bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Interactive Association between Sodium Intake, Alcohol Consumption and Hypertension among Elderly in Northern China: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Nan Xi , Lu Haiwen , Wu Jing , Xue Mingming , Qian Yonggang , Wang Wenrui , Wang Xuemei
Published: November 2020

Background: Hypertension is a worldwide public health problem. We sought to examine the interactive association between sodium intake, alcohol consumption and hypertension among elderly residents of Inner Mongolia in Northern China.Methods: This cross-sectional study used the National Survey Data for Nutrition and Adult Chronic Disease in Inner Mongolia. The prevalence of hypertension was age standardized by direct method. Sodium intake and alcohol consumption were estimated using a weighing method and 24-hour recalls over three consecutive days. Hypertension was either self-reported or field-measured. Participants were categorized into six subgroups according to the sodium intake status and drinking levels. Logistic regression was used to determine the interactive effects between sodium intake and drinking on hypertension.Results: A total 820 elderly participated in the study, of whom 523 (63.80%, age-standardized rate 62.33%) had been diagnosed with hypertension. The mean sodium intake was 4.88g. Sodium intake and drinking excessively were both independently related to a higher risk of hypertension. Adjusting for confounders, there was interaction between sodium intake and alcohol consumption in the six subgroups, with the risk of hypertension being highest among the group with excessive sodium intake and excessive alcohol consumption, with an odds ratio of 3.639 (95% confidence interval: 1.666–7.947).Conclusions: The study highlights the interactive association between sodium intake and alcohol consumption with hypertension. Primary healthcare providers should take special consideration of those who are older age with hypertension in Inner Mongolia, especially those with an unhealthy diet including both excessive sodium and excessive alcohol intake.
Telemedical care improves quality of life in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Results of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Stentzel Ulrike , Berg Neeltje van den , Moon Kilson , Strobel Lara N. , Schulte Josephine , Langosch Jens M. , Hoffmann Wolfgang , Grabe Hans J.
Published: November 2020

Background: Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are serious psychiatric disorders with a high disease burden, a high number of years of life lived with disability and a high risk for relapses and re-hospitalizations. Besides, both diseases are often accompanied with a reduced quality of life. A low level of quality of life is one predictor for relapses. This study examines whether a telemedical care program can improve quality of life.Methods: Post stationary telemedical care of patients with severe psychiatric disorders” (Tecla) is a prospective controlled randomized intervention trial to implement and evaluate a telemedical care concept for patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Participants were randomized to an intervention or a control group. The intervention group received telemedical care including regular, individualized telephone calls and SMS-messages. The quality of life was measured with the German version of the WHOQOL-BREF. Effects of telemedicine on quality of life after 6 months were analyzed using t-tests to compare the intervention with the control group. Participants also evaluated the telemedical care program based on a short standardized interview.Results: 118 participants were recruited, thereof 57.6 % men (n = 68). Participants were on average 43 years old (SD) 13). Linear mixed model revealed that affiliation to patient group (0 = CG, 1 = IG), gender (0 = female, 1 = male), increasing social support and higher GAF-level are positive significant influence factors for the WHOQOL total quality of life, physical, psychological, environmental and global domain. An increasing education often showed significantly decreasing quality of life values. Age as an influencing factor, showed different results on the sum score and the individual domains.Conclusion: The Tecla telemedical care concept has improved the quality of life in patients with severe psychiatric disorders. It provides for a low-threshold and well suitable component in psychiatric treatment.Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00008548, registered 21 May 2015 – retrospectively registered, https://www.drks.de/drks_web/setLocale_EN.do
Novel mechanism of HIV elite control by enriching gut dipeptides as HIV-1 antagonist but Prevotella agonist
Authors: Sperk Maike , Ambikan Anoop , Ray Shilpa , Singh Kamlendra , Mikaeloff Flora , Diez Rafael Ceña , Narayanan Ashwathy , Vesterbacka Jan , Nowak Piotr , Sönnerborg Anders , Neogi Ujjwal
Published: November 2020

HIV-1 Elite controllers (EC) are a rare group among HIV-1-infected individuals who can naturally control viral replication for a prolonged period. Due to their heterogeneous nature, no universal mechanism could be attributed to the EC status; instead, several host and viral factors are discussed for playing a role. In this study, we investigated the fecal metabolome and microbiome in a Swedish cohort of EC, treatment-naïve viremic progressors (VP) and HIV-negative individuals (HC). We observed an enrichment of dipeptides in EC compared to the other two study groups. In vitro analyses identified anti-HIV-1 properties for two dipeptides that could bind to the HIV-1 gp120. Furthermore, these dipeptides supported bacterial growth of the genus Prevotella in vitro that was enriched in EC, which influences host metabolism. Thus, increased levels of both dipeptides and Prevotella could provide beneficial effects for EC. These findings open new possibilities to develop therapeutics against HIV-1.
METTL3 Promotes Pancreatic Tumor Progression Through Regulating the miR-196a/CPEB3 Axis
Authors: Ge Pingping , Fan Dong , He Lei , Wu Qiong , Sun Jin , Xu Li Jian , Xie Gang Wei
Published: November 2020

