bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transgenes of genetically modified animals detected non-invasively via environmental DNA
Authors: Xu Charles C. Y. , Ramsay Claire , Cowan Mitra , Dehghani Mehrnoush , Lasko Paul , Barrett Rowan D. H.
Published: August 2021

We demonstrate that simple, non-invasive environmental DNA (eDNA) methods can detect transgenes of genetically modified (GM) animals from terrestrial and aquatic sources in invertebrate and vertebrate systems. We detected transgenic fragments between 82–234 bp through targeted PCR amplification of environmental DNA extracted from food media of GM fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), feces, urine, and saliva of GM laboratory mice (Mus musculus), and aquarium water of GM tetra fish (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi). With rapidly growing accessibility of genome-editing technologies such as CRISPR, the prevalence and diversity of GM animals will increase dramatically. GM animals have already been released into the wild with more releases planned in the future. eDNA methods have the potential to address the critical need for sensitive, accurate, and cost-effective detection and monitoring of GM animals and their transgenes in nature.
The discovery of an in situ Neanderthal remain in the Bawa Yawan Rockshelter, West-Central Zagros Mountains, Kermanshah
Authors: Heydari-Guran Saman , Benazzi Stefano , Talamo Sahra , Ghasidian Elham , Hariri Nemat , Oxilia Gregorio , Asiabani Samran , Azizi Faramarz , Naderi Rahmat , Safaierad Reza , Hublin Jean-Jacques , Foley Robert A. , Lahr Marta M.
Published: August 2021

Neanderthal extinction has been a matter of debate for many years. New discoveries, better chronologies and genomic evidence have done much to clarify some of the issues. This evidence suggests that Neanderthals became extinct around 40,000–37,000 years before present (BP), after a period of coexistence with Homo sapiens of several millennia, involving biological and cultural interactions between the two groups. However, the bulk of this evidence relates to Western Eurasia, and recent work in Central Asia and Siberia has shown that there is considerable local variation. Southwestern Asia, despite having a number of significant Neanderthal remains, has not played a major part in the debate over extinction. Here we report a Neanderthal deciduous canine from the site of Bawa Yawan in the West-Central Zagros Mountains of Iran. The tooth is associated with Zagros Mousterian lithics, and its context is preliminary dated to between ~43,600 and ~41,500 years ago.
Outcomes and factors leading to graft failure in kidney transplants from deceased donors with acute kidney injury—A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Jung Cheol Woong , Jorgensen Dana , Sood Puneet , Mehta Rajil , Molinari Michele , Hariharan Sundaram , Ganoza Armando , Van Der Windt Dirk , Wijkstrom Martin N. , Puttarajappa Chethan M. , Tevar Amit D.
Published: August 2021

Due to shortage of donor, kidney transplants (KTs) from donors with acute kidney injury (AKI) are expanding. Although previous studies comparing clinical outcomes between AKI and non-AKI donors in KTs have shown comparable results, data on high-volume analysis of KTs outcomes with AKI donors are limited. This study aimed to analyze the selection trends of AKI donors and investigate the impact of AKI on graft failure using the United states cohort data. We analyzed a total 52,757 KTs collected in the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipient (SRTR) from 2010 to 2015. The sample included 4,962 (9.4%) cases of KTs with AKI donors (creatinine ≥ 2 mg/dL). Clinical characteristics of AKI and non-AKI donors were analyzed and outcomes of both groups were compared. We also analyzed risk factors for graft failure in AKI donor KTs. Although the incidence of delayed graft function was higher in recipients of AKI donors compared to non-AKI donors, graft and patient survival were not significantly different between the two groups. We found donor hypertension, cold ischemic time, the proportion of African American donors, and high KDPI were risk factors for graft failure in AKI donor KTs. KTs from deceased donor with AKI showed comparable outcomes. Thus, donors with AKI need to be considered more actively to expand donor pool. Caution is still needed when donors have additional risk factors of graft failure.
Arabic validation and cross-cultural adaptation of the 5C scale for assessment of COVID-19 vaccines psychological antecedents
Authors: Abd ElHafeez Samar , Elbarazi Iffat , Shaaban Ramy , ElMakhzangy Rony , Ossama Aly Maged , Alnagar Amr , Yacoub Mohamed , El Saeh Haider M. , Eltaweel Nashwa , Alqutub Sulafa T. , Mohamed Ghazy Ramy
Published: August 2021

Background

In the Arab countries, there has not been yet a specific validated Arabic questionnaire that can assess the psychological antecedents of COVID-19 vaccine among the general population. This study, therefore, aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the 5C scale into the Arabic language.

Methods

The 5C scale was translated into Arabic by two independent bilingual co-authors, and then translated back into English. After reconciling translation disparities, the final Arabic questionnaire was disseminated into four randomly selected Arabic countries (Egypt, Libya, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia). Data from 350 Arabic speaking adults (aged ≥18 years) were included in the final analysis. Internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach’s alpha. Construct validity was determined by concurrent, convergent, discriminant, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.

