bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Long-Term Impact of Covid-19 On Presentations To A Specialist Child & Adolescent Eating Disorder Program
Authors: Campbell Sally , Maunder Kristen , Lehmann Oonagh , McKeown Mark , McNicholas Fiona
Published: January 2022

Background: Concern has been expressed about an increase in mental illness and eating disorders in particular during the pandemic. Whether Covid-19 associated stress presents a specific risk for eating disorders, new or relapsing, in vulnerable groups remains to be established. Aim: This study explores any impact of Covid-19 on numbers and clinical profile of eating disorder presentations to a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) specialist eating disorder treatment program pre and during Covid-19. Methods: Following ethical approval, retrospective data extraction from electronic healthcare records from all referrals to a CAMHS specialist eating disorder treatment program in Dublin, Ireland was conducted. The study period covered 42months, from 1st January 2018 until 31st Aug 2021. Referral rates and clinical characteristics of pre- Covid-19 (January 2018-Feb 2020) and Covid-19 patients (March 2020-Aug 2021) were examined, using Welch’s t- and chi-square tests for continuous and categorical data respectively. Results: 128 youth were assessed over the 42-month study period, with significantly higher rates of referrals post-pandemic (3.78 per month compared to a pre- Covid-19 rate of 2.31/month). (p=.02). Youth referred during Covid-19 lost weight at a faster rate; 2.3kg/month compared to 1.9kg/month pre- Covid-19 (p=.39) and showed a higher rate of % Ideal bodyweight loss (IBW), 4.8% IBW/month compared to 2.6% IBW/month pre- Covid-19 (p=<.001). They also had a shorter duration of illness pre-referral (M=7.4 months, SD=3 pre-Covid-19; M=4.8 months, SD=4.5 post Covid-19, (p<.001), with fewer youth (19%) prescribed psychotropic medication than pre Covid-19 (43%, p=.011). Many youth (80%) self-declared Covid-19 as having had an adverse effect on their overall well-being and as a contributory factor to the development of their eating disordered pathology.Conclusions: This study supports the growing consensus of a Covid-19 specific impact for ED services with higher rates of referrals, youth presenting with a faster pace of IBW% loss and earlier referral to specialist services. Whether this reflects a true and specific increase in EDs or reflects an overall increase in CAMHS referrals, with increased transfer to ED services, needs further examination.
A multiomics signature highlights alterations underlying homologous recombination deficiency in triple-negative breast cancer
Authors: You Chao , Su Guan-Hua , Jiang Lin , Xiao Yi , Zheng Ren-Cheng , Wang He , Jiang Yi-zhou , Peng Wei-jun , Shao Zhi-Ming , Gu Ya-Jia
Published: January 2022

Background: Homologous recombination (HR) is a key pathway in DNA double-strand damage repair. HR deficiency (HRD) more commonly occurs in triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) than in other breast cancer subtypes. Several clinical trials have demonstrated the value of HRD in stratifying breast cancer patients into distinct response groups to poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors and chemotherapy.Methods: We retrospectively collected TNBC samples to establish a multiomics cohort (n=343) to explore the biological and phenotypic mechanisms underlying the better prognosis of patients with high HRD scores. The HRD score was calculated using the sum of the telomeric allelic imbalance (TAI) score, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) score and large-scale state transition (LST) score. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were conducted to reveal underlying pathways of low HRD score patients. Radiomics model were established to predict HRD score in a noninvasive method.Results: Multivariable Cox analysis revealed the independent prognostic value of a low HRD score (hazard ratio, 2.20, 95% confidence interval, 1.05 to 4.59, p=0.04). Furthermore, amino acid and lipid metabolism pathways were highly enriched in tumors with low HRD scores, which was also demonstrated by differentially abundant metabolite analysis. A noninvasive radiomics method was developed to predict HRD status and performed well in the independent validation cohort (support vector machine model: area under the curve (AUC), 0.739, sensitivity, 0.571, and speciﬁcity, 0.824; logistic regression model: AUC, 0.695, sensitivity, 0.571, and speciﬁcity, 0.882).Conclusions: In conclusion, we revealed the prognostic value of the HRD score, predicted HRD status with noninvasive radiomics features and preliminarily explored druggable targets in TNBC patients with low HRD scores.
Tigecycline Induced Fibrinogen Decrease in Critically Ill Patients with Multidrug Resistant Bacterial Infections - an Observational Retrospective Study
Authors: Heng Junfeng , Zhang Xiuhong , Liang Fengming , Wang Qiuhui , Xu Hongyang , Hui Jiaojie
Published: January 2022

