bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Age-stratified comparison of prognosis in cardiac resynchronization therapy with or without prophylactic defibrillator for nonischemic cardiomyopathy—a nationwide cohort study
Authors: Farouq Maiwand , Rorsman Cecilia , Marinko Sofia , Mörtsell David , Chaudhry Uzma , Wang Lingwei , Platonov Pyotr G , Borgquist Rasmus 
Published: June 2023

Abstract

Aims
Prior studies have suggested that the benefit from primary preventive defibrillator treatment for patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathyy, treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy, may be age-dependent. We aimed to compare age-stratified mortality rates and mode of death in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy who are treated with either primary preventive cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator (CRT-D) or CRT with pacemaker (CRT-P).

Methods and results
All patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy and CRT-P or primary preventive CRT-D who were implanted in Sweden during the period 2005–2020 were included. Propensity scoring was used to create a matched cohort. Primary outcome was all-cause mortality within 5 years. In all, 4027 patients were included: 2334 with CRT-P and 1693 with CRT-D. Crude 5-year mortality was 635 (27%) vs. 246 (15%), P &lt; 0.001. In Cox regression analysis, adjusted for clinically relevant covariables, CRT-D was independently associated with higher 5-year survival [0.72 (0.61–0.85), P &lt; 0.001]. Cardiovascular mortality was similar between groups (62 vs. 64%, P = 0.64), but death from heart failure was more common in the CRT-D group (46 vs. 36%, P = 0.007). In the matched cohort (n = 2414), 5-year mortality was 21% (24 vs. 16%, P &lt; 0.001). In age-stratified analyses, CRT-P was associated with higher mortality in age groups &lt;60 years and 70–79 years, but there was no difference in age groups 60–69 years or 80–89 years.

Conclusion
In this nationwide registry-based study, patients with CRT-D had better 5-year survival compared to patients with CRT-P. The interaction between age and mortality reduction was not consistent, but patients with CRT-D aged &lt;60 years had the largest absolute mortality reduction.
Delineation of conduction gaps of linear lesions during atrial fibrillation ablation using ultra-high-density mapping
Authors: Hashimoto Kenji , Kimura Takehiro , Seki Yuta , Ibe Susumu , Yamashita Terumasa , Miyama Hiroshi , Fujisawa Taishi , Katsumata Yoshinori , Fukuda Keiichi , Takatsuki Seiji 
Published: June 2023

Abstract

Aims
Linear lesions are routinely created by radiofrequency catheter ablation. Unwanted electrical conduction gaps can be produced and are often difficult to ablate. This study aimed to clarify the characteristics of conduction gaps during atrial fibrillation ablation by analysing bidirectional activation maps using a high-density mapping system (RHYTHMIA).

Methods and results
This retrospective study included 31 patients who had conduction gaps along pulmonary vein (PV) isolation or box ablation lesions. Activation maps were sequentially created during pacing from the coronary sinus and PV to reveal the earliest activation site, defined by the entrance and exit. The locations, length between the entrance and exit (gap length), and direction were analysed. Thirty-four bidirectional activation maps were drawn: 21 were box isolation lesions (box group), and 13 were PV isolation lesions (PVI group). Among the box group, nine conduction gaps were present in the roof region and 12 in the bottom region, while nine in right PV and four in left PV among the PVI group. Gap lengths in the roof region were longer than those in the bottom region (26.8 ± 11.8 vs. 14.5 ± 9.8 mm; P = 0.022), while those in right PV tended to longer than those in left PV (28.0 ± 15.3 vs. 16.8 ± 8.0 mm, P = 0.201).

Conclusion
The entrances and exits of electrical conduction gaps were separated, especially in the roof region, indicating that epicardial conduction might contribute to gap formation. Identifying the bidirectional conduction gap might indicate the location and direction of epicardial conduction.
Differences in the risk of premature cancer mortality between natives and immigrants in Spain
Authors: Grande Rafael , García-González Juan Manuel , Stanek Mikolaj 
Published: June 2023

