bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association Between Developmental Dental Anomalies, Early Childhood Caries And Oral Hygiene Status Of 3-5-year-old Children In Ile-ife, Nigeria
Authors: Folayan Morenike Oluwatoyin , Alade Michael , Adeniyi Abiola , Tantawi Maha El , Finlayson Tracy L
Published: December 2019

Background: To determine the association between developmental dental anomalies (DDA), early childhood caries (ECC) and oral hygiene status of 3-5-year-old children resident in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. We analyzed data for 3-5-year-olds extracted from the dataset of a household survey collected to determine the association between ECC and maternal psychosocial wellbeing in children 0-5-year-olds. The outcome variables for the study were ECC and poor oral hygiene. The explanatory variable was the presence of developmental dental anomalies (supernumerary, supplemental, mesiodens, hypodontia, macrodontia, microdontia, peg-shaped lateral, dens evaginatus, dens invaginatus, talons cusp, fusion/germination, hypoplasia, hypomineralized second molar, fluorosis, amelogenesis imperfecta). The prevalence of each anomaly was determined. Poisson regression analysis was conducted to determine the association between presence of developmental dental anomalies, ECC and oral hygiene status. The model was adjusted for sex, age and socioeconomic status. Results: Of the 918 children examined, 75 (8.2%) had DDA, 43 (4.7%) had ECC, and 38 (4.1%) had poor oral hygiene. The most prevalent DDA was enamel hypoplasia (3.9%). Of the 43 children with ECC, 6 (14.0%) had enamel hypoplasia and 3 (7.6%) had hypomineralized second primary molar. There was a significant association between ECC and enamel hypoplasia (p<0.001) and a borderline association between ECC and hypomineralized second primary molars (p=0.05). The proportion of children with poor oral hygiene (PR: 2.03; 95% CI: 0.91-4.56; p=0.09) and ECC (PR: 2.02; 95% CI: 0.92-4.46; p=0.08) who had DDA was twice that of children with good oral hygiene and without ECC respectively, although the differences did not reach statistical significance.
Breakfast consumption is inversely associated with primary headaches in university students: The MEPHASOUS study
Authors: Mansouri Masoume , Sharifi Farshad , Shokri Azad , Varmaghani Mehdi , Yaghubi Hamid , Moghadas-Tabrizi Yousef , Sadeghi Omid
Published: December 2019

Background The prevalence of primary headaches has been increasing at an alarming rate, particularly in university students. Previous studies have shown that diet-related behaviors can affect neurological disorders. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the association between breakfast consumption patterns and primary headaches in a large population of university students.Methods In total, 83,677 university students, aged ≥18 years, from 28 provinces of Iran were included in the current cross-sectional study. Dietary intakes and breakfast consumption patterns were assessed using a validated self-administered dietary habits questionnaire. Primary headaches were determined according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders-3 (ICHD-3) criteria.Results The mean age of participants was 21.50 ± 4.01. Primary headaches were prevalent among 9% of university students. A significant inverse association was seen between breakfast consumption and odds of primary headaches (OR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.51-0.62). This association remained significant even after taking potential confounders into account; such that students who consumed breakfast frequently had 26% lower odds of primary headaches compared with those who consumed it rarely (OR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.65-0.85). Moreover, such a significant inverse association was observed in female students (OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.49-0.61) as well as those with normal weight (OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.58-0.79). However, it became non-significant in male students and those with overweight or obesity.Conclusions We found that frequent breakfast consumption was inversely associated with the odds of primary headaches. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm our findings.
Occurrence and removal of illicit drugs in different wastewater treatment plants with different treatment techniques
Authors: Deng Yanghui , Guo Changsheng , Zhang Heng , Yin Xingxing , Chen Like , Wu Daishe , Xu Jian
Published: December 2019

BackgroundAs a class of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), illicit drugs should be taken into account in the water management because of their social and public health risks. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are usually considered as the source and sink of contaminants, and drug residues are observed in their effluents due to the inefficient removal of CECs. In this study, wastewater samples were collected from eight WWTPs in Changzhou City for assessment of the abuse of 12 illicit drugs in the city by Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) method.ResultsDrug concentrations ranged from <LOD-51.62 ng/L and <LOD-22.44 ng/L in influent and effluent samples, respectively. The highest removal rate of drugs was 79.0% in the WWTP which used sequencing batch reactor activated sludge (SBR) process method, while the lowest was found in the WWTP using anoxic oxic (A/O) process (47.0%), indicating that the drug removal rates were closely related to the treatment techniques. WBE method was applied to estimate the population normalized illicit drugs consumption. It demonstrated that methamphetamine (METH) was the most abused drug in Changzhou City, ranging from 0.16-20.65 mg/d/1000 inh, while other target drugs ranged from <LOD-1.52 mg/d/1000 inh. Consumption of cocaine (COC) and ecstasy was very low among the samples. Conclusion﻿Overall, this research suggests that the SBR process is the best for removing illicit drugs. WBE can be readily to monitor the abuse of drugs in those regions, compared with traditional monitoring models. Much attention should be paid by regulatory and management communities to METH and KET abuse in Changzhou City.
Development and Validation of a Shared Governance Feasibility Instrument in Nursing Schools in Iran
Authors: Sattarzadeh-Pashabeig Maryam , –Shoorideh Foroozan Atashzadeh , Sadoughi Mohammad-Mehdi , Khachian Alice , Zagheri-Tafreshi Mansoureh , Stievano Alessandro
Published: December 2019