A decrease of plasma fibrinogen level has occasionally been observed during tigecycline treatment. The present observational retrospective study was performed to analyze the effect of tigecycline on coagulation function in critically ill patients with multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, especially on plasma fibrinogen level. 83 adult subjects treating with tigecycline were enrolled. Coagulation function spanning all three time periods (berore, during and after tigecycline administration) was determined to measure the effects of tigecycline. A striking decrease of fibrinogen was noted during tigecycline treatment (P=0.000), and this change started to reverse when tigecycline was stopped. In the higher-dose group, fibrinogen also dropped significantly during tigecycline treatment (P=0.009), and after the cessation of tigecycline, the fibrinogen level did not rebound, but kept on drop. The fibrinogen levels dropped significantly in the 4 patients developed new-onset bleeding during tigecycline treatment, showing almost simultaneously. There were increased prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), platelet count (PLT) and decreased platelet level during tigecycline treatment and a reversal when tigecycline was stopped, although only the difference of PT reached significance (P=0.043). Tigecycline induced fibrinogen decrease in critically ill patients with multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, and this change started to reverse when tigecycline was stopped.
Women’s Perceptions About Mobile Health Solutions for Selection and Use of Family Planning Methods in Karachi: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Abrejo Farina , Iqbal Romaina , Saleem Sarah
Published: January 2022

Background

The qualitative study explored the feasibility and acceptability of potential mHealth intervention from women living in low socio-economic areas to increase the uptake of family planning. The study also discussed the potential benefits of mHealth intervention by exploring providers perceptions as well.
Methods

The qualitative exploratory study recorded the perception of 23 women and seven in-depth interviews with the providers of family planning services. These interviews asses women’s attitude though; personal experience based on the usage of smartphones and family planning, acceptability for personal benefits, features of mobile application and the convenient language, and self-efficacy for identifying the potential impact of mHealth intervention to increase women’s empowerment for family planning usage.
Results

Three predetermined themes were used to record the perception of women.The personal experience of women identified that women in low-socio economic areas use mobile phone frequently, they use phone to get preventive information for healthcare. Few women have experience using mobile phones for getting information about sexual and reproductive health. Women considered; poor counselling and high transport costs to the facilities, as major barriers to getting family planning services. Perceived acceptability discussed the potential features of the mHealth app. Women considered including short videos instead of written material will help them to understand its usage, complete information about family planning method including; dosage, expected side effects and potential benefits suggested to include in the app. Women perceived that the mHealth intervention will save women’s cost of transport to the facility and will fill the information gap about family planning methods. While providers considered that it will save their time in counselling and motivating women for the method at the facility. Self-efficacy in the form of women empowerment in deciding family planning was one of the major factors discussed, where women discussed that the mHealth intervention will increase their self-confidence to discuss the method with their husbands.
Conclusion

There is a high potential for mHealth interventions for family planning in Pakistan. The usage of mobile phones can be utilized for increasing women’s acceptability and accessibility for family planning uptake in the country.
Psychometric Properties and Validation of the English Version Giessen Subjective Complaints List (GBB-8)
Authors: Petrowski Katja , Zenger Markus , Schmalbach Bjarne , Bastianon Christina Diane , Strauss Bernhard
Published: January 2022

Background
The present study investigated the psychometric properties of the newly developed English version of the Giessen Subjective Complaint List – 8 (GBB-8), a questionnaire assessing psychosomatic symptoms with regard to exhaustion, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular.
Methods
A U.S. sample of 638 participants (47.6% female) was recruited by MTurk to participate in this cross-sectional online survey. Validation instruments included the Patient Health Questionnaire-4, Perceived Stress Scale, short version of the Trier Inventory for Chronic Stress.
Results
Reliability was high with ω’s between .80 and .86 for all subscales. Confirmatory factor analyses yielded comparable good model fit for a four-dimensional model as well as a higher order model. Multi-group confirmatory factor analyses confirmed measurement invariance of the GBB-8 across sex and age. Regarding convergent validity, correlations with other instruments were highly significant and of large magnitude as expected.
Conclusion
The English version of the GBB-8 has shown excellent psychometric properties. Therefore, it can be recommended for the assessment of psychosomatic complaints in contexts where short screening instruments are necessary.
A Comprehensive Molecular Survey of Viral Pathogens Associated with Canine Gastroenteritis During 2018-21
Authors: Dema Anusha , Tallapally Mounika , Ganji Vishweshwar Kumar , Buddala Bhagyalakshmi , Kodi Haritha , Ramidi Ashwini , Chenji Sai Spandana , P Jaya Laxmi , S Vamsi Krishna , Yella Narasimha Reddy , Putty Kalyani
Published: January 2022

