Low Number Research Articles

Outcomes of acute kidney injury continuum in children.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The continuum of kidney damage after an AKI episode is poorly explored in the paediatric population. We performed a retrospective cohort study on 2346 children with AKI from a tertiary care hospital in Romania over a 9-year period. The main objective was to evaluate the impact of AKI duration on mortality and the risk of new-onset chronic kidney disease (CKD). Out of 2346 AKI patients, transient AKI was present in 655 patients (27.9%), persistent AKI in 1009 children (43%) and acute kidney disease in 682 patients (29.1%). In contrast to transient AKI, children who developed acute kidney disease were younger, with a higher degree of anaemia, lower number of platelets, higher procalcitonin, higher LDH, higher GGT, higher urea and higher serum creatinine levels. The pre-renal cause of AKI was the leading cause regardless of AKI duration. As kidney injury progressed over time, there was an increasing incidence of the intrinsic causes of AKI (11.1% in transient AKI, 13.2% in persistent AKI and 22.6% in acute kidney disease). Acute kidney disease patients had the highest mortality rate (16.42%), followed by transient AKI (14.66%) and persistent AKI (9.81%). Overall mortality increased in the presence of renal microvascular alterations, acute tubular necrosis, lower haemoglobin, serum proteins and platelets, and higher procalcitonin levels. The continuum of AKI expressed as acute kidney disease resulted in an increased risk of new-onset CKD. CKD was influenced by the intrinsic cause of AKI and not by AKI severity.

Digging for answers: defining the external architecture of the southern hairy-nosed wombats’ (Lasiorhinus latifrons) subterranean excavations

The southern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons) is a large, nocturnal, herbivorous, burrowing marsupial, endemic to the semi-arid and arid regions of southern Australia. The active burrow of L. latifrons is used as the primary feature in population estimations. Therefore, accurate identification of an active burrow is vital, especially when other burrow-like structures exist. Entrance attributes such as width, height, the length and angle of the path leading to the entrance, and signs of wombat activity are indistinguishable between the different structures, making differentiation between them impossible without inspecting the structure beyond the entrance. Structures leading from entrances were identified in the field as possible burrows, blinds, and go-throughs. An unmanned aerial vehicle provided accurate images from immediately above 12 active wombat warren systems in the mid-north of South Australia, to support ground-truthing for mapping and verification of these structures. Active possible burrows (APB) were found to occur in proportionally lower numbers than the active non-burrow structures (ANBS) of blinds and go-throughs, varying in proportion from as high as 1:2 to as low as 1:11 (APB:ANBS). Defining an active burrow and other tunnels leading from an entrance increases accuracy in burrow identification used in population estimations, while recognising the existence of additional architectural features is vital to understanding the functional potential of L. latifrons as an ecosystem engineer.

The association between early hypotension and neurologic outcome after pediatric cardiac ECPR in children with cardiac disease

ObjectiveExplore the relationship between early hypotension after ECPR and survival to hospital discharge (SHD) with favorable neurologic outcome (FNO) in children with cardiac disease. MethodsRetrospective cohort study of patients undergoing ECPR at a single center pediatric cardiac intensive care unit. Hypotension was defined as MAP < 5th percentile for age. Primary and secondary exposure variables were presence and burden of hypotension respectively, during the first 6 h after ECPR. Our primary outcome was SHD with FNO defined by Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category score of 1–3 or no change from baseline. Secondary outcomes included acute central nervous system (CNS) injury via neuroimaging and EEG. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. ResultsWe analyzed 82 index ECPR events from 2010 to 2022. Hypotension was observed for at least one MAP value in 36/82 (43.9%) of the cohort. The median [IQR] burden of hypotension was 0 [0,14.3]%. Patients with SHD with FNO had shorter CPR duration, lower number of epinephrine and calcium doses, and lower maximum lactate levels when compared to patients who died or had SHD without FNO. After controlling for potential confounders, there was no association between presence of hypotension or burden of hypotension and SHD, SHD with FNO, or acute CNS injury via neuroimaging and EEG. ConclusionIn children with cardiac disease, there was no association between early hypotension after ECPR and SHD with FNO. Multicenter studies are needed to better understand how early hypotension after ECPR affects neurologic outcomes in children with cardiac disease.

