bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Guillaume Postel’s ‘Idea of the Zohar’
Authors: Weiss Judith
Published: September 2019

Following Boaz Huss’s coinage of an ‘Idea of the Zohar’, I focus in this paper on the ‘Idea of the Zohar’ held by the Kabbalistic Christian Guillaume Postel (1510–1581). Postel regarded the Zohar as an ultimate expression of his entire theological and messianic thought, and therefore he produced two Latin annotated translations of this treatise. Relying on a close analysis of the Incipit he attached to the earlier translation completed in early 1554 (BL ms. Slaone 1410, fol. 1r), I sketch Postel’s unique concepts regarding the Zohar, both as a text and as a divine essence, showing how his description of the Zohar’s provenance and circulation sheds light on his particular ‘Idea of the Zohar’.
The Question of Divorce and the Mandate of the Jurist Over the Unwilling Husband in Lebanese Muslim Shiʿi Jurisprudence: A Legal Reform?
Authors: Berry Moulouk
Published: September 2019

This article examines Muḥammad Mahdī Shams al-Dīn’s unstudied work, Fasād al-ʿalāqa al-zawjiyya: Wilāyat al-ḥākim al-sharʿī. Shams al-Dīn, who at the time was the head of the Supreme Islamic Shiʿi Council (SISC) and oversaw the religious courts in Lebanon dealing with personal status laws (marriage, divorce, child custody, inheritance laws), witnessed at firsthand women’s suffering, loss of rights, and the long court battles when a husband refused to divorce. The injustices committed against women by some men prompted Shams al-Dīn to find a juristic basis for curtailing men’s power and for defending women’s rights to custody, maintenance, and the deferred bridal gift. In the aforementioned work, Shams al-Dīn examines the scope and limits of the jurist’s authority, and whether such authority allows the jurist to execute divorce without the husband’s approval. His understanding of the concept of the jurist’s authority over the unwilling husband, coupled with his theoretical considerations on marital relations, has wider implications for Lebanese Shiʿi Muslim women and Jaʿfarī religious courts in Lebanon. Despite the profound nature of his reforms, Shams al-Dīn’s work is problematic, in that he leaves the husband’s unilateral right to divorce (even if provisionally) untouched and falls short of finding the theoretical basis for a contract in which equality between the spouses is built-in (even though it is possible in Shiʿi law).
International Environmental Law’s Lack of Normative Ambition: an Opportunity for the Global Pact for the Environment?
Authors: Kotzé Louis J.
Published: September 2019

This paper argues that international environmental law (iel) is not sufficiently ambitious to confront the Anthropocene’s socio-ecological crisis. The critique specifically focuses on iel’s lack of ambitious and “unmentionable” ecological norms such as rights of nature, Earth system integrity, and ecological sustainability that are not yet considered to be part of the corpus of iel, but that arguably should be in light of the prevailing and ever-deepening socio-ecological crisis. Assuming that the recent Global Pact for the Environment initiative and its accompanying United Nations-mandated report that assesses possible gaps in iel are indicative of the type of reforms we might expect of iel now and in future, the paper determines if and the extent to which the Global Pact initiative embraces ambitious norms and addresses iel’s “unmentionable” normative gaps. A secondary, but related, objective of the paper is to briefly respond to the recent view that any radical critique of the Global Pact initiative is either unfounded, unwarranted or undesirable.
NGOs and the Making of EU Migration Policy
Authors: Strik Tineke
Published: September 2019

This article analyses the role of NGOs in the decision-making process of EU legislation on asylum and migration. It shows that during the first phase NGOs struggled to benefit from the Europeanisation of migration policy. The Commission and European Parliament were the most receptive to the lobbying activities of NGOs but they had only little influence themselves. NGOs faced many difficulties in being able to follow and influence the Council negotiations. As the institutional context of that time had made the Council extremely powerful, the final outcome of the ngo lobbying was close to zero. Their shift towards outsider tactics by using their moral authority did not mobilise the public either. The Europeanisation of asylum and migration nevertheless provides NGOs with additional avenues to use their expert and logistical authority. The current institutional context has strengthened their possibilities, though the political climate and the revival of intergovernmental methods constrain their success.
Five new species of Tupiperla Froehlich, 1969 (Plecoptera: Gripopterygidae)
Authors: DUARTE TÁCIO , NOVAES MARCOS CARNEIRO , BISPO PITÁGORAS DA CONCEIÇÃO
Published: September 2019

