bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Draft Convention on the Right to Development: A New Dawn to the Recognition of the Right to Development as a Human Right?
Authors: Teshome Roman Girma
Published: January 2022

The draft Convention on the Right to Development is being negotiated under the auspices of the Human Rights Council. This article seeks to explore the merits and the added value of the draft in terms of its normative contents particularly compared with its soft law predecessor—the Declaration on the Right to Development. It argues that the draft is a momentous step in the recognition of the right to development as a human right not only because it is binding, if adopted, but also contains concrete, detailed and implementable norms. While it maintained the abstract and aspirational formulation of norms under the Declaration to a certain extent, the draft also addresses some of the prevailing gaps and limitations of the Declaration.
Stability implications of repackaged medications in dose administration aids: a systematic review
Authors: Lim Chiao Xin , Aliakbari Mozghan , Gokulanathan Vithiya R , Noah Sadeem , Taskin Rabia , Stupans Ieva , Allahham Ayman
Published: January 2022

Background

Dose administration aids (DAAs) or multi-compartment compliance aids are commonly used to organise doses of medications in accordance with a patient’s dosing schedule. Despite their widespread use, there is a paucity of information on the stability of repackaged medications in DAAs.

Objectives

The objectives of this work were to evaluate stability studies conducted on repackaged medicine in DAAs and to provide a summary of the latest stability data available.

Methods

A systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines was performed on studies associated with repackaged medications in DAAs and drug stability. PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE and SCOPUS were searched from January 1998 to June 2021.

Key findings

A total of 342 articles were retrieved and 29 articles met the inclusion criteria. Data regarding medications from the reviewed papers were reported according to stability testing and physicochemical properties. The extracted data were then compared with stability information on DAA provision available on the database in the UK. This review identified several discrepancies between this dataset and reported stability and reveals a significant shortage in the stability data of medications repackaged in DAAs.

Conclusion

This review highlights the need for further studies to be conducted to better understand the impact of DAA repackaging on the stability, safety and efficacy of medications. It is recommended that a database of stability information of repackaged medications via systematic stability testing studies could be established, serving as a valuable resource for pharmacists when preparing DAAs without compromising patient safety.
When the State Shatters Families. The US Family Separation Policy of 2018, Cruelty and Patrimonial Sovereignty
Authors: Goetze Catherine
Published: January 2022

In 2018, the Trump administration separated thousands of families arriving at the US–Mexico border to ask for asylum in the framework of its “zero-tolerance” policy. This extraordinary act of cruelty violated several provisions of international human rights, refugee, and family protections, many of which the United States itself had drafted, initiated, and championed. The article asks about the understanding of sovereignty that underscored the zero-tolerance policy. Drawing on Max Weber's distinction of several forms of legitimating political authority, the article develops the argument that this policy reflects a patrimonial understanding of sovereignty and how this understanding intersects with notions of family and nation. It specifically discusses these intersections in the case of United States’ sovereignty developing in a settler colonial state and in contested borderlands. By developing this perspective, the article draws out the conditions of possibility under which institutional and structural violence can tip into explicitly cruel policies like those of the US family separations of 2018. The article contributes, on the one hand, to analyze deeply the foundations of US understandings of the state's sovereignty and, on the other hand, to better comprehending which types of sovereignty enable cruelty against migrants and refugees at which points in time.
Branched ubiquitin code: from basic biology to targeted protein degradation
Authors: Ohtake Fumiaki
Published: January 2022

Protein ubiquitylation regulates numerous pathways, and the diverse information encoded by various forms of ubiquitylation is known as the ubiquitin code. Recent studies revealed that branched ubiquitin chains are abundant in mammalian cells and regulate important pathways. They include proteasomal degradation of misfolded and disease-causing proteins, regulation of NF-κB signalling and apoptotic cell fate decisions. Targeted protein degradation through chemical degraders emerged as a transformative therapeutic paradigm aimed at inducing the disappearance of unwanted cellular proteins. To further improve the efficacy of target degradation and expand its applications, understanding the molecular mechanism of degraders’ action from the view of ubiquitin code biology is required. In this review, I discuss the roles of the ubiquitin code in biological pathways and in chemically induced targeted protein degradation by focusing on the branched ubiquitin codes that we have characterized.
Shifts in chemical and microbiological properties belowground of invader Ageratina adenophora along an altitudinal gradient
Authors: Li Wei-Tao , Zheng Yu-Long , Wang Rui-Fang , Wang Zheng-Ying , Liu Yan-Mei , Shi Xiong , Liao Zhi-Yong , Li Yang-Ping , Feng Yu-Long
Published: January 2022

