bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Traveler’s Infections: Understanding SARS-CoV-2 as a Potential Agent
Authors: Oti Victor B. , Ioannou Marina
Published: July 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a major, global, public health challenge. More than 1,051,635 confirmed cases (and counting) have been reported worldwide, thus far, and both local and international travelers are considered to represent populations at high risk of acquiring the infection. Many factors are involved in the spread of this viral agent, including travel to and from endemic areas, a history of contact with a traveler from an endemic country, the virus infection rate at the destination, individual health, and inadequate prevention and control measures. COVID-19 symptoms range from fever and cough to difficulty breathing, and more severe cases can present with pneumonia and multi-organ failure. The virus is thought to be transmitted through large respiratory droplets, generated by coughing or sneezing and transmitted through close contact with infected persons or contaminated surfaces. Diagnostic strategies include the assays for the detection of antiviral antibodies, multiplex nucleic acid amplification, and microarray-based assays. Currently, no approved antiviral therapy or vaccine exists to treat or prevent the infection. Public health measures, such as quarantine, have been enforced, to slow the community spread of the virus, by governments, worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recommended COVID-19 infection screening be performed at airports, for all travelers, before traveling to endemic countries and the restriction of travel to countries more than one thousand cases of infection. In response to the global outbreak, this review examines COVID-19 as a potential traveler’s infection.
Impact of Lockdown in India: A Case Study on Karnataka with International Model
Authors: Sebastian Stelvin , Paul Aby , Joby Joel , Saijan Sanjo , Joseph Jeeva , Kunjumon Jobin
Published: July 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared an epidemic and a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO), prompting various countries to implement early and stringent social distancing protocols through lockdown, to flatten the epidemic curve. The objective of our present study was to assess the impacts and effectiveness of the lockdown protocol in Karnataka and Punjab, compared with the implementation of this method in Australia and the United Kingdom (UK). This study involved the collection of data from different authorized databases, in two phases. The first phase included the time starting with the first-reported index case through the 14th day after the declaration of lockdown, for each country. The second phase involved the data collected between the 15th day through the 28th day of the lockdown. The highest doubling rate for cases was observed in Australia, followed by Karnataka and Punjab, whereas the lowest was observed in the UK. Comparisons of the numbers of the samples tested, the mortality rate, and the recovery rate between Karnataka and Punjab, after the implementation of lockdown, revealed a better recovery rate and lower mortality rate in Karnataka than in Punjab. Our study revealed that the implementation of social distancing and lockdown reduced the transmission of the coronavirus and the number of cases reported. However, the effectiveness of lockdown varied among locations, due to demographic and physiological differences.
On comics, narratives and transmedia multiverses: re-envisioning the wall-crawler in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Authors:   Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM), Parra Martínez María Inmaculada
Published: July 2020

This article examines the newest animated version of the Spider-Man franchise in terms of its narrative and artistic choices, to offer a potential answer on the success of the most critically acclaimed film of the spider character. Considering the complexity that characterizes this production, regarding its storyline, its technical density and its transmedial projection, a multidisciplinary approach is used to study the intricate dimensions of this feature. This article offers first a contextualization of the superhero character and the different stories that inspired the creation of this film, to later present an analysis of its artistic style and transmedial nature. In particular, this article argues that the comic style animation of this film, combined with the transmedial identity of its narrative, are the only suitable options for the re-conceptualization of this character, since they recover the essence of the superhero genre, targeting the social dimension of its modern audience in a more effective way its predecessors.
Association of number of siblings, birth order, and thinness in 3- to 12-year-old children: a population-based cross-sectional study in Shanghai, China
Authors: Yu Tingting , Chen Chang , Jin Zhijuan , Yang You , Jiang Yanrui , Hong Li , Yu Xiaodan , Mei Hao , Jiang Fan , Huang Hong , Liu Shijian , Jin Xingming
Published: July 2020

Background: Sibship size and structure have a significant association with overweight and obesity in children, but the relationship with thinness has not been fully studied and understood, especially in Asia. This study evaluated the associations among number of siblings, birth order, and childhood thinness and investigated the association of number of younger or older siblings with childhood thinness. Methods: In this study, we performed a population-based cross-sectional study among 84,075 3- to 12-year-old children in Shanghai using multistage stratified cluster random sampling. We defined grades 1, 2, and 3 thinness according to the body mass index cutoff points set by the International Obesity Task Force and used multinomial logistic regression models to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Results: Compared with only children, for boys, children with two or more siblings were more likely to suffer from grade 2 (OR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.02, 1.64) and grade 3 thinness (OR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.07, 2.40); and the youngest child faced a higher risk of grade 2 (OR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.09, 1.90) and grade 3 thinness (OR = 1.53, 95% CI 1.01, 2.33). For girls, children with one sibling were more likely to suffer from grade 1 thinness (OR = 1.22, 95% CI 1.05, 1.42); the oldest child, middle child, and youngest child faced a higher risk of grade 1 (OR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.09, 1.84), grade 2 (OR = 1.26, 95% CI 1.03, 1.54), and grade 1 thinness (OR = 1.87, 95% CI 1.21, 2.88) respectively. There was no statistically significant relationship, however, between a larger number of younger or older siblings and childhood thinness. Conclusions: Regardless of sex, having either siblings or a higher birth order was positively associated with childhood thinness. The present study has suggested that future interventions to prevent childhood thinness should consider family background as an important factor, especially in multi-child-families. Keywords: Number of siblings, Birth order, Thinness, Children
Micronutrient Status of Palestinian School Children Following Salt and Flour Fortification: A cross-sectional Study
Authors: Massad Salwa George , Gebre-Medhin Mehari , Dary Omar , Abdalla Marwah , Holleran Steve , Karmally Wahida , Bordelois Paula , Khammash Umaiyeh , Deckelbaum Richard J.
Published: July 2020

