bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of proton pump inhibitors to treat persistent throat symptoms: multicentre, double blind, randomised, placebo controlled trial
Authors: O’Hara James , Stocken Deborah D , Watson Gillian C , Fouweather Tony , McGlashan Julian , MacKenzie Kenneth , Carding Paul , Karagama Yakubu , Wood Ruth , Wilson Janet A
Published: January 2021

Objective

To assess the use of proton pump inhibitors
(PPIs) to treat persistent throat symptoms.

Design

Pragmatic, double blind, placebo controlled,
randomised trial.

Setting

Eight ear, nose, and throat outpatient clinics,
United Kingdom.

Participants

346 patients aged 18 years or older with
persistent throat symptoms who were randomised
according to recruiting centre and baseline
severity of symptoms (mild or severe): 172 to
lansoprazole and 174 to placebo.

Intervention

Random blinded allocation (1:1) to either 30 mg
lansoprazole twice daily or matched placebo twice
daily for 16 weeks.

Main outcome measures

Primary outcome was symptomatic response at 16
weeks measured using the total reflux symptom
index (RSI) score. Secondary outcomes included
symptom response at 12 months, quality of life,
and throat appearances.

Results

Of 1427 patients initially screened for
eligibility, 346 were recruited. The mean age of
the study sample was 52.2 (SD 13.7) years, 196
(57%) were women, and 162 (47%) had severe
symptoms at presentation; these characteristics
were balanced across treatment arms. The primary
analysis was performed on 220 patients who
completed the primary outcome measure within a
window of 14-20 weeks. Mean RSI scores were
similar between treatment arms at baseline:
lansoprazole 22.0 (95% confidence interval 20.4 to
23.6) and placebo 21.7 (20.5 to 23.0).
Improvements (reduction in RSI score) were
observed in both groups—score at 16 weeks:
lansoprazole 17.4 (15.5 to19.4) and placebo 15.6
(13.8 to 17.3). No statistically significant
difference was found between the treatment arms:
estimated difference 1.9 points (95% confidence
interval −0.3 to 4.2 points; P=0.096) adjusted for
site and baseline symptom severity. Lansoprazole
showed no benefits over placebo for any secondary
outcome measure, including RSI scores at 12
months: lansoprazole 16.0 (13.6 to 18.4) and
placebo 13.6 (11.7 to 15.5): estimated difference
2.4 points (−0.6 to 5.4 points).

Conclusions

No evidence was found of benefit from PPI
treatment in patients with persistent throat
symptoms. RSI scores were similar between the
lansoprazole and placebo groups after 16 weeks of
treatment and at the 12 month follow-up.

Trial registration

ISRCTN Registry
ISRCTN38578686
and EudraCT
2013-004249-17.
Using human-centred design to develop an innovative female condom
Authors: Coffey Patricia S , Kilbourne-Brook Maggie
Published: January 2021

Objective

The female condom is a non-hormonal barrier method that can protect from unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections such as HIV. Female condoms are an important contribution to women’s reproductive health globally as they are the only woman-initiated method currently available that can provide dual protection. This article describes how human-centred design (HCD) was applied to the development of the Woman’s Condom—a second-generation female condom.

Methods

A multidisciplinary team pioneered the application of HCD principles to develop a novel reproductive health product. The Woman’s Condom design incorporated feedback from both female and male users from multiple sites in the USA and Cuernavaca, Mexico; Durban, South Africa and Khon Kaen, Thailand to inform product development.

Results

We developed and tested more than 50 design iterations reflecting various solutions to user-related concerns. The final locked design confirmed that the Woman’s Condom was easy to use, stable, comfortable and provided satisfactory sensation during sex for both partners. The ‘dissolving capsule’ to facilitate insertion and ‘soft cling’ design are key innovative features of the Woman’s Condom.

Conclusion

The Woman’s Condom is a second-generation female (or internal) condom product that has been shown to be highly acceptable to users throughout the world. The Woman’s Condom’s special design features enable easy insertion, secure fit during use, good sensation and easy removal. Engaging users as codesigners through an HCD approach resulted in a female condom that meets the needs of women and men from diverse regions.
Electroacupuncture for stress-predominant mixed urinary incontinence: a protocol for a three-armed randomised controlled trial
Authors: Sun Yuanjie , Liu Yan , Chen Huan , Yan Yan , Liu Zhishun
Published: January 2021

Introduction

Evidence specific for stress-predominant mixed urinary incontinence is still lacking at present, and acupuncture may relieve the symptoms. We plan to conduct this multi-centre, three-armed, randomised controlled trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture among women with stress-predominant mixed urinary incontinence.

Methods and analysis

The trial will be conducted at five hospitals in China. Two hundred thirty-two eligible women will be randomly assigned (2:1:1) to the electroacupuncture, sham electroacupuncture or waiting-list group to receive either 24-session acupuncture/sham acupuncture treatment over 8 weeks and 24-week follow-up or 20-week watchful waiting. The primary outcome is the proportion of participants with at least 50% reduction in mean 24-hour stress incontinence episode frequencies from baseline to week 8. The outcome will be analysed with the intention to treatpopulation (defined as participants randomised) with a two-sided p value of less than 0.05 considered significant.

