bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Illicit Drug and High-Risk Alcohol Use among Adolescents Living in Urban Slums of Kampala, Uganda
Authors: Kalungi Hellen , Kamacooko Onesmus , Lunkuse Jane Frances , Namutebi Joy , Naluwooza Rose , Price Matt A. , Ruzagira Eugene , Mayanja Yunia 
Published: July 2023

AbstractBackgroundIllicit drug and high risk alcohol use among adolescents leads to poor health outcomes. We enrolled adolescents from urban slums in Kampala, Uganda, to assess baseline prevalence, and factors associated with illicit drug and high-risk alcohol consumption.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study using data collected in a cohort that enrolled 14-19-year-old male and female participants from 25-March-2019 to 30-March 2020. Data was collected on social-demographics, sexual behavior and reproductive health using interviewer administered questionnaires. The main outcomes were illicit drug use and high-risk alcohol use. Data on alcohol use was collected using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT); results were dichotomized. Factors associated with each outcome were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression.ResultsWe enrolled 490 participants (60.6% female) with median age 18 (IQR 17-18) years, 91.0% had less than secondary education, 48.4% had their sexual debut before 15years, 47.1% reported paid sex in the past 3 months and 24.7% had a sexually transmitted infection (chlamydia, gonorrhea and/ or active syphilis) at enrolment.The prevalence of illicit drug use was 34.9% while 16.1% were screened as high-risk alcohol users. Illicit drug use was associated with being male (aOR 9.62; 95% CI 5.74-16.11), being married (aOR 2.24; 95%CI 1.07-4.68) and having ≥10 paying sexual partners in the past 3 months (aOR 3.13; 95%CI 1.40-6.98). High risk alcohol use was associated with reporting sex work as the main job (aOR 3.19; 95%CI 1.02-9.94) and having experienced physical (aOR 1.96 95%CI 1.01-3.81) or emotional violence (aOR 2.08; 95%CI 1.14-3.82) from sexual partners.ConclusionIllicit drug and high-risk alcohol use are prevalent among adolescents involved in high risk sexual behavior and living in urban slums of Kampala. Comprehensive interventions that target substance use among this group of young people are needed and should include measures against intimate partner violence.
Temporal trends and factors associated with emergency department visits and hospitalizations in angina with no obstructive coronary artery disease (ANOCA)
Authors: Patel Shubh , Fung Marinda , Butalia Sonia , Anderson Todd J 
Published: July 2023

