bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non-health outcomes affecting self-care behaviors and medical decision-making preference in patients with type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Wang Ming-Jye , Lin Hung-Ming , Hung Li-Chen , Lo Yi-Ting
Published: March 2020

Background: The effects of patient sustained self-care behaviors on glycemic control are even greater than the effects of medical treatment, indicating the value of identifying the factors that influence self-care behaviors. To date, these factors have not been placed in a single model to clarify the critical path affecting self-care behaviors. The aims of this study were to explore the relationships of these factors and the differences in patient preference for medical decision-making.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among outpatients with type 2 diabetes at a regional teaching hospital. Purposive sampling was adopted to recruit 316 eligible patients via self-administered questionnaires. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used for analysis.Results: Significant direct pathways were identified from health literacy to self-efficacy, patient empowerment, and self-care behaviors; from self-efficacy to self-care behaviors; and from patient empowerment to self-care behaviors. Indirect pathways were from health literacy to self-care behaviors via self-efficacy or patient empowerment. The pathway from health literacy to self-efficacy was significantly stronger in those preferring shared decision-making than in those who preferred physician decision-making. Conclusions: Health literacy is a critical factor in improving self-care behaviors in patients with type 2 diabetes, and the effect of health literacy on self-efficacy was more significant in the shared decision-making than in the physician decision-making. Therefore, developing an effective health strategy to strengthen health literacy awareness and designing friendly, diverse health literacy materials, and application tools is the most important factor to facilitate self-care behaviors in this population.
Discordant Alzheimer's neurodegenerative biomarkers and their clinical outcomes in older adults without dementia
Authors: Guo Yu , Li Hong-Qi , Tan Lin , Chen Shi-Dong , Yang Yu-Xiang , Ma Ya-Hui , Zuo Chuan-Tao , Dong Qiang , Tan Lan , Yu Jin-Tai
Published: March 2020

Background In 2018 ATN framework, Alzheimer's neurodegenerative biomarkers comprised cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) total tau, 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography, and brain atrophy. Although these biomarkers could be used interchangeably, some cases had discordant neurodegenerative biomarkers. Our aim was to assess the clinical outcomes of having discordant Alzheimer's neurodegenerative biomarkers. Methods A total of 721 non-demented individuals from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database were included and then further categorized into concordant negative, discordant, and concordant positive groups. Demographic distributions of the groups were compared. Longitudinal changes in clinical outcomes and risk of conversion were assessed using linear mixed-effects models and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models, respectively. Results Discordant group was intermediate to concordant-negative and concordant-positive groups in terms of APOE ε4 positivity, CSF amyloid-beta and phosphorylated tau. Compared with concordant-negative group, discordant group deteriorated faster in cognitive scores (Mini-Mental State Examination, the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale-Sum of Boxes, and the Functional Activities Questionnaire) and demonstrated greater rates of atrophy in brain structures (hippocampus, entorhinal cortex and whole brain), and concordant-positive group performed worse over time than discordant group. Moreover, the risk of cognitive progression increased from concordant-negative to discordant to concordant-positive. The longitudinal results were validated in A+T+, cognitively normal and mild cognitive impairment individuals, and were also validated by applying different cut-offs for neurodegenerative biomarkers. Conclusions Discordant neurodegenerative status denotes a stage of cognitive function which is intermediate between concordant-negative and concordant-positive. Identification of discordant cases would provide insights into intervention and new therapy approaches, particularly in A+T+ individuals. Moreover, this work may be a complement to the ATN scheme.
Weight gain in patients with severe atopic dermatitis treated with dupilumab: a case series
Authors: Johansson Emma Kristin , Ivert Lina Ulrika , Bradley Baltzar , Lundqvist Maria , Bradley Maria
Published: March 2020

Background Dupilumab, targeting the interleukin-4α receptor and inhibiting the action of interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, was recently approved for treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. There is limited data on long-term effects and safety among patients with severe atopic dermatitis treated with dupilumab. Weight gain was observed among patients treated with dupilumab in our clinic. The aim was to describe weight change in a case series of patients with severe atopic dermatitis treated with dupilumab from baseline to follow-up after 12 months, and to analyze if weight change was associated with effect of treatment, reported appetite, and/or disturbed night sleep due to itching. Methods All patients with atopic dermatitis receiving systemic treatment at the Unit of Dermatology, Karolinska University Hospital, have been registered and monitored consecutively since January 2017. This case series constituted all patients who started treatment on dupilumab or methotrexate between 10 January 2017 and 30 June 2019 with at least 6 months of follow-up within the study period. The following variables were monitored at start of and during treatment: Eczema Severity Score Index, Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure, visual analogue scale for pruritus 10cm, Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, Dermatology Life Quality Index, and weight. Data analyses were performed using two-sample Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney rank-sum test, or the Wilcoxon matched-pairs sign-rank test with a p-value <0.05 considered as statistically significant. Results Patients treated with dupilumab (n=12) gained weight (mean 6.1 kg, range [0.1–18.0], p=0.002) after one year on treatment. The majority of patients showed a good response to treatment with dupilumab (n=11); at follow-up at 6, 9, or 12 months, they reached EASI-90 (n=6), EASI-75 (n=4), or EASI-50 (n=1). There was no significant association between weight gain and treatment response, reported appetite, or disturbed night-sleep due to itch. Patients treated with methotrexate showed no significant weight change (n=8). Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first report on a possible association between weight gain and dupilumab treatment; the extent of the association is yet to be seen, as is the mechanism behind this finding.
α-Synuclein heteromers with ß-amyloid and tau decreased in red blood cells of Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy Body dementia patients.
Authors: Daniele Simona , Baldacci Filippo , Piccarducci Rebecca , Palermo Giovanni , Giampietri Linda , Manca Laura , Pietrobono Deboarh , Frosini Daniela , Nicoletti Valentina , Tognoni Gloria , Giorgi Filippo Sean , Gerfo Annalisa Lo , Petrozzi Lucia , Cavallini Chiara , Franzoni Ferdinando , Ceravolo Roberto , Siciliano Gabriele , Trincavelli Maria Letizia , Martini Claudia , Bonuccelli Ubaldo
Published: March 2020