Ethics and dissemination

The protocol has been approved by Guang’anmen Hospital Institutional Review Board (2019-241-KY). Detailed information of the trial will be informed to the participants, and written informed consent will be obtained from every participant. Results of the trial are expected to be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT04299932).
Prevalence of comorbidities and their associated factors in patients with type 2 diabetes at a tertiary care department in Ningbo, China: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Li Xueyu , Chattopadhyay Kaushik , Xu Shengnan , Chen Yanshu , Xu Miao , Li Li , Li Jialin
Published: January 2021

Objectives

To determine the prevalence of comorbidities in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and identify the factors independently associated with comorbidities in a tertiary care department in Ningbo, China.

Design

A computerised medical records database was used to conduct a cross-sectional study.

Setting

The study was conducted in a tertiary care department in Ningbo, China.

Participants

The study was conducted on adult patients with T2DM, and it included 8 years of data, from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2019.

The primary outcome measure

Comorbidity was defined as the coexistence of at least one other chronic condition, that is, either a physical non-communicable disease (duration ≥3 months), a mental health condition (duration ≥3 months) or an infectious disease (duration ≥3 months).

Results

In total, 4777 patients with T2DM satisfied the eligibility criteria. Over 8 years, the prevalence of comorbidities was 93.7%. The odds of comorbidities increased with the age of patients (18 to 39 years: 1; 40 to 59 years: OR 2.80, 95% CI 1.98 to 3.96; 60 to 69 years: OR 4.43, 95% CI 3.04 to 6.44; and ≥70 years: OR 10.97, 95% CI 7.17 to 16.77). The odds were lower in female patients (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.84), patients residing in rural areas (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.95) and patients without health insurance (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.83). The odds were higher in single/divorced/widowed patients compared with those in married patients (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.21 to 3.12).

Conclusions

A large percentage of patients with T2DM in the tertiary care department in Ningbo, China, had comorbidities, and the factors associated with comorbidities were identified. The findings could be used in developing, evaluating and implementing interventions aimed at improving outcomes in patients with T2DM with comorbidities.
Nurse-led PrEP-RN clinic: a prospective cohort study exploring task-Shifting HIV prevention to public health nurses
Authors: O'Byrne Patrick , Vandyk Amanda , Orser Lauren , Haines Marlene
Published: January 2021

Objective

To report the results of a nurse-led pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) delivery service.

Design

This was a prospective cohort study conducted from 5 August 2018 to 4 March 2020. It involved manual chart review to collect data. Variables were described using frequencies and percentages and analysed using χ2 testing. Those significant in bivariate analysis were retained and entered into a binary multiple logistic regression. Hierarchical modelling was used, and only significant factors were retained.

Setting

This study occurred in an urban public health unit and community-based sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic in Ottawa, Canada.

Participants

Of all persons who were diagnosed with a bacterial STI in Ottawa and everyone who presented to our STI clinic during the study period, there were 347 patients who met our high-risk criteria for PrEP; these criteria included patients who newly presented with any of the following: HIV contacts, diagnosed with a bacterial STI or single use of HIV PEP. Further, eligibility could be determined based on clinical judgement. Patients who met the foregoing criteria were appropriate for PrEP-RN, while lower-risk patients were referred to elsewhere. Of the 347 patients who met our high-risk criteria, 47% accepted and 53% declined. Of those who accepted, 80% selected PrEP-registered nurse (RN).

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Uptake, acceptance, engagement and attrition factors of participants who obtained PrEP through PrEP-RN.

Findings

69% of participants who were eligible attended their intake PrEP-RN visit. 66% were retained in care. Half of participants continued PrEP and half were lost to follow-up. We found no significant differences in the uptake, acceptance, engagement and attrition factors of participants who accessed PrEP-RN regarding reason for referral, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, annual income, education attainted, insurance status, if they have a primary care provider, presence or absence of depression or anxiety and evidence of newly acquired STI during the study period.

Conclusions

Nurse-led PrEP is an appropriate strategy for PrEP delivery.
Estimating the COVID-19 epidemic trajectory and hospital capacity requirements in South West England: a mathematical modelling framework
Authors: Booton Ross D , MacGregor Louis , Vass Lucy , Looker Katharine J , Hyams Catherine , Bright Philip D , Harding Irasha , Lazarus Rajeka , Hamilton Fergus , Lawson Daniel , Danon Leon , Pratt Adrian , Wood Richard , Brooks-Pollock Ellen , Turner Katherine M E
Published: January 2021

Objectives

To develop a regional model of COVID-19 dynamics for use in estimating the number of infections, deaths and required acute and intensive care (IC) beds using the South West England (SW) as an example case.

Design

Open-source age-structured variant of a susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered compartmental mathematical model. Latin hypercube sampling and maximum likelihood estimation were used to calibrate to cumulative cases and cumulative deaths.

Setting

SW at a time considered early in the pandemic, where National Health Service authorities required evidence to guide localised planning and support decision-making.

