bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bactericidal activity of Piper betle L. extract against antibiotic resistant Salmonella spp. isolated from pig farms in Southern Thailand
Authors:   Akkhraratchakumari Veterinary College, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand, Boripun Ratchadaporn ,   One Health Research Center, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand, Paopradit Panida ,   Faculty of Agriculture, Princess of Naradhiwas University, Narathiwas 96000, Thailand, Prampramote Jindarha ,   School of Agricultural Technology and food Industry Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand, Narinthorn Ruethai ,   Akkhraratchakumari Veterinary College, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand, Intongead Sutsiree ,   Akkhraratchakumari Veterinary College, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand, Sangkanu Suthinee ,   School of Allied Health Sciences, Southeast Asia Water Team (SEA Water Team) and World Union for Herbal Drug Discovery (WUHeDD), Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand, Narongrit Tanapat ,   Division of Biological Science, Faculty of sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand, Mitsuwan Watcharapong ,   Akkhraratchakumari Veterinary College, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand,   One Health Research Center, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand,   Center of Excellence in Innovation of Essential Oil, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand
Published: September 2022

Piper betle L. leaves have traditionally been used to treat various infectious diseases and to possess a wide spectrum of pharmacological effects. This study aimed to determine the antibacterial activity of the Piper betle leaf extract against antibiotic resistant Salmonella spp. isolated from pig farms located in Southern Thailand. Of this, 12 Salmonella spp. isolates were isolated from 24 pig fecal samples from 24 pig farms. The isolates were resistant to ampicillin (91.67%), penicillin (91.67%), tetracycline (81.81%), and doxycycline (81.81%). Antibacterial activity of the Piper betle ethanolic leaf extract against Salmonella spp. was carried out by disc diffusion assays, followed by Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and Minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) determination, as well as Time kill study. Piper betle extract exhibited antibacterial activity against all the isolates and S. Typhimurium with the inhibition zone ranged from 15.11 ± 0.34 to 20.30 ± 0.50 mm as observed by disc diffusion assay. The extract showed bactericidal activity against the isolates with the MIC and MBC values ranging from 0.5-1.0 mg/mL. Furthermore, the extract at 4 × MIC showed the killing activity with the reduction of the pathogen at least 3 logs within 8 h. The information suggests potential medicinal benefits of the Piper betle leaf extract to inhibit the growth of antibiotic resistant Salmonella spp. isolated from pig farms.
Effect of dietary green tea extract supplementation in growing-finishing pigs on growth performance, meat quality, and oxidative stability of pork
Authors:   Department of Animal and Aquatic Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Norkeaw Rakkiat , Arjin Chaiwat ,   Department of Animal and Aquatic Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Sartsook Apinya ,   Department of Animal and Aquatic Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Hnokaew Patipan ,   Department of Animal and Aquatic Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Thongkham Marninphan ,   Department of Animal and Aquatic Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Detruengsri Boonyarat ,   Department of Animal and Aquatic Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Chaiwang Niraporn ,   Department of Agricultural Technology and Development, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand, Mekchay Supamit ,   Department of Animal and Aquatic Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand,   Cluster of Research and Development of Pharmaceutical and Natural Products Innovation for Human or Animal, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Yano Terdsak ,   Department of Food Animal Clinics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand, Sringarm Korawan ,   Department of Animal and Aquatic Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand,   Cluster of Research and Development of Pharmaceutical and Natural Products Innovation for Human or Animal, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Published: September 2022

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with green tea extract on the growth performance, meat quality and oxidative stability of the longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle in growing-finishing pigs. A total of 16 crossbred pigs, half females and half males, were randomly assigned to 2 dietary treatments. This experiment lasted 9 weeks and included grower and finisher periods. The experimental diets in each period were a standard diet (control) and the standard diet supplemented with green tea extract at 500 mg/kg diet. Dietary supplementation with green tea extract did not affect the animal performance and meat quality parameters. However, dietary green tea extract improved the oxidative stability of the LTL muscle during storage at 4 °C for 6 d. Sensory characteristics were not impacted by green tea extract supplementation. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of pig diets with green tea extract at 500 mg/kg diet can be used to prevent lipid oxidation in pork.
Knowledge and practice of bovine tuberculosis among occupational workers in abattoirs in Abuja
Authors:   Agric and Rural Development Secretariat, Federal Capital Territory Administration, Abuja 900103, Nigeria, Muhammad Hajara Asabe , Kyari Stephen ,   Department of veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State 810107, Nigeria
Published: September 2022