AbstractBackgroundThe healthy immigrant paradox has found wide support in the literature. To evaluate this hypothesis that immigrants have better health outcomes than the native population, this study aimed to compare the premature cancer mortality between the native and immigrant populations in Spain.MethodsWe obtained the 2012–15 cause-specific mortality estimates from administrative records and participant characteristics data from the 2011 Spanish census. Using Cox proportional hazards regression models, we calculated the risks of mortality of the native and immigrant populations, and the latter populations’ risk based on their regions of origin, and determined the effects of covariates of interest on the calculated risk.ResultsOur results show that the risk of premature cancer mortality is lower among immigrants than among natives, and this gap is higher among men than among women. There is a lower mortality rate among Latin American immigrants (Latino men are 81% less likely to die prematurely from cancer than native-born men, and Latino women are 54% less). Moreover, despite social class disparities, immigrants’ advantage in cancer mortality remained constant and decreased with increasing length of residence in the host country.ConclusionsThis study provided novel evidence on the ‘healthy immigrant paradox’, associated with the fact that migrants are favorably selected at origin, cultural patterns of the societies of origin and, in the case of men, there is some convergence or an ‘unhealthy’ integration that explains the fact that this advantage over natives is lost with more years of residence in Spain.
Genome assemblies of the simultaneously hermaphroditic flatworms Macrostomum cliftonense and Macrostomum hystrix
Authors: Wiberg R Axel W , Brand Jeremias N , Viktorin Gudrun , Mitchell Jack O , Beisel Christian , Schärer Lukas 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
The free-living, simultaneously hermaphroditic flatworms of the genus Macrostomum are increasingly used as model systems in various contexts. In particular, Macrostomum lignano, the only species of this group with a published genome assembly, has emerged as a model for the study of regeneration, reproduction, and stem-cell function. However, challenges have emerged due to M. lignano being a hidden polyploid, having recently undergone whole-genome duplication and chromosome fusion events. This complex genome architecture presents a significant roadblock to the application of many modern genetic tools. Hence, additional genomic resources for this genus are needed. Here, we present such resources for Macrostomum cliftonense and Macrostomum hystrix, which represent the contrasting mating behaviors of reciprocal copulation and hypodermic insemination found in the genus. We use a combination of PacBio long-read sequencing and Illumina shot-gun sequencing, along with several RNA-Seq data sets, to assemble and annotate highly contiguous genomes for both species. The assemblies span ∼227 and ∼220 Mb and are represented by 399 and 42 contigs for M. cliftonense and M. hystrix, respectively. Furthermore, high BUSCO completeness (∼84–85%), low BUSCO duplication rates (8.3–6.2%), and low k-mer multiplicity indicate that these assemblies do not suffer from the same assembly ambiguities of the M. lignano genome assembly, which can be attributed to the complex karyology of this species. We also show that these resources, in combination with the prior resources from M. lignano, offer an excellent foundation for comparative genomic research in this group of organisms.
Preliminary surgical outcomes of laparoscopic right hemicolectomy with transrectal specimen extraction: a propensity score matching study of 120 cases (with video)
Authors: Zhang Mingguang , Liu Zheng , Sun Peng , Hu Xiyue , Zhou Haitao , Jiang Zheng , Tang Jianqiang , Liu Qian , Wang Xishan 
Published: June 2023

Abstract

Background
Compared with conventional laparoscopic surgery, natural orifice specimen extraction surgery (NOSES) has many advantages. Laparoscopic right colectomy with transvaginal specimen extraction has been reported, but the safety and feasibility of transrectal specimen extraction in male patients with ascending colon cancer remain to be verified. This study aimed to preliminarily evaluate the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic right hemicolectomy with transrectal specimen extraction.

Methods
The study was conducted at a single tertiary medical center in China. A total of 494 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic right colectomy between September 2018 and September 2020 were included. Transrectal specimen extraction was performed in 40 male patients (the NOSES group). Patients in the NOSES group were matched to the conventional laparoscopic group using propensity score matching at a 1:2 ratio. Short-term and long-term outcomes between the two groups were compared and evaluated.

Results
Forty patients in the NOSES group and 80 patients in the conventional laparoscopic group were matched for analysis. Baseline characteristics were balanced after propensity matching. The operative features, including operating time, intraoperative bleeding, and the number of harvested lymph nodes, were statistically comparable in both groups. In terms of post-operative recovery, patients in the NOSES group showed preferable outcomes, as evidenced by less post-operative pain and faster return to flatus, defecation, and discharge. The post-operative complications rate, according to the Clavien–Dindo classification system, was similar in both groups. No differences in overall survival or disease-free survival were observed between the two groups.

