bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of MiR-1908-3p as a novel serum biomarker for breast cancer and analysis its oncogenic function and target genes
Authors: Zhu Youzhi , Wang Qingshui , Xia Yun , Xiong Xiaoxue , Weng Shuyun , Ni Huizhen , Ye Yan , Chen Ling , Lin Junyu , Chen Yajuan , Niu Haitao , Chen Xiangjin , Lin Yao
Published: July 2020

Background

Breast cancer is one of the most common tumors for women globally. Various miRNAs have been reported to play a crucial role in breast cancer, however the clinical significance of miR-1908-3p in breast cancer remains unclear. The present study aimed to explore the role of miR-1908-3p in breast cancer.

Methods

The expression of miR-1908-3p was detected in 50 pairs of breast cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues, 60 breast cancer patient serum and 60 healthy volunteer serum. The functional roles of miR-1908-3p in breast cancer cells such as proliferation, migration and invasion were evaluated using CCK8, SRB, wound healing and transwell chambers. In addition, bioinformatics tools were used to identify potential targets of miR-1908-3p.

Results

The results showed that the expression of miR-1908-3p were increased in breast cancer tissues and serum compared with normal breast tissues and serum of healthy volunteers respectively. Furthermore, the young breast cancer patients and HER2-positive patients had a higher level of tissues’ miR-1908-3p than elder breast cancer patients and HER2-negative patients, respectively. The young breast cancer patients had a higher level of serum miR-1908-3p than elder breast cancer patients, ROC analysis suggested that miR-1908-3p had the potential as a promising serum diagnostic biomarker of breast cancer. Up-regulation of miR-1908-3p promoted the cells proliferation, migration and invasion while knockdown of miR-1908-3p inhibited these processes in breast cancer cell MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. The potential target genes of miR-1908-3p in breast cancer included ID4, LTBP4, GPM6B, RGMA, EFCAB1, ALX4, OSR1 and PPARA. Higher expression of these eight genes correlated with a better prognosis for breast cancer patients.

Conclusions

These results suggest that miR-1908-3p may exert its oncogenic functions via suppression of these eight genes in breast cancer.
Cohabiting and becoming a parent: associations with changes in physical activity in the 1970 British cohort study
Authors: Werneck André O. , Winpenny Eleanor M. , van Sluijs Esther M. F. , Corder Kirsten
Published: July 2020

Background

We examined the association between family–related life events (cohabitation/marriage and becoming a parent) and change in physical activity.

Methods

Longitudinal data (n = 8045) from the 1970 British Cohort Study (30 and 34 years) were included. Life events (beginning cohabitation/marriage and becoming a parent) were reported and coded: 0 no, 1 yes, for each event occurring between 30 and 34 years. Participants reported frequency of participation in leisure-time physical activity at 30 and 34 years (Likert scale: mean change calculated ranging between − 4 and 4). Linear regression models were used to examine the association between life events and physical activity change (comparing individuals experiencing events between 30 and 34 years versus never experiencing the event - excluding participants that experienced previous events – with a final analysis sample ofn = 3833 in parenthood analysis;n = 1137 in cohabitation analysis). Interaction terms were used to analyse combined parenthood and cohabitation status. Analyses were adjusted for level of education achieved, ethnicity, country of origin and other life events. ANCOVA was used to examine associations between change in physical activity and child age.

Results

Compared to remaining without children, becoming a parent was associated with a greater reduction in physical activity among men [β:-0.234(95%CI:-0.396 to − 0.072)] but not women [0.126(− 0.048;0.301)]. No associations were found between cohabitation and physical activity. Men who became fathers both while cohabitating [− 0.201(− 0.383;-0.020)] and without cohabiting [− 0.937(− 1.623;-0.250)] experienced greater physical activity declines than those remaining single and without children; the decline was greatest among non-cohabiting fathers. These associations did not differ by child age.

Conclusions

Parenthood appears to differentially impact physical activity for men and women; this association also differs by cohabitation status. Parenthood appears to be most detrimental to physical activity levels among men. Interventions for physical activity could target new or soon-to-be parents, especially fathers. Further analyses with device-measured physical activity data would be valuable to advance understanding of these associations.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Italy: knowledge, management of patients and clinical experience of Italian dentists during the spread of contagion
Authors: Putrino Alessandra , Raso Mario , Magazzino Cosimo , Galluccio Gabriella
Published: July 2020

Background

The coronavirus infection that emerged in China in the last few months of 2019 has now spread globally. Italy registered its first case in the second half of February, and in a short time period, it became the top country in Europe in terms of the number of infected people and the first in the world in terms of deaths. The medical and scientific community has been called upon to manage the emergency and to take measures. Dentists also need to take new precautions during their clinical activity to protect themselves, coworkers and patients from the risks of contagion and to avoid further spread of infection.

Methods

Following the data published in the international literature as well as the guidelines and directives constantly updated by the WHO and by the national health authorities, a questionnaire to be completed anonymously was submitted online to Italian dentists using social tools and online professional platforms. The collected data were processed statistically, providing descriptive data and analysis of correlations of the most significant parameters using the Pearson’s χ2, the Likelihood-Ratio χ2, Cramér’s V, Fisher’s exact test, Goodman and Kruskal’s γ, and Kendall’s τb (p < 0.05).