Background Red blood cells (RBC) account for more than 99% of α-syn concentrations in blood representing an interesting in vivo model for studying peripheral pathological alterations proved in neurodegeneration. The aim of the current study was to investigate the diagnostic value of total α-syn, Aβ 1-42 , tau and their heteroaggregates in RBCs of Lewy Body Dementias (LBDs) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients compared to and healthy controls (HCs). Methods With a “home-made” sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system, RBCs levels of total α-syn, Aβ 1-42 , tau and their heteroaggregates (α-syn/Aβ 1-42 and α-syn/tau) were measured in 27 subjects with LBDs (PDD, n = 17; DLB, n = 10), 51 subjects with AD (AD dementia, n = 37, prodromal AD, n = 14), and HC (n = 60). Results Compared with HC, total α-syn and tau concentrations as well as α-syn/tau heterodimers were significantly lower in LBDs group (p = 0.009, p = 0.009, and p < 0.001, respectively) and in AD group (p = 0.011, p = 0.003, and p < 0.001, respectively), whereas the heteroaggregates α-syn/Aβ 1-42 were significantly lower in AD dementia group (p < 0.001) only. RBC α-syn/tau heterodimers had the higher diagnostic accuracy for differentiating patients with LBD vs controls (AUROC = 0.80). Conclusion RBC α-syn heteroaggregates may be useful for differentiating between neurodegenerative dementias (LBD and AD) and healthy control. In particular, RBC α-syn/tau heterodimers have demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy for differentiating LBDs from HC. However, they are not consistently different between LBD and AD. Our findings also go beyond the clinical setting, suggesting that α-syn, Aβ 1-42 , and tau interact in vivo to promote the aggregation and accumulation of each other presumably accelerating cognitive dysfunction.
Community and Individual level Factors Associated with Anemia among Lactating mothers in Ethiopia using data from Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey, 2016; Multilevel analysis
Authors: liyew Alemneh mekuriaw , Teshale Achamyeleh Birhanu
Published: March 2020

Introduction: Maternal anemia is a worldwide public health problem especially in developing countries including Ethiopia. The burden of anemia among lactating mothers in Ethiopia was higher than those who are neither pregnant nor breastfeeding. To date, there is limited evidence on community level determinates of anemia among lactating mothers in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the individual and community level determinants of anemia among lactating mothers in Ethiopia.Methods: Secondary data analysis was employed using 2016 Ethiopian demographic and health survey. A total of 4658 (weighted samples) breastfeeding women were included in the current study. Multilevel logistic regression model was used to identify individual and community level determinants of anemia during lactation. Finally, adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was reported.Results: The overall prevalence of anemia was 28.3% (95% CI; 26.7, 30.0). With the higher regional prevalence in Somali (68%) and Afar (47%) regions. using modern contraceptive method [AOR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.58, 0.87]; Poorer [AOR= 0.77; 95% CI: 0.61, 0.98], middle [AOR = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.56, 0.97] rich [AOR = 0.64; 95% CI: 0.46, 0.85], richest [AOR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.43, 0.98] wealth index; working within the 12 months preceding the survey [AOR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.64, 0.92]; and taking iron during pregnancy [AOR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.98] were associated with lower odds of anemia. Whereas, female household head [AOR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.49] having two births [AOR = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.55], three to four births [AOR = 1.53; 95% CI: 1.14, 2.06] and higher community illiteracy [AOR = 1.06; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.70] were associated with the increased odds of anemia during lactation.Conclusion: In this study the prevalence of anemia among lactating mothers was high. It was affected by both community and individual-level factors. Therefore focusing on family planning services especially on modern contraceptive methods, child spacing and improving community literacy will help to reduce anemia during lactation.
Response of Prokaryotes to TOC Contamination in Dianchi Lake Sediments
Authors: Li Cheng-Peng , Li Ya-Ping , Huo Qing-Qing , Xiao Wei , Wang Yong-Xia , Cui Xiaolong
Published: March 2020

