62.1%, 53.0%, and 39.2% in SN80, SN40, and SN0, respectively. After 3 years of straw return, SN80 exhibited a significantly higher mean weight diameter of soil aggregates (35.6% higher), organic carbon content (18.4% higher), water‐holding capacity (17.4% higher), and soil water storage (17.2% higher) than SN0. Additionally, SN80 and SN120 showed the most significant effect on “N slow‐release” in soil. The above effects resulted with more available soil water and N used for crop growth, and increased grain yields (18.1% higher) and water use efficiency (18.6% higher) in SN80, compared with SN0. Hence, we conclude that a proper N allocation between straw and soil can synergistically enhance soil structure and crop productivity in sandy farmlands. This founding would provide scientific and technological support for straw return in sandy fields and is beneficial to sustainable development of oasis.
Multimaterial Additively Manufactured Transmissive Spin‐Decoupled Polarization‐Maintaining Metasurfaces
Authors: Zhu Jianfeng , Li Mengze , Lai Jiexin , Yang Yang
Published: August 2023

Taking advantage of multimaterial additive manufacturing, this work demonstrates a kind of polarization‐maintaining metasurface (MS) for spin‐decoupled beam shaping. The wavefronts of the two spin states, i.e., the left‐hand circular polarization (LHCP) and the right‐hand circular polarization (RHCP), can be independently manipulated while the output spin state remains the same as the input. The meta‐atom is implemented with dual‐polarized antennas at the top and the bottom with phase delay lines connecting them. The dual‐polarized antenna on the receiving side is fixed to receive the LHCP/RHCP incident waves, while the dual‐polarized transmitting antenna is rotated, providing the opposite phase shifts for the LHCP and RHCP. The absolute value of the phase shift is the same as the transmitting antenna's rotation angle. Meanwhile, varying the length of phase delay lines introduces 2π phase shifts for both LHCP and RHCP inputs. Thus, combining the two phase‐shifting degrees of freedom, the LHCP and RHCP wavefronts can be independently controlled while the polarization is not flipped after transmitting through the MS. One MS produces vortex beams with different topological charges for LHCP and RHCP. The other achieves spin‐decoupled focusing. The multilayered MSs are conveniently printed using multimaterial additive manufacturing without postprocessing.
Efficient One‐Step Passivation of Polyurethane Using Transurethanization
Authors: Rhoné Benoît , Galtayries Anouk , Semetey Vincent
Published: August 2023

The uncontrolled accumulation of biological materials on the surface of medical devices through protein adsorption or cell adhesion causes adverse biological reactions in the living host system, leading to complications. In this study, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is successfully grafted onto polyurethane (PU) surfaces by using a new strategy through a simple and efficient transurethanization reaction. The PEG hydroxyl group is deprotonated and then reacted with the PU surface to provide antiadhesive hydrophilic surfaces in a single step. Surface analysis techniques proved the grafting to be efficient and the formation of a hydrophilic polymeric layer at the surface of PU. Biological assays showed that the surface modification induced lower protein adsorption, cell, platelet, and bacterial adhesion than untreated surfaces, showing a potential for biomedical applications.
Pricing decision making and coordination of a dual‐channel supply chain considering online reviews and channel preferences
Authors: Xu Xiao‐Jie , Liu Yong , Ren Wen‐Wen , Forrest Jeffrey Yi‐Lin
Published: August 2023

Many problems regarding channel conflicts exist in the pricing process of a manufacturer‐led dual‐channel supply chain. By considering the fact that online reviews and channel preferences are the important factors that influence consumer purchasing behaviors and the decision‐making of the supply chain, this paper deals with these problems through the development of a model involving online reviews and channel preferences. It then analyzes optimal decisions under either decentralized or centralized decision‐making scenarios. The impact of online review service input and consumer channel preference on optimal supply chain decisions and profits is further analyzed. Finally, based on the developed model, a revenue sharing contract coordination scheme is designed to achieve Pareto improvements in the supply chain. The results show that the degree of consumer preference for online channels affects the best consumer decisions and the overall profit of the supply chain. The impact coefficient of online reviews is positively correlated with the manufacturer's direct selling price, the level of input to online review services, and the profit of the entire supply chain. The provision of online review services can significantly increase channel prices, market sales, and profits compared to channel preferences. The overall profit of the supply chain under centralized decision‐making is significantly greater than that under decentralized decision‐making, and the coordination model can effectively coordinate the supply chain and alleviate conflicts.
Class key feature extraction and fusion for 2D medical image segmentation
Authors: Zhang Dezhi , Fan Xin , Kang Xiaojing , Tian Shengwei , Xiao Guangli , Yu Long , Wu Weidong
Published: August 2023

