bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CHARACTERIZATION OF Cr / SiO2 / AL2O3 CATALYST FROM RICE HUSK USING IMPREGNATION METHOD
Authors: Susmanto Prahadu , Gusman Yandriani , Ridwan M Fajar , Tanara Endra Hakim
Published: March 2020

Rice husk is one of biomass which has very high silica content (18-22%). It can be used as one of support material in the form of SiO2 / Al2O3 which if it is varied with metals, it will produce a catalyst. In this research, a Cr / SiO2 / Al2O3 catalyst was made by using wetness impregnation and dry impregnation methods to obtain the best amount of Cr metal. According to FTIR test results on SiO2 / Al2O3 material, it formed Si-OH bond (3250.2 cm-1), Al-OH (1620 cm-1), Si-O-Si (1410.6 cm-1), O-Al -O (767.8 cm-1). The results of SEM-EDX and Brunauer Emmet Teller (BET) test on variations in the concentration of 0.5 M precursor solution; 1 M; 1.5 M showed that A3 variant had the highest Cr content of 19.79% with a surface area of 68.939 m2 / gr, a pore volume of 0.06675 cc / gr and a pore radius of 19.36 Å. Based on isothermal desorption adsorption curve with nitrogen gas the A3 catalyst variant was classified into type IV with mesoporous structure based on  International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC).
Chloroquine as a Potential Treatment and Prevention Measure for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus: A Review
Authors: Kearney John
Published: March 2020

There is a long trail of research studies testing the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of chloroquine and its derivatives in treating and preventing infection by various coronavirus species. More recent findings have highlighted the possibility of treating patients infected with the 2019 novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. This review describes the mechanism of coronavirus infection, the mechanism of action of chloroquine, and summarizes the available literature highlighting the efficacy of chloroquine as an anti-coronavirus agent. These findings should encourage the wider scientific community to conduct thorough research on the possible efficacy of chloroquine and its derivatives in treating and preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Global Existence of Strong Solution to 3D Periodic Navier-Stokes Equations
Authors: Chaabani Abdelkerim
Published: March 2020

The purpose of this paper is to bring to light a method through which the global in time existence for arbitrary large in H1 initial data of a strong solution to 3D periodic Navier-Stokes equations follows. The method consists of subdividing the time interval of existence into smaller sub-intervals carefully chosen. These sub-intervals are chosen based on the hypothesis that for any wavenumber m, one can find an interval of time on which the energy quantized in low-frequency components (up to m) of the solution u is lesser than the energy quantized in high-frequency components (down to m) or otherwise the opposite. We associate then a suitable number m to each one of the intervals and we prove that the norm ||u(t)||H1 is bounded in both mentioned cases. The process can be continued until reaching the maximal time of existence Tmax which yields the global in time existence of strong solution.
Educating a New Entrepreneurial University Model in Islamic Azad Universities in Sistan and Baluchestan Province
Authors: Okati Hamid , Pourkiani Masoud , Abbasi Farzaneh Beikzadeh , Rad Navid Fatehi
Published: March 2020

The purpose of this study was to educate  the entrepreneurial university model in the Islamic Azad universities, Sistan and Baluchestan province. The statistical population of the expert group of entrepreneurs included entrepreneurship faculty and top entrepreneurs, managers, experts, and faculty members at the Islamic Azad University of Sistan and Baluchestan Province, which the education will conduct taking them as role model. The sampling was done by stratified random sampling method, and 558 questionnaires were gathered. The questionnaires were prepared by the experts on the basis of approved indicators via the Delphi questionnaire after confirming a model for promoting the development level of the universities of the province. Data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the components of the entrepreneurial university and the Islamic Azad University in the presented model (p <0.05). It seems that for development of university entrepreneurship in the Islamic Azad universities in Sistan and Baluchestan, several institutional infrastructure reforms and institutional innovations need to be considered by all university members to promote entrepreneurial organizational culture.
Self-Structured Cortical Learning Algorithm by Dynamically Adjusting Columns and Cells
Authors: Suzugamine Sotetsu ,   Graduate School of Information and Engineering Sciences, The University of Electro-Communications 1-5-1 Chofugaoka, Chofu, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan, Aoki Takeru , Takadama Keiki , Sato Hiroyuki
Published: March 2020

The cortical learning algorithm (CLA) is a type of time-series data prediction algorithm based on the human neocortex. CLA uses multiple columns to represent an input data value at a timestep, and each column has multiple cells to represent the time-series context of the input data. In the conventional CLA, the numbers of columns and cells are user-defined parameters. These parameters depend on the input data, which can be unknown before learning. To avoid the necessity for setting these parameters beforehand, in this work, we propose a self-structured CLA that dynamically adjusts the numbers of columns and cells according to the input data. The experimental results using the time-series test inputs of a sine wave, combined sine wave, and logistic map data demonstrate that the proposed self-structured algorithm can dynamically adjust the numbers of columns and cells depending on the input data. Moreover, the prediction accuracy is higher than those of the conventional long short-term memory and CLAs with various fixed numbers of columns and cells. Furthermore, the experimental results on a multistep prediction of real-world power consumption show that the proposed self-structured CLA achieves a higher prediction accuracy than the conventional long short-term memory.
A New Sensing Direction Rotation Approach to Area Coverage Optimization in Directional Sensor Network
Authors: Peng Song ,   School of Automation, China University of Geosciences No.388 Lumo Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China, Xiong Yonghua
Published: March 2020

