bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Asymmetric Impact of Exchange Rate Volatility on Commodity Trade Between Pakistan and China
Authors: Bahmani-Oskooee Mohsen , Usman Ahmed , Ullah Sana
Published: April 2020

China is the largest trading partner of Pakistan. Therefore, it is very important to consider the trade flows between Pakistan and China and their response to rupee–yuan volatility. Previous research assumed that response of trade flows to measure of volatility is symmetric. In this study, our basic objective is to check whether the trade flows respond to volatility in a symmetric or asymmetric manner. Annual data over the period 1980–2018 for 14 Pakistani industries exporting to and 34 industries importing from China are analyzed. We find short-run asymmetric effects of exchange rate volatility in almost all industries that last into long-run asymmetric effects in 40–50 per cent of industries. Non-linear models yielded more significant effects of volatility than the traditional linear models.
Understanding Child Sexual Abuse: Findings from an Ethnographic Research Among the Mothers in Delhi National Capital Region (India)
Authors: Pandey Sonal , Reddy Sunita
Published: April 2020

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a widespread problem against children in India. Data suggest that every hour four children are being sexually abused in the country. In this context, the current qualitative research intends to explore the awareness, beliefs, and perceptions about the CSA among the mothers from the lower economic sections of the society. Using in-depth interviews, 30 females aged 18–54 years were interviewed from five marginalized communities in Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), India. The sampling was purposive and convenient, and the data collected were thematically analyzed using the interpretive paradigm. The findings reveal that awareness about CSA is quite high among the research participants. However, the testimonies of the participants reflect limited and narrowed understanding of CSA as most of the participants believed that only penetrative sexual assaults such as rape or sodomy qualified as sexual abuse, thereby underestimating the other non-penetrative sexual abuses such as verbal abuses, voyeurism, contact abuses such as fondling, sharing pornographic materials, or internet-based sexual abuse. The data further reveal that the participants were quite aware of the potential threat of CSA; however, they were uninformed of the preventive measures to prevent and stop the CSA. The results reveal the dire need for intervention in the form of education and awareness for the mothers using suitable Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials to accomplish CSA prevention.
Prediction of seasonal patterns of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus RNA detection in the U.S. swine industry
Authors: Trevisan Giovani , Linhares Leticia C. M. , Crim Bret , Dubey Poonam , Schwartz Kent J. , Burrough Eric R. , Wang Chong , Main Rodger G. , Sundberg Paul , Thurn Mary , Lages Paulo T. F. , Corzo Cesar A. , Torrison Jerry , Henningson Jamie , Herrman Eric , Hanzlicek Gregg A. , Raghavan Ram , Marthaler Douglas , Greseth Jon , Clement Travis , Christopher-Hennings Jane , Muscatello David , Linhares Daniel C. L.
Published: April 2020

We developed a model to predict the cyclic pattern of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) RNA detection by reverse-transcription real-time PCR (RT-rtPCR) from 4 major swine-centric veterinary diagnostic laboratories (VDLs) in the United States and to use historical data to forecast the upcoming year’s weekly percentage of positive submissions and issue outbreak signals when the pattern of detection was not as expected. Standardized submission data and test results were used. Historical data (2015–2017) composed of the weekly percentage of PCR-positive submissions were used to fit a cyclic robust regression model. The findings were used to forecast the expected weekly percentage of PCR-positive submissions, with a 95% confidence interval (CI), for 2018. During 2018, the proportion of PRRSV-positive submissions crossed 95% CI boundaries at week 2, 14–25, and 48. The relatively higher detection on week 2 and 48 were mostly from submissions containing samples from wean-to-market pigs, and for week 14–25 originated mostly from samples from adult/sow farms. There was a recurring yearly pattern of detection, wherein an increased proportion of PRRSV RNA detection in submissions originating from wean-to-finish farms was followed by increased detection in samples from adult/sow farms. Results from the model described herein confirm the seasonal cyclic pattern of PRRSV detection using test results consolidated from 4 VDLs. Wave crests occurred consistently during winter, and wave troughs occurred consistently during the summer months. Our model was able to correctly identify statistically significant outbreak signals in PRRSV RNA detection at 3 instances during 2018.
Seeing and Doing Gender at Work: A Qualitative Analysis of Canadian Male and Female Police Officers
Authors: Murray Sarah E.
Published: April 2020

This qualitative study examines the ways in which male and female police officers view and enact gender in their workplace. Data were generated from in-depth interviews with 20 active police officers working in a populous Canadian province. Although most male officers deny gender differences and gender bias, female officers describe experiences of workplace sexism and deploy adaptive strategies daily in their workplaces to resist gender inequality. Both men and women describe a masculine-coded ideal police officer and disparage the “old police culture” and “old boy’s club.”
Finite-time trajectory control for a quadrotor aircraft using disturbance observer
Authors: Chu Zhaobi , Zhou Songgang , Zhu Min , Li Hua
Published: April 2020

