bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Associated Polymer ASP Flooding Scheme Optimization Design and Field Test after Polymer Flooding in Daqing Oilfield
Authors: Gao Shuling , He Yixin , Zhu Youyi , Han Peihui , Peng Shukai , Liu Xiaobo
Published: August 2020

There are 54 blocks entered into subsequent water flooding period after polymer flooding in Daqing oilfield, The comprehensive water cut is as high as 97.2% and the average oil recovery factor is 57% for the reservoir after polymer flooding, There are 44% geological reserves still remained underground and these reserves are of good quality for further exploitation. But the reservoir has gone through deepen development by tertiary oil recovery and entered into the period of the fourth enhanced oil recovery, so how to further enhance oil recovery is a world's toughest problem. Therefore a new oil displacing system with high efficiency should be developed suitable for the reservoir after polymer flooding in order to greatly enhance oil recovery for ultra-high water cut reservoir after polymer flooding.

In this paper, lots of lab experiments have been carried out consisting of oil displacement performance evaluation and formula optimizing. A new ASP formula using associated polymer has been developed, the incremental oil recovery of this system is 10.35% in the lab experiments of natural cores after polymer flooding. In contrast to linear polymer ASP system, associated polymer ASP system can reduce polymer dosage by 48% and increase oil recovery by 3.3% at the same time. The reservoir engineering and oil displacement scenarios have been worked out and the field test has been carried out in the N3D block with 16 injection wells and 25 production wells after polymer flooding in Daqing oilfield. The numerical simulation predicts the incremental oil recovery can reach up to 8.76% after polymer flooding.

The test has entered into field and obtained good technological and economic development effect. The blank water flooding began in Sep 2012 and the trial injection of ASP flooding began in Oct 2013 and the main ASP slug began in Jun 2014. Till Oct 2019, the accumulative injection pore volume was 0.9104 PV with the injection pressure increased by 4.7 MPa, water absorption thickness ratio increased by 27.1%, the biggest water cut decline of single well was 6.4% and the staged incremental oil recovery was 7.89%. At present, the accumulative oil production increment is 0.647 million barrels and the economic benefit is 32.35 million dollars. The numerical simulation prediction shows that the final accumulative oil production increment is 0.657 million barrels and the final economic benefit is 32.87 million dollars.

This new technology and field test can enhance oil recovery greatly for ultra-high water cut reservoir after polymer flooding and obtain good technological and economic development effect, so it has a broad application prospect and can be applied extensively in ultra-high water cut blocks after polymer flooding in Daqing oilfield.
Nonlinear Double-Log Mixing Rule for Viscosity Calculation of Bitumen/Solvent Mixtures Applicable for Reservoir Simulation of Solvent-Based Recovery Processes
Authors: Nourozieh Hossein , Ranjbar Ehsan , Kumar Anjani , Forrester Kevin , Sadeghi Mohsen
Published: August 2020

Various solvent-based recovery processes for bitumen and heavy-oil reservoirs have gained much interest in recent years. In these processes, viscosity reduction is attained not only because of thermal effects, but also by dilution of bitumen with a solvent. Accurate characterization of the oil/solvent-mixture viscosity is critical for accurate prediction of recovery and effectiveness of such processes. There are varieties of models designed to predict and correlate the mixture viscosities. Among them, the linear log mixing (Arrhenius) model is the most commonly used method in the oil industry. This model, originally proposed for light oils, often show poor performance (40 to 60% error) when applied to highly viscous fluids such as heavy oil and bitumen. The modified Arrhenius model, called the nonlinear log mixing model, gives slightly better predictions compared with the original Arrhenius model. However, the predictions still might not be acceptable because of large deviations from measured experimental data. Calculated mixture-phase viscosity has a significant effect on flow calculations in commercial reservoir simulators. Underestimation of mixture viscosities leads to overprediction of oil-production rates. Using such mixing models in reservoir simulation can lead to inaccuracy in mixture viscosities and hence large uncertainty in model results. In the present study, different correlations and mixing rules available in the literature are evaluated against the mixture-viscosity data for a variety of bitumen/solvent systems. A new form (nonlinear) of the double-log mixing rule is proposed, which shows a significant improvement over the existing models on predicting viscosities of bitumen/solvent mixtures, especially at high temperatures.
Semi-supervised Method for Image Texture Classification of Pituitary Tumors via CycleGAN and Optimized Feature Extraction
Authors: ZHU Hong , FANG Qianhao , HUANG Yihe , XU Kai
Published: August 2020

