bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Indocyanine green: A novel marker for assessment of graft quality during ex situ normothermic machine perfusion of human livers
Authors: Lau Ngee‐Soon , Ly Mark , Ewenson Kasper , Toomath Shamus , Ly Hayden , Mestrovic Nicole , Liu Ken , McCaughan Geoff , Crawford Michael , Pulitano Carlo 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundEx situ machine perfusion facilitates the assessment of livers prior to transplantation. However, currently available markers of liver function poorly predict long‐term graft function. Indocyanine green (ICG) is a liver‐specific dye which, although common in vivo, has never been comprehensively evaluated for the assessment of graft quality during ex situ machine perfusion. This study aimed to assess the utility of ICG in the ex situ setting.MethodsUsing a customized long‐term perfusion system, human livers that were not suitable for transplantation were perfused using a red cell‐based perfusate. ICG was delivered into the perfusate on days 0, 1, and 4 to assess ICG clearance (spectrophotometric absorbance at 805 nm) and ICG fluorescence (near‐infrared camera).ResultsSixteen partial livers were perfused for a median duration of 172 h (7.2 days). On day 0, the median ICG perfusate disappearance rate (PDR) was 7.5%/min and the median ICG retention at 15 min was 9.9%. Grafts that survived ≥7 days had a significantly higher median ICG PDR on day 0 (14.5%/min vs. 6.5%/min, p = 0.005) but not on days 1 or 4. ICG perfusion demonstrated that long‐surviving grafts had a significantly lower median red‐value (89.8 vs. 118.6, p = 0.011) and a significantly lower median blue‐value (12.9 vs. 22.6, p = 0.045) than short‐surviving grafts.ConclusionICG is a novel marker for the assessment of liver function during ex situ normothermic machine perfusion. ICG PDR and quantitative ICG perfusion can distinguish between long‐ and short‐surviving grafts and demonstrate the utility of ICG in the assessment of graft quality prior to transplant.
Application frequency – key indicator for the efficiency of severe dry eye disease treatment – evidence for the importance of molecular weight of hyaluronan in lubricating agents
Authors: Medic Nika , Boldin Ingrid , Berisha Bujar , Matijak‐Kronschachner Bernadette , Aminfar Haleh , Schwantzer Gerold , Müller‐Lierheim Wolfgang G. K. , van Setten Gysbert‐Botho , Horwath‐Winter Jutta 
Published: December 2023

AbstractPurposeLubricant eye drops are the main therapeutic resource for dry eye disease (DED), with each drop representing the equivalent of ocular surface disease treatment. Thus, any reduction in the frequency of eye drop application reflects a degree of therapeutic success. Considering also the socioeconomic burden of DED, we investigated eye drop application frequency (DF) as a parameter to potentially track the success of therapy in severe DED. Hyaluronan (HA)‐containing eye drops have become the first choice for tear substitution in many countries, and recent data indicate that the average molecular weight (Mw) of HA determines the therapeutic efficacy of such eye drops. This post‐hoc subgroup analysis of a previously published multicentre prospective randomized open‐label study, HYLAN M, is set out to compare the effects of very high Mw HA (hylan A) eye drops to comparator eye drops, containing lower Mw HA (control).MethodsPatients with severe DED (n = 47), recruited as part of the larger HYLAN M prospective, multicentre, open‐label study, were randomized into two groups: hylan A and control group. In the hylan A group, 24 patients replaced their HA‐containing eye drops with eye drops containing 0.15% hylan A, whereas the 23 control patients continued to use comparator HA eye drops. The DF was recorded daily by all participants over 8 weeks, and other subjective and objective parameters of DED were assessed at the time of inclusion (baseline), as well as at week 4 and 8.ResultsThere was a significant decrease in DF in the hylan A users between the baseline and week 4 (p = 0.004), remaining stable until week 8. Indeed, in contrast to the baseline, the hylan A group had a significantly lower DF than the control group at weeks 4 (p = 0.018) and 8 (p = 0.008). Likewise, the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) improved significantly between the time of inclusion and week 4 (p < 0.001) in hylan A users, remaining stable until week 8. The OSDI was similar in both groups at the baseline but it was significantly lower in the hylan A group than in the control group at week 4 (p = 0.002), remaining lower at week 8. Such a decrease in the DF and OSDI was not witnessed in the control group at any time point. The objective parameters assessed did not differ significantly within or between the two groups.ConclusionWhen treating severe DED, the DF can be significantly reduced by using very high Mw HA (3 MDa) lubricant eye drops, which better alleviate DED symptoms and decrease the OSDI scores. These drops not only provide an attractive and comfortable alternative for patients with severe DED but also offer the possibility of reducing the disease's socioeconomic burden, both for affected individuals and society as a whole.
