bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ferroptosis regulators, especially SQLE, play an important role in prognosis, progression and immune environment of breast cancer
Authors: Tang Wenqing , Xu Fangshi , Zhao Meng , Zhang Shuqun
Published: October 2021

Background

Ferroptosis, a new form of programmed cell death, has great potential for cancer treatment. However, the roles of ferroptosis-related (FR) genes in breast cancer (BC) remain elusive.

Materials and methods

Using TCGA database, a novel FR risk signature was constructed through the Lasso regression analysis. Meanwhile, its prognostic value was assessed by a series of survival analyses. Besides, a nomogram was constructed to predict the overall survival rate (OSR) of individual at 1,3,5 year. Four validation cohorts (n = 2248), including METABRIC, GSE58812, GSE20685 and ICGC-KR datasets, were employed to test the prognostic value of FR risk signature. The effects of FR risk signature on BC immune microenvironment were explored by CIBERSORT algorithm and ssGSEA method. The histological expressions of FR risk genes were presented by HPA database. The biofunctions of SQLE were determined by qPCR, MTT, wound-healing and Transwell assays.

Results

We constructed a novel FR risk signature consisting of eight genes. High FR risk led a poor prognosis and was identified as an independent prognostic factor. Besides, A higher proportion of patients with luminal A type was observed in low-risk group (53%), while a higher proportion of patients with basal type in high-risk group (24%). FR risk score could discriminate the prognostic difference of most clinical subgroups, except for M1 stage, HER2 and basal types. Moreover, its prognostic value was successfully validated in other four cohorts. Through immune analyses, we found that the reduced infiltration levels of CD8+ and NK cells, whereas the enhanced activity of antigen presentation process appeared in high FR risk. Then, FR risk score was found to weakly correlate with the expressions of six immune checkpoints. Through the experiments in vitro, we confirmed that overexpression of SQLE could promote, whereas blocking SQLE could inhibit the proliferative, migrative and invasive abilities of BC cells.

Conclusions

FR risk signature was conducive to BC prognostic assessment. High FR risk level was closely associated with BC immunosuppression, but may not predict ICIs efficacy. Moreover, SQLE was identified as a crucial cancer-promoting gene in BC. Our findings provide new insights into prognostic assessment and molecular mechanism of BC.
Gender-specific associations of pregnancy-related anxiety with placental epigenetic patterning of glucocorticoid response genes and preschooler’s emotional symptoms and hyperactivity
Authors: Liu Hui , Liu Yuwei , Huang Kun , Yan Shuangqin , Hao Jiahu , Zhu Peng , Tao Fangbiao , Shao Shanshan
Published: October 2021

Backgroud

We have recently reported that maternal prenatal pregnancy-related anxiety predicts preschoolers’ emotional and behavioral development in a gender-dependent manner. This study aims to test for this gender-specific effect in a different cohort and investigate whether the gender difference was specific to placental methylation of genes regulating glucocorticoids.

Methods

A total of 2405 mother–child pairs from the Ma’anshan Birth Cohort Study were included in present study. The maternal pregnancy-related anxiety symptoms were evaluated with the Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire in the third trimester of pregnancy. Child neurobehavior was assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at 4 years old. Placental methylation of FKBP5, NR3C1 and HSD11B2 genes was quantified using the MethylTarget approach in 439 pregnant women. After exploratory factor analysis, the associations between methylation factor scores and pregnancy-related anxiety and child neurobehavior were examined using logistic regression analysis.

Results

After controlling for confounding factors, pregnancy-related anxiety in the third trimester of pregnancy increased the risk of hyperactivity only in boys and emotional symptoms only in girls. Decreased scores of the factor characterized by FKBP5 methylation were associated with maternal pregnancy-related anxiety only in boys. Furthermore, increased scores of the factors characterized by NR3C1 and HSD11B2 methylation were associated with hyperactivity (NR3C1: adjusted OR = 1.80, 95%CI = 1.15–2.83) and emotional symptoms (HSD11B2: adjusted OR = 0.53, 95%CI = 0.29–0.97; NR3C1: adjusted OR = 1.64, 95%CI = 1.03–2.59) only in boys. However, the scores of the factor characterized by FKBP5, NR3C1 and HSD11B2 did not mediate the relationship between maternal pregnancy-related anxiety and preschoolers’ emotional symptoms and hyperactivity.

Conclusions

Our results suggested that pregnancy-related anxiety in the third trimester of pregnancy predicted preschoolers’ emotional symptoms and hyperactivity in a gender-dependent manner. Although we did not find the mediation role of the placental methylation of genes regulating glucocorticoids, we found it was associated with both maternal pregnancy-related anxiety and preschoolers’ emotional symptoms and hyperactivity in a gender-dependent manner.
Stigma toward Wuhan people during the COVID-19 epidemic: an exploratory study based on social media
Authors: Di Yazheng , Li Ang , Li He , Wu Peijing , Yang Simin , Zhu Meng , Zhu Tingshao , Liu Xiaoqian
Published: October 2021

Background

Stigma associated with infectious diseases is common and causes various negative effects on stigmatized people. With Wuhan as the center of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, its people were likely to be the target of stigmatization. To evaluate the severity of stigmatization toward Wuhan people and provide necessary information for stigma mitigation, this study aimed to identify the stigmatizing attitudes toward Wuhan people and trace their changes as COVID-19 progresses in China by analyzing related posts on social media.

