bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Knowledge and practices related to louse‐ and flea‐borne diseases among staff providing services to people experiencing homelessness in the United States
Authors: Rich Shannan N. , Carpenter Ann , Dell Bree , Henderson Rachel , Adams Sydney , Bestul Nicolette , Grano Christopher , Sprague Briana , Leopold Josh , Schiffman Elizabeth K. , Lomeli Andrea , Zadeh Hassan , Alarcón Jemma , Halai Umme‐Aiman , Nam Yoon‐Sung , Seifu Leah , Slavinski Sally , Crum David , Mosites Emily , Salzer Johanna S. , Hinckley Alison F. , McCormick David W. , Marx Grace E. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractBackground and AimsLouse‐borne Bartonella quintana infection and flea‐borne murine typhus are two potentially serious vector‐borne diseases that have led to periodic outbreaks among people experiencing homelessness in the United States. Little is known about louse‐ and flea‐borne disease awareness and prevention among staff who provide services to the population. We surveyed staff in seven US states to identify gaps in knowledge and prevention practices for these diseases.Methods and ResultsSurveys were administered to 333 staff at 89 homeless shelters and outreach teams in California, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New York and Washington from August 2022 to April 2023. Most participants (>68%) agreed that body lice and fleas are a problem for people experiencing homelessness. About half were aware that diseases could be transmitted by these vectors; however, most could not accurately identify which diseases. Less than a quarter of staff could describe an appropriate protocol for managing body lice or fleas. Misconceptions included that clients must isolate or be denied services until they are medically cleared.ConclusionsOur findings reveal significant knowledge gaps among staff who provide services to people experiencing homelessness in the prevention and control of louse‐ and flea‐borne diseases. This demonstrates an urgent need for staff training to both reduce disease and prevent unnecessary restrictions on services and housing.
Design of a proteolytic module for improved metabolic modeling of
Bacteroides caccae
Authors: Paulay Amandine , Grimaud Ghjuvan M. , Caballero Raphaël , Laroche Béatrice , Leclerc Marion , Labarthe Simon , Maguin Emmanuelle 
Published: March 2024

ABSTRACT

The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in health and is significantly modulated by human diets. In addition to Western diets which are rich in proteins, high-protein diets are used for specific populations or indications, mainly weight loss. In this study, we investigated the effect of protein supplementation on
Bacteroides caccae
, a Gram-negative gut symbiont. The supplementation with whey proteins led to a significant increase in growth rate, final biomass, and short-chain fatty acids production. A comprehensive genomic analysis revealed that
B. caccae
possesses a set of 156 proteases with putative intracellular and extracellular localization and allowed to identify amino acid transporters and metabolic pathways. We developed a fully curated genome-scale metabolic model of
B. caccae
that incorporated its proteolytic activity and simulated its growth and production of fermentation-related metabolites in response to the different growth media. We validated the model by comparing the predicted phenotype to experimental data. The model accurately predicted
B. caccae
’s growth and metabolite production (
R
2
= 0.92 for the training set and
R
2
= 0.89 for the validation set). We found that accounting for both ATP consumption related to proteolysis, and whey protein accessibility is necessary for accurate predictions of metabolites production. These results provide insights into
B. caccae
’s adaptation to a high-protein diet and its ability to utilize proteins as a source of nutrition. The proposed model provides a useful tool for understanding the feeding mechanism of
B. caccae
in the gut microbiome.

