bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fat storage-inducing transmembrane proteins: beyond mediating lipid droplet formation
Authors: Wang Gaiping , Chen Anqi , Wu Yu , Wang Danlin , Chang Cuifang , Yu Guoying
Published: November 2022

Fat storage-inducing transmembrane proteins (FITMs) were initially identified in 2007 as members of a conserved endoplasmic reticulum (ER) resident transmembrane protein gene family, and were found to be involved in lipid droplet (LD) formation. Recently, several studies have further demonstrated that the ability of FITMs to directly bind to triglyceride and diacylglycerol, and the diphosphatase activity of hydrolyzing fatty acyl-CoA, might enable FITMs to maintain the formation of lipid droplets, engage in lipid metabolism, and protect against cellular stress. Based on the distribution of FITMs in tissues and their important roles in lipid droplet biology and lipid metabolism, it was discovered that FITMs were closely related to muscle development, adipocyte differentiation, and energy metabolism. Accordingly, the abnormal expression of FITMs was not only associated with type 2 diabetes and lipodystrophy, but also with cardiac disease and several types of cancer. This study reviews the structure, distribution, expression regulation, and functionality of FITMs and their potential relationships with various metabolic diseases, hoping to provide inspiration for fruitful research directions and applications of FITM proteins. Moreover, this review will provide an important theoretical basis for the application of FITMs in the diagnosis and treatment of related diseases.
An interpretable DIC risk prediction model based on convolutional neural networks with time series data
Authors: Yang Hao , Li Jiaxi , Liu Siru , Zhang Mengjiao , Liu Jialin
Published: November 2022

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a complex, life-threatening syndrome associated with the end-stage of different coagulation disorders. Early prediction of the risk of DIC development is an urgent clinical need to reduce adverse outcomes. However, effective approaches and models to identify early DIC are still lacking. In this study, a novel interpretable deep learning based time series is used to predict the risk of DIC. The study cohort included ICU patients from a 4300-bed academic hospital between January 1, 2019, and January 1, 2022. Experimental results show that our model achieves excellent performance (AUC: 0.986, Accuracy: 95.7%, and F1:0.935). Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM) was used to explain how predictive models identified patients with DIC. The decision basis of the model was displayed in the form of a heat map. The model can be used to identify high-risk patients with DIC early, which will help in the early intervention of DIC patients and improve the treatment effect.
C3NA: correlation and consensus-based cross-taxonomy network analysis for compositional microbial data
Authors: Song Kuncheng , Zhou Yi-Hui
Published: November 2022

Background

Studying the co-occurrence network structure of microbial samples is one of the critical approaches to understanding the perplexing and delicate relationship between the microbe, host, and diseases. It is also critical to develop a tool for investigating co-occurrence networks and differential abundance analyses to reveal the disease-related taxa–taxa relationship. In addition, it is also necessary to tighten the co-occurrence network into smaller modules to increase the ability for functional annotation and interpretability of  these taxa-taxa relationships.  Also, it is critical to retain the phylogenetic relationship among the taxa to identify differential abundance patterns, which can be used to resolve contradicting functions reported by different studies.

Results

In this article, we present Correlation and Consensus-based Cross-taxonomy Network Analysis (C3NA), a user-friendly R package for investigating compositional microbial sequencing data to identify and compare co-occurrence patterns across different taxonomic levels. C3NA contains two interactive graphic user interfaces (Shiny applications), one of them dedicated to the comparison between two diagnoses, e.g., disease versus control. We used C3NA to analyze two well-studied diseases, colorectal cancer, and Crohn’s disease. We discovered clusters of study and disease-dependent taxa that overlap with known functional taxa studied by other discovery studies and differential abundance analyses.

Conclusion

C3NA offers a new microbial data analyses pipeline for refined and enriched taxa–taxa co-occurrence network analyses, and the usability was further expanded via the built-in Shiny applications for interactive investigation.
Collectively encoding protein properties enriches protein language models
Authors: An Jingmin , Weng Xiaogang
Published: November 2022

Pre-trained natural language processing models on a large natural language corpus can naturally transfer learned knowledge to protein domains by fine-tuning specific in-domain tasks. However, few studies focused on enriching such protein language models by jointly learning protein properties from strongly-correlated protein tasks. Here we elaborately designed a multi-task learning (MTL) architecture, aiming to decipher implicit structural and evolutionary information from three sequence-level classification tasks for protein family, superfamily and fold. Considering the co-existing contextual relevance between human words and protein language, we employed BERT, pre-trained on a large natural language corpus, as our backbone to handle protein sequences. More importantly, the encoded knowledge obtained in the MTL stage can be well transferred to more fine-grained downstream tasks of TAPE. Experiments on structure- or evolution-related applications demonstrate that our approach outperforms many state-of-the-art Transformer-based protein models, especially in remote homology detection.
Genome-wide identification and analysis of bZIP gene family reveal their roles during development and drought stress in Wheel Wingnut (Cyclocarya paliurus)
Authors: Tao Yu-Tian , Chen Lu-Xi , Jin Jie , Du Zhao-Kui , Li Jun-Min
Published: November 2022

Background

ThebZIPgene family has important roles in various biological processes, including development and stress responses. However, little information about this gene family is available for Wheel Wingnut (Cyclocarya paliurus). 