Methods

We collected 19,780 Weibo posts containing the keyword ‘Wuhan people’ and performed a content analysis to identify stigmatizing attitudes in the posts. Then, we divided our observation time into three periods and performed repeated-measures ANOVA to compare the differences in attitudes during the three periods.

Results

The results showed that stigma was mild, with 2.46% of related posts being stigmatizing. The percentages of stigmatizing posts differed significantly during the three periods. The percentages of ‘Infectious’ posts and ‘Stupid’ posts were significantly different for the three periods. The percentage of ‘Irresponsible’ posts was not significantly different for the three periods. After government interventions, stigma did not decrease significantly, and stigma with the ‘Infectious’ attitude even increased. It was not until the government interventions took effect that stigma significantly reduced.

Conclusions

This study found that stigma toward Wuhan people included diverse attitudes and changed at different periods. After government interventions but before they took effect, stigma with the ‘Infectious’ attitude increased. After government interventions took effect, general stigma and stigmas with ‘Infectious’ and ‘Stupid’ attitudes decreased. This study constituted an important endeavor to understand the stigma toward Wuhan people in China during the COVID-19 epidemic. Implications for stigma reduction and improvement of the public’s perception during different periods of epidemic control are discussed.
Broadening learning communities during COVID-19: developing a curricular framework for telemedicine education in neurology
Authors: Gummerson Christine E. , Lo Brian D. , Porosnicu Rodriguez Kori A. , Cosner Zoe L. , Hardenbergh Dylan , Bongiorno Diana M. , Wainger Julia , Hu Katherine , Gamaldo Charlene , Salas Rachel M. E. , Romo Carlos , Leung Doris G.
Published: October 2021

Background

In response to the cancellation of clinical clerkships due to COVID-19, the Johns Hopkins (JH) Neurology Education Team developed a virtual elective to enhance medical students’ clinical telemedicine skills and foster community between academic institutions.

Methods

This two-week clinical elective, entitled “Virtual Patient Rounds in Neurology,” was administered once in April 2020 and once in May 2020. The curriculum included attending/fellow-led Virtual Rounds, Student Presentations, and Asynchronous Educational Activities. We also developed a new lecture series entitledJHNeuroChats, which consisted of live synchronous lectures presented by JH faculty and Virtual Visiting Professors. Trainees and faculty from outside institutions were invited to participate in theJHNeuroChats. Students and faculty completed pre- and post-elective surveys to assess the educational impact of the elective. Student’st-tests were used to compare scores between pre- and post-elective surveys.

Results

Seven JH medical students enrolled in each iteration of the elective, and an additional 337 trainees and faculty, representing 14 different countries, registered for theJHNeuroChats. We hosted 48 uniqueJHNeuroChats, 32 (66.7%) of which were led by invited Virtual Visiting Professors. At the end of the elective, students reported increased confidence in virtually obtaining a history (P < 0.0001) and performing a telehealth neurological physical exam (P < 0.0001), compared to the start of the course. In addition, faculty members reported increased confidence in teaching clinical medicine virtually, although these findings were not statistically significant (P = 0.15).

Conclusions

Despite the constraints imposed by COVID-19, this virtual Neurology elective increased medical students’ confidence in certain telemedicine skills and successfully broadened our learning community to encompass learners from around the world. As virtual medical education becomes more prevalent, it is important that we are intentional in creating opportunities for shared learning across institutions. We believe that this elective can serve as a model for these future educational collaborations.
Emerging models and trends in mental health crisis care in England: a national investigation of crisis care systems
Authors: Dalton-Locke Christian , Johnson Sonia , Harju-Seppänen Jasmine , Lyons Natasha , Sheridan Rains Luke , Stuart Ruth , Campbell Amelia , Clark Jeremy , Clifford Aisling , Courtney Laura , Dare Ceri , Kelly Kathleen , Lynch Chris , McCrone Paul , Nairi Shilpa , Newbigging Karen , Nyikavaranda Patrick , Osborn David , Persaud Karen , Stefan Martin , Lloyd-Evans Brynmor
Published: October 2021

Background

Inpatient psychiatric care is unpopular and expensive, and development and evaluation of alternatives is a long-standing policy and research priority around the world. In England, the three main models documented over the past fifty years (teams offering crisis assessment and treatment at home; acute day units; and residential crisis services in the community) have recently been augmented by several new service models. These are intended to enhance choice and flexibility within catchment area acute care systems, but remain largely undocumented in the research literature. We therefore aimed to describe the types and distribution of crisis care models across England through a national survey.

Methods

We carried out comprehensive mapping of crisis resolution teams (CRTs) using previous surveys, websites and multiple official data sources. Managers of CRTs were invited to participate as key informants who were familiar with the provision and organisation of crisis care services within their catchment area. The survey could be completed online or via telephone interview with a researcher, and elicited details about types of crisis care delivered in the local catchment area.

