bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using cone-beam CT for appropriate nostril selection in nasotracheal intubation
Authors: Arun Funda , Icoz Derya , Akti Ahmet , Gurses Gokhan
Published: July 2024

Objectives

Nasotracheal intubation is a standard blind procedure associated with various complications. The selection of the appropriate nostril is crucial to preventing most of these complications. The present study aimed to evaluate the predictive ability of cone-beam CT (CBCT) images to select the correct nostril for nasotracheal intubation.

Methods

The study encompassed 60 patients who underwent maxillofacial surgery with nasotracheal intubation under general anaesthesia. While the anaesthetist made the appropriate nostril selection clinically according to a simple occlusion test and spatula test, the radiologist made the selection after analysing various CBCT findings such as the angle and direction of nasal septum deviation (NSD), minimum bone distance along the intubation path, and the presence of inferior turbinate hypertrophy. The appropriateness of these choices made blindly at different times was evaluated using descriptive statistics, chi-squared test, and independent samples t-test.

Results

The study found that 83.3% of the suggested nostril intubations were successful. We also observed that intubation duration was longer when inferior turbinate hypertrophy was present (P = .031). However, there was no statistical relationship between the presence of epistaxis and septal deviation (P = .395). Nonetheless, in 64.3% of cases with epistaxis, the intubated nostril and the septum deviation direction were the same.

Conclusions

Pre-operative evaluations using CBCT can aid anaesthetists for septum deviation and turbinate hypertrophy, as both can impact intubation success rates and duration.
Analysis of CenKR essentiality in Sinorhizobium meliloti and its activity at a target gene promoter in vivo
Authors: Freire Isabela R , Bensig Eukene O , Kuang ZiYu , MacLellan Shawn R
Published: July 2024

The two-component regulatory system CenK–CenR has recently emerged as a regulator of cell envelope and cell division processes in the alpha-proteobacteria. In Sinorhizobium meliloti, CenK–CenR regulates the expression of SrlA, a thioredoxin-domain protein of unknown function. Deletion of srlA causes sensitivity to salt and oxidizing agents on solid growth medium. In this work, we report that the response regulator CenR, but not the histidine kinase CenK, is essential for cell viability in S. meliloti. We also demonstrate that phosphorylation of the target residue D55 is not required for viability, suggesting that the unphosphorylated transcription factor sufficiently regulates expression of one or more essential genes in the genome. Using transcription assays and phenotype testing we examine CenK–CenR-dependent activation of the srlA promoter and demonstrate its absolute dependence on phosphoryl-CenR for activity and that the CenR substitution D55E acts as a phosphomimetic that partially restores activity at the srlA promoter in the absence of phosphorylation by CenK. Finally, we report a mutational analysis of the CenR binding site in the srlA promoter required for transcriptional activation.
Enterococcal quorum-controlled protease alters phage infection
Authors: Sheriff Emma K , Salvato Fernanda , Andersen Shelby E , Chatterjee Anushila , Kleiner Manuel , Duerkop Breck A
Published: July 2024

Increased prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections has sparked interest in alternative antimicrobials, including bacteriophages (phages). Limited understanding of the phage infection process hampers our ability to utilize phages to their full therapeutic potential. To understand phage infection dynamics, we performed proteomics on Enterococcus faecalis infected with the phage VPE25. We discovered that numerous uncharacterized phage proteins are produced during phage infection of E. faecalis. Additionally, we identified hundreds of changes in bacterial protein abundances during infection. One such protein, enterococcal gelatinase (GelE), an fsr quorum-sensing-regulated protease involved in biofilm formation and virulence, was reduced during VPE25 infection. Plaque assays showed that mutation of either the quorum-sensing regulator fsrA or gelE resulted in plaques with a “halo” morphology and significantly larger diameters, suggesting decreased protection from phage infection. GelE-associated protection during phage infection is dependent on the putative murein hydrolase regulator LrgA and antiholin-like protein LrgB, whose expression have been shown to be regulated by GelE. Our work may be leveraged in the development of phage therapies that can modulate the production of GelE thereby altering biofilm formation and decreasing E. faecalis virulence.
Community case management to accelerate access to healthcare in Mali: a realist process evaluation nested within a cluster randomized trial
Authors: Whidden Caroline , Cissé Amadou Beydi , Cole Faith , Doumbia Saibou , Guindo Abdoulaye , Karambé Youssouf , Treleaven Emily , Liu Jenny , Tolo Oumar , Guindo Lamine , Togola Bréhima , Chiu Calvin , Tembely Aly , Keita Youssouf , Greenwood Brian , Chandramohan Daniel , Johnson Ari , Kayentao Kassoum , Webster Jayne
Published: July 2024

