bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Utility of Huntington's Disease Assessments by Disease Stage: Floor/Ceiling Effects
Authors: Abreu Daisy , Ware Jennifer , Georgiou-Karistianis Nellie , Leavitt Blair R. , Fitzer-Attas Cheryl J. , Lobo Raquel , Fernandes Ana Raquel , Handley Olivia , Anderson Karen E. , Stout Julie C. , Sampaio Cristina
Published: July 2021

Introduction: An understanding of the clinimetric properties of clinical assessments, including their constraints, is critical to sound clinical study and trial design. Utilizing data from Enroll-HD—a global, prospective HD observational study and clinical research platform—we examined several well-established HD clinical assessments across all stages of disease for evidence of instrument constraints, specifically floor/ceiling effects, to inform selection of appropriate instruments for use in future studies/trials and identify gaps in instrument utility over the life-course of the disease.

Material and Methods: Analyzing publicly available data from 6,614 HD gene-expansion carriers (HDGECs), we grouped participants into deciles based on baseline CAP score, which ranged from 26 to 229. We used descriptive statistics to characterize data distribution for 25 outcome measures (encompassing motor, function, cognition, and psychiatric/behavioral domains) in each CAP decile. A skewness statistic threshold of ±2 was defined a priori to indicate floor/ceiling effects.

Results: We found evidence of floor/ceiling effects in the early premanifest stages of disease for most motor and function assessments (e.g., TMS, TFC) and select cognitive tasks (MMSE, Trail Making tests). Other cognitive assessments, and the HADS-SIS scales, performed well ubiquitously, with no evidence of floor/ceiling effects at any disease stage. Floor/ceiling effects were evident at every disease stage for certain assessments, including PBA-s measures. Ceiling effects were apparent for DCL from onset stages onwards, as expected.

Discussion: Developing instruments sensitive to subtle differences in performance at the earlier stages of the disease spectrum, particularly in motor and function domains, is warranted.
Modulation of the Interactions Between α-Synuclein and Lipid Membranes by Post-translational Modifications
Authors: Bell Rosie , Vendruscolo Michele
Published: July 2021

Parkinson's disease is characterised by the presence in brain tissue of aberrant inclusions known as Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites, which are deposits composed by α-synuclein and a variety of other cellular components, including in particular lipid membranes. The dysregulation of the balance between lipid homeostasis and α-synuclein homeostasis is therefore likely to be closely involved in the onset and progression of Parkinson's disease and related synucleinopathies. As our understanding of this balance is increasing, we describe recent advances in the characterisation of the role of post-translational modifications in modulating the interactions of α-synuclein with lipid membranes. We then discuss the impact of these advances on the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic tools for synucleinopathies.
Force-Control vs. Strength Training: The Effect on Gait Variability in Stroke Survivors
Authors: Patel Prakruti , Casamento-Moran Agostina , Christou Evangelos A. , Lodha Neha
Published: July 2021

Purpose:Increased gait variability in stroke survivors indicates poor dynamic balance and poses a heightened risk of falling. Two primary motor impairments linked with impaired gait are declines in movement precision and strength. The purpose of the study is to determine whether force-control training or strength training is more effective in reducing gait variability in chronic stroke survivors.

Methods:Twenty-two chronic stroke survivors were randomized to force-control training or strength training. Participants completed four training sessions over 2 weeks with increasing intensity. The force-control group practiced increasing and decreasing ankle forces while tracking a sinusoid. The strength group practiced fast ankle motor contractions at a percentage of their maximal force. Both forms of training involved unilateral, isometric contraction of the paretic, and non-paretic ankles in plantarflexion and dorsiflexion. Before and after the training, we assessed gait variability as stride length and stride time variability, and gait speed. To determine the task-specific effects of training, we measured strength, accuracy, and steadiness of ankle movements.

Results:Stride length variability and stride time variability reduced significantly after force-control training, but not after strength training. Both groups showed modest improvements in gait speed. We found task-specific effects with strength training improving plantarflexion and dorsiflexion strength and force control training improving motor accuracy and steadiness.

Conclusion:Force-control training is superior to strength training in reducing gait variability in chronic stroke survivors. Improving ankle force control may be a promising approach to rehabilitate gait variability and improve safe mobility post-stroke.
Pathophysiology of Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Serpa Rebecka O. , Ferguson Lindsay , Larson Cooper , Bailard Julie , Cooke Samantha , Greco Tiffany , Prins Mayumi L.
Published: July 2021

