bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Illness perceptions, coping, and health-related quality of life among individuals experiencing chronic Lyme disease
Authors: Hill Erin M , Frost Andriana
Published: December 2020

Objective

The aim of the present study was to examine illness perceptions and coping in relation to the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among individuals experiencing chronic Lyme disease (CLD).

Methods

Participants were 82 individuals who had a confirmed diagnosis of Lyme disease and had been experiencing symptoms for 6 months or more. They were recruited through various online mechanisms (e.g., social media, online support groups), and they completed the consent form and questionnaires via Qualtrics. Participants completed questions about their demographics and health status as well as the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised (Moss-Morris et al., 2002), the Brief COPE (Carver, 1997), and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36; Ware & Sherbourne, 1992).

Results

Illness perceptions and coping explained a significant amount of variance in HRQOL. Among the illness perceptions, the consequences and identity dimensions were most strongly associated with HRQOL. Behavioral disengagement and substance use were the coping strategies most strongly associated with the emotional health outcomes.

Discussion

Illness perceptions and coping are related to HRQOL among individuals with CLD. Given the increase in Lyme disease incidence and the chronicity of symptoms in some cases, it is critical to continue to examine the psychosocial factors associated with HRQOL in this population.
Perceived agenda-setting effect in international context: Impact of media coverage on American audience’s perception of China
Authors: Su Linsen , Li Xigen
Published: December 2020

Different from the conventional content-survey result comparison approach in agenda-setting research, which compares media agenda and public agenda at the aggregated level, this study investigates the perceived agenda-setting effect of media at the individual level in an international context. A survey of American respondents (N = 848) identifies perceived agenda-setting effect from individuals’ cognitive process, and finds that the U.S. audience are aware that their perception of China is shaped by media coverage of China-related topics. The study finds that media use, political interest in China, and media trust positively predict perceived agenda-setting effect, while direct experience with China produces no effect. The study also confirms the effect of media use on perceived agenda-setting effect mediated by political interest.
Prediction of sports attendance: A comparative analysis
Authors: Şahin Mehmet , Uçar Murat
Published: December 2020

In this study, a comparative analysis for predicting sports attendance demand is presented based on econometric, artificial intelligence, and machine learning methodologies. Data from more than 20,000 games from three major leagues, namely the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), and Major League Baseball (MLB), were used for training and testing the approaches. The relevant literature was examined to determine the most useful variables as potential regressors in forecasting. To reveal the most effective approach, three scenarios containing seven cases were constructed. In the first scenario, each league was evaluated separately. In the second scenario, the three possible combinations of league pairings were evaluated, while in the third scenario, all three leagues were evaluated together. The performance evaluations of the results suggest that one of the machine learning methods, Gradient Boosting, outperformed the other methods used. However, the Artificial Neural Network, deep Convolutional Neural Network, and Decision Trees also provided productive and competitive predictions for sports games. Based on the results, the predictions for the NBA and NFL leagues are more satisfactory than the predictions of the MLB, which may be caused by the structure of the MLB. The results of the sensitivity analysis indicate that the performance of the home team is the most influential factor for all three leagues.
Impact of modified CDC/NHSN surveillance definition on the incidence of CAUTI: a study from an Indian tertiary care hospital
Authors: Behera Bijayini , Jena Jayanti , Mahapatra Ashoka , Biswala Jyoti
Published: December 2020

Introduction:

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are one of the most common infections encountered in healthcare settings. Candida spp. were excluded as the causative agents of CAUTIs as per Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) definitions in 2015.

Aim:

To determine the impact of the 2015 definition change on the CAUTI rate of patients admitted to medical and surgical intensive care units (ICUs) of a tertiary care and teaching hospital in India.

Method:

CAUTI rates were compared in both the ICUs over a period of two years with inclusion and exclusion of Candida spp.

Results:

Out of the total 116 CAUTI episodes during the study period, a mean of 9.08 CAUTIs per 1000 catheter days were observed in both the ICUs when Candida spp. were included, but the mean CAUTI rate was reduced to 4.78/1000 catheter days when Candida spp. were excluded.

Discussion/Conclusion:

The mean CAUTI rate decreased by 46.03% solely by excluding Candida spp. This significant reduction in CAUTI rates may be applicable to institutions having high rates of candiduria in catheterised patients, but may not be applicable in centres where the incidence of candiduria is already low. Disregarding Candida as a causative agent of CAUTI did not impact rates of central line-associated bloodstream infections during the study period.
Potential Space in Hospitals: Insight From a Health Psychologist
Authors: Grignoli Nicola
Published: December 2020

Objective:

Humanization is a challenge for the future of healthcare. Architecture may play a major role in designing spaces that enhance communication and help the patient to maintain mental health during physical illness. Health psychologists struggle to find adequate space for taking care of their patients. There is an urgent need to better define how relational space, defined here as potential, can be guaranteed in everyday hospital psychological consultations.