Tropical mountain ecosystems are usually colonized by numerous invasive plant species and represent an ideal ‘natural laboratory’ to study the effects of altitude on plant invasion. The aim of this study was to investigate the soil chemical and microbiological properties along an altitudinal gradient on a mountain colonized by the invader Ageratina adenophora. Rhizosphere soil of A. adenophora was collected over an altitudinal gradient (1400–2400 m) in Ailao Shan, China. We determined soil organic carbon (C), nutrient contents, enzyme activities, bacterial community composition as well as C and nitrogen (N) contents of the plant roots. Ecoenzymatic stoichiometric indices were calculated to estimate the relative C, N or P limitations of the microbial community. There was a significant effect of altitude on soil organic C in the rhizosphere, and a turning point in these measured variables was detected at an altitude of 2000 m. At low elevations, the rapid growth of invasive plants depleted the deficient phosphorus (P) in tropical soils, leading to microbial P limitation; at high elevations, microbes invested more energy to obtain C from resistant litter, leading to microbial C limitation. Bacterial beta diversity and soil pH contributed most to the altitudinal differences in ecoenzymatic stoichiometry, and Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria were the dominant bacterial phyla that determined the nutrient uptake status of microorganisms. These results demonstrate how microbial nutrient acquisition belowground of A. adenophora along an altitudinal gradient, which could contribute to further knowledge about the effects of altitude on biological invasion.
Private Tabular Survey Data Products through Synthetic Microdata Generation
Authors: Hu Jingchen , Savitsky Terrance D , Williams Matthew R
Published: January 2022

We propose two synthetic microdata approaches to generate private tabular survey data products for public release. We adapt a pseudo posterior mechanism that downweights by-record likelihood contributions with weights ∈[0,1] based on their identification disclosure risks to producing tabular products for survey data. Our method applied to an observed survey database achieves an asymptotic global probabilistic differential privacy guarantee. Our two approaches synthesize the observed sample distribution of the outcome and survey weights, jointly, such that both quantities together possess a privacy guarantee. The privacy-protected outcome and survey weights are used to construct tabular cell estimates (where the cell inclusion indicators are treated as known and public) and associated standard errors to correct for survey sampling bias. Through a real data application to the Survey of Doctorate Recipients public use file and simulation studies motivated by the application, we demonstrate that our two microdata synthesis approaches to construct tabular products provide superior utility preservation as compared to the additive noise approach of the Laplace Mechanism. Moreover, our approaches allow the release of microdata to the public, enabling additional analyses at no extra privacy cost.
The bud dormancy disconnect: latent buds of grapevine are dormant during summer despite a high metabolic rate
Authors: Velappan Yazhini , Chabikwa Tinashe G , Considine John A , Agudelo-Romero Patricia , Foyer Christine H , Signorelli Santiago , Considine Michael J
Published: January 2022

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) displays wide plasticity to climate; however, the physiology of dormancy along a seasonal continuum is poorly understood. Here we investigated the apparent disconnect between dormancy and the underlying respiratory physiology and transcriptome of grapevine buds, from bud set in summer to bud burst in spring. The establishment of dormancy in summer was pronounced and reproducible; however, this was coupled with little or no change in physiology, indicated by respiration, hydration, and tissue oxygen tension. The release of dormancy was biphasic; the depth of dormancy declined substantially by mid-autumn, while the subsequent decline towards spring was moderate. Observed changes in physiology failed to explain the first phase of dormancy decline, in particular. Transcriptome data contrasting development from summer through to spring also indicated that dormancy was poorly reflected by metabolic quiescence during summer and autumn. Gene Ontology and enrichment data revealed the prevailing influence of abscisic acid (ABA)-related gene expression during the transition from summer to autumn, and promoter motif analysis suggested that photoperiod may play an important role in regulating ABA functions during the establishment of dormancy. Transcriptomic data from later transitions reinforced the importance of oxidation and hypoxia as physiological cues to regulate the maintenance of quiescence and resumption of growth. Collectively these data reveal a novel disconnect between growth and metabolic quiescence in grapevine following bud set, which requires further experimentation to explain the phenology and dormancy relationships.
Assessment of panfungal PCR performance with formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue specimens
Authors: Clark Shawn T , Yau Yvonne C W , Campigotto Aaron , Gharabaghi Farhad , Richardson Susan E , Tadros Manal
Published: January 2022

We reviewed the performance of a panfungal ITS-2 PCR and Sanger sequencing assay performed on 88 FFPE specimens at The Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto, Canada) in 2019. A potential fungal pathogen was identified by ITS PCR in 62.7 and 2.9% of positive and negative direct slide examination of tissue specimens, respectively. ITS amplicons were detected in 87/88 specimens, with 53/88 (60.2%) considered as ‘positive-contaminants’ and 34/88 (38.6%) as ‘positive-potential pathogen’ upon sequencing. Potential pathogens included Blastomyces dermatitidis (17.1%), Cryptococcus neoformans (17.1%), Histoplasma capsulatum (14.3%) and Mucormycetes (11.4%). Laboratories should only perform ITS PCR on FFPE tissues if fungal elements have been confirmed on histopathology slides.

