bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and predictors of child labour among junior public secondary school students in Enugu, Nigeria: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Enebe N. O. , Enebe J. T. , Agunwa C. C. , Ossai E. N. , Ezeoke U. E. , Idoko C. A. , Mbachu C. O.
Published: July 2021

Background

Globally, millions of children are involved in child labour. However, low- and middle-income countries are mostly hit. This study examined the predictors of child labour among public secondary school students in the Enugu metropolis.

Methods

This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of 332 junior secondary students attending public schools in Enugu metropolis, Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was used to select the six secondary schools and the students that participated in the study. Data collection was done from September to October 2018. Pretested structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire contained information on the sociodemographic variables, the kind of work done by the respondents and the number of working hours spent weekly. UNICEF’s standard indicator for child labour was used to estimate the prevalence of child labour. Logistic regression was used to identify socioeconomic predictors of child labour.

Results

The prevalence of overall child labour was 71.7%, while for domestic and economic child labour prevalence were 52.1 and 34.0%, respectively. About 35.2% of the respondents worked under hazardous conditions while 8% were forced to work. Two-thirds (236, 65%) of the respondents who have heard about child labour perceived it as wrong. The child labourers mainly worked to render financial assistance to their parents. The predictors of child labour were class of study (AOR = 2.208 (95% CI: 1.199–4.066) and weekly income earned (AOR = 0.316 (95% CI: 0.176–0.567).

Conclusion

The prevalence of child labour among junior students in public secondary schools in Enugu is high, and is predicted by the level of schooling and income earned. Economic and social reforms could contribute to addressing the predictors of child labour.
Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and pattern of antimicrobial resistance in mastitis milk of cattle in Chitwan, Nepal
Authors: Shrestha Asmita , Bhattarai Rebanta Kumar , Luitel Himal , Karki Surendra , Basnet Hom Bahadur
Published: July 2021

Background

The threat of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) exists globally and has been listed as a priority pathogen by the World Health Organization. One of the sources of MRSA emergence is livestock and its products, often raised in poor husbandry conditions. There are limited studies in Nepal to understand the prevalence of MRSA in dairy animals and its antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profile. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Chitwan, one of the major milk-producing districts of Nepal, from February 2018 to September 2019 to estimate the prevalence of MRSA in milk samples and its AMR profile. The collected milk samples (n = 460) were screened using the California Mastitis Test (CMT) and positive samples were subjected to microbiological analysis to isolate and identify S. aureus. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used to identify the presence of the mecA gene and screen for MRSA.

Results

In total, 41.5% (191/460) of milk samples were positive in the CMT test. Out of 191 CMT positive milk samples, the biochemical tests showed that the prevalence of S. aureus was 15.2% (29/191). Among the 29 S. aureus isolates, 6.9% (2/29) were identified as MRSA based on the detection of a mecA gene. This indicates that that 1.05% (2/191) of mastitis milk samples had MRSA. The antibiotic sensitivity test showed that 75.9% (22/29) and 48.3% (14/29) S. aureus isolates were found to be sensitive to Cefazolin and Tetracycline respectively (48.3%), whereas 100% of the isolates were resistant to Ampicillin. In total 96.6% (28/29) of S. aureus isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR).

Conclusions

This study revealed a high prevalence of S. aureus-mediated subclinical mastitis in dairy herds in Chitwan, Nepal, with a small proportion of it being MRSA carrying a mecA gene. This S. aureus, CoNS, and MRSA contaminated milk poses a public health risk due to the presence of a phenotype that is resistant to very commonly used antibiotics. It is suggested that dairy herds be screened for subclinical mastitis and treatments for the animals be based on antibiotic susceptibility tests to reduce the prevalence of AMR. Furthermore, future studies should focus on the Staphylococcus spp. to explore the antibiotic resistance genes in addition to the mecA gene to ensure public health.
Prognostic signature composed of transcription factors accurately predicts the prognosis of gastric cancer patients
Authors: Zhou Liqiang , Chen Zhiqing , Wu You , Lu Hao , Xin Lin
Published: July 2021

Background

Transcription factors (TFs) are involved in important molecular biological processes of tumor cells and play an essential role in the occurrence and development of gastric cancer (GC).

Methods

Combined The Cancer Genome Atlas Program and Genotype-Tissue Expression database to extract the expression of TFs in GC, analyzed the differences, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis to extract TFs related to GC. The cohort including the training and validation cohort. Univariate Cox, least absolute contraction and selection operator (LASSO) regression, and multivariate Cox analysis was used for screening hub TFs to construct the prognostic signature in the training cohort. The Kaplan–Meier (K–M) and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was drawn to evaluate the predictive ability of the prognostic signature. A nomogram combining clinical information and prognostic signatures of TFs was constructed and its prediction accuracy was evaluated through various methods. The target genes of the hub TFs was predicted and enrichment analysis was performed to understand its molecular biological mechanism. Clinical samples and public data of GC was collected to verify its expression and prognosis. 5-Ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine and Acridine Orange/Ethidium Bromide staining, flow cytometry and Western-Blot detection were used to analyze the effects of hub-TF ELK3 on the proliferation and apoptosis of gastric cancer in vitro.

