bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance of The Modified Heart Score In An Asian Population
Authors: Sajeed Shanaz , De Dios Michael , Jun Dan Ong Wei , Punyadasa Amila Clarence
Published: April 2020

INTRODUCTION Chest pain is the most common potentially life threatening presentation to the emergency department (ED). Furthermore, the identification of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) including its risk stratification and subsequent disposition can be challenging. The original HEART score was derived as a predictive tool to risk stratify patients presenting with undifferentiated chest pain (CP) and aid physician decision-making. However, it utilized conventional Troponins as its cardiac biomarker component. Our study aims to assess the utility of the modified HEART score with highly sensitive troponins in an Asian setting with mixed ethnicity to determine if it corroborates the findings of the another recent Chinese study by Chun-Peng MA et al[7]. METHODS Clinical data from 413 patients presenting to the ED for evaluation of chest pain were analyzed. The predictive value of the modified HEART score for determining MACE was then evaluated. RESULTS 49 patients (11.9%) had a MACE: 31 patients (7.5%) underwent PCI, and 1 patient (0.2%) underwent CABG. There were 17 (4.1%) deaths. Three risk groups were elucidated based on MACE. In the low risk group (0-2), there were 72 patients (17.4%), with a MACE rate of 1.4%. In the intermediate risk group (3-5), there were 233 patients (56.4%), with a MACE rate of 5.2%. In the high risk group (6-10), there were 108 patients (26.2%), with a MACE rate of 33.3%. CONCLUSION The modified HEART score is an effective risk stratification tool in an ethnically diverse Asian population. Furthermore, it identifies low risk patients who are candidates for early discharge from a local emergency department.
Corneal biomechanical properties in myopic eyes evaluated via Scheimpflug imaging
Authors: Yu A-Yong , Shao Hui , Pan Anpeng , Wang Qinmei , Huang Zixu , Song Benhao , McAlinden Colm , Huang Jinhai , Chen Sisi
Published: April 2020

Background To investigate the biomechanical properties of the cornea in myopic eyes using corneal visualization scheimpflug technology (Corvis ST). The relationships between the biomechanical properties of the cornea and the degree of myopia were also investigated.Methods 265 eyes of 265 subjects were included. According to spherical equivalent (SE) in diopters (D), participants were divided into four groups: low myopia/control group (SE: -0.50 to -3.00D), moderate myopia group (SE: -3.00 to -6.00D), high myopia group (SE: -6.00 to -10.00D) and severe myopia group (SE greater than -10.00D). Axial length (AL), anterior segment parameters, and corneal biomechanical properties were obtained with the Lenstar LS900, Pentacam HR and Corvis ST, respectively. Results Mean (±SD) SE was -7.29±4.31D (range: -0.63 to -25.75D). Mean AL was 26.31±1.82mm (range: 21.87 to 31.94mm). Significant differences were detected within the four groups in terms of six corneal biomechanical parameters: deformation amplitude (DA), time from start until second applanation (A2-time), length of flattened cornea at the second applanation (A2-length), corneal velocity during the first and second applanation (A2-velocity), time from start to highest concavity (HC-time), and central curvature at highest concavity (HC radius). DA was positively correlated with AL ( r =0.16, P =0.009) and negatively correlated with SE ( r =-0.20, P =0.001). A2-time, A2-velocity, A2-length and HC-time were positively correlated with SE and negatively correlated with AL.Conclusions The alterations in corneal biomechanics may be associated with the degree of myopia. DA and A2-velocity may be useful corneal biomechanical indicators in patients with myopia.
Prognostic and clinical significance of long non-coding RNA SNHG12 expression in various cancers
Authors: Zhang Chenghao , Tu Chao , Ren Xiaolei , Zhang Wenchao , He Lile , Qi Lin , Chen Ruiqi , Li Zhihong
Published: April 2020

Background: Recently, dysregulation of lncRNA SNHG12 has been determined in kinds of cancers. However, definite prognostic value of SNHG12 remains unclear. We conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the association between SNHG12 expression levels and caner prognosis.Methods: A literature retrieval was conducted by searching kinds of databases. The meta-analysis of prognostic and clinicopathological parameters was performed by using Revman 5.2 and Stata 12.0 software. Besides, The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset was analyzed to validate the results in our meta-analysis via using Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis.Results: High SNHG12 expression significantly predicted worse overall survival (HR=1.97, 95%CI 1.56-2.48, P<0.01) and recurrence-free survival (HR=1.71, 95%CI 1.05-2.78, P<0.01). Tumor type, sample size, survival analysis method, and cut-off value did not alter SNHG12 prognosis value according to stratified analysis results. Additionally, patients with elevated SNHG12 expression were more prone to unfavorable clinicopathological outcomes, including larger tumor size, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, advanced clinical stage. Online cross-validation in TCGA dataset further proved that cancer patients with upregulated SNHG12 expression had worse overall survival and disease-free survival.Conclusion: Elevated SNHG12 expression was associated with poor survival and unfavorable clinicopathological features in various cancers, and therefore might be a potential prognostic biomarker in human cancers.
Asthma and Keratoconus: An analysis of the risk factors association with the severity of keratoconus
Authors: Sahebjada Srujana , Chan Elsie , Xie Jing , Snibson Grant , Daniel Mark , Baird Paul
Published: April 2020

