bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology of Infections in Lung Transplant Recipients Treated With Belatacept
Authors: Heldman Madeleine R. , Saullo Jennifer L. , Menachem Brandon M. , Messina Julia A. , Arif Sana , Steinbrink Julie M. , Tam Patrick C. K. , Carugati Manuela , Wolfe Cameron R. , Baker Arthur W. , Maziarz Eileen K. 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTBackgroundBelatacept is a costimulatory blocker that can be used to prevent and treat rejection in lung transplant recipients (LuTRs). The epidemiology of infections in belatacept‐treated LuTRs has not been systematically evaluated.MethodsWe performed a single‐center retrospective study of all adult LuTRs who received belatacept as prevention or treatment of antibody‐mediated rejection (desensitization) or as part of maintenance immunosuppression from January 1, 2011, to June 30, 2022. We assessed the epidemiology of infections that occurred within 12 months following the first belatacept dose.ResultsFifty‐two LuTRs received at least one dose of belatacept as either desensitization (n = 32) or maintenance immunosuppression (n = 20). Among 45 patients who were cytomegalovirus (CMV) donor and/or recipient seropositive, nine (20%) developed CMV infection. Seven (77%) CMV infections occurred despite valganciclovir prophylaxis and four (44%) were associated with antiviral resistance. Three (6%) LuTRs developed Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) associated post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD). Twenty‐five (48%) LuTRs developed 43 bacterial infections and five (10%) developed proven or probable invasive fungal disease. Incidence rates of viral, bacterial, and fungal infections were similar between the desensitization and maintenance groups: incidence rate ratios (95% confidence interval) were 0.70 (0.32–1.57), 1.31 (0.70–2.46), and 2.82 (0.31–25.2), respectively. Infection/PTLD prompted belatacept discontinuation in eight (15%) patients.ConclusionsIn the first year after belatacept initiation, LuTRs commonly developed CMV infections, EBV+ PTLD, and bacterial infections. Multicenter collaborations are needed to better understand infection risks in LuTRs treated with belatacept.
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Exploring cultural and linguistic diversity in the English‐medium instruction university
Authors: Gülle Talip , Kurt Yavuz , Bayyurt Yasemin 
Published: November 2024

AbstractThis study utilizes questionnaires, interviews, and universities’ web content and strategy documents to investigate the reasons behind the rise of English‐medium instruction in Türkiye's higher education and its implications for intercultural communication. It identifies students’ motives for choosing Türkiye, such as educational quality, cultural ties, and affordability, and universities’ aim to enhance their internationalization, linguistic and cultural diversity, reputation, and financial standing. Analysis of web pages shows that while introducing “Turkish culture,” universities often adopt an essentialist perspective that involves making nation‐level generalizations, which may risk perpetuating stereotypes. Analysis of the internationalization strategies reveals an emphasis on English for internationalization and frequent references to values and attitudes toward cultural diversity but little to no emphasis on intercultural skills and critical understanding. Universities are employing diverse efforts to attract international students, but there remains potential for more comprehensive strategies to cultivate intercultural competence.
Twisted mixed moments of the Riemann zeta function
Authors: Pliego Javier 
Published: November 2024

