bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Plasmodium falciparum Glutamic Acid-Rich Protein-Independent Polyclonal Antibodies Inhibit Malaria Parasite Growth in Human Erythrocytes
Authors: Schwake Christopher J , Krueger Rachel M , Hanada Toshihiko , Chishti Athar H 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum glutamic acid-rich protein (PfGARP) is a recently characterized cell surface antigen encoded by Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of severe human malaria pathophysiology. Previously, we reported that the human erythrocyte band 3 (SLC4A1) serves as a host receptor for PfGARP. Antibodies against PfGARP did not affect parasite invasion and growth. We surmised that PfGARP may play a role in the rosetting and adhesion of malaria. Another study reported that antibodies targeting PfGARP exhibit potent inhibition of parasite growth. This inhibition occurred without the presence of any immune or complement components, suggesting the activation of an inherent density-dependent regulatory system. Here, we used polyclonal antibodies against PfGARP and a monoclonal antibody mAb7899 to demonstrate that anti-PfGARP polyclonal antibodies, but not mAb7899, exerted potent inhibition of parasite growth in infected erythrocytes independent of PfGARP. These findings suggest that an unknown malaria protein(s) is the target of growth arrest by polyclonal antibodies raised against PfGARP.
Biotic interactions between benthic infauna and aerobic methanotrophs mediate methane fluxes from coastal sediments
Authors: Broman Elias , Olsson Markus , Maciute Adele , Donald Daniel , Humborg Christoph , Norkko Alf , Jilbert Tom , Bonaglia Stefano , Nascimento Francisco J A 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Coastal ecosystems dominate oceanic methane (CH4) emissions. However, there is limited knowledge about how biotic interactions between infauna and aerobic methanotrophs (i.e. CH4 oxidizing bacteria) drive the spatial–temporal dynamics of these emissions. Here, we investigated the role of meio- and macrofauna in mediating CH4 sediment–water fluxes and aerobic methanotrophic activity that can oxidize significant portions of CH4. We show that macrofauna increases CH4 fluxes by enhancing vertical solute transport through bioturbation, but this effect is somewhat offset by high meiofauna abundance. The increase in CH4 flux reduces CH4 pore-water availability, resulting in lower abundance and activity of aerobic methanotrophs, an effect that counterbalances the potential stimulation of these bacteria by higher oxygen flux to the sediment via bioturbation. These findings indicate that a larger than previously thought portion of CH4 emissions from coastal ecosystems is due to faunal activity and multiple complex interactions with methanotrophs.
The profile of HIV-1 drug resistance in Shanghai, China: a retrospective study from 2017 to 2021
Authors: Zhang Min , Ma Yingying , Wang Gang , Wang Zhenyan , Wang Qianying , Li Xin , Lin Feng , Qiu Jianping , Chen Daihong , Shen Yinzhong , Zhang Chiyu , Lu Hongzhou 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Background
HIV-1 drug resistance is a huge challenge in the era of ART.

Objectives
To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of acquired HIV-1 drug resistance (ADR) in Shanghai, China.

Methods
An epidemiological study was performed among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) receiving ART in Shanghai from January 2017 to December 2021. A total of 8669 PLWH were tested for drug resistance by genotypic resistance testing. Drug resistance mutations (DRMs) were identified using the Stanford University HIV Drug Resistance Database program.

Results
Ten HIV-1 subtypes/circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) were identified, mainly including CRF01_AE (46.8%), CRF07_BC (35.7%), B (6.4%), CRF55_01B (2.8%) and CRF08_BC (2.4%). The prevalence of ADR was 48% (389/811). Three NRTI-associated mutations (M184V/I/L, S68G/N/R and K65R/N) and four NNRTI-associated mutations (V179D/E/T/L, K103N/R/S/T, V106M/I/A and G190A/S/T/C/D/E/Q) were the most common DRMs. These DRMs caused high-level resistance to lamivudine, emtricitabine, efavirenz and nevirapine. The DRM profiles appeared to be significantly different among different subtypes.

Conclusions
We revealed HIV-1 subtype characteristics and the DRM profile in Shanghai, which provide crucial guidance for clinical treatment and management of PLWH.
