bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Russian GDP 2030: Scenarios Under Pollutant Emissions Constraints
Authors: Steblyanskaya Alina , Ai Mingye , Denisov Artem
Published: August 2021

The paper’s theoretical significance is based on the system conceptual view concerning GDP growth under environmental restrictions. The primary point of the paper is how environmental constraints restrict or push up GDP growth. The authors evaluate the nature of the interdependence between GDP growth and carbon dioxide emission, wastes, effluent emission, nitrogen effluent emission, emissions in total for the 2000-2018. GDP growth scenarios until 2030 were built under the emissions and waste reduction targets (+-20% from the existing level). The authors use the Kaya equation methodology for the modelling GDP under environmental constraints. There is a negative trend towards a decline in the ecological investments impact on Russia's GDP. It is necessary to carefully analyze the possible reasons for reducing the impact of the ecological investments on GDP. Total emissions and CO2 emissions strongly correlated with total investments in air protection to the GDP; these emissions have the most influence on the GDP level. The investments in water and land protection will grow until 2030. The paper approved the results from previous researchers that the results indicate that most of the variations in CO2 emissions are determined by variations in GDP, so reducing CO2 emissions in the long run can be achieved by continuously increasing GDP. The authors look in the future hoping that Russia would be brave to change ways concerning environmental protection from “extreme and post-crises management” into investments into ecological protection to prevent cataclysms and disasters. It is shortsighted for future try to change something after a disaster has happened.
Non-tuberculous Mycobacterial Pulmonary Diseases in France: An 8 Years Nationwide Study
Authors: Veziris Nicolas , Andréjak Claire , Bouée Stéphane , Emery Corinne , Obradovic Marko , Chiron Raphaël
Published: August 2021

Background: The objective of the study was to describe the epidemiology, management and cost of non-tuberculous mycobacteria lung disease (NTM-PD) in France.Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed using the SNDS database over 2010-2017. Patients with NTM-PD were identified based on the ICD10 codes during hospitalizations and/or specific antibiotics treatment regimens. The study population was matched (age, gender and region) to a control group (1: 3) without NTM-PD.Results: 5,628 patients with NTM-PD (men: 52.9%, mean age=60.9 years) were identified over the study period and 1,433 (25.5%) were treated with antibiotics. The proportion of patients still receiving treatment at 6 and 12 months was 40% and 22%, respectively.Patients with NTM-PD had more co-morbidities compared to controls: corticoids (57.3% versus 33.8%), chronic lower respiratory disease (34.4% vs. 2.7%), other infectious pneumonia (24.4% vs. 1.4%), malnutrition (22.0% vs. 2.0%), tuberculosis (14.1% vs. 0.1%), HIV (8.7% vs 0.2%), lung cancer and graft (5.7% vs 0.4%), cystic fibrosis (3.2% vs 0.0%), gastro-esophageal reflux disease (2.9% vs 0.9%) and bone marrow transplant (1.3% vs 0.0%) (p<0.0001). The mean Charlson comorbidity index score was 1.6 (versus 0.2 for controls; p <0.0001). NTM-PD was independently associated with an increased mortality rate with a hazard ratio of 2.8 (95% CI: 2.53; 3.11). Mortality was lower for patients treated with antibiotics compared to untreated patients (HR=0.772 (95% CI [0.628; 0.949]).Annual total expenses the year following the infection in a societal perspective were € 24,083 (SD: 29,358) in NTM-PD subjects versus € 3,402 (SD: 8,575) in controls (p<0.0001). Main driver of the total expense for NTM-PD patients was hospital expense (>50% of the total expense).Conclusion: Patients with NTM-PD in France were shown to have many comorbidities, their mortality risk is high and mainly driven by NTM-PD, and their management costly. Only a minority of patients got treated with antibiotics and of those patients treated, many stopped their therapy prematurely. These results underline the high burden associated with NTM-PD and the need for improvement of NTM-PD management in France.
Watchful waiting is an Acceptable Treatment Option for Primary Ocular Adnexal Mucosa-associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Mizuhara Kentaro , Kobayashi Tsutomu , Nakao Mitsushige , Takahashi Ryoichi , Kaneko Hiroto , Shimura Kazuho , Hirakawa Koichi , Uoshima Nobuhiko , Wada Katsuya , Kawata Eri , Isa Reiko , Fujino Takahiro , Tsukamoto Taku , Mizutani Shinsuke , Shimura Yuji , Yoneda Akiko , Watanabe Akihide , Sotozono Chie , Kuroda Junya
Published: August 2021

