bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Insulin resistance contributes to racial disparities in breast cancer prognosis in US women
Authors: Gallagher Emily J. , Fei Kezhen , Feldman Sheldon M. , Port Elisa , Friedman Neil B. , Boolbol Susan K. , Killelea Brigid , Pilewskie Melissa , Choi Lydia , King Tari , Nayak Anupma , Franco Rebeca , Cruz Daliz , Antoniou Irini M. , LeRoith Derek , Bickell Nina A.
Published: May 2020

Background

Racial disparities in breast cancer survival between Black and White women persist across all stages of breast cancer. The metabolic syndrome (MetS) of insulin resistance disproportionately affects more Black than White women. It has not been discerned if insulin resistance mediates the link between race and poor prognosis in breast cancer. We aimed to determine whether insulin resistance mediates in part the association between race and breast cancer prognosis, and if insulin receptor (IR) and insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) expression differs between tumors from Black and White women.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional, multi-center study across ten hospitals. Self-identified Black women and White women with newly diagnosed invasive breast cancer were recruited. The primary outcome was to determine if insulin resistance, which was calculated using the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), mediated the effect of race on prognosis using the multivariate linear mediation model. Demographic data, anthropometric measurements, and fasting blood were collected. Poor prognosis was defined as a Nottingham Prognostic Index (NPI) > 4.4. Breast cancer pathology specimens were evaluated for IR and IGF-1R expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Results

Five hundred fifteen women were recruited (83% White, 17% Black). The MetS was more prevalent in Black women than in White women (40% vs 20%, p < 0.0001). HOMA-IR was higher in Black women than in White women (1.9 ± 1.2 vs 1.3 ± 1.4, p = 0.0005). Poor breast cancer prognosis was more prevalent in Black women than in White women (28% vs 15%. p = 0.004). HOMA-IR was positively associated with NPI score (r = 0.1, p = 0.02). The mediation model, adjusted for age, revealed that HOMA-IR significantly mediated the association between Black race and poor prognosis (β = 0.04, 95% CI 0.005–0.009, p = 0.002). IR expression was higher in tumors from Black women than in those from White women (79% vs 52%, p = 0.004), and greater IR/IGF-1R ratio was also associated with higher NPI score (IR/IGF-1R >  1: 4.2 ± 0.8 vs IR/IGF-1R = 1: 3.9 ± 0.8 vs IR/IGF-1R < 1: 3.5 ± 1.0, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

In this multi-center, cross-sectional study of US women with newly diagnosed invasive breast cancer, insulin resistance is one factor mediating part of the association between race and poor prognosis in breast cancer.
Compressing gene expression data using multiple latent space dimensionalities learns complementary biological representations
Authors: Way Gregory P. , Zietz Michael , Rubinetti Vincent , Himmelstein Daniel S. , Greene Casey S.
Published: May 2020

Background

Unsupervised compression algorithms applied to gene expression data extract latent or hidden signals representing technical and biological sources of variation. However, these algorithms require a user to select a biologically appropriate latent space dimensionality. In practice, most researchers fit a single algorithm and latent dimensionality. We sought to determine the extent by which selecting only one fit limits the biological features captured in the latent representations and, consequently, limits what can be discovered with subsequent analyses.

Results

We compress gene expression data from three large datasets consisting of adult normal tissue, adult cancer tissue, and pediatric cancer tissue. We train many different models across a large range of latent space dimensionalities and observe various performance differences. We identify more curated pathway gene sets significantly associated with individual dimensions in denoising autoencoder and variational autoencoder models trained using an intermediate number of latent dimensionalities. Combining compressed features across algorithms and dimensionalities captures the most pathway-associated representations. When trained with different latent dimensionalities, models learn strongly associated and generalizable biological representations including sex, neuroblastoma MYCN amplification, and cell types. Stronger signals, such as tumor type, are best captured in models trained at lower dimensionalities, while more subtle signals such as pathway activity are best identified in models trained with more latent dimensionalities.

Conclusions

There is no single best latent dimensionality or compression algorithm for analyzing gene expression data. Instead, using features derived from different compression models across multiple latent space dimensionalities enhances biological representations.
Chromatin topology reorganization and transcription repression by PML-RARα in acute promyeloid leukemia
Authors: Wang Ping , Tang Zhonghui , Lee Byoungkoo , Zhu Jacqueline Jufen , Cai Liuyang , Szalaj Przemyslaw , Tian Simon Zhongyuan , Zheng Meizhen , Plewczynski Dariusz , Ruan Xiaoan , Liu Edison T. , Wei Chia-Lin , Ruan Yijun
Published: May 2020

Background

Acute promyeloid leukemia (APL) is characterized by the oncogenic fusion protein PML-RARα, a major etiological agent in APL. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of PML-RARα in leukemogenesis remain largely unknown.