In this article, we investigate the problem of finite-time trajectory tracking control for a quadrotor aircraft with unknown external disturbances. To improve convergence rate and disturbance rejection performance, a new composite controller is proposed by integrating finite-time control design and disturbance estimation attenuation technique. Explicit Lyapunov function is given to ensure the finite-time stability of the closed-loop control system. Numerical simulations also show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Political Ideology and Executive Functioning: The Effect of Conservatism and Liberalism on Cognitive Flexibility and Working Memory Performance
Authors: Buechner Bryan M. , Clarkson Joshua J. , Otto Ashley S. , Hirt Edward R. , Ho M. Cony
Published: April 2020

Although models of political ideology traditionally focus on the motivations that separate conservatives and liberals, a growing body of research is directly exploring the cognitive factors that vary due to political ideology. Consistent with this emerging literature, the present research proposes that conservatives and liberals excel at tasks of distinct working memory processes (i.e., inhibition and updating, respectively). Consistent with this hypothesis, three studies demonstrate that conservatives are more likely to succeed at response inhibition and liberals are more likely to succeed at response updating. Moreover, this effect is rooted in different levels of cognitive flexibility and independent of respondents’ demographics, intelligence, religiosity, and motivation. Collectively, these findings offer an important perspective on the cognitive factors that delineate conservatism and liberalism, the role of cognitive flexibility in specific working memory processes, and the impact of political ideology on a multitude of behaviors linked to inhibition and updating (e.g., creativity, problem-solving, self-control).
E2A-PBX1 functions as a coactivator for RUNX1 in acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Pi Wen-Chieh , Wang Jun , Shimada Miho , Lin Jia-Wei , Geng Huimin , Lee Yu-Ling , Lu Rui , Li Dongxu , Wang Gang Greg , Roeder Robert G. , Chen Wei-Yi
Published: April 2020

E2A, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, plays a crucial role in determining tissue-specific cell fate, including differentiation of B-cell lineages. In 5% of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the t(1,19) chromosomal translocation specifically targets the E2A gene and produces an oncogenic E2A-PBX1 fusion protein. Although previous studies have shown the oncogenic functions of E2A-PBX1 in cell and animal models, the E2A-PBX1–enforced cistrome, the E2A-PBX1 interactome, and related mechanisms underlying leukemogenesis remain unclear. Here, by unbiased genomic profiling approaches, we identify the direct target sites of E2A-PBX1 in t(1,19)–positive pre-B ALL cells and show that, compared with normal E2A, E2A-PBX1 preferentially binds to a subset of gene loci cobound by RUNX1 and gene-activating machineries (p300, MED1, and H3K27 acetylation). Using biochemical analyses, we further document a direct interaction of E2A-PBX1, through a region spanning the PBX1 homeodomain, with RUNX1. Our results also show that E2A-PBX1 binding to gene enhancers is dependent on the RUNX1 interaction but not the DNA-binding activity harbored within the PBX1 homeodomain of E2A-PBX1. Transcriptome analyses and cell transformation assays further establish a significant RUNX1 requirement for E2A-PBX1–mediated target gene activation and leukemogenesis. Notably, the RUNX1 locus itself is also directly activated by E2A-PBX1, indicating a multilayered interplay between E2A-PBX1 and RUNX1. Collectively, our study provides the first unbiased profiling of the E2A-PBX1 cistrome in pre-B ALL cells and reveals a previously unappreciated pathway in which E2A-PBX1 acts in concert with RUNX1 to enforce transcriptome alterations for the development of pre-B ALL.
GOMCL: a toolkit to cluster, evaluate, and extract non-redundant associations of Gene Ontology-based functions
Authors: Wang Guannan , Oh Dong-Ha , Dassanayake Maheshi
Published: April 2020

Background

Functional enrichment of genes and pathways based on Gene Ontology (GO) has been widely used to describe the results of various -omics analyses. GO terms statistically overrepresented within a set of a large number of genes are typically used to describe the main functional attributes of the gene set. However, these lists of overrepresented GO terms are often too large and contains redundant overlapping GO terms hindering informative functional interpretations.

Results

We developed GOMCL to reduce redundancy and summarize lists of GO terms effectively and informatively. This lightweight python toolkit efficiently identifies clusters within a list of GO terms using the Markov Clustering (MCL) algorithm, based on the overlap of gene members between GO terms. GOMCL facilitates biological interpretation of a large number of GO terms by condensing them into GO clusters representing non-overlapping functional themes. It enables visualizing GO clusters as a heatmap, networks based on either overlap of members or hierarchy among GO terms, and tables with depth and cluster information for each GO term. Each GO cluster generated by GOMCL can be evaluated and further divided into non-overlapping sub-clusters using the GOMCL-sub module. The outputs from both GOMCL and GOMCL-sub can be imported to Cytoscape for additional visualization effects.

Conclusions

GOMCL is a convenient toolkit to cluster, evaluate, and extract non-redundant associations of Gene Ontology-based functions. GOMCL helps researchers to reduce time spent on manual curation of large lists of GO terms, minimize biases introduced by redundant GO terms in data interpretation, and batch processing of multiple GO enrichment datasets. A user guide, a test dataset, and the source code of GOMCL are available at https://github.com/Guannan-Wang/GOMCL and www.lsugenomics.org.
Increased Interleukin-35 suppresses peripheral CD14+ monocytes function in patients with Kawasaki disease
Authors: Xing Haijian , Tian Gang
Published: April 2020

Background

Interleukin-35 (IL-35) is a newly identified IL-12 cytokine family member, which regulates the activity of immune cells in infectious diseases and autoimmune disorders. However, the regulatory function of IL-35 in Kawasaki disease is not well elucidated.