Results

A total of 535 dentists from Italy participated in the survey. A good level of scientific knowledge about coronavirus and the extra precautionary measures needed to limit the spread was related to the age of respondents and their sex. Coming from areas with higher concentrations of cases affected knowledge, level of attention and perception of risk related to dental activity.

Conclusions

At the moment, there are no therapies or vaccines to contain the infection with the new coronavirus that is causing many infections, many of which are fatal, worldwide. Dentists are one of the categories at highest risk of encountering diseases and infections because they work in close proximity with patients, and in their procedures, there is always contact with aerosols with high bacterial and viral potential. Therefore, during this COVID-19 emergency, it is important that dentists are properly informed and take the appropriate precautionary measures.
Geographic availability to optometry services across Canada: mapping distribution, need and self-reported use
Authors: Shah Tayyab , Milosavljevic Stephan , Bath Brenna
Published: July 2020

Background

This research investigates the distribution of optometrists in Canada relative to population health needs and self-reported use of vision services.

Methods

Optometrist locations were gathered from provincial regulatory bodies. Optometrist-to-population ratios (i.e. the number of providers per 10,000 people at the health region level) were then calculated. Utilization of vision care services was extracted from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2013–2014 question regarding self-reported contacts with optometrists or ophthalmologists. Data from the 2016 Statistics Canada census were used to create three population ‘need’ subgroups (65 years and over; low-income; and people aged 15 and over with less than a high school diploma). Cross-classification mapping compared optometrist distribution to self-reported use of vision care services in relation to need. Each variable was converted into three classes (i.e., low, moderate, and high) using a standard deviation (SD) classification scheme where ±0.5SD from the mean was considered as a cut-off. Three classes: low (< − 0.5SD), moderate (− 0.5 to 0.5SD), and high (> 0.5SD) were used for demonstrating distribution of each variable across health regions.

Results

A total of 5959 optometrists across ten Canadian provinces were included in this analysis. The nationwide distribution of optometrists is variable across Canada; they are predominantly concentrated in urban areas. The national mean ratio of optometrists was 1.70 optometrists per 10,000 people (range = 0.13 to 2.92). Out of 109 health regions (HRs), 26 were classified as low ratios, 51 HRs were classified as moderate ratios, and 32 HRs were high ratios. Thirty-five HRs were classified as low utilization, 39 HRs were classified as moderate, and 32 HRs as high utilization. HRs with a low optometrist ratio relative to eye care utilization and a high proportion of key sociodemographic characteristics (e.g. older age, low income) are located throughout Canada and identified with maps indicating areas of likely greater need for optometry services.

Conclusion

This research provides a nationwide overview of vision care provided by optometrists identifying gaps in geographic availability relative to “supply” and “need” factors. This examination of variation in accessibility to optometric services will be useful to inform workforce planning and policies.
U.S. hospital performance methodologies: a scoping review to identify opportunities for crossing the quality chasm
Authors: Thomas Craig Kelly J. , McKillop Mollie M. , Huang Hu T. , George Judy , Punwani Ekta S. , Rhee Kyu B.
Published: July 2020

Background

Hospital performance quality assessments inform patients, providers, payers, and purchasers in making healthcare decisions. These assessments have been developed by government, private and non-profit organizations, and academic institutions. Given the number and variability in available assessments, a knowledge gap exists regarding what assessments are available and how each assessment measures quality to identify top performing hospitals. This study aims to: (a) comprehensively identify current hospital performance assessments, (b) compare quality measures from each methodology in the context of the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) six domains of STEEEP (safety, timeliness, effectiveness, efficiency, equitable, and patient-centeredness), and (c) formulate policy recommendations that improve value-based, patient-centered care to address identified gaps.

Methods

A scoping review was conducted using a systematic search of MEDLINE and the grey literature along with handsearching to identify studies that provide assessments of US-based hospital performance whereby the study cohort examined a minimum of 250 hospitals in the last two years (2017–2019).

Results

From 3058 unique records screened, 19 hospital performance assessments met inclusion criteria. Methodologies were analyzed across each assessment and measures were mapped to STEEEP. While safety and effectiveness were commonly identified measures across assessments, efficiency, and patient-centeredness were less frequently represented. Equity measures were also limited to risk- and severity-adjustment methods to balance patient characteristics across populations, rather than stand-alone indicators to evaluate health disparities that may contribute to community-level inequities.

Conclusions

To further improve health and healthcare value-based decision-making, there remains a need for methodological transparency across assessments and the standardization of consensus-based measures that reflect the IOM’s quality framework. Additionally, a large opportunity exists to improve the assessment of health equity in the communities that hospitals serve.
Gamma synuclein is a novel nicotine responsive protein in oral cancer malignancy
Authors: Hsu Chia-Chen , Su Yu-Fu , Tsai Kuo-Yang , Kuo Feng-Chih , Chiang Chi-Fu , Chien Chu-Yen , Chen Ying-Chen , Lee Chien-Hsing , Wu Yu-Chiao , Wang Kun , Liu Shyun-Yeu , Shieh Yi-Shing
Published: July 2020

Background

The mechanisms of neuronal protein γ-synuclein (SNCG) in the malignancy of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are not clear. This study tested the hypothesis that SNCG is involved in nicotine-induced malignant behaviors of OSCC. The effect of nicotine on SNCG expression and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers were examined.

Methods

Short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and an antagonist specific for α7-nicotine acetylcholine receptors (α7-nAChRs) were used to examine the role of α7-nAChRs in mediating the effects of nicotine. Knockdown of SNCG in nicotine-treated cells was performed to investigate the role of SNCG in cancer malignancy. The in vivo effect of nicotine was examined using a nude mouse xenotransplantation model.