Conclusions
Laparoscopic right colectomy with transrectal specimen extraction is oncologically safe. Compared with conventional laparoscopic right colectomy, it can reduce post-operative pain, accelerate post-operative recovery, shorten the hospital stay, and achieve better cosmetic effect.
The largest induced earthquakes during the GEOVEN deep geothermal project, Strasbourg, 2018–2022: from source parameters to intensity maps
Authors: Lengliné O , Schmittbuhl J , Drif K , Lambotte S , Grunberg M , Kinscher J , Sira C , Schlupp A , Schaming M , Jund H , Masson F 
Published: June 2023

SUMMARYBetween 2019 November and 2021 July, four induced earthquakes of local magnitude equal to or greater than than three were felt by the population of Strasbourg, France. These events were related to activity at the deep geothermal site GEOVEN located in Vendenheim in the northern suburb area of the city of Strasbourg. The first earthquake, with a local magnitude (Mlv) of 3.0, occurred on 2019 November 12, at the same depth as the bottom of the wells (approximately 4 km) but 5 km to the south. The second (Mlv 3.6) occurred a year later, on 2020 December 4, below the wells, and led to the termination of the project by the authorities. The third (Mlv 3.3) was initiated three weeks after shut-in on 2021 January 22, while the largest earthquake to date (Mlv 3.9) occurred on 2021 June 26, more than 6 months after shut-in. We constrained these four events’ absolute locations using a 3-D velocity model of the area and here present regional intensity maps. We estimated moment magnitude and focal mechanism trough waveform inversion and inferred the fault plane activated during the largest event from an analysis of rupture directivity effects in the recorded waveforms. Our analysis highlights the existence of a critically stressed fault that hosted three of these widely felt events. We show how the derived source properties of these four earthquakes are directly linked to ground shaking observations at the surface. Notably, we demonstrate how earthquake moment, location, direction of rupture and stress drop impact the regional intensity distribution. Our results suggest that the traffic light system could benefit from including ground shaking scenarios based on realistic subsurface properties and potential earthquake source models.
Blockade of innate inflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-1β, or IL-6 overcomes virotherapy-induced cancer equilibrium to promote tumor regression
Authors: Walsh Michael J , Ali Lestat R , Lenehan Patrick , Kureshi Courtney T , Kureshi Rakeeb , Dougan Michael , Knipe David M , Dougan Stephanie K 
Published: June 2023

Summary
Cancer therapeutics can lead to immune equilibrium in which the immune response controls tumor cell expansion without fully eliminating the cancer. The factors involved in this equilibrium remain incompletely understood, especially those that would antagonize the anti-tumor immune response and lead to tumor outgrowth. We previously demonstrated that continuous treatment with a non-replicating herpes simplex virus 1 expressing interleukin (IL)-12 induces a state of cancer immune equilibrium highly dependent on interferon-γ. We profiled the IL-12 virotherapy-induced immune equilibrium in murine melanoma, identifying blockade of innate inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), IL-1β, or IL-6 as possible synergistic interventions. Antibody depletions of each of these cytokines enhanced survival in mice treated with IL-12 virotherapy and helped to overcome equilibrium in some tumors. Single-cell RNA-sequencing demonstrated that blockade of inflammatory cytokines resulted in downregulation of overlapping inflammatory pathways in macrophages, shifting immune equilibrium towards tumor clearance, and raising the possibility that TNFα blockade could synergize with existing cancer immunotherapies.
Yeast culture supplementation of sow diets regulates the immune performance of their weaned piglets under lipopolysaccharide stress
Authors: Liu Yalei , Jia Xinlin , Chang Junlei , Pan Xunjing , Jiang Xuemei , Che Lianqiang , Lin Yan , Zhuo Yong , Feng Bin , Fang Zhengfeng , Li Jian , Hua Lun , Wang Jianping , Sun Mengmeng , Wu De , Xu Shengyu 
Published: June 2023

