bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preoperative Prostate Health Index predicts adverse pathology and Gleason score upgrading after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer.
Authors: Novak Vojtech , Vesely Stepan , Luksanova Hana , Prusa Richard , Capoun Otakar , Fiala Vojtech , Dolejsova Olga , Sedlackova Hana , Kucera Radek , Stejskal Jiri , Zalesky Miroslav , Babjuk Marko
Published: August 2020

Background: We aimed to explore the utility of prostate specific antigen (PSA) isoform [-2]proPSA and its derivatives for prediction of pathological outcome after radical prostatectomy (RP).Methods: Preoperative blood samples were prospectively and consecutively analyzed from 472 patients treated with RP for clinically localized prostate cancer at four medical centers. Measured parameters were PSA, free PSA (fPSA), fPSA/PSA ratio, [-2]proPSA (p2PSA), p2PSA/fPSA ratio and Prostate Health Index (PHI) (p2PSA/fPSA)*√PSA]. Logistic regression models were fitted to determine the accuracy of markers for prediction of pathological Gleason score (GS) ≥7, Gleason score upgrading, extracapsular extension of the tumor (pT3) and the presence of positive surgical margin (PSM). Results: Of 472 patients undergoing RP, 339 (72%) were found to have pathologic GS ≥ 7, out of them 178 (53%) experienced an upgrade from their preoperative GS=6. The findings of pT3 and PSM were present in 132 (28%) and 133 (28%) cases, respectively. At univariable analysis of all the preoperative parameters, PHI was the most accurate predictor of pathological GS ≥7, GS upgrading, pT3 disease and the presence of PSM. Adding of PHI into the base multivariable model increased significantly the accuracy for prediction of pathological GS and GS upgrading by 4.4% (p=0.015) and 5.0% (p=0.025), respectively. Conclusion: We found that PHI provides the highest accuracy in predicting prostate cancer aggressiveness and expansion of the tumor detected at final pathology. The ability of PHI to predict the risk of Gleason score upgrade may help to identify potentially high-risk patients among men with biopsy proven insignificant prostate cancer.
Psychiatric inpatient beds for youths in China: data from a nation-wide survey
Authors: Geng Feng , Jiang Feng , Rakofsky Jeffrey , Liu Tingfang , Liu Yuanli , Liu Huanzhong , Tang Yi-lang
Published: August 2020

Background The development of child psychiatric services in China has been slow and very limited resources have been allocated to support its growth. This study set out to investigate the child and adolescent inpatient psychiatric resources currently available in top-tier psychiatric hospitals in China and the characteristics of youth patients hospitalized on an adult unit. Method As part of a official national survey, 29 most representative provincial tertiary psychiatric hospitals in China were selected. Data of 1975 inpatients discharged from these hospitals from March 19 to 31, 2019 were retrieved and analyzed. Results The mean number of youth psychiatric beds was 27.7±22.9 in these hospitals and 6/29 hospitals had no youth beds. There were significantly more youth beds in developed regions than in less developed regions (P<0.05). Most of discharged youth patients were teenagers with severe mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. 7.5% (149) of 1975 discharged patients were youth while youth beds only accounted for 3.2% (804/25136) of all psychiatric beds. 45.6% (68) of youth patients were discharged from adult psychiatric units. Conclusion Our findings highlight the lack of adequate youth psychiatric inpatient services for children and adolescents living in China, especially in less developed regions. There is an urgent need to build more child and adolescent psychiatric units in provinces where there are none, and to increase the number of beds within the units that exist presently.
Mental disorder and PTSD in Syria during wartime: a nationwide crisis
Authors: Kakaje Ameer , Zohbi Ragheed Al , Aldeen Osama Hosam , Makki Leen , Alyousbashi Ayham , Alhaffar Bahaa Aldin
Published: August 2020

Background: Syria has experienced war since 2011, leaving over 80% under the poverty line and millions being displaced. War and its retaliations have significantly impacted the mental health of Syrians. This study evaluates the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the severity of the mental distress caused by war and other factors such as low social support. This study also evaluates other variables and compare the findings with multiple studies of Syria and refugees. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that included people who lived in Syria from different provinces. Online surveys on multiple online groups included Kessler 10 (K10) questionnaire, the Screen for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (SPTSS) tool, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and demographic and war-related questionnaires. Results: Our study included 1951 participants, of which, 527 (27.0%) were males and 1538 (78.8%) aged (19-25) years. Among participants, 44% had severe mental disorder, 27% had both severe mental disorder and full PTSD symptoms, 36.9% had full PTSD symptoms, and only 10.8% had neither positive PTSD symptoms nor mental disorder on the K10 scale. Around 23% had low overall support. Half of the responders were internally displaced, and 27.6% were forced to change place of living three times or more due to war. Around 86.6% of the responders believed that the crisis was the main reason for their mental distress. Those with high SPTSS and K10 scores were found to take more days off from work or school due to negative feelings and having somatic symptoms. Moreover, the number of times changing places of living due to war, educational level, and being distressed by war noise were the most important factors for more sever PTSD and mental distress. No differences in PTSD and mental disorder prevalence was noted between provinces or type of job. A strong correlation (r=0.623) was found between SPTSS and K10 scores. Conclusion: The conflict in Syria has left the population at a great risk for mental distress which was more severe compared to Syrian refugees elsewhere. Many measures with an emphasis on mental health are needed to aid the people against a long-term avoidable suffering.
Racial and ethnic patterns and differences in health care expenditures among Medicare beneficiaries with and without cognitive deficits or Alzheimer's disease and related dementias
Authors: Park Sungchul , Chen Jie
Published: August 2020