Background: A cross-sectional study was undertaken in Australia to explore a wide range of risk factors associated with keratoconus. A questionnaire addressing age, gender, educational background, ocular and medical history, smoking and alcohol consumption, and physical examination comprising anthropometric measurements was collected; eye examination was undertaken. The associations between a range of risk factors and keratoconus was determined using univariate and multivariable linear regression analyses.Main Text: A total of 260 keratoconus subjects were included in this study. Mean age of subject was 35.5 (SD= 14.8) years and the majority of the subjects were European 171 (68.2%). Initial univariate regression analysis identified the following risk factors at the p<0.1 level with keratoconus: higher body mass index, smoking cigarettes, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and asthma were associated with increased severity of keratoconus, whereas eczema was associated with less severe keratoconus. Following multivariable regression analysis, only asthma remained as a significant risk factor associated with 2.2 diopters (D) steeper average mean keratometry compared to keratoconus subjects having no asthma [p = 0.03; β= 2.18; 95% confidence intervals: 1.22, 4.14].Conclusion: Our study describes the comprehensive assessment of all the known risk factors in a large keratoconus cohort recruited in Australia. Our study has reported asthma as the only risk factor found to be significantly associated with keratoconus. The results of this study allow us to better understand the aetiology of keratoconus and such a knowledge could be useful in instigate systemic management of patients to slow or prevent keratoconus.
Design a Novel Integrated Screw for Minimally Invasive Atlantoaxial Anterior Transarticular Screw Fixation: A Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Zhang YingKai , Li Cheng , Li Lei , Sun Yanyan , Li Zeqing , Mei Yunli , Feng Xinyuan
Published: April 2020

Purpose : To design a new type of screw for minimally invasive atlantoaxial anterior transarticular screw (AATS) fixation with a diameter that is significantly thicker than that of traditional screws, threaded structures at both ends, and a porous metal structure in the middle. The use of a porous metal structure can effectively promote bone fusion and compensate for the disadvantages of traditional AATSs in terms of insufficient fixation strength and difficulty of bone fusion. The biomechanical stability of this screw was verified through finite element analysis. This instrument may provide a new surgical option for the treatment of atlantoaxial disorders. Methods: According to the surgical procedure, the new type of AATS was placed in a three-dimensional atlantoaxial model to determine the setting of relevant parameters such as the diameter, length, and thread to porous metal ratio of the structure. A finite element model of the upper cervical vertebrae was established, and the validity of the model was verified. Then, finite element-based biomechanical analysis was performed using three models, i.e., atlantoaxial posterior pedicle screw fixation, traditional atlantoaxial AATS fixation, and atlantoaxial AATS fixation with the new type of screw, and the biomechanical effectiveness of the novel AATS was verified. Results: By measuring the atlantoaxial parameters, the design parameters of the new screw were determined as follows: diameter, 6-7 mm; length of the head thread structure, 8-10 mm; length of the middle porous metal structure, 8 mm (a middle porous structure containing an annular cylinder with an outer diameter of 3 mm and an inner diameter of 1 mm, which facilitated the placement of the guide wire); length of the tail thread structure, 6-8 mm; and total length, 22-26 mm.Apply the same load conditions to the atlantoaxial complex along different directions in the established finite element models of the three types of atlantoaxial fusion modes, the immediate stability of the new AATS is similar with Atlantoaxial posterior pedicle screw fixation.They are both superior to traditional atlantoaxial anterior screw fixation.The maximum local stress on the screw head in the atlantoaxial anterior surgery were less than those of traditional atlantoaxial anterior surgery. Conclusions : By measuring relevant atlantoaxial data, we found that screws with a larger diameter can be used in AATS surgery, and the new AATS can make full use of the atlantoaxial lateral mass space and increase the stability of fixation. The finite element analysis and verification revealed that the biomechanical stability of the new AATS was superior to the AATS used in traditional atlantoaxial AATS fixation. The porous metal structure of the new AATS may promote fusion between atlantoaxial joints and allow more effective bone fusion in the minimally invasive anterior approach surgery.
Locked in permanent employment – longitudinal associations with depressive and functional somatic symptoms
Authors: Virtanen Pekka , Hammarström Anne , Janlert Urban
Published: April 2020