Viral pathogens account for major aetiology of canine gastroenteritis in India. However, till date, there was no structured comprehensive study reported on the viral aetiology of canine gastroenteritis in India. To elucidate this, 475 rectal swabs collected over a period of three years (2018-2021) from clinical canine gastroenteritis cases were screened by real-time PCR for the presence of six majorly known enteric viruses (Canine parvovirus -2 (CPV-2), canine distemper virus (CDV), canine adenovirus-2 (CAdV-2), canine corona virus (CCoV), canine astrovirus (CaAstV), canine rotavirus (CRV)). 71.6% of the samples were found to harbour at least one of the five viruses tested (CPV-2/2a/2b/2c, CDV, CAdV-2, CCoV and CaAstV), whereas, there was no evidence of CRV. The overall incidence rate for each virus was found highest at 64.8% for CPV-2/2a/2b/2c (2a: 21.1%, 2b: 77.4%, 2c: 1.5%), followed by 8% for CDV, 7.2% for CaAstV, 5.9% for CCoV and 4.6% for CAdV-2 with 16.8% incidence for coinfections ranging from two to four viruses in different combinations. Further, for the first time we report the whole genome sequences of CDV, CCoV and CaAstV Indian isolates from canine gastroenteritis cases. Phylogenetic analysis of whole genome revealed that CDV clustered with Asia-1 lineage, CaAstV clustered with group III that consists of China and Brazil isolates, and CCoV clustered with group II that consists of China and Taipei isolates. This study adds to our knowledge on the prevalence of these pathogens in the Indian subcontinent and highlights the need for relevant and routine vaccine prophylactic measures. It is alarming to note that 70.3% of animals vaccinated with DHPPIL were found positive for at least one virus. Hence, regular molecular analysis of the prevalent viruses is crucial to address vaccination failures.
Utilization of Facility-based Delivery Services in the Wa Municipality, Ghana
Authors: Nuolabong Culbert , Akuffo Kwadwo Owusu , Kabiri Mukasa , Nortey Priscillia , Maya Ernest Tei , Junior Isaiah Osei Duah , Danso-Appiah Anthony
Published: January 2022

Background: Access to skilled delivery services are crucial in reducing maternal mortality, however, the prevalence of women with assisted deliveries in our health facilities remains low with reasonable disparities between rural and urban Ghana. This study examined the utilization of skilled delivery by pregnant women and its associated factors in the Wa Municipality of Ghana.Methods: The study employed a community-based cross-sectional study. A simple random sampling was used to recruit two rural and two urban sub-districts and subsequently four communities selected from each of the respective sub-districts. Thirty-three eligible women of reproductive age (15- 49 years) who had delivered within the last one-year prior to the commencement of the study were selected from each community. A structured questionnaire was used to collate information on respondents socio-demographic, geographic and cultural factors that affect the utilization of skilled delivery services. Data was analyzed using Stata Statistical Software (version 12), frequencies and percentages were used to summarize data and associations between variables investigated with multiple regression analyses at a significance of p<0.05.Results: Out of the 527 women interviewed, 481 (91.6%) had a skilled delivery. Mothers were aged between 15 and 45 years with mean (± SD) age of 26.4 ± 9.4 years. After statistical adjustment, rural residence (AOR=2.7, 95% CI 0.8 – 8.9, p=0.036 compared with urban residence), never attended antenatal care (AOR=101, 95% CI 10.2 – 1017, p<0.001), health facility delivery (AOR=0.1, 95% CI 0.1 – 0.6, p<0.001), time taken to nearest health facility (≥31 minutes AOR=11.7, 95% CI 3.6 – 38.6, p<0.001), and no Husband’s consent (AOR=4.6, 95% CI 1.8 – 11.6, p<0.001) were significantly associated with uptake of skilled delivery services.Conclusion: The findings of this study demonstrate adequate utilization of skilled delivery services among women in the Municipality. Efforts towards improvement of skilled delivery coverage should focus on health education, especially among rural women together with the expansion of healthcare services.
Height measurements to diagnose short stature and obesity during after-hours period are inefficient.
Authors: Matsumoto Takako , Ushijima-Fuchino Kikumi , Fujimoto Tamotsu , Yatsuga Shuichi
Published: January 2022

Background: Pediatricians in Japan usually measure child body weight during medical examinations. However, they rarely measure child height. Furthermore, during examinations at night or on holidays they may not measure child height at all. There are no reports addressing the efficiency of pediatric height measurement during medical examinations, especially those taking place at night or on holidays. Our study asked whether height measurements and obesity index calculations during all pediatric visits were efficient. Methods: We analyzed data collected on patients between the ages of 3 and 10 years who visited a pediatrics department over a 1-month period. We divided the patients into four groups based on when they visited the department: 1) weekday-day, 2) weekday-early night, 3) weekday-late night, 4) holiday-day. The height and the body weight of all patients were measured. This analysis included 1101 patients. The numbers of patients visiting the hospital were 727, 176, 34, and 164 for daytime, early night, late night, and holiday visits, respectively. Resalts: There were no significant differences in ages of children visiting at different times (p=0.57). However, there were significant differences in height variation among children visiting at different times (p=0.008), with the late-night group being the most variable. There were no significant differences in the incidence of obesity (depend on body mass index (BMI)) among patients visiting at different times (p=0.44); however, significant variations were found for BMI among the patients, (p=0.03), being significantly lower for the late night group than the others. Conclusions: We conclude that using height measurement to detect short stature (SS) and calculating BMI to detect obesity is inefficient for children who visit hospital during emergency times.
Assessment of Climate change Over Sistan-and-Baluchestan Province of Iran using CMIP6 GCMs; In terms of Precipitation and Surface Air Temperature
Authors: Pegahfard Nafiseh
Published: January 2022