AbstractIntroductionAngina with no obstructive coronary artery disease (ANOCA) presents diagnostic and treatment challenges, significantly burdening healthcare resources as reported in previous studies. This study assessed temporal changes in emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations for ANOCA and factors associated with these outcomes.Methods/ResultsWe assessed a retrospective cohort of 85,573 individuals (26% with ANOCA, 31% female, mean age 62.1±12.0 years) who underwent their first cardiac catheterization for chest pain in Alberta from 2002 to 2017. Temporal trend analysis showed ED visits ranged from 26.3% to 30.7% (β=0.21 [95%CI:-0.28 to 0.70];p=0.33) for ANOCA and from 47.7% to 53.1% (β=-0.15[95%CI:-0.87 to 0.57];p=0.63) for obstructive CAD, with no temporal changes in either. Hospitalizations decreased from 6.5% to 3.8% (β=-0.28 [95%CI:-0.47 to -0.09];p=0.010) for ANOCA and from 24.8% to 15.3% (β=-1.45 [95%CI:-1.77 to -1.12];p<0.001) for obstructive CAD. Multivariable logistic regression analysis factors associated with ED visits in individuals with ANOCA included cerebrovascular disease (CEVD) (OR=1.73 [95%CI:1.40–2.15]), congestive heart failure (CHF) (OR=1.91 [95%CI:1.49–2.44]), peripheral artery disease (PAD) (OR=1.61 [95%CI:1.18–2.19), and unstable angina (UA) (versus (vs) stable angina (SA): OR=1.65 [95%CI:1.51–1.80]). Factors associated with hospitalizations in ANOCA included CEVD (OR=1.39 [95%CI:1.11–1.73]), CHF (OR=2.06 [95%CI:1.66–2.56]), hypertension (OR: 1.26 [95%CI:1.14–1.40]), PAD (OR=1.89 [95%CI:1.43–2.50]), and myocardial infarction (vs SA: OR=1.27 [95%CI:1.12–1.44]), and UA (vs SA: OR=1.36 [95%CI:1.22–1.52]).ConclusionsED visits for ANOCA remained stable, while hospitalizations declined over time. Understanding factors associated with recurrent visits may aid clinicians in treatment strategies.Clinical PerspectiveWhat is new?This study was the first to characterize emergency department (ED) visits and assess temporal trends of ED visits and hospitalizations in individuals with ANOCA.ED visits for individuals with ANOCA or obstructive CAD have remained stable over time, with a significant decline in hospitalizations for both groups.In contrast to previous studies, individuals with obstructive CAD had higher ED visits and hospitalizations rates than those with ANOCA.What are the clinical implications?Increased recognition of ANOCA may be responsible for decreasing hospitalizations.Despite increased awareness, individuals with ANOCA still frequently visit the ED, highlighting the need for improved education on persistent chest pain and unnecessary ED visits.The development of specialized chest pain clinics using a multidisciplinary approach could reduce unnecessary ED visits and hospitalizations, thereby improving the quality of life for individuals with ANOCA.
Efficacy of N-163 beta-glucan in beneficially improving biomarkers of relevance to muscle function in patients with muscular dystrophies in a pilot clinical study
Authors: Raghavan Kadalraja , Sivakumar Thanasekar , Ichiyama Koji , Yamamoto Naoki , Balamurugan Mangaleswaran , Dedeepiya Vidyasagar Devaprasad , Senthilkumar Rajappa , Preethy Senthilkumar , Abraham Samuel JK 
Published: July 2023

AbstractBackground:Muscular dystrophies other than Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) are genetic diseases characterized by increasing muscle weakness, loss of ambulation, and ultimately cardiac and respiratory failure. There are currently no effective therapeutics available. Having demonstrated the efficacy of a N-163 strain of Aureobasidium Pullulans (Neu-REFIX) produced B-1, 3-1,6-Glucan in pre-clinical and clinical studies of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) earlier, we assessed the effectiveness of this novel Beta glucan in the other muscular dystrophies in the present study.Methods:In this 60-day study, six patients with muscular dystrophies other than DMD consumed one 8g gel of Neu-REFIX beta-glucan along with their usual standard of care treatment regimen, and their biomarkers of relevance to muscle function such as serum calcium (SC), creatinine phosphokinase (CPK), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels along with functional improvement criteria, viz., Medical research council (MRC) scale and North Star Ambulatory assessment (NSAA) were assessed at baseline and following the intervention.Results:After the intervention, the SC levels significantly decreased from a mean baseline value of 9.28 mg/dL to 8.31 mg/dL (p-value = 0.02). With a p-value of 0.29, the mean CPK value dropped from 2192.33 IU/L to 1567.5 IU/L. Following the intervention, the ALP levels dropped from 200.33 to 75.5 U/L (p-value =0.15). MRC scale improved in three out of six patients. NSAA remained stable. There were no adverse effects.Conclusion:This study has proven the safety of Neu REFIX beta-glucan food supplement and its efficacy in improving both plasma biomarkers and functional parameters of muscle in a short duration of 2 months. Further validation by evaluation of muscle function for a longer duration is recommended to confirm the efficacy of Neu-REFIX food supplement as a potential adjuvant DMT in muscular dystrophies.
Trade-offs in a reef-building coral after six years of thermal acclimation
Authors: Roik Anna , Wall Marlene , Dobelmann Melina , Nietzer Samuel , Brefeld David , Fiesinger Anna , Reverter Miriam , Schupp Peter J. , Jackson Matthew , Rutsch Marie , Strahl Julia 
Published: July 2023

