Serotypes and Genotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae in an Unvaccinated Population in Suzhou, China.

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a significant etiological agent of infection and commonly inhabits the human nasopharynx, alongside other potentially pathogenic bacteria. In this study, S. pneumoniae strains were obtained from a community population and subjected to investigation of their phenotypes, genotypes, and vaccine coverage. Methods: S. pneumoniae was isolated from nasopharyngeal swab samples of a healthy population in the Guangfu Community. Capsular serotypes and genotypes were identified using Quellung reaction and multilocus sequence typing (MLST), respectively. The antimicrobial susceptibility was tested using minimum inhibitory concentrations. Results: In total, 500 unvaccinated people were sampled. Ninety-four S. pneumoniae strains were identified. Common serotypes were 19F, 6A, and 9V. The strain coverages of PCV13 and PPV23 were 61.7% and 58.5%, respectively. About 27.6% isolates were non-susceptible to penicillin, and over 80% were resistant to erythromycin and doxycycline. Among 27 novel sequence types (STs) identified in all strains, the most common STs were ST236 (6/94, 6.4%) and ST12669 (6/94, 6.4%). Nearly half of the strains were grouped into four clone complexes (CC12665, CC271, CC6011, and CC180), of which CC271 showed the highest resistance to PEN. Conclusion: In our study, various drug-resistant clone complexes of Streptococcus pneumoniae were found in the healthy population, the elderly, and children. Consequently, pneumococcal vaccines should be included in the national immunization schedule to prevent disease spread.

Through the Zoom window: How children use virtual technologies to navigate power dynamics in research.

Virtual technologies gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic for use in research, including research with children. As scholarship from the field of science, technology and society (STS) suggests, technologies are never neutral, but embedded with social values and, as such, used by people to navigate identities and relationships. Building on childhood studies research that has shown how children appropriate and use research tools, this article asks: How do child research participants use this virtual "window" into their homes and their lives? Using observations from a virtual and in-person study in the United States, we show how children used virtual technologies to manage relationships, filter what researchers saw of their lives, and navigate issues of privacy and self-disclosure. We conclude that analysing children's interactions with research technologies offers important indicators to guide researchers attending to ethical issues of power for both in-person and virtual research with children.

New strategies in soft tissue sarcoma treatment.

Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) have long been a formidable challenge in oncology, partly because of their rarity and diversity, which complicates large-scale studies and slows the advent of new treatments. Traditionally anchored by anthracycline-based chemotherapy, the landscape of STS treatment hasn't shifted dramatically in the past twenty years. However, recent strides in research are starting to paint a more hopeful picture. Leveraging advanced molecular profiling, researchers are now tailoring treatments to the unique genetic makeup of tumors, with targeted therapies showing promise. Innovations such as NTRK inhibitors for NTRK-rearranged sarcomas and gamma-secretase inhibitors for desmoid tumors are changing clinical practices. The rise of immunotherapy, including novel agents like LAG-3 inhibitors and bifunctional proteins that target both TGF-ß and PD-L1, offers new avenues for treatment, particularly when combined with traditional therapies like chemotherapy. Meanwhile, the approval of epigenetic treatments for specific sarcoma subtypes heralds a new wave of strategy based on histological specificity, which could lead to more personalized and effective care. While challenges remain, the field of STS treatment is evolving, driven by a deeper understanding of the disease's biological underpinnings and a commitment to innovative research approaches.

Industry visions of technology for older adults: A futures anthropology perspective.