Background: Methyltransferase-like 3(METTL3)-mediated N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification has been reported to regulate microRNAs maturation. Here, the study was designed to investigate the regulatory effect of m6A-dependent miRNA maturation on pancreatic cancer progression which is still limited before.Results: We found that METTL3 significantly upregulated in the pancreatic tumor tissues. Overexpression of METTL3 promoted cancer cell proliferation and migration in vitro and tumor progression in vivo. METTL3-mediated m6A modification facilitated miR-196a maturation in pancreatic cancer cells, and miR-196a increased the proliferation and migration of cancer cells in vitro. Luciferase reporter assay verified that cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding protein 3 (CPEB3) was a direct target gene of miR-196a. In vivo studies proved that overexpression of miR-196a inhibited the anti-tumor effect of knockdown of METTL3, and overexpression of CPEB3 inhibited the miR-196a-enhanced tumor progression. Conclusions: We identified that METTL3 was upregulated in pancreatic cancer, leading to the upregulation of miR-196a, resulting in the downregulation of CPEB3, which promoted the pancreatic tumor progression. We first demonstrated that CPEB3 was a tumor suppressor gene in pancreatic cancer, and the METTL3 regulated miR-196a/CPEB3 axis may be a therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer therapy.
In Silico Metabolic Modeling Reveals Muscle Metabolite Markers of Insulin Resistance In Newly Diagnosed Diabetic Patients
Authors: Khoshnejat Maryam , Banaei-Moghaddam Ali Mohammad , Kavousi Kaveh , Moosavi-Movahedi Ali Akbar
Published: November 2020

BackgroundType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a challenging and globally ubiquitous metabolic disease caused by insulin resistance. Skeletal muscle is the major insulin-sensitive tissue that plays a great role in blood sugar homeostasis. Dysfunction of muscle metabolism is implicated in the disturbance of glucose hemostasis and the development of insulin resistance and T2DM. Here, we attempted to find metabolic dysregulations that are associated with the onset of T2DM. Besides, metabolite markers of T2DM were explored. ResultsWe reconstructed a human muscle-specific metabolic model and applied it to perform metabolic analysis in newly diagnosed T2DM patients. We investigated the metabolism reprogramming by using two topology-based and constraint-based approach. Our results showed that metabolic alterations have occurred in carbohydrate, fatty acids, lipids, amino acids, and inositol phosphate metabolisms as well as pathways implicated in building extracellular matrix (ECM). Also, dysregulation of coenzyme Q10 metabolism was observed. Moreover, we applied a machine learning method to predict potential metabolite markers of insulin resistance in muscle. 13 exchange metabolites were predicted as the potential metabolite markers of insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. The efficiency of these markers in detecting insulin-resistant muscle was validated using a separate muscle gene expression data from another diabetes-related study. ConclusionIn this study, the most updated muscle-specific metabolic model was generated and successfully was validated. This model was used for the investigation of metabolic disturbances at the onset of T2DM. Our results indicated the significance of ECM metabolites in insulin resistance, and reinforce the role of coenzyme Q10 as a candidate for further research in insulin resistance and T2DM treatment. The model is freely available and can be used for other muscle metabolic studies.
MicroRNA-338-3p as A Novel Therapeutic Target for Intervertebral Disc Degeneration
Authors: Jiang Hua , Moro Abu , Wang Jiaqi , Meng Dihua , Zhan Xinli , Chen Di , Wei Qingjun
Published: November 2020

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated the pivotal role played by microRNA (miRNA) in the etiopathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). The aim of this current study is to investigate whether intra-discal delivery of miRNA can attenuate IDD development.Results: miR-338-3p expression was significantly increased in the nucleus pulposus (NP) of patients with IDD. Moreover, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between the level of expression of miR-338-3p and the severity of IDD. Our functional studies showed that miR-338-3p significantly influenced the expression of extracellular matrix synthesis of genes, as well as the proliferation and apoptosis of NP cells. Mechanistically, miR-338-3p aggravated IDD progression by directly targeting SIRT6, a negative regulator of MAPK/ERK pathway. Intra-discal injection of antagomir-338-3p significantly decelerated IDD development in mice models.Conclusions: miR-338-3p is identified as a mediator of IDD, and thus may be a promising target for rescuing IDD.
Knockdown of PC4 Increases Chemosensitivity of Oxaliplatin in Triple Negative Breast Cancer by Supressing mTOR Pathway
Authors: Wang Qing , Ma Le , Chen Long , Chen Hongdan , Luo Min , Yang Wei , Liao Fengying , Gong Qiang , Wang Yang , Yang Zeyu , Wu Jie , Zhang Can , Zheng Jiancheng , Han Shiqian , Leng Yu , Luo Peng , Chunmeng Shi
Published: November 2020

Background: The response to chemotherapy is an important factor in the prognosis of patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Human positive coactivator 4 (PC4) is a multifunctional nuclear protein, that is highly expressed in various tumors including breast cancer and shows a potential role in cancer development and progression. However, the role of PC4 in chemotherapeutic responses of TNBC remains unclear. Our work aim to identify the role of PC4 in the response to oxaliplatin (Oxa) of TNBC patients.Results: We found that PC4 is significantly upregulated in TNBC cells compared with non-TNBC cells, implying its potential role in TNBC. Then, in vivo and in vitro studies revealed that knockdown of PC4 increased chemosensitivity of Oxa in TNBC by supressing mTOR pathway.Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated the signatures of PC4 in the chemotherapeutic response of TNBC, and indicated that PC4 might be a promising therapeutic target for TNBC.
Phylogenetic and Functional Analysis of CesA Genes in Cotton
Authors: Cui Zhuikui , Sun Guiqin , Zhao Quanzhi
Published: November 2020