Results

Using an inducible system, we comprehensively analyze the 3D genome organization in myeloid cells and its reorganization after PML-RARα induction and perform additional analyses in patient-derived APL cells with native PML-RARα. We discover that PML-RARα mediates extensive chromatin interactions genome-wide. Globally, it redefines the chromatin topology of the myeloid genome toward a more condensed configuration in APL cells; locally, it intrudes RNAPII-associated interaction domains, interrupts myeloid-specific transcription factors binding at enhancers and super-enhancers, and leads to transcriptional repression of genes critical for myeloid differentiation and maturation.

Conclusions

Our results not only provide novel topological insights for the roles of PML-RARα in transforming myeloid cells into leukemia cells, but further uncover a topological framework of a molecular mechanism for oncogenic fusion proteins in cancers.
Retaining participants in community-based health research: a case example on standardized planning and reporting
Authors: Catherine Nicole L. A. , Lever Rosemary , Marcellus Lenora , Tallon Corinne , Sheehan Debbie , MacMillan Harriet , Gonzalez Andrea , Jack Susan M. , Waddell Charlotte
Published: May 2020

Background

Effective strategies for participant retention are critical in health research to ensure validity, generalizability and efficient use of resources. Yet standardized guidelines for planning and reporting on retention efforts have been lacking. As with randomized controlled trial (RCT) and systematic review (SR) protocols, retention protocols are an opportunity to improve transparency and rigor. An RCT being conducted in British Columbia (BC), Canada provides a case example for developing a priori retention frameworks for use in protocol planning and reporting.

Methods

The BC Healthy Connections Project RCT is examining the effectiveness of a nurse home-visiting program in improving child and maternal outcomes compared with existing services. Participants (N = 739) were girls and young women preparing to parent for the first time and experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage. Quantitative data were collected upon trial entry during pregnancy and during five follow-up interviews until participants’ children reached age 2 years. A framework was developed to guide retention of this study population throughout the RCT. We reviewed relevant literature and mapped essential retention activities across the study planning, recruitment and maintenance phases. Interview completion rates were tracked.

Results

Results from 3302 follow-up interviews (in-person/telephone) conducted over 4 years indicate high completion rates: 90% (n = 667) at 34 weeks gestation; and 91% (n = 676), 85% (n = 626), 80% (n = 594) and 83% (n = 613) at 2, 10, 18 and 24 months postpartum, respectively. Almost all participants (99%, n = 732) provided ongoing consent to access administrative health data. These results provide preliminary data on the success of the framework.

Conclusions

Our retention results are encouraging given that participants were experiencing considerable socioeconomic disadvantage. Standardized retention planning and reporting may therefore be feasible for health research in general, using the framework we have developed. Use of standardized retention protocols should be encouraged in research to promote consistency across diverse studies, as now happens with RCT and SR protocols. Beyond this, successful retention approaches may help inform health policy-makers and practitioners who also need to better reach, engage and retain underserved populations.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01672060. Registered on 24 August 2012.
Spatial variation in the frequency of knockdown resistance genotypes in Florida Aedes aegypti populations
Authors: Mundis Stephanie J. , Estep Alden S. , Waits Christy M. , Ryan Sadie J.
Published: May 2020

Background

The development of insecticide resistance in disease-vectoring mosquito species can lead to vector control failure and disease resurgence. However, insecticide applications remain an essential public health intervention. In Florida, insecticide resistance in Aedes aegypti, an anthropophilic mosquito species capable of transmitting dengue, chikungunya, and Zika virus, is a major concern. Understanding the location, scale, and driving factors of insecticide resistance can enhance the ability of vector control organizations to target populations effectively.

Methods

We used previously collected data on frequencies of mutations that confer resistance to commonly used pyrethroid insecticides in Ae. aegypti specimens from 62 sites distributed across 18 counties in Florida. To determine the scale of clustering for the most resistant variant, we used a Ripley’s K function. We also used a spatial scanning statistic technique to identify locations of clusters where higher than expected frequencies of susceptible or resistant mosquitoes occurred. We then tested for associations between landscape, demographic, and insecticide-use factors using a beta regression modelling approach and evaluated the effect of spatial lag and spatial error terms on overall explanatory power of these models.

Results

The scale at which maximum clustering of the most resistant variant occurs is approximately 20 kilometers. We identified statistically significant clusters of genotypes associated with resistance in several coastal cities, although some of these clusters were near significant clusters of susceptible mosquitoes, indicating selection pressures vary at the local scale. Vegetation density, distance from roads, and pyrethroid-use by vector control districts were consistently significant predictors of knockdown resistance genotype frequency in the top-performing beta regression models, although pyrethroid use surprisingly had a negatively associated with resistance. The incorporation of spatial lags resulted in improvements to the fit and explanatory power of the models, indicating an underlying diffusion process likely explains some of the spatial patterns observed.

Conclusions

The genetic mutations that confer resistance to pyrethroids in Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in Florida exhibit spatial autocorrelation and patterns that can be partially explained by landscape and insecticide-use factors. Further work at local scales should be able to identify the mechanisms by which these variables influence selection for alleles associated with resistance.
Increased serum calpain activity is associated with HMGB1 levels in systemic sclerosis
Authors: Zheng Ji-Na , Li Yang , Yan Yue-Mei , Yu Yong , Shao Wen-Qi , Wang Qiang
Published: May 2020

Background

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) or scleroderma is an intractable autoimmune disorder that affects multiple organs. The objectives were to investigate clinical correlations of serum calpain activity and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) levels with immunological and clinical traits.

