bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Palliative Care
Authors: Wittenberg Elaine , Goldsmith Joy V. , Ragan Sandra L. , Parnell Terri Ann
Published: September 2020

Whether they are thrust into the caregiving role or volunteer for it, most caregivers want to know what to do, how to do it, and how to prepare for what is ahead. For some caregivers, information is empowering, and for other caregivers, it is overwhelming. Regardless, examine any study on family caregiving or talk to any family caregiver, and the conclusion will be the same: Family caregivers need information, education, and support. Few caregivers are able to fully understand and use available health information when advocating and caring for chronically ill patients, and this seriously complicates their ability to contribute to patient self-management and support at home. To help caregivers understand their role and get them the help they need, they have to be included in the healthcare system and in the patient care process. In recognizing that caregivers are current and future patients who need care too, this chapter (a) introduces palliative care to illustrate how the patient and family’s illness journey is powerfully influenced by their understanding of the disease and its treatment and (b) outlines the health literate care model to identify important reasons to integrate caregivers. Both foci of this chapter are radically impacted by the pre-existing structure and function of the family. Narrative features of caregiving are used to describe three illness journeys that caregivers traverse.
The Family Caregiver Communication Typology
Authors: Wittenberg Elaine , Goldsmith Joy V. , Ragan Sandra L. , Parnell Terri Ann
Published: September 2020

Chronic illness in the family can force patterns to change or a create a struggle to maintain existing patterns. When healthcare providers seek to learn what exists before illness for the patient and family caregiver, they are endowed with the knowledge to provide tailored communication to better meet their health literacy needs. This chapter details how the family system influences a caregiver’s communication and caregiving experience, demonstrating the need for an integrated and tailored approach to care for the family caregiver. Family expectations, decisions, roles, and uncertainty figure prominently in setting the stage for the caregiver communication burden incurred in the process of caregiving. The authors present the program and process of research that resulted in the creation of the family caregiver communication typology and detail four family caregiver communication types, which aid in understanding a caregiver’s communication needs and preferences.
Overview of Substance Use Disorder Treatment
Authors: Rastegar Darius A.
Published: September 2020

Treatment of substance use disorders (SUD) has traditionally been program-centered, but patient-centered models hold the promise of care that is more ethical and effective. Most SUD treatments can be roughly divided into two types of modalities: psychosocial treatment, which includes brief interventions, self-help groups, counseling, cognitive–behavioral therapy, and analytic psychotherapy; and pharmacotherapy, which includes drug antagonists or agonists and other agents. These treatments are not mutually exclusive, and the best approach in many cases is a combination of therapeutic modalities. The American Society of Addiction Medicine has developed placement criteria to help determine the optimal treatment setting. Harm reduction is an approach that focuses on reducing the harms of drug use without necessarily targeting drug use itself.
Prescription Drugs
Authors: Rastegar Darius A.
Published: September 2020

A variety of prescription and over-the-counter drugs are used for purposes other than intended. Approximately 2% of Americans report current nonmedical use of a prescription drug. Opioids are the class most commonly used for purposes other than intended. Other drugs include sedatives (primarily benzodiazepines); stimulants; and a variety of agents, including clonidine, muscle relaxants, tricyclic antidepressants, bupropion, antiemetics, gabapentinoids, and atypical antipsychotics. Over-the-counter drugs associated with nonmedical use include dextromethorphan, loperamide, and antihistamines. The most prominent risk factor for nonmedical use is a history of a substance use disorder. A number of aberrant behaviors are indicative of nonmedical use. Screening instruments may help gauge risk. The most serious complication is overdose, particularly opioid overdose. Strategies to address nonmedical prescription drug use include limiting the prescribing of controlled substances, monitoring patients who are prescribed these medications, and providing treatment for those who have a substance use disorder.
Psychiatric Co-Occurring Disorders
Authors: Stoller Kenneth B.
Published: September 2020

Substance use disorders commonly co-occur with psychiatric disorders. Psychiatric illnesses are associated with substance use disorders. Recognition of psychiatric symptoms, especially suicidal ideation, is essential. Factors such as substance use or withdrawal, related psychosocial stressors, and co-occurring somatic health problems complicate the diagnostic process. Addressing psychiatric symptoms is essential to optimize treatment of substance use disorders. Medications can help but may be unnecessary once substance use is stabilized. Other approaches include counseling, psychotherapy, case coordination, and inpatient/residential care. The affective disorders, especially bipolar disorder, are associated with substance use disorders. Depression is common and often improves with addiction treatment. For those who do not improve, antidepressant medication or psychotherapy may help. Anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder are associated with substance use disorders. If left unaddressed, persistent worry and anxiety worsen treatment outcomes. Although there are effective pharmacotherapies, psychotherapeutic approaches are a mainstay of treatment. Schizophrenia is particularly disabling and associated with an increased risk for substance use disorders. Antipsychotic medications can be effective, but persistent “negative” symptoms warrant comprehensive, supportive approaches with sufficient ancillary services. Those with personality disorders have high rates of substance use disorders and can be a challenge to treat. A strong team-based approach, psychosocial treatments, and sometimes medications can improve outcomes. Those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are at increased risk for substance use disorders. Impairing symptoms of inattention and impulsivity may persist into adulthood, complicating substance use disorder treatment engagement and outcomes. Medications can be helpful, but care must be taken when considering prescribing stimulants.
Antipsychotics
Authors: Ansari Arash , Osser David N.
Published: September 2020

