bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PHENSIM: Phenotype Simulator
Authors: Alaimo Salvatore , Rapicavoli Rosaria Valentina , Marceca Gioacchino P. , La Ferlita Alessandro , Serebrennikova Oksana B. , Tsichlis Philip N. , Mishra Bud , Pulvirenti Alfredo , Ferro Alfredo
Published: June 2021

Despite the unprecedented growth in our understanding of cell biology, it still remains challenging to connect it to experimental data obtained with cells and tissues’ physiopathological status under precise circumstances. This knowledge gap often results in difficulties in designing validation experiments, which are usually labor-intensive, expensive to perform, and hard to interpret. Here we propose PHENSIM, a computational tool using a systems biology approach to simulate how cell phenotypes are affected by the activation/inhibition of one or multiple biomolecules, and it does so by exploiting signaling pathways. Our tool’s applications include predicting the outcome of drug administration, knockdown experiments, gene transduction, and exposure to exosomal cargo. Importantly, PHENSIM enables the user to make inferences on well-defined cell lines and includes pathway maps from three different model organisms. To assess our approach’s reliability, we built a benchmark from transcriptomics data gathered from NCBI GEO and performed four case studies on known biological experiments. Our results show high prediction accuracy, thus highlighting the capabilities of this methodology. PHENSIM standalone Java application is available at https://github.com/alaimos/phensim, along with all data and source codes for benchmarking. A web-based user interface is accessible at https://phensim.tech/.
Genetics of white color and iridophoroma in “Lemon Frost” leopard geckos
Authors: Guo Longhua , Bloom Joshua , Sykes Steve , Huang Elaine , Kashif Zain , Pham Elise , Ho Katarina , Alcaraz Ana , Xiao Xinshu Grace , Duarte-Vogel Sandra , Kruglyak Leonid
Published: June 2021

The squamates (lizards and snakes) are close relatives of birds and mammals, with more than 10,000 described species that display extensive variation in a number of important biological traits, including coloration, venom production, and regeneration. Due to a lack of genomic tools, few genetic studies in squamates have been carried out. The leopard gecko,Eublepharis macularius, is a popular companion animal, and displays a variety of coloration patterns. We took advantage of a large breeding colony and used linkage analysis, synteny, and homozygosity mapping to investigate a spontaneous semi-dominant mutation, “Lemon Frost”, that produces white coloration and causes skin tumors (iridophoroma). We localized the mutation to a single locus which contains a strong candidate gene, SPINT1, a tumor suppressor implicated in human skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) and over-proliferation of epithelial cells in mice and zebrafish. Our work establishes the leopard gecko as a tractable genetic system and suggests that a tumor suppressor in melanocytes in humans can also suppress tumor development in iridophores in lizards.
Evidence for in vitro and in vivo activity of the antimalarial pyronaridine against Schistosoma
Authors: Koehne Erik , Zander Nina , Rodi Miriam , Held Jana , Hoffmann Wolfgang , Zoleko-Manego Rella , Ramharter Michael , Mombo-Ngoma Ghyslain , Kremsner Peter G. , Kreidenweiss Andrea
Published: June 2021

Background

Schistosomiasis is highly prevalent in Africa. Praziquantel is effective against adult schistosomes but leaves prepatent stages unaffected—which is a limit to patient management and elimination. Given the large-scale use of praziquantel, development of drug resistance by Schistosoma is feared. Antimalarials are promising drugs for alternative treatment strategies of Schistosoma infections. Development of drugs with activity against both malaria and schistosomiasis is particularly appealing as schistosome infections often occur concomitantly with malaria parasites in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, antiplasmodial compounds were progressively tested against Schistosoma in vitro, in mice, and in a clinical study.

Results

Amongst 16 drugs and 1 control tested, pyronaridine, methylene blue and 5 other antimalarials were highly active in vitro against larval stage schistosomula with a 50% inhibitory concentration below 10 μM. Both drugs were lethal to ex vivo adult worms tested at 30 μM with methylene blue also active at 10 μM. Pyronaridine treatment of mice infected with S. mansoni at the prepatent stage reduced worm burden by 82% and cured 7 out of 12 animals, however in mice adult stages remained viable. In contrast, methylene blue inhibited adult worms by 60% but cure was not achieved. In an observational pilot trial in Gabon in children, the antimalarial drug combination pyronaridine-artesunate (Pyramax) reduced S. haematobium egg excretion from 10/10 ml urine to 0/10 ml urine, and 3 out of 4 children were cured.

Conclusion

Pyronaridine and methylene blue warrant further investigation as candidates for schistosomiasis treatment. Both compounds are approved for human use and evidence for their potential as antischistosomal compounds can be obtained directly from clinical testing. Particularly, pyronaridine-artesunate, already available as an antimalarial drug, calls for further clinical evaluation.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03201770.
Influence of insecticide resistance on the biting and resting preferences of malaria vectors in the Gambia
Authors: Hamid-Adiamoh Majidah , Nwakanma Davis , Assogba Benoit Sessinou , Ndiath Mamadou Ousmane , D’Alessandro Umberto , Afrane Yaw A. , Amambua-Ngwa Alfred
Published: June 2021

Background

The scale-up of indoor residual spraying and long-lasting insecticidal nets, together with other interventions have considerably reduced the malaria burden in The Gambia. This study examined the biting and resting preferences of the local insecticide-resistant vector populations few years following scale-up of anti-vector interventions.

