bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prospective prediction of PTSD diagnosis in a nationally representative sample using machine learning
Authors: Worthington Michelle A. , Mandavia Amar , Richardson-Vejlgaard Randall
Published: November 2020

Background

Recent research has identified a number of pre-traumatic, peri-traumatic and post-traumatic psychological and ecological factors that put an individual at increased risk for developing PTSD following a life-threatening event. While these factors have been found to be associated with PTSD in univariate analyses, the complex interactions of these risk factors and how they contribute to individual trajectories of the illness are not yet well understood. In this study, we examine the impact of prior trauma, psychopathology, sociodemographic characteristics, community and environmental information, on PTSD onset in a nationally representative sample of adults in the United States, using machine learning methods to establish the relative contributions of each variable.

Methods

Individual risk factors identified in Waves 1 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) were combined with community-level data for the years concurrent to the NESARC Wave 1 (n = 43,093) and 2 (n = 34,653) surveys. Machine learning feature selection and classification analyses were used at the national level to create models using individual- and community-level variables that would best predict the new onset of PTSD at Wave 2.

Results

Our classification algorithms yielded 89.7 to 95.6% accuracy for predicting new onset of PTSD at Wave 2. A prior diagnosis of DSM-IV-TR Borderline Personality Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder or Anxiety Disorder conferred the greatest relative influence in new diagnosis of PTSD. Distal risk factors such as prior psychiatric diagnosis accounted for significantly greater relative risk than proximal factors (such as adverse event exposure).

Conclusions

Our findings show that a machine learning classification approach can successfully integrate large numbers of known risk factors for PTSD into stronger models that account for high-dimensional interactions and collinearity between variables. We discuss the implications of these findings as pertaining to the targeted mobilization emergency mental health resources. These findings also inform the creation of a more comprehensive risk assessment profile to the likelihood of developing PTSD following an extremely adverse event.
Occupational stress and psychological health impact on hypertension of miners in noisy environment in Wulumuqi, China: a case-control study
Authors: Lu Yaoqin , Yan Huan , Yang Jiandong , Liu Jiwen
Published: November 2020

Background

Hypertension has been declared as a global public health crisis by the World Health Organization, because of its high prevalence. It affects the health of one billion people worldwide and is directly responsible for the deaths of more than 10 million people per year. The purpose of our research was to explore the influence of occupational stress and psychological health on hypertension of miners who work in a noisy environment and provide decision reference for relevant departments to keep miners’ health.

Methods

A case-control study was carried out in this research. The study subjects were divided into case groups and control groups based on whether they had hypertension or not. Effort-Reward Imbalance questionnaire and Self-Reporting Inventory questionnaire were used to investigate the psychological health status and occupational stress of the target population. General information was balanced between case and control groups through propensity score matching method. After propensity score matching, a multifactorial analysis was used to explore the impact of occupational stress and psychological health on hypertension.

Results

According to the result of the multivariate analysis, psychological health was hazard to hypertension (t = 5.080,P<0.001) and occupational stress was not a direct risk factor for hypertension (t = 1.760,P = 0.080). The model was statistically significant (χ2 = 20.4,P<0.01).

Conclusions

For miners working in the noisy environment, psychological status was a direct risk factor to hypertension, while occupational stress was an indirect factor.
Area based stratified random sampling using geospatial technology in a community-based survey
Authors: Howell Carrie R. , Su Wei , Nassel Ariann F. , Agne April A. , Cherrington Andrea L.
Published: November 2020

Background

Most studies among Hispanics have focused on individual risk factors of obesity, with less attention on interpersonal, community and environmental determinants. Conducting community based surveys to study these determinants must ensure representativeness of disparate populations. We describe the use of a novel Geographic Information System (GIS)-based population based sampling to minimize selection bias in a rural community based study.

Methods

We conducted a community based survey to collect and examine social determinants of health and their association with obesity prevalence among a sample of Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites living in a rural community in the Southeastern United States. To ensure a balanced sample of both ethnic groups, we designed an area stratified random sampling procedure involving three stages: (1) division of the sampling area into non-overlapping strata based on Hispanic household proportion using GIS software; (2) random selection of the designated number of Census blocks from each stratum; and (3) random selection of the designated number of housing units (i.e., survey participants) from each Census block.

Results

The proposed sample included 109 Hispanic and 107 non-Hispanic participants to be recruited from 44 Census blocks. The final sample included 106 Hispanic and 111 non-Hispanic participants. The proportion of Hispanic surveys completed per strata matched our proposed distribution: 7% for strata 1, 30% for strata 2, 58% for strata 3 and 83% for strata 4.

Conclusion

Utilizing a standardized area based randomized sampling approach allowed us to successfully recruit an ethnically balanced sample while conducting door to door surveys in a rural, community based study. The integration of area based randomized sampling using tools such as GIS in future community-based research should be considered, particularly when trying to reach disparate populations.
Hair cortisol-a method to detect chronic cortisol levels in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome
Authors: Shukur Hasanain Hamid , de Rijke Yolanda B. , van Rossum Elisabeth F. C. , Hussain-Alkhateeb Laith , Höybye Charlotte
Published: November 2020

Background

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a multisymptomatic, rare, genetic, neurodevelopmental disorder in adults mainly characterized by hyperphagia, cognitive dysfunction, behavioral problems and risk of morbid obesity. Although endocrine insufficiencies are common, hypocortisolism is rare and knowledge on long-term cortisol concentrations is lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term cortisol levels in PWS by measurements of hair cortisol.