Background: Numerous studies have documented racial and ethnic differences in the prevalence and incidence of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Less is known, however, about racial and ethnic differences in health care expenditures among older adults at risk for ADRD (cognitive deficits without ADRD) or with ADRD. In particular, there is limited evidence that racial and ethnic differences in health care expenditures change over the trajectory of ADRD or differ by types of service.Methods: We examined racial and ethnic patterns and differences in health care expenditures (total health care expenditures, out-of-pocket expenditures, and six service-specific expenditures) among Medicare beneficiaries without cognitive deficits, those with cognitive deficits without ADRD, and those with ADRD. Using the 1996-2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, we performed multivariable regression models to estimate expenditure differences among racial and ethnic groups without cognitive deficits, those with cognitive deficits without ADRD, and those with ADRD. Models accounted for survey weights and adjusted for various demographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics.Results: Asians and Latinos without cognitive deficits had lower total health care expenditures than whites without cognitive deficits ($10,236, $9,497, $9,597, and $11,541, respectively). There were no racial and ethnic differences in total health care expenditures among those with cognitive deficits without ADRD and those with ADRD. Across all three groups, however, blacks, Asians, and Latinos consistently had lower out-of-pocket expenditures than whites (except for Asians with cognitive deficits without ADRD). Furthermore, service-specific health care expenditures varied by racial and ethnic groups.Conclusions: Our study did not find significant racial and ethnic differences in total health care expenditures among Medicare beneficiaries with cognitive deficits and/or ADRD. However, we documented significant differences in out-of-pocket expenditures and service-specific expenditures. We speculated that the differences may be attributable to racial and ethnic differences in access to care and/or preferences based on family structure and cultural/economic factors. Particularly, heterogeneous patterns of service-specific expenditures by racial and ethnic groups underscore the importance of future research in identifying determinants leading to variations in service-specific expenditures among racial and ethnic groups.
Seasonal Dynamics and Starvation Impact on the Gut Microbiome of Urochordate Ascidian Halocynthia roretzi
Authors: Wei Jiankai , Gao Hongwei , Yang Yang , Liu Haiming , Yu Haiyan , Chen Zigui , Dong Bo
Published: August 2020

Background Gut microbiota plays important roles in host animal metabolism, homeostasis and environmental adaptation. However, the interplay between the gut microbiome and urochordate ascidian, the most closet relative of vertebrate, remains less explored. In this study, we characterized the gut microbial communities of urochordate ascidian ( Halocynthia roretzi ) across the changes of season and starvation stress using a comprehensive set of omic approaches including 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, shotgun metagenomics, metabolomic profiling, and transcriptome sequencing. Results The 16S rRNA gene amplicon profiling revealed that ascidians harbor indigenous gut microbiota distinctly different to the marine microbial community and significant variations in composition and abundance of gut bacteria, with predominant bacterial orders representing each season. Depressed alpha-diversities of gut microbiota were observed across starvation stress when compared to the communities in aquafarm condition. Synechococcales involving photosynthesis and its related biosynthesis was reduced in abundance while the enrichments of Xanthomonadales and Legionellales may facilitate bile acid biosynthesis during starvation. Metabolomics analysis found that long chain fatty acids, linolenic acid,cyanoamino acid, and pigments derived from gut bacteria were upregulated, suggesting a beneficial contribution of the gut microbiome to the ascidian under starvation stress. Conclusions Our findings revealed seasonal variation of ascidian gut microbiota. Defense and energy-associated metabolites derived from gut microbiome may provide an adaptive interplay between gut microbiome and ascidian host that maintains a beneficial metabolic system across season and starvation stress. The diversity-generating metabolisms from both microbiota and host might lead to the co-evolution and environmental adaptation.
Postseismic Deformation Following the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake Detected by ALOS-2/PALSAR-2
Authors: Hashimoto Manabu
Published: August 2020