Background:

The author relates to his work as a health psychologist and psychotherapist in a consultation-liaison psychiatry (CLP) service operating in a general hospital in Lugano (Switzerland).

Methods:

An autoethnographic method is applied through calling on childhood memories on architecture and analyzing insights regarding the healthcare space in everyday work as a psychologist. Photographs and drawings are employed as evocative material.

Results:

Autoethnographical data show that building interiors can be a metaphor for an inner dimension. Spaces can be perceived as depersonalized in hospital. Through psychoanalytical theory, it is argued that space becomes ideal for CLP if it can ensure the continuity of the patient’s self during hospitalization. Proximity, confidentiality, and privacy are healthcare design requirements to be considered for favoring potential space and psychological intervention.

Conclusion:

Fostering potential space represents an outstanding challenge for the hospital of tomorrow in order to humanize healthcare spaces and promote a person-centered approach.
Masculinity and Silence in the Academic Struggles of American Male College Students
Authors: Schwab Joseph R. , Dupuis Danielle L.
Published: December 2020

Women are outperforming men on many academic achievement metrics in tertiary education. Contributing factors may include the hegemonic masculine expectations for boys and men to be successful, strong, and unemotional. The aim of this qualitative study was to therefore investigate how American emerging adult men may perpetuate expectations of stoicism and silence when discussing their academic struggles. Fifteen American male college students between the ages of 19 and 26 ( M = 21.40, SD = 2.10) who self-identified as struggling academically were interviewed about their struggles. A thematic analysis revealed that they engaged in three overarching forms of male silence when discussing their struggles: personal, private, and public. The conversational consequences of these forms of silence are explained that resulted in these students having difficulty identifying their own emotions, not wanting to tell others about their academic struggles, and assuming that others did not want to hear about it.
A Comparison of Various Surgical Treatments for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis
Authors: Lee Nathan J. , Kim Jun S. , Park Paul , Riew K. Daniel
Published: December 2020

Study Design:

Retrospective Cohort.

Objective:

To compare the short-term outcomes for Laminoplasty, Laminectomy/fusion, and ACDF.

Methods:

We utilized a prospectively-collected, multi-center national database with a propensity score matching algorithm to compare the short-term outcomes for laminoplasty, laminectomy/fusion, and multi-level (>3) ACDF (with and without corpectomy). Bivariate analyses involved both chi-square/fisher exact test and t-test/ANOVA on perioperative factors. Multivariate analyses were performed to determined independent risk factors for short term outcomes.

Results:

546 patients remained after propensity score matching, with 182 patients in each cohort. ACDF required the longest operative time 188 ± 79 versus laminectomy/fusion (169 ± 75, p = 0.017), and laminoplasty (167 ± 66, p = 0.004). ACDF required the shortest hospital stay (LOS ≥ 2: ACDF 56.6%, laminoplasty 89.6%, laminectomy/fusion 93.4%, p < 0.05). ACDF had lower overall complications (ACDF 3.9%, laminoplasty 7.7%, laminectomy/fusion 11.5%, p < 0.05), mortality (ACDF 0%, laminoplasty 0.55%, laminectomy/fusion 2.2%, p < 0.05), and unplanned readmissions (ACDF 4.4%, laminoplasty 4.4%, laminectomy/fusion 9.9%, p < 0.05). No significant differences were seen in the other outcomes including DVT/PT, acute renal failure, UTI, stroke, cardiac complications, or sepsis. In the multivariate analysis, laminectomy/fusion (OR 17, reference: ACDF) and laminoplasty (OR10, reference: ACDF) were strong independent risk factors for LOS ≥ 2 days. Laminectomy/fusion (OR 3.2, reference: ACDF) was an independent predictor for any adverse events 30-days after surgery.

Conclusions:

Laminectomy/fusion carries the highest risk for morbidity, mortality, and unplanned readmissions in the short-term postoperative period. Laminoplasty and ACDF cases carry similar short-term complications risks. ACDF is significantly associated with the longest operative duration and shortest LOS without an increase in individual or overall complications, readmissions, or reoperations
The Association Between the Rotator Cuff Status and the Severity and Recovery of Weakness in the Shoulder Abductor Strength in a Case of Proximal Type Cervical Spondylotic Amyotrophy
Authors: Ishiwata Sho , Iizuka Yoichi , Shitara Hitoshi , Mieda Tokue , Takasawa Eiji , Tsunoda Daisuke , Kakuta Yohei , Honda Akira , Ito Shunsuke , Inomata Kazuhiro , Sasaki Tsuyoshi , Hamano Noritaka , Tajika Tsuyoshi , Chikuda Hirotaka
Published: December 2020

Study Design:

Case series study.

Objective:

We aimed to clarify the prevalence of rotator cuff tear (RCT), and the association between RCT and the severity and prognosis in patients with proximal type cervical spondylotic amyotrophy (CSA).