The chapter on antipsychotics discusses and reviews the use of first-generation antipsychotics, including haloperidol and chlorpromazine, as well as the use of second-generation antipsychotics, including risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, ziprasidone, aripiprazole, clozapine, paliperidone, iloperidone, asenapine, lurasidone, brexpiprazole, and cariprazine. Pimavanserin is also discussed. The chapter reviews each medication’s mechanism of action, clinical characteristics, potential medication interactions, and potential risks including neuroleptic side effects such as acute dystonias, parkinsonian symptoms, akathisia, and tardive dyskinesia. Metabolic syndrome (which includes risks of weight gain, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemias) and cardiac risks are also discussed. The chapter also briefly discusses complementary and alternative pharmacotherapies. It then provides an in-depth review of the clinical use of antipsychotics for psychotic and behavioral disorders, as well as for other nonpsychotic psychiatric and medical disorders. It also discusses the use of antipsychotics in women of childbearing age, notably in regard to pregnancy and breastfeeding considerations. Finally, the chapter includes a table of antipsychotics that includes each medication’s generic and brand names, usual adult doses, pertinent clinical comments, black box warnings, and Food and Drug Administration indications.
The neurological examination in neuropsychiatry
Authors: Coebergh Jan A. , Stanton Biba R.
Published: September 2020

The neurological examination in neuropsychiatry is as essential as the mental state examination in neurology. The neurological examination includes the whole nervous system and is part of the wider physical examination. Many neurological signs have limited sensitivity, specificity, and intra- and interobserver reliability, so they need to be interpreted in the context of the assessment as a whole. Misinterpretation of the neurological examination can lead to unnecessary investigations and treatment or delay diagnosis and management. A focused neurological examination in neuropsychiatry, however, is essential for patient satisfaction and diagnosis and can be part of treatment. This chapter discusses how to approach the neurological examination in neuropsychiatry.
Proteomics and metabolomics in neuropsychiatry
Authors: Ray Suman
Published: September 2020

Accurate diagnosis and treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, stress, and anxiety, are often complicated by aetiological and clinical heterogeneity. There is a need for a greater range of diagnostic tools for early detection of such disorders. This can help with improved prediction of forthcoming disease, diagnostic precision, disease severity description, and improved treatment choice. The metabolic changes in various disease states can be captured using metabolomics, an approach that may often have pre-clinical biomarkers of neurological diseases. Proteomic technologies, which are based on mass spectrometry techniques, hold great promise in investigating disease-specific protein signatures of psychiatric disorders. It is hoped that proteomics and metabolomics will allow researchers and clinicians to study neuropsychiatric disorders in new ways and enable new discoveries to be made. This chapter focuses on the role of proteomics and metabolomics in neuropsychiatry research.
Neuropsychological assessment of dementia
Authors: Burrell James R. , Hodges John R. , Piguet Olivier
Published: September 2020

Dementia presents itself in many guises, from its more common forms, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), vascular dementia (VaD), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), to the less prevalent such as frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Although clinical diagnostic criteria for dementia, such as the DSM-5, do exist, they can be difficult to implement due to the variability of clinical features at presentation of dementia. This chapter provides an insight into the common neuropsychological profiles associated with the symptoms of various forms of dementia, along with overviews of a number of cognitive assessments, from the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) to the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination-III (ACE-III), along with a description of the way each tests for cognitive deficits.
Immunology relevant to neuropsychiatry
Authors: Patel Rachel , Harrison Neil A.
Published: September 2020

Neuroimmunology is a rapidly developing field, challenging the age-old notion of the central nervous system (CNS) as an immune-privileged site with limited immune function. In the last two decades, new technologies have demonstrated that immune processes play a critical role in normal CNS development, are integral to fundamental neurological processes, such as long-term potentiation and synaptic plasticity, and are implicated in pathologies ranging from narcolepsy to depression, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease. They indicate that immunology and mental illness are fundamentally intertwined, opening exciting new avenues for future immunotherapies tackling psychiatric disease. Here the chapter reviews basic immune mechanisms, specifically highlighting processes that are of particular relevance to neuropsychiatry. It is hoped that this chapter will serve as an accessible primer to the related fields of psychoneuroimmunology and immunopsychiatry and stimulate readers’ interest in this increasingly important and fast-evolving field.
Neurobehavioural rehabilitation
Authors: Wood Rodger L. , Alderman Nick , Worthington Andrew
Published: September 2020