Method

Indoor and outdoor-resting Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes were collected between July and October 2019 from ten villages in five regions in The Gambia using pyrethrum spray collection (indoor) and prokopack aspirator from pit traps (outdoor). Polymerase chain reaction assays were performed to identify molecular species, insecticide resistance mutations, Plasmodium infection rate and host blood meal.

Results

A total of 844 mosquitoes were collected both indoors (421, 49.9%) and outdoors (423, 50.1%). Four main vector species were identified, including An. arabiensis (indoor: 15%, outdoor: 26%); An. coluzzii (indoor: 19%, outdoor: 6%), An. gambiae s.s. (indoor: 11%, outdoor: 16%), An. melas (indoor: 2%, outdoor: 0.1%) and hybrids of An. coluzzii-An. gambiae s.s (indoors: 3%, outdoors: 2%). A significant preference for outdoor resting was observed in An. arabiensis (Pearson X2 = 22.7, df = 4, P<0.001) and for indoor resting in An. coluzzii (Pearson X2 = 55.0, df = 4, P<0.001). Prevalence of the voltage-gated sodium channel (Vgsc)-1014S was significantly higher in the indoor-resting (allele freq. = 0.96, 95%CI: 0.78–1, P = 0.03) than outdoor-resting (allele freq. = 0.82, 95%CI: 0.76–0.87) An. arabiensis population. For An. coluzzii, the prevalence of most mutation markers was higher in the outdoor (allele freq. = 0.92, 95%CI: 0.81–0.98) than indoor-resting (allele freq. = 0.78, 95%CI: 0.56–0.86) mosquitoes. However, in An. gambiae s.s., the prevalence of Vgsc-1014F, Vgsc-1575Y and GSTe2-114T was high (allele freq. = 0.96–1), but did not vary by resting location. The overall sporozoite positivity rate was 1.3% (95% CI: 0.5–2%) in mosquito populations. Indoor-resting An. coluzzii had mainly fed on human blood while indoor-resting An. arabiensis fed on animal blood.

Conclusion

In this study, high levels of resistance mutations were observed that could be influencing the mosquito populations to rest indoors or outdoors. The prevalent animal-biting behaviour demonstrated in the mosquito populations suggest that larval source management could be an intervention to complement vector control in this setting.
Go with the flow: The extent of drag reduction as epiphytic bromeliads reorient in wind
Authors: Tay Jessica Y. L. , Zotz Gerhard , Puczylowski Jaroslaw , Einzmann Helena J. R.
Published: June 2021

Vascular epiphytes represent almost 10% of all terrestrial plant diversity. Being structurally dependent on trees, epiphytes live at the interface of vegetation and atmosphere, making them susceptible to atmospheric changes. Despite the extensive research on vascular epiphytes, little is known about wind disturbance on these plants. Therefore, this study investigated the wind-epiphyte mechanical interactions by quantifying the drag forces on epiphytic bromeliads when subjected to increasing wind speeds (5–22 m s-1) in a wind tunnel. Drag coefficients (Cd) and Vogel exponents (B) were calculated to quantify the streamlining ability of different bromeliad species. Bromeliads’ reconfiguration occurred first via bending and aligning leaves in the flow direction. Then leaves clustered and reduced the overall plant frontal area. This reconfiguration caused drag forces to increase at a slower rate as wind velocity increased. In the extreme case, drag force was reduced by 50% in a large Guzmania monostachia individual at a wind velocity of 22 m s-1, compared to a stiff model. This species had one of the smallest Cd (0.58) at the highest wind velocity, and the largest negative mean B (-0.98), representing the largest reconfiguration capacity amongst the tested bromeliads. The streamlining ability of bromeliads was mainly restricted by the rigidity of the lower part of the plant where the leaves are already densely clustered. Wind speeds used in this study were generally low as compared to storm force winds. At these low wind speeds, reconfiguration was an effective mechanism for drag reduction in bromeliads. This mechanism is likely to lose its effectiveness at higher wind speeds when continuous vigorous fluttering results in leaf damage and aspects such as root-attachment strength and substrate stability become more relevant. This study is a first step towards an understanding of the mechanical bottleneck in the epiphyte-tree-system under wind stress.
Characterizing two outbreak waves of COVID-19 in Spain using phenomenological epidemic modelling
Authors: López Miguel , Peinado Alberto , Ortiz Andrés
Published: June 2021

