bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with birth asphyxia among term singleton births at two referral hospitals in Northern Uganda: a cross sectional study
Authors: Ayebare Elizabeth , Hanson Claudia , Nankunda Jolly , Hjelmstedt Anna , Nantanda Rebecca , Jonas Wibke , Tumwine James K. , Ndeezi Grace
Published: October 2022

Background

Birth asphyxia is one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality worldwide. In Uganda, it accounts for 28.9% of all neonatal deaths. With a view to inform policy and practice interventions to reduce adverse neonatal outcomes, we aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with birth asphyxia at two referral hospitals in Northern Uganda.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study, involving women who gave birth at two referral hospitals. Women in labour were consecutively enrolled by the research assistants, who also attended the births and determined Apgar scores. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, pregnancy history and care during labour, were obtained using a structured questionnaire. Participants were tested for; i) malaria (peripheral and placental blood samples), ii) syphilis, iii) white blood cell counts (WBC), and iv) haemoglobin levels. The prevalence of birth asphyxia was determined as the number of newborns with Apgar scores < 7 at 5 min out of the total population of study participants. Factors independently associated with birth asphyxia were determined using multivariable logistic regression analysis and ap-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

A total of 2,930 mother-newborn pairs were included, and the prevalence of birth asphyxia was 154 [5.3% (95% confidence interval: 4.5- 6.1)]. Factors associated with birth asphyxia were; maternal age ≤ 19 years [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.92 (1.27–2.91)], syphilis infection [aOR 2.45(1.08–5.57)], and a high white blood cell count [aOR 2.26 (1.26–4.06)], while employment [aOR 0.43 (0.22–0.83)] was protective. Additionally, referral [aOR1.75 (1.10–2.79)], induction/augmentation of labour [aOR 2.70 (1.62–4.50)], prolonged labour [aOR 1.88 (1.25–2.83)], obstructed labour [aOR 3.40 (1.70–6.83)], malpresentation/ malposition [aOR 3.00 (1.44–6.27)] and assisted vaginal delivery [aOR 5.54 (2.30–13.30)] were associated with birth asphyxia. Male newborns [aOR 1.92 (1.28–2.88)] and those with a low birth weight [aOR 2.20 (1.07–4.50)], were also more likely to develop birth asphyxia.

Conclusion

The prevalence of birth asphyxia was 5.3%. In addition to the known intrapartum complications, teenage motherhood, syphilis and a raised white blood cell count were associated with birth asphyxia. This indicates that for sustained reduction of birth asphyxia, appropriate management of maternal infections and improved intrapartum quality of care are essential.
Treatment outcomes in recurrent versus de novo metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma: a real world study
Authors: Miotke Laura , Nevala-Plagemann Christopher , Ying Jian , Florou Vaia , Haaland Benjamin , Garrido-Laguna Ignacio
Published: October 2022

Background

A majority of patients undergoing curative intent surgery for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) will unfortunately develop recurrent disease. Treatment outcomes for patients with metastatic disease remain suboptimal. In this study, we evaluated clinical outcomes of patients with recurrent PDAC who received systemic therapy and compared outcomes to patients with de novo metastatic PDAC undergoing systemic therapy.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with metastatic PDAC between 2014 and 2019 were included using a real-world database. Patients were characterized as either de novo or recurrent based on the date of metastatic diagnosis and history of surgical resection. Overall survival (OS) was summarized within groups via Kaplan–Meier survival estimates and compared using Cox proportional hazards models.

Results

We included 5170 patients with metastatic PDAC, of which 1101 (21.3%) were classified as having recurrent disease. Median OS for the recurrent group was significantly greater at 10.8 m (95% CI 9.9–11.7) than in the de novo group at 7.3 m (95% CI 7.0–7.7, p < 0.001). We did not observe a significant difference in OS based on when patients recurred after surgery: 10.0 m (95% CI 8.7–11) within six months of surgery versus 11.6 m (95% CI 10–12, p = 0.256) greater than six months from surgery.

Conclusions

These data support the inclusion of patients with recurrent PDAC in clinical trials for advanced disease, including those who develop recurrent disease within six months of surgery. Due to observed differences in survival, randomization should be stratified by disease presentation (recurrent vs de novo).
Sleep cycle in children with severe acute bronchopneumonia during mechanical ventilation at different depths of sedation
Authors: Zhao XueShan , Yan JingLi , Wu Bo , Zheng Duo , Fang Xiuying , Xu Wei
Published: October 2022

Background

To investigate the characteristics of sleep cycle in children with severe acute bronchopneumonia treated with invasive mechanical ventilation at different sedation depths.

Methods

We included 35 pediatric patients with severe acute bronchopneumonia treated using mechanical ventilation in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University. They were divided into deep sedation group (n = 21; ramsay score 5–6) and light sedation group (n = 14; ramsay score3-4) based on sedation depth achieved during mechanical ventilation. Long-term video electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring was performed within the first 24 h after starting mechanical ventilation and after weaning from mechanical ventilation and discontinuing sedatives and analgesics. The results were analyzed and compared with those of normal children to analyze changes in sleep cycle characteristics at different sedation depths and mechanical ventilation stages.

