Cyclosporine is an immunosuppressive drug that is widely used to prevent organ transplant rejection. Known intracellular ligands for cyclosporine include the cyclophilins, a large family of phylogenetically conserved proteins that potentially regulate protein folding in cells. Immunosuppression by cyclosporine is thought to result from the formation of a drug-cyclophilin complex that binds to and inhibits calcineurin, a serine/threonine phosphatase that is activated by TCR engagement. Amino acids within the cyclophilins that are critical for binding to cyclosporine have been identified. Most of these residues are highly conserved within the 15 mammalian cyclophilins, suggesting that many are potential targets for the drug. We examined the effects of cyclosporine on immune cells and mice lacking Ppia, the gene encoding the prototypical cyclophilin protein cyclophilin A. TCR-induced proliferation and signal transduction by Ppia(-/-) CD4(+) T cells were resistant to cyclosporine, an effect that was attributable to diminished calcineurin inhibition. Immunosuppressive doses of cyclosporine failed to block the responses of Ppia(-/-) mice to allogeneic challenge. Rag2(-/-) mice reconstituted with Ppia(-/-) splenocytes were also cyclosporine resistant, indicating that this property is intrinsic to Ppia(-/-) immune cells. Thus, among multiple potential ligands, CypA is the primary mediator of immunosuppression by cyclosporine.
Department of Microbiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)
Cyclophilin A-deficient mice are resistant to immunosuppression by cyclosporine.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) is frequently amplified and highly expressed in lobular carcinomas of the breast. In this report, we evaluated the biological activity of FGFR1 in a wide range of in vitro assays. Conditional activation of FGFR1 in the nontransformed MCF10A human mammary cell line, MCF10A, resulted in cellular transformation marked by epidermal growth factor-independent cell growth, anchorage-independent cell proliferation and survival, loss of cell polarity, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Interestingly, small-molecule or small interfering RNA inhibition of ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK) activity induced death of the FGFR1-transformed cells, but not of the parental MCF10A cell line. The dependence of FGFR1-transformed cells on RSK activity was further confirmed in cell lines derived from mouse and human lobular carcinomas that possess high FGFR1 activity. Taken together, these results show the transforming activity of FGFR1 in mammary epithelial cells and identify RSK as a critical component of FGFR1 signaling in lobular carcinomas, thus implicating RSK as a candidate therapeutic target in FGFR1-expressing tumors.
Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1-transformed mammary epithelial cells are dependent on RSK activity for growth and survival.

Inadequate tissue perfusion is a key contributor to early complications following reconstructive procedures. Accurate and reliable intraoperative evaluation of tissue perfusion is critical to reduce complications and improve clinical outcomes. Clinical judgment is the most commonly used method for evaluating blood supply, but when used alone, is not always completely reliable. A variety of other methodologies have been evaluated, including Doppler devices, tissue oximetry, and fluorescein, among others. However, none have achieved widespread acceptance. Recently, intraoperative laser angiography using indocyanine green was introduced to reconstructive surgery. This vascular imaging technology provides real-time assessment of tissue perfusion that correlates with clinical outcomes and can be used to guide surgical decision making. Although this technology has been used for decades in other areas, surgeons may not be aware of its utility for perfusion assessment in reconstructive surgery. A group of experts with extensive experience with intraoperative laser angiography convened to identify key issues in perfusion assessment, review available methodologies, and produce initial recommendations for the use of this technology in reconstructive procedures.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA. michael.zenn@duke.edu.
Annals of surgical innovation and research
Intraoperative laser angiography using the SPY system: review of the literature and recommendations for use.

Unaffected relatives (URs) of individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) are biologically more vulnerable to depression. We compare healthy URs and controls at the level of phenotype (symptoms and functioning) and endophenotype (negative emotion bias), and further investigate the interrelation between these and the contribution of environmental early life stress.URs (n=101), identified using Family History Screen interview methods and matched controls completed written and interview questions assessing symptoms of depression and anxiety, negative cognitive style, life functioning and early life stress. Biases in emotion processing were measured using a facial expression of emotion identification paradigm.Compared to controls, URs reported higher levels of depression and anxiety, a stronger negative cognitive bias, and poorer functioning and lower satisfaction with life. URs were slower to correctly identify fear and sad facial expressions. A slower response time to identify sad faces was correlated with lower quality of life in the social domain. Early life stress (ELS) did not contribute significantly to any outcome.The methodology relies on accurate reporting of participants' own psychiatric history and that of their family members. The degree of vulnerability varies among URs.A family history of depression accounts for subtle differences in symptom levels and functioning without a necessary role of ELS. A negative emotion bias in processing emotion may be one vulnerability marker for MDD. Biological markers may affect functioning measures before symptoms at the level of experience.
Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Discipline of Psychiatry, University of Sydney Medical School, NSW, Australia.
Using multiple methods to characterize the phenotype of individuals with a family history of major depressive disorder.

Depression is a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia. This risk may vary with age of onset and depression subtype. Late onset depression (LOD, 60 years and older) is associated with more cognitive decline, whereas early onset depression (EOD, before 60 years) is associated with more residual depressive symptoms. Potential differences may reflect divergent etiologies. These onset differences, however, have not been examined in the melancholic subtype of depression in older adults.Data were obtained from the Neurocognitive Outcomes of Depression in the Elderly study. Participants (N = 284, 73% EOD-melancholic (EOD-M) and 27% LOD-melancholic (LOD-M)) were followed up over 3 years. Factor analyses examined differences in baseline depressive symptoms. Hierarchical linear growth curve models examined changes in depressive symptoms (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale) and cognition (mini mental state examination). An annual clinical review panel assigned diagnoses of dementia.The LOD-M participants had more vegetative symptoms at baseline. LOD-M exhibited greater cognitive decline but fewer residual depressive symptoms than EOD-M. Among participants who remained in the study for at least 1 year, in uncontrolled analyses, a greater percentage of LOD-M compared with EOD-M developed dementia (23.0% vs. 7.8%). Whereas in logistic analyses, controlling for baseline demographics, age at onset remained a predictor of dementia, the odds ratio suggested that the effect was relatively small.The EOD-M and LOD-M participants have a different presentation and course. LOD-M may represent a syndrome of neuropsychiatric deterioration with expression of both depressive symptoms and cognitive decline.
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
International journal of geriatric psychiatry
Melancholia in later life: late and early onset differences in presentation, course, and dementia risk.

The National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) emphasizes the use of technology to facilitate coordination of comprehensive care for people with HIV. We examined the effect of six health information technology (HIT) interventions in a Ryan White-funded Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) on care completion services, engagement in HIV care, and viral suppression.Interventions included use of surveillance data to identify out-of-care individuals, extending access to electronic health records to support service providers, use of electronic laboratory ordering and prescribing, and development of a patient portal. Data from a sample of electronic patient records from each site were analyzed to assess changes in utilization of comprehensive care (prevention screening, support service utilization), engagement in primary HIV medical care (receipt of services and use of antiretroviral therapy), and viral suppression. We used weighted generalized estimating equations to estimate outcomes while accounting for the unequal contribution of data and differences in the distribution of patient characteristics across sites and over time.We observed statistically significant changes in the desired direction in comprehensive care utilization and engagement in primary care outcomes targeted by each site. Five of six sites experienced statistically significant increases in viral suppression.These results provide additional support for the use of HIT as a valuable tool for achieving the NHAS goal of providing comprehensive care for all people living with HIV. HIT has the potential to increase utilization of services, improve health outcomes for people with HIV, and reduce community viral load and subsequent transmission of HIV.
© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com For affiliation see end of article.
Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.
Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA
Health information technology interventions enhance care completion, engagement in HIV care and treatment, and viral suppression among HIV-infected patients in publicly funded settings.

Significant strides have been made in electronic (e)-prescribing standards and software applications that have further fueled the adoption and use of e-prescribing. However, for e-prescribing to realize its full potential for improving the safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of prescription drug delivery, important work remains to be carried out. This perspective describes the ultimate goal of all e-prescribing stakeholders including prescribers and dispensing pharmacists: a clear, complete, and unambiguous e-prescription order that can be seamlessly received, processed, and fulfilled at the dispensing pharmacy without the need for additional clarification from the prescriber. We discuss the challenges to creating the perfect e-prescription by focusing on selected data segments and data fields that are available in the new e-prescription transaction as defined in the NCPDP SCRIPT Standard and suggest steps that could be taken to move the industry closer to achieving this vision.
© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Surescripts LLC, Arlington, Virginia, USA.
Midwestern University, Glendale, Arizona, USA.
J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2015-04;22(e1):e7-e12.
Towards creating the perfect electronic prescription.

In the USA, approximately 4% of the estimated 1 million Salmonella infections occurring annually are reported to public health. Administrative claims data from large health insurance companies capture disease-specific data which could potentially enhance public health surveillance. To determine the utility of medical claims data for public health reporting of Salmonella, we assessed medical claims data from BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) members compared to Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) surveillance data. BCBST Salmonella cases diagnosed during 2007-2011 were matched to TDH Salmonella cases reported during the same time period. Matches and non-matches were validated using medical records. Of the 450 BCBST cases identified, 72% matched TDH cases. All culture-confirmed BCBST cases were reported to TDH. Non-matched BCBST cases included clinical diagnoses which were culture negative or not tested. Our findings indicate administrative claims data are not currently a viable mechanism for enhancing routine reporting of Salmonella infections.
Tennessee Department of Health, Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness, Nashville, Tennessee, USA CDC/CSTE Applied Epidemiology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Tennessee Department of Health, Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA.
Assessment of administrative claims data for public health reporting of Salmonella in Tennessee.

Electronic health record (EHR) systems are linked to improvements in quality of care, yet also privacy and security risks. Results from research studies are mixed about whether patients withhold personal information from their providers to protect against the perceived EHR privacy and security risks. This study seeks to reconcile the mixed findings by focusing on whether accounting for patients' global ratings of care reveals a relationship between EHR provider-use and patient non-disclosure.A nationally representative sample from the 2012 Health Information National Trends Survey was analyzed using bivariate and multivariable logit regressions to examine whether global ratings of care suppress the relationship between EHR provider-use and patient non-disclosure.13% of respondents reported having ever withheld information from a provider because of privacy/security concerns. Bivariate analysis showed that withholding information was unrelated to whether respondents' providers used an EHR. Multivariable analysis showed that accounting for respondents' global ratings of care revealed a positive relationship between having a provider who uses an EHR and withholding information.After accounting for global ratings of care, findings suggest that patients may non-disclose to providers to protect against the perceived EHR privacy and security risks. Despite evidence that EHRs inhibit patient disclosure, their advantages for promoting quality of care may outweigh the drawbacks.Clinicians should leverage the EHR's value in quality of care and discuss patients' privacy concerns during clinic visits, while policy makers should consider how to address the real and perceived privacy and security risks of EHRs.
© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Department of Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Department of Sociology, Institute for Security, Technology, and Society, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA.
The double-edged sword of electronic health records: implications for patient disclosure.

Identity information is often used to link records within or among information systems in public health and clinical settings. The quality and stability of birth certificate identifiers impacts both the success of linkage efforts and the value of birth certificate registries for identity resolution.Our objectives were to describe: (1) the frequency and cause of changes to birth certificate identifiers as children age, and (2) the frequency of events (ie, adoptions, paternities, amendments) that may trigger changes and their impact on names.We obtained two de-identified datasets from the Utah birth certificate registry: (1) change history from 2000 to 2012, and (2) occurrences for adoptions, paternities, and amendments among births in 1987 and 2000. We conducted cohort analyses for births in 1987 and 2000, examining the number, reason, and extent of changes over time. We conducted cross-sectional analyses to assess the patterns of changes between 2000 and 2012.In a cohort of 48 350 individuals born in 2000 in Utah, 3164 (6.5%) experienced a change in identifiers prior to their 13th birthday, with most changes occurring before 2 years of age. Cross-sectional analysis showed that identifiers are stable for individuals over 5 years of age, but patterns of changes fluctuate considerably over time, potentially due to policy and social factors.Identities represented in birth certificates change over time. Specific events that cause changes to birth certificates also fluctuate over time. Understanding these changes can help in the development of automated strategies to improve identity resolution.
Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Intermountain Healthcare, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Department of Computer Science, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA.
Birth of identity: understanding changes to birth certificates and their value for identity resolution.

Crowdsourcing dietary ratings for food photographs, which uses the input of several users to provide feedback, has potential to assist with dietary self-monitoring.This study assessed how closely crowdsourced ratings of foods and beverages contained in 450 pictures from the Eatery mobile app as rated by peer users (fellow Eatery app users) (n = 5006 peers, mean 18.4 peer ratings/photo) using a simple 'healthiness' scale were related to the ratings of the same pictures by trained observers (raters). In addition, the foods and beverages present in each picture were categorized and the impact on the peer rating scale by food/beverage category was examined. Raters were trained to provide a 'healthiness' score using criteria from the 2010 US Dietary Guidelines.The average of all three raters' scores was highly correlated with the peer healthiness score for all photos (r = 0.88, p<0.001). Using a multivariate linear model (R(2) = 0.73) to examine the association of peer healthiness scores with foods and beverages present in photos, peer ratings were in the hypothesized direction for both foods/beverages to increase and ones to limit. Photos with fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, nuts, and seeds (borderline at p = 0.06) were all associated with higher peer healthiness scores, and processed foods (borderline at p = 0.06), food from fast food restaurants, refined grains, red meat, cheese, savory snacks, sweets/desserts, and sugar-sweetened beverages were associated with lower peer healthiness scores.The findings suggest that crowdsourcing holds potential to provide basic feedback on overall diet quality to users utilizing a low burden approach.
Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, South Carolina, USA.
Department of Signal Processing, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland.
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Tampere, Finland.
Department of Signal Processing, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Tampere, Finland.
The use of crowdsourcing for dietary self-monitoring: crowdsourced ratings of food pictures are comparable to ratings by trained observers.

Mobile health (mHealth) customers shopping for applications (apps) should be aware of app privacy practices so they can make informed decisions about purchase and use. We sought to assess the availability, scope, and transparency of mHealth app privacy policies on iOS and Android. Over 35,000 mHealth apps are available for iOS and Android. Of the 600 most commonly used apps, only 183 (30.5%) had privacy policies. Average policy length was 1755 (SD 1301) words with a reading grade level of 16 (SD 2.9). Two thirds (66.1%) of privacy policies did not specifically address the app itself. Our findings show that currently mHealth developers often fail to provide app privacy policies. The privacy policies that are available do not make information privacy practices transparent to users, require college-level literacy, and are often not focused on the app itself. Further research is warranted to address why privacy policies are often absent, opaque, or irrelevant, and to find a remedy.
Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, The Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics, Harvard Law School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Children's Hospital Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Availability and quality of mobile health app privacy policies.

The high level of stress associated with caring for others with medical conditions has been recognized for some time. Reducing caregiver stress can improve caregiver quality of life as well as improve the care they provide to loved ones. This systematic review assesses the effectiveness of internet-based interventions to decrease caregiver stress.A comprehensive literature search of Ovid MEDLINE (1946-2013), Embase (1988-2013), PsycINFO (1987-2013), and CINAHL was conducted using terms related to caregiver and internet-based interventions. Internet-based interventions involving informal caregivers in an open-label or randomized controlled trial setting were included. A pair of raters independently reviewed all published abstracts. Data regarding participants, interventions, and outcomes were extracted and, for randomized trials, methodology quality was also reviewed.Eight open-label trials met the review criteria: three showed positive benefit in reducing caregiver stress, four were partially positive (some outcomes positive, others negative), and one was a negative study. Sixteen randomized trials met the review criteria: six showed positive benefit, five were partially positive, and five were negative. There were no clear patterns as to the variables (such as study duration and complexity of intervention) associated with better outcomes, although earlier studies typically had more negative outcomes.Internet-based interventions were mostly effective in reducing aspects of caregiver stress and improving their well-being. Further studies to assess outcomes for caregivers and their recipients' health, different technology delivery methods, and the cost of such interventions are needed.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Reducing caregiver stress with internet-based interventions: a systematic review of open-label and randomized controlled trials.

Radiology reports are usually narrative, unstructured text, a format which hinders the ability to input report contents into decision support systems. In addition, reports often describe multiple lesions, and it is challenging to automatically extract information on each lesion and its relationships to characteristics, anatomic locations, and other information that describes it. The goal of our work is to develop natural language processing (NLP) methods to recognize each lesion in free-text mammography reports and to extract its corresponding relationships, producing a complete information frame for each lesion.We built an NLP information extraction pipeline in the General Architecture for Text Engineering (GATE) NLP toolkit. Sequential processing modules are executed, producing an output information frame required for a mammography decision support system. Each lesion described in the report is identified by linking it with its anatomic location in the breast. In order to evaluate our system, we selected 300 mammography reports from a hospital report database.The gold standard contained 797 lesions, and our system detected 815 lesions (780 true positives, 35 false positives, and 17 false negatives). The precision of detecting all the imaging observations with their modifiers was 94.9, recall was 90.9, and the F measure was 92.8.Our NLP system extracts each imaging observation and its characteristics from mammography reports. Although our application focuses on the domain of mammography, we believe our approach can generalize to other domains and may narrow the gap between unstructured clinical report text and structured information extraction needed for data mining and decision support.
Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey.
Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.
Department of Radiology, Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey.
Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA Department of Medicine (Biomedical Informatics Research), Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.
Automatic abstraction of imaging observations with their characteristics from mammography reports.

In alignment with a major shift toward patient-centered care as the model for improving care in our health system, informatics is transforming patient-provider relationships and overall care delivery. AMIA's 2013 Health Policy Invitational was focused on examining existing challenges surrounding full engagement of the patient and crafting a research agenda and policy framework encouraging the use of informatics solutions to achieve this goal. The group tackled this challenge from educational, technical, and research perspectives. Recommendations include the need for consumer education regarding rights to data access, the need for consumers to access their health information in real time, and further research on effective methods to engage patients. This paper summarizes the meeting as well as the research agenda and policy recommendations prioritized among the invited experts and stakeholders.
University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.
Rush University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Chronology.MD, San Francisco, California, USA.
American Medical Informatics Association, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.
University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, USA.
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2015-04;22(e1):e2-6.
Patient-centered care, collaboration, communication, and coordination: a report from AMIA's 2013 Policy Meeting.

There are no standard guidelines to follow when a patient with chronic hepatitis B infection becomes pregnant or desires pregnancy. Topics to consider include which patients to treat, when to start treatment, what treatment to use and when to stop treatment. Without any prophylaxis or antiviral therapy, a hepatitis B surface antigen and E antigen positive mother has up to a 90% likelihood of vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) to child. Standard of care in the United States to prevent perinatal transmission consists of administration of hepatitis B immune globulin and HBV vaccination to the infant. The two strongest risk factors of mother to child transmission (MTCT) of HBV infection despite immunoprophylaxis are high maternal HBV viral load and high activity of viral replication. The goal is to prevent transmission of HBV at birth by decreasing viral load and/or decreasing activity of the virus. Although it is still somewhat controversial, most evidence shows that starting antivirals in the third trimester is effective in decreasing MTCT without affecting fetal development. There is a growing body of literature supporting the safety and efficacy of antiviral therapies to reduce MTCT of hepatitis B. There are no formal recommendations regarding which agent to choose. Tenofovir, lamivudine and telbivudine have all been proven efficacious in decreasing viral load at birth without known birth defects, but final decision of which antiviral medication to use will have to be determined by physician and patient. The antivirals may be discontinued immediately if patient is breastfeeding, or within first four weeks if infant is being formula fed.
Jennifer R Lamberth, Sheila C Reddy, Jen-Jung Pan, Kevin J Dasher, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, United States.
Chronic hepatitis B infection in pregnancy.

Subcortical gray matter regions have been implicated in mood disorders, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Bipolar Disorder (BD). It is unclear, however, whether or how these regions differ among mood disorders and whether such abnormalities are state- or trait-like. In this study, we examined differences in subcortical gray matter volumes among euthymic BD, MDD, remitted MDD (RMD), and healthy (CTL) individuals. Using automated gray matter segmentation of T1-weighted MRI images, we estimated volumes of 16 major subcortical gray matter structures in 40 BD, 57 MDD, 35 RMD, and 61 CTL individuals. We used multivariate analysis of variance to examine group differences in these structures, and support vector machines (SVMs) to assess individual-by-individual classification. Analyses yielded significant group differences for caudate (p = 0.029) and ventral diencephalon (VD) volumes (p = 0.003). For the caudate, both the BD (p = 0.004) and the MDD (p = 0.037) participants had smaller volumes than did the CTL participants. For the VD, the MDD participants had larger volumes than did the BD and CTL participants (ps < 0.005). SVM distinguished MDD from BD with 59.5% accuracy. These findings indicate that mood disorders are characterized by anomalies in subcortical gray matter volumes and that the caudate and VD contribute uniquely to differential affective pathology. Identifying abnormalities in subcortical gray matter may prove useful for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mood disorders.
Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Neurosciences Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. Electronic address: msacchet@stanford.edu.
Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. Electronic address: eliv@stanford.edu.
Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language, San Sebastian - Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain. Electronic address: e.iglesias@bcbl.eu.
Neurosciences Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Biophysics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. Electronic address: gary.glover@stanford.edu.
Neurosciences Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. Electronic address: ian.gotlib@stanford.edu.
Subcortical volumes differentiate Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and remitted Major Depressive Disorder.

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a dynamic disease that may be affected by immune changes in pregnancy. Guidelines suggest consideration of nucleos/tide analogs (NA), i.e., tenofovir, (TDF) in highly viremic mothers to reduce vertical transmission risk. HBV variability affects CHB outcome, but little is known about HBV genetic changes in pregnancy due to immune or NA selection.To evaluate HBV diversity in NA treated or untreated pregnant vs. post-partum CHB carriers.In plasma collected from 21 mothers (7 matching pre/post-partum), HBV serological tests, genotype and viral load were assayed. The HBV pre-surface (S) /S overlapping polymerase (P) (N = 20), pre-core (C) /C (N = 11) and/or full genome PCR amplicons (N = 3) underwent clonal sequence analysis.The median age was 31 y, 71% Asian, 68% genotype B or C, 33% HBV eAg+, 5 received TDF (median HBV DNA 8.5 log IU/ml). In untreated mothers, median antepartum vs. post-partum ALT was 21 vs. 24 U/L and HBV DNA was 2.7 vs. 2.4 log(10) IU/ml. ALT and/or HBV DNA flares occurred during pregnant and/or post-partum period in 47% (10/21). Clonal sequencing antepartum showed the presence of minor a determinant and/or vaccine escape mutants (VEM) but drug resistant variants were infrequent. Analysis of pregnant vs. post-partum samples showed different HBV variants and viral diversity.Differences in immune and/or by NA selective pressures during pregnancy may affect HBV evolution during pregnancy. The presence of minor VEM warrant infant follow-up.
Liver Unit, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Bloodborne Pathogens and Hepatitis Laboratory of the National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Liver Unit, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Artifical Liver Centre, Beijing YouAn Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Liver Unit, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Maternal Disorders in Pregnancy, Section of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Children's Hospital, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Alberta Health, Government of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Variants in Untreated and Tenofovir Treated Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB) Patients during Pregnancy and Post-Partum Follow-Up.

Flap monitoring technology has progressed alongside flap design. The highly variable vascular anatomy and the complexity associated with modern perforator flaps demands dynamic, real-time, intraoperative information about the vessel location, perfusion patterns and flap physiology. Although most surgeons still assess flap perfusion and viability based solely on clinical experience, studies have shown that results may be highly variable and often misleading. Poor judgment of intraoperative perfusion leads to major complications. Employing dynamic perfusion imaging during flap reconstruction has led to a reduced complication rate, lower morbidity, shorter hospital stay, and an overall better result. With the emergence of multiple systems capable of intraoperative flap evaluation, the purpose of this article is to review the two systems that have been widely accepted and are currently used by plastic surgeons: Indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and dynamic infrared thermography (DIRT).
Department of Plastic Surgery, Rehabilitation Hospital, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Department of Surgery, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Department of Plastic Surgery, Rehabilitation Hospital, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Dynamic perfusion assessment during perforator flap surgery: an up-to-date.

To achieve an evidence-based conclusion regarding the safety and efficacy of telbivudine during pregnancy.A pooled analysis of data from a literature search reported 1739 pregnancy outcomes (1673 live births) from 1725 non-overlapping pregnant women treated with telbivudine. The prevalence of live birth defects (3.6/1000) was similar to that of the non-antiviral controls (3.0/1000) and not increased as compared with overall prevalence (14.5 to 60/1000). No target organ toxicity was identified. The prevalence of spontaneous abortion in pregnant women treated with telbivudine (4.2/1000) was not increased compared with the overall prevalence (16/1000). The mother-to-child transmission rate was significantly reduced in pregnant women treated with telbivudine (0.70%) compared to those treated with the non-antiviral controls (11.9%; P < 0.0001) or compared to the historical rates of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected population without antiviral treatment (10%-15%).Cumulatively 489 pregnancy cases have been reported in the telbivudine pharmacovigilance database (with a cut-off date 31 August 2014), of those, 308 had known pregnancy outcomes with 249 cases of live births (239 cases of live birth without congenital anomaly and 10 cases of live birth with congenital anomaly). In the latest antiretroviral pregnancy registry report (1 January 1989 through 31 January 2015) of 27 patients exposed to telbivudine during pregnancy (18, 6 and 3 during first, second and third trimester, respectively) 19 live births were reported and there were no cases of birth defects reported.Telbivudine treatment during pregnancy presents a favorable safety profile without increased rates of live birth defects, spontaneous abortion or elective termination, or fetal/neonatal toxicity. Exposure to telbivudine in the first, second and third trimester of pregnancy has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of HBV transmission from mother to child on the basis of standard immune prophylaxis procedure.
Teerha Piratvisuth, Department of Medicine, NKC Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand.
Comprehensive review of telbivudine in pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B.

The approach and operative techniques associated with breast reconstruction have steadily been refined since its inception, with abdominal perforator-based flaps becoming the gold standard reconstructive option for women undergoing breast cancer surgery. The current study comprises a cohort of 632 patients, in whom specific operative times are recorded by a blinded observer, and aims to address the potential benefits seen with the use of computer tomography (CT) scanning preoperatively on operative outcomes, complications and surgical times.A prospectively recorded, retrospective review was undertaken of patients undergoing autologous breast reconstruction with a DIEP flap at the St Andrews Centre over a 4-year period from 2010 to 2014. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) scanning of patients began in September 2012 and thus 2 time periods were compared: 2 years prior to the use of CTA scans and 2 years afterwards. For all patients, key variables were collected including patient demographics, operative times, flap harvest time, pedicle length, surgeon experience and complications.In group 1, comprising patients within the period prior to CTA scans, 265 patients underwent 312 flaps; whilst in group 2, the immediately following 2 years, 275 patients had 320 flaps. The use of preoperative CTA scans demonstrated a significant reduction in flap harvest time of 13 minutes (P<0.013). This significant time saving was seen in all flap modifications: unilateral, bilateral and bipedicled DIEP flaps. The greatest time saving was seen in bipedicle flaps, with a 35-minute time saving. The return to theatre rate significantly dropped from 11.2% to 6.9% following the use of CTA scans, but there was no difference in the total failure rate.The study has demonstrated both a benefit to flap harvest time as well as overall operative times when using preoperative CTA. The use of CTA was associated with a significant reduction in complications requiring a return to theatre in the immediate postoperative period. Modern scanners and techniques can reduce the level of ionising radiation, facilitating patients being able to benefit from the advantages that this preoperative planning can convey.
1 STAAR St Andrews Anglia Ruskin Research Group, Anglia Ruskin University, Essex, UK ; 2 St Andrew's Centre for Plastic Surgery and Burns, Room E322, Mayflower Ward, Level 3, Zone E, West Wing, Broomfield Hospital, Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 7ET, UK.
Preoperative computed tomography angiography for planning DIEP flap breast reconstruction reduces operative time and overall complications.

Autologous breast reconstruction utilizing a perforator flap is an increasingly popular method for reducing donor site morbidity and implant-related complications. However, aberrant anatomy not readily visible on computed tomography angiography is a rare albeit real risk when undergoing perforator flap reconstruction. We present an operative case of a patient who successfully underwent a bilateral breast reconstruction sourced from a unilateral abdominal flap divided into deep superior epigastric artery and superficial circumflex iliac artery flap segments.
Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Department of Anatomical Sciences, Saint George's University School of Medicine, Grenada, West Indies.
Immediate Bilateral Breast Reconstruction with Unilateral Deep Superior Epigastric Artery and Superficial Circumflex Iliac Artery Flaps.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the most common cause of chronic liver diseases in Korea. After the introduction of the universal HBV vaccination program, the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen was markedly reduced, and Korea is now classified as an area of intermediate endemicity for HBV. However, there are still hurdles for elimination of hepatitis B, such as immunoprophylaxis failure against vertical transmission, occurrence of acute hepatitis B among peoples who did not have vaccination at younger age, and rapid increase of immigrant populations from HBV endemic areas. To achieve the World Health Organization goal of viral hepatitis elimination by 2030 in Korea, we suggest comprehensive policies for more effective control of hepatitis B as following: i) insurance coverage for antiviral prophylaxis in mothers with high viremia, ii) screening for hepatitis B seromarkers and catch-up HBV vaccinations of susceptible persons with hepatitis B, iii) establishment of an independent 'viral hepatitis sector' in Centers for Disease Control & Prevention to organize and execute comprehensive strategy for management of viral hepatitis, iv) encourage of management of HBV infection in immigrant populations, v) national campaign to promote awareness of hepatitis B.
Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea.
Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea.
Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
Current status and strategies for hepatitis B control in Korea.

This review article focuses on preventing vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) among pregnant women living in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where disease is endemic and the estimated maternal HBV seroprevalence is >8%. Available interventions that have been studied in low- and middle-income countries are compared in terms of efficacy and effectiveness in clinical practice. Global disease-elimination targets, barriers to HBV-prevention efforts, and critical research gaps are discussed.A PubMed literature search in February 2018 identified relevant studies of interventions to reduce or prevent the transmission of HBV during pregnancy or in the peripartum period. Studies that focused on interventions that are currently available or could be made available in SSA were included. Trials conducted in SSA and other low-income countries were prioritized, although studies of interventions in middle- and high-income countries were included.Among 127 studies and reports included in the review, 60 included data from SSA. The most cost-effective intervention to reduce HBV infection rates in SSA is timely birth-dose vaccination followed by completion of the 3-dose infant-vaccination series. The identification and treatment of pregnant women with elevated HBV viral load to further reduce the risk for vertical transmission in SSA show promise, but efficacy and tolerability trials in Africa are lacking.Scale-up of currently available tools is required to reach HBV disease-elimination goals in SSA. Many countries in SSA are in the process of rolling out national birth-dose vaccination campaigns; this roll out provides an opportunity to evaluate and improve processes in order to expand coverage. Early antenatal care, promotion of facility deliveries, and increased awareness of HBV prevention are also key components of prevention success. Future studies in SSA should identity an HBV-prevention package that is effective, well tolerated, and feasible and can be administered in the antenatal clinic and tailored to vertical-transmission risk.
Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama. Electronic address: jdionne@uabmc.edu.
Department of Medicine, Section of Digestive Disease, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Center for Women's Reproductive Health, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama.
Elimination of Vertical Transmission of Hepatitis B in Africa: A Review of Available Tools and New Opportunities.

There is currently no cure for hepatitis B chronic infections. Because new hepatitis B infections result mainly from perinatal transmission, preventing mother-to-child transmission is essential to reach by 2030 the goal of hepatitis B elimination set by the World Health Organization. The universal administration of hepatitis B vaccine to all infants, regardless of maternal status, starting with the birth dose, is the cornerstone of the strategy for elimination. Additional interventions, such as hepatitis B immune globulin administered to newborns and antiviral prophylaxis administered to hepatitis B infected pregnant women, may contribute to reaching the goal earlier. Hepatitis B immune globulin may remain out for reach of many pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries due to cost and logistic issues, but antivirals are cheap and do not require a cold chain for distribution. However, it has been observed that some viruses harbor mutations associated with escape from vaccine-elicited antibodies following immunization or administration of hepatitis B immune globulin. Also, resistance associated mutations have been described for several drugs used for treatment of hepatitis B infected patients as well as for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission. Whether these mutations have the potential to compromise the prevention of mother-to-child transmission or future treatment of the mother is a question of importance. We propose a review of important recent studies assessing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and provides detailed information on the mutations possibly relevant in this setting.
Unit 174-PHPT, Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), Marseille, France.Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Current progress in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B and resulting clinical and programmatic implications.

Filarial infections are common in most tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Lymphatic filariasis is caused by either Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, or Brugia timori. Extralymphatic filariasis presenting as a primary retroperitoneal mass is very rare despite filariasis being endemic in many regions of India. On review of literature, only a few isolated case reports have been described.We report a case of a huge retroperitoneal cystic mass in a 46-year-old patient who presented with a long-standing, painless progressive abdominal swelling. On examination, there was a large, non-tender, firm swelling of size around 20 × 15 cm occupying the left upper and lower quadrant. The computed tomography of the abdomen was suggestive of thin-walled hypodense cyst of size 25.7 × 15 × 14.3 cm. Laboratory investigations and cyst aspirate were inconclusive for a definite diagnosis. On exploration, a 3-kg cystic mass was removed. The diagnosis of filarial origin was confirmed by the demonstration of microfilaria in the cyst wall and immunochromatographic test (ICT) which was positive.Retroperitoneal lymphatic cyst of filarial origin is very unusual and requires a high index of suspicion if the patient is an inhabitant of an endemic area. The clinical dilemma cannot be resolved with imaging modalities alone, unless a disease-specific manifestation is there. The retroperitoneal cysts often pose a challenge in their diagnosis and management. Small cysts might respond to medical management, whereas large symptomatic cysts will require excision for the final diagnosis and treatment.
1Department of Surgery, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India.
2Department of Pathology, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India.
Giant filarial retroperitoneal cyst: a diagnostic dilemma.

Metformin is a commonly used antihyperglycaemic agent for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nevertheless, the exact mechanisms of action, underlying the various therapeutic effects of metformin, remain elusive. The goal of this study was to evaluate the alterations in longitudinal whole-blood transcriptome profiles of healthy individuals after a one-week metformin intervention in order to identify the novel molecular targets and further prompt the discovery of predictive biomarkers of metformin response. Next generation sequencing-based transcriptome analysis revealed metformin-induced differential expression of genes involved in intestinal immune network for IgA production and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathways. Significantly elevated faecal sIgA levels during administration of metformin, and its correlation with the expression of genes associated with immune response (CXCR4, HLA-DQA1, MAP3K14, TNFRSF21, CCL4, ACVR1B, PF4, EPOR, CXCL8) supports a novel hypothesis of strong association between metformin and intestinal immune system, and for the first time provide evidence for altered RNA expression as a contributing mechanism of metformin's action. In addition to universal effects, 4 clusters of functionally related genes with a subject-specific differential expression were distinguished, including genes relevant to insulin production (HNF1B, HNF1A, HNF4A, GCK, INS, NEUROD1, PAX4, PDX1, ABCC8, KCNJ11) and cholesterol homeostasis (APOB, LDLR, PCSK9). This inter-individual variation of the metformin effect on the transcriptional regulation goes in line with well-known variability of the therapeutic response to the drug.
Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia.
Metformin strongly affects transcriptome of peripheral blood cells in healthy individuals.

Preoperative imaging has become a valuable tool in the planning of perforator flaps, and to date, computed tomographic angiography (CTA) has been shown to be the gold standard in this role. The evidence for this is a source of constant investigation, with advances in newer modalities coming to the fore. A literature review was undertaken to evaluate the current role of relevant imaging modalities in 'visualized surgery'-the ability to map anatomy prior to surgical incision. A focus is made on their accuracy in perforator mapping and correlation with improved clinical outcomes in the context of deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap surgery. Other applications for preoperative imaging in breast surgery such as imaging of alternate donor sites or of the recipient site and imaging for volumetric assessment are also discussed. Preoperative imaging is integral to the planning of reconstructive breast surgery. This review has discussed the range of imaging techniques used to map and visualize perforator vasculature, and whilst there are varied clinical applications for the imaging modalities, CTA has been demonstrated to be the most precise and to confer the best clinical outcomes. Applications of the other imaging techniques are varied and these should remain as valid alternatives, particularly for patients where radiation or contrast exposure should be limited. Further studies could focus on the development of a more definitive protocol regarding the approach to preoperative imaging in breast surgery.
2019 Gland Surgery. All rights reserved.
Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Peninsula Health, Frankston, Victoria, Australia.Peninsula Clinical School, Central Clinical School at Monash University, The Alfred Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
A review of visualized preoperative imaging with a focus on surgical procedures of the breast.

To investigate whether tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) treatment that started from the second trimester had an advantage over TDF treatment that started from the third trimester.Twenty 35-year-old pregnant women with hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA >2×106 IU/mL were prospectively enrolled in this study. All participants were divided into two subgroups: the second trimester group who started TDF treatment at 24-27 weeks and the third trimester group who started TDF treatment at 28-30 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in serum HBV DNA level from baseline to delivery. Each parameter was tested every 4 weeks from TDF initiation to 3 months postpartum.There were 80 pregnant women in the second trimester group and 49 pregnant women in the third trimester group. The decline in HBV DNA from baseline to delivery was more obvious in the second trimester group (4.8±1.2 log10 IU/mL) than that in the third trimester group (4.3±1.1 log10 IU/mL, p=0.041). The downward shift of haemoglobin (HB) from baseline to delivery was greater in the second trimester group (10.6±10.7 g/L) than in the third trimester group (6.3±12.3 g/L, p=0.041). The decline in HBV DNA from baseline to delivery was linearly related to the start of TDF treatment from the second trimester (β=0.50 and 95% CI: 0.26-0.75, p<0.001). There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding HBV serologic markers and safety indicators.Starting TDF treatment from the second trimester achieved better viral suppression than starting TDF treatment from the third trimester in highly viraemic pregnant women without increasing additional adverse reactions. HB level needed frequent monitoring during treatment to avoid anaemia.Clinical Trial No. NCT02719808.
Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, People's Republic of China.
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, People's Republic of China.
Early Start Of Tenofovir Treatment Achieves Better Viral Suppression In Pregnant Women With A High HBV Viral Load: A Real-World Prospective Study.

The aim of this study was to study the determinants of nonadherence to immunosuppressant drugs in liver transplant (LT) recipients using personalised interview and questionnaire methods.The study was conducted on adult LT recipients (deceased donor liver transplant [DDLT] and living donor liver transplant [LDLT]) from the Indian subcontinent, at post-LT clinic visit between July and December 2016. Recipient details included baseline demography, comorbidity, psychological status, details of addiction, indication and type of transplant. Details on financial support for transplantation, admissions for rejection, infection and posttransplant complications were obtained from the hospital records. An adherence questionnaire was completed by direct interview and using a questionnaire.Sixty-seven LT recipients (56 males, median age 48.17 years) constituted the study group. Overall, 11 patients (16.47%) were nonadherent to treatment. LDLT recipients were more adherent than DDLT recipients. Nonadherent recipients were believers in alternative systems of medicine. Medication-related factors such as improper dosing, meagre drug knowledge difficulty in remembering drug dose and timings and economic constraints in continuing medical treatment were statistically significant in nonadherent recipients. Although variation in the tacrolimus levels were significantly more common in the nonadherent group, acute cellular rejection and infection were not statistically different.The prevalence of nonadherence was 16.5%. Determinants of nonadherence were DDLT, belief in alternative medications, high regimen complexity, poor knowledge about medications and cost issues with long-term medications.
© 2019 Indian National Association for Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Institute of Liver Disease and Transplantation, Gleneagles Global Health City, Chennai 100, India.
Journal of clinical and experimental hepatology
Determinants of Medication Adherence in Liver Transplant Recipients.

: With current antiretroviral therapy, the lifespan of newly diagnosed persons with HIV (PWH) approaches that of uninfected persons. However, metabolic abnormalities related to both the disease and the virus itself, along with comorbidities of aging, have resulted in end-organ disease and organ failure as a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Solid organ transplantation is a life-saving therapy for PWH who have organ failure, and the approval of the HIV Organ Policy Equity Act has opened and expanded opportunities for PWH to donate and receive organs. The current environment of organ transplantation for PWH will be reviewed and future directions of research and treatment will be discussed.
Divisions of Infectious Diseases and Organ Transplantation and Comprehensive Transplant Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Organ transplantation in persons with HIV.

From the Division of Cardiology; Department of Internal Medicine (S.R.A., H.A.S.), The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical Artificial Intelligence and Automation Laboratory (D.N., B.W., S.J.), The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.
From the Division of Cardiology; Department of Internal Medicine (S.R.A., H.A.S.), The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine (H.A.S.), The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.
Deep Learning Identifies Cardiomyocyte Nuclei With High Precision.

Nutritional status is the key concern among the people living with HIV but this issue has been failed to be prioritized in HIV strategic plan of Nepal. This study aims to assess the nutritional status among people living with HIV and determine their associated factors.A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted where 350 people living with HIV attending the ART clinic were selected using systematic random sampling technique. Nutritional status among people living with HIV was assessed through anthropometry, body mass index; Underweight (body mass index < 18.5 kg/m2) and overweight/obesity (body mass index > 23 kg/m2). HIV related clinical factors such CD4 count, WHO stage, opportunistic infection, antiretroviral therapy regimen etc. were collected from the medical records. Socio-demographic data were collected using pretested structured questionnaire through interview technique. Multiple linear regression method was employed to determine the association between different independent factors and body mass index score.The prevalence of underweight was found to be 18.3% (95% CI: 14.3-22.6). Most of the study participants were overweight/obese (39.1%). After subjection to multiple linear regression analysis, it was found that age, being male, being married, being in business occupation, smoking, hemoglobin level and antiretroviral therapy duration were significantly associated with body mass index score. Majority of the participants in our study lacked diversified food (62.3%).Overweight/obesity is an emerging problem among people living with HIV. This group of participants should be screened for the presence of non-communicable disease. This study also highlights the importance of nutritional program being an integral part of HIV/AIDS continuum of care. Therefore, an effort should be made to address the burden of malnutrition by addressing the identified determinants.
Central Department of Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Nutritional status and the associated factors among people living with HIV: an evidence from cross-sectional survey in hospital based antiretroviral therapy site in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Metformin, a biguanide agent, is the first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus due to its glucose-lowering effect. Despite its wide application in the treatment of multiple health conditions, the glycemic response to metformin is highly variable, emphasizing the need for reliable biomarkers. We chose the RNA-Seq-based comparative transcriptomics approach to evaluate the systemic effect of metformin and highlight potential predictive biomarkers of metformin response in drug-naïve volunteers with type 2 diabetes in vivo. The longitudinal blood-derived transcriptome analysis revealed metformin-induced differential expression of novel and previously described genes involved in cholesterol homeostasis (SLC46A1 and LRP1), cancer development (CYP1B1, STAB1, CCR2, TMEM176B), and immune responses (CD14, CD163) after administration of metformin for three months. We demonstrate for the first time a transcriptome-based molecular discrimination between metformin responders (delta HbA1c ≥ 1% or 12.6 mmol/mol) and non-responders (delta HbA1c < 1% or 12.6 mmol/mol), that is determined by expression levels of 56 genes, explaining 13.9% of the variance in the therapeutic efficacy of the drug. Moreover, we found a significant upregulation of IRS2 gene (log2FC 0.89) in responders compared to non-responders before the use of metformin. Finally, we provide evidence for the mitochondrial respiratory complex I as one of the factors related to the high variability of the therapeutic response to metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia.
Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia.Faculty of Medicine, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia.
Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia.Faculty of Medicine, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia.
Whole-blood transcriptome profiling reveals signatures of metformin and its therapeutic response.

Angiogenesis has critical roles in numerous physiologic processes during embryonic and adult life such as wound healing and tissue regeneration. However, aberrant angiogenic processes have also been involved in the pathogenesis of several disorders such as cancer and diabetes mellitus. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is implicated in the regulation of this process in several physiologic and pathologic conditions. Notably, several non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been shown to influence angiogenesis through modulation of expression of VEGF or other angiogenic factors. In the current review, we summarize the function and characteristics of microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs which regulate angiogenic processes. Understanding the role of these transcripts in the angiogenesis can facilitate design of therapeutic strategies to defeat the pathogenic events during this process especially in the human malignancies. Besides, angiogenesis-related mechanisms can improve tissue regeneration after conditions such as arteriosclerosis, myocardial infarction and limb ischemia. Thus, ncRNA-regulated angiogenesis can be involved in the pathogenesis of several disorders.
Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.
Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Urogenital Stem Cell Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: mohammad_823@yahoo.com.
Non-coding RNAs regulate angiogenic processes.

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of metformin treatment on the human gut microbiome's taxonomic and functional profile in the Latvian population, and to evaluate the correlation of these changes with therapeutic efficacy and tolerance.In this longitudinal observational study, stool samples for shotgun metagenomic sequencing-based analysis were collected in two cohorts. The first cohort included 35 healthy nondiabetic individuals (metformin dose 2x850mg/day) at three time-points during metformin administration. The second cohort was composed of 50 newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients (metformin dose-determined by an endocrinologist) at two concordant times. Patients were defined as Responders if their HbA1c levels during three months of metformin therapy had decreased by ≥12.6 mmol/mol (1%), while in Non-responders HbA1c were decreased by <12.6 mmol/mol (1%).Metformin reduced the alpha diversity of microbiota in healthy controls (p = 0.02) but not in T2D patients. At the species level, reduction in the abundance of Clostridium bartlettii and Barnesiella intestinihominis, as well as an increase in the abundance of Parabacteroides distasonis and Oscillibacter unclassified overlapped between both study groups. A large number of group-specific changes in taxonomic and functional profiles was observed. We identified an increased abundance of Prevotella copri (FDR = 0.01) in the Non-Responders subgroup, and enrichment of Enterococcus faecium, Lactococcus lactis, Odoribacter, and Dialister at baseline in the Responders group. Various taxonomic units were associated with the observed incidence of side effects in both cohorts.Metformin effects are different in T2D patients and healthy individuals. Therapy induced changes in the composition of gut microbiome revealed possible mediators of observed short-term therapeutic effects. The baseline composition of the gut microbiome may influence metformin therapy efficacy and tolerance in T2D patients and could be used as a powerful prediction tool.
Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia.Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia.
Baseline gut microbiome composition predicts metformin therapy short-term efficacy in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients.

Gender incongruent individuals are exposed to unique stressors as a result of their minority social position. Poor social support has a further adverse impact on the lives and wellbeing of gender incongruent individuals. There is a paucity of scientific data from India on the socioeconomic status (SES) of gender incongruent community.Aim of the study is to understand and estimate the social support, wellbeing, and SES of gender incongruent individuals in Eastern India.Data of 120 gender incongruent patients from the endocrinology outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in eastern India were collected. We looked at demographic characteristics, social support, underlying psychiatric comorbidities, and SES. SES was calculated by the Kuppuswamy's socioeconomic status (KSS) scale based on occupation, education, and income.Microsoft Word and Excel were used to generate tables.Most of the gender incongruent individuals were transfeminine. Almost half of them had no history of addiction. Most of them had good support from family and friends and very few (only 3%) had mental health problems. Calculation by KSS scale showed most of the study population lay in the upper middle or lower middle socioeconomic class.Strong support from friends and family appears a key factor for protection against psychiatric comorbidities and an all-round impact on the lives and wellbeing of the study population.
Copyright: © 2021 Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism.
Department of Endocrinology, KPC Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, India.
Diabetes-Obesity-Thyroid and Hormone Clinic, Kolkata, India.
Indian journal of endocrinology and metabolism
Indian J Endocrinol Metab. ;24(6):525-531.
Lives of Gender Incongruent Community: An Indian Subset Chants All is Well .

Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.Center for Oral Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.
Center for Oral Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.Center for Oral Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.Department of Dermatology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.Center for Oral Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.
David H. Smith Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.Center for Oral Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.Department of Dermatology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.Materials Science Program, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.
Center for Oral Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA. benoit@bme.rochester.edu.Center for Oral Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA. benoit@bme.rochester.edu.Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA. benoit@bme.rochester.edu.Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA. benoit@bme.rochester.edu.Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA. benoit@bme.rochester.edu.Materials Science Program, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA. benoit@bme.rochester.edu.Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA. benoit@bme.rochester.edu.Center for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA. benoit@bme.rochester.edu.
Author Correction: Development of a functional salivary gland tissue chip with potential for high-content drug screening.

Computed tomography angiography (CTA) is widely used in preoperative evaluation of the lower limbs' vascular system for virtual surgical planning (VSP) of fibula free flap (FFF) for jaw reconstruction. The present retrospective clinical study analysed n = 72 computed tomography angiographies (CTA) of lower limbs for virtual surgical planning (VSP) for jaw reconstruction. The purpose of the investigation was to evaluate the morphology of the fibular bone and its vascular supply in CTA imaging, and further, the amount and distribution of periosteal branches (PB) and septo-cutaneous perforators (SCPs) of the fibular artery. A total of 144 lower limbs was assessed (mean age: 58.5 ± 15.3 years; 28 females, 38.9%; 44 males, 61.1%). The vascular system was categorized as regular (type I-A to II-C) in 140 cases (97.2%) regarding the classification by Kim. Absent anterior tibial artery (type III-A, n = 2) and posterior tibial artery (type III-B, n = 2) were detected in the left leg. Stenoses were observed mostly in the fibular artery (n = 11), once in the anterior tibial artery, and twice in the posterior tibial artery. In total, n = 361 periosteal branches (PBs) and n = 231 septo-cutaneous perforators (SCPs) were recorded. While a distribution pattern for PBs was separated into two clusters, a more tripartite distribution pattern for SCPs was found. We conclude that conventional CTA for VSP of free fibula flap (FFF) is capable of imaging and distinguishing SCPs and PBs.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Justus-Liebig-University, Klinikstrasse 33, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
Department of Radiology, Justus-Liebig-University, Klinikstrasse 33, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) before Reconstructive Jaw Surgery Using Fibula Free Flap: Retrospective Analysis of Vascular Architecture.

Virtual surgical planning (VSP) for jaw reconstruction with free fibula flap (FFF) became a routine procedure and requires computed tomography angiography (CTA) for preoperative evaluation of the lower limbs vascular system and the bone. The aim of the study was to assess whether the distribution and density of periosteal branches (PB) and septo-cutaneous perforators (SCP) of the fibular artery have an impact on flap success.This retrospective clinical study assessed preoperative CTA of the infra-popliteal vasculature and the small vessel system of 72 patients who underwent FFF surgery. Surgical outcome of flap transfer includes wound healing, subtotal, and total flap loss were matched with the segmental vascular supply.A total of 72 patients (28 females, 38.9 %; 44 males, 61.1 %) fulfilled the study inclusion criteria. The mean age was 58.5 (± 15.3 years). Stenoses of the lower limbs' vessel (n = 14) were mostly detected in the fibular artery (n = 11). Flap success was recorded in n = 59 (82.0%), partial flap failure in n = 4 (5.5%) and total flap loss in n = 9 (12.5%). The study found a mean number (± SD) of 2.53 ± 1.60 PBs and 1.39 ± 1.03 SCPs of the FA at the donor-site. The proximal FFF segment of poly-segmental jaw reconstruction showed a higher rate of PB per flap segment than in the distal segments. Based on the total number of prepared segments (n = 121), 46.7% (n = 7) of mono-, 40.4% (n = 21) of bi-, and 31.5 % (n = 17) of tri-segmental fibula flaps were at least supplied by one PB in the success group. Overall, this corresponds to 37.2% (45 out of 121) of all successful FFF. For total flap loss (n = 14), a relative number of 42.9% (n = 6) of distinct supplied segments was recorded. Wound healing disorder of the donor site was not statistically significant influenced by the detected rate of SCP.In general, a correlation between higher rates of PB and SCP and the flap success could not be statistically proved by the study sample. We conclude, that preoperative PB and SCP mapping based on routine CTA imaging is not suitable for prediction of flap outcome.
Copyright © 2022 Knitschke, Baumgart, Bäcker, Adelung, Roller, Schmermund, Böttger, Streckbein, Howaldt and Attia.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Pediatric Radiology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
Impact of Periosteal Branches and Septo-Cutaneous Perforators on Free Fibula Flap Outcome: A Retrospective Analysis of Computed Tomography Angiography Scans in Virtual Surgical Planning.

To mechanically stimulate the round window (RW) membrane, an actuator with an interface coupler (IC) has the potential to improve sound transmission to the cochlea as compared to the most used RW stimulation device implanted today. If a proof-of-concept IC prototype shows promise as compared the most common method for RW stimulation, there is potential that future design development of an IC will be worthwhile.A variety of hearing pathologies resulting in mixed and conductive hearing loss can be addressed by mechanically stimulating the RW to transmit sound to the cochlea. The most common method for RW stimulation is with the floating mass transducer (FMT, Med-El). However, the FMT suffers poor sound transmission and unreliable device positioning. The dynamic range and bandwidth of the FMT as a RW stimulator is limited because the entire FMT needs freedom to vibrate. Thus the FMT has difficulty overcoming its own inertia and it cannot be stabilized in a manner that may limit its motion. Here we test an idea of using a generic actuator that vibrates on one side while stationary and held stable on the other (unlike the FMT), and coupling the actuator vibration to the RW membrane with a proof-of-concept IC designed to safely transmit sound to the cochlea. We determine if this proof-of-concept IC can perform as well or better than the FMT in one specimen. If so, further developments of the IC would be worthwhile.RW sound transmission comparison was made between an ideally implanted FMT and a proof-of-concept IC prototype driven by a piezoelectric stack actuator with vibrating tip in a fresh human temporal bone. Velocities of stapes, FMT, and IC actuator were measured with laser Doppler vibrometry to determine bandwidth, linearity, and dynamic range of cochlear sound transmission.Stimulation with proof-of-concept prototype of the IC provided increased sound transmission, more linear output for larger dynamic range, and wider frequency range as compared to the FMT. This experiment demonstrates the potential of the IC concept to improve performance, and that it merits further development. However, it was challenging to stabilize the coupling between an external actuator and the proof-of-concept IC prototype. Thus, although we were successful in showing that this IC concept has promise, major design improvements and developments are required in the future.We demonstrated that the proof-of-concept IC prototype driven with a tip connected to a piezoelectric stack actuator can stimulate the RW membrane with improved acoustic performance as compared to the FMT in one specimen. This study demonstrated proof of concept: that the idea of an IC for sound transmission to the cochlea through the RW has potential, and that it would be worthwhile to pursue the IC idea with further developments. This idea has the potential to provide robust sound transmission to the cochlea via the RW while preventing possible trauma to the cochlea. We also learned that critical design improvements are necessary because coupling the generic external actuator to the IC was challenging. A possible future IC design is to integrate a piezoelectric actuator permanently to the IC, allowing only the soft balloon membrane of the IC to vibrate the RW while the rest of the exterior housing of the combined IC (with actuator) would not vibrate and would be stabilized in a fixed manner.
Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology Program, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA; Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: dlfrear@gmail.com.
Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology Program, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA; Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, MA, USA. Electronic address: heidi_nakajima@meei.harvard.edu.
Round window stimulation with an interface coupler demonstrates proof of concept.

Background: Deep inferior epigastric perforator and muscle sparing transverse rectus abdominis muscle flaps are commonly used flaps for autologous breast reconstruction. CT-angiography allows to analyse the perforator course preoperatively. Our aim was to compare the different aspects of perforator anatomy in the most detailed study. Methods: CT-angiographies of 300 female patients with autologous breast reconstruction of 10 years were analysed regarding the anatomy of the deep inferior epigastric artery and every perforator. Results: Overall, 2260 perforators were included. We identified correlations regarding the DIEA branching point and number of perforators and their intramuscular course. The largest perforator emerged more often from the medial branch of the DIEA than the smaller perforators (70% (416/595) vs. 54% (878/1634), p < 0.001) and more often had a direct connection to the SIEV (large 67% (401/595) vs. small 39% (634/1634), p < 0.01). Medial row perforators were larger than the laterals (lateral 1.44 mm ± 0.43 (n = 941) vs. medial 1.58 mm ± 0.52 (n = 1304) (p < 0.001)). The larger and more medial the perforator, the more likely it was connected to the SIEV: perforators with direct connection to the SIEV had a diameter of 1.65 mm ± 0.53 (n = 1050), perforators with indirect connection had a diameter of 1.43 ± 0.43 (n = 1028), perforators without connection had a diameter of 1.31 mm ± 0.37 (n = 169) (p < 0.001). Medial perforators were more often directly connected to the SIEV than lateral perforators (medial 56% (723/1302) vs. lateral 35% (327/941), p < 0.001). A lateral perforator more often had a short intramuscular course than medial perforators (69% (554/800) vs. 45% (474/1055), p < 0.001), which was also more often observed in the case of a small perforator and a caudal exit of the rectus sheath. Conclusion: The largest perforator emerges more often from the medial branch of the DIEA and frequently has a direct connection to the SIEV, making medial row perforators ideal for DIEP flap transplantation.
Laboratory for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
Center for Clinical Studies, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
Department of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
Laboratory for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany.Department of Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery-Burn Center, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
Improving the Safety of DIEP Flap Transplantation: Detailed Perforator Anatomy Study Using Preoperative CTA.

Computed tomography is the most commonly used imaging modality for preoperative assessment of lymph node status, but the reported accuracy is unsatisfactory.To evaluate and verify the predictive performance of computed tomography deep learning on the presurgical evaluation of lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric cancer.347 patients were retrospectively selected (training cohort: 242, test cohort: 105). The enhanced computed tomography arterial phase images of gastric cancer were used for lesion segmentation, radiomics and deep learning feature extraction. Three methods were used for feature selection. Support vector machine (SVM) or random forest (RF) was used to build models. The classification performance of the models was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). We also established a nomogram that included clinical predictors.The model based on ResNet50-RF showed favorable classification performance and was verified in the test cohort (AUC = 0.9803). The nomogram based on deep learning feature scores and the lymph node status reported by computed tomography showed excellent discrimination. AUC of 0.9978 was achieved in the training cohort and verified in the test cohort (AUC = 0.9914). Decision analysis curve showed the value of nomogram in clinical application.The computed tomography-based deep learning nomogram can accurately and effectively evaluate lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric cancer before surgery.
Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 121, Jiangjiayuan Road, Nanjing, 210011, Jiangsu, China.
Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 121, Jiangjiayuan Road, Nanjing, 210011, Jiangsu, China. drzhangjp@njmu.edu.cn.
Computed Tomography-Based Deep Learning Nomogram Can Accurately Predict Lymph Node Metastasis in Gastric Cancer.

Endoscopic ultrasound-directed transgastric ERCP (EDGE) has become standard-of-care therapy at many centers for pancreaticobiliary disease in patients with Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the opinions and practices of endoscopists who perform EDGE.A 22-question utilization of EDGE survey was sent to 36 advanced endoscopists at tertiary care centers in the United States. The two-section survey included questions regarding advanced endoscopy volume and training at the respective facilities, and questions on specific details of EDGE utilization.Among 36 interventional endoscopists (IE) surveyed, 14 (39%) reported performing > 1000 ERCPs annually. Thirty (83%) offered EDGE as an option for Roux-en-Y gastric bypass patients with previous cholecystectomy. Other options offered included: 19 (53%) offered Laparoscopy-assisted ERCP (LA-ERCP), 7 (19%) offered Single-Balloon ERCP (SBE), and 10 (28%) offered percutaneous drainage (PTC). Twenty (56%) IE performed 10 or less EDGE procedures, while 16 (44%) performed 11 or more. Single-session EDGE was performed by 7 (19%) IE, while 15 (42%) performed dual session, and 13 (36%) performed both. 19 (53%) actively closed fistulas while 17 (47%) let them close spontaneously. Thirty one (86%) reported a technical success rate of 91% to 100%. The most frequently reported immediate adverse event post-procedurally was abdominal pain, reported by 17 IE (47%). Weight gain was reported by 2 IE (6%).EDGE continues to gain in popularity as an option for Roux-en-Y gastric bypass patients requiring pancreaticobiliary interventions, with 24/36 IE (67%) believing that it should be the new standard. In addition, most report a low frequency of post-procedural weight gain.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT05041608.
© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Department of Gastroenterology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
Department of Gastroenterology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA. mk1611@rutgers.edu.
Endoscopic Ultrasound-Directed Transgastric ERCP (EDGE) Utilization of Trends Among Interventional Endoscopists.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and pregnancy both impact health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, little is known about IBD-related HRQoL around pregnancy.To assess the trajectory and predictors of HRQoL in preconception and pregnant patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).Preconception and pregnant patients with IBD were followed prospectively from preconception to twelve months postpartum at a tertiary referral centre. Participants completed the Short IBD Questionnaire (SIBDQ) and were assessed for clinical disease activity (modified Harvey Bradshaw Index or partial Mayo score) and objective disease activity (C-reactive protein [CRP], fecal calprotectin [FCP]).A total of 61 patients with IBD (25 CD, 36 UC) were included. During preconception, patients with UC had higher SIBDQ bowel and social sub-scores than those with CD, but this reversed during postpartum. Patients with CD but not UC developed a significant, sustained improvement in SIBDQ upon becoming pregnant, which persisted into 12 months postpartum. In a multivariable linear regression model, clinical disease activity negatively predicted SIBDQ at every pregnancy timepoint and up to 12 months postpartum. SIBDQ was significantly lower in patients with CRP ≥ 8.0 mg/L during trimester 1 (T1), but not later in pregnancy. SIBDQ bowel sub-scores were significantly lower in patients with FCP ≥ 250 mg/kg at T2, T3, and 6 months postpartum.Clinical disease activity is a consistent negative predictor of HRQoL from conception to 12 months postpartum. Patients with UC experience better preconception HRQoL but suffer worse postpartum HRQoL than those with CD.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Cir, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada. graceyang.wang@mail.utoronto.ca.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Cir, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada.Department of Gastroenterology, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Ave, Toronto, M5G 1X5, Canada.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Alberta, 8440 112 St NW, Edmonton, T6G 2R7, Canada.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Alberta, 8440 112 St NW, Edmonton, T6G 2R7, Canada.Division of Gastroenterology, Zeidler Ledcor Centre, University of Alberta, 8540 112 St NW, Edmonton, T6G 2X8, Canada.
Impact of Disease Activity and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Subtype on Quality of Life in Preconception and Pregnant Patients.

No large studies have addressed the role of endoscopic-ultrasound biliary drainage (EUS-BD) as preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) for malignant extrahepatic biliary obstruction (MEBO). We aimed to discuss the outcomes of EUS antegrade stent placement (EUS-AG) in the preoperative and palliative setting.Retrospective review of patients who underwent EUS-AG for MEBO between December 2019 and December 2021 was done. Primary outcome measures were technical success and clinical success. Secondary outcome measures were number of days of hospitalization postprocedure, adverse events related to EUS-AG procedure, morbidity related to surgery, and 3-month mortality after surgery.54 patients underwent attempt for EUS-AG (mean age 54.8 ± 12.1 years; female 44.4%). Most common primary cancer was pancreatic cancer in 42.1% (23/54) patients. Indication was palliative in 34 (62.9%) patients and PBD in 20 (37%) patients. Level of block was distal in 35 (64.8%) and proximal in 19 (35.1%) patients. Technical success of EUS-AG was 88.7% (47/53). Clinical success was seen in 95.7% (45/47) patients. Median number of days of hospitalization postprocedure was 1 day. No procedure-related severe adverse events were seen. Of 20 patients who underwent EUS-AG as PBD, 19 had technical success (95%) with clinical success in 94.5% (18/19). Surgery was performed in 11 patients, of whom 10 patients underwent successful PPPD (one intraoperative liver metastasis). Two patients had Clavein-Dindo III/IV complication post-PPPD, with one mortality within 30 days of surgery.EUS-AG is safe and effective after failed ERCP in both preoperative and palliative setting.
Department of Digestive Diseases and Clinical Nutrition, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India. drsridharsundaram@gmail.com.Homi Bhabha National Institute, Parel, Mumbai, 400012, India. drsridharsundaram@gmail.com.
Department of Digestive Diseases and Clinical Nutrition, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.Homi Bhabha National Institute, Parel, Mumbai, 400012, India.
Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Antegrade Stent Placement in Patients with Failed ERCP as a Modality of Preoperative and Palliative Biliary Drainage.

Individuals in Medicaid expanded states have increased access to treatment for medical conditions and other health care resources. Esophageal and gastric cancer are associated with several modifiable risk factors (e.g. smoking, drinking, Helicobacter pylori infection). The impact of Medicaid expansion on these cancers incidence and mortality remains uninvestigated.We evaluated the association between Medicaid expansion and gastric and esophageal cancer incidence and mortality in adults aged 25-64. We employed an observational design using a difference-in-differences method with state level data, from 2010 to 2017. Annual, age-adjusted gastric and esophageal cancer incidence and mortality rates, from the CDC Wonder Database, were analyzed. Rates were adjusted for by several socio-demographic factors.Expansion and non-expansion states were similar in percent Hispanic ethnicity and female gender. The non-expansion states had significantly higher proportion of Black race, diabetics, obese persons, smokers, and those living below the federal poverty line. Adjusted analyses demonstrate that expansion states had significantly fewer new cases of gastric cancer: - 1.6 (95% CI 0.2-3.5; P = 0.08) per 1,000,000 persons per year. No significant association was seen between Medicaid expansion and gastric cancer mortality (0.46 [95% CI - 0.08 to 0.17; P = 0.46]) and esophageal cancer incidence (0.8 [95% CI - 0.08 to 0.24; P = 0.33]) and mortality (1.0 [95% CI - 0.06 to 0.26; P = 0.21]) in multivariable analyses.States that adopted Medicaid expansion saw a decrease in gastric cancer incidence when compared to states that did not expand Medicaid. Though several factors may influence gastric cancer incidence, this association is important to consider during health policy negotiations.
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine/Jackson Memorial Hospital, 1611 NW 12th Ave, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Health System, Miami, FL, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA. shriakumar@med.miami.edu.Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Health System, Miami, FL, USA. shriakumar@med.miami.edu.
Impact of Medicaid Expansion on Incidence and Mortality from Gastric and Esophageal Cancer.

Increasing data indicates the gut flora including bacteria and fungi combined with environmental factors are important in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Understanding differences in the microbiome in patients with colon neoplasia will foster the development of biomarkers for early detection.Determine the association of microbiome with presence of adenomas and predicted CRC risk.In subjects referred for colonoscopy, the NCI CRC risk assessment tool was completed and stool for microbiome analysis as well as fecal immunochemical test (FIT) were collected. We calculated the microbiome alpha diversity using the Shannon index as well as individual bacterial and fungal species.Among 34 patients, we identified 10 with one or more adenomas. Only 2 patients were FIT positive. The median predicted lifetime CRC risk was 2.75% and the prevalence of adenoma was higher in the fourth quartile (P < 0.001). The measured alpha diversity was somewhat higher in patients with adenomas (P = 0.07). We identified 4 bacterial species with an increased relative abundance among patients with adenomas [P < 0.5]. Lifetime CRC risk was associated with 2 specific bacterial species, P. distasonis & E. hermannii [P = 0.05 & 0.09, respectively]. No associations were seen with fungal species and adenoma prevalence or lifetime CRC risk.In addition to a strong correlation of predicted CRC risk and adenoma prevalence, we also found important differences in specific bacterial species and both adenoma prevalence and CRC risk. Larger trials are needed to potentially implement further data in the clinical setting.
Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA.Division of Gastroenterology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, 44106-5066, USA.
Department of Dermatology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Department of Dermatology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA.The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA. Gregory.cooper@UHhospitals.org.The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA. Gregory.cooper@UHhospitals.org.Division of Gastroenterology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, 44106-5066, USA. Gregory.cooper@UHhospitals.org.
Fecal Microbiome Associated with Both Colon Adenomas and Lifetime Colorectal Cancer Risk.

Although long-term stent placement using endoscopic gallbladder stenting (EGBS) reportedly reduces cholecystitis recurrence in patients unfit to undergo cholecystectomy, its efficacy and safety remain uncertain.This study aimed to examine the long-term effect of EGBS in poor surgical candidates of cholecystectomy.A total of 528 high-risk surgical patients with acute calculous cholecystitis met this study's eligibility criteria. The technical success and adverse events (AE) were compared between patients who underwent EGBS and those who underwent percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD). Elective stent exchange and removal were not performed after EGBS. The external tube was removed after improvement of cholecystitis following PTGBD.The technical success rate was significantly lower with EGBS compared to PTGBD (75.4% versus 98.7%, P < 0.001), while the early-AE rate did not differ significantly between the two methods (7.7% versus 4.3%, P = 0.146). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year cumulative incidence rates of cholecystitis were 3.8%, 7.2%, and 7.2% with EGBS, and 11.7%, 17.6%, and 30.2% with PTGBD, respectively (P = 0.001). Conversely, those of symptomatic late-AE (except cholecystitis) were 8.2%, 22.7%, and 31.4% with EGBS, and 7.5%, 10.9%, and 13.1% with PTGBD, respectively (P = 0.035). Thus, the 1-, 3-, and 5-year cumulative incidence of overall late-AE was 12.0%, 30.4%, and 40.4% with EGBS, and 19.2%, 28.3%, and 42.5% with PTGBD, respectively (P = 0.649).Long-term stent placement via EGBS is useful for preventing the recurrence of cholecystitis, but the success rate is low and the frequency of other late-AE increases with the prolongation of the indwelling period.
Department of Gastroenterology, Aichi Medical University, 1-1 Yazakokarimata, Nagakute, Aichi, 480-1195, Japan. tinoue-tag@umin.ac.jp.
Department of Gastroenterology, Gifu Prefectural Tajimi Hospital, 5-161 Maehata-cho, Tajimi, Gifu, 507-8522, Japan.
Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 467-8601, Japan.
Department of Gastroenterology, Aichi Medical University, 1-1 Yazakokarimata, Nagakute, Aichi, 480-1195, Japan.
Long-Term Impact of Endoscopic Gallbladder Stenting for Calculous Cholecystitis in Poor Surgical Candidates: A Multi-center Comparative Study.

Pancreatitis is the most common complication of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). There are currently no prediction models, particularly for post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) after biliary stent placement due to malignant biliary obstruction (MBO). To that end, we aim to develop and validate a predictive model for PEP.We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients who underwent ERCP for biliary stent placement due to MBO at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from January 1, 2014 to August 31, 2021. The eligible patients were randomly allocated to the development and validation cohorts. A prediction model was built using the development cohort, and the model's effect was validated using a validation cohort.A total of 1524 patients were enrolled, including 1016 in the development cohort and 508 in the validation cohort, with an overall PEP rate of 7.1%. The model's predictors included acute pancreatitis history, the absence of pancreatic duct dilation, nonpancreatic cancer, difficult cannulation, and pancreatic injection. The area under the curve (AUC) in the development cohort was 0.810, and the incidence of PEP in the low-risk, medium-risk, and high-risk groups was 1.53%, 9.12%, and 36.36%, respectively. Meanwhile, the AUC of the validation cohort was 0.781, and the incidence of PEP in the low-risk, medium-risk, and high-risk groups was 4.17%, 8.75%, and 41.67%, respectively.This study was the first to build and validate a risk prediction model, especially for PEP after biliary stent placement due to MBO. Moreover, this model might assist clinicians in identifying high-risk patients and help implement preventive measures in a more timely manner.
Department of Gastroenterology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 246 Xuefu Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang Province, China.
Department of Gastroenterology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 246 Xuefu Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang Province, China. chenjingxiaohua@126.com.
A Risk Prediction Model for Post-endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Pancreatitis After Stent Insertion for Malignant Biliary Obstruction: Development and Validation.

Gastroesophageal balloon tamponade (BT) tube placement is a life-saving procedure for refractory bleeding from gastroesophageal varices performed by gastroenterologists, intensivists, internists, and emergency medicine physicians. Despite a recognized need for procedural training, no standard curriculum or assessment tools exist. Given the infrequent performance of this procedure, the development of a representative and accessible simulation model would permit hands-on training to practice and maintain proficiency with BT tube placement.To assess BT tube placement performance before and after a novel simulation-based learning module in gastroenterology fellows and faculty.A 16-item knowledge questionnaire and 22-item procedural skill checklist utilizing a novel 3D printed esophagus model were developed to assess participant knowledge, procedural skills, and confidence prior to our simulation-based intervention and again 8-12 weeks after. Performance metrics were compared pre- and post-intervention within groups and between participant groups.Fifteen gastroenterology fellows (of 15 eligible; 100%) and 14 gastroenterology faculty (of 29 eligible; 48%) completed training. Fellows demonstrated improvement in knowledge (55% to 79%, p < 0.001) and procedural skill (35% to 57%, p < 0.001) following training. Baseline faculty performance did not differ from fellows' performance and post-intervention showed similar improvement in knowledge (61% to 77%, p = 0.001) and procedural skill (40% to 49%, p = 0.147). Overall satisfaction with training was high in both groups post-intervention and faculty felt more confident teaching fellows.The presented learning module offers a unique, low stakes opportunity for learners to improve skills, gain knowledge, and build confidence in placing BT tubes using a realistic simulation model.
Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Division of Digestive and Liver Health, Department of Medicine, Denver Health, Denver, CO, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12700 East 19th Avenue, Campus Box B146, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
Optogenetics and Neural Engineering (ONE) Core, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12700 East 19th Avenue, Campus Box B146, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA. Michael.Kriss@cuanschutz.edu.
Gastroesophageal Balloon Tamponade Simulation Training with 3D Printed Model Improves Knowledge, Skill, and Confidence.

Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is a common otolaryngologic diagnosis. Treatment of presumed LPR remains challenging, and limited frameworks exist to guide treatment.Using RAND/University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Appropriateness Methods, a modified Delphi approach identified consensus statements to guide LPR treatment. Experts independently and blindly scored proposed statements on importance, scientific acceptability, usability, and feasibility in a four-round iterative process. Accepted measures reached scores with ≥ 80% agreement in the 7-9 range (on a 9-point Likert scale) across all four categories.Fifteen experts rated 36 proposed initial statements. In round one, 10 (27.8%) statements were rated as valid. In round two, 8 statements were modified based on panel suggestions, and experts subsequently rated 5 of these statements as valid. Round three's discussion refined statements not yet accepted, and in round four, additional voting identified 2 additional statements as valid. In total, 17 (47.2%) best practice statements reached consensus, touching on topics as varied as role of empiric treatment, medication use, lifestyle modifications, and indications for laryngoscopy.Using a well-tested methodology, best practice statements in the treatment of LPR were identified. The statements serve to guide physicians on LPR treatment considerations.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Redwood City, CA, USA. kamala@stanford.edu.
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
Department of Otolaryngology & Communication Sciences, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Redwood City, CA, USA.
Department of Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery, Elsan Hospital, Paris, France.
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Davis School of Medicine, University of California, Sacramento, CA, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, MetroHealth, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA.
Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
Division of Otolaryngology and Harvard Medical School, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Best Practices in Treatment of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease: A Multidisciplinary Modified Delphi Study.

Age at portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in liver cirrhosis (LC) carriers of the methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) rs1801133 (C → T667 transition) polymorphism has never been addressed; we compared age at PVT in LC patients genotyped for the MTHFR and explored the interrelated clinical and laboratory factors predicting age at PVT.Retrospective cross-sectional cohort study. PVT participants: MTHFR CC n = 36, MTHFR CT n = 53, MTHFR TT n = 19; age, sex, age at PVT, Child-Pugh score, rs1799963 PT polymorphisms (G → A 20,210 transition), plasma HC and natural anticoagulants available for all participants. Age at PVT was lower in MTHFR TT than CT and CC (56 ± 13 vs. 57 ± 13 vs. 64 ± 9 years, p = 0.001); median (IQR) plasma HC was higher in MTHFR TT than in the other groups [(17 (9.4, 23.3) vs 13 (8,14.7) vs 11 (8.9, 12.7) μmol/l, p = 0.03)]. MTHFR TT, male gender and protein C predicted age at PVT (p = 0.02, p = 0.04 and p = 0.08); MTHFR TT and Child-Pugh score predicted plasma HC (p = 0.005 and p = 0.01) as well as low plasma protein C (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0002). Plasma HC inversely related to protein C in the MTHFR TT group (p < 0.0001). Compound MTHFR TT with PT GA had lower age at PVT compared to MTHFR TT alone (49 ± 18 vs 58 ± 12 years).MTHFR TT anticipates PVT associated with LC by an average of 8 years; MTHFR TT associates with severity of liver disease and to high plasma HC; the latter may contribute to the prematurity of PVT by interfering with the anticoagulant activity of protein C.
Immune Response & Vascular Disease Unit, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal. paul.ames2@nhs.scot.Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary, Cargenbridge, DG2 8RX, Scotland, UK. paul.ames2@nhs.scot.
Medical Genetics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
Department of Medicine and Health Sciences 'V. Tiberio', University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy.
Liver Cirrhosis Patients Homozygous for MTHFR C677T Develop Portal Vein Thrombosis 8 Years Earlier Than Wild Type.

TOB1, a member of the transducer of erbB-2 /B-cell translocation gene family, was detected to be down-regulated in ESCC by RNA sequencing. TOB1-AS1, a head-to-head antisense lncRNA with TOB1, was down-regulated in several cancers. However, the roles of them in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remained unclarified.To investigate the roles and functions of TOB1-AS1 and TOB1 in ESCC tumorigenesis.The expression levels, methylation status, biological function and mechanisms of TOB1-AS1 and TOB1 in ESCC were, respectively, detected.Frequent down-regulation of TOB1-AS1 and TOB1 was verified in esophageal cancer cells and ESCC tissues, and there was a positive correlation between them in ESCC tissues. The CpG sites hypermethylation within proximal promoter of TOB1-AS1 and TOB1 could lead to transcriptional inhibition of both genes. Furthermore, expression and proximal promoter methylation status of TOB1-AS1 or TOB1 may be associated with ESCC patients' prognosis. TOB1-AS1 and TOB1 may function as tumor suppressors by inhibiting growth, migration, and invasion of esophageal cancer cells. Up-regulation of TOB1-AS1 increased expression level of TOB1, and TOB1-AS1 could work as a ceRNA to modulate ATF3 expression via competitively binding with miR-103a-2-5p. Meanwhile, ATF3, as a transcription factor, could regulate transcription of TOB1; down-regulation of TOB1-AS1 in ESCC led to decreased expression of ATF3 through ceRNA mechanism, and further influenced the transcription of TOB1.TOB1-AS1 and TOB1 may act as tumor suppressors and may serve as potential targets for antitumor therapy in ESCC.
Laboratory of Pathology, Hebei Cancer Institute, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Jiankang Road 12, Shijiazhuang, 050011, Hebei, China.
The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
Laboratory of Pathology, Hebei Cancer Institute, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Jiankang Road 12, Shijiazhuang, 050011, Hebei, China. guowei7303@163.com.
Methylation Mediated Downregulation of TOB1-AS1 and TOB1 Correlates with Malignant Progression and Poor Prognosis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Pancreatic fibrosis is the main pathological characteristic of chronic pancreatitis (CP) and pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) play a critical role in pancreatic fibrosis. Any targets that may have an impact on the activation of PSCs could become potential treatment candidates for CP and pancreatic cancer. Our goal was to investigate the effect of P-element-induced wimpy-testis (PIWI) protein 1 (PIWIL1) on PSC activation.Lentivirus-based RNA interference (RNAi) and overexpression vector construction were used to knock down and over-express the PIWIL1 protein. Immunocytofluorescent staining, western blotting, wound healing assay, transwell assay, and phalloidin staining were used to investigate the effects of PIWIL1 on the secretion of extracellular matrix components (EMC), actin cytoskeleton, and on the invasion and migration abilities of primary PSCs isolated from C57BL/6 mice. Moreover, pancreatic fibrosis was induced by L-arginine in C57BL/6 mice. The expression of PIWIL1 and collagen deposition in vivo were tested by western blotting and Sirius red staining.Expression levels of collagen I, collagen III, and α-smooth muscle actin were significantly decreased in the LV-PIWIL1 group. Compared with the si-PIWIL1 group, significant differences were observed in the expression of desmin, p-PI3K, p-AKT, and p-mTOR in the LV-PIWIL1 group. Furthermore, PIWIL1 suppressed the PSCs' invasion and migration abilities. In a rescue experiment, the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway was found to be the underlying mechanism in PSCs activation mediated by PIWIL1.Our findings suggest that PIWIL1 inhibits the activation of PSCs via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. PIWIL1 is a potential therapeutic target for pancreatic fibrosis.
Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Early Drug Development Center, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Fucheng Road 52, Haidian District, 100142, Beijing, China. xueran2@sina.com.
Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Fucheng Road 52, Haidian District, Beijing, 100142, China.
Department of Medical Oncology, Beijing You-An Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China.
Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Early Drug Development Center, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Fucheng Road 52, Haidian District, 100142, Beijing, China.Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Fucheng Road 52, Haidian District, Beijing, 100142, China.
P-element-Induced Wimpy-Testis-Like Protein 1 Regulates the Activation of Pancreatic Stellate Cells Through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors are currently the most widely studied targeted therapies for gastric cancer. As a triple tyrosine inhibitor, nintedanib can alleviate the progression of a variety of cancers, but it is poorly studied in gastric cancer.To investigate the effect of nintedanib on gastric cancer.This study investigated nintedanib's effect on gastric cancer autophagy in vivo and in vitro, and the activity and morphological changes of gastric cancer cells were detected by MTT and HE staining. Proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT-related marker proteins of AGS and MKN-28 cells were detected. The effects of nintedanib on autophagy in gastric cancer cells were detected by acridine orange, immunofluorescence, and Western blotting assays. The regulation of nintedanib on STAT3 and Beclin1 was detected by qPCR and Western blotting assays. Subsequently, the effects of nintedanib on the tumor STAT3/Beclin1 pathway were verified by stably overexpressing STAT3 in gastric cancer cell lines and tumor-bearing experiments in nude mice.The results showed that nintedanib could inhibit gastric cancer cells' proliferation and EMT process. Meanwhile, autophagy was induced in AGS and MKN-28 cells, and the expression of autophagy-related protein Beclin1 was upregulated, and the phosphorylation level of STAT3 was downregulated. Nintedanib inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation and upregulated Beclin1 to inhibit tumor growth in gastric cancer cell lines with stable STAT3 overexpression and tumor-bearing experiments in nude mice.By inhibiting STAT3, nintedanib upregulated Beclin1 and caused autophagic death in gastric cancer cells.
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, 251 Baizhang East Road, Yinzhou District, Ningbo city, 315000, China. zjnbzhuhui@126.com.
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, 251 Baizhang East Road, Yinzhou District, Ningbo city, 315000, China.
Nintedanib Induces the Autophagy-Dependent Death of Gastric Cancer Cells by Inhibiting the STAT3/Beclin1 Pathway.

Previous studies have reported conflicting results regarding prevalence of elevated LC (2-70%) in celiac disease (CD). This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the prevalence of elevated LC at time of CD diagnosis and associated response to GFD. We also report the prevalence of CD in patients with unexplained elevation of LC.Studies assessing LC (aspartate aminotransferase [AST] and alanine aminotransferase [ALT]) in CD patients were eligible. Studies with < 50 cases or in pediatric populations were excluded.In total, 20 studies assessing prevalence of elevated LC in 4,265 participants with newly diagnosed CD (mean age = 35.6 ± 6.5 years, 69.8% female) were included. Pooled prevalence of elevated LC was 18.7% (95% CI 13.8-24.8; I2 = 95%). Normalization of elevated LC was seen in 83.1% (95% CI 73.4-89.7; I2 = 79%, 11 studies) of patients after GFD. On meta-regression, age at CD diagnosis, gender, and Marsh grading were not associated with elevated LC. Among 979 participants (7 studies) with unexplained elevation of LC, pooled seroprevalence and biopsy-proven CD was 6.4% (95% CI 2.9-10.3, I2 = 71%) and 4.5% (95% CI 2.6-7.7, I2 = 67%), respectively.Elevated LC are seen in approximately one-fifth of patients at CD diagnosis with majority normalizing after GFD. Age, gender, and degree of intestinal damage are not predictive of elevated LC. In the appropriate clinical scenario, liver tests should be serially monitored in CD reserving workup for additional causes after a trial of GFD. Patients with unexplained elevation of liver tests should be screened for celiac disease.
Department of Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Department of Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.Celiac Disease Program, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, Digestive Diseases and Surgery Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, A3-208, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.
Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA. rubiota@ccf.org.Celiac Disease Program, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, Digestive Diseases and Surgery Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, A3-208, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA. rubiota@ccf.org.
Bi-directional Relationship Between Celiac Disease and Liver Chemistries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Pain is a major problem in 90% of patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP). Studies evaluating response to antioxidants (AO) are conflicting and no pediatric studies are available.To evaluate markers of oxidative stress (OS), and efficacy and predictors of response to AO in improving pain in children with CP.Antioxidants were given to CP children for 6 months. Subjects were assessed at baseline and post-therapy for pain and markers of OS [serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (S-SOD)] and antioxidant levels [vitamin C, selenium, total antioxidant capacity-ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP)]. Matched healthy controls were assessed for OS and antioxidant levels. Good response was defined as ≥ 50% reduction in number of painful days/month.48 CP children (25 boys, age 13 years) and 14 controls were enrolled. 38/48 cases completed 6 months of therapy. CP cases had higher OS [TBARS (7.8 vs 5.2 nmol/mL; p < 0.001)] and lower antioxidant levels [FRAP (231 vs. 381.3 µmol/L; p = 0.003), vitamin C (0.646 vs. 0.780 mg/dL; p < 0.001)] than controls. Significant reduction in TBARS and S-SOD and increase in FRAP, vitamin C, and selenium occurred after 6 months. 10.5% cases had minor side effects. 26(68%) cases had a good response, with 9(24%) becoming pain-free. Subjects with severe ductal changes had lower median BMI (- 0.73 vs 0.10; p = 0.04) and responded less often than those with mild changes (17/29 vs 9/9; p = 0.036).CP children have higher OS than healthy controls. Antioxidant therapy is safe. Pain response is seen in 68% cases, less often in patients with severe ductal changes.
Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226014, India.
Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226014, India. avanianshu@yahoo.com.
Department of Radiodiagnosis, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Department of Biostatistics, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Efficacy and Predictors of Pain Response to Combined Antioxidants in Children with Chronic Pancreatitis.

To establish the epidemiology and patterns of care of Crohn's Disease in low- and lower-middle-income countries.A cross-sectional survey of gastroenterology providers in countries where the world's poorest billion live was conducted to learn more about the state of diagnostic and treatment capacity for Crohn's. Quantitative data were analyzed in R and Excel.A total of 46 survey responses from 15 countries were received, giving a response rate of 54.8%. All responses collected were from providers practicing in Africa and South Asia. The mean number of patients with Crohn's cared for in the last year was 89.5 overall but ranged from 0 reported at one facility in Rwanda to 1000 reported at two different facilities in India. Overall, Crohn's disease made up 20.6% of the inflammatory bowel disease diagnoses reported by survey respondents, with Africa exhibiting a larger proportion of Crohn's compared to ulcerative colitis than Asia. Most providers reported that patients with Crohn's have symptoms for 6-24 months prior to diagnosis and that 26-50% of their patients live in rural areas. The most reported diagnostic challenges are differentiating between Crohn's and intestinal tuberculosis, poor disease awareness, and lack of trained pathologists. The most widely reported challenge in managing Crohn's disease is patients' inability to afford biologics, reported by 65% of providers.Our study suggests there may be a greater burden of Crohn's disease in low- and lower-middle-income countries than is indicated in prior literature. Respondents reported many challenges in diagnosing and treating Crohn's disease.
Division of Global Health Equity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. rrajbhandari@bwh.harvard.edu.Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02199, USA. rrajbhandari@bwh.harvard.edu.
Division of Global Health Equity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02199, USA.Partners in Health, NCD Synergies, Boston, MA, 02199, USA.
Division of Global Health Equity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02199, USA.Partners in Health, NCD Synergies, Boston, MA, 02199, USA.
Crohn's Disease Among the Poorest Billion: Burden of Crohn's Disease in Low- and Lower-Middle-Income Countries.

Dupilumab blocks IL4/IL13 and is used in atopic disease. There are concerns that blockade may lead to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) inception or activity. Limited data exist on the use of this therapy in patients with IBD; we aimed to describe our experience using dupilumab in IBD to treat concomitant atopic dermatitis (AD) or anti-TNF-induced dermatitis.We analyzed the electronic medical records (2018-2022) in a single, tertiary care center to identify patients with IBD on dupilumab. Clinical and demographic data were gathered, including disease location/behavior, personal/family history of atopy, indication for and response to dupilumab, IBD medication history, and adverse events.Seventeen patients (65% Crohn's) were identified with IBD on dupilumab for dermatitis; 9 for severe AD and 8 for a worsened dermatitis, either AD or psoriasiform dermatitis (PD), induced by anti-TNF. They were treated for a median 1.2 [IQR 0.6-2.3] years. All patients had a dermatologic response to dupilumab and remained on dupilumab at last follow-up. No adverse events were identified, including no increase in IBD activity. In those with dermatitis worsened or induced by anti-TNF, all started dupilumab in combination with another biologic: 3 with anti-TNF, 4 with ustekinumab, and 1 with vedolizumab. Seven of the eight had a response to the initial combination of biologics; however, one patient using dupilumab-anti-TNF ultimately changed to combination dupilumab-ustekinumab to achieve resolution of the dermatitis.Dupilumab is safe and effective for dermatitis in patients with IBD, both primary atopic dermatitis and dermatitis induced or worsened by anti-TNF.
Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics Mount Sinai, Icahn School of Medicine, 1 Gustave L Levy Place, Box 1656, New York, NY, 10029, USA. elizabeth.spencer@mssm.edu.
Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics Mount Sinai, Icahn School of Medicine, 1 Gustave L Levy Place, Box 1656, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
A Single-Center Experience with Dupilumab for Atopic or Psoriasiform Dermatitis in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Amyloid-beta 42 (Aβ42) and phosphorylated tau (pTau) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) reflect core features of the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) more directly than clinical diagnosis. Initiated by the European Alzheimer & Dementia Biobank (EADB), the largest collaborative effort on genetics underlying CSF biomarkers was established, including 31 cohorts with a total of 13,116 individuals (discovery n = 8074; replication n = 5042 individuals). Besides the APOE locus, novel associations with two other well-established AD risk loci were observed; CR1 was shown a locus for Aβ42 and BIN1 for pTau. GMNC and C16orf95 were further identified as loci for pTau, of which the latter is novel. Clustering methods exploring the influence of all known AD risk loci on the CSF protein levels, revealed 4 biological categories suggesting multiple Aβ42 and pTau related biological pathways involved in the etiology of AD. In functional follow-up analyses, GMNC and C16orf95 both associated with lateral ventricular volume, implying an overlap in genetic etiology for tau levels and brain ventricular volume.
Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. i.e.jansen@vu.nl.Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. i.e.jansen@vu.nl.Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. i.e.jansen@vu.nl.
Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Section Genomics of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Aging, Human Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.NeuroGenomics and Informatics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
Research Center and Memory Clinic, Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.CIBERNED, Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
Division of Neurogenetics and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.Neurosciences and Complex Systems Unit (ENyS), CONICET, Hospital El Cruce, National University A. Jauretche (UNAJ), Florencio Varela, Argentina.
Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE / Labex DISTALZ - Facteurs de risque et déterminants moléculaires des maladies liées au vieillissement, F-59000, Lille, France.
Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
University of Bordeaux, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, Team VINTAGE, UMR 1219, 33000, Bordeaux, France.
Division of Neurogenetics and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, Medical Faculty, Bonn, Germany.
Division of Neurogenetics and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, Medical Faculty, Bonn, Germany.German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.
Complex Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease Group, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium.Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
CIBERNED, Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Memory Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitari Mutua de Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain.Fundació per a la Recerca Biomèdica i Social Mútua de Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain.
NORMENT Centre, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo and Division of Mental Health, Oslo, Norway.
Université Paris Cité, EA4468, Maladie d'Alzheimer, F-75013 Paris, France.
The Research-Centre for Age-Related Functional Decline and Disease, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Brumunddal, Norway.Norwegian National Centre for Ageing and Health, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway.
Lübeck Interdisciplinary Platform for Genome Analytics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.
Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine, 91057, Evry, France.
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE, Munich), Munich, Germany.Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, Centro Nacional de Genotipado (CEGEN-PRB3-ISCIII), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.Fundación Pública Galega de Medicina Xenómica-CIBERER-IDIS, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
University of Bordeaux, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, Team VINTAGE, UMR 1219, 33000, Bordeaux, France.Department of Neurology, CHU de Bordeaux, 33000, Bordeaux, France.
Radboudumc Alzheimer Center, Department of Geriatrics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
University of Bordeaux, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, Team VINTAGE, UMR 1219, 33000, Bordeaux, France.Department of Neurology, CHU de Bordeaux, 33000, Bordeaux, France.Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 2115, USA.
Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Center for Cognitive Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, Germany.kbo-Inn-Salzach-Hospital, Wasserburg am Inn, Germany.
Department of Medical Genetics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.Department of Clinical Science, NORMENT Centre, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
University of Bordeaux, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, Team VINTAGE, UMR 1219, 33000, Bordeaux, France.Pôle de Santé Publique Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.
Univerisité Paris-Saclay. Inserm 1178 MOODS, Paris, France.
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany.Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.Department of Neurology, Akershus University Hospital, Lorenskog, Norway.
Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg, Germany.
Cognitive Impairment Unit, Neurology Service, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, Institute for Research Marques de Valdecilla (IDIVAL), University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain, and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.
Division of General Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Center for Cognitive Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, Germany.
Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.
A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
Alzheimer Precision Medicine (APM), Sorbonne University, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France.Neurology Business Group, Eisai Inc, 100 Tice Blvd, Woodcliff Lake, NJ, 07677, USA.
Université Paris Cité, EA4468, Maladie d'Alzheimer, F-75013 Paris, France.Service gériatrie, Centre Mémoire de Ressources et Recherches Ile de France-Broca, AP-HP, Hôpital Broca, F-75013, Paris, France.
Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, School of Medicine and University Hospital Bonn, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
Institute of Clinical Medicine, Internal Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, Medical Faculty, Bonn, Germany.German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.
Department of Neurology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
Department of Neurology, Akershus University Hospital, Lorenskog, Norway.
Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Psychiatry, Cognition and Old Age Psychiatry Clinic, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Department of Neurology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.Department of Neurology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.Department of Neurology, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, and Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
Bioinformatics Center, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
Cognitive Impairment Unit, Neurology Service, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, Institute for Research Marques de Valdecilla (IDIVAL), University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain, and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.Atlantic Fellow at the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) -, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany.Section for Dementia Research, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Institute of Clinical Medicine, Neurosurgery, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.Department of Neurosurgery, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, and Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.Department of Neurodegeneration Diagnostics, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland.
CIBERNED, Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.Hospital Universitario Donostia-OSAKIDETZA, Donostia, Spain.Instituto Biodonostia, San Sebastián, Spain.University of The Basque Country, San Sebastian, Spain.
Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, Medical Faculty, Bonn, Germany.
Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Center Erasmus MC, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Research Center and Memory Clinic, Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.
CIBERNED, Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.Hospital Universitario Donostia-OSAKIDETZA, Donostia, Spain.Instituto Biodonostia, San Sebastián, Spain.
Department of Genetics and CNR-MAJ, Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, Inserm U1245 and CHU Rouen, Rouen, France.
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE, Munich), Munich, Germany.Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) Munich, Munich, Germany.Ageing Epidemiology Research Unit, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany.German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany.
Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zürich and University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland.Old Age Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany.Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der isar, Technical University Munich, 81675, Munich, Germany.
Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, Centro Nacional de Genotipado (CEGEN-PRB3-ISCIII), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychologie, Alzheimer Center Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.Department of Geriatrics, St Olav Hospital, University Hospital of Trondheim, Trondheim, Norway.
Alzheimer's Centre Reina Sofia-CIEN Foundation-ISCIII, 28031, Madrid, Spain.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, LVR-Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
Institute of Medical Biometry, Informatics and Epidemiology, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Norwegian National Centre for Ageing and Health, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway.Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.Department of Geriatric Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock, Germany.Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147, Rostock, Germany.
1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Makedonia, Greece.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases Group, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium.
Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.Laboratory for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium.
Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Alzheimer Center Limburg, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Neurogeriatrics Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany.Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Psychiatry, Psychosis Clinic, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany.German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany.Medical Science Department, iBiMED, Aveiro, Portugal.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK.UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK.Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hong Kong, China.
Department of Epidemiology, ErasmusMC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.Nuffield Department of Population Health, Oxford University, Oxford, UK.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.Department of Neurology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.Cluster of Excellence Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Neurochemistry Lab, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Unit of Neurodegenerative diseases, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol and The Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) Badalona, Barcelona, Spain.
Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Department of Medicine and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
NORMENT Centre, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo and Division of Mental Health, Oslo, Norway.Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, 0407, Oslo, Norway.
Division of Neurogenetics and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, Medical Faculty, Bonn, Germany.German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.Cluster of Excellence Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.Department of Psychiatry, Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. wm.vdflier@amsterdamumc.nl.Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. wm.vdflier@amsterdamumc.nl.
Genome-wide meta-analysis for Alzheimer's disease cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers.

Restoring the tooth-supporting tissues lost during periodontitis is a significant clinical challenge, despite advances in both biomaterial and cell-based approaches. This study investigated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels functionalized with integrin-binding peptides RGD and GFOGER for controlling periodontal ligament cell (PDLC) activity and promoting periodontal tissue regeneration. Dual presentation of RGD and GFOGER within PEG hydrogels potentiated two key PDLC functions, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and matrix mineralization, over either peptide alone and could be tuned to differentially promote each function. Hydrogel matrix mineralization, fostered by high concentrations of GFOGER together with RGD, identified a PDLC phenotype with accelerated matrix adhesion formation and expression of cementoblast and osteoblast genes. In contrast, maximizing ALP activity through high RGD and low GFOGER levels resulted in minimal hydrogel mineralization, in part, through altered PDLC pyrophosphate regulation. Transplantation of PDLCs in hydrogels optimized for either outcome promoted cementum formation in rat periodontal defects; however, only hydrogels optimized for in vitro mineralization improved new bone formation. Overall, these results highlight the utility of engineered hydrogel systems for controlling PDLC functions and their promise for promoting periodontal tissue regeneration.
Translational Biomedical Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America; Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States of America; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States of America; Materials Science Program, University Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States of America; Center for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America. Electronic address: danielle.benoit@rochester.edu.
Dual peptide-functionalized hydrogels differentially control periodontal cell function and promote tissue regeneration.

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) provides a major source of genetic variation. Many viruses, including poxviruses, encode genes with crucial functions directly gained by gene transfer from hosts. The mechanism of transfer to poxvirus genomes is unknown. Using genome analysis and experimental screens of infected cells, we discovered a central role for Long Interspersed Nuclear Element-1 retrotransposition in HGT to virus genomes. The process recapitulates processed pseudogene generation, but with host messenger RNA directed into virus genomes. Intriguingly, hallmark features of retrotransposition appear to favor virus adaption through rapid duplication of captured host genes on arrival. Our study reveals a previously unrecognized conduit of genetic traffic with fundamental implications for the evolution of many virus classes and their hosts.
Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, United States.
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States.
Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, United States.Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, United States.
Poxviruses capture host genes by LINE-1 retrotransposition.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a syndrome in patients with cirrhosis with high short-term mortality. Infection is a frequent precipitant of ACLF; however, it is unclear if prognosis varies by difference infectious sources. To address this knowledge gap, we utilized a large national database of patients with cirrhosis.This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with cirrhosis in the Veterans Health Administration between 2008 and 2016. First ACLF hospitalizations were identified and infections were classified using validated algorithms, categorized as bacteremia, fungal, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), pyelonephritis/urinary tract infection, or skin and soft tissue/musculoskeletal infection (SST/MSK). Inverse probability treatment weighing for infection-associated ACLF followed by multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between infection type and 90-day mortality.A total 22,589 ACLF hospitalizations were included, 3998 (17.7%) of which had ACLF grade 3. Infection was associated with 12,405 (54.9%) of ACLF hospitalizations. In regression models, SBP was associated with a 1.79-fold increased odds of 90-day mortality vs. no infection (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.58-2.02, p < 0.001), whereas SST/MSK infections had a lower relative odds of mortality (odds ratio 0.48, 95% CI 0.42-0.53, p < 0.001). There was a significant interaction between infection category and ACLF grade on the outcome of 90-day mortality (p < 0.001).The impact of infection on short-term mortality in ACLF varies depending on the source of infection. This has relevance for ACLF prognostication and challenges previous notions that bacterial infection invariably worsens prognosis among all patients with ACLF.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. nadim@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.Department of Medicine, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA. nadim@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. nadim@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.Leonard David Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA. nadim@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Division of Digestive Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.Department of Medicine, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Type of Infection Is Associated with Prognosis in Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure: A National Veterans Health Administration Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new problems to patients infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV).We aim to know the effects of HBV infection on patients with COVID-19.We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for data and utilized Stata 14.0 software for this meta-analysis with a random-effects model. This paper was conducted in alignment with the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA) guideline.In total, 37,696 patients were divided into two groups: 2591 COVID-19 patients infected with HBV in the experimental group and 35,105 COVID-19 patients not infected with HBV in the control group. Our study showed that the in-hospital mortality of the experimental group was significant higher than that of the control group (OR = 2.04, 95% CI 1.49-2.79). We also found that COVID-19 patients infected with HBV were more likely to develop severe disease (OR = 1.90, 95% CI 1.32-2.73) than COVID-19 patients not infected with HBV. Upon measuring alanine aminotransferase (SMD = 0.62, 95% CI 0.25-0.98), aspartate aminotransferase (SMD = 0.60, 95% CI 0.30-0.91), total bilirubin (SMD = 0.45, 95% CI 0.23-0.67), direct bilirubin (SMD = 0.36, 95% CI 0.24-0.47), lactate dehydrogenase (SMD = 0.32, 95% CI 0.18-0.47), we found that HBV infection led to significantly higher laboratory results in COVID-19 patients.COVID-19 patients infected with HBV should receive more attention, and special attention should be given to various liver function indices during treatment.
Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, Jilin Province, China.
Department of Ultrasound, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, Jilin Province, China.
Department of Radiology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, Jilin Province, China. wantaihu@jlu.edu.cn.
Effects of Hepatitis B Virus Infection on Patients with COVID-19: A Meta-Analysis.

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and concurrent depression are predisposed to severer disease activity and a worse prognosis. Macrophage polarization toward the M1 phenotype may contribute to the exacerbation of IBD with comorbid depression. Moreover, interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) is involved in the pathogenesis of IBD. The aim of this study was to explore the role of IRF5 in macrophage polarization in the impact of depression upon colitis.Depressive-like behavior was induced by repeated forced swim stress. Colon length, disease activity index (DAI), colon morphology, histology, ultrastructure of epithelial barrier, lamina propria macrophage polarization, and expression of IRF5 were compared between DSS colitis rats with and without depressive-like behavior. IRF5 shRNA was constructed to affect the rat peritoneal macrophages polarization in vitro. After IRF5 shRNA lentivirus was introduced into colon by enema, the colitis severity, lamina propria macrophage polarization, and TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-10 of colon tissues were measured.The study found severer colonic inflammation in depressed versus non-depressed DSS-colitis rats. Depressed DSS-colitis rats exhibited smaller subepithelial macrophages size and reduced intracellular granule diversity compared with nondepressed DSS-colitis rats. Increased polarization toward the M1 phenotype, elevated expression of IRF5, and co-expression of IRF5 with CD86 were found in depressed versus nondepressed DSS-colitis rats. Lentivirus-mediated shRNA interference with IRF5 expression switched rat peritoneal macrophage polarization from the M1 to the M2 phenotype, downregulated TNF-α, IL-1β expression to a greater extent in depressed versus nondepressed colitis rats.IRF5-mediated macrophage polarization may likely underlie the deterioration of DSS-induced colitis caused by depression.
Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Street, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Street, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. hxzyan@163.com.
Depression Exacerbates Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis via IRF5-Mediated Macrophage Polarization.

Protocol-based active surveillance (AS) biopsies have led to poor compliance. To move to risk-based protocols, more accurate imaging biomarkers are needed to predict upgrading on AS prostate biopsy. We compared restriction spectrum imaging (RSI-MRI) generated signal maps as a biomarker to other available non-invasive biomarkers to predict upgrading or reclassification on an AS biopsy.We prospectively enrolled men on prostate cancer AS undergoing repeat biopsy from January 2016 to June 2019 to obtain an MRI and biomarkers to predict upgrading. Subjects underwent a prostate multiparametric MRI and a short duration, diffusion-weighted enhanced MRI called RSI to generate a restricted signal map along with evaluation of 30 biomarkers (14 clinico-epidemiologic features, 9 molecular biomarkers, and 7 radiologic-associated features). Our primary outcome was upgrading or reclassification on subsequent AS prostate biopsy. Statistical analysis included operating characteristic improvement using AUROC and AUPRC.The individual biomarker with the highest area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) was RSI-MRI (AUC = 0.84; 95% CI: 0.71-0.96). The best non-imaging biomarker was prostate volume-corrected Prostate Health Index density (PHI, AUC = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.53-0.82). Non-imaging biomarkers had a negligible effect on predicting upgrading at the next biopsy but did improve predictions of overall time to progression in AS.RSI-MRI, PIRADS, and PHI could improve the predictive ability to detect upgrading in AS. The strongest predictor of clinically significant prostate cancer on AS biopsy was RSI-MRI signal output.
© 2022. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.
Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.Institute for Precision Health, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.Department of Urology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Department of Urology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Department of Microbiology and Molecular Cell Biology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA.
Department of Pathology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA.
Research Imaging Institute, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.Department of Radiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Department of Radiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Department of Pathology, Division of Clinical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Department of Urlogy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. PBoutros@mednet.ucla.edu.Institute for Precision Health, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. PBoutros@mednet.ucla.edu.Department of Urology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. PBoutros@mednet.ucla.edu.Department of Human Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. PBoutros@mednet.ucla.edu.Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. PBoutros@mednet.ucla.edu.Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. PBoutros@mednet.ucla.edu.
Department of Urology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA. liss@uthscsa.edu.Research Imaging Institute, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA. liss@uthscsa.edu.College of Pharmacy, University of Texas Austin, Austin, TX, USA. liss@uthscsa.edu.Department of Urology, South Texas Veterans Healthcare System, San Antonio, TX, USA. liss@uthscsa.edu.
Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2024-03;27(1):65-72.
Prospective comparison of restriction spectrum imaging and non-invasive biomarkers to predict upgrading on active surveillance prostate biopsy.

Pancreatic cancer is characterized by a dense desmoplasia stroma, which hinders efficient drug delivery and plays a critical role in tumor progression and metastasis. MLN4924 is a first-in-class NEDD8-activating enzyme inhibitor that exhibits anti-tumor activities toward pancreatic cancer, and given the comprehensive effects that MLN4924 could have, we ask what impact MLN4924 would have on the stroma of pancreatic cancer and its underlying mechanisms.Primary pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) and human HMEC-1 cells were treated with MLN4924 in vitro. The proliferation and extracellular matrix protein levels of PSCs were tested, and their relationship with transcription factor Gli1 in PSCs was investigated. The angiogenic phenotypes of HMEC-1 cells were evaluated using capillary-like tube formation assay, and their relationship with REDD1 in HMEC-1 cells was investigated.In this study, we found that MLN4924 inhibited the proliferation of pancreatic stellate cells and their secretion of collagen and CXCL-1, and the collagen secretion inhibiting effect of MLN4924 was related with transcription factor Gli1. MLN4924 inhibited multiple angiogenic phenotypes of HMEC-1 cells, and mTOR agonist partially relieved the inhibition of MLN4924 on HEMCs. MLN4924 increased the expression of REDD1 and REDD1 knockdown promoted the angiogenic phenotypes of HMEC-1 cells.Our study suggests that MLN4924 inhibits both the tumor stroma and angiogenesis in pancreatic cancer, and the inhibition effect is related with Gli1 in pancreatic stellate cells and REDD1 in vascular endothelial cells, respectively.
Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China. lou.wenhui@zs-hospital.sh.cn.
Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China. li.jian_ang@zs-hospital.sh.cn.
NEDD8-Activating Enzyme Inhibitor MLN4924 Inhibits Both the Tumor Stroma and Angiogenesis in Pancreatic Cancer via Gli1 and REDD1.

Motorized Spiral Enteroscopy (MSE) reduces procedure time and increases insertion depth into the small bowel; however, there is scarce evidence on factors affecting MSE efficacy.To evaluate diagnostic yield and adverse events of MSE including patients with prior major abdominal surgery.A prospective observational study was conducted on patients undergoing MSE from June 2019 to December 2021. Demographic characteristics, procedure time, depth of maximum insertion (DMI), technical success, diagnostic yield, and adverse events were collected.Seventy-four anterograde (54.4%) and 62 retrograde (45.6%) enteroscopies were performed in 117 patients (64 males, median age 67 years). Fifty patients (42.7%) had prior major abdominal surgery. Technical success was 91.9% for anterograde and 90.3% for retrograde route. Diagnostic yield was 71.6% and 61.3%, respectively. The median DMI was 415 cm (264-585) for anterograde and 120 cm (37-225) for retrograde enteroscopy. In patients with prior major abdominal surgery, MSE showed significantly longer small bowel insertion time (38 vs 29 min, p = 0.004), with similar diagnostic yield (61 vs 71.4%, p = 0.201) and DMI (315 vs 204 cm, p = 0.226). The overall adverse event rate was 10.3% (SAE 1.5%), with no differences related to prior abdominal surgery (p = 0.598). Patients with prior surgeries directly involving the gastrointestinal tract showed lower DMI (189 vs 374 cm, p = 0.019) with equal exploration time (37.5 vs 38 min, p = 0.642) compared to those with other abdominal surgeries.MSE is effective and safe in patients with major abdominal surgery, although longer procedure times were observed. A lower depth of insertion was detected in patients with gastrointestinal surgery.
Endoscopy Unit, Gastroenterology Department, ICMDM, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
Endoscopy Unit, Gastroenterology Department, ICMDM, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Endoscopy Unit, Gastroenterology Department, ICMDM, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Barcelona, Spain.Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Endoscopy Unit, Gastroenterology Department, ICMDM, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Barcelona, Spain.
Endoscopy Unit, Gastroenterology Department, ICMDM, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Barcelona, Spain.Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.GI & Liver Transplant Unit, Institut de Malalties Digestives i Metaboliques, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.Anesthesiology Department, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Endoscopy Unit, Gastroenterology Department, ICMDM, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. bgonzals@clinic.cat.Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain. bgonzals@clinic.cat.Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Barcelona, Spain. bgonzals@clinic.cat.Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. bgonzals@clinic.cat.
Motorized Spiral Enteroscopy Is Effective in Patients with Prior Abdominal Surgery.

Predicting the risk of malignant transformation in pancreatic cyst patients is challenging.We retrospectively investigated the risk factors for malignant transformation in pancreatic cyst patients.Patients with pancreatic cysts diagnosed using imaging tests were followed from November 2008 to December 2021. A significant change was defined as the additional development of high-risk stigmata (HRS), worrisome features (WFs), or pancreatic cancer during monitoring.In total, 479 patients were analyzed, with a median observation period of 50 months. Forty-four patients (9.2%) showed significant changes, and eight (1.7%) developed pancreatic cancer. The univariate analysis showed that the cyst diameter at diagnosis (≥ 14 mm), main pancreatic duct (MPD) diameter at diagnosis (≥ 3 mm), presence of multilocular cysts, and an inconsistent MPD caliber were significant predictive factors for a significant change. One point was assigned for each significant factor. We grouped the patients into three groups: the low-risk group (total score 0), medium-risk group (score 1-2), and high-risk group (score 3-4). The high-risk group had a higher risk of a significant change than the medium- and low-risk groups (age-adjusted HRs for the medium-risk and high-risk groups were 3.0 and 5.2 compared with the low-risk group).Stratification based on risk factors may help predict the development of significant changes in pancreatic cyst patients.
Department of Gastroenterology, Toyonaka Municipal Hospital, 4-14-1 Shibahara, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-8565, Japan.
Department of Gastroenterology, Toyonaka Municipal Hospital, 4-14-1 Shibahara, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-8565, Japan. tnishida@gh.med.osaka-u.ac.jp.
Stratification Based on Risk Factors at Diagnosis Could Predict Progression in Patients with Pancreatic Cysts.

Patients with Barrett's esophagus (BE) and esophageal varices present a unique management dilemma. Endoscopic ablation and endoscopic resection are not suitable treatment options due to bleeding risk. Data are limited on successful eradication of BE and esophageal varices utilizing band ligation.To assess the outcomes of patients with BE and esophageal varices treated with banding.Retrospective analysis of patients with BE and esophageal varices who were treated with band ligation.A total of eight patients were included in the case series. In all eight cases, BE and esophageal varices were successfully treated with band ligation alone. There were no bleeding, perforation or infectious complications in any patients undergoing banding for treatment of BE. Four patients had biopsy-proven dysplasia prior to treatment with band ligation. After band ligation, the 2 of 4 dysplastic cases that had repeat biopsies showed histologic resolution of the dysplasia. All patients who received banding for BE were followed at least yearly except for one patient lost to follow up. No interval esophageal cancers were reported in any patients with BE that were banded.Band ligation was used to treat BE pathology in eight patients with esophageal varices. Treatment of dysplasia through this method yielded negative biopsies both for dysplasia and BE on repeat endoscopy. This case series highlights the value of utilizing band ligation to address the management dilemma of BE in the context of esophageal varices.
Wayne State University School of Medicine, 540 E Canfield St, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA. colin.hartgerink@med.wayne.edu.
Department of Gastroenterology, Henry Ford Health System, 2799 W Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA.
Band Ligation Can Be Used to Treat Barrett's Esophagus and Concurrent Esophageal Varices: A Case Series.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) plays a role in the causation of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and multiple sclerosis (MS). A previous study showed that the time trends of mortality from Crohn's disease (CD) and MS shared striking similarities. It was hypothesized that such similarities would also involve the time trends of ulcerative colitis and HL.To compare the time trends of CD and UC with those of HL and MS in 6 different countries.Using the vital statistics of England, Canada, Netherlands, Scotland, Switzerland, and United States from 1951 to 2020, the time trends of mortality from these 4 diseases were compared. The time-dependent changes of death rates were subjected to a birth-cohort analysis.Similar trends were observed in all 6 countries. UC mortality rose among generations born during the nineteenth century and decreased among all generations born subsequently during the twentieth century. CD mortality was similarly characterized by a birth-cohort pattern with a rise and fall that were shifted by 20-30 years towards more recent generations when compared to UC. The birth-cohort pattern of UC was matched by a similar pattern of HL, whereas the birth-cohort pattern of CD was matched by a similar pattern of MS.The similarities in the ubiquitous birth-cohort patterns of UC, CD, HL, and MS suggest that these 4 diseases share a common environmental risk factor. Such risk factor may be linked to EBV or its acquisition during an early period of a patient's lifetime.
Section of Gastroenterology, Portland VA Medical Center, P3-GI, Portland, OR, 97239, USA. sonnenbe@ohsu.edu.Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA. sonnenbe@ohsu.edu.
Similar Time Trends of Hodgkin Lymphoma, Multiple Sclerosis, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Delays in colonoscopy work-up for red flag signs or symptoms of colorectal cancer (CRC) during the COVID-19 pandemic are not well characterized.To examine colonoscopy uptake and time to colonoscopy after red flag diagnosis, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.Cohort study of adults ages 50-75 with iron deficiency anemia (IDA), hematochezia, or abnormal stool blood test receiving Veterans Health Administration (VHA) care from April 2019 to December 2020. Index date was first red flag diagnosis date, categorized into pre (April-December 2019) and intra (April-December 2020) policy implementation prioritizing diagnostic procedures, allowing for a 3-month washout (January-March 2020) period. Outcomes were colonoscopy completion and time to colonoscopy pre- vs. intra-COVID-19, examined using multivariable Cox models with hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).There were 52,539 adults with red flag signs or symptoms (pre-COVID: 25,154; washout: 7527; intra-COVID: 19,858). Proportion completing colonoscopy was similar pre- vs. intra-COVID-19 (27.0% vs. 26.5%; p = 0.24). Median time to colonoscopy among colonoscopy completers was similar for pre- vs. intra-COVID-19 (46 vs. 42 days), but longer for individuals with IDA (60 vs. 49 days). There was no association between time period and colonoscopy completion (aHR: 0.99, 95% CI 0.95-1.03).Colonoscopy work-up of CRC red flag signs and symptoms was not delayed within VHA during the COVID-19 pandemic, possibly due to VHA policies supporting prioritization and completion. Further work is needed to understand how COVID-19 policies on screening and surveillance impact CRC-related outcomes, and how to optimize colonoscopy completion after a red flag diagnosis.
Jennifer Moreno VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA. jdemb@health.ucsd.edu.Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. jdemb@health.ucsd.edu.University of California, San Diego, 3350 La Jolla Village Dr MC 151B, San Diego, CA, 92161, USA. jdemb@health.ucsd.edu.
Jennifer Moreno VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.Moores Cancer Center, University of California, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Jennifer Moreno VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.Moores Cancer Center, University of California, La Jolla, CA, USA.
National Gastroenterology and Hepatology Program, Veterans Health Administration, Washington, DC, USA.Division of Gastroenterology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
Jennifer Moreno VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.Veterans Medical Research Foundation, San Diego, CA, USA.
Jennifer Moreno VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.Moores Cancer Center, University of California, La Jolla, CA, USA.
VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.Moores Cancer Center, University of California, La Jolla, CA, USA.
COVID-19 Pandemic Had Minimal Impact on Colonoscopy Completion After Colorectal Cancer Red Flag Sign or Symptoms in US Veterans.

There is a paucity of research on the use of the electronic health record (EHR) by gastroenterology and hepatology providers and its effect on work-life balance. Our aim was to study the after-hour EHR work completed among providers within a multispecialty academic practice.Time spent completing EHR tasks during evening hours (7p-7a) and days off was prospectively recorded for 35 providers over six consecutive months at a single center. Type and time of EHR tasks completed were compared based on subspecialty, academic degree, academic track category, identified gender, and number of weekly assigned clinical days worked. Prior to the data collection, providers filled out a survey regarding EHR use, work hours, and work-life balance.All providers used EHR during evening hours and during days off. The total mean after-hours time spent completing EHR tasks was 18.4 m (± 13.0) per day and 45.0 m (± 25.8) during days off. There was significant variation in the daily mean after-hours time spent completing EHR tasks among subspecialties, range 45.3 m (± 27.1) (advanced endoscopy)-28.7 m (± 22.7) (hepatology), and among providers who work clinically > 7.5 days per week versus those who do not, 42.1 m (± 25.7) vs 30.0 m (± 14.0). The most common after-hours EHR task was note completion. 83% providers reported being unable to complete EHR tasks during allotted workday time and 87% report that EHR tasks interfered with family life; 74% with social life.Gastroenterology and hepatology providers spend a significant amount of after-hour time completing EHR tasks which is perceived to interfere with family/social life.
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 600 Highland Avenue H6/516, Madison, WI, 53792, USA. mb4@medicine.wisc.edu.
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 600 Highland Avenue H6/516, Madison, WI, 53792, USA.
Electronic Health Record Work Demands for Gastroenterology and Hepatology Providers: A Prospective Use Analysis and Survey Study.

Fatty liver disease is a growing public health burden. We estimated prepandemic fatty liver disease prevalence determined by transient elastography-assessed hepatic steatosis and fibrosis, and examined associations with lifestyle and other factors in a United States population sample.Liver stiffness and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) were assessed on 7923 non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic Asian, and Hispanic men and women aged 20 years and over in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-March 2020 prepandemic data.The prevalence of fatty liver disease (CAP > 300 dB/m) was 28.8% and of fibrosis (liver stiffness > 8 kPa) was 10.4%. Only 7.2% of participants with fatty liver disease and 10.9% with fibrosis reported being told by a health care provider that they had liver disease. In addition to known risk factors such as metabolic factors and ALT, persons with fatty liver disease were less likely to meet physical activity guidelines, more likely to be sedentary for ≥ 12 h a day, and reported a less healthy diet. Persons with fibrosis were less likely to have a college degree and reported a less healthy diet.In the U.S. population, most persons with fatty liver disease are unaware of their condition. Physical activity and dietary modifications might reduce the fatty liver disease burden. There is an urgent need for fatty liver disease management in high-risk individuals using transient elastography or other noninvasive methods to intervene in disease progression.
Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Two Democracy Plaza, Room 6009, 6707 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda, MD, 20892-5458, USA.
Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., a DLH Holdings Corp Company, 8757 Georgia Avenue, 12th Floor, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA. constance.ruhl@dlhcorp.com.
Prepandemic Prevalence Estimates of Fatty Liver Disease and Fibrosis Defined by Liver Elastography in the United States.

The effect of age and gender differences on anorectal function, symptoms severity, and quality of life (QoL) in patients with chronic constipation (CC) is not well studied. This study examines the impact of age and gender on anorectal function testing (AFT) characteristics, symptoms burden, and QoL in patients with CC.This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from 2550 adults with CC who completed AFT. Collected data include demographics, sphincter response to simulated defecation during anorectal manometry (ARM), balloon expulsion testing (BET), and validated surveys assessing constipation symptoms and QoL. DD was defined as both the inability to relax the anal sphincter during simulated defecation and an abnormal BET.2550 subjects were included in the analysis (mean age = 48.6 years). Most patients were female (81.6%) and Caucasian (82%). 73% were < 60 years old (mean = 41) vs. 27% ≥ 60 years old (mean = 69). The prevalence of impaired anal sphincter relaxation on ARM, abnormal BET, and DD in patients with CC was 48%, 42.1%, and 22.9%, respectively. Patients who were older and male were significantly more frequently diagnosed with DD and more frequently had impaired anal sphincter relaxation on ARM, compared to patients who were younger and female (p < 0.05). Conversely, CC patients who were younger and female reported greater constipation symptoms severity and more impaired QoL (p ≤ 0.004).Among patients with CC referred for anorectal function testing, men and those older than 60 are more likely to have dyssynergic defecation, but women and patients younger than 60 experience worse constipation symptoms and QoL.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, 3912 Taubman Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Dr. SPC 5362, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA. bnojkov@med.umich.edu.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, 3912 Taubman Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Dr. SPC 5362, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
Age- and Gender-Based Differences in Anorectal Function, Gastrointestinal Symptoms, and Constipation-Specific Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Constipation.

Bezafibrate (BZF) alone or in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) has been used to slow disease progression in patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and harms of BZF monotherapy or combination therapy.We performed a systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov, and WHO ICTRP from inception until January 2020, for randomized controlled clinical trials assessing BZF + UDCA versus UDCA monotherapy or BZF monotherapy versus UDCA monotherapy in PBC patients. Additionally, we systematically evaluated data on harms using seven observational studies. Pooled effect estimates were calculated for the outcomes of interest. The certainty of evidence was assessed using GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation).We identified 7 randomized controlled trials with a total of 279 participants. Comparing BZF + UDCA to UDCA alone, a clinically significant improvement was observed in serum ALP with a mean difference (MD) of - 159.04 U/L (95% CI - 186.45 to - 131.62) and a reduction in gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) (MD - 106.94 IU/L; 95% CI - 151.99 to - 61.89), but not in total bilirubin (TB) or IgM levels. A statistically significant reduction in ALP levels was also noticed with BZF monotherapy compared to UDCA monotherapy. The effect of BZF + UDCA versus UDCA on mortality remains unclear. Across 5 observational studies including 106 patients, one death was reported due to advanced liver disease in an incomplete responder getting treatment with BZF + UDCA. Analysis of observational studies demonstrated improvement in pruritus intensity with BZF.Use of BZF alone or in combination with UDCA improved liver biochemistries in patients with PBC, but its effect on mortality, liver-related complications or quality of life remains unknown.
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Minnesota and Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Department of Health Informatics, Calder Memorial Library, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
Division of Digestive Health and Liver Diseases, University of Miami School of Medicine, 1500 NW 12th Avenue, Suite 1101, Miami, FL, 33136, USA. clevy@med.miami.edu.Schiff Center for Liver Diseases, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA. clevy@med.miami.edu.
Efficacy and Safety of Bezafibrate Alone or in Combination with Ursodeoxycholic Acid in Primary Biliary Cholangitis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Cannabidiol (CBD) has been of rapidly growing interest in the epilepsy research field due to its antiseizure properties in preclinical models and patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy. However, little is known about CBD effects in genetic models of epilepsies. Here we assessed CBD dose-response effects in the Genetically Epilepsy Prone Rats (GEPR-3) strain, which exhibits two types of epileptic seizures, brainstem-dependent generalized tonic-clonic seizures and limbic seizures.GEPR-3 s were submitted to the audiogenic seizure (AGS) protocol. Acute AGS are brainstem-dependent generalized tonic-clonic, while repeated AGS (or audiogenic kindling, AK), an epileptogenic process, leads to increased AGS severity and limbic seizure expression. Therefore, two different dose-response studies were performed, one for generalized tonic-clonic seizures and the other for limbic seizures. CBD time-course effects were assessed 2, 4, and 6 h after drug injection. GEPR-3 s were submitted to within-subject tests, receiving intraperitoneal injections of CBD (1, 10, 50, 100 mg/kg/ml) and vehicle.CBD dose-dependently attenuated generalized tonic-clonic seizures in GEPR-3 s; CBD 50 and 100 mg/kg reduced brainstem-dependent seizure severity and duration. In fully kindled GEPR-3 s, CBD 10 mg/kg reduced limbic seizure severity and suppressed limbic seizure expression in 75% of animals.CBD was effective against brainstem and limbic seizures in the GEPR-3 s. These results support the use of CBD treatment for epilepsies by adding new information about the pharmacological efficacy of CBD in suppressing inherited seizure susceptibility in the GEPR-3 s.
© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences.
Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Georgetown University, New Research Bldg., W209B, 3970 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC, 20007, USA.Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Georgetown University, New Research Bldg., W209B, 3970 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC, 20007, USA.
Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.Department of Physiology, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Howard University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, 20059, USA. prosper.ngouemo@howard.edu.
Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Georgetown University, New Research Bldg., W209B, 3970 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC, 20007, USA. paf22@georgetown.edu.Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA. paf22@georgetown.edu.
Cannabidiol attenuates generalized tonic-clonic and suppresses limbic seizures in the genetically epilepsy-prone rats (GEPR-3) strain.

The association between hepatitis B and concomitant diseases, such as fatty liver, T2DM, MetS, and Hp infection, remains unclear.The present study was to illustrate the association and explore the co-contribution on abnormal transaminase and progression of liver stiffness.A total of 95,998 participants underwent HBsAg screening in West China Hospital from 2014 to 2017. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the adjusted odds ratios.The prevalence of HBsAg-positive rate was 8.30% of our included study population. HBsAg positive was associated with negative risk of fatty liver (odds ratio [OR] 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.65-0.78, p < 0.001) and MetS (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.67-0.84, p < 0.001), and with positive risk of Hp infection (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02-1.17, p = 0.012) and T2DM (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.01-1.40, p = 0.043). Besides, HBsAg-positive patients with T2DM had higher risk of elevated ALT (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.69-2.83, p < 0.001 vs OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.51-1.68, p < 0.001), AST (OR 2.69, 95% CI 1.98-3.65, p < 0.001 vs OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.76-2.02, p < 0.001) than HBV alone. In addition to HBV, T2DM also can increase the risk of liver fibrosis (OR 3.23, 95% CI 1.35-7.71, p = 0.008) and cirrhosis (OR 4.31, 95% CI 1.41-13.20, p = 0.010).Hepatitis B patients have a lower risk of fatty liver and MetS, and a higher risk of T2DM and Hp infection. Besides, T2DM might be possibly associated with abnormal liver transaminase and fibrosis progression in HBsAg-positive patients.
Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Center of Infectious Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
Health Management Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. htang6198@hotmail.com.Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Center of Infectious Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China. htang6198@hotmail.com.
Concomitant Diseases and Co-contribution on Progression of Liver Stiffness in Patients with Hepatitis B Virus Infection.

Recent real-world effectiveness studies investigating tofacitinib have been encouraging. Questions remain regarding the long-term effectiveness and safety of tofacitinib, effect on endoscopic remission rates, histologic changes, and alterations in fecal calprotectin levels.This retrospective study includes consecutive patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who initiated tofacitinib therapy. We reviewed electronic medical records for demographic and clinical data, as well as all adverse events and hospitalizations. All patients receiving tofacitinib were included in the safety analysis and only patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) were included in the effectiveness analysis.119 patients with IBD (97 UC, 12 CD, and 10 pouchitis) seen at our center between 2014 and 2020 were included in this study. Median follow-up was 32 weeks (interquartile range (IQR) 3-252). Clinical response and remission were observed in 70% and 21%, 59% and 33%, and 49%, and 37% at weeks 8, 24, and 52, respectively. Endo-histologic healing was achieved by 11%, 25%, and 37.5% of patients at weeks 8, 24, and 52, respectively. Histologic normalization occurred as early as 24 weeks in this cohort and was achieved by 26% of patients in endoscopic remission. Overall, there were 27 (25%) adverse events with 6 (5%) resulting in treatment discontinuation. There were 11 (10%) infections, none required treatment discontinuation. Ten (10.3%) patients underwent colectomy during the follow-up period. There were no cardiovascular adverse events in the cohort during follow-up.This study demonstrates the effectiveness and long-term safety of tofacitinib in patients with UC. Importantly, we show that the endpoint of endo-histologic healing is achievable with tofacitinib and can occur as early as week 8 of therapy.
University of Chicago Medicine Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 4076, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
University of Chicago Medicine Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 4076, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
University of Chicago Medicine Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 4076, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA. drubin@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu.
Endo-histologic Normalization Is Achievable with Tofacitinib and Is Associated with Improved Clinical Outcomes.

The appropriate method of preoperative endoscopic biliary drainage (EBD) for cholangiocarcinoma with hilar biliary obstruction remains controversial. The inside-stent technique is a method of placing plastic stents entirely inside the bile duct. Several studies of patients with unresectable stage have reported longer stent patency compared with conventional endoscopic biliary stenting (EBS). Inside-stent techniques have been introduced as a bridge-to-surgery option and as an alternative to conventional EBS.We aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of inside stent use and conventional EBS.During this retrospective multicenter study, we reviewed consecutive patients with cholangiocarcinoma who underwent radical surgery after conventional EBS or inside-stent insertion. Adverse event (AE) rates after EBD and post-surgical AEs were compared. A multivariable analysis was performed to identify factors affecting cholangitis after EBD.Conventional EBS and inside-stent procedures were performed for 56 and 73 patients, respectively. Patient backgrounds were similar between groups, except for percutaneous transhepatic portal vein embolization. The waiting time before surgery was similar between groups (28.5 days vs. 30 days). There were no significant differences in the cholangitis rate (21.4% vs. 26.0%; P = 0.68) and all AEs (25.0% vs. 30.1%; P = 0.56) between groups. The post-surgical AE rate was similar between the groups. The multivariable analysis found that preprocedural cholangitis was a risk factor for cholangitis after EBD (odds ratio: 5.67; 95% confidence interval: 1.61-19.9).The outcomes of inside-stent techniques and conventional EBS for the management of preoperative EBD are comparable for patients with cholangiocarcinoma.
Division of Endoscopy, Shizuoka Cancer Center, 1007 Shimonagakubo Nagaizumi-cho, Sunto-gun, Shizuoka, Japan. ishihiro481019@gmail.com.
Clinical Research Center, Shizuoka Cancer Center, Shizuoka, Japan.
Department of Endoscopy, Nagoya University Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Division of Gastroenterology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine and Dentistry, Okayama, Japan.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.Division of Gastroenterology and Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan.
Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University (Osaka Medical College), Osaka, Japan.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan.
Division of Gastroenterology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan.
Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka, Japan.
Division of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer Center, Shizuoka, Japan.
Department of Surgery and Oncology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Division of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Medicine, Department of Gastroenterology, Cancer Institute Hospital of Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan.
Clinical Outcomes of Inside Stents and Conventional Plastic Stents as Bridge-to-Surgery Options for Malignant Hilar Biliary Obstruction.

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) achieves a satisfactory short-term clinical response in patients with achalasia. However, data on mid- and long-term clinical outcomes are limited. We aimed to assess the mid- and long-term efficacy and safety of POEM in achalasia patients.Using the pre-designed search strategy, we identified relevant studies that evaluated the efficacy and safety of POEM with a minimum of 2-year follow-up in the Embase, Cochrane, and PubMed databases from inception to January 2021. Primary outcome was pooled mid- and long-term clinical success rate based on the Eckardt score. Secondary outcome was pooled long-term reflux-related adverse events.A total of 21 studies involving 2,698 patients were included. Overall, the pooled clinical success rates with 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year follow-ups were 91.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 88.4-93.6%), 90.4% (95% CI 88.1-92.2%), 89.8% (95% CI 83.6-93.9%), and 82.2% (95% CI 76.6-86.7%), respectively. Besides, the pooled long-term clinical success rates for type I, II, and III achalasia were 86.1% (95% CI 80.9-90.1%; I2 = 0%), 87.9% (95% CI 84.2-90.8%; I2 = 48.354%), and 83.9% (95% CI 72.5-91.2%; I2 = 0%), respectively. Moreover, the pooled incidence of symptomatic reflux and reflux esophagitis was 23.9% (95% CI 18.7-29.9%) and 16.7% (95% CI 11.9-23.1%), respectively.POEM is associated with a long-term clinical success of 82.2% after 5 years of follow-up. Randomized control trials comparing POEM with laparoscopic Heller myotomy or pneumatic dilation with longer follow-up periods are needed to further demonstrate the long-term safety and efficacy of POEM.
Department of Gastroenterology, The Affliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Street Taiping No.25, Region Jiangyang, Luzhou, 646099, Sichuan, China.
Department of Gastroenterology, The People's Hospital of Lianshui, Huaian, China.
Department of Gastroenterology, The Affliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Street Taiping No.25, Region Jiangyang, Luzhou, 646099, Sichuan, China. solitude5834@hotmail.com.
Mid-Term and Long-Term Outcomes of Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy for the Treatment of Achalasia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Development of bowel preparation products has been based upon colon cleansing rating by a local endoscopist. It is unclear how bowel preparation scales perform when centrally evaluated.To evaluate the reliability of bowel preparation quality scales when assessed by central readers.Four central readers evaluated 52 videos in triplicate, 2 weeks apart, during the entire endoscopic procedure (insertion/withdrawal of the colonoscope) and exclusively on colonoscope withdrawal using the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS), Chicago Bowel Preparation scale, Harefield Cleansing Scale, Ottawa Bowel Preparation Quality Scale (OBPQS), Aronchick score, a visual analogue scale, and additional items proposed in a modified Research and Development/University of California Los Angeles appropriateness process. Reliability was assessed with intraclass correlation coefficients.Intraclass correlation coefficients (95% confidence interval) for inter-rater reliability of the quality scales ranged from 0.51 to 0.65 (consistent with moderate to substantial inter-rater reliability) during the entire procedure. Corresponding intraclass correlation coefficients for intra-rater reliability ranged from 0.69 to 0.77 (consistent with substantial intra-rater reliability). Reliability was highest in the right colon and lowest in the left colon. No differences were observed in reliability when assessed for the procedure overall (insertion/withdrawal) relative to assessment on withdrawal alone.All five bowel preparation quality scales had moderate to substantial inter-rater reliability. Panelists considered the Aronchick score too simplistic for clinical trials and recognized that assessment of residual fluid in the Ottawa Bowel Preparation Quality Scale was not amenable to central assessment.
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam UMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška Cesta 7, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.Alimentiv Inc, 100 Dundas St Suite 200, London, ON, Canada.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Western University & London Health Sciences Centre, University Hospital, 1151 Richmond St, Room A10-219, London, ON, Canada.Lawson Health Research Institute, London Health Sciences Centre-Victoria Hospital, 800 Commissioners Rd E, London, ON, Canada.
Alimentiv Inc, 100 Dundas St Suite 200, London, ON, Canada.Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Departments of Medicine and Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, Canada.
Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Experimental Medicine Division, Nuffield Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 2JD, UK.Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic Healthcare, 15 Portland Pl, London, UK.
Section of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, 1 Medical Center Dr, Lebanon, NH, USA.
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 22254, Saudi Arabia.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
Alimentiv Inc, 100 Dundas St Suite 200, London, ON, Canada.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Centre, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Ave, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Norgine Ltd, Widewater Place Moorhall Road, Harefield, England, UK.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, 1081 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Division of Digestive Care & Endoscopy, Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, 6299 South St, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Departments of Medicine and Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB, Canada.Forzani & MacPhail Colon Cancer Screening Centre, Alberta Health Services, 3280 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Unit, Department of Medicine, Queen's University, 99 University Ave, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Department of Medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, 66 Chancellors Cir, Winnipeg, Canada.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard Montpetit Blvd, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Alimentiv Inc, 100 Dundas St Suite 200, London, ON, Canada.Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Western University & London Health Sciences Centre, University Hospital, 1151 Richmond St, Room A10-219, London, ON, Canada.Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, Canada.
Division of Gastroenterology, McGill University and McGill University Health Centre, 845 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Alimentiv Inc, 100 Dundas St Suite 200, London, ON, Canada. vjairath@uwo.ca.Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Western University & London Health Sciences Centre, University Hospital, 1151 Richmond St, Room A10-219, London, ON, Canada. vjairath@uwo.ca.Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, Canada. vjairath@uwo.ca.
Existing Bowel Preparation Quality Scales Are Reliable in the Setting of Centralized Endoscopy Reading.