The national incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) exceeds that of any other disease in the pediatric population. In the United States the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 697,347 annual TBIs in children ages 0–19 that result in emergency room visits, hospitalization or deaths. There is a bimodal distribution within the pediatric TBI population, with peaks in both toddlers and adolescents. Preclinical TBI research provides evidence for age differences in acute pathophysiology that likely contribute to long-term outcome differences between age groups. This review will examine the timecourse of acute pathophysiological processes during cerebral maturation, including calcium accumulation, glucose metabolism and cerebral blood flow. Consequences of pediatric TBI are complicated by the ongoing maturational changes allowing for substantial plasticity and windows of vulnerabilities. This review will also examine the timecourse of later outcomes after mild, repeat mild and more severe TBI to establish developmental windows of susceptibility and altered maturational trajectories. Research progress for pediatric TBI is critically important to reveal age-associated mechanisms and to determine knowledge gaps for future studies.
Atorvastatin Plus Low-Dose Dexamethasone May Be Effective for Leukemia-Related Chronic Subdural Hematoma but Not for Leukemia Encephalopathy: A Report of Three Cases
Authors: Yuan Jiangyuan , Li Ying , Liu Xuanhui , Nie Meng , Jiang Weiwei , Fan Yibing , Xiang Tangtang , Wang Hanhua , Quan Wei , Gao Chuang , Huang Jinghao , An Shuo , Ru Yongxin , Zhou Qiufan , Zhang Jianning , Jiang Rongcai
Published: July 2021

We are not aware of any reports regarding conservative treatment for leukemia-related chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH). We report our experience with 3 men who were admitted with subdural masses and abnormal leukocyte counts. In two patients, leukemia and CSDH were confirmed on the basis of medical records, mild head trauma, and neuroimaging features. Both patients experienced reduced CSDH and neurological symptoms after receiving atorvastatin (20 mg/day) plus low-dose dexamethasone. However, this combined conservative treatment was ineffective in the third patient, who was diagnosed as having leukemia and showed an increased hematoma volume after two weeks of therapy. Magnetic resonance imaging findings suggested dural metastasis, which prompted a switch from statin-based conservative treatment to chemotherapy. Complete remission of the leukemia and resolution of the subdural mass were observed after chemotherapy, which supported a diagnosis of leukemia encephalopathy. The 5-month follow-ups did not reveal CSDH relapse in all 3 cases. Thus, atorvastatin-based conservative treatment may be effective for leukemia-related CSDH but not for leukemia encephalopathy.
Autophagy-Related Three-Gene Prognostic Signature for Predicting Survival in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Cui Heyang , Weng Yongjia , Ding Ning , Cheng Chen , Wang Longlong , Zhou Yong , Zhang Ling , Cui Yongping , Zhang Weimin
Published: July 2021

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most aggressive malignant tumors in China, and its prognosis remains poor. Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved catabolic process involved in the occurrence and development of ESCC. In this study, we described the expression profile of autophagy-related genes (ARGs) in ESCC and developed a prognostic prediction model for ESCC patients based on the expression pattern of ARGs. We used four ESCC cohorts, GSE53624 (119 samples) set as the discovery cohort, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) ESCC set (95 samples) as the validation cohort, 155 ESCC cohort, and Oncomine cohort were used to screen and verify differentially expressed ARGs. We identified 34 differentially expressed genes out of 222 ARGs. In the discovery cohort, we divided ESCC patients into three groups that showed significant differences in prognosis. Then, we analyzed the prognosis of 34 differentially expressed ARGs. Three genes [poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1), integrin alpha-6 (ITGA6), and Fas-associated death domain (FADD)] were ultimately obtained through random forest feature selection and were constructed as an ARG-related prognostic model. This model was further validated in TCGA ESCC set. Cox regression analysis confirmed that the three-gene signature was an independent prognostic factor for ESCC patients. This signature effectively stratified patients in both discovery and validation cohorts by overall survival (P = 5.162E-8 and P = 0.052, respectively). We also constructed a clinical nomogram with a concordance index of 0.713 to predict the survival possibility of ESCC patients by integrating clinical characteristics and the ARG signature. The calibration curves substantiated fine concordance between nomogram prediction and actual observation. In conclusion, we constructed a new ARG-related prognostic model, which shows the potential to improve the ability of individualized prognosis prediction in ESCC.
A Deep-Learning Model With the Attention Mechanism Could Rigorously Predict Survivals in Neuroblastoma
Authors: Feng Chenzhao , Xiang Tianyu , Yi Zixuan , Meng Xinyao , Chu Xufeng , Huang Guiyang , Zhao Xiang , Chen Feng , Xiong Bo , Feng Jiexiong
Published: July 2021

Background

Neuroblastoma is one of the most devastating forms of childhood cancer. Despite large amounts of attempts in precise survival prediction in neuroblastoma, the prediction efficacy remains to be improved.

Methods

Here, we applied a deep-learning (DL) model with the attention mechanism to predict survivals in neuroblastoma. We utilized 2 groups of features separated from 172 genes, to train 2 deep neural networks and combined them by the attention mechanism.

Results

This classifier could accurately predict survivals, with areas under the curve of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and time-dependent ROC reaching 0.968 and 0.974 in the training set respectively. The accuracy of the model was further confirmed in a validation cohort. Importantly, the two feature groups were mapped to two groups of patients, which were prognostic in Kaplan-Meier curves. Biological analyses showed that they exhibited diverse molecular backgrounds which could be linked to the prognosis of the patients.