Lay summary

In this study, we examined how well a DNA-based test could detect DNA from fungi in archived human biopsy tissues. The best performance was achieved if fungi were seen in the tissue under a microscope before being tested. Our results indicate that we should only use this test if these conditions are met.
UNITSIM-Galaxies: data release and clustering of emission-line galaxies
Authors: Knebe Alexander , Lopez-Cano Daniel , Avila Santiago , Favole Ginevra , Stevens Adam R H , Gonzalez-Perez Violeta , Reyes-Peraza Guillermo , Yepes Gustavo , Chuang Chia-Hsun , Kitaura Francisco-Shu
Published: January 2022

New surveys such as European Space Agencys (ESA’s) Euclid mission are planned to map with unprecedented precision the large-scale structure of the Universe by measuring the 3D positions of tens of millions of galaxies. It is necessary to develop theoretically modelled galaxy catalogues to estimate the expected performance and to optimize the analysis strategy of these surveys. We populate two pairs of (1 h−1 Gpc)3 volume dark matter-only simulations from the UNIT project with galaxies using the Semi-Analytic Galaxy Evolution semi-analytic model of galaxy formation, coupled to the photoionization model get_emlines to estimate their H α emission. These catalogues represent a unique suite that includes galaxy formation physics and – thanks to the fixed-pair technique used – an effective volume of $\sim\!(5\,h^{-1}\,\rm {Gpc})^3$, which is several times larger than the Euclid survey. We present the performance of these data and create five additional emission-line galaxy (ELG) catalogues by applying a dust-attenuation model as well as adjusting the flux threshold as a function of redshift in order to reproduce Euclid-forecast dN/dz values. As a first application, we study the abundance and clustering of those model H α ELGs: for scales greater than ∼5 h−1 Mpc, we find a scale-independent bias with a value of b ∼ 1 at redshift z ∼ 0.5, that can increase nearly linearly to b ∼ 4 at z ∼ 2, depending on the ELG catalogue. Model galaxy properties, including their emission-line fluxes (with and without dust extinction) are publicly available.
Probing the electron-to-proton mass ratio gradient in the Milky Way with Class I methanol masers
Authors: Levshakov S A , Agafonova I I , Henkel C , Kim Kee-Tae , Kozlov M G , Lankhaar B , Yang W
Published: January 2022

We estimate limits on non-universal coupling of hypothetical hidden fields to standard matter by evaluating the fractional changes in the electron-to-proton mass ratio, μ = me/mp, based on observations of Class I methanol masers distributed in the Milky Way disc over the range of the Galactocentric distances $4 \lesssim R \lesssim 12$ kpc. The velocity offsets ΔV = V44 − V95 measured between the 44- and 95-GHz methanol lines provide, so far, one of the most stringent constraints on the spatial gradient kμ ≡ d(Δμ/μ)/dR < 2 × 10−9 kpc−1 and the upper limit on Δμ/μ <2 × 10−8, where Δμ/μ = $(\mu _{\rm \scriptscriptstyle obs}-\mu _{\rm \scriptscriptstyle lab})/\mu _{\rm \scriptscriptstyle lab}$. We also find that the offsets ΔV are clustered into two groups which are separated by $\delta _{\scriptscriptstyle \Delta V} = 0.022 \pm 0.003$ km s−1 (1σ confidence level). The grouping is most probably due to the dominance of different hyperfine transitions in the 44- and 95-GHz methanol maser emission. Which transition becomes favoured is determined by an alignment (polarization) of the nuclear spins of the four hydrogen atoms in the methanol molecule. This result confirms that there are preferred hyperfine transitions involved in the methanol maser action.
Relativistic oblique shocks with ordered or random magnetic fields: tangential field governs
Authors: Ma Jing-Ze , Zhang Bing
Published: January 2022

Relativistic magnetohydrodynamic shocks are efficient particle accelerators, often invoked in the models of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and shock-powered fast radio bursts (FRBs). Most theoretical studies assume a perpendicular shock with an ordered magnetic field perpendicular to the shock normal. However, the degree of magnetization σ and the magnetic field geometry in shock-powered GRB/FRB scenarios are still poorly constrained by observations. Analogous to the magnetization σ associated with the total field strength, we define a tangential magnetization σ⊥ associated with the tangential field component. We explore the jump conditions of magnetized relativistic shocks, either with an ordered field of arbitrary inclination angle or with a random field of arbitrary anisotropy. In either case, we find that the jump conditions of relativistic shocks are governed by the tangential magnetization σ⊥ instead of the total magnetization σ, insensitive to the inclination angles or the anisotropy of the pre-shock magnetic field. The approximated analytical solution developed in this work could serve as a quick check for numerical simulations and apply to theoretical studies of GRBs/FRBs with a more general field geometry.
A spectral hardening in the Fermi-LAT Data of 1ES 0502+675
Authors: Zeng Yuhang , Yan Dahai , Hu Wen , Wang Jiancheng
Published: January 2022

The γ-ray spectral feature of the blazar 1ES 0502+675 is investigated by using Fermi Large Area Telescope Pass 8 data (between 100 MeV and 300 GeV) covering from 2008 August to 2021 April. A significant (∼4σ) hardening at ∼1 GeV is found in the γ-ray spectrum during a moderately flaring state (MJD 55050–55350). The photon index below and above the break energy is Γ1 = 2.36 ± 0.31 and Γ2 = 1.33 ± 0.11, respectively. In the rest of the observations, the γ-ray spectrum can be described by a power-law form with the photon index of ≈1.6. In the frame of a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) model, the spectral hardening is interpreted as the transition between the synchrotron component and the SSC component. This could be the result of a slight increase of the break or maximum Lorentz factor of the electrons.
Negative and positive feedback from a supernova remnant with SHREC: a detailed study of the shocked gas in IC443
Authors: Cosentino G , Jiménez-Serra I , Tan J C , Henshaw J D , Barnes A T , Law C-Y , Zeng S , Fontani F , Caselli P , Viti S , Zahorecz S , Rico-Villas F , Megías A , Miceli M , Orlando S , Ustamujic S , Greco E , Peres G , Bocchino F , Fedriani R , Gorai P , Testi L , Martín-Pintado J
Published: January 2022