Autoimmune hepatitis has an unknown cause and genetic associations that are not disease-specific or always present. Clarification of its missing causality and heritability could improve prevention and management strategies.Describe the key epigenetic and genetic mechanisms that could account for missing causality and heritability in autoimmune hepatitis; indicate the prospects of these mechanisms as pivotal factors; and encourage investigations of their pathogenic role and therapeutic potential.English abstracts were identified in PubMed using multiple key search phases. Several hundred abstracts and 210 full-length articles were reviewed.Environmental induction of epigenetic changes is the prime candidate for explaining the missing causality of autoimmune hepatitis. Environmental factors (diet, toxic exposures) can alter chromatin structure and the production of micro-ribonucleic acids that affect gene expression. Epistatic interaction between unsuspected genes is the prime candidate for explaining the missing heritability. The non-additive, interactive effects of multiple genes could enhance their impact on the propensity and phenotype of autoimmune hepatitis. Transgenerational inheritance of acquired epigenetic marks constitutes another mechanism of transmitting parental adaptations that could affect susceptibility. Management strategies could range from lifestyle adjustments and nutritional supplements to precision editing of the epigenetic landscape.Autoimmune hepatitis has a missing causality that might be explained by epigenetic changes induced by environmental factors and a missing heritability that might reflect epistatic gene interactions or transgenerational transmission of acquired epigenetic marks. These unassessed or under-evaluated areas warrant investigation.
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA. czaja.albert@mayo.edu.Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. czaja.albert@mayo.edu.
Missing Causality and Heritability of Autoimmune Hepatitis.

This study aimed to compare patients with and without sedation during emergency endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) and to clarify the safety and efficacy of sedation in emergency endoscopy.We retrospectively collected 389 patients who underwent emergency endoscopy for UGIB at Ureshino Medical Center from 2016 to 2021. Patients were divided into two groups: sedation group during emergency endoscopy and nonsedation group. Clinical characteristics, patient status on admission, and UGIB etiology were evaluated. Treatment outcomes and adverse events were evaluated using propensity score matching (PSM), and risk factors for mortality from UGIB were investigated using Cox multivariate analysis.The sedation group was significantly younger, composed of a higher proportion of males, and had chronic liver disease. Blood pressure and hemoglobin level on admission were significantly higher in the sedation group. The main cause of bleeding was peptic ulcer, which was significantly higher in the nonsedation group. PSM created 133 matched pairs. The success rate of endoscopic hemostasis was similar in both groups, and procedure time was significantly shorter in the sedation group than in the nonsedation group (17.6 ± 10.0 versus 20.2 ± 10.2 min, P = 0.04). There were no significant differences in adverse events between groups. Cox multivariate analyses revealed that red blood cell transfusion [hazard ratio (HR) 4.45, P < 0.02] and rebleeding (HR 3.30, P = 0.03) were associated with increased risk of 30-day mortality from UGIB.Sedation reduced the procedure time during emergency endoscopy for UGIB. Sedation during emergency endoscopy for UGIB is acceptable for safe endoscopic procedures.
Department of Gastroenterology, National Hospital Organization Ureshino Medical Center, Ureshino, Japan. daisukehawks@gmail.com.Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, 849-8501, Japan. daisukehawks@gmail.com.
Department of Gastroenterology, National Hospital Organization Ureshino Medical Center, Ureshino, Japan.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, 849-8501, Japan.
Safety and Efficacy of Sedation During Emergency Endoscopy for Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

In the efforts toward reducing bleeding-related mortality, it is crucial to determine the risk factors for rebleeding after endoscopic hemostasis in benign peptic ulcer (BPU).Between 2013 and 2017, the medical records of 864 BPU patients were selected from 5076 who had undergone emergency endoscopy for suspected upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Patients who visited the emergency room or were hospitalized for other illnesses were selected. The primary end point was rebleeding within 30 days after initial endoscopy. The risk factors of rebleeding and subgroup analyses according to patient location were evaluated.Among 864 BPU bleeding patients, rebleeding after completion of BPU bleeding occurred in 140 (16.2%). Initial indicators of hypotension (OR 1.878, p = 0.005) and Forrest classes Ia (OR 25.53, p < 0.001), Ib (OR 27.91, p = 0.005), IIa (OR 21.41, p < 0.001), and IIb (OR 23.74, p < 0.001) were independent risk factors of rebleeding compared to Forrest class III, and being inpatients (OR 1.75, p = 0.01). Compared to the outpatients, the inpatients showed significantly higher rebleeding rates (25.6% vs 13.8%, p < 0.001), predictive bleeding scores, red blood transfusion counts, proportion of Forrest classes Ia, Ib, and IIb (p < 0.001), and overall mortality rates (68.8% vs 34.0%, p < 0.001).Patient location was a novel predictive factor of BPU rebleeding. Particularly, being an inpatient correlated with increased rebleeding. Furthermore, Forrest classes Ia, Ib, IIa, and IIb were predictive of rebleeding not only the included BPUs, but also in the inpatient or outpatient groups.
Department of Internal Medicine, Digestive Disease Center, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
Department of Gastroenterology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88, Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, Korea.
Department of Gastroenterology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88, Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, Korea. ji110@hanmail.net.
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Benign Peptic Ulcer Bleeding After an Emergency Endoscopy Based on Patient Location.

Association between familial loading for alcohol use disorders (AUD) and event-related potentials (ERPs) suggests a genetic basis for these oscillations though much less is known about epigenetic pathways influenced by environmental variation. Early life adversity (ELA) influences negative outcomes much later in life. The stress-activated neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) contributes to the deleterious effects of ELA on brain structure and function in animals. Accordingly, we hypothesized that ELA would be related to cortical thickness and electrophysiological characteristics through an epigenetic effect on CRH receptor type-1 (CRHR1) methylation. A total of 217 adolescent and young adult participants from either multiplex alcohol dependence or control families were scanned using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3T and cortical thickness was determined. Longitudinal follow-up across childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood provided developmental ERP data and measures of adversity. Blood samples for genetic and epigenetic analyses were obtained in childhood. Cortical thickness and visual ERP components were analyzed for their association and tested for familial risk group differences. Visual P300 amplitude at Pz and cortical thickness of the left lateral orbitofrontal region (LOFC), were significantly related to risk group status. LOFC cortical thickness showed a negative correlation with CRHR1 methylation status and with childhood total stress scores from the Life Stressors and Social Resources Inventory (LISRES). Stress scores were also significantly related to P300 amplitude recorded in childhood. The present results suggest that early life adversity reflected in greater total LISRES stress scores in childhood can impact the methylation of the CRHR1 gene with implications for brain development as seen in cortical thickness and electrophysiological signals emanating from particular brain regions.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara St., Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Department of Psychiatry and Magee Women's Hospital, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Department of Psychiatry and Shadyside Hospital, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Pittsburgh VA Medical Center, University Drive C, Pittsburgh, PA 15240, USA.
UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA.
Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
Epigenetic Effects in HPA Axis Genes Associated with Cortical Thickness, ERP Components and SUD Outcome.

In experimental settings, replacing old wood stoves with new wood stoves results in reduced personal exposure to household air pollution. We tested this assumption by measuring PM2.5 and levoglucosan concentrations inside homes and correlated them with wood stove age. Methods: Thirty homes in the Albuquerque, NM area were monitored over a seven-day period using in-home particulate monitors placed in a common living area during the winter months. Real-time aerosol monitoring was performed, and filter samples were analyzed gravimetrically to calculate PM2.5 concentrations and chemically to determine concentrations of levoglucosan. A linear regression model with backward stepwise elimination was performed to determine the factors that would predict household air pollution measures. Results: In this sample, 73.3% of the households used wood as their primary source of heating, and 60% burned daily or almost daily. The mean burn time over the test week was 50 ± 38 h, and only one household burned wood 24/day (168 h). The average PM2.5 concentration (standard deviation) for the 30 homes during the seven-day period was 34.6 µg/m3 (41.3 µg/m3), and median (min, max) values were 15.5 µg/m3 (7.3 µg/m3, 193 µg/m3). Average PM2.5 concentrations in 30 homes ranged from 0−15 μg/m3 to >100 μg/m3. Maximum PM2.5 concentrations ranged from 100−200 μg/m3 to >3000 μg/m3. The levoglucosan levels showed a linear correlation with the total PM2.5 collected by the filters (R2 = 0.92). However, neither mean nor peak PM2.5 nor levoglucosan levels were correlated with the age (10.85 ± 8.54 years) of the wood stove (R2 ≤ 0.07, p > 0.23). The final adjusted linear regression model showed that average PM2.5 was associated with reports of cleaning the flue with a beta estimate of 35.56 (3.47−67.65) and R2 = 0.16 (p = 0.04). Discussion: Cleaning the flue and not the wood stove age was associated with household air pollution indices. Education on wood stove maintenance and safe burning practices may be more important in reducing household air pollution than the purchase of new stoves.
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Program, Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA.
Applied Sciences, Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA.
Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine and Miners Colfax Medical Center, Raton, NM 87740, USA.
Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine and Miners Colfax Medical Center, Raton, NM 87740, USA.College of Nursing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84102, USA.
Cleaning the Flue in Wood-Burning Stoves Is a Key Factor in Reducing Household Air Pollution.

Cancer is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in domestic cats. In humans, an understanding of the oncogenome of different cancer types has proven critical and is deeply interwoven into all aspects of patient care, including diagnostics, prognostics and treatments through the application of targeted therapies. Investigations into understanding the genetics of feline cancers started with cytogenetics and was then expanded to studies at a gene-specific level, looking for mutations and expression level changes of genes that are commonly mutated in human cancers. Methylation studies have also been performed and together with a recently generated high-quality reference genome for cats, next-generation sequencing studies are starting to deliver results. This review summarises what is currently known of the genetics of both common and rare cancer types in cats, including lymphomas, mammary tumours, squamous cell carcinomas, soft tissue tumours, mast cell tumours, haemangiosarcomas, pulmonary carcinomas, pancreatic carcinomas and osteosarcomas. Shining a spotlight on our current understanding of the feline oncogenome will hopefully serve as a springboard for more much-needed research into the genetics of cancer in domestic cats.
Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
Finn Pathologists, Histopathology Department, Diss, Norfolk IP21 5TT, UK.
Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
Feline Oncogenomics: What Do We Know about the Genetics of Cancer in Domestic Cats?

Background and objectives: Objective, accurate, and intuitive evaluation of knee joint function in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is important. This study aimed to clarify the gait characteristics of patients with bilateral KOA and their correlation with Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Materials and Methods: 20 patients with bilateral KOA and 20 conditionally matched healthy individuals were enrolled in the experimental and control groups, respectively. Footscan and CODA motion gait analysis systems were used to analyse the gait parameters. Gait spatiotemporal parameters and knee joint motion parameters were collected. Weight-bearing balance and walking stability were assessed using discrete trends of relevant gait indicators. Patients in the experimental group were evaluated using WOMAC. Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed on the gait data and WOMAC score data of the experimental group. Results: Velocity, cadence, step length, and stride length of the experimental group were significantly lower than those of the control group (p < 0.01). Step time and gait cycle were significantly greater in the experimental group than in the control group (p < 0.01). Total stance and double-stance times of the experimental group were significantly greater than those of the control group (p < 0.01), whereas the single-stance time was shorter than that of the control group (p < 0.01). The range of motion and maximum flexion angle in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.01), and the minimum angle of knee extension was greater than that in the control group (p < 0.01). The discrete trend of weight-bearing balance and walking stability gait index in the experimental group was greater than that in the control group. The WOMAC score and gait analysis were significantly correlated (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The gait function of patients with KOA is significantly worse than that of normal people. The WOMAC scale and gait analysis can be used to assess KOA severity from different perspectives with good consistency.
Shanxi Key Laboratory of Bone and Soft Tissue Injury Repair, Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, 382 Wuyi Road, Taiyuan 030001, China.
Shanxi Key Laboratory of Bone and Soft Tissue Injury Repair, Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, 382 Wuyi Road, Taiyuan 030001, China.Department of Pain Medicine, Sanya Central Hospital of Hainan Medical College, 1154 Jiefang Road, Sanya 572000, China.
Gait Analysis of Bilateral Knee Osteoarthritis and Its Correlation with Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index Assessment.

Following infection with SARS-CoV-2, virus-specific antibodies are generated, which can both neutralise virions and clear infection via Fc effector functions. The importance of IgG antibodies for protection and control of SARS-CoV-2 has been extensively reported. By comparison, other antibody isotypes including IgA have been poorly characterised.Here, we characterised plasma IgA from 41 early convalescent COVID-19 subjects for neutralisation and Fc effector functions.Convalescent plasma IgA from > 60% of the cohort had the capacity to inhibit the interaction between wild-type RBD and ACE2. Furthermore, a third of the cohort induced stronger IgA-mediated ACE2 inhibition than matched IgG when tested at equivalent concentrations. Plasma IgA and IgG from this cohort broadly recognised similar RBD epitopes and had similar capacities to inhibit ACE2 from binding to 22 of the 23 prevalent RBD mutations assessed. However, plasma IgA was largely incapable of mediating antibody-dependent phagocytosis in comparison with plasma IgG.Overall, convalescent plasma IgA contributed to the neutralising antibody response of wild-type SARS-CoV-2 RBD and various RBD mutations. However, this response displayed large heterogeneity and was less potent than IgG.
© 2022 The Authors. Clinical & Translational Immunology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology, Inc.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity University of Melbourne Melbourne VIC Australia.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity University of Melbourne Melbourne VIC Australia.The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research Melbourne VIC Australia.
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research Melbourne VIC Australia.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity University of Melbourne Melbourne VIC Australia.Melbourne Sexual Health Centre and Department of Infectious Diseases Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical School Monash University Melbourne VIC Australia.
Clin Transl Immunology. 2022;11(10):e1424.
Heterologous SARS-CoV-2 IgA neutralising antibody responses in convalescent plasma.

Background: Short telomere length (TL) and telomere attrition (TA) have been associated with age-related diseases. Objective: We assessed whether a genetic risk score for short TL (GRS-TL) combining seven TL-associated genetic variants identified in a European-ancestry genome-wide association study (GWAS) was associated with TL and TA over 10 years. Methods: Relative TL (T/S ratio) was measured by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction method for a sample of white, African American, and Hispanic participants, who attended Exam 1 and/or 5 of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Our final sample included 1,227 participants for the TL analysis and 1,138 for the TA analysis. Participants were 45-84 years at Exam 1. We used a linear mixed effects model and adjusted for age, sex, and population structure. Models were stratified by race/ethnicity. Results: In the TL analysis, higher GRS-TL significantly predicted shorter TL (estimates = -0.18 [S.E. = 0.08], p = 0.02 for white; -0.18 [0.07], p < 0.01 for African American; and -0.13 [0.05], p = 0.02 for Hispanic) in fully adjusted models. In the TA analysis, no association between GRS-TL and TA over 10 years was found. Conclusion: Although GRS-TL was developed in European-ancestry populations, it was significantly associated with TL (but not TA) in all three race/ethnic groups examined.
Copyright © 2022 Castro-Diehl, Smith, Zhao, Wang, Mukherjee, Seeman and Needham.
Section of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States.
Department of Epidemiology and Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
Department of Epidemiology and Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.
Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
Prediction of telomere length and telomere attrition using a genetic risk score: The multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA).

Background: An international collaborative study was conducted to determine the demographic and clinical profiles of Hispanic/Latinx endometriosis patients from Latin America and Spain using the Minimal Clinical Questionnaire developed by the World Endometriosis Research Foundation (WERF) Endometriosis Phenome and Biobanking Harmonization Project (EPHect). Methods: This is a cross-sectional study to collect self-reported data on demographics, lifestyle, and endometriosis symptoms of Hispanic/Latinx endometriosis patients from April 2019 to February 2020. The EPHect Minimal Clinical Questionnaire (EPQ-M) was translated into Spanish. Comprehension and length of the translated survey were assessed by Spanish-speaking women. An electronic link was distributed via social media of endometriosis patient associations from 11 Latin American countries and Spain. Descriptive statistics (frequency, means and SD, percentages, and proportions) and correlations were conducted using SPSSv26. Results: The questionnaire was completed by 1,378 participants from 23 countries; 94.6% had self-reported diagnosis of endometriosis. Diagnostic delay was 6.6 years. Most participants had higher education, private health insurance, and were employed. The most common symptoms were back/leg pain (85.4%) and fatigue (80.7%). The mean number of children was 1.5; 34.4% had miscarriages; the mean length of infertility was 3.7 years; 47.2% reported pregnancy complications. The most common hormone treatment was oral contraceptives (47.0%). The most common comorbidities were migraines (24.1%), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (22.2%), and irritable bowel syndrome (21.1%). Most participants (97.0%) experienced pelvic pain during menses; for 78.7%, pain was severe; 86.4% reported dyspareunia. The mean age of dysmenorrhea onset was 16.2 years (SD ± 6.1). Hormone treatments were underutilized, while impact was substantial. Pain catastrophizing scores were significantly correlated with pain intensity (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This is the first comprehensive effort to generate a clinical-demographic profile of Hispanic/Latinx endometriosis patients. Differences in clinical presentation compared to other cohorts included higher prevalence and severity of dysmenorrhea and dyspareunia and high levels of pain catastrophizing. Though future studies are needed to dissect the impact of race and ethnicity on pain and impact, this profile is the first step to facilitate the recognition of risk factors and diagnostic features and promote improved clinical management of this patient population. The EPHect questionnaire is an efficient tool to capture data to allow comparisons across ethnicities and geographic regions and tackle disparities in endometriosis research.
Copyright © 2021 Flores-Caldera, Ramos-Echevarría, Oliveras-Torres, Santos-Piñero, Rivera-Mudafort, Soto-Soto, Hernández-Colón, Rivera-Hiraldo, Mas, Rodríguez-Rabassa, Bracero, Rolla and Ibero-American Endometriosis Association.
Department of Basic Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico.Department of Ob-Gyn, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Department of Basic Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Department of Basic Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico.San Lucas Episcopal Medical Center, Ponce, Puerto Rico.
San Lucas Episcopal Medical Center, Ponce, Puerto Rico.
School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Department of Ob-Gyn, University of Puerto Rico, San J uan, Puerto Rico.
Sociedad Argentina de Endometriosis, Buenos Aires, Argentina.Sociedad Argentina de Cirugía Laparoscópica, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Ibero-American Endometriosis Association
Ibero-American Endometriosis Patient Phenome: Demographics, Obstetric-Gynecologic Traits, and Symptomatology.

Germline DNA alterations affecting homologous recombination pathway genes have been associated with pancreatic cancer (PC) risk. BRCA2 is the most studied gene and affects the management of PC patients and their families. Even though recent reports have suggested a similar role of germline ATM pathogenic variants (PV) in familial PC, there is still a disagreement between experts on how it could affect patient management given the lack of proper PC risk estimates. We retrospectively analyzed the germline data of 257 PC patients among whom nearly 50% were sporadic cases. We showed similar frequencies of BRCA2 (4.9%) and ATM (4.4%) PV or likely pathogenic variants, which were not related to familial history. Based on our findings and that of the literature, we suggest including ATM gene among the panel of genes analyzed in PC patients pending the publication of prospective studies.
Département d'Oncogénétique, Hôpital Saint Louis, APHP, Paris, France. maria.baz.baz@hotmail.com.
Service de Génétique des Tumeurs, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
Service Oncogénétique, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
Département de Génétique (Department of Genetics), Institut Curie, Paris, France.Paris Sciences & Lettres Research University, Paris, France.
Department of Genetics, Valence Hospital's Center, Valence, France.
Service de Génétique Médicale, Unité d'Oncogénétique, Centre Hospitalier, Universitaire de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.
CHU Saint Etienne, Genetic Service, Hôpital de Nord, Saint Etienne, France.
Centre Antoine Lacassagne, CLCC, Unité d'Oncogénétique, Nice, France.
Genetics Department, Hôpitaux Civils de Colmar, Colmar, France.
Department of Cancer Genetics, CHU Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
CH de Mulhouse, Service de Génétique, Mulhouse, France.
Department of Endoscopy and Gastroenterology, Edouard Herriot Hospital, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France.
Department of Clinical Genetics, CHU Lille, 59000, Lille, France.
Université Côte d'Azur, CHU de Nice, INSERM, CNRS, IRCAN, Nice, France.
Service de Génétique Clinique, Centre Hospitalier Lyon-Sud, Lyon, France.
Service d'Oncogénétique, CLCC Paul Strauss, Strasbourg, France.
Département de Médecine Oncologique, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France.
Institut de Cancérologie de l'Ouest René Gauducheau, Saint-Herblain, Nantes, France.
The Frequency of Germline BRCA and Non-BRCA HR-Gene-Variants in a Cohort of Pancreatic Cancer Patients.

Diabetes secondary to endocrine insufficiency in chronic pancreatitis (CP) may develop at any time during the disease course. We sought to evaluate the differences in clinical characteristics and outcomes in CP patients with pre-existing, early-onset, and late-onset diabetes.We reviewed CP patients seen at our Pancreas Center during 2016-2021. We divided them into four groups: those without diabetes, with pre-existing diabetes, with early-onset diabetes, and with late-onset diabetes. We then compared clinical characteristics and outcomes.We identified 450 patients with CP: 271 without diabetes, 99 with pre-existing diabetes, 51 with early-onset diabetes, and 29 with late-onset diabetes. Early-onset diabetics were younger (54.1 vs 57.3 vs 62.5 vs 61.9 years), had more alcohol-related CP (45.1% vs 31.7% vs 32.3% vs 31%), had higher HbA1C levels (8.02% vs 5.11% vs 7.71% vs 7.66%), were more likely to be on insulin (78.4% vs 0% vs 48.4% vs 65.5%), and used more opioids (64.7% vs 43.9% vs 55.1% vs 44.8%) and gabapentinoids (66.7% vs 43.5% vs 48% vs 60.7%) compared to other groups (p < 0.05). Patients who developed diabetes after CP diagnosis had more exocrine insufficiency (72.4% vs 70.6% vs 65.7% vs 53.1%), anatomical complications, and interventions for pain control (p < 0.05). There was no difference in pancreatic cancer in the four groups.CP patients who are younger and use alcohol are at higher risk of having early-onset diabetes and have poorer glucose control compared other CP patients. Patients who develop diabetes after CP diagnosis have worse outcomes and use more resources.
Department of Internal Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. ssheth@bidmc.harvard.edu.
Pre-existing, Concurrent/Early-Onset, and Late-Onset Diabetes in Chronic Pancreatitis: Do Outcomes Differ?

Several studies showed muscularis macrophages (MMφ) are associated with GI motility disorders. The purpose of this study was to preliminary explore the association between MMφ and achalasia.Tissue samples of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) high-pressure zone were obtained from 27 achalasia patients and 10 controls. Immunohistochemistry for MMφ, interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), and glial cells were conducted. Histological characteristics were compared between groups, and correlation analysis was performed.Fewer ICC was found in achalasia compared with controls (P = 0.018), and the level of M1 macrophages was higher than that in controls no matter in terms of the number or the proportion of M1(P = 0.026 for M1 and 0.037 for M1/MMφ). Statistical differences were found between two groups in terms of proportion of M2 and ratio of M1 to M2 (P = 0.048 for M2/ MMφ and < 0.001 for M1/M2). For the correlation analysis, significant correlations were detected between levels of nNOS, ICC, and glial cells in patients with achalasia (P = 0.026 for nNOS and ICC, 0.001 for nNOS and glial cells, 0.019 for ICC and glial cells). There were significant correlations between M2/MMφ and levels of ICC (P = 0.019), glial cells (P = 0.004), and nNOS (P = 0.135).Patients with achalasia had a higher level of M1/M2 ratio in LES and significant correlations were found between M2/MMφ and numbers of ICC and glial cells, which suggested that MMφ were probably associated with occurrence and development of achalasia.
Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China.Department of Gastroenterology, The First School of Clinical Medicine of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China. nydybx@163.com.Department of Gastroenterology, The First School of Clinical Medicine of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. nydybx@163.com.
M1/M2 Muscularis Macrophages Are Associated with Reduction of Interstitial Cells of Cajal and Glial Cells in Achalasia.

Hydrogen gas (H2) is produced by H2-producing microbes in the gut during polysaccharide fermentation. Gut microbiome also includes H2-consuming microbes utilizing H2 for metabolism: methanogens producing methane, CH4, and sulfate-reducing bacteria producing hydrogen sulfide, H2S. H2S is not measured in the evaluation of gaseous byproducts of microbial fermentation. We hypothesize that the availability of measured H2 depends on both hydrogen producers and hydrogen consumers by measuring H2 in vitro and in vivo. In the in vitro study, groups were Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (B. theta, H2 producers), Desulfovibrio vulgaris (D. vulgaris, H2 consumers), and D. vulgaris + B. theta combined. Gas samples were collected at 2 h and 24 h after incubation and assayed for H2, CH4, and H2S. In the in vivo study Sprague-Dawley rats were gavaged with suspended bacteria in four groups: B. theta, D. vulgaris, combined, and control. Gas was analyzed for H2 at 60 min. In the in vitro experiment, H2 concentration was higher in the combined group (188 ± 93.3 ppm) compared with D. vulgaris (27.17 ± 9.6 ppm) and B. theta groups (34.2 ± 29.8 ppm; P < 0.05); H2S concentration was statistically higher in the combined group (10.32 ± 1.5 ppm) compared with B. theta (0.19 ± 0.03 ppm) and D. vulgaris group (3.46 ± 0.28 ppm; P < 0.05). In the in vivo study, H2 concentrations were significantly higher in the B. theta group (44.3 ± 6.0 ppm) compared with control (31.8 ± 4.3) and the combined group (34.2 ± 8.7, P < 0.05). This study shows that sulfate-reducing bacteria could convert available H2 to H2S, leading to measured hydrogen levels that are dependent on the actions of both H2 producers and H2 consumers.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA.
Biomedical Research Institute of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87108, USA.
Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA. helin@salud.unm.edu.Medicine Service, New Mexico VA Health Care System, 1501 San Pedro St., Albuquerque, NM, 87108, USA. helin@salud.unm.edu.
Hydrogen Availability Is Dependent on the Actions of Both Hydrogen-Producing and Hydrogen-Consuming Microbes.

Duodenal underwater endoscopic mucosal resection (UEMR) has been suggested as a feasible treatment option for superficial non-ampullary duodenal epithelial tumors (SNADETs). However, its efficacy and safety have not been fully established yet. Thus, the objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the efficacy and safety of UEMR as compared with conventional endoscopic mucosal resection (CEMR) in the treatment of SNADETs.We conducted a comprehensive literature search in PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library. Studies comparing CEMR and UEMR for the resection of SNADET were included. Outcomes included en-bloc and complete resection rates, adverse events, and procedure time.A total of six studies with 2454 lesions were included in the quantitative synthesis. En-bloc and complete resection rates were not significantly different between UEMR and CEMR (OR for en-bloc resection: 0.997 [95% CI 0.439-2.266]; OR for complete resection: 0.960 [95% CI 0.628-1.468]). There was no significant risk difference for perforation (risk difference: - 0.002; 95% CI - 0.009 to 0.005) or delayed bleeding (risk difference: - 0.001; 95% CI - 0.014 to 0.011). Procedure time was significantly shorter in the UEMR (standardized mean difference: - 1.294; 95% CI - 2.461 to - 0.127). The risk of recurrence was not significantly different between UEMR and CEMR (risk difference: 0.001; 95% CI - 0.041 to 0.044).Although our results did not show any superiority of UEMR over CEMR in the treatment of SNADETs, UEMR showed equivalent efficacy and safety as compared with CEMR and was associated with a shorter procedure time.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, 7 Keunjaebong-gil, Hwaseong, 18450, Korea.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, 7 Keunjaebong-gil, Hwaseong, 18450, Korea. ultra_pyo@hanmail.net.
Underwater Versus Conventional Endoscopic Mucosal Resection for Superficial Non-ampullary Duodenal Epithelial Tumors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Esophageal foreign body impaction (FBI) is a commonly encountered gastrointestinal emergency requiring immediate intervention. Foreign bodies can be composed of food, commonly referred to as a food bolus (FB), or other matter (non-food). We aim to conduct systematic review and meta-analysis to compare cap-assisted and conventional endoscopic techniques for removal of esophageal FBI.A comprehensive search technique was utilized to identify studies that used capped endoscopic devices to remove FB or other esophageal foreign bodies. The primary outcomes were the technical success rate, rate of en bloc retrieval, and procedure time. Secondary outcomes were overall adverse events, bleeding, mucosal tears, and perforation.Seven studies with a total of 1407 patients were included. The mean patient age was 55.3 (SD ± 7.2) years and 44.8% of patients were male. There were two RCTs and five observational studies among the included studies. The technical success rate was significantly higher in the cap-assisted group compared to the conventional group (OR 3.47, CI 1.68-7.168, I2 = 0%, p = < 0.001), as well as the en bloc retrieval rate (OR 26.90, CI 17.82-40.60, I2 = 0%, p = 0.001). There was a trend towards lower procedural time for the cap-assisted group compared to the conventional group, although the difference did not reach statistical significance (MD - 10.997, CI - 22.78-0.786, I2 = 99.9%, p = 0.06). The overall adverse events were significantly lower in the cap-assisted group compared to the conventional group (OR 0.118, CI 0.018-0.792, I2 = 81.79%, p = 0.02).The cap-assisted technique has improved efficacy and safety. To confirm these results, larger randomized trials are warranted.
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, OH, USA. Zohaib.Ahmed@utoledo.edu.
Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA.
University of Toledo Libraries, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, OH, USA.
Cap-Assisted Endoscopic Esophageal Foreign Body Removal Is Safe and Efficacious Compared to Conventional Methods.

Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA. ksabdulb@utmb.edu.
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Speckled Pigment of Upper GI Tract Mucosa on Endoscopy: A Case of Pseudomelanosis of the Stomach and Proximal Small Bowel.

To assess and compare the value of psoas muscle thickness at the level of the third lumbar (L3) vertebra (TPML) or umbilicus (TPMU) and skeletal muscle index (SMI) for diagnosing sarcopenia and predicting mortality in patients undergoing transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS).Two hundred forty-nine patients undergoing TIPS were included in this retrospective study. The cut-offs of L3-SMI for sarcopenia were 42.0 cm2/m2 in men and 38.0 cm2/m2 in women. The cut-offs for TPML/height and TPMU/height to predict mortality was established using a receiver-operating characteristic analysis. The Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression were used for survival analyses.Compared with TPMU/height, TPML/height was more consistent with L3-SM for the diagnosis of sarcopenia (Kappa coefficient: 0.63 vs. 0.36 in men; 0.61 vs. 0.45 in women). The Cox analysis showed that both TPML/height and TPMU/height were independent risk factors for mortality. The optimal cut-off values of TPML/height and TPMU/height for mortality in men and women were 11.2 mm/m, 9.4 mm/m, 18.4 mm/m, 15.1 mm/m, respectively. There were 119 (47.8%), 87 (34.9%), and 82 (32.9%) patients diagnosed with sarcopenia in the TPMU/height, TPML/height, and L3-SMI models, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the overall survival was significantly lower in the sarcopenia group in all three models.TPMU/height and TPML/height have a similar survival prognostic value as L3-SMI. TPML/height has better consistency with L3-SMI in diagnosing sarcopenia and is a more stable alternative to L3-SMI for diagnosing sarcopenia in patients undergoing TIPS.
Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue #1277, Wuhan, 430022, China.Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China.
Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510000, China.
Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue #1277, Wuhan, 430022, China. herr_xiong@126.com.Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China. herr_xiong@126.com.
Sarcopenia Defined by Psoas Muscle Thickness Predicts Mortality After Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt.

This study was designed to compare VR stereoscopical three-dimensional (3D) imaging with two-dimensional computed tomography angiography (CTA) images for evaluating the abdominal vascular anatomy before autologous breast reconstruction.This prospective case series feasibility study was conducted in two tertiary medical centers. Participants were women slated to undergo free transverse rectus abdominis muscle, unilateral or bilateral deep inferior epigastric perforator flap immediate breast reconstruction. Based on a routine CTA, a 3D VR model was generated. Before each procedure, the surgeons examined the CTA and then the VR model. Any new information provided by the VR imaging was submitted to a radiologist for confirmation before surgery. Following each procedure, the surgeons completed a questionnaire comparing the two methods.Thirty women between 34 and 68 years of age were included in the study; except for one, all breast reconstructions were successful. The surgeons ranked VR higher than CTA in terms of better anatomical understanding and operative anatomical findings. In 72.4% of cases, VR models were rated having maximum similarity to reality, with no significant difference between the type of perforator anatomical course or complexity. In more than 70% of the cases, VR was considered to have contributed to determining the surgical approach. In four cases, VR imaging modified the surgical strategy, without any complications.VR imaging was well-accepted by the surgeons who commented on its importance and ease compared with the standard CTA presentation. Further studies are needed to determine whether VR should become an integral part of preoperative deep inferior epigastric perforator surgery planning.
Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Sheba Medical Center, Israel.
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel.
The Engineering Medical Research Lab, Sheba Medical Center, Israel.
Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Ben-Gurion University, Israel.
Department of Radiology, Sheba Medical Center, Israel.
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Sheba Medical Center, Israel.Talpiot Medical Leadership Program, Sheba Medical Center, Israel.
Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open
Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2023-01;11(1):e4773.
Using Virtual Reality for Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap Preoperative Planning.

Celiac disease prevalence approaches 1%; more suffer from non-celiac gluten sensitivity.Our goal was to estimate the prevalence of gluten intolerance.We invited US adults (18-80 years) via Amazon's mechanical Turk to complete an online survey. Gluten intolerance was defined as self-reported intolerance to wheat, barley, rye, flour, or pasta. Those with celiac disease were not excluded.We collected 2133 responses. Rate of gluten intolerance was 5.1% (95% CI 4.2-6.1%). Each food had different rates: wheat 4.8%, flour 1.2%, pasta 0.9%, barley 0.8%, and rye 0.8%. Among 108 adults reporting any gluten intolerance, 62.0% selected only wheat, 10.2% selected all gluten-containing grains excluding pasta and flour, and 5.6% selected all gluten-containing products. Overall intolerance to any food was 24.8% (95% CI 23.0-26.6%). Wheat was second only to lactose.Self-reported intolerance to wheat, but not all gluten-containing foods, is common. Findings may suggest poor knowledge of gluten-containing foods or that self-perceived non-celiac gluten sensitivity is prevalent.
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, 702 Rotary Circle, Suite 225, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.
Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.
Roudebush VA Medical Center, 1481 W 10Th St, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 410 W 10th Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, 702 Rotary Circle, Suite 225, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA. ashin@iu.edu.
Self-Reported Gluten Intolerance Is Prevalent, but Not All Gluten-Containing Foods Are Equal.

Vasopressors and fluids are the cornerstones for the treatment of shock. The current international guidelines on shock recommend norepinephrine as the first-line vasopressor and vasopressin as the second-line vasopressor. In clinical practice, due to drug availability, local practice variations, special settings, and ongoing research, several alternative vasoconstrictors and adjuncts are used in the absence of precise equivalent doses. Norepinephrine equivalence (NEE) is frequently used in clinical trials to overcome this heterogeneity and describe vasopressor support in a standardized manner. NEE quantifies the total amount of vasopressors, considering the potency of each such agent, which typically includes catecholamines, derivatives, and vasopressin. Intensive care studies use NEE as an eligibility criterion and also an outcome measure. On the other hand, NEE has several pitfalls which clinicians should know, important the lack of conversion of novel vasopressors such as angiotensin II and also adjuncts such as methylene blue, including a lack of high-quality data to support the equation and validate its predictive performance in all types of critical care practice. This review describes the history of NEE and suggests an updated formula incorporating novel vasopressors and adjuncts.
Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy.Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Kameda Medical Center, 929 Higashi-cho, Kamogawa, Chiba, 296-8602, Japan.
Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.
Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy. landoni.giovanni@hsr.it.School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy. landoni.giovanni@hsr.it.
Section on Critical Care Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Wake Forest Center for Biomedical Informatics, Perioperative Outcomes and Informatics Collaborative, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA.Outcomes Research Consortium, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.
An updated norepinephrine equivalent score in intensive care as a marker of shock severity.

Anticoagulation of patients supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is challenging because of a high risk of both bleeding and thrombotic complications, and often empirical. Practice in anticoagulation management is therefore highly variable. The scope of this guidance document is to provide clinicians with practical advice on the choice of an anticoagulant agent, dosing, and the optimal anticoagulant monitoring strategy during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support in adult patients.
Copyright © 2022 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Strasbourg University (UNISTRA), Strasbourg University Hospital, Medical Intensive Care Unit - NHC, INSERM (French National Institute of Health and Medical Research), UMR 1260, Regenerative Nanomedicine (RNM), FMTS, Strasbourg, France. Electronic address: Julie.helms@chru-strasbourg.fr.
Sorbonne Université, UMRS 1166, AP-HP. Sorbonne Université, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France.
Institut für Transfusionsmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Rostock, Schillingallee 36, Rostock, Germany.
Department of Anesthesiology, Universit of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
Department of Surgery, Trauma and Transfusion Medicine Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Division of Hematology/Oncology and Division of Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Hematology Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
Journal of thrombosis and haemostasis : JTH
Anticoagulation in adult patients supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: guidance from the Scientific and Standardization Committees on Perioperative and Critical Care Haemostasis and Thrombosis of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Hospital-based specialty-trained physicians have become more prevalent with emerging data suggesting benefit in consult and procedure volume, reduced complication rates, and increased practice productivity. Interest in gastroenterology (GI) hospitalist programs has increased in recent years. However, little is known regarding the types of GI hospitalist models that currently exist.To characterize the infrastructure of GI hospitalist models across the USA.A 50-question survey was distributed to the GI Hospitalist Special Interest Group of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Information on demographics, hospital infrastructure, and compensation were collected.31 of 33 (94%) GI hospitalists completed the questionnaire. Respondents were mostly male (65%), white (48%) or Asian (42%). Most GI hospitalists spent at least half of their clinical time dedicated to the inpatient consultation service (73%), during which they had no other clinical duties. Most services had endoscopy suites with dedicated inpatient endoscopy rooms (66%), over 4 h allotted for procedures (83%), and were available on weekends (62%). Over half of GI hospitalists reported having outpatient duties, the most common being performance of direct access endoscopy (69%). Outside of clinical responsibilities, GI hospitalists were most frequently involved in clinical education or fellowship program leadership (48%). Most GI hospitalists were salaried with an incentive-based bonus based on work relative value units.GI hospitalist programs are varied throughout the USA but key commonalities exist between most programs.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
Section of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Section of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. darrick.li@yale.edu.
A National Survey of the Infrastructure and Scope of Practice for Gastroenterology Hospitalists.

Some patients with gastroparesis (Gp) report hair loss. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of patient-reported hair loss in Gp patients, analyze hair loss association to severity of Gp and nutritional deficiencies, and study effects of multivitamin treatment on hair loss.Patients with Gp were questioned about hair characteristics, Gp symptoms, and diet. Patients with hair loss had blood drawn for vitamin levels. Patients with hair loss were treated with daily multivitamin and assessed 8 weeks later.Hair loss was reported in 65 of 143 patients with Gp (45.5%), occurring similarly in idiopathic and diabetic Gp. Hair loss was most commonly noticed while washing and/or combing hair. Patients with hair loss had more severe nausea, abdominal pain, stomach fullness, loss of appetite, abdominal discomfort, bloating, retching, stomach distension, vomiting, early satiety, postprandial fullness, and constipation. Hair loss patients lost more weight over prior 6 months. Patients with hair loss had similar gastric retention on gastric emptying scintigraphy. Overall, 29 of 61 (47.5%) patients with hair loss had at least one abnormal bloodwork result. After 8 weeks of treatment with a daily multivitamin, 17 of 41 (41%) patients had improvement in hair loss.Hair loss occurred in 46% of patients with Gp, being associated with more severe symptoms, loss of weight, and several vitamin deficiencies, although not a specific one. Treatment with multivitamins improved hair loss in 40% of patients. Presence of hair loss in patients with Gp should prompt nutritional evaluation and supplementation.
Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Department of Dermatology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA. henry.parkman@temple.edu.Gastroenterology Section, Temple University School of Medicine, Parkinson Pavilion, 8th floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA. henry.parkman@temple.edu.
Hair Loss in Patients with Gastroparesis: A Sign of Nutritional Deficiency in Gastroparesis?

SALL4 has been demonstrated in many cancers and participated in tumorigenesis and tumor progression, however, its expression and function still remain ambiguous in GC, especially its upstream mechanistic modulators.We explored whether the dual mediation of EZH2 and KDM6A could be involved in upstream regulation of SALL4, which promotes GC cell progression via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.Analysis of discrepant gene expression in GC and normal gastric tissues from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. GC cell lines were transfected by siEZH2 and siKDM6A, the transduction molecules of KDM6A/EZH2-SALL4-β-catenin signaling were quantified in the GC cells.Here, we showed that only SALL4 levels of SALL family members were upregulated in nonpaired and paired GC tissues than those in corresponding normal tissues and were associated with its histological types, pathological stages, TNM stages including T stage (local invasion), N stage (lymph node metastasis), M stage (distant metastasis), and overall survival from the TCGA dataset. SALL4 level was elevated in GC cells compared to normal gastric epithelial cell line (GES-1) and was correlated to cancer cell progression and invasion through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in GC, which levels would be separately upregulated or downregulated by KDM6A or EZH2.We first proposed and demonstrated that SALL4 promoted GC cell progression via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which was mediated by the dual regulation of EZH2 and KDM6A on SALL4. This mechanistic pathway in gastric cancer represents a novel targetable pathway.
Department of General Surgery (Gastrointestinal Surgery), The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.Department of Surgery, Klinikum Rechts Der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, Germany.
Department of General Surgery (Gastrointestinal Surgery), The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
Department of General Surgery (Hepatobiliary Surgery), The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.Inflammation & Allergic Diseases Research Unit, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Taiping Str. 25, Luzhou, 646000, China.
Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Taiping Str. 25, Luzhou, 646000, China. Liu.Chunfeng@med.uni-muenchen.de.Inflammation & Allergic Diseases Research Unit, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Taiping Str. 25, Luzhou, 646000, China. Liu.Chunfeng@med.uni-muenchen.de.Experimental and Molecular Pathology, Institute of Pathology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Thalkirchner Str. 36, 80337, Munich, Germany. Liu.Chunfeng@med.uni-muenchen.de.
Dual-Regulated Mechanism of EZH2 and KDM6A on SALL4 Modulates Tumor Progression via Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway in Gastric Cancer.

Gastrointestinal bleeding that originates in the small intestine is often difficult to diagnose. Bleeding from a small intestinal arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is rare, with congenital AVMs more commonly located in the rectum or sigmoid. There is a relative paucity of cases reported in the literature. In the gastrointestinal tract, it can cause acute and chronic bleeding, which can be fatal. Although the incidence of small bowel AVMs is quite low, such lesions can be identified as the bleeding source in patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) harbouring severe, transfusion-dependent anaemia. It can be exceedingly difficult to localise and diagnose gastrointestinal tract bleeding, particularly in cases of occult small bowel AVMs. CT angiography and capsule endoscopy can help to establish the diagnosis. Laparoscopy is an appropriate and beneficial treatment modality for small bowel resection. The authors present the case of a primigravida woman in her late 20s diagnosed with a symptomatic transfusion-dependent anaemia during her pregnancy. She developed OGIB and despite no history of chronic liver disease became encephalopathic. Due to her physical deterioration and uncertain diagnosis, her caesarean section was performed at 36+6 weeks to expedite investigations and treatment. She was diagnosed with a jejunal AVM and underwent coiled embolisation of her superior mesenteric artery. She became haemodynamically unstable and underwent a laparotomy and small bowel resection. A full non-invasive liver screen was negative, however, her MRI liver described multiple focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) lesions raising the possibility of FNH syndrome in the context of a previous AVM malformation. A prompt stepwise, multimodality diagnostic approach is required to prevent patient morbidity and mortality.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2023. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
Department of Obstetrics, Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Crewe, UK Louise.Dunphy@doctors.org.uk.
Department of Obstetrics, Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Crewe, UK.
Arteriovenous malformation of the small intestine presenting with a transfusion-dependent anaemia in pregnancy.

We report a case of fetal microcephaly found during the second trimester ultrasound and confirmed by further ultrasound scans and fetal MRI. The array comparative genomic hybridisation analysis of the fetus and the male parent showed a 1.5 Mb deletion overlapping the Feingold syndrome region, an autosomal dominant syndrome that can cause microcephaly, facial/hand abnormalities, mild neurodevelopmental delay and others. This case illustrates the need for a detailed investigation by a multidisciplinary team to provide prenatal counselling regarding a postnatal outcome to the parents and orient their decision towards the continuation or termination of pregnancy.
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia Espinho EPE, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal inescfmgouveia@gmail.com.
Diagnostic Neuroradiology Unit, Radiology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia Espinho EPE, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia Espinho EPE, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
Genetics Department of Faculty of Medicine, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Feingold syndrome type 1: a rare cause of fetal microcephaly (prenatal diagnosis).

The University of British Columbia Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada kirkstephenson@hotmail.com.
The University of British Columbia Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Peripapillary choroidal cavitation as a feature of pathological myopia.

Esophageal disorders are prevalent among patients with chronic lung diseases, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been associated with IPF prevalence, severity, and respiratory decline. The pathophysiologic relationship between GERD and IPF is likely bidirectional, with aspiration of refluxate leading to lung inflammation and fibrosis, while the restrictive pulmonary physiology may contribute to altered transdiaphragmatic pressure gradient and increased reflux. Esophageal symptoms are frequently absent and do not predict esophageal dysfunction or pathologic reflux in patients with IPF, and objective diagnostic tools including upper endoscopy, ambulatory reflux monitoring, and high-resolution manometry are often needed. Impedance-based testing that identifies both weakly/non-acidic and acid reflux may provide important additional diagnostic value beyond pH-based acid testing alone. Novel metrics and maneuvers, including advanced impedance measures on impedance-pH study and provocative testing on HRM, may hold promise to future diagnostic advancements. The main treatment options include medical therapy with acid suppressants and anti-reflux surgery, although their potential benefits in pulmonary outcomes of IPF require further validations. Future directions of research include identifying phenotypes of IPF patients who may benefit from esophageal testing and treatment, determining the optimal testing strategy and protocol, and prospectively assessing the value of different esophageal therapies to improve outcomes while minimizing risks. This review will discuss the pathophysiology, evaluation, and management of esophageal diseases, particularly GERD, in patients with IPF, as informed by the most recent publications in the field, in hopes of identifying targets for future study and research.
Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. wwchan@bwh.harvard.edu.Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. wwchan@bwh.harvard.edu.
Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Relationship Between Esophageal Disease and Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Apolipoprotein E (ApoE)'s ϵ4 alle is the most important genetic risk factor for late onset Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Cell-surface heparan sulfate (HS) is a cofactor for ApoE/LRP1 interaction and the prion-like spread of tau pathology between cells. 3-O-sulfo (3-O-S) modification of HS has been linked to AD through its interaction with tau, and enhanced levels of 3-O-sulfated HS and 3-O-sulfotransferases in the AD brain. In this study, we characterized ApoE/HS interactions in wildtype ApoE3, AD-linked ApoE4, and AD-protective ApoE2 and ApoE3-Christchurch. Glycan microarray and SPR assays revealed that all ApoE isoforms recognized 3-O-S. NMR titration localized ApoE/3-O-S binding to the vicinity of the canonical HS binding motif. In cells, the knockout of HS3ST1-a major 3-O sulfotransferase-reduced cell surface binding and uptake of ApoE. 3-O-S is thus recognized by both tau and ApoE, suggesting that the interplay between 3-O-sulfated HS, tau and ApoE isoforms may modulate AD risk.
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA.
Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Morsani School of Medicine, Tampa, FL 33620, USA.
Glycan Therapeutics, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA.
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA.China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China.
Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
Glycan Therapeutics, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA.Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)
Apolipoprotein E Recognizes Alzheimer's Disease Associated 3-O Sulfation of Heparan Sulfate.

Stress is known to be a significant risk factor for the development of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), yet the neural mechanisms that underlie this risk are poorly understood. Prior work has heavily implicated the corticolimbic system in the pathophysiology of MDD. In particular, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and amygdala play a central role in regulating the response to stress, with dorsal PFC and ventral PFC exhibiting reciprocal excitatory and inhibitory influences on amygdala subregions. However, it remains unclear how best to disentangle the impact of stress from the impact of current MDD symptoms on this system. Here, we examined stress-induced changes in resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) within an a priori corticolimbic network in MDD patients and healthy controls (total n = 80) before and after an acute stressor or a no stress control condition. Using graph theoretic analysis, we found that connectivity between basolateral amygdala and dorsal prefrontal nodes of the corticolimbic network had a negative association with individual differences in chronic perceived stress at baseline. Following the acute stressor, healthy individuals showed a reduction of the amygdala node strength, while MDD patients exhibited little change. Finally, dorsal PFC-particularly dorsomedial PFC- connectivity to the basolateral amygdala was associated with the strength of the basolateral amygdala responses to loss feedback during a reinforcement learning task. These findings highlight attenuated connectivity between basolateral amygdala and prefrontal cortex in patients with MDD. In healthy individuals, acute stress exposure was found to push the corticolimbic network to a stress-phenotype that may be chronically present in patients with current depression and high levels of perceived stress. In sum, these results help to identify circuit mechanisms underlying the effects of acute stress and their role in mood disorders.
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.
Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. mtreadway@emory.edu.Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA. mtreadway@emory.edu.
Effects of acute stress and depression on functional connectivity between prefrontal cortex and the amygdala.

Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is the leading cause of cardiovascular hospitalizations in the United States. Detecting B-lines through lung ultrasound (LUS) can enhance clinicians' prognostic and diagnostic capabilities. Artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML)-based automated guidance systems may allow novice users to apply LUS to clinical care. We investigated whether an AI/ML automated LUS congestion score correlates with expert's interpretations of B-line quantification from an external patient dataset.This was a secondary analysis from the BLUSHED-AHF study which investigated the effect of LUS-guided therapy on patients with ADHF. In BLUSHED-AHF, LUS was performed and B-lines were quantified by ultrasound operators. Two experts then separately quantified the number of B-lines per ultrasound video clip recorded. Here, an AI/ML-based lung congestion score (LCS) was calculated for all LUS clips from BLUSHED-AHF. Spearman correlation was computed between LCS and counts from each of the original three raters. A total of 3858 LUS clips were analysed on 130 patients. The LCS demonstrated good agreement with the two experts' B-line quantification score (r = 0.894, 0.882). Both experts' B-line quantification scores had significantly better agreement with the LCS than they did with the ultrasound operator's score (p < 0.005, p < 0.001).Artificial intelligence/machine learning-based LCS correlated with expert-level B-line quantification. Future studies are needed to determine whether automated tools may assist novice users in LUS interpretation.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Centaur Labs, Boston, MA, USA.Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA.Department of Emergency Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
Comparison of pulmonary congestion severity using artificial intelligence-assisted scoring versus clinical experts: A secondary analysis of BLUSHED-AHF.

Kiruddu National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda.Makerere University Lung Institute, Kampala, Uganda.
University of Ghana School of Public Health, P.O Box LG 13, Legon, Accra, Ghana.Amsterdam Institute for Global Health & Development, Paasheuvelweg 25, 1105 BP Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Therapeutic advances in infectious disease
INTEREST 2022: new perspectives in HIV treatment, pathogenesis and prevention in Africa.

The diagnosis of cow's milk allergy (CMA) in infants and young children remains a challenge because many of the presenting symptoms are similar to those experienced in other diagnoses. Both over- and under-diagnosis occur frequently. Misdiagnosis carries allergic and nutritional risks, including acute reactions, growth faltering, micronutrient deficiencies and a diminished quality of life for infants and caregivers. An inappropriate diagnosis may also add a financial burden on families and on the healthcare system. Elimination and reintroduction of cow's milk (CM) and its derivatives is essential for diagnosing CMA as well as inducing tolerance to CM. In non-IgE mediated CMA, the diagnostic elimination diet typically requires 2-4 weeks before reintroduction, while for IgE mediated allergy the time window may be shorter (1-2 weeks). An oral food challenge (OFC) under medical supervision remains the most reliable diagnostic method for IgE mediated and more severe types of non-IgE mediated CMA such as food protein induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES). Conversely, for other forms of non-IgE mediated CMA, reintroduction can be performed at home. The OFC cannot be replaced by the milk ladder after a diagnostic elimination diet. The duration of the therapeutic elimination diet, once a diagnosis was confirmed, can only be established through testing changes in sensitization status, OFCs or home reintroduction, which are directed by local protocols and services' availability. Prior non-evidence-based recommendations suggest that the first therapeutic elimination diet should last for at least 6 months or up to the age of 9-12 months, whichever is reached first. After a therapeutic elimination diet, a milk-ladder approach can be used for non-IgE mediated allergies to determine tolerance. Whilst some centers use the milk ladder also for IgE mediated allergies, there are concerns about the risk of having immediate-type reactions at home. Milk ladders have been adapted to local dietary habits, and typically start with small amounts of baked milk which then step up in the ladder to less heated and fermented foods, increasing the allergenicity. This publication aims to narratively review the risks associated with under- and over-diagnosis of CMA, therefore stressing the necessity of an appropriate diagnosis and management.
Faculty Medicine, Imperial College London, Department Nutrition and Dietetics, Winchester University, UK and Faculty Medicine, KU Leuven, Belgium.
Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA.
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Evidence in Allergy Group; Department of Medicine and Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Department of Paediatrics, The Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
Institute of Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Allergy Unit - Area of Translational Research in Pediatric Specialities, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, UZ Brussel, KidZ Health Castle, Brussels, Belgium.
World Allergy Organization (WAO) Diagnosis and Rationale for Action against Cow's Milk Allergy (DRACMA) Guideline update - VII - Milk elimination and reintroduction in the diagnostic process of cow's milk allergy.

The COVID-19 epidemic control and prevention strategies affected people's sexual activities and behaviors. Little was known about long-term effects of COVID-19 prevention and control strategies on sexual behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM). This study aimed to examine changes in risky sexual behaviors of MSM before and after the local epidemic.An online survey was conducted nationwide from June 1 to June 10, 2022. MSM aged 16 years and above, residing in China were recruited through convenience sampling. A generalized estimating equation model with modified Poisson regression was used to analyze changes in multiple sexual partners, unprotected sex, mobility for sexual activity, and recreational substance use before and after the local epidemic.Compared to the pre-pandemic (36.5%), the prevalence of multiple sexual partners (11.5%) significantly decreased during the local epidemic and then increased after the local epidemic (25.2%) but remained lower than pre-pandemic, as did the prevalence of unprotected sex (31.1%, 19.4%, and 26.1%), mobility for sexual activity (7.5%, 2.8%, and 4.1%) and recreational substance use (47.7%, 27.2%, and 39.5%). Compared to the pre-pandemic, higher declines in the prevalence of risky sexual behaviors during the local epidemic existed among MSM living without a regular partner (44% decrease in unprotected sex and 46% in recreational substance use), with a bachelor's degree and above (70% decrease in multiple sex partners, 39% in unprotected sex, 67% in mobility for sexual activity and 44% in recreational substance use), higher incomes (70% decrease in multiple sex partners), self-identified gay or bisexual/unsure (38-71%), and HIV infection (49-83% decrease respectively in these four indicators). After the local epidemic, the declines in the above indicators compared to the pre-pandemic were correspondingly. And higher declines existed among MSM living without a regular partner (8% decrease in unprotected sex and 13% in recreational substance use), with a bachelor's degree and above (33% decrease in multiple sex partners), higher incomes (55% decrease in mobility for sexual activity), self-identified gay (51% decrease in mobility for sexual activity), and HIV infection (32%, 68%, 24% decrease respectively in unprotected sex, mobility for sexual activity and recreational substance use).Risky sexual behaviors reduced considerably during the local epidemic, then seemed rebounded after the outbreak but wouldn't return to pre-pandemic levels. More attention should be paid to vulnerable people with lower socio-economic status, HIV-positive, and sexual minorities for sustained HIV and COVID-19 prevention.
© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.
National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, China.
Shenlan Public Health Counsel Service Center, Tianjin, China.
National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, China. chenfangfang@chinaaids.cn.
National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, China. fanlv@chinaaids.cn.
Change of sexual behavior among men who have sex with men before, during and after COVID-19 pandemic in China: a cross-sectional study.

The unmet need for modern contraceptives among sexually active adolescent and young women (AYW) in Africa contributes to high morbidity and mortality. To investigate the prevalence of unmet need for modern contraceptives and its associated factors among AYW in Togo, we performed a secondary analysis of data from the MICS-62017 survey.We extracted data from sexually active AYW aged 15-24 years for the analysis and used multi-level logistic regression models to identify factors associated with unmet need for modern contraceptives.Among the AYW, the median age was 20 years. The prevalence of unmet need for modern contraceptives was 27.02%. Factors that increased the likelihood of having unmet need for contraceptives included being in the Poor or Middle quintile of household wealth, aged 20-24 years, and completing primary or secondary education. Living in a household headed by a woman and having a household head aged 19-38, 39-58, or greater than 78 years decreased the likelihood of unmet need for modern contraceptives.The study highlights the high-unmet need for modern contraceptives among sexually active AYW in Togo and emphasizes the importance of addressing individual and household/community factors to improve their sexual and reproductive health. Interventions such as increasing AYW awareness, providing social marketing campaigns in schools, and targeting men-headed households could help promote modern contraceptive use and improve the sexual and reproductive health of AYW in Togo.
Copyright © 2023 Alidou, Dahourou, Dah, Sogo, Kenao, Yehadji, Meda and Ekouevi.
Département de Santé Publique, Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Université Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.Ministère de la Santé, Hygiène Publique et de l'Accès Universel aux Soins, Lomé, Togo.
Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS/CNRST), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM, UMR1295), Centre d'épidémiologie et de Recherche en Santé des Populations (CERPOP), Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Université de Ouahigouya, Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso.
Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS/CNRST), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Département de Promotion de la Santé, Institut Régionale de Santé Publique, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin.
Ministère de la Santé, Hygiène Publique et de l'Accès Universel aux Soins, Lomé, Togo.
Département de Santé Publique, Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Université Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Département de Santé Publique, Faculté des Sciences de la Santé (FSS), Université de Lomé, Lomé, Togo.
Unmet needs for modern contraceptive methods among sexually active adolescents and young women in Togo: a nationwide cross-sectional study.

Management of cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) can vary depending on the experience and area of expertise of the clinician responsible for the patient's follow-up, which may or may not align with the recently published literature. To analyze the perspectives of Spanish pediatricians on this topic, a survey was conducted. The survey aimed to determine the current opinions and attitudes of 222 primary care and hospital pediatricians toward CMPA prevention and nutritional management. Participating pediatricians completed the questionnaire, providing insights into their daily clinical practices, including access to testing, attitudes with respect to various aspects of CMPA diagnosis, prevention, oral food challenges, and treatment. The findings revealed that pediatricians generally agree on the use of extensively hydrolyzed formulas (eHFs) to prevent CMPA in high-risk atopic children, despite limited evidence supporting the widespread use of this practice. However, consensus was lacking regarding the utility of formulas with prebiotics and probiotics for expediting tolerance development. In most cases, pediatricians preferred eHFs for the nutritional management of CMPA, followed by hydrolyzed rice formulas (HRFs), with amino-acid-based formulas (AAFs) being the third option. Certain issues remained controversial among pediatricians, such as prevention methods, symptom assessment, and the role of probiotics. These variations in management approaches reflect the influence of clinician experience and area of expertise, underscoring the need for standardized guidelines in this field.
Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Unit, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, 29011 Málaga, Spain.
Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Unit, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, 33011 Oviedo, Spain.
Laboratorios Ordesa S.L., Scientific Communication Department, 08830 Sant Boi del Llobregat, Spain.
Spanish Pediatricians' Positions Regarding Prevention, Diagnosis, Nutritional Management, and Challenges in Cow's Milk Protein Allergy.

Unplanned pregnancy continues to be a major public health concern in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Understanding the ovulatory cycle can help women avoid unplanned pregnancy. Though a wide range of factors for ovulatory cycle knowledge in SSA countries has not been well assessed, the influence of health insurance on ovulatory cycle knowledge is largely unknown. As a result, we set out to investigate the relationship between health insurance enrollment and knowledge of the ovulatory cycle among women of childbearing age. This study aims to investigate the relationship between health insurance enrollment and knowledge of the ovulatory cycle among women of childbearing age in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).Demographic and Health Surveys (DHSs) data from 29 SSA countries were analyzed. The association between health insurance and ovulatory cycle knowledge was investigated using bivariate and multivariate multilevel logistic regression models among 372,692 women of reproductive age (15-49). The findings were presented as adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). A p-value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant.The pooled result shows that the prevalence of knowledge of ovulatory cycle in the studied 29 SSA countries was 25.5% (95% CI; 24.4%-26.6%). Findings suggest higher odds of ovulatory cycle knowledge among women covered by health insurance (AOR = 1.27, 95% CI; 1.02-1.57), with higher education (higher-AOR = 2.83, 95% CI; 1.95-4.09), from the richest wealth quintile (richest-AOR = 1.39, 95% CI; 1.04-1.87), and from female headed households (AOR = 1.16, 95% CI; 1.01-1.33) compared to women who had no formal education, were from the poorest wealth quintile and belonged to male headed households, respectively. We found lower odds of ovulatory cycle knowledge among women who had 2-4 parity history (AOR = 0.80, 95% CI; 0.65-0.99) compared to those with history of one parity.The findings indicate that the knowledge of the ovulatory cycle is lacking in SSA. Improving health insurance enrollment should be considered to increase ovulatory cycle knowledge as an approach to reduce the region's unplanned pregnancy rate. Strategies for improving opportunities that contribute to women's empowerment and autonomy as well as sexual and reproductive health approaches targeting women who are in poorest quintiles, not formally educated, belonging to male headed households, and having high parity should be considered.
HaSET Maternal and Child Health Research Program, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Public Health, Walter Sisulu University, Eastern Cape, Mthatha, South Africa.
School of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. sanni.yaya@uottawa.ca.The George Institute for Global Health, Imperial College London, London, UK. sanni.yaya@uottawa.ca.
Exploring health insurance and knowledge of the ovulatory cycle: evidence from Demographic and Health Surveys of 29 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Ras GTPases regulate many developmental and physiological processes and mutations in Ras are associated with numerous human cancers. Here, we report the function, levels, and localization of an N-terminal knock-in of mNeonGreen (mNG) into C. elegans LET-60 /Ras. mNG:: LET-60 interferes with some but not all LET-60 /Ras functions. mNG:: LET-60 is broadly present in tissues, found at different levels in cells, and concentrates in distinct subcellular compartments, including the nucleolus, nucleus, intracellular region, and plasma membrane. These results suggest that mNG:: LET-60 can be a useful tool for determining LET-60 levels and localization once its functionality in a developmental or physiological process is established.
Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
Post-embryonic endogenous expression and localization of LET-60/Ras in C. elegans.

Pien Tze Huang (PZH) is a well-established traditional medicine with beneficial effects against inflammation and cancer. We aimed to explore the chemopreventive effect of PZH in colorectal cancer (CRC) through modulating gut microbiota.CRC mouse models were established by azoxymethane plus dextran sulfate sodium treatment or in Apcmin/+ mice treated with or without PZH (270 mg/kg and 540 mg/kg). Gut barrier function was determined by means of intestinal permeability assays and transmission electron microscopy. Fecal microbiota and metabolites were analyzed by means of metagenomic sequencing and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, respectively. Germ-free mice or antibiotic-treated mice were used as models of microbiota depletion.PZH inhibited colorectal tumorigenesis in azoxymethane plus dextran sulfate sodium-treated mice and in Apcmin/+ mice in a dose-dependent manner. PZH treatment altered the gut microbiota profile, with an increased abundance of probiotics Pseudobutyrivibrio xylanivorans and Eubacterium limosum, while pathogenic bacteria Aeromonas veronii, Campylobacter jejuni, Collinsella aerofaciens, and Peptoniphilus harei were depleted. In addition, PZH increased beneficial metabolites taurine and hypotaurine, bile acids, and unsaturated fatty acids, and significantly restored gut barrier function. Transcriptomic profiling revealed that PZH inhibited PI3K-Akt, interleukin-17, tumor necrosis factor, and cytokine-chemokine signaling. Notably, the chemopreventive effect of PZH involved both microbiota-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Fecal microbiota transplantation from PZH-treated mice to germ-free mice partly recapitulated the chemopreventive effects of PZH. PZH components ginsenoside-F2 and ginsenoside-Re demonstrated inhibitory effects on CRC cells and primary organoids, and PZH also inhibited tumorigenesis in azoxymethane plus dextran sulfate sodium-treated germ-free mice.PZH manipulated gut microbiota and metabolites toward a more favorable profile, improved gut barrier function, and suppressed oncogenic and pro-inflammatory pathways, thereby suppressing colorectal carcinogenesis.
Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Research Institute, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Research Institute, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care and Peter Hung Pain Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
Department of Pathology, the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei, China.
Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Research Institute, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. Electronic address: junyu@cuhk.edu.hk.
Traditional Medicine Pien Tze Huang Suppresses Colorectal Tumorigenesis Through Restoring Gut Microbiota and Metabolites.

CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) is a robust gene silencing technique that is ideal for targeting essential and conditionally essential (CE) genes. CRISPRi is especially valuable for investigating gene function in pathogens such as P. aeruginosa where essential and CE genes underlie clinically important phenotypes such as antibiotic susceptibility and virulence. To facilitate the use of CRISPRi in diverse bacteria-including P. aeruginosa-we developed a suite of modular, mobilizable, and integrating vectors we call, Mobile-CRISPRi. We further optimized Mobile-CRISPRi for use in P. aeruginosa mouse models of acute lung infection by expressing the CRISPRi machinery at low levels constitutively, enabling partial knockdown of essential and CE genes without the need for an exogenous inducer. Here, we describe protocols for creating Mobile-CRISPRi knockdown strains and testing their phenotypes in a mouse pneumonia model of P. aeruginosa infection. In addition, we provide comprehensive guide RNA designs to target genes in common laboratory strains of P. aeruginosa and other Pseudomonas species.
© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA.Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA.Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA. jason.peters@wisc.edu.Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA. jason.peters@wisc.edu.Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA. jason.peters@wisc.edu.Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA. jason.peters@wisc.edu.
Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)
Investigating Pseudomonas aeruginosa Gene Function During Pathogenesis Using Mobile-CRISPRi.

University of Colorado School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Allergy & Immunology, Colorado, USA; Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado, USA. Electronic address: carina.venter@childrenscolorado.org.
Hospital Pequeno Príncipe, Centro de Gastroenterologia Pediátrica, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
University of Colorado School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Allergy & Immunology, Colorado, USA; Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado, USA.
Tolerance development in non-IgE mediated food allergies: lessons from Brazil.

Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
International journal of transgender health
Fertility counseling guide for transgender and gender diverse people.

Regulatory T (Treg) cell modulation of adaptive immunity and tissue homeostasis is well described; however, less is known about Treg cell-mediated regulation of the innate immune response. Here we show that deletion of ST2, the receptor for interleukin (IL)-33, on Treg cells increased granulocyte influx into the lung and increased cytokine production by innate lymphoid and γδ T cells without alteration of adaptive immunity to influenza. IL-33 induced high levels of the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) in ST2+ Treg cells and deletion of IL-1Ra in Treg cells increased granulocyte influx into the lung. Treg cell-specific deletion of ST2 or IL-1Ra improved survival to influenza, which was dependent on IL-1. Adventitial fibroblasts in the lung expressed high levels of the IL-1 receptor and their chemokine production was suppressed by Treg cell-produced IL-1Ra. Thus, we define a new pathway where IL-33-induced IL-1Ra production by tissue Treg cells suppresses IL-1-mediated innate immune responses to respiratory viral infection.
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.
Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Harvard Chan Bioinformatics Core, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Division of Rheumatology, University Hospitals of Geneva and University of Geneva Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.
Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. aluster@mgh.harvard.edu.Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. aluster@mgh.harvard.edu.
Regulatory T cell-derived IL-1Ra suppresses the innate response to respiratory viral infection.

Early life feeding practices may affect the long-term health of individuals, particularly in terms of the development of non-communicable diseases, such as metabolic and allergic diseases. Accumulating evidence suggests that the interplay of breastfeeding and/or formula feeding followed by the introduction of solids plays a role in the occurrence of non-communicable diseases both in the short and long term. International food allergy guidelines recommend that breastfeeding women do not need to avoid food allergens and do not recommend any infant formula for allergy prevention. Guidelines regarding solid food introduction for food allergy prevention recommend the introduction of well-cooked eggs and peanuts around 4-6 months of age, and not to delay the introduction of other food allergens. There is also an increasing trend to feed infants a plant-based or plant-forward diet and have access to infant formulas based on plant-based ingredients. The use of novel plant-based infant formulas raises a few questions reviewed in this paper: (1) Do fortified, plant-based infant formulas, compliant with US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) (European) guidelines, support adequate infant growth? (2) Are plant-based infant formulas suitable for the management of cow's milk allergy? (3) Does feeding with novel, plant-based infant formulas increase the risk of food allergies to the food allergens they contain? (4) Does feeding infants plant-based food allergens in early life increase the risk of allergic and severe allergic reactions? The review of the literature indicated that (1) plant-based formulas supplemented with amino acids and micronutrients to comply with FDA regulations and EFSA guidelines, evaluated in sufficiently powered growth studies, can support adequate growth in infants; (2) currently available plant-based infant formulas are suitable for the management of CMA; (3) an early introduction and continuous intake of food allergens are more likely to prevent food allergies than to increase their risk; and (4) an early introduction of food allergens in young infants is safe.
University of Colorado/Children's Hospital Colorado: Section of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Disease, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 74071-12-20, Israel.
Early Introduction of Novel and Less-Studied Food Allergens in the Plant-Based Era: Considerations for US and EU Infant Formula Regulations.

The Cow's Milk-related Symptom Score (CoMiSS) is an awareness tool for evaluating cow's milk-related symptoms. Previous studies have focused on providing CoMiSS values for healthy and symptomatic infants aged 0-6 months. However, there is a notable gap in the literature concerning CoMiSS values for infants older than 6 months. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine CoMiSS values in presumed healthy infants who have completed 6 months and are up to 12 months old, hereafter referred to as 6 to 12 months old. Physicians from six European countries prospectively determined CoMiSS values in infants attending well-child clinics. Exclusion criteria included preterm delivery, acute or chronic disease, and the consumption of a therapeutic formula, dietary supplements (except vitamins), or medication. The following information was collected: gestational age, gender, age, type of feed (breast milk or infant formula), and complementary feeding. Descriptive statistics were summarized with mean and standard deviation for normally distributed continuous variables, median and IQR for non-normally distributed variables, and differences in CoMiSS values were analyzed with appropriate tests. Data from 609 infants were obtained. The overall median (Q1-Q3) CoMiSS values were 3 (1-5). Significant differences were found across age groups (p < 0.001), but not across groups based on gender (p = 0.551) or feeding type (p = 0.880). Conclusions: This study provided CoMiSS values in presumed healthy infants aged 6-12 months. Additional studies should be conducted to establish the use of CoMiSS to assess cow's milk-related symptoms in infants 6 months and older. What is Known: • The Cow's Milk-related Symptom Score (CoMiSS) is an awareness tool for evaluating symptoms related to cow's milk. • CoMiSS values for presumed healthy infants aged 0-6 months infants are already available. What is New: • CoMiSS values in European infants aged 6-12 months are provided. • These CoMiSS values differed across various age groups but not across groups based on gender or feeding type.
Department of Paediatrics, The Medical University of Warsaw, Żwirki I Wigury 63A, 02-091, Warsaw, Poland.
Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Varna, Varna, Bulgaria.Research Group NutriLect, Department of Neuroscience, Research Institute, Medical University Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov , Varna, Bulgaria.
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Brno and Masaryk's University, Brno, Czech Republic.Department of Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Practical Medicine, University Hospital Brno and Masaryk´S University, Brno, Czech Republic.
Hospital La Salud, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, Valencia, Spain.
Ramsay Group, France Et Clinique Marcel Sembat, Paris Descartes University, Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris, France.
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), UZ Brussels, KidZ Health Castle, Laarbeeklaan 101, Brussels, Belgium.
Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Department Paediatrics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2BX, UK.Department Dietetics, Winchester University, Winchester, SO23 4NR, UK.Department Medicine, KU Leuven, Louvain, Belgium.
Pediatric Gastroenterology, La Fe University Hospital, Instituto de Investigation Sanitaria La FE Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Department of Paediatrics, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy.
Institute of Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center, Lea and Arieh Pickel for Pediatric Research, Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Department of Translational Medical Science, Section of Pediatrics, University Federico II, Naples, Italy.
Department of Paediatrics, The Medical University of Warsaw, Żwirki I Wigury 63A, 02-091, Warsaw, Poland. szajewska@gmail.com.
Cow's Milk-related Symptom Score (CoMiSS) values in presumed healthy European infants aged 6-12 months: a cross-sectional study.

Guidelines and recommendations for the diagnosis and management of cow's milk allergy (CMA) in childhood are based on scientific review of the available evidence. While this approach is the most rigorous, guidelines may not fully address all scenarios encountered by clinicians. Many symptoms of CMA overlap with other common childhood illnesses and are subjectively reported by the caregivers of the infant, as is the interpretation of the dietary interventions. Additionally, many healthcare professionals and caregivers do not follow the recommendations to perform an oral food challenge or reintroduction of cow's milk after a diagnostic elimination diet because (1) the infant is doing well and (2) the carer's fear of symptoms relapsing with this procedure. As a result, CMA in infants may be either under-diagnosed leading to reduced quality of life for families or over-diagnosed, resulting in unnecessary long-term elimination diets and increasing the risk for nutritional deficiencies. This paper discusses some of these controversial topics, focusing on misdiagnosis and mismanagement in clinical practice. The lack of objective diagnostic criteria can hamper the diagnosis and management of CMA in daily practice.
UZ Brussel, KidZ Health Castle, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
Department Paediatrics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BX, UK.Department Dietetics, Winchester University, Winchester SO23 4NR, UK.Department Medicine, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
Department of Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, New York, NY 10016, USA.Department of Pediatrics, Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.
Department of Pediatrics, Hospital F. Del Ponte , University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy.
Section of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
Center for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hospital Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba 80250, Brazil.
The Remaining Challenge to Diagnose and Manage Cow's Milk Allergy: An Opinion Paper to Daily Clinical Practice.

In a recent Presidential Advisory report, the American Heart Association (AHA) defined cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome as a spectrum of pathology associated with dysfunctional or excess adiposity and leading to adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Implementing the guidelines set forth by the AHA has the potential to improve population-wide CKM health.
Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Medicine, Section of Nephrology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: ashverma@bu.edu.
Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome: A step toward multidisciplinary and inclusive care.

Fracture healing is a complex interplay of molecular and cellular mechanisms lasting from days to weeks. The inflammatory phase is the first stage of fracture healing and is critical in setting the stage for successful healing. There has been growing interest in exploring the role of the immune system and novel therapeutic strategies, such as nanoparticle drug delivery systems in enhancing fracture healing. Advancements in nanotechnology have revolutionized drug delivery systems to the extent that they can modulate immune response during fracture healing by leveraging unique physiochemical properties. Therefore, understanding the intricate interactions between nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems and the immune response, specifically macrophages, is essential for therapeutic efficacy. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the relationship between the immune system and nanoparticles during fracture healing. Specifically, we highlight the influence of nanoparticle characteristics, such as size, surface properties, and composition, on macrophage activation, polarization, and subsequent immune responses. IMPACT STATEMENT: This review provides valuable insights into the interplay between fracture healing, the immune system, and nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems. Understanding nanoparticle-macrophage interactions can advance the development of innovative therapeutic approaches to enhance fracture healing, improve patient outcomes, and pave the way for advancements in regenerative medicine.
Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14623, USA; Center for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14623, USA.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14623, USA; Center for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14623, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14623, USA; Materials Science Program, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14623, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA. Electronic address: dbenoit@uoregon.edu.
Nanomedicine : nanotechnology, biology, and medicine
Integrating osteoimmunology and nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems for enhanced fracture healing.

(1) Background: Sexuality is influenced by the school, family, and social contexts. All of these play a crucial role in promoting adolescents' sexual health and well-being. However, little is known about the factors that have an impact on sexuality in late adolescence. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the perspectives of late adolescents on the factors that influence their sexual lives. (2) Methods: A qualitative study with a descriptive design was carried out. Thirteen interviews were conducted. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed, and categorized into themes and subthemes. (3) Results: The results of our study offer support for the importance of sexual aspects in the lives of late adolescents who identify as heterosexual. (4) Conclusions: The most influential environments in late adolescent sexuality are the social, family, school, and peer contexts.
Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain.
Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain.Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Temuco 4780000, Chile.
Factors Influencing Sexuality in Late Adolescence: A Qualitative Study on Heterosexual Adolescents' Perspectives.

Office-based opioid treatment with buprenorphine has emerged as a popular evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder. Unfortunately, psychosocial stress, anxiety, pain, and co-morbid substance use increase patients' risk for relapse. We designed this study to compare the effects of complementing buprenorphine treatment with 24 weeks of a live-online Mindful Recovery Opioid Care Continuum (M-ROCC) group to a time and attention-matched, live-online Recovery Support Group (RSG) active control condition.We plan to enroll a maximum of N = 280 and randomize at least N = 192 patients prescribed buprenorphine through referrals from office-based and telemedicine buprenorphine treatment providers and social media advertisements. Participants will be randomly assigned to M-ROCC or RSG and will be blinded to their treatment condition. The primary outcome for this study will be biochemically confirmed periods of abstinence from illicit opioids, as measured by self-reported use and randomly collected, video-observed oral fluid toxicology testing during the final 12 weeks of study participation. Secondary outcomes include changes in Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) anxiety and pain interference scores between baseline and week 24.The trial was funded by the National Institutes of Health, HEAL Initiative through NCCIH (R33AT010125). Data collection is projected to end by September 2023, and we expect publication of results in 2024.If the M-ROCC intervention is found to be effective in this format, it will demonstrate that live-online mindfulness groups can improve outcomes and address common co-morbidities like anxiety and pain during buprenorphine treatment.
Cambridge Health Alliance, Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, 350 Main Street, Suite 5126, Malden, MA 02148, United States of America; Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, 25 Shattuck St., Boston, MA 02115, United States of America.
Cambridge Health Alliance, Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, 350 Main Street, Suite 5126, Malden, MA 02148, United States of America.
Cambridge Health Alliance, Department of Family Medicine, 1493 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 02139, United States of America; Tufts University School of Medicine, Family Medicine Residency Training Program, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, United States of America.
Cambridge Health Alliance, Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, 350 Main Street, Suite 5126, Malden, MA 02148, United States of America; Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, 25 Shattuck St., Boston, MA 02115, United States of America; Health Equity Research Lab, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States of America.
Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, 25 Shattuck St., Boston, MA 02115, United States of America; McLean Hospital, 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA 02478, United States of America.
Cambridge Health Alliance, Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, 350 Main Street, Suite 5126, Malden, MA 02148, United States of America; Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, 25 Shattuck St., Boston, MA 02115, United States of America. Electronic address: zschuman@cha.harvard.edu.
Effects of live-online, group mindfulness training on opioid use and anxiety during buprenorphine treatment: A comparative effectiveness RCT.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is an early pathological feature of Alzheimer disease and plays a crucial role in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease. Strategies to rescue mitochondrial function and cognition remain to be explored. Cyclophilin D (CypD), the peptidylprolyl isomerase F (PPIase), is a key component in opening the mitochondrial membrane permeability transition pore, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death. Blocking membrane permeability transition pore opening by inhibiting CypD activity is a promising therapeutic approach for Alzheimer's disease. However, there is currently no effective CypD inhibitor for Alzheimer's disease, with previous candidates demonstrating high toxicity, poor ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, compromised biocompatibility and low selectivity. Here, we report a new class of non-toxic and biocompatible CypD inhibitor, ebselen, using a conventional PPIase assay to screen a library of ∼2000 FDA-approved drugs with crystallographic analysis of the CypD-ebselen crystal structure (PDB code: 8EJX). More importantly, we assessed the effects of genetic and pharmacological blockade of CypD on Alzheimer's disease mitochondrial and glycolytic bioenergetics in Alzheimer's disease-derived mitochondrial cybrid cells, an ex vivo human sporadic Alzheimer's disease mitochondrial model, and on synaptic function, inflammatory response and learning and memory in Alzheimer's disease mouse models. Inhibition of CypD by ebselen protects against sporadic Alzheimer's disease- and amyloid-β-induced mitochondrial and glycolytic perturbation, synaptic and cognitive dysfunction, together with suppressing neuroinflammation in the brain of Alzheimer's disease mouse models, which is linked to CypD-related membrane permeability transition pore formation. Thus, CypD inhibitors have the potential to slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, by boosting mitochondrial bioenergetics and improving synaptic and cognitive function.
© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.
Division of Surgical Science of Department of Surgery, Columbia University in New York, New York, NY 10032, USA.
High Throughput Screening Laboratory, Del M. Shankel Structural Biology Center, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA.
Higuchi Bioscience Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA.
Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York, NY 12180-3590, USA.
Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
New York Structural Biology Center, NSLS-II, Upton, NY 11973, USA.
Protein Structure and X-Ray Crystallography Laboratory, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA.
Division of Surgical Science of Department of Surgery, Columbia University in New York, New York, NY 10032, USA.Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
New cyclophilin D inhibitor rescues mitochondrial and cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease.

Transcranial electric stimulation (tES) may improve cognition in psychosis spectrum disorders. However, few studies have used novel tES approaches, such as high definition tES (HD-tES) to target specific brain circuits. Recently, the extrastriate visual cortex (V5/MT) has been causally linked to visual hallucinations through lesion network mapping and this may be a promising approach for improving cognition.We aim to determine if causal lesion network guided HD-tES to V5/MT improves cognitive performance as measured by the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS).A single-blind pilot study with a within-subjects crossover design was performed to characterize the effect of cathodal HD-transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and 2 Hz HD-transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on cognition. Enrolled patients received 20 mins of HD-tES twice daily for 5 consecutive days applied bilaterally to V5/MT with a washout between conditions. BACS assessments were performed at baseline, day-5, and 1-month.6 participants with psychosis spectrum disorder were enrolled. 6 individuals received cathodal HD-tDCS. 4 individuals received 2 Hz HD-tACS. HD-tACS resulted in significant (p < 0.1 baseline to 1-month improvements for Digit Sequencing, Verbal Fluency, and Tower of London. HD-tDCS did not result in significant improvement on any task.HD-tACS targeting V5/MT may be a promising treatment to improve cognitive abilities in individuals with psychosis. By promoting delta oscillations, tACS may enhance cortico-cortico communications across brain networks to improve verbal working memory, processing speed, and executive function. Large-scale investigations are needed to replicate these results.
Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Translational Neuroscience, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: wmolho@gmail.com.
Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Translational Neuroscience, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: njraymon@bidmc.harvard.edu.
Department of Psychological and Brain Science, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Translational Neuroscience, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
Division of Translational Neuroscience, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Translational Neuroscience, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: plizano@bidmc.harvard.edu.
Lesion network guided delta frequency neuromodulation improves cognition in patients with psychosis spectrum disorders: A pilot study.

Two decades ago, the Surgeon General issued a report highlighting concerning disparities in mental healthcare among racial and ethnic minority populations. The present study characterised national trends in mental health treatment utilisation by race and ethnicity across a 13-year period.Nationally representative data were drawn from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2008 through 2020 (unweighted n=4 41 993). Trends in mental health treatment utilisation and perceived unmet treatment need among individuals with and without psychiatric illness were stratified by race and ethnicity.Logistic regression analyses revealed most racial/ethnic minority groups were less likely to receive treatment than white individuals, regardless of mental health status. Treatment utilisation increased among those with (annual per cent change (APC)=0.83, 95% CI=0.41 to 1.26) and without psychiatric illness (APC=1.39, 95% CI=0.53 to 2.26). Among individuals with psychiatric illness, treatment use increased among white (APC=0.88, 95% CI=0.51 to 1.24), Hispanic (APC=2.12, 95% CI=0.70 to 3.57) and black adults (APC=1.07, 95% CI=0.11 to 2.04). White (APC=1.88, 95% CI=0.86 to 2.91) and Hispanic (APC=2.45, 95% CI=0.02 to 4.93) individuals without psychiatric illness also saw increased treatment use. Although increases in perceived unmet treatment need were observed for all racial and ethnic groups except blacks and Native Americans with psychiatric illness, rates remained low across all groups.Although national rates of mental health treatment utilisation have risen, this was almost entirely observed among white and Hispanic individuals with and without psychiatric illness, highlighting the limited progress made towards eliminating disparities in care.
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
Department of Psychological, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA ansheeha@udel.edu.
Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Journal of epidemiology and community health
Racial and ethnic trends in mental health service utilisation and perceived unmet need in the USA.

Pioneer transcription factors (TFs) regulate cell fate by establishing transcriptionally primed and active states. However, cell fate control requires the coordination of both lineage-specific gene activation and repression of alternative-lineage programs, a process that is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that the pioneer TF FOXA coordinates with PRDM1 TF to recruit nucleosome remodeling and deacetylation (NuRD) complexes and Polycomb repressive complexes (PRCs), which establish highly occupied, accessible nucleosome conformation with bivalent epigenetic states, thereby preventing precocious and alternative-lineage gene expression during human endoderm differentiation. Similarly, the pioneer TF OCT4 coordinates with PRDM14 to form bivalent enhancers and repress cell differentiation programs in human pluripotent stem cells, suggesting that this may be a common and critical function of pioneer TFs. We propose that pioneer and PRDM TFs coordinate to safeguard cell fate through epigenetic repression mechanisms.
Division of Developmental Biology, Center for Stem Cell & Organoid Medicine (CuSTOM), Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
Division of Pulmonary Biology and Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA. Electronic address: heewoong.lim@cchmc.org.
Division of Developmental Biology, Center for Stem Cell & Organoid Medicine (CuSTOM), Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA. Electronic address: makiko.iwafuchi@cchmc.org.
Pioneer and PRDM transcription factors coordinate bivalent epigenetic states to safeguard cell fate.

To evaluate the environmental and economic impact of teleophthalmological services provided by a primary (rural) and tertiary (urban) eyecare network in India.This prospective study utilised a random sampling method, and administered an environmental and economic impact assessment questionnaire. The study included 324 (primary: 173; tertiary: 151) patients who received teleconsultations from July to September 2022. The primary network (rural) used a colour-coded triage system (Green: eye conditions managed by teleconsult alone; yellow: semi-urgent referral within 1 week to a month, red: urgent referral within a day to a week). The tertiary network (urban) included new and follow-up patients. The environmental impact was assessed by estimating the potential CO2 emissions saved by avoiding travel for various transport modes. Economic impact measured by the potential cost savings from direct (travel) and indirect (food and wages lost) expenses spent by yellow and red referrals (primary) and the first-visit expenses of follow-up (tertiary) patients.The primary rural network saved 2.89 kg CO2/person and 80 km/person. The tertiary urban network saved 176.6 kg CO2/person and 1666 km/person. The potential cost savings on travel expenses were INR 19,970 (USD 250) for the primary (average: INR 370 (USD 4.6) per patient) and INR 758,870 (USD 9486) for the tertiary network (average: INR 8339 (USD 104) per patient). Indirect cost savings (food and wages) were of INR 29,100 (USD 364) for the primary and INR 347,800 (USD 4347) for the tertiary network.Teleophthalmology offers substantial environmental and economic benefits in rural and urban eyecare systems.
© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Royal College of Ophthalmologists.
Department of Teleophthalmology, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. rpk@lvpei.org.Anant Bajaj Retina Institute, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. rpk@lvpei.org.University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA. rpk@lvpei.org.
University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA.Allen Foster Community Eye Health Research Centre, Gullapalli Pratibha Rao International Centre for Advancement of Rural Eye Care, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India.Brien Holden Eye Research Centre, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, India.School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals, NHS Trust, Merseyside, UK.
Allen Foster Community Eye Health Research Centre, Gullapalli Pratibha Rao International Centre for Advancement of Rural Eye Care, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India.
Department of Teleophthalmology, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.Shantilal Shanghvi Cornea Institute, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India.
Teleophthalmology at a primary and tertiary eye care network from India: environmental and economic impact.

Colorectal cancer affects 1 in 25 females and 1 in 24 males, making it the third most frequent cancer with over 6,08,030 deaths worldwide, despite advancements in detection and treatments, including surgery, chemotherapeutics, radiotherapy, and immune therapeutics. Novel potential agents have increased survival in acute and chronic disease conditions, with a higher risk of side effects and cost. However, metastatic disease has an insignificant long-term diagnosis, and significant challenges remain due to last-stage diagnosis and treatment failure. Early detection, survival, and treatment efficacy are all improved by biomarkers. The advancement of cancer biomarkers' molecular pathology and genomics during the last three decades has improved therapy. Clinically useful prognostic biomarkers assist clinical judgment, for example, by predicting the success of EGFR-inhibiting antibodies in the presence of KRAS gene mutations. Few biomarkers are currently used in clinical settings, so further research is still needed. Nanocarriers, with materials like Carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles, provide targeted CRC drug delivery and diagnostics. Light-responsive drugs with gold and silica nanoparticles effectively target and destroy CRC cells. We evaluate the potential use of the long non-coding RNA (non-coding RNA) oncogene plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) as a diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarker, along with the latest nanotech breakthroughs in CRC diagnosis and treatment.
Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.
Noida Institute of Engineering and Technology (Pharmacy Institute), Greater Noida, U.P, 201306, India.
Recent Approaches on Molecular Markers, Treatment and Novel Drug Delivery System Used for the Management of Colorectal Cancer: A Comprehensive Review.

Therapists must dedicate considerable time to session plan to implement evidence-based practices (EBPs) flexibly and with fidelity. It is unclear whether public mental health settings offer the structural and organizational support for therapists to engage in session planning and, therefore, whether they provide the necessary infrastructure for EBP implementation. In Fall 2022, 18 therapists working in public mental health settings in New York City were recruited through snowball sampling to participate in 90-min semistructured qualitative interviews. Therapists were prompted to review their session-planning practices using a chart-stimulated recall strategy; to describe structural, organizational, and individual barriers and facilitators to session planning; and to generate recommendations to support their session planning. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. A diverse group of therapists participated in the study-22% identified as Black; 22% as Asian; and 11% as Hispanic/Latinx. Seventy-eight percent of therapists were social workers; and they had on average 6.18 (SD = 5.70) years of clinical experience. The research team identified four multilevel session-planning barriers and three multilevel session-planning facilitators. Therapists proposed seven multilevel recommendations to support their session planning. Overall, therapists indicated that managing high productivity standards, severe clinical presentations, and clients' social needs often prevent them from having time to plan for sessions. Efforts to implement EBPs in public mental health settings cannot neglect the structural realities faced by agencies, therapists, and clients. Multilevel resources and reforms to support therapists' session planning are necessary. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University.
From plan to practice: A qualitative study of public mental health therapists' session-planning practices.

Due to its very early introduction, cow's milk is one of the first foods that can cause adverse reactions in human beings. Lactose intolerance (LI) and cow's milk allergy (CMA) are the most common adverse reactions to cow's milk. While LI is due to insufficient small intestinal lactase activity and/or a large quantity of ingested lactose, CMA is an aberrant immune reaction to cow's milk proteins, particularly casein or β-lactoglobulin. However, the clinical manifestations of LI and CMA, particularly their gastrointestinal signs and symptoms, are very similar, which might lead to misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis as well as nutritional risks due to inappropriate dietary interventions or unnecessary dietary restriction. Formula-fed infants with LI should be treated with formula with reduced or no lactose, while those with CMA should be treated with formula containing extensive hydrolyzed cow's milk protein or amino acids. This review is therefore written to assist clinicians to better understand the pathophysiologies of LI and CMA as well as to recognize the similarities and differences between clinical manifestations of LI and CMA.
Department of Child Health, Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya 60286, Indonesia.Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya 60132, Indonesia.
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Pelita Harapan, Tangerang 15811, Indonesia.Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology, Tangerang 15811, Indonesia.
Danone Specialized Nutrition Indonesia, Jakarta 12940, Indonesia.
Lactose Intolerance versus Cow's Milk Allergy in Infants: A Clinical Dilemma.

Coma is an unresponsive state of disordered consciousness characterized by impaired arousal and awareness. The epidemiology and pathophysiology of coma in ischemic stroke has been underexplored. We sought to characterize the incidence and clinical features of coma as a presentation of large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke.Individuals who presented with LVO were retrospectively identified from July 2018 to December 2020. Coma was defined as an unresponsive state of impaired arousal and awareness, operationalized as a score of 3 on NIHSS item 1a.28/637 (4.4%) patients with LVO stroke were identified as presenting with coma. The median NIHSS was 32 (IQR 29-34) for those with coma versus 11 (5-18) for those without (p < 0.0001). In coma, occlusion locations included basilar (13), vertebral (2), internal carotid (5), and middle cerebral (9) arteries. 8/28 were treated with endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), and 20/28 died during the admission. 65% of patients not treated with EVT had delayed presentations or large established infarcts. In models accounting for pre-stroke mRS, basilar occlusion location, intravenous thrombolysis, and EVT, coma independently increased the odds of transitioning to comfort care during admission (aOR 6.75; 95% CI 2.87,15.84; p < 0.001) and decreased the odds of 90-day mRS 0-2 (aOR 0.12; 95% CI 0.03,0.55; p = 0.007).It is not uncommon for patients with LVO to present with coma, and delayed recognition of LVO can lead to poor outcomes, emphasizing the need for maintaining a high index of suspicion. While more commonly thought to result from posterior LVO, coma in our cohort was similarly likely to result from anterior LVO. Efforts to improve early diagnosis and care of patients with LVO presenting with coma are crucial.
© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.
Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 101 Merrimac Street, Suite 310, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. michael.young@mgh.harvard.edu.
Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 101 Merrimac Street, Suite 310, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 101 Merrimac Street, Suite 310, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 101 Merrimac Street, Suite 310, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
Characterizing coma in large vessel occlusion stroke.

A healthy lifestyle is associated with a lower premature mortality risk and with longer life expectancy. However, the metabolic pathways of a healthy lifestyle and how they relate to mortality and longevity are unclear. We aimed to identify and replicate a healthy lifestyle metabolomic signature and examine how it is related to total and cause-specific mortality risk and longevity.In four large cohorts with 13,056 individuals and 28-year follow-up, we assessed five healthy lifestyle factors, used liquid chromatography mass spectrometry to profile plasma metabolites, and ascertained deaths with death certificates. The unique healthy lifestyle metabolomic signature was identified using an elastic regression. Multivariable Cox regressions were used to assess associations of the signature with mortality and longevity.The identified healthy lifestyle metabolomic signature was reflective of lipid metabolism pathways. Shorter and more saturated triacylglycerol and diacylglycerol metabolite sets were inversely associated with the healthy lifestyle score, whereas cholesteryl ester and phosphatidylcholine plasmalogen sets were positively associated. Participants with a higher healthy lifestyle metabolomic signature had a 17% lower risk of all-cause mortality, 19% for cardiovascular disease mortality, and 17% for cancer mortality and were 25% more likely to reach longevity. The healthy lifestyle metabolomic signature explained 38% of the association between the self-reported healthy lifestyle score and total mortality risk and 49% of the association with longevity.This study identifies a metabolomic signature that measures adherence to a healthy lifestyle and shows prediction of total and cause-specific mortality and longevity.This work was funded by the NIH, CIHR, AHA, Novo Nordisk Foundation, and SciLifeLab.
Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: ajtessier@hsph.harvard.edu.
Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA.
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Public Health and Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: mguasch@hsph.harvard.edu.
Plasma metabolites of a healthy lifestyle in relation to mortality and longevity: Four prospective US cohort studies.

Background The objective of this study conducted at one center is to compare the demographic features and female sexual functions of patients treated for vaginismus before the COVID-19 pandemic to those treated for vaginismus during the pandemic. Aim Additionally, the study intends to evaluate the results of vaginismus therapy and assess the post-treatment sexual functioning of women. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the medical records of patients diagnosed with vaginismus who sought treatment between March 2018 and March 2022. The enrolled patients were categorized into two groups: the pre-COVID-19 group and the COVID-19 group. The following data have been collected: age, education level, occupation, and marriage duration. After three months of treatment, the patients were called for a follow-up examination and evaluation of their sexual functions. Outcomes Compared to the pre-COVID-19 group, an increase of 52.51% was observed in the number of patients admitted for treatment in the COVID-19 group. Results The severity of vaginismus in the patients was similar in both groups. There were no statistically significant changes observed in any of the areas of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) scale. Clinical implications According to our findings, there was no significant difference in female sexual functioning between women who had vaginismus treatment during the pandemic and those who underwent pre-pandemic treatment. Strengths and limitations The research sample comprised women who sought medical care at our women's health clinic. Conclusions We believe that vaginismus patients who had previously avoided seeking treatment are now seeking it during the pandemic.
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eva Women's Health Clinic, Ankara, TUR.
The Comparison of Patient Characteristics, Therapy Outcome, and Sexual Functions in Vaginismus Patients Prior to and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a zoonotic virus with high contagion and mortality rates. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are ubiquitously expressed on the surface of mammalian cells. Owing to its high negatively charged property, heparan sulfate (HS) on the surface of host cells is used by many viruses as cofactor to facilitate viral attachment and initiate cellular entry. Therefore, inhibition of the interaction between viruses and HS could be a promising target to inhibit viral infection. In the current study, the interaction between the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of MERS-CoV and heparin was exploited to assess the inhibitory activity of various sulfated glycans such as glycosaminoglycans, marine-sourced glycans (sulfated fucans, fucosylated chondroitin sulfates, fucoidans, and rhamnan sulfate), pentosan polysulfate, and mucopolysaccharide using Surface Plasmon Resonance. We believe this study provides valuable insights for the development of sulfated glycan-based inhibitors as potential antiviral agents.
The Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA.
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA.
College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China.
Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, The University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA.
The Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
Department of BioMolecular Sciences, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS 38677, USA.
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA.Departments of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA.
Departments of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA.
Sulfated Glycans Inhibit the Interaction of MERS-CoV Receptor Binding Domain with Heparin.

Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD) is a condition characterized by the regurgitation of stomach and duodenal contents into the laryngopharynx, with variable and non-specific symptoms. Therefore, developing an accurate symptom scale for different regions is essential. Notably, the symptoms of dryness and burning sensation in the laryngopharynx or mouth are prevalent among the Chinese population but are often omitted from conventional symptom assessment scales, such as the Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) and Reflux Symptom Score-12 (RSS-12) scales. To address this gap, our study incorporated the symptoms into the RSI and RSS-12 scales, developing the RSI-10/RSS-13 scales. Afterward, we assessed the role of the new scale's reliability (Cronbach's α and test-retest reliability), construct validity (confirmatory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis), and diagnostic efficiency. Our study encompassed 479 participants (average = 39.5 ± 13.4 years, 242 female) and 91 (average = 34.01 ± 13.50 years, 44 female) completed 24 h MII-pH monitoring. The Cronbach's α values of 0.80 and 0.82 for the RSI-10 and RSS-13 scales, respectively. RSI-10 and RSS-13 exhibited strong test-retest reliability (ICCs = 0.82-0.96) and diagnostic efficacy (AUC = 0.84-0.85). Furthermore, the factor analysis identified the RSS-13 and its three sub-scales (ear-nose-throat, digestive tract, respiratory tract) exhibited good to excellent structural validity (χ2/df = 1.95, P < 0.01; CFI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.06, SRMR = 0.05). The AUC optimal thresholds for the RSI-10 and RSS-13 in the Chinese population were 13 and 36, respectively. Besides, the inclusion of the new item significantly improved the diagnostic efficiency of the RSI scale (P = 0.04), suggesting that RSI-10 holds promise as a more effective screening tool for LPRD, and global validation is needed to demonstrate the impact of this new symptom on the diagnosis of LPRD.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, 134 Dong Jie, Gulou District, Fuzhou City, 350001, Fujian Province, China.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, 134 Dong Jie, Gulou District, Fuzhou City, 350001, Fujian Province, China. iambbp@vip.sina.com.
Chongqing Jinshan Science and Technology (Group) Co Ltd, Chongqing, 401120, China.
Assessing the role of dryness and burning sensation in diagnosing laryngopharyngeal reflux.

Perineural invasion (PNI) and nerve density within the tumor microenvironment (TME) have long been associated with worse outcomes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). This prompted an investigation into how nerves within the tumor microenvironment affect the adaptive immune system and tumor growth.We used RNA sequencing analysis of human tumor tissue from a recent HNSCC clinical trial, proteomics of human nerves from HNSCC patients, and syngeneic orthotopic murine models of HPV-unrelated HNSCC to investigate how sensory nerves modulate the adaptive immune system.Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) directly inhibited CD8 T cell activity in vitro, and blocking sensory nerve function surgically, pharmacologically, or genetically increased CD8 and CD4 T cell activity in vivo.Our data support sensory nerves playing a role in accelerating tumor growth by directly acting on the adaptive immune system to decrease Th1 CD4 T cells and activated CD8 T cells in the TME. These data support further investigation into the role of sensory nerves in the TME of HNSCC and points toward the possible treatment efficacy of blocking sensory nerve function or specifically inhibiting CGRP release or activity within the TME to improve outcomes.1R01DE028282-01, 1R01DE028529-01, 1P50CA261605-01 (to S.D.K.), 1R01CA284651-01 (to S.D.K.), and F31 DE029997 (to L.B.D.).
Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Radiation Biology Research Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt.
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Department of Head & Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA. Electronic address: sana.karam@cuanschutz.edu.
Sensory nerve release of CGRP increases tumor growth in HNSCC by suppressing TILs.

Fungal infections have emerged worldwide, and azole antifungals are widely used to control these infections. However, the emergence of antifungal resistance has been compromising the effectiveness of these drugs. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the antifungal and cytotoxic activities of the nine new 1,2,3 triazole compounds derived from thymol that were synthesized through Click chemistry. The binding mode prediction was carried out by docking studies using the crystallographic structure of Lanosterol 14α-demethylase G73E mutant from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The new compounds showed potent antifungal activity against Trichophyton rubrum but did not show relevant action against Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans. For T. rubrum, molecules nº 5 and 8 showed promising results, emphasizing nº 8, whose fungicidal and fungistatic effects were similar to fluconazole. In addition, molecule nº 8 showed low toxicity for keratinocytes and fibroblasts, concluding that this compound demonstrates promising characteristics for developing a new drug for dermatophytosis caused by T. rubrum, or serves as a structural basis for further research.
© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.
Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, Universidade Vila Velha, Comissário José Dantas de Melo St., 21, Boa Vista, Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, 29102-770, Brazil.
Agrochemical Graduate Program, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Alegre, Espirito Santo, 29500-000, Brazil.
Plant Biotechnology Graduate Program, Universidade Vila Velha, Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, 29102-770, Brazil.
Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Center for Research in Medical Mycology, Department of Pathology, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil.
Chemistry Graduate Program, Universidade Federal Do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil.
Agrochemical Graduate Program, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Alegre, Espirito Santo, 29500-000, Brazil. pedro.morais@ufes.br.
Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, Universidade Vila Velha, Comissário José Dantas de Melo St., 21, Boa Vista, Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, 29102-770, Brazil. rodrigo.scherer@uvv.br.
Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology]
New thymol-derived triazole exhibits promising activity against Trichophyton rubrum.

Dermatology Centre, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.
Dermatology Centre, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.
NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.Versus Arthritis Centre for Genetics and Genomics, Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Clinical Biochemistry, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.
The use of serum methotrexate level as an assessment of biochemical drug adherence in psoriasis.

Hypoxia is associated with poor prognosis in many cancers including glioblastoma (GBM). Glioma stem-like cells (GSCs) often reside in hypoxic regions and serve as reservoirs for disease progression. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in GBM. However, the lncRNAs that modulate GSC adaptations to hypoxia are poorly understood. Identification of these lncRNAs may provide new therapeutic strategies to target GSCs under hypoxia.lncRNAs induced by hypoxia in GSCs were identified by RNA-seq. Lung cancer-associated transcript-1 (LUCAT1) expression was assessed by qPCR, RNA-seq, Northern blot, single molecule FISH in GSCs, and interrogated in IvyGAP, The Cancer Genome Atlas, and CGGA databases. LUCAT1 was depleted by shRNA, CRISPR/Cas9, and CRISPR/Cas13d. RNA-seq, Western blot, immunohistochemistry, co-IP, ChIP, ChIP-seq, RNA immunoprecipitation, and proximity ligation assay were performed to investigate mechanisms of action of LUCAT1. GSC viability, limiting dilution assay, and tumorigenic potential in orthotopic GBM xenograft models were performed to assess the functional consequences of depleting LUCAT1.A new isoform of Lucat1 is induced by Hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1α) and Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) in GSCs under hypoxia. LUCAT1 is highly expressed in hypoxic regions in GBM. Mechanistically, LUCAT1 formed a complex with HIF1α and its co-activator CBP to regulate HIF1α target gene expression and GSC adaptation to hypoxia. Depletion of LUCAT1 impaired GSC self-renewal. Silencing LUCAT1 decreased tumor growth and prolonged mouse survival in GBM xenograft models.A HIF1α-LUCAT1 axis forms a positive feedback loop to amplify HIF1α signaling in GSCs under hypoxia. LUCAT1 promotes GSC self-renewal and GBM tumor growth. LUCAT1 is a potential therapeutic target in GBM.
© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.
Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Department of Anatomic Pathology, The Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Center for RNA Science and Therapeutics and Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.Center for RNA Science and Therapeutics and Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.Department of Radiation Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Long non-coding RNA lung cancer-associated transcript-1 promotes glioblastoma progression by enhancing Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha activity.

Aim: To synthesize novel chloroquine analogues and evaluate them for antimicrobial and cytotoxic potential. Methods: Novel analogues were synthesized from chloroquine by nucleophilic substitution reaction at the 4-amino position. Results: Analogue CS1 showed maximum antimicrobial potential (30.3 ± 0.15 mm zone) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and produced a 19.2 ± 0.21 mm zone against Candida albicans, while CS0 produced no zone at the same concentration. Analogue CS9 has excellent cytotoxic potential (HeLa cell line), showing 100% inhibition (IC50 = 8.9 ± 1.2 μg/ml), compared with CS0 (61.9% inhibition at 30 μg/ml). Conclusion: These synthesized chloroquine analogues have excellent activity against different microbial strains and cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa) compared with their parent molecule.
Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, 22060, Pakistan.
Department of Chemistry, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, 22060, Pakistan.
Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan.
Exploring the antimicrobial and cytotoxic potential of novel chloroquine analogues.

Background: Early identification of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is crucial to prevent severe progression. Methods: The authors enrolled 150 hospitalized CAP patients and collected clinicopathologic features and blood indicators. Plasma miRNA profiling was conducted using microarray detection, and selected miRNAs were tested with reverse transcription quantitative PCR. Predictive models were built using least shrinkage and selection operator regression. Results: Least shrinkage and selection operator regression identified two miRNAs (miR-4793-3p and miR-1180-3p) that distinguished mild from severe CAP patients (area under the curve = 0.948). The miRNA model outperformed D-dimer, platelet and procalcitonin (max area under the curve = 0.729). Conclusion: Increased levels of miR-4793-3p and miR-1180-3p may indicate severe pneumonia development. Plasma miRNA profiling enables early prediction of severe CAP, aiding therapeutic decisions.
Department of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine, Changhai Hospital, Navy Military Medical University, No. 168 Changhai RD, Yangpu District, Shanghai, P.R. China.
Department of General Practice Teaching & Research Office, Changhai Hospital, Navy Military Medical University, No. 168 Changhai RD, Yangpu District, Shanghai, P.R. China.
Department of Clinical Laboratory, Changhai Hospital, Navy Military Medical University, No. 168 Changhai RD, Yangpu District, Shanghai, P.R. China.
Diagnostic predictability of serum miR-4793-3p and miR-1180-3p expression in community-acquired pneumonia.

Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
Department of Radiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
Department of Pathology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
Division of Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA.Morgan Adams Foundation Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Program, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
Morgan Adams Foundation Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Program, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA.Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology
IDH-mutant astrocytoma arising from a demyelinating plaque in a child with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy.

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare inherited disorder causing recurrent episodes of swelling that can be potentially life threatening. Treatment of HAE can be divided into on-demand treatment for swelling, and prophylaxis. The last UK consensus on HAE was in 2014 and since then, new medications for prophylaxis have been developed, with more drugs in the pipeline. International guidelines currently recommend the use of long-term prophylaxis (LTP) as the only way of achieving disease control and normalizing patient lives. Modern prophylactic medications are available in the UK, although access is restricted primarily by HAE attack frequency. To establish an updated view of UK clinicians and patients, a Delphi process was used to develop statements regarding LTP as well as other aspects of HAE management. There was consensus that UK access criteria for modern LTP agents based on numerical frequency of attacks alone are too simplistic and potentially disadvantage a cohort of patients who may benefit from LTP. Additionally, there was agreement that patients should be seen in expert centres, remote monitoring of patients is popular post-pandemic, and that the use of patient-reported outcome measures has the potential to improve patient care. Psychological health is an area in which patients may benefit, and recognition of this is important for future research and development.
© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Immunology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.
Department of Immunology, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, Frimley, UK.
Hereditary Angioedema UK, Bridgwater, UK.
Department of Immunology, University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust, Stoke-on-Trent, UK.
Department of Allergy and Immunology, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Department of Immunology, North Bristol NHS Trust, Bristol, UK.
Department of Clinical Immunology, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
Hematopathology, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar.
Department of Immunology and Allergy, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Hull, UK.
Department of Immunology, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, Birmingham, UK.
Regional Immunology Service, Royal Hospitals Belfast, Belfast, UK.
Department of Immunology, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Department of Immunology, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.
Prophylaxis in hereditary angioedema: a United Kingdom Delphi consensus.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which has a poor prognosis and nonspecific symptoms and progresses rapidly, is the most common pancreatic cancer type. Inhibitors targeting KRAS G12D and G12C mutations have been pivotal in PDAC treatment. Cancer cells with different KRAS mutations exhibit various degrees of glutamine dependency; in particular, cells with KRAS G12D mutations exhibit increased glutamine uptake. (2S,4R)-4-[18F]FGln has recently been developed for clinical cancer diagnosis and tumor cell metabolism analysis. Thus, we verified the heterogeneity of glutamine dependency in PDAC models with different KRAS mutations by a visual and noninvasive method with (2S,4R)-4-[18F]FGln. Two tumor-bearing mouse models (bearing the KRAS G12D or G12C mutation) were injected with (2S,4R)-4-[18F]FGln, and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging features and biodistribution were observed and analyzed. The SUVmax in the regions of interest (ROI) was significantly higher in PANC-1 (G12D) tumors than in MIA PaCa-2 (G12C) tumors. Biodistribution analysis revealed higher tumor accumulation of (2S,4R)-4-[18F]FGln and other metrics, such as T/M and T/B, in the PANC-1 mouse models compared to those in the MIAPaCa-2 mouse models. In conclusion, PDAC cells with the KRAS G12D and G12C mutations exhibit various degrees of (2S,4R)-4-[18F]FGln uptake, indicating that (2S,4R)-4-[18F]FGln might be applied to detect KRAS G12C and G12D mutations and provide treatment guidance.
State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal Cancers, Beijing Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Radiopharmaceuticals (National Medical Products Administration), Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China.
KRAS Mutation Detection with (2S,4R)-4-[18F]FGln for Noninvasive PDAC Diagnosis.

Golgiphagy is a selective form of macroautophagy, characterized by the targeted degradation of Golgi compartments through specific receptors. In two recent studies, the YIPF3-YIPF4 heterodimer has been independently identified as the first Golgiphagy receptor within mammalian cells. This heterodimeric complex exhibits a direct affinity for mammalian Atg8-family proteins (ATG8s), thereby facilitating the expansion of phagophores in proximity to Golgi regions. Notably, the interaction between YIPF3-YIPF4 heterodimers and ATG8s undergoes regulatory modulation through phosphorylation. Furthermore, cells lacking either YIPF3 or YIPF4 display defects in Golgiphagy. To elucidate the physiological relevance of these proteins, the necessity of YIPF3-YIPF4 in orchestrating Golgi proteome remodeling was substantiated through experimentation in an in vitro neuronal differentiation model.Abbreviation: ATG: autophagy related; ATG8s: mammalian Atg8-family proteins; LIR, LC3-interacting region.
Life Sciences Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Development Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Identification of the YIPF3-YIPF4 heterodimer as a novel Golgiphagy receptor.

The selective clearance of unwanted, damaged or dangerous components by macroautophagy/autophagy is critical for maintaining cellular homeostasis in organisms from yeast to humans. In recent years, significant progress has been made in understanding how phagophores selectively sequester specific cargo. Nevertheless, a fundamental question remains: Can distinct selective autophagy programs simultaneously operate within the same cell? A recent study from the Baehrecke lab has unveiled a developmentally programmed Pink1-dependent reticulophagy process in the Drosophila intestine. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that autophagy differentially clears mitochondria and ER in the same cell under the regulation of Pink1 through different E3 ubiquitin ligases, highlighting the need for further exploration in understanding the complexity of autophagic substrate selection and crosstalk between diverse autophagy programs.
Life Sciences Institute, and the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Program in Infectious Disease and Microbiome, Cambridge, MA USA.
Life Sciences Institute, and the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Pink1 balances reticulophagy and mitophagy by regulating distinct E3 ubiquitin ligases.

Studies examining profit suggest that former tobacco farmers do as well or better than current tobacco farmers. Research has yet to examine the relationship among current and former tobacco farmers, poverty, and receipt of government social assistance. This type of research is critical to understanding the direct and indirect subsidization of tobacco growing. This study analyzed tobacco farmers' poverty levels and receipt of government social assistance programs.We designed and conducted an original four-wave economic survey of current and former tobacco farming households in Indonesia between 2016 and 2022. We then used descriptive analysis and probit regression for panel data to estimate the relationship between tobacco farming and poverty status.Tobacco farmers' per capita income and poverty rates vary across years. The poverty rate was significantly higher in the year with a higher-than-normal rainfall as it negatively affected farming outcomes. During this year, the poverty rate among current tobacco farmers was also higher than that of former tobacco farmers. Regression estimates from the panel data confirm the association between tobacco farming and the likelihood of being poor. We also found a high share of current tobacco farmers who receive government social assistance programs, such as cash transfer programs and a universal healthcare program.Our findings show high poverty rates-particularly during bad farming years-and high rates of government social assistance among tobacco farmers. The high rates of government assistance among tobacco farmers living in poverty show that the government is indirectly subsidizing the tobacco industry.
© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.
Departement of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health and Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Bloomberg School of Public Health, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
Assessing the Level of Poverty and Utilization of Government Social Programs Among Tobacco Farmers in Indonesia.

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNTI) is a rare benign neoplasm that can be mistaken for malignancies due to its unfamiliarity among clinicians and aggressive clinical appearance. We herein contributed by reporting an additional case of MNTI characterized by an extensive extraoral protrusion in a 2-month-old infant. The lesion involved the anterior maxilla, cheek, and infraorbital region, resulting the displacement of the nose to the contralateral side, and measuring approximately 10 cm in size. Surgical resection of the lesion was performed. After a 6-month follow-up, the patient has shown no evidence of recurrence. The rapid growth and aggressive behavior of MNTI emphasize the importance of an early diagnosis and prompt intervention in order to achieve favorable outcomes.
© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Hospital Dr. Domingo Luciani, Caracas, Venezuela.
Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela.
Department of Oral Diagnosis and Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, R. Rodolpho Paulo Rocco, n. 325, 1st floor, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP: 21.941-902, Brazil. alcides_almeida@hotmail.com.
Department of Oral Diagnosis and Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, R. Rodolpho Paulo Rocco, n. 325, 1st floor, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP: 21.941-902, Brazil.
Melanotic Neuroectodermal Tumor of Infancy: A Case Image.

Despite the increasing recognition of PD-L1 as predictor of immunotherapeutic response in various malignancies, its role and prognostic significance in thyroid cancer remain underexplored and subject to debate. This study begins to address this gap by comprehensively analyzing PD-L1 expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and investigating its correlation with key clinicopathological variables.We conducted immunohistochemistry (IHC) to assess PD-L1 expression in whole-tissue sections from 121 primary papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) cases. We then analyzed the correlations between PD-L1 expression and various clinicopathological variables.PD-L1 expression was detected in 33.1% of papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs), predominantly exhibiting weak to moderate intensity. Notably, this study found no significant correlation between PD-L1 expression and various clinicopathological variables. The lack of association with traditional factors such as age, sex, histological subtype, and tumor size suggests the complex and multifaceted nature of PD-L1 regulation in PTC. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis with oncocytic metaplasia as the sole independent predictor of PD-L1 expression (P = 0.014), underlining the potential influence of the tumor microenvironment on immune checkpoint expression in PTC.Our study underscores the intricate interplay between chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis with oncocytic metaplasia and PD-L1 expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma. The observed link suggests a potential avenue for therapeutic intervention using anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies in surgery-refractory PTC. Understanding the dynamics of immune checkpoint regulation in the context of the tumor microenvironment is crucial for devising effective treatment strategies. Future research endeavors should delve deeper into the molecular mechanisms underlying this interaction and explore its implications for patient outcomes. As the field of immunotherapy continues to evolve, our findings contribute valuable insights into the complex immunological landscape of thyroid cancer.
Department of Pathology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Ramiro Barcelos, Porto Alegre, 2350, 90035-903, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. vitor_barretoo@hotmail.com.
Rio Grande Sul State Health Department, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Department of Pathology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Ramiro Barcelos, Porto Alegre, 2350, 90035-903, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Department of Pathology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Ramiro Barcelos, Porto Alegre, 2350, 90035-903, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.Laboratory of Pathology, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Chronic Lymphocytic Thyroiditis with Oncocytic Metaplasia Influences PD-L1 Expression in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

With the advent of molecular immunohistochemistry and next generation sequencing, Switch/sucrose non-fermentable (SWI/SNF) chromatin remodeling complex altered tumors have gained recognition recently. SWI/SNF related, matrix associated, actin dependent regulator of chromatin subfamily B member 1 (SMARCB1) and SMARCA4 are the primary SWI/SNF components altered in several recently described undifferentiated malignancies in head and neck region with predilection for paranasal sinuses in SMARCB1-deficient tumors and nasal cavity in SMARCA4-deficient tumors. However, to the best of our knowledge, SMARCA4-deficient tumors of the oropharynx have not been described. We present an unusual case of SMARCA4-deficient carcinoma of the oropharynx (palatine tonsil) which is the first case in the literature, expanding the topographic distribution of SMARCA4-deficient tumors in the head and neck region and emphasizing the importance of BRG1 as an essential immunohistochemical marker for the diagnosis of this distinct entity.
Department of Histopathology and Cytopathology, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre, Delhi, 110085, India.
Department of Medical Oncology, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre, Delhi, 110085, India.
Department of Histopathology and Cytopathology, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre, Delhi, 110085, India. himanshidiwan89@gmail.com.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre, Delhi, 110085, India.
Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre, Delhi, 110085, India.
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre, Delhi, 110085, India.
Department of Laboratory & Transfusion Services and Director Research, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre, Delhi, 110085, India.
Primary Oropharyngeal SMARCA4-Deficient Carcinoma: Expanding the Diagnostic Spectrum in Head and Neck Cancer.

Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a life-threatening condition, characterized by cytopenia, multi-organ dysfunction, and coagulopathy associated with excessive activation of macrophages. In this study, we investigated the roles of alpha2-antiplasmin (α2AP) in the progression of MAS using fulminant MAS mouse model induced by toll-like receptor-9 agonist (CpG) and D-(+)-galactosamine hydrochloride (DG). α2AP deficiency attenuated macrophage accumulation, liver injury, and fibrin deposition in the MAS model mice. Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) is associated with macrophage activation, including migration, and plays a pivotal role in MAS progression. α2AP enhanced the IFN-γ-induced migration, and tissue factor production. Additionally, we showed that fibrin-induced macrophage activation and tumor necrosis factor-α production. Moreover, the blockade of α2AP by neutralizing antibodies attenuated macrophage accumulation, liver injury, and fibrin deposition in the MAS model mice. These data suggest that α2AP may regulate IFN-γ-induced responses and be associated with macrophage activation and fibrin deposition in the MAS progression.
Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts, Kodo Kyo-tanabe, Kyoto, Japan.
Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka-sayama, Japan.
α2-Antiplasmin is associated with macrophage activation and fibrin deposition in a macrophage activation syndrome mouse model.

To compare the performance of areal Hounsfield units (aHUs), volumetric Hounsfield units (vHUs), and volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) by quantitative CT (QCT) in discriminating vertebral fractures (VFs) risk.We retrospectively included CT scans of the lumbar spine 101 VFs cases (60 women, mean age: 64 ± 4 years; 41 men, mean age: 73 ± 10 years) and sex- and age-matched 101 control subjects (60 women, mean age: 64 ± 4 years; 41 men, mean age: 72 ± 7 years). In order to assess the discriminatory capability of aHU, vHU, and vBMD measurements at the L1 and L2 levels in identifying VFs, we conducted binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses in men and women. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated.In both men and women with and without VFs, aHU, vHU, and vBMD were highly correlated with each other (r2 from 0.832 to 0.957, all P < .001). There was a statistically significant difference in aHU, vHU, and vBMD between subjects with and without VFs (P < .001). When age, gender, and BMI were taken into account as covariances and adjusted simultaneously, odds ratios (ORs) for aHU, vHU, and vBMD values, which represent the risk of VFs, were significant (P < .001). Compared with aHU and vHU, vBMD was more strongly associated with VF risk (vBMD: OR, 6.29; 95% CI, 3.83-10.35 vs vHU: OR, 3.64; 95% CI, 2.43-5.46 vs aHU: OR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.79-3.67). In both men and women, further, vBMD had higher values for AUC, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV compared to vHU, with vHU in turn surpassing aHU. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for discriminating VFs using the average aHU, vHU, and vBMD of 2 vertebrae was 0.72, 0.77, and 0.87 in men and 0.76, 0.79, and 0.86 in women. In both men and women, there exist statistically significant differences in the AUC when employing the 3 measurements-namely, aHU, vHU, and vBMD-to discriminate fractures (P < .05).The QCT-measured vBMD is more associated with acute VFs than vHU and aHU values of the lumbar spine. Although the use of vHU and aHU values for the diagnosis of osteoporosis and discriminating fracture risk is limited to scanner- and imaging protocol-specific, they have great potential for opportunistic osteoporosis screening, particularly vHU.The novelty of this study presents a comparison of the VF discriminative capabilities among aHU, vHU, and vBMD. The vHU values introduced in this study demonstrate a greater capacity to discriminate fractures compared to aHU, presenting an improved clinical choice. Although its discriminatory capability is slightly lower than that of vBMD, it is more convenient to measure and does not require specialized software.
© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Institute of Radiology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Department of Radiology, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100035, China.
Department of Radiology, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100035, China.JST sarcopenia Research Centre, National Center for Orthopaedics, Beijing Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100035, China.
JST sarcopenia Research Centre, National Center for Orthopaedics, Beijing Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100035, China.Department of Spine Surgery, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100035, China.
Comparisons of Hounsfield units and volumetric bone density in discriminating vertebral fractures on lumbar CT scans.

Optimization of aptamers in length and chemistry is crucial for industrial applications. Here, we developed aptamers against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and achieved optimization with a deep-learning-based algorithm, RaptGen. We conducted a primer-less SELEX against the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike with an RNA/DNA hybrid library, and the resulting sequences were subjected to RaptGen analysis. Based on the sequence profiling by RaptGen, a short truncation aptamer of 26 nucleotides was obtained and further optimized by a chemical modification of relevant nucleotides. The resulting aptamer is bound to RBD not only of SARS-CoV-2 wildtype but also of its variants, SARS-CoV-1, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). We concluded that the RaptGen-assisted discovery is efficient for developing optimized aptamers.
RIBOMIC Inc., 3-16-13 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0071, Japan.
Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1, Okubo Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan.Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 3-4-1, Okubo Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan.
Research Center for Asian Infectious Diseases, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.
RIBOMIC Inc., 3-16-13 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0071, Japan.The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.
RaptGen-Assisted Generation of an RNA/DNA Hybrid Aptamer against SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein.

Circβ-catenin, our first reported circRNA, has been reported to mediate tumorigenesis in various cancers. However, its biological functions and underlying mechanisms in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unknown.The qRT-PCR examination was used to detect the expression of circβ-catenin, miR-197-3p, and CTNND1 in cells and human tissues. Western blot was conducted to detect the protein expression levels. The biological function of circβ-catenin was verified by MTT, colony formation, wound healing, and transwell assays. The in vivo effects of circβ-catenin were verified by nude mice xenograft and metastasis models. The regulatory network of circβ-catenin/miR-197-3p/CTNND1 was confirmed via dual-luciferase reporter and RIP assays.In the present study, circβ-catenin was found to promote CRC cell proliferation and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circβ-catenin served as miRNA decoy to directly bind to miR-197-3p, then antagonized the repression of the target gene CTNND1, and eventually promoted the malignant phenotype of CRC. More interestingly, the inverted repeated Alu pairs termed AluJb1/2 and AluY facilitated the biogenesis of circβ-catenin, which could be partially reversed by EIF4A3 binding to Alu element AluJb2.Our findings illustrated a novel mechanism of circβ-catenin in modulating CRC tumorigenesis and metastasis, which provides a potential therapeutic target for CRC patients.
© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.
Cancer center, Shenzhen Hospital (Futian) of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518000, China.School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510515, China.Research Institute, Shenzhen Hospital (Futian) of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518000, China.
Lingnan Medical Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China.
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510515, China.
School of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China.
Cancer center, Shenzhen Hospital (Futian) of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518000, China.
Research Institute, Shenzhen Hospital (Futian) of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518000, China. linhanli2010@163.com.
Lingnan Medical Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China. liuwei@gzucm.edu.cn.
Cancer center, Shenzhen Hospital (Futian) of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518000, China. zhangjf06@gzucm.edu.cn.Research Institute, Shenzhen Hospital (Futian) of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518000, China. zhangjf06@gzucm.edu.cn.Lingnan Medical Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China. zhangjf06@gzucm.edu.cn.
EIF4A3-negatively driven circular RNA β-catenin (circβ-catenin) promotes colorectal cancer progression via miR-197-3p/CTNND1 regulatory axis.

Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis is increasingly popular for testing the causal effect of exposures on disease outcomes using data from genome-wide association studies. In some settings, the underlying exposure, such as systematic inflammation, may not be directly observable, but measurements can be available on multiple biomarkers or other types of traits that are co-regulated by the exposure. We propose a method for MR analysis on latent exposures (MRLE), which tests the significance for, and the direction of, the effect of a latent exposure by leveraging information from multiple related traits. The method is developed by constructing a set of estimating functions based on the second-order moments of GWAS summary association statistics for the observable traits, under a structural equation model where genetic variants are assumed to have indirect effects through the latent exposure and potentially direct effects on the traits. Simulation studies show that MRLE has well-controlled type I error rates and enhanced power compared to single-trait MR tests under various types of pleiotropy. Applications of MRLE using genetic association statistics across five inflammatory biomarkers (CRP, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, and MCP-1) provide evidence for potential causal effects of inflammation on increasing the risk of coronary artery disease, colorectal cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis, while standard MR analysis for individual biomarkers fails to detect consistent evidence for such effects.
© The Author 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Department of Biostatistics, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States.Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6021, United States.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States.Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, 3980 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98195-1617, United States.
Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main St Cambridge, MA 02142, United States.
Department of Biostatistics, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States.Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 733 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States.
Mendelian randomization analysis using multiple biomarkers of an underlying common exposure.

Validation of quantitative imaging biomarkers is a challenging task, due to the difficulty in measuring the ground truth of the target biological process. A digital phantom-based framework is established to systematically validate the quantitative characterization of tumor-associated vascular morphology and hemodynamics based on dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI).A digital phantom is employed to provide a ground-truth vascular system within which 45 synthetic tumors are simulated. Morphological analysis is performed on high-spatial resolution DCE-MRI data (spatial/temporal resolution = 30 to 300 μm/60 s) to determine the accuracy of locating the arterial inputs of tumor-associated vessels (TAVs). Hemodynamic analysis is then performed on the combination of high-spatial resolution and high-temporal resolution (spatial/temporal resolution = 60 to 300 μm/1 to 10 s) DCE-MRI data, determining the accuracy of estimating tumor-associated blood pressure, vascular extraction rate, interstitial pressure, and interstitial flow velocity.The observed effects of acquisition settings demonstrate that, when optimizing the DCE-MRI protocol for the morphological analysis, increasing the spatial resolution is helpful but not necessary, as the location and arterial input of TAVs can be recovered with high accuracy even with the lowest investigated spatial resolution. When optimizing the DCE-MRI protocol for hemodynamic analysis, increasing the spatial resolution of the images used for vessel segmentation is essential, and the spatial and temporal resolutions of the images used for the kinetic parameter fitting require simultaneous optimization.An in silico validation framework was generated to systematically quantify the effects of image acquisition settings on the ability to accurately estimate tumor-associated characteristics.
© 2024 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).
University of Texas at Austin, Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Austin, Texas, United States.MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Imaging Physics, Houston, Texas, United States.MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Breast Imaging, Houston, Texas, United States.MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Breast Imaging, Houston, Texas, United States.MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Biostatistics, Houston, Texas, United States.
University of Texas at Austin, Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Austin, Texas, United States.University of Texas at Austin, Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Austin, Texas, United States.
Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Biomedical Engineering, St. Louis, Missouri, United States.
University of Chicago, Department of Radiology, Chicago, Illinois, United States.
University of Texas at Austin, Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Austin, Texas, United States.MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Imaging Physics, Houston, Texas, United States.University of Texas at Austin, Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Austin, Texas, United States.University of Texas at Austin, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Austin, Texas, United States.University of Texas at Austin, Department of Diagnostic Medicine, Austin, Texas, United States.University of Texas at Austin, Department of Oncology, Austin, Texas, United States.
Journal of medical imaging (Bellingham, Wash.)
Systematic evaluation of MRI-based characterization of tumor-associated vascular morphology and hemodynamics via a dynamic digital phantom.

For people with HIV (PWH) who have psychological comorbidities, effective management of mental health issues is crucial to achieving and maintaining viral suppression. Care coordination programs (CCPs) have been shown to improve outcomes across the HIV care continuum, but little research has focused on the role of care coordination in supporting the mental health of PWH. This study reports qualitative findings from the Program Refinements to Optimize Model Impact and Scalability based on Evidence (PROMISE) study, which evaluated a revised version of an HIV CCP for Ryan White Part A clients in New York City. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 30 providers and 27 clients from 6 CCP-implementing agencies to elucidate barriers and facilitators of program engagement. Transcripts were analyzed for key themes related to clients' mental health needs and providers' successes and challenges in meeting these needs. Providers and clients agreed that insufficiently managed mental health issues are a common barrier to achieving and maintaining viral suppression. Although the CCP model calls for providers to address clients' unmet mental health needs primarily through screening and referrals to psychiatric and/or psychological care, both clients and providers reported that the routine provision of emotional support is a major part of providers' role that is highly valued by clients. Some concerns raised by providers included insufficient training to address clients' mental health needs and an inability to document the provision of emotional support as a delivered service. These findings suggest the potential value of formally integrating mental health services into HIV care coordination provision. ClinicalTrials.gov protocol number: NCT03628287.
Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health (ISPH), CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, New York, New York, USA.
Addressing Mental Health Barriers in HIV Care Coordination Is Crucial to Providing Optimal HIV/AIDS Care.