Background: In 1996 and in 2006, Palestine initiated salt iodization and multiple micronutrient fortification of wheat flour, respectively as a strategy to prevent deficiencies of these nutrients. In 2009, we assessed the impact of these interventions on the health and nutritional status of schoolchildren residing in the West Bank. Methods: We surveyed a sample of 22 schools run by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the Palestinian Government. We randomly selected students from the first (mean age 6.7 years [SD 0.5]), sixth (11.8 years [0.6]), and ninth grades (14.8 years [0.6]). Data were obtained from 1484 (99%) of 1500 students planned for enrollment. Results: Our results suggest that iodine intake appears adequate; there was essentially no iodine deficiency. As to the status of other micronutrients, the main nutritional micronutrient risks for schoolchildren in the West Bank continue to be low serum levels of iron, zinc and vitamin B-12; folate levels were seemingly high. The overall prevalence of anemia was 9.6%, but there were pockets of anemia in certain districts. Almost 42% of the anemia in our sample was explained by iron deficiency. There were significant differences in iron deficiency between girls and boys; 29.5% vs. 15.7%, respectively (p=0.0001). There were no cases of lead toxicity in the studied sample.Conclusions: Wheat flour and salt fortification has had a major influence on improving the micronutrient status of Palestinian children, for some but not all micronutrients. The recommended key blood and biochemical parameters to be incorporated in the surveillance system are iron, zinc, and vitamin B12.
Increasing system-wide implementation of opioid prescribing guidelines in primary care: findings from a non-randomized stepped-wedge quality improvement project.
Authors: Zgierska Aleksandra E , Robinson James M , Lennon Robert P , Smith Paul D , Nisbet Kate , Ales Mary W , Boss Deanne , Tuan Wen-Jan , Vidaver Regina M , Hahn David L
Published: July 2020

Background: Clinician utilization of practice guidelines can reduce inappropriate opioid prescribing and harm in chronic non-cancer pain; yet, implementation of “opioid guidelines” is subpar. We hypothesized that a multi-component quality improvement (QI) augmentation of “routine” system-level implementation efforts would increase clinician adherence to the opioid guideline-driven policy recommendations. Methods: Opioid policy was implemented system-wide in 26 primary care clinics. A convenience sample of 9 clinics received the QI augmentation (one-hour academic detailing; 2 online educational modules; 4-6 monthly one-hour practice facilitation sessions) in this non-randomized stepped-wedge QI project. The QI participants were volunteer clinic staff. The target patient population was adults with chronic non-cancer pain treated with long-term opioids. The outcomes included the clinic-level percentage of target patients with a current treatment agreement (primary outcome), rates of opioid-benzodiazepine co-prescribing, urine drug testing, depression and opioid misuse screening, and prescription drug monitoring database check; additional measures included daily morphine-equivalent dose (MED), and the percentages of all target patients and patients prescribed ≥90mg/day MED. T-test, mixed-regression and stepped-wedge-based analyses evaluated the QI impact, with significance and effect size assessed with two-tailed p<0.05, 95% confidence intervals and/or Cohen’s d. Results: Two-hundred-fifteen QI participants, a subset of clinical staff, received at least one QI component; 1,255 patients in the QI and 1,632 patients in the 17 comparison clinics were prescribed long-term opioids. At baseline, more QI than comparison clinic patients were screened for depression (8.1% vs 1.1%, p=0.019) and prescribed ≥90mg/day MED (23.0% vs 15.5%, p=0.038). The stepped-wedge analysis did not show statistically significant change in outcomes in the QI clinics, when accounting for the comparison clinics’ trends. The Cohen’s d values favored the QI clinics in all outcomes except opioid-benzodiazepine co-prescribing. Subgroup analysis showed that patients prescribed ≥90mg/day MED in the QI compared to comparison clinics improved urine drug screening rates (38.8% vs 19.1%, p=0.02), but not other outcomes (p³0.05). Conclusions: Augmenting routine policy implementation with targeted QI intervention, delivered to volunteer clinic staff, did not additionally improve clinic-level, opioid guideline-concordant care metrics. However, the observed effect sizes suggested this approach may be effective, especially in higher-risk patients, if broadly implemented.Trial Registration – Not applicable
Inferring an animal's environment through biologging: quantifying the environmental contribution to animal movement
Authors: Eikelboom Jasper A.J. , de Knegt Henrik J. , Klaver Maayke , Langevelde Frank van , Wal Tamme van der , Prins Herbert H.T.
Published: July 2020