Results

There were 29 cases altered sleep architecture. The deep sedation group had a significantly higher incidence of sleep architecture altered, total sleep duration, and non-rapid eye movement sleep-1 (NREM-1) loss incidence than the light sedation group. Moreover, the deep sedation group had a significantly lower awakening number and rapid eye movement sleep (REM) percentage than the light sedation group. The sleep cycle returned to normal in 27 (77%) patients without NREM-1 or REM sleep loss.

Conclusions

Deep sedation during mechanical ventilation allows longer total sleep duration, fewer awakenings, and an increased deep sleep proportion, but sleep architecture is severely altered. After weaning from mechanical ventilation and sedative discontinuation, lightly sedated children exhibit better sleep recovery.
The global, regional, and national early-onset colorectal cancer burden and trends from 1990 to 2019: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
Authors: Pan Hongfeng , Zhao Zeyi , Deng Yu , Zheng Zhifang , Huang Ying , Huang Shenghui , Chi Pan
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer (EO-CRC), which occurs in people under age 50, has been increasing annually. The aim of this study was to provide an up-to-date estimate of the global EO-CRC burden.

Methods

We used Global Burden of Disease Study data and methodologies to describe changes in the EO-CRC burden from 1990 to 2019, including incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). The driving factors for cancer burden variation were further analyzed using decomposition analysis. Frontier analysis was used to visually demonstrate the potential for burden reduction in each country or region based on their development levels.

Results

The global EO-CRC incidence more than doubled, increasing from 95,737 (95% uncertainty interval (UI): 90,838–101.042) /100,000 in 1990 to 226,782 (95% UI: 207,495–248,604) /100,000 in 2019. Additionally, related deaths increased from 50,997 (95% UI: 47,692–54,410) /100,000 to 87,014 (95% UI: 80,259–94,339) /100,000, and DALYs increased from 256,1842 (95% UI: 239,4962–2,735,823) /100,000 to 4,297,573 (95% UI: 3,965,485–4,650,790) /100,000. Regarding age-standardized rates, incidence and prevalence increased significantly, while mortality and DALYs rate were basically unchanged. Decomposition analysis showed a significant increase in DALYs in the middle sociodemographic index (SDI) quintile region, in which aging and population growth played a major driving role. Frontier analysis showed that countries or regions with a higher SDI quintile tend to have greater improvement potential.

Conclusion

The current EO-CRC burden was found to be the greatest in the high-middle SDI quintile region and East Asia, which may need to adjust screening guidelines accordingly and introduce more effective interventions.
Gender differences in health protective behaviours and its implications for COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan: a population-based study
Authors: Tan Jasmine , Yoshida Yilin , Ma Kevin Sheng-Kai , Mauvais-Jarvis Franck , Lee Chien-Chang
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection produces more severe symptoms and a higher mortality in men than in women. The role of biological sex in the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 is believed to explain this sex disparity. However, the contribution of gender factors that influence health protective behaviors and therefore health outcomes, remains poorly explored.

Methods

We assessed the contributions of gender in attitudes towards the COVID-19 pandemic, using a hypothetical influenza pandemic data from the 2019 Taiwan Social Change Survey. Participants were selected through a stratified, three-stage probability proportional-to-size sampling from across the nation, to fill in questionnaires that asked about their perception of the hypothetical pandemic, and intention to adopt health protective behaviors.

Results

A total of 1,990 participants (median age = 45·92 years, 49% were women) were included. Significant gender disparities (p < .001) were observed. The risk perception of pandemic (OR = 1·28, 95% CI [1·21 − 1·35], p < .001), older age (OR = 1·06, 95% CI [1·05 − 1·07], p < .001), female gender (OR = 1·18, 95% CI [1·09-1·27], p < .001), higher education (OR = 1·10, 95% CI [1·06 − 1·13], p < .001), and larger family size (OR = 1·09, 95% CI [1·06 − 1·15], p < .001) were positively associated with health protective behaviors. The risk perception of pandemic (OR = 1·25, 95% CI [1·15 − 1·36]), higher education (OR = 1·07, 95% CI [1·02 − 1·13], p < .05), being married (OR = 1·17, 95% CI [1·01–1·36, p < .05), and larger family size (OR = 1·33, 95% CI [1·25 − 1·42], p < .001), were positively associated with intention to receive a vaccine. However, female gender was negatively associated with intention to receive a vaccine (OR = 0·85, 95% CI [0·75 − 0·90], p < ·01) and to comply with contact-tracing (OR = 0·95, 95% CI [0·90 − 1·00], p < .05) compared to men. Living with children was also negatively associated with intention to receive vaccines (OR = 0·77, 95% CI [0·66 − 0·90], p < .001).