Background Rapidly changing industrial structures evidently increase individuals’ perceptions of not being in the preferred job, and also being ‘locked’ in the current post. The research on longitudinal associations of such locked-in situations with mental health is still scant, and there are controversial findings. The present study explored five hypotheses about mental health as a precedent and an outcome of different locked-in situations among permanently employed individuals. Methods Survey data on depressive and functional somatic symptoms from age 16 to 43 and on locked-in situations (permanently employed in non-preferred job) at age 30 and age 43 were collected from 479 participants of the Northern Swedish Cohort Study. Based on these two measurements, the locked-in history was classified as ‘never’ (not locked-in at both ages), ‘early’ (locked-in at age 30 only), ‘late’ (locked-in at age 42 only) and ‘long’ (locked-in at both ages). Analysis of variance for repeated measures was used to compare the changes in mental health of the four subcohorts defined by the locked-in history. Results Earlier evidence on the cross-sectional association between feeling locked-in and having poor mental health was confirmed. Longitudinal analyses revealed that those with poor baseline mental health at age 16 tend to get into a locked-in situation in the early middle age, that getting out of a locked-in situation in is associated with improving and getting into a locked-in situation is associated with worsening mental health, and that the worsening is more pronounced and the improvement less pronounced in white-collar than in blue-collar employees. Conclusions The findings clarify the bidirectional causal associations between locked-in situation and poor mental health, as well as the importance of common methods bias and social class in studying these associations. With respect to labour policy, locked-in perceptions could be reduced by means of labour legislation, collective agreements and human resource management that enable smooth transitions between workplaces and occupations. Key terms permanent employment; ANOVA for repeated measurements; occupational class
How do private practitioners in Pakistan manage children suspected having tuberculosis?
Authors: Yaqoob Aashifa , Hinderaker Sven , Fatima Razia , Najmi Hina , Haq Anwar
Published: April 2020

Background: Private providers provide a large portion of health care in Pakistan, including tuberculosis (TB). All TB patients are supposed to be reported to the National Tuberculosis Program (NTP), which provides drugs free of charge in addition to monitoring, supervision and support. It is difficult to confirm the diagnosis of TB in children. We aimed to assess the private health care provider investigation practices and management of childhood TB. Methods: This cross sectional study was based on a national survey that measured under-reporting of children with TB in 12 selected districts in Pakistan from Apr-Jun, 2016. We explored the practices of private health care providers involved in the diagnosis of TB in children under 15 years for investigating and managing children suspected having TB, like general practitioners, pediatricians, pulmonologists and chest specialists. Results: Among 6519 presumptive child TB cases, a total of 5193(79.7%) children under the age of 15 years were diagnosed as TB by private health care providers during second quarter, 2016. Out of all diagnosed TB cases, only 187(3.6%) were notified to NTP. The majority of presumptive child TB cases reported cough, fever, and failure to thrive; few had TB contacts with pulmonary TB patients. For further diagnostic tests, private providers relied on chest X-ray in 41.7% of 0-4 years and 48.2% of 5-14 years. Utilization of Tuberculin skin test and Gene-Xpert MTB/RIF testing was very low. Bacteriological confirmation was present in 9.6%, and clinical assessment was the only basis for diagnosis in 39.3%. Of children with presumptive TB, 3121(47.9%) cases were referred for diagnosis and 2443(37.5%) were referred after diagnosis for treatment; among all the referred, 3812(68.5%) were sent for investigations to District TB Centre(NTP). Conclusion: This study showed that many private providers referred children suspected having TB to laboratories for further diagnosis, but cases identified in investigations were often not notified to the NTP. This problem needs to be resolved by strengthening the referral linkages between private health providers, NTP laboratories and treatment centres through capacity building and training of their staff.
Relationships between menstrual status and obesity phenotypes in women : a cross-sectional study in northern China
Authors: Chen Xueyu , Liu Huamin , Liu Weihua , Chen Yanru , Wang Xiaohui , Zhang Wenran , Shi Fengxue , Sui Xinxia , Wang Xiaojun , Zhang Haitao , Ji Long , Xi Hui , Li Dong
Published: April 2020

Background: One of most important concerns of postmenopausal women is obesity. The relationships between menstruation status and different obesity phenotypes are unclear.This study aimed to assess the associations between menstrual status and different obesity phenotypes in women. Methods: In total, 5373 women aged ≥40 years were recruited from the Jidong and Kailuan communities. Basic information was collected via clinical examination, laboratory testing and standardized questionnaires. The women were stratified into the following three groups: menstrual period, menopausal transition period and postmenopausal period. General obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of >30 kg/m 2 . Central obesity was defined as a waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) of > 0.85. Visceral obesity was defined as the presence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and increased pericardial fat volume (PFV). Results: The numbers of women in the menstrual, menopausal transition, and postmenopausal periods were 2807 (52.2%), 675 (12.6%) and 1891 (35.2%), respectively. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for central obesity among women in the menopausal transition and postmenopausal periods compared with women in the menstrual period were 1.34 (0.87-2.05) and 0.87 (0.57-1.33), respectively. The OR for NAFLD among postmenopausal women was 1.78 (1.44-2.20). The adjusted β-coefficient (standard error, SE) for PFV among postmenopausal women was 41.25 (SE=7.49). The adjusted OR for general obesity among postmenopausal women was 0.87 (0.57-1.33). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that menopause is an independent risk factor for central and visceral obesity but not general obesity.
A family of partial-linear single-index models for analyzing complex environmental exposures with continuous, categorical, time-to-event, and longitudinal health outcomes
Authors: Wang Yuyan , Wu Yinxiang , Jacobson Melanie , Lee Myeonggyun , Jin Peng , Trasande Leonardo , Liu Mengling
Published: April 2020