Results

Nicotine increased SNCG expression in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Nicotine treatment also increased E-cadherin and ZO-1 and decreased fibronectin and vimentin expression. After specific knockdown of α7-nAChRs and inhibition of the PI3/AKT signal, the effect of nicotine on SNCG expression was attenuated. Silencing of SNCG abolished nicotine-induced invasion and migration of OSCC cells. The xenotransplantation model revealed that nicotine augmented tumor growth and SNCG expression.

Conclusion

Nicotine upregulated SNCG expression by activating the α7-nAChRs/PI3/AKT signaling that are participated in nicotine-induced oral cancer malignancy.
An acquired stable variant of a dicentric dic(9;20) and complex karyotype in a Syrian childhood B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia case
Authors: Wafa Abdulsamad , Jarjour Rami A. , Aljapawe Abdulmunim , ALmedania Suher , Liehr Thomas , Melo Joana B. , Carreira Isabel M. , Othman Moneeb A. K. , Al-Achkar Walid
Published: July 2020

Background

About 25 years ago, the acquired chromosome abnormality dicentric dic(9;20)(p11 ~ 13;q11) was seen described as a non-random aberration in B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL). Yet, about 200 cases were reported. However, dicentric dic(9;20) is a subtle abnormality which easily may be mixed up with monosomy 20 and/or del(9p). The dicentric dic(9;20) can be found as a sole chromosomal abnormality or can be masked within complex rearrangements; also, a dicentric dic(9;20) is often associated with mono- or biallelic loss of CDKN2A gene.

Case presentation

Here we report a case of 16-year-old male diagnosed with a de novo pre-B-ALL. Molecular approaches (array-based multicolor banding (aMCB) and array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH)) were applied, and a unique complex karyotype involving six chromosomes was identified. It included three previously unreported chromosomal aberrations: dicentric dic(9;20;X), deletion del(7)(p22.2p15.2) and dicentric dic(7;13). The dicentric dic(9;20;X) also led to monoallelic loss of tumor suppressor gene CDKN2A. After successful chemotherapeutic treatment the patient experienced a relapse with a secondary ALL without complex karyotype but a deletion del(19)(p13). Unfortunately, the patient died after 17 months of the initial diagnosis.

Conclusions

To the best of our knowledge, a comparable childhood ALL associated with such complex karyotype and deletion del(19)(p13) in secondary ALL was not previously reported. Thus, the complex karyotype with dicentrc dic(9;20;X) seems to indicate for a poor prognosis.
Structure and diversity of native bacterial communities in soils contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls
Authors: Zenteno-Rojas Adalberto , Martínez-Romero Esperanza , Castañeda-Valbuena Daniel , Rincón-Molina Clara Ivette , Ruíz-Valdiviezo Víctor Manuel , Meza-Gordillo Rocío , Villalobos-Maldonado Juan José , Vences-Guzmán Miguel Ángel , Rincón-Rosales Reiner
Published: July 2020

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of high-risk synthetic substances for human and environmental health. Currently, the study of sites contaminated by the spillage of equipment PCBs containing have been considered targeted areas for the study of bacterial communities with potential for PCBs degradation. There in isolation of bacterial strains is vital for use in biodegradable processes, such as bacterial bioaugmentation, which accelerates the development of phenomena such as natural attenuation of contaminated sites. The objective of this study was to assess biodiversity of bacteria contained in anthropogenic contaminated soils (HS and HP) with PCBs compared to a control sample without contaminant and the modified forest (F) and agricultural (A) soil in the laboratory with 100 mg L−1 PCB. For the analysis of 16S rRNA genes amplified from DNA extracted from the soils evaluated, the latest generation of Illumina Miseq and Sanger sequencing for the cultivable strains were detected. The bacteria identified as the most abundant bacterial phyla for HS and HP soil was Proteobacteria (56.7%) and Firmicutes (22.9%), which decreased in F and A soils. The most abundant bacterial genera were Burkholderia, Bacillus, Acinetobacter, Comamonas and Cupriavidus. Several species identified in this study, such as Bacillus cereus, Burkholderia cepacia, Comamonas testosteroni and Acinetobacter pittii have been reported as PCBs degraders. Finally, by means of a principal component analysis (PCA), a correlation between the physical and chemical characteristics of the soils in relation to the relative abundances of the bacteria identified was obtained. The C/N ratio was directly related to the control soil (without contaminant), while SOM maintained a relationship with F and A soils and the bacterial abundances were directly related to Hs and Hp soils due to the presence of aroclor 1260. Bacteria with the ability to tolerate high concentrations of this pollutant are considered for future use in biostimulation and bioaugmentation processes in contaminated soils.
Estimation of the emission altitude of pulsating aurora using the five-wavelength photometer
Authors: Kawamura Yuki , Hosokawa Keisuke , Nozawa Satonori , Ogawa Yasunobu , Kawabata Tetsuya , Oyama Shin-Ichiro , Miyoshi Yoshizumi , Kurita Satoshi , Fujii Ryoichi
Published: July 2020