Participants

Publicly available data on patients with COVID-19.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The expected numbers of infected cases, deaths due to COVID-19 infection, patient occupancy of acute and IC beds and the reproduction (‘R’) number over time.

Results

SW model projections indicate that, as of 11 May 2020 (when ‘lockdown’ measures were eased), 5793 (95% credible interval (CrI) 2003 to 12 051) individuals were still infectious (0.10% of the total SW population, 95% CrI 0.04% to 0.22%), and a total of 189 048 (95% CrI 141 580 to 277 955) had been infected with the virus (either asymptomatically or symptomatically), but recovered, which is 3.4% (95% CrI 2.5% to 5.0%) of the SW population. The total number of patients in acute and IC beds in the SW on 11 May 2020 was predicted to be 701 (95% CrI 169 to 1543) and 110 (95% CrI 8 to 464), respectively. The R value in SW was predicted to be 2.6 (95% CrI 2.0 to 3.2) prior to any interventions, with social distancing reducing this to 2.3 (95% CrI 1.8 to 2.9) and lockdown/school closures further reducing the R value to 0.6 (95% CrI 0.5 to 0.7).

Conclusions

The developed model has proved a valuable asset for regional healthcare services. The model will be used further in the SW as the pandemic evolves, and—as open-source software—is portable to healthcare systems in other geographies.
Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health after pre-eclampsia: the Motherhealth prospective cohort study protocol
Authors: Miller Eliza C , Miltiades Andrea , Pimentel-Soler Nicole , Booker Whitney A , Landau-Cahana Ruth , Marshall Randolph S , D"Alton Mary E , Wapner Ronald , Lawrence Cleary Kirsten , Bello Natalie
Published: January 2021

Introduction

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CCVDs) are the leading cause of maternal mortality in the first year after delivery. Women whose pregnancies were complicated by pre-eclampsia are at particularly high risk for adverse events. In addition, women with a history of pre-eclampsia have higher risk of CCVD later in life. The physiological mechanisms that contribute to increased CCVD risk in these women are not well understood, and the optimal clinical pathways for postpartum CCVD risk reduction are not yet defined.

Methods and analysis

The Motherhealth Study (MHS) is a prospective cohort study at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), a quaternary care academic medical centre serving a multiethnic population in New York City. MHS began recruitment on 28 September 2018 and will enrol 60 women diagnosed with pre-eclampsia with severe features in the antepartum or postpartum period, and 40 normotensive pregnant women as a comparison cohort. Clinical data, biospecimens and measures of vascular function will be collected from all participants at the time of enrolment. Women in the pre-eclampsia group will complete an additional three postpartum study visits over 12–24 months. Visits will include additional detailed cardiovascular and cerebrovascular phenotyping. As this is an exploratory, observational pilot study, only descriptive statistics are planned. Data will be used to inform power calculations for future planned interventional studies.

Ethics and dissemination

The CUIMC Institutional Review Board approved this study prior to initiation of recruitment. All participants signed informed consent prior to enrolment. Results will be disseminated to the clinical and research community, along with the public, on completion of analyses. Data will be shared on reasonable request.
TeamSTEPPS online simulation: expanding access to teamwork training for medical students
Authors: Burns Rebekah , Gray Megan , Peralta Dana , Scheets Andrew , Umoren Rachel
Published: January 2021

Background

The Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS) programme is an evidence-based approach to teamwork training. In-person education is not always feasible for medical student education. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of online, interactive TeamSTEPPS simulation versus an in-person simulation on medical students’ TeamSTEPPS knowledge and attitudes.

Methods

Fourth-year medical students self-selected into an in-person or online training designed to teach and evaluate teamwork skills. In-person participants received didactic sessions, team-based medical simulations and facilitated debriefing sessions. The online group received an equivalent online didactic session and participated in an interactive software-based simulation with immediate, personalised performance-based feedback and scripted debriefing. Both trainings used three iterations of a case of septic shock, each with increasing medical complexity. Participants completed a demographic survey, a preintervention/postintervention TeamSTEPPS Benchmarks test and a retrospective preintervention/postintervention TeamSTEPPS teamwork attitudes questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and repeated measures analysis of variance.

Results

Thirty-one students (18 in-person, 13 online) completed preintervention/postintervention surveys, tests and questionnaires. Gender, age and exposure to interprofessional education, teamwork training and games were similar between groups. There were no statistical differences in preintervention knowledge or teamwork attitude scores between in-person and online groups. Postintervention knowledge scores increased significantly from baseline (+2.0% p=0.047), and these gains did not differ significantly based on whether participants received in-person versus online training (+1.5% vs +2.9%; p=0.49). Teamwork attitudes scores also showed a statistically significant increase with training (+0.9, p<0.01) with no difference in the effect of training by group (+0.8 vs +1.0; p=0.64).