Background: Explaining microbial consortia in sediments from the perspective of taxon, co-occurrence and function is the key to recover and maintain aquatic ecosystems. Trophic status was widely considered to be an important determinant of the lake sediment microbial community. However, little is known about the effect of a special eutrophic factor gradient on the prokaryotic community structure in situ. Within this context, we explored prokaryotic communities using an intensive field sampling from sediments in the Dianchi Lake, one of the most eutrophic lakes in China. Results: Microbial assemblages was strongly correlated with total organic carbon (TOC). Moreover, relatively high and low TOC shaped taxonomic and functional differences in microbial assemblages. The results identified the most abundant bacteria across all samples as Proteobacteria , Nitrospirae , Chloroflexi , Firmicutes , Ignavibacteriae , Actinobacteria , Bacteroidetes , Acidobacteria , Spiprochaetae and Latescibacteria . The dominant groups of archaea were Euryarchaeota , Woesearchaeota DHVEG-6 , Bathyarchaeota and WSA2 . Low TOC (LT) microbial assemblages displayed a major proportion of functional profiles related to some metabolisms such as carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, nucleotide metabolism and metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, membrane transport. These results illustrated that TOC concentration had obvious influence on the relative abundances of KEGG orthologs . Finally, the meta-analysis results highlight that most of network parameters of the LT community were significantly greater than those of other communities, which suggesting that the LT community was larger and more complex. Conclusion: TOC level might be a key determinant to shape taxonomic and functional construction of communities in Dianchi Lake sediment. LT community tended to establish a larger and more complex co-occurrence, which suggested that they may interact with each other strongly and exchange essential metabolites. Overall, this study could enhance our knowledge of microbial assemblages in eutrophic lake sediment and provide clues for the restoration and maintenance of sediment ecosystems.
Identifying antibiotic prescribing patterns through multi-level latent profile analyses: a cross-sectional survey of primary care physicians in Hubei of China
Authors: Wang Dan , Liu Chaojie , Zhang Xinping , Liu Chenxi
Published: March 2020

Background Overuse of antibiotics significantly fuels the development of AMR, which threating the global population health. Great variations existed in antibiotic prescribing practices among physicians, indicating improvement potential for rational use of antibiotics. This study aims to identify antibiotic prescribing patterns of primary care physicians and potential determinants. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 551 physicians from 67 primary care facilities in Hubei selected through random cluster sampling, tapping into their knowledge, attitudes and prescribing practices toward antibiotics. Prescriptions (n=501,072) made by the participants from 1 January to 31 March 2018 were extracted from the medical records system. Seven indicators were calculated for each prescriber: average number of medicines per prescription, average number of antibiotics per prescription, percentage of prescriptions containing antibiotics, percentage of antibiotic prescriptions containing broad-spectrum antibiotics, percentage of antibiotic prescriptions containing parenteral administered antibiotics, percentage of antibiotic prescriptions containing restricted antibiotics, and percentage of antibiotic prescriptions containing antibiotics included in the WHO “Watch and Reserve” list. Two-level latent profile analyses were performed to identify the antibiotic prescribing patterns of physicians based on those indicators. Multi-nominal logistic regression models were established to identify determinants with the antibiotic prescribing patterns. Results On average, each primary care physician issued 909 (ranging from 100 to 11941 with a median of 474) prescriptions over the study period. The mean percentage of prescriptions containing antibiotics issued by the physicians reached 52.19% (SD=17.20%). Of those antibiotic prescriptions, an average of 82.29% (SD=15.83%) contained broad-spectrum antibiotics; 71.92% (SD=21.42%) contained parenteral administered antibiotics; 23.52% (SD=19.12%) contained antibiotics restricted by the regional government; and 67.74% (SD=20.98%) contained antibiotics listed in the WHO “Watch and Reserve” list. About 28.49% of the prescribers were identified as low antibiotic users, compared with 51.18% medium users and 20.33% high users. Higher use of antibiotics was associated with insufficient knowledge, indifference to changes, complacency with satisfied patients, low household income and rural location of the prescribers. Conclusion Great variation in antibiotic prescribing patterns exists among primary care physicians in Hubei of China. High use of antibiotics is not only associated with knowledge shortfalls but also low socioeconomic status of prescribers.
Identification of PGC-related ncRNAs and their relationship with the clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer
Authors: Ding Han-xi , Wu Ye-feng , Xu Qian , Yuan Yuan
Published: March 2020

Background Pepsinogen C (PGC) is considered to be the final product of mature differentiated gastric mucosa and the expression level of PGC in gastric mucosa decreased obviously in the courses of gastric cancer (GC) development. The mechanism of the down-regulation of PGC is still unclear and needs to be excavated. This study aims to identify the PGC-related ncRNAs, which may have potential to act as PGC post-transcriptional regulator, and further explore the relationship between these ncRNAs and clinicopathological parameters of GC. Methods Bioinformatics software was used to predict the target binding miRNAs for PGC and target binding circRNAs for candidate miRNAs. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to validate the targeted complete complementary relationship. QRT-PCR was applied to detect the expression levels of PGC and PGC-related ncRNAs in GC tissues. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression were used for the analysis of the relationship between these ncRNAs and prognostic significance of GC Results Hsa-let-7c was predicted to binding to PGC gene, hsa_circ_0001483 and hsa_circ_0001324 were targeted binding to hsa-let-7c, which was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. The hsa_circ_0001483 / hsa_circ_0001324 -hsa-let-7c-PGC axis was confirmed in GC tissues by qRT-PCR. The expression of hsa_circ_0001483 was correlated with peritumoral inflammatory cell infiltration level and lymphatic metastasis. Conclusions Hsa_circ_0001483, hsa_circ_0001324 and let-7c were newly identified and validated as PGC-related ncRNAs and were associated with the clinicopathological features of GC in some ways. The hsa_circ_0001483 / hsa_circ_0001324-hsa-let-7c-PGC axis was existed in GC, which may explain the downregulation of PGC in GC tissues.
A glycolysis-based 4-mRNA signature correlates with the prognosis and cell cycle process in patients with bladder cancer
Authors: Zhang Chen , Gou Xin , He Weiyang , Yang Huaan , Yin Hubin
Published: March 2020