Background:Primary ocular adnexal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma (POAML) is the most common subtype of ocular adnexal lymphomas, and most patients with POAML show an indolent clinical course and achieve long-term survival. Although radiotherapy (RT) is the standard of care for localized POAML, it can occasionally lead to permanent side effects. Other treatment strategies, such as rituximab (R) monotherapy and immunochemotherapy, have been used for POAML treatment, but their long-term benefits and relative merits remain unclear. Considering that watchful waiting (WW) is a potential option for some indolent lymphomas, WW is expected to be a therapeutic option for POAML. However, the benefits of WW for POAML patients are also unclear. The aim of this study is to determine the optimal treatment strategy for POAML.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed 75 patients who were diagnosed POAML between 2008 and 2019 in the institutions of the Kyoto Clinical Hematology Study Group. Results: The median age was 68 years, and 41 patients were women. Common involved sites were conjunctiva (42.7%), orbit (36.0%), and lacrimal gland (12.0%), and most patients (92.0%) presented with Ann Arbor stage IE disease. The treatment strategy was selected at the physicians’ discretion, and more patients without subjective symptoms by tumor mass were subjected to WW (29 patients, 38.7%), while more patients with tumor-derived subjective symptoms were treated by tumor-directed therapy (24 [32.0%] received focal RT, and 19 [25.3%] received R monotherapy). Complete response rates were 79.2% and 42.1% in the RT and R groups, respectively. At 60 months’ follow-up, the estimated proportions of POAML patients not requiring new treatment were 69.4%, 85.2%, and 53.8% in the WW, RT, and R groups, respectively. There were no significant differences in the time to start of new treatment between WW and RT groups (median: both not reached [NR], p = 0.187) and between WW and R groups (median: NR vs. 69.0 months, p = 0.554). No specific predictive factor for the future need of treatment was identified in the WW group. Conclusions:WW may be an acceptable treatment option for POAML, especially in asymptomatic patients.
Analysis of Policy Responses to COVID-19: A Qualitative Study in Northern Iran
Authors: Farhadi Zeynab , Salemi Morteza , Jahani Mohammad Ali
Published: August 2021

Background

Preparation and financing of treatments, control of disease by limited resources, capacity building for the research and development related to the spread of disease, and measures to prevent and control the infection are known as the most important challenges encountered by the policy-makers involved in an epidemic outbreak. Therefore, the present study was conducted to analyze the policy responses of Babol University of Medical Sciences (BUMS) to Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Methods

For this purpose, a qualitative study was performed to investigate the policy responses of BUMS to COVID-19 in Babol (northern Iran) from the beginning of January to the end of March, 2021. The statistical population included the experts, pundits, policy-makers and planners involved in four areas of management, treatment, healthcare, and health donation. Data collection was done according to interviews and policy documents, and the obtained data were analyzed based on the Walt and Gilson’s policy triangle framework.
Results

Interviews and policy documents were determined after several stages of review according to the Walt and Gilson’s policy triangle framework, and the main themes were determined as: policy context, policy analysis, policy-making process, actors and stakeholders, and ways to deal with COVID-19 outbreak. Each theme was divided into 18 sub-themes. Finally, the related topics were extracted from the sub-themes.
Conclusions

Considering the large number of patients waiting for treatment, most of the decisions and policies were directed to their treatment, and the subject of prevention was at the second priority of policy making. Moreover, there was no practical program or policy for tracking the asymptomatic carriers in the community.
Income Inequality, Ecological Footprint, and Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Asian Developing Economies: What Effects What and How?
Authors: Khan Salim , Yahong Wang
Published: August 2021

The reduction of income inequality and environmental vulnerability are two most important factors, through which we can achieve the target of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The past papers have investigated the nexus between income inequality and carbon emissions, however, the relationship between income inequality and carbon emissions along with ecological footprint needs to be considered. To this end, the objective of current study is to reveals the causal association between income inequality and environmental vulnerability (the ecological footprint and carbon emissions used as a measures of environmental vulnerability) by using the dataset from 2006 to 2017 for the 18 Asian developing economies. The empirical results obtained from Driscoll and Kraay (D&K) standard error estimator confirmed the casual linkages between income inequality, ecological footprint, and carbon emissions. Furthermore, foreign direct investment, easy access to electricity, and population growth control income inequality, but they have a detrimental effect on both ecological footprint and carbon emissions. Lastly, based on our empirical findings, some important policy implications are recommended.
Bayesian Super-Resolution of Spectroscopic Data
Authors: Tsujimori Kota , Hirotani Jun , Harada Shunta
Published: August 2021

The resolution of spectroscopy, which delivers valuable insights and knowledge in various research fields, has sometimes been limited by the number of multi-channel detectors employed. For example, in Raman spectroscopy using charge coupled device (CCD) detectors, the resolution is limited by the number of the CCD arrays and it is difficult to achieve spectroscopic data acquisition with high resolution over a wide range. Here we describe a methodology to increase the resolution as well as signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio by applying Bayesian super-resolution in the analysis of spectroscopic data. In our present method, first the hyperparameters for the Bayesian super-resolution are determined by a virtual experiment imitating actual experimental data, and the precision of the super-resolution reconstruction is confirmed by the calculation of errors from the ideal values. For validation of the super-resolution of spectroscopic data, we applied this method to the analysis of Raman spectra. From 200 Raman spectra of a reference Si substrate with a resolution of about 0.8 cm-1, super-resolution reconstruction with resolution of 0.01 cm-1 was successfully achieved with the promised precision. From the super-resolution spectrum, the Raman scattering peak of the reference Si substrate was estimated as 520.55 (+ 0.12, -0.09) cm-1, which is comparable to the precisely determined value from previous works. The present methodology can be applied to various kinds of spectroscopic analysis, leading to increased precision in the analysis of spectroscopic data and the ability to detect slight differences in spectral peak positions and shapes.
An Epidemiological Cohort Study of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 in German Healthcare Workers – Interim Analysis after Six Months of Follow-up
Authors: Gehring Stephan , Okasha Omar , Kowalzik Frank , Engelmann Tobias , Schreiner Daniel , Jensen Christian , Maehringer-Kunz Aline , Hartig-Merkel Wendy , Tomer Anirudh , Oostvogels Lidia , Verstraeten Thomas
Published: August 2021