Results

In this study, we identified 58bZIPgenes in theC. paliurusgenome and analyzed phylogenetic relationships, chromosomal locations, gene structure, collinearity, and gene expression profiles. The 58bZIPgenes could be divided into 11 groups and were unevenly distributed among 16C. paliuruschromosomes. An analysis of cis-regulatory elements indicated thatbZIPpromoters were associated with phytohormones and stress responses. The expression patterns ofbZIPgenes in leaves differed among developmental stages. In addition, severalbZIPmembers were differentially expressed under drought stress. These expression patterns were verified by RT-qPCR.

Conclusions

Our results provide insights into the evolutionary history of thebZIPgene family inC. paliurusand the function of these genes during leaf development and in the response to drought stress. In addition to basic genomic information, our results provide a theoretical basis for further studies aimed at improving growth and stress resistance inC. paliurus,an important medicinal plant.
Prediction of SYNTAX score II improvement by adding temporal heart rate changes between discharge and first outpatient visit in patients with acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Li Chuang , Zhang Wanjing , Yang Yixing , Zhang Qian , Li Kuibao , Chen Mulei , Wang Lefeng , Xia Kun
Published: November 2022

Background

The prognostic ability of the temporal changes in resting heart rate (ΔHR) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) for cardiovascular (CV) mortality and clinical outcomes is rarely examined. This study investigated the predictive value of ΔHR using models with SYNTAX score II (SxS-II) for the long-term prognosis of patients with AMI.

Methods

Six hundred five AMI patients with vital signs recorded at the first outpatient visit (2–4 weeks after discharge) were retrospectively recruited into this study. The changes between discharge and outpatient resting heart rate (D-O ΔHR) were calculated by subtracting the HR at the first post-discharge visit from the value recorded at discharge. The major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) include cardiovascular death, recurrent myocardial infarction, revascularization, and nonfatal stroke. The predictive values and reclassification ability of the different models were assessed using a likelihood ratio test, Akaike’s information criteria (AIC), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, net reclassification improvement (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI).

Results

During the follow-up period, a drop-in resting heart rate (RHR) from discharge to first outpatient visit was independently associated with less risk of CV mortality [D-O ΔHR: hazards ratio (HR) = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.96–0.99, P < 0.001] and MACCE (HR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.97–0.99, p = 0.001). The likelihood test indicated that the combined model of SxS-II and D-O ΔHR yielded the lowest AIC for CV mortality and MACCE (P < 0.001). Moreover, D-O ΔHR alone significantly improved the net reclassification and integrated discrimination of the models containing SxS-II for CV mortality and MACCE (CV mortality: NRI = 0.5600, P = 0.001 and IDI = 0.0759, P = 0.03; MACCE: NRI = 0.2231, P < 0.05 and IDI = 0.0107, P < 0.05).

Conclusions

The change in D-O ΔHR was an independent predictor of long-term CV mortality and MACCE. The D-O ΔHR combined with SxS-II could significantly improve its predictive probability.
Effect of an increase in Lp(a) following statin therapy on cardiovascular prognosis in secondary prevention population of coronary artery disease
Authors: Zhu Lijun , Fang Yangliang , Gao Beibei , Jin Xiangbo , Zheng Jiamin , He Ying , Huang Jinyu
Published: November 2022

Background

Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). Recent studies have indicated that statins tend to increase Lp(a) levels by 10–20%. However, the association of statin-mediated increases in Lp(a) levels with CAD has not been determined. 

Methods

This study included 488 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Lp(a) levels were measured at baseline and 1 month after statin therapy. The study endpoints were major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Hazard ratios for the MACE were adjusted for potential confounder using Cox regression.

Results

After statin therapy, the mean level of Lp(a) increased by 19.3% from baseline. Lp(a) levels increased in 307 patients (62.9%) with a median elevation of 4.1 mg/dL. Patients with an increase in Lp(a) were at higher risk for MACE than those without an increase in Lp(a) (p = 0.044). Subgroup analyses revealed that a mild-to-moderate increase in Lp(a) was not associated with MACE, whereas there was a strong correlation between the highest quartile increase in Lp(a) (≥ 10.1 mg/dL) and MACE (HR = 2.29, 95%CI = 1.36–3.84, p = 0.002). This correlation was independent of baseline Lp(a) levels but not independent of on-statin Lp(a) levels.

Conclusions

Severe increases in Lp(a) following statin therapy raise the risk of MACE, but a mild-to-moderate increase in Lp(a) may not affect the cardiovascular prognosis of CAD patients. Even if the baseline Lp(a) levels are low, it is necessary to continue testing for Lp(a) concentration at least once after statin.
Association between living arrangements and cognitive decline in older adults: A nationally representative longitudinal study in China
Authors: Yu Yifan , Lv Junqi , Liu Jing , Chen Yueqiao , Chen Kejin , Yang Yanfang
Published: November 2022

Background

Living arrangements are critical to the survival and well-being of older people, especially in China where the filial piety culture demands adult children care for and serve their parents. The study aimed to explore the association between living arrangements and cognitive decline among older people in China.