The Proactive Community Case Management (ProCCM) trial in Mali reinforced the health system across both arms with user fee removal, professional community health workers (CHWs) and upgraded primary health centres (PHCs)—and randomized village-clusters to receive proactive home visits by CHWs (intervention) or fixed site-based services by passive CHWs (control). Across both arms, sick children’s 24-hour treatment and pregnant women’s four or more antenatal visits doubled, and under-5 mortality halved, over 3 years compared with baseline. In the intervention arm, proactive CHW home visits had modest effects on children’s curative and women’s antenatal care utilization, but no effect on under-5 mortality, compared with the control arm. We aimed to explain these results by examining implementation, mechanisms and context in both arms We conducted a process evaluation with a mixed method convergent design that included 79 in-depth interviews with providers and participants over two time-points, surveys with 195 providers and secondary analyses of clinical data. We embedded realist approaches in novel ways to test, refine and consolidate theories about how ProCCM worked, generating three context-intervention-actor-mechanism-outcome nodes that unfolded in a cascade. First, removing user fees and deploying professional CHWs in every cluster enabled participants to seek health sector care promptly and created a context of facilitated access. Second, health systems support to all CHWs and PHCs enabled equitable, respectful, quality healthcare, which motivated increased, rapid utilization. Third, proactive CHW home visits facilitated CHWs and participants to deliver and seek care, and build relationships, trust and expectations, but these mechanisms were also activated in both arms. Addressing multiple structural barriers to care, user fee removal, professional CHWs and upgraded clinics interacted with providers’ and patients’ agency to achieve rapid care and child survival in both arms. Proactive home visits expedited or compounded mechanisms that were activated and changed the context across arms.
Improvement and application of vacuum-infiltration system in tomato
Authors: Yao Xinghao , Taheri Ayat , Liu Hang , Zhang Yaojie , Li Ling , Shao Jin , Wu Ke , Miao Qing , He Weizhi , Hu Xinyi , Tang Kexuan
Published: July 2024

The Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression system has been developed and applied to various plants as an alternative to stable transformation. However, its application in tomatoes is still limited due to low expression efficiency. In this study, we describe an improved vacuum-infiltration system that can be used in both tomato fruits and leaves. Notably, this study is the first report of vacuum infiltration in attached tomato fruits. The feasibility of the improved vacuum-infiltration system in Micro-Tom tomato was confirmed by various assays, including multiple fluorescent protein expression analysis, β-glucuronidase activity analysis, and RUBY reporter visualization. Subsequently, the improved vacuum-infiltration system was successfully applied to tomato biotechnology research. Herein, a trichome-specific promoter in tomato was identified that can drive the directional synthesis of specific plant natural products (PNPs). Additionally, based on the assessment results of the improved vacuum-infiltration system, we obtained a flavonoid-rich tomato variety through the stable transformation of AmRosea and AmDelila. In a significant practical application, we successfully synthesized the high-value scutellarin in tomato, which provides an alternative route for the production of PNPs from plants. In addition, the improved vacuum-infiltration system has been demonstrated to be suitable for commercial tomato varieties (‘Emerald’ and ‘Provence’) as well. The improved vacuum-infiltration system not only speeds up fundamental and applied research in tomato but also offers an additional powerful tool for advancing tomato synthetic biology research.
Agar and agarose used forStaphylococcus aureusbiofilm cultivation impact fluoroquinolone tolerance
Authors: Power Angela D , Mok Wendy W K
Published: July 2024

Aims

Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen whose treatment is further complicated by its ability to form biofilms. In this study, we examine the impact of growing S. aureus biofilms on different polymerizing surfaces, specifically agar and agarose, on the pathogen’s tolerance to fluoroquinolones.

Methods and results

Biofilms of two methicillin-resistant strains of S. aureus were grown on agar or agarose in the presence of the same added nutrients, and their antibiotic susceptibility to two fluoroquinolones, moxifloxacin (MXF) and delafloxacin (DLX), were measured. We also compared the metabolism and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production of biofilms that were grown on agar and agarose.

Conclusions

Biofilms that were grown on agarose were consistently more susceptible to antibiotics than those grown on agar. We found that in biofilms that were grown on agar, extracellular protein composition was higher, and adding EPS to agarose-grown biofilms increased their tolerance to DLX to levels that were comparable to agar-grown biofilms.
An evaluation of the All of Us Research Program database to examine cumulative stress
Authors: Beese Shawna , Abshire Demetrius A , DeJong Trey L , Carbone Jason T
Published: July 2024

Objectives

To evaluate the NIH All of Us Research Program database as a potential data source for studying allostatic load and stress among adults in the United States (US).

Materials and Methods

We evaluated the All of Us database to determine sample size significance for original-10 allostatic load biomarkers, Allostatic Load Index-5 (ALI-5), Allostatic Load Five, and Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). We conducted a priori, post hoc, and sensitivity power analyses to determine sample sizes for conducting null hypothesis significance tests.

Results

The maximum number of responses available for each measure is 21 participants for the original-10 allostatic load biomarkers, 150 for the ALI-5, 22 476 for Allostatic Load Five, and n = 90 583 for the PSS.

Discussion

The NIH All of Us Research Program is well-suited for studying allostatic load using the Allostatic Load Five and psychological stress using PSS.

Conclusion

Improving biomarker data collection in All of Us will facilitate more nuanced examinations of allostatic load among US adults.
Development and application of Breadth-Depth-Context (BDC), a conceptual framework for measuring technology engagement with a qualified clinical data registry
Authors: Kersey Emma , Li Jing , Kay Julia , Adler-Milstein Julia , Yazdany Jinoos , Schmajuk Gabriela
Published: July 2024

Objectives

Despite the proliferation of dashboards that display performance data derived from Qualified Clinical Data Registries (QCDR), the degree to which clinicians and practices engage with such dashboards has not been well described. We aimed to develop a conceptual framework for assessing user engagement with dashboard technology and to demonstrate its application to a rheumatology QCDR.