BackgroundHealthcare workers (HCWs) are at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We assessed incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 before the roll out of COVID-19 vaccines in a cohort of HCWs in Mainz, Germany.MethodsUsing prospective observational cohort design, antibody status was assessed at baseline and every 6 weeks (±2 weeks). Daily self-reported COVID-19 symptoms were collected using a smartphone application. Symptomatic HCWs were tested using RT-PCR. We estimated symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection rates based on two case definitions of varying sensitivity and specificity.Results3664 HCWs were enrolled with a median follow-up of 101 days. The seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies increased from 2.7% at baseline to 3.8%, with the number of seroconversions (65) outweighing seroreversions (26) by end of follow-up. Among HCWs who seroconverted, 12 (~19%) did not report any symptoms. The estimated incidence rate was 4.5 per 1000 person-months, but none the incident cases developed severe disease. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies fell below diagnostic cut-off value in a third of those positive at baseline and in one incident case.ConclusionsWe observed increasing COVID-19 rates among HCWs during an accelerated community transmission period, with relatively lower rate of asymptomatic infections. Our findings indicate a relatively long-lasting humoral immune response following natural infection.
Is Attentional Bias To Idiosyncratic Stimuli Related To Borderline Symptomatology?
Authors: Martins Ana , Ferreira Laura , Fernandes Catarina , Faísca Luís
Published: August 2021

Background: In borderline personality disorder, attentional bias to emotional stimuli may be a fundamental component in their origin and maintenance. However, the authors seem divided between the hypothesis of hypervigilance for negative stimuli and the hypothesis of over-reactivity against any type of stimuli. Aims: We aimed to observe the association between borderline symptoms and the allocation of attention to neutral, idiosyncratic negative and general negative emotional words. Method: We tested thirty-five portuguese university students, aged between 18 and 40 years old with an Emotional Stroop paradigm. Results: Our results suggest that a higher score of borderline symptoms are associated with a greater interference of idiosyncratic negative words in the colour identification task. Conclusions: These results support the hypervigilance hypotheses for idiosyncratic borderline stimuli. In other words, this study suggested that borderline sympotms is linked to an inability to disengage attention from negative words typically of borderline disorder. Based on these findings, mood-dependent therapeutic interventions focusing on attentional processes may represent a useful contribute to established therapies in patients with BPD.
Determining the lithogeochemical background concentrations of 39 elements in Bavarian rocks
Authors: Wagner Bernhard , Tammen Anneke , Jung Dietmar
Published: August 2021

Typical element background concentrations of rock units in Bavaria were evaluated by statistical means and presented in a lithogeochemical map, derived from the geological map at a scale of 1:25,000. The elements include 39 geogenic main and trace elements (SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MnO, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, TiO2, P2O5 Li, Be, Sc, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Cd, Sn, Sb, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Tl, Pb, Bi , Th and U).
The distributions of element concentrations in the lithogeochemical units follow closely lognormal patterns in a large majority of cases. Statistical parameters (10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th percentiles) of investigated elements were determined using the cenfit function of the NADA package within the open source program R. The investigation, based on 8,838 analysed samples, provided data for about 2/3 of the area of Bavaria. The lithogeochemical map with medians (50th percentiles) and background values (90th percentiles) of the investigated elements is available in a web map application. Thus, the regional geogenic background values of the investigated elements in Bavaria are publicly available for a large variety of applications.
Development and Verification of the Amino Metabolism Related and Immune-associated Prognosis Signature in Gliomas
Authors: Xu Yang , Ye Liguo , Geng Rongxin , Hu Ping , Sun Qian , Tong Shiao , Yuan Fanen , Chen Qianxue
Published: August 2021

Background: Aberrant reprogramming of metabolism has been considered as a hallmark in various malignant tumors. The metabolic changes of amino acid not only have dramatic effects in cancer cells but also influence their immune-microenvironment in gliomas. However, the features of the amino acid metabolism-related and immune-associated gene set haven’t been systematically described. Methods: The expression level of mRNA was obtained from TCGA database and CGGA database, which was used as training set and validation set respectively. Different bioinformatic and statistical methods were combined to construct a robust amino metabolism related and immune-associated risk signature for distinguishing prognosis and clinic-pathological features. Constructing the nomogram enhanced risk stratification and quantify risk assessment on the basis of our gene model. Besides, the biological mechanism related to the risk score was investigated by gene set enrichment analysis. Hub genes of risk signature were identified by PPI network. Results: The amino acid metabolism-related and immune-associated gene signature recognized high-risk patients defined as an independent risk factor for overall survival. The nomogram exhibited high accuracy of predicting OS rate for glioma patients. Furthermore, high-risk score hinted immunosuppressive microenvironment and lower sensitivity of ICB therapy and also identified PSMC5 and PSMD3 as novel biomarkers in glioma. Conclusion: A novel amino acid metabolism-related and immune-associated risk signature for predicting prognosis in glioma has been constructed and identified two potential novel biomarkers.
Sustainable utilisation of water treatment residue as a porous geopolymer for iron removal from groundwater
Authors: Pachana Pumipat K. , Rattanasak Ubolluk , Nuithitikul Kamchai , Jitsangiam Peerapong , Chindaprasirt Prinya
Published: August 2021