Methods

Participants included 6,074 older adults over 60 years old (49.65% male, mean age 67.2 years [range 60–98]) from four waves (2011–2018) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Two to four assessments were conducted over a follow-up of an average of 5.3 years (range, 2–7). Cognitive function was assessed using an adapted Chinese version of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Living arrangements were classified as follows: living alone, living with spouse, living with adult children, living with spouse and adult children and living with others. Multilevel models were used to investigate the relationship between living arrangements and cognitive decline, as well as the gender difference.

Results

As the main type of living arrangements of the study participants (44.91%), living with spouse was taken as the reference group. Compared to the reference group, living alone (β=-0.126, P < 0.001), living with adult children (β=-0.136, P < 0.001), living with spouse and adult children (β=-0.040, P < 0.05) and living with others (β=-0.155, P < 0.05) were all related to a faster rate of cognitive decline. Further, the association between living arrangements and cognitive decline varied by gender. Living alone (β=-0.192, P < 0.001) was associated with a faster cognitive decline only in older men. Living with spouse and adult children (β=-0.053, P < 0.05) and living with others (β=-0.179, P < 0.05) were associated with faster cognitive decline only in older women.

Conclusion

This study suggests that living arrangements in older people in China were associated with cognitive decline, and these associations varied by gender. Greater attention to living arrangements might yield practical implications for preserving the cognitive function of the older population.
mir-145-5p is a suppressor of colorectal cancer at early stage, while promotes colorectal cancer metastasis at late stage through regulating AKT signaling evoked EMT-mediated anoikis
Authors: Cheng Xianshuo , Shen Tao , Liu Ping , Fang Shaojun , Yang Zhibin , Li Yunfeng , Dong Jian
Published: November 2022

Background:

miR-145-5P is generally considered as a tumor suppressor at early stage of colorectal cancer, but up-regulation occurs in the progressive and later stages which is associated with metastasis, indicating miR-145-5p may play dual role in colorectal cancer (CRC). To explore the detailed mechanism of miR-145-5p in carcinogenic is of importance.

Methods:

The expression pattern of miR-145-5p in CRC patients was downloaded from TCGA database, and the probable mechanism involved in the carcinogenic effect of miR-145-5p was predicted by bioinformatics analysis. Then, interference of miR-145-5p on SW480 and SW620 cells was conducted, and the influences on tumor cell viability, invasion ability, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), anoikis, and relative protein expression were examined respectively.

Results:

A total of 522 CRC patients’ data indicated that miR-145-5p expression was significantly higher in metastatic CRC than that in non-metastatic CRC, and higher expression of miR-145-5p was correlate with worse prognosis. Overexpression of miR-145-5P-5p enhanced the proliferation and invasion ability of SW620, but inhibited them in SW480. EMT was induced in SW620 after miR-145-5p overexpression and mesenchymal–epithelial transition (MET) was induced in SW480, resulted in the decreased apoptotic rate in SW620 and elevated apoptotic rate in SW480 respectively. Western blot results showed that AKT signaling pathway was involved in the miR-145-5p evoked EMT-mediated anoikis process in SW620 and SW480 cells.

Conclusion:

miR-145-5p is a tumor suppressor at early stage of CRC, and an oncogene at advanced stage of CRC. AKT signaling evoked EMT-mediated anoikis might be the pathway by which miR-145-5P regulates CRC cell invasion and metastasis.
Rucaparib in recurrent ovarian cancer: real-world experience from the rucaparib early access programme in Spain – A GEICO study
Authors: Yubero Alfonso , Barquín Aranzazu , Estévez Purificación , Pajares Bella , Sánchez Luisa , Reche Piedad , Alarcón Jesús , Calzas Julia , Gaba Lydia , Fuentes José , Santaballa Ana , Salvador Carmen , Manso Luis , Herrero Ana , Taus Álvaro , Márquez Raúl , Madani Julia , Merino María , Marquina Gloria , Casado Victoria , Constenla Manuel , Gutiérrez María , Dosil Alba , González-Martín Antonio
Published: November 2022

Background:

Rucaparib is a poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor approved in Europe as maintenance therapy for recurrent platinum-sensitive (Pt-S) ovarian cancer (OC). The Rucaparib Access Programme (RAP) was designed to provide early access to rucaparib for the above-mentioned indication, as well as for patients withBRCA-mutated Pt-S or platinum-resistant (Pt-R) OC and no therapeutic alternatives.

Methods:

In this observational, retrospective study we analysed the efficacy and safety of rucaparib within the RAP in Spain. Hospitals associated with the Spanish Ovarian Cancer Research Group (GEICO) recruited patients with high-grade epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer treated with rucaparib 600 mg twice daily as maintenance or treatment (Pt-S/Pt-R) in the RAP. Baseline characteristics, efficacy, and safety data were collected.

