bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Identification of Risk Factors for Coexisting Sinusitis and Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Rai Victoria , Traboulsi Cindy , Silfen Alexa , Ackerman Max T , Erondu Amarachi I , Karpin Jordan E , Gulotta George , Rubin David T 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Background
This study aimed to analyze the association of coexisting sinusitis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), establish significant factors involved in their development, and enable further biological correlation between these 2 diseases.

Methods
The IBD and Sinusitis Study at UChicago Medicine (TISSUe) is a retrospective, single-center study. We reviewed patients to confirm IBD and chronic sinusitis diagnoses. Case-control propensity score matching was performed using matched controls with IBD only or sinusitis only. Statistical methods included chi-squared test and Wilcoxon rank sum test. Logistic regression analysis was performed, and factors were considered significant if P &lt; .05.

Results
Stratifying 214 patients with coexisting IBD and sinusitis, 176 patients had IBD first and 38 patients had sinusitis first. Multivariable analysis of factors associated with subsequent disease with matched controls determined that duration of disease, UC, steroid exposure ever, and younger age of IBD diagnosis were associated with subsequent sinusitis in patients with IBD; steroid exposure ever and duration of sinusitis were significantly associated with subsequent IBD in patients with sinusitis.

Conclusion
This study suggests that IBD maintenance therapies are not associated with increased risk of sinusitis, as proposed by adverse events in clinical trial data; rather, UC diagnosis and duration of disease may be more influential in sinusitis development. While further studies are necessary, this study also demonstrates that sinusitis precedes IBD in some patients, probing its biological association with IBD and possible classification as an extraintestinal manifestation.
Diagnostic Features of Perianal Fistula in Patients With Crohn’s Disease: Analysis of a Japanese Claims Database
Authors: Mizushima Tsunekazu , Ota Mihoko , Fujitani Yasushi , Kanauchi Yuya , Iwakiri Ryuichi 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Background
Perianal fistula (PAF) is a disabling complication of Crohn’s disease (CD) which greatly impacts the quality of life. To address a scarcity of data in Asian populations, we determined the prevalence of CD-associated PAF in Japan, the order of diagnosis, and medical history of patients.

Methods
A retrospective, longitudinal, observational cohort study was conducted, using an employer-based health insurance claims database. The study included patients diagnosed with CD and/or PAF from October 2013 to September 2019.

Results
The age- and gender-adjusted prevalence rates of CD-associated PAF increased from 10.33 per 100 000 in 2014, to 13.68 per 100 000 in 2019. Among patients with CD-associated PAF, 15.7% were diagnosed with PAF after diagnosis of CD, 68.6% were diagnosed with PAF before diagnosis with CD, and 15.7% were diagnosed with CD and PAF within the same month. Of the patients diagnosed with CD after PAF, approximately 30% were diagnosed with PAF by the age of 20 years, whereas less than 10% of PAF patients without CD were diagnosed with PAF by the age of 20 years.

Conclusions
The study reveals the prevalence of CD-associated PAF in Japan and that most individuals were diagnosed with CD after the diagnosis of PAF. Crohn’s disease may be underdiagnosed in patients with PAF; patients diagnosed with PAF at a young age should be monitored to allow timely diagnosis of CD.
Cardiac allograft vasculopathy: current review and future research directions
Authors: Pober Jordan S , Chih Sharon , Kobashigawa Jon , Madsen Joren C , Tellides George 
Published: July 2021

AbstractCardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a pathologic immune-mediated remodelling of the vasculature in transplanted hearts and, by impairing perfusion, is the major cause of late graft loss. Although best understood following cardiac transplantation, similar forms of allograft vasculopathy occur in other vascularized organ grafts and some features of CAV may be shared with other immune-mediated vasculopathies. Here, we describe the incidence and diagnosis, the nature of the vascular remodelling, immune and non-immune contributions to pathogenesis, current therapies, and future areas of research in CAV.
Progressive valvular calcifications with critical aortic stenosis in a 25-year-old woman with end-stage renal disease on haemodialysis: a case report
Authors: Oxlund Christina Stolzenburg , Hansen Helle , Hansen Stinus , Rohold Allan 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Background
The increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) seems particularly pronounced in patients with concomitant aortic and mitral valvular calcifications. Valvular calcification (VC) is accelerated in patients with CKD and even more so with ESRD and haemodialysis (HD) due to premature endothelial cell dysfunction. Mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) is a common complication of CKD/ESRD and may play a pivotal role in VC.