Results

We mapped a total of 200 adult CRTs and completed the survey with 184 (92%). Of the 200 mapped adult CRTs, there was a local (i.e., within the adult CRT catchment area) children and young persons CRT for 84 (42%), and an older adults CRT for 73 (37%). While all but one health region in England provided CRTs for working age adults, there was high variability regarding provision of all other community crisis service models and system configurations. Crisis cafes, street triage teams and separate crisis assessment services have all proliferated since a similar survey in 2016, while provision of acute day units has reduced.

Conclusions

The composition of catchment area crisis systems varies greatly across England and popularity of models seems unrelated to strength of evidence. A group of emerging crisis care models with varying functions within service systems are increasingly prevalent: they have potential to offer greater choice and flexibility in managing crises, but an evidence base regarding impact on service user experiences and outcomes is yet to be established.
The long non-coding RNA HOXA11-AS activates ITGB3 expression to promote the migration and invasion of gastric cancer by sponging miR-124-3p
Authors: You Liting , Wu Qian , Xin Zhaodan , Zhong Huiyu , Zhou Juan , Jiao Lin , Song Xingbo , Ying Binwu
Published: October 2021

Background

miR-124-3p can inhibit integrin β3 (ITGB3) expression to suppress the migration and invasion of gastric cancer (GC), and in the process lncRNA HOXA11-AS may act as a molecular sponge.

Methods

Luciferase reporter assay was conducted to verify the binding of miR-124-3p and HOXA11-AS. RT-PCR and western blot were performed to detect the expression of HOXA11-AS, miR-124-3p and ITGB3 in GC tissues and cells. Gene silence and overexpression experiments as well as cell migration and invasion assays on GC cell lines were performed to determine the regulation of molecular pathways, HOXA11-AS/miR-124-3p/ITGB3. Furthermore, the role of HOXA11-AS in GC was confirmed in mice models.

Results

We found HOXA11-AS is up-regulated in GC tissues and can bind with miR-124-3p. Through overexpression/knockdown experiments and function tests in vitro, we demonstrated HOXA11-AS can promote ITGB3 expression by sponging miR-124-3p, consequently enhance the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells. Meanwhile, we validated that HOXA11-AS promotes migration and invasion of GC cells via down-regulating miR-124-3p and up-regulating ITGB3 in vivo.

Conclusions

We demonstrated that lncRNA HOXA11-AS can increase ITGB3 expression to promote the migration and invasion of gastric cancer by sponging miR-124-3p. Our results suggested that HOXA11-AS may reasonably serve as a promising diagnostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target of GC.
Seasonal regulation of singing-driven gene expression associated with song plasticity in the canary, an open-ended vocal learner
Authors: Hayase Shin , Shao Chengru , Kobayashi Masahiko , Mori Chihiro , Liu Wan-chun , Wada Kazuhiro
Published: October 2021

Songbirds are one of the few animal taxa that possess vocal learning abilities. Different species of songbirds exhibit species-specific learning programs during song acquisition. Songbirds with open-ended vocal learning capacity, such as the canary, modify their songs during adulthood. Nevertheless, the neural molecular mechanisms underlying open-ended vocal learning are not fully understood. We investigated the singing-driven expression of neural activity-dependent genes (Arc,Egr1,c-fos,Nr4a1,Sik1,Dusp6, andGadd45β) in the canary to examine a potential relationship between the gene expression level and the degree of seasonal vocal plasticity at different ages. The expression of these genes was differently regulated throughout the critical period of vocal learning in the zebra finch, a closed-ended song learner. In the canary, the neural activity-dependent genes were induced by singing in the song nuclei throughout the year. However, in the vocal motor nucleus, the robust nucleus of the arcopallium (RA), all genes were regulated with a higher induction rate by singing in the fall than in the spring. The singing-driven expression of these genes showed a similar induction rate in the fall between the first year juvenile and the second year adult canaries, suggesting a seasonal, not age-dependent, regulation of the neural activity-dependent genes. By measuring seasonal vocal plasticity and singing-driven gene expression, we found that in RA, the induction intensity of the neural activity-dependent genes was correlated with the state of vocal plasticity. These results demonstrate a correlation between vocal plasticity and the singing-driven expression of neural activity-dependent genes in RA through song development, regardless of whether a songbird species possesses an open- or closed-ended vocal learning capacity.
Over 1000 tools reveal trends in the single-cell RNA-seq analysis landscape
Authors: Zappia Luke , Theis Fabian J.
Published: October 2021

Recent years have seen a revolution in single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies, datasets, and analysis methods. Since 2016, the scRNA-tools database has cataloged software tools for analyzing scRNA-seq data. With the number of tools in the database passing 1000, we provide an update on the state of the project and the field. This data shows the evolution of the field and a change of focus from ordering cells on continuous trajectories to integrating multiple samples and making use of reference datasets. We also find that open science practices reward developers with increased recognition and help accelerate the field.
Mosquito abundance in relation to extremely high temperatures in urban and rural areas of Incheon Metropolitan City, South Korea from 2015 to 2020: an observational study
Authors: Lim Ah-Young , Cheong Hae-Kwan , Chung Yeonseung , Sim Kisung , Kim Jong-Hun
Published: October 2021

Background

Despite concerns regarding increasingly frequent and intense heat waves due to global warming, there is still a lack of information on the effects of extremely high temperatures on the adult abundance of mosquito species that are known to transmit vector-borne diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of extremely high temperatures on the abundance of mosquitoes by analyzing time series data for temperature and mosquito abundance in Incheon Metropolitan City (IMC), Republic of Korea, for the period from 2015 to 2020.