Background: Accurately determining the softness level of pituitary tumors preoperatively by using their image textures can provide a basis for surgical options and prognosis. Existing methods for this problem require manual intervention, which could hinder the efficiency and accuracy considerably. Methods: we present an automatic method for diagnosing the texture of pituitary tumors using unbalanced sequence image data. Firstly, for the small sample problem in our pituitary tumor MRI image dataset where T1 and T2 sequence data are unbalanced (due to data missing) and under-sampled, our method uses a CycleGAN model for domain conversion to obtain fully sampled MRI spatial sequence. Then, it uses a DenseNet-ResNet based Autoencoder framework to optimize the feature extraction process for pituitary tumor image data. Finally, to take advantage of sequence data, it uses a CRNN model to classify pituitary tumors based on their predicted softness levels. Results: Experiments show that our method is the best in terms of efficiency and accuracy(91.78%) compared to other methods. Conclusions: We propose a semi-supervised method for grading pituitary tumor texture. This method can accurately determine the softness level of pituitary tumors, which provides convenience for surgical selection and prognosis, and improves the diagnostic efficiency of pituitary tumors.
Evaluations of knowledge, skills and practices of insulin storage and injection handling techniques of diabetic patients in Ethiopian primary hospitals
Authors: Netere Adeladlew Kassie , Ashete Eyayaw , Gebreyohannes Eyob Alemayehu , Belachew Sewunet Admasu
Published: August 2020

Background: Insulin is an effective therapeutic agent in the management of diabetes, but it is also sensitive to external environment. Consequently, diabetic patients’ adherence to insulin delivery recommendations is critical to its effectiveness. Patients’ lack of knowledge, skill and irrational practices towards appropriate insulin delivery techniques may end up in therapeutic failure and increase costs of therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate patients’ knowledge, skills and practices of insulin storage and injection techniques. Methods : An interview-based cross-sectional study was conducted though purposive selection of participants in Northwest Ethiopian primary hospitals from March 1 to May 30, 2019. Levels of knowledge were assessed with right or wrong responses, while practice was measured by using a 4-point Likert scale structured questionnaire collected via face-to-face interviews. Likewise, a five-point observational (demonstration) techniques checklist employed to assess patients’ skills. Results: Among 194 patients approached, 166 participants completed the survey giving a response rate of 85.6 %. More than half of the respondents (54.8%) were males and the mean age (±SD) was 38.5±13.8 years. The overall patients’ median knowledge and practice levels on insulin storage and handling techniques were moderately adequate (64.3%) and fair (55.4%), respectively. In patients’ skill assessments, 94.6% correctly showed injection sites, 70% indicated injection site rotations, and 60.75% practiced injection site rotations. Education (P <0.001), duration of insulin therapy (P =0.008), and duration of diabetes (P =0.014) had significant impact on knowledge level. Education (P <0.001), occupation (P<0.001), duration of insulin therapy (P=0.001), duration of diabetes (P=0.036) and patients’ knowledge level (P<0.001) were found to have a significant effects on the patients’ practice levels. A Mann-Whitney U test also disclosed that residency, ways to get insulin and mocked injection technique during the first training had significant effects on patients’ knowledge levels. Conclusion: The current study revealed that patients had moderately adequate knowledge and fair practice levels on insulin storage and handling techniques. However, patients missed important insulin administration skills. This study highlights the need of regular public health education so as to enhance the patients’ knowledge, skill and practice levels on insulin handling techniques.
Multidrug-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae in Coastal Water: An Emerging Threat
Authors: Cohen Regev , Paikin Svetlana , Rokney Assaf , Rubin-Blum Maxim , Astrahan Peleg
Published: August 2020

Background: The environmental role of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) acquisition and infection in human disease has been described but not thoroughly investigated. We aimed to assess the occurrence of CPE in nearshore aquatic bodies.Methods: Enterobacteriaceae were cultured from coastal and estuary water near Netanya, Israel in June and July of 2018. Bacteria were identified by VITEK2® and their antimicrobial susceptibility was tested according to the CLSI guidelines. Enterobacteriaceae genomes were sequenced to elucidate their resistome and carbapenemase types. Results: Among other clinically relevant bacteria, four CPE (three Enterobacter spp and one Escherichia coli isolate) were isolated from two river estuaries (Poleg and Alexander Rivers) and coastal water at a popular recreational beach (Beit Yanai). Molecular analysis and genome sequencing revealed the persistent presence of rare beta-lactamase resistance genes, including blaIMI-2 and a previously unknown blaIMI-20 allele, which were not found among the local epidemiological strains. Genome comparisons revealed the high identity of riverine and marine CPE that were cultivated one month apart. Conclusions: We show that CPE contamination was widespread in nearshore marine and riverine habitats. The high genome-level similarity of riverine and marine CPEs, isolated one month apart, hints at the common source of infection We discuss the clinical implications of these findings and stress the urgent need to assess the role of the aquatic environment in CPE epidemiology.
Biomechanical Control of Paretic Lower Limb During Imposed Weight Transfer in Individuals Post-Stroke
Authors: Hsiao Hao-Yuan , Gray Vicki L , Borrelli James , Rogers Mark W
Published: August 2020