Helping brain-injured people re-adapt to society requires a system that provides individuals with opportunities to learn and apply social and functional skills in community settings. However, many types of acquired brain injury cause damage to prefrontal structures that are central to behavioural self-regulation, giving rise to complex patterns of socially challenging behaviour that can deny access to rehabilitation. Neurobehavioural rehabilitation was initially developed to address long-term problems of challenging behaviour that prevented individuals from engaging meaningfully with the rehabilitation process. However, it has evolved to promote psychosocial recovery more broadly, with the aim of changing behaviour from disabled, inappropriate, and socially handicapped to adaptive, purposeful, and ‘independent’. It is a paradigm that incorporates methods of associational learning within a structured environment that emphasizes clear feedback to raise awareness of behaviour, in a way that improves social cognition and self-regulation, to promote community independence.
Neurostimulation technologies in neurology and neuropsychiatry
Authors: Bodani Mayur , Wilkinson David
Published: September 2020

Novel neurostimulation technologies are gaining momentum in both basic and applied clinical research and have the potential to become an important tool in the management of a range of neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions. This chapter reviews some of these technologies and summarizes their current applications. The mechanisms of therapeutic effect remain speculative, but contributions from computational, imaging, and behavioural neurosciences, along with potential insights from immunology, are gradually increasing our understanding. This area of brain research and therapeutics is set to exponentially increase in relevance and importance, with possible advances in therapeutic applications in more neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Clinicians need to be aware and be informed about this changing clinical horizon.
Assessing health needs
Authors: O’Shaughnessy Andrew , Wright John , Cave Ben
Published: September 2020

HNA (health needs assessment) is a systematic method of identifying the unmet health and healthcare needs of a population and recommending changes to meet these unmet needs. It is used to improve health and other service planning, priority setting, and policy development. HNA is an example of public health working outside the formal health sector and presenting back to colleagues. Successful HNAs will also ensure that non-health agencies benefit from their findings. This chapter will describe why HNA is important and what it means in practice. Professional training and clinical experience teach that a health professional must systematically assess a patient before administering any treatment that is believed to be effective. This systematic approach is often omitted when assessing the health needs of populations
Assessing health impacts
Authors: Douglas Margaret , Cave Ben
Published: September 2020

By reading this chapter, you will become familiar with: the definition and purpose of health impact assessment (HIA); concepts and values that underpin?HIA; the stages of an HIA process; methods used in?HIA; experiences of?HIA.
Questions, design, and analysis in qualitative research
Authors: Mallinson Sara , Popay Jennie , Williams Gareth
Published: September 2020

Our chapter provides a concise introduction to qualitative research methods and explains how a qualitative approach contributes to the public health evidence base and public health practice. After reading it, you will be able to; understand the key principles and features of qualitative research; decide when a qualitative approach is most appropriate; identify different study designs and methods and their strengths and weaknesses; understand the main steps in analysis and how to report findings from qualitative research.
Genomics
Authors: Burton Hilary , Kroese Mark
Published: September 2020

After reading this chapter, you will have a better understanding of: the absolute basics of genomics (and how it relates to genetics) from DNA to sequence to healthcare decision; genomics in healthcare: how understanding the molecular basis of disease forms the basis of personalized medicine; genomics and disease prevention; genomics and reproductive choice; genomics and formal population health screening programmes; genomics and common non-communicable disease prevention; genomics and infectious disease; genomics and society: ethical issues in the use of genomics; the roles that public health specialists might play; where to get further information.
Translating research into practice—implementation science
Authors: Ramanadhan Shoba
Published: September 2020

After reading this chapter, you should be able to: define the terms ‘dissemination’, ‘implementation’, ‘evidence-based intervention’, and ‘implementation science’; describe the utility of implementation science for improving public health outcomes; recognize key implementation science frameworks and models; identify opportunities to incorporate implementation science into public health practice activities
Translating goals, indicators, and targets into public health action
Authors: Jenkin Rebekah A. , Jorm Christine M. , Frommer Michael S.
Published: September 2020

The objective of this chapter is to help you improve your use of goals, targets, and indicators in guiding and informing the choice, implementation, and evaluation of public health action.
Planning health services
Authors: Lawrence David
Published: September 2020