Background: Animals respond to environmental variation by changing their movement in a multifaceted way. Recent advancements in biologging increasingly allow for detailed measurements of the multifaceted nature of movement, from descriptors of animal movement trajectories (e.g., using GPS) to descriptors of body part movements (e.g., using tri-axial accelerometers). Because this multivariate richness of movement data complicates inference on the environmental contribution to animal movement, studies generally use simplified movement descriptors in statistical analyses. However, doing so limits the inference on the environmental contribution to movement, as this requires that the multivariate richness of movement data can be fully considered in an analysis. Methods: We propose a data-driven analytic framework to quantify the environmental contribution to animal movement that can accommodate the multifaceted nature of animal movement. Instead of fitting a simplified movement descriptor to a suite of environmental variables, our proposed framework centres on predicting an environmental variable from the full set of multivariate movement data, i.e., the reverse of the route of causal inference. The measure of fit of this prediction is taken to be the metric that quantifies how much of the environmental variation relates to the multivariate variation in animal movement. We demonstrate the usefulness of this framework through a case study about the contribution of grass availability and time since milking to cow movements using machine learning algorithms. Results: We show that on a one-hour timescale 37% of the variation in grass availability and 33% of time since milking contributed to cow movements. Grass availability contributed mostly to the cows’ neck movement during grazing, while time since milking contributed mostly to the movement through the landscape and the shared variation of accelerometer and GPS data (e.g., activity patterns). Furthermore, this framework proved to be insensitive to spurious correlations between environmental variables in quantifying the contribution to animal movement. Conclusions: Not only is our proposed framework well-suited to study the environmental contribution to animal movement; we argue that it can also be applied in any field that uses multivariate biologging data, e.g., animal physiology, to study the relationships between animals and their environment.
Help seeking, trust and intimate partner violence: social connections amongst displaced and non-displaced Yezidi women and men in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq
Authors: Strang Alison , O’Brien Oonagh , Sandilands Maggie , Horn Rebecca
Published: July 2020

Background: Conflict and displacement impact the social fabric of communities through the disruption of social connections and the erosion of trust. Effective humanitarian assistance requires understanding the social capital that shapes patterns of help seeking in these circumstances - especially with stigmatised issues such as violence against women (VAW) and intimate partner violence (IPV). Methods: A novel social mapping methodology was adopted amongst a Yezidi population displaced by ISIS occupation and a neighbouring settled Yezidi population in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq in late 2016. Six participatory workshops were conducted to identify available resources with respect to: meeting basic needs, dispute resolution and VAW. Subsequently, 51 individual interviews were conducted (segmented by gender and settlement status) to identify connectedness to, and trust in, the resources identified, with a focus on IPV against women. 90% of participants reported God as a key source of help in the previous six months, representing the most widely cited resource. Following God, the most accessed and trusted resources were family and community, with NGO (non-governmental organisation) provision being the least. Women drew more strongly upon familial resources than men (=5.73, df=1, p=0.017). There was reduced trust in resources in relation to seeking help with IPV. A distinction between trust to provide emotional support and trust to resolve issues was identified. Settled women were 1.6 times more likely to trust community members and government services and 3.7 times more likely to trust NGOs than displaced women. Conclusions: Mapping social connections and trust provides valuable insight into the social capital available to support help seeking in populations of humanitarian concern. For these Yezidi populations, family, religious and community resources were the most widely utilised and trusted. Trust was mostly reserved for family and their main religious leader regarding IPV against women. Lack of trust appeared to be a major barrier to stronger engagement with available NGO provision, particularly amongst displaced women. The role of faith and religious resources for this population is clearly significant, and warrants an explicitly faith-sensitive approach to humanitarian assistance.
Early Patellofemoral Articular Cartilage Degeneration in a Rat Model of Patellar Instability is Associated with Activation of the NF-κB Signaling Pathway
Authors: Lin Wei , Dai Yike , Yang Guangmin , Niu Jinghui , Li Ming , Wang Fei
Published: July 2020