Conclusions

In this study, we applied artificial intelligence methods to improve the accuracy of neuroblastoma survival prediction based on gene expression and provide explanations for better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying neuroblastoma.
Prognostic Value of Regression Rate of Plasma EBV DNA After Induction Chemotherapy for Stage II-IVA Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Authors: Peng Hao , Chen Bin-bin , Wang Xiao-hui , Mo Yun-Xian , Han Fei
Published: July 2021

Background/Objective

We aimed to explore the prognostic value of regression rate (RR) of plasma Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) DNA after induction chemotherapy (IC) in patients with stages II–IVA nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods

Eligible patients receiving IC followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy were included. The cut-off value of pre-treatment EBV DNA (pre-IC DNA) and RR were identified by receiver operating curve (ROC). Recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) was applied to create new staging. Harrell’s c-index and time-independent ROC were employed to compare different RPA staging.

Results

In total, 1,184 patients were included. The cut-off values of pre-IC DNA and RR were 16,200 copies/ml and 95.127% for patients receiving two cycles, and 5,520 copies/ml and 99.994% for those receiving three cycles. Notably, we only focused on patients receiving two cycles of IC. Patients with a RR >95.127% had significantly better 5-year overall survival (OS) than those with a RR ≤95.127% (86.2% vs. 54.3%, P <0.001). Then, RPA1 (pre-IC DNA + TNM staging + RR) and RPA2 (pre-IC DNA + TNM staging + post-IC EBV DNA [post-IC DNA]) staging systems were created. RPA1 staging achieved stronger power in OS prediction than RPA2 staging and TNM staging (c-index: 0.763 [0.714–0.812] vs. 0.735 [0.684–0.786] vs. 0.677 [0.604–0.749]; AUC: 0.736 vs. 0.714 vs. 0.628), indicating that RR had stronger prognostic power than post-IC DNA. Moreover, patients with stages III–IVRPA1 could benefit from high concurrent cumulative platinum dose (≥160 mg/m2).

Conclusion

RR in conjunction with current TNM staging could better conduct risk stratification, prognosis prediction and help to guide precise concurrent chemotherapy.
Congenital Heart Diseases Impair Female Fertility
Authors: Chien Shao-Ju , Lin Ying-Jui , Lo Mao-Hung , Huang Chien-Fu , Yang Yao-Hsu
Published: July 2021

Background: The objective of this research was to evaluate the fertility of Taiwanese women with diagnoses of congenital heart diseases (CHDs). The study also investigated how different forms of CHDs may have variously influenced fertility.

Methods: We directed this nationwide, population-based and retrospective matched-cohort research by using data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. The CHD group (n = 6602) included women with congenital structural heart diseases, aged 16–45 years in 2000. The non-CHD group (n = 6602) was matched according to urbanization and income. The outcomes, involving live birth, abortion, and fertility rates, were followed until the end of 2013. Poisson regression was used to evaluate the incidence rate ratios (IRRs).

Results: The CHDs had an inferior rate of live births (IRR 0.74 [95% CI 0.71–0.78]) than the non-CHD group. There was also a lower fertility rate in the CHD group (IRR 0.81 [95% CI 0.78–0.84]) than the non-CHD group. Abortion rates between the two groups were similar.

Conclusion: Congenital structural heart disease compromises female fertility, even among patients with simple forms of CHDs. It is suggested that pregnant patients with CHDs are early appeared to and advised personally with multidisciplinary care to improve their outcomes.
TCMIP v2.0 Powers the Identification of Chemical Constituents Available in Xinglou Chengqi Decoction and the Exploration of Pharmacological Mechanisms Acting on Stroke Complicated With Tanre Fushi Syndrome
Authors: Wang Ping , Wang Shuang , Chen Hong , Deng Xiaofang , Zhang Luoqi , Xu Haiyu , Yang Hongjun
Published: July 2021

Xinglou Chengqi (XLCQ) decoction, composed of three botanical drugs and one inorganic drug, is used in clinics during the treatment of acute stroke complicated with Tanre Fushi (TRFS) syndrome in China. However, its active ingredients and the molecular mechanism have not been clarified. So, we aimed to preliminarily characterize its chemical constituents and investigate its pharmacological mechanisms using an integrative pharmacology strategy, including component analysis, network prediction, and experimental verification. We employed UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS to describe the chemical profile of XLCQ, Integrative Pharmacology-based Network Computational Research Platform of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCMIP v2.0, http://www.tcmip.cn/), to assist in identifying the chemical components and predict the putative molecular mechanism against acute stroke complicated with TRFS, and LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells to verify the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of luteolin, apigenin, and chrysoeriol. Altogether, 197 chemical compounds were identified or tentatively characterized in the water extraction of XLCQ, 22 of them were selected as the key active constituents that may improve the pathological state by regulating 27 corresponding targets that are mainly involved in inflammation/immune-related pathways, and furthermore, luteolin, apigenin, and chrysoeriol exhibited good anti-neuroinflammatory effects from both protein and mRNA levels. In summary, it is the first time to employ an integrative pharmacology strategy to delineate 22 constituents that may improve the pathological state of stroke with TRFS by regulating 27 corresponding targets, which may offer a highly efficient way to mine the scientific connotation of traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions. This study might be a supplement for the deficiency of the basic research of XLCQ.
LncRNA Chaer Prevents Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis From Acute Myocardial Infarction Through AMPK Activation
Authors: He Zhiyu , Zeng Xiaojun , Zhou Deke , Liu Peiying , Han Dunzheng , Xu Lingling , Bu Tong , Wang Jinping , Ke Mengmeng , Pan Xiudi , Du Yipeng , Xue Hao , Lu Dongfeng , Luo Bihui
Published: July 2021

