bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From risk communication about asymptomatic atherosclerosis to cognitive and emotional reactions and lifestyle modification
Authors: Andersson Elin M. , Lindvall Kristina , Wennberg Patrik , Johansson Helene , Nordin Steven
Published: November 2022

Background
Non-adherence to preventive guidelines on cardiovascular disease calls for an interdisciplinary approach acknowledging psychological factors of relevance for risk communication and lifestyle modification. Evidence is building up regarding the advantage of sharing arterial imaging evidence of subclinical atherosclerosis with asymptomatic individuals, but there is limited understanding of how this relates to mechanisms of importance for behavioural change. Longitudinal studies on associations between patients’ reactions and lifestyle modification are missing. The population-based randomized controlled trial VIPVIZA investigates the impact of pictorial information about subclinical atherosclerosis, added to traditional risk factor-based communication. The intervention includes a personalized, colour-coded and age-related risk communication strategy and a motivational conversation, and has been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease risk. In the present study we assessed cognitive and emotional reactions to the intervention, and how these reactions are associated to lifestyle modification.
Methods
The participants’ evaluation of the risk communication was assessed in the intervention group (n = 1749). Lifestyle modification was assessed with a lifestyle index based on physical activity, diet, smoking and alcohol consumption at baseline and after 3 years. Associations between cognitive and emotional response and lifestyle modification were tested with analyses of covariance in a subset of participants (n = 714–857).
Results
The intervention increased understanding of personal CVD risk, the possibility to influence the risk, and how to influence the risk. Severity of atherosclerosis was associated with emotional reactions, but emotions of strong negative valance were uncommon. Cognitive response and emotional arousal evoked by the intervention were positively associated with lifestyle modification, whereas negative emotions in isolation were not. High level of cognitive response in combination with high level of emotional arousal was found to be most beneficial for lifestyle modification.
Conclusions
The results demonstrate the potential of communicating asymptomatic atherosclerosis with a pictorial, colour-coded and age-related strategy, also including a motivational conversation. Furthermore, the results show the importance of CVD risk communication evoking engagement, and that an interaction between cognitive and emotional reactions might be central for sustained lifestyle modification. Our results also indicate that, in an asymptomatic population, atherosclerosis screening may strengthen disease prevention and health promotion.
Trial registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01849575. Registration date 08/05/2013.
Availability and Affordability of Anticancer Medicines at Cancer Treating Hospitals in Rwanda
Authors: Rurangwa Clement , Ndayisenga Jerome , Sezirahiga Jurdas , Nyirimigabo Eric
Published: November 2022

Background: Availability and accessibility of anti-cancer medicines is the pillar of cancer management, and it is one of the main concerns in low-income countries including Rwanda. The objective of this study was to assess the availability and affordability of anticancer medicines at cancer-treating hospitals in Rwanda.
Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at 5 cancer-treating hospitals in Rwanda. Quantitative data were collected from stock cards and software that manage medicines and included the availability of anti-cancer medicines at the time of data collection, their stock status within the last two years, and the selling price.
Results: The study found the availability of anti-cancer medicines at 41% in public hospitals at the time of data collection, and 45% within the last two years. We found the availability of anti-cancer medicines at 45% in private hospitals at the time of data collection, and 61% within the last two years. 80% of anti-cancer medicines in private hospitals were unaffordable while 20% were affordable. The public hospital that had most of the anti-cancer medicines in the public sector provided free services to the patients, and no cost was applied to the anti-cancer medicines.
Conclusion: The availability of anti-cancer medicines in cancer-treating hospitals is low in Rwanda, and most of them are unaffordable. There is a need to design strategies that can increase the availability and affordability of anti-cancer medicines, for the patients to get recommended cancer treatment options.
Semantic Segmentation Model Performance on Vehicle-induced Dust Cloud Identification on Unsealed Roads
Authors: De Silva Asanka , Ranasinghe Rajitha , Sounthararajah Arooran , Haghighi Hamed , Kodikara Jayantha
Published: November 2022

A substantial proportion of roads, especially in developing countries, remain unsealed. Monitoring of traffic-induced dust is an essential part of unsealed road maintenance. The measurement of the degree of severity of dust emissions is a challenging task due to dust's spatio-temporal characteristics, the requirement for expensive equipment, and rapidly changing environmental conditions. The next evolution of mobility solutions for unsealed roads calls for more robust, time-efficient and smart methods, such as machine learning techniques to solve dust-related road problems. This paper investigates the performance of current semantic segmentation machine learning models on the identification of dust clouds using the previously published URDE dataset. Based on static image performance, the selected models are then used to identify and segment dust clouds in video recordings of road dust emissions. These are used to visually analyse the segmentation quality of the best-performing machine learning models and determine whether the development of novel machine learning models for segmentation of dust is necessary. In this study, we provide code and validation data including segmented videos which will assist in real-world applications.
Characteristics of antibiotic resistance genes and microbial community distribution in Wanfeng Lake, upper Pearl River, China
Authors: Zhang Yuntao , Li Jiang , Wu Tianyu , Ma Kai , Cheng Zhentao , Yi Qianwen , Dai Yongheng , Wang Bin , Chen Yu , Wang Bin , Hu Xia , Yang Aijiang , Yang Qi , Zhong Xiong
Published: November 2022