Background: Patellar instability (PI) often increases the possibility of lateral patellar dislocation and early osteoarthritis. The molecular mechanism of early articular cartilage degeneration during patellofemoral osteoarthritis (PFOA) still requires further investigation. However, it is known that the NF-κB signaling pathway plays an important role in articular cartilage degeneration. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the NF-κB signaling pathway and patellofemoral joint cartilage degeneration. Methods: We established a rat model of PI-induced PFOA. Female 4-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats (n=120) were randomly divided into two groups: the PI (n=60) and control group (n=60). The distal femurs of the PI and control group were isolated and compared 4, 8, and 12 weeks after surgery. The morphological structure of the trochlear cartilage and subchondral bone were evaluated by micro-computed tomography and histology. The expression of NF-κB, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13, collagen X, and TNF-ɑ were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: In the PI group, subchondral bone loss and cartilage degeneration were found 4 weeks after surgery. Compared with the control group, the protein and mRNA expression of NF-κB and TNF-ɑ were significantly increased 4, 8, and 12 weeks after surgery in the PI group. In addition, the markers of cartilage degeneration MMP-13 and collagen X were more highly expressed in the PI group compared with the control group at different time points after surgery.Conclusions: This study has demonstrated that early patellofemoral joint cartilage degeneration can be caused by PI in growing rats, accompanied by significant subchondral bone loss and cartilage degeneration. In addition, the degeneration of articular cartilage may be associated with the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway and can deteriorate with time as a result of PI.
Osteopontin promoter polymorphisms and risk of urolithiasis: a candidate gene association and meta-analysis study
Authors: Amar Ali , Afzal Ayesha , Hameed Athar , Ahmad Mumtaz , Khan Abdul Rafay , Najma Humaira , Abid Aiysha , Khaliq Shagufta
Published: July 2020

Background: Urolithiasis is a worldwide urological problem with significant contribution of genetic factors. Pakistan, which resides within the Afro-Asian stone belt, has a high reported prevalence (12%) of urolithiasis. Osteopontin (SPP1) is a urinary macromolecule with a suggested critical role in modulating renal stone formation, genetic polymorphisms of which may determine individual risk of developing urolithiasis. However, results of previous studies regarding SPP1 polymorphisms and susceptibility to urolithiasis have apparent inconsistencies with no data available for local population. Methods: A total of 235 urolithiasis patients and 243 healthy controls, all of Pakistani ancestry, underwent genotyping for six SPP1 genetic polymorphisms in an effort to investigate potential association with urolithiasis using indigenous candidate gene association study design. Further, a comprehensive meta-analysis following a systematic literature search was also done to ascertain an evidence based account of any existent association regarding SPP1 promoter polymorphisms and risk of developing urolithiasis.Results: Three SPP1 promoter polymorphisms, rs2853744:G>T, rs11730582:T>C and rs11439060:delG>G, were found to be significantly associated with risk of urolithiasis in indigenous genetic association study (OR = 3.14; p = 0.006, OR = 1.78; p = 0.006 and OR = 1.60; p = 0.012, respectively). We also observed a 1.68-fold positive association of a tri-allelic haplotype of these SPP1 promoter polymorphisms (G-C-dG) with risk of urolithiasis (OR = 1.68; p = 0.0079). However, no association was evident when data were stratified according to gender, age at first presentation, stone recurrence, stone multiplicity, parental consanguinity and family history of urolithiasis. The overall results from meta-analysis, which included 4 studies, suggested a significant association of SPP1 rs2853744:G>T polymorphism with susceptibility of urolithiasis (OR = 1.37; p = 0.004), but not for other SPP1 polymorphic variants analyzed. Conclusions: In conclusion, we report significant association of 3 SPP1 polymorphisms with urolithiasis for the first time from South Asia, however, this association persisted only for SPP1 rs2853744:G>T polymorphism after meta-analysis of pooled studies. Further studies with a larger sample size will be required to validate this association and assess any potential usefulness in diagnosis and prognosis of renal stone disease.
Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in farm animals and breeders in North of Morocco
Authors: Mourabit Nadira , Arakrak Abdelhay , Bakkali Mohammed , Zian Zeineb , Bakkach Joaira , Laglaoui Amin
Published: July 2020

Background : The objectives of this study were to determine for the first time, in Morocco, the nasal carriage rate, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles and virulence genes of S. aureus isolated from animals and breeders in close contact. Methods : From 2015 to 2016, 421 nasal swab samples were collected from 26 different livestock areas in Tangier. Antimicrobial susceptibility phenotypes were determined by disk diffusion according to EUCAST 2015. The presence of nuc , mec A, mec C, lukS/F-PV, and tst genes were determined by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for all isolates. Results : The overall S. aureus nasal carriage rate was low in animals (9.97%) and high in breeders (60%) with a statistically significant difference, (OR= 13.536; 95% CI = 7.070- 25.912; p< 0.001). In general, S. aureus strains were susceptible to the majority of antibiotics and the highest resistance rates were found against tetracycline (16.7% in animals and 10% in breeders). No Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was detected in animals and breeders. A high rate of tst and lukS/F-PV genes has been recovered only from animals (11.9% and 16.7%, respectively). Conclusion : Despite the lower rate of nasal carriage of S. aureus and the absence of MRSA strains in our study, S. aureus strains harbored a higher frequency of tst and lukS/F-PV virulence genes, which is associated to an increased risk of infection dissemination in humans. This highlights the need for further larger and multi-center studies to better define the transmission of the pathogenic S. aureus between livestock, environment, and humans.
Rates, predictors and mortality of sepsis-induced acute kidney injury: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Liu Jie feng , Xie Hebin , ye ziwei , Li Fen , Wang Lesan
Published: July 2020