Background: Bladder cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide. However, traditional indicators have limited predictive effects on the clinical outcomes of bladder cancer. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a glycolysis-related gene signature for predicting the prognosis of patients with bladder cancer that have limited therapeutic options. Methods: mRNA expression profiling was obtained from patients with bladder cancer from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted to identify glycolytic gene sets that were significantly different between bladder cancer tissues and paired normal tissues . A prognosis-related gene signature was constructed by univariate and multivariate Cox analysis. Kaplan-Meier curves and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were utilized to evaluate the signature. A nomogram combined with the gene signature and clinical parameters was constructed. Correlations between glycolysis-related gene signature and molecular characterization as well as cancer subtypes were analyzed. RT-qPCR was applied to analyze gene expression. Functional experiments were performed to determine the role of PKM2 in the proliferation of bladder cancer cells. Results: Using a Cox proportional regression model, we established that a 4-mRNA signature (NUP205, NUPL2, PFKFB1 and PKM) was significantly associated with prognosis in bladder cancer patients. Based on the signature, patients were split into high and low risk groups, with different prognostic outcomes. The gene signature was an independent prognostic indicator for overall survival. The ability of the 4-mRNA signature to make an accurate prognosis was tested in two other validation datasets. GSEA was performed to explore the 4-mRNA related canonical pathways and biological processes, such as the cell cycle, hypoxia, p53 pathway, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. A heatmap showing the correlation between risk score and cell cycle signature was generated. RT-qPCR revealed the genes that were differentially expressed between normal and cancer tissues. Experiments showed that PKM2 plays essential roles in cell proliferation and the cell cycle. Conclusion: The established 4‑mRNA signature may act as a promising model for generating accurate prognoses for patients with bladder cancer, but the specific biological mechanism needs further verification.
Transcriptome-based identification and validation of optimal reference genes for quantitative real-time PCR normalization in Psathyrostachys huashanica
Authors: Shen Chuan , Li Jingyuan , Wei Caiyan , Zhang Xudong , Wu Yunfeng
Published: March 2020

Background: P. huashanica ( Psathyrostachys huashanica ), known as an important resistance resource reservoir, is a rare and endangered plant growing suitably in Huashan mount region and would be urgently exploited in wheat genetic improvements sooner. During the utilization process, different IRGs (internal reference genes) need to be appropriately selected as standards based on biotic and abiotic stress conditions. It is crucial that Real-time RT-qPCR with combination of bioinformatics were adopted to explore the reliable IRGs from transcriptome of P . huashanica.Results: The present work reported new 3 species of IRGs, UBC2 , UBC17, 18S rRNA , which were screened from transcriptome of P. huashanica under biotic and abiotic stress conditions, using RT-qPCR and four algorithms, including geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder, to analyse expression of sixteen candidate reference genes. These genes appear as following 18S rRNA (18S ribosomal RNA), EF1-α (eukaryotic elongation factor 1 alpha), UBC2 (ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2-2), UBC17 (ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2-17), α-TUB2A (alpha tubulin-2A), β-TUB3 (beta tubulin 3), ADF4 (Actin-depolymerising factor 4), ACTIN (actin), GAPDH (Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase), 60SARP (60S acidic ribosomal protein), UBQ (polyubiquitin), SamDC (S-Adenosylmethionine decarboxylase), EIF4A (eukaryotic initiation factor 4A), ARF (ADP-ribosylation factor), HIS1 (histone H1), and HIS2B (histone H2B). Analysis of gene expression demonstrated that the expression of UBC2 gene was most stable under ABA hormone stress, low temperature stress and high temperature stress, similarly, UBC17 gene under IAA hormone stress, salinity stress and drought stress, both UBC17 genes and 18S rRNA genes under abiotic and biotic stress, respectively. The most stable gene was UBC2 gene in the root, UBC17 gene in stem and leaf. In this study, α-TUB2A , UBC and ACTIN genes were verified as the suitable reference genes across all tested samples. To further validate the suitability of the selected reference genes, we evaluated the relative expression of PsaCPK3 (Calcium-dependent protein kinase) and PsaHSP70-1 (heat shock protein 70-1), which are stress-related genes that may be involved in response to adversity.Conclusions: This study has identified a set of the most stable IRGs suiting for RT-qPCR detection of a few target gene expressions from P . huashanica in different experimental conditions. In addition, this study should provide the accuracy information for gene expression analysis in P . huashanica .
Diet quality and its relationship with overweight and laboratory parameters in breast cancer patients undergoing treatment
Authors: Ng Krystal Lu Shin , Shariff Zalilah Mohd , Chan Yoke Mun
Published: March 2020