Information of probable change in a regional climate system can play an important role in the government’s policies. The present study investigates the climate variations over the Sistan-and-Baluchestan Province, the second biggest province of Iran with scarce direct observations, in basis of surface air temperature and precipitation. To this aim, three datasets of (I) in-situ data, (II) gridded data from Climatic Research Unit (CRU, in 1979-2020), and (III) outputs of historical runs (during 1979-2020) and simulations under the SSP5-8.5 and SSP3-7.0 scenarios (in 2021-2050) of twenty-seven Global Climate Models (GCMs) from the latest Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) were utilized. The climatic analysis was conducted in three steps of (I) evaluation of models' performance comparing with CRU data in 1979-2020, (II) rank the models based on Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) in Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) technique including eight metrics and (III) analysis of performance of the high-ranked models for 2021-2050. Results showed that CMIP6-GCMs generated lower satisfactory and consistency in simulating precipitation than temperature. The three models of CESM2-WACCM-FV2, MPI-ESM1-2-LR and IITM-ESM (MPI-ESM1-2-LR and UKESM1-0-LL and ACCESS-CM2) outperformed the others in simulating temperature (precipitation), while the MIROC6 (MIROC-ES2L) model performed the weakest. The MPI-ESM1-2-LR, UKESM1-0-LL and ACCESS-CM2 models achieved the highest rank for the both climate variables. Regarding the high-ranked models, analysis of the CMIP6-GCMs for 2021-2050 showed that the increase of 2.5-3.4 (2.2-3.1) K for the maximum temperature in SSP5-8.5 (SSP3-7.0) scenario is probable. Both scenarios showed an increasing (decreasing) trend for temperature (precipitation) in the future. Conclusively, the considered area will experience a remarkable increase in temperature and significant decrease in precipitation amount. It should be noted that the results from the global models will be exacerbated by any mistake in policy making.
Does Medical Disparity Exist while Treating Severe Mental Illness Patients with Acute Appendicitis in Emergency Departments? A Real-World Database Study
Authors: Chaou Chung-Hsien , Hung Shang-Kai , Kou Hao-Wei , Wu Kai-Hsiang , Chen Shou-Yen , Li Chih-Huang , Lee Chao-Wei , Hung Yu-Yung , Gao Shi-Ying , Wu Po-Han , Hsieh Chiao-Hsuan
Published: January 2022

Background: Patients with severe mental illness (SMI) have a shorter life expectancy and have been considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a vulnerable group. As the causes for this mortality gap are complex, clarification regarding the contributing factors is crucial to improving the health care of SMI patients. Acute appendicitis is one of the most common indicators of emergency surgery worldwide. A higher perforation rate has been found among psychiatric patients. This study aims to evaluate the differences in appendiceal perforation rate, emergency department (ED) management, in-hospital outcomes, and in-hospital expenditure among acute appendicitis patients with or without SMI via the use of a multi-centre database.Methods: Relying on Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD) for data, we selectively used its data from January 1st, 2007 to December 31st, 2017. The diagnoses of acute appendicitis and SMI were confirmed by combining ICD codes with relevant medical records. A non-SMI patient group was matched at the ratio of 1:3 by using the Greedy algorithm. The outcomes were appendiceal perforation rate, ED treatment, in-hospital outcome, and in-hospital expenditure.Results: A total of 25,766 patients from seven hospitals over a span of 11 years were recruited; among them, 11,513 were excluded by criteria, with 14,253 patients left for analysis. SMI group was older (50.46 vs. 44.43 years, p < 0.01) and had a higher percentage of females (56.52 vs. 44.43%, p = 0.01) and Charlson Comorbidity Index. An analysis of the matched group has revealed that the SMI group has a higher unscheduled 72-hour revisit to ED (17.93 vs. 10.38%, p = 0.01). There was no significant difference in appendiceal perforation rate, ED treatment, in-hospital outcome, and in-hospital expenditure.Conclusions: Our study demonstrated no obvious differences in appendiceal perforation rate, ED management, in-hospital outcomes, and in-hospital expenditure among SMI and non-SMI patients with acute appendicitis. A higher unscheduled 72-hour ED revisit rate prior to the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in the SMI group was found. ED health providers need to be cautious when it comes to SMI patients with vague symptoms or unspecified abdominal complaints.
Doctors’ Experiences of Providing Sexual and Reproductive Health Care at Catholic Hospitals in the Conflict-Affected North-West Region of Cameroon
Authors: Awasom-Fru Adama , Sop Maturin Désiré Sop , Larsson Elin , Wees Sibylle Herzig van
Published: January 2022