Methods:

We retrospectively analyzed 35 proximal type CSA patients who were treated conservatively. The following data was collected: age, rotator cuff status on MRI, manual muscle test (MMT) score of shoulder abductor and biceps brachii muscles both at the first visit and final follow-up. We investigated the prevalence of RCT and the association between the rotator cuff status, and the severity and recovery of upper extremity weakness in patients with proximal type CSA.

Results:

Of the 35 patients, 21 had an RCT on MRI, indicating that the prevalence of RCT in patients with proximal type CSA was 60%. An age-adjusted analysis showed that the presence of RCT was significantly associated with the MMT score of the shoulder abductor muscles both at the first visit and at the final follow-up. The presence of RCT was significantly associated with the recovery of the shoulder abductor muscles. The size of the RCT was negatively correlated with the MMT score of the shoulder abductor muscles at the final follow-up. The size of the RCT was independently correlated with the change of the MMT score of the shoulder abductor muscles.

Conclusion:

RCT was detected in >50% in patients with proximal type CSA, and the presence and severity of RCT can be used as prognostic factors for proximal type CSA patients who are treated conservatively.
Profile of Marital and Sexual Life of Patients With Schizophrenia and Recurrent Depressive Disorder: A Comparative Study
Authors: Aggarwal Shivali , Grover Sandeep , Chakrabarti Subho
Published: December 2020

Aim:

To evaluate the marital profile, family size, fertility rates, and perception about various aspects of marriage among the couples, with one of the partner having schizophrenia and compare the same with a group of couples, with one of the partner having recurrent depressive disorder (RDD).

Methodology:

A total of 76 married patients with schizophrenia and 58 married patients with RDD were evaluated by using a semistructured interview, which covered information about the duration of marriage, number of children, different aspects of marital and sexual life like perception about marriage, mental illness, sexual compatibility, and other variables.

Results:

A significantly higher proportion of patients with schizophrenia had onset of illness prior to marriage, when compared to the patients with RDD. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in terms of mean number of children, number of spontaneous abortions, and medical termination of pregnancies. The mean numbers of postnatal deaths were significantly higher in the group in which one of the partners was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Compared to spouses of patients with RDD, higher proportion of the spouses of patients with schizophrenia reported sexual incompatibility since the beginning of the marriage and lack of full satisfaction with sexual life. Compared to patients with RDD, higher proportion of patients with schizophrenia were worried about their children developing mental illness and believed that people with mental illness should not marry.

Conclusion:

To conclude, this study demonstrates that compared to the spouses of patients with RDD, spouses of patients with schizophrenia have higher negative perception about the marriage.
Sexual Behavior During the Times of COVID-19-Related Lockdown in India: Results From an Online Survey
Authors: Gondwal Rohit , Pal Arghya , Paul Sayanti , Bohra Richarani , Aulakh Arvinder Pal Singh , Bhat Ashwani
Published: December 2020

Introduction:

Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is the worst health emergency the world has seen in the last 100 years. It has adversely affected human life both directly and indirectly. The pandemic has led various countries to opt for lockdown to control the outbreak. India had also enforced lockdown in the country from 25 March 2020 in various phases. Lay reports have been speculative about the effects of this lockdown on the sexual practices of people.

Method:

The current study was a cross-sectional, online study performed to evaluate change in sexual behavior during the period of lockdown using a structured pro forma that studied the sociodemographic parameters, Arizona sexual experience scale, and sexual behavior of respondents before and during the lockdown.

Result:

Overall, 290 respondents were analyzed. Our research showed that there has been a decrease in the practice of vaginal sex during the lockdown but, the practice of anal sex increased among respondents who preferred it. Sexual experiences were better in respondents who were females, married, and working in essential services.

Conclusion:

The effect of lockdown on sexual behavior has been extensive, with couples adopting newer activities in their repertoire. The lockdown has also affected sexual behavior by its indirect effect on family life like increased time spent together within the boundaries of walls, direct or indirect financial loss, and lack of recreational options. There is a considerable amount of heterogeneity in the studies in this field and more studies are warranted.
Male Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence: MCMI III Profiles, Grossman Facet Scales, Family of Origin Experiences and Attitudes Toward Women in a Small Cohort of Men in India
Authors: Nigudkar Advaita , Wandrekar Jagruti , Osrin David , Daruwalla Nayreen
Published: December 2020

Background:

Personality psychopathology, substance abuse, family of origin experiences, and patriarchal attitudes are variables associated with intimate partner violence.

Aim:

This pilot study aimed to explore clinical and personality profiles and psychosocial variables in a small cohort of male perpetrators of intimate partner violence.

Methodology:

20 men from informal settlements presenting to crisis counseling centers in Mumbai were administered the Millon Clinical Mulitiaxial Inventory III, the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale Short Form, and the Attitudes toward Women scale.

Results:

Millon Clinical Mulitiaxial Inventory III profiles and scores on Grossman Facet scales suggest personality psychopathology in the profiles of 95% of the men, and 85% reported anxiety. Less than 20% reported substance abuse. The men reported mutuality of violence in the relationship and espoused moderately liberal attitudes toward women. 55% of them reported violence in the family of origin.