Zoonotic tuberculosis particularly those caused by Mycobaterium bovis is increasingly of importance especially since the emergence of HIV/AIDS, posing a serious public health threat to human population. The aim of the study was to determine the knowledge and practice of Bovine tuberculosis among occupational workers in abattoir in Abuja. A total of 389 questionnaire were administered to butchers and meat sellers in the randomly selected abattoir in four selected area councils. Data were analysed using Chi-square at a ρ<0.05 level of significant and descriptive statistics such as percentages. Out of 384 of the respondents, 95.1% were males while 4.9% were females; 96.9% were between that of 18-45; 57% had secondary education; 61.2% had 1 to 10 years working experience. Based on knowledge, 67.4% knew bovine tuberculosis to be zoonotic; 20.1% and 36.2% knew transmission could be from infected milk and meat respectively; 53.9% and 49.0% knew emaciation and respiratory distress as signs in cattle respectively; 72.1% and 54.9% of the respondents knew tuberculosis lesions to be of pulmonary and extrapulmonary regions respectively. Based on practice, 34.9% do nothing when they see abnormal lesions while 24.5% call the veterinarian; 31.0% and 9.9% of respondent use boot and mask as protective clothing respectively; 43.2% wash their hands and knife with water and soap while 10.9% use disinfectant. The findings of this study revealed that butchers and meat sellers have acquired knowledge about the nature of tuberculosis lesions through repeated meat inspection carried out by veterinarians in Abuja abattoirs.
Current Concepts in Regional Analgesia Techniques for Postoperative Pain Management after Total Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Narrative Review
Authors: Khare Prasanna , Kashyapi Rijuta , Ranade Manjiri
Published: September 2022

Postoperative pain management after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) can be challenging. Interscalene brachial plexus block, which is administered either as since injection (ssISB) or with continuous catheter (ccISB) technique, is the gold standard. Ultrasonography (USG) guidance facilitates a faster, more accurate block with a lower local anaesthetic volume in ssISB. USG also helps for accurate catheter placement in ccISB. Hemi-diaphragmatic palsy is a common complication of ISB. This can be a major concern for patients with a respiratory compromise so it necessitates the administration of diaphragm-sparing nerve blocks. Phrenic nerve sparing block like suprascapular nerve block (SSNB) singly or along with axillary nerve block, subomohyoid anterior suprascapular block, superior trunk block, erector spinae plane block, individually, provide perioperative analgesia non-inferior to ISB. Subacromial or intraarticular infiltration of local anaesthesia (SAIA) is not recommended due to its limited clinical efficacy. Extended analgesic effects have been observed with liposomal bupivacaine when used as a field block. This article provides an overview of regional anaesthesia techniques for postoperative analgesia following Total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) Keywords: Shoulder arthroplasty, Pain management, Regional anaesthesia, Interscalene brachial plexus block
Serratus Anterior Block for Rib Fractures: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Zhen Lijiin , Bright Matthew , McHugh Matthew , Reardon Damon , White Leigh
Published: September 2022

Background: Effective analgesia is the mainstay of the management of traumatic rib fractures. Serratus anterior block is a newer regional anaesthesia technique used in traumatic rib fractures which may have a favourable safety profile compared to other regional techniques. There is currently a lack of evidence for serratus anterior block and its role in the improvement of mortality, pain, duration of stay and pulmonary complications in patients with traumatic rib fractures in comparison to other regional anaesthesia techniques. Methods: Web of Science and PubMed were searched from inception until April 2022 for studies reporting on the use of a serratus anterior block compared to another therapy for the management of traumatic rib fractures. Primary outcomes were measures of analgesic efficacy. Secondary outcomes were the incidence of intervention related adverse events, hospital length of stay, intensive care unit length of stay and mortality. Results: Seven studies with 649 patients were included. No significant difference was found between serratus anterior block and intravenous opiates in terms of resting pain scores and achievement of mild or no pain after the chosen intervention(p>0.05). There was a statistically, but not clinically significant difference post block pain scores compared to other regional techniques (WMD= 0.63; 95% CI= 0.45 to 0.80; p< 0.00001). Significant differences were found in favour of blocks, specifically thoracic epidural and paravertebral blocks over serratus anterior block in terms of achieving mild or no pain after the block (OR= 0.54; 95% CI=0.32 to 0.90; I2= 0%; p= 0.02). No significant difference was found for any other outcomes. Conclusions: Current literature comparing the serratus anterior block to alternative analgesic options is limited by the end points assessing block success. No data was available assessing the effect on pain during deep inspiration and coughing. This meta-analysis demonstrated similar analgesic efficacy to other regional anaesthesia techniques but a lower incidence of mild or no pain post block compared to traditional epidural or paravertebral techniques. Future studies need to be directed towards important outcomes such as dynamic pain scores and respiratory complication rates. Keywords: Rib fractures, Serratus Anterior, Chest trauma
VERTa: una métrica de evaluación de la traducción automática
Authors: Comelles Elisabet
Published: September 2022

Resumen: Este artículo presenta VERTa (https://github.com/jatserias/VERTa para la versión completa y http://grial.ub.edu:8080/VERTaDemo/ para la demo online en español), una métrica de evaluación de la traducción automática (TA) para el inglés y el español. VERTa es una métrica que utiliza información lingüística para evaluar frases traducidas automáticamente, a través de la comparación de dichas frases con frases traducidas por traductores humanos. A diferencia de otras métricas, VERTa proporciona no tan solo una puntuación por cada frase, sino también un análisis más cualitativo de los resultados obtenidos. El artículo analiza los pasos que se llevaron a cabo antes de diseñar e implementar la métrica: el estudio lingüístico del corpus de desarrollo para encontrar aquellas características más significativas que la métrica debía poder cubrir y las herramientas de procesamiento del texto que debían aplicarse a los segmentos comparados. Más adelante se describen los diferentes módulos que forman la métrica y la información que aportan, junto con ejemplos de la información que recibe el usuario. Aunque VERTa es una métrica de evaluación de la TA, se diferencia del resto en que durante su desarrollo se puso especial énfasis en analizar la información lingüística que debía aportar al usuario, para ir más allá de una mera puntuación del segmento traducido y poder servir como una primera guía cualitativa para detectar los errores de la traducción automática. En consecuencia, VERTa puede utilizarse en el área del aprendizaje, de la enseñanza y de la evaluación del inglés y del español como segundas lenguas y como lenguas extranjeras, así como en la investigación en este campo.
Generalism drives abundance: A computational causal discovery approach
Authors: Song Chuliang , Simmons Benno I. , Fortin Marie-Josée , Gonzalez Andrew
Published: September 2022