Outcomes in Pediatric Cholesteatoma.

The objective of the study is to evaluate the outcomes of surgical management options for cholesteatoma using a national database. Database analysis of the Pediatric Health Information System database to identify children undergoing surgical intervention for cholesteatoma from October 2015 to December 2022. Patients were categorized by initial surgical modality: tympanoplasty (TM), tympanoplasty with canal wall-up tympanomastoidectomy (TM-CWU), and tympanoplasty with canal wall-down tympanomastoidectomy (TM-CWD). Group comparisons were done on number of surgical revisions and number of patients identified with recommendations for hearing aids. A total of 6304 patients were identified in the database who underwent surgery for cholesteatoma. Of these children, 3405 underwent TM (54.0%), 3116 underwent TM-CWU (49.4%), and 825 underwent TM-CWD (8.2%). The estimated difference in mean number of procedures was significantly higher in the TM-CWU group compared to TM-CWD (-0.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.406,-0.279, P < .0001) and the TM group (9.352, 95% CI 0.315, 0.390, P < .0001). The rate of significant hearing loss necessitating hearing aids was significantly lower in the TM group, but there was no difference between the TM-CWU and TM-CWD groups (1.2%, P < .03, 1.9% vs 2.7%, P = .13). There was no difference in the number of speech delays/therapy diagnoses between TM and TM-CWU or TM-CWU and TM-CWD (3.5%vs 4.4% P = .07, 4.4% vs 5.2%., P = .38). TM and TM-CWD had lower total surgical procedures than the TM-CWU group, and the TM group had a lesser rate of recommendation for hearing aids. The difference between number of procedures is likely due to the complexity of the disease; for instance, TM was likely chosen for small, less severe disease cases, whereas TM-CWD was chosen as more definitive treatment in aggressive cases. TM-CWD is associated with a lower rate of recidivism and recurrence, which also likely contributed to the lower number of procedures.

Diversity and Seasonal Variations of Zooplankton in Dudhiya Talab of Sirohi, India

In this study, the seasonal fluctuations of zooplankton and specific physico-chemical parameters were examined in Dudhiya Talab, a significant artificial reservoir located in Sirohi, Rajasthan. During the research period, a total of 41 zooplankton species were identified, comprising 12 species of Rotifera, 14 species of Cladocera, 5 species of Ostracoda, and 4 species of Copepoda. Among these, Rotifera emerged as the predominant group, with a peak abundance of 689 individuals per liter recorded in the summer, while the lowest numbers were noted during the winter season. Additionally, the zooplankton community exhibited correlations with various physico-chemical parameters. The findings of this research suggest that the distribution and density of zooplankton species are significantly affected by the prevailing physical and chemical conditions of the aquatic environment. Key words: Zooplankton, Physico-chemical factors,P Cladocera, Rotifera.

Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic on pathogens transmitted via food in the Netherlands.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the transmission of many pathogens. The aim was to determine the effect of non-pharmaceutical interventions on the incidence of diseases transmitted via food. Weekly incidence rates for nine foodborne pathogens were collected from national surveillance registries. Weekly pathogen incidence during lockdown weeks of 2020 and 2021 were compared with corresponding weeks in 2015-2019. The same analyses were performed to determine the effect of self-defined expected impact levels of measures (low, intermediate and high). Eight out of 9 diseases showed a significant decrease in case number in 2020, except for listeriosis, which remained unchanged. The largest decrease was observed for rotavirus gastronteritis A (-81%), norovirus gastroenteritis (-78%), hepatitis A (-75%) and shigellosis (-72). In 2021, lower case numbers were observed for 6 out of 9 diseases compared with 2015-2019, with the largest decrease for shigellosis (-5/%) and hepatitis E (-47%). No significant change was observed for listeriosis, STEC infection and rotavirus gastroenteritis. Overall, measures with increased expected impact level did not result in a larger decrease in number of cases, except for Campylobacter, and norovirus and rotavirus gastroenteritis. Disease transmitted via food significantly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a more pronounced effect during 2020 than 2021.