Background

The size variation, complex semantic environment and high similarity in medical images often prevent deep learning models from achieving good performance.

Purpose

To overcome these problems and improve the model segmentation performance and generalizability.

Methods

We propose the key class feature reconstruction module (KCRM), which ranks channel weights and selects key features (KFs) that contribute more to the segmentation results for each class. Meanwhile, KCRM reconstructs all local features to establish the dependence relationship from local features to KFs. In addition, we propose the spatial gating module (SGM), which employs KFs to generate two spatial maps to suppress irrelevant regions, strengthening the ability to locate semantic objects. Finally, we enable the model to adapt to size variations by diversifying the receptive field.

Results

We integrate these modules into class key feature extraction and fusion network (CKFFNet) and validate its performance on three public medical datasets: CHAOS, UW‐Madison, and ISIC2017. The experimental results show that our method achieves better segmentation results and generalizability than those of mainstream methods.

Conclusion

Through quantitative and qualitative research, the proposed module improves the segmentation results and enhances the model generalizability, making it suitable for application and expansion.
Removing acoustic ringing baseline curvature in 13C NMR spectra for quantitative analyses
Authors: Vasquez Joseph K. , Zhou Zhe , Clark Brian , Kimenai Ad J. , Reiner Benjamin R. , Rau Nathan J. , Baugh Dan , Eldred Donald V. , Paradkar Manjiri , Zheng Chen , DeFelippis Jim , Potter Janece M. , Qiu Xiao Hua , Zong Xiaohong , Young Wenshiue Owen , Fitzgibbons Thomas , Moreno Aitor , Freudenberger Christoph , Mayzel Maksim
Published: August 2023

13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is traditionally considered an insensitive technique, requiring long acquisition times to measure dilute functionalities on large polymers. With the introduction of cryoprobes and better electronics, sensitivity has improved in a way that allows measurements to take less than 1/20th the time that they previously did. Unfortunately, a high Q‐factor with cryoprobes creates baseline curvature related to acoustic ringing that affects quantitative NMR analyses. Manual baseline correction is commonly used to compensate for the baseline roll, but it is a time‐intensive process. The outcome of manual baseline correction can vary depending on processing parameters, especially for complicated spectra. Additionally, it can be challenging to distinguish between broad peaks and baseline rolls. A new anti‐ring pulse sequence (zgig_pisp) was previously reported to improve on the incumbent single pulse experiment (zgig). The original report presented limited comparison data with 13C NMR, but a thorough validation is needed before broader implementation can be considered. In this work, we report the round‐robin testing and comparison of zgig_pisp and zgig pulse sequences. During the testing phase, we found that zgig_pisp is practically equivalent to zgig to ±2% for the majority of integrals examined. Additionally, a short broadband inversion pulse (BIP) was demonstrated as an alternative to the originally reported adiabatic CHIRP shaped pulse. The zgig_pisp pulse sequence code for Bruker spectrometers is also simplified.
Fibrinogen Aα‐chain amyloidosis outbreaks in Japanese squirrels (Sciurus lis): a potential disease model
Authors: Iwaide Susumu , Ito Nanami , Ogino Shiori , Kobayashi Natsumi , Koyama Satoshi , Hisamoto Shumpei , Kondo Hirotaka , Itoh Yoshiyuki , Hisada Miki , Hoshino Yuki , Nakagawa Daisuke , Matsubara Yuki , Nakamura Shin‐ichi , Satoh Hiroshi , Shibuya Hisashi , Murakami Tomoaki
Published: August 2023