Methods

Thirty-three patients with Kawasaki disease and seventeen healthy controls were studied. Peripheral IL-35 concentration was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. CD14+ monocytes were purified, and mRNA expression of IL-35 receptor (IL-12Rβ2 and gp130) was semi-quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction. CD14+ monocytes were stimulated with recombinant IL-35. The modulatory role of IL-35 treated CD14+ monocytes to naïve CD4+ T cell activation was investigated by flow cytometry. The influence of IL-35 to cytotoxicity of CD14+ monocytes was assessed by measuring target cell death, cytokine and granzyme secretion.

Results

Plasma IL-35 concentration was elevated in patients with Kawasaki disease. There was no significant differences of either IL-12Rβ2 or gp130 mRNA expression in CD14+ monocytes between Kawasaki disease patients and controls. IL-35 suppressed CD14+ monocytes induced naïve CD4+ T cell activation in Kawasaki disease, and this process required direct cell-to-cell contact. IL-35 also inhibited tumor necrosis factor-α and granzyme B secretion by CD14+ monocytes from patients with Kawasaki disease, however, only granzyme B was responsible for the cytotoxicity of CD14+ monocytes.

Conclusions

IL-35 played an important immunosuppressive role to CD14+ monocytes function in Kawasaki disease.
Identification of cholesterol-assimilating actinomycetes strain and application of statistical modeling approaches for improvement of cholesterol oxidase production by Streptomyces anulatus strain NEAE-94
Authors: El-Naggar Noura El-Ahmady , El-Shweihy Nancy M.
Published: April 2020

Background

Cholesterol oxidase biosensors have been used to determine the level of cholesterol in different serum and food samples. Due to a wide range of industrial and clinical applications of microbial cholesterol oxidase, isolation and identification of a new microbial source (s) of cholesterol oxidase are very important.

Results

The local isolateStreptomycessp. strain NEAE-94 is a promising source of cholesterol oxidase. It was identified based on cultural, morphological and physiological characteristics; in addition to the 16S rRNA sequence. The sequencing product had been deposited in the GenBank database under the accession number KC354803. Cholesterol oxidase production byStreptomyces anulatusstrain NEAE-94 in shake flasks was optimized using surface response methodology. The different process parameters were first screened using a Plackett-Burman design and the parameters with significant effects on the production of cholesterol oxidase were identified. Out of the 15 factors screened, agitation speed, cholesterol and yeast extract concentrations had the most significant positive effects on the production of cholesterol oxidase. The optimal levels of these variables and the effects of their mutual interactions on cholesterol oxidase production were determined using Box-Behnken design. Cholesterol oxidase production byStreptomyces anulatusstrain NEAE-94 was 11.03, 27.31 U/mL after Plackett-Burman Design and Box-Behnken design; respectively, with a fold of increase of 6.06 times compared to the production before applying the Plackett-Burman design (4.51 U/mL).

Conclusions

Maximum cholesterol oxidase activity was obtained at the following fermentation conditions: g/L (cholesterol 4, yeast extract 5, NaCl 0.5, K2HPO41, FeSO4.7H2O 0.01, MgSO4.7H2O 0.5), pH 7, inoculum size 4% (v/v), temperature 37°C, agitation speed of 150 rpm, medium volume 50 mL and incubation time 5 days.
Salt adaptability in a halophytic soybean (Glycine soja) involves photosystems coordination
Authors: Yan Kun , He Wenjun , Bian Lanxing , Zhang Zishan , Tang Xiaoli , An Mengxin , Li Lixia , Han Guangxuan
Published: April 2020

Background

Glycine soja is a halophytic soybean native to saline soil in Yellow River Delta, China. Photosystem I (PSI) performance and the interaction between photosystem II (PSII) and PSI remain unclear in Glycine soja under salt stress. This study aimed to explore salt adaptability in Glycine soja in terms of photosystems coordination.

Results

Potted Glycine soja was exposed to 300 mM NaCl for 9 days with a cultivated soybean, Glycine max, as control. Under salt stress, the maximal photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) and PSI (△MR/MR0) were significantly decreased with the loss of PSI and PSII reaction center proteins in Glycine max, and greater PSI vulnerability was suggested by earlier decrease in △MR/MR0 than Fv/Fm and depressed PSI oxidation in modulated 820 nm reflection transients. Inversely, PSI stability was defined in Glycine soja, as △MR/MR0 and PSI reaction center protein abundance were not affected by salt stress. Consistently, chloroplast ultrastructure and leaf lipid peroxidation were not affected in Glycine soja under salt stress. Inhibition on electron flow at PSII acceptor side helped protect PSI by restricting electron flow to PSI and seemed as a positive response in Glycine soja due to its rapid recovery after salt stress. Reciprocally, PSI stability aided in preventing PSII photoinhibition, as the simulated feedback inhibition by PSI inactivation induced great decrease in Fv/Fm under salt stress. In contrast, PSI inactivation elevated PSII excitation pressure through inhibition on PSII acceptor side and accelerated PSII photoinhibition in Glycine max, according to the positive and negative correlation of △MR/MR0 with efficiency that an electron moves beyond primary quinone and PSII excitation pressure respectively.