Distant Metastases of Breast Cancer Resemble Primary Tumors in Cancer Cell Composition but Differ in Immune Cell Phenotypes.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, with distant metastasis being the main cause of breast cancer-related deaths. Elucidating the changes in the tumor and immune ecosystems that are associated with metastatic disease is essential to improve understanding and ultimately treatment of metastasis. Here, we developed an in-depth, spatially resolved single-cell atlas of the phenotypic diversity of tumor and immune cells in primary human breast tumors and matched distant metastases, using imaging mass cytometry to analyze a total of 75 unique antibody targets. While the same tumor cell phenotypes were typically present in primary tumors and metastatic sites, suggesting a strong founder effect of the primary tumor, their proportions varied between matched samples. Notably, the metastatic site did not influence tumor phenotype composition, except for the brain. Metastatic sites exhibited a lower number of immune cells overall, but had a higher proportion of myeloid cells as well as exhausted and cytotoxic T cells. Myeloid cells showed distinct tissue-specific compositional signatures and increased presence of potentially matrix remodeling phenotypes in metastatic sites. This analysis of tumor and immune cell phenotypic composition of metastatic breast cancer highlights the heterogeneity of the disease within patients and across distant metastatic sites, indicating myeloid cells as the predominant immune modulators that could potentially be targeted at these sites.

Social Relationships and Tooth Loss in Adults Aged 60 Years and Older: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

To systematically assess current evidence on the extent to which social relationships are associated with tooth loss in adults aged 60 years and older. A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL and The Cochrane Library databases to identify relevant studies published from 1966 up to March 2024. Cross-sectional or cohort studies investigating the association between structural, functional and/or combined (structural and functional) components of social relationships and the number of remaining teeth or edentulism among community-dwelling or institutionalised older adults were included. Data were extracted on participants' and study characteristics, including study design, the type of measures used to assess social relationships (structural, functional, and combined), outcome measures and association estimates. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for cohort studies and the adapted NOS for cross-sectional studies. The reported association between social relationships and the number of remaining teeth or edentulism was summarised using meta-analysis with robust variance estimation. Twenty studies were included in the review and 12 studies (125 553 participants) in the meta-analysis. Across the 12 studies, the average odds ratio (95% confidence interval) was 1.15 (1.01-1.32), indicating a 15% higher likelihood of having a lower number of teeth or edentulism for those with weaker social relationships. The GRADE certainty of the body of evidence was low. Weak social relationships were associated with a lower number of teeth or edentulism in older adults. Our findings may inform potential public health approaches that target and modify social relationships to prevent and address older adults' oral diseases. Still, the directionality and the underlying mechanisms connecting social relationships and tooth loss need to be further explored by longitudinal studies with follow-up long enough for oral health outcomes or changes in social relationships to occur. Protocol Registration: PROSPERO (CRD42023417845).

No two clones are alike: characterization of heterologous subpopulations in a transgenic cell line of the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum

BackgroundConjugation-based episome delivery is a highly efficient method used to transfer DNA into the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, facilitating the production of recombinant proteins and high-value metabolites. However, previous reports have indicated phenotypic heterogeneity among individual cells from clonally propagated exconjugant cell lines, potentially affecting the stability of recombinant protein production in the diatom.ResultsHere, we characterized the differences between subpopulations with distinct fluorescence intensity phenotypes derived from a single exconjugant colony of P. tricornutum expressing the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP). We analyzed the expression cassette sequence integrity, plasmid copy number, and global gene expression. Our findings reveal that lower copy numbers and the deletion of the expression cassette in part of the population contributed to low transgene expression. Gene co-expression analysis identified a set of genes with similar expression pattern to eGFP including a gene encoding a putative Flp recombinase, which may be related to variations in fluorescence intensity. These genes thus present themselves as potential candidates for increasing recombinant proteins production in P. tricornutum episomal expression system.ConclusionsOverall, our study elucidates genetic and transcriptomic differences between distinct subpopulations in a clonally propagated culture, contributes to a better understanding of heterogeneity in diatom expression systems for synthetic biology applications.