I have been conducting a study of postseismic deformation following the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake using ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 acquired till 2018. I apply ionospheric correction to interferograms of ALOS-2/PALSAR-2. L-band SAR gives us high coherence enough to reveal surface deformation even in vegetated or mountainous area for pairs of images acquired more than 2 years. Postseismic deformation following the Kumamoto earthquake exceeds 10 cm during two years at some spots in and around Kumamoto city and Aso caldera. Westward motion of ~6 cm/yr was dominant on the southeast side of the Hinagu fault, while westward shift was detected on both side of the Futagawa fault. The area of latter deformation seems to have correlation with distribution of pyroclastic flow deposits. Significant uplift was found around the eastern Futagawa fault and on the southwestern frank of Aso caldera, whose rate reaches 4 cm/yr. There are sharp changes across several coseismic surface ruptures such as Futagawa, Hinagu, and Idenokuchi faults. Rapid subsidence between Futagawa and Idenokuchi faults also found. It is confirmed that local subsidence continued along the Suizenji fault, which newly appeared during the mainshock in Kumamoto City. Subsidence with westward shift of up to 4 cm/yr was also found in Aso caldera. Time constant of postseismic decay ranges from 1 month to 600 days at selected points, but that postseismic deformation during the first epochs or two are dominant at point in the Kumamoto Plain. This result suggests multiple source of deformation. Westward motion around the Hinagu fault may be explained with right lateral afterslip on the shallow part of this fault. Subsidence along the Suizenji fault can be attributed to normal faulting on dipping westward. Deformation around the Hinagu and Idenokuchi faults cannot be explained with right-lateral afterslip of Futagawa fault, which requires other sources. Deformation in northern part of Aso caldera might be the result of right lateral afterslip on a possible buried fault.
Leveraging Family Dynamics to Increase the Effectiveness of Incentives for Physical Activity: The FIT-FAM Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Finkelstein Eric , Lim Robyn Su May , Ward Dianne Stanton , Evenson Kelly R.
Published: August 2020

Background: Insufficient physical activity is a global public health concern. Research indicates incentives can increase physical activity levels of children but has not tested whether incentives targeted at children can be leveraged to increase physical activity levels of their parents. This study evaluates whether a novel incentive design linking children’s incentives to both their and their parent’s physical activity levels can increase parent’s physical activity.Methods: We conducted a two-arm, parallel, open-labelled randomized controlled trial in Singapore where parent-child dyads were randomly assigned to either (1) rewards to child contingent on child’s physical activity (child-based) or (2) rewards to child contingent on both child’s and parent’s physical activity (family-based). Parents had to be English-speaking, computer-literate, non-pregnant, full-time employees, aged 25–65 years, and with a participating child aged 7–11 years. Parent-child dyads were randomized within strata (self-reported low vs high weekly physical activity) into study arms in a 1:1 ratio. Participants were given activity trackers to assess daily steps. The outcome of interest was the between-arm difference in the change from baseline in parent’s mean steps/day measured by accelerometry at months 6 and 12 (primary endpoint).Results: Overall, 159 and 157 parent-child dyads were randomized to the child-based or family-based arms, respectively. Outcomes were evaluated on an intent-to-treat basis. At month 6, there was a 613 steps/day (95% CI: 54–1171) differential in favour of family-based parents. At month 12, our primary endpoint, the differential was reduced to 369 steps/day (95% CI: -88–1114) and was no longer statistically significant.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that novel incentive designs that take advantage of group dynamics may be effective. However, in this design, the effectiveness of the family-based incentive to increase parent’s physical activity was not sustained through one year.Trial registration: NCT02516345 (ClinicalTrials.gov) registered on August 5, 2015
Predictors for the development of preoperative oxygenation impairment in acute aortic dissection in hypertensive patients
Authors: Zhao Xuemin , Bie Mengjun
Published: August 2020

Background Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is an acute life-threatening cardiovascular disease, which is frequently complicated with oxygenation impairment (OI). We aim to investigate predictors of the development of OI in the patients with AAD.Methods We retrospectively collected clinical data of AAD in hypertensive patients from July 2012 to March 2020. The patients included in this study were divided into OI (+) group (oxygenation index≤200) and OI (-) group (oxygenation index>200). Both groups were compared according to demographic and clinical characteristics, and laboratory findings. Characteristics of hypertension in the patients with AAD were described. Predictors for the development of OI were assessed. And cutoff values were determined by receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve.Results A total of 208 patients were included in this study and the incidence of OI was 32.2%. In OI (+) group, patients had significantly higher peak body temperature (37.85±0.60 vs 37.64±0.44℃, P= .005), higher levels of CRP (42.70±28.27 vs 13.90±18.70mg/L, P= .000) and procalcitonin (1.07±3.92 vs 0.31±0.77ug/L, P= .027), and lower levels of albumin (34.21±5.65 vs 37.73±4.70g/L, P= .000). Spearman’s rank correlation test showed that the minimum oxygenation index was positively correlated with albumin, and was negatively correlated with the peak body temperature, serum CRP, procalcitonin, BNP and troponin. The stepwise multiple linear regression analysis showed that the peak body temperature, serum CRP and albumin were independently associated with development of OI. An optimal cutoff value for CRP for predicting OI was ≥9.20 mg/L, with a sensitivity of 91.0% and a specificity of 61.0%.Conclusions The peak body temperature, serum CRP and albumin were independent predictors of OI development in the patients with AAD. The serum CRP on admission≥9.20 mg/L might be a valuable and reliable indicator in predicting the development of OI.
Association of smoking behavior among Chinese expectant fathers and smoking abstinence after their partner becomes pregnant: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Xia Wei , Li William Ho Cheung , Cai Wenzhi , Song Peige , Ho Laurie Long Kwan , Cheung Ankie Tan , Luo Yuanhui , Zeng Chunxian , He Li , Gao Chao , Ho Ka Yan
Published: August 2020