Coverage is a crucial issue in directional sensor networks (DSNs), and a high coverage ratio ensures a good quality of service (QoS). However, a DSN encounters various problems because they use directional sensor nodes, which are characterized by directionality and a definite sensing angle. To address the area coverage problem of DSNs, this paper proposes a new sensing direction rotation approach to optimize coverage. First, we conduct grid partitioning in the target area and propose a coverage verification algorithm to justify the coverage situation of the grid points. Then, we utilize particle swarm optimization (PSO) to find an optimal sensing direction group of the directional sensor nodes to maximize the coverage ratio. Extensive simulation experiments were conducted to prove the effectiveness and reliability of our proposed approach. The results show that the approach improves the area coverage ratio of DSNs in various scenarios.
A Class of Jump-Diffusion Stochastic Differential System Under Markovian Switching and Analytical Properties of Solutions
Authors: Liu Xiangdong , Mi Zeyu , Chen Huida
Published: March 2020

Our article discusses a class of Jump-diffusion stochastic differential system under Markovian switching (JD-SDS-MS). This model is generated by introducing Poisson process and Markovian switching based on a normal stochastic differential equation. Our work dedicates to analytical properties of solutions to this model. First, we give some properties of the solution, including existence, uniqueness, non-negative and global nature. Next, boundedness of first moment of the solution to this model is considered. Third, properties about coefficients of JD-SDS-MS is proved by using a right continuous markov chain. Last, we study the convergence of Euler-Maruyama numerical solutions and apply it to pricing bonds.
Spatio-temporal variation of malaria hotspots in central Senegal, 2008-2012
Authors: DIENG Sokhna , Ba El Hadj , Cissé Badara , Sallah Kankoe , Guindo Abdoulaye , Ouedraogo Boukary , Piarroux Martine , Rebaudet Stanislas , Piarroux Renaud , Landier Jordi , Sokhna Cheikh , Gaudart Jean
Published: March 2020

Background: In malaria endemic areas, identifying spatio-temporal hotspots is becoming an important element of innovative control strategies targeting transmission bottlenecks. The aim of this work was to describe the spatio-temporal variation of malaria hotspots in central Senegal and to identify the meteorological, environmental, and preventive factors that influence this variation.Methods: This study analysed the weekly incidence of malaria cases recorded from 2008 to 2012 in 575 villages of central Senegal (total population approximately 500,000) as part of a trial of seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC). Data on weekly rainfall and annual vegetation types were obtained for each village through remote sensing. The time series of weekly malaria incidence for the entire study area was divided into periods of high and low transmission using change-point analysis. Malaria hotspots were detected during each transmission period with the SaTScan method. The effects of rainfall, vegetation type, and SMC intervention on the spatio-temporal variation of malaria hotspots were assessed using a General Additive Mixed Model.Results : The malaria incidence for the entire area varied between 0 and 115.34 cases/100,000 person weeks during the study period. During high transmission periods, the cumulative malaria incidence rate varied between 7.53 and 38.1 cases/100,000 person-weeks, and the number of hotspot villages varied between 62 and 147. During low transmission periods, the cumulative malaria incidence rate varied between 0.83 and 2.73 cases/100,000 person-weeks, and the number of hotspot villages varied between 10 and 43. Villages with SMC were less likely to be hotspots (OR=0.48, IC95%: 0.33-0.68). The association between rainfall and hotspot status was non-linear and depended on both vegetation type and amount of rainfall. The association between village location in the study area and hotspot status was also shown.Conclusion : In our study, malaria hotspots varied over space and time according to a combination of meteorological, environmental, and preventive factors. By taking into consideration the environmental and meteorological characteristics common to all hotspots, monitoring of these factors could lead targeted public health interventions at the local level. Moreover, spatial hotspots and foci of malaria persisting during LTPs need to be further addressed.Trial registrationThe data used in this work were obtained from a clinical trial registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov under # NCT 00712374.
Puccinia triticina pathotypes THTT and THTS display complex transcript profiles on wheat cultivar Thatcher
Authors: Wei jie , Cui Liping , Zhang na , Du dongdong , Meng qingfang , Yan hongfei , Yang wenxiang
Published: March 2020