Heat Transfer and Entropy Generation on Free Convection Airflow inside a T-shaped Cavity Considering Inner Obstacles

In this study, a numerical analysis of heat and entropy generation on free convection of airflow is performed inside a T-shaped cavity with and without circular obstacles. The T-shaped cavity is formed with two symmetrically isothermal rectangular blocks. A cold temperature is maintained on the cavity's upper wall. The adiabatic walls are connected to heated wall at constant temperature. It is assumed that the flow is laminar, 2-D, and steadily incompressible. The finite element analysis is employed for solving the governing equations. The calculated results are compared and validated with the other published works. The dimensionless velocity (streamlines) and temperature (isotherms) are calculated and illustrated for varying Rayleigh numbers. It is found that the average Nusselt number at the heated walls and entropy generation inside the cavity increase with the increment of Rayleigh numbers. Moreover, the thermal performance effects on natural convection flow are investigated with circular obstacles inside the enclosure. Five cases without and with circular obstacles regarding the boundary conditions are investigated. It is found that the thermal performance of the cavity can be improved by adding two circular obstacles with cool boundary conditions. It is evident that the innovative structure by adding two circular obstacles with cool boundary conditions gives higher average Nusselt number and entropy generation whereas lower Bejan numbers for varying Rayleigh numbers. The study is performed for and . Jagannath University Journal of Science, Volume 11, Number 1, June 2024, pp. 186−202

Studying the Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Lipsticks Made with Phycoerythrin Under the Influence of Different Magnetic Fields

Background: Several studies have shown the benefits of magnetic treatment on the productivity of secondary metabolites, growth, and the state of microalgae cultures Objective: This study examined the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of lipsticks made with phycoerythrin (PE) extracted from the cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. under the influence of different magnetic fields (30 mT and 60 mT). Material and Methods: After cyanobacterial culture under magnetic fields of 30 mT and 60 mT, the PE was extracted and lipsticks were formulated. The primary evaluation methods used in this study are melting point, breaking point, linoleic acid peroxidation assay, force of application, stability, surface abnormalities, skin irritation, thixotropy character, dispersibility test, perfume stability, colorimetric assay, antioxidant, and microbial analysis Results: The 30 mT treatment showed the highest concentration, purity, dry weight, antioxidant activity, and percentage of PE extraction compared to control cultures. No significant differences were found in the melting point, stability, thixotropy character, dispersibility, or perfume stability tests. The breaking point and force of application decreased significantly during 30 days. Peroxidation assay tests revealed lipstick increased oxidation and antioxidant activity after 30 days of 30 and 60 mT treatments compared to non-PE cultures. The study found that the amount of ΔE increased significantly in cultures without PE over time, while this increase was lower in magnetic field-treated cultures. However, no signs of crystal formation, surface wrinkles, liquid secretion, itching, or skin irritation were observed in 30 days of 30 and 60 mT magnetic treatments compared to control cultures with PE. Microbial analyzes over 30 days showed a significantly lower number of bacteria under magnetic fields than control cultures. In addition, the results of counting Escherichia coli and coliform bacteria were negative for thirty days. The antioxidant activity of PE was significantly higher in magnetic field-treated cultures. The number of Staphylococcus aureus decreased significantly in all cultures under magnetic field influence. Conclusions: The overall results of this study showed that magnetic fields had a significant effect in many evaluation tests on the culture of cyanobacteria Nostoc sp. As a result, lipsticks made with extracted PE have more antioxidant and antimicrobial activity

Characteristics Associated With Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Coverage and Exemptions After a School Immunization Law Change in Washington, 2019-2020.