The stoneflies of the family Gripopterygidae have a Gondwanan distribution (Australian, Neotropical, and Andean regions) and include about 300 species in five recognized subfamilies. The subfamily Gripopteryginae is restricted to the Neotropics and the Andean regions of South America, including 15 genera and about 80 species. Tupiperla Froehlich, with 20 species, is the largest genus among the South American Gripopteryginae. The genus has been recorded from Brazil, Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina. In Brazil, Tupiperla has been recorded from southern, southeastern, and the mountainous areas of central and northeastern, primarily from streams of the Atlantic Forest. We studied specimens of Tupiperla collected from the Atlantic Forest of southern Brazil. Herein, five new species of Tupiperla are described: T. pinhoi sp. nov., T. serrulata sp. nov., T. pessacqi sp. nov., T. ubuntu sp. nov., and T. zwicki sp. nov.
A new micropterous species of Leuctra (Plecoptera: Leuctridae) from the Lesser Caucasus (Georgia)
Authors: MARTYNOV ALEXANDER V. , ŽIAK MATEJ
Published: September 2019

A new micropterous species, Leuctra khachapuri Žiak et Martynov, sp. nov., from the hippopus species-group is described and illustrated based on morphological features of males and females. The new species occurs in crenal waterbodies of the alpine zone of the Adjaro-Imeretian (Meskhetian) Mountain Range, the Lesser Caucasus.
Impact of Tropical Cyclone Initialization on Its Convection Development and Intensity: A Case Study of Typhoon Megi (2010)
Authors: Chang Yi-Pin , Yang Shu-Chih , Lin Kuan-Jen , Lien Guo-Yuan , Wu Chien-Ming
Published: September 2019

This study investigates the impact of tropical cyclone (TC) initialization methods on TC intensity prediction under a framework coupling the Weather Research and Forecasting Model with the TC Centered-Local Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter (WRF TCC-LETKF). While the TC environments are constrained by assimilating the same environmental observations, two different initialization strategies, assimilating real dropsonde observations (the DP experiment) and synthetic axisymmetric surface wind structure (the VT experiment), are employed to construct the TC inner-core structure. These two experiments have distinct results on predicting the rapid intensification (RI) of Typhoon Megi (2010), which can be attributed to their different convective burst (CB) development. In DP, the assimilation of the dropsondes helps establish a realistic TC structure with asymmetry information, leading to scattered CB distribution and persistent RI with abundant moisture supply. In VT, assimilating the axisymmetric surface wind structure spins up the TC efficiently. However, the initially excessive CB coverage causes a too-early high-level warm core, and the reduced moisture supply hinders RI. The forecast results imply that if the TC structure is initialized using a scheme considering only the axisymmetric vortex structure, the RI potential can possibly be underestimated due to the inability to represent the realistic asymmetric structure. Finally, assimilation of both the real and synthetic data can be complementary, giving a strong TC initially that undergoes a longer RI period.
Developing an Automated Medium-Range Flood Awareness System for Switzerland Based on Probabilistic Forecasts of Integrated Water Vapor Fluxes
Authors: Mahlstein Irina , Bhend Jonas , Spirig Christoph , Martius Olivia
Published: September 2019

Floods in the Alpine region can be destructive and cause large economic losses. Many rivers and lakes in Switzerland are regulated and flood damage can be mitigated through an optimal management of lake levels and runoff. This requires high-quality forecasts of atmospheric flood precursors extending beyond short-range (forecast days 1–5) predictions. In several places around the world atmospheric rivers or extreme integrated vapor transport (IVT) are causally related to flood events. Also in Switzerland, extreme IVT oriented perpendicular to the main orography heralds extreme flood events. This relationship is exploited in an operational flood warning system on the medium-range (here forecast days 6–10) time scale based on probabilistic medium-range forecasts of IVT and precipitation over Switzerland provided by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Integrated Forecasting System (IFS). This entails first a comprehensive probabilistic verification of the direction and magnitude of (extreme) IVT and second the development of compact visualizations for the operational use by hydrologists. Based on 20 years of probabilistic reforecasts, we show that both regular and extreme IVT has a better predictability than precipitation and IVT is predictable out to day 8. As the direction of IVT is of central importance for flood risk in Switzerland, we develop a visualization that summarizes probabilistic information on both the direction and magnitude of the IVT together with users of the product. The result is an operational flood warning system based solely on atmospheric flood precursors to extend flood warning information beyond the range of high-resolution deterministic weather forecasts.
The efficacy of acupuncture for stable angina pectoris: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Yang Mingxiao , Sun Mingsheng , Du Ting , Long Hulin , Chen Ji , Liang Fanrong , Lao Lixing
Published: September 2019

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of patients with stable angina pectoris.

Methods

A literature search was performed in nine databases, including PubMed and the Cochrane Library, from their inception to 30 August 2018. Randomized controlled trials that compared acupuncture therapy with sham acupuncture or no treatment were included. Two reviewers under the guidance of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines assessed the eligibility of each record and extracted essential information independently. The data were merged using a fixed-effect model.

Results

Pooled analysis of 17 eligible trials with 1516 participants showed that acupuncture was associated with reduced angina attack frequency (–4.91; 95% confidence interval, –6.01– –3.82; p < 0.00001) and improved depression (–1.23; 95% confidence interval, –1.47– –1.00; p < 0.00001) and anxiety level (–0.96; 95% confidence interval, –1.16– –0.75; p < 0.00001) relative to sham treatment or standard care alone. No increased risk of adverse events was observed during treatment (relative risk, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.33–1.48; p = 0.35). No significant improvement was shown in nitroglycerin use or angina intensity. The included studies were associated with unclear to high risk of selection or performance bias, and the quality of evidence was low to moderate.