Background: Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) during pregnancy can cause pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes. About 40% of Chinese expectant fathers are smokers and they rarely attempt to quit. There is a paucity of effective smoking cessation services targeting this population. In this study, we assessed the smoking behavior of Chinese expectant fathers and examined its association with smoking abstinence after their partner became pregnant, which is an essential prerequisite for designing effective smoking cessation interventions. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey in the obstetrics and gynecology clinic of three tertiary hospitals in China. Expectant fathers who smoked at least one cigarette per day for 1 month within the past 12 months were invited to participate in this study. The participants were asked to complete a structured questionnaire that assessed their smoking behaviors before and after their partner became pregnant. Results: From December 2017 to March 2018, we recruited a total of 466 eligible expectant fathers, among whom 323 (69.3%) were identified as current smokers and 143 (30.7%) were ex-smokers. Using lasso regression, 19 features were selected from among 27 independent variables. The results of the selected multivariable logistic regression model showed that knowledge about the health hazards of smoking among smokers (odds ratio (OR) 1.39; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24 to 1.58; p<0.001), knowledge about the health hazards of SHS to pregnant women (OR 1.46; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.97; p<0.001), knowledge about harm to the fetus and newborn (OR 1.58; 95% CI 1.25 to 2.03; p<0.001), and being a first-time expectant father (OR 2.08; 95% CI 1.02 to 3.85; p=0.046) were significantly positively associated with smoking abstinence among expectant fathers after their partner became pregnant. Significantly negative associations were found for severe dysfunctionality in terms of family support (OR 0.48; 95% CI 0.24 to 0.95; p=0.036) and smoking only outside the home (OR 0.81; 95% CI 0.26 to 0.98; p<0.001). Conclusions: In this study, we identified several factors associated with smoking abstinence among expectant fathers after their partner became pregnant. These findings can guide the development of effective interventions targeting expectant fathers, to help them quit smoking.
The Upper Bound of Multi-source DOA Information in Sensor Array and Its Application in Performance Evaluation
Authors: Tu Weilin , Xu Dazhuan , Zhou Ying , Shi Chao
Published: August 2020

Direction of arrival (DOA) estimation has been discussed extensively in the array signal processing field. In this paper, the authors focus on the multi-source DOA information which is defined as the mutual information between the DOA and the received signal contaminated by complex additive white Gaussian noise. A theoretical expression of DOA information with multiple sources is derived for the uniform linear array. At high SNRs and under the sparse-source assumption obtained is the upper bound of DOA information contained in K sparse sources which can be regarded as the sum of all single-source information minus the uncertainty of sources' order logK!. Moreover, because of the uncertainty of multi-sources' order, the posteriori probability distribution of DOA no longer obeys single peak Gaussian distribution so that the mean square error is unsuitable in evaluating the performance of multi dimensional parameter estimation. Consequently, entropy error(EE) is used as a new performance evaluation metric, whose relationship with DOA information is given.
Impact on Quality of Life 3 Years After Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer Patients Below 75 At Diagnosis: An Observational Case-Control Study
Authors: Houédé Nadine , Rébillard Xavier , Bouvet Sophie , Kabani Sarah , Fabbro-Peray Pascale , Trétarre Brigitte , Ménégaux Florence
Published: August 2020

Background: Prostate cancer patients are known to suffer from poor sexual and urinary long-term side-effects following treatment, potentially impacting quality of life. The purpose of our study was to compare health-related quality of life at 3 years between prostate cancer patients and healthy controls according to key life-style characteristics. Secondary objectives were to compare urological dysfunction, sexual function, anxiety and depression. Methods: Multicentric, case-control, observational prospective, open, follow-up study including 819 prostate cancer patients < 75 years old from the EPICAP cohort, newly diagnosed from 1 December 2011 to 31 March 2014 and 879 healthy controls. Participants were excluded if they experienced a relapse. Controls from the same geographical region were age-matched and were excluded if they were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Patients received one of the following treatments: active surveillance (AS), radical prostatectomy (RP), external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), High-intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), chemotherapy (CT), or androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) as appropriate. The primary outcome was the quality of life as evaluated by the QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Scores were analyzed by multivariate analysis to adjust for predefined socio-demographic confounding effects. Results: In total, 564 participants were included (mean age 67.9 years): 376 patients and 188 controls. Treatment breakdown was: 258 underwent RP, 90 received EBRT, 52 brachytherapy or HIFU, 15 CT, 26 ADT and 61 AS. There was no difference in median global quality of life between patients and controls (94.87 vs 94.15, p=0.71). Multivariate analysis showed poorer social functioning in patients (24.3% vs. 16.3%, p=0.0209), more dyspnea (22% vs. 12.4%, p=0.0078), and yet less current pain (23% vs 33%, p=0.0151). Conclusions: Global health status score at 3 years after diagnosis was similar between patients and controls, though patients showed a significantly worse social functioning. Prostate cancer diagnosis per se does not seem to impact the quality of life of patients <75 years at diagnosis. However, the therapeutic option that will be chosen following diagnosis should be carefully discussed with the medical staff in terms of benefit-risk ratios as it could have a long-term impact on urinary or erectile dysfunction.Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02854982. Registered 4 August 2016, retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02854982
Clinical characteristics and manifestations in older patients with COVID-19
Authors: Wei Chenchen , Liu Ya , Liu Yapeng , Zhang Kai , Su Dezhen , Zhong Ming , Meng Xiao
Published: August 2020