Background: Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care services are essential to improving the lives of women and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The Catholic Church is one the biggest non-governmental suppliers of health care in sub-Saharan Africa, including Cameroon but their role in providing SRH care is restricted by religious norms and values. This study explored doctors’ experiences and perceptions of providing SRH care at Catholic hospitals in a conflict affected area in Cameroon. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using ten semi-structured interviews with general practitioners from three Catholic hospitals in North-West region in Cameroon. Qualitative coding was done with assistance from Nvivo 12.0, data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The findings are presented in three main themes. Respondents describe (1) strict rules and a broad range of challenges to providing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care services. Nonetheless there is evidence of (2) doctors overcoming obstacles to providing sexual and reproductive healthcare through referrals, provision of care in secrecy and occasional negotiating with the hospital administration. Despite overcoming challenges, participants describe numerous examples of (3) poor sexual and reproductive health care and poor health outcomes, including avoidable deaths. Conclusion: This study shows that understanding the intersect between religion and women’s health remains important, particularly in improving access to sexual and reproductive health to vulnerable populations in conflict affected areas. It further provides insight into doctors’ motivations to practicing medicine and how doctors cope and make efforts to provide care and minimize harm
Shell biomineralization and the role of nutritional quality on physiological traits of the marine turban snail Tegula atra
Authors: Benítez Samanta , Lagos Nelson A , Griesshaber Erika , López Jorge , Villanueva Paola A , Moscoso Felipe , Navarro Jorge M
Published: January 2022

Herbivorous molluscs represent one of the greatest grazing impacts on abundance and diversity of primary producers in benthic ecosystems. However, shell biomineralization and the effects of nutritional content of kelp species on the physiological rate of herbivorous snails inhabiting intertidal-subtidal environments have scarcely been evaluated. Here, we investigated the mineralogy and organic composition of the shell on the marine turban snail Tegula atra. In addition, we conducted manipulative experiments to compare the nutritional quality of two kelp species, Lessonia spicata and Macrocystis pyrifera, and their influence on the feeding behavior and physiological rates of this snail species. Our results showed that the shell of T. atra consists of an outer calcitic and an inner aragonitic layer. Proteins were the main organic compounds at the inner surface of the shell, which showed an inverse pattern respect to carbonate signal. Experimental results demonstrated that L. spicata had the highest nutritional value (i.e., high organic matter and protein content), and was the preferred alga, compared with M. pyrifera in a choice experiment. However, no significant differences on consumption rate were found when the snails were maintained on a single algal species. Absorption efficiency and oxygen uptake were significatively higher for snails reared with L. spicata than M. pyrifera, but growth rate was similar. These results suggest that high metabolic activity was compensated by the high absorption efficiency of T. atra when it consumed the preferred L. spicata, which could explain the lack of relationship between preference and growth rate.
Construction of an infectious full‑length and eGFP-tagged cDNA clone of a chilli ringspot virus isolate from Yunnan province, China
Authors: Hua Mengying , Jiang Shanshan , Yuan Enping , Wan Qionglian , Wang Liyan , Lu Yuwen , Zheng Hongying , Chen Hairu , Chen Jianping , Yan Fei , Wang Shaoxiang , Peng Jiejun
Published: January 2022

Chilli ringspot virus (ChiRSV; genus Potyvirus) was one of several viruses previously detected in pepper samples with severe yellowing and curling symptoms growing in Wenshan, Yunan province, China. We now report the full-length sequence of ChiRSV-YN/Wenshan (MZ269480) which has 88.5-98.9%. nucleotide identity to other published ChiRSV isolates. A full-length cDNA infectious clone was constructed. This cDNA and an eGFP-tagged clone were infectious leading to systemic symptoms in both Nicotiana benthamiana and Capsicum spp. Single infection by ChiRSV caused mild mosaic or leaf crinkling in Capsicum frutescens L. and Capsicum annuum L.
DNA Metabarcoding identifies urban foraging patterns of oligolectic and polylectic cavity-nesting bees
Authors: Fernandes Kristen Marie Rose , Prendergast Kit , Bateman Philip W , Saunders Benjamin J , Gibberd Mark , Bunce Michael , Nevill Paul
Published: January 2022

Urbanisation modifies natural landscapes resulting in built-up space and managed green spaces that often substitute native plant species with exotics. Some native bee species have been able to adapt to urban environments, foraging and reproducing in these highly modified areas. However, little is known on how the foraging ecology of native bees is affected by urbanised environments, and whether impacts vary among species with different degrees of specialisation for pollen collection. Here, we aim to investigate the responses of native bee foraging behaviour to urbanisation, using DNA metabarcoding to identify the resources within nesting tubes. We targeted oligolectic (specialist) and polylectic (generalist) cavity-nesting bee species in residential gardens and remnant bushland habitats. We were able to identify 40 families, 50 genera, and 23 species of plants, including exotic species. Oligolectic bee species had higher alpha diversity of plant pollen in their nesting tubes in residential gardens compared to bushland habitats, along with significantly different forage composition between the two habitats. This result implies a greater degree of forage flexibility and urban adaptation for oligolectic bee species than previously thought. In contrast, the richness and composition of plant forage in polylectic bee nesting tubes did not vary between the two habitat types. Our results suggest a complex response of cavity-nesting bees to urbanisation and support the need for additional research to understand how the shifts in foraging resources impact overall bee health.
Transcriptome Analysis of Aedes Albopictus Midguts Infected by Dengue Virus Identifies a Gene Network Module Highly Associated with Temperature
Authors: Liu Zhuanzhuan , Xu Ye , Li Yudi , Xu Shihong , Li Yiji , Xiao Ling , Chen Xiaoguang , He Cheng , Zheng Kui-Yang
Published: January 2022

