bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of Prognosis-Related RBPs to Reveal The Role of RNA Binding Proteins in the Progression and Prognosis of Wilms’ Tumor
Authors: Qi Xuejiao , Wang Shuyu , Dong Yihui , Lin Xiaojie , Chen Jingqiu
Published: January 2021

Background: Despite the various key functions of RBPs in posttranscriptional events, the mechanism of their influence on Wilms’ tumor has not been well elucidated. Therefore, we constructed the research to identify several RBPs related to Wilmes’ tumor progression and prognosis, for the better understanding of RBPs’ role in the occurrence and development of Wilmes’ tumor, and to provide effective reference targets for new drug development.Methods: A total of 127 samples of different clinical characteristics including gender, race and stage were selected from TARGET to carry out our study. After the gene functional enrichment pathways, univariate Cox regression analysis and lasso regression analysis were performed to test the prognostic effect of the differentially-expressed genes and establish the prognostic index . Further Cox regression analyses were utilized to identify the independence of our model and to analyze the relationship between our model and clinical parameters. What’s more, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was also performed to elucidate the biological characteristics of genes involved in Wilms’ tumor. P< 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.Results: 20 RBPs were statistically correlated with Wilms’ tumor. After the construction of a prognostic index , patients were divided into high-and low-risk scores group. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) analyses showed that patients with high risk scores possessed poorer survival probability than patients with low risk scores in both training group and test group. Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analysis explored the relationship between our prognostic model and clinical parameters and confirmed that our model was an independent predicted factor for Wilms’ tumor. Conclusion: Our study clarifies the application of RBPs in the prognosis of Wilms’ tumor. We are confident that our risk scoring model can provide ideas for the development of new targets for broad-spectrum anticancer drugs and has great potential in clinical practice.
Towards Effective Teaching of Culturally Diverse Health Science Classes in Universities: Application of Culturally Responsive Pedagogies
Authors: Rudhumbu Norman
Published: January 2021

BackgroundThe level of cultural heterogeneity in today’s Health Science Education (HSE) university classrooms has become very high hence the need to effectively manage diversity to ensure effective teaching and learning through the use of culturally responsive pedagogies (CRPs). The study therefore investigated how CRPs are applied in HSE classes in universities in Zimbabwe as well as how significantly CRPs influence effective teaching of culturally diverse classes. MethodsThe study employed a quantitative approach that used a self-constructed structured questionnaire for data collection. A sample of 63 HSE lecturers was selected from five universities using a stratified random sampling strategy. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was used for data purification. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman’s rank correlation, multiple regression analysis, and correlation analysis.ResultsResults showed that verbal and non-verbal communication, classroom management, cultural knowledge of HSE students, and student-teacher interaction significantly influenced how HSE lecturers applied CRPs in universities. The results further found that the application of CRPs in university classrooms had a significantly influence on the teaching of culturally diverse HSE students in universities. ConclusionsIt was concluded that the use of CRPs is critical for effective teaching of culturally diverse university HSE classroom as it ensures effective participation by all students as well as interaction between students and lecturers as well as between culturally diverse students themselves for effective learning.
Early and Late Complications After Abdominal Surgery in Patients With COVID-19 in Armenia
Authors: Aloyan Karine , Harutyunyan Hayk , Voskanyan Arayik
Published: January 2021

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is one of the challenging topics in surgery nowadays. Available data indicate high surgical mortality and many postoperative complications in surgical patients with various stages of coronavirus infection. But still a little is known on early and late outcomes of abdominal surgery in patients with COVID-19, especially in countries with limited resources. In this article we describe early and late complications after abdominal surgery in patients recovering from COVID-19. We define early and late complications as those developing during 1-30 and 31-60 postoperative days, accordingly. Methods A prospective cohort study is conducted at Astghik Medical Center, Yerevan, Armenia, from February 1 until October 31, 2020. The study population comprised 259 patients with COVID-19 and 245 patients without COVID-19 matched by operation type, age, sex, and comorbidities, underwent abdominal surgery. Differences between early (1-30 postoperative days) and late (31-60 postoperative days) complications in both groups were analyzed. Patients with COVID-19 had been diagnosed based on both clinical and laboratory (RT-PCR, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay in nasopharyngeal swabs) criteria at least 14 days before abdominal surgery. Patients without COVID-19 were not screened at time of surgery, but were free from any respiratory symptoms and had negative RT-PCR results during preoperative 14 days. The primary endpoints were early and late postoperative complications. Secondary endpoints were to determine 60-day surgical mortality and the impact of comorbidities as additional risk factor of postoperative complications in patients with COVID-19. Results A total of 29 patients with COVID-19 developed early or late postoperative complications. Only 4 patients without COVID-19 with early postoperative complications were identified. The median age of patients with COVID-19 who had early and late postoperative complications were 54.5 (range: 45-64) and 69.5 (range: 65-74), correspondingly. At least one comorbidity was present in 25 (86.2%) of 29 patients with COVID-19 who developed early or late postoperative complications. A 60-day surgical mortality was 14.3%. Conclusion COVID-19 is associated with high risk for postoperative complications of abdominal surgery even if surgical procedures are performed after 14 days of COVID-19 onset. Only patients aged 45 to 74 years developed complications in our study. Presence of at least one comorbidity was an additional risk factor of postoperative complications. Larger and better designed studies are needed to find out indicators for early detection of postoperative complications in patients with COVID-19, especially in people older than 45 years and in those with comorbidities.
Loss of PR55α promotes proliferation and metastasis by activating MAPK/AKT signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: JiangSheng Zhao , GuoFeng Chen , JingQi Li , ShiQi Liu , Quan Jin , ZhengWei Zhang , FUZhen Qi , JianHuai Zhang , JianBo Xu
Published: January 2021