Supernova remnants (SNRs) contribute to regulate the star formation efficiency and evolution of galaxies. As they expand into the interstellar medium (ISM), they transfer vast amounts of energy and momentum that displace, compress, and heat the surrounding material. Despite the extensive work in galaxy evolution models, it remains to be observationally validated to what extent the molecular ISM is affected by the interaction with SNRs. We use the first results of the ESO–ARO Public Spectroscopic Survey SHREC to investigate the shock interaction between the SNR IC443 and the nearby molecular clump G. We use high-sensitivity SiO(2-1) and H13CO+(1-0) maps obtained by SHREC together with SiO(1-0) observations obtained with the 40-m telescope at the Yebes Observatory. We find that the bulk of the SiO emission is arising from the ongoing shock interaction between IC443 and clump G. The shocked gas shows a well-ordered kinematic structure, with velocities blue-shifted with respect to the central velocity of the SNR, similar to what observed towards other SNR–cloud interaction sites. The shock compression enhances the molecular gas density, n(H2), up to >105 cm−3, a factor of >10 higher than the ambient gas density and similar to values required to ignite star formation. Finally, we estimate that up to 50 per cent of the momentum injected by IC443 is transferred to the interacting molecular material. Therefore, the molecular ISM may represent an important momentum carrier in sites of SNR–cloud interactions.
The age gradients of galaxies in EAGLE: outside-in quenching as the origin of young bulges in cluster galaxies
Authors: Pfeffer Joel , Bekki Kenji , Couch Warrick J , Koribalski Bärbel S , Forbes Duncan A
Published: January 2022

Many disc galaxies in clusters have been found with bulges of similar age or younger than their surrounding discs, at odds with field galaxies of similar morphology and their expected inside-out formation. We use the Evolution and Assembly of GaLaxies and their Environments (EAGLE) simulations to test potential origins for this difference in field and cluster galaxies. We find, in agreement with observations, that on average disc-dominated field galaxies in the simulations have older inner regions, while similar galaxies in groups and clusters have similarly aged or younger inner regions. This environmental difference is a result of outside-in quenching of the cluster galaxies. Prior to group/cluster infall, galaxies of a given present-day mass and morphology exhibit a similar evolution in their specific star formation rate (sSFR) profiles. Post-infall, the outer sSFRs of group and cluster galaxies significantly decrease due to interstellar medium stripping, while the central sSFR remains similar to field galaxies. Field disc galaxies instead generally retain radially increasing sSFR profiles. Thus, field galaxies continue to develop negative age gradients (younger discs), while cluster galaxies instead develop positive age gradients (younger bulges).
Deep learning in searching the spectroscopic redshift of quasars
Authors: Rastegarnia F , Mirtorabi M T , Moradi R , Vafaei Sadr A , Wang Y
Published: January 2022

Studying the cosmological sources at their cosmological rest frames is crucial to track the cosmic history and properties of compact objects. In view of the increasing data volume of existing and upcoming telescopes/detectors, we here construct a 1D convolutional neural network (CNN) with a residual neural network (ResNet) structure to estimate the redshift of quasars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV (SDSS-IV) catalogue from the Data Release 16 Quasar-only (DR16Q) of the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey on a broad range of signal-to-noise ratios, named FNet. Owing to its 24 convolutional layers and the ResNet structure with different kernel sizes of 500, 200, and 15, FNet is able to discover the local and global patterns in the whole sample of spectra by a self-learning procedure. It reaches the accuracy of 97.0 ${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ for the velocity difference for redshift, $|\Delta \nu |\lt 6000\, \rm km\, s^{-1}$, and 98.0 ${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ for $|\Delta \nu |\lt 12\,000\, \rm km\, s^{-1}$, while QuasarNET, which is a standard CNN adopted in the SDSS routine and is constructed of four convolutional layers (no ResNet structure), with kernel sizes of 10, to measure the redshift via identifying seven emission lines (local patterns), fails in estimating redshift of $\sim 1.3{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of visually inspected quasars in the DR16Q catalogue, and it gives 97.8 ${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ for $|\Delta \nu |\lt 6000\, \rm km\, s^{-1}$ and 97.9 ${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ for $|\Delta \nu |\lt 12\,000\, \rm km\, s^{-1}$. Hence, FNet provides similar accuracy to QuasarNET, but it is applicable for a wider range of SDSS spectra, especially for those missing the clear emission lines exploited by QuasarNET. These properties of FNet, together with the fast predictive power of machine learning, allow FNet to be a more accurate alternative for the pipeline redshift estimator and can make it practical in the upcoming catalogues to reduce the number of spectra to visually inspect.
High-resolution imaging of a black hole shadow with Millimetron orbit around lagrange point l2
Authors: Likhachev S F , Rudnitskiy A G , Shchurov M A , Andrianov A S , Baryshev A M , Chernov S V , Kostenko V I
Published: January 2022