Results:

Between July 2020 and February 2021, 51 patients treated in 22 hospitals in the RAP were included in the study. Eighteen patients with a median of 3 (range, 1–6) prior treatment lines received rucaparib as maintenance; median progression-free survival (PFS) for this group was 9.1 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.2–11.6 months). Among 33 patients (median 5 [range, 1–9] prior treatment lines) who received rucaparib as treatment, 7 and 26 patients had Pt-S and Pt-R disease, respectively. Median PFS was 10.6 months (95% CI, 2.5 months-not reached) in the Pt-S group and 2.2 months (95% CI, 1.1–3.2 months) in the Pt-R group. Grade ≥ 3 treatment-emergent adverse events were reported in 39% of all patients, the most common being anaemia (12% and 15% in the maintenance and treatment groups, respectively). At data cut-off, 5 patients remained on treatment.

Conclusion

Efficacy results in these heavily pre-treated patients were similar to those from previous trials. The safety profile of rucaparib in real life was predictable and manageable.
The effect of behavioral therapy based counseling with anxious mothers on their infants' colic: a randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Montazeri Reihaneh , Hasanpour Shirin , Mirghafourvand Mojgan. , Gharehbaghi Manizheh Mostafa , Tehrani Mohammad Mehdi Ghods , Rezaei Shiva Mohajjel
Published: November 2022

Background

Given the possible effect of maternal anxiety on the severity of colic pain in infants, this study aimed to investigate the effects of behavioral therapy counseling on infantile colic (primary outcome), maternal anxiety, and mother-infant attachment (secondary outcomes) in anxious mothers with colicky infants.

Method

This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 46 anxious mothers of 2–6-weeks-old exclusively breastfed colicky infants who had a score of 112 and above according to the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale (PSAS), reffered to the pediatric clinics of Al-Zahra, Taleghani and Children Hospitals of Tabriz, Iran. The participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 23) and control (n = 23) groups using randomized block design. Mothers in the intervention group attended 8 systematic desensitization counseling sessions (2–3 sessions per week). Those in the control group received routine care. The researcher completed the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale (PSAS), Mother-Infant Attachment Questionnaire (MIAQ), and Infant Colic Scale (ICS) by interviewing the participants before and two weeks after the intervention.

Results

There was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups in the socio-demographic profile of participants. After the intervention, the mean postpartum anxiety score of women in the intervention group was significantly lower than that of those in the control group (Mean Difference (MD) = 22.5, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 2.3 to 42.7; p = 0.029). The mean infant colic score of the infants of mothers in the intervention group was insignificantly lower than that of those in the control group (MD = -2.9, 95% CI = -8.3 to 2.4; p = 0.271). In addition, no significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of their mean mother-infant attachment scores (MD = -0.04, 95% CI = -3.1 to 0.3; p = 0.976).

Conclusion

Behavioral therapy counseling effectively reduced postpartum anxiety in women with colicky infants; however, this reduction did not lead to a significant decrease in the infants’ colic pain. Therefore, health care providers are recommended to use this counseling method in combination with other effective counseling approaches to promote mental health of these mothers.

Trial Registration

IRCT Registration Number: IRCT20111219008459N14, registered on 08/10/2020. https://irct.ir/user/trial/45949/view
Aberrant interhemispheric functional connectivity in major depressive disorder with and without anhedonia
Authors: Lu Shaojia , Shao Jiamin , Feng Qian , Wu Congchong , Fang Zhe , Jia Lili , Wang Zheng , Hu Shaohua , Xu Yi , Huang Manli
Published: November 2022

Objective

Anhedonia is a core feature of major depressive disorder (MDD), and as a subtype of depression, MDD with anhedonia may have exceptional neurobiological mechanisms. However, the neuropathology of anhedonia in MDD remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the brain functional differences between MDD with and without anhedonia.

Methods

A total of 62 individuals including 22 MDD patients with anhedonia, 20 MDD patients without anhedonia, and 20 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited for this study. All participants underwent 3.0-T functional magnetic resonance imaging scan. Voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC) was employed to quantitatively describe bilateral functional connectivity. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) were performed to obtain brain regions with significant differences among three groups and then post hoc tests were calculated for inter-group comparisons.

Results

The ANOVA revealed significant VMHC differences among three groups in the bilateral middle temporal gyrus (MTG), superior frontal gyrus (SFG), and inferior parietal lobule (IPL) (F = 10.47 ~ 15.09, p < 0.05, AlphaSim corrected). Relative to HCs, MDD with anhedonia showed significantly decreased VMHC in the bilateral MTG (t = -5.368, p < 0.05, AlphaSim corrected), as well as increased VMHC in the bilateral SFG (t = -4.696, p < 0.05, AlphaSim corrected). Compared to MDD without anhedonia, MDD with anhedonia showed significantly decreased VMHC in the bilateral MTG and IPL (t = -5.629 ~ -4.330, p < 0.05, AlphaSim corrected), while increased VMHC in the bilateral SFG (t = 3.926, p < 0.05, AlphaSim corrected). However, no significant difference was found between MDD without anhedonia and HCs.

Conclusion

The present findings suggest that MDD with and without anhedonia exhibit different patterns of interhemispheric connectivity. Anhedonia in MDD is related to aberrant interhemispheric connectivity within brain regions involved in the frontal–temporal-parietal circuit.
Public knowledge about dementia risk reduction in Norway
Authors: Kjelvik Grete , Rokstad Anne Marie Mork , Stuebs Josephine , Thingstad Pernille , Deckers Kay , Köhler Sebastian , Selbæk Geir
Published: November 2022

Background

Several modifiable lifestyle risk factors for dementia have been identified, but it is unclear how much the Norwegian public knows about the relationship between lifestyle and brain health. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate knowledge about modifiable dementia risk and protective factors and beliefs and attitudes towards dementia and dementia risk reduction in a randomly selected subsample of the Norwegian population.

