bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical characteristics of 10 children with COVID-19 outside of Wuhan in Hubei Province
Authors: Chen Ming , Fan Panpan , Liu Zhi , Li Junhua , Huang Shaowu , Wu Wanwan , Pan Rui , Zhao Dongchi
Published: March 2020

Background: An outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) began in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in December 2019. This study aims to report the clinical characteristics of children COVID-19 in Xiangyang, a city outside of Wuhan within Hubei Province. Methods: We retrospectively investigated the clinical manifestations, Chest CT imaging, and laboratory characteristics of confirmed cases of children with COVID-19 with WHO interim guidance in Xiangyang Central Hospital from Feb 1 to Mar 10, 2020. 10 children cases were confirmed by real-time RT-PCR, and were analyzed for epidemiological, demographic, clinical, radiological features and laboratory data. Outcomes were followed up until Mar 10, 2020. Results: 6 cases (60%) had never been to Wuhan but closely contacted with family members with confirmed COVID-19, and 4 cases (40%) had made short term trips to Wuhan alone without familial cluster. Most common symptoms was cough (50%) followed by fever (40%), 4 cases (40%) showed asymptomatic characteristics including 2 cases (20%) with abnormal chest CT imag e . 9 cases (90%) were mild type, only 1 case (10%) was moderate type, none of them progressed in severe or critically disease. 4 (40%) cases showed leucopenia but nonelymphopenia. Abnormalities on chest computed tomograms (CT) were detected among 8 cases (80%), 2 of 4 cases without obvious symptoms had abnormal chest CT. Conclusions: Children's infection is mainly caused by family clusters, and COVID-19 seems less likely to spread from children to adults.The clinical manifestations in children with COVID-19 are non-specific with milder symptoms and good outcomes.
Correlation between SES and BMI and gender-disparity of mediation of lifestyle among Chinese people aged 45 and over
Authors: Xue Li , Ren Xiaohui
Published: March 2020

Background Previous studies suggested the relationship between SES and BMI is different in developing countries and developed countries and lifestyle is medication between SES and BMI. Little research focused on relationship between SES and BMI among the middle and the elderly and gender-disparity of mediation of lifestyle. Methods The data for this study were obtained from the 2015 follow-up data of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Structural equation model (SEM) was used to explore the relationships among SES, lifestyles and BMI. Results Among men, the effect of SES on sleeping time and smoking were not statistically significant. SES had a direct positive effect on BMI (β=0.306, P<0.001). Smoking had a direct positive effect on BMI (β=0.180, P<0.001). Among women, SES had a direct negative effect on physical activity (β=-0.048, p<0.05), a direct positive on sleeping time (β=0.048, P<0.05), smoking (β=0.098, P<0.001) and BMI (β=0.168, P<0.001). Physical activity had a direct negative effect on BMI (β=-0.050, P<0.01). Sleeping time (β=0.066, p<0.001) and smoking (β=0.088, p<0.001) both had a direct positive effect on BMI. Conclusion A positive relationship was found between SES and BMI both among middle and old men and women. The gender-disparity of mediation of lifestyle was existed.
Relationship between hypernatremia & Intra-ventricular hemorrhage in very & extremely preterm neonates
Authors: Zada Mohammad Hasan Molooy , Jawad Hajira , Nawabi Qadir , Qianli Qianli , Rehman Khalil Ur , li Jiang
Published: March 2020

Background and Objectives For identifying important risk factors that contribute to intra-ventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and hypernatremia in early postnatal life of preterm neonates of extremely low birth weight, with gestational age (GA) matching appropriately and with birth body weight (BBW)Material and Methods The study has been designed to evaluate extremely preterm neonates with GA ≤ 26 weeks and BBW ≤ 1000 g, admitted to different hospitals during the 8 years. The data has been collected every month from 1990-2019Results The regression results indicated a significant relationship between sodium serum level and IVH, hypernatremia in extremely preterm neonates. Hypernatremia and fluctuations are related to sodium that seems to be associated with early severe IVH among preterm neonates It is found that hypernatremia is a major risk factor for IVH in extremely preterm neonates. It is explored that the incidence of hypernatremia in extremely preterm neonates preterm neonates along with other contributing factors. It is recommended for future research to find other contributing factors to examine this research in further details.Conclusion There found some factors significantly affect resuscitation, vaginal delivery, hemoglobin, male sex, level of high sodium serum, fluctuation of serum sodium, and platelet counts are also associated within f severe IVH and hypernatremia. The study concludes, a significant positive relationship between hypernatremia & Intra-ventricular hemorrhage in very & extremely preterm neonates along with other contributing factors. However, further research is required to explore a causal relationship between IVH and hypernatremia in extremely preterm neonates.
Pollen number and vigor contribute to effective ovule numbers among contrasting nitrogen utilization efficiency oilseed rapes genotypes before heart stage
Authors: Guo Xiao , Xie Yuyu , Nan Yunyou , Wu Xiaoming , Chen Biyun , Ma Bao-Luo , Gao Yajun
Published: March 2020