Conclusions

Graduating medical students who received in-person and online teamwork training showed similar increases in TeamSTEPPS knowledge and attitudes. Online simulations may be used to teach and reinforce team communication skills when in-person, interprofessional simulations are not feasible.
Opioid prescribing attitudes of palliative care physicians versus other specialists: a questionnaire-based survey
Authors: Dzierzanowski Tomasz , Kozlowski Michael
Published: January 2021

Purpose of the study

While opioid overuse is a public health crisis in the USA, opioid analgesics are used suboptimally in Central and Eastern Europe, causing many pain cases to remain untreated or undertreated.

Study design

This questionnaire study aimed to identify the prevalent prescribing patterns and attitudes and the possible internal impediments to optimal opioid use among palliative care physicians and other specialists in Poland.

Results

Tramadol was the most commonly preferred opioid. While palliative care physicians (n=81) used various strong opioids, other physicians (n=87) prescribed mostly buprenorphine, accessible with standard prescription forms. Neither internal prejudices and beliefs nor administrative regulations impede prescribing opioids by palliative care physicians, unlike specialists other than palliative medicine. Special prescription forms for psychoactive medications, fear of drug addiction of their patients and penalties for possible errors on prescriptions affect the latter's optimal prescribing. They also revealed significant gaps in the knowledge of prescribing opioids and would take part in additional training. Palliative care physicians appeared optimally prepared for cancer pain management and report fewer internal barriers than other specialists.

Conclusions

Continuous medical education on cancer pain treatment should be provided to all specialists to ensure optimal opioid pharmacotherapy and avoid overprescribing or underprescribing opioids. Administrative restrictions are the main barrier to optimal pain treatment.
Surgical training in the UK: is cost a barrier to entry?
Authors: Vinnicombe Zak , Little Max , Super Jonathan , Anakwe Raymond
Published: January 2021

Background

There is good quality evidence linking socioeconomic background and the likelihood of a surgical career. Additionally, training in surgery is more expensive than in other specialties. Our aim was to assess the awareness and perceptions of trainees and medical students of the relative costs of surgical training and to determine whether perceptions of cost deter potential surgical trainees.

Methods

Medical students, foundation doctors and core trainees in England were surveyed over a 2-week period. χ2 tests of independence were used to assess statistically significant associations between measured variables

Main findings

A total of 284 responses were received. More than half of respondents (54%) were not previously aware of the high costs of surgical training. More than a quarter of respondents (27%) did not take out a student loan. There was a significant association (p=0.003) between familial income and being less likely to consider a surgical career due to the costs. Respondents who reported receipt of a student loan were also significantly less likely to consider a surgical career due to the costs (p=0.033).

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates an important relationship between perceived costs of surgical training and future career aspirations. This suggests that access to surgical training may still be difficult for many. This study also highlights a general lack of awareness of high surgical training costs. It is important that surgical training is accessible. Financial status should not be a significant disincentive and widening access to surgical training can only serve to enrich and advance the specialty.
Breathomics for the clinician: the use of volatile organic compounds in respiratory diseases
Authors: Ibrahim Wadah , Carr Liesl , Cordell Rebecca , Wilde Michael J , Salman Dahlia , Monks Paul S , Thomas Paul , Brightling Chris E , Siddiqui Salman , Greening Neil J
Published: January 2021

Exhaled breath analysis has the potential to provide valuable insight on the status of various metabolic pathways taking place in the lungs locally and other vital organs, via systemic circulation. For years, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been proposed as feasible alternative diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for different respiratory pathologies.

We reviewed the currently published literature on the discovery of exhaled breath VOCs and their utilisation in various respiratory diseases

Key barriers in the development of clinical breath tests include the lack of unified consensus for breath collection and analysis and the complexity of understanding the relationship between the exhaled VOCs and the underlying metabolic pathways. We present a comprehensive overview, in light of published literature and our experience from coordinating a national breathomics centre, of the progress made to date and some of the key challenges in the field and ways to overcome them. We particularly focus on the relevance of breathomics to clinicians and the valuable insights it adds to diagnostics and disease monitoring.

Breathomics holds great promise and our findings merit further large-scale multicentre diagnostic studies using standardised protocols to help position this novel technology at the centre of respiratory disease diagnostics.
Smokeless tobacco products, supply chain and retailers’ practices in England: a multimethods study to inform policy
Authors: Siddiqui Faraz , Khan Talib , Readshaw Anne , Croucher Ray , Dockrell Martin , Jackson Cath , Kanaan Mona , McCambridge Jim , McNeill Ann , Parrott Steve , Sheikh Aziz , Siddiqi Kamran
Published: January 2021

Background

In England, many people of South Asian origin consume smokeless tobacco (ST). ST use can lead to oral cancer, which is disproportionately high in South Asians. Our aims were to assess the compliance of ST product retailers with statutory regulations and to explore the supply chain of ST.

Methods

We undertook a multimethods study between August 2017 and July 2019 in five English boroughs with a high proportion of ethnic South Asians. We purchased ST products and conducted field surveys with ST retailers at point of sale. Qualitative interviews were conducted with ST retailers and suppliers. ST packs were assessed for regulatory compliance, while quantitative and qualitative data triangulated information on retailers’ practices and the ST supply chain.