Wanfeng Lake, a highland lake in the upper part of the Pearl River Basin, has long been disturbed by aquaculture and human activities, resulting in the accumulation of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which pose a major threat to humans and animals. In this study, 20 antibiotics, 9 ARGs, 2 mobile genetic elements (intl1 and intl2) and microbial community structure were investigated in Wanfeng Lake. The results of the study showed that the total concentration of antibiotics in surface water was 372.72 ng/L, with ofloxacin (OFX) having the highest concentration (169.48 ng/L), posing a high ecological risk to aquatic organisms. The total concentration of antibiotics in sediments was235.86 ng/g, with flumequine (FLU) having the highest concentration (122.54 ng/g). Thisindicates that the main type of antibiotics in Wanfeng Lake are quinolones. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR analysis results of the relative abundance of ARGs in both surface water and sediments showed that sulfonamide resistance genes > macrolide resistance genes > tetracycline resistance genes > quinolone resistance genes, indicating that sulfonamide resistance genes were the dominant type. The metagenomic results showed that the predominant microorganisms in the sediment under the phylum level were Planctomycetes, Proteobacteria, Euryarchaeota and Chloroflexi. Pearson’s correlation analysis showed a significantly positive correlation between antibiotics and environmental factors with ARGs in Wanfeng Lake and a significant positive correlation between antibiotics and ARGs with microorganisms in sediments. This suggests that there is a potential pressure of antibiotics on ARGs, while microorganisms provide the driving force for the evolution and spread of ARGs. This study provides a basis for further research on the occurrence and spread of antibiotics and ARGs in Wanfeng Lake.
Assessment of C-reactive protein / serum albumin ratio in relation to acute presentation and early outcome of patients with Acute Coronary syndrome
Authors: AlTameemi Waseem , Alkhazraji Noor Alaa
Published: November 2022

Background:
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is the leading cardiovascular (CV) cause of mortality . C reactive protein (CRP) has linked with long-term risk of recurrent cardiovascular events or death. Albumin, in contrast to CRP known as negative acute-phase proteins. Thus a newly introduced marker assessed relation of CRP to albumin ratio (CAR), which may provide better results than the use of either marker alone.
Aim: - to assess the association of C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CAR) with in hospital short-term major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients.
Patients & methods: A multi-centers prospective cohort study conducted at coronary intensive care units (CICU) in Baghdad during the period from March to October 2021 that included a total of 132 patients who were diagnosed as a case of ACS. They were assessed for major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) like cardiogenic shock, arrhythmias, post-MI angina, and acute heart failure while inside the ward, in addition to need for early interventional therapeutic approach in relation to (CAR) immediately at time of admission to hospital.
Results: High values of CAR, whether using hs-CRP or CRP, were identified as an independent predictor for in-hospital MACEs (P value < 0.001 and 0.002 respectively. A cut off value of CAR (using hs-CRP) in is 3.18 mg/L in context of discrimination between medically treated ACS patients and death outcome in term of high CAR . A cut off value of CAR (using CRP) as 9.13mg/L suggests the usefulness in discrimination of outcome in relation to medically managed patients , at presentation . CAR had a positive significant correlation with hospital stay (r= 0.210, P =0.036) .
Conclusion: The CAR was independently correlated with in-hospital short-term MACEs and can be used for risk stratification in patients with ACS.
Dietary quality of elderly people at high risk of stroke in Tianjin Community, China: a multicenter study
Authors: Gu Yumeng , Xia Xiaoshuang , Xue Juanjuan , Wang Dongliang , Wei Zhiqiang , Tian Xiaolin , Li Xin
Published: November 2022

Background
Stroke is a common and frequently-occurring disease in elderly people. It has the characteristics of high morbidity, high mortality, high recurrence rate and high disability rate. Most stroke risk studies are based on pathophysiology, however psychosocial factors such as diet quality are often understudied. The aim of this study was to assess stroke risk in urban community residents in Tianjin and investigate the impact of diet quality on stroke risk.
Methods
Using a cross-sectional, multicenter study, recruit people aged 60 to 80 in Tianjin. Dietary intake data were obtainedthrough a validated food frequencyquestionnaire, which were used to calculate Alternate Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010) and to analyzeits association with sociodemographic, stroke risk factors and health marker variables.
Results
A total of 1068 participants were recruited, including 300 low-risk groups and 768 high-risk groups. Compared with the low-risk group (62.75 ± 3.59), the AHEI-2010 mean score of the high-risk group (56.83 ± 6.54) was significantly lower. The top three most common risk factors among participants were dyslipidemia (80.3%), hypertension (60.6%), and physical inactivity (58.2%). Multiple logistic regression showed that diet quality was independently and significantly associated with stroke risk (OR = 0.765; 95% CI: 0.690–0.848, p < 0.001).
Conclusion
The diet quality of high-risk stroke population in Tianjin is far from ideal. At the same time, public health knowledge needs to be disseminated and educated, especially among those at high risk of cerebrovascular disease, with a focus on improving psychosocial factors such as diet quality.
Incidence, lifetime health impact and medical costs of renal cell carcinoma in Taiwan
Authors: Lu Chin-Heng , Chiu Ying-Ming , Ou Yen-Chuan , Lan Joung-Liang , Wang Jung-Der , Tung Min-Che
Published: November 2022