Conclusions

Acupuncture may safely and effectively improve physical restrictions, emotional distress, and attack frequency in patients with stable angina pectoris. However, angina intensity and medication use were not reduced. Studies with adequate blinding and a valid sham control group are still warranted due to the current low quality of evidence.
Analysis of Sinonasal Microbiota in Exacerbations of Chronic Rhinosinusitis Subgroups
Authors: Vandelaar Laura J. , Hanson Blake , Marino Michael , Yao William C. , Luong Amber U. , Arias Cesar A. , Ramakrishnan Vijay , Citardi Martin J.
Published: September 2019

Objective

Microbiome analyses now allow precise determination of the sinus microbiota of patients with exacerbations of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). The aim of this report is to describe the sinus microbiota of acute exacerbations in CRS clinical subgroups (with nasal polyps [CRSwNP], without nasal polyps [CRSsNP], and allergic fungal rhinosinusitis [AFRS]).

Study Design

Retrospective chart review.

Setting

Tertiary rhinology practice.

Subjects and Methods

A retrospective review was performed of all patients whose sinus microbiota were assayed via a commercially available microbiome technology during an acute CRS exacerbation during the 2‐year period ending December 31, 2016. All samples were sinus aspirates collected under endoscopic visualization in clinic.

Results

Samples from a total of 134 patients (65 CRSsNP, 55 CRSwNP, and 14 AFRS) were reviewed. The observed richness (number of taxa >2% relative abundance) ranged between 1 and 11 taxa, with an average of 3 taxa per specimen. The most common bacteria in all groups were Staphylococcal spp (including Staphylococcus aureus), Streptococcus spp, Pseudomonas spp, and Escherichia spp. S aureus had an increased prevalence in CRSsNP and AFRS as compared with CRSwNP. Otherwise, the sinus microbiota were markedly similar among all 3 clinical subgroups.

Conclusions

Many bacterial types are identified during acute CRS exacerbation according to DNA‐based detection techniques. Bacterial richness was remarkably low in all samples. Few differences in the patterns among clinical subgroups were observed. Further investigation is warranted to determine the clinical significance of these observations and their role in current clinical algorithms.
Genome-wide association analysis of panicle exsertion and uppermost internode in rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Zhan Chengfang , Hu Jiaxiao , Pang Qiao , Yang Bin , Cheng Yanhao , Xu Enshun , Zhu Peiwen , Li Yingyi , Zhang Hongsheng , Cheng Jinping
Published: September 2019

Background

Rice (Oryza sativaL.) yield is seriously influenced by panicle exsertion (PE) and the uppermost internode (UI) through panicle enclosure or energy transport during grain-filling stages. We evaluated the traits of PE and UI of 205 rice accessions in two independent environments and performed genome-wide association (GWAS) to explore the key genes controlling PE and UI, which could be used to improve panicle enclosure in rice breeding.

Results

In this study, extensive genetic variation was found in both PE and UI among the 205 rice accessions, and 10.7% of accessions had panicle enclosure (PE/UI ≤ 0). Correlation analysis revealed that PE was significantly positively correlated with 1000-grain weight (1000-GW) but negatively correlated with heading date (HD), and UI was significantly positively correlated with HD but no significantly correlated with 1000-GW. A total of 22 and 24 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified for PE and UI using GWAS, respectively. Eight loci for PE and nine loci for UI were simultaneously detected both in 2015 and in 2016, seven loci had adjacent physical positions between PE and UI, and ten loci for PE and seven loci for UI were located in previously reported QTLs. Further, we identified theCYP734A4gene, encoding a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, and theOsLIS-L1gene, encoding a lissencephaly type-1-like protein, as causal genes forqPE14andqUI14, and forqPE19, respectively. PE and UI were both significantly shorter in these two genes’ mutants than in WT. Allelic Hap.1/2/4 ofCYP734A4and Hap.1/2/4 ofOsLIS-L1increased PE, UI, PE/UI, and 1000-GW, but Hap.3 ofCYP734A4and Hap.3 ofOsLIS-L1reduced them. In addition, six candidate genes were also detected for four key novel loci,qPE16,qPE21,qUI1, andqUI18, that seemed to be related to PE and UI.

Conclusions

Our results provide new information on the genetic architecture of PE and UI in rice, confirming that theCYP734A4andOsLIS-L1genes participate in PE and UI regulation, which could improve our understanding of the regulatory mechanism of PE and UI for rice breeding in the future.
A novel protein descriptor for the prediction of drug binding sites
Authors: Jiang Mingjian , Li Zhen , Bian Yujie , Wei Zhiqiang
Published: September 2019

Background

Binding sites are the pockets of proteins that can bind drugs; the discovery of these pockets is a critical step in drug design. With the help of computers, protein pockets prediction can save manpower and financial resources.