Background: While no significant differences in initial ovule number were found among oilseed rape genotypes, there was a large variation in effective ovule number (EON), which determines the final seeds per silique (SPS), a critical component of yield. Up to date, on study has been focused on unraveling the pre-flowering main factors to restrict EON and identifying the critical period of EON formation among contrasting nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUtE) oilseed rape genotypes.Results: In this study, we selected 18 oilseed rape genotypes with different NUtE to identify the main factors that contribute to EON, and determine if genotypes differed in the critical period of EON formation under both field and pot experiments from 2016-2018. Our results showed the high NUtE genotypes also showed 14.3% higher NUtE, accompanied with 29.4% higher yield per plant and 21.1% higher SPS. The greater productivity of the high NUtE oilseed rape genotypes was associated with 44.1% greater pollen number, 23.5% higher pollen vigor, and 39.3% lower ovule abortion rate, compared to the low NUtE genotypes. In addition, at the heart stage, the high NUtE genotypes displayed higher silique net photosynthetic rate, surface area, biomass, and RNA expression levels, compared to the low NUtE ones. Taken together, this study indicated the pollen number, pollen vigor and ovule abortion rate contributed to the final EON of diverse oilseed rape genotypes; the critical period of determining EON among contrasting NUtE genotypes was at the heart stage.Conclusion: Increasing pollen number and vigor, and decreasing ovule abortion rate before the heart stage should be the prerequisite for breeders to improve yield and NUtE of oilseed rape genotypes.
Improving oral hygiene may attenuate occurrence of head and neck cancer: nation-wide population based cohort study.
Authors: Woo Ho Geol , Lee Kijeong , Lee Ji Sung , Kim Jinkwon , Chang Younkyung , Kim Jin-Woo , Song Tae Jin
Published: March 2020

Background: In previous case-control and cross-sectional studies, less frequent dental visits, infrequent tooth brushing, presence of periodontal disease, and increased number of tooth loss were shown to be associated with increased risk of head and neck cancer. However, studies regarding the association of periodontal disease and parameters of oral health with occurrence of head and neck cancer have been lacking particularly in longitudinal setting. We aimed to investigate the relationship between parameters of oral health and risk of head and neck cancer in a nationwide general population-based cohort.Methods : We included 150,774 subjects from the Korean National Health Insurance System-Health Screening Cohort for demographics, past history, and laboratory findings. The presence of periodontal disease and parameters of oral health including frequency of tooth brushings, dental visit for any reason, expertised dental cleaning, and number of tooth loss were investigated. Head and neck cancer was defined as International Statistical Classification of Diseases-10 codes of ‘C00-C14’.Results: During median 11.1 years of follow-up, 1,155 (0.76%) head and neck cancers occurred. Based on multivariable analysis, after adjusting for demographics, alcohol intake, smoking, regular exercise, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, blood and urinary laboratory findings, and parameters of oral health, frequent tooth brushing (more than three times per day) was related to lower risk of head and neck cancer (hazard ratio, HR: 0.78, 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.66–0.93, p=0.005). Increased number of tooth loss was positively associated with occurrence of head and neck cancer (p value for trend test for HR <0.001).Conclusions : The occurrence of head and neck cancer was decreased with the more frequent tooth brushing (more than three times per day) and increased with the number of tooth loss. In regards of head and neck cancer prevention, improving oral hygiene may have significant contribution.
Assessing the impact of the Provincial Reimbursement Scheme on the use of Targeted Anticancer Medications in Zhejiang, China: A Controlled Interrupted time-series Analysis
Authors: Huang Cong , Ung Carolina Oi Lam , Wushouer Haishaerjiang , Xu Ziyue , Zhang Yichen , Guan Xiaodong , Shi Luwen
Published: March 2020

Background: High prices of targeted anticancer medications (TAMs) subject patients to extreme financial burden. To alleviate problems with access and affordability, 6 TAMs were newly listed in the Provincial Reimbursement Drug List (PRDL) in Zhejiang, China in February 2015. To evaluate the implementation of the PRDL policy, this study examined differences in the hospital purchasing volume (HPV) and the hospital purchasing spending (HPS) of 6 listed TAMs pre- and post-enlistment and comparing with 4 other unlisted TAMs. Methods: Interrupted time-series analysis was employed using the pharmaceutical procurement data of 6 newly listed TAMs (study group) and 4 unlisted TAMs (control group) from 22 tertiary hospitals in Zhejiang, China dated between January 2014 and March 2017. Results: After February 2015, the average HPV per month increased significantly by 34.6 defined daily doses (DDDs) (p<0.001) and the average HPS per month increased significantly by USD 6614.9 (p<0.001) for the listed TAMs in the study group (n=6); neither the average HPV nor the average HPS changed significantly for the unlisted TAMs in the control group (n=4). Although only 4 of the 6 listed TAMs exhibited significant decrease in the monthly HPV and HPS individually, the daily cost of each TAM decreased after enlistment. Conclusions: The PRDL policy has shown positive effect on promoting the access to and improving patients’ affordability of TAMs in Zhejiang. The government should conduct further price negotiations and include more TAMs with clinical benefits into reimbursement schemes to relief patients’ financial burden and promote access.
Functional disability and associated factors among patients with severe mental illness attending psychiatry outpatient unit at Ayder comprehensive specialized hospital, Mekelle, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.
Authors: Amare Tesfalem , Seifu Natnael , Shewangzaw Mirkat
Published: March 2020