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is widely reported to be involved in cardiac (patho)physiology. Acute myocardial infarction, in which cardiomyocyte apoptosis plays an important role, is a life-threatening disease. Here, we report the lncRNA Chaer that is anti-apoptotic in cardiomyocytes during Acute myocardial infarction. Importantly, lncRNA Chaer is significantly downregulated in both oxygen-glucose deprivation (oxygen-glucose deprivation)-treated cardiomyocytes in vitro and AMI heart. In vitro, overexpression of lncRNA Chaer with adeno virus reduces cardiomyocyte apoptosis induced by OGD-treated while silencing of lncRNA Chaer increases cardiomyocyte apoptosis instead. In vivo, forced expression of lncRNA Chaer with AAV9 attenuates cardiac apoptosis, reduces infarction area and improves mice heart function in AMI. Interestingly, overexpression of lncRNA Chaer promotes the phosphorylation of AMPK, and AMPK inhibitor Compound C reverses the overexpression of lncRNA Chaer effect of reducing cardiomyocyte apoptosis under OGD-treatment. In summary, we identify the novel ability of lncRNA Chaer in regulating cardiomyocyte apoptosis by promoting phosphorylation of AMPK in AMI.
Mechanism of Anti-Inflammatory and Antibacterial Effects of QingXiaoWuWei Decoction Based on Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking and In Vitro Experiments
Authors: Zhang Qian , Li Xue , Li Jun , Hu Yuxia , Liu Jing , Wang Fang , Zhang Wei , Chang Fuhou
Published: July 2021

Background and Aim: QingXiaoWuWei Decoction (QXWWD) is a traditional Chinese medicine that is commonly used in clinical settings to treat inflammatory and bacterial diseases. However, there is still a lot to learn about its molecular mechanism. A network pharmacology approach was applied to investigate the pharmacological mechanisms of QXWWD in inflammation treatment.

Methods: The basic mechanisms involved in the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial potentials of QXWWD were identified using network pharmacology and molecular docking. The principal components of QXWWD were identified by the HPLC-Q-Exactive-MS method. The antibacterial bioactivity of QXWWD was further investigated using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method and the determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration. The anti-inflammatory activity of QXWWD was evaluated using mice ear swelling test, RAW264.7 cell culture, and pro-inflammatory cytokines measurement. Skin irritation and HE staining were employed to evaluate the safety of QXWWD topical use and to depict the drug’s potential therapeutic function. The hub genes and signaling pathways associated with inflammatory and bacterial diseases were validated by western blot in addition to biochemical and pathological markers.

Results: Our findings revealed that the ethanolic extract of QXWWD had a strong inhibitory effect against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Meanwhile, QXWWD was potentially effective in suppressing ear swelling, elevated white blood cell counts, and the TNF-α, IL-1, and IL-6 levels. According to skin irritation, QXWWD was found to be safe when tested for topical application. The results of HE staining showed that the possible therapeutic role of QXWWD was related to the change in skin microstructure. Also, the network pharmacology, molecular docking as well as Q-Exactive-MS and HPLC analysis suggested that the synergistic effect of quercetin, luteolin and other ingredients could serve as main contributor of QXWWD for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. Moreover, the JUN, MAPK1, RELA, NFKBIA, MYC, and AKT1 were the potential identified key targets, and MAPK/PI3K/Akt was among the possibly involved signaling pathways in the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities of QXWWD.

Conclusions: From a therapeutic standpoint, QXWWD may be a promising antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agent for the treatment of bacterial, acute, and chronic dermatitis.
Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Signaling Pathway Regulates Mitochondrial Quality Control of Brown Adipocytes in Mice
Authors: Huwatibieke Bahetiyaer , Yin Wenzhen , Liu Lingchao , Jin Yuxin , Xiang Xinxin , Han Jingyan , Zhang Weizhen , Li Yin
Published: July 2021