Conclusion:

Our findings are helpful in providing therapeutic pointers for working with male perpetrators of violence.
Screening for pulmonary arterial hypertension in adults carrying aBMPR2mutation
Authors: Montani David , Girerd Barbara , Jaïs Xavier , Laveneziana Pierantonio , Lau Edmund M.T. , Bouchachi Amir , Hascoët Sébastien , Günther Sven , Godinas Laurent , Parent Florence , Guignabert Christophe , Beurnier Antoine , Chemla Denis , Hervé Philippe , Eyries Mélanie , Soubrier Florent , Simonneau Gérald , Sitbon Olivier , Savale Laurent , Humbert Marc
Published: December 2020

Background

Heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is most commonly due to heterozygous mutations of theBMPR2gene. Based on expert consensus, guidelines recommend annual screening echocardiography in asymptomaticBMPR2mutation carriers. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the characteristics of asymptomaticBMPR2mutation carriers, assess their risk of occurrence of PAH and detect PAH at an early stage in this high-risk population.

Methods

AsymptomaticBMPR2mutation carriers underwent screening at baseline and annually for a minimum of 2 years (DELPHI-2 study;ClinicalTrials.gov:NCT01600898). Annual screening included clinical assessment, ECG, pulmonary function tests, 6-min walk distance, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, chest radiography, echocardiography and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal (NT)-proBNP level. Right heart catheterisation (RHC) was performed based on predefined criteria. An optional RHC at rest and exercise was proposed at baseline.

Results

55 subjects (26 males; median age 37 years) were included. At baseline, no PAH was suspected based on echocardiography and NT-proBNP levels. All subjects accepted RHC at inclusion, which identified two mild PAH cases (3.6%) and 12 subjects with exercise pulmonary hypertension (21.8%). At long-term follow-up (118.8 patient-years of follow-up), three additional cases were diagnosed, yielding a PAH incidence of 2.3% per year (0.99% per year in males and 3.5% per year in females). All PAH cases remained at low-risk status on oral therapy at last follow-up.

Conclusions

AsymptomaticBMPR2mutation carriers have a significant risk of developing incident PAH. International multicentre studies are needed to confirm that refined multimodal screening programmes with regular follow-up allow early detection of PAH.
Retraction Note: Diet restriction inhibits apoptosis and HMGB1 oxidation and promotes inflammatory cell recruitment during acetaminophen hepatotoxicity
Authors: Antoine Daniel James , Williams Dominic P. , Kipar Anja , Laverty Hugh , Park B. Kevin
Published: December 2020

This article has been retracted. Please see the Retraction Notice for more detail: https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-020-00262-3
Retraction Note to: Redox modification of cysteine residues regulates the cytokine activity of high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1)
Authors: Yang Huan , Lundbäck Peter , Ottosson Lars , Erlandsson-Harris Helena , Venereau Emilie , Bianchi Marco E. , Al-Abed Yousef , Andersson Ulf , Tracey Kevin J. , Antoine Daniel J.
Published: December 2020

This article has been retracted. Please see the Retraction Notice for more detail: https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-020-00264-1
Retraction Note: The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist GTS-21 improves bacterial clearance in mice by restoring hyperoxia-compromised macrophage function
Authors: Sitapara Ravikumar A. , Antoine Daniel J. , Sharma Lokesh , Patel Vivek S. , Ashby Charles R. , Gorasiya Samir , Yang Huan , Zur Michelle , Mantell Lin L.
Published: December 2020

This article has been retracted. Please see the Retraction Notice for more detail: https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-020-00265-0
Transcriptome analysis and differential gene expression profiling of two contrasting quinoa genotypes in response to salt stress
Authors: Shi Pibiao , Gu Minfeng
Published: December 2020

Background

Soil salinity is one of the major abiotic stress factors that affect crop growth and yield, which seriously restricts the sustainable development of agriculture. Quinoa is considered as one of the most promising crops in the future for its high nutrition value and strong adaptability to extreme weather and soil conditions. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the adaptive response to salinity stress of quinoa remain poorly understood. To identify candidate genes related to salt tolerance, we performed reference-guided assembly and compared the gene expression in roots treated with 300 mM NaCl for 0, 0.5, 2, and 24 h of two contrasting quinoa genotypes differing in salt tolerance.

Results

The salt-tolerant (ST) genotype displayed higher seed germination rate and plant survival rate, and stronger seedling growth potential as well than the salt-sensitive (SS) genotype under salt stress. An average of 38,510,203 high-quality clean reads were generated. Significant Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were identified to deeper understand the differential response. Transcriptome analysis indicated that salt-responsive genes in quinoa were mainly related to biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, alpha-Linolenic acid metabolism, plant hormone signal transduction, and metabolic pathways. Moreover, several pathways were significantly enriched amongst the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in ST genotypes, such as phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, plant-pathogen interaction, isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis, and tyrosine metabolism. One hundred seventeen DEGs were common to various stages of both genotypes, identified as core salt-responsive genes, including some transcription factor members, like MYB, WRKY and NAC, and some plant hormone signal transduction related genes, like PYL, PP2C and TIFY10A, which play an important role in the adaptation to salt conditions of this species. The expression patterns of 21 DEGs were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and confirmed the reliability of the RNA-Seq results.

