bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long-term outcomes of antibiotic combination therapy for ulcerative colitis
Authors: Nishikawa Yuriko , Sato Nobuhiro , Tsukinaga Shintaro , Uchiyama Kan , Koido Shigeo , Ishikawa Dai , Ohkusa Toshifumi
Published: July 2021

Aims:

An antibiotic combination of amoxicillin, tetracycline and metronidazole (ATM) is effective for ulcerative colitis (UC), but this regimen is discontinued in some cases due to adverse events. This study aimed to assess a revised combination, namely, amoxicillin, fosfomycin and metronidazole (AFM), in UC patients with the goal of reducing side effects while maintaining therapeutic efficacy.

Methods:

A prospective open-label trial was undertaken in 104 adult UC patients. A combination of oral amoxicillin (1500 mg), fosfomycin (3000 mg) and metronidazole (750 mg) was administered to patients daily for 2–4 weeks in addition to their conventional medication. Clinical assessment was performed using the Lichtiger index before treatment and at 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months and 2 and 3 years. Endoscopic evaluation was performed using the Mayo score before treatment and at 3 and 12 months.

Results:

The compliance rate was 99.2%. Response and remission rates were 80.8% and 63.5% at completion, 73.1% and 64.4% at 3 months, and 39.4% for both at 12 months, respectively. Of the 41 patients who were in remission at 12 months, 63.4% maintained that status until the 2-year follow-up. Similarly, 69.2% of those in remission at 2 years remained relapse free at the 3-year follow-up. Side effects were observed in 44.2% of the participants. Fever occurred in one patient (1.0%), which was lower than the rate observed with ATM therapy.

Conclusion:

These results indicate that AFM therapy induces remission and is appropriate for long-term maintenance of UC while producing fewer and milder adverse events than ATM therapy.

Clinical trials:

This study was registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network (No. R000046546).
Surgical management of traumatic atlantoaxial subluxation in two cats
Authors: Gilbert Emma , Driver Colin J
Published: July 2021

Case series summary

We describe here the surgical management of two pure breed cats with traumatic atlantoaxial subluxation. One cat was ambulatory tetraparetic on presentation and the second was tetraplegic, both with cervical spinal pain and acute onset of paresis with subsequent deterioration. MRI was performed in both cases, demonstrating spinal cord injury. Flexed lateral cervical radiographs were needed to confirm atlantoaxial subluxation in one case. CT was performed for surgical planning and surgical stabilisation was achieved with threaded pins and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) cement; odontoidectomy was required in one case. Both cats showed improvement postoperatively, with no complications or deterioration seen. Following surgery, one cat made a complete recovery; however, the second cat retained significant deficits.

Relevance and novel information

We present the first report of surgically managed atlantoaxial subluxation of traumatic aetiology in cats, and report its occurrence in two novel breeds for this disease, Ragdoll and Persian. One case required odontoidectomy due to previous fracture and malunion of the odontoid process of the axis; both cases underwent surgical stabilisation of the atlantoaxial joint utilising multiple threaded pins and PMMA cement without transarticular implants – a technique that has not been previously reported in cats.
The Role of Need for Cognition in Predicting the Attitudes of Indonesian Millennials Toward Printed Advertising and Purchase Intentions
Authors: Sjabadhyni Bertina , Dwi Mustika Martina , Carissa Nathasia , Khairunnisa Syifa , Kurniawan Leo Andhika , Mutiara Amira Budi , Putriaji Retno , Sinaga Andre Patio
Published: July 2021

This article presents findings from research investigating the effectiveness of humor appeals (humor relatedness and humor mechanisms) to Indonesian millennials for predicting their attitudes toward printed ads and their purchase intentions. In total, 543 Indonesian millennials participated in three experimental studies to test the relationship between humor appeals and the need for cognition to predict their attitudes and intentions. It was found that humor appeals were effective in predicting millennials’ attitudes toward printed ads and their purchase intentions. However, the need for cognition did not significantly influence the relationship. Indonesian millennials were more likely to not engage in thinking processes when evaluating humorous ads, which may be influenced by their characteristics and cultural backgrounds.
Barriers to the Implementation of Green Practices in the Integrated Resort Sector
Authors: Luo Jian Ming , Chau Ka Yin , Fan Yulan , Chen Hong
Published: July 2021

Green practices and integrated resorts are attracting increasing attention from industry practitioners and academics. However, several barriers limit the growth of green practices, especially in the integrated resorts in Macau. The purpose of this study is to identify the major barriers of implementing green practices in integrated resorts in Macau from the managers’ perspective using qualitative method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 managers from the integrated resort sector in Macau. Grounded theory was adopted along with NVivo 12.0 to analyze the qualitative data collected from the interviews. Results revealed five major barriers to green practices in the integrated resort sector: policies and regulations, management, resources, costs, and awareness. These findings extend existing theoretical explanations for green practices and provide a guideline of implementing green practices in the integrated resort sector for policymakers and practitioners.
Advancing Antiracism in Literacy Research
Authors: Willis Arlette Ingram , Smith Patriann
Published: July 2021