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is an important protein kinase that senses changes in extracellular and intracellular energy levels and plays a key role in regulating energy metabolism. Brown adipose tissue, which can be converted to white adipose tissue, contains a large number of mitochondria and regulates energy expenditure through thermogenesis. Because obesity is a process of fat accumulation due to chronic excessive energy intake, we attempted to determine whether the mTOR signaling pathway can affect the mitochondrial quality control of brown adipocytes through sensing energy status, thereby regulating brown/white adipocyte transformation. In the present study, through activation or inhibition of mTOR signaling, we detected mitochondrial biogenesis, dynamics, and autophagy-related markers in brown adipocytes. We found that activation of mTOR signaling downregulated the expression of mitochondrial biogenesis, dynamics, and autophagy-relevant markers and inhibited the mitochondrial quality control of brown adipocytes, indicating a phenotypic transformation of brown to white adipocytes. In contrast, inhibition of mTOR signaling upregulated the expression of mitochondrial biogenesis, dynamics, and mitophagy-relevant markers and strengthened mitochondrial quality control, suggesting an inhibition of the phenotypic transformation of brown to white adipocytes. In conclusion, the mTOR signaling pathway plays an important role in modulating the transformation of adipocytes by regulating mitochondrial quality control.
The Plant Growth-Promoting Fungus MF23 (Mycena sp.) Increases Production of Dendrobium officinale (Orchidaceae) by Affecting Nitrogen Uptake and NH4+ Assimilation
Authors: Shan Tingting , Zhou Lisi , Li Bing , Chen Xiaomei , Guo Shunxing , Wang Airong , Tian Lixia , Liu Jingting
Published: July 2021

Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo is a traditional and scarce medicinal orchid in China. Mycorrhizal fungi could supply nitrogen (N) to orchids for seed germination and seedling recruitment. However, the N transport mechanism between orchids and the fungus is poorly understand. Early studies found that the fungus MF23 (Mycena sp.) could promote the growth of D. officinale. To better dissect the molecular interactions involved in N transport between D. officinale and MF23, transcriptome and metabolome analyses were conducted on conventional and mycorrhizal cultivations of D. officinale. Moreover, validation tests were carried out in the greenhouse to measure net fluxes of NO3− and NH4+ of roots by a non-invasive micro-test technology (NMT), determine N assimilation enzyme activity by the ELISA, and analyze the expression level of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of N transporters and DEGs involved in N metabolism by RT-qPCR. Combined transcriptome and metabolome analyses showed that MF23 may influence N metabolism in D. officinale. The expression of DoNAR2.1 (nitrate transporter-activating protein), DoAMT11 (ammonium transporter), DoATFs (amino acid transporters), DoOPTs (oligopeptide transporters), and DoGDHs (glutamate dehydrogenases) in symbiotic D. officinale was upregulated. NMT results showed a preference for NH4+ in D. officinale and indicated that MF23 could promote the uptake of NO3− andNH4+, especially for NH4+. ELISA results showed that MF23 could increase the activity of glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate dehydrogenase. This study suggested that MF23 increases the production of D. officinale by affecting N uptake and NH4+ assimilation capacity.
Examining the Effectiveness of the Fathers and Babies Intervention: A Pilot Study
Authors: Tandon S. Darius , Hamil Jaime , Gier Emma E. , Garfield Craig F.
Published: July 2021

There is increasing recognition of the importance of addressing the mental health of fathers, including during the perinatal period. Fathers exhibiting mental health concerns during the perinatal period are at heightened risk for future negative mental health outcomes and are less likely to engage in nurturing relationships with their children, leading to a sequalae of negative child outcomes during infancy and into adolescence. Although interventions have been developed for perinatal fathers, they typically do not focus directly on addressing paternal mental health. To fill this gap, we developed the Fathers and Babies intervention to be delivered to perinatal fathers whose partners (mothers) were enrolled in home visiting programs. A pre-post longitudinal study was conducted in which 30 father-mother dyads were recruited from home visiting programs. Fathers received the 12-session Fathers and Babies intervention while the mother concurrently received the Mothers and Babies intervention delivered to her by a home visitor. Baseline, 3- and 6-month self-report surveys were conducted with both fathers and mothers. Fathers and mothers had statistically significant decreases in perceived stress between baseline and both follow-up time points, with moderate effect sizes generated for both sexes. No statistically significant differences were found for depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, or perceived partner support, although we found small effects for reductions in depressive symptoms among fathers, as well as increases in the percentage of fathers and mothers who reported high levels of emotional and instrumental support post-intervention. While preliminary, these findings suggest the potential for Fathers and Babies to positively impact the mental health of fathers in the perinatal period, and also signal the viability of home visiting as a setting for delivering this intervention. Future research should employ a comparison group to generate stronger evidence of intervention effectiveness and include measurement of dyadic relationships and paternal parenting practices.
Pre-retirement Employees Experience Lasting Improvements in Resilience and Well-Being After Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
Authors: Diachenko Marina , Smith Kristina K. , Fjorback Lone , Hansen Niels Viggo , Linkenkaer-Hansen Klaus , Pallesen Karen Johanne
Published: July 2021

The socio-economic benefits of interventions to prevent stress and related mental health problems are enormous. In the labor market, it is becoming desirable to keep employees for as long as possible. Since aging implies additional stressors such as increased risk of illness, and added pressure by professional tasks such as transferring knowledge, or learning new technologies, it is of particular relevance to offer stress-reduction to pre-retirement employees. Here, we report the effects of an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention on mental well-being in 60–65-year-old work-active Danish employees, compared to a waiting-list control group. We observed improvements in resilience (Brief Resilience Scale) and mental well-being (WHO-5) not only at the end of the intervention, but also at the 12-month follow-up measurement that was preceded by monthly booster sessions. Interestingly, whereas well-being usually refers to experiences in the past weeks or months, we observed increasing Comfort in the MBSR-intervention group during a 5-minute eyes-closed rest session suggesting that this therapeutic effect of MBSR is measurable in how we feel even during short periods of time. We argue that MBSR is a cost-effective intervention suited for pre-retirement employees to cultivate resilience to prevent stress, feel more comfortable with themselves, maintain a healthy work-life in the last years before retirement, and, potentially, stay in their work-life a few more years than originally planned.
Soundscape Evaluation Comparison of Outdoor Activity Space Between Gated and Open Communities
Authors: Zhu Peisheng , Liu Xidong , Lu Xiaodong , Guo Fei , Tao Wanqi , Han Xiaodi
Published: July 2021