Results

A total of 511 misaligned TFs were obtained and 200 GC-related TFs were exposed from them. After systematic analysis, a prognostic signature composed of 4 TFs (ZNF300, ELK3, SP6, MEF2B) were constructed. The KM and ROC curves demonstrated the good predictive ability in training, verification, and complete cohort. The areas under the ROC curve are respectively 0.737, 0.705, 0.700. The calibration chart verified that the predictive ability of the nomogram constructed by combining the prognostic signature of TFs and clinical information was accurate, with a C-index of 0.714. Enriching the target genes of hub TFs showed that it plays an vital role in tumor progression, and its expression and prognostic verification were consistent with the previous analysis. Among them, ELK3 was proved in vitro, and downregulation of its expression inhibited the proliferation of gastric cancer cells, induced proliferation, and exerted anti-tumor effects.

Conclusions

The 4-TFs prognostic signature accurately predicted the overall survival of GC, and ELK3 may be potential therapeutic targets for GC
Development and clinical validation of a novel six-gene signature for accurately predicting the recurrence risk of patients with stage II/III colorectal cancer
Authors: Liu Zaoqu , Lu Taoyuan , Li Jing , Wang Libo , Xu Kaihao , Dang Qin , Guo Chunguang , Liu Long , Jiao Dechao , Sun Zhenqiang , Han Xinwei
Published: July 2021

Background

A large number of patients with stage II/III colorectal cancer (CRC) have a high recurrence rate after radical resection. We aimed to develop a novel tool to stratify patients with different recurrence-risk for optimizing decision-making in post-operative surveillance and therapeutic regimens.

Methods

We retrospectively enrolled four independent cohorts from the Gene Expression Omnibus and 66 CRC tissues from our hospital. The initial signature discovery was conducted in GSE143985 (n = 91). This was followed by independent validation of this signature in GSE17536 (n = 111), GSE29621 (n = 40), and GSE92921 (n = 59). Further experimental validation using qRT-PCR assays (n = 66) was performed to ensure the robustness and clinical feasible of this signature.

Results

We developed a novel recurrence-related signature consisting of six genes. This signature was validated to be significantly associated with dismal recurrence-free survival in five cohorts GSE143985 (HR: 4.296 [2.612–7.065], P < 0.0001), GSE17536 (HR: 2.354 [1.662–3.334], P < 0.0001), GSE29621 (HR: 3.934 [1.622–9.539], P = 0.0024), GSE92921 (HR: 7.080 [2.011–24.924], P = 0.0023), and qPCR assays (HR: 3.654 [2.217–6.020], P < 0.0001). This signature was also proven to be an independent recurrent factor. More importantly, this signature displayed excellent discrimination and calibration in predicting the recurrence-risk at 1–5 years, with most AUCs were above 0.9, average C-index for the five cohorts was 0.8795, and near-perfect calibration.

Conclusions

We discovered and experimental validated a novel gene signature with stable and powerful performance for identifying patients at high recurrence-risk in stage II/III CRC.
Socio-economic and household determinants of malaria in adults aged 45 and above: analysis of longitudinal ageing survey in India, 2017–2018
Authors: Mohan Indumathi , Kodali Naveen Kumar , Chellappan Savitha , Karuppusamy Balasubramani , Behera Sujit Kumar , Natarajan Gopalan , Balabaskaran Nina Praveen
Published: July 2021

Background

Even though malaria cases have drastically come down in the last decade, malaria remains a serious public health concern in many parts of India. National Framework for Malaria Elimination in India (2016–2030) has been launched with the goal to eliminate malaria by 2030. Understanding the socio-economic and household determinants of malaria at the national level will greatly aid India’s malaria elimination efforts.

Methods

The data from Longitudinal Ageing Survey of India (LASI) Wave 1 (2017–2018) survey comprising 70,671 respondents ≥ 45 years across all the States and Union Territories were used for the analysis. Simple and multiple logistic regressions were used to obtain the unadjusted and adjusted odds ratio respectively of the socio-economic and household variables.

Results

The major socio-economic variables that increase the likelihood of malaria are caste (‘scheduled tribes’), low education levels and rural residence. The scheduled tribes have 1.8 times higher odds of malaria than the scheduled castes (AOR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.5–2.1). Respondents with high school education (6–12 grade) (AOR: 0.7; 95% CI: 0.6–0.8) and college education (AOR: 0.5; 95% CI: 0.4–0.6) had a very low risk of malaria than those with no school years. Rural residence and occupation (agriculture and allied jobs) also increases the odds of malaria. The major housing determinants are household size (≥ 6), housing type (kutcha), use of unclean fuel, outside water source, improper sanitation (toilet facilities) and damp wall/ceiling.

Conclusions

The study has identified the major socio-economic and housing factors associated with malaria in adults aged 45 and above. In addition to vector and parasite control strategies in the tribal dominated regions of India, improving literacy and housing conditions may help India’s malaria elimination efforts.
High-coverage targeted lipidomics revealed dramatic lipid compositional changes in asthenozoospermic spermatozoa and inverse correlation of ganglioside GM3 with sperm motility
Authors: Chen Shuqiang , Wang Ming , Li Li , Wang Jun , Ma Xuhui , Zhang Hengde , Cai Yang , Kang Bin , Huang Jianlei , Li Bo
Published: July 2021

Background

It has been previously demonstrated that cholesterol content and cholesterol/phospholipid ratio were significantly higher in asthenozoospermia and oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. The majority of published studies have investigated the fatty acid composition of phospholipids rather than lipids themselves. This study evaluated the lipid composition of asthenozoospermic and normozoospermic spermatozoa, and identified the exact lipid species that correlated with sperm motility.

