bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Environmental UVR Levels and Skin Pigmentation Gene Variants Associated with Folate and Homocysteine Levels in an Elderly Cohort
Authors: Jones Patrice , Lucock Mark , Scarlett Christopher J. , Veysey Martin , Beckett Emma
Published: March 2020

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a ubiquitous exposure which may contribute to decreased folate levels. Skin pigmentation mediates the biological effect of UVR exposure, but its relationship to folate levels is unexamined. Interactions may exist between UVR and pigmentation genes in determining folate status, which may, in turn, impact homocysteine levels, a potential risk factor for multiple chronic diseases. Therefore, independent and interactive influences of environmental UVR and genetic variants related to skin pigmentation (MC1R-rs1805007, IRF4-rs12203592 and HERC2-rs12913832) on folate (red blood cell (RBC) and serum) and homocysteine levels were examined in an elderly Australian cohort (n = 599). Genotypes were assessed by RT/RFLP-PCR, and UVR exposures were assessed as the accumulated erythemal dose rate accumulated over 4 months (4M-EDR). Multivariate analysis found significant negative associations between 4M-EDR and RBC folate (p < 0.001, β = −0.19), serum folate (p = 0.045, β = −0.08) and homocysteine levels (p < 0.001, β = −0.28). Significant associations between MC1R-rs1805007 and serum folate levels (p = 0.020), and IRF4-rs12203592 and homocysteine levels (p = 0.026) occurred but did not remain significant following corrections with confounders. No interactions between 4M-EDR and pigmentation variants in predicting folate/homocysteine levels were found. UVR levels and skin pigmentation-related variants are potential determinants of folate and homocysteine status, although, associations are mixed and complex, with further studies warranted.
Incidence and Predictors of Cognitive Frailty Among Older Adults: A Community-based Longitudinal Study
Authors: Rivan Nurul Fatin Malek , Shahar Suzana , Rajab Nor Fadilah , Singh Devinder Kaur Ajit , Che Din Normah , Mahadzir Hazlina , Mohamed Sakian Noor Ibrahim , Ishak Wan Syafira , Abd. Rahman Mohd Harimi , Mohammed Zainora , You Yee Xing
Published: March 2020

(1) Background: Cognitive frailty (CF) is the simultaneous presence of physical frailty and cognitive impairment with an increased risk of dementia. Considering that the risk factors of CF are mostly elucidated from cross-sectional studies, we conducted a community-based longitudinal study to determine the incidence and the predictors of CF among Malaysian older adults.; (2) Methods: Out of 490 older adults participating in the Malaysian Towards Useful Aging (TUA) study, 282 were successfully followed-up at five-years for an analysis of the CF incidence. CF was defined as a comorbid physical frailty (>1 Fried criteria) and mild cognitive impairment (Petersen criteria). A comprehensive interview-based questionnaire was administered for sociodemographic information, cognitive function, physical function, dietary intake, psychosocial, and biochemical indices. Univariate analyses were performed for each variable, followed by a regression analysis to identify the predictors of CF that accounted for confounding effects between the studied factors; (3) Results: The incidence rate of CF was 7.1 per 100 person-years. Advancing age (OR=1.12, 95% CI:1.04-1.21, p < 0.05), depression (OR=1.20, 95% CI:1.05-1.37, p < 0.05), decreased processing speed, assessed by a lower digit symbol score (OR=0.67, 95%CI:0.0.56-0.80, p < 0.05), decreased functional mobility measured using Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG) (OR=1.23, 95% CI:1.04-1.46, p < 0.05), low vitamin D intake (OR:0.36, 95% CI:0.14-0.93, p < 0.05) and physical frailty (OR=2.16, 95% CI:1.02-4.58, p < 0.05) were predictors for CF incidence; and (4) Conclusions: Our study results could be used as an initial reference for future studies to formulate effective preventive management and intervention strategies to decelerate CF development among older adults.
Relations among Romantic Myths, Offline Dating Violence Victimization and Cyber Dating Violence Victimization in Adolescents
Authors: Cava María-Jesús , Buelga Sofía , Carrascosa Laura , Ortega-Barón Jessica
Published: March 2020

Cyber dating violence is an increasing problem with serious negative consequences for adolescents. Further knowledge about related variables is necessary to develop preventive strategies. The aim of this study was to analyze the correlations among cyber dating violence victimization (cyber-control and cyber-aggression), offline dating violence victimization (physical, verbal–emotional, and relational) and adolescents’ beliefs in myths of romantic love; and to examine possible differences in cyber-control victimization, cyber-aggression victimization and offline dating violence victimization (relational, physical and verbal–emotional) according to adolescents’ levels of belief (low vs. high) in myths of romantic love. The role of offline dating violence victimization (physical, verbal–emotional and relational) and romantic myths as predictor variables of cyber-control and cyber-aggression victimization was also explored. All these analyses were carried out separately with boys and girls. Of an initial sample of 919 adolescents, those who have had a dating relationship in the past year (492 adolescents, M = 15.10, SD = 1.59) were included. The regression analyses revealed that offline dating violence victimization and romantic myths were significant predictors of cyber-control and cyber-aggression victimization for both boys and girls, but explained variance was higher for girls. Verbal–emotional offline dating violence victimization was the main predictor of cyber-control victimization, and physical and relational offline dating violence victimizations were the main predictors of cyber-aggression victimization. These results can be useful for developing more effective offline and cyber dating violence prevention programs.
Determining the Shear Strength and Permeability of Soils for Engineering of New Paddy Field Construction in a Hilly Mountainous Region of Southwestern China
Authors: Han Zhen , Li Jiangwen , Gao Pengfei , Huang Bangwei , Ni Jiupai , Wei Chaofu
Published: March 2020