Aim: To develop and validate a shared governance feasibility instrument in schools of nursing in Iran with respect to the nature of the profession and the sociocultural context of the Iranian community. Background: Nursing schools are liable to the application of shared governance due to the presence of various expert educational groups within the school that necessitates reciprocal cooperation. Since the concept of shared governance is culture-based and given that no full-fledged study has been conducted on shared governance in Iran, the development of a suitable shared governance feasibility instrument is rendered as mandatory. Methods: This sequential exploratory mixed method study consisted of two qualitative and quantitative parts was accomplished 2016-2019. First, the primary items were extracted through extensive review of literature and qualitative interviews and underwent psychometric validation using a methodological approach. Face, content, construct validity, reliability of the instrument was established were done. Results: 150 items were distilled from the first stage of the study, was reduced to 70 after establishing face and content validity, and primary reliability. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in 52 items covering the two factors “shared atmosphere and culture” and “infrastructural prerequisites”. These two factors accounted for 78.6% of the total variance of the questionnaire. In calculating the final reliability coefficient of the instrument, Cronbach’s alpha and Omega were 0.981 and 0.805, respectively. The results showed an ICC of 0.91 indicating high reliability of the developed instrument with standard error of measurement (SEM) of 10.43. Finally, the items underwent weighting via scoring by considering item weights due to differences between the two methods. Conclusion: “Shared governance feasibility instrument” can provide a new insight to organizational performance for all policy-makers and beneficiaries of higher education. This not only leads to the use of intelligence and capabilities of the beneficiaries, but also aids in faster movement toward achieving organizational goals. Implications for Nursing Management : This study and the developed instrument may serve as guide for the feasibility of implementing shared governance to assess management styles and performance in higher education centers. Key Words: Nursing education, Nursing schools, Psychometrics, Shared governance
Association of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE) Levels with Biomarkers of Placental Development and Disease during Mid-gestation
Authors: Varshavsky Julia , Robinson Joshua F. , Zhou Yan , Puckett Kenisha A. , Kwan Elaine , Buarpung Sirirak , Aburajab Rayyan , Gaw Stephanie L. , Sen Saunak , Smith Sabrina Crispo , Frankenfield Julie , Park June-Soo , Fisher Susan J. , Woodruff Tracey J.
Published: December 2019

BackgroundPolybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) exposures have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. A hypothesized mechanism is via alterations in placental development and function. However, we lack biomarkers that can be used as early indicators of maternal/fetal response to PBDE exposures and/or perturbations in placental development or function. MethodsTo evaluate the relationship between PBDE levels and placental biomarkers during mid-gestation of human pregnancy (n = 62), we immunolocalized three molecules that play key roles in cytotrophoblast (CTB) differentiation and interstitial/endovascular uterine invasion—integrin alpha-1 (ITGA1), vascular endothelial-cadherin (CDH5), and metalloproteinase-1 (MMP1)–and assessed three morphological parameters as potential indicators of pathological alterations using H&E-stained tissues–leukocyte infiltration, fibrinoid deposition, and CTB endovascular invasion. We evaluated associations between placental PBDE levels and of biomarkers of placental development and disease using censored Kendall’s tau correlation and linear regression methods. ResultsPBDEs were detected in all placental samples. We observed substantial variation in antigen expression and morphological endpoints across placental regions. We observed an association between PBDE levels and immunoreactivity of endovascular CTB staining with anti-ITGA1 (inverse) or interstitial CTBs staining with anti-CDH5 (positive). ConclusionsWe found several molecular markers that may be sensitive placental indicators of PBDE exposure. Further, this indicates that placental biomarkers of development and disease could be useful barometers of exposure to PBDEs, a paradigm that could be extended to other environmental chemicals and placental stage-specific antigens.
Effect of resveratrol administration on ovarian morphology, determined by transvaginal ultrasound in patients with PCOS
Authors: Taheri Amir Pejman Hashemi , Moradi Behnaz , Radmard Amir Reza , Sanginabadi Milad , Qorbani Mostafa , Mohajeri-Tehrani Mohammad Reza , Shirzad Nooshin , Hosseini Saeed , Hekmatdoost Azita , Asadi Sedigheh , Samadi Majid , Mansour Asieh
Published: December 2019