Results

Age of participants ranged between 18 to 73 years; 57.14% were females, 37.43% from Egypt, 36.86%, from UAE, 30% were healthcare workers, and 42.8% had the intention to get COVID-19 vaccines. The 5 sub-scales of the questionnaire met the criterion of internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha ≥0.7). The predictors of intention to get COVID-19 vaccines (concurrent validity) were young age and the 5C sub-scales. Convergent validity was identified by the significant inter-item and item-mean score of the sub-scale correlation (P<0.001). Discriminant validity was reported as inter-factor correlation matrix (<0.7). Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin sampling adequacy measure was 0.80 and Bartlett’s sphericity test was highly significant (P<0.001). Exploratory factor analysis indicated that the 15 items of the questionnaire could be summarized into five factors. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that the hypothesized five-factor model of the 15-item questionnaire was satisfied with adequate psychometric properties and fit with observed data (RMSEA = 0.060, GFI = 0.924, CFI = 0.957, TLI = 0.937, SRMR = 0.076 & NFI = 906).

Conclusion

The Arabic version of the 5C scale is a valid and reliable tool to assess the psychological antecedents of COVID-19 vaccine among Arab population.
Materials In Paintings (MIP): An interdisciplinary dataset for perception, art history, and computer vision
Authors: Van Zuijlen Mitchell J. P. , Lin Hubert , Bala Kavita , Pont Sylvia C. , Wijntjes Maarten W. A.
Published: August 2021

In this paper, we capture and explore the painterly depictions of materials to enable the study of depiction and perception of materials through the artists’ eye. We annotated a dataset of 19k paintings with 200k+ bounding boxes from which polygon segments were automatically extracted. Each bounding box was assigned a coarse material label (e.g., fabric) and half was also assigned a fine-grained label (e.g., velvety, silky). The dataset in its entirety is available for browsing and downloading atmaterialsinpaintings.tudelft.nl. We demonstrate the cross-disciplinary utility of our dataset by presenting novel findings across human perception, art history and, computer vision. Our experiments include a demonstration of how painters create convincing depictions using a stylized approach. We further provide an analysis of the spatial and probabilistic distributions of materials depicted in paintings, in which we for example show that strong patterns exists for material presence and location. Furthermore, we demonstrate how paintings could be used to build more robust computer vision classifiers by learning a more perceptually relevant feature representation. Additionally, we demonstrate that training classifiers on paintings could be used to uncover hidden perceptual cues by visualizing the features used by the classifiers. We conclude that our dataset of painterly material depictions is a rich source for gaining insights into the depiction and perception of materials across multiple disciplines and hope that the release of this dataset will drive multidisciplinary research.
Multiple sclerosis reduces synchrony of the magnocellular pathway
Authors: Seraji Masoud , Mohebbi Maryam , Safari Amirhossein , Krekelberg Bart
Published: August 2021

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune demyelinating disease that damages the insulation of nerve cell fibers in the brain and spinal cord. In the visual system, this demyelination results in a robust delay of visually evoked potentials (VEPs), even in the absence of overt clinical symptoms such as blurred vision. VEPs, therefore, offer an avenue for early diagnosis, monitoring disease progression, and, potentially, insight into the differential impairment of specific pathways. A primary hypothesis has been that visual stimuli driving the magno-, parvo-, and konio-cellular pathways should lead to differential effects because these pathways differ considerably in terms of myelination. Experimental tests of this hypothesis, however, have led to conflicting results. Some groups reported larger latency effects for chromatic stimuli, while others found equivalent effects across stimulus types. We reasoned that this lack of pathway specificity could, at least in part, be attributed to the relatively coarse measure of pathway impairment afforded by the latency of a VEP. We hypothesized that network synchrony could offer a more sensitive test of pathway impairments. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the synchrony of occipital electroencephalography (EEG) signals during the presentation of visual stimuli designed to bias activity to one of the three pathways. Specifically, we quantified synchrony in the occipital EEG using two graph-theoretic measures of functional connectivity: the characteristic path length (L; a measure of long-range connectivity) and the clustering coefficient (CC; a measure of short-range connectivity). Our main finding was that L and CC were both smaller in the MS group than in controls. Notably, this change in functional connectivity was limited to the magnocellular pathway. The effect sizes (Hedge’s g) were 0.89 (L) and 1.26 (CC) measured with magno stimuli. Together, L and CC define the small-world nature of a network, and our finding can be summarized as a reduction in the small-worldness of the magnocellular network. We speculate that the reduced efficiency of information transfer associated with a reduction in small-worldness could underlie visual deficits in MS. Relating these measures to differential diagnoses and disease progression is an important avenue for future work.
Biosafety devices to control the spread of potentially contaminated dispersion particles. New associated strategies for health environments
Authors: Montalli Victor Angelo Martins , Freitas Patrícia Rejane de , Torres Milenna de Figueiredo , Torres Junior Oscar de Figueiredo , Vilhena Dienne Hellen Moutinho De , Junqueira José Luiz Cintra , Napimoga Marcelo Henrique
Published: August 2021