Impact of cleanroom status on the reasons for discarding organ‐cultured corneal transplants in a modern eye bank – More donor corneas thanks to astronaut suit?
Authors: Zilles Marco , Flockerzi Elias , Daas Loay , Weinstein Isabel , Hamon Loic , Seitz Berthold 
Published: December 2023

AbstractPurposeThis study investigated the influence of cleanroom conditions on the discard rates of donor corneas in a German university eye bank.MethodsDiscard rates were analysed from 2017 to 2020 at the LIONS Cornea Bank at Saarland University Medical Center. 1941 corneas from 971 donors were included. 1262 corneas (65.1%) were stored in a class D cleanroom from 2017 to 2019 and processed in a cleanroom class A sterile bank (group 1). 679 corneas (34.9%) were continuously stored in a class B cleanroom and processed in a class A cleanroom safety cabinet in the same room from 2019 to 2020 (group 2). The target parameter of this work was the number of contamination‐related discards. Although they cannot be influenced by the spatial conditions, the discards due to insufficient endothelial quality, serology, contraindications, scars and technical causes were also recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and various testing procedures.ResultsIn group 1, significantly more corneas were discarded due to positive serology (6.9%|3.8%, p = 0.020). There was no significant change between both groups for either contamination or the other reasons for discard.ConclusionOptimization of hygiene standards from cleanroom class D to B did not reduce contamination. Serology, endothelial quality, medical contraindications and the presence of scars cannot be influenced by cleanroom conditions.
Butyrate acts as a positive allosteric modulator of the 5‐HT transporter to decrease availability of 5‐HT in the ileum
Authors: Cai Jieling , Cheung Jamie , Cheung Samson W. M. , Chin Karie T. C. , Leung Ricky W. K. , Lam Ronald S. T. , Sharma Rakesh , Yiu Jensen H. C. , Woo Connie W. 
Published: December 2023

Background and PurposeRadiation therapy‐induced gastrointestinal distress is partly associated with the elimination of gut microbiota. The effectiveness of 5‐HT receptor antagonists to treat radiation therapy‐induced emesis implies a pathophysiological role of 5‐HT. Peripheral 5‐HT is derived from intestinal epithelium. We have investigated the role of gut microbiota in regulating intestinal 5‐HT availability.Experimental ApproachA radiation therapy murine model accompanied by faecal microbiota transplantation from donors fed different diets was investigated, and mouse ileal organoids were used for mechanistic studies. The clinical relevance was validated by a small‐scale human study.Key ResultsShort‐term high‐fat diet (HFD) induced gut bacteria to produce butyrate. Irradiated mice receiving HFD‐induced microbiome had the lowest ileal levels of 5‐HT, compared with other recipients. Treatment with butyrate increased 5‐HT uptake in mouse ileal organoids, assayed by the real‐time tracking of a fluorescent substrate for monoamine transporters. Silencing the 5‐HT transporter (SERT) in the organoids abolished butyrate‐stimulated 5‐HT uptake. The competitive tests using different types of selective 5‐HT reuptake inhibitors suggested that butyrate acted as a positive allosteric modulator of SERT. In human gut microbiota, butyrate production was associated with the interconversion between acetate and butyrate. Faecal contents of both acetate and butyrate were negatively associated with serum 5‐HT, but only butyrate was positively correlated with body mass index in humans.Conclusion and ImplicationsShort‐term HFD may be beneficial for alleviating gastrointestinal reactions by increasing butyrate to suppress local 5‐HT levels and providing energy to cancer patients given radiation therapy.