Methods

A total of 12 infertile asthenozoospermia patients and 12 normozoospermia subjects with normal sperm motility values were tested for semen volume, sperm concentration, count, motility, vitality and morphology. High-coverage targeted lipidomics with 25 individual lipid classes was performed to analyze the sperm lipid components and establish the exact lipid species that correlated with sperm motility.

Results

A total of 25 individual lipid classes and 479 lipid molecular species were identified and quantified. Asthenozoospermic spermatozoa showed an increase in the level of four lipid classes, including Cho, PE, LPI and GM3. A total of 48 lipid molecular species were significantly altered between normozoospermic and asthenozoospermic spermatozoa. Furthermore, the levels of total GM3 and six GM3 molecular species, which were altered in normozoospermic spermatozoa versus asthenozoospermic spermatozoa, were inversely correlated with sperm progressive and total motility.

Conclusions

Several unique lipid classes and lipid molecular species were significantly altered between asthenozoospermic and normozoospermic spermatozoa, revealing new possibilities for further mechanistic pursuits and highlighting the development needs of culture medium formulations to improve sperm motility.
AXL kinase-mediated astrocytic phagocytosis modulates outcomes of traumatic brain injury
Authors: Zhou Hang , Hu Libin , Li Jianru , Ruan Wu , Cao Yang , Zhuang Jianfeng , Xu Hangzhe , Peng Yucong , Zhang Zhongyuan , Xu Chaoran , Yu Qian , Li Yin , Dou Zhangqi , Hu Junwen , Wu Xinyan , Yu Xiaobo , Gu Chi , Cao Shenglong , Yan Feng , Chen Gao
Published: July 2021

Background

Complex changes in the brain microenvironment following traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause neurological impairments for which there are few efficacious therapeutic interventions. The reactivity of astrocytes is one of the keys to microenvironmental changes, such as neuroinflammation, but its role and the molecular mechanisms that underpin it remain unclear.

Methods

Male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to the controlled cortical impact (CCI) to develop a TBI model. The specific ligand of AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL), recombinant mouse growth arrest-specific 6 (rmGas6) was intracerebroventricularly administered, and selective AXL antagonist R428 was intraperitoneally applied at 30 min post-modeling separately. Post-TBI assessments included neurobehavioral assessments, transmission electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), siRNA transfection, and flow cytometry were performed for mechanism assessments in primary cultured astrocytes.

Results

AXL is upregulated mainly in astrocytes after TBI and promotes astrocytes switching to a phenotype that exhibits the capability of ingesting degenerated neurons or debris. As a result, this astrocytic transformation promotes the limitation of neuroinflammation and recovery of neurological dysfunction. Pharmacological inhibition of AXL in astrocytes significantly decreased astrocytic phagocytosis both in vivo and in primary astrocyte cultures, in contrast to the effect of treatment with the rmGas6. AXL activates the signal transducer and activator of the transcription 1 (STAT1) pathway thereby further upregulating ATP-binding cassette transporter 1 (ABCA1). Moreover, the supernatant from GAS6-depleted BV2 cells induced limited enhancement of astrocytic phagocytosis in vitro.

Conclusion

Our work establishes the role of AXL in the transformation of astrocytes to a phagocytic phenotype via the AXL/STAT1/ABCA1 pathway which contributes to the separation of healthy brain tissue from injury-induced cell debris, further ameliorating neuroinflammation and neurological impairments after TBI. Collectively, our findings provide a potential therapeutic target for TBI.
Southeast Asian clearwing moths buzz like their model bees
Authors: Skowron Volponi Marta , Casacci Luca Pietro , Volponi Paolo , Barbero Francesca
Published: July 2021

Background

The endless struggle to survive has driven harmless species to evolve elaborate strategies of deceiving predators. Batesian mimicry involves imitations of noxious species’ warning signals by palatable mimics. Clearwing moths (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), incapable of inflicting painful bites or stings, resemble bees or wasps in their morphology and sometimes imitate their behaviours. An entirely unexplored type of deception in sesiids is acoustic mimicry. We recorded the buzzing sounds of two species of Southeast Asian clearwing moths, Heterosphecia pahangensis and H. hyaloptera and compared them to their visual model bee, Tetragonilla collina, and two control species of bees occurring in the same habitat. Recordings were performed on untethered, flying insects in nature.

Results

Based on eight acoustic parameters and wingbeat frequencies calculated from slow-motion videos, we found that the buzzes produced by both clearwing moths highly resemble those of T. collina but differ from the two control species of bees.