As a constructed wetland ecosystem, paddy field plays an irreplaceable role in flood storage and detention, groundwater replenishment, environmental protection, and ecological balance maintenance. New paddy field construction can give full play to the production and ecological functions of paddy field and can adjust the development structure of the agricultural industry effectively. The soil properties of shear strength and permeability, which provide a theoretical basis for engineering design, construction, and post-operation, are important indexes in the site selection of new paddy field. The shear strength and permeability properties of soils from different land use types (vegetable field, gentle slope dryland, corn field, grapery, and abandoned dryland) for engineering new paddy field construction were investigated in this study. The results showed that the soil water content had a significant effect on the soil shear strength, internal friction angle, and cohesion. The total pressure required for soil destruction decreased with increasing water content under the same vertical pressure, resulting in easier destruction of soils. The internal friction angle decreased with increasing soil water content, and the soil cohesion first increased and then decreased with increasing soil water content. Considering that paddy fields were flooded for a long time, the soil strength properties had certain water sensitivity. Effective measures must be taken to reduce the change in soil water content, so as to ensure the stability of the embankment foundation, roadside ditch foundation, and cutting slope. In addition, the influence of changing soil water content on the strength properties of paddy soils should be fully considered in engineering design and construction, and the soil bulk density at the plough pan should reach at least 1.5 g cm−3 or more to ensure better water retention and the anti-seepage function of paddy field. The study can provide construction technology for engineering new paddy field construction in a hilly mountainous region of southwestern China.
The Relationship between Maternal Functioning and Mental Health after Childbirth in Iranian Women
Authors: Gholizadeh Shamasbi Sevda , Barkin Jennifer L. , Ghanbari-Homayi Solmaz , Eyvazzadeh Ommlbanin , Mirghafourvand Mojgan
Published: March 2020

The postpartum period is critical for new mothers, in terms of performing maternal functions, which can be affected by physical or psychological complications. The purpose of the present study is to determine the relationship between maternal functioning and mental health in the postpartum period. This cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study was conducted on 530 eligible women who referred to health centers in Tabriz, Iran in 2018. The participants were selected through randomized cluster sampling, and data were collected by using a socio-demographic characteristics questionnaire, Mental Health Inventory (MHI), and the Barkin Index of Maternal Functioning (BIMF). These assessments were collected between 1 and 4 months postpartum. The relationship between maternal functioning and mental health was determined by conducting bivariate analysis via Pearson and Spearman correlation analysis and the general linear model (GLM) in a multivariate analysis. The mean (SD) mental health score in women was 79.1 (15.0) in the obtainable score range of 18 to 108, and the mean (SD) BIMF score in women was 97.4 (12.9) in the obtainable score range of 0 to 120. Based on Pearson or Spearman correlations, mental health and its sub-domains had positive, significant correlations with infant care, mother–child interaction, mental well-being, social support, management, adjustment, self-care, and maternal functioning (p < 0.001). Based on the GLM, increased maternal functioning was associated with higher total mental health score, having a moderate income, and receiving support for infant care (p < 0.05). High levels of postpartum mental health can have a positive impact on maternal functioning. Additionally, having support with infant care tasks can also improve functioning.
A Linked Community and Health Facility Intervention to Improve Newborn Health in Cambodia: The NICCI Stepped-Wedge Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Var Chivorn , Oberhelman Richard A. , Shu Tian , Leang Supheap , Duggal Ryan , Le Jennifer , Bazzano Alessandra N.
Published: March 2020

Background: Newborn mortality in Cambodia remains high, with sepsis and complications of delayed care-seeking important contributing factors. Intervention study objectives were to improve infection control behavior by staff in health centers; improve referral of sick newborns; increase recognition of danger signs, and prompt care-seeking at an appropriate health facility; and appropriate referral for sick newborns by mothers and families of newborn infants. Methods: The stepped-wedge cluster-randomized controlled trial took place in rural Cambodia from February 2015 to November 2016. Sixteen clusters consisted of public health center catchment areas serving the community. The intervention included health center staff training and home visits to mothers by community health volunteers within 24 h of birth and on days 3 and 7 after delivery, including assessment of newborns for danger signs and counselling mothers. The trial participants included women who had recently delivered a newborn who were visited in their homes in the first week, as well as health center staff and community volunteers who were trained in newborn care. Women in their last trimester of pregnancy greater than 18 years of age were recruited and were blinded to their group assignment. Mothers and caregivers (2494) received counseling on handwashing practices, breastfeeding, newborn danger signs, and prompt, appropriate referral to facilities. Results: Health center staff in the intervention group had increased likelihood of hand washing at recommended key moments when compared with the control group, increased knowledge of danger signs, and higher recall of at least three hygiene messages. Of mother/caregiver participants at 14 days after delivery, women in the intervention group were much more likely to know at least three danger signs and to have received messages on care-seeking compared with controls. Conclusions: The intervention improved factors understood to be associated with newborn survival and health. Well-designed training, followed by regular supervision, enhanced the knowledge and self-reported behavior of health staff and health volunteers, as well as mothers’ own knowledge of newborn danger signs. However, further improvement in newborn care, including care-seeking for illness and handwashing among mothers and families, will require additional involvement from broader stakeholders in the community.
Geochemical, Mineralogical and Morphological Characterisation of Road Dust and Associated Health Risks
Authors: Candeias Carla , Vicente Estela , Tomé Mário , Rocha Fernando , Ávila Paula , Célia Alves
Published: March 2020