Background High rate of anovulation in PCOS is associated with lack of development a dominant follicle. Intake of resveratrol has been associated with improved ovarian morphology in vitro and in animal PCOS model, but this finding has not been confirmed in randomized trials.Methods We randomly assigned 41 patients with PCOS, but without evidence of major medical disorders and who was not taking confounding medications including insulin sensitizers and steroids to received 1000 mg capsules containing resveratrol or matching placebo daily for up to 3 months. Transvaginal ultrasound examination was used to evaluate ovarian morphology.Results Resveratrol therapy, as compared with placebo, was associated with significantly higher rate of improvement in ovarian morphology (resveratrol group: 5 no polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM), 8 bilateral and 6 unilateral and placebo group: 10 bilateral and 7 unilateral, (p= 0.02)). Women who received resveratrol had more dominant follicle than who received placebo with a significant reduction in ovarian volume (p<0.05). However, the number of antral follicles per ovary (FNPO) and stromal area were not significantly altered (P>0.05).Conclusions This study offered the novel therapeutic approach of resveratrol administration for PCOS women.
Contribution of major food companies and their products to household dietary sodium purchases in Australia
Authors: Coyle Daisy Hannah , Shahid Maria , Dunford Elizabeth K , Mhurchu Cliona Ni , Mckee Sarah , Santos Myla , Popkin Barry M , Trieu Kathy , Marklund Matti , Taylor Fraser , Neal Bruce , Wu Jason HY
Published: December 2019

Background: The Australian federal government will soon release voluntary sodium reduction targets for 30 packaged food categories through the Healthy Food Partnership. Previous assessments of voluntary targets show variable industry engagement and little is known about the extent that major food companies and their products contribute to dietary sodium purchases among Australian households. Methods: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to identify the relative contribution that food companies and their products made to Australian household sodium purchases in 2018, and to examine differences in sodium purchases by household income level. We used one year of grocery purchase data from a nationally representative consumer panel of Australian households who reported their grocery purchases (the Nielsen Homescan panel), combined with database that contains product-specific sodium content for packaged foods and beverages (FoodSwitch). The top food companies and food categories were ranked according to their contribution to household sodium purchases. Differences in per capita sodium purchases by income levels were assessed by 1-factor ANOVA. All analyses were modelled to the Australian population in 2018 using sample weights. Results: Sodium data were available from 7,188 households who purchased 26,728 unique products and purchased just under 7.5 million food product units. Out of 1,329 food companies, the top 10 accounted for 58% of all sodium purchased from packaged foods and beverages. The top three companies were grocery food retailers each contributing 12-15% of sodium purchases from sales of their private label products, particularly processed meat, cheese and bread. Out of the 67 food categories, the top 10 accounted for 73% of sodium purchased, particularly driven by purchases of processed meat (14%), bread (12%) and sauces (11%). Low-income Australian households purchased significantly more sodium from packaged products than high-income households per capita (452mg/d, 95%CI: 363-540mg/d, P<0.001). Conclusions: A small number of food companies and food categories account for most of the dietary sodium purchased by Australian households. Prioritizing government engagement with these groups could deliver a large reduction in population sodium intake.
Ticks and associated pathogens in camels (Camelus dromedarius) from Riyadh province, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alanazi Abdullah Daria , Nguyen Viet Linh , Alyousif Mohamed Saleh , Manoj Ranju Ravindran Santhakumari , Alouffi Abdulaziz Saleh , Donato Ridolfi , Sazmand Alireza , Mendoza-Roldan Jairo Alfonso , Dantas-Torres Filipe , Otranto Domenico
Published: December 2019

Background Camel production in Saudi Arabia is severely affected by various diseases and by inadequate veterinary services. Ticks and tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) represent a major threat to the health of camels consequently affecting their productivity and performances. In addition, camels may act as hosts for TBPs (e.g. Anaplasma phagocytophilum ) causing diseases in humans. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of ixodid ticks and molecularly investigate the associated pathogens in camels from Saudi Arabia.Methods Blood and tick samples were collected from camels (n=170) in Riyad Province of Saudi Arabia. Ticks were morphologically identified and blood of camels were molecularly screened for apicomplexan (i.e. Babesia spp ., Theileria spp., Hepatozoon spp.) and rickettsial parasites (i.e. Ehrlichia spp. and Anaplasma spp.).Results Of the 170 camels examined, 116 (68.2%; 95% CI: 60.9–75.1) were infested by ticks with a mean intensity of 2.53 (95% CI =2.4–2.6). In total of 296 ticks collected, Hyalomma dromedarii was the most prevalent (76.4%), followed by Hyalomma impeltatum (23.3%) and Hyalomma excavatum (0.3%). Of the tested animals, 13 (7.6%; 95% CI: 4.3–12.8) scored positive to at least one TBP, with Anaplasma platys (5.3%; 95% CI: 2.7–9.9) being the most prevalent species, followed by Anaplasma phagocytophilum , Anaplasma sp., Ehrlichia canis and Hepatozoon canis (0.6% each; 95% CI: 0.04–3.4). None of the camels were found to be co-infected with more than one pathogen. All samples tested negative for Babesia spp. and Theileria spp.Conclusions Current study reveals the occurrence of different tick species and tick-borne pathogens in camels from Saudi Arabia. Importantly, these camels may carry A. phagocytophilum and A. platys , representing a potential risk to humans.
Role of awareness on cervical cancer screening uptake among HIV positive women in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study
Authors: Emru Kassahun , Abebaw Tsega-Ab , Abaerei Admas Abera
Published: December 2019