Methods

A total of 31 patients with SSc, 20 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects (HC), and 10 patients with other connective tissue diseases (CTD) were recruited in the study. We measured serum calpain activity and HMGB1 levels and analyzed the datasets (GSE40839, GSE48149, GSE76808, GSE81292, GSE33463, and GSE58095) from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to explore the potential mechanism by which calpain exerts its function through bioinformatics methods.

Results

Serum calpain activity was significantly increased in patients with SSc compared with those in HC and in patients with CTD and was correlated with serum HMGB1 levels, modified Rodnan skin score, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, mean platelet volume, and plateletcrit. Notably, serum calpain activity and HMGB1 levels in SSc patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) were significantly higher than those in SSc patients without ILD. Serum calpain activity and HMGB1 levels could be the independent risk factors for SSc-ILD and novel biomarkers in patients with SSc.

Conclusion

This is the first study that reports increased serum calpain activity and the correlation between calpain and HMGB1 in patients with SSc or SSc-ILD. The serum calpain activity and HMGB1 levels may serve as measures of ILD in patients with SSc. Also, calpain and HMGB1 could be potential therapeutic targets for patients with SSc or SSc-ILD in the future.
Hypermethylation and decreased expression of TMEM240 are potential early-onset biomarkers for colorectal cancer detection, poor prognosis, and early recurrence prediction
Authors: Chang Shih-Ching , Liew Phui-Ly , Ansar Muhamad , Lin Shih-Yun , Wang Sheng-Chao , Hung Chin-Sheng , Chen Jian-Yu , Jain Shikha , Lin Ruo-Kai
Published: May 2020

Background

Gene silencing by aberrant DNA methylation of promoter regions remains the most dominant phenomenon occurring during tumorigenesis. Improving the early diagnosis, prognosis, and recurrence prediction of colorectal cancer using noninvasive aberrant DNA methylation biomarkers has encouraging potential. The aim of this study is to characterize the DNA methylation of the promoter region of TMEM240, as well as gene expression and its effect on cell biological functions and its applications in early detection and outcome prediction.

Results

Highly methylated CpG sites were identified in the TMEM240 gene by Illumina methylation 450K arrays in 26 Taiwanese patient paired samples and 38 paired samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) colorectal cancer dataset. Transient transfection and knockdown of TMEM240 were performed to demonstrate the role of TMEM240 in colorectal cancer cells. The data showed that TMEM240 could lead to G1 cell cycle arrest, repress cancer cell proliferation, and inhibit cancer cell migration. The quantitative methylation-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results revealed that 87.8% (480 of 547) of the colorectal cancer tumors had hypermethylated TMEM240, and this was also found in benign tubular adenomas (55.6%). Circulating cell-free methylated TMEM240 was detected in 13 of 25 (52.0%) Taiwanese colorectal cancer patients but in fewer (28.6%) healthy controls. In 72.0% (85/118) of tissue samples, TMEM240 mRNA expression was lower in Taiwanese CRC tumor tissues than in normal colorectal tissues according to real-time reverse transcription PCR results, and this was also found in benign tubular adenomas (44.4%). The TMEM240 protein was analyzed in South Korean and Chinese CRC patient samples using immunohistochemistry. The results exhibited low protein expression in 91.7% (100/109) of tumors and 75.0% (24/32) of metastatic tumors but exhibited high expression in 75.0% (6/8) of normal colon tissues. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis found that mRNA expression of TMEM240 was significantly associated with overall, cancer-specific, and recurrence-free survival (p = 0.012, 0.007, and 0.022, respectively).

Conclusions

Alterations in TMEM240 are commonly found in Western and Asian populations and can potentially be used for early prediction and as poor prognosis and early-recurrence biomarkers in colorectal cancer.
Recruitability and effect of PEEP in SARS-Cov-2-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome
Authors: Beloncle François M. , Pavlovsky Bertrand , Desprez Christophe , Fage Nicolas , Olivier Pierre-Yves , Asfar Pierre , Richard Jean-Christophe , Mercat Alain
Published: May 2020

Background

A large proportion of patients with a SARS-Cov-2-associated respiratory failure develop an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). It has been recently suggested that SARS-Cov-2-associated ARDS may differ from usual non-SARS-Cov-2-associated ARDS by higher respiratory system compliance (CRS), lower potential for recruitment with positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) contrasting with severe shunt fraction. The purpose of the study was to systematically assess respiratory mechanics and recruitability in SARS-Cov-2-associated ARDS.

Methods

Gas exchanges, CRS and hemodynamics were assessed at 2 levels of PEEP (15 cmH2O and 5 cmH2O) within 36 h (day1) and from 4 to 6 days (day 5) after intubation. The recruited volume was computed as the difference between the volume expired from PEEP 15 to 5 cmH2O and the volume predicted by compliance at PEEP 5 cmH2O (or above airway opening pressure). The recruitment-to-inflation (R/I) ratio (i.e. the ratio between the recruited lung compliance and CRS at PEEP 5 cmH2O) was used to assess lung recruitability. A R/I ratio value higher than or equal to 0.5 was used to define highly recruitable patients.