The negative portrayal of ageing as a human decline burdening society has prompted Ageing Technology industries (AgeTech) to foresee solutions rooted in the Ageing in Place paradigm. These ostensibly neutral future interventions are intertwined with socio-technical dynamics. While Science and Technology Studies (STS) and anthropology scholars have questioned these AgeTech practices, limited literature explores industry's predictions of future AgeTech. Drawing on STS and futures-anthropology literature, I interrogate AgeTech industry visions of future assemblages involving older people, smart home technology, and socio-material discourses rooted in their own discrepancies and dilemmas. To unpack AgeTech futures, my methods include a review of 49 industry reports and 29 interviews with industry experts. Based on the reports, I designed comics to be used in interviews with experts spanning CEOs and managers of companies designing technology for older people, consultants, and aged-care workers based in 12 countries. Ageing futures are far from being neutral or a chronological process, instead they are non-consensual and fragmented. In the review and interviews, I captured future assemblages of a fragmented AgeTech industry in relationships with governments and industry giants. The fragmentation continues unfolding in participants from diverse countries and professions contesting dominant AgeTech narratives. In dissecting future assemblages, I also unpack non-consensual futures based on diverging experts' values (e.g. safety versus activity) and humans' values like control and improvisation challenging predictive and surveillance technology. AgeTech Futures transcend physical matters or assemblages of technologies and humans. They encompass future normativities, tensions, divergent values, and ideological concepts. I propose not only alternatives to the visions found in industry narratives, but also encourage scholars to understand the AgeTech industry's dilemmas.

Effect of Sodium Thiosulfate Pre-Treatment on Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Kidney Transplantation.

We recently reported in a rat model of kidney transplantation that the addition of sodium thiosulfate (STS) to organ preservation solution improved renal graft quality and prolonged recipient survival. The present study investigates whether STS pre-treatment would produce a similar effect. In vitro, rat kidney epithelial cells were treated with 150 µM STS before and/or during exposure to hypoxia followed by reoxygenation. In vivo, donor rats were treated with PBS or 2.4 mg/kg STS 30 min before donor kidneys were procured and stored in UW or UW+150 µM STS solution at 4 °C for 24 h. Renal grafts were then transplanted into bilaterally nephrectomised recipient rats which were then sacrificed on post-operative day 3. STS pre-treatment significantly reduced cell death compared to untreated and other treated cells in vitro (p < 0.05), which corresponded with our in vivo result (p < 0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in other parameters of tissue injury. Our results suggest that STS pre-treatment may improve renal graft function after transplantation.

Characterization of Male Flower Induction by Silver Thiosulfate Foliar Spray in Female Cannabis at the Middle Reproductive Stage for Breeding.

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is a versatile crop belonging to the Cannabaceae family, and is dioecious, typically with separate male and female plants. The flowers of female plants, especially the trichomes, accumulate relatively higher contents of cannabinoids compared with those of male plants. For this reason, to obtain seeds that are genetically female, it is desirable to induce the development of male flowers on a female plant that produces genetically female haploid gametes. Silver thiosulfate (STS) is a highly effective chemical for male flower induction. We investigated male flower induction in three commercial cultivars of female cannabis (Spectrum303, SuperwomanS1, and CBGambit) regarding the treatment frequency, stage of application, and concentration of STS applied as a foliar spray. All three cultivars showed adequate induction of male flowers in response to 1.5 mM STS applied at the early reproductive stage. In particular, SuperwomanS1 was most highly responsive to induction of male flowers, even when treated with 0.3 mM STS at the early reproductive stage. Treatment with three applications of STS was more effective compared with a single application, but a single application of 1.5 mM STS at the early reproductive stage was sufficient for male flower induction. A single STS application during the middle stage of reproductive growth was inadequate for induction of male flowers. However, 6 weeks after three applications of STS, CBGambit exhibited approximately 54% male flower induction at 0.3 mM STS, Spectrum303 showed approximately 56% induction at 3 mM STS, and SuperwomanS1 yielded approximately 26% induction at 1.5 mM (expressed as percentage of total number of individuals with the induced male flowers). Pollen stainability tests using KI-I2 solution and Alexander's staining showed high pollen viability with over 65% at different single STS concentrations, indicating that pollen grains induced by STS have sufficient viability for the self-pollination. This study demonstrated that different cultivars of cannabis respond diversely to different STS concentrations and highlighted the potential benefits of three STS applications during the middle reproductive stage for cannabis breeding.