Background: To investigate the clinical characteristics and manifestations of older patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Methods: In this retrospective study, 566 patients with confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled and the clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, complications and outcome data were collected and analyzed.Results: Among the 566 patients (median age, 61.5 years) with COVID-19, 267 (47.2%) patients were male and 307 (54.2%) were elderly. Compared with younger patients, older patients had more underlying comorbidities and laboratory abnormalities. A higher rate of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), acute cardiac injury and heart failure was observed in the older group as compared with younger and middle-aged groups, particularly those oldest-old patients (>75 years) had more multi-organ damage. Older patients with COVID-19 were more likely to suffer from acute cardiac injury in cases with preexistenting cardiovascular diseases, while there was no difference among the three groups when patients had no history of cardiovascular diseases. Older patients present more severe with the mortality of 18.6%, which was higher than that in younger and middle-aged patients (P<0.05). Multivariable analysis showed that age, lymphopenia, ARDS, acute cardiac injury, heart failure and skeletal muscle injury were associated with death in older patients, while glucocorticoids may be harmful.Conclusions: Older patients, especially the oldest-old patients were more likely to exhibit significant systemic inflammation, pulmonary and extrapulmonary organ damage and a higher mortality. Advanced age, lymphopenia, ARDS, acute cardiac injury, heart failure and skeletal muscle injury were independent predictors of death in older patients with COVID19 and glucocorticoids should be carefully administered in older patients.
Uncovering fungal community composition in natural habitat of Ophiocordyceps sinensis using high-throughput sequencing and culture-dependent approaches
Authors: Zhang Chuanbo , Ren Chao-Hui , Wang Yan-Li , Wang Qi-Qi , Wang Yun-Sheng , Weng Qing-Bei
Published: August 2020

Background: The fungal communities inhabiting natural Ophiocordyceps sinensis play critical ecological roles in alpine meadow ecosystem, contribute to infect host insect, influence the occurrence of O. sinensis, and are repertoire of potential novel metabolites discovery. However, a comprehensive understanding of fungal communities of O. sinensis remain elusive. Therefore, the present study aimed to unravel fungal communities of natural O. sinensis using combination of high-throughput sequencing and culture-dependent approaches. Results: A total of 280,519 high-quality sequences, belonging to 5 fungal phyla, 15 classes, 41 orders, 79 families, 112 genera, and 352 putative operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were obtained from natural O. sinensis using high-throughput sequencing. Among of which, 43 genera were identified in external mycelial cortices (EMC), Ophiocordyceps, Sebacinia, Archaeorhizomyces were predominant genera with the abundance of 95.86%, 1.14%, 0.85%, respectively. A total of 66 genera were identified from soil microhabitat (Soil), Inocybe, Archaeorhizomyces, unclassified Thelephoraceae, Tomentella, Thelephora, Sebacina, unclassified Ascomycota, unclassified Fungi were predominant genera with an average abundance of 53.32%, 8.69%, 8.12%, 8.12%, 7.21%, 4.6%, 3.08% and 3.05%, respectively. The fungal communities in external mycelial cortices were significantly distinct from the soil microhabitat. Meanwhile, seven types of culture media were used to isolate culturable fungi at 16°C, resulted in 77 fungal strains isolated by rDNA ITS sequence analysis, belonging to 33 genera, including Ophiocordyceps, Trichoderma, Cytospora, Truncatella, Dactylonectria, Isaria, Cephalosporium, Fusarium, Cosmospora and Paecilomyces, etc.. Among all culturable fungi, Mortierella and Trichoderma were predominant genera. Conclusions: The significantly differences and overlap in fungal community structure between two approaches highlight that the integration of high-throughput sequencing and culture-dependent approaches would generate more information. Our result reveal a comprehensive understanding of fungal community structure of natural O. sinensis, provide new insight into O. sinensis associated fungi, and support that microbiota of natural O. sinensis is an untapped source for novel bioactive metabolites discovery.
A qualitative analysis of vaccine decision-makers’ conceptualization and fostering of ‘community engagement’ in India
Authors: Dutta Tapati , Meyerson Beth , Agley Jon , Barnes Priscilla , Sherwood-Laughlin Catherine , Nicholson-Crotty Jill
Published: August 2020