Raw water is significant resources for industrial water usage, but this water is not directly suitable for use due to the presence of contaminants. Therefore, pre-treatment is essential. In addition, the presence of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) in groundwater can result in a reddish-brown colour and undesirable taste and odour. The treatment generates water treatment residue (WTR) which consists of silt, clay and undesirable components. Most WTR is conventionally disposed of in landfill. A number of expensive and complex technologies are being used for the removal of such iron and manganese. Due to the high Al2O3 and SiO2 content in WTR, the use of WTR-based geopolymers for Fe/Mn removal is proposed in this study. With the availability of free alkali in the geopolymer framework, the OH-releasing behaviour of the WTR-based geopolymer was investigated by the precipitation of Fe(II) ion. The WTR-based geopolymer was calcined at 400°C and 600°C to obtain a strong geopolymer matrix with the ability to remove Fe/Mn ions. The results show that the WTR-based geopolymer has the potential to remove Fe from Fe-contaminated water. Hydroxide ions are released from the geopolymer and form an Fe(OH)3 precipitate. A calcination temperature of 400°C provides total removal of the Fe after 24 h of immersion. In addition, the existence of Fe(OH)3 helps to coprecipitate the Mn(OH)2 in the Fe/Mn solution leading to a significant reduction of Mn from the solution. The pH value and retention time play an important role in the final metal concentration. The final pH of the solution is close to 8.5, which is the recommended value for boiler water. This method offers an alternative use of WTR in making a porous geopolymer for groundwater Fe removal using a simple method.
Comparative Analysis of Machine Learning Methods for Non-Intrusive Indoor Occupancy Detection and Estimation
Authors: Aliero Muhammad S. , Pasha Muhammad F. , Toosi Adel N. , Ghani Imran , Sadiq Ali S. , Asif Muhammad
Published: August 2021

Occupancy-driven application research has been active research for a decade that focuses on improving or replacing new building infrastructure to improve building energy efficiency. Existing approaches for HVAC energy saving are putting more emphasis on occupancy detection, estimation, and localization to trade-off between energy consumption and thermal comfort satisfaction. In a non-intrusive approach, various sensors, actuators, and analytic data methods are commonly used to process data from occupant surroundings and trigger appropriate action to achieve the task. However, the performance of the non-intrusive approach reported in the literature is relatively poor due to the lack of quality of dataset used in model training and expropriate choice of machine learning model. This study proposed a non-intrusive approach that to improve the collection and quality of dataset using data pre-processing. The study collected a training dataset using various sensors installed in the building and developed a model using five machine learning models to determine occupant’s presence and estimate their number in the building. The proposed solution is tested in the living room with a prototype system integrated with various sensors designed to obtain occupant surrounding environmental datasets. The model’s prediction results obtained indicate that it is possible for the proposed solution to obtain data, process, and predict the occupant number with high accuracy (73.6 -99.7% using random forest).
Analysis on Ethiopia’s Revealed Comparative Advantage and Its Structural Transformation
Authors: Hunegnaw Fetene Bogale
Published: August 2021

This study examines Ethiopia’s structural transformation by using the revealed comparative advantage approach using export data for years 1996–2018. Primary and low technology manufactured products have comparative advantage over other product groups for the periods 1996 to 2018. However, there is an improvement in all manufactured product categories except except low technology manufactured products (textile, garment and footwear) and resource-based manufactured goods. Thus, based on revealed comparative, structural transformation has occurred in the Ethiopian economy over the last decades but it is very insignificant. Hence, Ethiopia reveals strong comparative advantage in export of primary products, it is important to add value to these products for higher export earnings.
Clinical and Genetic Analyses and Treatment Outcomes of Patients with Lateralized Overgrowth
Authors: Kim Yoon-Myung , Lee Yena , Choi Yunha , Choi In-Hee , Heo Sun Hee , Choi Jung Min , Do Hyo-Sang , Jang Ja-Hyun , Yum Mi-Sun , Yoo Han-Wook , Lee Beomhee
Published: August 2021