Road dust resuspension, especially the particulate matter fraction below 10 µm (PM10), is one of the main air quality management challenges in Europe. Road dust samples were collected from representative streets (suburban and urban) of the city of Viana do Castelo, Portugal. PM10 emission factors (mg veh−1 km−1) ranging from 49 (asphalt) to 330 (cobble stone) were estimated by means of the United Stated Environmental Protection Agency method. Two road dust fractions (<0.074 mm and from 0.0074 to 1 mm) were characterised for their geochemical, mineralogical and morphological properties. In urban streets, road dusts reveal the contribution from traffic emissions, with higher concentrations of, for example, Cu, Zn and Pb. In the suburban area, agriculture practices likely contributed to As concentrations of 180 mg kg−1 in the finest road dust fraction. Samples are primarily composed of quartz, but also of muscovite, albite, kaolinite, microcline, Fe-enstatite, graphite and amorphous content. Particle morphology clearly shows the link with natural and traffic related materials, with well-formed minerals and irregular aggregates. The hazard quotient suggests a probability to induce non-carcinogenic adverse health effects in children by ingestion of Zr. Arsenic in the suburban street represents a human health risk of 1.58 × 10−4.
Investigating the Crucial Aspects of Developing a Healthy Dormitory based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs—A Case Study of Shenzhen
Authors: Wu Zezhou , Liu Lei , Li Shenghan , Wang Hao
Published: March 2020

In recent years, with the development of green building and the increase of health awareness, the concept of healthy building has been proposed. Recently, studies have been made on developing healthy residential buildings; however, few attentions have been paid to the development of healthy dormitories. To bridge this research gap, this paper aims to investigate the crucial aspects of developing a healthy dormitory. Based on the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, three influencing aspects which include 17 measurement indicators are identified. Questionnaire surveys are subsequently conducted to collect students’ perceptions on the identified indicators. After a structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis, the relationships between the three influencing aspects are analyzed. The research findings show that building performance, bodily sensation, and humanistic environment must be taken into account in the development of a healthy dormitory. In addition, it is revealed that building performance has a significant impact on bodily sensation, while bodily sensation has a significant impact on humanistic environment. However, building performance is found having little impact on humanistic environment. The findings of this study could provide useful information for the construction of healthy dormitories.
Quercetin and Its Mixture Increase the Stress Resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans to UV-B
Authors: Li Shi-ming , Liu Dan , Liu Yi-lin , Liu Bin , Chen Xing-huang
Published: March 2020

Ultraviolet B (UV-B, 280–320 nm) radiation causes complex molecular reactions in cells, including DNA damage, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. This study designed a mixture consisting of quercetin, luteolin and lycopene and used Caenorhabditis elegans as a model to study the resistance of these natural chemicals to UV-B. Specifically, we have confirmed that quercetin and its mixture can increase the resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans to UV-B through lifespan test, reactive oxygen species level assay, germ cell apoptosis test, embryonic lethal test and RT-qPCR experiments. The results show that quercetin and its mixture prolonged the lifespan of UV-B-irradiated Caenorhabditis elegans and reduced abnormal levels of reactive oxygen species, embryo death, and apoptosis induced by UV-B. The protective effect of quercetin and its mixture may be attributed to its down-regulation of HUS-1, CEP-1, EGL-1 and CED-13. Therefore, the results of this research could help the development of UV-B radiation protection agents.
Effects of Motorcycle Noise on Annoyance—A Cross-Sectional Study in the Alps
Authors: Lechner Christoph , Schnaiter David , Siebert Uwe , Böse-O’Reilly Stephan
Published: March 2020

