bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ORMDL3 regulates poly I:C induced inflammatory responses in airway epithelial cells
Authors: Laura Gemma , Liu Yi , Fernandes Kieran , Willis-Owen Saffron A. G. , Ito Kazuhiro , Cookson William O. , Moffatt Miriam F. , Zhang Youming
Published: May 2021

Background

Oroscomucoid 3 (ORMDL3) has been linked to susceptibility of childhood asthma and respiratory viral infection. Polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) is a synthetic analog of viral double-stranded RNA, a toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) ligand and mimic of viral infection.

Methods

To investigate the functional role of ORMDL3 in the poly I:C-induced inflammatory response in airway epithelial cells, ORMDL3 knockdown and over-expression models were established in human A549 epithelial cells and primary normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells. The cells were stimulated with poly I:C or the Th17 cytokine IL-17A. IL-6 and IL-8 levels in supernatants,  mRNA levels of genes in the TLR3 pathway and inflammatory response from cell pellets were measured. ORMDL3 knockdown models in A549 and BEAS-2B epithelial cells were then infected with live human rhinovirus (HRV16) followed by IL-6 and IL-8 measurement.

Results

ORMDL3 knockdown and over-expression had little influence on the transcript levels of TLR3 in airway epithelial cells. Time course studies showed that ORMDL3-deficient A549 and NHBE cells had an attenuated IL-6 and IL-8 response to poly I:C stimulation. A549 and NHBE cells over-expressing ORMDL3 released relatively more IL-6 and IL-8 following poly I:C stimulation. IL-17A exhibited a similar inflammatory response in ORMDL3 knockdown and over-expressing cells, but co-stimulation of poly I:C and IL-17A did not significantly enhance the IL-6 and IL-8 response. Transcript abundance of IFNB following poly I:C stimulation was not significantly altered by ORMDL3 knockdown or over-expression. Dampening of the IL-6 response by ORMDL3 knockdown was confirmed in HRV16 infected BEAS-2B and A549 cells.

Conclusions

ORMDL3 regulates the viral inflammatory response in airway epithelial cells via mechanisms independent of the TLR3 pathway.
A study of the association of cognitive abilities and emotional function with allergic disorders in young women
Authors: Fereidouni Mohammad , Rezapour Hadis , Saharkhiz Mansoore , Mahmoudzadeh Sara , Ayadilord Malaksima , Askari Masoumeh , Karbasi Samira , Abbaszadeh Arefeh , Hoseini Zahra Sadat , Ferns Gordon A. , Bahrami Afsane
Published: May 2021

Background

Allergic disorders may have a bidirectional causal relationship with mental disorders. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to assess the associations between cognitive abilities and emotional function tests and quality of life with the presence of allergic disease in young women.

Methods

A diagnosis of allergic disorders, comprising allergic rhinitis (AR), asthma and atopic dermatitis (AD), was confirmed by a specialist in allergy. The presence and severity of depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia and sleepiness were evaluated using validated questionnaires. Cognitive abilities and quality of life were assessed using standard instruments.

Results

Among 181 female young participants, the prevalence of AR, asthma and AD were 26.5%, 2.8%, and 14.9% respectively. The AR group had higher scores than the non-AR group for depression, anxiety, insomnia, and lower scores for physical and mental health-related quality of life. Moreover, the AD cases had higher scores on the depression and stress scale compared to those without it (p < 0.05). Asthmatic patients also had significantly higher insomnia severity and lower physical health-related quality of life than non-asthmatic.

Conclusion

There was a high prevalence of psychological/psychiatric disorders that included: anxiety, and sleep problems among allergic women, and a reduced quality of life that may be associated with it.
Genome-wide copy number variations in a large cohort of bantu African children
Authors: Yilmaz Feyza , Null Megan , Astling David , Yu Hung-Chun , Cole Joanne , Santorico Stephanie A. , Hallgrimsson Benedikt , Manyama Mange , Spritz Richard A. , Hendricks Audrey E. , Shaikh Tamim H.
Published: May 2021

Background

Copy number variations (CNVs) account for a substantial proportion of inter-individual genomic variation. However, a majority of genomic variation studies have focused on single-nucleotide variations (SNVs), with limited genome-wide analysis of CNVs in large cohorts, especially in populations that are under-represented in genetic studies including people of African descent.

Methods

We carried out a genome-wide copy number analysis in > 3400 healthy Bantu Africans from Tanzania. Signal intensity data from high density (> 2.5 million probes) genotyping arrays were used for CNV calling with three algorithms including PennCNV, DNAcopy and VanillaICE. Stringent quality metrics and filtering criteria were applied to obtain high confidence CNVs.

Results

We identified over 400,000 CNVs larger than 1 kilobase (kb), for an average of 120 CNVs (SE = 2.57) per individual. We detected 866 large CNVs (≥ 300 kb), some of which overlapped genomic regions previously associated with multiple congenital anomaly syndromes, including Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome (Type1) and 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Furthermore, several of the common CNVs seen in our cohort (≥ 5%) overlap genes previously associated with developmental disorders.