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) incidence has risen for decades. We aimed to explore the epidemiologic trends, long-term outcomes, and lifetime medical costs of RCC in Taiwan. Data from the National Cancer Registry, Mortality Registry, and the National Health Insurance of Taiwan were interlinked and we collected 14,131 RCC cases from 1998 to 2016. The Cumulative incidence rates (aged 20-79) of RCC consistently increased from 0.37% to 0.73% in males and from 0.23% to 0.36% in females, respectively. The life expectancy (LE) of women RCC seemed slightly better than that of men after stratification by age, while the loss of LE appeared similar in both sexes. However, women with clear cell RCC showed a higher loss of LE than men if diagnosed before the age of 65 years. Although the lifetime costs incurred by patients with RCC decreased among middle- and older-aged individuals, the annual cost per life-year appeared to increase with age. Increased proportion of target therapy in aged 50-64 among male RCC partially accounted for the increased lifetime costs in this group. We concluded that RCC is associated with heavy health and economic burdens in Taiwan and prevention would be the first strategy for control.
Direct Conversion of N-Acetyl-D-glucosamine to N- containing heterocyclic compounds 3-acetamidofuran and 3-acetamido-5-acetly furan.
Authors: Shaikh Samrin , Patil Chetana , Lucas Nishita , Bokade Vivek , Rode Chandrashekar
Published: November 2022

Effectual waste utilization from plant as well as marine biomass has gained tremendous importance with reference to sustainability. The valorization of marine biomass produces value added compounds containing not only C, H, O but also renewable N atom in the skeleton which widens the scope for its exploration which may prove to be economically beneficial to the society. Heterogeneous catalytic transformation of marine biomass i.e. N-acetyl glucosamine (NAG) to N-substituted aromatic heterocyclic is reported for the very first time. Cost effective and stable metal oxide catalysts were deployed for the transformation. Catalyst screening study showed that La2O3 was found to be an excellent catalyst for N-acetyl glucosamine (NAG) dehydration which mainly produced 3-acetamidofuran (3AF). The physicochemical properties of the metal oxide catalyst were investigated by various techniques such as XRD, FTIR, MeOH-FTIR, TPD, SEM, N2 sorption studies and HR-TEM analysis for structure activity relationship. The effect of various reaction parameters such as catalyst concentration, reaction temperature, reaction time and solvent effect on dehydration of N-acetyl glucosamine has been studied in detail for higher yields. The results revealed that the presence of weak basic sites which are Brønsted in nature and nano pores present on the surface were responsible for improved dehydration of the chitin biomass to selectively yield 3-acetamidofuran (3AF). La2O3 catalyst showed optimum 50% 3AF yield from N-Acetyl glucosamine at 180 ºC in 3h. Efficacious exploitation of marine biomass to value added chemicals using heterogeneous catalyst through simple route and easy separation of N-substituted heterocyclic aromatics is the most innovative aspect of the current study. Thus, utilization of heterogeneous catalyst and renewable biomass as a raw material indicates a transition towards more sustainable and greener approach.
Metal-free phosphorus and boron doped graphitic carbon nitride/zeolite hetero-linked particles for highly efficient green hydrogen production in methanol
Authors: SAKA Cafer
Published: November 2022

Herein, the development of phosphorus and boron doped graphitic carbon nitride/zeolite (P and B doped g-C3N4-zeolite) catalyst under three-step heating conditions was performed. The first step is to prepare g-C3N4 synthesis from urea at 500 oC. In the second step, the production of B-doped zeolite-g-C3N4 catalyst by calcination of g-C3N4 and zeolite obtained at a ratio of 1:1 with boric acid at 500 oC. In the third step, the obtained B doped zeolite- g-C3N4 catalyst consists of the preparation of B and P doped g-C3N4-zeolite catalyst as a result of hydrothermal method with phosphoric acid. Characterization studies of the obtained catalysts were carried out with XRD, SEM-EDX, FTIR and XPS analyzes. These obtained catalysts were used as a metal free catalyst in the production of hydrogen (H2-P) by sodium borohydride in methanol(NaBH4-MR) for the first time in the literature. Hydrogen production rate (HGR) value for B and P doped g-C3N4-zeolite catalysts was 6250 ml min− 1 g− 1.
Study on Layout Evolution of Vernacular Dwellings in Coastal Fishing Village of Qingdao（China）
Authors: Jiao Zhuangqing , Zhang Tao , Duan Yuechen , Hu Qinian , Gao Weijun
Published: November 2022