Methods

Twenty-nine adults with PWS, 15 men and 14 women, median age 29 years, median BMI 27 kg/m2, were included. Scalp hair samples were analyzed for cortisol content using liquid-chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry. In addition, a questionnaire on auxology, medication and stress were included. For comparison, 105 age- and sex-matched participants from the population-based Lifelines Cohort study were included as controls. The mean hair cortisol between the groups were compared and associations between BMI and stress were assessed by a generalized linear regression model.

Results

In the PWS group large variations in hair cortisol was seen. Mean hair cortisol was 12.8 ± 25.4 pg/mg compared to 3.8 ± 7.3 pg/mg in controls (p = 0.001). The linear regression model similarly showed higher cortisol levels in patients with PWS, which remained consistent after adjusting for BMI and stress (p = 0.023). Furthermore, hair cortisol increased with BMI (p = 0.012) and reported stress (p = 0.014).

Conclusion

Long-term cortisol concentrations were higher in patients with PWS compared to controls and increased with BMI and stress, suggesting an adequate cortisol response to chronic stress. Hair cortisol demonstrate promising applications in the context of PWS treatment and disease management.
Study protocol for a diagnostic randomized clinical trial to evaluate the effect of the use of two clinical criteria in the assessment of caries lesions around restorations in adults: the Caries Cognition and Identification in Adults (CaCIA) trial
Authors: Signori Cácia , Moro Bruna Lorena Pereira , Uehara Juliana Lays Stolfo , Romero Vitor Henrique Digmayer , de Oliveira Elenara Ferreira , Braga Mariana Minatel , Mendes Fausto Medeiros , Cenci Maximiliano Sérgio ,   CaCIA Collaborative Group, de Queiroz Ana Beatriz L. , de Avila Alessandra B. , Souza Bruna O. , Signori Cácia , Dias Camila R. , Becker Camila T. , Chaves Eduardo T. , Malhão Eugênia C. , de Oliveira Elenara F. , Uehara Juliana Lays S. , da Silva Fernanda G. , da Silva Fernanda S. , Kucharski Gabriel V. Lima , dos Santos Gabriele R. , Torres Julia M. , Pinto Karoline V. A. , Morel Laura L. , Weymar Leonardo B. , Brod Marcelo P. , Gamborgi Maria F. , Cenci Maximiliano S.
Published: November 2020

Background

The assessment of restored teeth in dentistry remains a challenge, mainly related to the detection of caries around restorations. There is a diversity of clinical criteria available to assess the caries lesions, resulting in differences in the dentists’ diagnosis and treatment decisions. In addition, there is a lack of evidence regarding the best criteria to detect caries lesions around the restorations. Thus, the present protocol aims to evaluate the effect of using 2 visual criteria to assess restored teeth on the outcomes related to oral health in adults.

Methods

The design protocol of the Caries Cognition and Identification in Adults trial correspond to a triple-blind randomized, controlled clinical trial with parallel-groups. Two groups will be compared: patients who will receive the diagnosis and treatment decision according to FDI (World Dental Federation) criteria—FDI group; and patients who will receive diagnosis and treatment decision according to the “Caries Associated with Restorations or Sealants” criteria defined by the International Caries Classification and Management System (ICCMS group). The participants will be followed up after 6, 12, 18, 24, and 60 months, and the restoration failure will be the primary outcome. The analysis will be conducted through Cox regression with shared frailty. The impact of oral health on quality of life and the cost-effectiveness of the methods used will be the secondary outcomes. Two-tailed analyzes will be used, considering a level of significance of 5%.

Discussion

This is the first clinical trial to assess the effect of using two visual methods to detect caries lesions around restorations on the outcomes related to oral health in adults. The findings of this study will define what is the best diagnostic strategy for the assessment of caries around restorations in permanent teeth.

Trial registration NCT03108586 (registered 11 April 2017).
Effects of Er:YAG laser pre-treatment on dentin structure and bonding strength of primary teeth: an in vitro study
Authors: Wang Jun hui , Yang Kuan , Zhang Bai ze , Zhou Zhi fei , Wang Zi rui , Ge Xin , Wang Lu lu , Chen Yu jiang , Wang Xiao jing
Published: November 2020

Background

To investigate the effects of Er:YAG laser pre-treatment on the dentin structure and shear bond strength of primary teeth.

Methods

Dentin specimens were prepared using freshly extracted intact primary molars and divided randomly into four groups based on the surface treatment applied. The control and etchant groups received no treatment and conventional acid etching treatment, respectively, while the energy and frequency groups received laser surface treatment with variable energy (50–300 mJ) and frequency (5–30 Hz) parameters. The morphology was observed using scanning electron microscopy. The surface-treated dentin slices were bonded to resin tablets, followed by thermocycle treatment. The shear strength was determined using a universal testing machine and de-bonded surfaces were observed using a stereomicroscope.