Conclusions

Acoustic similarities to bees, alongside morphological and behavioural imitations, indicate that clearwing moths display multimodal mimicry of their evolutionary models.
The Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ-Swe) in patients with distal radius fractures—cross-cultural adaptation to Swedish, validation and reliability
Authors: Blomstrand J. , Karlsson J. , Fagevik Olsén M. , Kjellby Wendt G.
Published: July 2021

Background

The Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire—MHQ—is a well-known self-assessment questionnaire, where patients’ own perception in terms of recovery, pain and the ability to return to activities of daily living is assessed. The purpose of the study was to translate and culturally adapt the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire to Swedish and to test the validity and reliability in patients with surgically treated distal radius fractures.

Methods

The cross-cultural adaptation and the translation process were conducted according to predefined guidelines. Seventy-eight patients with surgically treated distal radius fractures completed the translated version of the questionnaire on their six-week follow-up visit.

Results

The translation and cross-cultural adaptation process revealed no major linguistic or cultural issues. The internal consistency of the MHQ-Swe ranged from 0.77 to 0.94 at test 1 and from 0.81 to 0.96 at test 2 for all subscales, which indicates good internal consistency in the subscales. The hand function subscale revealed the lowest results and work performance the highest. The ICCs showed excellent test-retest reliability, ranging from 0.77 to 0.90 on all MHQ subscales and 0.92 on total score. The highest results for the ICC were seen in the satisfaction subscale (ICC = 0.90), while the lowest were seen in the aesthetic subscale (ICC = 0.77). The correlation analysis between the MHQ-Swe, PRWE and VAS showed a generally moderate to high correlation for all the subscales.

Conclusions

The Swedish version of the MHQ, the MHQ-Swe, showed good validity and reliability and it is therefore an appropriate and relevant questionnaire for use in patients with surgically treated distal radius fractures.

Trial registration

FoU i VGR, Projectnumber: 208491, registered December 9, 2015.
Tracheostomy management in patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: an International Multicenter Retrospective Study
Authors: Schmidt Matthieu , Fisser Christoph , Martucci Gennaro , Abrams Darryl , Frapard Thomas , Popugaev Konstantin , Arcadipane Antonio , Bromberger Bianca , Lino Giovanni , Serra Alexis , Rozencwajg Sacha , Lubnow Matthias , Petrikov Sergey , Mueller Thomas , Combes Alain , Pham Tài , Brodie Daniel ,   for the International ECMO Network (ECMONet)
Published: July 2021

Background

Current practices regarding tracheostomy in patients treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for acute respiratory distress syndrome are unknown. Our objectives were to assess the prevalence and the association between the timing of tracheostomy (during or after ECMO weaning) and related complications, sedative, and analgesic use.

Methods

International, multicenter, retrospective study in four large volume ECMO centers during a 9-year period.

Results

Of the 1,168 patients treated with ECMO for severe ARDS (age 48 ± 16 years, 76% male, SAPS II score 51 ± 18) during the enrollment period, 353 (30%) and 177 (15%) underwent tracheostomy placement during or after ECMO, respectively. Severe complications were uncommon in both groups. Local bleeding within 24 h of tracheostomy was four times more frequent during ECMO (25 vs 7% after ECMO, p < 0.01). Cumulative sedative consumption decreased more rapidly after the procedure with sedative doses almost negligible 48–72 h later, when tracheostomy was performed after ECMO decannulation (p < 0.01). A significantly increased level of consciousness was observed within 72 h after tracheostomy in the “after ECMO” group, whereas it was unchanged in the “during-ECMO” group.

Conclusion

In contrast to patients undergoing tracheostomy after ECMO decannulation, tracheostomy during ECMO was neither associated with a decrease in sedation and analgesia levels nor with an increase in the level of consciousness. This finding together with a higher risk of local bleeding in the days following the procedure reinforces the need for a case-by-case discussion on the balance between risks and benefits of tracheotomy when performed during ECMO.
Early transplanting of rainfed rice minimizes irrigation demand by utilizing rainfall
Authors: Hossain Md. Belal , Roy Debjit , Mahmud Mir Nurul Hasan , Paul Priya Lal Chandra , Yesmin Mst. Shetara , Kundu Palash Kumar
Published: July 2021

Background

Rainfall is the key contributor to provide soil moisture for wet season rice (T. Aman) cultivation. Erratic rainfall often causes water shortage resulting negative impact on plant growth and grain yield. The study aimed to determine suitable transplanting window that utilize maximum rainfall for T. Aman rice. Firstly, three years field experiment were conducted in Kushtia, Bangladesh from T. Aman, 2013 to 2015, and then the findings were implemented for another two adjacent locations, Panba and Rajshahi. The field experiment considered six transplanting dates of popular cultivar BR11 (growth duration 145 days) at 7 days interval starting from 10 July to 14 August. The CROPWAT 8.0 model was used to calculate crop water requirement (CWR), effective rainfall and irrigation demand (ID) from collected weather data in each growth phase of rice.

Results

In all locations T. Aman rice received enormous rainfall up to vegetative phase resulting no irrigation demand in all three tested years. The early transplanting received more rainfall in reproductive phase than late planting. Thus, Irrigation demand increased at reproductive phase with delay transplanting in moderate drought prone Kushtia, Pabna and Rajshahi. A significant relationship (R2 = 0.71) observed between reproductive phase ID and grain yield, while grain yield responded weakly with the ID at ripening phase. Based on yield performance 10–24 July found suitable transplanting window for BR11 in Kushtia. Considering the relationship between ID and grain yield, 10–17 July and 10–24 July considered the best transplanting window in Pabna and Rajshahi, respectively.

