bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safety and efficacy of sodium picosulfate, magnesium oxide, and citric acid bowel preparation in patients with baseline renal impairment or diabetes: subanalysis of a randomized, controlled trial
Authors: Mankaney Gautam N. , Ando Masakazu , Dahdal David N. , Burke Carol A.
Published: June 2021

Background:

Selecting a bowel preparation for patients with renal impairment or diabetes requires special consideration. We aimed to describe the effect of baseline renal impairment or diabetes on the safety, efficacy, and tolerability of low-volume sodium picosulfate, magnesium oxide, and citric acid (SPMC) ready-to-drink oral solution bowel preparation.

Methods:

A post hoc secondary analysis was performed from a randomized, assessor-blinded study of SPMC oral solution bowel preparation in participants with mild or moderate baseline renal impairment or diabetes. Primary efficacy endpoint (‘responders’) was the proportion of participants with ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ ratings on a modified Aronchick Scale (AS). Secondary efficacy outcomes were the quality of ascending colon cleansing from the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS), and selected results from the Mayo Clinic Bowel Prep Tolerability Questionnaire. Safety assessments included adverse events (AEs), adenoma detection, and laboratory evaluations.

Results:

Similar overall colon cleansing was demonstrated in the subgroups, with >85% of participants in any subgroup rated as responders by the AS, and >92% of participant responders by the BBPS. Most participants reported a tolerable bowel preparation, regardless of baseline renal impairment or diabetes history. Safety of SPMC oral solution was similar between all subgroups and the overall cohort. For the mild renal impairment, moderate renal impairment, and diabetes subgroups, respectively, commonly reported, drug-related AEs were nausea (2.6%, 5.3%, 1.4%) and headache (2.2%, 2.6%, 4.3%).

Conclusions:

Ready-to-drink SPMC oral solution demonstrated efficacious colon cleansing in patients with baseline mild/moderate renal impairment or diabetes, with a tolerable bowel preparation reported by most.

Clinical Trial Registration:

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03017235
Low-profile visualized intraluminal support Blue stenting within a Neuroform Atlas stent for a large wide-necked aneurysm: A case report and a bench-top experiment
Authors: Hayashi Tomoko , Ikeda Hiroyuki , Ishibashi Ryota , Fujiwara Toshio , Kaneko Ryosuke , Uezato Minami , Kinosada Masanori , Kurosaki Yoshitaka , Handa Akira , Chin Masaki
Published: June 2021

Low-profile visualized intraluminal support deployment in an Enterprise has been reported; however, that in an Atlas has yet to be in detail. Enterprise has a closed-cell design, while Atlas has an open-cell design. We detail here a case of a large wide-necked aneurysm treated by coil embolization with low-profile visualized intraluminal support Blue deployment within a Neuroform Atlas and a bench-top experiment using a silicon tube to test low-profile visualized intraluminal support, Atlas, Enterprise, and their combinations. A better low-profile visualized intraluminal support expansion was achieved by simultaneously pushing the wire and the system within the Atlas placed at the aneurysm neck, which resulted in an increased metal coverage of the aneurysm neck and a shorter transition zone with low metal coverage at both ends of the aneurysm neck. This technique may enable a high metal coverage by low-profile visualized intraluminal support expansion without restriction by the Atlas and contribute to aneurysm occlusion by increasing the flow-diverting effect.
Opening Pandora’s box: The right to silence in police interrogations and the Directive 2016/343/EU
Authors: Pivaty Anna , Beazley Ashlee , Daly Yvonne M , Beckers Laura , de Vocht Dorris , ter Vrugt Peggy
Published: June 2021

This article examines the provisions of the Directive 2016/343 related to the right to remain silent with special emphasis on pre-trial proceedings and police interrogations. It focuses on the inherent contradictions and unclarities of the respective provisions, particularly when interpreted in light of the respective ECtHR case law. The article also identifies areas, relevant to regulation of suspect interrogations and the right to silence, which are not addressed in the Directive or the ECtHR jurisprudence. It concludes by critically assessing the likely effectiveness of the Directive provisions in ensuring the right to silence in criminal proceedings.
Effects of Masks Worn to Protect Against COVID-19 on the Perception of Facial Attractiveness
Authors: Kamatani Miki , Ito Motohiro , Miyazaki Yuki , Kawahara Jun I.
Published: June 2021

Wearing a sanitary mask tended, in the main, to reduce the wearer’s sense of perceived facial attractiveness before the COVID-19 epidemic. This phenomenon, termed the sanitary-mask effect, was explained using a two-factor model involving the occlusion of cues used for the judgment of attractiveness and unhealthiness priming (e.g., presumed illness). However, these data were collected during the pre-COVID-19 period. Thus, in this study, we examined whether the COVID-19 epidemic changed the perceived attractiveness and healthiness when viewing faces with and without sanitary masks. We also used questionnaires to evaluate beliefs regarding mask wearers. We found that the perception of mask-worn faces differed before versus after the onset of the COVID-19 epidemic. Specifically, mask-wearing improved wearers’ sense of the attractiveness of faces, which were rated as less attractive when a mask was not worn after the onset of the COVID-19 epidemic. Furthermore, mask-worn faces were rated as healthier after the onset of the COVID-19. The proportion of respondents with negative associations regarding mask-wearing (e.g., unhealthiness) decreased relative to before the epidemic. We suggest that the weakening of this association altered the sanitary-mask effect with a relative emphasis on the occlusion component, reflecting the temporal impact of a global social incident (the COVID-19 epidemic) on the perception of facial attractiveness.
Miraculous, mutilated, mundane: Redrawing children’s art in Francoist Spain
Authors: Kendrick Anna Kathryn
Published: June 2021