Using a ground-based five-wavelength photometer, which has been operative in Tromsø, Norway since February 2017, we have statistically analyzed the lifetime of O(1S) to reveal the emission altitude of pulsating aurora (PsA). For the statistics, we have extracted intervals of PsA using an EMCCD all-sky imager on 37 nights during 3 months from January to March, 2018. By performing a cross-correlation analysis between the time-series of 427.8 nm (N2+ first negative band) and 557.7 nm oxygen emissions, we derived the distribution of the lifetime of O(1S). The mean of the lifetime is 0.67 s and the mode is around 0.7 s. We estimated the emission altitude of PsA using the lifetime of O(1S) and then carried out a case study, in which we compared the temporal variations of the emission altitude with the peak height of E region ionization obtained from the simultaneous observation of the EISCAT UHF radar. We confirmed an overall agreement between the two parameters, indicating the feasibility of using the current method for estimating the energy of precipitating electrons causing PsA. In addition, we have derived the statistical characteristics of the emission altitude of PsA. The result shows that the emission altitude becomes lower in the morning side than in the midnight sector, which indicates that the energy of PsA electrons is higher in the later MLT sector. Especially, there is a decrease of the emission altitude at around 06 MLT. However, the model calculation infers that the energy of cyclotron resonance between magnetospheric electrons and whistler-mode chorus waves does not change so much depending on MLT. This implies that the observed change of the emission altitude cannot be explained only by the MLT dependence of resonance energy.
Halokinetic analysis of the Frade field area, Campos Basin, Brazil: Salt tectonics within an offshore strike-slip setting
Authors: Wischer Stephanie , Mohriak Webster
Published: July 2020

The Frade field, located within the Campos Basin in the southeastern Brazilian margin, is a key oil field that produces from Oligo-Miocene turbidite reservoirs that derived their structural positioning due to the presence of an underlying salt diapir. The evolution of the Frade salt structure was examined using well data, selected 2D lines, and a 3D volume that were interpreted in detail focusing on the Aptian evaporite interval and its influence on the overburden. Analysis of the salt-sediment interaction indicated a complex deformation history that included five main stages of deformation, some assisted by tectonic reactivation episodes. (1) Post-Albian reactivation of a nearby north–northwest-south–southeast basement fault caused the Albian carbonate interval to fault, forming a west–northwest-east–southeast shear zone with a dextral strike-slip component. This movement initiated thin-skinned tectonics that offset the Albian carbonates and formed a pull-apart basin that accommodated a thick Late Cretaceous interval, which weakened the overburden and allowed for the initial formation of the Frade salt diapir. (2) Renewed diapir growth thickened and redistributed the Cenomanian-Maastrichtian sedimentary package proximal to the Frade salt anticline. (3) An initial and localized collapse of the Frade salt anticline occurred during early Paleogene extension. (4) Paleogene shortening caused the salt to flow, resulting in salt withdrawal in the southeast and diapir rejuvenation near its present-day apex, forming several inversion structures. In addition, the Paleogene shortening resulted in a low-relief anticlinal structure that rotated the turbidites into geometries favoring hydrocarbon accumulation. (5) A return to an extensional regime occurred during the late Oligocene/early Miocene. The results of this study provide a new insight into the development of strike-slip salt tectonic structures and show for the first time within the Campos Basin an Albian-level pull-apart basin that formed in association with salt tectonics.
Cost-Effectiveness and Efficacy of a Novel Combination Regimen in Acromegaly: A Prospective, Randomized Trial
Authors: Bonert Vivien , Mirocha James , Carmichael John , Yuen Kevin C J , Araki Takako , Melmed Shlomo
Published: July 2020

Context

Combination therapy with somatostatin receptor ligand (SRL) plus pegvisomant for patients with acromegaly is recommended after a maximizing dose on monotherapy. Lower-dose combination regimens are not well studied.

Objective

To compare cost-effectiveness and efficacy of 3 lower-dose combination regimens in controlled and uncontrolled acromegaly

Design and Setting

Prospective, randomized, open-label, parallel arm study at a tertiary referral pituitary center.

Patients

Adults with acromegaly regardless of response to prior SRL and biochemical control status at baseline, stratified by an SRL dose required for insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I normalization during any 3-month period within 12 months preceding enrollment.

Intervention

Combination therapy for 24 to 32 weeks on arm A, high-dose SRL (lanreotide 120 mg/octreotide long-acting release [LAR] 30 mg) plus weekly pegvisomant (40-160 mg/week); arm B, low-dose SRL (lanreotide 60 mg/octreotide LAR 10 mg) plus weekly pegvisomant; or arm C, low-dose SRL plus daily pegvisomant (15-60 mg/day)

Main Outcome Measure

Monthly treatment cost in each arm in participants completing ≥ 24 weeks of therapy.

Results

Sixty patients were enrolled and 52 were evaluable. Fifty of 52 (96%) demonstrated IGF-I control regardless of prior SRL responsiveness (arm A, 14/15 [93.3%]; arm B, 22/23 [95.7%]; arm C, 14/14 [100%]). Arm B was least costly (mean, $9837 ± 1375 per month), arm C was most expensive (mean, $22543 ± 11158 per month), and arm A had an intermediate cost (mean, $14261 ± 1645 per month). Approximately 30% of patients required pegvisomant dose uptitration. Rates of adverse events were all < 10%.