Conclusion

This study unveils gender differences in risk perception, health protective behaviors, vaccine hesitancy, and compliance with contact-tracing using a hypothetical viral pandemic. Gender-specific health education raising awareness of health protective behaviors may be beneficial to prevent future pandemics.
Preponderance of vaccine-preventable diseases hotspots in northern Ghana: a spatial and space-time clustering analysis from 2010 to 2014
Authors: Amoako-Sakyi Daniel , Obiri-Yeboah Dorcas , Ofosu Anthony , Kusi Kwadwo Asamoah , Osei Kingsley , Adade Richard , Aniakwaa-Bonsu Ebenezer , Quansah Reginald , Arko-Mensah John , Amoah Brodrick Yeboah , Kwakye-Nuako Godwin , Frimpong Eric Yaw , Combasseré-Cherif Mariama , Mohammed Hidaya , Maiga Boubacar , Fobil Julius , Quakyi Isabella , Gyan Ben A.
Published: October 2022

Background

Vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) persist globally with a disproportionately high burden in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Although this might be partly due to the failure to sustain vaccination coverage above 90% in some WHO regions, a more nuanced understanding of VPD transmission beyond vaccination coverage may unveil other important factors in VPD transmission and control. This study identified VPDs hotspots and explored their relationships with ecology, urbanicity and land-use variations (Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) activities) in Ghana.

Methods

District-level disease count data from 2010 to 2014 from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and population data from the Ghana Population and Housing Census (PHC) were used to determine clustering patterns of six VPDs (Measles, Meningitis, Mumps, Otitis media, Pneumonia and Tetanus). Spatial and space-time cluster analyses were implemented in SaTScan using the discrete Poisson model.P-values were estimated using a combination of sequential Monte Carlo, standard Monte Carlo, and Gumbel approximations.

Results

The study found a preponderance for VPD hotspots in the northern parts of Ghana and northernmost ecological zones (Sudan Savannah and Guinea Savannah). Incidence of meningitis was higher in the Sudan Savannah ecological zone relative to: Tropical Rain Forest (p = 0.001); Semi Deciduous Forest (p < 0.0001); Transitional Zone (p < 0.0001); Coastal Savannah (p < 0.0001) and Guinea Savannah (p = 0.033). Except for mumps, which recorded a higher incidence in urban districts (p = 0.045), incidence of the other five VPDs did not differ across the urban-rural divide. Whereas spatial analysis suggested that some VPD hotspots (tetanus and otitis media) occur more frequently in mining districts in the southern part of the country, a Mann-Whitney U test revealed a higher incidence of meningitis in non-mining districts (p = 0.019). Pneumonia and meningitis recorded the highest (722.8 per 100,000) and least (0.8 per 100,000) incidence rates respectively during the study period.

Conclusion

This study shows a preponderance of VPD hotspots in the northern parts of Ghana and in semi-arid ecoclimates. The relationship between ASGM activities and VPD transmission in Ghana remains blurred and requires further studies with better spatial resolution to clarify.
Barriers and recommendations for a cervical cancer screening program among women in low-resource settings in Lagos Nigeria: a qualitative study
Authors: Olubodun Tope , Balogun Mobolanle Rasheedat , Odeyemi Abimbola Kofoworola , Odukoya Oluwakemi Ololade , Ogunyemi Adedoyin Oyeyimika , Kanma-Okafor Oluchi Joan , Okafor Ifeoma Peace , Olubodun Ayodeji Bamidele , Ogundele Oluwatoyin Olanrewaju Progress , Ogunnowo Babatunde , Osibogun Akin
Published: October 2022

Background

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally despite being a largely treatable and preventable malignancy. Developing countries account for over 80% of all new cases. Women residing in low-resource settings such as those residing in slums have a higher risk of cervical cancer, and lower uptake of cervical cancer screening. Diverse barriers influence the uptake of cervical cancer screening among women in low-resource settings.

Objectives

This qualitative study was done prior to the introduction of a cervical cancer screening program in two slum areas in Lagos Nigeria and explored women’s knowledge about cervical cancer, and their perceived barriers and recommendations for the program.

Method

Four focus group discussions(FGD) were conducted among 35 women between the ages of 21–65 years residing in two urban slums in Lagos, Nigeria from February to April 2019. Each FGD was limited to 8–10 participants of women of similar ages. Voice recordings were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was done.

Results

Most of the women were not aware of cervical cancer and none knew the symptoms or risk factors of cervical cancer. The participants felt that the cervical cancer screening program would be well accepted in the community, however, expressed concerns about the cost of the screening test and the sex of the person performing the test. The recommendations proffered for a successful cervical cancer screening program include; reducing the cost of the test or providing the test free of charge, having people that speak the local language as part of the team, using female health care providers, using a private location within the community or nearby primary health center, and publicizing the program with the use of SMS, phone calls, town crier, and health talks. It was recommended that organizing health education sessions would help improve women’s poorly perceived susceptibility to cervical cancer.

Conclusion

Interventions to increase uptake of cervical cancer screening among women in low resource settings need to improve knowledge of cervical cancer and address barriers to cervical cancer screening such as cost, distance, and as much as possible, sex of the healthcare provider should be considered.
Structural determinants of tailored behavioral health services for sexual and gender minorities in the United States, 2010 to 2020: a panel analysis
Authors: Cascalheira Cory J. , Helminen Emily C. , Shaw Thomas J. , Scheer Jillian R.
Published: October 2022

Background

Research indicates that tailored programming for sexual and gender minority (SGM; e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) people, compared to non-tailored programming, is effective for reducing the disproportionate health burden SGM people experience relative to the general population. However, the availability of SGM-tailored programming is often over-reported and inconsistent across behavioral health (i.e., substance use and mental health) facilities in the United States (U.S.).

