bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Age-dependent shaping of the social environment in a long-lived seabird: a quantitative genetic approach
Authors: Moiron Maria , Bouwhuis Sandra
Published: October 2024

Individual differences in social behaviour can result in fine-scale variation in spatial distribution and, hence, in the social environment experienced. Given the expected fitness consequences associated with differences in social environments, it is imperative to understand the factors that shape them. One potential such factor is age. Age-specific social behaviour—often referred to as ‘social ageing’—has only recently attracted attention, requiring more empirical work across taxa. Here, we use 29 years of longitudinal data collected in a pedigreed population of long-lived, colonially breeding common terns (Sterna hirundo) to investigate sources of variation in, and quantitative genetic underpinnings of, an aspect of social ageing: the shaping of the social environment experienced, using the number of neighbours during breeding as a proxy. Our analyses reveal age-specific declines in the number of neighbours during breeding, as well as selective disappearance of individuals with a high number of neighbours. Moreover, we find this social trait, as well as individual variation in the slope of its age-specific decline, to be heritable. These results suggest that social ageing might underpin part of the variation in the overall multicausal ageing phenotype, as well as undergo microevolution, highlighting the potential role of social ageing as a facilitator for, or constraint of, the evolutionary potential of natural populations.

This article is part of the discussion meeting issue ‘Understanding age and society using natural populations’.
Agents seeking long-term access to the wisdom of the crowd reduce immediate decision-making accuracy
Authors: Mann Richard P.
Published: October 2024

Living in groups offers social animals the significant advantage of accessing collective wisdom and enhanced information processing, enabling more accurate decisions related to foraging, navigation and habitat selection. Preserving group membership is crucial for sustaining access to collective wisdom, incentivizing animals to prioritize group cohesion. However, when individuals encounter divergent information about the quality of various options, this can create a conflict between pursuing immediate rewards and the maintenance of group membership to improve access to future pay-offs. In this study, I show that rational agents who seek to maximize long-term rewards will be more inclined to follow the decisions of their peers than those with short-term horizons. In doing so, they necessarily make less-rewarding decisions in the short-term, which manifests in a lower individual accuracy when choosing the better of two options. Furthermore, I demonstrate that intuitions about collective wisdom can be misleading in groups of agents who prioritize long-term rewards, with disagreement being a better signal for the accuracy of collective choices than consensus. These results demonstrate that observed patterns of sociality should be interpreted in the context of the life history of an individual and its peers, rather than through the lens of an isolated decision.

This article is part of the discussion meeting issue ‘Understanding age and society using natural populations’.
Understanding age and society using natural populations
Authors: Firth Josh A. , Albery Gregory F. , Bouwhuis Sandra , Brent Lauren J. N. , Salguero-Gómez Roberto
Published: October 2024

Ageing affects almost all aspects of life and therefore is an important process across societies, human and non-human animal alike. This article introduces new research exploring the complex interplay between individual-level ageing and demography, and the consequences this interplay holds for the structure and functioning of societies across various natural populations. We discuss how this Special Issue provides a foundation for integrating perspectives from evolutionary biology, behavioural ecology and demography to provide new insights into how ageing shapes individuals’ social behaviour and social associations, and how this in turn impacts social networks, social processes (such as disease or information transfer) and fitness. Through examining these topics across taxa, from invertebrates to birds and mammals, we outline how contemporary studies are using natural populations to advance our understanding of the relationship between age and society in innovative ways. We highlight key emerging research themes from this Special Issue, such as how sociality affects lifespan and health, the genetic and ecological underpinnings of social ageing and the adaptive strategies employed by different species. We conclude that this Special Issue underscores the importance of studying social ageing using diverse systems and interdisciplinary approaches for advancing evolutionary and ecological insights into both ageing and sociality more generally.

This article is part of the discussion meeting issue ‘Understanding age and society using natural populations ’.
Organotypic brain slices as a model to study the neurotropism of the highly pathogenic Nipah and Ebola viruses
Authors: Gellhorn Serra Michelle , Meier Lars , Sauerhering Lucie , Wilhelm Jochen , Kupke Alexandra
Published: October 2024

Nipah virus (NiV) and Ebola virus (EBOV) are highly pathogenic zoonotic viruses with case fatality rates of up to 90%. While the brain is a known target organ following NiV infection, involvement of the central nervous system in EBOV-infected patients only became more evident after the West African epidemic in 2013–2016. To gain a deeper comprehension of the neurotropism of NiV and EBOV with respect to target cells, affected brain regions and local inflammatory responses, murine organotypic brain slices (BS) were established and infected. Both NiV and EBOV demonstrated the capacity to infect BS from adult wt mice and mice lacking the receptor for type I IFNs (IFNAR−/−) and targeted various cell types. NiV was observed to replicate in BS derived from both mouse strains, yet no release of infectious particles was detected. In contrast, EBOV replication was limited in both BS models. The release of several pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, including eotaxin, IFN-γ, IL-1α, IL-9, IL-17a and keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC), was observed in both virus-infected models, suggesting a potential role of the inflammatory response in NiV- or EBOV-induced neuropathology. It is noteworthy that the choroid plexus was identified as a highly susceptible target for EBOV and NiV infection, suggesting that the blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier may serve as a potential entry point for these viruses.
Comparative study of Ergosterol and 7-dehydrocholesterol and their Endoperoxides: Generation, Identification and Impact in Phospholipid Membranes and Melanoma Cells
Authors: Yukuyama Megumi Nishitani , Fabiano Karen Campos , Inague Alex , Uemi Miriam , Lima Rodrigo Santiago , Diniz Larissa Regina , Oliveira Tiago Eugenio , Iijima Thais Satie , Faria Hector Oreliana Fernandes , Santos Rosangela Silva , Nolf Maria Fernanda Valente , Chaves-Filho Adriano Brito , Yoshinaga Marcos Yukio , Junqueira Helena Couto , Mascio Paolo Di , Baptista Mauricio da Silva , Miyamoto Sayuri
Published: October 2024