Results

The R/I ratio was calculated in 25 of the 26 enrolled patients at day 1 and in 15 patients at day 5. At day 1, 16 (64%) were considered as highly recruitable (R/I ratio median [interquartile range] 0.7 [0.55–0.94]) and 9 (36%) were considered as poorly recruitable (R/I ratio 0.41 [0.31–0.48]). The PaO2/FiO2 ratio at PEEP 15 cmH2O was higher compared to PEEP 5 cmH2O only in highly recruitable patients (173 [139–236] vs 135 [89–167] mmHg; p < 0.01). Neither PaO2/FiO2 or CRS measured at PEEP 15 cmH2O or at PEEP 5 cmH2O nor changes in PaO2/FiO2 or CRS in response to PEEP changes allowed to identify highly or poorly recruitable patients.

Conclusion

In this series of 25 patients with SARS-Cov-2 associated ARDS, 64% were considered as highly recruitable and only 36% as poorly recruitable based on the R/I ratio performed on the day of intubation. This observation suggests that a systematic R/I ratio assessment may help to guide initial PEEP titration to limit harmful effect of unnecessary high PEEP in the context of Covid-19 crisis.
A deep learning-aided temporal spectral ChannelNet for IEEE 802.11p-based channel estimation in vehicular communications
Authors: Zhu Xuchen , Sheng Zhichao , Fang Yong , Guo Denghong
Published: May 2020

In vehicular communications using IEEE 802.11p, estimating channel frequency response (CFR) is a remarkably challenging task. The challenge for channel estimation (CE) lies in tracking variations of CFR due to the extremely fast time-varying characteristic of channel and low density pilot. To tackle such problem, inspired by image super-resolution (ISR) techniques, a deep learning-based temporal spectral channel network (TS-ChannelNet) is proposed. Following the process of ISR, an average decision-directed estimation with time truncation (ADD-TT) is first presented to extend pilot values into tentative CFR, thus tracking coarsely variations. Then, to make tentative CFR values accurate, a super resolution convolutional long short-term memory (SR-ConvLSTM) is utilized to track channel extreme variations by extracting sufficiently temporal spectral correlation of data symbols. Three representative vehicular environments are investigated to demonstrate the performance of our proposed TS-ChannelNet in terms of normalized mean square error (NMSE) and bit error rate (BER). The proposed method has an evident performance gain over existing methods, reaching about 84.5% improvements at some high signal-noise-ratio (SNR) regions.
A limited memory BFGS subspace algorithm for bound constrained nonsmooth problems
Authors: Li Xiangrong
Published: May 2020

The subspace technique has been widely used to solve unconstrained/constrained optimization problems and there exist many results that have been obtained. In this paper, a subspace algorithm combining with limited memory BFGS update is proposed for large-scale nonsmooth optimization problems with box-constrained conditions. This algorithm can ensure that all iteration points are feasible and the sequence of objective functions is decreasing. Moreover, rapid changes in the active set are allowed. The global convergence is established under some suitable conditions. Numerical results show that this method is very effective for large-scale nonsmooth box-constrained optimization, where the largest dimension of the test problems is 11,000 variables.
Global continuum and multiple positive solutions to one-dimensional p-Laplacian boundary value problem
Authors: Wei Liping , Ma Ruyun
Published: May 2020

We show the global structure of the set of positive solutions of a discrete Dirichlet problem involving the p-Laplacian difference operator suggesting suitable conditions on the weight function and nonlinearity. We obtain existence and multiplicity of positive solutions for λ lying in various intervals in $\mathbb {R}$R by using the directions of a bifurcation and the Picone-type identity for discrete p-Laplacian operators.
Social determinants of overweight and obesity in the mother-child binomial: evidences from Mexico
Authors: Arredondo Armando , Torres Christian , Orozco Emanuel , Resendiz Oscar
Published: May 2020

Background

To analyze the influence of socioeconomic determinants on the development of overweight and obesity in the mother-child binomial.

Methods

This is a study based on a prospective cohort of the mother-child binomial. Using STATA software, the association between the mothers’ body mass index and the nutritional status of minors was analyzed using a logistic regression model with socioeconomic and demographic variables.

Results

The combined prevalence of overweight and obesity in cohort mothers was 53.2%. A statistically significant association was found between the overweight mothers and minors with possible risk of overweight (p 0.001) and with overweight (p 0.001). The logistic regression model was adjusted by age and marital status and linked maternal overweight and obesity with the following variables: severe food insecurity (RR 1.17, CI 0.04–1.31), having a health problem (RR 1.5, CI 0.86–2.05), income (RR 0.79, CI .49–1.30), smoking (RR 1.1, CI 0.80–1.37) and dietary pattern (RR 1.5, CI 0.38–1.87).