Children’s drawings hold a contested place in archives of war. Often portrayed as unfiltered records of psychological impact on innocent young civilians, the same drawings are also sophisticated testimonies of agency. With child-artists creating their work within classrooms, families, and communities, this article offers an alternative reading of their historical significance. Children’s art offers not simply a firsthand view of conflict but also a critical view onto the alliances and ideologies of the adults who guided their creation. Before and after the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), after which Spain entered into several decades of National-Catholic dictatorship, psychologists and teachers used children’s drawings to further educational projects toward both progressive and conservative ends. Across key nodes of conflict and postwar quietude, I ask how advocacy of children’s art allowed teachers to practice what I call a form of pedagogical postmemory. Centering on Francoist-era education and the artists who created new openings for individual expression, the essay focuses on two educators, namely the artist Ángel Ferrant (1890–1961) and the novelist Josefina Aldecoa (1926–2011). Contrasting their paired views of children’s art as a liberating, imaginative activity with that of the Francoist pedagogue Josefina Álvarez de Cánovas (1898–?), this study exposes how the same fundamental rhetoric of imagination and freedom could result in vastly different archives of children’s drawings under dictatorship. Understanding children’s art as bound up in wider social and political processes, it posits the seemingly neutral sphere of postwar art education as a key vehicle for pedagogical memory and historical recovery.
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy outcomes based on body mass index: A 5-year retrospective study in an Indonesian tertiary hospital
Authors: Wibowo DNSA , Soebadi Doddy M , Rizaldi Fikri
Published: June 2021

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of body mass index (BMI) on percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) outcomes and complications for nephrolithiasis.

Patients and methods:

Patients with a history of PCNL surgery from 2012 to 2017 in Dr. Soetomo General-Academic Hospital were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were then categorized into four groups: underweight (BMI <18.5 kg/m2), normal (BMI 18.5 to 24.99 kg/m2), overweight (BMI ⩾25–29.9 kg/m2), and obese (BMI ⩾30 kg/m2). The association between BMI, subjects’ characteristics, length of stay, stone-free rate (SFR), and complications were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and univariate logistic regression.

Results:

The study included 430 male patients (58%) and 310 female patients (42%). They were classified based on their BMI into underweight ( n = 5, 1%), normal weight ( n = 291, 39%), overweight ( n = 271, 37%), and obese ( n = 173, 23%) groups. The underweight BMI group had a higher average blood loss ( p=0.002) compared to the other groups; however, the univariate logistic regression showed that BMI had no significant effect on SFR ( p=0.491).

Conclusion:

PCNL is safe and feasible to be performed in patients with different BMI as obesity has no impact on the outcomes and complications associated with PCNL.

Level of evidence

3
Early Recovery of Walking Ability in Patients After Total Knee Arthroplasty Using a Hip-Wearable Exoskeleton Robot: A Case-Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Koseki Kazunori , Mutsuzaki Hirotaka , Yoshikawa Kenichi , Iwai Koichi , Hashizume Yuko , Nakazawa Ryo , Kohno Yutaka
Published: June 2021

Introduction:

The Honda Walking Assist (HWA) is a hip-wearable exoskeleton robot for gait training that assists in hip flexion and extension movements to guide hip joint movements during gait. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of walking exercises with HWA in patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Materials and Methods:

This study involved 10 patients (11 knees) in the HWA group and 11 patients (11 knees) in the control group who underwent conventional physical therapy. The patients assigned to the HWA group underwent a total of 17-20 gait training sessions, each lasting approximately 20 min from week 1 to 5 following TKA. Self-selected walking speed (SWS), maximum walking speed (MWS), range of motion (ROM), knee extension and flexion torque, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index subscales of pain (WOMAC-p) and physical function (WOMAC-f) scores were measured preoperatively, at 2, 4, and 8 weeks following TKA.

Results:

Interventions were successfully completed in all patients, with no severe adverse events. A significant difference was noted in the time × group interaction effect between preoperative and week 2 SWS and MWS. Regarding knee function, there was a significant difference in the time × group interaction between preoperative and week 2 active ROM extension; however, no significant difference in knee torque, WOMAC-p, and WOMAC-f scores were observed. In the between-group post hoc analysis, WOMAC-f in the HWA group was higher than that in the control group at week 8.

Discussion:

Although the control group showed a temporary reduction in SWS and MWS 2 weeks after TKA, the HWA group did not. These results suggest that HWA intervention promotes early improvement in walking ability after TKA.

Conclusions:

The gait training using HWA was safe and feasible and could be effective for the early improvement of walking ability in TKA patients.
Effect of Capsular Closure After Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome on Achieving Clinically Meaningful Outcomes: A Meta-analysis of Prospective and Comparative Studies
Authors: Kunze Kyle N. , Vadhera Amar , Devinney Annie , Nwachukwu Benedict U. , Kelly Bryan T. , Nho Shane J. , Chahla Jorge
Published: June 2021

Background:

Recent literature has demonstrated conflicting evidence as to whether capsular closure after hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) results in superior outcomes compared with capsulotomy without repair. Additionally, these studies have not explored the effect of capsular management on clinically significant outcome improvement.