Conclusions

These findings may help refine the phenotypic outcomes and penetrance of variations affecting genes and genomic regions previously implicated in diseases. Our study provides one of the largest datasets of CNVs from individuals of African ancestry, enabling improved clinical evaluation and disease association of CNVs observed in research and clinical studies in African populations.
Biosynthesis of pinene in purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacteria
Authors: Wu Xiaomin , Ma Guang , Liu Chuanyang , Qiu Xin-yuan , Min Lu , Kuang Jingyu , Zhu Lingyun
Published: May 2021

Background

Pinene is a monoterpene, that is used in the manufacture of fragrances, insecticide, fine chemicals, and renewable fuels. Production of pinene by metabolic-engineered microorganisms is a sustainable method. Purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacteria belong to photosynthetic chassis that are widely used to synthesize natural chemicals. To date, researches on the synthesis of pinene by purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacteria has not been reported, leaving the potential of purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacteria synthesizing pinene unexplored.

Results

Rhodobacter sphaeroides strain was applied as a model and engineered to express the fusion protein of heterologous geranyl diphosphate synthase (GPPS) and pinene synthase (PS), hence achieving pinene production. The reaction condition of pinene production was optimized and 97.51 μg/L of pinene was yielded. Then, genes of 1-deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase, 1-deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase and isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase were overexpressed, and the ribosome binding site of GPPS-PS mRNA was optimized, improving pinene titer to 539.84 μg/L.

Conclusions

In this paper, through heterologous expression of GPPS-PS, pinene was successfully produced in R. sphaeroides, and pinene production was greatly improved by optimizing the expression of key enzymes. This is the first report on pinene produce by purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacteria, which expands the availability of photosynthetic chassis for pinene production.
Community support model on breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices in remote areas in Vietnam: implementation, cost, and effectiveness
Authors: Nguyen Tuan T. , Hajeebhoy Nemat , Li Jia , Do Chung T. , Mathisen Roger , Frongillo Edward A.
Published: May 2021

Background

Poor access to healthcare facilities and consequently nutrition counseling services hinders the uptake of recommended infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices. To address these barriers and improve IYCF practices, Alive & Thrive (A&T) initiated community support groups in remote villages across nine provinces in Vietnam.

Objective

This study examines the effectiveness of the support group model and related project costs for reaching underserved areas to improve IYCF practices.

Methods

To evaluate the model’s implementation and project costs, we reviewed implementation guidelines, expenditure and coverage reports, monitoring data, and budgets for the nine provinces. To evaluate the model’s effectiveness, we used a 3-stage sampling method to conduct a cross-sectional survey from April to May 2014 in three provinces entailing interviewing mothers of children aged 0–23 months in communes with (intervention; n = 551) and without support groups (comparison; n = 559).

Findings

Coverage: From November 2011 to November 2014, in partnership with the government, A&T supported training for 1513 facilitators and the establishing 801 IYCF support groups in 267 villages across nine provinces. During this period, facilitators provided ~ 166,000 meeting/support contacts with ~ 33,000 pregnant women and mothers with children aged 0–23 months in intervention villages. Costs: The average project costs for supporting the meetings, compensating village collaborators, and providing supportive supervision through staff in commune health stations were USD 5 per client and USD 1 per contact. After adding expenditures for training, supportive supervision, and additional administrative costs at central and provincial levels, the average project cost was USD 15 per client and USD 3 per contact. Effectiveness: Survey participants in intervention and comparison communes had similar maternal, child, and household characteristics. Multiple logistic regression models showed that living in intervention communes was associated with higher odds of early initiation of breastfeeding (OR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.1, 2.7), exclusive breastfeeding from 0 to 5 months (OR: 12.5; 95% CI: 6.7, 23.4), no bottle feeding (OR: 2.69; 95% CI: 1.82, 3.99), and minimum acceptable diet (OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 0.98, 2.33) compared to those living in comparison communes.

Conclusion

The IYCF support group model was effective in reaching populations residing in remote areas and likely contributed to improved IYCF practices. The study suggests that the model could be scaled up to promote equity in breastfeeding support.
Hierarchical drug release designed Au @PDA-PEG-MTX NPs for targeted delivery to breast cancer with combined photothermal-chemotherapy
Authors: Li Wen , Cao Zhiwen , Yu Liuchunyang , Huang Qingcai , Zhu Dongjie , Lu Cheng , Lu Aiping , Liu Yuanyan
Published: May 2021

Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer with a low survival rate and one of the major causes of cancer-related death. Methotrexate (MTX) is an anti-tumor drug used in the treatment of BC. Poor dispersion in water and toxic side effects limit its clinical application. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), owing to their specific structures and unique biological and physiochemical properties, have emerged as potential vehicles for tumor targeting, bioimaging and cancer therapy. An innovative nano drug-loading system (Au @PDA-PEG-MTX NPs) was prepared for targeted treatment of BC. Au @PDA-PEG-MTX NPs under near infra-red region (NIR) irradiation showed effective photothermal therapy against MDA-MB-231 human BC cells growth in vitro by inducing apoptosis through triggering reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction and generating excessive heat. In vivo studies revealed deep penetration ability of Au @PDA-PEG-MTX NPs under NIR irradiation to find application in cancer-targeted fluorescence imaging, and exhibited effective photothermal therapy against BC xenograft growth by inducing apoptosis. Histopathological analysis, cellular uptake, cytotoxicity assay, and apoptosis experiments indicated that Au @PDA-PEG-MTX NPs possessed a good therapeutic effect with high biocompatibility and fewer side effects. This Au NPs drug-loading system achieved specific targeting of MTX to BC cells by surface functionalisation, fluorescence imaging under laser irradiation, combined photothermal-chemotherapy, and pH- and NIR- triggered hierarchical drug release.
High-intensity cannabis use and hospitalization: a prospective cohort study of street-involved youth in Vancouver, Canada
Authors: Reddon Hudson , Milloy M.-J. , Wood Evan , Nosova Ekaterina , Kerr Thomas , DeBeck Kora
Published: May 2021

Background

There is concern that cannabis use negatively affects vulnerable groups such as youth; however, the relationship between cannabis use and health care utilization has not been well characterized in this population. We longitudinally evaluated the association between daily cannabis use and hospitalization among a prospective cohort of street-involved youth.

Methods

Data were collected from the At-Risk Youth Study (ARYS) in Vancouver, Canada, from September 2005 to May 2015. Participants were interviewed semi-annually and multivariable generalized estimating equation (GEE) logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between daily cannabis use and hospitalization.

Results

A total of 1216 participants (31.2% female) were included in this analysis, and 373 (30.7%) individuals reported hospitalization at some point during the study period. In a multivariable GEE analysis, daily cannabis use was not significantly associated with hospitalization (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 1.17, 95% Confidence interval [CI] = 0.84, 1.65). We did observe a significant interaction between daily cannabis use and sex (AOR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.34, 0.77), whereby cannabis use was associated with a decreased odds of hospitalization among males (AOR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.47, 0.78), yet was not significantly associated with hospitalization among females (AOR = 1.19, 95% CI = 0.84, 1.67).

Conclusions

The finding that daily cannabis use was not associated with hospitalization among street-involved youth is encouraging given the high rates of cannabis use in this population and the expansion of cannabis legalization and regulation. Future studies, however, are warranted to monitor possible changes in the consequences of cannabis use as cannabis legalization and regulation increase internationally.
Findings and feasibility of major salivary gland ultrasound in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus: a pilot study
Authors: McDonald Joseph , Vega-Fernandez Patricia , Ting Tracy
Published: May 2021

Background

Childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) is a complex autoimmune disorder with multi-organ manifestations and can be associated with other rheumatic diseases including Sjögren’s syndrome (SS). Salivary gland ultrasound (SGUS) represents a noninvasive tool to screen for salivary gland disease in rheumatic disease patients. The aims of this cross-sectional study were to determine feasibility of major SGUS in a clinic setting and to identify characteristics in a cohort of cSLE patients (without confirmed SS) that may be associated with salivary gland abnormalities consistent with secondary SS.

Methods

Patients with SLE onset prior to age 18 were recruited. Patients completed questionnaires rating symptoms and underwent major SGUS examination. Disease and demographic differences were compared between cSLE patients with abnormal SGUS vs. cSLE patients with normal SGUS using t-tests and Fisher’s exact tests.

Results

Thirty-one cSLE patients were recruited, 84% were female, 55% were Caucasian. The average disease duration among all patients was 5 years. Average time to complete the SGUS examination and scoring protocol was 7 min. 35% of SGUS scores were abnormal and significantly associated with IgG level at diagnosis, and anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies.

Conclusions

This is one of the first studies to our knowledge that assesses major SGUS in a cohort of patients with cSLE without prior diagnoses of SS. The SGUS protocol was feasible to perform by rheumatologists in a clinic setting. Although the sample size was small, SGUS abnormalities were identified in one-third of patients. IgG level at diagnosis and anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies may be associated with SGUS abnormalities.
Utilization of a mobile phone application to increase access to sexual and reproductive health information, goods, and services among university students in Uganda
Authors: Nalwanga Robinah , Nuwamanya Elly , Nuwasiima Afra , Babigumira Janet U. , Asiimwe Francis T. , Babigumira Joseph B.
Published: May 2021

Background

Innovations to increase access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information, goods, and services are needed, particularly in low-income settings. This study assessed the utilization of a mobile phone application (MPA) to increase access to SRH information, goods, and services among university students in Uganda.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from: (1) an endline survey performed as a consequence of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the effectiveness of the MPA, and (2) data from use of the MPA for accessing information, goods, and services over the 6-month time period of the RCT, obtained from in-MPA data collection service providers. We performed descriptive analysis of participant characteristics and their association with the utilization of the MPA using logistic regression; analyses of MPA use for accessing different types of information, goods, and services by gender; and analyses of functionality attributes of the MPA and related services.