IMPORTANCE

Microbial proteolysis is understudied despite the availability of dietary proteins for the gut microbiota. Here, the proteolytic potential of the gut symbiont
Bacteroides caccae
was analyzed for the first time using pan-genomics. This sketches a well-equipped bacteria for protein breakdown, capable of producing 156 different proteases with a broad spectrum of cleavage targets. This functional potential was confirmed by the enhancement of growth and metabolic activities at high protein levels. Proteolysis was included in a
B. caccae
metabolic model which was fitted with the experiments and validated on external data. This model pinpoints the links between protein availability and short-chain fatty acids production, and the importance for
B. caccae
to gain access to glutamate and asparagine to promote growth. This integrated approach can be generalized to other symbionts and upscaled to complex microbiota to get insights into the ecological impact of proteins on the gut microbiota.
Attitudes towards transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) in Australia: a national survey of TIPS centres
Authors: Kalo Eric , Read Scott , George Jacob , Roberts Stuart K , Majumdar Avik , Ahlenstiel Golo 
Published: March 2024

BackgroundTransjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is a minimally invasive therapeutic option to treat the sequelae of portal hypertension. It is unclear whether current international recommendations are reflected in current clinical practice across Australia and the extent of variations in care. This study aimed to address this gap in knowledge and benchmark the current landscape of TIPS services in Australia against international guidelines.MethodsWe designed a 42-item questionnaire according to practice-based recommendations and standards of international guidelines to investigate current landscape of TIPS service across four key domains: (1) service provision, (2) patient selection and indications, (3) best procedure practice, and (4) postoperative care.ResultsGastroenterologist/hepatologists from 23 major liver centres (67.6%) across Australia currently performing TIPS completed the questionnaire. Between 2017 and 2020, there were 456 elective TIPS insertions. Units offering TIPS service had a low median number of TIPS insertions (n=7 per annum). More than half of respondents (56.5%) did not have institutional clinical practice protocols. There was marked variation in practices across institutions in terms of TIPS indications and patient selection. Despite variations, the success rate of elective TIPS was high at 91.7% (79–100%), with 86.6% (29–100%) for rescue TIPS. There was significant variation in postoperative follow-up and care.ConclusionCurrent TIPS practice in Australia varies significantly across institutions. There is a need for a national consensus clinical practice guidelines to improve access and minimise unwarranted variation. A national registry for TIPS could measure, monitor, and report on quality of clinical care and patient outcomes.
Inhaled treprostinil in patients with pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease with less severe haemodynamics: a post hoc analysis of the INCREASE study
Authors: Weatherald Jason , Nathan Steven D , El-Kersh Karim , Argula Rahul G , DuBrock Hilary M , Rischard Franz P , Cassady Steven J , Tarver James , Levine Deborah J , Tapson Victor F , Deng Chunqin , Shen Eric , Das Manisit , Waxman Aaron B 
Published: March 2024

BackgroundInhaled treprostinil (iTre) is the only treatment approved for pulmonary hypertension due to interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD) to improve exercise capacity. This post hoc analysis evaluated clinical worsening and PH-ILD exacerbations from the 16-week INCREASE study and change in 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) in the INCREASE open-label extension (OLE) in patients with less severe haemodynamics.MethodsPatients were stratified by baseline pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) of <4 Wood units (WU) versus ≥4 WU and ≤5 WU versus >5 WU. Exacerbations of underlying lung disease, clinical worsening and change in N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in INCREASE were evaluated. For the OLE, patients previously assigned to placebo were considered to have a 16-week treatment delay. 6MWD and clinical events in the OLE were evaluated by PVR subgroup.ResultsOf the 326 patients enrolled in INCREASE, patients with less severe haemodynamics receiving iTre had fewer exacerbations of underlying lung disease and clinical worsening events. This was supported by the Bayesian analysis of the risk of disease progression (HR<1), and significant decreases in NT-proBNP levels. In the OLE, patients without a treatment delay had improved exercise capacity after 1-year compared with those with a 16-week treatment delay (22.1 m vs −10.3 m). Patients with a PVR of ≤5 WU without a treatment delay had a change of 5.5 m compared with −8.2 m for those with a treatment delay. Patients without a treatment delay had a prolonged time to hospitalisation, lung disease exacerbation and death.ConclusionTreatment with iTre led to consistent benefits in clinical outcomes in patients with PH-ILD and less severe haemodynamics. Earlier treatment in less severe PH-ILD may lead to better exercise capacity long-term, however, the subgroup analyses in this post hoc study were underpowered and confirmation of these findings is needed.
Sendaway capillary NT-proBNP in pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Stubbs Harrison D , Cannon John , Knightbridge Emily , Durrington Charlotte , Roddis Chloe , Gin-Sing Wendy , Massey Fiona , Knight Daniel S , Virsinskaite Ruta , Lordan James L , Sear Eleanor , Apple-Pinguel Joy , Morris Eleanor , Johnson Martin K , Wort Stephen J 
Published: March 2024