AbstractEvidence is growing that reef-building corals have the capacity to acclimate to new and challenging thermal conditions by increasing their thermal resistance. This raises hopes for their future persistence in a warming world. However, potential trade-offs that accompany such resistance gains, have remained largely unexplored. We provide the first report on the physiological trade-offs in a globally abundant and ecologically relevant coral species (Pocillopora acuta), after a long-term exposure to an elevated temperature of 31 °C in comparison to conspecifics cultivated under a cooler ‘control’ thermal regime. At both temperatures, corals consistently appeared to be visually healthy throughout a six-year period. At 31 °C, corals had increased metabolic rates (both respiration and photosynthesis) that resulted in higher biomass accumulation and total energy reserves compared to the corals from the ambient regime. Further, the composition of coral host tissues shifted in favor of lipid build-up, suggesting an altered mechanism of energy storage. The increase in biomass growth came at the cost of declining skeletal growth rates and the formation of higher density skeletons. In the long-term, this trade-off will result in lower extension rates that can entail major ramifications for future reef building processes and reef community composition. Moreover, symbionts at 31 °C were physiologically more compromised with overall lower energy reserves, possibly indicating a stronger exploitation by the host and potentially a lower stress resilience. Our study provides first insights into a successful thermal acclimation mechanism that involved the prioritization of energy storage over skeletal growth, entailing higher demands on the symbionts. Our observation in this 6-year study does not align with observations of short-term studies, where elevated temperatures caused a depletion of tissue lipids in corals, which highlights the importance of studying acclimation of organisms over their relevant biological scales. Further investigations into trade-offs at biologically relevant scales and how they unfold under an acute heat stress will help to provide a more comprehensive picture of the future coral reef trajectory. Importantly, these insights will also help improve interventions aimed at increasing the thermal resilience of corals which anticipate to use thermal preconditioning treatments for stress-hardening.Graphical abstract
Early life adversity reduces affiliative behavior towards a distressed cagemate and leads to sex-specific alterations in corticosterone responses
Authors: Breton Jocelyn M. , Cort Zoey , Demaestri Camila , Critz Madalyn , Nevins Samuel , Downend Kendall , Ofray Dayshalis , Romeo Russell D. , Bath Kevin G. 
Published: July 2023

AbstractExperiencing early life adversity (ELA) alters stress physiology and increases the risk for developing psychiatric disorders. The social environment can influence dynamics of stress responding and buffer and/or transfer stress across individuals. Yet, the impact of ELA on sensitivity to the stress of others and social behavior following stress is unknown. Here, to test the impact of ELA on social and physiological responses to stress, circulating blood corticosterone (CORT) and social behaviors were assessed in adult male and female mice reared under limited bedding and nesting (LBN) or control conditions. To induce stress, one cagemate of a pair-housed cage underwent a footshock paradigm and was then returned to their unshocked partner. CORT was measured in both mice 20 or 90 minutes after stress exposure, and social behaviors were recorded and analyzed. ELA rearing influenced the CORT response to stress in a sex-specific manner. In males, both control and ELA-reared mice exhibited similar stress transfer to unshocked cagemates and similar CORT dynamics. In contrast, ELA females showed a heightened stress transfer to unshocked cagemates, and sustained elevation of CORT relative to controls, indicating enhanced stress contagion and a failure to terminate the stress response. Behaviorally, ELA females displayed decreased allogrooming and increased investigative behaviors, while ELA males showed reduced huddling. Together, these findings demonstrate that ELA influenced HPA axis dynamics, social stress contagion and social behavior. Further research is needed to unravel the underlying mechanisms and long-term consequences of ELA on stress systems and their impact on behavioral outcomes.
The influence of gene flow on population viability in an isolated urban caracal population
Authors: Kyriazis Christopher C. , Serieys Laurel E.K. , Bishop Jacqueline M. , Drouilly Marine , Viljoen Storme , Wayne Robert K. , Lohmueller Kirk E. 
Published: July 2023