Fibrinogen Aα‐chain amyloidosis is a hereditary systemic amyloidosis characterized by glomerular amyloid depositions, which are derived from the fibrinogen Aα‐chain variant in humans. Despite its unique pathology, the pathogenic mechanisms of this disease are only partially understood. This is in part because comparative pathological studies on fibrinogen Aα‐chain amyloidosis are currently unavailable as there is a lack of reported cases in animals other than humans. In this study, mass spectrometry‐based proteomic analyses of Japanese squirrels (Sciurus lis) that died in five Japanese zoos showed that they developed glomerular‐associated fibrinogen Aα‐chain amyloidosis with an extremely high incidence rate (29/38 cases, 76.3%). The condition was found to be age‐dependent in the Japanese squirrels, with 89% of individuals over 4 years of age affected. Mass spectrometry revealed that the C‐terminal region of the fibrinogen Aα‐chain was involved in amyloidogenesis in Japanese squirrels as well as humans. No gene variations were identified between amyloid‐positive and amyloid‐negative squirrels, which contrasted with the available data for humans. The results indicate that fibrinogen Aα‐chain amyloidosis is a senile amyloidosis in Japanese squirrels. The results have also provided comparative pathological support that the amyloidogenic C‐terminal region of the fibrinogen Aα‐chain is involved in the characteristic glomerular pathology, regardless of the animal species. This study elucidates the potential causes of death in Japanese squirrels and will contribute to future comparative pathological studies of fibrinogen Aα‐chain amyloidosis. © 2023 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Spatial transcriptomics reveals heterogeneity of macrophages in the tumor microenvironment of granulomatous slack skin
Authors: Feng Yawei , Wang Shiguan , Xie Jianjun , Ding Bin , Wang Min , Zhang Peng , Mi Ping , Wang Chunxue , Liu Ruirui , Zhang Tingguo , Yu Xiaojing , Yuan Detian , Zhang Cuijuan
Published: August 2023

Granulomatous slack skin (GSS) is an extremely rare subtype of cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma accompanied by an abundant number of macrophages and is clinically characterized by the development of pendulous skin folds. However, the characteristics of these macrophages in GSS remain unclear. Here, we conducted a spatial transcriptomic study on one frozen GSS sample and drew transcriptomic maps of GSS for the first time. Gene expression analysis revealed the enrichment of three clusters with macrophage transcripts, each exhibiting distinct characteristics suggesting that their primary composition consists of different subpopulations of macrophages. The CD163+/CD206+ cluster showed a tumor‐associated macrophage (TAM) M2‐like phenotype and highly expressed ZFP36, CCL2, TNFAIP6, and KLF2, which are known to be involved in T‐cell interaction and tumor progression. The APOC1+/APOE+ cluster presented a non‐M1 or ‐M2 phenotype and may be related to lipid metabolism. The CD11c+/LYZ+ cluster exhibited an M1‐like phenotype. Notably, these cells strongly expressed MMP9, MMP12, CHI3L1, CHIT1, COL1A1, TIMP1, and SPP1, which are responsible for extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and tissue remodeling. This may partially explain the symptoms of cutaneous relaxation in GSS. Further immunohistochemistry on four GSS cases demonstrated that CD11c predominantly marked granulomas and multinucleated giant cells, whereas CD163 was mainly expressed on scattered macrophages, appearing as a mutually exclusive pattern. The expression pattern of MMP9 overlapped with that of CD11c, implying that CD11c+ macrophages may be a source of MMP9. Our data shed light on the characteristics of macrophages in the GSS microenvironment and provide a theoretical basis for the application of MMP9 inhibitors to prevent cutaneous relaxation of GSS. © 2023 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
A cellular selection identifies elongated flavodoxins that support electron transfer to sulfite reductase
Authors: Truong Albert , Myerscough Dru , Campbell Ian , Atkinson Joshua , Silberg Jonathan J.
Published: August 2023