Methods

Using panel analysis, the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS), and the National Mental Health Services Survey (N-MHSS), this study examines structural stigma and government funding as two structural determinants affecting the availability of SGM-tailored programming in the U.S.

Results

Results indicated that from 2010 to 2020, reductions in structural stigma (i.e., increases in state-level supportive SGM policies) were positively associated with increases in the proportion of substance use treatment facilities offering SGM-tailored programming. This effect was significant after controlling for over-reporting of SGM-tailored programming and time- and state-specific heterogeneity. On average, the effect of reduced structural stigma resulted in approximately two new SGM-tailored programs in the short term and about 31 new SGM-tailored programs in the long term across U.S. substance use treatment facilities. Structural stigma did not predict the availability of SGM-tailored programming in mental health treatment facilities. Government funding was not significant in either data set. However, without correcting for over-reporting, government funding became a significant predictor of the availability of SGM-tailored programming at substance use treatment facilities.

Conclusions

Because SGM-tailored programming facilitates access to healthcare and the current study found longitudinal associations between structural stigma and the availability of SGM-tailored programming in substance use treatment facilities, our findings support claims that reducing structural stigma increases access to behavioral health treatment specifically and healthcare generally among SGM people. This study’s findings also indicate the importance of correcting for over-reporting of SGM-tailored programming, raising concerns about how respondents perceive the N-SSATS and N-MHSS questions about SGM-tailored programming. Implications for future research using the N-SSATS and N-MHSS data and for public health policy are discussed.
Poor and non-poor gap in under-five child nutrition: a case from Nepal using Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition approach
Authors: Bhusal Umesh Prasad
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Many low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) have improved health indicators in the past decades, however, there is a differential in outcomes between socioeconomic groups. Systematic analysis of drivers of child nutrition gap between non-poor and poor groups has a policy relevance in Nepal and other countries to make progress towards universal health coverage (UHC). The objective of this paper was to estimate the mean height-for-age z scores (HAZ) gap between under-five children belonging to non-poor and poor groups, divide the gap into components (endowments, coefficients and interaction), and identify the factors that contributed most to each of the component.

Methods

Information about 6277 under-five children was extracted from the most recent nationally representative Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019. HAZ was used to assess nutritional status of children. Wealth index was used to categorize children into non-poor and poor. Mean HAZ gap between groups was decomposed using Blinder-Oaxaca technique into components: endowments (group difference in levels of predictors), coefficients (group difference in effects of predictors), and interaction (group difference due to interaction between levels and effects of predictors). Detailed decomposition was carried out to identify the factors that contributed most to each component.

Results

There was a significant non-poor and poor gap in nutrition outcome measured in HAZ (0.447; p < 0.001) among under-five children in Nepal. The between-group mean differences in the predictors of study participants (endowments) contributed 0.210 (47%) to the gap. Similarly, the between-group differences in effects of the predictors (coefficients) contributed 0.308 (68.8%) towards the gap. The interaction contributed -0.071 (15.8%) towards minimizing the gap. The predictors/variables that contributed most towards the gap due to (i) endowments were: maternal education, province (Karnali, Sudurpaschim, Madhesh), residence (rural/urban), type of toilet facility and ethnic group (Dalit and Muslim); (ii) coefficients were: number of under-five children in family, ethnic group (Dalit and Muslim), type of toilet facility, maternal age and education.

Conclusion

Decomposition of the child nutrition gap revealed that narrowing the inequality between wealth groups depends not only on improving the level of the predictors (endowments) in the poor group but also on reducing differential effects of the predictors (coefficients).
Periostin: biology and function in cancer
Authors: Dorafshan Shima , Razmi Mahdieh , Safaei Sadegh , Gentilin Erica , Madjd Zahra , Ghods Roya
Published: October 2022

Periostin (POSTN), a member of the matricellular protein family, is a secreted adhesion-related protein produced in the periosteum and periodontal ligaments. Matricellular proteins are a nonstructural family of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins that regulate a wide range of biological processes in both normal and pathological conditions. Recent studies have demonstrated the key roles of these ECM proteins in the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, periostin is an essential regulator of bone and tooth formation and maintenance, as well as cardiac development. Also, periostin interacts with multiple cell-surface receptors, especially integrins, and triggers signals that promote tumor growth. According to recent studies, these signals are implicated in cancer cell survival, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, and metastasis. In this review, we will summarize the most current data regarding periostin, its structure and isoforms, expressions, functions, and regulation in normal and cancerous tissues. Emphasis is placed on its association with cancer progression, and also future potential for periostin-targeted therapeutic approaches will be explored.
Shoulder pain, shoulder disability, and depression as serial mediators between stress and health-related quality of life among middle-aged women
Authors: Oh Jihyun , Lee Myung Kyung
Published: October 2022