This invited article is a precursor to the Racial Justice in Literacy Research Report. It is framed around the key concepts of equity, literacy, race, and their intersections in the field of literacy research. The authors make the case that antiracism is the best antidote to a history of unacknowledged racism in the field and in contemporary practice. The authors outline several fundamental principles of antiracism, beginning with working definitions of antiracism, institutional racism, and structural/systemic racism. The authors provide examples of frameworks used to engage antiracism in education broadly and conclude with suggestions for an antiracism framework for literacy research.
Eliminating the Burden of Lymphedema in Cancer Patients Requiring Nodal Dissections Using Prophylactic Immediate Lymphatic Reconstruction – A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Mussie Abiye , Medor Maria C. , Mohand-Said Sylia , Ibrahim Andrea M. , Nessim Carolyn , Momtazi Moein
Published: July 2021

Immediate lymphatic reconstruction (ILR), performed concurrently with nodal dissection, has shown promise in reducing the rates of lymphedema in patients with various types of cancers. Herein, we detail the case of a 42-year-old patient who underwent nodal dissection in the management of their melanoma. This patient underwent ILR at the time of lymph node dissection of the right axilla and was followed for 24 months. Circumferential measurements of both the operative and non-operative limbs, as well as lymphedema-specific quality of life questionnaire (LYMQOL) data, were collected at each appointment. Our patient developed lymphedema transiently at 3 months which had resolved by the 6-month follow-up and maintained favorable measures of quality of life over the course of 2 years. This novel approach has yet to be implemented as a standard of care in Canada. Such an outcome would be overwhelmingly positive for our cancer population, and on our health-care system overall.
Story loss functions for seismic design and assessment: Development of tools and application
Authors: Shahnazaryan Davit , O’Reilly Gerard J , Monteiro Ricardo
Published: July 2021

Performance-based earthquake engineering (PBEE) has become an important framework for quantifying seismic losses. However, due to its computationally expensive implementation through a typically detailed component-based approach (i.e. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) P-58), it has primarily been used within academic research and specific studies. A simplified alternative more desirable for practitioners is based on story loss functions (SLFs), which estimate a building’s expected monetary loss per story due to seismic demand. These simplified SLFs reduce the data required compared to a detailed study, which is especially true at a design stage, where detailed component information is likely yet to be defined. This article proposes a Python-based toolbox for the development of user-specific and customizable SLFs for use within seismic design and assessment of buildings. It outlines the implementation procedure alongside a comparative demonstration of its application where dependency and correlation of damage states between different components are considered. Finally, a comparison of SLF-based and component-based loss estimation approaches is carried out through the application to a real case study school building. The agreement and consistency of the attained loss metrics demonstrate the quality and ease of the SLF-based approach in achieving accurate results for a more expedite assessment of building performance.
Experimental and numerical investigations on a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) blown film cooling with a new design of the counter-flow/radial jet air-ring
Authors: Ismail ME , Awad MM , Hamed AM , Abdelaal MY , Zeidan EB
Published: July 2021

This study experimentally and numerically investigates a typical HDPE blown film production process cooled via a single-lip air-ring. The processing observations are considered for the proposed subsequent modifications on the air-ring design and the location relative to the die to generate a radial jet, directly impinging on the bubble. Measurements are performed to collect the actual operating parameters to set up the numerical simulations. The radiation heat transfer and the polymer phase change are considered in the numerical simulations. The velocity profile at the air-ring upper-lip is measured via a five-hole Pitot tube to compare with the numerical results. The comparison between the measurements and the numerical results showed that the simulations with the STD [Formula: see text] turbulence model are more accurate with a minimum relative absolute error (RAE) of 1.6%. The numerical results indicate that the peak Heat Transfer Coefficient (HTC) at the impingement point for the modified design with radial jet and longer upper-lip is 29.1% higher than the original design at the same conditions. Besides, increasing the air-ring upper-lip height increased the averaged HTC, which is 13.4% higher than the original design.
Search for AL amyloidosis risk factors using Mendelian randomization
Authors: Saunders Charlie N. , Chattopadhyay Subhayan , Huhn Stefanie , Weinhold Niels , Hoffmann Per , Nöthen Markus M. , Jöckel Karl-Heinz , Schmidt Börge , Landi Stefano , Goldschmidt Hartmut , Milani Paolo , Merlini Giampaolo , Rowcieno Dorota , Hawkins Philip , Hegenbart Ute , Palladini Giovanni , Wechalekar Ashutosh , Schönland Stefan O. , Försti Asta , Houlston Richard , Hemminki Kari
Published: July 2021

In amyloid light chain (AL) amyloidosis, amyloid fibrils derived from immunoglobulin light chain are deposited in many organs, interfering with their function. The etiology of AL amyloidosis is poorly understood. Summary data from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of multiple phenotypes can be exploited by Mendelian randomization (MR) methodology to search for factors influencing AL amyloidosis risk. We performed a 2-sample MR analyzing 72 phenotypes, proxied by 3461 genetic variants, and summary genetic data from a GWAS of 1129 AL amyloidosis cases and 7589 controls. Associations with a Bonferroni-defined significance level were observed for genetically predicted increased monocyte counts (P = 3.8 × 10−4) and the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 17 (TNFRSF17) gene (P = 3.4 × 10−5). Two other associations with the TNFRSF (members 6 and 19L) reached a nominal significance level. The association between genetically predicted decreased fibrinogen levels may be related to roles of fibrinogen other than blood clotting. be related to its nonhemostatic role. It is plausible that a causal relationship with monocyte concentration could be explained by selection of a light chain–producing clone during progression of monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance toward AL amyloidosis. Because TNFRSF proteins have key functions in lymphocyte biology, it is entirely plausible that they offer a potential link to AL amyloidosis pathophysiology. Our study provides insight into AL amyloidosis etiology, suggesting high circulating levels of monocytes and TNFRSF proteins as risk factors.
EDLm6APred: ensemble deep learning approach for mRNA m6A site prediction
Authors: Zhang Lin , Li Gangshen , Li Xiuyu , Wang Honglei , Chen Shutao , Liu Hui
Published: July 2021