AbstractWe analyse a collection of twisted mixed moments of the Riemann zeta function and establish the validity of asymptotic formulae comprising on some instances secondary terms of the shape for a suitable constant and a polynomial . Such examinations are performed both unconditionally and under the assumption of a weaker version of the ‐conjecture.
Serum antigen tests for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis: a retrospective comparison of five
Aspergillus
antigen assays and one beta-D-glucan assay
Authors: Schub Thilo , Klugherz Isabel , Wagener Johannes , Prattes Juergen , Hoenigl Martin , Suerbaum Sebastian , Held Jürgen , Dichtl Karl 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a life-threatening infection. Early and specific diagnosis is pivotal to ensure adequate therapy. Antigen testing from blood is a widespread and convenient diagnostic approach. Various tests for the detection of
Aspergillus
antigen as well as for the panfungal antigen β-1,3-D-glucan (BDG) are available, for which comprehensive comparisons are still lacking. Blood samples of 82 proven/probable (11/71) IA patients and 52 controls were tested using two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) (Bio-Rad and Euroimmun), one chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) (Vircell), one BDG assay (Fujifilm Wako), and two point of care (PoC) assays (Immy sōna and OLM). PoC assays were evaluated visually and used automated read out systems. Of the 82 IA patients, 37 had received solid organ transplantation (SOT) and 25 hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). Sensitivities and specificities for the eight test systems ranged from 27% to 71% and from 64% to 100%. Estimating a 10% prevalence of IA, test performance would have resulted in positive and negative predictive values of 14%−100% and 91%−95%. Areas under the curve (AUCs) for all tests except GM were below 0.7. When the cut-off values for quantitative tests were normalized to a specificity close to 95%, sensitivities ranged from 14% to 40%. The use of automated read out systems for the PoC assays had a significant impact. Combining different tests did not result in better test strategies. Sensitivity of
Aspergillus
antigen testing from single serum samples is low. Due to specificity issues, the majority of tests is not suited for screening purposes. The different assays can meet different needs in different diagnostic settings.
FoxK1 and FoxK2 cooperate with ORF45 to promote late lytic replication of Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus
Authors: Chen Qingyang , Li Xiaojuan , Quan Li , Zhou Rihong , Liu Xiangpeng , Cheng Lu , Sarid Ronit , Kuang Ersheng 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Lytic replication is essential for persistent infection of Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and the pathogenesis of related diseases, and many cellular pathways are hijacked by KSHV proteins to initiate and control the lytic replication of this virus. However, the mechanism involved in KSHV lytic replication from the early to the late phases remains largely undetermined. We previously revealed that KSHV open reading frame 45 (ORF45) plays important roles in late transcription and translation. In the present study, we revealed that the Forkhead box proteins FoxK1 and FoxK2 are ORF45-binding proteins and are essential for KSHV lytic gene expression and virion production, and that depletion of FoxK1 or FoxK2 significantly suppresses the expression of many late viral genes. FoxK1 and FoxK2 directly bind to the promoters of several late viral genes, ORF45 augments the promoter binding and transcriptional activity of FoxK1 and FoxK2, and then FoxK1 or FoxK2 cooperates with ORF45 to promote late viral gene expression. Our findings suggest that ORF45 interacts with FoxK1 and FoxK2 and promotes their occupancy on a cluster of late viral promoters and their subsequent transcriptional activity; consequently, FoxK1 and FoxK2 promote late viral gene expression to facilitate KSHV lytic replication.

IMPORTANCE
The forkhead box proteins FoxK1 and FoxK2 can act as transcriptional inhibitors or activators to regulate several important processes, including aerobic glycolysis, metabolism, autophagy, and antiviral responses. However, the subversion and functions of FoxK1 and FoxK2 during KSHV infection and the pathogenesis of related diseases remain unknown. Here, we revealed that ORF45 binds to FoxK1 and FoxK2 and increases their transcriptional activity during KSHV lytic replication; consequently, FoxK1 and FoxK2 bind to late viral promoters and cooperate with ORF45 to promote late lytic gene expression. Our findings reveal two new ORF45 partners and a new function of ORF45 in which it utilizes FoxK1 and FoxK2 to promote transcription during late KSHV lytic replication.
Fish
Snx27
promotes viral products by modulating the innate immune response and exosomal machinery
Authors: Yu Yepin , Liu Jiaxin , Zhao Zhiwen , Lan Xiaoming , Li Linmiao , Hu Junjie , Zang Ying-an , Zhang Xiujuan , Chen Jinping 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Viral nervous necrosis caused by the nervous necrosis virus (NNV) poses a significant threat to the global aquaculture industry. Developing preventive methods to minimize economic losses due to NNV infections is crucial. This study explored the role of the sorting nexin 27 (
Snx27
) gene, encoded by the orange-spotted grouper (
Epinephelus coioides
) and referred to as
EcSnx27
, as an immune regulator affecting red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV) infection
in vitro
. Our findings revealed that
EcSnx27
negatively regulates interferon (IFN)-related cytokines and the promoter activities of fish ISRE and NF-κB. Furthermore, we identified the SNX-FERM and SNX-FERM-like domains as responsible for the interaction between
EcSnx27
and RGNNV coat protein. Through the detection of viable virions associated with
EcSnx27
-containing exosomes, we propose that
EcSnx27
may contribute to the release process of RGNNV by influencing the apoptosis-linked gene 2-interacting protein X (ALIX)-associated exosomal pathway. Consequently, our study suggests that
EcSnx27
promotes RGNNV replication by inhibiting the IFN immune response and facilitating virus production and release through ALIX-mediated exosomal machinery.