The aim of this study was to evaluate condylar and glenoid fossa remodeling after bimaxillary orthognathic surgery guided by patient-specific mandibular implants. In total, 18 patients suffering from dentofacial dysmorphism underwent a virtually planned bimaxillary mandibular PSI-guided orthognathic procedure. One month prior to surgery, patients underwent a CBCT scan and optical scans of the dental arches; these datasets were re-acquired 1 month and at least 9 months postsurgery. Three-dimensional models of the condyles, glenoid fossae, and interarticular surface space (IASS) were obtained and compared to evaluate the roto-translational positional discrepancy and surface variation of each condyle and glenoid fossa, and the IASS variation. The condylar position varied by an average of 4.31° and 2.18 mm, mainly due to surgically unavoidable ramus position correction. Condylar resorption remodeling was minimal (average ≤ 0.1 mm), and affected skeletal class III patients the most. Later condylar remodeling was positively correlated with patient age. No significant glenoid fossa remodeling was observed. No postoperative orofacial pain was recorded at clinical follow-up. The procedure was accurate in minimizing the shift in relationship between the bony components of the TMJ and their remodeling, and was effective in avoiding postoperative onset of orofacial pain. An increase in sample size, however, would be useful to confirm our findings.
Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: mirko.bevini@studio.unibo.it.
Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: chiara.gulotta@studio.unibo.it.
School of Medecine, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: ottavia.lunari@studio.unibo.it.
Laboratory of Bioengineering-eDIMES Lab, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: laura.cercenelli@unibo.it.
Laboratory of Bioengineering-eDIMES Lab, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: emanuela.marcelli@unibo.it.
Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: pietro.felice@unibo.it.
Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Italy; Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: achille.tarsitano2@unibo.it.
Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Italy; Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: giovanni.badiali@unibo.it.
Journal of cranio-maxillo-facial surgery : official publication of the European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery
Morpho-functional analysis of the temporomandibular joint following mandible-first bimaxillary surgery with mandible-only patient-specific implants.

Pathogenic variants in six aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (ARS) genes are implicated in neurological disorders, most notably inherited peripheral neuropathies. ARSs are enzymes that charge tRNA molecules with cognate amino acids. Pathogenic variants in asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase (NARS1) cause a neurological phenotype combining developmental delay, ataxia and demyelinating peripheral neuropathy. NARS1 has not yet been linked to axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Exome sequencing of patients with inherited peripheral neuropathies revealed three previously unreported heterozygous NARS1 variants in three families. Clinical and electrophysiological details were assessed. We further characterized all three variants in a yeast complementation model and used a knock-in mouse model to study variant p.Ser461Phe. All three variants (p.Met236del, p.Cys342Tyr and p.Ser461Phe) co-segregate with the sensorimotor axonal neuropathy phenotype. Yeast complementation assays show that none of the three NARS1 variants support wild-type yeast growth when tested in isolation (i.e. in the absence of a wild-type copy of NARS1), consistent with a loss-of-function effect. Similarly, the homozygous knock-in mouse model (p.Ser461Phe/Ser472Phe in mouse) also demonstrated loss-of-function characteristics. We present three previously unreported NARS1 variants segregating with a sensorimotor neuropathy phenotype in three families. Functional studies in yeast and mouse support variant pathogenicity. Thus, NARS1 is the seventh ARS implicated in dominant axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, further stressing that all dimeric ARSs should be evaluated for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, B-2610, Belgium.Laboratory of Neuromuscular Pathology, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, B-2610, Belgium.Department for Human Genetics and John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA.Genetics Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, B-2610, Belgium.Laboratory of Neuromuscular Pathology, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, B-2610, Belgium.Neuromuscular Reference Centre, Department of Neurology, Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijk, B-2610, Belgium.
Department of Neurology, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC 3084, Australia.
The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA.
Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, B-2610, Belgium.Center of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp and Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, B-2650, Belgium.
Department of Neurosciences and Behavior Sciences, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 14051-140, Brazil.
The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA.Neuroscience Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Department for Human Genetics and John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA.Genetics Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.Neuroscience Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Dominant NARS1 mutations causing axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease expand NARS1-associated diseases.

The updated ROME IV criteria for functional constipation (FC) in children were published in 2016. However, information on the use of these criteria is scarce. This study aimed to report the frequency of the use of the ROME IV criteria by Indonesian pediatricians and general practitioners (GPs) in FC management in infants and toddlers.An anonymous cross-sectional online survey was conducted between November 2021 and March 2022.A total of 248 respondents (183 pediatricians and 65 GPs) from 24 Indonesian provinces completed the survey. Most respondents reported an estimated prevalence of FC to be less than 5% both in infants and toddlers. On average, only 64.6% of respondents frequently used the ROME IV criteria. Pediatricians used the ROME IV criteria more often than GPs did (p<0.001). The most frequently used criteria were painful or hard bowel movements (75.0%) and ≤2 defecations/week (71.4%). Lactulose as a laxative was the preferred treatment choice, followed by changing the standard formula to a specific nutritional formula. Most of the respondents carried out parenteral reassurance and education. Normal growth, as a marker of good digestion and absorption function, and normal stool consistency and frequency were the most reported indicators of gut health.The ROME IV criteria for functional constipation are not extensively used by pediatricians and GPs in Indonesia. Laxatives and specific nutritional formulas were the most used management approaches in infants and toddlers. Medical education, especially for general practitioners, should be updated.
Copyright © 2024 by The Korean Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.
Department of Child Health, Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia.Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia.
FrieslandCampina AMEA, Singapore, Singapore.
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), UZ Brussel, KidZ Health Castle, Brussels, Belgium.
Department of Child Health, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology & nutrition
Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr. 2024-03;27(2):125-135.
Rome IV Clinical Criteria and Management of Functional Constipation: Indonesian Health Care Professionals' Perspective.

The detection rate of peptic ulcer in children is improving, with development of diagnostic procedures. Gastroscopy is the gold standard for the diagnosis of peptic ulcer, but it is an invasive procedure. Gastrointestinal contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) has the advantages of being painless, noninvasive, nonradioactive, easy to use, and safe.To investigate the clinical value of CEUS for diagnosis and treatment of peptic ulcer in children.We investigated 43 children with digestive tract symptoms in our hospital from January 2021 to June 2022. All children were examined by routine ultrasound, gastrointestinal CEUS, and gastroscopy. The pathological results of gastroscopy were taken as the gold standard. Routine ultrasonography was performed before gastrointestinal CEUS. Conventional ultrasound showed the thickness of the gastroduodenal wall, gastric peristalsis, and the adjacent organs and tissues around the abdominal cavity. Gastrointestinal CEUS recorded the thickness of the gastroduodenal wall; the size, location and shape of the ulcer; gastric peristalsis; and adjacent organs and tissues around the abdominal cavity. The results of routine ultrasound and gastrointestinal ultrasound were compared with those of gastroscopy to evaluate the diagnostic results and coincidence rate of routine ultrasound and gastrointestinal CEUS. All children received informed consent from their guardians for CEUS. This study was reviewed and approved by the hospital medical ethics committee.Among the 43 children, 17 (15 male, 2 female) were diagnosed with peptic ulcer by gastroscopy. There were 26 children with nonpeptic ulcer. There were eight cases of peptic ulcer and 35 of nonpeptic ulcer diagnosed by conventional ultrasound. The diagnostic coincidence rate of peptic ulcer in children diagnosed by conventional ultrasound was 79.1% (34/43), which was significantly different from that of gastroscopy (P = 0.033). It indicates that the coincidence rate of gastrointestinal contrast-enhanced ultrasound and gastroscope is low. Fifteen cases of peptic ulcer and 28 of nonpeptic ulcer were diagnosed by CEUS. The diagnostic coincidence rate of peptic ulcer in children was 95.3% (41/43). There was no significant difference between CEUS and gastroscopy (P = 0.655). It indicates that the coincidence rate of gastrointestinal contrast-enhanced ultrasound and gastroscope is high.Gastrointestinal CEUS has a high coincidence rate in the diagnosis of peptic ulcer in children, and can be used as a preliminary examination method.
©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
Department of Ultrasound, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang Province, China.
Department of Ultrasound, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang Province, China. luohongxia0127@163.com.
Gastrointestinal contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for diagnosis and treatment of peptic ulcer in children.

Small animal transplant models are indispensable for organ tolerance studies investigating feasible therapeutic interventions in preclinical studies. Rat liver transplantation (LTx) protocols typically use an orthotopic model where the recipients' native liver is removed and replaced with a donor liver. This technically demanding surgical procedure requires advanced micro-surgical skills and is further complicated by lengthy anhepatic and lower body ischemia times. This prompted the development of a less complicated heterotopic method that can be performed faster with no anhepatic or lower body ischemia time, reducing post-surgery stress for the recipient animal. This heterotopic LTx protocol includes two main steps: excising the liver from the donor rat and transplanting the whole liver into the recipient rat. During the excision of the donor liver, the surgeon ligates the supra-hepatic vena cava (SHVC) and hepatic artery (HA). On the recipient side, the surgeon removes the left kidney and positions the donor liver with the portal vein (PV), infra-hepatic vena cava (IHVC), and bile duct facing the renal vessels. Further, the surgeon anastomoses the recipient's renal vein end to end with the IHVC of the liver and arterializes the PV with the renal artery using a stent. A hepaticoureterostomy is utilized for biliary drainage by anastomosing the bile duct to the recipient's ureter, permitting the discharge of bile via the bladder. The average duration of the transplantation was 130 min, cold ischemia duration was around 35 min, and warm ischemia duration was less than 25 min. Hematoxylin and eosin histology of the auxiliary liver from syngeneic transplants showed normal hepatocyte structure with no significant parenchymal alterations 30 days post-transplant. In contrast, 8-day post-transplant allogeneic graft specimens demonstrated extensive lymphocytic infiltration with a Banff Schema rejection activity index score of 9. Therefore, this LTx method facilitates a low morbidity rejection model alternative to orthotopic LTx.
Department of Surgery, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Wisconsin.
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison; UW Carbone Cancer Center; William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans' Hospital.
Department of Surgery, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison; aladra@wisc.edu.
Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE
Heterotopic Auxiliary Whole Liver Rat Transplant Model Utilizing a Hepaticoureterostomy for Allograft Rejection Studies.

Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D. Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States.Glycobiology, Cell Growth and Tissue Repair Research Unit (Gly-CRRET), Université Paris-est Créteil, Créteil, France.
Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D. Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States.
Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, United States.
Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States.
Institute of Physiological Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D. Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States.Department of Biology, Troy, NY, United States.Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States.
Editorial: Heparan sulfate-binding proteins in health and disease.

The harmful effects of trans and saturated fatty acids have attracted worldwide attention. Edible oleogels, which can structure liquid oils, are promising healthy alternatives to traditional fats. Active research on oleogels is focused on the interaction between unsaturated oils with different fatty acid compositions and low molecular weight or polymer oleogels. The unique network structure inside oleogels has facilitated their application in candies, spreads, meat, and other products. However, the micro- and macro-properties, as well as the functional properties of oleogels vary by preparation method and the system composition. This review discusses the characteristics of oleogels, serving as a reference for the application of oleogels in food products. Specifically, it (i) classifies oleogels and explains the influence of gelling factors on their gelation, (ii) describes the methods for measuring the physicochemical properties of oleogels, and (iii) discusses the current applications of oleogels in food products.
© The Korean Society of Food Science and Technology 2024. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
Department of Integrative Food, Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61186 South Korea.Department of School of Life Science and Bioengineering, Jining University, No.1 Xin tan Road, JiNing, 273155 China.Yanbian University, Department of Food Science and Technology, No.977 Gong yuan Road, Yanji, 133002 China.
Yanbian University, Department of Food Science and Technology, No.977 Gong yuan Road, Yanji, 133002 China.
Department of Integrative Food, Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61186 South Korea.
Oleogel classification, physicochemical characterization methods, and typical cases of application in food: a review.

ACL injuries are common and the standard treatment remains to be ACL reconstruction. Controversy still remains around graft ligamentisation and various methods have been experimented to augment this process. In this series we discuss the outcome of using dehydrated umbilical cord derived membrane in ACL reconstruction.A prospective Level IV analysis of outcome in 30 consecutive patients of complete isolated ACL tear presenting to us between May 2022 to September 2022 was done. There was no age or sex restriction. Revision cases were excluded from this series. ACL reconstruction was done using standard all inside technique using the ipsilateral semitendinosus graft which was wrapped with dehydrated umbilical cord derived membrane (5*3 cm2) after soaking in normal saline (Cord Thick - Life Cell; LifeCell international private limited, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India) and secured with Monocryl 3-0 sutures in a continuous manner.18 patients completed the one year follow up and were analysed for final results. Eleven of the patients followed up were females and seven males, with an average age of 30.3 years.The average VAS score at 6 weeks was 2.2. The mean KOOS score at the follow up visits were 72.3, 82.3, 90.7, 95.8. The mean SANE score reported at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year were 68.8, 80, 87.5, 95.1.The follow up MRI's confirmed good ligamentisation of the graft even as early as 6 weeks with minimal fluid in the tunnel.The use of dehydrated umbilical cord derived membrane augmentation to potentiate graft integration in ACL reconstruction seems promising and helps improve patient outcomes.
© 2024 Delhi Orthopedic Association. All rights reserved.
Shoulder, Arthroscopy & Sports Injuries, CK Birla Hospital, Gurgaon, India.
Knee & Joint Replacement, CK Birla Hospital, Gurgaon, India.
Foot & Ankle, CK Birla Hospital, Gurgaon, India.
Orthopaedics, CK Birla Hospital, Gurgaon, India.
Journal of clinical orthopaedics and trauma
Role of placental membrane in ACL graft healing - A series of 18 patients.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has a wide range of hosts, including hippopotami, which are semi-aquatic mammals and phylogenetically closely related to Cetacea. In this study, we characterized the binding properties of hippopotamus angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hiACE2) to the spike (S) protein receptor binding domains (RBDs) of the SARS-CoV-2 prototype (PT) and variants of concern (VOCs). Furthermore, the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the SARS-CoV-2 PT S protein complexed with hiACE2 was resolved. Structural and mutational analyses revealed that L30 and F83, which are specific to hiACE2, played a crucial role in the hiACE2/SARS-CoV-2 RBD interaction. In addition, comparative and structural analysis of ACE2 orthologs suggested that the cetaceans may have the potential to be infected by SARS-CoV-2. These results provide crucial molecular insights into the susceptibility of hippopotami to SARS-CoV-2 and suggest the potential risk of SARS-CoV-2 VOCs spillover and the necessity for surveillance.The hippopotami are the first semi-aquatic artiodactyl mammals wherein SARS-CoV-2 infection has been reported. Exploration of the invasion mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 will provide important information for the surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in hippopotami, as well as other semi-aquatic mammals and cetaceans. Here, we found that hippopotamus ACE2 (hiACE2) could efficiently bind to the RBDs of the SARS-CoV-2 prototype (PT) and variants of concern (VOCs) and facilitate the transduction of SARS-CoV-2 PT and VOCs pseudoviruses into hiACE2-expressing cells. The cryo-EM structure of the SARS-CoV-2 PT S protein complexed with hiACE2 elucidated a few critical residues in the RBD/hiACE2 interface, especially L30 and F83 of hiACE2 which are unique to hiACE2 and contributed to the decreased binding affinity to PT RBD compared to human ACE2. Our work provides insight into cross-species transmission and highlights the necessity for monitoring host jumps and spillover events on SARS-CoV-2 in semi-aquatic/aquatic mammals.
College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China.CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China.
CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China.
School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China.College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China.Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, China.
College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China.
Molecular basis of hippopotamus ACE2 binding to SARS-CoV-2.

The majority of bioactive polysaccharides are present in some marine creatures. These polysaccharides are considered as promising anti-obesity agents, their anti-obesity properties involve a number of mechanisms, including suppression of lipid metabolism and absorption, impact on satiety, and prevention of adipocyte differentiation. Obesity is linked to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other metabolic syndromes. In this review various bioactive polysaccharides like chitin, chitosan, fucosylated chondroitin sulphate, chitooligosaccharides and glycosaminoglycans have been discussed for their anti-obesity effects through various pathways. Critical evaluation of observational studies and intervention trials on obesity, lipid hypertrophy, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes was done with a primary focus on specific marine fauna polysaccharide as a source of seafood that is consumed all over the world. It has been observed that consumption of individual seafood constituents was effective in reducing obesity. Thus, marine derived novel bioactive polysaccharides have potential applications in food and pharmaceutical industries.
Department of Biochemistry, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysuru, 570020 India.Department of Biosciences, Mangalore University, Mangalagangothri, Mangalore, Karnataka 574199 India.
Department of Biochemistry, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysuru, 570020 India.Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002 India.
Department of Biochemistry, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysuru, 570020 India.Department of Biosciences, Mangalore University, Mangalagangothri, Mangalore, Karnataka 574199 India.Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002 India.
Bioactive carbohydrate polymers from marine sources as potent nutraceuticals in modulating obesity: a review.

(1) Background: There is a lack of direct evidence on whether SARS-CoV-2 affects women's sexual function through a biological-organic mechanism. Existing studies on the topic are few and have produced contradictory results. This study aims to explore the possible relationship between sex hormones and sexual function in patients who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, we aimed to determine whether these changes are related to the clinical course of COVID-19 and whether they are temporary or long-lasting. (2) Methods: A study was conducted on 104 women, including 64 women infected with COVID-19 and a control group of 40 healthy women, between January 2021 and August 2022. Blood samples were collected to measure prolactin and oxytocin levels, and a clinical assessment was performed 3 and 6 months later. Sexual function self-assessment was captured based on the FSFI scale. (3) Results: Our study found that patients with severe COVID-19 had better sexual satisfaction scores one month after recovery but no discernible difference after six months. High levels of serum prolactin were observed in patients with active COVID-19 but became similar to a control group after one month and remained stable over time. Higher prolactin levels were significantly associated with increased arousal and hydration. Individuals with severe COVID-19 had notably low levels of plasma oxytocin, but there was no correlation between oxytocin levels and sexual satisfaction. (4) Conclusions: The gynecologic symptoms, as well as disturbances in oxytocin and prolactin levels, might be observed in a short time after infection. However, SARS-CoV-2 infection has no lasting effect on sexual function, oxytocin, and prolactin levels among women.
Department of Medical Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland.
I Chair and Department of Oncologic Gynecology and Gynecology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland.
Independent Medical Biology Unit, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland.
I Chair and Department of Oncologic Gynecology and Gynecology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland.Independent Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Gynecology and Gynecological Endocrinology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland.
Independent Laboratory of Cancer Diagnostics and Immunology, Medical University in Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland.
Chair and Department of Toxicology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland.
Assessment of the Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on the Sexual Function of Women, Levels of Oxytocin and Prolactin: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Aspiration with a pump or syringe is a mainstay of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS), but this technology has seen minimal evolution. Non-continuous adaptive pulsatile aspiration (APA) has been proposed as a potential alternative to standard continuous aspiration as a means of improving revascularization efficiency.Using a pathophysiological flow bench model with a synthetic clot, we performed in vitro thrombectomies using the ALGO® Von Vascular, Inc. (Sunrise, FL) APA pump. A total of 25 FDA-approved aspiration catheters were tested, representing inner diameters (ID) from 0.035 in. to 0.088 in. The pump was used in 30 trials with each catheter to remove a simulated M1 occlusion. Revascularization, clot ingestion, time to clot removal, and distal embolization were measured.Among catheters tested using APA, first-pass TICI 3 revascularization was achieved in 100% of the 750 thrombectomy trials using 25 different catheters. There were no distal emboli detected in any trial run. Complete clot ingestion into the pump collection chamber was achieved in 87% to 100% of trials (overall 95%) with clot in the remaining trials corking within the catheter and removed from the model. Time from clot contact to clot removal ranged from 11 s to 90 s (mean 22.6 s, SD 16.8 s), which was negatively correlated with catheter ID (p = 0.007).APA via the Von Vascular, Inc. ALGO® pump achieved a high success rate in an in vitro MT model. All catheters tested with the pump achieved complete reperfusion in all trials, and complete clot ingestion into the pump was seen in a majority of trials. The promising in vitro performance of APA using multiple catheters warrants future in vivo investigation.
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
Interventional neuroradiology : journal of peritherapeutic neuroradiology, surgical procedures and related neurosciences
Comparison of aspiration catheter performance using adaptive pulsatile aspiration in an in vitro thrombectomy model.

The KDIGO guideline for acute rejection treatment recommends use of corticosteroids and suggests using lymphocyte-depleting agents as second line treatment. Aim of the study was to determine the current practices of detection and treatment of TCMR of kidney allografts amongst European kidney transplant centres. An invitation was sent through ESOT/EKITA newsletters and through social media to transplant professionals in Europe for taking part in the survey. A total of 129 transplant professionals responded to the survey. There was equal representation of small and large sized transplant centres. The majority of centres treat borderline changes (BL) and TCMR (Grade IA-B, IIA-B) in indication biopsies and protocol biopsies with corticosteroids as first line treatment. Thymoglobulin is used mainly as second line treatment for TCMR Grade IA-B (80%) and TCMR IIA-B (85%). Treatment success is most often evaluated within one month of therapy. There were no differences observed between the large and small centres for the management of TCMR. This survey highlights the common practices and diversity in clinics for the management of TCMR in Europe. Testing new therapies for TCMR should be in comparison to the current standard of care in Europe. Better consensus on treatment success is crucial for robust study designs.
Copyright © 2024 Koshy, Furian, Nickerson, Zaza, Haller, de Vries and Naesens.
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.Department of Pathology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation Unit, Department of Surgical Gastroenterological and Oncological Sciences, University Hospital of Padua, Padua, Italy.
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Renal, Dialysis and Transplant Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
Section for Clinical Biometrics, Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Intelligent Systems (CeMSIIS), Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.Nephrology, Ordensklinikum Linz, Elisabethinen, Linz, Austria.
Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Leiden Transplant Center, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.Department of Nephrology and Kidney Transplantation, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Transplant international : official journal of the European Society for Organ Transplantation
European Survey on Clinical Practice of Detecting and Treating T-Cell Mediated Kidney Transplant Rejection.

Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is the most common food allergy in infants. The replacement with specialized formulas is an established clinical approach to ensure adequate growth and minimize the risk of severe allergic reactions when breastfeeding is not possible. Still, given the availability of multiple options, such as extensively hydrolyzed cow's milk protein formula (eHF-CM), amino acid formula (AAF), hydrolyzed rice formula (HRF) and soy formulas (SF), there is some uncertainty as to the most suitable choice with respect to health outcomes. Furthermore, the addition of probiotics to a formula has been proposed as a potential approach to maximize benefit.These evidence-based guidelines from the World Allergy Organization (WAO) intend to support patients, clinicians, and others in decisions about the use of milk specialized formulas, with and without probiotics, for individuals with CMA.WAO formed a multidisciplinary guideline panel balanced to include the views of all stakeholders and to minimize potential biases from competing interests. The McMaster University GRADE Centre supported the guideline-development process, including updating or performing systematic evidence reviews. The panel prioritized clinical questions and outcomes according to their importance for clinicians and patients. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used, including GRADE Evidence-to-Decision frameworks, which were subject to review by stakeholders.After reviewing the summarized evidence and thoroughly discussing the different management options, the WAO guideline panel suggests: a) using an extensively hydrolyzed (cow's milk) formula or a hydrolyzed rice formula as the first option for managing infants with immunoglobulin E (IgE) and non-IgE-mediated CMA who are not being breastfed. An amino-acid formula or a soy formula could be regarded as second and third options respectively; b) using either a formula without a probiotic or a casein-based extensively hydrolyzed formula containing Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) for infants with either IgE or non-IgE-mediated CMA.The issued recommendations are labeled as conditional following the GRADE approach due to the very low certainty about the health effects based on the available evidence.If breastfeeding is not available, clinicians, patients, and their family members might want to discuss all the potential desirable and undesirable consequences of each formula in infants with CMA, integrating them with the patients' and caregivers' values and preferences, local availability, and cost, before deciding on a treatment option. We also suggest what research is needed to determine with greater certainty which formulas are likely to be the most beneficial, cost-effective, and equitable.
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Department of Medicine, Evidence in Allergy Group, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy.
Translational Research in Pediatric Specialties Area, Division of Allergy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza Sant'Onofrio, 4, Rome 00165, Italy.
Department of Medicine, Evidence in Allergy Group, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Hospital Quironsalud Bizkaia, Bilbao-Erandio, Spain.
Division of Allergy and Immunology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Allergy and Immunology Section, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA.
Pediatric Allergy Program at the Department of Translational Medical Science, and ImmunoNutritionLab at Ceinge Advanced Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Department of Pediatrics, British Hospital-Perdriel, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Paris Descartes University, Pediatric Gastroenterology, Necker Hospital, Paris, France.Clinique Marcel Sembat, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
Department of Paediatrics, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
Clinical Research Center for Allergy and Rheumatology, National Hospital Organization, Sagamihara National Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan.
Faculty of Medical Sciences of Campina Grande, UNIFACISA University Centre, Campina Grande, Paraiba, Brazil.
Pediatric Allergy Unit, San Pietro Hospital - Fatebenefratelli, Rome, Italy.
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya.
King's College London, Asthma-UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, Department of Pediatric Allergy, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
Department of Primary Child Care, Children's Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, China.
Member of Italian Society of Allergy and Pediatric Immunology (SIAIP), Italy.
Department of Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, New York, NY, USA.Department of Pediatrics, Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland.
Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.Allergy Department, 2nd Paediatric Clinic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Division of Allergy, Department of Pediatrics, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia, Castle Hill, New South Wales, Australia.
Allergy and Clinical Immunology Department, Centro Médico Docente La Trinidad and Clínica El Avila, Caracas, Venezuela.
Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Division of Allergy and Immunology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Pediatric Primary Care, National Pediatric Health Care System, Milan, Italy.
Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
Section of Allergy and Immunology, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA.
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care, Cologne, Germany.
Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Department of Paediatrics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy.Department of Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
World Allergy Organization (WAO) Diagnosis and Rationale for Action against Cow's Milk Allergy (DRACMA) guideline update - XII - Recommendations on milk formula supplements with and without probiotics for infants and toddlers with CMA.

Auricularia auricular (A. auricula), a nutritious fungus and traditional medicinal resource, is known for melanin. This review aims to summarize the research progress on melanin in A. auricula, specifically focusing on biosynthesis, fermentation production, extraction processes, physicochemical characterization, biological functions, and applications. The biosynthesis of melanin in A. auricula primarily involves the oxidative polymerization reaction of phenolic compounds. To enhance melanin production, strategies such as deep fermentation culture, selection of optimal fermentation materials, and optimization of the culture medium have been employed. Various extraction processes have been compared to determine their impact on the physicochemical properties and stability of melanin. Moreover, the antioxidant and antibiofilm activities of A. auricula melanin, as well as its potential beneficial effects on the human body through in vivo experiments, have been investigated. These findings provide valuable insights into the application of A. auricula melanin and serve as a reference for future research in this field.
Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health, Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, 100048 People's Republic of China.
Melanin in Auricularia auricula: biosynthesis, production, physicochemical characterization, biological functions, and applications.

Currently, numerous studies focus on employing fMRI-based deep neural networks to diagnose neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD), yet only a handful have provided results regarding explainability. We address this gap by applying several prevalent explainability methods such as gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM) to an fMRI-based 3D-VGG16 network for AD diagnosis to improve the model's explainability. The aim is to explore the specific Region of Interest (ROI) of brain the model primarily focuses on when making predictions, as well as whether there are differences in these ROIs between AD and normal controls (NCs). First, we utilized multiple resting-state functional activity maps including ALFF, fALFF, ReHo, and VMHC to reduce the complexity of fMRI data, which differed from many studies that utilized raw fMRI data. Compared to methods utilizing raw fMRI data, this manual feature extraction approach may potentially alleviate the model's burden. Subsequently, 3D-VGG16 were employed for AD classification, where the final fully connected layers were replaced with a Global Average Pooling (GAP) layer, aimed at mitigating overfitting while preserving spatial information within the feature maps. The model achieved a maximum of 96.4% accuracy on the test set. Finally, several 3D CAM methods were employed to interpret the models. In the explainability results of the models with relatively high accuracy, the highlighted ROIs were primarily located in the precuneus and the hippocampus for AD subjects, while the models focused on the entire brain for NC. This supports current research on ROIs involved in AD. We believe that explaining deep learning models would not only provide support for existing research on brain disorders, but also offer important referential recommendations for the study of currently unknown etiologies.
Copyright: © 2024 Song et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Graduate School of Engineering, Kochi University of Technology, Kami City, Kochi Prefecture, Japan.
School of Information, Kochi University of Technology, Kami City, Kochi Prefecture, Japan.
Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Explainability of three-dimensional convolutional neural networks for functional magnetic resonance imaging of Alzheimer's disease classification based on gradient-weighted class activation mapping.

Uranium exposure remains an important environmental legacy and physiological health concern, with hundreds of abandoned uranium mines located in the Southwestern United States largely impacting underserved indigenous communities. The negative effects of heavy metals on barrier permeability and inhibition of intestinal epithelial healing have been described; however, transcriptomic changes within the intestinal epithelial cells and impacts on lineage differentiation are largely unknown.Herein, we sought to determine the molecular and cellular changes that occur in the colon in response to uranium bearing dust (UBD) exposure.Human colonoids from three biologically distinct donors were acutely exposed to UBD then digested for single cell RNA sequencing to define the molecular changes that occur to specific identities of colonic epithelial cells. Validation in colonoids was assessed using morphological and imaging techniques.Human colonoids acutely exposed to UBD exhibited disrupted proliferation and hyperplastic differentiation of the secretory lineage cell, enteroendocrine cells (EEC). Single-cell RNA sequencing also showed more EEC subtypes present in UBD-exposed colonoids.These findings highlight the significance of crypt-based proliferative cells and secretory cell differentiation using human colonoids to model major colonic responses to uranium-bearing particulate dust exposure. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13855.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.Autophagy, Inflammation and Metabolism Center of Biomedical Research Excellence, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
Single Cell Analysis of Human Colonoids Exposed to Uranium-Bearing Dust.

The Probabilistic Reward Task (PRT) is widely used to investigate the impact of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) on reinforcement learning (RL), and recent studies have used it to provide insight into decision-making mechanisms affected by MDD. The current project used PRT data from unmedicated, treatment-seeking adults with MDD to extend these efforts by: (1) providing a more detailed analysis of standard PRT metrics-response bias and discriminability-to better understand how the task is performed; (2) analyzing the data with two computational models and providing psychometric analyses of both; and (3) determining whether response bias, discriminability, or model parameters predicted responses to treatment with placebo or the atypical antidepressant bupropion. Analysis of standard metrics replicated recent work by demonstrating a dependency between response bias and response time (RT), and by showing that reward totals in the PRT are governed by discriminability. Behavior was well-captured by the Hierarchical Drift Diffusion Model (HDDM), which models decision-making processes; the HDDM showed excellent internal consistency and acceptable retest reliability. A separate belief model reproduced the evolution of response bias over time better than the HDDM, but its psychometric properties were weaker. Finally, the predictive utility of the PRT was limited by small samples; nevertheless, depressed adults who responded to bupropion showed larger pre-treatment starting point biases in the HDDM than non-responders, indicating greater sensitivity to the PRT's asymmetric reinforcement contingencies. Together, these findings enhance our understanding of reward and decision-making mechanisms that are implicated in MDD and probed by the PRT.
Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont MA, USA.Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA.
Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA.
Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont MA, USA.
Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont MA, USA.Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA.
Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA.Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA.
Computational psychiatry (Cambridge, Mass.)
Using Drift Diffusion and RL Models to Disentangle Effects of Depression On Decision-Making vs. Learning in the Probabilistic Reward Task.

Illness course plays a crucial role in delineating psychiatric disorders. However, existing nosologies consider only its most basic features (e.g., symptom sequence, duration). We developed a Dynamic Causal Model (DCM) that characterizes course patterns more fully using dense timeseries data. This foundational study introduces the new modeling approach and evaluates its validity using empirical and simulated data.A three-level DCM was constructed to model how latent dynamics produce symptoms of depression, mania, and psychosis. This model was fit to symptom scores of nine patients collected prospectively over four years, following first hospitalization. Simulated subjects based on these empirical data were used to evaluate model parameters at the subject-level. At the group-level, we tested the accuracy with which the DCM can estimate the latent course patterns using Parametric Empirical Bayes (PEB) and leave-one-out cross-validation.Analyses of empirical data showed that DCM accurately captured symptom trajectories for all nine subjects. Simulation results showed that parameters could be estimated accurately (correlations between generative and estimated parameters >= 0.76). Moreover, the model could distinguish different latent course patterns, with PEB correctly assigning simulated patients for eight of nine course patterns. When testing any pair of two specific course patterns using leave-one-out cross-validation, 30 out of 36 pairs showed a moderate or high out-of-samples correlation between the true group-membership and the estimated group-membership values.DCM has been widely used in neuroscience to infer latent neuronal processes from neuroimaging data. Our findings highlight the potential of adopting this methodology for modeling symptom trajectories to explicate nosologic entities, temporal patterns that define them, and facilitate personalized treatment.
Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, UK.
Department of Psychiatry, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, USA.
Inferring Trajectories of Psychotic Disorders Using Dynamic Causal Modeling.

Sepsis remains a major source of morbidity and mortality in neonates, and characterization of immune regulation in the neonatal septic response remains limited. HVEM is a checkpoint regulator which can both stimulate or inhibit immune responses and demonstrates altered expression after sepsis. We hypothesized that signaling via HVEM would be essential for the neonatal response to sepsis, and that therefore blockade of this pathway would improve survival to septic challenge.To explore this, neonatal mice were treated with cecal slurry (CS), CS with Anti-HVEM antibody (CS-Ab) or CS with isotype (CS-IT) and followed for 7-day survival. Mice from all treatment groups had thymus, lung, kidney and peritoneal fluid harvested, weighed, and stained for histologic evaluation, and changes in cardiac function were assessed with echocardiography.Mortality was significantly higher for CS-Ab mice (72.2%) than for CS-IT mice (22.2%). CS resulted in dysregulated alveolar remodeling, but CS-Ab lungs demonstrated significantly less dysfunctional alveolar remodeling than CS alone (MCL 121.0 CS vs. 87.6 CS-Ab), as well as increased renal tubular vacuolization. No morphologic differences in alveolar septation or thymic karyorrhexis were found between CS-Ab and CS-IT. CS-Ab pups exhibited a marked decrease in heart rate (390.3 Sh vs. 342.1 CS-Ab), stroke volume (13.08 CS-IT vs. 8.83 CS-Ab) and ultimately cardiac output (4.90 Sh vs. 3.02 CS-Ab) as well as a significant increase in ejection fraction (73.74 Sh vs. 83.75 CS-Ab) and cardiac strain (40.74 Sh vs. 51.16 CS-Ab) as compared to CS-IT or Sham animals.While receptor ligation of aspects of HVEM signaling, via antibody blockade, appears to mitigate aspects of lung injury and thymic involution, stimulatory signaling via HVEM still seems to be necessary for vascular and hemodynamic resilience and overall neonatal mouse survival in response to this experimental polymicrobial septic insult. This dissonance in the activity of anti-HVEM neutralizing antibody in neonatal animals speaks to the differences in how septic cardiac dysfunction should be considered and approached in the neonatal population.
Copyright © 2024 Wakeley, Denning, Jiang, De Paepe, Chung, Wang and Ayala.
Division of Surgical Research, Department of Surgery, Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, United States.
Center for Immunology and Inflammation, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, United States.Department of Surgery, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, United States.
Division of Surgical Research, Department of Surgery, Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, United States.Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Department of Pathology, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, United States.
Herpes virus entry mediator signaling blockade produces mortality in neonatal sepsis through induced cardiac dysfunction.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a notable pathogen behind respiratory infections, employs specialized proteins to adhere to the respiratory epithelium, an essential process for initiating infection. The role of glycosaminoglycans, especially heparan sulfate, is critical in facilitating pathogen-host interactions, presenting a strategic target for therapeutic intervention. In this study, we assembled a glycan library comprising heparin, its oligosaccharide derivatives, and a variety of marine-derived sulfated glycans to screen the potential inhibitors for the pathogen-host interactions. By using Surface Plasmon Resonance spectroscopy, we evaluated the library's efficacy in inhibiting the interaction between M. pneumoniae adhesion proteins and heparin. Our findings offer a promising avenue for developing novel therapeutic strategies against M. pneumoniae infections.
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA.Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA.
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA.
Marine-Derived Sulfated Glycans Inhibit the Interaction of Heparin with Adhesion Proteins of Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Objective: To clarify the potential correlation between biological changes of meninges in periodontitis mice and cognitive impairment by analyzing the biological changes of meninges in periodontitis mice using single-cell RNA sequencing. Methods: Thirty C57BL/6 mice were divided into two groups by using random number table method (15 mice in each group). Mice in the control group were locally administered 2% carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC) without Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) on both buccal sides. A mixture of Pg W83 and 2% CMC was applied on both buccal sides in the experimental group mice three times a week, lasting for 16 weeks in total. The absorption of alveolar bone, locomotor activity and cognitive function, the activation of microglia and astrocytes in the cortex were observed and assessed. The mRNA expression levels of Occludin in meninges and brain were detected in two groups. Single-cell RNA sequencing data of meninges were processed by uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP). Differential genes expressions of endothelial cells were processed by gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. In addition, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to verify the expressions of transcription activating factor 3 (Atf3) and apolpoprotein L domain-containing 1 (Apold 1). Results: Methylene blue staining found the distances of buccal and palatal cement-enamel junction-alveolar bone crest in experimental mice [(185.60±17.60), (206.90±13.37) μm] increased significantly compared with the control group [(135.33±9.57), (163.05±14.98) μm] (t=5.02, P=0.002; t=4.37, P=0.005). Open field experiment showed the total distance and average speed of mice in the experimental group [(971.88±164.57) cm, (3.25±0.55) cm/s] were not statistically significant compared with the control group [(914.24±278.81) cm, (3.05±0.93) cm/s] (t=0.65, P=0.525; t=0.65, P=0.520). The recognition index of the experimental group [(48.02±16.92) %] was lower than the control group [(66.27±17.90) %] (t=2.40, P=0.027) by novel object recognition tests. Compared with the control group [(63.56±11.88) %], the alternation of experimental group [(50.99±14.17) %] was significantly decreased in Y maze tests (t=2.33, P=0.030). Immunohistochemistry results showed microglia and astrocytes were activated in the cortex of experimental mice. Compared with the control group (1.02±0.25, 1.04±0.31), the relative mRNA expressions of Occludin decreased significantly in the meninges and brain of periodontitis mice, respectively (0.61±0.10, 0.64±0.20) (t=3.47, P=0.010; t=2.66, P=0.024). By single-cell RNA sequencing, meninges cells were divided into 11 types, such as endothelial cells, fibroblasts, immune cells and so on. Endothelial cells were the main cell types in meninges [the control group: 26.47% (1 589/6 004), the experimental group: 26.26% (807/3 073)]. Compared with the control group [5.56% (334/6 004)], the percentage of granulocytes increased in the periodontitis mice [11.65% (358/3 073)]. Using clustering analysis to further focus on endothelial cells, GO enrichment analysis revealed differential genes were mainly related to angiogenesis, cell adhesion, apoptosis and so on. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that differential genes were related to signaling pathways of interleukin-17, relaxin and so on. The relative mRNA expressions of Atf3 and Apold1 in meninges of periodontitis mice (0.42±0.24, 0.54±0.27) were significantly lower than the control group (1.03±0.26, 1.02±0.23) (t=3.88, P=0.005; t=3.02, P=0.017). Conclusions: The mice chronically infected with Pg W83 occurred memory impairment, neuroinflammation and changes of barrier function. In the meninges of periodontitis mice, there were infiltration of immune cells and down-regulation expressions of Atf3 and Apold1 by single-cell RNA sequencing. Meningeal immunity and changes of barrier function may play an important role in the cognitive impairment caused by periodontitis.
Department of Periodontology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine & College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology & Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China.
Laboratory of Oral Microbiota and Systemic Disease, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine & College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology & Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China.
Zhonghua kou qiang yi xue za zhi = Zhonghua kouqiang yixue zazhi = Chinese journal of stomatology
目的： 运用单细胞转录组测序分析牙周炎小鼠脑膜的生物学改变，探讨牙周炎小鼠脑膜生物学改变与认知障碍的相关性。 方法： 将30只C57BL/6小鼠按随机数字表法随机分为2组（每组15只），在对照组小鼠上颌双颊侧局部涂抹不含牙龈卟啉单胞菌（Pg）的2%羧甲基纤维素（CMC），在实验组小鼠上颌双颊侧局部涂抹Pg W83和2%CMC的混合物，3次/周，持续16周。观察对照组和实验组小鼠上颌牙槽骨吸收情况、自主活动能力与认知功能的变化、大脑皮层中小胶质细胞和星形胶质细胞激活情况、检测小鼠脑膜和大脑内紧密连接蛋白Occludin mRNA表达情况。然后使用统一流形逼近与投影（UMAP）算法对单细胞转录组各细胞亚群数据进行降维整合处理。对内皮细胞差异基因进行基因本体（GO）和京都基因和基因组数据库（KEGG）富集分析，进一步采用实时荧光定量PCR（RT-qPCR）验证差异基因转录激活因子3（Atf3）、含载脂蛋白L域1（Apold1）的表达情况。 结果： 亚甲蓝染色实验显示，实验组小鼠上颌颊、腭侧釉质牙骨质界到牙槽嵴顶的距离［分别为（185.60±17.60）、（206.90±13.37）μm］均显著大于对照组［分别为（135.33±9.57）、（163.05±14.98）μm］（t=5.02，P=0.002；t=4.37，P=0.005）。旷场实验显示实验组小鼠的总路程和平均速度［（971.88±164.57）cm和（3.25±0.55）cm/s］与对照组［（914.24±278.81）cm和（3.05±0.93）cm/s］相比差异均无统计学意义（t=0.65，P=0.525；t=0.65，P=0.520）。新物体识别实验中实验组小鼠相对辨别指数［（48.02±16.92）%］显著低于对照组［（66.27±17.90）%］（t=2.40，P=0.027）。Y迷宫实验显示，实验组小鼠的自发交替率［（50.99±14.17）%］显著低于对照组［（63.56±11.88）%］（t=2.33，P=0.030）。免疫组化染色结果显示，实验组小鼠脑内小胶质细胞和星形胶质细胞被激活。RT-qPCR结果显示，实验组小鼠脑膜和大脑中紧密连接蛋白Occludin mRNA的表达（分别为0.61±0.10、0.64±0.20）均显著低于对照组（分别为1.02±0.25、1.04±0.31）（t=3.47，P=0.010；t=2.66，P=0.024）。单细胞转录组测序显示，脑膜存在11种细胞类型，包括内皮细胞、成纤维细胞、免疫细胞等，其中内皮细胞占比最大［对照组为26.47%（1 589/6 004），实验组为26.26%（807/3 073）］，是脑膜中最主要的细胞类型；实验组小鼠脑膜组织中粒细胞比例［11.65%（358/3 073）］较对照组［5.56%（334/6 004）］增加。进一步聚类分析内皮细胞，GO富集分析显示差异基因与血管生成、细胞黏附、细胞凋亡等有关；KEGG分析显示差异基因与白细胞介素-17信号通路、松弛素信号通路等相关。RT-qPCR显示，实验组小鼠脑膜组织中Atf3和Apold1 mRNA表达（分别为0.42±0.24、0.54±0.27）均显著低于对照组（分别为1.03±0.26、1.02±0.23）（t=3.88，P=0.005；t=3.02，P=0.017）。 结论： Pg W83慢性感染的牙周炎小鼠认知能力下降，存在神经炎症，屏障功能改变；单细胞转录组测序发现脑膜组织存在免疫细胞浸润，Atf3和Apold1基因表达下调，提示脑膜免疫和屏障功能的改变在牙周炎导致的认知障碍中发挥作用。.
Zhonghua Kou Qiang Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2024-06-09;59(6):595-603.
[Explorations about the correlation between biological changes of meninges in periodontitis mice and cognitive impairment via single-cell RNA sequencing].

To determine the incidence of enlarged extra-axial space (EES) and its association with subdural hemorrhage (SDH) in a regional cohort of preterm infants. As part of a prospective cohort study of 395 preterm infants, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was collected on each infant at term-equivalent age. Six preterm infants showed evidence of SDH. We reviewed the MRIs to identify the incidence of EES in these 6 infants and the cohort broadly. We then completed a retrospective chart review of the 6 infants to identify any concerns for non-accidental trauma (NAT) since the MRI was obtained. The incidence of SDH in the cohort was 1.6%. The incidence of EES was 48.1% including all 6 infants with SDH. The incidence of SDH in infants with EES was 3.2%. The retrospective chart review of the 6 infants did not yield any evidence of NAT. The incidence of EES and SDH in our cohort was significantly higher than similar cohorts of term infants, demonstrating an increased risk in preterm infants. The incidence of SDH in infants with EES was greater than in the total cohort, suggesting that it is a risk factor for asymptomatic SDH in preterm infants.
© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to American Society of Emergency Radiology (ASER).
Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue | Enders 961, Boston, 02115, MA, United States. puneet.sharma@childrens.harvard.edu.Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, The Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, United States. puneet.sharma@childrens.harvard.edu.
Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, The Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, United States.Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, United States.Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, United States.
Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, The Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, United States.Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, United States.Envision Physician Services, Wellington Regional Medical Center, Wellington, United States.
Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, United States.Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, United States.
Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, The Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, United States.Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, United States.
Association of enlarged extra-axial spaces and subdural hemorrhage in preterm infants at term-equivalent age.

Ocular surface hydration is critical for eye health and its impairment can lead to dry eye disease. Extracellular calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) is regulator of ion transport in epithelial cells expressing cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) Cl- channel. CFTR is also a major ion channel in ocular surface epithelia, however the roles of CaSR in ocular surface are not well studied. This study aims to investigate expression and functional roles of CaSR in ocular surface.CaSR immunostaining was performed in mouse and human cornea and conjunctiva. Ocular surface potential difference (OSPD) and tear fluid volume measurements were performed in mice with topically applied cinacalcet (CaSR activator) and NPS-2143 (CaSR inhibitor).CaSR is expressed in corneal and conjunctival epithelia of mice and humans. Topically administered CaSR activator cinacalcet inhibits cAMP agonist forskolin-induced Cl- secretion and CFTR activity up to 90 %. CaSR inhibitor NPS-2143 stimulates CFTR-mediated Cl- secretion in mouse ocular surface, after which cAMP agonist forskolin had minimal additional secretory effects. Single dose NPS-2143 treatment (as an eye drop) increases tear fluid volume in mice by ∼60 % compared to vehicle treatment. NPS-2143 effect on tear volume lasts at least 8 h after single dose.CaSR is a key regulator of ocular surface ion transport and CaSR inhibition promotes Cl- and tear secretion in the ocular surface. If they are found to be effective in in dry eye models, CaSR inhibitors (currently in clinical development) can potentially be repurposed as novel prosecretory treatments for dry eye disease.
Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, United States; Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California, San Francisco, United States.
Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, United States.
Department of Medicine and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, United States.
Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, United States.
Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, United States. Electronic address: onur.cil@ucsf.edu.
Calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) modulates ocular surface chloride transport and its inhibition promotes ocular surface hydration.

Department of Ophthalmology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. cacurcio@gmail.com.
Department of Ophthalmology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.Department of Ophthalmology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
A cell culture system for RPE hypoxia, a physiologic stressor relevant to AMD deposit formation.

While pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has demonstrated efficacy in preventing HIV transmission, disparities in access persist in the United States, especially among Hispanic/Latinx sexual minority men (SMM). Language barriers and differences in how Latinx SMM obtain information may impact access to PrEP and HIV prevention. This study used data from the 2021 American Men's Internet Survey (AMIS) to examine differences in communication networks and PrEP use among Latinx SMM by primary language (Spanish vs. English). We examined the associations between Latinx SMM's individual- and meso-level communication networks and PrEP-related outcomes using modified Poisson regression with robust variances. Spanish-speaking Latinx SMM in the study were less likely to test for HIV, be aware of PrEP, and use daily PrEP, compared to English-speaking participants. Sexuality disclosure to a healthcare provider was positively associated with PrEP uptake among all participants and predicted STI testing over the past 12 months among English-speaking Latinx SMM. Findings highlight disparities in PrEP awareness and uptake among Latinx SMM, especially among those whose primary language is Spanish. Addressing these disparities through targeted interventions, including improved communication with healthcare providers, may help facilitate PrEP access and use in this population.
School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Department of Communication, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Characterizing the Communication Networks of Spanish- and English-Speaking Latinx Sexual Minority Men and Their Roles in Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Uptake.

University of Michigan, Department of Pharmacology, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
University of Michigan, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. qitaoz@umich.edu.
University of Michigan, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. miljason@umich.edu.
Basic science observations link subretinal drusenoid deposit formation to retinal pigment epithelial hypoxia.

Streak artifacts induced by irregular arm positioning have been an issue in diagnosing the abdomen.To illustrate the risk of misdiagnosis in abdominal computed tomography (CT) of patients with irregular arm positioning through a case-by-case evaluation and to test if it can be solved by the artificial intelligence iterative reconstruction (AIIR) algorithm.By reviewing 5220 cases of chest and thoracoabdominal CT, 64 patients with irregular arm positioning were enrolled, whose image data were reconstructed using AIIR in addition to routine hybrid iterative reconstruction (HIR). Lesion detection for livers, spleens, kidneys, gallbladders, and pancreas on AIIR images, performed by two radiologists, was compared with those on HIR images. Discrepancies arising from AIIR images included both cases with additional abnormalities and those with corrections made on previous detections. For cases with discrepancies, artifact scores for organs where discrepancies were found, and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) of cysts with discrepancies were compared between two image sets.Additional abnormalities were detected for 15 cases: additional liver cirrhosis (n=2); additional gallbladder stone (n=1); additional cholecystitis (n=1), additional spleen nodule (n=1); additional kidney cysts (n=8); additional liver cysts (3); and additional spleen cyst (n=1). A spleen contusion was corrected for one case. All involved artifact scores were improved on AIIR images. CNRs of involved liver, kidney, and spleen cysts were improved by up to 539.7%, 538.5%, and 245.5%, respectively.Irregular arm positioning may induce a variety of misdiagnoses in abdominal CT, which is almost totally avoidable by the AIIR algorithm.
Department of Radiology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, PR China.
Central Research Institute, United Imaging Healthcare, Shanghai, PR China.
Acta radiologica (Stockholm, Sweden : 1987)
Artificial intelligence iterative reconstruction in abdominal CT of patients with irregular arm positioning: a case-by-case evaluation.

This study explores the influence of situational context on parent-adolescent communication about sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues in the urban slums of Ibadan, Nigeria. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted in the Southeast and Northeast LGAs of Ibadan. Eight (8) vignette-based focus group discussions (FGDs) with parents and adolescents of both sexes were conducted in addition to four (4) key informant interviews (KIIs) with community and women's leaders. Interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed, and translated into English. Thematic analysis was adopted using ATLAS Ti 9 software. Findings portray SRH meanings and experiences, intergenerational cultural norms, and expectations for SRH, gender double standards in SRH discussion, streetwise SRH knowledge, and social media exposure as contexts that interfere with parent-adolescent communication on SRH issues. The findings show that despite understanding the need for SRH discussion, parents and adolescents lack effective communication on SRH issues due to the interference of unfiltered streetwise SRH knowledge and social media exposure. Also, SRH conversation between parents and adolescents promotes gender inequalities as different information is passed to adolescent girls and boys. Interventions that take into account situational occurrences must be geared towards enabling parents to give their adolescents early exposure to relevant, context-specific SRH knowledge.
Copyright: © 2024 Taofeek Kolawole Aliyu. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.Department of Sociology, Centre for Demographic and Ageing Research (CEDAR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Situational context of home-based sexual education in urban slums of Ibadan, Nigeria-evidence from a qualitative study.

Cytokinesis is the final step of the cell division cycle that leads to the formation of two new cells. Successful cytokinesis requires significant remodelling of the plasma membrane by spatially distinct β- and γ-actin networks. These networks are generated by the formin family of actin nucleators, DIAPH3 and DIAPH1 respectively. Here we show that β- and γ-actin perform specialized and non-redundant roles in cytokinesis and cannot substitute for one another. Expression of hybrid DIAPH1 and DIAPH3 proteins with altered actin isoform specificity relocalized cytokinetic actin isoform networks within the cell, causing cytokinetic failure. Consistent with this we show that β-actin networks, but not γ-actin networks, are required for the maintenance of non-muscle myosin II and RhoA at the cytokinetic furrow. These data suggest that independent and spatially distinct actin isoform networks form scaffolds of unique interactors that facilitate localized biochemical activities to ensure successful cell division.
Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 661 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M1, Canada.
Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 661 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M1, Canada.
Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 1G6, Canada.
Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 661 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M1, Canada. andrew.wilde@utoronto.ca.Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 661 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M1, Canada. andrew.wilde@utoronto.ca.
The DIAPH3 linker specifies a β-actin network that maintains RhoA and Myosin-II at the cytokinetic furrow.

Studies have shown that frailty was increased in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. However, it is not clear whether non-severe COVID-19 increases the risk for pre-frailty and frailty development. Our study aimed to determine the risk of developing frailty and pre-frailty in robust veterans who contracted non-severe COVID-19.We conducted a retrospective cohort study to assess the association of SARS-CoV-2 infection with the development of pre-frailty and frailty status among robust U.S. veterans using VA COVID-19 Shared Data Resource. We included patients 55 years and older who had at least one SARS-CoV-2 testing between March 15, 2020, and November 30, 2020, had been active patients in the past 12 months, and had a VA frailty index of zero (robust status) at the time of testing. Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess the association between COVID-19 infection and developing frailty or pre-frailty and frailty. We also assessed the association by patients' age groups, sex, and race.We identified 82070 veterans mean age 68.3 ± 7.8, 74738 (91.1%) male, 53899 (65.7%) white, 7557 (9.2%) with mild COVID-19 infection. Over the follow up period of 36 months, testing positive for COVID-19 was associated with a 66% increase in the hazard of becoming frail (adjusted HR = 1.66, 95%CI: 1.32-2.08), and a 68% increase in the hazard of becoming pre-frail (adjusted HR = 1.68, 95%CI: 1.45-1.94). Among male patients, mild COVID-19 infection was associated with a 54% increase in the hazard of becoming frail (adjusted HR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.21-1.96), while among female patients there was a 330% increase (adjusted HR = 4.30, 95% CI: 2.13-8.64).Non-severe COVID-19 infection that occurred in robust older adults increased the risk of developing frailty. Further multi-center prospective cohort studies evaluating the mechanism of action and clinical trials of treatment options for post-COVID frailty are indicated in Veterans to support clinical care.
Miami VA (Veterans Administration) Healthcare System Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), Miami, Florida, USA; Dept. of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA. Electronic address: natasha.resendes@va.gov.
Dept. of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
Miami VA (Veterans Administration) Healthcare System Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), Miami, Florida, USA.
Miami VA (Veterans Administration) Healthcare System Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), Miami, Florida, USA; Dept. of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
Memorial Healthcare System, Hollywood, Florida, USA; Dept of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Boca Raton, Florida, USA.
The journal of nutrition, health & aging
The association of non-severe COVID-19 infection and progression to frailty among robust older veterans.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa encodes the beta-lactamase AmpC, which promotes resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics. Expression of ampC is induced by anhydro-muropeptides (AMPs) released from the peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall upon beta-lactam treatment. AmpC can also be induced via genetic inactivation of PG biogenesis factors such as the endopeptidase DacB that cleaves PG crosslinks. Mutants in dacB occur in beta-lactam-resistant clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa, but it has remained unclear why DacB inactivation promotes ampC induction. Similarly, the inactivation of lytic transglycosylase (LT) enzymes such as SltB1 that cut PG glycans has also been associated with ampC induction and beta-lactam resistance. Given that LT enzymes are capable of producing AMP products that serve as ampC inducers, this latter observation has been especially difficult to explain. Here, we show that ampC induction in sltB1 or dacB mutants requires another LT enzyme called MltG. In Escherichia coli, MltG has been implicated in the degradation of nascent PG strands produced upon beta-lactam treatment. Accordingly, in P. aeruginosa sltB1 and dacB mutants, we detected the MltG-dependent production of pentapeptide-containing AMP products that are signatures of nascent PG degradation. Our results therefore support a model in which SltB1 and DacB use their PG-cleaving activity to open space in the PG matrix for the insertion of new material. Thus, their inactivation mimics low-level beta-lactam treatment by reducing the efficiency of new PG insertion into the wall, causing the degradation of some nascent PG material by MltG to produce the ampC-inducing signal.Inducible beta-lactamases like the ampC system of Pseudomonas aeruginosa are a common determinant of beta-lactam resistance among gram-negative bacteria. The regulation of ampC is elegantly tuned to detect defects in cell wall synthesis caused by beta-lactam drugs. Studies of mutations causing ampC induction in the absence of drug therefore promise to reveal new insights into the process of cell wall biogenesis in addition to aiding our understanding of how resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics arises in the clinic. In this study, the ampC induction phenotype for mutants lacking a glycan-cleaving enzyme or an enzyme that cuts cell wall crosslinks was used to uncover a potential role for these enzymes in making space in the wall matrix for the insertion of new material during cell growth.
Institute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Center for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umea, Sweden.Department of Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA.Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Institute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
A potential space-making role in cell wall biogenesis for SltB1and DacB revealed by a beta-lactamase induction phenotype in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

This paper aims to provide a tutorial for diabetologists and endocrinologists on using generative AI to analyze datasets. It is designed to be accessible to those new to generative AI or without programming experience.The paper presents three examples using a real diabetes dataset. The examples demonstrate binary classification with the 'Group' variable, cross-validation analysis, and NT-proBNP regression.The binary classification achieved a prediction accuracy of nearly 0.9. However, the NT-proBNP regression was not successful with this dataset. The calculated R-squared values indicate a poor fit between the predicted model and the raw data.The unsuccessful NT-proBNP regression may be due to insufficient training data or the need for additional determinants. The dataset may be too small or new metrics may be required to accurately predict NT-proBNP regression values. It is crucial for users to verify the generated codes to ensure that they can achieve their desired objectives.
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Tehran University of Medical Sciences 2024. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
Faculty of Data Science, Musashino University, 3-3-3 Ariake Koto-Ku, Tokyo, 135-8181 Japan.
Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders
Generative AI for diabetologists: a concise tutorial on dataset analysis.

Occupational exposure to welding fumes constitutes a serious health concern. Although the effects of fumes on the respiratory tract have been investigated, few apparent reports were published on their effects on the skin. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of exposure to welding fumes on skin cells, focusing on interleukin-24 (IL-24), a cytokine involved in the pathophysiology of skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. Treatment with welding fumes increased IL-24 expression and production levels in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMEC) which were higher than that in normal human epidermal keratinocytes. IL-24 levels in Trolox and deferoxamine markedly suppressed welding fume-induced IL-24 expression in HDMEC, indicating that oxidative stress may be involved in this cytokine expression. IL-24 released from HDMEC protected keratinocytes from welding fume-induced damage and enhanced keratinocyte migration. Serum IL-24 was higher in welding workers than in general subjects and was positively correlated with elevated serum levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, an oxidative stress marker. In summary, welding fumes enhanced IL-24 expression in HDMEC, stimulating keratinocyte survival and migration. IL-24 expression in endothelial cells may act as an adaptive response to welding-fume exposure in the skin.
Laboratory of Advanced Cosmetic Science, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.Advanced Technology Institute, Mandom Corporation, Osaka, Japan.
Program of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan.
Meteorological Research Institute, Japan Meteorological Agency, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Japan.
Faculty of Science, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.
Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.Center for Health and the Environment, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
Department of Environmental Health, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan.
Program of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.Center for Health and the Environment, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A
Enhancement of keratinocyte survival and migration elicited by interleukin 24 upregulation in dermal microvascular endothelium upon welding-fume exposure.

BackgroundRetinal vasculopathy with cerebral leukoencephalopathy and systemic manifestations (RVCL-S) is a rare, autosomal dominant, universally fatal disease without effective treatment options. This study explores the safety and preliminary efficacy of crizanlizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody against P-selectin approved for the prevention of sickle cell crises, in slowing retinal nonperfusion and preserving vision in patients with RVCL-S.METHODSEleven patients with RVCL-S with confirmed exonuclease 3 prime repair exonuclease 1 (TREX1) mutations received monthly crizanlizumab infusions over 2 years. The study measured the nonperfusion index within 3 retinal zones and the total retina with fluorescein angiography, visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), and optical coherence tomography central subfield thickness (CST) at baseline, 1 year, and 2 years. A mixed repeated-measures analysis was performed to assess the progression rates and changes from baseline.RESULTSEleven participants received crizanlizumab infusions. All of the participants tolerated crizanlizumab well, with 8 of 11 (72.7%) reporting mild adverse effects such as nausea, fatigue, and gastrointestinal symptoms. The change in total retinal nonperfusion was 7.22% [4.47, 9.97] in year 1 and -0.69% [-4.06, 2.68] in year 2 (P < 0.001). In the mid periphery, the change in nonperfusion was 10.6% [5.1, 16.1] in year 1 and -0.68% [-3.98, 5.35] in year 2 (P < 0.01), demonstrating a reduction in progression of nonperfusion in the second year of treatment. Visual acuity, IOP, and CST remained stable.CONCLUSIONCrizanlizumab has an acceptable safety profile. These results show promising potential for examining crizanlizumab in larger studies of RVCL-S and similar small-vessel diseases and for using the retina as a biomarker for systemic disease.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04611880.FUNDINGThe Clayco Foundation; DeNardo Education and Research Foundation Grant; Jeffrey T. Fort Innovation Fund; Siteman Retina Research Fund; unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness Inc.; National Heart,Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), NIH (R01HL129241); National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), NIH (RF1NS116565).
John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Department of Medicine and RVCL Research Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, Colton Center for Autoimmunity, and RVCL Research Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Crizanlizumab for retinal vasculopathy with cerebral leukoencephalopathy in a phase II clinical study.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death for men in the U.S. and Black men are twice as likely to die from the disease. However, prostate cancer, if diagnosed at an earlier stage, is curable. The purpose of this review is to identify prostate cancer screening clinical trials that evaluate screening decision-making processes of Black men.The databases PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, and PsychInfo were utilized to examine peer-reviewed publications between 2017 and 2023. Data extracted included implementation plans, outcome measures, intervention details, and results of the study. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme was used to assess the quality of the evidence presented.Of the 206 full-text articles assessed, three were included in this review. Educational interventions about prostate cancer knowledge with shared and informed decision-making (IDM) features, as well as counseling, treatment options, and healthcare navigation information, may increase prostate cancer screening participation among Black men. Additionally, health partner educational interventions may not improve IDM related to screening participation. The quality of the evidence presented in each article was valid and potentially impactful to the community.Black men face various social determinants of health barriers related to racism, discrimination, cost of health services, time away from work, and lack of trust in the healthcare system when making health-related decisions, including prostate cancer screening participation. A multifactorial intervention approach is required to address these inequities faced by Black men especially as prostate cancer is curable when diagnosed at an earlier stage.
Department of Health Sciences, Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Chapman University, One University Drive, Orange, CA, USA.
Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
River Oak Center for Children, Sacramento, CA, USA.
Department of Surgery, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Department of Health Sciences, Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Chapman University, One University Drive, Orange, CA, USA. teteh@chapman.edu.
Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities
J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2024-07-10;():.
Evidence-based Prostate Cancer Screening Interventions for Black Men: A Systematic Review.

Tuberculosis remains a leading cause of death from a single infection worldwide. Drug resistance to existing and even new antimycobacterials calls for research into novel targets and unexplored mechanisms of action. Recently we reported on the development of tight-binding inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) lipoamide dehydrogenase (Lpd), which selectively inhibit the bacterial but not the human enzyme based on a differential modality of inhibitor interaction with these targets. Here we report on the striking improvement in inhibitor residence time on the Mtb enzyme associated with scaffold progression from an indazole to 2-cyanoindole. Cryo-EM of Lpd with the bound 2-cyanoindole inhibitor 19 confirmed displacement of the buried water molecule deep in the binding channel with a cyano group. The ensuing hours-long improvement in on-target residence time is associated with enhanced antibacterial activity in axenic culture and in primary mouse macrophages. Resistance to 2-cyanoindole inhibitors involves mutations within the inhibitor binding site that have little effect on inhibitor affinity but change the modality of inhibitor-target interaction, resulting in fast dissociation from Lpd. These findings underscore that on-target residence time is a major determinant of antibacterial activity and in vivo efficacy.
Sanders Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, Bronk Laboratory, 1230 York Avenue, Box 122, New York, NY 10065, USA.
Structural Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 413 East 69 Street, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Sanders Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, Bronk Laboratory, 1230 York Avenue, Box 122, New York, NY 10065, USA.Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
Indazole to 2-Cyanoindole Scaffold Progression for Mycobacterial Lipoamide Dehydrogenase Inhibitors Achieves Extended Target Residence Time and Improved Antibacterial Activity.

Nanoarchitectonics, as a technology to arrange nano-sized structural units such as molecules in a desired configuration, requires nano-organization, which usually relies on intermolecular interactions. This review briefly introduces the development of using enzymatic reactions to control intermolecular interactions for generating artificial nanoarchitectures in a cellular environment. We begin the discussion with the early examples and uniqueness of enzymatically controlled self-assembly. Then, we describe examples of generating intracellular nanostructures and their relevant applications. Subsequently, we discuss cases of forming nanostructures on the cell surface via enzymatic reactions. Following that, we highlight the use of enzymatic reactions for creating intercellular nanostructures. Finally, we provide a summary and outlook on the promises and future direction of this strategy. Our aim is to give an updated introduction to the use of enzymatic reaction in regulating intermolecular interactions, a phenomenon ubiquitous in biology but relatively less explored by chemists and materials scientists. Our goal is to stimulate new developments in this simple and versatile approach for addressing societal needs.
© 2024 The Author(s). Published by National Institute for Materials Science in partnership with Taylor & Francis Group.
Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA.
Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA.Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Science and technology of advanced materials
Enzymatic reactions in cells create precise nanoarchitectures, offering insights into cell biology through controllable nanoarchitectonics, as shown by numerous examples in this review.
Enzymatic control of intermolecular interactions for generating synthetic nanoarchitectures in cellular environment.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of tethered cord among patients in the postoperative period of open and occult spina bifida. To identify warning signs for its early diagnosis, as well as outcomes after the new surgical approach.Retrospective study of patients followed at the Pediatric Neurosurgery Department of the Federal University of São Paulo with spinal dysraphism. Signs and symptoms indicating reoperation were collected, and postoperative results were classified as improved, unchanged, or worsened.222 medical records of patients diagnosed with spinal dysraphism were evaluated. Symptomatic Tethered Cord Syndrome (STCS) was identified in 30 patients (13.51%), with clinical manifestations related to orthopedic deformities (66.7%), neurological deficits (56.7%), urological dysfunction (50%), and intestinal dysfunction (40%). 20 cases underwent surgery for tethered cord release. The mean age at the time of surgery was 7.7 ± 4.9 years, with 13 female patients (65%). In the postoperative evaluation, improvement in low back pain (90.9%), urological pattern, and urinary tract infection episodes (45.4%) were particularly noteworthy. 3 patients (33.3%) with constipation showed improvement, and one worsened (11.1%). Improvement in ambulation was seen in two cases (16.7%). Low back pain was the first symptom to improve after surgery, with an average time of 1.3 months, followed by changes in the urological pattern at 15.6 months. Improvement in constipation was observed in the first month in 2 cases (66.7%), positive changes in ambulation were observed around 7 months after surgery, and only one case showed improvement in clubfoot correction.The prevalence of tethered cord recurrence after primary correction surgery for open or occult neural tube closure defects was similar to that found in the literature. The results were encouraging, with good postoperative evolution of patients, especially in the improvement of low back pain and urological symptoms.
© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil. almeida.vitoria@unifesp.br.
Department of Pediatric surgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Department of Neurosurgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery
Recurrent tethered cord: outcome and follow-up of 20 de-thetering for symptomatic spina bifida: choort study.

The oral cavity provides an ideal environment for microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, to flourish. Increasing attention has been focused on the connection between the oral microbiome and both oral and systemic diseases, spurring active research into the collection and analysis of specimens for healthcare purposes. Among the various methods for analyzing the oral microbiome, saliva analysis is especially prominent. Saliva samples, which can be collected non-invasively, provide information on the systemic health and oral microbiome composition of an individual. This review was performed to evaluate the current state of the relevant research through an examination of the literature and to suggest an appropriate assay method for investigating the oral microbiome. We analyzed articles published in English in SCI(E) journals after January 1, 2000, ultimately selecting 53 articles for review. Articles were identified through keyword searches in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, and CINAHL databases. Three experienced researchers conducted full-text assessments following title and abstract screening to select appropriate papers. Subsequently, they organized and analyzed the desired data. Our review revealed that most studies utilized unstimulated saliva samples for oral microbiome analysis. Of the 53 studies examined, 29 identified relationships between the oral microbiome and various diseases, such as oral disease, Behçet disease, cancer, and oral lichen planus. However, the studies employed diverse methods of collection and analysis, which compromised the reliability and accuracy of the findings. To address the limitations caused by methodological inconsistencies, a standardized saliva assay should be established.
Copyright © 2025. Korean Academy of Periodontology.
Department of Periodontology, Section of Dentistry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
Medical Library, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Periodontology, Section of Dentistry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea. periolee@gmail.com.
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea. m91w95pf@snu.ac.kr.
Journal of periodontal & implant science
J Periodontal Implant Sci. 2025-02;55(1):2-17.
Saliva assay: a call for methodological standardization.

The nasopalatine canal (NPC) is one of the most significant anatomical markers in the anterior maxillary region. Its location is quite important, especially for implant placement. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to use cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) to evaluate the morphology, size, and anatomic variations of the NPC.A total of 150 individual CBCT images were assessed in various sections to evaluate the dimensions, morphology, and extent of the NPC. Reformatted sagittal images were chosen to classify the shape and course of the canal. The Student's t-test, the χ² test, and Pearson correlation coefficients were used.The NPC was longer in males than in females, and the mediolateral diameter of the canal was greater in older adults. In sagittal sections, the canal predominantly exhibits a cylindrical shape, while a spindle shape is the least common. In coronal sections, a single shape is most frequently observed, with a Y-shape being the least common. Regarding the orientation of the canal, slanted canals are more prevalent, whereas vertically curved canals are rare. Typically, 2 canal openings are observed, with 4 openings being the least common.The current study highlights the challenges associated with identifying the anatomical appearance and variations of the NPC. Consequently, possessing a thorough understanding of this anatomy is essential before undertaking any surgical procedures, such as implant placement. This knowledge helps prevent complications such as nerve injury-related loss of sensation, bleeding due to blood vessel injury, and the development of a nasopalatine duct cyst following trauma to the canal during surgery.
Oral Medicine and Radiology, Faculty of Dental Sciences, IMS, BHU, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Affiliated to Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India. nandita.shenoy@manipal.edu.
Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Affiliated to Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
Oxford Dental College, Rajiv Gandhi University, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
J Periodontal Implant Sci. 2025-02;55(1):62-71.
Assessment of variations in the nasopalatine canal on CBCT: considerations from an anatomical point of view.

This study investigated the effect of implant vertical positioning within alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) sites on implant stability quotient (ISQ) values, which were measured 10 weeks post-implantation.Patients who underwent ARP using collagenized deproteinized bovine bone mineral, followed by implant placement in the posterior area, were divided into 2 groups: the within-ARP group and the beyond-ARP group. In the within-ARP group, osteotomy and implant placement occurred within the ARP boundary. In contrast, in the beyond-ARP group, these procedures were performed beyond the ARP boundary, incorporating 3 mm of pristine bone at the implant's apex. Bone quality was assessed by tactile sense, and both insertion torque during implant surgery and ISQ values at 10 weeks post-implant surgery were measured. Multiple linear regression analysis and Pearson correlation analysis were used to explore the relationship between insertion torque and ISQ values.In total, 30 ARP sites in 28 patients were analyzed. There was no significant difference in bone quality, as determined by tactile sense, between the within-ARP and beyond-ARP groups. At the time of implant placement, the beyond-ARP group exhibited a higher insertion torque (33.33±13.39 Ncm) compared to the within-ARP group (17.08±11.17 Ncm). However, the ISQ values were similar between the 2 groups 10 weeks after implant placement. A positive correlation between insertion torque and ISQ values was confirmed at 10 weeks post-implant.The engagement of pristine bone may facilitate high insertion torque during the placement of implants in ARP sites. Nevertheless, by 10 weeks post-implantation, the ISQ values were found to be comparable, irrespective of the implant's position.
Department of Periodontology and Dental Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Periodontology and Dental Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.National Dental Care Center for Persons with Special Needs, Seoul National University Dental Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Private Practice, Kim & Lee Dental Clinic, Seoul, Korea. kthrock@nate.com.
Department of Periodontology and Dental Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.One-Stop Specialty Center, Seoul National University Dental Hospital, Seoul, Korea. houy1980@snu.ac.kr.
J Periodontal Implant Sci. 2025-02;55(1):50-61.
Clinical evaluation of implants placed within or beyond the boundaries of the alveolar ridge preservation: a retrospective case series with 10 weeks of observations in 28 patients.

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease that results in the loss of periodontal tissue. The endocannabinoid system has anti-inflammatory properties and displays considerable potential for tissue regeneration. In this study, we aimed to explore whether the activation of this system can alleviate or reverse the inflammatory phenotype of human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) induced by exposure to the inflammagen lipopolysaccharide (LPS).We investigated the effects of activating specific cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) on the inflammatory phenotype of LPS-stimulated hPDLSCs. The exogenous ligands WIN55,212-2 and JWH-133 were employed to target the cannabinoid receptors. We conducted a thorough assessment of cell proliferation, metabolic activity, and adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic differentiation potential. Additionally, we measured cytokine release using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.Exposure to Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (Pg-LPS) caused an increase in cell proliferation while decreasing metabolic activity. While this exposure did not influence adipogenic or chondrogenic differentiation, it did result in reduced osteogenesis. Additionally, LPS induced the release of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1. Immunolabeling revealed the presence of CB1 and CB2 on the cellular membrane, with these receptors playing distinct roles in hPDLSCs. The CB1 agonist WIN55,212-2 was found to increase metabolic activity and promote adipogenic differentiation, whereas the CB2 agonist JWH-133 promoted cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. When hPDLSCs were co-exposed to Pg-LPS and CB ligands, JWH-133 slightly ameliorated the inhibition of osteogenic differentiation and suppressed the release of inflammatory cytokines.This study clarifies the effects of specific CB receptor activation on hPDLCs and the inflammatory phenotype. Stimulation of the endocannabinoid system through the manipulation of endogenous or the application of exogenous cannabinoids in vivo may represent a potent therapeutic option for combating periodontal inflammatory disorders.
Department of Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery-Burn Center, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany. tleypold@ukaachen.de.
Department of Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery-Burn Center, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Department of Orthodontics, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
J Periodontal Implant Sci. 2025-02;55(1):18-34.
Effects of cannabinoid receptor activation on Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide stimulation in human periodontal ligament stem cells in vitro.

To identify older surgical cancer patients at risk of decreased postoperative recovery of physical activity (PA), this study assesses whether preoperative radiological sarcopenia (RS) is associated with a decreased ability to return to baseline PA. RS was defined as decreased psoas muscle mass or -density by gender-specific cut-offs on CT-scans at level of vertebra L3. PA was assessed as steps/day measured with PA tracker and recovery of PA was defined as >90% of preoperative steps/day at 3 months postoperatively. Of 44 included patients aged 65 and over undergoing oncologic surgery, 18 patients (41%) showed RS. Seventeen patients (39%) returned to baseline PA, of which eight patients had RS (47%). RS was not associated with a return to baseline PA (OR: 1.38, 95%CI 0.39-4.92, p = 0.61). In this exploratory study, no association was found between preoperative RS and recovery of PA postoperatively.
Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.
Department of Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: s.hendriks@umcg.nl.
Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Department of Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Department of Medical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Department of Epidemiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
The relation between preoperative radiological sarcopenia and postoperative recovery of physical activity in older surgical cancer patients; an explorative study.

Despite rising hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence among pregnant individuals in the United States, HCV testing among exposed infants remains low. Although recent guidelines recommend early ribonucleic acid (RNA) testing for HCV-exposed children to help improve testing rates, national studies describing factors associated with HCV testing and the type of testing completed are lacking.In this retrospective national study, we characterized HCV testing and care among HCV-exposed infants born between 2010 and 2020 captured in the electronic health record-based TriNetX Research Network. We analyzed factors associated with appropriate HCV testing completion (negative or positive HCV RNA testing or negative HCV antibody testing at any age through study end in 2022) and with RNA compared with antibody testing using univariable and multivariable logistic regression with clustered standard errors by healthcare organization.Of 8516 HCV-exposed children, 45.8% completed any HCV testing and 42.1% completed appropriate testing (25% of whom had RNA testing only). A total of 182 (5.1% of appropriately tested children) had evidence of HCV infection. Of 104 treatment-eligible children, 14.4% were treated. Black (odds ratio [OR]: 0.38, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.26-0.55), Asian/Pacific Islander (OR: 0.06, 95% CI: 0.03-0.11), and Hispanic/Latinx (OR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.36-0.88) children had lower odds of appropriate testing compared with White and non-Hispanic/Latinx children.Fewer than half of HCV-exposed children in this national sample were tested for HCV, with lower testing odds among Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic/Latinx children. Substantial work to increase testing and treatment and decrease disparities in testing among HCV-exposed children is needed to help reach US HCV elimination goals.
© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.
Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.Department of Pediatrics, Section of Infectious Diseases, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Department of Pediatrics, Section of Newborn Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2024-11-21;13(Supplement_5):S159-S165.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Testing of Hepatitis C Virus-Exposed Children Across the United States.

Neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) are a group of conditions with onset in early development period and is characterized by limitations in several functional domains. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD), the most common NDDs, have complex etiologies and possibly multiple pathways leading up to the manifestation of these disorders. Boston Birth Cohort (BBC) is a preterm enriched birth cohort, and over the years, researchers have used the BBC dataset to study a broad spectrum of early life protective and risk factors in the context of NDDs. Broadly, some of them include: 1) nutrition (e.g. maternal folate, vitamin B12, cord folate species, selenium), 2) metabolic factors (e.g. role of maternal diabetes, obesity, branched chain amino acids and other essential amino acids), 3) lipid metabolism (e.g. maternal cholesterol), 4) immune activation and/or systematic inflammation (including maternal immune activation, inflammation of the placenta, inflammatory markers, maternal antibiotic use and acetaminophen use), and 5) other factors associated with NDDs (e.g. maternal stress, sickle cell disease). The findings from these studies are discussed in this review. BBC studies have advanced the field of NDD in the following important ways: 1) generating evidence that sheds light on new exposures, 2) furthering the existing knowledge using better methodological approaches, 3) analyzing novel mechanistic pathways on already proven relationship, and 4) advancing knowledge on the under-studied minority population in the U.S. BBC researchers are involved in ongoing efforts to characterize NDD developmental trajectories across the life stages by integrating multi-omics data (genome, epigenome, and metabolome) to gain a deeper understanding of the molecular pathways by which early life factors drive or shape the developmental trajectories of NDDs.
Center on Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Center on Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Early Life Origins of Neurodevelopmental Disabilities in the Boston Birth Cohort: Research findings and future directions.

Level 3 retrospective database study.This study aims to compare work RVU (wRVU), practice expense RVU (peRVU), malpractice RVU (mpRVU), and inflation-adjusted facility price alongside MS-DRG relative weight length of stay (LOS) for cervical spine fusions between 2011 and 2023.Both RVU and MS-DRG reimbursement have been studied in various surgical subspecialties; however, little investigation has centered on cervical spine fusions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate trends in RVU and MS-DRG reimbursement in cervical spine fusion throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) physician fee schedule was queried between 2011 and 2023 for RVU and facility reimbursement using common single and multilevel anterior and posterior cervical fusion codes. RVU facility prices were inflation adjusted to 2023. MS-DRG reimbursement data from 2011 to 2022 were compiled for cervical spinal fusion procedures with major complication or comorbidity (MCC) 471, complication or comorbidity (CC) 472, and without CC/MCC 473. Compound annual growth rates (CAGRs), Mean Annual Change, and yearly percent changes were calculated.No changes in wRVU were seen for all cervical CPT codes; however, the CAGR of peRVU (-0.51%±0.60%) and mpRVU (0.69%±0.41%) demonstrated marginal fluctuations. Every CPT code displayed an inflation-adjusted facility price decrease (-2.18%±0.24%). When assessing MS-DRG, there were marginal changes in geometric mean LOS (0.17%±0.45%), arithmetic mean LOS (-0.15%±0.84%), and relative weight (1.09%±0.68%). Unlike RVU reimbursement, the yearly percent change differs between each MS-DRG code.Inflation-adjusted RVU reimbursement facility prices demonstrated a consistent decrease, while DRG code reimbursement stayed relatively consistent over the study period. This data may help surgeons and hospitals become cognizant of temporal variations in reimbursement patterns as it may affect their personal practice.Level III retrospective study.
Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL.
Relative Value Unit (RVU) and Medicare Severity Diagnosis-related Group (MS-DRG) Reimbursement in Cervical Spinal Fusion: A 2011-2023 Trends Report.

Human coronavirus (HCoV)-NL63 causes respiratory tract infections in humans and uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a receptor. We sought to establish a mouse model of HCoV-NL63 and determine whether prior rhinovirus (RV)-A1B infection affected HCoV-NL63 replication. HCoV-NL63 was propagated in LLC-MK2 cells expressing human ACE2. RV-A1B was grown in HeLa-H1 cells. C57BL6/J or transgenic mice expressing human ACE2 were infected intranasally with sham LLC-MK2 cell supernatant or 1 × 105 tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50) units HCoV-NL63. Wild-type mice were infected with 1 × 106 plaque-forming units (PFU) RV-A1B. Lungs were assessed for vRNA, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells, histology, HCoV-NL63 nonstructural protein 3 (nsp3), and host gene expression by next-generation sequencing and qPCR. To evaluate sequential infections, mice were infected with RV-A1B followed by HCoV-NL63 infection 4 days later. We report that hACE2 mice infected with HCoV-NL63 showed evidence of replicative infection with increased levels of vRNA, BAL neutrophils and lymphocytes, peribronchial and perivascular infiltrates, and expression of nsp3. Viral replication peaked 3 days after infection and inflammation persisted 6 days after infection. HCoV-NL63-infected hACE2 mice showed increased mRNA expression of IFNs, IFN-stimulated proteins, and proinflammatory cytokines. Infection with RV-A1B 4 days before HCoV-NL63 significantly decreased both HCoV-NL63 vRNA levels and airway inflammation. Mice infected with RV-A1B prior to HCoV-NL63 showed increased expression of antiviral proteins compared with sham-treated mice. In conclusion, we established a mouse model of HCoV-NL63 replicative infection characterized by relatively persistent viral replication and inflammation. Prior infection with RV-A1B reduced HCoV-NL63 replication and airway inflammation, indicative of viral interference.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We describe a mouse model of human coronavirus (HCoV) infection. Infection of transgenic mice expressing human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) with HCoV-NL63 produced a replicative infection with peribronchial inflammation and nonstructural protein 3 expression. Mice infected with RV-A1B 4 days before HCoV-NL63 showed decreased HCoV-NL63 replication and airway inflammation and increased expression of antiviral proteins compared with sham-treated mice. This research may shed light on human coronavirus infections, viral interference, and viral-induced asthma exacerbations.
Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, United States.
Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States.Department Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States.
American journal of physiology. Lung cellular and molecular physiology
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2024-10-01;327(4):L557-L573.
Developing a mouse model of human coronavirus NL63 infection: comparison with rhinovirus-A1B and effects of prior rhinovirus infection.

Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is one of the most common presentations of food allergy in early childhood. Management of CMA involves individualized avoidance of cow's milk and other mammalian milk and foods containing these. Optimal elimination of cow's milk avoidance includes: label reading; information about safe and nutritious substitute foods; appropriate choice of infant formula or a plant-based food; establishing tolerance to baked milk and monitoring nutritional intake and growth. Substitute formulas are divided into soy formula (not hydrolyzed), milk-based extensively hydrolyzed formulas, rice based extensive, and partially hydrolyzed formulas and amino acid-based formulas. The use of other mammalian milks is not recommended for the management of cow's milk allergy due to a high level of cross-reactivity and nutritional concerns. For toddlers who are eating well, children, and adults, a suitable plant-based beverage may be a suitable alternative to a specialized formula, following careful nutritional considerations. Families need to be instructed on finding suitable nutritious foods and how to prepare suitable meals at home. Individuals with CMA also need to know how to identify and treat acute severe reactions.
Section of Allergy and Immunology, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA.
Department of Medicine, Imperial College, London. Department Medicine KU Leuven, Belgium. Department Nutrition and Dietetics, Winchester University, UK.
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. New York, NY, USA.
Department of Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Hassenfeld Childrens' Hospital, New York, NY, USA.Department of Pediatrics, Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland.
NESMOS Department, Sapienza University, Pediatric Unit, Sant'Andrea University Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Department of Pediatrics, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
Division of Allergy and Immunology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center - Cincinnati Ohio, USA.
University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
Division of Allergy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza Sant'Onofrio, 4, Rome 00165, Italy.
Clinical Epidemiology and Research Center (CERC), Humanitas University & Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20090, Pieve Emanuele (Milano), Italy.Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Department of Medicine, Evidence in Allergy Group, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Department of Allergy & Immunology, Hospital Quironsalud Bizkaia, Bilbao, Spain.
Allergy & Immunology Section, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport, Louisiana, USA.
Department of Translational Medical Science, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. British Hospital. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
McMaster's University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Paris Descartes University, Pediatric Gastroenterology, Necker Hospital, Paris, Clinique Marcel Sembat, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
Clinical Research Center for Allergy and Rheumatology, National Hospital Organization Sagamihara National Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan.
Department of Woman and Childrens' Health/Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, UK.Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy's St Thomas' Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Allergist, Edmondo de Amicis School, Milan, Italy.
Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.Allergy Unit, 2nd Paediatric Clinic, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia (AAA), Castle Hill, New South Wales, Australia.
Allergy and Clinical Immunology Department, Centro Médico - Docente La Trinidad and Clínica El Avila, Caracas, Venezuela.
McMaster's University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Cochrane Canada and McMaster University GRADE Center, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center, Lea and Arieh Pickel Chair for Pediatric Research, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Petach Tikva, Israel.
Division of Allergy-Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
KidZ Health Castle, Department of Pediatrics UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
World Allergy Organization (WAO) Diagnosis and Rationale for Action against Cow's Milk Allergy (DRACMA) guidelines update - XVI - Nutritional management of cow's milk allergy.

With improvements in surgical technique and advances in pancreatic endocrine and exocrine replacement therapy, the indications for, and threshold to perform, total or completion pancreatectomy in the modern surgical era are ever evolving. The following review will evaluate such indications for pancreatic cancer including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms. The authors also review the literature on oncologic outcomes of total and completion pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer. Finally, they discuss the quality of life and postoperative management of the a-pancreatic state.
Emory University, 1365B Clifton Road, NE Building B, Suite 4100, Office 4202, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA.
Emory University, 1365B Clifton Road, NE Building B, Suite 4100, Office 4202, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA. Electronic address: smaithe@emory.edu.
A Review of the Indications, Outcomes, and Postoperative Management After Total and Completion Pancreatectomy for Pancreatic Cancer: More Is Not Necessarily Better.

Lifestyle has widespread effects on human health and aging. Prior results from chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), one of humans' closest evolutionary relatives, indicate that these lifestyle effects may also be shared with other species, as semi-free-ranging chimpanzees fed a naturalistic diet show healthier values in several specific health biomarkers, compared with their sedentary, captive counterparts. Here, we examined how lifestyle factors associated with different environments affect rates of physiological aging in closely related chimpanzees.We compared physiological dysregulation, an index of biological aging, in semi-free-ranging chimpanzees in an African sanctuary versus captive chimpanzees in US laboratories. If the rate of aging is accelerated by high-calorie diet and sedentism, we predicted greater age-related dysregulation in the laboratory populations. Conversely, if costs of a wild lifestyle accelerate aging, then semi-free-ranging chimpanzees at the sanctuary, whose environment better approximates the wild, should show greater age-related dysregulation. We further tested whether dysregulation differed based on sex or body system, as in humans.We found that semi-free-ranging chimpanzees showed lower overall dysregulation, as well as lower age-related change in dysregulation, than laboratory chimpanzees. Males experienced lower dysregulation than females in both contexts, and the two populations exhibited distinct aging patterns based on body system.Our results support the conclusion that naturalistic living conditions result in healthier aging in chimpanzees. These data provide support for the proposal that lifestyle effects on human health and aging are conserved from deeper into our evolutionary history.
© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Foundation for Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health.
Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust, Entebbe, Uganda.
Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Age-related physiological dysregulation progresses slowly in semi-free-ranging chimpanzees.

Among individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who became pregnant, we explored the impact of medical readiness for pregnancy and personal readiness for pregnancy on the following aspects of maternal health: (1) provider-reported disease activity, (2) patient-perceived disease activity, (3) mood symptoms, (4) pregnancy-related health behaviors, and (5) pregnancy outcomes.All study participants were enrolled in a prospective registry, met Systemic Lupus Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) criteria for SLE, and had at least one pregnancy. Patient-reported outcomes were collected at the first rheumatology visit during pregnancy. Medically ready for pregnancy was defined as (1) <1 g of proteinuria, (2) no rheumatic teratogens at conception, and (3) continuing pregnancy-compatible SLE medications after conception. Personally ready was defined as planned pregnancy based on a London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy score ≥10. Multivariable logistic regression models estimated the association of pregnancy readiness with each outcome of interest.Among the 111 individuals enrolled, lack of medical readiness for pregnancy was associated with significantly higher rates of active disease and worse pregnancy outcomes; however, these patients did not perceive themselves as having higher disease activity. Lack of personal readiness for pregnancy was associated with significantly higher patient-perceived disease activity. Although medical readiness did not impact depressive symptoms substantially, lack of personal readiness for pregnancy was associated with much higher maternal depressive symptoms.To improve pregnancy outcomes among individuals with SLE, greater focus is needed on improving medical optimization before conception. For maternal mental health and quality of life, greater focus is needed on decreasing the incidence of unplanned pregnancy.
© 2024 American College of Rheumatology.
Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.
University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2024-09-08;():.
The Impact of Pregnancy Readiness on Lupus Activity, Maternal Mental Health, and Pregnancy Outcomes.

Growth and survival of hormone receptor positive breast cancer cells are dependent on circulating hormones (e.g., estrogen and progesterone). Endocrine therapy improved outcomes in both early and advanced hormone receptor positive breast cancer. These treatments include drugs with different mechanisms of action, namely selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERM), aromatase inhibitors, and selective estrogen receptor degraders (SERDs). SERDs represent estrogen receptor antagonists, favoring its degradation and thus interfering with proliferation genes transcription and activation. Fulvestrant is the first approved SERD, administered intramuscularly for treating advanced breast cancer.Oral SERDs have been tested to overcome the limitation of the intramuscular administration, and to increase SERD bioavailability. Recently, an oral SERD, Elacestrant, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for patients carrying an ESR1 mutation. In fact, oral SERDs seem to be effective in tumors harboring ESR1 mutations, a well known mechanism of resistance to endocrine therapy (especially aromatase inhibitors).More recently, oral SERDs have been tested in patients with early hormone receptor positive breast cancer, although their impact on survival and in this curative setting compared to standard endocrine therapy still needs to be elucidated. The best timing and duration of SERD administration and specific biomarkers in (neo)adjuvant setting remain largely unknown.
Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.
Division of Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS.Department of Oncology and Hematology (DIPO), University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Endocrine therapy for early breast cancer in the era of oral selective estrogen receptor degraders: challenges and future perspectives.

While large library docking has discovered potent ligands for multiple targets, as the libraries have grown the hit lists can become dominated by rare artifacts that cheat our scoring functions. Here, we investigate rescoring top-ranked docked molecules with orthogonal methods to identify these artifacts, exploring implicit solvent models and absolute binding free energy perturbation as cross-filters. In retrospective studies, this approach deprioritized high-ranking nonbinders for nine targets while leaving true ligands relatively unaffected. We tested the method prospectively against hits from docking against AmpC β-lactamase. We prioritized 128 high-ranking molecules for synthesis and testing, a mixture of 39 molecules flagged as likely cheaters and 89 that were plausible inhibitors. None of the predicted cheating compounds inhibited AmpC detectably, while 57% of the 89 plausible compounds did so. As our libraries continue to grow, deprioritizing docking artifacts by rescoring with orthogonal methods may find wide use.
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, United States.
Schrödinger, Inc., 9868 Scranton Road, San Diego, California 92121, United States.
Schrödinger, Inc., 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, United States.
Biophysics Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States.
Identifying Artifacts from Large Library Docking.

Spiders produce highly adapted venoms featuring a complex mixture of biomolecules used mainly for hunting and defense. The most prominent components are peptidic neurotoxins, a major focus of research and drug development, whereas venom enzymes have been largely neglected. Nevertheless, investigation of venom enzymes not only reveals insights into their biological functions, but also provides templates for future industrial applications. Here we compared spider venom enzymes validated at protein level contained in the VenomZone database and from all publicly available proteo-transcriptomic spider venom datasets. We assigned reported enzymes to cellular processes and known venom functions, including toxicity, prey pre-digestion, venom preservation, venom component activation, and spreading factors. Our study unveiled extensive discrepancy between public databases and publications with regard to enzyme coverage, which impedes the development of novel spider venom enzyme-based applications. Uncovering the previously unrecognized abundance and diversity of venom enzymes will open new avenues for spider venom biodiscovery.
Animal Venomics Lab, Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Gießen, Germany. josephine.dresler@ime.fraunhofer.de.LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Frankfurt a. M., Germany. josephine.dresler@ime.fraunhofer.de.
Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia.School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia.
Animal Venomics Lab, Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Gießen, Germany.LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Frankfurt a. M., Germany.Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Gießen, Germany.
Animal Venomics Lab, Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Gießen, Germany. tim.lueddecke@ime.fraunhofer.de.LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Frankfurt a. M., Germany. tim.lueddecke@ime.fraunhofer.de.
Enlightening the toxinological dark matter of spider venom enzymes.

The European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) consortium aims to generate a reference genome catalogue for all of Europe's eukaryotic biodiversity. The biological material underlying this mission, the specimens and their derived samples, are provided through ERGA's pan-European network. To demonstrate the community's capability and capacity to realise ERGA's ambitious mission, the ERGA Pilot project was initiated. In support of the ERGA Pilot effort to generate reference genomes for European biodiversity, the ERGA Sampling and Sample Processing committee (SSP) was formed by volunteer experts from ERGA's member base. SSP aims to aid participating researchers through (i) establishing standards for and collecting of sample/specimen metadata; (ii) prioritisation of species for genome sequencing; and (iii) development of taxon-specific collection guidelines including logistics support. SSP serves as the entry point for sample providers to the ERGA genomic resource production infrastructure and guarantees that ERGA's high-quality standards are upheld throughout sample collection and processing. With the volume of researchers, projects, consortia, and organisations with interests in genomics resources expanding, this manuscript shares important experiences and lessons learned during the development of standardised operational procedures and sample provider support. The manuscript details our experiences in incorporating the FAIR and CARE principles, species prioritisation, and workflow development, which could be useful to individuals as well as other initiatives.
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Museum Koenig Bonn, Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Adenauerallee 127, 53113, Bonn, Germany. a.boehne@leibniz-lib.de.
Metazoa Phylogenomics Lab, Biodiversity Program, Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE, CSIC-UPF), Passeig maritim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avda. Americo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain.
Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7UZ, UK.
CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal.BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Museum Koenig Bonn, Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Adenauerallee 127, 53113, Bonn, Germany.
Centre for Ecological & Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, Blindernveien 31, 0371, Oslo, Norway.Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1172, Blindern, 0318, Oslo, Norway.Centre for Coastal Research, University of Agder, Universitetsveien 25, 4630, Kristiansand, Norway.Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Brunswick Saint John, 100 Tucker Park Road, E2K5E2, Saint John, Canada.Tjärnö Marine Laboratory, University of Gothenburg, Hättebäcksvägen 7, Gothenburg, 45296, Sweden.
Science for Life Laboratory - Sweden (SciLifeLab), National Genomics Infrastructure, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 815, SE-752 37, Uppsala, Sweden.
Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1172, Blindern, 0318, Oslo, Norway.
Contextualising samples: supporting reference genomes of European biodiversity through sample and associated metadata collection.

Sleep disturbances are a hallmark feature of various autoimmune neurological diseases (AINDs). However, limited awareness of these sleep manifestations exists among clinicians. We provide a comprehensive overview of assessment methods, characteristic sleep disturbances, the impact of specific antibodies on sleep patterns, and treatment strategies for sleep disturbances in AINDs.Research advancements in sleep disturbances in autoimmune neurological disease focus primarily on four areas: mechanisms, clinical characteristics, assessment, and treatment. Regarding mechanisms, animal models for AINDs, particularly those involving specific antibodies like anti-NMDAR, anti-LGI1, and anti-IgLON5, have become more comprehensive. Recent advancements in animal models have led to the establishment of numerous models for AINDs; these models include a wide range of antibodies, including anti-NMDAR, anti-LGI1, and anti-IgLON5. Several studies using these models have revealed common mechanisms underlying sleep disturbances in these diseases. In terms of clinical characteristics, the identification of antibodies associated with recently discovered AINDs has expanded the spectrum of sleep disturbance symptoms observed compared to prior findings. A comprehensive evaluation system for the assessment of sleep disturbances has been established, including questionnaires, polysomnography, functional magnetic resonance imaging, and 18F-FDG PET/CT. Additionally, cardiopulmonary coupling shows promise as a novel assessment tool. Currently, no universally effective treatment exists for sleep disturbances in autoimmune neurological diseases, either through symptomatic treatment or immunosuppressive therapy. Further studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of new therapies and validate the benefits of existing treatments. Sleep disturbances are a hallmark feature of AINDs. Recent advancements have significantly expanded our understanding of their assessment and treatment. However, further studies are needed to address the remaining uncertainties in sleep disturbance management.
Department of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin 2 Road, Shanghai, 200025, China.Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China.
Department of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin 2 Road, Shanghai, 200025, China.
Department of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin 2 Road, Shanghai, 200025, China. mztcs@163.com.Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China. mztcs@163.com.
Current neurology and neuroscience reports
Sleep Disturbances in Autoimmune Neurological Diseases: Mechanisms, Clinical Characteristics, Assessment, and Treatment Strategies.

The abnormal expression of circRNA may contribute to the progression of cervical cancer by influencing the biological processes.This study aimed to identify the differentially expressed circRNAs in cervical cancer and validate the circ_0008193 ceRNA network in cervical cancer cells.Using the absolute log2 value of fold change >1 and p-value of <0.05, the differentially expressed circRNAs were obtained from GSE102686 and GSE113696 from cervical cancer tissues and cervical cancer cells with the help of the GEO2R tool. Downstream miRNAs and mRNAs were predicted using relevant informatics databases. The circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction network was conducted with the assistance of Cytoscape. Circ_0008193-miR-182-5p-PTEN axis was validated with expression level and cell function using RT-qPCR, a dual-luciferase reporter assay, and cellular experiments.GSE102686 and GSE113696 databases overlapped 7 differentially expressed circRNAs and five circRNAs have the same expression pattern. Based on the literature and expression pattern, a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was conducted. The circ_0008193, miR-182-5p, and PTEN expression patterns were downregulation, upregulation, and downregulation, respectively. Overexpressed circ_0008193 suppressed proliferation, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer cells. MiR-182-5p diminished the inhibitory influence of circ_0008193 on cellular behaviors, while PTEN counteracted the effect of miR-182-5p.This investigation revealed the existence of a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network in cervical cancer, and preliminary verified the function of circ_0008193-miR-182-5p-PTEN axis in cervical cancer cells, which offers additional guidance on investigating the molecular mechanisms of cervical cancer.
Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University/Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Endemic Diseases, Xinjiang, 830000, China. Electronic address: Loushaosheng20@163.com.
Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University/Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Endemic Diseases, Xinjiang, 830000, China.
Graduate School of Xinjiang Medical University, Xinjiang, 830000, China. Electronic address: linchenxj@163.com.
Identification of circRNA-mediated competing endogenous RNA network involved in the development of cervical cancer.

Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is the most complex and common food allergy in infants. Elimination of cow's milk from the diet and replacement with a specialized formula for infants with cow's milk allergy who cannot be breastfed is an established approach to minimize the risk of severe allergic reactions while avoiding nutritional deficiencies. Given the availability of multiple options, such as extensively hydrolyzed cow's milk-based formula (eHF-CM), aminoacid formula (AAF), hydrolyzed rice formula (HRF), and soy formula (SF), there is some uncertainty regarding which formula might represent the most suitable choice with respect to health outcomes. The addition of probiotics to a specialized formula has also been proposed as a potential approach to possibly increase the benefit. We systematically reviewed specialized formulas for infants with CMA to inform the updated World Allergy Organization (WAO) DRACMA guidelines.To systematically review and synthesize the available evidence about the use of specialized formulas for the management of individuals with CMA.We searched from inception PubMed, Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and the websites of selected allergy organizations, for randomized and non-randomized trials of any language investigating specialized formulas with or without probiotics. We included all studies irrespective of the language of the original publication. The last search was conducted in January 2024. We synthesized the identified evidence quantitatively or narratively as appropriate and summarized it in the evidence profiles. We conducted this review following the PRISMA, Cochrane methods, and the GRADE approach.We identified 3558 records including 14 randomized trials and 7 observational studies. Very low certainty evidence suggested that in infants with IgE-mediated CMA, eHF-CM, compared with AAF, might have higher probability of outgrowing CMA (risk ratio (RR) 2.32; risk difference (RD) 25 more per 100), while showing potentially lower probability of severe vomiting (RR 0.12, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.88; RD 23 fewer per 100, 95% CI 3 to 26) and developing food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) (RR 0.15, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.82; RD 34 fewer per 100, 95% CI 7 to 39). We also found, however, that eHF-CM might be inferior to AAF in supporting a physiological growth, with respect to both weight (-5.5% from baseline, 95%CI -9.5% to -1.5%) and length (-0.7 z-score change, 95%CI -1.15 to -0.25) (very low certainty). We found similar effects for eHF-CM, compared with AAF, also in non-IgE CMA. When compared with SF, eHF-CM might favor weight gain for IgE CMA infants (0.23 z-score change, 95%CI 0.01 to 0.45), and tolerance acquisition (RR 1.86, 95%CI 1.03 to 3.37; RD 27%, 95%CI 1%-74%) for non-IgE CMA (both at very low certainty of the evidence (CoE)). The comparison of eHF-CM vs. HRF, and HRF vs. SF, showed no difference in effect (very low certainty). For IgE CMA patients, low certainty evidence suggested that adding probiotics (L. rhamnosus GG, L. casei CRL431 and B. lactis Bb-12) might increase the probability of developing CMA tolerance (RR 2.47, 95%CI 1.03 to 5.93; RD 27%, 95%CI 1%-91%), and reduce the risk of severe wheezing (RR 0.12, 95%CI 0.02 to 0.95; RD -23%, 95%CI -8% to -0.4%). However, in non-IgE CMA infants, the addition of probiotics (L. rhamnosus GG) showed no significant effect, as supported by low to very low CoE.Currently available studies comparing eHF-CM, AAF, HRF, and SF provide very low certainty evidence about their effects in infants with IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated CMA. Our review revealed several limitations in the current body of evidence, primarily arising from concerns related to the quality of studies, the limited size of the participant populations and most importantly the lack of diversity and standardization in the compared interventions. It is therefore imperative for future studies to be methodologically rigorous and investigate a broader spectrum of available interventions. We encourage clinicians and researchers to review current World Allergy Organization (WAO) Diagnosis and Rationale for Action against Cow's Milk Allergy (DRACMA) Guidelines for suggestions on how to use milk replacement formulas in clinical practice and what additional research would be the most beneficial.
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Clinical Epidemiology and Research Center (CERC), Humanitas University & Humanitas Research Hospital, Pieve Emanuele, Milano, Italy.Department of Medicine, Evidence in Allergy Group, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Academic Unit of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Campina Grande, Patos, Paraíba, Brazil.
Translational Research in Pediatric Specialties Area, Division of Allergy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Department of Medicine, Evidence in Allergy Group, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Department of Medicine, Evidence in Allergy Group, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care, Cologne, Germany.
Department of Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
Clinical Development Infectious Disease, Moderna Japan Co., Ltd., Japan.
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Pediatric Primary Care, National Pediatric Health Care System, Milan, Italy.Italian Society of Preventive and Social Pediatrics (SIPPS), Italy.
Italian Society of Allergy and Pediatric Immunology (SIAIP), Italy.
Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia, Sydney, Australia.
Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
Department of Allergy & Immunology, Hospital Quironsalud Bizkaia, Erandio, Bilbao, Spain.
Clinical Research Center for Allergy and Rheumatology, NHO Sagamihara National Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan.
Pediatric Allergy Unit, Research Center, San Pietro Hospital - Fatebenefratelli, Rome, Italy.
Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya.
Department of Women and Children's Health/Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, United Kingdom.Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom.
Department of Pediatrics. Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
Allergy UK, Crayford, Kingdom, United Kingdom.
Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Section, Dept of Pediatrics, Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Division of Allergy and Immunology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Clinique Marcel Sembat, Ramsay Group, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, USA.
Division of Allergy and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, USA.Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Section of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Colorado, USA.Children's Hospital Colorado. Denver, Colorado, USA.
Department of Pediatrics, Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, New York University, Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.Department of Pediatrics, Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland.
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), UZ Brussel, Belgium.KidZ Health Castle, Brussels, Belgium.
Allergy Department, 2nd Pediatric Clinic, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.Lydia Becker Institute, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Clinical Epidemiology and Research Center (CERC), Humanitas University & Humanitas Research Hospital, Pieve Emanuele, Milano, Italy.
World Allergy Organization (WAO) Diagnosis and Rationale for Action against Cow's Milk Allergy (DRACMA) guideline update - XI - Milk supplement/replacement formulas for infants and toddlers with CMA - Systematic review.

Loneliness is a global health issue, but current loneliness interventions are not scalable enough to reach many who might benefit from them. Brief online interventions could greatly expand access to evidence-based loneliness interventions.We conducted a preregistered three-armed trial (N = 908, ages 16-78) to compare three self-guided online interventions: a single-session intervention (SSI) for loneliness, a 3-week, three-session intervention for loneliness, and an active control supportive therapy SSI (https://ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT05687162).Loneliness decreased between baseline and Week 8 across all conditions (b = -5.80; d = -0.55; 95% CI [-0.62, -0.47]; p < .01), but did not decrease significantly more in those assigned to either the loneliness SSI (b = -1.27; d = -0.12; 95% CI [-0.30, 0.06]; p = .20) or the 3-week intervention (b = -0.93; d = -0.09; 95% CI [-0.27, 0.09]; p = .34) than those assigned to the control SSI. Participants found all three interventions acceptable but rated both loneliness interventions as more acceptable than the control (p < .01). Far more participants completed the 10-min control SSI (86.6%) and 20-min loneliness SSI (69.4%) than the 60-min 3-week intervention (14.9%).An SSI for loneliness was not significantly less effective than a longer loneliness intervention and had a much higher completion rate. Yet, against our hypotheses, neither loneliness intervention reduced loneliness more than an active control SSI did. Future work should aim to design more effective SSIs for loneliness and identify populations for which SSIs might be most helpful. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).
Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University.
Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine.
Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linkoping University.
Journal of consulting and clinical psychology
A randomized controlled trial comparing brief online self-guided interventions for loneliness.

Background: Perforator mapping is a mandatory tool for the preoperative planning of a microsurgical free flap, especially in breast reconstruction. Numerous methods for mapping have been described. In this study, we investigate the combined use of Dynamic Infrared Thermography (DIRT) and Colour Doppler Ultrasonography (CDUS) only to see whether it can eliminate the need for Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA). Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 33 patients with deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flaps for breast reconstruction. DIRT, followed by CDUS and CTA, was performed preoperatively and perforators were confirmed intraoperatively. Results: From 135 hot spots found on DIRT, 123 perforators were confirmed by CDUS (91.11%). A total of 86.66% of the perforator vessels detected on CTA have their correspondent on DIRT, while 95.12% have their correspondent on CDUS. No statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) was found comparing DIRT vs. CTA and CDU vs. CTA. The average DIRT time was 121.54 s and CDUS 232.09 s. The mean sensitivity for DIRT was 95.72% and 93.16% for CDUS. Conclusion: DIRT combined with CDUS can precisely and efficiently identify suitable perforators without the need for CTA in DIEP breast reconstruction.
Department of Surgery-Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Clinical Rehabilitation Hospital, 400066 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Prof. Dr. I. Chiricuță Institute of Oncology, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Department of Surgery-Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Clinical Rehabilitation Hospital, 400066 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Prof. Dr. I. Chiricuță Institute of Oncology, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Prof. Dr. I. Chiricuță Institute of Oncology, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Clinical Rehabilitation Hospital, 400066 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, First Surgical Clinic, Emergency County Hospital, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Department of Surgery, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Department of Surgery-Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Prof. Dr. I. Chiricuță Institute of Oncology, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
The Precision of Colour Doppler Ultrasonography Combined with Dynamic Infrared Thermography in Perforator Mapping for Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap Breast Reconstruction.

Brain functional connectivity or connectome, a unique measure for brain functional organization, provides a great potential to explain the neurobiological underpinning of behavioral profiles. Existing connectome-based analyses highly concentrate on brain activities under a single cognitive state, and fail to consider heterogeneity when attempting to characterize brain-to-behavior relationships. In this work, we study the complex impact of multi-state functional connectivity on behaviors by analyzing the data from a recent landmark brain development and child health study. We propose a nonparametric, Bayesian supervised heterogeneity analysis to uncover neurodevelopmental subtypes with distinct effect mechanisms. We impose stochastic block structures to identify network-based functional phenotypes and develop a variational expectation-maximization algorithm to facilitate an efficient posterior computation. Through integrating resting-state and task-related functional connectomes, we dissect heterogeneous effect mechanisms on children's fluid intelligence from the functional network phenotypes including Fronto-parietal Network and Default Mode Network under different cognitive states. Based on extensive simulations, we further confirm the superior performance of our method on uncovering brain-to-behavior relationships.
Department of Biostatistics, Yale University, New Haven, CT.
Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, CT.
Journal of the American Statistical Association
Heterogeneity Analysis on Multi-state Brain Functional Connectivity and Adolescent Neurocognition.

Affibodies are a class of versatile affinity proteins with a wide variety of therapeutic applications, ranging from contrast agents for imaging to cell-targeting therapeutics. We have identified several affibodies specific to bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) with a range of binding affinities and demonstrated the ability to tune release rate of BMP-2 from affibody-conjugated poly(ethylene glycol) maleimide (PEG-mal) hydrogels based on affibody affinity strength. In this work, we compare the purity, structure, and activity of recombinant, bacterially-expressed BMP-2-specific affibodies with affibodies synthesized via solid-phase peptide synthesis.High- and low-affinity BMP-2-specific affibodies were recombinantly expressed using BL21(DE3) E. coli and chemically synthesized using microwave-assisted solid-phase peptide synthesis with Fmoc-Gly-Wang resin. The secondary structures of the affibodies and dissociation constants of affibody-BMP-2 binding were characterized by circular dichroism and biolayer interferometry, respectively. Endotoxin levels were measured using chromogenic limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assays. Affibody-conjugated PEG-mal hydrogels were fabricated and loaded with BMP-2 to evaluate hydrogel capacity for controlled release, quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).Synthetic and recombinant affibodies were determined to be α-helical by circular dichroism. The synthetic high- and low-affinity BMP-2-specific affibodies demonstrated comparable BMP-2 binding dissociation constants to their recombinant counterparts. Recombinant affibodies retained some endotoxins after purification, while endotoxins were not detected in the synthetic affibodies above FDA permissible limits. High-affinity affibody-conjugated hydrogels reduced cumulative BMP-2 release compared to the low-affinity affibody-conjugated hydrogels and hydrogels without affibodies.Synthetic affibodies demonstrate comparable structure and function to recombinant affibodies while reducing endotoxin contamination and increasing product yield, indicating that solid-phase peptide synthesis is a viable method of producing affibodies for controlled protein release and other applications.
Department of Bioengineering, University of Oregon, Knight Campus, Eugene, Oregon USA.
Department of Bioengineering, University of Oregon, Knight Campus, Eugene, Oregon USA.Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon USA.
Recombinant and Synthetic Affibodies Function Comparably for Modulating Protein Release.

The communication between intestinal Glucagon like peptide 1 (GLP-1)-producing cells and the peripheral nervous system has garnered renewed interest considering the availability of anti-obesity and anti-diabetic approaches targeting GLP-1 signaling. While it is well-established that intestinal GLP-1 cells can exert influence through paracrine mechanisms, recent evidence suggests the possible existence of synaptic-like connections between GLP-1 cells and peripheral neurons, including those of the vagus nerve. In this study, using a reporter Phox2b-Cre-Tomato mouse model and super-resolution confocal microscopy, we demonstrated that vagal axons made apparent contacts with less than 0.5% of GLP-1 cells. Moreover, immunohistochemistry combined with super-resolution confocal microscopy revealed abundant post-synaptic density 95 (PSD-95) immunoreactivity within the enteric plexus of the lower intestines of C57/BL6 mice, with virtually none in its mucosa. Lastly, utilizing RNAScope in situ hybridization in the lower intestines of mice, we observed that GLP-1 cells expressed generic markers of secretory cells such as Snap25 and Nefm, but neither synaptic markers such as Syn1 and Nrxn2, nor glutamatergic markers such as Slc17a7. Through theoretical considerations and a critical review of the literature, we concluded that intestinal GLP-1 cells primarily communicate with vagal neurons through paracrine mechanisms, rather than synaptic-like contacts.
Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Hypothalamic Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Hypothalamic Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA. Laurent.Gautron@UTSouthwestern.edu.
Limited evidence for anatomical contacts between intestinal GLP-1 cells and vagal neurons in male mice.

Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma (PCNSL) is an aggressive form of lymphoma that can involve the brain, spinal cord, leptomeninges and eyes. PCNSL prognosis continues to be poor, with 5-year survival rates of 30-40%. Therapeutic options are especially limited for relapsed/refractory (r/r) PCNSL. In recent years, studies shed light on the pathogenesis and oncogenic pathways driving PCNSL, leading to the development of novel therapeutics. In this review, we discuss the evidence supporting these novel agents and present ongoing clinical studies.Key oncogenic drivers of PCNSL include activation of the NFkB pathway, cell cycle dysregulation, somatic hypermutation and immune evasion, leading to the investigation of targeted therapeutics and immunotherapeutics to inhibit these pathways. Such approaches include BTK inhibitors, mTOR/PI3K inhibitors, immunomodulatory agents (IMIDs), immune checkpoint inhibitors and CD19-based CAR T-cells. The therapeutic repertoire for PCNSL is rapidly evolving, and a multi-modality approach including intensive chemotherapy regimens and novel therapies will likely be utilized in the future.
Center for Neuro Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Hans Messner Allogeneic Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Center for Neuro Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA. Lakshmi_Nayak@dfci.harvard.edu.
Novel Therapies for Primary Central Nervous System Lymphomas.

Gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) and gender-affirming surgery (GAS) may be desired by transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals who want to affirm their gender identity. Testosterone is the basis of GAHT for transgender individuals assigned female at birth (AFAB), whereas GAS can involve hysterectomy, bilateral salpingectomy, bilateral oophorectomy (BO), thorax masculinization, and phalloplasty. Our study aimed to evaluate the effects of GAHT on the bone health of TGD AFAB individuals who have undergone or not undergone BO.This was a single-center, longitudinal study with retrospectively collected data. TGD AFAB GAHT-naïve individuals were enrolled and underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans and laboratory tests (hormonal and bone metabolism parameters) at baseline and after 5 and 10 years of GAHT.Two hundred and forty-three TGD AFAB people were included in this study. Seventy-five subjects had completed data for 5 years and 19 subjects for 10 years of GAHT. At baseline, low bone density (Z-score < -2.0) was found in 2.5% (6/243) of subjects for lumbar spine (LS), whereas total hip (TH) and femoral neck (FN) Z-scores and laboratory tests were within the normal female range. After stratifying by physical activity, the physically active group showed significantly higher LS BMD and Z-scores (p ≤ 0.05). Five years after the start of GAHT, a significant reduction in LS (p ≤ 0.05), TH (p ≤ 0.001), and FN (p ≤ 0.01) Z-scores was detected. A significant reduction in the Z-scores of all three bone sites was observed only in the subgroup that had undergone BO. After 5 years of GAHT, estradiol levels were significantly decreased compared to those in baseline (p ≤ 0.001). Significantly higher estradiol levels were detected in the 5-year no-BO subgroup compared to those in the 5-year BO subgroup (p ≤ 0.001). A significant reduction in LS and TH Z-scores were observed after 10 years of GAHT. At this time, estradiol levels were significantly decreased compared to those in baseline (p ≤ 0.01).Bone density in TGD AFAB individuals is comparable to that in their peers prior to GAHT and BO, but those subjects who underwent BO had a reduced Z-score at LS, FN, and TH after 5 years and at LS after 10 years of GAHT.
Copyright © 2024 Sanna, Lami, Giacomelli, Alvisi, Paccapelo, Seracchioli and Meriggiola.
Division of Gynecology and Human Reproduction Physiopatology, Istituito di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare) (IRCCS) Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Division of Gynecology and Human Reproduction Physiopatology, Istituito di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare) (IRCCS) Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Research and Innovation Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024;15():1416121.
Bone health in transgender assigned female at birth people: effects of gender-affirming hormone therapy and gonadectomy.

Private Academic Consultant, Phonhong, Laos. Electronic address: hinpetchdaung@gmail.com.
Department of Research Analytics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences Saveetha University, Chennai, India.
Australian critical care : official journal of the Confederation of Australian Critical Care Nurses
Comment on dose-response relationship between awake prone-positioning duration and PaO2/FiO2 changes and risk of disease aggravation in patients with severe COVID-19.

With the ever advancing of modern technologies, it has become increasingly common that the number of collected confounders exceeds the number of subjects in a data set. However, matching based methods for estimating causal treatment effect in their original forms are not capable of handling high-dimensional confounders, and their various modified versions lack statistical support and valid inference tools. In this article, we propose a new approach for estimating causal treatment effect, defined as the difference of the restricted mean survival time (RMST) under different treatments in high-dimensional setting for survival data. We combine the factor model and the sufficient dimension reduction techniques to construct propensity score and prognostic score. Based on these scores, we develop a kernel based doubly robust estimator of the RMST difference. We demonstrate its link to matching and establish the consistency and asymptotic normality of the estimator. We illustrate our method by analyzing a dataset from a study aimed at comparing the effects of two alternative treatments on the RMST of patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma.
© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Biometric Society.
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, United States.
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201, United States.
Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Medication Outcomes Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, United States.
Department of Statistics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States.
Causal effect estimation in survival analysis with high dimensional confounders.

Currently, clinical T staging in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is based on the largest radiological diameter observed on computed tomography (CT). Under this system, tumors with varying shapes-such as spherical, amorphous, or spiculated tumors- can be assigned the same T stage even with different volumes. We aimed to propose a 3-dimensional (3D) volumetric staging system for NSCLC as an alternative to diameter- based T staging and to conduct comparative survival analyses between these methods.We retrospectively analyzed data from patients who underwent surgery for pT1-4N0M0 primary NSCLC between January 2018 and May 2022. Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine data from patient CT scans were uploaded to 3D Slicer software for volumetric tumor measurement. Using the paired samples t-test or the Wilcoxon test, we compared the expected tumor volumes, calculated by tumor diameter, with the actual volumes measured by 3D Slicer. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was employed to determine the cut-off value for tumor volume. Kaplan-Meier analysis was utilized to assess overall survival, while the log-rank method was applied to compare survival differences between groups. The significance of changes in T stage was evaluated using the marginal homogeneity test.The study included 136 patients. Significant differences were observed between expected and actual tumor volumes (p=0.01), and associated changes in T stage were also significant (p=0.04). The survival analysis performed using tumor volume (p=0.009) yielded superior results compared to that based on diameter (p=0.04) in paients with early tumor stage.T-factor staging based on tumor volume could represent an alternative staging method for NSCLC.
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Gazi University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Recommendation for Clinical T Staging in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Volumetric Measurement: A Retrospective Study from Turkey.

Laboratoire d'Hématologie, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
Laboratoire d'Hématologie, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.CNRS UPR3572, Immunologie, Immunopathologie & Chimie Thérapeutique (I2CT), Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Strasbourg, France.
International journal of laboratory hematology
Mitigating Lipemia Interference in Anti-Xa Activity Measurement Through High-Speed Centrifugation.

This research aimed to investigate potential factors associated with the risk of perforation of the labial bone plate, nasal floor, or maxillary sinus floor during immediate implant placement (IIP) in the maxillary premolar area, utilizing a cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) virtual study.CBCT exams from 179 eligible participants, encompassing 716 teeth, were included. Implants were virtually positioned in 2 orientations: along the long axis of the tooth (the prosthetically-driven position) and in an optimal position relative to adjacent anatomical structures (the bone-driven position). Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to assess potential associations between perforation or invasion and various covariates, including sex, age, tooth region, the distance from the tooth apex to the nasal floor or maxillary sinus floor, the angle between the prosthetically- and bone-driven positions (implant-line A angle [ILAA]), and the labial concavity angle (LCA).The mean ILAA was 18.3°±8.0°, and the angle was significantly larger for the second premolar compared to the first premolar. The mean minimum implant length was 13.0±2.1 mm, with a bone anchorage of 4 mm. The incidence of perforation was 84.1% for the prosthetically-driven position and 40.5% for the bone-driven position. Factors associated with a higher risk of cortical bone wall perforation or invasion of the 2-mm safety margin from surrounding anatomical structures (in the bone-driven position) included female sex, older age, shorter distance from the tooth apex to the nasal cavity/maxillary sinus, and smaller LCA.A high prevalence of cortical bone wall perforation or invasion of the 2-mm safety margin is anticipated when performing IIP in the maxillary premolar region.
Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden.
Slice Diagnóstico Volumétrico por Imagem, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Oral Medicine, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden. bruno.chrcanovic@mau.se.
J Periodontal Implant Sci. 2025-02;55(1):72-84.
Immediate implant placement in the premolar maxillary area: a cone-beam computed tomography study.

Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan.
Digestive endoscopy : official journal of the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society
Endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage using a novel sphincterotome.

The purpose of this study was to compare the bone healing potential of 1-, 2-, and 3-wall defects following alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) treatment, as well as to evaluate the efficacy of ARP as a treatment option for destructive sites.Three groups, characterized by 1-, 2-, and 3-wall defects, were randomly assigned to the maxillary second, third, and fourth premolars in each of 8 beagle dogs. Each defect was created at either the mesial or distal root site of the tooth, which was hemi-sectioned and extracted. The contralateral root was preserved to superimpose with the experimental site for histomorphometric analysis. For each site, either spontaneous healing (SH; control) or ARP (test intervention) was randomly applied. Each group was divided in half and underwent a healing period of either 4 or 12 weeks. The Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for histomorphometric analyses. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05.Qualitative analysis revealed a higher percentage of new bone in the apical area compared to the coronal area, regardless of defect type and healing period. In quantitative analysis, the 3-wall defect exhibited a significantly higher percentage of mineralization in the ARP group after 12 weeks of healing (ARP: 61.73%±7.52%; SH: 48.84%±3.06%; P=0.029). An increased percentage of mineralization was observed with a greater number of remaining bony walls, although this finding did not reach statistical significance.Within the limitations of this study, ARP treatment for compromised sockets appears to yield a higher percentage of mineralization compared to SH. Although the effectiveness of the remaining bony walls was limited, their presence appeared to improve the percentage of mineralization in ARP treatment.
Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.National Dental Care Center for Persons with Special Needs, Seoul National University Dental Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea. ymlee@snu.ac.kr.
Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.One-Stop Specialty Center, Seoul National University Dental Hospital, Seoul, Korea. houy1980@snu.ac.kr.
J Periodontal Implant Sci. 2025-02;55(1):35-49.
Does defect configuration affect the outcomes of alveolar ridge preservation? An experimental in vivo study.

The advent of genome-wide sequencing and large-scale genetic epidemiological studies has led to numerous opportunities for the application of genetics in clinical medicine. Leveraging this information toward the formation of clinically useful tools has been an ongoing research goal in this area. A genetic risk score (GRS) is a measure that attempts to estimate the cumulative contribution of established genetic risk factors toward an outcome of interest, taking into account the cumulative risk that each of these individual genetic risk factors conveys. The purpose of this perspective is to provide a systematic framework to evaluate a GRS for clinical application.Since the initial polygenic risk score methodology in 2007, there has been increasing GRS application across the medical literature. In rheumatology, this has included application to rheumatoid arthritis, gout, spondyloarthritis, lupus, and inflammatory arthritis.GRSs are particularly relevant to rheumatology, where common diseases have many complex genetic factors contributing to risk. Despite this, there is no widely accepted method for the critical application of a GRS, which can be a particular challenge for the clinical rheumatologist seeking to clinically apply GRSs. This review provides a framework by which the clinician may systematically evaluate a GRS.As genotyping becomes more accessible and cost-effective, it will become increasingly important to recognize the clinical applicability of GRSs and identify those of the highest utility for patient care. This framework for the evaluation of a GRS will also help ensure reliability among GRS research in rheumatology, thereby helping to advance the field.
From the University of Nebraska Medical Center and VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Omaha, NE.
University of Pennsylvania and Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA.
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
Journal of clinical rheumatology : practical reports on rheumatic & musculoskeletal diseases
Genetic Risk Scores for the Clinical Rheumatologist.

It is generally believed that Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) colonization is primarily responsible for systemic infection in humans. However, there is no consensus on whether decolonization should be recommended in clinical practice. In China, the specific situation of CRE colonization and consequent systemic infection in hospitalized patients necessitates further exploration. We conducted a cohort study and analyzed various clinical characteristics of inpatients with intestinal CRE colonization. A risk prediction model for consequent CRE infection was established and externally validated. Our prediction model is freely available online at https://creinfection.shinyapps.io/dynnomapp/ . 839 intestinal CRE colonization samples from inpatients were included. 317 cases of intestinal CRE colonization were enrolled, 25.9% of whom developed systemic infections. The consequent CRE infection rates of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli were 27.0% and 32.3%. The departments at high risk for subsequent CRE infection were respiratory medicine, hematology, and intensive care unit. Secondary infection after intestinal CRE colonization in inpatients can significantly prolong the length of hospital stay (26 days vs. 33 days, P < 0.001), increase the total medical cost (144735.34￥ vs. 281852.34￥, P < 0.001), and has poor (85.11% vs. 52.44%, P < 0.001) efficacy and high mortality (5.96% vs. 18.29%, P = 0.001). Our study makes a significant contribution to comprehensively specify CRE infection, because these results can facilitate early identification of high-risk hospitalized patients, timely implementation to decolonize treatment interventions, ultimately achieve the goal of CRE nosocomial infection prevention and control.
Department of Infection Control Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.Super drug-resistant Organism Infection Prevention and Control Research Center, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (Xiangya Hospital), Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
Changsha Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (Xiangya Hospital), Changsha, Hunan Province, China.Department of Critical Care Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (Xiangya Hospital), Changsha, Hunan Province, China.Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (Xiangya Hospital), Changsha, Hunan Province, China.Department of Hematology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (Xiangya Hospital), Changsha, Hunan Province, China.Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
Department of Infection Control Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China. xywuanhua@csu.edu.cn.Super drug-resistant Organism Infection Prevention and Control Research Center, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan Province, China. xywuanhua@csu.edu.cn.National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (Xiangya Hospital), Changsha, Hunan Province, China. xywuanhua@csu.edu.cn.
Department of Infection Control Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China. lichunhui@csu.edu.cn.Super drug-resistant Organism Infection Prevention and Control Research Center, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan Province, China. lichunhui@csu.edu.cn.National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (Xiangya Hospital), Changsha, Hunan Province, China. lichunhui@csu.edu.cn.
Correlation between intestinal CRE colonization and consequent systemic infection in hospitalized patients in China.

Individual differences in reward functioning have been associated with numerous disorders in adolescence. Given relations with multiple forms of psychopathology, it is unclear whether these associations are disorder specific or reflective of shared variance across multiple disorders. In a sample of adolescents (N = 418), we examined associations between neural and self-reported indices of early reward functioning (age 12) with different levels of a hierarchical psychopathology model assessed later in adolescence (age 18). We examined whether prospective relationships between reward functioning are specific to individual disorders or better explained by transdiagnostic dimensions. We found modest results for prospective associations between reward indices and different dimensions of psychopathology, with most significant associations not surviving correction for multiple comparisons. We discuss the benefits and limitations of the modeling approach used to examine dimension-specific associations that future work can build on. Overall, more work is needed to better understand how reward functioning is specifically associated with different forms of and hierarchical levels of psychopathology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University.
Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University.
Journal of psychopathology and clinical science
Prospective associations between early adolescent reward functioning and later dimensions of psychopathology.

As clinical psychological science and biological psychiatry push to assess, model, and integrate heterogeneity and individual differences, approaches leveraging computational modeling, translational methods, and dimensional approaches to psychopathology are increasingly useful in establishing brain-behavior relationships. The field is ultimately interested in complex human behavior, and disruptions in such behaviors can arise through many different pathways, leading to heterogeneity in etiology for seemingly similar presentations. Parsing this complexity may be enhanced using simple tasks-which we define as those assaying elemental processes that are the building blocks to complexity. Using eyeblink conditioning as one illustrative example, we propose that simple tasks assessing elemental processes can be leveraged by and enhance computational psychiatry and dimensional approaches in service of understanding heterogeneity in psychiatry, especially when these tasks meet three principles: (a) an extensively mapped circuit, (b) clear brain-behavior relationships, and (c) relevance to understanding etiological processes and/or treatment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington.
Department of Psychological Science, Washington University in St. Louis.
Three principles for the utility of simple tasks that assess elemental processes in parsing heterogeneity.

Department of Pediatrics, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Jinju, Korea.Department of Pediatrics, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, Korea.Institute of Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea.
Zinc as a treatment modality for acute infectious diarrhea in children.

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
Peroral digital cholangioscopy-assisted removal of a migrated biliary plastic stent using a novel small dilating balloon.

Mutational signature analysis gained significant attention for providing critical insights into the underlying mutational processes for various DNA single base substitution (SBS) signatures and their associations with different cancer types. Recently, RNA single base substitution (RNA-SBS) signatures were defined and described by decomposing RNA variants found in non-small cell lung cancer. Through statistical association, they attributed Apolipoprotein B mRNA Editing Enzyme, Catalytic Polypeptide 3A (APOBEC3A) mutagenesis to the RNA-SBS2 signature. Here, we provide the first validation of an RNA-SBS mutational signature by decomposing novel exogenous and endogenous APOBEC3A RNA editing signatures into COSMICv3.4 RNA-SBS reference signatures. Additionally, we have identified novel RNA-SBS signatures for APOBEC1, APOBEC3B, and APOBEC3G.
Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Molecular and Computational Biology, Departments of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Department of Bioengineering and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
Molecular and Computational Biology, Departments of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Genetic, Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, Keck School of Medicine, USA; Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, USA; Center of Excellence in NanoBiophysics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA. Electronic address: xiaojiac@usc.edu.
Validation of the APOBEC3A-Mediated RNA Single Base Substitution Signature and Proposal of Novel APOBEC1, APOBEC3B, and APOBEC3G RNA Signatures.

Model-based Bayesian approaches have been widely applied in Electrocardiogram (ECG) signal processing, where their performances heavily rely on the accurate selection of model parameters, particularly the state and measurement noise covariance matrices. In this study, we introduce an adaptive augmented cubature Kalman filter/smoother (CKF/CKS) for ECG processing, which updates the noise covariance matrices at each time step to accommodate diverse noise types and input signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). Additionally, we incorporate the dynamic time warping technique to enhance the filter's efficiency in the presence of heart rate variability. Furthermore, we propose a method to significantly reduce the computational complexity required for CKF/CKS implementation in ECG processing. The denoising performance of the proposed filter was compared to those of various nonlinear Kalman-based frameworks involving the Extended Kalman filter/smoother (EKF/EKS), the unscented Kalman filter/smoother (UKF/UKS), and the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) that was recently proposed for ECG enhancement. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive evaluation and comparison of the performance of various nonlinear Kalman-based frameworks for ECG signal processing, which have been proposed in recent years. Our assessment was carried out on multiple normal ECG segments extracted from different entries in the MIT-BIH Normal Sinus Rhythm Database (NSRDB). This database provides a diverse set of ECG recordings, allowing us to examine the filters' denoising capabilities across various scenarios. By comparing the performance of these filters on the same dataset, we aimed to provide a thorough analysis and identification of the most effective approach for ECG denoising. Two kinds of noises were introduced to such segments: 1-stationary white Gaussian noise and 2-non-stationary real muscle artifact noise. For evaluation, four comparable measures namely the SNR improvement, PRD, correlation coefficient and MSEWPRD were employed. The findings demonstrated that the suggested algorithm outperforms the EKF/EKS, EnKF/EnKS, UKF/UKS methods in both stationary and nonstationary environments regarding SNR improvement, PRD, correlation coefficient and MSEWPRD metrics.
© Korean Society of Medical and Biological Engineering 2024. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran.
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Advanced Technologies, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
Adaptive augmented cubature Kalman filter/smoother for ECG denoising.

Distinct androgen formulations have been used as gender-affirming hormone treatment, but little is known about the specific changes that may occur in the ovary depending on the testosterone preparation used. The study aims to evaluate the histological modifications of the ovarian tissue and the hormonal changes after gender-affirming surgery based on the testosterone preparation employed, such as testosterone cypionate or undecanoate.Unicenter transversal cohort study.Sixty transmasculine persons before and after gender-affirming surgery. A histological examination of the ovaries was conducted, including the follicular population and the characterization of the ovarian stroma. Hormonal status (testosterone, estradiol, FSH, and LH) were also assessed before and after the procedure.The median age of participants was similar between the two groups (27.9 vs. 26.7 years, p = 0.27). There were no differences in all hormonal determinations before gender-affirming surgery between the groups. After surgery, FSH levels increased significantly, especially in the testosterone undecanoate group compared to the cypionate group (72.3 vs. 38.3 U/L, p = 0.02), consistent with LH determinations (43.0 vs. 23.4 U/L, p = 0.02). However, no regimen modification was required for any individual. No statistical differences were observed in any parameter concerning the follicular population, nor were there any variances in the thickness of the tunica albuginea (p = 0.85) or the proportion of luteinized stromal cells. Nevertheless, there was a tendency toward increased luteinization in the testosterone cypionate group (88.2% vs. 76.9%, p > 0.05).In a cohort of transmasculine individuals using different androgen preparations, histological analysis of ovarian tissue revealed comparable findings. Both groups exhibited similar follicular populations and comparable modifications in stromal tissue. However, significant differences were observed in hormonal profiles, although no modification in testosterone dosage was needed.
Copyright © 2024 Borrás, Barral, Fabregues, Casals, Mora, Orois, Méndez, Saco, Goday and Manau.
Clinical Institute of Gynecology, Obstetrics, and Neonatology, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain.Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Gynecology, Human Reproduction and Women's Health Group, Barcelona, Spain.
Clinical Institute of Gynecology, Obstetrics, and Neonatology, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain.
Endocrinology and Nutrition Department, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red. Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Barcelona, Spain.
Deparment of Pathology, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024;15():1458846.
Histological ovarian features and hormonal determinations in assigned females at birth transgender individuals according to different testosterone preparations.

Department of Haematology, Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow, UK.
Centre for Haematology, Department of Immunology and Inflammation, St. Mary's Hospital Campus of Imperial College London School of Medicine, London, UK.
Hyperparathyroidism and the Hematologist.