Results

In this paper, a novel protein descriptor for the prediction of binding sites is proposed. Information on non-bonded interactions in the three-dimensional structure of a protein is captured by a combination of geometry-based and energy-based methods. Moreover, due to the rapid development of deep learning, all binding features are extracted to generate three-dimensional grids that are fed into a convolution neural network. Two datasets were introduced into the experiment. The sc-PDB dataset was used for descriptor extraction and binding site prediction, and the PDBbind dataset was used only for testing and verification of the generalization of the method. The comparison with previous methods shows that the proposed descriptor is effective in predicting the binding sites.

Conclusions

A new protein descriptor is proposed for the prediction of the drug binding sites of proteins. This method combines the three-dimensional structure of a protein and non-bonded interactions with small molecules to involve important factors influencing the formation of binding site. Analysis of the experiments indicates that the descriptor is robust for site prediction.
Satellites in the prokaryote world
Authors: Subirana Juan A. , Messeguer Xavier
Published: September 2019

Background

Satellites or tandem repeats are very abundant in many eukaryotic genomes. Occasionally they have been reported to be present in some prokaryotes, but to our knowledge there is no general comparative study on their occurrence. For this reason we present here an overview of the distribution and properties of satellites in a set of representative species. Our results provide novel insights into the evolutionary relationship between eukaryotes, Archaea and Bacteria.

Results

We have searched all possible satellites present in the NCBI reference group of genomes in Archaea (142 species) and in Bacteria (119 species), detecting 2735 satellites in Archaea and 1067 in Bacteria. We have found that the distribution of satellites is very variable in different organisms. The archaeal Methanosarcina class stands out for the large amount of satellites in their genomes. Satellites from a few species have similar characteristics to those in eukaryotes, but most species have very few satellites: only 21 species in Archaea and 18 in Bacteria have more than 4 satellites/Mb. The distribution of satellites in these species is reminiscent of what is found in eukaryotes, but we find two significant differences: most satellites have a short length and many of them correspond to segments of genes coding for amino acid repeats. Transposition of non-coding satellites throughout the genome occurs rarely: only in the bacteria Leptospira interrogans and the archaea Methanocella conradii we have detected satellite families of transposed satellites with long repeats.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that the presence of satellites in the genome is not an exclusive feature of eukaryotes. We have described a few prokaryotes which do contain satellites. We present a discussion on their eventual evolutionary significance.
Impact of training and structured medication review on medication appropriateness and patient-related outcomes in nursing homes: results from the interventional study InTherAKT
Authors: Mahlknecht Angelika , Krisch Laura , Nestler Nadja , Bauer Ulrike , Letz Nina , Zenz Daniel , Schuler Jochen , Fährmann Laura , Hempel Georg , Flamm Maria , Osterbrink Jürgen
Published: September 2019

Background

Uncoordinated interprofessional communication in nursing homes increases the risk of polypharmacy and inappropriate medication use. This may lead to augmented frequency of adverse drug events, hospitalizations and mortality. The aims of this study were (1) to improve interprofessional communication and medication safety using a combined intervention and thus, (2) to improve medication appropriateness and health-related outcomes of the included residents.

Methods

The single-arm interventional study (2014–2017) was conducted in Muenster, Germany and involved healthcare professionals and residents of nursing homes.

The intervention consisted of systematic education of participating healthcare professionals and of a structured interprofessional medication review which was performed via an online communication platform.

The primary endpoint was assessed using the Medication Appropriateness Index MAI. Secondary endpoints were: cognitive performance, delirium, agitation, mobility, number of drugs, number of severe drug-drug interactions and appropriateness of analgesics.

Outcomes were measured before, during and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inference-statistical methods.

Results

Fourteen general practitioners, 11 pharmacists, 9 nursing homes and 120 residents (n = 83 at all testing times) participated.

Overall MAI sum-score decreased significantly over time (mean reduction: -7.1, CI95%-11.4 – − 2.8; median = − 3.0; dCohen = 0.39), especially in cases with baseline sum-score ≥ 24 points (mean reduction: -17.4, CI95%-27.6 – − 7.2; median = − 15.0; dCohen = 0.86).

MAI sum-score of analgesics also decreased (dCohen = 0.45). Mean number of severe drug-drug interactions rose slightly over time (dCohen = 0.17). The proportion of residents showing agitated behavior diminished from 83.9 to 67.8%. Remaining secondary outcomes were without substantial change.

Conclusion

Medication appropriateness increased particularly in residents with high baseline MAI sum-scores. Cognitive decline of participating residents was seemingly decelerated when compared with epidemiologic studies. A controlled trial is required to confirm these effects. Interprofessional interaction was structured and performance of medication reviews was facilitated as the online communication platform provided unlimited and consistent access to all relevant and updated information.