Results

SEM observation showed that the surface morphology of the dentin slices changed after etching as well as after Er:YAG laser pre-treatment with different energy and frequency values. The dentin tubules opened within a specific energy (50–200 mJ) and frequency (5–20 Hz) range. Beyond this range, the intertubular dentin showed cracks and structural disintegration. Shear strength tests showed no significant changes after acid etching. The shear strength increased significantly (P < 0.05) after Er:YAG laser pre-treatment compared with that of the control group. The shear strength increased within the same energy (50–200 mJ) and frequency (5–20 Hz) range as the tubule opening, but not significantly (P > 0.05). The most common mode of interface failure was adhesive (interface) failure, followed by mixed and resin cohesive failure.

Conclusions

Pre-treatment using Er:YAG laser opens the dentinal tubules without the formation of a smear layer and improves the bonding strength between the primary teeth dentin and the resin composites.
Continuous subcutaneous infusion for pain control in dying patients: experiences from a tertiary palliative care center
Authors: Fürst Per , Lundström Staffan , Klepstad Pål , Strang Peter
Published: November 2020

Background

Continuous subcutaneous infusion (CSCI) via ambulatory infusion pump (AIP) is a valuable method of pain control in palliative care. When using CSCI, low-dose methadone as add-on to other opioids might be an option in complex pain situations. This study aimed to investigate the effects, and adverse effects, of CSCI for pain control in dying patients, with particular interest in methadone use.

Methods

This was an observational cohort study. Imminently dying patients with pain, admitted to specialized palliative inpatient wards and introduced on CSCI, were monitored daily by staff for symptoms (Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale - IPOS), sedation (Richmond Agitation and Sedation Scale – RASS), performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group - ECOG) and delirium (Confusion Assessment Method - CAM).

Results

Ninety-three patients with a median survival of 4 days were included. Of the 47 patients who survived ≥3 days, the proportion of patients with severe/overwhelming pain decreased from 45 to 19% (p < 0.001) after starting CSCI, with only a moderate increase in morphine equivalent daily dose of opioids (MEDD). Alertness was marginally decreased (1 point on the 10-point RASS scale, p = 0.001), whereas performance status and prevalence of delirium, regardless of age, remained unchanged.

Both patients with methadone as add-on (MET, n = 13) and patients with only other opioids (NMET, n = 34), improved in pain control (p < 0.05 and 0.001, respectively), despite that MET patients had higher pain scores at baseline (p < 0.05) and were on a higher MEDD (240 mg vs.133 mg). No serious adverse effects demanding treatment stop were reported.

Conclusions

CSCI via AIP is an effective way to reduce pain in dying patients without increased adverse effects. Add-on methadone may be beneficial in patients with severe complex pain.
Distribution of breast lesions diagnosed by cytology examination in symptomatic patients at Eritrean National Health Laboratory, Asmara, Eritrea: a retrospective study
Authors: Embaye Kidane Siele , Raja Saud Mohammed , Gebreyesus Medhanie Haile , Ghebrehiwet Matiwos Araya
Published: November 2020

Background

Fine needle aspiration cytology is a simple, relatively accurate, non-invasive, and cost-effective method of diagnosing most breast pathologies. To date, there is no sufficient data depicting the distribution of breast lesions detected by fine needle aspiration cytology in our healthcare setting. The aim of this study was to elucidate the general distribution of breast lesions diagnosed by cytology test at Eritrean National Health Laboratory.

Methods

This retrospective study was carried out on 905 symptomatic patients between the years 2013 and 2017 at Eritrean National Health Laboratory. Diagnosis was made by fine needle aspiration cytology in patients with palpable breast lump and in some patients direct smear was prepared from a nipple discharge. Statistical analysis was carried out using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23.

Results

A total of 905 patients were included in the study, of whom 871 (96.24%) were females. The age range of patients was from 13 to 93 years with mean and standard deviation of 33 ± 14.9 years. Breast lump, occurring in 892 (98.56%), was the most frequent presenting symptom. Fibroadenoma and fibrocystic breast lesions were the most prevalent lesions accounting for approximately 40% and 15%, respectively. Malignant breast lesions were seen predominantly in females above the age of 40 years with the highest frequency observed in the age range between 51 and 60 years. Pearson Chi-squared test showed significant association between patients’ age above 40 years and the risk of having a malignant breast lesion (p < 0.001). The highest number of benign and malignant breast lesions was documented in 2014 with little fluctuation elsewhere in the study period.

Conclusion

Fine needle aspiration cytology is a procedure of choice for preoperative diagnosis in breast lesions mainly in a resource-limited settings. Our study identified the occurrence of malignant breast lesions in young women, which is of a paramount public health concern. Of note, significant proportion of patients were late to seek medical attention. Therefore, enhancement of community awareness regarding breast disease and implementation of screening programs are necessary to ameliorate the morbidity and mortality associated with the disease.
Exploring socioeconomic inequalities in the use of medicinal herbs among Iranian households: evidence from a national cross-sectional survey
Authors: Rezaei Satar , Ahmadi Sina , Mohamadi-Bolbanabad Amjad , Khanijahani Ahmad
Published: November 2020

Background

Association between socioeconomic status and medicinal herbs (MH) are rarely documented in Iran. Our goal was to measure and decompose socioeconomic inequalities in MH use among Iranian households.