AbstractThe aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of sows with yeast cultures (XPC) during late gestation and lactation on the immune performance of their weaned offspring under lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stress. A total of 40 Landrace × Yorkshire sows (parity 3 to 7) with similar backfat thickness were selected and randomly divided into two treatment groups: a control group (basal diet) and a yeast culture group (basal diet + 2.0 g/kg XPC). The trial was conducted from day 90 of gestation to day 21 of lactation. At the end of the experiment, 12 piglets with similar weights were selected from each group and slaughtered 4 h after intraperitoneal injection with either saline or LPS. The results showed that the concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the thymus and tumor necrosis factor-α in the liver increased significantly (P &lt; 0.05) in weaned piglets after LPS injection. Maternal dietary supplementation with XPC significantly reduced the concentration of inflammatory factors in the plasma and thymus of weaned piglets (P &lt; 0.05). LPS injection significantly upregulated the expression of some tissue inflammation-related genes, significantly downregulated the expression of intestinal tight junction-related genes, and significantly elevated the protein expression of liver phospho-nuclear factor kappa B (p-NF-κB), the phospho-inhibitory subunit of NF-κB (p-IκBα), phospho-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK), Nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), and the inhibitory subunit of NF-κB (IκBα) in weaned piglets (P &lt; 0.05). Maternal dietary supplementation with XPC significantly downregulated the gene expression of IL-6 and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in the thymus and decreased the protein expression of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in the liver of weaned piglets (P &lt; 0.05). In summary, injection of LPS induced an inflammatory response in weaned piglets and destroyed the intestinal barrier. Maternal dietary supplementation of XPC improved the immune performance of weaned piglets by inhibiting inflammatory responses.
A C3 continuous double circumscribed corner rounding method for five-axis linear tool path with improved kinematics performance
Authors: Yan Guangwen , Zhang Desheng , Xu Jinting , Sun Yuwen 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Corner rounding methods have been widely developed to pursue the smooth motions of machine tools. However, most corner rounding methods, which adopt the double inscribed transitions, still remain an inherent issue of retaining large curvatures of transition curves. Even for those double circumscribed transitions-based methods with relatively small curvatures, they also constrain excessively the transition lengths and are limited to a low-order continuity, deteriorating the feedrate and jerk of machine tools. For addressing these problems, a C3 continuous double circumscribed corner rounding (DCCR) method is proposed for five-axis linear tool path. In this method, the C3 continuous double circumscribed B-splines are specially designed to round the corners of tool position and tool orientation, whose transition lengths are analytically determined by jointly constraining the approximation errors, overlaps elimination, and parameter synchronization. Moreover, the excessive constrains of transition lengths imposed by traditional methods are alleviated by fully considering the effects of overlaps and parameter synchronization, and the jerk of rotary axes is also limited with a high-order continuity. Compared to the existing double inscribed corner rounding (DICR) and DCCR methods, experiment results demonstrate that our method can improve further the feedrate while limiting the jerk of machine tools.
Disagreement in Market Index Options
Authors: Salome Guilherme , Tauchen George , Li Jia 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
We generate new evidence on disagreement among traders in the S&P 500 options market from high-frequency intraday price and volume data. Inference on disagreement is based on a model where investors observe public information but agree to disagree on its interpretation; disagreement among investors is captured by the volume–volatility elasticity. For options, there are two natural variables related to disagreement: moneyness and tenor, which we relate to disagreement about the distribution of the market index at different quantiles and times. The estimated volume–volatility elasticity equals unity for options near the money and close to expiration, which is consistent with the case of no disagreement among investors. In contrast, the elasticity estimates decrease with increases in the absolute value of moneyness, indicating investors have a higher disagreement about rare events. Likewise, the elasticity decreases with increases in tenor, implying higher investors’ disagreement about more distant events.
Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Bezlotoxumab in Children Receiving Antibacterial Treatment for Clostridioides difficile Infection (MODIFY III)
Authors: Sferra Thomas J , Merta Tomas , Neely Michael , Murta de Oliveira Claudia , Lassaletta Alvaro , Fortuny Guasch Claudia , Dorr Mary Beth , Winchell Gregory , Su Feng-Hsiu , Perko Sarah , Fernsler Doreen , Waskin Hetty , Holden Stephen R 
Published: June 2023

Abstract

Background
Therapies to prevent recurrence of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in pediatric patients are needed. Bezlotoxumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody approved for prevention of recurrent CDI in adults. We assessed the pharmacokinetics, safety, tolerability, and efficacy of bezlotoxumab in pediatric patients.