Background: The genetic features and management of lateralized overgrowth have been elusive. This study was performed to investigate the genetic profiles and outcomes of propranolol- or alpelisib-treated patients with lateralized overgrowth. Methods: Fifteen patients with lateralized overgrowth were enrolled. Clinical features and whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) findings were evaluated. Deep sequencing with a customized gene panel of affected tissue and peripheral white blood cells was performed. Propranolol was administered and clinical outcomes were examined. The PIK3CA inhibitor alpelisib was administered via a managed access program. Results: Genetic testing identified PIK3CA (n=7, 46.7%), KRAS (n=2, 13.3%), PTEN (n=1, 6.7%), MAP2K3 (n=1, 6.7%), GNAQ (n=1, 6.7%), TBC1D4 (n=1, 6.7%), and TEK (n=1, 6.7%) mutations. Propranolol was administered in 12 patients, and 7 experienced limited improvement of symptoms. Alpelisib was administered in two patients with a PIK3CA mutation, and the WB-MRI after 1 year of treatment showed a reduction in proliferated masses. Conclusions: Deep sequencing identified diverse genetic features of lateralized overgrowth. Propranolol could be used as an adjuvant therapy for reducing vascular symptoms, but targeted therapy with a PIK3CA inhibitor would be the primary therapeutic strategy for PIK3CA-related overgrowth syndrome.
A Study of Association Between Acromion Types and Shoulder Pathology
Authors: Venkataraman Sagar , Ethiraj Prabhu , Shanthappa Arun Heddur , Vellingiri Kishore
Published: August 2021

Background and aim: Shoulder impingement and rotator cuff tear are commonly seen shoulder pathology. Pathological changes in soft tissue around shoulder can be due to intrinsic degenerative in tendons or extrinsic mechanical compression due to Acromion types. Arthroscopic acromioplasty is still standard procedure done for shoulder impingement pathology and during rotator cuff repair. Our primary objective was to determine acromion types, its prevalence rate with shoulder pathology.Methods: Total 85 patients who met inclusion criteria were included in the study. Acromion types were classified according to Bigliani et al type I acromion has flat undersurface, type II acromion has curved undersurface, type III acromion has hooked undersurface on Supraspinatous outlet view radiographs. Types of Acromion were co-related with shoulder pathology and age group.Results: Out of 85 patients with shoulder pathology 43 patients had impingement shoulder syndrome and 42 patients had rotator cuff tear. Mean age group for impingement shoulder syndrome group was 39.6 years and for rotator cuff tear group was 58.6 years. Overall right shoulder is affected more compared to left shoulder. Type 2 acromion was seen in 64.7% study population and type 1 is seen in 23.5% and type 3 is seen in 11.8%.Conclusions: In our study type 2 acromion is more frequently seen in shoulder pathology involving rotator cuff tear and impingement syndrome. Acromion morphology does not vary with age.
Breath figure templated self-assembly of surface-acylated cellulose nanowhiskers confined as honeycomb films
Authors: Liu Huan , Pang Bo , Zhang Kai
Published: August 2021

The self-assembly of cellulose nanowhiskers (CNWs) in confined geometries provides a powerful method for the fabrication of novel structures. Herein, ordered honeycomb microporous films were first prepared with surface-acylated CNWs (CNWs-SU) through the breath figure method. Resulting films showed highly porous order over large regions and the iridescent color was only displayed by their rims, which is different from traditional dish-cast CNW films showing the iridescent color over the whole area. This is mainly due to the condensation of water droplets forming three-dimensional (3D) geometry, which forced CNWs-SU to self-assemble into cholesteric architectures in confined geometry and resulted in the iridescent color of the rims after drying. The mechanism was further studied by investigating the critical influencing factors, primarily the concentration of CNW-SU suspensions, the relative humidity of the atmosphere and the surface-attached moieties. In particular, CNW-SU suspensions with a concentration of 3 mg/mL at the relative humidity of 75% preferentially formed honeycomb films with uniform pores. Too low or too high concentrations of CNW-SU suspensions or relative humidity are not preferable for uniform porous films. CNWs-SU with further immobilized octadecane or fluoroalkyl groups on their surface strongly affected the formation of uniform porous films because of higher hydrophobicity and accompanying inhomogeneous condensation of water droplets. This work provides a novel method to study the interactions of CNWs beyond the planar geometry and the formation of uniform porous films solely with CNWs with structural colors for diverse potential applications.
PedigreeOnline: a new web server for two-way interactive pedigree drawing
Authors: Chen Ye , Cang Xiaohui
Published: August 2021

Pedigree drawing is of special importance for genetic counseling and research on documenting families with inherited disease. Current pedigree-drawing tools fall into two types: those build pedigree diagrams from input family data, and those provide a graphical interface to draw pedigree directly. Here we merge the two types of programs into one, and release a brand new pedigree-drawing web server, PedigreeOnline. Through introducing a novel pedigree-like-layout (PLL) family data format and taking advantage of HTML5 canvas element in development, this program is able to build two-way interactive connections between family data and graphical interface. Users can work on and switch easily between the graphical interface and the family data window. Currently this web server is compatible with Linkage data format and comma-separated value (CSV) data format. These features make PedigreeOnline a pedigree-drawing tool with outstanding user-friendliness and flexibility. PedigreeOnline is freely accessible for everyone at: http://www.ig.zju.edu.cn/PedigreeOnline/
Long-term effectiveness of the Midwifery Initiated Oral Health-Dental Service Program on maternal oral health knowledge, preventative dental behaviours and the oral health status of children in Australia
Authors: George Ajesh , Kong Ariana , Sousa Mariana , Villarosa Amy , Ajwani Shilpi , Dahlen Hannah , Bhole Sameer , Yaacoub Albert , Srini Ravi , Johnson Maree
Published: August 2021