Case summary
A 25-year-old woman with congenital hypoplastic kidneys and ESRD on HD from the age of 19 was admitted to the emergency department suffering from chest pain and dyspnoea. Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) revealed critical aortic stenosis (AS) with indexed aortic valve area 0.4 cm2/m2, a mean gradient 58 mmHg and a moderate mitral stenosis with a mean gradient 6–8 mmHg developed over the course of 2 years, as a normal TTE was performed at that time. During HD, the patient had longstanding alterations in calcium and phosphate metabolism including secondary hyperparathyroidism that eventually progressed into tertiary hyperparathyroidism. Efforts were made to treat CKD-MBD but patient compliance was low. Subtotal parathyroidectomy was performed 6 months prior to admission. The patient had dual mechanical valve replacement.

Discussion
Valvular calcification is common in patients with CKD/ESRD and in particular in patients on HD. Rapid progression of valve disease in this case may be related to the combination of low patient adherence and sustained disturbed calcium and phosphate metabolism with tertiary hyperparathyroidism. Transthoracic echocardiogram should be performed in patients on HD even with minor suspicion of VC and in patients with low adherence and disturbance of calcium and phosphate metabolism.
COVID-19 induced ventricular tachycardia storm unmasking a clinically silent cardiomyopathy: a case report
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Saibal , Uppal Abhimanyu , Yusuf Jamal , Muheeb Ghazi , Agarwal Rupesh 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Background
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a systemic illness characterized by raging impact of cytokine storm on multiple organs. This may trigger malignant ventricular arrhythmias and unmask a clinically silent cardiomyopathy.

Case summary
A 57-year-old gentleman, known case of hyperthyroidism and diabetes, was referred to our emergency department with history of two ventricular tachycardia (VT) episodes requiring direct current cardioversion in last 3 h followed by another episode in our emergency department that was cardioverted. There was no past history of cardiac illness. His 12-lead electrocardiogram (during sinus rhythm) along with screening echocardiography suggested Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). He was coincidentally found to be COVID-19 positive by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) as part of our routine screening. However, he had no fever or respiratory complaints. We noted raised systemic inflammatory markers and cardiac troponin T which progressively increased over the next 4 weeks paralleled by an increase in ventricular premature contraction burden and thereafter started decreasing and returned to baseline by 6th week when the patient became COVID-19 negative by RT-PCR. Subsequently, a single-chamber automated implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation was done following which there was a transient increase in these biomarkers that subsided spontaneously. The patient is asymptomatic during 6 weeks of follow-up.

Discussion
COVID-19-associated cytokine surge triggering VT storm and unmasking a clinically silent ARVC has not yet been reported. The case highlights a life-threatening presentation of COVID-19 and indicates a probable link between inflammation and arrhythmogenicity.
Transoesophageal echocardiography-guided ‘primary’ valve-in-valve technique in cardiogenic shock: a case report
Authors: Polizzi Vincenzo , Cosma Joseph , Cammardella Antonio , Ranocchi Federico , Musumeci Francesco 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Background
Transcatheter aortic valve implantation inside a previously implanted bioprosthesis is an alternative treatment for patients with degenerated surgical aortic bioprosthesis (AB) at high surgical risk. Pre-operative computed tomography (CT) scan provides essential information to the procedure planning, although in case of acute presentation it is not always feasible.