Conclusions

Low-dose SRL plus weekly pegvisomant represents a novel dosing option for achieving cost-effective, optimal biochemical control in patients with uncontrolled acromegaly requiring combination therapy.
Thoracic Paravertebral Block for Renal Colic: A Case Report
Authors: Finneran John J. , Bechis Seth K. , Ilfeld Brian M.
Published: July 2020

Renal colic is a common cause of pain; however, there have been few reports of treating this pain with regional anesthesia. We report on a 49-year-old man presenting with severe left flank pain resulting from a 4-mm stone in the left ureter. The pain was minimally responsive to intravenous opioids. Left-sided paravertebral blocks were performed at T7 and T9 with 10 mL bupivacaine 0.5% with epinephrine 2.5 µg/mL to each paravertebral space. The pain resolved over the following 30 minutes, and the patient was discharged home. No further pain was experienced before and while subsequently passing the stone.
Myotendinous junction tear of the anterior bundle of the supraspinatus muscle—a rare pattern of injury involving rotator cuff muscles
Authors: Vieira Ana C. , Montez Pérez Esther , F. Hernando Moises , Abascal Faustino , Cerezal Luis
Published: July 2020

Myotendinous junction injuries are rare and often present with distinctive imaging findings that should be differentiated from purely tendinous degenerative ruptures.

Myotendinous junction tears are common in the lower limb but rarely involve rotator cuff muscles. Considering rotator cuff muscles, the infraspinatus and supraspinatus muscles are the most frequently implicated.

The intrinsic anatomy of the supraspinatus muscle gives it a greater contractile force and consequently a propensity for rupture. It is composed of two bundles: anterior and posterior (with the latest further divided in a deep anterior, a medial and a superficial posterior portion). These two components have distinctive anatomy with the anterior bundle having a long intramuscular tendon and bipennate configuration and the posterior bundle having a smaller intramuscular tendon and parallel muscle fibres. This distinctive anatomy grants a greater contractile force to the anterior bundle of the supraspinatus muscle and for this reason it is more prone to myotendinous rupture.

This type of injury has been associated with a rapid progression to severe fatty infiltration and should be differentiated from purely tendinous tears that are more frequent and associated with degenerative changes. Myotendinous tears occur centrally located in the muscle belly and are not associated with full thickness tears of the distal tendon attachment.
Variable expression and silencing of CRISPR-Cas9 targeted transgenes identifies the AAVS1 locus as not an entirely safe harbour
Authors: Bhagwan Jamie R. , Collins Emma , Mosqueira Diogo , Bakar Mine , Johnson Benjamin B. , Thompson Alexander , Smith James G.W. , Denning Chris
Published: July 2020

Background: Diseases such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) can lead to severe outcomes including sudden death. The generation of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) reporter lines can be useful for disease modelling and drug screening by providing physiologically relevant in vitro models of disease. The AAVS1 locus is cited as a safe harbour that is permissive for stable transgene expression, and hence is favoured for creating gene targeted reporter lines.

Methods: We generated hiPSC reporters using a plasmid-based CRISPR/Cas9 nickase strategy. The first intron of PPP1R12C, the AAVS1 locus, was targeted with constructs expressing a genetically encoded calcium indicator (R-GECO1.0) or HOXA9-T2A-mScarlet reporter under the control of a pCAG or inducible pTRE promoter, respectively. Transgene expression was compared between clones before, during and/or after directed differentiation to mesodermal lineages.

Results: Successful targeting to AAVS1 was confirmed by PCR and sequencing. Of 24 hiPSC clones targeted with pCAG-R-GECO1.0, only 20 expressed the transgene and in these, the percentage of positive cells ranged from 0% to 99.5%. Differentiation of a subset of clones produced cardiomyocytes, wherein the percentage of cells positive for R-GECO1.0 ranged from 2.1% to 93.1%. In the highest expressing R-GECO1.0 clones, transgene silencing occurred during cardiomyocyte differentiation causing a decrease in expression from 98.93% to 1.3%. In HOXA9-T2A-mScarlet hiPSC reporter lines directed towards mesoderm lineages, doxycycline induced a peak in transgene expression after two days but this reduced by up to ten-thousand-fold over the next 8-10 days. Nevertheless, for R-GECO1.0 lines differentiated into cardiomyocytes, transgene expression was rescued by continuous puromycin drug selection, which allowed the Ca2+ responses associated with HCM to be investigated in vitro using single cell analysis.

Conclusions: Targeted knock-ins to AAVS1 can be used to create reporter lines but variability between clones and transgene silencing requires careful attention by researchers seeking robust reporter gene expression.
Model-Based Decision Support Tools at Jugos S.A. Concentrated Fruit Juice Plant
Authors: Blanco Aníbal M. , Moreno M. Susana , Taraborelli Carolina , D’Angelo Flavio , Iturmendi Facundo , Bandoni J. Alberto
Published: July 2020

We describe the development of a decision-support tool to assist in the operations of a large concentrated apple and pear juice plant. The tool’s objective is to generate detailed schedules of clarified juice batches to be produced in the following weeks considering incoming fruit forecasts, commercial commitments, and infrastructural constraints. The tool is based on two interactive modules, PLANNER and SIMOPT, with different and complementary purposes. Each module is based on mixed-integer models with specific inputs, outputs, and user interfaces. PLANNER consists of three submodules: (i) planning assigns a batch of concentrated juice to be produced on a specific day, taking into account cleaning activities, rest days, raw material availability, and production and storage constraints; (ii) preprocessing organizes juice orders in batches; and (iii) pooling provides a detailed monitoring of semielaborated juice in storage pools in terms of inventories and sugar and acid content. Finally, SIMOPT provides a detailed optimal operative condition of the plant together with a thorough calculation of specific costs. This information is used by PLANNER to evaluate the corresponding economic objective functions. Besides providing optimal target conditions to the plant and feasible production schedules, the developed tools generate production guidelines in the long term and allow performing scenario studies.
Globalization as a Trigger for Emerging New Diseases? Contestations on Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology in Sri Lanka
Authors: Silva Kalinga Tudor
Published: July 2020