Melanoma is an aggressive cancer that has attracted attention in recent years due to its high mortality rate of 80%. Damage caused by oxidative stress generated by radical (type I reaction) and singlet oxygen,1O2(type II reaction) oxidative reactions may induce cancer. Thus, studies that aim to unveil the mechanism that drives these oxidative damage processes become relevant. Ergosterol, an analogue of 7-dehydrocholesterol, important in the structure of cell membranes, is widely explored in cancer treatment. However, to date little is known about the impact of different oxidative reactions on these sterols in melanoma treatment, and conflicting results about their effectiveness complicates the understanding of their role in oxidative damage. Our results highlight differences among ergosterol, 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) and cholesterol in membrane properties when subjected to distinct oxidative reactions. Furthermore, we conducted a comparative study exploring the mechanisms of cell damage by photodynamic treatment in A375 melanoma. Notably, endoperoxides from ergosterol and 7-DHC generated by1O2showed superior efficacy in reducing the viability of A375 cells compared to their precursor molecules. We also describe a step-by-step process to produce and identify endoperoxides derived from ergosterol and 7-DHC. While further studies are needed, this work provides new insights for understanding cancer cell death induced by different oxidative reactions in the presence of biologically relevant sterols.
A decade of dengue disease burden in Africa (2013–2023): a systematic review
Authors: Mwanyika Gaspary O. , Moir Monika , Musa Abdualmoniem O. , Poongavanan Jenicca , Dor Graeme , Wilkinson Eduan , Baxter Cheryl , de Oliveira Tulio , Tegally Houriiyah
Published: October 2024

Background

Dengue is a major mosquito-borne disease worldwide. The epidemiological trends of the disease in Africa over the past decade remain unclear. This review aims to provide insight into the epidemiological trends of dengue in Africa from 2013–2023.

Methods

We systematically searched PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus for studies published between January 2013 and December 2023. Additionally, we collected official records from the World Health Organization for Africa and African Centre for Disease Control. We included studies that reported dengue cases in humans in Africa and excluded publications prior to 2013, review articles and non-human studies. For specific countries, the suspected cases per 100,000 population and fatality rates were estimated and the trend predicted using a negative binomial model. The statistical analyses and visualisations were performed using R programming.

Results

Of the 453 reports screened, 87 from 25 African countries were selected for systematic review. Between 2013 and 2023, approximately 200,000 suspected dengue cases, 90,000 confirmed cases and 900 deaths were reported in Africa. Over 80% of confirmed cases originated from West Africa, with Burkina Faso reporting over 500 cases per 100,000 population. DENV1 and DENV2 predominating at different times with transmission closely linked to rainy seasons.

Conclusions

The rising dengue cases across Africa, highlight the need to strengthen surveillance and implement effective regional-specific interventions against future dengue outbreaks. Further research is necessary to improve our understanding on dengue transmission dynamics and suitability of regions in Africa.
A pangenome and pantranscriptome of hexaploid oat
Authors: Avni Raz , Kamal Nadia , Bitz Lidija , Jellen Eric N. , Bekele Wubishet A. , Angessa Tefera T. , Auvinen Petri , Bitz Oliver , Boyle Brian , Canales Francisco J. , Chapman Brett , Chawla Harmeet Singh , Chen Yutang , Copetti Dario , Dang Viet , Eichten Steven R. , Klos Kathy Esvelt , Fenn Amit , Fiebig Anne , Fu Yong-Bi , Gundlach Heidrun , Gupta Rajeev , Haberer Georg , He Tianhua , Herrmann Matthias H. , Himmelbach Axel , Howarth Catherine J. , Hu Haifei , Sánchez Julio Isidro y , Itaya Asuka , Jannink Jean-Luc , Jia Yong , Kaur Rajvinder , Knauft Manuela , Langdon Tim , Lux Thomas , Marmon Sofia , Marosi Vanda , Mayer Klaus F.X. , Michel Steve , Nandety Raja Sekhar , Nilsen Kirby T. , Paczos-Grzęda Edyta , Pasha Asher , Prats Elena , Provart Nicholas J. , Ravagnani Adriana , Reid Robert W. , Schlueter Jessica A. , Schulman Alan H. , Sen Taner Z. , Singh Jaswinder , Mehtab-Singh  , Sirijovski Nick , Stein Nils , Studer Bruno , Viitala Sirja , Vronces Shauna , Walkowiak Sean , Wang Penghao , Waters Amanda J. , Wight Charlene P. , Yan Weikai , Yao Eric , Zhang Xiao-Qi , Zhou Gaofeng , Zhou Zhou , Tinker Nicholas A. , Fiedler Jason D. , Li Chengdao , Maughan Peter J. , Spannagl Manuel , Mascher Martin
Published: October 2024