Methods

The data used in this cross-sectional study were extracted from the 2018 Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) (N = 38,859). Data on MH use, age, gender, and education status of the head of household; a constructed wealth index of household (as a proxy for household’s socioeconomic status); and place of residence (urban or rural) were obtained from the survey. Publicly available province-level data on Human Development Index (HDI) were obtained from the Institute for Management Research at Radbound University. We used the concentration curve and the normalized concentration index (Cn) to measure the magnitude of socioeconomic inequalities in MH among Iranian households. The Cn was decomposed to identify the main determinants of socioeconomic inequalities in MH in Iran.

Results

The overall prevalence of MH use among Iranian households was 4.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.5 to 4.9%) in the last month before data collection. The Cn for MH use for the whole of samples was 0.1519; 95% CI = 0.1254 to 0.1784; suggesting a higher concentration of MH use among the households with high socioeconomic level. The decomposition analysis indicated that the main contributing factors to the concentration of MH use were the economic status of households, development status of the province, and education level of the household head.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that MH use is more concentrated among socioeconomically advantaged households in Iran and its provinces. This finding might contrast with the widespread belief that wealthy and socioeconomically advantaged populations, compared to low SES groups, tend to seek disproportionately more modern medical treatments and medications than MH. Understanding the factors affecting MH use, socioeconomic inequality in use of MH and its determinants provide an opportunity for health policymakers to design effective evidence-based interventions among providers and consumers of MH.
The effect of supplemental high Fidelity simulation training in medical students
Authors: Meyers Lori , Mahoney Bryan , Schaffernocker Troy , Way David , Winfield Scott , Uribe Alberto , Mavarez-Martinez Ana , Palettas Marilly , Lipps Jonathan
Published: November 2020

Background

Simulation-based education (SBE) with high-fidelity simulation (HFS) offers medical students early exposure to the clinical environment, allowing development of clinical scenarios and management. We hypothesized that supplementation of standard pulmonary physiology curriculum with HFS would improve the performance of first-year medical students on written tests of pulmonary physiology.

Methods

This observational pilot study included SBE with three HFS scenarios of patient care that highlighted basic pulmonary physiology. First-year medical students’ test scores of their cardio-pulmonary curriculum were compared between students who participated in SBE versus only lecture-based education (LBE). A survey was administered to the SBE group to assess their perception of the HFS.

Results

From a class of 188 first-year medical students, 89 (47%) participated in the SBE and the remaining 99 were considered as the LBE group. On their cardio-pulmonary curriculum test, the SBE group had a median score of 106 [IQR: 97,110] and LBE group of 99 [IQR: 89,105] (p < 0.001). For the pulmonary physiology subsection, scores were also significantly different between groups (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Implementation of supplemental SBE could be an adequate technique to improve learning enhancement and overall satisfaction in preclinical medical students.
Global scientific output trend for Akkermansia muciniphila research: a bibliometric and scientometric analysis
Authors: Dehghanbanadaki Hojat , Aazami Hossein , Keshavarz Azizi Raftar Shahrbanoo , Ashrafian Fatemeh , Ejtahed Hanieh-Sadat , Hashemi Ehsan , Hoseini Tavassol Zahra , Ahmadi Badi Sara , Siadat Seyed Davar
Published: November 2020

Background

Akkermansia muciniphila is an anaerobic bacterium residing in the healthy intestinal tract of host and its quantity has a negative correlation with various host diseases. This study for the first time provides a holistic bibliometric aspect of Akkermansi muciniphila research in the literature and shows the hot topic terms of these articles in any period of time.

Methods

Scopus database was selected to retrieve documents relevant to Akkermansia muciniphila in any language up to 2019. The bibliometric profile of Akkermansia muciniphila articles including subject area, year distribution, citations, institutions, journals, authors, and countries was systematically characterized and the collaboration networks of authors and countries as well as the burst detection algorithm of the words in the titles, abstracts and keywords were visualized.

Results

There is a progressive growing trend in research on Akkermansia from 2004 to 2019 with a total of 566 articles during this period. Out of 353 original articles, there are 194 animal studies (155 studies on mice) and 112 human studies. Also, 65 various diseases were investigated in these studies. The most focused conditions are obesity (71 articles) and type2 diabetes (39 articles). The United States is the leading country on Akkermansia publications (n = 132), followed by China (n = 95). Frontiers in Microbiology is the most dominant journal with 23 Akkermansia publications. In addition, “cancer” is the hot topic of recent Akkermansia research.

Conclusion

Akkermansia research is of progressive interest during the last decade and the studies on this subject move towards its relationship with cancer and its promising effect on health.
Recognition and management of agitation in acute mental health services: a qualitative evaluation of staff perceptions
Authors: Tucker Joshua , Whitehead Lisa , Palamara Peter , Rosman Josephine Xenia , Seaman Karla
Published: November 2020

Background

Agitation among patients is a common and distressing behaviour across a variety of health care settings, particularly inpatient mental health. Unless recognised early and effectively managed it can lead to aggression and personal injury. The aim of this paper is to explore the experiences of mental health nurses in recognising and managing agitation in an inpatient mental health setting and the alignment of these experiences with best practice and person-centred care.