Background: stroke is a leading cause of disability with associated hemiparesis resulting in difficulty bearing and transferring weight on to the paretic limb. Difficulties in weight bearing and weight transfer may result in impaired mobility and balance, increased fall risk, and decreased community engagement. Despite considerable efforts aimed at improving weight transfer after stroke, impairments in its neuromotor and biomechanical control remain poorly understood. In the present study, a novel experimental paradigm was used to characterize differences in weight transfer biomechanics in individuals with chronic stroke versus able-bodied controls. Methods: fifteen participants with stroke and fifteen age-matched able-bodied controls participated in the study. Participants stood with one foot on each of two custom built platforms. One of the platforms dropped 4.3 cm vertically to induce lateral weight transfer and weight bearing. Paretic lower extremity joint kinematics, vertical ground reaction forces, and center of pressure velocity were measured. All participants completed the clinical Step Test and Four-Square Step Test. Results: reduced paretic ankle, knee, and hip joint angular displacement and velocity, delayed ankle and knee inter-joint timing, and altered center of pressure (COP) and center of mass control were exhibited in the stroke group compared to the control group. In addition, paretic COP velocity stabilization time during induced weight transfer predicted Four-Square Step Test scores in individuals post-stroke. Conclusions: the induced weight transfer approach identified stroke-related abnormalities in the control of weight transfer towards the paretic limb side compared to controls. Decreased joint flexion of the paretic ankle and knee, altered inter-joint timing, and altered COP and center of mass control appear to limit rapid lower limb loading ability. Future work will investigate the potential of improving functional weight transfer through induced weight transfer training exercise.
Beneficial effects of walnut (Juglans regia L.) oil-derived polyunsaturated fatty acid prevents oxidant status and hyperlipidemia in pregnant rats with diabetes
Authors: Sun Bingmei , Yan Hua , Li Chao , Yin Linlin , Li Fei , Zhou Lianxiang , Han Xiuqing
Published: August 2020

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus has a long-term effect on pregnant women. Walnut (Juglans regia L.) oil-derived polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) possesses multifarious pharmacological activities. This study investigated the beneficial effects of walnut oil-derived PUFA on glucose metabolism disorder, pregnancy outcomes, oxidative stress, and lipid metabolism disorder in gestational diabetes mellitus.Methods: The GDM rat model was generated by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg) on gestational day (GD) 6, GD7 and GD8. The differences between groups were estimated using one-way ANOVA followed by the Tukey’s multiple comparison test for post-hoc analysis.Results: The results indicated that PUFA could mitigate GDM in pregnant diabetic rats, as embodied by the decrease of fasting blood glucose and the increase of plasma insulin and hepatic glycogen levels. Also, PUFA could suppress oxidative stress in pregnant diabetic rats, as reflected by the decrease of malondialdehyde (MDA) content, an increase of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and gutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities. PUFA could also mitigate the abnormal changes of lipid profiles in plasma and hepatic tissue. Moreover, the relative mRNA expression of sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor-1 (SREBP-1), stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC), was suppressed by PUFA in pregnant diabetic rats.Conclusions: These results suggested that PUFA supplementation during the pregnancy is beneficial in preventing diabetic complications in pregnant rats.
Protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials examining the effectiveness of early parenting interventions in preventing internalising problems in children and adolescents. 
Authors: Costantini Ilaria , Paul Elise , Caldwell Deborah M , López-López José A , Pearson Rebecca M
Published: August 2020

Background: Internalising problems, such as depression and anxiety, are common and represent an important economical and societal burden. The effectiveness of parenting interventions in reducing risk of internalising problems in children and adolescents has not yet been summarised. The aims of this review are to assess the effectiveness of parenting interventions in the primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of internalising problems in children and adolescents and to determine which intervention components and which intervention aspects are most effective for reducing risk of internalising problems in children and adolescents. Methods: Electronic searches in OVID SP versions of Medline, EMBASE and PsycINFO; Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; EBSCO version of ERIC and clinicaltrials.gov have been performed to identify randomised controlled trials or quasi-randomised controlled trials of parenting interventions. At least two independent researchers will assess studies for inclusion and extract data from each paper. The risk of bias assessment will be conducted independently by two reviewers using the Cochrane Collaboration’s Risk of Bias Assessment Tool. Statistical heterogeneity is anticipated given potential variation in participant characteristics, intervention type and mode of delivery, and outcome measures. Random effects models, assuming a common between-study variability, will be used to account for statistical heterogeneity. Results will be analysed using a network meta-analysis (NMA). If appropriate, we will also conduct a component-level NMA, where the ‘active ingredients’ of interventions are modelled using a network meta-regression approach.Discussion: Preventing and reducing internalising problems could have major beneficial effects at the economic and societal level. Informing policy makers on the effectiveness of parenting interventions and on which intervention’s component is driving the effect is important for the development of treatment strategies. Systematic review registration: International Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) number CRD42020172251
Vascular NRP2 triggers PNET angiogenesis by activating the SSH1-cofilin axis
Authors: luo xi , He Jiang-yi , Xu Jie , Hu Shao-yi , Mo Bang-hui , Shu Qiu-xia , Chen Can , Gong Yu-zhu , Zhao Xiao-long , Xie Gan-feng , Yu Song-tao
Published: August 2020