Conclusion

Therefore, photosystems coordination depending on PSI stability and rapid response of PSII acceptor side contributed to defending salt-induced oxidative stress on photosynthetic apparatus in Glycine soja. Photosystems interaction should be considered as one of the salt adaptable mechanisms in this halophytic soybean.
25(OH) D3 alleviate liver NK cytotoxicity in acute but not in chronic fibrosis model of BALB/c mice due to modulations in vitamin D receptor
Authors: Salhab Ahmad , Amer Johnny , Yinying Lu , Safadi Rifaat
Published: April 2020

Background

Low 25-Hydroxy-vitamin-D; “25(OH)-D3” serum and vitamin D receptor (VDR) levels were recently correlated to advanced fibrosis. However, VDR mechanism in liver fibrosis modulations is not well understood. In this study, we aimed to evaluate changes in liver NK cells cytotoxicity due to modulations in VDR in CCl4 fibrosis model following 25(OH) D3 injections.

Methods

Carbon-tetrachloride (CCl4) hepatic-fibrosis was induced in BALB/c mice for 1 and 4 weeks as an acute and chronic fibrosis model, respectively. Along 1th to 4th weeks, vitamin D were i.p injected/2x week. Liver were assessed histologically and for proteins quantification for VDR and αSMA expressions. In vitro, potential killing of NK cells were evaluated following co-culture with primary-hepatic-stellate-cells (pHSCs) obtained from BALB/c WT-mice.

Results

Systemic inflammation and hepatic-fibrosis increased along 4 weeks of CCl4 as indicated by serum ALT and αSMA expressions (P < 0.02) as well as histological assessments, respectively. These results were associated with increased NK1.1 activations and hypercalcemia. While vitamin D administrations delayed fibrosis of early stages, vitamin D worsen hepatic-fibrosis of late stages of CCl4. In week 4, no further activations of NK cells were seen following vitamin D injections and were associated with down-expressions of VDR (1.7 Fold, P < 0.004) indicating the inability of vitamin D to ameliorate hepatic fibrosis. In vitro, NK cells from the chronic model of CCl4 did not affect pHSCs killing and fail to reduce fibrosis.

Conclusion

Vitamin D alleviate liver NK cytotoxicity in acute but not in chronic fibrosis model due to modulations in vitamin D receptor and calcium. Hypercalcemia associated with late fibrosis may inhibited VDR levels, however, may not explain the profibrogenic effects of vitamin D.
Gray-matter structure in long-term abstinent methamphetamine users
Authors: Nie Lili , Zhao Zeyong , Wen Xiantao , Luo Wei , Ju Tao , Ren Anlian , Wu Binbin , Li Jing
Published: April 2020

Background

Previous studies of brain structure in methamphetamine users have yielded inconsistent findings, possibly reflecting small sample size and inconsistencies in duration of methamphetamine abstinence as well as sampling and analyses methods. Here we report on a relatively large sample of abstinent methamphetamine users at various stages of long-term abstinence.

Methods

Chronic methamphetamine users (n = 99), abstinent from the drug ranging from 12 to 621 days, and healthy controls (n = 86) received T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging brain scans. Subcortical and cortical gray-matter volumes and cortical thickness were measured and the effects of group, duration of abstinence, duration of methamphetamine use and onset age of methamphetamine use were investigated using the Freesurfer software package.

Results

Methamphetamine users did not differ from controls in gray-matter volumes, except for a cluster in the right lateral occipital cortex where gray-matter volume was smaller, and for regions mainly in the bilateral superior frontal gyrui where thickness was greater. Duration of abstinence correlated positively with gray-matter volumes in whole brain, bilateral accumbens nuclei and insulae clusters, and right hippocampus; and with thickness in a right insula cluster. Duration of methamphetamine use correlated negatively with gray-matter volume and cortical thickness of a cluster in the right lingual and pericalcarine cortex.

Conclusions

Chronic methamphetamine use induces hard-to-recover cortical thickening in bilateral superior frontal gyri and recoverable volumetric reduction in right hippocampus, bilateral accumbens nuclei and bilateral cortical regions around insulae. These alternations might contribute to methamphetamine-induced neurocognitive disfunctions and reflect a regional specific response of the brain to methamphetamine.
Relationships among cyberbullying, parental attitudes, self-harm and suicidal behavior among adolescents: results from a school-based survey in Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Hoang Thuy Linh , Nakamura Keiko , Seino Kaoruko , Vo Van Thang
Published: April 2020

Background

The rapid and widespread development of social networking sites has created a venue for an increase in cyberbullying among adolescents. Protective mechanisms and actions must be considered, such as how proximal family factors can prevent self-harm and suicidal behaviors among adolescents exposed to cyberbullying. The present study examined the associations among cyberbullying, parental attitudes, self-harm, and suicidal behaviors after adjusting for confounding factors.

Methods

Data were obtained from a school-based survey of randomly selected grade 6 students (11 years old) performed in Hue City, Vietnam, in 2018. A total of 648 students were interviewed face-to-face using a structured questionnaire based on the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS). Univariate, multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed at 95% confidence level.