Results

In the study population of young (median 22 years) predominantly female (61%) students, the utilization of the MPA by those who downloaded it was high (81% overall, 82% female, and 82% male). The most popular information portal was the frequently asked questions (71% utilization); the most popular goods were condoms for males (77% utilization) and sanitary pads for females (94% utilization); and the most popular service was HIV testing and counseling (60% utilization). The MPA demonstrated predominantly positive (responsiveness, non-distracting in-app advertisements, and ease of use) attributes.

Conclusion

A mobile phone app to increase access to SRH information, goods, and services among university students in Uganda demonstrated high utilization. The results of this study support ongoing and future technical improvement efforts and research on effectiveness, economic efficiency, and scalability, along the continuum of activities to scale this intervention in order to improve SRH in low-income settings.

Trial Registration

MUREC1/7 No. 07/05-18. Registered; June 29, 2018.
Influences of submerged plant collapse on diet composition, breadth, and overlap among four crane species at Poyang Lake, China
Authors: Hou Jinjin , Li Lei , Wang Yafang , Wang Wenjuan , Zhan Huiying , Dai Nianhua , Lu Ping
Published: May 2021

Background

Interannual variation in resource abundance has become more unpredictable, and food shortages have increasingly occurred in the recent decades. However, compared to seasonal fluctuations in resource abundance, the influences of interannual variation in resource abundance on the dietary niches of consumers remain poorly understood. Poyang Lake, China, is a very important wintering ground for the globally endangered Siberian Crane (Leucogeranus leucogeranus), White-naped Crane (Grus vipio), and Hooded Crane (G. monacha), as well as the non-endangered Eurasian Crane (G. grus). Tubers ofVallisneriaspp., the dominant submerged macrophytes at Poyang Lake, is an important food for cranes. Nevertheless, submerged macrophytes have experienced serious degradation recently. In this study, we used metabarcoding technology to explore the consequences ofVallisneriatuber collapse on the diet compositions, breadths, and overlaps of the four crane species based on fecal samples collected in winter 2017 (a year with tuber collapse) and winter 2018 (a year with high tuber abundance).

Results

Compared to previous studies, our study elucidates crane diets in an unprecedented level of detail.Vallisneriatubers was confirmed as an important food source of cranes. Surprisingly, the grassland plantPolygonum criopolitanumwas also found to be an important food source in the feces of cranes. Agricultural fields were important foraging sites for Siberian Cranes, White-naped Cranes, and Hooded Cranes, providing foods that allowed them to survive in winters with natural food shortages. However, the three crane species preferred natural wetlands to agricultural fields when the abundance of natural foods was high. The abundance ofVallisneriatubers, and probablyP. criopolitanum, greatly influenced the dietary compositions, breadths and overlap of cranes. During periods of preferred resource shortage, White-naped Cranes and Hooded Cranes widened their dietary niches, while Siberian Cranes maintained a stable niche width. The dietary niche overlap among crane species increased substantially under conditions of plentiful preferred food resources.

Conclusions

Our study emphasizes the superior quality of natural wetlands compared to agricultural fields as foraging habitats for cranes. To provide safer and better foraging areas for cranes, it is urgent to restore the submerged plants at Poyang Lake. While high dietary niche overlap is often interpreted as intense interspecific competition, our study highlights the importance of taking food abundance into account.
A small neighborhood well-organized: seasonal and daily activity patterns of the community of large and mid-sized mammals around waterholes in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia
Authors: Nasanbat Battogtokh , Ceacero Francisco , Ravchig Samiya
Published: May 2021

Background

Animal communities have complex patterns of ecological segregation at different levels according to food resources, habitats, behavior, and activity patterns. Understanding these patterns among the community is essential for the conservation of the whole ecosystem. However, these networks are difficult to study nowadays, due to anthropic disturbances and local extinctions, making it difficult to conclude if segregation patterns are natural or human-induced. We studied ecological segregation in a community of large and mid-sized mammals in the Great Gobi Desert, a remote arid area free from recent extinctions and human disturbances. Activity patterns of 10 sympatric mammal species were monitored around 6 waterholes through camera-trapping over a two-year period, and analyzed them primarily through circular statistics.

Results

Complex patterns of spatial, seasonal, and daily segregation were found. Overlap in seasonal activity was detected in only 3 of the 45 possible pairs of species. Four species used the waterholes all-year-round, while others peaked their activity during different periods. The Bactrian camel showed continuous daily activity, the grey wolf had bimodal activity, and the argali and Siberian ibex were diurnal, while the others had nocturnal peaks during different hours. Daily and spatial overlap were both detected in only 6 of the 45 pairs. Only one species pair (snow leopard and Eurasian lynx) showed an overlap at two levels: seasonal and daily. Climate and moon phase significantly affected the activity of certain species.