Oat grain is a traditional human food rich in dietary fiber that contributes to improved human health. Interest in the crop has surged in recent years owing to its use as the basis for plant-based milk analogs. Oat is an allohexaploid with a large, repeat-rich genome that was shaped by subgenome exchanges over evolutionary timescales. In contrast to many other cereal species, genomic research in oat is still at an early stage, and surveys of structural genome diversity and gene expression variability are scarce. Here, we present annotated chromosome-scale sequence assemblies of 33 wild and domesticated oats along with an atlas of gene expression across six tissues of different developmental stages in 23 accessions. We describe the interplay of gene expression diversity across subgenomes, accessions and tissues. Gene loss in the hexaploid is accompanied by compensatory up-regulation of the remaining homeologs, but this process is constrained by subgenome divergence. Chromosomal rearrangements have significantly impacted recent oat breeding. A large pericentric inversion associated with early flowering explains distorted segregation on chromosome 7D and a homeologous sequence exchange between chromosomes 2A and 2C in a semidwarf mutant has risen to prominence in Australian elite varieties. The oat pangeome will promote the adoption of genomic approaches to understanding the evolution and adaptation of domesticated oats and will accelerate their improvement.
Unraveling the inverse latitudinal gradient: Environmental and geographic influences on plant diversity in South American coastal lomas
Authors: Gonzales Fiorella N. , Kreft Holger , Arapa Luis , Craven Dylan
Published: October 2024

Water availability is widely recognized for its importance in shaping plant diversity gradients globally. However, even in arid ecosystems such as drylands, a remarkable diversity of plant species can persist. Yet, the environmental, topographic, and geographic drivers that have structured plant diversity gradients within drylands over evolutionary time, and their relative importance, are poorly understood, particularly for understudied ecosystems such as coastal lomas. Here, we evaluated the geographic distribution and drivers of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of plants across the coastal lomas of South America, which are isolated fog-fed vegetation oases within the Peruvian and Chilean coastal desert. We collated the most comprehensive data set to date of 72 coastal lomas, and used generalised linear models to assess latitudinal diversity gradients, and evaluated the relative importance of environmental, topographic, and geographic drivers of plant taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. Notably, we found that both plant species richness and standardized mean nearest taxon distance (MNTD) decreased linearly towards the Equator, while standardized phylogenetic diversity (PD) and mean phylogenetic distance (MPD) exhibited non-linear relationships with latitude, peaking in the hyper-arid core of the Atacama Desert. Our results suggest that current climate, environmental heterogeneity, and geographical factors are the primary drivers of plant diversity. Plant species richness increased with cloud cover, slope, and area, and decreased with soil pH, while standardized PD increased with aridity, elevation, and the human footprint and decreased with distance to the coast. Standardized MNTD increased with elevation, and decreased with increasing area and temperature; standardized MPD increased with slope, and decreased with increasing aridity and distance to the coast. Our results suggest that environmental filtering is not the only macroecological process acting on plant diversity across coastal lomas, and has often been counterbalanced at different points in evolutionary time by factors associated with environmental heterogeneity, possibly reflecting the presence of climate refugia and diverse habitats that promote species coexistence. Also, our results offer empirical evidence supporting an inverse latitudinal gradient in plant diversity across coastal lomas, which emerges as a consequence of multiple factors that influence water availability, both directly and indirectly. Over evolutionary time, these factors may have significantly contributed to shaping the current structure and composition of coastal lomas.
Impacts of receptor binding and immunity on SARS-CoV-2 fitness landscape: a modeling study
Authors: Ding Zhaojun , Yuan Hsiang-Yu
Published: October 2024

Despite numerous studies investigating SARS-CoV-2 ACE2 binding affinity and its transmissibility, their relationship concerning varying immunity remains unclear. Daily ACE2 binding and immune escape in SARS-CoV-2 were calculated by summing the effects of all amino acid mutations in the receptor binding domain for each viral sequence per day, based on deep mutational scanning data. We developed an infectious disease transmission model that decomposed the effective reproduction number into viral infectiousness, host protection, and contact patterns. Viral infectiousness was used to represent a component of the fitness determined by both ACE2 binding and the immunity of infected hosts. By fitting the model to daily reported cases, immune escape, vaccine rollout, and population mobility, both viral infectiousness and effective immunity (i.e. the protection against the circulating variants) among infected individuals were quantified. A rugged fitness landscape, spanned by ACE2 binding and hosts’ effective immunity, was observed with peaks corresponding to individual VOCs (alpha, delta, and omicron (BA.1* and BA.2*)). We found that higher effective immunity was associated with a lower level of virus fitness peak initially; and lower effective immunity with weaker receptor binding was associated with an optimal virus fitness. The finding helps understand SARS-CoV-2 evolution and predict future dominant variants.
Performance of ChatGPT in pediatric audiology as rated by students and experts
Authors: Ratuszniak Anna , Gos Elzbieta , Lorens Artur , Skarzynski Piotr H. , Skarzynski Henryk , Jedrzejczak W. Wiktor
Published: October 2024

Background

Despite the growing popularity of artificial intelligence (AI)-based systems such as ChatGPT, there is still little evidence of their effectiveness in audiology, particularly in pediatric audiology. The present study aimed to verify the performance of ChatGPT in this field, as assessed by both students and professionals, and to compare its Polish and English versions.