Background: Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is widely distributed all over the world, and improving the quality of its fiber is one of the most important tasks in cotton breeding. Cotton fibers are primarily composed of cellulose, which is synthesized and regulated by cellulose synthase (CesAs). But the molecular mechanism of CesA genes in cotton was unclear. Results: In this study, the phylogenetic history and purifying selection of CesA genes were investigated along with their functions. CesA3 and CesA6 are the two largest subgroups in G. arboreum, comprising 52.8% of the whole CesA family. These two CesA subgroups were then chosen for further research, and the results showed that they are highly differentiated in dicot groups. The two subgroups were also discriminated with the use of a Ka/Ks analysis. This indicated that they may play an important role in fiber development based on their unique phylogenetic status. Functional studies were subsequently conducted using the most purified genes (Gohir.A08G144300.1 in CesA3 subgroup). The silencing of Gohir.A08G144300.1 visibly inhibits the growth of cotton fiber, showing that it is critical for the growth of cotton fibers. Conclusions: The results presented here a target gene Gohir.A08G144300.1 based on the analysis of CesA gene members, and it is found that this gene was crucial to the growth of cotton fibers. This study provides more information for the understanding of the molecular mechanism of cotton fiber development.
RETRACTED: Hydrogen-Rich Water Improvement of Root Growth in Maize Exposed to Saline Stress
Authors: Yang Liyan , Tian Jingyun , Zhu Manxi , Yu Bo , Sun YI
Published: November 2020

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Source–Sink Manipulations Differentially Affected Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics, Fruit Metabolites and Yield of Sacha Inchi Plants
Authors: Cai Zhiquan , Xie Tao , Xu Jin
Published: November 2020

Background: Being a promising tropical woody oilseed crop, the evergreen and recurrent plants of Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) has complex phenology and source–sink interactions. Carbon source–sink manipulations with control and two treatments (reduce source, ca. 10% mature leaf pruning; reduce sink, 10% fruitlet thinning) were conducted on 2.5-year-old field-grown P. volubilis plantation during the early-wet season in a seasonal tropical area.Results: Leaf photosynthetic rate and specific leaf area largely remained unchanged in response to defoliation or defloration. Compared with control, higher N contents on average were observed in both remaining leaves and branches of the defoliated plants, suggesting that N-mobilization was mainly due to the enhanced N uptake from soil. Carbon, but not N, is a source-driven growth process of P. volubilis plants, as defoliation reduced the contents of non-structural carbohydrates (especially sugar) in branches, although temporally, whereas defloration increased available C reserve. The seasonal dynamic pattern of fruit ripening was altered by source–sink regulations. The total seed yield throughout the growing season that depends on fruit set and retention (i.e., number of matured fruit) rather than individual fruit development (size), was slightly increased by defloration but was significantly decreased by defoliation. Compared with control, defloration did not enrich the KEGG pathway, but defoliation downregulated the TCA cycle and carbohydrate and lipid metabolisms in fruitlets after 24 days of the applications of source–sink manipulation. Conclusion: Carbohydrate reserves served to buffer sink–source imbalances that may result from temporary adjustment in demand for assimilates (e.g., defloration) or shortfalls in carbon assimilation (e.g., defoliation). Defoliation is disadvantageous for the yield and also for carbohydrate and lipid accumulation in fruits of P. volubilis plants. Although more studies are needed, these results provide new insights to the further improvement in seed yield of the strong source-limited P. volubilis plants by source/sink manipulations.
Genome-wide identification of the Capsicum bHLH transcription factor family: discovery of candidate regulator involved in the regulation of species-specific bioactive metabolites
Authors: Liu Renjian , Song Jiali , Liu Shaoqun , Chen Changming , Zhang Shuanglin , Wang Juntao , Cao Bihao , Zhu Zhangsheng , Lei Jianjun
Published: November 2020