Background According to the World Health Organization (WHO), functional disability associated with severe mental illnesses was pervasive, affecting everyday life, and has a significant contribution to the global functional disability. The severe mental illnesses (schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder) were among the top ten leading causes of functional disability as indicated by years lived with a functional disability. These illnesses hurt the academic, occupational, social and family functioning of the patients. Despite this fact, functional disabilities and its contributing factors among severe mental illness were not clear. Therefore this study will assess the prevalence and associated factors of functional disabilities among patients with severe mental illnesses. Methods Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from Feb 03 to March 10, 2020, with a total of 423 participants in Mekelle, Ethiopia. A stratified random sampling method was included in the study. Functional disabilities were measured by WHO functional disability assessment schedule version two (WHODAS 2.0). Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the association between independent and dependent variables. Results The prevalence of functional disability among severe mental ill patients was 88.1% (51.3% mild, 27.5% moderate & 9.3% sever functional disabilities). This study revealed that, being jobless [AOR=4.01, 95% CI (1.77, 12.35)], duration of illness ≥11 years [AOR=2.99, 95% CI(1.17,7.64)], those who had poor treatment adherence [AOR= 2.79, 95% CI (1.06, 7.35)], drug adverse effects [AOR= 4.61, 95% CI (1.79, 11.84)], poor social supports [AOR=6.58, 95% CI (2.01, 21.56)], and moderate social supports [AOR=4.16, 95% CI (1.88,9.20)] were significantly associated with functional disabilities. Conclusion The prevalence of functional disability was found to be high. Being jobless, duration of illness ≥11 years, medication non-adherent, having drug side effects and having poor or moderate social support were significantly associated with functional disabilities. Therefore, when treating patients with severe mental illness giving especial attention the bio-psycho-social aspect of treatment is essential.
Using Mixed Methods to Adapt and Evaluate the Implementation of a Multicomponent Tobacco-Free Workplace Program within Behavioral Health Centers
Authors: Leal Isabel Martinez , Chen Tzu-An , Correa-Fernández Virmarie , Le Kathy , O’Connor Daniel P. , Kyburz Bryce , Wilson William T. , Williams Teresa , Reitzel Lorraine R.
Published: March 2020

Background: Behavioral health treatment centers (BHTCs) rarely implement existing evidence-based practices for treating tobacco dependence, despite high rates of tobacco use among their clients. Taking Texas Tobacco Free (TTTF) has successfully targeted this disparity by delivering an evidence-based, multilevel, tobacco-free workplace program providing policy implementation and enforcement, education, provider training in tobacco screenings and treatments, and nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) to BHTCs across Texas. We describe a mixed methods design used to conduct a formative evaluation process to adapt implementation strategies to local contexts, evaluate program outcomes and characterize processes influencing program implementation in two BHTCs serving 17 clinics.Methods: Varied data collection included pre and post-implementation leader, provider, and staff surveys; and pre, mid, and post-implementation provider, staff and consumer focus groups. During implementation, data were collected via various logs (tobacco screenings, NRT delivery) to monitor program content delivery. The RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) framework guided translation of behavioral interventions into sustainable practice.Results: While program implementation varied between each BHTC, all clinics adopted a 100% tobacco-free workplace policy, integrated tobacco screenings into routine practice, delivered evidence-based interventions, dispensed NRT to consumers and staff, and increased provider knowledge on how to address tobacco dependence. Pre, mid, and post-implementation qualitative findings served to: 1) develop program strategies and materials adapted to local contexts and populations and address barriers; 2) adjust delivery systems of key components to enhance implementation; 3) understand reasons for success or failure to implement specific practices; and 4) reveal program integration into clinic culture, enhancing sustainability.Conclusions: Implementation of TTTF at both BHTCs increased organizational capacity in the provision of evidence-based practices to treat tobacco dependence through successfully meeting most of our RE-AIM targets. Mixing methods involved program adopters and recipients as collaborators directly shaping core interventions to their individual context and needs, thus increasing program fit, ownership, adoption and sustainability; closing the gap between research and practice. These findings contribute to the development of flexible strategies and interventions capable of addressing variable implementation contexts and barriers, thus enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of a tobacco-free workplace program.
Bibliometric study of the global scientific research on pain and disability
Authors: Weng Lin-Man , Zheng Yi-Li , Peng Meng-Si , Wang Juan , Wang Rui , Wang Xue-Qiang
Published: March 2020