Background Overweight is the common issue existed among breast cancer patients, leading to poor cancer prognosis and survival. However, previous studies have focused merely on single nutrient or food groups. This study aimed to determine whether diet quality was associated with overweight and laboratory parameters among breast cancer patients undergoing treatment. Methods A cross sectional study comprises of 163 patients was conducted from January to May 2017. Diet quality and level of physical activity of patients were ascertained using Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)-short form, respectively. Data were available on body mass index and biochemical data, including of serum albumin, serum hemoglobin and neutrophils count. Logistic regression was performed to identify the association between diet quality and overweight, serum albumin, serum hemoglobin and neutrophils count. Results The mean total HEI score (standard deviation) of the breast cancer patients was 63.86 (8.75). More than 80% of the subjects did not adhere to the dietary guidelines for whole grains, dairy, refined grains, and ratio of poly- and mono-unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids components. In the multivariate model, those who perceived higher score of total HEI-2015 were less likely to experience overweight (Q4 vs Q1: OR=0.36; 95% CI=0.13, 0.99) while reported higher concentration of serum hemoglobin (Q4 vs Q1: OR=0.36; 95% CI=0.13, 0.98; Q3 vs Q1: OR=0.35; 95% CI=0.13, 0.92). Non-significant associations of diet quality were shown for serum albumin and neutrophils count. Conclusions A majority of breast cancer patients require dietary modification, especially for fatty acids, grains and dairy products. Diet quality may associate with overweight. A balanced diet that address the problem of overweight may help to maintain a good nutritional status and to improve cancer care in breast cancer patients during treatment. Future prospective studies are required to confirm this association.
Sport policy and practice: Why a focus on retention is required for both health and performance
Authors: Eime Rochelle , Charity Melanie , Westerbeek Hans
Published: March 2020

Background: Australia like many developed countries is largely an inactive nation. Participation in sport, a form of leisure-time physical activity, can contribute to a range of individual and community health benefits. National sport policy often has a dual focus on population-based participation, and elite performance. Whist there are various sport models depicting the pathway to elite, there has been no strategic population-level sport participation pathway model developed as a guide towards increasing sport participation across the lifespan. The aim of this study therefore is to explore sport participation across the lifespan and develop a neutral model that does not favour community or elite sport and that highlights the critical participation transition points including drop-out. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal analysis of sport participation records for 8 major sports from 2015-2017, whereby individual participation within sports was tracked from 2015 and subsequent years 2016 and 2017. Results: The total number of participants analysed was 579,696. In 2017, port participation rates were highest for those aged 10-14 years (61.3%), followed by those children within the 5-9 year age group (51.7%). However, 44.7% of all participants dropped out within two years of the base year. From these participation rates across the lifespan in conjunction with the published literature, on sport policy and participation, we developed the Sport Participation Pathway Model (SPPM). The SPPM depicts current sport participation and in doing so emphasises the significant drop-out of sport across the lifespan. Conclusion: At a population level, competitive club-based sport alone is not going to solve the physical inactivity epidemic. Our SPPM, and the new (retention related) data presented in this paper, demonstrates the population trends in participation in sport and the high drop-out of competitive club-based sport. We suggest that for people to (eventually) become active sport participants, the (recruitment) narrative could be changed towards (first) engaging people in leisure time physical activities. We feel that this can only be done by developing an integrated policy system across the PA-sport spectrum rather than looking at sport participation in a closed (club-based) system. The SPPM can be used to developing a more integrated PA-Sport participation model.
Demonstration of improved plant growth and biomass by At1g promoter-controlled root-preferential expression of AtGA20ox gene
Authors: Ly Linh Khanh , Bui Thao Phuong , Do Phat Tien , Le Anh Van Thi , Nguyen Phong Van , Pham Ngoc Bich , Zhang Zhanyuan J. , Chu Ha Hoang
Published: March 2020

Background: Overexpression of GA20 oxidase gene has been a recent trend for improving plant growth and biomass. Constitutive expression of GA20ox has successfully improved plant growth and biomass in several plant species. However, the constitutive expression of this gene causes side-effects, such as reduced leaf size and stem diameters, etc. To avoid these effects, different tissue-specific promoters had been identified and employed for GA20ox overexpression. In this study, we demonstrate the potential of At1g, a root-preferential promoter, for GA20ox expression to enhance plant biomass.Results: We examined the utility of At1g promoter to drive the expression of GUS (b-glucuronidase) reporter and GA20ox genes in tobacco and Melia azedarach. Histochemical GUS assays in tobacco showed that At1g was a root-preferential promoter whose expression was particularly strong in root tips. The ectopic expression of AtGA20ox gene under the control of At1g promoter showed the improved plant growth and biomass of both tobacco and M. azedarach transgenic plants compared to wild-type (WT) control plants. Stem length as well as stem and root fresh weights increased by up to 1.5-3 folds in transgenic tobacco and 2 folds in transgenic M. azedarach. Both tobacco and M. azedarach transgenic plants showed increases in the root xylem width, xylem over phloem ratio by 50%-100% as compared to WT plants. Importantly, no significant difference in the leaf shape and size was observed between At1g::AtGA20ox transgenic and WT plants. Moreover, transgenic M. azedarach showed a 135% increase in stem diameter even though no change was found in transgenic tobacco.Conclusions: These results demonstrate the great utility of At1g promoter, when driving AtGA20ox gene, for growth and biomass improvements in woody plants and potentially some other plant species.
A CBL-interacting Protein Kinase Gene, GhCIPK6, Increases Salt Tolerance in Transgenic Upland Cotton by Involving in Multiple Stress Signaling Pathways
Authors: Su Ying , Guo Anhui , Huang Yi , Wang Yumei , Hua Jinping
Published: March 2020