A new kidney disease began to emerge in some farming populations in Dry Zone Sri Lanka since 1990s. This could not be attributed to diabetes, hypertension or any other known causes of renal damage. Over the past thirty years many studies have been conducted in order to isolate the causes of this new disease now reported from a number of dry zone areas in the country but so far no single or multiple disease causing agents have been established in Sri Lanka or any other countries where the disease has been reported even though there are many rival hypotheses contesting with each other. This paper examines the debates and contestations between science, understood as a body of knowledge guided by the scientific method and its outputs in the form of new technology with industrial applications, and the nationalist critique of science postulating on nativist grounds a globalization, including increased use of agro- chemicals as an outcome of globalization, as a trigger for the emergence of this new disease. As for the methodology used, the paper sketches the natural history of the epidemic using available evidence in media reports, scientific writings and a few creative writings about the epidemic. While a broad-based appraisal of globalization processes as to their wide-ranging impact on environment, health, social relations and consumerism is certainly warranted, a narrow nationalist reading, attributing the disease to purely external causes to the neglect of local circumstances and potential role of human behavior as factors contributing to the etiology of the disease is untenable.
Limitações acerca da implantação de softwares do Sistema Único de Saúde na Atenção Básica
Authors: Dias de Souza Josélia Batista , Borges Thiago Fernandes , Fernandes-Sobrinho Marcos
Published: July 2020

O presente artigo busca analisar os principais dilemas inerentes à implantação dos softwares CDS e PEC no âmbito da gestão da informação em saúde, bem como identificar os ideais teóricos da política do e-sus AB com a criação e a disponibilidade aos municípios de tais tecnologias. No intuito de se chegar a esses propósitos que seguem uma abordagem qualitativa aplicou-se diferentes métodos. Inicialmente, empregou-se no campo da tipologia dos procedimentos metodológicos, a pesquisa bibliográfica e a pesquisa documental em bases relacionadas ao tema, e em segundo momento, empregou-se a pesquisa de campo a partir da realização de entrevista semiestruturada com profissionais que atuam no setor de Atenção Básica de um município de pequeno porte, localizado ao norte do Estado de Goiás. As reflexões em literaturas pertinentes conduzem ao entendimento da essencialidade desses softwares para a melhoria do processo de coleta, atualização e aproveitamento de dados dos cidadãos a fim de se promover um atendimento integralizado aos mesmos na esfera da saúde pública primária. Enfim, tem-se a compreensão de que tais sistemas apresentam-se como inovações incrementais para o processo informacional do SUS. Por intermédio da investigação compreendeu-se que os sistemas estão sendo implantados de forma gradual nas Unidades Básicas de Saúde do local, e apesar disso, tem-se limitações relacionadas ao acesso de recursos tecnológicos e à capacitação profissional, de forma que entraves como esses colaboram para que estes avanços, ainda permaneçam incipientes em territórios demograficamente menores no Brasil.
Representações da tríplice escolar sobre parasitoses intestinais na zona rural de Paulo Afonso – Bahia
Authors: Gonçalves Maria Tairla Viana , Vasco-dos-Santos Deyvison Rhuan , Nunes Erika Dos Santos
Published: July 2020

O estudo das representações acerca das parasitoses intestinais auxilia na compreensão dos casos de adoecimentos e contribuem para tomada de ações voltadas a melhoria da saúde coletiva, especialmente da população pediátrica. Nesse contexto, a pesquisa teve como objetivo investigar as representações da tríplice escolar (discentes, pais/responsáveis e docentes) de seis escolas municipais da zona rural de Paulo Afonso – Bahia sobre enteroparasitoses. Para coleta de dados, foram administrados formulários semiestruturados específicos para cada seguimento da pesquisa e as informações categorizadas e analisadas com base na literatura especializada. No total, 63 discentes, 55 responsáveis e 9 docentes foram entrevistados. Referente aos agentes etiológicos, os discentes (68,2%) e pais (60,0%) não detinham conhecimento quanto a definição ou nomeação adequada, enquanto, os docentes (77,4%), sim. Quanto a transmissão, discentes (55,5%) e pais (60,0%) não souberam responder ou responderam incorretamente, dentre os docentes (66,7%) responderam corretamente e (22,2%) parcialmente correto. Acerca do hábitat, (80,9%) dos alunos, (69,1%) dos pais e (88,9%) dos professores responderam corretamente, sendo os órgãos mais citados: intestino grosso e delgado. Sobre os sintomas, discentes (22,2%) e pais (36,4%) reportaram dor de barriga e os docentes (66,7%) falta de apetite. Quanto a prevenção, (25,4%) dos discentes não souberam responder e (19,0%) responderam incorretamente, enquanto (50,9%) dos pais e (88,9%) dos docentes responderam corretamente. Considerando as fragilidades sobre o conceito e ciclo de vida dos parasitos, torna-se necessário a realização de intervenções educativas, visando formar multiplicadores de conhecimento e minimizar os casos de infecções em prol da qualidade de vida individual e coletiva.
Análise geo-espacial de malária no município de Cametá - PA, no período de 2008 a 2018
Authors: Silva Lucas Henrique Da Silva e , Cohen Rammon David Estumano , Miranda Beatriz Oliveira , Furtado André Luis Pinto , Simões Marcelo Coelho , Bichara Cléa Nazaré Carneiro , Viana Jéssica Herzog
Published: July 2020