Conclusions

The study highlights the importance of paying attention to risk factors starting at the gestational stage, since at this time the mother’s nutritional status has an influence on the offspring’s growth and development. Evidences exist of an association between intergenerational transmission of obesity and socioeconomic aspects of the mother. These evidences must be considered in the revision and adjustments to health system interventions for the prevention of obesity in the mother-child binomial.
Motivational climate of group exercise sessions in nursing homes
Authors: Charles Alexia , Buckinx Fanny , Mouton Alexandre , Reginster Jean-Yves , Bruyère Olivier
Published: May 2020

Background

Motivational climate in exercise group environments would have an impact on adherence, effort and enjoyment. We examined the motivational climate among nursing home residents who were involved in group exercise sessions.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 nursing homes of Liège area that offer group exercise sessions. Sociodemographic data (age, sex, body mass index), cognitive status (by the Mini Mental State Examination) and independence in activities of daily living (by the Katz Scale) were retrieved in the medical records. The “Abbreviated-Perceived Motivational Climate in Exercise Questionnaire” was translated into French and then administered face to face with a clinical researcher. This is composed of 6 ego-involving climate items (corresponding to rivalry, comparison and favoritism) and 6 task-involving climate items (corresponding to valorization, individual efforts, self-improvement and cooperation). Each item is ranged on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all focused on ego or task) to 5 (totally focused on ego or task). Each subscale has a total score expressed as an average.

Results

A total of 102 subjects of exercise group sessions were included (84.3 ± 7.7 years and 83 (81.4%) women). The mean score of task-involving and ego-evolving motivational climate was respectively 3.57 (SD = 0.67) and 1.52 (SD = 0.49), suggesting that the motivational climate was more focused on the task-involving climate than on ego-involving climate. Some items results were of particular interest: 55.9% of the respondents found that the instructor doesn’t remark/reward when they try hard, 63.7% said that the instructor doesn’t encourage mutual aid and 38.2% found that instructor doesn’t encourage to do new exercises.

Conclusions

Participants tended to perceive motivational climate as more task-involving than ego-involving. The absence of individual positive feedback, new exercises and mutual aid were also highlighted.
Point-prevalence survey of hospital acquired infections in three acute care hospitals in Northern Nigeria
Authors: Abubakar Usman
Published: May 2020

Background

Effective infection prevention and control strategies require reliable data describing the epidemiology of hospital acquired infections (HAIs), and this is currently lacking in Nigeria. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, types and risk factors associated with HAIs in acute care hospitals in Northern Nigeria.

Methods

A pilot point-prevalence survey was conducted in three acute care hospitals in Northern Nigeria between April and May 2019 using a protocol developed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Patients admitted into the wards at or before 8.00 am on the survey date were included. Patients’ medical records were reviewed by a clinical pharmacist with the support of the attending physician and nurse to identify HAIs.

Results

Of the 321 patients surveyed, 50 HAIs were identified among 46 patients translating into a point-prevalence of 14.3%. The most common HAIs were bloodstream infection (38.0%), surgical site infections (32.0%) and pneumonia (12.0%). Neonatal (53.0%), pediatric surgical (26.7%) and surgical (10.1%) specialties had the highest prevalence. Device associated infections represented 16% of all HAIs including bloodstream infections and pneumonia. Of all the HAIs, 15 (30.0%) were present at the time of admission while 75.5% originated from the current hospitals. Univariate analysis showed that newborn (less than 1 month old) (OR: 4.687 95% CI: 1.298–16.927), intubation (OR: 3.966, 95% CI: 1.698–9.261), and neonatal (OR: 41.538 95% CI: 4.980–346.5) and pediatric surgical (OR: 13.091 95% CI: 1.532–111.874) specialties were significantly associated with HAI.

Conclusion

The prevalence of HAI was relatively high compared to other developing countries and was significantly associated with neonatal and pediatric surgical specialties. Hospital infection control strategies should be strengthened to reduce the burden of HAIs.
Paroxetine ameliorates prodromal emotional dysfunction and late-onset memory deficit in Alzheimer’s disease mice
Authors: Ai Peng-Hui , Chen Si , Liu Xian-Dong , Zhu Xiao-Na , Pan Yuan-Bo , Feng Dong-Fu , Chen Shengdi , Xu Nan-Jie , Sun Suya
Published: May 2020

Background

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) such as depression, anxiety, apathy, and irritability occur in prodromal phases of clinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which might be an increased risk for later developing AD. Here we treated young APP/PS1 AD model mice prophylactically with serotonin-selective re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) paroxetine and investigated the protective role of anti-depressant agent in emotional abnormalities and cognitive defects during disease progress.

Methods

To investigate the protective role of paroxetine in emotional abnormalities and cognitive defects during disease progress, we performed emotional behaviors of 3 months old APP/PS1 mouse following oral administration of paroxetine prophylactically starting at 1 month of age. Next, we tested the cognitive, biochemical and pathological, effects of long term administration of paroxetine at 6 months old.

Results

Our results showed that AD mice displayed emotional dysfunction in the early stage. Prophylactic administration of paroxetine ameliorated the initial emotional abnormalities and preserved the eventual memory function in AD mice.