With the development of Chinese Rural Revitalization, the economy of coastal fishing villages in Shandong province is constantly improving and people's demand for vernacular dwellings is also under change. However, due to the lack of scientific and reasonable guidance in construction, vernacular dwellings in fishing villages only pursue form novelty blindly, which makes the newly built dwellings without regional features and lack of regional adaptability. In order to make the vernacular dwellings meet the living requirements for residents and the ecological adaptability, this paper takes Huangdao District as a research area and studies the fishing villages of Langya Town. From the aspects of the residential area, courtyard form, courtyard space layout, and so on, this paper focuses on the analysis of the living mode and the internal relationship with the layout of transitions of vernacular dwellings in Huangdao District of Qingdao. Through literature review, data consultation, and site investigation, the results reveal the reasons and rules behind the transition of the layout of vernacular dwellings in fishing villages, which can be used as a research basis for the future ecological adaptation design that meets the living requirements for residents and the regional features in the following fishing villages’ development.
The performance of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a prospective comparison with [18F]FDG PET/CT
Authors: Jiang Yaqun , Wen Bing , Li Chongjiao , Tian Yueli , Xiao Zhiwei , Xu Kui , Xing Diankui , Yu Zili , Huang Jing , Jia Jun , He Yong
Published: November 2022

Purpose
This study aimed to compare the performance of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]FDG PET/CT for initial staging and recurrence detection of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).
Methods
Prospectively, 77 patients with histologically proven or highly suspected HNSCC, who presented for either initial staging (n = 67) or restaging (n = 10), were referred to paired [18F]FDG and [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT within one week. The diagnostic performance was compared for the two imaging approaches, especially for N staging. SUVmax, SUVmean, and target-to-background ratio (TBR) were assessed for paired positive lesions. Furthermore, change in management by [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT and histopathologic FAP expression of some lesions were explored.
Results
[18F]FDG and [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT exhibited comparable detection rates for primary tumors (100%) and recurrence (62.5%). In the twenty-nine patients receiving neck dissection, [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT showed higher specificity and accuracy in evaluating preoperative N staging than [18F]FDG based on patients (p = 0.031 and p = 0.070), neck sides (p = 0.002 and p = 0.006) and neck levels (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001). As for distant metastasis, [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT detected more positive lesions than [18F]FDG (25 vs 23), and with higher SUVmax (7.99 ± 9.04 vs 3.62 ± 2.68, p = 0.002) by the lesion-based analysis. The types of neck dissection in 9 cases (9/33) were altered by [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04. Overall, clinical management was significantly changed in 10 patients (10/61). Three patients underwent a follow-up [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT after neoadjuvant therapy: one showed complete remission, and the others showed progression. The [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 uptake intensity was confirmed to be consistent with FAP expression.
Conclusion
[68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 outperforms [18F]FDG PET/CT in evaluating preoperative N staging in patients with HNSCC. Furthermore, [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT also shows the potential in clinical management and monitoring response to treatment.
Clinical Trial Registration:
This prospective study was reviewed and approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, and was registered online at NIH ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05034146 & NCT05030597).
Uveitis secondary to Whipple’s disease immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome: a new entity ?
Authors: LEQUAIN Hippolyte , BRUNET Olivier , SEILLER Julien , ABUKHASHBAH Amro , BURILLON Carole , VIGNOT Emmanuelle , SEVE Pascal
Published: November 2022

Background: Whipple's disease is a rare infectious systemic condition caused by Tropheryma whipplei which, can involve several organs such as the gastrointestinal tract, joins, skin, central nervous system, and eyes. Because of its non-specific symptoms and frequent join involvement preceding other Whipple's disease symptoms, a relevant percentage of patients are treated as inflammatory arthritis and received immunosuppressive treatment such as tumor necrosis factor α inhibitors, associated with Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome (IRIS), complicating antibiotic therapy.
Case presentation: A 53-year-old male presented with bilateral knee arthritis, a weight loss of 30 kg in 6 months without diarrhea, a chronic febricula at 38°C, and cognitive disorders. He was under treatment with tumor necrosis factor α for a misdiagnosis of presumed post-viral spondyloarthritis. Given the unusual clinical presentation for spondyloarthritis, further tests were performed as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in blood, saliva, stools, joint fluid of the left knee, and cerebrospinal fluid and revealing the presence of the T. whipplei genome, confirming the diagnosis of WD and antibiotic treatment was started. In addition, an ophthalmic examination revealed that the patient presented bilateral posterior uveitis and an aqueous humor sample confirmed the presence of T.whippley.
Thus, the patient was treated with classical Whipple’s disease therapy and subconjunctival corticosteroid injections. At three months, he presented persistent ocular posterior segment inflammation, leading to repeated PCR tests in blood, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid, stools, and aqueous humor, which were negatives. Therefore, an ocular IRIS was considered in the context of posterior uveitis recurrence after the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy and negative samples. Thus, the patient was treated with systemic corticosteroid therapy, allowing ocular inflammatory signs to disappear in both eyes.
Conclusions: This case revealed the existence of IRIS-induced uveitis complicating Whipple’s disease. Therefore, ophthalmologists, rheumatologists, and internists should be aware of this rare complication, particularly in the context of previous immunosuppressive therapy.
Filtration efficiency of medical and community face masks using viral and bacterial bioaerosols
Authors: DJEGHDIR Sana , PEYRON Aurélien , SARRY Gwendoline , LECLERC Lara , VERHOEVEN Paul O , POURCHEZ Jérémie
Published: November 2022