AbstractWildlife populations are becoming increasingly fragmented by anthropogenic development. Such small and isolated populations often face an elevated risk of extinction, in part due to inbreeding depression. Here, we examine the genomic consequences of urbanization in a caracal (Caracal caracal) population that has become isolated in the Cape Peninsula region of the city of Cape Town, South Africa and is thought to number ∼50 individuals. We document low levels of migration into the population over the past ∼75 years, with an estimated rate of 1.3 effective migrants per generation. As a consequence of this isolation and small population size, levels of inbreeding are elevated in the contemporary Cape Peninsula population (mean FROH>1Mb=0.20). Inbreeding primarily manifests as long runs of homozygosity >10Mb, consistent with the effects of isolation due to the rapid recent growth of Cape Town. To explore how reduced migration and elevated inbreeding may impact future population dynamics, we parameterized an eco-evolutionary simulation model. We find that if migration rates do not change in the future, the population is expected to decline only slightly, with a low projected risk of extinction. However, if migration rates decline or anthropogenic mortality rates increase, the potential risk of extinction is greatly elevated. To avert a population decline, we suggest that translocating migrants into the Cape Peninsula to initiate a genetic rescue may be warranted in the near future. Our analysis highlights the utility of genomic datasets coupled with computational simulation models for investigating the influence of gene flow on population viability.
The T cell receptor sequence influences the likelihood of T cell memory formation
Authors: Lagattuta Kaitlyn A. , Nathan Aparna , Rumker Laurie , Birnbaum Michael E. , Raychaudhuri Soumya 
Published: July 2023

AbstractT cell differentiation depends on activation through the T cell receptor (TCR), whose amino acid sequence varies cell to cell. Particular TCR amino acid sequences nearly guarantee Mucosal-Associated Invariant T (MAIT) and Natural Killer T (NKT) cell fates. To comprehensively define how TCR amino acids affects all T cell fates, we analyze the paired αβTCR sequence and transcriptome of 819,772 single cells. We find that hydrophobic CDR3 residues promote regulatory T cell transcriptional states in both the CD8 and CD4 lineages. Most strikingly, we find a set of TCR sequence features, concentrated in CDR2α, that promotes positive selection in the thymus as well as transition from naïve to memory in the periphery. Even among T cells that recognize the same antigen, these TCR sequence features help to explain which T cells form immunological memory, which is essential for effective pathogen response.
Simple and rewireable biomolecular building blocks for DNA machine-learning algorithms
Authors: Lee Ryan C. , Corsano Ariel , Tseng Chung Yi , Chou Leo Y. T. 
Published: July 2023

ABSTRACTDeep learning algorithms, such as neural networks, enable the processing of complex datasets with many related variables, and have applications in disease diagnosis, cell profiling, and drug discovery. Beyond its use in electronic computers, neural networks have been implemented using programmable biomolecules such as DNA. This confers unique advantages such as greater portability, ability to operate without electricity, and direct analysis of patterns of biomolecules in solution. Analogous to past bottlenecks in electronic computers, the computing power of DNA-based neural networks is limited by the ability to add more computing units, i.e. neurons. This limitation exists because current architectures require many nucleic acids to model a single neuron. Each addition of a neuron to the network compounds existing problems such as long assembly times, high background signal, and cross-talk between components. Here we test three strategies to solve this limitation and improve the scalability of DNA-based neural networks: (i) enzymatic synthesis to generate high-purity neurons, (ii) spatial patterning of neuron clusters based on their network position, and (iii) encoding neuron connectivity on a universal single-stranded DNA backbone. We show that neurons implemented via these strategies activate quickly, with high signal-to-background ratio, and respond to varying input concentrations and weights. Using this neuron design, we implemented basic neural network motifs such as cascading, fan-in, and fan-out circuits. Since this design is modular, easy to synthesize, and compatible with multiple neural network architectures, we envision it will help scale DNA-based neural networks in a variety of settings. This will enable portable computing power for applications such as portable diagnostics, compact data storage, and autonomous decision making for lab-on-a-chips.
Liquid channels withinB. subtilisbiofilms allow the escape of trapped clones and population rescue
Authors: Krishnan Nikhil , Knight Joseph , Mookherjee Abhirup , Ruiz Pestana Luis , Fusco Diana 
Published: July 2023