Conclusions

We identified candidate genes involved in salt tolerance in quinoa, as well as some DEGs exclusively expressed in ST genotype. The DEGs common to both genotypes under salt stress may be the key genes for quinoa to adapt to salinity environment. These candidate genes regulate salt tolerance primarily by participating in reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging system, protein kinases biosynthesis, plant hormone signal transduction and other important biological processes. These findings provide theoretical basis for further understanding the regulation mechanism underlying salt tolerance network of quinoa, as well establish foundation for improving its tolerance to salinity in future breeding programs.
Sleep duration and all-cause mortality in the elderly in China: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Ren Yanfeng , Miao Maohua , Yuan Wei , Sun Jiangwei
Published: December 2020

Background

Although a U-shaped association between sleep duration and all-cause mortality has been found in general population, its association in the elderly adults, especially in the oldest-old, is rarely explored.

Methods

In present cohort study, we prospectively explore the association between sleep duration and all-cause mortality among 15,092 participants enrolled in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) from 2005 to 2019. Sleep duration and death information was collected by using structured questionnaires. Cox regression model with sleep duration as a time-varying exposure was performed to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The dose-response association between them was explored via a restricted cubic spline function.

Results

During an average follow-up of 4.51 (standard deviation, SD: 3.62) years, 10,768 participants died during the follow-up period. The mean (SD) age of the participants was 89.26 (11.56) years old. Compared to individuals with moderate sleep duration (7–8 hours), individuals with long sleep duration (> 8 hours) had a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR: 1.13, 95%CI: 1.09–1.18), but not among individuals with short sleep duration (≤ 6 hours) (HR: 1.02, 95%CI: 0.96–1.09). Similar results were observed in subgroup analyses based on age and gender. In the dose-response analysis, a J-shaped association was observed.

Conclusions

Sleep duration was associated with all-cause mortality in a J-shaped pattern in the elderly population in China.
Stress detection using deep neural networks
Authors: Li Russell , Liu Zhandong
Published: December 2020

Background

Over 70% of Americans regularly experience stress. Chronic stress results in cancer, cardiovascular disease, depression, and diabetes, and thus is deeply detrimental to physiological health and psychological wellbeing. Developing robust methods for the rapid and accurate detection of human stress is of paramount importance.

Methods

Prior research has shown that analyzing physiological signals is a reliable predictor of stress. Such signals are collected from sensors that are attached to the human body. Researchers have attempted to detect stress by using traditional machine learning methods to analyze physiological signals. Results, ranging between 50 and 90% accuracy, have been mixed. A limitation of traditional machine learning algorithms is the requirement for hand-crafted features. Accuracy decreases if features are misidentified. To address this deficiency, we developed two deep neural networks: a 1-dimensional (1D) convolutional neural network and a multilayer perceptron neural network. Deep neural networks do not require hand-crafted features but instead extract features from raw data through the layers of the neural networks. The deep neural networks analyzed physiological data collected from chest-worn and wrist-worn sensors to perform two tasks. We tailored each neural network to analyze data from either the chest-worn (1D convolutional neural network) or wrist-worn (multilayer perceptron neural network) sensors. The first task was binary classification for stress detection, in which the networks differentiated between stressed and non-stressed states. The second task was 3-class classification for emotion classification, in which the networks differentiated between baseline, stressed, and amused states. The networks were trained and tested on publicly available data collected in previous studies.

Results

The deep convolutional neural network achieved 99.80% and 99.55% accuracy rates for binary and 3-class classification, respectively. The deep multilayer perceptron neural network achieved 99.65% and 98.38% accuracy rates for binary and 3-class classification, respectively. The networks’ performance exhibited a significant improvement over past methods that analyzed physiological signals for both binary stress detection and 3-class emotion classification.

Conclusions

We demonstrated the potential of deep neural networks for developing robust, continuous, and noninvasive methods for stress detection and emotion classification, with the end goal of improving the quality of life.
Predicting mortality in critically ill patients with diabetes using machine learning and clinical notes
Authors: Ye Jiancheng , Yao Liang , Shen Jiahong , Janarthanam Rethavathi , Luo Yuan
Published: December 2020

Background

Diabetes mellitus is a prevalent metabolic disease characterized by chronic hyperglycemia. The avalanche of healthcare data is accelerating precision and personalized medicine. Artificial intelligence and algorithm-based approaches are becoming more and more vital to support clinical decision-making. These methods are able to augment health care providers by taking away some of their routine work and enabling them to focus on critical issues. However, few studies have used predictive modeling to uncover associations between comorbidities in ICU patients and diabetes. This study aimed to use Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) resources, involving machine learning and natural language processing (NLP) approaches to predict the risk of mortality.