Background: Due to the high incidence and mortality of sepsis-associated acute kidney injury, a significant number of studies have explored the causes of sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (AKI). However, the opinions on relevant predictive risk factors remain inconclusive. This study aimed to provide a systematic review and a meta-analysis to determine the predisposing factors for sepsis-associated AKI.Method: A systematic literature search was performed in the Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Web of Science, databases, with an end-date of 25th May 2019. Valid data were retrieved in compliance with specific inclusion and exclusion criteria.Result: Forty-seven observational studies were included for analysis, achieving a cumulative patient number of 55,911. The highest incidence of AKI was caused by septic shock. Thirty-one potential risk factors were included in the meta-analysis. Analysis showed that 20 factors were statistically significant. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI), as well as the prevalence of the most frequently-seen predisposing factors for sepsis-associated AKI, were as follows: septic shock [2.88 (2.36-3.52), 60.47%], hypertension [1.43 (1.20-1.70), 38.39%], diabetes mellitus [1.59 (1.47-1.71), 27.57%], abdominal infection [1.44 (1.32-1.58), 30.87%], the administration of vasopressors [2.95 (1.67-5.22), 64.61%], the administration of vasoactive drugs [3.85 (1.89-7.87), 63.22%], mechanical ventilation [1.64 (1.24-2.16), 68.00%], positive results from blood culture [1.60 (1.35-1.89), 41.19%], and a history of smoking [1.60 (1.09-2.36), 43.09%]. Other risk factors included cardiovascular diseases, coronary artery diseases, liver diseases, unknown infections, the administration of diuretics and ACEI/ARB, infection caused by gram-negative bacteria, and organ transplantation.Conclusion: Risk factors of S-AKI arise from a wide range of sources, making it difficult to predict and prevent this condition. Comorbidities, and certain drugs, are the main risk factors for S-AKI. Our review can provide guidance on the application of interventions to reduce the risks associated with sepsis-associated acute kidney injury and can also be used to tailor patient-specific treatment plans and management strategies in clinical practice.
Expression and clinical significance of LAG-3, FGL1, PD-L1 and CD8+T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma using Multiplex Quantitative Analysis
Authors: Guo Mengzhou , Yuan Feifei , Qi Feng , Sun Jialei , Rao Qianwen , Zhao Zhiying , Huang Peixin , Fang Tingting , Yang Biwei , jinglin xia
Published: July 2020

Background: fibrinogen-like protein 1 (FGL1) - Lymphocyte activating gene 3 (LAG-3) pathway is a promising immunotherapeutic target and has synergistic effect with programmed death 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1). However, the prognostic significance of FGL1-LAG-3 pathway and the correlation with PD-L1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unknown. Methods: The levels of LAG-3, FGL1, PD-L1 and cytotoxic T (CD8 + T) cells in 143 HCC patients were assessed by multiplex immunofluorescence. Associations between the marker's expression and clinical significances were studied. Results: We found FGL1 and LAG-3 densities were elevated while PD-L1 and CD8 were decreased in HCC tissues compared to adjacent normal liver tissues. High levels of FGL1 were strongly associated with high densities of LAG-3 + cells but not PD-L1. CD8 + T cells densities had positive correlation with PD-L1 levels and negative association with FGL1 expression. Elevated densities of LAG-3 + cells and low levels of CD8 + T cells were correlated with poor disease outcome. Moreover, LAG-3 + cells deteriorated patient stratification based on the abundance of CD8 + T cells. Patients with positive PD-L1 expression on tumor cells (PD-L1 TC + ) tended to have an improved survival than that with negative PD-L1 expression on tumor cells (PD-L1 TC - ). Furthermore, PD-L1 TC - in combination with high densities of LAG-3 + cells showed the worst prognosis, and PD-L1 TC + patients with low densities of LAG-3 + cells had the best prognosis. Conclusions: LAG-3, FGL1, PD-L1 and CD8 have distinct tissue distribution and relationships with each other. High levels of LAG-3 + cells and CD8 + T cells represent unfavorable and favorable prognostic biomarkers for HCC respectively.
Selective logging enhances ecosystem multifunctionality via increase of functional diversity in a Pinus yunnanensis forest in Southwest China
Authors: Huang Xiaobo , Li Shuaifeng , Su Jianrong
Published: July 2020

Background: The impacts of selective logging on ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) remain largely unexplored. In this study, we analyzed the response of nine variables related to four ecosystem functions (i.e. nutrient cycling, soil carbon stocks, decomposition, and wood production) to five selective logging intensities in a Pinus yunnanensis-dominated forest. We included a control group with no harvest to evaluate the potential shifts in EMF of the P. yunnanensis forests. We also assessed the relationship between above- and belowground biodiversity and EMF under these different selective logging intensities. Additionally, we evaluated the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on EMF using a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. Results: Individual ecosystem functions (EFs) all had a significant positive correlation with selective logging intensity. Different EFs showed different patterns with the increase of selective logging intensity. We found that EMF tended to increase with logging intensity, and that EMF significantly improved when the stand was harvested at least twice. Both functional diversity and soil moisture had a significant positive correlation with EMF, but soil fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) had a significant negative correlation with EMF. Based on SEM, we found that selective logging improved EMF mainly by increasing functional diversity. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that selective logging is a good management technique from an EMF perspective, and thus provide us with potential guidelines to improve forest management in P. yunnanensis forests in this region. The functional diversity is maximized through reasonable selective logging measures, so as to enhance EMF.
High genetic diversity and strong genetic structure of Strongyllodes variegatus (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) demonstrate the population history of its distribution in oilseed rape production areas in China
Authors: Zhan HaiXia , Hao ZhongPing , Tang Rui , Zhu LiNi , Zhou JingJiang , Hou Shu-min
Published: July 2020