Materials and Methods

We developed the BDC (Breadth-Depth-Context) framework, which included concepts of breadth (derived from dashboard sessions), depth (derived from dashboard actions), and context (derived from practice characteristics). We demonstrated its application via user log data from the American College of Rheumatology’s Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness (RISE) registry to define engagement profiles and characterize practice-level factors associated with different profiles.

Results

We applied the BDC framework to 213 ambulatory practices from the RISE registry in 2020-2021, and classified practices into 4 engagement profiles: not engaged (8%), minimally engaged (39%), moderately engaged (34%), and most engaged (19%). Practices with more patients and with specific electronic health record vendors (eClinicalWorks and eMDs) had a higher likelihood of being in the most engaged group, even after adjusting for other factors.

Discussion

We developed the BDC framework to characterize user engagement with a registry dashboard and demonstrated its use in a specialty QCDR. The application of the BDC framework revealed a wide range of breadth and depth of use and that specific contextual factors were associated with nature of engagement.

Conclusion

Going forward, the BDC framework can be used to study engagement with similar dashboards.
Biofertilizer and biostimulant potentials of phosphate-solubilizing Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis M1 strain and silicon in improving low phosphorus availability tolerance in rosemary
Authors: Msaad Hamid , Lamsaadi Nadia , Farssi Omar , Oubenali Aziz , Lahmaoui Soukaina , Boulli Abdelali , Ghoulam Cherki , El Moukhtari Ahmed , Farissi Mohamed
Published: July 2024

The present study aimed to evaluate the single and combined effects of Si exogenous treatment and Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis M1 strain inoculation on rosemary tolerance to low phosphorus (P) availability. Hence, rosemary plants were fertilized with 250 µmol Ca3HPO4 (stressed plants) or 250 µmol KH2PO4 (control plants) under Si treatment and B. subtilis M1 strain inoculation. P starvation negatively affected rosemary growth and its P nutrition. However, exogenous Si supply or B. subtilis M1 strain inoculation significantly (P < 0.001) alleviated the deficiency-induced effects and significantly improved rhizogenesis, acid phosphatase activity, P uptake, and eventually dry weight of shoot and root. Moreover, Si-treatment and/or B. subtilis M1 strain inoculation significantly (P < 0.001) reduced the oxidative damage, in terms of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide accumulation. This was found positively correlated with the higher superoxide dismutase activity, and the elevated non-enzymatic antioxidant molecules accumulation, including total polyphenols in Si-treated and inoculated P-deficient plants. Taken together, Si supplementation and/or B. subtilis M1 strain inoculation could be a good strategy to sustain rosemary plant growth under P starvation conditions.
A Response to Mohja Kahf
Authors: Majaj Lisa Suhair
Published: July 2024

This response, written from a Palestinian American perspective, takes seriously Mohja Kahf’s call to hold ourselves responsible for making visible Indigenous realities instead of eliding them; for recognizing implicit, even if unwilled, complicity; and for thinking and acting decolonially. Bringing attention to the contradictions inherent in the political and personal stances of Arab Americans who critique settler colonialism in Palestine but fail to attend to the colonialism defining their own locations in North America, it affirms the need to see and act on processes of erasure—including those we may have unwittingly participated in—across different colonial contexts. Drawing on the intellectual framing of reciprocal intercommunalism and its imperatives for inter-group solidarities and ethical humanism, as well as on personal experience, it discusses points of connection between US and Palestinian settler colonialisms: not only the parallel histories of colonization and expulsion but also the discursive processes used to justify these legacies of destruction. Making these connections visible helps us to not only position ourselves more responsibly in relation to Indigenous histories but also develop a theoretical lexicon and intellectual framework for decolonial struggles applicable more widely. One example of this is the concept of memoricide—the physical destruction and discursive silencing of history and memory—and the correlating decolonial strategy of de-memoricide: asserting the reality of the erased past and in so doing helping to shape a different future. The response concludes with attention to Kahf’s poem “Samidun on the West Bank of the Mississippi,” which brilliantly evokes and portrays strategies of intercommunalism, self-critique, and the stance of inquiry and receptiveness necessary for true decolonial solidarity.
Misaligned precessing jets are choked by the accretion disc wind
Authors: Lu Wenbin , Matsumoto Tatsuya , Matzner Christopher D
Published: July 2024

We analytically and numerically study the hydrodynamic propagation of a precessing jet in the context of tidal disruption events (TDEs) where the star’s angular momentum is misaligned with the black hole spin. We assume that a geometrically thick accretion disc undergoes Lense–Thirring precession around the black hole spin axis and that the jet is aligned with the instantaneous disc angular momentum. At large spin-orbit misalignment angles $\theta _{\it LS}$, the duty cycle along a given angle that the jet sweeps across is much smaller than unity. The faster jet and slower disc wind alternately fill a given angular region, which leads to strong shock interactions between the two. We show that precessing jets can only break out of the wind confinement if $\theta _{\it LS}$ is less than a few times the jet opening angle $\theta _{\rm j}$. The very small event rate of observed jetted TDEs is then explained by the condition of double alignment: both the stellar angular momentum and the observer’s line of sight are nearly aligned with the black hole spin. In most TDEs with $\theta _{\it LS}\gg \theta _{\rm j}$, the jets are initially choked by the disc wind and may only break out later when the disc eventually aligns itself with the spin axis due to the viscous damping of the precession. Such late-time jets may produce delayed radio rebrightening as seen in many optically bright TDEs. Our model is also applicable to jets associated with (stellar mass) black hole-neutron star mergers where the black hole’s spin is misaligned with the orbital angular momentum.
Constraining the duration of ram pressure stripping features in the optical from the direction of jellyfish galaxy tails
Authors: Salinas Vicente , Jaffé Yara L , Smith Rory , Shinn Jong-Ho , Crossett Jacob P , Gullieuszik Marco , González-Torà Gemma , Piraino-Cerda Franco , Poggianti Bianca , Vulcani Benedetta , Biviano Andrea , Lourenço Ana C C , Bilton Lawrence E , Kelkar Kshitija , Calderón-Castillo Paula
Published: July 2024