Background: Cervical cancer is the second commonest cancer among women living in less developed countries. Women infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are at increased risk. However cervical cancer screening for HIV infected women has been started in limited centers in Addis Ababa, data on the uptake of this service are lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the level and predictors of cervical cancer screening uptake among HIV positive women in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire on 411 HIV infected women in St. Paul's and Zewditu Hospitals, from April 20, 2015-May 10, 2015. Both bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess predictors of cervical cancer screening uptake. Results: Only 25.5% of the respondents had undergone cervical screening. Respondents who hadn't heard about cervical cancer and the screening were 75% and 78% less likely to be screened than those who had heard about it respectively. Conclusion: The uptake of cervical cancer screening was very low. Awareness about cervical cancer and screening were predictive factors. To increase the level of screening, specific awareness programs should be implemented by relevant authorities. Keywords: Cervical cancer, HIV, Screening, Women, Awareness
Assessing Resident Diagnostic Skills Using a Modified Bronchiolitis Score
Authors: Rivera-Sepulveda Andrea V , Isona Muguette
Published: December 2019

Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate resident’s assessment of respiratory distress compared to attending’s assessment in the academic setting. Results: We evaluated resident’s assessment of respiratory distress in children through inter-rater reliability of a bronchiolitis severity assessment tool among pediatric attendings and pediatric residents. Inter-rater reliability (IRR) was assessed using a one-way random, average measures intra-class correlation (ICC) to evaluate the degree of consistency and magnitude of disagreement between inter-raters. Value of >0.6 was considered substantial for kappa and good internal consistency for ICC. Twenty patients were evaluated. Analysis showed fair agreement for the presence of retractions (K=0.31), auscultation (K=0.33), and total score (K=0.3). The RR (ICC=0.97), peripheral saturation (ICC=1.0), auscultation (ICC=0.77), and total score (ICC=0.84) were scored similarly across both raters, indicating excellent IRR. The identification of retractions had the least level of agreement.
Study Risk factors of increased Z-Score of Body Mass Index in preschool-age children
Authors: El-Gamal Fathi Mahmoud , Babader R , Al-Shaikh M , Al-Harbi A , Al-Kaf J , Al-Kaf W
Published: December 2019

Objective: This study was conducted to explore the risk factors of increased BMI /Age Z score > + 2 SD in the preschool children. Result: BMI/Age Z score > + 2 SD was found in 19.5% (146 /748) of the children. It was significantly more common among the children from areas with high socio-economic level (OR: 2.434; 95% CI 1.543, 3.841, and p < 0.000). Risk of being obese was significantly higher among the males (OR 0.630; 95% CI 0.431, 0.920, and p < 0.017) compared to females. The increased duration of breast feeding in infancy, was significantly associated with increased BMI/Age Z-score (b= 0.027, p< 0.004). Decreased age of the child was significantly associated with increased BMI/Age Z-score (b= - 0.013, p < 0.004). The children with stunted growth were 6.7 times fold likely to have BMI/Age Z Score > + 2 SD compared to the normal children (OR 6.733; 95% CI 3.799, 10.800, and p < 0.000), after allowing for other factors. No significant association was found between allergic disorders and BMI/Age Z score > + 2 SD.
Gender differences in the relationship between dietary energy and macronutrients intake and body weight outcomes in Chinese adults
Authors: Zhao Jian , Sun Jian
Published: December 2019

Background To explore the the gender differences in the relationship between dietary energy and macronutrients intake and body weight outcomes in Chinese adults. Methods Data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS, 2015) for10,898 participants aged 18-64 years. Three consecutive 24-h dietary recalls was used to assess the dietary intake. Quantile regression models for body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were performed separately for each sex. Results Adult males showed greater absolute intakes of energy and macronutrients as compared to females as per the body weight outcomes. A 10% increase in BMI resulted in an additional intake of 0.002-0.004 kcal/d of dietary energy, 0.032-0.057 g/d of fats, 0.039-0.084 g/d of proteins, and 0.018-0.028 g/d of carbohydrates across all quantiles in males (p < 0.05). A 10% increase in WC resulted in an additional intake of 0.004-0.008 kcal/d of dietary energy, 0.051-0.052 g/d of carbohydrates across the entire quantile in males (p < 0.05), and an increased intake of 0.060-0.150 kcal/d of fat in females (p < 0.05). Conclusions Dietary Fat intake could be the risk factor of abdominal obesity in women. The importance of gender- specific evidence should be considered before promoting macronutrient allocation for the prevention and treatment of obesity.
Development and psychometric evaluation of the Female Infertility Stigma Questionnaire: A mixed method study protocol
Authors: Taebi Mahboubeh , kariman nourossadat , montazeri ali , majd hamid alavi
Published: December 2019