Background: Dengue is prevalent worldwide and transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. Temperature is a strong driver of dengue transmission. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Aedes albopictus mosquitoes exposed or not to dengue virus (DENV)-2 were reared at 23°C, 28°C and 32°C, and midguts and residual tissues were evaluated at 7 days after infection. RNA sequencing of midgut “pools” from the control group (CT), midgut breakthrough group (MB) and midgut nonbreakthrough group (MNB) at different temperatures was performed. The transcriptomic profiles were analyzed using the R package, followed by weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) and KEGG analysis to identify the important molecular mechanisms regulated by temperature. Results: The midgut infection rate (MIR) and midgut breakthrough rate (MBR) at 28°C and 32°C were significantly higher than those at 23°C, which indicates that high temperature facilitates DENV-2 breakthrough in the Ae. albopictus midgut. Transcriptome sequencing was performed to investigate the antiviral mechanism in the midgut. The results show that the midgut gene expression datasets clustered regarding temperature, blood feeding and midgut breakthrough. Over 1500 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by pairwise comparisons of midguts at different temperatures. To assess key molecules regulated by temperature, we used WGCNA to identify 28 modules of co-expressed genes, and the ME3 module correlated with temperature. KEGG analysis indicates that RNA degradation, Toll and IMD signaling and other pathways are regulated by temperature. Conclusions: Temperature affects the infection and breakthrough of Ae. albopictus midguts invaded by DENV-2, and Ae. albopictus midgut transcriptomes change with temperature. The candidate genes and key pathways regulated by temperature provide targets for the prevention and control of dengue.
Primary healthcare professionals’ perspectives on patient help-seeking for lung cancer warning signs and symptoms: a qualitative study
Authors: Saab Mohamad M. , O'Driscoll Michelle , FitzGerald Serena , Sahm Laura J. , Leahy-Warren Patricia , Noonan Brendan , Kilty Caroline , Lyons Noreen , Burns Heather E. , Kennedy Una , Lyng Áine , Hegarty Josephine
Published: January 2022

Background

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer incidence and mortality worldwide. Prompt patient help-seeking for signs and symptoms suggestive of lung cancer is crucial for early referral, diagnosis, and survivorship. However, patients diagnosed with lung cancer tend to delay help-seeking. This qualitative study explored perceived barriers to patient help-seeking and strategies to enhance help-seeking for lung cancer warning signs and symptoms from the perspective of primary healthcare professionals.
Methods

Semi-structured focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with 36 primary healthcare professionals. Data were collected via videoconferencing. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted.
Results

The following two themes were created from the data: (i) perceived barriers to patient help-seeking for signs and symptoms of concern and (ii) facilitating early patient presentation for signs and symptoms of concern. Some participants believed that the high cost of a general practitioner visit, long waiting times, and previous bad experiences with the healthcare system would deter patients from seeking help for symptoms of lung cancer. Perceived patient-related barriers to help-seeking related to the different emotions associated with a potential cancer diagnosis as well as embarrassment and guilt felt by smokers. Socio-demographic factors such as drug use, homelessness, living in rural areas, and being male and older were also perceived to impede patient help-seeking. The negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer help-seeking also featured strongly. Participants recommended several strategies to enable patients to seek help for symptoms of concern including targeted educational campaigns focussing on symptoms (e.g., cough) rather than behaviours (e.g., smoking), accessible and free health services, and using patients’ support networks.
Conclusions

Patient-related and healthcare system-related barriers to help-seeking for lung cancer warning signs and symptoms include cost of healthcare, cancer fear, and various socio-demographic factors. Increased awareness and early patient help-seeking for symptoms of concern can be achieved through targeted patient education, national campaigns, the use of community support networks, and free and accessible screening services.
Diurnal Oscillation of The Gut Microbiome: A Culture-Based Analysis
Authors: Amando Guilherme Rodriguez , Tonon André Comiran , Constantino Débora Barroggi , Hidalgo Maria Paz Loayza , Montagner Francisco
Published: January 2022

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Quality Improvement Interventions to Prevent Unplanned Extubations in Pediatric Critical Care: A Systematic Review
Authors: Wollny Krista , Cui Sara , McNeil Deborah , Benzies Karen , Parsons Simon J. , Sajobi Tolulope , Metcalfe Amy
Published: January 2022

