bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Retrospective study of the clinical significance of the neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio in 79 patients with palmoplantar pustulosis
Authors: Watanabe Tomoya , Watanabe Yuko , Asai Chika , Asami Miho , Takamura Naoko , Yamaguchi Yukie 
Published: May 2024

AbstractPalmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory skin disease characterized by multiple vesicles, pustules, and erythematous plaques on the palms and soles. The exacerbation of PPP is strongly associated with focal infections, such as tonsillitis, dental infections, and sinusitis, in Japan. Recently, the neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been widely used as a convenient and useful marker for clinical conditions and various diseases; however, an association between PPP and NLR has not yet been established. We retrospectively analyzed 79 patients with PPP from our hospital to evaluate the clinical significance of the NLR. The average NLR value in patients with PPP was significantly higher than that in healthy controls (2.30 ± 1.02 vs 1.69 ± 0.45, P < 0.001). A comparative analysis of patients with PPP with and without infectious complications showed that there was a statistical difference in the NLR between patients with PPP with and without focal infections, whereas no significant difference was found for metal allergy, smoking, and pustulotic arthro‐osteitis. Multivariate analysis indicated that the NLR was significantly associated with focal infections (odds ratio = 18.38, 95% confidence interval 3.86–87.35, P < 0.001). The NLR was also significantly correlated with C‐reactive protein levels (P = 0.013, r = 0.2857). Interestingly, after symptom improvement, the NLR significantly decreased from the baseline levels. Furthermore, statistical analysis using the Youden's index revealed that an NLR of 2.28 or higher was associated with the risk of any focal infections in patients with PPP. These results suggest that the NLR has potential applications as a biomarker of the presence of focal infections in patients with PPP.
RESIDUALIZED PUBLIC HOUSING IN ROMANIA: Peripheralization of ‘the Social’ and the Racialization of ‘Unhouseables’
Authors: Vincze Enikő 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThis study analyzes public housing residualization as a multiscalar phenomenon, providing specific details about how it happened in a Central and East European context via the marketization of the housing system, the peripheralization of ‘the social’ and the racialization of ‘unhouseables’. It employs secondary statistical data, interviews, and document analyses to examine the endemic features of global capitalism within Romania's housing regime. The study shows that the dismantlement of the state‐socialist establishment has resulted in a lower social rental rate than in core capitalist countries. It observes that when the public housing stock has generally been depleted, newly established social housing is relocated to the peripheries of cities as a nonmarketable component of the dualist public housing sector. In Baia Mare, the municipality has created social housing enclaves for vulnerable groups associated with dangerous behavior by excluding them from other forms of public housing, whereas in Cluj‐Napoca, it has attempted to exclude marginalized people from public housing by turning it into a site of class warfare. In both cases, the housing stock under scrutiny is associated with the racialized Roma ethnicity. The approach adopted in the study enables the residualization of public housing to be addressed across the peripheralization–racialization nexus.
Government Subsidies and Corporate Misconduct
Authors: RAGHUNANDAN ANEESH 
Published: May 2024

ABSTRACTI study whether firms that receive targeted U.S. state‐level subsidies are more likely to subsequently engage in corporate misconduct. I find that firms are more likely to engage in misconduct in subsidizing states, but not in other states that they operate in, after receiving state subsidies. Using data on both federal and state enforcement actions, and exploiting the legal principle of dual sovereignty for identification, I show that this finding reflects an increase in the underlying rate of misconduct and that this increase is attributable to lenient state‐level misconduct enforcement. Collectively, my findings present evidence of an important consequence of targeted firm‐specific subsidies: nonfinancial misconduct that potentially could impact the very stakeholders subsidies are ostensibly intended to benefit.
Aging‐associated decrease of PGC‐1α promotes pain chronification
Authors: Wu Xinbo , Yang Liuyue , Li Zihua , Gu Chenzheng , Jin Kaiyan , Luo Andrew , Rasheed Nabeel Faiyaz , Fiutak Isabella , Chao Kristina , Chen Amy , Mao Jianren , Chen Qian , Ding Weihua , Shen Shiqian 
Published: May 2024