Background A growing number of relevant studies on the comorbidity of pain and disability have been published in high-quality journals; however, few studies have analysed quantitatively the characteristics of the topic via bibliometrics. Purpose The study aims to systematically analyze various aspects of global scientific research on pain and disability comorbidity from 1980 to 2019 and determine the global research trend and knowledge structure. Methods A collection of publications on pain and disability comorbidity between 1980 and 2019 was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. CiteSpace, Microsoft Excel 2016, and IBM SPSS Statistics 25 software were used to analyze publication outputs, authors, journals, institutions, countries, subject category, types of pain, references, and keywords. Results We collected a total of 3,570 articles in March 9, 2019. Results indicated that the publication outputs had a significant growth in the recent 40 years via the linear regression model (P<0.001). The journal Pain had the maximum output (178), the most cited frequencies in WoS (15,418), the highest impact factor index in 2017 (5.559), and the highest H-index (68). Linear regression analysis revealed that the tendency of multiple authors’ papers increased significantly (t=8.065, P<0.001). In accordance with the top 20 subject categories, Clinical Neurology was the most productive academic area (1095). With regard to types of pain, low back pain and headache were the most widely concerned with a total of 1,114 publications.Conclusion The study outlines the evolution and development of comorbid pain and disability research, reflects the overall situation and lays the groundwork for future research.
Tea tree oil prevents mastitis-associated inflammation in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated bovine mammary epithelial cells
Authors: Chen Zhi , Zhang Yi , Zhou Jingpeng , Tian Yu , Zhou Qiaoni , Mao Yongjiang , Yang Zhangping , Loor Juan J. , Gou Deming
Published: March 2020

Background Effective prevention and treatment of cow mastitis can provide a good guarantee for the healthy growth of cows and the qualified production of dairy products. The main purpose of this study was to explore the effect of tea tree oil on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) -induced mastitis in dairy cows, and the key gene in LPS -stimulated bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) was identified. Results In this study, a model of mastitis induced by LPS was constructed, to which tea tree oil and LPS were added. The protective effects of tea tree oil on LPS-induced mastitis in BMECs were verified by the CCK-8 method, flow cytometry, real-time fluorescence quantitative detection, ELISA and other methods. The results showed that LPS at a concentration of 200 μg/ml could reduce the proliferative activity of the cells, induce a high proportion of apoptosis, and promote the expression of TNF-α, IL-6 and STAT1. Upon addition of tea tree oil, the proportion of apoptosis was reduced, and the expression of NF-κB, MAPK and caspase-3 was inhibited. Mammary epithelial cells were compared under control and LPS-treatment conditions and analyzed by second-generation sequencing. A total of 1270 mRNAs were identified as differentially expressed, of which 787 genes were upregulated and 483 were downregulated. These differentially expressed genes include TNF - α, IL6, STAT1, mapk4, etc. H&E staining and immunohistochemistry were used to verify the function of candidate genes. TNF-α and IL6 were observed to play important roles in mediating the preventive effect of tea tree oil on mastitis in LPS-stimulated bovine mammary epithelial cells. Conclusions The results showed that tea tree oil had a protective effect against LPS-induced mastitis. TNF - α and IL6 may be the marker genes of LPS-induced mastitis which provided a theoretical basis and experimental support for further research to determine new strategies for the prevention and treatment of mastitis and improvement of milk quality.
Potential Functional Variants in Innate Immune Response Genes Associated with Feed Efficiency in Beef Cattle
Authors: Ribeiro Gabriela , Cesar Aline Silva Mello , Alexandre Pâmela Almeida , Ferraz José Bento Sterman , Fukumasu Heidge
Published: March 2020

Background: Identifying and selecting animals for feed efficiency (FE) is extremely important for the beef production chain. Currently, the most common parameter to access the FE animals is residual feed intake (RFI), which is the residual of the linear regression that estimates DMI based on average daily gain and mid-test metabolic body weight. However, it relies on costly and time-consuming data collection, creating a growing demand for alternative approaches to identify genetically superior animals for FE. This study aimed to detect potential liver-specific functional variants from RNA-seq data of 16 Nellore bulls divergently selected for FE. Results: The variant call analysis detected 247 missense SNPs and nine insertion-deletions (INDELs) that alter the protein functions. These variants were found within 190 genes differentially found (P < 0.05) in liver tissue between high FE (HFE) and low FE (LFE) animals. To better understand the role of these variants in biological pathways, we performed a functional enrichment analysis, which highlighted six genes involved in complement cascade and cascade complement regulation pathways, and 20 genes involved in the regulation of the innate immune system. They had four different significant variants in the complement factor H (CFH) family genes, and all were homozygous in HFE animals rather than some degree of heterozygous in LFE animals. Conclusion: We developed a pipeline to detect potential liver-specific functional variants from RNA-seq data from animals divergently selected for feed efficiency. With this approach, we found potential functional variants in innate immune response genes associated with feed efficiency in beef cattle.
Effects of Lactobacillus plantarum BCC65951 inoculation in Napier Pakchong 1 silage on in vitro rumen degradability and growth performance of Brahman cattle
Authors: Yammuen-art Saowaluck , Khemarach Soparak , Taja Kattareeya , Plengvidhya Vethachai , Phaopaisal Ittiphon , Kongtong Kittima , Sangsritavong Siwat
Published: March 2020