Background: Globally, and in India, the research literature on vaccination highlights importance of community engagement in achieving national vaccination goals. However, community engagement, and “community” itself, are not well-defined and remains underutilized approach to realize health equity in this context. There is also paucity of literature on community engagement’s effectiveness in achieving vaccination outcomes. To address that gap, this study interviewed influential Indian vaccination decisionmakers to derive a shared understanding of the evolving conceptualization of community engagement, and how it has been fostered during India’s Decade of Vaccines (2010-2020).Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 purposefully sampled national-level vaccine decisionmakers in India, including policymakers, immunization program heads, and vaccine technical committee leads. Participants were identified by their ‘elite’ status among decisionmakers in the Indian vaccination space. Using Schutz’ Social Phenomenological theory, an a priori framework derived from the Social Ecological Model was used to guide coders’ conceptualizations of communities, community engagement, and related themes. Inter-rater reliability was computed for a subsample of coded interviews, and findings were validated in a one-day member check-in meeting with study participants and teams. Results: Interpretation of the data elucidated commonly-held understanding of terminology and engagement interventions by elite vaccine decisionmakers. Participants conceptualized ‘communities’ as vaccine-eligible children, their parents, frontline healthcare workers, and vaccination influencers. Engagement with those communities was understood to mean vaccine outreach, capacity-building of healthcare workers, and information dissemination. However, participants indicated that there were neither explicit policy guidelines defining community engagement nor pertinent evaluation metrics, despite awareness that community engagement is complex and under-researched. Examples of different approaches to community engagement ranged from vaccine imposition to empowered community vaccination decision-making. Finally, participants proposed an operational definition of community engagement and discussed concerns related to implementing it.Conclusions: Although decisionmakers had different perceptions about what constitutes a community, and how community engagement optimally should function, the combined group articulated its importance and reiterated the need for concerted political-will to build trust with communities. At the same time, work remains to be done both in terms of research on community engagement as well as development of appropriate implementation and outcome metrics.
Fetal sex and maternal insulin resistance during mid-pregnancy: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Yamashita Hiroshi , Yasuhi Ichiro , Koga Megumi , Sugimi So , Umezaki Yasushi , Fukuoka Misao , Suga Sachie , Fukuda Masashi , Kusuda Nobuko
Published: August 2020

Background: Recent studies have suggested that fetal sex influences maternal glucose and insulin metabolism during pregnancy. We examined whether fetal sex is associated with maternal insulin resistance and the β-cell function during mid-pregnancy. Methods: This retrospective study included singleton pregnant women who underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 24–34 weeks of gestation due to positive diabetic screening. In addition to plasma glucose (PG), we measured plasma insulin during the OGTT to obtain surrogate indices associated with insulin resistance (IR), including homeostasis assessment model (HOMA) -IR and insulin sensitivity index (IsOGTT), and β-cell function, including insulinogenic index (II), HOMA-β, and area under the curve of insulin response. We compared these indices between women carrying male fetuses to those carrying female fetuses.Results: The study population included 617 women (mean age, 32.4 ± 4.9 years) with a mean pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) of 22.6±4.5. They underwent the 75g-OGTT at 29.0 ± 2.5 weeks. Two hundred fifty-eight (42%) women were diagnosed with gestational diabetes (GDM). There was no significant difference in maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational age at OGTT, PG at OGTT, or the prevalence of GDM between women with a male fetus (n=338) (male group) and those with a female fetus (n=279) (female group). Regarding the indices of IR, IR was significantly higher and insulin sensitivity was lower in the female group than in the male group (HOMA-IR: 7.0 [5-9.6] vs. 6.2 [4.6-8.8], p<0.05; IsOGTT: 5.86 [4.29-7.83] vs. 6.29 [4.59-8.84], p<0.01) (median [quartile range]). These differences remained significant after adjustment for maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational age and fasting PG at OGTT, and the diagnosis of GDM. In contrast, the β-cell function did not differ between the two groups.Conclusion: Maternal IR during mid-pregnancy was significantly higher in women carrying a female fetus than in those with a male fetus. The sex of the fetus may affect maternal insulin sensitivity during mid-pregnancy.
Effects of solvents on total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of ginger extracts
Authors: Ezez Dessie , Tefera Molla
Published: August 2020

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a popular spice which used for the treatment of different gastrointestinal and inflammatory discomfort. In the present study, the total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity of ginger extract using four solvents (ethanol, methanol, acetone and ethyl acetate) were determined. Among the four solvents, methanol extract showed that the maximum phenolic (1183.813 mg GAE/100 g at Ayikel and 1022.409 mg GAE/100 g at Mandura) and the least were found in acetone extract (748.865 mg GAE/100 g at Ayikel and 690.152 mg GAE/100 g at Mandura). In addition, the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity (84.868% at Ayikel and 82.883% at Mandura) was observed in methanol. However, acetone showed the least DPPH radical scavenging activity (73.864% at Ayikel and 70.597% at Mandura). Antioxidant activities of ginger extracts were also expressed as IC50 values and acetone extract has maximum IC50 value (0.654 and 0.812 mg/mL) followed by ethyl acetate and ethanol, while the lowest for methanol extracts (0.481 and 0.525 mg/mL). The result of this study showed that extraction solvents significantly affected the total phenolic content and antioxidant activities of ginger. Thus, ginger can be regarded as promising candidates for natural sources of antioxidants with high value of phenolic contents.
Comprehensive Analysis of miRNA-mRNA/lncRNA During Gonadal Development of Triploid Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Authors: Huang Tianqing , Gu Wei , Liu Enhui , Shi Xiulan , Wang Bingqian , Xu Gefeng , Yao Zuochun
Published: August 2020