Purpose:

To perform a meta-analysis of prospective and comparative studies to determine whether capsular management influences the rate of clinically significant outcome improvement after hip arthroscopy for FAIS.

Study Design:

Systematic review; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

PubMed, OVID/Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were queried in September 2020 for studies with evidence levels 1 to 3 that directly compared capsular management cohorts and reported rates of achieving the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) at a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Studies of level 4 evidence, those not describing or directly comparing capsular management techniques as well as those not reporting the MCID were excluded. Methodological quality was assessed using the methodological index for nonrandomized studies tool. Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effects models were constructed to quantitatively evaluate the association between capsular management and achievement of the MCID by generating effect estimates in the form of relative risk (RR) with 95% CIs.

Results:

A total of 6 studies with 1611 patients were included. The overall pooled rate of MCID achievement for the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), Hip Outcome Score Activities of Daily Living (HOS-ADL), and HOS Sports Subscale (HOS-SS) were 84.4%, 80.3%, and 82.5%, respectively, at a mean follow-up of 40.8 months (range, 24-87.6 months). Capsular closure was associated with a significantly higher rate of MCID achievement for the mHHS (RR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01-1.10; P = .001) and trended toward statistical significance for the HOS-ADL (RR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.0-1.24; P = .055) and the HOS-SS (RR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.99-1.21; P = .094).

Conclusion:

Although capsular closure appeared to result in higher rates of clinically significant outcome improvement in hip function, there was no definitively increased likelihood of achieving clinically significant improvement in relevant hip outcome scores with capsular closure.
Lysozyme nephropathy: A rare and reversible cause of acute kidney injury in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia
Authors: Donati Andrew , Luciano Randy , Shirali Anushree
Published: June 2021

Acute kidney injury is a common complication in patients with hematological malignancies. The following is a brief description of a patient with a known myeloproliferative disorder that progressed to chronic myelomonocytic leukemia with a reversible acute kidney injury.
Fathoming postnatural oceans: Towards a low trophic theory in the practices of feminist posthumanities
Authors: Radomska Marietta , Åsberg Cecilia
Published: June 2021

As the planet’s largest ecosystem, oceans stabilise climate, produce oxygen, store CO2 and host unfathomable biodiversity at a deep time-scale. In recent decades, scientific assessments have indicated that the oceans are seriously degraded to the detriment of most near-future societies. Human-induced impacts range from climate change, ocean acidification, loss of biodiversity, eutrophication and marine pollution to local degradation of marine and coastal environments. Such environmental violence takes form of both ‘spectacular’ events, like oil spills and ‘slow violence’, occurring gradually and out of sight. The purpose of this paper is to show four cases of coastal and marine forms of slow violence and to provide counter-accounts of how to reinvent our consumer imaginary at such locations, as well as to develop what is here referred to as ‘low-trophic theory,’ a situated ethical stance that attends to entanglements of consumption, food, violence, environmental adaptability and more-than-human care from the co-existential perspective of multispecies ethics. We combine field-philosophical case studies with insights from marine science, environmental art and cultural practices in the Baltic and North Sea region and feminist posthumanities. The paper shows that the oceanic imaginary is not a unified place, but rather, a set of forces, which requires renewed ethical approaches, conceptual inventiveness and practical creativity. Based on the case studies and examples presented, the authors conclude that the consideration of more-than-human ethical perspectives, provided by environmental arts and humanities is crucial for both research on nature and space, and for the flourishing of local multispecies communities. This paper thus inaugurates thinking and practice along the proposed here ethical stance of low-trophic theory, developed it along the methodological lines of feminist environmental posthumanities.
Changes in carnitine levels through induction chemotherapy in head and neck cancer patients as a potential cause of therapy-related malaise
Authors: Ito Tatsuya , Tsukahara Kiyoaki , Sato Hiroki , Shimizu Akira , Okamoto Isaku
Published: June 2021

Background

Carnitine is related to malaise, and cisplatin is associated with decreased carnitine. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the effects of one course of induction chemotherapy (IC) for head and neck cancer on blood carnitine levels, focusing on free carnitine (FC).

Methods

This single-center prospective study investigated 20 patients diagnosed with primary head and neck cancer who underwent IC with cisplatin, docetaxel, and 5-fluorouracil. FC, acylcarnitine (AC), and total carnitine (TC) levels were measured before starting therapy and on Days 7 and 21 after starting IC. In addition, malaise was evaluated before and after therapy using a visual analog scale (VAS).

Results

All subjects were men and the most common primary cancer site was the hypopharynx (9 patients). FC levels before starting therapy and on Days 7 and 21 were 47.7 ± 2.2 μM/mL, 56.7 ± 2.2 μM/mL, and 41.1 ± 1.9 μM/mL, respectively. Compared with the baseline before starting therapy, FC had significantly decreased on Day 21 (p = 0.007). AC levels before starting therapy and on Days 7 and 21 were 12.5 ± 1.2 μM/mL, 13.6 ± 1.4 μM/mL, and 10.7 ± 0.7 μM/mL, respectively. TC levels before starting therapy and on Days 7 and 21 were 60.2 ± 2.5 μM/mL, 70.2 ± 3.3 μM/mL, and 51.7 ± 2.3 μM/mL, respectively. No significant differences in AC, TC or VAS were seen before the start of therapy and on Day 21.