Motorcycle noise is an increasing noise problem, especially in Alpine valleys with winding roads and low environmental noise. The annoyance response to motorcycle engine noise is extraordinarily high in comparison to other traffic noise and cannot be explained by standard noise assessment curves. Therefore, the Tyrolean state government decided to initiate a multi-purpose study. Exposures were calculated based on sound-measurements taken across the entire district of Reutte in the western part of the State of Tyrol and a telephone survey (n = 545) was conducted with regional participants. The influence of demographic characteristics; sensitivity to noise; attitudes towards motorcycles and background noise on the annoyance was examined using bivariate analyses. In addition; exposure-response curves and their 95% confidence intervals with cut-off points of 60% and 72% for “highly annoyed” were created. The exposure annoyance response curves for motorcycle noise show a shift of more than 30 dB in annoyance reaction compared to other road traffic noise. The annoyance response to motorcycle noise in this Alpine region is concentrated on summer Sundays and Saturdays and is independent of the background exposure caused by other road traffic
Understanding the Sociocognitive Process of Construction Workers’ Unsafe Behaviors: An Agent-Based Modeling Approach
Authors: Ye Gui , Yue Hongzhe , Yang Jingjing , Li Hongyang , Xiang Qingting , Fu Yuan , Cui Can
Published: March 2020

Previous literature has recognized that workers’ unsafe behavior is the combined result of both isolated individual cognitive processes and their interaction with others. Based on the consideration of both individual cognitive factors and social organizational factors, this paper aims to develop an Agent-Based Modeling (ABM) approach to explore construction workers’ sociocognitive processes under the interaction with managers, coworkers, and foremen. The developed model is applied to explore the causes of cognitive failure of construction workers and the influence of social groups and social organizational factors on the workers’ unsafe behavior. The results indicate that (1) workers’ unsafe behaviors are gradually reduced with the interaction with managers, foremen, and workers; (2) the foreman is most influential in reducing workers’ unsafe behaviors, and their demonstration role can hardly be ignored; (3) the failure of sociocognitive process of construction workers is affected by many factors, and cognitive process errors could be corrected under social norms; and (4) among various social organizational factors, social identity has the most obvious effect on reducing workers’ unsafe behaviors, and preventive measures are more effective than reactive measures in reducing workers’ unsafe behaviors.
The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Psychological Well-Being among Male University Students: The Mediating Role of Perceived Social Support and Perceived Stress
Authors: Malinauskas Romualdas , Malinauskiene Vilija
Published: March 2020

This study aimed to examine the subject of emotional intelligence (EI), which has received increased attention from scholars over the past few decades. The study utilized a quantitative longitudinal approach to attain the objective of understanding the correlation between EI and psychological well-being. A sample consisting of only male students was sought in this study in a process that was guided by specific criteria. The study reveals that students’ EI correlates positively with perceived social support and well-being at each time and across times. Negative relations are found between perceived stress and well-being at each time and across times. Results and findings reported in this study reveal that perceived social support partially mediates the longitudinal association between EI and well-being. Specifically, perceived stress does not mediate the longitudinal association between EI and well-being.
What Happens to the Health of Elderly Parents When Adult Child Migration Splits Households? Evidence from Rural China
Authors: Li Tianxiang , Wu Beibei , Yi Fujin , Wang Bin , Baležentis Tomas
Published: March 2020

There is little understanding about the effects of adult child migration on the health of elderly parents left behind in the light of economic contribution and time allocation (farm work and emotional cohesion). Using the pooled data from three latest issues of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in the rural areas, this study assesses the impact of child migration on parents’ health by employing instrumental variable approach to deal with the endogeneity problem. Overall, the evidence suggests that adult child migration impairs parental health as indicated by lower self-reported health (SRH), body mass index (BMI), physical activity of daily living (PADL), and higher depression score. Moreover, parents who are female, poorly-educated, and living with one adult child at least are the most vulnerable groups in terms of poor health outcomes. The negative impact of farming burden on the health of parents left behind outweighs the positive impact of economic support and emotional cohesion. Thus, child migration exerts a significantly negative impact on parental health. Establishing medical and social security systems for the elderly is important to complement the traditional family support in rural China.
Maternal Obesity Programs Offspring Development and Resveratrol Potentially Reprograms the Effects of Maternal Obesity
Authors: Hsu Mei-Hsin , Chen Yu-Chieh , Sheen Jiunn-Ming , Huang Li-Tung
Published: March 2020

Maternal obesity during pregnancy is a now a public health burden that may be the culprit underlying the ever-increasing rates of adult obesity worldwide. Understanding the association between maternal obesity and adult offspring’s obesity would inform policy and practice regarding offspring health through available resources and interventions. This review first summarizes the programming effects of maternal obesity and discusses the possible underlying mechanisms. We then summarize the current evidence suggesting that maternal consumption of resveratrol is helpful in maternal obesity and alleviates its consequences. In conclusion, maternal obesity can program offspring development in an adverse way. Maternal resveratrol could be considered as a potential regimen in reprogramming adverse outcomes in the context of maternal obesity.
Privacy-Preserving Process Mining in Healthcare
Authors: Pika Anastasiia , Wynn Moe T. , Budiono Stephanus , ter Hofstede Arthur H.M. , van der Aalst Wil M.P. , Reijers Hajo A.
Published: March 2020