Case summary
A 32-year-old man with history of surgical treatment of aortic coarctation and Bio-Bentall procedure was transferred to our department in cardiogenic shock with a suspected diagnosis of acute myocarditis. A transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) revealed a severely impaired biventricular function and AB degeneration causing severe stenosis. It was decided to undertake an urgent trans-apical valve-in-valve (ViV) procedure. Due to haemodynamic instability, a preoperative CT scan was not performed and transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) was the main intraprocedural guiding imaging technique. Neither intraprocedural nor periprocedural complications occurred. Serial post-procedural TTE exams showed good functioning of the bioprosthesis and progressive improvement of left ventricular ejection fraction. Patient was discharged from the hospital 8 days after the intervention.

Discussion
A patient with cardiogenic shock due to severe degeneration of the AB was treated with urgent transapical ViV procedure. In this case, where urgent ViV technique was needed, TOE appeared to be a crucial alternative to CT scan and allowed us to perform a successful procedure.
Multiple lipomata of the tricuspid valve and papillary muscle: case report
Authors: Zhao Yixin , Li Guoliang , Wang Shun , Yan Yang 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Background
Cardiac lipomas are rare benign primary tumours of the heart. Due to the nature of these tumours, they are often asymptomatic and diagnosed incidentally. Whether asymptomatic patients with cardiac lipomas should perform surgery still remains controversial.

Case summary
A 34-year-old Asian male who was incidentally found hyperechoic masses in the right ventricle (RV) on the transthoracic echocardiogram by annually routine physical examination was admitted to our cardiology department. His medical history was unremarkable. The repeated transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiogram showed multiple solitary and well-demarcated masses in the RV. On the cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, four discrete masses (considering the possibility of it being a lipoma) partially occluding the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) were observed. During the open-heart resection surgery, it was found that the tricuspid valve and papillary muscle were covered by multiple adipose masses in the RV that arose from the interventricular septum and the free wall, resulting in partial RVOT obstruction. These excised masses were histopathologically confirmed as lipomata characterized by the mature adipocytes with entrapped myocardial cells. The patient had no cardiac abnormality in the 1-month follow-up after the surgery.

Discussion
This rare clinical case of multiple lipomata of the tricuspid valve and papillary muscle acknowledges that multimodality imaging is the cornerstone for the assessment and diagnosis. Surgery should be performed in cases of symptomatic or large lipomas as well as when a lipoma is considered to be high risk because of RVOT obstruction.
Microbial eukaryote assemblages and potential novel diversity in four tropical East African Great Lakes
Authors: Fermani Paulina , Metz Sebastián , Balagué Vanessa , Descy Jean Pierre , Morana Cédric , Logares Ramiro , Massana Ramon , Sarmento Hugo 
Published: July 2021

ABSTRACTEast African Great Lakes are old and unique natural resources heavily utilized by their bordering countries. In those lakes, ecosystem functioning is dominated by pelagic processes, where microorganisms are key components; however, protistan diversity is barely known. We investigated the community composition of small eukaryotes (&lt;10 µm) in surface waters of four African Lakes (Kivu, Edward, Albert and Victoria) by sequencing the 18S rRNA gene. Moreover, in the meromictic Lake Kivu, two stations were vertically studied. We found high protistan diversity distributed in 779 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), spanning in 11 high-rank lineages, being Alveolata (31%), Opisthokonta (20%) and Stramenopiles (17%) the most represented supergroups. Surface protistan assemblages were associated with conductivity and productivity gradients, whereas depth had a strong effect on protistan community in Kivu, with higher contribution of heterotrophic organisms. Approximately 40% of OTUs had low similarity (&lt;90%) with reported sequences in public databases; these were mostly coming from deep anoxic waters of Kivu, suggesting a high extent of novel diversity. We also detected several taxa so far considered exclusive of marine ecosystems. Our results unveiled a complex and largely undescribed protistan community, in which several lineages have adapted to different niches after crossing the salinity boundary.
Mechanistic analysis of cadmium toxicity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Zhao Yunying , Su Ruifang , Li Shiyun , Mao Yin 
Published: July 2021