Background: Salt stress is one of the most damaging abiotic stresses in production of Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). Upland cotton is defined as a medium salt-tolerant crop. Salinity hinders root development, shoots growth, and reduces the fiber quality.Results: Our previous study verified a GhCIPK6 gene response to salt stress in G. hirsutum. The homologs of GhCIPK6 were analyzed in A2 (G. arboreum), D5 (G. raimondii), and AD1 (G. hirsutum) genomes. GhCIPK6 localized to the vacuole and cell membrane. The GhCBL1-GhCIPK6 and GhCBL8-GhCIPK6 complexes localized to the nucleus and cytomembrane. Overexpression of GhCIPK6 enhanced expression levels of co-expressed genes induced by salt stress, which scavenged ROS and involved in multiple signaling pathways verified by RNA-seq analysis. Water absorption capacity and cell membrane stability of seeds from GhCIPK6 overexpressed lines was higher than that of wild-type seeds during imbibed germination stage. The germination rates and field emergence percentage of GhCIPK6 overexpressed lines were higher than that of control line under salt stress. Moreover, overexpressing of GhCIPK6 in cotton increased lint percentage, and fiber length uniformity under salt stress. Conclusions: We verified the function of GhCIPK6 by transformation and RNA-seq analysis. GhCIPK6 overexpressed lines exhibited higher tolerance to abiotic stresses, which functioned by involving in multiple stress responsive pathways. Therefore, GhCIPK6 has the potential for cotton breeding to improve stress-tolerance.
Identification of candidate genes for low temperature tolerance during germination of maize using a genome-wide association study and RNA-sequencing
Authors: Zhang Hong , Zhang Jiayue , Xu Qingyu , Wang Dandan , Di Hong , Huang Jun , Yang Xiuwei , Wang Zhoufei , Zhang Lin , Dong Ling , Wang Zhenhua , Zhou Yu
Published: March 2020

Background: Maize ( Zea mays L.) is the largest agricultural crop in the world based on acreage and yield, however, it is inherently sensitive to low temperatures. The growth and yield of maize can be affected by low temperature during its whole growth period, particularly during germination. Therefore, it is urgent to identify the new gene(s) related to the low temperature tolerance during maize germination. Results: In this study, 14 phenotypic traits related to seed germination were used to explore the genetic architecture of maize through genome-wide association analysis (GWAS). A total of 30 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with low temperature tolerance were detected (–log10( P ) > 4); 14 candidate genes were detected as being directly associated with these SNPs and 81 candidate genes were identified when the screen was extended to a distance of 30 kb from these SNPs. The candidate genes were predicted by conjoint analysis with RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to evaluate whole-genome gene expression levels. A total of nine differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (|log2foldchange|≥0.585， P <0.05) were found within distance of 30 kb, including two DEGs ( GRMZM2G101383 and GRMZM2G402584 ), which were associated with SNPs directly. The differential expression of these candidate genes was verified using qRT-PCR. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) terms of DEGs GRMZM2G052129 and GRMZM2G038964 were, ‘fatty acid metabolic process’, ‘Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction’, and so on, which are related to the fluidity of the cell membrane and low temperature signal transduction. Conclusion: Therefore, further functional analysis of GRMZM2G052129 and GRMZM2G038964 will provide valuable information for understanding the genetic mechanism of low temperature tolerance during germination in maize.
Özel Öğrenme Güçlüğü Olan Öğrencilere Fen Bilimleri Öğretimi Üzerine Yapılan Çalışmaların İncelenmesi
Authors: KARAER Gamze , MELEKOĞLU Macid Ayhan
Published: March 2020

Bu araştırmada, Türkiye’de ve dünyada özel öğrenme
güçlüğü olan öğrencilere fen bilimleri öğretiminde kullanılan müdahaleleri
içeren ve 2008-2017 yılları arasında gerçekleştirilen çalışmaların incelenmesi hedeflenmiştir.
Bu amaç doğrultusunda, alanyazında yer alan çalışmaların betimsel taraması
gerçekleştirilmiştir. Taramada Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştırma Kurumu
Ulusal Akademik Ağ ve Bilgi Merkezi (TÜBİTAK ULAKBİM), EbscoHost, SAGE, Springer
Link ve ProQuest veritabanları kullanılarak konuyla ilgili hakemli dergilerde
yayınlanmış 20 makaleye ulaşılmıştır. Tarama sürecinde anahtar kelime olarak
“öğrenme güçlüğü”, “fen bilgisi öğretimi”, “learning disability”, “learning
disable”, “science classroom” ve “intervention” kelimeleri kullanılmıştır.
Araştırmaya dâhil edilen çalışmaların seçilmesinde; (a) 2008-2017 yılları
arasında yayınlanmış olma, (b) hakemli bir dergide yayınlanmış olma, (c)
müdahale çalışması olma, (d) özel öğrenme güçlüğü olan öğrencileri içerme ve
(e) fen öğretimi ile ilgili olma özellikleri dikkate alınmıştır. Araştırma
bulgularına göre fen öğretiminde kullanılan yöntemlerin etkililiği özel öğrenme
güçlüğü olan ve olmayan öğrenciler üzerinde karşılaştırılarak incelenmiştir. Araştırma
yöntemlerine göre 18 çalışmada nicel, bir çalışmada nitel ve bir çalışmada ise
karma araştırma yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Araştırmada özel öğrenme güçlüğü olan
öğrencilerle yapılan fen öğretimi çalışmalarının genellikle yurt dışında yapıldığı
Türkiye’de henüz bu konu ile ilgili bir çalışmanın olmadığı sonucuna
ulaşılmıştır.
Elektrokonvülsif Tedavide Güncel Durum: Ankara’da Bir Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesinin Uygulamaları
Authors: YÜKSEL Rabia Nazik , KAYA Hasan , YÜKSEL AYTEKİN Meryem , BAYRAM Şenol , GÖKA Erol
Published: March 2020