Results

We collected 41 unique ST products, which included dry snuff, naswar, gutka, chewing tobacco and zarda. ST products were not registered, and demonstrated low compliance with health warning (14.6%) and packaging (56.1%) requirements. ST availability in surveyed boroughs was high (38.2%–69.7%); dry snuff, naswar and zarda were most commonly available. ST retailers demonstrated limited knowledge of regulations, and one-third were found to advertise ST at point of sale. Qualitative insights revealed illicit supply and distribution networks, as well as ST production in discreet locations.

Conclusion

ST products are widely available in England, yet non-compliant with statutory regulations. In order to safeguard consumers, in particular ethnic South Asians, stronger efforts are needed to regulate the supply chain of ST at both national and international levels.
Challenges when identifying migration from geo-located Twitter data
Authors: Armstrong Caitrin , Poorthuis Ate , Zook Matthew , Ruths Derek , Soehl Thomas
Published: January 2021

Given the challenges in collecting up-to-date, comparable data on migrant populations the potential of digital trace data to study migration and migrants has sparked considerable interest among researchers and policy makers. In this paper we assess the reliability of one such data source that is heavily used within the research community: geolocated tweets. We assess strategies used in previous work to identify migrants based on their geolocation histories. We apply these approaches to infer the travel history of a set of Twitter users who regularly posted geolocated tweets between July 2012 and June 2015. In a second step we hand-code the entire tweet histories of a subset of the accounts identified as migrants by these methods. Upon close inspection very few of the accounts that are classified as migrants appear to be migrants in any conventional sense or international students. Rather we find these approaches identify other highly mobile populations such as frequent business or leisure travellers, or people who might best be described as “transnationals”. For demographic research that draws on this kind of data to generate estimates of migration flows this high mis-classification rate implies that findings are likely sensitive to the adjustment model used. For most research trying to use these data to study migrant populations, the data will be of limited utility. We suspect that increasing the correct classification rate substantially will not be easy and may introduce other biases.
Privacy preserving data visualizations
Authors: Avraam Demetris , Wilson Rebecca , Butters Oliver , Burton Thomas , Nicolaides Christos , Jones Elinor , Boyd Andy , Burton Paul
Published: January 2021

Data visualizations are a valuable tool used during both statistical analysis and the interpretation of results as they graphically reveal useful information about the structure, properties and relationships between variables, which may otherwise be concealed in tabulated data. In disciplines like medicine and the social sciences, where collected data include sensitive information about study participants, the sharing and publication of individual-level records is controlled by data protection laws and ethico-legal norms. Thus, as data visualizations – such as graphs and plots – may be linked to other released information and used to identify study participants and their personal attributes, their creation is often prohibited by the terms of data use. These restrictions are enforced to reduce the risk of breaching data subject confidentiality, however they limit analysts from displaying useful descriptive plots for their research features and findings.

Here we propose the use of anonymization techniques to generate privacy-preserving visualizations that retain the statistical properties of the underlying data while still adhering to strict data disclosure rules. We demonstrate the use of (i) the well-known k-anonymization process which preserves privacy by reducing the granularity of the data using suppression and generalization, (ii) a novel deterministic approach that replaces individual-level observations with the centroids of each k nearest neighbours, and (iii) a probabilistic procedure that perturbs individual attributes with the addition of random stochastic noise. We apply the proposed methods to generate privacy-preserving data visualizations for exploratory data analysis and inferential regression plot diagnostics, and we discuss their strengths and limitations.
Shapley Distance and Shapley Index for Some Special Graphs
Authors: Gu Zhendong , Zhou Shuming , Liu Jiafei , Zhou Qianru , Wang Dajin
Published: January 2021

The Shapley distance in a graph is defined based on Shapley value in cooperative game theory. It is used to measure the cost for a vertex in a graph to access another vertex. In this paper, we establish the Shapley distance between two arbitrary vertices for some special graphs, i.e., path, tree, cycle, complete graph, complete bipartite, and complete multipartite graph. Moreover, based on the Shapley distance, we propose a new index, namely Shapley index, and then compare Shapley index with Wiener index and Kirchhoff index for these special graphs. We also characterize the extremal graphs in which these three indices are equal.
Generalized Darboux transformation and the higher-order semirational solutions for a non-linear Schrödinger system in a birefringent fiber
Authors: Yang Dan-Yu , Tian Bo , Qu Qi-Xing , Yuan Yu-Qiang , Zhang Chen-Rong , Tian He-Yuan
Published: January 2021

Temporal birefringent effects in the fibers change the crosstalk behaviors inside and between the fiber cores in the linear and non-linear optical power areas. This paper studies a non-linear Schrödinger system with the four-wave mixing term, which describes the optical solitons in a birefringent fiber. We construct the generalized Darboux transformation, and acquire the higher-order semirational solutions consisting of the second- and third-order semirational solutions, which represent the complex amplitudes of the electric fields in the two orthogonal polarizations. We acquire the interactions between/among the two/three solitons. Such interactions are elastic and generate the rogue waves around the interacting regions. We obtain the interactions among the second-/third-order rogue waves and two/three solitons, respectively. When [Formula: see text] decreases, amplitude of the second-order rogue wave increases, with [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] accounting for the self-phase modulation and cross-phase modulation, respectively, while [Formula: see text] representing the four-wave mixing effect. With [Formula: see text] kept invariant, when [Formula: see text] increases and [Formula: see text], amplitudes of the second-order rogue wave and two bright solitons increase, while when [Formula: see text] increases and [Formula: see text], amplitudes of the second-order rogue wave and two dark solitons increase, with [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] being the constants.
Magnetostriction-induced stress in an orthotropic mechanical thin high-temperature superconducting disk based on the exponential model of critical state
Authors: Wang K. F. , Wang B. L.
Published: January 2021