Trial registration

DRKS Data Management, ID:DRKS00007900, date of registration: 2015-09-02 (retrospectively registered i.e. 6 weeks after commencement of the first data collection).
Association between lipodystrophy and length of exposure to ARTs in adult HIV-1 infected patients in Montreal
Authors: Alikhani Ahmad , Morin Helene , Matte Stephanie , Alikhani Pouriya , Tremblay Cécile , Durand Madeleine
Published: September 2019

Background

The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of lipodystrophy and its association to cumulative exposure to antiretroviral drugs.

Method

We conducted a cross sectional study in all HIV- infected patients attending the HIV clinic in the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Montréal (CHUM) with DEXA scan. Lipodystrophy was defined as a trunk/limb fat ratio ≥ 1.5. Association between cumulative exposure to antiretroviral (measured in years of use) with trunk/limb fat ratio (coded as a continuous variable) was assessed using univariate and multivariate linear regression for each antiretroviral drug with at least 40 exposed patients.

Results

One hundred sixty-six patients were included. Seventy-five percent were male, median age was 56 years, 67% were Caucasian. Overall, prevalence of lipodystrophy was 47%, with a mean trunk/limb fat ratio of 1.87, SD = 1.03, min = 0.6 and max = 5.87. Each 10-year increase in age and HIV infection duration was associated with an average increase of 0.24 and 0.34 for the trunk/limb fat ratio respectively. (p = 0.003, p = 0.002, respectively) Patients classified as lipodystrophic were more likely to be diabetic (50 vs. 28%, p = 0.07) and to have dyslipidemia (47 vs. 19%, p = 0.01). According to viral load at DEXA test, each one log increase was associated with less probability (0.7) of lipodystrophy. (p = 0.01) Among ARV drugs tested, there was an association between years of use of d4T, ritonavir and raltegravir and higher trunk/limb fat ratio (indicating more lipodystrophy) (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Lipodystrophy is very common in HIV infected patients and is correlated with duration of some new antiretroviral drugs.
Serum anti-phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) antibody detected at diagnosis as a predictor for clinical remission in patients with primary membranous nephropathy: a meta-analysis
Authors: Liang Yufeng , Wan Jianxin , Chen Yongping , Pan Yangbin
Published: September 2019

Background

The diagnostic value of serum M-type phospholipase A2 receptor antibody (sPLA2R-ab) expression in patients with primary membranous nephropathy (PMN) has been established. However, the association between sPLA2R-ab and clinical remission remains uncertain.

Methods

We systematically searched the literature for clinical trials regarding the correlation between sPLA2R-ab expression and clinical remission of PMN patients. Meta-analysis was performed to determine this association. Subgroup analysis, funnel plots, and sensitivity analysis were also performed to investigate heterogeneity or bias.

Results

A total of 11 trials involving 824 patients were included. Patients with positive sPLA2R-ab had a poor clinical remission rate (RR = 0.76, 95%CI 0.68–0.86, P < 0.0001; I2 = 39%), a higher titer of sPLA2R-ab had a lower chance of clinical remission (RR = 0.72, 95%CI 0.59–0.87, P = 0.0006; I2 = 42%),and a higher risk of renal failure (RR = 4.85, 95% CI, 1.83–12.85, P = 0.002; I2 = 0%), without affecting relapse (RR = 0.97, 95% CI, 0.55–1.70; P = 0.92, I2 = 0%). Subgroup analysis by treatment strategies, assay methods, ethnicity, gender, renal function, the approach of ruling out SMN, and the ratio of patients with nephrotic-range proteinuria at baseline showed no significant association between these factors with the prognostic value of sPLA2R-ab for PMN patients. No significant publication bias was found.

Conclusion

This meta-analysis adds to the evidence for current guidelines that sPLA2R-ab acts as not only a diagnostic marker but also a pivotal predictor for clinical remission. Therefore, sPLA2R-ab can be considered as a prognostic factor for stratifying PMN patients.
Validation and calibration of the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) in Argentina
Authors: Urtasun María , Daray Federico Manuel , Teti Germán Leandro , Coppolillo Fernando , Herlax Gabriela , Saba Guillermo , Rubinstein Adolfo , Araya Ricardo , Irazola Vilma
Published: September 2019

Background

The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a brief tool to assess the presence and severity of depressive symptoms. This study aimed to validate and calibrate the PHQ-9 to determine appropriate cut-off points for different degrees of severity of depression in Argentina.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study on an intentional sample of adult ambulatory care patients with different degrees of severity of depression. All patients who completed the PHQ-9 were further interviewed by a trained clinician with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Reliability and validity tests, including receiver operating curve analysis, were performed.

Results

One hundred sixty-nine patients were recruited with a mean age of 47.4 years (SD = 14.8), of whom 102 were females (60.4%). The local PHQ-9 had high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.87) and satisfactory convergent validity with the BDI-II scale [Pearson’s correlation = 0.88 (p < 0.01)]. For the diagnosis of Major Depressive Episode (MDE) according to the MINI, a PHQ-9 ≥ 8 was the optimal cut-off point found (sensitivity 88.2%, specificity 86.6%, PPV 90.91%). The local version of PHQ-9 showed good ability to discriminate among depression severity categories according to the BDI-II scale. The best cut off points were 6–8 for mild cases, 9–14 for moderate and 15 or more for severe depressive symptoms respectively.