Results

After adjusting for gender, perceived academic pressure, unhealthy behaviors, use of Internet devices, school bullying, and family living situation, a significantly higher risk of self-harm was detected among those who had experienced cyberbullying (adjusted odd ratio [AOR] = 2.97; 95% CI, 1.32–6.71). Parental acceptance retained a significant association with self-harm and suicidal behavior (P < 0.05) while parental concentration did not exhibit a significant association in a multivariable logistic regression model. In addition, suicidal ideation and suicidal planning were associated with an interaction effect between cyberbullying and parental concentration (AOR = 0.37; 95% CI, 0.15–0.94 and AOR = 0.23; 95% CI, 0.06–0.87, respectively).

Conclusion

Cyberbullying has become an important phenomenon associated with self-harm among young adolescents in developing countries, and parental acceptance in proxy of parental attitude was positively related with severe mental health issues among adolescents. Thus, sufficient attention in efforts to promote adolescent health should be focused on family factors in the digital era of developing countries.
Analysis of causes of death among brought-in-dead cases in a third-level Hospital in Lusaka, Republic of Zambia, using the tariff method 2.0 for verbal autopsy: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Yokobori Yuta , Matsuura Jun , Sugiura Yasuo , Mutemba Charles , Nyahoda Martin , Mwango Chomba , Kazhumbula Lloyd , Yuasa Motoyuki , Chiluba Clarence
Published: April 2020

Background

Over one third of deaths in Zambian health facilities involve someone who has already died before arrival (i.e., Brough in Dead), and in most BiD cases, the CoD have not been fully analyzed. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the function of automated VA based on the Tariff Method 2.0 to identify the CoD among the BiD cases and the usefulness by comparing the data on the death notification form.

Methods

The target site was one third-level hospital in the Republic of Zambia’s capital city. All BiD cases who reached the target health facility from January to August 2017 were included. The deceased’s closest relatives were interviewed using a structured VA questionnaire and the data were analyzed using the SmartVA to determine the CoD at the individual and population level. The CoD were compared with description on the death notification forms by using t-test and Cohen’s kappa coefficient.

Results

One thousand three hundred seventy-eight and 209 cases were included for persons aged 13 years and older (Adult) and those aged 1 month to 13 years old (Child), respectively. The top CoD for Adults were infectious diseases followed by non-communicable diseases and that for Child were infectious diseases, followed by accidents. The proportion of cases with a determined CoD was significantly higher when using the SmartVA (75% for Adult and 67% for Child) than the death notification form (61%). A proportion (42.7% for Adult and 46% for Child) of the CoD-determined cases matched in both sources, with a low concordance rate for Adult (kappa coefficient = 0.1385) and a good for Child(kappa coefficient = 0.635).

Conclusions

The CoD of the BiD cases were successfully analyzed using the SmartVA for the first time in Zambia. While there many erroneous descriptions on the death notification form, the SmartVA could determine the CoD among more BiD cases. Since the information on the death notification form is reflected in the national vital statistics, more accurate and complete CoD data are required. In order to strengthen the death registration system with accurate CoD, it will be useful to embed the SmartVA in Zambia’s health information system.
Integration of a Kalman filter in the geographically weighted regression for modeling the transmission of hand, foot and mouth disease
Authors: Hu Bisong , Qiu Wenqing , Xu Chengdong , Wang Jinfeng
Published: April 2020

Background

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common infectious disease whose mechanism of transmission continues to remain a puzzle for researchers. The measurement and prediction of the HFMD incidence can be combined to improve the estimation accuracy, and provide a novel perspective to explore the spatiotemporal patterns and determinant factors of an HFMD epidemic.

Methods

In this study, we collected weekly HFMD incidence reports for a total of 138 districts in Shandong province, China, from May 2008 to March 2009. A Kalman filter was integrated with geographically weighted regression (GWR) to estimate the HFMD incidence. Spatiotemporal variation characteristics were explored and potential risk regions were identified, along with quantitatively evaluating the influence of meteorological and socioeconomic factors on the HFMD incidence.

Results

The results showed that the average error covariance of the estimated HFMD incidence by district was reduced from 0.3841 to 0.1846 compared to the measured incidence, indicating an overall improvement of over 50% in error reduction. Furthermore, three specific categories of potential risk regions of HFMD epidemics in Shandong were identified by the filter processing, with manifest filtering oscillations in the initial, local and long-term periods, respectively. Amongst meteorological and socioeconomic factors, the temperature and number of hospital beds per capita, respectively, were recognized as the dominant determinants that influence HFMD incidence variation.

Conclusions

The estimation accuracy of the HFMD incidence can be significantly improved by integrating a Kalman filter with GWR and the integration is effective for exploring spatiotemporal patterns and determinants of an HFMD epidemic. Our findings could help establish more accurate HFMD prevention and control strategies in Shandong. The present study demonstrates a novel approach to exploring spatiotemporal patterns and determinant factors of HFMD epidemics, and it can be easily extended to other regions and other infectious diseases similar to HFMD.
Husband’s willingness-to-pay for HIV and syphilis screening at antenatal care clinic under the Thai universal coverage scheme
Authors: Anunsittichai Orawan , Pongpirul Krit , Puthanakit Thanyawee , Roowicha Koranit , Kaewprasert Jirarat , Songtaweesin Wipaporn Natalie , Chaithongwongwattana Surasith
Published: April 2020

Background

Screening for sexually transmitted infection (STI) especially HIV as early detection and treatment have been financially supported under the Thai Universal Coverage (UC) scheme since 2009 (THB140 for HIV). However, the implementation has not been evidence-based, strategic risk-based, nor economically evaluated whereas husbands who accompanied the pregnant women are likely to have a lower risk than those who did not come along. This study is aimed to determine the husband’s willingness-to-pay (WTP) for his HIV and syphilis screening tests and potential factors affecting STI screenings at the antenatal care (ANC) clinic of a tertiary hospital in Thailand.