Flavodoxins (Flds) mediate the flux of electrons between oxidoreductases in diverse metabolic pathways. To investigate whether Flds can support electron transfer to a sulfite reductase (SIR) that evolved to couple with a ferredoxin, we evaluated the ability of Flds to transfer electrons from a ferredoxin‐NADP reductase (FNR) to a ferredoxin‐dependent SIR using growth complementation of an Escherichia coli strain with a sulfur metabolism defect. We show that Flds from cyanobacteria complement this growth defect when coexpressed with an FNR and an SIR that evolved to couple with a plant ferredoxin. When we evaluated the effect of peptide insertion on Fld‐mediated electron transfer, we observed a sensitivity to insertions within regions predicted to be proximal to the cofactor and partner binding sites, while a high insertion tolerance was detected within loops distal from the cofactor and within regions of helices and sheets that are proximal to those loops. Bioinformatic analysis showed that natural Fld sequence variability predicts a large fraction of the motifs that tolerate insertion of the octapeptide SGRPGSLS. These results represent the first evidence that Flds can support electron transfer to assimilatory SIRs, and they suggest that the pattern of insertion tolerance is influenced by interactions with oxidoreductase partners.
Labor division of worker ants can be controlled by insulin synthesis targeted through miR‐279c‐5p in Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Authors: Chen Jie , Ma Yunjie , Guan Ziying , Liu Qin , Shi Qingxing , Qi Guojun , Chen Ting , Lyu Lihua
Published: August 2023

BACKGROUND

In social insects, the labor division of workers is ubiquitous and controlled by genetic and environmental factors. However, how they modulate this coordinately remains poorly understood.

RESULTS

We report miR‐279c‐5p participation in insulin synthesis and behavioral transition by negatively regulating Rab8A in Solenopsis invicta. Eusocial specific miR‐279c‐5p is age‐associated and highly expressed in nurse workers, and localized in the cytoplasm of neurons, where it is partly co‐localized with its target, Rab8A. We determined that miR‐279c‐5p agomir suppressed Rab8A expression in forager workers, consequently decreasing insulin content, resulting in the behavioral shift to ‘nurse‐like’ behaviors, while the decrease in miR‐279c‐5p increased Rab8A expression and increased insulin content in nurse workers, leading to the behavioral shift to ‘foraging‐like’ behaviors. Moreover, insulin could rescue the ‘foraging behavior’ induced by feeding miR‐279c‐5p to nurse workers. The overexpression and suppression of miR‐279c‐5p in vivo caused an obvious behavioral transition between foragers and nurses, and insulin synthesis was affected by miR‐279c‐5p by regulating the direct target Rab8A.

CONCLUSION

We first report that miR‐279c‐5p is a novel regulator that promotes labor division by negatively regulating the target gene Rab8A by controlling insulin production in ants. This miRNA‐mediated mechanism is significant for understanding the behavioral plasticity of social insects between complex factors and potentially provides new targets for controlling red imported fire ants. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Does “right” simulated extreme rainfall result from the “right” representation of rain microphysics?
Authors: Li Huiqi , Huang Yongjie , Luo Yali , Xiao Hui , Xue Ming , Liu Xiantong , Feng Lu
Published: August 2023

Using the observations from the two‐dimensional video disdrometer and polarimetric radar, a detailed process‐based evaluation of five bulk microphysics schemes in the simulation of an extreme rainfall event over the mountainous coast of South China is performed. Most schemes reproduce one of the heavy rainfall areas, and the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) scheme successfully simulates both heavy rainfall areas in this event. However, our analysis reveals that even the NSSL simulation still cannot accurately represent the rain microphysics for this event. Observational analysis shows that abundant small‐ and medium‐sized (1–4 mm) raindrops are the main contributors to the extreme rainfall. All the simulations tend to underpredict raindrops for diameter around 3 mm. The Lin, WSM6, and Morrison simulations agree better with the observed drop size distribution (DSD) for diameters between 1 and 2 mm for higher rain rates. The Thompson simulation shows a relatively narrow distribution with overpredicted small‐sized (1–2 mm) raindrops. The NSSL simulation has a broad distribution with more large (>4 mm) raindrops probably related to its efficient rain self‐collection process at the low levels, which is conducive to producing extreme rainfall. Proper rain evaporation rate is important in generating cold pools with favorable strength for the maintenance of a convective system in this event. Similar results are obtained in the simulations of two additional extreme rainfall cases, in which the NSSL simulation also overpredicts large raindrops while the Thompson simulation produces more small raindrops. This study indicates that more efforts are needed to improve the representation of rain self‐collection/breakup, rain evaporation processes, and DSD for extreme rainfall over South China. It also highlights the importance in careful consideration of rain DSD in addition to radar reflectivity and surface precipitation when analyzing simulations of extreme rainfall in order to avoid “wrong” interpretation of “right” results.
Federated causal inference in heterogeneous observational data
Authors: Xiong Ruoxuan , Koenecke Allison , Powell Michael , Shen Zhu , Vogelstein Joshua T. , Athey Susan
Published: August 2023