A ubiquitous pattern in ecological systems is that more abundant species tend to be more generalist; that is, they interact with more species or can occur in wider range of habitats. However, there is no consensus on whether generalism drives abundance (a selection process) or abundance drives generalism (a drift process). As it is difficult to conduct direct experiments to solve this chicken-and-egg dilemma, previous studies have used a causal discovery method based on formal logic and have found that abundance drives generalism. Here, we refine this method by correcting its bias regarding skewed distributions, and employ two other independent causal discovery methods based on nonparametric regression and on information theory, respectively. Contrary to previous work, all three independent methods strongly indicate that generalism drives abundance when applied to datasets on plant-hummingbird communities and reef fishes. Furthermore, we find that selection processes are more important than drift processes in structuring multispecies systems when the environment is variable. Our results showcase the power of the computational causal discovery approach to aid ecological research.
Epidemiological characteristics and spatiotemporal patterns of scrub typhus in Fujian province during 2012–2020
Authors: Qian Li , Wang Yong , Wei Xianyu , Liu Ping , Magalhaes Ricardo J. Soares , Qian Quan , Peng Hong , Wen Liang , Xu Yuanyong , Sun Hailong , Yin Wenwu , Zhang Wenyi
Published: September 2022

Background

Scrub typhus has become a serious public health concern in the Asia-Pacific region including China. There were new natural foci continuously recognized and dramatically increased reported cases in mainland China. However, the epidemiological characteristics and spatiotemporal patterns of scrub typhus in Fujian province have yet to be investigated.

Objective

This study proposes to explore demographic characteristics and spatiotemporal dynamics of scrub typhus cases in Fujian province, and to detect high-risk regions between January 2012 and December 2020 at county/district scale and thereby help in devising public health strategies to improve scrub typhus prevention and control measures.

Method

Monthly cases of scrub typhus reported at the county level in Fujian province during 2012–2020 were collected from the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System. Time-series analyses, spatial autocorrelation analyses and space-time scan statistics were applied to identify and visualize the spatiotemporal patterns of scrub typhus cases in Fujian province. The demographic differences of scrub typhus cases from high-risk and low-risk counties in Fujian province were also compared.

Results

A total of 11,859 scrub typhus cases reported in 87 counties from Fujian province were analyzed and the incidence showed an increasing trend from 2012 (2.31 per 100,000) to 2020 (3.20 per 100,000) with a peak in 2018 (4.59 per 100,000). There existed two seasonal peaks in June-July and September-October every year in Fujian province. A significant positive spatial autocorrelation of scrub typhus incidence in Fujian province was observed with Moran’s I values ranging from 0.258 to 0.471 (P<0.001). Several distinct spatiotemporal clusters mainly concentrated in north and southern parts of Fujian province. Compared to low-risk regions, a greater proportion of cases were female, farmer, and older residents in high-risk counties.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate a clear spatiotemporal heterogeneity of scrub typhus cases in Fujian province, and provide the evidence in directing future researches on risk factors and effectively assist local health authorities in the refinement of public health interventions against scrub typhus transmission in the high risk regions.
Use the right kidney contour as a landmark in adrenal vein sampling
Authors: Qian Jun , Du Yun , Yang Gang , Yao Yuanqing , Xiong Bo , Rong Shunkang , Dai Weiran , Jiang Yonghong , Zhu Que , Deng Changming , Liu Dichuan , Huang Jing
Published: September 2022