This chapter shows you how to contribute to planning health services successfully at strategic and operational levels. It first explains what health service planning is and the nature of health services as mainly ‘soft’ systems. It provides a conceptual framework for planning and then goes through steps and tasks in planning. It then suggests some ways of overcoming pitfalls, notes some common fallacies about planning, and provides a real planning case study with its successes and failures. Finally, it notes ways to assess how well you are doing
Comparing healthcare systems
Authors: McKee Martin , Nolte Ellen
Published: September 2020

This chapter will enable you to: understand why health systems are the way they are; describe the key features of health systems; appreciate the opportunities and challenges involved in comparing health systems.
Commissioning healthcare
Authors: Richards Richard
Published: September 2020

This chapter is concerned with the use of contracts and payments as a means of ensuring that care maximizes health at minimum cost. The chapter aims to cover the full range of healthcare commissioning from the simplest form, an individual patient making a private payment to an individual practitioner, through to the most complex, tax-funded, social medicine ‘free at the point of delivery’. In all healthcare commissioning, a common set of concerns arise: The nature of the need, including an assessment of the (cost-) effectiveness of the relevant interventions; Examination of the services available, including inputs, quality of care, and outcomes; The costs and efficiency of the care on offer; The development of formal commissioning agreements.
Using guidance and frameworks
Authors: De Vito Corrado , Villari Paolo
Published: September 2020

After reading this chapter, you should be better able to: understand, appreciate, and identify issues where guidance and frameworks could help; identify existing and relevant guidelines; assess their validity; support clinicians needing to integrate clinical guidelines into practice.
Consultancy in a national strategy
Authors: Guest Charles
Published: September 2020

This chapter introduces the steps for developing a public health strategy. It should assist you to play a constructive role as a public health consultant, working closely with government officials, policy advisers, and other stakeholders in the creation of a major strategy. You will consider: the definition of a public health problem and the development of a strategy as a response to it; the need to create and clarify objectives; the need to collect and analyse relevant information; the development of proposals and options, with appropriate balance between brevity and comprehensive detail; the importance of a detailed study of options, which should include the case against, as well as for, the options favoured by the consultant; consultation, one activity for improving a draft of the strategy
Different settings for cardiac rehabilitation
Authors: Schmid Jean-Paul , Corrà Ugo
Published: September 2020

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has traditionally been viewed as a hospital-based intervention consisting of a multidisciplinary exercise-based programme, aimed at improving exercise capacity after an acute CV event or surgery and optimizing the CV risk profile. Because of various limitations on attendance at these programmes, in particular lack of availability or difficulties in accessibility, alternative settings for providing secondary preventive measures have been developed. Amongst them, home-based rehabilitation with or without telemonitoring has the potential to increase patient participation and support behavioural changes. This may be a reasonable option for selected clinically stable patients at low to moderate risk who are eligible for CR but cannot attend a traditional hospital- or centre-based CR programme. Although short-term improvements in functional capacity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and CV risk factor control are comparable in home-based and hospital- or centre-based CR, long-term studies of the impact of home-based CR on clinical events are still needed.
Human and material resources, structural, and organizational recommendations
Authors: Abreu Ana , Schmid Jean-Paul
Published: September 2020

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is recommended in the guidelines for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) or heart failure (HF) because of its positive effect on morbidity and mortality. However, to ensure this, CR must be offered at a high standard, following recommended quality criteria. Human and material resources as well as organizational aspects are key factors for a successful CR programme. A multidisciplinary team is required to run a successful CR programme, with a cardiologist as director. Other specialized healthcare workers involved include exercise specialists, nutritionists, nurses, psychologists, and social workers, who must be available in the CR centre itself or on referral. The availability of infrastructural and material resources with dedicated spaces for exercise, education, consultation, and physical examination strongly depends on local conditions, but they must comply with the recommendations of a national working group or the EAPC/ESC.
Diet and nutritional aspects of cardiac rehabilitation
Authors: Varela Aimilia , Davos Constantinos H. , Doehner Wolfram
Published: September 2020

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) and prevention programmes aim to reduce total mortality and rehospitalization and increase health-related quality of life (HRQoL) by supporting behavioural changes such as healthier food habits. Nutritional studies have shown that an approach paying equal attention to what is consumed and what is excluded is more effective in preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Mediterranean and dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diets are the best studied dietary patterns. Both improve a variety of risk features and are associated with lower risk of clinical events in secondary prevention. Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) may respond positively to simple dietary advices, whereas critically ill patients should be appropriately supported in order to reduce the risk of malnutrition and early death. Body weight management in patients with established CVD should be adjusted to individual conditions, risk factors (RFs), and comorbidities, and should be clearly distinguished from simple primary prevention strategies. Unintentional weight loss should be avoided, as an association with increased disease burden, frailty, and adverse outcome has been confirmed. Future studies should focus on the development of specific nutritional guidelines for these patients.
How to improve adherence to medication and lifestyle measures
Authors: Abreu Ana , Mendes Miguel
Published: September 2020