Since the first case reported of SARS-CoV-2 the end of December 2019 in China, the number of cases quickly climbed following an exponential growth trend, demonstrating that aglobal pandemicis possible. As of December 3, 2020, the total number of cases reported are around 65,527,000 contagions worldwide, and 1,524,000 deaths affecting 218 countries and territories. In this scenario, Spain is one of the countries that has suffered in a hard way, the ongoing epidemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, namely COVID-19 disease. In this paper, we present the utilization of phenomenological epidemic models to characterize the two first outbreak waves of COVID-19 in Spain. The study is driven using a two-step phenomenological epidemic approach. First, we use a simple generalized growth model to fit the main parameters at the early epidemic phase; later, we apply our previous finding over a logistic growth model to that characterize both waves completely. The results show that even in the absence of accurate data series, it is possible to characterize the curves of case incidence, and construct a short-term forecast of 60 days in the near time horizon, in relation to the expected total duration of the pandemic.
Mechanisms of parental distress during and after the first COVID-19 lockdown phase: A two-wave longitudinal study
Authors: Johnson Miriam S. , Skjerdingstad Nora , Ebrahimi Omid V. , Hoffart Asle , Urnes Johnson Sverre
Published: June 2021

Background

In these unpredictable times of the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, parents worldwide are affected by the stress and strain caused by the physical distancing protocols that have been put in place.

Objective

In a two‐wave longitudinal survey, we investigated the levels of parental stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression in a sample of parents at two time points; during the implementation of the strictest physical distancing protocols following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (T1, N = 2,868) and three months after the discontinuation of the protocols (T2, N = 1,489). Further, we investigated the relationships between parental stress and anxiety and depression relative to relationship quality and anger toward their children at the two aforementioned time points, including subgroups based on age, parental role, cultural background, relationship status, education level, number of children, employment status and pre-existing psychiatric diagnosis.

Methods and findings

Parents were asked to fill out a set of validated questionnaires on the two measurement points. Parental stress significantly decreased from T1 to T2, indicating that the cumulative stress that parents experienced during the implementation of the distancing protocols declined when the protocols were phased out. The decrease of perceived parental stress was accompanied by a significant decrease in the symptoms of both depression and anxiety among the participating parents. Symptoms meeting the clinical cut-offs for depression (23.0%) and generalized anxiety disorder (23.3%) were reported among participating parents at T1, compared to 16.8% and 13.8% at T2, respectively. The reduction in depression and anger toward their child(ren) from T1 to T2 was associated with a reduction of parental stress. Relationship quality and anger toward their child(ren) at T1 further predicted a change in the level of parental stress from T1 to T2.

Conclusions

The study underlines the negative psychological impacts of the implementation of the distancing protocols on parents’ health and well-being. Uncovering the nature of how these constructs are associated with parents and families facing a social crisis such as the ongoing pandemic may contribute to the design of relevant interventions to reduce parental distress and strengthen parental coping and resilience.
SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins NSP1 and NSP13 inhibit interferon activation through distinct mechanisms
Authors: Vazquez Christine , Swanson Sydnie E. , Negatu Seble G. , Dittmar Mark , Miller Jesse , Ramage Holly R. , Cherry Sara , Jurado Kellie A.
Published: June 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a devastating global pandemic, infecting over 43 million people and claiming over 1 million lives, with these numbers increasing daily. Therefore, there is urgent need to understand the molecular mechanisms governing SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, immune evasion, and disease progression. Here, we show that SARS-CoV-2 can block IRF3 and NF-κB activation early during virus infection. We also identify that the SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins NSP1 and NSP13 can block interferon activation via distinct mechanisms. NSP1 antagonizes interferon signaling by suppressing host mRNA translation, while NSP13 downregulates interferon and NF-κB promoter signaling by limiting TBK1 and IRF3 activation, as phospho-TBK1 and phospho-IRF3 protein levels are reduced with increasing levels of NSP13 protein expression. NSP13 can also reduce NF-κB activation by both limiting NF-κB phosphorylation and nuclear translocation. Last, we also show that NSP13 binds to TBK1 and downregulates IFIT1 protein expression. Collectively, these data illustrate that SARS-CoV-2 bypasses multiple innate immune activation pathways through distinct mechanisms.
Anesthetic protocols for urodynamic studies of the lower urinary tract in small rodents—A systematic review
Authors: Abdelkhalek Abdelkhalek Samy , Youssef Haroun Ali , Saleh Ahmed Sayed , Bollen Peter , Zvara Peter
Published: June 2021