Background

This study analyzed the mediating effects of shoulder pain, disability, and depression on the relationship between stress and health-related quality of life among middle-aged women using a serial mediation model. Methods. Data on stress, health-related quality of life, shoulder pain, shoulder disability, and depression were collected from 565 women aged 35–64 years living in Seoul, South Korea, from May 13 to 23, 2021, using a self-reported, structured survey. SPSS PROCESS macro (Model 6) and serial mediation analysis were used to analyze the relationship between stress and health-related quality of life among participants, with shoulder pain, shoulder disability, and depression as mediators. Results. The results indicate that stress had a statistically direct impact on health-related quality of life. In the serial mediation analysis, shoulder pain, disability, and depression were found to be statistically significant, thus affecting the relationship between stress and health-related quality of life, with an explanatory power of 33%. Therefore, the relationship between stress and health-related quality of life was partially mediated by these variables. Conclusions. Thus, this study suggests the need for healthcare workers to develop methods, such as exercise intervention programs based on various degrees and types of physical activity, to improve health-related quality of life and reduce stress caused by shoulder pain, shoulder disability, and depression among middle-aged women.
Development and validation of an extended Cox prognostic model for patients with ER/PR+ and HER2− breast cancer: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Xie Yiqun , Li Xizhou , Wu Ying , Cui Wenting , Liu Yang
Published: October 2022

Background

The purpose of this study was to explore a new estrogen receptor (ER) and/or progesterone receptor (PR)+ and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)− breast cancer prognostic model, called the extended Cox prognostic model, for determining the cutoff values for multiple continuous prognostic factors and their interaction via the new model concept and variable selection method.

Methods

A total of 335 patients with ER/PR+ and HER2− breast cancer were enrolled for the final analysis. The primary endpoint was breast cancer-specific mortality (BCSM). Prognostic factors (histological grade, histological type, stage, T, N, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), P53, Ki67, ER, PR, and age) were included in this study. The four continuous variables (Ki67, ER, PR, and age) were partitioned into a series of binary variables that were fitted in the multivariate Cox analysis. A smoothly clipped absolute deviation (SCAD) variable selection method was used. Model performance was expressed in discrimination and calibration.

Results

We developed an extended Cox model with a time threshold of 164-week (more than 3 years) postoperation and developed a user-friendly nomogram based on our extended Cox model to facilitate clinical application. We found that the cutoff values for PR, Ki67, and age were 20%, 60%, and 41–55 years, respectively. There was an interaction between age and PR for patients aged ≥ 41 years and PR ≥ 20% at 164-week postoperation: the older the patients with ER/PR+, HER2−, and PR ≥ 20% were, the lower the survival and more likely to recur and metastasize exceeding 164 weeks (more than 3 years) after surgery.

Conclusions

Our study offers guidance on the prognosis of patients with ER/PR+ and HER2− breast cancer in China. The new concept can inform modeling and the determination of cutoff values of prognostic factors in the future.
Epitope vaccine design for Toxoplasma gondii based on a genome-wide database of membrane proteins
Authors: Li Xuan-Wu , Zhang Ni , Li Zhuo-Lin , Dibo Nouhoum , Ma Zhen-Rong , Lu Bin , Huang Ye-Hong , Chang Yun-Feng , Chen Hong-Zhi , Wu Xiang
Published: October 2022

Background

There is presently no effective and safe vaccine for Toxoplasma gondii for humans. The study described here was designed to search for a novel group of optimal B cell and T cell epitopes from Toxoplasma membrane proteins using genome-wide comprehensive screening.

Methods

The amino acid sequences of membrane proteins of T. gondii were obtained from the UniProt database. The ABCPred and BepiPred servers were employed to predict the linear B cell epitopes. The Immune Epitope Database (IEDB) online service was utilized to forecast T cell epitopes within T. gondii membrane proteins that bind to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I (HLA-I) or HLA-II molecules.

Results

From the 314 membrane proteins of T. gondii, a total of 14 linear B cell epitopes embedded in 12 membrane proteins were identified. Eight epitopes for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I (MHC-I) molecules and 18 epitopes for MHC-II molecules were ultimately selected, for which world population coverage percentiles were 71.94% and 99.76%, respectively. The top rated combinations of linear B cell epitopes and T cell epitopes covering both BALB/c mice and a majority of the human population were identified for the development of a protective vaccine.

Conclusions

The ultimate vaccine construct described here, which comprises B cells, MHC-I and MHC-II epitopes, might protect individuals against T. gondii infection by inducing humoral and cellular immune responses.

Graphic abstract
Nerve entrapment syndromes of the upper limb: a pictorial review
Authors: Mangi Mohammad Danish , Zadow Steven , Lim WanYin
Published: October 2022

Peripheral nerves of the upper limb may become entrapped at various points during their anatomical course. While physical examination and nerve conduction studies are the mainstay of diagnosis, there are multiple imaging options, specifically ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which offer important information about the potential cause and location of nerve entrapment that can help guide management. This article overviews the anatomical course of various upper limb nerves, including the long thoracic, spinal accessory, axillary, suprascapular, radial, median, ulnar, and musculocutaneous nerves, and describes the common locations and causes of entrapments for each of the nerves. Common ultrasound and MRI findings of nerve entrapments, direct or indirect, are described, and various examples of the more commonly observed cases of upper limb nerve entrapments are provided.
Nonlinear analysis by applying best approximation method in p-vector spaces
Authors: Yuan George Xianzhi
Published: October 2022