Background: The basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) serve crucial roles in the regulation of plant growth and development and usually participate in biological processes by interacting with other TFs. Capsorubin and capsaicinoids are found only in Capsicum, which has high nutritional and economic value. However, whether bHLH family genes regulate capsorubin and capsaicinoid biosynthesis and participate in these processes by interacting with other TFs remains to be determined.Results: In this study, a total of 107 CabHLHs were identified from the Capsicum annuum genome. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that these CabHLH proteins were classified into 15 groups by comparing the CabHLH proteins with Arabidopsis bHLH proteins. A transcriptome analysis showed that some CabHLHs might be associated with the regulation of capsorubin and capsaicinoid biosynthesis, and the CabHLHs were focused mainly in cluster C1, cluster C2, cluster C3, cluster C4, cluster L5, cluster L6, cluster L8 and cluster L9. In cluster C1, cluster C2, and cluster C3, the expression profiles of CabHLH009, CabHLH032, CabHLH048, CabHLH095 and CabHLH100 were similar to the pattern of carotenoid biosynthesis in pericarp, including β-carotene, zeaxanthin, lutein and capsorubin, while the expression profiles of CabHLH007, CabHLH009, CabHLH026, CabHLH063 and CabHLH086 found in cluster L5, cluster L6 and cluster L9 were consistent with the pattern of capsaicin accumulation in the placenta. CabHLH007, CabHLH009, CabHLH026 and CabHLH086 also might be involved in temperature-mediated capsaicinoid biosynthesis. Additionally, yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) assays demonstrated that CabHLH007, CabHLH009, CabHLH026, CabHLH063 and CabHLH086 could interact with MYB31, a master regulator for capsaicinoid biosynthesis.Conclusions: The comprehensive and systematic analysis of CabHLH TFs provides significantly useful information that contributes to further investigation of CabHLHs in carotenoid and capsaicinoid biosynthesis.
An Actinidia chinensis (kiwifruit) eFP browser and network analysis of transcription factors
Authors: Brian Lara , Warren Ben , McAtee Peter , Rodrigues Jessica , Nieuwenhuizen Niels , David Karine M. , Richardson Annette , Allan Andrew C. , Varkonyi-Gasic Erika , Schaffer Robert J
Published: November 2020

BackgroundTranscriptomic studies combined with a well annotated genome have laid the foundations for new understanding of molecular processes. Tools which visualise gene expression patterns have further added to these resources. The manual annotation of the Actinidia chinensis (kiwifruit) genome has resulted in a high quality set of 33,044 genes. Here we investigate gene expression patterns in diverse tissues, visualised in an Electronic Fluorescent Pictograph (eFP) browser, to study the relationship of transcription factor (TF) expression using network analysis. ResultsSixty-one samples covering diverse tissues at different developmental time points were selected for RNAseq analysis and an eFP browser was generated to visualise this dataset. 2,839 TFs representing 57 different classes were identified and named. Network analysis of the TF expression patterns separated TFs into 14 different modules. Two modules consisting of 237 TFs were correlated with floral bud and flower development, a further two modules containing 160 TFs were associated with fruit development and maturation. A single module of 480 TFs was associated with ethylene-induced fruit ripening. Three “hub” genes correlated with flower and fruit development consisted of a HAF-like gene central to gynoecium development, an ERF and a DOF gene. Maturing and ripening hub genes included a KNOX gene that was associated with seed maturation, and a GRAS-like TF.ConclusionsThis study provides an insight into the complexity of the transcriptional control of flower and fruit development, as well as providing a new resource to the plant community. The eFP browser is provided in an accessible format that allows researchers to download and work internally.
Genome-wide Identification of Gramineae Histone Modification Genes and their Potential Roles in Regulating Wheat and Maize Growth and Stress Responses
Authors: Zheng Liwei , Ma Shengjie , Shen Dandan , Fu Hong , Wang Yue , Liu Ying , Shah Kamran , Yue Caipeng , Huang Jinyong
Published: November 2020

Background: In pants, histone modification (HM) participates in various developmental and defenses processes. Gramineae plants were important crop species worldwide. However, little information on them is in gramineae species. Results: In six gramineaes, 245 TaHMs, 72 HvHMs, 84 SbHMs, 93 SvHMs, 90 SiHMs and 90 ZmHMs were respectively identified. Their detailed information, including chromosome locations, conserved domains, phylogenetic trees, synteny, promoter elements and gene structures, were identified. Among these HMs, most of motifs were conservative, while unique ones were also identified. Gene and genome duplications may result in the evolution and expansion of HMs in wheat. The number of gene pairs between rice and each gramineae was much greater than that between Arabidopsis and each gramineae, which indicated dicotyledons sharing common ancestors. Moreover, all identified HMs gene pairs may undergo purifying selection according to their Ka/Ks values. Expression profiles of TaHMs in developing wheat grain, responding to brassinosteroid, brassinazole as well as activated charcoal were investigated in published transcriptome data, and transcription models of ZmHMs in maize development seeds and after gibberellin treatment were also identified. In addition, heat, drought, salt, insect feeding, nitrogen and cadmium stresses influenced many TaHMs, and drought altered several ZmHMs expression. These findings indicated their important functions in plant growth and stress adaptions. Conclusion: In conclusion, a comprehensive analysis of six gramineae HM gene families was completed; TaHMs were likely to participate in grain development, brassinosteroid- as well as brassinazole-mediated root growth, activated charcoal-mediated root and leaf growth, and biotic and abiotic adaptions; ZmHMs take part in seed development, gibberellin-mediated leaf growth, and drought adaption.
Early Breastfeeding Cessation Among Post-partum Women: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Shahrani Abeer Salem Al , Hushan Hessah Mamdouh , Binjamaan Noura Khalid , Binhuwaimel Wajd Abdulrahman , Alotaibi Jawaher Jazaa , Alrasheed Lama Ali
Published: November 2020