Conclusions

Location specific suitable transplanting windows were selected considering minimum ID at reproductive phase and the maximum grain yield. Delay in transplanting demanded more irrigation and reduced grain yield. Whereas, early transplanting utilized maximum rainfall, reduced ID in reproductive stage and ensured desired grain yield.
The lncRNA TEX41 is upregulated in pediatric B-Cells Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and it is necessary for leukemic cell growth
Authors: Orlandella Francesca Maria , Smaldone Giovanni , Salvatore Giuliana , Vitagliano Luigi , Cianflone Alessandra , Parasole Rosanna , Beneduce Giuliana , Menna Giuseppe , Salvatore Marco , Mirabelli Peppino
Published: July 2021

Background

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) represent a diverse class of RNAs involved in the regulation of various physiological and pathological cellular processes, including transcription, intracellular trafficking, and chromosome remodeling. LncRNAs deregulation was linked to the development and progression of various cancer types, such as acute leukemias. In this context, lncRNAs were also evaluated as a novel class of biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Here, we analyzed TEX41 in childhood B cell acute lymphoid leukemia (B-ALL).

Methods

Total RNA was extracted from pediatric B-ALL patients (at diagnosis and after induction of therapy) and from healthy subjects. Total RNA was also extracted from different leukemia cell line models. The expression level of TEX41 was evaluated by q-RT-PCR. Also, the dataset deposited by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was consulted. Furthermore, the silencing of TEX41 in RS4;11 cell line was obtained by 2′-Deoxy, 2′Fluroarabino Nucleic Acids (2′F-ANAs) Oligonucleotides, and the effect on cell proliferation was evaluated. Cell cycle progression and its regulators were analyzed by flow cytometry and immunoblotting.

Results

We exploited the St Jude Cloud database and found that TEX41 is a lncRNA primarily expressed in the case of B-ALL (n = 79) while its expression levels are low/absent for T-cell ALL (n = 25) and acute myeloid leukemia (n = 38). The association of TEX41 with B-ALL was confirmed by real-time PCR assays. TEX41 disclosed increased expression levels in bone marrow from patients with B-ALL at diagnosis, while its expression levels became low or absent when retested in Bone Marrow cells of the same patient after 1 month of induction therapy. Also, silencing experiments performed on RS4;11 cells showed that TEX41 downregulation impaired in vitro leukemic cell growth determining their arrest in the G2-M phase and the deregulation of cell cycle proteins.

Conclusions

Our findings highlight that TEX41 is an upregulated lncRNA in the case of B-ALL and this feature makes it a novel potential biomarker for the diagnosis of this leukemia subtype in pediatric patients. Finally, TEX41 expression seems to be critical for leukemic proliferation, indeed, silencing experiments targeting TEX41 mRNA in the RS4;11 cell line hampered in vitro cell growth and cell cycle progression, by inducing G2-M arrest as confirmed propidium iodide staining and by the upregulation of p53 and p21 proteins.
Integration of tumor inflammation, cell proliferation, and traditional biomarkers improves prediction of immunotherapy resistance and response
Authors: Pabla Sarabjot , Seager R. J. , Van Roey Erik , Gao Shuang , Hoefer Carrie , Nesline Mary K. , DePietro Paul , Burgher Blake , Andreas Jonathan , Giamo Vincent , Wang Yirong , Lenzo Felicia L. , Schoenborn Margot , Zhang Shengle , Klein Roger , Glenn Sean T. , Conroy Jeffrey M.
Published: July 2021

Background

Contemporary to the rapidly evolving landscape of cancer immunotherapy is the equally changing understanding of immune tumor microenvironments (TMEs) which is crucial to the success of these therapies. Their reliance on a robust host immune response necessitates clinical grade measurements of immune TMEs at diagnosis. In this study, we describe a stable tumor immunogenic profile describing immune TMEs in multiple tumor types with ability to predict clinical benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

Methods

A tumor immunogenic signature (TIGS) was derived from targeted RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and gene expression analysis of 1323 clinical solid tumor cases spanning 35 histologies using unsupervised analysis. TIGS correlation with ICI response and survival was assessed in a retrospective cohort of NSCLC, melanoma and RCC tumor blocks, alone and combined with TMB, PD-L1 IHC and cell proliferation biomarkers.

Results

Unsupervised clustering of RNA-seq profiles uncovered a 161 gene signature where T cell and B cell activation, IFNg, chemokine, cytokine and interleukin pathways are over-represented. Mean expression of these genes produced three distinct TIGS score categories: strong (n = 384/1323; 29.02%), moderate (n = 354/1323; 26.76%), and weak (n = 585/1323; 44.22%). Strong TIGS tumors presented an improved ICI response rate of 37% (30/81); with highest response rate advantage occurring in NSCLC (ORR = 36.6%; 16/44; p = 0.051). Similarly, overall survival for strong TIGS tumors trended upward (median = 25 months; p = 0.19). Integrating the TIGS score categories with neoplastic influence quantified via cell proliferation showed highly proliferative and strong TIGS tumors correlate with significantly higher ICI ORR than poorly proliferative and weak TIGS tumors [14.28%; p = 0.0006]. Importantly, we noted that strong TIGS and highly [median = not achieved; p = 0.025] or moderately [median = 16.2 months; p = 0.025] proliferative tumors had significantly better survival compared to weak TIGS, highly proliferative tumors [median = 7.03 months]. Importantly, TIGS discriminates subpopulations of potential ICI responders that were considered negative for response by TMB and PD-L1.