BackgroundN-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a biomarker of cardiac ventricular wall stress that is incorporated into pulmonary hypertension (PH) risk stratification models. Sendaway sampling may enable patients to perform NT-proBNP tests remotely. This UK-wide study aimed to assess the agreement of sendaway NT-proBNP with standard venous NT-proBNP and to assess the effect of delayed processing.MethodsReference venous NT-proBNP was collected from PH patients. Samples for capillary and venous sendaway tests were collected contemporaneously, mailed to a reference laboratory and processed at 3 and 7 days using a Roche Cobas e411 device. Differences in paired measurements were analysed with Passing-Bablok regression, percentage difference plots and the % difference in risk strata.Results113 patients were included in the study. 13% of day 3 capillary samples were insufficient. Day 3 capillary samples were not equivalent to reference samples (Passing Bablok analysis slope of 0.91 (95% CI 0.88 to 0.93) and intercept of 6.0 (95% CI 0.2 to 15.9)). The relative median difference was −7% and there were acceptable limits of agreement. Day 3 capillary NT-proBNP accurately risk stratified patients in 93.5% of cases. By comparison, day 3 venous results accurately risk stratified patients in 90.1% of cases and were equivalent by Passing-Bablok regression. Delayed sampling of sendaway tests led to an unacceptable level of agreement and systematically underestimated NT-proBNP.ConclusionsSendaway NT-proBNP sampling may provide an objective measure of right ventricular strain for virtual PH clinics. Results must be interpreted with caution in cases of delayed sampling.
Unveiling the relationship of physical literacy with muscular fitness and muscle-strengthening activities in adolescents: the EHDLA study
Authors: Villa-González Emilio , Faigenbaum Avery D , López-Gil José Francisco 
Published: March 2024

ObjectiveThis study evaluated the relationship between physical literacy (PL) and muscular fitness (MF) as well as muscle-strengthening activities (MSA) in adolescents.MethodsA secondary cross-sectional study included 823 adolescents (45.1% boys) from the Eating Healthy and Daily Life Activities Study. The Spanish Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument for Adolescents (S-PPLI) assessed the participants’ perceived PL. The evaluation of MF in the young population was conducted using the Assessing the Levels of Physical Activity and Fitness (ALPHA-FIT) test battery. MSA were assessed by the following question: ‘In the past week, how many days did you exercise to strengthen or tone the muscle, such as through push-ups, sit-ups or lifting weights?’ To examine the associations between S-PPLI scores and handgrip strength, standing long jump and MSA days in adolescents, we employed generalised additive models.ResultsParticipants with high perceived physical literacty (PPL) had the highest handgrip strength (mean=25.1; PPL had the highest handgrip strength (mean=25.1; bias-corrected and accelerated (BCa) bootstrapped 95% CI 24.2 to 26.0) and standing long jump (mean=149.7; confidence interval (CI) 24.2 to 26.0) and standing long jump (mean=149.7; 24.2 to 26.0) and standing long jump (mean=149.7;BCabootstrapped 95% CI 145.8 to 153.5). Conversely, those adolescents with low PPL had the lowest handgrip strength (mean=23.1;BCabootstrapped 95% CI 22.3 to 23.8) and standing long jump (mean=137.3;BCabootstrapped 95% CI 133.9 to 140.6). For MSA, adolescents with high PPL had the highest mean of MSA days (mean=3.0;BCabootstrapped 95% CI 2.8 to 3.3), while the lowest mean was observed for those with low PPL (mean=2.0;BCabootstrapped 95% CI 1.8 to 2.2).ConclusionA high level of PL was associated with higher levels of MF and MSA among Spanish adolescents.
Oral manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease: a guide to examination
Authors: Joshi Sandeep , Moore Alice , Mawdsley Joel , Carey Barbara 
Published: March 2024