Background

As a common and abundant RNA methylation modification, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is widely spread in various species' transcriptomes, and it is closely related to the occurrence and development of various life processes and diseases. Thus, accurate identification of m6A methylation sites has become a hot topic. Most biological methods rely on high-throughput sequencing technology, which places great demands on the sequencing library preparation and data analysis. Thus, various machine learning methods have been proposed to extract various types of features based on sequences, then occupied conventional classifiers, such as SVM, RF, etc., for m6A methylation site identification. However, the identification performance relies heavily on the extracted features, which still need to be improved.

Results

This paper mainly studies feature extraction and classification of m6A methylation sites in a natural language processing way, which manages to organically integrate the feature extraction and classification simultaneously, with consideration of upstream and downstream information of m6A sites. One-hot, RNA word embedding, and Word2vec are adopted to depict sites from the perspectives of the base as well as its upstream and downstream sequence. The BiLSTM model, a well-known sequence model, was then constructed to discriminate the sequences with potential m6A sites. Since the above-mentioned three feature extraction methods focus on different perspectives of m6A sites, an ensemble deep learning predictor (EDLm6APred) was finally constructed for m6A site prediction. Experimental results on human and mouse data sets show that EDLm6APred outperforms the other single ones, indicating that base, upstream, and downstream information are all essential for m6A site detection. Compared with the existing m6A methylation site prediction models without genomic features, EDLm6APred obtains 86.6% of the area under receiver operating curve on the human data sets, indicating the effectiveness of sequential modeling on RNA. To maximize user convenience, a webserver was developed as an implementation of EDLm6APred and made publicly available at www.xjtlu.edu.cn/biologicalsciences/EDLm6APred.

Conclusions

Our proposed EDLm6APred method is a reliable predictor for m6A methylation sites.
Consensus clustering applied to multi-omics disease subtyping
Authors: Brière Galadriel , Darbo Élodie , Thébault Patricia , Uricaru Raluca
Published: July 2021

Background

Facing the diversity of omics data and the difficulty of selecting one result over all those produced by several methods, consensus strategies have the potential to reconcile multiple inputs and to produce robust results.

Results

Here, we introduce ClustOmics, a generic consensus clustering tool that we use in the context of cancer subtyping. ClustOmics relies on a non-relational graph database, which allows for the simultaneous integration of both multiple omics data and results from various clustering methods. This new tool conciliates input clusterings, regardless of their origin, their number, their size or their shape. ClustOmics implements an intuitive and flexible strategy, based upon the idea of evidence accumulation clustering. ClustOmics computes co-occurrences of pairs of samples in input clusters and uses this score as a similarity measure to reorganize data into consensus clusters.

Conclusion

We applied ClustOmics to multi-omics disease subtyping on real TCGA cancer data from ten different cancer types. We showed that ClustOmics is robust to heterogeneous qualities of input partitions, smoothing and reconciling preliminary predictions into high-quality consensus clusters, both from a computational and a biological point of view. The comparison to a state-of-the-art consensus-based integration tool, COCA, further corroborated this statement. However, the main interest of ClustOmics is not to compete with other tools, but rather to make profit from their various predictions when no gold-standard metric is available to assess their significance.

Availability

The ClustOmics source code, released under MIT license, and the results obtained on TCGA cancer data are available on GitHub: https://github.com/galadrielbriere/ClustOmics.
Effects of rhizosphere fungi on the chemical composition of fruits of the medicinal plant Cinnamomum migao endemic to southwestern China
Authors: Chen Jingzhong , Huang Xiaolong , Tong Bingli , Wang Deng , Liu Jiming , Liao Xiaofeng , Sun Qingwen
Published: July 2021

Background

This study examined how rhizosphere fungi influence the accumulation of chemical components in fruits of a small population species of Cinnamomum migao.

Results

Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were dominant in the rhizosphere fungal community of C. migao. Pestalotiopsis and Gibellulopsis were associated with α-Terpineol and sabinene content, and Gibellulopsis was associated with crude fat and carbohydrate content. There were significant differences in rhizosphere fungal populations between watersheds, and there was no obvious change between fruiting periods. Gibberella, Ilyonectria, Micropsalliota, and Geminibasidium promoted sabinene accumulation, and Clitocybula promoted α-Terpineol accumulation.