Declaration of the Town Square: The Urgency of Speaking as One
Authors: Agudelo-Hernández Felipe , Cardona Porras Luisa Fernanda , Giraldo Álvarez Ana Belén 
Published: February 2024

AbstractEthics in biomedical research in mental health plays a central role. Historically the principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice have been violated in individuals with mental disorders. This article aims to analyse the perceptions of individuals involved in research ethics advocacy in Aranzazu-Colombia, from the Declaration of the Town Square to current research practices and community empowerment initiatives. For this, a qualitative study was conducted in the municipality of Aranzazu as part of a Community-Based Rehabilitation strategy in Mental Health. Two focus groups were conducted with a total of 30 participants, including community representatives, institutional members, and healthcare personnel. The themes that emerged were ‘The urgency of speaking as one’, ‘Our research questions’ and ‘Human rights for recovery’. The process of adoption of community protection measures that guided the investigative processes with the town of Aranzazu is presented. A discussion is raised around the instrumentalization of people in the investigation and the claim of human rights by communities, as a mechanism to strengthen community recovery actions. It is concluded that mental health research should help to affirm dignity, reduce stigma, improve access to psychosocial recovery and achieve real participation in building the well-being of communities.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy and aging-related tau astrogliopathy in community-dwelling older persons with and without moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury
Authors: Agrawal Sonal , Leurgans Sue E , Barnes Lisa L , Dams-O’Connor Kristen , Mez Jesse , Bennett David A , Schneider Julie A 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
This study examined the frequency of chronic traumatic encephalopathy-neuropathologic change (CTE-NC) and aging-related tau astrogliopathy (ARTAG) in community-dwelling older adults and tested the hypothesis that these tau pathologies are associated with a history of moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (msTBI), defined as a TBI with loss of consciousness &gt;30 minutes. We evaluated CTE-NC, ARTAG, and Alzheimer disease pathologies in 94 participants with msTBI and 94 participants without TBI matched by age, sex, education, and dementia status TBI from the Rush community-based cohorts. Six (3%) of brains showed the pathognomonic lesion of CTE-NC; only 3 of these had a history of msTBI. In contrast, ARTAG was common in older brains (gray matter ARTAG = 77%; white matter ARTAG = 54%; subpial ARTAG = 51%); there were no differences in severity, type, or distribution of ARTAG pathology with respect to history of msTBI. Furthermore, those with msTBI did not have higher levels of PHF-tau tangles density but had higher levels of amyloid-β load (Estimate = 0.339, SE = 0.164, p = 0.040). These findings suggest that CTE-NC is infrequent while ARTAG is common in the community and that both pathologies are unrelated to msTBI. The association of msTBI with amyloid-β, rather than with tauopathies suggests differential mechanisms of neurodegeneration in msTBI.
Successful closure of a refractory giant (15 sq mm) macular hole with amniotic membrane graft
Authors: Chalam Kakarla Venkata , Akanda Marib , Subramanian Meenakshi 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
The management of macular hole defects has undergone a significant transformation with the advent of advanced diagnostic tools and surgical techniques. These developments have enabled the effective treatment of macular holes that were previously considered untreatable. Although the majority of patients exhibit a positive response to initial treatment, a subset of patients may develop refractory macular holes that necessitate multiple surgeries for closure. In these instances, the utilization of amniotic membrane grafts to aid in the closure of large retinal holes presents a promising alternative. This report details the successful closure of a refractory giant macular hole (15 sq. mm) in a patient using an amniotic membrane graft, with improvement in visual acuity.
Motherhood, Mental Incompetence, and the Denial of Reproductive Autonomy in the Early Years of Israeli Statehood
Authors: Di Giulio Marco 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
As the State of Israel defined citizenship rights for its Jewish population after independence in 1948, it also began to articulate the rights of those affected by disabilities of the mind—i.e., psychiatric, cognitive, and learning disabilities—by issuing, for example, the “Law for the Management of Institutes” (1952) and the “Law for the Treatment of the Mentally Ill” (1955). Due to haphazard state-building and insufficient funding, however, this process was slow and uneven. In the meantime, people with mental and cognitive disabilities often remained vulnerable to abuse and sexual violence in domestic and institutional spaces and suffered from a lack of proper care and accommodation. Operating on the assumption that disability of the mind could be transmitted from generation to generation, some medical professionals contemplated sterilization as a way to prevent the reproduction of mental disability in the children of affected parents, but the lingering trauma caused by the Holocaust and Nazi racial hygiene hindered their plan. This article examines a 1954 case involving a cognitively disabled woman who was brought to court for neglecting her children. Due to her delinquent parenting, she was slated to undergo sterilization, but her legal incompetence raised a host of ethical questions that tested the psychiatrists’ and judicial authorities’ assumptions about cognitive competence, civic fitness, and reproductive autonomy. By examining contemporary press reports of the legal proceedings, their larger context, and their consequences, this article shows how the woman remained hostage to male-dominated power structures that devalued her dual status as a mother and as a cognitively impaired citizen. While this case study shows how easily overridden were the liberties and protections of those affected by disabilities of the mind, it can also be viewed as a situation that impelled the Israeli public to contemplate the rights of the cognitively disabled, foreshadowing later movements aimed at expanding the boundaries of society to include members of many degrees of ability.