Background: Polyploidy is an important force to improve biological evolution. Chromosomal ploidy manipulation is one of the means to create excellent germplasm. It has an important significance to understand the effect of genome duplication on fertility in polyploidy breeding. In this study, coding and non-coding RNAs involved in gonadal development were characterized, and their relationships were explored. Results: By high-throughput sequencing, we compared the expression profiles of gonadal mRNA, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), and microRNA (miRNA) at different developmental stages [65 days post fertilisation (dpf), 180 dpf, and 600 dpf] between the diploid (XX) and triploid (XXX) rainbow trout. A majority of differentially expressed (DE) RNAs was screened. The overlapped DE mRNAs of three stages were functionally annotated by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis. According to the overlapped miRNAs, the predicted miRNA-mRNA/lncRNA network was constructed based on the target pairs of lncRNA-miRNA and mRNA-miRNA. Also, RT-qPCR was performed to validate the credibility of the network. Conclusions: Lots of lncRNAs involved in fertility were characterised by this network, which provided a reference sequence for further research. In summary, this study explored the potential interplay between coding and noncoding RNAs during the gonadal development of polyploid fish and elaborated the effect of triploidization on fertility.
Atherogenic index of plasma predicts cerebrovascular accident occurrence in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis
Authors: Ahn Sung Soo , Lee Lucy Eunju , Pyo Jung Yoon , Song Jason Jungsik , Park Yong-Beom , Lee Sang-Won
Published: August 2020

Background: To investigate whether atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) at diagnosis is associated with the occurrence of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or coronary artery disease (CAD) in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV). Methods: The medical records of 167 AAV patients on initial diagnosis was reviewed, and 300 healthy controls were included. AIP was calculated using the following equation: AIP = Log (triglyceride [mg/dL] / high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [mg/dL]). AAV patients were divided into two groups according to the AIP cut-off of 0.11. The event of stroke, transient ischemic attack, and cerebral hemorrhage was recorded as CVA, and CAD events consisted of either myocardial infarction and angina pectoris. CVA- and CAD- free survival rate between those with AIP ≥ 0.11 and < 0.11 were compared by the Kaplan-Meier analysis, and Cox hazard analysis was conducted to identify predictors of CVA.Results: The median age of AAV patients were 59.0 years, and 54 (32.3%) patients were male. One-hundred and fifteen (68.9%) patients had AIP < 0.11 and 52 (31.1%) had AIP ≥ 0.11. The mean Birmingham vasculitis activity score in AAV patients with AIP < 0.11 was lower than that seen in patients with AIP ≥ 0.11 (12.0 vs. 14.0, P = 0.041). AAV patients had a significantly higher AIP compared to controls (mean -0.01 vs. -0.10, P < 0.001). During follow-up, the occurrence of CVA and CAD was observed in 16 (9.6%) and 14 (8.4%) patients, respectively. In Kaplan-Meier analysis, AAV patients with AIP ≥ 0.11 had significantly lower CVA-free survival rates than in those with AIP < 0.11 (P = 0.027), whereas there was no difference in CAD according to AIP (P = 0.390). Multivariable Cox analysis indicated that AIP ≥ 0.11 at diagnosis was the sole predictor of CVA (Hazard ratio 3.392, 95% confidence interval 1.076, 10.696, P = 0.037). Conclusions: AIP is significantly higher in AAV patients than in healthy controls, and AIP ≥ 0.11 at diagnosis is a significant predictor of CVA during follow-up. Stringent surveillance should be provided in AAV patients with AIP ≥ 0.11 regarding the occurrence of CVA. Trial registration: Retrospectively registered.
Characterization of the leaf microbiome from whole-genome sequencing data of the 3000 rice genomes project.
Authors: Roman-Reyna Veronica , Pinili Dale , Borja Frances Nikki , Quibod Ian Lorenzo , Groen Simon C. , Alexandrov Nikolai , Mauleon Ramil , Oliva Ricardo
Published: August 2020

Background: The crop microbial communities are shaped by interactions between the host, microbes and the environment, however, their relative contribution is beginning to be understood. Here, we explore these interactions in the leaf bacterial community across 3,024 rice accessions. Findings: By using unmapped DNA sequencing reads as microbial reads, we characterized the structure of the rice bacterial microbiome. We identified central bacteria taxa that emerge as microbial “hubs” and may have an influence on the network of host-microbe interactions. We found regions in the rice genome that might control the assembly of these microbial hubs. To our knowledge this is one of the first studies that uses raw data from plant genome sequencing projects to characterize the leaf bacterial communities. Conclusion: We showed, that the structure of the rice leaf microbiome is modulated by multiple interactions among host, microbes, and environment. Our data provide insight into the factors influencing microbial assemblage in the rice leaf and also opens the door for future initiatives to modulate rice consortia for crop improvement efforts.
Bone mineral density reference values in Singaporean adults and comparisons for osteoporosis establishment – The Yishun Study
Authors: Chen Kexun , Wee Shiou-Liang , Pang Benedict Wei Jun , Lau Lay Khoon , Jabbar Khalid Abdul , Seah Wei Ting , Sriniva Sivasubramanian , Mallya Jagadish Ullal , Ng Tze Pin
Published: August 2020