Face masks are often recommended in community settings to prevent the airborne transmission of respiratory viruses or bacteria. Our first objective was to develop an experimental bench to assess the viral filtration efficiency (VFE) of a mask with a methodology similar to the normative measurement of bacterial filtration efficiency (BFE) used to determine the filtration performance of medical masks. Then, using three categories of masks of increasing filtration quality (two types of community masks and one type of medical mask), filtration performances measured ranged from 61.4–98.8% of BFE and from 65.5–99.2% of VFE. A strong correlation (r = 0.983) between bacterial and viral filtration efficiency was observed for all types of masks and for the same droplets size in the 2–3 µm range. This result confirms the relevance of the EN14189:2019 standard using bacterial bioaerosols to evaluate mask filtration, to also extrapolate mask performances whatever their filtration quality against viral bioaerosols. Indeed, it appears that the filtration efficiency of masks (for micrometer droplet sizes and low bioaerosol exposure times) depends mainly on the size of the airborne droplet, rather than on the size of the infectious agent contained in that droplet.
Insular cortex to ventral striatum synapses encode valence of social interaction
Authors: Bellone Camilla , Espinosa Pedro , Girard Benoit , Lucchini Mattia , Campanelli Federica , Tiriticco Valentina
Published: November 2022

The decision to approach or avoid a conspecific is fundamental for survival. Affiliative
(prosocial) interactions favor approach behaviors, while antagonistic (aggressive) contacts trigger avoidance. Here we ask how the brain encodes the valence of social
interaction. We focused on the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a brain region implicated in social reward processing. We observed that social interactions activate D1-expressing medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs) regardless of their valence. However, afferent D1-
expressing neurons of the anterior insular cortex (AIC) exhibited distinct activity patterns coding for prosocial and aggressive social interaction, respectively. As a result, distinct forms of synaptic plasticity were elicited at the AIC to NAc synapses. Thus, the valence of social interaction induces distinct neural activity in the AIC, which teaches the animal to approach and avoid conspecifics in the future.
Influences of lateral boundary forcings on the 2020 extreme Meiyu in the Yangtze-Huaihe River valley
Authors: Zhu Xiaoyu , Hu Yijia , Sun Xuguang , Zhong Zhong , Ha Yao
Published: November 2022

In this study, a Regional Climate Model (RegCM4.6) is employed to simulate the extreme Meiyu in the Yangtze-Huaihe River valley (YHRV) from June to July 2020. The influences of lateral boundary forcings in different directions on the 2020 Meiyu are explored through a series of sensitivity experiments with realistic or climatological lateral boundary conditions in the south, north and east directions, respectively. The results show that the 2020 Meiyu occurs under unique atmospheric forcings, and if all lateral boundary conditions are replaced by climatological mean state, heavy rainfall will not occur. Specifically, the south atmospheric signals provide moisture and heat for the occurrence of Meiyu. The atmospheric longwave activities in the north bring cold air to YHRV which can lift the warm air, provide instability conditions, and make the distribution of Meiyu similar to the teleconnection pattern of summer precipitation in East Asia. The western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) in the east is important in anchoring the rainband locations in YHRV. In addition, the contributions of anomalous atmospheric signals in different directions change with time. Before June 10, the WPSH mainly contributes to the Meiyu evolution. From June 11 to July 3, the combined effects of forcings in the south and north are dominant. From July 3 to July 10, the cold air from the north plays a major role. After July 10, the 2020 atmospheric circulation conditions and Meiyu evolution are similar to the climatological mean state.
Transcriptional changes of tissue-specific genes in multiple endocrine organs: a study of lethal COVID-19 cases
Authors: Poma Anello Marcello , Bonuccelli Diana , Macerola Elisabetta , Niballi Sara , Basolo Alessio , Santini Ferruccio , Basolo Fulvio , Toniolo Antonio
Published: November 2022

Altered blood hormone and metabolite levels during and post-COVID-19 have been extensively reported. Yet, studies of gene expression at the tissue level that can help identify the causes of endocrine dysfunctions are scarce. We analyzed transcript levels of endocrine-specific genes in five endocrine organs of lethal COVID-19 cases. Overall, 116 autoptic specimens from 77 individuals (50 COVID-19 and 27 uninfected controls) were included. All samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 genome. Investigated organs included adrenals, pancreas, ovary, thyroid and white adipose tissue (WAT). Transcript levels of 42 endocrine-specific and 3 IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) were measured and compared between COVID-19 cases (virus-positive and virus-negative in tissue) and uninfected controls. ISG transcript levels were enhanced in tissues positive for SARS-CoV-2. Endocrine-specific genes (e.g., HSD3B2, INS, IAPP, TSHR, FOXE1, LEP, CRYGD) were deregulated in COVID-19 cases in an organ-specific manner. Transcription of organ-specific genes was suppressed in virus-positive specimens of ovary, pancreas and thyroid but enhanced in adrenals. In WAT of COVID-19 cases transcription of ISGs and leptin was enhanced independently of the presence of virus. Our findings suggest that, in COVID-19, endocrine dysfunctions may arise especially when SARS-CoV-2 invades endocrine organs and that transcriptional alterations of endocrine-specific genes may contribute to endocrine manifestations.
Leishmania infantum chagasi detection in blood donors living in an endemic area
Authors: Lopes Elizandra Aparecida de Oliveira , Florencio-Henschel Patrícia , Jordão Felipe Trovalim , Sperança Márcia Aparecida , Martins Luciamare Perinetti Alves , Suzuki Rodrigo Buzinaro
Published: November 2022