We are interested in estimating the effect of a treatment applied to individuals at multiple sites, where data is stored locally for each site. Due to privacy constraints, individual‐level data cannot be shared across sites; the sites may also have heterogeneous populations and treatment assignment mechanisms. Motivated by these considerations, we develop federated methods to draw inferences on the average treatment effects of combined data across sites. Our methods first compute summary statistics locally using propensity scores and then aggregate these statistics across sites to obtain point and variance estimators of average treatment effects. We show that these estimators are consistent and asymptotically normal. To achieve these asymptotic properties, we find that the aggregation schemes need to account for the heterogeneity in treatment assignments and in outcomes across sites. We demonstrate the validity of our federated methods through a comparative study of two large medical claims databases.
Ethylenediamine Mediated, Environmentally Benign Synthesis of Copper Nanowires and their Catalytic Activity Towards 4‐Nitrophenol Reduction
Authors: Ranjana Mankunnan , Sahu Puspanjali , Ramesh Veera V. E. , Kumar Amal Kaitheri Nanda , Babu Thekkedath Gopalakrishnan Satheesh , Kumar Darbha V. Ravi
Published: August 2023

Due to their unique characteristics, one‐dimensional copper (Cu) nanowires are being explored for various applications, including optoelectronics, chemical sensing, catalysis, electrocatalysis, etc. Cu is more affordable and accessible than other noble metals, making it a desirable replacement. Cu nanowires are predominantly synthesized using ethylenediamine (EDA) mediated procedure, in which hydrazine is used as a reducing agent. This method does not require high temperatures and produces good‐quality nanowires within an hour. However, the toxicity of hydrazine limits the large‐scale synthesis of wires using this cost‐effective method, inspite of its advantages mentioned above. Hence, this article aimed to replace the toxic hydrazine with environmentally benign ascorbic acid in EDA‐mediated procedures. Such green synthesis using ascorbic acid successfully yielded Cu nanowires. As revealed by TEM analysis, these Cu nanowires evolved from micron‐sized aggregates of ultra‐small particles. Due to the capping action of EDA, nanowires evolved from the micron‐sized aggregates of ultra‐small particles and resulted in particles attached nanowires (at one end of the nanowires) with a clear particle‐wire interface. Environmentally benign synthesized Cu nanowires are examined as catalysts for the remediation of environmental organic pollutant, i. e., 4‐nitrophenol (4‐NP). Towards the reduction of 4‐NP, green synthesized Cu nanowires have shown on‐par activity with earlier reported catalysts.
High‐Efficiency Oxygen Evolution Reaction: Controllable Reconstruction of Surface Interface
Authors: Wu Lianhui , Guan Zhixi , Guo Daying , Yang Lin , Chen Xi'an , Wang Shun
Published: August 2023

