bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Moderate intensity exercise in hypoxia increases IGF-1 bioavailability and serum irisin in individuals with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Żebrowska Aleksandra , Sikora Marcin , Konarska Anna , Zwierzchowska Anna , Kamiński Tomasz , Robins Anna , Hall Barbara
Published: May 2020

Aim:

This study aimed to determine the effect of moderate intensity continuous exercise (Ex) and hypoxia (Hyp) on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and its binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), irisin and cytokines levels in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Methods:

A total of 14 individuals with T1D (age: 28.7 ± 7.3 years) and 14 healthy adults (age: 27.1 ± 3.9 years) performed 40-min continuous Ex at moderate intensity (50% lactate threshold) on a cycle ergometer in normoxia (Nor) and Hyp (FiO2 = 15.1%) Biochemical factors, glucose concentrations and physiological variables were measured at rest, immediately and up to 24 h after both Ex protocols.

Results:

Patients with T1D had significantly lower pre-Ex serum concentrations of BDNF ( p < 0.05, p < 0.01), and total IGF-1 ( p < 0.001, p < 0.05) and significantly higher irisin levels ( p < 0.05, p < 0.01) in Nor and Hyp, compared with healthy subjects. Ex significantly increased in T1D group serum BDNF (in Nor only p < 0.05) and total IGF-1 levels in Nor and Hyp ( p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively). Immediately after Ex in Hyp, freeIGF-1 ( p < 0.05) and irisin levels ( p < 0.001) were significantly higher compared with the levels induced by Ex alone. Free IGF-1 and irisin serum levels remained elevated in 24 h post-Ex in Hyp. In T1D, significant blood glucose (BG) decrease was observed immediately after Ex in Hyp ( p < 0.001) and in 24 h recovery ( p < 0.001) compared with pre-Ex level.

Conclusion:

The study results suggest that moderate intensity continuous Ex has beneficial effect on BDNF and IGF-1 levels. Ex in hypoxic conditions may be more effective in increasing availability of IGF-1. The alterations in the post-Ex irisin levels and IGF-1 system may be contributing to more effective glycaemia control in patients with T1D.
All hands on deck: Hand replantation versus transplantation
Authors: Heineman John , Bueno Ericka M , Kiwanuka Harriet , Carty Matthew J , Sampson Christian E , Pribaz Julian J , Pomahac Bohdan , Talbot Simon G
Published: May 2020

Objectives:

Our hands play a remarkable role in our activities of daily living and the make-up of our identities. In the United States, an estimated 41,000 individuals live with upper limb loss. Our expanding experience in limb transplantation—including operative techniques, rehabilitation, and expected outcomes—has often been based on our past experience with replantation. Here, we undertake a systematic review of replantation with transplantation in an attempt to better understand the determinants of outcome for each and to provide a summary of the data to this point.

Methods:

Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, we conducted PubMed searches from 1964 to 2013 for articles in English. In total, 53 primary and secondary source articles were found to involve surgical repair (either replantation or transplantation) for complete amputations at the wrist and forearm levels. All were read and analyzed.

Results:

Hand replantations and transplantations were compared with respect to pre-operative considerations, surgical techniques, post-operative considerations and outcomes, including motor, sensation, cosmesis, patient satisfaction/quality of life, adverse events/side effects, financial costs, and overall function. While comparison of data is limited by heterogeneity, these data support our belief that good outcomes depend on patient expectations and commitment.

Conclusion:

When possible, hand replantation remains the primary option after acute amputation. However, when replantation fails or is not possible, hand transplantation appears to provide at least equal outcomes. Patient commitment, realistic expectations, and physician competence must coincide to achieve the best possible outcomes for both hand replantation and transplantation.
Provocative Vocatives in the Gospels: Part 2, Matthew, Luke
Authors: Clark David J.
Published: May 2020

This article is the second in a three-part survey of the various vocative forms used in direct discourse in the Gospels, and the similarities and differences among the forms used. Some of the problems associated with finding terms appropriate to each context in English and other languages are raised, and attention is drawn to the complexity of the issues.
The Challenge of Hebrew Bible Love Poetry: A Pleonastic Approach to the Translation of Metaphor—Part 1
Authors: de Hulster Izaak J.
Published: May 2020

The Song of Songs communicates both aesthetic and emotional “meaning,” but the poem’s message in historical context should not be overlooked. After arguing that it is possible to translate poetry, this article suggests—as a dynamic equivalent in-text solution—“pleonastic” translation. Within the chosen skopos, this translation style adds pleonasms (synonymous adjectives) to metaphors to convey the most essential associations from the source text’s cognitive environment. Meanwhile, it honours the purposeful polysemy and the emphatic elusiveness of the poetry. Although the use of pleonasms spoils the original brevity of the Hebrew poetry, one can compensate for this by other poetic devices. Part 2 (forthcoming) exemplifies this with a translation of Song 7.2-6 (English 7.1-5) that is true to the poetic nature of the Song of Songs, its emotional expressions, and its register, while also rendering the metaphors intelligibly for today’s reader.
Joining the Kosovo Liberation Army: A continuist, process-based analysis
Authors: Duclos Nathalie
Published: May 2020