Background: Napier grass Pakchong 1 is used as a fodder crop in Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, its fermentation for silage production is challenging owing to the low dry mass content and epiphytic lactic acid bacteria. Here, Lactobacillus plantarum BCC65951 (LAB) inoculation was tested for impact on silage fermentation and use. Silage was prepared with or without inoculation of LAB and stored for 180 days prior to analysis.Results: Gas production at 4-24 h was significantly higher in LAB group (P=0.001). Therefore, the result implied the faster ruminal degradation of LAB, especially during the first 24 h. LAB-inoculated silage exhibited greater levels of lactic acid and in vitro rumen degradability compared to control silage, and significantly lower pH and acetic acid content. To investigate the effect of LAB inoculation on animal performance, ten Brahman bulls were fed on control or LAB-inoculated silage in a crossover experimental design. Animals fed with LAB-inoculated silage had significantly higher voluntary roughage intake and greater average daily body weight gain than those fed with control silage.Conclusions: Results from this study revealed the beneficial effect of Napier Pakchong 1 ensiled with L. plantarum BCC65951 inoculation, both on the fermentative quality of the silage and also the performance of animals fed with the inoculated silage.
Contextual Effects of Social Integration and Disintegration on Health Status: Evidence from South Korea
Authors: Jung Minsoo , Jo Eun-Bi , Kwon Rang Hee
Published: March 2020

Background: Many studies have shown that various social integration variables represented by social capital are beneficial to communities, including collective health. However, the rapid decline in fertility rates and the breakup of familism in developed countries require a new approach to social disintegration, but the literature is insufficient. We explored the contextual effects of social integration and social disintegration on the health of individuals.Methods: The research data consist of merged datasets of 6909 respondents who were quota-sampled by approximately 30 people from 229 local governments in Korea. The individual-level independent variable is a social integration measure consisting of 26 questions in four areas. The community-level independent variables are five integral and aggregate variables extracted from 81 indicators. The dependent variable is self-rated health status.Results: The results showed that at the individual level, the higher the inclusive attitude of in- and out-of-networks, after adjusting for potential confounders, the less likely the respondent belongs to the unhealthy group (p <0.001). At the community level, the higher the proportion of single-person households in a community after adjusting for potential confounders, the less likely the respondent belongs to the unhealthy group (p <0.05).Conclusion: Thus far, social integration has been preferred, with the positive aspects of social capital being emphasized. However, this study shows that in some cases, social disintegration can instead positively influence an individual's health. Therefore, further studies of the various conditions of social context effects on health are necessary.
‘I’ve got to be independent’: Older peoples’ views on recovery following road injury: A qualitative study
Authors: Brown Katherine , Cameron Ian D , Keay Lisa , Nguyen Ha , Dillon Lisa , Jagnoor Jagnoor , Ivers Rebecca
Published: March 2020

Background: Mild to moderate severity road injury in people of working age is associated with limited recovery. Less is known about people who sustain road injury in older age. This study explored perspectives, and factors related to recovery and health-related quality of life following road injury in older age. Methods: A qualitative study using content analysis was undertaken. Participants aged 65 or more years were purposively selected from a larger inception cohort study of health outcomes following mild to moderate severity road injury. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken at approximately 12 or 24 months after injury. Content analysis was used to code and analyse the data, with methodological rigour obtained by double-coding and discussing a portion of the data to reach consensus. Results were reported using the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ). Results: Nineteen participants were invited to participate in the study, with thematic saturation reached after the 12 th interview. Recovery experiences were diverse. Five main themes were identified: recovery is regaining independence; injury & disability in older age; the burden of non-obvious disability; the importance of support, and positive personal approaches. Key facilitators of recovery were regaining independence; support from family and friends, and positive personal approaches. Key barriers were threats to independence; passive coping behaviours; non-obvious disabilities (chronic pain, psychological impacts), and for some, a reluctance to raise ongoing issues with General Practitioners. Threats to independence, especially not driving and self-care, appeared to have a more profound effect on recovery than physical functioning. Conclusion: Older people view injury as a threat to independent functioning. This is somewhat different to what younger people report. Regaining independence is key to older peoples’ recovery and health-related quality of life following road injury, and should be a key consideration for health professionals, services and supports working with this unique cohort. Greater efforts to help older people regain independence following road injury are needed and can be facilitated by health professionals and appropriate service provision.
Nomads' access to the current healthcare system is impaired by their perception of its cost, quality, and accessibility and by gender segregation in Timbuktu, Mali: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Sangare Moussa , Coulibaly Yaya Ibrahim , Coulibaly Siaka Yamoussa , Dolo Housseini , Diabate Abdoul Fatao , Atsou Kueshivi Midodji , Souleymane Abdoul Ag , Rissa Youssouf Ag , Moussa Dada Wallet , Abdallah Fadimata Wallet , Dembele Massitan , Traore Mahamadou , Diarra Tieman , Brieger William R. , Traore Sekou Fantamady , Doumbia Seydou , Diop Samba
Published: March 2020