Conclusions

After IC, a latent decrease in FC occurred without any absolute deficiency or subjective malaise.
Survival analysis and influence of the surgical aggression of a cohort of orthopedic and trauma patients in a non-controlled spread COVID-19 scenario
Authors: Corella Fernando , Rosales Roberto S. , Guzman Domenech David , Cañones Martín Miguel , Larrainzar-Garijo Ricardo
Published: June 2021

Background

Determining the infection rate and mortality probability in healthy patients who have undergone orthopedic and trauma surgeries (OTS) during a period of uncontrolled COVID-19 transmission may help to inform preparations for future waves. This study performed a survival analysis in a cohort of non-infected OTS patients and determined the effect of COVID-19 on mortality.

Methods

This observational study included 184 patients who underwent OTS in the month before surgical activities ceased and before the implementation of special measures. Four groups of surgery (GS) were established based on the location of the surgery and the grade of inflammation produced. Crude risk of infection and infection rates were assessed. Survival and failure functions by GS were analyzed. Comparison of the Kaplan-Meier survival curves by GS was assessed. Cox regression and Fine-Gray models were used to determine the effect of different confounders on mortality.

Results

The crude risk of COVID-19 diagnosis was 14.13% (95% CI: 9.83–19.90%). The total incidence rate was 2.67 (1000 person-days, 95% CI: 1.74–3.91). At the end of follow-up, there was a 94.42% chance of surviving 76 days or more after OTS. The differences in K-M survivor curves by GS indicated that GS 4 presented a lower survival function (Mantel-Cox test, p = 0.024; Wilcoxon-Breslow test, p = 0.044; Tarone-Ware test, p = 0.032). One of the best models to determine the association with mortality was the age-adjusted model for GS, high blood pressure, and respiratory history, with a hazard ratio of 1.112 in Cox regression analysis (95% CI: 1.005–1.230) and a sub hazard ratio of 1.111 (95% CI: 1.046–1.177) in Fine-Gray regression analysis for competitive risk.

Conclusions

The infection risk after OTS was similar to that of the general population in a community transmission area; the grade of surgical aggression did not influence this rate. The survival probability was extremely high if patients had not previously been infected. With higher grades of surgical aggression, the risk of mortality was higher in OTS patients. Adjusting for age and other confounders (e.g., GS, high blood pressure and respiratory history) was associated with higher mortality rates.
Changes in the management of urinary tract infections in women: impact of the new recommendations on antibiotic prescribing behavior in France, between 2014 and 2019
Authors: Piraux Arthur , Faure Sébastien , Naber Kurt G. , Alidjanov Jakhongir F. , Ramond-Roquin Aline
Published: June 2021

Background

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infections that require antibiotic therapy. In December 2015, new guidelines for UTI management were published in France with the aim of reducing antibiotic misuse and the risk of antimicrobial resistance.

Objectives

To analyze changes in antibiotic prescribing behavior for acute uncomplicated UTI in women in France from 2014 to 2019.

Methods

Retrospective study using data extracted from the medico-administrative database ‘OpenMedic’ that is linked to the French National Health Data System and collects data on the reimbursement of prescribed drugs. The analyses focused on the number of boxes of antibiotics delivered by community pharmacies, the molecule class, and the prescriber’s specialty.

Results

Overall, antibiotic dispensing by community pharmacies increased by 2% between 2014 and 2019, but with differences in function of the antibiotic class. The use of antibiotics recommended as first-line and second-line treatment increased (+ 41% for fosfomycin and + 7430% for pivmecillinam). Conversely, the dispensing of lomefloxacin and norfloxacin decreased by 80%, and that of ciprofloxacin by 26%. Some antibiotics were mostly prescribed by general practitioners (lomefloxacin, pivmecillinam) and others by secondary care physicians (ofloxacin). Dispensing increased for antibiotics prescribed by secondary care physicians (+ 13% between 2014 and 2019) and decreased for antibiotics prescribed by GPs (− 2% for the same period).

Conclusion

These data suggest that the new recommendations are followed, as indicated by the increased prescription of fosfomycin and pivmecillinam and decreased prescription of fluoroquinolones. However, the efficient transmission and implementation of new recommendations by practitioners requires time, means and dedicated tools.
Accessing and utilising gender-affirming healthcare in England and Wales: trans and non-binary people’s accounts of navigating gender identity clinics
Authors: Wright Talen , Nicholls Emily Jay , Rodger Alison J , Burns Fiona M , Weatherburn Peter , Pebody Roger , McCabe Leanne , Wolton Aedan , Gafos Mitzy , Witzel T. Charles
Published: June 2021

Background

Transgender, or trans, people experience a number of barriers to accessing gender-affirming healthcare and have a range of barriers and facilitators to primary care and specialist services, commonly citing discrimination and cisgenderism playing a central role in shaping accessibility. The pathway through primary care to specialist services is a particularly precarious time for trans people, and misinformation and poorly applied protocols can have a detrimental impact on wellbeing.

Method

We recruited trans participants from an HIV Self-Testing Public Health Intervention (SELPHI) trial to interviews which explored contemporary gender-affirming service experiences, with an aim to examine the path from primary care services through to specialist gender services, in the UK.

Results

A narrative synthesis of vignettes and thematic analysis of in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with twenty trans individuals. We summarise positive and negative accounts of care under three broad categories: Experiences with primary care physicians, referrals to gender identity clinics (GICs), and experiences at GICs.