IMPORTANCE

Red grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV), a member of the
Nodaviridae
family, has emerged as a significant cause of fish diseases worldwide, leading to high morbidity and mortality rates. This study investigated the sorting nexin 27 (
Snx27
) gene encoded by the orange-spotted grouper (
Epinephelus coioides
) on RGNNV infection in grouper kidney cells. Our findings revealed that
EcSnx27
negatively regulated the interferon pathway, resulting in the promotion of RGNNV replication. Additionally, we observed that
EcSnx27
could interact with apoptosis-linked gene 2-interacting protein X (ALIX) and the RGNNV coat protein, suggesting its potential involvement in viral release processes through modulation of the exosomal pathway. Our study identified
EcSnx27
as a key target that RGNNV exploits to enhance viral production. This finding offers valuable insights into the immune evasion and viral release mechanisms of non-enveloped RNA viruses.
The genomic and phylogenetic characterization of lytic
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
PAK bacteriophages BL4, BL6, and BL7 collected from aquatic samples
Authors: Mosharraf Fahareen B. , Rowell Austen , Bono Lisa M. 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Environmental phages infecting
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
PAK, an opportunistic pathogen, were isolated from playa lakes in Lubbock, TX. We present the genome sequence of three lytic bacteriophages. Upon analysis of sequence similarity, we identified the viruses as a part of an unclassified species within the genus
Pbunavirus
in the
Caudoviricetes
class.
Depression and its association with menstrual disturbance among female university students: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Eva Shangida Khatun , Aufi Saqib Salah , Mamun Abu Sayed Md Al , Sabiruzzaman Md , Wadood Md Abdul , Hossain Md Golam 
Published: November 2024

BackgroundDepression and menstrual disturbance are common issues among female university students worldwide. Various studies in different countries have revealed a potential connection between depression and menstrual disturbance. However, no research specifically focusing on this relationship has been conducted with the Bangladeshi population. Thus, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of depression and its impact on menstrual disturbance among female university students in Bangladesh.MethodsData were collected from 470 female students of the University of Rajshahi in Bangladesh between September and November 2022. A multistage stratified random sampling method was employed to select a sample from the population. Depression severity was assessed using the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire, categorising it as normal, depressive symptoms and probable depression. Two menstrual disturbances, irregular and painful menstruation, were considered. The factors associated with depression were examined using an ordinal logistic regression model.ResultsThe findings indicated that 45.5% of female university students exhibited depressive symptoms, while 30.9% have probable depression. Additionally, 71% experienced menstrual pain and 17.7% reported irregular menstruation. Factors significantly associated with probable depression (p<0.05) included being underweight; paternal occupation other than a farmer, having a job or being in business; low-income and middle-income family; and having a chronic disease. Furthermore, students with depressive symptoms and probable depression were found to be at higher risk of experiencing menstrual disturbances, particularly painful and irregular menstruation. Specifically, those with depressive symptoms and probable depression were more likely to report painful menstruation.ConclusionIn this study, it was noted that a notable proportion of female students were experiencing probable depression, which was found to have an association with menstrual disturbance. It is advisable that healthcare providers and university authorities prioritise the mental and reproductive health of female students for their holistic well-being.
Experiences with diagnostic delay among underserved racial and ethnic patients: a systematic review of the qualitative literature
Authors: Faugno Elena , Galbraith Alison A , Walsh Kathleen , Maglione Paul J , Farmer Jocelyn R , Ong Mei-Sing 
Published: November 2024