Conclusion

Our data indicate that prophylactic administration of paroxetine ameliorates the emotional dysfunction and memory deficit in AD mice. These neuroprotective effects are attributable to functional restoration of glutamate receptor (GluN2A) in AD mice.
Correction to: Essential oil and aromatic plants as feed additives in non-ruminant nutrition: a review
Authors: Zeng Zhikai , Zhang Sai , Wang Hongliang , Piao Xiangshu
Published: May 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
Multi-omics reveals that the rumen microbiome and its metabolome together with the host metabolome contribute to individualized dairy cow performance
Authors: Xue Ming-Yuan , Sun Hui-Zeng , Wu Xue-Hui , Liu Jian-Xin , Guan Le Luo
Published: May 2020

Background

Recently, we reported that some dairy cows could produce high amounts of milk with high amounts of protein (defined as milk protein yield [MPY]) when a population was raised under the same nutritional and management condition, a potential new trait that can be used to increase high-quality milk production. It is unknown to what extent the rumen microbiome and its metabolites, as well as the host metabolism, contribute to MPY. Here, analysis of rumen metagenomics and metabolomics, together with serum metabolomics was performed to identify potential regulatory mechanisms of MPY at both the rumen microbiome and host levels.

Results

Metagenomics analysis revealed that several Prevotella species were significantly more abundant in the rumen of high-MPY cows, contributing to improved functions related to branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis. In addition, the rumen microbiome of high-MPY cows had lower relative abundances of organisms with methanogen and methanogenesis functions, suggesting that these cows may produce less methane. Metabolomics analysis revealed that the relative concentrations of rumen microbial metabolites (mainly amino acids, carboxylic acids, and fatty acids) and the absolute concentrations of volatile fatty acids were higher in the high-MPY cows. By associating the rumen microbiome with the rumen metabolome, we found that specific microbial taxa (mainly Prevotella species) were positively correlated with ruminal microbial metabolites, including the amino acids and carbohydrates involved in glutathione, phenylalanine, starch, sucrose, and galactose metabolism. To detect the interactions between the rumen microbiome and host metabolism, we associated the rumen microbiome with the host serum metabolome and found that Prevotella species may affect the host’s metabolism of amino acids (including glycine, serine, threonine, alanine, aspartate, glutamate, cysteine, and methionine). Further analysis using the linear mixed effect model estimated contributions to the variation in MPY based on different omics and revealed that the rumen microbial composition, functions, and metabolites, and the serum metabolites contributed 17.81, 21.56, 29.76, and 26.78%, respectively, to the host MPY.

Conclusions

These findings provide a fundamental understanding of how the microbiome-dependent and host-dependent mechanisms contribute to varied individualized performance in the milk production quality of dairy cows under the same management condition. This fundamental information is vital for the development of potential manipulation strategies to improve milk quality and production through precision feeding.
A powerful microbial group association test based on the higher criticism analysis for sparse microbial association signals
Authors: Koh Hyunwook , Zhao Ni
Published: May 2020

Background

In human microbiome studies, it is crucial to evaluate the association between microbial group (e.g., community or clade) composition and a host phenotype of interest. In response, a number of microbial group association tests have been proposed, which account for the unique features of the microbiome data (e.g., high-dimensionality, compositionality, phylogenetic relationship). These tests generally fall in the class of aggregation tests which amplify the overall group association by combining all the underlying microbial association signals, and, therefore, they are powerful when many microbial species are associated with a given host phenotype (i.e., low sparsity). However, in practice, the microbial association signals can be highly sparse, and this is especially the situation where we have a difficulty to discover the microbial group association.

Methods

Here, we introduce a powerful microbial group association test for sparse microbial association signals, namely, microbiome higher criticism analysis (MiHC). MiHC is a data-driven omnibus test taken in a search space spanned by tailoring the higher criticism test to incorporate phylogenetic information and/or modulate sparsity levels and including the Simes test for excessively high sparsity levels. Therefore, MiHC robustly adapts to diverse phylogenetic relevance and sparsity levels.

Results

Our simulations show that MiHC maintains a high power at different phylogenetic relevance and sparsity levels with correct type I error controls. We also apply MiHC to four real microbiome datasets to test the association between respiratory tract microbiome and smoking status, the association between the infant’s gut microbiome and delivery mode, the association between the gut microbiome and type 1 diabetes status, and the association between the gut microbiome and human immunodeficiency virus status.