Background: Statistical methods to study the joint effects of environmental factors are of great importance to understand the impact of correlated exposures that may act synergistically or antagonistically on health outcomes. This study proposes a family of statistical models under a unified partial-linear single-index (PLSI) modeling framework, to assess the joint effects of environmental factors for continuous, categorical, time-to-event, and longitudinal outcomes. All PLSI models consist of a linear combination of exposure factors into a single index for practical interpretability of relative direction and importance, and a nonparametric link function for modeling flexibility. Methods: We presented PLSI linear regression and PLSI quantile regression for continuous outcome, PLSI generalized linear regression for categorical outcome, PLSI proportional hazards model for time-to-event outcome, and PLSI mixed-effects model for longitudinal outcome. These models were demonstrated using a dataset of 800 subjects from NHANES 2003-2004 survey including 8 environmental factors. Serum triglyceride concentration was analyzed as a continuous outcome and then dichotomized as a binary outcome. Simulations were conducted to demonstrate the PLSI proportional hazards model and PLSI mixed-effects model. The performance of PLSI models was compared with their counterpart parametric models. Results: PLSI linear, quantile, and logistic regressions showed similar results that the 8 environmental factors had both positive and negative associations with triglycerides, with a-Tocopherol having the most positive and trans-b-carotene the most negative association. For the time-to-event and longitudinal settings, simulations showed that PLSI models could correctly identify directions and relative importance for the 8 environmental factors. Compared with parametric models, PLSI models got similar results when the link function was close to linear, but clearly outperformed in simulations with nonlinear effects. Conclusions: We presented a unified family of PLSI models to assess the joint effects of exposures on four commonly-used types of outcomes in environmental research, and demonstrated their modeling flexibility and effectiveness, especially for studying environmental factors with mixed directional effects and/or nonlinear effects. Our study has expanded the analytical toolbox for investigating the complex effects of environmental factors. A practical contribution also included a coherent algorithm for all proposed PLSI models with R codes available.
Kinesin superfamily protein 21B acts as an oncogene in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Sun Zhi-Gang , Pan Feng , Shao Jing-Bo , Yan Qian-Qian , Lu Lu , Zhang Nan
Published: April 2020

Background Kinesin superfamily proteins (KIFs) serve as microtubule-dependent molecular motors, and are involved in the progression of many malignant tumors. In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression pattern and precise role of KIF21B in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods KIF21B expression in 72 cases of NSCLC tissues was measured by immunohistochemical staining (IHC). We used shRNA-KIF21B interference to silenced KIF21B in NSCLC cells. The biological roles of KIF21Bin the growth and metastasis abilities of NSCLC cells were measured by CCK8, colony formation and Hoechst/PI, wound-healing, and Transwell assays. The effect of KIF21B on tumor growth in vivo was examined using nude mice model. Results KIF21B was up-regulated in NSCLC tissues and correlated with pathological lymph node and pTNM stage, its high expression was predicted a poor prognosis of patients with NSCLC. Silencing of KIF21B mediated by lentivirus-delivered shRNA significantly inhibited the proliferation ability of H1299 cells. Moreover, KIF21B knockdown increased H1299 cell apoptosis through modulating the Bcl-2/Bax and active Caspase 3 expression. KIF21B knockdown decreased p-Akt expression and Cyclin D1 expression in H1299 cells. In addition, silencing of KIF21B impeded H1299 cell migration and invasion. Further, silencing of KIF 21B dramatically inhibited xenograft growth in BALB/c nude mice. Conclusions These results reveal that KIF21B is up-regulated in NSCLC and acts as an oncogene in the NSCLC progression.
Social and environmental risk factors for accidental drowning of children under five in China
Authors: Author) Meixian Wang(Former Corresponding , Liu Yuxi , Kang Leni , He Chunhua , Miao Lei , Huang Jianwen , He Xiaoyan , Zhu Jun , Liang Juan , Li Qi , Author) Yanping Wang(New Corresponding , Liu Hanmin
Published: April 2020

Background: Accidental drowning of children under five is a serious problem in China. This study analyzed data on environmental, sociodemographic factors, and primary caregivers of drowned children in order to understand factors that may contribute to this problem. Methods: This study collected information on 563 cases of drowning that appears involving children under five from October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016 in 334 sampling districts in China. Primary caregivers were interviewed one-on-one based on the Drowning Mortality among Children under 5 Questionnaire. Results: The majority of drowned children under five years old were boys, and 71.58% lived within 100 m of a water body. The drownings occurred mainly in ponds, canals, rivers, and wells, while over 90% of these water bodies had no safety measures. There were 28.06% of primary caregivers did not provide full-time care for the children, and 83.13% of them had no knowledge of first aid skills for drowning. Conclusion: Encouraging kindergarten enrollment and providing safety education for children may reduce drowning among children under five years of age. Public water body protection measures should be strengthened to prevent children from drowning. Encouraging primary caregivers to care full-time for their children，and learning first aid skills against drowning could also help reduce fatalities.
The clinical application of a scoring protocol to select endarterectomy or stenting for carotid artery stenosis
Authors: Chung Joonho , Kim Jung-Jae , Kim Yong Bae , Suh Sang Hyun , Lee Kyung-Yul
Published: April 2020