Methods

A generalized linear model with Poisson distribution and overdispersion was used to model the nonlinear association between temperature and mosquito count for the whole study area and for its constituent urban and rural regions. The association parameters were pooled using multivariate meta-regression. The temperature–mosquito abundance curve was estimated from the pooled estimates, and the ambient temperature at which mosquito populations reached maximum abundance (TMA) was estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation method. To quantify the effect of extremely high temperatures on mosquito abundance, we estimated the mosquito abundance ratio (AR) at the 99th temperature percentile (AR99th) against the TMA.

Results

Culex pipiens was the most common mosquito species (51.7%) in the urban region of the IMC, while mosquitoes of the genus Aedes (Ochlerotatus) were the most common in the rural region (47.8%). Mosquito abundance reached a maximum at 23.5 °C for Cx. pipiens and 26.4 °C for Aedes vexans. Exposure to extremely high temperatures reduced the abundance of Cx. pipiens mosquitoes {AR99th 0.34 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21–0.54]} to a greater extent than that of Anopheles spp. [AR99th 0.64 (95% CI 0.40–1.03)]. When stratified by region, Ae. vexans and Ochlerotatus koreicus mosquitoes showed higher TMA and a smaller reduction in abundance at extreme heat in urban Incheon than in Ganghwa, suggesting that urban mosquitoes can thrive at extremely high temperatures as they adapt to urban thermal environments.

Conclusions

We confirmed that the temperature-related abundance of the adult mosquitoes was species and location specific. Tailoring measures for mosquito prevention and control according to mosquito species and anticipated extreme temperature conditions would help to improve the effectiveness of mosquito-borne disease control programs.

Graphical abstract
Standard reference values of the upper body posture in healthy male adults aged between 31 and 40 years in Germany-an observational study
Authors: Ohlendorf Daniela , Kaya Ugur , Goecke Julian , Oremek Gerhard , Ackermann Hanns , Groneberg David A.
Published: October 2021

Background

In order to classify and analyze the parameters of upper body posture, a baseline in the form of standard values is demanded. To this date, standard values have only been published for healthy men aged 18–35 and 41–50 years. Data for male adults aged between 31 and 40 years are lacking.

Methods

The postural parameters of 101 symptom-free male volunteers aged 31–40 (35.58 ± 2.88) years were studied. The mean height of the men was 179.89 ± 7.38 cm, with a mean body weight of 86.36 ± 11.58 kg and an average BMI of 26.70 ± 3.35 kg/m2. By means of video rasterstereography, a 3-dimensional scan of the upper back surface was measured in a habitual standing position. The means or medians, confidence interval, tolerance range, and group comparisons and correlations of BMI and physical activity were calculated for all parameters.

Results

The habitual standing position was found to be almost symmetrical and the axis aligned in the spine, pelvis, and shoulder region, while the spine position was marginally inclined ventrally. The kyphosis angle of the thoracic spine was greater than the lordosis angle of the lumbar spine. All deviations fell under the measurement error margin of 1 mm/1°. The greater the BMI, the greater was the pelvic and scapular distance. The lower the BMI, the further caudally positioned was the right shoulder. The pelvic and scapular distances were also lower with the increasing athleticism of the participants.

Conclusion

The upper body posture of men between the ages of 31 and 40 years was found to be almost symmetrical and axis-conforming, with the kyphosis angle, pelvic distance, and shoulder distance enlarging with increasing BMI. Consequently, postural parameters presented in this survey allow for comparisons with other studies, as well as the evaluation of clinical diagnostics and applications.
Red blood cells differentiated in vitro using sequential liquid and semi-solid culture as a pre-clinical model
Authors: Cannon Matthew , Phillips Hannah , Smith Sidney , Mitchell Shaneice , Landes Kristina , Desai Payal , Byrd John , Lapalombella Rosa
Published: October 2021

The in vitro erythrocyte differentiation model remains a strong, clinically relevant tool to model erythroid development in normal and disease related hematopoiesis. This model also has application to developing therapeutics for diseases related to red blood cells such as sickle cell anemia where targeting increased expression of fetal hemoglobin has been a major emphasis. Since the original protocol’s publication in 2002, many groups have published modified methodologies to address issues in efficiency of maturation and terminal enucleation, as well as in scalability. While all reports have merit and show efficient enucleation, the methodologies used vary widely in technique and cytokine content. Additionally, despite the strengths in these methods, reproducibility of efficient differentiation to the point of differentiation is difficult. To address these limitations, we developed a streamlined process where total PBMCs are first primed using the original liquid culture expansion phase (published in 2002) before being differentiated with minimal input via standardized, commercially purchased semi-solid medium culture pre-supplemented with erythropoietin. Our data show this methodology to produce similar levels of CD235/CD71 positivity as previous methods but with enhanced CD235 solo positivity and evidence of enucleated cells in comparison with other widely used methods. Given the difficulty and wide variation in in vitro differentiation techniques, we present this methodology as a streamlined methodology for production of mature erythroid cells with minimal input using easily purchased reagents.
New record of the red prickly sea star Paulia horrida (Gray, 1840), Asterodiscididae, in the north of Chile
Authors: Méndez-Abarca Felipe , Mundaca Enrique A. , Pepe-Victoriano Renzo
Published: October 2021