Background: PR55α plays important roles in oncogenesis and progression of numerous malignancies. However, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear. This study aims to characterize the functions of PR55α in HCC.Methods: PR55α expressions in HCC tissues and paired healthy liver samples were evaluated using Western blot and tissue microarray immunohistochemistry. We knocked down the expression of PR55α in SMMC-7721 and LM3 cell lines via small interfering and lentivirus. In vitro cell counting, colony formation, migration and invasion assays were performed along with in vivo xenograft implantation and lung metastases experiments. The potential mechanisms involving target signal pathways were investigated by RNA-sequencing.Results: PR55α expression level was suppressed in HCC tissues in comparison to healthy liver samples. Decreased PR55α levels were correlated with poorer prognosis (P=0.0059). Knockdown of PR55α significantly promoted cell proliferation and migration, induced repression of the cell cycle progression and apoptosis in vitro while accelerating in vivo HCC growth and metastasis. Mechanistic analysis indicated that PR55α silencing was involved with MAPK/AKT signal pathway activation and resulted in increased phosphorylation of both AKT and ERK1/2.Conclusion: This study identifies PR55α to be a candidate novel therapeutic target in the treatment of HCC.
Life During the Pandemic: An International Photo-Elicitation Study with Medical Students
Authors: Dworkin Myles , LaRosa Julianne , Guth Amanda , Doran Cierrah , Calem Dan , Kamami Eunice , Kar Jill , Liu Jay , Peji Naomi , Temitayo Akintayo , Frasso Rosemary
Published: January 2021

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic is a global event with an unprecedented impact on individuals and communities around the world. The purpose of this study is to use a modified photo-elicitation methodology to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of medical students and their communities around the world. Methods: Participating medical students were asked to take photographs for 14 days. In lieu of an interview, which is customary for photo-elicitation projects, participants were asked to share a reflection (a paragraph or two) for each photograph they contributed to the study. Results: Between April 27th, 2020 and May 11th, 2020 26 students from 19 medical schools across 13 countries shared photographs and reflections. Qualitative analysis of written reflections revealed that medical students felt the impact of the pandemic on several levels 1) individual, 2) interpersonal, 3) educational, and 4) societal. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of medical students on multiple levels. As individuals, students felt emotional distress but found resilience through physical activity and the establishment of new routines. Many students felt isolated as their interpersonal relationships were confined due to social distancing measures. These feelings could be combated with new educational initiatives focused on group collaboration. Lastly, students reflecting on the larger societal implications were concerned with the economic ramifications of the virus and its impact on their future. This study brought together students from several different countries to engage in an applied learning program as a model for equitable global health research.
Modelling Modifiable Risk Factors of Stroke in South Africa: Classical and Bayesian Logistic Regression Models
Authors: Chikobvu Delson , Matizirofa Lyness
Published: January 2021

Background: Stroke is the second leading cause of death and long-term disability in South Africa (SA). Yet little is known in SA about the modelling of modifiable risk factors of stroke. Information on the relative contribution of modifiable risk factors on stroke incidence is needed for early interventions in SA. Identification of risk factors remains the principal aspect of stroke prevention. This study aims to identify and quantify the risk of stroke associated with modifiable stroke predictors in SA. Methods: A cross-sectional hospital-based study was employed to identify and quantify the risk of stroke associated with modifiable stroke predictors using 35730 individual patient data retrieved from selected private and public hospitals between January 2014 and December 2018 in SA. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the effect of modifiable factors on stroke. Bayesian logistic regression analysis was employed to understand the uncertainty in the estimation of model parameters. Results: The dominant modifiable risk factors were: hypertension, cholesterol, heart problems and diabetes and all depend on the age of an individual and the interaction of these factors. The parameters, in the simpler model, of having hypertension, cholesterol, heart problems and diabetes were positive and significant confirming greater impact on the risk of stroke distribution. For instance, the odds ratio(OR) of patients with hypertension developing stroke when compared to those without hypertension is 80% higher. The OR of diabetic patients developing stroke when compared to non-diabetic was 194% higher.Conclusions: Most strokes are attributable to modifiable factors. Study findings will be used to raise awareness of modifiable risk factors to prevent strokes and recommend regular screening and treatment of identified risk factors. This will reduce the burden of stroke in SA.
Prevalence and Associated Factors of Utero-Vaginal Prolapse in AddisAbaba, Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Authors: Mekuria Zelalem , Mengesha Abdu , Seyoum Girma
Published: January 2021