Pharmacological and non-pharmacological adherence are essential for reducing cardiovascular (CV) mortality and morbidity; however, non-adherence is a major issue. Correct medication intake is complex, in particular for certain groups of patients. Modification of habits and changing to a healthier lifestyle may be even more difficult. Nevertheless, factors influencing non-adherence and adherence facilitators have been identified, and specific strategies to overcome multiple barriers to both types of adherence are available. In this context, adequate health education and communication are fundamental. Models and theories of change and adherence and theories of behavioural change are presented in this chapter. New technologies, such as digital health tools, which assist patients and health professionals to maintain therapeutic goals, may be helpful. Participation in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) and secondary prevention programmes with a multifaceted approach can also improve adherence.
Density-based outlier scoring on Kepler data
Authors: Giles Daniel K , Walkowicz Lucianne
Published: September 2020

In the present era of large-scale surveys, big data present new challenges to the discovery process for anomalous data. Such data can be indicative of systematic errors, extreme (or rare) forms of known phenomena, or most interestingly, truly novel phenomena that exhibit as-of-yet unobserved behaviours. In this work, we present an outlier scoring methodology to identify and characterize the most promising unusual sources to facilitate discoveries of such anomalous data. We have developed a data mining method based on k-nearest neighbour distance in feature space to efficiently identify the most anomalous light curves. We test variations of this method including using principal components of the feature space, removing select features, the effect of the choice of k, and scoring to subset samples. We evaluate the performance of our scoring on known object classes and find that our scoring consistently scores rare (<1000) object classes higher than common classes. We have applied scoring to all long cadence light curves of Quarters 1–17 of Kepler’s prime mission and present outlier scores for all 2.8 million light curves for the roughly 200k objects.
Early galaxy growth: mergers or gravitational instability?
Authors: Zanella A , Pallottini A , Ferrara A , Gallerani S , Carniani S , Kohandel M , Behrens C
Published: September 2020

We investigate the spatially resolved morphology of galaxies in the early Universe. We consider a typical redshift z = 6 Lyman break galaxy, ‘Althæa’, from the SERRA hydrodynamical simulations. We create mock rest-frame ultraviolet (UV), optical, and far-infrared observations, and perform a two-dimensional morphological analysis to deblend the galaxy disc from substructures (merging satellites or star-forming regions). We find that the [C ii]158 μm emitting region has an effective radius 1.5–2.5 times larger than the optical one, consistent with recent observations. This [C ii] halo in our simulated galaxy arises as the joint effect of stellar outflows and carbon photoionization by the galaxy UV field, rather than from the emission of unresolved nearby satellites. At the typical angular resolution of current observations (≳ 0.15 arcsec) only merging satellites can be detected; detection of star-forming regions requires resolutions of ≲ 0.05 arcsec. The [C ii]-detected satellite has a 2.5-kpc projected distance from the galaxy disc, whereas the star-forming regions are embedded in the disc itself (distance ≲ 1 kpc). This suggests that multicomponent systems reported in the literature, which have separations ≳ 2 kpc, are merging satellites, rather than galactic substructures. Finally, the star-forming regions found in our mock maps follow the local L[C ii]–SFRUV relation of galaxy discs, although sampling the low-luminosity, low-SFR tail of the distribution. We show that future James Webb Space Telescope observations, bridging UV and [C ii] data sets, will be exceptionally suited to characterize galaxy substructures, thanks to their exquisite spatial resolution and sensitivity to both low-metallicity and dust-obscured regions that are bright at infrared wavelengths.
Quantitative and time-resolved miRNA pattern of early human T cell activation
Authors: Diener Caroline , Hart Martin , Kehl Tim , Rheinheimer Stefanie , Ludwig Nicole , Krammes Lena , Pawusch Sarah , Lenhof Kerstin , Tänzer Tanja , Schub David , Sester Martina , Walch-Rückheim Barbara , Keller Andreas , Lenhof Hans-Peter , Meese Eckart
Published: September 2020