Background: Wheat leaf rust is an important disease worldwide. Understanding the pathogenic molecular mechanism of Puccinia triticina Eriks. (Pt) and the inconstant toxic region is critical for managing the disease. The present study aimed to analyze the pathogenic divergence between Pt isolates.
Results: Total RNA was extracted from the wheat cultivar Thatcher infected by two Pt isolates, Tc361_1 (THTT) and Tc284_2 (THTS), at 144 hours post inoculation (hpi). The mRNA was then sequenced, and a total of 2,784 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected. Forty-five genes were specifically expressed in THTT; these genes included transcription initiation factors and genes with transmembrane transporter activity and other genes. Twenty-six genes were specifically expressed in THTS, including genes with GTPase activity, ABC transporters and other genes. Fifty-four differentially expressed candidate effectors were screened from the two isolates. Two candidate effectors were chosen and validated on tobacco, and the results showed that they could inhibit necrosis induced by BAX. qRT-PCR of 12 significant DEGs was carried out to validate that the results are similar to those of RNA-seq at 144 hpi, to show the expression levels of these DEGs in the early stage and to elucidate the differences in expression between the two Pt pathotypes.
Conclusion: The results obtained in this study showed that although the two pathotypes of THTT and THTS contribute similar virulence to wheat, there are a large number of genes participate in the interaction with the susceptible wheat cultivar Thatcher, and revealed the pathogenicity of rust is very complicated.
A partial mediation effect of father-child attachment and self-esteem between parental marital conflict and subsequent features of internet gaming disorder in children: a 12-month follow-up study
Authors: Jeong Hyunsuk , Yim Hyeon Woo , Lee Seung-Yup , Lee Hae Koo , Potenza Marc N , Jo Sun-jin , Son Hye Jung
Published: March 2020

ObjectivesThis study evaluated whether parent-child attachment and self-esteem may mediate the relationship between parental marital conflict and increases in features of internet gaming disorder (IGD) in children at one year.MethodThe baseline and one-year follow-up data for 268 pre-teens aged between 9 and 10 from the iCURE study were collected. The students were children at low risk for IGD in the initial self-reported assessment, anyone living with both parents, current game user at baseline, and those who completed a 12-month follow-up assessment. The Internet Game Use-Elicited Symptom Screen (IGUESS) was used to identify increases in IGD features at 12 months. To examine a potential mediation effect, structural equation modeling was performed.ResultsThe direct effect was statistically significant, and parental marital conflict at baseline significantly predicted the increases in IGD features in children at the 12-month follow-up after adjusting for gender, sex, socioeconomic status, and baseline IGUESS score (ß=0.206, P=0.003). The indirect effect showed that attachment to fathers through self-esteem was a significant mediating effect (ß=0.078, P=0.045). Parental marital conflicts were associated with increases in IGD features in children through poor father-child attachment, and in turn, the lower levels of self-esteem in the children.ConclusionParents, especially fathers, should make an effort to bond with their children to reduce the risk of their children’s developing the IGD features.
A three-arm, multicenter, open-label randomized controlled trial of hydroxychloroquine and low-dose prednisone on recurrent spontaneous abortion with undifferentiated connective tissue diseases: Protocol for the immunosuppressant regimens for Living FEtuses (ILIFE) Trial
Authors: Yang Shaoying , Ni Ruoning , Lu Yikang , Wang Suli , Xie Feng , Zhang Chunyan , Lu Liangjing
Published: March 2020

Background: Undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) is known to induce adverse pregnancy outcomes, and even recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) by placental vascular damage and inflammation activation. Anticoagulation can prevent pregnancy morbidities. However, it is unknown whether the addition of immune suppressant to anticoagulation can prevent spontaneous pregnancy loss in UCTD patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and low-dose prednisone on recurrent pregnancy loss for women with UCTD.Methods: The Immunosuppressant for Living Fetuses (ILIFE) Trial is a three-arm, multicenter, open-label randomized controlled trial with the primary objective of comparing hydroxychloroquine combined with low-dose prednisone and anticoagulation with anticoagulation alone in treating UCTD women with recurrent spontaneous abortion. The third arm of using hydroxychloroquine combined with anticoagulant for secondary comparison. A total of 426 eligible patients will be randomly assigned to each of the three arms with a 1:1:1 allocation ratio. The primary outcome is the rate of live births. Secondary outcomes include adverse pregnancy outcomes and progression of UCTD.Discussion: This is the first multi-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial which evaluates the efficacy of immunosuppressant regimens on pregnancy outcomes and UCTD progression. It will provide evidence on whether the immunosuppressant ameliorates the pregnancy prognosis in UCTD patients with RSA and the progression into defined connective tissue disease. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03671174. Registered on 14 September 2018. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03671174
Promoting parent-child relationships and preventing violence via home-visiting: A pre-post cluster randomised trial among Rwandan families linked to social protection programmes
Authors: Betancourt Theresa S. , Jensen Sarah K.G. , Barnhart Dale A. , Brennan Robert T. , Murray Shauna M. , Yousafzai Aisha K. , Farrar Jordan , Godfroid Kalisa , Bazubagira Stephanie M. , Rawlings Laura B. , Wilson Briana , Sezibera Vincent , Kamurase Alex
Published: March 2020