SPECT and PET Instrumentation
Authors: Galt James R. , Garcia Ernest V. , Chen Ji 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Imaging instrumentation for nuclear cardiology is designed for imaging radionuclides that emit gamma rays (single photons) and radionuclides that emit positrons. SPECT uses mechanical devices, called collimators, to determine the direction of travel of detected photons. The most common collimators are parallel-hole designs that eliminate all photons that are not perpendicular to the detector face. Photons that pass through the collimator encounter a scintillation crystal; scintillation produces a flash of light with brightness proportional to the photon’s energy. This flash is detected by an array of devices called photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). Determining the location and brightness of the scintillation allows formation of a planar projection. Acquiring planar projections at several positions around the patient provides the information necessary to reconstruct tomographic images. Advanced SPECT system use unique designs to improve sensitivity. PET does not image positrons directly but uses a ring of scintillation detectors to detect the annihilation photon pairs that are emitted in opposite directions when a positron (antimatter) and an electron (matter) meet, and their mass is converted to energy. By only accepting photon pairs that occur in coincidence, the line between the two detectors gives the direction of travel of the photons (electrical collimation). Improved PET designs utilize the difference in arrival time of the photon pair to estimate the location of the annihilation and lengthen the axial FOV (along the table) to improve sensitivity. Some improved SPECT and PET designs have replaced PMTs with solid-state detectors.
Nuclear Cardiac Imaging in Women
Authors: Taqueti Viviany R. , Souza Ana Carolina do A. H. de 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Heart disease is the number-one cause of death in women worldwide, and important sex differences in the rates of diagnosis, utilization of care, response to therapy and clinical outcomes have been described. Conventional diagnostic testing approaches in the evaluation of ischemic heart disease, which were designed primarily for identification of obstructive CAD, can lead to under- or over-testing in women without differentiating those most at risk. Unique factors related to the presentation, diagnosis, and underlying pathophysiology of ischemic heart disease in women underscore the need for a more tailored risk assessment strategy. Extensive evidence supports that MPI with SPECT and PET can effectively risk stratify women with ischemic heart disease. This chapter reviews how advances in nuclear cardiology techniques, including the addition of (1) absolute quantification of coronary blood flow and reserve, (2) multiparametric imaging approaches with MPI and CT, and (3) strategies to reduce radiation dose with the use of ultra-low-dose protocols involving stress-only imaging, solid-state detector SPECT, and PET, are being applied to better capture pathologic phenotypes prevalent in women, including ischemia with no obstructive CAD and coronary microvascular dysfunction, which may be important contributors to their morbidity and mortality.
Imaging Dyssynchrony
Authors: Gimelli Alessia , Liga Riccardo 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
In recent decades, the evaluation of cardiac mechanical dyssynchrony has gained increasing relevance, with solid evidence demonstrating the highly negative impact of asynchronous mechanical activation on cardiac dynamics and, ultimately, patient prognosis. In this context, cardiac resynchronization therapy has been demonstrated as a lifesaving therapy in patients with heart failure and cardiac dyssynchrony. Phase analysis on nuclear cardiac imaging offers the chance to assess the presence and quantify the extent of mechanical dyssynchrony, allowing the selection of patients who would likely benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy by identifying the region of latest mechanical activation where the pacing lead should be positioned. The present chapter will describe the possible use of nuclear cardiac imaging for the evaluation of cardiac mechanical dyssynchrony, outlining the methodologic background as well as the advantages and limitations of each technique.
Imaging Cardiac and Vascular Inflammation
Authors: Tavakoli Sina , Sadeghi Mehran M. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Molecular imaging is an emerging approach that allows clinicians to noninvasively obtain quantitative information about the inflammatory processes that are involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, it can serve as a precision medicine tool for early diagnosis and risk stratification of patients as well as for monitoring the response to preventive and/or therapeutic interventions. In this chapter the authors review the major approaches that have been successfully utilized for targeted imaging of various aspects of inflammation in preclinical or clinical settings. They then focus on the specific imaging strategies that have been employed in clinical studies to evaluate cardiovascular pathologies.
Evolving Role of Echocardiography, Cardiac CT, and Cardiac MRI in CAD
Authors: Ng Arnold C. T. , Delgado Victoria , Bax Jeroen J. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
There have been significant advances in echocardiography, cardiac CT, and cardiac MRI in the assessment of CAD in recent years. In echocardiography, quantification of LV systolic function by global longitudinal strain analysis has been shown to be superior to LVEF with lower measurement variability and greater sensitivity for detecting subclinical myocardial dysfunction, and it is a superior prognosticator for cardiovascular morbidity and all-cause mortality. Cardiac CT has evolved beyond a “traditional” anatomic test to permit the functional assessment of the hemodynamic significance of coronary stenosis using phaemacologic stress perfusion and/or fractional flow reserve. Finally, there has been considerable interest in quantifying extracellular volume in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging as a surrogate marker for diffuse myocardial interstitial fibrosis.