Conclusions

In practice, the true underlying association pattern on the extent of phylogenetic relevance and sparsity is usually unknown. Therefore, MiHC can be a useful analytic tool because of its high adaptivity to diverse phylogenetic relevance and sparsity levels. MiHC can be implemented in the R computing environment using our software package freely available athttps://github.com/hk1785/MiHC.
Cross section shape optimization of wire strands subjected to purely tensile loads using a reduced helical model
Authors: Filotto Francesco Maria , Runkel Falk , Kress Gerald
Published: May 2020

This paper introduces a shape optimization of wire strands subjected to tensile loads. The structural analysis relies on a recently developed reduced helical finite element model characterized by an extreme computational efficacy while accounting for complex geometries of the wires. The model is extended to consider interactions between components and its applicability is demonstrated by comparison with analytical and finite element models. The reduced model is exploited in a design optimization identifying the optimal shape of a 1 + 6 strand by means of a genetic algorithm. A novel geometrical parametrization is applied and different objectives, such as stress concentration and area minimization, and constraints, corresponding to operational limitations and requirements, are analyzed. The optimal shape is finally identified and its performance improvements are compared and discussed against the reference strand. Operational benefits include lower stress concentration and higher load at plastification initiation.
Aerosol-generating otolaryngology procedures and the need for enhanced PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic: A literature review
Authors: Mick Paul , Murphy Russell
Published: May 2020

Background

Adequate personal protective equipment is needed to reduce the rate of transmission of COVID-19 to health care workers. Otolaryngology groups are recommending a higher level of personal protective equipment for aerosol-generating procedures than public health agencies. The objective of the review was to provide evidence that a.) demonstrates which otolaryngology procedures are aerosol-generating, and that b.) clarifies whether the higher level of PPE advocated by otolaryngology groups is justified.

Main body

Health care workers in China who performed tracheotomy during the SARS-CoV-1 epidemic had 4.15 times greater odds of contracting the virus than controls who did not perform tracheotomy (95% CI 2.75–7.54). No other studies provide direct epidemiological evidence of increased aerosolized transmission of viruses during otolaryngology procedures. Experimental evidence has shown that electrocautery, advanced energy devices, open suctioning, and drilling can create aerosolized biological particles. The viral load of COVID-19 is highest in the upper aerodigestive tract, increasing the likelihood that aerosols generated during procedures of the upper aerodigestive tract of infected patients would carry viral material. Cough and normal breathing create aerosols which may increase the risk of transmission during outpatient procedures. A significant proportion of individuals infected with COVID-19 may not have symptoms, raising the likelihood of transmission of the disease to inadequately protected health care workers from patients who do not have probable or confirmed infection. Powered air purifying respirators, if used properly, provide a greater level of filtration than N95 masks and thus may reduce the risk of transmission.

Conclusion

Direct and indirect evidence suggests that a large number of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery procedures are aerosol generating. Otolaryngologists are likely at high risk of contracting COVID-19 during aerosol generating procedures because they are likely exposed to high viral loads in patients infected with the virus. Based on the precautionary principle, even though the evidence is not definitive, adopting enhanced personal protective equipment protocols is reasonable based on the evidence. Further research is needed to clarify the risk associated with performing various procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the degree to which various personal protective equipment reduces the risk.
Narcissistic traits in young people: understanding the role of parenting and maltreatment
Authors: van Schie Charlotte C. , Jarman Heidi L. , Huxley Elizabeth , Grenyer Brin F. S.
Published: May 2020

Background

Elevated narcissism in young people often sets up a cascade of interpersonal and mental health challenges, reinforcing the need to understand its concomitants. Experiences of maltreatment and different parenting styles have been implicated but findings to date are inconclusive. By simultaneously considering multiple remembered parenting styles and maltreatment in a large sample, this study aims to elucidate possible prognostic factors associated with both grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic traits in youth.

Methods

Young people (N = 328, age range: 17–25 years) reported on the remembered interpersonal environment and current grandiose and vulnerable narcissism traits. Structural equation modelling was used to examine maternal and paternal parenting styles and examine the association between experiences of parenting and grandiose and vulnerable narcissism.

Results

Remembered overprotection from mothers and fathers was associated with both vulnerable and grandiose narcissistic traits. Remembered maternal overvaluation related to current grandiosity, and maternal leniency related to vulnerable narcissistic traits. For paternal parenting, the combination of overvaluation and leniency and overvaluation and care explained grandiose and vulnerable traits. There was no direct effect of remembered parental care or childhood maltreatment on current levels of narcissistic traits.

Conclusions

Remembered childhood experiences of being overprotected, overvalued and experiencing leniency in parental discipline, were associated with higher traits of pathological narcissism in young people. Care and maltreatment were non-specific risk factors. Remembered childhood environments of being excessively pampered are associated with grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic traits, characterised by the young person expressing unrealistic self-views, entitlement beliefs and impaired autonomy. In treatment these traits may emerge in the patient-therapist relationship and working through their developmental origins may contribute to outcomes.
On the average secrecy capacity for indoor visible light communication systems
Authors: Zhang Jun Zheng , Ke Ke
Published: May 2020