Background Infertility stigma is one of the greatest challenges in most societies for reproduction and sexual health of infertile women. Since no specific tool exists for assessing the infertility stigma in women, this study would be conducted to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of Female Infertility Stigma Questionnaire (F-ISQ).Methods This is a mixed method study with sequential exploratory design (qualitative and quantitative phase). In the first qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews would be performed with infertile female who had experienced infertility whithout any psychological disorder. Women who are eligible for participating in the study will be selected using purposeful sampling method with maximum variation in terms of age, education, occupation and infertility duration. Data would be analyzed using conventional content analysis and in this phase the primary item pool will be developed for the Female Infertility Stigma Questionnaire (F-ISQ). In the quantitative phase, the psychometric properties of the questionnaire would be evaluated, including the content, face and construct validity as well as reliability via the internal consistency and stability. The psychometric properties described in the COSMIN checklist will be utilized for designing the instrument.Discussion Developing a valid and reliable scale for Female Infertility Stigma Questionnaire (F-ISQ) would be helpful for future studies to assess the status of this situation. It also helps planning interventional studies for improvement of the reproductive health of infertile women.
A qualitative study on caregivers and patients perceptions about Alzheimer’s and related dementias in southwestern Uganda
Authors: TUMUHAIRWE JACKLINE , Maling Samuel , Okello Elialilia S. , Gelaye Bizu , Wakida Edith K. , Obua Celestino
Published: December 2019

BackgroundIn the treatment and safe service delivery of each disease, it is very important to understand the perceptions of caregivers and patients where they are not well understood because different cultures, regions and ethnicities have different ways how they understand the concept therefore this study aimed at understanding how patients and caregivers perceive Alzheimer’s and related dementias and their coping strategies in south western Uganda.Methods A qualitative cross sectional study was conducted using purposive sampling and 18 and 12 caregivers and patients were recruited respectively where in-depth interviews were conducted and data was analyzed using ATLAS Ti software.Results Five broad themes were used from Kleinmans explanatory model from both 2 objectives which included perceived identity, causes, treatment, effects and coping strategies. Participants had different views about each category. A big number was able to identify the disease as forgetfulness and the perceived causes included physical, psychological, and witch craft and most of caregivers continued to say that this disease does not need treatment since the most cause of it is aging which is a natural process while treatment was only sought secondary after going to the health facility for another cause/disease. The effects on caregivers include strain financial constraint, poor health while patients complained of non-productivity, psychological/emotional torture and lack of independence. In the instance of coping strategies more caregivers had options of seeking help from relatives, community based organizations (CBO) while some had no option but to just believe God.Conclusion Study findings reveal that caregivers and patients of Alzheimer’s and related dementias have both positive and negative perceptions. The negative perceptions lie more on treatment options and these may affect service delivery and reduce patient’s life span when the right treatment is not thought. Therefore continuous community sensitization about the disease is needed more.
Isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantitation (iTRAQ)-Based proteomic analysis of mRNA splicing relevant proteins in aging HSPCs
Authors: Lian Xiaolan , Zhang Lina
Published: December 2019

Background: HSPC aging was closely associated with the organism aging, senile diseases and hematopoietic related diseases. Therefore, study on HSPC aging born great significance to further elucidate the mechanisms of aging and to treat hematopoietic disease resulted from HSPC aging. Little attention had been paid to mRNA splicing as a mechanism underlying HSPC senescence. Results: We used our lab’s patented aging model of HSPCs in vitro to analyze mRNA splicing relevant proteins alterations with iTRAQ based proteomic analysis. We found that not only the notable mRNA splicing genes such as SR, hnRNP, WBP11, Sf3b1, Ptbp1 and U2AF1 but also the scarcely reported mRNA splicing relavant genes such as Rbmxl1, Dhx16, Pcbp2, Pabpc1 were significantly down-regulated. We further verified their genes expressions by qRT-PCR. In addition, we reported the effect of Spliceostatin A (SSA), which inhibits mRNA splicing in vivo and in vitro, on HSPC aging. Conclusions: It was concluded that mRNA splicing emerged as an important vulnerability of HSPC aging. This study improved our understanding of the role of mRNA splicing in the HSPC aging process.
Determinants of self-paid rotavirus vaccination status in Kanazawa city, Japan, including socioeconomic factors, parents’ perception, and children’s characteristics
Authors: Hara Megumi , Koshida Rie , Araki Kaoru , Kondo Masahide , Hirota Yoshio
Published: December 2019

Background: Japan’s National Immunization Program does not cover rotavirus vaccine and no government subsidies are available. This study aimed to measure the uptake of and determinants that influenced self-paid rotavirus vaccination, including socioeconomic status and relative poverty. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study at health check-ups for all children aged 18 months in Kanazawa city, Japan, between December 2017 and July 2018. Community nurses collected information on self-paid vaccination history, parents’ perceptions of and recommendations for rotavirus vaccine, and socioeconomic status, in interviews using a standardized questionnaire. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess vaccine uptake and possible determinants. Results: In total, 1,282 participants were enrolled. The estimated rotavirus vaccine coverage was 69.9%. Rotavirus vaccine uptake was positively correlated with the following: parents’ perceptions that rotavirus gastroenteritis is serious and that the rotavirus vaccine is effective; pediatrician’s recommendations; information from the city office, articles in magazines and on the Internet; and parents’ education level. Lower household income was negatively correlated with rotavirus vaccination. The high price of vaccine, fear about adverse reactions to the vaccine, number of household members and siblings, and children’s characteristics were not correlated with rotavirus vaccination. Poverty was negatively correlated with rotavirus vaccination, even after adjustment for other determinants (adjusted odds ratio 0.49, 95% confidence interval: 0.26–0.90). Conclusion: Parents’ perceptions, socioeconomic status, and relative poverty are determinants of vaccination. This study suggests that appropriate information about rotavirus vaccine, subsidies for those of lower socioeconomic status, and national recommendations are necessary to achieve higher coverage.
Lipidome analysis of breast milk composition in humans, monkeys, bovids, and pigs.
Authors: Mitina Aleksandra , Mazin Pavel , Vanyushkina Anna , Anikanov Nikolay , Mair Waltraud , Guo Song , khaitovich philipp
Published: December 2019