Conclusion

The climate-related differentiation of rhizosphere fungal communities in watershed areas is the main driver of the chemical composition of C. migao fruit. The control of the production of biologically active compounds by the rhizosphere fungal community provides new opportunities to increase the industrial and medicinal value of the fruit of C. migao.
Glycolate oxidase-dependent H2O2 production regulates IAA biosynthesis in rice
Authors: Li Xiangyang , Liao Mengmeng , Huang Jiayu , Xu Zheng , Lin Zhanqiao , Ye Nenghui , Zhang Zhisheng , Peng Xinxiang
Published: July 2021

Background

Glycolate oxidase (GLO) is not only a key enzyme in photorespiration but also a major engine for H2O2 production in plants. Catalase (CAT)-dependent H2O2 decomposition has been previously reported to be involved in the regulation of IAA biosynthesis. However, it is still not known which mechanism contributed to the H2O2 production in IAA regulation.

Results

In this study, we found that in glo mutants of rice, as H2O2 levels decreased IAA contents significantly increased, whereas high CO2 abolished the difference in H2O2 and IAA contents between glo mutants and WT. Further analyses showed that tryptophan (Trp, the precursor for IAA biosynthesis in the Trp-dependent biosynthetic pathway) also accumulated due to increased tryptophan synthetase β (TSB) activity. Moreover, expression of the genes involved in Trp-dependent IAA biosynthesis and IBA to IAA conversion were correspondingly up-regulated, further implicating that both pathways contribute to IAA biosynthesis as mediated by the GLO-dependent production of H2O2.

Conclusion

We investigated the function of GLO in IAA signaling in different levels from transcription, enzyme activities to metabolic levels. The results suggest that GLO-dependent H2O2 signaling, essentially via photorespiration, confers regulation over IAA biosynthesis in rice plants.
Gastrointestinal manifestations of synthetic cannabinoids: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Hakimian David , Benson Ariel A. , Khoury Tawfik , Massarwa Muhammad , Israel Sarah , Salameh Shaden , Gershinsky Yonatan , Shapira Barak , Muszkat Mordechai
Published: July 2021

Background

Synthetic cannabinoids (SC) are chemical substances which activate cannabinoid receptors similarly to tetrahydrocannabinol, but with a higher efficacy. These substances are used as illicit recreational drugs, often smoked as herbal mixtures. The continuing availability and rapid evolution of SC is an ongoing health risk. The adverse effects of SC are wide ranging, and span from mild behavioral changes to death. Knowledge regarding gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations of SC use is sparse.

Methods

Single tertiary-care referral medical center retrospective study.

Results

The medical records of patients presented to hospital emergency care due to SC use between January 2014 and February 2018 were retrieved from Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital’s computerized database. The records were reviewed for clinical outcomes and laboratory tests. Fifty-five (55) patients were identified with a hospital presentation due to SC use. Twenty-one (21) out of 55 patients (38%) reported gastrointestinal complaints. The most common complaints were abdominal pain and vomiting. Of those, 28% had recurrent emergency department presentations due to abdominal pain and 66% presented with leukocytosis. Serum lactate was elevated in 66% of patients with GI manifestations. One patient had an abnormal computerized tomography (CT) abdominal angiography scan, which was compatible with intestinal ischemia.

Conclusions

The clinical spectrum of gastrointestinal manifestations in SC intoxication ranges from mild symptoms, such as abdominal pain and vomiting, to even more severe symptoms suggestive of intestinal ischemia. Clinicians should be aware that abdominal pain and other gastrointestinal complaints can be associated with SC use.
Renal transplantation after recovery from COVID-19 - a case report with implications for transplant programs in the face of the ongoing corona-pandemic
Authors: Tuschen Katharina , Anders Johanna , Elfanish Amin , Schildgen Verena , Schildgen Oliver , Becker Jan Ulrich , Weidemann Alexander
Published: July 2021

Background

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has major impacts on both patients and healthcare systems worldwide, thus creating new realities. Patients on maintenance dialysis listed for renal transplantation are a vulnerable subgroup with many comorbidities and recurring contacts with the healthcare system. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic transplant numbers have dropped considerably, further increasing waiting times in this high-risk population. On the other hand, knowledge of the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in immunocompromised patients, development and persistence of neutralising antibodies in such patients is just emerging. It is unclear how best to address the dilemma of postponing the life-saving transplantation.

Case presentation

We present a case report of a successful kidney transplantation only 65 days after the recipient was hospitalized for treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia. In a follow up of 9 months, we observed no signs of recurrent disease and transplant function is excellent. Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 antibody response demonstrates stable IgG levels.

Conclusion

This reassuring case provides guidance to transplant centers how to proceed with kidney transplantation safely during the pandemic. Careful consideration of risks and benefits of the organ offer, full recovery from COVID-19 symptoms and the presence of a positive SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody test, qualifies for kidney transplantation.
Mid-upper arm circumference in pregnant women and birth weight in newborns as substitute for skinfold thickness: findings from the MAASTHI cohort study, India
Authors: Babu Giridhara R. , Das Aritra , Lobo Eunice , R Deepa , John Daisy A. , Thankachan Prashanth , Khetrapal Sonalini , Benjamin-Neelon Sara E. , Murthy GVS
Published: July 2021

Background

Estimating total body fat in public hospitals using gold-standard measurements such as air displacement plethysmography (ADP), deuterium oxide dilution, or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is unaffordable, and it is challenging to use skinfold thickness. We aimed to identify the appropriate substitute marker for skinfold thickness to estimate total body fat in pregnant women and infants.