Five-Repetition Sit-to-Stand Test as Predictor of Mortality in High Risk COPD Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if adding performance on the five-repetition sit-to-stand test (5-STS) to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) high-risk criteria, proposed by the Spanish COPD guidelines (GesEPOC), affects mortality prognosis. METHODS: Observational study of COPD outpatients involved prospective follow-up for 5 years. Patients were classified based on 5-STS performance and risk criteria proposed by GesEPOC version 2021. Outcome measures were 5-year mortality timing and rate. Kaplan-Meier curves and univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazard analyses, analysis of variance, and univariate and multivariate linear and logistic regression models were used. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-seven patients were included. Mean age was 66±8.3 years, and 87.6% were men. Of them, 115 (83.9%) were classified as high risk, 43 (34.4%) of whom had poor performance on the 5-STS. Overall mortality at 5 years was 27% and was significantly higher in the high-risk (29.6%) compared with the low-risk (13.6%) group. Among high-risk patients, mortality at 5 years was significantly worse with poor 5-STS performance (60.5%) compared with non-poor performance (11.1%). Poor performance on the 5-STS was independently associated with increased 5-year mortality risk (HR 4.70; 95% CI: 1.96-11.27) in a model adjusted for history of heart disease and dyspnea. CONCLUSION: Among high-risk COPD patients, those with poor performance on the 5-STS have a significantly higher mortality at 5 years than those with non-poor 5-STS performance.

Perfusion-weighted imaging with dynamic contrast enhancement (PWI/DCE) morphologic, qualitative, semiquantitative, and radiomics features predicting undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) treatment response.

Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) is the largest subgroup of soft tissue sarcomas. This study determined the value of perfusion-weighted imaging with dynamic-contrast-enhancement (PWI/DCE) morphologic, qualitative, and semiquantitative features for predicting UPS pathology-assessed treatment effect (PATE). This retrospective study included 33 surgically excised extremity UPS patients with pre-surgical MRI. Volumetric tumor segmentation from PWI/DCE was obtained at Baseline (BL), Post-Chemotherapy (PC), and Post-Radiation Therapy (PRT). The surgical specimens' PATE separated cases into Responders (R) (≥ 90%, 16 patients), Partial-Responders (PR) (89 - 31%, 10 patients), and Non-Responders (NR) (≤ 30%, seven patients). Seven semiquantitative kinetic parameters and maps were extracted from time-intensity curves (TICs), and 107 radiomic features were derived. Statistical analyses compared R vs. PR/NR. At PRT, 79% of R displayed a "Capsular" morphology (P = 1.49 × 10-7), and 100% demonstrated a TIC-type II (P = 8.32 × 10-7). 80% of PR showed "Unipolar" morphology (P = 1.03 × 10-5), and 60% expressed a TIC-type V (P = 0.06). Semiquantitative wash-in rate (WiR) was able to separate R vs. PR/NR (P = 0.0078). The WiR radiomics displayed significant differences in the first_order_10 percentile (P = 0.0178) comparing R vs. PR/NR at PRT. The PWI/DCE TIC-type II curve, low WiR, and "Capsular" enhancement represent PRT patterns typically observed in successfully treated UPS and demonstrate potential for UPS treatment response assessment.

Comparing complication rates between Abbott Tendril 2088 and competitive manufacturer leads: Novel real-world data approach.

INTRODUCTION: While several studies have reported on the reliability of cardiac pacing leads, there are limited comparative data on lead performance. We compared long-term performance of Abbott Tendril™ STS 2088TC (Tendril 2088) leads with competitive manufacturer (CM) pacing leads using novel real-world data analytic methods. METHODS: Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) claims and Abbott device registration databases were linked to identify patients implanted with single-chamber or dual-chamber pacemakers with the Abbott Tendril 2088 lead from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2019 and were followed through December 31, 2021. Medicare pacemaker patients who did not link to Abbott devices were assumed to have CM leads. Patients in both groups had to be enrolled in Medicare FFS at least 1 year before implant date and have an initial pacemaker and associated lead(s) implanted on the same date. Lead complications were identified based on a diagnosis code for a mechanical lead complication and a procedure code for a lead-related surgery on the same claim. Kaplan-Meier curves for lead intervention-free survival rates for up to 7 years of follow-up were compared between groups at the device level using a log-rank test. RESULTS: The study cohort had 89 629 Tendril 2088 and 433 481 CM lead patients. Groups were comparable in age (79.7 ± 8.6 years), sex (52.2% male), race/ethnicity, and baseline comorbidities. At 7 years, there was no significant difference in intervention-free survival rates between groups (97.48% Tendril 2088 vs. 97.52% CM, p = .3435). CONCLUSION: In this large Medicare population, there was no significant difference in lead complication rates between Tendril 2088 and CM pacing leads over 7 years of follow-up.