Methods

This study used a descriptive qualitative methodology. Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with 20 nurses working in a mental health unit in 2018. Nursing staff described their experiences of assessing and managing agitation. Descriptive and Thematic Analysis were undertaken of the transcribed focus group dialogue.

Results

Nurses combined their clinical knowledge, assessment protocols and training with information from patients to make an individualised assessment of agitation. Nurses also adopted an individualised approach to management by engaging patients in decisions about their care. In keeping with best practice recommendations, de-escalation strategies were the first choice option for management, though nurses also described using both coercive restraint and medication under certain circumstances. From the perspective of patient-centred care, the care provided aligned with elements of person-centred care nursing care.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that clinical mental health nurses assess and manage agitation, with certain exceptions, in line with best practice and a person-centred care nursing framework.
Factors influencing recruitment and retention of male nurses in Macau and mainland China: a collaborative, qualitative study
Authors: Mao Aimei , Wang Jialin , Zhang Yuan , Cheong Pak Leng , Van Iat Kio , Tam Hon Lon
Published: November 2020

Background

Macau and the Mainland China have different political and socio-economic policies but are both influenced by Chinese culture. By comparing the professional development experiences of male nurses from Macau and the Mainland, this study aims to explore factors influencing the recruitment and retention of male nurses.

Methods

A collaborative, qualitative approach was adopted in which researchers from Macau and the Mainland were jointly involved in carrying out interviews and analyzing data. A total of 24 clinical male nurses were invited, with 12 each from Macau the Mainland. Recruitment was based on purposive sampling from various health institutions in the two regions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2017–2018 with similar interview guidelines for both Macau and the Mainland sites. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis, and Nvivo11 Plus software was used to facilitate the analysis.

Results

Key facilitators/barriers to recruitment and retention of male nurses were clustered under the two research questions: 1) What are the factors influencing the recruitment of male nurses? 2) What are the factors influencing the retention of male nurses? Males in Macau and the Mainland experienced pressure while entering nursing because of the stereotype that nursing is a feminine occupation. However, males in Macau chose nursing as a college major under their own volition while males in the Mainland were mostly forced into nursing. The males in Macau hardly thought of leaving nursing while their Mainland counterparts constantly felt uncertain about their professional future. The males on both sides hoped to thrive in career development. While the Macanese tended to pursue advanced programs in specialty nursing for better health care in the frontline, the Mainlanders wanted to get promoted to leave the frontline.

Conclusion

Male nurses in Macau and Mainland share some common experiences in professional development but have different views and values regarding nursing.
Computer-assisted textual analysis of free-text comments in the Swiss Cancer Patient Experiences (SCAPE) survey
Authors: Arditi Chantal , Walther Diana , Gilles Ingrid , Lesage Saphir , Griesser Anne-Claude , Bienvenu Christine , Eicher Manuela , Peytremann-Bridevaux Isabelle
Published: November 2020

Background

Patient experience surveys are increasingly conducted in cancer care as they provide important results to consider in future development of cancer care and health policymaking. These surveys usually include closed-ended questions (patient-reported experience measures (PREMs)) and space for free-text comments, but published results are mostly based on PREMs. We aimed to identify the underlying themes of patients’ experiences as shared in their own words in the Swiss Cancer Patient Experiences (SCAPE) survey and compare these themes with those assessed with PREMs to investigate how the textual analysis of free-text comments contributes to the understanding of patients’ experiences of care.

Methods

SCAPE is a multicenter cross-sectional survey that was conducted between October 2018 and March 2019 in French-speaking parts of Switzerland. Patients were invited to rate their care in 65 closed-ended questions (PREMs) and to add free-text comments regarding their cancer-related experiences at the end of the survey. We conducted computer-assisted textual analysis using the IRaMuTeQ software on the comments provided by 31% (n = 844) of SCAPE survey respondents (n = 2755).

Results

We identified five main thematic classes, two of which consisting of a detailed description of ‘cancer care pathways’. The remaining three classes were related to ‘medical care’, ‘gratitude and praise’, and the way patients lived with cancer (‘cancer and me’). Further analysis of this last class showed that patients’ comments related to the following themes: ‘initial shock’, ‘loneliness’, ‘understanding and acceptance’, ‘cancer repercussions’, and ‘information and communication’. While closed-ended questions related mainly to factual aspects of experiences of care, free-text comments related primarily to the personal and emotional experiences and consequences of having cancer and receiving care.