ObjectiveDiagnostic delay is a pervasive patient safety problem that disproportionately affects historically underserved populations. We aim to systematically examine and synthesise published qualitative studies on patient experiences with diagnostic delay among historically underserved racial and ethnic populations.Data sourcesPubMed.Eligibility criteriaPrimary qualitative studies detailing patient or caregiver-reported accounts of delay in the diagnosis of a disease among underserved racial and ethnic populations; conducted in the USA; published in English in a peer-reviewed journal (years 2012–2022); study cohort composed of >50% non-white racial and ethnic populations.Data analysisPrimary outcomes were barriers to timely diagnosis of a disease. Screening and thematic abstraction were performed independently by two investigators, and data were synthesised using the ‘Model of Pathways to Treatment’ conceptual framework.ResultsSixteen studies from multiple clinical domains were included. Barriers to timely diagnosis emerged at the socioeconomic and sociocultural level (low health literacy, distrust in healthcare systems, healthcare avoidance, cultural and linguistic barriers), provider level (cognitive biases, breakdown in patient-provider communication, lack of disease knowledge) and health systems level (inequity in organisational health literacy, administrative barriers, fragmented care environment and a lack of organisational cultural competence). None of the existing studies explored diagnostic disparities among Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, and few examined chronic conditions known to disproportionately affect historically underserved populations.DiscussionHistorically underserved racial and ethnic patients encountered many challenges throughout their diagnostic journey. Systemic strategies are needed to address and prevent diagnostic disparities.
Comparing validated stroke screening scales for identifying large and medium vessel occlusions: a prospective observational cohort study
Authors: Kothari Sachin A , Morsi Rami Z , Kozel Olivia A , Baskaran Archit , Sehgal Neha , Verhagen Metman Okker , Desai Harsh , Carrion-Penganos Julian , Thind Sonam , Smith Matthew M , Rana Rohini , Chahine Ahmad , Zakaria Jehad , Karar Lina , Sweid Ahmad , Siegler James E , Coleman Elisheva R , Brorson James R , Mendelson Scott J , Mansour Ali , Prabhakaran Shyam , Kass-Hout Tareq 
Published: November 2024

BackgroundRapid prehospital identification of acute ischemic stroke secondary to large vessel occlusions (AIS-LVO) has been successful in triaging patients, but the use of stroke screening scales often varies. This study aims to compare different stroke screening scales for the detection of anterior and posterior circulation AIS-LVO and AIS secondary to medium vessel occlusions (AIS-MeVO).MethodsWe prospectively analyzed stroke alert activations at a comprehensive stroke center between August 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023. We applied eight stroke screening scales (BE-FAST, LAMS, PASS, FAST-ED, EMS RACE, 3-ISS, VAN, and NIHSS) to each stroke alert in the emergency department (ED) and inpatient wards. The final diagnosis was classified as AIS-LVO or AIS-MeVO, AIS without LVO or MeVO, intracranial hemorrhage, transient ischemic attack, or stroke mimic.ResultsA total of 198 patients were analyzed. The mean age was 63.9±15.3 years, 62.1% were female (n=123), and 84.3% were African American/black subjects (n=167). The LAMS scale had a strong performance (area under the curve (AUC) 0.750 (95% CI 0.668 to 0.831)), closely followed by the FAST-ED (AUC 0.736 (95% CI 0.649 to 0.822)) and the VAN (AUC 0.735 (95% CI 0.651 to 0.818)) scales. Cut-off points selected from coordinates of the receiver operating characteristic curves were 3, 3, and a positive VAN, respectively.ConclusionThis is the first prospective cohort study to compare the performance of eight different screening scales among stroke alerts for detection of AIS-LVO and AIS-MeVO. We found LAMS to be the most discriminative tool, followed by FAST-ED and VAN. However, the findings were non-significant, reinforcing existing retrospective literature that these validated screening scales perform similarly and one is not superior.
Effects of different endovascular treatments on cerebral perfusion changes and stroke recurrence in patients with intracranial atherosclerosis
Authors: Zhang Jiayin , Wang Zhe , Hou Zhikai , Yu Ying , Yang Jiabao , Fu Weilun , Ma Ning , Yan Long 
Published: November 2024