Orexin‐A attenuated motion sickness through modulating neural activity in hypothalamus nuclei
Authors: Pan Leilei , Xiao Shuifeng , Xu Zichao , Li Wenping , Zhao Long , Zhang Ling , Qi Ruirui , Wang Junqin , Cai Yiling 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackground and PurposeWe evaluated the hypothesis that central orexin application could counteract motion sickness responses through regulating neural activity in target brain areas.Experimental ApproachThec effects of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of orexin‐A and SB‐334867 (OX1 antagonist) on motion sickness‐induced anorexia, nausea‐like behaviour (conditioned gaping), hypoactivity and hypothermia were investigated in rats subjected to Ferris wheel‐like rotation. Orexin‐A responsive brain areas were identified using Fos immunolabelling and were verified via motion sickness responses after intranucleus injection of orexin‐A, SB‐334867 and TCS‐OX2‐29 (OX2 antagonist). The efficacy of intranasal application of orexin‐A versus scopolamine on motion sickness symptoms in cats was also investigated.Key ResultsOrexin‐A (i.c.v.) dose‐dependently attenuated motion sickness‐related behavioural responses and hypothermia. Fos expression was inhibited in the ventral part of the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMV) and the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), but was enhanced in the ventral part of the premammillary nucleus ventral part (PMV) by orexin‐A (20 μg) in rotated animals. Motion sickness responses were differentially inhibited by orexin‐A injection into the DMV (anorexia and hypoactivity), the PVN (conditioned gaping) and the PMV (hypothermia). SB‐334867 and TCS‐OX2‐29 (i.c.v. and intranucleus injection) inhibited behavioural and thermal effects of orexin‐A. Orexin‐A (60 μg·kg−1) and scopolamine inhibited rotation‐induced emesis and non‐retching/vomiting symptoms, while orexin‐A also attenuated anorexia with mild salivation in motion sickness cats.Conclusion and ImplicationsOrexin‐A might relieve motion sickness through acting on OX1 and OX2 receptors in various hypothalamus nuclei. Intranasal orexin‐A could be a potential strategy against motion sickness.
Insulin resistance is associated with the presence and severity of retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Xu Yu‐Xin , Pu Sheng‐Dan , Zhang Yi‐Tong , Tong Xue‐Wei , Sun Xiao‐Tong , Shan Yong‐Yan , Gao Xin‐Yuan 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundTo assess the relationship between novel insulin resistance (IR) indices and the presence and severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with type 2 diabetes.MethodsThis is a cross‐sectional study involving 2211 patients. The study outcomes were DR events. The study exposures were IR indices including estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR), natural logarithm of glucose disposal rate (lnGDR), metabolic insulin resistance score (METS‐IR), triglyceride glucose index‐body mass index (TyG‐BMI), triglyceride glucose index‐waist‐to‐hip ratio (TyG‐WHR), and triglyceride/high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol(TG/HDL‐c ratio). We used binary and multivariate ordered logistic regression models to estimate the association between different IR indices and the presence and severity of DR. Subject work characteristic curves were used to assess the predictive power of different IR indices for DR.ResultsDR was present in 25.4% of participants. After adjusting for all covariates, per standard deviation (SD) increases in eGDR (ratio [OR] 0.38 [95% CI 0.32–0.44]), lnGDR (0.34 [0.27–0.42]) were negatively associated with the presence of DR. In contrast, per SD increases in METS‐IR (1.97 [1.70–2.28]), TyG‐BMI (1.94 [1.68–2.25]), TyG‐WHR (2.34 [2.01–2.72]) and TG/HDL‐c ratio (1.21 [1.08–1.36]) were positively associated with the presence of DR. eGDR was strongly associated with severity of DR. Of all variables, eGDR had the strongest diagnostic value for DR (AUC = 0.757).ConclusionsOf the six IR indices, eGDR was significantly associated with the presence and severity of DR in patients with type 2 diabetes. eGDR has a good predictive value for DR. Thus, eGDR maybe a stronger marker of DR.