Material and methods

ChatGPT was presented with 20 questions, which were posed twice, first in Polish and then in English. A group of 20 students and 16 professionals in the field of audiology and otolaryngology rated the answers on a Likert scale from 1 to 5 in terms of correctness, relevance, completeness, and linguistic accuracy. Both groups were also asked to assess the usefulness of ChatGPT as a source of information for patients, in educational settings for students, and in professional work.

Results

Both students and professionals generally rated ChatGPT’s responses to be satisfactory. For most of the questions, ChatGPT’s responses were rated somewhat higher by the students than the professionals, although statistically significant differences were only evident for completeness and linguistic accuracy. Those who rated ChatGPT’s responses more highly were also rated higher it usefulness.

Conclusions

ChatGPT can possibly be used for quick information retrieval, especially by non-experts, but it lacks the depth and reliability required by professionals. The different ratings given by students and professionals, and its language dependency, indicate it works best as a supplementary tool, not as a replacement for verifiable sources, particularly in a healthcare setting.
A comparative study of navigation behaviours in ants
Authors: Shen Xianhui , Wystrach Antoine , Gélin Uriel , Charles-Dominique Tristan , Tomlinson Kyle W.
Published: October 2024

Ants inhabit a vast range of ecosystems and exhibit wide morphology. They are expert navigators employing a handful of well-understood navigational strategies. However, the specific relationships among ant navigation behaviours, ecology, and morphology remain unclear, highlighting the need for comparative studies across diverse species. Here, we conducted field displacement experiments with 15 ant species across different habitats, assessing the prevalence of path integration, view-based navigation, olfactory trail following, and backtracking. We further tested whether use of particular navigation strategies was correlated with variation in morphological traits that could affect navigation efficiency, namely body size, eye size (view-based, path integration) and scape length (olfactory). There was a negative correlation between path integration and olfaction across different ant species, and no other clear trade-offs were identified between navigational strategies. Olfactory navigation emerged as the most dominant strategy. Path integration was also prevalent but limited to arboreal ants. View-based navigation was observed in both ground-foraging and tree-climbing ant species, and, unexpectedly, backtracking was also widespread. Species with larger eyes and body size showed a stronger preference for view-based navigation. However, no significant relationship was found between eye size or antennal scape length with preference for either path integration or olfaction. These results highlight the diversity and specialization of navigational strategies in ants, which appear to depend on the species’ ecological niche and morphological traits. Our study confirmed that path integration performs better in open sky environments, while view-based navigation appears more effective in cluttered habitats. We also showed the importance of plasticity in both foraging strategies and navigational profile at individual and colony levels, demonstrating the adaptability of ants’ navigation strategies to their environment.
The geometry of gametic dispersal in a flying mammal,Rhinolophus hipposideros
Authors: Brazier Thomas , Zarzoso-Lacoste Diane , Lehnen Lisa , Jan Pierre-Loup , Puechmaille Sebastien J. , Petit Eric J.
Published: October 2024

Dispersal influences population and evolutionary dynamics, in a manner that depends on by which dispersal strategies gene flow occurs. In some species, mating partners move exclusively for mating, dispersing genes but not individuals. This is the case in many bat species, of which the lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros) shows a genetic structure at a fine spatial scale suggesting restricted dispersal. We investigated how natal and mating dispersal shape gene flow in this species in two meta-populations using paternity and population assignments. Half of the inferred paternities were intra-colonial and gave an estimate of the mean mating dispersal distance of around 11 km, explaining the observed genetic structure. Complete gametic dispersal distances were further estimated by combining natal with mating dispersal distances. The resulting gametic dispersal kernels showed a mean distance of around 20 km and a fat-tailed distribution typical of an excess of long-distance dispersal movements. It is the first time that natal and mating dispersal distances have been separately estimated and then combined in animals, documenting quantitatively how mating dispersal decorrelates gene and individual flows. It is important to consider this mechanism to explain dispersal evolution.
An mTOR-Tfeb-Fabp7a signaling axis can be harnessed to amelioratebag3cardiomyopathy in adult zebrafish
Authors: Ding Yonghe , Yan Feixiang , Yoon Baul , Wei Wei , Ruff David Mondaca , Zhang Yuji , Lin Xueying , Xu Xiaolei
Published: October 2024