We aimed to better understand the impact of statewide legislation removing personal belief exemptions (PBEs) for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) school immunization requirement and factors associated with resulting health-seeking behaviors. We used chi-squared tests and logistic regression models to determine individual- and school-level characteristics associated with holding a MMR PBE and with post-law MMR immunization status among students linked to the Washington State Immunization Information System. Of students with a MMR PBE pre-law change, 43.0% completed the MMR vaccine series and 40.4% sought another exemption type. Religious exemptions made up most new MMR exemptions signed (71.8%), followed by medical exemptions (18.5%), and religious membership exemptions (9.7%). Students were more likely to complete the vaccine series post-law change if they attended a school with a low school-level MMR exemption rate, a public school, or held a lower number of school-required immunization exemptions. This study confirms previous concerns that parents might replace their PBE with another exemption type; however, nearly half the students in the cohort completed the MMR vaccine series. Our findings suggest that targeted immunization policies can increase MMR coverage 1-year post-law change but must account for a replacement effect when exemption categories are eliminated.

Serum interleukin-10 level is increased and correlated positively with disease severity in patients with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor-related bullous pemphigoid.

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune subepidermal blistering disease with a linear deposit of autoantibodies at the epidermal basement membrane zone. It was reported that diabetes patients who took a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP4i), an oral antidiabetic drug, had an increased incidence of BP. However, data on DPP4i-related BP are limited. In our study, we measured serum levels of various cytokines using LEGENDplex and assessed correlations of these serum levels with clinical severity and laboratory data. Serum samples obtained from BP patients who visited our hospital from June 2016 to February 2023 were collected in this study. Patients' background, characteristics, and clinical data were retrospectively collected from their charts. Serum samples from 27 patients with DPP4i-unrelated BP, 17 patients with DPP4i-related BP, and 13 healthy controls were analyzed. Patients with DPP4i-related BP had lower score of Bullous Pemphigoid Disease Area Index (BPDAI)-erythema/urticaria, lower number of circulating eosinophils, and lower titer of anti-BP180 antibody than patients with DPP4i-unrelated BP. The serum interleukin (IL)-6 level was significantly higher in patients with DPP4i-related BP than in healthy controls (P = 0.0037). The serum IL-10 level was significantly higher in patients with DPP4i-related BP than in patients with DPP4i-unrelated BP and in healthy controls (P = 0.0006, P = 0.0448), and was positively correlated with the BPDAI-blister/erosions score (r = 0.757, P = 0.001), BPDAI-erythema/urticaria score (r = 0.616, P = 0.013), and BPDAI-total score (r = 0.833, P < 0.001) in patients with DPP4i-related BP. In conclusion, patients with DPP4i-related BP had increased serum levels of IL-6 and IL-10 compared with healthy controls and positive correlations between the serum IL-10 level and BPDAI scores reflecting clinical severity, indicating that the serum IL-10 level is a potential objective biomarker of disease severity in patients with DPP4i-related BP.

Vδ2 T-cell engagers bivalent for Vδ2-TCR binding provide anti-tumor immunity and support robust Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell expansion

BackgroundVγ9Vδ2 T-cells are antitumor immune effector cells that can detect metabolic dysregulation in cancer cells through phosphoantigen-induced conformational changes in the butyrophilin (BTN) 2A1/3A1 complex. In order to clinically exploit the anticancer properties of Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells, various approaches have been studied including phosphoantigen stimulation, agonistic BTN3A-specific antibodies, adoptive transfer of expanded Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells, and more recently bispecific antibodies. While Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells constitute a sizeable population, typically making up ~1-10% of the total T cell population, lower numbers have been observed with increasing age and in the context of disease. MethodsWe evaluated whether bivalent single domain antibodies (VHHs) that link Vδ2-TCR specific VHHs with different affinities could support Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell expansion and could be incorporated in a bispecific engager format when additionally linked to a tumor antigen specific VHH. ResultsBivalent VHHs that link a high and low affinity Vδ2-TCR specific VHH can support Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell expansion. The majority of Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells that expanded following exposure to these bivalent VHHs had an effector or central memory phenotype and expressed relatively low levels of PD-1. Bispecific engagers that incorporated the bivalent Vδ2-TCR specific VHH as well as a tumor antigen specific VHH triggered antitumor effector functions and supported expansion of Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells in vitro and in an in vivo model in NOG-hIL-15 mice.ConclusionBy enhancing the number of Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells available to exert antitumor effector functions, these novel Vδ2-bivalent bispecific T cell engagers may promote the overall efficacy of bispecific Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell engagement, particularly in patients with relatively low levels of Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells.