Methods
MODIFY III was a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of bezlotoxumab in children (1 to &lt;18 years) receiving antibacterial treatment for CDI. Participants were randomized 3:1 to receive a single infusion of bezlotoxumab (10 mg/kg) or placebo and were stratified by age at randomization (cohort 1: 12 to &lt;18 years, cohort 2: 1 to &lt;12 years). The primary objective was to characterize bezlotoxumab pharmacokinetics to support dose selection for pediatric patients; the primary endpoint was the area under the bezlotoxumab serum concentration–time curve (AUC0-inf). Safety, tolerability, and efficacy were monitored for 12 weeks post-infusion.

Results
A total of 148 participants were randomized and 143 were treated: 107 with bezlotoxumab and 36 with placebo (cohort 1 n = 60, cohort 2 n = 83; median age 9.0 years); 52.4% of participants were male and 80.4% were white. Geometric mean ratios (90% CI) for bezlotoxumab AUC0-inf were 1.06 (0.95, 1.18) and 0.82 (0.75, 0.89) h * μg/mL for cohorts 1 and 2, respectively. Bezlotoxumab 10 mg/kg was generally well-tolerated with an adverse event profile similar to placebo, including no treatment discontinuations due to adverse events. CDI recurrence was low and comparable for bezlotoxumab (11.2%) and placebo (14.7%).

Conclusions
The results of this study support the bezlotoxumab dose of 10 mg/kg for pediatric patients.

Trial registration
NCT03182907 at ClinicalTrials.gov
Understanding the politics of refugee law and policy making: Interdisciplinary and empirical approaches
Authors: Ghezelbash Daniel , Dorostkar Keyvan 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
In this article, we argue that building a stronger empirical understanding of the politics of domestic refugee law and policy making is essential for refugee law scholars to better advocate for protection-orientated reforms. While much of the legal scholarship is aimed at promoting policy change, the best way to achieve this goal has rarely been examined. We identify three key areas of interdisciplinary empirical research that can create a stronger evidence-base for improving domestic policy reform efforts. This includes understanding the institutions and actors involved in policy formulation, measuring the impact of refugee laws and policies in practice, and identifying how to influence public opinion and build support for progressive law and policy change. We showcase existing interdisciplinary research in each of these areas, and highlight topics ripe for further empirical inquiry.
A search for intercluster filaments with LOFAR and eROSITA
Authors: Hoang D N , Brüggen M , Zhang X , Bonafede A , Liu A , Liu T , Shimwell T W , Botteon A , Brunetti G , Bulbul E , Gennaro G Di , O’Sullivan S P , Pasini T , Röttgering H J A , Vernstrom T , van Weeren R J 
Published: June 2023

ABSTRACT
Cosmological simulations predict the presence of warm hot thermal gas in the cosmic filaments that connect galaxy clusters. This gas is thought to constitute an important part of the missing baryons in the Universe. In addition to the thermal gas, cosmic filaments could contain a population of relativistic particles and magnetic fields. A detection of magnetic fields in filaments can constrain early magnetogenesis in the cosmos. So far, the resulting diffuse synchrotron emission has only been indirectly detected. We present our search for thermal and non-thermal diffuse emission from intercluster regions of 106 paired galaxy clusters by stacking the 0.6–2.3 keV X-ray and 144 MHz radio data obtained with the eROSITA telescope onboard the Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG) observatory and LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR), respectively. The stacked data do not show the presence of X-ray and radio diffuse emission in the intercluster regions. This could be due to the sensitivity of the data sets and/or the limited number of cluster pairs used in this study. Assuming a constant radio emissivity in the filaments, we find that the mean radio emissivity is not higher than $1.2\times 10^{-44}\, {\rm erg \, s^{-1} \, cm^{-3} \, Hz^{-1}}$. Under equipartition conditions, our upper limit on the mean emissivity translates to an upper limit of $\sim 75\, {\rm nG}$ for the mean magnetic field strength in the filaments, depending on the spectral index and the minimum energy cutoff. We discuss the constraint for the magnetic field strength in the context of the models for the formation of magnetic fields in cosmic filaments.