Conclusions

A computer-assisted textual analysis of free-text in our patient survey allowed a time-efficient classification of free-text data that provided insights on the personal experience of living with cancer and additional information on patient experiences that had not been collected with the closed-ended questions, underlining the importance of offering space for comments. Such results can be useful to inform questionnaire development, provide feedback to professional teams, and guide patient-centered initiatives to improve the quality and safety of cancer care.
Development and evaluation of duplex TaqMan real-time PCR assay for detection and differentiation of wide-type and MGF505-2R gene-deleted African swine fever viruses
Authors: Guo Zhenhua , Li Kunpeng , Qiao Songlin , Chen Xin-xin , Deng Ruiguang , Zhang Gaiping
Published: November 2020

Background

African swine fever (ASF) is the most important disease to the pigs and cause serious economic losses to the countries with large-scale swine production. Vaccines are recognized as the most useful tool to prevent and control ASF virus (ASFV) infection. Currently, the MGF505 and MGF360 gene-deleted ASFVs or combined with CD2v deletion were confirmed to be the most promising vaccine candidates. Thus, it is essential to develop a diagnosis method to discriminate wide-type strain from the vaccines used.

Results

In this study, we established a duplex TaqMan real-time PCR based on the B646L gene and MGF505-2R gene. The sequence alignment showed that the targeted regions of primers and probes are highly conserved in the genotype II ASFVs. The duplex real-time assay can specifically detect B646L and MGF505-2R gene single or simultaneously without cross-reaction with other porcine viruses tested. The limit of detection was 5.8 copies and 3.0 copies for the standard plasmids containing B646L and MGF505-2R genes, respectively. Clinical samples were tested in parallel by duplex real-time PCR and a commercial ASFV detection kit. The detection results of these two assays against B646L gene were well consistent.

Conclusion

We successfully developed and evaluated a duplex TaqMan real-time PCR method which can effectively distinguish the wide type and MGF505 gene-deleted ASFVs. It would be a useful tool for the clinical diagnosis and control of ASF.
The association between SAα2,3Gal occurrence frequency and avian influenza viral load in mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and blue-winged teals (Spatula discors)
Authors: Dolinski Amanda C. , Jankowski Mark D. , Fair Jeanne M. , Owen Jennifer C.
Published: November 2020

Background

Individual heterogeneity in pathogen load can affect disease transmission dynamics; therefore, identifying intrinsic factors responsible for variation in pathogen load is necessary for determining which individuals are prone to be most infectious. Because low pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIV) preferentially bind to alpha-2,3 sialic acid receptors (SAα2,3Gal) in the intestines and bursa of Fabricius in wild ducks (AnasandSpatulaspp.), we investigated juvenile mallards (Anas platyrhyncos) and blue-winged teals (Anas discors) orally inoculated with A/northern pintail/California/44221–761/2006 (H5N9) and the virus titer relationship to occurrence frequency of SAα2,3Gal in the intestines and bursa. To test the natural variation of free-ranging duck populations, birds were hatched and raised in captivity from eggs collected from nests of free-ranging birds in North Dakota, USA. Data generated from qPCR were used to quantify virus titers in cloacal swabs, ileum tissue, and bursa of Fabricius tissue, and lectin histochemistry was used to quantify the occurrence frequency of SAα2,3Gal. Linear mixed models were used to analyze infection status, species, and sex-based differences. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between virus titer and SAα2,3Gal occurrence frequency.

Results

In mallards, we found high individual variation in virus titers significantly related to high variation of SAα2,3Gal in the ileum. In contrast to mallards, individual variation in teals was minimal and significant relationships between virus titers and SAα2,3Gal were not determined. Collectively, teals had both higher virus titers and a higher occurrence frequency of SAα2,3Gal compared to mallards, which may indicate a positive association between viral load and SAα2,3Gal. Statistically significant differences were observed between infected and control birds indicating that LPAIV infection may influence the occurrence frequency of SAα2,3Gal, or vice versa, but only in specific tissues.

Conclusions

The results of this study provide quantitative evidence that SAα2,3Gal abundance is related to LPAIV titers; thus, SAα2,3Gal should be considered a potential intrinsic factor influencing variation in LPAIV load.
The association between serum vitamin D and obstructive sleep apnea: an updated meta-analysis
Authors: Li Xiaoyan , He Jie , Yun Jie
Published: November 2020

Background

The objective was to determine whether OSA patients have a low serum vitamin D level by systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods

This study searched the following electronic bibliographic databases: Embase, Medline, Web of Science, PubMed, VIP, Wanfang, CNKI and SinoMed. All data were searched between January 2000 and August 2020. The quality of the included studies was estimated by two researchers according to the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. All qualified studies and statistical analyses were conducted using RevMan 5.2.

Results

Twenty-nine eligible studies compromising 6717 participants met the inclusion criteria of the meta-analysis. The results revealed that the serum 25(OH)D level was significantly lower in OSA patients than the controls. According to the severity of the disease, subgroup analysis was performed; the results demonstrated that the serum 25(OH)D level was not decreased in mild OSA patients compared with the controls, while the serum 25(OH)D level in moderate and severe OSA patients was lower than that in the controls. Furthermore, based on ethnicity, BMI, PSG type, study quality and latitude, the subjects were divided into different subgroups for meta-analysis. The results revealed that the serum 25(OH)D level in all OSA subgroups was decreased compared with that in the control group.