Background: Uterovaginal prolapse (UVP) is a major women’s health concern throughout the world. Globally, 2-20% of all women are affected by UVP. The mean prevalence of pelvic organ prolapse in developing countries is 19.7%. The prevalence of UVP in Ethiopia is 18.55% among all gynecological operations. UVP is a source of severe morbidity and psychological upheaval to the patient, who is often socially withdrawn and stigmatized. UVP negatively affects socioeconomic and reproductive activity of affected women. It is, therefore, of interest to study its prevalence and factors associated with the condition.Methodology: Institution-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in selected Addis Ababa city governmental hospitals and the medical record charts of women admitted in the respective gynecology wards were reviewed. The medical records included in this study were those from March 2017 to February 2019 G.C. and 400 records of admitted women were randomly selected. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 24 statistical package. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out to determine factors associated with UVP. A p-value < 0.05 was considered as significant.Result: Out of the3,949 admitted women, the prevalence of UVP was 12.8%. The leading determinants of UVP were menopause (OR = 2.611 (at 95 % CI: 1.531, 3.838), age > 40 years (OR = 2.143 (at 95 % CI:1.496, 6.602), parity of > 4 (OR = 4.201 (at 95 % CI 1.652, 10.685), age at first delivery of < 20 years old (OR = 7.988(2.682, 23.792) and home delivery (OR = 1.380 (at 95 % CI:1.212, 2.572). Conclusion: The prevalence of UVP in this study was relatively high. The major risk factors of UVP were menopause, having > 4 deliveries, age > 40 years, age at first delivery < 20 years old and home delivery. Therefore, the findings of this investigation, especially identification of risk factors of UVP, could serve as a basis for taking steps for preventing or reducing the prevalence of UVP and related complications.
Transtracheal Instillation of Anti-TSLP Antibody Alleviates Airway Inflammation and Airway Hyperresponsiveness in OVA-Induced Asthma Model Mice
Authors: Chen Xiaowen , Fang Xiangfeng , Qian Jiang , Lin Jinle , Li DongFeng , Liu Xiaolong , Luo Shaohua , Meng Jinxiu , Wu Jian
Published: January 2021

BackgroundThymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a mainly epithelial cell-derived cytokine that may be important in initiating T2 allergic inflammation. Anti-TSLP antibody inhibit allergic inflammation. Previous animal studies have evaluated the anti-allergic efficacy of injecting anti-TSLP antibody intraperitoneally, subcutaneously, or intravenously. However, transtracheal instillation, a less invasive route for anti-TSLP antibody administration, is hitherto unstudied. This study evaluates the efficacy of transtracheally instilling anti-TSLP antibody in inhibiting airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in OVA-induced asthma model Balb/c mice.MethodsBalb/c mice were randomly divided into four groups: the control group, the OVA-induced asthma model group, the anti-TSLP mAb treatment group (TSLP mAb group), and the IgG2a mAb control group (IgG2a mAb group). Each group contained nine to eleven mice. Mice in the asthma model group were sensitized with OVA to trigger allergic responses and were treated with transtracheal instillation of normal saline. Mice in the TSLP mAb group received transtracheal instillation of anti-TSLP mAb, while mice in the IgG2a group received transtracheal instillation of IgG2a mAb. Both of these groups were then subjected to OVA challenge. Airway responsiveness was measured as an enhanced pause (Penh) using noninvasive plethysmography. The severity of inflammation was evaluated by histopathological examination using the Underwood assessment of the lung sections. Changes in expression of TSLP, TSLP receptor (TSLPR), T-box transcription factor (T-bet), GATA binding protein 3 (GATA3) and forkhead box protein P3 (Foxp3) were assessed using RT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining. ResultsAirway hyperresponsiveness and infiltration of airway inflammatory cells in the TSLP mAb group were significantly reduced, compared with the OVA and the IgG2a mAb groups. Meanwhile，TSLP, GATA3 mRNA expression and GATA3 protein levels were significantly decreased in the TSLP mAb group, compared with the OVA and the IgG2a mAb groups (P＜0.05）. No significant differences were observed in either T-bet or Foxp3 in the lung section of mRNA and protein expression among these four groups (P＞0.05).ConclusionTranstracheal instillation of anti-TSLP antibody attenuated lung inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness in OVA-induced asthmatic mice, possibly through downregulation of perivascular and peribronchiolar lymphocytes, neutrophils and GATA3 expression in the airway.
Prevalence and Antibiotics Susceptibility Profiles of Streptococcus Pyogenes Among Pediatric Patients With Acute Pharyngitis at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Kebede Destaw , Admas Alemale , Mekonnen Daniel
Published: January 2021