Conclusions

Altogether, the results showed complex patterns of ecological segregation at different levels in the use of the key resource in arid environments: waterholes. These results are important for understanding the biology of these species under natural conditions, as well as potential changes in altered ecosystems, and may help to design conservation strategies.
Non-financial barriers in oral health care: a qualitative study of patients receiving opioid maintenance treatment and professionals’ experiences
Authors: Carlsen Siv-Elin Leirvaag , Isaksen Katja , Fadnes Lars Thore , Lygren Ole Jørgen Scheie , Åstrøm Anne Nordrehaug
Published: May 2021

Background

People with substance use disorders often have poor oral health, which can negatively impact their quality of life. Since 2005, patients receiving opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) in Norway have been eligible for free oral health care services offered through public oral health clinics. Despite a large need for oral health services amongst patients in OMT, figures suggest that the use of these services is low amongst this patient group. It has been unclear which barriers that contribute to this. This qualitative study explores the underlying barriers to the use of oral health care services amongst patients in OMT, from the perspective of the patients as well as dental health care workers (DHW).

Methods

Through a combination of focus group interviews and individual interviews, data were collected from 63 participants; 30 patients in OMT and 33 DHW. Thematic analysis identified key themes for the use (or not) of oral health care services amongst patients in OMT.

Results

Both individual and structural barriers prevent OMT patients from using the free oral health care services offered to them. These barriers include struggling to attend appointments, anxiety and fear of dentists, discrepancies between patients’ expectations and the services offered and perceived stigma. OMT patients’ lack of information regarding their rights and access to oral health services was also a barrier, as was DHWs’ lack of knowledge and information of the OMT system and what they can offer patients.

Conclusions

OMT patients face several barriers in accessing and using oral health care services. However, through a number of relatively simple measures, it is possible that the use of oral health services amongst OMT patients can be increased.
Short-term clinical and radiological results of two different design metaphyseal fitting femoral stems in total hip arthroplasty: a prospective, randomized trial
Authors: Tatani I. , Solou K. , Panagopoulos A. , Lakoumentas J. , Kouzelis A. , Megas P.
Published: May 2021

Background

There is great design variability on short femoral stems available on the market. This study aims to evaluate the short-term clinical and radiological results of two different design short femoral stems, both classified as shortened tapered stems.

Methods

From March 2016 to March 2018, a prospective, randomized, parallel-group design study was conducted to compare functional and radiological outcomes of 45 patients underwent THA using the Tri-Lock Bone Preservation Stem and 45 patients underwent THA with the Minima S stem at a minimum 2 years of follow-up. Patients were assessed clinically and radiographically prior to surgery as well as at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. Primary outcomes were the change in health-related quality of life assessed with Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and also the incidence of all hip-related complications. Secondary aims included hip function evaluated with the Harris hip score, rates of patient satisfaction, and the outcomes of a detailed radiological analysis.

Results

There were no significant differences between the 2 study groups in terms of patient-reported outcomes measurements, satisfaction scores, and complication rates at any of the measurement times. In both groups, stable fixation and radiographic osseointegration were achieved. However, analysis of the calcar region showed that 57.8% and 28.9% of patients had grade 1 or 2 stress shielding, in Tri-Lock and Minima S implantation group, respectively (p=0.015). Regarding coronal alignment, stems were placed in slight varus, valgus, and neutral position in 51.1%, 13.3%, and 35.6% of patients, respectively, in Tri-Lock BPS group. The Minima S stem was implanted at slight varus and valgus in 60% and 40% of patients, respectively, and neither stem in the exact neutral position.

Conclusions

Both different design short femoral stems demonstrated excellent clinical performance at short-term follow up. Nevertheless, concerns were raised regarding the incidence of stress shielding phenomenon and mild discrepancies in coronal stem alignment during implantation. The clinical impact of these observations should be further evaluated through larger cohorts and longer follow-up.

Trial registration

ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN10096716. Registered on May 8, 2018—Retrospectively registered
Dissecting the role of EYS in retinal degeneration: clinical and molecular aspects and its implications for future therapy
Authors: Garcia-Delgado Ana B. , Valdes-Sanchez Lourdes , Morillo-Sanchez Maria Jose , Ponte-Zuñiga Beatriz , Diaz-Corrales Francisco J. , de la Cerda Berta
Published: May 2021

Mutations in the EYS gene are one of the major causes of autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa. EYS-retinopathy presents a severe clinical phenotype, and patients currently have no therapeutic options. The progress in personalised medicine and gene and cell therapies hold promise for treating this degenerative disease. However, lack of understanding and incomplete comprehension of disease's mechanism and the role of EYS in the healthy retina are critical limitations for the translation of current technical advances into real therapeutic possibilities. This review recapitulates the present knowledge about EYS-retinopathies, their clinical presentations and proposed genotype–phenotype correlations. Molecular details of the gene and the protein, mainly based on animal model data, are analysed. The proposed cellular localisation and roles of this large multi-domain protein are detailed. Future therapeutic approaches for EYS-retinopathies are discussed.
Emerging role of human polyomaviruses 6 and 7 in human cancers
Authors: Klufah Faisal , Mobaraki Ghalib , Liu Dan , Alharbi Raed A. , Kurz Anna Kordelia , Speel Ernst Jan M. , Winnepenninckx Véronique , zur Hausen Axel
Published: May 2021

Background

Currently 12 human polyomaviruses (HPyVs) have been identified, 6 of which have been associated with human diseases, including cancer. The discovery of the Merkel cell polyomavirus and its role in the etiopathogenesis in the majority of Merkel cell carcinomas has drawn significant attention, also to other novel HPyVs. In 2010, HPyV6 and HPyV7 were identified in healthy skin swabs. Ever since it has been speculated that they might contribute to the etiopathogenesis of skin and non-cutaneous human cancers.