We report the capture of a single specimen of the speciesPaulia horridaGray, 1840, off the coast of Arica, in the Arica and Parinacota Region, Northern Chile. This finding extends the currently known distributional range of the species by 2,434 km towards the south, since the southernmost known area for this species corresponds to Punta Sal, Peru. We discuss the importance of finding this relatively unknown species in Chile and the need to continue sampling to confirm the continuous distributional range of the species between the south of Peru and the north of Chile.
Leveraging Clinical Informatics Tools to Extract Cumulative Anthracycline Exposure, Measure Cardiovascular Outcomes, and Assess Guideline Adherence for Children With Cancer
Authors: Noyd David H. , Berkman Amy , Howell Claire , Power Steve , Kreissman Susan G. , Landstrom Andrew P. , Khouri Michel , Oeffinger Kevin C. , Kibbe Warren A.
Published: October 2021

PURPOSE

Cardiovascular disease is a significant cause of late morbidity and mortality in survivors of childhood cancer. Clinical informatics tools could enhance provider adherence to echocardiogram guidelines for early detection of late-onset cardiomyopathy.

METHODS

Cancer registry data were linked to electronic health record data. Structured query language facilitated the construction of anthracycline-exposed cohorts at a single institution. Primary outcomes included the data quality from automatic anthracycline extraction, sensitivity of International Classification of Disease coding for heart failure, and adherence to echocardiogram guideline recommendations.

RESULTS

The final analytic cohort included 385 pediatric oncology patients diagnosed between July 1, 2013, and December 31, 2018, among whom 194 were classified as no anthracycline exposure, 143 had low anthracycline exposure (< 250 mg/m2), and 48 had high anthracycline exposure (≥ 250 mg/m2). Manual review of anthracycline exposure was highly concordant (95%) with the automatic extraction. Among the unexposed group, 15% had an anthracycline administered at an outside institution not captured by standard query language coding. Manual review of echocardiogram parameters and clinic notes yielded a sensitivity of 75%, specificity of 98%, and positive predictive value of 68% for International Classification of Disease coding of heart failure. For patients with anthracycline exposure, 78.5% (n = 62) were adherent to guideline recommendations for echocardiogram surveillance. There were significant association with provider adherence and race and ethnicity ( P = .047), and 50% of patients with Spanish as their primary language were adherent compared with 90% of patients with English as their primary language ( P = .003).

CONCLUSION

Extraction of treatment exposures from the electronic health record through clinical informatics and integration with cancer registry data represents a feasible approach to assess cardiovascular disease outcomes and adherence to guideline recommendations for survivors.
Ladies Aid as Labor History
Authors: Fahrenthold Stacy D.
Published: October 2021

In the Arabic-speaking mahjar (diaspora), the plight of the working poor was the focus of women’s philanthropy. Scholarship on welfare relief in the interwar Syrian, Lebanese, and Palestinian diaspora currently situates it within a gendered politics of benevolence. This article reconsiders that frame and argues for a class-centered reassessment of “ladies aid” politics exploring the intersections of women’s relief with proletarian mutual aid strategies. Founded in 1917, the Syrian Ladies Aid Society (SLAS) of Boston provided food, shelter, education, and employment to Syrian workers. SLAS volunteers understood their efforts as mitigating the precarities imposed on Syrian workers by the global capitalist labor system. Theirs was both a women’s organization and a proletarian movement led by Syrian women. Drawing from SLAS records and the Syrian American press, the article centers Syrian American women within processes of working-class formation and concludes that labor history of the interwar mahjar requires focus on spaces of social reproduction beyond the factory floor.
Effects of Prolonged Sitting with or without Elastic Garments on Limb Volume, Arterial Blood Flow, and Muscle Oxygenation
Authors: KUROSAWA YUKO , NIRENGI SHINSUKE , TABATA IZUMI , ISAKA TADAO , CLARK JOSEPH F. , HAMAOKA TAKAFUMI
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The physiological response induced by acute prolonged sitting is not fully understood. Therefore, we examined the effects of 8-h constant sitting on microcirculation and associated factors in the lower extremity among healthy males. We also evaluated the protective effects of lower-pressure thigh-length elastic compression garments on these parameters.

Methods

Nine healthy males (age, 22.6 ± 1.4 yr; body mass index, 22.4 ± 1.8 kg·m−2) completed the 8-h constant sitting experiment. Following baseline measurements, each subject was randomized to wear a lower-pressure elastic garment on the right or left leg from the inguinal region to the ankle joint, with the noncompressed contralateral leg as a control. Circumferences of the calf and malleolus, extracellular water contents, blood flow and shear rate of the dorsal metatarsal artery, and oxygen dynamics in the gastrocnemius muscles were measured in both extremities before and during 8-h constant sitting.

Results

Compared with baseline values, 8-h constant sitting caused enlargement of circumferences (calf, 2.4% ± 0.7%; malleolus, 2.7% ± 1.4%), retention of extracellular water in lower extremity muscles (10.1% ± 1.78%), deterioration of the blood flow (61.4% ± 16.2% of baseline) and shear rate of the dorsal metatarsal artery, and decrease in oxygenated hemoglobin and total hemoglobin levels in the gastrocnemius muscle (P < 0.05, respectively). When subjects wore the lower-pressure thigh-length compression garment, a significant reduction of these effects was observed (P < 0.05, for all).