Human Visceral Leishmaniasis (HVL) is a neglected disease that occurs in 98 countries on five continents, and it is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions. In South America, the etiological agent of HVL is Leishmania infantum chagasi, mainly transmitted through the bite of an infected sandfly female from the genus Lutzomyia. In American HVL endemic areas, is common the occurrence of asymptomatic infection, which contribute with the possibility of L. infantum chagasi transmission during a blood transfusion. To know the prevalence of L. infantum chagasi asymptomatic infection in blood donors from the microregion of Adamantina, we investigated 324 peripheral blood samples from donors through Immunofluorescence (IFAT) and PCR-RFLP techniques. Seven blood samples (2.16%) tested positive for Leishmania by IFAT, and from that six presented positive results by PCR (85.71%), which were later identified as L. infantum chagasi by RFLP. The presence of L. infantum chagasi in the peripheral blood of blood donors supported the hypothesis of transmission by blood transfusion and points to the need to include tests for visceral leishmaniasis in blood bank screening tests and pre-storage measures, especially in endemic areas to prevent the exponential increase of HVL by blood transfusion.
Constructed wetlands as treatment systems: An overview and bibliometric analysis
Authors: Reshadi Mir Amir Mohammad , Sabour Mohammad Reza , Mojtahedi Alireza
Published: November 2022

Constructed wetlands have gained a major role in treating various forms of wastewaters. According to their cost-effectiveness and myriads of side benefits, a substantial body of research has grown around this topic in recent years. Being situated at the center of studies from diverse fields, there is a demand for a study to show different themes inside this field of research. This paper aims to explore research connected to the application of constructed wetlands for water and wastewater treatment using bibliometric analysis of data retrieved from Scopus database from the first appearance of this topic to 2021. The results suggest that more than three thousand papers have been published by 503 journals. About 8000 scholars have contributed to this topic, who are mostly from China, United States, United Kingdom, Spain, and India. The analysis on author keywords interaction network found 4 major clusters, each indicating to various parts of research on constructed wetlands. Finally, most recent research trends were detected via overlay network, indicating the focus on micropollutants and emerging contaminants (such as antibiotics) and microbial fuel cells as trends of future study in this field.
Evaluation of the usefulness of a paper–pencil group cognitive assessment for older adults in the community
Authors: Cho Daisuke , Suzuki Hiroyuki , Ogawa Susumu , Takahashi Tomoya , Sato Kenichiro , Iizuka Ai , Kobayashi Momoko , Yamauchi Misako , Kinai Anna , Li Yan , Fujiwara Yoshinori
Published: November 2022

Background
As the older population increases, the need for early detection of cognitive decline is also increasing. In this study, we examined whether our paper–pencil type group examination for cognitive assessment (PAPLICA) could detect the effects of years of education and aging.
Methods
PAPLICA was conducted on 829 older people. One examiner conducted the test on a group of approxmately 10–20 people in approximately 25 minutes. Participants were briefed on tackling the issues projected on the projector, and their answers were recorded in a response booklet.
Results
An independent samples t-test was performed for years of education, and ANCOVA was performed for aging. Analysis results indicate that the newer tests were generally able to detect the effects of years of education and aging, but the detection of the effects of aging varied from test to test.
Conclusions
The PAPLICA, similar to other neuropsychological tests, was able to detect the effects of years of education and aging. Future testing should be conducted on different demographics to identify the differences in patterns of cognitive decline.
The role of female managers in enhancing employee well-being: A path through workplace resources
Authors: Xie Jun , Piao Xiangdan , Managi Shunsuke
Published: November 2022

Following the job demands-resources theory, this study explores how female managers affect employee well-being through multiple levels of workplace resources, including task, group, and worksite levels. The test is based on a large-scale job stress survey of around 96,000 employee-year observations from 2017 to 2019. The structural equational model is applied to construct the latent variables of workplace resources at each level and test the mediating effects. The findings give supporting evidence for the transformational leadership behaviors of female managers. The female presence at the management level is associated with better workplace resources and employee well-being, especially workplace cohesiveness, work engagement, and occupational stress. Workplace resources significantly mediate these relationships, which shed light on the underlying mechanisms. Notably, the positive indirect effects via workplace resources could offset the negative direct effects of female managers. Female middle managers present more substantial impacts than top managers, providing further implications for gender diversity issues in management teams.
A rare case of mimicry of insulinoma: presenting mainly in terms of clinical symptoms, imaging and molecular markers
Authors: Yi Zhiqiang , Gu Jin , Li Taolang , Yao Jin , Wang Jinjing , Chen Hua , Mei Zanzan , Wu Huichao , Li Hongping , Ma Zhiyuan , Deng Zilin , Tuo Biguang , Zhao Lijing , Liu Xuemei
Published: November 2022

Background

Nesidioblastosis and insulinomas are caused by dysfunctional β cells, which in turn can cause endogenous hyperinsulinemia. In adults, the clinical and histomorphological features of nesidioblastosis and insulinoma may be remarkably similar, implying that it can be difficult to differentiate the two entities with preoperative biochemical and diagnostic imaging.