State of the Art in Efficient Translucent Material Rendering with BSSRDF
Authors: Liang Shiyu , Gao Yang , Hu Chonghao , Zhou Peng , Hao Aimin , Wang Lili , Qin Hong 
Published: December 2023

AbstractSub‐surface scattering is always an important feature in translucent material rendering. When light travels through optically thick media, its transport within the medium can be approximated using diffusion theory, and is appropriately described by the bidirectional scattering‐surface reflectance distribution function (BSSRDF). BSSRDF methods rely on assumptions about object geometry and light distribution in the medium, which limits their applicability to general participating media problems. However, despite the high computational cost of path tracing, BSSRDF methods are often favoured due to their suitability for real‐time applications. We review these methods and discuss the most recent breakthroughs in this field. We begin by summarizing various BSSRDF models and then implement most of them in a 2D searchlight problem to demonstrate their differences. We focus on acceleration methods using BSSRDF, which we categorize into two primary groups: pre‐computation and texture methods. Then we go through some related topics, including applications and advanced areas where BSSRDF is used, as well as problems that are sometimes important yet are ignored in sub‐surface scattering estimation. In the end of this survey, we point out remaining constraints and challenges, which may motivate future work to facilitate sub‐surface scattering.
Hepatitis C virus cure from direct‐acting antivirals and mortality: Are people with and without a history of injection drug use in the same boat? (ANRS CO22 Hepather cohort)
Authors: Barré Tangui , Bourlière Marc , Parlati Lucia , Ramier Clémence , Marcellin Fabienne , Protopopescu Camelia , Di Beo Vincent , Cagnot Carole , Dorival Celine , Nicol Jérôme , Zoulim Fabien , Carrat Fabrice , Carrieri Patrizia ,   the ANRS/AFEF Hepather Study group
Published: December 2023

AbstractIntroductionThe risk of mortality in people with a history of injection drug use (PHID) is high, as is the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Although direct‐acting antivirals (DAA) are effective in this population in terms of sustained virological response, it is not known whether PHID benefit as much as people with no history of injection drug use from DAA‐related HCV cure in terms of reduced all‐cause mortality.MethodsUsing Cox proportional hazards models based on the ANRS CO22 Hepather cohort data (n = 9735), we identified factors associated with all‐cause mortality among HCV‐infected people. We tested for interaction effects between drug injection status, HCV cure and other explanatory variables.ResultsDAA‐related HCV cure was associated with a 66% (adjusted hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.34 [0.29–0.39]) lower risk of all‐cause mortality, irrespective of drug injection status. Detrimental effects of unhealthy alcohol use on mortality were identified in PHID only.Discussion and Conclusions.DAA‐related HCV cure led to comparable benefits in terms of reduced mortality in PHID and people with no history of injection drug use. Policies and strategies to enhance DAA uptake among PHID are needed to lower mortality in this population.Clinical trial registration details: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01953458.
Development of a new endoscopy system to visualize bilirubin for the diagnosis of duodenogastroesophageal reflux
Authors: Wada Masafumi , Minoda Yosuke , Ihara Eikichi , Tsuru Hirotaka , Hata Yoshitaka , Nagatomo Shuzaburo , Esaki Mitsuru , Bai Xiaopeng , Tanaka Yoshimasa , Chinen Takatoshi , Ogino Haruei , Ogawa Yoshihiro 
Published: December 2023

ObjectivesReflux hypersensitivity (RH) is a form of refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease in which duodenogastroesophageal reflux (DGER) plays a role. This study aimed to determine the usefulness of an endoscopy system equipped with image‐enhanced technology for evaluating DGER and RH.MethodsThe image enhancement mode for detecting bilirubin and calculated values were defined as the Bil mode and Bil value, respectively. First, the visibility of the Bil mode was validated for a bilirubin solution and bile concentrations ranging from 0.01% to 100% (0.002–20 mg/dL). Second, visibility scores of the Bil mode, when applied to the porcine esophagus sprayed with a bilirubin solution, were compared to those of the blue laser imaging (BLI) and white light imaging (WLI) modes. Third, a clinical study was conducted to determine the correlations between esophageal Bil values and the number of nonacid reflux events (NNRE) during multichannel intraluminal impedance‐pH monitoring as well as the utility of esophageal Bil values for the differential diagnosis of RH.ResultsBilirubin solution and bile concentrations higher than 1% were visualized in red using the Bil mode. The visibility score was significantly higher with the Bil mode than with the BLI and WLI modes for 1% to 6% bilirubin solutions (P < 0.05). The esophageal Bil value and NNRE were significantly positively correlated (P = 0.031). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the differential diagnosis of RH was 0.817.ConclusionThe Bil mode can detect bilirubin with high accuracy and could be used to evaluate DGER in clinical practice.