Background Our group previously described the protocol-based decision for choosing the proper surgical treatment option for carotid artery stenosis. The objective of this study is to describe our experiences of using this scoring protocol in the selection of endarterectomy or stenting for carotid artery stenosis. Methods Between October 2014 and March 2018, the scoring protocol was applied to a total of 105 consecutive patients. Eighty (76.2%) patients had symptomatic stenosis ≥50%, and 25 (23.8%) patients had asymptomatic stenosis ≥80%. We also speculated about how effectively the protocol worked in the real clinical setting. Results Stenting was performed in 73 patients and endarterectomy in 32 patients. Overall, 98 (93.3%) patients were treated according to the protocol, while the protocol was violated in seven (6.7%) patients. Sixty-one (58.1%) patients received treatments that were decided by the protocol. There were 37 (35.2%) patients who had the same score for both treatment options. Among these patients, 28 patients underwent stenting and nine patients underwent endarterectomy. In the stenting cases, 90.4% of the patients followed the protocol and violations occurred in 9.6%. In the endarterectomy cases, all of the patients followed the protocol. Overall, one patient had a procedure-related complication without morbidity. During the 12-month follow-ups, there were no restenoses or major strokes. Minor strokes were diagnosed in three (2.8%) patients. Conclusion In patients with carotid artery stenosis, stenting and endarterectomy should be considered simultaneously together, not against each other. Our scoring protocol can be used to weigh these options and applied in clinical practice.
Investigation of thermochemical process of coal particle packed bed reactions for the development of UCG
Authors: Sutardi Tata , Wang Linwei , Karimi Nader , Paul Manosh C
Published: April 2020

In this study, a packed bed reactor is developed to investigate the gasification process of coal particles. The effects of coal particle size and heater temperature of reactor are examined to identify the thermochemical processes through the packed bed. Three different coal samples with varying size, named as A, B, and C, are used, and the experimental results show that the coal packed bed with smaller size has higher temperature, reaching 624oC, 582oC, and 569oC for coal A, B, and C respectively. In the case of CO formation, the smaller particle size has greater products in the unit of mole fraction over the area of generation. However, the variation in the porosity of the coal packed bed due to different particle sizes affects the reactions through the oxygen access. Consequently, the CO formation is least from the coal packed bed formed by the smallest particle size A. A second test with the temperature variations shows that the higher heater temperature promotes the chemical reactions, resulting in the increased gas products. The findings indicate the important role of coal seam porosity in UCG (underground coal gasification) application, as well as temperature to promote the syngas productions.
Application Of The Z And Laplace Transforms To Panification Yeast Production Using An Airlift Bioreactor
Authors: Oliveira Arnaldo Silva , Neto Juan C. B. , Santos Igor J. B. , Nucci Edson R.
Published: April 2020

The Z- and Laplace transforms are mathematical techniques applied to solve difference equations and differential equations, respectively. Mathematical models used to describe cell growth, substrate consumption and product formation in bioprocesses can be represented by these types of equations. Thus, in this work, the fermentation process of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was modeled using different models from the literature, and the Z- and Laplace transforms were applied to solve the equations. Once the equations were solved, the models were represented in state space and simulated in Octave® software. Finally, the models were compared to experimental data from previous studies and to each other. Verhulst was the model that best described the process, with an average error of 4.74% for cell growth and 13.9% for substrate consumption. This work is unprecedented since no works that use the Z transform and discrete models for the representation of fermentation of this yeast were found in the literature. Even more importantly, this work proved that discrete-time models can be applied to bioprocesses with the same precision as continuous-time models.
Assessing the Usability of Complex Psychosocial Interventions: The Intervention Usability Scale
Authors: Lyon Aaron R , Pullmann Michael D. , Jacobson Jedediah , Osterhage Katie , Achkar Morhaf Al , Renn Brenna N. , Munson Sean A. , Areán Patricia A.
Published: April 2020

Background Usability – the extent to which an intervention can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction – is a key determinant of implementation success. However, usability is rarely assessed in implementation research and no instruments have been developed to measure the design quality of complex health interventions, such as the evidence-based psychosocial interventions that characterize the majority of effective practices in mental and behavioral health services. This study evaluated the structural validity of the Intervention Usability Scale (IUS), an adapted version of the well-established System Usability Scale for digital technologies, when measuring the usability of complex health interventions. Prior studies of the original System Usability Scale have found both one- and two-factor solutions, both of which were examined in the current study of the IUS. Methods A survey was administered to 205 healthcare professionals working at 11 primary care sites. Surveys collected demographic information, including each participant’s professional role (i.e., medical provider, mental/behavioral health provider, pharmacist), and IUS ratings for one of six common evidence-based psychosocial interventions (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing) that they reported using most regularly. Factor analyses replicated the procedures used in prior research on the System Usability Scale, and a sensitivity analysis using analyses of variance compared IUS scores across different groups of respondents and interventions assessed. Results Analyses indicated that a two-factor solution (with “usable” and “learnable” subscales) in which one item was removed best fit the data. This solution accounted for 52.6% of the variance observed. Inter-item reliabilities for the total score, usable subscale, and learnable subscale were α = .83, α = .82, and α = .63, respectively. Resulting scores indicated that usability ranged from below acceptable standards to good, depending on the intervention. On average, behavioral health providers found the interventions to be more usable that other types of healthcare providers. Conclusions The current study provides evidence for a two-factor IUS structure consistent with some prior research, as well as acceptable reliability and sensitivity to role and intervention. Future directions for implementation research evaluating the usability of complex health interventions are discussed.
Tumor-suppressor miRNA-27b-5p regulates the growth and metastatic behaviors of ovarian carcinoma cells by targeting CXCL1
Authors: Qin Shan Yong , Liu Min Wei
Published: April 2020