Methods

The total sample (n = 1435) included individuals aged 40–70 years from four counties (Oslo, Innlandet, Nordland and Trøndelag) in Norway. Two online questionnaires were used to measure (1) awareness about dementia risk reduction and (2) an individual`s motivation to change behaviour for dementia risk reduction (MOCHAD-10).

Results

Of the participants, 70% were aware of the potential of dementia risk reduction in general. Physical inactivity (86%), cognitive inactivity (84%) and social isolation (80%) were the most frequently recognised dementia risk factors. On the other hand, diabetes (26%), coronary heart disease (19%), hearing loss (18%) and chronic kidney disease (7%) were less often recognised as dementia risk factors. Comparing men and women, the only significant difference was that women were more likely to report parents with dementia as a risk factor compared to men. Gender, age and educational differences were seen in beliefs and attitudes towards dementia prevention:women reported more negative feelings and attitudes towards dementia than men;those aged 40–49 years – more likely than older age groups – reported that ‘knowing family members with dementia’ or ‘having risk factors’ made them believe they had to change their lifestyle and behaviour.

Conclusions

The results indicate that 70% of the Norwegian public are aware of the potential for dementia risk reduction in general. However, there are major gaps in existing knowledge, particularly for cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, hypercholesterolemia and metabolic factors (diabetes, obesity). These findings underline the importance of further informing the Norwegian public about lifestyle-related risk and protective factors of dementia. Differences in beliefs and attitudes towards dementia risk prevention by age, gender and education require tailored public risk reduction interventions.
Prevalence of sleep-related problems and risks in a community-dwelling older adult population: a cross-sectional survey-based study
Authors: Gordon Nancy P. , Yao Jimmy H. , Brickner Leslea A. , Lo Joan C.
Published: November 2022

Background

Despite evidence of adverse health consequences of inadequate restorative sleep for older adults, assessment of sleep quantity, quality, and use of sleep aids is not routinely done. We aimed to characterize sleep problems, sleep risks, and advice received about sleep in a community-dwelling older adult population, overall and in subgroups with health conditions and functional difficulties.

Methods

This cross-sectional study used weighted self-report data for 5074 Kaiser Permanente Northern California members aged 65-79y who responded to a 2017 or 2020 Member Health Survey. We estimated usual amount of sleep (< 6, 6 to < 7, ≥7 hours) and prevalence of sleep problems (frequent insomnia, frequent daytime fatigue, poor quality sleep, and potential sleep apnea (OSA) symptoms (frequent very loud snoring, apnea episodes)) for older adults overall, by self-rated health, and in subgroups reporting hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, frequent problems with balance/walking, and frequent memory problems. We also estimated percentages who regularly used sleep aids and had discussed sleep adequacy with a healthcare professional in the past year.

Results

Approximately 30% of older adults usually got less than the recommended ≥7 hours sleep per day, and 9% experienced frequent daytime fatigue, 13% frequent insomnia, 18% frequent insomnia/poor quality sleep, and 8% potential OSA symptoms. Prevalence of frequent insomnia was higher among women than men (16% vs. 11%). Higher percentages of those in fair/poor health and those with frequent balance/walking and memory problems reported sleeping < 6 hours per day and having all four types of sleep problems. Nearly 20% of all older adults (22% of women vs. 17% of men) and 45% of those with frequent insomnia (no sex difference) reported regular sleep aid use. Only 10% of older adults reported discussing sleep with a healthcare professional whereas > 20% reported discussing diet and exercise.

Conclusions

Large percentages of older adults experience sleep problems or get less sleep than recommended for optimal sleep health. Older patients should routinely be assessed on multiple components of sleep health (sleep hygiene, quantity, quality, problems, and sleep aid use) and educated about sleep hygiene and the importance of getting adequate restorative sleep for their overall health and wellbeing.
Retraction Note: Fluoride exposure and intelligence in school-age children: evidence from different windows of exposure susceptibility
Authors: Xu Kaihong , An Ning , Huang Hui , Duan Leizhen , Ma Jun , Ding Jizhe , He Tongkun , Zhu Jingyuan , Li Zhiyuan , Cheng Xuemin , Zhou Guoyu , Ba Yue
Published: November 2022

This article has been retracted. Please see the Retraction Notice for more detail: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09765-4.
Consumer perceptions of legal cannabis products in Canada, 2019–2021: a repeat cross-sectional study
Authors: Wadsworth Elle , Fataar Fathima , Goodman Samantha , Smith Danielle M. , Renard Justine , Gabrys Robert , Jesseman Rebecca , Hammond David
Published: November 2022

Background

Consumer perceptions of legal cannabis products may drive willingness to purchase from the illegal or legal market; however, little is known on this topic. The current study examined perceptions of legal products among Canadian cannabis consumers over a 3-year period following federal legalization of non-medical cannabis in 2018.