Conclusions

Prolonged sitting for 8 h induced edema, as well as deterioration of the arterial blood flow, shear rate, and microcirculation in lower limb muscles. Conversely, application of the lower-pressure elastic garment successfully prevented the pathophysiological deterioration associated with prolonged sitting.
The Internet as a Tax Haven?
Authors: Agrawal David R.
Published: October 2021

If online transactions are tax free, increased online shopping may lower tax rates as jurisdictions seek to reduce tax avoidance; but, if online firms remit taxes, online sales may put upward pressure on tax rates because internet sales help enforce destination-based taxes. I find that higher internet penetration generally results in lower municipal tax rates but raises tax rates in some jurisdictions. The latter effect emerges in states where many online vendors remit taxes. A 1 standard deviation increase in internet penetration lowers local sales taxes in large municipalities by 0.15 percentage points, or 16 percent of the average rate. (JEL H25, H26, H71, L81, R51)
Subsidizing Fuel-Efficient Cars: Evidence from China’s Automobile Industry
Authors: Chen Chia-Wen , Hu Wei-Min , Knittel Christopher R.
Published: October 2021

This paper examines the response of vehicle purchase behavior to China’s largest national subsidy program for fuel-efficient vehicles during 2010 and 2011. Using variation from the program’s eligibility cutoffs and the rollout of the subsidy program, the program is found to boost sales for subsidized vehicle models, but also to create a substitution effect within highly fuel-efficient vehicles. Estimates imply that ignoring the substitution effect would lead one to conclude that the program is welfare enhancing, whereas in fact the marginal cost of the program exceeds the marginal benefit by as much as 300 percent. (JEL D12, H25, L25, L62, O14, P23, P36)
Disclosure and Subsequent Innovation: Evidence from the Patent Depository Library Program
Authors: Furman Jeffrey L. , Nagler Markus , Watzinger Martin
Published: October 2021

How important is access to patent documents for subsequent innovation? We examine the expansion of the USPTO Patent Library system after 1975. Patent libraries provided access to patents before the Internet. We find that after patent library opening, local patenting increases by 8–20 percent relative to similar regions. Additional analyses suggest that disclosure of technical information drives this effect: inventors increasingly take up ideas from outside their region, and the effect is strongest in technologies where patents are more informative. We thus provide evidence that disclosure plays an important role in cumulative innovation. (JEL D83, K11, O31, O34, R11)
Network Externality and Subsidy Structure in Two-Sided Markets: Evidence from Electric Vehicle Incentives
Authors: Springel Katalin
Published: October 2021

This paper uses new, large-scale vehicle registry data from Norway and a two-sided market framework to show nonneutrality of different subsidies and estimate their impact on electric vehicle adoption when network externalities are present. Estimates suggest a strong positive connection between electric vehicle purchases and both consumer price and charging station subsidies. Counterfactual analyses suggest that between 2010 and 2015, every dollar spent on station subsidies resulted in more than twice as many additional electric vehicle purchases than the same amount spent on price subsidies. However, this relation inverts with increased spending, as station subsidies’ impact tapers off faster. (JEL D12, D62, D85, H25, L62, Q54)
The Effects of the 1930s HOLC “Redlining” Maps
Authors: Aaronson Daniel , Hartley Daniel , Mazumder Bhashkar
Published: October 2021

This study uses a boundary design and propensity score methods to study the effects of the 1930s-era Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) “redlining” maps on the long-run trajectories of urban neighborhoods. The maps led to reduced home ownership rates, house values, and rents and increased racial segregation in later decades. A comparison on either side of a city-level population cutoff that determined whether maps were drawn finds broadly similar conclusions. These results suggest the HOLC maps had meaningful and lasting effects on the development of urban neighborhoods through reduced credit access and subsequent disinvestment. (JEL G21, J15, N32, N42, N92, R23, R31)
Cultural adaptation, validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Questionnaire in acute and subacute neck pain
Authors: Şimşek Şule , Yağcı Nesrin , Şenol Hande
Published: October 2021

Background/aims

The Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Questionnaire is categorised as a ‘yellow flag’ pain-associated psychological distress screening tool, which predicts long-term disability. The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Turkish translation of the Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Questionnaire in patients with acute and subacute neck pain.

Methods

The test–retest reliability and internal consistency were assessed with the intraclass correlation coefficient and Cronbach's α. Construct validity was assessed with a visual analogue scale, the Neck Disability Index and the Fear Avoidance Belief Questionnaire.

Results

Cronbach's α value was found to be 0.790, test–retest reliability was 0.99. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.999 (95% confidence interval: 0.998–0.999; P=0.000). The Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Questionnaire showed a moderate positive correlation with the Neck Disability Index (r=0.544; P=0.0001), a weak correlation with the Fear Avoidance Belief Questionnaire (r=0.264; P=0.0001) but no correlation with the visual analogue scale.