Background: Angiogenesis is a critical step in the growth of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) and may be a selective target for PNET therapy. However, PNETs are robustly resistant to current anti-angiogenic therapies that primarily target the VEGFR pathway. Thus, the mechanism of PNET angiogenesis urgently needs to be clarified.Methods: Dataset analysis was used to identify angiogenesis-related genes in PNETs. Immunohistochemistry was performed to determine the relationship among Neuropilin 2 (NRP2), VEGFR2 and CD31. Cell proliferation, wound-healing and tube formation assays were performed to clarify the function of NRP2 in angiogenesis. The mechanism involved in NRP2-induced angiogenesis was detected by constructing plasmids with mutant variants and performing Western blot, and immunofluorescence assays. A mouse model was used to evaluate the effect of the NRP2 antibody in vivo, and clinical data were collected from patient records to verify the association between NRP2 and patient prognosis.Results: NRP2, a VEGFR2 co-receptor, was positively correlated with vascularity but not with VEGFR2 in PNET tissues. NRP2 promoted the migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cultured in the presence of conditioned medium PNET cells via a VEGF/VEGFR2-independent pathway. Moreover, NRP2 induced F-actin polymerization by activating the actin-binding protein cofilin. Cofilin phosphatase slingshot-1 (SSH1) was highly expressed in NRP2-activating cofilin, and silencing SSH1 ameliorated NRP2-activated HUVEC migration and F-actin polymerization. Furthermore, blocking NRP2 in vivo suppressed PNET angiogenesis and tumor growth. Finally, elevated NRP2 expression was associated with poor prognosis in PNET patients.Conclusion: Vascular NRP2 promotes PNET angiogenesis by activating the SSH1/cofilin/actin axis. Our findings demonstrate that NRP2 is an important regulator of angiogenesis and a potential therapeutic target of anti-angiogenesis therapy for PNET.
A novel method for 3D face symmetry reference plane based on weighted Procrustes analysis algorithm
Authors: Zhu Yujia , Zheng Shengwen , Yang Guosheng , Fu Xiangling , Zhao Yijiao , Wang Yong
Published: August 2020

Background: We aimed to establish a novel method, using the weighted Procrustes analysis (WPA) algorithm, which assigns weight to facial anatomical landmarks, to construct a three-dimensional facial symmetry reference plane (SRP) for mandibular deviation patients.Methods: Three-dimensional facial SRPs were independently extracted from 15 mandibular deviation patients using both our WPA algorithm and the standard PA algorithm. A reference plane was defined to serve as the ground truth. To determine whether the WPA SRP or the PA SRP was closer to the ground truth, we measured the position error of mirrored landmarks, the facial asymmetry index (FAI) error, and the angle error for the global face and each facial third partition.Results: The average angle error between the WPA SRP and the ground truth was 1.66 ± 0.81°, which was smaller than that between the PA SRP and the ground truth. The position error of the mirrored landmarks constructed using the WPA algorithm in the global face (3.64 ± 1.53 mm) and each facial partition was lower than that constructed using the PA algorithm. The average FAI error of the WPA SRP was -7.77 ± 17.02 mm, which was smaller than that of the PA SRP.Conclusions: This novel automatic algorithm, based on weighted anatomic landmarks, can provide a more adaptable SRP than the standard PA algorithm when applied to severe mandibular deviation patients and can better simulate the diagnosis strategies of clinical experts.
Strengthening Retina Eye Care Services in Nepal: Retina Eye Care of Nepal project
Authors: Shrestha Arjun , Shrestha Chunu , Karki Pratap , Gurung Hara Maya , Naito Takeshi
Published: August 2020