Epidemiological data on pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (PIBD) have been reported in Asian countries. However, short-term follow-up data, especially in Southeast Asian countries, are limited.Analyze and compare the baseline and 1-year follow-up (1FU) data for PIBD in Asian children.The multinational network included patients with PIBD (aged <19 years) in 5 Asian countries (Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand). The diagnosis of PIBD requires gastrointestinal endoscopy. The patients' demographics, clinical information, disease- related outcomes, and treatment data at 1FU were collected.In 1995-2021, 368 patients were enrolled (Crohn disease [CD], 56.8%; ulcerative colitis [UC], 38%; and inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]-unclassified, 5.2%). At 1FU, symptoms including diarrhea, bloody stools, and nausea/vomiting subsided in <3%, while abdominal pain persisted in 10.5% of patients with CD and 7.1% of patients with UC. Assessment endoscopy was performed at 1FU in 38% of CD and 31% of UC cases, of which 21% and 23% showed mucosal healing, respectively. Oral prednisolone was administered to 55.3% of patients at diagnosis and 26.8% at 1FU, while infliximab was administered to 2.5% and 7.2% of patients at diagnosis and 1FU, respectively. Independent factors of 1-year clinical remission for CD were oral prednisolone (odds ratio [OR], 0.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.06-0.68), antibiotic use (OR, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.01-0.54), and immunomodulator use (OR, 5.26; 95% CI, 1.52-18.22). A history of weight loss at diagnosis was the only independent risk factor of an IBD flare by 1FU (OR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.12-3.63).The proportion of children with PIBD and abdominal pain at 1FU remained high. The rates of repeat endoscopy and infliximab use were suboptimal with high rates of systemic corticosteroid use. Quality improvement based on the aforementioned predictors may enhance PIBD care in this geographic region or similar settings.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.Department of Pediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Department of Pediatrics, Makati Medical Center, Manila, the Philippines.
Department of Pediatrics, The Medical City, Manila, the Philippines.
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Epidemiology, Singapore Clinical Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore.
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.Dr. Wu Lien Teh Center for Research in Communicable Disease, M Kandiah Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Tunku Abdul Rahman, Selangor, Malaysia.
Outcome of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease in Asian children: a multinational 1-year follow-up study.

Individuals with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD) require lifelong glucocorticoid (GC) therapy, which increases their risk of fragility fractures. However, fractures in GC-treated individuals can occur at normal bone mineral density (BMD) levels, suggesting an alteration in the bone microarchitecture.To evaluate trabecular bone microarchitecture and its changes in adolescents with 21OHD.We enrolled 38 adolescents with 21OHD for whom complete clinical data and baseline and follow-up lumbar spine BMD (LSBMD) measurements were available. The mean duration was 1.5±0.6 years. Trabecular bone score (TBS), an indirect measurement of bone microarchitecture, was analyzed using iNsight software version 3.0. Impaired BMD and TBS were defined as z scores ≤ -1.5.At baseline, participants (55% female; 68% salt- wasting type; mean age, 15.2±3.8 years; bone age, 17.5± 2.8 years; mean GC dose, 18.5±6.5 mg/m2/day) had the prevalence of impaired BMD and TBS of 5% and 18%, respectively. During follow-up, adolescents with 21OHD receiving prednisolone showed a lower annual percentage change in TBS than those who received hydrocortisone (P=0.028). A stepwise regression analysis showed that body mass index percentile (P<0.001) and testosterone concentration (P=0.002) were independent positive predictors of the baseline TBS z score, whereas prednisolone use was the only negative predictor of the annual percentage change in TBS (P=0.002).Adolescents with 21OHD have a high prevalence of impaired bone microarchitecture. Furthermore, prednisolone therapy is associated with impaired bone microarchitecture development, suggesting that hydrocortisone may better preserve bone microarchitecture and should be considered the first-line treatment for this population.
Division of Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Prednisolone impairs trabecular bone score changes in adolescents with 21-hydroxylase deficiency.

Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (EGIDs) are emerging as significant concerns in the Korean pediatric population and transitioning from rare to more commonly diagnosed conditions. This review discusses the increasing prevalence of EGID among children and adolescents and highlights the complexities involved in its diagnosis and management. This review begins with a thorough examination of the diverse clinical presentations of EGIDs in Korean children, with a special focus on common gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and bloody stool. Additionally, we explored extraintestinal manifestations, including growth failure, malnutrition, and associated allergic comorbidities, highlighting their importance in the clinical landscape of EGIDs. Because of its subtle and overlapping symptoms with those of other gastrointestinal disorders, EGID is frequently underdiagnosed. Addressing this challenge requires maintaining a high index of suspicion and employing a comprehensive diagnostic approach to differentiating EGID from functional gastrointestinal disorders and other inflammatory or systemic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease. The optimal management of EGID requires a collaborative multidisciplinary strategy that includes dietary management, regular monitoring, and tailored medical interventions. This review emphasizes the importance of proactive patient and caregiver education and regular follow-ups to improve long-term outcomes in affected children. Enhanced awareness among healthcare providers and better educational resources for families are critical for the early identification and effective management of EGID among pediatric patients.
Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.
Practical concepts and strategies for early diagnosis and management of eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders in East-Asian children.

Despite recent behavioral interventions aimed at reducing the burden of dengue, persistent unfavorable related behaviors in the Indonesian community suggest that vaccination could be effective. However, before this is implemented nationally, public perception and acceptance of the vaccine should be assessed in addition to health providers' points of view.This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of community members and health providers in Indonesia.A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 6 districts of 3 Indonesian provinces. Respondents included both community members and health providers living within the territory of the selected primary health care centers. Pretested questionnaires were used to gather information on the sociodemographic characteristics and KAPs regarding dengue vaccines. An independent t test was performed to compare the mean KAP scores between community members and health providers, while a logistic regression analysis was used to identify the predictors in each domain.Only 18.5% of health providers possessed high knowledge of the dengue vaccine versus only 12.5% of community members. Approximately one-third of the health providers versus one-fourth of community members displayed a high to moderate score for attitudes about dengue vaccines. Dengue vaccination practices demonstrated a more favorable score for both health providers and community members at 59.1% and 41.1%, respectively. No individual sociodemographic characteristics were associated with KAPs; rather, only education was correlated with better dengue vaccination practices. We also found that good knowledge of dengue was the only factor associated with all domains.Our findings highlight the urgent need to deliver educational interventions to health providers and community members in Indonesia to improve their awareness of dengue vaccines.
Center for Child Health-PRO, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.Center for Reproductive Health, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Center for Child Health-PRO, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Center for Child Health-PRO, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.Department of Health Behavior, Environment, and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Center for Child Health-PRO, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Social and Political Science, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Center for Child Health-PRO, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Center for Child Health-PRO, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.Department of Pharmacology and Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding dengue vaccine: a baseline study of community members and health providers in Indonesia.

Department of Pediatrics, Jeonbuk National University School of Medicine, Jeonju, Korea.Research Institute of Clinical Medicine of Jeonbuk National University-Biomedical Research Institute of Jeonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju, Korea.
The predetermined future: tackling South Korea's total fertility rate crisis.

Ultrasound equipment provides real-time visualization of internal organs, essential for early disease detection and diagnosis. However, poor-quality ultrasound images can compromise diagnostic accuracy and increase the risk of misdiagnosis. Quality assessments are often subjective, relying on the evaluator's experience and interpretation, which can vary.This study introduces a two-stage deep learning framework designed to objectively assess ultrasound image quality using phantom data across three key parameters: 'Dead zone', 'Axial/lateral resolution', and 'Gray scale and dynamic range'. Stage 1 automatically extracts regions of interest for each parameter, while Stage 2 employs detection or classification models to evaluate image quality within these regions. To generate an overall equipment quality score, a logistic regression model combines the weighted results from each parameter.The classification model demonstrated high performance across datasets, achieving AUC scores of 98.6% for 'Dead zone', 87.7% for 'Axial/lateral resolution', and 96.0% for 'Gray scale and dynamic range'. Further analysis using guideline-compliant images of individual devices showed AUC scores of 98.2%, 92.8%, and 100%, respectively. These findings highlight deep learning's potential for quantitative and objective assessments of ultrasound image quality. Ultimately, this framework provides a streamlined approach to quality management, enabling consistent quality control and efficient scoring-based evaluation of ultrasound equipment.
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: ehdgnsdl9192@gmail.com.
Department of Computer Science, Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
Department of Radiology, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
Department of Radiology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University School of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea; College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hglee@inha.ac.kr.
International journal of medical informatics
Deep learning-driven ultrasound equipment quality assessment with ATS-539 phantom data.

Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Town Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Dutcher bodies and Russell bodies in a case of t(11;14) multiple myeloma.

There has been debate in the literature regarding the adoption of a radial-first approach for mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Conflicting reports suggest that transradial access (TRA) may allow for shorter times to reperfusion while others conclude that long-term functional outcomes may favor transfemoral access (TFA). Here, we report a single-institution experience with the adoption of TRA as the primary route for acute stroke intervention.We retrospectively reviewed a single-institution database of patients undergoing MT for AIS from March 2020 to April 2023. This time period was selected to capture the change in clinical practice at our institution from TFA to TRA. Primary and secondary outcomes included technical success, procedural complications, and long-term functional outcomes. Patients were stratified into two cohorts from initial access. Cohorts were compared utilizing inferential statistics.A total of 192 consecutive cases were identified, with 80 in the TFA cohort and 112 in the TRA cohort. There was no difference in outcomes with respect to time from puncture to recanalization, rates of successful recanalization (TICI ≥ 2b), number of passes, rates of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), modified Rankin scale (mRS) at discharge and 90 days, and 90-day mortality (p ≥ 0.05, all). The TRA had a higher rate of access conversion (p < 0.001), while the TFA cohort had a higher rate of access site complications (p < 0.05).
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Transradial versus transfemoral access for mechanical thrombectomy: A single institution experience.

Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, G Sam Hospital, Gunpo, Korea.
Deparment of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Myeong-Ji Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Deparment of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Cha Bundang Medical Center, Seongnam, Korea.
Deparment of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Yonsei University Medical College, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea.
Historical Perspectives of the Korean Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery: Sung Nok Hong (1927-2017) Who Performed the First Coronary Artery Bypass Graft in Korea.

The Second Affiliated Hospital & Yuying Children' Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Department of Ophthalmology, Wenzhou, 325000, China.
New York University, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York, 10012, USA.
The Second Affiliated Hospital & Yuying Children' Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Department of Ophthalmology, Wenzhou, 325000, China. 894425084@qq.com.
Can we better understand strabismus research?

Headache is a pain disorder present in populations world-wide with a higher incidence in females. Specifically, the incidences of medication overuse headache (MOH) have increased worldwide. Comorbidities of MOH include photosensitivity, anxiety, brain fog , and decreased physical activity. The FDA-approved long-lasting selective β2-adrenergic receptor agonist, formoterol, is currently approved for use in severe asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Recently, interest in repurposing formoterol for use in other disorders including Alzheimer's disease, and neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury has gained traction. Thus, revisiting known side-effects of formoterol, like headache and anxiety, could inform treatment paradigms. The endocannabinoid (eCB) system is implicated in the etiology of preclinical headache, with observed decreases in the circulating levels of endogenous cannabinoids, referred to as Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency. As cross-talk between the eCB system and adrenergic receptors has been reported, this study investigated the role of the eCB system and ability of formoterol to induce headache-like periorbital allodynic behavior.Female 8-week-old C57Bl/6J mice were treated daily with formoterol (0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) for up to 42-days, during which they were assessed for periorbital allodynia, open field/novel object recognition, and photosensitivity. At the end of the study, the periaqueductal grey (PAG), a brain region known to contribute to both headache induction and maintenance, was collected and subjected to LC-MS to quantify endocannabinoid levels.Mice exhibited periorbital allodynia at nearly all time points tested and photosensitivity from 28-days onward. Levels of endocannabinoids, anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), along with cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) expression were altered by both age and upon treatment with formoterol. Administration of FAAH/MAGL inhibitors, to target the eCB system, and a non-selective cannabinoid receptor agonist, WIN 55,212 reversed the formoterol-induced periorbital allodynia.These results suggest that formoterol is dysregulates eCB tone to drive headache-like periorbital allodynic behaviors. These results could help inform preventative treatment options for individuals receiving formoterol, as well as provide information on the interaction between the eCB and adrenergic system.
Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, Tucson, AZ, United States.
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, Tucson, AZ, United States.Southwest Environmental Health Science Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.Center for Innovation in Brain Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.
Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States. tlargent@arizona.edu.
Formoterol dynamically alters endocannabinoid tone in the periaqueductal gray inducing headache.

Protein translation is essential for some forms of synaptic plasticity. Here we used fluorescent noncanonical amino acid tagging (FUNCAT) to examine whether dopamine modulates protein translation in cultured nucleus accumbens (NAc) medium spiny neurons (MSN). These neurons were co-cultured with cortical neurons to restore excitatory synapses. We measured translation in MSNs under basal conditions and after disinhibiting excitatory transmission using the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline (2 h). Under basal conditions, translation was not altered by the D1-class receptor (D1R) agonist SKF81297 or the D2-class receptor (D2R) agonist quinpirole. Bicuculline alone robustly increased translation. This was reversed by quinpirole but not SKF81297. It was also reversed by co-incubation with the D1R antagonist SCH23390, but not the D2R antagonist eticlopride, suggesting dopaminergic tone at D1Rs. This was surprising because no dopamine neurons are present. An alternative explanation is that bicuculline activates translation by increasing glutamate tone at NMDA receptors (NMDAR) within D1R/NMDAR heteromers. Supporting this, immunocytochemistry and proximity ligation assays revealed D1R/NMDAR heteromers on NAc cells both in vitro and in vivo, confirming previous results. Furthermore, bicuculline's effect was reversed to the same extent by SCH23390 alone, the NMDAR antagonist APV alone, or SCH23390 + APV. These results suggest that: (1) excitatory transmission stimulates translation in NAc MSNs, (2) this is opposed when glutamate activates D1R/NMDAR heteromers, even in the absence of dopamine, and (3) antagonist occupation of D1Rs within the heteromers prevents their activation. Our study is the first to suggest a role for D2 receptors and D1R/NMDAR heteromers in regulating protein translation.
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, North Central College, 30 N. Brainard St., Naperville, IL, 60540, USA.
Department of Neuroscience, The Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA.Present Address: UCLA Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoids, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, Los Angeles, CA, 90025, USA.
Department of Neuroscience, The Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA.Present Address: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97212, USA.
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, North Central College, 30 N. Brainard St., Naperville, IL, 60540, USA. mtstefanik@noctrl.edu.Department of Neuroscience, The Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA. mtstefanik@noctrl.edu.
Dopamine D1 and NMDA Receptor Co-Regulation of Protein Translation in Cultured Nucleus Accumbens Neurons.

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles secreted by cells that contain microRNAs (miRNAs). These miRNAs can induce changes in gene expression and function of recipient cells. In different cells exosome content can change with age and physiological state affecting tissues function and health.Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize the miRNA content and role of exosomes from cyclic female mice in the modulation of liver transcriptome in estropausal mice.Two-month-old female mice were induced to estropause using 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD). At six months of age VCD-treated mice were divided in control group (VCD) and exosome treated group (VCD+EXO), which received 10 injections at 3-day intervals of exosomes extracted from serum of cyclic female mice (CTL).Exosome injection in estropausal mice had no effect on body mass, insulin sensitivity or organ weight. We observed ten miRNAs differentially regulated in serum exosomes of VCD compared to CTL mice. In the liver we observed 931 genes differentially expressed in VCD+EXO compared to VCD mice. Interestingly, eight pathways were up-regulated in liver by VCD treatment and down-regulated by exosome treatment, indicating that exosomes from cyclic mice can reverse changes promoted by estropause in liver. Cyp4a12a expression which is male-specific was increased in VCD females and not reversed by exosome treatment.Our findings indicate that miRNAs content in exosomes is regulated by estropause in mice independent of age. Additionally, treatment of estropausal mice with exosomes from cyclic mice can partially reverse changes in liver transcriptome.
Faculdade de Nutrição, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas - RS, Brazil.
College of Medicine, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA.
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos, Universidade Federal de Pelotas -RS, Brasil.
Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas - RS, Brasil.
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical and Life Sciences, Center for Integrated BioSystems, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA.
University of Central Florida, College of Medicine, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, Orlando, Florida, USA.Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
EXOSOMES FROM CYCLIC MICE MODULATE LIVER TRANSCRIPTOME IN ESTROUPAUSE MICE INDEPENDENT OF AGE.

Correction to: Inhibition of YAP/TAZ-driven TEAD activity prevents growth of NF2-null schwannoma and meningioma.

Department of Gastroenterology, Saga Medical Centre Koseikan, Saga, Japan.
Usefulness of the right lateral decubitus push method in endoscopic submucosal dissection for upper gastric lesions.

To develop a clinical imaging method for monitoring macrophage migration to the defect site after implantation of various stem cells and evaluating immune responses in the context of knee arthritis, T2 mapping was correlated with CD68-positive cell densities in defects and the bone marrow. This study, which was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, used 32 New Zealand white rabbits preloaded with ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (USPIOs). They were divided into groups that received different stem cell implants after osteochondral defect induction. T2 imaging was performed using a 3.0 T MR scanner, and the data were analysed via one-way ANOVA, with CD68 expression assessed via immunohistochemistry. After implantation, the T2 signal intensity increased across groups, with subgroup D1 (implantation of rat bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs)) showing the lowest T2 value early and the steepest increase in T2 values. Notable differences in CD68-positive cell density were found between Subgroup D1 and the other groups and between Subgroups A1 and C1 post-surgery. A moderate negative correlation was observed between T2 signals and CD68-positive cell density in defects (r = -0.468, p = 0.001), whereas a weak correlation was detected in the bone marrow (r = 0.096, p = 0.313). A significant link was identified between CD68-positive cell density in the bone marrow and in defects (r = -0.255, p = 0.001). This study revealed significant differences in immune responses to stem cells from different origin tissues in the context of cartilage repair. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) were found to be more likely to provoke immune rejection than were BMSCs in the repair of femoral condyle cartilage defects. Compared with allogeneic transplants, xenogeneic mesenchymal stem cell transplants were associated with prolonged immune rejection. T2 mapping technology was effective in predicting the density of CD68-positive cells, providing a valuable tool for immune monitoring in stem cell therapy.
Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116000, Liaoning, China.College of Medical Imaging, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China.
College of Medical Imaging, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China.
Department of Radiology, Taiyuan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China.
Clinical and Basic Medical College, Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250000, Shandong, China.
Department of Rheumatology and immunology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China.
Department of Rheumatology and immunology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China. Zhenjunping2016@163.com.Department of Magnetic Resonance, Faculty of Medicine, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China. Zhenjunping2016@163.com.
Macrophage tracking with USPIO imaging and T2 mapping predicts immune rejection of transplanted stem cells.

Department of Ophthalmology, Ninewells Hospital, NHS Tayside, James Arrott Dr, Dundee, DD2 1SG, UK. john.ellis4@nhs.scot.
Department of Ophthalmology, Ninewells Hospital, NHS Tayside, James Arrott Dr, Dundee, DD2 1SG, UK.Infection & Global Health Division, School of Medicine Medical and Biological Sciences Building, North Haugh, St Andrews, KY16 9TF, UK.
Department of Ophthalmology, Ninewells Hospital, NHS Tayside, James Arrott Dr, Dundee, DD2 1SG, UK.
Cataract surgery: a public health crisis with your name on it.

Départment de Phytologie, Faculté des Sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada G1V 0A6.Centre de Recherche et d'innovation sur les Végétaux (CRIV), Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada G1V 0A6.Institute de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada G1V 0A6.L'Institute EDS, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada G1V 0A6.
Resistance gene enrichment sequencing refines the Brassica napus NLRome.

The pRESET stent retriever is a self-expanding nitinol stent designed for mechanical thrombectomy in cases of large vessel occlusion during acute ischemic stroke. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesize the available evidence on the safety and efficacy of the pRESET device.This is a systematic review and meta-analysis study conducted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The electronic databases of PubMed, Embase, WoS, and Scopus were systematically reviewed from inception to 8 July 2024.A total of eight studies involving 1163 patients were included. The pooled mortality rate was 18% with a 95% CI of [12%, 25%]. The rates of any hemorrhagic complication, parenchymal hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage were 22% with a 95% CI of [12%, 36%], 7% with a 95% CI of [4%, 13%], and 10% with a 95% CI of [5%, 17%], respectively. The rate of favorable functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale 0-2) at 90 days was 43% with a 95% CI of [34%, 52%]. Successful recanalization rates were 60% with a 95% CI of [52%, 67%] after the first pass and 90% with a 95% CI of [83%, 95%] after the final pass. Rescue devices were used in 13% with a 95% CI of [7%, 24%] of cases.The pRESET stent retriever demonstrates high recanalization rates and reasonable safety outcomes in patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion. Further randomized trials directly comparing pRESET to other stent retrievers are warranted.
Department of Neurosurgery, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Science, Mashhad, Iran.
The safety and efficacy of pRESET stent retriever for treatment of thrombo-embolic stroke; a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Opioid-use disorder (OUD) during pregnancy has increased in the United States to critical levels and is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. Untreated OUD is associated with pregnancy complications in particular, preterm birth. Medications for OUD, such as buprenorphine, are recommended with the added benefit that treatment during pregnancy increases treatment post-partum. However, the rate of preterm birth in individuals using illicit opioids or being treated with opioid agonist therapeutics is double that of the general population. Since inflammation in the placenta and the associated fetal membranes (FM) is a common underlying cause of preterm birth, we sought to determine if the opioid, buprenorphine, induces sterile inflammation in human FMs and to examine the mechanisms involved. Using an established in vitro human FM explant system, we report that buprenorphine significantly increased FM secretion of the inflammatory cytokine IL-6; the neutrophilic chemokine IL-8; and the inflammasome-mediated cytokine IL-1β, mirroring the inflammatory profile commonly seen at the maternal-fetal interface in preterm birth. Other factors that were elevated in FMs exposed to buprenorphine included the mediators of membrane weakening, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and matrix metalloproteinases, MMP1 and MMP9. Furthermore, this sterile inflammatory and weakening FM response induced by buprenorphine was mediated in part by innate immune Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), the NLRP3 inflammasome, the μ-opioid receptor, and downstream NFκB and ERK/JNK/MAPK signaling. This may provide the mechanistic link between opioid use in pregnancy and the elevated risk for preterm birth. Since there are adverse consequences of not treating OUD, our findings may help identify ways to mitigate the impact opioids have on pregnancy outcomes while allowing the continuation of maintenance therapy.
Buprenorphine Induces Human Fetal Membrane Sterile Inflammation.

Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Medicine, Western University, London, ON, Canada. Electronic address: mchandy2@uwo.ca.
Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. Electronic address: joewu@stanford.edu.
Journal of molecular and cellular cardiology
Transcriptomic analysis of nicotine on the cardiovascular system using a diverse population of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived endothelial cells.

The increasing prevalence of pediatric obesity has emerged as a significant public health concern. Among various contributing factors, exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has gained recognition for its potential role. EDCs, including bisphenols, phthalates, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and organochlorines, disrupt hormonal regulation and metabolic processes, contributing to alterations in fat storage, appetite regulation, and insulin sensitivity. This study offers a comprehensive review of the current research linking EDC exposure to pediatric obesity by integrating the findings from experimental and epidemiological studies. It also addresses the complexities of interpreting this evidence in the context of public health, highlighting the urgent need for further research.
Department of Pediatrics, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Hidden link between endocrine-disrupting chemicals and pediatric obesity.

Citrin deficiency is a rare metabolic disorder prevalent in East and Southeast Asia that affects liver or neurological function throughout various life stages. While early diagnosis and dietary management can improve prognosis for infant onset disease, data on long-term neurocognitive outcomes is scarce.This study aimed to clarify whether transient metabolic disturbances during early childhood have a lasting effect on the neurocognitive function of individuals with citrin deficiency.Thirty patients diagnosed with citrin deficiency prior to 1 year of age underwent neuropsychological assessments including attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) and intelligence quotient (IQ). We compared the peak laboratory values during infancy between children who were versus were not later diagnosed with ADHD.Neurocognitive assessments of 30 individuals with citrin deficiency aged 3-25 years revealed that full-scale IQ scores were normally distributed. Of this cohort, 47% (14 of 30) were diagnosed with ADHD: 6, 6, and 2 with the combined, inattentive, and hyperactive-impulsive types, respectively. This prevalence was higher than that in the general population (1.7%-16%). Moreover, a one-unit increase in ammonia levels before 1 year of age was associated with a 1.023-fold increase in the likelihood of future hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms (P=0.038; 95%confidence interval, 1.001-1.046). Despite these findings, this long-term follow-up of individuals with citrin deficiency indicated that it had minimal impact on neurocognitive function, allowing for a generally normal life.Patients with a history of cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency during infancy have a greater incidence of ADHD than the general population, suggesting that metabolic disturbances during early childhood in individuals with citrin deficiency may have a long-term negative impact on their neurocognitive function.
Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital Yunlin Branch, Yunlin, Taiwan.
Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Graduate Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Department of Medical Genetics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.Department of Medical Genetics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.Department of Medical Education and Bioethics, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
Long-term follow-up of neurocognitive function in patients with citrin deficiency and cholestasis.

The progress of cardiac hypertrophy is modulated by JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Cardiac glucose metabolism derangement exacerbates the progression of cardiac hypertrophy. Oxytocin (OT) has emerged as a significant hormone involved in cardiovascular homeostasis, especially in protecting against cardiac hypertrophy. The present study aims to explore whether the anti-hypertrophy effect of oxytocin is related to the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway and cardiac glucose metablism.Cardiac hypertrophy model was induced by angiotensin II (Ang II) in H9c2 cells and in mice with or without oxytocin treatment. Changes in cardiac histopathology were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Masson staining, and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) staining. The hypertrophy-related genes and JAK2/STAT3 pathway signaling molecules were analyzed by qRT-PCR and western blotting. The levels of glucose, pyruvic acid, lactic acid, and lactate dehydrogenase activity in H9c2 cells using the corresponding assay kits.The results showed that OT inhibited hypertrophic and fibrotic changes. Furthermore, OT increased intracellular levels of glucose and pyruvic acid, and decreased lactate dehydrogenase activity and lactic acid levels. Mechanistically, Ang II decreased oxytocin receptors (OXTR) expression and facilitated JAK2 and STAT3 phosphorylation. OT treatment increased OXTR expression and blocked JAK2 and STAT3 phosphorylation The OXTR-specific siRNA-mediated depleted expression could abrogate OT-induced anti-hypertrophic effects in H9c2 cells following angiotensin II insult. However, the JAK2/STAT3 inhibitor AG490 rescued the protective effects of OT against cardiac hypertrophy under OXTR downregulation.OT exerts its protective effects against cardiac hypertrophy by improving cardiac glucose metabolism and regulating OXTR/JAK2/STAT3 axis.
Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China. Electronic address: 664581041@qq.com.
Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China. Electronic address: qianjinqiao@126.com.
Oxytocin attenuates cardiac hypertrophy by improving cardiac glucose metabolism and regulating OXTR/JAK2/STAT3 axis.

Dow Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan. malihaadilkhan62@gmail.com.
Advancing keratoconus treatment: the impact of bioengineered porcine constructs on corneal reshaping and visual acuity.

L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India. dr.rashmi9@gmail.com.
Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.Vision Eye Institute, Melbourne, Australia.University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
Intraocular endothelial Keratogel Device for protection corneal endothelium during phacoemulsification cataract surgery.

Background To avoid screw penetration into the joint when using the polyaxial volar locking plate (VLP) for osteosynthesis of distal radius fractures, it is important to note that the optimal screw insertion angles depending on the plate positions. Purpose The purpose of this study was 2-fold: first, to evaluate the differences of the most distal plate position where the screw does not penetrate into the joint in the three-dimensional (3D) radius models; second, to evaluate the relationship between the plate position and the transverse diameter of the distal radius. Patients and Methods Thirty plain X-rays and computed tomography (CT) scans of healthy wrists were evaluated. The transverse diameter was measured on plain X-rays. 3D radius models were reconstructed from CT data. A 3D image of polyaxial VLP was used to investigate the most distal plate position at three different screw insertion angles. The linear distance between the volar articular edge and the plate edge was measured and compared among different screw insertion angles. The correlations between the plate positions and the transverse diameter were also evaluated. In addition, the relationship between the most distal screw place and articular surface was confirmed with one case of distal radius fracture. Results The optimal positions relative to the neutral were 2.7 mm proximal in the distal swing and 1.9 mm distal in the proximal swing. The linear distance was significantly correlated with the transverse diameter in each group. It was confirmed that the relationship between the most distal screw place and articular surface was applicable in the actual case. Conclusion The results showed that the most distal position of the polyaxial VLP differed depending on the screw insertion angle and became more proximal as the transverse diameter increased. These results may be useful as a reference for preoperative planning. Levels of Evidence III.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tsukuba Medical Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Ibaraki Medical Center, Inashiki, Ibaraki, Japan.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kikkoman General Hospital, Noda, Chiba, Japan.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Ibaraki Medical Center, Inashiki, Ibaraki, Japan.
Three-Dimensional Analysis of Polyaxial Volar Locking Plate Position for Distal Radius Fracture.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 110029, India. parijatchandra@gmail.com.
Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 110029, India.
Novel ultrasound-based classification of retinal funnel patterns in stage 5 retinopathy of prematurity.

University of Sheffield Medical School, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK.
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, Stoke-on-Trent, North Staffordshire, UK.School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Keele University, Newcastle, North Staffordshire, UK.
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK. Sarita.Jacob@uhb.nhs.uk.Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. Sarita.Jacob@uhb.nhs.uk.College of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK. Sarita.Jacob@uhb.nhs.uk.Birmingham, Solihull and Black Country Diabetic Eye Screening Programme, Birmingham, UK. Sarita.Jacob@uhb.nhs.uk.
PCSK9 levels and diabetic retinopathy: opportunities for a potential target and novel therapeutic approach in conjunction with treating dyslipidaemia.

Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Diffuse PRAME Expression in Transdifferentiated Melanomas.

University of Sheffield Medical School, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
Department of Diabetes & Endocrinology, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, Stoke-on-Trent, UK. Sushuma.Kalidindi@uhnm.nhs.uk.School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Keele University, Newcastle, North Staffordshire, UK. Sushuma.Kalidindi@uhnm.nhs.uk.
Ophthalmology focus for the undergraduate student: a generic overview and outlook on global perspectives of experiential learning at medical schools.

In many tissues, including musculoskeletal tissues such as tendon, systemic delivery typically results in poor targeting of free drugs. Hence, we previously developed a targeted drug delivery nanoparticle (NP) system for tendon healing, leveraging a tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) binding peptide (TBP) ligand. The greatest tendon targeting was observed with NPs functionalized with 30 000 TBP ligands per NP at day 7 during the proliferative healing phase, relative to the inflammatory (day 3) and early remodeling (day 14) phases of healing. Nevertheless, TRAP activity varies throughout healing and, therefore, may offer an opportunity for optimizing temporal therapeutic targeting through multivalent interactions. Hence, in this study, we hypothesized that the ligand density (9000-55,000 TBPs per NP) can optimize tendon accumulation on the basis of variable TRAP levels. The multivalent nanoparticles were loaded with three different fluorophores. In vitro, the ligand density and fluorophore had no effect on the physicochemical properties of the NPs, including size, charge, polydispersity index, or dye loading efficiency; however, the TRAP binding affinity correlated positively with the ligand density. In vivo, the ligand density correlated positively with NP homing and retention in the tendon, establishing opportunities to leverage ligand density for tendon targeting across the tendon healing cascade, during aging, and in other tendon pathologies, including tendinopathies.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14623, United States.Center for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, United States.
Department of Bioengineering, Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, United States.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14623, United States.Center for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, United States.Department of Orthopedics & Physical Performance, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, United States.Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, United States.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14623, United States.Center for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, United States.Department of Bioengineering, Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, United States.Department of Orthopedics & Physical Performance, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, United States.
Optimizing Ligand Valency to Maximize Tendon Accumulation of Peptide-Targeted Nanoparticles.

Graduate Program in Health Sciences, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil. sshiguekisato@gmail.com.Laboratory of Clinical Virology, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil. sshiguekisato@gmail.com.
Laboratory of Clinical Virology, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
Laboratory of Clinical Virology, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.15th Health Region, Paraná State Health Department, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
Laboratory of Clinical Virology, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.Department of Clinical Analysis, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
Coinfection with Dengue virus (DENV) serotypes 1 and 2 during a dengue outbreak in the state of Paraná, Brazil.

Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Primary Prevention, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: pawel.koczkodaj@nio.gov.pl.
Polish Onco-Hematology Registry, Polish National Cancer Registry, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland.
Rethinking public health in wartime: Smoking and long-term health outcomes amidst the war in Ukraine.

Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft = Journal of the German Society of Dermatology : JDDG
Severe overlap of morphea and lichen sclerosus after anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy in small cell lung cancer.

The global prevalence of Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) has been rising sharply, closely mirroring the increasing rates of obesity and metabolic syndrome. MASH exhibits a strong sexual dimorphism where females are affected with more severe forms after menopause. Hexokinase domain-containing protein 1 (HKDC1) has recently been recognized for its role in liver diseases, where its expression is minimal under normal conditions but significantly increases in response to metabolic stressors like obesity and liver injury. This selective upregulation suggests HKDC1s potential specialization in hepatic glucose and lipid dysregulation, linking it closely to the progression of MASLD and MASH. This study aims to clarify the role of HKDC1 in Western diet-induced MASH in female mice by examining its impact on hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism, offering insights into its potential as a therapeutic target and addressing the need for sex-specific research in liver disease. This study reveals that HKDC1 expression is elevated in obese women with MASH and correlates with liver pathology. In a mouse model, liver-specific HKDC1 knockout (HKDC1LKO) protected against Western diet-induced obesity, glucose intolerance, and MASH features, including steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Transcriptomic analysis showed that HKDC1 deletion reduced pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic gene expression, while gut microbiome analysis indicated a shift toward MASH-protective bacteria. These findings suggest that HKDC1 may exacerbate MASH progression through its role in metabolic and inflammatory pathways, making it a potential therapeutic target.
Hepatic HKDC1 Deletion Alleviates Western Diet-Induced MASH in Mice.

South African adolescents are at-risk for HIV infection due to engaging in high-risk sexual behaviours. Understanding the factors influencing sexual decision-making is crucial for developing effective HIV prevention strategies. We conducted a qualitative study with adolescents and caregivers in Rustenburg, South Africa to explore individual and interpersonal factors that influence adolescent sexual decision-making. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted in English and Setswana with 17 adolescents (13 females and 4 males) and 19 caregivers (17 females and 2 males) between April and July 2018. Thematic analysis revealed that while adolescents had access to sexual education from various sources, this knowledge did not translate into healthy sexual decision-making. Lack of effective communication and support between caregivers and adolescents in discussing sexual behaviours are a contributing barrier. Although adolescents expressed a strong need to be understood and supported by caregivers regarding sexual behaviours, there was perceived distrust, judgemental attitude from caregivers, poor role models of a father figure, and the traditional taboo nature of having these discussions with caregivers. While female adolescents and female caregivers discussed sexual matters, this type of communication was limited with adolescent males. Male adolescents were uncomfortable communicating with either caregiver, fearing caregiver judgemental attitudes and being misunderstood. Female caregivers perceived male caregiver roles to be absent and non-engaging. Caregivers desired to support their children, yet they seemed to doubt their skills. Communication tools and guidance on how adolescents and caregivers could communicate about sexual matters could create enabling environments for adolescents to make informed, healthy decisions regarding their sexual behaviours. Further, future interventions could consider gain-framed messaging to address adolescents translating knowledge of sexual behaviours to making healthy sexual choices. Improving equitable male caregiver role at home, is of particular importance in supporting adolescent sexual decision-making, and should be prioritized.
Copyright: © 2024 Makkan et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
The Aurum Institute, Rustenburg Research Centre, Rustenburg, South Africa.Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science, Public Health, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
The Aurum Institute, Rustenburg Research Centre, Rustenburg, South Africa.
The Aurum Institute, Rustenburg Research Centre, Rustenburg, South Africa.Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America.
IAVI Africa, Nairobi, Kenya.Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America.
The Aurum Institute, Rustenburg Research Centre, Rustenburg, South Africa.Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science, Public Health, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America.School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Westville Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
The Aurum Institute, Rustenburg Research Centre, Rustenburg, South Africa.Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office (HE2RO), Wits Health Consortium, Johannesburg, South Africa.Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
PLOS Glob Public Health. 2024;4(12):e0003569.
Adolescent choices and caregiver roles: Understanding individual and interpersonal influences on sexual decision-making in South Africa.

The activity of the receptor tyrosine kinase EphA4 has been implicated in several pathologies including oncology (gastric and pancreatic cancers) and neurodegenerative diseases (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease). However, advances in validating EphA4 as a possible drug target have been limited by the lack of suitable pharmacological inhibitors. Recently, we reported on the design of potent EphA4 agonistic agents targeting its ligand binding domain (LBD). Based on previous studies with a phage display cyclic peptide inhibitor, we designed a β-hairpin mimetic with high affinity for EphA4-LBD. These agents hold great promise for further validation and development of EphA4-based therapeutics. Moreover, our studies introduce a possible strategy for the design of constrained β-hairpin peptides.
Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States.
Cayman Chemical Co., 1180 E. Ellsworth Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States.
Constrained β-Hairpins Targeting the EphA4 Ligand Binding Domain.

Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan.
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: masakik@keio.jp.

Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Infectious Diseases, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Saitama City Hospital, Saitama, Japan.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Osaka Saiseikai Nakatsu Hospital, Osaka, Japan.
Department of Internal Medicine, JCHO (Japan Community Health Care Organization) Saitama Medical Center, Saitama, Japan.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Saitama Cardiovascular and Respiratory Center, Kumagaya, Japan.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Kansai Medical University General Medical Center, Moriguchi, Japan.
Respiratory Disease Center, Fukujuji Hospital, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Internal Medicine, Kawasaki Municipal Ida Hospital, Kawasaki, Japan.
Department of Infectious Diseases, Tosei General Hospital, Seto, Japan.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kitasato University, Kitasato Institute Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Statistical Genetics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Statistical Genetics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan; Integrated Frontier Research for Medical Science Division, Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Suita, Japan; The Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, Suita, Japan; Laboratory of Statistical Immunology, Immunology Frontier Research Center (WPI-IFReC), Osaka University, Suita, Japan; Department of Genome Informatics, Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Laboratory for Systems Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Kanagawa, Japan.
Medical Innovation Promotion Center, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Genome Medical Science Project (Toyama), National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Institute of Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
Division of Health Medical Intelligence, Human Genome Center, the Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
M&D Data Science Center, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Pathology and Tumor Biology, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Department of Medicine, Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
Corrigendum to 'Impact of accumulative smoking exposure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on COVID-19 outcomes: report based on findings from the Japan COVID-19 task force' [IJID 128 (2023) 121-127].

