bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal Bile Acid Composition Changes Following Faecal Microbiota Transplantation for Clostridioides difficile Infection in Children With and Without Underlying Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Chen Lea Ann , Oliva-Hemker Maria , Radin Arielle , Weidner Melissa , O’Laughlin Brynn D , Sears Cynthia L , Javitt Norman B , Hourigan Suchitra K 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Background and Aims
Faecal microbiota transplant [FMT] is effective in treating recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection [CDI] and restores gut microbiota composition. This is unlikely to account for its entire mechanism of efficacy, as studies have shown that factors such as bile acids influence the risk of infection by affecting Clostridioides difficile germination. We therefore aimed to investigate longitudinal changes in the gut bile acid composition after FMT performed for recurrent CDI, in children with and without inflammatory bowel disease [IBD].

Methods
Eight children received FMT; five had underlying IBD. Primary and secondary faecal bile acids were measured by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry in recipients [pre-FMT and longitudinally post-FMT for up to 6 months] and donors.

Results
Pre-FMT, recipients had higher primary and lower secondary bile acid proportions compared with donors. Post-FMT, there was a gradual increase of secondary and decrease of primary bile acids. Whereas gut bacterial diversity had been shown to be restored in all children shortly after FMT, normalisation of bile acids to donor levels occurred only by 6 months. In children with IBD, although microbiota diversity returned to pre-FMT levels within 6 months, secondary bile acids remained at donor levels.

Conclusions
The differences in bile acid profiles compared with gut bacterial diversity post-FMT suggests that interactions between the two may be more complex than previously appreciated and may contribute to FMT efficacy in different ways. This initial finding demonstrates the need to further investigate gut metabolites in larger cohorts, with longitudinal sampling to understand the mechanisms of FMT effectiveness.
Direct oral anticoagulants versus vitamin K antagonists in the first 3 months after bioprosthetic valve replacement: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Eikelboom Rachel , Whitlock Richard P , Muzaffar Raveen , Lopes Renato D , Siegal Deborah , Schulman Sam , Belley-Côté Emilie P 
Published: March 2023

AbstractOBJECTIVESWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) in the first 90 days after bioprosthetic valve implantation.METHODSWe systematically searched Embase, Medline and CENTRAL. We screened titles, abstracts and full texts, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias in duplicate. We pooled data using the Mantel–Haenzel method and random effects modelling. We conducted subgroup analyses based on the type of valve (transcatheter versus surgical) and timing of initiation of anticoagulation (&lt;7 vs &gt;7 days after valve implantation). We assessed the certainty of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessments, Development and Evaluation approach.RESULTSWe included 4 studies of 2284 patients with a median follow-up of 12 months. Two studies examined transcatheter valves (1877/2284 = 83%) and 2 examined surgical valves (407/2284 = 17%). We found no statistically significant differences between DOACs and VKAs with regard to thrombosis, bleeding, death or subclinical valve thrombosis. However, there was a subgroup trend towards more bleeding with DOACs when initiated within 7 days of valve implantation.CONCLUSIONSIn the existing randomized literature on DOACs versus VKAs in the first 90 days after bioprosthetic valve implantation, there appears to be no difference with regard to thrombosis, bleeding or death. Interpretation of the data is limited by small numbers of events and wide confidence intervals. Future studies should focus on surgical valves and should include long-term follow-up to assess any potential impact of randomized therapy on valve durability.
Autograft reoperations after the Ross procedure
Authors: Abeln Karen B , Ehrlich Tristan , Souko Idriss , Brenner Friederike , Schäfers Hans-Joachim 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
After a Ross procedure, autograft failure can occur. At reoperation, repair of the autograft preserves the advantages of the Ross procedure. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess mid-term results after reoperation of a failed autograft.

METHODS
Between 1997 and 2022, 30 consecutive patients (83% male; age 41 ± 11 years) underwent autograft reintervention between 60 days and 24 years (median 10 years) after a Ross procedure. The initial technique varied, full-root replacement (n = 25) being the most frequent. The indication for reoperation was isolated autograft regurgitation (n = 7), root dilatation (&gt;43 mm) with (n = 17) or without (n = 2) autograft regurgitation, mixed dysfunction (n = 2) and endocarditis (n = 2). In 4 instances, the valve was replaced by valve (n = 1) or combined valve and root replacement (n = 3). Valve-sparing procedures consisted of isolated valve repair (n = 7) or root replacement (n = 19), and tubular aortic replacement. Cusp repair was performed in all but 2. Mean follow-up was 5.4 ± 6 years (35 days to 24 years).