Conclusions

The present meta-analysis shows that the serum vitamin D level was different between OSA patients and healthy people. OSA patients could have a low serum vitamin D level.
Construction and description of a constitutive plipastatin mono-producing Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Vahidinasab Maliheh , Lilge Lars , Reinfurt Aline , Pfannstiel Jens , Henkel Marius , Morabbi Heravi Kambiz , Hausmann Rudolf
Published: November 2020

Background

Plipastatin is a potentBacillusantimicrobial lipopeptide with the prospect to replace conventional antifungal chemicals for controlling plant pathogens. However, the application of this lipopeptide has so far been investigated in a few cases, principally because of the yield in low concentration and unknown regulation of biosynthesis pathways.B. subtilissynthesizes plipastatin by a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase encoded by theppsABCDEoperon. In this study,B. subtilis3NA (a non-sporulation strain) was engineered to gain more insights about plipastatin mono-production.

Results

The 4-phosphopantetheinyl transferase Sfp posttranslationally converts non-ribosomal peptide synthetases from inactive apoforms into their active holoforms. In case of 3NA strain,sfpgene is inactive. Accordingly, the first step was an integration of a repairedsfpversion in 3NA to construct strain BMV9. Subsequently, plipastatin production was doubled after integration of a fully expresseddegQversion fromB. subtilisDSM10Tstrain (strain BMV10), ensuring stimulation of DegU-P regulatory pathway that positively controls theppsABSDEoperon. Moreover, markerless substitution of the comparably weak native plipastatin promoter (Ppps) against the strong constitutive promoter Pvegled to approximately fivefold enhancement of plipastatin production in BMV11 compared to BMV9. Intriguingly, combination of both repaireddegQexpression and promoter exchange (Ppps::Pveg) did not increase the plipastatin yield. Afterwards, deletion of surfactin (srfAA-AD) operon by the retaining the regulatorycomSwhich is located withinsrfABand is involved in natural competence development, resulted in the loss of plipastatin production in BMV9 and significantly decreased the plipastatin production of BMV11. We also observed that supplementation of ornithine as a precursor for plipastatin formation caused higher production of plipastatin in mono-producer strains, albeit with a modified pattern of plipastatin composition.

Conclusions

This study provides evidence thatdegQstimulates the native plipastatin production. Moreover, a full plipastatin production requires surfactin synthetase or some of its components. Furthermore, as another conclusion of this study, results point towards ornithine provision being an indispensable constituent for a plipastatin mono-producerB. subtilisstrain. Therefore, targeting the ornithine metabolic flux might be a promising strategy to further investigate and enhance plipastatin production byB. subtilisplipastatin mono-producer strains.
An automated oxystat fermentation regime for microoxic cultivation of Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense
Authors: Riese Cornelius N. , Uebe René , Rosenfeldt Sabine , Schenk Anna S. , Jérôme Valérie , Freitag Ruth , Schüler Dirk
Published: November 2020

Background

Magnetosomes produced by magnetotactic bacteria represent magnetic nanoparticles with unprecedented characteristics. However, their use in many biotechnological applications has so far been hampered by their challenging bioproduction at larger scales.

Results

Here, we developed an oxystat batch fermentation regime for microoxic cultivation of Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense in a 3 L bioreactor. An automated cascade regulation enabled highly reproducible growth over a wide range of precisely controlled oxygen concentrations (1–95% of air saturation). In addition, consumption of lactate as the carbon source and nitrate as alternative electron acceptor were monitored during cultivation. While nitrate became growth limiting during anaerobic growth, lactate was the growth limiting factor during microoxic cultivation. Analysis of microoxic magnetosome biomineralization by cellular iron content, magnetic response, transmission electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering revealed magnetosomal magnetite crystals were highly uniform in size and shape.

Conclusion

The fermentation regime established in this study facilitates stable oxygen control during culturing of Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense. Further scale-up seems feasible by combining the stable oxygen control with feeding strategies employed in previous studies. Results of this study will facilitate the highly reproducible laboratory-scale bioproduction of magnetosomes for a diverse range of future applications in the fields of biotechnology and biomedicine.
Integrative in silico and in vitro transcriptomics analysis revealed new lncRNAs related to intrinsic apoptotic genes in colorectal cancer
Authors: Akbari Fatemeh , Peymani Maryam , Salehzadeh Ali , Ghaedi Kamran
Published: November 2020

Background

Pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC) is connected to deregulation of apoptosis while the effect of lncRNAs, as critical regulatory molecules, on this pathway is not clear well. The present study aimed to identify differential expression of genes and their related lncRNAs which are significantly associated with intrinsic apoptotic pathway in CRC.

Methods

The connection between CRC and apoptosis was investigated by literature reviews and the genes were enriched by using Enrichr. At the next step, differential expression of enriched genes were evaluated between normal and tumor populations in data sets and were downloaded from GEO. Then, meta-analysis and probe re-annotation were performed. For lncRNAs selection through the highest expression correlation with each of candidate genes, mRNA-lncRNA interaction of screened genes and all of lncRNAs were visualized using Cytoscape. Identified differential expression genes and lncRNAs were validated using TCGA-COAD and the obtained data were confirmed by in vitro studies in the presence of Ag@Glu-TSC nanoparticle as an apoptotic inducer. Cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction effect of Ag@Glu-TSC on Caco-2 cells was determined via MTT and Annexin V/PI, respectively. The expression of genes and lncRNAs were assayed in presence of mentioned nanoparticle. Finally, the expression level of desired genes and lncRNAs were proven in CRC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues.