Background: Sugira Muryango ​ is a father-engaged early child development and violence-prevention home-visiting programme delivered by trained lay workers. This cluster-randomised trial evaluates whether families living in extreme poverty ( Ubudehe 1, the poorest category in the Government of Rwanda’s wealth ranking) who receive Sugira Muryango in combination with a government-provided social protection programme demonstrate greater responsive, positive caregiving, nutrition, care seeking, hygiene, and father involvement compared with control families receiving usual care (UC). Methods: Using detailed maps, we grouped closely spaced villages into 284 geographic clusters stratified by the type of social protection programs operating in the village clusters; 198 clusters met all enrolment criteria. Sugira Muryango was delivered to n=541 families in 100 treatment clusters with children aged 6–36 months living in extreme poverty. We assessed changes in outcomes in intervention and 508 UC control families using structured surveys and observation. Analyses were intent to treat using mixed models to accommodate the clustering. Results: Families receiving Sugira Muryango improved on core outcomes of parent-child relationships assessed using the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (Cohen’s d =0.87, 95% CI: 0.74, 0.99) and the Observation of Mother-Child Interaction (Cohen’s d =0.29, 95% CI: 0.17, 0.41). We also saw reductions in harsh discipline on items from the UNICEF MICS (OR=0.30: 95% CI: 0.22, 0.51) and violent victimization of female caregivers by their partners (OR=0.49, 95% CI: 0.24, 1.00) compared with UC. Moreover, children in families receiving SM had a 0.45 higher increase in food groups consumed in the past 24 hours (Cohen’s d =0.35, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.47), increased care seeking for diarrhoea (OR=4.43, 95% CI: 1.95, 10.10) and fever (OR=3.28, 95% CI: 1.82, 5.89), and improved hygiene behaviours such as proper treatment of water (OR=3.39, 95% CI: 2.16, 3.69) compared with UC. Finally, Sugira Muryango was associated with decreased caregiver depression and anxiety (OR=0.58, 95% CI: 0.38, 0.88). Conclusions: Sugira Muryango led to improvements in caregiver behaviours linked to child development and health as well as reductions in violence. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT02510313.
Nutritional status of primary school students and its association on academic performance in north-central Ethiopia: Cross-sectional study
Authors: Eniyew Tigist , Abebe Fikirtemariam , Gela Debela , Asegid Agezegn , Tiruneh Dawit
Published: March 2020

Background: Under-nutrition is a fundamental factor which resulted in delayed cognitive development and underachievement of academic performance later in children’s life at school. The extent of under-nutrition in Ethiopia has been established well but there are insufficient evidences about its relationship with the educational achievement of school-age children.
Objective : To assess the correlation of nutritional status with academic performance among public primary school children
Method: - An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted over 399 primary school children in Debre-Tabor Town, Amhara Regional State North-Central Ethiopia, 2018 after selecting them with simple random sampling. The nutritional status was assessed using the anthropometric measurement of WHO 2007 reference as Height for Age Z-score (HAZ), Weight for Age Z-score (WAZ) and Body Mass Index for Age Z-score (BAZ). Academic performance was assessed by calculating two semesters of overall subjects’ average score. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation test, and linear regression were used for statistical analysis. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24 and nutritional status was analyzed using WHO AnthroPlus version 1.0.4 (5-19 years).
Result: - Almost half of study participants were male 209(52%), 291(73%) comes from married family, and 177(44%) were comes from family having more than five members. The mean age of the study participants were 11.85. The prevalence of stunting, wasting, underweight and overweight was 22%, 32.4%, 24.3%, and 1.3% respectively. The prevalence of any form of malnutrition was 56.14% and the mean academic performance for study participants was 71.65(±12.63 SD). There was a statistically significant positive relationship between academic achievement and HAZ. Age of child and absenteeism were associated negatively while attending preschool, the type of head of the house, and having breakfast habits associated positively with the educational achievement of the study participants.
Conclusion:- The prevalence of under-nutrition among study participants was high. Considering the correlation of absenteeism, skipping breakfast, having preschool education and HAZ, nutritional interventions should be considered at prenatal, infancy and preschool period to sustain positive impact and reducing negative factors.
Key Terms: Nutritional status, Academic performance, primary school, child1.
Single-Stage Repair of Contaminated Hernias Using a Novel Antibiotic-Impregnated Biologic Porcine Submucosa Tissue Matrix
Authors: minor samuel fulton , Brown Carl J , Rooney Paul S , hodde jason p , julien lisa , Scott Tracy M , Karimuddin Ahmer A , Raval Manoj J , Phang Terry P
Published: March 2020

Background: Single-stage repair of incisional hernias in contaminated fields has a high rate of surgical site infection (30-42%) when biologic grafts are used for repair. In an attempt to decrease this risk, a novel graft incorporating gentamicin into a biologic extracellular matrix derived from porcine small intestine submucosa was developed. Methods: This prospective, multicenter, single-arm observational study was designed to determine the incidence of surgical site infection following implantation of the device into surgical fields characterized as CDC Class II, III, or IV. Results: Twenty-four patients were enrolled, with 42% contaminated and 25% dirty surgical fields. After 12 months, 5 patients experienced 6 surgical site infections (21%) with infection involving the graft in 2 patients (8%). No grafts were explanted. Conclusions: The incorporation of gentamicin into a porcine-derived biologic graft can be achieved with no noted gentamicin toxicity and a low rate of device infection for patients undergoing single-stage repair of ventral hernia in contaminated settings. Trial Registration: The study was registered March 27, 2015 at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02401334.
The Median Effective Dose (ED50) of cis-Atracurium for Laryngeal Mask Airway Insertion during General Anaesthesia for Patients Undergoing Urinary Surgery
Authors: Wang Xiaohua , Huang Ke , Yan Hao , Lan Fei , Yao Dongxu , Li Yanhong , Xue Jixiu , Wang Tianlong
Published: March 2020