For visible light communication (VLC), the light signals are transmitted without optical fibers or any sort of wave-guiding. Due to the inherent broadcast nature, physical-layer security emerges as a promising method to protect information delivery from eavesdropping. As for the secrecy capacity of VLC channel, there exist two features. In one way, the limited optical power makes the common capacity expressions in radio-frequency (RF) communication unapplicable for VLC. In another way, several correlated geometrical parameters directly alters the Lambertian model of indoor VLC channel, which gives the secrecy capacity more meanings. However, the issue considering both aspects has not been studied recently. In this paper, from the practical scenarios, we extract a typical geometrical model to reveal the mobility principles of the legitimate receiver and the eavesdroppers. Then, we character two typical distributions of the geometrical parameter. Correspondingly, we derive the upper and lower bounds on the average secrecy capacity, which have the closed forms. Finally, simulation results show that our upper and lower bounds are tight at high optical signal-to-noise rates (OSNRs). Moreover, the geometrical features of VLC systems and distribution parameters of the receiver mobility are effectively reveal by the bounds.
Feasibility of CT quantification of intratumoural 166Ho-microspheres
Authors: C. Bakker R. , Bastiaannet R. , van Nimwegen S. A. , D. Barten-van Rijbroek A. , Van Es R. J. J. , Rosenberg A. J. W. P. , de Jong H. W. A. M. , Lam M. G. E. H. , Nijsen J. F. W.
Published: May 2020

Background

Microspheres loaded with radioactive 166Ho (166Ho-MS) are novel particles for radioembolisation and intratumoural treatment. Because of the limited penetration of β radiation, quantitative imaging of microsphere distribution is crucial for optimal intratumoural treatment. Computed tomography (CT) may provide high-resolution and fast imaging of the distribution of these microspheres, with lower costs and widespread availability in comparison with current standard single-photon emission tomography (SPECT) and magnetic resonance imaging. This phantom study investigated the feasibility of CT quantification of 166Ho-MS.

Methods

CT quantification was performed on a phantom with various concentrations of HoCl and Ho-MS to investigate the CT sensitivity and calibrate the CT recovery. 166Ho-MS were injected into ex vivo tissues, in VX-2 cancer-bearing rabbits, and in patients with head-neck cancer, to demonstrate sensitivity and clinical visibility. The amount of Ho-MS was determined by CT scanning, using a density-based threshold method and compared with a validated 166Ho SPECT quantification method.

Results

In the phantom, a near perfect linearity (least squares R2 > 0.99) between HU values and concentration of 166Ho was found. Ex vivo tissue experiments showed an excellent correlation (r = 0.99, p < 0.01) between the dose calibrator, SPECT, and CT imaging. CT recovery was on average 86.4% ex vivo, 76.0% in rabbits, and 99.1% in humans.

Conclusion

This study showed that CT-based quantification of Ho microspheres is feasible and is a high-resolution alternative to SPECT-based determination of their local distribution.
Further results on edge even graceful labeling of the join of two graphs
Authors: Zeen El Deen Mohamed R. , Omar Nora A.
Published: May 2020

In this paper, we investigated the edge even graceful labeling property of the join of two graphs. A function f is called an edge even graceful labeling of a graph G=(V(G),E(G)) with p=|V(G)| vertices and q=|E(G)| edges if f:E(G)→{2,4,...,2q} is bijective and the induced function f∗:V(G) →{0,2,4,⋯,2q−2 }, defined as $ f^{\ast }(x) = ({\sum \nolimits }_{xy \in E(G)} f(xy)~)~\mbox{{mod}}~(2k) $f∗(x)=(∑xy∈E(G)f(xy))mod(2k), where k=max(p,q), is an injective function. Sufficient conditions for the complete bipartite graph Km,n =mK1+nK1 to have an edge even graceful labeling are established. Also, we introduced an edge even graceful labeling of the join of the graph K1 with the star graph K1,n, the wheel graph Wn and the sunflower graph sfn for all $n \in \mathbb {N}$n∈ℕ. Finally, we proved that the join of the graph $\overline {K}_{2}~$K¯2 with the star graph K1,n, the wheel graph Wn and the cyclic graph Cn are edge even graceful graphs.
Aqueous chemistry of anthropogenically contaminated Bengaluru lakes
Authors: Rao Sudhakar , Mogili Nitish V. , A Priscilla , A Lydia
Published: May 2020

Anthropogenic activities impact the major ion composition of fresh water sources. The inorganic species are likely to be influenced by mineral dissolution, mineral precipitation, redox and ion-exchange reactions in the contaminated lakes. Owing to paucity of research, this study examines the influence of bio-geochemical reactions on the major ion composition of sewage contaminated Bengaluru lakes. The selected lakes represent water bodies in the major valley systems of the city that are polluted by partly treated sewage and stormwater runoffs. Hydrogeochemical facies of the lake samples showed that enrichment of Mg2+, Na+, Cl−and SO42−ions from anthropogenic contamination altered the chemical type of the lake-water. Examination of processes influencing the major ion composition of surface waters indicated that evaporation than rock-weathering tends to influence the chemical composition of the Bengaluru lakes. Precipitation of carbonate minerals in the alkaline pH contributed to the deficiency of alkaline earth ions, while dissolution of anthropogenic gypsum enhanced the SO42−ion concentration of the lakes. Solute diffusion from lake water into the pore solutions of sediments and ion-exchange reactions between monovalent ions of sediments and divalent cations in lake water are additional pathways that influence the major ion composition of the contaminated lakes. Besides alterations in major ion composition, organic contamination, biochemical reactions associated with photosynthesis activity of algae and release of toxic Al3+ions from mineral dissolution are consequences of the lake contamination.