Case presentation

We report a 48-year-old man diagnosed with adult focal nesidioblastosis. We used contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (ceMRI), [68Ga]-DOTATATE positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and other tests before surgery, all of which highly suggested insulinoma. However, the final pathological diagnosis was focal neuroblastoma.

Conclusion

Adult focal nesidioblastosis is very rare. In this case, we focused on differentiating focal nesidioblastosis from insulinoma. We reviewed relevant literature reports and found that it is sometimes difficult to differentiate the two diseases with the results of preoperative examinations. For pancreatic space-occupying lesions that can clinically present as either of these two diseases, the focus should be on distinguishing between the presence and absence of metastases as well as precise pancreatic localization.
The Rise and Rise of Natural Language Processing Research, 1958-2021
Authors: Nwagwu Williams
Published: November 2022

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Along-Strike Forearc and Subducted Upper Slab Structure beneath North Chile and their Implications towards occurrence of Slow Slip
Authors: Mukherjee Pousali , Ito Yoshihiro , Borah Kajaljyoti , Mpuang Admore Phindani , Garcia Emmanuel Soliman , Plata-Martinez Raymundo
Published: November 2022

We estimated the lithospheric structure beneath the forearc of North Chile subduction zone, extending from Iquique to Valparaiso, with overlapping slow slip areas. Thickness and velocity of subducted oceanic crust, slab top, subducted oceanic Moho, continental Moho, and wedge mantle velocity were computed. We investigated relative differences of seismic velocities around plate interface, especially from lower wedge mantle bottom, upper subducted oceanic crust and oceanic mantle, near and away from the slow slip areas. Here we show that the disparities were more pronounced near south of Iquique szone (19oS-25oS). Near Valparaiso, the velocities of upper oceanic mantle differ. These discrepancies in velocities are regarded as presence of fluids from subducted ridges and seamounts, which might alter seismicity in the area. We hypothesize that seismological structure could potentially regulate slow slip in Iquique, as a combined effect from lower wedge mantle, oceanic crust, and subducting mantle.
Probing the binding behavior and kinetic studies of amphiphilic acrylate copolymers with bovine serum albumin
Authors: Mushtaq Shehla , Abbas Muhammad Asad , Nasir Habib , Mahmood Azhar , Iqbal Mudassir , Janjua Hussnain A. , Ahmad Nasir M.
Published: November 2022

In this study, a series of copolymers poly(methyl methacrylate) (pMMA), poly(3-sulfopropyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) p(SPMA-co-MMA), and poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylae) p(DMAEMA-co-MMA) were synthesized via free radical polymerization and the impact of surface charge on amphiphilic copolymers and its interactions with the bovine serum albumin (BSA) was studied. These amphiphilic copolymers are thermally stable at 100 oC and with Tg 82 and 132 oC. These copolymers pMD1 and pMS1 have -56.6 and -72.6 mV at pH 7.4 in PBS buffer solution that controls bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption capacity on polymers surface. AFM analysis further confirm minimum BSA film thickness of 0.474 and 0.324 nm for pMD1 and pMS1 as compared to pMMA. BSA adsorption for pMD1 and pMS1 was 0.9 and 1.5 mg/g while kinetic studies shown the suitability of best fitting of pseudo-first-order model that showed physisorption which was attained at pH 7.4 within 24 hours at 25oC.
The etiology and prognosis of non-traumatic impaired consciousness in patients admitted to the emergency department: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Sharifi Mohammad Davood , Vafadar Elnaz , Foroughian Mahdi , Esfahani Golnaz Latifian , Torshizian Ashkan
Published: November 2022

Background and aim
Altered level of consciousness(LOC) is a common complaint in patients admitted to the emergency department(ED). Altered LOC occurs with various causes. Emergent diagnosis and treatment of patients with altered LOC are vital to prevent irreversible brain damage. In this study, we aimed to acquire a better vision of non-traumatic altered LOC’s prevalent etiologies. The association between patients’ initial condition and survival was also assessed.
Methods
This prospective cohort study enrolled 1000 patients with altered LOC referred to two tertiary hospitals in 2020 and 2021. Patients with ALOC who had GCS < 14, and a final diagnosis, were included and followed for a month. We also collected all initial data gathered by ED triage and investigated the association of these entities with survival and their distribution among different final diagnoses.
Results
We studied 1000 patients. 52.4% of the population consisted of males. The mean age was 59.85 ± 16.06. Sepsis(38.3%) was the most common etiology, followed by: stroke(9.2%), heart failure(8%), myocardial infarction(7.3%), meningitis(7.2%), hepatic encephalopathy(6.5%) and alcohol intoxication(5.8%). Deceased patients had higher pulse rates(P = .030) and lower blood glucose(P = .049) and blood pressure(P = .001) at admission. Prior history of stroke(P = .003) and hyperlipidemia(P = .012) were associated with reduced survival odds.
Conclusion
Our data reveal high one-month mortality(56%) in patients with altered LOC. Also, patients with hyperlipidemia and a history of previous stroke seem to have worse outcomes. Due to this high mortality rate, patients with altered LOC should be treated intensively and prioritized, especially in crowded EDs.
Complications of One-step Button Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy in Children
Authors: Jean-Bart Charlotte , Aumar Madeleine , Ley Delphine , Antoine Matthieu , Cailliau Emeline , Coopman Stéphanie , Guimber Dominique , Ganga Serge , Turck Dominique , Gottrand Frédéric
Published: November 2022