Background: Strongyllodes variegatus (Fairmaire) is a major insect pest of oilseed rape in China. Despite its economic importance, the contribution of its population genetics in the development of suitable protection control strategy for oilseed rape crops is poorlys tudied. Using the sequences mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI ) and cytochrome b (Cytb ) as genetic markers, we analyzed population genetic diversity and structure of 437 individuals collected from 15 S. variegates populations located in different oilseed rape production areas in China. In addition, we estimated the demographic history using neutrality test and mismatch distribution analysis. Results: The high level of genetic diversity was detected among the COI and Cytb sequences of S. variegates . The population structure analysis strongly suggested three distinct genetic and geographical regions in China with limited gene flow. The Mantel test showed that the genetic distance was greatly influenced by the geographical distance. The demographic analyses showed that S. variegates experienced population fluctuation during the Pleistocene Epoch, which was likely to be related to the climatic changes. Conclusion: Overall, these results demonstrate that the strong population genetic structure of S. variegates in China may is attributed to the isolation through the geographical distance among populations, their weak flight capacity and subsequently adaptation to the regional ecological conditions.
Acute bilateral granulomatous anterior uveitis as an extra-hepatic manifestation of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection: A case report
Authors: Azimi Ali , Shirvani Mohammad , Hosseini Shahla , Bazojoo Vahid , Masihpour Nasrin , mohaghegh sahar , Sadeghi SeyedMohammad
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Anterior uveitis (AU) is the most common form of uveitis. The differential diagnosis of AU is broad, ranging from infectious etiologies to autoimmune causes. However, approximately half remain idiopathic. Infections are the vision-threatening causes of AU which should be ruled out by history taking and detailed physical examination combined with guided work up. We report a rare case of bilateral granulomatous AU following hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection in an immunocompetent patient. A 35-year-old male presented to our center with a chief complaint of pain and redness in both eyes 3 days prior to the presentation. The patient’s medical and drug history was unremarkable. He had a history of river water consumption 20 days prior to presentation. The patient was diagnosed with acute bilateral granulomatous AU. All routine work up to investigate the etiology of the disease was unremarkable, except for the serology of acute HAV infection, which was positive. The patient was managed with the topical steroid and cycloplegic for two weeks with no recurrence at one-year follow up. Extra-hepatic complications of HAV were reported in previous studies including arthritis, urticaria, myocarditis, nephritis, and myositis. The mechanism of extra-hepatic complication of hepatitis A is unknown; however, immune-complex deposition is most likely the etiological cause. Our report represents a rare case of sudden onset with limited duration granulomatous AU as a presenting manifestation of HAV infection. Previous studies do not provide a direct evidence of granulomatous AU associated with the HAV infection.
Keywords ● uveitis ● hepatitis A virus ● infection ● visual acuity.
GATA6 regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis through regulating MUC1/β-catenin pathway in cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Deng Xiang , Jiang Peng , Chen Jian , Li Jianwei , Li Dajiang , He Yu , Jiang Yan , Zhang Yujun , Xu Shuangnian , Li Xi , Wang Shuguang , Tian Feng
Published: July 2020

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Haemagglutinin displayed on the surface of Lactococcus lactis confers broad cross-clade protection against different H5N1 viruses in chickens
Authors: Lei Han , Gao Tong , Cen Qianhong , Peng Xiaojue
Published: July 2020

Background The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus poses a potential threat to the poultry industry. The currently available avian influenza H5N1 vaccines for poultry are clade-specific. Therefore, an effective vaccine for preventing and controlling H5N1 viruses belonging to different clades needs to be developed.Results Recombinant L. lactis/pNZ8148-Spax-HA was generated, and the influenza virus haemagglutinin (HA) protein of A/chicken/Henan/12/2004 was displayed on the surface of Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis). Spax was used as an anchor protein. Chickens vaccinated orally with unadjuvanted L. lactis/pNZ8148-Spax-HA could produce significant humoral and mucosal responses and neutralizing activities against H5N1 viruses belonging to different clades. Importantly, unadjuvanted L. lactis/pNZ8148-Spax-HA conferred cross-clade protection against lethal challenge with different H5N1 viruses in the chicken model.Conclusion This study provides insights into the cross-clade protection conferred by unadjuvanted L. lactis/pNZ8148-Spax-HA, and the results might help the establishment of a promising platform for the development of a safe and effective H5N1 cross-clade vaccine for poultry.
Early post-stress decrease in cardiac performance by impedance cardiography and its relationship to the severity and extent of ischemia by myocardial perfusion imaging
Authors: Goldkorn Ronen , Naimushin Alexey , Rozen Eli , Freimark Dov
Published: July 2020