Background: Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes) is a Gram positive bacterium which is a leading cause of pharyngitis, skin and soft tissue infection and post streptococcal syndromes. Due to lack of β-lactamase enzyme production, it was considered universally susceptible to penicillin group and later generation of β-lactam antibiotics. As such, empirical treatment was common which might leads to development of antibiotics resistance. Therefore, the aims of this study were to determine the prevalence and antibiotics susceptibility profile; associated factors of S. pyogenes among pediatrics patients with acute pharyngitis in Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest EthiopiaMethods: A total of 154 pediatric patients, whose age ranged from 0-18 years recruited to the study by convenient sampling technique on which hospital based cross-sectional study was carried out from 1st February to 19th June 2020 at FHCSH. S. pyogenes were identified by throat swab culture on 5% sheep blood agar with an overnight incubation at 37oC in candle jar with 5% CO2. Gram stain, catalase test and bacitracin test were used to identify S. pyogenes. The data were entered into EpiData version 3.1 and analyzed by SPSS version 20 software. Bivariables and multivariable logistic regressions were carried out for analysis by considering P < 0.05 as statistically significant. Results: From the total throat swabs, 14 (9.1%) with (95% CI; 4.5-14.3) were culture positive for S. pyogenes. All isolates were sensitive to penicillin and ampicillin whereas 4 (35.7%), 4 (35.5%), 3 (21.4%), 2 (14.3%), 1 (7.1%), 7 (50.0%) and 1 (7.1%) were resistant for ceftriaxone, vancomycin, erythromycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, clindamycin and levofloxacin, respectively. Presence of any smoker in home was significantly associated with S. pyogenes acute pharyngitis, while tender lymphadenopathy and recurrence were clinical predictors for S. pyogenes acute pharyngitis (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of S. pyogenes 9.1% which is considered as low prevalence. All S. pyogenes remain sensitive to penicillin and resistance was also obtained to clindamycin 7 (50.0%), ceftriaxone 5 (35.7%), erythromycin 3 (21.4%). The current practice of giving erythromycin, clindamycin instead of penicillin and ampicillin is in contrary with microbiology result. There should be routine throat culture and a continuous surveillance of antibiotics resistance pattern for S. pyogenes to improve the use of antibiotics in hospitals.
Virological Non-Suppression Among HIV-Positive Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy in Northwestern Nigeria: An Eleven-Year Experience of A Tertiary Care Centre, January 2009–December 2019
Authors: Abdullahi Suleiman Bello , Ibrahim Olayinka , Okeji Abdulkadir , Iliyasu Yandoma , Bashir Ibrahim , Haladu Suleiman , Idris Suleiman , Oseni Tijani Idris , Muhammad Suleiman , Yahaya Mohammed , Aworh Mabel , Sufiyan Mu'awiyyah
Published: January 2021

Background: Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV) remains one of the world’s significant public health challenges. Viral suppression is the key indicator for treatment success in People living with HIV (PLHIV). We determined the level of viral non-suppression and its associated factors among PLHIV attending Federal Medical Centre Katsina (FMC Katsina), Nigeria. Methods: This retrospective descriptive study was conducted on 913 HIV positive adults enrolled in care between January 2009 and December 2019. Information on socio-demographics, clinical, immunological, Viral Load (VL) and other relevant parameters were extracted from the patients’ care Centre Katsina estimated frequencies/proportions, performed bivariate and multivariate analysis to determine factors associated with VL non-suppression using p<0.05 as significant level. Results: Records of 831 registered patients were analyzed using Epi-info 7. During the period, 751 (90.4%) achieved viral suppression, 426 (51.3%) had CD4 counts of ≥500 and 477 (57.4%) were on HAART for ≥5 years. Majority, 793 (95.4%) were on first-line and 809 (97.4%) in the non-advanced stage (WHO stages 1 and 2). The independent predictors of viral non-suppression included being on the second line HAART [Adjusted OR (AOR) 6.5; 95% CI 3.02-13.89], being employed [AOR 0.26; 95% CI 0.15-0.44] and baseline CD4 count less than 500 [AOR 0.35; 95% CI 0.21-0.61]. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated a good viral suppression among PLHIV on HAART. Low baseline CD4 counts and being on second-line HAART are predictive of viral non-suppression while being unemployed seems to be protective against viral non-suppression.
Relationship between the Timing of Pregnancy Termination and Pregnancy Outcome and the Short-term Outcome of Infants with a Decreased Cerebroplacental Ratio: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Hu Bimei , Yu Zhaoer , Gao Mingming , Yao Dan , Qian Yating , Ding Hongjuan , Jia Ruizhe
Published: January 2021