Background

Early childhood caries remains a public health challenge and many interventions to manage this disease have focused on prevention during early infancy. Promoting oral health during pregnancy may also improve the oral health of children, however, there is limited evidence in Australia. The Midwifery Initiated Oral Health-Dental Service (MIOH-DS) was developed to train midwives to promote maternal oral health and a large trial showed the program substantially improved the oral health status, knowledge and behaviours of pregnant women. This study evaluated the long-term effectiveness of the program (post trial) on maternal oral health knowledge, preventative dental behaviours, and early childhood caries in offspring.
Methods

A prospective cohort study was conducted in three large metropolitan health services in Sydney, Australia. The study followed 204 women and their children three to four years after participating in the original MIOH-DS trial (intervention and control groups). The outcome measures included child dental decay (cariogenic bacteria), and a maternal oral health knowledge and behaviours questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the main outcomes and a regression model was constructed to explore predictors of dental decay among children.
Results

There were no significant differences across the outcome measures between the MIOH-DS participants (mother/child) and control groups except for a small difference in maternal oral health knowledge. Most mothers across both groups demonstrated high oral health knowledge and positive oral health practices, and the regression model found that these outcomes provided a protective effect (low levels of bacteria and dental caries) among children. Some aspects of oral health remained poorly understood by mothers across both groups―the oral health impact of sugary foods and drinks, at-risk feeding practices, and the recommended age for first dental visits.
Conclusions

The long-term impact of the program demonstrates the effectiveness of improving maternal oral health knowledge and preventative behaviours to reduce the risk of early childhood caries, although the specific effect of the MIOH-DS program was not found. Although oral health knowledge was high across participants the findings suggest the need for reinforced education around feeding, diet and dental visiting through postnatal early childhood services to show sustained improvements.
DOCK2 is a Biomarker for Predicting the Prognosis of Lung Adenocarcinoma and Associated with Immune Infiltration
Authors: He Jie , Zhang Tongtong , Sun Jian , Liu Guangnan
Published: August 2021

Background: dedicator of cytokinesis 2 is an atypical guanine exchange factor, which is particularly expressed in hematopoietic cells and modulates the activation along with the migration of immune cells by activating Ras--related C3 botulinum toxin substrate (Rac). Nevertheless, the role of DOCK2 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unclear.Methods: Herein, we performed bioinformatics analysis of lung adenocarcinoma data abstracted from TCGA (The Cancer Genome Altas) and GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) data resources, and combined with web tools consisting of LinkedOmics, TIMER, and TISIDB. Finally, combined with clinical lung adenocarcinoma samples, we verified the expression of DOCK2 in tissue and its effect on the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma.Results: In the TCGA lung adenocarcinoma data set, the expression of DOCK2 was down-regulated in tumor tissues and verified in multiple independent cohorts. In addition, the low expression of DOCK2 indicates a poor overall survival(OS) in both TCGA and other GEO data sets and in our clinical samples. COX regression data illustrated that the low expression of DOCK2 was an independent predictor for OS. Functional network analysis shows that DOCK2 participates in immune response through interleukin production, neuroinflammatory response, acquired immune response, leukocyte migration and activation of lymph node cells, and is related to multiple immune-related pathways. Besides, the expression of DOCK2 was remarkably related with many kinds of tumor infiltrating immune cells.Conclusion: combined with bioinformatics analysis and clinical sample verification, our study shows that DOCK2 can independently estimate the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma and is related to immune infiltration. As a promising prognostic indicator and potential target of immunotherapy, the potential effect of DOCK2 on lung adenocarcinoma and its molecular mechanism are worthy of further discussion.
Health-Related Quality of Life of Chilean Students from Risky Contexts
Authors: Ortiz-Bermúdez Amaranta Úrsula , Sánchez-Sandoval Yolanda
Published: August 2021

Background. The study of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) is receiving increasing attention, thus facilitating the use of well-being indicators to establish public policies and health programs in contexts of high social risk. It is a subjective assessment that the person makes of their life concerning the cultural context and the normative standards of the person’s society. In contexts where violence, neglect, and abuse exist, a decrease in physical and mental well-being is more likely to be observed in adolescents. The aims of this paper are to evaluate the HRQoL of vulnerable Chilean students and analyze its relationship with socio-family variables, and to compare their HRQoL with the Chilean and European standards of adolescent population. Methods. 246 adolescents (9 to 16 years) from public schools of with a high School Vulnerability Index (SVI) of the Commune of Quilpué (Chile) completed the KIDSCREEN-27 (Physical Well-being, Psychological Well-being, Autonomy and Parent Relation, Social Support and Peers, School Environment, and their parents provided sociodemographic data. Results. The Chilean students of the study showed a significantly lower HRQoL than the comparison European and Chilean populations. Girls and older participants had worse HRQoL. Concerning family characteristics, children of mothers with higher educational levels had greater well-being. Other socio-family characteristics are described in depth in the work. Conclusion. These findings could be considered for the planning of psychoeducational programs in schools with high SVI.
Outcomes after Rotation Scarf with Akin Osteotomy for Severe Hallux Valgus
Authors: Xie Wenyong , Lu Hao , Li Guicheng , Yuan Yusong , Liu Yijun , Xu Hailin
Published: August 2021