Conclusions

The Argentine version of the PHQ-9 questionnaire has shown acceptable validity and reliability for both screening and severity assessment of depressive symptoms.
Prevalence, symptomatology, risk factors and healthcare services utilization regarding paternal depression in Germany: study protocol of a controlled cross-sectional epidemiological study
Authors: Albicker Julia , Hölzel Lars P. , Bengel Jürgen , Domschke Katharina , Kriston Levente , Schiele Miriam A. , Frank Fabian
Published: September 2019

Background

While postpartum depression is a well-researched disorder in mothers, there is growing evidence indicating that some fathers also develop depressive symptoms (paternal postpartum depression, PPD). A recent meta-analysis revealed a total prevalence of paternal depression during pregnancy and up to one year postpartum of 8.4%, with significant heterogeneity observed among prevalence rates. International studies suggest that PPD is characterized by additional symptoms compared to maternal postpartum depression. Furthermore, various risk factors of PPD have been identified. However, the prevalence, symptomatology, risk factors and healthcare situation of fathers affected by PPD in Germany are unknown.

Methods/design

This study comprises a controlled, cross-sectional epidemiological survey administered via postal questionnaires. The primary objective is to compare the prevalence of depressive symptoms in fathers with a 0–12-month-old infant to the prevalence of depressive symptoms in men without recent paternity. Two structurally differing regions (concerning birthrate, employment status, socioeconomic structure, and nationality of inhabitants) will be included. A random sample of 4600 fathers (2300 in each region) in the postpartum period and 4600 men without recent paternity matched by age, nationality and marital status will be assessed regarding depressive symptoms using the PHQ-9. Contact data will be extracted from residents’ registration offices. As secondary objectives, the study aims to provide insights into symptoms and risk factors of PPD in fathers and to assess the current healthcare situation of fathers with PPD in Germany. In an add-on study, genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of PPD will be explored.

Discussion

This study will conduct the first direct comparison between fathers in the postpartum period of one year after childbirth and a matched sample of men without a newborn child. Besides closing this research gap, the findings will provide prevalence estimates as well as insights into specific symptomatology, risk factors, and the current healthcare situation regarding fathers with PPD in Germany. The results will identify low-threshold approaches as a relevant issue for healthcare. Moreover, the findings should inform the development of PPD-specific screening instruments and healthcare offers addressing fathers with PPD.

Trial registration

German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS): DRKS00013339; Trial registration date: August 20, 2018; Universal Trial Number (UTN): U1111–1218-8185.
The effect of smoke-free legislation on the mortality rate of acute myocardial infarction: a meta-analysis
Authors: Gao Min , Li Yanyu , Wang Fugang , Zhang Shengfa , Qu Zhiyong , Wan Xia , Wang Xiaohua , Yang Jie , Tian Donghua , Zhang Weijun
Published: September 2019

Background

Several studies have demonstrated that smoke-free legislation is associated with a reduced risk of mortality from acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study aimed to examine and quantify the potential effect of smoke-free legislation on AMI mortality rate in different countries.

Methods

Studies were identified using a systematic search of the scientific literature from electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Embase, Google Scholar, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), from their inception through September 30, 2017. A random effects model was employed to estimate the overall effects of smoke-free legislation on the AMI mortality rate. Subgroup analysis was performed to explore the possible causes of heterogeneity in risk estimates based on sex and age. The results of meta-analysis after excluding the studies with a high risk of bias were reported in this study.

Results

A total of 10 eligible studies with 16 estimates of effect size were included in this meta-analysis. Significant heterogeneity in the risk estimates was identified (overall I2 = 94.6%, p < 0.001). Therefore, a random effects model was utilized to estimate the overall effect of smoke-free legislation. There was an 8% decline in AMI mortality after introducing smoke-free legislation (RR = 0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.90–0.94). The results of subgroup analyses showed that smoke-free legislation was significantly associated with lower rates of mortality for the following 5 diagnostic subgroups: smoke-free in workplaces, restaurants and bars (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.90–0.95), smaller sample size (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.89–0.95), study location in Europe (RR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.85–0.94), regional study area (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.89–0.94), and no previous local smoke-free legislation (RR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.90–0.93). However, there was not much difference in AMI mortality rates after the legislation between the longer (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86–0.98) and shorter follow-up duration subgroups (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.89–0.94).