Imaging of the shadow around supermassive black hole (SMBH) horizon with a very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) is recognised recently as a powerful tool for experimental testing of Einstein’s General relativity. The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) has demonstrated that an Earth-extended VLBI with the maximum long base (D = 10 700 km) can provide a sufficient angular resolution θ ∼ 20 μas at λ = 1.3 mm (ν = 230 GHz) for imaging the shadow around SMBH located in the galaxy M87*. However, the accuracy of critically important characteristics, such as the asymmetry of the crescent-shaped bright structure around the shadow and the sharpness of a transition zone between the shadow floor and the bright crescent silhouette, both of order Δθ ∼ 4 μas, is still to be improved. In our previous paper, we have shown that Space-Earth VLBI observation within a joint Millimetron and EHT configuration at the near-Earth high elliptical orbit can considerably improve the image quality. Even more solid grounds for firm experimental validation of General relativity can be obtained with a higher resolution available within the joint Millimetron and EHT program at the Lagrangian point L2 in the Sun-Earth system with an expected imaging resolution at 230 GHz of Δθ ∼ 5 μas. In this paper, we argue that in spite of limitations of L2 orbit, an adequate sparse (u, v) coverage can be achieved and the imaging of the shadows around Sgr A* and M87* can be performed with a reasonable quality.
Overcoming barriers in the design and implementation of clinical trials for acute kidney injury: a report from the 2020 Kidney Disease Clinical Trialists meeting
Authors: Lazzareschi Daniel , Mehta Ravindra L , Dember Laura M , Bernholz Juliane , Turan Alparslan , Sharma Amit , Kheterpal Sachin , Parikh Chirag R , Ali Omar , Schulman Ivonne H , Ryan Abigail , Feng Jean , Simon Noah , Pirracchio Romain , Rossignol Patrick , Legrand Matthieu
Published: January 2022

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a growing epidemic and is independently associated with increased risk of death, chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular events. Randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) in this domain are notoriously challenging and many clinical studies in AKI have yielded inconclusive findings. Underlying this conundrum is the inherent heterogeneity of AKI in its etiology, presentation and course. AKI is best understood as a syndrome and identification of AKI subphenotypes is needed to elucidate the disease's myriad etiologies and to tailor effective prevention and treatment strategies. Conventional RCTs are logistically cumbersome and often feature highly selected patient populations that limit external generalizability and thus alternative trial designs should be considered when appropriate. In this narrative review of recent developments in AKI trials based on the Kidney Disease Clinical Trialists (KDCT) 2020 meeting, we discuss barriers to and strategies for improved design and implementation of clinical trials for AKI patients, including predictive and prognostic enrichment techniques, the use of pragmatic trials and adaptive trials.
Thermal phenotypic plasticity of the second limb in Daphnia
Authors: Kim Keonho , Taylor Derek J
Published: January 2022

Thermal plasticity is expected to affect the responses of freshwater zooplankton to climate perturbations. We tested the hypothesis of thermal plasticity in the rigid setae of the second limb of Daphnia galeata. We also aimed to test the role of allometry and the ability to induce a rapid plastic response within an individual lifetime (i.e. postnatal). In all, 300 specimens of Daphnia were dissected from four sets of clonal thermal transfers and seasonal variants from nature. Specimens of D. galeata were cultured under identical conditions save temperature (10 and 20°C). Clonal neonates were reciprocally transferred across temperature regimes to determine the degree of postnatal plasticity. Setae length ratios supported thermal plasticity of rigid seta 2, but a thermal effect was not significant for the length ratios of the soft setae. Simple linear regressions of body length (mm) and setae lengths (mm) under warm and cold conditions revealed significant slope differences (i.e. allometry) among temperatures for the three setae examined. The rigid seta had the largest thermal effect size (slope difference), growing larger at colder conditions for a given body size compared to the soft seta. Rapid thermal plasticity in non-filtering limbs is more important than previously appreciated for Daphnia.
The epistemic, production, and accountability prospects of social impact: An analysis of strategic research proposals
Authors: Lauronen Juha-Pekka
Published: January 2022

This article addresses the debate on pre-evaluative choices of impact depictions and the forms of responses between applicants and funders. By adopting a reflexive perspective on the social impact of social sciences, this article explores researchers’ vocabularies in the research proposals and mid-term reports of consortiums during the Strategic Research Council (SRC) calls in the period 2015–18. This article develops a logical–contextual approach to identify the rationale and structure of the correspondence between the researchers’ depictions and the funders’ guidance. Moreover, the article shows that the logic of social impact and interaction is disconnected from the epistemic contextualization of social problematics. I argue that productional style vocabularies used by funders call for mechanistic depictions of impact, the logical gaps of which researchers attempt to fill through research design and stylistic embellishments for stakeholder interaction. Impact assessment could benefit greatly from relying on the integrity of the epistemic contextualization of public policy problems rather than on the summative forms of social outcomes or interactions. This article provides reflexive means of designing evaluation of usefulness and utilization of research.
Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation on Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Petrou Panayiota , Kassis Ibrahim , Ginzberg Ariel , Hallimi Michelle , Karussis Dimitrios
Published: January 2022

Background

Neurofilament light chains (NF-L) were shown to serve as a reliable biomarker of neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS). The chemokine receptor CXCL13 was shown to correlate with CNS inflammatory activity and to predict the future progression of MS.