Dental procedures produce a large amount of spatter and aerosols that create concern for the transmission of airborne diseases, such as Covid-19. This study established a methodology with the objective of evaluating new associated strategies to reduce the risk of cross-transmission in a health environment by simulating spread of potentially contaminated dispersion particles (PCDP) in the environment. This crossover study, was conducted in a school clinic environment (4 clinics containing 12 dental chairs each). As a positive control group (without barriers), 12 professionals activated at the same time the turbine of dental drill, for one minute, with a bacterial solution (Lactobacillus casei Shirota, 1.5x108 CFU/mL), which had been added in the cooling reservoir of the dental equipment. In the experimental groups, the professionals made use of; a) an individual biosafety barrier in dentistry (IBBD) which consists of a metal support covered by a disposable PVC film barrier; b) a Mobile Unit of Disinfection by Ultraviolet-C, consisting of 8 UV lamps-C of 95W, of 304μW/cm2 of irradiance each, connected for 15 minutes (UV-C) and; c) the association between the two methods (IBBD + UV-C). In each clinic, 56 Petri dishes containing MRS agar were positioned on the lamps, benches and on the floor. In addition, plates were placed prior to each test (negative control group) and plates were also placed in the corridor that connects the four clinics. In the groups without barrier and IBBD + UV-C the passive air microorganisms in Petri dishes was also evaluated at times of 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after the end of the dental’s drill activation. The mean (standard deviation) of CFU of L. casei Shirota for the positive control group was 3905 (1521), while in the experimental groups the mean using the IBBD was 940 (466) CFU, establishing a reduction on average, of 75% (p<0.0001). For the UV-C group, the mean was 260 (309) CFU and the association of the use of IBBD + UV-C promoted an overall average count of 152 (257) CFU, establishing a reduction on average of 93% and 96%, respectively (p<0.0001). Considering these results and the study model used, the individual biosafety barrier associated with UV-C technology showed to be efficient strategies to reduce the dispersion of bioaerosols generated in an environment with high rate of PCDP generation and may be an alternative for the improvement of biosafety in different healthy environment.
Anti-HER2 monoclonal antibodies intensify the susceptibility of human gastric cancer cells to etoposide by promoting apoptosis, but not autophagy
Authors: Gornowicz Agnieszka , Szymanowski Wojciech , Czarnomysy Robert , Bielawski Krzysztof , Bielawska Anna
Published: August 2021

Background

Gastric cancer (GC) is a multifactorial disease with high mortality. Anti-HER2 therapy is a promising strategy in GC treatment and trastuzumab was approved by FDA (Food and Drug Administration) as the first and the second line of treatment of the disease.

Purpose

The aim of the study was to examine the effectiveness of a combination of etoposide with trastuzumab or pertuzumab in AGS gastric cancer cells and breast cancer cells such as MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and HCC1954.

Methods and findings

The cytotoxic effects of the tested compounds against gastric and breast cancer cells were checked by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. The anti-proliferative potential was analyzed by the incorporation of [3H]-thymidine into DNA. Fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry was used to demonstrate the effect of the compounds on apoptosis. The mitochondrial membrane potential, and the activity of caspase-8 and caspase-9 were assessed. Autophagosomes and autolysosomes formation was checked by flow cytometry. The concentrations of Beclin-1, LC3A and LC3B were performed using ELISA. The expression of LC3A/B was also determined. The results from our study proved that the combination of etoposide with anti-HER2 antibodies was not cytotoxic against breast cancer cells, whereas the combination of etoposide with anti-HER2 antibodies decreased viability and DNA biosynthesis in gastric cancer cells. The interaction of etoposide with pertuzumab or trastuzumab induced programmed cell death via extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways in AGS gastric cancer cells, but did not affect autophagy, where a decrease of Beclin-1, LC3A and LC3B was observed in comparison with the untreated control.

Conclusions

The study demonstrated that etoposide (12.5 μM) with pertuzumab represent a promising strategy in gastric cancer treatment, but further in vivo examinations are also required.
COVID-19 pandemic impact on dentists in Latin America’s epicenter: São-Paulo, Brazil
Authors: Novaes Tatiane Fernandes , Jordão Maisa Camillo , Bonacina Carlos Felipe , Veronezi André Oswaldo , de Araujo Carlos Ariel Rodrigues , Olegário Isabel Cristina , de Oliveira Daniele Boina , Ushakova Veranika , Birbrair Alexander , da Costa Palacio Danielle , Heller Debora
Published: August 2021

The state of São Paulo, Brazil, where more than 94.000 dentists are currently registered, has become the epicenter of COVID-19 in Latin America. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on dentists in this state. A semi-structured questionnaire was sent via e-mail to 93.280 dentists with active registration in the Dental Council of São Paulo (CROSP). The impact of COVID-19 pandemic was assessed through questions related to demographic, socioeconomic, dental practice characteristics and personal protective equipment (PPE) use. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between all the variables (p<0.05). Over 8 days, 2113 responses were received. Only 26.52% of the sample reported a low-income reduction (from 0–10%), while the majority of dentists reported a more negative financial impact, 35.6% with a reduction of more than 50% of their monthly income. Dentists who worked in the private sector and at the capital had a greater financial impact when compared to those of the public sector and countryside of the state (p<0.05). Furthermore, about 83% reported not having received any specific training to control the transmission of coronavirus in the health area. This study provides evidence of the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the routine of dentists in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Hopefully, this study will help dental and other health care professionals to better understand the consequences of disease in dental settings and strengthen preparedness throughout the dental health care system.
A novel index to assess low energy fracture risks in patients prescribed antiepileptic drugs
Authors: Nordqvist Ola , Björneld Olof , Brudin Lars , Wanby Pär , Nobin Rebecca , Carlsson Martin
Published: August 2021

Objective

To develop an index assessing the risks of low energy fractures (LEF) in patients prescribed antiepileptic drugs (AED) by exploring five previously suggested risk factors; age, gender, AED-type, epilepsy diagnosis and BMI.