Dysregulated proteostasis in cardiomyocytes is an important pathological event inBAG3cardiomyopathy, which can be repaired by inhibiting mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) for cardioprotective effects. Here, we aimed to uncover additional pathological events and therapeutic target genes via leveraging zebrafish genetics. We first assessed transcription factor EB (tfeb), a candidate gene that encodes a direct downstream phosphorylation target of mTOR signaling. We found that cardiomyocyte-specific transgenic overexpression oftfeb(Tg[cmlc2:tfeb]) is sufficient to repair defective proteostasis, attenuate accelerated cardiac senescence, a previously unrecognized phenotype in thebag3cardiomyopathy model, and rescue cardiac dysfunction. Next, we compared cardiac transcriptomes between theTg(cmlc2:tfeb)transgenic fish and themtorxu015/+mutant, and tested 4 commonly downregulated lipodystrophy genes using an F0-based genetic assay. We found that inhibition of the fatty acid binding protein a (fabp7a) gene, but not the other 3 genes, exerts therapeutic effects onbag3cardiomyopathy. Conversely,fabp7aexpression is elevated inbag3cardiomyopathy model and cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression offabp7aresulted in dysregulated proteostasis, accelerated cardiac senescence, as well as cardiac dysfunction. Together, these genetic studies in zebrafish uncovered Fabp7a activation and accelerated cardiac senescence as important pathological events inbag3cardiomyopathy. The mTOR-Tfeb-Fabp7a signaling axis can be harnessed to repair these pathological changes and exert cardioprotective effects.
Classical statistical methods are powerful for the identification of novel targets for the survival of breast cancer patients
Authors: Insawang Benyapa , Ward Max , Li Zhaoyu , Datta Amittava
Published: October 2024

Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. The identification of survival-related target genes is critical for improving the prognosis and outcomes of breast cancer patients. Many methods have been applied to this investigation, such as bioinformatics and machine learning approaches, yet few targets identified from these approaches have been applied in clinics. Here, we present a novel approach by using classical statistical methods of Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test and Jensen-Shannon (JS) divergence to analyse the survival time and gene expression data of breast cancer patients (BRCA) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). These methods help compare the survival time distributions and differentiate patients into high and low-risk groups based on gene expression profiles. 1,124 survival-related genes were identified based on the KS test and 18 from JS divergence values. We also identified the optimal thresholds of the expression level of these target genes, which enabled the best separation of survival groups for all breast cancer patients and each subtype of breast cancer patients. These targets were further validated through bootstrapping to ensure that significant results are not due to chance. By comparing those survival targets from previous studies, we found two were novel targets, and two were consistent with previous reports. Overall, our study provides a novel approach for identifying survival targets for breast cancer patients by integrating a series of classical statistical methods, such as the KS test, JS divergence, and bootstrapping. Our approach could also be applied to identifying the survival targets for other cancer types and provide valuable insights into cancer research and clinical applications.
Instrumented dual-task tests for concussion assessment in Ice Hockey
Authors: Meyer Frederic , Baehler Nicolas , Sciacca Dario , Chabrowski Lea , Falbriard Mathieu , Ionescu Anisoara
Published: October 2024

Background

Sport-related concussions are a public health concern and can lead to long-term health impairment. Nevertheless, assessing concussions in spots such as ice hockey can be challenging during games. Dual-task (DT) tests, quantifying interference between cognitive and motor performance, have been used to detect cognitive impairment after a concussion.

Methods

in this work, 114 Swiss elite ice hockey players performed DT tests at regular interval during the season and within the days following a diagnosed concussion. The DT test consisted of a static balance and a self-paced walking, both combined with counting backward by 3. In total, 265 DT tests were performed, including 38 tests between 1 day and 2 weeks after the 15 diagnosed concussions.

Results

Cognitive abilities during gait were mainly affected after a concussion. A DT performance metric was defined based on features significantly associated with worsening DT performance after the concussion (p< 0.001, effect sized= 1.50). Finally, an individual and a global model were proposed to estimate the risk of concussion based on a DT test outcome.

Conclusion

These tests provide objective insights to the medical staff, ensuring a secure and trusted decision-making process when deciding if the player should be removed from the game for recovery. Dual-task tests could also improve the return to play evaluation by detecting remaining cognitive deficiencies even in the absence of symptoms.
Dyslipidemia and development of chronic kidney disease in non-diabetic Japanese adults: a 26-year, community-based, longitudinal study
Authors: Okawa Yukari , Mitsuhashi Toshiharu
Published: October 2024

Follow-up studies evaluating the relationship between dyslipidemia and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in non-diabetic populations are limited. This longitudinal study (1998–2024) examined whether the prevalence of dyslipidemia is associated with the subsequent development of CKD in non-diabetic Japanese adult citizens of Zentsuji, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. Dyslipidemia was defined as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations ≥140 mg/dL, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations <40 mg/dL, and/or triglyceride concentrations ≥150 mg/dL. Participants were considered to have developed CKD if their estimated glomerular filtration rate was <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. The proportional hazard assumptions were violated. Therefore, the Weibull accelerated failure-time model was selected using the Akaike and Bayesian information criteria. The final cohort included 5970 participants, 41.6% of whom were men. The mean follow-up was 7.09 years. After the follow-up, 1890 (31.7%) participants developed CKD. Participants with dyslipidemia had a 5% shorter survival time (95% confidence interval: 3%–7%) to incident CKD compared with those without dyslipidemia in the full model. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations <40 mg/dL and triglyceride concentrations ≥150 mg/dL also reduced the survival time to CKD onset by 5%–6%. Our results indicate that controlling the lipid profile to an appropriate range may contribute to reducing the risk of future onset of CKD.
Topical Insulin as a Novel Treatment for Persistent Epithelial Defects and Other Ocular Surface Disorders: A Systematic Review
Authors: Bievel Radulescu Raluca , Ferrari Stefano , Ponzin Diego
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Through this systematic review, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of topical eye insulin in different concentrations to treat several surface ocular pathologies, including: persistent epithelial defects, diabetic keratopathy after a vitrectomy, neutrophic keratopathy and dry eye syndrome. We have consolidated through the data, what are the doses used, the methods of preparation for insulin, whether there are adverse effects and what would be the effectiveness of the eye drops with insulin.