Conclusions

The Turkish version of the Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Questionnaire is a valid, reliable and acceptable screening tool in patients with acute and subacute neck pain.
What About Wood?—“Nonwood” Construction Experts' Perceptions of Environmental Regulation, Business Environment, and Future Trends in Residential Multistory Building in Finland
Authors: Aaltonen Aleksi , Hurmekoski Elias , Korhonen Jaana
Published: October 2021

Despite the sustained interest in multistory wood-frame construction (WMC) along with an expanding bioeconomy, the rate of market uptake has been modest outside North America. Changing environmental values and regulation are expected to boost WMC adoption along with an expanding bioeconomy, yet the future prospects of WMC are typically explored with an empirical focus on the actors that are already active in WMC. To address the possible bias, this paper elicits the views of nonwood actors (i.e., construction company managers and executives in the areas of procurement and project planning with no prior experience in WMC), through 10 semistructured interviews. The results indicate that the nonwood actors do not necessarily oppose WMC as such, but there remain competitive barriers for a major market growth of WMC related to, for example, lack of standardization and significant enough productivity benefits to motivate adopting a new potentially risky construction practice. Based on comparisons with previous literature, the most notable differences in opinions between wood actors and nonwood actors regarded the direction and strength of the impact of consumer preferences on WMC demand. While acknowledging that this is a crude comparison without statistical significance, one can observe similarities in the distribution of answers for the questions unrelated to WMC, but more dispersion for those addressing WMC. Yet, while the attitudes toward wood as a construction material seem to differ, both the wood and nonwood actors seem to regard the doubling of the market share of WMC in Finland by 2030 as feasible.
Utility of Endobronchial Valves in a Patient with Bronchopleural Fistula in the Setting of COVID-19 Infection: A Case Report and Brief Review
Authors:   HCA Healthcare, Sheikhan Nazanin ,   MountainView Hospital, Las Vegas, NV, USA, Benge Elizabeth , Kaur Amanpreet , Hruska Jerome , McWhorter Yi , Chung Arnold
Published: October 2021

Patients with COVID-19 pneumonia frequently develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and in severe cases, require invasive mechanical ventilation. One complication that can develop in patients with ARDS who are mechanically ventilated is a bronchopleural fistula (BPF). Although rare, the frequency of BPF in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia is increasingly recognized. Here, we present a 48-year old man with BPF associated with COVID-19 pneumonia. Treatment with a commercial endobronchial valve (EBV) system resulted in reduced air leak allowing for tracheostomy placement. Our case adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that the presence of COVID-19 pneumonia does not hinder the utility of EBV’s in the treatment of BPF’s.
Asymptomatic Plasmodium vivax malaria in the Brazilian Amazon: Submicroscopic parasitemic blood infects Nyssorhynchus darlingi
Authors: Almeida Gregório Guilherme , Costa Pedro Augusto Carvalho , Araujo Maísa da Silva , Gomes Gabriela Ribeiro , Carvalho Alex Fiorini , Figueiredo Maria Marta , Pereira Dhelio Batista , Tada Mauro Shugiro , Medeiros Jansen Fernandes , Soares Irene da Silva , Carvalho Luzia Helena , Kano Flora Satiko , Castro Marcia Caldas de , Vinetz Joseph Michael , Golenbock Douglas Taylor , Antonelli Lis Ribeiro do Valle , Gazzinelli Ricardo Tostes
Published: October 2021

Individuals with asymptomatic infection due to Plasmodium vivax are posited to be important reservoirs of malaria transmission in endemic regions. Here we studied a cohort of P. vivax malaria patients in a suburban area in the Brazilian Amazon. Overall 1,120 individuals were screened for P. vivax infection and 108 (9.6%) had parasitemia detected by qPCR but not by microscopy. Asymptomatic individuals had higher levels of antibodies against P. vivax and similar hematological and biochemical parameters compared to uninfected controls. Blood from asymptomatic individuals with very low parasitemia transmitted P. vivax to the main local vector, Nyssorhynchus darlingi. Lower mosquito infectivity rates were observed when blood from asymptomatic individuals was used in the membrane feeding assay. While blood from symptomatic patients infected 43.4% (199/458) of the mosquitoes, blood from asymptomatic infected 2.5% (43/1,719). However, several asymptomatic individuals maintained parasitemia for several weeks indicating their potential role as an infectious reservoir. These results suggest that asymptomatic individuals are an important source of malaria parasites and Science and Technology for Vaccines granted by Conselho Nacional de may contribute to the transmission of P. vivax in low-endemicity areas of malaria.
The limits of personalization in precision medicine: Polygenic risk scores and racial categorization in a precision breast cancer screening trial
Authors: James Jennifer Elyse , Riddle Leslie , Koenig Barbara Ann , Joseph Galen
Published: October 2021