Urodynamic studies in rats and mice are broadly used to examine pathomechnisms of disease and identify and test therapeutic targets. This review aims to highlight the effects of the anesthetics on the lower urinary tract function and seeks to identify protocols that allow recovery from anesthesia and repeated measurements while preserving the function which is being studied. All studies published in English language, which compared the data obtained under various types of anesthesia and the urodynamics performed in awake animals were included. It appears that urethane, an anesthetic recommended extensively for the investigation of lower urinary tract function, is appropriate for acute urodynamic studies only. Major advantages of urethane are its stability and ability to preserve the micturition reflex. Due to its toxicity and carcinogenicity, urethane anesthesia should not be used for recovery procedures. This review evaluated available alternatives including propofol, isoflurane and combinations of urethane, ketamine/xylazine, ketamine/medetomidine, and/or fentanyl/fluanisone/midazolam. Different effects have been demonstrated among these drugs on the urinary bladder, the urethral sphincter, as well as on their neuroregulation. The lowest incidence of adverse effects was observed with the use of a combination of ketamine and xylazine. Although the variations in the reviewed study protocols represent a limitation, we believe that this summary will help in standardizing and optimizing future experiments.
Incorporating adaptation and resilience into an integrated watershed and coral reef management plan
Authors: Gibbs David A. , West Jordan M. , Bradley Patricia
Published: June 2021

Changing environmental conditions are forcing natural resource managers and communities to adapt their strategies to account for global shifts in precipitation, temperature, sea level and more, all of which are occurring in addition to local human impacts. Adapting to threats from climate change requires a fundamental shift in the practice of natural resource management through the development of forward-looking “climate-smart” goals and strategies. Here we present a proof-of-concept application of a decision-support tool to help design climate-smart management actions for the watershed and coral reef management plan for Guánica Bay watershed in southwest Puerto Rico. We also explore the connection between adaptation planning and coral reef resilience, using a recently developed Puerto Rico-wide reef resilience assessment. In the first phase of the study, we used the publicly available Adaptation Design Tool to draft initial climate-smart versions of twelve proposed management actions. In the second phase, two actions (dirt road management on steep slopes, and coral reef restoration) were further refined through consultations with local experts to make more detailed design adjustments; this included the option to use information from the coral reef resilience assessment to inform design improvements. The first phase resulted in moderately detailed assessments that broadly accounted for anticipated direct and indirect effects of climate change on the planned management actions. The second phase resulted in more site-specific technical assessments and additional important design details. The expert panel charged with discussing climate-smart reef restoration around Guánica used the reef resilience assessment to guide discussion of reef restoration, highlighting the importance of having such information available for adaptation planning. This study demonstrates how climate change impacts can be effectively incorporated into a management plan at the most granular level of planning and how a structured, formalized process can be as valuable as the resulting adaptation information.
Evaluating coverage bias in next-generation sequencing of Escherichia coli
Authors: Gunasekera Samantha , Abraham Sam , Stegger Marc , Pang Stanley , Wang Penghao , Sahibzada Shafi , O’Dea Mark
Published: June 2021

Whole-genome sequencing is essential to many facets of infectious disease research. However, technical limitations such as bias in coverage and tagmentation, and difficulties characterising genomic regions with extreme GC content have created significant obstacles in its use. Illumina has claimed that the recently released DNA Prep library preparation kit, formerly known as Nextera Flex, overcomes some of these limitations. This study aimed to assess bias in coverage, tagmentation, GC content, average fragment size distribution, andde novoassembly quality using both the Nextera XT and DNA Prep kits from Illumina. When performing whole-genome sequencing onEscherichia coliand where coverage bias is the main concern, the DNA Prep kit may provide higher quality results; thoughde novoassembly quality, tagmentation bias and GC content related bias are unlikely to improve. Based on these results, laboratories with existing workflows based on Nextera XT would see minor benefits in transitioning to the DNA Prep kit if they were primarily studying organisms with neutral GC content.
Syntactic complexity in translated and non-translated texts: A corpus-based study of simplification
Authors: Liu Kanglong , Afzaal Muhammad
Published: June 2021

This study approaches the investigation of the simplification hypotheses in corpus-based translation studies from a syntactic complexity perspective. The research is based on two comparable corpora, the English monolingual part of COCE (Corpus of Chinese-English) and the native English corpus of FLOB (Freiburg-LOB Corpus of British English). Using the 13 syntactic complexity measures falling into five subconstructs (i.e. length of production unit, amount of subordination, amount of coordination, phrasal complexity and overall sentence complexity), our results show that translation as a whole is less complex compared to non-translation, reflected most prominently in the amount of subordination and overall sentence complexity. Further pairwise comparison of the four subgenres of the corpora shows mixed results. Specifically, the translated news is homogenous to native news as evidenced by the complexity measures; the translated genres of general prose and academic writing are less complex compared to their native counterparts while translated fiction is more complex than non-translated fiction. It was found that mean sentence length always produced a significant effect on syntactic complexity, with higher syntactic complexity for longer sentence lengths in both corpora. ANOVA test shows a highly significant main effect of translation status, with higher syntactic complexity in the non-translated texts (FLOB) than the translated texts (COCE), which provides support for the simplification hypothesis in translation. It is also found that, apart from translation status, genre is an important variable in affecting the complexity level of translated texts. Our study offers new insights into the investigation of simplification hypothesis from the perspective of translation from English into Chinese.
Investigation of the indoor 222Rn and 220Rn levels in the residential environment and estimation of the annual effective radiation dose for ordinary residents
Authors: Li Xiaohong , Ke Hongyang , Ouyang Chuan , Yu Xiaoli , Liu Yumei , Wang Fei , Li Wanwei
Published: June 2021