Adrenal Vein Sampling (AVS) is the gold standard for categorizing primary aldosteronism (PA). However, catheterization of the right adrenal vein (RAV) is challenging due the small size and variable location. This study aims to explore the relationship between the RAV orifice and the right kidney contour (RKC) on fluoroscopy, thus evaluating the potential of use the RKC as an anatomic marker for localizing RAV. Imaging data of 107 PA patients with successful bilateral AVS were retrospectively analyzed. Based on the body mass index (BMI), all patients were divided into the Normal Group (BMI < 24 kg/m2), Overweight Group (24 kg/m2 ≤ BMI < 28 kg/m2) and Obese Group (BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2). At the anterior view, the height level of RAV orifice was determined relative to vertebral bodies and disks. The distance from the RAV orifice to the upper edge of RKC was measured manually. The RAV orifice height level was mainly distributed from vertebral T11 to T12 (90.6%), and tended to be higher in patients with a larger BMI. The mean distance from the RAV orifice to the upper edge of RKC was 13.9±7.8mm, and had no difference among Normal group (n = 53, 14.1±8.2mm), Overweight group (n = 39, 13.7±8.0mm), and Obese group (n = 15, 13.9±5.5mm) (p = 0.981). Based on these findings, the RKC might be used as a landmark for localizing RAV on fluoroscopy, which is conductive to narrow down the exploration range and increase the success rate of RAV catheterization.
Percutaneous coronary intervention using new-generation drug-eluting stents versus coronary arterial bypass grafting in stable patients with multi-vessel coronary artery disease: From the CREDO-Kyoto PCI/CABG registry Cohort-3
Authors: Watanabe Hiroki , Yamamoto Ko , Shiomi Hiroki , Morimoto Takeshi , Kato Eri , Matsumura Yukiko , Nakatsuma Kenji , Takeji Yasuaki , Yaku Hidenori , Yamamoto Erika , Yamashita Yugo , Yoshikawa Yusuke , Fuki Masayuki , Yamaji Kyohei , Ehara Natsuhiko , Sakamoto Hiroki , Imada Kazuaki , Tada Takeshi , Taniguchi Ryoji , Nishikawa Ryusuke , Tada Tomohisa , Uegaito Takashi , Ogawa Tatsuya , Yamada Miho , Takeda Teruki , Eizawa Hiroshi , Tamura Nobushige , Tambara Keiichi , Suwa Satoru , Shirotani Manabu , Tamura Toshihiro , Inoko Moriaki , Nishizawa Junichiro , Natsuaki Masahiro , Sakai Hiroshi , Yamamoto Takashi , Kanemitsu Naoki , Ohno Nobuhisa , Ishii Katsuhisa , Marui Akira , Tsuneyoshi Hiroshi , Terai Yasuhiko , Nakayama Shogo , Yamazaki Kazuhiro , Takahashi Mamoru , Tamura Takashi , Esaki Jiro , Miki Shinji , Onodera Tomoya , Mabuchi Hiroshi , Furukawa Yutaka , Tanaka Masaru , Komiya Tatsuhiko , Soga Yoshiharu , Hanyu Michiya , Ando Kenji , Kadota Kazushige , Minatoya Kenji , Nakagawa Yoshihisa , Kimura Takeshi ,   On behalf the CREDO-Kyoto PCI/CABG Registry Cohort-3 Investigators
Published: September 2022

Aims

There is a scarcity of studies comparing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using new-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with multi-vessel coronary artery disease.

Methods and results

The CREDO-Kyoto PCI/CABG registry Cohort-3 enrolled 14927 consecutive patients who underwent first coronary revascularization with PCI or isolated CABG between January 2011 and December 2013. The current study population consisted of 2464 patients who underwent multi-vessel coronary revascularization including revascularization of left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) either with PCI using new-generation DES (N = 1565), or with CABG (N = 899). Patients in the PCI group were older and more often had severe frailty, but had less complex coronary anatomy, and less complete revascularization than those in the CABG group. Cumulative 5-year incidence of a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction or stroke was not significantly different between the 2 groups (25.0% versus 21.5%, P = 0.15). However, after adjusting confounders, the excess risk of PCI relative to CABG turned to be significant for the composite endpoint (HR 1.27, 95%CI 1.04–1.55, P = 0.02). PCI as compared with CABG was associated with comparable adjusted risk for all-cause death (HR 1.22, 95%CI 0.96–1.55, P = 0.11), and stroke (HR 1.17, 95%CI 0.79–1.73, P = 0.44), but with excess adjusted risk for myocardial infarction (HR 1.58, 95%CI 1.05–2.39, P = 0.03), and any coronary revascularization (HR 2.66, 95%CI 2.06–3.43, P<0.0001).

Conclusions

In this observational study, PCI with new-generation DES as compared with CABG was associated with excess long-term risk for major cardiovascular events in patients who underwent multi-vessel coronary revascularization including LAD.
Sexual and addictive risk behaviors and sexually transmitted infections in illegal gold miners in French Guiana: A multicenter observational study
Authors: Mutricy-Hureau Louise , Pisoni Amandine , Suarez-Mutis Martha , Figueira da Silva Amanda , Lambert Yann , Mespoulhe Pauline , Godin Audrey , Parriault Marie-Claire , Van Melle Astrid , Mosnier Emilie , Gaillet Mélanie , Michaud Céline , Schaub Roxane , Galindo Muriel , Adenis Antoine , Nacher Mathieu , Vreden Stephen , Tuaillon Edouard , Douine Maylis
Published: September 2022

Objectives

Common representations of the world of gold mining–especially illegal–are usually negative: the activity conjures up images of drug trafficking, human exploitation, the sex trade, environmental destruction, and infectious diseases, in particular sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The aim of the present article is to describe the levels of risk behaviors such as transactional sex, multiple sexual partners, and the frequency of condom use, addictive substance consumption, and the prevalence of STIs among the population of illegal gold miners in French Guiana (FG), a French overseas entity in Amazonia, in order to guide potential interventions.