Revisiting X-linked congenital ichthyosis.

X-linked recessive ichthyosis (XLI) is a hereditary skin disease characterized by generalized dryness and scaling of the skin, with frequent extracutaneous manifestations. It is the second most common type of ichthyosis, with a prevalence of 1/6,000 to 1/2,000 in males and without any racial or geographical differences. The causative gene for XLI is the steroid sulfatase gene (STS), located on Xp22.3. STS deficiency causes an abnormal cholesterol sulfate (CS) accumulation in the stratum corneum (SC). Excess CS induces epidermal permeability barrier dysfunction and scaling abnormalities. This review summarizes XLI's genetic, clinical, and pathological features, pathogenesis, diagnosis and differential diagnoses, and therapeutic perspectives. Further understanding the role of the STS gene pathogenic variants in XLI may contribute to a more accurate and efficient clinical diagnosis of XLI and provide novel strategies for its treatment and prenatal diagnosis.

Successful pazopanib treatment of undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma with coamplification of PDGFRA, VEGFR2 and KIT: A case report.

Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) is a high-grade, aggressive soft tissue sarcoma (STS) with a poor prognosis, and no definitive or effective treatment is currently available for it. Pazopanib, an orally available multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been approved for the treatment of advanced STS. The present study documents the case of a 51-year-old man with advanced UPS with coamplification of platelet-derived growth factor receptor A (PDGFRA), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and stem cell factor receptor (KIT) genes. The patient exhibited a marked and sustained response to pazopanib. The patient presented with a retroperitoneal tumour with pancreatic head lymph node metastasis, and bone metastases in the second/fifth thoracic vertebrae and left femur. Based on the histological analysis of the retroperitoneal tumour and femoral mass, the patient was diagnosed with UPS. Palliative radiation therapy was administered to the left femur and second/fifth thoracic vertebrae to prevent fractures. After radiation therapy, the patient achieved a partial response after eight courses of doxorubicin. A comprehensive genomic profiling analysis (FoundationOne® CDx) revealed coamplification of PDGFRA, VEGFR2 and KIT genes. Hence, pazopanib was initiated as a second-line treatment. Notably, the retroperitoneal tumour shrank, and no new lesions developed for 3 years after the initiation of pazopanib treatment. This response suggests that the coamplification of PDGFRA, VEGFR2 and KIT may predict favourable outcomes in response to pazopanib.

Ethnographic Film, Fourth Cinema and Situated Knowledge Practices-from Colonial Film to Collaborative Research.

The text attempts to understand the development of collaborative audiovisual knowledge practices in anthropology as situated and diffractive knowledge (Haraway, Barad, Smith). By considering specific stages in the history of collaborative and participatory projects, the article argues that collaborative filmmaking is not only a decentering of one-sided authorship and one-sided modes of representation, but also a media-specific form of knowledge that is bound to and embedded in social contexts. Through the example of colonial film, the article describes stations of demarcation and attempts to decolonize film. Current film experiments with marginalized groups have their origins in "shared anthropologies" (Rouch) and have further developed this approach through more consistent forms of Fourth Cinema and power sharing with Indigenous communities. Film is thus also able to depict amateur knowledge practices within collaborative research projects.