Conclusions

We discuss implications of this research in terms of how to improve best practice for trans people attempting to access gender-affirming healthcare in the UK. Here we highlight the importance of GP’s access to knowledge around pathways and protocols and clinical practice which treats trans patients holistically.
Combination of computed tomography imaging-based radiomics and clinicopathological characteristics for predicting the clinical benefits of immune checkpoint inhibitors in lung cancer
Authors: Yang Bin , Zhou Li , Zhong Jing , Lv   Tangfeng , Li Ang , Ma Lu , Zhong Jian , Yin Saisai , Huang Litang , Zhou Changsheng , Li Xinyu , Ge Ying Qian , Tao Xinwei , Zhang Longjiang , Son Yong , Lu Guangming
Published: June 2021

Background

In this study, we tested whether a combination of radiomic features extracted from baseline pre-immunotherapy computed tomography (CT) images and clinicopathological characteristics could be used as novel noninvasive biomarkers for predicting the clinical benefits of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

Methods

The data from 92 consecutive patients with lung cancer who had been treated with ICIs were retrospectively analyzed. In total, 88 radiomic features were selected from the pretreatment CT images for the construction of a random forest model. Radiomics model 1 was constructed based on the Rad-score. Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, the Rad-score and significant predictors were integrated into a single predictive model (radiomics nomogram model 1) to predict the durable clinical benefit (DCB) of ICIs. Radiomics model 2 was developed based on the same Rad-score as radiomics model 1.Using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, the Rad-score, and independent risk factors, radiomics nomogram model 2 was constructed to predict the progression-free survival (PFS).

Results

The models successfully predicted the patients who would benefit from ICIs. For radiomics model 1, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values for the training and validation cohorts were 0.848 and 0.795, respectively, whereas for radiomics nomogram model 1, the values were 0.902 and 0.877, respectively. For the PFS prediction, the Harrell’s concordance indexes for the training and validation cohorts were 0.717 and 0.760, respectively, using radiomics model 2, whereas they were 0.749 and 0.791, respectively, using radiomics nomogram model 2.

Conclusions

CT-based radiomic features and clinicopathological factors can be used prior to the initiation of immunotherapy for identifying NSCLC patients who are the most likely to benefit from the therapy. This could guide the individualized treatment strategy for advanced NSCLC.
Multiplex PCR assay for the identification of eight Anopheles species belonging to the Hyrcanus, Barbirostris and Lindesayi groups
Authors: Bang Woo Jun , Kim Heung Chul , Ryu Jihun , Lee Hyeon Seung , Lee So Youn , Kim Myung Soon , Chong Sung Tae , Klein Terry A. , Choi Kwang Shik
Published: June 2021

Background

Genus Anopheles mosquitoes are the primary vectors of human malaria, which is a serious threat to public health worldwide. To reduce the spread of malaria and identify the malaria infection rates in mosquitoes, accurate species identification is needed. Malaria re-emerged in 1993 in the Republic of Korea (ROK), with numbers peaking in 2004 before decreasing to current levels. Eight Anopheles species (Anopheles sinensis, Anopheles pullus, Anopheles belenrae, Anopheles lesteri, Anopheles kleini, Anopheles sineroides, Anopheles koreicus, Anopheles lindesayi) are distributed throughout Korea. Members of the Anopheles Hyrcanus group currently cannot be identified morphologically. The other species of Anopheles can be identified morphologically, except when specimens are damaged in traps. The purpose of this study was to develop a rapid and accurate method for simultaneous molecular identification of the eight Anopheles species present in the ROK.

Methods

Anopheles spp. used in this study were collected near/in the demilitarized zone in ROK, where most malaria cases are reported. DNA from 165 of the Anopheles specimens was used to develop a multiplex PCR assay. The internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region of each species was sequenced and analysed for molecular identification.

Results

DNA from a total of 165 Anopheles specimens was identified to species using a multiplex diagnostic system. These included: 20 An. sinensis, 21 An. koreicus, 17 An. lindesayi, 25 An. kleini, 11 An. lesteri, 22 An. sineroides, 23 An. belenrae, and 26 An. pullus. Each species was clearly distinguished by electrophoresis as follows: 1,112 bp for An. sinensis; 925 bp for An. koreicus; 650 bp for An. lindesayi; 527 bp for An. kleini; 436 bp for An. lesteri; 315 bp for An. sineroides; 260 bp for An. belenrae; and, 157 bp for An. pullus.

Conclusion

A multiplex PCR assay was developed to identify Anopheles spp. distributed in ROK. This method can be used to accurately identify Anopheles species that are difficult to identify morphologically to determine species distributions and malaria infection rates.
mbImpute: an accurate and robust imputation method for microbiome data
Authors: Jiang Ruochen , Li Wei Vivian , Li Jingyi Jessica
Published: June 2021

A critical challenge in microbiome data analysis is the existence of many non-biological zeros, which distort taxon abundance distributions, complicate data analysis, and jeopardize the reliability of scientific discoveries. To address this issue, we propose the first imputation method for microbiome data—mbImpute—to identify and recover likely non-biological zeros by borrowing information jointly from similar samples, similar taxa, and optional metadata including sample covariates and taxon phylogeny. We demonstrate that mbImpute improves the power of identifying disease-related taxa from microbiome data of type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer, and mbImpute preserves non-zero distributions of taxa abundances.
The glycosyltransferase ST3GAL2 is regulated by miR-615-3p in the intestinal tract of Campylobacter jejuni infected mice
Authors: Xi De , Hofmann Lukas , Alter Thomas , Einspanier Ralf , Bereswill Stefan , Heimesaat Markus M. , Gölz Greta , Sharbati Soroush
Published: June 2021

Background

Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) infections are of increasing importance worldwide. As a typical mucosal pathogen, the interaction of C. jejuni with mucins is a prominent step in the colonisation of mucosal surfaces. Despite recent advances in understanding the interaction between bacterial pathogens and host mucins, the mechanisms of mucin glycosylation during intestinal C. jejuni infection remain largely unclear. This prompted us to identify relevant regulatory networks that are concerted by miRNAs and could play a role in the mucin modification and interaction.