AbstractAging is generally associated with declining somatosensory function, which seems at odds with the high prevalence of chronic pain in older people. This discrepancy is partly related to the high prevalence of degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis in older people. However, whether aging alters pain processing in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), and if so, whether it promotes pain chronification is largely unknown. Herein, we report that older mice displayed prolonged nociceptive behavior following nerve injury when compared with mature adult mice. The expression of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐gamma coactivator‐1α (PGC‐1α) in S1 was decreased in older mice, whereas PGC‐1α haploinsufficiency promoted prolonged nociceptive behavior after nerve injury. Both aging and PGC‐1α haploinsufficiency led to abnormal S1 neural dynamics, revealed by intravital two‐photon calcium imaging. Manipulating S1 neural dynamics affected nociceptive behavior after nerve injury: chemogenetic inhibition of S1 interneurons aggravated nociceptive behavior in naive mice; chemogenetic activation of S1 interneurons alleviated nociceptive behavior in older mice. More interestingly, adeno‐associated virus‐mediated expression of PGC‐1α in S1 interneurons ameliorated aging‐associated chronification of nociceptive behavior as well as aging‐related S1 neural dynamic changes. Taken together, our results showed that aging‐associated decrease of PGC‐1α promotes pain chronification, which might be harnessed to alleviate the burden of chronic pain in older individuals.
Elimination of damaged mitochondria during UVB‐induced senescence is orchestrated by NIX‐dependent mitophagy
Authors: Cavinato Maria , Martic Ines , Wedel Sophia , Pittl Annabella , Koziel Rafal , Weinmmüllner Regina , Schosserer Markus , Jenewein Brigitte , Bobbili Madhusudhan Reddy , Arcalis Elsa , Haybaeck Johannes , Pierer Gerhard , Ploner Christian , Hermann Martin , Romani Nikolaus , Schmuth Matthias , Grillari Johannes , Jansen‐Dürr Pidder 
Published: May 2024

AbstractSkin aging is the result of two types of aging, “intrinsic aging” an inevitable consequence of physiologic and genetically determined changes and “extrinsic aging,” which is dependent on external factors such as exposure to sunlight, smoking, and dietary habits. UVB causes skin injury through the generation of free radicals and other oxidative byproducts, also contributing to DNA damage. Appearance and accumulation of senescent cells in the skin are considered one of the hallmarks of aging in this tissue. Mitochondria play an important role for the development of cellular senescence, in particular stress‐induced senescence of human cells. However, many aspects of mitochondrial physiology relevant to cellular senescence and extrinsic skin aging remain to be unraveled. Here, we demonstrate that mitochondria damaged by UVB irradiation of human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) are eliminated by NIX‐dependent mitophagy and that this process is important for cell survival under these conditions. Additionally, UVB‐irradiation of human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) induces the shedding of extracellular vesicles (EVs), and this process is significantly enhanced in UVB‐irradiated NIX‐depleted cells. Our findings establish NIX as the main mitophagy receptor in the process of UVB‐induced senescence and suggest the release of EVs as an alternative mechanism of mitochondrial quality control in HDF.
Hydroxycitrate delays early mortality in mice and promotes muscle regeneration while inducing a rich hepatic energetic status
Authors: Espadas Isabel , Cáliz‐Molina María Ángeles , López‐Fernández‐Sobrino Raúl , Panadero‐Morón Concepción , Sola‐García Alejandro , Soriano‐Navarro Mario , Martínez‐Force Enrique , Venegas‐Calerón Mónica , Salas Joaquin J. , Martín Franz , Gauthier Benoit R. , Alfaro‐Cervelló Clara , Martí‐Aguado David , Capilla‐González Vivian , Martín‐Montalvo Alejandro 
Published: May 2024