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial functions in the progression of ovarian cancer. MiR-27b has been identified as cancer-associated miRNA. Nevertheless, the expression profile of microRNA-27b-5p (miR-27b-5p) and its functions in ovarian cancer are unexplored. Here, we demonstrated that miR-27b-5p was downregulated in ovarian carcinoma cells and clinical specimens. Higher expression of miR-27b-5p was allied to an unfavorable overall survival in ovarian cancer patient. Upregulation of miR-27b-5p decreased the viability, migration ability and invasion capacity of SKOV3 and A2780 cell. MiR-27b-5p also inhibited the growth of SKOV3 cell in nude mice. Additionally, we verified that C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1) was a target of miR-27b-5p in ovarian carcinoma cell. Restoring the expression of CXCL1 abolished the inhibitory impacts of miR-27b-5p in ovarian cancer carcinoma cell. This research revealed that miR-27b-5p restrained the progression of ovarian carcinoma possibly via targeting CXCL1.
Soil Carbon Sequestration, CO2 Emission, and Soil Quality under Smallholder Farmers’ Fields in Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Laekemariam Fanuel
Published: April 2020

BackgroundSoil organic carbon (SOC) is key indicator of soil quality and health. It has quite a lot of benefits to the ecosystem. Information on the magnitude of carbon pool under field scale of subsistence farms is scanty. This study was aimed to assess SOC storage, CO2 emissions and soil quality, under different fields in smallholder farms of southern Ethiopia. Five fields within a farm were investigated viz. coffee (Coffea arabica L.), enset (Ensete ventricosum), root and tuber crop field (RTC), cereal and pulse field (main field) and fallow land. For each field, eight representative farms that make a total of 40 farms were randomly selected. Surface soil samples were collected, and analyzed to determine soil physico-chemical properties. SOC stock (t ha-1), C-sequestration, and CO2 emission were also computed.ResultsThe result showed that the field that sequestered more OC and emitted less CO2 was Coffee > Enset > RTC > main field > fallow land. C-stock and sequestration (t/ha) magnitude was being: coffee (81.4, 298.5), enset (75.5, 277.0), RTC (68.8, 252.6), main field (57.5, 211.0) and fallow (43.3, 159). Using coffee field as least CO2 emitter and as the base value for comparison, the percentage increment in CO2 emission out of the sequestered carbon was 7.2% (enset), 15.4% (RTC), 29.3% (main field) and 46.7% (Fallow).The result regarding soil quality further revealed significant differences in almost all of investigated parameters. The minimum and maximum values being recorded in all fields were: bulk density (BD) (1.05, 1.29 gm cm-3), pH (6.1, 7.0), SOC (1.1, 2.48%), TN (0.09-0.19%), available P (1.1, 70.9 mg/kg), total exchangeable bases (9.5, 20.5 Cmolc/kg), K/Mg (0.37,1.02), B (0.4, 1.2 mg/kg) Cu (0.32, 0.91 mg/kg), Zn (5, 20.5 mg/kg), Fe (105.5, 133.8 mg/kg) and CEC (18.6, 27.5 mg/kg). Fields in the backyard (enset and coffee) showed lowest BD and maximum values of soil chemical properties. On contrary, highest BD and lowest values of chemical parameter were observed in main and fallow fields. Soil deterioration index (%) relative to coffee field for OC, N, P, and K in their order was as follows: enset [-2.8, 0, 254.5, 23.1], RTC [-17.7, -31.6, -59.5, -34.6], main field [-35, -47.4,-79, -46] and fallow [-55.7, -52.6, -94.5,and -76.9].ConclusionDifferent fields within smallholder farms exhibited significant variation in amount of carbon sequestered, CO2 emission, soil degradation and soil quality. Thus, climate smart soil management practices that would enhance SOC and simultaneously increasing soil quality is suggested e.g., integrated nutrient management.
Forced exercise activates the NrF2 pathway in the striatum and ameliorates motor and behavioral manifestations of Parkinson's disease in rotenone-treated rats
Authors: Monir Dina , Mahmoud Motamed , Galal Omyma , Rehan Ibrahim , Abdelrahman Amany
Published: April 2020