Methods

We carried out an extensive search including Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Scopus and Web Of Science. We found 43 relevant studies, after which we excluded duplicates, animal studies, case reports, we ended up with 14 studies to include in the article. Through the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for observational studies and the Jadad scale for randomized controlled trials, we investigated the methodological quality of these articles.

Results

Within the review we included a significant number of 525 patients who used eye drops with insulin in concentrations from 0.5 to 2 U/ml, having an ocular benefit in corneal healing rates without adverse effects. The quality analysis of the included studies showed a NOS score of moderate-high quality, whereas the Jadad scale showed a high quality.

Conclusions

Our systematic review demonstrates that patients with persistent epithelial defects, diabetic keratopathy following vitrectomy, neurotrophic keratopathy, and dry eye syndrome showed significant improvements in corneal healing rates. To gain a clearer understanding of the effectiveness of insulin eye drops, future research should include direct comparisons with autologous serum eye drops and amniotic membrane eye drops. These studies will help establish comprehensive clinical guidelines.
Comparison of the extent and progression of respiratory and cardiovascular disease in World Trade Center responders to lung screening participants
Authors: Jirapatnakul Artit , Yip Rowena , Branch Andrea , Yankelevitz David F , Henschke Claudia I
Published: October 2024

Responders to the World Trade Center (WTC) site in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks were exposed to toxic dust, which has been linked to increased risk of respiratory and cardiovascular disease. The respiratory and cardiovascular effects of WTC dust exposure have been studied using pulmonary function tests and the number of cardiovascular events, but computed tomography (CT) scans provide an opportunity to see the early structural changes in the lungs and cardiovascular system before clinical symptoms appear. CT scans are used in the screening and evaluation of respiratory diseases such as lung cancer, interstitial lung disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and to visualize coronary arteries and quantify the amount of coronary artery calcifications; in fact, it is possible to detect multiple diseases from a single chest CT scan. While manual evaluation by a radiologist is often the gold standard, automated image analysis tools can quickly and accurately quantify these diseases.

We identified non-contrast chest CT scans from members of the World Trade Center General Responders Cohort (WTC GRC) with slice thickness of 2.5 mm or less. We used the open-source Chest Imaging Platform software to compute measures of emphysema and interstitial lung disease and research software from Cornell University to compute measures of pulmonary hypertension and coronary artery calcification. We identified a sex, age (within 5 years), smoking status, one or more CT scans, and follow-up time -matched cohort of participants enrolled in the lung screening program at Mount Sinai. We compared disease measures from the WTC GRC group to the lung screening group to assess whether there was a difference in the extent and progression of disease.

There were 4909 chest CT images of members of the WTC GRC that met our image quality criteria. There were 3855 members of the GRC for which we could obtain both chest CT images and clinical data. Of these, there were 2284 members for which we could obtain pulmonary disease measurements on at least one scan, 1246 members for which we could calculate cardiac measurements. The matched controls from the lung screening cohort consisted of 557 participants with 1122 chest CT images that met our image quality criteria and for which we obtained all four disease measures.

We compared members of the WTC GRC with matched participants from the lung screening program. One of the key findings is that after a median time of 11-13 years after 9/11, the WTC GRC group exhibited higher burdens of coronary artery calcification, emphysema, and interstitial lung disease compared with a matched control group of lung screening participants. This supports the continued surveillance of WTC responders.
ODIASP: An Open User-Friendly Software for Automated SMI Determination—Application to an Inpatient Population
Authors: Charrière Katia , Ragusa Antoine , Genoux Béatrice , Vilotitch Antoine , Artemova Svetlana , Dumont Charlène , Beaudoin Paul-Antoine , Madiot Pierre-Ephren , Ferretti Gilbert R. , Bricault Ivan , Fontaine Eric , Bosson Jean-Luc , Moreau-Gaudry Alexandre , Giai Joris , Bétry Cécile
Published: October 2024

Background

The diagnosis of malnutrition has evolved with the GLIM recommendations, which advocate for integrating phenotypic criteria, including muscle mass measurement. The GLIM framework specifically suggests using skeletal muscle index (SMI) assessed via CT scan at the third lumbar level (L3) as a first-line approach. However, manual segmentation of muscle from CT images is often time-consuming and infrequently performed in clinical practice. This study aims to develop and validate an open-access, user-friendly software tool called ODIASP for automated SMI determination.