Background In clinical practice, the laryngeal mask airway is an easy-to-use supraglottic airway device. However, the cis- atracurium dosage for laryngeal mask insertion is not standardised. We aimed to determine the optimal dose of cis- atracurium using a sequential method for successful laryngeal mask insertion. Methods : The cohort study protocol is registered at clinicaltrial.gov (NCT-03668262). Twenty-three patients undergoing elective urinary surgery were sequentially administered doses (μg· kg -1 ) of cis- atracurium as follows: 150, 100, 70, 50, 30, and 20. The main outcome was the response to laryngeal mask airway insertion: ≥16 points and <16 points indicated “satisfactory” and “unsatisfactory” responses, respectively. The median effective dose was estimated using the mean of the seven crossovers from “satisfactory” and “unsatisfactory” responses. The primary outcome was to determine the median effective dose (ED50) of cis- atracurium for laryngeal mask airway insertion. Results : The median effective dose of cis- atracurium was 26.5 μg·kg -1 (95% CI 23.6-29.8) using the sequential method. The heart rate was decreased in the 50μg·kg -1 group compared to the 30μg·kg -1 group at timepoints T7, T8, and T10 ( P = 0.0482, P = 0.0460, and P = 0.0236, respectively), but no difference with 20 μg·kg -1 group. The systolic blood pressure was decreased in the 50 μg·kg -1 group compared to the 20 μg·kg -1 group at timepoints T2, T3, T4 ( P = 0.0159, P = 0.0233, and P = 0.0428, respectively). The train-of-four value was significantly lower in the 50 μg·kg -1 group than in the 30 μg·kg -1 group at timepoint T3( P = 0.0326). Conclusions : The ED50 of cis- atracurium was 26.5 μg·kg -1 for laryngeal mask airway insertion.
Hard-threshold-Neural-Network based Prediction of Organic Synthetic Outcomes
Authors: Hu Haoyang , Yuan Zhihong
Published: March 2020

Retrosynthetic analysis is a canonical technique for planning the synthesis route of organic molecules in drug discovery and development. In this technique, the screening of synthetic tree branches requires accurate forward reaction prediction, but existing software is far from completing this step independently. Previous studies attempted to apply a neural network to forward reaction prediction, but the accuracy was not satisfying. Through using the Edit Vector-based description and extended-connectivity fingerprints to transform the reaction into a vector, this study focuses on the update of the neural network to improve the template-based forward reaction prediction. Hard-threshold activation and the target propagation algorithm are implemented by introducing mixed convex-combinatorial optimization. Comparative tests were conducted to explore the optimal hyperparameter set. Using 15,000 experimental reaction data extracted from granted United States patents, the proposed hard-threshold neural network was systematically trained and tested. The results demonstrated that a higher prediction accuracy was obtained than that for the traditional neural network with backpropagation algorithm. Some successfully predicted reaction examples are also briefly illustrated.
Identification of transcription factors MYC and C/EBPβ mediated regulatory networks in heart failure based on GEO dataset
Authors: Wang Haiwei , Wang Xinrui , Xu Liangpu , Cao Hua
Published: March 2020

Background: Heart failure is one of leading cause of death worldwide. However, the transcriptional profiling of heart failure is unclear. Moreover, the signaling pathways and transcription factors involving the heart failure development also are largely unknown. Using published Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets, in the present study, we aim to comprehensively analyze the differentially expressed genes in failing heart tissues, and identified the critical signaling pathways and transcription factors involving heart failure development. Methods: The transcriptional profiling of heart failure was identified from previously published gene expression datasets deposited in GSE5406, GSE16499 and GSE68316. The enriched signaling pathways and transcription factors were analyzed using DAVID website and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) assay. The transcriptional networks were created by Cytoscape. Results: Compared with the normal heart tissues, 90 genes were particularly differentially expressed in failing heart tissues, and those genes were associated with multiple metabolism signaling pathways and insulin signaling pathway. Metabolism and insulin signaling pathway were both inactivated in failing heart tissues. Transcription factors MYC and C/EBPβ were both negatively associated with the expression profiling of failing heart tissues in GSEA assay. Moreover, compared with normal heart tissues, MYC and C/EBPβ were down regulated in failing heart tissues. Furthermore, MYC and C/EBPβ mediated downstream target genes were also decreased in failing heart tissues. MYC and C/EBPβ were positively correlated with each other. At last, we constructed MYC and C/EBPβ mediated regulatory networks in failing heart tissues, and identified the MYC and C/EBPβ target genes which had been reported involving the heart failure developmental progress. Conclusions: Our results suggested that metabolism pathways and insulin signaling pathway, transcription factors MYC and C/EBPβ played critical roles in heart failure developmental progress.
Countertransference feelings and personality disorders: A psychometric evaluation of a brief version of the Feeling Word Checklist (FWC-BV)
Authors: Breivik Randi , Wilberg Theresa , Evensen Julie , Røssberg Jan Ivar , Dahl Hanne Sofie , Pedersen Geir A. Feigum
Published: March 2020