AbstractATP citrate lyase (ACLY) inhibitors have the potential of modulating central processes in protein, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism, which can have relevant physiological consequences in aging and age‐related diseases. Here, we show that hepatic phospho‐active ACLY correlates with overweight and Model for End‐stage Liver Disease score in humans. Wild‐type mice treated chronically with the ACLY inhibitor potassium hydroxycitrate exhibited delayed early mortality. In AML12 hepatocyte cultures, the ACLY inhibitors potassium hydroxycitrate, SB‐204990, and bempedoic acid fostered lipid accumulation, which was also observed in the liver of healthy‐fed mice treated with potassium hydroxycitrate. Analysis of soleus tissue indicated that potassium hydroxycitrate produced the modulation of wound healing processes. In vivo, potassium hydroxycitrate modulated locomotor function toward increased wire hang performance and reduced rotarod performance in healthy‐fed mice, and improved locomotion in mice exposed to cardiotoxin‐induced muscle atrophy. Our findings implicate ACLY and ACLY inhibitors in different aspects of aging and muscle regeneration.
Prognostic factors in Kaposi sarcoma, single centre experience
Authors: Değerli Ezgi , Oruç Kerem , Şentürk Öztaş Nihan , Alkan Şen Gülin , Bedir Şahin , Demirci Nebi Serkan , Demirelli Hulusi Fuat 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBackgroundKaposi sarcoma (KS) is a multicentric vascular and lymphatic neoplasm caused by human herpesvirus 8 (HHV‐8). It generally concerns the elderly and immunosuppressed population. Four major clinical types of KS have been described. The most common subtype is Classical KS (CKS).ObjectivesOur retrospective study aimed to better define prognostic subgroups among patients with CKS, which is the most common in our country.MethodBetween 2014 and 2020, 43 patients with CKS were treated with local excision, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Reviewed information included demographics, clinical features, laboratory findings, treatment responses and overall survival.ResultsDuring the follow‐up, eight patients (18.6%) died of CKS. The complete response rate was 46.5%, partial response and stable disease 51.2%, and progressive disease 2.3% of all patients. Gender, haemoglobin level at diagnosis, and disseminated involvement were prognostic factors affecting survival in all patients.ConclusionWe confirmed that male gender, low haemoglobin levels, and disseminated involvement are associated with poor prognosis in CKS patients. It is the only Turkish study in which prognostic analysis was performed for this rare cancer.
Definitive single‐stage surgery for treating diabetic foot osteomyelitis: a protocolized pathway including antibiotic bone graft substitute use
Authors: Chow Jason , Imani Sahand , Kavisinghe Isuri , Mittal Rajat , Martin Brian 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBackgroundDiabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a challenging complication of diabetes mellitus, often leading to poor clinical outcomes and significant socioeconomic burdens. We evaluated the effectiveness of a definitive single‐stage protocolized surgical management pathway, including the use of local antibiotic bone graft substitute, for the treatment of infected DFUs with associated osteomyelitis.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted. Medical records were extracted (from January 2017 to December 2020) to establish a database consisting of patients who underwent surgical intervention for the treatment of an infected DFU with osteomyelitis. Patients were divided into conventional (control) and protocolized (intervention) surgical groups depending on the treatment received. Clinical outcomes were assessed over a 12‐month follow‐up period.ResultsA total of 136 consecutive patients were included (conventional = 33, protocolized = 103). The protocolized group demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in the mean number of operations performed per patient (1.2 vs. 3.5) (P < 0.001) and a shorter accumulative hospital length of stay (12.6 vs. 25.1 days) (P < 0.001) compared to the conventional group. Major amputation rates were significantly lower in the protocolized group (2% vs. 18%) (P < 0.001). Within 12 months of surgical intervention, the protocolized group exhibited an ulcer healing rate of 89%, with a low rate of recurrence (3%).ConclusionThe protocolized surgical pathway, including local antibiotic bone graft substitute use, demonstrated superior outcomes compared to conventional management for the treatment of infected DFUs with osteomyelitis. Further research is needed to evaluate the cost‐effectiveness and generalizability of this approach.
A deep learning approach to explore the association of age‐related macular degeneration polygenic risk score with retinal optical coherence tomography: A preliminary study
Authors: Sendecki Adam , Ledwoń Daniel , Nycz Julia , Wąsowska Anna , Boguszewska‐Chachulska Anna , Mitas Andrzej W. , Wylęgała Edward , Teper Sławomir 
Published: May 2024