The precatalyst undergoes surface reconstruction during the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) process, and the reconstituted material is the one that really plays a catalytic role. However, the degree of surface reconstruction seriously affects the catalytic performance. For this reason, it is important to establish the link between the degree of reconstruction and catalytic activity based on a deep understanding of the OER mechanism for the rational design of high‐performance OER electrocatalysts. Here, the reaction mechanism of OER is briefly introduced, the competition between adsorbate evolution mechanism (AEM) mechanism and lattice oxygen‐mediated mechanism (LOM) mechanism is discussed, and several activity descriptors of OER reaction are summarized. The strategies to realize OER controllable surface reconstruction are emphatically introduced, including ion leaching, element doping, regulating catalyst size, heterogeneous structure engineering, and self‐reconstruction. A mechanistic perspective is emphasized to understand the relationship between dynamic surface reconstruction and electronic structure. Controlled reconfiguration of OER surface can break the limitation of proportional relationship brought by traditional AEM mechanism, also can realize the switching between AEM mechanism and LOM mechanism, thus realizing ultra‐low overpotential. This review will provide some reference for surface controllable reconstruction of OER transition metal‐based catalysts and reasonable development of ideal catalytic performance.
Patient‐related benefits of amyloid PET imaging in dementia: Rationale and design of the German randomized coverage with evidence development study ENABLE
Authors: Teipel Stefan J. , Spottke Annika , Boecker Henning , Daamen Marcel , Graf Erika , Sahlmann Jörg , Buchert Ralph , Mohnike Wolfgang , Mohnike Konrad , Kurth Jens , Jessen Frank , Krause Bernd J.
Published: August 2023

The utility of amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) for the etiological diagnosis of dementia and its impact on functional status of patients in routine care are currently unclear. Here, we describe the design of ENABLE, a randomized controlled two‐armed coverage with evidence development (CED) study in Germany. Approximately 1126 patients with mild to moderate dementia of unclear etiology will be randomly assigned to either an amyloid PET or a no amyloid PET group. Patients will be followed‐up for 24 months. The study has been registered at the German Clinical Trials Register (https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00030839) with the registration code DRKS00030839. The primary endpoint of ENABLE is the ability to perform functional activities of daily living at 18 months. Secondary endpoints include change in diagnosis, diagnostic confidence, and cognitive and clinical outcomes of patients. We expect that the CED study ENABLE will inform about patient relevant effects of amyloid PET in routine care. Furthermore, we anticipate that ENABLE will support physicians’ and payers’ decisions on provision of health care for patients with dementia.

Highlights

Study design focuses on the usefulness of amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) in routine care.

Study design addresses the patient‐relevant effect of amyloid PET.

Patient representatives were involved in the creation of the study design.

The study will help improve routine care for people with dementia.
Diverticular Inflammation and Complication Assessment classification, CODA score and fecal calprotectin in clinical assessment of patients with diverticular disease: A decision curve analysis
Authors: Tursi Antonio , Piovani Daniele , Brandimarte Giovanni , Di Mario Francesco , Elisei Walter , Picchio Marcello , Allegretta Leonardo , Annunziata Maria Laura , Bafutto Mauro , Bassotti Gabrio , Bianco Maria Antonia , Colucci Raffaele , Conigliaro Rita , Dumitrascu Dan L. , Escalante Ricardo , Ferrini Luciano , Forti Giacomo , Franceschi Marilisa , Graziani Maria Giovanna , Lammert Frank , Latella Giovanni , Maconi Giovanni , Compare Debora , Nardone Gerardo , Camara De Castro Oliveira Lucia , Oliveira Enio Chaves , Papa Alfredo , Papagrigoriadis Savvas , Pietrzak Anna , Pontone Stefano , Poskus Tomas , Pranzo Giuseppe , Reichert Matthias Christian , Rodinò Stefano , Regula Jaroslaw , Scaccianoce Giuseppe , Scaldaferri Franco , Vassallo Roberto , Zampaletta Costantino , Zullo Angelo , Spaziani Erasmo , Bonovas Stefanos , Danese Silvio ,   DICA International Group
Published: August 2023

Background and Aims

The Diverticular Inflammation and Complication Assessment (DICA) classification and the Combined Overview on Diverticular Assessment (CODA) were found to be effective in predicting the outcomes of Diverticular Disease (DD). We ascertain whether fecal calprotectin (FC) can further aid in improving risk stratification.