Amaç: Kliniğimiz
tıbbi kayıtlarına dayanan bu çalışmada Türkiye’de elektrokonvülsif tedavi (EKT)
kullanım sıklığını, endikasyonlarını ve takip süreci hasta uyum oranlarını incelemek
amaçlanmıştır. Gereç
ve Yöntemler: İki yıllık Ocak 2014—Aralık 2015 döneminde
Ankara Numune Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi Psikiyatri Kliniği’ne yatırılan ve
EKT gören 105 hastanın tedavi ve müteakip bir yıllık takip kayıtları retrospektif
olarak incelenmiştir.Bulgular: Hastaların
%9,95’ine EKT uygulanmıştı. En yaygın endikasyon şizofreni olup bunu bipolar
bozukluk (manik epizot) izlemekteydi. Ortalama EKT seansı sayısı 7,60±2,58 idi.
Tedavide en yaygın görülen komplikasyonlar uzamış konfüzyon ve kardiyovasküler
sistem yan etkisi idi. EKT en sık tedavi direnci ve oral alım reddi nedenlerinden
ötürü tercih edilmişti. Bir yıllık takip sürecinde hastaların %89,5’i takip
protokolüne uymuş olup %9,5’i nüks nedeniyle yeniden hastaneye yatırılmıştı. Mükerrer
EKT hastaların sadece %1,9’unda görüldü.

Tartışma
ve Sonuç: EKT güvenli ve etkili bir tedavi seçeneği olmayı
sürdürmektedir. EKT’nin güncel tedaviler arasındaki yerinin daha iyi
anlaşılabilmesi için geniş örneklemli, prospektif çalışmalar yapılması yararlı
olabilir.
Bireysel, Profesyonel, Toplumsal, Bilimsel ve Siyasal Etiği Yeniden Sorgulatan COVID-19 Pandemisi
Authors: ÇOBANOĞLU Nesrin
Published: March 2020

Covid-19 pandemisinde bilinmeyen bir virüse karşı hayatını tehlikeye atarak tanılayan ve eldeki olanaklarla tedavi etmeye çalışan hekimler, bulaşıcı hastalığı kontrol algoritmaları geliştiren yöneticiler, bilimsel çalışmaları ile aşı - ilaç geliştirmek için uğraşan bilim insanları olarak içinde yaşadığımız bu günlerde, ölümcül bir pandemi gerçeğiyle yüzleşirken, değer sistemimizi yeniden sorgulatan olaylar yaşıyoruz.
Lifestyle, Maternal Nutrition and Healthy Pregnancy
Authors: Mate Alfonso , Reyes-Goya Claudia , Santana-Garrido Álvaro , Vázquez Carmen M.
Published: April 2020

Healthy lifestyle habits spanning from preconception to postpartum are considered as a major
safeguard for achieving successful pregnancies and for the prevention of gestational diseases. Among
preconception priorities established by the World Health Organization (WHO) are healthy diet and nutrition,
weight management, physical activity, planned pregnancy and physical, mental and psychosocial
health. Most studies covering the topic of healthy pregnancies focus on maternal diet because obesity
increases the risks for adverse perinatal outcomes, including gestational diabetes mellitus, large for gestational
age newborns, or preeclampsia. Thus, foods rich in vegetables, essential and polyunsaturated
fats and fibre-rich carbohydrates should be promoted especially in overweight, obese or diabetic
women. An adequate intake of micronutrients (e.g. iron, calcium, folate, vitamin D and carotenoids) is
also crucial to support pregnancy and breastfeeding. Moderate physical activity throughout pregnancy
improves muscle tone and function, besides decreasing the risk of preeclampsia, gestational diabesity
(i.e. diabetes associated with obesity) and postpartum overweight. Intervention studies claim that an
average of 30 min of exercise/day contributes to long-term benefits for maternal overall health and wellbeing.
Other factors such as microbiome modulation, behavioural strategies (e.g. smoking cessation,
anxiety/stress reduction and sleep quality), maternal genetics and age, social class and education might
also influence the maternal quality of life. These factors contribute to ensure a healthy pregnancy, or at
least to reduce the risk of adverse maternal and foetal outcomes during pregnancy and later in life.
Modeling the Effects of Citrus sinensis Essential Oil and Nitrite on Growth Probability of Clostridium botulinum Type A in Broth Media
Authors: Rezaei Mohammad A. , Razavilar Vadood , Anvar Amirali , Mashak Zohreh
Published: March 2020

Background:

Nitrite is a multifunctional food additive used for control of toxigenic
Clostridium botulinum in foodstuffs. However, there is a growing concern about the carcinogenic
and teratogenic effects of nitrite. The present research was done to assess the effects of Citrus
sinensis essential oil and nitrite on the growth probability of C. botulinum type A using predictive
mathematical modeling technique in broth media.

Methods:

Essential oil of C. sinensis was collected using Clevenger. Multifactorial design included
diverse C. sinensis, nitrite and NaCl concentrations and also different pH ranges and storage
temperatures were arranged in BHI broth medium. C. botulinum type A strains were then inoculated
and their growth model was analyzed.