Background Lipids contained in breast milk are an essential source of energy and structural materials for a growing infant. Furthermore, lipids’ long-chain unsaturated fatty acid residues can directly participate in infant tissue formation. Here, we used untargeted mass spectrometric measurements to assess breast milk lipid composition in seven mammalian species: humans, two macaque species, cows, goats, yaks, and pigs.Results Analysis of the main milk lipid class, triacylglycerides, revealed species-specific differences in the composition of fatty acid residues for each of seven species. While human milk showed more medium and long-chain unsaturated fatty acids, pig milk composition was the most distinct, featuring the highest proportion of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Conclusions We show that breast milk lipidome composition is dynamic across mammalian species, changed extensively in pigs, and contains features particular to humans.
GIS-modelled built-environment exposures reflecting daily mobility for applications in child health research
Authors: Mizen Amy , Fry Richard , Rodgers Sarah E
Published: December 2019

Background Inaccurately modelled environmental exposures may have important implications for evidence-based policy targeting health promoting or hazardous facilities. Travel routes modelled using GIS generally use shortest network distances or Euclidean buffers to represent journeys with corresponding built-environment exposures calculated along these routes. These methods, however, are an unreliable proxy for calculating child built-environment exposures as child route choice is more complex than shortest network routes.Methods We hypothesised that a GIS model informed by characteristics of the build environment known to influence child route choice could be developed to more accurately model exposures. Using 884 GPS-derived walking commutes to and from school we used logistic regression models to highlight built-environment features important in child route choice (e.g. road type, traffic light count). We then recalculated walking commute routes using a weighted network to incorporate built-environment features. Multilevel regression analyses were used to validate exposure predictions to the retail food environment along the different routing methods.Results Children chose routes with more traffic lights and residential roads compared to the modelled shortest network routes. Compared to standard shortest network routes, the GPS-informed weighted network enabled GIS-based walking commutes to be derived with more than three times greater accuracy (38%) for the route to school and more than 12 times greater accuracy (92%) for the route home.Conclusions This research advocates using weighted GIS networks to accurately reflect child walking journeys to school. The improved accuracy in route modelling has in turn improved estimates of children’s exposures to potentially hazardous features in the environment. Further research is needed to explore if the built-environment features are important internationally. Route and corresponding exposure estimates can be scaled to the population level which will contribute to a better understanding of built-environment exposures on child health and contribute to mobility-based child health policy.
Purified IgG from aquaporin-4 neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder patients alters blood-brain barrier permeability
Authors: Calvo Alvaro Cobo , Cobo-Calvo Alvaro , Ruiz Anne , Richard Chloé , Blondel Sandrine , Cavagna Sylvie , Strazielle Nathalie , Ghersi-Egea Jean-François , Giraudon Pascal , Marignier Romain
Published: December 2019

Background: Blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown is considered one of the key steps for the development and lesion formation of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of human immunoglobulins from NMOSD patients (NMO-IgG) on BBB properties.Methods: Freshly isolated brain microvessels (IBM) from rat brains that mirror the blood-CNS barrier were used as a study model. At first, analysis of the secretome profile (cytokine protein array) from IBM exposed to purified NMO-IgG, to healthy donor IgG (Control-IgG), or non-treated, was performed. Second, structural BBB properties were analysed by Western blotting (Wb) to measure the expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins (Claudin-5, occludin, and ZO-1) in fresh IBM and primary cultures of brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMEC) after exposition to NMO-IgG and Control-IgG. Finally, functional BBB properties were investigated using two approaches; 1) in the NMO-rat model, the presence of rat-IgG in tissue lysate from brain periventricular regions was analysed using Wb, and 2) in a bicameral model simulating the blood and brain compartments of the BBB, the passage of NMO-IgG and sucrose was assessed by using ELISA.Results: We found that NMO-IgG induces several functional and morphological changes of the BBB in our different study models, including: 1) increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines production (CXCL-10 [IP-10], IL-6, IL1-ra, IL1-β and CXCL-3) by at least three-fold in IBM when exposed to NMO-IgG in comparison to Control-IgG or non-treated IBM; 2) decrease of Claudin-5 levels by 25.6% after treatment of fresh IBM by NMO-IgG compared to Control-IgG (p=0.002), and similarly, decrease of Claudin-5 by at least 20% when BMEC were cultured with NMO-IgG from five different patients; 3) a higher level of rat-IgG accumulated in periventricular regions of NMO-rats compared to Control-rats and an increase the permeability of BBB after NMO-IgG treatment in the bicameral model.Conclusion: Human NMO-IgG induces both structural and functional alterations of BBB properties, suggesting a direct role of NMO-IgG on modulation of BBB permeability in NMOSD.
Bibliometrics indicators in the Caribbean islands: French West Indies authorship analyzed from 1989 to 2018
Authors: CONTARET CEDRIC , CESAIRE Raymond , DELOUMEAUX Jacqueline , NEVIERE Rémi , RESIERE Dabor , CABIE André , SYLVESTRE Emmanuelle , JOACHIM Clarisse , DRAME Moustapha
Published: December 2019