It is known that the class ofp-vector spaces$(0 < p \leq 1)$(0<p≤1)is an important generalization of the usual norm spaces with rich topological and geometrical structure, but most tools and general principles with nature in nonlinearity have not been developed yet. The goal of this paper is to develop some useful tools in nonlinear analysis by applying the best approximation approach for the classes of 1-set contractive set-valued mappings inp-vector spaces. In particular, we first develop general fixed point theorems of compact (single-valued) continuous mappings for closedp-convex subsets, which also provide an answer to Schauder’s conjecture of 1930s in the affirmative way under the setting of topological vector spaces for$0 < p \leq 1$0<p≤1. Then one best approximation result for upper semicontinuous and 1-set contractive set-valued mappings is established, which is used as a useful tool to establish fixed points of nonself set-valued mappings with either inward or outward set conditions and related various boundary conditions under the framework of locallyp-convex spaces for$0 < p \leq 1$0<p≤1. In addition, based on the framework for the study of nonlinear analysis obtained for set-valued mappings with closedp-convex values in this paper, we conclude that development of nonlinear analysis and related tools for singe-valued mappings in locallyp-convex spaces for$0 < p \leq 1$0<p≤1seems even more important, and can be done by the approach established in this paper.
Exploring life engagement from the perspective of patients with major depressive disorder: a study using patient interviews
Authors: Therrien François , Meehan Stine R. , Weiss Catherine , Dine Jennifer , Brown T. Michelle , MacKenzie Erin M.
Published: October 2022

Background

Patient-reported outcomes can measure health aspects that are meaningful to patients, such as ‘life engagement’ in major depressive disorder (MDD). Expert psychiatrists recently identified ten items from the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report (IDS-SR) that can be used to measure patient life engagement. This study aimed to explore the concept of patient life engagement and provide support for the IDS-SR10 Life Engagement subscale from the patient perspective.

Methods

Semi-structured video interviews were conducted with adults with MDD in the United States. Patients were asked if they ever felt engaged with life, and how this affected their feelings, activities, socializing, and thoughts. Then, patients discussed the ten expert-selected IDS-SR items, and rated the relevance of all 30 items to patient life engagement on a 4-point scale.

Results

Patients (N = 20) understood the ‘engaged with life’ concept and could provide examples from their own lives, such as increased energy/motivation (100%), being more social/spending time with others (85%), being more communicative (80%), and having better mood (75%). Nineteen patients (95%) indicated that all ten IDS-SR10 Life Engagement items were relevant to patient life engagement, and nine of the ten items had a mean score ≥ 3 (moderately relevant). Four additional items (all relating to mood) also scored ≥ 3.

Conclusions

Patients found the concept of life engagement to be important and relatable, and confirmed the IDS-SR10 captures the defining non-mood-related aspects of patient life engagement. This research supports the relevance of patient life engagement as a potential clinical outcome beyond core mood symptoms, and the use of the IDS-SR10 Life Engagement subscale in patient-oriented research.
Self-reported health-related quality of life of the general population in Alberta, Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Wen Jiabi , Al Sayah Fatima , Simon Roland , Lahtinen Markus , Johnson Jeffrey A. , Ohinmaa Arto
Published: October 2022

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted various aspects of people’s life and wellbeing around the world. This study aimed to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health-related quality of life (HRQL), measured by the EQ-5D-5L, amongst the general population in the province of Alberta, Canada, and explore whether the impact varied across population subgroups based on age, gender, and dwelling.

Methods

Data came from two waves of a repeated cross-sectional population-based survey, the COVID-19 Experiences and Impact Survey, administered by the Health Quality Council of Alberta. The first data collection (survey 1: n = 8790) was during May/June 2020 and the second (survey 2: n = 9263) during Oct 2020. We examined the comparability of weighted survey data and their representativeness to Alberta’s general population. We then explored between-survey differences in EQ-5D-5L index, EQ-VAS and dimension responses, and differences across subgroups within each survey. We compared HRQL of the pooled sample (survey 1&2) with the Alberta population norms data from the pre-pandemic period.

Results

Mean EQ-5D-5L index and EQ-VAS scores were 0.81 (0.15) and 72.54 (18.57), and 0.82 (0.14) and 71.98 (18.96) in surveys 1 and 2, respectively. The anxiety/depression dimension had the most reported problems (survey 1: 69.5%, survey 2: 70.2%). Respondents aged 16–24 or 75 and older, who identified themselves as a woman, or residing in urban areas had significantly lower EQ-5D-5L index scores compared to their counterparts in both surveys. Between-survey differences were not substantially different. Comparing the pooled sample with the pre-pandemic Alberta population norms, EQ-5D-5L index scores (0.82 vs. 0.84) and EQ-VAS scores (72.26 vs. 77.40) were significantly lower, and respondents aged 16–44, women, or urban residents were more impacted. More problems were reported in the anxiety/depression (69.9% vs. 37.2%) and usual activities dimensions (40.5% vs. 26.0%) during the pandemic period, especially for respondents aged 16–44, women, and those residing in urban areas.