Methods

A pilot open-ended interview was conducted among 50 participants to estimate the mean and standard deviation of WTP prices for HIV and syphilis screening tests. A questionnaire was developed to obtain demographics, STI knowledge and screening history, as well as two contingent valuation methods (bidding and payment scale), using the mean WTP prices identified from the pilot study as a starting WTP with ¼SD step-up/down. The survey of 200 randomly selected husbands of pregnant women was conducted at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital from April to June 2018. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used for data analysis.

Results

During the study period, 597 pregnant women received their first ANC. Of 368 accompanying husbands, 200 were enrolled in the study. Their median age was 31 (IQR 27–36) years old and 67% had a first child. Eighty-eight percent of the participants were willing to test for the STIs. Based on the bidding method, WTP prices for HIV and syphilis screening tests were US$14.5 (IQR 12.4–14.5) and US$9.7 (IQR 10–12), respectively. The payment scale method suggested approximately three-quarters of the WTP prices from the bidding method.

Conclusions

The husbands who accompanied their pregnant wives to the ANC clinic showed positive behaviors according to the propitious selection theory. They tend to cooperate well with STI testing and are willing to pay at least two times the price of the STI screening tests. The financial support to promote STI screenings should be reconsidered to cover other groups with higher sexual behavior risks and less WTP.
A qualitative study of the cognitive behavioral intention of patients with diabetes in rural China who have experienced delayed diagnosis and treatment
Authors: Jia Hong-hong , Liu Li , Huo Gui-xia , Wang Rui-qi , Zhou Yu-qiu , Yang Li-yan
Published: April 2020

Background

Great changes have taken place in terms of people’s lifestyles and behavioral habits. Diabetes has become a threat to human health and is the most important noncommunicable disease. More than 60% of rural diabetic patients experience delayed diagnosis and treatment. In this study, we explore the inner experience of the delayed diagnosis and treatment of patients with diabetes in rural areas and provide a reference for targeted intervention.

Methods

A qualitative research design was used to examine the cognitive behavioral intention of patients in rural areas with delayed diagnosis and treatment of diabetes. Thirteen diabetes patients with delayed diagnosis and treatment were sampled with maximum variation in rural Daqing City and Tangshan City in China. The data analysis involved several levels of analysis consistent with qualitative research.

Results

The following themes were relevant to diabetes patients in rural areas with delayed diagnosis and treatment delay: “Lacked knowledge of diabetes”, “Negative coping style”, “Dissatisfaction with the existing medical service” and “Influence of social support”.

Conclusions

The respondents’ delayed diagnosis and treatment represent a common phenomenon. Medical personnel should provide interventions for patients and encourage them to go to the hospital on time.
A novel circular RNA circENTPD7 contributes to glioblastoma progression by targeting ROS1
Authors: Zhu Fei , Cheng Cheng , qin Hong , Wang Hongsheng , Yu Hailong
Published: April 2020

Background

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are identified to play an important role in many human cancers, such as glioblastoma. However, the potential mechanisms underlying the relationship between circRNAs and glioblastoma pathogenesis are still elusive. This study is designed to investigate the role of circRNAs in glioblastoma progression.

Methods

The present study is designed to investigate the mechanism by which circRNAs involves in glioblastoma pathogenesis. By using circRNAs microarray, we detected the dysregulated circRNAs and identified an up-regulated circRNA, circENTPD7 in glioblastoma tissues. Cell proliferation was measured using a CCK-8 assay. Cell clone formation ability was assessed with a clone formation test. We used the bioinformatics website to predict circRNA–miRNA and miRNA–mRNA interactions. CircRNA–miRNA interaction was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assays and RNA–RNA pulldown assay.

Results

circENTPD7 (hsa_circ_0019421) was upregulated in glioblastoma tissues. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis indicated that glioblastoma patients had a poor overall survival when circENTPD7 expression levels were high. Knockdown of circENTPD7 inhibited the motility and proliferation of glioblastoma cells. Moreover, we demonstrated that circENTPD7 acted as a sponge of miR-101-3p to regulate the expression of ROS1 further promoted the proliferation and motility of glioblastoma cells.