Results

We firstly used a human intestinal in vitro model, in which we observed altered transcription of MUC2 and TFF3 upon C. jejuni NCTC 11168 infection. Using a combined approach consisting of in silico analysis together with in vitro expression analysis, we identified the conserved miRNAs miR-125a-5p and miR-615-3p associated with MUC2 and TFF3. Further pathway analyses showed that both miRNAs appear to regulate glycosyltransferases, which are related to the KEGG pathway ‘Mucin type O-glycan biosynthesis’. To validate the proposed interactions, we applied an in vivo approach utilising a well-established secondary abiotic IL-10−/− mouse model for infection with C. jejuni 81-176. In colonic tissue samples, we confirmed infection-dependent aberrant transcription of MUC2 and TFF3. Moreover, two predicted glycosyltransferases, the sialyltransferases ST3GAL1 and ST3GAL2, exhibited inversely correlated transcriptional levels compared to the expression of the identified miRNAs miR-125a-5p and miR-615-3p, respectively. In this study, we mainly focused on the interaction between miR-615-3p and ST3GAL2 and were able to demonstrate their molecular interaction using luciferase reporter assays and RNAi. Detection of ST3GAL2 in murine colonic tissue by immunofluorescence demonstrated reduced intensity after C. jejuni 81-176 infection and was thus consistent with the observations made above.

Conclusions

We report here for the first time the regulation of glycosyltransferases by miRNAs during murine infection with C. jejuni 81-176. Our data suggest that mucin type O-glycan biosynthesis is concerted by the interplay of miRNAs and glycosyltransferases, which could determine the shape of intestinal glycosylated proteins during infection.
The penicillin binding protein 1A of Helicobacter pylori, its amoxicillin binding site and access routes
Authors: Attaran Bahareh , Salehi Najmeh , Ghadiri Bahareh , Esmaeili Maryam , Kalateh Shadi , Tashakoripour Mohammad , Eshagh Hosseini Mahmoud , Mohammadi Marjan
Published: June 2021

Background

Amoxicillin-resistantH. pyloristrains are increasing worldwide. To explore the potential resistance mechanisms involved, the 3D structure modeling and access tunnel prediction for penicillin-binding proteins (PBP1A) was performed, based on theStreptococcus pneumoniae, PBP 3D structure. Molecular covalent docking was used to determine the interactions between amoxicillin (AMX) and PBP1A.

Results

The AMX-Ser368 covalent complex interacts with the binding site residues (Gly367, Ala369, ILE370, Lys371, Tyr416, Ser433, Thr541, Thr556, Gly557, Thr558, and Asn560) of PBP1A, non-covalently. Six tunnel-like structures, accessing the PBP1A binding site, were characterized, using the CAVER algorithm. Tunnel-1 was the ultimate access route, leading to the drug catalytic binding residue (Ser368). This tunnel comprises of eighteen amino acid residues, 8 of which are shared with the drug binding site. Subsequently, to screen the presence of PBP1A mutations, in the binding site and tunnel residues, in our clinical strains, in vitro assays were performed.H. pyloristrains, isolated under gastroscopy, underwent AMX susceptibility testing by E-test. Of the 100 clinical strains tested, 4 were AMX-resistant. The transpeptidase domain of thepbp1agene of these resistant, plus 10 randomly selected AMX-susceptible strains, were amplified and sequenced. Of the amino acids lining the tunnel-1 and binding site residues, three (Ser414Arg, Val469Met and Thr556Ser) substitutions, were detected in 2 of the 4 resistant and none of the sequenced susceptible strains, respectively.

Conclusions

We hypothesize that mutations in amino acid residues lining the binding site and/or tunnel-1, resulting in conformational/spatial changes, may block drug binding to PBP1A and cause AMX resistance.
SINE jumping contributes to large-scale polymorphisms in the pig genomes
Authors: Chen Cai , D’Alessandro Enrico , Murani Eduard , Zheng Yao , Giosa Domenico , Yang Naisu , Wang Xiaoyan , Gao Bo , Li Kui , Wimmers Klaus , Song Chengyi
Published: June 2021

Background

Molecular markers based on retrotransposon insertion polymorphisms (RIPs) have been developed and are widely used in plants and animals. Short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs) exert wide impacts on gene activity and even on phenotypes. However, SINE RIP profiles in livestock remain largely unknown, and not be revealed in pigs.