RESULTS
Mean cross-clamp and perfusion times were 74 ± 26 and 132 ± 64 min. There were 2 perioperative deaths (7%; both valve replacement) and 2 patients died late (32 days to 1.2 years postoperatively). Freedom from cardiac death at 10 years was 96% after valve repair and 50% after replacement. Two patients required reoperation (1.68 and 16 years) following repair. One underwent valve replacement for cusp perforation, the other, root remodelling for dilatation. Freedom from autograft reintervention at 15 years was 95%.

CONCLUSIONS
Autograft reoperations after the Ross procedure can be performed as valve-sparing operations in the majority of cases. With valve-sparing, long-term survival and freedom from reoperation are excellent.
Utopian Spaces and Dystopian Subjects in Ray Loriga’s Urban Fiction
Authors: Almanza-Gálvez Carla 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
This article examines the interplay between socio-spatial environments, social control mechanisms and alienated subjectivities in the urban fiction of Spanish author Ray Loriga. It analyses how the search for an urban utopia intertwines in Loriga’s work with an attention to processes of commodification, consumerism and social control. These represented processes are read, in turn, as driving the dystopian production of dehumanized, objectified individual subjects. Focusing principally on the futuristic cities of Loriga’s 1999 novel Tokio ya no nos quiere, the discussion also draws on relevant elements of two subsequent works – El hombre que inventó Manhattan (2004) and Rendición (2017).
Regulation of the hypertonic stress response by the 3′ mRNA cleavage and polyadenylation complex
Authors: Urso Sarel J , Sathaseevan Anson , Brent Derry W , Lamitina Todd 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Maintenance of osmotic homeostasis is one of the most aggressively defended homeostatic set points in physiology. One major mechanism of osmotic homeostasis involves the upregulation of proteins that catalyze the accumulation of solutes called organic osmolytes. To better understand how osmolyte accumulation proteins are regulated, we conducted a forward genetic screen in Caenorhabditis elegans for mutants with no induction of osmolyte biosynthesis gene expression (Nio mutants). The nio-3 mutant encoded a missense mutation in cpf-2/CstF64, while the nio-7 mutant encoded a missense mutation in symk-1/Symplekin. Both cpf-2 and symk-1 are nuclear components of the highly conserved 3′ mRNA cleavage and polyadenylation complex. cpf-2 and symk-1 block the hypertonic induction of gpdh-1 and other osmotically induced mRNAs, suggesting they act at the transcriptional level. We generated a functional auxin-inducible degron (AID) allele for symk-1 and found that acute, post-developmental degradation in the intestine and hypodermis was sufficient to cause the Nio phenotype. symk-1 and cpf-2 exhibit genetic interactions that strongly suggest they function through alterations in 3′ mRNA cleavage and/or alternative polyadenylation. Consistent with this hypothesis, we find that inhibition of several other components of the mRNA cleavage complex also cause a Nio phenotype. cpf-2 and symk-1 specifically affect the osmotic stress response since heat shock-induced upregulation of a hsp-16.2::GFP reporter is normal in these mutants. Our data suggest a model in which alternative polyadenylation of 1 or more mRNAs is essential to regulate the hypertonic stress response.
JC Polyomavirus Modifies the Expression of Human microRNAs in Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy Brain
Authors: Honkimaa Anni , Suppula Joni , Tynninen Olli , Saarela Mika , Liimatainen Hanna , Laine Pia , Auvinen Petri , Auvinen Eeva 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a severe neurological condition caused by reactivation of JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) in immunosuppression. Asymptomatic JCPyV persists in peripheral tissues. Upon reactivation, neurotropic rearrangements may emerge, and the virus gains access to the brain. To assess the mechanisms of PML pathogenesis, brain tissue material from PML patients was collected for small RNA sequencing. Upregulation of 8 microRNAs (miRNAs) in PML brain was validated using quantitative microRNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Bioinformatics tools were utilized to identify major associations of the upregulated miRNAs: neuroinflammation and blood-brain barrier disruption. The results indicate involvement of human miRNA regulation in PML pathogenesis.
Bridging the Gap in a Changing World: New Opportunities and Challenges for Engaging Practitioners and the Public
Authors: Tama Jordan , Barma Naazneen H , Durbin Brent , Goldgeier James , Jentleson Bruce W 
Published: March 2023