Results:

The synergistic inhibitory effects of nitrite and C. sinensis were significant (P<0.05).
C. sinensis (0.045%) and nitrite (20 ppm) strongly decreased the growth of C. botulinum (log P%= -
2.2 versus log P%= 1.15). Decreasing temperature up to 25°C significantly affected growth probability
of C. botulinum (P<0.05). Increasing NaCl concentration up to 3% did not cause any significant
differences in the growth of C. botulinum (P= 0.062). Bacterial growth in broth media was
completely inhibited at pH 5.5 and also in media contained C. sinensis (0.045%) and nitrite (60 ppm)
at pH 6.5 (log P%= -3.76).

Conclusion:

Using certain concentrations of C. sinensis essential oil with other suboptimal factors
(pH and temperature) and nitrite can control the growth of C. botulinum in broth media.
Solitary Epiphysial Enchondroma of the Proximal Humerus Causing Growth Deficiency in a 13-Year-Old Boy Lengthened over Intramedullary Nail
Authors: Exner G. Ulrich , Mazzucchelli Luca , Napoli Francesca , Candrian Christian
Published: March 2020

A 13-year-old boy complained of shortness of his left arm with the desire for lengthening.

The X-Ray showed the enlarged ellipsoid shaped humeral epiphysis in varus position and irregular joint surface. The MRI documented a distorted bone structure involving the complete epiphysis, overgrowth of the tuberosities and partial closure of the physis. MR-angiography revealed normally appearing vessel formation; however, a biopsy was recommended to rule out a vascular malformation. A tru-cut needle biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of enchondromatous changes.

As the patient felt strongly disturbed by the shortness of his arm, lengthening was performed using the fully inserted magnetic driven PreciceR nail.

Conclusion:

This case is of interest as epiphysial enchondromas are rare and complete involvement of the proximal humeral epiphysis causing growth deficiency to our knowledge has never been described before. Lengthening using a device penetrating the cartilaginous region is debatable; however, so far, sarcomatous dedifferentiation in epiphysial enchondromas has not been described.
Modlitwa Pańska w świetle wzorów Janowych
Authors: Mucha Paweł M.
Published: March 2020

Wzory Janowe, które ujawniają godność Maryi jako „Matki Pana”, rzucają nowe światło na Modlitwę Pańską. Łukaszowy Ojcze nasz zawiera trzy prośby dotyczące ludzkich potrzeb i dwie prośby skierowane do Boga, co odzwierciedla pierwszy wzór Janowy 3+2. Mateuszowy Pater noster składa się z pięciu Łukaszowych próśb i dwóch dodatkowych próśb, które występują tylko w Ewangelii Mateusza. Odpowiada to drugiemu wzorowi Janowemu 5+2. W świetle modeli Janowych Łukaszowy Ojcze nasz był wykorzystany przez Mateusza, który uzupełnił wersję Łukaszową.
Using Mobile Electroencephalography and Actigraphy to Diagnose Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Case-Control Comparison Study
Authors: Chu Kuo-Chung , Lu Hsin-Ke , Huang Ming-Chun , Lin Shr-Jie , Liu Wen-I , Huang Yu-Shu , Hsu Jen-Fu , Wang Chih-Huan
Published: March 2020

Background

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a neurobehavioral disorder, display behaviors of inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity, which can affect their ability to learn and establish proper family and social relationships. Various tools are currently used by child and adolescent psychiatric clinics to diagnose, evaluate, and collect information and data. The tools allow professional physicians to assess if patients need further treatment, following a thorough and careful clinical diagnosis process.

Objective

We aim to determine potential indicators extracted from a mobile electroencephalography (EEG) device (Mindset; NeuroSky) and an actigraph (MotionWatch 8; CamNtech) and to validate them for diagnosis of ADHD. The 3 indicators are (1) attention, measured by the EEG; (2) meditation, measured by the EEG; and (3) activity, measured by the actigraph.

Methods

A total of 63 participants were recruited. The case group comprised 40 boys and 9 girls, while the control group comprised 5 boys and 9 girls. The groups were age matched. The test was divided into 3 stages—pretest, in-test, and posttest—with a testing duration of 20 minutes each. We used correlation analysis, repeated measures analysis of variance, and regression analysis to investigate which indicators can be used for ADHD diagnosis.

Results

With the EEG indicators, the analysis results show a significant correlation of attention with both hit reaction time (RT) interstimulus interval (ISI) change (r=–0.368; P=.003) and hit standard error (SE) ISI change (r=–0.336; P=.007). This indicates that the higher the attention of the participants, the smaller both the hit RT change and the hit SE ISI change. With the actigraph indicator, confidence index (r=0.352; P=.005), omissions (r=0.322; P=.01), hit RT SE (r=0.393; P=.001), and variability (r=0.351; P=.005) were significant. This indicates that the higher the activity amounts, the higher the impulsive behavior of the participants and the more target omissions in the continuous performance test (CPT). The results show that the participants with ADHD present a significant difference in activity amounts (P<0.001). The actigraph outperforms the EEG in screening ADHD.

Conclusions

When the participants with ADHD are stimulated under restricted conditions, they will present different amounts of activity than in unrestricted conditions due to participants’ inability to exercise control over their concentration. This finding could be a new electronic physiological biomarker of ADHD. An actigraph can be used to detect the amount of activity exhibited and to help physicians diagnose the disorder in order to develop more objective, rapid auxiliary diagnostic tools.