Background: Increased fetal umbilical artery resistance can cause fetal hypoxia, redistribute fetal blood flow, dilate the middle cerebral artery, and reduce the cerebroplacental rate (CPR). CPR<1 is a danger sign of fetal hypoxia. Choosing the appropriate time for terminating a pregnancy with the most favorable pregnancy outcome and the short-term outcome of infants, based on the abnormal performance of the cord blood flow, is crucial. Methods: A total of 114 pregnant women with CPR < 1 who gave birth at Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from January 2015 to December 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. The age, height, and weight of the aforementioned pregnant women, as well as the gestational age when CPR<1 occurs for the first time, were recorded. The women were divided into two groups, based on pregnancy termination: the immediately terminated pregnancy group and the continued pregnancy group. The pregnancy outcomes, neonatal outcomes, and short-term outcome of the surviving infants in both groups were recorded and compared. Results: ① the pregnant women in the continued pregnancy group waited for an average period of 3 weeks prior to the termination of pregnancy beyond 32 weeks. The average weight of the newborn was 1429 g, which was significantly lower than that of the average newborn at the corresponding gestational age. In the continued pregnancy group, intrauterine death was reported in 18 cases (40.9%) and intrauterine death of one fetus in a twin pregnancy was reported in 2 cases. Intrauterine death occurred 2–33 day after CPR<1 (12.8 d on average) as determined. ② the incidence rates of neonatal asphyxia, neonatal pneumonia, neonatal sepsis, and neonatal anemia in the continued pregnancy group were significantly higher than those in the immediately terminated pregnancy group. ③ The proportions of children with autism spectrum disorder, motor development retardation, and growth retardation were slightly higher in the continued pregnancy group than in the immediately terminated pregnancy group; however, the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Intrauterine hypoxia is considered severe when CPR<1. In this case, a cesarean section should be conducted immediately, and waiting may cause an increased risk of neurodevelopment disorder in children.
Survival of Cervical Cancer Patients in Brunei Darussalam: 2002-2017
Authors: Lee Shirley , Rahim Nurlaylasahira Abdul , Ong Sok King , Rahman Hanif Abdul , Naing Lin
Published: January 2021

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths among Bruneian women. This study aims to investigate the survival rate of cervical cancer patients in Brunei Darussalam between 2002 and 2017, to compare survival of cervical cancer patients between two periods: 2002-2009 and 2010-2017 and to identify prognostic factors of cervical cancer.METHODS: A retrospective cohort study on cervical cancer patients registered in Brunei Darussalam Cancer Registry between 2002 and 2017. De-identified data from the registry was extracted and survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier estimator, log-rank test and multiple Cox regression analysis.RESULTS: The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of cervical cancer patients in Brunei Darussalam were 88.2%, 78.9% and 74.1% respectively from 2002-2017. The 5-year survival rate for 2002-2009 and 2010-2017 were 77.5% and 72.1% respectively. The risk of mortality was significantly higher in 2010-2017 compared to 2002-2009 after adjusting for other variables (Adjusted HR=1.57; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.31; p=0.025). Cervical cancer patients ≥ 60 years (Adjusted HR=1.85; 95% CI: 1.11, 3.09; p=0.019), and patients with distant cancer (Adjusted HR=49.47; 95% CI: 6.64, 368.52; p<0.001) had the highest risk of mortality.CONCLUSION: The 5-year survival rate of cervical cancer patients in Brunei Darussalam was 74.1%, which ranks relatively high globally. However, increased mortality among elderly patients, and patients diagnosed with cervical cancers at the later stages, calls for raising awareness, early detection, and management.
Health Capabilities and the Determinants of Infant Mortality in Brazil, 2004-2015: An Innovative Methodological Framework
Authors: Bugelli Alexandre , Silva Roxane Da , Sicotte Claude , Dowbor Ladislau
Published: January 2021

Background: Despite the implementation of a set of social and health policies, Brazil has experienced a slowdown in the decline of infant mortality, regional disparities and persistent high death levels, raising questions about the determinants of infant mortality after the implementation of these policies. The objective of this article is to propose a methodological approach aiming at identifying the determinants of infant mortality in Brazil after the implementation of those policies.Method: A series of multilevel panel data with fixed effect nested within-clusters were conducted supported by the concept of health capabilities based on data from 26 Brazilian states between 2004 and 2015. The dependent variables were the neonatal, the infant and the under-five mortality rates. The independent variables were the employment rate, per capita income, Bolsa Família Program coverage, the fertility rate, educational attainment, the number of live births by prenatal visits, the number of health professionals per thousand inhabitants, and the access to water supply and sewage services. We also used different time lags of employment rate to identify the impact of employment on the infant mortality rates over time, and household income stratified by minimum wages to analyze their effects on these rates.Results: The results showed that in addition to variables associated with infant mortality in previous studies, such as Bolsa Família Program, per capita income and fertility rate, other factors affect child mortality. Educational attainment, quality of prenatal care and access to health professionals are also elements impacting infant deaths. The results also identified an association between employment rate and different infant mortality rates, with employment impacting neonatal mortality up to three years and that a family income below 2 minimum wages increases the odds of infant deaths. Conclusion: The results proved that the methodology proposed allowed the use of variables based on aggregated data that could hardly be used by other methodologies.
Modeling the Metabolic Profile of Mytilus Edulis Reveals Molecular Signatures Linked to Gonadal Development, Sex and Environmental Site
Authors: Kronberg Jaanika , Byrne Jonathan , Jansen Jeroen , Antczak Philipp , Hines Adam , Bignell John , Katsiadaki Ioanna , Viant Mark , Falciani Francesco
Published: January 2021