Objective

To evaluate the levels of NF-L and CXCL13 in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) following treatment with mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in patients with progressive MS.

Methods

The CSF samples were obtained from 48 patients with progressive MS who participated in a double-blind randomized phase II clinical trial that tested the effects of intrathecal (IT) or intravenous (IV) transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), at baseline (before the first injection of the MSC) and at 6 months following treatment with MSC, or sham treatment. The CSF specimens were tested in a blinded way, using a single-molecule array (SIMOA) technique.

Findings

The CSF levels of NF-L were significantly lower at 6 months following treatment with MSC-IT when compared with the baseline, pre-treatment measurements (P = .026, Wilcoxon paired test). Nine out of 15 tested patients in the MSC-IT group had a reduction in NF-L levels of more than 50% (median decrease: −4449 pg/mL) when compared with 5/15 in the MSC-IV group (median decrease: −151 pg/mL) and 1/15 in the placebo group (median increase: +2450 pg/mL) (P = .001 for MSC-IT vs. placebo, chi-square test). CXCL13 levels were also reduced at 6 months following MSC-IT treatment but not to a statistically significant level.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate possible neuroprotective effects of MSC transplantation in patients with MS.

Clinical trial registration

NCT02166021
Quantitative bacterial counts in the bone marrow of Vietnamese patients with typhoid fever
Authors: Van Be Bay Pham , Wain John , Phuong Le Thi , Ho Vo Anh , Hien Tran Tinh , Parry Christopher M
Published: January 2022

Background

Bone marrow culture (BMC) is the reference standard for typhoid fever diagnosis. We studied the additional yield of BMC over blood culture (BC) and the relationship between quantitative BMC counts and severe disease.

Methods

Hospitalised Vietnamese patients with suspected typhoid fever were prospectively investigated with a BC, BMC, faecal culture and quantitative BMC counts.

Results

Salmonella typhi was isolated in 195 of 231 patients: from BC and BMC in 144 (73.8%), from BMC alone in 33 (16.9%), from BC alone in 12 (6.2%) and from faeces alone in 6 (3.1%). In 167 patients the median extracellular count of S. typhi was 2.5 cfu/mL (interquartile range [IQR] 0–10) and the intracellular count was 10.5 cfu/mL (IQR 2–42) with a ratio of 1.3 bacteria/cell (IQR 0.6–2.5). The median count of intracellular bacteria in 24 patients with severe disease was 46 bacteria/cell (IQR 9–105) compared with 6.5 bacteria/cell (IQR 2–34) in 143 with non-severe disease (p=0.005). The intracellular BMC count was negatively correlated with the peripheral white cell count and positively correlated with hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, aspartate transaminase, a positive BC and the fever clearance time following treatment with azithromycin, ofloxacin or a combination of the two.

Conclusions

BMC gave a moderate additional yield over BC. Intracellular BMC counts may reflect the bacterial load in typhoid fever.
Rediscovering the overlooked genus Murphydoris (Nudibranchia: Goniodorididae): the first phylogeny and addition of four new species
Authors: Paz-Sedano Sofía , Smirnoff Dimitri , Candás María , Gosliner Terrence M , Pola Marta
Published: January 2022

Sigurdson (1991) erected the monospecific genus Murphydoris to include the species Murphydoris singaporensis. This species differed from the rest of the genera in Goniodorididae by the lack of lamellae on the rhinophores and gill branches around the anus. Since its original description, Murphydoris singaporensis has only been found in Singapore and Thailand. Recently, the paratypes of Murphydoris singaporensis were studied and compared with remaining type species of Goniodorididae, showing that the apomorphies of the genus were unclear and some undescribed species reported as Goniodoridella could belong to Murphydoris. In this study, we examined four undescribed species from the Indo-Pacific region. The internal anatomy was studied by dissections, and electron microscope photographs are included to show details of their radulae, labial cuticles and penises. One specimen was also studied under micro-computed tomography. In addition, mitochondrial and nuclear partial sequences of the species were obtained. As a result, we describe in detail four new species of Murphydoris: M. adusta sp. nov., M. cobbi sp. nov., M. maracabranchia sp. nov. and M. puncticulata sp. nov. We additionally present the first phylogenetic tree that includes sequences of Murphydoris.
Risk Factors for Infection and Subsequent Adverse Clinical Results in the Setting of Operatively Treated Pilon Fractures
Authors: Yeramosu Teja , Satpathy Jibanananda , Perdue Paul W. , Toney Clarence B. , Torbert Jesse T. , Cinats David J. , Patel Tejas T. , Kates Stephen L.
Published: January 2022

Objective:

To determine patient-specific and injury-specific factors that may predict infection and other adverse clinical results in the setting of tibial pilon fractures.

Design:

Retrospective chart review.

Setting:

Level 1 academic trauma center.

Patients:

Two hundred forty-eight patients who underwent operative treatment for tibial pilon fractures between 2010 and 2020.

Intervention:

External fixation and/or open reduction and internal fixation.

Main Outcome Measurements:

Fracture-related infection rates and specific bacteriology, risk factors associated with development of a fracture-related infection, and predictors of adverse clinical results.