T cells are central to the immune response against various pathogens and cancer cells. Complex networks of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators, including microRNAs (miRNAs), coordinate the T cell activation process. Available miRNA datasets, however, do not sufficiently dissolve the dynamic changes of miRNA controlled networks upon T cell activation. Here, we established a quantitative and time-resolved expression pattern for the entire miRNome over a period of 24 h upon human T-cell activation. Based on our time-resolved datasets, we identified central miRNAs and specified common miRNA expression profiles. We found the most prominent quantitative expression changes for miR-155-5p with a range from initially 40 molecules/cell to 1600 molecules/cell upon T-cell activation. We established a comprehensive dynamic regulatory network of both the up- and downstream regulation of miR-155. Upstream, we highlight IRF4 and its complexes with SPI1 and BATF as central for the transcriptional regulation of miR-155. Downstream of miR-155-5p, we verified 17 of its target genes by the time-resolved data recorded after T cell activation. Our data provide comprehensive insights into the range of stimulus induced miRNA abundance changes and lay the ground to identify efficient points of intervention for modifying the T cell response.
Alterations in Functional Connectomics Associated With Neurocognitive Changes Following Glioma Resection
Authors: Noll Kyle R , Chen Henry S , Wefel Jeffrey S , Kumar Vinodh A , Hou Ping , Ferguson Sherise D , Rao Ganesh , Johnson Jason M , Schomer Donald F , Suki Dima , Prabhu Sujit S , Liu Ho-Ling
Published: September 2020

BACKGROUND

Decline in neurocognitive functioning (NCF) often occurs following brain tumor resection. Functional connectomics have shown how neurologic insults disrupt cerebral networks underlying NCF, though studies involving patients with brain tumors are lacking.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the impact of brain tumor resection upon the connectome and relationships with NCF outcome in the early postoperative period.

METHODS

A total of 15 right-handed adults with left perisylvian glioma underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and neuropsychological assessment before and after awake tumor resection. Graph theoretical analysis was applied to rs-fMRI connectivity matrices to calculate network properties. Network properties and NCF measures were compared across the pre- to postoperative periods with matched pairs Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Associations between pre- to postoperative change in network and NCF measures were determined with Spearman rank-order correlations (ρ).

RESULTS

A majority of the sample showed postoperative decline on 1 or more NCF measures. Significant postoperative NCF decline was found across measures of verbal memory, processing speed, executive functioning, receptive language, and a composite index. Regarding connectomic properties, betweenness centrality and assortativity were significantly smaller postoperatively, and reductions in these measures were associated with better NCF outcomes. Significant inverse associations (ρ = −.51 to −.78, all P < .05) were observed between change in language, executive functioning, and learning and memory, and alterations in segregation, centrality, and resilience network properties.

CONCLUSION

Decline in NCF was common shortly following resection of glioma involving eloquent brain regions, most frequently in verbal learning/memory and executive functioning. Better postoperative outcomes accompanied reductions in centrality and resilience connectomic measures.
Advances in Chemical Priming to Enhance Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants
Authors: Sako Kaori , Nguyen Huong Mai , Seki Motoaki
Published: September 2020

Abiotic stress is considered a major factor limiting crop yield and quality. The development of effective strategies that mitigate abiotic stress is essential for sustainable agriculture and food security, especially with continuing global population growth. Recent studies have demonstrated that exogenous treatment of plants with chemical compounds can enhance abiotic stress tolerance by inducing molecular and physiological defense mechanisms, a process known as chemical priming. Chemical priming is believed to represent a promising strategy for mitigating abiotic stress in crop plants. Plants biosynthesize various compounds, such as phytohormones and other metabolites, to adapt to adverse environments. Research on artificially synthesized compounds has also resulted in the identification of novel compounds that improve abiotic stress tolerance. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of both naturally synthesized and artificial priming agents that have been shown to increase the abiotic stress tolerance of plants.
Computational approaches to the neuroscience of social perception
Authors: Brooks Jeffrey A , Stolier Ryan M , Freeman Jonathan B
Published: September 2020

Across multiple domains of social perception—including social categorization, emotion perception, impression formation and mentalizing—multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data has permitted a more detailed understanding of how social information is processed and represented in the brain. As in other neuroimaging fields, the neuroscientific study of social perception initially relied on broad structure–function associations derived from univariate fMRI analysis to map neural regions involved in these processes. In this review, we trace the ways that social neuroscience studies using MVPA have built on these neuroanatomical associations to better characterize the computational relevance of different brain regions, and discuss how MVPA allows explicit tests of the correspondence between psychological models and the neural representation of social information. We also describe current and future advances in methodological approaches to multivariate fMRI data and their theoretical value for the neuroscience of social perception.
Global prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and associated risk factors in pregnant women: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Taghipour Ali , Ghodsian Sahar , Jabbari Mahdi , Olfatifar Meysam , Abdoli Amir , Ghaffarifar Fatemeh
Published: September 2020

Background

Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) during pregnancy, if left untreated, can cause adverse effects for the mothers, foetuses and newborns. However, limited information is available about the global status of IPIs in pregnant women. Here we undertook a meta-analysis to estimate the global prevalence of IPIs and associated risk factors in pregnant women.