ABSTRACT
As a potentially toxic heavy metal, Cadmium (Cd) can cause endoplasmic reticulum and oxidative stress, and thus lead to cell death. To explore the mechanisms of Cd toxicity, we investigated the UPRE-lacZ expression, the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell death in the 151 Cd-sensitive mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in response to Cd stress. We identified 101 genes regulating UPRE-lacZ expression were involved in preventing ROS production and/or cell death from increasing to high levels, while mutants for 72 genes caused both elevated ROS production and cell death, indicating the Cd-induced ROS production and cell death are mediated by UPR. Genes involved in cell wall integrity (CWI) pathway, vacuolar protein sorting (VPS) and vacuolar transport, calcium/calcineurin pathway and PHO pathways were all required for the Cd-induced UPR, intracellular ROS and cell death. To conclude, this study highlights the importance of Cd-induced UPR, intracellular ROS levels and cell death that may play crucial roles in Cd-induced toxicity.
Genome-wide association mapping of Pyrenophora teres f. maculata and Pyrenophora teres f. teres resistance loci utilizing natural Turkish wild and landrace barley populations
Authors: Clare Shaun J , Çelik Oğuz Arzu , Effertz Karl , Sharma Poudel Roshan , See Deven , Karakaya Aziz , Brueggeman Robert S 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Unimproved landraces and wild relatives of crops are sources of genetic diversity that were lost post domestication in modern breeding programs. To tap into this rich resource, genome-wide association studies in large plant genomes have enabled the rapid genetic characterization of desired traits from natural landrace and wild populations. Wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum), the progenitor of domesticated barley (Hordeum vulgare), is dispersed across Asia and North Africa, and has co-evolved with the ascomycetous fungal pathogens Pyrenophora teres f. teres and P. teres f. maculata, the causal agents of the diseases net form of net blotch and spot form of net blotch, respectively. Thus, these wild and local adapted barley landraces from the region of origin of both the host and pathogen represent a diverse gene pool to identify new sources of resistance, due to millions of years of co-evolution. The barley—P. teres pathosystem is governed by complex genetic interactions with dominant, recessive, and incomplete resistances and susceptibilities, with many isolate-specific interactions. Here, we provide the first genome-wide association study of wild and landrace barley from the Fertile Crescent for resistance to both forms of P. teres. A total of 14 loci, four against P. teres f. maculata and 10 against P. teres f. teres, were identified in both wild and landrace populations, showing that both are genetic reservoirs for novel sources of resistance. We also highlight the importance of using multiple algorithms to both identify and validate additional loci.
Disease Burden Affects Aging Brain Function
Authors: Beason-Held Lori L , Fournier Danielle , Shafer Andrea T , Fabbri Elisa , An Yang , Huang Chiung-Wei , Bilgel Murat , Wong Dean F , Ferrucci Luigi , Resnick Susan M 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Background
Most older adults live with multiple chronic disease conditions, yet the effect of multiple diseases on brain function remains unclear.

Methods
We examine the relationship between disease multimorbidity and brain activity using regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) 15O-water PET scans from 97 cognitively normal participants (mean baseline age 76.5) in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA). Multimorbidity index scores, generated from the presence of 13 health conditions, were correlated with PET data at baseline and in longitudinal change (n = 74) over 5.05 (2.74 SD) years.

Results
At baseline, voxel-based analysis showed that higher multimorbidity scores were associated with lower relative activity in orbitofrontal, superior frontal, temporal pole and parahippocampal regions, and greater activity in lateral temporal, occipital, and cerebellar regions. Examination of the individual health conditions comprising the index score showed hypertension and chronic kidney disease individually contributed to the overall multimorbidity pattern of altered activity. Longitudinally, both increases and decreases in activity were seen in relation to increasing multimorbidity over time. These associations were identified in orbitofrontal, lateral temporal, brainstem, and cerebellar areas.