To evaluate the health risk of radon and its progeny, a large amount of accurate monitoring data is needed according to the theory and practice of health risk assessment. However, the indoor radon levels in different regions in China and worldwide reveal temporal and spatial variations. In addition, the residents living in different areas follow distinct living modes. Therefore, it is recommended and accepted by many researchers to detect the radon level in local areas and subsequently conduct health risk assessments based on local detection data. In this study, 21 bedrooms of households in Weifang city were selected, and the indoor 222Rn and 220Rn levels were detected with RAD7 radon detector in winter, while the annual effective radiation dose was calculated for ordinary residents in Weifang city. Our investigation showed that the 24- and 12-hour average levels of 222Rn were 35.7±15.2 Bq/m3 and 36.2±15.8 Bq/m3, respectively. The 24- and 12-hour average levels of 220Rn were 30.4±12.3 Bq/m3 and 22.4±11.6 Bq/m3, respectively. There were significant differences in the average levels of 222Rn and 220Rn between floors. The estimated annual effective radiation dose received by ordinary residents in Weifang city was 1.7193 mSv, of which 0.9479 mSv originated from 222Rn and its progeny and 0.7714 mSv originated from 220Rn and its progeny, accounting for 55.1% and 44.9%, respectively, of the total dose. Our findings suggest that 220Rn should not be ignored by local residents in Weifang city, and more attention should be paid to 220Rn in future research.
A mixed method study design to explore the adherence of haematological cancer patients to oral anticancer medication in a multilingual and multicultural outpatient setting: The MADESIO protocol
Authors: Michiels Sandra , Tricas-Sauras Sandra , Dauvrin Marie , Bron Dominique , Kirakoya-Samadoulougou Fati
Published: June 2021

Background

Patients with haematologic malignancies are increasingly treated by oral anticancer medications, heightening the challenge of ensuring optimal adherence to treatment. However, except for chronic myelogenous leukaemia or acute lymphoid leukaemia, the extent of non-adherence has rarely been investigated in outpatient settings, particularly for migrant population. With growing numbers of migrants in Belgium, identifying potential differences in drug use is essential. Also, previous research regarding social determinants of health highlight important disparities for migrant population. Difficulties in communication between health caregivers and patients from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds has been underlined.

Methods

Using a sequential mixed method design, the MADESIO protocol explores the adherence to oral anticancer medications in patients with haematological malignancies and among first and second generation migrants of varied origin. Conducted in the ambulatory setting, a first quantitative strand will measure adherence rates and associated risk factors in two sub-groups of patients with haematological malignancies (group A: first and second generation migrants and group B: non-migrants). The second qualitative strand of this study uses semi-structured interviews to address address the patients’ subjective meanings and understand the statistical associations observed in the quantitative study (strand one). MADESIO aims to provide a first assessment of whether and why migrants constitute a population at risk concerning adherence to oral anticancer medications.

Discussion

Our protocol is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of adherence in a specific population. The methodological choices applied allow to explore adherence among patients from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. A particular emphasis has been paid to minimize the biases and increase the reliability of the data collected. Easily reproductible, the MADESIO design may help healthcare services to screen adherence to Oral anticancer medications and to guide providers in choosing the best strategies to address medication adherence of migrants or minority diverse population.
Robotic stapler use: Is it safe?–FDA database analysis across multiple surgical specialties
Authors: Giffen Zane , Ezzone Austin , Ekwenna Obi
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Robotic-assisted techniques are common across many surgical subspecialties. While robotic stapling offers increased surgeon control, there is limited information on surgical complications related to robotic stapler use.

Methods

We reviewed the FDA’s MAUDE database for adverse events related to robotic stapler use.

Results

Upon review of the FDA database, the most frequently reported robotic stapler complications were malfunction, failure to form staple line, device fragmentation, and misfire. 31 Clavien-Dindo grade II or higher complications were attributed to stapler use since 2014.

Conclusions

Further research on prevalence of robotic stapler use is needed to quantity the associated complication rate.
An integrated risk and epidemiological model to estimate risk-stratified COVID-19 outcomes for Los Angeles County: March 1, 2020—March 1, 2021
Authors: Horn Abigail L. , Jiang Lai , Washburn Faith , Hvitfeldt Emil , de la Haye Kayla , Nicholas William , Simon Paul , Pentz Maryann , Cozen Wendy , Sood Neeraj , Conti David V.
Published: June 2021