Process mining has been successfully applied in the healthcare domain and has helped to uncover various insights for improving healthcare processes. While the benefits of process mining are widely acknowledged, many people rightfully have concerns about irresponsible uses of personal data. Healthcare information systems contain highly sensitive information and healthcare regulations often require protection of data privacy. The need to comply with strict privacy requirements may result in a decreased data utility for analysis. Until recently, data privacy issues did not get much attention in the process mining community; however, several privacy-preserving data transformation techniques have been proposed in the data mining community. Many similarities between data mining and process mining exist, but there are key differences that make privacy-preserving data mining techniques unsuitable to anonymise process data (without adaptations). In this article, we analyse data privacy and utility requirements for healthcare process data and assess the suitability of privacy-preserving data transformation methods to anonymise healthcare data. We demonstrate how some of these anonymisation methods affect various process mining results using three publicly available healthcare event logs. We describe a framework for privacy-preserving process mining that can support healthcare process mining analyses. We also advocate the recording of privacy metadata to capture information about privacy-preserving transformations performed on an event log.
Medical Named Entity Extraction from Chinese Resident Admit Notes Using Character and Word Attention-Enhanced Neural Network
Authors: Gao Yan , Wang Yandong , Wang Patrick , Gu Lei
Published: March 2020

The resident admit notes (RANs) in electronic medical records (EMRs) is first-hand information to study the patient’s condition. Medical entity extraction of RANs is an important task to get disease information for medical decision-making. For Chinese electronic medical records, each medical entity contains not only word information but also rich character information. Effective combination of words and characters is very important for medical entity extraction. We propose a medical entity recognition model based on a character and word attention-enhanced (CWAE) neural network for Chinese RANs. In our model, word embeddings and character-based embeddings are obtained through character-enhanced word embedding (CWE) model and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model. Then attention mechanism combines the character-based embeddings and word embeddings together, which significantly improves the expression ability of words. The new word embeddings obtained by the attention mechanism are taken as the input to bidirectional long short-term memory (BI-LSTM) and conditional random field (CRF) to extract entities. We extracted nine types of key medical entities from Chinese RANs and evaluated our model. The proposed method was compared with two traditional machine learning methods CRF, support vector machine (SVM), and the related deep learning models. The result shows that our model has better performance, and the result of our model reaches 94.44% in the F1-score.
Exposure Assessment of Indoor PM Levels During Extreme Dust Episodes
Authors: Katra Itzhak , Krasnov Helena
Published: March 2020

Millions of people live in areas that are subject to frequent dust events; however gaps remain in our knowledge about the association between dust, air quality and corresponding particulate matter (PM) exposure levels inside buildings. This case study demonstrates how the PM2.5 and PM10 levels in an urban environment respond to strong natural dust episodes. Real-time measurements were recorded simultaneously in indoor and outdoor environments in households in the city of Beer-Sheva, Israel during several strong dust events. A typical strong event was used for a detailed analysis of PM10 and PM2.5. Outdoor daily concentrations were above 1000 µg m−3 for PM10, the maximum hourly value of which was 1320 µg m−3. The indoor PM10 peaked at about 700 µg m−3 and fluctuated in parallel with the outdoor level but with a time lag of about 15 min. Indoor air tended to remain for several hours after the dust event had subsided. Analyses of multiple events revealed that the dependence of indoor PM2.5 and PM10 on natural dust varies but is not directly linked to the level of atmospheric dust concentration. From a health perspective, the exposure risk posed by extreme indoor PM2.5 and PM10 levels generated by natural dust episodes should be considered.
Facilitators and Barriers Associated with Uptake of HIV Self-Testing among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Chongqing, China: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Liu Ying , Wu Guohui , Lu Rongrong , Ou Rong , Hu Ling , Yin Yiping , Zhang Yangchang , Yan Hongjia , Zhao Yong , Luo Yetao , Ye Mengliang
Published: March 2020

While studies on human immunodeficiency virus self-testing (HIVST) continue to accumulate after the World Health Organization’s recommendation of HIVST as an additional approach to HIV testing services in 2016, few studies have focused on men who have sex with men (MSM) in Chinese cities. A cross-sectional study was conducted to describe the HIVST status of MSM in Chongqing, China. MSM participants were recruited by random sampling, and qualified interviewers collected data, using confidential self-administered questionnaires. Blood specimens were collected for HIV antibody detection. The survey evaluated the uptake and accuracy of HIVST kits and identified factors that may be associated with HIVST. The proportion of HIVST uptake was 15.6%. The sensitivity and specificity of HIVST were 74.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 66.6%–80.7%) and 99.0% (95% CI 96.9%–99.7%), respectively. The consistency between the HIVST kit and antibody detection results was 90.5% (95% CI 87.5%–93.0%), and the Kappa value was 0.777 (p < 0.001). The positive predictive value of self-testing kits is 80.9% and the negative predictive value is 17.7%. Having been tested ≥2 times in the last year, higher educational levels, and higher scores of basic HIV/AIDS knowledge facilitated higher uptake of HIVST. Self-reported existing barriers for HIVST uptake included older age, marital status, and having resided in Chongqing for more than two years.
The Role of Organizational Factors and Human Resources in the Provision of Dental Prosthesis in Primary Dental Care in Brazil
Authors: Cunha Maria Aparecida , Vettore Mario Vianna , dos Santos Thiago Resende , Matta-Machado Antônio Thomaz , Lucas Simone Dutra , Abreu Mauro Henrique Nogueira Guimarães
Published: March 2020