Background
The Feeling Word Checklist (FWC) is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess therapists’ countertransference (CT) feelings. The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a brief, 12-item version of the Feeling Word Checklist (FWC-BV). The second aim was to validate the factor structure by examining the associations between the FWC-BV factors, patients’ personality pathology and therapeutic alliance (TA).
Methods
Therapists at 13 different outpatient units within the Norwegian Network of Personality Disorders participated, and the study includes therapies for a large sample of patients ( N =2425) with personality pathology. Over a period of 2.5 years, therapists completed the FWC-BV for each patient in therapy every 6 months. Statistical methods included exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factor analysis. Internal consistency was estimated using Mc Donald’s coefficient Omega (ω t ). The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV – Axis II (SCID II) and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) were used as diagnostic instruments, and patient-rated TA was assessed using the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI-SR).
Results
Factor analyses revealed three clinically meaningful factors: Inadequate , Idealised and Confident . These factors had acceptable psychometric properties. Most notably, a number of borderline PD criteria correlated positively with the factors Inadequate and Idealised , and negatively with the factor Confident . All the factors correlated significantly with at least one of the WAI-SR subscales
Conclusions
The FWC-BV measures three clinically meaningful aspects of therapists’ CT feelings. This brief version of the FWC seems satisfactory for use in further research and in clinical contexts.
Keywords: Countertransference, Feeling Word Checklist, factor analysis, personality disorder, psychometrics
Delivery of a Mental Health First Aid training package and staff peer support service in secondary schools: A mixed-methods implementation study of the WISE intervention
Authors: Fisher Harriet , Harding Sarah , Bell Sarah , Copeland Lauren , Evans Rhiannon , Powell Jillian , Araya Ricardo , Campbell Rona , Ford Tamsin , Gunnell David , Murphy Simon , Kidger Judi
Published: March 2020

Background: Improving children and young people’s provision for mental health is a current health priority in England. Secondary school teachers have worse mental health outcomes than the general working population, which the Wellbeing in Secondary Education (WISE) cluster randomised controlled trial aimed to improve. The WISE intervention comprised a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training package to at least 16 percent of staff, a short mental health awareness session to all teachers, and development of a staff peer-support service. Twenty-five schools were randomised to intervention or control arms. This paper reports findings regarding the extent of successful intervention implementation, drawn from a wider process evaluation reported elsewhere. Methods: Mixed methods data collection comprised researcher observations of training delivery, training participant evaluation forms, trainer and peer supporter interviews, peer supporter feedback meetings, logs of support provided, and teacher questionnaires. Quantitative data were summarised descriptively, while thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data. Results: In the 12 schools assigned to the intervention arm, 113 (8.6%) staff completed the two-day standard MHFA training course, and a further 146 (11.1%) staff completed the one-day MHFA for Schools and Colleges training. In seven (58.3%) schools the required eight percent of staff completed the MHFA training packages. A one-hour mental health awareness raising session was attended by 666 (54.5%) staff. Delivery of the MHFA training package was achieved with high levels of fidelity and quality across schools. All schools set up the peer-support service following training, with a majority adhering to most of the operational guidelines developed from the pilot study at the outset. Teachers reported limited use of the peer support service during follow-up. At the one year follow up, only three (25.0%) schools indicated they had re-advertised the service and there was evidence of a reduction in support from senior leadership. Conclusion: The MHFA training package was delivered with reasonably high fidelity, and a staff peer support service was established with general, but not complete, adherence to guidelines. In some schools insufficient staff received MHFA training and levels of delivery of the peer support service compromised intervention dose and reach.
Clinical Characteristics and Organ System Involvement in Sarcoidosis: Comparison of the University of Minnesota Cohort and Other Cohorts
Authors: Sreng Hok , Perlman David M , Shenoy Chetan , Steinberger Daniel J , Cogswell Rebecca J , Roukoz Henri , Peterson Erik J , Zhang Lin , Allen Tadashi L , Bhargava Maneesh
Published: March 2020