Methods

A three‐year international, multicentre, prospective cohort study was conducted involving 43 Gastroenterology and Endoscopy centres. Survival methods for censored observations were used to estimate the risk of acute diverticulitis (AD) in newly diagnosed DD patients according to basal FC, DICA, and CODA. The net benefit of management strategies based on DICA, CODA and FC in addition to CODA was assessed with decision curve analysis, which incorporates the harms and benefits of using a prognostic model for clinical decisions.

Results

At the first diagnosis of diverticulosis/DD, 871 participants underwent FC measurement. FC was associated with the risk of AD at 3 years (HR per each base 10 logarithm increase: 3.29; 95% confidence interval, 2.13–5.10) and showed moderate discrimination (c‐statistic: 0.685; 0.614–0.756). DICA and CODA were more accurate predictors of AD than FC. However, FC showed high discrimination capacity to predict AD at 3 months, which was not maintained at longer follow‐up times. The decision curve analysis comparing the combination of FC and CODA with CODA alone did not clearly indicate a larger net benefit of one strategy over the other.

Conclusions

FC measurement could be used as a complementary tool to assess the immediate risk of AD. In all other cases, treatment strategies based on the CODA score alone should be recommended.
Evaluation of screening performance of first‐trimester competing‐risks prediction model for small‐for‐gestational age in Asian population
Authors: Nguyen‐Hoang L. , Papastefanou I. , Sahota D. S. , Pooh R. K. , Zheng M. , Chaiyasit N. , Tokunaka M. , Shaw S. W. , Seshadri S. , Choolani M. , Yapan P. , Sim W. S. , Poon L. C. ,   Collaborators
Published: August 2023

Objective

To examine the external validity of the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) competing‐risks model for the prediction of small‐for‐gestational age (SGA) at 11–14 weeks' gestation in an Asian population.

Methods

This was a secondary analysis of a multicenter prospective cohort study in 10 120 women with a singleton pregnancy undergoing routine assessment at 11–14 weeks' gestation. We applied the FMF competing‐risks model for the first‐trimester prediction of SGA, combining maternal characteristics and medical history with measurements of mean arterial pressure (MAP), uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA‐PI) and serum placental growth factor (PlGF) concentration. We calculated risks for different cut‐offs of birth‐weight percentile (< 10th, < 5th or < 3rd percentile) and gestational age at delivery (< 37 weeks (preterm SGA) or SGA at any gestational age). Predictive performance was examined in terms of discrimination and calibration.

Results

The predictive performance of the competing‐risks model for SGA was similar to that reported in the original FMF study. Specifically, the combination of maternal factors with MAP, UtA‐PI and PlGF yielded the best performance for the prediction of preterm SGA with birth weight < 10th percentile (SGA < 10th) and preterm SGA with birth weight < 5th percentile (SGA < 5th), with areas under the receiver‐operating‐characteristics curve (AUCs) of 0.765 (95% CI, 0.720–0.809) and 0.789 (95% CI, 0.736–0.841), respectively. Combining maternal factors with MAP and PlGF yielded the best model for predicting preterm SGA with birth weight < 3rd percentile (SGA < 3rd) (AUC, 0.797 (95% CI, 0.744–0.850)). After excluding cases with pre‐eclampsia, the combination of maternal factors with MAP, UtA‐PI and PlGF yielded the best performance for the prediction of preterm SGA < 10th and preterm SGA < 5th, with AUCs of 0.743 (95% CI, 0.691–0.795) and 0.762 (95% CI, 0.700–0.824), respectively. However, the best model for predicting preterm SGA < 3rd without pre‐eclampsia was the combination of maternal factors and PlGF (AUC, 0.786 (95% CI, 0.723–0.849)). The FMF competing‐risks model including maternal factors, MAP, UtA‐PI and PlGF achieved detection rates of 42.2%, 47.3% and 48.1%, at a fixed false‐positive rate of 10%, for the prediction of preterm SGA < 10th, preterm SGA < 5th and preterm SGA < 3rd, respectively. The calibration of the model was satisfactory.

Conclusion

The screening performance of the FMF first‐trimester competing‐risks model for SGA in a large, independent cohort of Asian women is comparable with that reported in the original FMF study in a mixed European population. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.