Disparities in receipt of 1-st line CDK4/6 inhibitors with endocrine therapy for treatment of hormone receptor positive, HER2 negative metastatic breast cancer in the real-world setting

ObjectiveThis study used real-world observational data to compare profiles of patients receiving different first-line treatment for hormone receptor positive (ER+), HER2 negative, metastatic breast cancer (MBC): CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) in combination with endocrine therapy (ET) versus ET alone.MethodFrom a nationwide electronic health record-derived Flatiron Health de-identified database including 280 US cancer clinics, we identified patients with hormone receptor positive, HER2 negative, metastatic breast cancer receiving 1st -line therapy with ET alone or CDK4/6i plus ET between February 2015 and November 2021. Patient sociodemographic status, MBC treatment regimen and outcomes were the focus of this analysis. Patient characteristics were compared using t-tests and chi-square tests. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association of patient characteristics with the likelihood of receiving 1st -line CDK4/6i plus ET vs. ET alone. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards were used to test the impact of 1st -line treatment regimen on real-world progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Baseline characteristics were balanced using inverse probability weighting (IPW).ResultsThe study population included 3,917 patients receiving CDK4/6i plus ET (n = 2170) and ET alone (n = 1747) for their MBC. Compared to patients receiving ET alone, those receiving CDK4/6i plus ET were younger (mean age 66.8 vs. 68.6, p < 0.001), more likely to present with de novo MBC (p < 0.001), had better performance status (50.2% vs. 40.5% patients with ECOG value 0, p = 0.001) and lower number of comorbidities (29.7% vs. 26.6% ≥ 1 comorbidity, p < 0.001). Logistic regression revealed increased odds of CDK4/6i plus ET in individuals aged 50–64 (OR: 3.42, 95% CI [2.41, 4.86]) and 65–74 (OR: 3.18, 95% CI [1.68, 6.02]) versus those aged 18–49 years of age. Black individuals had lower odds of CDK4/6i plus ET (OR: 0.76, 95% CI [0.58, 1.00]) compared to White individuals. Other characteristics associated with lower odds of CDK4/6i plus ET included patients with stage III disease (OR: 0.69, 95% CI [0.52, 0.92]), lower performance status (OR: 0.50, 95% CI [0.40, 0.62]), and Medicare insurance (OR: 0.73, 95% CI [0.30, 1.78]) compared to those with commercial and Medicaid insurance. After IPW adjustment, use of CDK4/6i plus ET as 1st -line treatment was associated with significantly longer median PFS compared to ET alone (27 vs. 17 months; hazard ratio [HR] = 0.61, p < 0.001). Median OS was 52 months in the CDK4/6i plus ET group and was 42 months with ET alone (HR = 0.74, p < 0.001).ConclusionIn this real-world database, disparities in receiving 1st -line CDK4/6 inhibitors were seen by age, diagnosis stage, baseline performance status, comorbidity, and insurance status. In adjusted analysis, the use of 1st -line CDK4/6i plus ET yielded better PFS and OS rates than ET alone. Further efforts are essential to enhance equitable use of and access to this crucial drug class.

ConvAtt Network: A Low Parameter Approach For Sign Language Recognition

Despite recent advances in Large Language Models in text processing, Sign Language Recognition (SLR) remains an unresolved task. This is, in part, due to limitations in the available data. In this paper, we investigate combining 1D convolutions with transformer layers to capture local features and global interactions in a low-parameter SLR model. We experimented using multiple data augmentation and regularization techniques to categorize signs of the French Belgian Sign Language. We achieved a top-1 accuracy of 42.7% and a top-10 accuracy of 81.9% in 600 different signs. This model is competitive with the current state of the art while using a significantly lower number of parameters.