A malária é uma doença parasitária grave, que representa um importante problema de saúde pública. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar os principais aspectos epidemiológicos da malária no período de 2008 a 2018. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo – exploratório desenvolvido no município de Cametá, Pará, Brasil. As amostras foram obtidas do banco de dados SIVEP-Malária do Ministério da Saúde e a ferramenta Google Earth, para mapeamento das prováveis áreas de infecção. No ano de 2012, foram notificados 2340 casosde agravos de malária no município, representando uma redução de 83% em comparação ao ano de 2011, a incidência parasitária anual foi de 13,73 casos/1000 habitantes em 2011 e 2,34 casos/1000 habitantes no ano de 2012, representando uma redução de 83%. No entanto, houve um aumento de 68,4% no ano de 2018 em relação ao ano de 2017. Identificou-se que a espécie de Plasmodium predominante foi o P. vivax com 23.723 casos, seguido do P.falciparum com 86 casos e um caso com o P. malariae. Observou-se que 418 casos foram confirmados no teste rápido para alguma espécie parasitária que não seja P. falciparum e 15 casos houve a presença de duas espécies de Plasmodium. O georeferenciamento permitiu observar áreas de prováveis infecções na zona urbana do município, bem como nas áreas rurais do distrito. É de suma importância a descentralização do sistema de saúde, para que asmedidas de tratamento, principalmente os medicamentos antimaláricos, e prevenção estejam ao alcance dos indivíduos que vivem em áreas de risco da infecção.
A visita domiciliar como estratégia de cuidado em saúde: reflexões a partir dos Núcleos Ampliados de Saúde da Família e Atenção Básica
Authors: Quirino Túlio Romério Lopes , Jucá Adriana Lobo , Da Rocha Luana Padilha , Cruz Maria Soraida Silva , Vieira Sémares Genuino
Published: July 2020

O artigo discute as visitas domiciliares como estratégia de cuidado em saúde no âmbito da Atenção Básica à Saúde, no Brasil, tomando como base a organização de práticas de saúde pelas equipes dos Núcleos Ampliados de Saúde da Família e Atenção Básica (NASF-AB). Partindo da sistematização de experiências coletivas e da problematização do fazer cotidiano, em um espaço de Educação Permanente em Saúde desenvolvido com inspiração nas técnicas do Grupo Operativo, as reflexões empreendidas derivam de oficina realizada junto a profissionais do NASF-AB, da cidade do Recife, Pernambuco, assim como da experiência acumulada por seus autores no desenvolvimento de visitas domiciliares a usuários e famílias sob seus cuidados. Da experiência narrada, revelam-se como resultados apontamentos práticos traduzidos em questões a serem consideradas pelas equipes de saúde nos processos de planejamento, operacionalização e avaliação das visitas domiciliares, tomando sua potência produtiva em concretizar atos de saúde centrados no cuidado e na melhoria da situação de saúde da população assistida. O artigo conclui que ao se pautarem nas relações estabelecidas e nas diversas trocas de saberes que delas emergem, as visitas configuram-se como potentes estratégias técnico-assistenciais e pedagógicas para o processo de cuidado em saúde, desvelando efeitos positivos no acompanhamento de usuários e famílias.
Coping among adolescents with long-term health conditions: a mixed-methods study
Authors: Al-Yateem Nabeel , Subu Muhammad Arsyad , Al-Shujairi Arwa , Alrimawi Intima , Ali Hend Mohd , Hasan Khadija , Dad Nawal Peer , Brenner Maria
Published: July 2020

Background:

Adolescents with long-term health conditions may be at risk of developing psychological comorbidities and adopting ineffective coping mechanisms if they are not adequately supported at home or school.

Aim:

To understand the strategies adolescents use when dealing with challenging health situations, and gain an in-depth understanding of the characteristics of their preferred care environment if they have unexpected health crises.

Design:

The study used a concurrent mixed-methods design, with data gathered between January and May 2019. Descriptive and non-parametric tests were used to analyse quantitative and qualitative data.

Results:

‘Problem-focused disengagement’ was the most-often used coping strategy. The second and third most common strategies were ‘problem-focused engagement’ and ‘emotion-focused engagement’. Finally, girls tended to adopt more negative coping strategies than boys. The analysis revealed that most adolescents preferred home over school as the care environment because these caring agents were close and available, knew how to care for them and had the resources to provide or access care, and listened and understood them.

Conclusion:

Adolescents adopted disengagement and negative coping strategies early in their attempts to cope with stressful events before adopting more positive strategies. This is alarming, especially as school health services are not sufficiently supportive of adolescents at times of stress and illness. Adolescents often perceive school providers as unavailable and lacking knowledge about their health needs.
Interventions to improve inpatients' sleep quality in intensive care units and acute wards: a literature review
Authors: Aparício Carlos , Panin Francesca
Published: July 2020

Background:

Sleep is essential for the physical and psychological restoration of inpatients, and lack of sleep results in sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality, with potentially harmful consequences.

Aim:

To summarise sleep-promoting interventions in the Intensive care unit (ICU) and acute ward setting.