AbstractPurposeAge‐related macular degeneration (AMD) is a complex eye disorder affecting millions worldwide. This article uses deep learning techniques to investigate the relationship between AMD, genetics and optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans.MethodsThe cohort consisted of 332 patients, of which 235 were diagnosed with AMD and 97 were controls with no signs of AMD. The genome‐wide association studies summary statistics utilized to establish the polygenic risk score (PRS) in relation to AMD were derived from the GERA European study. A PRS estimation based on OCT volumes for both eyes was performed using a proprietary convolutional neural network (CNN) model supported by machine learning models. The method's performance was assessed using numerical evaluation metrics, and the Grad‐CAM technique was used to evaluate the results by visualizing the features learned by the model.ResultsThe best results were obtained with the CNN and the Extra Tree regressor (MAE = 0.55, MSE = 0.49, RMSE = 0.70, R2 = 0.34). Extending the feature vector with additional information on AMD diagnosis, age and smoking history improved the results slightly, with mainly AMD diagnosis used by the model (MAE = 0.54, MSE = 0.44, RMSE = 0.66, R2 = 0.42). Grad‐CAM heatmap evaluation showed that the model decisions rely on retinal morphology factors relevant to AMD diagnosis.ConclusionThe developed method allows an efficient PRS estimation from OCT images. A new technique for analysing the association of OCT images with PRS of AMD, using a deep learning approach, may provide an opportunity to discover new associations between genotype‐based AMD risk and retinal morphology.
Urinary tract infections in young infants with a normal urine dipstick
Authors: Lasry Mor Shalom , Goldman Michael , Paret Michal , Bahat Hilla 
Published: May 2024

AbstractAimTo assess missed urinary tract infections (UTI) in febrile infants ≤2 months when adhering to recent guidelines suggesting not to send a urine culture with a negative dipstick.MethodsA retrospective cohort study of 308 infants ≤2 months with a positive urine culture admitted in 2013–2023, divided into subgroups without exposure to urine dipstick results: ‘urosepsis’ (UTI with bacteraemia), ‘UTI’ (positive urine culture, elevated inflammatory markers, no other cause of fever) and ‘bacteriuria’ (positive urine culture, not meeting the above‐mentioned criteria). After retrieving the dipstick results, the ‘missed UTI’ group (UTI+ negative dipstick) was described.ResultsA negative dipstick was found in 2/20 (10%), 32/127 (25%) and 126/161 (78%) of infants with ‘urosepsis’, ‘UTI’ and ‘bacteriuria’, respectively. In the ‘missed UTI’ group (n = 34), there were more non‐Escherichia coli UTI (68% vs. 9% with positive dipstick, p < 0.001), and lower inflammatory markers (leukocytes 15.5 vs. 17.2 k/μL, p = 0.007, C‐reactive protein 21 vs. 58 mg/L, p < 0.001). Three infants had high‐grade vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and renal scarring.ConclusionsThere is a non‐negligible rate of infants ≤2 months with UTI and without pyuria, including those with urosepsis, VUR and renal scarring. We suggest obtaining a urine culture regardless of dipstick results.
Failure of an electric rocking device to improve neonatal sleep
Authors: Poets Christian F. , Roller Patricia , Neukamm Ann‐Cathrine , Quante Mirja 
Published: May 2024

AbstractAimWe wanted to investigate whether an electric rocking device (Swing2Sleep, Neumünster, Germany), sold with the claim to promote infant sleep, would increase total sleep time or reduce sleep latency once infants are put therein.MethodsIn a randomised crossover design, 20 infants (median gestational age at birth 31.7 weeks, range 25–39) were placed to sleep either first with the device rocking, then not rocking (or vice versa) for 5–7 h each. The device consisted of a hammock with three spiral springs that performed vertical swings at a rate of 100/min and an amplitude of 2.5 cm.ResultsThere was no significant difference in %time spent asleep (83 (22–97) vs. 85% (49–96)), sleep latency (7.7 (2–45) vs. 12.3 (4–42) min), sleep fragmentation (1.3 (0.5–2.3) vs. 1.1 (0.2–5.5)) or efficiency (0.8 (0.2–1.0) vs. 0.9 (0.5–1.0)) between both conditions.ConclusionAt its recommended settings, the device did not achieve its intended effect in these infants.
Returnee executives and corporate fraud: Evidence from China
Authors: Zeng Ping , Ren Ge , Zhong Xi 
Published: May 2024