A Review on Canine and Human Soft Tissue Sarcomas: New Insights on Prognosis Factors and Treatment Measures.

Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) represent a diverse group of tumors arising from mesenchymal cells, affecting both humans and animals, including dogs. Although STSs represent a class of rare tumors, especially in humans, they pose significant clinical challenges due to their potential for local recurrence and distant metastasis. Dogs, as a model for human STSs, offer several advantages, including exposure to similar environmental risk factors, genetic diversity among breeds, and the spontaneous development of tumors. Furthermore, canine tumors closely mimic the heterogeneity and complexity of human tumors, making them valuable for research into disease progression and treatment effectiveness. Current treatment approaches for STSs in both dogs and humans primarily involve surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, with treatment decisions based on tumor characteristics and patient factors. However, the development of novel therapeutic strategies is essential, given the high failure rate of new drugs in clinical trials. To better design new tailored treatments, comprehension of the tumor microenvironment (TME) is fundamental, since it plays a crucial role in STS initiation and progression by modulating tumor behavior, promoting angiogenesis, and suppressing immune responses. Notably, TME features include cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), extracellular matrix (ECM) alterations, and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) that, depending on their polarization state, can affect immune responses and thus the patient's prognosis. In this review, new therapeutical approaches based on immunotherapy will be deeply explored as potential treatment options for both dogs and humans with STSs. In conclusion, this review provides an overview of the current understanding of STSs in dogs and humans, emphasizing the importance of the TME and potential treatment strategies.

Detection of trisomy 9 mosaicism in the second trimester screening by abnormal level of biochemical markers.

Trisomy 9 is a rare chromosomal abnormality that occurs in both mosaic and non-mosaic states. The present study reports a case of mosaic trisomy 9 detected during pregnancy in a 41-year-old woman in the second trimester screening. Maternal serum screening results were used to diagnose a chromosomal abnormality in utero. The results were validated by karyotyping. High levels of alpha-fetoprotein and low levels of unconjugated estriol (uE3), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and inhibin A indicate a high risk for chromosomal abnormalities, including trisomy 18. Amniotic fluid karyotyping revealed 47, XX, +9 (30)/46, XX (20) in the fetus. Because a high level (60%) of mosaicism for trisomy 9 in the fetus can affect many parts of the body, the pregnancy was terminated. It seems that a significant reduction in the levels of hCG and uE3 is an informative marker for the detection of chromosomal abnormalities such as trisomy 9.

Systematic Review of the Gonadotoxicity and Risk of Infertility of Soft Tissue Sarcoma Chemotherapies in Pre- and Postpubertal Females and Males.

Increasing awareness of gonadotoxicity in cancer treatments and infertility risk is essential for counseling young cancer patients. While fertility preservation options are available in many countries, limited data on gonadotoxicity hinder recommendations, especially for soft tissue cancers. This review, part of the FertiTOX project (www.fertitox.com), organized by FertiPROTEKT (www.fertiprotekt.com), aims to address this knowledge gap to improve fertility preservation guidance. We performed a systematic literature search on gonadotoxicity in soft tissue sarcoma (STS) cancer treatments. Only patients without metastases or recurrent disease were considered. "Suspected infertility" was defined based on low ovarian reserve parameters, low inhibin B levels, high gonadotropin concentration, gonadal dysfunction, amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, azoospermia, or oligozoospermia due to limited infertility data. The study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The search yielded 3309 abstracts, with 138 undergoing full-text analysis. Eight studies on STS were included. Suspected infertility was observed in 20 of 28 females (71.4%, range 0-100%) and 38 of 63 males (60.3%, range 34.8-100%) with STS. Six of the eight studies received high-quality scores on the NOS, while two received a fair score. Our data suggest a high risk of infertility from chemotherapy in pre- and postpubertal STS survivors. This underscores the importance of considering fertility preservation measures when counseling these patients.