Methods

Data were analyzed from Canadian respondents in the International Cannabis Policy Study, a repeat cross-sectional survey conducted in 2019–2021. Respondents were 15,311 past 12-month cannabis consumers of legal age to purchase cannabis. Weighted logistic regression models examined the association between perceptions of legal cannabis and province of residence, and frequency of cannabis use over time.

Results

In 2021, cannabis consumers perceived legal cannabis to be safer to buy (54.0%), more convenient to buy (47.8%), more expensive (47.2%), safer to use (46.8%) and higher quality (29.3%) than illegal cannabis. Except for safety of purchasing, consumers had more favourable perceptions of legal cannabis in 2021 than 2019 across all outcomes. For example, consumers had higher odds of perceiving legal cannabis as more convenient to buy in 2021 than 2019 (AOR = 3.09, 95%CI: 2.65,3.60). More frequent consumers had less favourable perceptions of legal cannabis than less frequent consumers.

Conclusions

Three years since legalization, Canadian cannabis consumers generally had increasingly favourable perceptions of legal vs. illegal products – except for price – with variation across the provinces and frequency of cannabis use. To achieve public health objectives of legalization, federal and provincial governments must ensure that legal cannabis products are preferred to illegal, without appealing to non-consumers.
Changes in preventive behaviour after COVID-19 vaccination in Thailand: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Ngamchaliew Pitchayanont , Kaewkuea Narathip , Nonthasorn Netipong , Vonnasrichan Thanawat , Rongsawat Natthakarn , Rattanachai Leena , Chaipipattanakij Wannachai , Kamolnawin Sutthida , Vichitkunakorn Polathep
Published: November 2022

Background

Protective behaviours (e.g., mask-wearing, handwashing, avoiding social gatherings) and mass vaccination are effective ways to control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Previous studies found that people who get vaccinated may change their protective behaviours. The Thai government has endorsed several mix-and-match vaccine regimens to eliminate the insufficiency of each vaccine brand. This study aimed to determine levels of protective behavioural changes after COVID-19 vaccination and its relationship with various vaccine regimens in Thailand.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between September 13, 2021, and January 14, 2022. Data were collected using an online questionnaire distributed via social media platforms and posters in public places in Thailand. The questionnaire comprised six items for demographic characteristics, seven items for COVID-19 vaccine regimens, and four items for protective behaviours. The vaccinated Thai population aged ≥ 18 years were surveyed. Statistical analyses included a Chi-squared test, Wilcoxon signed rank test, and multivariate logistic regressions.

Results

Of the 469 participants, more than half were females (67.4%), single (57.4%), and lived in an urban area (67.2%). Significant differences were observed with regard to median scores in handwashing (5.0 vs. 5.0, p-value < 0.001), physical distancing (4.0 vs. 5.0, p-value = 0.019), and avoiding social activity (4.0 vs. 5.0, p-value = 0.010) in pre- and post-vaccination situations. Approximately 70–90% of the participants did not report changes in protective behaviours after vaccination. Overall, 17.4%, 13.9%, and 12.7% of participants showed improvements in avoiding social activity, physical distancing, and handwashing respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that improvements in protective behaviours were significantly associated with the age group (between 18 and 24 years), non-healthcare worker status, and those who lived in urban areas. No significant evidence of vaccine regimens was found relative to improved protective behaviours.

Conclusion

This evidence revealed that Thai people maintain their protective behaviours after vaccination but rather improved them. Moreover, demographic data were significantly associated with improved protective behaviours, but various vaccine regimens were not. These findings might be useful for implementing policies to maintain personal protective behaviours after vaccination against COVID-19.
Associations between body composition and physical fitness among Chinese medical students: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Li Bing , Sun Lu , Yu Ye , Xin Hong , Zhang Han , Liu Jie , Zhang Zhuo
Published: November 2022

Background

This study examined associations between body composition and physical fitness scores among medical students in Shenyang, China.

Methods

A total of 2291 medical students aged 18–20 (815 male and 1476 female) in Shenyang of China were recruited to participate in the research in May 2019. With the use of the BCA-1B body composition analyzer and standard method of physical fitness assessment, the body composition and seven measures of physical fitness (body mass index, vital capacity, sit and reach, standing long jump, pull-ups/crunches, 50-m sprint, and 800/1000-m run) of college students were measured, respectively. The associations between body composition and physical fitness scores were assessed using multiple linear regression analysis.

Results

The height, weight, total body water, protein mass, mineral content, body mass index, vital capacity, and body function scores of male students were significantly higher than those of female students. However, fat mass (FM), body shape score, physical quality score, and total physical fitness score of female students were significantly higher than those of male students. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis indicated that in male students, only FM was negatively associated with body shape score, body function score, physical quality score, and total physical fitness score. In female students, FM was associated with lower body shape scores, physical quality scores, and total physical fitness scores. Furthermore, the ratio of overweight to obesity in male students was significantly higher than that in female students.