Results

After detection of 48 genes associated with intrinsic apoptosis in CRC according to literature, Enrichr screened 12 common genes involved in this pathway. Among them, 6 genes includingBCL2,BCL2L11,BAD,CASP7,CASP9, andCYCSexpression reduced in tumor tissue compared to normal according to meta-analysis studies and RNA-seq TCGA data. Afterwards, association of 8 lncRNAs comprisingCDKN2B-AS1,LOC102724156,HAGLR,ABCC13,LOC101929340,LINC00675,FAM120AOS,PDCD4-AS1with more than 5 candidate genes were identified. In vitro studies revealed that four selected lncRNAs including,CDKN2B-AS1,LOC102724156,HAGLRandFAM120AOSwere significantly increased in the presence of in optimum concentration of Ag@Glu/TSC and decreased in tumor tissues versus adjacent normal tissues.

Conclusion

This study developed a new data mining method to screen differentially expressed lncRNAs which are involved in regulation of intrinsic apoptosis pathway in CRC quickly using published gene expression profiling microarrays. Moreover, we could validate a number of these regulators in the cellular and laboratory disease models.
Identification of RASSF1A promoter hypermethylation as a biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Xu Gang , Zhou Xiaoxiang , Xing Jiali , Xiao Yao , Jin Bao , Sun Lejia , Yang Huayu , Du Shunda , Xu Haifeng , Mao Yilei
Published: November 2020

Background

RAS association domain family protein 1A (RASSF1A) promoter hypermethylation is suggested to be linked to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the results remained controversial.

Methods

We evaluated how RASSF1A promoter hypermethylation affects HCC risk and its clinicopathological characteristics through meta-analysis. Data on DNA methylation in HCC and relevant clinical data were also collected based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to investigate the prognostic role of RASSF1A promoter hypermethylation in HCC.

Results

Forty-four articles involving 4777 individuals were enrolled in the pooled analyses. The RASSF1A promoter methylation rate was notably higher in the HCC cases than the non-tumor cases and healthy individuals, and was significantly related to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection-positivity and large tumor size. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis revealed that HCC cases with RASSF1A promoter hypermethylation had worse outcomes. Receiver operating characteristic curves confirmed that RASSF1A promoter methylation may be a marker of HCC-related prognoses.

Conclusions

RASSF1A promoter hypermethylation is a promising biomarker for the diagnosis of HCC from tissue and peripheral blood, and is an emerging therapeutic target against HCC.
Molecular epidemiology of Plasmodium falciparum by multiplexed amplicon deep sequencing in Senegal
Authors: Ndiaye Tolla , Sy Mouhamad , Gaye Amy , Siddle Katherine J. , Park Daniel J. , Bei Amy K. , Deme Awa B. , Mbaye Aminata , Dieye Baba , Ndiaye Yaye Die , Ndiaye Ibrahima Mbaye , Diallo Mamadou Alpha , Diongue Khadim , Volkman Sarah K. , Badiane Aida Sadikh , Ndiaye Daouda
Published: November 2020

Background

Molecular epidemiology can provide important information regarding the genetic diversity and transmission ofPlasmodium falciparum, which can assist in designing and monitoring elimination efforts. However, malaria molecular epidemiology including understanding the genetic diversity of the parasite and performing molecular surveillance of transmission has been poorly documented in Senegal. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) offers a practical, fast and high-throughput approach to understand malaria population genetics. This study aims to unravel the population structure ofP. falciparumand to estimate the allelic diversity, multiplicity of infection (MOI), and evolutionary patterns of the malaria parasite using the NGS platform.

Methods

Multiplex amplicon deep sequencing of merozoite surface protein 1 (PfMSP1) and merozoite surface protein 2 (PfMSP2) in fifty-threeP. falciparumisolates from two epidemiologically different areas in the South and North of Senegal, was carried out.

Results

A total of 76Pfmsp1and 116Pfmsp2clones were identified and 135 different alleles were found, 56 and 79 belonged to thepfmsp1andpfmsp2genes, respectively. K1 and IC3D7 allelic families were most predominant in both sites. The local haplotype diversity (Hd) and nucleotide diversity (π) were higher in the South than in the North for both genes. Forpfmsp1, a high positive Tajima’s D (TD) value was observed in the South (D = 2.0453) while negative TD value was recorded in the North (D = − 1.46045) and F-Statistic (Fst) was 0.19505. Forpfmsp2, non-directional selection was found with a highly positive TD test in both areas and Fst was 0.02111. The mean MOI for both genes was 3.07 and 1.76 for the South and the North, respectively, with a statistically significant difference between areas (p = 0.001).

Conclusion

This study revealed a high genetic diversity ofpfmsp1andpfmsp2genes and low genetic differentiation inP. falciparumpopulation in Senegal. The MOI means were significantly different between the Southern and Northern areas. Findings also showed that multiplexed amplicon deep sequencing is a useful technique to investigate genetic diversity and molecular epidemiology ofP. falciparuminfections.