Methods

An observational multicenter cross-sectional study was carried out from October to December 2019 along the two borders of FG with Suriname and Brazil at rest sites used by the miners.

Results

Among the 499 participants, transactional sex was very prevalent, declared by 33.5% of men and 8.4% of women. Condoms were more frequently used for transactional sex than with a non-commercial partner (93.4% versus 42.1%). More women were tested for HIV than men (91.1% versus 55.2%). Excessive alcohol consumption (57.3%%) and tobacco use (41.2%) were very frequent, but cocaine or crack consumption was low (1.2%), which refuted our initial assumption. Consumers of alcohol had more sexual partners and reported condom use more frequently. Prevalence of HIV, HCV, HBV, and syphilis was respectively 0.5% (95% CI: 0.1–2.1), 2.1% (95% CI: 0.7–3.6), 1.6% (95% CI: 0.3–2.8), and 12.4% (95% CI: 9.0–15.7), which was higher than in the local population, especially for syphilis.

Conclusion

This study documents for the first time the risk behaviors of gold miners in FG. Although the level of condom use was high, the prevalence of STIs combined with the high rate of transactional sex should encourage an increase in prevention and screening, in particular through rapid tests, given the mobility of the population concerned.
Prognostic significance of the urokinase plasminogen activator system in tissue and serum of dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma
Authors: Matsuyama Arata , Wood Geoffrey A. , Speare Rachael , Schott Courtney R. , Mutsaers Anthony J.
Published: September 2022

Urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor uPAR promote cancer invasion and metastasis and are emerging therapeutic targets in both human and canine malignancies. While their clinical significance is well-characterized in multiple human tumor types, studies investigating their roles in osteosarcoma are lacking. The objectives of this study were to characterize serum and tissue uPA/uPAR expression in dogs with osteosarcoma and assess the prognostic significance. Serum samples and a tissue microarray of canine appendicular osteosarcoma were analyzed for uPA and uPAR expression by ELISA (n = 49) and immunohistochemistry (n = 38), respectively. Serum uPA activity was also measured by a chromogenic assay (n = 25). Survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, log rank test, and Cox regression analysis. Serum uPA level was significantly higher in dogs with osteosarcoma than clinically healthy control dogs (median 1905 vs 1440 pg/ml, p = 0.008). The majority of canine osteosarcoma tissues expressed uPA (75.9%) or uPAR (77.6%), with 70.7% dual-positivity, indicating autocrine/paracrine activation of the pathway. Survival analysis revealed shorter progression free survival (PFS) in dogs with high serum uPA level in a discovery cohort (n = 29; median PFS 94 vs 266 days, p = 0.003) but not in a validation cohort (n = 23; median PFS 167 vs 490 days, p = 0.16). The difference was significant when both cohorts were combined (n = 49; median PFS 128 vs 266 days, p = 0.003). Serum uPAR and tissue uPA/uPAR levels were not prognostic. In Cox multivariate analysis, high serum uPA level and activity were both associated with poor prognosis, independent of serum ALP, tumor location, and peripheral lymphocyte/monocyte counts. These results indicate high utilization of the uPA pathway and association with disease progression in canine osteosarcoma. Further study involving prospective evaluation to confirm the prognostic significance is warranted. The high prevalence of tissue uPA and uPAR expression suggests the uPA system as a potential therapeutic target in canine osteosarcoma.
Iron deficiency and common neurodevelopmental disorders—A scoping review
Authors: McWilliams Scout , Singh Ishmeet , Leung Wayne , Stockler Sylvia , Ipsiroglu Osman S.
Published: September 2022

Background

A wealth of human and experimental studies document a causal and aggravating role of iron deficiency in neurodevelopmental disorders. While pre-, peri-, and early postnatal iron deficiency sets the stage for the risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders, iron deficiency acquired at later ages aggravates pre-existing neurodevelopmental disorders. Yet, the association of iron deficiency and neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and adolescence has not yet been explored comprehensively.

In this scoping review, we investigate 1) the association of iron deficiency in children and adolescents with the most frequent neurodevelopmental disorders, ADHD, ASD, and FASD, and 2) whether iron supplementation improves outcomes in these disorders.

Method

Scoping review of studies published between 1994 and 2021 using “iron deficiency / iron deficiency anemia” AND “ADHD” OR “autism” OR “FASD” in four biomedical databases. The main inclusion criterion was that articles needed to have quantitative determination of iron status at any postnatal age with primary iron markers such as serum ferritin being reported in association with ADHD, ASD, or FASD.

Results

For ADHD, 22/30 studies and 4/4 systematic reviews showed an association of ADHD occurrence or severity with iron deficiency; 6/6 treatment studies including 2 randomized controlled trials demonstrated positive effects of iron supplementation. For ASD, 3/6 studies showed an association with iron deficiency, while 3/6 and 1/1 systematic literature review did not; 4 studies showed a variety of prevalence rates of iron deficiency in ASD populations; 1 randomized controlled trial found no positive effect of iron supplementation on behavioural symptoms of ASD. For FASD, 2/2 studies showed an association of iron deficiency with growth retardation in infants and children with prenatal alcohol exposure.