Conclusions

TIGS is a comprehensive and informative measurement of immune TME that effectively characterizes host immune response to ICIs in multiple tumors. The results indicate that when combined with PD-L1, TMB and cell proliferation, TIGS provides greater context of both immune and neoplastic influences on the TME for implementation into clinical practice.
Forest canopy scattering properties with signal of opportunity reflectometry: theoretical simulations
Authors: Wu Xuerui , Calabia Andrés , Xu Jin , Bai Weihua , Guo Peng
Published: July 2021

In recent years, signal of opportunity reflectometry (SoOp-R) has become a promising remote sensing technique. This emerging technique employs the reflected signals from existing Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) or communication satellites to estimate geophysical parameters for Earth observation, such as wind speed, altimetry, significant wave height, soil moisture, etc. While its application for forest canopy monitoring is still in the initial stage, there are still many unknown relations between vegetation parameters and actual observations, and a proper theoretical basis needs to be established for simulation and analysis of the different observation geometries. In this paper, we develop a bistatic scattering model with various polarizations at different frequency bands. Our improved model is based on the first-order radiative transfer equation, and is developed based on the wave synthesis technique, after which it can be used for circular polarization signals in bistatic radar systems, i.e. the typical configuration of SoOp-R. We analyze the simulations of the P (0.25–0.5 GHz), L (0.5–1.5 GHz), C (4–8 GHz), and X (8–12 GHz) bands at the backscattering, specular cone, bistatic scattering, and perpendicular planes. The contributions of the different components to the total scattering are also analyzed. The results show that the coherent scattering at the specular cone is larger than the non-coherent scattering, while trunk-dominated forest canopy has strong scattering at the aforementioned different directions. Variations of canopy parameters such as trunk and branch diameters, tree density, and vegetation water content are also simulated at the specular cone plane, showing strong dependence on the final bistatic scattering observation. The simulation results show that the SoOp-R technique has a great potential for monitoring of canopy parameters.
Zonal aspects of the influence of forest cover change on runoff in northern river basins of Central Siberia
Authors: Onuchin A. , Burenina Т. , Shvidenko А. , Prysov D. , Musokhranova A.
Published: July 2021

Background

Assessment of the reasons for the ambiguous influence of forests on the structure of the water balance is the subject of heated debate among forest hydrologists. Influencing the components of total evaporation, forest vegetation makes a significant contribution to the process of runoff formation, but this process has specific features in different geographical zones. The issues of the influence of forest vegetation on river runoff in the zonal aspect have not been sufficiently studied.

Results

Based on the analysis of the dependence of river runoff on forest cover, using the example of nine catchments located in the forest-tundra, northern and middle taiga of Northern Eurasia, it is shown that the share of forest cover in the total catchment area (percentage of forest cover, FCP) has different effects on runoff formation. Numerical experiments with the developed empirical models have shown that an increase in forest cover in the catchment area in northern latitudes contributes to an increase in runoff, while in the southern direction (in the middle taiga) extensive woody cover of catchments “works” to reduce runoff. The effectiveness of geographical zonality in regards to the influence of forests on runoff is more pronounced in the forest-tundra zone than in the zones of northern and middle taiga.

Conclusion

The study of this problem allowed us to analyze various aspects of the hydrological role of forests, and to show that forest ecosystems, depending on environmental conditions and the spatial distribution of forest cover, can transform water regimes in different ways. Despite the fact that the process of river runoff formation is controlled by many factors, such as temperature conditions, precipitation regime, geomorphology and the presence of permafrost, the models obtained allow us to reveal general trends in the dependence of the annual river runoff on the percentage of forest cover, at the level of catchments. The results obtained are consistent with the concept of geographic determinism, which explains the contradictions that exist in assessing the hydrological role of forests in various geographical and climatic conditions. The results of the study may serve as the basis for regulation of the forest cover of northern Eurasian river basins in order to obtain the desired hydrological effect depending on environmental and economic conditions.
Effectiveness of a continuous interactive communication system for home care nursing assistance of peritoneal dialysis
Authors: Terada Kohsuke , Yanagida Yorito , Yan Tomohiro , Funakoshi Toshiki , Hirama Akio , Kashiwagi Tetsuya , Sakai Yukinao
Published: July 2021

Background

The Japanese population is aging quickly. New methods of supporting peritoneal dialysis (PD) for elderly patients are essential if we are to increase the number of such patients.

Methods

We established a two-way communication system between a central hospital and stations for visiting nurses. Home care nurses provided physicians at the central hospital with clinical findings for patients undergoing assisted PD. We compared 11 patients undergoing PD assisted by home care nurses in continuous interactive communication with the central hospital (cases) with 11 patients undergoing unassisted PD who were matched by sex, primary disease, estimated glomerular filtration rate at the start of PD, and age at the start of PD (controls). The variables compared were hospitalization due to heart failure, exit-site infection, peritonitis, and the composite of these causes during a 1-year period. In addition, we compared patient clinical factors between groups.