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that breastfeeding is initiated within an hour of birth and breastfeeding exclusively is performed for the first six months. However, the exclusive breastfeeding rate is dropping in most countries. In this study, we aimed to assess the breastfeeding cessation rate during the early post-partum period. Moreover, we aimed to prospectively identify the risk factors for early breastfeeding cessation during hospitalization and after discharge.Methods: This prospective study included all post-partum women who had given birth to full term, singleton, and healthy newborns and were breastfeeding at discharge from Mar – Jun 2020 at King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAAUH) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. With an instrument that was designed based on previous studies, data were collected at the time of admission and 10 – 14 days and 6 – 8 weeks post-partum.Results: This study included 136 mothers. The mean age of the participants was 29.5 ±5.07 years, and the majority of the participants had a bachelor’s degree and were unemployed. A total of 37.5% of the participants were exclusively breastfeeding their newborns for the first two weeks; however, this rate later dropped to 19%. However, bottle feeding was performed by two-thirds of the participants for the first 2 weeks, and this rate increased to 80.9% at 6 – 8 weeks post-partum. Many factors, such as maternal age, the mode of delivery and previous breastfeeding experience, were strongly associated with breastfeeding. Bottle feeding was associated with maternal age as well as employment status.Conclusions: This study reported an unacceptably low exclusive breastfeeding rate within the first two months post-partum. Multiple factors were strongly associated with breastfeeding, and some of them were modifiable. Moreover, more attention should be given to mothers who have a high risk for early breastfeeding cessation, such as employed mothers.Trial registration: Not applicable
Trends in Breastfeeding Practices and Mothers’ Experience in the French Nutrinet-Santé Cohort.
Authors: Courtois Frederic , Péneau Sandrine , Salavane Benoît , Andreeva Valentina A , Roland-Cachera Marie-Françoise , Touvier Mathilde , Galan Pilar , Hercberg Serge , Fezeu Léopold K
Published: November 2020

BackgroundDespite the suggested health benefits of breastfeeding for infants and mothers,France has one of the lowest rates regarding breastfeeding initiation and duration in the world. Fewstudies have been performed concerning the extent of breastfeeding practices in France since themiddle of the 20th century, or regarding the mothers’ practices from initiation to cessation. Thepurpose of our study is to determine trends in breastfeeding over the past decades and to examinemothers’ perceptions about factors known to have an impact on breastfeeding support and cessation.Methods29,953 parous women from the French NutriNet-Santé cohort were included in theprsent study. Using web-questionnaires, they were asked retrospectively if they breastfed or nottheir youngest child, and if so, the duration of the exclusive and total breastfeeding. For those whohad breastfed, we investigated their perceptions about support at initiation and during the entirebreastfeeding period and the reasons for breastfeeding cessation. We also asked those who did notbreastfeed about their perceptions on non-breastfeeding their youngest child and the reasons forchoosing to bottle-fed him or her. Analyses were weighted according to the French census data.Results67.3% of mothers in the NutriNet-Santé cohort breastfed their youngest child. Theproportion of breastfed children increased tover the past few decades, from 55.0% (95%CI: 54.3 –55.6) in the 1970s to 82.9% (82.4 – 83.4) in the 2010s. Mean total breastfeeding duration was 4.7months (4.5 – 5.0) while exclusive breastfeeding duration was 2.8 months (2.7 – 2.9). Mothers feltsupported at initiation and over the breastfeeding period. 59.5% of mothers reported a desire to havebreastfed more than 2 months longer. Mothers who did not breastfeed did it by choice (64.3%).They did not feel guilty (78.2%) and did not perceive a problem not to breastfeed (58.8%), butalmost half of them would have liked to breastfeed (45.9%).ConclusionBreastfeeding duration has increased in the past decades but did not reach the publichealth recommendations threshold. Other targets than mothers have to be considered, like the fatherand her environment, to increase breastfeeding practices.Trial RegistrationThe study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03335644).
Retrospective Study of Frequency of ABO and Rhesus Blood Group Among Population of Safdarabad and Faisalabad Cities of Pakistan
Authors: Sabir Ali , Iftikhar Arslan , Ijaz Muhammad Umar , Hussain Ghulam , Rasul Azhar , Iqbal Rana Khalid , Sajid Faiqa , Anwar Haseeb
Published: November 2020

Objective:The current study aimed to investigate the ABO and rhesus (Rh) blood group frequency in the people of District Faisalabad and Sheikhupura, Punjab Province, Pakistan. The retrospective study was conducted on more than thirty thousand people including both male and female patients admitted to the Tehsil Headquarter Hospital, Safdarabad and The Best Hospital, Faisalabad. Blood samples were taken from each subject and subsequently ABO and Rh blood groups were evaluated separately. The antigen antibody agglutination slide test for blood grouping (ABO) and Rh were used to assess the blood group frequencies. Results:The frequencies of ABO blood group distribution indicated that blood group B was predominant in the people of Safdarabad followed by O, A and AB respectively. While, among people of Faisalabad, blood group O was predominant followed B, A and AB respectively. Rh negative phenotype was found lesser distributed as compared to the positive Rh phenotype.
Prevalence and Predictors of Anxiety, Depression, and Insomnia among Healthcare Workers in Dhaka City amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Ali Mohammad , Uddin Zakir , Ahsan Nawara Faiza , Haque Muhammad Zahirul , Bairagee Monisha , Khan Sabbir Ahmed , Hossain Ahmed
Published: November 2020