BackgroundBibliometrics are mathematical methods used in various scientific domains to measure scientific output based on the number of publications, the prestige of the journal, and the number of citations of the research after its publication. To the best of our knowledge, only a few bibliometric studies have been performed in the Caribbean or the French West Indies. The aim of this study was to quantify the collaborations and scientific output between the two university teaching hospitals of Martinique and Guadeloupe, at the regional, national and international level.MethodA bibliometrics analysis was performed from the international databases Web of Science and PubMed, for the period from 1989 to 2018 inclusive (30 years). Three types of bibliometric indicators were used, namely quantitative indicators, performance indicators, and organisation-specific indicators. Affiliations of the first and last authors were identified from PubMed. Between 2014 and 2018, we recorded the affiliations of all authors (from the first to the last author) who collaborated on an article with the University Hospital of either Martinique of GuadeloupeResultsBetween 1989 and 2018, a total of 1,522 indexed articles were published with at least one author affiliated to either the University Hospital of Martinique (N=827) or the University Hospital of Guadeloupe (N=685). The majority of articles for both hospitals were in category Q1 (35.8% for Martinique, and 35.2% for Guadeloupe). In Martinique, over the last 30 years, the 3 main research areas have been clinical neurology, ophthalmology and surgery, together representing 28.7% of all research areas, with the highest number of articles published in the field of clinical neurology (n=81). In the University Hospital of Guadeloupe, the area of hematology was largely represented, with 79 articles published. For both hospitals, the first and last authors of the articles published were mainly from mainland France, and from either Martinique or Guadeloupe university hospitalConclusionThis quantitative and qualitative analysis shows the development of medical and scientific research in Martinique and Guadeloupe over the last three decades, as well as the extent of their collaborative partnerships at national and international level.
Metabolite Secretions of Lactobacillus plantarum YYC-3 May Inhibit Colon Cancer Cell Metastasis by Suppressing the VEGF-MMP2/9 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Yue Yuanchun , Yang Bao-Yu , Lu Jing , Zhang Shu-Wen , Liu Liu , Nassar Khaled , Xu Xiao-Xi , Pang Xiao-Yang , Lv Jia-Ping
Published: December 2019

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Whole exome sequencing identified mutations causing hearing loss in five consanguineous Pakistan families
Authors: Zhou Yingjie , Tariq Muhammad , He Sijie , Abdullah Uzma , Zhang Jianguo , Baig Shahid Mahmood
Published: December 2019

Background: Hearing loss is the most common sensory defect that affects over 6% of the population worldwide. About 50%-60% of hearing loss patients are attributed to genetic causes. Currently more than 100 genes have been reported to cause non-syndromic hearing loss. It’s possible and efficient to screen all potential disease-causing genes for hereditary hearing loss by whole exome sequencing (WES).Methods: We collected 5 consanguineous pedigrees with hearing loss from Pakistan and applied WES on selected patients for each pedigree, followed by bioinformatics analysis and Sanger validation to identify the causing genes for them.Results: Variants in 7 genes were identified and validated in these pedigrees. We identified single candidate for 3 pedigrees, which were GIPC3 (c.937T>C), LOXHD1 (c.2935G>A) and TMPRSS3 (c.941T>C). And the remaining 2 pedigrees each contained two candidates, which were TECTA (c.4045G>A) and MYO15A (c.3310G>T and c.1705G>C) for one pedigree and DFNB59 (c.494G>A) and TRIOBP (c.1952C>T) for the other pedigree. The candidates were validated in all available samples by Sanger sequencing.Conclusion: The candidate variants in hearing loss genes were validated to be co-segregated in the pedigrees, which may indicate the reasons for such patients. We also suggested that WES may be suitable strategy for hearing loss gene screening in clinical detection.
Systematic review of statistical methods for safety data in malaria chemoprevention in pregnancy trials
Authors: Patson Noel , Mukaka Mavuto , Otwombe Kennedy N , Kazembe Lawrence , Mathanga Don P , Mwapasa Victor , Kabaghe Alinune N , Eijkemans Marinus JC , Laufer Miriam K , Chirwa Tobias
Published: December 2019