Results:

Two hundred forty-eight patients were enrolled. There was an infection rate of 21%. The 3 most common pathogens cultured were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (20.3%), Enterobacter cloacae (16.7%), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (15.5%). There was no significant difference in age, sex, race, body mass index, or smoking status between those who developed an infection and those who did not. Patients with diabetes mellitus (P = 0.0001), open fractures (P = 0.0043), and comminuted fractures (OTA/AO 43C2 and 43C3) (P = 0.0065) were more likely to develop a fracture-related infection. The presence of a polymicrobial infection was positively associated with adverse clinical results (P = 0.006). History of diabetes was also positively associated with adverse results (P = 0.019).

Conclusions:

History of diabetes and severe fractures, such as those that were open or comminuted fractures, were positively associated with developing a fracture-related infection after the operative fixation of tibial pilon fractures. History of diabetes and presence of a polymicrobial infection were independently associated with adverse clinical results.

Level of Evidence:

Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
BMI and blood pressure control among United States adults with hypertension
Authors: Foti Kathryn , Hardy Shakia T. , Chang Alex R. , Selvin Elizabeth , Coresh Josef , Muntner Paul
Published: January 2022

Objectives:

Less than half of United States adults with hypertension have controlled blood pressure (BP). Higher BMI is associated with an increased risk for hypertension but the association between BMI and BP control is not well characterized. We examined hypertension awareness, antihypertensive medication use, and BP control, by BMI category.

Methods:

Data for 3568 United States adults aged at least 18 years with hypertension (BP at least 140/90 mmHg or taking antihypertensive medication) from the 2015 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. BMI was categorized as normal (<25 kg/m2), overweight (25 to <30 kg/m2), class 1 obesity (30 to <35 kg/m2), or class 2 or 3 obesity (≥35 kg/m2). Hypertension awareness and antihypertensive medication use were self-reported. BP control was defined as BP less than 140/90 mmHg using the average of up to three measurements.

Results:

Among United States adults with hypertension, 15.6% had normal BMI, 31.3% had overweight, 26.2% had class 1 obesity, and 26.8% had class 2 or 3 obesity. Among those with normal BMI, overweight, class 1 obesity, and class 2 or 3 obesity: 67.9, 76.8, 84.0, and 87.8% were aware they had hypertension, respectively; 88.1, 88.1, 90.9, and 90.2% of those aware were taking antihypertensive medication, respectively; 63.5, 65.9, 71.1, and 64.1% of those taking antihypertensive medication had controlled BP, respectively; and 37.1, 44.3, 53.8, and 50.8% of those with hypertension had controlled BP, respectively.

Conclusion:

United States adults with hypertension and normal BMI were less likely to be aware they had hypertension and have controlled BP compared with those with overweight or obesity.
White-coat hypertension/effect is associated with higher arterial stiffness and stroke events
Authors: Saunders Alec , Nuredini Gani N. , Kirkham Frances A. , Drazich Erin , Bunting Eva , Rankin Philip , Ali Khalid , Okorie Michael , Rajkumar Chakravarthi
Published: January 2022

Objectives:

The risk profile of white-coat hypertension/effect (WCH/E) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between WCH/E, markers of cardiovascular risk and cerebrovascular events.

Methods:

This is a sub-group analysis of The Arterial Stiffness In lacunar Stroke and Transient ischemic attack (ASIST) study, which recruited 96 patients aged at least 40 years old with a diagnosis of transient ischemic attack or lacunar stroke in the preceding 14 days. Thirty-two patients with target blood pressure (clinic blood pressure <140/90 mmHg and daytime ambulatory blood pressure <135/85 mmHg) and 30 patients with WCH/E (clinic blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg and daytime ambulatory blood pressure <135/85 mmHg) were included in the analysis.

Results:

Patients with WCH/E were older and had a higher BMI. Central SBP (145 ± 13 vs. 118 ± 8 mmHg, P < 0.001) and DBP (82 ± 8 vs. 76 ± 7 mmHg, P = 0.004) were higher in those with WCH/E. They also had higher arterial stiffness measured by carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (11.9 ± 3.0 vs. 9.6 ± 2.3 m/s, P = 0.002) and cardio-ankle vascular index (10.3 ± 1.3 vs. 9.4 ± 1.7, P = 0.027). Regression analysis showed an independent relationship between WCH/E and both measures of arterial stiffness. Lacunar strokes were more prevalent in those with WCH/E (47 vs. 22%, P = 0.039) and individuals in this group were more likely to have had a lacunar stroke than a transient ischemic attack (odds ratio 9.6, 95% CI 1.5-62.6, P = 0.02).

Conclusion:

In this cohort of patients with lacunar stroke and transient ischemic attack, WCH/E was associated with elevated markers of cardiovascular risk and a higher prevalence of lacunar stroke. These results suggest that WCH/E is associated with adverse cardiovascular risk.
Time to Rehospitalization for Different Oral Risperidone Dosing Frequencies in Patients With Schizophrenia
Authors: Wang Xi-Yu , Chan Hung-Yu , Lin Ching-Hua
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This retrospective cohort study aimed at determining whether the daily administration pattern of risperidone influences time to rehospitalization in patients with schizophrenia. Previous studies have related more frequent dosing to poor medication adherence. This causes suboptimal disease control, which entails shorter times between hospital admissions.