Recently causes of blindness are changing in Nepal. The number of people blind due to retinal diseases is increasing. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), hypertensive retinopathy, and retinal vein occlusion are the major retinal problems in Nepal. As the prevalence of vitreoretinal disorders is increasing with age, it indicates that retinal disorders will be a major public health issue with longevity in future[1].A rapid assessment of blindness conducted in 2010 had reported posterior segment problems as the second common cause of blindness, after cataract in Nepal[2]. Retinal diseases are very difficult to treat. Results from low-income countries show that many patients present only when they lose vision in both eyes. Delay in presentation was acknowledged as a significant problem and is often due to inadequate primary eye care and to misdiagnosis. Thus, it was highlighted that all ophthalmologists should be trained to recognize and manage retina problems. As blindness from DR is preventable, if caught and treated early, DR provides an excellent opportunity for secondary prevention strategies, such as screenings[3]. So, early diagnoses and preventions are very important. The projected population of Province 3 and 4 in Nepal is 60, 26,626, and 24, 72,494 respectively in the year 2016. There are altogether 6 tertiary retina care centers in Province 3 and 1 tertiary retina center in province 4 of Nepal to cover that much of the population. But, few eye doctors can treat patients with retinal diseases in Nepal. It is also necessary to train ophthalmic assistants, optometrists, ophthalmic nurses, and other health workers who can assist the treatment of retinal diseases. So, strengthening retina eye care services is very important in Nepal. Retina Eye Care of Nepal (RECON) project was a joint program of BP Eye Foundation, Kathmandu, Nepal, and Tokushima University, Japan to strengthen 3 retina centers in Province 1 and 1 retina center in province 4. The project duration was from May 2016 to February 2019. The purpose of RECON was to strengthen retina eye care services in Nepal by training ophthalmic human resources, enhancing retina eye care facilities, and conducting retina-screening camp.
Mental State of Central Sterile Supply Department Staff During COVID-19 Epidemic and CART Analysis
Authors: Pan Wei , Hu Juan , Yi Liangying
Published: August 2020

Background: During COVID-19 epidemic, the central sterile supply department (CSSD) staff need to handle a large number of devices, utensils and non-disposable protective articles used by suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients. This may bring psychological stress to the CSSD staff. However, the mental state of the CSSD staff during COVID-19 epidemic has been rarely studied. We aim to investigate the mental state of the CSSD staff and the relevant influencing factors during COVID-19 epidemic.Methods: Conduct the questionnaire survey with the general information questionnaire, Chinese perceived stress scale (CPSS), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), and Connor-Davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC) among 423 CSSD staff from 35 hospitals in Sichuan Province, China. Analyse the data in SPSS 24.0, use classification and regression tree (CART) to analyse variables, and find variation between groups. Perform chi-square test on enumeration data, and perform t-test and analysis of variance on measurement data.Results: The CSSD staff’s SAS score was 37.39 ± 8.458, their CPSS score was 19.21 ± 7.265, and their CD-RISC score was 64.26 ± 15.129 (Tenacity factor score: 31.70 ± 8.066, Strength factor score: 21.60 ± 5.066, Optimism factor scores: 10.96 ± 3.189). The CPSS score was positively correlated with the SAS score (r = 0.66; P < 0.01), the CPSS score was negatively correlated with the CD-RISC score (r = -0.617, P < 0.01), and the SAS score was negatively correlated with the CD-RISC score (r = -0.477, P < 0.01). The job, age and political status of the CSSD staff were the main factors affecting their mental state. The CPSS score and SAS score of the CSSD nurses were significantly different from those of the CSSD logistic staff (P < 0.01). Conclusion: During the epidemic, the CSSD staff’s psychological resilience was at a low level, and the anxiety level of the CSSD nurses was higher than that of the CSSD logistic staff. Therefore, more attention shall be paid to the mental health of the CSSD staff, and it is necessary to take the protective measures regarding the risk factors at work to ensure they can maintain a good mental state during the epidemic.
“It’s really no more difficult than putting on fluoride varnish”: A qualitative exploration of dental professionals’ views of silver diamine fluoride for the management of carious lesions in children
Authors: Seifo Nassar , Cassie Heather , Radford John , Innes Nicola
Published: August 2020

BackgroundDespite evidence that Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) can be effective in managing carious lesions in primary teeth, the use of SDF in the UK remains limited. This study explored dental professionals’ views and experiences of using SDF for managing carious lesions in children. In addition, it explored what they perceived to be the advantages, disadvantages, barriers and enablers to the use of SDF in practice.MethodsFifteen semi-structured face-to-face or over-the-phone interviews were conducted with 14 dental professionals from NHS Tayside and NHS Grampian in Scotland. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded and analysed using a thematic approach. ResultsThirteen of 14 dental professionals interviewed were familiar with, or had some existing knowledge of, SDF. Four had used it to treat patients. The majority of participants thought that the main advantage of SDF was that it required minimal patient cooperation. SDF was also perceived as a simple, pain-free and non-invasive treatment approach that could help acclimatise children to the dental environment. However, SDF-induced black staining of arrested carious lesions was most commonly reported as the main disadvantage and greatest barrier to using it in practice. Participants believed that this discolouration would concern some parents who may fear that the black appearance may instigate bullying at school and that others may judge parents as neglecting their child’s oral health. Participants thought that education of clinicians about SDF use and information sheets for parents would enhance the uptake of SDF in dental practice. Participants believed that younger children might not be as bothered by the discolouration as older ones and they anticipated greater acceptance of SDF for posterior primary teeth by both parents and children.ConclusionDental professionals were aware that SDF can be used for arresting carious lesions. They pointed out that the staining effect of carious lesions is a major disadvantage that could be a barrier for many parents. Participants considered the application process to be simple and non-invasive and requires a minimum level of child cooperation. Participants appreciated the potential of SDF in paediatric dentistry and suggested actions that could help overcome the barriers they highlighted.
Opposite-sex effects of the Tac2 pathway blockade in fear memory consolidation: implications for fear-related disorders
Authors: Florido Antonio , Velasco Eric , Soto Carlos , Gómez Alex , Nadal Roser , Pozo Oscar , Saura Carlos , Andero Raül
Published: August 2020