Conclusion

Smoke-free legislation could significantly reduce the AMI mortality rate by 8%. The reduction in the AMI mortality rate was more significant in studies with more comprehensive laws, without prior smoke-free bans, with a smaller sample size, at the regional level, and with a location in Europe.
A behavioral design approach to improving a Chagas disease vector control campaign in Peru
Authors: Buttenheim Alison M. , Levy Michael Z. , Castillo-Neyra Ricardo , McGuire Molly , Toledo Vizcarra Amparo M. , Mollesaca Riveros Lina M. , Meza Julio , Borrini-Mayori Katty , Naquira Cesar , Behrman Jere , Paz-Soldan Valerie A.
Published: September 2019

Background

Individual behavior change is a critical ingredient in efforts to improve global health. Central to the focus on behavior has been a growing understanding of how the human brain makes decisions, from motivations and mindsets to unconscious biases and cognitive shortcuts. Recent work in the field of behavioral economics and related fields has contributed to a rich menu of insights and principles that can be engineered into global health programs to increase impact and reach. However, there is little research on the process of designing and testing interventions informed by behavioral insights.

Methods

In a study focused on increasing household participation in a Chagas disease vector control campaign in Arequipa, Peru, we applied Datta and Mullainathan’s “behavioral design” approach to formulate and test specific interventions. In this Technical Advance article we describe the behavioral design approach in detail, including the Define, Diagnosis, Design, and Test phases. We also show how the interventions designed through the behavioral design process were adapted for a pragmatic randomized controlled field trial.

Results

The behavioral design framework provided a systematic methodology for defining the behavior of interest, diagnosing reasons for household reluctance or refusal to participate, designing interventions to address actionable bottlenecks, and then testing those interventions in a rigorous counterfactual context. Behavioral design offered us a broader range of strategies and approaches than are typically used in vector control campaigns.

Conclusions

Careful attention to how behavioral design may affect internal and external validity of evaluations and the scalability of interventions is needed going forward. We recommend behavioral design as a useful complement to other intervention design and evaluation approaches in global health programs.
Sociodemographic and health care factors in determining immunization defaulters among preschool children in Petaling District, Selangor: a cross-sectional study in Malaysia
Authors: Krishna Damyanthy , Mohd Zulkefli Nor Afiah , Md Said Salmiah , Mahmud Aidalina
Published: September 2019

Background

Immunization is an effective public health intervention to reduce morbidity and mortality among children and it will become more effective if the child can receive the full course of recommended immunization doses. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of childhood immunization defaulters and its associated factors among children below 5 years attending registered child care centers in Petaling District, Selangor.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional survey among mothers with children below 5 years from 60 registered child care centers in District of Petaling, Selangor. Data was collected by a self-administered questionnaire from a total of 1015 mothers. Simple Logistic Regression, Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test were performed to determine the association between individual categorical variables and childhood immunization defaulters. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the predictors of childhood immunization defaulters.

Results

The study showed that the prevalence rate for defaulting immunization was 20.7%. After adjusting all confounders, six statistically significant predictors of childhood immunization defaulters were determined. They were non-Muslims (aOR = 1.669, 95% CI = 1.173, 2.377,p = 0.004), mothers with diploma and below educational background (aOR = 2.296, 95% CI = 1.460, 3.610,p < 0.0001), multiple children of 5 and above in a family (aOR = 2.656, 95% CI = 1.004, 7.029,p = 0.040), mothers with younger children aged 2 years and below (aOR = 1.700, 95% CI = 1.163, 2.486,p = 0.006), long travelling time of more than 30 min to the immunization health facility (aOR = 2.303, 95% CI = 1.474, 3.599,p < 0.0001) and had delayed at least one of the immunization schedule (aOR = 2.747, 95% CI = 1.918, 3.933,p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

This study highlights the need of implementation of intervention programs should be intensified to improve the childhood immunization status, focusing on the Non-Muslim community, mothers with low educational level, mothers with multiple children and mothers with children aged 2 years and below. In light of the growing problem of immunization defaulters in Malaysian children, identifying mothers at risk of not completing their children immunization schedule and educating them is an important strategy to recurrent outbreaks of infectious disease in the country.
Early outcome of Frey’s procedure for chronic pancreatitis: Nepalese tertiary center experience
Authors: Sah Dhruba Narayan , Bhandari Ramesh Singh , Singh Yogendra Prasad , Vaidya Pradeep , Kansakar Prasan B. S. , Ghimire Bikal , Kandel Bishnu , Sah Jayant Kumar , Lakhey Paleswan Joshi
Published: September 2019

Background

Chronic pancreatitis is a progressive and persistent inflammatory disease resulting in pancreatic insufficiency leading to diabetes and steatorrhea. Abdominal pain is the most debilitating feature and is often refractory to treatment. Medical management with adequate analgesia and replacement of pancreatic enzyme supplements is the first line in management of chronic pancreatitis. Surgery is reserved for those who fail medical management. The choice of surgical procedure and timing of surgery is a topic of debate.

The objective of this study was to analyze surgical safety along with short- and long- term outcomes of Frey’s procedure for patients suffering from chronic pancreatitis.

Methods

This was a retrospective review of cases of chronic pancreatitis who underwent Frey’s procedure from 2016 January to 2019 February at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. Demographics, intraoperative findings, perioperative outcomes, and short- and long-time outcomes were analyzed.