Methods

We investigated admission records from 1 tertiary psychiatric hospital in Taiwan. Patients were included if they had a main diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and were receiving oral risperidone. The enrollment period was July 2001 to December 2016; we observed whether rehospitalization would occur in subsequent periods of 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year follow-ups.

Results

There were 1504 patients grouped by daily dosing frequency of oral risperidone. Most patients (95.9%) received 6 mg or less of risperidone per day. After adjustment for covariates, including daily total dosages of risperidone, it showed an independent association that more frequent dosing frequency of risperidone had higher hazard ratios (HRs) of rehospitalizations (in 1-year follow-up: 2 vs 1 dosing a day: HR, 1.566; 3 vs 1 dosing a day: HR, 3.010; 4 vs 1 dosing a day: HR, 4.305) and a significant trend of more possible rehospitalizations (Cochran-Armitage test for trend: P < 0.001) in 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year follow-up.

Conclusions

Patients receiving more doses of risperidone per day are more likely to be readmitted within 1 year following last discharge, indicating poorer treatment outcomes for patients who receive more frequent doses.
Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Recruitment and Retention
Authors: Nathan Sarah , Moret Jessica Draughon
Published: January 2022

Traditionally, sexual assault nurse examiner training focuses on examination skills and evidence collection. Gathering history and supporting the patient in a trauma-informed approach are equally important components of postassault care. Simulation is an established tool in healthcare education; however, there is limited research on applying simulation to the training of sexual assault nurse examiners. The Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Recruitment and Retention program developed and delivered standardized patient-simulated scenarios to teach elements of trauma-informed sexual assault interviews. Simulation allowed trainees the opportunity to practice interviews and receive direct feedback from the standardized patient actor and experienced examiners. Evaluation results showed that learners valued this opportunity, endorsing that it improved their ability to conduct a forensic interview. This innovative program introduced a framework for training new examiners on trauma-informed interview techniques, using standardized patients.
Reducing Secondary Traumatic Stress and Fueling Knowledge of Child Maltreatment Among Health Care Providers
Authors: Cain Cary M. , Gautreaux Katherine
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND:

Child maltreatment is widespread, and its victims are frequently treated by trauma providers. However, providers across disciplines report feeling ill-equipped to identify and treat victims of child maltreatment and also report high levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress.

OBJECTIVE:

This study aims to evaluate an intervention to improve health care provider knowledge, recognition, and reporting of child maltreatment and promote provider resilience as they care for victims of child maltreatment.

METHODS:

This is a single-group pre/posttest study design conducted from April to October 2019 of an educational intervention addressing child maltreatment knowledge, recognition, and self-care strategies for providers. Baseline and 6-month post-event questionnaires evaluated child maltreatment recognition and reporting, and the Professional Quality of Life instrument was used to measure compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. Statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate the impact of the intervention on participants' self-reported knowledge, compassion, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress.

RESULTS:

A total of 164 health care providers participated in the study; the majority were nurses (69.5%). There was a 51.2% response rate for the 6-month post-event questionnaire (n = 84). Health care providers' knowledge of child maltreatment recognition and reporting significantly improved from pre-event (Mdn = 24.0) to post-event (Mdn = 27.0), z =−6.4, p < .001, and significantly decreased in secondary traumatic stress pre-event (Mdn = 20.0) to post-event (Mdn = 17.5), z =−2.11, p = .035. No changes were noted in compassion satisfaction or burnout.

CONCLUSIONS:

Educational activities can improve provider knowledge and recognition of child maltreatment and facilitate secondary traumatic stress reduction.
Case Report: An Isolated Abducens Palsy Secondary to Lyme Disease
Authors: Mashburn Callie J. , Greene Alicia M. , DePoe Scott A.
Published: January 2022

SIGNIFICANCE

Lyme disease can have widespread and long-lasting systemic implications, and ocular manifestations of Lyme disease may be the only presenting symptoms of infection. As such, eye care providers can play a critical role in facilitating the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

PURPOSE

This case report describes an isolated sixth nerve palsy secondary to Lyme disease, which is a rare neuro-ophthalmic presentation. This report emphasizes the importance of considering Lyme disease in the setting of atypical nerve palsies to allow for appropriate treatment and prevent long-term complications of untreated disease.

CASE REPORT

A 63-year-old man presented with new-onset, painful diplopia for 1 day and was diagnosed with a right sixth nerve palsy. His medical history was significant for relapsing polychondritis with associated ocular complications, so his nerve palsy was presumed secondary to a flare of his systemic disease. However, secondary to complaints of new night sweats, infectious etiologies were also considered. The patient was initially treated with oral steroids with no improvement in his diplopia after being admitted to the hospital for further workup. Approximately 1 week after presentation, Lyme titers returned positive, and the diagnosis was revised to abducens palsy secondary to Lyme disease. The patient's nerve palsy rapidly resolved after oral therapy with doxycycline.

CONCLUSIONS

Lyme disease is a systemic illness that can have widely varying manifestations, including ocular findings. Eye involvement may be the only presenting symptom, allowing eye care providers to serve an important role in disease recognition and management.