Methods

We searched the PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases for relevant studies that were published between 1 January 1987 and 30 December 2019. A random effects meta-analysis model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence, odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

A total of 114 studies comprising 98 342 pregnant women across 35 countries were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Among IPIs identified from pregnant women, three helminth infections (hookworm 19% [95% CI 15 to 23], Ascaris lumbricoides 17% [95% CI 13 to 21] and Trichuris trichiura 11% [95% CI 7 to 16]) and three protozoan infections (Blastocystis sp. 21% [95% CI 4 to 46], Entamoeba histolytica/dispar 9% [95% CI 3 to 19] and Giardia sp. 8% [95% CI 4 to 13]) were identified as the most prevalent intestinal parasites. Moreover, we found that there was a significant association between IPIs with increased risk of anaemia in pregnant women (OR 2.65 [95% CI 2.08 to 3.37]). The prevalence of IPIs was slightly higher in geophagic pregnant women compared with controls, but this was not significant (OR 1.22 [95% CI 0.87 to 1.71]). According to species, the pooled OR of A. lumbricoides infection had a significantly higher risk in geophagic pregnant women compared with controls (OR 2.66 [95% CI 1.37 to 5.16]). There was a positive relationship between the high prevalence of IPIs in pregnant women living in rural areas compared with urban residents (OR 3.36 [95% CI 1.57 to 7.19]).

Conclusions

The current review revealed a relatively high prevalence of IPIs in pregnant women, especially in some low- and middle-income countries. These results suggest a need for improved prevention and control efforts to reduce the health risks to pregnant women.
Provider Responses to Positive Developmental Screening: Disparities in Referral Practices?
Authors: Wallis Kate E. , Davis Rivera Lauren B. , Guthrie Whitney , Bennett Amanda E. , Mandell David S. , Miller Judith S.
Published: September 2020

Objectives:

Guidelines recommend universal screening for developmental concerns in young children in pediatric primary care, with referral to early intervention (EI) as early as possible for children with a positive screen. However, participation in EI differs by child race, ethnicity, language, and sex. This study evaluated disparities in rates of referral to EI and estimated the factors associated with referral before and immediately after a positive developmental screen.

Methods:

Children seen in a large primary care network that has implemented universal developmental screening were included if they screened positive on the Survey of Well-being of Young Children (SWYC) Milestones during a 16- to 30-month well-child visit (n = 7358). Demographics, screening results, and referrals were extracted from the electronic health record.

Results:

Among children who screened positive, 17.5% were already in EI, and 39.9% were referred to EI during the visit with positive screen; 42.5% were not referred. In adjusted regression, the following factors were associated with being in EI before the positive screen: lower SWYC score and being male, older, and White. The following factors were associated with new referral to EI during a visit with positive SWYC: having lower SWYC score or lower income and being male, older, and Black race.

Conclusion:

The finding that White children were more likely referred before developmental screening and non-White children more likely referred at the time of positive screen suggests that screening decreases disparities by increasing referral for children with developmental delays from traditionally underserved backgrounds.
Economic and Environmental Impact of Single-use Plastics at a Large Ophthalmology Outpatient Service
Authors: Park Elli A. , LaMattina Kara C.
Published: September 2020

Précis:

The use of disposable tonometer prisms and gonioscopy lenses at a large ophthalmology outpatient service incurs significant financial and environmental waste that may not be justified given the limited data surrounding arguments for their use.

Purpose:

To quantify the economic and environmental burden of single-use plastics from an ophthalmology outpatient service at a large tertiary hospital and describe the relative value and evidence for the safety of disposable versus nondisposable tonometer prisms and gonioscopy lenses.

Methods:

The total number of single-use applanation tonometer prisms and gonioscopy lenses used per year at Boston Medical Center (BMC) was estimated, and the average dollars spent and plastic waste generated in kilograms per year were then determined. These values were compared with the total spending and waste that would be produced if the clinic were to use nondisposable tonometer prisms and gonioscopy lenses exclusively.

Results:

Single-use tonometer prisms cost an average of $70,282 per year and produce ~100.8 kg of plastic waste per year at BMC. Single-use gonioscopy lenses cost ~$9,040 per year and produce 8.8 kg of plastic waste per year at BMC. An excess of $65,185 and 109.6 kg of plastic waste could be avoided each year by only using nondisposable tonometer prisms and gonioscopy lenses at the BMC ophthalmology outpatient service.