Perioperative Marinobufagenin (MBG) Measurement May Improve Acute Kidney Injury Risk Assessment in Patients Undergoing Major Cardiac Surgery: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

Background and Objectives: Acute kidney injury (AKI) remains a significant complication following major cardiac surgery. Marinobufagenin (MBG), a cardiotonic steroid involved in sodium balance and blood pressure regulation, has been linked to organ damage after ischemia-reperfusion events. This pilot, prospective study investigates the utility of circulating MBG to improve AKI risk assessment in cardiac surgery patients as a stand-alone biomarker and after inclusion in a validated risk model (STS-AKI score). Materials and Methods: We included 45 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. The MBG levels were measured preoperatively and at 4, 8, and 12 h post-surgery. The AKI was defined according to the KDIGO guidelines. Statistical analyses assessed the diagnostic and prognostic utility of MBG and its integration with the STS-AKI score. Results: An AKI occurred in 26.7% of the patients. The STS-AKI score performed well in this cohort (AUC: 0.736). The MBG levels displayed a decreasing trend in the whole population after surgery (p = 0.02). However, in the AKI patients, MBG increased at 4 and 8 h before decreasing at 12 h post-surgery. The MBG changes from the baseline to 8 h and from 8 to 12 h post-surgery showed a remarkable diagnostic accuracy for an AKI (AUCs: 0.917 and 0.843, respectively). Integrating these MBG changes with the STS-AKI score significantly improved the model performance, including discrimination, calibration, and risk reclassification. Conclusions: The MBG measurement, particularly any dynamic changes post-surgery, enhances AKI risk stratification in cardiac surgery patients. Integrating MBG with the STS-AKI score offers more accurate risk predictions, potentially leading to better patient management and outcomes.

Conceptualizing Automated Decision-Making in Organizational Contexts.

Despite growing interest in automated (or algorithmic) decision-making (ADM), little work has been done to conceptually clarify the term. This article aims to tackle this issue by developing a conceptualization of ADM specifically tailored to organizational contexts. It has two main goals: (1) to meaningfully demarcate ADM from similar, yet distinct algorithm-supported practices; and (2) to draw internal distinctions such that different ADM types can be meaningfully distinguished. The proposed conceptualization builds on three arguments: First, ADM primarily refers to the automation of practical decisions (decisions to φ) as opposed to cognitive decisions (decisions that p). Second, rather than referring to algorithms as literally making decisions, ADM refers to the use of algorithms to solve decision problems at an organizational level. Third, since algorithmic tools by nature primarily settle cognitive decision problems, their classification as ADM depends on whether and to what extent an algorithmically generated output p has an action triggering effect-i.e., translates into a consequential action φ. The examination of precisely this p-φ relationship, allows us to pinpoint different ADM types (suggesting, offloading, superseding). Taking these three arguments into account, we arrive at the following definition: ADM refers to the practice of using algorithms to solve decision problems, where these algorithms can play a suggesting, offloading, or superseding role relative to humans, and decisions are defined as action triggering choices.

Cortical Face-Selective Responses Emerge Early in Human Infancy.

In human adults, multiple cortical regions respond robustly to faces, including the occipital face area (OFA) and fusiform face area (FFA), implicated in face perception, and the superior temporal sulcus (STS) and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), implicated in higher-level social functions. When in development, does face selectivity arise in each of these regions? Here, we combined two awake infant functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) datasets to create a sample size twice the size of previous reports (n = 65 infants; 2.6-9.6 months). Infants watched movies of faces, bodies, objects, and scenes, while fMRI data were collected. Despite variable amounts of data from each infant, individual subject whole-brain activation maps revealed responses to faces compared to nonface visual categories in the approximate location of OFA, FFA, STS, and MPFC. To determine the strength and nature of face selectivity in these regions, we used cross-validated functional region of interest analyses. Across this larger sample size, face responses in OFA, FFA, STS, and MPFC were significantly greater than responses to bodies, objects, and scenes. Even the youngest infants (2-5 months) showed significantly face-selective responses in FFA, STS, and MPFC, but not OFA. These results demonstrate that face selectivity is present in multiple cortical regions within months of birth, providing powerful constraints on theories of cortical development.