Conclusion

Evidence in favor of screening for iron deficiency and using iron supplementation for pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders comes primarily from ADHD studies and needs to be further investigated for ASD and FASD. Further analysis of study methodologies employed and populations investigated is needed to compare studies against each other and further substantiate the evidence created.
Developing a common data model approach for DISCOVER CKD: A retrospective, global cohort of real-world patients with chronic kidney disease
Authors: Kumar Supriya , Arnold Matthew , James Glen , Padman Rema
Published: September 2022

Objectives

To describe a flexible common data model (CDM) approach that can be efficiently tailored to study-specific needs to facilitate pooled patient-level analysis and aggregated/meta-analysis of routinely collected retrospective patient data from disparate data sources; and to detail the application of this CDM approach to the DISCOVER CKD retrospective cohort, a longitudinal database of routinely collected (secondary) patient data of individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods

The flexible CDM approach incorporated three independent, exchangeable components that preceded data mapping and data model implementation: (1) standardized code lists (unifying medical events from different coding systems); (2) laboratory unit harmonization tables; and (3) base cohort definitions. Events between different coding vocabularies were not mapped code-to-code; for each data source, code lists of labels were curated at the entity/event level. A study team of epidemiologists, clinicians, informaticists, and data scientists were included within the validation of each component.

Results

Applying the CDM to the DISCOVER CKD retrospective cohort, secondary data from 1,857,593 patients with CKD were harmonized from five data sources, across three countries, into a discrete database for rapid real-world evidence generation.

Conclusions

This flexible CDM approach facilitates evidence generation from real-world data within the DISCOVER CKD retrospective cohort, providing novel insights into the epidemiology of CKD that may expedite improvements in diagnosis, prognosis, early intervention, and disease management. The adaptable architecture of this CDM approach ensures scalable, fast, and efficient application within other therapy areas to facilitate the combined analysis of different types of secondary data from multiple, heterogeneous sources.
MetaWorks: A flexible, scalable bioinformatic pipeline for high-throughput multi-marker biodiversity assessments
Authors: Porter Teresita M. , Hajibabaei Mehrdad
Published: September 2022

Multi-marker metabarcoding is increasingly being used to generate biodiversity information across different domains of life from microbes to fungi to animals such as for molecular ecology and biomonitoring applications in different sectors from academic research to regulatory agencies and industry. Current popular bioinformatic pipelines support microbial and fungal marker analysis, while ad hoc methods are often used to process animal metabarcode markers from the same study. MetaWorks provides a harmonized processing environment, pipeline, and taxonomic assignment approach for demultiplexed Illumina reads for all biota using a wide range of metabarcoding markers such as 16S, ITS, and COI. A Conda environment is provided to quickly gather most of the programs and dependencies for the pipeline. Several workflows are provided such as: taxonomically assigning exact sequence variants, provides an option to generate operational taxonomic units, and facilitates single-read processing. Pipelines are automated using Snakemake to minimize user intervention and facilitate scalability. All pipelines use the RDP classifier to provide taxonomic assignments with confidence measures. We extend the functionality of the RDP classifier for taxonomically assigning 16S (bacteria), ITS (fungi), and 28S (fungi), to also support COI (eukaryotes), rbcL (eukaryotes, land plants, diatoms), 12S (fish, vertebrates), 18S (eukaryotes, diatoms) and ITS (fungi, plants). MetaWorks properly handles ITS by trimming flanking conserved rRNA gene regions as well as protein coding genes by providing two options for removing obvious pseudogenes. MetaWorks can be downloaded fromhttps://github.com/terrimporter/MetaWorksand quickstart instructions, pipeline details, and a tutorial for new users can be found athttps://terrimporter.github.io/MetaWorksSite.
Subjective age, worry and risk-related perceptions in older adults in times of a pandemic
Authors: Tingvold Maiken , Albert Isabelle , Hoffmann Martine , Murdock Elke , Nell Josepha , Kornadt Anna E.
Published: September 2022

During the Covid-19 pandemic, older people have been in the spotlight of the public debate. Given their higher risk of severe outcomes of the disease, they have been described as especially vulnerable and as a burden to others and society. We thus wanted to investigate how older people’s perception of their own age, that is their subjective age, as well as their Covid-19 related risks and worries were related during the pandemic and whether these relationships varied according to participants’ subjective health. We used data from the longitudinal CRISIS study which was conducted in the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg in June and October 2020. Participants were aged 60–98 and responded on questionnaires regarding their subjective age, worry of falling ill with Covid-19, perceived risk of contracting the virus, perceived risk of falling seriously ill if they contracted Covid-19, as well as their subjective health and covariates. Three cross-lagged panel models were constructed to explore the longitudinal, bidirectional relationships between the variables. Cross-sectionally, a higher subjective age was related to more perceived risk of a serious course of disease. Longitudinally, subjective age and worry did not show any significant association over time, and neither did subjective age and perceived risk of contracting the virus. However, subjective health significantly moderated the relationship of worry and subjective age, showing different trajectories in the relationship depending on whether subjective health was good or bad. Higher perceived risk of falling seriously ill increased subjective age over time. Again, subjective health moderated this relationship: the perceived risk of falling seriously ill affected subjective age only for those with better subjective health. Our findings show the interactive relationship between subjective age and Covid-19 related cognitions and emotions and provide guidance for identifying older people that are most susceptible for negative age-related communication during the pandemic.
A novel assessment method for COVID-19 humoral immunity duration using serial measurements in naturally infected and vaccinated subjects
Authors: de Boer Jasper , Saade Ursula , Granjon Elodie , Trouillet-Assant Sophie , Saade Carla , Pottel Hans , Zrein Maan ,   Covid ser study group
Published: September 2022