Results

Our data revealed that SINEA1 displayed the most polymorphic insertions (22.5 % intragenic and 26.5 % intergenic), followed by SINEA2 (10.5 % intragenic and 9 % intergenic) and SINEA3 (12.5 % intragenic and 5.0 % intergenic). We developed a genome-wide SINE RIP mining protocol and obtained a large number of SINE RIPs (36,284), with over 80 % accuracy and an even distribution in chromosomes (14.5/Mb), and 74.34 % of SINE RIPs generated by SINEA1 element. Over 65 % of pig SINE RIPs overlap with genes, most of them (> 95 %) are in introns. Overall, about one forth (23.09 %) of the total genes contain SINE RIPs. Significant biases of SINE RIPs in the transcripts of protein coding genes were observed. Nearly half of the RIPs are common in these pig breeds. Sixteen SINE RIPs were applied for population genetic analysis in 23 pig breeds, the phylogeny tree and cluster analysis were generally consistent with the geographical distributions of native pig breeds in China.

Conclusions

Our analysis revealed that SINEA1–3 elements, particularly SINEA1, are high polymorphic across different pig breeds, and generate large-scale structural variations in the pig genomes. And over 35,000 SINE RIP markers were obtained. These data indicate that young SINE elements play important roles in creating new genetic variations and shaping the evolution of pig genome, and also provide strong evidences to support the great potential of SINE RIPs as genetic markers, which can be used for population genetic analysis and quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping in pig.
Oxygen concentration affects de novo DNA methylation and transcription in in vitro cultured oocytes
Authors: Naillat Florence , Saadeh Heba , Nowacka-Woszuk Joanna , Gahurova Lenka , Santos Fatima , Tomizawa Shin-ichi , Kelsey Gavin
Published: June 2021

Background

Reproductive biology methods rely on in vitro follicle cultures from mature follicles obtained by hormonal stimulation for generating metaphase II oocytes to be fertilised and developed into a healthy embryo. Such techniques are used routinely in both rodent and human species. DNA methylation is a dynamic process that plays a role in epigenetic regulation of gametogenesis and development. In mammalian oocytes, DNA methylation establishment regulates gene expression in the embryos. This regulation is particularly important for a class of genes, imprinted genes, whose expression patterns are crucial for the next generation. The aim of this work was to establish an in vitro culture system for immature mouse oocytes that will allow manipulation of specific factors for a deeper analysis of regulatory mechanisms for establishing transcription regulation-associated methylation patterns.

Results

An in vitro culture system was developed from immature mouse oocytes that were grown to germinal vesicles (GV) under two different conditions: normoxia (20% oxygen, 20% O2) and hypoxia (5% oxygen, 5% O2). The cultured oocytes were sorted based on their sizes. Reduced representative bisulphite sequencing (RRBS) and RNA-seq libraries were generated from cultured and compared to in vivo-grown oocytes. In the in vitro cultured oocytes, global and CpG-island (CGI) methylation increased gradually along with oocyte growth, and methylation of the imprinted genes was similar to in vivo-grown oocytes. Transcriptomes of the oocytes grown in normoxia revealed chromatin reorganisation and enriched expression of female reproductive genes, whereas in the 5% O2 condition, transcripts were biased towards cellular stress responses. To further confirm the results, we developed a functional assay based on our model for characterising oocyte methylation using drugs that reduce methylation and transcription. When histone methylation and transcription processes were reduced, DNA methylation at CGIs from gene bodies of grown oocytes presented a lower methylation profile.

Conclusions

Our observations reveal changes in DNA methylation and transcripts between oocytes cultured in vitro with different oxygen concentrations and in vivo-grown murine oocytes. Oocytes grown under 20% O2 had a higher correlation with in vivo oocytes for DNA methylation and transcription demonstrating that higher oxygen concentration is beneficial for the oocyte maturation in ex vivo culture condition. Our results shed light on epigenetic mechanisms for the development of oocytes from an immature to GV oocyte in an in vitro culture model.
Investigating errors in medical imaging: medical malpractice cases in Finland
Authors: Tarkiainen Tarja , Turpeinen Miia , Haapea Marianne , Liukkonen Esa , Niinimäki Jaakko
Published: June 2021

Objective

The objectives of the study were to survey patient injury claims concerning medical imaging in Finland in 1991–2017, and to investigate the nature of the incidents, the number of claims, the reasons for the claims, and the decisions made concerning the claims.

Materials and methods

The research material consisted of patient claims concerning imaging, sent to the Finnish Patient Insurance Centre (PVK). The data contained information on injury dates, the examination code, the decision code, the description of the injury, and the medical grounds for decisions.

Results

The number of claims included in the study was 1054, and the average number per year was 87. The most common cause was delayed diagnosis (404 claims, 38.3%). Most of the claims concerned mammography (314, 29.8%), radiography (170, 16.1%), and MRI (162, 15.4%). According to the decisions made by the PVK, there were no delays in 54.6% of the examinations for which claims were made. About 30% of all patient claims received compensation, the most typical reason being medical malpractice (27.7%), followed by excessive injuries and injuries caused by infections, accidents and equipment (2.7%).