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative condition characterized by the aggregation of amyloid-β plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain, leading to synaptic dysfunction and neuronal degeneration. Recently, new treatment approaches involving drugs such as donanemab and lecanemab have been introduced for AD. However, these drug regimens have been associated with adverse effects, leading to the exploration of gene therapy as a potential treatment option. The apolipoprotein E (ApoE) isoforms (ApoE2, ApoE3, and ApoE4) play pivotal roles in AD pathology, with ApoE2 known for its protective effects against AD, making it a promising candidate for gene therapy interventions. However, delivering therapeutics across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) remains a crucial challenge in treating neurological disorders. Liposomes, lipid-based vesicles, are effective nanocarriers due to their ability to shield therapeutics from degradation, though they often lack specificity for brain delivery. To address this issue, liposomes were functionalized with cell-penetrating peptides such as penetratin (Pen), cingulin (Cgn), and a targeting ligand transferrin (Tf). This modification strategy aimed to enhance the delivery of therapeutic ApoE2 plasmids across the BBB to neurons, thereby increasing the level of ApoE2 protein expression. Experimental findings demonstrated that dual-functionalized liposomes (CgnTf and PenTf) exhibited higher cellular uptake, biodistribution, and transfection efficiency than single-functionalized (Pen, Cgn, or Tf) and nonfunctionalized liposomes. In vitro studies using primary neuronal cells, bEnd.3 cells, and primary astrocytes consistently supported these findings. Following a single dose treatment via tail vein administration in C57BL6/J mice, in vivo biodistribution results showed significantly higher biodistribution levels in the brain (∼12% ID/gram of tissue) for dual-functionalized liposomes. Notably, treatment with dual-functionalized liposomes resulted in a 2-fold increase in ApoE2 expression levels compared to baseline levels. These findings highlight the potential of dual-functionalized liposomes as an efficacious delivery system for ApoE2 gene therapy in AD, highlighting a promising strategy to address the disease's underlying mechanisms.
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, College of Health and Human Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108-6050, United States.
Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida 32224, United States.
Synthesis and Characterization of Transferrin and Cell-Penetrating Peptide-Functionalized Liposomal Nanoparticles to Deliver Plasmid ApoE2 In Vitro and In Vivo in Mice.
Ameer-ud-din Medical College, Lahore.Lahore, Pakistan. Electronic address: ramshanaeem61@gmail.com.
Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical College Lyari Karachi, Pakistan.
Letter to the editor: Signs or symptoms of suspected preeclampsia - A retrospective national database study of prevalence, costs, and outcomes.
Southport and Formby district general hospital, Mersey and West Lancashire NHS trust, UK. Electronic address: c.pererira@nhs.net.
Southport and Formby district general hospital, Mersey and West Lancashire NHS trust, UK.
The surgeon : journal of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons of Edinburgh and Ireland
Appendicular intussusception mimicking caecal polyp: A case report.
Department of Ophthalmology, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta. duncan.marston8@hotmail.com.
Department of Surgery, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta.
Department of Cardiology, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta.
Comment on: Alpha-1 antagonist treatment for eyelid retraction in patients with thyroid eye disease-a prospective pilot study .
Biliary atresia is a fibrosing cholangiopathy affecting neonates that is thought to result from a prenatal environmental insult to the bile duct. Biliatresone, a plant toxin with an α-methylene ketone group, was previously implicated in biliary atresia in Australian livestock, but is found in a limited location and is unlikely to be a significant human toxin. We hypothesized that other unsaturated carbonyl compounds, some with the potential for significant human exposure, might also be biliary toxins.We focused on the family of microcystins, cyclic peptide toxins from blue-green algae that are found worldwide, particularly during harmful algal blooms. We used primary extrahepatic cholangiocyte spheroids and extrahepatic bile duct explants from both neonatal [a total of 86 postnatal day (P) 2 mouse pups and 18 P2 rat pups (n = 8-10 per condition for both species)] and adult rodents [a total of 31 P15-18 mice (n = 10 or 11 per condition)] to study the biliary toxicity of microcystins and potential mechanisms involved.Results showed that 400 nM microcystin (MC)-RR, but not six other microcystins or the related algal toxin nodularin, caused >80% lumen closure in cell spheroids made from extrahepatic cholangiocytes isolated from 2-3-day-old mice (p <0.0001). By contrast, 400 nM MC-RR resulted in less than an average 5% lumen closure in spheroids derived from neonatal intrahepatic cholangiocytes or cells from adult mice (p = 0.4366). In addition, MC-RR caused occlusion of extrahepatic bile duct explants from 2-day-old mice (p <0.0001), but not 18-day-old mice. MC-RR also caused a 2.3-times increase in reactive oxygen species in neonatal cholangiocytes (p <0.0001), and treatment with N-acetyl cysteine partially prevented microcystin-RR-induced lumen closure (p = 0.0004), suggesting a role for redox homeostasis in its mechanism of action.We identified MC-RR as a selective neonatal extrahepatic cholangiocyte toxin and suggest that it acts by increasing redox stress.The plant toxin biliatresone causes a biliary atresia-like disease in livestock and vertebrate animal model systems. We tested the widespread blue-green algal toxin, microcystin-RR, another highly electrophilic unsaturated carbonyl compound that is released during harmful algal blooms, and found that it was also a biliary toxin with specificity for neonatal extrahepatic cholangiocytes. This work should drive further animal studies and, ultimately, studies to determine whether human exposure to microcystin-RR causes biliary atresia.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.Center for Engineering MechanoBiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.Center for Engineering MechanoBiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Microcystin-RR is a biliary toxin selective for neonatal extrahepatic cholangiocytes.
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville.University of Virginia Cancer Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville.
Fort Liberty Department of Public Health, Fort Liberty, North Carolina.
Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
This cross-sectional study evaluates the prevalence of and factors associated with use of nicotine pouches among active US military personnel.
Nicotine Pouch Use Among US Military Personnel.
Diagnostic escape via Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) histidine-rich protein 2 (pfhrp2) gene deletions is a major potential hurdle for global malaria elimination efforts. We investigated the prevalence of pfhrp2 gene deletions in 15 malaria-endemic villages in the state of Odisha, India, and modeled their impact on an ongoing in-country malaria intervention program. We found that 61.6% of subpatent P. falciparum infections (i.e., rapid diagnostic test [RDT]-negative and positive by polymerase chain reaction [PCR]) had pfhrp2 gene deletions, which were predominantly located in the exon 2 region (96.2%) and largely identified in samples from febrile individuals (82.6%). DNA sequencing and protein diversity features were characterized in a subset of samples from individuals with subpatent infections carrying intact pfhrp2 exon 2 loci. Our analyses revealed novel amino acid repeat motifs (231-293 amino acids), and these variant repeat sequences differed from those of RDT+/PCR+ samples. We also evaluated the state-sponsored mass screening and treatment intervention in the context of pfhrp2 gene deletions. We found that mass screening and treatment conducted alongside additional interventions (e.g., long-lasting insecticidal net distribution, indoor residual spraying) reduced the relative risk of infection for both P. falciparum parasites harboring a pfhrp2 deletion (adjusted relative risk ratio [aRRR] = 0.3; 95% CI = 0.1-1.0) and P. falciparum parasites with intact pfhrp2 genes (aRRR = 0.4; 95% CI = 0.2-1.1) when compared with the use of mass screening and treatment by RDT alone. Combined, our findings highlight the need for alternative diagnostic targets and tools as India moves toward its goal of malaria elimination by 2030.
Department of Molecular Biology and Infectious Diseases, Community Welfare Society Hospital, Rourkela, Odisha, India.
Department of Epidemiology, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, New York.
Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, New York.Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland.
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene
Genetic Characterization of Plasmodium falciparum Histidine-Rich Protein 2 Deletions and Their Impact on Malaria Interventions in Odisha, India.
Department of Marine Biotechnology, Academy of Maritime Education and Training [AMET] (Deemed to be University), Chennai, 603112, Tamil Nadu, India.
Center of Excellence in Catalysis for Bioenergy and Renewable Chemicals (CBRC), Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
Department of Biochemistry, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education (formerly Karpagam University), Pollachi Main Road, Eachanari Post, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
Chemistry Study Program, Department of Chemistry Education, Faculty of Mathematics and Science Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Jl. Dr. Setiabudhi 229, Bandung, 40154, Indonesia.
School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, Jalan Sunsuria, Bandar Sunsuria, 43900, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, Fujian, China.
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701, Taiwan; Research Center for Smart Sustainable Circular Economy, Tunghai University, Taichung, 407, Taiwan; Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, Taichung, 411, Taiwan.
Center of Excellence in Catalysis for Bioenergy and Renewable Chemicals (CBRC), Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand; Center of Excellence on Petrochemical and Materials Technology (PETROMAT), Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
Retraction notice to Pyrolysis: An effective technique for degradation of COVID-19 medical wastes [Chemosphere 275 (2021) 130092].
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.Michael G. DeGroote National Pain Center, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.Department of Anesthesia, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Michael G. DeGroote National Pain Center, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.Biostatistics Unit, St. Joseph's Healthcare-Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, USA.
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.Department of Ophthalmology, City of Health and Science Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Sunderland Eye Infirmary, Sunderland, UK.Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.Retina Consultants of Texas (Retina Consultants of America), Houston, TX, USA.
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. vchaudh@mcmaster.ca.Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. vchaudh@mcmaster.ca.
Retina Evidence and Trials INternational Alliance (R.E.T.I.N.A.) Study Group
Risk assessment models: considerations prior to use in clinical practice.
Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Stenglinstr. 2, 86156, Augsburg, Germany. Michaela.Kuhlen@uk-augsburg.de.
Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Stenglinstr. 2, 86156, Augsburg, Germany.
Bridging molecular advancements and clinical challenges in pediatric oncology.
The Goldschleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel, Affiliated to the Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.Ophthalmology Department, Assuta Ashdod Hospital, Ashdod, Israel.
The Goldschleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel, Affiliated to the Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. osagiv@mdanderson.org.Section of Ophthalmology, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD, Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. osagiv@mdanderson.org.
Response to Comment on: Alpha-1 antagonist treatment for eyelid retraction in patients with thyroid eye disease - a prospective pilot study .
Nickelacyclobutanes are reactive intermediates in catalytic cycles including cyclopropanation and insertion reactions. The stoichiometric study of these intermediates has shown that their reactivity is highly influenced by the coordination environment of the nickel center. A pentacoordinated nickelacyclobutane embedded in a diphosphine pincer ligand has been shown to selectively undergo various reactions with exogenous ligands, including [2+2] cycloreversion and carbene transfer to an isocyanide. Herein, we investigate the reactivity of the pentacoordinated nickelacyclobutane towards addition and oxidation reactions. Addition reactions lead to ring-opening to form stable square planar Ni(II) compounds, while metal oxidation enhances [2+2] cycloreversion. DFT calculations are used to shed light on the different mechanisms.
© 2024 The Author(s). Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.
Organic Chemistry and Catalysis, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Universitetisweg 99, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The, Netherlands.
Structural Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Universitetisweg 99, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The, Netherlands.
Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)
Addition and Oxidation Reactivity of a Pentacoordinate Nickelacyclobutane.
A series of CoFe2O4 materials derived from metal-organic framework were successfully constructed by the solvent-thermal method. The morphology of a typical sample CoFe2O4-1 was mostly in the form of a cubic rod-like structure with a size distribution of 3.2±0.2 μm, while a small amount of the structure presented hexagonal shape with uniform size dispersion. The XPS characterization results confirmed that the CoFe2O4-1 material contained Co3+ (Co2+/Co3+=0.98), and the redox reaction between Co2+ and Fe3+ produced more Fe2+ (Fe2+/Fe3+=1.63), leading to the production of more OV on the surface of the CoFe2O4-1 material (OV%=0.34), thereby facilitating the efficient adsorption of the efficient adsorption of heavy metal ions (HMIs). CoFe2O4-1/GCE as a typical electrode presented excellent performance for the detection of multiple HMIs. The results should be attributed to the good electrical conductivity and large electrochemically active surface area of CoFe2O4-1/GCE, accelerating the transport of ions and charges in the system. Interestingly, there are interaction mechanisms between the HMIs when performing simultaneous detection, suggesting the detection of target ions can be facilitated by adding additional ions. This study provides new research insights for the development of highly sensitive electrochemical sensors for real-time environmental monitoring.
Key Laboratory of Novel Biomass-Based Environmental and Energy Materials in Petroleum and Chemical Industry, Hubei Key Laboratory of Novel Reactor &Green Chemical Technology, School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan, 430205, China.
Chemistry Department, University of California, Davis, 95616, United States.
College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, P. R. China.
Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan.
MOF Derived Cobalt Ferrite Cubic Rod-Like Materials for Highly Efficient Electrochemical Simultaneous Detection of Multiple Heavy Metal Ions.
In this study, we present the first experimental determination of the spin state of transition metal complexes by using Hirshfeld Atom Refinement. For the demonstration, the two iron(II) complexes, (NH4)2Fe(SO4)2 ⋅ 6 H2O and lFe(pic)3jCl2 ⋅ EtOH were investigated. The method involves the refinement using wavefunctions of different spin multiplicity and comparison against experimental diffraction data by means of refinement indicators and residual electron density. Our results show a clear distinction between high-spin and low-spin configurations, even for compounds with spin-crossover behavior. The presented work demonstrates the potential of Hirshfeld Atom Refinement for the experimental determination of spin states in transition metal complexes.
Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 1a, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
Experimental Spin State Determination of Iron(II) Complexes by Hirshfeld Atom Refinement.
Lincoln Institute for Rural and Coastal Health, College of Health and Science, University of Lincoln, UK; Macmillan Cancer Support, London, UK. Electronic address: dnelson@lincoln.ac.uk.
Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
School of Health and Care Sciences, College of Health and Science, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK.
Leeds Cancer Centre, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK; Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Lincoln Institute for Rural and Coastal Health, College of Health and Science, University of Lincoln, UK.
Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Contributor, Lincolnshire, UK.
NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board, Sleaford, UK; Macmillan Cancer Support, London, UK.
Centre for Psychosocial Research in Cancer, School of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
A National Cancer Plan for England: Remember the needs of people in rural and coastal areas.
EGF-containing fibulin extracellular matrix protein 1 (EFEMP1, also called fibulin-3) is an extracellular matrix protein linked in a genome-wide association study to biliary atresia, a fibrotic disease of the neonatal extrahepatic bile duct. Fibulin-3 is deposited in most tissues and Efemp1 null mice have decreased elastic fibers in visceral fascia; however, fibulin-3 does not have a role in the development of large elastic fibers and its overall function in the extrahepatic bile ducts remains unclear.We used staining and histology to define the amount and organization of key extracellular matrix components in the extrahepatic bile ducts. We also repurposed pressure myography, a technique heretofore applied to the vasculature, to determine the contribution of elastin and fibulin-3 to extrahepatic bile duct mechanics. We examined extrahepatic bile duct structure and mechanics in three models: neonatal vs. adult rat ducts (n = 6 each), elastase-treated adult rat ducts (n = 6-7 each), and Efemp1 +/- vs. wild-type mouse ducts (n = 6 each).We demonstrated that fibulin-3 is expressed in the submucosa of both neonatal and adult mouse, rat and human extrahepatic bile ducts and that, in adult Efemp1 +/- mouse ducts, elastin organization into fibers is decreased by approximately half. Pressure myography showed that Efemp1 +/- ducts have altered mechanics compared to control ducts, with Efemp1 +/- ducts displaying significant stretch compared to controls (p = 0.0376); these changes in stretch are similar to those observed in elastase-treated vs. normal ducts (p <0.0001) and in neonatal ducts vs. adult ducts (p <0.0001).Fibulin-3 has an important role in the formation of elastic fibers and the mechanical properties of the extrahepatic bile duct. This provides functional relevance for the biliary atresia susceptibility gene EFEMP1.The gene EFEMP1 was found via a genome-wide association study to be a susceptibility gene for the neonatal disease biliary atresia. EFEMP1 encodes the protein fibulin-3, which regulates elastic fiber organization in the extrahepatic bile duct (EHBD), the major site of disease in biliary atresia. We showed that neonatal EHBDs as well as mice heterozygous for Efemp1 have decreased numbers of elastic fibers, and that this alters EHBD mechanics. This work is important for understanding the mechanism of biliary atresia, in particular susceptibility to obstruction.
Program in Translational Biomechanics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, PA, USA.
Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, PA, USA.
Center for Engineering MechanoBiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.Program in Translational Biomechanics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, PA, USA.Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, PA, USA.
Biliary atresia susceptibility gene EFEMP1 regulates extrahepatic bile duct elastic fiber formation and mechanics.
In recent years, researchers studying fluorogenic samples have steadily shifted from using large, expensive, poorly soluble fluorophores with complex synthetic sequences to smaller, simpler π scaffolds with low molecular weight. This research article presents an in-depth study of the photophysical properties of five bridged single-benzene-based fluorophores (SBBFs) investigated for their solution and solid-state emission (SSSE) properties. The compounds O4, N1O3, N2O2, N3O1, and N4 are derived from a central terephthalonitrile core and vary in the amount of oxygen and nitrogen bridging atoms. These minimalized emitters show full-color tunable emission properties and exhibit moderate-to-high photoluminescence quantum yield values reaching up to 0.78 in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). In addition to demonstrating excellent compatibility in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films and additive manufacturing using stereolithography (SLA), white light emission was achieved in both solution and 3D-printed materials by controlling the mixing ratio of the compounds. Employing density-functional theory (DFT), well-correlating theoretical absorption and emission wavelengths were calculated as average values of the different possible conformers. Furthermore, cellular internalization of the substances was accomplished using Pluronic® F-127 nanoparticles. Overall, this study emphasizes the remarkable properties of single-benzene-based emitters, showcasing their accessibility and potential applications in biomedical fields and materials science.
Faculty of Chemistry (Organic Chemistry), CENIDE and Center of Medical Biotechnology (ZMB), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 7, 45141, Essen, Germany.
Department of Molecular Biology II, Center of Medical Biotechnology (ZMB), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 2, 45141, Essen, Germany.
Institut für Anorganische und Analytische Chemie, CeNTech, CiMIC, SoN, Universität Münster, Heisenbergstraße 11, 48149, Münster, Germany.
Faculty of Chemistry (Inorganic Chemistry), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 7, 45141, Essen, Germany.
Stepwise Modulation of Bridged Single-Benzene-Based Fluorophores for Materials Science.
A Gram-staining-positive, aerobic bacterium, designated strain JJ-181 T, was isolated from the root surface of soybean. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, strain JJ-181 T was grouped into the genus Cohnella, most closely related to Cohnella hashimotonis F6_2S_P_1T (98.85%) and C. ginsengisoli GR21-5 T (98.3%). The pairwise average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridisation values of the JJ-181 T genome assembly against publicly available Cohnella type strain genomes were below 84% and 28%, respectively. The fatty acid profile from whole cell hydrolysates, the cell wall diaminoacid, the quinone system, the polar lipid profile, and the polyamine pattern supported the allocation of strain JJ-181 T to the genus Cohnella. In addition, the results of physiological and biochemical tests also allowed phenotypic differentiation of strain JJ-181 T from its closely-related Cohnella species. Functional analysis revealed that strain JJ-181 T has different gene clusters related to swarming motility, chemotaxis ability, and endospore and biofilm formations. The gene content also suggests the ability of strain JJ-181 T to synthesise biotin and riboflavin, as well as indole-3-acetic acid, an important phytohormone for plant growth. Based on polyphasic analyses, strain JJ-181 T can be classified as a new species of the genus Cohnella, for which we propose the name Cohnella rhizoplanae sp. nov., with strain JJ-181 T (= LMG 31678 T = CIP 112018 T = CCM 9031 T = DSM 110650 T) as the type strain.
Institut für Angewandte Mikrobiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany. peter.kaempfer@umwelt.uni-giessen.de.
Institut für Angewandte Mikrobiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
Division - Entomology and Plant Pathology Dept., Auburn University, Alabama, USA.
Division of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Biology, Institut Für Bakteriologie, Mykologie Und Hygiene, Veterinärmedizinische Universität, Vienna, Austria.
Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CIP - Collection of Institut Pasteur, 75015, Paris, France.
GIPhy - Genome Informatics and Phylogenetics, Biological Resource Center of Institut Pasteur, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, 75015, Paris, France.
Description of Cohnella rhizoplanae sp. nov., isolated from the root surface of soybean (Glycine max).
Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are heterodimers consisting of a p110 catalytic subunit and a p85 regulatory subunit. The PIK3CA gene, which encodes the p110α, is the most frequently mutated oncogene in cancer. Oncogenic PIK3CA mutations activate the PI3K pathway, promote tumor initiation and development, and mediate resistance to anti-tumor treatments, making the mutant p110α an excellent target for cancer therapy. PIK3CA mutations occur in two hotspot regions: one in the helical domain and the other in the kinase domain. The PIK3CA helical and kinase domain mutations exert their oncogenic function through distinct mechanisms. For example, helical domain mutations of p110α gained direct interaction with insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) to activate the downstream signaling pathways. Moreover, p85β proteins disassociate from helical domain mutant p110α, translocate into the nucleus, and stabilize enhancer of zeste homolog 1/2 (EZH1/2). Due to the fundamental role of PI3Kα in tumor initiation and development, PI3Kα-specific inhibitors, represented by FDA-approved alpelisib, have developed rapidly in recent decades. However, side effects, including on-target side effects such as hyperglycemia, restrict the maximum dose and thus clinical efficacy of alpelisib. Therefore, developing p110α mutant-specific inhibitors to circumvent on-target side effects becomes a new direction for targeting PIK3CA mutant cancers. In this review, we briefly introduce the function of the PI3K pathway and discuss how PIK3CA mutations rewire cell signaling, metabolism, and tumor microenvironment, as well as therapeutic strategies under development to treat patients with tumors harboring a PIK3CA mutation.
© 2024 The Authors. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co., Ltdé.
Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA.
Oncogenic activation of PI K3 CA in cancers: Emerging targeted therapies in precision oncology.
Engineering and Applied Sciences Department, RAND, Arlington, VA, United States.
Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research and Biostatistics Program, Seattle, WA, United States.
Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States.
Decision and Infrastructure Sciences Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, United States.
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Department of Gastrointestinal and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Shaoxing Second Hospital, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: https://twitter.com/YinfangWu.
Department of Gastrointestinal and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Shaoxing Second Hospital, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: bandian2015@126.com.
Plasma levels of complement components C5 and C9 are associated with thrombin generation : comment from Wu et al.
The optimal treatment of 3- and 4-part proximal humeral fractures in older adults remains controversial. The aim of this study was to compare patient reported outcomes following reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) or nonoperative management in patients over 60 years old.A retrospective review was undertaken of patients following 3- or 4-part proximal humeral fractures treated with RSA or nonoperative treatment with minimum 2-year follow-up. Patient-reported outcome measures were collected including Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), Quick-Disabilities of the Arm Shoulder and Hand (QDASH), subjective shoulder score (SSV), and visual analog score pain. Minimal clinically important difference (MCID) thresholds were set for OSS (5), QDASH (8), and SSV (12) points. Patient acceptable symptom state threshold of 75% was set for SSV.Comprising the largest study to date, 99 patients (35 RSA: 64 nonoperative) were matched for age, sex, and hand dominance, at mean follow-up of 35 months with a median age of 71 at time of injury. The mean OSS was significantly higher for the RSA group (42 vs. 36; P = .048). Similarly, QDASH (14.4 vs. 25.4, P = .046) and SSV (84% vs. 70%, P = .006) were significantly higher in the RSA cohort. MCID thresholds were reached for OSS (8), QDASH (11), and SSV (14). Patient acceptable symptomatic state threshold of 75% for SSV was reached in 88% of RSA patients, compared to 46% in nonoperative patients (P = .003). Visual analog score pain did not have a significant effect on outcomes (1.5 vs. 2, P = .063). Complication rates were higher (51%) in nonoperative patients, including 15% mortality at follow-up, compared to 10% in the RSA group with 1.5% mortality. Reintervention rate was 13% within the nonoperative group and 2.9% within the RSA group.These results contribute to a growing body of evidence supporting the use of RSA in 3- and 4-part proximal humeral fractures. Highlighting that RSA can offer significant benefits in terms of improved patient reported outcome measures and patient satisfaction with low complication rates.
Copyright © 2024 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. All rights reserved.
Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. Electronic address: george.matheron@nhs.net.
Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Conserve or reverse? Outcomes of conservative treatment vs. reverse shoulder arthroplasty in displaced 3- and 4-part proximal humeral fractures in patients over 60 years.
Correction to: Hospital response to a new case-based payment system in China: the patient selection effect.
Pancreas divisum (PD) is the most common developmental anatomic variant of pancreatic duct. The published data on the accuracy of the detection of PD by means of linear-array endoscopic ultrasound (L-EUS) is limited. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of L-EUS compared with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) for identifying PD.Patients who underwent L-EUS for pancreaticobiliary indications and subsequently received endoscopic retrograde pancreatograghy (ERP) treatment were retrospectively evaluated from January 2019 to July 2023.A total of 1378 patients from 3 tertiary centers were included, of which 120 were diagnosed with PD, as confirmed with the use of ERP, yielding an endoscopic detection rate of 8.7%. L-EUS exhibited a high sensitivity of 90.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 85.7%-96.0%) and an overall accuracy of 99% (95% CI, 98.5%-99.5%) for the diagnosis of PD. These figures were significantly superior to those of MRCP, which showed a sensitivity of 48.4% (95% CI, 38.1%-58.6%) and an accuracy of 95.4% (95% CI, 93.5%-96.3%) (P < .001). Furthermore, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for PD diagnosis was notably higher for L-EUS (95.7%) compared with MRCP (74.1%) (P < .001). Consistency testing revealed that L-EUS had an excellent kappa value of 0.934, compared with the reference standard of 0.621. Univariate logistic regression analysis identified the presence of pancreatic duct stones, chronic pancreatitis, and severe pancreatitis as potential factors leading to diagnostic failure in detecting PD with the use of L-EUS. Subsequent multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that the presence of pancreatic duct stones (odds ratio [OR], 5.627; 95% CI, 1.391-22.765) and severe pancreatitis (OR, 12.818; 95% CI, 2.280-72.061) were significantly associated with increased odds of L-EUS diagnostic failure for PD.Our study conclusively demonstrates that L-EUS significantly outperforms MRCP in diagnosing PD. L-EUS exhibits markedly higher sensitivity and AUC values. However, its diagnostic reliability decreases in the presence of pancreatic duct stones or severe pancreatitis.
Copyright © 2024 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai.
Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai.
Department of Gastroenterology, Huizhou First Hospital, Guangzhou Province, Guangzhou.
Department of Gastroenterology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China. Electronic address: Zhongning@me.com.
Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai. Electronic address: muzibowen@126.com.
Superiority of linear-array EUS over MRCP in diagnosing pancreas divisum: evidence from a multicenter retrospective study in Oriental cohorts (with video).
Caregiver-adolescent sexual health communication can reduce sexual risk attitudes and behaviors, but less is known about caregiver-adolescent sexual health communication in Uganda. Using a risk-focused approach, this paper seeks to characterize caregiver-adolescent sexual health communication and associated individual and family-based attributes, and associations with adolescents' sexual risk attitudes. We used latent class analyses to derive typologies (classes) of sexual health communication and assess their relationships with respondents' socio-demographic characteristics and sexual risk-taking attitudes. We derived three latent classes of sexual risk communication characterized as avoidant (class 1; 48%), functional (class 2; 22.2%) and comprehensive (class 3; 29.8%), each representing varying levels of frequency and type of content covered in the caregiver-adolescent sexual health communication. Primary caregiver's sex and respondents' comfort talking to their caregiver were significantly associated with membership in the functional class (RRR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.05-2.19; p < 0.05) and comprehensive class (RRR = 1.68; 95% CI: 1.13-2.49; p < 0.05). Caregivers and their adolescents are attempting to engage in conversations related to sexual health, but many caregivers tend to shy away from potentially embarrassing topics such as sex. The wide variations in type and content of covered in caregiver-adolescent sexual health communications may compromise adolescents' sexual health knowledge, putting them at risk for poor sexual health outcomes. Given the cultural taboos around caregiver-adolescent communications on sex related topics, family interventions to address to strengthen caregiver-adolescent communication on sexual health are required.
Department of Health Behavior and Biological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Typologies and Correlates of Caregiver-adolescent Sexual Health Communication among Adolescent Girls in Southwestern Uganda.
Switched Reluctance Motor (SRM) has a very high potential for adjustable speed drive operation due to their cost-effectiveness, high efficiency, robustness, simplicity, etc. Now a days SRMs are widely used in automotive industries as traction motors in electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles, air-conditioning compressors, and for other auxiliary services. In this article, a novel super twisting sliding mode controller (STSMC) is proposed to improve the performance of an SRM for reducing the ripple in speed and torque. Initially, a novel Modified Electric Eel Foraging Optimization (MEEFO) technique is developed by incorporating a quasi-oppositional phase and its performance is compared with the conventional Electric Eel Foraging Optimization (EEFO) technique with four popular benchmark functions. Then, both MEEFO and EEFO techniques are implemented to optimally design PI, SMC and STSMC controllers to effectively control the speed of an SRM. The study is carried in three different scenarios such as during starting, during a torque change and during a speed change. Finally, performance of the SRM in real time is studied with OPAL-RT 4510 simulator. It is observed that MEEFO based STSMC exhibits significant improvements in effectively controlling speed of the SRM, as compared to its other proposed counterparts.
Department of Electrical Engineering, FET, ITER, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
Department of Electrical Engineering, FET, ITER, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. binoditer@gmail.com.
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, FET, ITER, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
Department of Electrical Engineering, Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun, 248002, India. thebestbajaj@gmail.com.Hourani Center for Applied Scientific Research, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, Jordan. thebestbajaj@gmail.com.College of Engineering, University of Business and Technology, Jeddah, 21448, Saudi Arabia. thebestbajaj@gmail.com.
ENET Centre, VSB-Technical University of Ostrava, Ostrava, 708 00, Czech Republic.
Optimal design of a novel modified electric eel foraging optimization (MEEFO) based super twisting sliding mode controller for controlling the speed of a switched reluctance motor.
Copolymer nanovesicles are used extensively in chemical processes and biomedical applications in which they are subjected to dynamic flow environments. Flow-induced vesicle deformation, fragmentation, and reorganization modify the energetic (e.g., polymer-solvent interfacial area) and entropic (e.g., copolymer chain configuration) contributions to the solution free energy. Equilibration of a deformed morphology by flow cessation could reorganize the system into a self-assembled state, which is different from the parent structure through a local free energy minimization pathway. We perform nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations to investigate morphology evolution in uniform shear flow of a unilamellar nanovesicle formed by the self-assembly of amphiphilic triblock copolymers in an aqueous solution. Flow strength is characterized by the Weissenberg number Wi, defined as the ratio of the time scale of vesicle shape fluctuations to the inverse shear rate. For Wi < 10, a spherical vesicle deforms into a flow-aligned ellipsoidal bilayer executing tank-treading motion. For Wi > 10, pronounced variations in bilayer thickness and polymer extension manifest along the contour of the elongated vesicle, which breaks up into lamellar fragments. Below a critical strain, the deformed vesicle upon flow cessation returns to its initial spherical morphology. However, for larger strains, structure reorganization after flow stoppage results in the formation of a Novel Equilibrated Shear-Induced Structure (NoESIS) in which two vesicles are connected by a dynamic molecular bridge that can accommodate additional layers of copolymers, leading to a reduction in the polymer-solvent interface area. Mechanisms of morphology hysteresis are explored via an analysis of the thermodynamic markers.
Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and the Bioinspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States.
Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and the Bioinspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States.Department of Physics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States.
Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids
Deformation, Rupture, and Morphology Hysteresis of Copolymer Nanovesicles in Uniform Shear Flow.
Water-assisted electrocatalytic oxidation of alcohols into valuable chemicals is a promising strategy to circumvent the sluggish kinetics of water oxidation, while also reducing cell voltage and improving energy efficiency. Recently, transition metal (TM)-based catalysts have been investigated for anodic alcohol oxidation, but success has been limited due to competition from the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) within the working regime. In this study, NiCo-based Prussian blue analog (PBA) was electrochemically activated at the anodic potential to produce a Co-Ni(O)OH active catalyst with a nanosheet-like architecture. This catalyst was further employed for the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol (PhCH2OH) to benzoic acid (PhCOOH), achieving a 97 % Faradaic efficiency (FE). The electrochemical activity of Co-Ni(O)OH was also compared with hydrothermally prepared CoNi-LDH, demonstrating that the PBA-derived Co-Ni(O)OH was more effective.
Department of Chemistry, IIT (BHU), Varanasi, UP-221005, India.
Material Chemistry Group for Thin Film Catalysis, CatLab, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Albert-Einstein-Str. 15, 12489, Berlin, Germany.
Department of Chemistry, Metalorganics and Inorganic Materials, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17 Juni 115, Sekr. C2, 10623, Berlin, Germany.
Material Chemistry Group for Thin Film Catalysis, CatLab, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Albert-Einstein-Str. 15, 12489, Berlin, Germany.Department of Chemistry, Metalorganics and Inorganic Materials, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17 Juni 115, Sekr. C2, 10623, Berlin, Germany.
Anodic Activation of Prussian Blue Analog Leads to Highly Active Cobalt-Doped Nickel (Oxy)Hydroxide for Organic Oxidation Reactions.
Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) may localize the seizure onset zone (SOZ) for epilepsy surgery, when compared to intracranial EEG and surgical outcomes, per a prior meta-analysis. Our goals were to further characterize this agreement, by broadening the queried rs-fMRI analysis subtypes, comparative modalities, and same-modality comparisons, hypothesizing SOZ-signal strength may overcome this heterogeneity.PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar between April 2010 and April 2020 via PRISMA guidelines for SOZ-to-established-modalities were screened. Odd ratios measured agreement between SOZ and other modalities. Fixed- and random-effects analyses evaluated heterogeneity of odd ratios, with the former evaluating differences in agreement across modalities and same-modality studies.In total, 9,550 of 14,384 were non-duplicative articles and 25 met inclusion criteria. Comparative modalities were EEG 7, surgical outcome 6, intracranial EEG 5, anatomical MRI 4, EEG-fMRI 2, and magnetoencephalography 1. Independent component analysis 9 and seed-based analysis 8 were top rs-fMRI methods. Study-level odds ratio heterogeneity in both the fixed- and random-effects analysis was significant (p < 0.001). Marked cross-modality and same-modality systematic differences in agreement between rs-fMRI and the comparator were present (p = 0.005 and p = 0.002), respectively, with surgical outcomes having higher agreement than EEG (p = 0.002) and iEEG (p = 0.007). The estimated population mean sensitivity and specificity were 0.91 and 0.09, with predicted values across studies ranging from 0.44 to 0.96 and 0.02 to 0.67, respectively.We evaluated centrality and heterogeneity in SOZ agreement between rs-fMRI and comparative modalities using a wider variety of rs-fMRI analyzing subtypes and comparative modalities, compared to prior. Strong evidence for between-study differences in the agreement odds ratio was shown by both the fixed- and the random-effects analyses, attributed to rs-fMRI analysis variability. Agreement with rs-fMRI differed by modality type, with surgical outcomes having higher agreement than EEG and iEEG. Overall, sensitivity was high, but specificity was low, which may be attributed in part to differences between other modalities.
Copyright © 2024 Boerwinkle, Nowlen, Vazquez, Arhin, Reuther, Cediel, McCarty, Manjón, Jubran, Guest, Gillette, Nowlen, Pines, Kazemi and Qaqish.
Division of Child Neurology, University of North Carolina, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Banner University Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, United States.
Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
University of North Carolina, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, United States.
Tulane University, School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, United States.
Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States.
University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, United States.
Creighton University School of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, United States.
Department of Psychiatry, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.
Resting-state fMRI seizure onset localization meta-analysis: comparing rs-fMRI to other modalities including surgical outcomes.
Plant synthetic biology has emerged as a transformative field in agriculture, offering innovative solutions to enhance food security, provide resilience to climate change, and transition to sustainable farming practices. By integrating advanced genetic tools, computational modeling, and systems biology, researchers can precisely modify plant genomes to enhance traits such as yield, stress tolerance, and nutrient use efficiency. The ability to design plants with specific characteristics tailored to diverse environmental conditions and agricultural needs holds great potential to address global food security challenges. Here, we highlight recent advancements and applications of plant synthetic biology in agriculture, focusing on key areas such as photosynthetic efficiency, nitrogen fixation, drought tolerance, pathogen resistance, nutrient use efficiency, biofortification, climate resilience, microbiology engineering, synthetic plant genomes, and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with synthetic biology. These innovations aim to maximize resource use efficiency, reduce reliance on external inputs, and mitigate environmental impacts associated with conventional agricultural practices. Despite challenges related to regulatory approval and public acceptance, the integration of synthetic biology in agriculture holds immense promise for creating more resilient and sustainable agricultural systems, contributing to global food security and environmental sustainability. Rigorous multi-field testing of these approaches will undoubtedly be required to ensure reproducibility.
Copyright © 2025 Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Genetics Society of China. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany. Electronic address: Fernie@mpimp-golm.mpg.de.
Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address: yjzhang@genetics.ac.cn.
Journal of genetics and genomics = Yi chuan xue bao
Prospects for synthetic biology in 21st Century agriculture.
Patients with hematologic diseases are prone to infections, and infection-related mortality is high in this population. Accurate diagnosis of infectious pathogens is crucial; however, conventional microbiological testing often fails to meet clinical needs, presenting a significant challenge in clinical practice. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), with its high sensitivity, broad coverage, and short turnaround time, has been widely adopted in diagnosing infectious diseases. This article focuses on the application of mNGS technology in diagnosing infectious pathogens in patients with hematologic diseases. It analyzes the challenges encountered in clinical practice and explores future trends in the field. This work aims to provide clinicians with an in-depth understanding of the value and limitations of mNGS in diagnosing infections in hematologic patients, and to promote its rational application.
State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, Tianjin 301600, China.
Zhonghua xue ye xue za zhi = Zhonghua xueyexue zazhi
血液病患者易发感染，且感染相关死亡率较高，感染病原的准确诊断至关重要，但常规微生物检测难以满足临床需求，成为临床面临的重要难题。宏基因组二代测序（mNGS）因其高灵敏度、广覆盖及检测周期短的特点，已在感染性疾病诊断中获得广泛应用。本文聚焦mNGS技术在血液病患者感染病原诊断中的应用现状，分析其在临床中面临的挑战和未来发展趋势，旨在帮助临床医师深入认识该技术在血液病感染诊断中的价值及局限性，以实现合理应用。.
[Improving the application of metagenomic next-generation sequencing for pathogen diagnosis in infections related to hematological diseases].
Department of Psychology, Government MLB Girls PG College, Kila Bhawan, Devi Ahilya Univesity, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India; Department of Psychology, Government Prime Minister College of Excellence, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, India. Electronic address: amit.soni7@gmail.com.
Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Saket Nagar, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Beyond smoke: Status of flavored smokeless tobacco regulation in India.
At present, the world has entered the normalization stage of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) management. COVID-19 continues to affect patients with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for a long period. The author discussed the possible effect of COVID-19 on HSCT strategy and prognosis during this period based on literature reports. Transplantation should be deferred until clinical resolution and negative severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 before transplantation. Donors infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the stem cell collection may not affect apheresis. Allo-HSCT recipients demonstrated a high rate of severe COVID-19 if COVID-19 occurred at the early stage of transplantation. Severe COVID-19 remains a risk factor for nonrelapse mortality and survival after transplantation. The association between COVID-19 and post-transplantation complications, such as other infections, endothelial injury-related complications, and relapse, needs to be further investigated in large samples.
Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Clinical Medical Research Center of Hematological Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510515, China.
目前全球已经进入新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）疫情防控常态化阶段。COVID-19仍将在较长时间内影响异基因造血干细胞移植（allo-HSCT）患者，作者探讨现阶段COVID-19对allo-HSCT策略及预后的可能影响。移植前感染SARS-CoV-2的患者移植时机选择在症状缓解且SARS-CoV-2转阴后为优。供者采集时感染或并不影响采集。allo-HSCT患者移植早期发生COVID-19仍有较高的重症发生率；重症COVID-19仍然是移植后非复发死亡和生存的危险因素。COVID-19与移植后并发症如其他感染、内皮损伤相关并发症及复发的关系有待进一步大样本研究。.
[Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation during the normalization stage of COVID-19 management].
Objective: This study aimed to assess the infection status of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in healthy populations in China over the past decade and analyze the differences in CMV and EBV infection and related risk factors in healthy populations before and after the lifting of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic control measures. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzes the CMV and EBV infection status of 8 827 healthy donors who underwent prehematopoietic stem cell transplantation screening at Peking University People's Hospital from January 2014 to December 2023. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the risk factors for CMV and EBV infection. Results: The CMV and EBV IgG positivity rates were 94.52% and 95.40% among the healthy donors, respectively, with no significant differences before and after the lifting of pandemic control measures (all P value>0.05). However, IgG antibody titers increased [CMV: (100.44±36.50) U/ml vs (109.98±36.31) U/ml, P<0.001; EBV: (281.57±226.79) U/ml vs (361.08±268.58) U/ml, P<0.001] after lifting the COVID-19 restrictions. However, the CMV IgM positivity rate remained unchanged. The EBV IgM positivity rate significantly increased after lifting measures (2.77% vs 6.29%, P<0.001), reaching 8.10% within 3 months. Further analysis of the factors affecting EBV IgM positivity revealed that gender (OR=1.479, 95% CI 1.169-1.872, P=0.001), age[compared with the group younger than 18 years, the 18-50-year age group (OR=0.584, 95% CI 0.421-0.820, P=0.002), the >50-year age group (OR=0.389, 95% CI 0.248-0.610, P<0.001) ], and the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions (OR=2.360, 95% CI 1.287-3.047, P<0.001) were independent factors influencing EBV IgM positivity in the general population. The EBV IgM positivity rate in individuals under 18 years old was not affected by gender or the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions when stratified by age group. Both genders (OR=1.499, 95% CI 1.138 - 1.975, P=0.004) and the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions (OR=2.608, 95% CI 1.940-3.507, P<0.001) were independent factors affecting EBV IgM positivity in the 18-50-year age group. The lifting of COVID-19 restrictions (OR=2.222, 95% CI 1.101-4.484, P=0.026) was the sole independent factor affecting EBV IgM positivity in individuals over 50 years old. Conclusions: Previous infection rates of CMV and EBV are high in healthy populations in China, which increase with age. COVID-19 infection may increase EBV reactivation rates in healthy individuals, with a more pronounced effect on those aged >18 years.
Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing 100044, China.
目的： 评估中国近10年健康人群巨细胞病毒（CMV）和EB病毒（EBV）感染情况，分析新型冠状病毒（以下简称新冠）感染疫情管控全面解除（以下简称解控）前后健康人群CMV和EBV感染情况的差异。 方法： 对2014年1月至2023年12月在北京大学人民医院进行造血干细胞移植前检查的8 827名健康移植供者的CMV和EBV的感染情况进行回顾性分析。运用Logistic回归分析CMV和EBV感染的危险因素。 结果： 8 827名健康移植供者中CMV和EBV的免疫球蛋白（Ig）G阳性率分别为94.52%和95.40%，显示出较高的既往感染率。CMV与EBV的既往感染率在解控前后差异无统计学意义（CMV：94.63%对93.92%，P=0.250；EBV：95.36%对95.62%，P=0.670），但既往感染人群IgG平均抗体滴度有所上升[CMV：（100.44±36.50）U/ml对（109.98±36.31）U/ml，P<0.001；EBV：（281.57±226.79）U/ml对（361.08±268.58）U/ml，P<0.001]。新冠疫情解控前后CMV IgM阳性率变化不显著，但EBV IgM阳性率升高（2.77%对6.29%，P<0.001），尤其解控3个月内EBV IgM阳性率达8.10%。进一步分析影响EBV IgM阳性率的因素，结果显示总体人群中性别（OR=1.479，95% CI 1.169~1.872，P=0.001）、年龄[与<18岁组相比，18~50岁组（OR=0.584，95% CI 0.421~0.820，P=0.002），>50岁组（OR=0.389，95% CI 0.248~0.610，P<0.001）]、新冠疫情解控（OR=2.360，95% CI 1.287~3.047，P<0.001）均是EBV IgM阳性的独立危险因素；按年龄段分组，<18岁组EBV IgM阳性率不受性别和新冠疫情解控影响，18~50岁组中性别（OR=1.499，95% CI 1.138~1.975，P=0.004）和新冠疫情解控（OR=2.608，95% CI 1.940~3.507，P<0.001）均是EBV IgM阳性的独立危险因素，>50岁组中新冠疫情解控是EBV IgM阳性的独立危险因素（OR=2.222，95% CI 1.101~4.484，P=0.026）。 结论： 中国健康人群CMV和EBV的既往感染率高，随着年龄增长感染率有所增加。新冠感染可能增加健康人群EBV激活率，其中18岁以上人群新冠感染对EBV激活率的影响更为显著。.
[Analysis of CMV and EBV infection in healthy populations in China before and after the COVID-19 pandemic].
Objective: This study aimed to analyze the clinical manifestations of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection within 100 days after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) and to investigate the association of HHV-6 viral load with clinical outcomes as well as the effect of antiviral treatment on the course of HHV-6 infection. Methods: This retrospective study included patients who tested positive for HHV-6 within 100 days after allo-HSCT at the Peking University Institute of Hematology from February 2016 to February 2023. The study analyzed the patients' baseline characteristics, including age and transplantation type, as well as their clinical manifestations. Additionally, post-transplant complications were examined. Results: This study detected that 305 patients with HHV-6 infection were positive with a median time of 20 days post-transplant. Fifteen patients were asymptomatic, whereas the remaining patients exhibited the following symptoms: fever, rash, diarrhea, hemorrhagic cystitis, delayed platelet engraftment, central nervous system symptoms, abdominal pain, pneumonia and perioral numbness. Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) was diagnosed in 189 patients, with 45 cases of HHV-6 infection occurring before the onset of aGVHD and 120 cases occurring after aGVHD developed. Quantitative HHV-6 detection was available for 45 patients, and no statistically significant differences were found in the clinical manifestations according to the viral titer. A total of 108 (35.41%) patients experienced coactivation with other viruses, including cytomegalovirus, BK virus, and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Notably, coinfection with EBV was determined as an independent risk factor for overall survival (OS). No statistically significant difference in the time to HHV-6 viral clearance was observed between the antiviral treatment and non-treatment groups [7 (5-10) days vs 8 (4-14) days, P=0.199]. Similarly, the 5-year OS rates between the two groups were not significantly different [ (82.7 ± 2.6) % vs (91.3 ± 3.1) %, χ(2)=3.304, P=0.069]. Discussion: The most prevalent clinical manifestations were fever, rash, and diarrhea in patients with HHV-6 infection after allo-HSCT. No significant correlation was found between the severity of the clinical symptoms and the viral titer. Additionally, no significant differences in the time to HHV-6 clearance or 5-year OS were observed between patients who received antiviral treatment and those who did not.
Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing 100044, China Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou 570311, China.
目的： 分析异基因造血干细胞移植（allo-HSCT）后100 d内人类疱疹病毒6型（HHV-6）激活的临床表现，研究HHV-6病毒载量对临床表现的影响及抗病毒治疗对HHV-6激活转归的影响。 方法： 回顾性研究2016年2月至2023年2月在北京大学血液病研究所接受allo-HSCT后100 d内HHV-6阳性的患者，分析患者的年龄、移植类型等基本特征以及临床表现，同时对移植后合并症等情况进行分析。 结果： 研究纳入305例HHV-6感染患者，HHV-6检测阳性中位时间为移植后20 d。有15例患者无症状，其余患者根据临床表现发生率由高到低依次是：发热、皮疹、腹泻、出血性膀胱炎、血小板延迟植入、中枢神经系统症状、腹痛、肺炎和口周麻木。189例患者合并急性GVHD（其中45例HHV-6感染发生在急性GVHD之前，120例HHV-6感染发生在急性GVHD之后）。45例患者有HHV-6定量检测结果，病毒滴度高低在临床表现中差异无统计学意义。108例（35.41%）患者存在与其他病毒共激活情况，合并感染的病毒包括巨细胞病毒、BK病毒、EB病毒等，其中合并EB病毒激活是影响总生存（OS）的独立危险因素。抗病毒治疗与未抗病毒治疗组患者HHV-6转阴时间差异无统计学意义[7（5~10）d对8（4~14）d，P=0.199]，5年OS率差异也无统计学意义[（82.7±2.6）%对（91.3±3.1）%，χ(2)=3.304，P=0.069]。 结论： allo-HSCT后HHV-6感染患者临床表现以发热、皮疹和腹泻多见，与病毒滴度高低无明显相关性，且是否抗病毒治疗在HHV-6转阴时间与移植后5年OS率中未见显著性差异。.
[Clinical characteristics of HHV-6 infection after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation].
Objective: This study aimed to analyze cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation and its influencing factors in patients with B-lymphocyte malignancy who received chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy. Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed patients with B-lymphocyte malignancy who received CAR-T cell therapy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2021 to December 2023. The data of patients who underwent CMV-DNA detection and/or pathogen metagenomic sequencing twice or more within 100 days after CAR-T cell therapy were analyzed. The clinical characteristics of the CMV reactivation and non-activation groups were compared. The factors related to CMV reactivation were analyzed with the Chi-square test and nonparametric rank sum test, and the risk factors were examined with Logistic regression. Results: This study included 86 patients, among whom 18 (20.9%) had CMV reactivation, and the median time of reactivation was 20 (1-95) days. All of the 18 patients had CMV viremia, and no CMV disease was observed. Seven patients turned to the latent state after continuing acyclovir antiviral therapy, and 11 patients returned to the latent state after upgrading the antiviral therapy to first-line drugs, including ganciclovir and foscarnet sodium. Six or more courses of anti-tumor treatment before CAR-T cell therapy, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation within 2 years before CAR-T cell therapy, non-remission before treatment, and the use of high-dose glucocorticoids and/or tocilizumab were related to CMV reactivation, among which allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation within 2 years pre-treatment and the use of high-dose glucocorticoids and/or tocilizumab treatment were independent risk factors for CMV reactivation. Conclusion: Patients with B-lymphocyte malignancy who received CAR-T cell therapy have the risk of CMV reactivation, especially for those who received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation within 2 years pre-treatment and those who received high-dose glucocorticoids and/or tocilizumab treatment.
The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, Suzhou 215006, China.
Department of Laboratory Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
目的： 分析接受嵌合抗原受体T（CAR-T）细胞治疗的B淋巴细胞肿瘤患者巨细胞病毒（CMV）再激活情况及其影响因素。 方法： 回顾性分析2021年1月至2023年12月于苏州大学附属第一医院接受CAR-T细胞治疗后100 d内进行2次及以上CMV DNA检测和（或）病原体宏基因组测序的B淋巴细胞肿瘤患者的临床资料，比较CMV再激活组和未激活组的临床特征，通过卡方检验和非参数秩和检验分析影响CMV再激活的因素，通过Logistic回归进行危险因素分析。 结果： 共纳入86例患者，其中18例（20.9%）发生了CMV再激活，再激活的中位时间为治疗后20（1~95）d，均为CMV血症，未观察到CMV病的发生。7例患者CMV自然转阴，11例患者抗病毒治疗升级为更昔洛韦、膦甲酸钠等一线药物后CMV转为潜伏状态。CAR-T细胞治疗前抗肿瘤治疗疗程数≥6、CAR-T细胞治疗前2年内行allo-HSCT、治疗前肿瘤未缓解、使用大剂量糖皮质激素和（或）托珠单抗与CMV再激活相关，其中治疗前2年内行allo-HSCT和使用大剂量糖皮质激素和（或）托珠单抗治疗是CMV再激活的独立危险因素。 结论： 接受CAR-T细胞治疗的B淋巴细胞肿瘤患者存在CMV再激活风险，特别是治疗前2年内行allo-HSCT和接受大剂量糖皮质激素和（或）托珠单抗治疗的患者。.
[Reactivation of cytomegalovirus and its influencing factors in patients with B-lymphocyte malignancy after CAR-T cell therapy].
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between early immune reconstitution and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation by analyzing changes in natural killer (NK), B, and T cells and their functional status in the peripheral blood during the early post-transplant period. Methods: This study included 23 patients who underwent haplo-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The immune reconstitution of NK cells, T cells, and B cells as well as the expression levels of NK and T cell exhaustion markers (PD-1, TIM-3, and CTLA-4) and cytotoxic function at 1, 2, and 3 months post-transplantation were compared between patients with EBV activation (EBV+ group) and those without activation (EBV- group) post- transplantation. Results: EBV activation occurred in nine patients post-transplantation (EBV+ group), whereas 14 patients demonstrated no activation (EBV- group). All patients with EBV activation exhibited EBV viremia, and no EBV-associated diseases occurred. No significant differences in the clinical characteristics were found between the two groups of patients. The median proportion of CD3(+)CD8(+) T cells in the EBV+ group was significantly lower than that in the EBV- group at 1 month post-transplantation (P=0.033). The median proportion of the CD3(-)CD16(neg)CD56(bri) subset in the EBV+ group was significantly higher than that in the EBV- group at 2 months post-transplantation (P=0.046). No significant differences in the median proportions of CD3(-)CD19(+) B cells were observed between the two groups at 1, 2, and 3 months post-transplantation. The expression of CTLA-4 on CD3(-)CD16(bri)CD56(dim) NK cells in the EBV+ group was significantly higher than that in the EBV- group at 1 month post-transplantation (P=0.033). The expression of TIM-3 on CD3(+)CD8(+) T cells in the EBV+ group was significantly higher than that in the EBV- group (P=0.009). The expression level of TIM-3 on CD3(-)CD16(neg)CD56(dim) NK cells in the EBV+ group was significantly lower than that in the EBV- group at 2 months post-transplantation (P=0.023). The expression levels of TIM-3 on CD3(+)CD4(+) T cells in the EBV+ group than those in the EBV- group at 1 and 3 months post-transplantation (P=0.002, P=0.043). The median positive rate of Granzyme B expression in CD3(+)CD8(+) T cells and CD3(+)CD4(+) T cells in the EBV+ group was significantly lower than that in the EBV- group at 1-month post-transplantation (P=0.033, P=0.016). The median positive rate of Granzyme B expression in the CD3(-)CD16(bri)CD56(neg) cell subset in the EBV+ group was higher than that in the EBV- group at 2 months post-transplantation (P=0.012). The median positive rate of Granzyme B expression in CD3(+)CD4(+) T cells in the EBV+ group remained significantly lower than that in the EBV- group at 2 months post-transplantation (P=0.049). The median positive rate of perforin expression in the CD3(-)CD16(bri)CD56(dim) cell subset was significantly higher in the EBV+ group than in the EBV- group at 3 months post-transplantation (P=0.003). The median positive rate of IFN-γ expression in CD3(+)CD8(+) T cells in the EBV+ group was significantly lower than that in the EBV- group at 3 months post-transplantation (P=0.036) . Conclusion: Delayed NK cell and T lymphocyte reconstitution, high exhaustion marker expression, and weakened cytotoxic functions may be related to EBV reactivation after haploidentical HSCT.
目的： 本研究通过检测单倍体造血干细胞移植（HSCT）后早期外周血NK细胞、T细胞和B细胞亚群及功能变化情况，探讨移植早期免疫重建与EB病毒（EBV）激活的关联。 方法： 纳入23例接受单倍体HSCT患者，比较移植后发生EBV激活（EBV+组）与未激活（EBV-组）患者移植后1、2、3个月的NK细胞、T细胞和B细胞免疫重建情况以及NK细胞和T细胞耗竭标志物（PD-1、TIM-3、CTLA-4）的表达水平及其杀伤功能的差异。 结果： EBV+组9例，均为EBV血症，未发生EBV相关终末器官疾病；EBV-组14例。两组患者基线临床特征差异均无统计学意义。移植后1个月EBV+组CD3(+)CD8(+) T细胞中位比例低于EBV-组（P=0.033）；移植后2个月EBV+组患者CD3(-)CD16(neg)CD56(bri) NK细胞亚群中位比例高于EBV-组（P=0.046）；移植后1、2、3个月两组间CD3(-)CD19(+) B细胞中位比例差异均无统计学意义。移植后1个月EBV+组CD3(-)CD16(bri)CD56(dim) NK细胞亚群上CTLA-4的表达水平高于EBV-组（P=0.033），EBV+组CD3(+)CD8(+) T细胞上TIM-3的表达水平高于EBV-组（P=0.009）；移植2个月EBV+组CD3(-)CD16(neg)CD56(dim) NK细胞亚群上TIM-3的表达水平低于EBV-组（P=0.023）；移植后1、3个月EBV+组CD3(+)CD4(+) T细胞上TIM-3的表达水平均高于EBV-组（P=0.002、P=0.043）。移植后1个月EBV+组CD3(+)CD8(+) T和CD3(+)CD4(+) T细胞表达颗粒酶B的中位阳性率低于EBV-组（P=0.033、P=0.016）；移植后2个月EBV+组CD3(-)CD16(bri)CD56(neg)细胞亚群表达颗粒酶B的中位阳性率高于EBV-组（P=0.012）；EBV+组CD3(+)CD4(+) T细胞表达颗粒酶B中位阳性率低于EBV-组（P=0.049）；移植后3个月EBV+组CD3(-)CD16(bri)CD56(dim)细胞亚群表达穿孔素的中位阳性率高于EBV-组（P=0.003）；EBV+组CD3(+)CD8(+) T细胞表达IFN-γ中位阳性率低于EBV-组（P=0.036）。 结论： 单倍体HSCT后NK细胞与T淋巴细胞重建延迟、耗竭分子高表达及杀伤功能减弱可能与移植后EBV激活相关。.
[Early cellular immune exhaustion in patients with Epstein-Barr virus activation following haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation].
Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of maribavir for the treatment of CMV viremia and CMV disease refractory or intolerant to conventional antiviral drugs after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) . Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics and outcomes of CMV viremia and CMV disease refractory or intolerant to conventional antiviral drugs after allo-HSCT treated with maribavir at Hebei Yanda Lu Daopei Hospital from April 2024 to September 2024. Result: A total of 25 patients received maribavir, including 21 haploidentical transplants, two sibling HLA-matched transplants, and 2 HLA-matched unrelated transplants. Among them, 21, 2, and 2 patients received the first, second, and third transplants, respectively. The median time to the onset of CMV viremia and CMV disease was 120.5 (6-298) days post-transplantation. The median peak plasma CMV copy number was 6 400 copies/ml (range: 1 100-650 000 copies/ml). Six patients were diagnosed with CMV disease. Maribavir was administered after a median of 9.5 (1-41) days after CMV infection. The median duration of maribavir administration was 11.5 (6-43) days. Post-treatment, maribavir was effective in 25 (100%) patients. Two patients experienced grade 1 taste abnormalities, and one patient experienced grade 2 myelosuppression. Conclusion: The application of maribavir after allo-HSCT for treating refractory, drug-intolerant CMV viremia and CMV disease is safe and effective.
Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation, Hebei Yanda Lu Daopei Hospital, Langfang 065201, China Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation, Beijing Lu Daopei Hospital, Beijing 101102, China.
目的： 探讨马立巴韦治疗异基因造血干细胞移植（allo-HSCT）后难治性、对常规抗病毒药物不耐受的巨细胞病毒（cytomegalovirus，CMV）血症和CMV病的安全性和有效性。 方法： 回顾性分析2024年4月至2024年9月在河北燕达陆道培医院马立巴韦治疗allo-HSCT后的难治性、对常规抗病毒药物不耐受的CMV血症和CMV病的结局。 结果： 接受马立巴韦治疗的25例患者，其中亲缘单倍型移植21例，同胞全合移植2例，非血缘移植2例。1次移植21例，2次移植2例和3次移植2例。患者发生CMV血症的中位时间为移植后120.5（6~298）d，血浆CMV最高拷贝中位数为6 400（1 100~650 000）拷贝/ml。6例患者诊断CMV病。患者在CMV感染后的9.5（1~41）d开始使用马立巴韦。使用马立巴韦持续中位时间为11.5（6~43）d。25例患者治疗均有效。2例患者发生1级的味觉异常，1例发生2级骨髓抑制。 结论： allo-HSCT后难治性、药物不耐受的CMV血症和CMV病患者应用马立巴韦治疗安全有效。.
[Maribavir treatment for refractory and drug-intolerant cytomegalovirus viremia and disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a clinical analysis of 25 cases].
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the role of human herpesvirus (HHV) infection in refractory intestinal graft-versus-host disease (GI-GVHD) after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and its diagnosis and treatment. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed patients presenting with refractory GI-GVHD after allogeneic HSCT (allo-HSCT) with concomitant colonoscopy and mucosal biopsy at Lu Daopei Hospital, Yanda, Hebei, from March 2022 to July 2024. Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6), HHV7, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) detection with the RQ-PCR method. The intestinal mucosa was pathologically assessed and immunohistochemistry was utilized to detect the CMV early antigen, CMV late antigen, and EBV by in situ hybridization. Results: This study included 42 patients, consisting of 25 males and 17 females with a median age of 26 (1-59) years. All were histopathologically diagnosed as GI-GVHD. Among them, 34 (81.0%) cases had combined viral enteritis, with 52.4% positive for EBV, 38.1% positive for HHV6, 26.2% positive for CMV, and 14.3% positive for HHV7. Further, 17 (40.5%) cases had mixed viral infections, including 5 EBV+ HHV6, 3 CMV+HHV6, 3 CMV+EBV, 2 CMV+EBV+HHV6, 2 EBV+HHV6+HHV7, 1 EBV+HHV7, and 1 HHV6 + HHV7 cases. Furthermore, 17 (40.5%) had a single viral infection, including 9 EBV, 3 CMV, 3 HHV6, and 2 HHV7 cases. Moreover, 17 (40.5%) patients exhibited a positive histopathological viral test, including 7 (16.6%) CMV-positive and 12 (28.5%) EBV-positive cases. The same positive virus was detected in the feces of all 34 patients with positive tissue homogenate virus, and the positive rate of the same virus in the blood was 17.6%. Tissue homogenized virus testing was utilized as the diagnostic criterion for enterocolitis: blood tests for CMV, EBV, HHV6, and HHV7 demonstrated a sensitivity of 45.4%, 4.5%, 6.3%, and 0%, and specificity of 90.3%, 95%, 100%, and 110%, respectively. Additionally, fecal tests for CMV, EBV, HHV6, and HHV7 demonstrated a sensitivity and specificity of 100%. Treatment based on etiology caused ORR and CR rates for diarrhea of 76.1% (32/42) and 66.6% (28/42), respectively. The median follow-up of 42 patients was 13 (1 - 49) months, and 28 patients survived, with an expected 2-year survival rate of 61.9%. Conclusion: In addition to GVHD itself, intestinal human herpesvirus infection is one of the reasons for the refractory nature of GI-GVHD. Viral testing in blood and tissues reveals significant segregation, and the possibility of comorbid viral enteritis cannot be excluded even if a patient with GI-GVHD tests negative for blood viruses.
Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation, Hebei Yanda Lu Daopei Hospital, Langfang 065300, China.
目的： 探讨人类疱疹病毒（HHV）感染在造血干细胞移植后难治性肠道移植物抗宿主病（GI-GVHD）中的作用及诊断和治疗。 方法： 对2022年3月至2024年7月，于河北燕达陆道培医院行异基因造血干细胞移植（allo-HSCT）治疗后出现难治性GI-GVHD并行结肠镜检查及黏膜活检的42例患者资料进行回顾性分析；采用RQ-PCR方法检测组织匀浆HHV6、HHV7、巨细胞病毒（CMV）、EB病毒（EBV）；肠黏膜进行病理检查并采用免疫组化方法检测CMV早期抗原、CMV晚期抗原，原位杂交法检测EBV。 结果： 42例患者纳入研究，男25例，女17例，中位年龄26（1~59）岁，均经组织病理诊断为GI-GVHD。其中34例（81.0%）合并病毒性肠炎，EBV阳性率52.4%，HHV6阳性率38.1%，CMV阳性率26.2%，HHV7阳性率14.3%。17例（40.5%）为混合病毒感染，包括5例EBV+HHV6，3例CMV+HHV6，3例CMV+EBV，2例CMV+EBV+HHV6，2例EBV+HHV6+HHV7，1例EBV+HHV7，1例HHV6+HHV7。17例（40.5%）为单一病毒感染，其中EBV感染9例、CMV感染3例、HHV6感染3例、HHV7感染2例。17例（40.5%）患者组织病理病毒检测阳性，包括7例（16.6%）CMV阳性，12例（28.5%）EBV阳性（其中2例CMV、EBV双阳性）。34例组织匀浆病毒阳性患者均可于粪便中检测到相同病毒，血液相同病毒阳性率17.6%。以组织匀浆病毒检测为肠炎诊断标准，血液检测CMV、EBV、HHV6、HHV7敏感性分别为45.4%、4.5%、6.3%、0%，特异性分别为90.3%、95.0%、100%、100%，粪便检测CMV、EBV、HHV6、HHV7敏感性和特异性均为100%。基于病因学进行治疗，腹泻的总反应率和完全缓解率分别为76.1%（32/42）和66.6%（28/42）。42例患者中位随访时间为13（1~49）个月，28例患者存活，2年预期生存率为61.9%。 结论： 除GVHD本身外，肠道HHV感染是GI-GVHD难治性的原因之一。血液和组织中病毒检测呈明显分离现象，即使GI-GVHD患者血液病毒检测阴性，也不能排除合并病毒性肠炎的可能。.
[Role of human herpesvirus infection in refractory gastrointestinal graft-versus-host-disease after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and the diagnosis and treatment thereof].
Acute leukemia of ambiguous lineage (ALAL) is a rare type of acute leukemia and is extremely difficult to treat. Here, we present six patients with CD19-positive ALAL who were successfully treated with blinatumomab-based combination treatment in the front-line setting. Five were diagnosed with B-cell/myeloid mixed phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL) and one with B-cell/T cell MPAL. All six patients achieved complete remission after one cycle of blinatumomab combination treatment. Furthermore, 3 (50%) patients achieved MRD-negative (<0.01%) by flow cytometry and 2 (50%) of four patients with evaluable molecular MRD achieved molecular remission. At some point during the treatment, 5 (83.3%) patients achieved MRD negativity and all four patients with evaluable molecular MRD had molecular remission. The overall survival was 100%, and the event-free survival was 83.3% after a median follow-up time of 15 months. This study provides preliminary evidence that blinatumomab-based combination therapy is an effective and safe treatment for patients with CD19-positive ALAL in the front-line setting.
The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis Under Ministry of Health, Suzhou 215006, China.
系列模糊急性白血病（ALAL）是一种罕见的急性白血病类型，治疗难度极大。本文报道6例成功接受贝林妥欧单抗为基础的联合方案作为一线治疗的CD19阳性ALAL患者。其中5例为B/髓表型，1例为B/T表型。经过1个周期的贝林妥欧单抗联合治疗后，6例患者均获完全缓解（CR）。此外3例患者达到了流式细胞术微小残留病（MRD）阴性（<0.01%）；4例患者可评估分子学MRD，其中2例患者获得了分子学缓解。整个治疗中的最佳治疗反应：5例患者（83.3%）达到流式细胞术MRD阴性，4例有可评估分子学MRD的患者全部达到分子学缓解。中位随访时间为15个月，总生存率为100%，无事件生存率为83.3%。本研究初步证明贝林妥欧单抗为基础的联合方案是一线治疗CD19阳性ALAL患者的有效、安全疗法。.
[Blinatumomab-based combination treatment for CD19-positive acute leukemia of an ambiguous lineage].
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clinical features and prognosis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in patients with hematologic malignancies. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 197 patients with hematologic malignancies complicated with P. aeruginosa infection who were hospitalized in the Department of Hematology from January 01, 2019, to December 31, 2021. Patients were categorized into a susceptible group (CSPA infection group) and a drug-resistant group (CRPA infection group) based on their sensitivity to carbapenems, comparing the differences in clinical features between the two groups, and analyzing the risk factors and prognosis of CRPA infection. Results: Logistic regression analysis revealed that hospitalization days of >50 days (P=0.010, OR=3.581, 95% CI 1.356-9.457), history of antibiotic exposure (P=0.008, OR=4.394, 95% CI 1.358-6.238), more than two courses of chemotherapy before infection (P=0.006, OR=2.911, 95% CI 1.358-6.238) were independent risk factors for developing CRPA. The mortality rates were 12.8% (18/140) and 28.1% (16/57) in patients with CRPA and CSPA, respectively (P=0.010). Logistic regression analysis revealed that bloodstream infection (BSI) (P=0.039, OR=5.286, 95% CI 1.091-25.621) was an independent risk factor for hematologic malignancies and death from CRPA infection. Conclusion: Hospitalization for >50 days, history of antibiotic exposure, and >2 courses of chemotherapy before infection were independent risk factors for CRPA infection. Hematologic malignancies with CRPA infection had a high mortality rate, of which BSI was an independent risk factor for 30-day mortality from hematologic malignancies with CRPA infection.
Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China Nanping First Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Nanping 353000, China The Second Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, China.
The Second Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, China.
Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China.
Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China National Regional Medical Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Binhai Campus, Fuzhou 350200, China.
Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China National Regional Medical Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Binhai Campus, Fuzhou 350200, China Institute of Precision Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China The First Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China.
Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China The Second Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, China Institute of Precision Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China.
目的： 探讨恶性血液病患者发生铜绿假单胞菌感染的临床特征及预后影响因素。 方法： 回顾性分析2019年1月1日至2021年12月31日期间在福建医科大学附属协和医院血液科住院的197例合并铜绿假单胞菌感染的恶性血液病患者的临床资料。根据对碳青霉烯类药物的敏感性分为敏感组（CSPA感染组）和耐药组（CRPA感染组），比较两组患者临床特征的差异，分析容易发生CRPA感染的危险因素及预后情况。 结果： Logistic回归多因素分析显示住院天数>50 d（P=0.010，OR=3.581，95%CI 1.356~9.457）、抗生素暴露史（P=0.008，OR=4.394，95%CI 1.358~6.238）、感染前化疗次数>2次（P=0.006，OR=2.911，95%CI 1.358~6.238）为发生CRPA感染的独立危险因素。CSPA感染组和CRPA感染组30 d全因死亡率分别为12.8%（18/140）、28.1%（16/57）（P=0.010）。Logistic回归多因素分析显示血流感染（P=0.039，OR=5.286，95%CI 1.091~25.621）是恶性血液病伴CRPA感染死亡的独立危险因素。 结论： 住院天数>50 d、抗生素暴露史、感染前化疗次数>2次为恶性血液病患者发生CRPA感染的独立风险因素。血液病患者CRPA感染后死亡率高，血流感染为其主要死亡原因。.
[Clinical features and prognosis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in patients with hematologic malignancies].
Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the clinical and molecular characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) bloodstream infection (BSI) in patients with hematological diseases and to explore prognostic risk factors. Methods: This retrospective study included patients with hematologic diseases with CRE BSI at the Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital from January 2015 to December 2022. The clinical features, carbapenemase test results, antimicrobial treatments, and outcomes were analyzed. Results: A total of 120 patients developed CRE BSI. Escherichia coli (58/120, 48.3%) was the most prevalent Enterobacteriaceae, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (52/120, 43.3%). A total of 93 CRE strains were tested for carbapenemase, of which 75 strains produced carbapenemase (metalloenzyme: 51 strains; serine enzyme: 24 strains). The 30-day mortality rate after BSI was 24.2% (29/120). Univariate analysis revealed significantly lower mortality in patients treated with the ceftazidime-avibactam-containing regimen than in those treated with other antibiotics (7.8% vs 36.2%, P<0.001). Moreover, initiating active therapy within 24 h of BSI onset significantly reduced mortality (15.0% vs 33.3%, P=0.019). The proportion of patients with CRE colonization receiving active therapy within 12 and 24 h was significantly higher compared with patients without colonization (12 h: 14.5% vs 34.1%, P=0.012; 24 h: 40.8% vs 65.9%, P=0.008). Multivariate analysis revealed that septic shock (HR=24.436, 95% CI 4.148 - 143.966, P<0.001) and pulmonary infection (HR=9.346, 95% CI 2.718-32.140, P<0.001) were independent risk factors for death within 30 days. Appropriate therapy was initiated within 24 h (HR=0.225, 95% CI 0.059 - 0.851, P=0.028), and treatment with the ceftazidime-avibactam-containing regimen (HR=0.082, 95% CI 0.018-0.362, P=0.001) significantly reduced mortality. Conclusion: The prognosis of CRE BSI in patients with hematological diseases is poor. Timely, appropriate therapy and receipt of a ceftazidime-avibactam-containing regimen can improve survival and prognosis.
State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, Tianjin 30l600, China.
目的： 分析血液病患者合并耐碳青霉烯类肠杆菌科细菌（CRE）血流感染的临床及分子学特征，探讨预后危险因素。 方法： 对中国医学科学院血液病医院2015年1月至2022年12月发生CRE血流感染的血液病患者进行回顾性研究，分析临床特点、碳青霉烯酶检测结果、抗感染治疗及转归。 结果： 共120例患者发生CRE血流感染。大肠埃希菌最多见（58/120，48.3%），其次为肺炎克雷伯菌（52/120，43.3%）。93株CRE进行了碳青霉烯酶检测，其中产碳青霉烯酶CRE共75株（金属酶51株、丝氨酸酶24株）。患者感染后30 d死亡率为24.2%（29/120）。单因素分析显示，接受含头孢他啶-阿维巴坦治疗患者的死亡率明显低于接受其他抗菌药物治疗患者（7.8%对36.2%，P<0.001）。此外，在感染发生24 h内接受有效抗感染治疗可显著降低死亡率（15.0%对33.3%，P=0.019）。而合并CRE定植患者，在12 h、24 h内接受有效抗感染治疗的比例明显高于无定植患者（12 h：34.1%对14.5%，P=0.012；24 h：65.9%对40.8%，P=0.008）。多因素分析发现，合并感染性休克（HR=24.436，95% CI 4.148~143.966，P<0.001）和肺感染（HR=9.346，95% CI 2.718~32.140，P<0.001）是患者30 d内死亡的独立危险因素。而24 h内接受有效抗感染治疗（HR=0.225，95% CI 0.059~0.851，P=0.028）以及接受含头孢他啶-阿维巴坦的治疗（HR=0.082，95% CI 0.018~0.362，P=0.001）可显著降低死亡率。 结论： 血液病患者合并CRE血流感染预后差，及早启动有效抗感染治疗以及应用含头孢他啶-阿维巴坦的方案可提高生存率、改善预后。.
[Clinical characteristics and prognostic analysis of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae bloodstream infections in patients with hematologic diseases].
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clinical value of glucocorticoids in patients with neutropenic severe pneumonia at moderate to high risk according to the Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) in patients with hematologic diseases. Methods: Clinical data were collected from 534 patients at the Fujian Medical University Union Hospital from October 2016 to December 2018. We evaluated the changes in inflammatory cytokines, treatment failure, in-hospital mortality, and other outcomes, adjusting for potential confounders through propensity score matching. Results: Patients were categorized into glucocorticoids (n=176) and control (n=358) groups. The glucocorticoid group demonstrated higher levels of C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and interleukin-6, alongside higher PSI scores. The differences in comorbidities diminished, except for inflammatory cytokine levels, with a notable reduction in inflammatory cytokines observed in the glucocorticoid group, after matching 125 pairs based on propensity scores. Late treatment failure was more prevalent in the glucocorticoid group (39.2% vs 24.8%, P=0.015), but this was primarily caused by radiographic progression. The incidences of respiratory failure, mechanical ventilation, and septic shock were similar between the groups. Logistic regression analyses revealed that glucocorticoids reduced the risk of treatment failure (OR=0.367, 95% CI 0.165-0.818, P=0.014). The 30-day in-hospital mortality rates were comparable (8.0% in glucocorticoids vs 7.2% in controls, P=0.811), with indications that glucocorticoids may exert a protective effect on mortality. The PSI score was determined as the sole independent risk factor for 30-day in-hospital mortality (OR=1.077, 95% CI 1.032-1.123, P=0.001). No evidence indicated that glucocorticoids increased the incidence of hyperglycemia, gastrointestinal bleeding, or 30-day infection recurrence. Conclusion: Glucocorticoids reduce inflammatory cytokine levels and are potentially related to decreased treatment failure and mortality in patients with neutropenic pneumonia classified as PSI Ⅳ and Ⅴ among hematological patients.
Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China Department of Hematology-Oncology, Fujian Children's Hospital, Fuzhou 350014, China.
Department of Hematology, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350209, China Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350005, China Institute of Precision Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350122, China.
Department of Oncology, Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, China.
Department of Hematology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Pingtan Hospital, Pingtan 350128, China.
Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China Institute of Precision Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350122, China Department of Hematology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, China.
目的： 探索糖皮质激素在血液病患者粒细胞缺乏（粒缺）合并肺炎严重指数（pneumonia severity index，PSI）中高危肺炎中的治疗价值。 方法： 回顾性分析2016年10月1日至2018年12月31日福建医科大学附属协和医院血液科收治的粒缺合并PSI中高危肺炎的534例血液病患者资料，利用倾向性评分（PSM）调整激素组与非激素组之间基础资料的差异，比较两组患者治疗过程中炎症因子的变化，治疗失败率、死亡率、到达临床稳定状态时间、抗菌药物使用天数及不良反应发生率。 结果： 176例患者接受了激素治疗，而358例患者未使用激素。激素组患者炎症因子水平、合并症比例及PSI评分更高。PSM共匹配125对病例。匹配后激素组和非激素组之间的合并症差异减小，但激素组的炎症因子水平仍然较高，接受激素治疗的患者病情较重，而在后续的治疗过程中炎症因子水平的下降更为显著。激素组晚期治疗失败率高于非激素组（39.2%对24.8%，P=0.015），但主要体现在影像学进展，而呼吸衰竭、机械通气、脓毒性休克等严重并发症的发生率差异无统计学意义。Logistic回归分析显示，糖皮质激素可降低治疗失败率（OR=0.367，95%CI 0.165~0.818，P=0.014）。PSI评分高增加治疗失败率（OR=1.028，95%CI 1.007~1.049，P=0.008）。激素组与非激素组30 d死亡率差异无统计学意义（8.0%对7.2%，P=0.811）。PSI评分是30 d死亡的危险因素（OR=1.077，95%CI 1.032~1.123，P=0.001）。激素组PSI Ⅴ级患者30 d生存率与PSI Ⅳ级患者比较差异无统计学意义[（87.8±5.1）%对（94.0±2.6）%，P=0.216]。糖皮质激素并不增加血糖升高、消化道出血和30 d内再感染发生率。 结论： 糖皮质激素在血液病患者粒缺合并PSI中高危肺炎的治疗中有助于控制炎症因子水平，可降低PSI Ⅴ级患者治疗失败率及死亡率。.
[Therapeutic effects of glucocorticoids in patients with hematologic diseases with neutropenia and severe pneumonia classified by the PSI scores].
Department of Hematology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China Department of General Internal Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
Department of Hematology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
[Pseudonormal Vit B(12) megaloblastic anemia misdiagnosed as Coombs-negative AIHA: a case report].
The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou 450008, China.
[Venetoclax-based regimen for the treatment of mixed phenotype acute leukemia: a case report].
Peking University People's Hospital & Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing 100044, China Department of Hematology, People's Hospital of Yangjiang, Yangjiang 529500, China.
Peking University People's Hospital & Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing 100044, China.
[Obinutuzumab induced acute thrombocytopenia: a case report].
Objective: This study aimed to analyze the homology between carbapenem-resistant organisms (CRO) intestinal colonization strains and bloodstream infection (BSI) strains in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), confirming the clinical use of the real-time rectal swab Xpert Carba-R assay, and investigate its feasibility in early warning of BSI. Methods: Drug-resistant strains obtained from rectal swabs and blood culture samples of patients undergoing the same HSCT from January 2021 to December 2021 were collected and analyzed. The homology of the CRO intestinal colonization and BSI strains was confirmed using strain identification, antimicrobial resistance phenotyping, whole genome sequencing (WGS), multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and carbapenemase type identification. Rectal swab cultures and the real-time rectal swab Xpert Carba-R assay were conducted concurrently on patients with HSCT from August 2021 to August 2022. The accuracy of the real-time rectal swab Xpert Carba-R assay was confirmed with the sequencing results of polymerase chain reaction amplification products of the carbapenemase gene from purified colonies as a reference standard. Results: This study included 24 CRO strains from 10 patients undergoing HSCT, including 14 intestinal colonizers and 10 CRO-BSI strains. The results revealed that the CRO intestinal colonization strains and CRO-BSI strains from the same patient and their carbapenemase genes were almost identical. Additionally, WGS revealed that CRO intestinal colonization and CRO-BSI strains from the same patient were more closely related than strains from different patients. Additionally, this study included 488 rectal swab specimens from 184 patients undergoing HSCT, with CRO detection rates of 16.4% for rectal swab culture and 18.4% for the real-time rectal swab Xpert Carba-R assay. The overall sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the real-time rectal swab Xpert Carba-R assay were 96.6%, 72.8%, 90.6%, and 88.9%, respectively. Conclusions: A high degree of homology was found between the CRO intestinal colonization strains and the CRO-BSI strains in patients undergoing HSCT. The real-time rectal swab Xpert Carba-R assay is a reliable and convenient method for detecting common carbapenemase genes, serving as an alternative to rectal swab culture for early warning of CRO-BSI.
Department of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology for Haematological Diseases, Luoyang 471000, China.
目的： 分析造血干细胞移植（HSCT）患者耐碳青霉烯类革兰阴性菌（CRO）肠道定植菌株与血流感染（BSI）菌株的同源性，验证实时肛拭子Xpert Carba-R检测在临床应用中的价值，探讨其预警BSI的可行性。 方法： 收集并分析2021年1月至2021年12月从HSCT患者的肛拭子和血培养样本中获得的耐药菌株，使用菌种鉴定、抗菌药物耐药表型、全基因组测序（WGS）、多位点序列分型和碳青霉烯酶型鉴别等方法，验证CRO肠道定植和BSI菌株的同源性。对2021年8月至2022年8月的HSCT患者同时进行肛拭子培养和实时肛拭子Xpert Cabar-R酶型筛查，以纯化菌落碳青霉烯酶基因多重实时聚合酶链反应（PCR）扩增产物的测序结果为参照标准，验证实时肛拭子Xpert Cabar-R检测的准确性。 结果： 本研究共纳入10例HSCT患者的24株CRO菌株，其中肠道定植菌14株，BSI菌10株。同一患者的CRO肠道定植和BSI菌株及其碳青霉烯酶基因高度一致，WGS显示同一患者的CRO肠道定植菌和BSI菌的亲缘关系比不同患者的菌株关系更密切。此外，本研究纳入184例HSCT患者的488份肛拭子标本，肛拭子培养和实时肛拭子Xpert Cabar-R的CRO检出率分别为16.4%和18.4%，实时肛拭子Xpert Carba-R检测的总体敏感性、特异性、阳性预测值和阴性预测值分别为96.6%、72.8%、90.6%和88.9%。 结论： HSCT患者CRO肠道定植菌株与BSI菌株具有高度同源性，实时肛拭子Xpert Carba-R是检测常见碳青霉烯酶基因可靠且方便的方法，可替代肛拭子培养预警CRO-BSI的发生。.
[Real-time rectal swab Xpert Carba-R assay for early warning of CRO bloodstream infection in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant: a clinical feasibility study].
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is one of the most prevalent opportunistic infections after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Prophylaxis and preemptive therapy have demonstrated promise in reducing the incidence of CMV infection and CMV disease, but the management of refractory/resistant (R/R) CMV infections after HSCT remains a challenge that significantly affects the prognosis of patients undergoing HSCT. Intolerance and resistance to antivirals are the primary reasons for developing refractory CMV infections. CMV DNA quantification PCR combined with CMV-specific cell-mediated immunity monitoring may help to optimize diagnosis and enable personalized management of R/R CMV infection. Novel antiviral drugs and other immunotherapies, including intravenous immunoglobulin and adoptive CMV T cell therapy, constitute an appealing option.
State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cell Therapy for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, Tianjin 301600, China.
巨细胞病毒（CMV）感染是造血干细胞移植（HSCT）后最常见的机会性感染之一。尽管预防和抢先治疗可以降低CMV感染和CMV病的发生率，但仍有部分患者发展为难治性/耐药性（R/R）CMV感染，严重影响预后。对抗CMV治疗药物不耐受和发生耐药是患者发展为难治的重要原因。在CMV DNA定量PCR的基础上联合使用CMV特异性免疫介导（CMI）监测可以优化R/R CMV感染的诊断并指导个性化治疗。近年来，新型抗病毒药物、免疫治疗包括免疫球蛋白和病毒特异性T细胞治疗的探索，有望为该类患者提供更多的治疗选择。.
[Refractory or resistant cytomegalovirus infections after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: diagnosis and management].
School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Translational Research and Therapy for Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China. Electronic address: jwaddington@rcsi.ie.
Department of Engineering, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain.
European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2025-04;93():1-2.
3D imaging and geometric morphometrics of facial dysmorphology and asymmetry indicate gestational timings of dysmorphogenesis in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona (IIBB), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), 08036 Barcelona, Spain; Systems Neuropharmacology Group, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Biomedical Research Networking Centre Consortium on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
Biomedical Research Networking Centre Consortium on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience, Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Bipolar and Depressive Disorders Unit, Digital Innovation Group, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Neurosciences (UBNeuro), University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona (IIBB), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), 08036 Barcelona, Spain; Systems Neuropharmacology Group, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Biomedical Research Networking Centre Consortium on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: analia.bortolozzi@iibb.csic.es.
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2025-04;93():3-4.
MiRNAs and extracellular vesicles in psychiatry: Potential biomarkers, therapeutic advances, and animal models.
Cardiovascular diseases represent one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Despite significant advances in the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases, numerous challenges remain in managing them. One of these challenges is the need for replacements for damaged cardiac tissues that can restore the normal function of the heart. Amniotic membrane, as a biological scaffold with unique properties, has attracted the attention of many researchers in recent years. This membrane, extracted from the human placenta, contains growth factors, cytokines, and other biomolecules that play a crucial role in tissue repair. Its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and wound-healing properties have made amniotic membrane a promising option for the treatment of heart diseases. This review article examines the applications of amniotic membrane in cardiovascular diseases. By focusing on the mechanisms of action of this biological scaffold and the results of clinical studies, an attempt will be made to evaluate the potential of using amniotic membrane in the treatment of heart diseases. Additionally, the existing challenges and future prospects in this field will be discussed.
Copyright © 2024 Rayat Pisheh, Darvishi and Masoomkhah.
Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Meybod University, Meybod, Iran.
Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology
Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2024;12():1521462.
Amniotic membrane, a novel bioscaffold in cardiac diseases: from mechanism to applications.
Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of oral mucositis (OM) in patients with hematological diseases who received secondary allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) . Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed data on 58 patients with hematological diseases who underwent secondary allo-HSCT at the Peking University People's Hospital from January 2018 to December 2023. The control group included 116 randomized patients after primary allo-HSCT during this period (1:2 ratio) with matched gender, age, and diagnosis. The incidence of OM and overall survival (OS) were compared between the two groups. Results: The secondary allo-HSCT and control groups reported 17 (29.31%) and 16 (13.79%) cases that developed OM (P=0.014), whereas 10 (17.24%) and 7 (6.03%) developed grade ≥3 OM (P=0.019). The median time for OM to occur was 4 days (1-9 days) and 5 days (1-10 days) posttransplantation in the secondary allo-HSCT and control groups, respectively. The multivariate analysis revealed that the use of whole-body radiation therapy as the main pretreatment regimen was an independent risk factor for OM occurrence (P=0.019). Among patients with OM, an age of <55 years is a risk factor for developing grade 3-4 OM (P=0.028). All patients who underwent the secondary allo-HSCT received granulocyte implantation. The median time of granulocyte implantation in 17 patients with OM was 14 days posttransplantation, whereas the median time of granulocyte implantation in patients without OM was 12 days posttransplantation. The difference was not statistically significant (P=0.721). The presence of OM did not affect the occurrence of acute graft-versus-host disease (P=0.938). No statistically significant difference was observed in the 2-year OS rate between patients with and without OM during the secondary allo-HSCT (51.9% vs 50.4%, P=0.943). No statistically significant difference was observed in the 2-year OS rate between patients with OM undergoing the secondary allo-HSCT and those undergoing the primary allo-HSCT (51.9% vs 81.3%, P=0.185) . Conclusions: The proportion of patients with concurrent OM was significantly increased in the secondary allo-HSCT, and the severity was more severe. Whether or not to merge OM does not affect granulocyte implantation, acute graft-versus-host disease incidence, and 2-year OS rate.
目的： 初步探索接受第二次异基因造血干细胞移植（allo-HSCT）并发口腔黏膜炎的血液病患者的临床特征。 方法： 回顾性分析2018年1月至2023年12月于北京大学血液病研究所接受第二次allo-HSCT的58例血液病患者，对照组为1∶2配对的接受第一次allo-HSCT的116例血液病患者。配对因素包括性别、年龄及诊断。比较两组患者口腔黏膜炎发生率及总生存（OS）率。 结果： 第二次allo-HSCT组和对照组分别有17例（29.31%）和16例（13.79%）发生口腔黏膜炎（P=0.014），分别有10例（17.24%）和7例（6.03%）发生3级及以上口腔黏膜炎（P=0.019），发生口腔黏膜炎的中位时间分别为移植后第4天（移植后第1~9天）和移植后第5天（移植后第1~10天）。多因素分析结果显示，预处理采用以全身放射治疗为主的方案是发生口腔黏膜炎的独立危险因素（P=0.019）。在发生口腔黏膜炎的患者中，年龄<55岁是发生3~4级口腔黏膜炎的危险因素（P=0.028）。所有接受第二次allo-HSCT的患者均获得粒细胞植入，合并口腔黏膜炎的17例患者粒细胞植活中位时间为移植后14 d，未合并口腔黏膜炎患者粒细胞植活中位时间为移植后12 d，差异无统计学意义（P=0.721）。是否合并口腔黏膜炎不影响急性移植物抗宿主病发生（P=0.938）。第二次allo-HSCT合并与未合并口腔黏膜炎患者的2年OS率差异无统计学意义（51.9%对50.4%，P=0.943）。第二次allo-HSCT合并口腔黏膜炎与第一次allo-HSCT合并口腔黏膜炎患者的2年OS率差异无统计学意义（51.9%对81.3%，P=0.185）。 结论： 第二次allo-HSCT患者并发口腔黏膜炎比例显著升高，且程度更为严重。是否合并口腔黏膜炎不影响粒细胞植入、急性移植物抗宿主病发生率和2年OS率。.
[Clinical analysis of oral mucositis after secondary allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with hematological diseases].
The application of standardized criteria to evaluate treatment efficacy is crucial for guiding therapeutic decisions, assessing prognosis, and interpreting outcomes in treating multiple myeloma (MM). The unique characteristics of MM make its response assessment more complex compared with other malignancies. It primarily depends on serum and urine M protein levels, combined with the number of plasma cells in the bone marrow and comprehensive imaging findings. Recently, the emergence of novel therapeutics has led to significant improvements in MM outcomes. Minimal residual disease (MRD) detection determines deeper remission states. The clinical significance of MRD monitoring is now widely recognized. The Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) MM Expert Committee and the Hematologic Oncology Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association (CACA) have gathered relevant experts to develop the guidelines based on these advancements, aiming to provide a comprehensive reference for response assessment in MM.
Multiple Myeloma Expert Committee of Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO)Myeloma & Plasma Cell Disease Group, Hematology Oncology Committee of China Anti-Cancer Association (CACA)
在多发性骨髓瘤（MM）治疗过程中，应用统一的标准对疗效进行评价对于指导治疗、判断预后及解读不同研究结果非常重要。因为疾病本身的特性，MM的疗效判断较其他肿瘤更为复杂，主要基于血、尿单克隆免疫球蛋白（M蛋白）的测定，结合骨髓中浆细胞数量及全身影像学。近年来，随着新药的不断涌现，MM疗效显著提高，微小残留病检测能够显示更深层次的缓解，其临床意义目前已取得广泛共识。在此基础上，中国临床肿瘤学会（CSCO）骨髓瘤专家委员会和中国抗癌协会（CACA）血液肿瘤专业委员会组织相关专家制定了本指南，旨在为MM的疗效评估提供全面参考。.
[Chinese guidelines on response assessment and minimal residual disease monitoring in multiple myeloma (2024)].
Objective: This study aimed to summarize the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with bone marrow invasive follicular lymphoma (FL) and discuss the treatment modalities. Methods: This study included 183 consecutive patients with FL accompanied by bone marrow invasion and receiving regular treatment at the Hospital of Hematology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, from January 2013 to December 2022. Clinical data were retrospectively collected and analyzed, and single and multifactorial analyses of survival prognosis were conducted with the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression model. Results: The median age was 48 (range: 19 - 78) years, and the male-to-female ratio was 0.9∶1. All of the patients had bone marrow invasion, 27.8% had increased lactate dehydrogenase levels, 42.1% had lymphocyte counts of >5×10(9)/L, 18.4% had abnormal chromosomal karyotypes, and 48.6% had Ki-67 index of ≥30% in lymphoid tissue. Comparison of different subgroups: lymphocyte counts of >5×10(9)/L, number of lymph nodes of ≥5 involved, and proportion of bone marrow chromosomal abnormalities occurring were higher in the anthracycline-intensive treatment group than in the rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) protocol and the nucleoside analog (including CD20 monoclonal antibody in combination with fludarabine and bendamustine) groups (all P<0.05). The complete remission rate was 39.1% in the conventional R-CHOP group, which was lower and statistically significant than that in the intensive treatment group (55.1%) and the nucleoside analog group (62.5%) (P=0.042). The multivariate analysis for survival analysis revealed high risk of FLIPI (HR= 1.910, 95% CI 1.036 - 3.522, P=0.036), chromosomal abnormalities karyotype (HR=2.666, 95% CI 1.333-5.331, P=0.006), and conventional R-CHOP treatment (HR=2.287, 95% CI 1.140-4.591, P=0.020) were the independent adverse prognostic factors affecting progression-free survival (PFS), whereas POD24 was the only independent adverse prognostic factor affecting overall survival (OS) adverse prognostic factor (HR=9.581, 95% CI 3.000 - 30.593, P<0.001) . Conclusions: The clinical presentations of patients with bone marrow invasive FL were easy to combine the clinical features, including increased lymphocyte count, chromosomal abnormalities, and Ki-67 index in lymphoid tissues. The FLIPI score, chromosomal abnormal karyotype, and high-lymphoid-tissue Ki-67 index were the poor prognostic factors influencing PFS. R-CHOP therapy demonstrated a poor prognosis in this group of patients.
State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, Tianjin 301600, China.
目的： 总结伴有骨髓侵犯的滤泡性淋巴瘤（FL）患者临床特征及预后，并对治疗模式进行探讨。 方法： 纳入2013年1月至2022年12月中国医学科学院血液病医院连续收治的183例伴有骨髓侵犯且接受正规治疗的FL患者。回顾性收集并分析患者临床资料，采用Kaplan-Meier法及Cox回归模型进行生存预后的单因素及多因素分析。 结果： 中位年龄48（19~78）岁，男女比例0.9∶1。所有患者均有骨髓侵犯，LDH升高比例为27.8%，淋巴细胞计数>5×10(9)/L比例为42.1%，染色体异常及淋巴组织Ki-67指数≥30%比例分别为18.4%及48.6%；不同亚组比较：强化治疗组的淋巴细胞计数>5×10(9)/L、受累淋巴结数目≥5个以及发生骨髓染色体异常比例，均较R-CHOP（利妥昔单抗+环磷酰胺+阿霉素+长春地辛+泼尼松）组及核苷类似物（包括CD20单抗联合氟达拉滨及苯达莫司汀）组更高（均P<0.05）。R-CHOP组完全缓解率为39.1%，较强化治疗组（55.1%）及核苷类似物组（62.5%）低（P=0.042）。生存分析：滤泡性淋巴瘤国际预后指数（FLIPI）高危[HR=1.910（95% CI 1.036~3.522），P=0.038]、染色体异常核型[HR=2.666（95% CI 1.333~5.331），P=0.006]以及R-CHOP方案治疗[HR=2.287（95% CI 1.140~4.591），P=0.020]被证实为影响无进展生存（PFS）的独立不良预后因素；而24个月内疾病进展（POD24）为影响总生存的唯一独立不良预后因素[HR=9.581（95% CI 3.000~30.593），P<0.001]。 结论： 伴有骨髓侵犯的FL患者容易合并淋巴细胞计数增高、染色体异常及淋巴组织Ki-67指数增高等临床特征，FLIPI评分、染色体异常核型以及不同治疗方案均为影响PFS的不良预后因素。对于这部分患者，R-CHOP方案疗效欠佳。.
[Clinical characteristics and prognosis analysis in patients with bone marrow invasive follicular lymphoma].
Objective: This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of thioamide as a maintenance therapy for peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) . Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the data from 58 patients with PTCL who were treated in the Department of Hematology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2015 to July 2022. Chidamide was orally administered as a maintenance therapy after first-line or salvage treatment. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety were analyzed. Results: Among the 58 patients with PTCL, 43 were males and 15 were females, and the median age was 66 (range: 29-83) years. Thirty-nine patients received thioamide as first-line maintenance therapy, and 19 patients received thioamide as maintenance therapy after salvage treatment. The median maintenance therapy duration was 16 months (range: 1-72 months), with a median PFS time of 33 (2-74) months, and the median OS time had not been reached. Patients who received first-line maintenance therapy with thioamide demonstrated superior PFS and OS outcomes compared with patients who received thioamide maintenance therapy after salvage treatment (median PFS time: not reached vs 7 months, P<0.001; median OS time: not reached vs 67 months, P=0.009). The most prevalent adverse reaction was a hematologic adverse reaction (77.6%). Twelve (20.7%) patients underwent a dose reduction and three patients discontinued treatment. Conclusion: Patients receiving thioamide maintenance therapy demonstrated a promising PFS and OS with a manageable safety profile, especially as the first-line maintenance therapy.
Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Jiangsu Province Hospital), Nanjing 210029, China.
目的： 研究旨在评估西达本胺作为外周T细胞淋巴瘤（PTCL）一线或挽救治疗后口服药物维持的疗效和安全性。 方法： 回顾性分析2015年1月至2022年7月期间南京医科大学第一附属医院（江苏省人民医院）血液内科收治的58例PTCL患者的临床资料，所有患者均口服西达本胺作为一线或挽救治疗后的维持治疗。分析58例患者启动化疗后的无进展生存（PFS）期、总生存（OS）期以及评估西达本胺药物的安全性。 结果： 58例PTCL患者，男43例，女15例，中位年龄为66（29~83）岁。39例接受西达本胺作为一线维持治疗方案，19例患者接受西达本胺作为挽救性维持治疗方案。中位维持治疗时间16（1~72）个月，中位PFS期为33（2~74）个月，中位OS期未达到。接受西达本胺作为一线维持治疗方案的患者PFS和OS优于接受西达本胺作为挽救性维持治疗方案的患者（中位PFS期：未达到对7个月，P<0.001；中位OS期：未达到对67个月，P=0.009）。最常见的不良反应是血液学不良反应（77.6%）。12例（20.7%）患者在治疗期间进行了剂量下调，3例患者因不良反应停止治疗。 结论： 西达本胺在PTCL的维持治疗中具有较好的疗效，特别是作为一线维持治疗具有较好的PFS和OS，且安全性良好。.
[The efficacy and safety of thioamide in maintenance therapy for peripheral T-cell lymphoma].
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) on the prognosis of children and adolescents with intermediate- or high-risk high-grade mature B-cell nonHodgkin lymphoma (HG B-NHL) . Methods: This study collected the clinical data and prognosis of 283 patients aged <18 years with newly diagnosed intermediate- or high-risk HG B-NHL treated at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from January 2010 to December 2022. The clinical characteristics, laboratory indicators during TLS, and prognosis of the patients were analyzed. The optimal cutoff values of laboratory indicators during TLS were identified using R studio according to event-free survival (EFS) . Results: Of the 283 patients enrolled, the median age was 7 (range: 1-18) years and the male-to-female ratio was 3.6∶1, 76 (26.9%) developed TLS, and 207 (73.1%) did not. Patients with TLS demonstrated higher proportions of the pathological subtype Burkitt lymphoma, high-risk stratification, age <12 years, and LDH of ≥1 000 IU/L compared with patients without TLS (all P<0.05). The 5-year EFS and overall survival (OS) rates of the entire group were (84.5±2.2) % and (88.2±2.0) %, respectively. The 5-year OS rate of patients with TLS was significantly lower than that of those without TLS [ (80.8±4.6) % vs (91.0±2.0) %, P=0.01]. Among patients with TLS, those with serum uric acid of ≤612.7 μmol/L (n=36) exhibited lower 5-year EFS [ (67.8±8.1) % vs (87.5±5.2) %, P=0.04] and OS rates [ (69.9±8.1) % vs (90.0±4.7) %, P=0.04] compared with those with uric acid of >612.7 μmol/L (n=40). Similarly, patients with serum phosphate of ≤1.89 mmol/L (n=58) demonstrated lower 5-year EFS [ (71.6±6.0) % vs 100%, P=0.02] and OS rates [ (74.8±5.8) % vs 100%, P=0.03] compared with those with phosphate of >1.89 mmol/L (n=18) . Conclusions: TLS is associated with poor prognosis in patients with HG B-NHL. Patients with lower serum uric acid and phosphate levels during TLS demonstrated worse prognoses, indicating their potential value in predicting prognosis and guiding stratified treatment.
Department of Pediatric Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China.
目的： 探讨肿瘤溶解综合征（TLS）对中高风险组儿童青少年高级别成熟B细胞非霍奇金淋巴瘤（HG B-NHL）患者预后的影响。 方法： 收集2010年1月至2022年12月中山大学肿瘤防治中心儿童肿瘤科收治的18岁以下的初治中高风险组HG B-NHL共283例患者的临床资料及预后情况。对患者的临床特征、发生TLS时的实验室指标及预后进行分析，实验室指标的最佳截断值使用R软件根据无事件生存（EFS）进行确定。 结果： 中位年龄7（1~18）岁，男女比例为3.6∶1。76例（26.9%）发生TLS，207例（73.1%）未发生TLS。与无TLS的患者相比，TLS患者的病理亚型为伯基特淋巴瘤、危险分层为高风险、年龄<12岁、LDH≥1 000 IU/L的比例均更高（均P<0.05）。全组患者的5年EFS率及总生存（OS）率分别为（84.5±2.2）%和（88.2±2.0）%。发生TLS患者的5年OS率低于未发生TLS的患者[（80.8±4.6）%对（91.0±2.0）%，P=0.01）]。发生TLS时，与血尿酸>612.7 μmol/L的患者（40例）相比，血尿酸≤612.7 μmol/L的患者（36例）5年EFS率[（67.8±8.1）%对（87.5±5.2）%，P=0.04]及OS率[（69.9±8.1）%对（90.0±4.7）%，P=0.04]较低；与血磷>1.89 mmol/L的患者（18例）相比，血磷≤1.89 mmol/L的患者（58例）5年EFS率[（71.6±6.0）%对100%，P=0.02]及OS率[（74.8±5.8）%对100%，P=0.03]较低。 结论： TLS与HG B-NHL患者的不良预后相关。发生TLS时血尿酸和血磷水平较低的患者预后更差，对预测患者预后及指导分层治疗具有一定价值。.
[Impact of tumor lysis syndrome on the prognosis of pediatric mature B-cell lymphoma].
Shandong Provincial Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan 250021, China.
[Acute promyelocytic leukemia peripheral nerve infiltration: a case report].
Objective: This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety between high-dose intravenous iron and oral iron in treating iron deficiency anemia (IDA) . Methods: This prospective randomized controlled study (1∶1) enrolled 338 patients with IDA at The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou Hongci Hematology Hospital, and Huai'an Second People's Hospital from June 1, 2022, to January 19, 2024. Of all the patients, 169 received high-dose intravenous iron therapy and 169 received oral iron treatment for 12 weeks of observation. Focus on the hemoglobin (HGB) change from baseline to week 4, secondary focus was on the HGB and iron metabolism parameters (serum iron [SI], transferrin saturation [TSAT], total iron binding force [TIBC], serum ferritin [SF]), and changes in the fatigue score, efficacy, and treatment-related adverse effects were monitored throughout in the two treatment groups. Results: The HGB levels were improved in both treatments, but the HGB improved faster in the intravenous group compared with the oral group. HGB increased from (76.8±15.0) g/L to (118.0±13.3) g/L in the intravenous group and from (77.9±11.6) g/L to (104.3±15.0) g/L in the oral group after 4 weeks of treatment. The increase from baseline in the intravenous group (40.7±17.3) g/L was significantly higher than that in the oral group (27.2±17.5) g/L (P<0.001). The intravenous group demonstrated a more significant early effect than the oral group in terms of iron metabolism parameter improvement. SI, TSAT, TBIC, and SF increased better from baseline at 4 weeks in the intravenous group than in the oral group (P<0.001). Additionally, the intravenous group exhibited better fatigue scores for early improvement than the oral group (P<0.001). The incidence of total adverse effects was similar in the intravenous group as compared to the oral group (3.5% [6/169] vs 5.9% [10/169], P=0.442) . Conclusion: High doses of intravenous iron quickly boost HGB early, causing rapid improvement in SI, TSAT, TBIC, SF, and patient fatigue scores. The patient was well tolerated.
Soochow Hopes Hematonosis Hospital, Suzhou 215128, China.
Soochow Hopes Hematonosis Hospital, Suzhou 215128, China The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis of Ministry of Health, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Suzhou 215006, China.
Huai'an Hospital Affiliated to Xuzhou Medical University, Huai'an Second People's Hospital, Huai'an 223300, China.
目的： 比较大剂量静脉铁剂与口服铁剂治疗缺铁性贫血（IDA）的疗效和安全性。 方法： 前瞻性随机对照（1∶1）入组2022年6月1日至2024年1月19日苏州大学附属第一医院、苏州弘慈血液病医院及淮安市第二人民医院338例缺铁性贫血患者，其中169例接受大剂量静脉铁剂治疗（静脉组），169例接受口服铁剂治疗（口服组），进行12周观察，主要研究终点为HGB从基线到第4周的变化；次要研究终点为HGB第8、12周的变化，铁代谢参数[血清铁（SI）、转铁蛋白饱和度（TSAT）、总铁结合力（TIBC）、血清铁蛋白（SF）]从基线到第4周的变化及疲劳评分从基线到第4、8周的变化。全程监测两个治疗组的疗效及治疗相关不良反应。 结果： HGB水平在两个治疗组中均得到改善，与口服组相比静脉组HGB早期提升更快。4周时，静脉组HGB由（76.8±15.0）g/L升至（118.0±13.3）g/L，口服组由（77.9±11.6）g/L升至（104.3±15.0）g/L。静脉组较基线升高（40.7±17.3）g/L，显著高于口服组（27.2±17.5）g/L（P<0.001）。静脉组比口服组对于改善铁代谢参数的早期效果也更显著，静脉组SI、TSAT、TIBC、SF在4周时较基线改善情况均明显优于口服组（P<0.001）。此外，静脉组对于早期改善患者的疲劳评分亦明显优于口服组（P<0.001）。静脉组与口服组相比总不良反应发生率相似[3.5%（6/169）对5.9%（10/169）, P=0.442]。 结论： 大剂量静脉铁剂可以实现HGB早期迅速提升，快速改善SI、TSAT、TBIC、SF及患者疲劳评分，患者耐受性良好。.
[Comparison of the efficacy and safety between high-dose intravenous iron and oral iron in treating iron deficiency anemia: a multicenter, prospective, open-label, randomized controlled study].
Objective: This study aimed to retrospectively analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with acute leukemia in the plateau. Methods: The clinical information of patients diagnosed with acute leukemia from February 2010 to April 2023 at the People's Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region was reviewed and collected, including blood cell count, morphology, immunophenotype, cytogenetics, and molecular data. Survival analysis was conducted to analyze the outcome of patients with acute leukemia. Results: This study enrolled 105 patients with acute leukemia, including 24 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 62 with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and 19 with acute leukemia without baseline data. Of the patients with ALL, 11 underwent bone marrow testing for immunophenotype, all of whom were B-cell lineage. The main FAB subtype of patients with AML was M(2) (25/57), followed by M(3) (12/57), M(5) (6/57), M(4EO) (5/57), M(1) (4/57), M(4) (4/57), and M(0) (1/57). The complete remission rates of patients with ALL, acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), and AML (non-APL) after one course of induction therapy were 57.1% (8/14), 100% (6/6), and 53.6% (15/28), respectively. The median event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) for patients with ALL were 2 (95% CI 0-9) and 3 (95% CI 0-9) months, respectively, with a median followup of 37 (95% CI 17-57) months. Patients with APL did not reach median EFS or OS, whereas the median EFS and OS for core binding factor AML (CBF-AML) cases were 10 (95% CI 0-21) months and 13 (95% CI 3-23) months, respectively, and patients with non-CBF-AML had inferior median EFS (2 months, 95% CI 1-3) and OS (2 months, 95% CI 1-3) (P<0.01). Patients with ALL treated from 2020 to 2023 demonstrated trends toward better EFS (P=0.16) and OS (P=0.10) than those treated from 2010 to 2019. Similarly, trends toward superior EFS (P=0.27) and OS (P=0.12) were observed in patients with AML treated from 2016 to 2023, in comparison with those treated from 2010 to 2015. Conclusion: Progress in the treatment and prognosis of patients with acute leukemia in the plateau has been observed in recent years, which can be further promoted by precision diagnosis and tailored regimens.
People's Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region, Lhasa 850000.
State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China.
目的： 描述及分析高原地区急性白血病患者的临床特征及疗效。 方法： 回顾性统计分析2010年2月至2023年4月西藏自治区人民医院收治的急性白血病患者的临床资料，包括血常规、细胞形态学、流式细胞术免疫分型、分子生物学及细胞遗传学等，对患者进行随访，并进行生存分析。 结果： 研究共纳入105例急性白血病患者，包括急性淋巴细胞白血病（ALL）24例、急性髓系白血病（AML）62例，无系别资料的急性白血病患者19例。11例具备流式细胞术免疫分型资料的ALL患者均为B-ALL。57例AML患者具有分型资料FAB亚型以M(2)为主（25例），其次为急性早幼粒细胞白血病12例，M(5) 6例，M(4EO) 5例，M(1) 4例，M(4) 4例，M(0) 1例。经1个疗程诱导化疗后可评价疗效者48例，其中ALL 14例，APL 6例，AML（非APL）28例，完全缓解（CR）率分别为57.1%（8/14）、100%（6/6）、53.6%（15/28）。中位随访37（95%CI 17~57）个月，ALL患者的中位无事件生存（EFS）期为2（95%CI 0~9）个月，中位总生存（OS）期为3（95%CI 0~9）个月；APL患者中位EFS期及OS期未达到；核心结合因子相关AML（CBF-AML）患者的中位EFS期及OS期分别为10（95%CI 0~21）个月、13（95%CI 3~23）个月，非CBF-AML（包括无染色体核型及融合基因资料患者）患者的中位EFS期及OS期均为2（95%CI 1~3）个月，不同亚型AML患者的EFS期及OS期差异有统计学意义（P值均<0.01）。按收治年份将ALL患者分成2010-2019年和2020-2023年两组，后者较前者EFS（10个月对1个月，P=0.16）及OS（15个月对1个月，P=0.10）呈改善趋势；按收治年份将AML患者分成2010-2015年和2016-2023年两组，后者较前者EFS（10个月对3个月，P=0.27）及OS（12个月对3个月，P=0.12）呈改善趋势。 结论： 高原地区急性白血病疗效虽然较国内发达地区仍有差距，但近年来已取得了较大进展，推进急性白血病精准诊断和治疗有利于改善患者预后。.
[Clinical characteristics and treatment efficacy of newly diagnosed acute leukemia in the plateau].
This case report presents a patient with pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with RUNX1∷MTG16, admitted to the Blood Disease Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in October 2023. He was 13 years old, with a chief complaint of fatigue for 20 days. Bone marrow smear revealed 17.0% blasts, the karyotype was 46,XY,t (16; 21) (q24; q22), molecular biology demonstrated RUNX1∷MTG16 fusion gene, combined with FLT3-ITD mutation. The child was diagnosed with AML (with RUNX1 ∷ MTG16). Complete remission was achieved after chemotherapy induction. The induction therapy regimen was mitoxantrone hydrochloride liposomes combined with cytarabine (MA). The RUNX1 ∷ MTG16 and FLT3-ITD were negative after another MA treatment course. However, the RUNX1 ∷ MTG16 and FLT3-ITD were turning positive during the following intensive treatment, and he then successfully underwent matched sibling donor umbilical cord blood transplantation.
Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Tianjin 300020, China Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, Tianjin 301600, China.
回顾性分析中国医学科学院血液病医院2023年10月收治的1例急性髓系白血病（AML）伴RUNX1∷MTG16患儿，男性，13岁，因 乏力20 d 就诊，骨髓细胞形态学可见17.0%原始细胞，染色体核型46,XY,t（16;21）（q24;q22），RUNX1∷MTG16融合基因阳性，合并FLT3-ITD突变，诊断为AML（伴RUNX1∷MTG16）。经盐酸米托蒽醌脂质体联合阿糖胞苷（MA）方案诱导化疗达到完全缓解，序贯MA方案1个疗程后RUNX1∷MTG16融合基因及FLT3-ITD突变均转阴。但继续巩固强化治疗中融合基因及突变均转为阳性，行同胞全相合脐血造血干细胞移植存活。.
[Mitoxantrone hydrochloride liposome combined with cytarabine for treating pediatric acute myeloid leukemia with RUNX1∷MTG16 fusion gene: a case report and literature review].
This study enrolled five patients with classic paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (cPNH) who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in our hospital from 2019 to 2023. All five patients were male, with a median age of 26 (range: 26-46) years. The median time from diagnosis to allo-HSCT was 5.5 (range: 3.6-18.0) years. The median PNH granulocyte clone size was 96.3% (ranged 90.0%-99.7%), and the median lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level was 2 224 IU/L (8896-fold of the upper limit of normal). All patients were detected to have bone marrow hyperplasia by trephine biopsy. The stem cell source came from four haploidentical donors and one HLA-identical sibling donor. Among the five patients, three underwent myeloablative conditioning (MAC) and two underwent reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) treatment. None of the patients experienced primary implantation failure. The neutrophil implantation time was 15 (range: 13-21) days, and the platelet implantation time was 24 (range: 13-60) days. The three patients developed grade II acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD). No patients developed grade Ⅲ/Ⅳ aGVHD. The two patients developed localized chronic GVHD (cGVHD), and no patients developed extensive cGVHD. PNH clones turned negative in all patients after 2 (range: 1-3) months of transplantation. At a median follow-up of 16 (range: 6-34) months, one patient died of relapse and infection, and the remaining four patients survived, of which two patients had discontinued all drugs.
2019年至2023年期间，5例经典型阵发性睡眠性血红蛋白尿症（cPNH）患者在中国医学科学院血液病医院接受异基因造血干细胞移植。5例患者均为男性，中位年龄26（26~46）岁，诊断到移植的中位间隔时间为5.5（3.6~18.0）年，移植前粒细胞中位PNH克隆为96.3%（90.0%~99.7）%，中位乳酸脱氢酶2 224（1 244~4 753）U/L，骨髓增生活跃至极度活跃。单倍体移植4例，同胞全相合移植1例。清髓性预处理（MAC）3例，减低剂量预处理（RIC）2例。未发生原发性植入失败及移植后早期死亡。中位中性粒细胞植入时间为15（13~21）d，中位血小板植入时间为24（13~60）d。3例患者移植后发生Ⅱ度急性移植物抗宿主病（GVHD），2例患者发生局限型慢性GVHD。5例患者移植后PNH克隆均转阴，中位转阴时间为移植后2（1~3）个月。中位随访16（6~34）个月，1例患者死于疾病复发合并感染。存活的4例患者中，2例已停用所有药物，1例口服环孢素A治疗皮肤慢性GVHD，另外1例口服环孢素A常规预防GVHD。.
[Clinical observation of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for treating five cases of classic paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria].
This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of gilteritinib combined with chemotherapy in treating newly diagnosed FLT3-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We retrospectively collected clinical data from 16 patients newly diagnosed with FLT3-mutated AML at Jiangsu Province Hospital. Patients received induction therapy with the classic 3 + 7 regimen or the VA regimen, and all patients were immediately supplied with gilteritinib after detecting FLT3-ITD/TKD mutations. Of the 16 patients, 12 were male and 4 were female, with a median age of 52.5 years (range: 15-76 years). Additionally, 15 patients had FLT3-ITD mutations and 1 had FLT3-TKD mutation. The complete remission (CR/CRi) rate was 93.8% (15/16) after the first cycle of gilteritinib-based induction therapy, with 13 patients achieving MRD negativity detected with flow cytometry. All patients achieved a CR(MRD-) during the consolidation phase. FLT3 mutation clearance was achieved among all 14 patients who underwent next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis. The 12-month overall survival and relapse-free survival rates were both 73.9%, respectively, with a median followup of 18 months. Nine (56.2%) patients experienced infectious fever during the induction therapy. Three patients had grade 3 QTc prolongation during consolidation and maintenance therapy. Treatment-related adverse events were generally tolerable.
Department of Hematology, Jiangsu Province Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
为评估吉瑞替尼联合化疗治疗初诊FLT3突变阳性急性髓系白血病（AML）的疗效与安全性，我们回顾性收集于江苏省人民医院就诊的16例初诊FLT3突变阳性AML患者的临床资料。患者接受经典 3+7 方案或VA（维奈克拉+阿扎胞苷）方案诱导治疗，并均在检出FLT3-ITD/TKD突变后加用吉瑞替尼。16例患者中，男12例，女4例，中位年龄为52.5（15~76）岁；FLT3-ITD突变15例，FLT3-TKD突变1例。经过1个周期治疗后，完全缓解（CR）/CR伴不完全血细胞恢复（CRi）率达到93.8%（15/16），其中13例患者达到流式细胞术检测的可检测残留病（MRD）阴性。巩固治疗期间所有患者均达到CR(MRD-)，14例进行二代测序检测并均达FLT3突变阴性。截至2024年5月，中位随访时间为18个月，12个月总生存率和无复发生存率均为73.9%。诱导期间9例（56.2%）患者出现感染性发热，巩固与维持治疗期间3例患者发生3级QTc延长，治疗相关不良反应总体可耐受。.
[Efficacy and safety of gilteritinib combined with chemotherapy in newly diagnosed FLT3-mutated acute myeloid leukemia].
Minimal residual disease (MRD), a crucial biomarker for assessing efficacy and predicting recurrence, refers to residual tumor cells remaining in the body of patients with hematological malignancies who achieved complete remission after treatment. This study aimed to conduct a retrospective analysis of the clinical diagnosis, treatment, and MRD monitoring of a pediatric patient with multiple acute B-lymphocytic leukemia relapses, alongside a review of relevant literature. In this case, Ig rearrangement based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) was more accurate in assessing the MRD level, compared with the traditional method of MRD detection, indicating the risk of earlier relapse and guided interventions in time. Additionally, NGS-MRD detected clonal evolution, providing new ideas to further investigate the intrinsic factors of disease development.
微小残留病（MRD）是血液肿瘤患者经治疗取得完全缓解后体内残存微量肿瘤细胞的状态，也是评价治疗效果和预测疾病复发的重要标志物。本文回顾性分析了1例多次复发的急性B淋巴细胞白血病患儿的临床诊治及MRD监测过程，并进行相关文献复习。在本例患儿中，基于二代测序（NGS）的Ig重排MRD检测与传统MRD检测方法相比可更准确地评估MRD水平，更早地提示疾病复发，从而指导临床及时采取干预措施。此外，NGS-MRD还能发现疾病克隆演变，为进一步探究疾病发展的内在因素提供了新思路。.
[Next-generation sequencing-based minimal residual disease detection reveals clonal evolution in pediatric acute B-lymphoblastic leukemia: a case report and literature review].
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is clinically manifested as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). VTE is the third most prevalent vascular disease after coronary artery and cerebrovascular diseases. VTE is a multifactorial disease caused by the interaction of genetic and acquired risk factors. Genetic heritability is estimated to be 40%-60% based on studies of families, twins, and siblings. The accumulation of information linking genetic variations to VTE risk has rapidly expanded with the continuous advancement of sequencing technology. Currently, mutations in key genes of the coagulation system, anticoagulation system, and fibrinolysis system are constantly being updated, and the functional mechanisms of new genes are receiving gaining attention. This review summarizes the research progress and prospects of key genetic variations associated with venous thromboembolism.
Institute of Hematology, Tongji Medical College Affiliated Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
静脉血栓栓塞症（VTE）临床常表现为下肢深静脉血栓形成（DVT）和肺栓塞（PE）。VTE是仅次于冠状动脉和脑血管疾病的第三大常见血管疾病。VTE是一种多因素疾病，由遗传性、获得性危险因素相互作用引起。在对家庭、双胞胎、兄弟姐妹的研究中估计遗传率达40%~60%。随着基因测序技术的不断进步，将遗传变异与VTE风险联系起来的信息迅速积累，目前凝血系统、抗凝系统以及纤溶系统中关键基因的突变不断更新，除此之外，新基因的发现以及功能机制探究备受关注。本综述将总结概括VTE相关关键基因变异的研究进展及未来展望。.
[Advances in the genetics of venous thromboembolic disease].
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is an acquired clonal disorder of hematopoietic stem cells induced by PIG-A gene mutations. It is clinically manifested by hemolysis, bone marrow failure, and high-risk concurrent thrombosis, which are life-threatening in severe cases. Significant progress has been made in the pathogenesis research and clinical diagnosis and treatment of PNH in recent years. The Red Blood Cell Disease (Anemia) Group Chinese Society of Hematology, Chinese Medical Association, combined with the latest diagnosis and treatment progress of PNH, relevant foreign guidelines/consensus, and China's national conditions, jointly formulated the Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (2024) based on extensive solicitation of expert suggestions and opinions. This article discussed the key and difficult issues in PNH diagnosis and treatment, interpreted the updated part of the guidelines, and expanded the relevant recommendations of the guidelines according to the latest research progress at home and abroad, thereby providing more references for clinical practice.
Department of Hematology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Bone Marrow Failure and Malignant Hemopoietic Clone Control, Tianjin Institute of Hematology, Tianjin 300052, China.
阵发性睡眠性血红蛋白尿症（Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria，PNH）是一种罕见的后天获得性PIG-A基因突变所致的造血干细胞克隆性疾病，临床主要表现为溶血、骨髓衰竭和高风险并发血栓等，严重时可危及生命。近年来，PNH的发病机制研究及临床诊疗均取得较大进展，中华医学会血液学分会红细胞疾病（贫血）学组在广泛征集专家建议和意见的基础上，结合PNH最新诊治进展、国外相关指南/共识及我国国情共同制订了《阵发性睡眠性血红蛋白尿症诊断与治疗中国指南（2024年版）》。本文将针对PNH诊疗过程中的重点及难点问题进行讨论，对指南的更新部分进行解读，同时结合国内外最新研究进展对指南相关推荐进行拓展，为临床实践提供更多参考。.
[Interpretation of the guidelines for diagnosing and treating paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria in China (2024)].
Smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) patients are a heterogeneous group with variable prognosis. A subset of SMM patients have a higher risk of progressing to multiple myeloma (MM) within 2 years. The definition of high-risk patients is not consistent among different risk models, and the combination of various biomarkers and new technologies improves the predictive performance of risk models. In clinical research, different risk models are often combined and applied. New drugs for treating MM are gradually being applied in the treatment of high-risk SMM. Single or dual drug therapy prolongs the progression free survival of patients, but most studies have not yet shown an overall survival benefit for patients. Multi drug combination and intensive treatment can achieve deep relief in high-risk SMM, but most of the studies are single arm studies, which are not yet sufficient to prove that multi drug treatment is more effective than lower intensity treatment. Further exploration of treatment plans for high-risk SMM patients is still needed. This article reviews the progress in risk stratification and treatment of high-risk SMM.
冒烟型多发性骨髓瘤（SMM）患者是一个异质性群体，不同患者预后不一，部分高危患者2年内有较高风险向多发性骨髓瘤（MM）转化。高危患者的定义在不同风险模型间一致性不高，各种生物标志物与新技术的结合改善了风险模型的预测效能，临床研究中往往组合应用不同的风险模型。治疗MM的新药逐渐被应用于高危SMM的治疗中，单药或双药治疗延长了患者的无进展生存期，但多数研究尚未显示患者的总生存获益。多药联合、强化治疗能够使高危SMM实现深度缓解，但是多为单臂研究，尚不足以证明多药治疗疗效优于较低强度治疗，仍需进一步探索高危SMM患者的治疗方案。本文对高危SMM的风险分层及治疗进展进行综述。.
[Progress in risk stratification and treatment of high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma].
Due to their simple structure (two bond species randomly arranged on a cubic lattice), the zincblende A1-xBxC semiconductor alloys (zb-SCA) set a benchmark to explore how physical properties are impacted by disorder. A longstanding controversy was whether the lattice dynamics (phonons), governed by the bond force constant, i.e., a local physical property, is blind to the alloy disorder or actually sees it. Over the past two decades, we introduced the percolation model (PM) that distinguishes between like bonds depending on whether they vibrate in same (homo) or alien (hetero) environments (1-bond → 2-mode scheme). The PM seems to apply universally among zb-SCA, and hence would solve the controversy in favor of the second scenario. Here our aim is to take one step forward and complete in the main lines a PM-based taxonomy of high-pressure vibration spectra of zb-SCA. This might clarify how a disordered atomic alloy, seen by each bond species in terms of a homo/hetero composite (i.e., at the unusual mesoscopic scale) from the angle of the PM, behaves when the lattice shrinks under hydrostatic pressure. We focus on Cd1-xZnxTe as the last sensitive pending case. This tidying-up exercise is attractive at the fundamental level and useful for projecting phonon-based devices involving zb-SCA.
LCP-A2MC, UR 201019679B, Université de Lorraine, 57000, Metz, France.
LCP-A2MC, UR 201019679B, Université de Lorraine, 57000, Metz, France.Department of Physics and Materials Science, University of Luxembourg, 41 rue du Brill, 4422, Belvaux, Luxembourg.
LCP-A2MC, UR 201019679B, Université de Lorraine, 57000, Metz, France. olivier.pages@univ-lorraine.fr.
Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie, UMR CNRS 7590, Sorbonne Université, 75005, Paris, France.Synchrotron SOLEIL, BP 48, 91192, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France.
Departamento de Fisica and I3N, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810 - 193, Aveiro, Portugal.
Synchrotron SOLEIL, BP 48, 91192, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France.
Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie, UMR CNRS 7590, Sorbonne Université, 75005, Paris, France.
IJL, Université de Lorraine, 57000, Metz, France.
Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, ul. Grudziądzka 5, 87-100, Toruń, Poland.
Taxonomy of high pressure vibration spectra of zincblende semiconductor alloys based on the percolation model.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States.
Department of Pharmacology, Severn Health Solutions, Severna Park, MD, United States.
Re: Association of immunoglobulin E levels with glioma risk and survival.
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, United States.
Response to Lehrer and Rheinstein and to Alexiou, Zagorianakou, and Voulgaris.
Center of Excellence of Cardiovascular Sciences, Ospedale Isola Tiberina-Gemelli Isola, Via di Ponte Quattro Capi 39, 00186 Rome, Italy.Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Agostino Gemelli 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.
Center of Excellence of Cardiovascular Sciences, Ospedale Isola Tiberina-Gemelli Isola, Via di Ponte Quattro Capi 39, 00186 Rome, Italy.
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Agostino Gemelli 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.
Cardiology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Ferrara, Via Aldo Moro 8, 44124 Cona, Italy.
Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Agostino Gemelli 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.Alta Scuola di Economia e Management dei Sistemi Sanitari, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Agostino Gemelli 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Agostino Gemelli 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.
Cardiovascular Disease Unit, IRCCS Policlinic Hospital San Martino, IRCCS Italian Cardiovascular Network, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genoa, Italy.Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genoa, Italy.
Functional coronary assessment in angina with intermediate coronary stenosis: the #FullPhysiology approach.
The formation and differentiation of mature, motile male germ cells, which can fertilize the egg and ensure successful implantation and development of a healthy embryo, are essential functions of the testis and epididymis. Spermatogenesis is a complex, multistep process that results in the formation of motile haploid gametes, requiring an immunoregulatory environment to maintain tolerance to developing neo-antigens. Different cell types (Sertoli cells, macrophages), immunoregulatory factors and tolerance mechanisms are involved. In this context, possible effects of galectins on the immunoregulatory functions and fertilization ability of male germ cells are postulated. Galectins are pleiotropic lectins involved in the homeostasis, modulation of immune responses and pathological processes. Despite the well-recognized role of galectins in female reproduction, the functions of galectins in the male reproductive organs, particularly the testis and epididymis, remain largely unexplored. Among the galectins, galectin-1 and galectin-3 are the best-studied in these organs. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the cellular expression and the roles of galectin-1 and galectin-3 in testis and epididymis and discusses their functions in spermatogenesis, steroidogenesis, epididymal maturation of spermatozoa and inflammatory response.
Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Hessian Centre of Reproductive Medicine, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35392, Giessen, Germany. monika.fijak@anatomie.med.uni-giessen.de.
Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Hessian Centre of Reproductive Medicine, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
Galectin-1 and galectin-3 in male reproduction - impact in health and disease.
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Fetal Intervention, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, and UT Physicians, The Fetal Center, Affiliated with Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, TX, USA.
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Genesis Research, Hoboken, NJ, USA.
Roche Diagnostics Systems, San Jose, CA, USA.
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, University of California, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, University of California, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. Electronic address: srana@bsd.uchicago.edu.
Response to the Letter to the Editor: Signs or symptoms of suspected preeclampsia - A retrospective National database study of prevalence, costs, and outcomes .
Network security is crucial in today's digital world, since there are multiple ongoing threats to sensitive data and vital infrastructure. The aim of this study to improve network security by combining methods for instruction detection from machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL). Attackers have tried to breach security systems by accessing networks and obtaining sensitive information.Intrusion detection systems (IDSs) are one of the significant aspect of cybersecurity that involve the monitoring and analysis, with the intention of identifying and reporting of dangerous activities that would help to prevent the attack.Support Vector Machine (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Random Forest (RF), Decision Tree (DT), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) are the vector figures incorporated into the study through the results. These models are subjected to various test to established the best results on the identification and prevention of network violation. Based on the obtained results, it can be stated that all the tested models are capable of organizing data originating from network traffic. thus, recognizing the difference between normal and intrusive behaviors, models such as SVM, KNN, RF, and DT showed effective results. Deep learning models LSTM and ANN rapidly find long-term and complex pattern in network data. It is extremely effective when dealing with complex intrusions since it is characterised by high precision, accuracy and recall.Based on our study, SVM and Random Forest are considered promising solutions for real-world IDS applications because of their versatility and explainability. For the companies seeking IDS solutions which are reliable and at the same time more interpretable, these models can be promising. Additionally, LSTM and ANN, with their ability to catch successive conditions, are suitable for situations involving nuanced, advancing dangers.
Department of Artificial Intelligence, School of Systems and Technology, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, 54700, Pakistan.
Department of Computer Science and Information Technology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
Department of Computer Science, University of Wah, Wah Cantt, Pakistan.
Artificial Intelligence and Sensing Technologies (AIST) Research Center, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, 71491, Saudi Arabia. teshaq@ut.edu.sa.
Artificial Intelligence and Sensing Technologies (AIST) Research Center, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, 71491, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Computer Engineering, COMSATS University Islamabad, Sahiwal Campus, Sahiwal, 57000, Pakistan.
Department of Software, Faculty of Artificial Intelligence and Software, Gachon University, Seongnam-si, 13120, Republic of Korea. adnan@gachon.ac.kr.
Signature-based intrusion detection using machine learning and deep learning approaches empowered with fuzzy clustering.
PharmaEssentia Corporation, Taipei, Taiwan.
State Key Laboratory of Experimental Haematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Haematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China.
The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang, Hangzhou, China.
The higher initial dose and accelerated titration regimen of ropeginterferon as a treatment option for certain patients with polycythaemia vera.
Dynein-1 is a microtubule motor responsible for the transport of cytoplasmic cargoes. Activation of motility requires it first overcome an autoinhibited state prior to its assembly with dynactin and a cargo adaptor. Studies suggest that Lis1 may relieve dynein's autoinhibited state. However, evidence for this mechanism is lacking. We first set out to determine the rules governing dynein-Lis1 binding, which reveals that their binding affinity is regulated by the nucleotide-bound states of each of three nucleotide-binding pockets within the dynein motor domain. We also find that distinct nucleotide 'codes' coordinate dynein-Lis1 binding stoichiometry by impacting binding affinity at two different sites within the dynein motor domain. Electron microscopy reveals that a 1 Lis1:1 dynein complex directly promotes an open, uninhibited conformational state of dynein, whereas a 2:1 complex resembles the autoinhibited state. Cryo-EM analysis reveals the structural basis for Lis1 opening dynein relies on interactions with the linker domain.
A nucleotide code governs Lis1's ability to relieve dynein autoinhibition.
Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Electronic address: carole.estabrooks@ualberta.ca.
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
Experiences of Care Aides Caring for Residents with a History of Psychological Trauma in Long-Term Care Homes (Nursing Homes)-Early Findings.
Knowledge Translation Program, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Providence Healthcare, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.
Knowledge Translation Program, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Knowledge Translation Program, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; O'Brien School of Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Knowledge Translation Program, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: jennifer.watt@utoronto.ca.
Rehabilitation Outcomes and Experiences of People Living With Dementia: A Mixed-Methods Study.
Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India.
Congenital antral web: rare cause of gastric outlet obstruction successfully managed with endoscopic balloon dilatation.
Institut für Transfusionsmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin C, Hämatologie und Onkologie, Transplantationszentrum und Palliativmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
Klinik und Poliklinik für Hautkrankheiten, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin C, Hämatologie und Onkologie, Transplantationszentrum und Palliativmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.Comprehensive Cancer Center Mecklenburg Vorpommern (CCC-MV), Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
Metastatic melanoma presenting with leucoerythroblastic blood film.
Department of Hematooncology, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.Department of Hematooncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Department of Hematooncology, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Department of Flow Cytometry, Spadia Lab Plc, Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Level of Clonal Plasma Cells in Hematopoietic Cell Autografts Reflects the Pre-Transplant Bone Marrow Minimal Residual Disease in Multiple Myeloma Patients.
Although extant research points to nonverbal learning disability (NVLD) as a distinct disorder, it is not included in the diagnostic nomenclatures, and there is heterogeneity in how it is defined. A working group was formed to gain consensus on a standard DSM-type definition for NVLD, a necessary first step for proposing its inclusion in future DSM editions, and the disorder was renamed to better reflect the core deficit-visual-spatial problems.An iterative process was used to reach consensus on a DSM-style criteria set that reconceptualizes NVLD as developmental visual-spatial disorder (DVSD). This process, similar to that used during the DSM-5 revision, included working with an advisory group of NVLD experts and obtaining feedback from experts in youth psychiatric diagnosis and child and adolescent mental health practitioners. Data on stakeholder acceptance of the new name were collected from adults who self-identify as having NVLD and parents of youth with NVLD.During the iterative process, the criteria set shifted from syndromic, multi-area, and quantitative to single focused and more clinically oriented, conceptualizing individuals with the disorder as having persistent deficits in a single area-processing or integrating visual and spatial information. This fills a gap in the DSM system, which includes diagnoses underpinned by problems in other cognitive domains. Data indicate stakeholder acceptance of the name.A standard definition for NVLD, reconceptualized as DVSD and included in DSM, will lead to improved identification of youth with clinically significant visual-spatial deficits and associated functional impairment and improve research in the area.One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented sexual and/or gender groups in science.
Copyright © 2025 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York. Electronic address: Prudence.fisher@nyspi.columbia.edu.
New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York; Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York.
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; Clinical and Translational Science Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; Child Mind Institute, New York, New York.
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2025-01-17;():.
Report of a Work Group on Nonverbal Learning Disability: Consensus Criteria for Developmental Visual-Spatial Disorder: Reconceptualizing Nonverbal Learning Disability for DSM Consideration.
An irregular Z-line is characterized by a squamocolumnar junction (SCJ) that extends proximally above the gastroesophageal junction by <1 cm, whereas Barrett's esophagus is defined as a columnar-lined esophagus (CLE) that extends proximally by ≥1 cm with the presence of specialized intestinal metaplasia on biopsy sampling. Measurement of the CLE is most accurate for lengths ≥1 cm, and, as such, guidelines do not recommend biopsy sampling of an irregular Z-line when seen on endoscopy. However, a CLE is often estimated by visual inspection rather than direct measurement, making this characterization imprecise. In this study, we present methodology to standardize the characterization of the SCJ, hypothesizing that the shape of the Z-line can be used as a surrogate classifier. We present a computer-generated algorithm capable of automated segmentation and shape complexity quantification of the Z-line.We selected and manually segmented 849 images of the Z-line. We used the nnUNet framework (Nature Methods, Heidelberg, Germany) to train a model to segment the Z-line. An additional dataset of 58 videos containing the Z-line were obtained from the Mayo Clinic Endoscopy video library. A high-quality image containing the Z-line was selected from each video. Ten gastroenterologists (5 esophageal experts) rated each of the 58 video-image pairs containing the Z-line as regular or irregular, including their degree of confidence. Fleiss κ statistics were used to determine interobserver variability. The ground truth classification was determined by the esophageal expert majority vote. A wavelet decomposition model was then used to determine the threshold of irregularity based on the ground truth. Heat maps were generated for each Z-line to determine localized areas of complexity.Fair agreement, with a Fleiss κ of .39, was observed among the 10 endoscopists when rating the Z-line as regular versus irregular using this dataset. Moderate agreement was observed among the 5 esophageal experts with a Fleiss κ statistic of .42, and fair agreement was observed among the 5 nonesophageal experts with a Fleiss κ statistic of .31. The wavelet energy coefficient optimal threshold to classify an SCJ as irregular was determined to be 1.53 × 107 with an accuracy of 78%.Our computer-generated model was capable of automatic segmentation and classification of the Z-line. We established a threshold of complexity using the wavelet energy coefficient to standardize the classification of the SCJ.
Copyright © 2025 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Computer-assisted classification of the squamocolumnar junction.
Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom. ariel.ong@nhs.net.Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom. ariel.ong@nhs.net.Oxford Eye Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, United Kingdom. ariel.ong@nhs.net.NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, London, United Kingdom. ariel.ong@nhs.net.
Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom.Department of Applied Health Research, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, London, United Kingdom.
Cochrane corner: artificial intelligence for diagnosing exudative age-related macular degeneration.
To evaluate the prognosis of retinal fluid resolution in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) after initiating treatment in terms of the prevalence of eyes with retinal fluid, the proportion of eyes which never achieve a fluid-free retina throughout the course of treatment, and the relationship between retinal fluid and visual acuity outcome.Retinal fluid often persists or recurs after initiating treatment for nAMD. It is unclear what proportion never achieve fluid resolution throughout their treatment course.MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science were searched till May 2024 for randomized control trials (including post hoc analyses) and prospective studies treating nAMD patients with intravitreal anti-VEGF injections (CRD42023437516). To investigate the prevalence of persistent fluid, a meta-analysis of proportions was conducted at key time points. To estimate the proportion of poor-responding patients, iterative algorithms were used to simulate individual patient data from time-to-fluid-resolution Kaplan-Meier curves. Cure fractions from Weibull nonmixture cure models were meta-analyzed. Finally, the weighted mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) difference (WMD) between patients with and without any fluid, subretinal fluid (SRF), or intraretinal fluid (IRF) was calculated.Fifty articles were included across the meta-analyzed outcomes. The pooled prevalence of retinal fluid was 41.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 35.0%-48.0%) at 1 year, and 47.4% (95% CI, 38.5%-56.5%) at 2 years. The pooled median time to first fluid resolution was 10.2 weeks (95% CI, 7.66-14.59 weeks). Cure modeling suggests that 17.6% (95% CI, 11.9%-25.3%) of patients may never achieve a fluid-free finding in the long run despite prolonged treatment. Eyes with SRF had significantly higher BCVA compared with eyes without SRF at 12 months (WMD, 2.39 letters; 95% CI, 0.27-4.52; P < 0.05). Eyes with IRF had significantly poorer BCVA compared to eyes without IRF at 12 months (WMD, -5.38 letters; 95% CI, -8.65 to -2.11; P < 0.05). At long follow-up (>60 months), eyes with SRF had significantly higher BCVA compared to eyes without SRF (WMD, 7.69 letters; 95% CI, 2.79-12.59; P < 0.05).Notwithstanding the heterogeneity in studies included, our analysis estimates that nearly half of all treated patients have persistent retinal fluid after initiating treatment and a substantial 18% of patients may never attain complete fluid resolution. We confirm that SRF is associated with better visual outcomes, whereas IRF is associated with worse visual outcomes.Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.
Copyright © 2025 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Advanced Eye and Clinic Surgery, Singapore; Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore.
Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore; Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore; Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore; Tsinghua Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore; Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore; Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore. Electronic address: gemmy.cheung.c.m@singhealth.com.sg.
Persistence of Retinal Fluid after Anti-VEGF Treatment for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
There is a scarcity of literature discussing anticoagulation prescribing patterns after upper extremity orthopedic surgery. The purpose of this study is to use a large national database to identify trends in adverse events and anticoagulation prescribing following orthopedic shoulder surgery.The TriNetX Research Network was used to identify all patients undergoing orthopedic shoulder surgery between January 2004 and December 2022. Patient information was stratified by year and type of surgery including arthroplasty, arthroscopy, soft tissue procedures, bony procedures, fractures, tumor resection, and amputation. Data collected included patient sex, age, race, and ethnicity. Rates of postoperative anticoagulation medications, deep vein thrombosis, and postoperative bleeding were recorded within 1 month of surgery. A subanalysis was performed comparing propensity-matched cohorts of patients with a preoperative hypercoagulable diagnosis compared with a nonhypercoagulable cohort. Statistical significance was defined as P <.05.The overall rate of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and postoperative bleeding for the collective cohort was low (1.3% and 0.1%, respectively). The year with the highest rate of VTE events was 2019 (1.8%). The overall rate of patients receiving anticoagulation medication was 15.6% during the study period. The year with the highest rate for anticoagulation prescribing was 2015 for all shoulder surgery (19.2%). Patients undergoing amputation and arthroplasty procedures experienced the highest overall rates of postoperative anticoagulation prescribing (51.8 and 47.6%, respectively), whereas tumor resection and arthroscopy procedures experienced the fewest (6.2% and 6.6%, respectively). Patients with a hypercoagulable diagnosis experienced VTEs at significantly higher rates (7.0% vs. 0.9%, respectively) and received more anticoagulation medications compared with the nonhypercoagulable group (20.6% vs. 15.5%) CONCLUSION: The rate of VTE- and bleeding-related events for orthopedic shoulder surgeries is low. However, there is an increased rate of VTE in patients with hypercoagulability risk factors and in those undergoing arthroplasty, amputation, and fracture fixation.
Copyright © 2025 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Penn State Health, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, USA.
Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA. Electronic address: pmonahan@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.
Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
Trends in venous thromboembolic events and anticoagulation prescriptions for orthopaedic surgery of the shoulder.
To assess the long-term (>10 years) outcomes in anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (aTSA) and implant survival in patients younger than 60 years and identify risk factors for complications and revision.This was a retrospective, multicenter study conducted from 1993 to 2008. From more than 104 aTSAs, 87 in 82 patients (mean age 55 years, range 36-60 years) were included at a mean follow-up of 14 ± 4 years (10-25 years). Outcome measures included pain, motion, Constant score, and subjective shoulder value at 10 years minimum. On AP radiograph, the radiolucent line (RLL) score of Molé was used to assess loosening around the glenoid. A glenoid was considered loose in 3 circumstances: (1) revision for glenoid loosening, (2) radiologic migration of the implant, or (3) RLL score ≥12. Preoperative glenoid morphology according to Walch, glenohumeral mismatch, and cementing technique were evaluated. Survivorship free of revision and free of glenoid loosening were calculated at 10 and 15 years. The mean follow-up was 14 ± 4 years (10-25 years) or until revision.Revision-free survivorship was 81% at 10 years and 65% at 15 years. Glenoid failure was the main cause of revision: among the 28 revised shoulders (32%), 19 (22%) were revised for glenoid loosening. Heavy labor was a risk factor for glenoid component loosening (P = .029). The curettage technique and flat-back glenoids were risk factors for glenoid revision (P = .035) but presented a longer follow-up than compaction technique and convex-back glenoids. The type of preoperative glenoid erosion (Walch type) and glenohumeral mismatch did not correlate with a higher glenoid loosening rate.aTSA is a reliable procedure for primary OA at age <60 years, but survivorship declines after 10 years. Glenoid loosening, often combined with cuff deficiency or infection, is the main cause of failure and revision. Glenoid morphology as classified by the modified Walch classification does not influence the revision rate beyond 10 years.
Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Institut Universitaire Locomoteur et du Sport (IULS), Hôpital Pasteur 2, CHU de Nice, Nice, France. Electronic address: marcoliviergauci@gmail.com.
Hôpital d'instruction des armées Sainte Anne, Toulon, France.
Institut Universitaire Locomoteur et du Sport (IULS), Hôpital Pasteur 2, CHU de Nice, Nice, France.
Orthopaedic Department, CHRU de Tours, Chambray-les-Tours, France.
Anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty with keeled glenoids in patients younger than 60 years at 10 years minimum: which risk factors of failure are still valid at long-term follow-up?
Department of Vitreoretinal Surgery, Bristol Eye Hospital, Bristol, UK.
Department of Vitreoretinal Surgery, Bristol Eye Hospital, Bristol, UK. p.maghsoudlou@bristol.ac.uk.Academic Unit of Ophthalmology, Translational Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. p.maghsoudlou@bristol.ac.uk.
Safety concerns regarding viscoelastic delivery systems, or, caveat injector.
Psoriasis is a chronic disease with a prevalence of 3% in the general population. The high prevalence of psoriasis has prompted the study of its comorbidities in recent decades. However, no studies have ever analyzed comorbidity patterns including all chronic diseases in psoriatic patients.To identify comorbidity patterns in psoriatic patients using network analysis and describe them from a clinical point of view.We conducted an observational and retrospective study with individuals of the EpiChron Cohort (Aragón, Spain) diagnosed with psoriasis from January 1st, 2010 through December 31st, 2019. The population was stratified by sex and age intervals (0-11, 12-17, 18-44, 45-64, ≥65). We built a network for each stratum (i.e., 5 for each sex), calculating the tetrachoric correlations of each pair of diseases. We used a cut-off threshold for statistical significance of p-value <0.01. We applied the Louvain community detection algorithm to identify clusters of diseases.The prevalence of psoriasis in Aragón was found to be 2.84%. We identified a total of 31,178 psoriatic patients (54% men, 61% from metropolitan areas). The most common comorbidities were respiratory diseases, cardiometabolic conditions (such as hypertension and dyslipidemia), and mental health disorders (including anxiety and mood disorders). A total of 21 comorbidity patterns were identified, varying by sex and age group.This is the first study ever conducted with a comprehensive analysis of the disease patterns of psoriatic patients. Our results are a comprehensive map of possible psoriasis-related comorbidities. Further studies should confirm these associations and their pathophysiological relationship with psoriasis, which could help to detect and prevent comorbidities and modifiable risk factors.
Copyright © 2025 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.
Department of Dermatology, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain.
EpiChron Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IACS) (IIS Aragón), Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, ES-50009 Zaragoza, Spain; Research Network on Chronicity, Primary Care, and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), ES-28029 Zaragoza, Spain; Subdirección Técnica Asesora de Gestión de la Información, Andalusian Health Service, ES-41071 Sevilla, Spain.
Department of Dermatology, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain. Electronic address: tamgracaz@gmail.com.
EpiChron Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IACS) (IIS Aragón), Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, ES-50009 Zaragoza, Spain; Research Network on Chronicity, Primary Care, and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), ES-28029 Zaragoza, Spain.
EpiChron Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IACS) (IIS Aragón), Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, ES-50009 Zaragoza, Spain; Research Network on Chronicity, Primary Care, and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), ES-28029 Zaragoza, Spain; Servicio de Salud de Aragón (SALUD), Zaragoza, Spain.
Unraveling Multimorbidity Patterns of Psoriasis Using Network Analysis.
Clinic III (Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine), Special Hematology Laboratory, Rostock University Medical School, Rostock, Germany.
Clinical and Translational Research Program, Cancer Research Center (IBMCC-CSIC/USAL-IBSAL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.Department of Medicine, Cytometry Service (NUCLEUS) and Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Cancer (CIBER-ONC) (CB16/12/00400), Institudo de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
Laboratory Medical Immunology, Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany.
Clinical and Translational Research Program, Cancer Research Center (IBMCC-CSIC/USAL-IBSAL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.Department of Medicine, Cytometry Service (NUCLEUS) and Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Cancer (CIBER-ONC) (CB16/12/00400), Institudo de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.Department of Medicine, University of Salamanca (Universidad de Salamanca), Salamanca, Spain.
Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Hematopathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
FACS/Stem Cell Laboratory, Kantonsspital Aarau AG, Aarau, Switzerland.
Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Centro de Investigacion Medica Aplicada (CIMA), Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria de Navarra (IDISNA), CIBER-ONC Number CB16/12/00369, Pamplona, Spain.
Department of Medicine, Cytometry Service (NUCLEUS) and Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.European Scientific Foundation for Laboratory Hemato-Oncology, Zutphen, the Netherlands.
Novel Flow Cytometric Antibody Panel and Dedicated Analysis Algorithm for Automated Fully Standardized Minimal Residual Disease Detection in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.
Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland. annina.ropponen@ttl.fi.
Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health
Remote work - the new normal needs more research.
Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Zayed, Room Z5.5034, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. Electronic address: ljmedeiros@mdanderson.org.
Introduction to special issue on lymphoma.
Malignant gastric outlet obstruction (MGOO) is an unfortunate adverse event of advanced upper GI malignancies. Historically, surgical gastrojejunostomy (SGJ) has been the procedure of choice to achieve enteral bypass. Recently, endoscopic techniques have gained popularity in the management of MGOO. We aimed to compare periprocedural outcomes between SGJ and endoscopic gastrojejunostomy (EGJ) in patients with MGOO.The National Inpatient Sample was queried from 2016 through 2020. The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, codes were used to identify adult admissions with a principal diagnosis of gastric, pancreatic, or duodenal cancer undergoing EGJ or SGJ. The 2 cohorts were compared for periprocedural adverse events.Of 20,930 patients undergoing gastrojejunostomy for MGOO, 16,585 underwent SGJ and 4345 underwent EGJ. The SGJ cohort had a higher proportion of patients with pancreatic cancer (36.16% vs 19.56%) and a lower proportion of patients with gastric cancer (55.16% vs 71.99%). A higher percentage of EGJs were performed in the Northeast (20.33% vs 27.66%, P < .001), whereas a smaller percentage of EGJs were performed in the South (30.56% vs 39.52%, P < .001). Between the 2 groups, the difference in mortality rates was not significantly different (0.62; 95% CI, 0.35-1.10; P = .106), but the EGJ group had lower odds of respiratory failure (4.7% vs 7.4%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.68; 95% CI, 0.48-0.96; P = .032), blood transfusion (9.25% vs 13.74%; aOR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.48-0.82; P = .001), and peritonitis (2.19% vs 4.5%; aOR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.33-0.91; P = .022). The EGJ group had lesser hospitalization charges (mean $164,794 vs $183,519; adjusted difference on regression, $16,495; 95% CI, 29,204-3786; P = .011) and shorter hospital stays (mean, 9.88 vs 12.56 days; adjusted difference, 2.24 days; 95% CI, 1.53-2.96; P < .001). The use of EGJ increased over 5 years (16.86% in 2016 to 24.14% in 2020, P for trend = .002), whereas the use of SGJ decreased (83.13% in 2016 to 75.85% in 2020, P for trend = .002).Compared with SGJ, EGJ is associated with lower rates of periprocedural adverse events, hospitalization charges, and length of stay. For these reasons, EGJ should be strongly considered in managing MGOO.
Department of Internal Medicine, John H. Stroger, Jr Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Electronic address: bhanushivamohan@gmail.com.
Department of Digestive Disease, Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, AdventHealth, Orlando, Florida, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Motility, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, Kansas, USA.
Center for Interventional Endoscopy (CIE), Advent Health, Orlando, Florida, USA.
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, Peoria, Illinois, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, East Carolina University/Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, John H. Stroger, Jr Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Center for Interventional Endoscopy, AdventHealth, Orlando, Florida, USA.
Comparison of endoscopic and surgical gastrojejunostomy in patients with malignant gastric outlet obstruction: a national cohort analysis (2016-2020).
Orange Health Service, Western NSW Local Health District, Orange, NSW, Australia. mwsee95@gmail.com.
National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society, Cambridge Court, London, UK.
Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Norfolk & Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Norwich, UK.
How can ophthalmologists impact the significant delay to diagnosis in spondyloarthritis?
Division of Pharmacy, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Department of Biostatistics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas, USA.
Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas, USA.
Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA.
Prospective Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of Venetoclax in AML Supports Re-Evaluation of Recommended Dose Adjustments With Azole Antifungals.
Correction to: Drug and biomarker tissue levels in a randomized presurgical trial on exemestane alternative schedules.
National PTSD Research Centre at the Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Birtinya, QLD, 4575, Australia; Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia.
National PTSD Research Centre at the Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Birtinya, QLD, 4575, Australia.
Thompson Brain and Mind Healthcare, Maroochydore, QLD, 4558, Australia.
National PTSD Research Centre at the Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Birtinya, QLD, 4575, Australia. Electronic address: dhermens@usc.edu.au.
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2025-04;93():17-18.
Low dose oral ketamine treatment on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (OKTOP): An open-label pilot study.
Family meals are an important topic in food consumption research linked to health, care, morality, etc. Recent consumer surveys show that home cooking and family eating patterns are under pressure due to increasingly busy everyday family lives. Here, fast food meals offer a practical solution. However, several studies in the Danish context (and in other geographical areas) highlight a strong moral ideal among middle-class families to produce healthy and home-cooked meals, which should render fast food illegitimate. This study builds on these studies on food, moralities, and parenting, and the purpose is to explore Danish middle-class parents' attitudes about going to multinational fast-food chains and how they navigate dilemmas around practical and moral issues. Additionally, we explore how new, seemingly more exclusive food products at a multinational fast-food chain in Denmark impact parents' views. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with n = 17 Danish middle-class parents who had been to a multinational fast-food chain in 2021 as a new series of quality burgers designed by Michelin chefs was introduced. Our findings show that all participants demonstrated some degree of moral concern about fast-food consumption. These concerns result in strong, affective narratives of disgust and compensation strategies for the most troubled. More particularly, we argue that the consumption of fast food is (1) closely embedded in family rituals, and (2) it entails a meal negotiation between children's pleasure and adults' disgust (particularly mothers' disgust) for most participants. Finally, (3) we highlight that the availability of 'novel' products more closely aligned with Danish middle-class ideals and aspirations around food, like the fine dining chefs, Chefs' Burgers (CB), make those disputes easier for most parents. Others react negatively to the campaign.
Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
School of Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Meal Sciences, Örebro University, Sweden. Electronic address: Camilla.hoff@dis.dk.
School of Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Meal Sciences, Örebro University, Sweden. Electronic address: Jonatan.leer@oru.se.
Disgust, pleasure, and convenience in fast-food consumption: Perspectives from Danish middle-class parents.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Warneford Lane, Oxford, OX3 7JX, United Kingdom; Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Warneford Lane, Oxford, OX3 7JX, United Kingdom. Electronic address: riccardo.degiorgi@psych.ox.ac.uk.
Department of Radiography and Podiatry, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Rd, Glasgow G4 0BA, United Kingdom; Division of Mental Health, Universal Human Rights and Social Development Association, Non-Government Organisation, Uttarakhand, 248001, India.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Warneford Lane, Oxford, OX3 7JX, United Kingdom; Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Warneford Lane, Oxford, OX3 7JX, United Kingdom; Oxford Precision Psychiatry Lab, NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, OX3 7JX, United Kingdom.
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2025-04;93():15-16.
Preliminary evidence should be treated as such: Response to Is creatine useful as adjuvant in cognitive-behavioural therapy for depression?
The use of anesthesia has become commonplace in many procedural settings. The goal of this study is to compare sedation modalities used by endoscopists and anesthesiologists in the endoscopy suite, particularly with respect to recovery time and adverse events.We conducted a retrospective cohort study including adults (≥18 years of age) undergoing outpatient EGD and/or colonoscopy at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida between October 1st, 2018 and December 31st, 2022. Cases were classified as using propofol only, propofol ± adjuvants (PA; including dexmedetomidine, ketamine, fentanyl, and midazolam), general anesthesia (GA) with endotracheal tube, or fentanyl/midazolam (FM) only. The primary outcome was length of stay (LOS) in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), and secondary outcomes included the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), hypoxemia (Spo2 risk 90%), bradycardia (heart rate <60 bpm), and escalation of care (hospital admission).The analysis included 56,361 cases. Among patients who received FM sedation, the mean PACU LOS was 52.01, 49.68, and 53.24 minutes for EGD, colonoscopy, and combined procedures, respectively. This was significantly higher than the mean PACU LOS for GA (44.65, 41.41, and 41.92 minutes, respectively), for PA (32.35, 35.75, and 33.42 minutes, respectively), and for propofol (31.63, 32.61, and 33.29 minutes, respectively; P < .0001). Of patients receiving FM, 8.39% experienced bradycardia, 6.12% experienced hypoxia, 0.24% experienced PONV, and 0.05% were hospitalized. These were substantially lower than the rates for other sedation groups, and odds ratios were significantly lower than 1.00 (P < .05) in 30 of 36 comparisons across procedural, sedative, and outcome categories.Sedation achieved with FM correlated with a lower rate of adverse events but a significantly longer PACU LOS compared with propofol, PA, or GA.
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Clinical Studies Unit, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA.
Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA.
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA.
Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA. Electronic address: chadha.ryan@mayo.edu.
Outcomes of anesthesia-supported versus endoscopist-driven sedation modalities: a retrospective cohort study.
Background Primary extracranial meningiomas (PEMs) of the sinonasal tract with no intracranial extension are rare. Our study presents the largest systematic review to date, providing a comprehensive overview and comparison of the characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of PEMs, with comparison to primary intracranial meningiomas (PIMs). Methods A systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines on PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar up to November 1, 2022. A total of 70 documented cases from 64 articles were included. Data analysis was performed to compare low-grade (World Health Organization [WHO] Grade I) and high-grade (Grade II, III) PEMs. Results Majority of patients were symptomatic with nasal symptoms (72.1%), followed by eye symptoms (41.2%) and facial swellings (41.2%). The nasal cavity was the most commonly affected site (70.0%). Most tumors were WHO Grade 1 (87.5%) with meningothelial histological subtype. PEMs have a predilection for involvement of surrounding structures, with more than half reporting erosion of sinonasal walls or orbital involvement (64.3%). Despite so, PEMs have a favorable prognosis, with high survival rates (95.3%) and low rate of recurrence (8.5%). Mainstay of treatment is surgical resection (98.6%). A total of 69/70 cases (98.6%) underwent surgical resection. Conclusions There are no clear defining clinical features of PEMs; hence, it is imperative for clinicians to prioritize histological diagnosis to guide further management. A conclusive diagnosis of PEMs, i.e., exclusion of PIMs, requires imaging and potential intraoperative assessment. Its prognosis is likely dependent on both WHO grading and the ability to achieve complete surgical extirpation. Endoscopic resection is recommended even in high-grade PEMs for localized and resectable disease. Radiotherapy may be reserved for unresectable or recurrent tumors as salvage therapy.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
Journal of neurological surgery. Part B, Skull base
Primary Extracranial Meningiomas of the Sinonasal Tract: A Systematic Review.
Photon-counting mammography is an emerging modality that allows for spectral imaging and provides a differentiation of material compositions. The development of photon-counting mammography-specific contrast agents has yet to be explored. In this study, the contrast, sensitivity, and organ dose between silver sulfide nanoparticles (Ag2S-NPs) and a clinically approved iodinated agent (iopamidol) were investigated using a contrast-embedded gradient ramp phantom and a prototype scanner. For a given agent, the signal intensity increased with concentration, tube voltage (kV), and high bin fraction, while remaining constant with the tube current exposure time product (mAs). Moreover, Ag2S-NPs produced significantly stronger contrast and improved sensitivity compared to iodine, especially when imaged at lower tube energies. Therefore, the use of photon-counting techniques and a silver-based contrast agent may markedly increase the contrast and contrast-to-noise ratios or reduce the radiation dose for contrast-enhanced mammography. Silver may be better suited than iodine for contrast agent development for spectral photon-counting mammography.
Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.
Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.
Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.
Influence of Acquisition Parameters on Silver Sulfide Nanoparticle Contrast in Photon-Counting Digital Mammography: A Phantom Study.
The end groups of three- and four-arm star-shaped polylactides (PLA) with trimethylolpropane and pentaerythritol core structures were functionalized with acetic acid. Reaction products with different degrees of functionalization were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. Additional gradient elution liquid adsorption chromatography (GELAC) measurements were performed to determine the degree of functionalization. This technique enabled clear separation and sufficient quantification of the formed species. These chromatographic data could be used inversely to quantify mass spectrometric results, which are usually biased by the unknown ionization probabilities of different polymer end group structures. Our results showed that, in this particular case, the peak intensity in the MALDI-TOF mass spectra can be used to semiquantitatively determine the degree of functionalization in incompletely functionalized multiarm PLA.
Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Richard-Willstätter-Strasse 11, D-12489 Berlin, Germany.
Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry
Quantitative MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry of Star-Shaped Polylactides Based on Chromatographic Hyphenation.
Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age Gaetano Barresi , University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Long-term use of Minimed™ 780G in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes under real-world conditions: The benefits of optimal settings.
Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Clinical Research Center for Hair and Skin Science, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Emotional burden and current management practices in pediatric alopecia areata: An online survey among physicians.
Center for Research on Rare Blood Disorders (CR-RBD), Burjeel Medical City, Abu Dhabi, UAE.Department of Public Health & Epidemiology, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, UAE.Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
Hematology Section, Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Division of Hematology and Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Unit of Medicine and Metabolic Disease, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Department of Pediatrics & Thalassemia Center, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Non-Transfusion-Dependent Thalassemia: An Image Gallery Worth a Thousand Words.
Peri-operative corticosteroid supplementation guideline adherence.
CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University (UM), Maastricht, The Netherlands.Department of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center+ (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
Ocular Epidemiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications, Intramural Research Program, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
Section of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Epidemiology & Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Epidemiology & Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, UM, Maastricht, The Netherlands.Department of Social Medicine, UM, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Department of Ophthalmology, MUMC+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University (UM), Maastricht, The Netherlands.Department of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center+ (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands.Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Department of Vascular Medicine, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Diabetes and incident stroke and mediation by microvascular dysfunction: Pooled analysis of three population-based studies.
Section of Endocrinology and Investigative Medicine, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Section of Cell Biology and Functional Genomics, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Diabetes, Obesity and Complications, Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
The physiological impact of an N-terminal Halo-tag on glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor function in mice.
Physiology Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil.
Physiological Sciences Department, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil.
Physiology Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil. Electronic address: brunomartynhak@ufpr.br.
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2025-04;93():24-26.
Lack of antidepressant-like effect of imipramine, fluoxetine and ketamine in the forced swim test in mice: How much standardization does a positive control require?
To identify foveal structure-function topographic association and relationship in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) related to ectopic inner foveal layer (EIFL).This was a cross-sectional, observational study that involved 40 individuals with idiopathic ERM: 22 without EIFL (Group 1) and 18 with EIFL (Group 2). Quantitative foveal light sensitivity was measured using microperimetry, and foveal microstructure was assessed using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Multiple indices of microvascular parameters of OCTA images were further processed using the AngioTool software. LASSO regression and quantile regression analyses were performed to identify the spatial distribution correlation between foveal light sensitivity and foveal microstructure parameters.Group 2 exhibited reduced light sensitivity across all parameters of microperimetry compared to Group 1 (P < 0.001). Additionally, the central foveal thickness, the percentage of ellipsoid zone disruption, and the foveal avascular zone area were significantly lower in Group 1 than in Group 2 (all P < 0.005). Compared to Group 1, the vessel density (VD) and perfusion density of the foveal region was significantly increased in Group 2 (P < 0.001). In contrast, Group 2 showed significantly decreased VD in the parafoveal region compared with Group 1 (P < 0.05). Significant differences in OCTA parameters including 'total number of junctions', 'junction density', 'total vessel length', 'average vessel length', 'total number of end points' were observed between Group 1 and Group 2 (all P < 0.01). The foveal light sensitivity was significantly positively correlated with VD in the parafoveal region and negatively correlated with EIFL alteration, best-corrected visual acuity and ellipsoid zone disruption [Log(λ) = - 0.18303, λ = 0.6561].The presence of EIFL and decreased VD in the parafoveal region, factors that collectively elevate the risk of disease progression, are significantly and independently correlated with reduced microperimetric retinal sensitivity in patients with idiopathic ERM.
Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, People's Republic of China. wanpengx@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Topographic correlation of microperimetry with foveal microstructure characteristics in idiopathic epiretinal membrane patients with an ectopic inner foveal layer.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association
Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2025-01-30;():.
Interleukin-17A Inhibitor-induced Pouchitis.
Neurobiology Research Unit, Rigshospitalet and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: gmk@nru.dk.
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2025-04;93():27-28.
Classical psychedelics in therapy: Essential psychotherapy or minimal support?
Department of Clinical Research Facilitation, Institute for Advancement of Clinical and Translational Science, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.Medical Research Institute KITANO HOSPITAL, PIIF Tazuke-Kofukai, Osaka, Japan.
Department of Clinical Research Facilitation, Institute for Advancement of Clinical and Translational Science, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.
Concurrent SGLT2 inhibitor use in patients with type 2 diabetes hospitalised for high-dose corticosteroid therapy: Mitigated iatrogenic hyperglycaemia.
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presents a substantial global health challenge. While the disease is known to impact multiple systems, leading to long-term consequences that require monitoring and rehabilitation, its effects on the pelvic floor remain unclear.This study aims to explore COVID-19-related signs and symptoms affecting pelvic floor functions through a scoping review.We conducted a scoping review following the Arksey and O'Malley framework. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, CINAHL, and Embase databases up to March 19, 2024, to identify studies examining pelvic floor-related signs and symptoms in COVID-19 patients. Two independent reviewers extracted the study and participant characteristics, areas involved (e.g., anorectal, sexual, urogenital), and signs and symptoms using an ad-hoc data extraction form. Signs and symptoms were classified as direct (e.g., directly impacting the pelvic floor) or indirect (e.g., indirectly affecting the pelvic floor with potential long-term consequences).We included 104 studies, primarily a systematic review (N = 40; 38.46%) and focused on adult populations (N = 80; 76.92%), investigating 140 signs and symptoms from various regions worldwide. Most (N = 124; 88.57%) were indirect signs and symptoms, while the minority were direct (N = 16; 11.43%). The most prevalent indirect symptom was diarrhea (n = 81; 70,43%) in the anorectal bowel area (n = 115). The most prevalent direct were lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) (n = 16; 84.21%) in the urogenital area (n = 19).This study highlights the significant prevalence of both direct and indirect pelvic floor symptoms in COVID-19 patients. Clinicians should be aware of the potential link between COVID-19 and pelvic floor dysfunction.
Studio di fisioterapia PelviCare, Teramo - Italy.
Ospedale Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo - Italy.
Unit of Clinical Epidemiology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Milan - Italy.
Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid - Spain.
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and pelvic floor signs and symptoms: a scoping review of the literature.
Existing miniaturized spectral imagers have mutual restrictions among spatial, temporal, and spectral resolutions, making them inadequate to meet practical needs. Here, we demonstrate a spatiotemporal filter array chip to tackle the trade-off among the three resolutions for miniaturized hyperspectral imaging. A 2 × 2 Fabry-Perot filter array is embedded inside a tunable liquid crystal spectral modulator, increasing the number of filtering channels spatiotemporally in hardware, which empowers the spectral imager with high spatial, temporal, and spectral resolutions simultaneously. The tunable filter is of transmission type with the advantages of easy fabrication and large modulation. Experimental results show the proposed spectral imager has a spectral resolution of around 0.5 nm in the visible range, with a frame rate of 60 Hz and a spatial resolution of up to 25 lp/mm without postinterpolation. The proposed filter gives the best balanced performance for spectral imaging in terms of spatial, temporal, and spectral resolutions.
Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, People's Republic of China.Zhejiang Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Medical Imaging, Sensing and Non-invasive Rapid Testing, Taizhou Hospital, Zhejiang University, Taizhou 318000, People's Republic of China.Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study, Zhejiang University, Shanghai 201203, People's Republic of China.
Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, People's Republic of China.
Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, People's Republic of China.National Engineering Research Center for Optical Instruments, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China.
Zhejiang Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Medical Imaging, Sensing and Non-invasive Rapid Testing, Taizhou Hospital, Zhejiang University, Taizhou 318000, People's Republic of China.
Zhejiang Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Medical Imaging, Sensing and Non-invasive Rapid Testing, Taizhou Hospital, Zhejiang University, Taizhou 318000, People's Republic of China.Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study, Zhejiang University, Shanghai 201203, People's Republic of China.National Engineering Research Center for Optical Instruments, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China.Department of Electromagnetic Engineering, School of Electrical Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, SE-100 44, Sweden.
A Spatiotemporal Tunable Filter Array Chip for Video-Rate Hyperspectral Imaging.
An increased incidence of bacterial pneumonia (BP) has been reported in Irish Wolfhounds (IWHs) and the disease typically recurs repeatedly. The aetiology is unclear but the development of bronchiectasis in the absence of clinical findings indicative of interstitial lung disease is common in affected IWHs. This observation led us to hypothesize that the primary cause could be at bronchial level. We evaluated bronchial cartilage structure and composition in IWHs (n = 10) with previous episodes of pneumonia compared with IWH control dogs (n = 5) and other large-breed control dogs (n = 5) without a history of respiratory disease. Histological evaluation of lung sections was performed with haematoxylin and eosin, Masson's trichrome and Prussian blue staining as well as with immunohistochemistry (IHC) for CD3 and CD79a antigens and pancytokeratin. Bronchial cartilage proteoglycan content was evaluated in sections stained with safranin 'O' (SO) and chondrocyte apoptosis by IHC for cleaved caspase-3. Image analysis was used to measure the bronchial cartilage to lumen area ratio as well as the SO staining intensity and caspase-3-positive cell count in digital whole slide images. The most consistent histological finding in the lungs of IWHs with recurrent BP was chronic lymphoplasmacytic inflammation in the peribronchial and perivascular pulmonary interstitium, along with remodelling of the bronchial walls. The bronchial cartilage to lumen area ratio was significantly lower in all IWHs than in control dogs of other breeds (P = 0.011), suggesting less cartilage support in the bronchi of the IWH breed. The SO staining intensity of the bronchial cartilage was significantly higher (P = 0.008) in affected IWHs than in control dogs of other breeds. Analysis of caspase-3 immunolabelling of large bronchial cartilage revealed significantly fewer apoptotic chondrocytes in affected IWHs than in all control dogs (P = 0.045). Based on these findings, altered cartilage metabolism, as a breed-related feature or secondary to chronic inflammation, may play a role in the pathogenesis of bronchiectasis development and recurrent lung infections in IWHs.
Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: vappu.hukkinen@helsinki.fi.
Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Pathology and Parasitology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Recurrent bacterial pneumonia in Irish Wolfhounds - histopathology and characterization of bronchial cartilage changes.
Astrocytes are a subtype of glial cells, which are non-neuronal cells that do not produce action potentials. Rather, astrocytes are involved in various functions vital to a functioning brain including nutrient supply to neuronal cells, blood-brain barrier maintenance, regulation of synaptic transmission, and repair following CNS injury.While astrocytes have been examined extensively in rodents, it is now clear that there is a large amount of astrocyte heterogeneity and increased complexity in mammals and primates. Astrocytes have expanded in the human lineage with respect to density, soma volume, and the ratio of astrocytes to total glial cells. The human prefrontal cortex also possesses an overall increased glia:neuron ratio relative to other primates, coinciding with allometric expectations based on overall brain size.What are the underlying changes in astrocytes in primate evolution? For this review, we will focus on the evolution of gene expression and gene regulation in astrocytes as a read out of the phenotypic changes seen in cellular morphology. This is an exciting time to understand this cell type in a more dynamic and complex way with new technologies such as induced pluripotent stem cells and single-cell RNA sequencing. Furthermore, understanding the evolution of astrocytes across primates will help explain their role in neurological disease as alterations in astrocyte function are implicated in many neurodegenerative states such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.
Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.
Exploring the Expanded Role of Astrocytes in Primate Brain Evolution via Changes in Gene Expression.
Two-dimensional (2D) heterostructures (HSs) offer unlimited possibilities for playing with layer number, order, and twist angle. The realization of high-performance optoelectronic devices, however, requires the achievement of specific band alignments, k-space matching between conduction and valence band extrema, and efficient charge transfer between the constituent layers. Fine-tuning mechanisms to design ideal HSs are lacking. Here, we show that layer-selective strain engineering can be exploited as an extra degree of freedom to tailor the band alignment and optical properties of 2D HSs. To that end, strain is selectively applied to MS2 (M = Mo or W) monolayers in InSe/MS2 HSs, triggering a giant photoluminescence enhancement of the highly tunable but weakly emitting InSe of up to >2 orders of magnitude. Resonant excitation measurements, supported by first-principles calculations, provide evidence of a strain-activated charge transfer from the MS2 monolayers toward InSe. The huge emission enhancement of InSe widens its range of applications for optoelectronics.
Physics Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy.
Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies, National Research Council, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan.
Research Center for Electronic and Optical Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan.
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
INFN, Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Giant Light Emission Enhancement in Strain-Engineered InSe/MS2 (M = Mo or W) van der Waals Heterostructures.
Posterior circulation infarctions, particularly basilar artery occlusions, contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality in ischemic stroke. However, literature supporting mechanical thrombectomy in the posterior circulation, especially beyond the 24-h window, is limited.We present the case of a 64-year-old male diagnosed with basilar artery occlusion who underwent a successful mechanical thrombectomy 11 days after symptom onset. Despite complications such as hemorrhagic transformation and herniation, the patient was stabilized and showed functional improvement 3 months post-stroke.This case suggests that delayed thrombectomy may provide benefits for selected patients, even beyond the recommended 24-h window. Further research is essential to refine treatment strategies and potentially extend the intervention window for posterior circulation strokes.
© 2025 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.
Department of Neurology, Institute of Neurosciences, The Medical City-Ortigas, Pasig City, Philippines.
Beyond the Limit: Salvaging the Posterior Circulation Territory via Late Endovascular Thrombectomy.
To investigate the clinical efficacy of intravenous carbazochrome sodium sulfonate (CSS), an oxidation substance of epinephrine, in improving visual clarity (VC), perioperative hemostasis, and anti-inflammatory effects during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.This was a single-center, single-surgeon, randomized, controlled, triple-blinded, prospective study. Between August 2023 and August 2024, 195 patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were enrolled and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: Group A received an intravenous infusion of CSS; group B received an intravenous infusion of tranexamic acid; and group C received an intravenous infusion of 0.9% sodium chloride. Patients with massive rotator cuff tear, frozen shoulder, hypertension, severe liver or renal dysfunction, long-term use of anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs, bleeding disorders, or severe cardiopulmonary diseases were excluded. After each surgical procedure, a trained and independent evaluator assessed the clarity of images based on the VC scale, and all related clinical outcomes were recorded. The primary outcome was arthroscopic VC. The secondary outcomes were operative duration, irrigation fluid volume, red blood cell count of discarded irrigation fluid samples, intraoperative mean blood pressure, inflammatory marker levels, hemoglobin levels, visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, and shoulder joint enlargement rate.In total, 195 patients were enrolled, and they were randomized into 1 of 3 groups: Group A comprised 65 patients (21 men and 44 women) with a mean age of 56.4 years; group B, 65 patients (29 men and 36 women) with a mean age of 57.0 years; and group C, 65 patients (24 men and 41 women) with a mean age of 56.7 years. VC scale scores were not significantly different during arthroscopic examination (5 [range, 4 to 5] in group A vs 5 [range, 4 to 5] in group B vs 5 [range, 4 to 5] in group C; P = .859), but group A had higher scores than groups B and C during subacromial treatment (5 [range, 5 to 5] vs 4 [range, 3 to 4] vs 3 [range, 2 to 3.5]; P < .001) and rotator cuff repair (5 [range, 5 to 5] vs 4 [range, 3 to 4] vs 3 [range, 3 to 4]; P < .001). Group A showed significant advantages over groups B and C in operative duration (50.4 ± 8.0 minutes vs 66.4 ± 13.7 minutes vs 70.2 ± 17.4 minutes; P < .001), intraoperative infusion volume (11,338.5 ± 1,381.0 mL vs 18,483.1 ± 1,808.7 mL vs 19,047.7 ± 1,984.1 mL; P < .001), postoperative shoulder joint enlargement rate (8.2% [range, 3.0% to 11.7%] vs 14.1% [range, 9.2% to 18.1%] vs 15.4% [range, 13.8% to 16.3%]; P < .001), and red blood cell count of discarded infusion samples (12.6 ± 2.3 × 109/L vs 19.6 ± 2.0 × 109/L vs 20.4 ± 2.2 × 109/L; P < .001). On postoperative days (PODs) 1, 2, and 3, hemoglobin levels were significantly lower in group C than in groups A and B. Inflammatory marker levels on PODs 1, 2, and 3 were not significantly different between groups A and B (P > .05) but were significantly lower in groups A and B than in group C (P < .05). A total of 157 patients (80.51% of the overall cohort) showed a change in the VAS pain score that met the MCID threshold 3 days after surgery. VAS scores on PODs 1, 2, and 3 were lower in group A than in groups B and C (P < .05). No adverse drug reactions or surgical complications occurred in any patients.CSS can effectively improve VC, reduce perioperative blood loss, decrease the inflammatory response, and alleviate early postoperative pain and shoulder joint swelling, and it does not increase the incidence of adverse reactions and complications.Level I, randomized clinical trial.
Copyright © 2025 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China. Electronic address: blissche2012@gmail.com.
Arthroscopy : the journal of arthroscopic & related surgery : official publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association
Intravenous Carbazochrome Sodium Sulfonate Improves Visual Clarity in Patients Undergoing Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A Randomised Controlled, Triple-Blinded, Prospective Study.
In colorectal cancer screening with the fecal immunochemical test (FIT), the optimal follow-up after first-round colonoscopy for a positive FIT, particularly after negative colonoscopy, is unknown. Therefore, using Screening of Swedish Colons (SCREESCO) study data, we aimed to elucidate the risk factors for the detection of colorectal neoplasia in second-round colonoscopy, which can affect recommendations for the optimal follow-up.We performed a cross-sectional analysis using data from SCREESCO participants undergoing colonoscopy after a positive 2-stool FIT, with a positivity cutoff value of ≥10 μg/g feces, in both the first and second rounds separated by a 2-year interval. We assessed the associations between colorectal neoplasia detection in second-round colonoscopy and participant characteristics, FIT concentrations, first-round colonoscopy results, and endoscopists' adenoma detection rates (ADRs), which were categorized as very low, low, intermediate, and high.This study included 343 individuals. Despite negative first-round colonoscopies (n = 230), colorectal cancer and advanced colorectal neoplasia (ACN) were detected in 0.9% and 8.3% of participants in the second-round colonoscopy, respectively. An association was demonstrated between the first-round endoscopists' ADRs and the risk of second-round ACN detection. The multivariable odds ratios of the first-round intermediate and high ADRs, compared with the very low ADR, for second-round ACN detection were 0.17 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.02-0.79) and 0.19 (95% CI, 0.04-0.86), respectively.The impact of endoscopists' ADRs on ACN detection in subsequent-round colonoscopies underscores the importance of considering ADR for optimal follow-up after first-round colonoscopy in an FIT-based screening program.
Endoscopy Division/Cancer Screening Center, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Screening Technology, National Cancer Center Institute for Cancer Control, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Chemistry, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Clinical Chemistry, SYNLAB Sverige, Täby, Sweden.
Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine K2, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Endoscopist adenoma detection rate associated with neoplasia detection during subsequent-round colonoscopy in fecal immunochemical test-based colorectal cancer screening: cross-sectional analysis of the SCREESCO randomized controlled trial.
It is demonstrated here that a recently published LabView-based time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOFMS) simulation program (named TOFSim) can accurately simulate data collected on a commercial Bruker Autoflex III matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) TOFMS instrument operating in linear mode. Once the instrument distances are determined by matching measured and simulated flight times, it is shown that both overall flight times and peak widths are reproduced for data collected under both focused and slightly defocused conditions. This work confirms that TOFSim can be used not just for training new instrument operators in the principles of TOFMS but, as demonstrated here, to show how changing the voltage applied to grid G1 in the source or the delayed extraction delay time affects the focusing properties of the instrument. In the future we expect that this will also allow users to perform what-if experiments to investigate scenarios which may be difficult or impossible to do in a real instrument.
Department of Chemistry, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.
Use of TOFSim, a LabView-Based Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer Simulation, to Model Real Instrument Data.
Bridges with shallow foundations are highly susceptible to flood scouring due to their limited embedment depth and small contact area between the soil and foundation. This can lead to foundation voids, posing a serious threat to bridge safety. To prevent and mitigate scouring risks, this paper investigates the riverbed scouring characteristics of shallow foundation bridges under different hydrological conditions.The study found that under high water levels and flow velocities, scour depth significantly increased.Under extreme hydrological conditions, a horseshoe vortex forms at the base of the front end of the bridge pier, causing scour pits on both sides of the upstream face of the foundation, which is the main cause of foundation voids that first appear at 2580 s with a maximum scour depth of -2.51 m and a void area of 0.5%, continuing to increase over time.Based on simulated scouring data, this study proposes a method for converting boundary conditions from a scouring model to a mechanical model. This method utilizes point cloud reverse engineering technology to generate a riverbed surface from the three-dimensional coordinate matrix of the boundary and import it into the structural analysis field. Hydraulic effects are calculated using a CFD model and transferred to the structural domain through fluid-structure interaction technology, achieving multi-physical field coupling among water flow, soil, and structure. This method addresses the current limitations in simulating complex scouring forms in bridge flood damage research, providing reliable technical support for subsequent studies on the damage behavior of shallow foundation bridges under flood scouring conditions.
School of Civil Engineering, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150080, China.
School of Civil Engineering, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150080, China. ldwutong@hlju.edu.cn.Longjian Road and Bridge Company Limited, Harbin, 150090, China. ldwutong@hlju.edu.cn.
Study on scour simulation and boundary condition conversion technology for a shallow foundation bridge.
Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
It's More Than Complex: Further Insights Into TP53 in MPN.