Conclusions

Taken together, these findings indicate that circRNA circENTPD7 promotes glioblastoma cell proliferation and motility by regulating miR-101-3p/ROS1.
Evaluating the effects between metal mixtures and serum vaccine antibody concentrations in children: a prospective birth cohort study
Authors: Welch Barrett M. , Branscum Adam , Geldhof G. John , Ahmed Sharia M. , Hystad Perry , Smit Ellen , Afroz Sakila , Megowan Meghan , Golam Mostofa , Sharif Omar , Rahman Mahmuder , Quamruzzaman Quazi , Christiani David C. , Kile Molly L.
Published: April 2020

Background

Many populations are exposed to arsenic, lead, and manganese. These metals influence immune function. We evaluated the association between exposure to single and multiple metals, including arsenic, lead, and manganese, to humoral immunity as measured by antibody concentrations to diphtheria and tetanus toxoid among vaccinated Bangladeshi children. Additionally, we examined if this association was potentially mediated by nutritional status.

Methods

Antibody concentrations to diphtheria and tetanus were measured in children’s serum at age 5 (n = 502). Household drinking water was sampled to quantify arsenic (W-As) and manganese (W-Mn), whereas lead was measured in blood (B-Pb). Exposure samples were taken during pregnancy, toddlerhood, and early childhood. Multiple linear regression models (MLRs) with single or combined metal predictors were used to determine the association with antibody outcomes. MLR results were transformed to units of percent change in outcome per doubling of exposure to improve interpretability. Structural equation models (SEMs) were used to further assess exposure to metal mixtures. SEMs regressed a latent exposure variable (Metals), informed by all measured metal variables (W-As, W-Mn, and B-Pb), on a latent outcome variable (Antibody), informed by measured antibody variables (diphtheria and tetanus). Weight-for-age z-score (WFA) at age 5 was evaluated as a mediator.

Results

Diphtheria antibody was negatively associated with W-As during pregnancy in MLR, but associations were attenuated after adjusting for W-Mn and B-Pb (− 2.9% change in diphtheria antibody per doubling in W-As, 95% confidence interval [CI]: − 7%, 1.5%). Conversely, pregnancy levels of B-Pb were positively associated with tetanus antibody, even after adjusting for W-As and W-Mn (13.3%, 95% CI: 1.7%, 26.3%). Overall, null associations were observed between W-Mn and antibody outcomes. Analysis by SEMs showed that the latent Metals mixture was significantly associated with the latent Antibody outcome (β = − 0.16, 95% CI: − 0.26, − 0.05), but the Metals variable was characterized by positive and negative loadings of W-As and B-Pb, respectively. Sex-stratified MLR and SEM analyses showed W-As and B-Pb associations were exclusive to females. Mediation by WFA was null, indicating Metals only had direct effects on Antibody.

Conclusions

We observed significant modulation of vaccine antibody concentrations among children with pregnancy and early life exposures to drinking water arsenic and blood lead. We found distinct differences by child sex, as only females were susceptible to metal-related modulations in antibody levels. Weight-for-age, a nutritional status proxy, did not mediate the association between the metal mixture and vaccine antibody.
Detecting geospatial patterns of Plasmodium falciparum parasite migration in Cambodia using optimized estimated effective migration surfaces
Authors: Li Yao , Shetty Amol C. , Lon Chanthap , Spring Michele , Saunders David L. , Fukuda Mark M. , Hien Tran Tinh , Pukrittayakamee Sasithon , Fairhurst Rick M. , Dondorp Arjen M. , Plowe Christopher V. , O’Connor Timothy D. , Takala-Harrison Shannon , Stewart Kathleen
Published: April 2020

Background

Understanding the genetic structure of natural populations provides insight into the demographic and adaptive processes that have affected those populations. Such information, particularly when integrated with geospatial data, can have translational applications for a variety of fields, including public health. Estimated effective migration surfaces (EEMS) is an approach that allows visualization of the spatial patterns in genomic data to understand population structure and migration. In this study, we developed a workflow to optimize the resolution of spatial grids used to generate EEMS migration maps and applied this optimized workflow to estimate migration of Plasmodium falciparum in Cambodia and bordering regions of Thailand and Vietnam.

Methods

The optimal density of EEMS grids was determined based on a new workflow created using density clustering to define genomic clusters and the spatial distance between genomic clusters. Topological skeletons were used to capture the spatial distribution for each genomic cluster and to determine the EEMS grid density; i.e., both genomic and spatial clustering were used to guide the optimization of EEMS grids. Model accuracy for migration estimates using the optimized workflow was tested and compared to grid resolutions selected without the optimized workflow. As a test case, the optimized workflow was applied to genomic data generated from P. falciparum sampled in Cambodia and bordering regions, and migration maps were compared to estimates of malaria endemicity, as well as geographic properties of the study area, as a means of validating observed migration patterns.

Results

Optimized grids displayed both high model accuracy and reduced computing time compared to grid densities selected in an unguided manner. In addition, EEMS migration maps generated for P. falciparum using the optimized grid corresponded to estimates of malaria endemicity and geographic properties of the study region that might be expected to impact malaria parasite migration, supporting the validity of the observed migration patterns.