The objective of this study was to use available data on the prevalence of COVID-19 risk factors in subpopulations and epidemic dynamics at the population level to estimate probabilities of severe illness and the case and infection fatality rates (CFR and IFR) stratified across subgroups representing all combinations of the risk factors age, comorbidities, obesity, and smoking status. We focus on the first year of the epidemic in Los Angeles County (LAC) (March 1, 2020–March 1, 2021), spanning three epidemic waves. A relative risk modeling approach was developed to estimate conditional effects from available marginal data. A dynamic stochastic epidemic model was developed to produce time-varying population estimates of epidemic parameters including the transmission and infection observation rate. The epidemic and risk models were integrated to produce estimates of subpopulation-stratified probabilities of disease progression and CFR and IFR for LAC. The probabilities of disease progression and CFR and IFR were found to vary as extensively between age groups as within age categories combined with the presence of absence of other risk factors, suggesting that it is inappropriate to summarize epidemiological parameters for age categories alone, let alone the entire population. The fine-grained subpopulation-stratified estimates of COVID-19 outcomes produced in this study are useful in understanding disparities in the effect of the epidemic on different groups in LAC, and can inform analyses of targeted subpopulation-level policy interventions.
Emotional intelligence as a mediator in the relationship between academic performance and burnout in high school students
Authors: Molero Jurado María del Mar , Pérez-Fuentes María del Carmen , Martos Martínez África , Barragán Martín Ana Belén , Simón Márquez María del Mar , Gázquez Linares José Jesús
Published: June 2021

Low performance of high school students and repeating a year are major problems in the education system. Low performance in the classroom generates negative emotions in young people and has been related to development of school burnout. The objective of this study was to analyze the repercussions of academic performance on burnout in high school students, and establish the role of emotional intelligence in this relationship. The sample was made up of 1287 high school students aged 14 to 18, who filled out questionnaires for evaluation of these variables. The results showed that youths who had failed a subject or had repeated a year showed more exhaustion and cynicism than their classmates with better performance and higher academic efficacy. A relationship was also found between school burnout and emotional intelligence in these adolescents, positive for self-efficacy and negative for cynicism and exhaustion. The model results showed that low academic performance affected burnout level, and that stress management and mood in emotional intelligence acted as a mediator in this relationship. In conclusion, development of emotional intelligence programs in the educational context is proposed as a measure for preventing burnout in the face of adverse high school academic events, such as failing or repeating a year.
Poor oral function is associated with loss of independence or death in functionally independent older adults
Authors: Nagamine Yusuke , Kamitani Tsukasa , Yamazaki Hajime , Ogawa Yusuke , Fukuhara Shunichi , Yamamoto Yosuke
Published: June 2021

Aim

To clarify the association of poor oral function with loss of independence (LOI) or death in functionally independent older adults in the community.

Methods

We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a prospective cohort study in two municipalities in Japan. We included participants who were older than 65 years of age and had no certification in long-term care at baseline. Poor oral function was evaluated by the Kihon Checklist. Among participants with poor oral function, they were further classified by the degree of quality of life (QOL) impairment due to dysphagia. Main outcome is LOI or death from all cause. The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence of intervals (CIs) were estimated by Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for potential confounders.

Results

Of 1,272 participants, 150 participants (11.8%) had poor oral function. The overall incidence of LOI or death was 10.0% in the participants with poor oral function, while 3.3% in the participants without. Participants with poor oral function were more likely to develop LOI or death than those without (crude HR = 3.17 [95% CIs 1.74–5.78], adjusted HR = 2.30 [95% CIs 1.22–4.36]). 10 participants (0.79%) were classified as poor oral function with QOL impairment, and were more likely to develop LOI or death than those without poor oral function (crude HR = 7.45 [95% CIs 1.80–30.91], adjusted HR = 8.49 [95% CIs 1.88–38.34]).

Conclusions

Poor oral function was associated with higher risk of LOI or death in functionally independent older adults in the community.
Genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in Guangdong, China, between 2018 and 2019
Authors: Wen Feng , Yang Jing , Li Anqi , Gong Zhonggui , Yang Lulu , Cheng Qing , Wang Congying , Zhao Mengmeng , Yuan Sheng , Chen Yao , El-Ashram Saeed , Li Yong , Yu Hai , Guo Jinyue , Huang Shujian
Published: June 2021

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), a leading cause of piglet diarrhea outbreaks, poses a significant danger to the swine industry. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemic characteristics ofPEDVthat was circulating in Guangdong province, one of China’s major pig producing provinces. Clinical samples were collected from eight pig farms in Guangdong province between 2018 and 2019 and tested for the major porcine enteric pathogens, includingPEDV, transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), Swine enteric coronavirus (SeCoV), Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV), porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), and porcine rotavirus (RV). As a result, onlyPEDVandRVwere detected at a rate of 47.0% (16/34) and 18.6% (8/34), respectively. Coinfectoin withPEDVand RV occurred at a rate ofPEDV12.5% (2/16). Subsequently, the full-length S gene sequences of 13PEDVstrains were obtained, and phylogenetic analysis suggested the presence of GII-c group PEDV strains in this region (non-S-INDEL). Two novel common amino acid insertions (55T/IG56and 551L) and one novel glycosylation site (1199G+) were detected when the CV777 and ZJ08 vaccine strains were compared. Furthermore, intragroup recombination events in theSgene regions 51–548 and 2478–4208 were observed in thePEDVstrains studied. In summary, the observations provide current information on the incidence of viral agents causing swine diarrhea in southern China and detailed the genetic characteristics and evolutionary history of the dominantPEDVfield strains. Our findings will aid in the development of an updated vaccine for the prevention and control ofPEDVvariant strains.
Knowledge and perceptions of synthetic cannabinoids among university students in Jordan
Authors: AbuAlSamen Mahmoud M. , El-Elimat Tamam , A. Almomani Basima , A. Al-Sawalha Nour
Published: June 2021