Conclusions

In Chinese medical colleges, the physical fitness level of female students is better than that of male students, and a higher FM was significantly associated with worse physical fitness of medical students. Moreover, male students with a higher rate of overweight and obesity are an important group that needs weight control.
Carpal tunnel syndrome secondary to tumoral calcinosis: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Abdallah Michael , Bou Sanayeh Elie , Haroun Rami , El Khoury Maria , El Hajj Moussa Majd , Hoyek Fadi
Published: November 2022

Background

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is the most prevalent peripheral nerve entrapment disease. Its pathophysiology is multifactorial and defined as idiopathic in most cases. We present a rare case of CTS secondary to tumoral calcinosis and then searched the English literature to present the details of all published cases with this entity.

Case presentation.

A 52-year-old woman presented for a one-year history of numbness and paresthesia in her right hand. The patient’s signs, symptoms, physical examination, and nerve electrodiagnostic testing suggested median nerve compression at the level of the carpal tunnel. However, a confirmatory magnetic resonance imaging of the wrist showed a localized calcareous lesion in the carpal tunnel. Subsequently, carpal tunnel release and mass excision were successfully performed with no recurrence at a 3-month interval.

Conclusion

CTS secondary to tumoral calcinosis is a rare benign condition. Physicians should remain vigilant and include it in their differential diagnosis when facing a previously healthy patient presenting for chronic CTS symptoms.
Evaluation of novel obesity- and lipid-related indices as predictors of abnormal glucose tolerance in Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Yin Qianqian , Yan Xiaonan , Cao Yijuan , Zheng Jianhua
Published: November 2022

Purpose

We aimed to evaluate the performance of Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI), visceral adiposity index (VAI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), triglyceride glucose (TyG) as indices in screening abnormal glucose tolerance (AGT) in Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), using the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) as a reference test. In addition, we essentially compared the abilities of these indices with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), fasting plasma glucose (FPG).

Materials and methods

All 1113 PCOS patients evaluated in this study underwent OGTTs. The 2-h post-oral glucose load (2 h-PG) level was used to categorize subjects into two groups: those having AGT or normal glucose tolerance (NGT) levels.

Results

A statistically significant positive correlation between levels of 2 h-PG and FPG, BMI, WC, LAP, VAI, CVAI, TyG, (P < 0.05), was observed. The strongest correlation was found between the levels of 2 h-PG and CVAI (r = 0.47). The CVAI provided the highest area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) for AGT, followed by LAP, BMI, TyG, VAI, WC, and FPG. The CVAI of 32.61 (with AUC: 0.76, sensitivity: 73%, specificity: 70%, positive preductive value (PPV): 0.41, negative predictive value (NPV): 0.90) was found to be the cut-off point for AGT in Chinese women with PCOS.

Conclusions

CVAI may not reliably detect AGT in Chinese women with PCOS. However, it is suitable as a first screening indicator to guide physicians to ordering OGTT.
Effectiveness of the attachment position in molar intrusion with clear aligners: a finite element study
Authors: Fan Dian , Liu Hao , Yuan Chang-Yong , Wang Shi-Yu , Wang Peng-Lai
Published: November 2022

Objective

To evaluate the biomechanical effects of different attachments’ position for maxillary molar intrusion with clear aligner treatment by finite element analysis.

Methods

Cone-beam computed tomography images of a patient with supra-eruption of the maxillary second molars were selected to construct three-dimensional models of the maxilla, periodontal ligaments, dentition, and clear aligner. The models were divided into four groups depending on the attachment location on the first molar: (1) no attachment (NA), (2) buccal attachment (BA), (3) palatal attachment (PA), and (4) bucco-palatal attachment (BPA). After applying an intrusion of 0.2 mm on the second molar, displacements and stress distributions of the teeth, aligner, and periodontal ligament were analyzed with the finite element software.

Results

All groups displayed equivalent movement patterns of aligners. The NA and BA groups showed buccal tipping of the second molar, while the PA group showed palatal tipping. The BPA group had the highest intruding value and the lowest buccal/palatal tipping value. All groups showed mesial tipping of the second molar. Stress distribution in the periodontal ligament strongly correlated with the attachment position. The BPA group showed the best stress distribution.

Conclusion

Combined BA and PA could effectively prevent buccal and palatal tipping and showed the best efficiency in intruding the second molar. The second molar showed an unavoidable tendency to tip mesially, regardless of the attachment position.
Perceived barriers towards the importance and application of medical research: a source of gender disparity among medical undergraduates
Authors: AlQirem Lina , Al-Huneidy Leen , Hammouri Muhammad , Taha Hana , Al-Somadi Husam , Al-Bitar Farah , Kitaneh Razi , Al-Huneidy Yazan , Al-Somadi Hussien , Ashour Omar , Sayed Farah , Mohammed Dina , Abu Tawileh Raya , Al-Ani Abdallah
Published: November 2022

Background

Little is known about gender disparity among medical undergraduates in the developing world. Therefore, this study aims to explore the attitudes and perceived barriers among Jordanian medical students, particularly women.

Methods

An online, self-administered questionnaire, developed after an extensive literature review, was disseminated across all six Jordanian medical schools targeting more than 5000 medical students. Student t-test and ANOVA were used to document mean differences among different groups. Linear and logistic regression models were used to find predictors of publication and number of publications.