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. Electronic address: santanp3@ccf.org.
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.
Department of Cardiology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Predicting pacemaker implantation after TAVI in patients with right bundle branch block: One must imagine Sisyphus happy.
Breakthrough Discoveries for Thriving with Bipolar Disorder, Milken Institute Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration, Washington, DC.
Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
Breakthrough Discoveries for Thriving with Bipolar Disorder, Milken Institute Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration, Washington, DC. Electronic address: caltimus@milkeninstitute.org.
A Critical Role of Philanthropic Support in Paving the Way to Precision Medicine for Bipolar Disorder.
Institute of Translational Pharmacology, IFT-CNR, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: simona.rossi@ift.cnr.it.
Institute of Translational Pharmacology, IFT-CNR, Rome, Italy; Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; PhD Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: savina.apolloni@uniroma2.it.
Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular basis of disease
Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2025-04;1871(4):167707.
Transcriptomic profiling of symptomatic and end-stage SOD1-G93A transgenic mice reveals extracellular matrix components as key players in ALS pathogenesis.
QIMA Life Sciences, QIMA Bioalternatives SAS, Labège, France.
Beauty Product Consulting, Paris, France.
Department of General and Oncologic Dermatology, Ambroise Paré Hospital, GHU Paris-Saclay AP-HP, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France.
Department of General and Oncologic Dermatology, Ambroise Paré Hospital, GHU Paris-Saclay AP-HP, Boulogne-Billancourt, France; Research Unit EA4340 Biomarkers in cancerology and in hemato-oncology, Université Versailles-St-Quentin-en -Yvelines-Paris-Saclay, Versailles, France.
Department of General and Oncologic Dermatology, Ambroise Paré Hospital, GHU Paris-Saclay AP-HP, Boulogne-Billancourt, France; Laboratoire de Génie Industriel, CentraleSupelec, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France; Chaire Avenir Santé Numérique, Equipe 8 IMRB, Inserm, Paris-East Créteil University, Créteil, France. Electronic address: tu-anh.duong@aphp.fr.
The Journal of investigative dermatology
Electrochemistry to Monitor Skin Barrier: A Proof-of-Concept Study on Skin Differentiation Compared with Corneometry, Transepidermal Water Loss Measurement, and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography.
Department of Surgery, Division of Emergency Medicine.
Department of Neurology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Electronic address: yun.du@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Lewis Katz School of Medicine of Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Division of Head and Neck, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA.
Popliteal artery cystic adventitial disease treated with open excision and interposition bypass.
Department of Neurology, Maasstad Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: janvos1998@hotmail.com.
Department of Vascular Surgery, Maasstad Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Department of Neurology, Maasstad Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Carotid Dissection After Performing a Header.
This study explores the insecticidal potential of secondary metabolites derived from Metarhizium rileyi against Spodoptera litura through an integrative approach involving genomics, metabolomics, and bioinformatics. Four native isolates of M. rileyi were identified and characterized for their insecticidal efficacy. Among these, the SlMr-DOR isolate exhibited the highest effectiveness, achieving a remarkable 90.0% mortality in laboratory bioassays and 93.3% mortality when tested with its crude extract. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the SlMr-DOR isolate revealed a diverse profile of bioactive volatile secondary metabolites, including squalene, diethyl phthalate, 4-anilinoquinazoline, vinyl 2-ethylhexanoate, 2-phenyl-3-formyl-pyrrole, chloramphenicol, hentriacontane, phthalic acid derivatives, pentacosane, nonanamide, and eicosanoic acid. Among these metabolites, commercially available squalene and diethyl phthalate were further validated for their insecticidal activity through bioassay studies. Molecular docking analysis demonstrated the strong binding affinity of these metabolites with key S. litura target proteins, including putative chemosensory protein CSP8 and α-amylase, revealing their potential mode of action. The results establish that the secondary metabolites, particularly from the SlMr-DOR isolate, are highly effective against S. litura. This study emphasizes the potential of such metabolites as sustainable and effective alternatives for pest management strategies, contributing to integrated pest control approaches and reducing reliance on synthetic chemical pesticides.
© King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology 2025. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
Crop Protection Section, ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad, 500030 India.
Biocontrol efficacy of native Metarhizium rileyi (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) isolates against Spodoptera litura (F) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and in silico effect of the secondary metabolites against the virulent proteins of the insect.
Oleanolic acid (OA) is a triterpenoid that occurs naturally and may be isolated from various plants. Analogs of oleanolic acid can be produced artificially or naturally. The current treatments have limited selectivity and may also impact normal cells. OA and its derivatives provide a promising cancer treatment platform with greater selectivity and less toxic effects. As a result of their enhanced sensitivity, selectivity, and low toxicity, they are great options for focusing on particular biological pathways and reducing the growth of tumor cells. The effects of OA and derivatives of OA on various cancer types have been investigated. However, breast and hepatocellular malignancies are the most studied cancers. In breast cancer, derivatives such as saikosaponin A (SSa), saikosaponin B (SSb), and SZC014 influence key pathways such as the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT), protein kinase-B (Akt), and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathways, inhibiting metastasis, angiogenesis, and cell migration, respectively. When a para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA)/nitric oxide (NO) derivative of OA is administered to HepG2 cells, the reactive oxygen species (ROS)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-mediated mitochondrial pathway causes apoptosis. Nanoformulations incorporating OA, such as OA-paclitaxel (PTX), show potential for suppressing tumor progression by inhibiting drug efflux mechanisms. Thus, exploring the interactions of OA and a few of its derivatives with various cellular pathways offers a promising approach to combating different types of cancer. This review delves into the potential of oleanolic acid and its derivatives in retarding cancer progression through their interactions with diverse cellular pathways.
Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka 576104 India.
Department of Biophysics, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka 576104 India.
Exploring the therapeutic potential of oleanolic acid and its derivatives in cancer treatment: a comprehensive review.
Leishmaniasis, a challenging disease to treat due to the intracellular location of the parasite and host immune modulation, requires innovative treatment solutions. This study evaluates a chloroquine-based hydrogel for topical use, targeting a localized and less invasive approach to leishmaniasis treatment. Thus, this study aimed at evaluating the skin permeation potential of the antimalarial chloroquine and also to evaluate the less invasive, topical treatment in murine models infected by Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. For this end, a formulation was created, containing chloroquine (CQ), which had its release profile assessed through the ex vivo skin permeation assay using Sus scrofa domesticus skin. Afterward, the susceptibility profile of L. (L.) amazonensis in vivo in BALB/c mice was assessed over a 15-day treatment period. This study highlights the potential of chloroquine hydrogel as a topical treatment for tegumentary leishmaniasis, with significant reductions in parasite load and minimal side effects observed. The formulation demonstrated a 15% permeation rate during 12 h, with 20.26% on the 42nd day. A significant reduction in parasite load was observed in the treatment group. Thus, the results presented here point to the need for further pre-clinical trials with a higher concentration of the drug, other formulations and against other Brazilian species of Leishmania. Future studies should explore higher drug concentrations, alternative formulations, and other Leishmania species to expand the therapeutic potential of this approach.
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia da Amazônia Legal-BIONORTE, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.Plataforma de Bioensaios de Malária e Leishmaniose (PBML), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Unidade Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.São Lucas Educacional-Afya, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.Universidade Federal de Rondônia-UNIR, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.
Plataforma de Bioensaios de Malária e Leishmaniose (PBML), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Unidade Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.São Lucas Educacional-Afya, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.Instituto Nacional de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental-EpiAmO, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Rondônia-IFRO, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.
Plataforma de Bioensaios de Malária e Leishmaniose (PBML), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Unidade Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.Instituto Nacional de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental-EpiAmO, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.
Plataforma de Bioensaios de Malária e Leishmaniose (PBML), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Unidade Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.São Lucas Educacional-Afya, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.Instituto Nacional de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental-EpiAmO, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.Universidade Federal de Rondônia-UNIR, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia da Amazônia Legal-BIONORTE, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.Plataforma de Bioensaios de Malária e Leishmaniose (PBML), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Unidade Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.Instituto Nacional de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental-EpiAmO, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.
Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Rondônia-IFRO, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.
Centro Universitário Aparício Carvalho-FIMCA, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.
Universidade Do Sul de Santa Catarina-UNISUL, Tubarão, Santa Catarina Brazil.
Industria Farmacêutica Airela, Pedras Grandes, Santa Catarina Brazil.
Plataforma de Bioensaios de Malária e Leishmaniose (PBML), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Unidade Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.Universidade Federal de Rondônia-UNIR, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia da Amazônia Legal-BIONORTE, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.Plataforma de Bioensaios de Malária e Leishmaniose (PBML), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Unidade Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.São Lucas Educacional-Afya, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.Instituto Nacional de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental-EpiAmO, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.Universidade Federal de Rondônia-UNIR, Porto Velho, Rondônia Brazil.
Evaluation of a chloroquine hydrogel for topical treatment of leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania (L.) amazonensis.
Ninety-eight actinomycetes isolates were screened for poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-degrading abilities using a minimal medium supplemented with emulsified PLA as the substrate. The isolate 8ER183 showed PLA degradation ability after incubation at ambient temperature (30 ± 2 °C) for 96 h. The 16S rRNA gene and whole-genome sequencing identified strain 8ER183 as Streptomyces rochei, and the genome size was 8.4 Mbp with an average G + C content of 72.39%. Genome mining revealed 5,689 proteins with functional assignments. The predicted degradation gene involving PLA-degrading enzymes such as protease and lipase was correlated with the phenotypic investigation. The enzymes involved in PLA degradation produced by 8ER183 strain were evaluated as protease and lipase. For enzyme production, cassava chips and peptone at 1.0 and 5.0 g/L yielded the highest PLA-degrading enzyme production (0.49 ± 0.02 U/mL) at 45 °C with pH 8.0. Scaling up enzyme production in a 3.0 L airlift bioreactor enhanced enzyme yield to 2.57 ± 0.12 U/mL, representing 5.25- and 32.12-fold increases compared to the optimized medium in shaking flasks and the unoptimized medium, respectively. The crude enzyme was most active at pH 9.0 and 50 °C. Electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy revealed significant differences in the physical and chemical structures of PLA film after degradation by crude enzyme. This research identified and characterized a novel PLA-degrading actinomycetes strain as a solution to reduce bioplastic accumulation in the environment and contribute to a more sustainable future.The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-025-04219-3.
Division of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi, Pathum Thani, 12110 Thailand.
Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture at Kamphaeng Saen, Kasetsart University Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom, 73140 Thailand.
Department of Science and Bioinnovation, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Science, Kasetsart University Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom, 73140 Thailand.
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Srinakharinwirot University, Watthana, Bangkok, 10110 Thailand.
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, 10900 Thailand.
Potential of Streptomyces rochei 8ER183 for poly(lactic acid)-degrading enzyme production, biodegradative capability, and its whole-genome sequence characterization.
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/58878.].
©Daan Toben, Astrid de Wind, Eva van der Meij, Judith A F Huirne, Johannes R Anema. Originally published in JMIR Perioperative Medicine (http://periop.jmir.org), 12.02.2025.
Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Societal Participation & Health, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Societal Participation & Health, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Societal Participation & Health, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Correction: A Patient-Oriented Implementation Strategy for a Perioperative mHealth Intervention: Feasibility Cohort Study.
Surgical Research Laboratory, and Section of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Department of Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
The latest advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is generative pretrained transformer large language models (LLMs). They have been trained on massive amounts of text, enabling humanlike and semantical responses to text-based inputs and requests. Foreshadowing numerous possible applications in various fields, the potential of such tools for medical data integration and clinical decision-making is not yet clear.In this study, we investigate the potential of LLMs in report-based medical decision-making on the example of acute ischemic stroke (AIS), where clinical and image-based information may indicate an immediate need for mechanical thrombectomy (MT). The purpose was to elucidate the feasibility of integrating radiology report data and other clinical information in the context of therapy decision-making using LLMs.A hundred patients with AIS were retrospectively included, for which 50% (50/100) was indicated for MT, whereas the other 50% (50/100) was not. The LLM was provided with the computed tomography report, information on neurological symptoms and onset, and patients' age. The performance of the AI decision-making model was compared with an expert consensus regarding the binary determination of MT indication, for which sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated.The AI model had an overall accuracy of 88%, with a specificity of 96% and a sensitivity of 80%. The area under the curve for the report-based MT decision was 0.92.The LLM achieved promising accuracy in determining the eligibility of patients with AIS for MT based on radiology reports and clinical information. Our results underscore the potential of LLMs for radiological and medical data integration. This investigation should serve as a stimulus for further clinical applications of LLMs, in which this AI should be used as an augmented supporting system for human decision-making.
©Jonathan Kottlors, Robert Hahnfeldt, Lukas Görtz, Andra-Iza Iuga, Philipp Fervers, Johannes Bremm, David Zopfs, Kai R Laukamp, Oezguer A Onur, Simon Lennartz, Michael Schönfeld, David Maintz, Christoph Kabbasch, Thorsten Persigehl, Marc Schlamann. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 13.02.2025.
Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Large Language Models-Supported Thrombectomy Decision-Making in Acute Ischemic Stroke Based on Radiology Reports: Feasibility Qualitative Study.
Empathy is associated with better clinical outcomes and patient-care experiences, and it has been demonstrated that training can improve nursing students' empathy. The use of virtual reality (VR) as an experiential learning strategy may increase the empathetic behavior of caregivers. Although much research exists on the use of VR in education, there is still little research on learning empathy in nursing education through immersive VR games that include a head-mounted display and hand controllers. In addition, it is important to study both learning and user experiences in nursing education that utilizes VR technology.This study aims to explore nursing students' experiences of empathy and user experiences in an immersive VR simulation game.A cross-sectional design was used. A total of 52 graduating nursing students from 3 universities of applied sciences in Finland participated in the study. The immersive VR simulation game employed in the study was played with a head-mounted display and hand controllers. The instruments used were the Basic Empathy Scale in Adults (BES-A) before the VR simulation gaming session and the Comprehensive State Empathy Scale (CSES) and AttrakDiff 2.0 Scale after the session.The students' overall level of empathy experienced in the immersive VR simulation game was favorable (CSES; mean 2.9, SD 0.57). Participants who had a higher level of empathy (BES-A) before playing the immersive VR simulation game also experienced slightly more feelings of empathy after playing (CSES). However, the association between the measures was not statistically significant (r=0.187, P=.18). The overall empathy (CSES) experienced in the immersive VR simulation game was positively correlated with its subscales. The use of the VR simulation provided a positive user experience in all 4 factors of the AttrakDiff 2.0 Scale. Overall User Experience and Emotion Sharing correlated negatively (r=-0.248, P=.042), as did Attractiveness and Emotion Sharing (r=-0.327, P=.018). Hedonic Quality Stimulation correlated negatively with Cognitive Empathy (r=-0.279, P=.045).The results of this study indicate that the use of an immersive VR simulation game in nursing education as a means of increasing empathy seems promising and justified. The immersive VR simulation game offered positive user experiences, which further supported the idea of implementing it in education. However, more research is needed on what kinds of VR environments are the most effective in promoting empathy among nursing students. Furthermore, when using VR technology in learning, one should consider that the VR setting must not be too technical but rather simple, straightforward, and predictable.
©Jaana-Maija Koivisto, Sanna Kämäräinen, Katri Mattsson, Satu Jumisko-Pyykkö, Riikka Ikonen, Elina Haavisto. Originally published in JMIR Serious Games (https://games.jmir.org), 13.02.2025.
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.Department of Health Sciences/Nursing Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
Department of Health Sciences/Nursing Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
Department of Health and Well-Being, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Turku, Finland.
Department of HAMK Tech, Häme University of Applied Sciences, Hämeenlinna, Finland.
Department of Health Sciences/Nursing Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
Exploring Nursing Students' Experiences of Empathy and User Experiences in an Immersive Virtual Reality Simulation Game: Cross-Sectional Study.
The proliferation of health apps in the digital health landscape has created significant opportunities for health promotion, particularly during pregnancy. However, despite the widespread distribution and popularity of pregnancy mobile apps, there are limited data on their quality and content.This study aimed to evaluate the quality, content accuracy, and suitability of the most popular and freely available Persian mobile health (mHealth) apps for prenatal care in expectant mothers.Through a systematic search, a total of 199 apps were screened from available app stores using the search term pregnancy app until July 2023. Inclusion criteria were apps in the Farsi language, freely available, downloaded more than 10,000 times, and designed for pregnant women. Ultimately, 9 apps met these criteria. These apps were downloaded onto mobile phones and assessed by 2 independent reviewers using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS), the Coverage and Depth of Information Checklist, and the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM). Statistical analyses explored relationships between app quality metrics and user ratings.The 9 apps evaluated had an average MARS score of 3.55 (SD 0.61) out of 5. Aesthetics (mean 4.02, SD 0.45) and Functionality (mean 4.11, SD 0.36) scored the highest, followed by Engagement (mean 3.29, SD 0.53) and Information (mean 3.09, SD 0.48). User star ratings did not strongly correlate with MARS scores (r=0.38, P>.05). Regarding health information coverage, 6 out of 9 (66.7%) apps were rated as poor, and 3 (33.3%) as adequate. For SAM, 4 (44.4%) apps were rated as superior and 5 (55.6%) as adequate. No app received a poor score.The study underscores the need for improved standards in pregnancy app development to enhance educational efficacy and user satisfaction. Health care providers should recommend high-quality pregnancy apps with appropriate content to ensure effective health promotion. These findings contribute to understanding the current landscape of pregnancy apps and highlight areas for future research and regulatory attention.PROSPERO CRD42023461605; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=461605.
©Fateme Asadollahi, Samira Ebrahimzadeh Zagami, Saeid Eslami, Robab Latifnejad Roudsari. Originally published in the Asian/Pacific Island Nursing Journal (https://apinj.jmir.org), 13.02.2025.
Department of Midwifery, Student Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Department of Medical Informatics, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Evaluating the Quality, Content Accuracy, and User Suitability of mHealth Prenatal Care Apps for Expectant Mothers: Critical Assessment Study.
Annually, millions of children undergo a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination. Hospitals increasingly aim to scan young children awake, as doing so benefits both patients and health care systems. To help hospitals reduce the need for anesthesia, we have developed solutions to prepare pediatric patients at home and in the hospital.The goal of our project was to design, develop, and test a solution that extends our preparation solutions by guiding and engaging children during their MRI examination.Pediatric In-bore was designed to deliver a familiar experience by reusing design elements from our preparation solutions. It offers child-friendly movies and auditory and visual guidance about examination progress and breath holding. To evaluate children's liking and understanding of the solution, we conducted a usability study. Ten healthy children participated in a mock MRI examination featuring pediatric In-bore. We observed task compliance (ability to lie still and hold one's breath) and conducted guided interviews to assess their experience and understanding of the guidance offered.Participants (aged 5 to 10 years) were generally positive about pediatric In-bore. They liked the main character (Ollie the elephant) and her movie. Auditory and visual guidance were generally liked and understood. All but one participant successfully managed to lie still during the mock examination, and 6 (60%) out of 10 participants successfully held their breath.Pediatric In-bore appears promising for engaging and guiding young children during awake MRI. It completes the Pediatric Coaching solution that now offers guidance throughout the MRI journey. Future research can expand on this work by evaluating the clinical impact of the Pediatric Coaching solution in a larger and more diverse sample of pediatric patients.
©Annerieke Heuvelink, Privender Saini, Özgür Taşar, Sanne Nauts. Originally published in JMIR Serious Games (https://games.jmir.org), 13.02.2025.
Imaging Innovation, Philips Medical Systems, Eindhoven, Netherlands.
Data Science and AI, Royal Philips, Eindhoven, Netherlands.
Ambient Experience, Philips Medical Systems, Best, Netherlands.
Improving Pediatric Patients' Magnetic Resonance Imaging Experience With an In-Bore Solution: Design and Usability Study.
Proteomics and metabolomics, integral combination of OMICs platform are gaining prominence in cancer research to enhance scientific knowledge of bio-molecular interactions occurs in the cellular processes during cancer progression. This approach designed to identify potential tools for addressing the complexities of this multifaceted disease. This analysis focussed on the intricate interplay between proteins and metabolites within cancer cells and their surrounding microenvironment. By reviewing current proteomics and metabolomics studies, we aim to gain invaluable insights into tumour biology, progression, and its implication in therapeutic responses. This study highlights the importance of proteomics and metabolomics in discovering therapeutic targets and diagnostic biomarkers for targeted cancer treatment. Proteomics facilitates the analysis of protein expression, modifications and interactions, exemplified by the identification of HER2 mutations leads to development of breast cancer hence targeted therapies like trastuzumab could be initiated. Metabolomics reveals metabolic alternations such as elevated 2-hydroxyglutarate levels in gliomas linked to cancer progression and treatment resistance. The integration of these approaches clarifies complex signalling network driving oncogenesis and paves the way for innovative cancer therapies, including immune cheque point inhibitors. Proteomics and metabolomics have revolutionised cancer biology by revealing intricate signalling networks, metabolic dysregulations, and unique molecular alterations. This information is crucial for early cancer identification and prognosis, and for designing personalized therapeutic strategies. Innovative technologies like artificial intelligence and high-throughput mass spectrometry further enhance the potential of these studies. Fostering multidisciplinary collaboration and data-sharing is essential for maximising the impact of these approaches to cure as well as better management of the cancer.
Department of Bio-sciences & Technology, MMEC, Maharishi Markandeshwar, Deemed to Be University, Mullana, Ambala, Haryana 133207 India.
NL-11 Centera Tetrahertz Laboratory, Institute of High-Pressure Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 29/37 Sokolowska Street, 01142 Warsaw, Poland.
Department of Biotechnology, Graphic Era, Deemed to Be University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand India 248002.
Department of Industrial Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana India.
Department of Botany, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, Tughlakabad, New Delhi 110062 India.
Institute of Clinical Chemistry/UMG Laboratories, University Medical Center Goettingen, Robert Koch-Str.40, 37075 Goettingen, Germany.
Department of Microbiology, MMIMSR, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to Be University), Mullana, Ambala, Haryana 133207 India.
Relevance of proteomics and metabolomics approaches to overview the tumorigenesis and better management of cancer.
Department of Dermatology, Course of Integrated Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan; Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Department of Dermatology, Course of Integrated Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Department of Dermatology, Course of Integrated Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan; Department of Neurocutaneous Medicine, Division of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
Department of Dermatology, Course of Integrated Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan; Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan; Department of Medicine for Cutaneous Immunological Diseases, Course of Integrated Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan. Electronic address: rwatanabe@derma.med.osaka-u.ac.jp.
Possible Role of IL-23 Inhibition in Reduction of Circulating IL-17A+ CD103+ Memory CD8 T Cells in Psoriasis.
Diabetic foot ulcers are common and costly. Most cases are preventable, although few interventions exist to reliably support patients in performing self-care. Emerging technologies are showing promise in this domain, although patient and health care provider perspectives are rarely incorporated into digital intervention designs.This study explored patient and health care provider feedback on a smart sensing sock to detect shear strain and alert the wearer to change their behavior (ie, pause activity and check their feet) and considered how patient experience and attitudes toward self-care are likely to impact uptake and long-term effective engagement with the device to curate guiding principles for successful future intervention development.This qualitative study combined semistructured interviews and a focus group alongside a participant advisory group that was consulted throughout the study. In total, 20 people with diabetic neuropathy (n=16, 80% with history of diabetic foot ulcers) and 2 carers were recruited directly from podiatry clinics as well as via a recruitment network and national health mobile app for one-to-one interviews either in person or via landline or video call. A total of 6 podiatrists were recruited via professional networks for 1 virtual focus group. Participants were asked about their experience of diabetic foot health and for feedback on the proposed device, including how it might work for them in daily life or clinical practice. The data were analyzed thematically.Three main themes were generated, each raising a barrier to the use of the sock complemented by potential solutions: (1) patient buy-in-challenged by lack of awareness of risk and potentially addressed through using the device to collect and record evidence to enhance clinical messaging; (2) effective engagement-challenged by difficulties accepting and actioning information and requiring simple, specific, and supportive instructions in line with podiatrist advice; and (3) sustained use-challenged by difficulties coping, with the possibility to gain control through an early warning system.While both patients and podiatrists were interested in the concept, it would need to be packaged as part of a wider health intervention to overcome barriers to uptake and longer-term effective engagement. This study recommends specific considerations for the framing of feedback messages and instructions as well as provision of support for health care providers to integrate the use of such smart devices into practice. The guiding principles generated by this study can orient future research and development of smart sensing devices for diabetic foot care to help optimize patient engagement and improve health outcomes.
©Jenny Corser, Irantzu Yoldi, Neil D Reeves, Pete Culmer, Prabhuraj D Venkatraman, Giorgio Orlando, Rory Peter Turnbull, Paul Boakes, Eric Woodin, Roger Lightup, Graham Ponton, Katherine Bradbury. Originally published in Journal of Participatory Medicine (https://jopm.jmir.org), 14.02.2025.
Centre for Clinical and Community Applications of Health Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.
School of Health, Sport & Bioscience, University of East London, London, United Kingdom.
Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom.
School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.
Manchester Fashion Institute, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Institute of Sport, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom.
SOCKSESS patient advisory group, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.
Centre for Clinical and Community Applications of Health Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.NIHR ARC Wessex, National Institute for Health Research, London, United Kingdom.
Developing a Smart Sensing Sock to Prevent Diabetic Foot Ulcers: Qualitative Focus Group and Interview Study.
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China.
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China. Electronic address: xiaozhenghua@wchscu.cn.
Giant Coronary Artery Aneurysm Originated From the Vieussens Arterial Ring Associated With Coronary-Pulmonary Artery Fistula.
Serious game-based training modules are pivotal for simulation-based health care training. With advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing, voice command interfaces offer an intuitive alternative to traditional virtual reality (VR) controllers in VR applications.This study aims to compare AI-supported voice command interfaces and traditional VR controllers in terms of user performance, exam scores, presence, and confidence in advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) training.A total of 62 volunteer students from Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University Vocational School for Anesthesiology, aged 20-22 years, participated in the study. All the participants completed a pretest consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions about ACLS. Following the pretest, participants were randomly divided into 2 groups: the voice command group (n=31) and the VR controller group (n=31). The voice command group members completed the VR-based ACLS serious game in training mode twice, using an AI-supported voice command as the game interface. The VR controller group members also completed the VR-based ACLS serious game in training mode twice, but they used VR controllers as the game interface. The participants completed a survey to assess their level of presence and confidence during gameplay. Following the survey, participants completed the exam module of the VR-based serious gaming module. At the final stage of the study, participants completed a posttest, which had the same content as the pretest. VR-based exam scores of the voice command and VR controller groups were compared using a 2-tailed, independent-samples t test, and linear regression analysis was conducted to examine the effect of presence and confidence rating.Both groups showed an improvement in performance from pretest to posttest, with no significant difference in the magnitude of improvement between the 2 groups (P=.83). When comparing presence ratings, there was no significant difference between the voice command group (mean 5.18, SD 0.83) and VR controller group (mean 5.42, SD 0.75; P=.25). However, when comparing VR-based exam scores, the VR controller group (mean 80.47, SD 13.12) significantly outperformed the voice command group (mean 66.70, SD 21.65; P=.005), despite both groups having similar time allocations for the exam (voice command group: mean 18.59, SD 5.28 minutes and VR controller group: mean 17.3, SD 4.83 minutes). Confidence levels were similar between the groups (voice command group: mean 3.79, SD 0.77 and VR controller group: mean 3.60, SD 0.72), but the voice command group displayed a significant overconfidence bias (voice command group: mean 0.09, SD 0.24 and VR controller group: mean -0.09, SD 0.18; P=.002).VR-based ACLS training demonstrated effectiveness; however, the use of voice commands did not result in improved performance. Further research should explore ways to optimize AI's role in education through VR.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06458452; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT06458452.
©Dilek Kitapcioglu, Mehmet Emin Aksoy, Arun Ekin Ozkan, Tuba Usseli, Dilan Cabuk Colak, Tugrul Torun. Originally published in JMIR Serious Games (https://games.jmir.org), 14.02.2025.
Center of Advanced Simulation and Education, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey.Department of Medical Education, Medical Faculty, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Center of Advanced Simulation and Education, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Department of Anesthesia, Vocational School of Health Services, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Enhancing Immersion in Virtual Reality-Based Advanced Life Support Training: Randomized Controlled Trial.
Center for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India; Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar. Electronic address: ali.eid@qu.edu.qa.
Toward a paradigm shift: Oral agents and injectable drugs in the future of obesity management.
Unit of Blood Diseases and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Department of Clinical and Experimental Science, University of Brescia, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Department of Histopathology, University of Brescia, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Division of Neurosurgery, University of Brescia, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Highly Specialized Laboratory, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Highly Specialized Laboratory, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy.Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Isolated Cerebral Myeloid Sarcoma in an Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant Recipient.
Department of Physiology, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, P.O. Box 616 6200 MD, Universiteitssingel 50, Maastricht 6229 ER, The Netherlands.
Department of Cardiology, Policlinico Casilino, Rome 00169, Italy.
Department of Cardiology, Catharina Ziekenhuis, Eindhoven 5623 EJ, The Netherlands.
Department of Cardiology, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht 6229 HX, The Netherlands.
Department of Medical Physics, Catharina Ziekenhuis, Eindhoven 5623 EJ, The Netherlands.
Department of Physiology, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, P.O. Box 616 6200 MD, Universiteitssingel 50, Maastricht 6229 ER, The Netherlands.Maastricht Centre for Systems Biology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Maastricht 6229 EN, The Netherlands.
Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology
Time-dependent repolarization changes following left bundle branch area pacing vs. conventional biventricular pacing in patients with dyssynchronous heart failure.
Predictive models in medicine help make decisions about which individual to treat with a given therapeutic or preventive intervention. Before being tested in large field studies and recommended for clinical adoption, it is important to evaluate not only their statistical accuracy but also the impact they may have when used to inform health intervention policies. We aim to provide simple methods for the potential impact assessment of health intervention policies based on predictive models.We propose an analytic framework based on Qini curves wherein prediction-based policies are analyzed on 2 impact endpoints: (1) the fraction of the population that would be selected for the intervention (coverage) and (2) the effect on the clinical outcomes of interest (disutility). The drivers of values are the disease prevalence, the predictive performance of the model, and the effectiveness of the intervention.We present simple formulas for calculating coverage and disutility from either observational or randomized controlled data. We illustrate possible value measures arising from geometrical properties on the Qini plane: delta coverage and disutility, number needed to treat, and integrated difference between Qini curves. We show the applicability of the Qini analysis by providing examples about the prevention of falls in older adults and prevention of secondary cardiovascular events with pioglitazone.Coverage and disutility capture key value components of prediction-based policies. The method can be used for comparing models or tuning risk thresholds for managing trade-offs between conflicting objectives (eg, clinical benefits, side effects, and healthcare resources).
Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Information Engineering Guglielmo Marconi -DEI, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: pierpaolo.palumbo@unibo.it.
Value in health : the journal of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research
Qini Curves for Potential Impact Assessment of Risk Predictive Models Informing Intervention Policies.
To compare adverse perinatal outcomes between naturally conceived and pregnancies conceived by assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) according to underlying male, female, or unexplained infertility.Registry-based study.All singleton births in Norway between 2000 and 2021 recorded in the national birth registry.We compared ART pregnancies with underlying male (N = 9,957), female (N = 10,031), mixed (N = 3,287), or unexplained (N = 7,178) infertility with naturally conceived pregnancies (N = 1,210,709). Information on underlying causes of infertility was reported from fertility clinics.We compared the birthweight and pregnancy length using robust linear regression, and the risk of pre-eclampsia, cesarean section, stillbirth, preterm birth, low birth weight, small-for-gestational age and transfer to neonatal unit using logistic regression, adjusting for parental age, maternal parity, cohabitation, country of birth, and year of delivery.Pregnancy length and birthweight were lower in all ART groups compared with the naturally conceived. The shorter pregnancy length was less pronounced in ART deliveries resulting from male infertility (adjusted difference -1.24 days; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.43 to -1.05) than in ART deliveries resulting from female infertility (adjusted difference -1.92 days; 95% CI: -2.12 to -1.73). Similarly, the lower birthweight in ART deliveries was less pronounced in those resulting from male (adjusted difference -29 grams; 95% CI: -39 to -18) than those resulting from female (adjusted difference -49 grams; 95% CI: -59 to -39) infertility. We also observed a higher risk of most adverse perinatal outcomes in all ART groups, with the magnitude being lower for ART deliveries resulting from male infertility.The increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes in pregnancies conceived by ART was less pronounced if used for male infertility than for female infertility. This suggests that the risks in ART pregnancies are a combination of underlying factors related to female infertility and ART procedures. However, whether underlying male infertility also increases the risks cannot be excluded.
Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: Maria.Christine.Magnus@fhi.no.
Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Department of Computer Science, Electrical Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway.
Department of Public Health, Research Unit for Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany; Helsinki Institute for Demography and Population Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Max Planck-University of Helsinki Center for Social Inequalities in Population Health, Rostock, Germany.
Spiren Fertility Clinic, Trondheim, Norway.
Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Use of assisted reproductive technologies for male and female infertility and perinatal outcomes.
Ankle sprains can lead to chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI) in 10-50% of cases. While the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) is traditionally considered the primary structure affected, recent studies indicate a high incidence of combined injuries to the ATFL and the calcaneofibular ligament (CFL). Given the importance of the CFL, this study aims to evaluate the biomechanical efficacy of double tendon graft reconstruction of the ATFL and CFL in cases of CLAI.This biomechanical study on cadaveric ankles compares two techniques: anatomical reconstruction using a double graft for both the ATFL and CFL versus isolated anatomical reconstruction of the ATFL with a single graft. Stability was assessed using specific examination maneuvers (anterior drawer, forced varus, and pivot shift) with an arthrometer measuring angular displacement across three spatial planes (horizontal, coronal, and sagittal). Four models were analyzed: intact ankle, sectioning of the ATFL and CFL, double graft reconstruction of the ATFL and CFL, and single graft reconstruction of the ATFL.The results showed no significant differences between the double graft reconstruction and the intact ankle. Comparing the double graft with the single graft reconstruction revealed statistically significant differences, favoring the double graft for greater angular stability in the coronal plane during forced varus and external rotation maneuvers.Double graft reconstruction of the ATFL and CFL provides greater angular stability compared to isolated ATFL reconstruction, demonstrating significant benefits in lateral and rotational stabilization of the ankle in CLAI cases.
Copyright © 2025 SECOT. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.
Unidad de Pie y Tobillo, Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, España; Departamento de Anatomía, Histología y Neurociencia, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, España. Electronic address: ana.abarquero@gmail.com.
Unidad de Pie y Tobillo, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, España.
Hospital Universitario de Móstoles, Móstoles, España.
Unidad de Pie y Tobillo, Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, España.
Unidad de Pie y Tobillo, Hospital Universitario Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles, España.
Unidad de Pie y Tobillo, Hospital Universitario General de Villalba, España.
Departamento de Anatomía y Embriología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, España.
Departamento de Ortopedia, Hospital de Sant'Ana, Parede, Portugal; Departamento de Ortopedia, Hospital da Cruz Vermelha, Lisboa, Portugal; NOVA Medical School - Facultad de Ciencias Medicas, Nueva Uniersidad de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
Unidad de Pie y Tobillo, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, España; Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología, Complejo Hospitalario Ruber Juan Bravo, Madrid, España; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, España.
Revista espanola de cirugia ortopedica y traumatologia
Rev Esp Cir Ortop Traumatol. 2025-02-14;():.
Biomechanical study on cadaveric reconstruction with graft of the anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligaments.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.
Vinzent Strategies, Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, USA.
AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA.
BTK Inhibitors Versus Venetoclax as First- or Second-Line Therapy in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma: A Real-World Evidence Study.
Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) consist of progressive illnesses of central nervous system that primarily affect the elderly and are characterized by movement symptoms, memory decline, and cognitive impairment. A number of variables, including the lack of a novel treatment, a steady rise in the patient population, and the high expense of care and treatment, have contributed to the growing significance of these diseases. In recent decades, we have gained a better understanding of the causes of diseases, but complex mechanisms of neuronal loss, combined with physiological factors that are incompatible, pose challenges in describing the pathogenic processes and devising effective treatments. Currently, there are no known treatments for most of these diseases, rendering them incurable. Therefore, there is a pressing need for therapeutic interventions that have the potential to effectively treat neurodegeneration. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the ayurvedic herb Bacopa monnieri bioactive components against the therapeutic targets HTR1A, HTR1B, HTR2A, HTR2C, HTR7, alpha-synuclein, amyloid beta, and tau protein of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's illnesses. The docking analysis revealed the promising binding affinity with Quercetin, Apigenin, and Luteolin and Molecular mechanics/generalized Born surface area (MM/GBSA) further confirmed the stability of the complexes. In vitro investigation indicated that Quercetin is the most effective for treating AD and PD due to its considerable inhibition of alpha-synuclein production, whereas Luteolin is the favorable one for preventing both diseases by mitigating effects during Rotenone treatment. The future implications and constraints of the current study suggest that further validation in Invivo models of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases is necessary to investigate the effects of Quercetin and Apigenin in the treatment of these conditions, as well as Luteolin and Quercetin for their prevention.The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-025-04224-6.
Department of Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Devghat, Jhalwa, Prayagraj, U.P. 211015 India.
Exploring therapeutic potential of Bacopa monnieri bioactive compounds against Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
This study explored the effects of bacterial and fungal biocontrol agents (consortia) on the microbiome of Fusarium wilt (Foc TR4)-infected Cavandish banana soils in terms of alteration of prevalence and abundance. The results showed a significant shift in microbial diversity, dominance, abundance, evenness, richness and composition core and indicator microbiome in response to soil applied consortia and untreated controls. A total of 2857 bacterial OTUs from 331 families across 40 phyla dominated with Bacillaceae (40.2%), Acidobacteriaceae (14.2%), Haloarculaceae (12.6%), and Paenibacillaceae (9.4%). There were 4,868 fungal OTUs from 520 families across 18 phyla dominant with Mortierellaceae (20.9%), Cortinariaceae (7.6%), Aspergillaceae (6.2%), Pandeidae (5.6%), and Pyronemataceae (5.0%). Alpha diversity analysis indicated that bacterial diversity varied across treatments where T2 has the highest OTUs, while fungal diversity remained relatively stable across the treatments. Beta diversity and PCoA analysis revealed the differences in community compositions across treatments in both bacterial and fungal microbiome. Bacterial communities in T3 and T5 were highly similar, whereas T4 had a notable difference in fungal communities. This study identified a total of 192 bacterial core OTUs dominated with Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Acidobacteriia. In the case of fungi, 59 core OTUs from Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mucoromycota are the most abundant ones within the treatments. Venn diagram revealed unique, common and shared OTUs suggesting antagonistic interactions of the soil applied consortia. DESeq2 analysis revealed a significant shift of core microbiome, where positive fold changes in Betaproteobacteria for bacterial, and Fusarium sp. for fungi were noticeable. Heatmap analysis revealed the treatment-dependent differences in community composition where T2 has higher bacterial abundance and T4 has higher fungal abundance suggesting that the biocontrol treatments affect the soil microbiome differently depending on the combinations and the origins of the consortia. The indicator species analysis identified 37 bacterial and 34 fungal OTUs that were specific and indicative of particular treatments that suggest microbial consortia might be selectively enhancing the growth of functionally beneficial microbial populations of the soil that promote soil health and disease suppressiveness. This study recommends that the use of biocontrol agents in the form of consortia would not only expand the diversity of the soil microbiome but also improve the effectiveness and the sustainability of Fusarium wilt management.The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-025-04223-7.
NRCB: National Research Centre for Banana, Thayanur, India Tamil Nadu.University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Kittur Rani Chennamma College of Horticulture, Arabhavi, Gokak, India.
NRCB: National Research Centre for Banana, Thayanur, India Tamil Nadu.
Deciphering the microbiome dynamics in an effective banana Fusarium wilt biocontrol interaction system.
Dental caries is considered as the most common and multifactorial disease worldwide, caused by a variety of oral microorganisms like Streptococcus spp., Veillonella spp., Actinomyces spp., Bifidobacterium spp., and Lactobacillus fermentum, which colonize food debris in oral cavities. Of them, Streptococcus mutans is the predominant bacterium and can induce progressive tooth destruction, especially during dentition. The superior characteristics of S. mutans, such as the presence of the cell surface protein P1 and exopolysaccharide-synthesizing enzymes, acid tolerance, biofilm-forming ability mediated by brpA gene, and multidrug resistance, render it a highly virulent pathogen in the etiology of dental caries. Given its significant role in dental caries, extensive research has been conducted over the past few decades, focusing on the development of specific antimicrobial treatments, and other innovative therapeutic approaches. To gain deeper insights into the genetic diversity and epidemiological patterns of S. mutans, various genotypic methods have been developed and successfully employed. By combining the insights gained from genetic studies of S. mutans with the suitable control measures against the biofilm, we can develop innovative and effective strategies for preventing and treating dental caries.
Department of Biotechnology, KIT-Kalaignarkarunanidhi Institute of Technology (Autonomous), Coimbatore, 641 402 India.
Department of Biotechnology, Sri Ramakrishna College of Arts and Science (Autonomous), Coimbatore, 641 006 India.
UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Belfield, Ireland.
Department of Industrial Biotechnology, Government College of Technology, Coimbatore, 641 013 India.
Streptococcus mutans biofilms in the establishment of dental caries: a review.
This retrospective study analyzed factors associated with tooth loss in patients with stages 3 and 4 periodontitis undergoing non-surgical periodontal therapy. Data from 84 patients treated at Griffith University Periodontal Clinic (2019-2022) were examined, focusing on patient factors such as smoking status, osteoporosis, and age, alongside tooth loss variables. The logistic regression analysis revealed that patients with stage 4 periodontitis had a significantly higher likelihood of tooth loss compared to those with stage 3 (odds ratio [OR] 2.12; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13-4.84). Smoking was also identified as a significant risk factor, with smokers showing an OR of 1.69 (95% CI 1.4-3.9) for tooth loss. While no statistically significant relationships were observed for other variables (p > 0.05), patients under 40 years and over 71 years with stage 4 periodontitis exhibited notable tooth loss outcomes (p = 0.003 and p = 0.034, respectively). These findings emphasize the importance of integrating smoking cessation programs into periodontal care and tailoring treatment strategies for high-risk groups. Further longitudinal studies with comprehensive data collection are recommended to enhance the understanding of tooth loss predictors in advanced periodontitis.The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-025-04217-5.
School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD Australia.
Factors associated with tooth loss in patients with stages 3 and 4 periodontitis: a short-term retrospective evaluation of patients.
β-Glucuronidase can hydrolyze β-glucuronic acid-containing glycosides, such as baicalin and glycyrrhizic acid. In this study, the β-glucuronidase gene from Lactobacillus rhamnosus was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The resulting recombinant protein, designated LrhGUS, exhibited a molecular weight of approximately 72 kDa. The hydrolysis pathway of glycyrrhizic acid by recombinant LrhGUS proceeded as follows: glycyrrhizic acid → glycyrrhetinic acid monoglucuronide (GMAG) → glycyrrhetinic acid (GA), achieving a conversion rate of 90.38% with 2 mg/ml glycyrrhizic acid. Additionally, LrhGUS hydrolyzed baicalin into baicalein with a conversion rate of 94.64% using 20 mg/ml baicalin. Magnetic chitosan microspheres were utilized as carriers for immobilizing recombinant LrhGUS. Response surface methodology was employed to optimize immobilization conditions, which were determined to be a glutaraldehyde concentration of 1%, an enzyme loading of 0.8 mg/g bead, and a crosslinking temperature of 25 °C. The optimal temperature and pH for the immobilized enzyme were identical to those of the free enzyme; however, the immobilized enzyme demonstrated superior stability compared to the free enzyme. Notably, under acidic conditions, the pH stability of immobilized LrhGUS was significantly higher than that of the free enzyme. After incubation at 80 °C for 12 h, the thermal stability of the immobilized enzyme improved by approximately 50% relative to the free enzyme. Moreover, the immobilized LrhGUS exhibited excellent reusability, maintaining approximately 30% enzyme activity after seven cycles. Using the immobilized enzyme, baicalein was successfully prepared on a 1 g scale, while GAMG and GA were prepared on a 100 mg scale. These findings provide a robust foundation for the potential industrial application of β-glucuronidase.The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-025-04220-w.
School of Biological Science and Technology, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022 People's Republic of China.
Weili Biotechnology (Shandong) Co., Ltd., Taian, 271400 People's Republic of China.
Biotransformation of baicalin and glycyrrhizic acid using immobilized Fe3O4@Chitosan@β-glucuronidase.
Santalum album L. (Indian Sandalwood), a valued tree species known for its fragrant heartwood and essential oil is facing increasing threat due to severe anthropogenic pressures compounded by climate change which has resulted in depletion of its adaptive gene pool. The present study investigates the transcriptome-level responses of nine sandalwood genotypes sourced from diverse climatic zones to identify adaptive genes in the species. Comparative transcriptomics predicted 727, 1141 and 479 differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) across wet vs. dry; monsoon vs. dry and wet vs. monsoon conditions, respectively, and majority of DETs were up-regulated in samples sourced from high rainfall areas. Transcripts including heat shock proteins, Zinc finger binding protein, ribosomal proteins, transcription factors and protein kinase were identified as probable regulators of climate adaptation in S. album. The expression changes of eight selected transcripts were further validated by real-time quantitative PCR. Protein-protein interaction analysis revealed key hub transcripts involved in climate response, while alternative splicing events in transcripts such as SURP and G-patch domain-containing protein 1-like protein, G-type lectin S-receptor-like serine/threonine protein kinase B120, Tetraspanin-3 and ARM repeat superfamily protein indicated the probable role of alternate splicing in increasing the transcript diversity during adaptation. This study presents the first insight into the molecular mechanisms of climate adaptation in the species and can form the basis for specific interventions such as selective breeding, genetic manipulation, and habitat management for conservation and long-term survival of sandalwood.The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-025-04218-4.
Division of Plant Biotechnology and Cytogenetics, ICFRE - Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, R.S. Puram, Coimbatore, 641002 Tamil Nadu India.
Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Thrissur, Kerala India.
Centre for Plant Molecular Biology, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Telangana India.
Comparative transcriptomics reveals potential regulators of climate adaptation in Santalum album L. (Indian Sandalwood).
We report on the crystallographic structure of penta-twinned gold nanoparticles. Although gold typically exhibits a face-centered cubic (fcc) lattice, other phases have been reported in some nanoscale systems. We show that the crystallographic system and the lattice parameters of the gold unit cell strongly depend on the nanoparticle geometry, for a wide size range. Specifically, we show that decahedra exhibit a body-centered tetragonal structure (I4/mmm), whereas rods and bipyramids exhibit a body-centered orthorhombic structure (Immm). These changes in the crystallographic structure are explained by the elastic lattice distortions required to close the mismatch gap in penta-twinned nanoparticles, with respect to fcc single-crystal gold nanoparticles. The effects of nanoparticle shape and size on the surface pressure and the subsequent distortions are additionally discussed.
Faculté des Sciences, Département de Chimie Physique, Université de Genève, 30 Quai Ernest-Ansermet, CH-1211 Genève, Switzerland.MALTA Consolider, DCITIMAC, Facultad de Ciencias, University of Cantabria, Av. Los Castros 48, Santander 39005, Spain.
Centro de Física de Materiales (CSIC-UPV/EHU), Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 5, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián 20118, Spain.
MALTA Consolider, DCITIMAC, Facultad de Ciencias, University of Cantabria, Av. Los Castros 48, Santander 39005, Spain.
Synchrotron SOLEIL, L'Orme des Merisiers St. Aubin, BP48, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Paseo de Miramón 194, Donostia-San Sebastián, 20014, Spain.Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao 43018, Spain.
Origin of the Rich Polymorphism of Gold in Penta-Twinned Nanoparticles.
The electrocatalytic nitrite reduction (NO2RR) converts nitrogen-containing pollutants to high-value ammonia (NH3) under ambient conditions. However, its multiple intermediates and multielectron coupled proton transfer process lead to low activity and NH3 selectivity for the existing electrocatalysts. Herein, we synthesize a solid-solution copper-zinc cyanamide (Cu0.8Zn0.2NCN) with localized structure distortion and tailored surface electrostatic potential, allowing for the asymmetric binding of NO2-. It exhibits outstanding NO2RR performance with a Faradaic efficiency of ∼100% and an NH3 yield of 22 mg h-1 cm-2, among the best for such a process. Theoretical calculations and in situ spectroscopic measurements demonstrate that Cu-Zn sites coordinated with linear polarized [NCN]2- could transform symmetric [Cu-O-N-O-Cu] in CuNCN-NO2- to a [Cu-N-O-Zn] asymmetric configuration in Cu0.8Zn0.2NCN-NO2-, thus enhancing adsorption and bond cleavage. A paired electro-refinery with the Cu0.8Zn0.2NCN cathode reaches 2000 mA cm-2 at 2.36 V and remains fully operational at industrial-level 400 mA cm-2 for >140 h with a NH3 production rate of ∼30 mgNH3 h-1 cm-2. Our work opens a new avenue of tailoring surface electrostatic potentials using a solid-solution strategy for advanced electrocatalysis.
The State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China.Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Department of Chemistry, CBH, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden.
School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
Department of Chemistry, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A5B7, Canada.
Department of Materials Design and Innovation, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14260, United States.
The State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China.
The State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China.Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Island Green Energy and New Materials, Institute of Electrochemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China.Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
The State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China.State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
A Copper-Zinc Cyanamide Solid-Solution Catalyst with Tailored Surface Electrostatic Potentials Promotes Asymmetric N-Intermediate Adsorption in Nitrite Electroreduction.
The interplay between crystallographic symmetry, structural distortions, and the tolerance factor derived from the isotropic ionic radii of the constituent cations and anions of inorganic perovskites and related materials is a ubiquitous concept in solid-state and materials chemistry. Here we demonstrate a model for the phase transition temperatures associated with these structural distortions in layered perovskites by considering the anisotropy associated with cations, which are susceptible to first-order Jahn-Teller distortions. These symmetry-lowering phase transitions are known to have a significant interplay with superconductivity in the high-TC layered cuprates, and untangling the chemistry that can effectively control them is of the utmost relevance in the search for similar phenomena in the nickelates, the study of which has been greatly stimulated by recent reports of high-pressure superconductivity.
Diamond Light Source, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, OX11 0DE, U.K.
Center for Condensed Matter Sciences and Center of Atomic Initiative for New Materials, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan.Taiwan Consortium of Emergent Crystalline Materials, Ministry of Science and Technology, Taipei 10622, Taiwan.
Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS20156, 38042 Grenoble Cédex 9, France.
National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu, 300092, Taiwan.Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan.
Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill, Coventry, CV4 7AL, U.K.
Interplay between Jahn-Teller Distortions and Structural Phase Transitions in Ruddlesden-Poppers.
College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Authors' Reply: Enhancing the Clinical Relevance of Al Research for Medication Decision-Making.
Children with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as cerebral palsy (CP), often experience motor impairments in manual dexterity, which hinder daily tasks and social interactions. Traditional rehabilitation methods require repetitive task practice, which can be difficult for children to sustain due to low engagement. Game-based rehabilitation devices and robots offer a promising alternative by combining therapy with digital play, improving motivation and compliance. However, many systems fail to incorporate actual object manipulation, which is essential for motor learning through sensory feedback. To address this limitation, a low-cost, easy-to-use robotic manipulandum device (RMD) was developed. The RMD enables real-time object manipulation during gameplay while providing assistive force, allowing the practice of a wide range of manual dexterity skills beyond gross reaching. This system offers an engaging and effective rehabilitation approach to enhance hand function in children with CP.This study aimed to provide evidence for the feasibility and therapeutic value of the RMD game-based exercise program for children with CP.In total, 34 children with CP, aged 4 to 10 years, were randomly assigned to the experimental group (XG) or the control group (CG). The XG received a computer game-based exercise program using the RMD, focusing on object manipulation tasks, while the CG received task-specific training similar to constraint-induced movement therapy. Both groups received their respective therapy programs 3 times per week for 8 weeks. Semistructured interviews with parents and children, along with qualitative analysis, were conducted to evaluate their experiences with the exercise program. The following outcome measures were used: (1) the Peabody Developmental Motor Scale-2 (PDMS-2) grasping and visual-motor integration subtests and (2) the computer game-based upper extremity (CUE) assessment of manual dexterity.No dropouts occurred during the 8-week program. Both groups showed significant improvements in the PDMS-2 subtests (P<.001) and the CUE assessment of manual dexterity, including success rates (tennis ball: P=.001; cone: P<.001; medicine ball: P=.001; and peanut ball: P<.001) and movement errors (tennis ball: P=.01; cone: P<.001; medicine ball: P=.04; and peanut ball: P<.001). The XG outperformed the CG, showing greater improvements in PDMS-2 grasping (P=.002) and visual-motor integration (P=.01). In the CUE assessment, the XG demonstrated higher success rates (medicine ball: P=.001 and peanut ball: P=.02) and fewer movement errors (cone: P<.001). Parents reported an increase in the children's independence in daily tasks.This study demonstrates the feasibility, acceptability, and positive outcomes of the RMD game-based exercise program for improving hand function in children with CP. The findings support further research and development of computer game-assisted rehabilitation technologies.Clinical Trials Registry - India CTRI/2021/07/034903; https://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/pmaindet2.php?EncHid=NTc4ODU.
©Mrudula Kanakapura Peramalaiah, Sanjay Tejraj Parmar, Nariman Sepehri, Saman Muthukumarana, Anuprita Kanitkar, Cherry Kit-Fong Hin, Tony Joseph Szturm. Originally published in JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology (https://rehab.jmir.org), 18.02.2025.
SDM College of Physiotherapy, Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara University, Dharwad, India.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Price Faculty of Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Department of Statistics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Department of Physical Therapy, College of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologies
JMIR Rehabil Assist Technol. 2025-02-18;12():e65358.
Evaluation of a Game-Based Mechatronic Device for Rehabilitation of Hand-Arm Function in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.
Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Luqiao District, Taizhou, China.
Department of Gastroenterology, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.
Enhancing the Clinical Relevance of Al Research for Medication Decision-Making.
Chat-based counseling services are popular for the low-threshold provision of mental health support to youth. In addition, they are particularly suitable for the utilization of natural language processing (NLP) for improved provision of care.Consequently, this paper evaluates the feasibility of such a use case, namely, the NLP-based automated evaluation of satisfaction with the chat interaction. This preregistered approach could be used for evaluation and quality control procedures, as it is particularly relevant for those services.The consultations of 2609 young chatters (around 140,000 messages) and corresponding feedback were used to train and evaluate classifiers to predict whether a chat was perceived as helpful or not. On the one hand, we trained a word vectorizer in combination with an extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) classifier, applying cross-validation and extensive hyperparameter tuning. On the other hand, we trained several transformer-based models, comparing model types, preprocessing, and over- and undersampling techniques. For both model types, we selected the best-performing approach on the training set for a final performance evaluation on the 522 users in the final test set.The fine-tuned XGBoost classifier achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic score of 0.69 (P<.001), as well as a Matthews correlation coefficient of 0.25 on the previously unseen test set. The selected Longformer-based model did not outperform this baseline, scoring 0.68 (P=.69). A Shapley additive explanations explainability approach suggested that help seekers rating a consultation as helpful commonly expressed their satisfaction already within the conversation. In contrast, the rejection of offered exercises predicted perceived unhelpfulness.Chat conversations include relevant information regarding the perceived quality of an interaction that can be used by NLP-based prediction approaches. However, to determine if the moderate predictive performance translates into meaningful service improvements requires randomized trials. Further, our results highlight the relevance of contrasting pretrained models with simpler baselines to avoid the implementation of unnecessarily complex models.Open Science Framework SR4Q9; https://osf.io/sr4q9.
©Silvan Hornstein, Ulrike Lueken, Richard Wundrack, Kevin Hilbert. Originally published in JMIR AI (https://ai.jmir.org), 18.02.2025.
Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Partner site Berlin/Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.
Department of Psychology, HMU Erfurt - Health and Medical University Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany.
Predicting Satisfaction With Chat-Counseling at a 24/7 Chat Hotline for the Youth: Natural Language Processing Study.
In this viewpoint, we argue that recent studies using clinical public databases have revolutionized our understanding of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), a chronic inflammatory skin condition with significant impacts on patients' quality of life. Our key messages are as follows: (1) these databases enable large-scale studies integrating genetic, epidemiological, and clinical data, providing crucial insights into HS's genetic predispositions, comorbidities, and treatment outcomes; (2) findings highlight a strong genetic component, with mutations in the γ-secretase complex playing a key role in HS pathogenesis and shaping targeted therapies; (3) studies also reveal elevated risks for comorbidities like obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and systemic inflammation in patients with HS, with diet-driven inflammatory pathways potentially exacerbating disease severity; (4) while these databases offer unprecedented research opportunities, limitations such as data representativeness and quality must be considered; (5) nonetheless, their benefits outweigh potential drawbacks, allowing the identification of rare comorbidities, disease progression patterns, and personalized treatment strategies; and (6) increased funding for HS research is crucial to harness these databases' full potential, develop targeted therapies, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. As HS's impact is disproportionate to current research investments, we believe advocating for more resources and addressing database limitations will be key to advancing HS understanding and care.
©Xu Liu, Linghong Guo, Xian Jiang. Originally published in the Interactive Journal of Medical Research (https://www.i-jmr.org/), 18.02.2025.
Department of Dermatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Use of Clinical Public Databases in Hidradenitis Suppurativa Research.
We present detailed findings on the imaging, structure, and vibrational properties of novel hybrids of the red-emitting octahedral cluster-based compound Cs2Mo6Br14 encapsulated within single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) of varying diameter. We explore the subtle relationship between the SWCNT internal diameter and Cs2Mo6Br14 cluster packing and find a hierarchical relationship between the nature of the cluster packing and a progressive tendency toward formation of one-dimensional (1D) structures as the SWCNT diameter narrows from 24 to 11 Å. As the internal SWCNT van der Waals radius approaches the outside diameter (OD) of the [{Mo6IIBr8i}Br6a]2- (more simplistically, [Mo6IIIBr14]2-) molecular anion species, SWCNT steric confinement causes a compositional elimination and polymerization resulting in the formation of reduced extended [Mo2IIIBr6]x nanoribbons which approximate 1D Ising model structures. Our experimental results, obtained through high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, are supplemented by density functional theory (DFT) calculations.
Univ. Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, Univ. Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, UMR 8520-IEMN, F-59000 Lille, France.
Sofia University, St. Kliment Ohridsky, Faculty of Physics, 5 James Bourchier Boulevard, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria.
Univ Rennes, CNRS, ISCR, Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes-UMR6226, F-35000 Rennes, France.
Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K.
Nantes Université, CNRS, Institut des Matériaux de Nantes Jean Rouxel, IMN, F-44000 Nantes, France.
Differential Packing of Cs2Mo6Br14 Cluster-Based Halide in Variable Diameter Carbon Nanotubes with Elimination and Polymerization to 1D [Mo2Br6]x Ising Model Structures by Steric Confinement.
In a comprehensive investigation of the dinuclear [Mn2O3]+ cluster, the smallest dimanganese entity with two μ-oxo bridges and a terminal oxo ligand, and a simplified structural model of the active center in the oxygen-evolving complex, we identify antiferromagnetically coupled high-spin manganese centers in very different oxidation states of +2 and +5, but rule out the presence of a manganese(IV)-oxyl species by experimental X-ray absorption and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy combined with multireference calculations. This first identification of a high-spin manganese(V) center in any polynuclear oxidomanganese complex underscores the need for multireference computational methods to describe high-valent oxidomanganese species.
Abteilung für Hochempfindliche Röntgenspektroskopie, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Albert-Einstein-Straße 15, 12489 Berlin, Germany.Physikalisches Institut, Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Straße 3, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
Institut für Chemie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Brook-Taylor-Straße 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
Abteilung für Hochempfindliche Röntgenspektroskopie, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Albert-Einstein-Straße 15, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
High-Spin Manganese(V) in an Active Center Analogue of the Oxygen-Evolving Complex.
We report on the fabrication of a boron-based two-dimensional (2D) material via electron irradiation-induced cross-linking of carborane self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on crystalline silver substrates. The SAMs of 1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecarborane-9,12-dithiol (O9,12) were prepared on flat crystalline silver substrates and irradiated with low-energy electrons, resulting in a 2D nanomembrane. The mechanical stability and compact character of the carborane nanomembrane were improved by using 12-(1',12'-dicarba-closo-dodecarboran-1'-yl)-1,12-dicarba-closo-dodecarborane-1-thiol (1-HS-bis-pCB), a longer, rod-like SAM precursor with two para-carborane units linked linearly together. The self-assembly, cross-linking process, and transfer of the resulting membranes onto holey substrates were characterized with different complementary surface-sensitive techniques including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) as well as scanning tunneling and electron microscopies (STM, SEM) to provide insight on the structural changes within the cross-linked SAMs. The presented methodology has potential for the development of boron-based 2D materials for applications in electronic and optical devices.
Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Lessingstraße 10, 07743 Jena, Germany.
The Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, 250 68 Husinec-Rez, 1001, Czech Republic.Department of Chemistry, Middle East Technical University, Ankara 06800, Turkiye.
The Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, 250 68 Husinec-Rez, 1001, Czech Republic.
Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Purkyňova 123, 612 00 Brno-Královo Pole, Czech Republic.
Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Lessingstraße 10, 07743 Jena, Germany.Center for Energy and Environmental Chemistry Jena (CEEC Jena), Philosophenweg 7a, 07743 Jena, Germany.Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany.
Endowing polyethylenes with photodegradability via incorporation of low densities of in-chain keto units could reduce the problematic environmental persistency of littered polymer waste. A breakthrough enabling such materials is the recent finding of nickel catalyzed nonalternating copolymerization of ethylene-carbon monoxide. We reveal irreversible catalyst deactivation pathways operative in this reaction. Reductive elimination of the common phosphinephenolate Ni(II) motif occurs with the acyl intermediates formed upon incorporation of carbon monoxide into the growing chain, as observed by low temperature NMR spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray crystallography of the isolated product. Further, we show that such decomposition pathways are generally relevant during ethylene-carbon monoxide copolymerizations under pressure reactor conditions. These findings guide the development of more stable and productive polymerization catalysts to enable the production of environmentally benign polyethylenes.
Chair of Chemical Materials Science, Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany.
Irreversible Deactivation Pathways in Ni(II)-Catalyzed Nonalternating Ethylene-Carbon Monoxide Copolymerization.
Engineering sublattice imbalance is an intuitive way to induce high-spin ground states in bipartite polycyclic conjugated hydrocarbons (PCHs). Such molecules can be employed as building blocks of quantum spin chains, which are outstanding platforms to study fundamental models in quantum magnetism. This is exemplified by recent reports on the bottom-up synthesis of antiferromagnetic spin chains that provided insights into paradigmatic quantum phenomena such as fractionalization. In contrast to antiferromagnetism, demonstration of ferromagnetic coupling between PCHs has been scarce. Previous attempts in this direction were limited by the formation of nonbenzenoid rings leading to spin quenching or the use of spacer motifs that weaken the magnitude of ferromagnetic exchange. Here, we demonstrate the on-surface synthesis of short ferromagnetic spin chains based on dibenzotriangulene, a triplet PCH. Our synthetic strategy centers on the concept of achieving a direct (without spacer motifs) majority-minority sublattice coupling between adjacent molecules. This leads to a global sublattice imbalance in spin chains scaling with the chain length and therefore a ferromagnetic ground state with a strong intermolecular ferromagnetic exchange. Through scanning probe measurements and quantum chemical calculations, we analyze the electronic and magnetic properties of ferromagnetic dimers and trimers of dibenzotriangulene and confirm their quintet and septet ground states, respectively, with an intermolecular ferromagnetic exchange of 7 meV. Furthermore, we elucidate the role of sublattice coupling on magnetism through complementary experiments on antiferromagnetic dibenzotriangulene dimers with majority-majority and minority-minority sublattice couplings. We expect our study to provide impetus for the design of organic ferromagnetic materials.
IBM Research Europe - Zurich,, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland.
CICECO - Institute of Materials, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials (CiQUS), and Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15702 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials (CiQUS), and Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15702 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.Oportunius, Galician Innovation Agency (GAIN), 15702 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
A Route toward the On-Surface Synthesis of Organic Ferromagnetic Quantum Spin Chains.
The intermolecular N-N coupling of NO in a dinitrosyl iron complex (DNIC) induced by hydrogen bond donors in the secondary coordination sphere to form N2O is reported. A family of complexes containing pendant anilines in the secondary coordination sphere were synthesized and characterized. Reduction of the {Fe(NO)2}9 complex [Fe(PhNHPDI)(NO)2][BPh4] (3) to the {Fe(NO)2}10 Fe(PhNHPDI)(NO)2 (4) results in intermolecular N-N coupling to form N2O. Similar reactions of the control {Fe(NO)2}9 complex [Fe(PhNMePDI)(NO)2][BPh4] (7), which does not have H-bonding groups in the secondary coordination sphere, do not result in N2O formation. The hydrogen bonding capabilities of the complexes were explored spectroscopically and computationally.
Department of Chemistry, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington 98225, United States.
Department of Physics, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington 98225, United States.
Intermolecular N-N Coupling of a Dinitrosyl Iron Complex Induced by Hydrogen Bond Donors in the Secondary Coordination Sphere.
Efficiently constructing structurally diverse and complex organic molecules through selective catalytic functionalization is a central goal in synthetic chemistry, yet achieving precise control over multiple reactive centers in multisite substrates remains a formidable challenge. Building on foundational advances in single- and dual-selective transformations, we report a multimodal strategy for the selective carbonylation of 1,3-enynes, a versatile class of multisite substrates. Through meticulous fine-tuning of the catalytic conditions, our approach enables five distinct regio- and stereoselective carbonylative transformations, including direct functionalization (1,2- and 2,1-hydroaminocarbonylation) and tandem cyclization pathways (2,4-, 1,3-, and 2,3-carbonylation). Furthermore, mechanistic studies suggested that multidimensional precise regulation enables the seamless relay of up to three tandem reactions (hydroaminocarbonylation-hydroamination-transamination) with exceptional accuracy. This unified platform not only establishes a robust framework for tackling the enduring challenges of selectivity control in multisite substrates but also broadens the chemical space accessible through 1,3-enyne transformations, exemplifying atom- and step-economic principles and paving the way for transformative advancements in drug discovery, materials science, and beyond.
Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China.University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China.
Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China.University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e. V., Albert-Einstein-Straβe 29a, Rostock 18059, Germany.
Multimodal Precise Control Over Multiselective Carbonylation of 1,3-Enynes.
Bioderived furans play a pivotal role in advancing defossilized chemical pathways. The complete reduction of furans currently relies on impractical metal-catalyzed hydrogenations at high pressures and temperatures. In addition, the Birch reduction of unbiased furans to 2,5-dihydrofurans remains an unsolved synthetic challenge. Herein, we report a mild Bro̷nsted acid-catalyzed reduction of furans to 2,5-dihydro- and/or tetrahydrofuran derivatives using silanes as reducing agents. In particular, the first formal Birch reduction of furan itself is achieved. Mechanistic investigations reveal an intricate behavior of HFIP as the crucial solvent, preventing the intrinsic polymerization behavior of furans under acidic conditions and introducing additional driving force by specific product binding.
Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Mülheim an der Ruhr 45470, Germany.
Bro̷nsted Acid-Catalyzed Reduction of Furans.
This review investigates the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) use and the role of nurses in patient care. AI exists in health care for clinical decision support, disease management, patient engagement, and operational improvement and will continue to grow in popularity, especially in the nursing field.We aim to examine whether AI integration into nursing practice may have led to a change in the role of nurses in patient care.To compile pertinent data on AI and nursing and their relationship, we conducted a thorough systematic review literature analysis using secondary data sources, including academic literature from the Scopus database, industry reports, and government publications. A total of 401 resources were reviewed, and 53 sources were ultimately included in the paper, comprising 50 peer-reviewed journal articles, 1 conference proceeding, and 2 reports. To categorize and find patterns in the data, we used thematic analysis to categorize the systematic literature review findings into 3 primary themes and 9 secondary themes. To demonstrate whether a role change existed or was forecasted to exist, case studies of AI applications and examples were also relied on.The research shows that all health care practitioners will be impacted by the revolutionary technology known as AI. Nurses should be at the forefront of this technology and be empowered throughout the implementation process of any of its tools that may accelerate innovation, improve decision-making, automate and speed up processes, and save overall costs in nursing practice.This study adds to the existing body of knowledge about the applications of AI in nursing and its consequences in changing the role of nurses in patient care. To further investigate the connection between AI and the role of nurses in patient care, future studies can use quantitative techniques based on recruiting nurses who have been involved in AI tool deployment-whether from a design aspect or operational use-and gathering empirical data for that purpose.
©Inas Al Khatib, Malick Ndiaye. Originally published in JMIR Nursing (https://nursing.jmir.org), 19.02.2025.
Department of Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Examining the Role of AI in Changing the Role of Nurses in Patient Care: Systematic Review.
Traditional rehabilitation programs for children with cerebral palsy and acquired brain injuries aim to enhance motor and cognitive abilities through repetitive exercises, which are often perceived as tedious and demotivating. Extended reality technologies, including augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality, offer more engaging methods through exergames. However, to date, no AR exergames simultaneously integrate cognitive and motor aspects within navigational tasks. Developing these exergames necessitates rigorous methodological steps, especially when using emerging technologies such as AR. The MIDE (Multidisciplinary Iterative Design of Exergames) framework advocates a participatory design approach, involving users from the outset, the objective being to optimize the interface and validate game mechanics through user experience (UX) assessment. Some researchers initially test these mechanisms on healthy children before applying them to clinical populations.This study aims to evaluate the UX of our AR exergames, consisting of two games (AR Corsi and AR Zoo), in typically developing children.Typically developing children participated in two 1.5-hour sessions. During each session, they played one of two AR games using the Microsoft HoloLens 2 headset: AR Corsi and AR Zoo, both of which are designed to engage executive functions and motor skills through navigational capabilities. UX was assessed after each session using the following measures: System Usability Scale scores for usability, AttrakDiff for attractiveness and game quality, MeCue for emotional experience, and Rating scale of Perceived Exertion for Children for pre- and postsession mental and physical fatigue.A total of 27 participants (mean age 11.9, SD 1.2 years) were included in the study. Mean System Usability Scale scores were 79.9 (SD 11.4) for AR Corsi and 76.3 (SD 12.1) for AR Zoo, indicating good usability. The AttrakDiff questionnaire yielded favorable results, with scores between 1 and 3 for overall attractiveness, pragmatic quality, and stimulation for both AR games. However, the hedonic quality identity received neutral scores (mean 0.6, SD 0.5 for AR Corsi and mean 0.7, SD 0.8 for AR Zoo). The MeCue emotions module yielded average scores of 5.2 (SD 0.7) for AR Corsi and 5.3 (SD 0.8) for AR Zoo, significantly exceeding the theoretical mean of 4 (P<.001). We observed a significant effect of physical fatigue (P=.02) and mental fatigue (P=.002) after exposure to both games. A comparative analysis of UX between the two games showed no significant differences.This study demonstrates that our exergame, comprising two AR games, is user-friendly and well-received by typically developing children, eliciting positive emotions and overall appeal. Although some children reported fatigue, favorable UX evaluation confirms the validity of the game's content and mechanisms, suggesting its suitability for use among children with cerebral palsy and acquired brain injuries.
©Maxime Balloufaud, Arnaud Boujut, Romain Marie, Aurélie Guinaldo, Laurent Fourcade, Julia Hamonet-Torny, Anaick Perrochon. Originally published in JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology (https://rehab.jmir.org), 19.02.2025.
Univ.Limoges, HAVAE, UR 20217, F-87000 Limoges, France.
Univ.Limoges, HAVAE, UR 20217, F-87000 Limoges, France.3iL Ingénieurs, Limoges, France.
Univ.Limoges, HAVAE, UR 20217, F-87000 Limoges, France.Pediatric Surgery Division, University Hospital, CHU de Limoges, Limoges, France.
Centre Hospitalier Esquirol Limoges, Limoges, France.
JMIR Rehabil Assist Technol. 2025-02-19;12():e69205.
Augmented Reality Exergames for Upcoming Cognitive-Motor Rehabilitation: User-Centered Design Approach and User Experience of Healthy Children.
Parents of preschool-aged children are a key focus for interventions to shape healthy lifestyle behaviors and support risk reduction for obesity from an early age. In light of limited existing evidence on the use of mobile technology to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors among young children, we sought to gather parental priorities regarding a mobile app focused on guided goal setting across the domains of diet, physical activity, media use, and sleep.The purpose of this study was to explore the priorities and needs of parents of 2- to 5-year-old children to guide developing the content and features of a mobile app aimed at promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors using a novel convergent mixed methods approach.From November to December 2021, we invited parents or guardians in Kentucky to complete a series of web-based concept mapping activities and semistructured interviews (total N=30). Using 2 lists of items focused on (1) parental priorities (content areas) and (2) application features, we asked participants to conduct concept mapping procedures for each list: a web-based sorting activity, where participants grouped items together into thematic piles that made sense to them, and a rating activity, where participants rated each item on a 5-point Likert-type scale. The qualitative interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded, and then analyzed by constant comparative analysis to identify themes. We used the quantitative findings from the concept mapping process to triangulate the resulting themes from the qualitative interviews and generate possible app content areas and features.The concept mapping results resulted in two 3-cluster concept maps. For parental priorities, participants identified the clusters Creating Healthy Eating Habits, Forming Boundaries, and Building Good Relationships; for app features, participant clusters included Eating Healthy, Using the App, and Setting Goals. The interview themes also represented those 2 domains. Overall, the participants indicated that the top priorities were general health and wellbeing, routine and setting boundaries, and food and healthy eating when it comes to building healthy behaviors among their preschool-aged children. Parents indicated that quick, easy, and child-friendly recipes, goal tracking, and the use of tips and notifications were the features they valued most.This study contributes to the understanding of what parents or caregivers of young children want from mobile apps, in both content and features, to support building healthy behaviors and routines. The findings can inform future research on the development and evaluation of existing or new mobile apps. Specific app features identified to meet family needs should be designed closely with a diverse set of families and tested using rigorous designs to identify the mechanisms of action that mobile apps may use for efficacious healthy parenting outcomes.
©Jessica R Thompson, Summer J Weber, Shelagh A Mulvaney, Susanna Goggans, Madeline Brown, Anthony Faiola, Lynn Maamari, Pamela C Hull. Originally published in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting (https://pediatrics.jmir.org), 19.02.2025.
Department of Health Policy and Administration, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States.Community Impact Office, University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States.
Community Impact Office, University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States.Evidence Analysis and Regulatory Affairs, Food and Nutrition Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Alexandria, VA, United States.
School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.
Community Impact Office, University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States.
Department of Population Health, College of Nursing, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
Community Impact Office, University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States.Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States.
Parental Perceptions of Priorities and Features for a Mobile App to Promote Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors in Preschool Children: Mixed Methods Evaluation.
Out-of-sequence (OOS) kidney allocation has become increasingly prevalent since 2021. We examined the relationship between organ procurement organization (OPO) OOS allocation frequency and kidney nonuse rates. Among 57 OPOs between March 2021 and December 2023, we analyzed trends in OOS utilization and its association with kidney nonuse rates. There was significant variability in OOS use across OPOs, with some allocating over 20% of kidneys out-of-sequence over the entire period. An absolute increase of 1 SD (12.8%) of OOS allocation was modestly associated with a reduction in kidney nonuse rates (incidence risk ratio = 0.98; P = .04). Donor characteristics, particularly older age, donation after circulatory death, and high kidney donor profile index, were the strongest predictors of nonuse. While OOS allocation may mitigate logistical challenges, other strategies may be more effective at reducing the nonuse rate.
Copyright © 2025 American Society of Transplantation & American Society of Transplant Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Division of Transplantation, Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA. Electronic address: joel.adler@austin.utexas.edu.
Center for Surgery and Public Health at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Department of Statistics and Data Science, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.
Columbia University Renal Epidemiology (CURE) Group, Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA.
Columbia University Renal Epidemiology (CURE) Group, Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA; Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA.
Biomedical Data Sciences Hub, Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.
American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons
Association between out-of-sequence allocation and deceased donor kidney nonuse across organ procurement organizations.
Accurate determination of the zeta potential in colloidal dispersions often requires consideration of the relaxation effect, which is associated with the polarization of the electrical double layer and the surface conductivity. In this study, we pursue a new approach that combines conductivity measurements of the dispersion and dispersion medium with the electroacoustic and electrophoretic zeta potential determination. The conductivity data are analyzed with the Maxwell-Wagner-O'Konski theory, providing the Dukhin number. Zeta potentials of highly concentrated polymer dispersions were determined using the colloid vibration current (CVI) method and compared with those obtained by electrophoretic light scattering (ELS) in diluted dispersions. In both cases, the relaxation effect was now taken into account on the basis of the experimentally determined Dukhin number. The evaluation of the Dukhin numbers revealed significant surface conductivity for all investigated polymer dispersions. In addition, it was often found that not only the diffuse layer but also the stagnant layer contributes considerably to the surface conductivity. Proper consideration of both effects is essential for the reliable determination of the zeta potential, as otherwise inconsistencies can be observed in the evaluated data. Moreover, we have validated for the first time that the advanced CVI theory takes the effect of surface conductivity properly into account for a wide range of particle volume fractions. These values agree well with those obtained by the ELS method using the Dukhin-Semenikhin theory or a modified theory of Ohshima, Healy, and White. This study thus shows that the Dukhin number can serve as a key parameter to reliably connect conductivity and electrophoretic and electroacoustic experiments.
Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences, TH Köln - University of Applied Sciences, Leverkusen D-51379, Germany.Department of Chemistry, Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Cologne, Cologne D-50939, Germany.
Department of Chemistry, Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Cologne, Cologne D-50939, Germany.
Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences, TH Köln - University of Applied Sciences, Leverkusen D-51379, Germany.
New Experimental Approach for the Proper Consideration of Stagnant and Diffuse Layer Conductivity in the Zeta Potential Determination.
Integrative Center of Chemistry and Biology (CIBQA), Bernardo O'Higgins University, Santiago, Chile. Electronic address: renan.orellana@ubo.cl.
Department of Chemistry and Biological Sciences, Bernardo O'Higgins University, Santiago, Chile.
Integrative Center of Chemistry and Biology (CIBQA), Bernardo O'Higgins University, Santiago, Chile.
New perspectives about the article Dual inhibition of AKT and ERK1/2 pathways restores the expression of progesterone Receptor-B in endometriotic lesions through epigenetic mechanisms .
Stereochemistry, usually associated with the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in molecules, is crucial in processes like life functions, drug action, or molecular reactions. This three-dimensionality typically originates from sp3 hybridization in organic molecules, but it is also present in out-of-plane sp2-based molecules as a consequence of helical structures, twisting processes, and/or the presence of nonbenzenoid rings, the latter significantly influencing their global stereochemistry and leading to the emergence of new exotic properties. In this sense, on-surface synthesis methodologies provide the perfect framework for the precise synthesis and characterization of organic systems at the atomic scale, allowing for the accurate assessment of the associated stereochemical effects. In this work, we demonstrate the importance of the initial diastereomeric configuration in the surface-induced skeletal rearrangement of a substituted cyclooctatetraene (COT) moiety-a historical landmark in the understanding of aromaticity-into a cyclopenta[c,d]azulene (CPA) one in a chevron-like graphene nanoribbon (GNR). These findings are evidenced by combining bond-resolved scanning tunneling microscopy with theoretical ab initio calculations. Interestingly, the major well-defined product, a CPA chevron-like GNR, exhibits the lowest bandgap reported to date for an all-carbon chevron-like GNR, as evidenced by scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements. This work paves the way for the rational application of stereochemistry in the on-surface synthesis of novel graphene-based nanostructures.
Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de Granada (UGR), Unidad de Excelencia de Química UEQ, C. U. Fuentenueva, Granada 18071, Spain.ESISNA Group, Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM-CSIC), Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid 28049, Spain.
ESISNA Group, Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM-CSIC), Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid 28049, Spain.
Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón (INMA), CSIC-Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50009, Spain.Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50009, Spain.
Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de Granada (UGR), Unidad de Excelencia de Química UEQ, C. U. Fuentenueva, Granada 18071, Spain.
Diastereomeric Configuration Drives an On-Surface Specific Rearrangement into Low Bandgap Non-Benzenoid Graphene Nanoribbons.
In emergency surgery for acute type A aortic dissection, the creation of needle holes can cause various issues and complications. One persistent challenge is the prevention of distal anastomotic new entry tears, which frequently necessitate additional intervention. Modification of the distal reinforcement technique offers a straightforward solution by combining existing hemostatic agents with tools such as occlusion balloons. We describe a modified distal reinforcement procedure employing a balloon-and-glue technique to help prevent new entry tears at the distal anastomosis and avoid total arch replacement. Ten patients with acute type A aortic dissection were treated using this technique. Postoperative computed tomography indicated no evidence of distal anastomotic entry tears. In conclusion, this modified distal reinforcement technique represents not only a method to prevent distal anastomotic new entry tears but also a palliative approach that may obviate the need for total arch replacement in patients in poor condition or of advanced age.
Cardiovascular Surgery Department, Fukuoka University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
Balloon and Glue Technique: A Modification of Distal Reinforcement to Prevent Anastomotic New Entry, Reducing Replacement Range in Acute Type A Aortic Dissection.
Basement membrane (BM) extracellular matrices enwrap and structurally support tissues. Whether BMs are uniquely constructed to support tissues that undergo repetitive stretching and recoil events is unknown. During C. elegans ovulation, the spermathecal BM stretches ~1.7-fold and then returns to its original shape every twenty minutes to passage hundreds of oocytes. Through live fluorescence microscopy, we discovered that ovulating oocytes secrete and deliver the fibulin-1 extracellular matrix protein to the spermathecal BM during stretching, where it forms a dynamic overlapping network with type IV collagen. Fibulin-1 depletion led to a breakdown in type IV collagen and BM organization, resulting in a more deformable BM and extended spermatheca. Moreover, perturbation to fibulin-1 network formation via mutagenesis was sufficient to disrupt organ shape. Together, our study reveals an on-demand fibulin-1 delivery system that protects the BM network when it is stretched, thereby allowing repeated rounds of organ expansion and recovery.
On-demand delivery of fibulin-1 enables repeated basement membrane stretching.
In order to solve the problems of inefficient allocation of teaching resources and inaccurate recommendation of learning paths in higher education, this paper proposes a smart education optimization model (SEOM) by combining the improved random forest algorithm (RFA) based on adaptive enhancement mechanism and the Graph Neural Network (GNN) algorithm. The public data and information such as the national higher education intelligent education platform are collected, and SEOM is trained and verified. The results show that SEOM has high accuracy and generalization ability in three different teaching scenes: online mixed teaching, personalized teaching and project-based teaching. The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) value in cross-validation is between 0.2 and 0.5, and the Mean Absolute Error (MAE) value is between 0.1 and 0.5. SEOM shows strong stability when dealing with multidimensional educational resources and complex teaching modes. The accuracy rate remains at 85-97%, indicating its reliability in personalized learning path recommendation. Further analysis shows that the chi-square freedom ratio is between 1.0 and 2.5, the fitting index and the adjusted fitting index are both above 0.85, and the comparative fitting index is close to 0.95, which shows that SEOM has high accuracy and rationality in capturing the dependence of knowledge points in different teaching modes. The Root Mean Square Residual (RMR) and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) are both below 0.05, which indicates that SEOM has small residual and strong scene adaptability. In addition, in the abnormal network environment, the resource allocation efficiency of SEOM is above 60%, and the Shapley value is between 0.1 and 0.4, which shows that SEOM can adapt to the change of network environment and the resource allocation effect is still obvious. Generally speaking, SEOM can optimize the allocation of educational resources and recommend learning paths in a complex environment, and effectively improve the intelligence and efficiency of teaching decision-making, especially for university administrators and educational technology developers.
Principal's office, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, 310015, China.
School of Art and Archaeology, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, 310015, China. caowr@hzcu.edu.cn.
School of Economics and Management, Wenzhou University of Technology, Wenzhou, 325000, China. chenlifeng@wzut.edu.cn.
Influence of artificial intelligence on higher education reform and talent cultivation in the digital intelligence era.
The quality of inherited mitochondria determines embryonic viability 1 , metabolic health during adulthood and future generation endurance. The oocyte is the source of all zygotic mitochondria 2 , and mitochondrial health is under strict developmental regulation during early oogenesis 3-5 . Yet, fully developed oocytes exhibit the presence of deleterious mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) 6,7 and mitochondrial dysfunction from high levels of endogenous reactive oxygen species 8 and exogenous toxicants 9 . How fully developed oocytes prevent transmission of damaged mitochondria to the zygotes is unknown. Here we discover that the onset of oocyte-to-zygote transition (OZT) developmentally triggers a robust and rapid mitophagy event that we term mitophagy at OZT (MOZT). We show that MOZT requires mitochondrial fragmentation, activation of the macroautophagy system and the mitophagy receptor FUNDC1, but not the prevalent mitophagy factors PINK1 and BNIP3. Oocytes upregulate expression of FUNDC1 in response to diverse mitochondrial insults, including mtDNA mutations and damage, uncoupling stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction, thereby promoting selection against damaged mitochondria. Loss of MOZT leads to increased inheritance of deleterious mtDNA and impaired bioenergetic health in the progeny, resulting in diminished embryonic viability and the extinction of descendent populations. Our findings reveal FUNDC1-mediated MOZT as a mechanism that preserves mitochondrial health during the mother-to-offspring transmission and promotes species continuity. These results may explain how mature oocytes from many species harboring mutant mtDNA give rise to healthy embryos with reduced deleterious mtDNA.
Mitophagy at the oocyte-to-zygote transition promotes species immortality.
Sternal wound dehiscence after cardiac surgery is usually accompanied by a high morbidity and mortality rate. When sternal rewiring fails, rigid fixation systems may be used for sternal reconstruction. We report a case involving a female patient with multiple risk factors for sternal dehiscence who underwent a coronary artery bypass graft procedure. Postoperatively, she experienced sternal dehiscence that necessitated primary rewiring. Despite the surgical intervention and clinical optimization, the sternal wound dehiscence recurred. The patient experienced severe chest pain and thoracic instability, presenting with complete non-union of the sternal segments and right ventricular protrusion. Given the symptoms and the risk of both direct and indirect trauma to the heart, the multidisciplinary team opted to reinforce the anterior chest wall with a pre-planned titanium prosthesis to provide protection and stability. This report highlights the advantages of a comprehensive strategy for managing repeated sternal dehiscence.
Serviço de Cirurgia Cardiotorácica, Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra, Unidade Local de Saúde de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
Sternal Reconstruction with Titanium Prosthesis for Complicated Sternal Dehiscence with Right Ventricle Herniation after Cardiac Surgery: A Case Report.
Scarsdale High School, Scarsdale, NY, United States.
Adolescent Cocreation in Digital Health: From Passive Subjects to Active Stakeholders.
The thermosalient transformation in nickel(II) bis(diisopropyl)dithiocarbamate has been investigated using selective deuteration. The deuterated crystals undergo a reversible displacive phase transition that is ∼4 K higher in temperature compared to the protonated analogue. Neutron, synchrotron, density-functional theory, and calorimetric techniques were utilized to demonstrate the substantial effect of deuterium. All techniques demonstrated the equivalence of the mechanism on an atomic scale between the protonated and deuterated complexes. The data collected in this study reveal details of the changes of atomic motion that underpin the thermosalience inherent in this system. Deuterium decreased the frequency of atomic vibrations thus increasing the temperature of the observed transformation. This study represents a key advancement in the field of thermosalient molecular systems and provides insights into the control and manipulation of thermosalient materials.
Australian Nuclear Science Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, New South Wales 2234, Australia.School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia.
Australian Nuclear Science Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, New South Wales 2234, Australia.
School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia.
Department of Chemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin 9504, New Zealand.
Australian Synchrotron, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, New South Wales 2234, Australia.
Manipulating a Thermosalient Crystal Using Selective Deuteration.
Specialty of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Specialty of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.Sydney Health Literacy Lab, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Specialty of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia.
General Practice Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University, Richmond, Australia.
Sydney Health Literacy Lab, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Specialty of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.Education Office, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Authors' Reply: Adolescent Cocreation in Digital Health: From Passive Subjects to Active Stakeholders .
Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: angela.colantonio@utoronto.ca.
Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation
The Reporting of Sex and Gender in Rehabilitation Randomized Clinical Trials: A Commentary.
Universitas Negeri Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Universitas Negeri Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Electronic address: husenmint@unima.ac.id.
Commentary on Organisational changes and depression: The mediating role of psychosocial work exposures in the SUMER study .
Perdana University, Malaysia. Electronic address: afifi.mustafa@perdanauniversity.edu.my.
Diagnosing mental disorders: It is not only the number of symptoms!
The synthesis of MOFs in a two-dimensional (2D) film morphology is attractive for several applications including molecular and ionic separation. However, 2D MOFs have only been reported from structures that crystallize in lamellar morphology, where layers are held together by van der Waals (vdW) interaction. By comparison, UiO-66, one of the most studied MOFs because of its exceptional chemical stability, has only been reported in three-dimensional (3D) morphology. 2D UiO-66 is challenging to obtain given the robust isotropic bonds in its cubic crystal structure. Herein, we report the first synthesis of non-vdW 2D UiO-66-NH2 by developing crystal growth conditions that promote in-plane growth over out-of-plane growth. Continuous, oriented UiO-66-NH2 film with thickness tunable in the range of 0.5 to 2 unit cells could be obtained by sustainable, scalable chemistry, which yielded attractive ion-ion selectivity. The preparation of non-vdW 2D MOF is highly attractive to advance the field of MOF films for diverse applications.
Laboratory of Advanced Separations, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1950 Sion, Switzerland.
Laboratory for Functional Inorganic Materials, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1950 Sion, Switzerland.
Non-van-der-Waals Oriented Two-Dimensional UiO-66 Films by Rapid Aqueous Synthesis at Room Temperature.
Stable radicals are spin-active species with a plethora of proposed applications in fields from energy storage and molecular electronics to quantum communications. However, their optical properties and vibrational modes are so far not well understood. Furthermore, it is not yet clear how these are affected by the radical oxidation state, which is key to understanding their electronic transport. Here, we identify the properties of 1,2,4-benzotriazin-4-yl, a stable doubly thiolated variant of the Blatter radical, using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Embedding molecular monolayers in plasmonic nanocavities gives access to their vibrational modes, photoluminescence, and optical response during redox processes. We reveal the influence of the adjacent metallic surfaces and identify fluctuating SERS signals that suggest a coupling between the unpaired radical electron and a spatially overlapping vibrational mode. This can potentially be exploited for information-storage devices and chemically designed molecular qubits.
NanoPhotonics Centre, Cavendish Laboratory, Dept. of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.
Device Modelling Group, School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K.
Dept. of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K.
Electronically Perturbed Vibrational Excitations of the Luminescing Stable Blatter Radical.
WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Science, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci. 2025-02-21;34():e13.
Towards person-centered care in global mental health: implications for meta-analyses and clinical trials.
Recent advancements in nonlinear nanophotonics are driven by the exploration of sharp resonances within high-index dielectric metasurfaces. In this work, we leverage doubly degenerate quasi-bound states in the continuum (quasi-BICs) to demonstrate the robust enhancement of third-harmonic generation (THG) in silicon metasurfaces. These quasi-BICs are governed by C4v symmetry and therefore can be equally excited with the pump light regardless of polarization. By tailoring the geometric parameters, we effectively control Q-factors and field confinement of quasi-BICs and thus regulate their resonantly enhanced THG process. A maximum THG conversion efficiency up to 1.03 × 10-5 is recorded under a pump intensity of 5.85 GW/cm2. Polarization-independent THG profiles are further confirmed by mapping their signals across the polarization directions. This work establishes foundational strategies for the ultracompact design of robust and high-efficiency photon upconversion systems.
School of Information Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China.Institute for Advanced Study, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China.
School of Education, Nanchang Institute of Science and Technology, Nanchang 330108, China.School of Physics and Materials Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China.
School of Physics and Materials Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China.
Institute for Advanced Study, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China.
School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, Guangzhou 510665, China.
School of Information Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China.
Polarization-Independent Enhancement of Third-Harmonic Generation Empowered by Doubly Degenerate Quasi-Bound States in the Continuum.
Self-assembly of hard platelet colloids into liquid crystalline phases is typically driven by entropy, making them less sensitive to temperature changes. However, soft interaction potentials often exist in real colloidal systems, which can lead to temperature-sensitive phase transitions. Despite significant progress in understanding phase behavior in the past 2 decades, studies on temperature-dependent phase behavior remain rare, and there is limited knowledge about how soft interactions influence phase transitions upon temperature changes. In this work, we investigated a platelet colloid system in isotropic and nematic phases using small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering techniques (SAXS/WAXS) and polarized optical microscopy (POM). The system consisted of polystyrene-block-poly(l-lactide) (PS-b-PLLA) block copolymer single crystals (BCSCs) with varying sizes dispersed in p-xylene. These crystals were truncated lozenge-shaped with effective diameters of 500 and 1000 nm and a uniform dry thickness of 18.0 nm. The ordering behaviors of BCSC500 in the isotropic phase and BCSC1000 in the N phase were monitored through SAXS/WAXS during heating, quenching, self-seeding, crystal growth, and final quenching. Enhanced ordering, specifically face-to-face correlation, was observed during heating prior to crystal melting. For BCSC500, ordering emerged at 105 °C during heating. In the case of BCSC1000 in the N phase, ordering was enhanced with increased heating and reached up to the ninth order of correlation peaks, indicating the formation of lamellar domains within the N phase. After seeding and crystal growth, both systems exhibited ordering. However, during the final cooling to room temperature, ordering disappeared for BCSC500 but persisted for BCSC1000. POM observations revealed that for both systems, initial heating resulted in a decrease in overall brightness; however, enhanced nematic domains or tactoids emerged prior to melting. Subsequent thermal treatments did not induce noticeable changes in the observed order. While both techniques revealed increased order, discrepancies were noted. SAXS indicated intensified short-range correlations, while POM showed the formation of local nematic domains or tactoids. We propose three distinct ordering regimes to reconcile these observations: large-scale nematic order, enhanced short-range order, and short-range clusters. We attributed the temperature-enhanced ordering phenomenon to lateral interactions between the BCSCs, annealing, and memory effects during melting and crystallization.
State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China.
State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China.University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China.
Institut für Angewandte Physik, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Temperature-Enhanced Ordering in Plate-like Semicrystalline Block Copolymer Single-Crystal Suspensions Studied by Real-Time SAXS/WAXS.
Assistant Features Editor, The Plant Cell, American Society of Plant Biologists.Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
Melatonin a day: Mitigates saline-alkali stress away!
Exciton-polariton dynamics in 2D materials have garnered substantial attention across diverse scientific domains for fundamental research with potential applications in optoelectronics. However, practical implementation has been hindered by the challenge of maintaining stable and long-range polariton propagation. Here, we present an innovative material platform featuring extensive monolayer WS2/Al2O3 superlattices (a square with a length of >0.5 cm) coupled to a waveguide mode designed to host exciton-polaritons with operation at room temperature. Time-resolved transient absorption spectra show picosecond nonlinear energy transfer phenomena between upper and lower polariton states, clarifying the dynamic behavior within this quantum realm. In addition, we observed population inversion behavior between the two polariton states that facilitate potential avenues for creating polariton-based ultrafast modulators and switches. This research not only advances our fundamental understanding of polariton dynamics but also promotes the development of innovative technologies that harness these fascinating quantum phenomena.
Graduate Institute of Applied Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan.Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania PA-19104, United States.
Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
AIXTRON Ltd, Swavesey, Cambridge CB24 4FQ, U.K.
Polariton-Mediated Ultrafast Nonlinear Energy Transfer in a van der Waals Superlattice.
The development of machine learning models to predict the regioselectivity of C(sp3)-H functionalization reactions is reported. A data set for dioxirane oxidations was curated from the literature and used to generate a model to predict the regioselectivity of C-H oxidation. To assess whether smaller, intentionally designed data sets could provide accuracy on complex targets, a series of acquisition functions were developed to select the most informative molecules for the specific target. Active learning-based acquisition functions that leverage predicted reactivity and model uncertainty were found to outperform those based on molecular and site similarity alone. The use of acquisition functions for data set elaboration significantly reduced the number of data points needed to perform accurate prediction, and it was found that smaller, machine-designed data sets can give accurate predictions when larger, randomly selected data sets fail. Finally, the workflow was experimentally validated on five complex substrates and shown to be applicable to predicting the regioselectivity of arene C-H radical borylation. These studies provide a quantitative alternative to the intuitive extrapolation from model substrates that is frequently used to estimate reactivity on complex molecules.
The Warren and Katharine Schlinger Laboratory for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States.
The Warren and Katharine Schlinger Laboratory for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States.Division of Theoretical Chemistry & Biology, CBH School, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 30, S-10044 Stockholm, Sweden.
Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 841051, Israel.
Designing Target-specific Data Sets for Regioselectivity Predictions on Complex Substrates.
This study investigates the fingering instability that forms during the stretching of capillary suspensions with and without added nanoparticles. The dewetting process is observed using a transparent lifted Hele-Shaw cell. The liquid bridge is stretched under constant acceleration, and the resulting instability patterns are recorded using two high-speed cameras. Finger-like structures, characteristic of the Saffman-Taylor instability, are observed. The total length of the dendrites and the intersecting number of branches are quantified. We reveal the roles of microparticles, nanoparticles, and the secondary liquid during the fingering instability. The addition of microparticles to pure liquid enhanced finger length due to increased particle interactions and nucleation sites for bubbles. The addition of secondary fluid reduces fingering length by forming a strong interparticle network. Incorporation of nanoparticles induces an early onset of cavitation and enhances fingering instability. However, nanoparticles make the capillary suspensions' overall microstructure more homogeneous, reduce the sample variation in fingering patterns, and promote the even distribution of gel on both slides during splitting. These findings highlight the complex interactions governing dewetting in capillary (nano)suspensions. This knowledge has potential applications in microfluidics, 3D printing, and thin-film coatings, where controlling dewetting is crucial.
Department of Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200J, 3001 Leuven , Belgium.
Institute for Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics, Technical University of Darmstadt, Peter-Grünberg-Str. 10, 64287 Darmstadt , Germany.
Dewetting Fingering Instability in Capillary Suspensions: Role of Particles and Liquid Bridges.
Back-to-monomer chemical recycling of polymers is crucial in achieving a circular plastics economy. Herein, we report the rapid microwave-assisted depolymerization of poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) (PPTA), also known as Twaron or Kevlar. The alkaline hydrolysis of PPTA was conducted in a microwave reactor at temperatures ranging from 240 to 260 °C with reaction times of 1-15 min. The highest conversion (96%) was found after 15 min at 260 °C. The resulting monomers terephthalic acid and p-phenylenediamine were successfully purified (>99% purity) in good yields using extraction and precipitation methods. This work presents the fastest depolymerization of PPTA to date under relatively mild conditions, thereby encouraging a circular value chain for PPTA.
Macromolecular Chemistry and New Polymeric Materials, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 3, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands.Circular Plastics, Academy Tech & Design, NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, Van Schaikweg 94, 7811 KL Emmen, The Netherlands.
Process Technology Department, Research and Innovation Center, Teijin Aramid BV, P.O. Box 5153, 6802 ED Arnhem, The Netherlands.
Circular Plastics, Academy Tech & Design, NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, Van Schaikweg 94, 7811 KL Emmen, The Netherlands.
Macromolecular Chemistry and New Polymeric Materials, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 3, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands.
Rapid Microwave-Assisted Chemical Recycling of Poly(p-Phenylene Terephthalamide).
Scanning magnetometry with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond has led to significant advances in the sensitive imaging of magnetic systems. The spatial resolution of the technique, however, remains limited to tens to hundreds of nanometers, even for probes where NV centers are engineered within 10 nm from the tip apex. Here, we present a correlated investigation of the crucial parameters that determine the spatial resolution: the mechanical and magnetic stand-off distances, as well as the subsurface NV center depth in diamond. We study their contributions using mechanical approach curves, photoluminescence measurements, magnetometry scans, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of surface adsorbates. We first show that the stand-off distance is mainly limited by features on the surface of the diamond tip, hindering mechanical access. Next, we demonstrate that frequency-modulated (FM) atomic force microscopy feedback partially overcomes this issue, leading to closer and more consistent magnetic stand-off distances (26-87 nm) compared with the more common amplitude-modulated feedback (43-128 nm). FM operation thus permits improved magnetic imaging of sub-100-nm spin textures, shown for the spin cycloid in BiFeO3 and domain walls in a CoFeB synthetic antiferromagnet. Finally, by examining 1H and 19F NMR signals in soft contact with a polytetrafluoroethylene surface, we demonstrate a minimum NV-to-sample distance of 7.9 ± 0.4 nm.
Department of Physics, ETH Zürich, Otto Stern Weg 1, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland.QZabre AG, Neubrunnenstrasse 50, 8050 Zürich, Switzerland.
Department of Physics, ETH Zürich, Otto Stern Weg 1, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland.
Laboratoire Albert Fert, CNRS, Thales, Université Paris-Saclay, 91767 Palaiseau, France.
Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, SPINTEC, 38054 Grenoble, France.
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Memorandumului 28, Cluj-Napoca 400347, Romania.
QZabre AG, Neubrunnenstrasse 50, 8050 Zürich, Switzerland.
Department of Physics, ETH Zürich, Otto Stern Weg 1, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland.Quantum Center, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland.
Minimizing Sensor-Sample Distances in Scanning Nitrogen-Vacancy Magnetometry.
To use a nationwide administrative database (PearlDiver) to investigate whether patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) undergoing primary hip arthroscopy for femoral acetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) have (1) higher rates of medical complications, (2) higher readmission rates, and (3) higher costs of care as compared with patients without GAD.Using the PearlDiver database, we performed a retrospective query from January 1, 2010, to March 31, 2020, to include all patients who underwent hip arthroscopy for FAIS. From this base population, patients with a diagnosis of GAD were identified and designated as the study group. The study group was matched at a 1:5 ratio by age, sex, and multiple comorbidities (depression, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and tobacco use) to a control group of patients without GAD who underwent hip arthroscopy for FAIS. The primary outcomes analyzed included 90-day medical complications, 90-day readmission rates, and 90-day costs of care. χ2 Analyses were used to compare patient demographic characteristics. Logistic regression analyses were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) of medical complications and readmissions. The Welch t test was used to compare costs. Bonferroni correction was performed to reduce the probability of a type I error. This was achieved by taking the standard P value of .05 and dividing it by the total number of dependent variables analyzed in the study. As such, P < .005 was considered statistically significant.The query yielded 7,631 patients with GAD undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAIS. These patients were compared with 38,145 matched controls without GAD. Patients with anxiety were at significantly higher risk of postsurgical complications, with the highest risks observed for pneumonia (1.0% vs 0.4%; OR, 2.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.97-3.35; P = .004) and deep vein thrombosis (0.36% vs 0.15%; OR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.52-3.76; P = .002). Other significant risks included acute renal failure (0.46% vs 0.21%; OR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.42-3.15; P = .002) and pulmonary embolism (0.21% vs 0.13%; OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 0.92-2.87; P = .001). There was no statistically significant difference in readmission rates within 90 days (1.46% vs 1.24%; OR, 2.38; 95% CI, 2.13-2.67; P = .02) or 90-day total costs of care ($4,812 ± $1,292 vs $4,076 ± $1,179; P = .73) between the 2 groups.After adjusting for age, sex, and medical comorbidities, this study found that GAD was associated with significantly higher rates of pneumonia, deep vein thrombosis, acute renal failure, and pulmonary embolism after hip arthroscopy for FAIS. There were no significant differences in 90-day readmission rates or 90-day total costs of care. Considering the relatively high prevalence of anxiety and the increasing rate of hip arthroscopy, preoperative screening for anxiety may help surgeons identify and protect patients at increased risk of complications after hip arthroscopy.Level III, retrospective, comparative case-control study.
University Hospitals Drusinsky Sports Medicine Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.
University Hospitals Drusinsky Sports Medicine Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.. Electronic address: luc.fortier@uhhospitals.org.
A Nationwide Analysis Shows Anxiety Disorders Are Associated With Higher Rates of Pneumonia, Pulmonary Embolism, Deep Vein Thrombosis, and Acute Renal Failure After Hip Arthroscopy for Femoral Acetabular Impingement Syndrome: A Matched-Control Analysis.
To compare the changes in labral size after primary hip arthroscopy between patients requiring revision surgery and those did not.Data collected between August 2016 and September 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients diagnosed with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome and undergoing primary and revision hip arthroscopy at our institute were included in the revision group. Exclusion criteria were Tönnis grade >1, concomitant hip conditions, and incomplete magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. Patients who did not undergo revision surgery or conversion to total hip arthroplasty at minimum 2-year follow-up were matched in a 1:2 ratio and included in the control group. The labral size (width and height at 11:30, 1:30, and 3:00) on MRI (noncontrast, 3.0 T) before and after 12 months of primary surgery was compared.Twenty-one patients were included in the revision group, and 42 patients were matched in the control group. In the revision group, significant reduction in labral width and height at 11:30 and 1:30, and labral width at 3:00 was observed at 12 months after primary hip arthroscopy (all with P < .05), whereas the control group did not show significant difference of changes in labral size (all with P > .05). Smaller postoperative labral width at 1:30 and 3:00 was observed in the revision group compared with the control group (all with P < .05). The revision group presented with greater reduction of labral width at all 3 positions and labral height at 1:30 compared with the control group (all with P < .05).Patients requiring revision surgery after primary hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome presented with smaller postoperative labral size (less than 1 mm difference) and greater reduction of labral size (at or less than 1mm difference) on MRI 12 months after primary surgery compared with those patients that did not require later revision surgery.Level III, retrospective case control.
Department of Sports Medicine, Institute of Sports Medicine of Peking University, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Sports Injuries, Beijing, China; Engineering Research Center of Sports Trauma Treatment Technology and Devices, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.
Department of Sports Medicine, Institute of Sports Medicine of Peking University, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Sports Injuries, Beijing, China; Engineering Research Center of Sports Trauma Treatment Technology and Devices, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China. Electronic address: Yanxu@139.com.
Patients Requiring Revision Surgery After Primary Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome Show a Small Reduction of Postoperative Labral Size: A Propensity-Matched Controlled Study.
Photoelectrochemical water splitting offers a promising pathway for green hydrogen production, but its efficiency is limited by electron-hole recombination. Overcoming this challenge requires detailed analysis of the relationship between charge separation and charge transfer kinetics under operando conditions. Here, we applied intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy (IMPS) combined with distribution of relaxation times (DRT) analysis to the photoanodic process under varying light intensities. This approach revealed three distinct applied potential regions: a high-potential region with constant admittance independent of light intensity; a midpotential region strongly influenced by light intensity; and a low-potential region with back electron-hole recombination (BER). Crucially, our analysis demonstrated that what has traditionally been viewed as a single bulk recombination process can be resolved into distinct mechanisms based on light intensity dependence. Additionally, we identified satellite peaks in the slow kinetic regions for the first time. These peaks, influenced by light intensity and reaction conditions, revealed novel insights into surface-trapped hole dynamics. Based on these insights, we propose tailored band bending models for each kinetic scenario and discuss the implications of satellite peaks for reaction bottlenecks. These results offer new perspectives on understanding and optimizing photoelectrochemical systems.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan.Graduate School of Advanced Science and Technology, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 1-1 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292, Japan.
Department of Chemical Engineering and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan.
Department of Applied Chemistry for Environment, Graduate School of Urban Environmental Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 minami-Osawa, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan.
Department of Chemistry and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, United Kingdom.
Department of Chemistry and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, United Kingdom.SPECIFIC IKC, College of Engineering, Swansea University, Bay Campus, Fabian Way, Swansea, Wales SA1 8EN, United Kingdom.
Analysis of the TiO2 Photoanode Process Using Intensity Modulated Photocurrent Spectroscopy and Distribution of Relaxation Times.
Penta-octagraphene (POG) is a newly suggested two-dimensional carbon allotrope recognized for its distinct configuration and fascinating electronic characteristics. This work presents a new inorganic counterpart of POG, named POG-B4C2N3, designed through density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This new structure exhibits a direct band gap transition at the X-point, measured at 0.32/0.86 eV with PBE/HSE functionals. Mechanical properties were comprehensively assessed, showcasing its Young's modulus (Ymax/Ymin = 157.12/100.84 N/m) and shear modulus (Gmax/Gmin = 83.03/38.09 N/m), alongside Poisson's ratio (νmax/νmin = 0.58/-0.09), indicating that POG-B4C2N3 is an auxetic material. Additionally, Li decoration on this monolayer was studied to investigate its potential to enhance hydrogen storage through physisorption. The Li@POG-B4C2N3 system shows robust physisorption (adsorption energies ranging from -0.35 to -0.19 eV), high hydrogen storage capacity (8.35 wt %), and effective hydrogen desorption dynamics, positioning this novel material as a promising platform for reversible hydrogen storage.
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing 402160, China.
School of Sciences, Modeling and Molecular Simulation Group, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bauru, São Paulo 17033-360, Brazil.
Penta-Octa B4C2N3: A New 2D Material for High-Performance Energy Applications.
To mitigate Fermi-level pinning (FLP) at the contact of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides and enhance their hole carrier concentration, a 1.8 nm-thick p-doping layer is formed via photolithography. This surface treatment significantly reduces the contact resistance (RC) to ∼4.8 kΩ·um in monolayer (1L) WSe2 p-type field-effect transistors (p-FETs) and increases hole carrier concentration by 1.4 times, resulting in a field-effect mobility of ∼75 cm/V·s. After subsequent helium ion-beam lithography, the Fermi level can still be modulated from 4.25 to 4.55 eV due to the ultrathin buffer layer. This approach enables high-performance p-FETs with 1L-WSe2 channels, achieving a maximum on-state current density of 420 μA/μm at a VD of -1 V and ultralow RC of ∼0.8 kΩ·um by the combination of the MoOx encapsulation for additional p-doping. These results demonstrate that 1L-WSe2 p-FETs can attain performance comparable to 2D n-FETs, paving the way for high-performance complementary metal-oxide semiconductor transistors with 2D channels.
Graduate Institute of Photonics and Optoelectronics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
Graduate School of Advanced Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
International College of Semiconductor Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
Department of Microelectronics, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
Graduate Institute of Photonics and Optoelectronics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.Graduate School of Advanced Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
Photolithography-Induced Doping and Interface Modulation for High-Performance Monolayer WSe2 P-Type Transistors.
In organic electronics, the nature and spatial distribution of grains in polycrystalline thin films of small organic semiconductor molecules greatly impact the electronic properties of devices. Therefore, tools that accurately characterize organic films at the mesoscopic level are essential. To this end, we demonstrate here the power of a bimodal atomic force microscopy (AFM) with a torsional eigenmode for highly accurate imaging of grain orientations in organic thin films. The energy dissipated between the tip and sample during scanning depends on the in-plane crystalline orientation of each grain. This fact alters the cantilever torsional observables, allowing grain orientation recognition. Remarkably, bimodal AFM with the torsional eigenmode has important advantages, such as high sensitivity in the applied forces, true molecular resolution, and multiple parameters for regulating the image contrast, making it competitive with other well-established AFM methods for grain detection in organic thin films, namely, friction force microscopy and transverse shear microscopy.
Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB), CSIC, Campus Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain.
Bimodal Atomic Force Microscopy with a Torsional Eigenmode for Highly Accurate Imaging of Grain Orientation in Organic Thin Films.
Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and endodontic pain often present overlapping symptoms, complicating the diagnosis and treatment of patients experiencing orofacial pain.This observational retrospective cohort study aims to determine the prevalence of endodontically treated teeth on the side of pain complaint in patients with TMD, and to explore the association between TMD diagnoses and the presence of endodontically treated teeth. Dental records of patients treated at the TMD and Pain clinic at the Federal University of Uberlândia was reviewed. The study included 85 patients, and demographic data, TMD diagnosis, and the side of referred pain were extracted from the records. Diagnostic imaging exams, including panoramic and periapical radiographs, and cone-beam computed tomography, were analyzed to count the number of endodontically treated teeth on each side of the mouth.The study population consisted of 88% (n = 70) women, with a mean age of 40.5 ± 16.3 years. A significant association was found between the side of TMD pain and the number of endodontically treated teeth, with more treated teeth on the side of pain complaint (median = 1) compared to the pain-free side (median = 0), with P < .001. When analyzing specific TMD diagnoses, the association was significant in muscle-related and mixed TMD diagnoses but not in joint-related TMD pain. Additionally, a binary analysis confirmed this association, showing that patients were significantly more likely to have at least 1 endodontically treated tooth on the side of TMD pain compared to the nonpain side (χ2 = 13.06, P = .0003).This study underscores the importance of comprehensive diagnostic evaluations in patients with orofacial pain to avoid unnecessary endodontic treatments and ensure appropriate care. Further research is needed to explore the underlying mechanisms linking endodontic and TMD pain and to validate these findings in diverse populations.
Copyright © 2025 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Post-graduation Program in Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Department of Endodontics and Dental Materials, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil; FAMEU FATRA, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Electronic address: camillamoura@ufu.br.
School of Dentistry, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Department of Occlusion, Fixed Prosthodontics, and Dental Materials, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Division of Endodontics, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.
Prevalence of Endodontically Treated Teeth in Patients Undergoing Treatment for Painful Temporomandibular Disorders: An Observational Study.
Gold Coast Health and Griffith University, Australia; Australian Critical Care, Australia. Electronic address: a.marshall@griffith.edu.au.
Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia; Australian Critical Care, Australia.
Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre, Australia; Monash University, Australia; The University of Melbourne, Australia; Austin Hospital, Australia; Critical Care and Resuscitation, Australia.
Woke ideology or accurate scientific reporting: Censorship in research.
The ability to control magnetism with strain offers innovative pathways for the modulation of magnetic domain configurations and for the manipulation of magnetic states in materials on the nanoscale. Although the effect of strain on magnetic domains has been recognized since the early work of C. Kittel, detailed local observations have been elusive. Here, we use mechanical strain to achieve reversible control of magnetic textures in a kagome-type Fe3Sn2 ferromagnet without the use of an external electric current or magnetic field in situ in a transmission electron microscope at room temperature. We use Fresnel defocus imaging, off-axis electron holography and micromagnetic simulations to show that tensile strain modifies the structures of dipolar skyrmions and switches the magnetization between out-of-plane and in-plane configurations. We also present quantitative measurements of magnetic domain wall structures and their transformations as a function of strain. Our results demonstrate the fundamental importance of anisotropy effects and their interplay with magnetoelastic and magnetocrystalline energies, providing opportunities for the development of strain-controlled devices for spintronic applications.
Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52425, Germany.Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52425, Germany.HUN-REN Centre for Energy Research, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Budapest 1121, Hungary.
Department of Physics, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, Louisiana 70504, United States.
Experimental Physics V, University of Augsburg, Augsburg 86135, Germany.
Experimental Physics V, University of Augsburg, Augsburg 86135, Germany.Institute of Applied Physics, Moldova State University, Chisinau 2028, Moldova.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7491, Norway.Center for Quantum Spintronics, Department of Physics, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7491, Norway.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52425, Germany.
Strain Engineering of Magnetic Anisotropy in the Kagome Magnet Fe3Sn2.
Dynamic organic crystals are becoming recognized as some of the fastest materials for converting light or heat to mechanical work. The degree of deformation and the response time of any actuating material are often exclusive of each other; however, both factors influence the material's overall performance limits. Unlike polymers, whose disordered structures are not conducive to rapid energy transfer, cooperative phase transitions in dynamic molecular crystals that are amenable to rapid and concerted martensitic-like structure switching could help circumvent that limitation. Here, we report that single crystals of a dibenzothiophene sulfone derivative exhibit extraordinarily large, rapid, and reversible elongation when they undergo a thermally induced phase transition. The value for the linear stroke of ∼15% along the long crystal axis with retention of macroscopic integrity of this material is remarkable and capitalizes on an anisotropic lattice switching with relative changes of 14.8% and -9.5% along its crystallographic a and c axes, respectively, resulting in a visible macroscopic elongation of the crystal. The transitioning crystals deliver forces ranging from 0.19 to 15 μN and a work density of ∼7 × 10-3 J m-3. The phase transformation is accompanied by a change in symmetry between centrosymmetric and noncentrosymmetric space groups and a significant change in both the fluorescence and the second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) response. The combination of these properties makes this material a favorable choice for low-power, precise, and small-scale NLO actuation applications.
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Metal and Molecular Materials Chemistry, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tongyan Road 38, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China.
SINOPEC (Beijing) Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. Yanshan Branch, Fenghuangting Road 15, Beijing 102500, P. R. China.
Smart Materials Lab, New York University Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 129188 Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Smart Materials Lab, New York University Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 129188 Abu Dhabi, UAE.Novel Materials Development Lab, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 38044 Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Smart Materials Lab, New York University Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 129188 Abu Dhabi, UAE.Center for Smart Engineering Materials, New York University Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 129188 Abu Dhabi, UAE.Research Center for Environment and Materials, Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Bul. Krste Misirkov 2, MK-1000 Skopje, Macedonia.Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, New York 10003, United States.
Thiophene Sulfone Single Crystal as a Reversible Thermoelastic Linear Actuator with an Extended Stroke and Second-Harmonic Generation Switching.
We present a genome assembly from an individual female Vulpes vulpes (red fox; Chordata, Mammalia, Carnivora, Canidae). The assembly comprises two haplotypes, with total lengths of 2,411.71 megabases and 2,398.53 megabases, respectively. For both haplotypes, 97.8% of haplotype 1 and 97.97% of haplotype 2 are scaffolded into 17 chromosomal pseudomolecules. Additionally, the mitochondrial genome has been assembled, with a total length of 16.68 kilobases.
Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, England, UK.
Natural History Museum Genome Acquisition LabDarwin Tree of Life Barcoding collectiveWellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory teamWellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing OperationsWellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics teamTree of Life Core Informatics collectiveDarwin Tree of Life Consortium
The genome sequence of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758).
A solid state [2 + 2] photodimerization reaction of ─C═C─ bonds in solids has been designed by controlling the molecular arrangement using supramolecular chemistry. Stilbene derivative (C14SDA) with alkyl amide chains (─CONHC14H29) forms intermolecular amide hydrogen-bonding chains and exhibits reversible successive phase transitions (S1 → S2 → S3 → L) corresponding to the dynamics of the alkyl chains. In the high-temperature solid phase S3, the alkyl chains partially melt, resulting in a one-dimensional (1D) dynamic intermolecular amide hydrogen bond and ferroelectric behavior with hysteresis in the electric field-polarization curve due to polarization reversal of the dipole moment by an external electric field. The S1 phase of C14SDA did not exhibit a photodimerization reaction, while the dynamic S2 and S3 phases exhibited a [2 + 2] photodimerization reaction to form reaction products with cyclobutane rings. In the dynamic ferroelectric S3 phase, trans-cis isomerization of stilbene was observed simultaneously with the formation of the photodimerization product. When the photodimerization reaction was attempted with an electric field applied to the S3 phase, thermal molecular fluctuations were suppressed by the electric field, increasing the distance between ─C═C─ double bonds and reducing the photoreaction yield.
Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579, Japan.
Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579, Japan.Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials (IMRAM), Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan.Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Shinshu University, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan.
Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579, Japan.Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials (IMRAM), Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan.
Photodimerization of Ferroelectric N,N'-Ditetradecyl-stilbenediamide Derivative.
Oral cancer poses a significant global health challenge, with increasing incidence rates and substantial morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to investigate the antiproliferative effects of cirsiliol in human oral cancer cells. Results from the MTT cell viability assay showed that cirsiliol significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the growth of all oral cancer cell lines tested, with the IC50 values ranging from 12 to 25 μM. The lowest IC50 of 12 μM was observed against SCC-1 and SCC-25 cell lines, while the IC50 for normal hTRET-OME cells was 75 μM, approximately 6 times higher than against the oral cancer cells. Further molecular analysis revealed that cirsiliol disrupted cellular morphology in SCC-1 and SCC-25 cells with minor effects on the normal hTRET-OME cells. Annexin V/PI staining indicated that the percentage of SCC-1 and SCC-25 apoptotic cells increased significantly from 4.70 and 5.27% in controls to 31.4 and 35.28% at 24 μM cirsiliol, respectively. This effect correlated with an upregulation of Bax, downregulation of Bcl-2, and increased p53 expression. Nonetheless, the apoptotic effects of cirsiliol were considerably lower in normal hTRET-OME cells. Western blotting together with molecular docking analysis suggested that cirsiliol may inhibit the expression of topoisomerase I. Additionally, wound healing and transwell assays demonstrated that cirsiliol significantly (p < 0.05) suppressed the migration and invasion of SCC-1 and SCC-25 cells. In conclusion, these findings indicate that cirsiliol induces apoptosis in oral cancer cells through the inhibition of topoisomerase I.
Department of Stomatology, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu, 610038 Sichuan People's Republic of China.
Cirsiliol suppresses the proliferation of human oral cancer cells by targeting topoisomerase I.
Two-dimensional (2D) materials with high carrier mobility and picosecond intrinsic response times exhibit large potential for fast optoelectronics operating at telecom wavelengths. However, due to the inefficient utilization of hot carriers, 2D photodetectors for the telecom C-band have rarely been realized. Here, we report a high-performance and waveguide-free WS2/graphene photodetector operating at 1560 nm enabled by hot carrier injection and long-lived charge separation. The efficiently injected hot electrons from graphene to WS2 exhibit ultrafast cooling dynamics with a 3 ps intrinsic response time. Simultaneous hole trapping in WS2 ensures a long circulation of injected electrons, enabling a high responsivity of 0.26 A/W. In continuation, we present a vertical WS2/graphene/WSe2 device with a built-in electric field and the same detection mechanism, for which a photocurrent on-off ratio of 3500 and an extrinsic response time of 1.71 ns are obtained. Our study highlights the benefit of combining 2D semiconductors and semimetals for high-speed photodetection.
Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry and LISA+, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, D-72076, Tübingen, Germany.School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China.
School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China.
Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry and LISA+, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, D-72076, Tübingen, Germany.
School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China.Key Laboratory for Micro-Nano Physics and Technology of Hunan Province, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China.
Ultrafast Hot Carrier Cooling Enabled van der Waals Photodetectors at Telecom Wavelengths.
The enantioselective protonation of prochiral enolates is an ideal and straightforward platform to synthesize stereodefined α-tertiary esters, which are recurring motifs in a myriad of biorelevant molecules and important intermediates thereof. However, this approach remains onerous, particularly when dealing with α-unactivated esters and related acids, as enantioinduction on the nascent nucleophile necessitates peremptory reaction conditions, thus far only achieved via preformed enolates. A complementary and contra-thermodynamic catalytic strategy is herein described, where a transient photoenol, in the form of a ketene hemiacetal, is enantioselectively protonated with a chiral phosphoric acid (CPA). The prochiral photoketene hemiacetals are procured from excited α,β-unsaturated esters, specifically from the Z-geometric isomer through [1,5]-hydride shift as a chemically productive nonradiative relaxation pathway. Tautomerization via formal 1,3-proton transfer in the photoketene hemiacetal with CPA as a proton shuttle delivers α-branched β,γ-alkenyl esters in good to excellent yields and enantioselectivity under mild conditions. Furthermore, the current protocol was coupled to functional group interconversion experiments, as well as in a formal total synthesis of a known marine γ-butyrolactone-type metabolite. Performing the reaction in a continuous photoflow setup also enabled a gram-scale synthesis of a β,γ-alkenyl ester with up to 92% ee.
Department of Chemistry, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan (R.O.C.).
Department of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry (PERCH-CIC), Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
Department of Chemistry, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan (R.O.C.).Department of Applied and Medicinal Chemistry, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan (R.O.C.).
Photoenolization of α,β-Unsaturated Esters Enables Enantioselective Contra-Thermodynamic Positional Isomerization to α-Tertiary β,γ-Alkenyl Esters.
Heterogeneous materials containing molecular catalytic sites show promise for electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to energy-enriched carbon products. Interactions between the catalyst and the heterogeneous support increasingly are recognized as important in governing product selectivity and rate. Recent work on Mn(R-bpy)(CO)3Br type catalysts immobilized on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) demonstrated control of electrocatalytic behavior with steric modification of the molecular catalyst. Phenyl groups installed in the 4,4' positions of the bipyridine ligand (ph-bpy) maximized performance through π-π interactions with the MWCNT support. Herein we report the outcome of extending the ligand π system with Mn(nap-bpy)(CO)3Br (nap-bpy = 4,4'-di(naphthalen-1-yl)-2,2'-bipyridine) and Mn(pyr-bpy)(CO)3Br (pyr-bpy = 4,4'-di(pyren-1-yl)-2,2'-bipyridine) immobilized on MWCNT. We demonstrate exceptional electrocatalysis with Mn(nap-bpy)(CO)3Br/MWCNT (FECO > 92%; JCO = 16.5 mA/cm2) and find that this catalyst electrochemically reduces bicarbonate in the absence of deliberately added CO2 at a remarkable overall selectivity of >80% for carbon products (FEHCOO- = 52% and FECO = 29%). We show diminishing returns to simply adding aromatic character to the bipyridyl ligand with Mn(pyr-bpy)(CO)3Br/MWCNT and observe a unique cambering of the Mn(nap-bpy)(CO)3Br bipyridyl ligand that we believe enables selective catalysis. Mechanistic studies were carried out on Mn(nap-bpy)(CO)3Br/MWCNT using a novel thin-film infrared spectroelectrochemical (IR-SEC) technique. These experiments observe the immobilized Mn(nap-bpy)(CO)3Br undergo single electron reduction to a Mn-centered radical that binds CO2 in a reduction-coupled process.
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, California 92093, United States.
Pulse Institute, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, California 92093, United States.Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Materials Science Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550, United States.
Cambered Bipyridyl Ligand with Extended Aryl System Enables Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide and Bicarbonate by Mn(bpy)(CO)3Br-type Catalyst Immobilized on Carbon Nanotubes.
While it is widely accepted that the steel-concrete interface (SCI) plays an important role in governing the long-term durability of reinforced concrete structures, the understanding about the primary features of the SCI that influence corrosion degradation mechanisms has remained elusive. This lack of knowledge can be attributed to, firstly, the complex heterogeneous nature of the SCI, and secondly, the absence of established experimental techniques suitable for studying the relevant SCI features. Here, we use focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) nanotomography to obtain high-resolution 3D tomograms of the SCI. Five tomograms, spanning volumes ranging from 8000 to 200 000 μ m 3 , of both non-corroded and corroded SCIs were acquired. The achieved voxel size falls within the range of 30-50 nm, which captures capillary pores highly relevant for moisture and ion transport. Potential pitfalls when applying the FIB-SEM technique to the SCI are highlighted, including aspects related to the electron detectors. We present an image processing pipeline that reduces artifacts and generates tomograms segmented into solid matrix and pore space. Furthermore, to characterize the SCI pore structure, diffusion tortuosity and porosity profiles. The analysis showed that there is a pronounced anisotropy in the pore structure. This work demonstrates that the FIB-SEM technique can be applied to acquire high resolution tomograms of the SCI pore structure, which can be digitally analyzed to inform transport models of the SCI.The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1617/s11527-025-02602-3.
ETH Zürich, Laura-Hezner-Weg 7, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland.
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, ETH-Domain, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Zürich, Switzerland.
Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331 USA.
Probing the steel-concrete interface microstructure using FIB-SEM nanotomography.
Composite hydrogels are promising for wound healing, but combining strong antimicrobial properties with mechanical performance remains challenging due to potential disruptions in cross-linking. This study presented a one-step method to incorporate tannic acid-coated cellulose nanocrystals (TA@CNC) into polyacrylamide hydrogels. The resulting composite hydrogel exhibited superior mechanical strength, environmental stability, and antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. TA@CNC served as a dynamic reinforcement within the porous network, enhancing mechanical stability. The hydrogel also demonstrated sustained and repeatable adhesion, attributed to the moisture-resistant properties of tannic acid. This work offers valuable insights for the design of multifunctional composite hydrogels, with the developed materials showing great potential for use in medical dressings due to their stretchability, self-adhesion, and antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai'an, 223003 China.
College of Fine Arts, Hongik University, Seoul, 04066 Republic of Korea.
Faculty of Philology and Communication, University of Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain.
Fabrication of multifunctional hydrogels based on tannic acid-coated nanocrystalline cellulose.
Within the spectrum of degenerative mitral valve (MV) prolapse, Barlow's disease remains a risk factor for suboptimal long-term outcomes after MV repair (MVr). This study reports on the results of MVr through minimally invasive surgery benchmarking patients with Barlow's disease to fibro-elastic deficiency (FED).Between July 2008 and December 2021, 246 patients underwent MVr for degenerative MV prolapse via minimally invasive surgery, including 180 FED and 66 Barlow patients. Study end-points focused on 10-year survival, MV reoperation and recurrence of MV regurgitation ≥grade 2.Barlow patients were significantly younger (Barlow: 58 years (IQR 47-67); FED: 68 years (IQR 60-76), P < 0.001), showing more complex MV prolapse than FED patients. The overall 30 day-mortality was 0.4%. Survival at 10 years was 78.8 ± 11.3% and 64.5 ± 7.4% (P = 0.161) in Barlow and FED patients, respectively. The cumulative incidence of MV reoperation at 10 years was comparable between Barlow and FED patients (FED: 9.7 ± 3.1%; Barlow: 8.0 ± 4.7%, P = 0.645). The cumulative incidence of mitral regurgitation recurrence ≥grade 2 was 3.0 ± 1.4% and 6.8 ± 3.1% at 5 and 10 years overall. Mitral regurgitation recurrence rate at 10 years was higher in Barlow patients, but the difference was not significant (FED: 3.3 ± 1.7% at 10 years; Barlow: 11.1 ± 8.7% at 10 years, P = 0.765).Despite more extensive MV prolapse in Barlow patients, MVr through minimally surgical access can be achieved with a mid-term outcome comparable to patients with FED. Concentrating the expertise to increase the individual surgeon's experience for surgical approach as the MV procedure itself allowed to achieve outcome results concurrent with those reported by high-volume centres.
© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.
Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium.
Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium.
Interdisciplinary cardiovascular and thoracic surgery
Interdiscip Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2025-03-05;40(3):.
Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery for mitral valve prolapse: a comparison between fibro-elastic deficiency and Barlow's disease.
Assistant Features Editor, Plant Physiology, American Society of Plant Biologists.Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
Metabolites managing excess manganese: The SgPAL2-regulated flavonoids in stylo.
Spinal endoscopy is a novel minimally invasive spinal surgery technique used in recent years to treat various degenerative spinal diseases. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is a new method for identifying infectious microorganisms in infectious diseases. We aim to evaluate the application effect of combining spinal endoscopy with mNGS in diagnosing and treating spinal infections.The clinical data of 62 patients with suspected spinal infectious diseases admitted from January 2020 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent spinal endoscopy to obtain tissue specimens, histopathological examination, routine bacterial culture, and mNGS sequencing. Describe the pathogenic microbial spectrum of spinal infection, and compare the differences in sensitivity (true positive rate) and specificity (true negative rate) between the two detection methods. White blood cell (WBC) erythrocyte deposition rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), visual analog scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and other clinical results were analyzed.In 62 cases, mNGS, microbiological culture, serologic testing, and pathologic examination results were obtained. 49 cases of spinal infections and 13 cases of non-spinal infections were finally diagnosed clinically. Among the 49 patients with spinal infections, there were 31 cases of purulent bacterial infections, 8 cases of tuberculosis infections, and 10 cases of infections with unspecified etiological microorganisms. Among the 13 cases of non-spinal infections, there were 3 cases of spinal tumors, 6 cases of Modic changes of the endplates, and 4 cases of endplate fracture. The positive rate of microbial culture was 36.73% (18/49), and the positive rate of the mNGS test was 71.43% (35/49), which was statistically different from each other (P < 0.01). The sensitivity of the mNGS test was 71.43%, and the specificity of the mNGS test was 84.62%. At the 3-month follow-up, WBC, ESR, and CRP levels were normalized. The VAS, JOA score, and ODI of the lower back and legs at each follow-up point after surgery were significantly improved compared with those before surgery, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01).Metagenomic sequencing technology is fast, efficient, and accurate in detecting pathogenic microorganisms, and has high diagnostic value in the diagnosis and treatment of spinal infections. Spinal endoscopic debridement combined with mNGS can achieve good clinical results.
Department of Orthopaedics, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China. drfeng2018@126.com.Department of Orthopedics, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, 315000, China. drfeng2018@126.com.
Cixi Biomedical Research Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, 315000, China.
Department of Orthopedics, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, 315000, China.
Department of Orthopaedics, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research
The application of endoscopic debridement combined with metagenomic next-generation sequencing technology in primary spinal infections: a retrospective study.
Digital mental health treatments (DMHTs) have begun to be implemented in some healthcare systems across the United States. These implementations are conducted as business arrangements. Thus, information on successful or unsuccessful implementations is not published or disseminated. This slows progress, as experiences and learnings are siloed within each organization, hindering or preventing learning across implementations and slowing the progress. To address this, the Society for Digital Mental Health established a DMHT Implementation Workgroup, with the goal of developing a DMHT Playbook that describes current best practices in DMHT implementation in American healthcare settings.The workgroup was comprised of representatives from 7 healthcare systems and 10 DMHT companies that have conducted implementations, along with other stakeholders and technical experts. The workgroup met virtually to discuss implementation of effective DMHT implementation processes and inform the development of an interview guide, which was then administered to another 20 key opinion leaders with DMHT implementation experience. Concepts and thematic constructs were extracted by experts in qualitative data analysis. These findings were discussed and refined by the Workgroup based on the Workgroup's experience.The resulting playbook includes detailed methods, processes and procedures, representing practices that have been successful for implementing DMHTs in healthcare settings.The workgroup recognizes that DMHT implementation is a rapidly evolving field. The successful practices for DMHT implementation described in this playbook may be useful for improving the efficiency of future DMHT implementations in American healthcare systems. However, the authors caution that as the field rapidly evolves, successful implementation practices will likely evolve as well.
© 2025 Mohr, Silverman, Youn, Areán, Bertagnolli, Carl, Carlton, Chaudhary, Cooper, DeVito, Eaneff, Flom, Forman-Hoffman, Fortunato, Franchino, Graham, Greenberger, Hauflaire, Kaveladze, Kornfield, Kruzan, Kuhn, Maciver, Muench, Misch, Ortega, Palko, Richards, Salhi, Schremp, Szigethy, Tatro, Teachman and Histon.
Department of Preventive Medicine, Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.Society for Digital Mental Health, Irvine, CA, United States.
Society for Digital Mental Health, Irvine, CA, United States.Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.
Society for Digital Mental Health, Irvine, CA, United States.Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.Reliant Medical Group, OptumCare, Worcester, MA, United States.
Division of Services and Intervention Research, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
One Medical, Alliant University-San Francisco Bay, California School of Professional Psychology, San Francisco, CA, United States.
Big Health, San Francisco, CA, United States.
Development & Commercialization, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Inc, Princeton, NJ, United States.
Modern Health, San Francsico, CA, United States.
Woebot Health, San Francisco, CA, United States.
American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, United States.
Care Management Institute, Mental Health and Wellness, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA, United States.
Department of Preventive Medicine, Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.
AbleTo Inc., New York, NY, United States.
Digital Therapeutics Alliance, Arlington, VA, United States.
National Center for PTSD, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Palo Alto, CA, United States.Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.
Adaptive Health, Chicago, IL, United States.
Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, United States.
Kooth Digital Health Services, Chicago, IL, United States.
Society for Digital Mental Health, Irvine, CA, United States.
SilverCloud by Amwell, Dublin, Ireland.School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Digital Health and Engagement, Banner Health, Phoenix, AZ, United States.
Pediatric Psychology and Psychiatry, Akron Children's Hospital, Akron, OH, United States.Department of Psychiatry and Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
Mental Health America, Alexandria, VA, United States.
Society for Digital Mental Health, Irvine, CA, United States.Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States.
Digital mental health treatment implementation playbook: successful practices from implementation experiences in American healthcare organizations.
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan.
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan.
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan. Electronic address: murayama.keitaro.003@m.kyushu-u.ac.jp.
Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan.
Division of Radiology, Department of Medical Technology, Kyushu University Hospital, Japan, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan.
Hypogyrification in the medial regions of the temporal and occipital lobes in hoarding disorder.
Although the etiology of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) is not well understood, based on a new theory, it may be caused by a decrease in the supply of blood to the femoral head. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of a decrease in bone mineral density (BMD) and an increase in thickness of articular cartilage on the supply of blood to the femoral head in this group of patients.This case study was based on a simulation analysis. Computed tomography scan images of a subject with Perthes disease were used to create a three-dimensional model of the hip joint on both the normal and Perthes sides. In addition, modeling of the blood vessels of the femoral head, including the foveolar and retinacular arteries, was performed during this study.Increased stress on all articular components (femoral head, acetabulum, articular cartilage, and blood vessels) was observed on the Perthes side compared to the normal side. On the Perthes side with normal articular cartilage thickness, stress on all components, particularly the femur, showed a significant increase compared to the normal side.Increased deformation of the femoral head vessels was observed in patients with Perthes condition and when increased thickness of the articular cartilage was observed. A decrease in BMD can evidently increase the stress applied to the arteries of the femoral head, ultimately leading to death of the femoral head.
Orthopaedic and Rahabilitation Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Orthopaedic and Rahabilitation Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.Department of Orthotics and Prosthetics, Rehabilitation Faculty, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
Evaluation of the Influence of Changes in Bone Mineral Density and Increases in Articular Cartilage Thickness on Blood Supply of the Femoral Head in Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease.
We aimed to examine the outcomes of arthritic congenital dislocation of hip in adults after subtrochanteric shortening derotation osteotomy (SSDO) with cementless hip arthroplasty at a minimum follow-up period of five years. Bibliographic databases were searched and isolated studies were divided into three groups (1, 2, and 3) based on the femoral stem type (modular, monoblock, or mixed). We pooled 931 hips/737 patients from 20 studies. The mean difference in the Harris hip score (HHS) before and after the operation was 47.55 (95% confidence interval [CI] 43.16, 51.94). On subgroup analysis the mean differences of 46.59 (95% CI 41.67, 51.51), 48.24 (95% CI 41.37, 55.11), and 47.30 (95% CI 43.85, 50.75), respectively in HHS were noted in groups 1, 2, and 3. The incidence of uncontrolled proximal femur fractures was comparable at 7.9% and 4.2% in groups 1 and 2; however, it was 0% and 16.6% for controlled fractures. The incidences of nonunion, dislocation, nerve paralysis, heterotopic ossification and revision due to any cause were 0.3%, 6.5%, 1.7%, 2.1%, and 7.9% for group 1 and 1.9%, 4.3%, 1.6%, 5.6%, and 7.4% for group 2. Similar improvements in functional outcome for both monoblock and modular stems can be expected. An increased incidence of controlled proximal femur fractures was observed with use of modular stems. The nonunion at the SSDO site was sporadic.
Department of Orthopedics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur, India.
Similar Outcomes between Monoblock and Modular Femoral Stems in Total Hip Arthroplasty with Shortening Osteotomy for Dysplastic Hips at Five Years: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis.
Trochanteric fractures of the femur pose an increasing burden for elderly people. The standard treatment for these types of fractures includes cephalomedullary nailing, which can be augmented with cement. Although many studies have reported on the stability of this augmented construct, few studies have examined its clinical benefit and safety. Therefore, the objective of this meta-analysis is to examine the perioperative complications and postoperative mortality associated with cement-augmented nails in the management of intertrochanteric and pertrochanteric fractures of the hip. A search of PubMed, Cochrane, and Google Scholar (pages 1-20) until January 2024 was conducted. Analysis of the outcomes included perioperative complications and postoperative mortality. Seven studies were included in this meta-analysis. Fewer perioperative complications were observed when using a cemented femoral nail (P=0.002), although there was no difference in postoperative mortality (P=0.30). This meta-analysis is the first to assess the safety of a cement-augmented femoral nail in management of intertrochanteric and pertrochanteric fractures. The results showed a reduced rate of perioperative complications, which may be attributed to a more a solid construct, which reduced the duration of postoperative immobilization as well as use of a proper augmentation technique, resulting in a reduced rate of cement-associated complications.
Division of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hotel Dieu de France, Beirut, Lebanon.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Trauma, LAU Medical Center - Rizk Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon.
Department of Orthopaedics, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
Safety of Cement-augmented Femoral Cephalomedullary Nails: A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review.
Steroids are used in management of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with severe illness and their use has been demonstrated to decrease mortality. Although life-saving, steroids are well documented as risk factors for osteonecrosis. Osteonecrosis of the hip can be debilitating and surgery may be required to improve the quality of life. With the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, osteonecrosis of the hip and other joints resulting from steroid use is expected to show a sharp rise in the coming years. In this review we discuss the association between steroids and osteonecrosis, indications for steroid therapy in COVID-19 patients, and incidence, diagnosis, and treatment of osteonecrosis secondary to steroids in COVID-19.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Medicover, Navi Mumbai, India.
Department of Medicine, Wright Center, Scranton, PA, USA.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, India.
Osteonecrosis following Steroid Therapy in COVID-19 Patients: An Outlook on the Emerging Problem.
For end stage arthritis of the hip joint, total hip arthroplasty (THA) is the treatment of choice. Dual mobility (DM) liner is an implant designed to provide enhanced stability. Long-term effects and implant survivability remain areas of active research despite modern advancements in increased jump distance and dislocation reductions. The aim of this study is to understand the current research landscape and emerging trends through a bibliometric analysis of DM THA.An analysis of THA DM publications from between 1982-2022 was conducted through an extensive review of Web of Science Core Collection literature. To identify key trends, contributions, and thematic areas of focus, data on publications, authors, institutions, and countries were extracted and analyzed.The bibliographic search identified 314 articles, with a notable increase in publications over the period of study. Globally, the leading contributors were France and the USA. The analysis highlighted the Journal of Arthroplasty as the most relevant journal. Research themes included mechanical complications, comparative outcomes, metallosis, and corrosion concerns.This study provides a comprehensive DM THA research landscape overview highlighting postoperative outcome value. In an effort to guide future research, contributors, sources, and thematic trends were analyzed.
Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
Bibliometric Analysis of Dual Mobility Total Hip Arthroplasty.
Fractures of the posterior column and posterior wall acetabulum are the most common pelvic fractures. In this study, we aimed to test the design of a new acetabular plate that combines the spring plate's function and the plate's reconstruction. This design should ease fixation and reduce surgery time, but is biomechanically untested. We analyzed this plate using finite element analysis (FEA).This observational study compares seven pelvic models: normal pelvis, posterior wall acetabular fracture, posterior column fracture, these two fractures combined, and the three fracture models fixed with the new acetabular plate. The evaluation was based on the analysis of deformation and stress distribution in each pelvic model under a force of 1,000 N directed at 45° from the sagittal and coronal planes.In the normal pelvis, the greatest deformity was found on the ischial tuberosity (up to 3.91 mm and stress distribution tend to be homogenous. The new acetabular plate normalized the deformity and stress distribution to resemble the normal pelvis with highest stress on the ischial tuberosity and inferior side of the acetabulum. The largest deformation was in the middle of the plate and in the screw.The novel plate can normalize stress and deformity in a fractured pelvis and may provide a solution for combining the posterior column and posterior wall of the acetabulum.
Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia.Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia.
Integrated Digital Design Laboratorium, Department of Product Design/Health Technology, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Surabaya, Indonesia.
Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Surabaya, Indonesia.
Finite Element Analysis of a New Acetabular Plate in the Combined Posterior Column and Posterior Acetabular Wall Fracture Model.
Thyroid diseases, including hypo- or hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer, are among the most prevalent endocrine disorders that remain challenging to diagnose accurately, and conventional treatments have low therapeutic efficacy. Recently, a wide variety of innovations in the area of nanomedicine, including nanotechnology-based quick and portable diagnostic tools and targeted delivery of pharmaceutics for thyroid disorders, are looking extremely promising. Hence, this review elaborates on the pathogenesis of thyroid disorders and the unique composition, structural attributes, synthesis methodologies, and surface design of nanoplatforms, focusing on the three principal application domains of nanomedicine in thyroid disorders: nanodiagnosis, nanotherapy, and nanotheranostics. Subsequently, cutting-edge studies featuring a series of notable and noteworthy accomplishments are comprehensively summarized, highlighting the intrinsic interaction between nanomedicines and thyroid dysfunctions; particular emphasis is placed on the biosafety of nanomedicines, which seeks to facilitate the future clinical translation of this emerging discipline. This comprehensive review concludes by identifying potential challenges and future perspectives of nanomedicine for the diagnosis and therapy of thyroid disorders.
Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus UNAM 3001, 76230 Juriquilla, QRO Mexico.Institute of Advanced Materials for Sustainable Manufacturing, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Querétaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, 76130 Querétaro, Mexico.
School of Engineering and Sciences, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Querétaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, 76130 Querétaro, Mexico.School of Medicine and Health Science, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico.
Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus UNAM 3001, 76230 Juriquilla, QRO Mexico.
Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Chennai, India.
Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Institute of Advanced Materials for Sustainable Manufacturing, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Querétaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, 76130 Querétaro, Mexico.
School of Engineering and Sciences, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Querétaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, 76130 Querétaro, Mexico.
Recent advances in nanomedicine for the diagnosis and therapy of thyroid disorders.
The purpose of the study is to examine the efficacy of intravenous injections of tranexamic acid (TXA) in reducing perioperative blood loss in patients scheduled for open reduction and internal fixation for pelvic fractures (Tile B and C). A study population with greater homogeneity was selected to minimize confounding variables related to fracture and fixation methods that may reflect an accurate result.A prospective randomized controlled trial including 100 patients who received either 15 mg/kg of TXA added to 40 mL saline twice separated by 3 hours interval or a similar volume of normal saline (~50 mL twice in same manner) intravenously. Measurement of hemoglobin was performed preoperatively and postoperatively. Blood loss in drain, blood units transfused, and complications were recorded.The mean decrease in hematocrit levels (preoperatively and postoperatively) was 3.2% in the trial group versus 3.7% in the control group (P>0.05). Mean total blood loss was 1,106 and 1,340 mL (trial vs. control group [P<0.05]). The mean operative time was 122.5 and 130.3 minutes (trial vs. control group [P>0.05]). Mean collected blood from the drain was 155 and 170 mL (trial vs. control group [P>0.05]). The transfusion rate was 28% and 76% while the mean for transfused units was 0.72 and 1.1 units (trial vs. control group [P<0.05]). There were no venous thromboembolic events.Intravenous injection of TXA in pelvic fractures was effective in reducing blood loss and the rates of blood transfusion. There were no associated thromboembolic complications.
Pelvis Fracture and Arthroplasty Unit, Orthopaedic Department, Kasr Alainy Hospital, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Intravenous Injection of Tranexamic Acid in Patients with Pelvic Fractures: A Prospective Randomized Trial.
Department of Orthopaedics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jodhpur, India.
Department of Radiodiagnosis, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jodhpur, India.
Department of Orthopaedics, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Retraction: Difference of Neck Shortening in Femoral Neck Fracture between Femoral Neck System and Multiple Cannulated Cancellous Screws: Single Center, Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: ana.weidenauer@meduniwien.ac.at.
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2025-04;93():66-67.
The role of esketamine in persistent long COVID with predominant psychiatric manifestations.
The use of extended reality (XR) / immersive technologies such as virtual, augmented, mixed reality and virtual worlds (Metaverse) raises issues of ethical concern. The various issues, if left unaddressed, may impact human wellbeing over time. Immersive technologies are used in entertainment, commerce, training, education, health, and the military among others. Subsequently, there is a broad spectrum of users with various degrees of competencies and vulnerabilities. Special attention regarding long-term effects of immersive technologies on children and the lack of consideration of inclusivity for all persons in society is essential. Several publications have highlighted ethical issues related to immersive technologies, and some have sought to address these issues by proposing solutions or approaches in the form of frameworks, codes of conduct or best practices. This review examined literature between 2000 and 2023 to identify proposed or adopted ethical frameworks, codes of conduct or best practices for immersive technologies. Qualitative research method was applied, using a scoping review approach. Twenty-eight papers were selected for analysis. Approximately 70% of the selected papers were published between 2020 and 2022. Using an inductive thematic analysis method, seven fundamental values and twenty-two corresponding principles were generated. The main values are respect for persons, well-being, safety, integrity and trust, justice, and responsiveness. The dominant principles identified are privacy, informed consent, responsibility, transparency, and freedom. The authors of the papers were predominantly academic researchers. The normative approaches to addressing ethical issues were organised into four domains: society and governance, industry, research/academic organisations, and individuals. Recommendations are: 1) development and/or application of laws or guidelines to ethical, legal, and social issues with immersive technologies; 2) adoption of inclusive approaches to design and development; 3) minimisation of risk for research participants; 4) empowerment of users of immersive technologies; and 5) promotion of responsibility and sincerity in the use of virtual space, especially in matters concerning identity and conduct.
Universitetet i Oslo, Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Open AR Cloud Europe gUG, Munich, Germany.
University of South-Eastern Norway, Kongsberg, Buskerud, Norway.
Universitetet i Oslo, Oslo, Oslo, Norway.University of South-Eastern Norway, Kongsberg, Buskerud, Norway.
The use of technologies like virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, and the Metaverse raises ethical concerns. If these concerns are not addressed, they may negatively affect people's well-being. Immersive technologies are used in various areas such as entertainment, business, education, healthcare, and the military. This means there are different types of users with different levels of skills and vulnerabilities. We need to pay special attention to the long-term effects of these technologies and ensure that inclusivity is considered for everyone in society. Numerous publications have identified ethical issues related to immersive technologies and have proposed solutions in the form of frameworks, codes of conduct, and best practices mitigating risk. To explore the different ethical approaches, we conducted a review of relevant literature from 2000 to 2023. Our analysis focused on 28 papers, with around 70% of them published between 2020 and 2022. Through this analysis, we identified seven core values and twenty-two corresponding principles. The key values include respect for individuals, well-being, safety, integrity and trust, justice, and responsiveness. The most frequently mentioned principles include privacy, informed consent, responsibility, transparency, and freedom. Academic researchers authored many of the papers. The ethical approaches were categorized into the following four domains: 1) society and governance, 2) industry, 3) research/academic organizations, and 4) individuals. Based on our findings, we recommend the following: 1) laws and/or guidelines should be developed and/or applied to ethical, legal, and social issues with immersive technologies; 2) industry practitioners should adopt inclusive approaches to design and development; 3) developers and researchers should minimise risk for research participants; 4) empowerment of users of immersive technologies; and 5) promotion of responsibility and sincerity in the use of virtual space, specially in matters concerning identity and conduct.
A scoping review of the ethics frameworks describing issues related to the use of extended reality.
Total hip arthroplasty (THA), a commonly performed surgical procedure for management of end-stage osteoarthritis, is considered minimally invasive and the popularity of the direct anterior approach (DAA) is increasing. The objective of this study is to analyze the current literature on DAA THA through conduct of a comprehensive bibliometric analysis.A comprehensive search of the Web of Science Core Collection was conducted for identification of articles published between 1993 and 2022. Specific keywords associated with hip replacement and the anterior approach were used as an attempt to identify articles published in scientific journals.As a result of the analysis, 743 articles were linked to DAA THA. The highest number of annual publications was reported for 2021, with 120 articles, followed by 2022 with 113 articles, 2020 with 104 articles, and 2018 with 69 articles. The United States led in contributions with 34.1% in production. The Medical University of Innsbruck contributed the highest number of studies with 263 articles, followed by the University of Ottawa with 229. The Journal of Arthroplasty emerged as the most influential journal with 903 articles and 4,571 citations. Keywords including dislocation, posterior approach, and revision were used frequently in 2015-2020, along with the increasing emphasis on perioperative complications and comparing different approaches.The findings of this analysis provide helpful insights into the current attitude regarding DAA THA research, highlighting emerging trends and guiding the direction of future research. The increasing scientific production reflects growing interest in DAA THA.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon.
Trends and Insights in Direct Anterior Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis.