Methods

In a population-based retrospective open cohort study we used real world data from the Electronic Health Register (EHR) in Region Kalmar County, Sweden. 23 209 patients prescribed AEDs at any time from January 2008 to November 2018 and 23 281 matching controls were followed from first registration in the EHR until the first documented LEF, disenrollment (or death) or until the end of the study period, whichever came first. Risks of LEF measured as hazard rate ratios in relation to the suggested risk factors and in comparison to matched controls were analyzed using Cox regression. The index was developed using a linear combination of the statistically significant variables multiplied by the corresponding regression coefficients.

Results

Data from 23 209 patients prescribed AEDs and 2084 documented LEFs during a follow-up time of more than 10 years resulted in theKalmarEpilepsyFractureRiskIndex (KEFRI). KEFRI = Age-category x (1.18) + Gender x (-0.51) + AED-type x (0.29) + Epilepsy diagnosis-category x (0.31) + BMI-category x (-0.35). All five previously suggested risk factors were confirmed. Women aged 75 years and older treated with an inducing AED against epilepsy and BMIs of 25 kg/m2or below had 48 times higher LEF rates compared to men aged 50 years or younger, treated with a non-inducing AED for a condition other than epilepsy and BMIs above 25 kg/m2.

Conclusion

The KEFRI is the first weighted multifactorial assessment tool estimating risks of LEF in patients prescribed AEDs and could serve as a feasible guide within clinical practice.
Predictors of the outcome of immune tolerance induction in patients with haemophilia A and inhibitors: The Brazilian Immune Tolerance (BrazIT) Study protocol
Authors: Camelo Ricardo Mesquita , Chaves Daniel Gonçalves , Zuccherato Luciana Werneck , Rezende Suely Meireles ,   for the BrazIT Study Team
Published: August 2021

The development of inhibitors is the main complication of haemophilia A (HA) treatment. Immune tolerance induction (ITI) is the treatment of choice for inhibitor eradication. We describe the methodology of the Brazilian Immune Tolerance Induction (BrazIT) Study, aimed to identify clinical, genetic, and immune biomarkers associated with response to ITI and inhibitor recurrence. This cohort study includes people with HA (PwHA) and inhibitors (a) who require bypassing agents to treat and/or prevent bleeding, and (b) who are at any stage of ITI treatment. Patients are included in each haemophilia treatment centre (HTC). Factor VIII (FVIII) and inhibitor assessments are performed at local laboratories of each HTC. The ITI regimen followed the national protocol of the Brazilian Ministry of Health. All PwHA starts with low-dose ITI (50 IU/kg three times weekly); high-dose regimen (100 IU/kg daily) is used if there is lack of response to the low-dose ITI. Outcomes are classified as total or partial success, and failure. Standardized case report forms with clinical, laboratory, and treatment data are collected from medical files and interviews. Blood samples are collected for genetic and immune biomarkers at the time of inclusion in the study and at the end of ITI. The study is ongoing and, currently, 202/250 (80.8%) PwHA from 15 HTCs have been included. BrazIT Study is the largest cohort of PwHA and inhibitor under treatment with the same ITI regimen reported to date. This study is likely to contribute with novel predictors of ITI response.
Rotating machinery fault diagnosis based on a novel lightweight convolutional neural network
Authors: Yan Jing , Liu Tingliang , Ye Xinyu , Jing Qianzhen , Dai Yuannan
Published: August 2021

The advancement of Industry 4.0 and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has laid more emphasis on reducing the parameter amount and storage space of the model in addition to the automatic and accurate fault diagnosis. In this case, this paper proposes a lightweight convolutional neural network (LCNN) method for intelligent fault diagnosis of rotating machinery, which can largely satisfy the need of less parameter amount and storage space as well as high accuracy. First, light-weight convolution blocks are constructed through basic elements such as spatial separable convolutions with the aim to effectively reduce model parameters. Secondly, the LCNN model for the intelligent fault diagnosis is constructed via lightweight convolution blocks instead of the tradi-tional convolution operation. Finally, to address the “black box” problem, the entire network is visualized through Tensorboard and t-distribution stochastic neighbor embedding. The results demonstrate that when the number of lightweight convolutional blocks reaches 6, the diagnosis accuracy of the LCNN model exceeds 99.9%. And the proposed model has become the most robust with parameters significantly decreasing. Furthermore, the proposed LCNN model has realized accurate, automatic, and robust fault diagnosis of rotating machinery, which makes it more suitable for deployment under the IIoT context.
Evaluation of crude oil biodegradation using mixed fungal cultures
Authors: El-Aziz Abeer R. M. Abd , Al-Othman Monira R. , Hisham Sameh M. , Shehata Shereen M.
Published: August 2021