Methods

We conducted a secondary analysis of Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) data. Different machine learning modeling and NLP approaches were applied. Domain knowledge in health care is built on the dictionaries created by experts who defined the clinical terminologies such as medications or clinical symptoms. This knowledge is valuable to identify information from text notes that assert a certain disease. Knowledge-guided models can automatically extract knowledge from clinical notes or biomedical literature that contains conceptual entities and relationships among these various concepts. Mortality classification was based on the combination of knowledge-guided features and rules. UMLS entity embedding and convolutional neural network (CNN) with word embeddings were applied. Concept Unique Identifiers (CUIs) with entity embeddings were utilized to build clinical text representations.

Results

The best configuration of the employed machine learning models yielded a competitive AUC of 0.97. Machine learning models along with NLP of clinical notes are promising to assist health care providers to predict the risk of mortality of critically ill patients.

Conclusion

UMLS resources and clinical notes are powerful and important tools to predict mortality in diabetic patients in the critical care setting. The knowledge-guided CNN model is effective (AUC = 0.97) for learning hidden features.
Annotation and extraction of age and temporally-related events from clinical histories
Authors: Hong Judy , Davoudi Anahita , Yu Shun , Mowery Danielle L.
Published: December 2020

Background

Age and time information stored within the histories of clinical notes can provide valuable insights for assessing a patient’s disease risk, understanding disease progression, and studying therapeutic outcomes. However, details of age and temporally-specified clinical events are not well captured, consistently codified, and readily available to research databases for study.

Methods

We expanded upon existing annotation schemes to capture additional age and temporal information, conducted an annotation study to validate our expanded schema, and developed a prototypical, rule-based Named Entity Recognizer to extract our novel clinical named entities (NE). The annotation study was conducted on 138 discharge summaries from the pre-annotated 2014 ShARe/CLEF eHealth Challenge corpus. In addition to existing NE classes (TIMEX3, SUBJECT_CLASS, DISEASE_DISORDER), our schema proposes 3 additional NEs (AGE, PROCEDURE, OTHER_EVENTS). We also propose new attributes, e.g., “degree_relation” which captures the degree of biological relation for subjects annotated under SUBJECT_CLASS. As a proof of concept, we applied the schema to 49 H&P notes to encode pertinent history information for a lung cancer cohort study.

Results

An abundance of information was captured under the new OTHER_EVENTS, PROCEDURE and AGE classes, with 23%, 10% and 8% of all annotated NEs belonging to the above classes, respectively. We observed high inter-annotator agreement of >80% for AGE and TIMEX3; the automated NLP system achieved F1 scores of 86% (AGE) and 86% (TIMEX3). Age and temporally-specified mentions within past medical, family, surgical, and social histories were common in our lung cancer data set; annotation is ongoing to support this translational research study.

Conclusions

Our annotation schema and NLP system can encode historical events from clinical notes to support clinical and translational research studies.
Natural language processing (NLP) tools in extracting biomedical concepts from research articles: a case study on autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Peng Jacqueline , Zhao Mengge , Havrilla James , Liu Cong , Weng Chunhua , Guthrie Whitney , Schultz Robert , Wang Kai , Zhou Yunyun
Published: December 2020

Background

Natural language processing (NLP) tools can facilitate the extraction of biomedical concepts from unstructured free texts, such as research articles or clinical notes. The NLP software tools CLAMP, cTAKES, and MetaMap are among the most widely used tools to extract biomedical concept entities. However, their performance in extracting disease-specific terminology from literature has not been compared extensively, especially for complex neuropsychiatric disorders with a diverse set of phenotypic and clinical manifestations.

Methods

We comparatively evaluated these NLP tools using autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a case study. We collected 827 ASD-related terms based on previous literature as the benchmark list for performance evaluation. Then, we applied CLAMP, cTAKES, and MetaMap on 544 full-text articles and 20,408 abstracts from PubMed to extract ASD-related terms. We evaluated the predictive performance using precision, recall, and F1 score.

Results

We found that CLAMP has the best performance in terms of F1 score followed by cTAKES and then MetaMap. Our results show that CLAMP has much higher precision than cTAKES and MetaMap, while cTAKES and MetaMap have higher recall than CLAMP.

Conclusion

The analysis protocols used in this study can be applied to other neuropsychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorders that lack well-defined terminology sets to describe their phenotypic presentations.
Retraction Note: Percutaneous pedicle screw fixation combined with selective transforaminal endoscopic decompression for the treatment of thoracolumbar burst fracture
Authors: Huang Zhangheng , Tong Yuexin , Fan Zhiyi , Hu Chuan , Zhao Chengliang
Published: December 2020

This article has been retracted. Please see the Retraction Notice for more detail: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13018-020-02167-7.
Impact of corticosteroids and immunosuppressive therapies on symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in a large cohort of patients with chronic inflammatory arthritis
Authors: Favalli Ennio Giulio , Bugatti Serena , Klersy Catherine , Biggioggero Martina , Rossi Silvia , De Lucia Orazio , Bobbio-Pallavicini Francesca , Murgo Antonella , Balduzzi Silvia , Caporali Roberto , Montecucco Carlomaurizio
Published: December 2020

Background

Prevalence and outcomes of coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 in relation to immunomodulatory medications are still unknown. The aim of the study is to investigate the impact of glucocorticoids and immunosuppressive agents on COVID-19 in a large cohort of patients with chronic immune-mediated inflammatory arthritis.