Results

Although differences in the number of hospitalizations attributable to exit-site infection, peritonitis, and heart failure were not significant, the difference in the number of hospitalizations attributable to a composite of these causes was significant. Exit-site scores were significantly better in the case group than in the control group.

Conclusions

PD assisted by home care nurses using an established continuous interactive communication system was associated with significantly better exit-site scores. Fewer cases than controls were hospitalized.
Researchers’ perspectives on methodological challenges and outcomes selection in interventional studies targeting medication adherence in rheumatic diseases: an OMERACT-adherence study
Authors: Salmasi Shahrzad , Kelly Ayano , Bartlett Susan J. , de Wit Maarten , March Lyn , Tong Allison , Tugwell Peter , Tymms Kathleen , Verstappen Suzanne , De Vera Mary A. ,   On behalf of the OMERACT-Adherence working group
Published: July 2021

Background

Research on adherence interventions in rheumatology is limited by methodological issues, particularly heterogeneous outcomes. We aimed to describe researchers’ experiences with conducting interventional studies targeting medication adherence in rheumatology and their perspectives on establishing core outcomes.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews using audio conference were conducted with researchers who had conducted an adherence study of any design in the past 10 years. Data collection and thematic analysis were performed iteratively, until saturation.

Results

We interviewed 13 researchers, most of whom worked in academia and specialized in epidemiology and/or health services research. We identified three themes: 1) improving measurement of adherence (considering all phases of adherence, using appropriate and relevant measures, and establishing clinically meaningful thresholds); 2) challenges in designing and appraising adherence intervention studies (considering the confusion over a plethora of outcomes, difficulties with powering studies to demonstrate meaningful changes, and suboptimal descriptions of adherence interventions in published studies); and 3) advancing outcome assessment in adherence intervention studies (capturing rationale for developing a core domain set as well as recommendations and anticipated challenges by participants).

Conclusions

Uniquely gathering perspectives from international adherence researchers, our findings led to researcher-informed recommendations for improving adherence research including specifying the targeted adherence phase in designing interventions and studies and providing a glossary of terms to promote consistency in reporting. We also identified recommendations for developing a core domain set for interventional studies targeting medication adherence including involvement of patients, clinicians, and other stakeholders and methodological and practical considerations to establish rigor and support uptake.
The diagnostic yield of whole exome sequencing as a first approach in consanguineous Omani renal ciliopathy syndrome patients
Authors: Al Alawi Intisar , Al Riyami Mohammed , Barroso-Gil Miguel , Powell Laura , Olinger Eric , Al Salmi Issa , Sayer John A.
Published: July 2021

Background: Whole exome sequencing (WES) is becoming part of routine clinical and diagnostic practice. In the investigation of inherited cystic kidney disease and renal ciliopathy syndromes, WES has been extensively applied in research studies as well as for diagnostic utility to detect various novel genes and variants. The yield of WES critically depends on the characteristics of the patient population.

Methods: In this study, we selected 8 unrelated Omani children, presenting with renal ciliopathy syndromes with a positive family history and originating from consanguineous families. We performed WES in affected children to determine the genetic cause of disease and to test the yield of this approach, coupled with homozygosity mapping, in this highly selected population.

DNA library construction and WES was carried out using SureSelect Human All Exon V6 Enrichment Kit and Illumina HiSeq platform. For variants filtering and annotation Qiagen Variant Ingenuity tool was used. Nexus copy number software from BioDiscovery was used for evaluation of copy number variants and whole gene deletions. Patient and parental DNA was used to confirm mutations and the segregation of alleles using Sanger sequencing.

Results: Genetic analysis identified 4 potential causative homozygous variants each confirmed by Sanger sequencing in 4 clinically relevant ciliopathy syndrome genes, (TMEM231, TMEM138, WDR19 and BBS9), leading to an overall diagnostic yield of 50%.

Conclusions: WES coupled with homozygosity mapping provided a diagnostic yield of 50% in this selected population. This genetic approach needs to be embedded into clinical practise to allow confirmation of clinical diagnosis, to inform genetic screening as well as family planning decisions. Half of the patients remain without diagnosis highlighting the technical and interpretational hurdles that need to be overcome in the future.
CovidLife: a resource to understand mental health, well-being and behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK
Authors: Fawns-Ritchie Chloe , Altschul Drew M. , Campbell Archie , Huggins Charlotte , Nangle Clifford , Dawson Rebecca , Edwards Rachel , Flaig Robin , Hartley Louise , Levein Christie , McCartney Daniel L. , Bell David , Douglas Elaine , Deary Ian J. , Hayward Caroline , Marioni Riccardo E. , McIntosh Andrew M. , Sudlow Cathie , Porteous David J.
Published: July 2021

CovidLife is a longitudinal observational study designed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, well-being and behaviour in adults living in the UK. In total, 18,518 participants (mean age = 56.43, SD = 14.35) completed the first CovidLife questionnaire (CovidLife1) between April and June 2020. To date, participants have completed two follow-up assessments. CovidLife2 took place between July and August 2020 (n = 11,319), and CovidLife3 took place in February 2021 (n = 10,386). A range of social and psychological measures were administered at each wave including assessments of anxiety, depression, well-being, loneliness and isolation. Information on sociodemographic, health, and economic circumstances was also collected. Questions also assessed information on COVID-19 infections and symptoms, compliance to COVID-19 restrictions, and opinions on the UK and Scottish Governments’ handling of the pandemic.