The use of potent fungal mixed cultures is a promising technique for the biodegradation of crude oil. Four isolates of fungi, namely,Alternaria alternata(AA-1),Aspergillus flavus(AF-3),Aspergillus terreus(AT-7), andTrichoderma harzianum(TH-5), were isolated from date palm soil in Saudi Arabia. The mixed fungal of the four isolates have a powerful tool for biodegradation up to 73.6% of crude oil (1%, w/v) in 14 days. The fungal consortium no. 15 containing the four isolates (1:1:1:1) performed significantly better as a biodegradation agent than other consortium in a variety of environmental factors containing crude oil concentration, incubation temperature, initial pH, biodegradation time and the salinity of the medium. The fungal consortium showed better performance in the biodegradation of normal alkanes (n-alkanes) than that of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); the biodegradation efficiency of normal alkanes of the fungal consortium (67.1%) was clearly high than that of the PAHs (56.8%).
Wearables-based walking program in addition to usual physiotherapy care for the management of patients with low back pain at medium or high risk of chronicity: A pilot randomized controlled trial
Authors: Alzahrani Hosam , Mackey Martin , Stamatakis Emmanuel , Shirley Debra
Published: August 2021

Background

Although chronic low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of disability and accounts for large costs, none of the available conventional treatments are clearly more favourable in treating people at increased risk of chronicity.

Objectives

To examine the feasibility and initial efficacy of a wearables-based walking intervention in addition to usual physiotherapy care in people with LBP at risk of chronicity.

Methods

Twenty-six adult participants, diagnosed with non-specific LBP with medium or high risk of chronicity, were recruited from physiotherapy private practices. Participants were randomized into usual physiotherapy care (control, n = 14) and usual physiotherapy care plus a wearables-based walking intervention (experimental, n = 12). The intervention duration was 8 weeks. Feasibility outcomes included recruitment rate, adherence to the intervention, dropout rate, and serious adverse events reporting rate. Other outcomes included disability and pain (primary); and physical activity level, daily walking steps, depression, pain catastrophizing and fear of movement (secondary). The outcomes were assessed at baseline, post-intervention and 26 weeks post-randomization follow-up.

Results

Adherence of experimental participants with the prescribed walking program was moderate. Four participants dropped out during the intervention, and no serious adverse events were reported. Participants in the experimental group showed significant improvement in pain at 26 weeks (β = -0.38; 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.66, -0.10; P = .013), compared with the control group. No between-group differences were found for disability at any time point and pain immediately post-intervention. Experimental participants demonstrated post-intervention improvement in light-intensity (β = 156.71; 95% CI 86.79, 226.64; P < .001), moderate-intensity physical activity (β = 0.46; 95% CI 0.12, 0.80; P = .012), and daily walking steps (β = 7099.13; 95% CI 4522.93, 9675.32; P < .001). Experimental participants demonstrated post-intervention increase in pain catastrophizing (β = 0.52, 95% CI 0.18, 0.86; P = .006). No between-group differences were found for pain catastrophizing at 26 weeks and other secondary outcomes.

Conclusion

Usual physiotherapy care plus a wearables-based walking intervention program was safe and moderately feasible, and provided significant reduction in pain at 26 weeks as well as increasing the total volume of light- and moderate-intensity physical activity, and daily walking steps immediately post-intervention.
Uricase deficiency causes mild and multiple organ injuries in rats
Authors: Fan Nan , Yu Yun , Li Lvyu , Xia Heng , Dong Xiangxian , Li Yongkun , Chen Huan , Duan Weigang
Published: August 2021

Uricase-deficient rats could be one of the optimal model animals to study hyperuricemia. The present study aimed to find the biological differences between uricase-deficient (Kunming-DY rats) and wild-type male rats. Uricase-deficient rats and wild-type rats were commonly bred. Their body weight, water and food consumption, 24-h urine and feces, uric acid in serum and organs, and serum indexes were recorded or assayed. Organs, including the heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, thymus, stomach, duodenum, and ileum, were examined using a routine hematoxylin-eosin staining assay. We found that the growth of male uricase-deficient rats was retarded. These rats excreted more urine than the wild-type rats. Their organ indexes (organ weight body weight ratio), of the heart, liver, kidney, and thymus significantly increased, while those of the stomach and small intestine significantly decreased. The uricase-deficient rats had a significantly higher level of serum uric acid and excreted more uric acid via urine at a higher concentration. Except for the liver, uric acid increased in organs and intestinal juice of uricase-deficient rats. Histological examination of the uricase-deficient rats showed mild injuries to the heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, thymus, stomach, duodenum, and ileum. Our results suggest that uricase-deficient rats have a different biological pattern from the wild-type rats. Uricase deficiency causes growth retardation of young male rats and the subsequent increase in serum uric acid results in mild organs injuries, especially in the kidney and liver.
Pontibacillus sp. ALD_SL1 and Psychroflexus sp. ALD_RP9, two novel moderately halophilic bacteria isolated from sediment and water from the Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles
Authors: von Hoyningen-Huene Avril J. E. , Schlotthauer Tabea J. , Schneider Dominik , Poehlein Anja , Daniel Rolf
Published: August 2021