Ram pressure stripping is perhaps the most efficient mechanism for removing gas and quenching galaxies in dense environments, as they move through the intergalactic medium. Extreme examples of on-going ram pressure stripping are known as jellyfish galaxies, characterized by a tail of stripped material that can be directly observed in multiple wavelengths. Using the largest homogeneous broad-band optical jellyfish candidate sample in local clusters known to date, we measure the angle between the direction of the tails visible in the galaxies, and the direction towards the host cluster centre. We find that 33 per cent of the galaxy tails point away from the cluster centre, 18  per cent point towards the cluster centre, and 49  per cent point elsewhere. Moreover, we find stronger signatures of ram pressure stripping happening on galaxies with a tail pointing away and towards the cluster centre, and larger velocity dispersion profiles for galaxies with tails pointing away. These results are consistent with a scenario where ram pressure stripping has a stronger effect for galaxies following radial orbits on first infall. The results also suggest that in many cases, radially infalling galaxies are able to retain their tails after pericenter and continue to experience significant on-going ram pressure stripping. We further constrain the lifespan of the optical tails from the moment they first appear to the moment they disappear, by comparing the observed tail directions with matched N-body simulations through Bayesian parameter estimation. We obtain that galaxy tails appear for the first time at $\sim 1.16$R$_{200}$ and disappear $\sim 660$ Myr after pericenter.
The beyond-halo mass effects of the cosmic web environment on galaxies
Authors: Wang Kuan , Avestruz Camille , Guo Hong , Wang Wei , Wang Peng
Published: July 2024

Galaxy properties primarily depend on their host halo mass. Halo mass, in turn, depends on the cosmic web environment. We explore if the effect of the cosmic web on galaxy properties is entirely transitive via host halo mass, or if the cosmic web has an effect independent of mass. The secondary galaxy bias, sometimes referred to as ‘galaxy assembly bias’, is the beyond-mass component of the galaxy–halo connection. We investigate the link between the cosmic web environment and the secondary galaxy bias in simulations. We measure the secondary galaxy bias through the following summary statistics: projected two-point correlation function, $w_{\mathrm{p}}(r_{\mathrm{p}})$, and counts-in-cylinders statistics, $P(N_{\mathrm{CIC}})$. First, we examine the extent to which the secondary galaxy bias can be accounted for with a measure of the environment as a secondary halo property. We find that the total secondary galaxy bias preferentially places galaxies in more strongly clustered haloes. In particular, haloes at fixed mass tend to host more galaxies when they are more strongly associated with nodes or filaments. This tendency accounts for a significant portion, but not the entirety, of the total secondary galaxy bias effect. Secondly, we quantify how the secondary galaxy bias behaves differently depending on the host halo proximity to nodes and filaments. We find that the total secondary galaxy bias is relatively stronger in haloes more associated with nodes or filaments. We emphasize the importance of removing halo mass effects when considering the cosmic web environment as a factor in the galaxy–halo connection.
Turbocharging constraints on dark matter substructure through a synthesis of strong lensing flux ratios and extended lensed arcs
Authors: Gilman Daniel , Birrer Simon , Nierenberg Anna , Oh Maverick S H
Published: July 2024

Strong gravitational lensing provides a purely gravitational means to infer properties of dark matter haloes and thereby constrain the particle nature of dark matter. Strong lenses sometimes appear as four lensed images of a background quasar accompanied by spatially resolved emission from the quasar host galaxy encircling the main deflector (lensed arcs). We present methodology to simultaneously reconstruct lensed arcs and relative image magnifications (flux ratios) in the presence of full populations of subhaloes and line-of-sight haloes. To this end, we develop a new approach for multiplane ray tracing that accelerates lens mass and source light reconstruction by factors of $\sim\!\! 100\!\!-\!\!1000$. Using simulated data, we show that simultaneous reconstruction of lensed arcs and flux ratios isolates small-scale perturbations to flux ratios by dark matter substructure from uncertainties associated with the main deflector mass profile on larger angular scales. Relative to analyses that use only image positions and flux ratios to constrain the lens model, incorporating arcs strengthens likelihood ratios penalizing warm dark matter with a suppression scale $m_{\rm {hm}} / {\rm M}_{\odot }$ in the ranges of $\left[10^7 \!\!-\!\! 10^{7.5}\right]$, $\left[10^{7.5} \!\!-\!\! 10^{8}\right]$, $\left[10^8 \!\!-\!\! 10^{8.5}\right]$, and $\left[10^{8.5} \!\!-\!\! 10^{9}\right]$ by factors of 1.3, 2.5, 5.6, and 13.1, respectively, for a cold dark matter ground truth. The 95 per cent exclusion limit improves by 0.5 dex in $\log _{10} m_{\rm {hm}}$. The enhanced sensitivity to low-mass haloes enabled by these methods pushes the observational frontier of substructure lensing to the threshold of galaxy formation, enabling stringent tests of any theory that alters the properties of dark matter haloes.
Tribocharged solids in protoplanetary discs: internal and external discharge time-scales
Authors: Becker T , Völke G , Steinpilz T , Onyeagusi F C , Teiser J , Wurm G
Published: July 2024