Methods

The study is part of a prospective cohort study titled MAASTHI in Bengaluru, from 2016 to 19. Anthropometric measurements such as body weight, head circumference, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), and skinfold thickness were measured in pregnant women between 14 and 36 weeks of gestational age; while measurements such as birth weight, head, chest, waist, hip, mid-upper arm circumference, and skinfold thickness were recorded for newborns. We calculatedKappastatistics to assess agreement between these anthropometric markers with skinfold thickness.

Results

We found the highest amount of agreement between total skinfold thickness and MUAC (Kappastatistic, 0.42; 95 % CI 0.38–0.46) in pregnant women. For newborns, the highest agreement with total skinfold thickness was with birth weight (0.57; 95 % CI 0.52–0.60). Our results indicate that MUAC higher than 29.2 cm can serve as a suitable alternative to total skinfolds-based assessments for obesity screening in pregnancy in public facilities. Similarly, a birth weight cut-off of 3.45 kg can be considered for classifying obesity among newborns.

Conclusion

Mid-upper arm circumference and birth weight can be used as markers of skinfold thickness, reflecting total body fat in pregnant women and the infant, respectively. These two anthropometric measurements could substitute for skinfold thickness in low- and middle-income urban India settings.
Factors associated with unintended pregnancy in Ethiopia; further analysis of the 2016 Ethiopian demographic health survey data
Authors: Bekele Yibeltal Alemu , Fekadu Gedefaw Abeje
Published: July 2021

Background

Unintended pregnancy an important public health problem in Ethiopia. It is associated with adverse physical, mental, social and economic outcomes. Identifying factors associated with unintended pregnancy may help to reduce unintended pregnancy and hence adverse outcomes. There are few studies about the prevalence and associated factors of unintended pregnancy in Ethiopia. But these studies were based on small sample size and fragmented. Therefore, this analysis was done to identify factors associated with unintended pregnancy in Ethiopia based on nationally representative data.

Methods

The study used the 2016 Ethiopian demographic and health survey data. The data was downloaded from The DHS program with permission. A total of 1135 women were included in the final model. Data was weighted to consider disproportionate sampling and non-response. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with unintended pregnancy among women.

Result

About 30% (95% CI: 25.33–34.39) pregnancies were unintended. Married women (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR); 0.34; 95% CI: (0.01–0.14), woman living in developing regions AOR; 0.14; 95% CI: (0.07–0.27) and women who reported distance was not a big problem to get medical care AOR; 0.59; 95% CI: (0.36–0.99) had lower odds of unintended pregnancy. On the other hand, multiparous AOR; 3.77; 95% CI: (1.71–8.33), grand multiparous AOR; 6.72; 95% CI: (2.74–16.49) women and women who ever used contraceptives AOR; 1.86 95% CI: (1.06–3.26) had higher odds of unintended pregnancy.

Conclusion

Although high, the magnitude of unintended pregnancy in Ethiopia was lower compared to the global level. Marital status, region, perceived distance to seek medical care, parity and history of contraceptive use were found significant predictors of unintended pregnancy in Ethiopia.
Maternal–fetal attachment in pregnant Italian women: multidimensional influences and the association with maternal caregiving in the infant’s first year of life
Authors: Sacchi Chiara , Miscioscia Marina , Visentin Silvia , Simonelli Alessandra
Published: July 2021

Background

Maternal–Fetal Attachment (MFA) describes the cognitive-representational, emotional, and behavioral aspects of the mother–fetus relationship that develops during pregnancy.

We present two studies conducted on pregnant Italian women. In Study I, we aimed to explore multifaceted associations of MFA with variables important for a healthy pregnancy (e.g., maternal mental health, the couple’s relationship). In Study II, we investigated the predictive role of MFA on observed maternal caregiving during the first months of the infant’s life.

Methods

In Study I, 113 pregnant Italian women were assessed on MFA (Maternal Antenatal Attachment Scale, MAAS), maternal depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II, BDI-II), maternal anxiety (State Trait Anxiety Inventory – State version,STAI), adjustment of the couple (Dyadic Adjustment Scale,DAS), and perceived parental care (The Parental Bonding Instrument,PBI). In Study II, 29 mother–infant pairs were followed up at 4 months to assess observational variables of maternal caregiving through theEmotional Availability Scale(EAS) and to test for an association with MFA in pregnancy.

Results

Study I showed a significant association between MFA and the quality of the couple relationship (β = .49,P < .001) and between MFA and the recall of memories of care received in childhood (β = .22,P = .025). Study II showed a predictive effect of MFA on maternal structuring observed during mother–infant interactions at 4 months of age (β = 0.36,P = .046).

Conclusion

The study points out relevant relationship contexts that might receive care and support throughout pregnancy to protect MFA. The findings also provide thoughtful insights on the role of MFA in early maternal caregiving, suggesting that MFA might be a candidate as one putative antecedent of mother–infant interaction processes.
A circular RNAs dataset landscape reveals potential signatures for the detection and prognosis of early-stage lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Chen Zhiying , Wei Jiahui , Li Min , Zhao Yongjuan
Published: July 2021

Background

This study aimed to identify potential circular ribonucleic acid (circRNA) signatures involved in the pathogenesis of early-stage lung adenocarcinoma (LAC).