Background Drug safety assessments in clinical trials present unique analytical challenges. Some of these include adjusting for individual follow-up time, repeated measurements of multiple outcomes and missing data among others. Furthermore, pre-specifying appropriate analysis becomes difficult as some safety endpoints are unexpected. Although existing guidelines such as CONSORT encourage thorough reporting of adverse events (AEs) in clinical trials, they provide limited details for safety data analysis. The limited guidelines may influence suboptimal analysis by failing to account for some analysis challenges above. A typical example where such challenges exist are trials of antimalarial drugs for malaria prevention during pregnancy. Lack of proper standardized evaluation of the safety of antimalarial drugs has limited the ability to draw conclusions about safety. We have therefore conducted a systematic review to establish the current practice in statistical analysis for antimalarial drug safety in pregnancy.Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Malaria in Pregnancy Library and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for original English articles reporting Phase III (randomized controlled trials) RCTs on antimalarial drugs for malaria prevention in pregnancy published from January 2010 to July 2019.Results Eighteen trials were included in this review that collected multiple longitudinal safety outcomes including AEs. Statistical analysis and reporting of the safety outcomes in all the trials used descriptive statistics; proportions/counts (n=18, 100%) and mean/median (n=2, 11.1%). Results presentation included tabular (n=16, 88.9%) and text description (n=2, 11.1%). Univariate inferential methods were reported in most trials (n=16, 88.9%); including Chi-square/Fisher`s exact test (n=12, 66.7%), t-test (n=2, 11.1%) and Mann-Whitney/Wilcoxon test (n=1, 5.6%). Multivariable methods, including Poisson and negative binomial were reported in few trials (n=4, 22.2%). Assessment of a potential link between missing efficacy data and safety outcomes was not reported in any of the trials that reported efficacy missing data (n=7, 38.9%).Conclusion The review demonstrated that statistical analysis of safety data in antimalarial drugs for malarial chemoprevention in pregnancy RCTs are inadequate. The analysis insufficiently account for multiple safety outcomes potential dependence, follow-up time and informative missing data which can compromise antimalarial drug safety evidence development, based on the available data.
The complexity and robustness of gene network inside the story between miRNAs and splicing isoforms in sacred lotus
Authors: Zhang Yue , Rahmani Razgar Seyed , Yang Xingyu , Chen Jinming , Shi Tao
Published: December 2019

BACKGROUND. Gene expression is complex and regulated by multiple molecular mechanisms, such as miRNA-mediated gene inhibition and alternative-splicing of pre-mRNAs. However, coordination of interaction between miRNAs with different splicing isoforms, and the role of splicing isoform in response to different cellular environments are largely unexplored in plants. In this study, we analyzed the miRNA and mRNA transcriptome from lotus ( Nelumbo nucifera ), an economically important flowering plant. RESULTS. Through RNA-seq expression analyses among six lotus tissues, the negative regulatory roles of most miRNAs are reflected by their tissue-biased expression and the negative correlation with their targets in expression. Further, the central roles of miRNAs in the gene network was unveiled as there are more frequent interactions between miRNAs and hub isoforms than between miRNAs and non-hub isoforms. Surprisingly, for many genes, their corresponding isoforms were assigned to different co-expressed modules, and they exhibited more divergent mRNA structures including presence and absence of miRNA binding sites, suggesting functional divergence for many isoforms is escalated by both structural and expression divergence. The gene function enrichment analysis of miRNA targeted reveals that miRNAs are involved in regulation of lotus growth and development by regulating plant hormone-related pathway genes. CONCLUSION. Taken together, we carry out a comprehensive and deep analysis between miRNA and mRNA transcriptome to study coordination of interaction between miRNAs with different splicing isoforms. Our study on lotus highlights not only the complicate interactions between the miRNAs and transcript isoforms but also functional divergence of many transcript isoforms from the same locus in plant.
Persistent postoperative pain and healthcare costs associated with instrumented and non-instrumented spinal surgery: a case-control study
Authors: Weir Sharada , Samnaliev Mihail , Kuo Tzu-Chun , Tierney Travis S. , Manca Andrea , Taylor Rod S. , Bruce Julie , Eldabe Sam , Cumming David
Published: December 2019

Purpose. To compare rates of persistent postoperative pain (PPP) after lumbar spine surgery—commonly known as Failed Back Surgery Syndrome—and healthcare costs for instrumented lumbar spinal fusion versus decompression/discectomy. Methods. UK population-based healthcare data from the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) database from NHS Digital and the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) were queried to identify patients with PPP following lumbar spinal surgery. Rates of PPP were calculated by type of surgery (instrumented and non-instrumented). Total healthcare costs associated with the surgery and covering the 24 month period after index hospital discharge were estimated using standard methods for classifying health care encounters into major categories of health care resource utilization (i.e., inpatient hospital stays, outpatient clinic visits, accident and emergency attendances, primary care encounters, and medications prescribed in primary care) and applying the appropriate unit costs (expressed in 2013 GBP). Results. Increasing the complexity of surgery with instrumentation was not associated with an increased rate of PPP. However, 2-year healthcare costs following discharge after surgery are significantly higher among patients who underwent instrumented surgery compared with decompression/discectomy. Conclusions. Although there is a not insubstantial risk of ongoing pain following spine surgery, with 1-in-5 patients experiencing PPP within two years of surgery, the choice of surgical procedure does not, by itself, appear to be a driving factor.