Particles regularly tribocharge in collisions. Here, we study how long charges can persist on such particles in the environment of a protoplanetary disc. We set up three complementary experiments to quantify discharge time-scales. We first directly measure the time dependency of charge on triboelectrically charged objects. For this aspect, we performed two long-time experiments under different environmental conditions. We find that the charge persists on the tribocharged bodies on time-scales between minutes and years. Discharge might be mediated by external ions or internally, by conduction. To constrain the latter, we also determined the specific electric resistance of dust samples as simulants for dust aggregates in protoplanetary discs. In this third experiment, we see an increase in resistivity at decreasing ambient pressure up to the limit of the instrument. These findings are consistent with the assumption that water on all relevant surfaces including dust grains within the pore space of aggregates is the main driver of discharge. Under disc conditions, the charge might persist for weeks to years. This leaves net-charged isolated grains in dense parts of the mid-plane of protoplanetary discs charged in between collisions.
AGN-driven outflows in clumpy media: multiphase structure and scaling relations
Authors: Ward S R , Costa T , Harrison C M , Mainieri V
Published: July 2024

Small-scale winds driven from accretion discs surrounding active galactic nuclei (AGN) are expected to launch kpc-scale outflows into their host galaxies. However, the ways in which the structure of the interstellar medium (ISM) affects the multiphase content and impact of the outflow remain uncertain. We present a series of numerical experiments featuring a realistic small-scale AGN wind with velocity $5\times 10^3 \!-\! 10^4\rm {\ km\ s^{-1}}$ interacting with an isolated galaxy disc with a manually controlled clumpy ISM, followed at sub-pc resolution. Our simulations are performed with arepo and probe a wide range of AGN luminosities ($L_{\rm {AGN}}{=} 10^{43-47}\rm {\ erg\ s^{-1}}$) and ISM substructures. In homogeneous discs, the AGN wind sweeps up an outflowing, cooling shell, where the emerging cold phase dominates the mass and kinetic energy budgets, reaching a momentum flux $\dot{p} \approx 7\ L/c$. However, when the ISM is clumpy, outflow properties are profoundly different. They contain small, long-lived ($\gtrsim 5\ \rm {Myr}$), cold ($T{\lesssim }10^{4.5}{\rm {\ K}}$) cloudlets entrained in the faster, hot outflow phase, which are only present in the outflow if radiative cooling is included in the simulation. While the cold phase dominates the mass of the outflow, most of the kinetic luminosity is now carried by a tenuous, hot phase with $T \gtrsim 10^7 \, \rm K$. While the hot phases reach momentum fluxes $\dot{p} \approx (1 - 5)\ L/c$, energy-driven bubbles couple to the cold phase inefficiently, producing modest momentum fluxes $\dot{p} \lesssim L/c$ in the fast-outflowing cold gas. These low momentum fluxes could lead to the outflows being misclassified as momentum-driven using common observational diagnostics. We also show predictions for scaling relations between outflow properties and AGN luminosity and discuss the challenges in constraining outflow driving mechanisms and kinetic coupling efficiencies using observed quantities.
HD152843 b & c: the masses and orbital periods of a sub-Neptune and a superpuff Neptune
Authors: Nicholson B A , Aigrain S , Eisner N L , Cretignier M , Barragán O , Kaye L , Taylor J , Owen J , Mortier A , Affer L , Boschin W , Buchhave L A , Cameron A Collier , Damasso M , Fabrizio L Di , DiTomasso V , Dumusque X , Ghedina A , Latham D W , López-Morales M , Lorenzi V , Fiorenzano A F Martínez , Molinari E , Pedani M , Pinamonti M , Rice K , Sozzetti A
Published: July 2024

We present the characterization of the two transiting planets around HD 152843 (TOI 2319, TIC 349488688) using an intensive campaign of HARPS-N radial velocities, and two sectors of TESS data. These data reveal a unique and fascinating system: HD 152843 b and c have near equal masses of around 9 $M_{\hbox{$\oplus $}}$ but differing radii of $3.05 \pm 0.11$$R_{\hbox{$\oplus $}}$ and $5.94 _{ - 0.16 } ^ { + 0.18 }$$R_{\hbox{$\oplus $}}$, respectively, and orbital periods of $11.62071 _{ - 0.000106 } ^ { + 9.6e-05 }$ and $19.502104 _{ - 8.5e-05 } ^ { + 7.4e-05 }$ d. This indicates that HD 152843 c is in the lowest fifth-percentile in density of the known exoplanet population, and has the longest orbital period among these low-density planets. Further, HD 152843 c’s radius places it in the ‘Saturn valley’, the observed lack of planets larger than Neptune, but smaller than Saturn. The orbital periods of these planets indicate they are near a $5:3$ mean motion resonance, indicating the possibility of transit timing variations, and hints at the possibility of interaction with a third planet at some point in the evolution of this system. Further, the brightness of the host star and the low density of HD 152843 c make it a key target for atmospheric characterization.
Constraints from Fermi observations of long gamma-ray bursts on cosmological parameters
Authors: Wang Huifeng , Liang Nan
Published: July 2024