Pelvic ring injuries with rotational and translational instability are complex and often result from high-energy trauma, posing significant challenges in management. Internal fixation has emerged as the preferred approach, with traditional methods such as iliosacral screw fixation exhibiting drawbacks like implant-related morbidity and hardware complications. This paper presents a modified minimally invasive transiliac plating technique aimed at addressing these challenges. The surgical technique involves careful preoperative planning, precise patient positioning, and meticulous exposure of the posterior pelvic structures. Key steps include osteotomy of the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS), formation of a subcutaneous tunnel, contouring and placement of the plate, and fixation with strategically positioned screws. Additionally, the modified technique incorporates the replacement of the osteotomized PSIS bony fragment, providing secondary stability and minimizing the risk of implant back out. This modification aims to enhance biomechanical stability, reduce implant-related morbidity, and ensure optimal functional outcomes. The technique's efficacy is supported by biomechanical principles and clinical studies, indicating its potential as a promising alternative in the management of unstable pelvic ring injuries. Overall, this modified approach offers improved patient comfort, reduced surgical risks, and enhanced long-term outcomes, contributing to advancements in pelvic ring fracture management.
Modified Transiliac Plating Technique for Complex Posterior Pelvic Ring Injuries.
Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences & Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea.
Commentary: Volumetry for Lung Nodule Assessment.
National guidelines for the acute management of sickle cell disease vaso-occlusive episodes recommend the use of a patient-specific or a weight-based protocol. The authors compared patient satisfaction with pain management between those randomized to receive either a patient-specific or weight-based pain protocol in the COMPARE-VOE randomized control trial.Participants with sickle cell disease were pre-enrolled and patient satisfaction with pain management was assessed at the time of discharge from the 6 participating emergency departments. Patients were randomized to receive a patient-specific or weight-based pain protocol. The authors compared continuous variables between the patient-specific and weight-based protocols with the 2-sample t test and categorical variables by the chi-square test.The authors enrolled 104 participants. Compared with satisfaction with pain management on previous ED visits, more participants in the patient-specific protocol group than the weight-based group (57.1% vs 31.8%; P = .02) were satisfied with pain management. Most who were discharged home (91.2%) felt their pain was sufficiently relieved to be discharged home.These findings support evidence-based guidelines to manage vaso-occlusive episodes in emergency departments. Patient-specific protocols can be implemented by partnering with local sickle cell disease providers to make protocols available in the emergency department.
Copyright © 2024 Emergency Nurses Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Impact of Individualized Versus Weight-Based Pain Protocols on Patient Satisfaction for Patients With Sickle Cell Disease Experiencing a Vaso-Occlusive Episode.
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Pusan National University Hospital, Medical Research Institution, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
Correction: Commentary: Is the Data Strong Enough to Prorocolize the Approach in Diaphragmatic Hernia Repair? Aspects of Technique and the Sample Size of a Longitudinal Single-Center Study.
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Commentary: The Balloon and Glue Technique in Acute Type A Aortic Dissection: Considerations for Optimization and Clinical Application.
This study examines the trends, patterns, and potential health disparities in health care utilization among children with medical complexity, before and during COVID pandemic through a retrospective chart review. Our findings show significant differences in the average number of visits per patient over the years and support the adoption of telehealth consultations, while highlighting concerns about demographic disparities.
© Onur Asan, Ilse Super, Stephen Percy, Katharine N Clouser. Originally published in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting (https://pediatrics.jmir.org).
Department of Systems and Enterprises, Stevens Institute of Technology, 1 Castle Terrace Dr, Hoboken, NJ, 07030, United States, 1 201-216-5514.
Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ, United States.
The Effect of COVID-19 on Health Care Utilization Among Children with Medical Complexity: Retrospective Chart Review Study.
Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Center for Healthy Longevity and Aging Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan; Taipei Municipal Gan-Dau Hospital (Managed by Taipei Veterans General Hospital), Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: lkchen2@vghtpe.gov.tw.
The global challenge of multimorbidity in an aging world.
Bdellovibrio and like organisms (BALOs) predate on Gram-negative bacteria selectively, which holds promise as an alternate to combat against multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens. In this study, two Bdellovibrio strains designated MPR17 and MPR18 were isolated from water samples by double-layer agar technique using P. fluorescens as prey and investigated for their predatory potentials against six pathogenic Gram-negative, MDR and XDR bacteria. Both the BALOs preyed on all the tested bacteria including P. syringae, B. glumae, V. parahaemolyticus, P. mirabilis, M. bovis, and A. schindleri with different killing rates. Against A. schindleri, Bdellovibrio sp. MPR18 produced a maximum of 2.11 × 107 PFU/ml, but MPR17 did not produce any detectable PFUs. TEM analysis of predator-prey interactions recorded different life stages including attachment, bdelloplast formation, prey lysis, and release. Morphologically, both the Bdellovibrio isolates MPR17 and MPR18 were small vibrioid in shape with a long single polar flagellum and measured of about < 500 nm diameter in size, suggesting that they are the smallest ever described Bdellovibrio. Predatory activity was further assessed in liquid co-cultures that evidenced time-dependent decrease in the prey cell density from 24 h with significant reduction at 72 h with different degrees of predation with respective prey bacteria. Bdellovibrio sp. MPR17 and MPR18 exhibited strong bacteriolytic activity in liquid cultures, which was equivalent to the bactericidal activities of standard antibiotics especially for M. bovis (99%), P. syringae (90%) and A. schindleri (90%). The findings of this study signify the potential of novel Bdellovibrio sp. MPR17 and MPR18 as a biocontrol agent with multiple host range to eradicate different MDR and XDR bacterial infections, which could contribute positively for resolving the crisis of antimicrobial resistance.The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-025-04230-8.
Post Graduate and Research Department of Zoology, Vivekananda College, Tiruvedakam West, Madurai, Tamil Nadu India.
School of Biotechnology, Madurai Kamaraj University, Tamil Nadu, Madurai, 625 021 India.
Post Graduate and Research Department of Zoology, V.H.N. Senthikumara Nadar College, Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu India.
Predatory potentials of novel Bdellovibrio isolates against multidrug-resistant and extremely drug-resistant bacterial pathogens of animals and plants.
This study aimed to investigate the role of Fujin Shengji Powder (FJSJP) in promoting the healing of stage 3 pressure injury (PI) wounds and potential mechanisms. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to identify active components in FJSJP. A rat model of stage 3 PI wounds was induced via ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. After successful modeling, rats in the control group received no treatment, while the positive group, negative group, and FJSJP group applied rb-bFGFG, vaseline, FJSJP to the wound, respectively, covering the wound by 2 mm continuously for 14 days. Results showed that the wound healing rate on days 3, 7, and 14 was higher in the FJSJP group than in the control groups, with complete re-epithelialization and evident regeneration of skin structures. Furthermore, FJSJP increased CD31 positive expression and elevated mRNA and protein levels of VEGF, VEGFR2, and ERK1/2 at the wound site. The anti-inflammatory effect was confirmed by reduced CD86 positive expression and downregulated TNF-α and IL-6. In summary, topical application of FJSJP can effectively treat stage 3 PI wounds in rats, providing new insights and evidence for its role in accelerating wound healing, promoting angiogenesis, and reducing inflammation.
School of Nursing, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1166, Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, 611137 Sichuan Province People's Republic of China.
Fujin Shengji Powder promotes healing of stage 3 pressure injury wounds in rats by modulating angiogenesis and inflammatory effects.
In recent years, with the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, large language models (LLMs), as powerful tools, are expected to transform traditional medical practices and improve medical efficiency and quality. In the field of ophthalmology, LLMs not only assist doctors in diagnosing eye diseases, optimizing treatment recommendations, improving medical record-writing efficiency, and providing educational training support, but also offer strong support for ophthalmic researchers in data processing and innovative research. LLMs, however, face numerous challenges in clinical applications, such as knowledge boundaries, AI hallucinations, and data privacy protection. We summarize the progress of LLM applications in the field of ophthalmology and highlight the challenges, providing references for their future use in clinical practice.
Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
School of Computer, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China.
Xiamen University Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China; School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China; Eye Institute of Xiamen University, China, China; Fujian Engineering and Research Center of Eye Regenerative Medicine, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, China; Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China.
Xiamen University Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China; School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China; Eye Institute of Xiamen University, China, China; Fujian Engineering and Research Center of Eye Regenerative Medicine, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China.
Xiamen University Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China; School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China; Eye Institute of Xiamen University, China, China; Fujian Engineering and Research Center of Eye Regenerative Medicine, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, China; Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China. Electronic address: zuguoliu@xmu.edu.cn.
Advancing ophthalmology with large language models: Applications, challenges, and future directions.
Subclinical depression (ScD), serving as a significant precursor to depression, is a prevalent condition in college students and imposes a substantial health service burden. However, the brain network topology of ScD remains poorly understood, impeding our comprehension of the neuropathology underlying ScD.Functional networks of individuals with ScD (n = 26) and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 33) were constructed based on functional magnetic resonance imaging data. These networks were then optimized using a small-worldness and modular similarity-based network thresholding method to ensure the robustness of functional networks. Subsequently, graph-theoretic methods were employed to investigated both global and nodal topological metrics of these functional networks.Compared to HCs, individuals with ScD exhibited significantly higher characteristic path length, clustering coefficient, and local efficiency, as well as a significantly lower global efficiency. Additionally, significantly lower nodal centrality metrics were found in the default mode network (DMN) regions (anterior cingulate cortex, superior frontal gyrus, precuneus) and occipital lobe in ScD, and the nodal efficiency of the left precuneus was negatively correlated with the severity of depression.Altered global metrics indicate a disrupted small-world architecture and a typical shift toward regular configuration of functional networks in ScD, which may result in lower efficiency of information transmission in the brain of ScD. Moreover, lower nodal centrality in DMN regions suggest that DMN dysfunction is a neuroimaging characteristic shared by both ScD and major depressive disorder, and might serve as a vital factor promoting the development of depression.
Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Neural Engineering, Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, No.92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300072, China.State Key Laboratory of Advanced Medical Materials and Devices, Tianjin, China.Haihe Laboratory of Brain -Computer Interaction and Human-Machine Integration, Tianjin, 300384, China.
Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Neural Engineering, Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, No.92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300072, China. shuangliu@tju.edu.cn.State Key Laboratory of Advanced Medical Materials and Devices, Tianjin, China. shuangliu@tju.edu.cn.Haihe Laboratory of Brain -Computer Interaction and Human-Machine Integration, Tianjin, 300384, China. shuangliu@tju.edu.cn.
Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Neural Engineering, Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, No.92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300072, China.
College of Medicine and Biological Information Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China.
Department of Radiology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.
Disrupted small-world architecture and altered default mode network topology of brain functional network in college students with subclinical depression.
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified multiple loci for cardiovascular disease, but their relevance to individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD), who are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, is unknown. In this study, we performed GWAS analyses of coronary heart disease (CHD) or all-cause stroke in African (AFR) and European (EUR) American participants with CKD of the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC). Mixed- effect logistic regression models were race-stratified and adjusted for age, sex, site of recruitment, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and principal components, followed by meta-analysis. We attempted replication in participants from two biobanks with biomarker or ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision) diagnostic codes for CKD. We assessed the association of single nucleotide variants (SNVs) at known CHD and stroke loci in CRIC and tested the genetic correlation among CRIC, a biobank-based cohort and published GWAS of cardiovascular disease. Among 3,588 CRIC participants, 1,203 had CHD and 535 had all-cause stroke. We identified six SNVs across three loci ( LINC02744 , AZIN1- AS1 , and ATP6V0A4 ) associated with all-cause stroke, and two intronic SNVs at the PPARG locus associated with CHD. However, SNV associations were not significant in replication studies. Published SNVs for CHD or stroke were not associated with cardiovascular outcomes in CRIC. When testing the genetic correlations between published GWAS and CRIC GWAS, they were significant for CHD (genetic correlations (rg) range of 0.39 to 0.51, p-value< 0.007). These findings suggest some differences in the genetic architecture of CHD and stroke among individuals with CKD compared to those from the general population, although large numbers of CKD participants are needed to assess if findings are related to participant selection and CKD severity, or non-traditional risk factors in people with CKD.
Million Veteran Program and the CRIC Study Investigators
medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences
Genetics of cardiovascular outcomes in individuals with chronic kidney disease: the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) study.
Assistant Feature Editor, Plant Physiology, American Society of Plant Biology.U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, US Department of Agriculture, Charleston, SC 29414, USA.Agricultural and Life Science, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.
ERF-VIIs and ORA59: Dual regulators of plant hypoxia and defense pathways during Botrytis cinerea infection.
This review portrays the role of fermentation technology in the production of fungal chitosan (FCH) under optimized conditions using statistical methods. It is noteworthy to mention that FCH is superior than crustacean chitosan (CCH) due to its low molecular weight (LMW) (≈ 20-30 kDa), polymer homogeneity, high degree of deacetylation (DDA) (74-92%), along with thermal stability, solubility at wide physiological pH and greener extraction process. Employment of suitable submerged fermentation conditions improves the quality (high DDA and LMW) of FCH for varied applications. Literature survey depicted the crucial role of recent advancements of statistical tools and software in FCH fermentation technology. A close look at the literature over the past three decades showed ≈ 64% of FCH production from Absidia coerulea, Rhizopus oryzae, R. japonicus, Aspergillus niger, A. terreus, A. flavus, Cunninghamella elegans (≈ 16% each) followed by Mucor rouxii (≈ 11%). Other fungi namely, Benjaminiella poitrasii, Penicillium chrysogenum and Trametes versicolor, Gongronella butleri and Ganoderma lucidum (≈ 5% each) have been reported. The Design of Experiments (DOE), like response surface methodology (RSM) including Plackett-Burman Design (PBD), Central composite design (CCD), Box Behnken design (BBD) and Taguchi have improved biomass and FCH yield meaningfully. Among different approaches, One-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) approach was the foremost choice (≈ 29%) followed by CCD (≈ 12%) and OFAT combined with CCD (≈11%) were employed by researchers to optimize FCH production from potent strains. Around 6% of the reports suggest that BBD, Taguchi, FC-BBD, CCD, 2 > 2 factorials have been employed at an individual level to achieve a high yield of FCH. Those methods can be employed either individually or in combination. This article comprehensively presents the basic information, performances of the statistical methods/tools of DOE and software employed for successful scaling-up of FCH while highlighting their merits, limitations, and challenges.The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-025-04236-2.
Department of Microbiology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune, 411007 Maharashtra India.
Department of Statistics, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune, 411007 Maharashtra India.
Tissue Culture Section, Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Pune, India.
School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, NI BT52 1SA UK.
The role of statistical methods in optimizing and enhancing fungal chitosan commercial production.
Assistant Features Editor, Plant Physiology, American Society of Plant Biologists.Department of Computational and Systems Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland.
Assistant Features Editor, Plant Physiology, American Society of Plant Biologists.Department of Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City 1108, Philippines.
Bright ideas: How leaf cells shape the way plants capture light.
Assistant Features Editor, Plant Physiology, American Society of Plant Biologists.Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland.
Oiling the wheels of growth: TOR kinase promotes lipid synthesis in plants.
Assistant Features Editor, Plant Physiology, American Society of Plant Biologists.Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Bateman Street, Cambridge CB2 1LR, UK.
Ontologically spiky: Behind trichome formation in lilies sepals.
X-linked hypophosphataemia is a rare genetic disorder that causes renal phosphate wasting, impaired mineralisation of teeth and bones, skeletal deformities and limited mobility, all of which significantly impact on health and quality of life. This clinical review examines the recommendations for diagnosing, treating and monitoring adults with the condition.
Avdeling for endokrinologi, sykelig overvekt og forebyggende medisin, Oslo universitetssykehus.
Endokrinologisk avdeling, Oslo universitetssykehus, Rikshospitalet.
Det odontologiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo.
Nasjonalt kompetansesenter for oral helse ved sjeldne diagnoser, TAKO-senteret, Lovisenberg Diakonale Sykehus.
Avdeling for radiologi, Oslo universitetssykehus, og, Universitetet i Oslo.
Institutt for klinisk odontologi, og, Institutt for kjevekirurgi og oral medisin, Det odontologiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo.
Klinisk forskningslaboratorium, og, Avdeling for biomaterialer, Institutt for kjevekirurgi og oral medisin, Odontologisk fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo.
Transplantasjonsavdelingen, Seksjon for nefrologi, Oslo universitetssykehus.
Avdeling for endokrinologi, St. Olavs hospital, og, Institutt for samfunnsmedisin og sykepleie, NTNU.
Endokrin avdeling, Universitetssykehuset Nord-Norge, Tromsø, og, Institutt for klinisk medisin, UiT Norges arktiske universitet.
Medisinsk klinikk, Haukeland universitetssjukehus.
Hormonlaboratoriet, Institutt for medisinsk biokjemi, Oslo universitetssykehus.
TRS kompetansesenter for sjeldne diagnoser, Sunnaas Sykehus HF.
Seksjon for endokrinologi, Oslo universitetssykehus, og, Sykehuset Innlandet.
Tidsskrift for den Norske laegeforening : tidsskrift for praktisk medicin, ny raekke
Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2025-03-04;145(3):.
In edentulous maxillae, bone quantity and quality are crucial factors for implant treatment planning and success. This study aimed to assess variations in trabecular bone density (TBD) and bone height in different regions of the edentulous maxilla, according to sex and age.100 cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) from edentulous maxilla were analyzed. Six virtual implants were planned between the maxillary sinuses at incisor, canine, and premolar sites. Virtual implant lengths were selected according to available bone volume and used to estimate bone height. TBD was recorded in Hounsfield Units (HU) at the center of the apex of each virtual implant. The two-sample t-test compared the mean TBD and the mean virtual implant length between males and females. The Spearman correlation coefficient analyzed the correlation between mean TBD and age, and the correlation between mean TBD and mean virtual implant length. The significance level was set at 5 %.In males, mean TBD and mean implant length were significantly higher than in females (P = 0.033 and P = 0.003). In females, there was a negative significant correlation between mean TBD and age (rho = -0.352, P = 0.022), and between mean TBD and mean implant length (rho = - 0.425, P = 0.005).Variations in TBD and bone height within the edentulous maxilla are related to sex. Older edentulous women are more susceptible to present low TBD and low bone height in anterior maxilla, which may influence therapeutic choices to achieve implant success.
Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.
Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, EFS, ADES, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Univ, Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales, École de Médecine Dentaire, Marseille, France; Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Marseille, Pôle PROMOD Odontologie, Service de Réhabilitations Orales et Chirurgicales, Marseille, France. Electronic address: charlotte.mansuy@univ-amu.fr.
Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, EFS, ADES, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Univ, Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales, École de Médecine Dentaire, Marseille, France; Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Marseille, Pôle PROMOD Odontologie, Service de Réhabilitations Orales et Chirurgicales, Marseille, France.
Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, EFS, ADES, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Univ, Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales, École de Médecine Dentaire, Marseille, France.
Journal of stomatology, oral and maxillofacial surgery
J Stomatol Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2025-03-03;126(6):102306.
Quantitative evaluation of trabecular bone density and bone height in different regions of edentulous maxillae according to age and sex.
In response to the problems of the easy repetition of ideological and political education cases and the difficulty of evaluating ideological and political education, this study takes the classic experimental method of high performance liquid chromatography as an example to carry out the teaching practice of ideological and political education based on the characteristics of the course. First, the aim of the experiment, that is, the determination of preservatives and sweeteners in food, was introduced. Next, the specific practice processes, including case significance, case introduction, case implementation, case expansion, and effectiveness assessment, of two types of ideological and political programs, namely, universal and specialized cases, were introduced. Universal cases consider the importance of instrumental analytical experiments, while specialized cases consider the localization of high performance liquid chromatographs. We adjusted the ideological and political content of the instrumental analytical experimental course according to the course progress and actual experience of students, and integrated ideological and political education into the curriculum in stages. In addition to the functions of value guidance and ideological education, the role of ideological and political programs in promoting professional knowledge learning and innovation ability training was strengthened. We recommend that the effectiveness of ideological and political education be evaluated by mastering professional knowledge and improving innovative abilities.
Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Se pu = Chinese journal of chromatography
[Development of an ideological and political education design based on course characteristics: taking high performance liquid chromatography as an example].
Young female early breast cancer (≤ 40 years) treatment presents unique challenges due to its aggressive features. Using data from the Taiwan Cancer Registry (2007-2017), this study investigated its clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and prognostic factors. The proportion of young female breast cancer declined from 12% to 8% during the study period. Triple-negative (TN) breast cancer was more prevalent in younger patients, while hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative subtypes increased with age. Stages II and III were observed more frequently in older patients, whereas extremely young patients (20-29 years) exhibited compromised overall and recurrence-free survival. Subtype analysis revealed worse outcomes for TN and hormone receptor-negative/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) cases. Treatment patterns showed that targeted therapy was more commonly administered to younger patients with HER2+, while endocrine therapy was used less frequently for HR+ cases, reflecting tolerability and treatment compliance challenges. Future research should focus on optimizing therapeutic strategies and addressing long-term survivorship to enhance care for young women with breast cancer.
Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan.Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan. chishenh74@gmail.com.
Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan.School of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei City, Taiwan. lmtseng87@gmail.com.
Treatment Patterns and Outcomes of Young Female Early Breast Cancer in Taiwan.
This study established a method for determining trace anions in G2-grade phosphoric acid under ultra-clean conditions that used two-dimensional ion-exclusion-ion-exchange chromatography coupled with valve-switching technology. The optimal flow rate of ultrapure water through the ion-exclusion column in the first dimension was determined to be 0.5 mL/min through comparative experiments. The valve-switching window was optimized to minimize enriching PO43- on the anion-enrichment column and reduce interference from the phosphoric-acid matrix. The use of external water mode for the suppressor led to lower baseline noise, and optimizing the elution program of the second dimension enabled target trace anions to be well separated, thereby avoiding the risk of a false positive for NO3-. The anions of Cl-, Br-, NO3-, and SO42- exhibited good linearities within the 0.5-20 μg/kg, with correlation coefficients ≥0.999. The limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) were 0.09-0.29 μg/kg and 0.29-0.97 μg/kg, respectively. The spiked recoveries of each anion at four spiked levels ranged from 91.7% to 103.6%, with RSDs of 0.1%-4.9%. The developed method demonstrated excellent stability through repeated injections, and low detection limits; it is highly precise and accurate, and meets the detection requirements for trace anions in G2-grade phosphoric acid. Additionally, retention-time comparisons with single standard substances led to the discovery of other phosphorus-related anions and anion clusters, such as hypophosphite (HPO3-) and hexametaphosphate (PO3-)6, in G2-grade phosphoric acid, in addition to conventional anions. This finding is theoretically and practically significant for the future development of purification processes for higher-purity phosphoric acid.
College of Materials and Chemistry, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China.Zhejiang Fangyuan Test Croup Co., Ltd., Hangzhou 310018, China.
College of Materials and Chemistry, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
Zhejiang Fangyuan Test Croup Co., Ltd., Hangzhou 310018, China.
[Determination of trace anions in G2-grade phosphoric acid using two-dimensional ion-exclusion-ion-exchange chromatography with valve-switching technology].
Research on governance has shown that many important outcomes have important relationships and essentially provide a framework that enables an organisation to achieve its goals, operate efficiently and behave ethically. Although this area of research is interesting, no scale has been developed in organisational settings or, made applicable to organisations. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and validate a scale of organisational governance capacity in healthcare organisations.This is a scale development and validation study. A revised DeVellis and Hinkin scale development process was applied. While 12 experts in the field of governance, health and crisis assessed the content validity, 1013 employees evaluated the scale. The scale development process consisted of exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, test-retest analysis, and discrimination analysis. The internal consistency of the scale was analysed using Cronbach's α value.The final scale is a 5-point Likert-type scale consisting of 37 items based on four sub-factors. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were applied to ensure construct validity. The total variance explained by the scale was calculated as 82.22%, and CFA results showed that the four-factor structure consisting of 37 items exhibited good fit values. The internal consistency of the scale was evaluated with Cronbach's alpha value and this value was found to be .991. In addition, in the test-retest analysis, it was found that the correlation values between the responses received before and after were positive and very high (r = .998). These results reveal that the scale has a strong structure in terms of validity and reliability.The Organisational Governance Capacity Scale , which assesses the governance capacity of organisations, is the first scale developed in the Turkish context. The development study has demonstrated excellent psychometric properties.
Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye. leyla.afsar@istanbul.edu.tr.
Istanbul University, Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Political Sciences, Beyazit, Istanbul, Türkiye.
Measuring organisational governance capacity in healthcare organisations: a scale development and validation study.
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-low breast cancer has the potential to emerge as a distinct subtype. Several studies have compared the differences between HER2-low and HER2-0 breast cancers, but no consensus has been reached. Additionally, a biomarker to predict pathological complete response (pCR) rates in patients with HER2-low breast cancer remains to be identified.We collected data from 777 patients across three centers, stratifying them into HER2-low and HER2-0 groups. We compared differences in survival and pCR rates between the two groups and investigated potential biomarkers that could reliably predict pCR.The study found that patients with HER2-0 breast cancer had higher pCR rates compared to patients with HER2-low tumors (289 patients [30.1%] vs. 475 patients [18.1%], p < 0.0001). Survival analysis showed no significant advantage for HER2-low tumors over HER2-0 breast cancers. Binary logistic analysis revealed that androgen receptor (AR) expression predicts poorer pCR rates in both the overall patient group and the HER2-0 breast cancer group (overall patients: odds ratio [OR], 0.479; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.250-0.917; p = 0.026 and HER2-0 patients: OR, 0.267; 95% CI, 0.080-0.892; p = 0.032). In contrast, programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression was associated with more favorable pCR rates in the overall patient group (OR, 3.199; 95% CI, 1.020-10.037; p = 0.046).There is currently insufficient evidence to classify HER2-low breast cancer as a distinct subtype. Our study revealed that AR expression, along with negative PD-L1 expression, contributes to lower pCR rates.
Department of Breast Cancer, Cancer Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Department of Breast Cancer, Cancer Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Department of Medical Oncology, The State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
Department of Breast Cancer, Cancer Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China.
The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou University Town, Guangzhou, China.
Department of Breast Cancer, Cancer Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou, China.
Department of Breast Cancer, Cancer Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. gzwangkun@126.com.
Differences in HER2-0 and HER2-low Breast Cancer: Androgen Receptor and Programmed Death Ligand 1 as Predictive Factors.
Breast cancer gene (BRCA) mutation is a well-known risk factor for breast cancer, and clinical interest in prophylactic mastectomy has increased in recent years. We investigated patients who were BRCA mutation carriers and underwent contralateral risk-reducing mastectomy (RRM), focusing on the incidence of occult malignancy after contralateral RRM.Prospectively collected data of patients with breast cancer treated at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who underwent RRM with BRCA mutation who underwent RRM between January 2010 and November 2023 were included in this study. Among patients who underwent contralateral RRM, those with a primary cancer diagnosis were included, and those with occult malignancy on the contralateral RRM side were reviewed additionally. The demographics and pathologies of both primary breast cancer and occult malignancies were evaluated.In our institution, 925 patients were identified as BRCA mutation carriers, and 320 patients underwent contralateral RRM along with primary breast cancer surgery. BRCA2 mutation occurred more frequently (54.8%) in the overall BRCA mutation cohort. Furthermore, we reviewed 320 patients diagnosed with breast cancer and detected as BRCA mutation carriers who underwent contralateral RRM; high proportion of them were BRCA1 mutation carriers. Interestingly, we found a low incidence of only seven patients (2.2%) with occult malignancy on contralateral RRM side, which is different from that reported in other nations.The incidence of occult malignancy in the contralateral breast of breast cancer patients with breast cancer with BRCA mutation is significantly low, and may be influenced by several factors. Increased utilization of screening and advancements in diagnostic technologies in South Korea have reduced the chance of occult malignancy in RRM, and a variety of pathologic examination methods may affect the rate of incidence.
Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Plastic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. jeongeon.lee@samsung.com.
The Incidence of Occult Malignancy in Contralateral Risk Reducing Mastectomy Among Affected Breast Cancer Gene Mutation Carriers in South Korea.
Dental Research Institute, Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea. yjseol@snu.ac.kr.
J Periodontal Implant Sci. 2025-02;55(1):1.
Advancing the Korean Academy of Periodontology through member participation.
This study analyzed the pathological complete response (pCR) rates, long-term outcomes, and biological features of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-zero, HER2-low, and HER2-positive breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant treatment.This single-center study included 1,667 patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy from 2008 to 2014. Patients were categorized by HER2 status, and their clinicopathological characteristics, chemotherapy responses, and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were analyzed.Patients with HER2-low tumors were more likely to be older (p = 0.081), have a lower histological grade (p < 0.001), and have hormone receptor (HorR)-positive tumors (p < 0.001). The HER2-positive group exhibited the highest pCR rate (23.3%), followed by the HER2-zero (15.5%) and HER2-low (10.9%) groups. However, the pCR rate did not differ between HER2-low and HER2-zero tumors in the HorR-positive or HorR-negative subgroups. The 5-year RFS rates increased in the following order: HER2-low, HER2-positive, and HER2-zero (80.0%, 77.5%, and 74.5%, respectively) (log-rank test p = 0.017). A significant survival difference between patients with HER2-low and HER2-zero tumors was only identified in HorR-negative tumors (5-year RFS for HER2-low, 74.5% vs. HER2-zero, 66.0%; log-rank test p-value = 0.04). Multivariate survival analysis revealed that achieving a pCR was the most significant factor associated with improved survival (hazard ratio [HR], 4.279; p < 0.001). Compared with HER2-zero, the HRs for HER2-low and HER2-positive tumors were 0.787 (p = 0.042) and 0.728 (p = 0.005), respectively. After excluding patients who received HER2-targeted therapy, patients with HER2-low tumors exhibited better RFS than those with HER2-zero (HR 0.784, p = 0.04), whereas those with HER2-positive tumors exhibited no significant difference compared with those with HER2-low tumors (HR, 0.975; p = 0.953).Patients with HER2-low tumors had no significant difference in pCR rate compared to HER2-zero but showed better survival, especially in HorR-negative tumors. Further investigation into biological differences is warranted.
Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Surgery, Ewha Womens University Mokdong Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. jisunkim@amc.seoul.kr.
Impact of HER2-Low Status on Pathologic Complete Response and Survival Outcome Among Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.
Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Surgery, Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea. moonhg74@snu.ac.kr.
Reply to Letter to the Editor: Risk of Lymphedema After Sentinel Node Biopsy in Patients With Breast Cancer .
Programa de Epidemiologia Clínica, Instituto Nacional de Câncer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. abergmann@inca.gov.br.
Departamento de Cirurgia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil.
Letter to the Editor: Risk of Lymphedema After Sentinel Node Biopsy in Patients With Breast Cancer .
Inadequacies in medicine are manifold including inadequate influence of opinion leaders and consensus groups on terminology, diagnostic criteria and treatment guidelines, obsolete classifications and terms as well as misinterpretations of disease mechanisms. This is no different for uveitis and possibly even more pronounced as these are rare entities.To underline inadequacies in uveitis including inadequate diagnostic criteria and treatment guidelines, misnomers, obsolescence of terminology, misinterpretation of disease processes and inadequate or underuse of investigative modalities in uveitis. This is a first report to be followed by others.A critical retrospective literature review of selected inadequacies in uveitis practice.We investigate the mechanism of abuse of power of opinion leaders through the historical events such as the delay in acceptance of antiviral treatment for zoster ophthalmicus, report inadequacies and misnomers resulting from opinion articles or opinion surveys, inadequate treatment guidelines such as for Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH) , delays in adopting appropriate classifications, inappropriate pathophysiological interpretations such as for multiple evanescent white dot syndromes (MEWDS), reluctance to implement ICGA use, a crucial biomarker for choroiditis, among others.Inadequacies in uveitis are not so rare and often result from inadequate influence of opinion leaders oe groups. Some are harmless although annoying, such as misnomers, while others can be harmful such as inadequate treatment guidelines.
Inflammatory and Retinal Eye Diseases, Centre for Ophthalmic Specialised Care (COS), 6 Rue Charles-Monnard, Lausanne, 1003, Switzerland. cph@herbortuveitis.ch.
Inflammatory and Retinal Eye Diseases, Centre for Ophthalmic Specialised Care (COS), 6 Rue Charles-Monnard, Lausanne, 1003, Switzerland.Uveitis and Scleritis Department, Moorfield's Eye Hospital, London, UK.
Department of Ophthalmology, National Defence Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan.
Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan & School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Medical Retina and Uveitis, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK.Vitreoretina, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
Journal of ophthalmic inflammation and infection
J Ophthalmic Inflamm Infect. 2025-03-06;15(1):19.
Inadequacies in uveitis: misnomers, incongruencies, persistence of obsolete terminologies & inappropriate guidelines, treatment inadequacies, and misinterpretations.
Nanomedicine offers fresh approaches for breast cancer treatment, countering traditional limitations. The nanodrug delivery system's precision and biocompatibility hold promise, yet integration hurdles remain. This study reviews nano delivery systems in breast cancer therapy from 2013 to 2023, guiding future research directions.In this study, we conducted a comprehensive search on Web of Science database (Guilin Medical University purchase edition) and downloaded literature related to the field published between 2013 and 2023. We analyzed these publications using R software, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace software.This study reviewed 2632 documents, showing a steady publication increase from 2013 to 2023, peaking at 408 in 2022. China, USA, India, and Iran were prominent in publishing. The Chinese Academy of Sciences and Tabriz University of Medical Science were key collaboration centers. Notably, the Journal of Controlled Release and Biomaterials ranked among the top 10 journals for publications and citations, establishing their field representation. Key terms like breast cancer, nanoparticles, drug delivery, in-vitro, and delivery were widely used. Research focused on optimizing drug targeting, utilizing the tumor microenvironment for drug delivery, and improving delivery efficiency.The nanodrug delivery system, as an innovative drug delivery approach, offers numerous advantages and has garnered global attention from researchers. This study provides an analysis of the status and hotspots in nano delivery systems within the realm of breast cancer therapy, offering valuable insights for future research in this domain.
Department of Pharmacy, The First People's Hospital of Yulin, Yulin, Guangxi, China.
Sanya Central Hospital (The Third People's Hospital of Hainan Province), Hainan, China.
Scientific Research Center, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, China.
Sanya Central Hospital (The Third People's Hospital of Hainan Province), Hainan, China. 13977124832@163.com.
Global trends and research hotspots in nanodrug delivery systems for breast cancer therapy: a bibliometric analysis (2013-2023).
Large Language Models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT (OpenAI, CA, US), have revolutionized scientific writing and research processes across academic disciplines, providing comprehensive support throughout the entire research lifecycle. Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools enhance every aspect of scientific writing, from hypothesis generation and methodology design to data analysis and manuscript preparation. This review examines the applications of LLMs in hematological research, with particular emphasis on advanced techniques, including prompt engineering and retrieval augmented generation (RAG) frameworks. Prompt engineering methods, including zero-shot and few-shot learning along with a chain-of-thought approach, enable researchers to generate more precise context-specific content, especially in scientific writing. Integrating RAG frameworks with the current medical literature and clinical guidelines significantly reduces the risk of misinformation while ensuring alignment with contemporary medical standards. Even though these GAI tools offer remarkable potential for streamlining research writing and enhancing documentation quality, the study also addresses the critical importance of maintaining scientific integrity, ethical considerations, and privacy concerns in hematological research.
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, 06351, Republic of Korea.
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, 05505, Republic of Korea. mindcatch@amc.seoul.kr.Asan Medical Center, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, 05505, Republic of Korea. mindcatch@amc.seoul.kr.
Transforming hematological research documentation with large language models: an approach to scientific writing and data analysis.
Fitness has been dominantly defined in terms of physical conditioning components. Under such definition, males tend to outperform females in strength, speed, aerobic or anaerobic capacity when compared at the same age and training status. However, females have a higher life expectancy, which in humans is related to higher biological fitness. Using the paradox of sex differences in fitness-where males have higher physical fitness but do not have a higher life expectancy-the aim of this opinion paper is to (a) highlight the multidimensionality of fitness, and (b) redefine health-related fitness, drawing on key fitness goals in biology: adaptability and survival. The redefinition of health-related fitness as the adaptive ability to foster survival possibilities encompasses synergies across physical, mental, psychological, emotional, social and subjective dimensions, while embracing the diversity of human characteristics, including sex, gender, age, somatotype, vital state, disability, disease and wellbeing, among others.
Complex Systems in Sport Research Group, Institut Nacional d'Educació Fisica de Catalunya (INEFC), University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain. nataliabalague@gmail.com.
Center of Personalized Phytotherapy, Barcelona, Spain.
Complex Systems in Sport Research Group, Faculty of Physical Education, Sport and Health, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, 1000, Macedonia.
Redefining Health-Related Fitness: The Adaptive Ability to Foster Survival Possibilities.
5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is widely used as a natural remedy for sleep disorders. In terms of biosafety, bio-derived 5-HTP is preferred over chemically synthesized 5-HTP. However, the low titer of 5-HTP in the reported microbiological methods (< 10 g/L) limits the industrialization of 5-HTP biosynthesis. In the present study, a Trp-accumulating E. coli strain TRP1 was constructed by blocking the degradation path (ΔtnaA), branching paths (ΔpheA, ΔtyrA) and repression system (ΔtrpR, ΔtrpL). Next, the hydroxylation module employing a phenylalanine hydroxylase mutant XcPAHW179F (XC2) coupled with an MH4 regenerating system (CvPCD-EcFolM system) was screened to convert L-Trp into 5-HTP. Protein engineering was performed on hydroxylase XC2 based on the molecular dynamics simulation of the enzyme-substrate complex, and the strain TRP1-XC4 harboring the triple-mutant XcPAHL98I/A129K/W179F (XC4) was able to produce 319.4 mg/L 5-HTP. Genome editing was carried out focused on accelerating product efflux (strengthening YddG) and increasing MH4 supply (strengthening FolM, FolE and FolX), resulting in a strain TRP5-XC4 to produce 13.9 g/L 5-HTP in 5 L fed-batch fermentation with a space-time yield of 0.29 g/L/h, which is the highest production and productivity record for 5-HTP biosynthesis. This study successfully provided an engineered strain and an efficient green method for the industrial synthesis of 5-HTP.
College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
College of Chemical Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China. subingmei@fzu.edu.cn.Institute of Enzyme Catalysis and Synthetic Biotechnology, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China. subingmei@fzu.edu.cn.
College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China. ljuan@fzu.edu.cn.Institute of Enzyme Catalysis and Synthetic Biotechnology, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China. ljuan@fzu.edu.cn.
Engineered phenylalanine hydroxylase coupled with an effective cofactor synthesis and regeneration system for high-yield production of 5-hydroxytryptophan.
Combined PET and MRI scanners allow for simultaneous image acquisition, simplifying the interpretation of both PET and MRI images. We prototyped an insert-type PET that can convert a standalone MRI to a PET-MRI system, named Add-on PET. In Add-on PET, we fully integrated the PET modules into a head radiofrequency (RF) coil so that PET detectors can be close to the brain and avoid placing the RF coil in the field of view of PET. This study aimed at confirming the feasibility of human brain simultaneous PET and MRI imaging using a prototype of add-on PET.The PET images obtained with and without simultaneous MRI sequences were identical (Pearson's correlation coefficient, r = 0.953). Background noise was observed in the MRI images acquired during the PET scan; however, the noise decreased when the count rates of PET declined. The MRI obtained simultaneously was used for attenuation correction, providing well-correlated voxel values with those using the CT-based attenuation correction method (r = 0.989).The simultaneous PET and MRI images were performed without noticeable artifacts. There was no significant interference in PET images caused by the simultaneous MRI sequence; however, some background noise was observed in the MRI, likely due to the electric current from PET modules used for counting a clinically used radioactivity concentration.
Institute for Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, 4-9-1, Anagawa, Inage-Ku, Chiba-Shi, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan. takahashi.miwako@qst.go.jp.
Institute for Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, 4-9-1, Anagawa, Inage-Ku, Chiba-Shi, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan.
Center for Frontier Medical Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33, Yayoi-cho, Inage-Ku, Chiba-Shi, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan.
The first human study of add-on PET: A PET-integrated RF coil for 3 T MRI.
Two different hydrolysates of the water-soluble protein (WSP) fraction from tuna fish meal were obtained by subcritical water-CO2 (subW-CO2) and Alcalase® treatments. Hydrolysates showed different chemical composition regarding their free amino acid (FAA) profile and molecular weight distribution of the peptides generated. Consequently, different strategies were proposed by using a stirred dead-end filtration system equipped with flat sheet membranes. Two nanofiltration (NF) consecutive steps were proposed for fractionation of subW-CO2 hydrolysates with polyamide membranes (800-600 Da and 300-150 Da) yielding a first retentate where 79% of the protein fraction was retained, while 92% of FAA were retained in the second step with a purity index of 29%. Alcalase® hydrolysates were fractionated by ultrafiltration (UF, 10 kDa) followed by NF (1-1.1 kDa) with polyethersulfone membranes obtaining a first retentate with more than 65% of protein fraction retention with a purity index of 50%. A relatively wide molecular weight distribution was observed in all streams, with high antioxidant and iron-chelating capacities in the retentate fractions.
Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, University of Burgos, Plaza Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001, Burgos, Spain.
Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, University of Burgos, Plaza Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001, Burgos, Spain. tersanz@ubu.es.
Membrane fractionation of hydrolysates of the water-soluble protein from tuna fish meal obtained by subcritical water and enzymatic treatments. Comparison of physical and chemical properties.
This study investigates the impact of dopants on Hf1-xZrxO2-based capacitors for high-performance, hysteresis-free dielectric applications. Control of the crystalline structure of Hf1-xZrxO2 films is crucial for achieving superior dielectric properties. The tetragonal (t) phase of Hf1-xZrxO2 exhibits anti-ferroelectric (AFE) characteristics and shows promise due to its high dielectric constant (κ). However, hysteresis behavior in polarization-voltage sweeps due to AFE behavior presents a significant challenge, primarily due to the high energy loss when implemented in dynamic random-access-memory (DRAM) applications. To achieve hysteresis-free operation, this study focuses on suppressing AFE switching within the DRAM voltage range through Si or La doping in Hf1-xZrxO2 films. Introducing small amounts of Si or La (< 1%) into Hf1-xZrxO2 capacitors effectively diminishes AFE switching by influencing which structural phases are favored: Si doping tends to favor the amorphous phase, while La doping promotes the formation of the t-phase. La doping shows particular promise in enhancing pseudo-linear dielectric performance. ~ 0.9% La-doped Hf0.25Zr0.75O2 capacitors exhibit a markedly improved equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) of ~ 4.8 Å and a reduced leakage current density (Jleak) of ~ 10-7 A/cm2 at 1 V, achieved at back-end-of-line (BEOL) compatible temperatures (< 400 °C). These results demonstrate a promising strategy for advancing energy-efficient high-κ dielectric materials in next-generation memory devices, offering a balanced combination of high capacitance, low leakage current, and BEOL compatibility.
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
R&D Division, SK Hynix Inc, Icheon, 17336, Republic of Korea.
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA. jiyoung.kim@utdallas.edu.Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA. jiyoung.kim@utdallas.edu.
Effect of La and Si additives in Zr-doped HfO2 capacitors for pseudo-linear high-κ dielectric applications.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cancer in men and third in females, a heterogeneous disease involving multistep mechanisms that represents 10% of all cancers globally. This study investigates gene mutation profiling in CRC using Next-Generation sequencing machine.Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues of 30 CRC patients were retrieved and reviewed. DNA was isolated from selected tissues. Desirable quality check using Qubit and Nanoquant machine was done, and desirable libraries prepared were loaded into the sequencer for sequencing. Using Illumina BaseSpace and Illumina Variant interpreter, generated FastQ data were treated for annotation, alignment, and mapping with reference genome. Sequencing-runs with Phred-score ≥ 30 were selected as desirable runs. Finally, the variants were validated on NCBI-dsSNP and Ensembl databases for clinical consequence interpretations.Overall, patient distribution consists of 12(40%) females and 18 (60%) males with mean age (53.2 + 5.3). most patients were in TNM stage-3: 53.3% (15/30) and the least was Stage-4: 20%(6/30) respectively. Overall, 73.3%: (22/30) completed the sequencing, and 552 mutations involving 29 genes and 12 chromosomes were detected. The most upregulated variants are KIT:68(12.3%), FGFR4:61(11.1%), EGFR:60(10.9%), ALK:53(9.6%), DCUN1D1:41(7.4%), PDGFR:40(7.2%), KRAS:33(6.0%), CDK4:27(4.9%), FGFR3:26(4.7%), MTOR:14(2.6), while NRAS, CDK6, PIK3CA, and RET each has 13(2.4%) apiece. Chromosomes 4:134/55(24.2%), chr7:84/552(15.2%), chr12:71/552(12.9%), chr5:64/552(11.6%), chr2:61/552(11.1%), chr3:54/552(9.8%), and chr1:43/552(7.8%) are the most involved chromosomes. Nine genes (APC, NRAS, ALK, PIK3CA, KRAS, IDH1, FGFR1, ERBB2, and ESR1) are identified as pathogenic-causing variants in CRC.This is the first NGS-based molecular study on FFPE-CRC tissues in hospital-USM that showed the most upregulated variants in CRC and identified nine genes as crucial pathogenic variants.
Department of General Surgery, School of Medical Sciences, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia. profsalzihan66@gmail.com.Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia. profsalzihan66@gmail.com.
Department of General Surgery, School of Medical Sciences, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.Department of General Surgery, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 13200, Kepala Batas, Penang, Malaysia.
Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
Department of Human Genome Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy, and Oncology, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.Microbiology Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Summit University Offa, PMB 4412, Offa, Kwara, Nigeria.
Department of Zoology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 810211, Kaduna, Nigeria.
Department of Exercise Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
Department of Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy Sciences, Howard University, 2400 Sixth Street NW, Washington, DC, 20059, USA.
Molecular characterization of colorectal cancer (CRC) using next generation sequencing (NGS) in bridging the gap between research and clinical practice: from biomarker discovery to clinical implementation.
To compare the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided (US) versus non-US femoral artery puncture (FAP) methods, including fluoroscopy-guided (FL) and non-guided (NG) techniques.This meta-analysis included 11 randomized controlled trials and 1 non-randomized retrospective study, comprising a total of 12 studies involving 5534 patients across diverse clinical settings. Studies varied in operator experience, institutional settings, and procedural protocols. Key outcomes assessed included complication rates, vessel access time, first-pass success rates, number of attempts, and the risk of accidental venipuncture.Analysis of the heterogeneous dataset showed that guided techniques were associated with reduced complication rates compared to NG methods (pooled odds ratio (OR): 0.45, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.28-0.73). US guidance was associated with decreased vessel access time (mean difference: - 16.30 s, 95% CI - 29.83 to - 2.76), higher first-pass success rates (pooled OR: 3.54, 95% CI 2.36 to 5.30), and required fewer attempts compared to non-US techniques. US guidance also showed lower risk of inadvertent venipuncture (pooled OR: 0.22, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.34).This meta-analysis suggests potential benefits of US femoral artery puncture techniques over non-US methods, while acknowledging significant heterogeneity across studies. The observed advantages in procedural outcomes varied across different clinical settings and operator experience levels. These findings provide setting for institutional decision-making regarding the implementation of guided puncture methods, considering factors such as operator expertise, resource availability, and specific patient populations.
Department of Radiology, Shuang-Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, No.291, Zhongzheng RdZhonghe District, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan, R.O.C.Department of Medical Imaging, Fu-Jen Catholic University Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Department of Radiology, Shuang-Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, No.291, Zhongzheng RdZhonghe District, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan, R.O.C.Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan, R.O.C.Taipei Neuroscience Institute, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Department of Radiology, Shuang-Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, No.291, Zhongzheng RdZhonghe District, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan, R.O.C.. twyalen@gmail.com.
Ultrasound-guided vs. Non-ultrasound-guided femoral artery puncture techniques: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.
College of Medicine, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown.
Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Taussig Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.
Department of Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.
Center for Clinical Informatics Research and Education, The MetroHealth System, Cleveland, Ohio.Department of Internal Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.
Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Taussig Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.
This cohort study compares the risks of developing different hematologic cancers in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with glucagon-like peptide–1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) compared with metformin and insulin.
Hematologic Cancers Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Prescribed GLP-1 Receptor Agonists.
Die-forging structural parts are widely used in the main load-bearing components of aircrafts because of their excellent mechanical properties and fatigue resistance. However, the forming and heat treatment processes of die-forging structural parts are complex, leading to high levels of internal stress and a complex distribution of residual stress fields (RSFs), which affect the deformation, fatigue life, and failure of structural parts throughout their lifecycles. Hence, the global RSF can provide the basis for process control. The existing RSF inference method based on deformation force data can utilize monitoring data to infer the global RSF of a regular part. However, owing to the irregular geometry of die-forging structural parts and the complexity of the RSF, it is challenging to solve ill-conditioned problems during the inference process, which makes it difficult to obtain the RSF accurately. This paper presents a global RSF inference method for the die-forging structural parts based on the fusion of monitoring data and distribution prior. Prior knowledge was derived from the RSF distribution trends obtained through finite element analysis. This enables the low-dimensional characterization of the RSF, reducing the number of parameters required to solve the equations. The effectiveness of this method was validated in both simulation and actual environments.
College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210016, China.
College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210016, China. liyingguang@nuaa.edu.cn.
College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210016, China.School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5AH, UK.
Shanghai Aerospace Equipment Manufacture Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 200245, China.
Visual computing for industry, biomedicine, and art
Vis Comput Ind Biomed Art. 2025-03-06;8(1):4.
Global residual stress field inference method for die-forging structural parts based on fusion of monitoring data and distribution prior.
D.-S. Kong, H.-L. Zhang, X.-L. Zhao, Y. Meng, W. Chai, and Z.-Y. Wang, Effect of Laparoscopic Pancreaticoduodenectomy on the Incidence of Surgical-Site Wound Infection: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 20, no. 9 (2023): 3682-3689, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14259. The above article, published online on 05 June 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
© 2025 The Author(s). International Wound Journal published by Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
RETRACTION: Effect of Laparoscopic Pancreaticoduodenectomy on the Incidence of Surgical-Site Wound Infection: A Meta-Analysis.
X.-B. Wang, J.-M. Lin, Y.-P. Chen, and X.-X. Ye, Surgical Site Wound Infection and Pain after Laparoscopic Repeat Hepatectomy for Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma, International Wound Journal 20, no. 8 (2023): 3262-3270, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14206. The above article, published online on 22 April 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Surgical Site Wound Infection and Pain After Laparoscopic Repeat Hepatectomy for Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
M.-M. Gao, L.-P. Wang, L.-L. Zhang, and Y.-Y. Li, The Effects of Evidence-Based Nursing Interventions on Pressure Ulcers in Patients With Stroke: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 20, no. 10 (2023): 4069-4076, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14298. The above article, published online on 12 July 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: The Effects of Evidence-Based Nursing Interventions on Pressure Ulcers in Patients With Stroke: A Meta-Analysis.
C. Zhai and Y. Lin, Impact of Fast-Track Rehabilitation Nursing on Pressure Ulcers and Postoperative Complications in Patients With Inter-Trochanteric Fractures: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 21, no. 4 (2024): e14534, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14534. The above article, published online on 10 December 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Impact of Fast-Track Rehabilitation Nursing on Pressure Ulcers and Postoperative Complications in Patients With Inter-Trochanteric Fractures: A Meta-Analysis.
Q.-Qi. Meng, Q.-C. Zhao, and D.-N. Hou, Use of Local Wound Infiltration in Open Hepatectomy to reduce Wound Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 20, no. 9 (2023): 3760-3767, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14271. The above article, published online on 07 June 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Use of Local Wound Infiltration in Open Hepatectomy to Reduce Wound Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
X. Han, D. Kong, X. He, S. Xie, and C. Li, A Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Laparoscopic Gastric Resection on the Surgical Site Wound Infection in Patients With Advanced Gastric Cancer, International Wound Journal 20, no. 10 (2023): 4300-4307, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14332. The above article, published online on 26 July 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not disagree with the retraction.
RETRACTION: A Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Laparoscopic Gastric Resection on the Surgical Site Wound Infection in Patients With Advanced Gastric Cancer.
P. Dai, H. Zhou, X. Mao, C. Liu, Z. Wang, and Y. Kang, Proximal Femoral Nail Anti-Rotation vs Dynamic Hip Screws Decrease the Incidence of Surgical Site Infections in Patients with Intertrochanteric Fractures: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 20, no. 8 (2022): 3212-3220, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14200. The above article, published online on 24 April 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Proximal Femoral Nail Anti-Rotation vs. Dynamic Hip Screws Decrease the Incidence of Surgical Site Infections in Patients With Intertrochanteric Fractures: A Meta-Analysis.
N. Li, S. Wei, Y. Qi, and W. Wei, The Effects of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery on Wound Infection, Complications, and Postoperative Hospital Stay in Patients Undergoing Colorectal Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 20, no. 10 (2023): 3990-3998, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14287. The above article, published online on 31 August 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: The Effects of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery on Wound Infection, Complications, and Postoperative Hospital Stay in Patients Undergoing Colorectal Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
S. Lu, Z. Yuan, X. He, Z. Du, and Y. Wang, The Impact of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy on Surgical Wound Infection, Hospital Stay and Postoperative Complications after Spinal Surgery: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 21, no. 1 (2024): e14378, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14378. The above article, published online on 11 September 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: The Impact of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy on Surgical Wound Infection, Hospital Stay and Postoperative Complications after Spinal Surgery: A Meta-Analysis.
Y. Wang, L. Ma, X. Lu, and X. Yan, Effect of Endoscopic Retrograde Appendicitis Therapy on Surgical Site Wound Infection and Hospital Stay in Patients With Acute Appendicitis: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 20, no. 10 (2023): 4281-4290, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14330. The above article, published online on 27 July 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Effect of Endoscopic Retrograde Appendicitis Therapy on Surgical Site Wound Infection and Hospital Stay in Patients With Acute Appendicitis: A Meta-Analysis.
H. Yan, Y. Sun, Y. Hu, and Y. Wu, Ultrapulse Carbon Dioxide Dot Matrix Laser for Facial Scar Treatment: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 21, no. 2 (2024): e14429, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14429. The above article, published online on 09 October 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Ultrapulse Carbon Dioxide Dot Matrix Laser for Facial Scar Treatment: A Meta-Analysis.
Z. Xu, K. Zhang, K. Cheng, G. Sun, Y. Zhang, and J. Jia, A Meta-Analysis Comparing the Effects of Cemented and Uncemented Prostheses on Wound Infection and Pain in Patients With Femoral Neck Fractures, International Wound Journal 20, no. 10 (2023): 4122-4129, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14306. The above article, published online on 09 August 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: A Meta-Analysis Comparing the Effects of Cemented and Uncemented Prostheses on Wound Infection and Pain in Patients With Femoral Neck Fractures.
W. Wu, Y. Zhao, Z. Zhang, J. Jiang, C. Feng, D. Qin, C. Zhang, Z. Xu, L. Zhang, and F. Lin, Effect of Single-Port Video-Assisted Thoracoscopy on Surgical Site Wound Infection and Healing in Patients with Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 20, no. 9 (2023): 3483-3490, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14220. The above article, published online on 16 May 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not indicate their agreement with the retraction and made a statement that they were not responsible for the compromised peer review.
RETRACTION: Effect of Single-Port Video-Assisted Thoracoscopy on Surgical Site Wound Infection and Healing in Patients With Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.
Z. Li, J. Wei, and S. Lu, Association Between Diabetic Retinopathy and Diabetic Foot Ulcer in Patients With Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 20, no. 10 (2023): 4077-4082, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14299. The above article, published online on 09 August 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Association Between Diabetic Retinopathy and Diabetic Foot Ulcer in Patients With Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis.
Q.-Y. Chen, L. Liu, and F.-Z. Gu, Prevalence of Wound Infections and Postoperative Complications after Total Elbow Arthroplasty for Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 21, no. 2 (2024): e14451, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14451. The above article, published online on 22 October 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Prevalence of Wound Infections and Postoperative Complications after Total Elbow Arthroplasty for Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Meta-Analysis.
H.-K. Yan, J. Huang, Z.-H. Yang, W.-G. Chen, Z.-D. Xia, Y. Xiang, and H. Peng, Comparison of the Incidence of Wound Complications With Preoperative and Postoperative Radiotherapy in Patients With Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcoma Resection: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 21, no. 2 (2024): e14441, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14441. The above article, published online on 19 October 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Comparison of the Incidence of Wound Complications With Preoperative and Postoperative Radiotherapy in Patients With Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcoma Resection: A Meta-Analysis.
S. Wei, N. Li, X. Li, and M. Qi, Effect of Continuous Nursing on Wound Infection and Quality of Life in Patients with Cancer-Related Stoma: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 20, no. 10 (2023): 3974-3980, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14285. The above article, published online on 27 June 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Effect of Continuous Nursing on Wound Infection and Quality of Life in Patients With Cancer-Related Stoma: A Meta-Analysis.
X. Wang, X. Li, and J. Zhang, Effects of Refined Nursing Interventions in the Operating Room on Surgical-Site Wound Infection in Patients With Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 21, no. 2 (2024): e14391, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14391. The above article, published online on 24 September 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Effects of Refined Nursing Interventions in the Operating Room on Surgical-Site Wound Infection in Patients With Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.
P. Wang, D. Wang, and L. Zhang, Effectiveness of Chlorhexidine Versus Povidone-Iodine for Preventing Surgical Site Wound Infection: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 21, no. 2 (2024): e14394, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14394. The above article, published online on 26 September 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Effectiveness of Chlorhexidine Versus Povidone-Iodine for Preventing Surgical Site Wound Infection: A Meta-Analysis.
C.-Z. Sun, D.-J. He, S.-H. Cao, Y.-H. Qi, Effects of Evidence-Based Care on Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 21, no. 1 (2024): e14403, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14403. The above article, published online on 21 September 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Effects of Evidence-Based Care on Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Meta-Analysis.
C. Zhang, J. Li, L. Wang, S. Sun, and C. Chen, The Effect of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy on Surgical Site Wound Infection after Immediate Breast Reconstruction in Patients With Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 21, no. 1 (2024): e14337, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14337. The above article, published online on 07 August 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: The Effect of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy on Surgical Site Wound Infection after Immediate Breast Reconstruction in Patients With Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.
Y. Tao, Y. Zhang, Y. Liu, and S. Tang, Effects of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy on Surgical Site Wound Infections after Cardiac Surgery: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 21, no. 2 (2024): e14398, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14398. The above article, published online on 23 September 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Effects of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy on Surgical Site Wound Infections after Cardiac Surgery: A Meta-Analysis.
Y. Liu, M. Xu, Z. Wang, X. Zhu, and J. Xu, The Effect of Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy on the Improvement of Postoperative Cosmetic Suture Wounds and Scar Hyperplasia, International Wound Journal 20, no. 8 (2024): 3081-3087, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14183. The above article, published online on 28 April 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: The Effect of Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy on the Improvement of Postoperative Cosmetic Suture Wounds and Scar Hyperplasia.
S. Yan, D. Yao, Y. Wang, and J. Zhang, Risk Factors of Foot Ulcers in Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease on Dialysis: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 21, no. 1 (2024): e14348, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14348. The above article, published online on 04 September 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Risk Factors of Foot Ulcers in Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease on Dialysis: A Meta-Analysis.
N. Yang and F. Zhou, Comparison of the Effects of Laparoscopic and Open Hysterectomy on Surgical Site Wound Infections in Patients With Endometrial Cancer: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 21, no. 2 (2024): e14415, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14415. The above article, published online on 24 September 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Comparison of the Effects of Laparoscopic and Open Hysterectomy on Surgical Site Wound Infections in Patients With Endometrial Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.
J. Weng, Z. Cheng, and S. Li, Effects of Dexmedetomidine on Surgical Site Wound Pain in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 20, no. 10 (2023): 3657-3664, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14256. The above article, published online on 12 June 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Effects of Dexmedetomidine on Surgical Site Wound Pain in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Meta-Analysis.
J. Zhou, Z. Ren, X. Gao, and X. Zhou, Surgical Site Wound Infection and Wound Pain after Video-Assisted Thoracoscopy in Patients with Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 20, no. 9 (2023): 3898-3905, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14237. The above article, published online on 09 June 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Surgical Site Wound Infection and Wound Pain after Video-Assisted Thoracoscopy in Patients With Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.
D. Zhu and Q. Luo, Effectiveness of Nursing Intervention in the Operating Room to Prevent Wound Infections in Patients Undergoing Orthopaedic Surgery: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 20, no. 11 (2023): 4103-4111, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14304. The above article, published online on 11 July 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Effectiveness of Nursing Intervention in the Operating Room to Prevent Wound Infections in Patients Undergoing Orthopaedic Surgery: A Meta-Analysis.
G. Wang, F. Yuan, W. Ying, and J. Xu, The Effects of Different Regenerative Technologies and Materials on Wound Healing after Surgical Endodontic Therapy: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 20, no. 10 (2023): 4340-4348, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14293. The above article, published online on 12 July 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: The Effects of Different Regenerative Technologies and Materials on Wound Healing after Surgical Endodontic Therapy: A Meta-Analysis.
J. Li, H.-Y. Wang, Y.-F. Yang, A.-N. Wang, Y. Shi, and T.-B. Cui, Efficacy of the Combination of Chinese Herbal Medicine and Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in the Treatment of Patients With Diabetic Foot Ulcer: A Meta-Analysis, International Wound Journal 21, no. 4 (2024): e14536, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14536. The above article, published online on 08 December 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.
RETRACTION: Efficacy of the Combination of Chinese Herbal Medicine and Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in the Treatment of Patients With Diabetic Foot Ulcer: A Meta-Analysis.
Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany sebastian.klapa@uksh.de.Institute of Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-Universitat zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
Institute of Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-Universitat zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
Institute for Systemic Inflammation Research, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
Decreased concentrations of C5a complement receptor antibodies are associated with relapse in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA).
Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska, USA nada.fadul@unmc.edu.
Addressing systemic inequities in humanitarian response: a framework for coordinated response in Sudan's neglected health crisis.
Department of General Surgery, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China xdzhu@cmu.edu.cn XudongZhu@uky.edu.Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Malignant Tumors, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China.
Comment on 'Pembrolizumab hybrid dosing is non-inferior to flat dosing in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a real-world, retrospective bicenter cohort study'.
The role of meteorite impacts in the origin, modification, and destruction of crust during the first two billion years of Earth history (4.5-2.5 billion years ago; Ga) is disputed. Whereas some argue for a relatively minor contribution overall, others have proposed that individual giant impactors (>10-50 km diameter) can initiate subduction zones and deep mantle plumes, arguably triggering a chain of events that formed cratons, the ancient nuclei of the continents. The uncertainty is compounded by the seeming absence of impact structures older than 2.23 Ga, such that the evidence for the terrestrial impact flux in the Hadean and Archaean eons is circumstantial. Here, we report the discovery of shatter cones in a complex, dominantly metasedimentary layer, the Antarctic Creek Member (ACM), in the centre of the East Pilbara Terrane, Western Australia, which provide unequivocal evidence for a hypervelocity meteorite impact. The shocked rocks of the crater floor are overlain by (unshocked) carbonate breccias and pillow lavas, stratigraphically constraining the age of the impact to 3.47 Ga and confirming discovery of the only Archaean crater known thus far.
Curtin Frontier Institute for Geoscience Solutions, Timescales of Mineral Systems Group, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
Curtin Frontier Institute for Geoscience Solutions, Timescales of Mineral Systems Group, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia. tim.johnson@curtin.edu.au.
Curtin Frontier Institute for Geoscience Solutions, Timescales of Mineral Systems Group, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.Geological Survey of Western Australia, Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, 100 Plain Street, East Perth, WA, Australia.
A Paleoarchaean impact crater in the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia.
The ultrafast control of magnetisation states in magnetically ordered systems poses significant technological challenges yet is vital for the development of memory devices that operate at picosecond timescales or terahertz (THz) frequencies. Despite considerable efforts achieving convenient ultrafast readout of magnetic states remains an area of active investigation. For practical applications, energy-efficient and cost-effective electrical detection is highly desirable. In this context, unidirectional spin-Hall magnetoresistance (USMR) has been proposed as a straightforward two-terminal geometry for the electrical detection of magnetisation states in magnetic heterostructures. In this work, we demonstrate that USMR is effective at THz frequencies, enabling picosecond time readouts initiated by light fields. We observe ultrafast USMR in various ferromagnet/heavy metal thin film heterostructures via THz second-harmonic generation. Our findings, along with temperature-dependent measurements of USMR, reveal a substantial contribution from electron-magnon spin-flip scattering, highlighting the potential for all-electrical detection of THz magnon modes.
Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany. r.salikhov@hzdr.de.
Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany.
Department of Physics, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany.
Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany.Institute of Solid State and Materials Physics, TU Dresden University, Dresden, Germany.
Department of Physics, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany. sergey.kovalev@tu-dortmund.de.
Ultrafast unidirectional spin Hall magnetoresistance driven by terahertz light field.
The retreat of the Antarctic Ice Sheet is conventionally attributed to increased ocean melting of ice shelves, potentially enhanced by internal instability from grounding lines near retrograde bed slopes. Ocean melting is enhanced by increased intrusion of modified Circumpolar Deep Water (mCDW) into ice shelf cavities. Upwelling from the release of subglacial meltwater can enhance mCDW's melting ability, though its efficacy is not well understood and is not represented in current ice sheet loss projections. Here we quantify this process during an exceptional subglacial lake drainage event under Thwaites Glacier. We found that the buoyant plume from the subglacial discharge temporarily doubled the rate of ocean melting under Thwaites, thinning the ice shelf. These events likely contributed to Thwaites' rapid thinning and grounding line retreat during that period. However, simulations and observations indicate that a steady subglacial water release would more efficiently enhance basal melt rates at Thwaites, with melt rate increasing like the square root of the subglacial discharge. Thus, it remains unclear whether increased subglacial flooding events provide a stabilizing influence on West Antarctic ice loss by reducing the impact of subglacial water on ocean melting, or a destabilizing influence by triggering rapid changes at the grounding zone.
School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. noel.gourmelen@ed.ac.uk.Earthwave Ltd, Edinburgh, UK. noel.gourmelen@ed.ac.uk.
British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK.
School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Department of Geography, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, UK.
The influence of subglacial lake discharge on Thwaites Glacier ice-shelf melting and grounding-line retreat.
Soft machines actuated by external magnetic fields have gained significant attention for their potential to interact with living organisms and complex environments. However, their adaptability and functionality are often limited by rigid magnetization during operation. In this work, we introduce dynamically reprogrammable magnetic soft machines with in situ reconfigurable magnetization profiles during operations, achieved through the synergy of various magnetic fields. A flexible resonant circuit is integrated into the machine body, enabling addressable and perceptible heating of specific regions via high-frequency fields of varying frequencies. The machine body is composed of microbeads made from a low-melting-point alloy and NdFeB microparticles. When heated, the alloy liquefies, allowing the rotation of NdFeB microparticles under a 40 mT pulsed programming field. Upon cooling, the new configuration is locked in place. This reprogramming process is equally effective for single or multiple machines, enabling versatile multi-pattern deformation of individual machines and cooperation of multiple ones. Furthermore, by incorporating addressable thermal actuation, we demonstrate in situ assembly of multiple robots. This work may enable a broad spectrum of magnetic soft machines with enhanced functionalities.
Institute of Humanoid Robots, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, 230026, Hefei, China.
School of Computer Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, 230026, Hefei, China.
School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230000, Hefei, Anhui, China.
Institute of Humanoid Robots, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, 230026, Hefei, China. swzhang@ustc.edu.cn.
School of Computer Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, 230026, Hefei, China. xiangyangli@ustc.edu.cn.
Institute of Humanoid Robots, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, 230026, Hefei, China. lmn@ustc.edu.cn.
Addressable and perceptible dynamic reprogram of ferromagnetic soft machines.
Mesoscale eddies with horizontal scales from tens to hundreds of kilometers are ubiquitous in the upper ocean, dominating the ocean variability from daily to weekly time scales. Their turbulent nature causes great scientific challenges and computational burdens in accurately forecasting the short-term evolution of the ocean states based on conventional physics-driven numerical models. Recently, artificial intelligence (AI)-based methods have achieved competitive forecast performance and greatly increased computational efficiency in weather forecasts, compared to numerical models. Yet, their application to ocean forecasts remains challenging due to the different dynamic characteristics of the atmosphere and the ocean. Here, we develop WenHai, a data-driven eddy-resolving global ocean forecast system (GOFS), by training a deep neural network (DNN). The bulk formulae on momentum, heat, and freshwater fluxes are incorporated into the DNN to improve the representation of air-sea interactions. Ocean dynamics is exploited in the DNN architecture design to preserve ocean mesoscale eddy variability. WenHai outperforms a state-of-the-art eddy-resolving numerical GOFS and AI-based GOFS for the temperature profile, salinity profile, sea surface temperature, sea level anomaly, and near-surface current forecasts led by 1 day to at least 10 days. Our results highlight expertise-guided deep learning as a promising pathway for enhancing the global ocean forecast capacity.
Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System and Key Laboratory of Ocean dynamics/Academy of Future Ocean, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.Department of Ocean Big Data and Prediction, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, China.
School of Computer Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
Department of Ocean Big Data and Prediction, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, China.School of Computer Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.Joint Laboratory of Advanced Computing for Transparent Oceans between Laoshan Laboratory and University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
Department of Ocean Big Data and Prediction, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, China.
Qingdao Guoshi Technology Group Co., Ltd, Qingdao, China.
Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System and Key Laboratory of Ocean dynamics/Academy of Future Ocean, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China. jingzhao@ouc.edu.cn.Department of Ocean Big Data and Prediction, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, China. jingzhao@ouc.edu.cn.
Department of Ocean Big Data and Prediction, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, China. han@ustc.edu.cn.School of Computer Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China. han@ustc.edu.cn.Joint Laboratory of Advanced Computing for Transparent Oceans between Laoshan Laboratory and University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China. han@ustc.edu.cn.
Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System and Key Laboratory of Ocean dynamics/Academy of Future Ocean, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China. lxwu@ouc.edu.cn.Department of Ocean Big Data and Prediction, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, China. lxwu@ouc.edu.cn.
Forecasting the eddying ocean with a deep neural network.
Multimodal optical-materials are highly desirable due to their advantages in enhancing information security, though independent modulation is challenging, especially accurately controlling the orthogonal relationship between the structural coloration (SC) and fluorescence (FL) pattern. Herein, we report a strategy which combines programmable structural coloration and switchable circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) for multimodal information encryption. Using photomask with aligned grating, programmable periodic patterns are fabricated on a polydiacetylene (PDA) gel film, which produces image in tunable structural colors. Introducing a chiral fluorescence layer containing perovskite nanocrystals and twisted-stacking Ag nanowires (NWs) bilayers, which provides stimuli-responsive FL and CPL with high dissymmetry factor (glum, up to 1.3). Importantly, the structural coloration information and FL patterns (including CPL pattern) can be independently modulated without mutual interference, even selectively concealed or exposed by varying microstructure design of the cross-linked PDA gel or by acetonitrile treatment.
State Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.
State Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.Suzhou Laboratory, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
State Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China. zhl1992@ustc.edu.cn.
State Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China. gangzou@ustc.edu.cn.Suzhou Laboratory, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. gangzou@ustc.edu.cn.
Suzhou Laboratory, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. mail.xinchen@gmail.com.
Dynamic multimodal information encryption combining programmable structural coloration and switchable circularly polarized luminescence.
Imperial College, South Kensington, London, UK.
Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.
Early Phase Clinical Trials Unit, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, USA.
University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Blue Ridge Cancer Center, Salem, VA, USA.
Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
US Oncology Research, OHC, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Baylor University Medical Center, Texas Oncology, Dallas, TX, USA.
University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Sarah Cannon Research Institute, London, UK.
Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre, Cambridge, UK.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK. matthew.krebs@manchester.ac.uk.
Author Correction: Dose escalation and expansion cohorts in patients with advanced breast cancer in a Phase I study of the CDK7-inhibitor samuraciclib.
Cholesteric liquid crystal elastomer fibres gain considerable attention as promising candidates for mechanochromic smart textiles across various domains, ranging from fashion to healthcare. However, intrinsically high hysteresis of cholesteric liquid crystal elastomer during stress relaxation necessitates a time-lag between successive stimulus detections, thereby constraining the practical use in real-world systems. Here, we develop high-tough and low-hysteresis mechanochromic fibres capable of effectively detecting ultra-fast deformations at practical levels. By utilizing a thermoplastic elastomer as a core fibre and cholesteric liquid crystal elastomer as a sheath, we develop sheath-core composite fibres. The cholesteric liquid crystal elastomer sheath-core fibres preserve remarkable optical properties of cholesteric liquid crystal elastomer sheath while improving mechanical properties, including high strength (100.9 MPa), toughness (2.7 × 102 MJ m-3), and ultra-fast resilience (60% strain at 49.98 cm s-1 strain speed) due to the thermoplastic elastomer core. We demonstrate on-demand mechanochromic fibres with tuneable moduli of thermoplastic elastomer core, expanding the fields of smart textile from single fibre to dynamic sensory environment.
Department of Polymer Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
Department of Organic and Nano Engineering, Human-Tech Convergence Program, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Department of Organic and Nano Engineering, Human-Tech Convergence Program, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. eomyh@hanyang.ac.kr.
Department of Polymer Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea. daeseok@pknu.ac.kr.
Ultra tough and high resilience mechanochromic fibres for real world stress detection.
Materials science exploits only properties that are available at ambience. Therefore, although high-pressure changes the physical state of all condensed matter, most of the extraordinary properties discovered vanish after decompression and cannot be utilized. Here, we demonstrate sublattice decoupling in a mixed-anion chalcohalide Rb6Re6S8I8 upon compression, in which the [Rb6I2]4+ framework is soft and plastic, while the [Re6S8I6]4- clusters are hard and elastic. This discrepancy in the rigidity allows the applied pressure to selectively amorphize the framework while maintaining the ordered state in the cluster, leading to intriguing photocurrent generation and enhancement upon compression. These high-pressure properties are retained at ambience, permitting scalable synthesis of the decompressed samples using a large-volume press, followed by further fabrication into self-powered broadband photodetectors with a response time of ~ 102 μs and a specific detectivity of ~ 1011 Jones. This study subverts the stereotype that pressure engineering is hardly to be employed for device applications.
Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR), Shanghai, China.School of Physical Science and Technology (SPST), ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
Sichuan University-Pittsburgh Institute, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR), Shanghai, China.
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR), Shanghai, China.School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
Synchrotron SOLEIL, L'Orme des Merisiers Saint-Aubin, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR), Shanghai, China.Synchrotron SOLEIL, L'Orme des Merisiers Saint-Aubin, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
School of Physical Science and Technology (SPST), ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
School of Physical Science and Technology (SPST), ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.ShanghaiTech Laboratory for Topological Physics, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA.
Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR), Shanghai, China. konglp@hpstar.ac.cn.
Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR), Shanghai, China.Shanghai Key Laboratory of Material Frontiers Research in Extreme Environments (MFree), Shanghai Advanced Research in Physical Sciences (SHARPS), Shanghai, China.
Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR), Shanghai, China. liugang@hpstar.ac.cn.Shanghai Key Laboratory of Material Frontiers Research in Extreme Environments (MFree), Shanghai Advanced Research in Physical Sciences (SHARPS), Shanghai, China. liugang@hpstar.ac.cn.
Retention of high-pressure solution-processable metastable phase to ambience via differential sublattice rigidity for broadband photodetectors.
The fundamental trade-off between spatial resolution and imaging distance poses a significant challenge for current imaging techniques, such as those used in modern biomedical diagnosis and remote sensing. Here, we introduce a new conceptual method for imaging dynamic amplitude-phase-mixed objects, termed relay-projection microscopic telescopy (rPMT), which fundamentally challenges conventional light collection techniques by employing non-line-of-sight light collection through square-law relay-projection mechanisms. We successfully resolved tiny features measuring 2.76 μm, 22.10 μm, and 35.08 μm for objects positioned at distances of 1019.0 mm, 26.4 m, and 96.0 m, respectively, from single-shot spatial power spectrum images captured on the relay screen; these results demonstrate that the resolution capabilities of rPMT significantly surpass the Abbe diffraction limit of the 25 mm-aperture camera lens at the respective distances, achieving resolution improvement factors of 7.9, 25.4, and 58.2. The rPMT exhibits long-distance, wide-range, high-resolution imaging capabilities that exceed the diffraction limit of the camera lens and the focusing range limit, even when the objects are obscured by a scattering medium. The rPMT enables telescopic imaging from centimeters to beyond hundreds of meters with micrometer-scale resolution using simple devices, including a laser diode, a portable camera, and a diffusely reflecting whiteboard. Unlike contemporary high-resolution imaging techniques, our method does not require labeling reagents, wavefront modulation, synthetic receive aperture, or ptychography scanning, which significantly reduce the complexity of the imaging system and enhance the application practicality. This method holds particular promise for in-vivo label-free dynamic biomedical microscopic imaging diagnosis and remote surveillance of small objects.
College of Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China. yiwenjun@nudt.edu.cn.
College of Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China.Xi'an Satellite Control Center, Xi'an, China.
College of Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China.
College of Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China.School of Information and Electronics Engineering, Hunan City University, Yiyang, China.
College of Electronic Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China.
The School of Computer Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, China.
Senior Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the 6th Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Chinese PLA Medical School, Beijing, China. joanlq@sina.com.
College of Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China. xjli@nudt.edu.cn.
Solid-solid phase change materials (SS-PCMs) hold promise for energy storage/dissipation in batteries and energetic materials. Yet, phase change kinetics for SS-PCMs undergoing metastable to semi-stable/stable phase transformations remain relatively ill-studied because trapping metastable phases remain challenging. Recently, we demonstrated the kinetic entrapment and stabilization of a highly disordered and amorphous Al-oxide phase m-AlOx@C (x~2.5-3.0) via laser ablation synthesis in solution (LASiS). We report here, to our knowledge, the first chemical kinetics analysis for S-S phase transition of the m-AlO3@C nanocomposites (< 5-8 nm sizes) into semi-stable equilibrium alumina phases (θ/γ-Al2O3) via disproportionation reaction, while releasing excess trapped gases. Our results indicate the atomic density of the AlO3 structures to be ~5-10 times less than that of the final Al2O3 phases, which led to the hypothesis of a volume shrinkage process during their phase transition. Temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction studies reveal the high-temperature phase transition for m-AlO3 → θ/γ-Al2O3 to follow contracting volume kinetics model, thereby validating our earlier hypothesis. Using the geometric volume contraction model, reaction kinetics analyses from Arrhenius plots reveal the activation energy barrier for the phase transition to be ~270±11 kJ/mol. This makes the activation energy barrier nearly identical to the oxidation of micron-sized Al particles.
Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.Nano-BioMaterials Lab for Energy, Energetics & Environment (nbml-E 3 ), University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.
Department of Chemical, Environmental & Materials Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA. dxm1936@miami.edu.Nano-BioMaterials Lab for Energy, Energetics & Environment (nbml-E 3 ), University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA. dxm1936@miami.edu.
Kinetic analyses for solid-state phase transition of metastable amorphous-AlOx (2.5 < x ≤ 3.0) nanostructures into crystalline alumina polymorphs.
Strong evidence indicates that remodeling gut microbiota may be an effective approach to combat Parkinson's disease (PD). Scorpion Venom Heat-Resistant Synthesized Peptide (SVHRSP), a synthesized peptide discovered from scorpion venom, displays potent neuroprotection in multiple PD models. However, the potential mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that SVHRSP effectively attenuated gastrointestinal function impairments and reinstated the microbiota composition in rotenone-induced PD mouse model. Microbiota depletion and FMT verified that the restored gut microbiota was necessary for SVHRSP-mediated neuroprotection against dopaminergic neurodegeneration in rotenone PD mice. Furthermore, SVHRSP gut microbiota-dependently attenuated BBB impairment, microglial activation, and gene expression of pro-inflammatory factors in rotenone-treated mice. Mechanistically, SVHRSP decreased the concentrations of LPS and HMGB1 in both serum and brain tissue, thereby inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway in the brain of rotenone-treated mice. Together, our findings provided fresh perspectives on the mechanisms underlying SVHRSP-induced neuroprotection in PD.
National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Drug-Research and Development (R&D) of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.
National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Drug-Research and Development (R&D) of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.Center of Genome and Personalized Medicine, Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.
Dalian Medical University Library, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.
National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Drug-Research and Development (R&D) of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China. zhaoj@dmu.edu.cn.
National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Drug-Research and Development (R&D) of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China. wangq4@126.com.School of Public Health, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China. wangq4@126.com.
SVHRSP protects against rotenone-induced neurodegeneration in mice by inhibiting TLR4/NF-κB-mediated neuroinflammation via gut microbiota.
Large-scale accumulation bodies composed of loose materials are among the theoretical and practical topics of greatest interest to engineers and scientists. Although accumulation bodies have been widely studied across multiple academic disciplines, the impact of particle materials on mechanical properties remains insufficiently explored. The motivation for this study is to investigate the relationship between the fabric characteristics of large-scale accumulation bodies and their shear mechanical properties, field investigations were conducted to obtain particle size distribution characteristics, which led to determining the fractal dimension D as a descriptor of the fabric. For samples with different fractal dimensions, we conducted large direct shear tests and MatDEM numerical simulations. The topological characteristics of the particle contact network during shear were then analysed using a complex network method. The results revealed that the accumulation bodies' shear strength obtained from both the physical and numerical experiments first increased but then decreased with increasing fractal dimension, following a normal distribution with a mean value of 2.5 and an amplification factor that is proportional to the vertical load. The analysis of complex network parameters also has consistent patterns. On the basis of these experimental results, this study investigates the shear mechanical properties of accumulation bodies from both macroscopic and microscopic perspectives, providing deeper insights into the link between macroscopic responses and the mesoscale structure of force chains, explaining the mechanism by which fractal dimensions affect their shear characteristics and providing new evaluation methods for the utilization and stability assessment of large-scale accumulation materials.
School of Civil Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China. huangyidan@swjtu.edu.cn.National Engineering Research Center of Geological Disaster Prevention Technology in Land Transportation, Chengdu, 610031, China. huangyidan@swjtu.edu.cn.
School of Civil Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China.
Influence of fractal fabric on the shear characteristics of large scale accumulation bodies.
The inflammatory microenvironment influences dendritic cell-mediated antigen presentation to regulate asthma Th2 inflammation. The scavenger receptor is expressed on DCs and regulates antigen presentation and T priming. However, whether the transmembrane scavenger receptor (SR-PSOX/CXCL16) regulates the phenotype and antigen presentation function of DCs remains unclear. We found that CXCL16 is mainly expressed on DCs in the lung tissues of asthma patients and asthma mice. CXCL16 knockout led to the suppression of airway inflammation, mucus overproduction, and airway hyperresponsiveness in Aspergillus-induced asthma. In addition, the adoptive transfer of Aspergillus-pulsed DCs shows the CXCL16+ DCs exerted a promoting role in airway inflammation, the CXCL16- DCs inhibit airway inflammation. Additionally, RNA sequencing and flow cytometry data revealed that CXCL16 knockout inhibits airway inflammation by suppressing the antigen processing and presentation function of DCs, which was mediated by MHC II chaperone H2-DM. Furthermore, we found CXCL16 knockout suppressed dendritic cells differentiated forward to cDC2b subtype which is mainly charged with antigen presentation to T cell. In conclusion, we found that CXCL16 downregulated the capacity of DC antigen processing and presentation to suppress airway inflammation by reducing H2-DM expression which mediated DC differentiation. The study suggested that inhibition of CXCL16 can be a potential therapy for asthma.
Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, 100029, Beijing, China.The Key Laboratory of Remodeling Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disorders, Yanji, China.
Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, 100029, Beijing, China.
School of Basic Medical Sciences, Yanbian University, 133000, Yanji, China.
Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.The Key Laboratory of Remodeling Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disorders, Yanji, China.
Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. pichm2@ccmu.edu.cn.Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, 100029, Beijing, China. pichm2@ccmu.edu.cn.The Key Laboratory of Remodeling Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China. pichm2@ccmu.edu.cn.Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disorders, Yanji, China. pichm2@ccmu.edu.cn.
CXCL16 knockout inhibit asthma airway inflammation by suppressing H2-DM molecular mediated antigen presentation.
Assessment and monitoring of surface water quality are essential for food security, public health, and ecosystem protection. Although water quality monitoring is a known phenomenon, little effort has been made to offer a comprehensive and harmonized dataset for surface water at the global scale. This study presents a comprehensive surface water quality dataset that preserves spatio-temporal variability, integrity, consistency, and depth of the data to facilitate empirical and data-driven evaluation, prediction, and forecasting. The dataset is assembled from a range of sources, including regional and global water quality databases, water management organizations, and individual research projects from five prominent countries in the world, e.g., the USA, Canada, Ireland, England, and China. The resulting dataset consists of 2.82 million measurements of eight water quality parameters that span 1940 - 2023. This dataset can support meta-analysis of water quality models and can facilitate Machine Learning (ML) based data and model-driven investigation of the spatial and temporal drivers and patterns of surface water quality at a cross-regional to global scale.
RIoT Research Center, Independent University, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh.
RIoT Research Center, Independent University, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh. mahbubul.syeed@iub.edu.bd.Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Independent University, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh. mahbubul.syeed@iub.edu.bd.
Department of Environmental Science and Management, Independent University, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh.
RIoT Research Center, Independent University, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh.Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Independent University, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh.
A Comprehensive Dataset of Surface Water Quality Spanning 1940-2023 for Empirical and ML Adopted Research.
During the last two decade, Bangladesh has been experienced a critical climatic anomalies which lead to an increment in enormity and repeat of diverse climate relate extraordinary events. Climate analysts substantiate that around the world temperature and precipitation plan is expected to change, which may result in significant influence on cultivation, work, and organic framework. Bangladesh is subsequently likely to confront critical challenges within the coming decades. In orchestrate to sufficient get it this complex, lively wonders, Analyzing chronicled Climate modify scenarios as well as anticipating its future designs may be a exceptional concern for examiner. This consider focuses to analyzes irrefutable climatic data from (1901-2020), and expect future temperature and precipitation plans in Bangladesh utilizing CMIP6 data. The data utilized in this think-around (Observed data is from CRU TS 4.05 and future data is from CMIP6) have been obtained from WorldClim v2.1. Distinctive techniques tallying relationship, relapse, standard deviation, relationship system, percentiles, cell bits of knowledge, and IDW presentation were performed to analyze the designs, changeability and spatial plans of temperature and precipitation. This think around revealed that Over the irrefutable consider period (1901-2020) Bangladesh has been experienced a vital warming drift with an normal increase in temperature 2 °C and with annually decay of the in general precipitation 607.26 mm adjacent to a move towards drier conditions in show disdain toward of frail relationship with more smoking a long time. Projected climate models talks to that Bangladesh slightest temperature is expected to expand from 1 °C to 4.4 °C as well as most extreme temperatures from 1 °C to 4.1 °C by 2100. In expansion, anticipated precipitation is expected to amplify by 480.38 mm, with the most prominent rises amid storm months. Regional assortments in temperature and precipitation are once more expected, with the Southeast (SE) likely experiencing the first vital warming and the Northeast (NE) seeing the preeminent critical increase in precipitation. In this study highlights the significant impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities in Bangladesh's southwestern coastal region, emphasizing the need for targeted adaptation strategies, local knowledge integration, and proactive national and global level policies to address and manage climate-related challenges.
Department of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj, 8100, Bangladesh. akiktanjil8@gmail.com.
Department of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj, 8100, Bangladesh.
Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies, Dhaka University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Climate change scenario in Bangladesh: historical data analysis and future projection based on CMIP6 model.
In addition to being the most used nuclear fuel, uranium dioxide is a superionic conductor like some battery materials, for which molecular dynamic calculations evidenced string-like collective motion that exists in glass forming materials. Its simple crystalline structure and the development of up to date dedicated modeling makes UO2 a prototypical material for the study of anharmonic dynamic that lies underneath its specific properties. In this paper, the analysis of two specific phonons modes by empirical potential calculation led us to the identification of UO2 high temperature phase transition as Fm-3m to Pa-3 first order transition. We propose that the dynamic coexistence of these two phases at high temperature could be an explanation for string-like motion. The prediction made by calculations of a phase transition in UO2 questions its existence in other surperionic compounds having fluorite structure, and the manner by which it can be confirmed both theoretically and experimentally.
CEA.DES.IRESNE.DEC, Cadarache F 13108, St Paul Lez Durance, France. lionel.desgranges@cea.fr.
Empirical potential calculations of UO2 for a better understanding of its stringlike motion at high temperature.
Simulating realistic behaviors of soap films is a challenging problem because the soap films have complex behaviors. In the computer simulation, various methods have been proposed to simulate these realistic behaviors. On the other hand, in computer graphics, many control methods have been proposed for fluid simulations, in order to create desired fluid animations for entertainment applications such as movies and video games. However, most of these studies do not focus on soap film simulations. This paper proposes a control method for soap film simulations in order to create soap bubbles with various shapes. Our control is performed by adding external forces to the simulation, and these external forces are calculated from user-specified target shapes. We adopt a surface-only soap film simulation based on the hyperbolic mean curvature flow because this formulation allows us to simply add external forces to motions of films. To enhance controllability around areas with sharp points, surface tensions are averaged for whole surface. Our system can also control magnitudes of global vibration until soap bubbles form target shapes by introducing intermediate shapes representing between an initial bubble and target shapes. We show control capability of our system by demonstrating various examples.
Faculty of Computer and Information Sciences, Hosei University, Tokyo, 184-8584, Japan.
Faculty of Computer and Information Sciences, Hosei University, Tokyo, 184-8584, Japan. ssato@hosei.ac.jp.Prometech CG Research, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan. ssato@hosei.ac.jp.
CyberAgent, Inc., Tokyo, 150-0042, Japan.
A shape control method for soap bubble simulation using external forces.
ASFV-G-ΔI177L is a modified-live African swine fever virus (ASFV) strain that has been incorporated into a commercially available vaccine. Its safety in pregnant sows and genetic stability in an in vivo passaging experiment were investigated. Upon inoculation of two pregnant sows with ASFV-G-ΔI177L, one developed moderate ASF-related clinical signs. In terms of reproductive performance, 43% of the offspring was born dead and the live-born piglets developed ASF-specific clinical signs, became viremic, and only 17% survived until the end of study. During passaging in pigs, ASFV-G-ΔI177L reverted to virulence with severe ASF-specific clinical signs at passages 3 and 4, associated with increased viremia. Whole genome sequencing identified C257L mutations as a potential driver of increased replication fitness and virulence. The data show that ASFV-G-ΔI177L is not genetically stable and, therefore not safe for use in ASF vaccines and suggest that ASF vaccine candidates should be tested for safety in pregnant animals.
MSD Animal Health, Boxmeer, The Netherlands.
HUN-REN Veterinary Medical Research Institute (VMRI), Hungária krt. 21, 1143, Budapest, Hungary.Avirtransvac kft, Budapest, Hungary.
HUN-REN Veterinary Medical Research Institute (VMRI), Hungária krt. 21, 1143, Budapest, Hungary.
HUN-REN Veterinary Medical Research Institute (VMRI), Hungária krt. 21, 1143, Budapest, Hungary. zadori.zoltan@vmri.hun-ren.hu.Avirtransvac kft, Budapest, Hungary. zadori.zoltan@vmri.hun-ren.hu.
African swine fever virus vaccine strain Asfv-G-∆I177l reverts to virulence and negatively affects reproductive performance.
The dataset gives a comprehensive data collection focusing on the ageing of twenty 18650 Graphite/LFP 1.1 Ah commercial cells in first and second life. The ageing from a pristine state up to 40% of capacity loss is uncommon due to the extensive testing time required. Therefore, this new data collection provides insights on long-term ageing of lithium-ion batteries. The initial aim of the study was to comprehend the ageing in first and second-life applications, with a special focus on the sudden acceleration of capacity loss that can occur after a long-term use. The ageing experiment was designed to assess the impact of various test conditions: electric vehicle use, high current charge and discharge, full or partial discharge and a reduced operating voltage window. The cells were characterised every 100 cycles to measure the remaining capacity and the pseudo-open-circuit-voltage. This dataset can help the research community in studying second-life applications or any other study on long-term ageing of Graphite/LFP batteries: new diagnosis and prognosis techniques, AI, battery modelling, and more.
Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Ampère, UMR5005, INSA Lyon, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, CNRS, F-69100, Villeurbanne, France. william@wheeler.xyz.
Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LEPMI, F-38000, Grenoble, France.
Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Ampère, UMR5005, INSA Lyon, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, CNRS, F-69100, Villeurbanne, France.
An ageing study of twenty 18650 lithium-ion Graphite/LFP cells in first and second life use.
While deep learning techniques, especially image classification using deep learning, continue to evolve, it has been noted that there is a large time gap in applying these techniques in geological studies. Recently, a new architecture called the vision transformer (ViT), which is an alternative to convolutional neural networks (CNN), has attracted considerable attention. In addition, it has been proposed that the pre-training of classification models using mathematically generated images instead of real images, called formula-driven supervised learning (FDSL), achieves a comparative or even higher performance in visual understanding. In this study, we applied these new techniques to the classification of microfossils (radiolarians). Compared with a previous CNN model, the ViT-based model achieved 6-8% higher average precision. On average, the precision of the FDSL pre-trained models was slightly higher than that of the models pre-trained on real images. Therefore, we propose that these techniques may be suitable for image classification in geological tasks.
Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8567, Japan. kaz-mimura@aist.go.jp.
Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8567, Japan.Estuary Research Center, Shimane University, 1060 Nishikawatu-cho, Matsue, Shimane, 690-8504, Japan.
Artificial Intelligence Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8560, Japan.Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK.
Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8567, Japan.
Classifying microfossil radiolarians on fractal pre-trained vision transformers.
The nonlinear characteristics and low efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) systems remain critical challenges that necessitate advanced solutions. This study proposes two innovative Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithms based on the Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) and Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO). The primary advantage of these methods lies in their adaptive step-size optimization, leveraging multiple criteria to determine the optimal step size. A novel fitness function was developed to improve tracking accuracy, minimize ripple, and reduce overshoot. Simulation results demonstrated remarkable improvements, including up to 98% reduction in ripple, 67% reduction in overshoot, and significant improvements in tracking accuracy compared to fixed-step methods. Field validation was conducted using real-world data from the Ain El Melh PV station in Algeria on June 21, 2023. Experimental results confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed methods, with the WOA-based MPPT achieving up to 99% ripple reduction and 40% overshoot reduction under dynamic environmental conditions. A comparative analysis of MPPT algorithms revealed superior performance metrics for the bio-inspired methods. The PO-WOA algorithm achieved the highest efficiency of 98.87% in simulation and 98.94% in real data, surpassing both PO and PO-GWO. It also minimized power loss to 0.56 W in simulation and 0.39 W in real data, demonstrating its optimization capabilities under fluctuating conditions. Although its response time was slightly longer than other methods, at 0.65 s in simulation and 0.48 s in real data, it prioritized stability and precision. These findings underscore the potential of WOA and GWO algorithms to enhance PV system performance, offering robust and efficient solutions for optimizing energy output in both simulation and real-world scenarios.
Electrical Engineering Department, Electrical Engineering Laboratory (LGE), University of M'Sila, M'Sila, 28000, Algeria. abderrahim.zemmit@univ-msila.dz.
Electrical Engineering Department, University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene, Alger, 1611, Algeria.
Electrical Engineering Department, Electrical Engineering Laboratory (LGE), University of M'Sila, M'Sila, 28000, Algeria.
Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Hafr Albatin, Hafr Al Batin, 39524, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing in Al-Qunfudhah, Umm al-Qura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Research and Innovation, Saveetha School of Engineering, SIMATS, Chennai, 602105, India. prabhu.paramasivam@meu.edu.et.Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mattu University, Mettu, 318, Ethiopia. prabhu.paramasivam@meu.edu.et.
Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Taif University, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia.
GWO and WOA variable step MPPT algorithms-based PV system output power optimization.
Induction motors are essential in industrial production, and their fault diagnosis is vital for ensuring continuous and efficient equipment operation. Minimizing downtime losses and optimizing maintenance costs are key to maintaining smooth production and enhancing economic efficiency. This paper presents a novel diagnostic approach for diverse motor faults, integrating time series analysis, Transformer-based networks, and multi-modal data fusion. Firstly, multiple signals such as three-phase current, vibration, device sound, and ambient sound are collected to form a multi-modal dataset. Subsequently, a Transformer network for single time series classification is developed, and multiple instances are concatenated in parallel to create an ensemble Transformer network. The self-attention mechanism is then utilized to dynamically integrate features from different modal data for accurate motor fault identification. During network training, the chaotic WOA optimizes the ensemble Transformer network's hyper-parameters. Finally, the proposed method is trained and tested on a motor measurement multi-modal dataset. Experimental results show that it performs outstandingly on multi-modal datasets, attaining a high diagnostic accuracy of 99.10%. Compared with single-mode data and state-of-the-art methods, it demonstrates superior diagnostic accuracy and reliability.
School of Physics and Electronic Information, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, 438000, China.
School of Physics and Electronic Information, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, 438000, China. yeshuip@163.com.School of Information Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 438001, China. yeshuip@163.com.
School of Information Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 438001, China.
Fault diagnosis in electric motors using multi-mode time series and ensemble transformers network.
To address the challenges of motor system temperature rising and the failure of temperature-sensitive components in electric agricultural robots, this study focuses on the cooling design for the motor system of a specific electric weeding robot using simulation and experiment methods. Optimal cooling fan configuration was proposed, and the safe operational fan airflow volume range at varying working ambient temperatures was determined. First, the thermal properties of the physical model, including component materials, internal heat sources, and fluid conditions, were analyzed. A three-dimensional, full-domain simulation model was then developed, and steady-state fluid-thermal coupling field calculations were performed for three different fan configurations. These simulations identified the optimal fan configuration and highlighted the motor as the primary heat-generating component. Under this configuration, the cooling performance improved by 22.7% and 22.3% compared to the other two configurations. Furthermore, based on the optimal fan setup and the operational temperature characteristics of the electric weeding robot, the relationships between motor temperature, fan airflow, and ambient temperature were analyzed and modeled. Real-time, high-precision steady-state temperature experiments were conducted to validate the airflow-motor temperature relationship, leading to the establishment of a safe operational airflow range based on the maximum allowable motor temperature. The implementation of this safe airflow range reduces the probability of motor system failure by at least 60%. This work provides theoretical and practical insights for enhancing the cooling design of motor systems in electric agricultural robots.
Longmen laboratory, Luoyang, 471003, China.
Longmen laboratory, Luoyang, 471003, China. wangp2024@126.com.
Longmen laboratory, Luoyang, 471003, China.College of Agricultural Equipment Engineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China.
School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi 'an Jiaotong University, Xi 'an, 710049, China.
Air cooling design for the motor system of electric agricultural robots.
Department of Chemistry, Anna University, Chennai, 600025, India. arsborg@gmail.com.Department of Chemistry, University of Calicut, Thenhipalam, 673635, India. arsborg@gmail.com.
Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India.University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India.
Department of Chemistry, IISER, Mohali, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab, 140306, India.Department of Chemistry, University of Calicut, Thenhipalam, 673635, India.
Department of Chemistry, Dwaraka Doss Goverdhan Doss Vaishnav College, Arumbakkam, Chennai, 600106, India.
School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India.
University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India.
Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India.
Author Correction: Evaluation of antibiofilm properties of dehydroacetic acid (DHA) grafted spiro-oxindolopyrrolidines synthesized via multicomponent 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction.
This paper presents an enhanced Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm for Quadratic-Boost Split Source Inverters (QB-SSI), designed for grid-connected Photovoltaic (PV)-powered smart charging stations for Electric Vehicles (EVs). The proposed algorithm integrates advanced control strategies and adaptive techniques to address the limitations of traditional MPPT techniques. By dynamically adjusting to operating conditions and environmental factors, the enhanced algorithm achieves accurate and rapid tracking of the maximum power point (MPP) under dynamic conditions. The paper provides a comprehensive overview of the QB-SSI topology, a detailed mathematical model, and simulation results. These findings demonstrate the superior performance of the enhanced MPPT algorithm, offering significant improvements in tracking accuracy, convergence time, and efficiency, thereby enhancing the overall performance of QB-SSI-based PV systems. A modified space vector modulation (SVPWM) is utilized to enhance the inverter switching characteristics and dc-boosting capability. The overall system is modeled via MATLAB/Simulink™, and the experimental results providing valuable insights into the performance and functionality of the proposed algorithm. This allows for a comprehensive analysis of its capabilities and potential advantages in practical applications.
Dept. of Process Control Technology, Faculty of Technology and Education, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt. dr.mostafawag@techedu.bsu.edu.eg.
Electrical Power and Machines Dept, Faculty of Engineering, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt.ISTHY, Institut National du Stockage Hydrogène, Morvillars, Belfort Territory, 90120, France.
Department of Electrical Power and Machines Engineering, Tanta University, Tanta, 31733, Egypt.
Smart EV charging via advanced ongrid MPPT-PV systems with quadratic-boost split-source inverters.
In this work, graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles were synthesized and subsequently modified using 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS). An Anderson-type polyoxometalate [(C4H9)4N]2[CrMo6O18(OH)6] was then immobilized on the surface of the modified graphene oxide nanoparticles. The obtained catalyst was characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), inductively coupled plasma (ICP), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The catalytic performance of this recyclable hybrid catalyst was evaluated for the synthesis of benzimidazole derivatives at 75 °C under solvent-based conditions. The hybrid catalyst demonstrated easy separation and could be successfully reused at least six times with only a slight reduction in the yield of the desired product. Leaching and recovery tests, along with FT-IR analysis, confirmed the high stability of the catalytically active species and the heterogeneous nature of the catalyst.
Department of Chemistry, Yasouj University, 75918-74831, Yasouj, Iran.
Department of Chemistry, Yasouj University, 75918-74831, Yasouj, Iran. zarnegaryana@yu.ac.ir.
Polyoxometalate on functionalized graphene sheets as a hybrid catalyst for efficient synthesis of benzimidazoles.
Magnetic biochar composites were created by pyrolyzing siderite and sawdust in nitrogen gas (N2). adsorption was done in a variety of pH and temperature ranges on magnetic biochar. A magnet was used to extract the MB-liquid from each other following 24-hour shaking period. At Iran's Geological Survey, Pb(II) concentration was measured using an ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma). The adsorption-desorption process was carried out five times in order to evaluate the magnetic biochar's reusability. The Pyrolysis of siderite in order to gain the MB changes its chemical composition and turns into a mixture of hematite, magnetite and maghemite, which imparts magnetism to the biochar and enriches its surface functional groups. The characterizations showed a higher specific surface area and porous structures in the magnetic biochar. An external magnetic field (magnet) was used to easily separate the magnetic biochar suspension because XRD investigation revealed that the primary component of the siderite magnetic biochar absorbent is magnetite, a ferrimagnetic mineral with substantial magnetic characteristics. The magnetic biochar composites' strong adsorption capabilities toward Pb (II) ions were demonstrated by the batch adsorption tests. At pH 5.0 and T = 45 °C, Pb had its highest adsorption capability on magnetic biochar 96.92%. The mesoporous structure of magnetic biochar was indicated by the type IV isotherm. It has been demonstrated that adsorption most closely matches Langmuir's model. Therefore, it can be said that monolayer adsorption has occurred. Biochar's active sites were probably responsible for the fast adsorption process. Kinetics of lead adsorption with MB have been harmonized with pseudo-second order, indicating that the predominant mechanism for Pb adsorption onto magnetic biochar is chemisorption/surface complexation. In summary, magnetic biochar serves as a dual-functional material, adsorbing Pb(II) species and reducing them to less harmful forms, with the added advantage of easy recovery and reuse due to its magnetic properties. This makes it a promising material for the remediation of lead-contaminated environments.
Faculty of environment, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Faculty of environment, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. mahsa.sanaei@ut.ac.ir.
Research Institute for Earth Sciences, Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
Effective elimination of Pb (II) cations from waste water and polluted water using siderite magnetic biochar.
The increasing occurrence of geological hazards along roadway infrastructures presents a significant concern. Evaluating geological hazard susceptibility along roads is a critical aspect of geological disaster emergency response and rescue efforts. Accurate evaluation outcomes are essential as they play a crucial role in mitigating potential financial losses. However, previous studies on geological hazard susceptibility treated all samples as independent entities, overlooking their spatial interactions. This study introduces a novel geological hazard susceptibility assessment model termed the multi-kernel density information (MKDI) method. The MKDI method integrates information value with kernel density estimation, effectively capturing the spatial dependencies among samples. Furthermore, distinct bandwidths are prescribed for various scales of disasters to facilitate multi-kernel density estimation for geological hazards. The integration of the information method enables the development of a comprehensive geological hazard susceptibility map, capturing the spatial complexities of geological hazard distribution. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, the study area selected for investigation was the G219 National Highway within Zayu County. Various factors were considered for geological hazard susceptibility mapping, including slope, aspect, profile and plan curvature, river and road linear densities, peak ground acceleration, seismic response spectrum characteristics, lithology, elevation, rainfall, and landform. The results show that the MKDI model outperformed previous methods, achieving an AUC value of 0.99. The derived susceptibility map is expected to offer a scientific basis for urban planning, construction, and geological hazard risk management in the study area.
Guangdong Power Grid Corporation, Guangzhou, 510000, China.
Energy Development Research Institute, CSG, Guangzhou, 510000, China.
The Institute of Geological Survey of China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430000, China.
The Institute of Geological Survey of China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430000, China. jialechen@cug.edu.cn.
Evaluation of geological hazard susceptibility based on the multi-kernel density information method.
This paper presents a photonic crystal-based gamma radiation detector featuring a defect layer of silicon embedded with polymer nanocomposites. The transfer matrix method is utilized as a computational tool to evaluate the transmittance properties of the proposed detector. The study investigates the effects of cell count and porosity on the detector's performance. The model can accurately and simultaneously distinguish between different gamma radiation doses by observing changes in the refractive index of the active layer. The detector demonstrates high sensitivity, with 0.804 nm/Gy for doses ranging from 0 to 100 Gy and 0.225 nm/Gy for doses between 100 and 200 Gy. The proposed model, incorporating porous silicon and ethylene oxide polymer nanocomposites, exhibits exceptional performance as a gamma radiation sensor.
TH-PPM Group, Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences, Beni-Suef University, Beni Suef, 62514, Egypt. zaky.a.zaky@science.bsu.edu.eg.Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT), Cairo, Egypt. zaky.a.zaky@science.bsu.edu.eg.Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russia, 141980. zaky.a.zaky@science.bsu.edu.eg.
Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russia, 141980.Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Dolgoprudnyi, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russia, 141980.
Department of Physics, College of Sciences, University of Bisha, P.O. Box 344, 61922, Bisha, Saudi Arabia.
Photonic crystal with a defect layer of silicon containing polymer nanocomposites as radiation detector.
School of Agriculture, Chenggong Campus, Yunnan University, South Section, East Outer Ring Road, Chenggong District, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China.Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China.
School of Agriculture, Chenggong Campus, Yunnan University, South Section, East Outer Ring Road, Chenggong District, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China.
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650101, People's Republic of China.
Dehong Tropical Agriculture Research Institute of Yunnan, Ruili, 678600, People's Republic of China.
Department of Paediatrics, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, 157 Jinbi Road, Kunming, 650032, People's Republic of China. yangjh1029@126.com.Yunnan Clinical Medical Center for Hematological Diseases, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, 157 Jinbi Road, Kunming, 650032, People's Republic of China. yangjh1029@126.com.
School of Life Sciences, Yunnan Normal University, No.1, Yuhua Area, Chenggong District, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, People's Republic of China. haosm@sina.com.
School of Agriculture, Chenggong Campus, Yunnan University, South Section, East Outer Ring Road, Chenggong District, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China. feifeihe163@163.com.
Author Correction: Synergistic effect of chlorogenic acid and levofloxacin against Klebsiella pneumonia infection in vitro and in vivo.
Department of Mathematics, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. salmanmohiuddin3938@gmail.com.
Department of Mathematics, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Computer Science Department, Community College, King Saud University, 11437, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, King Abdul Aziz University, 80200, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Mathematics, College of Science, King Khalid, University, 61413, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
Publisher Correction: A combinatory approach of non-chain ring and henon map for image encryption application.
The study presents the energy and exergy analysis of two differently shaped dryers connected to the two same type of drying system and drying kinetics of the apple slice dried in the stated drying chambers. The exergy inflow, outflow and efficiency of the solar air hears and drying chamber were evaluated. The result revealed that significant variations in energy and exergy efficiencies were observed within the dryers and solar air heaters (SAHs). The average efficiency of SAH 1 and SAH 2 on day 1 were 53.85% and 49.79%, respectively, while the corresponding dryers' average efficiencies were 37.94% and 36.15%. On day 2, the average efficiency of SAH 1 and SAH 2 were 47.18% and 44.19%, respectively, with the dryers' average efficiencies of 35.9% and 34.4%. The average exergy efficiency followed the same pattern as energy efficiency, with SAH 1 and Dryer 1 being higher than SAH 2 and Dryer 2 on both days. The drying of apple slices took place entirely during the falling rate period. To predict drying behavior of the apple slices, ten thin-layer drying models were assessed. The Midilli et al. was found the best fit (R2 = 0.9969), followed by Logarithmic and Two-term models.
Doctoral School of Mechanical Engineering, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Pater K. u. 1, Gödöllő, H-2100, Hungary. Abrha.Halefom.Kidane@phd.uni-mate.hu.
Institute of Technology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter K. u. 1, Gödöllő, H-2100, Hungary.
Mathematical modelling of golden apple drying and performance evaluation of solar drying systems using energy and exergy approach.
Nano-tendril bundles (NTBs) are clusters of fuzzy nanostructures that form on tungsten surfaces when they are exposed to helium plasmas under specific conditions, reaching lengths of over 100 µm. Tungsten samples with NTBs and fuzz were exposed to high-density hydrogen plasmas in the Upgraded Pilot-PSI linear plasma device to investigate their response, with a particular focus on unipolar arc ignition and hot spot formation. Although NTBs are prone to arcing due to their high field electron emission characteristics, unipolar arcs have never occurred on NTBs. Post-mortem analysis showed that the heights of the NTBs changed significantly during irradiation mainly due to rapid heating, and that these changes strongly influenced their interaction with high-density plasmas.
Institute of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, 305-8577, Japan. hwangbo@prc.tsukuba.ac.jp.Plasma Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, 305-8577, Japan. hwangbo@prc.tsukuba.ac.jp.
Division of Electrical, Electronic and Information Engineering, Yamaguchi University, Ube, 755-8611, Japan.
Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, 277-8561, Japan.
Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8603, Japan.Institute of Materials and Systems for Sustainability, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8603, Japan.
Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8603, Japan.
DIFFER - Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research, Eindhoven, 5612 AJ, The Netherlands.
Formation of hot spots and arc ignition on tungsten with nano-tendril bundles under high-density hydrogen plasma exposure.
This article presents a multi-point calibration approach for electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) for the trace element analysis of indium in sphalerite (ZnS). To define a multi-point calibration curve, indium and cadmium-doped ZnS crystals in a concentration range from 0 (blank) to ~ 1500 µg / g were used. The samples were measured with two different analytical settings (25 kV acceleration voltage and 100 nA beam current as well as 7 kV and 200 nA). The figures of merit including, beam stability, lower limit of detection and limit of quantification as well as the reproducibility and precision are assessed. Equally, the line overlap of Cd and chemical shift due to non-matrix matched standards is discussed. The multi-point calibration approach results in a 2-3 times improved analytical precision compared to the classical calibration approach using only one calibration sample, and detection limits down to about 20 µg / g were achieved.
Institute of Disposal Research, Clausthal University of Technology, Adolph-Römer-Str. 2A, D- 38678, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany. thomas.schirmer@tu-clausthal.de.
Institute of Disposal Research, Clausthal University of Technology, Adolph-Römer-Str. 2A, D- 38678, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany.
A multi-point calibration method for electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) of indium in sphalerite (ZnS).
In this paper, a new method for producing movie trailers is presented. In the proposed method, the problem is divided into two sub-problems: genre identification and genre-based trailer production . To solve the first sub-problem, the poster image and subtitle text processing strategy has been used in which, a convolutional neural network (CNN) model has been used to extract features related to the movie genre from its poster image. In addition to these features, the content features of the movie are described in the form of a TF-IDF vector, which is extracted through the pre-processed text of the subtitle. Using a classification and regression tree, a combination of extracted features is classified to identify the genre of the movie. After determining the genre of the movie, a CNN model is defined for each movie genre, and this model is trained based on the key sequences of movies of a particular genre. For this purpose, at the beginning of the second phase of the proposed method, the film is divided into its constituent scenes, and then two categories of visual and textual features are used to describe the characteristics of the scenes. These features are combined to determine the key scenes based on the CNN model corresponding to the movie genre. Finally, the movie trailer is created based on the time constraint specified by the user. The performance of the proposed method has been investigated from two aspects of genre recognition accuracy and trailer production quality. Based on the results, the proposed method can achieve 83.39% accuracy in detecting movie genres, which is at least 1% higher than compared methods. On the other hand, the 56.69% precision of the proposed method in trailer generation shows an improvement of at least 8% compared to the compared methods.
Faculty of Art and Design, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, 250000, Shandong, China.
Faculty of Data and Computer Science, Shandong Women's University, Jinan, 250000, Shandong, China.
Faculty of Humanities and Arts, Macao University of Science and Technology, Taipa, 999078, Macao, China. binhu@must.edu.mo.
Automatic trailer generation for movies using convolutional neural network.
Globally, the disposal of waste plastic bottles is challenging. However, many researchers reported the importance of incorporating waste polyethylene-based waste water bottles (WWB) as a fiber and treated sisal fiber separately in the concrete mixture. However, it is novel to reinforce concrete by WWB fiber and treated sisal fiber together for more production of sustainable concrete. So the present study investigated the effect of using different doses of WWB fiber with and without treated sisal fiber on the physical and mechanical properties of concrete. Also, it is detail discussed its effect on concrete durability like in different elevated temperatures and acidic environments. As the result indicates, the reinforcement of concrete by WWB and treated sisal fibers lessens the fresh density and in 5% of HCl solution, it give higher strength and lower mass loss compared to the control concrete. Also, concrete WF25 increased compressive strength by 34.6%, 7.42%, and 3.6% respectively at 28, 56, and 180 days of concrete age, while concrete sample WF100 highly increased the splitting tensile strength of concrete by 26.67% compared to the control concrete mixture. Concrete having only WWB without treated sisal fiber reduced water absorption, increased mass loss, and lessened strength at 200, 300, and 400 °C elevated temperatures. So, this study is significant for implementing improved construction material performance by WWB and treated sisal fibers, as well as supporting the reduction of plastic bottles from the environment.
School of Materials, Energy, Water and Environmental Sciences (MEWES), The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania. fodet@nm-aist.ac.tz.Department of Civil Engineering, Wollega University, P.O. Box 395, Nekemte, Ethiopia. fodet@nm-aist.ac.tz.Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, USA. fodet@nm-aist.ac.tz.
School of Materials, Energy, Water and Environmental Sciences (MEWES), The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania.Water Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy Futures (WISE-Futures) Centre of Excellence, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 9124, Arusha, Tanzania.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, USA.
Effect of waste water bottle and treated sisal fibers on the durability and mechanical properties of concrete.
We theoretically propose a scheme for generating nonreciprocal macroscopic bipartite and tripartite entanglement using the Barnett effect in cavity-magnon optomechanics. The system consists of an optomechanical cavity and a rotatable yttrium iron garnet (YIG) sphere. Our results indicate that under appropriate parameter conditions, both bipartite entanglement and genuine tripartite entanglement can be generated between the cavity mode, mechanical mode, and magnon mode. Moreover, when the YIG sphere rotates, adjusting the magnetic field direction can induce a positive or negative Barnett shift, which leads to the nonreciprocity of entanglement, where entanglement exists in one chosen magnetic field direction and disappears in the other. Meanwhile, the macroscopic tripartite entanglement in the system is robust against thermal noise. Our work provides a possible avenue for quantum information processing, quantum chiral device integration, and multi-node quantum networks construction.
Department of Physics, College of Science, Yanbian University, Yanji, 133002, Jilin, China.
Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
Department of Physics, College of Science, Yanbian University, Yanji, 133002, Jilin, China. xuehan@ybu.edu.cn.
Department of Physics, College of Science, Yanbian University, Yanji, 133002, Jilin, China. hfwang@ybu.edu.cn.
Department of Physics, College of Science, Yanbian University, Yanji, 133002, Jilin, China. szhang@ybu.edu.cn.
Nonreciprocal bipartite and tripartite entanglement in cavity-magnon optomechanics via the Barnett effect.
The integration of distributed generation (DG) and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) facilities into a power system results in altered transient responses compared to traditional AC-based power systems. This study investigates the transient stability of AC-DC hybrid power systems incorporating DG and HVDC facilities. The objective of this study is to identify the factors that influence the frequency stability of the power system. By evaluating the impact of DG and HVDC installations in the specific test environment of this study, it was found that with respect to frequency fluctuations, the DG-only installation reduced the fluctuations by about 10%, while the HVDC installation increased the fluctuations by about 90%. Furthermore, for the maximum fault clearance delay, the DG-only system could operate with a 10% longer clearance time, while the HVDC installation required about 50% faster fault clearance. These results suggest the importance of implementing careful HVDC system design and control strategies in existing power systems. The study used a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to ensure reliable and feasible DG deployment. This study provides a multifaceted insight into the influence of DG and HVDC on the transient response of the power system.
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Inha University, Incheon, 22212, South Korea.Avionics Radar System Team, Hanwha Systems, Seoul, South Korea.
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Inha University, Incheon, 22212, South Korea.
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Inha University, Incheon, 22212, South Korea. insu@inha.ac.kr.
Analysis of power system transient stability with PSO-optimized distributed generation and HVDC transmission systems.
This work aimed to automate the current manual inspection process of orthopedic joint reconstruction loaner trays, which contain multiple components securely placed in designated slots, by developing an end-to-end pipeline, including an object detection model followed by a tray layout verification algorithm. We collected video training data from 74 trays comprising 1039 unique components. We trained a single You Only Look Once (YOLOv7) model capable of detecting 1039 classes, where we customized the loss and non-max suppression (NMS) functions. For layout verification, we implemented an in-house algorithm based on a pretrained Local Feature Matching with Transformer (LoFTR) model to verify each component's presence and correct placement within a tray. We evaluated our end-to-end pipeline on 139 testing inspection images and achieved an overall mean average precision (mAP@0.5) and false-positive rate of 0.94 ± 0.10 and 0.05 ± 0.08, respectively, across 12 test scenarios. Our enhanced YOLOv7-X architecture outperformed the Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (Faster-RCNN-ResNet101) baseline model by 24%. Remarkably, in 7 out of 12 scenarios, we achieved an mAP exceeding 0.99. Our proposed solution substantially reduces the inspection time by 47.3% and is highly scalable, allowing straightforward integration into broad industrial applications.
Digital and Data Science, Johnson and Johnson, New Brunswick, USA.
Digital and Data Science, Johnson and Johnson, New Brunswick, USA. ssarraf@its.jnj.com.
Advancing industrial inspection with an automated computer vision solution for orthopedic surgical tray inspection.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. fabio.dennstaedt@insel.ch.
School of Medicine, University of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.Institute for Implementation Science in Health Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.Department of Radiation Oncology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Implementing large language models in healthcare while balancing control, collaboration, costs and security.
PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS) is associated with increased lifetime risks of breast, thyroid, kidney, endometrial, and colorectal cancers, as well as melanoma (collectively, component cancers). We sought to characterize non-component cancers (NCC) in PHTS. Of 701 research participants with PHTS, 340 (49%) had cancer, with 101 (30%) having at least one NCC. Interestingly, 71 (70%) of those with NCC had at least one other PHTS component malignancy. Patients with pathogenic PTEN variants showed higher risks for prostate cancer and soft tissue sarcomas at younger ages than the general population. A literature survey showed independent cases of NCC in PHTS, with PTEN-related molecular changes including second-hit somatic PTEN alterations in a subset of various specimens. We recommend increased awareness regarding NCC in individuals with PHTS, particularly increased risks for prostate cancer and sarcoma. Further studies are needed to define age-related penetrance and accordingly, the appropriate strategies for cancer risk management.
Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA. yehial@ccf.org.
Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.Department of General Surgery, Digestive Disease and Surgery Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.
Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.
Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.
Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-Oncology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.
Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.
Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.PTEN Multidisciplinary Clinic and Center of Excellence, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.Center for Personalized Genetic Healthcare, Community Care, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.Germline High Risk Cancer Focus Group, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
Extended spectrum of cancers in PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome.
Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Student Research Committee, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Center for Advanced Materials and Structures, School of Science and Technology, The University of Georgia, 0171, Tbilisi, Georgia.
Centre for Natural Products Discovery, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK.
Medicinal Plants Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. Emrapharm@yahoo.com.
Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Palacký University and Institute of Experimental Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Šlechtitelů 27, 78371, Olomouc, Czech Republic. nahar@ueb.cas.cz.
Author Correction: The effect of Polygonum hyrcanicum Rech. f. hydroalcoholic extract on oxidative stress and nephropathy in alloxan-induced diabetic mice.
Environmental pollution and resource scarcity characterize the Yellow River Basin. Studying the factors of high-quality development efficiency (HQDE) and its spatial correlation in the Yellow River Basin is conducive to promoting the maximization of resource allocation in the Yellow River Basin. In this study, Super-EBM and Malmquist index were used to measure HQDE in the Yellow River Basin and explore its influencing factors. The results show that: (1) HQDE is higher in cities in the upper reaches of the Yellow River Basin than in the middle and lower reaches. Compared with the degree of technology utilization, the growth of HQDE mainly depends on technological progress. (2) The spatial correlation of urban HQDE decreases has been weakened annually. The high-efficiency cities in the upper reaches of the basin are obviously concentrated, while the middle and lower reaches of the confluence have both high- and low-efficiency cities located near each other. (3) HQDE has a negative geographical spillover effect. Regression analysis shows that energy consumption, economic development level, factor endowment, public awareness of environmental protection, and enterprise green level can promote the HQDE, while foreign investment utilization, environmental pollution, and education support have negative impacts on urban HQDE.
Research Center of Energy Economic, School of Business Administration, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454003, China.
B2B Distribution Department, Shangxuan E-Commerce (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd., White Elephant GmbH, Zhengzhou, 450003, China.
Research Center of Energy Economic, School of Business Administration, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454003, China. wyp79055@163.com.
Study on the measurement of high-quality development efficiency and influencing factors in the Yellow River Basin, China.
In recent years, with the access of high-speed broadband, the number of videos on online sharing platforms has increased sharply, and the copyright protection of videos has been widely concerned. However, existing block-based watermarking methods have high sensitivity under geometric deformation and cannot accurately locate the watermark position, which leads to the failure of watermark extraction. Therefore, a robust and blind video watermarking scheme to resist the online sharing platform is proposed. Firstly, DTCWT is used to preprocess the video to reduce the influence of non-geometric signals on the extracted watermark. Secondly, the low frequency domain is divided into rings of different sizes, and the spatial stability region is established to ensure the synchronization of watermark extraction. Finally, the energy of the ring subband is obtained by DCT on the ring, and the watermark embedding is optimized by adjusting the energy relationship of adjacent energy rings to balance the invisibility and robustness of the watermark using the strong correlation of adjacent video frames. The experimental results show that the proposed watermarking scheme can not only resist common video processing operations, but also show good robustness to video online sharing platforms.
Key Lab of Education Blockchain and Intelligent Technology, Ministry of Education, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541004, Guangxi, China.
Key Lab of Education Blockchain and Intelligent Technology, Ministry of Education, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541004, Guangxi, China.School of Computer Science and Engineering, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541004, Guangxi, China.
School of Information Science and Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004, Hebei, China. wjy@stumail.ysu.edu.cn.China and the Key Laboratory for Computer Virtual Technology and System Integration of Hebei Province, Qinhuangdao, 066004, Hebei, China. wjy@stumail.ysu.edu.cn.
Robust and blind video watermarking against online sharing platforms.
Department of Emergency, Shangjinnanfu Hospital, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 611730, Sichuan, China.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Laboratory of Emergency Medicine, West China Hospital, and Disaster Medical Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
Department of Emergency, Shangjinnanfu Hospital, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 611730, Sichuan, China. qiangww21@163.com.
Author Correction: Utilizing integrated bioinformatics and machine learning approaches to elucidate biomarkers linking sepsis to fatty acid metabolism-associated genes.
Tracking the peak power output of solar photovoltaic modules poses a significant challenge in contemporary times, that too under variable climatic conditions. Despite the availability of various Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) methods, each method carries its own set of limitations. Many of these constraints can be effectively addressed by leveraging a suitable metaheuristic algorithm. In this context, a Particle Swarm Optimization Memetic Algorithm (PSOMA) is proposed as a powerful tool for accelerating convergence towards the maximum power point and enhancing the tracking process. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm incorporates the impact of changes in tilt angle, thereby augmenting its efficacy. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method exhibits superior tracking capabilities compared to conventional MPPT methods and various other MPPT algorithms. The convergence time is also greatly reduced by the proposed method. An efficiency of 99.91% and a convergence time of 8.5 ms is achieved by this algorithm. The efficiency remains almost constant for different irradiance levels which is demonstrated by simulation results. Additionally, hardware experimentation validates the robustness of the developed algorithm.
Department of EEE, RMK Engineering College, Anna University, Chennai, 601206, India. loganathan2511@gmail.com.
Department of EEE, RMK Engineering College, Anna University, Chennai, 601206, India.
MPPT of solar PV systems using PSO memetic algorithm considering the effect of change in tilt angle.
The northern Songliao Basin is shale-oil-rich with high exploration potential. However, its heterogeneity challenge reservoir characterization and evaluation, impeding exploration and development efforts. Thus, analyzing continental shale's pore structure and heterogeneity is crucial. This work utilizes High-pressure mercury intrusion (HMIP) and low-pressure N2 adsorption (LPN2A) methods to analyze the multifractal characteristics of shale pore structures at different depths. Results indicate that there is no significant correlation between the pore structures determined by the two methods. However, the heterogeneity of the pore structure obtained by the HMIP method is stronger than that by the LPN2A method. The study also found that as the total pore volume increases, the heterogeneity of the pore structure increases, while the pore connectivity is not significantly correlated with the pore volume. In addition, mineral content has a significant impact on the heterogeneity of pore structure and pore size distribution, especially the content of quartz.
School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China.
School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China. dmliu@cugb.edu.cn.
School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China.
China National Logging Corporation, Daqing Branch, Daqing, 163000, China.
Lusheng Petroleum Development Co., Ltd., Shengli Oilfield Company, SINOPEC, Dongying, 257000, Shandong, China.
A comparative analysis of mercury intrusion and nitrogen adsorption methods for multifractal characterization of shale reservoirs in northern Songliao Basin.
In high-stress deep mines prone to rock bursts, the significant deformation of roadway surrounding rock remains a critical scientific issue that urgently requires resolution. In this study, through theoretical analysis and numerical simulations, the failure mechanisms of different roadway sections are investigated, and the force-center theory is proposed. This hypothesis is validated by industrial experiments, yielding several key findings: (1) For any cross-sectional shape of the roadway, a unique peripheral circle will be formed, and the damaged area of the roadway section is mainly oriented towards the center of the peripheral circle. (2) During roadway excavation, the stress at any point on the perimeter can be decomposed into a normal stress directed towards the center and a tangential shear stress along the perimeter. The direction of the normal stress plays a crucial role in roadway failure. (3) The effectiveness of roadway reinforcement support lies in the strategic placement of anchor rods and cables along the direction of external circular stress . (4) When the external circular method was applied in the high-stress environment of the third soft coal seam in Zhongheng Coal Mine, remarkable results were achieved. The roof-to-floor convergence decreased by 80.34%, and the daily convergence rate decreased by 83.81% accordingly. Additionally, the side convergence decreased by 59.96%, with a 67.50% reduction in the daily rate. This hypothesis provides precise theoretical underpinnings and practical guidance for addressing crucial issues such as the optimal design of roadway sections, the limitations of bolt support schemes (especially in terms of bolt installation angles), and the strategic layout of reinforcement holes.
School of Architectural Engineering, Guizhou Minzu University, Guizhou, 550081, Guiyang, China. Suhygzmd@163.com.
School of Mining, Guizhou University, Guizhou, 550025, Guiyang, China.Guizhou Heze Engineering Management Consulting Co., Ltd, Guizhou, 562400, Xingyi, China.
Key Laboratory of In-Situ Property-Improving Mining of Ministry of Education, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, 030024, China.
Research on theory of force-center based on failure characteristics of different roadway sections and its application.
Despite significant advancements in building technologies, a critical gap exists in understanding how Solar Heat Gain and the Cooling Effect of Ventilation (CEV) interact in high-rise residential buildings. These two factors, which are crucial for achieving thermal comfort, operate in opposing directions: Solar Heat Gain leads to heat retention and an increase in indoor temperature, while CEV promotes cooling and reduces indoor temperature. This contradiction creates a complex thermal dynamic that is not well-understood, particularly in the context of high-rise bedrooms with varying window configurations. This study addresses this gap by investigating the seasonal interplay between Window Opening Area (WOA), Solar Heat Gain, and CEV, explicitly focusing on their seasonal variability and the impact of different glazing configurations (double- and triple-glazed windows). This research is conducted in Dongguan, China, and employs field measurements from seven high-rise bedrooms in winter and summer. The study uses advanced instruments such as pyranometers and anemometers to capture precise data on solar radiation, indoor temperature, and airflow, enabling a detailed analysis of the thermal effects of WOA and glazing configurations. The results reveal distinct seasonal behaviours of Solar Heat Gain and CEV. Solar Heat Gain dominates in winter, with heat retention critical for indoor comfort. Smaller WOAs enhance net heat gain, especially in triple-glazed configurations, where Solar Heat Gain values for a 0.32 m2 WOA reached 281-387 W, yielding a positive Net Thermal Effect of up to + 204 W. Conversely, larger WOAs during winter facilitated minimal cooling through ventilation, reducing Net thermal effect and compromising warmth. In summer, the emphasis shifts to ventilation cooling, with CEV becoming the primary driver of thermal comfort. For a fully open WOA (1.3 m2), double-glazed rooms demonstrated significant cooling, with CEV values reaching 1327 W, resulting in negative Net thermal effect values of - 41 to - 60 W. Triple glazing, while reducing Solar Heat Gain to 1001 W offered less effective natural cooling, with CEV peaking at 1179 W. Regression analysis underscores the strong positive correlation between WOA, Solar Heat Gain, and CEV, with double-glazed systems exhibiting higher sensitivity to WOA changes. The Net thermal effect analysis highlights the necessity of adjusting WOAs seasonally-smaller openings in winter maximise heat retention, while larger openings in summer optimise ventilation cooling. This study bridges critical knowledge gaps in thermal comfort optimisation for high-rise residential buildings, emphasising the dynamic balance required between glazing types and seasonal WOA adjustments. The findings provide actionable insights for architects and engineers, supporting adaptive design strategies that balance solar heat gain and ventilation cooling, aligning with sustainability goals and energy-efficient urban living.
School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, 11700, Malaysia.
School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, 11700, Malaysia. vxr4175@163.com.College of Architecture and Engineering, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou, 535011, China. vxr4175@163.com.
School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, 11700, Malaysia.Solux College of Architecture and Design, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China.
Seasonal thermal performance of double and triple glazed windows with effects of window opening area.
Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are among the greatest threats to marine ecosystems, and while substantial advances have been made in oceanic MHWs, little is known about estuarine MHWs. Utilizing a temperature dataset spanning over two decades and 54 stations distributed across 20 estuaries in the United States National Estuarine Research Reserve System, we present a comprehensive analysis of estuarine MHW characteristics and trends. Long-term climate-change-driven warming is driving more frequent MHWs along the East Coast, and if trends continue, this region will be in a MHW state for ~ 1/3 of the year by the end of the century. In contrast, the vast majority of the West Coast showed no trends, highlighting the potential for future thermal refugia. The West Coast was more strongly influenced by climate variability through the enhancement/suppression of MHWs during different phases of climate modes, suggesting long-term predictability potential. These results can provide guidance for management actions and planning in these critical environments.
Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, USA. rutzignardi@vims.edu.
Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, USA.
Physics Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA.
Climate change and variability drive increasing exposure of marine heatwaves across US estuaries.
In this study, we successfully fabricated a novel biocomposite composed of 6-amino β-cyclodextrin (CDNH2) grafted onto magnetic chitosan (Fe3O4@Cs). This biocomposite was thoroughly characterized using FT-IR, NMR, PXRD, EDX mapping, SEM, TEM, TGA, and VSM techniques. Subsequently, the innovative biocomposite was harnessed to serve as a heterogeneous catalyst to facilitate two series of multicomponent reactions (MCRs) aimed at synthesizing pyrazole-fused heterocycle derivatives. The first reaction involved the combination of hydrazine hydrate, ethyl 3-oxobutanoate, barbituric acid, and various benzaldehyde derivatives. In a separate reaction, dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD), hydrazine hydrate, benzaldehyde derivatives, and malonitrile were used as starting materials. By optimizing the reaction conditions and employing the Fe3O4@Cs@CDNH2 catalyst, we successfully synthesized valuable pyrazole structures with high yields in both reactions. The ability to optimize conditions and produce new pyrazole structures with impressive yields highlights the effectiveness of using Fe3O4@Cs@CDNH2 to direct these reactions.
Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Kashan, P.O. Box 87317-51167, Kashan, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Kashan, P.O. Box 87317-51167, Kashan, Islamic Republic of Iran. safaei@kashanu.ac.ir.
Modified magnetic chitosan with mono(6-amino-6-deoxy)-β-cyclodextrin as a novel catalyst toward the synthesis of pyrazolopyranopyrimidines and pyrano[2,3-c]pyrazole-3-carboxylates.
The disposal of industrial waste, such as ceramic and plastic waste, has led to significant environmental concerns, including greenhouse gas emissions and resource depletion. Recycling these materials is essential for promoting sustainability. Simultaneously, the construction sector contributes heavily to carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions due to excessive extraction of natural resources. This study explores the potential of ceramic waste as a fine aggregate replacement and plastic waste as fiber reinforcement in mortar to improve mechanical properties and sustainability. The inclusion of plastic fibers enhances crack resistance and reduces brittleness, ensuring better structural performance. Key parameters such as dry density, ultrasonic pulse velocity, rebound hammer strength, and compressive strength were evaluated. The modified mortar exhibited a 30% increase in compressive strength, reaching 38.62 MPa compared to 33.05 MPa in conventional mortar, with an additional 0.6% plastic fiber incorporation. Furthermore, machine learning models, including Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), were used for optimization and prediction, showing high accuracy. This study highlights the feasibility of utilizing waste materials in construction, reducing reliance on natural resources, and advancing eco-friendly, sustainable infrastructure.
Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University, Kothrud, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, School of Computing, MIT Art Design and Technology University, Pune, India.
Department of Civil Engineering, Jabalpur Engineering College, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Department of Civil Engineering, Khaja Bandanawaz University, Kalaburagi, Karnataka, India.
Department of Civil Engineering, Vallurupalli Nageswara Rao Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering & Technology, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
Department of Civil Engineering, Madanapalle Institute of Technology & Science, Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh, 517325, India. drnakkeerang@mits.ac.in.
Civil Engineering Department, Kampala International University, Kampala, Uganda. alanemeg@kiu.ac.ug.
Optimization of waste plastic fiber concrete with recycled coarse aggregate using RSM and ANN.
Traditional spectral clustering algorithms are sensitive to the similarity matrix, which impacts their performance. To address this, a local adaptive fuzzy spectral clustering (FSC) method is introduced, incorporating a fuzzy index to reduce this sensitivity. FSC also simplifies the traditional process through a local adaptive framework, optimizing the similarity matrix's use. Experimental results show that FSC outperforms traditional methods, particularly on high-dimensional datasets with complex structures.
Huzhou College, Huzhou, 313000, Zhejiang, China.Huzhou Key Laboratory for Urban Multidimensional Perception and Intelligent Computing, Huzhou College, Huzhou, China.
Huzhou University, Huzhou, 313000, Zhejiang, China. 02426@zjhu.edu.cn.
Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310000, Zhejiang, China.
Huzhou University, Huzhou, 313000, Zhejiang, China.
A local adaptive fuzzy spectral clustering method for robust and practical clustering.
Hazardous materials transportation route optimization problem is a pressing issue, and multi-dimensional evaluation criteria and diversified transportation modes complicate the problem. In response to this, a method for multi-mode transportation network and multi-criterion route optimization is proposed. Initially, A three-objective integer programming model is formulated, and an improved multi-objective genetic algorithm, termed DSNSGA3, is introduced to aid in decision-making. Specifically tailored to the problem's specifics, a chromosome encoding technique grounded in priority is devised to eliminate infeasible solutions. Subsequently, leveraging non-dominated sorting and crowding distance algorithms to assess the merit of multi-objective solutions, a local search strategy is introduced. This strategy serves dual purposes: it accelerates the algorithm's convergence rate and effectively minimizes the number of transshipments. Ultimately, an automatic weight-assigning decision-making method based on maximizing deviations is designed, culminating in a definitive decision-making plan. Numerical simulations reveal that the DSNSGA3, as designed in this paper, excels at identifying a diverse and widely distributed Pareto front. Compared to the traditional NSGA3, it demonstrates average improvements of 1.93% in solution accuracy, 1.32% in robustness, and a convergence advancement of 11.33 generations. The proposed decision-making method, based on Pareto solutions, adeptly balances various evaluation criteria, obtains a definitive solution, and provides a basis for multi-criteria intelligent decision-making in complex environments.
Faculty of Geomatics, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou, 730070, China. chenfan@mail.lzjtu.cn.
Faculty of Geomatics, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou, 730070, China.
Intelligent optimization method for hazardous materials transportation routing with multi-mode and multi-criterion collaborative constraints.
Chronic fatigue greatly impacts the quality of life in individuals with immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMID). Currently, fatigue assessment relies on patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaires. A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted to explore how digital and imaging technologies have been used to measure fatigue. PubMed and Cochrane Library were searched from 2003 to June 2023. Study quality was assessed using the STROBE checklist for observational studies. The database search identified 1541 studies; 16 were selected for inclusion, including three clinical trial reports. Disease cohorts included in this review were rheumatoid arthritis, primary Sjögren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, and inflammatory bowel disease. The majority of the studies found significant associations between fatigue, as assessed by PROs, and various digital and imaging endpoints. However, the studies were limited by a small sample size and short duration. This review stresses the need for additional research on fatigue using innovative digital and imaging modalities.
Johnson & Johnson, La Jolla, CA, USA.University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Johnson & Johnson, Spring House, PA, USA.
Johnson & Johnson, Cambridge, MA, USA. Hnguye69@its.jnj.com.
A systematic review of digital and imaging technologies for measuring fatigue in immune mediated inflammatory diseases.
Artificial intelligence (AI), specifically Deep learning (DL), has revolutionized biomedical image analysis, but its efficacy is limited by the need for representative, high-quality large datasets with manual annotations. While latest research on synthetic data using AI-based generative models has shown promising results to tackle this problem, several challenges such as lack of interpretability and need for vast amounts of real data remain. This study aims to introduce a new approach-SYNTA-for the generation of photo-realistic synthetic biomedical image data to address the challenges associated with state-of-the art generative models and DL-based image analysis.The SYNTA method employs a fully parametric approach to create photo-realistic synthetic training datasets tailored to specific biomedical tasks. Its applicability is tested in the context of muscle histopathology and skeletal muscle analysis. This new approach is evaluated for two real-world datasets to validate its applicability to solve complex image analysis tasks on real data.Here we show that SYNTA enables expert-level segmentation of unseen real-world biomedical data using only synthetic training data. By addressing the lack of representative and high-quality real-world training data, SYNTA achieves robust performance in muscle histopathology image analysis, offering a scalable, controllable and interpretable alternative to generative models such as Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) or Diffusion Models.SYNTA demonstrates great potential to accelerate and improve biomedical image analysis. Its ability to generate high-quality photo-realistic synthetic data reduces reliance on extensive collection of data and manual annotations, paving the way for advancements in histopathology and medical research.
MIRA Vision Microscopy GmbH, 73037, Göppingen, Germany. Lmill@mira.vision.Pattern Recognition Lab, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91058, Erlangen, Germany. Lmill@mira.vision.
Department of Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology & Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany.Institute of Vegetative Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Department of Neuropathology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
Department of Neuropathology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054, Erlangen, Germany.Klinikum Nuremberg, Institute of Pathology, Paracelsus Medical University, 90419, Nuremberg, Germany.
Pattern Recognition Lab, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91058, Erlangen, Germany.
Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften - ISAS - e.V, 44139, Dortmund, Germany. anika.grueneboom@isas.de.
Image analysis is essential for diagnosing diseases and advancing medical research. However, analyzing these images is challenging due to their complexity and the amount of data they contain. Artificial intelligence (AI) can help to improve this process but developing AI solutions requires large, high-quality training data which can be time-consuming and expensive to obtain. We developed an alternative computational approach called SYNTA to create realistic computer-generated images that can be used as training data for AI systems. We trained an AI system on computer-generated data only and show it can analyze previously unseen real biomedical images as accurately as human experts. This approach could make biomedical research easier, hence speeding up the process of developing new methods to detect disease from images.
Deep learning-based image analysis in muscle histopathology using photo-realistic synthetic data.
Long interspersed element 1 (LINE-1) retrotransposons are repetitive sequences that can move within the genome by an autonomous mechanism. To limit their mutagenic potential, benign cells restrict LINE-1 expression through molecular mechanisms such as DNA methylation and histone modification, but these mechanisms are usually impaired in cancer. Clear cell ovarian carcinoma (CCOC) represents 5-10% of ovarian cancers and is thought to arise from endometriosis. Women with advanced CCOC face poor prognoses, highlighting the importance of understanding early disease pathogenesis. In our study, 33 of 40 cases (over 82%) of CCOC tumors express ORF1p, a LINE-1-encoded protein. We found that LINE-1 de-repression is an early event in CCOC, as ORF1p is enhanced during the transition from typical to atypical endometriosis and persists in invasive cancer. Finally, using single-molecule array (Simoa) assays, we detected ORF1p in patient blood, suggesting it as a potential minimally invasive biomarker for this disease.
Penn Ovarian Cancer Research Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Pathology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology/Section of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.
Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.Department of Pathology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.Kansas Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.
Penn Ovarian Cancer Research Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. rdrapkin@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. rdrapkin@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.Basser Center for BRCA, Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. rdrapkin@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
LINE-1 ORF1p expression occurs in clear cell ovarian carcinoma precursors and is a candidate blood biomarker.
The widespread distribution of riprap in estuarine mudflats has brought significant challenges to the penetration construction of steel casings. To reveal the effects of casing length, diameter and wall thickness on the stress and deformation, as well as the deformation characteristics and mechanical behaviors of the steel casing during the sinking process, the paper utilizes finite element method to construct a three-dimensional numerical model of the collision between steel casings and riprap in mudflat. The research results indicate that longer steel casing has better crushing effect on the riprap, smoother deflection curve of the casing body and smaller deformation at the casing end under the same casing diameter and wall thickness conditions. Under the same casing length and wall thickness conditions, the steel casing with a larger diameter has a better crushing effect on the riprap and smaller deformation at the casing end. As the casing diameter increases, the stress values of S11 and S33 in the soil at the casing end gradually decrease, and the range of stress concentration gradually increases. This study can provide a theoretical basis for the design and construction of steel casings in the riprap environment of the mudflat near the estuaries.
College of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China.Nanxun Innovation Institute, Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Hangzhou, 310018, China.
Nanxun Innovation Institute, Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Hangzhou, 310018, China. qzp@zjweu.edu.cn.
Zhejiang Hydropower Construction and Installation Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, 310051, China.
Yueqing Water Resources Bureau, Yueqing, 325699, China.
Wenzhou Water Conservancy Construction Management Center, Wenzhou, 325608, China.
Longgang Agriculture and Rural Bureau, Longgang, 325802, China.
Wenzhou Water Resources and Electric Power Survey and Design Institute Co., Ltd, Wenzhou, 325000, China.
Zhejiang Water Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, 311500, China.
Nanxun Innovation Institute, Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Hangzhou, 310018, China.
Numerical investigation on the penetration process of steel casings in riprap environment of estuarine mudflats.
Publisher Correction: npj Biodiversity, volume 3, missing Data Availability statements.
Although there have been significant advancements in reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by modifying traditional CVD risk factors, substantial risks persist, particularly among male subjects who exhibit heightened susceptibility to atherosclerosis. In this context, we aim to study the link between oral microbiome and carotid intima media thickness (cIMT).The Northern Finland Birth Cohort of 1966 (mean age 46 years, n = 869) underwent an extensive health examination, including the measurement of cIMT. The oral microbiome was also investigated using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing.Here we show that oral microbiome diversity links with atherosclerosis risk factors, namely smoking, glycemic balance, low-grade inflammation, and periodontitis. After excluding CVD-influencing factors (n = 339), oral microbiome genera (p = 0.030), Shannon index (p = 0.001), β-diversity Bray-Curtis (p < 0.001), and Jaccard (p < 0.001) are associated with cIMT in males, but not in the female sub-cohort. Furthermore, in the male sub-cohort (n = 131), the genera Prevotella, Megasphaera, and Veillonella associate positively with cIMT, while Absconditabacteria, Capnocytophaga, Gemella, Fusobacterium, Neisseria, Aggregatibacter, Tannerella, Treponema, Cardiobacterium, and Bacteroidales associate inversely with cIMT. We examine the involvement of serum total immunoglobulins and antibodies to phosphorylcholine (PCho) and malondialdehyde-acetaldehyde LDL (MAA-LDL) with cIMT. Subjects with high cIMT have lower levels of serum total IgA (p = 0.009), IgA to PCho (p = 0.017), and IgG to PCho (p = 0.008). The relative abundance of cIMT-associated genera correlates with serum IgA antibodies.This middle-aged birth cohort study shows that male oral microbiome diversity links to cIMT, suggesting a potential sex-specific interaction between the oral microbiome and atherosclerosis.
Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. ramin.akhi@oulu.fi.Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. ramin.akhi@oulu.fi.
Laboratory of Food Systems Biotechnology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.Cardiovascular Research Unit, Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland.
Research Unit of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Institute of Dentistry, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.Research Unit of Translational Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Heart disease remains a leading cause of death worldwide and particularly affects men. In this study, we explored whether bacteria in the mouth are associated with artery thickness, a key early indicator of heart disease. We analyzed data from 869 participants, all approximately 46 years old, from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort. Among men, we found that certain groups of bacteria in the mouth were linked to increased artery thickness, a connection not observed in women. These findings suggest that the composition of bacteria in the mouth may influence heart disease risk, especially in men. Understanding this connection could lead to new heart disease prevention strategies.
Oral microbiome diversity associates with carotid intima media thickness in middle-aged male subjects.
At the micro-scale, the water exchange in karst water-bearing media remains unclear. This study applies the Stokes-Brinkman equation to couple the seepage within the karst matrix and the free flow within the karst conduit. The digital core technology is employed to characterize the micro-heterogeneous structure of the matrix and quantify its hydraulic properties, establishing a numerical model of water exchange between the matrix and the adjacent conduit at the micro-scale. The results reveal significant differences in the hydraulic properties of distinct matrix samples, highlighting their key role in the water exchange process. Visualizations of flow velocity distribution and pressure gradients provide insights into the characteristics of the water exchange interface. A linear positive correlation between the exchange flow and the flow velocity of the conduit inlet is investigated, which can be attributed to the hydraulic head difference between the matrix and conduit. Additionally, the study demonstrates that the micro-heterogeneous structure of the matrix notably influences the water exchange compared to the homogeneous model. This research offers a new perspective on water exchange in karst water-bearing media at the micro-scale, providing valuable insights for optimizing the prediction and management of karst systems by understanding the multi-scale mechanisms of water exchange.
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 611756, Sichuan, China.
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 611756, Sichuan, China. taohuang70@126.com.
Numerical simulation of water exchange between the karst matrix and the adjacent conduit at the micro-scale.
The acoustic metamaterial extension to aeroacoustic applications is still an open issue principally due to the lack of a reliable methodology for the meta-devices design when they have to operate in a non-quiescent medium. One suitable strategy is to use spacetime coordinate transformations that include the background flow features to tune the meta-device design parameters analytically, and, therefore, the phenomenon must be reinterpreted into the spacetime. However, a change of coordinates capable of including all the convective effects is not known for general flow conditions and analytical approximations are inevitably introduced. This work validates the spacetime framework numerically, providing a better comprehension of the approximation effects on the spacetime-corrected acoustic metacontinuum and its cautious interpretation both from the mathematical and physical points of view.
Department of Civil, Computer Science and Aeronautical Technologies Engineering, Roma Tre University, Via Vito Volterra, 62, 00146, Rome, Italy. giada.colombo@uniroma3.it.
Department of Civil, Computer Science and Aeronautical Technologies Engineering, Roma Tre University, Via Vito Volterra, 62, 00146, Rome, Italy.
Assessment of the performances and limitations of spacetime convective corrections for acoustic metacontinua design.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer. HCC treatment is challenging; surgical resection is the primary curative treatment for early-stage disease, but recurrence rates are high. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a promising neoadjuvant treatment that can reduce recurrence rates and mortality after surgery and achieve complete/partial responses. Clinical trials provide strong evidence for the efficacy and safety of ICI monotherapy for neoadjuvant HCC treatment.
Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, USA.
Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA.
Department of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA.
Division of Hematology and Oncology Developmental Therapeutics Institute, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA. Elshad.hasanov@osumc.edu.
Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors for hepatocellular carcinoma.
Multiple DNA damage resulting from different nearby ionizations of water molecules is an important process of the initial step of radiobiological effects. Several important characteristics of the damaged DNA site such as the critical size and types of chemical lesions are not well-known. We investigated this long-term issue by developing a dynamic Monte Carlo code for the chemical process. The reaction probabilities and the spatial distribution of lesions were theoretically solved as a function of the spur radius and distance between DNA and the initial ionisation position. From our previous reported results, we suggest that a hydroxyl radical and a hydrated electron from a single spur can concomitantly react within a 10 base pairs DNA to induce a multiple DNA damage site comprising a DNA single-strand break and reductive nucleobase damage; however, the reaction probability is 0.4% or less. Once this combination arises, it may result in a DNA double-strand break (DSB). DSBs are difficult to repair, which may lead to cell death or misrepair, and could lead to point mutations in the genome.
Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka-gun, Ibaraki, Japan. kai.takeshi@jaea.go.jp.
Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka-gun, Ibaraki, Japan.
Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka-gun, Ibaraki, Japan.Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
Department of Nuclear Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.Quantum Science and Engineering Center, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, Japan.
College School of Science and Engineering, Ibaraki University, Mito, Japan.
College School of Science and Engineering, Ibaraki University, Mito, Japan.Institute for Quantum Life Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba-shi, Japan.
Multiple DNA damages induced by water radiolysis demonstrated using a dynamic Monte Carlo code.