Pontibacillus sp. ALD_SL1 and Psychroflexus sp. ALD_RP9 are two novel bacterial isolates from mangrove sediment and a moderately hypersaline pool on the Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles. The isolates represent two novel species were characterised physiologically and genomically. Pontibacillus sp. ALD_SL1 is a facultatively anaerobic yellow, motile, rod-shaped Gram-positive, which grows optimally at a NaCl concentration of 11%, pH 7 and 28°C. It is the third facultatively anaerobic member of the genus Pontibacillus. The organism gains energy through the fermentation of pyruvate to acetate and ethanol under anaerobic conditions. The genome is the first among Pontibacillus that harbours a megaplasmid. Psychroflexus sp. ALD_RP9 is an aerobic heterotroph, which can generate energy by employing bacteriorhodopsins. It forms Gram-negative, orange, non-motile rods. The strain grows optimally at NaCl concentrations of 10%, pH 6.5–8 and 20°C. The Psychroflexus isolate tolerated pH conditions up to 10.5, which is the highest pH tolerance currently recorded for the genus. Psychroflexus sp. ALD_RP9 taxonomically belongs to the clade with the smallest genomes. Both isolates show extensive adaptations to their saline environments yet utilise different mechanisms to ensure survival.
Depressive and anxiety symptoms and COVID-19-related factors among men and women in Nigeria
Authors: Oginni Olakunle Ayokunmi , Oloniniyi Ibidunni Olapeju , Ibigbami Olanrewaju , Ugo Victor , Amiola Ayomipo , Ogunbajo Adedotun , Esan Oladoyin , Adelola Aderopo , Daropale Oluwatosin , Ebuka Matthew , Mapayi Boladale
Published: August 2021

Despite the greater adverse economic impacts in low and middle-income (LAMI) compared to high-income countries, fewer studies have investigated the associations between COVID-19-related stressor and mental health in LAMI countries. The objectives of this study were to determine the associations between COVID-19-related stressors and anxiety and depressive symptoms while controlling for known risk and protective factors and to investigate any sex differences. An online survey was carried out to assess sociodemographic, psychosocial (previous mental health conditions, sexual orientation, intimate partner violence and perceived social support) and COVID-19-related variables. Hierarchical linear regression was carried out with anxiety and depressive symptoms as separate outcomes. Of the COVID-19-related factors, testing positive for COVID-19 infection, having COVID-19 symptoms, having other medical conditions, self-isolating due to COVID-19 symptoms, worry about infection, perception of the pandemic as a threat to income and isolation during the lockdown were significantly associated with higher anxiety and depressive symptoms. Of these, worry about infection, isolation during lockdown and disruption due to the pandemic retained independent associations with both outcomes. The variance in anxiety and depressive symptoms explained by COVID-19-related factors was larger in women (11.8%) compared to men (6.1% and 0.8% respectively). COVID-19-related stressors are associated with higher anxiety and depressive symptoms, with these effects being larger in men compared to women. Enhancing social support can be an affordable strategy to mitigate this risk but this needs to be investigated using appropriate designs.
“When will it be over?” U.S. children’s questions and parents’ responses about the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Menendez David , Klapper Rebecca E. , Golden Michelle Z. , Mandel Ava R. , Nicholas Katrina A. , Schapfel Maria H. , Silsby Olivia O. , Sowers Kailee A. , Sumanthiran Dillanie , Welch Victoria E. , Rosengren Karl S.
Published: August 2021

Parent-child conversations are important for children’s cognitive development, children’s ability to cope with stressful events, and can shape children’s beliefs about the causes of illness. In the context of a global pandemic, families have faced a multitude of challenges, including changes to their routines, that they need to convey to their children. Thus, parent-child conversations about the coronavirus pandemic might convey information about the causes of illness, but also about how and why it is necessary for children to modify their behaviors to comply with new social norms and medical guidance. The main goal of this study was to examine the questions children ask about the COVID-19 pandemic and how parents answer them. This survey included responses from a national sample of 349 predominantly white parents of children between the ages of 3 and 12 recruited through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk in United States. Parents reported that although children asked about COVID-19 and its causes (17.3%), children asked primarily about lifestyle changes that occurred as a result of the pandemic (24.0%) and safety (18.4%). Parents reported answering these questions by emphasizing that the purpose of different preventative measures was to protect the child (11.8%) or the family (42.7%) and providing reassurance (13.3%). Many parents discussed how it was their social responsibility to slow the spread of the virus (38.4%). Parents of younger children tended to shield them from information about COVID-19 (p = .038), while parents with more knowledge were more likely to provide explanations (p < .001). Our analysis shows that families not only discuss information about the virus but also information about changes to their lifestyle, preventative measures, and social norms.
Associations of fat mass and muscle function but not lean mass with cognitive impairment: The Yishun Study
Authors: Tou Nien Xiang , Wee Shiou-Liang , Pang Benedict Wei Jun , Lau Lay Khoon , Jabbar Khalid Abdul , Seah Wei Ting , Chen Kenneth Kexun , Ng Tze Pin
Published: August 2021

Background

Sarcopenia and obesity are reportedly associated with risk of cognitive decline, and sarcopenic obesity (SO) heightens the risk, but the evidence is sparse and inconclusive. This study aimed to examine the association between SO and cognitive impairment.

Methods

A total of 542 community-dwelling adults aged between 21 and 90 years were recruited. All participants were assessed for body composition (dual X-ray absorptiometry), handgrip strength (HGS), gait speed (GS), and cognitive function (Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status). Sarcopenia was defined by the presence of low appendicular lean mass index (ALMI) and low HGS or low GS according to the 2019 Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia criteria, and obesity was defined based on the upper two quintiles of fat mass index (FMI).