AbstractIn recent years, an array of initiatives has sought to bridge widely recognized gaps separating international studies scholars from policymakers and the public. While such gaps persist, changes in society, the media, and academia have altered the context for scholars seeking to make their research known to public and policy communities. On the one hand, the emergence on the public agenda of new policy concerns, proliferation of public-facing outlets seeking to feature scholarly expertise, and growing attention to diversity and inclusion have reduced some of the barriers to gap-bridging work. On the other hand, tenure and promotion standards continue to place limited weight on public engagement, political attacks on experts have raised new barriers to bridging, and social media often serve as sites of discrimination and harassment. We take stock of these shifts and use a scenario exercise to consider how the landscape for bridging the gap might evolve further in the years ahead. Focusing on potential changes in research funding models and the relationship between international studies scholarship and geopolitics, we highlight new bridging opportunities and challenges that may emerge over the next decade.
(Mis)Led by an Outsider: Abusive Supervision, Disengagement, and Silence in Politicized Bureaucracies
Authors: Story Joana , Lotta Gabriela , Tavares Gustavo M 
Published: March 2023

AbstractEmploying loyal external appointees has been identified as a key strategy used by incumbents to gain control over the state bureaucracy. This phenomenon is known as politicization and has been associated with democratic backsliding. Frequently, career civil servants perceive these appointees as illegitimate outsiders, leaders whose main objective is to ensure political compliance rather than advance the organization’s mission. In this study, we explore how civil servants interpret the presence of outside leaders in their organizations in the context of politicization and how this influences their job attitudes and behaviors. We use a mixed methods exploratory sequential design to examine a recent case of politicization in environmental agencies in Brazil. First, we interviewed 25 civil servants who reported an environment of abuse, fear, disengagement, and alienation due to the actions of outside leaders. We identified silence (both defensive and acquiescent) as a key outcome of this process. We extended and confirmed these findings with a quantitative study using a new sample of 255 civil servants. This second study allowed us to test the relationship between the variables identified in the qualitative analysis. Our combined findings indicate that politicization may reduce the effectiveness and capability of public agencies not only because some external appointees lack competence or a commitment the organization’s mission (as suggested by previous studies), but also because their behaviors and decisions can have a significant negative impact on civil servants’ job attitudes and behaviors.
Clinical Educators’ Teaching Approaches and Attributes in Laboratory Medicine
Authors: Phillips Heather L , Jator Eleanor K , Latchem Shelley R , Catalano Timothy A 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThe quality of clinical experiences for students in health care professions relies heavily on clinical educators. Hence the quest to be informed on qualities that make great clinical educators in medical laboratory professions as well as teaching methods. A 48-question survey was developed, validated, and distributed to laboratory professionals in the American Society for Clinical Pathology database. Four questions pertaining to teaching and evaluation as well as clinical educators’ attributes were evaluated in the study. Responses were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Descriptive statistics were performed with the P value set at .05. The results revealed that communication and motivation to teach were most valued among clinical educators and empathy was the least valued attribute. Educators reported on different approaches to teaching and evaluating students. Clinical educators could benefit from training that highlights these attributes and teaching methods for great clinical experiences both for educators and students.
DNA supercoiling-induced shapes alter minicircle hydrodynamic properties
Authors: Waszkiewicz Radost , Ranasinghe Maduni , Fogg Jonathan M , Catanese Daniel J , Ekiel-Jeżewska Maria L , Lisicki Maciej , Demeler Borries , Zechiedrich Lynn , Szymczak Piotr 
Published: March 2023

AbstractDNA in cells is organized in negatively supercoiled loops. The resulting torsional and bending strain allows DNA to adopt a surprisingly wide variety of 3-D shapes. This interplay between negative supercoiling, looping, and shape influences how DNA is stored, replicated, transcribed, repaired, and likely every other aspect of DNA activity. To understand the consequences of negative supercoiling and curvature on the hydrodynamic properties of DNA, we submitted 336 bp and 672 bp DNA minicircles to analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC). We found that the diffusion coefficient, sedimentation coefficient, and the DNA hydrodynamic radius strongly depended on circularity, loop length, and degree of negative supercoiling. Because AUC cannot ascertain shape beyond degree of non-globularity, we applied linear elasticity theory to predict DNA shapes, and combined these with hydrodynamic calculations to interpret the AUC data, with reasonable agreement between theory and experiment. These complementary approaches, together with earlier electron cryotomography data, provide a framework for understanding and predicting the effects of supercoiling on the shape and hydrodynamic properties of DNA.
A red light-triggered chemical tool for sequence-specific alkylation of G-quadruplex and I-motif DNA
Authors: Cadoni Enrico , De Paepe Lessandro , Colpaert Gertjan , Tack Ruben , Waegeman Dries , Manicardi Alex , Madder Annemieke 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
The importance of non-canonical DNA structures such as G-quadruplexes (G4) and intercalating-motifs (iMs) in the fine regulation of a variety of cellular processes has been recently demonstrated. As the crucial roles of these structures are being unravelled, it is becoming more and more important to develop tools that allow targeting these structures with the highest possible specificity. While targeting methodologies have been reported for G4s, this is not the case for iMs, as evidenced by the limited number of specific ligands able to bind the latter and the total absence of selective alkylating agents for their covalent targeting. Furthermore, strategies for the sequence-specific covalent targeting of G4s and iMs have not been reported thus far. Herein, we describe a simple methodology to achieve sequence-specific covalent targeting of G4 and iM DNA structures based on the combination of (i) a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) recognizing a specific sequence of interest, (ii) a pro-reactive moiety enabling a controlled alkylation reaction, and (iii) a G4 or iM ligand orienting the alkylating warhead to the reactive residues. This multi-component system allows for the targeting of specific G4 or iM sequences of interest in the presence of competing DNA sequences and under biologically relevant conditions.
Rethinking Screening Intensity in Terms of Reducing Prevalence or Increasing Selection Pressure for the Emergence of Resistant Gonorrhea: A Modeling Study of Men Who Have Sex With Men in Belgium
Authors: Tsoumanis Achilleas , Van Dijck Christophe , Hens Niel , Kenyon Chris 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Background
Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) has developed antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to multiple classes of antibiotics. While treatment of symptomatic NG in groups, such as men who have sex with men (MSM), is crucial, screening programs targeting asymptomatic NG cases may contribute to excessive antibiotic exposure of the population and thus to the emergence of gonococcal AMR. Our primary aim was to assess if intense screening could promote AMR in NG.