Background: Hallux valgus is one of the most common foot deformities. Surgical treatment is the optimal choice for moderate to severe hallux valgus deformity. Rotation scarf with Akin osteotomy has become increasingly popular. The purpose of our study is to evaluate the long-term outcomes of rotation scarf with Akin osteotomy on severe hallux valgus. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients with hallux valgus who underwent surgery using rotation scarf with Akin osteotomy in our hospital between June 2014 and January 2020. Anteroposterior and lateral weightbearing X-ray were performed before and after the operation. The parameters evaluated include (1) the hallux valgus angle (HVA), (2) intermetatarsal angle (IMA), (3) distal metatarsal articular angle (DMAA) and (4) tibial sesamoid position (TSP). A visual analog scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the pain level before and at the last follow-up after the operation. American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) Forefoot Score were assessed before and at the last follow-up after the operation. Patient satisfaction assessment was also conducted at the time. Results: A total of 42 patients with 50 feet met our inclusion criteria. Average age at the time of surgery was 61 ± 9 years. Follow-up data were obtained in all 42 patients. The average follow-up time was 47.4 ± 20 months. All radiological parameteres including HVA, IMA, DMAA and TSP had statistically significant improvement (p < 0.001). The VAS score and AOFAS score was also statistically significant before operation and at the last follow-up after the operation (p < 0.001). There are 41 (82%) feet in patients were very satisfied or satisfied. Conclusion: Rotation scarf with Akin osteotomy is demonstrated to be safe, effective, and feasible for correcting severe hallux valgus. It can obtain good long-term correction with a low incidence of recurrence and metatarsalgia. Postoperative satisfaction and functional recovery of patients are significantly improved.
The overexpression of FKBP4 in patients with lung adenocarcinoma predicts poor prognosis and tumor progression
Authors: Tian Sha , Wang Shang qing , Zheng Piao , Zhu Xu , Han Huan , Huang Xiao di , Li Jing , Tian Xuefei
Published: August 2021

Background: The FK506-binding protein 4 ( FKBP4 ), a tumor-related gene, plays a vital role in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. The study is aimed to clarify the effect of FKBP4 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Methods: Relying on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort, the FKBP4 expression difference between LUAD tissues and non-tumor tissues was first detected, and verified with public tissue microarrays (TMAs), clinical LUAD specimen cohort and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohort. Then, logistic regression analysis and chi-square test were applied to detect the correlation between FKBP4 expression and clinicopathological parameters. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression model were utilized to evaluate the effect of FKBP4 expression on survival. Signaling pathways related to LUAD were obtained via employing Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). Results: The FKBP4 expression level in LUAD samples was dramatically higher than that in non-tumor samples. High FKBP4 expression in LUAD is associated with gender, pathological stage, T classification, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis. The Kaplan-Meier curve indicated a poor prognosis for LUAD patients with high FKBP4 expression. Multivariate analysis suggested that the high FKBP4 expression was a vital independent predictor of poor overall survival (OS). GSEA showed that a total of 15 signaling pathways were enriched in samples with high FKBP4 expression phenotype. Conclusions: FKBP4 may be an oncogene in LUAD, and is promised to become a prognostic indicator and therapeutic target for LUAD.
Implementation of Virtual Reality to Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Enhancement of Positive Parenting Skills: The Study Protocol
Authors: Scherpbier Iza C.A. , Abrahamse Mariëlle E. , Belleman Robert G. , Popma Arne , Lindauer Ramón J.L.
Published: August 2021

Background: Disruptive behaviour is a common reason that young children are referred to child and adolescent mental health care services worldwide. Research indicates that treatments for child disruptive behaviour where parents are the primary agents of change are most impactful. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an effective parent management training program, currently implemented in therapeutic settings within the Netherlands. If parenting skills have been mastered, PCIT has shown to make impactful long-term improvements on parental warmth, responsiveness and effectiveness. The current study aims to increase the proven effectiveness of PCIT by increasing accessibility and impact of the treatment with a focus on strengthening positive parenting skills. To enhance the skills from the therapy, the current study will implement a Virtual Reality (VR) element for additional practice in the home-setting. We expect that if the positive parenting skills are trained by implementing the VR-element, skill mastery will be achieved sooner, treatment completion rates will increase and the parent-child relationship will better, whilst parental stress and child disruptive behaviour will decrease.Methods: Fifteen children (ages 2 to 7 years old) with disruptive behaviour and their parents will followed throughout their PCIT-VR treatment. Using a non-concurrent multiple baseline Single-Case Experimental Design (SCED) with three phases, fifteen families will fill out questionnaires weekly, in addition to having pre-, and post-treatment and follow-up measurements to monitor their positive parenting skills, child disruptive behaviour, parenting stress and VR progress. Moreover, the quantitative information and qualitative interviews will be analysed visually and statistically and summarised to provide a complete picture of experiences from both parents and therapists. Discussion: The SCED - with its phased design, randomisation and the opportunity to replicate and assess both individual and group treatment effects - and adaptability of the VR technology are the strengths of the study. The risks of increased type I errors, maturation effects or technological failure will be mitigated with the right statistical support. The current study aims to enhance the scope of the treatment through the additional skill training, ultimately in support of routinely implementing VR at scale within PCIT.
In Vitro Mass Micropropagation of Mammillaria Vetula ssp. Gracilis var. Arizonica Snowcap
Authors: Lopez-Granero López Granero M. Manuel , Arana Antonio , González Jose Javier Regalado , Encina Carlos Lopez
Published: August 2021