Background: While there have been studies in Singapore on the prevalence and economic burden of osteoporotic hip fracture, there is a severe lack of reference data on bone mineral density and prevalence of osteoporosis. The purpose of this study is to establish the reference values for BMD and compare prevalence of osteoporotic conditions using other available reference values so as to better understand the status of bone health in Singaporean adultsMethods: We carried out a population-based cross-sectional study using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (Hologic Discovery Wi) to measure the bone mineral density of Singaporean adults aged ³ 21 years. 314 women and 223 men were recruited from the large north-eastern residential town of Yishun. We computed T- scores (denoted by TSG) for each individual in the study. Similar diagnoses were also done based on T-scores provided by the densitometer (TDXA), NHANES database (TNHANES), and China (TCHN), and the differences in prevalence compared. We then compared the concordance between TSG and TDXA in the classification of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis was defined according to criteria by the World Health Organization (WHO).Results: Peak lumbar spine BMD was 1.090±0.168g.cm-2 in women, and 1.041±0.098g.cm-2 for men. Peak whole body BMD was 1.193±0.93g.cm-2 in women at, and 1.224±0.112g.cm-2 for men. Prevalence of osteoporosis based on lumbar spine was 9.3% in postmenopausal women, and 0.7% in men after 50 years of age. The percentage difference in prevalence range from 60.5 - 163.6%, when using reference values from TDXA, TNHANES, and TCHN. Comparing diagnosis using TDXA and TSG cut-off values, 28 versus 15 women were diagnosed as osteoporotic respectively. The kappa statistics was 0.81 for women and 0.85 for men. Conclusion: Our study shows that T-scores provided by DXA manufacturer over-diagnosed osteoporosis in Singaporeans, and the prevalence of osteoporotic conditions is not accurately represented. This over-diagnosis may result in unnecessary treatment in some individuals.
Combining quantitative analysis with an elliptic Fourier descriptor: A study of pottery from the Gansu-Zhanqi site based on 3D scanning and computer technology
Authors: WANG JIN , Qian wei , Chen guoke
Published: August 2020

Pottery is an important material in archaeological studies, and the accurate classification of pottery shapes largely depends on the experience and knowledge of archaeologists. In this thesis, pottery taken from the Gansu-Zhanqi site is used for sampling. Three-dimensional models of the pottery were obtained by three-dimensional scanning, and a computer-assisted pottery typology was studied through quantitative analysis and elliptic Fourier analysis. This method can enhance and supplement the traditional methods of classifying pottery in archaeology, thereby enriching the parameters and breadth of pottery analysis. This method represents a new means for exploring and experimenting with objective classification and provides a new tool for traditional archaeological analysis methods.traditional methods of classifying pottery in archaeology, thereby enriching the parameters and breadth of pottery analysis. This method represents a new means of exploring and experimenting with objective classification and provides a new tool for traditional archaeological analysis methods.
Implementation-As-Usual in Community-Based Organizations Providing Specialized Services to Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Drahota Amy , Meza Rosemary D. , Bustos Tatiana E. , Srid Aksheya , Martinez Jonathan I. , Stahmer Aubyn C. , Aarons Gregory A.
Published: August 2020

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder. ASD community-based organizations (ASD-CBOs) underutilize or inconsistently utilize evidence-based practices (ASD-EBPs) despite numerous available EBPs to treat ASD. Despite this, ASD-CBOs implement changes to practices regularly. Understanding ASD-CBO’s implementation-as-usual (IAU) processes may assist to develop strategies to facilitate ASD-EBP adoption, implementation and sustainment. A convergent mixed methods (quan+QUAL) design was utilized. Twenty ASD-CBO agency leaders (ALs) and 26 direct providers (DPs), from 21 ASD-CBOs, completed the Autism Model of Implementation Survey Battery, including demographic and agency IAU process questions. Surveys were analyzed through descriptive and content analyses. A subset of 10 ALs provided qualitative interview data that were analyzed using coding, consensus and comparison methods to allow for a more comprehensive understanding of the IAU process within their ASD-CBOs. Quantitative analyses and qualitative coding were merged utilizing a joint display and compared. Results suggest that the IAU process follows some phases identified in the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework but were conducted in an informal manner—lacking specificity, structure and consistency across and within ASD-CBOs. Moreover, data suggest adding a specific adoption decision phase to the framework. Nonetheless, most ALs felt previous implementation efforts were successful. IAU processes were explored to determine whether the implementation process may be an area for intervention to increase ASD-EBP utilization in ASD-CBOs. Developing a systematized implementation process may facilitate broader utilization of high quality ASD-EBPs within usual care settings, and ultimately improve the quality of life for individuals with ASD and their families.