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons leading to dopamine depletion and problems of movement, emotions and cognition. While the pathogenesis of PD is not clear, damage of dopaminergic neurons by oxygen-derived free radicals is considered an important contributing mechanism.This study aimed to evaluate the role of treadmill exercise in male Wister rats as a single treatment and as an aid-therapy with L-dopa for rotenone-induced PD. To study the role of NRF2-ARE pathway as a mechanism involved in exercise associated improvement in rotenone rat model of PD.Method: Animals were divided into 5 groups, (Control, rotenone, rotenone\exercise, rotenone\L-dopa, and rotenone\exercise\L-dopa (combination) groups). After the PD induction, rats in the rotenone\exercise and combination groups were daily treadmill exercised for 4 weeks.Results: Treadmill exercise significantly improved behavioral and motor aspects of rotenone model of PD. When treadmill exercise introduced as a single intervention, it amended most behavioral aspects of PD, gait fully corrected, short-term memory, and motor coordination. Where L-dopa corrected locomotor activity and motor co-ordination but failed to improve short-term memory and only partially corrected the gait of rotenone-treated rats. When treadmill exercise was combined with L-dopa, all features of PD were corrected. It was found that exercise upregulated some of its associative genes to NRF2 pathways such as TFAM, NRF2, Noq.1 mRNA expression.Conclusion: This study suggests that forced exercise improved parkinsonian like features by activating NRF2 pathway.
Correlation of Resting Heart Rate with Anthropometric Factors and Serum Biomarkers in a Population-based Study: Fasa PERSIAN Cohort Study
Authors: Goorakani Yashar , Rahimabadi Massih Sedigh , Dehghan Azizallah , Kazemi Maryam , Chijan Mahsa Rostami , Asl Mostafa Bizhani , Shahraki Hadi Raeisi , Davoodi Ali , Farjam Mojtaba , Homayounfar Reza
Published: April 2020

BackgroundThere is a positive association between raised resting heart rate (RHR), and all causes of mortality and shorter life expectancy. Several serum biomarkers and some anthropometric factors can affect the resting heart rate. This study aimed to investigate the determinants of resting heart rate in a large random sample of the Iranian population.Material and MethodsIt is a standardized, retrospective study and the subjects were chosen from the baseline survey of the Prospective Epidemiological Research Study in IrAN (PERSIAN) Fasa non-communicable disease cohort study. It was conducted from winter 2014 to summer 2019 and after obtaining informed consent from a random sample, all the eligible subjects were enrolled. All anthropometric factors and biologic laboratory factors were collected and analyzed by implement smoothly clipped absolute deviation (SCAD) linear regression and SCAD quantile regression. The comparisons between males and females were done via independent T-test.Results & ConclusionA total number of 9975 persons were included. The overall median resting heart rate was 74 (interquartile range:66-80). Mean age has no important difference between males and females (P=0.79) but, resting heart rate was significantly higher in females (76.6 versus 71.4, P<0.001). All anthropometric factors except wrist circumference were higher in females (P<0.05). Age has an adverse effect on resting heart rate and also, there was direct association between resting heart rate and systolic blood pressure and blood glucose. Alpha-blockers (coefficient=5.2) and Beta1-blockers (coefficient=-2.2) were the most effective drugs with positive and negative effects on resting heart rate respectively. Lower hemoglobin, obesity and more body mass index, and more low-density lipoprotein were associated with more resting heart rate.Continuing the monitoring of this sample via our cohort study and put to action multinational prospective researches with large sample sizes and long follow-ups can lead to more precise results and better scientific judgments.
Resistance to Antihypertensive Drugs Targeting Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone System in Cancer patients: A Case Series
Authors: GOEL Mishita , Varandani Rajiv , Okwuosa Tochukwu
Published: April 2020

Hypertension impacts overall prognosis in cancer patients. There are no specific recommendations for its management in these patients. We report a case series of 5 cancer patients with suboptimal BP lowering and even worsening BP with ACEi or ARBs that improved to normal upon discontinuation of these drugs.
Long noncoding RNA MAPKAPK5-AS1 promotes colorectal carcinogenesis by cis-regulating the nearby gene MK5 and acting as a let-7f-1-3p sponge
Authors: Yang Ting , Chen Wei-Cong , Shi Pei-Cong , Liu Man-Ru , Jiang Tao , Song Hu , Wang Jia-Qi , Fan Rui-Zhi , Pei Dong-Sheng , Song Jun
Published: April 2020