CovidLife includes a subsample of 4,847 participants from the Generation Scotland cohort (N~24,000, collected 2006-2011); a well-characterised cohort of families in Scotland with pre-pandemic data on mental health, physical health, lifestyle, and socioeconomic factors, along with biochemical and genomic data derived from biological samples. These participants also consented to their study data being linked to Scottish health records.

CovidLife and Generation Scotland data can be accessed and used by external researchers following approval from the Generation Scotland Access Committee. CovidLife can be used to investigate mental health, well-being and behaviour during COVID-19; how these vary according to sociodemographic, health and economic circumstances; and how these change over time. The Generation Scotland subsample with pre-pandemic data and linkage to health records can be used to investigate the predictors of health and well-being during COVID-19 and the future health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Managing expectations and anxiety as a patient with congenital heart disease
Authors: Smith Lowri
Published: July 2021

Lowri Smith explains how anxiety and uncertainty can become an intrinsic part of life for patients with congenital heart disease, and why trust in one's treatment team is so important.
Community specialist practitioner's role in enhancing interprofessional collaboration
Authors: Hayward Christina
Published: July 2021

Communication failures not only fail the patient but also the multidisciplinary team involved in patient care in the community. All nurses are expected to have good communication skills, but advanced skills in coaching, teaching and collaborating are expected of the community specialist practitioner (CSP). The skill of communication is intricate, influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors, affecting the ability of both the sender and receiver to understand the messages sent and received. Communication should be tailored to the individual to enhance the dialogue. The CSP is best placed, together with the patient, to align the priorities of each contributor to the patient's health to enhance person-centred care. Enhanced communication skills used in conjunction with emotional intelligence can improve interprofessional collaboration, which, in turn, increases the quality of care.
Midwives save lives in Sudan
Authors: Sambrook Anna
Published: July 2021

UK-based charity Kids for Kids is committed to upskilling midwives in Darfur, Sudan thus empowering women to provide safer care for mothers and babies in remote areas
Pregnancy related cultural food practices among Pakistani women in the UK: a qualitative study
Authors: Hussain Basharat , Bardi Josephine NwaAmaka , Fatima Tehniyat
Published: July 2021

Background

Food practices are influenced by cultural traditions which continue to be important among immigrant groups in their new homeland, especially during significant life events, such as marriage, pregnancy and funerals, as well as for religious ceremonies and festivities.

Aim

This study aims to explore pregnancy related food practices among first generation Pakistani women living in the UK.

Methods

A total of 10 first-generation immigrant women were recruited through a voluntary organisation following a convenience sampling technique and were interviewed.

Findings

The data revealed that the women attached different symbolic meanings to their food practices, particularly relating to pregnancy. These findings were based on 1) their understanding of the changes their body experienced during pregnancy and 2) responding to these changes through the consumption and/or avoidance of certain foods.

Conclusion

Understanding the cultural contexts of Pakistani women in the UK is important in order to promote healthy food patterns for that cohort during pregnancy.
Intervention for preventing postpartum depression: a systematic review of studies in Indonesia
Authors: Widiasih Restuning , Rais Yulia , Fithriyah Noor , Damayanti Damayanti , Puspitasari Neneng Ratnanengsih
Published: July 2021

Background

Many researches in Indonesia have analysed various interventions to prevent postpartum depression (PPD) by health professionals.

Aim

This literature review aims to identify various health interventions to prevent PPD in Indonesia.

Methods

Searching articles used several electronic databases, namely Google Scholar and Indonesian database. The articles included in this review are full-text articles, published from 2008–2017.

Results

Three types of actions have been identified to prevent PPD, namely counselling, music therapy and aromatherapy. The research instrument such as Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Zung Self-Rate Anxiety Scale were effective to measure the risk of PPD.

Conclusion

Midwives can apply methods according to the patient's needs in order to prevent PPD.
Importance of palliative care
Authors: McEwan Tom
Published: July 2021

Tom McEwan, Principal Educator (Midwifery) for NHS Education for Scotland, discusses how CW+'s Neonatal Palliative Care Project is a critical initiative for midwives
Improving outcomes for older people with diabetes
Authors: Morris David
Published: July 2021

Older people with diabetes have unique challenges. David Morris discusses the importance of individualising care for this group of people

An individualised approach aiming to maximise safety, preserve autonomy and improve quality of life is needed when helping an older person to manage their diabetes. It is important to interpret the older person's diabetes in the context of their overall health concerns, including reference to co-morbidities, cognitive function, lifestyle, social setting, and life expectancy, and practice nurses are well placed to work in partnership with people with diabetes to achieve this. Pharmacological treatment goals must be realistic, acknowledging the metabolic consequences of old age, the risks of hypoglycaemia and the dangers of polypharmacy.