Background Access to community-based healthcare services is one of the key characteristics in successful public health policy. In Mali, community-based interventions do not reach nomadic communities, remote and hard-to-reach areas. Methods: In order to determine a better healthcare strategy for these nomadic populations, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in the administrative region of Timbuktu in Mali using the administration of questionnaires to community members. Results: A total of 520 individuals from two nomadic communities, Gossi and Ber, were included in the questionnaire survey. Inhabitants of the two nomadic communities were livestock breeders (27%), housekeepers (26.4%), local traders (11%), farmers (6 %) and artisans (5.5%). The median age of the study participants was 38 years (18-86 years). The participants from Gossi and Ber lived at a mean distance of 40.94 km and 23.19 km from the closest health center, respectively. The major complaints with respect to accessing healthcare were cost (35.7%), distance to the health center (46.2%), quality of the provided services (39.2 %) and means of transportation (79.4%). More than 25% of the participants from the community stated that they will never accept to being examined by a health care provider of the opposite gender. Conclusion It appears from the interviews results that these nomadic populations have health needs not presently covered by the current health delivery system. Tackling the method and organization of health care delivery by adapting them to the local lifestyle, culture and values could lead to significant improvements health outcomes.
Examining inequality in trials of smoking cessation interventions delivered in primary care: critique and reanalysis of Cochrane reviews
Authors: Birch Jack Michael , Dambha-Miller Hajira , Griffin Simon J , Hutton Gráinne B , Kelly Michael P , Kinmonth Ann Louise
Published: March 2020

Background Tobacco smoking is a major cause of chronic disease and premature mortality. Its effects are socially patterned. Observational studies show that low socioeconomic status [SES] is associated with higher smoking prevalence and lower cessation rates. Interventions in primary care may improve or exacerbate health inequalities depending on socioeconomic patterning of access and uptake. Data on the impact of trials of smoking cessation interventions delivered in primary care on health inequalities by SES have not been synthesised. Aims To examine the impact of smoking cessation interventions delivered in primary care on inequalities in health by socioeconomic status. Methods We searched the Cochrane database of systematic reviews from inception until June 2019. We included reviews of trials of smoking cessation interventions delivered in primary care and published in English. Findings We identified eight Cochrane reviews (413 studies). Eighty five studies included an intervention delivered in primary care. Interventions were: behavioural, (very) brief advice, and pharmacological (including nicotine replacement therapy). Full texts were accessed for 70 studies; 17 reported an SES measure. Two studies targeted low-SES groups. There was heterogeneity in SES measures used across the studies, which included household income, occupational level and social class. Three studies analysed SES as a predictor of effectiveness of the smoking cessation intervention; none found effectiveness differed by SES. Implications This summary and critique of Cochrane reviews demonstrates that trials of smoking cessation interventions delivered in primary care are not designed to allow analysis of effects by measures of SES. Studies rarely reported SES of participants at baseline and hardly ever as a predictor of smoking cessation. Our work highlights the need for routine reporting of SES amongst trials and greater consensus in included measures. Consistent reporting of a core set of SES indicators will enable testing of similarities between trial groups and differential effects by SES.
Epidemic of the 2019 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 outside of Wuhan, China
Authors: Song Xuan , Liu Xinyan , Wang Chunting
Published: March 2020

Background The 2019 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2) responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) appeared in Wuhan, Hubei in December 2019. Beside from Hubei Province, no large-scale epidemiological data are available. The purpose of the study is to investigate the epidemiology of the patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Shandong province, China. Methods Data were obtained from the Epidemic Daily Report Network. Confirmed patients and suspected cases in Shandong were included in the analysis. Data including age, sex, address, time of disease onset, time of diagnosis, and sources of transmission were collected. Results By February 13 th , 2020, 518 patients in Shandong province were formally confirmed with COVID-19 with an additional 78 suspected. Most of the confirmed patients were young or middle-aged (mean: 42.6 years), and the male-to-female ratio was 1.26:1. Among the 596 patients, 29.2% had a history of traveling in Hubei within 14 days. There were 99 cluster outbreaks and 5.23 cases were transmitted by one cluster outbreak. Among the confirmed patients, 17 patients (3.3%) had critical pneumonia, 36 (6.9%) had severe pneumonia and no deaths reported. Conclusions Considering the collective confirmed and suspected cases of SARS-Cov-2 in Shandong by February 13 th , 2020, males and the young and middle-aged populations were more frequently affected by the virus, which was most commonly transmitted through cluster outbreaks. Since the initial case of SARS-Cov-2 was identified, the onset-diagnosis delay was reduced with time.
Prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes and pre-diabetes in the dental setting: A Systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chinnasamy Alagesan , Moodie Marjory
Published: March 2020