The emergence of blends of synthetic cannabinoids (SC) is an alarming public health concern in Jordan and worldwide. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and perceptions of university students of SC. A cross-sectional study employing a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 1,789 university students in Jordan. The questionnaire measured the knowledge and perceptions of students of SC. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to investigate the potential predictors of good knowledge of SC. Perceptions of students regarding SC use, prevalence and availability were investigated using principal component analysis. Self-reported familiarity with SC was high (92.5%), while good knowledge was only demonstrated by (33.6%) of students. Predictors of good knowledge included being a smoker (aOR = 1.369, 95% Cl = 11.041–1.871, p = .026), an alcohol user (aOR = 2.134, 95% CI = 1.362–3.346, p = .001), being informed by traditional media (aOR = 1.367, 95% CI = 11.113–1.679, p = .003), social media (aOR = 1.241, 95% CI = 1.161–1.403, p = .021) and self-familiarity with SC (aOR = 2.499, 95% CI = 1.518–4.114, p < .0001). Students perceived SC use to be prevalent and ethically unacceptable, for religious, social, and legal reasons. There were significant differences in the ethical perceptions against the use of SC detected by gender (p < .0001), smoking (p < .0001) or alcohol use (p = .001), and being informed by both traditional media (p-.001) and social media (p = .001), but there were no differences by the level of knowledge (p = .057). Those of good knowledge and those of low knowledge did not differ on their ethical perceptions of using SC. This study showed that there was a low level of knowledge regarding SC among university students in Jordan, which may play a role in the use of SC in the country. Herein, many opportunities exist for public health education to raise awareness against SC use.
Optimal use of radiotherapy in the definitive treatment of non-bulky IB–IIA cervical cancer: A population-based long-term survival analysis
Authors: Lim Yu Jin , Lee Han Na
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Although current clinical guidelines recommend surgery or radiotherapy for non-bulky IB-IIA cervical cancer, clinical data supporting the curative role of radiotherapy in the early-stage disease are insufficient. We evaluated the prognostic implications of definitive radiotherapy and determined its optimal use in clinical practice.

Methods

Patients with non-bulky (<4 cm) IB-IIA cervical cancer who underwent hysterectomy or primary radiotherapy between 1988 and 2015 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Based on the use of brachytherapy and/or chemotherapy, the primary radiotherapy group was classified into three cohorts: hysterectomy vs. radiotherapy overall, with/without brachytherapy and/or chemotherapy (cohort A); radiotherapy and brachytherapy with/without chemotherapy (patients with external beam radiation alone were excluded, cohort B); radiotherapy with brachytherapy and chemotherapy (patients who did not receive chemotherapy were additionally excluded, cohort C). Disease-specific survival (DSS) after hysterectomy was compared to that after primary radiotherapy in each cohort.

Results

Among the 9,391 initially identified patients, 1,762, 1,244, and 750 patients were classified into cohorts A, B, and C, respectively, after propensity score matching. In cohort A, DSS after primary radiotherapy was inferior to that after hysterectomy (P = 0.001). In cohort B, a trend toward differential survival in favor of hysterectomy was observed with marginal significance (P = 0.061). However, in cohort C, DSS after primary radiotherapy was not significantly different to that after hysterectomy (P = 0.127). According to hazard rate function plots, patients receiving external beam radiation alone had an increased short-term risk of disease-specific mortality, whereas patients without evidence of chemotherapy had a distinct late risk surge at approximately 15 years of follow-up.

Conclusion

Optimizing radiotherapy methods with brachytherapy and the use of chemotherapy should be considered for the long-term curative efficacy of primary radiotherapy for non-bulky IB-IIA cervical cancer. Further studies are warranted to corroborate our results.
Vitamin D status and associated factors among HIV-infected children and adolescents on antiretroviral therapy in Kampala, Uganda
Authors: Piloya Thereza Were , Bakeera–Kitaka Sabrina , Kisitu Grace Paul , Idro Richard , Cusick Sarah E.
Published: June 2021

Background

A high prevalence of suboptimal serum vitamin D has been reported among HIV infected children even in countries with high sunshine abundance throughout the year. Vitamin D is a potent immune modulator of innate and adaptive immune responses. Vitamin D regulates immune responses through the vitamin D receptor on CD4 cells. We aimed to determine the vitamin D status of HIV infected children and factors associated with suboptimal vitamin D.

Methods

This was a cross sectional study. We enrolled children aged between 6 months and 12 years attending an outpatient paediatric HIV clinic. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) was measured using the electrochemoluminisence method. Suboptimal vitamin D was defined as 25(OH)D <30 ng/ml, vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency were 21–29 ng/ml and <20 ng/ml respectively. Anthropometry, physical exam and medical history were documented. Logistic regression was performed.