Main body

Here we comprehensively reviewed and summarized the current evidence potentially indicating an involvement of HPyV6 and HPyV7 in the etiopathogenesis of neoplastic human diseases. The seroprevalence of both HPyV6 and 7 is high in a normal population and increases with age. In skin cancer tissues, HPyV6- DNA was far more often prevalent than HPyV7 in contrast to cancers of other anatomic sites, in which HPyV7 DNA was more frequently detected.

Conclusion

It is remarkable to find that the detection rate of HPyV6-DNA in tissues of skin malignancies is higher than HPyV7-DNA and may indicate a role of HPyV6 in the etiopathogenesis of the respected skin cancers. However, the sheer presence of viral DNA is not enough to prove a role in the etiopathogenesis of these cancers.
Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder and autistic traits in children with anorexia nervosa and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder
Authors: Inoue Takeshi , Otani Ryoko , Iguchi Toshiyuki , Ishii Ryuta , Uchida Soh , Okada Ayumi , Kitayama Shinji , Koyanagi Kenshi , Suzuki Yuki , Suzuki Yuichi , Sumi Yoshino , Takamiya Shizuo , Tsurumaru Yasuko , Nagamitsu Shinichiro , Fukai Yoshimitsu , Fujii Chikako , Matsuoka Michiko , Iwanami Junpei , Wakabayashi Akio , Sakuta Ryoichi
Published: May 2021

Background

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and feeding and eating disorders (FEDs) such as anorexia nervosa (AN) are strongly linked as evidenced by frequent comorbidity and overlapping traits. However, eating and social behaviors are shaped by culture, so it is critical to examine these associations in different populations. Moreover, FEDs are heterogeneous, and there has been no examination of autistic traits in avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).

Methods

Therefore, we investigated the prevalence of ASD and autistic traits among Japanese children with AN (n = 92) or ARFID (n = 32) from a prospective multicenter cohort study using the Autism Spectrum Quotient Children’s version (AQC) and Children’s Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT26).

Results

ASD prevalence was high in both AN and ARFID (16.3 and 12.5%, respectively). The AN group exhibited significantly higher scores on all AQC subscales than an age-matched healthy control (HC) group, but there were no significant correlations between AQC scores and ChEAT26 scores. In the AFRID group, AQC scores did not differ from HCs, but significant correlations were found between total AQC and ChEAT26 scores and between several AQC and ChEAT26 subscales.

Conclusions

Both the AN and ARFID groups had high prevalence rates of ASD. The AN group showed a significantly higher degree of autistic traits than the HC group; however, no difference was found between the ARFID and HC groups. Clinicians need to be aware of these rates when working with children with ED.
Dead space estimates may not be independently associated with 28-day mortality in COVID-19 ARDS
Authors:   the PRoVENT-COVID Study Group, Morales-Quinteros Luis , Neto Ary Serpa , Artigas Antonio , Blanch Lluis , Botta Michela , Kaufman David A. , Schultz Marcus J. , Tsonas Anissa M. , Paulus Frederique , Bos Lieuwe D.
Published: May 2021

Background

Estimates for dead space ventilation have been shown to be independently associated with an increased risk of mortality in the acute respiratory distress syndrome and small case series of COVID-19-related ARDS.

Methods

Secondary analysis from the PRoVENT-COVID study. The PRoVENT-COVID is a national, multicenter, retrospective observational study done at 22 intensive care units in the Netherlands. Consecutive patients aged at least 18 years were eligible for participation if they had received invasive ventilation for COVID-19 at a participating ICU during the first month of the national outbreak in the Netherlands. The aim was to quantify the dynamics and determine the prognostic value of surrogate markers of wasted ventilation in patients with COVID-19-related ARDS.

Results

A total of 927 consecutive patients admitted with COVID-19-related ARDS were included in this study. Estimations of wasted ventilation such as the estimated dead space fraction (by Harris–Benedict and direct method) and ventilatory ratio were significantly higher in non-survivors than survivors at baseline and during the following days of mechanical ventilation (p < 0.001). The end-tidal-to-arterial PCO2 ratio was lower in non-survivors than in survivors (p < 0.001). As ARDS severity increased, mortality increased with successive tertiles of dead space fraction by Harris–Benedict and by direct estimation, and with an increase in the VR. The same trend was observed with decreased levels in the tertiles for the end-tidal-to-arterial PCO2 ratio. After adjustment for a base risk model that included chronic comorbidities and ventilation- and oxygenation-parameters, none of the dead space estimates measured at the start of ventilation or the following days were significantly associated with 28-day mortality.