Conclusions

Lower HRQL was reported during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic HRQL in this population, with anxiety/depression and usual activities affected the most. People who were younger, women, and residing in urban areas were most impacted. The government responses to COVID-19 policies during population outbreaks should consider the needs of Albertans in these particular groups.
Deciphering the cytochrome P450 genes in the microbiome of a chronically polluted soil with history of agricultural activities
Authors: Salam Lateef Babatunde , Obayori Oluwafemi Sunday , Ilori Mathew Olusoji , Amund Olukayode Oladipo
Published: October 2022

Background

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs) are exciting biocatalysts that catalyzes diverse regio- and stereoselective reactions of a broad range of substrates. The cytochrome P450 genes (CYPomes) of a chronically polluted soil (3S) with history of agricultural activities were deciphered via functional annotation of putative ORFs (open reading frames) using KEGG KofamKOALA, PHMMER, the Cytochrome P450 Engineering Database CYPED v6.0, and the NCBI Batch Web CD-Search tool.

Results

Annotation revealed the detection of seventy-seven CYP families and eight standalone CYPs cutting across the three domains of life. The prokaryote CYPome has 72 CYP families, 93 subfamilies, and seven standalone CYPs. The phylum Proteobacteria and the genera Streptomyces, Mycobacterium, and Bacillus with 17, 16, 24, and 5 CYP families were predominant, while the domain Archaea was represented by CYP119A1. The phylum Cyanobacteria has two families, while 23 actinobacterial CYPs (other than Streptomyces and Mycobacterium) were also detected. The detected prokaryote CYPs are responsible for biodegradation of camphor, hydroxylation of monoterpene alcohols, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and hydroxylation of fatty acids and steroidal compounds. The eukaryote CYPome was represented by seven fungal CYPs (CYP505A3, CYP505B1, CYP51A, CYP51C, CYP55A1, CYP55A2, and CYP55A3) from Acremonium egyptiacum, Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus oryzae, Gibberella moniliformis, Aspergillus flavus, and Fusarium lichenicola, respectively, and CYP524A1 from the slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum. The fungi CYPs were involved in biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, hydroxylation of fatty acids, and nitrate reduction and denitrification.

Conclusions

This study has established the diverse roles played by CYPs in soil, its implication for soil health and resilience, and its potentials for industrial application.
Validation of an Arabic translation of the Functional Mobility Assessment (FMA) tool for assistive mobility device users
Authors: Sarsak Hassan Izzeddin
Published: October 2022

Background

Functional mobility assessment (FMA) tool is a self-report questionnaire developed to measure users’ satisfaction with assistive mobility devices while performing activities of daily living.

Purpose

To validate an Arabic translation of the FMA tool for Arabic-speaking assistive mobility devices users.

Methods

A committee of 2 bilingual qualified occupational therapists translated the English version into Arabic which was verified by back translation. The final versions were administered to bilingual assistive mobility devices users. The participants were randomly assigned to answer either the English or Arabic version of the FMA first, followed by answering the FMA in the other language. The scores obtained were tested for agreement using the kappa statistic.

Results

Participants’ (n=52), 28 were males and 24 were females, average participant age was 39.4 years old and had used an assistive mobility device for 6.4 years. We found a significant moderate agreement between the scores obtained from the two versions (p<0.000). The kappa measurement of agreement was 0.59 (95% confidence interval, 0.48–0.70).

Conclusion

The FMA is now available in Arabic, and it is an appropriate measure for use in research and clinical practice to quantify satisfaction with a functional mobility among assistive mobility device users. Further studies should test its psychometric properties.
3D structural modelling and spectral decomposition analysis of Jay Field offshore Niger Delta, Nigeria
Authors: Akinwale Rotimi P. , Ayolabi Elijah , Akinwale Solomon A.
Published: October 2022

In the Niger Delta, the Jay Field offshore structural model and seismic attribute analysis were carried out to enhance prospect evaluation and mitigate risk in field development operations, especially in regions with few wells and poor seismic data. Integration of a 3D seismic cube and one well with composite logs was used to carry out this analysis. Horizon and fault mapping was enhanced with Seismic attribute analysis, and an optimum frequency for spectral decomposition was identified using spectral analysis. The 3D structural framework revealed collapsed crest structures and rollover anticlines which act as hydrocarbon traping systems on the field. Detailed spectral analysis was carried out before using the spectral decomposition attribute to identify the most suitable (spectral) frequency at which the possible reservoir zones become more pronounced. The spectral frequency of 25Hz has been analysed to give high amplitude in the hydrocarbon accumulated region (indicated around the well position). This was used to evaluate prospective regions. The spectral decomposition attribute analysis predicts regions of possible quality reservoirs. This paper reveals that seismic attributes such as spectral decomposition, energy, and similarity can improve reflection patterns in poor to good quality seismic data. In this paper, the energy and spectral decomposition are veritable attributes that have improved reflection patterns and had allowed to identify anomalous amplitude associated with hydrocarbon accumulation in this paper.
Multiple System Atrophy
Authors: Claassen Daniel O.
Published: October 2022

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) can present with diverse clinical manifestations, and the clinical care required is complex and requires a thoughtful approach to emerging symptoms and treatment decisions.