Results

We enrolled 376 children with mean age (sd) 8.05 years (3.03), a median (IQR) duration of ART of 5.9 years (3.2–8.4). Majority of the children (64%) had been exposed to non nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). A third were severely immunosuppressed (CD4% ≤15%) at ART initiation. At the time of the study, the majority (89%) were virologically suppressed (VL <1000 copies/ml). Prevalence of 25(OH)D <30 ng/ml was 49 (13%) of 375 participants and 11 (3%) had 25(OH)D <20 ng/ml. Lopinavir/ritonavir regimen was independently associated with 25(OH)D <30 ng/ml; OR 0.27 CI (0.13–0.57), p value-0.002. Serum 25(OH)D <20 ng/ml was associated with CD4 count ≤15% at ART initiation OR 6.55(1.30–32.9), p value—0.023 and use of NNRTIs; OR 10.9(1.22–96.2), p value—0.03.

Conclusion

We found a low prevalence of suboptimal vitamin D compared to earlier reports. Severe immunosuppression at ART initiation and use of NNRTIs increases odds of deficiency. Vitamin D supplementation should be considered in severely immunosuppressed children initiating ART.
Impact of rating and praise campaigns on local government environmental governance efficiency: Evidence from the campaign of establishment of national sanitary cities in China
Authors: Tang Genli , Lin Minghai , Xu Yilan , Li Jinlin , Chen Litai
Published: June 2021

Background

Ecological and environmental protection is essential to achieving sustainable and high-quality development, which highlights the important role of environmental governance. In terms of the practical actions of environmental governance, the central government in China has carried out continuous rating and praise campaigns, and local governments have actively promoted this effort. However, the related performance consequences have not been empirically investigated. We aimed to verify whether this incentive policy can improve the efficiency of environmental governance and whether this governance method has long-term effects. In addition, we sought to identify mechanisms through which the policy can improve environmental governance.

Method

We take the rating and praise campaign of the Establishment of National Sanitary Cities (EONSCs) as a quasi-natural experiment and use the panel data for 174 cities from 2004 to 2016 and the propensity score matching-difference in differences (PSM-DID) method to test the impact of rating and praise campaigns on environmental governance efficiency.

Results

EONSCs campaign can improve the efficiency of environmental governance by 0.7595 (p<0.01), which is significant at the 1% level; the effects are clearly significant during the evaluation process and the year in which cities are named National Sanitary Cities (NSCs) but decrease annually thereafter. The EONSCs campaign has a significant promoting effect on public services provision, such as public infrastructure investment, public transportation and education.

Conclusions

(1) The rating and praise campaigns can effectively improve the efficiency of environmental governance; (2) the incentive effect is distorted and is not a long-term effect; (3) the impact of the rating and praise campaign of EONSCs on the efficiency of environmental governance is mainly realized through the provision of corresponding public services that are closely related to environmental protection. The findings of this paper provide empirical support for the effectiveness of the central government’s rating and praise campaigns and could motivate local governments to actively participate in environmental governance. Moreover, the findings provide an important reference for further improving the rating and praise campaigns and the level of environmental governance.
Mortality among amphetamine users with hepatitis C virus infection: A nationwide study
Authors: Gahrton Caroline , Håkansson Anders , Kåberg Martin , Jerkeman Anna , Häbel Henrike , Dalgard Olav , Duberg Ann-Sofi , Aleman Soo
Published: June 2021

Aims

To investigate liver-related and all-cause mortality among amphetamine users with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and compare this with opioid users with HCV infection and the uninfected general population.

Methods

In this national register study of mortality in persons notified with HCV infection 1990–2015 and a substance-related diagnosis in Sweden, amphetamine users (n = 6,509) were compared with opioid users (n = 5,739) and a matched comparison group without HCV infection/substance use (n = 152,086).

Results

Amphetamine users were observed for 91,000 years and 30.1% deceased. Crude liver-related mortality was 1.8 times higher in amphetamine users than opioid users (crude mortality rate ratio 1.78, 95% CI 1.45–2.19), but there was no significant difference when adjusting for age and other defined risk factors. An alcohol-related diagnosis was associated with liver-related death and was more common among amphetamine users. Crude and adjusted liver-related mortality was 39.4 and 5.8 times higher, respectively, compared with the uninfected group. All-cause mortality was lower than in opioid users (adjusted mortality rate ratio 0.78, 95% CI 0.73–0.84), but high compared with the uninfected group. External causes of death dominated in younger ages whereas liver-related death was more common among older individuals.

Conclusions

This national register study presents a higher crude risk of liver-related death among HCV-infected amphetamine users compared with opioid users or the uninfected general population. The higher risk of liver-related death compared with opioid users may be explained by lower competing death risk and higher alcohol consumption. Treatment of HCV infection and alcohol use disorders are needed to reduce the high liver-related mortality.