Conclusions

There is significant impairment of ventilation in the early course of COVID-19-related ARDS but quantification of this impairment does not add prognostic information when added to a baseline risk model.

Trial registration: ISRCTN04346342. Registered 15 April 2020. Retrospectively registered.
Study of Peri-Articular Anaesthetic for Replacement of the Knee (SPAARK): statistical analysis plan for a randomised controlled trial assessing the effectiveness of peri-articular liposomal bupivacaine plus bupivacaine hydrochloride compared with bupivacaine hydrochloride alone
Authors: Stokes Jamie R. , Wang Ariel , Poulton Lisa , Rombach Ines , Pandit Hemant , Knight Ruth
Published: May 2021

Background

Up to three quarters of surgical patients receive inadequate pain relief, with 40% of patients reporting severe pain following knee replacement, which may indicate the current pain relief strategies using opiate-based analgesia cannot achieve patient satisfaction. Liposomal bupivacaine is liposome-encapsulated bupivacaine which has been reported to be effective for up to 72 h. The study of Peri-Articular Anaesthetic for Replacement of the Knee (SPAARK) trial has been designed to assess the effectiveness of peri-articular liposomal bupivacaine and bupivacaine hydrochloride compared with peri-articular bupivacaine hydrochloride alone in the management of post-operative pain following knee replacement.

Methods/design

The SPAARK trial is a multi-centre, patient-blinded, randomised controlled trial. The co-primary outcomes are post-operative recovery assessed by global QoR-40 scores at 72 h and cumulative pain VAS score from 6 to 72 h following surgery. Longer-term measures of the co-primary outcomes are collected at 6 weeks and 6 and 12 months post randomisation, together with secondary outcomes, i.e. the Oxford Knee Score, and the American Knee Society Score. Cumulative opiate use and fitness for discharge are measured up to 72 h post-surgery. The analysis approaches for the primary and secondary outcomes are described here, as are the descriptive statistics which will be reported. The full SPAARK protocol has already been published.

Results

The co-primary outcomes will be analysed using multivariate linear regression adjusting for stratification factors and other important prognostic variables, including baseline scores in the case of the QoR-40. The adjusted mean difference between the two groups together with 97.5% confidence intervals will be reported for each of the primary outcomes. Other continuous variables will be assessed using the same method. Binary outcomes will be assessed using chi-squared tests.

Discussion

The paper provides details of the planned statistical analyses for the SPAARK trial and aims to reduce the risk of outcome reporting bias from prior data knowledge. Any changes or deviations from this statistical analysis plan will be described and justified in the final study report.

Trial registration

ISRCTN54191675. Registered on 13 November 2017.
Sports nutrition knowledge and perceptions among professional basketball athletes and coaches in Lebanon-a cross-sectional study
Authors: Boumosleh Jocelyne Matar , el Hage Catherine , Farhat Antoine
Published: May 2021

Background

Basketball is the most popular sport in Lebanon. Adequate nutrition has been established to be a key component of optimal athletic performance, recovery from exercise and exercise-induced injury and documented to be associated with adequate nutrition knowledge (NK). In Lebanon, nutrition education is not incorporated into the basketball player training program and there is no established position for sports nutritionists in basketball clubs. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to evaluate the NK status of Division I Basketball (D1B) players /coaches in Lebanon. The objectives of this study are to assess the prevalence of inadequate NK; identify the gaps in NK, main sources of nutrition information, perceptions on sports nutrition and independent predictors of inadequate NK among D1B players and coaches in Lebanon.

Methods

All D1B players (n = 184) and coaches (n = 16) in Lebanon were invited to participate in the study. Study participants were asked to complete a questionnaire that included questions on NK, resources and perceptions. A percentage of ≥60% of NK questions answered correctly was used as indicative of having adequate NK. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the sample characteristics. The T-test and chi square test were used for comparisons of means and proportions, respectively. Logistic regression was used to explore the predictors of inadequate NK in D1B players.

Results

The sample consisted of 178 D1B players (nM = 126; nF = 52) and 11 male coaches, resulting in survey response rates of 97 and 69%, respectively. Inadequate NK was found among about 80 and 54% of D1B players and coaches, respectively. Inadequate NK was found to be independently associated with lack of nutrition education in D1B players.

Conclusions

Despite widespread lack of adequate NK among D1B players and coaches in Lebanon, our sports clubs do not have dietitians. Basketball sports clubs in Lebanon should start to budget for hiring a dietitian or carrying out nutrition education campaigns that are based on analyses of incorrect responses of our study participants. Findings of this study are of tremendous significance to D1B players in Lebanon in terms of improving the athletes’ physical health and performance.
Radiological pattern in ARDS patients: partitioned respiratory mechanics, gas exchange and lung recruitability
Authors: Coppola Silvia , Pozzi Tommaso , Gurgitano Martina , Liguori Alessandro , Duka Ejona , Bichi Francesca , Ciabattoni Arianna , Chiumello Davide
Published: May 2021

Background

The ARDS is characterized by different degrees of impairment in oxygenation and distribution of the lung disease. Two radiological patterns have been described: a focal and a diffuse one. These two patterns could present significant differences both in gas exchange and in the response to a recruitment maneuver. At the present time, it is not known if the focal and the diffuse pattern could be characterized by a difference in the lung and chest wall mechanical characteristics. Our aims were to investigate, at two levels of PEEP, if focal vs. diffuse ARDS patterns could be characterized by different lung CT characteristics, partitioned respiratory mechanics and lung recruitability.