Results

Total of 26 patients (age ranged 17–52, male − 14) underwent Frey’s procedure in the study period. Alcohol was etiology in six patients while the majority (76.9%) were nonalcoholic. Half of the patients had tropical pancreatitis. Intractable pain was present in all cases along with pseudocyst in three and pseudoaneurysm in one case. The mean preoperative Izbicki scores were 53.4 ± 17.6. Six patients had diabetes and two patients had steatorrhea. Major complications were seen in 11.5% of cases while mortality was in one patient. The median duration of the hospital stay was seven days. Over a median follow up of 17 months (range, 3–38), there were significantly lower pain scores postoperatively and 92% were pain-free. Only one new case of diabetes developed postoperatively.

Conclusion

Our early experiences suggests that Frey’s procedure can be a safe option for patients with chronic pancreatitis, with acceptable perioperative morbidity with adequate pain relief without worsening of pancreatic endocrine and exocrine function.
Habitat-related differences in song structure and complexity in a songbird with a large repertoire
Authors: Deoniziak Krzysztof , Osiejuk Tomasz S.
Published: September 2019

Background

Urbanisation has been shown to influence many aspects of animal vocal communication. Much attention has been paid to anthropogenic noise, which is often described as one of the most challenging disturbances for urban dwellers. While a large body of literature describes associations between vocal behavior of avian populations and background noise level, most of these studies were conducted on species with relatively simple songs and small repertoire sizes. This study focuses on the song thrush,Turdus philomelos, a common Eurasian songbird with a complex singing style and large syllable repertoire. Our objective was to determine whether frequency, repertoire and temporal organisation of song parameters vary between birds inhabiting urban and adjacent forest habitats in which ambient noise levels differ.

Results

Songs of urban males were found to be more complex than in conspecifics from natural forest populations. Urban dwellers possessed greater syllable repertoires and repeated syllable sequences more often. In addition, they used a smaller proportion of whistles and a higher proportion of twitter syllables when singing compared to the nonurban males. Moreover, we found significant differences in the minimum and peak frequency of the whistle syllable between studied populations.

Conclusions

These findings may be an example of adaptation of acoustic communication in noisy urban environments, but we also discuss other possible explanations. We emphasize the need for further investigation into the relationships between birdsong and habitat characteristics, male quality, population density and ambient noise level in populations occupying urban and nonurban habitats.
Anti-viral activity of culinary and medicinal mushroom extracts against dengue virus serotype 2: an in-vitro study
Authors: Ellan Kavithambigai , Thayan Ravindran , Raman Jegadeesh , Hidari Kazuya I. P. J. , Ismail Norizah , Sabaratnam Vikineswary
Published: September 2019

Background

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection that has become a major public health concern worldwide. Presently, there is no specific vaccine or treatment available for dengue viral infection.

Methods

Lignosus rhinocerotis, Pleurotus giganteus, Hericium erinaceus, Schizophyllum commune and Ganoderma lucidium were selected for evaluation of their in-vitro anti-dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) activities. Hot aqueous extracts (HAEs), ethanol extracts (EEs), hexane soluble extracts (HSEs), ethyl acetate soluble extracts (ESEs) and aqueous soluble extracts (ASEs) were prepared from the selected mushrooms. The cytotoxic effects of the extracts were evaluated by the MTT assay. The anti-DENV-2 activities of the extracts were evaluated in three different assays: simultaneous, attachment and penetration assays were perfomed using plaque reduction assays and RT-qPCR assays. The effect of the addition time on viral replication was assessed by the time of addition assay, and a virucidal assay was carried out to evaluate the direct effect of each mushroom extract on DENV-2. The chemical composition of glucans, and the protein and phenolic acid contents in the extracts were estimated.

Results

We found that the HAEs and ASEs of L. rhinocerotis, P. giganteus, H. erinaceus and S. commune were the least toxic to Vero cells and showed very prominent anti-DENV2 activity. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of the ASEs ranged between 399.2–637.9 μg/ml, while for the HAEs the range was 312.9–680.6 μg/ml during simultaneous treatment. Significant anti-dengue activity was also detected in the penetration assay of ASEs (IC50: 226.3–315.4 μg/ml) and HAEs (IC50: 943.1–2080.2 μg/ml). Similarly, we observed a marked reduction in the expression levels of the ENV and NS5 genes in the simultaneous and penetration assays of the ASEs and HAEs. Time-of-addition experiments showed that the highest percent of anti-DENV2 activity was observed when the mushroom extracts were added immediately after virus adsorption. None of the extracts exhibited virucidal effect. Chemical composition analysis showed that the major components in the mushroom HAEs and ASEs were glucan (beta D-glucan) and proteins, however, there was no significant correlation between the anti-dengue activity and the concentration of glucans and proteins.

Conclusion

These findings demonstrated the potential of mushroom extracts as anti-dengue therapeutic agents with less toxic effects.