Purpose
To assess the complications of one-step button percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (B-PEG) and determine risk factors for developing stomal infections or gastropexy complications.
Methods
A retrospective study of 679 children who underwent a B-PEG procedure in a single tertiary care center over a 10-year period to December 2020 was conducted. Patient characteristics, early complications (occurring ≤7 days after the procedure), late complications (> 7 days after the procedure), and outcomes were collected from medical records. A list of potential risk factors, including age at procedure, prematurity, underlying neurological disease, and undernutrition, was determined a priori.
Results
At least 1 year of follow-up was available for 513 patients. Median follow-up duration was 2.8 years (interquartile range 1.0–4.9 years). Major complications were rare (< 2%), and no death was related to B-PEG. Early complications affected 15.9% of the study population, and 78.0% of children presented late complications. Development of granulation tissue was the most common complication followed in frequency by tube dislodgment and T-fastener complications. Only 24 patients (3.5%) presented stomal infections. Young age at the time of PEG placement (odds ratio (OR) 2.34 [1.03–5.30], p = .042) was a risk factor for developing peristomal infection. T-fastener migration occurred in 17.3% of children, and we found underlying neurological disease was a protective factor (OR 0.59 [0.37–0.92], p = .019).
Conclusion
B-PEG is a safe method and associated with a low rate of local infection. However, T-fasteners are associated with significant morbidity and require particular attention in young and premature infants.
Elevated levels of MMP12 sourced from macrophages are associated with poor prognosis in urothelial bladder cancer
Authors: Lord Martin , Kerzeli Iliana K , Türker Polat , Kostakis Alexandros , Malmström Per-Uno , Hemdan Tammer , Mezheyeuski Artur , Ward Douglas , Bryan Richard T , Segersten Ulrika , Mangsbo Sara M
Published: November 2022

Background
Urothelial bladder cancer is most frequently diagnosed at the non-muscle-invasive stage (NMIBC). However, recurrences and interventions for intermediate and high-risk NMIBC patients impact quality of life. Biomarkers for patient stratification could help to avoid unnecessary interventions whilst indicating aggressive measures when required.
Methods
In this study, immuno-oncology focused, multiplexed proximity extension assays were utilised to analyse plasma (n=90) and urine (n=40) samples from 90 newly-diagnosed and treatment-naïve bladder cancer patients. Public single-cell and bulk RNA-sequencing data from patient tumour tissues and murine OH-BBN-induced urothelial carcinomas were also explored.
Results
Plasma from muscle-invasive, urothelial bladder cancer patients displayed higher levels of MMP7 (p=0.028) and CCL23 (p=0.03) compared to NMIBC patients, whereas urine displayed higher levels of CD27 (p=0.044) and CD40 (p=0.04) in the NMIBC group by two-sided Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Random forest survival and multivariable regression analyses identified increased MMP12 plasma levels as an independent marker (p<0.001) associated with shorter overall survival (HR=1.8, p<0.001, 95% CI:1.3-2.5); this finding was validated in an independent patient cohort. Single-cell transcriptomics analyses indicated tumour-infiltrating macrophages as a putative source of MMP12.
Conclusions
The measurable levels of tumour-localised, immune-cell-derived MMP12 in blood suggest MMP12 as an important, tumour-microenvironment-related biomarker that could complement histopathology-based risk stratification and represent a pharmacological target in urothelial bladder cancer.
Light intensity-dependent changes in the photochemistry of photosystem II, cell constituents, and lipid accumulation in the Wild-type (WT) and DCMU-tolerant mutant of green alga Scenedesmus vacuolatus
Authors: Gupta Neha , Yadav Nisha , Singh D.P , Pathak Vinayak. Vandan , Ahmad Shamshad
Published: November 2022

Microalgae utilize light energy for photosynthesis; however, variations in light intensities can have antagonistic and synergistic effects on its growth and cell constituents. In the present experimental study, photodynamic effects of light intensity on the growth, cell constituents, photochemistry of PS II, and lipid accumulation were studied in wild-type (WT) and DCMU-tolerant mutant strains of S. vacuolatus. Microalgal algal cells (WT and DCMU-tolerant mutant) were exposed to light intensities ranging from 10 to 100 µmol m− 2 s− 1 and cultured in a BG-11 nutrient growth medium. Overall results showed higher light intensity tolerance in the mutant strain (60 µmol m− 2 s− 1) than the WT (40 µmol m− 2 s− 1). The photosynthetic parameters derived from chlorophyll fluorescence induction kinetics (OJIP), non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), and Light curve (rETR) revealed better photosynthetic performance by the mutant strain than the WT under the high light stress. Thus, it was inferred that, unlike the WT, a better photosynthetic efficiency coupled with an improved photo-protection mechanism in the mutant strain at higher light intensities might be contributing to an enhanced level of cell constituent and lipid accumulation in the mutant strain.