Background An unplanned extubation is the uncontrolled and accidental removal of a breathing tube. The health impact of an unplanned extubation ranges from minimal to life-threatening, but this is an important quality indicator in pediatric critical care. ObjectiveTo comprehensively synthesize literature published on quality improvement (QI) practices implemented to reduce the rate of unplanned extubations in critically ill children. Methods Data Sources and Study Selection: A search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, and CINHAL from inception through April 29, 2021. Two reviewers independently screened citations in duplicate using pre-determined eligibility criteria. Data Extraction and Data Synthesis: Data from included studies were abstracted using a tool created by the authors, and QI interventions were categorized using the Behavior Change Wheel. Study quality was assessed using the Quality Improvement Minimum Quality Criteria Set (QI-MQCS). Results were presented as descriptive statistics and narrative syntheses. ResultsTwelve studies were included in the final review. Ten described primary QI projects; two were sustainability studies that followed up on previously described QI interventions. Half of the included studies were rated as high-quality. The median number of QI interventions described by each study was 4.5 [IQR 4-5], with a focus on guidelines, environmental restructuring, education, training, and communication. Nine studies reported decreased unplanned extubation rates after the QI intervention; of these, six had statistically significant reductions. Both sustainability studies observed increased rates that were not statistically significant. ConclusionsThis review provides a comprehensive synthesis of QI interventions to reduce unplanned extubation. With only half the studies achieving a high-quality rating, there is room for improvement when conducting and reporting research in this area. Findings from this review can be used to support clinical recommendations to prevent unplanned extubations, and support patient safety in pediatric critical care. Systematic Review RegistrationThis review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021252233) prior to data extraction.
The impacts of primary tumor location on risk factors for recurrence in patients with advanced stage II colon cancer undergoing curative resection
Authors: Obana Ayato , Koyama Motoi
Published: January 2022

Purpose

It has been reported that colon tumors show different characteristics according to the location of the primary tumor (left vs. right side). The aim of this study was to identify and compare clinicopathological risk factors for colon cancer recurrence based on primary tumor location, specifically, the right versus left colon.
Methods

A total of 235 patients with stage II colon cancer (including rectosigmoid cancer) who underwent curative resection with D2 or above lymph node dissection in multiple acute hospitals were analyzed retrospectively to compare clinicopathological risk factors and prognosis for recurrence of tumors originating in the right or left colon. Multivariate analysis of overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were modeled using the Cox-hazard model.
Results

For right-sided tumors, multivariate analysis revealed that no independent risk factors were associated with recurrence. In contrast, the risk factors associated with recurrence in left-sided tumors were perineural invasion and venous invasion. The 5-year overall survival rates and recurrence-free survival rates for patients with right and left side-originating tumors were comparable (OS: 93.0% and 93.3%, RFS: 93.0% and 88.3%, respectively).
Conclusion

Different clinicopathological risk factors for recurrence were identified in patients with right- vs. left-sided stage II colon cancer.
Cone Bioassays Provide Reproducible Bioefficacy Estimates with Different Anopheline Mosquitoes and Can Be Used for Quality Assurance of Pyrethroid Insecticide Treated Nets
Authors: Mbwambo Stephen Gabriel , Bubun Nakei , Mbuba Emmanuel , Moore Jason , Mbina Kasiani , Kamande Dismas , Laman Moses , Mpolya Emmanuel , Odufuwa Olukayode , Freeman Tim , Karl Stephan , Moore Sarah J
Published: January 2022

Background

Quality assurance (QA) of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) delivered to malaria-endemic countries is conducted by measuring physiochemical parameters, but not bioefficacy against malaria mosquitoes. The cone bioassay provides a simple evaluation of ITN bioefficacy and its conditions and parameters are prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO). This study explored utility of cone bioassays for pre-delivery QA of pyrethroid ITNs in two test facilities using different mosquito species to test the assumption that cone bioassays are consistent and reproducible across locations, mosquito strains, and laboratories.
Methods

Double-blinded bioassays were conducted on unused pyrethroid ITNs of 4 brands (5 nets/brand, 5 subsamples/net) that had been delivered for mass distribution in Papua New Guinea (PNG) having passed physiochemical testing of chemical content. Cone bioassays were performed on adjacent net pieces following WHO guidelines at the PNG Institute of Medical Research (PNGIMR) using pyrethroid susceptible Anopheles farauti s.s. and at Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), Tanzania using pyrethroid susceptible Anopheles gambiae s.s. Additionally, WHO tunnel tests was conducted at IHI on ITNs that did not meet cone bioefficacy thresholds. Results from IHI and PNGIMR were compared using Spearman’s Rank, Bland Altman and Cohen’s kappa. A literature review on the utility of cone bioassays for unused pyrethroid ITNs testing was also conducted.
Results

In cone bioassays, 13/20 nets (65%) met WHO bioefficacy criteria at IHI and 8/20 (40%) at PNGIMR. All nets met WHO bioefficacy criteria on combined cone/tunnel tests. Results from IHI and PNGIMR correlated on 60-minute knockdown (rs=0.6,p=0.002,n=20) and 24-hour mortality (rs=0.9,p<0.0001,n=20) but there was systematic bias between the results measured by Bland Altman. Of the 5 nets with discrepant result between IHI and PNGIMR, three had confidence intervals overlapping the 80% mortality threshold, with averages within 1-3% of the threshold. The agreement between the results to predict ITN failure was good with kappa=0.79 (0.53-1.00) and 90% accuracy.
Conclusions

WHO cone is a reproducible means to measure pyrethroid ITN bioefficacy using a combination of knockdown and mortality. In the absence of an alternative tests, cone tests could be used to assess the availability of active ingredients at the surface of ITN (where mosquitoes encounter it) as part of pre-delivery QA.
Identification of Combination Drug Interaction With Selected Targets of Globlastoma Multiforme Based on Drug Properties and Complex Energy of Docked Complex: a New Approach in Docking Study
Authors: Younus Saleena , S.S VinodChandra , K Sheeba , S.Nair Achuthsankar
Published: January 2022