BackgroundIn patients with refractory intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD), percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty (PTBA) is less complex but typically results in higher postprocedural residual stenosis than percutaneous transluminal angioplasty with stenting (PTAS).MethodsThis study included patients with symptomatic ICAD with 70–99% stenosis treated with either PTBA or PTAS. All patients underwent preprocedural and postprocedural CT perfusion, which was processed by automated RAPID software. The rate of cerebral perfusion change was defined as the ratio of the volume of perfusion change to the preprocedural perfusion volume. Perioperative complications within a 30-day follow-up period were documented. Baseline characteristics, degree of stenosis before and after procedures, perioperative complications, and the rates of cerebral perfusion change were compared between groups. Patients were followed up for stroke recurrence within 1 year postprocedure, with survival analysis used to examine the relationship between procedure type and recurrence.ResultsBetween March and December 2021, 107 patients were enrolled: 30 (28.0%) were treated with PTBA and 77 (72.0%) with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty with stenting (PTAS). The PTBA group showed higher postprocedural residual stenosis than the PTAS group (P<0.004). The cerebral perfusion change rates were not significantly different between the groups (P=0.891). Three (3.9%) complications occurred in the PTAS group and none in the PTBA group during the 30-day follow-up. Stroke recurrence did not significantly differ between the procedures (P=0.960).ConclusionsImmediate cerebral perfusion changes and the rate of stroke recurrences have no significant difference between the two groups.
ToMCCA: a Toy Monte Carlo Coalescence Afterburner
Authors: Mahlein Maximilian , Pinto Chiara , Fabbietti Laura 
Published: November 2024

AbstractAntinuclei in our Galaxy may stem either from annihilation or decay of dark matter, or from collisions of cosmic rays with the interstellar medium, which constitute the background of indirect dark matter searches. Understanding the formation mechanism of (anti)nuclei is crucial for setting limits on their production in space. Coalescence models, which describe the formation of light nuclei from final-state interaction of nucleons, have been widely employed in high-energy collisions. In this work, we introduce ToMCCA (Toy Monte Carlo Coalescence Afterburner), which allows for detailed studies of the nuclear formation processes without the overload of general-purpose event generators. ToMCCA contains parameterizations of the multiplicity dependence of the transverse momentum distributions of protons and of the baryon-emitting source size, extracted from ALICE measurements in pp collisions at $$\sqrt{s} = 5 - 13$$

s

=
5
-
13

TeV, as well as of the event multiplicity distributions, taken from the EPOS event generator. ToMCCA provides predictions of the deuteron transverse momentum distributions, with agreement of $$\sim 5\%$$

∼
5
%

with the experimental data. The results of ToMCCA show that the coalescence mechanism in pp collisions depends only on the event multiplicity, not on the collision system or its energy. This allows the model to be utilized for predictions at lower center-of-mass collision energies, which are the most relevant for the production of antinuclei from processes related to dark matter. This model can also be extended to heavier nuclei as long as the target nucleus wavefunction and its Wigner function are known.
Stability of Cauchy horizon in Einstein–Power–Maxwell–de Sitter black holes
Authors: Chen Lu , Li Fei 
Published: November 2024

AbstractWe investigated the Strong Cosmic Censorship (SCC) conjecture in Einstein–Power–Maxwell–de Sitter (EPMdS) black holes by analyzing the quasinormal modes (QNMs) of a massless neutral scalar field perturbation. Using the pseudospectral method, we calculated the QNM frequencies across various cosmological constants and nonlinear electromagnetic parameters. Our results show that for black holes far from extremality, the lowest QNM frequency $$-\text {Im} (\omega )/\kappa _-$$

-
Im

(
ω
)

/

κ
-

remains below 1/2. However, as the black holes approach extremality, the lowest mode’s $$-\text {Im} (\omega )/\kappa _-$$

-
Im

(
ω
)

/

κ
-

consistently exceeds 1/2, leading to a violation of SCC. Moreover, with a fixed cosmological constant, as the nonlinearity parameter $$\alpha $$
α
increases, the interval of SCC violation under the charge extremality ratio narrows. Considering that $$k = 1/2 + 1/\alpha $$

k
=
1
/
2
+
1
/
α

is inversely proportional to $$\alpha $$
α
, our results indicate that increasing the order k of the non-linear electromagnetic field can effectively mitigate SCC violations.