In this paper, we compile a Fermi sample of the long gamma-ray bursts (GRB) observations from 15 years of GBM catalogue with identified redshift, in which the GOLD sample contains 123 long GRBs at $z\le 5.6$ and the FULL sample contains 151 long GRBs with redshifts at $z\le 8.2$. The Amati relation (the $E_{\rm p,i}$–$E_{\rm iso}$ correlation) is calibrated at $z\lt 1.4$ by a Gaussian Process from the latest observational Hubble data with the cosmic chronometers method so that GRBs at high-redshift $z\ge 1.4$ can be used to constrain cosmological models via the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method. From the cosmology-independent GRBs with the GOLD sample at $z\ge 1.4$ and the Pantheon + sample of type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) at $0.01\lt z\le 2.3$, we obtain $\Omega _{\rm m} = 0.354\pm 0.018, H_0 = 73.05\pm 0.2\, \rm {km\,s^{-1}\,Mpc^{-1}}$ for the flat Lambda cold dark matter ($\Lambda$CDM) model; $w_0 = -1.22^{+0.18}_{-0.15}$ for the flat wCDM model; and $w_{a} = -1.12^{+0.45}_{-0.83}$ for the flat Chevallier–Polarski–Linder model at the 1$\sigma$ confidence level. Our results with the GOLD and FULL sample are almost identical, which are more stringent than the previous results with GRBs.
The variable radio jet of the accreting neutron star the Rapid Burster
Authors: van den Eijnden J , Robins D , Sharma R , Sánchez-Fernández C , Russell T D , Degenaar N , Miller-Jones J C A , Maccarone T
Published: July 2024

The Rapid Burster is a unique neutron star low-mass X-ray binary system, showing both thermonuclear v-I and accretion-driven Type-II X-ray bursts. Recent studies have demonstrated how coordinated observations of X-ray and radio variability can constrain jet properties of accreting neutron stars – particularly when the X-ray variability is dominated by discrete changes. We present a simultaneous very large array, Swift, and INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory observing campaign of the Rapid Burster to investigate whether its jet responds to Type-II bursts. We observe the radio counterpart of the X-ray binary at its faintest-detected radio luminosity, while the X-ray observations reveal prolific, fast X-ray bursting. A time-resolved analysis reveals that the radio counterpart varies significantly between observing scans, displaying a fractional variability of $38 \pm 5$ per cent. The radio faintness of the system prevents the robust identification of a causal relation between individual Type-II bursts and the evolution of the radio jet. However, based on a comparison of its low-radio luminosity with archival Rapid Burster observations and other accreting neutron stars, and on a qualitative assessment of the X-ray and radio light curves, we explore the presence of a tentative connection between bursts and jet: i.e. the Type-II bursts may weaken or strengthen the jet. The former of those two scenarios would fit with magnetorotational jet models; we discuss three lines of future research to establish this potential relation between Type-II bursts and jets more confidently.
Pro-environmental voting: What it is, how to measure it, and its determinants among contemporary European voters
Authors: Mannoni Elisabetta
Published: July 2024

With this research, I introduce the concept of pro-environmental voting, proposing an outcome-oriented rather than motivation-based definition and measurement. By conceptualizing it as an instance of pro-environmental behavior, I define it as voting for a party that takes a pro-environmental stance and for which environmental protection is also relatively salient—regardless of whether that is why the voter supports that party. I suggest measuring it by multiplying, for the party voted, its salience score on environmental protection with the distance between its position on the environment and the average position of all parties in the system on the same issue. Then, I apply this measurement to the recently released ESS10 (2023) data from 26 European countries. Findings primarily reveal that moral obligation and age are key drivers of pro-environmental voting; they also show that younger individuals vote more consistently with their environmental concern than older voters.
The U1 small nuclear RNA enhances drought tolerance in Arabidopsis
Authors: Wang Fan , Li Yang , Yuan Jianbo , Li Cong , Lin Yan , Gu Jinbao , Wang Zhen-Yu
Published: July 2024

Alternative splicing (AS) is an important posttranscriptional regulatory mechanism that improves plant tolerance to drought stress by modulating gene expression and generating proteome diversity. The interaction between the 5′ end of U1 small nuclear RNA (U1 snRNA) and the conserved 5′ splice site of precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) is pivotal for U1 snRNP involvement in AS. However, the roles of U1 snRNA in drought stress responses remain unclear. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of AtU1 snRNA in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), revealing its high conservation at the 5′ end and a distinctive four-leaf clover structure. AtU1 snRNA is localized in the nucleus and expressed in various tissues, with prominent expression in young floral buds, flowers, and siliques. The overexpression of AtU1 snRNA confers enhanced abiotic stress tolerance, as evidenced in seedlings by longer seedling primary root length, increased fresh weight, and a higher greening rate compared with the wild-type. Mature AtU1 snRNA overexpressor plants exhibit higher survival rates and lower water loss rates under drought stress, accompanied by a significant decrease in H2O2 and an increase in proline. This study also provides evidence of altered expression levels of drought-related genes in AtU1 snRNA overexpressor or genome-edited lines, reinforcing the crucial role of AtU1 snRNA in drought stress responses. Furthermore, the overexpression of AtU1 snRNA influences the splicing of downstream target genes, with a notable impact on SPEECHLESS (SPCH), a gene associated with stomatal development, potentially explaining the observed decrease in stomatal aperture and density. These findings elucidate the critical role of U1 snRNA as an AS regulator in enhancing drought stress tolerance in plants, contributing to a deeper understanding of the AS pathway in drought tolerance and increasing awareness of the molecular network governing drought tolerance in plants.
Statin intolerance and the drucebo effect
Authors: Mugawar B , Mcerlean S , O’ Connor P , Kennedy C
Published: July 2024