Methods

The study was conducted in the arthritis outpatient clinic at two large academic hospitals in the COVID-19 most endemic area of Northern Italy (Lombardy). We circulated a cross-sectional survey exploring the prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 nasopharyngeal swab positivity and the occurrence of acute respiratory illness (fever and/or cough and/or dyspnea), administered face-to-face or by phone to consecutive patients from 25 February to 20 April 2020. COVID-19 cases were defined as confirmed or highly suspicious according to the World Health Organization criteria. The impact of medications on COVID-19 development was evaluated.

Results

The study population included 2050 adults with chronic inflammatory arthritis receiving glucocorticoids, conventional-synthetic (cs), or targeted-synthetic/biological (ts/b) disease-modifying drugs (DMARDs). Laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and highly suspicious infection were recorded in 1.1% and 1.4% of the population, respectively. Treatment with glucocorticoids was independently associated with increased risk of COVID-19 (adjusted OR [95% CI] ranging from 1.23 [1.04–1.44] to 3.20 [1.97–5.18] depending on the definition used). Conversely, patients treated with ts/bDMARDs were at reduced risk (adjusted OR ranging from 0.46 [0.18–1.21] to 0.47 [0.46–0.48]). No independent effects of csDMARDs, age, sex, and comorbidities were observed.

Conclusions

During the COVID-19 outbreak, treatment with immunomodulatory medications appears safe. Conversely, glucocorticoids, even at low-dose, may confer increased risk of infection.

Trial registration

Retrospectively registered. Not applicable.
Epidemiology of Blastocystis infection from 1990 to 2019 in China
Authors: Ning Chao-Qun , Hu Zhu-hua , Chen Jun-hu , Ai Lin , Tian Li-Guang
Published: December 2020

Background

Blastocystis is ubiquitous presence in animals and humans worldwide and has a high level genetic diversity. The aim of this study was to conduct a summary of Blastocystis prevalence, subtypes (STs) in humans and animals in China and depict their distribution.

Methods

We searched for the articles related to epidemiology of Blastocystis in humans and animals throughout China which published from January 1, 1990, to July 31, 2019 in the following databases: PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang database. The keywords were Blastocystis and one of the following ones: STs, subtypes, distribution, epidemiology, prevalence, infection, molecular, geographic, intestinal parasites, genetic diversity and characterization.

Results

In recent years, various molecular epidemiological studies have been carried out in some provinces/regions of China to identify subtypes of Blastocystis. Infants and young children, school students, hospitalized diarrhea patients, HIV/AIDS patients, tuberculosis patients, and cancer patients as respondents had been included. ST1–ST7 and ST12 were the main subtypes in Chinese population. Moreover, surveys of Blastocystis infection in animal were also conducted in some provinces of China. A variety of animals were investigated including pigs, cattle, sheep, yak, giant panda, and crested ibis (Nipponia nippon) with the main subtypes of ST1–ST8, ST10, ST12–ST14.

Conclusions

In recent years, some provinces/regions in China have conducted various molecular epidemiological studies to identify the Blastocystis subtypes. It is important to focus on new subtypes and mixed subtypes of infection, while increasing data on ribosomal alleles. We encourage the scientific community to start research on humans and surrounding animals (including domestic and wild animals) to better understand the possibility of Blastocystis transmission between humans and animals. We call for action among researchers studying intestinal parasitic diseases (Blastocystis), start drawing the subtype of Blastocystis and increase the subtype related to its clinical symptoms.
RAD50 deficiency is a predictor of platinum sensitivity in sporadic epithelial ovarian cancers
Authors: Alblihy Adel , Alabdullah Muslim L. , Toss Michael S. , Algethami Mashael , Mongan Nigel P. , Rakha Emad A. , Madhusudan Srinivasan
Published: December 2020