Memory formation is key for brain functioning. Uncovering the memory mechanisms is helping us to better understand neural processes in health and disease. Moreover, more specific treatments for fear-related disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder and phobias may help to decrease their negative impact on mental health. In this line, the Tachykinin 2 (Tac2) pathway in the central amygdala (CeA) has been shown to be sufficient and necessary for the modulation of fear memory consolidation. CeA-Tac2 antagonism and its pharmacogenetic temporal inhibition impairs fear memory in male mice. Surprisingly, we demonstrate here a totally opposite effect of Tac2 blockade on enhancing fear memory consolidation in females. Furthermore, we show that CeA-testosterone in males, CeA-estradiol in females and Akt/GSK3β/β-Catenin signaling in both mediate the opposite-sex differential Tac2 pathway regulation of fear memory. This study may have implications beyond memory functioning in fear-related disorders, including fields related to behavior where opposite-sex effects have not been studied in-depth or at all.
Assessment of problematic anger using an Arabic adaptation of the Dimensions of Anger Reactions Scale-5 (DAR-5)
Authors: Kakaje Ameer , Alsamara Kinda , Forbes David
Published: August 2020

Background:Anger is a normal human emotion that is a common response to potentially traumatic events and implicated in the development and maintenance of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Anger is also a risk factor for aggression and violence. With millions of Syrians having to flee and being refugees in other countries, anger was rarely assessed as there was no brief robust tool for anger in Arabic. Objective: To develop and test an Arabic version of the Dimensions of Anger Reactions 5 (DAR-5) scale, a five-question scale to screen for anger distress and problematic anger in adults and adolescentsMethod:DAR-5 was translated into Arabic, then back translated into English, and finally re-checked for accuracy. Participants were 1641 Syrian adults, (621 males and 1020 females) and 784 adolescents aged between 14-16 years old (355 male and 429 female). Only Arabic speaking participants were included. Measures included the DAR-5 Arabic version (DAR-5 A) for both samples the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS 21) for adults and the Children Revised Impact of Events Scale – 8 (CRIES-8). Results:High levels of internal reliability were reported (Cronbach’s α of .86) and factor analysis found that DAR-5-A scores fit as a single-factor model. Problematic anger rates were 35.8% and 60.3% of adults and adolescents respectively across the population using the cut-off point for DAR-5-A of ≥12. This cut off score also differentiated between scores high versus low scores on anxiety, depression and stress. Conclusions:This study reinforces the importance of assessing for anger in these populations. The DAR-5A written in formal Arabic, is a critical measure that can be used as a brief measure to assess for this problematic anger in Syrians and other Arabic-speaking communities
Comorbidity Network Analysis of Depression, Anxiety and Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Liang Li Kui , Lei Ren , Xi Luo , Zhi Feng Zheng
Published: August 2020

Background: Stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is highly correlated with depression and anxiety disorders, and there is currently a lack of understanding of the comorbidity network of these disorders. The purpose of this study is to explore the comorbidity network of depression, anxiety and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic through network analysis.Method: 887 participants are conducted a DASS 21 mental state survey across the country from February 18 to 22 in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in China. The network analysis method was used to explore the network relationship between these disorders, including the use of indicators of expected influence and bridge expected influence to explain the centrality of the network.Results: The strongest six edges were the connections between the symptoms within each group, including three depressive symptom edges initiative-anhedonia, hopeless-meaningless and worthless-meaningless, one anxiety symptom edge dyspneic-heart sick and two stress symptom edges over reactive-touchy and agitated-relax. Centrality indicators show that symptoms blue, relax, and intolerable have the strongest expected influence centrality. The results show that symptoms intolerable, sad mood and blue have the strongest bridge expected influence centrality.Conclusion: We found that symptoms blue, intolerable and relax are the core ones in the network, while dry and heartsick are less important ones. In addition, symptoms intolerable, sad mood and blue were also found to have the strongest bridge symptoms. Interventions against the core symptoms in this study will be more precise.
Gut microbiota and fecal metabolites in captive and wild North China leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis) by comparsion using 16s rRNA gene sequencing and LC/MS-based metabolomics
Authors: Hua Yan , cao Heqin , Wang Jiao , He Fengping , Jiang Guangshun
Published: August 2020