Combination drug treatments are frequently used in many diseases, including cancers and AIDS. The main aims of these treatments are to reduce toxicity and improve drug efficacy by inhibiting the activity of a specific target or groups of targets in a cell. The net effect of combination drug efficacy is mainly quantified and interpreted by various terminologies like synergy, additive, agonism, and antagonism based on drugs dose ratio. In single or combination drug treatment, drug action occurs on cells due to the intermolecular level interaction of drugs with protein/DNA/RNA/Enzyme. This type of inter-molecular level interaction can be detected with the help of docking software. However, in the case of combination drug treatments, it is very challenging to identify the multiple drug interaction on each protein with docking score and binding energy. So the proposed work does not follow the classical approach of docking study to predicting the result based on docking score and binding energy. Here we consider drug properties and complex energy of the multiple drug binded complexes for predicting the result. Based on this study, we identified the intermolecular level interaction of synergistic effect showed drugs Crizotinib and Temozolomide in C-MET, C-ROS1, and ALK targets of Glioblastoma Multiforme(GBM) and identified the most stable drug complexes by MD simulation.
Electrostatically functionalized CVD grown multiwalled carbon nanotube/palladium nanocomposite (MWCNT/Pd) for methane detection at room temperature
Authors: Shukla Prashant , Saxena Pooja , Madhwal Devinder , Bhardwaj Nitin , Jain V. K.
Published: January 2022

By reducing the aqueous mixture of electrostatically modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNT) and palladium (Pd) using NaBH4, a nanocomposite was synthesized. The syllable structure of the f-MWCNT and f-MWCNT/ Pd nanocomposite was investigated by analytical tools FESEM and TEM respectively. f-MWCNTs matrix reinforced with Pd nanoparticles are utilized for sensing methane with its dilution varying from 0.5-100 ppm in air at room temperature (RT=27°C). The f-MWNT/Pd nanocomposite-based sensor for methane gas show several merits over conventional catalytic beads and MOS based sensors in context of reduced size, reduced power consumption and ease of fabrication. At room temperature, the nanocomposite's temporal electrical responses to methane were measured. It exhibited a response magnitude of ∼20-45.71% with a small variation of ±2% towards 0.5-100 ppm methane. Furthermore, the responses were extremely reversible and repeatable, implying that it may be used to detect methane at ambient temperature. It has also been demonstrated experimentally that an excellent response time (≈ 20 s) and the recovery time (≈ 25 s) for these devices were recorded for methane. The influence of external temperature and humidity on the methane sensor was also investigated in order to assess its long-term stability and self-life. The results showed that very small change is observed over a wide of temperature from 25-70oC and that for %Rh from 20-90%. Therefore, the reported methane sensor absolutely demonstrated long-term stability at ambient conditions and hence, these devices can prove to be ideal for methane leakage detection for practical real time applications. A sensing mechanism by which methane is detected by f-MWCNT/Pd nanocomposite is also elaborately discussed.
Prognostic Value of Pericoronary Adipose Tissue Attenuation in Patients With Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease With Suspected Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Miyoshi Toru , Ichikawa Keishi , Nakashima Mitsutaka , Nishihara Takahiro , Osawa Kazuhiro , Miki Takashi , Toda Hironobu , Yoshida Masatoki , Ito Hiroshi
Published: January 2022

Purpose: Pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) attenuation on coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) has emerged as a marker for pericoronary inflammation. We investigated the prognostic value of PCAT attenuation in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).Methods: We enrolled 232 patients with NAFLD and suspected coronary artery disease who underwent coronary CTA. NAFLD was defined by abdominal computed tomography (CT) as a ratio of hepatic attenuation to spleen attenuation of <1.0. PCAT attenuation values were assessed by crude analysis of the mean CT attenuation values of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and right coronary artery (RCA). Luminal stenosis and high-risk plaque features were examined as coronary CTA findings. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular (CV) death, nonfatal acute coronary syndrome, and hospitalization for heart failure.Results: During a median follow-up of 4.9 years, 17 patients experienced CV events. LAD-PCAT attenuation in patients with CV events was higher than that without CV events (−66.9±7.0 versus −70.5±6.6; p=0.032), while RCA-PCAT attenuation was not. LAD-PCAT attenuation and high-risk plaque features were independent predictors of CV events. The addition of LAD-PCAT attenuation to high-risk plaque features increased the C-statistics and global chi-square from 0.66 to 0.75 (p=0.042) and 6.8 to 12.7 (p=0.015), respectively. The net reclassification achieved by adding LAD-PCAT attenuation to the high-risk plaque features was 0.494 (p=0.041).Conclusion: High LAD-PCAT attenuation was an independent predictor of CV events in patients with NAFLD regardless of CTA-verified high-risk plaque features. Additionally, LAD-PCAT attenuation had incremental prognostic value over high-risk plaque features.