Method and results:

Six databases were searched to obtain studies for review and eight studies were selected, appraised, analysed and produced two themes: sleep-disturbing factors and sleep-promoting strategies. Sleep-disturbing factors included environmental factors (such as light and noise), illness-related factors (such as pain, anxiety and discomfort), clinical care and diagnostics. Sleep-promoting strategies included using pharmacological aids (medication) and non-pharmacological aids (reducing noise and disturbances, eye masks, earplugs and educational and behavioural changes).

Conclusion:

The literature review showed that both ICU and acute ward settings affect patients' sleep and both use similar strategies to improve this. Nevertheless, noise and sleep disturbances remain the most critical sleep-inhibiting factors in both settings. The review recommended future research should focus on behavioural changes among health professionals to reduce noise and improve patients' sleep.
Use of thoracic ultrasound to investigate respiratory disease
Authors: Johns Imogen
Published: July 2020

Ultrasound examination can be used to identify both pleural and parenchymal lesions of the adult or foal thorax. While perhaps most useful for the identification, quantification and characterisation of pleural fluid, abnormalities in the pulmonary parenchyma can be visualised as long as the lesion is peripheral enough to result in a lack of aeration of the normal visceral pleural surface. Ultrasound examination is indicated in the investigation of suspected respiratory disease in foals and horses. In animals with suspected intrathoracic disease, ultrasound can be used to identify pleural effusion, pneumothorax, rib fractures, pulmonary parenchymal disease, diaphragmatic hernias and other miscellaneous conditions.
Chaos synchronization and communication in global semiconductor laser network with coupling time delay signature concealment
Authors: Liu Shiqin , Jiang Ning , Zhao Anke , Zhang Yiqun , Qiu Kun
Published: July 2020

Chaos synchronization and pairwise bidirectional communication with coupling time delay signature (CTDS) concealment in a global heterogeneous coupled semiconductor laser (SL) network are achieved by introducing identical chaotic injections from an external SL with self-feedback. The properties of chaos synchronization and CTDSs in four indicative cases are comparatively discussed. Moreover, the influences of key parameters on the quality of chaos synchronization and the CTDS characteristics are thoroughly investigated. On the basis of the chaos synchronization, the chaotic communication performance is further analyzed. The numerical results demonstrate that with the joint contributions of heterogeneous couplings and external identical chaotic injections, isochronous chaos synchronization can be achieved between two arbitrary SLs, and simultaneously the CTDSs are suppressed to a distinguishable level close to zero, over a wide parameter range. Besides, bidirectional transmission with a bit rate beyond 6 Gbit/s can be achieved between the synchronized SLs. Comparing with the conventional two-user communication system, the proposed SL network with CTDS concealment supports flexible network-type message exchanges between pairwise SLs.
Mechanism and control of rotational coherence in femtosecond laser-driven N2+
Authors: Lei Hongbin , Li Guihua , Xie Hongqiang , Zhang Qian , Wang Xiaowei , Zhao Jing , Chen Zhiming , Zhao Zengxiu
Published: July 2020

We investigate the formation of rotational coherence of N

2
+

resonantly interacting with an intense femtosecond laser field by numerical simulations based on a strong-field ionization-coupling model described with the density matrix formalism. The created N

2
+

system is unique in many aspects: the variable total population within the pump duration due to the intensity-dependent ionization injection, the readily accessible resonance owing to the effect of Stark shift, and the involvement of a few dozen of quantum states. By regarding the N

2
+

system as an open and non-stationary Λ-type cascaded multi-level system, we quantitatively studied the dependence of rotational coherence in different electronic-vibrational states of N

2
+

on the alignment angle θ and the pumping intensity. Our simulation results indicate that the quantum coherence between the neighbouring rotational states of J, J+2 in the vibrational state ν=0, 1 of the ground state of N

2
+

can be changed from a negative to a positive. The significant contribution of rotational coherence to inducing an extra gain or absorption of N

2
+

air lasing is further verified by solving the Maxwell’s propagating equation. The finding provides crucial clues on how to manipulate N

2
+

lasing by controlling the rotational coherence and paves the way to studying strong-field quantum optics effects such as lasing without inversion and electromagnetically induced transparency in molecular ionic systems.
Chalcogenide glass photonic integration for improved 2  μm optical interconnection
Authors: Shen Weihong , Zeng Pingyang , Yang Zelin , Xia Di , Du Jiangbing , Zhang Bin , Xu Ke , He Zuyuan , Li Zhaohui
Published: July 2020

In this work, on-chip chalcogenide glass photonic integrations with several fundamental photonic building blocks are designed and fabricated based on the

As
2

S
3

platform for improved 2 μm optical interconnection, achieving a broadened wavelength bandwidth and improved fabrication tolerance. A 600 nm thick

As
2

S
3

strip waveguide has low propagation loss of 1.447 dB/cm at 2 μm. Broadband vertical coupling is realized by a grating coupler with 4.3 dB coupling loss. A Bragg grating filter, power splitter, Mach–Zander interferometer, and mode converter for on-chip mode division multiplexing (MDM) are also reported at 2 μm with reliable performances. Finally, a record high MDM optical interconnection capacity of

3
×
80
  
Gbps

at 2 μm is experimentally demonstrated based on the proposed

As
2

S
3

chip, drawing promising prospects for future photonic integration and high-speed interconnection at the 2 μm waveband.