Different Perspectives on Democracy as an Explanation for the “Populist Radical Right Gender Gap”?

The “radical right gender gap” is an established finding in contemporary research, indicating that women support populist radical right parties (PRRPs) in significantly lower numbers than men. Despite substantial literature dedicated to uncovering the reasons behind this gap, significant questions remain unanswered. This article examines the nature of the radical right gender gap in greater detail, focusing on Switzerland—a country with one of the most established PRRPs in Western Europe, the SVP/SPP (Schweizer Volkspartei/Swiss People’s Party), making it a representative case. A defining feature of PRRPs that sets them apart from other parties is their clear distinction between in-groups and out-groups in society, coupled with the propagation of nativist and anti-pluralist values. While PRRPs emphasize caring for the in-group, they often advocate excluding the out-group from rights and privileges. This article argues that the preferences of PRRPs and female voters are in stark contrast regarding these issues. Building on empirical evidence that women place more importance on certain features of a democratic system than men do, we propose that this discrepancy may help explain the gender gap in support for these parties. Utilizing data from the European Social Survey 2020, which includes detailed questions on various understandings of democracy, we find robust support for our hypotheses within the Swiss context. Compared to men, women consider protecting the rights of minorities and safeguarding all citizens from poverty as especially important for a functioning democracy. These preferences emerge as influential factors contributing to women’s reluctance to support PRRPs.

Histologic Characterization of Tumor-Adjacent Mammary Adipose Tissue in Normal-Weight and Overweight/Obese Patients with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Background: Obesity is a risk factor of several types of cancer, including breast cancer. In this study, we aimed to histologically characterize the adipose tissue of the tumor microenvironment (TME) of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in overweight/obese versus normal-weight patients. Methods: TNBC tissue sections from normal-weight (BMI&lt;25) and overweight/obese patients (BMI≥25) were stained with antibodies against CD68, CD163, CD31, CD34, and vimentin. At the invasive tumor front, positive cells were counted in tumor adjacent adipose tissue (AT) and within cancer tissue (CT). Further, the size of the tumor-adjacent and distant mammary adipocytes was determined in perilipin stained sections. Expression of ANGPTL4, CD36 and FABP4, proteins involved in fatty acid metabolism, was analyzed in marginal tumor cells using an immune reactive score. Results: Overweight/obese TNBC patients had significantly larger adipocytes, higher numbers of CD163+ macrophages (BMI&lt;25: 2.80 vs. BMI≥25: 10.45; p = 0.011) and lower numbers of CD31+ (BMI&lt;25: 4.20 vs. BMI≥25: 2.40; p = 0.018) and CD34+ (BMI&lt;25: 14.60 vs. BMI≥25: 5.20; p = 0.045) cells as markers of angiogenesis in the AT as well as a higher frequency of cancer-associated-fibroblast-like cells in the AT and CT (BMI&lt;25: 7.60 vs. BMI≥25: 25.39 in total; p = 0.001). Moreover, expression of CD36 (BMI&lt;25: 2.15 vs. BMI≥25: 2.60; p = 0.041) and ANGPTL4 (BMI&lt;25: 6.00 vs. BMI≥25: 9.80; p = 0.026) was elevated in the TNBC cells of overweight/obese patients. Conclusions: Our data suggest BMI-related changes in the TME of overweight/obese TNBC patients, including hypertrophied adipocytes, reduced vascularization, more M2-like macrophages and CAF-like cells, and an increase in the expression of fatty acid metabolizing proteins in marginal tumor cells, all contributing to a more tumor-promoting, immunosuppressive environment.