In this paper, the magnetostriction and stress of an orthotropic mechanical high-temperature superconducting disk with a concentric small hole are investigated based on the exponential model of the critical state. Approximate solutions of the displacement and stress for the superconducting disk during zero-field cooling (ZFC) and field-cooling (FC) processes are obtained. The results show that tensile stresses will appear in the disk during the decreasing field of ZFC, while the stresses are always compressive during the increasing field of ZFC and FC processes. This indicates that the superconducting disk is easily damaged during the decreasing field of ZFC and FC processes. The critical point where tensile stress is largest is provided. The value of magnetostriction depends on the size of the disk, the applied field and the magnetization process. This research is helpful in the reliability design of high-temperature superconducting disks and cables with high strength for space solar power stations.
Arsenic: A Global Environmental Challenge
Authors: Chen Qiao Yi , Costa Max
Published: January 2021

Arsenic is a naturally occurring metalloid and one of the few metals that can be metabolized inside the human body. The pervasive presence of arsenic in nature and anthropogenic sources from agricultural and medical use have perpetuated human exposure to this toxic and carcinogenic element. Highly exposed individuals are susceptible to various illnesses, including skin disorders; cognitive impairment; and cancers of the lung, liver, and kidneys. In fact, across the globe, approximately 200 million people are exposed to potentially toxic levels of arsenic, which has prompted substantial research and mitigation efforts to combat this extensive public health issue. This review provides an up-to-date look at arsenic-related challenges facing the global community, including current sources of arsenic, global disease burden, arsenic resistance, and shortcomings of ongoing mitigation measures, and discusses potential next steps.
Timing of acute passive heating on glucose tolerance and blood pressure in people with type 2 diabetes: a randomized, balanced crossover, control trial
Authors: James Thomas J. , Corbett Jo , Cummings Michael , Allard Sharon , Young John S. , Towse Jonathan , Carey-Jones Kathryn , Eglin Clare , Hopkins Billy , Morgan Connor , Tipton Michael , Saynor Zoe L. , Shepherd Anthony I.
Published: January 2021

This is the first study to investigate the timing of acute passive heating on glucose tolerance and extracellular heat shock protein 70 concentration ([eHSP70]) in people with type 2 diabetes. The principal novel findings from this study were that both passive heating conditions: 1) did not reduce the area under the curve or peak blood glucose concentration, 2) elevated heart rate, and 3) increased [eHSP70], which was blunted by glucose ingestion, while passive heating following glucose ingestion, 4) increased total energy expenditure, and 5) reduced diastolic blood pressure.
Electroacupuncture Ameliorates Neuroinflammation-Mediated Cognitive Deficits through Inhibition of NLRP3 in Presenilin1/2 Conditional Double Knockout Mice
Authors: Li Kun , Shi Guoqi , Zhao Yang , Chen Yiwen , Gao Jie , Yao Lin , Zhao Jiaying , Li Hongzhu , Xu Ying , Chen Yongjun
Published: January 2021

Neuroinflammation is considered as one of the crucial pathogenesis in promoting neurodegenerative progress of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). As complementary and alternative therapy, electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation has been widely used in clinical practice for anti-inflammation. However, whether EA promotes the cognitive deficits resulting from neuroinflammation in AD remains unclear. In this study, the presenilin 1 and 2 conditional double knockout (PS cDKO) mice, exhibited a series of AD-like pathology, robust neuroinflammatory responses, and memory deficits, were used to evaluate the potential neuroprotective effect of EA at Baihui (GV 20) and Shenting (GV 24) by behavioral testing, electrophysiology recording, and molecular biology analyzing. First, we observed that EA improved memory deficits and impaired synaptic plasticity. Moreover, EA possesses an ability to suppress the hyperphosphorylated tau and robust elevated NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18 in PS cDKO mice. Importantly, MCC950, a potent and selective inhibitor of NLPR3 inflammasome, has similar effects on inhibiting the hyperphosphorylated tau and the robust elevated NLRP3 components and neuroinflammatory responses of PS cDKO mice as well as EA treatment. Furthermore, EA treatment is not able to further improve the AD-like phenotypes of PS cDKO mice in combination with the MCC950 administration. Therefore, EA stimulation at GV 20 and GV 24 acupoints may be a potential alternative therapy for deterring cognitive deficits in AD through suppression of NLRP3 inflammasome activation.
Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disorder due to a Novel Mutation in Recombination Activation Gene 2: About 2 Cases
Authors: Benhsaien Ibtihal , Ailal Fatima , Elazhary Khadija , El bakkouri Jalila , Badou Abdallah , Bousfiha Ahmed Aziz
Published: January 2021

Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) comprises a heterogeneous group of inherited immunologic disorders with profound defects in cellular and humoral immunity. SCID is the most severe PID and constitutes a pediatric emergency. Affected children are highly susceptible to bacterial, viral, fungal, and opportunistic infections with life-threatening in the absence of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. We report here two cases of SCID. The first case is a girl diagnosed with SCID at birth based on her family history and lymphocyte subpopulation typing. The second case is a 4-month-old boy with a history of recurrent opportunistic infections, BCGitis, and failure to thrive, and the immunology workup confirms a SCID phenotype. The genetic study in the two cases revealed a novel mutation in the RAG2 gene, c.826G > A (p.Gly276Ser), in a homozygous state. The novel mutation in the RAG2 gene identified in our study may help the early diagnosis of SCID.
Study on the Damage Evolution Process and Fractal of Quartz-Filled Shale under Thermal-Mechanical Coupling
Authors: Wu Zhonghu , Song Huailei , Li Liping , Zhou Zongqing , Zuo Yujun , Sun Wenjibin , Liu Hao , Lou Yili
Published: January 2021

Filling of brittle minerals such as quartz is one of the main factors affecting the initiation and propagation of reservoir fractures in shale fracturing, in order to explore the failure mode and thermal damage characteristics of quartz-filled shale under thermal-mechanical coupling. Combining the theory of damage mechanics and thermoelasticity, RFPA2D-Thermal is used to establish a numerical model that can reflect the damage evolution of shale under thermal-solid coupling, and the compression test under thermal-mechanical coupling is performed. The test results show that during the temperature loading process, there is a temperature critical value between 60°C and 75°C. When the temperature is less than the critical temperature, the test piece unit does not appear obvious damage. When the temperature is greater than the critical temperature, the specimen unit will experience obvious thermal damage, and the higher the temperature, the more serious the cracking. Under the thermal-mechanical coupling of shale, the tensile strength and elastic modulus of shale show a decreasing trend with the increase of temperature. The failure modes of shale under thermal-solid coupling can be roughly divided into three categories: “V”-shaped failure (30°C, 45°C, and 75°C), “M”-shaped failure (60°C), and inverted “λ”-shaped failure (90°C). The larger the fractal dimension, the more complex the failure mode of the specimen. The maximum fractal dimension is 1.262 when the temperature is 60°C, and the corresponding failure mode is the most complex “M” shape. The fractal dimension is between 1.071 and 1.189, and the corresponding failure mode is “V” shape. The fractal dimension is 1.231, and the corresponding failure mode is inverted “λ” shape.
Moroccan Monofloral Bee Pollen: Botanical Origin, Physicochemical Characterization, and Antioxidant Activities
Authors: Asmae El Ghouizi , Nawal El Menyiy , Bakour Meryem , Lyoussi Badiaa
Published: January 2021

In this study, eight monofloral bee pollen samples were collected from different apiaries in Morocco. Botanical origins of the bee pollen samples were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the physicochemical parameters (pH, moisture, ash, and the mineral contents) were determined. Total phenolic, flavones/flavonols contents were evaluated, and the antioxidant potential was assessed using total antioxidant capacity, DPPH, ABTS, and reducing power assays. Data showed that pH, moisture, and ash content values ranged between 4.19 ± 0.17 and 4.82 ± 0.36, 10.7 ± 0.04% and 26.8 ± 0.01%, and 1.81 ± 0.10% and 4.22 ± 0.08%, respectively. Potassium and magnesium were the most abundant minerals in bee pollen samples; heavy metals were not detected except for two samples (P5 and P6) where a very small amount of lead was found. The protein content in these samples varied between 19.86 ± 0.36 mg/100 g and 30.32 ± 0.12 mg/100 g of bee pollen. The phenolic content, flavones/flavonols content, and total antioxidant capacity were 21.87 ± 1.80 mgEAA/g, 2.37 ± 0.16 mgEAA/g, and 6.23 ± 0.21 mgEAA/g, respectively. High scavenging activity of DPPH and ABTS radicals was found in P2 with the lower IC50 of 0.245 ± 0.009 mg/ml and 0.19 ± 0.005 mg/ml, respectively. The lower EC50 was 0.133 ± 0.036 mg/ml found in P1 for the reducing power test. The current study is considered to be the first step to the standardization of Moroccan bee pollen.
The Relationship between Helicobacter pylori Infection of the Gallbladder and Chronic Cholecystitis and Cholelithiasis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wang Liang , Chen Junyin , Jiang Wenxi , Cen Li , Pan Jiaqi , Yu Chaohui , Li Youming , Chen Weixing , Chen Chunxiao , Shen Zhe
Published: January 2021