Methods

The circRNA sequencing dataset of early-stage LAC was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. First, the differentially expressed circRNAs (DEcircRNAs) between tumour and non-tumour tissues were screened. Then, the corresponding miRNAs and their target genes were predicted. In addition, prognosis-related genes were identified using survival analysis and further used to build a network of competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs; DEcircRNA–miRNA–mRNA). Finally, the functional analysis and drug–gene interaction analysis of mRNAs in the ceRNA network was performed.

Results

A total of 35 DEcircRNAs (30 up-regulated and 5 down-regulated circRNAs) were identified. Moreover, 135 DEcircRNA–miRNA and 674 miRNA–mRNA pairs were predicted. The survival analysis of these target mRNAs revealed that 60 genes were significantly associated with survival outcomes in early-stage LAC. Of these, high levels of PSMA 5 and low levels of NAMPT, CPT 2 and TNFSF11 exhibited favourable prognoses. In addition, the DEcircRNA–miRNA–mRNA network was constructed, containing 5 miRNA–circRNA (hsa_circ_0092283/hsa-miR-762/hsa-miR-4685-5p; hsa_circ_0070610/hsa-let-7a-2-3p/hsa-miR-3622a-3p; hsa_circ_0062682/hsa-miR-4268) and 60 miRNA–mRNA pairs. Functional analysis of the genes in the ceRNA network showed that they were primarily enriched in the Wnt signalling pathway. Moreover, PSMA 5, NAMPT, CPT 2 and TNFSF11 had strong correlations with different drugs.

Conclusion

Three circRNAs (hsa_circ_0062682, hsa_circ_0092283 and hsa_circ_0070610) might be potential novel targets for the diagnosis of early-stage LAC.
53 years old is a reasonable cut-off value to define young and old patients in clear cell renal cell carcinoma: a study based on TCGA and SEER database
Authors: Tang Fucai , Lu Zechao , He Chengwu , Zhang Hanbin , Wu Weijia , He Zhaohui
Published: July 2021

Background

The objectives of this study were to screen out cut-off age value and age-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) from Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

Methods

We selected 45,974 CCRCC patients from SEER and 530 RNA-seq data from TCGA database. The age cut-off value was defined using the X-tile program. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance the differences between young and old groups. Hazard ratio (HR) was applied to evaluate prognostic risk of age in different subgroups. Age-related DEGs were identified via RNA-seq data. Survival analysis was used to assess the relationship between DEGs and prognosis.

Results

In this study, we divided the patients into young (n = 14,276) and old (n = 31,698) subgroups according to cut-off value (age = 53). Age > 53 years was indicated as independent risk factor for overall survival (OS) and cancer specific survival (CSS) of CCRCC before and after PSM. The prognosis of old group was worse than that in young group. Eleven gene were differential expression between the younger and older groups in CCRCC. The expression levels of PLA2G2A and SIX2 were related to prognosis of the elderly.

Conclusion

Fifty-three years old was cut-off value in CCRCC. The prognosis of the elderly was worse than young people. It remind clinicians that more attention and better treatment should be given to CCRCC patients who are over 53 years old. PLA2G2A and SIX2 were age-related differential genes which might play an important role in the poor prognosis of elderly CCRCC patients.
Survival benefit of induction chemotherapy for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: prognosis based on a new risk estimation model
Authors: Liu Wei , Yu Bolong , Luo Yunfan , Li Junzheng , Yuan Xiaofei , Wu Shuting , Liang Bijun , Lv Zehong , Li Yanfei , Peng Xinyu , Lu Juan , Peng Xiaohong , Liu Xiong
Published: July 2021

Background

Although the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines recommend CCRT+AC and IC + CCRT as level 2A evidence for treatment of the locoregionally advanced NPC (II-IVa), IC + CCRT+AC could also be an alternative but it is seldom used because of the low completion rates. This article aimed to compare the effectiveness of the three radiotherapy regimens using a large-scale retrospective study.

Methods

This retrospective single center analysis enrolled 1812 diagnosed NPC patients at Nanfang Hospital from January 2005 to December 2015 and only 729 patients met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Patients without distant metastasis, age of 18–70 years, Karnofsky scores of at least 70,stage III-IVb, and adequate adequate bone marrow, liver and renal function. Were enrolled. Adverse events and other categorical variables were compared by Pearson chi-square test or Fishier exact test. Time-to-event data were described with the Kaplan-Meier curves, time-to-event intervals compared with the log-rank test. We did multivariable analyses with the Cox proportional hazards model to test the independent signifi cance of diff erent factors. Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the β regression coeffi cient, p value, and hazard ratio and its 95% CI for each of the selected risk predictors.

Results

The median follow-up time was 47 months. Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed no significant differences among three groups in 3-year failure-free survival (FFS, P = 0.225), 3-year overall survival (OS, P = 0.992), 3-year locoregional failure-free survival (LFFS, P = 0.549), and 3-year distant failure-free survival (DFFS, P = 0.174). Stratified survival analysis based on the risk scoring model revealed no differences in FFS, OS, LFFS, and DFFS between IC + CCRT and CCRT+AC groups for low-risk patients, however, the 3-year OS (88.3% vs. 77.6%, P = 0.049) and 3-year DFFS (84.0% vs.66.8%, P = 0.032) were respectively significantly better in IC + CCRT group compared with CCRT+AC group for high-risk patients.