Methods

Data were retrospectively collected from a clinical data warehouse at Grenoble Alpes University Hospital, including epidemiological and imaging data from CT scans. All consecutive adult patients admitted in 2018 to our tertiary center who underwent at least one CT scan capturing images at the L3 vertebral level and had a recorded height were included. The ODIASP tool combines two algorithms to automatically perform L3 slice selection and skeletal muscle segmentation, ensuring a seamless process. Agreement between cross-sectional muscle area (CSMA) values obtained via ODIASP and reference methodology was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The prevalence of reduced SMI was also assessed.

Results

SMI values were available for 2,503 participants, 53.3% male, with a median age of 66 years [51-78] and a median BMI of 24.8 kg/m2[21.7-28.7]. There was substantial agreement between the reference method and ODIASP (ICC: 0.971; 95% CI: 0.825 to 0.989) in a validation subset of 674 CT scans. After correcting for systematic errors (a 5.8 cm2[5.4-6.3] overestimation of the CSMA), the agreement improved to 0.984 (95% CI: 0.982 to 0.986), indicating excellent agreement. The prevalence of reduced SMI was estimated at 9.1% overall (11.0% in men and 6.6% in women). To facilitate usage, the ODIASP software is encapsulated in a user-friendly interface.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that ODIASP is a reliable tool for automated muscle segmentation at the L3 vertebra level from CT scans. The integration of validated AI algorithms into a user-friendly platform enhances the ability to assess SMI in diverse patient cohorts, ultimately contributing to improved patient outcomes through more accurate assessments of malnutrition and sarcopenia.
Relationship between Body Mass Index, Gray Matter Volume and peripheral inflammation in patients with post-COVID condition
Authors: Claaß Luise V. , Schick Franziska , Rocktäschel Tonia , Garza Alejandra P. , Gaser Christian , Reuken Philipp A. , Stallmach Andreas , Finke Kathrin , Thanarajah Sharmili Edwin , Walter Martin , Dunay Ildiko Rita , Besteher Bianca , Opel Nils
Published: October 2024

Background

Obesity is linked to low-grade peripheral inflammation and is recognized as an independent risk factor for severe COVID-19. Obesity and overweight have furthermore been shown to relate to structural brain alterations. Post-COVID condition (PCC) has in turn been associated with structural brain alterations and lingering immunological changes. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to assess whether obesity contributes to structural brain alterations and differences in immunological markers in PCC patients.

Methods

We investigated a previously established cohort of PCC patients (n = 61). Whole-brain comparison of gray matter volume (GMV) was conducted by voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Obesity, as measured by body mass index (BMI), as well as age, gender and total intracranial volume (TIV) were included as regressors in a linear regression model.

Results

A significant negative association was found between higher BMI and lower GMV in the right thalamus (p(FWE) = 0.039, k = 209, TFCE = 1037.97, x = 18, y = −21, z = 8). Moreover, BMI, GMV and immunological markers were linked in PCC. Specifically, BMI was primarily positively associated with Interleukin-6 and negatively with Interleukin-7, while GMV showed strong positive associations with Interleukin-8.

Limitations

A small cohort size and no available data on BMI changes before and after SARS-CoV2 infection limit the interpretation of our findings.

Conclusion

The results suggest that BMI contributes to GMV alterations in PCC patients, with both BMI and GMV being associated with peripheral immunological markers. These findings indicate that converging mechanisms, such as inflammation and structural brain alterations, may play a role in obesity and PCC.
Design and implementation of Electronic Health Record Computerised Decision Support System (CDSS) trials: A Systematic Review
Authors: Chen Yang , Wilson Matthew G. , Nagendran Myura , Collard Didier , Wijayarathne Jayathri , Dilan Matiwalakumbura , Wickramaratne Ravi , Dahele Karan , Samways Jack , Jani Yogini , Shah Anoop , Lumbers Tom , Harris Steve , Asselbergs Folkert W
Published: October 2024

Objectives

Conduct a systematic review of the existing evidence base pertaining to the conduct of randomised controlled trials of clinical decision support systems embedded within electronic health record systems. Further, to describe whether key features of trial design and implementation were consistently reported.

Materials and Methods

A systematic search of MEDLINE was conducted in April 2022. Three independent reviewers screened the search results. A 27-item checklist was used to extract data from the screened studies. A subgroup analysis was conducted to classify trials of clinical decision support systems based on whether they encouraged guideline adherence or represented new knowledge generating mechanisms.

Results

5,213 records were retrieved. Following screening, 106 studies were included in the review. The majority of studies evaluated active alerts seeking to improve adherence to clinical guidelines rather than generate new knowledge. Few studies quantified the existing ecosystem of decision support at the study site, or explored phenomena like alert fatigue.

Discussion

This systematic review provides a detailed analysis of the characteristics of trials evaluating clinical decision support systems. It highlights significant under-reporting of key factors which may affect the reproducibility and generalisability of trial results - particularly with respect to measurement of alert fatigue, description of the underlying digital ecosystem and additional co-interventions used within trials.

Conclusion

As clinical workflows undergo digital transformation, randomised controlled trials of clinical decision support systems require greater standardisation, in both conduct and reporting. This represents an area of expanding interest given the increasing use of artificial intelligence-enabled decision support.

STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS

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This study presents the results of an updated systematic review of studies evaluating the effectiveness clinical decision support systems.

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It used a comprehensive checklist to extract detail pertaining to five information domains on trial quality and description.

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Studies were evaluated to determine whether the clinical decision support system was knowledge generating or designed to improve guideline adherence.

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The review was limited to randomised trials and excluded quasi-experimental and observational studies of clinical decision support systems.
Towards a Universal Map of EEG: A semantic, low-dimensional manifold for EEG Classification, Clustering and Prognostication
Authors: Krumm Laura , Kranz Dominik D. , Halimeh Mustafa , Nelde Alexander , Amorim Edilberto , Zafar Sahar , Jing Jin , Thomas Robert J. , Westover M. Brandon , Meisel Christian
Published: October 2024

Despite its complexity, whole-brain neural activity spontaneously organizes into a limited range of states, indicating that a low-dimensional representation or embedding might be sufficient to capture much of its macroscale dynamics. Clinical practice makes use of this notion by classifying EEG into discrete states, for example in the wake-sleep cycle or along the ictal-interictal continuum. Such classification into distinct classes has clinical value and simplifies EEG interpretation (by humans and, more recently, also by artificial intelligence [AI]) but misses subtle differences, mixtures and transitions between states. In other words, it does not adequately reflect the true underlying, low-dimensional continuum of states. The lack of a continuum EEG map limits more realistic characterizations of EEG states and challenges prognostication in patients with disorders of consciousness due to their diverse patterns, etiologies and underlying pathophysiologies. We here use data across the health-disease continuum (wake [W], sleep [REM, N1, N2, N3], ictal-interictal-continuum [lateralized and generalized periodic discharges (LPD, GPD), lateralized and generalized rhythmic delta activity (LRDA, GRDA)], seizures [SZ], burst suppression [BS]; 20,043 patients, 288,986 EEG segments) and a deep neural network that optimises a low-dimensional embedding space. This universal map of EEG (UM-EEG) is highly semantic, confined and captures meaningful distances as well as transitions between EEG states. Classification and clustering of unseen EEG are easily implemented using standard techniques on the map that match performance of current AI algorithms while extending it to the currently largest set of classes across the full health-disease continuum (mean AUROCs and 95% CI one-vs-all classification: W 0.94 [0.94, 0.95], N1 0.85 [0.85, 0.86], REM 0.92 [0.91, 0.92], N2 0.91 [0.90, 0.91], N3 0.98 [0.97, 0.98], GRDA [0.97 [0.96, 0.97], LRDA 0.97 [0.96, 0.97], SZ 0.87 [0.83, 0.91], GPD 0.99 [0.98, 0.90], LPD 0.97 [0.97, 0.97)], BS 0.94 [0.93, 0.94]). Long-term EEGs are represented as trajectories in this continuous embedding space which predict outcome (recovery or death) after cardiac arrest with an AUROC of 0.86 (N= 575 patients). For these patients, the map identifies interpretable factors governing prognosis: the distance to healthy states, the variability of state transitions, and time spent in burst suppression. These factors allow personalized monitoring and comparison of patients to themselves over time. In conclusion, UM-EEG presents a novel, comprehensive and physiologically meaningful representation to characterize and classify brain states along the health-disease continuum. It demonstrates immediate clinical utility by enhancing current diagnostic and prognostic capabilities.
Summer and SERT: Effect of daily sunshine hours onSLC6A4promoter methylation in seasonal affective disorder
Authors: Handschuh P. A. , Murgaš M. , Winkler D. , Winkler-Pjrek E. , Hartmann A. M. , Domschke K. , Baldinger-Melich P. , Rujescu D. , Lanzenberger R. , Spies M.
Published: October 2024

Meteorological factors affect the serotonergic system, potentially influencingSLC6A4promoter methylation in seasonal affective disorder (SAD). However, studies on how sunlight impacts methylation and modulates SERT activity in this context remain limited. This study aims to investigate the effect of average daily sunshine duration onSLC6A4promoter methylation in a cohort consisting of both patients with SAD as well as healthy controls (HC). Methylation data were collected from 28 patients with SAD and 40 healthy controls (HC). Average methylation from fourSLC6A4promoter CpG sites was assessed. Daily sunlight data for Vienna, Austria (mean of 28 days before blood sampling), were obtained from ©GeoSphere Austria. A general linear model (GLM) analyzedSLC6A4promoter methylation as the dependent variable, with sunlight hours as the independent variable, and group (SAD, HC), age, sex, and 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 as covariates. Exploratory analyses examined sunlight hours and methylation effects on Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores. Sunlight had a significant effect onSLC6A4promoter methylation (p = 0.03), with more sunlight hours resulting in lower methylation (r = −0.25). However, the interaction between sunlight and group was non-significant, suggesting a rather general effect across both groups. Sunlight also influenced BDI scores (p < 0.01), with fewer sunlight hours leading to higher BDI scores (r = −0.25), which aligns with previous research.SLC6A4promoter methylation had no significant effect on BDI scores. Our findings suggest that sunlight impactsSLC6A4promoter methylation, but this effect appears general, not specific to SAD pathophysiology.