Population-based genomic screening is at the forefront of a new approach to disease prevention. Yet the lack of diversity in genome wide association studies and ongoing debates about the appropriate use of racial and ethnic categories in genomics raise key questions about the translation of genomic knowledge into clinical practice. This article reports on an ethnographic study of a large pragmatic clinical trial of breast cancer screening called WISDOM (Women Informed to Screen Depending On Measures of Risk). Our ethnography illuminates the challenges of using race or ethnicity as a risk factor in the implementation of precision breast cancer risk assessment. Our analysis provides critical insights into how categories of race, ethnicity and ancestry are being deployed in the production of genomic knowledge and medical practice, and key challenges in the development and implementation of novel Polygenic Risk Scores in the research and clinical applications of this emerging science. Specifically, we show how the conflation of social and biological categories of difference can influence risk prediction for individuals who exist at the boundaries of these categories, affecting the perceptions and practices of scientists, clinicians, and research participants themselves. Our research highlights the potential harms of practicing genomic medicine using under-theorized and ambiguous categories of race, ethnicity, and ancestry, particularly in an adaptive, pragmatic trial where research findings are applied in the clinic as they emerge. We contribute to the expanding literature on categories of difference in post-genomic science by closely examining the implementation of a large breast cancer screening study that aims to personalize breast cancer risk using both common and rare genomic markers.
Sex-based differences in the manifestations and complications of sickle cell disease: Report from the Sickle Cell Disease Implementation Consortium
Authors: Masese Rita V. , Bulgin Dominique , Knisely Mitchell R. , Preiss Liliana , Stevenson Eleanor , Hankins Jane S. , Treadwell Marsha J. , King Allison A. , Gordeuk Victor R. , Kanter Julie , Gibson Robert , Glassberg Jeffrey A. , Tanabe Paula , Shah Nirmish ,   on behalf of the Sickle Cell Disease Implementation Consortium
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Sex-based clinical outcome differences in sickle cell disease (SCD) remain largely unknown despite evidence that female sex is associated with an increased lifespan. To better characterize sex-based differences in SCD, we assessed pain, treatment characteristics, laboratory measures and complications among males and females currently enrolled in the Sickle Cell Disease Implementation Consortium (SCDIC) registry.

Methods

The SCDIC consists of eight comprehensive SCD centers and one data coordinating center that received funding from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute to improve outcomes for individuals with SCD. Eligibility criteria included: 15 to 45 years of age and a confirmed diagnosis of SCD. Self-report surveys were completed and data were also abstracted from the participants’ medical records.

Results

A total of 2,124 participants were included (mean age: 27.8 years; 56% female). The majority had hemoglobin SS SCD genotype. Females had worse reports of pain severity (mean (SD) T-score 51.6 (9.6) vs 49.3 (10), p<0.001), more vaso-occlusive episodes (p = 0.01) and a higher occurrence of 3 or more hospital admissions in the past year (30.9% vs. 25.5, p = 0.03). On multivariable analysis, males had higher odds of acute chest syndrome (odds ratio (OR) 1.4, p = 0.002), cardiovascular (OR 1.70, p<0.001) and musculoskeletal (OR 1.33, p = 0.0034) complications and lower odds of depression (OR 0.77, p = 0.0381). Females had higher fetal hemoglobin levels with and without hydroxyurea use (9.6% vs 8.5%, p = 0.03 and 3% vs 2.2%, p = 0.0005, respectively).

Conclusion

Our data suggests that sex differences in clinical outcomes do occur among individuals with SCD. Future research needs to explore the mechanisms underlying these differences.
Drug repositioning of Clopidogrel or Triamterene to inhibit influenza virus replication in vitro
Authors: Orr-Burks Nichole , Murray Jackelyn , Todd Kyle V. , Bakre Abhijeet , Tripp Ralph A.
Published: October 2021

Influenza viruses cause respiratory tract infections and substantial health concerns. Infection may result in mild to severe respiratory disease associated with morbidity and some mortality. Several anti-influenza drugs are available, but these agents target viral components and are susceptible to drug resistance. There is a need for new antiviral drug strategies that include repurposing of clinically approved drugs. Drugs that target cellular machinery necessary for influenza virus replication can provide a means for inhibiting influenza virus replication. We used RNA interference screening to identify key host cell genes required for influenza replication, and then FDA-approved drugs that could be repurposed for targeting host genes. We examined the effects of Clopidogrel and Triamterene to inhibit A/WSN/33 (EC505.84 uM and 31.48 uM, respectively), A/CA/04/09 (EC506.432 uM and 3.32 uM, respectively), and B/Yamagata/16/1988 (EC500.28 uM and 0.11 uM, respectively) replication. Clopidogrel and Triamterene provide a druggable approach to influenza treatment across multiple strains and subtypes.
The mechanism between mortality, population growth and ageing of the population in the European lower and upper middle income countries
Authors: Miladinov Goran
Published: October 2021

This paper analyses the effect of mortality rates (under-five and adult mortality) and population growth on the population ageing in a pooled sample of nine lower and upper middle European countries. Therefore, the main goal of this research is to investigate the ageing process of the population in the context of mortality mechanisms (under five and adult mortality) and of population growth in nine European LUMIs. The analysis is implemented in terms of Pooled least squares with cross-section fixed effects methodology. The novelty used within this research is White two-way cluster standard errors & covariance. This study is based on a database from the World Bank and UN covering the period 1995–2019. The expected results are making available quantitative analysis and insights in the context of mechanisms between the ageing process of population, mortality and population growth across these European LUMIs. Results are consistent with the notion that the increasing ageing process within these countries may be a consequence of the negative impact of population growth and from the influence of adult mortality for both sexes. The research results confirm the presence of solid ties of the mechanism between mortality, population growth and population ageing. Therefore, a clear point was provided that mortality acceleration will depend primarily on the level of population growth.