ABSTRACTBacterial communities undergoing spatial expansions, such as colonies and biofilms, typically exhibit a severe loss of genetic diversity due to gene surfing, a phenomenon by which only cells close to the expanding edge have a chance of contributing to the next generation. As a result, mutants that emerge behind the front will remain trapped in the bulk of the population, even if they carry a significant growth advantage. While these findings are applicable to smooth, uniformly dense colonies, where cell spatial re-arrangement is limited, it is unclear whether they hold in bacterial communities that display complex three-dimensional morphologies, such as wrinkly biofilms.We employ an experimental procedure that enables a rapid switch of the chemical environment with minimal physical manipulation of the cell community to investigate the fate of trapped clones carrying a selective advantage in wrinklyB. subtilisbiofilms. We find that these clones are able to use the channels underneath the wrinkles to traverse long distances and take over the expansion front. Moreover, we find that active motility is required to accomplish this task. Collectively, our findings reveal an intriguing novel role of wrinkles, as they enable potentially advantageous mutants to propel themselves towards the leading edge of the expansion and rescue the population upon environmental changes. Our results also point at motility, which has traditionally received little attention in bacterial communities growing on hard substrates, as a key mechanism for population rescue in biofilms that display complex morphologies.
Odor source distance is predictable from a time-history of odor statistics for large scale outdoor plumes
Authors: Nag Arunava , van Breugel Floris 
Published: July 2023

ABSTRACTOdor plumes in turbulent environments are intermittent and sparse. Lab-scaled experiments suggest that information about the source distance may be encoded in odor signal statistics, yet it is unclear whether useful and continuous distance estimates can be made under real-world flow conditions. Here we analyze odor signals from outdoor experiments with a sensor moving across large spatial scales in desert and forest environments to show that odor signal statistics can yield useful estimates of distance. We show that achieving accurate estimates of distance requires integrating statistics from 5-10 seconds, with a high temporal encoding of the olfactory signal of at least 20 Hz. By combining distance estimates from a linear model with wind-relative motion dynamics, we achieved source distance estimates in a 60×60 m2search area with median errors of 3-8 meters, a distance at which point odor sources are often within visual range for animals such as mosquitoes.
Impact of stopwatch use on propofol administration in upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: A propensity score matching analysis
Authors: Kim Yong bae 
Published: July 2023

AbstractBackground and AimsSedation endoscopy using propofol significantly reduces procedure-related discomforts and increases patient compliance. However, propofol has a very narrow therapeutic window, and the dose required for each individual is very diverse; hence, it must be used with extreme caution. Maintaining an appropriate dosing interval is also important to administer the appropriate dose. This study aimed to investigate the change in propofol dose before and after stopwatch installation in the endoscopy unit and to assess the effect of administration intervals on propofol usage patterns.MethodsThis retrospective study included people who underwent sedation endoscopy without biopsies between January 1 and October 31 of 2019. The participants were divided into before (n = 526) and after (n = 845) groups. In the after group, drug interval was rigorously maintained using the stopwatch. Changes in propofol dose with respect to sex, age, weight, height, and endoscopic procedure time were statistically analyzed. Group difference between each variable was reduced by propensity score matching adjustment, and statistical analysis was conducted using the R program.ResultsNo adverse event occurred. The propofol dosage per body weight decreased from 1.38 mg/kg (before) to 1.27 mg/kg (after) in females (p< 0.0001), while it increased from 1.23 mg/kg to 1.28 mg/kg in males (p= 0.016). These changes were found to be significantly different between sexes before the installation of the stopwatch (p< 0.0001). However, after the installation of the stopwatch, there was no significant difference in propofol dosage between males and females (1.28 mg/kg vs. 1.27 mg/kg;p= 0.9752).ConclusionsThe use of a stopwatch in sedative upper gastrointestinal endoscopy reduced the propofol requirement in females but not in males.