Background: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are considered critical regulators in cancers; however, the clinical significance and mechanisms of MAPKAPK5-AS1 (MK5-AS1) in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain mostly unknown.Methods: In this study, quantitative real-time PCR ( qPCR ) and western blotting were utilized to detect the levels of MK5-AS1, let-7f-1-3p and MK5 (MAPK activated protein kinase 5) in CRC tissues and cell lines. The biological functions of MK5-AS1, let-7f-1-3p and MK5 in CRC cells were explored using Cell Counting Kit-8 ( CCK8 ), colony formation and transwell assays. The potential mechanisms of MK5-AS1 were evaluated by RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation ( RIP ), dual luciferase reporter assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation ( CHIP ) and bioinformatics analysis. The effects of MK5-AS1 and MK5 on CRC were investigated by a xenotransplantation model. Results : We confirmed that MK5-AS1 was significantly increased in CRC tissues. Knockdown of MK5-AS1 suppressed cell migration and invasion in vitro and inhibited lung metastasis in mice. Mechanistically, MK5-AS1 regulated SNAI1 expression by sponging let-7f-1-3p and cis -regulated the adjacent gene MK5. Moreover, MK5-AS1 recruited RBM4 and eIF4A1 to promote the translation of MK5. Our study verified that MK5 promoted the phosphorylation of c-Jun, which activated the transcription of SNAI1 by directly binding to its promoter.Conclusions : MK5-AS1 cis -regulated the nearby gene MK5 and acted as a let-7f-1-3p sponge, playing a vital role in CRC tumorigenesis. This study could provide novel insights into molecular therapeutic targets of CRC.
Neurocognitive robot-assisted rehabilitation of hand function: a randomized control trial on motor recovery in subacute stroke
Authors: Ranzani Raffaele , Lambercy Olivier , Metzger Jean-Claude , Califfi Antonella , Regazzi Stefania , Dinacci Daria , Petrillo Claudio , Rossi Paolo , Conti Fabio M. , Gassert Roger
Published: April 2020

Background: Hand function is often impaired after stroke, strongly affecting the ability to perform daily activities. Upper limb robotic devices have been developed to complement rehabilitation therapy offered to persons who suffered a stroke, but they rarely focus on the training of hand sensorimotor function. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate whether robot-assisted therapy of hand function following a neurocognitive approach (i.e., combining motor training with somatosensory and cognitive tasks) produces an equivalent decrease in upper limb motor impairment compared to dose-matched conventional neurocognitive therapy, when embedded in the rehabilitation program of inpatients in the subacute stage after stroke. Methods: A parallel-group, randomized controlled trial was conducted on subjects with subacute stroke receiving either conventional or robot-assisted neurocognitive hand therapy using a haptic device. Therapy was provided for 15, 45-minute sessions over four weeks, nested within the standard therapy program. Primary outcome was the change from baseline in the upper extremity part of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA-UE) after the intervention, which was compared between groups using equivalence testing. Secondary outcome measures included upper limb motor, sensory and cognitive assessments, delivered therapy dose, as well as questionnaires on user technology acceptance. Results: 33 participants with stroke were enrolled. 14 subjects in the robot-assisted and 13 subjects in the conventional therapy group completed the study. At the end of intervention, week 8 and week 32, the robot-assisted/conventional therapy group improved by 7.14/6.85, 7.79/7.31, and 8.64/8.08 points on the FMA-UE, respectively, establishing that motor recovery in the robot-assisted group is non-inferior to that in the control group. Conclusions: Neurocognitive robot-assisted therapy of hand function allows for a non-inferior motor recovery compared to conventional dose-matched neurocognitive therapy when performed during inpatient rehabilitation in the subacute stage. This allows the early familiarization of subjects with stroke to the use of such technologies, as a first step towards minimal therapist supervision in the clinic, or directly at home after hospital discharge, to help increase the dose of hand therapy for persons with stroke. Trial registration: EUDAMED database (CIV-13-02-009921), clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02096445). Registered 26 March 2014 – Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02096445
Application of advanced molecular techniques to detect vector borne pathogens from stray dogs and cats in two different climatic zones of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alanazi Abdullah D , Šlapeta Jan , Alouffi Abulaziz , Calvani Nichola , Alyousif Mohamed , Alshahrani Mohammad , Alanazi Ibrahim
Published: April 2020

Background: Vector-borne diseases have been increasing worldwide and reported in many animals including dogs and cats. Limited or no data are currently available regarding canine and feline vector-borne diseases in Saudi Arabia and limited information is available from other Middle Eastern countries. The aim of this study was to compare vector-borne disease prevalence between two bio-climatically distinct regions of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh province that is arid positioned at low elevation and Asir province that is humid at high elevation. Methods: Blood samples from 74d ogs from Riyadh province and 70 dogs and 44 cats from Asirprovince were collected and examined for the presence of genomic DNA of Babesias pp, Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichias pp., Bartonella spp., Mycoplasma spp., and Hepatozoon spp. by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Multiplex-tandem PCR (MT-PCR) and Sanger sequencing.Results: Seventy four dogs were tested from Riyadh province and found be negative of any pathogen. Of the 70 dogs examined from Asir province 45(64.3%) were positive. Specifically, 40 (57.1%) dogs were positive for A.platys, 20 (28.5%) for B.vogeli, 11(15.7%) for My.Haemocanis, two (2.85%) for Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum and one (1.4%) for Br.henselae. Fourteen out of 44 cats (31.8%) were positive for one of the detected vector-borne pathogens. Six cats (13.6%) were positive for Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum and My.haemofelis, respectively, four cats (9.2%) were positive for Br.Henselae, two (4.54%) for Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum and one (2.27%) for A. platys. Conclusions: The results of this study report the occurrence of A. platys, B. vogeli, Br. henselae, and My. haemocanis in dogs and of A. platys, Br. henselae, My.haemofelis and Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum in cats from Asir province Further molecular investigations are strongly recommended in order to reduce the risk of dogs and cats acquiring vector-borne diseases in Saudi Arabia.