Background With the close link between Diabetes Mellitus (DM)and periodontal disease dentists have an unrealized opportunity to make a chance discovery of a patient’s medical condition. Unlike in the medical setting, information on the Point-of-Care (PoC), opportunistic screening for DM in the dental setting is limited. To make a reliable estimate on the prevalence of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and prediabetes among dental patients in the dental setting and to assist healthcare planners in making an informed decision, information on the disease frequency and strategies employed to address this issue are of paramount importance . As such, the objectives of this study is to summarize the data on the prevalence of undiagnosed T2DM and pre-diabetes amongst dental patients and further explore the effectiveness of the PoC screening and its implication for use in the dental setting. Methods A MEDLINE – PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane library search was conducted with no time specification. Information on study characteristics and diagnostic parameters were retrieved for metaanalysis. All the studies were assessed for methodological quality using the QUADAS 2 tool. Proportions were presented in tables and Forrest plots. All statistical analysis was performed using the Medcalc software. Results Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. The proportion of dental patients identified to be at risk of hyperglycaemia with the PoC screening using random blood glucose, and glycated haemoglobin was 32.47% and 40.10%, whilst the estimated proportion with undiagnosed T2DM and pre-diabetes was identified as 11.23% and 47.38%. Conclusion A significant proportion of dental patient can be identified as undiagnosed T2DM and prediabetes. Targeted opportunistic screening is a feasible approach and can help reduce the prevalence of undiagnosed T2DM and pre-diabetes.
Worldwide Experienced Policy and Management Interventions in Preventing and Controlling Water Pipe Smoking
Authors: Babaie Javad , Doshmangir Leila , Abdollahi Gholamreza , New Ayat Ahmadi
Published: March 2020

Background: A review is carried out to identify management and policy interventions affecting preventing and controlling Water Pipe Smoking (WPS) worldwide. Methods: PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, Science Direct, and Ovid from 1990 to August 2018 were reviewed through a literature review process. Primary studies reported at least one intervention in preventing and controlling WPS. The surveyed studies were independently checked by two investigators and quality appraised, and relevant data were extracted. Results: Out of 4343 retrieved records from the databases, 2228 records were screened, and 38 studies were selected as the main corpus of the study. The interventions identified from the content analysis process were placed in two main categories, namely management and policy interventions. The category of management interventions was related to the prevention and control measures of WPS. The category of policy interventions focused on the enactment and implementation of legislatives and policies to control WPS in national and international levels. Most interventions focused on school-based education and lack of proper interventions in WP industry. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that governments are ignorant of this important social and health crisis, and very few measures have been taken to control WPS. Informed interventions, especially among school-based and adolescents can lead to promising results in preventing and controlling WPS. There is a need to develop and design WP-specific evidence-based interventions.
Risk and protective factors of alcohol consumption among students of Varaždin County: a cross- sectional analysis
Authors: Posavec Jelena Šarić , Pavlič Danica Rotar , Kralik Kristina
Published: March 2020

Background: Because of its availability, alcohol has become one of the most abundant substances among young people. It is the teenage age of young people who experiment with alcohol. The Varazdin environment is proverbially considered an area where alcoholic beverages are heavily consumed by the population. This study explored the views of alcohol consumption among high school students. The authors have determined which are risk and protective factors associated with the consumption of alcohol among students. Methods: The sample included students of the entire generation of the third year of high school in Varaždin County (n= 1352). In the bivariate analysis, we used an independent test t-test and a chi-square. In the multivariate analysis, we used logistic regression. Results: 92.4% of students have already consumed alcoholic beverages in their lifetime. We found that most alcohol was consumed by vocational school students, followed by gymnasium students and medical school students. If both the father and mother are tougher and if the mother is more determined, the student will be less likely to enjoy alcohol. The strongest factor affecting alcohol consumption is the presence of alcohol in the father (rarely and often). Conclusions: For the first time, the medical school was included in the study, and the results showed a surprisingly high alcohol consumption among these students. In the study, we also proved that psychosocial factors have the greatest influence on alcohol consumption among students.It is important to strive to maintain healthy family relationships, communication, and family support, as well as to provide a better quality of leisure time. It is also necessary to encourage the development of prevention and education programs in schools.
Proteome analysis of lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation in the peripheral blood of systemic lupus erythematosus patients
Authors: Zhou Xianqing , Lin Hua , Zhang Ruohan , Sui Weiguo , Zhang Yue , Chen Jiejing , Xue Wen , Yan Qiang , Li Chunhong , Xu Huixuan , Huang Shaoying , Dai Werer , Tang Donge , Dai Yong
Published: March 2020