A mass micropropagation method was developed for Mammillaria vetula ssp. gracilis cv. Arizonica Snowcap, a cactus species with high ornamental value. A culture media based in MS medium (Murashige and Skoog, 1962) supplemented with 0.1 mg l− 1 NAA + 0.3 mg l− 1 KIN + 5.0 mg l− 1 GA3 + 30 g l− 1 sucrose (MSM-1), was developed specifically for the establishment and multiplication of Mammillaria vetula cv. Snowcap offshoots, let us to produce a proliferation rate of 34.9 ± 5.9 new offshoots per explant. The non-rooted offshoots were rooted in MSM-2, consisting in MS salts supplemented with 0.1 mg l− 1 NAA + 0.3 mg l− 1 KIN plus 5 mg l− 1 ancymidol and a lower dose (10 g l− 1) of sucrose, with a rooting rate of 100%. The rate of acclimatization of the rooted offshoots was 100%. The full process of micropropagation from aseptic establishment in vitro to the end of plant acclimation takes approximately between 5 and 6 months and the plant production can be maintained continuously during all year.
Gastric Adenocarcinoma With Signet Ring Cell: A Case Report of a 10-year-old Girl.
Authors: Arcila Jose Andres Tascon , Gomez Lizeth Marín , Rodas Luisa María Parra , Ospina Gustavo Giraldo , Luna Alejandra Wilches , Muñoz María Rosmira Pérez
Published: August 2021

BackgroundGastric cancer is an extremely rare diagnosis in children and adolescents. Representing 5% of neoplasia’s in childhood. Gastric adenocarcinoma has a prevalence of below 0.05% of all childhood cancers. The objective of this clinical case report is to describe the clinical presentation of this rare cancer in children, including it as a differential diagnosis, and to look for genetic causes in order to perform genetic counseling. Case presentationA 10 year old girl, experience epigastric pain, vomit and weight loss in 2 months period. Previously treated with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), however without improvement of symptoms. Physical exam revealed a slim appearance, and a firm, painful, palpable mass in the upper abdomen. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a mass with neoplastic appearance. Biopsy report described a poorly differentiated, diffuse pattern of signet ring cells, with positive immunohistochemical studies for the expression of MLH1, MSH6; PMS2. H. pylori was negative. Because this cancer presented during childhood, CDH1 gene was analyzed, however no findings of pathologic variants, point mutations, or duplications or deletions were found. The patient underwent hospice care and died 7 months after the initial diagnosis.Discussion/ConclusionThe majority of gastric tumors during childhood are benign. Gastric adenocarcinoma is a rare diagnosis in pediatric patients. Currently, there are few reports of children with this cancer. The rarity of gastric adenocarcinoma with signet ring cells in pediatric patients makes early diagnosis difficult to make with treatment options limited to the pediatric population due to rarity, and worse prognosis. Knowledge of this disease in children could help physicians to identify atypical clinical manifestations and warning signs in order to have this as a differential diagnosis. Currently, genetic studies are essential to guide the treatment plan and to make genetic counseling to the patient and family members.
The Association Between Trichomonas Vaginalis Infection and the Risk of Benign Prostate Hyperplasia, Prostate Cancer, and Bladder Cancer in Patients: a Nationwide Population-based Case-control Study
Authors: Yang Hung Yi , Su Ruei-Yu , Chung Chi-Hsiang , Lin Hsin-Chung , Huang Kuo-Yang , Chien Wu-Chien , Chen Chien-Chou
Published: August 2021

Background: Trichomonas vaginalis infection is one of the most widespread sexually transmitted infections in the world. There are approximately 276 million cases worldwide. Most men remain undiagnosed and untreated because they are asymptomatic. The chronic inflammation induced by persistent infection may increase the risk of developing genitourinary cancers. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between trichomoniasis and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), prostate cancer (PCa), and bladder cancer (BC) in Taiwan.Material and method: We designed a case-control study by using the database of the National Health Insurance program in Taiwan. We used the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision classifications to classify all the medical conditions in the case and control groups. All odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression to adjust for all comorbidities and variables.Result: From 2000 to 2015, we enrolled a total of 62,544 individuals as the case group and 187,632 as the control group. Trichomoniasis exposure had a significant association with BPH and PCa (adjusted OR: BPH = 2.685, 95% CI = 1.233–4.286, P = 0.013; PCa = 5.801, 95% CI = 1.296–26.035, P = 0.016). The relative risk was much higher if patients had both trichomoniasis and depression (adjusted OR = 7.682, 95% CI = 5.730–9.451, P < 0.001).Conclusion: Men with trichomoniasis had a significantly higher risk of developing BPH and PCa than those without. Healthcare professionals should not only pay more attention to disease treatment, but also to public health education.