Hypercholesterolemia is a well-described risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Statins remain the cornerstone of therapy. Statin intolerance (SI) particularly statin associated muscle symptoms (SAMS) and inappropriate stopping of treatment is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. A significant proportion of reported SAMS relates to expectation of side effects and can be termed the ‘negative drucebo effect’. Patients should be educated about SI, the negative drucebo effect, in addition to the benefits of adherence to the therapy when first prescribed a statin. The aim of this commentary is to discuss the issue of SI, the negative drucebo effect and to suggest some interventions that may be used to address this issue.
Prevalence, incidence, and mortality of Raynaud’s phenomenon, Sjögren’s syndrome and scleroderma: an umbrella review of systematic reviews
Authors: Chen Anthony , Lax Stephanie J , Grainge Matthew J , Lanyon Peter C , Pearce Fiona A
Published: July 2024

Objectives

To comprehensively review systematic reviews of prevalence, incidence, and mortality of Raynaud’s, Sjögren’s and Scleroderma, and to identify any research gaps.

Methods

An umbrella review of English language systematic reviews was undertaken using PubMed and Embase (OVID) covering the period 2000–2023 (PROSPERO CRD42023434865). The estimate and its corresponding 95% confidence interval were reported when available from each systematic review. The quality of systematic reviews was assessed using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) tool. A narrative synthesis was undertaken.

Results

Seventeen systematic reviews were identified, of which 1 was for RP, 5 for Sjögren’s and 11 for Scleroderma. There were some high-quality systematic reviews for Sjögren’s and mortality of Scleroderma. However, there were only low-quality systematic reviews of prevalence and incidence of RP and Scleroderma. Furthermore, there were no systematic reviews for the mortality of RP. For RP, the pooled prevalence was 4850 per 100 000; pooled annual incidence was 250 per 100 000. For Sjögren’s, prevalence was 60–70 per 100 000; annual incidence was 6.92 per 100 000 and the pooled standardized mortality ratio ranged from 1.38 to 1.48. For Scleroderma, pooled prevalence ranged from 17.6 to 23 per 100 000; annual incidence was 1.4 per 100 000; and the pooled standardized mortality ratio ranged from 2.72 to 3.53.

Conclusion

The outcomes of RP were less well described compared with Sjögren’s and Scleroderma. There was a lack of high-quality systematic reviews for the prevalence and incidence of RP and Scleroderma. Therefore, further studies and systematic reviews with rigorous case definitions, assessing different ethnic groups are warranted in this area.
Elicitation of expert prior opinion to design the BARJDM trial in juvenile dermatomyositis
Authors: Papadopoulou Charalampia , Martin Neil , Rafiq Nadia , McCann Liza , Varner Giulia , Nott Kerstin , Compeyrot-Lacassagne Sandrine , Leandro Maria , Foley Charlene , Warrier Kishore , Green Nathan , Wan Mandy , Dehbi Hakim-Moulay , Whitehead John , Eleftheriou Despina , Brogan Paul
Published: July 2024

Objectives

To elicit and quantify expert opinion concerning the relative merits of two treatments for a rare inflammatory disease: JDM. The formal expression of expert opinion reported in this article will be used in a Bayesian analysis of a forthcoming randomized controlled trial known as BARJDM (baricitinib for JDM).

Methods

A Bayesian prior elicitation meeting was convened, following a previously described methodological template. Opinion was sought on the probability that a patient in the BARJDM trial would achieve clinically inactive disease, off glucocorticoids (GC) within a 12-month period with either MTX (standard of care); or baricitinib (a Janus kinase inhibitor, JAKi), with GC schedules identical in both arms of the trial. Experts’ views were discussed and refined following presentation and further discussion of summated published data regarding efficacy of MTX or JAKi for JDM.

Results

Ten UK paediatric rheumatology consultants (including one adolescent paediatric rheumatologist) participated in the elicitation meeting. All had expertise in JDM, leading active National Health Service clinics for this disease. Consensus expert prior opinion was that the most likely probability of clinically inactive disease off GC within 12 months was 0.55 on baricitinib and 0.23 on MTX, with a greater degree of uncertainty for baricitinib.

Conclusion

Experts currently think that baricitinib is superior to MTX for the treatment of JDM, although there is uncertainty around this. BARJDM will therefore integrate randomized trial data with this expert prior opinion to derive a posterior distribution for the relative efficacy of baricitinib compared with MTX.
Association between bladder cancer treatment and female sexual function
Authors: Li Yakui , Zheng Ming , Na Lei , Wang Mingli
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Bladder cancer ranks 17th in prevalence of cancer types among women, and the trend is rising. The increased risk of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) after radical cystectomy (RC) underscores the need for greater focus on preserving and mitigating FSD.

Objectives

To place greater emphasis on the importance of female sexual function (FSF) in the treatment of bladder cancer and stimulate additional research to discover more effective solutions for enhancing the overall quality of life.