RECENT FINDINGS

Even though it is a rare disease, MSA is often encountered in clinical practice. New developments in biofluid biomarkers and diagnostic assessments offer potential for earlier and more accurate diagnosis. This article describes recent findings, such as the use of skin biopsies, neuroimaging, and novel treatment concepts (eg, central noradrenergic augmentation).

MSA is a complex disease. This article provides a summary of treatment options for diverse symptoms that include autonomic, sleep, mood, and motor manifestations of the disease to help clinicians care for patients with MSA. Providing comprehensive care for patients with MSA requires an understanding of the diverse symptomatology that patients develop over time and should include an interdisciplinary team.
Knowing and Not Knowing
Authors: Ray Sangeeta
Published: October 2022

This article articulates how an epistemology of ignorance structures the postcolonial metropolitan critic’s knowledge about a particular fraught state in India, Assam. Using the term agnotology, coined by Robert Proctor, rather than agniology, it examines two novels, Missing by Bengali writer Sumana Roy and The House with a Thousand Stories by Assamese novelist and poet Aruni Kashyap, to show that, despite their crucial differences in form, style, and narration, both novels use a locally inflected English language to tell stories about how rumor and gossip destroy families and communities living in the shadow of insurgencies and state violence. The Anglophone metropolitan postcolonial critic’s often-shallow knowledge about a region, its literature and deep politics, and their many rationalizations about why it is so, dovetails with the manner in which lies, exaggerated and fake news, shape and produce what counts as knowledge in these Indian Anglophone novels. Both works evoke the failure of a poetics and politics of familial and extrafamilial relations to underline how death and the disappearance of women from families, from society, and from the news enable a comparison of the inventive engagements with gender to understand the relationship of ignorance to truth.
Northeast Indian or Assamese
Authors: Kashyap Aruni
Published: October 2022

What does it mean to be a writer from Northeast India? What does it mean to write from the margins of India? What are the limitations of Indian English writing when it comes to depicting marginal, radical literary traditions that question the idea of India? The author of The House with a Thousand Stories and There Is No Good Time for Bad News, Aruni Kashyap, shares his formative experiences as a writer, including the influences of Indian writers such as Amitav Ghosh, Assamese literary culture, and Indigenous oral storytelling traditions.
Shedding of ciliary vesicles at a glance
Authors: Ojeda Naharros Irene , Nachury Maxence V.
Published: October 2022

Cilia sense and transduce sensory stimuli, homeostatic cues and developmental signals by orchestrating signaling reactions. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) that bud from the ciliary membrane have well-studied roles in the disposal of excess ciliary material, most dramatically exemplified by the shedding of micrometer-sized blocks by photoreceptors. Shedding of EVs by cilia also affords cells with a powerful means to shorten cilia. Finally, cilium-derived EVs may enable cell–cell communication in a variety of organisms, ranging from single-cell parasites and algae to nematodes and vertebrates. Mechanistic understanding of EV shedding by cilia is an active area of study, and future progress may open the door to testing the function of ciliary EV shedding in physiological contexts. In this Cell Science at a Glance and the accompanying poster, we discuss the molecular mechanisms that drive the shedding of ciliary material into the extracellular space, the consequences of shedding for the donor cell and the possible roles that ciliary EVs may have in cell non-autonomous contexts.
Differential Expression in the Tumor Microenvironment of mRNAs Closely Associated with Colorectal Cancer Metastasis
Authors: Ito Kazuhiro , Osakabe Mitsumasa , Sugimoto Ryo , Yamada Shun , Sato Ayaka , Uesugi Noriyuki , Yanagawa Naoki , Suzuki Hiromu , Sugai Tamotsu
Published: October 2022

Background

Metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of CRC-related mortality. However, the detailed molecular mechanism of CRC metastasis remains unknown. A recent study showed that the tumor microenvironment, which includes cancer cells and the surrounding stromal cells, plays a major role in tumor invasion and metastasis. Identification of altered messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in the tumor microenvironment is essential to elucidation of the mechanisms responsible for tumor progression. This study investigated the mRNA expression of genes closely associated with metastatic CRC compared with non-metastatic CRC.

Methods

The samples examined were divided into cancer tissue and isolated cancer stromal tissue. The study examined altered mRNA expression in the cancer tissues using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) (377cases) and in 17 stromal tissues obtained from our laboratory via stromal isolation using an array-based analysis. In addition, 259 patients with CRC were enrolled to identify the association of the candidate markers identified with the prognosis of patients with stage 2 or 3 CRC. The study examined the enriched pathways identified by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) module in both the TCGA dataset and isolated stromal tissue.

Results

As a result, whereas tenascin-C, secreted phosphoprotein 1 and laminin were expressed in metastatic CRC cells, olfactory receptors (ORs) 11H1 and OR11H4 were expressed in stromal tissue cells isolated from metastatic CRC cases. Finally, upregulated expression of tenascin-C and OR11H4 was correlated with the outcome for CRC patients.

Conclusion

The authors suggest that upregulated expression levels of tenascin-C and OR11H1 play an important role in CRC progression.