This study aimed to investigate factors associated with dental prosthesis procedures by oral health teams (OHTs) in the Brazilian primary health care in 2013–2014, who participated in the National Program for Improving Access and Quality of Primary Health Care (PMAQ-AB). This is an analytical cross-sectional study using a questionnaire with dichotomous questions applied in 18,114 OHTs. The dependent variable studied was making any type of prosthesis (removable or fixed). Independent variables involved issues related to human resources and health service management. Data were submitted to simple and multiple binary logistic regression with odds ratio calculation, 95% confidence intervals, and p-values. Most OHTs (57%) do not perform any dental prosthesis. The teams that are more likely to perform dental prostheses have human resources-related characteristics, such as professionals admitted through public examinations (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.14–1.36) and those involved in permanent education (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.02–1.26). Moreover, OHTs with a more organized work process and that receive more significant support from municipal management are more likely to perform dental prostheses (p < 0.05). The oral health teams which tended to provide the most dental prostheses to benefit patients were; hired as civil servants, had a municipal career plan, involved all members of the oral health team, and trained undergraduate dental students from outreach programs. Better organizational support and improved work incentives may be needed to get the majority of oral health teams to start providing dental prostheses to their patients.
Renal Sympathetic Nerve-Derived Signaling in Acute and Chronic Kidney Diseases
Authors: Noh Mi , Jang Hee-Seong , Kim Jinu , Padanilam Babu
Published: March 2020

The kidney is innervated by afferent sensory and efferent sympathetic nerve fibers. Norepinephrine (NE) is the primary neurotransmitter for post-ganglionic sympathetic adrenergic nerves, and its signaling, regulated through adrenergic receptors (AR), modulates renal function and pathophysiology under disease conditions. Renal sympathetic overactivity and increased NE level are commonly seen in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and are critical factors in the progression of renal disease. Blockade of sympathetic nerve-derived signaling by renal denervation or AR blockade in clinical and experimental studies demonstrates that renal nerves and its downstream signaling contribute to progression of acute kidney injury (AKI) to CKD and fibrogenesis. This review summarizes our current knowledge of the role of renal sympathetic nerve and adrenergic receptors in AKI, AKI to CKD transition and CKDand provides new insights into the therapeutic potential of intervening in its signaling pathways.
Contributions of DNA Damage to Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Lin Xiaozeng , Kapoor Anil , Gu Yan , Chow Mathilda Jing , Peng Jingyi , Zhao Kuncheng , Tang Damu
Published: March 2020

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of neurodegenerative disease. Its typical pathology consists of extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and intracellular tau neurofibrillary tangles. Mutations in the APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2 genes increase Aβ production and aggregation, and thus cause early onset or familial AD. Even with this strong genetic evidence, recent studies support AD to result from complex etiological alterations. Among them, aging is the strongest risk factor for the vast majority of AD cases: Sporadic late onset AD (LOAD). Accumulation of DNA damage is a well-established aging factor. In this regard, a large amount of evidence reveals DNA damage as a critical pathological cause of AD. Clinically, DNA damage is accumulated in brains of AD patients. Genetically, defects in DNA damage repair resulted from mutations in the BRAC1 and other DNA damage repair genes occur in AD brain and facilitate the pathogenesis. Abnormalities in DNA damage repair can be used as diagnostic biomarkers for AD. In this review, we discuss the association, the causative potential, and the biomarker values of DNA damage in AD pathogenesis.
Inhibition of Human Cytomegalovirus Entry into Host Cells through A Pleiotropic Small Molecule
Authors: Elste James , Kaltenbach Dominik , Patel Vraj R. , Nguyen Max T. , Sharthiya Harsh , Tandon Ritesh , Mehta Satish K. , Volin Michael V. , Fornaro Michele , Tiwari Vaibhav , Desai Umesh R.
Published: March 2020

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infections are wide-spread among the general population with manifestations ranging from asymptomatic to severe developmental disabilities in newborns and life-threatening illnesses in individuals with a compromised immune system. Nearly all current drugs suffer from one or more limitations, which emphasizes the critical need to develop new approaches and new molecules. We reasoned that a ‘poly-pharmacy’ approach relying on simultaneous binding to multiple receptors involved in HCMV entry into host cells could pave the way to a more effective therapeutic outcome. This work presents the study of a synthetic, small molecule displaying pleiotropicity of interactions as a competitive antagonist of viral or cell surface receptors including heparan sulfate proteoglycans and heparan sulfate-binding proteins, which play important roles in HCMV entry and spread. Sulfated pentagalloylglucoside (SPGG), a functional mimetic of heparan sulfate, inhibits HCMV entry into human foreskin fibroblasts and neuroepithelioma cells with high potency. At the same time, SPGG exhibits no toxicity at levels as high as 50-fold more than its inhibition potency. Interestingly, cell-ELISA assays showed downregulation in HCMV immediate-early gene 1 and 2 (IE 1&2) expression in presence of SPGG further supporting inhibition of viral entry. Finally, HCMV foci were observed to decrease significantly in the presence of SPGG suggesting impact on viral spread too. Overall, this work offers the first evidence that pleiotropicity, such as demonstrated by SPGG, may offer a new poly-therapeutic approach toward effective inhibition of HCMV.
Structural and Functional Characterization of New SsoPox Variant Points to the Dimer Interface as a Driver for the Increase in Promiscuous Paraoxonase Activity
Authors: Suzumoto Yoko , Dym Orly , Roviello Giovanni N. , Worek Franz , Sussman Joel L. , Manco Giuseppe
Published: March 2020