Results

Sarcopenia alone or in combination with obesity were not significantly associated with cognitive impairment after controlling for confounding variables. Obesity on its own was significantly associated with greater odds of impaired attention (OR: 2.05, 95%CI 1.12–3.82). Low ALMI was not associated, but low HGS, slow GS, and high FMI were individually associated with cognitive impairment: low HGS and immediate memory (OR: 1.91, 95% CI 1.04–3.49); low GS and immediate memory (OR: 2.17, 95% CI 1.26–3.72); high FMI and attention (OR: 2.06, 95% CI 1.22–3.51). Co-occurring high FMI with either low HGS or slow GS exacerbated the observed odds of global and domain-specific (attention, visuospatial) cognitive impairment.

Conclusions

Lean mass is not relevant, whereas muscle strength and physical performance or adiposity are relevant in defining sarcopenia or sarcopenic obesity in terms of their cognitive impacts.
Phytochemical characterization of raw and cooked traditionally consumed alimurgic plants
Authors: Monari Stefania , Ferri Maura , Montecchi Beatrice , Salinitro Mirko , Tassoni Annalisa
Published: August 2021

In the past, wild edible alimurgic plants became an important alternative food source when poverty, wars or drought made it difficult to access crops. These plants were considered rich in highly nutritional compounds and also frequently used as food-medicine given their health-promoting properties. With the aim of improving our knowledge on the content of beneficial or detrimental compounds in relation with past local dietary and curative traditions, 12 wild food plant species were collected from two study areas selected for their very different degree of industrialization, urbanization, and conservation of local past traditions among the population: the Bologna province (Northern Italy) and the Middle Agri Valley (Southern Italy). Protein, polyphenol flavonoid and biogenic amine (both free and conjugated) contents and antioxidant activity of raw and boiled wild food plant extracts, and of cooking water were analyzed by means of spectrophotometric and high-performance liquid chromatography methods. The results demonstrated that most of the phenolic compounds were released in the cooking water which also showed the highest antioxidant activity. Seventeen different phenolic compounds were identified, of which the health-related luteolin, luteolin-7-glucoside and rutin were the most abundant (e.g., S. pratensis L. and C. intybus L.). On the other hand, biogenic amines were absent or present at very low levels in cooking water of those very same species (e.g., S. pratensis L., T. officinalis Weber, C. vesicaria subsp. taraxacifolia and C. intybus L.) of which traditionally a decoction is used for therapeutic purposes. Free and conjugated spermidine and spermine were generally the most abundant biogenic amines, while none of the known detrimental monoamines (e.g., histamine) was detected. In conclusion, the present results seem to support past local popular traditions which indicated beneficial medical properties of some wild edible plant, as well as of their cooking water.
The potential for diversion of prescribed opioids among orthopaedic patients: Results of an anonymous patient survey
Authors: Sundararajan Kala , Ajrawat Prabjit , Canizares Mayilee , Power J. Denise , Perruccio Anthony V. , Sarro Angela , Montoya Luis , Rampersaud Y. Raja ,   the University Health Network Division of Orthopaedic Surgery
Published: August 2021

Introduction

Diversion of prescription opioid medication is a contributor to the opioid epidemic. Safe handling practices can reduce the risk of diversion. We aimed to understand: 1) if orthopaedic patients received instructions on how to safely handle opioids, 2) their typical storage/disposal practices, and 3) their willingness to participate in an opioid disposal program (ODP).

Methods

Cross-sectional study of adult orthopaedic patients who completed an anonymous survey on current or past prescription opioid use, instruction on handling, storage and disposal practices, presence of children in the household, and willingness to participate in an ODP. Frequencies and percentages of responses were computed, both overall and stratified by possession of unused opioids.

Results

569 respondents who reported either current or past prescription opioid use were analyzed. 44% reported receiving storage instructions and 56% reported receiving disposal instructions from a health care provider. Many respondents indicated unsafe handling practices: possessing unused opioids (34%), using unsafe storage methods (90%), and using unsafe disposal methods (34%). Respondents with unused opioids were less likely to report receiving handling instructions or using safe handling methods, and 47% of this group reported having minors or young adults in the household. Respondents who received storage and disposal instructions were more likely to report safe storage and disposal methods. Seventy-four percent of respondents reported that they would participate in an ODP.

Conclusion

While many orthopaedic patients report inadequate education on safe opioid handling and using unsafe handling practices, findings suggest targeted education is associated with better behaviours. However, patients are willing to safely dispose of unused medication if provided a convenient option. These findings suggest a need to address patient knowledge and behavior regarding opioid handling to reduce the risk of opioid diversion.
D-dimer as a biomarker for assessment of COVID-19 prognosis: D-dimer levels on admission and its role in predicting disease outcome in hospitalized patients with COVID-19
Authors: Poudel Ayusha , Poudel Yashasa , Adhikari Anurag , Aryal Barun Babu , Dangol Debika , Bajracharya Tamanna , Maharjan Anil , Gautam Rakshya
Published: August 2021

Introduction

Coronavirus Disease 2019 is a primarily respiratory illness that can cause thrombotic disorders. Elevation of D-dimer is a potential biomarker for poor prognosis in COVID-19, though optimal cutoff value for D-dimer to predict mortality has not yet been established. This study aims to assess the accuracy of admission D-dimer in the prognosis of COVID-19 and to establish the optimal cutoff D-dimer value to predict hospital mortality.