The monitoring of anthropogenic chemicals in the aquatic environment including their potential effects on aquatic organisms, is important for protecting life under water, a key sustainable development goal. In parallel with monitoring the concentrations of chemicals of concern, sentinel species are often used to investigate the biological effects of contaminants. Among these, bivalve molluscs such as mussels are filter-feeding and sessile, hence an excellent model system for measuring localized pollution.This study investigates the relationship between the metabolic state of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and its physiology in different environments. We developed a computational model based on a reference site (relatively unpolluted) and integrated seasonal dynamics of metabolite relative concentrations with key physiological indicators and environmental parameters. The analysis of the model revealed that changes in metabolite levels during an annual cycle are influenced by water temperature and are linked to gonadal development. This work supports the importance of data-driven biology and its potential in environmental monitoring.
Administration of Antithrombotic Treatment Was a Risk Factor for Intraperitoneal Hemorrhage in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Interventions for Liver Diseases.
Authors: Asai Akira , Yokohama Keisuke , Ohama Hideko , Tsuchimoto Yusuke , Fukunishi Shinya , Higuchi Kazuhide
Published: January 2021

Percutaneous interventions for liver diseases are currently essential for diagnosis and treatment. The most frequent complication of percutaneous interventions is intraperitoneal hemorrhage. Recently, the number of patients with liver diseases and administered antithrombotics has been increasing. This retrospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the risk factors for intraperitoneal hemorrhage after percutaneous interventions for liver diseases. This study recruited 1025 patients who underwent percutaneous interventions for liver diseases from April 2015 to March 2020. All interventions were performed using an ultrasound-guided approach. Intraperitoneal hemorrhage after percutaneous interventions was detected by abdominal computed tomography. Intraperitoneal hemorrhage occurred in 9 patients (0.88%), and these adverse events weren’t severe. We compared clinical characteristics between the patients with intraperitoneal hemorrhage and without. There were differences regarding patients who underwent percutaneous treatments of liver tumor (p = 0.1271), administration of antithrombotics (p = 0.1961), and prothrombin time (p = 0.1683). Thereafter, to evaluate the influence of antithrombotics on hemorrhage, we compared the patients with antithrombotics and without. After propensity score matching, hemorrhage in patients treated with antithrombotics was significantly increased than in those without (p = 0.0407). The administration of antithrombotics was a risk factor for intraperitoneal hemorrhage in patients undergoing percutaneous interventions for liver diseases.
Adaptation of The N170-Component of the Event-Related Brain Potential to Single Letters and Words in Adults and Children
Authors: Kagel Ulrike , Rüsseler Jascha
Published: January 2021

Background. Neural specialization for print develops during learning to read and can be studied with event-related brain potentials (ERPs). Neural adaptation refers to smaller neural responses when a stimulus or a class of stimuli is repeated several times. Previously, neural specialization for print processing in adults has been shown to be reflected in the word-specific N170 component of the ERP. Furthermore, adapation of the N170 elicited by words has been found to correlate with reading speed. Here, we investigated adapation of the N170-component evoked by single letters, words and faces in seven to nine- year old German-language speaking children and in a group of adult normal readers. Results. For adults, we replicated previous reports of adaptation of N170-amplitude at posterior-temporal electrodes P7 and P8 for single letters and words. For children, we only observed adaptation of N170-amplitude for single letters. No adaptation of N170-amplitude was apparent for words. However, in both, children as well as adults, N170-adaptation did not correlate with measures of reading speed. For faces, that served as a non-linguistic control condition, no adaptation of N170 amplitude was observed. Conclusions. We conclude that adaptation of the word-specific N170 component of the ERP might be linked to increasing perceptual experience with letters and words.
Optimisation of Sample Storage and DNA Extraction for Human Gut Microbiome Studies
Authors: Kazantseva Jekaterina , Malv Esther , Kaleda Aleksei , Kallastu Aili , Meikas Anne
Published: January 2021

Background: New developments in next-generation sequencing technologies and massive data received from this approach open wide prospects for personalised medicine and nutrition studies. Metagenomic analysis of the gut microbiota is paramount for the characterization of human health and wellbeing. Despite the intensive research, there is a huge gap and inconsistency between different studies due to the non-standardised and biased pipeline. Methodical and systemic understanding of every stage in the process is necessary to overcome all bottlenecks and grey zones of gut microbiome studies, where all details and interactions between processes are important. Results: Here we show that an inexpensive, but reliable iSeq 100 platform is an excellent tool to perform the metagenomic analysis of the human gut. Two commercial kits and different starting materials performed similarly regarding the taxonomic distribution of identified bacteria. DNA/RNA Shield preservation reagent proved to be a trustworthy solution for stool samples collection and storage, as the storage of faecal material in DNA/RNA Shield for three weeks at different temperatures and thawing cycles had a low impact on the bacterial distribution. Conclusion: Altogether, a thoroughly elaborated pipeline with close attention to details ensures high reproducibility with significant biological but not technical variations.
Proteome-wide Analysis of Coxiella burnetii for Conserved T-cell epitopes with Presentation Across Multiple Host Species
Authors: Piel Lindsay , Durfee Codie , White Stephen
Published: January 2021