Background: While single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is a well-established noninvasive procedure for the evaluation of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), it is unable to detect the presence of, or underestimates the extent of CAD in certain patients. We aimed to show that a bio-impedance device can detect early post-stress changes in several hemodynamic parameters, thereby serving as a potential marker for the presence of significant ischemia. Methods: Prospectively enrolled patients, referred to our Medical Center for clinically-indicated MPI, underwent testing using a Non-Invasive Cardiac System (NICaS) before and immediately after exercise. The differences between rest and stress hemodynamic parameters were compared with the severity and extent of myocardial ischemia by MPI. The study included 198 patients; mean age was 62 years, 26% were women, 54% had hypertension, and 29% diabetes mellitus. Of them, 188 patients had ≤10%, and 10 had >10% of myocardial ischemia. Results: In the first group, there was a significantly greater increase in post-exercise stroke index, stroke work index, cardiac index and cardiac power index (19.2%, 29.1%, 90.5% and 107%, respectively) compared with the second group (-2.7%, 3.8%, 43.7% and 53.5%, respectively), as well as a significantly greater decrease in total peripheral resistance index (-38.7% compared with -16.3%), with corresponding p values of 0.015, 0.017, 0.040, 0.016, and <0.001, respectively. Conclusions: Our data suggest that immediate post-stress changes in several hemodynamic parameters, detected by the NICaS, can be used as an important adjunct to SPECT MPI for the early detection of myocardial ischemia.
SHP2 inhibitor PHPS1 ameliorates acute kidney injury by Erk1/2-STAT3 signaling in a combined murine hemorrhage followed by septic challenge model.
Authors: Jiang Jihong , Hu Baoji , Chung Chun-Shiang , Chen Yaping , Zhang Yunhe , Tindal Elizabeth , Li Jinbao , Ayala Alfred
Published: July 2020

Background: Hypovolemic shock and septic challenge are two major causes of acute kidney injury (AKI) in the clinic setting. Src homology 2 domain-containing phosphatase 2 (SHP2) is one of the major protein phosphatase tyrosine phosphatase (PTPs), which play a significant role in maintaining immunological homeostasis by regulating many facets of immune cell signaling. In this study, we explored whether SHP2 signaling contributed to development of AKI sequential hemorrhage (Hem) and cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and whether inactivation of SHP2 through administration of its selective inhibitor, phenylhydrazonopyrazolone sulfonate 1 (PHPS1), attenuated this injury.Methods: Male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to Hem (a “priming” insult) followed by CLP or sham-Hem plus sham-CLP (S/S) as controls. Samples of blood and kidney were harvested at 24 h post CLP. The expression of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) , high mobility group box 1 ( HMGB1 ), caspase3 as well as SHP2:phospho-SHP2, extracellular-regulated kinase (Erk1/2) :phospho-Erk1/2, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3):phospho-STAT3 protein in kidney tissues were detected by Western blotting. The levels of creatinine (Cre) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in serum were measured according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Blood inflammatory cytokine/chemokine levels were detected by ELISA.Results: We found that indices of kidney injury, including levels of BUN, Cre and NGAL as well as histopathologic changes, were significantly increased after Hem/CLP in comparison with that in the S/S group. Furthermore, Hem/CLP resulted in elevated serum levels of inflammatory cytokines/chemokines, and induced increased levels of HMGB1, SHP2:phospho-SHP2, Erk1/2:phospho-Erk1/2, and STAT3:phospho-STAT3 protein expression in the kidney. Treatment with PHPS1 markedly attenuated these Hem/CLP-induced changes.Conclusions: In conclusion, our data indicate that SHP2 inhibition attenuates AKI induced by our double-hit/sequential insult model of Hem/CLP and that this protective action may be attributable to its ability to mitigate activation of the Erk1/2 and STAT3 signaling pathway. We believethis is a potentially important finding with clinical implications warranting further investigation.
Intestinal tract and parenteral multi-organ sequential pathological injury caused by necrotizing enterocolitis
Authors: Wang Fu Sheng , Yu Meng Lu , Li Wei Zhong , Hong Kai , Xu Chen Bin , Wang Guang Huan
Published: July 2020