Methods

Clinical and laboratory parameters and outcomes of confirmed COVID-19 cases admitted to four hospitals in Kathmandu were retrospectively analyzed. Admitted COVID-19 cases with recorded D-dimer and definitive outcomes were included consecutively. D-dimer was measured using immunofluorescence assay and reported in Fibrinogen Equivalent Unit (μg/ml). The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine the accuracy of D-dimer in predicting mortality, and to calculate the optimal cutoff value, based on which patients were divided into two groups and predictive value of D-dimer for mortality was measured.

Results

182 patients were included in the study out of which 34(18.7%) died during the hospital stay. The mean admission D-dimer among surviving patients was 1.067 μg/ml (±1.705 μg/ml), whereas that among patients who died was 3.208 μg/ml (±2.613 μg/ml). ROC curve for D-dimer and mortality gave an area under the curve of 0.807 (95% CI 0.728–0.886, p<0.001). Optimal cutoff value for D-dimer was 1.5 μg/ml (sensitivity 70.6%, specificity 78.4%). On Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, the unadjusted hazard ratio for high D-dimer was 6.809 (95% CI 3.249–14.268, p<0.001), and 5.862 (95% CI 2.751–12.489, p<0.001) when adjusted for age.

Conclusion

D-dimer value on admission is an accurate biomarker for predicting mortality in patients with COVID-19. 1.5 μg/ml is the optimal cutoff value of admission D-dimer for predicting mortality in COVID-19 patients.
Mixed methods study evaluating the implementation of the WHO hand hygiene strategy focusing on alcohol based handrub and training among health care workers in Faranah, Guinea
Authors: Müller Sophie Alice , Diallo Alpha Oumar Karim , Rocha Carlos , Wood Rebekah , Landsmann Lena , Camara Bienvenu Salim , Schlindwein Laszlo , Tounkara Ousmane , Arvand Mardjan , Diallo Mamadou , Borchert Matthias
Published: August 2021

Introduction

The most frequent adverse health events in healthcare worldwide are healthcare-associated infection. Despite ongoing implementation of the WHO multimodal Hand Hygiene (HH) Improvement Strategy, healthcare-associated infection rate continues to be twofold higher in low- than in high-income countries. This study focused on continued evaluation of HH compliance and knowledge. The mixed method approach, with inclusion of patients and care-givers, provided insight into challenges and facilitators of the WHO HH Improvement Strategy, and highlighted improvement points.

Methods

An uncontrolled, before-and–after intervention, mixed methods study in Faranah Regional Hospital was conducted from December 2017 to August 2019. The intervention implemented the WHO HH Strategy including HH training for healthcare workers (HCWs), and the relaunch of the local production of alcohol-based handrub (ABHR). A baseline assessment of HH knowledge, perception and compliance of HCWs was done prior to the intervention and compared to two follow-up assessments. The second follow-up assessment was complemented by a qualitative component.

Results

Overall compliance six months post-intervention was 45.1% and significantly higher than baseline but significantly lower than in first follow-up. Knowledge showed similar patterns of improvement and waning. The perception survey demonstrated high appreciation of the intervention, such as local production of ABHR. HCW’s were concerned about overconsuming of ABHR, however simultaneous quantitative measurements showed that consumption in fact was 36% of the estimated amount needed for sufficient HH compliance. Potential fields for improvement identified by HCWs to enhance sustainability were permanent ABHR availability, having a dedicated person with ownership over continuous simulation HH trainings including simulations to improve technique.

Conclusion

The study shows that the WHO multimodal HH strategy has a positive effect on HCW compliance and knowledge. Improvement points identified by local staff like sensitization on appropriate ABHR amount per HH action should be considered for sustainable HH improvement.
Role of Ras in regulation of intestinal epithelial cell homeostasis and crosstalk with Wnt signaling
Authors: Kotani Takenori , Ihara Noriko , Okamoto Saki , Setiawan Jajar , Konno Tasuku , Saito Yasuyuki , Murata Yoji , Matozaki Takashi
Published: August 2021

Cross talk between different signaling pathways is thought to be important for regulation of homeostasis of, as well as oncogenesis of, the intestinal epithelium. Expression of an active form of K-Ras specifically in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) of mice (IEC-RasDA mice) resulted in the development of hyperplasia in the small intestine and colon of mice. IEC-RasDA mice also manifested the increased proliferation of IECs. In addition, the number of goblet cells markedly increased, while that of Paneth cells decreased in IEC-RasDA mice. Development of intestinal organoids was markedly enhanced for IEC-RasDA mice compared with control mice. Whereas, the expression of Wnt target genes was significantly reduced in the in intestinal crypts from IEC-RasDA mice compared with that apparent for the control. Our results thus suggest that K-Ras promotes the proliferation of IECs as well as generation of goblet cells. By contrast, Ras counter-regulates the Wnt signaling and thereby contribute to the proper regulation of intestinal epithelial cell homeostasis.