Methods

CT patterns were analyzed by two radiologists and were classified as focal or diffuse. The changes from 5 to 15 cmH2O in blood gas analysis and partitioned respiratory mechanics were analyzed. Lung CT scan was performed at 5 and 45 cmH2O of PEEP to evaluate lung recruitability.

Results

One-hundred and ten patients showed a diffuse pattern, while 58 showed a focal pattern. At 5 cmH2O of PEEP, the driving pressure and the elastance, both the respiratory system and of the lung, were significantly higher in the diffuse pattern compared to the focal (14 [11–16] vs 11 [9–15 cmH2O; 28 [23–34] vs 21 [17–27] cmH2O/L; 22 [17–28] vs 14 [12–19] cmH2O/L). By increasing PEEP, the driving pressure and the respiratory system elastance significantly decreased in diffuse pattern, while they increased or did not change in the focal pattern (Δ15-5: − 1 [− 2 to 1] vs 0 [− 1 to 2]; − 1 [− 4 to 2] vs 1 [− 2 to 5]). At 5 cmH2O of PEEP, the diffuse pattern had a lower lung gas (743 [537–984] vs 1222 [918–1974] mL) and higher lung weight (1618 [1388–2001] vs 1222 [1059–1394] g) compared to focal pattern. The lung recruitability was significantly higher in diffuse compared to focal pattern 21% [13–29] vs 11% [6–16]. Considering the median of lung recruitability of the whole population (16.1%), the recruiters were 65% and 22% in the diffuse and focal pattern, respectively.

Conclusions

An early identification of lung morphology can be useful to choose the ventilatory setting. A diffuse pattern has a better response to the increase of PEEP and to the recruitment maneuver.
Blockchain-based IoT device identification and management in 5G smart grid
Authors: Wang Dong , Wang Huanjuan , Fu Yuchen
Published: May 2021

This work investigates the unified coding and identification of smart grid IoT devices, as more and more IoT devices in smart grid need to be managed and controlled. We combine blockchain technology with 5G MEC to realize the connection of massive power IoT devices at the edge of 5G network. Due to blockchain’s distributed storage and credibility, it is used to identify and register IoT devices in smart grid, ensuring the reliability and accuracy of smart grid IoT devices management. In this paper, we propose a hybrid blockchain mechanism based on 5G MEC smart grid, where both public blockchain and private blockchain are deployed on the MEC gateway/server. To facilitate the data searching and extracting, we endeavor to build a blockchain explorer indexed by IoT device identifier. After that, we study the typical consensus algorithms in the blockchain such as PoW, PoS, DPoS, PDFT, and discuss their feasibility in the hybrid blockchain. Finally, we analyzed and compared the performance of different consensus algorithms from the perspective of average computing time and average time to agreement.
Approximate calculation of 8-point DCT for various scenarios of practical applications
Authors: Puchala Dariusz
Published: May 2021

In this paper, based on the parametric model of the matrix of discrete cosine transform (DCT), and using an exhaustive search of the parameters’ space, we seek for the best approximations of 8-point DCT at the given computational complexities by taking into account three different scenarios of practical usage. The possible parameter values are selected in such a way that the resulting transforms are only multiplierless approximations, i.e., only additions and bit-shift operations are required. The considered usage scenarios include such cases where approximation of DCT is used: (i) at the data compression stage, (ii) at the decompression stage, and (iii) both at the compression and decompression stages. The obtained results in effectiveness of generated approximations are compared with results of popular known approximations of 8-point DCT of the same class (i.e., multiplierless approximations). In addition, we perform a series of experiments in lossy compression of natural images using popular JPEG standard. The obtained results are presented and discussed. It should be noted, that in the overwhelming number of cases the generated approximations are better than the known ones, e.g., in asymmetric scenarios even by more than 3 dB starting from entropy of 2 bits per pixel. In the last part of the paper, we investigate the possibility of hardware implementation of generated approximations in Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) circuits. The results in the form of resource and energy consumption are presented and commented. The experiment outcomes confirm the assumption that the considered class of transformations is characterized by low resource utilization.
A Neumann problem for a diffusion equation with n-dimensional fractional Laplacian
Authors: Arciga-Alejandre Martin P. , Sanchez-Ortiz Jorge , Ariza-Hernandez Francisco J. , Garcia-Murcia Eduard
Published: May 2021

We study an initial-boundary value problem for a n-dimensional stochastic diffusion equation with fractional Laplacian on $\mathbb{R}_{+}^{n}$

R
+
n

. In order to prove existence and uniqueness, we generalize the Fokas method to construct the Green function for the associated linear problem and then we apply a fixed point argument. Also, we present an example where the explicit solutions are given.