Strategic social decision making undergoes significant changes in typically developing and autistic early adolescents
Authors: Liu Wenda , Shah Nikita , Ma Ili , Rosenblau Gabriela 
Published: December 2023

AbstractInformation sampling about others’ trustworthiness prior to cooperation allows humans to minimize the risk of exploitation. Here, we examined whether early adolescence or preadolescence, a stage defined as in between childhood and adolescence, is a significant developmental period for strategic social decisions. We also sought to characterize differences between autistic children and their typically developing (TD) peers. TD (N = 48) and autistic (N = 56) 8‐ to 12‐year‐olds played an online information sampling trust game. While both groups adapted their information sampling and cooperation to the various trustworthiness levels of the trustees, groups differed in how age and social skills modulated task behavior. In the TD group social skills were a stronger overall predictor of task behavior. In the autistic group, age was a stronger predictor and interacted with social skills. Computational modeling revealed that both groups used the same heuristic information sampling strategy—albeit older TD children were more efficient as reflected by decreasing decision noise with age. Autistic children had lower prior beliefs about the trustee's trustworthiness compared to TD children. These lower priors indicate that children believed the trustees to be less trustworthy. Lower priors scaled with lower social skills across groups. Notably, groups did not differ in prior uncertainty, meaning that the priors of TD and autistic children were equally strong. Taken together, we found significant development in information sampling and cooperation in early adolescence and nuanced differences between TD and autistic children. Our study highlights the importance of deep phenotyping of children including clinical measures, behavioral experiments and computational modeling.Research Highlights
We specified how early adolescents with and without an autism diagnosis sampled information about their interaction partners and made cooperation decisions in a strategic game.
Early adolescence is a significant developmental period for strategic decision making, marked by significant changes in information sampling efficiency and adaptivity to the partner's behavior.
Autistic and non‐autistic groups differed in how age and social skills modulated task behavior; in non‐autistic children behavior was more indicative of overall social skills.
Computational modeling revealed differences between autistic and non‐autistic groups in their initial beliefs about cooperation partners; autistic children expected their partners to be less trustworthy.
Reciprocity versus pseudo‐reciprocity: A false dichotomy
Authors: Carter Gerald G. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractReciprocity and pseudo‐reciprocity are two important models for the evolution of cooperation and often considered alternative hypotheses. Reciprocity is typically defined as a scenario where help given causes help received: cooperation is stabilized because each actor's cooperative investments are conditional on the cooperative returns from the receiver. Pseudo‐reciprocity is a scenario where help enables byproduct returns: cooperation is inherently stable because the actor's cooperative investments yield byproduct returns from the receiver's self‐serving behavior. These models are strict alternatives only if reciprocity is defined by the restrictive assumption of zero fitness interdependence, meaning that the helper has no “stake” in the receiver's fitness. Reciprocity and interdependence are, however, not mutually exclusive when helping can increase both reciprocal help and byproduct returns. For instance, helping partners survive can simultaneously increase their willingness to reciprocate, their ability to reciprocate, and byproduct benefits of their existence. Interdependence can “pave the road” to reciprocal helping, and partners who reciprocate help can also become interdependent. However, larger cooperative investments can increase the need for responsiveness to partner returns. Therefore, most long‐term cooperative relationships involve both responsiveness and interdependence. Categorizing these relationships as “reciprocity” can be viewed as ignoring interdependence, but calling them ‘pseudo‐reciprocity’ is confusing because stability also comes from the cooperative investments being conditional on returns. Rather than conceptualizing cooperation into discrete categories, it is more insightful to imagine a coordinate system with responsiveness and interdependence as continuous dimensions. One can ask: To what degree is helping behavior responsive to the partner's behavior? And to what degree does the helper inherently benefit from the receiver's survival or reproduction? The amounts of responsiveness and interdependence will often be hard to estimate, but both are unlikely to be zero. Identifying their relative importance, and how that changes over time, would greatly clarify the nature of cooperative relationships.