Methods

This review used a narrative approach. Previous reviews on FSF after RC have provided limited and 1-sided solutions due to the lack of research. What makes this review unique is its innovative approach: it includes all available measures curing FSD as well as comparative analyses based on experimental data, thus making the findings more comprehensive. A detailed perspective of treatments for female bladder cancer is provided, including nerve- and organ-sparing RC, robot-assisted RC, and radiotherapy. We also analyze the impact of treatments for female bladder cancer on postoperative FSD. Additionally, solutions for addressing or alleviating postoperative FSD are summarized, such as urinary diversion, vaginal reconstruction, and drug and nondrug treatment.

Results

Research has suggested that robot-assisted nerve- and organ-sparing RC is promising. Moreover, orthotopic neobladder among urinary diversions without a stoma helps to maintain a positive female body image. If part of the anterior vaginal wall must be removed during RC, vaginal reconstruction can restore the dimensions with synthetic grafts and biologic scaffolds. Additionally, postoperative measures, such as vaginal laser and hormone therapy, and use of vaginal dilators and lubricants have a significant role in reducing distress caused by FSD to provide maximum relief.

Conclusions

To support FSF after RC, various interventions are needed, and urologists must focus on patient recovery while minimizing treatment impact on FSF as much as possible.
Blood Distribution of SARS-CoV-2 Lipid Nanoparticle mRNA Vaccine in Humans
Authors: Kent Stephen J. , Li Shiyao , Amarasena Thakshila H. , Reynaldi Arnold , Lee Wen Shi , Leeming Michael G. , O’Connor David H. , Nguyen Julie , Kent Helen E. , Caruso Frank , Juno Jennifer A. , Wheatley Adam K. , Davenport Miles P. , Ju Yi
Published: July 2024

Lipid nanoparticle mRNA vaccines are an exciting but new technology used in humans. There is limited understanding of factors that influence their biodistribution and immunogenicity. Antibodies to polyethylene glycol (PEG), which is on the surface of the lipid nanoparticle, are detectable in humans and boosted by human mRNA vaccination. We hypothesized that PEG-specific antibodies could increase the clearance of mRNA vaccines. We developed methods to quantify both the mRNA and ionizable lipid in frequent serial blood samples from 19 subjects receiving Moderna SPIKEVAX mRNA booster immunization. Both the mRNA and ionizable lipid peaked in blood 1-2 days post vaccination (median peak level 0.19 and 3.22 ng mL-1, respectively). The mRNA was detectable out to 14-28 days post-vaccination in most subjects. We measured the proportion of mRNA that was relatively intact in blood over time and found the decay kinetics of the intact mRNA and ionizable lipid were identical, suggesting the intact lipid nanoparticle recirculates in blood. However, mRNA and ionizable lipid decay rates did not correlate with baseline levels of PEG-specific nor spike-specific antibodies. The magnitude of mRNA and ionizable lipid detected in blood did correlate with the boost in PEG antibodies. Further, the ability of subject’s monocytes to phagocytose lipid nanoparticles had an inverse relationship with the rise in PEG antibodies. This suggests circulation of mRNA lipid nanoparticle vaccines into the blood and their ability to be cleared by phagocytes influence PEG immunogenicity of mRNA vaccines. Overall, this work defines the pharmacokinetics of lipid nanoparticle mRNA vaccine components in human blood after intramuscular injection and the factors that influence this. These insights should prove useful in improving the future safety and efficacy of lipid nanoparticle mRNA vaccines and therapeutics.
Development and Validation of a Pictorial Cue Database for Cannabis Cue Reactivity Studies: Insights from Behavioral and Neural Investigations
Authors: Hamidein Zahra , Mohammad Neda , Rafei Parnian , Ebrahimi Mohsen , Ekhtiari Hamed , Ghobadi-Azbari Peyman , Rezapour Tara
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Craving, a potent driving force behind drug-seeking and consumption behaviors, represents a dynamic emotional-motivational response primarily elicited by drug-related cues. In laboratory settings, the drug cue reactivity (DCR) paradigm is frequently employed to evoke craving and investigate the neural and behavioral responses to drug cues. This study adopts functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) alongside behavioral assessments to establish a collection of validated pictorial cues encompassing both cannabis and neutral images.

Methods

110 cannabis-related images were selected across cannabis flowers and powder, cannabis use methods, and paraphernalia categories. Participants with a history of cannabis use were then asked to assess the selected images for craving, valence, and arousal using both the visual analog scale and the self-assessment Manikin. Using fMRI, the neural mechanisms underlying cannabis cue-reactivity were investigated at the whole-brain level and within Brainnetome atlas areas in a subgroup of 31 cannabis users.

Results

The selected cannabis-related images (n = 110) received significantly higher craving (t = 6.56; p<0.001) and arousal (t = 17.46; p<0.001) ratings compared to the neutral ones (n = 30). Fifty regular cannabis users (19.9 ± 4.8 years; 10 females and 40 males) with at least a one-year history of use were included. Investigating blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) responses to cannabis compared with neutral cues yielded significant activations in the inferior/medial frontal gyrus, fusiform gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, orbital gyrus, postcentral gyrus, insula, precuneus, superior/middle temporal gyrus, and cerebellar tonsil.

Conclusion

This study provides a resource of ecologically validated cannabis-related images useful for studies applying DCR as interventions or assessments for cannabis users.