In communities, outdoor activity space is utilized most often by older adults and children, and the soundscape is very important for its quality. For different community planning modes, such as gated and open communities, focus should be on different soundscape enhancement strategies for outdoor spaces. In this paper, typical samples of activity spaces in a gated community and in an open community were used. The comparison was conducted through soundscape evaluation including an analysis of the dominance of various sound sources, noise annoyance, and the perceptual dimensions of soundscape. The results showed that noise annoyance in the gated community was significantly lower than in the open community, although the noise level was of no significance between the two communities. The community planning mode moderated the relationships among the soundscape perception parameters between the gated and open communities. To reduce noise annoyance in the gated communities, each sound source should be considered; in open communities, traffic noise only should be considered. In a gated community, adding natural sounds to reduce noise annoyance may be a feasible intervention; in an open community, this is not necessary. Besides, there was no relationship between noise annoyance and Eventfulness in an open community, indicating that noise annoyance was insufficient to explain the complex sound environment of the community. China’s community planning will gradually shift from a gated community to an open community, making the soundscape of outdoor activity spaces likely to change dramatically in the future. The findings will help urban designers and managers to adopt targeted strategies to improve the soundscape and quality of life of community-dwelling older adults and children.
Stereotype Content at the Intersection of Gender and Sexual Orientation
Authors: Klysing Amanda , Lindqvist Anna , Björklund Fredrik
Published: July 2021

According to the Stereotype Content Model (SCM), the content of stereotypes differs on two dimensions: communion and agency. Research shows that for stereotypes about the general gender categories of “women” and “men,” there is an ambivalent pattern of communion and agency, where high levels on one dimension are associated with low levels on the other. For sexual minority stereotypes, a gender inversion has been found, whereas homosexual women are seen as more similar to men in general than to women in general, whereas homosexual men are seen as more similar to women in general than to men in general. However, there is limited research on how stereotype content for general groups relate to stereotype content for subgroups with intersecting category memberships. This research addresses this gap by investigating stereotype content at the intersection of gender and sexual orientation, including stereotype content for general gender groups, heterosexual groups, homosexual groups, and bisexual groups. In Study 1, a community sample from Sweden (N= 824) rated perceived communion and agency for women and men in general, as well as hetero-, homo-, and bisexual women and men. In Study 2, a nationally representative Swedish sample (N= 424) performed the same rating task, and in addition completed Single-Category IATs (SC-IATs) for warmth and competence. Results from both studies show that the stereotype content for the general categories “women” and “men” overlap with the stereotype content for heterosexual same-gender targets. Homosexual and bisexual groups were rated as more similar to their non-congruent gender category than same gender heterosexual categories were, but stereotype content for sexual minority groups did not overlap with either general gender categories, thus showing only incomplete gender inversion of stereotype content. Implicit associations between “women” and “warmth” were significantly stronger than associations between “men” and “warmth.” There were no other significant relations between implicit associations to warmth/competence and gender or sexual orientation. Theoretical and methodological implications for future research into intersectional stereotype content are presented, including how the findings inform the co-dependent relationship between a binary gender structure and a heteronormative ideology.
Magnitude and Predictors of Health Care Workers Depression During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Health Facility-Based Study in Eastern Ethiopia
Authors: Yadeta Tesfaye Assebe , Dessie Yadeta , Balis Bikila
Published: July 2021

Background:Depression of health care workers was related to work absences, resignations, and poor work performance, affecting the quality of patient care and the health care system. The Coronavirus disease pandemic has had an effect on the mental health of health care workers. Health care workers are facing challenges that can be stressful, overwhelming, and cause strong emotions, may put them at higher risk to develop depression. There is limited evidence that assesses health care workers' depression and its associated factors in the study area during the Coronavirus disease pandemic. Therefore this study aimed to assess depression and associated factors among health care workers in eastern Ethiopia.

Method:The cross-sectional study design was conducted from October 26th to November 15, 2020. A total of 265 health care workers from 10 health facilities participated. Patient Health Questionnaire was used for the collection of depressive symptoms. The data were analyzed by using STATA version 14 software. To assess the association between depression and the predictors Adjusted Odds Ratio along with a 95% confidence interval was estimated by using logistic regression analysis. A statistical significance was declared atp-value ≤ 0.05.