Background: Gut microbes significantly contribute to nutrient digestion and absorption, intestinal health and immunity, and are essential for the survival and environmental adaptation of wild animals. However, there are few studies on the gut microbiota of captive and wild North China leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis). Results: A total of 10 mainly bacterial phyla were identified in the fecal microbiota of North China leopard, Lachnoclostridium (p = 0.003), Peptoclostridium (p = 0.005), Bacteroides (p =0.008), Fusobacterium (p = 0.017) and Collinsella (p = 0.019) were significantly higher than those of wild North China leopard. Distinct differences in the fecal metabolic phenotypes of captive and wild North China leopard were found, such as content of l-methionine, n-acetyl-l-tyrosine, pentadecanoic acid and oleic acid. Differentially abundant gut microbes were associated with fecal metabolites, especially the bacteria in Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, involved in the metabolism of N-acetyl-L-alanine and D-quinovose.Conclusion: This study reports for the first time the differences in gut microbiota abundance between captive and wild North China leopard, as well as significant differences in fecal metabolic phenotypes between two groups.
WITHDRAWN: The Influence of the Expression of Personality Traits on Growing Intensity of Interdialytic Disorders and Change of Pro-Health Behaviours in CKD Patients.
Authors: Lech Magdalena , Adrian Lech , Stanisław Niemczyk , Arkadiusz Lubas
Published: August 2020

Background: Personality traits can change in the course of chronic disease and affect health behaviour. The aim of the work was to assess the influence of socio-demographic and clinical factors on the expression of personality traits and their relationship with more intense interdialytic disorders and change in health behaviours of patients suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD).Methods: A total of 200 participants were recruited for the research (84 F, 116 M; age 61 ±12 years): 160 patients with CKD stage G4-G5 and 40 healthy persons constituting a control group. A diagnostic poll method was used in the research employing the following questionnaires to collect socio-demographic and clinical data: Health Behaviour Inventory (IZZ), Personality Inventory (NEO-FFI), Beck Depression Inventory and Researcher’s Questionnaire Test.Results: Statistically significant differences were found in the intensity of personal traits at different stages of treatment. The patients in the pre-dialysis period revealed more openness to new experiences and more extraversion than those who were hemodialysed. The influence of factors resulting from CKD on the expression of personality traits increased with subsequent stages of treatment. Depression intensity, according to the Beck Depression Inventory, was not connected with the expression of personality traits. A higher frequency of reported interdialytic disorders was significantly related to a higher degree of openness and conscientiousness and a lower degree of agreeableness. Increased extraversion, conscientiousness and openness significantly correlated with more intense health behaviours.Conclusions: Personalities of patients with CKD change with subsequent stages of treatment and undergo the influence of socio-demographic and clinical factors. Personalities affect the frequency of reported interdialytic disorders and revealed health behaviour.
How implementation of “Joy of Life” are experienced by the employees: A qualitative study
Authors: Andre Beate , Grønning RN. Kjersti , Jacobsen Frode F. , Haugan Gørill
Published: August 2020

Background: Nursing homes are under strong pressure to provide good care to the patients. In Norway, municipalities have applied the ‘Joy-of-Life-Nursing-Homes’ strategy to increase a health-promoting perception that focuses on the older persons` resources. Implementations represent introducing changes to the health professionals; however, changing one’s working approaches, routines and working culture may be demanding. On this background we explored how the ‘Joy-of-Life-Nursing-Homes’ strategy is perceived by the employees, before and after the implementation and which challenges the employees experience with this implementation.Method: We used a qualitative approach and interviewed 14 healthcare personnel working in nursing homes in one Norwegian municipality which had implemented the ‘Joy-of-Life-Nursing-Homes’ strategy. The analysis was conducted following Kvale’s approach to qualitative analysis.Results: The main categories after the data condensing were (a) the characteristics of care activities before implementations of ‘Joy-of-Life-Nursing-Homes’, (b) how ‘Joy-of-Life-Nursing-Homes’ influenced the care activities, and (c) challenges with the implementation of ‘Joy-of-Life-Nursing-Homes’. Some of the informants spoke well about the implementation concerning the quality of the care, as one stated “to see the joy in the eyes of the patient then I feel we have succeeded”. For informants who experienced resistance toward the implementation, they feel that it is too much to document, it is too complicated, and the requirements are too many. Conclusions: Quality of care for the patients seems to have increased after the implementation. Nevertheless, the fact that the informants seemed to be divided into two different groups related to their main perspective of the implementation is concerning. One group has positive experiences with the implementations process and the benefits of it, while the other group focuses on lack of benefits and problems with the implementation process.
A level set-based approach for modeling cellular rearrangements in tissue morphogenesis
Authors: Mohammad Rhudaina Z. , Murakawa Hideki , Svadlenka Karel , Togashi Hideru
Published: August 2020