Intrinsic or acquired resistance seriously limits the use of platinating agents in advanced epithelial ovarian cancers. Increased DNA repair capacity is a key route to platinum resistance. RAD50 is a critical component of the MRN complex, a ‘first responder’ to DNA damage and essential for the repair of DSBs and stalled replication forks. We hypothesised a role for RAD50 in ovarian cancer pathogenesis and therapeutics. Clinicopathological significance of RAD50 expression was evaluated in clinical cohorts of ovarian cancer at the protein level (n = 331) and at the transcriptomic level (n = 1259). Sub-cellular localization of RAD50 at baseline and following cisplatin therapy was tested in platinum resistant (A2780cis, PEO4) and sensitive (A2780, PEO1) ovarian cancer cells. RAD50 was depleted and cisplatin sensitivity was investigated in A2780cis and PEO4 cells. RAD50 deficiency was associated with better progression free survival (PFS) at the protein (p = 0.006) and transcriptomic level (p < 0.001). Basal level of RAD50 was higher in platinum resistant cells. Following cisplatin treatment, increased nuclear localization of RAD50 was evident in A2780cis and PEO4 compared to A2780 and PEO1 cells. RAD50 depletion using siRNAs in A2780cis and PEO4 cells increased cisplatin cytotoxicity, which was associated with accumulation of DSBs, S-phase cell cycle arrest and increased apoptosis. We provide evidence that RAD50 deficiency is a predictor of platinum sensitivity. RAD50 expression-based stratification and personalization could be viable clinical strategy in ovarian cancers.
Introduction to this special section: Remote sensing
Authors: Li Yongyi , Dubucq Dominique , Soofi Khalid
Published: December 2020

Remote sensing detects and monitors the physical and spatial characteristics of the earth's ocean, surface, and atmosphere by measuring the reflected or scattered electromagnetic, optical, or acoustic signals using passive or active sensors. It has long been used in hydrocarbon exploration and related environment evaluation such as mapping surface geology and topography, providing information for evaluation of well sites and oil and gas infrastructure, detecting hydrocarbon seepages and spills, and monitoring ground deformation and characterizing reservoir conditions during production.
Earth observation remote sensing for oil and gas: A new era
Authors: Dubucq Dominique , Turon Leo , Blanco Benoit , Bideaud Hélène
Published: December 2020

In the last seven years, many earth observation satellites from national agencies and commercial providers have been launched, making huge volumes of data freely available to anyone. Open-access software and cloud computing tools also have been developed by the earth observation community. Those, as well as new sensors and vectors such as drone-borne hyperspectral cameras or gas-sensing systems are opening a number of applications for the oil and gas industry in exploration, production, and environmental monitoring.
Multitemporal SAR interferometry for monitoring of ground deformations caused by hydrocarbon production in an arid environment: Case studies from the Sultanate of Oman
Authors: Rahmoune Rachid , Sulaimani Mohammed , Stammeijer Jan , Azri Saif , van Gilst Roeland , Mahruqi Abir , Aghbari Rawya , Belghache Abdesslam
Published: December 2020

Time-lapse interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) remote sensing methods of surface deformation have proven their use in desert environments. The data are acquired frequently without the need to send personnel or equipment into the field. The quality and accuracy of the data is very high. The spatial resolution of the data is excellent and matches that of surface seismic data. These characteristics make the data well suited for a variety of time-lapse monitoring tasks. In this study, we describe the accuracy of the InSAR technique relative to other measurements such as the global positioning system and precise leveling (acquired at known stable locations). We illustrate two case studies of differing natures. In one case, gas production leads to reservoir compaction, which is tracked as surface subsidence with time using frequent InSAR data. The results are used to map zones of increased deformation and identify areas with localized changes. These insights are being used to influence decisions on new wells and well interventions, to provide support for management of facility integrity, and to advise building code and material selection that can withstand the expected rate of deformation. The second case of a shallow steam flood illustrates the use of InSAR data to identify areas of surface uplift following thermal expansion of the reservoir. These data are also used to support the monitoring of the steam chamber growth and confinement in the reservoir. The information from InSAR will become more valuable for reservoir management when the steam chamber matures and conventional downhole data acquisition consequently becomes challenging. In summary, oil and gas fields located in arid environments lend themselves well to remote sensing using the InSAR technique because (1) they are sizeable (from tens to hundreds of square kilometers); (2) they are free from vegetation, snow cover, and most atmospheric distortions, although cloud and pollution can affect the data quality; and (3) they benefit from highly repeatable long-term regular monitoring.
AVO inversion using pseudoisotropic elastic properties
Authors: Asaka Michinori
Published: December 2020

Amplitude variation with offset (AVO) inversion of an anisotropic data set is a challenging task. Nonnegligible differences in the anisotropy parameters between the various lithologies make the seismic data AVO response completely different from the isotropic synthetic seismogram. In this case, it is difficult to invert for VP/VSand density consistent with well-log data. AVO inversion using pseudoisotropic elastic properties is a practical solution to this problem. Verification of this method was performed using data from an offshore Western Australia field. It was found that wavelet extraction and density inversion are improved significantly by replacing the isotropic elastic properties with the pseudoisotropic properties. Inverted density shows reasonable quality and therefore can be included in the reservoir characterization study. Postinversion analyses can be performed effectively on the pseudoisotropic elastic properties because crossplot analysis shows the increased separation of different lithofacies due to contrasts in anisotropy parameters. This result could have significant implications for other fields, as shale constitutes most of the overburden in conventional oil and gas fields and often shows strong elastic anisotropy.