Orofacial symptoms are common in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). They may present as a primary manifestation of the disease in the oral cavity with oral Crohn’s disease, or as a secondary manifestation of the disease such as iron deficiency, or due to side effects to medications used in treatment. Orofacial manifestations of IBD may result in significant morbidity which can impact patients’ quality of life. Systematic examination and a timely diagnosis are fundamental in initiating appropriate management.This article provides a guide for gastroenterologists to systematically perform an extraoral and intraoral examination of the orofacial region. The extraoral examination includes evaluation of lymph nodes, lips and perioral skin. Common extraoral features of IBD include lip swelling, lip fissuring, angular cheilitis, perioral erythema and cervicofacial lymphadenopathy. The intraoral examination involves a systematic inspection of all areas of the oral cavity. Intraoral IBD features include ulceration, cobblestoning of the buccal mucosa, gingival erythema and mucosal tags.Examining the orofacial region is important in the complete assessment of patients with IBD, to diagnose orofacial conditions, to initiate tailored treatments and to identify those patients who would benefit from input from oral medicine specialists.
Baricitinib for refractory Takayasu arteritis: a prospective cohort study in a tertiary referral centre
Authors: Zhou Ziyue , Fang Chenglong , Wang Li , Li Jing , Yang Yunjiao , Zhang Li , Jin Shangyi , Zeng Xiaofeng , Tian Xinping 
Published: March 2024

ObjectiveTo investigate the treatment efficacy and safety of baricitinib in patients with refractory Takayasu arteritis (TAK).MethodsWe performed a prospective cohort study in which baricitinib 4 mg daily was prescribed to patients with refractory TAK, combined with oral glucocorticoids (GCs).Results10 patients with refractory TAK were enrolled with a median age of 28 (IQR=22–37) years, median disease duration of 50 (IQR=24–65) months. The median dose of GCs was 10 (IQR=8.1–22.5) mg prednisone or equivalence dosage at baseline. At 6 months of baricitinib treatment, 6/10 (60%) patients had an overall treatment response. During an average follow-up of 15.3 (range 4–31) months, 4/10 (40%) patients maintained overall treatment response. 8/10 (80%) patients tapered or maintained the same dose of GCs with no change of the combined classical synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Two patients discontinued GCs at 18 and 24 months and were in continuous remission till the end of the study. One patient withdrew baricitinib due to liver dysfunction.ConclusionBaricitinib 4 mg daily is effective for refractory TAK and is well tolerated.
Robotic Process Automation Efficiency for Mobile App Testing: An Empirical Investigation
Authors: Wang Yuqiong , Zhao Yuxiao , Wang Xiang , Tang Weidong , Zhang Jinhui , Wang Shaolei , Wang Peng , Hu Jian 
Published: March 2024

In today’s rapidly evolving software environment, the graphical user interface (GUI) plays a crucial role in providing intuitive, user-friendly interaction. However, traditional intrusive GUI testing methods often face challenges such as interrupting user workflows, requiring significant manual effort and insufficient test scenario coverage. Non-intrusive testing methods, such as Robotic Process Automation (RPA), offer a solution to validate GUI functionality without modifying the application’s code or affecting the user experience. RPA systems automate repetitive tasks by simulating user interactions, becoming valuable tools in GUI testing. However, challenges like limited computational resources, time constraints, or restricted exploration capabilities may limit the efficiency of individual RPA agents, thus restricting coverage and effectiveness. To address this issue, this study explores the performance of a single RPA agent versus an RPA cluster under different testing conditions, using three popular testing methods: Monkey, Stoat and Q-testing. Experimental results indicate that an RPA cluster outperforms a single RPA in GUI coverage and error detection, making a significant contribution to the field of non-intrusive GUI exploration testing. The findings of this study provide directions for future research to ensure the delivery of high-quality mobile applications.
Agility in Engineering Change Management: Navigating Complexities of Emergent Changes in PLM
Authors: Riascos Roberto , Ostrosi Egon , Stjepandić Josip , Sagot Jean-Claude 
Published: March 2024