Background

Collecting information on sustainability of immune responses after infection or vaccination is crucial to inform medical decision-making and vaccination strategies. Data on how long-lasting antibodies against SARS-COV-2 could provide a humoral and protective immunity and prevent reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 or its variants is particularly valuable. This study presents a novel method to quantitatively measure and monitor the diversity of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody profiles over time.

Methods

Serum samples from two groups were used in this study: Samples from 20 naturally infected subjects (followed for up to 1 year) and samples from 83 subjects vaccinated with one or two doses of the Pfizer BioNtech vaccine (BNT162b2/BNT162b2) (followed for up to 6 months). The Multi-SARS-CoV-2 assay, a multiparameter serology test developed for the serological confirmation of past-infections, was used to determine the reactivity of six different SARS-CoV-2 antigens. For each subject sample, 3 dilutions (1/50, 1/400 and 1/3200) were defined as an optimal set over the six antigens and their respective linear ranges. This allowed accurate quantification of the corresponding six antibodies. Nonlinear mixed-effects modelling was applied to convert intensity readings from 3 determined dilutions to a single quantification value for each antibody.

Results

Median half-life for the 20 naturally infected vs 74 vaccinated subjects (two doses) was 120 vs 50 days for RBD, 127 vs 53 days for S1 and 187 vs 86 days for S2 antibodies respectively.

Conclusion

The newly proposed method, based on a series of a limited number of dilutions, can convert a conventional qualitative assay into a quantitative assay. This conversion helps define the sustainability of specific immune responses against each relevant viral antigen and can help in defining the protection characteristics after an infection or a vaccination.
Evaluating the impact of maternal health care policy on stillbirth and perinatal mortality in Ghana; a mixed method approach using two rounds of Ghana demographic and health survey data sets and qualitative design technique
Authors: Azaare John , Akweongo Patricia , Aryeteey Genevieve Cecilia , Dwomoh Duah
Published: September 2022

Background

Stillbirth and perinatal mortality issues continue to receive inadequate policy attention in Ghana despite government efforts maternal health care policy intervention over the years. The development has raised concerns as to whether Ghana can achieve the World Health Organization target of 12 per 1000 live births by the year 2030.

Purpose

In this study, we compared stillbirth and perinatal mortality between two groups of women who registered and benefitted from Ghana’s ‘free’ maternal health care policy and those who did not. We further explored the contextual factors of utilization of maternal health care under the ‘free’ policy to find explanation to the quantitative findings.

Methods

The study adopted a mixed method approach, first using two rounds of Ghana Demographic and Health Survey data sets, 2008 and 2014 as baseline and end line respectively. We constructed outcome variables of stillbirth and perinatal mortality from the under 5 mortality variables (n = 487). We then analyzed for association using multiple logistics regression and checked for sensitivity and over dispersion using Poisson and negative binomial regression models, while adjusting for confounding. We also conducted 23 in-depth interviews and 8 focus group discussions for doctors, midwives and pregnant women and analyzed the contents of the transcripts thematically with verbatim quotes.

Results

Stillbirth rate increased in 2014 by 2 per 1000 live births. On the other hand, perinatal mortality rate declined within the same period by 4 per 1000 live births. Newborns were 1.64 times more likely to be stillborn; aOR: 1.64; 95% [CI: 1.02, 2.65] and 2.04 times more likely to die before their 6thday of life; aOR: 2.04; 95% [CI: 1.28, 3.25] among the ‘free’ maternal health care policy group, compared to the no ‘free’ maternal health care policy group, and the differences were statistically significant, p< 0.041; p< 0.003, respectively. Routine medicines such as folic acid and multi-vitamins were intermittently in short supply forcing private purchase by pregnant women to augment their routine requirement. Also, pregnant women in labor took in local concoction as oxytocin, ostensibly to fast track the labor process and inadvertently leading to complications of uterine rapture thus, increasing the risk of stillbirths.