Conclusions

Compared with CCRT+AC, IC + CCRT lowers distant metastasis rate and improves OS among patients with locally advanced NPC in high risk group.
The role of FoxP3+ regulatory T cells and IDO+ immune and tumor cells in malignant melanoma – an immunohistochemical study
Authors: Salmi Satu , Lin Anton , Hirschovits-Gerz Benjamin , Valkonen Mari , Aaltonen Niina , Sironen Reijo , Siiskonen Hanna , Pasonen-Seppänen Sanna
Published: July 2021

Background

FoxP3+ Regulatory T cells (Tregs) and indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) participate in the formation of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) in malignant cutaneous melanoma (CM). Recent studies have reported that IDO expression correlates with poor prognosis and greater Breslow’s depth, but results concerning the role of FoxP3+ Tregs in CM have been controversial. Furthermore, the correlation between IDO and Tregs has not been substantially studied in CM, although IDO is known to be an important regulator of Tregs activity.

Methods

We investigated the associations of FoxP3+ Tregs, IDO+ tumor cells and IDO+ stromal immune cells with tumor stage, prognostic factors and survival in CM. FoxP3 and IDO were immunohistochemically stained from 29 benign and 29 dysplastic nevi, 18 in situ -melanomas, 48 superficial and 62 deep melanomas and 67 lymph node metastases (LNMs) of CM. The number of FoxP3+ Tregs and IDO+ stromal immune cells, and the coverage and intensity of IDO+ tumor cells were analysed.

Results

The number of FoxP3+ Tregs and IDO+ stromal immune cells were significantly higher in malignant melanomas compared with benign lesions. The increased expression of IDO in melanoma cells was associated with poor prognostic factors, such as recurrence, nodular growth pattern and increased mitotic count. Furthermore, the expression of IDO in melanoma cells was associated with reduced recurrence˗free survival. We further showed that there was a positive correlation between IDO+ tumor cells and FoxP3+ Tregs.

Conclusions

These results indicate that IDO is strongly involved in melanoma progression. FoxP3+ Tregs also seems to contribute to the immunosuppressive TME in CM, but their significance in melanoma progression remains unclear. The positive association of FoxP3+ Tregs with IDO+ melanoma cells, but not with IDO+ stromal immune cells, indicates a complex interaction between IDO and Tregs in CM, which demands further studies.
Non-invasive duo positive airway pressure ventilation versus nasal continuous positive airway pressure in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Malakian Arash , Aramesh Mohammad Reza , Agahin Mina , Dehdashtian Masoud
Published: July 2021

Background

The most common cause of respiratory failure in premature infants is respiratory distress syndrome. Historically, respiratory distress syndrome has been treated by intratracheal surfactant injection followed by mechanical ventilation. In view of the risk of pulmonary injury associated with mechanical ventilation and subsequent chronic pulmonary lung disease, less invasive treatment modalities have been suggested to reduce pulmonary complications.

Methods

148 neonates (with gestational age of 28 to 34 weeks) with respiratory distress syndrome admitted to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ahwaz in 2018 were enrolled in this clinical trial study. 74 neonates were assigned to duo positive airway pressure (NDUOPAP) group and 74 neonates to nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) group. The primary outcome in this study was failure of N-DUOPAP and NCPAP treatments within the first 72 h after birth and secondary outcomes included treatment complications.

Results

there was not significant difference between DUOPAP (4.1 %) and NCPAP (8.1 %) in treatment failure at the first 72 h of birth (p = 0.494), but non-invasive ventilation time was less in the DUOPAP group (p = 0.004). There were not significant differences in the frequency of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), pneumothorax, intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), apnea and mortality between the two groups. Need for repeated doses of surfactant (p = 0.042) in the NDUOPAP group was significantly lower than that of the NCPAP group. The duration of oxygen therapy in the NDUOPAP group was significantly lower than that of the NCPAP group (p = 0.034). Also, the duration of hospitalization in the NDUOPAP group was shorter than that of the NCPAP group (p = 0.002).

Conclusions

In the present study, DUOPAP compared to NCPAP did not reduce the need for mechanical ventilation during the first 72 h of birth, but the duration of non-invasive ventilation and oxygen demand, the need for multiple doses of surfactant and length of stay in the DUOPAP group were less than those in the CPAP group.

Trial registration

IRCT20180821040847N1, Approved on 2018-09-10.
Military and demographic predictors of mental ill-health and socioeconomic hardship among UK veterans
Authors: Burdett H. , Fear N. T. , Wessely S. , Rona R. J.
Published: July 2021

Background

Around 8% of the UK Armed Forces leave in any given year, and must navigate unfamiliar civilian systems to acquire employment, healthcare, and other necessities. This paper determines longer-term prevalences of mental ill health and socioeconomic outcomes in UK Service leavers, and how they are related to demographic factors, military history, and pre-enlistment adversity.

Methods

This study utilised data from a longitudinal sample of a cohort study UK Armed Forces personnel since 2003. A range of self-reported military and sociodemographic factors were analysed as predictors of probable Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, common mental disorders, alcohol misuse, unemployment and financial hardship. Prevalences and odds ratios of associations between predictors and outcomes were estimated for regular veterans in this cohort.