AbstractWhether and when returnee executives influence corporate fraud remains an important unresolved theoretical and practical problem. Referencing upper echelons theory and the literature on managerial discretion, we propose that firms with more returnee executives are more likely to engage in corporate fraud. In addition, we propose that the relation between returnee executives and corporate fraud is subject to organizational indicators that reflect executives’ managerial discretion. Specifically, we propose that long‐term performance surplus and corporate visibility diminish the positive impact of returnee executives on corporate fraud. We use privately controlled Chinese public firms, including 11,519 firm‐year observations of 2215 privately controlled Chinese public firms from 2010 to 2021, as our research object and adopt a bivariate probit model to investigate our theoretical assumptions. Our test results are consistent with our predictions. This study enhances the existing understanding of the dark side of returnee executives from a corporate fraud perspective.
Discovery platforms for RNA therapeutics
Authors: Ciucci Giulio , Braga Luca , Zacchigna Serena 
Published: May 2024

RNA therapeutics are emerging as a unique opportunity to drug currently “undruggable” molecules and diseases. While their advantages over conventional, small molecule drugs, their therapeutic implications and the tools for their effective in vivo delivery have been extensively reviewed, little attention has been so far paid to the technological platforms exploited for the discovery of RNA therapeutics. Here, we provide an overview of the existing platforms and ex vivo assays for RNA discovery, their advantages and disadvantages, as well as their main fields of application, with specific focus on RNA therapies that have reached either phase 3 or market approval.LINKED ARTICLESThis article is part of a themed issue Non‐coding RNA Therapeutics. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v182.2/issuetoc
On the importance of sequence alignment inspections in plastid phylogenomics – an example from revisiting the relationships of the water‐lilies
Authors: Roestel Jessica A. , Wiersema John H. , Jansen Robert K. , Borsch Thomas , Gruenstaeudl Michael 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe water‐lily clade represents the second earliest‐diverging branch of angiosperms. Most of its species belong to Nymphaeaceae, of which the “core Nymphaeaceae”—comprising the genera Euryale, Nymphaea and Victoria—is the most diverse clade. Despite previous molecular phylogenetic studies on the core Nymphaeaceae, various aspects of their evolutionary relationships have remained unresolved. The length‐variable introns and intergenic spacers are known to contain most of the sequence variability within the water‐lily plastomes. Despite the challenges with multiple sequence alignment, any new molecular phylogenetic investigation on the core Nymphaeaceae should focus on these noncoding plastome regions. For example, a new plastid phylogenomic study on the core Nymphaeaceae should generate DNA sequence alignments of all plastid introns and intergenic spacers based on the principle of conserved sequence motifs. In this investigation, we revisit the phylogenetic history of the core Nymphaeaceae by employing such an approach. Specifically, we use a plastid phylogenomic analysis strategy in which all coding and noncoding partitions are separated and then undergo software‐driven DNA sequence alignment, followed by a motif‐based alignment inspection and adjustment. This approach allows us to increase the reliability of the character base compared to the default practice of aligning complete plastomes through software algorithms alone. Our approach produces significantly different phylogenetic tree reconstructions for several of the plastome regions under study. The results of these reconstructions underscore that Nymphaea is paraphyletic in its current circumscription, that each of the five subgenera of Nymphaea is monophyletic, and that the subgenus Nymphaea is sister to all other subgenera of Nymphaea. Our results also clarify many evolutionary relationships within the Nymphaea subgenera Brachyceras, Hydrocallis and Nymphaea. In closing, we discuss whether the phylogenetic reconstructions obtained through our motif‐based alignment adjustments are in line with morphological evidence on water‐lily evolution.