Increasing attention is more and more directed toward the thermostable Phosphotriesterase-Like-Lactonase (PLL) family of enzymes, for the efficient and reliable decontamination of toxic nerve agents. In the present study, the DNA Staggered Extension Process (StEP) technique was utilized to obtain new variants of PLL enzymes. Divergent homologous genes encoding PLL enzymes were utilized as templates for gene recombination and yielded a new variant of SsoPox from Saccharolobus solfataricus. The new mutant, V82L/C258L/I261F/W263A (4Mut) exhibited catalytic efficiency of 1.6 × 105 M−1 s−1 against paraoxon hydrolysis at 70°C, which is more than 3.5-fold and 42-fold improved in comparison with C258L/I261F/W263A (3Mut) and wild type SsoPox, respectively. 4Mut was also tested with chemical warfare nerve agents including tabun, sarin, soman, cyclosarin and VX. In particular, 4Mut showed about 10-fold enhancement in the hydrolysis of tabun and soman with respect to 3Mut. The crystal structure of 4Mut has been solved at the resolution of 2.8 Å. We propose that, reorganization of dimer conformation that led to increased central groove volume and dimer flexibility could be the major determinant for the improvement in hydrolytic activity in the 4Mut.
Noninvasive Biological Samples to Detect and Diagnose Infections due to Trypanosomatidae Parasites: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Sereno Denis , Akhoundi Mohammad , Sayehmri Kourosh , Mirzaei Asad , Holzmuller Philippe , Lejon Veerle , Waleckx Etienne
Published: March 2020

Unicellular eukaryotes of the Trypanosomatidae family include human and animal pathogens that belong to the Trypanosoma and Leishmania genera. Diagnosis of the diseases they cause requires the sampling of body fluids (e.g., blood, lymph, peritoneal fluid, cerebrospinal fluid) or organ biopsies (e.g., bone marrow, spleen), which are mostly obtained through invasive methods. Body fluids or appendages can be alternatives to these invasive biopsies but appropriateness remains poorly studied. To further address this question, we perform a systematic review on clues evidencing the presence of parasites, genetic material, antibodies, and antigens in body secretions, appendages, or the organs or proximal tissues that produce these materials. Paper selection was based on searches in PubMed, Web of Science, WorldWideScience, SciELO, Embase, and Google. The information of each selected article (n = 333) was classified into different sections and data were extracted from 77 papers. The presence of Trypanosomatidae parasites has been tracked in most of organs or proximal tissues that produce body secretions or appendages, in naturally or experimentally infected hosts. The meta-analysis highlights the paucity of studies on human African trypanosomiasis and an absence on animal trypanosomiasis. Among the collected data high heterogeneity in terms of the I2 statistic (100%) is recorded. A high positivity is recorded for antibody and genetic material detection in urine of patients and dogs suffering leishmaniasis, and of antigens for leishmaniasis and Chagas disease. Data on conjunctival swabs can be analyzed with molecular methods solely for dogs suffering canine visceral leishmaniasis. Saliva and hair/bristles showed a pretty good positivity that support their potential to be used for leishmaniasis diagnosis. In conclusion, our study pinpoints significant gaps that need to be filled in order to properly address the interest of body secretion and hair or bristles for the diagnosis of infections caused by Leishmania and by other Trypanosomatidae parasites.
Transcriptomics and Proteomics Reveal the Cellulose and Pectin Metabolic Processes in the Tension Wood (Non-G-Layer) of Catalpa bungei
Authors: Xiao Yao , Yi Fei , Ling Juanjuan , Wang Zhi , Zhao Kun , Lu Nan , Qu Guanzheng , Kong Lisheng , Ma Wenjun , Wang Junhui
Published: March 2020