Results

Veteran hardship was mostly associated with factors linked to socio-economic status: age, education, and childhood adversity. Few military-specific factors predicted mental health or socio-economic hardship, except method of leaving (where those leaving due to medical or unplanned discharge were more likely to encounter most forms of hardship as veterans), and rank which is itself related to socioeconomic status.

Conclusion

Transition and resettlement provisions become increasingly generous with longer service, yet this paper shows the need for those services becomes progressively less necessary as personnel acquire seniority and skills, and instead could be best targeted at unplanned leavers, taking socioeconomic status into consideration. Many will agree that longer service should be more rewarded, but the opposite is true if provision instead reflects need rather than length of service. This is a social, political and ethical dilemma.
Potential health impact of increasing adoption of sustainable dietary practices in Sweden
Authors: Patterson Emma , Eustachio Colombo Patricia , Milner James , Green Rosemary , Elinder Liselotte Schäfer
Published: July 2021

Background

An urgent transition to more sustainable diets is necessary for the improvement of human and planetary health. One way to achieve this is for sustainable practices to become mainstream. We estimated the potential health impact of wider adoption of dietary practices deemed by consumers, researchers and stakeholders in Sweden to be niche, sustainable and with the potential to be scaled up.

Methods

A life table method was used to estimate the impact - changes in years of life lost (YLL) - over periods of 20 and 30 years in the Swedish population had the practices been adopted in 2010–11, when the last national adult dietary survey was conducted. The practices modelled were reducing red and processed meat (by 25, 50 and 100%), and assuming, for each stage, replacement by an equal weight of poultry/fish and vegetables +/− legumes; reducing milk intake (by 25, 50 and 100%); and reducing sugar-sweetened beverage intake (by 25, 50 and 100%). Using population data together with data on cause-specific mortality and relative risks for diet-disease outcomes, impacts were estimated for each scenario separately and in combination, for the outcomes ischaemic heart disease (IHD), ischaemic stroke, diabetes type 2 and colorectal cancer.

Results

For a “moderate” combination of scenarios (changes at the 50% level), reductions of 513,200 YLL (lower-upper uncertainty estimate 59,400-797,900) could have been achieved over 20 years and 1,148,500 YLL (135,900-1,786,600) over 30 years. The majority (over 90%) of YLLs prevented were related to IHD, and the majority were in men. The singular practice that had the most impact was reducing the intake of red and processed meat and replacing it with a mixture of vegetables and legumes. Reducing milk intake resulted in an increase in YLL, but this was compensated for by other scenarios.

Conclusion

If these practices were more widely adopted, they would be expected to lead to improvements in public health in Sweden. Over the long term, this would translate to many premature deaths postponed or prevented from a number of chronic diseases, to the benefit of individuals, society, the climate and the economy.
Factors influencing smoking behaviour of online ride-hailing drivers in China: a cross-sectional analysis
Authors: Chen Xinlin , Gu Xuefei , Li Tingting , Liu Qiaoyan , Xu Lirong , Peng Bo , Wu Nina
Published: July 2021

Background

Online ride-hailing is a fast-developing new travel mode. However, tobacco control policies on its drivers remain underdeveloped. This study aims to reveal the status and determine the influencing factors of ride-hailing drivers’ smoking behaviour to provide a basis for the formulation of tobacco control policies.

Methods

We derived our cross-sectional data from an online survey of full-time ride-hailing drivers in China. We used a survey questionnaire to collect variables, including sociodemographic and work-related characteristics, health status, health behaviour, health literacy and smoking status. Finally, we analysed the influencing factors of current smoking by conducting chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression.

Results

A total of 8990 ride-hailing drivers have participated in the survey, in which 5024 were current smokers, accounting to 55.9%. Nearly one-third of smokers smoked in their cars (32.2%). The logistic regression analysis results were as follows: male drivers (OR = 0.519, 95% CI [0.416, 0.647]), central regions (OR = 1.172, 95% CI [1.049, 1.309]) and eastern regions (OR = 1.330, 95% CI [1.194, 1.480]), working at both daytime and night (OR = 1.287, 95% CI [1.164, 1.424]) and non-fixed time (OR = 0.847, 95% CI [0.718, 0.999]), ages of 35–54 years (OR = 0.585, 95% CI [0.408, 0.829]), current drinker (OR = 1.663, 95% CI [1.526, 1.813]), irregular eating habits (OR = 1.370, 95% CI [1.233, 1.523]), the number of days in a week of engaging in at least 10 min of moderate or vigorous exercise ≥3 (OR = 0.752, 95% CI [0.646, 0.875]), taking the initiative to acquire health knowledge occasionally (OR = 0.882, 95% CI [0.783, 0.992]) or frequently (OR = 0.675, 95% CI [0.591, 0.770]) and underweight (OR = 1.249, 95% CI [1.001, 1.559]) and overweight (OR = 0.846, 95% CI [0.775, 0.924]) have association with the prevalence of current smoking amongst online ride-hailing drivers.

Conclusion

The smoking rate of ride-hailing drivers was high. Sociodemographic and work-related characteristics and health-related factors affected their smoking behaviour. Psychological and behavioural interventions can promote smoking control management and encourage drivers to quit or limit smoking. Online car-hailing companies can also establish a complaint mechanism combined with personal credit.