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is proved to be the main pathogenic agent of various diseases, including chronic gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, and gastric cancer. In addition, chronic cholecystitis and cholelithiasis are common worldwide, which are supposed to increase the total mortality of patients. Epidemiologic evidence on the relationship between H. pylori infection of the gallbladder and chronic cholecystitis/cholelithiasis still remains unclear. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of overall studies to investigate the relationship between H. pylori infection of the gallbladder and chronic cholecystitis/cholelithiasis. Two researchers searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases to obtain all related and eligible studies published before July 2020. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by the random-effects model. Subgroup analysis, heterogeneity, publication bias, and sensitivity analysis were also conducted. Twenty studies were included in the meta-analysis, involving 1735 participants and 1197 patients with chronic cholecystitis/cholelithiasis. Helicobacter species infection of the gallbladder was positively correlated with increased risk of chronic cholecystitis and cholelithiasis, especially H. pylori (OR = 3.05; 95% CI, 1.81–5.14; I2 = 23.5%). Besides, country-based subgroup analysis also showed a positive correlation between the gallbladder H. pylori positivity and chronic cholecystitis/cholelithiasis risk. For Asian and non-Asian country studies, the ORs were 4.30 (95% CI, 1.76–10.50; I2 = 37.4%) and 2.13 (95% CI, 1.23–3.70; I2 = 0.0%), respectively. The association was more obvious using the bile sample and urease gene primer. In conclusion, this meta-analysis provided evidence that there is a positive correlation between H. pylori infection in the gallbladder and increased risk of chronic cholecystitis and cholelithiasis.
Evaluation of Mental Foramen with Cone Beam Computed Tomography: A Systematic Review of Literature
Authors: Pelé Antoinette , Berry Pierre-Alexandre , Evanno Charles , Jordana Fabienne
Published: January 2021

Purpose. The aim of this systematic review is to assess whether the anatomy of mental foramen is precisely evaluable with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) before implantation in humans. Methods. A systematic review was carried out to evaluate the anatomy of mental foramen (size, position, symmetry, anterior loop, and accessory mental foramen or multiple mental foramina). According to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, an electronic search of three databases (Medline, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) was undertaken until June 2020 and was supplemented by manual searching. Two reviewers will independently perform the processes of study inclusion, data extraction, and quality assessment. Systematic reviews, studies about children, and case reports were excluded. Only studies using CBCT to do preoperative evaluation were selected. Results. From 728 potentially eligible articles, 72 were included in the qualitative analysis and quantitative synthesis. This systematic review provided an assessment of the anatomy of the mental foramen. The mental foramen was located mostly between the two premolars (between 50.4% and 61.95%) or apically to the second premolar (from 50.3% to 57.9%). The mean diameter of the mental foramen was bigger in males than in females; the difference between them could reach 0.62 mm. The anterior loop seemed to be longer in males (between 0.87 ± 1.81 and 7.25 ± 2.02 mm) than in females (between 0.81 ± 1.18 and 6.52 ± 1.63 mm) and with the presence of teeth (from 0.91 ± 1.18 to 2.55 ± 1.28 for dentate people and from 0.25 ± 0.61 to 2.40 ± 0.88 mm for edentate population). The anterior loop and the accessory mental foramina were detected more frequently with CBCT than panoramic X-ray: only between 0.0 and 48.6% AMFs detected with CBCT were also seen with panoramic images. Clinical Significance. The mental foramen (MF) is an important landmark for local anesthesia and surgical and implantology procedures. Its location, morphology, and anatomical variations need to be considered to avoid mental nerve injury. The aim of this review is to evaluate the mental foramen using CBCT through a systematic literature review to improve knowledge of this complex area for the clinician.
Targeting ACSS2 with a Transition-State Mimetic Inhibits Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Growth
Authors: Miller Katelyn D. , Pniewski Katherine , Perry Caroline E. , Papp Sara B. , Shaffer Joshua D. , Velasco-Silva Jesse N. , Casciano Jessica C. , Aramburu Tomas M. , Srikanth Yellamelli V.V. , Cassel Joel , Skordalakes Emmanuel , Kossenkov Andrew V. , Salvino Joseph M. , Schug Zachary T.
Published: January 2021

Acetyl-CoA is a vitally important and versatile metabolite used for many cellular processes including fatty acid synthesis, ATP production, and protein acetylation. Recent studies have shown that cancer cells upregulate acetyl-CoA synthetase 2 (ACSS2), an enzyme that converts acetate to acetyl-CoA, in response to stresses such as low nutrient availability and hypoxia. Stressed cancer cells use ACSS2 as a means to exploit acetate as an alternative nutrient source. Genetic depletion of ACSS2 in tumors inhibits the growth of a wide variety of cancers. However, there are no studies on the use of an ACSS2 inhibitor to block tumor growth. In this study, we synthesized a small-molecule inhibitor that acts as a transition-state mimetic to block ACSS2 activity in vitro and in vivo. Pharmacologic inhibition of ACSS2 as a single agent impaired breast tumor growth. Collectively, our findings suggest that targeting ACSS2 may be an effective therapeutic approach for the treatment of patients with breast cancer.

Significance:

These findings suggest that targeting acetate metabolism through ACSS2 inhibitors has the potential to safely and effectively treat a wide range of patients with cancer.