Catalpa bungei is an economically important tree with high-quality wood and highly valuable to the study of wood formation. In this work, the xylem microstructure of C. bungei tension wood (TW) was observed, and we performed transcriptomics, proteomics and Raman spectroscopy of TW, opposite wood (OW) and normal wood (NW). The results showed that there was no obvious gelatinous layer (G-layer) in the TW of C. bungei and that the secondary wall deposition in the TW was reduced compared with that in the OW and NW. We found that most of the differentially expressed mRNAs and proteins were involved in carbohydrate polysaccharide synthesis. Raman spectroscopy results indicated that the cellulose and pectin content and pectin methylation in the TW were lower than those in the OW and NW, and many genes and proteins involved in the metabolic pathways of cellulose and pectin, such as galacturonosyltransferase (GAUT), polygalacturonase (PG), endoglucanase (CLE) and β-glucosidase (BGLU) genes, were significantly upregulated in TW. In addition, we found that the MYB2 transcription factor may regulate the pectin degradation genes PG1 and PG3, and ARF, ERF, SBP and MYB1 may be the key transcription factors regulating the synthesis and decomposition of cellulose. In contrast to previous studies on TW with a G-layer, our results revealed a change in metabolism in TW without a G-layer, and we inferred that the change in the pectin type, esterification and cellulose characteristics in the TW of C. bungei may contribute to high tensile stress. These results will enrich the understanding of the mechanism of TW formation.
Brugada Syndrome: Oligogenic or Mendelian Disease?
Authors: Monasky Michelle M. , Micaglio Emanuele , Ciconte Giuseppe , Pappone Carlo
Published: March 2020

Brugada syndrome (BrS) is diagnosed by a coved-type ST-segment elevation in the right precordial leads on the electrocardiogram (ECG), and it is associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) compared to the general population. Although BrS is considered a genetic disease, its molecular mechanism remains elusive in about 70–85% of clinically-confirmed cases. Variants occurring in at least 26 different genes have been previously considered causative, although the causative effect of all but the SCN5A gene has been recently challenged, due to the lack of systematic, evidence-based evaluations, such as a variant’s frequency among the general population, family segregation analyses, and functional studies. Also, variants within a particular gene can be associated with an array of different phenotypes, even within the same family, preventing a clear genotype–phenotype correlation. Moreover, an emerging concept is that a single mutation may not be enough to cause the BrS phenotype, due to the increasing number of common variants now thought to be clinically relevant. Thus, not only the complete list of genes causative of the BrS phenotype remains to be determined, but also the interplay between rare and common multiple variants. This is particularly true for some common polymorphisms whose roles have been recently re-evaluated by outstanding works, including considering for the first time ever a polygenic risk score derived from the heterozygous state for both common and rare variants. The more common a certain variant is, the less impact this variant might have on heart function. We are aware that further studies are warranted to validate a polygenic risk score, because there is no mutated gene that connects all, or even a majority, of BrS cases. For the same reason, it is currently impossible to create animal and cell line genetic models that represent all BrS cases, which would enable the expansion of studies of this syndrome. Thus, the best model at this point is the human patient population. Further studies should first aim to uncover genetic variants within individuals, as well as to collect family segregation data to identify potential genetic causes of BrS.
Efficacy and Safety of Biologics for Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis and Their Impact on Comorbidities: A Literature Review
Authors: Kamata Masahiro , Tada Yayoi
Published: March 2020

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by scaly indurated erythema. It impairs patients’ quality of life enormously. It has been recognized not only as a skin disease but as a systemic disease, since it also causes arthritis (psoriatic arthritis) and mental disorders. Furthermore, an association with cardiovascular events is indicated. With the advent of biologics, treatment of psoriasis dramatically changed due to its high efficacy and tolerable safety. A variety of biologic agents are available for the treatment of psoriasis nowadays. However, characteristics such as rapidity of onset, long-term efficacy, safety profile, and effects on comorbidities are different. Better understanding of those characteristic leads to the right choice for individual patients, resulting in higher persistence, longer drug survival, higher patient satisfaction, and minimizing the disease impact of psoriasis. In this paper, we focus on the efficacy and safety profile of biologics in psoriasis patients, including plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. In addition, we discuss the impact of biologics on comorbidities caused by psoriasis.
Remote Ischemic Preconditioning Induces Cardioprotective Autophagy and Signals through the IL-6-Dependent JAK-STAT Pathway
Authors: Billah Muntasir , Ridiandries Anisyah , Allahwala Usaid K , Mudaliar Harshini , Dona Anthony , Hunyor Stephen , Khachigian Levon M. , Bhindi Ravinay
Published: March 2020

Autophagy is a cellular process by which mammalian cells degrade and assist in recycling damaged organelles and proteins. This study aimed to ascertain the role of autophagy in remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC)-induced cardioprotection. Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to RIPC at the hindlimb followed by a 30-min transient blockade of the left coronary artery to simulate ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury. Hindlimb muscle and the heart were excised 24 h post reperfusion. RIPC prior to I/R upregulated autophagy in the rat heart at 24 h post reperfusion. In vitro, autophagy inhibition or stimulation prior to RIPC, respectively, either ameliorated or stimulated the cardioprotective effect, measured as improved cell viability to mimic the preconditioning effect. Recombinant interleukin-6 (IL-6) treatment prior to I/R increased in vitro autophagy in a dose-dependent manner, activating the Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK-STAT) pathway without affecting the other kinase pathways, such as p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), and glycogen synthase kinase 3 Beta (GSK-3β) pathways. Prior to I/R, in vitro inhibition of the JAK-STAT pathway reduced autophagy upregulation despite recombinant IL-6 pre-treatment. Autophagy is an essential component of RIPC-induced cardioprotection that may upregulate autophagy through an IL-6/JAK-STAT-dependent mechanism, thus identifying a potentially new therapeutic option for the treatment of ischemic heart disease.