Conclusion
Together, these results show that greater multimorbidity is associated with widespread areas of altered brain activity, supporting a link between health and changes in aging brain function.
Stages of the Rohingya Genocide: A Theoretical and Empirical Study
Authors: Hossain Mohammad Pizuar 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
This article delineates processes of the ongoing Rohingya genocide by analyzing victim narratives through the lens of Gregory H. Stanton’s model of ten stages of genocide. Addressing the issues from theoretical and empirical perspectives offers a structured—if refracted—view of the plans, policies, and actions of the perpetrators. While bringing in historical origins and socio-political factors, the article rests primarily on victims’ accounts, along with evidence gathered by human rights organizations and the international press. The leaders of Myanmar seem intent on limiting international understandings of their program to simple ethnic cleansing—not prosecutable under the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. But while internal documents would be required to reveal the regime’s intentions and so validate Stanton’s model, testimonies and witness accounts afford ample grounds to assess the evolution of events as genocide. The following privileges the experiences and narratives of grassroots Rohingya victims.
A conserved ATG2 binding site in WIPI4 and yeast Hsv2 is disrupted by mutations causing β-propeller protein-associated neurodegeneration
Authors: Bueno-Arribas Miranda , Blanca Irene , Cruz-Cuevas Celia , Escalante Ricardo , Navas María-Angeles , Vincent Olivier 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
PROPPINs are phosphoinositide-binding β-propeller proteins that mediate membrane recruitment of other proteins and are involved in different membrane remodeling processes. The main role of PROPPINs is their function in autophagy, where they act at different steps in phagophore formation. The human PROPPIN WIPI4 (WDR45) forms a complex with ATG2 involved in phagophore elongation, and mutations in this gene cause β-propeller protein-associated neurodegeneration (BPAN). The yeast functional counterpart of WIPI4 is Atg18, although its closest sequence homolog is another member of the PROPPIN family, Hsv2, whose function remains largely undefined. Here, we provide evidence that Hsv2, like WIPI4 and Atg18, interacts with Atg2. We show that Hsv2 and a pool of Atg2 colocalize on endosomes under basal conditions and at the pre-autophagosomal structure (PAS) upon autophagy induction. We further show that Hsv2 drives the recruitment of Atg2 to endosomes while Atg2 mediates Hsv2 recruitment to the PAS. HSV2 overexpression results in mis-sorting and secretion of carboxypeptidase CPY, suggesting that the endosomal function of this protein is related to the endosome-to-Golgi recycling pathway. Furthermore, we show that the Atg2 binding site is conserved in Hsv2 and WIPI4 but not in Atg18. Notably, two WIPI4 residues involved in ATG2 binding are mutated in patients with BPAN, and there is a correlation between the inhibitory effect of these mutations on ATG2 binding and the severity of the disease.
Optimal non-adaptive probabilistic group testing in general sparsity regimes
Authors: Bay Wei Heng , Scarlett Jonathan , Price Eric 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
In this paper, we consider the problem of noiseless non-adaptive probabilistic group testing, in which the goal is high-probability recovery of the defective set. We show that in the case of $n$ items among which $k$ are defective, the smallest possible number of tests equals $\min \{ C_{k,n} k \log n, n\}$ up to lower-order asymptotic terms, where $C_{k,n}$ is a uniformly bounded constant (varying depending on the scaling of $k$ with respect to $n$) with a simple explicit expression. The algorithmic upper bound follows from a minor adaptation of an existing analysis of the Definite Defectives algorithm, and the algorithm-independent lower bound builds on existing works for the regimes $k \le n^{1-\varOmega (1)}$ and $k = \varTheta (n)$. In sufficiently sparse regimes (including $k = o\big ( \frac{n}{\log n} \big )$), our main result generalizes that of Coja-Oghlan et al. (2020) by avoiding the assumption $k \le n^{1-\varOmega (1)}$, whereas in sufficiently dense regimes (including $k = \omega \big ( \frac{n}{\log n} \big )$), our main result shows that individual testing is asymptotically optimal for any non-zero target success probability, thus strengthening an existing result of Aldridge (2019, IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory, 65, 2058–2061) in terms of both the error probability and the assumed scaling of $k$.