Conclusions

Optimized grids reduce spatial uncertainty in the EEMS contours that can result from user-defined parameters, such as the resolution of the spatial grid used in the model. This workflow will be useful to a broad range of EEMS users as it can be applied to analyses involving other organisms of interest and geographic areas.
Navigating environmental constraints to injection preparation: the use of saliva and other alternatives to sterile water among unstably housed PWID in London
Authors: Harris Magdalena , Scott Jenny , Hope Vivian , Wright Talen , McGowan Catherine , Ciccarone Daniel
Published: April 2020

Background

The United Kingdom is experiencing an increase in drug-related deaths and serious bacterial infections among its most vulnerable citizens. Cuts to essential services, coupled with a growing homeless population, create a challenging environment to tackle this public health crisis. In this paper, we highlight an underexplored environmental constraint faced by people living and injecting drugs on the streets. Access to water for injection is restricted in the UK, due to legislative and financial barriers. Austerity measures, such as public toilet closures, further restrict the ability of people made homeless to access clean water and protect themselves from health harms.

Methods

We generated questionnaire (n = 455) and in-depth qualitative interview (n = 32) data with people who inject drugs in London for the Care and Prevent study. Participants provided detail on their life history; drug use, injecting and living environments; health conditions and care seeking practices.

Findings

A high proportion of the survey sample reported lifetime history of street homelessness (78%), bacterial infections (65%) and related hospitalisation (30%). Qualitative accounts highlight unsafe, potentially dangerous, injection practices in semi-public spaces. Multiple constraints to sourcing sterile water for injection preparation were reported. Alternatives to sterile water included puddle water, toilet cistern water, whisky, cola soda and saliva. Participants who injected heroin and crack cocaine together unanimously reported adding water at two stages during injection preparation: first, adding water as a vehicle for heroin (which was then heated); second, adding cold water to the heroin mixture prior to adding the crack cocaine. This new finding of a stage addition of solvent may represent an additional risk of infection.

Conclusion

Currently, harm reduction equipment and resources for safe injecting are not meeting the needs of people who inject drugs who are street homeless or unstably housed. Preparation of injections with non-sterile water sources could precipitate bacterial and fungal infections, particularly when used without the application of heat. It is crucial that water for injection, also skin cleaning, is made available for the unstably housed and that harm reduction messaging is tailored to speak to the everyday realities of people who prepare and inject drugs in public spaces.
Subjective well-being, general self-efficacy and coping with stress in former psychiatric patients preparing for the peer support role: an exploratory study
Authors: Chudzicka-Czupała Agata , Zalewska-Łunkiewicz Karolina
Published: April 2020

Background

People who experienced a mental crisis are involved in providing care for others who face psychiatric hospitalization. The idea of peer workforce has been developed mostly in American and European behavioral health systems. Similar program is implemented to Polish mental health care. The purpose of the study was to find out if candidates for peer support workers with different levels of subjective well-being differed also in terms of general self-efficacy and in the ways of coping with stress.

Methods

As the problem has not been studied before exploratory study was conducted. The study covered a group of 72 subjects, 46 women and 26 men, aged 21–62 years (M = 41.43; SD = 10.37), former psychiatric patients, preparing for a peer worker role. We used the following questionnaires: Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being (PWB) Scales, in the Polish adaptation by Krok, the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) by Schwarzer and Jerusalem, in adaptation by Schwarzer, Jerusalem and Juczyński and Brief-COPE by Carver, in adaptation by Juczyński and Ogińska-Bulik.

Results

The results of cluster analysis pointed to the existence of two groups of individuals with significantly different levels of subjective well-being. Then MANOVA was used. It was determined that individuals with a higher level of well-being were characterized by a higher level of self-efficacy, a higher tendency to use positive reframing strategy and propensity towards active behavior when coping with stress, as well as by a lower propensity towards self-blaming and behavioral disengagement.

Conclusions

The study demonstrates that further empirical explorations are justified. The results also encourage a search for some more possible conditions of well-being. It would be advisable to train candidates for mental health peer workers by focusing on the strengthening of their subjective well being and developing active forms of coping with stress.
Comparison of effect between nasobiliary drainage and biliary stenting in malignant biliary obstruction: a systematic review and updated meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Wei , Che Xu
Published: April 2020

Background

To compare the efficacy of endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD) and endoscopic biliary stenting (EBS) in preoperative biliary drainage (PBD).

Methods

ENBD and EBS related literature of patients with malignant biliary obstruction published before September 2019 were collected from PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library for comparison analysis. Revman 5.3 statistical software was used for analysis.

Results

Nine studies were used for our comparative study. A total of 1435 patients were included, which consisted of 813 in the ENBD group and 622 in the EBS group. Meta-analysis showed that patients with malignant biliary obstruction who received ENBD had reductions in the rates of preoperative cholangitis (RR  =  0.46, 95% CI  =  0.34–0.62, P  <  0.00001), preoperative pancreatitis (RR  =  0.69, 95% CI  =  0.50–0.95, P  = 0.02), stent dysfunction (RR  =  0.58, 95% CI  =  0.43–0.80, P  = 0.0008), morbidity (RR  =  0.77, 95% CI  =  0.64–0.93, P  =  0.007), and postoperative pancreatic fistula (RR  =  0.65, 95% CI  =  0.45–0.92, P  =  0.02) compared with patients who received EBS.

Conclusions

The rates of preoperative cholangitis, preoperative pancreatitis, post-operative pancreatic fistula, stent dysfunction, and morbidity of ENBD patients were lower than those of EBS patients. In clinical practice, the physical condition of each patient and their tolerance should be fully considered. ENBD should be given priority. EBS should be replaced if stent dysfunction or intolerance occurs.