While marine seagrass habitats are acknowledged as sinks for carbon and nutrients, much less is known about sequestration in brackish-water vegetation. Here, we quantify the amount of organic carbon (Corg) and total nitrogen (TN) in shallow bay sediments (0-25 cm) in the brackish Baltic Sea and assess how it varies with morphometric isolation from the sea, catchment characteristics and abundance of brackish-water vegetation. The sedimentary Corg and TN content per surface area varied across the bay isolation gradient (mean Corg: 2500-4600 g/m2; mean TN: 320-570 g/m2), with enclosed bays having the highest percentage content of Corg and TN, but low sediment density (< 0.1 g cm3), while open bays had more compact sediment with lower percentage content of Corg and TN. The influence of catchment and vegetation characteristics on the sediment Corg and TN content was less clear, suggesting that coastal morphology affecting hydrodynamic exposure is an important determinant of C and TN accumulation in brackish-water bays. The results show that morphometrically isolated shallow coastal areas constitute significant sinks for carbon and nitrogen, which should be considered in management and in any regional estimates of blue carbon and nutrient sequestration functions.
Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden. sofia.wikstrom@su.se.
Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Science, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Kristineberg, Fiskebäckskil, Sweden.
School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies, Södertörn University, 141 89, Huddinge, Sweden.
Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.
Isotope Research Laboratory, Centre for Physical Sciences and Technology, Savanoriu 231, 02300, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Influence of landscape characteristics and submerged aquatic vegetation on sediment carbon and nitrogen storage in shallow brackish water habitats.
Correction to 'A Brief Cognitive Analytic Therapy-Informed Approach for Young People That Have Self-Injured (CATCH-Y): A Case Series'.
Centres for Antimicrobial Optimisation Network, Imperial College London, London, UK. timothy.rawson07@imperial.ac.uk.Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance, Imperial College London, London, UK. timothy.rawson07@imperial.ac.uk.The David Price Evans Global Health & Infectious Diseases Group, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. timothy.rawson07@imperial.ac.uk.
Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance, Imperial College London, London, UK.Clinical Infection Department, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Infectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Addressing the challenge of antimicrobial resistance.
Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.GROW - Research Institute for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Department of Radiotherapy, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
GROW - Research Institute for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.Department of Medical Oncology, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.GROW - Research Institute for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands. Thiemo.nijnatten@mumc.nl.GROW - Research Institute for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. Thiemo.nijnatten@mumc.nl.
Critical dialogue: recent advancements toward omission of axillary lymph node dissection in clinically node positive breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemo-immuno therapy: impact on radiology practice.
Chromatin modified protein 4C (CHMP4C) is a charged polyvesicular protein (CHMP) that is involved in the composition of the endosomal sorting complex (ESCRT-III) required for transport III and promotes the necessary separation of daughter cells. CHMP4C involved in a wide variety of tumor progress, such as prostate cancer, cervical cancer and lung squamous cell carcinoma. However, the value of CHMP4C in lung adenocarcinoma has not been explored.RNA-seq data and lung adenocarcinoma clinical information and corresponding pan-cancer were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to analyze CHMP4C expression and survival prognosis. The differential expression of CHMP4C was analyzed using the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database. Clinical samples were collected to verify the differential expression of CHMP4C between lung adenocarcinoma and normal lung tissues via immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, qRT‒PCR and Western blotting. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses of CHMP4C-related genes were performed. The correlation between CHMP4C and chemosensitivity was analyzed in the TCGA database. Then, qRT‒PCR, western blotting, transwell assays, cell proliferation assays, colony formation assays, wound healing assays, and cell cycle analysis were used to verify the possible regulatory mechanism involved. Molecular docking was used to predict small molecule compounds with potential roles in the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.TIMER2.0 database analysis revealed that CHMP4C was differentially expressed in different tumors.Compared with that in healthy lung tissue, CHMP4C was significantly upregulated in lung adenocarcinoma tissue, and subsequent in vitro survival analysis revealed that CHMP4C expression has significant clinical prognostic value in lung adenocarcinoma. Enrichment analysis revealed that CHMP4C was mainly related to cell proliferation, cell migration, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, etc. Overexpression of CHMP4C was associated with sensitivity to chemotherapy. Knocking down CHMP4C can significantly inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cells and prolong the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. Molecular docking predicts 10 key drugs that may be used for the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.CHMP4C is highly expressed in a variety of tumors. We demonstrated that CHMP4C expression may be associated with the occurrence, development, prognosis and chemotherapy sensitivity in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. These findings may open up new research directions and development opportunities for the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.
Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, People's Republic of China.Jiangxi Hospital of China-Japan Friendship Hospital, National Regional Center for Respiratory Medicine Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330000, People's Republic of China.Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, The Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jiangxi Institute of Respiratory DiseasesThe First Affiliated HospitalJiangxi Medical CollegeNanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, People's Republic of China.
Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, People's Republic of China.Jiangxi Hospital of China-Japan Friendship Hospital, National Regional Center for Respiratory Medicine Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330000, People's Republic of China.
Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, People's Republic of China. WanZhang@ncu.edu.cn.Jiangxi Hospital of China-Japan Friendship Hospital, National Regional Center for Respiratory Medicine Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330000, People's Republic of China. WanZhang@ncu.edu.cn.Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, The Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jiangxi Institute of Respiratory DiseasesThe First Affiliated HospitalJiangxi Medical CollegeNanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, People's Republic of China. WanZhang@ncu.edu.cn.
Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, People's Republic of China. ndyfy07806@ncu.edu.cn.Jiangxi Hospital of China-Japan Friendship Hospital, National Regional Center for Respiratory Medicine Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330000, People's Republic of China. ndyfy07806@ncu.edu.cn.
Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, People's Republic of China. yubentong@126.com.Jiangxi Hospital of China-Japan Friendship Hospital, National Regional Center for Respiratory Medicine Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330000, People's Republic of China. yubentong@126.com.
The role and mechanism of CHMP4C in poor prognosis and drug sensitivity of lung adenocarcinoma.
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which can analyze the shape and crystallinity of materials as well as the chemical bonding of ions and the states of elements, operates at different accelerating voltages depending on the type of specimen analyzed and the analysis area. Electron-beam irradiation can be used to induce structural transitions and crystallization of materials. Therefore, studies on phase transition using electron beams have been frequently conducted. Cobalt oxides, including cobalt hydroxides, have various phases and crystal structures, depending on their stoichiometric compositions. Specific synthesis methods can be used to synthesize these at low dimensions, in addition to large nanosheet structures. In this study, the crystallization and phase transition of amorphous cobalt hydroxide nanosheets induced by continuous electron-beam irradiation were analyzed using high-resolution TEM (HR-TEM). The synthesized cobalt hydroxide nanosheets were partially converted into cobalt oxides, and the transferred area expanded as the irradiation time increased. Under 300 kV of accelerating voltage, the transition to cubic cobalt oxides was dominant, suggesting a frequent transitional behavior of amorphous metal hydroxides upon electron-beam irradiation.
Department of Materials Engineering and Convergence Technology, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, Republic of Korea.
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, Korea.
Department of Materials Engineering and Convergence Technology, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, Republic of Korea. gh.ryu@gnu.ac.kr.School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, Korea. gh.ryu@gnu.ac.kr.
Phase transition of amorphous cobalt hydroxide to crystalline cobalt oxides by electron-beam irradiation.
Breast cancer management has traditionally relied on tissue biopsies and imaging, which offer limited insights into the disease. However, the discovery of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and minimal residual disease (MRD) detection has revolutionized our approach to breast cancer. ctDNA, which is fragmented tumor DNA found in the bloodstream, provides a minimally invasive way to understand the tumor's genomic landscape, revealing heterogeneity and critical mutations that biopsies may miss. MRD, which indicates cancer cells that remain after treatment, can now be detected using ctDNA and other advanced methods, improving our ability to predict disease recurrence. This allows for personalized adjuvant therapies based on individual MRD levels, avoiding unnecessary treatments for patients with low MRD. This review discusses how ctDNA and MRD represent a paradigm shift towards personalized, genomically guided cancer care, which has the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes in breast cancer.
Department of Medical Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Misr University for Science and Technology, P. O. Box 77, Giza, Egypt. Hussein.sabit@must.edu.eg.
Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Misr University for Science and Technology, P. O. Box 77, Giza, Egypt.
Department of Environmental Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Misr University for Science and Technology, P. O. Box 77, Giza, Egypt.
Department of Agriculture Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Misr University for Science and Technology, P. O. Box 77, Giza, Egypt.
Beyond traditional biopsies: the emerging role of ctDNA and MRD on breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophy are dystrophinopathies with a prevalence of 1:5000-6000 males, caused by pathogenic variants in DMD. These conditions are often accompanied by neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) like autism (ASD; ~20%) and intellectual disability (ID; ~30%). However, their low penetrance in dystrophinopathies suggests additional contributing factors. In our study, 83 individuals with dystrophinopathies were clinically evaluated and categorized based on ASD (36 individuals), ID risk (12 individuals), or controls (35 individuals). Exome sequencing analysis revealed an enrichment of risk de novo variants (DNVs) in ASD-DMD individuals (adjusted p value = 0.0356), with the number of DNVs correlating with paternal age (p value = 0.0133). Additionally, DMD-ASD individuals showed a higher average of rare risk variants (RRVs) compared to DMD-Controls (adjusted p value = 0.0285). Gene ontology analysis revealed an enrichment of extracellular matrix-related genes, especially collagens, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome genes in ASD-DMD and DMD-ID groups. These findings support an oligogenic model for ASD in dystrophinopathies, highlighting the importance of investigating homogenized samples to elucidate ASD's genetic architecture.
Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, Centro de Estudos do Genoma Humano e Células-tronco, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, Centro de Estudos do Genoma Humano e Células-tronco, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. passos@ib.usp.br.
Understanding rare variant contributions to autism: lessons from dystrophin-deficient model.
Intrauterine adhesions (IUAs), also known as Asherman's syndrome (AS), represent a significant cause of uterine infertility for which effective treatment remains elusive. The endometrium's ability to regenerate cyclically depends heavily on the growth and regression of its blood vessels. However, trauma to the endometrial basal layer can disrupt the subepithelial capillary plexus, impeding regeneration. This damage results in the replacement of native cells with fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, ultimately leading to fibrosis. Endothelial cells (ECs) play a pivotal role in the vascular system, extending beyond their traditional barrier function. Through single-cell sequencing and experimental validation, we discovered that ECs undergo senescence in IUA patients, impairing angiogenesis and fostering stromal cell fibrosis. Further analysis revealed significant interactions between ECs and PAI-1+ stromal cells. PAI-1, derived from stromal cells, promotes EC senescence via the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR). Notably, prior to fibrosis onset, TGF-β upregulates PAI-1 expression in stromal cells in a SMAD dependent manner. In an IUA mouse model, inhibiting PAI-1 mitigated EC senescence and endometrial fibrosis. Our findings underscore the crucial role of EC senescence in IUA pathogenesis, contributing to vascular reduction and fibrosis. Targeting PAI-1 represents a promising therapeutic strategy to suppress EC senescence and alleviate endometrial fibrosis, offering new insights into the treatment of IUAs.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
Obstetrics and Gynaecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China. yalihu@nju.edu.cn.
Department of Reproductive Medicine Center, Changzhou Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, China. 13616118039@163.com.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China. zhaoguangfeng@nju.edu.cn.Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China. zhaoguangfeng@nju.edu.cn.
Endothelial senescence induced by PAI-1 promotes endometrial fibrosis.
Increasing interest is growing for the identification of psychological mechanisms to account for the influence of trauma on psychosis, with core beliefs being proposed as a putative mediator to account for this relationship. A systematic review (n = 79 studies) was conducted to summarise the existing evidence base regarding the role of core beliefs/schemas in psychosis, Clinical High-Risk (CHR), and non-clinical samples with Psychotic-Like Experiences (PLEs). Compared to Healthy Controls (HCs), individuals with psychosis experiencing Auditory Hallucinations or Persecutory Delusions had significantly higher scores for negative self and negative other-beliefs and significantly lower scores for positive self and positive other-beliefs. This pattern of core beliefs was also observed for CHR individuals. In contrast, the core belief profile for grandiose delusions was in the opposite direction: higher positive self and positive other-beliefs and lower negative self-beliefs. In non-clinical samples, several factors mediated the relationship between Traumatic Life Events (TLEs) and PLEs, such as greater perceived stress, dissociation, external locus of control, and negative self and negative other-beliefs. Compared to HCs, meta-analyses revealed statistically significant large effects for negative self and negative other-beliefs in Schizophrenia. In CHR, statistically significant large and moderate effects were found for negative self and negative other-beliefs, respectively, along with a moderate negative effect for positive self-beliefs. Core beliefs were found to play a significant role in the development and maintenance of positive symptoms of psychosis. The development of psychosocial interventions that explicitly target negative self and other-beliefs, whilst also enhancing positive self-beliefs are warranted and would innovate CBTp practices.
Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, UK.Brent Early Intervention Service, CNWL, NHS Foundation Trust, 27-29 Fairlight Avenue, London, NW10 8AL, UK.
Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, UK.
Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, UK. anna.georgiades@kcl.ac.uk.Brent Early Intervention Service, CNWL, NHS Foundation Trust, 27-29 Fairlight Avenue, London, NW10 8AL, UK. anna.georgiades@kcl.ac.uk.
Core beliefs in psychosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
As network intrusion behaviors become increasingly complex, traditional intrusion detection systems face limitations, especially with data imbalance. To address this, we introduce the Nash equilibrium concept from game theory into classifier ensemble optimization, enhancing robustness in multi-class classification tasks. Additionally, we propose a network intrusion detection system based on a Conditional Generative Adversarial Network with Conditional Aggregation Encoder-Decoder Structure (CE-GAN) with a conditional aggregation encoder-decoder structure to mitigate data imbalance and improve classifier performance. The model incorporates a composite loss function to maintain both the authenticity and diversity of generated samples. Experiments on the NSL-KDD and UNSW-NB15 datasets show that CE-GAN effectively augments rare data samples, significantly improving classification metrics for imbalanced datasets, thus providing a superior solution to this challenge in network intrusion detection.
Changchun Sci-Tech University, Changchun, 130022, China.Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, 130022, China.Jilin Province Advanced Control Technology and Intelligent Automation Equipment R&D Engineering Laboratory, Changchun, 130022, China.
Changchun Sci-Tech University, Changchun, 130022, China.
Changchun Sci-Tech University, Changchun, 130022, China. suiqingru@126.com.
Beijing Aerospace Era Laser Navigation Technology Co., Ltd. General Technology Department 4, No.1 Fengying East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100094, China.
Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, 130022, China.
A CE-GAN based approach to address data imbalance in network intrusion detection systems.
Frequency transfer is a key challenge in machine learning as it allows researchers to go beyond in-range analyses of spectrum properties towards out-of-the-range predictions. Traditionally, to predict properties at a specific frequency, targeted spectrum is included in training data for a deep neural network (DNN). However, due to limitations of measurement or computation source, training data at some frequencies are hardly accessible, especially for multi-physics problems. In this work, we propose a multi-physics deep learning framework (MDLF) consisting of a multi-fidelity DeepONet, a Euler latent dynamic network, and a data-analytical inversion network. Without the knowledge about multi-physics response, MDLF is successfully generalized to unseen frequency bands for both parametric and free-form metasurface by dynamically utilizing a Euler latent space and single-physics information. Moreover, an inversion method is introduced to incorporate hybrid a priori in inverse design of metasurface. Under EM-thermal coupling, we verify the proposed MDLF numerically and experimentally.
Innovation Institute of Electromagnetic Information and Electronics Integration, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Intelligent Electromagnetic Control and Advanced Electronic Integration, College of Information Science & Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Innovation Institute of Electromagnetic Information and Electronics Integration, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Intelligent Electromagnetic Control and Advanced Electronic Integration, College of Information Science & Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. wyyin@zju.edu.cn.
Innovation Institute of Electromagnetic Information and Electronics Integration, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Intelligent Electromagnetic Control and Advanced Electronic Integration, College of Information Science & Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. eleweiz@zju.edu.cn.
Frequency transfer and inverse design for metasurface under multi-physics coupling by Euler latent dynamic and data-analytical regularizations.
To limit energy consumption and peak loads with increased electrification of our society, more information is needed about the energy use in buildings. This article presents a data set that contains 4 years (Jan. 2018- Dec. 2021/Mar. 2022) of hourly measurements of energy and weather data from 45 public buildings located in Drammen, Norway. The buildings are schools (16), kindergartens (20), nursing homes (7) and offices (2). For each building, the data set contains contextual data about the buildings including their floor area, construction year, energy label, information about their heating system and ventilation system in addition to time series data of energy use and weather data. For some of the buildings, the energy measurements only contain measurements of hourly imported electricity, while the time series data for other buildings have submeters for different energy services and technologies. Researchers, energy analysts, building owners and policy makers can benefit from the dataset for e.g. hourly load disaggregation, forecasting of energy loads and flexibility, grid planning and modelling activities.
Sintef Community, Oslo, Norway. synne.lien@sintef.no.Department of Electric Energy, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. synne.lien@sintef.no.
COFACTOR Drammen dataset - 4 years of hourly energy use data from 45 public buildings in Drammen, Norway.
Delineating the extent of urban villages (UVs) is crucial for effective urban planning and management, as well as for providing targeted policy and financial support. Unlike field surveys, the interpretation of satellite imagery provides an efficient, near real-time, and objective means of mapping UV. However, current research efforts predominantly concentrate on individual cities, resulting in a scarcity of interpretable UV maps for numerous other cities. This gap in availability not only hinders public awareness of the distribution and evolution of UV but also limits the reliability and transferability of models due to the insufficient number and diversity of samples. To address this issue, we developed CUGUV, a benchmark dataset that includes a diverse collection of thousands of UV samples, carefully curated from 15 major cities across various geographical regions in China. The dataset can be accessed through this link: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.26198093 . This dataset can serve as a foundation for evaluating and improving the robustness and transferability of models. Subsequently, we present an innovative framework that effectively integrates and learns from multiple data sources to better address the cross-city UV mapping task. Tests show that the proposed models achieve over 92% in overall accuracy, precision, and F1-scores, outperforming state-of-the-art models. This highlights the effectiveness of both the proposed dataset and model. This presented dataset and model bolsters our capability to better understand and accurately model these complex and diverse phenomena, ultimately leading to a notable improvement in the performance of large-scale UV mapping.
School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China.
School of Electronic Engineering, Naval University of Engineering, Wuhan, Hubei, 430033, China.
CCCC Second Highway Consultants Co.Ltd., Wuhan, Hubei, 430058, China.
State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China.
Badong National Observation and Research Station of Geohazards, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China.Three Gorges Research Center for Geo-hazard, Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China.
Badong National Observation and Research Station of Geohazards, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China. zhonglxm@cug.edu.cn.Three Gorges Research Center for Geo-hazard, Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China. zhonglxm@cug.edu.cn.
School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China. rslihui@cug.edu.cn.School of Engineering, University of New Castle, University Dr, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia. rslihui@cug.edu.cn.
CUGUV: A Benchmark Dataset for Promoting Large-Scale Urban Village Mapping with Deep Learning Models.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder that shows considerable heterogeneity of risk factors however, the degree to which race/ethnicity has been actively pursued in PD risk research is unknown. We examined PD literature from 2000-24 and found that less than half accounted for race/ethnicity and only 4.8% of n = 1142 articles included ethno-racial factors as an integral part of the analysis. This demonstrates that race/ethnicity has been critically understudied in PD and further studies that examine ethno-racial contributions to risk for PD are warranted.
Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.Neuroscience Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa Brain & Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
School of Social Work, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
School of Social Work, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.Division of Neurology, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada. natalina.salmaso@carleton.ca.Department of Health Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada. natalina.salmaso@carleton.ca.
Race and ethnicity matter! Moving Parkinson's risk research towards diversity and inclusiveness.
The problem-solving abilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) have become a major focus of research across various STEM fields, including mathematics and physics. Substantial progress has been made in both measuring and enhancing these abilities. Among the multitude of ways to advance space engineering research, one promising direction is the application of LLMs and foundational models in aiding in solving Ph.D. level research problems. To understand the full potential of LLMs in astrodynamics, we have developed the first Astrodynamics Problems Benchmark (APBench) to evaluate the capabilities of LLMs in this field. We crafted for the first time a collection of questions and answers that range a wide variety of subfields in astrodynamics, astronautics, and space engineering. On top of this first dataset built for space engineering, we evaluate the performance of foundational models, both open source models and closed ones, to validate their current capabilities in space engineering, and paving the road for further advancements towards a definition of intelligence for space.
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA. d_wu@mit.edu.
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
APBench and benchmarking large language model performance in fundamental astrodynamics problems for space engineering.
In this study, a novel hybrid metaheuristic algorithm, termed (BES-GO), is proposed for solving benchmark structural design optimization problems, including welded beam design, three-bar truss system optimization, minimizing vertical deflection in an I-beam, optimizing the cost of tubular columns, and minimizing the weight of cantilever beams. The performance of the proposed BES-GO algorithm was compared with ten state-of-the-art metaheuristic algorithms: Bald Eagle Search (BES), Growth Optimizer (GO), Ant Lion Optimizer, Tuna Swarm Optimization, Tunicate Swarm Algorithm, Harris Hawk Optimization, Artificial Gorilla Troops Optimizer, Dingo Optimizer, Particle Swarm Optimization, and Grey Wolf Optimizer. The hybrid algorithm leverages the strengths of both BES and GO techniques to enhance search capabilities and convergence rates. The evaluation, based on the CEC'20 test suite and the selected structural design problems, shows that BES-GO consistently outperformed the other algorithms in terms of convergence speed and achieving optimal solutions, making it a robust and effective tool for structural Optimization.
Faculty of Computers and Information, Minia University, Minia, Egypt. essam.halim@mu.edu.eg.Minia National University, Minia, Egypt. essam.halim@mu.edu.eg.
Physics and Engineering Mathematics Department, Faculty of Engineering at Mataria, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt.
Recent metaheuristic algorithms for solving some civil engineering optimization problems.
Evidence regarding brain structural atrophy associated with Freezing of Gait (FOG) in Parkinson's disease (PD) is inconsistent. We analyzed cortical thickness and subcortical nuclei volumes using FreeSurfer in two large PD cohorts. In cohort 1 (N = 316), multivariate analyses identified reduced pallidum and ventral diencephalon (VDC) volumes as significantly associated with FOG presence. Validation in the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) cohort (cohort 2, N = 94) demonstrated that decreased VDC volume at four-year follow-up independently predicted higher FOG risk, improving the predictive model's accuracy when combined with PIGD score, CSF Aβ42, and caudate DAT uptake (AUC 0.760; Δχ2 = 5.449, P = 0.020; Z = 2.211, P = 0.027). VDC volume is also correlated with FOG severity. These findings suggest that VDC atrophy may underlie FOG mechanisms and serve as a biomarker for its progression in PD patients.
Center for Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Department of Neurology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Center for Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. bxbkyjs@sina.com.
Department of Neurology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China. suwenbjyy@163.com.
Atrophy of ventral diencephalon is associated with freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease: analysis of two cohorts.
While the value of Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin in hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis has been widely acknowledged, whether or how Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin could be used in recurrence evaluation remains largely unexplored.We performed a multicenter retrospective analysis including an Exploration Cohort (1074 patients, 5133 Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin measurements) and a Validation Cohort (263 patients, 612 Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin measurements) to investigate whether Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin could evaluate patients' prognosis. We introduced the Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin dynamic rate as a normalized quantitative measurement of Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin dynamic change. Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin dynamic rates were further applied in a high-risk liver cirrhosis patient cohort (PreCar Cohort, 542 liver cirrhosis patients, 2023 Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin measurements).Here, we show a post-operative decrease of Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin in the Exploration Cohort, making the Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin threshold in diagnosis unsuitable for prognosis, while Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin dynamic rates significantly associate with recurrence risk. Categorizing patients based on Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin dynamic rates and final concentrations shows that patients negative for both exhibit the best median recurrence-free survival and patients positive for both show the worst median recurrence-free survival. Patients with consistently positive status have a significantly lower median recurrence-free survival compared to those whose status reverted to negative. These findings are validated in the Validation Cohort. Furthermore, the Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin dynamic rates in the PreCar Cohort can identify an additional 28% of cirrhosis patients progressing to hepatocellular carcinoma.These results expand on the clinical utilization of the hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis biomarker, Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin, by proposing a quantification measurement of Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin dynamics to monitor hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence. This measurement is not limited in prognosis but can also improve the sensitivity of early hepatocellular carcinoma screening.
The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
The Big Data Institute of Southeast Hepatobiliary Health Information, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China. caizhixiong1985@163.com.
The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China. thestaroceanster@hotmail.com.
The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China. xiaoloong.liu@gmail.com.
The amount of the protein Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) produced by the liver can be used to diagnose Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), a type of liver cancer. However, whether levels of DCP can be used to predict tumor reoccurrence after surgery is unclear. Previous studies show conflicting results, leaving doubts about whether DCP levels could indicate the risk of the tumor reoccurring. In this study, we analyzed levels of DCP in people with HCC before and after surgery. We discovered patterns in these changes that were linked to tumor recurrence and developed a new measurement, called the DCP dynamic rate, to help predict whether HCC would return following surgery more accurately. This study provides strong evidence that DCP can be used to determine whether HCC has returned following surgery and so can be used to more easily monitor people following their surgery.
Des-γ-carboxy Prothrombin in hepatocellular carcinoma post-operative recurrence risk evaluation.
Raising of negative-index medium has been going hand-by-hand with the exploration of quasiplanar subwavelength resonators. Now they are widely used in modern microwave, terahertz, and infrared devices, as well as in advanced physics research. Effects of stacking of the arrays of subwavelength resonators in one few-layer metasurface is connected with the key problems of modern electrical engineering, applied physics, and beyond. Recently, the interest to subwavelength resonators has been growing due to the progress in topological photonics and non-Hermitian photonics. In this paper, the selected effects of arrays coupling in a few-layer metasurface are revisited with yet uncommon focus, i.e., survival and (dis)appearance of subwavelength resonances at the gradual deformation of the resonators at a given lattice period. Microwave frequency range has been chosen to illustrate the concept. The case when the metasurfaces comprise two periodically placed U-shaped resonator arrays is considered. The sizes of the resonators are either varied simultaneously for both front-side and back-side arrays or for the back-side array only. The main purpose of this study is to explore the basic scenarios of resonance evolution in the space of geometrical parameters. It is shown that different resonances may be sensitive to the variations in geometrical parameters and to the dissimilarity between the front-side and back-side arrays to a different extent. The obtained results point to the existence of the bands, resonances, polarization-conversion and related asymmetric transmission regimes that are robust to the deformations. They can serve as the starting point in understanding the functional capability of the physical features while adjusting the size for a much wider variety of the types of subwavelength resonators. Their unveiling promises a wide avenue towards the realization of new frequency-domain and angle-domain filters, ultrathin polarization-plane convertors, asymmetric transmission devices and advanced microwave antennas.
Division of Physics of Nanostructures, ISQI, Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614, Poznan, Poland.
College of Engineering, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49504, USA. cakmaka@gvsu.edu.
Department of Electrical Engineering, Ankara University, 06830, Golbasi, Turkey.
Effects of gradual deformation of identical and nonidentical, rotated and nonrotated U-shaped subwavelength resonators in few-layer metasurfaces.
Structural impairments in white matter tracts are well-documented in schizophrenia, though their clinical implications remain limited. Most previous studies using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) and tractography relied on averaged diffusion indices, potentially obscuring localized changes in white matter tracts. Tractometry enables the investigation of localized changes at specific points along white matter tracts. We used dMRI and centerline tractometry to examine along-tract white matter abnormalities in 55 patients with recent-onset schizophrenia, 69 with chronic schizophrenia, and 77 healthy controls. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and peak length were measured at individual points along tract trajectories. Group differences in diffusion indices and their associations with clinical variables, including the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), were analyzed using linear mixed models and Spearman's rho. In recent-onset schizophrenia, reduced FA was observed in the genu and splenium of the corpus callosum, along with deviations in peak length across multiple white matter tracts. The peak length of association tracts showed a negative correlation with antipsychotic dose. In chronic schizophrenia, widespread reductions in FA and deviations in peak length were identified across various white matter tracts. Decreased FA in commissural tracts was negatively associated with the PANSS negative score, antipsychotic dose, and illness duration. This study identified along-tract white matter abnormalities in recent-onset and chronic schizophrenia and revealed their associations with clinical symptoms. Localized measurements along tract trajectories enhance the detection of clinically relevant abnormalities compared to traditional methods relying on averaged diffusion indices.
Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Department of Medical Science, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. ljssmh@gmail.com.
Along-tract white matter abnormalities and their clinical associations in recent-onset and chronic schizophrenia.
New energy vehicles are becoming a new trend in global transportation development due to the renewable and environmentally friendly nature of the fuel they consume. At the same time, the charging safety of electric vehicle (EV) lithium-ion battery limits the development of the industry. This paper obtains charging data through the EV charging network, takes the lithium-ion battery charging temperature as the observation value, and proposes an early warning method for EV lithium-ion battery based on the charging network according to the nonlinear relationship between the temperature and the charging voltage, current, and battery status. First, we obtain the charging data through the charging network, select the model input parameters, and establish the long- and short-term memory network and temporal convolutional network (LSTM-TCN) model to predict the EV charging temperature. Then, compare the real-time charging data with the predicted data to get the model with the highest accuracy, and analyze the residuals by using the sliding-window method to get the pre-warning thresholds. Finally, by monitoring and calculating the changes in residuals, a thermal runaway warning system is implemented for lithium-ion battery charging to ensure the safety of EV charging. The experimental results show that the LSTM-TCN charging early warning model has higher accuracy compared with other models, which makes the method able to accurately and quickly react to charging accidents and achieve the early warning effect.
Department of Automation and Electronic Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266061, China.
Department of Automation and Electronic Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266061, China. gaodexin@qust.edu.cn.
Department of Computer Science and Technology, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266061, China.
Early warning method for charging thermal runaway of electric vehicle lithium-ion battery based on charging network.
Cyber-attacks on healthcare entities and leaks of personal identifiable information (PII) are a growing threat. However, it is now possible to learn sensitive characteristics of an individual without PII, by combining advances in artificial intelligence, analytics, and online repositories. We discuss privacy threats and privacy engineering solutions, emphasizing the selection of privacy enhancing technologies for various healthcare cases. Future solutions must consider dynamic flows of data throughout their lifecycle.
Stanford University, School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA. sanjiv1@stanford.edu.Stanford Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering, Palo Alto, CA, USA. sanjiv1@stanford.edu.University of California Berkeley, School of Information Science, Berkeley, CA, USA. sanjiv1@stanford.edu.
University of California Berkeley, Center for Effective Global Action, Berkeley, CA, USA.
University of California Berkeley, School of Information Science, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Addressing contemporary threats in anonymised healthcare data using privacy engineering.
Wildfires pose a significant natural disaster risk to populations and contribute to accelerated climate change. As wildfires are also affected by climate change, extreme wildfires are becoming increasingly frequent. Although they occur less frequently globally than those sparked by human activities, lightning-ignited wildfires play a substantial role in carbon emissions and account for the majority of burned areas in certain regions. While existing computational models, especially those based on machine learning, aim to predict lightning-ignited wildfires, they are typically tailored to specific regions with unique characteristics, limiting their global applicability. In this study, we present machine learning models designed to characterize and predict lightning-ignited wildfires on a global scale. Our approach involves classifying lightning-ignited versus anthropogenic wildfires, and estimating with high accuracy the probability of lightning to ignite a fire based on a wide spectrum of factors such as meteorological conditions and vegetation. Utilizing these models, we analyze seasonal and spatial trends in lightning-ignited wildfires shedding light on the impact of climate change on this phenomenon. We analyze the influence of various features on the models using eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) frameworks. Our findings highlight significant global differences between anthropogenic and lightning-ignited wildfires. Moreover, we demonstrate that, even over a short time span of less than a decade, climate changes have steadily increased the global risk of lightning-ignited wildfires. This distinction underscores the imperative need for dedicated predictive models and fire weather indices tailored specifically to each type of wildfire.
Department of Computer Science, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel. assafshmuel91@gmail.com.
Department of Mathematics, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel.Department of Cancer Biology, Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK.
Department of Computer Science, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Porter School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Global lightning-ignited wildfires prediction and climate change projections based on explainable machine learning models.
The DESTINY-Breast04 trial has recently demonstrated survival benefits of trastuzumab-deruxtecan (T-DXd) in metastatic breast cancer patients with low Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) expression. Accurate differentiation of HER2 scores has now become crucial. However, visual immunohistochemistry (IHC) scoring is labour-intensive and prone to high interobserver variability, and artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a promising tool in diagnostic medicine. We conducted a diagnostic meta-analysis to evaluate AI's performance in classifying HER2 IHC scores, demonstrating high accuracy in predicting T-DXd eligibility, with a pooled sensitivity of 0.97 [95% CI 0.96-0.98] and specificity of 0.82 [95% CI 0.73-0.88]. Meta-regression revealed better performance with deep learning and patch-based analysis, while performance declined in externally validated and those utilising commercially available algorithms. Our findings indicate that AI holds promising potential in accurately identifying HER2-low patients and excels in distinguishing 2+ and 3+ scores.
School of Medicine, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK.
Economics Department, School of Social Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. matheus.vianna@manchester.ac.uk.
Department of Oncology, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, Brazil.
Division of Musculoskeletal & Dermatological Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of artificial intelligence in classifying HER2 status in breast cancer immunohistochemistry.
Aluminum (Al) salts are commonly used in conventional water facilities as primary coagulants. However, the coagulation process generates massive amounts of aluminum-based waste material, known as alum sludge or Al-Sludge , which requires proper treatment before disposal. This study introduces an innovative ferrite conditioner composed of a blend of zinc-silver (Zn-Ag) ferrite (Zn0.5Ag0.5Fe2O4), prepared through a simple co-precipitation method with a viable yield. The prepared Zn-Ag ferrite conditioner (ZSF-Conditioner) was applied as a modified Fenton conditioner and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, the thermal behavior of the material was analyzed using thermogravimetry (TG) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The ZSF-Conditioner utilizes oxidative radicals to dismantle extracellular Al-Sludge and improves sludge dewaterability. The capillary suction time (CST) of the Al-Sludge before and after treatment revealed the effectiveness of the Fenton process. For accurate optimization of the system variables, response surface methodology (RSM) was applied based on a Box-Behnken experimental design. The optimal values for ZSF-Conditioner, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and pH were determined to be 43 mg L- 1, 430 mg L- 1, and 3.5, respectively, achieving a CST reduction efficacy of 74 ± 3%, which was consistent with the predicted efficiency from the polynomial model. Thus, the experimental data confirmed the effectiveness of the system for Al-Sludge conditioning, highlighting its notable implementation and safe technology.
Department of Mathematics, College of Science and Humanities in Al-Kharj, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia.
Basic Engineering Science Department, Faculty of Engineering, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, 32511, Egypt.Advanced Materials/Solar Energy and Environmental Sustainability (AMSEES) Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, 32511, Egypt.
Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA.
Department of Mathematics, College of Science and Humanities in Al-Kharj, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia. eng_hossam21@yahoo.com.
Opportunities of aluminum sludge dredging with soft magnetic conditioner for dewaterability enrichment.
The TCF7L2 gene is a significant genetic factor contributing to the risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). We previously found that subjects with the TT genotype of TCF7L2 rs7903146 variant, who consume a low-fat diet (LF) had a higher incidence of stroke than subjects with the CC genotype. Yet this association was abolished in subjects with the TT genotype who consumed a Mediterranean-type diet (MetD). However, the mechanism by which MetD diet modulates the association between TCF7L2 and CVD risk is unclear. This study aims to validate these findings under real-world conditions and clinical practice to elucidate the biological mechanisms involved in this correlation.Thirty-five participants with BMI ranging from 27 to 34 kg/m2 were recruited based on rs7903146 genotype. Of those consented to participate, 21 had the CC and 14 had the TT genotype. Participants were randomly assigned to two dietary intervention groups, ensuring an equal distribution of CC and TT carriers. Each participant followed one of two diets (LF or MetD) for one week, followed by a 10-day washout period before switching to the other diet for one week. Blood samples were collected before and after each diet for metabolomic analysis using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The differential effect of the diets on triglyceride-rich lipoproteins was determined based on TCF7L2 genotype.The MetD significantly reduced triglyceride-rich lipoprotein concentrations compared to the LF diet. After consuming the LF diet, TT carriers exhibited more small VLDL particles, potentially contributing to CVD risk compared to CC carriers. However, this difference in risk was not observed with the MetD. Furthermore, the order in which the two diets were crossed affected the triglyceride-rich lipoprotein profile, with LF-MetD regimen showing a stronger effect on triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRL) levels than the MetD-LF regimen.Our findings suggest that rs7903146 TT carriers benefit more from a MetD than a LF diet in terms of their triglyceride-rich lipoprotein profile, which may reduce their risk of CVD. These results support the notion that genotype is a factor in determining the extent to which the MetD affects cardiovascular health.
© 2025. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.
USDA ARS, Precision Nutrition Directive, JM-USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA. chaoqiang.lai@usda.gov.
Diet & Chronic Disease Prevention Directive, JM-USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
USDA ARS, Precision Nutrition Directive, JM-USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
Precision Nutrition Directive, JM-USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA. jose.ordovas@tufts.edu.IMDEA Food Institute, CEI UAM + CSIC, Madrid, Spain. jose.ordovas@tufts.edu.CIBER Fisiopatologia Obesidad y Nutricion (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain. jose.ordovas@tufts.edu.
GOV: https://www. gov/study/NCT03458494.
Changes in triglyceride-rich lipoprotein particle profiles in response to one-week on a low fat or Mediterranean diet by TCF7L2 rs7903146 genotype: a randomized crossover dietary intervention trial.
Ogilvie's Syndrome (OS) is a rare but serious functional disorder characterized by dilatation of the colon, typically affecting the cecum and right colon, in the absence of any mechanical obstruction.We present an unusual case of Ogilvie's Syndrome in a 67-year-old female patient following elective dynamic hip screw surgery. She presented with gradual abdominal distention, as well as gas and stool retention. On the ninth postoperative day, abdominal examination revealed significant distention, marked tympanitic sounds upon percussion, diffuse tenderness on palpation, diminished bowel sounds, and moderate abdominal pain. Investigation tools demonstrated gross dilated in colons, up to 92.4 mm at the cecum level by Abdominal CT which, confirming the diagnosis of Ogilvie's Syndrome. The team opted for conservative treatment, including nasogastric tube (NGT) insertion, fasting, and intravenous fluids. Subsequent imaging a few days later indicated a reduction in colonic diameter (cecum measuring 38 mm) and an improvement in the patient's overall condition.Although Ogilvie's Syndrome is infrequently encountered, clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for gas and stool retention following surgical procedures. It is essential to be familiar with diagnostic methods and management protocols for this condition.
General Surgery Department, Abd Al Wahab Agha Hospital, Aleppo, Syria.
Orthopedic Surgery Department, Abd Al Wahab Agha Hospital, Aleppo, Syria.
Cardiology Department, Aleppo University Hospital, Aleppo, Syria.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria. dr.zakariaBrimo@gmail.com.
International journal of emergency medicine
An Ogilvie's syndrome: a rare case of large bowel pseudo-obstruction.
This case describes an atypical presentation of isolated posterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), who presented with left arm numbness and weakness, mimicking an acute stroke. Diagnosis was confirmed with coronary angiogram showing occlusion in proximal left circumflex artery, as well as rise in troponin. This atypical presentation highlights the importance of maintaining high index of suspicion and casting a wide net of differential diagnoses in initial assessment of patient in the emergency department.
Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Acute & Emergency Care, Singapore, Singapore. annisa.rakun@mohh.com.sg.
Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Acute & Emergency Care, Singapore, Singapore.
Posterior STEMI presenting as painless, isolated left arm numbness and weakness: a case report.
National Key Laboratory of Frigid Zone Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Research Institute and Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Northern Theater Command, 83 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110016, China.The General Hospital of Northern Theater Command Training Base for Graduate, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.
National Key Laboratory of Frigid Zone Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Research Institute and Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Northern Theater Command, 83 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110016, China.The General Hospital of Northern Theater Command Training Base for Graduate, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110016, China.
National Key Laboratory of Frigid Zone Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Research Institute and Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Northern Theater Command, 83 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110016, China.
National Key Laboratory of Frigid Zone Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Research Institute and Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Northern Theater Command, 83 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110016, China. hanyaling@163.net.The General Hospital of Northern Theater Command Training Base for Graduate, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China. hanyaling@163.net.
National Key Laboratory of Frigid Zone Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Research Institute and Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Northern Theater Command, 83 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110016, China. wxiaozeng@163.com.The General Hospital of Northern Theater Command Training Base for Graduate, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China. wxiaozeng@163.com.
Correction: Predictive factors for multivessel disease in patients with acute coronary syndrome: analysis from the CCC-ACS project in China.
Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA. emily.m.dagostino@duke.edu.Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA. emily.m.dagostino@duke.edu.Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA. emily.m.dagostino@duke.edu.
Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
Community-Campus Partnerships for Health, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
United Way of Merced County, Merced, CA, USA.
Pitt County Health Department, Greenville, NC, USA.
Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
Correction: You & me: test and treat study protocol for promoting COVID-19 test and treatment access to underserved populations.
Workplace bullying is a problem that can occur in any occupation or organization and is a stressful and negative experience for employees; resilience helps employees to better resist workplace bullying. The purpose of this study was to examine whether resilience moderates the effects of workplace bullying on job performance and to determine whether this moderating effect differs between three types of bullying: personal, work-related, and physical bullying.A self-administered, paper-based questionnaire was distributed to full-time nurses at three regional hospitals in Taiwan. Cross-sectional data on workplace bullying behaviors, resilience and job performance were collected from 422 nurses using a questionnaire survey. Data were collected using the Job Performance Scale, the Negative Acts Questionnaire, and the Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), and the resulting data were analyzed using SPSS 21 and the PROCESS macro.Resilience moderated the positive relationship between personal, physical bullying and job performance (b = .11, p < .05; b = .17, p < .05), but did not moderate the effects of work-related bullying.The findings of this study highlight the need for organizations to be proactive in preventing work-related bullying and to promote and enhance individual resilience. Managers need to be aware of the detrimental effects of work-related bullying, which can damage employees' physical and mental health and contribute to workplace toxicity.
Department of Long Term Care, National Quemoy University, No. 1, University Rd, Kinmen County, 892009, Taiwan ROC.
Department of Nursing, Asia University Hospital, No. 500, Lioufeng Rd., Wufeng, Taichung, 41354, Taiwan ROC.
Department of School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taiwan, No. 259 Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Kwei-Shan Dist, Tao-Yuan, 33302, Taiwan ROC.
Department of Healthcare Administration, Asia University, No.500, Lioufeng Rd., Wufeng, Taichung, 41354, Taiwan ROC. chengchia@asia.edu.tw.
Resilience as a moderator of the effects of types of workplace bullying and job performance.
School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, No. 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, China.
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, No.7 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510060, China.Department of Ophthalmology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, No.7 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, No.7 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510060, China. linmk@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Mingche Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Suzhou, 215000, China.
School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, No. 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, China. yinruixue@ecust.edu.cn.
Correction: A glaucoma micro-stent with diverging channel and stepped shaft structure based on microfluidic template processing technology.
Field Epidemiology Training Program, FETP, FMoH, Khartoum, Sudan.University of Gezira, Wad Medani, Sudan.
Field Epidemiology Training Program, FETP, FMoH, Khartoum, Sudan.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Al-Zaiem Al-Azhari, Khartoum, Sudan. mustafaaltyeb0123009@gmial.com.
Correction: Monkeypox pandemic in Sudan, surveillance epidemiologic report, 2022.
Critical care nurses frequently experience high levels of technostress due to the increasing demands of healthcare technology, which contributes to burnout. Emotional intelligence has been shown to buffer stress in demanding environments, potentially mitigating burnout. However, its mediating role in the relationship between technostress and burnout among critical care nurses remains underexplored.This study aims to examine the mediating role of emotional intelligence in the relationship between technostress and burnout among critical care nurses.A cross-sectional study was conducted among 180 critical care nurses from two hospitals in Damnhour City, Egypt. Data were collected using the Technostress Questionnaire, Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), and Emotional Intelligence Scale. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypothesized relationships between technostress, emotional intelligence, and burnout, with bootstrapping employed to assess mediation.Technostress was positively correlated with burnout (r = 0.56, p < 0.01), while emotional intelligence was negatively correlated with both technostress (r = -0.45, p < 0.01) and burnout (r = -0.49, p < 0.01). SEM analysis revealed that emotional intelligence significantly mediated the relationship between technostress and burnout (indirect effect = 0.23, p = 0.002), reducing burnout levels.Emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in mitigating the effects of technostress on burnout among critical care nurses. Targeted interventions to enhance emotional intelligence may help reduce burnout in technology-driven healthcare environments.
Geriatric Nursing - Faculty of Nursing, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. mostafa.shaban2020@cu.edu.eg.
Critical care and emergency nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.Assistant Professor, Medical Surgical Nursing Department, College of Nursing, Jouf University, Sakaka, Al Jouf, Saudi Arabia.
Critical care and emergency department, Faculty of nursing, Damanhur university, Damanhur, Egypt. Shimmaa.elsayed@nur.dmu.edu.eg.
The mediating role of emotional intelligence in the relationship between technostress and burnout prevention among critical care nurses a structural equation modelling approach.
The implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing is essential for improving patient care outcomes, yet systemic barriers, leadership challenges, and resource limitations continue to hinder its integration into clinical practice. Nurse managers (NMs) play a crucial role in bridging the gap between policy directives and frontline implementation, yet the dynamic interplay between leadership strategies, knowledge utilisation, and organisational barriers remains underexplored, particularly in resource-constrained settings. This study examines how NMs navigate these challenges to sustain EBP adoption in acute care environments.This collective case study employed a longitudinal qualitative design across two acute care settings in the UK. Data were collected over eight months through semi-structured interviews with NMs, nonparticipant observations, and document analysis of clinical guidelines and internal reports. A thematic analysis approach was used to synthesise findings and provide a nuanced understanding of leadership strategies and systemic factors influencing EBP adoption.Six interconnected themes emerged: (1) Adaptive leadership strategies, where NMs employ a hybrid of directive and collaborative leadership approaches to drive EBP; (2) Overcoming organisational and resource barriers, including staff shortages, financial constraints, and competing priorities; (3) Knowledge utilisation and learning networks, highlighting the role of informal mentorship, structured CPD, and peer learning in sustaining EBP; (4) Digital transformation and EBP, examining the benefits and challenges of integrating digital tools and addressing IT literacy gaps; (5) Patient-centred adaptations, exploring how NMs balance evidence-based interventions with patient preferences and cultural considerations; and (6) Emotional and psychological support, underscoring the importance of managing staff resistance and mitigating change fatigue.Findings of this study emphasise the pivotal role of NMs in driving EBP implementation through adaptive leadership, strategic resource management, and fostering learning networks. Addressing organisational barriers requires multi-level interventions that integrate leadership actions with systemic enablers to promote sustainable, evidence-informed nursing practice. Findings provide critical insights for healthcare policymakers, hospital administrators, and educators in enhancing EBP uptake within resource-limited settings.
School of Nursing, Midwifery & Public Health, University of Suffolk, Ipswich, UK. j.ominyi@uos.ac.uk.
Senior Lecturer, Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. nweduab@dufuhs.edu.ng.
Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Education, University of Bedfordshire, Luton, UK.
Senior Lecturer, Chester Medical School, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Society, University of Chester, Chester, CH2 1BR, UK.
Leading evidence-based practice: nurse managers' strategies for knowledge utilisation in acute care settings.
The sub-Saharan African Regional Partnership for mental health and capacity building (SHARP) study was a clinic-randomized trial of two implementation strategies for integrating depression screening and treatment into non-communicable diseases' (NCD) clinics in Malawi between 2019 and 2022. We report on the barriers to implementing depression care integration at SHARP study sites and potential solutions.N = 39 in-depth interviews with participants from all ten sites were conducted, recorded, transcribed, coded in NVivo 12 and analyzed by qualitative experts. We used thematic analysis to identify implementation challenges and potential solutions. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research helped to develop guides and organize the results.Outer setting barriers included high workload (due to high patient volume, increased paperwork, shortage of staff), the effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, staff turnover and negative provider attitudes. Limited clinic space arose as an inner setting barrier. Workload can be overcome by increasing the number of NCD personnel, decentralizing the depression/NCD services and integrating mental health and NCD documents (implementation process). The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges including fear of interpersonal contact and changes in scheduling staff that were difficult to overcome in the short term. To deal with the effects of staff turnover, participants identified the need for continuous depression training to new providers. Lobbying for more rooms from leadership can address concerns of limited space. To reduce negative provider attitudes, participants urged facility leadership to make themselves available for consultations and mentorship and to provide continuous learning opportunities such as refresher trainings.The experience in the SHARP study highlights the need for a culture of continuous learning and adaptation in healthcare settings, enabling the development of strategies to overcome evolving challenges. Planning for the integration of mental health and NCD care should extend beyond immediate challenges and consider long-term goals and sustainability.This study reports part of the findings from the endpoint evaluation of the SHARP clinical trial that is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03711786 first posted 20,181,018.
The University of North Carolina Project, Lilongwe, Malawi. colleta.zimba@gmail.com.
Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU), Lilongwe, Malawi.
The University of North Carolina Project, Lilongwe, Malawi.
RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Health Behavior, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
The University of North Carolina Project, Lilongwe, Malawi.Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
International journal of mental health systems
Barriers and potential solutions for effective integration of depression care into non-communicable diseases clinics in Malawi: a qualitative end-point evaluation of the SHARP randomized controlled trial.
Delirium is highly prevalent among older adults in various healthcare settings. Healthcare professionals' knowledge is crucial for preventing, recognizing, and managing delirium and delirium-related adverse outcomes. Despite its importance, little is known about how delirium knowledge is assessed.To map instruments and items used to assess delirium knowledge among healthcare professionals.A scoping review based on the methodological framework of Arksey and O'Malley (Int J Soc Res Methodol 8:19-32, 2005).A systematic literature search was performed in Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, and PsycINFO to include studies that assessed delirium knowledge among healthcare professionals.After removing duplicates, 760 studies were assessed for eligibility and 98 studies were included. Delirium knowledge was mainly assessed among nurses (57/98, 58.8%) and physicians (12/98, 12.4%) with a focus on critical care (32/98, 33.0%) over long-term care settings (4/98, 4.1%). Most studies used self-developed instruments (50/93, 53%), followed by original or modified versions of the Delirium Knowledge Questionnaire (14/93, 15%). Among the 32 identified instruments, limited evidence of validity and reliability was reported for six (18.8%). Analysis at the item level (n = 392 items) revealed five domains: (a) definition, signs and symptoms (81 items); (b) risk factors, incidence, and prevention (139 items); (c) detection and tools (89 items); (d) management and therapy (64 items); and (e) outcomes, prognosis and consequences (19 items).Delirium poses a significant burden on patients and on the healthcare system. This scoping review provides a comprehensive overview on how healthcare professionals' delirium knowledge has been assessed. Further research in this field is needed to provide stronger evidence of instruments' validity and reliability and to explore delirium knowledge among healthcare professionals in long-term care settings.
Claudiana Research, College of Healthcare Professions, Bolzano-Bozen, Italy. chiara.muzzana@claudiana.bz.it.
Department of Medical Science, University of Udine, Udine, Italy.
Claudiana Research, College of Healthcare Professions, Bolzano-Bozen, Italy.
Assessing delirium knowledge among health care professionals: findings from a scoping review.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) poses a significant clinical challenge because of drug resistance, which can adversely impact patient outcomes. Recent research has shown that abnormalities within the tumor microenvironment, especially hyperglycemia, play a crucial role in promoting metastasis and chemoresistance, and thereby determine the overall prognosis of patients with advanced CRC.This study employs data mining and consensus molecular subtype (CMS) techniques to identify pitavastatin and atorvastatin as potential agents for targeting high glucose-induced drug resistance in advanced CRC cells. CRC cells maintained under either low or high glucose conditions were established and utilized to assess the cytotoxic effects of pitavastatin and atorvastatin, both with and without 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). CRC 3D spheroids cultured were also included to demonstrate the anti-drug resistance of pitavastatin and atorvastatin.A bioinformatics analysis identified pitavastatin and atorvastatin as promising drug candidates. The CMS4 CRC cell line SW480 (SW480-HG) was established and cultured under high glucose conditions to simulate hyperglycemia-induced drug resistance and metastasis in CRC patients. Pitavastatin and atorvastatin could inhibit cell proliferation and 3D spheroid formation of CMS4 CRC cells under high glucose conditions. In addition, both pitavastatin and atorvastatin can synergistically promote the 5-FU-mediated cytotoxic effect and inhibit the growth of 5-FU-resistant CRC cells. Mechanistically, pitavastatin and atorvastatin can induce apoptosis and synergistically promote the 5-FU-mediated cytotoxic effect by activating autophagy, as well as the PERK/ATF4/CHOP signaling pathway while decreasing YAP expression.This study highlights the biomarker-guided precision medicine strategy for drug repurposing. Pitavastatin and atorvastatin could be used to assist in the treatment of advanced CRC, particularly with CMS4 subtype CRC patients who also suffer from hyperglycemia. Pitavastatin, with an achievable dosage used for clinical interventions, is highly recommended for a novel CRC therapeutic strategy.
Program in Molecular Medicine, College of Life Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.Department of Urology, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Zhongxiao Branch, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, 115, Taiwan.
Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.
Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, 220, Taiwan.
Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.Institute of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, Thai Nguyen, Vietnam.
Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.Taiwan International Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.
Program in Molecular Medicine, College of Life Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.
Taipei First Girls High School, Taipei, 110, Taiwan.
Department of Nutrition, China Medical University, Taichung, 406, Taiwan.
Master Degree Program in Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan.
Medical Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan.13 M.Sc. Program in Tropical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan.Center for Cancer Research, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, 807, Taiwan.
Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan.Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan.
Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.School of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.Department of Oncology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.
Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.Heart Rhythm Center, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, 115, Taipei, Taiwan.
Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan.Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
Department of Life Science, College of Science and Engineering, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, 242, Taiwan. jmlai@mail.fju.edu.tw.
Program in Molecular Medicine, College of Life Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan. cyhuang5@nycu.edu.tw.Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan. cyhuang5@nycu.edu.tw.Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan. cyhuang5@nycu.edu.tw.Chong Hin Loon Memorial Cancer and Biotherapy Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan. cyhuang5@nycu.edu.tw.
Repurposing pitavastatin and atorvastatin to overcome chemoresistance of metastatic colorectal cancer under high glucose conditions.
This study explores the relationship between smartphone addiction and sleep quality, and to further assess the mediating role of loneliness and depression.A survey of 200 older adults individuals was conducted using the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) for smartphone addiction, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep quality, Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15) for depression, and DeJong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DGLS) for loneliness. Linear regression and mediation analysis were performed for statistical analysis.A negative causal relationship was observed between smartphone addiction and sleep quality in the older adults (p < 0.05). Depression and loneliness in the older adults may potentially exacerbate the effect of smartphone addiction on sleep quality (p < 0.05).Individuals with smartphone addiction appeared to have poorer sleep quality, psychological factors play a mediating role in the association between smartphone addiction and sleep quality in the older adults. This emphasizes the importance of care for the mental health of the older adults and recognizes the negative impact of smartphone addiction on their quality of life.
The Eighth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China.Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Foshan, 528000, China.
School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, 100872, China.
Shanwei Institute of Technology, Shanwei, Guangdong, 516600, China.
People's Hospital of Foshan Chancheng District, Foshan, 510006, China.
Guangdong Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Foshan, 528200, China.
School of Nursing, Guangzhou Medical University, No. 1 Xinzao Road, Panyu District, Guangzhou, 511436, China. yezengjie_885@163.com.
The relationship between smartphone addiction and sleep quality in older adults: the mediating role of loneliness and depression.
Mobilization of transposable elements (TEs) can generate large effect mutations. However, due to the difficulty of detecting new TE insertions in genomes and the typically rare occurrence of transposition, the actual rate, distribution, and population dynamics of new insertions remain largely unexplored.We present a TE display sequencing approach that leverages target amplification of TE extremities to detect non-reference TE insertions with high specificity and sensitivity, enabling the detection of insertions at frequencies as low as 1 in 250,000 within a DNA sample. Moreover, this method allows the simultaneous detection of insertions for distinct TE families, including both retrotransposons and DNA transposons, enhancing its versatility and cost-effectiveness for investigating complex mobilomes. When combined with nanopore sequencing, this approach enables the identification of insertions using long-read information and achieves a turnaround time from DNA extraction to insertion identification of less than 24 h, significantly reducing the time-to-answer. By analyzing a population of Arabidopsis thaliana plants undergoing a transposition burst, we demonstrate the power of the multiplex TE display sequencing to analyze evolve and resequence experiments. Notably, we find that 3-4% of de novo TE insertions exhibit recurrent allele frequency changes indicative of either positive or negative selection.TE display sequencing is an ultra-sensitive, specific, simple, and cost-effective approach for investigating the rate and landscape of new TE insertions across multiple families in large-scale population experiments. We provide a step-by-step experimental protocol and ready-to-use bioinformatic pipelines to facilitate its straightforward implementation.
Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Université Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif Sur Yvette, 91190, France.
Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Université Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif Sur Yvette, 91190, France. leandro.quadrana@cnrs.fr.
Ultra-sensitive detection of transposon insertions across multiple families by transposable element display sequencing.
Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) comprise a pool of particles with different densities that may have variable impact on atherogenesis. Studies suggest that obese individuals with elevated body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) have increased small and dense LDL subfractions (sdLDL-c). It is unclear if diabetes (T2D) and insulin resistance (IR) may modify this association. We included 4,111 (50.4 ± 8.6 years of age, 45.5% men) individuals with neither prior cardiovascular disease nor use of lipid-lowering medications. Total LDL-c and its subfractions (LDL1-c, LDL2-c, LDL3-c, and LDL4-c) were measured by vertical zonal ultracentrifugation. We considered the subfractions LDL1-c and LDL2-c as large buoyant LDL (lbLDL-c) and the subfractions LDL3-c and LDL4-c as sdLDL-c. We analyzed the association between LDL-c subclasses, BMI and WC using linear regression analysis and stratified by the presence of T2D and IR. For sdLDL-c, a direct association with hypertension, T2D, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-c, and triglycerides was observed. In multivariate analysis, after adjustment for age, sex, race and triglycerides, the strong association of sdLDL-c with BMI (β 95% CI 0.16 (0,13-0,19)) and WC (β 95% CI 0.22 (0.19-0.26)) persisted. After stratification, the association of sdLDL-c and WC was present only in those with insulin resistance or diabetes. BMI showed a smaller impact than WC on this association. WC and BMI were strongly associated with sdLDL-c subfractions. Further, this association was modified by diabetes and insulin resistance status.
Instituto do Coracao, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.Center for Clinical and Epidemiological Research, University Hospital, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Center for Clinical and Epidemiological Research, University Hospital, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.Department of Internal Medicine, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil.
Instituto do Coracao, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Center for Clinical and Epidemiological Research, University Hospital, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
The Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, Baltimore, MD, USA.
VAP Diagnostics Laboratory, Birmingham, AL, USA.
The Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, Baltimore, MD, USA.Preventive Cardiology, CGH Medical Center, Sterling, IL, USA.
Center for Clinical and Epidemiological Research, University Hospital, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.The Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Center for Clinical and Epidemiological Research, University Hospital, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. msbittencourt@mail.harvard.edu.University Hospital, Av. Lineu Prestes, São Paulo, 2565, Brazil. msbittencourt@mail.harvard.edu.
Association of obesity and LDL subfractions evaluated by body mass index, waist circumference, and diabetes status: the ELSA-Brasil study.
Wolfram syndrome (WS) is a rare autosomal disorder caused by WFS1 gene mutations, currently lacking approved treatments. Preclinical and clinical reports suggest that diabetes medications, such as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP1-RA), slow WS-related diabetes and neurodegeneration, improving patient outcomes. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has crucial role in pancreatic islet function and blood glucose regulation. However, its specific role in WS diabetic pathophysiology has never been explored. The aim of this study was to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of liraglutide in mitigating the progression of diabetes associated with WS through supplementation with GABA.In this study, 5-month-old glucose intolerant WS rats and their wild-type littermates where daily treated with GABA (1 g/kg/day), liraglutide (0.4 mg/kg/day), or a combination of both. During the four-month experimental period, the diabetic phenotype was closely monitored using intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests (IPGTT) and corresponding hormone measurements via enzyme-linked immunoassay. Following the treatments, immunohistochemical staining was performed to examine the morphology, cellular distribution, and health of Langerhans islets.Unlike in conventional diabetes models, GABA monotherapy alone had no significant effect on the diabetic phenotype in WS rats. In contrast, liraglutide monotherapy effectively delayed diabetes progression. Remarkably, the combined therapy of GABA and liraglutide reversed the diabetic phenotype, significantly enhancing glucose homeostasis, as well as insulin and C-peptide secretion. The combined treatment also increased β-cell mass and corrected the pancreatic Langerhans intra-islet ratio of α-, β-, and δ-cells. As a result, the overall morphology and cytoarchitecture of the pancreatic islets were fully restored, suggesting a potential role for these agents in preserving islet integrity. Additionally, both liraglutide and combination therapy increased the number of GAD (glutamic acid decarboxylase) 65/67-positive β-cells in WS rats, indicating an improvement in general β-cell health.GABA monotherapy had no significant effect on the diabetic phenotype in WS rats, while liraglutide monotherapy effectively delayed diabetes progression. However, the combination therapy of GABA and liraglutide demonstrated a markedly superior effect, not only reversing the diabetic phenotype but also significantly enhancing glucose homeostasis, insulin and C-peptide secretion, and β-cell mass. This combined treatment led to a restoration of Langerhans islet architecture, correction of the endocrine cell proportions, and a notable increase in GAD65/67-positive β-cells, indicating improved β-cell health and function. These findings provide strong evidence supporting the evaluation of GABA and GLP-1 RAs as a combination therapy in clinical trials. Their synergistic effects may offer enhanced β-cell protection, promote functional recovery, and uncover novel therapeutic pathways for treating patients with WS.
Laboratory Animal Centre, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 14b Ravila Street, 50411, Tartu, Estonia. toomas.jagomae@gmail.com.
Laboratory Animal Centre, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 14b Ravila Street, 50411, Tartu, Estonia.
Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 19 Ravila Street, 50411, Tartu, Estonia.
Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 19 Ravila Street, 50411, Tartu, Estonia.
Laboratory Animal Centre, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 14b Ravila Street, 50411, Tartu, Estonia. mario.plaas@ut.ee.
GABA and GLP-1 receptor agonist combination therapy modifies diabetes and Langerhans islet cytoarchitecture in a rat model of Wolfram syndrome.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare neurodegenerative disease prevalent in American and European populations, with its onset and progression significantly influenced by mutations in the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) protein. While previous studies have highlighted the effects of mutations in the metal-binding region and catalytic region and dimerisation of SOD1, the impact of mutations involving the Cysteine residue at the N-terminal end remains unexplored. This study investigates the effects of Cysteine-to-Trp, Phe, Ser, and Gly mutations at the 6th position of SOD1's N-terminal end on its structural dynamics and functional impairment. Our computational analysis using PolyPhen-2, PROVEAN, Meta-SNP, and PhD-SNP predicted mutations to be deleterious, with their negative impacts likely contributing to disease development. Furthermore, stability studies and bonding pattern changes due to the mutations, analysed by mCSM, SDM, DUET, Dynamut2, and PremPS revealed changes in free energy and disruption in intramolecular interactions. The molecular dynamics studies revealed distinct changes in stability patterns among the mutations, particularly in Cys6Trp and Cys6Phe. All the mutations primarily altered the catalytic region of the protein; additionally, Cys6Phe and Cys6Gly caused disruption in the metal-binding region. The impact of mutations on the dimerisation of SOD1, analysed using MM/PBSA showed destabilisation due to Cys6Phe mutation. These findings provide molecular insights into the clinical symptoms observed in patients, highlighting the critical impact of the Cys6Phe mutation on the metal-binding and catalytic loops of SOD1 along with destabilisation of dimer formation. Overall, our analysis offers valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms driving structural changes in SOD1 due to mutations, contributing to a deeper understanding of their role in ALS pathogenicity.
Department of Biotechnology, St. Xavier's College, Maharashtra, Mumbai, India.
Department of Biotechnology, St. Xavier's College, Maharashtra, Mumbai, India. norine.dsouza@xaviers.edu.
Impact of cysteine mutations on the structural dynamics and functional impairment of SOD1: insights into the pathogenicity of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), a hallmark of early-stage heart failure (HF), is a common complication in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Metabolic Visceral Fat Score (METS-VF), a novel metric for estimating visceral adiposity, may provide valuable insights into LVH risk. This study explores the association between METS-VF and LVH in T2DM and compare its predictive performance to traditional abdominal obesity indices.This cross-sectional study included 4,988 adults with T2DM. Participants were stratified into quartiles based on METS-VF. Logistic regression models assessed the association between METS-VF and LVH. Restricted cubic spline analyses evaluated nonlinear relationships, while stratified analyses explored subgroups effects. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves compared the predictive performance of METS-VF with other indices.LVH prevalence increased across METS-VF quartiles (Quartile 1: 7.9%; Quartile 2: 13.0%; Quartile 3: 20.0%; Quartile 4: 31.0%; P < 0.001). Higher METS-VF was independently associated with LVH (OR: 9.79; 95% CI: 6.16-15.76; P < 0.001). A nonlinear relationship was observed between METS-VF and LVH, with a steeper risk increase above specific thresholds. Stratified analyses showed that the positive association between METS-VF and LVH was consistent. METS-VF outperformed traditional indices in predicting LVH (AUC: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.66-0.70).METS-VF is strongly associated with LVH in T2DM, demonstrating superior predictive performance compared to traditional indices. METS-VF is a practical, cost-effective tool for early cardiac risk stratification, facilitating timely interventions to mitigate HF risk in T2DM populations.
Center for Endocrine Metabolism and Immune Diseases, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 101149, China.
Beijing Key Laboratory of Diabetes Research and Care, Beijing, 101149, China.
Center for Endocrine Metabolism and Immune Diseases, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 101149, China. zhaodong@ccmu.edu.cn.Beijing Key Laboratory of Diabetes Research and Care, Beijing, 101149, China. zhaodong@ccmu.edu.cn.
Association between metabolic visceral fat score and left ventricular hypertrophy in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Effective postoperative pain management is crucial in caesarean delivery (CD) to enhance recovery, minimize opioid use, and improve maternal outcomes. Intrathecal morphine (ITM) is widely used but can cause side effects, such as pruritus and nausea. Posterior quadratus lumborum block (QLB) has emerged as a potential alternative for postoperative analgesia. This study compared the analgesic efficacy and side-effect profiles of ITM and posterior QLB in patients with CD.This prospective observational study included parturients who underwent elective CD under spinal anesthesia. Participants were allocated to receive either ITM (100 µg) or bilateral posterior QLB with 0.25% bupivacaine (25 mL per side). The primary outcome was cumulative intravenous morphine consumption 24 h post-surgery. The secondary outcomes included NRS pain scores at rest and during activity at 0, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h, the time to first opioid request, the number of patients requiring rescue analgesia, nausea and vomiting scores, pruritus scores, and scores on the Obstetric Quality of Recovery Scale (ObsQoR-11 T) at 24 h and 48 h postoperatively.Sixty patients were included in the analysis, with 30 patients in each group. The primary outcome, 24-h cumulative intravenous morphine consumption, was comparable between the ITM and posterior QLB groups (6 [10] mg vs. 8.2 [7.1] mg, p = 0.134). The secondary outcomes, including NRS pain scores at rest and during activity, time to first opioid request, number of patients requiring rescue analgesia (1 vs. 0; p = 0.313), nausea and vomiting scores, pruritus scores (0 [1] vs. 0 [0]; p = 0.234), and ObsQoR-11 T scores at 24 h (95.5 [14] vs. 87.5 [16]; p = 0.49) and 48 h (102 [13] vs. 97 [18]; p = 0.203), were not significantly different between the groups.Both ITM and posterior QLB provide effective postoperative analgesia in patients with CD, with comparable analgesic outcomes and side-effect profiles. ITM remains a practical choice because of its ease of administration, whereas subsequent QLB serves as a viable alternative for patients intolerant to neuraxial opioids.
Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, School of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Türkiye. burhandost@hotmail.com.
Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, School of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Türkiye.
Journal of anesthesia, analgesia and critical care
J Anesth Analg Crit Care. 2025-03-06;5(1):14.
Intrathecal morphine vs. Ultrasound-guided bilateral posterior quadratus lumborum block in caesarean delivery.
This study is the first to apply dilute acid pretreatment (DAP) under different severity conditions to poplar wood genetically modified for the cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD1) gene, which is involved in the lignin biosynthesis pathway. The carefully selected pretreatment conditions resulted in glucose yields that were 15 points higher for the hpCAD poplar line than for the wild-type (WT) wood after 48 h of enzymatic hydrolysis. To explain this higher saccharification rate, the chemical, spectral and structural changes in WT and hpCAD wood were analyzed in relation to the severity of the pretreatment process. Although few differences were found at the chemical level, variations in autofluorescence and cell deformation were more significant: at high severity, the cells of hpCAD wood observed by nanotomography were more easily deformed, but their middle lamella was more resistant than those of WT wood. All these differences are possibly explained by changes in the molecular structure of lignin in hpCAD wood, leading to the formation of more hydrophobic shorter monomer chains with fewer lignin‒carbohydrate interactions.
Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, INRAE, FARE, UMR A 614, Reims, France.Université Paris-Saclay, CentraleSupélec, Laboratoire de Génie Des Procédés et Matériaux, Centre Européen de Biotechnologie et de Bioéconomie (CEBB), 51110, Pomacle, France.
Université Paris-Saclay, CentraleSupélec, Laboratoire de Génie Des Procédés et Matériaux, Centre Européen de Biotechnologie et de Bioéconomie (CEBB), 51110, Pomacle, France.
Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, INRAE, FARE, UMR A 614, Reims, France.
INRAE, ONF, UMR BioForA, Orléans, France.
Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, INRAE, FARE, UMR A 614, Reims, France. gabriel.paes@inrae.fr.
Université Paris-Saclay, CentraleSupélec, Laboratoire de Génie Des Procédés et Matériaux, Centre Européen de Biotechnologie et de Bioéconomie (CEBB), 51110, Pomacle, France. patrick.perre@centralesupelec.fr.
Biotechnology for biofuels and bioproducts
Biotechnol Biofuels Bioprod. 2025-03-06;18(1):30.
Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase downregulation in poplar wood increases saccharification after dilute acid pretreatment: a key role for lignin revealed by a multimodal investigation.
Legumes enhance food security in developing countries, necessitating an understanding of their properties. This study examined the nutritional, functional, and microbial qualities of legume-based flour blends from Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Malawi and Zambia. SMEs were chosen for their key role in local food production, distribution, and complementary food supply.A total of 36 legume-based flour blend samples were collected using snowball sampling, consisting of 21 samples (7 sets of 3 similar samples) from SMEs in Zambia and 15 samples (5 sets of 3 similar samples) from SMEs in Malawi. Samples were analyzed for proximate composition, energy, iron, and zinc content. The nutritional contributions to the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for children aged 1-3 years were assessed. Additionally, functional properties such as water-holding and oil-holding capacities were measured. Microbial analysis was performed, and the data were statistically analyzed to determine significance (p ≤ 0.05).Our findings revealed substantial variability in the nutritional content of these flour blends. Protein content ranged from 9.4% to 41.5%, carbohydrates from 8.1% to 71.3%, crude fat from 2.3% to 26.8%, and crude fiber from 6.2% to 35.2%. Iron and zinc levels also varied significantly, from 2.9 to 21.9 mg/100 g and 2.2 to 5.2 mg/100 g, respectively. These inconsistencies highlight a lack of standardization in nutrient content for blends intended for infant feeding. When prepared as 96 g porridge servings for children aged 1-3 years, the blends provided notable contributions to the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). However, their nutrient levels were generally lower compared to the standard Corn-Soy Blend Plus (CSB +). The flour blends also showed variations in physico-functional properties, and some had microbial loads exceeding 250 cfu/g, reflecting inadequate hygiene practices during processing.To enhance their products, SMEs should ensure that their flour blends meet both nutritional and safety standards while striving to match or surpass the nutrient content of CSB + to remain competitive in the market.
Department of Human Nutrition and Health, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Bunda Campus, P.O. Box 219, Lilongwe, Malawi. pndovie@luanar.ac.mw.Department of Agriculture and Food Systems, Natural Resources College, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 143, Lilongwe, Malawi. pndovie@luanar.ac.mw.
Department of Agriculture and Food Systems, Natural Resources College, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 143, Lilongwe, Malawi.
Department of Human Nutrition and Health, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Bunda Campus, P.O. Box 219, Lilongwe, Malawi.
School of Food Technology, Nutrition & Bioengineering, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.
Department of Food Science & Nutrition, School of Agricultural Sciences, University of Zambia, P. O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT, Agricultural Research Station, P.O. Box 158, Lilongwe, Malawi.
Nutritional, functional, and microbial qualities of legume-based flour blends processed by SMEs in Zambia and Malawi compared to standard Corn-Soy Blend Plus (CSB +): a cross-sectional study.
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is the leading cause of death in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. Oxidative stress and inflammation are important pathological mechanisms affecting the occurrence and development of ASCVD in DM patients. Dietary zinc acts a key role in anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation and blood glucose regulation. This study purposes to explore the relationship between dietary zinc intake and 10-year ASCVD in DM patients.Based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2018, the 10-year risk of ASCVD was assessed using the 2018 ACC/AHA guidelines & pooled cohort equations model. The total dietary zinc intake was calculated through 24-h dietary recall. Weighted univariable, multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic splines (RCS) were performed to evaluate the association between dietary zinc intake and 10-year risk of ASCVD among patients with DM. Stratified analysis based on the history of hypertension, dyslipidemia and hypoglycemic agent's treatment were further evaluated these associations.Finally, we included 3,053 DM patients, of which 1,245 (40.78%) had high risk of 10-year ASCVD. We found higher dietary zinc intake was related to lower 10-year ASCVD risk among patients with DM (OR = 0.77, 95%CI: 0.61-0.99, P = 0.044), especially in patients with hypertension (OR = 0.53, 95%CI: 0.36-0.80), dyslipidemia (OR = 0.74, 95%CI: 0.58-0.95, P = 0.019), and hypoglycemic agent's treatment (OR = 0.71, 95%CI: 0.54-0.93, P = 0.016).Sufficient dietary zinc intake has potential benefits for cardiovascular health among patients with DM. Further large-scale and well-designed prospective study are needed to further explore these associations.
Department of Endocrinology and Rheumatology Immunology, The First People's Hospital of Lin'an District, Hangzhou, 360 YiKang Street, Lin'an District, Hangzhou City, 311300, Zhejiang Province, China. lvvxq@outlook.com.
Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First People's Hospital of Lin'an District, Hangzhou, Hangzhou City, 311300, Zhejiang Province, China.
Department of Endocrinology and Rheumatology Immunology, The First People's Hospital of Lin'an District, Hangzhou, 360 YiKang Street, Lin'an District, Hangzhou City, 311300, Zhejiang Province, China.
Dietary zinc intake and 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk in diabetes mellitus patients: evidence from NHANES database.
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between exercise-induced leg pain, fear of pain, kinesiophobia and injury anxiety in amateur and professional athletes. Secondarily, the present study also aimed to investigate the relationship between women or men athletes and individual or team sports.A cross-sectional study was conducted with a total of 304 athletes. Participants were categorized as amateur and professional athletes, male and female athletes, individual and team athletes. Participants were evaluated with Exercise Induced Leg Pain Questionnaire (EILP), Fear of Pain Questionnaire (FOPQ), Sports Injury Anxiety Scale (SIAS), and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK). Parametric tests were used for statistical analysis. A statistical significance level of 0.05 was chosen.Fear of pain and anxiety about sports injury were significantly less in men (p < 0.05). Loss of social support for sports injury anxiety was less in women (p < 0.05). Anxiety about sports re-injury was less in professional athletes (p < 0.05). Anxiety about letting down important Others and loss of social support were greater in team sports (p < 0.05). Besides, there was a positive, moderate, and significant correlation between the Fear of Pain Questionnaire- III Total and Tampa scale for kinesiophobia (r = 0.411, p < 0.01). Finally, a positive, moderate and significant correlation was found between Sport Injury Anxiety Scale Total and Tampa scale for kinesiophobia (r = 0.579, p < 0.01).Exercise and movement were associated with psychological parameters related to injury and pain in athletes. Female athletes were found to have more injury anxiety and fear of pain. In addition, amateur athletes have more injury anxiety. Besides, injury anxiety was found to be higher in individuals in team sports. Future studies may further investigate these groups who are more disadvantaged in terms of anxiety, fear of pain and kinesiophobia. In addition, clinicians should pay attention to the criteria for a biopsychosocial approach by choosing appropriate descriptive phrases to avoid exacerbating athletes' anxiety.
Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Köyceğiz Vocational School, Department of Property Protection and Security Department, Muğla, Turkey.
Faculty of Sport Sciences, Department of Physical Education and Sport, Düzce University, Düzce, Turkey. kadirtiryaki@duzce.edu.tr.
Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Antalya Bilim University, Antalya, Turkey.
Köyceğiz Vocational School of Health Services, Department of Health Care Services, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Muğla, Turkey.
BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation
BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2025-03-06;17(1):40.
Investigation of exercise-related leg pain, fear of pain, kinesiophobia, and injury anxiety in athletes.
Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510462, China.African Swine Fever Regional Laboratory of China (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510642, China.Key Laboratory of Animal Vaccine Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, PR China.
Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510462, China.African Swine Fever Regional Laboratory of China (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510642, China.
Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510462, China.
Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510462, China.African Swine Fever Regional Laboratory of China (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510642, China.Maoming Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Maoming, 525000, China.
Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510462, China.Research Center for African Swine Fever Prevention and Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510462, China.Maoming Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Maoming, 525000, China.
Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510462, China.African Swine Fever Regional Laboratory of China (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510642, China.Key Laboratory of Animal Vaccine Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, PR China.Maoming Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Maoming, 525000, China.Research Center for African Swine Fever Prevention and Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510462, China. wangheng2009@scau.edu.cn.African Swine Fever Regional Laboratory of China (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510642, China. wangheng2009@scau.edu.cn.Key Laboratory of Animal Vaccine Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, PR China. wangheng2009@scau.edu.cn.Maoming Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Maoming, 525000, China. wangheng2009@scau.edu.cn.Research Center for African Swine Fever Prevention and Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China. wangheng2009@scau.edu.cn.
Correction: Aloe-emodin inhibits African swine fever virus replication by promoting apoptosis via regulating NF-κB signaling pathway.
Building trusting relationships is critical to the success of patient-oriented research. However, in high-secure forensic mental health settings, distrust, discrimination, and restrictive practices pose unique barriers to building relationships. This commentary explores the challenges, strategies, and lessons learned in fostering meaningful connections with forensic patients at a high-secure hospital. Initially focused on assessing readiness to conduct patient-oriented research, the team pivoted to relationship building, guided by the mentorship of peer researchers and patient advocates. Navigating institutional complexities, the team adopted a patient-centered approach informed by the principles of respect and human connection. Key strategies included shadowing experienced patient advocates embedded within the hospital, attending patient community meetings, and engaging in informal interactions with patients. These efforts enabled the team to move from observing interactions to engaging in patients' daily lives through shared experiences. A major milestone was the successful planning and execution of a knowledge sharing event that brought together patients, staff, researchers, and external stakeholders to explore how to put patient-oriented research approaches into practice. Despite the progress, the team faced many challenges, including skepticism from staff and patients, and disruptions inherent to a high-secure environment. The commentary discusses critical lessons for overcoming these challenges, including the importance of patience, adaptability, and respecting boundaries. It emphasizes the intrinsic value of building relationships beyond research outcomes and advocates for incorporating diverse team expertise to foster trust and authentic connections. The commentary also highlights the perspectives of a current forensic patient and co-author, who shares how the team's efforts made him feel valued as a person. His reflections add to the narrative by highlighting the impact of respectful interactions on relationships. By sharing these insights, this commentary aims to inspire other research teams to prioritize relationship building as a foundational step toward meaningful participatory research in forensic mental health care.
Waypoint Research Institute, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Penetanguishene, ON, Canada.
Patient/Client and Family Council, Midland, ON, Canada.
Current patient at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Penetanguishene, ON, Canada.
Waypoint Research Institute, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Penetanguishene, ON, Canada.Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Department of Sociology & School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
Department of Psychology & Health Studies, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
Waypoint Research Institute, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Penetanguishene, ON, Canada. ccanning@waypointcentre.ca.Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. ccanning@waypointcentre.ca.
Building trust is important for patient-oriented research, but it can be especially hard in high-secure forensic mental health hospitals. Distrust, discrimination, and strict rules make it hard to form connections. This article explores the challenges and strategies of a research team in building relationships with patients in a high-secure hospital. The team started by looking at whether hospital staff and patients were ready for patient-oriented research but quickly realized that building relationships should be a first step. They worked with peer researchers, patient advocates, and mentors to focus on respect and human connection. They learned from patient advocates, attended patient meetings, and talked informally with patients. Over time, they became more involved in patients’ daily lives. One important moment was an event where patients, staff, and researchers gathered to discuss how patient-oriented research can be done at the hospital. The team still faced challenges, like distrust from staff and patients, as well as disruptions in the hospital. They learned to be patient, flexible, and to respect boundaries. Building trust and real connections helped them go beyond just research goals. A patient who helped write this article shared how the team made him feel valued as a person, not just a patient. By sharing these experiences, the article hopes to encourage other researchers to focus on building relationships in forensic patient-oriented research.
Building capacity in patient-oriented research: reflections on cultivating relationships within a high-secure forensic mental health hospital.
Fructus Viticis Total Flavonoids (FVTF) is a novel candidate preparation that possesses anticancer activity. However, the role and mechanism of FVTF-inhibiting human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell stem properties is unclear.Liquid chromatography (LC) in conjugation with mass spectrometer (MS) was used to identify the compounds of FVTF. Tumorsphere and soft agar colony formation ability, cancer stem marker expression levels, CD133+ cell percentage, and a xenograft model were utilized to investigate the impact of FVTF on HCC cells stemness. PCR array and qRT-PCR were conducted to identify differentially expressed cancer stem-related genes and miRNAs between FVTF-treated and untreated HCC cells, respectively. Pyrosequencing was conducted to assess the DNA methylation level of the miR-34a-5p promoter. A luciferase reporter assay was performed to verify whether FoxM1 serves as a direct target of miR-34a-5p. Additionally, immunohistochemistry of an HCC tissue microarray was carried out to assess the expression levels of DNMT1, FoxM1, and miR-34a-5p.A total of 26 compounds, including 10 flavones, in FVTF were identified. FVTF significantly reduced the ability of tumorsphere and soft agar colony formation, the levels of CD44 protein and BMI1, OCT4 and SOX2 mRNAs in HCC cells, and in vivo tumor initiation ability of HCC cells. Mechanistically, FVTF inhibited HCC cell stem properties via targeting DNMT1/miR-34a-5p/FoxM1 axis. Clinically, DNMT1 expression was inversely correlated with miR-34a-5p expression, whereas a positive correlation was noted between DNMT1 and FoxM1 expression levels, and high DNMT1 levels, low miR-34a-5p levels, and high FoxM1 levels were associated with cancer recurrence. Furthermore, a combination of DNMT1, miR-34a-5p and FoxM1 served as an independent prognostic indicator influencing both DFS and OS in patients with HCC.FVTF inhibits HCC cell stem properties by targeting DNMT1/miR-34a-5p/FoxM1 axis, which is associated with HCC recurrence and prognosis, and FVTF is a prospective treatment drug for human HCC.
Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.Research Center of Carcinogenesis and Targeted Therapy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.The Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Cancer Proteomics and Translational Medicine of Hunan Province, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.National Clinical Research Center of Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.National Clinical Research Center of Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Medical College, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, Hunan, China.
Research Center of Carcinogenesis and Targeted Therapy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.The Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Cancer Proteomics and Translational Medicine of Hunan Province, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.National Clinical Research Center of Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
Research Center of Carcinogenesis and Targeted Therapy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China. yi_hong@126.com.The Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Cancer Proteomics and Translational Medicine of Hunan Province, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China. yi_hong@126.com.National Clinical Research Center of Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China. yi_hong@126.com.
Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China. zhiqiangxiao@csu.edu.cn.Research Center of Carcinogenesis and Targeted Therapy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China. zhiqiangxiao@csu.edu.cn.The Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Cancer Proteomics and Translational Medicine of Hunan Province, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China. zhiqiangxiao@csu.edu.cn.National Clinical Research Center of Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China. zhiqiangxiao@csu.edu.cn.
FVTF inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma stem properties via targeting DNMT1/miR-34a-5p/FoxM1 axis.
Theory predicts that biological communities can have multiple stable states in terms of their species/taxonomic compositions. The presence of such alternative stable states has been examined in classic ecological studies on the communities of macro-organisms (e.g., distinction between forest and savanna vegetation types). Nonetheless, it remains an essential challenge to extend the target of the discussion on multistability from macro-organismal systems to highly species-rich microbial systems. Identifying alternative stable states of taxonomically diverse microbial communities is a crucial step for predicting and controlling microbiome processes in light of classic ecological studies on community stability.By targeting soil microbiomes, we inferred the stability landscapes of community structure based on a mathematical framework of statistical physics. We compiled a dataset involving 11 archaeal, 332 bacterial, and 240 fungal families detected from > 1,500 agroecosystem soil samples and applied the energy landscape analysis to estimate the stability/instability of observed taxonomic compositions. The statistical analysis suggested that both prokaryotic and fungal community structure could be classified into several stable states. We also found that the inferred alternative stable states differed greatly in their associations with crop disease prevalence in agroecosystems. We further inferred tipping points , through which transitions between alternative stable states could occur.Our results suggest that the structure of complex soil microbiomes can be categorized into alternative stable states, which potentially differ in ecosystem-level functioning. Such insights into the relationship between structure, stability, and functions of ecological communities will provide a basis for ecosystem restoration and the sustainable management of agroecosystems.
Laboratory of Ecosystems and Coevolution, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.Center for Living Systems Information Science (CeLiSIS), Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.
Institute for Plant Protection, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, 305-8666, Ibaraki, Japan.
Integrated Bioresource Information Division, BioResource Research Center, RIKEN, Tsukuba, 305-0074, Ibaraki, Japan.Institute of Multidisciplinary Sciences, Yokohama National University, Yokohama, 240-8501, Kanagawa, Japan.
Laboratory of Ecosystems and Coevolution, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan. toju.hirokazu.4c@kyoto-u.ac.jp.Center for Living Systems Information Science (CeLiSIS), Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan. toju.hirokazu.4c@kyoto-u.ac.jp.
Alternative stable states of microbiome structure and soil ecosystem functions.
Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. sia34@mail.aub.edu.
Center for Research on Population and Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Saab Medical Library, University Libraries, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Correction: Health and well-being of older populations affected by humanitarian crises in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review of peer-reviewed literature.
Large-scale national biobank projects utilizing whole-genome sequencing have emerged as transformative resources for understanding human genetic variation and its relationship to health and disease. These initiatives, which include the UK Biobank, All of Us Research Program, Singapore's PRECISE, Biobank Japan, and the National Project of Bio-Big Data of Korea, are generating unprecedented volumes of high-resolution genomic data integrated with comprehensive phenotypic, environmental, and clinical information. This review examines the methodologies, contributions, and challenges of major WGS-based national genome projects worldwide. We first discuss the landscape of national biobank initiatives, highlighting their distinct approaches to data collection, participant recruitment, and phenotype characterization. We then introduce recent technological advances that enable efficient processing and analysis of large-scale WGS data, including improvements in variant calling algorithms, innovative methods for creating multi-sample VCFs, optimized data storage formats, and cloud-based computing solutions. The review synthesizes key discoveries from these projects, particularly in identifying expression quantitative trait loci and rare variants associated with complex diseases. Our review introduces the latest findings from the National Project of Bio-Big Data of Korea, which has advanced our understanding of population-specific genetic variation and rare diseases in Korean and East Asian populations. Finally, we discuss future directions and challenges in maximizing the impact of these resources on precision medicine and global health equity. This comprehensive examination demonstrates how large-scale national genome projects are revolutionizing genetic research and healthcare delivery while highlighting the importance of continued investment in diverse, population-specific genomic resources.
Department of Integrated Biomedical and Life Science, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.L-HOPE Program for Community-Based Total Learning Health Systems, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
School of Biosystem and Biomedical Science, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
Department of Integrated Biomedical and Life Science, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.Division of Genome Science, Department of Precision Medicine, National Institute of Health, Cheongju, 28159, Republic of Korea.
Department of Integrated Biomedical and Life Science, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea. joonan30@korea.ac.kr.L-HOPE Program for Community-Based Total Learning Health Systems, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea. joonan30@korea.ac.kr.School of Biosystem and Biomedical Science, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea. joonan30@korea.ac.kr.
Lessons from national biobank projects utilizing whole-genome sequencing for population-scale genomics.
Milk synthesis is an energy-intensive process influenced by oxygen availability. This study investigates how hypoxia affects milk synthesis in BMECs, focusing on key genes involved in lactation and energy metabolism.BMECs were cultured in a normoxic environment and then transferred to a hypoxia chamber with 1% O2 for specified durations. The study evaluated cellular responses through various molecular experiments and RNA sequencing. Small interfering RNA was employed to knock down HIF-1α to investigate whether the lactation-related phenotype alteration depends on HIF-1α.Hypoxia disrupted milk protein production by reducing mTOR/P70S6K/4EBP1 signaling and downregulating genes critical for amino acid transport and protein synthesis. Triglyceride synthesis increased due to enhanced fatty acid uptake and the upregulation of regulatory proteins, including FASN and PPARγ. Although glucose uptake was elevated under hypoxia, key enzymes for lactose synthesis were downregulated, suggesting a redirection of glucose toward energy production. Mitochondrial function was impaired under hypoxia, with reduced gene expression in TCA cycle, ETC, cytosol-mitochondrial transport, decreased ATP levels, increased ROS levels, and structural alterations. Additionally, lipid synthesis and glucose uptake depend on HIF-1α, while milk protein synthesis alterations occurred independently of HIF-1α.Hypoxia alters milk synthesis in BMECs by disrupting milk protein synthesis, enhancing lipid metabolism, and impairing energy production. These findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of oxygen deprivation on lactation efficiency, offering potential targets for mitigating hypoxic stress in the mammary glands of dairy animals.
College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA.
College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China. hyliu@zju.edu.cn.
Journal of animal science and biotechnology
Effects of hypoxia stress on the milk synthesis in bovine mammary epithelial cells.
There's a significant demand to link and analyse administrative and routine local hospital data for health research to improve treatments and understand disease and diagnosis. Involving patients and members of the public in how data are accessed for service improvement is crucial for developing an acceptable, ethical and information governance-compliant whole system data linkage. A key challenge is ensuring sustainable and genuine public engagement that fosters trust in data use. This study evaluates the early implementation of a Data Trust Committee (DTC) at a London hospital, assessing its impact on research efficiency and the experiences of key stakeholders, including patients, staff and researchers.A rapid qualitative evaluation was conducted using semi-structured to assess the implementation and perceived impact of the DTC. Purposive sampling targeted DTC members (n = 8), attendees (n = 3), and researchers (n = 2). Thematic analysis, supported by RREAL sheets, identified key themes in stakeholders' experiences and perceptions.Findings highlighted five key areas: (1) the programme theory, outlining the DTC's role in data governance and responsible data access; (2) varying stakeholder perceptions of the DTC's purpose and decision-making processes; (3) The DTC's impact on research oversight, data access and approval processes; (4) challenges related to role clarification and communication; (5) the perceived effectiveness of the DTC in enhancing data quality, research oversight and approval speed. While participants recognised the DTC's potential to enhance data quality and prioritising patient experiences, challenges related to the speed of applications, communication gaps, and technology barriers were identified.The DTC played a pivotal role in reshaping research regulatory processes, and how this may benefit patients. However, balancing ethical risks with patient benefits remains an ongoing challenge. Addressing role clarity, communication strategies, and stakeholder engagement is essential for optimising future DTC implementation. Future research should expand to evaluate DTC models across diverse healthcare settings to enhance data sharing frameworks.
Rapid Research Evaluation and Appraisal Lab (RREAL), Department of Targeted Intervention, University College London, London, UK.Department of Psychology, University of Bradford, Brandford, UK.
Rapid Research Evaluation and Appraisal Lab (RREAL), Department of Targeted Intervention, University College London, London, UK.
Department of Targeted Intervention, University College London, London, UK.
NIHR biomedical Research Centre, University College London Hospital (UCLH) NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Rapid Research Evaluation and Appraisal Lab (RREAL), Department of Targeted Intervention, University College London, London, UK. c.vindrola@ucl.ac.uk.
Administrative and routine data are collected by hospitals in their daily operations and used for research and service improvement. A key challenge is making sure patients and the public are involved in deciding how these data are used to ensure it’s done in a safe and ethical way and for patient benefit. This study looked at how a new Data Trust Committee (DTC) was set up at a hospital in London. The DTC was designed to involve patients to make decisions about who can access patient data and how it can be used. We interviewed people involved in the DTC, such as patients, hospital staff, and researchers to understand their experiences. They told us about how the DTC has made accessing data easier, and how it has improved the way data are used for patient benefit and the DTC made sure that patients’ experiences were considered. They also mentioned some challenges, like needing clearer roles for DTC members, improving the speed and communication in the application process and finding the right balance between protecting patient privacy and making sure data are used to benefit patients. In the future, more research should be done to help improve how data are shared and used in healthcare and share this learning. The involvement of patients and the public was important in shaping this study and ensuring that their voices are heard in decisions about how their data are used. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of patients, public and healthcare staff in implementing a Data Trust Committee. Public and patient representatives participated as study respondents and they played an active role in reviewing study materials and shaping our research process. Their contributions helped refine our approach and ensured alignment with the GRIPP2 checklist. Public and patient involvement is central to the DTC’s functioning, our findings revealed that the distinction between patients and public members within the committee was not always clearly defined, leading to ambiguity regarding their respective roles. Patients provided insights based on their lived healthcare experiences, while public members contributed broader societal and ethical perspectives on data access, transparency and the impact of the DTC. Their contributions were central in shaping our understanding of the DTC’s implementation and potential impact on patient care and research ethics. Our findings highlight the importance of refining the DTC’s framework to ensure that both patient and public voices are meaningfully integrated in ways that align with their unique expertise.
Exploring the implementation of a data trust committee: a qualitative evaluation of processes and practices.
Although there is consensus regarding the added value of adults with an intellectual disability and family carers as Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) members in research studies, there is limited reporting on the practice and impact of their involvement.PPIE input was integral to the application process and subsequent research activities in the NIHR-funded PETAL (PErsonalised Treatment packages for Adults With Learning disabilities) programme. We also conducted semi-structured interviews with five researchers/PPIE facilitators and four family carers, and a focus group with three adults with an intellectual disability who are members of the programme advisory groups. The GRIPP2 checklist guided the reporting of PPIE activities.Thematic analysis identified four overarching themes: (a) Motivation for being a PPIE member, (b) Added value of PPIE input into research (c) Logistics and practicalities of PPIE activities, and (d) Insights and reflections. Family carers highlighted the benefit of giving a voice to adults with an intellectual disability in PPIE activities within research. Both PPIE groups were positive about being able to share their thoughts and feelings with the PETAL research team and making valued contributions to research activities. All stakeholders highlighted the importance of accessible meeting formats to facilitate PPIE activities. They also reflected on how meaningful collaboration could enhance research in the field of intellectual disability. Researchers raised the need for greater diversity within PPIE groups.Future work should aim to further develop PPIE processes and identify strategies to maximise the diversity and inclusion of adults with an intellectual disability and family carers in research advisory groups.
Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK. uctvcac@ucl.ac.uk.
Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK.
Challenging Behaviour Foundation, Kent, UK.
Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Group members of the PETAL programme, London, UK.
Department of Primary Care and Population Health, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK.
Institute of Nursing and Health Research, Ulster University, Belfast, UK.
Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
This study explored the impact of Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) activities in a research programme that aimed to develop and test a therapy for adults with an intellectual (learning) disability who display aggressive challenging behaviour. We held interviews with five researchers/PPIE facilitators, four family carers, and a group discussion with three adults with an intellectual disability, with most involved in the study from the start of the application and after the award.Four themes emerged:Theme 1: PPIE members emphasised their commitment to supporting peers and advocating for those less able to voice their needs.Theme 2: PPIE members valued the implementation of their ideas about inclusive and respectful language and the knowledge exchange in meetings. Researchers valued knowing what research matters most to adults with an intellectual disability.Theme 3: Despite some practical challenges, everyone found PPIE activities to be inclusive, with accessible meetings enabling engagement in the programme.Theme 4: All stakeholders valued collaboration between researchers and PPIE members. PPIE members felt their input led to amendments in study documents to better address. All parties expressed greater confidence in co-creating future research.Overall, stakeholders viewed PPIE activities as impactful and beneficial. PPIE members discussed with the researchers about the presentation of aggressive challenging behaviour in study documents and amendments were made, where appropriate. Areas for improvement included making sure that people from different countries and cultures are included and supporting people to manage research activities.
We're all in this together : patient and public involvement and engagement in developing a new psychosocial intervention for adults with an intellectual disability who display aggressive challenging behaviour.
Appropriately and comprehensive applying implementation frameworks is one of the key challenges in implementation science resulting in increased use of multiple implementation frameworks within projects. This is particularly true for frameworks such as PARIHS/i-PARIHS. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to examine if and why the PARIHS/i-PARIHS framework has been applied in research with other implementation frameworks.We searched six databases from 2016 (the year following i-PARIHS' publication) to April 2024 and supplemented this with a citation search of the seminal i-PARIHS paper. We included studies that 1) were peer-reviewed with a protocol or empirical study design, 2) have applied the PARIHS or i-PARIHS framework for implementation planning, delivery, analysis, or evaluation and 3) also used at least one other implementation framework. Descriptive statistics were conducted to report on study characteristics and frequency for each implementation framework used with PARIHS/i-PARIHS. A qualitative, content analysis was used to analyse the answers to open-ended extraction questions.Thirty-six articles met criteria for inclusion and included 16 protocols and 20 empirical articles (twelve intervention and eight cross-sectional studies). Thirty-four of the studies used one additional implementation framework and two studies used two additional implementation frameworks. In total, nine implementation frameworks were applied with PARIHS/i-PARIHS, including: 1) RE-AIM, 2) CFIR, 3) NPT, 4) REP, 5) TDF, 6), DSF, 7) KTA, 8) Stetler's Model, and 9) SIF. Thirty-four reported a rationale for using PARIHS/i-PARIHS and 34 reported a rationale for using the other implementation framework. Only eleven reported a rationale for using more than one implementation framework. Only three reported strengths of combining implementation frameworks.Overall, this review identified that implementation researchers are using PARIHS/i-PARIHS in combination with other implementation frameworks and providing little to no rationale for why. Use of multiple implementation frameworks without detailed rationales compromises our ability to evaluate mechanisms of effectiveness. Implementation researchers and practitioners need to be more explicit about their framework selection, detailing the complementary strengths of the frameworks that are being used in combination, including why using one is not sufficient.This systematic review was registered with PROSPERO: ID: 392147.
Flinders University, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Caring Futures Institute, Sturt Road, Bedford Park, Adelaide, South Australia, 5042, Australia. sarah.hunter@flinders.edu.au.
Flinders University, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Caring Futures Institute, Sturt Road, Bedford Park, Adelaide, South Australia, 5042, Australia.
Center for Health Optimization and Implementation Research, VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 South Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Department of Women's and Children's Health, SWEDESD - Sustainability Learning and Research Center, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics, Medical Management Center, Karolinska Institutet, PROCOME, Stockholm, Sweden.Unit for Implementation and Evaluation, Center for Epidemiology and Community Medicine (CES), Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden.
School of Health and Welfare, Dalarna University, Falun, 791 88, Sweden.
Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, 581 83, Sweden.Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Box 564, Uppsala, 751 22, Sweden.
Combined use of the integrated-Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (i-PARIHS) framework with other implementation frameworks: a systematic review.
Microbial seeding in early life is critical for the host's short- and long-term health, and the mother is the first source of bacteria for the newborn. The objective of this study was to characterize the maternal fecal, vaginal, and colostral microbiotas in the canine species one day after parturition and to evaluate the relationship between the microbial profiles of 36 dams and the neonatal outcomes of 284 newborns.The first part of the study revealed the presence of 2 fecal, 3 vaginal, and 2 colostral microbial clusters on the basis of the core microbiota of the dams. Among these three maternal microbiotas, only the vaginal microbiome was found to be associated with neonatal outcomes. Compared with those in the other clusters, females in Cluster 1, with the lowest stillbirth and neonatal mortality ratios, presented a greater abundance of Moraxellaceae in their vaginal microbiota; Cluster 2, with a greater abundance of Pasteurellaceae, mostly from the Haemophilus genus; and Cluster 3 (with the highest stillbirth and neonatal mortality ratios), a greater abundance of Enterobacteriaceae, mostly E. coli. Moreover, Cluster 3 dams presented significantly lower species richness according to the Shannon index than did dams from the other clusters.This study underscores the strong association between maternal microbiota, particularly the vaginal microbiota, and newborn health. The results of this study call for further research to gain a deeper understanding of the optimal vaginal microbiota composition in canine species and the ways to modulate it to improve neonatal outcomes.
NeoCare, Reproduction, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety (VESPA), The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at University of Milan, Milan, 20134, Italy.
NeoCare, Reproduction, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED, Maisons-Alfort, France.
NeoCare, Reproduction, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France. hanna.mila@envt.fr., Toulouse Cedex 3, 31076, France. hanna.mila@envt.fr.
Composition of the fecal, vaginal and colostrum microbiotas of dams at parturition and their relationship with neonatal outcomes in dogs.
The benefits of strength training on shooting accuracy in football players and other athletes are well known, but its effectiveness in improving shooting accuracy among basketball players remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of partial range of motion (PROM) and full range of motion (FROM) triceps strength training on stationary three-point shooting test (S3P) among recreational basketball players.This was a single-blinded randomized controlled trial. 30 participants were randomly assigned into 3 equal groups; FROM, PROM, and control (CON). Triceps strength training was carried out using an adjustable overhead cable crossover machine. With shoulders over-head flexed to 160-180° for both experimental groups, the FROM group performed strength training from full elbow flexion to full extension. In contrast, the PROM group worked at a restricted range, between 60°-110° elbow flexion/extension. Both groups engaged in 4 sets of 10 repetitions, 2 sessions/week for 4-weeks at 67% of 1 repetition maximum, while the CON group did not participate in any exercise program. S3P was assessed at baseline and at the end of 4-weeks intervention.Participants mean age (20.20 ± 1.54 years), height (1.74 ± 0.61 m), and body mass index (22.55 ± 3.31) were descriptively analysed. Within group analysis showed a significant improvement of S3P in both FROM (p = 0.0345, 95% CI = -1.50 to -0.07, ES = 0.81) and PROM (p = 0.005, 95% CI = -2.44 to -0.97, ES = 2.40) compared to CON group (p = 0.8995, 95% CI = -0.61 to 0.68, ES = 0.05). Group-by-time interaction demonstrated PROM to be more promising (p = 0.0102, 95% CI = -1.70 to 0.21) than the FROM and CON groups.PROM triceps strength training improves shooting accuracy and is a time-efficient technique highly recommended for basketball players.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04128826, registered on 14/10/2019 - retrospectively, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04128826 .
Department of Physiotherapy, M Kandiah Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Sungai Long, Kajang, 43000, Malaysia. imtiyaz2204@gmail.com.
Department of Physiotherapy, M Kandiah Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Sungai Long, Kajang, 43000, Malaysia.
Makmal Pemprosesan Imej Kefungsian (Functional Image Processing Laboratory), Department of Radiology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, 56000, Malaysia.
Department of Physical Therapy and Health Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Majmaah, 11952, Saudi Arabia.
BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2025-03-06;17(1):41.
Partial versus full range of motion triceps strength training on shooting accuracy among recreational basketball players: a randomized controlled trial.
Annual-cycle movements of wildlife are driven by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. In urban systems, management strategies to reduce human-wildlife interactions could also alter wildlife movement and distribution, with potential effects on key ecological processes such as pathogen spread.To better understand how management actions interact with existing spatial dynamics to mediate wildlife movement patterns, we experimentally subjected urban-nesting yellow-legged gulls to induced breeding failure via egg-oiling. We then followed their movements using bird-borne GPS transmitters throughout the treatment season as well as the following annual cycle and compared them to the movements of tracked gulls whose nests were not oiled, while also accounting for individual and temporal factors known to influence movement patterns including sex, body size, and breeding stage.Gulls with oiled nests had smaller breeding-season home ranges, spent more time at breeding sites, made fewer foraging trips, and traveled shorter distances than gulls with non-oiled nests during the treatment season but not during the following breeding season. Gulls were partially migratory, with individuals showing a variety of migratory strategies from year-round residency to long-distance migration to inland urban centers. Although egg-oiling delayed the onset of post-breeding migration, individual migration strategies remaining consistent between years regardless of treatment. Antibody titres against three common pathogens varied among pathogens but not by migration distances or individual characteristics.Our results show that induced breeding failure via egg-oiling may have unintended short-term consequences including smaller home range areas, altered habitat use, delayed migration, and longer breeding-site residency, suggesting that management actions aimed to reduce breeding success could increase opportunities for human-wildlife conflict and spread of spatially heterogeneous pathogens at local scales. At the landscape scale, the migration patterns and wintering distribution of yellow-legged gulls are unlikely to be affected by egg-oiling. However, long-distance inland migrations of a portion of the population present a novel pathway for pathogen transmission between and among marine habitats and terrestrial human, livestock, and wildlife populations.
Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive (CEFE), UMR CNRS 5175, Université Montpellier, EPHE, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France. juliet.lamb@tnc.org.The Nature Conservancy, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, USA. juliet.lamb@tnc.org.
Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive (CEFE), UMR CNRS 5175, Université Montpellier, EPHE, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France.
Induced breeding failure alters movements, migratory phenology, and opportunities for pathogen spread in an urban gull population.
Central venous catheter (CVC) insertion is a fundamental skill required for trainees to become proficient. Simulation-based training (SBT) has been shown to improve trainees' CVC insertion performance effectively. However, implementing a CVC curriculum requires substantial costs and resources. Currently, there is a lack of validated CVC curricula that institutions can adopt as frameworks. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of our institution's CVC simulation curriculum in improving residents' confidence and comfort with CVC insertion and management.First-year residents (n=118) participated in SBT between 2017 and 2023. Among them, 57 (48%) participants completed surveys before training and 6 months post-training to assess changes in comfort levels across various aspects of CVC insertion. Survey responses were analyzed to evaluate the overall changes in comfort by year and items.Overall comfort increased from 42.1% before training to 81.3% after training (P<0.01), with notable improvements in nonprocedural aspects. Comfort with performing the unsupervised procedure increased by 16.7% (P<0.05) but remained low post-training (29.6%).These findings suggest that the curriculum effectively enhances residents' comfort, particularly in nonprocedural aspects, but only partially prepares them for unsupervised CVC insertions. This indicates a gap in procedural skill acquisition despite the overall positive trends. Implementing a similar CVC curriculum may help institutions reduce CVC insertion-associated complications.
Department of Surgery, Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Eisenhower, GA, USA.
Simulation-based Central Venous Catheter Insertion Training Increases Comfort Amongst Residents.
State Key Laboratory for Innovation and Transformation of Luobing Theory; Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research of MOE, NHC, CAMS and Shandong Province; Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Comparative Analysis of AI Tools for Disseminating ADA 2025 Diabetes Care Standards: Implications for Cardiovascular Physicians.
Mycoplasma (M.) hyopharyngis, M. hyopneumoniae, M. hyorhinis, and M. hyosynoviae can all be transiently present in the swine tonsils without causing any clinical signs or lesions. M. hyopharyngis is considered a commensal bacterium, however, our knowledge about its prevalence and pathogenic capabilities is lacking. M. hyopneumoniae, M. hyorhinis and M. hyosynoviae are widespread pathogens, responsible for significant economic losses. M. hyopneumoniae is known as the causative agent of porcine enzootic pneumonia, while M. hyorhinis and M. hyosynoviae are associated with arthritis and polyserositis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the detection rates of these mycoplasmas in Central-Eastern Europe (Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia) through a cross-sectional investigation. In parallel, a novel quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay was designed targeting M. hyopharyngis to facilitate the identification of this bacterium.Tonsils of 15 animals per herd were sampled from six-month-old fattening pigs, and a total of 150 herds were examined. Tonsils form each herd were divided into three pools, each comprising five tonsils. The samples were submitted for species-specific TaqMan assay and isolation. M. hyopharyngis was identified in 92.67% (139/150, 95% confidence interval: 87.35-95.86%) of the stocks, with successful isolation from 20 herds. Besides, M. hyopneumoniae was detected in 51.33% (77/150, 95% confidence interval: 43.40-59.19%) of the stocks. Additionally, M. hyorhinis was identified in all herds (100.00%; 150/150, 95% confidence interval: 97.50-100.00%) by qPCR examination and was successfully isolated from 107 stocks. Regarding the occurrence of M. hyosynoviae, 88.00% (132/150, 95% confidence interval: 81.83-92.27) of the herds showed positive PCR results, and the pathogen was successfully isolated in 122 cases. Moreover, the newly developed M. hyopharyngis qPCR assay proved to be a reliable and sensitive method.This study determined the detection rates of several porcine mycoplasmas (M. hyopharyngis, M. hyopneumoniae, M. hyorhinis, and M. hyosynoviae) in fattening pigs in Central-Eastern Europe. Additionally, the developed M. hyopharyngis qPCR assay may facilitate future prevalence studies and diagnostic procedures concerning this neglected bacterium.
HUN-REN Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Budapest, Hungary.National Laboratory of Infectious Animal Diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance, Veterinary Public Health and Food Chain Safety, Budapest, Hungary.
HUN-REN Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Budapest, Hungary.University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.
Somogy County Government Office, Department of Food Chain Safety and Animal Health, Kaposvár, Hungary.
Hungary-Meat Kft., Kiskunfélegyháza, Hungary.
University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.
HUN-REN Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Budapest, Hungary.National Laboratory of Infectious Animal Diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance, Veterinary Public Health and Food Chain Safety, Budapest, Hungary.MolliScience Kft., Biatorbágy, Hungary.
HUN-REN Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Budapest, Hungary. m.gyuranecz@gmail.com.National Laboratory of Infectious Animal Diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance, Veterinary Public Health and Food Chain Safety, Budapest, Hungary. m.gyuranecz@gmail.com.University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary. m.gyuranecz@gmail.com.MolliScience Kft., Biatorbágy, Hungary. m.gyuranecz@gmail.com.
Cross-sectional study of Mycoplasma hyopharyngis, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Mycoplasma hyorhinis and Mycoplasma hyosynoviae in the tonsils of fattening pigs from Central-Eastern Europe.
This case report details the endovascular treatment of multiple pancreaticoduodenal artery (PDA) aneurysms associated with celiac artery stenosis in a 54-year-old male presenting with postprandial abdominal pain. Contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed critical stenosis of the celiac artery and three saccular PDA aneurysms measuring 34, 15, and 21 mm in diameter. Following unsuccessful attempts to access the celiac artery, the aneurysms were embolized in a retrograde manner from the superior mesenteric artery using detachable coils. Follow-up ultrasonography and CT 1 month later indicated reopening of the distal aneurysm, which was subsequently re-embolized. The patient was monitored for 10 months, during which the aneurysm remained occluded. This report highlights the approach and results of endovascular treatment in managing multiple PDA aneurysms in the context of untreated celiac artery stenosis, emphasizing the importance of close surveillance.
Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Aydın, Türkiye.
Endovascular Treatment of Multiple Pancreaticoduodenal Artery Aneurysms Associated with Celiac Artery Stenosis: A Case Report.
Centre for Sexual Health and HIV and AIDS Research (CeSHHAR), Harare, Zimbabwe.
Women Against All Forms of Discrimination (WAAD), Harare, Zimbabwe.
Institute of Global Public Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.Partners for Health and Development in Africa, Nairobi, Kenya.
Centre for Sexual Health and HIV and AIDS Research (CeSHHAR), Harare, Zimbabwe.Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Journal of the International AIDS Society
Community leadership is key to effective HIV service engagement for female sex workers in Africa.
H. Xu, S. Dun, Y. Gao, J. Ming, L. Hui, and X. Qiu, TMEM107 Inhibits EMT and Invasion of NSCLC Through Regulating the Hedgehog Pathway, Thoracic Cancer 12, no. 1 (2021): 79-89, https://doi.org/10.1111/1759-7714.13715. The above article, published online on 29 October 2020 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the authors; the journal Editor-in-Chief, Tateaki Naito; and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. The retraction has been agreed following concerns raised by a third party about duplicated images in Figures 3i and 4e. The authors acknowledge this error and note that Figure 4e inadvertently included images from the si-TMEM07 and pNC groups of Figure 3i for the A549 cells. Therefore, the article must be retracted.
© 2025 The Author(s). Thoracic Cancer published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
RETRACTION: TMEM107 Inhibits EMT and Invasion of NSCLC Through Regulating the Hedgehog Pathway.
Health research is needed to develop new treatments, diagnostic methods and prevention strategies for many diseases, but resources are limited particularly in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Our proposed project involves in-depth engagement with community advisory boards and existing community groups in healthcare research priority setting in Thailand. We will use Wellcome's Responsive Dialogues engagement approach, focusing on under-served groups, as their voices are seldom heard in healthcare research priority setting. We estimate that we will engage with 6-8 community groups involving 48-80 participants. Our objectives are firstly, to contribute to the health research agenda setting in Thailand for government, non-governmental actors, academia, and others who conduct health research in the next 5 to 10 years. Secondly, we aim to identify ethical and practical issues related to healthcare research priority setting, specifically in relation to involving under-served communities.
Copyright: © 2025 Khirikoekkong N et al.
Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.Nuffield Department of Medicine, Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, OX3 7LF, UK.
Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol University, Mae Ramat, 63140, Thailand.
Health research is essential for developing new treatments, diagnostic methods and prevention strategies for many diseases, but resources are limited limited particularly in low-and middle-income countries. Our proposed project aims to involve community advisory boards and local community groups in deciding health research priorities using a series of conversations. We will focus on under-served groups, whose voices are rarely heard in these decisions. We plan to engage with 6-8 community groups, involving 48–80 participants. Our goals are to help inform health research priorities in Thailand for the next 5 to 10 years, guiding government, non-governmental organizations, academics, and others who conduct health research, and to identify ethical and practical issues related to involving community advisory boards and local groups in this process.
Embedding voices of under-served communities in Health Research Priority Setting in Thailand.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Zakho, Duhok, Iraq.
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Duhok, Duhok, Iraq.
Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin
Letter to the editor: Viral load decline time offers theoretical insight rather than practical value.
NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Respiratory Infections, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
Author's response: Viral load decline time offers theoretical insight rather than practical value.
Large arrays of pixelated scintillator potentially have application in economical construction of PET scanners. In this investigation, we constructed and evaluated a detector with an active area of 32.26 × 13.47 cm2. It is based on a 218 × 91 array of 1.4 × 1.4 × 15 mm3 LYSO elements (pitch 1.48 mm). Scintillation light is detected with a 5 × 12 array of silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) arrays. Each array consists of an 8 × 8 array of 3 × 3 mm2 (pitch 3.35 mm) SiPMs. Performance of these devices are enhanced and stabilized by cooling them. Testing revealed that the detector was able to detect 90% of the theoretically detectable 511 keV photons. The resolvability index (a measure of the ability to identify individual detector elements from background) is 0.24 ± 0.04. Additionally, the average energy resolution for the complete detector is 18.3%. These results compare well with those reported for much smaller detector modules.
Center for Advanced Imaging, Department of Radiology, West Virginia University, 64 Medical Center Dr, Morgantown, WV, U.S.A.
Journal of instrumentation : an IOP and SISSA journal
Construction and evaluation of a large radiation detector for Positron Emission Tomography applications.
The COVID-19 pandemic has left millions of children and adolescents grieving the sudden death of a grandparent. Yet, we lack knowledge of the mental health implications of a grandparent's death for youth. This study uses longitudinal data to examine if the loss of a grandparent increases adolescent grandchildren's likelihood of experiencing their mothers' major depressive disorder, and of having depressive symptoms themselves. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a population-based cohort study of children born in 20 U.S. cities between 1998 and 2000, we estimate associations between the death of a maternal grandparent in mid-childhood and adolescents', and their mothers', depressive outcomes when the adolescent is roughly age 15 (in 2014-17), net of a robust set of covariates, including pre-bereavement depression. Adjusted regression models show no elevated depression risk associated with a grandfather's death-neither for adolescents nor their mothers. A grandmother's death within the previous seven years is associated with a higher likelihood of adolescents having a depressed mother compared to both non-bereaved adolescents (odds ratio (OR) = 2.42; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.17, 5.01) and those whose grandmother died more than seven years ago (OR = 3.78; 95% CI = 1.54, 9.31). Furthermore, adolescent boys have a 50% increase in their depressive symptoms following a grandmother's death relative to their non-bereaved peers-an increase that operates independently from the influence of the death on their mother. Together, the results show the death of a grandmother is an underappreciated, persistent risk factor for adolescents experiencing maternal major depressive disorder, and for adolescent boys experiencing depressive symptoms personally.
University of Southern California, Spatial Sciences Institute, 3616 Trousdale Parkway, AHF B55, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
University of Southern California, Department of Sociology, 851 Downey Way, Office 309, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
University of Western Ontario, Department of Sociology, Social Science Centre, Room 5306, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5C2.
Penn State University, Department of Sociology, 712 Oswald Tower, University Park, PA, 16801, USA.
Bereavement & mental health: The generational consequences of a grandparent's death.
Socioeconomic status (SES) is a well-established predictor of cognitive function in children, but the neurobiological pathways through which SES influences cognitive outcomes remain underexplored. This study examines the role of the cingulate gyrus (region of the brain that is involved in emotion regulation, decision-making, error detection, and cognitive control) in mediating the relationship between SES and cognitive performance, with a focus on whether these effects vary by sex.To investigate the role of the cingulate gyrus in mediating the association between social gradients (family SES) and cognitive function in children and assess potential sex differences in these pathways.Data were drawn from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Cognitive function was assessed using a composite measure of executive function and general cognitive ability. Structural MRI data were used to measure the volume of the cingulate gyrus. Path analysis was conducted to examine the mediating role of the cingulate gyrus in the association between SES and cognitive function. Interaction terms were included to test for sex differences.Higher SES was significantly associated with a larger cingulate gyrus volume and better cognitive function. The volume of the left cingulate gyrus partially mediated the relationship between family and neighborhood SES and cognitive function, explaining a portion of the social gradient in cognitive outcomes. No significant sex differences were found in these mediating effects.The cingulate gyrus partially mediates the link between SES and cognitive function in children. These findings suggest that social disparities in cognitive function may operate, in part, through neurobiological changes such as those in the cingulate gyrus, without significant variation by sex.
Department of Internal Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, United States.Department of Family Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, United States.Department of Urban Public Health, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, United States.Marginalization-Related Diminished Returns (MDRs) Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States.School of Business, University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC), Adelphi, MD, United States.
Cingulate Gyrus Volume as a Mediator of the Social Gradient in Cognitive Function.
Excessive amounts of neuroapoptosis are the underlying cause of neurodegenerative diseases. Bax is a pro-apoptotic member of the B-cell lymphoma-2 family that activates caspases which are the members of the cysteine protease family that play a significant role in the initiation and execution phases of apoptosis. The aim of this study was to design and synthesize a group of N-propananilide derivatives bearing pyrazole or 1,2,4-triazole ring were designed and synthesized to analyze the neuroprotectivity potential against 6-hydroxy-dopamine (6-OHDA). Four compounds possessed protectivity at lower doses were subjected to further studies on caspase-3 and Bax pathway.Designed compounds were synthesized by reacting 1H-pyrazole or 1H-1,2,4-triazole with propananilide intermediates in Dimethylformamide. The neuroprotective activity of the title compounds was analyzed against 6-OHDA-6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity model. Then, caspase-3 and Bax levels were determined for the selected compounds by Western blot study.All twelve 3-(1H-pyrazole-1-yl/1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-yl)-N-propananilide derivatives possessed neuroprotectivity against the 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity model (p≤0.05, **p≤0.001, ***p≤0.005). Compounds 7, 10, 11, and 12 were found to be more active at lower doses. They were subjected to further studies and the results revealed that their protecting activity arose from the decreasing levels of Bax, one of the pro-apoptotic proteins, and c expression levels and caspase-3 proteins.All designed and synthesized derivatives possessed neuroprotectivity against 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity in the SH-SY5Y cell line and compounds 7, 10, 11, and 12 revealed that their neuroprotectivity originated from the decreasing Bax expression levels and caspase-3 activation.
Copyright© 2025 The Author. Published by Galenos Publishing House on behalf of Turkish Pharmacists’ Association.
Ege University Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, İzmir, Türkiye.
İzmir Katip Çelebi University Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, İzmir, Türkiye.
Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University Faculty of Engineering, Department of Bioengineering, Antalya, Türkiye.
Ege University Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Biochemistry, İzmir, Türkiye.
Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3-(1H-pyrazole-1-yl/1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-yl)-N-propananilide Derivatives: Design, Synthesis and Neuroprotectivity Potential Against 6-OHDA Induced Neurotoxicity Model.
Treatment outcomes for patients with arrhythmias, deep vein thrombosis, prosthetic valves, blood thinning, and cardiac issues/chest pain problems can be affected by knowledge about oral anticoagulant therapy. The primary objective is to assess the knowledge of patients using oral anticoagulants for anticoagulation therapy, and the secondary aim is to identify factors influencing the level of anticoagulation knowledge.This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at selected community pharmacies. A 33-item, self-administered questionnaire was adopted to evaluate patient understanding of anticoagulant medication in the urban population. Scores were calculated for each part and the association between patients' knowledge. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to assess variables associated with oral anticoagulation knowledge among participants.The mean percentage knowledge score of the study population (n=323) was 42.38±12.5. Age has been found to have a negative correlation with anticoagulant therapy knowledge (p=0.01). It was discovered that there were gaps in knowledge regarding critical areas of use and self-management, including the identification of bleeding as a serious side effect of medication, drug-drug interactions, and dose omission.This research article highlights urban participants' knowledge gaps in oral anticoagulation. Targeted educational interventions by pharmacists are vital for improving patient safety and treatment outcomes. Advancing age was associated with knowledge. Further research could explore the long-term impacts of educational interventions in larger populations.
JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Ooty, Tamil Nadu, India.
Government Medical College and Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Tamil Nadu, India.
Unlocking Urban India's Awareness of Oral Anticoagulation: Implications for Healthcare Education.
This study aimed to explore the relationship between emotional labor, professional commitment, and self-efficacy among community pharmacists. Specifically, this study examined how self-efficacy influences professional commitment and the mediating role of emotional labor strategies in this relationship.A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data from 396 community pharmacists. The study used a convenience sampling method and included standardized measures of emotional labor, professional commitment, and self-efficacy. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the levels of these variables among the participants. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess the interdependencies and mediating effects of emotional labor strategies.General self-efficacy was positively correlated with emotional commitment (β=0.275, p<0.05) and continuance commitment (β=0.364, p<0.05), explaining 5% and 8% of their variances, respectively. A normative commitment was influenced by self-efficacy (β=0.464, p<0.05) and deep emotional labor (β=0.134, p<0.05), explaining 11% of its variance. Self-efficacy and deep emotional labor positively affected overall professional commitment (β=0.368, p<0.05), accounting for 15% of the variance.The results highlight the crucial role of self-efficacy in managing the emotional demands of the pharmacy profession and in fostering stronger professional commitment. Enhancing pharmacists' self-efficacy and emotional management skills can improve their job satisfaction and commitment to the profession. These findings have clinical implications for the development of training interventions aimed at supporting pharmacists in coping with the emotional aspects of their work and improving their overall professional well-being.
Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Management, Erzincan, Türkiye.
Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Management, Erzincan, Türkiye.Ankara University Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Management, Ankara, Türkiye.
Exploring the Nexus of Professional Commitment, Emotional Labor, and Self-Efficacy Among Community Pharmacists: Implications for Healthcare Delivery.
Informing patients about the adverse effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is essential to ensure their safe use. The aim of this study was to determine whether the years of experience of Iraqi pharmacists affect their knowledge of the renal and gastrointestinal adverse effects of NSAIDs, and their attitudes toward informing patients about drug safety.An online cross-sectional survey was conducted between January and October 2023. A convenience sample of Iraqi pharmacists working in hospitals and/or community pharmacies answered a validated questions about demographics, knowledge, and attitudes regarding the adverse effects of NSAIDs.Of the 309 Iraqi pharmacists who participated, 46% had less than four years of experience. Eighty-five percent had good knowledge of the adverse effects of NSAIDs. Specifically, 83% of participants with good knowledge and ≥4 years of experience were younger than 35 years (p=0.008). Among participants with good knowledge and <4 years of experience, 93% had a bachelor's degree (p=0.008), and 57% worked from six to more than ten hours per day (p=0.045). The dispensing patterns of NSAIDs showed a highly significant association (p<0.001) with participant knowledge regardless of years of experience. Negative attitudes were reported more frequently among pharmacists with fewer years of experience than those with longer years of experience (73% vs. 71%, respectively; p>0.05). Sixty percent of the participants agreed that education about adverse drug reactions (ADRs) increases anxiety and medication nonadherence. Seventy-eight percent agreed that pharmacists and physicians could improve patients' knowledge of ADRs. Pharmacists believed that leaflets reduce patients' medication adherence (57%) but help patients improve their medication knowledge (51%; p<0.05) and monitor and report ADRs (56%; p<0.05).Despite years of experience, good knowledge and negative attitudes were found regarding safety information for NSAIDs. Pharmacists and physicians play an important role in ensuring appropriate drug use. Leaflets serve as a source of information, but they can also lead to medication nonadherence.
University of Mosul, College of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Mosul, Iraq.
Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment, Al-Salam Hospital, Mosul, Iraq.
University of Mosul, College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutics, Mosul, Iraq.
Knowledge and Attitude of Iraqi Pharmacists Regarding the Adverse Effects of NSAIDs Based on Years of Experience.
This study aimed to formulate and evaluate etoricoxib suppositories to improve patient compliance and drug efficacy in the management of hemorrhoids.Suppositories were prepared using glycerin and gelatin. The prepared suppositories were evaluated for content uniformity, homogenization, hardness, weight variation, disintegration time, texture analysis, and in vitro drug release.Hardness, weight variation, disintegration time, and content uniformity values were found in the range of 4.00±0.50 to 7.50±0.50 kg/cm3, 1.20±0.03 to 1.31±0.01 g, 11.00 to 19.05 min, and 66.98±0.86 to 80.76±3.60%, respectively. The SB3 gave 91.47±17.74% drug release in 6 h, whereas the SB1 gave 99.08±3.40% drug release in 12 h. Drug release from all formulations of suppositories was supported by zero-order, first-order, and Higuchi plots, except for SB4. The mechanism of drug release from all suppositories was fickian diffusion-based. The SB2 results were found to be more appropriate than those of the other batches.These results confirm that the prepared formulation has a future scope and should be further explored in in vitro cell lines and animal studies.
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Department of Pharmaceutics, Hajipur, India.
Formulation and Characterization of Etoricoxib Suppositories for the Management of Hemorrhoids.
Neuroblastoma, an embryonic tumor of the sympathetic nervous system, is the deadliest type of cancer, accounting for 6-9% of all childhood cancers. The omega (ω)-6 [linoleic acid (LA)]: ω-3 [eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)]=13/1 ratio is associated with the presence of chronic disease, and it has been reported that reducing this ratio to 7/1 protects against cancer and cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to investigate the anticancer effects of different ratios of ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids in human neuroblastoma cells (SHSY-5Y).SHSY-5Y cells were treated with different ratios of ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids for 48 and 72 h. The viability of ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acid-treated cells was measured using the methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide. The percentage of cell apoptosis was detected using the Fluorescein Isothiocyanate-conjugated Annexin-V/PI assay, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) analysis was performed using flow cytometry. The expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) genes were determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction.EPA and LA separately significantly inhibited the proliferation of SH-SY5Y cells within 48 h (p<0.001). It was found that apoptosis decreased significantly in all groups due to the application of polyunsaturated fatty acids at different ratios, and the most effective dose was ω-3:ω-6 ratio: 1/1. ROS levels were significantly decreased compared with the control group and the lowest ROS level was observed in the ω-3:ω-6 ratio: 1/4 group. Both TNF-α, IL-6, and TGFβ1 mRNA expressions increased significantly after the addition of fatty acid mixtures compared with the control; they were observed to decrease with an increasing ω-6 ratio.This study is the first to examine the effects of the ω-3:ω-6 ratio on neuroblastoma cancer cells. The application of ω fatty acids decreased apoptosis at all ratios. In contrast, when the ω-3: ω-6 ratio increased, the amount of ROS. Additionally, as the ω-3:ω-6 ratio increases, a decrease in the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines is noted.
University of Health Science Türkiye, Gülhane Health Sciences Institute, Stem Cell Laboratory, Ankara, Türkiye.
University of Health Science Türkiye, Gülhane Health Sciences Institute, Molecular Laboratory, Ankara, Türkiye.
Gazi University Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Biochemistry, Ankara, Türkiye.
Investigation of the Effects of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Ratios in Human SH-SY5Y Cells by in vitro Methods.
Stable water isotopes in precipitation are powerful tracers of atmospheric processes. Automatic rain samplers are valuable for high temporal resolution isotopic studies but building them from scratch requires significant financial and material resources. A commercial water autosampler has been modified to prevent post-sampling evaporation and to allow for intra-event precipitation sampling.New sampling bottles were created by reducing the original volume and opening area. Evaporation tests were carried out on different volumes of water for 72 h under laboratory conditions. These were used to determine the minimum amount of rain to collect to minimize the impact of isotopic fractionation by evaporation. The impact of the autosampler's air moisture saturation was also tested. Samples were analyzed by dual-inlet isotope ratio mass spectrometry and cavity ring-down spectroscopy.For samples larger than 10 mL, evaporative heavy isotope enrichment due to Rayleigh distillation remains negligible compared with the overall analytical uncertainty. Intentional saturation of the autosampler's atmosphere significantly reduces post-sampling evaporation but leads to equilibration of the samples with the added water. We have investigated the maximum time that samples must be left for this fractionation to remain negligible. Under these conditions, this autosampler is suitable for intra-event rainfall sampling for isotopic analysis.It is now possible to perform low-cost high-resolution precipitation sampling for isotopic analysis. The intentional air saturation of the sampler, which effectively prevents post-sampling evaporation, had never been proposed before. All instructions for modifying this sampler are now available in open access so the scientific community can easily repeat them.
© 2025 The Author(s). Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Geotop-Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
Department of Earth, Energy, and Environment, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM
Adapting Automatic Water Samplers for the Isotopic Study of Rainfall at High Temporal Resolution.
Orodispersible films (ODFs) are new-generation dosage forms that increase patient compliance, providing ease of drug administration in many patient groups, such as pediatric, geriatric, and patients with physiological and psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study was to conduct preliminary studies to develop ODF containing the poorly water-soluble and oxidation-sensitive drug desloratadine (DL).In this study, the formulation and process parameters, as well as the characterization method were investigated using 20 film formulations manufactured by the solvent casting method. The films were characterized in terms of their appearance, mechanical properties, thickness, disintegration time, and content uniformity. Various strategies have been applied to increase the chemical stability of DL in the formulations and, therefore to choose suitable antioxidants, and morphological and compatibility studies using differential scanning calorimetry were performed. For increasing drug loading, different film compositions were also evaluated.Among the preliminary formulations tested with a casting height of 400 μm, homogeneous, good mechanical properties with tensile strength values between 6.21-10.34 MPa, flexibility, and ODFs with a disintegration time of less than 60s ODFs were developed. By increasing the solubility of DL in the formulation with the selected components, the drug loading capacity was increased to 3% by the desired level.One of the enabling formulations, F20, was particle-free with a suitable thickness uniformity (relative standard deviation =4.6%) and content uniformity (acceptance values =5) films were developed.
Gazi University Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Ankara, Türkiye.
Preliminary Study on the Development of Orodispersible Film Containing Desloratadine.
This study aimed to explore the use of D-limonene and some vegetable oils with different amounts of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids as alternative green solvents for microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.). A standardized cannabis extract was selected to evaluate its potential as a chemopreventive agent.Alternative green solvents, powder-to-solvent ratios, and irradiation cycles were determined to optimize the MAE conditions. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was performed to assess the cytotoxic effects against human breast cancer (MCF-7), liver cancer (HepG2), and mammary epithelium (hTert-HME1) cell lines.The extracts obtained from D-limonene and palm oil contained the highest concentrations of cannabidiol (CBD) and D-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). A standardized D-limonene extract of cannabis (DEC) containing 0.03% w/w CBD and 1.37% w/w THC was selected for the evaluation of cytotoxic activity compared with CBD and THC. The results revealed that CBD and THC exhibited significant cytotoxic effects (p<0.05) against MCF-7 and HepG2, with the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 18.5 and 12.37 μg/mL for CBD and 24.21 and 4.30 μg/mL for THC, respectively, whereas DEC exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against MCF-7 (IC50 of 488.85 μg/mL). However, CBD and THC exhibited significant cytotoxicity (p<0.05) against hTert-HME1 (IC50 values of 35.61 and 25.63 μg/mL, respectively), whereas DEC exhibited low cytotoxicity against hTert-HME1 (IC50 of 1.537.03 μg/mL).DECs containing appropriate levels of THC and CBD have the potential to be candidates for cancer treatment. However, further investigations are required to improve the efficacy and safety profiles.
Prince of Songkla University, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Hat-Yai, Thailand.Prince of Songkla University, Phytomedicine and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Research Center, Hat-Yai, Thailand.
Prince of Songkla University Faculty of Science, Department of Pharmacology, Hat-Yai, Thailand.
A Green Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Cannabis sativa L. Extract and Its Cytotoxic Activity Against Cancer Cells.
Chair in Robotic Surgery, Department of Immunobiology, King's College London, Responsible AI UK, London, UK.
Addressing global inequities in surgery with the FAIR and CARE principles.
Correction to 'Chromosomal integrons are genetically and functionally isolated units of genomes'.
Correction to 'iDog: a multi-omics resource for canids study'.
Correction to 'Functional redundancy in tRNA dihydrouridylation'.
Correction 'LncPepAtlas: a comprehensive resource for exploring the translational landscape of long non-coding RNA'.
Correction to 'Structural characterization of two prototypical repressors of SorC family reveals tetrameric assemblies on DNA and mechanism of function'.
Universidade Federal do Paraná, Department of Surgery - Curitiba (PR), Brazil.Mackenzie Evangelical College of Paraná, Department of Surgery - Curitiba (PR), Brazil.
Mackenzie Evangelical College of Paraná, Department of Surgery - Curitiba (PR), Brazil.
Arquivos brasileiros de cirurgia digestiva : ABCD = Brazilian archives of digestive surgery
OSVALDO MALAFAIA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE BRAZILIAN COLLEGE OF DIGESTIVE SURGERY.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Campina Grande, Brasil.
Northwestern University, Evanston, U.S.A.
Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brasil.
Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Brasil.
Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, Brasil.
Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação, Brasília, Brasil.
Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Juriquilla, México.
Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México, Ciudad de México, México.
Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Brasil.
Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brasil.
Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brasil.
Food insecurity and water insecurity measurement in Brazil: Sustainable Development Goals monitoring through experiential scales.
Instituto do Coração do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP - Brasil.
Instituto do Coração do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP - Brasil.Hospital Sirio-Libanês, São Paulo, SP - Brasil.Hospital Samaritano Paulista, São Paulo, SP - Brasil.
Addressing Gender Disparities in Cardiovascular Care: Guideline-Oriented PCI for Women and the Hua-Mulan Conundrum.
Área de Obstetrícia - Hospital da Mulher José Aristodemo Pinotti - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP - Brasil.
Cardiac Valve Prosthesis and Pregnancy: Challenges and Strategies.
Treating Brugada Syndrome: A Case of Successful Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation.
Universidade de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Laboratório de Pesquisa Aplicada em Dermatologia e Infecções por Bartonela, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
Universidade de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Laboratório de Pesquisa Aplicada em Dermatologia e Infecções por Bartonela, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.Universidade de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Divisão de Dermatologia, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de Sao Paulo
Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo. 2025;67():e15.
Bartonellas: could they cause reproductive disorders in humans?
Unidade Clínica de Eletrocardiografia - Instituto do Coração (InCor) - Hospital das Clínicas FMUSP - Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP - Brasil.
The Importance of Electrovectorcardiographic Assessment of Intraventricular Blocks and their Relationship with the Cardiac Cycle.
Departamento de Medicina Intensiva, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile -Santiago, Chile.
Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos, Hospital Español Juan Jose Crottoggini - Montevideo, Uruguay.Centro de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de Montevideo - Montevideo, Uruguay.
Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata - La Plata, Argentina.
Discipline of Anesthesiology, Pain and Intensive Care, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo - São Paulo (SP), Brazil.
Thank you, Professor Gattinoni†, and have a good trip to eternity!
MAGIC Evidence Ecosystem Foundation - Oslo, Norway.HCor Research Institute, Hcor-Hospital do Coração - São Paulo (SP), Brazil.Pulmonary Division, Instituto do Coração, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo - São Paulo (SP), Brazil.
Division of Respirology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto - Toronto, Canada.
Department of Anesthesia, McMaster University - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
MAGIC Evidence Ecosystem Foundation - Oslo, Norway.Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Best practices for guideline development in Critical Care.
Adjusting the health insurance reimbursement rate is essential to optimize the allocation of medical resources. This paper investigates the effect of health insurance reimbursement rates on middle-aged and elderly people's choice of hospitals in China.This study is conducted using the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) database. This paper uses the widely used ordered logit model for estimation. We build three types of instrumental variables, Bartik instrumental variable, per capita financial income, and health risk perception bias, with the help of the propensity score matching method, aiming at the cleanest possible identification of causal relationship. Furthermore, we use a mediating effects model to investigate the specific mechanism by which the reimbursement rate influences patients' choice of hospitals.Our findings reveal that the higher a hospital's reimbursement rate, the more likely a patient is to choose to seek care. This paper further calculates the marginal effects based on the benchmark regression. For every 1% increase in health insurance reimbursement rates, the probability of patients choosing primary hospitals decreases by 5.75%, choosing secondary hospitals decreases by 1.47%, and choosing tertiary hospitals increases by 7.22%. According to mechanistic analysis, this paper reveals for the first time that health signals from medical checkups significantly impact patients' health care choices. In addition, we discuss the heterogeneity of hospital choices by region, age, and health status.The results mean that when individuals are faced with a multitude of hospitals and are overwhelmed with choices, some small institutional designs can act as a nudge to help policymakers achieve a desirable outcome. The government should fully utilize health insurance's benefit adjustment role and implement a differentiated reimbursement strategy.
School of Business, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
School of Economics, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
College of Economics and Management, Northeast Forestry University, No. 26 Hexing Road, Wenzheng Street, Xiangfang District, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, China. qxl_econ@163.com.
The effect of health insurance reimbursement rates on middle-aged and elderly people's hospital choices: evidence from China.
State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MARA, Key Laboratory of Green Plant Protection of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Department of Molecular Genetics, Center for Applied Plant Sciences, Center for RNA Biology, and Infectious Diseases Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America.
Five things to consider before proposing that a circular RNA is a viroid.
Key Laboratory of Modern Preparation of TCM, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Education, Nanchang 330006, China.Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330022, China.
Institute of Applied Chemistry, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330022, China.
Institute of Biological Resources, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330022, China.Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Plantation and High Valued Utilization of Specialty Fruit Tree and Tea, Institute of Biological Resources, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330022, China.
Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330022, China.
Key Laboratory of Modern Preparation of TCM, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Education, Nanchang 330006, China.
Tropical medicine and infectious disease
Correction: Chen et al. Transcriptome Analysis of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Larvae Exposed to a Semi-Lethal Dose of Vermistatin. Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2025, 10, 31.
Expression of Concern: Assessing clinical and morphological features of megalotrichosis induced by Tyrosine kinase inhibitors versus Prostaglandins analogues.
Phase transition in parity-time (PT) symmetry is one of the most intriguing discoveries in non-Hermitian physics, giving rise to plenty of physical phenomena and strategies to develop advanced devices and systems, such as unconventional lasers, nonreciprocal transmission, and enhanced sensitivity. Floquet PT-symmetric systems are characterized by time-periodic Hamiltonians, in which the gain or loss is modulated to steer the PT phase, providing an additional dimension for realizing phase transitions. In this study, we introduce frequency-varying modulation, specifically spatially chirped modulation, into on-chip Floquet PT-symmetric photonic waveguides to explore their unique properties. The waveguides exhibit distinct forward and backward transmissions when the system dynamically evolves around phase transition points, i.e., exceptional points. Furthermore, reconfigurable asymmetric transmission systems are developed by integrating tunable mode switches. Combining non-Hermitian physics with the advanced technologies of photonic integrated circuits holds great potential to create devices and systems with improved functionalities and enhanced performance.
Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, Washington University, St Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University, St Louis, MO 63130, USA.
On-chip reconfigurable transmission in spatially chirped Floquet parity-time symmetric photonics.
Titanium carbide (Ti3C2TX) MXene has prominent mechanical properties and electrical conductivity. However, fabricating high-performance macroscopic films is challenging, as weak interlayer interactions limit their mechanical performance. Here, we introduce [2]rotaxane, a mechanically interlocked molecule, to enhance MXene films. Compared to pure MXene (fracture strain: 4.6%, toughness: 0.6 MJ/m3), [2]rotaxane-bridged MXene (RBM) films achieve record-high strain (20.0%) and toughness (11.9 MJ/m3) with only 3.6% [2]rotaxane by weight. Additionally, RBM films endure 500 stretch cycles (0 to 15% strain) with stable and reversible resistance alterations, making them ideal for stretchable electrodes. Notably, RBM films enable stretchable electroluminescent devices with reliable operation under 20% elongation and customizable luminescent patterns. This innovative use of mechanically interlocked molecules to cross-link MXene platelets advances MXene films and other two-dimensional materials in stretchable electronics.
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Stretchable [2]rotaxane-bridged MXene films applicable for electroluminescent devices.
At the end of the Cretaceous, the massive Deccan trap (DT) volcanic eruptions are regarded as the primary driver of global climate deterioration. Accurate age models are key to unravel the sequence of events related to DT volcanism onset and effects on the global climate system. We establish a direct geochemical link between DT volcanism as recorded in marine osmium isotopic data and global climate change documented in benthic foraminifera carbon and oxygen isotope records. Based on our state-of-the-art astronomically calibrated age model, two major shifts in marine 187Os/188Os at 66.49 and 66.28 million years ago are contemporaneous with major eruption phases of the DT and disruptions of the global carbon cycle. Geochemical records and modeling suggest larger erupted volumes with high volatile emissions for the early phase of DT volcanism and point to differing emissions of SO2 and CO2 during the observed marine osmium shifts with diverse effects on the global climate system.
MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany.
Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.Department of Earth Sciences Ardito Desio , University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy.
Department of Geosciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA.
Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544, USA.
Institut für Mineralogie, Universität Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany.
Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan.
Earth orbital rhythms links timing of Deccan trap volcanism phases and global climate change.
Platinum (Pt) has been documented as the top-tier fuel cell catalyst, yet it faces a notable challenge regarding its poor CO tolerance and sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), particularly when using CO-contaminated blue and gray H2. Here, we present an interfacial metal coordination strategy to design a bifunctional platinum-cobalt (PtCo) intermetallic catalyst integrated with a tin-nitrogen-carbon (Sn-N-C) support, which forms Pt-Sn-N bonds that substantially boost both ORR activity and CO tolerance. The PtCo/Sn-N-C-made fuel cell achieves a topmost peak power density of 2.11 watts per square centimeter in 100 parts per million (ppm) of CO-containing H2, surpassing all previously reported PEMFCs. In addition, it operates stably at a rated voltage for over 710 hours in 100 ppm of CO/H2-air. This work demonstrates the feasibility of fuel cells directly using CO-contaminated gray & blue H2, paving the way for PEMFC-driven energy vehicles.
State Key Laboratory for Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, 101 Hsin-Ann Road, Hsinchu 30076, Taiwan.
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, Nothnitzer Strasse 40, Dresden 01187, Germany.
State Key Laboratory for Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen 361005, China.
Interfacial metal-coordinated bifunctional PtCo for practical fuel cells.
While energetic plasmonic hot carriers in nonthermal equilibrium states have pushed the limits of energy conversion efficiency in plasmon-driven photocatalysts and optoelectronics, the acceleration of plasmonic hot-hole flux remains a challenge. Here, we demonstrate an approach to control the generation and injection nature of plasmonic hot holes released from Au nanomesh/p-type GaN (p-GaN) Schottky architecture by modulating polarity of p-GaN. This polarity modulation enhances the flux of hot holes into the plasmonic platform, thereby accelerating Landau damping stemming from increased effective heat capacity of hot electrons in the metallic nanomaterial. We observed that this strategy drives the intensified hot-hole flux even in non-hot spot areas, hinting at the prospect of leveraging the complete potential of the plasmonic device beyond usual hot spots. The polarity modulation in plasmonic Schottky device gives rise to opportunities for manipulating the nature of plasmonic hot carriers for future energy conversion devices.
Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Seoul Center, Korea Basic Science Institute, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea.Program in Semiconductor Convergence, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea.
Reconfiguring hot-hole flux via polarity modulation of p-GaN in plasmonic Schottky architectures.
Pushing the sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to the single spin level would have a major impact in chemistry and biology and is the goal of intense research efforts. We report magnetic resonance spectroscopy measurements of individual nuclear spins in a crystal coupled to a neighboring paramagnetic center, detected using microwave fluorescence at millikelvin temperatures. We observe real-time quantum jumps of the nuclear spin state, a proof of their individual nature. By driving the forbidden transitions of the coupled electron-nuclear spin system, we also achieve single-spin solid-effect dynamical nuclear polarization. Relying exclusively on microwave driving and microwave photon counting, the methods reported here are, in principle, applicable to a large number of electron-nuclear spin systems, in a wide variety of samples.
Quantronics Group, Service de Physique de l'État Condensé (CNRS, UMR 3680), IRAMIS, CEA-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
University College London, LCN, QSD 17-19 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AH, UK.
Chimie ParisTech, PSL Université, CNRS, Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris, 75005 Paris, France.
Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, Institut Néel, 38000 Grenoble, France.
Aix-Marseille Univ. University of Toulon, IM2NP, 13013 Marseille, France.
All-microwave spectroscopy and polarization of individual nuclear spins in a solid.
Division of Thoracic Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, and Laboratory of Clinical Cell Therapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, and Laboratory of Clinical Cell Therapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
International journal of surgery (London, England)
Heterogeneity of tumor-infiltrating T cells and its impact on anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy: insights from integrated multicancer single-cell and bulk transcriptomic analysis.
Non-noble metal-based heteroatom compounds demonstrate excellent electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, the origin of this activity, driven by structure evolution effects, remains unclear due to the lack of effective in situ/operando techniques. Herein, we employ the operando quick-scan x-ray absorption fine structure (Q-XAFS) technique coupled with in situ controlled electrochemical potential to establish a structure-activity correlation of the OER catalyst. Using Ni-Fe bimetallic phosphides as a model catalyst, operando Q-XAFS experiments reveal that the structural transformation initiates at the preferential oxidation of Fe sites over Ni sites. The in situ-generated O-Fe-P structure serves as the origin of the enhanced electrocatalytic OER activity of the catalyst, a finding supported by theoretical calculations. This work provides crucial insights into understanding the reaction mechanism of the state-of-the-art Ni-Fe-based OER electrocatalysts, thus advancing the rational design of more efficient OER electrocatalysts.
School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637459, Singapore.
KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), Division of Physical Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637459, Singapore.Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077, China.
Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BSRF), Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077, China.
Operando unveiling the activity origin via preferential structural evolution in Ni-Fe (oxy)phosphides for efficient oxygen evolution.
Ceramic fractures in total hip arthroplasty (THA) are rare complications that pose significant challenges for revision surgery. This case report describes a 68-year-old male who experienced a spontaneous alumina (ceramic) insert and head fracture four years after the initial THA. The first revision with cobalt-chrome and polyethylene components led to severe metallosis, including subcutaneous tissue discoloration. A second revision utilized a ceramic-on-ceramic (CoC) bearing couple, resulting in excellent functional outcomes and resolution of symptoms. Cutaneous pigmentation post-THA is rare and has not been previously reported following a ceramic fracture. The case underscores the need for careful material selection in revision surgery to minimize complications such as metallosis. The decision to use a ceramic-on-ceramic bearing couple in this case proved effective, ensuring durability and reducing the risk of third-body wear, which can result from inadequate management of ceramic fractures and lead to joint, systemic, or cutaneous complications.
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2025.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Groupe Hospitalier Diaconesses Croix Saint-Simon, 125 rue d'Avron, 75020 Paris, France.
Cutaneous metallosis following ceramic insert fracture in total hip arthroplasty: a case report and revision with ceramic-on-ceramic bearing couple.
The journal of extra-corporeal technology
J Extra Corpor Technol. 2025-03;57(1):1.
Print copies, ads and perfusion education.