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease that affects multiple organs, the pathogenic mechanism is related to many factors, but the specific pathogenic mechanism has not been clarified yet. Protein lysine modifications play important roles in gene regulation, transcription, metabolism and other biological processes. The lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation(K hib ) histone mark has recently been discovered as a novel protein modification. In this study, patients in the active SLE group were examined (N=8), while the control group was healthy (N=20).Utilizing antibody-based affinity enrichment and nano-HPLC/MS/MS analyses of K hib peptides, we identified 156 upregulated proteins(fold change>1.5),124 downregulated proteins(fold change<1/1.5), including 220 K hib sites that were upregulated and 187 K hib sites that were downregulated. Our data demonstrate that proteins with K hib sites were localized in the cytoplasm. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that proteins with K hib sites are broadly involved in a wide range of biological processes, cellular components and molecular functions. The 03010 Ribosome pathways may exert important influence on the SLE pathogenic mechanism, according to a KEGG analysis. The functional analysis of K hib is of value for important future investigations of SLE pathogenesis.
Role of the stearyl-coenzyme A desaturase 1 gene in regulating palmitic acid tolerance of goose primary hepatocytes
Authors: Tang Bincheng , Qiu Jia min , HU Shen qiang , Li Liang , Wang Ji wen
Published: March 2020

BackgroundUnlike mammals, goose fatty liver shows a strong tolerance to fatty acids without obvious injury. Stearyl-coenzyme A desaturase 1 (SCD1) serves crucial role in desaturation of saturated fatty acids (SAFs), but its role in the SAFs tolerance of goose hepatocytes has not been reported. This study was conducted to explore the role of SCD1 in regulating palmitic acid tolerance of goose primary hepatocytes.MethodsTo evaluate the palmitic acid tolerance of cultured hepatocytes, MTT was examined to reflect the effect of palmitic acid on cell viability, and quantitative PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of several genes related to ER stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, and the role of SCD1 in palmitic acid tolerance of goose hepatocytes was explored using RNA interfere.ResultsOur results indicated that goose hepatocytes exhibited a higher tolerant capacity to palmitic acid than human hepatic cell line (LO2 cells). Furthermore, the mRNA levels of fatty acid desaturation-related genes (SCD1 and FADS2) and fatty acid elongate enzyme-related gene (ELOVL6) were significantly upregulated in goose primary hepatocytes treated with 0.6 mM palmitic acid. However, in cultured LO2 cells, expression of ER stress-related genes (XBP, BIP and ATF6), inflammatory response-related genes (IL-6, IL-1β and IFN-γ) and apoptosis-related genes (Bax, Bcl-2, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9) was significantly enhanced by the addition of 0.6 mM palmitic acid. Additionally, siRNA-mediated downregulation of SCD1 significantly reduced the palmitic acid tolerance of goose primary hepatocytes under the treatment of 0.6 mM palmitic acid; meanwhile, the mRNA expression of inflammatory-related genes (IL-6 and IL-1β) and several key genes involved in the PI3K/AKT, FoxO1, mTOR and AMPK pathways (AKT1, AKT2, FOXO1 and SIRT1), as well as the protein expression of cytochrome C and the apoptosis rate were also upregulated.ConclusionIn conclusion, our data suggested that SCD1 is involved in enhancing the palmitic acid tolerance of goose primary hepatocytes by regulating inflammation- and apoptosis-related genes expression.
Tooth loss in patients undergoing long-term maintenance at a private dental clinic in Japan: A retrospective study
Authors: Kawahara Hiroo , Inoue Miho , Okura Kazuo , Oshima Masamitsu , Matsuka Yoshizo
Published: March 2020

Background: Tooth loss is generally considered the final outcome of oral disease. This retrospective study was performed to identify risk factors for tooth loss in patients undergoing long-term maintenance therapy. Methods: We surveyed 1145 adult patients who underwent maintenance therapy for ≥5 years after they had undergone active treatment from January 2015 to December 2016 and established a baseline status. The study variables were patient compliance, sex, number of teeth lost, cause of tooth loss, age at start of maintenance, number of remaining teeth at start of maintenance, duration of maintenance, smoking status, use of salivary secretion inhibitors, and diabetes mellitus. Additionally, 57 patients who did not undergo maintenance therapy were surveyed to examine and compare the effects of maintenance therapy. Statistical analyses were performed to assess the correlation of each variable with tooth loss. Results: The average number of teeth lost under maintenance therapy was 0.07/year. Significantly fewer teeth were lost in the maintenance than non-maintenance group. Most of the teeth lost were non-vital teeth, and the most common cause of tooth loss was tooth fracture. Patient age, number of remaining teeth at start of maintenance, use of salivary secretion inhibitors, and diabetes mellitus were related to tooth loss. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is first large-scale study of tooth loss in patients undergoing long-term maintenance therapy within a general dental clinic. Our findings demonstrate that starting maintenance therapy when patients are younger and possess more teeth may prevent future tooth loss.