Objective: The purpose of the study was to investigate the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and insomnia symptoms, and identify predicting factors among healthcare workers (HCW) of the Dhaka city in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-item, the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item depression module, the Insomnia Severity Index were used to measure anxiety, depression and insomnia symptoms, respectively. Results: We found the prevalence of anxiety, depression and insomnia symptoms among HCW 20.7%, 26.5% and 44.2% respectively. Three regression models were run to identify the predictors of anxiety, depression and insomnia. Model 1 suggested that the singular marital status (β= -0.178, p= 0.011), occurrence of chronic disease (β= -0.132, p= 0.025), and financial difficulty (β= -0.163, p= 0.005) were the risk factors of anxiety. From model 2, it was found that the risk factors of depression were singular marital status (β= 0.254, p= <0.001) and financial difficulty (β= 0.198, p= 0.001). Final model revealed that the risk factors of insomnia were gender (β= -0.151, p= 0.008), singular marital status (β= -0.165, p= 0.016), financial difficulty (β= 0.213, p= <0.001) and occupation (β= -0.125, p= 0.029).
In Vitro Cytotoxicity of Aspilia Pluriseta Schweinf. Extract Fractions
Authors: Njeru Sospeter Ngoci , Muema Jackson Mbithi
Published: November 2020

Objectives: We and others have shown that Aspilia pluriseta is associated with various biological activities. However, there is a lack of information on A. pluriseta cytotoxicity. This has created an information gap about the safety of A. pluriseta extracts. As an extension to our recent publication on the antimicrobial activity and the phytochemicals characterization of A. pluriseta root extracts, here we report the missing data on cytotoxicity of tested extracts. We evaluated the potential cytotoxicity of the root extracts on Vero cell lines by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Results: We show that all solvent extracts (except methanolic solvent fractions) had cytotoxic concentration values that killed 50% of the Vero cells (CC50) greater than 20 µg/mL and selectivity index (SI) of greater than 1.0. Taken together, we demonstrate that, A. pluriseta extract fractions’ earlier reported bioactivity are within the acceptable cytotoxicity and selective index limits. This scientifically validates the potential use of A. pluriseta in the discovery of safe therapeutics agents.
Measuring Adherence to ARVs among HIV-positive Adolescents in Cameroon: A Comparative Assessment of Self-report and Medication Possession Ratio Methods
Authors: Bongfen Mbuwir Charlotte , Torpey Kwasi , Ganle John , Augustine Ankomah
Published: November 2020

ObjectiveAdherence to ARV medications has been shown to improve treatment outcomes in HIV positive patients. Given that ARV treatment is lifelong, adherence has become a critical issue as it may reduce over time. Measuring adherence is therefore imperative in programming. There are different methods of measuring adherence each with its advantages and disadvantages, depending on the context and the time. This study therefore compares two widely used adherence measurement scales in Cameroon, namely, the self-report and the Medication Possession Ration (MPR) methods.ResultsThe study shows that adherence level using the self-report technique is 82.9% while that of MPR was 73.4%. When compared using the using Kappa statistics, there was substantial agreement between the two scales of 66% (p=0.54). The results of both self-report adherence and MPR were also compared with viral load suppression and the difference between viral load suppression and MPR was significant (p<0.01). The difference in adherence between viral load suppression and the self-report measure also showed to be significant (p<0.01).
Antimicrobial Sensitivity Patterns of Staphylococcus Species Isolated from Mobile Phones and Implications in the Health Sector
Authors: Likhovole Clement , Achok Caroly , Nyaswa Philip , Ogwai Susan , Aroko Arthur , Obila James , Koigi George , Ridhwana Mustafa , Okwayo Bildad , Wanjiru Dorcas , Lukeba Linda , Ryckaert Eline , Vandurme Arne , Walschaerts Verena , De Preter Vicky
Published: November 2020

Objectives: The aim of this research was to determine drug sensitivity profiles of Staphylococcus species isolated from mobile phones of students of Microbiology and Biomedical Laboratory Sciences from UZIMA University of Health and Social Sciences, Kisumu (Kenya) and the University Colleges Leuven-Limburg, Leuven (Belgium), respectively. Results: All mobile phones (16/16,100%) had Gram-positive bacteria. 3/8 (37.5%) mobile devices had Staphylococcus aureus. 2/3 (67%) Staphylococcus aureus strains were resistant to ampicillin, oxacillin, ceftazidime, vancomycin and amoxicillin. Guidelines for disinfection of mobile phones need to be developed urgently to stop transmission of resistant bacteria.
Characteristics of Patients Infected With Clostridioides Difficile at a Saudi Tertiary Academic Medical Center and Assessment of Antibiotic Duration
Authors: Alammari Khadijah M. , Thabit Abrar K.
Published: November 2020

BackgroundClostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a common hospital-associated diarrhea. Several antibiotics commonly associate with CDI; however, limited data are available on the duration of exposure prior to CDI development. Moreover, studies on the characteristics of CDI patients in Saudi Arabia are limited. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterize CDI patients identified over 10 years and assess antibiotic days of therapy (DOT) prior to CDI.MethodsThis was a retrospective descriptive analysis of CDI patients identified via laboratory testing at a Saudi tertiary academic medical center between December 2007-January 2018. Patients characteristics, prior exposure to known CDI risk factors, and DOT of antibiotics prior to CDI incidence were assessed.ResultsA total of 162 patients were included. Median age was 61.5 years. Most cases were hospital-acquired (70.4%) and admitted to general medical wards (81.5%). Prior exposure to antibiotics and acid suppression therapy were reported with the majority (75.9 and 75.3%, respectively). The most frequently prescribed antibiotics were piperacillin/tazobactam, ceftriaxone, meropenem, and ciprofloxacin with median DOTs prior to CDI incidence of 16.5, 16, 16, and 28 days, respectively. The distribution of DOT was significantly different for piperacillin/tazobactam, ceftriaxone, and ciprofloxacin in different units (P < 0.05). Counterintuitively, patients in non-ICU wards had the shortest antibiotic exposure prior to CDI development.ConclusionAs CDI is a common hospital-acquired infection resulting mainly from antibiotic exposure, results from this study indicate the need to revise antibiotic therapy to assess necessity and discontinue it when deemed unnecessary within the first two weeks.
Psychotherapeutic Interventions Among Muslims Undergoing Treatment for Cancer: An Integrative Review
Authors: Khait Abdallah Abu , Lazenby Mark
Published: November 2020

Background: Cancer is a global disease that affects all populations, including Muslims. Psychological and spiritual care of Muslim patients with cancer includes psychotherapeutic techniques that help to improve their mental health and spiritual well-being. Although these techniques are available to cancer patients worldwide, they are poorly studied among Muslim patients. Purpose: To integrate the literature on the psychosocial-spiritual outcomes of and perspectives of Muslim patients with cancer who have undergone psychotherapy. Methods: We used the Whittemore and Knafl five-step methodology. We conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO using relevant keywords. Studies that focused on adult patients with cancer and on published evidence of using psychotherapeutic interventions among Muslim patients were included. Each study was reviewed, evaluated, and integrated.Results: A systematic search produced 18 studies that were thematically analyzed. Results showed different psychotherapeutic approaches currently used to care for Muslim patients with cancer that target mainly patients’ mental health, quality of life, and spiritual well-being. Four major themes emerged: (1) Treating Psychological Distress Without Psychopharmacologic Agents, (2) Improving Knowledge of Cancer for Improving QOL, (3) Depending on Faith for Spiritual Well-being, and (4) Relying on Religious and Spiritual Sources: Letting Go, Letting God. Conclusion: The rigor of psychotherapeutic studies that target psychosocial-spiritual outcomes of Muslim cancer patients needs to be improved to reach conclusive evidence about their efficacy in this population.
Arm Activity Measure (ArmA): Psychometric Evaluation of the Swedish Version
Authors: Ramström Therese , Bunketorp-Käll Lina , Wangdell Johanna
Published: November 2020

Spasticity after an injury to the central nervous system (CNS) can cause profound disability (1). The prevalence of spasticity differs among various diagnoses, depending on how it is defined. Spasticity is reported to be present in 80% of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) (2, 3), 60% of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) (4), and 30% of patients with stroke (5, 6). The consequences of spasticity in the upper limb (UL) range from reduced grip control to a clenched fist and can prevent prehension and grasp, which are critical for independence in activities of daily living (ADLs) (7). Left untreated, spasticity can lead to severe contractures, deformity, pain, and involuntary movement and severely compromise occupational performance [3, 9-11]. Since being active is fundamentally important for all living beings, and participation in activities is necessary for human physical and mental wellbeing (8), disabling UL spasticity can have devastating consequences.
A Cohort Study on Dietary Habits, Lifestyles and the Risk of Mortality in the Elderly: the Latest Evidence From China Diet Cohort Study of Elderly Chinese
Authors: Zhou Qianyu , Qin Ying , Zhang Yanru , Sun Nan , Jia Shanqun , Liu Huimin , Liu Dandan , Li Zihao , Sun Changqing
Published: November 2020

Aim: To examine the longitudinal relationship between dietary habits, lifestyle factors and the risk of mortality among the elderly Chinese. Methods: Four follow-up survey data of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey 2008-2018 were selected, and a total of 11899 elderly people were included. Food habits were assessed using an in-person interview. The frequency of consumption of each food item was recorded as “almost every day”, “occasionally” or “rarely or never”. After descriptive statistics of the data, the effects of dietary habits and lifestyle factors on all-cause mortality were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model and the adjusted model. Results: There were 9461 deaths during 55312 person-years of follow-up with an average age of 75 years (S.D. ±8.3) years for survivors and 91.09 (S.D. ±9.6) years for non-survivors. Type of staple food was associated with a reduced risk of mortality. Compared to those who rarely/never consumed fruit, vegetables, fish, tea, and nut products, participants consuming such products almost every day were associated with 3.7%, 20.9%, 10.8%, 0.1%, and 11.7% reductions in the risk of mortality, respectively. Compared with lard, long-term use of vegetable grease and gingili grease increased the risk of mortality by 10.5% and 11.6%, respectively. Conclusions: The Chinese elderly could gain health beneﬁt from regular consumption of fruit, vegetables, ﬁsh, tea and nut products, and they should pay attention to the choice of cooking oils, reduce cooking oils frequency. Future research is warranted to establish the recommended daily nutrient allowances for the elderly and better address the nutritional needs of this vulnerable population.
Adapting Breastfeeding Support in Areas of Socio-Economic Deprivation: A Case Study Approach.
Authors: Hunt Louise , Thomson Gill , Whittaker Karen , Dykes Fiona
Published: November 2020