Background: Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology. Clinical cohort studies of different populations are important to understand the high variability in clinical presentation and disease course of sarcoidosis. The aim of the study is to evaluate clinical characteristics, including organ involvement, pulmonary function tests, and laboratory parameters, in a sarcoidosis cohort at the University of Minnesota. We compare the organ system involvement of this cohort with other available cohorts.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective data collection and analysis of 187 subjects with biopsy-proven sarcoidosis seen at a tertiary center. Organ system involvement was determined using the WASOG sarcoidosis organ assessment instrument. Clinical phenotype groups were classified using the Genomic Research in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency and Sarcoidosis criteria.
Results: Mean subject age at diagnosis was 45.8 ± 12.4, with a higher proportion of males (55.1%), and a higher proportion of blacks (17.1%) compared to the racial distribution of Minnesota residents (5.95%). The majority (71.1%) of subjects required anti-inflammatory therapy for at least 1 month. Compared to the A Case Control Etiologic Study of Sarcoidosis cohort, there was a higher frequency of extra-thoracic lymph node (34.2% vs. 15.2%), eye (20.9% vs. 11.8%), liver (17.6% vs. 11.5%), spleen (20.9% vs. 6.7%), musculoskeletal (9.6% vs. 0.5%), and cardiac (10.7% vs. 2.3%) involvement in our cohort. A multisystem disease with at least five different organs involved was identified in 13.4% of subjects. A restrictive physiological pattern was observed in 21.6% of subjects, followed by an obstructive pattern in 17.3% and mixed obstructive and restrictive pattern in 2.2%. Almost half (49.2%) were Scadding stages II/III. Commonly employed disease activity markers, including soluble interleukin-2 receptor and angiotensin-converting enzyme, did not differ between treated and untreated groups.
Conclusions: This cohort features a relatively high frequency of high-risk sarcoidosis phenotypes including cardiac and multiorgan disease. Commonly-utilized serum biomarkers do not identify subpopulations that require or do better with treatment. Findings from this study present further the high-variability nature of sarcoidosis and the need for a more reliable biomarker to predict and measure disease severity and outcomes for better clinical management for sarcoidosis patients.
The Effect of the Mobile ‘Blood Pressure Management Application’ on Hypertension Self-Management Enhancement: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Bozorgi Ali , Hosseini Hamed , Eftekhar Hassan , Majdzadeh Reza , Yoonessi Ali , Ramezankhani Ali , Mansouri Mehdi , Ashoorkhani Mahnaz
Published: March 2020

Background: Self-management of hypertension is of great significance given its increasing incidence and its associated disabilities. In view of the increased use of mobile health in medicine, the present study evaluated the effect of a self-management application on patient adherence to hypertension treatment.
Methods: This clinical trial was performed on 120 hypertensive patients who were provided with a mobile intervention for 8 weeks and followed-up until the 24th week. Data on the primary outcome (adherence to treatment) and secondary outcomes (adherence to the DASH diet, regular monitoring of blood pressure, and physical activity) were collected using a questionnaire and a mobile application, respectively. The inter-group change difference over time was analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA (General Linear Model).
Results: The treatment adherence score increased by an average of 5.9 (95% CI: 5.0-6.7) in the intervention group compared to the control group. Scores of 'adherence to the low-fat and low-salt diet plans' were 1.7 (95% CI: 1.3-2.1) and 1.5 (95% CI: 1.2-1.9), respectively. Moreover, moderate physical activity increased to 100.0 minutes (95% CI: 61.7-138.3) per week in the intervention group.
Conclusion: The treatment and control of blood pressure require a multifaceted approach given its complexity and multifactorial nature. Considering the widespread use of smartphones, mHealth interventions can be effective in self-management and better patient adherence to treatments. Our results showed that this application can be used as a successful tool for hypertension self-management in patients attending public hospitals in developing countries.
Trial registration: This study was registered in the Iran Randomized Clinical Trial Center under the number IRCT2015111712211N2 on January 1st 2016.
Distribution of malaria patients seeking care in different types of health facilities during the implementation of National Malaria Elimination Program
Authors: Li Gang , Zhang Donglan , Chen Zhuo , Feng Da , Chen Xiaoyu , Tang Shangfeng , Son Heejung , Wang Zhenhua , Xi Yuanhang , Feng Zhanchun
Published: March 2020

Background: China launched the National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP) in 2010 that set the goal that all health facilities had the ability to diagnose malaria along with the hospitals at all levels had the ability to treat malaria by 2015. To provide a reference for the control of imported malaria, we conducted a study on the distribution of malaria patients seeking care in different types of health facilities. Methods: There were two data source. One was obtained through the Infectious Diseases Information Reporting Management System (IDIRMS), which only contained the name of health facilities and the number of cases. The other was obtained through multistage stratified cluster sampling. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to investigate the distribution of malaria patients attending different types of health facilities (hospitals, township hospitals and CDCs), hospital tiers (county-level, prefecture-level or provincial-level) and hospital levels (primary, secondary or tertiary), and the Chi-square test was used to compare the proportions of patients seeking care outside their current residence region between different types of hospitals. Point maps were drawn to visualize the spatial distribution of hospitals reporting malaria cases, and flow maps were created to show spatial flow of malaria patients by using the ArcGIS software. Results: The proportions of malaria patients who sought care in hospitals, township hospitals, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCs) were 81.7%, 14.7% and 3.6%, respectively. For those who sought care in hospitals, the percentages who sought care in provincial-level, prefecture-level and county-level hospitals were 17.4%, 60.5% and 22.1%, correspondingly; the proportions of malaria patients who sought care in tertiary hospitals, secondary hospitals, and primary hospitals were 59.8%, 39.9% and 0.3%, respectively. Moreover, the proportions of patients seeking care in hospitals within county and prefectural administrative area were 18.2%, 63.4%, respectively. Conclusion: During the implementation of NMEP, malaria patients tended to seek care in tertiary hospitals and prefecture-level hospitals, and more than half of patients could be treated in hospitals in prefecture-level areas. In the current phase, it is necessary to establish referral system from county-level hospitals to higher-level hospitals for malaria treatment.
Geographical variations of early age sexual initiation among reproductive-age women in Ethiopia: Evidence from EDHS 2016
Authors: Nigatu Araya Mesfin , Birhanu Abraham Yeneneh , Endehabtu Berhanu Fikadie
Published: March 2020