Background: Coxiella burnetii is the Gram-negative bacterium responsible for Q fever in humans and coxiellosis in domesticated agricultural animals. Previous vaccination efforts with whole cell inactivated bacteria or surface isolated proteins confer protection but can produce a reactogenic immune responses. Thereby a protective vaccine that does not cause aberrant immune reactions is required. The critical role of T-cell immunity in control of C. burnetii has been made clear, since either CD8+ or CD4+ T cells can empower clearance. The purpose of this study was to identify C. burnetii proteins bearing epitopes that interact with major histocompatibility complexes (MHC) from multiple host species (human, mouse, and cattle). Results: Of the annotated 1,815 proteins from the Nine Mile Phase I (RSA 493) assembly, 402 proteins were removed from analysis due to a lack of inter-isolate conservation. An additional 391 proteins were eliminated from assessment to avoid potential autoimmune responses due to the presence of host homology. We analyzed the remaining 1,022 proteins for their ability to produce peptides that bind MHCI or MHCII. MHCI and MHCII predicted epitopes were filtered and compared between species yielding 777 MHCI epitopes and 453 MHCII epitopes. These epitopes were further examined for presentation by both MHCI and MHCII, and for proteins that contained multiple epitopes. There were 31 epitopes that overlapped positionally between MHCI and MHCII across host species. Of these, there were 9 epitopes represented within proteins containing ≥5 total epitopes, where an additional 24 proteins were also epitope dense. In all, 55 proteins were found to contain high scoring T-cell epitopes. Besides the well-studied protein Com1, most identified proteins were novel when compared to previously studied vaccine candidates. Conclusion: These data represent the first proteome-wide evaluation of C. burnetii peptide epitopes. Furthermore, the inclusion of human, mouse, and bovine data capture a range of hosts for this zoonotic pathogen plus an important model organism. This work provides new vaccine targets for future vaccination efforts and enhances opportunities for selecting multiple T-cell epitope types to include within a vaccine.
Spatio-temporal patterns of pneumonia in Bhutan: A Bayesian analysis
Authors: Wangdi Kinley , Penjor Kinley , Tsheten Tsheten , Tshering Chachu , Gething Peter , Gray Darren , Clements Archie
Published: January 2021

Pneumonia is one of the top 10 diseases by morbity in Bhutan. This study aimed to investigate the spatial and temporal trends and risk factors of pneumonia in Bhutan. A multivariable Zero-inflated Poisson regression using a Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation was undertaken to quantify associations of age, sex, rainfall, maximum temperature and relative humidity with monthly pneumonia incidence and identify underlying spatial structure of the data. Overall pneumonia incidence was 96.5 and 4.57 per 1,000 populations over nine years in people aged < 5 years and ≥ 5 years, respectively. Children < 5 years or being a female are more like to get pneumonia than ≥ 5 years and males. A 10mm increase in rainfall and 1°C increase in maximum temperature was associated with a 7.2% (95% (credible interval [CrI] 0.7%, 14.0%) and 28.6% (95% CrI 27.2%, 30.1%) increase in pneumonia cases. A 1% increase in relative humidity was associated with a decrease in the incidence of pneumonia by 8.6% (95% CrI 7.5%, 9.7%). There was no evidence of spatial clustering after accounting for the covariates. Seasonality and spatial heterogeneity can partly be explained by the association of pneumonia risk to climatic factors including rainfall, maximum temperature and relative humidity.
Euthanasia in Dogs Under Primary Veterinary Care in the UK: Frequency and Risk Factors
Authors: Pegram Camilla , Gray Carol , Packer Rowena M. A. , Richards Ysabelle , Church David B. , Brodbelt Dave C. , O'Neill Dan G.
Published: January 2021

The loss of a pet can be particularly distressing for owners, whether the method of death is euthanasia or is unassisted. Using primary-care clinical data, this study aimed to report the demographic and clinical factors associated with euthanasia, relative to unassisted death, in dogs. Method of death (euthanasia or unassisted) and clinical cause of death were extracted from a random sample of 29,865 dogs within the VetCompass Programme from a sampling frame of 905,544 dogs under UK veterinary care in 2016. Multivariable logistic regression modelling was used to evaluate associations between risk factors and method of death. Of the confirmed deaths, 26,676 (89.3%) were euthanased and 2,487 (8.3%) died unassisted. After accounting for confounding factors, 6 grouped-level disorders had higher odds in euthanased dogs (than dogs that died unassisted), using neoplasia as the baseline. The disorders with greatest odds included: poor quality of life (OR 16.28), undesirable behaviour (OR 11.36) and spinal cord disorder (OR 6.00). Breed, larger bodyweight and increasing age were additional risk factors for euthanasia. The results highlight that a large majority of owners will face euthanasia decisions and these findings can support veterinarians and owners to better prepare for such an eventuality.
The Prevalence and Severity of Depression, Anxiety and Stress as Well as Coping Strategies Used by Medical Undergraduate Students Enrolled in Arsi University: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Melaku Leta , Bulcha Guta , Worku Deressa
Published: January 2021