Results:Of the total 265 study participant, 176 (66.4%) and 95% CI: 60.4%, 71.8% of them reported depressive symptoms. Of 176 reported symptoms of depression 27.9, 24.1, 9.4, 3.7, and 1.1% were had minimal, mild, moderate, moderate-severe, and severe depressive symptoms respectively. The multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed the odds of depression were 2.34 times higher among female participants compared to male participants (AOR: 2.34, 95%CI: 1.09-5.02). In addition, the odds of depression for participants who perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 was 4.05 times higher among their counterpart (AOR: 4.05, 95%CI: 1.12-14.53).

Conclusions:Health care workers who experienced depression in the study was high. Health care workers' mental health needs to be protected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Female health care workers and health care workers perceived susceptibility of COVID-19 need attention.
Parent/Carer-Reported Experience of Shared Decision Making at Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: A Multilevel Modelling Approach
Authors: Liverpool Shaun , Hayes Daniel , Edbrooke-Childs Julian
Published: July 2021

Background and Objective: Shared decision making (SDM) has been associated with positive outcomes at child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). However, implementing SDM is sometimes challenging. Understanding the factors associated with parent/carer experience of SDM could provide empirical evidence to support targeted efforts to promote SDM. This study aimed to explore the frequency of parent/carer-reported experience of SDM and examine possible associations between SDM and clinician's perceptions of the (a) children's and young people's psychosocial difficulties, (b) additional complex problems, and (c) impact of the psychosocial difficulties.

Methods: Secondary analysis was conducted on administrative data collected from CAMHS between 2011 and 2015. The sample was composed of 3,175 cases across 58 sites in England. Frequencies were recorded and associations were explored between clinician-reported measures and parent/carer-reported experiences of SDM using a two-level mixed-effect logistic regression analytic approach.

Results: Almost 70% of parents/carers reported experiencing higher levels of SDM. Individual-level variables in model one revealed statistically significant (p <0.05) associations suggesting Asian parents/carers (OR = 1.95, 95% CI [1.4, 2.73]) and parents/carers having children with learning difficulties (OR = 1.45, 95% CI [1.06, 1.97]) were more likely to report higher levels of SDM. However, having two parents/carers involved in the child's care and treatment decisions (OR = 0.3, 95% CI [0.21, 0.44]) and being a parent/carer of a child or young person experiencing conduct problems (OR = 0.78, 95% CI [0.63, 0.98]) were associated with lower levels of SDM. When adjusting for service level data (model two) the presence of conduct problems was the only variable found to be significant and predicted lower levels of SDM (OR = 0.29, 95% CI [0.52, 0.58]).

Conclusion: Multilevel modelling of CAMHS administrative data may help identify potential influencing factors to SDM. The current findings may inform useful models to better predict and support SDM.
Family Cohesion and Stress Consequences Among Chinese College Students During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Moderated Mediation Model
Authors: Zeng Yadi , Ye Baojuan , Zhang Yanzhen , Yang Qiang
Published: July 2021

Family plays a pivotal role in individuals' mental health. During the COVID-19 epidemic, people were being quarantined at home to prevent the further spread of the virus. Therefore, the influence of family on individuals is more significant than usual. It is reasonable to assume that family cohesion can effectively alleviate the stress consequences during the COVID-19 epidemic. In the present study, a moderated mediation model was constructed to examine the mechanisms underlying the association between family cohesion and stress consequences among Chinese college students. A large sample of Chinese college students (N = 1,254, Mage = 19.85, SDage = 1.29) participated in the study. Results indicated that family cohesion was negatively related to stress consequences. Fear of COVID-19 partially mediated the link between family cohesion and stress consequences. Excessive affective empathy reported by participants served to aggravate the relation between fear of COVID-19 and stress consequences. The study helps us understand how internal and external factors affect individual mental health that provides meaningful implications for promoting mental health.
PAPS: A Serverless Platform for Edge Computing Infrastructures
Authors: Baresi Luciano , Quattrocchi Giovanni
Published: July 2021

Edge computing infrastructures are often employed to run applications with low latency requirements. Users can exploits nodes that are close to their physical positions so that the delay of sending computations and data to the Cloud is mitigated. Since users frequently change their locations, and the resources available in the Edge are limited, the management of these infrastructures poses new, difficult challenges. This paper presents PAPS (Partitioning, Allocation, Placement, and Scaling), a framework for the efficient, automated and scalable management of large-scale Edge topologies. PAPS acts as a serveless platform for the Edge. Service providers can upload applications as compositions of lightweight and stateless functions along with latency constraints. At runtime, PAPS manages these applications by executing them in containers, it changes their placement in the Edge topology according to the geographical distribution of the workload, and efficiently allocates resources according to their needs. This paper also presents the architecture of a PAPS prototype built atop Kubernetes and OpenFaaS. The assessment shows both the feasibility of the approach and the ability of efficiently managing hundreds of serverless concurrent functions and of dealing with intense and unpredictable workload variations.
Marine Pollution in Kuwait and Its Impacts on Fish-Stock Decline in Kuwaiti Waters: Reviewing the Kuwaiti Government's Policies and Practices
Authors: Alqattan Mohammad E. A. , Gray Tim S.
Published: July 2021