Conclusions:

Single-use plastics in ophthalmology outpatient services generate significant environmental waste and financial cost compared with nondisposable instruments. This cost may outweigh the benefits of these instruments given the limited data surrounding arguments for their use.
Personal Protective Equipment for Endoscopy in Low-Resource Settings During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Leddin Desmond , Armstrong David , Raja Ali Raja A. , Barkun Alan , Butt Amna S. , Chen Ye , Khara Harshit S. , Lee Yeong Yeh , Leung Wai Keung , Macrae Finlay , Makharia Govind , Malekzadeh Reza , Makhoul Elias , Sadeghi Anahita , Saurin Jean-Christophe , Topazian Mark , Thomson Sandie R. , Veitch Andrew , Wu Kaichun
Published: September 2020

Performance of endoscopic procedures is associated with a risk of infection from COVID-19. This risk can be reduced by the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). However, shortage of PPE has emerged as an important issue in managing the pandemic in both traditionally high and low-resource areas. A group of clinicians and researchers from thirteen countries representing low, middle, and high-income areas has developed recommendations for optimal utilization of PPE before, during, and after gastrointestinal endoscopy with particular reference to low-resource situations. We determined that there is limited flexibility with regard to the utilization of PPE between ideal and low-resource settings. Some compromises are possible, especially with regard to PPE use, during endoscopic procedures. We have, therefore, also stressed the need to prevent transmission of COVID-19 by measures other than PPE and to conserve PPE by reduction of patient volume, limiting procedures to urgent or emergent, and reducing the number of staff and trainees involved in procedures. This guidance aims to optimize utilization of PPE and protection of health care providers.
MicroRNA expression profiling and target gene analysis in gastric cancer
Authors: Xu Chenguang , Xie Juan , Liu Yanping , Tang Fenfen , Long Zhi , Wang Yaodong , Luo Jiangyan , Li Junda , Li Guoqing
Published: September 2020

This study aims to identify differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) in gastric cancer by comparing gastric cancerous tissues with normal tissues, explore the potential roles.

The miRNA expression microarray was employed on gastric cancer tissues, and apparently normal para-cancerous tissues from 3 patients undergoing radical surgery were matched. Quantitative RT-PCR was performed on the other 7 patients to validate the findings of the microarray. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and enrichment analysis of KEGG Pathway were performed for 5 dysregulated candidate miRNAs, including 3 upregulated (miR-31-3p, miR-6736-3p, and miR-147b) and 2 downregulated (miR-3065-5p and miR-3921) miRNAs, in order to determine the role of miRNAs in tumorigenesis and development.

Among these miRNAs, 17 miRNAs were found to be upregulated, and 19 miRNAs were found to be downregulated. The dysregulated expression of 5 candidate miRNAs, including miR-31-3p, miR-147b, miR-6736-3p, miR-3065-5p, and miR-3921, were verified by quantitative RT-PCR in the validation set. Among these miRNAs, miR-31-3p, miR-6736-3p, miR-3065-5p, and miR-3921 had 551 target gene intersections. The GO and KEGG Pathway analyses Revealed that miR-31-3p, miR-6736-3p, miR-3065-5p, and miR-3921 may participate in multiple pathophysiological processes, such as foreign substance metabolism and chemical carcinogenesis.

The profile of differentially expressed miRNAs was successfully screened, and 4 miRNAs (i.e., miR-31-3p, miR-6736-3p, miR-3065-5p, and miR-3921) appeared to be involved in gastric carcinogenesis. These might serve as promising biomarkers for gastric cancer.
Chinese herbal medicine for assisted reproduction technology
Authors: Xie Liangzhen , Li Jian , Li Yan , Wang Bingmei , Xie Chunyu , Xia Qing , Zhang Zhigang , Wang Ying
Published: September 2020

Background:

Human assisted reproductive technology (ART) has become an important part of infertility treatments throughout the world, including IVF, ICSI, embryo culture, and embryo cryopreservation. In China and East Asia, Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been used to treat various diseases and improves the success chance of live birth among infertile couples undergoing ART treatment. The aim of this study is to assess the effect and safety of Chinese herbal medicine among women undergoing ART.

Methods:

Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CNKI, VIP, CBM and WANGFANG will be searched. All randomized controlled trials will be included if they recruited participants undergoing ART for assessing the effect and safety of Chinese herbal medicine. Primary outcomes will be live birth. Two authors will independently scan all the potential articles, extract the data and assess the risk of bias using Cochrane tool of risk of bias. Based on the guideline of Cochrane Collaboration, all analysis will be performed by RevMan 5.3 software. Dichotomous variables will be expressed as RR with 95% CIs and continuous variables will be reported as MD with 95% CIs. If possible, a fixed or random effects models will be conducted and the confidence of cumulative evidence will be assess using GRADE.

Results:

This study will be to assess the effect and safety of Chinese herbal medicine among women undergoing ART.

Conclusions:

This study will assess the effect and safety of Chinese herbal medicine among women undergoing ART and move forward to help inform clinical decisions.