Results

A total of 636 students participated in the survey with a women to men ratio of 1.1. Women medical students report significantly higher knowledge (t(634) = 2.47, p = 0.013), personal (t(634) = 3.31, p = 0.001), and total barriers scores than men (t(634) = 3.02, p = 0.003). Moreover, compared to men, women were less likely to find same-sex mentorship (t(634) = 3.18, p = 0.001) or receive credited authorship (t(634) = 2.12, p = 0.011). Overall, women medical students were more likely to perceive that their gender (t(634) = 3.58, p < 0.001) and people’s perception of their gender (t(634) = 4.25, p < 0.001) are barriers to their career advancement. Binary logistic regression demonstrated that gender is a significant predictor of being able to publish (OR: 1.645; 95%CI: 1.002–2.731), while linear regression demonstrated that gender is a predictor of number of publications (ß: 0.113; 95%CI: 0.063–0.288).

Conclusion

A significant gender disparity exists in terms of both attitudes and overall barriers among Jordanian medical undergraduates which calls for immediate policy changes as to produce successful clinicians and researchers.
Exercise training attenuates pulmonary inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction in a mouse model of high-fat high-carbohydrate-induced NAFLD
Authors: Cho Jinkyung , Johnson Bruce D. , Watt Kymberly D. , Niven Alexander S. , Yeo Dongwook , Kim Chul-Ho
Published: November 2022

Background

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can lead to pulmonary dysfunction that is associated with pulmonary inflammation. Moreover, little is known regarding the therapeutic role of exercise training on pulmonary pathophysiology in NAFLD. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of exercise training on high-fat high-carbohydrate (HFHC)-induced pulmonary dysfunction in C57BL/6 mice.

Methods

Male C57BL/6 mice (N= 40) were fed a standard Chow (n= 20) or an HFHC (n= 20) diet for 15 weeks. After 8 weeks of dietary treatment, they were further assigned to 4 subgroups for the remaining 7 weeks: Chow (n= 10), Chow plus exercise (Chow+EX,n= 10), HFHC (n= 10), or HFHC plus exercise (HFHC+EX,n= 10). Both Chow+EX and HFHC+EX mice were subjected to treadmill running.

Results

Chronic exposure to the HFHC diet resulted in obesity with hepatic steatosis, impaired glucose tolerance, and elevated liver enzymes. The HFHC significantly increased fibrotic area (p< 0.001), increased the mRNA expression of TNF-α (4.1-fold,p< 0.001), IL-1β (5.0-fold,p< 0.001), col1a1 (8.1-fold,p< 0.001), and Timp1 (6.0-fold,p< 0.001) in the lung tissue. In addition, the HFHC significantly altered mitochondrial function (p< 0.05) along with decreased Mfn1 protein levels (1.8-fold,p< 0.01) and increased Fis1 protein levels (1.9-fold,p< 0.001). However, aerobic exercise training significantly attenuated these pathophysiologies in the lungs in terms of ameliorating inflammatory and fibrogenic effects by enhancing mitochondrial function in lung tissue (p< 0.001).

Conclusions

The current findings suggest that exercise training has a beneficial effect against pulmonary abnormalities in HFHC-induced NAFLD through improved mitochondrial function.
Longitudinal trends in produce purchasing behavior: a descriptive study of transaction level data from loyalty card households
Authors: Fernandez Isabel Diana , Johnson Brent A. , Wixom Nellie , Kautz Amber , Janciuras Joanne , Prevost Steve , Luo Jiebo , Ramchandran Rajeev S.
Published: November 2022

Background

Household food purchases (HFP) are in the pathway between the community food environment and the foods available in households for consumption. As such, HFP data have emerged as alternatives to monitor population dietary trends over-time. In this paper, we investigate the use of loyalty card datasets as unexplored sources of continuously collected HFP data to describe temporal trends in household produce purchases.

Methods

We partnered with a grocery store chain to obtain a loyalty card database with grocery transactions by household from January 2016-October 2018. We included households in an urban county with complete observations for head of household age group, household income group, and family size. Data were summarized as weighted averages (95% CI) of percent produce purchased out of all foods purchased by household per month. We modeled seasonal and linear trends in the proportion of produce purchases by age group and income while accounting for repeated observations per household using generalized estimating equations.

Results

There are 290,098 households in the database (88% of all county households). At baseline, the smallest and largest percent produce purchases are observed among the youngest and lowest income (12.2%, CI 11.1; 13.3) and the oldest and highest income households (19.3, CI 18.9; 19.6); respectively. The seasonal variations are consistent in all age and income groups with an April-June peak gradually descending until December. However, the average linear change in percent produce purchased per household per year varies by age and income being the steepest among the youngest households at each income level (from 1.42%, CI 0.98;1.8 to 0.69%, CI 0.42;0.95) while the oldest households experience almost no annual change.

Conclusions

 We explored the potential of a collaboration with a food retailer to use continuously collected loyalty card data for public health nutrition purposes. Our findings suggest a trend towards a healthier pattern in long-term food purchases and household food availability among the youngest households that may lessen the population chronic disease burden if sustained. Understanding the foods available for consumption within households allows public health advocates to develop and evaluate policies and programs promoting foods and nutrients along the life course.