Background : The early age of sexual initiation will contribute a lot for various risks such as mistimed pregnancy followed by insecure termination, developing fistula and contracting sexually transmitted infections which are currently the major public health concerns, particularly for low-income countries. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to detect spatial clusters and identify factors associated with an early age sexual initiation of women in the reproductive age group. Methods : We used a population-based nationwide representative Ethiopian demographic and health survey 2016 data for this analysis. A total of 12,033 respondents of reproductive age (15–49 years) who had at least one event of sexual initiation was retrieved and included for the analysis. Spatial cluster detection and autocorrelation analysis were also done to explore the patterns of early age sexual initiation. Results : The median age at first sexual intercourse among respondents was 16 (±3.3) years and more than half (66.2%), had their first intercourse before the age of 18 years. The spatial variations of the age of sexual initiation was nonrandom and clustered with a Moran's I = 0.413 (P-value < 0.001). In addition, five significant spatial clusters were also identified. Moreover, the probability of starting sex at an earlier age was associated with the respondent’s residence, marital status, educational attainment and wealth index. Conclusion : This study found a higher proportion of an early age sexual initiation of women. Socio-demographic variables were also significantly associated with early sexual initiation. The SaTScan analysis identified five statistical significant spatial clusters which indicate that there were geographical variations. Therefore, targeted and integrated interventions focusing on the identified high spot clustered areas are recommended to reduce early age sexual initiation. Keywords : Early sexual initiation, geographical variations, Ethiopia
Neuroanatomical underpinnings of autism symptomatology in carriers and non-carriers of the 22q11.2 microdeletion
Authors: Gudbrandsen Maria , Bletsch Anke , Mann Caroline , Daly Eileen , Murphy Clodagh M , Stoencheva Vladimira , Blackmore Charlotte , Rogdaki Maria , Kushan Leila , Bearden Carrie E , Murphy Declan G.M , Craig Michael C , Ecker Christine
Published: March 2020

Background: A crucial step to understanding the mechanistic underpinnings of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is to examine if the biological underpinnings of ASD in genetic high-risk conditions, like 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q11.2DS), are similar to those in idiopathic illness. This study aimed to examine if ASD symptomatology in 22q11.2DS is underpinned by the same – or distinct – neural systems that mediate these symptoms in non-deletion carriers. Methods: We examined vertex-wise estimates of regional cortical volume (rCV), surface area (SA), and cortical thickness across 131 individuals between (6-25 years) including (1) 50 individuals with 22q11.2DS, out of which n=25 had a diagnosis of ASD, (2) 40 non-carriers of the microdeletion with a diagnosis of ASD (i.e. idiopathic ASD), and (3) 41 typically developing (TD) controls. We employed a 2-by-2 factorial design to identify neuroanatomical variability associated with the main effects of 22q11.2DS and ASD, as well as their interaction. Further, using canonical correlation analysis (CCA), we compared neuroanatomical variability associated with the complex (i.e. multivariate) clinical phenotype of ASD between 22q11.2 deletion carriers and non-carriers. Results: The set of brain regions associated with the main effect of 22q11.2DS was distinct from the neuroanatomical underpinnings of the main effect of ASD. Moreover, significant 22q11.2DS-by-ASD interactions were observed for rCV and SA in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, precentral gyrus, and posterior cingulate cortex, suggesting that neuroanatomy of ASD is significantly modulated by 22q11.2DS ( p <0.01). We further established that the multivariate patterns of neuroanatomical variability associated with differences in symptom profiles significantly differed between 22q11.2 deletion carriers and non-carriers (RV coef =0.06, p <0.7 vs. RV coef =0.196, p <0.0001). Limitations: We employed a multicenter design to overcome single-site recruitment limitations, however, FreeSurfer derived measures of surface anatomy have been shown to be highly reliable across scanner platforms and field-strengths’. Further, we controlled for gender to address the differing distribution between idiopathic ASD individuals and the other groups. Nonetheless, the gender distribution in our sample reflects that of the respective populations, adding to the generalizability of our results. Last, we included individuals with a relatively wide age range (i.e. 6-25 years). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that neuroanatomical correlates of ASD symptomatology in carriers of the 22q11.2 microdeletion diverge from those in idiopathic ASD.