Mathematical models and numerical simulations can provide an essential insight into the mechanisms through which local cell-cell interactions affect tissue-level cell morphology. Among such morphological phenomena, cellular patterns observed in developing sensory epithelia have gained keen attention of researchers in recent years, because they are thought to be of utmost importance for accurate sensory functions. However, most of current computational approaches to cellular rearrangements lack solid mathematical background and involve experimentally unreachable parameters, whereby only weak and ambiguous conclusions can be made based on simulation results. Here we present a simple mathematical model for tissue morphogenesis together with a level set-based numerical scheme for its solution as a tool to rigorously investigate evolving cellular patterns. This combined framework of a model and a numerical method features minimum possible number of physical parameters and guarantees reliability of simulation results, including correct handling of topology changes, such as cell intercalations. In this framework, we adopt the viewpoint of free energy minimization principle, and take cellular rearrangement as a gradient flow of a weighted surface energy associated with cell membrane, where the weights are related to physical parameters of the cells, for example, cell-cell adhesion and cell contractility. We present the applicability of this model to a wide range of tissue morphological phenomena, such as cell sorting, engulfment or internalization. In particular, we stress that this method is the first one to be successful in computationally reproducing the experimentally observed development of cellular mosaic patterns in sensory epithelia. Thanks to its simplicity and reliability, the model is able to capture the essence of biological phenomena, and may give a strong helping hand in deciphering unsolved questions of morphology.
Closing the gaps in defining and conceptualising acceptability of healthcare: A synthesis review and thematic content analysis
Authors: Bucyibaruta Blaise Joy , Peu Doriccah , Bamford Lesley , Wath Annatjie van der
Published: August 2020

Background: Acceptability of healthcare is gaining ground in public health research and practice. Overlooking healthcare acceptability when designing, implementing, monitoring and assessing healthcare interventions may lead to those interventions failing. Despite the importance of acceptability, the public health community still has to agree on an explicit definition and conceptual framework of acceptability. We considered different definitions and conceptual frameworks of healthcare acceptability, and identified commonalities to develop an integrated definition of healthcare acceptability. Methods: We conducted a synthesis review and thematic content analysis of research articles that attempt to define healthcare acceptability. We searched online databases including MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar for relevant articles. The retained articles were imported into ATLAS.ti 8.4. Using thematic content analysis, we deductively and inductively coded categories and themes related to definitions and frameworks of healthcare acceptability. Results: Our review of the literature described the complexity of healthcare acceptability. The concept of acceptability remains poorly defined limiting its application in public health. We propose a definition of acceptability that includes the needs and expectations of the healthcare recipient, healthcare provider as well as the capacity of the healthcare systems. We define acceptability as a multi-construct concept describing nonlinear cumulative combination in parts or in whole of expected and experienced degree of healthcare from patient, provider or health systems and policy perspectives in a given context. We provide a conceptual framework of acceptability, applicable to the public health research and practice. Conclusion: We present a definition of acceptability that can be applied to different actors of public health including patients, providers, and health systems or policy. The proposed definition of acceptability, together with the conceptual framework provides a coherent conceptualisation that can be used by the broader public health community.
Lifestyle coaches as a central professional in the health care network? Dynamic changes over time using a network analysis
Authors: Rinsum Celeste E van , Gerards Sanne MPL , Rutten Geert M , de Goor Ien AM van , Kremers Stef PJ , Mercken Liesbeth
Published: August 2020

Background Overweight and obesity are problems that are increasing globally in both children as well as adults, and may be prevented by adopting a healthier lifestyle. Lifestyle coaches counsel overweight and obese children (and their parents) as well as adults in initiating and maintaining healthier lifestyle behaviours. It is currently unclear whether this novel professional in the Dutch health care system functions as a linchpin in networks that evolve around lifestyle-related health problems. The aim of the present study is to investigate the formation and development of networks of lifestyle coaches and their positions within these networks. Methods In this longitudinal study, key professionals and professionals within relevant organisations in the Coaching on Lifestyle (CooL) care networks were asked to fill in three online questionnaires. Respondents were asked to indicate whether they collaborated with each of the specified professionals in the context of CooL. The overall network structures and the central role of the lifestyle coaches were examined by using network analysis. Results The results showed that the networks in three out of four regions were relatively centralised, but that none of the networks were dense, and that the professionals seemed to collaborate less with others over time. Half of the lifestyle coaches had a high number of collaborations and a central position within their networks, which also increased over time. In half of the regions, the lifestyle coaches had increased their role as consultants, while their role as gatekeeper and liaison decreased over time. In most regions, the sector of lifestyle coaches had a central position in their networks in just one measurement. Other central sectors were the local sports organisation, public health services, youth health care and the municipal government. Conclusions Overall, we cannot conclude that more central and denser networks were formed during the study period. In addition, the lifestyle coaches were not often positioned as a central sector within these networks. Entrepreneurial, network and brokering competences are required for lifestyle coaches to build up denser networks. Trial registration: NTR6208; date registered: 13–01-2017; retrospectively registered; Netherlands Trial Register.