Conclusion

Even though perinatal mortality rate declined overall in 2014, the proportion of stillbirth and perinatal death is declining slowly despite the ‘free’ policy intervention. Shortage of medicine commodities, inadequate monitoring of labor process coupled with pregnant women intake of traditional herbs, perhaps explains the current rate of stillbirth and perinatal death.
Evaluation of grain yield stability of tritipyrum as a novel cereal in comparison with triticale lines and bread wheat varieties through univariate and multivariate parametric methods
Authors: Farokhzadeh Sara , Shahsavand Hassani Hossein , Mohammadi-Nejad Ghasem , Zinati Zahra
Published: September 2022

Salinity is a major abiotic stress affecting cereal production. Thus, tritipyrum (x.Tritipyrum), a potential novel salt-tolerant cereal, was introduced as an appropriate alternative for cereal production. The purposes of this study were to evaluate agronomic traits, yield, and yield stability of eight primary tritipyrum lines, five promising triticale lines, and four bread wheat varieties and to screen a stable yielding line. The experiments were conducted in randomized complete block designs with three replicates in three locations during four growing seasons. Analysis of variance in each environment and Bartlett’s test for the variance homogeneity of experimental errors were made. Subsequently, separate experiments were analyzed as a combined experiment. The stability of grain yield was analyzed according to Eberhart and Russell’s regression method, environmental variance, Wrick’s ecovalance, Shokla’s stability variance, AMMI, and Tai methods. Genotype × environment interactions (GEI) and environments were significant for the agronomic traits. Stability analysis revealed that combined primary tritipyrum line (Ka/b)(Cr/b)-5 and triticale 4115, 4108, and M45 lines had good adaptability in all environments. The results of the AMMI3 model and pattern analysis showed that the new cereal, tritipyrum, had the most stable response in various environments. The tritipyrum line (Ka/b)(Cr/b)-5 had the best yield performance and general adaptability. Based on Tai’s method, the contribution of spike number to the stability of grain yield over different environments was higher than that of other yield components. Also, tritipyrum lines demonstrated higher stability compared with wheat and triticale. Totally, M45 triticale and tritipyrum (Ka/b)(Cr/b)-5 lines were the most stable genotypes with high grain yield. Complementary agronomic experiments may then release a new grain crop of triticale and a new pasture line of combined primary tritipyrum for grain and forage. Moreover, the combined tritipyrum line can be used in bread wheat breeding programs for producing salt-tolerant wheat cultivars.
A weekday intervention to reduce missed appointments
Authors: Ellis David A. , Sanders Jet G. , Jenkins Rob , McAuslan Linda
Published: September 2022

The burden of missed healthcare appointments is so great that even small reductions in Did Not Attend (DNA) rate can secure tangible benefits. Previous studies have identified demographic factors that predict DNA rate. However, it is not obvious that these insights can be used to improve attendance, as healthcare providers do not control patient demographics. One factor that providers do control is appointment scheduling. We previously reported that appointments at the beginning of the week are more likely to be missed than appointments at the end of the week. This observation suggests a simple intervention to reduce DNA rate: schedule appointments for later in the week. Using data from a UK mental health hospital, we compared attendance rates for 12-months before and 12-months after the intervention began (916 appointments in total). Overall DNA rate fell from 34.2% pre-intervention to 23.4% post-intervention [χ2 (1, N = 916) = 13.01, p < 0.001; Relative Risk Reduction, 31.6%]. This effect was carried mainly by female patients, for whom more appointments could be moved to later in the week. Our findings confirm that DNA rate can be significantly reduced by loading appointments onto high-attendance days.
Second harmonic generation nanoparticles enables Near-Infrared Photodynamic Therapy from visible light reactive photosensitizer conjugates
Authors: Barbora Ayan , Yazbak Fares , Lyssenko Svetlana , Nave Vadim , Nakonechny Faina , Ben Ishai Paul , Minnes Refael
Published: September 2022

Combination of photosensitizers (PS) with nanotechnology can improve the therapeutic efficiency of clinical Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) by converting visible light reactive PSs into Near-Infrared (NIR) light responsive molecules using Harmonic Nanoparticles (HNP). To test the PDT efficiency of HNP-PS conjugates, pathogenic S. aureus cell cultures were treated with perovskite (Barium Titanate) Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) nanoparticles conjugated to photosensitizers (PS) (we compared both FDA approved Protoporphyrin IX and Curcumin) and subjected to a femtosecond pulsed Near-Infrared (NIR) laser (800 nm, 232–228 mW, 12–15 fs pulse width at repetition rate of 76.9 MHz) for 10 minutes each. NIR PDT using Barium Titanate (BT) conjugated with Protoporphyrin IX as HNP-PS conjugate reduced the viability of S. aureus cells by 77.3 ± 9.7% while BT conjugated with Curcumin did not elicit any significant effect. Conventional PSs reactive only to visible spectrum light coupled with SHG nanoparticles enables the use of higher tissue penetrating NIR light to generate an efficient photodynamic effect, thereby overcoming low light penetration and tissue specificity of conventional visible light PDT treatments.
SSNIP-seq: A simple and rapid method for isolation of single-sperm nucleic acid for high-throughput sequencing
Authors: Novakovic Stevan , Tsui Vanessa , Semple Tim , Martelotto Luciano , McCarthy Davis J. , Crismani Wayne
Published: September 2022

We developed a simple and reliable method for the isolation of haploid nuclei from fresh and frozen testes. The described protocol uses readily available reagents in combination with flow cytometry to separate haploid and diploid nuclei. The protocol can be completed within 1 hour and the resulting individual haploid nuclei have intact morphology. The isolated nuclei are suitable for library preparation for high-throughput DNA and RNA sequencing using bulk or single nuclei. The protocol was optimised with mouse testes and we anticipate that it can be applied for the isolation of mature sperm from other mammals including humans.