Hybrid Imaging: SPECT/CCTA, PET/MR, and SPECT Calcium Score
Authors: Kaufmann Philipp A. , Gaemperli Oliver , Buechel Ronny R. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Appropriate treatment of patients with stable coronary artery disease relies on the assessment of coronary anatomy and myocardial perfusion, which can be achieved with cardiac hybrid imaging either using dedicated hybrid scanners integrating two imaging modalities (e.g., SPECT/CT or PET/CT) or with appropriate fusion software that enables accurate co-registration of imaging data originating from standalone scanners. Both allow of these for accurate integration of anatomic and functional information, and hybrid imaging has been shown to yield superior diagnostic accuracy compared to single modalities, to have a significant impact on downstream resource utilization, and to provide incremental information on patient prognosis.
Nuclear Cardiology Guidelines and Appropriate Use Criteria
Authors: Christian Timothy F. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Under governmental pressure from potential over-utilization of imaging, physicians recognized they needed to set guidelines that best promoted optimal use for patient benefit. Nuclear cardiology was at the forefront of this effort, adopting one of the first sets of appropriateness criteria. These rely heavily on conditional probability. They also require an understanding of incremental value and cost-effectiveness. The strong theme for the majority of the guidelines, which are based on evidence from clinical trials and the clinical literature, is that intermediate-risk patients benefit the most from noninvasive testing. Consequently, understanding how clinical risk is assigned is another critical piece of knowledge. Another key component is symptomatic versus asymptomatic patients, where appropriateness is strongly in favor for testing patients with symptoms. The clinical guidelines have an indication category as well as a level-of-evidence rating. Appropriate use criteria were developed subsequent to the initial clinical guidelines. These were intended to be more applicable to individual patients and reflect what the average reasonable clinician might order and less reliant on clinical trials. Both the guidelines and the appropriate use criteria have evolved extensively and are now incorporated into specific disease states rather than by imaging modality. European guidelines have followed much of the same path but are generally more inclusive of other imaging modalities.
Statistics in Nuclear Imaging
Authors: Morgan Charity J. , Hartzes Anastasia M. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Nuclear cardiac imaging has both diagnostic and prognostic applications. The statistical properties of diagnostic tools within the field of nuclear medicine must be well understood in order to ensure their proper use. Which statistical methods are appropriate for a diagnostic test will depend on whether the test or procedure returns a qualitative or quantitative result. For qualitative tests, the authors review true or false positives and negatives and provide definitions of key concepts such as sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values. For quantitative tests, the Bland–Altman limits of agreement, among other methods, may be used to assess the agreement between tests. The authors also discuss the application of meta-analysis to diagnostic tests. Assessing the prognostic value of a measure obtained via nuclear imaging often involves applying survival analysis methods. This chapter reviews Kaplan–Meier estimators, the log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards modeling. Formulas and worked examples provide demonstrations of these concepts.
Nuclear Imaging in Developing Countries
Authors: Peix Amalia , Paez Diana , Vitola Joao V. , Orellana Pilar , Dondi Maurizio 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
The burden of cardiovascular disease is ever-growing, and it represents the most common cause of death worldwide. Notably, 80% of deaths from cardiovascular disease occur in low- and middle-income countries. Nuclear cardiology has a well-established role in the management of patients with cardiovascular disease and is being increasingly integrated into health care systems. However, its availability varies across countries. This chapter covers the nuclear cardiology situation in low- and middle-income countries, including infrastructure, human resources, types of cardiac studies, utilization of hybrid imaging, differences in radiation exposure, and opportunities for collaboration with the United Nations system (mainly the International Atomic Energy Agency), as well as with scientific local, regional, and international societies, to increase the practice of high-quality nuclear cardiology in low- and middle-income countries.
Regulation of Myocardial Blood Flow
Authors: Gewirtz Henry 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
A comprehensive review of the physiology of the coronary circulation is beyond the scope of any book chapter. Accordingly, an effort will be made here to present just the basic principles that all practitioners of nuclear cardiology should understand. It is useful to consider the normal circulation first and then move to myocardial flow regulation in the setting of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease and disease of the coronary microvasculature, which very often but not always is associated with coronary artery disease. The Chapter will also review invasive indices used for the assessment of the coronary circulation including CFR, FFR, iFR and IMR, and the non-invasive PET indices of MBF (at rest and stress), MFR, RFR, and FFR, as well as CT-derived MBF and FFR.