Kuwait's “Blue Economy” project aims to help replace the country's oil and gas income by the sustainable development of its marine resources. The fishing industry has a prime place in the “Blue Economy” project, but nine of the main fish species in Kuwait have recently declined Rubian (Shrimp), Zobaidi (Silver Pomfret), Suboor (Hilsa Shad), Naqroor (Javelin Grunter), Hamoor (Orange-Spotted Grouper), Hamra (Malabar Blood Snapper), Halwayuh (Black Pomfret), Frush (Trout Sweetlips), and Kasur (Lizard Fish). This paper investigates the nature of pollution in Kuwaiti waters, examining its extent and causes, questioning whether or not it is a primary reason for fish decline, and discussing what measures could be taken to reduce or remove it. The data for this study were gathered from peer-reviewed articles, official Kuwaiti statistics and reports, and semi-structured interviews conducted in Kuwait with stakeholders in the fisheries including staff in the Kuwaiti Scientific Institute, the Fishery Protection Authority, the Environmental Protection Authority and governmental departments; fishers; and fishery business owners. The main finding of this study is that because of the weak government policies and practices to counter pollution, pollution does exist in Kuwaiti waters, but there is no solid evidence that it has a direct link to the decline in fish stocks. Overfishing, especially by illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) vessels, seems to be a more substantial cause of the decline in fish stocks.
Mixed Neuroendocrine Carcinoma and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Lan Jianwei , Guo Deliang , Qin Xian , Chen Baiyang , Liu Quanyan
Published: July 2021

Background: Neuroendocrine tumors are heterogeneous malignancies that originate from the neuroendocrine system. Previous studies show that this cancer type mainly localizes in the gastrointestinal tract and often metastasizes to the liver. Primary liver neuroendocrine tumors are very rare and primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors (PHNET) with concurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are extremely rare. To the best of our knowledge, only few PHNET cases have been identified, making their diagnosis difficult. Here, we report the biggest ever reported and “deceiving” lesion of a mixed neuroendocrine-non-neuroendocrine neoplasm in the liver, aiming to raise awareness and improve treatment of the disease.

Case Presentation: Here, we report a preoperative misdiagnosed case that presented with hepatocellular carcinoma clinical features and no extrahepatic tumors. Postoperative pathology confirmed that it was a mixed neuroendocrine-non-neuroendocrine neoplasm. The patient was then referred for etoposide and cisplatin-based chemotherapy. No disease recurrence was observed at the 6-month follow-up.

Conclusion: We report a very rare and easily misdiagnosed case and we speculate that there were “undifferentiated cells” undergoing neuroendocrine and hepatocellular carcinoma differentiation, during which some hepatocellular carcinoma cells express neuroendocrine features. We recommend proper surgery and postoperative platinum-based chemotherapy in the management of this disease.
Added Value of Meat Inspection Data for Monitoring of Dairy Cattle Health in the Netherlands
Authors: Veldhuis Anouk M. B. , Smits Debora , Bouwknegt Martijn , Worm Heleen , van Schaik Gerdien
Published: July 2021

Meat inspection records of one large cattle slaughterhouse were analyzed to evaluate the added value of slaughterhouse data for cattle health surveillance in the Netherlands. Data were available from January 2015 to September 2018, consisting of 467,361 meat inspection records. Analyses included (1) an assessment of the representativeness of the cattle herds in the slaughterhouse data in relation to the cattle herd population in the Netherlands, and (2) multivariable analyses to quantify associations between meat inspection findings and farm of origin characteristics, and the trends in time of the findings in slaughtered cattle. Ninety percent of the meat inspection records originated from dairy cattle therefore this paper only presents the results of dairy herds (N = 422,194 cattle). The dairy herds in the slaughterhouse data seemed representative for the Dutch dairy population although their regional coverage differed from the distribution of dairy herds in the Netherlands. Non-dairy herds were underrepresented in the slaughterhouse data which stresses the importance of the inclusion of data from other slaughterhouses that may be more specialized in slaughtering beef cattle. Inspection records were categorized into 15 indicators related to ante-mortem and post-mortem findings. Following multivariable analyses, seven indicators were deemed of added value to existing cattle health surveillance components, as they provided either new information or information regarding specific health problems.
La atención plena (mindfulness) como intervención clínica para aliviar el sufrimiento y mejorar la convivencia
Authors: Miró María Teresa
Published: July 2021

La atención plena o “mindfulness” hace referencia al estado mental en el que la conciencia (yo observador) se instala en el momento presente y se abre al fluir de la experiencia en su estado emergente. Es una habilidad psicológica que, al igual que aprender a tocar el piano, requiere práctica. Históricamente, ha sido cultivada en las tradiciones contemplativas y, en la actualidad, ha emergido como una intervención clínica en la psicología de la salud y en psicoterapia. Se revisa la forma en la que se está utilizando la atención plena desde distintos modelos psicoterapéuticos y se exponen algunas hipótesis explicativas sobre sus mecanismos de actuación. Se sostiene también que la atención plena o mindfulness resulta congruente con el nuevo tiempo histórico en el que hemos entrado: el presente continuo.