Background : To explore the relationship between the pathological changes of colon, terminal ileum, lung, liver and kidney, and the changes of Bax, PCNA and PAF in a rat model of NEC. Methods: 140 neonatal sprague-dawley rats were randomly divided into 2 groups. NEC rat model is the experimental group. From the 1st day to the 7th day,10 rats were sampled in each group for pathological examination of colon, terminal ileum, lung, liver and kidney tissue. The levels of Bax, PCNA and PAF were investigated by immunohistochemistry. Results: On the 1st day, the colon, terminal ileum, lung, liver and kidney showed inflammatory damage. On the 5th day, inflammatory injury was decreased. The inflammatory injury was nearly gone by the 7th day. There were differences in the time of apoptosis in intestine. In the intestine, the proliferation of weak to strong. Bax in liver and kidney showed marked apoptosis and apoptosis time increased in lung. PCNA was elevated in lung, liver and kidney, and the expression of PAF in lung and liver was increased. Conclusions: NEC can lead to secondary injury of different degrees in colon, terminal ileum, lung, liver and kidney, and the degree and time of injury and repair were different. In general, organ repair played a leading role on the 4th day after modeling.
Pediatric neurodevelopment by prenatal Zika virus exposure: A cross-sectional study of the Microcephaly Epidemic Research Group Cohort
Authors: Silva paula sobral , Eickmann Sophie Helena , Ximenes Ricardo Arraes de Alencar , Montarroyos Ulisses Ramos , Lima Marília de Carvalho , Martelli Celina M Turchi , de Araújo Thalia Velho Barreto , Brickley Elizabeth , Rodrigues Laura Cunha , Gonçalves Fabiana Cristina Lima Pastich , Carvalho Maria Durce Costa Gomes , de Souza Wayner Vieira , Miranda-Filho Democrito de Barros
Published: July 2020

Background: The implications of congenital Zika Virus (ZIKV) infections for pediatric neurodevelopment and behavior remain inadequately studied. The aim of this study is to investigate patterns of neurodevelopment and behavior in children with different levels of ZIKV-related microcephaly or with prenatal ZIKV exposure in the absence of microcephaly. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study, nested in a cohort, of 274 children (aged 10-45 months) who were born during the peak and decline of the microcephaly epidemic in Northeast Brazil. Participants were evaluated between February 2017 and August 2019 at two tertiary care hospitals in Recife, Brazil. We analyzed the children in four groups assigned based on clinical and laboratory criteria: Group 1 had severe microcephaly; Group 2 had moderate microcephaly; Group 3 had prenatal ZIKVxposure confirmed by maternal RT-PCR testing and no microcephaly; and Group 4 was a neurotypical control group. Groups were evaluated clinically for neurological abnormalities and compared using the Survey of Wellbeing of Young Children (SWYC), a neurodevelopment and behavior screening instrument, and a SWYC adapted form to compare severe cases. Results: Based on the SWYC screening, we observed differences between the groups for developmental milestones but not behavior. Among children with severe microcephaly of whom 98.2% presented with neurological abnormalities, 99.1% were at risk of development delay, and presented similar performance whether evaluated under or over 24 months of age. Among children with moderate microcephaly of whom 60% presented with neurological abnormalities, 65% were at risk of development delay. For children without microcephaly, the percentages found to be at risk of developmental delays were markedly lower and did not differ by prenatal ZIKV exposure status: Groups 3, 13.8%; Group 4, 21.7%. Conclusions: Among groups of children with prenatal ZIKV exposure, we found a gradient of risk of development delay. Children with severe microcephaly were at highest risk, while normocephalic ZIKV-exposed children had similar risks to unexposed control children. We propose that ZIKV-exposed children should undergo first-line screening for neurodevelopment and behavior using the SWYC. Early assessment and follow-up will enable at-risk children to be referred to a more comprehensive developmental evaluation and to multidisciplinary care management.
Nutritional support for lactating women with or without Azithromycin for infants compared to breast-feeding counselling alone, to improve six-month growth outcomes among infants of peri-urban slums of Karachi, Pakistan – a protocol of multi-arm assessor blinded randomised controlled trial (Mumta LW trial)
Authors: Muhammad Ameer , Shafiq Yasir , Nisar M Imran , Baloch Benazir , Yazdani Amna Tanweer , Yazdani Nida , Jehan Fyezah
Published: July 2020

Background Globally, 45% of under-five deaths are, directly or indirectly, attributable to malnutrition, most of these deaths are in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Children in the first 6 months of life are particularly vulnerable. An estimated 4.7 million infants under the age of 6 months are moderately wasted whereas 3.8 million are severely wasted. Despite an increased risk to a child of a malnourished woman, there are discrepancies in guidance in this area. Methods This is a community-based, open-label multi-arm factorial randomized controlled trial, using parallel assignment with 1:1:1 allocation ratio, in low-income squatter settlements of urban Karachi, Pakistan. In the control group (Control Arm A), women are randomized to standard counseling only; whereas in the first intervention group (Arm BIntervention arm 1), lactating women receive two sachets of balanced energy-protein (BEP) supplementation per day from enrollment till the infant reaches six months of age, in the second intervention group (Arm CIntervention arm 2), lactating women receive same BEP as in intervention Arm B while their babies also receive a single stat dose (20mg/kg orally) of azithromycin at 42 days. The primary outcome is relative length velocity from 0 to 6 months by the limb of allocation. The primary analysis will be Intention-to-treat analysis. Trial registration Registration of the trial is done at ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT03564652, registered on June 21, 2018. Trial registration data is available through https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03564652