This paper addresses the needs of the Product Emergence Process (PEP) to adopt agile methodologies, specifically those managed in a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system. Agile methodologies are expected to provide solutions to reduced lead time, changing product requirements, rising product complexity and turbulent market conditions. Engineering Change Management (ECM) is the process that drives and oversees the process that ensures products meet expected targets and is particularly impacted with the adoption of an agile approach. Furthermore, commercial PLM systems primarily cater to a waterfall approach. The objective of this paper is to propose a conceptual solution that enables the execution of the ECM process in a PLM system while empowering the companies to manage the challenges of product development in a more agile manner. For a feasible integration of agile and PLM tools we propose DIONE (DIscovery, OpportuNity, Exploit). DIONE maps agile methods (specifically those of Scrum) to PLM artifacts of the ECM, and allows for ongoing changes, with continuous assessments during execution cycles. A practical implementation of DIONE in PLM is proposed. The paper also explores the challenges identified for implementing such a framework and the benefits of hybrid development approaches. The key findings emphasize the need for well-thought implementation of agile methodologies in ECM, the need for automation of impact analysis and leveraging engineering knowledge to support the ECM. The paper also explores organizational challenges identified for implementing agile in the PEP. In conclusion, this research highlights the importance of adopting an agile approach to manage effectively the complexity of emerging change requests in ECM. It encourages further research in automation, knowledge gathering and management, and the need to be innovative in the ways the ECM can be implemented.
Lifetime Exposure to Cigarette Smoke, B-Cell Tumor Immune Infiltration, and Immunoglobulin Abundance in Ovarian Tumors
Authors: Hathaway Cassandra A. , Townsend Mary K. , Wang Tianyi , Vinci Christine , Jake-Schoffman Danielle E. , Hecht Jonathan L. , Saeed-Vafa Daryoush , Moran Segura Carlos , Nguyen Jonathan V. , Conejo-Garcia Jose R. , Fridley Brooke L. , Tworoger Shelley S. 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Background:
Cigarette smoke exposure has been linked to systemic immune dysfunction, including for B-cell and immunoglobulin (Ig) production, and poor outcomes in patients with ovarian cancer. No study has evaluated the impact of smoke exposure across the life-course on B-cell infiltration and Ig abundance in ovarian tumors.

Methods:
We measured markers of B and plasma cells and Ig isotypes using multiplex immunofluorescence on 395 ovarian cancer tumors in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS)/NHSII. We conducted beta-binomial analyses evaluating odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for positivity of immune markers by cigarette exposure among cases and Cox proportional hazards models to evaluate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% CI for developing tumors with low (&lt;median) or high (≥median) immune cell/Ig percentage.

Results:
There were no associations between smoke exposure and B-cell or IgM infiltration in ovarian tumors. Among cases, we observed higher odds of IgA+ among ever smokers (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.14–2.07) and ever smokers with no parental smoke exposure (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.18–3.49) versus never smokers. Women with parental cigarette smoke exposure versus not had higher risk of developing ovarian cancer with low IgG+ (HR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.10–2.09), whereas ever versus never smokers had a lower risk (HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.56–0.99).

Conclusions:
Ever smoking was associated with increased odds of IgA in ovarian tumors.

Impact:
IgA has been associated with improved ovarian cancer outcomes, suggesting that although smoking is associated with poor outcomes in patients with ovarian cancer, it may lead to improved tumor immunogenicity.