Conclusion

Patient injury in imaging examinations and interventions cannot be completely prevented. However, injury data are an important source of information for health care. By analysing claims, we can prevent harm, increase the quality of care, and improve patient safety in medical imaging.
Cost effective reproduction number based strategies for reducing deaths from COVID-19
Authors: Thron Christopher , Mbazumutima Vianney , Tamayo Luis V. , Todjihounde Léonard
Published: June 2021

In epidemiology, the effective reproduction number $R_{e}$

R
e

is used to characterize the growth rate of an epidemic outbreak. If $R_{e} >1$

R
e

>
1
, the epidemic worsens, and if $R_{e}< 1$

R
e

<
1
, then it subsides and eventually dies out. In this paper, we investigate properties of $R_{e}$

R
e

for a modified SEIR model of COVID-19 in the city of Houston, TX USA, in which the population is divided into low-risk and high-risk subpopulations. The response of $R_{e}$

R
e

to two types of control measures (testing and distancing) applied to the two different subpopulations is characterized. A nonlinear cost model is used for control measures, to include the effects of diminishing returns. Lowest-cost control combinations for reducing instantaneous $R_{e}$

R
e

to a given value are computed. We propose three types of heuristic strategies for mitigating COVID-19 that are targeted at reducing $R_{e}$

R
e

, and we exhibit the tradeoffs between strategy implementation costs and number of deaths. We also consider two variants of each type of strategy: basic strategies, which consider only the effects of controls on $R_{e}$

R
e

, without regard to subpopulation; and high-risk prioritizing strategies, which maximize control of the high-risk subpopulation. Results showed that of the three heuristic strategy types, the most cost-effective involved setting a target value for $R_{e}$

R
e

and applying sufficient controls to attain that target value. This heuristic led to strategies that begin with strict distancing of the entire population, later followed by increased testing. Strategies that maximize control on high-risk individuals were less cost-effective than basic strategies that emphasize reduction of the rate of spreading of the disease. The model shows that delaying the start of control measures past a certain point greatly worsens strategy outcomes. We conclude that the effective reproduction can be a valuable real-time indicator in determining cost-effective control strategies.
Meta-analysis of AKI to CKD transition in perioperative patients
Authors: Abdala Pedro M. , Swanson Elizabeth A. , Hutchens Michael P.
Published: June 2021

Background

Recent research shows AKI increases the risk of incident CKD. We hypothesized that perioperative AKI may confer increased risk of subsequent CKD compared to nonperioperative AKI.

Methods

A MEDLINE search was performed for “AKI, CKD, chronic renal insufficiency, surgery, and perioperative” and related terms yielded 5209 articles. One thousand sixty-five relevant studies were reviewed. One thousand six were excluded because they were review, animal, or pediatric studies. Fifty-nine studies underwent full manuscript review by two independent evaluators. Seventeen met all inclusion criteria and underwent analysis. Two-by-two tables were constructed from AKI +/− and CKD +/− data. The R package metafor was employed to determine odds ratio (OR), and a random-effects model was used to calculate weighted ORs. Leave-1-out, funnel analysis, and structured analysis were used to estimate effects of study heterogeneity and bias.

Results

Nonperioperative studies included studies of oncology, percutaneous coronary intervention, and myocardial infarction patients. Perioperative studies comprised patients from cardiac surgery, vascular surgery, and burns. There was significant heterogeneity, but risk of bias was overall assessed as low. The OR for AKI versus non-AKI patients developing CKD in all studies was 4.31 (95% CI 3.01–6.17; p < 0.01). Nonperioperative subjects demonstrated OR 3.32 for developing CKD compared to non-AKI patients (95% CI 2.06–5.34; p < 0.01) while perioperative patients demonstrated OR 5.20 (95% CI 3.12–8.66; p < 0.01) for the same event.

Conclusions

We conclude that studies conducted in perioperative and nonperioperative patient populations suggest similar risk of development of CKD after AKI.
The Boyen Fortress: structural analysis of selecting complementary forms of use for a proposed adaptive reuse project
Authors: Śladowski Grzegorz , Szewczyk Bartłomiej , Barnaś Krzysztof , Kania Olga , Barnaś Janusz
Published: June 2021

Extending the life cycle of heritage buildings through their adaptive reuse can ensure their survival and is concordant with the policy of sustainable development. Selecting a new form of use for heritage building adaptive reuse projects is a multidimensional process that can be significantly aided by multi-criteria decision-making approaches. In this paper, the authors have proposed a hybrid form of structural analysis, which is a formulation of a multi-criteria approach to the analysis of complementary forms of use for a complex of historical buildings, to be used during the early planning stages of adaptive reuse projects for heritage building complexes. The approach has been demonstrated on the example of the Boyen Fortress complex in Giżycko, Poland. The outcome of the analysis indicated that the highest share of floor space to be adapted should be dedicated to exhibition spaces, which is justified concerning cultural heritage benefits. This approach can be of significant aid to decision-makers during adaptive reuse project planning phases, thereby facilitating the continued survival of heritage sites.
Expression of TNF, IL1B, and iNOS2 in the neural cell after induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis with and without coating antibody anti-Porphyromonas gingivalis
Authors: Bachtiar Endang Winiati , Putri Citra F. , Soejoedono Retno D. , Bachtiar Boy M.
Published: June 2021

Porphyromonas gingivalis has virulence factors such as gingipain and lipopolysaccharide, causing bacteremia to reach the brain and activate neuroinflammatory release cytokines. This study analyzed the effect of the co-culture of neuron cells with P. gingivalis coated with anti-P. gingivalis antibodies against cytokines produced by neuron cells. The gene expressions of the TNF, IL1B, iNOS2 in neurons was evaluated using RT-qPCR. The results showed that P. gingivalis coated with anti-P. gingivalis antibody before co-culture with neuron cells could decrease the gene expression of TNF, IL1B, and iNOS2 of neuron cells.