Background: There are inequalities in breastfeeding initiation and continuation rates, whereby socio-economically disadvantaged mothers are least likely to breastfeed. Breastfeeding peer support (BPS) interventions are recommended as a solution, and in the UK non-profit organisations are commissioned to deliver BPS services in areas of socio-economic deprivation. BPS interventions have a mixed evidence base, offering limited knowledge about the interaction between context and intervention and how this affects women’s experiences. Methods: This interpretive study used a case study methodology to explore how and why two BPS services developed their services in socio-economically deprived contexts. Methods aimed to generate holistic understanding of BPS service development. Data collected across both cases comprised; observation (n=1), and semi-structured interviews with: mothers who had (n=10) and had not (n=9) engaged with the BPS services, peer supporters (PSs) (n=9), community health professionals (n=5), infant feeding co-ordinators (n=2), non-profit organisation managers (n=3), and public health commissioners (n=2). Inductive grounded theory analytic techniques of open coding and constant comparisons, followed by cross case comparisons, were used to analyse the data. Results: The over-arching theme - ‘the transcending influence of society’ – offers insights into the underlying context and drivers impacting service development. It reflects how funding and data sharing arrangements determined service operation and the peer’s access to women. Four underpinning themes explain how: peer supporters were resourceful in adapting their services (‘adapting and modifying the support’); BPS organisations worked to enable women’s access to supportive breastfeeding environments, but did not necessarily focus service development on the needs of women living in areas of deprivation (‘supporting women’s journeys to access’); the BPS-professional connections for supporting access and how BPS could result in more supportive community environments (‘building relationships’); and how management practices precluded meaningful use of data to provide context led service development (‘ways of using knowledge’). Conclusions: Findings suggest that while PSs are commissioned to focus on those most in need, there is limited discussion, collection, or use of knowledge about women’s lives to develop needs-led service delivery. The key recommendation is the development of a social ecological tool to facilitate the use and application of contextual knowledge.
Inequalities in Access to Medicines for Chronic Diseases in Different Regions of Brazil: A Population-Based Study.
Authors: Miranda Vanessa , Schäfer Antônio Augusto , Tomasi Cristiane Damiani , Soratto Jacks , Meller Fernanda de Oliveira , Silveira Marysabel Pinto Telis
Published: November 2020

ObjectiveTo analyze the economic and regional inequalities in access to medicines for diabetes and hypertension among the adult population in Brazil.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study with adults aged 18 and over from the VIGITEL study conducted in 2019 in all Brazilian regions. Non-access to antidiabetic and antihypertensive drugs was assessed according to education and housing macro-region. The slope index of inequality (SII) was used to analyze the absolute inequalities.ResultsThe total number of individuals interviewed was 52,443. Approximately 10.0% of people with diabetes and/or hypertension reported not having access to drug treatment. For antihypertensive drugs, the main means of obtaining it in all regions was the private pharmacy, and for antidiabetics, the North had greater access through private pharmacies, while the Northeast, Southeast and South had greater access through public setor. Inequalities were found in the lack of access to medicines according to the region of residence, mainly for the North region.ConclusionThe lack of access to medicines showed regional disparities, mainly in the most economically vulnerable regions.
Inequalities in Cognitive Impairment Among Older Adults in China and the Associated Social Determinants: A Decomposition Approach
Authors: Deng Qingwen , Liu Wenbin
Published: November 2020

BackgroundDespite there is growing evidence focusing on health inequalities in China, socioeconomic inequalities in cognitive impairment among older adults have received little attention. This study aims to measure socioeconomic inequalities in cognitive impairment among Chinese older adults, and determine the contributing social factors to the inequalities.MethodsA cross-sectional analysis was performed using data from the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), a total of 10556 older adults aged 65 and over were included in the study. The prevalence of cognitive impairment was measured by using the Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination. The socioeconomic inequalities in cognitive impairment were illustrated and quantified by the concentration curve and normalized concentration index. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to identify the associated factors of cognitive impairment. And decomposition analysis was further applied to decompose the contribution of each determinant to the observed inequalities in cognitive impairment.ResultsThe study indicated that the prevalence of cognitive impairment among Chinese older adults was 18.95%. The overall concentration index for cognitive impairment was − 0.046, which suggested a higher concentration of cognitive impairment among socioeconomically disadvantaged older adults. The results showed the prevalence of cognitive impairment was associated with sex, age, marital status, education level, occupation, economic status, emotional support, financial support, living arrangement, and participation in informal activities. Decomposition results further revealed the contributions of the determinants to the inequalities in cognitive impairment. Specifically, age (131.61%), marital status (85.68%), emotional support (84.85%), education level (39.73%), occupation (21.24%), sex (17.25%), financial support (− 4.19%), economic status (1.02%), living arrangement (0.88%), and informal activities (0.30%) have varying degrees of contributions to the inequality in cognitive impairment.ConclusionThis study sheds light on the pro-rich inequality in cognitive impairment among older adults in China. It suggests that policymakers should pay more attention to older adults who are female, old-old, widowed, illiterate, economically disadvantaged, have no social support, and are less socially involved. Also, more targeted interventions should be undertaken to improve the socioeconomic conditions of these vulnerable individuals and their ability to cope with the risk of cognitive impairment.