Methods
We built a network-based model of NG transmission dynamics among MSM in Belgium to estimate the prevalence of NG in the population and the risk of AMR. The model simulates daily transmission of NG among 3 anatomical sites in a population of 10 000 MSM, grouped as low risk or high risk, over 10 years. The effect of group-wise variation in treatment efficacy levels and screening intensities on NG prevalence and cumulative risk of AMR emergence was evaluated.

Results
Increasing screening intensity in the low-risk MSM had little effect on NG prevalence. An inverse correlation between screening intensity in the high-risk group and both NG prevalence and the risk for azithromycin resistance was observed, irrespective of the screening intensity in the low-risk group. High-risk MSM were at higher risk for azithromycin-resistant NG in all screening intensity and treatment efficacy scenarios, compared to low-risk MSM.

Conclusions
Our results suggest that intensive screening in the low-risk population has little impact on prevalence but may increase the probability of AMR emerging. In contrast, intensive screening in the high-risk population reduces both the prevalence of NG and macrolide resistance.
Successful treatment of Hidradenitis Suppurativa with tofacitinib: two cases and a review of the literature
Authors: Sadeghzadeh Bazargan Afsaneh , Pashaei Arezoo , Goodarzi Azadeh 
Published: March 2023

ABSTRACTHidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) is a major public health challenge affecting people globally, which is painful and the hard lumps under the skin are prone to infection. We aimed to investigate whether tofacitinib can help people with HS in a safe and effective way. In this study, we report two cases diagnosed with HS. Tofacitinib was used as a part of the treatment plan. The first patient received 5 mg of tofacitinib twice daily, 36 weeks, and the second one for 24 weeks. Clinical outcomes are described. The efficacy of tofacitinib in HS was confirmed in our study. The clinical characteristics of the patients improved after receiving tofacitinib. Lesions discharge significantly reduced, particularly in the axillary area. Tofacitinib may be useful as an adjuvant therapy when used in combination with other treatments. Further research in this area is required to improve our understanding of treatment with tofacitinib at HS.
A case in which immunohistochemistry was useful in the diagnosis of gastric metastasis of invasive lobular carcinoma
Authors: Jinushi Ryuhei , Sato Ryo , Kawasaki Tomonori , Ryozawa Shomei 
Published: March 2023

ABSTRACT
Metastatic breast cancer can spread to the bone, brain, liver and lung. However, metastasis to the stomach is rare. Gastric metastasis mostly presents within 10 years from the diagnosis of the primary breast cancer. We present a rare case of gastric metastasis occurring 20 years after mastectomy, diagnosed through immunohistochemistry.
A necrotic primary central nervous system lymphoma in immunocompetent patient with MYC and BCL6 rearrangements (double-hit lymphoma): a case report
Authors: Khalil Nabil C N , Iwaiwi Bashaer Imad , Hammad Shurooq , Jobran Afnan W M , Itkaidek Saeed , Lahham Elias Edward 
Published: March 2023

ABSTRACT
Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare, aggressive extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It is critical to get a diagnosis and start therapy as soon as possible to improve clinical results. Despite a new medicinal strategy that has increased survivability, the survival rate is still quite low. This report presents a new case of PCNSL that appears in an immunocompetent patient with two different rare genetic rearrangements and a necrotic histological appearance.