Advanced lipid testing in children: a call for pediatric reference intervals

Abstract Introduction Abnormal serum lipid levels in childhood are associated with dyslipidemia and increased risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood. High prevalence of childhood obesity in the US has increased concerns about the adverse effects of abnormal lipids in children, prompting recommendations for universal lipid screening in adolescents. While specialized analysis of lipoproteins by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has been predominately used in adults with risk factors for CVD, our laboratory also receives pediatric samples for NMR testing, most commonly associated with diagnostic codes for hyperlipidemia and/or abnormal weight gain. Currently adult-based reference ranges for the NMR lipoprotein measurements are used in children. The objective of this pilot study was to compare lipoprotein profiles of healthy adults and children and to assess the impact of reference intervals for children on clinical interpretation of pediatric results. Methods Serum samples were collected from 60 healthy children, ages 1 – 17 years, and 148 healthy adults, ages 19 – 64 years old. NMR lipoprotein analysis was performed using the Axinon lipoFIT by NMR assay on a 600 MHz NMR (Bruker). Statistical analysis was conducted in Excel and GraphPad Prism. Reference intervals (RIs) were determined in EP Evaluator as the central 95% interval. Results The levels of atherogenic low-density lipoprotein particle number (LDL-P) and small LDL-P (sLDL-P) were significantly lower in children compared to adults: 783±222 vs 1212±412 nmol/L and 302±142 vs 498±306 nmol/L, respectively (p&amp;lt;0.00001). Additionally, LDL size (LDL-s) was significantly larger in children than adults (21.23±0.29 vs 21.06±0.44 nm, p=0.006), reflecting prevalence of less dense LDL-P in the former group. Pediatric samples also had lower number of anti-atherogenic high-density lipoprotein particles (HDL-P) compared to adults: 29.4±4.6 vs 33.5±4.6 µmol/L, p&amp;lt;0.00001. The significant differences in the number and size of lipoprotein particles between adults and children implies that currently used adult reference intervals might not be appropriate for evaluating pediatric NMR samples. Therefore, we estimated RIs for our heathy pediatric and adult cohorts and applied these RIs to our retrospective data of 618 samples from children 1-17 years old, which were submitted for NMR lipoprotein testing in recent years. The analysis showed that using the adult RIs, 37% and 27% of pediatric samples would not flag for abnormally elevated LDL-P and sLDL-P, respectively; but they would be flagged based on the RI derived from our pediatric cohort. Moreover, 12% pediatric samples flagged for low HDL-P would have normal HDL-P levels if pediatric RIs are used instead of adult RIs. Conclusions Use of adult reference intervals in children may result in misclassification of lipid status and underestimation or overestimation of dyslipidemia and CVD risk in children. This pilot study highlights the need for pediatric reference intervals to guide interpretation of advanced lipid testing in children.

UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS: Knowledge, compliance and perceived barriers among dental practitioners of public and private dental institutes in Karachi

Objective: To assess the knowledge and use of universal precautions for blood-borne pathogens and to assess the perceived barriers of adherence to universal precautions at workplace among dentists at public and private dental hospitals in Karachi. In addition, the frequency of exposure to blood-borne pathogens and needle stick injuries among dentists in the last six months. Methodology: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in the dental institutes of Karachi. The study tool was a self-administered healthcare professional questionnaire inquiring about respondent characteristics, knowledge level, universal precautions practices, compliance with UP, and body fluid exposure. Of the 500, 370 questionnaires were completed and included in the study. Results: Dentists at both public and private institutes showed the highest percentages (&gt;90%) for statements about HIV/Hepatitis B and C and the route of transmission of these pathogens. Of the 12 up practices, dentists at both institutes showed higher compliance values (&gt;80%) for 5 statements. Overall compliance (at least 60% responses were always in category) was 48% in public practitioners and 13.5% in private institutes. The perceived barriers in UP practices were identified as: unavailability of policies posted in department (pub: 30%, pvt: 82.3%), tough job duties (pub: 50%, pvt: 37.2). Altogether, 309 exposure incidents were reported by dentists in the public sector and 235 in the private sector for the last 6 months before the study. Conclusion: It was concluded that dentists at both institutes have adequate knowledge of blood borne pathogens and adhere to most of universal precautions practices. In the public sector, dentists have a comparatively lower number of factors that interfere with universal precautions than private institutes. Dental institutes should be vigilant about UP adherence among dentists working in OPDs.