BackgroundEvery individual has a certain number of coping resources, and once these coping resources are challenged, mental illness usually results.ObjectiveWe aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of depression, anxiety and stress as well as coping strategies used by medical undergraduate students enrolled in Arsi University.MethodsInstitutional based cross-sectional design was conducted on 265 sampled medical students. Participants were selected by systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected by pre-tested, structured and self-administrated questionnaire. Afterwards, logistic regression analysis was employed and statistical significance was accepted at p<0.05. ResultIn the present study 5 questionnaires were rejected for incompleteness, resulting in a response rate of 98.1%. The current prevalence rate of depression, anxiety and stress were 52.3%, 60.8% and 40.4% respectively. The proportion of respondents who had extremely severe symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress were 6.2%, 16.2% and 2.3% respectively. Depression was specifically associated with a monthly income and residency. Anxiety was significantly associated with residency and educational level. Stress was associated with a monthly income, educational level and residency. The main coping strategy adopted by respondents was religion. In particular, the coping mechanisms of denial, substance use, behavioral disengagement, venting, self-blame were significantly associated to DAS. ConclusionOverall prevalence rate of depression, anxiety and stress is alarmingly high. Therefore, implementing stress reduction interventions and establishing student counseling center is highly recommended.
Effectiveness of the toxin-degrading strain screening strategy: Deficiency and improvement in screening the gossypol-degrading microorganism Aspergillus niger
Authors: Zhang Chen , Shu Gangqin , Wang Hui , Li Daojie , Xü Yuan , Zhang Yunhua , Cheng Maoji , Chen Lijuan
Published: January 2021

Background

The gossypol, as an antinutritional factor or natural plant toxin, has antifertility effects on humans and animals, exists in cottonseed oil and meal, and is a typical food or feed contaminant. It is the classic screening method to using acetate gossypol as the sole carbon sources to prepare selective medium and screening gossypol-degrading microorganisms. By the classic screening strategy, many researchers have discovered that some microorganisms, and Aspergillus niger is the most reported microorganism. A strain of A. niger which can grow in an agar solid medium with gossypol as the sole carbon source is isolated from cattle rumen liquid was obtained by classic screening strategy. The effectiveness of the classic screening strategy was verified, by duplicating and verifying the degradation of gossypol by the A. niger.
Results

the A. niger can reduce the free gossypol (FG) content through biosorption but has no effect on the total gossypol (TG) content. And it can secrete agarase, utilise agar as carbon source.
Conclusions

The A. niger can secrete agarase, but cannot effectively degrade gossypol, In this case, it will mislead researchers and lead them to make wrong judgments. The usual methods of previous screening strategies are not rigorous enough, the classic screening method has defect in screening toxin-degrading strain, so agar control group should be added.
A ‘Dynamic Adder Model’ For Cell Size Homeostasis in Dictyostelium Cells
Authors: Tanaka Masahito , Yumura Shigehiko
Published: January 2021

After a cell divides into two daughter cells, the total cell surface area of the daughtercells should increase to the original size to maintain cell size homeostasis in a single cellcycle. Previously, three models have been proposed to explain the regulation of cell sizehomeostasis: sizer, timer, and adder models. Here, we precisely measured the total cellsurface area of Dictyostelium cells in a whole cell cycle by using the agar-overlaymethod, which eliminated the influence of surface membrane reservoirs, such asmicrovilli and membrane winkles. The total cell surface area linearly increased duringinterphase, slightly decreased at the metaphase, and then increased by approximately20% during cytokinesis. From the analysis of the added surface area, we concluded thatthe cell size was regulated by the near-adder model in interphase and by the timer modelin the mitotic phase. The adder model in the interphase is not caused by a simple cellmembrane addition, but is more dynamic due to the rapid cell membrane turnover. Wepropose a ‘dynamic adder model’ to explain cell size homeostasis in the interphase.
Wafer-Scale Functional Circuits Based on Two Dimensional Semiconductors with Fabrication Optimized by Machine Learning
Authors: Chen Xinyu , Xie Yufeng , Sheng Yaochen , Tang Hongwei , Wang Zeming , Wang Yu , Wang Yin , Liao Fuyou , Ma Jingyi , Guo Xiaojiao , Tong Ling , Liu Hanqi , Liu Hao , Wu Tianxiang , Cao Jiaxin , Bu Sitong , Shen Hui , Bai Fuyu , Huang Daming , Deng Jianan , Riaud Antoine , Xu Zihan , Wu Chenjian , Xing Shiwei , Lu Ye , Ma Shunli , Sun Zhengzong , Xue Zhongying , Di Zengfeng , Gong Xiao , Zhang Wei , Zhou Peng , Wan Jing , Bao Wenzhong
Published: January 2021

Triggered by the pioneering research on graphene, the family of two-dimensional layered materials (2DLMs) has been investigated for more than a decade, and appealing functionalities have been demonstrated. However, there are still challenges inhibiting high-quality growth and circuit-level integration, and results from previous studies are still far from complying with industrial standards. Here, we overcome these challenges by utilizing machine-learning (ML) algorithms to evaluate key process parameters that impact the electrical characteristics of MoS2 top-gated field-effect transistors (FETs). The wafer-scale fabrication processes are then guided by ML combined with grid searching to co-optimize device performance, including mobility, threshold voltage and subthreshold swing. A 62-level SPICE modeling was implemented for MoS2 FETs and further used to construct functional digital, analog, and photodetection circuits. Finally, we present wafer-scale test FET arrays and a 4-bit full adder employing industry-standard design flows and processes. Taken together, these results experimentally validate the application potential of ML-assisted fabrication optimization for beyond-silicon electronic materials.