Drawing on semi-directed interviews with ex-combatants from the Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK) and the archives of the international organization responsible for disarming and demobilizing the combatants, this article examines the process by which individuals joined the armed resistance movement in Kosovo in the 1980s and 1990s. Based on a “ground-level” approach, we emphasize the incremental nature of this mobilization and challenge the widespread understanding that Albanians in Kosovo turned suddenly to armed resistance. We also challenge strategic-political accounts of the origins of the armed struggle, instead of highlighting the importance of chance events. From a relational perspective, we demonstrate the significance of the repression that those involved in armed violence had experienced, either personally or collectively. Individual decisions to join the armed conflict of 1998–1999 took place in a continuum, following on from earlier periods that had been marked by excessive state violence.
Violence as a symptom: The case of Colombia
Authors: Uribe María Victoria
Published: May 2020

With a view to developing certain arguments put forward in previous works, my intention in this article is to approach the persistence of violence in Colombia as if it were a symptom. By symptom, I mean a traumatic impossibility, an enduring rupture that resists symbolization, at the intersection of the social and the symbolic. Examples of this symptomatology include the implacable antagonisms between rural supporters of the Liberal and Conservative parties during the period known as La Violencia; between paramilitaries and guerrilla groups, which was a constant for more than 30 years; and, more recently, between those on either side of today’s clashes over the peace process that was finally agreed with the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) in 2016. In each of these three cases, there appears to be an impossible dynamic between two binary terms, each preventing the other from realizing its self-identity. In contrast to my previous work, where I examined the notion of the symptom from a Lacanian perspective, in this article, I will explore it through a series of metaphors or tropes that have been in common usage in Colombia at different times, understanding them as survivors of past events, carrying memory into the present. These tropes bear a heavy symbolic weight, as they serve to encapsulate and articulate emotions, anxieties, and fears in relation to antagonistic groups or political enemies. Although they belong to different periods in history, and as such their meanings are distinct, what they share is a capacity to crystallize the content of a conceptualization of a hated and feared other that must be eliminated. It is in this respect that they can be described as symptoms of a hatred for which the only outlet is violence.
Perpetrating violence viewed from the perspective of the social sciences: Debates and perspectives
Authors: Melenotte Sabrina
Published: May 2020

What drives some people to “perpetrate violence”? Why do others, by contrast, not perpetrate violence, even under the same conditions? Do all violent acts involve a radicalization or a dehumanization and degradation of civil relations between subjects, sometimes even between neighbors or even within the same family or community, be it ethnic or national? This special theme gathers contributions from many different geographical areas (mainly Morocco, Syria, Germany, and Rwanda) and from several disciplines (literature, political science, sociology, history) in order to offer keys to understanding the factors that trigger or accelerate the perpetration of violence, but also those that curb or limit it. The reader will also find exhaustive states of the art and case studies on different types of violence (riot, political, paramilitary, genocidal), leading to transversal theorizations that go well beyond dichotomies and old debates. For example, the authors discuss the “old” opposition between a situational and a procedural approach, embodied—not without artifice—by Browning and Goldhagen, or the necessary dehumanization of the enemy generally associated with the study of genocides. Another methodological choice with a strong epistemological implication consisted in not contrasting the recent theories on radicalization with those on extreme violence, and rejecting any obvious determinism between both moments, in order to avoid explaining the perpetration of violence in too facile a way.
Whole-exome sequencing identifies rare variants in STAB2 associated with venous thromboembolic disease
Authors: Desch Karl C. , Ozel Ayse B. , Halvorsen Matt , Jacobi Paula M. , Golden Krista , Underwood Mary , Germain Marine , Tregouet David-Alexandre , Reitsma Pieter H. , Kearon Clive , Mokry Lauren , Richards J. Brent , Williams Frances , Li Jun Z. , Goldstein David , Ginsburg David
Published: May 2020

Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, collectively defined as venous thromboembolism (VTE), are the third leading cause of cardiovascular death in the United States. Common genetic variants conferring increased varying degrees of VTE risk have been identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Rare mutations in the anticoagulant genes PROC, PROS1 and SERPINC1 result in perinatal lethal thrombosis in homozygotes and markedly increased VTE risk in heterozygotes. However, currently described VTE variants account for an insufficient portion of risk to be routinely used for clinical decision making. To identify new rare VTE risk variants, we performed a whole-exome study of 393 individuals with unprovoked VTE and 6114 controls. This study identified 4 genes harboring an excess number of rare damaging variants in patients with VTE: PROS1, STAB2, PROC, and SERPINC1. At STAB2, 7.8% of VTE cases and 2.4% of controls had a qualifying rare variant. In cell culture, VTE-associated variants of STAB2 had a reduced surface expression compared with reference STAB2. Common variants in STAB2 have been previously associated with plasma von Willebrand factor and coagulation factor VIII levels in GWAS, suggesting that haploinsufficiency of stabilin-2 may increase VTE risk through elevated levels of these procoagulants. In an independent cohort, we found higher von Willebrand factor levels and equivalent propeptide levels in individuals with rare STAB2 variants compared with controls. Taken together, this study demonstrates the utility of gene-based collapsing analyses to identify loci harboring an excess of rare variants with functional connections to a complex thrombotic disease.
Circulating fibrocytes traffic to the lung in murine acute lung injury and predict outcomes in human acute respiratory distress syndrome: a pilot study
Authors: Lin Christine M. , Alrbiaan Abdullah , Odackal John , Zhang Zhimin , Scindia Yogesh , Sung Sun-Sang J. , Burdick Marie D. , Mehrad Borna
Published: May 2020

Background

Fibrosis is an integral component of the pathogenesis of acute lung injury and is associated with poor outcomes in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Fibrocytes are bone marrow-derived cells that traffic to injured tissues and contribute to fibrosis; hence their concentration in the peripheral blood has the potential to serve as a biomarker of lung fibrogenesis. We therefore sought to test the hypothesis that the concentration and phenotype of circulating fibrocytes in patients with ARDS predicts clinical outcomes.

Methods

For the animal studies, C57Bl/6 mice were infected with experimentalKlebsiella pneumoniaein a model of acute lung injury; one-way ANOVA was used to compare multiple groups and two-way ANOVA was used to compare two groups over time. For the human study, 42 subjects with ARDS and 12 subjects with pneumonia (without ARDS) were compared to healthy controls. Chi-squared or Fisher’s exact test were used to compare binary outcomes. Survival data was expressed using a Kaplan-Meier curve and compared by log-rank test. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to predict death.

Results

In mice with acute lung injury caused byKlebsiellapneumonia, there was a time-dependent increase in lung soluble collagen that correlated with sequential expansion of fibrocytes in the bone marrow, blood, and then lung compartments. Correspondingly, when compared via cross-sectional analysis, the initial concentration of blood fibrocytes was elevated in human subjects with ARDS or pneumonia as compared to healthy controls. In addition, fibrocytes from subjects with ARDS displayed an activated phenotype and on serial measurements, exhibited intermittent episodes of markedly elevated concentration over a median of 1 week. A peak concentration of circulating fibrocytes above a threshold of > 4.8 × 106cells/mL cells correlated with mortality that was independent of age, ratio of arterial oxygen concentration to the fraction of inspired oxygen, and vasopressor requirement.

Conclusions

Circulating fibrocytes increase in a murine model of acute lung injury and elevation in the number of these cells above a certain threshold is correlated with mortality in human ARDS. Therefore, these cells may provide a useful and easily measured biomarker to predict outcomes in these patients.
Thermal reactivity of hemicellulose and cellulose in cedar and beech wood cell walls
Authors: Wang Jiawei , Minami Eji , Kawamoto Haruo
Published: May 2020

Wood cell walls have complex ultra-structures, in which cellulose microfibrils are surrounded by a hemicellulose–lignin matrix. This is the first paper to discuss the effect of cell wall on the pyrolytic reactivity of hemicellulose and cellulose in wood by using Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica, a softwood) and Japanese beech (Fagus crenata, a hardwood), along with isolated xylan and glucomannan. Pyrolysis was conducted by subjecting the samples to temperatures in the range of 220–380 °C, at a heating rate of 10 °C/min, under a N2flow with the reactor quenched as soon as the temperature reached the set value. The remaining hemicellulose and cellulose in the heat-treated wood were evaluated by determining the yields of hydrolysable sugar. Isolated xylan containing the uronic acid group, probably acting as a catalyst, was more reactive than isolated glucomannan, whereas the xylan in both woods was remarkably stable and degraded across a similar temperature range to the glucomannan degradation. Thus, the majority of the hemicellulose fractions in cedar and beech unexpectedly exhibited similar reactivity, except for glucomannan in beech that degraded at lower temperatures. Differing thermogravimetric (TG) and derivative TG (DTG) profiles, measured for cedar and beech under similar heating conditions, were explained by the different cellulose reactivity, rather than the hemicellulose reactivity; cellulose decomposed with hemicellulose in cedar, while such decomposition was independent in beech. The observed reactivity is a new finding that is different from the currently understood ideas and may originate from the effects of the cell walls. The research herein provides important information on the kinetics and thermochemical conversion of lignocellulosic biomass.
Treatment of presumed Nocardia endophthalmitis and subretinal abscess with serial intravitreal amikacin injections and pars plana vitrectomy
Authors: Hojjatie Sara L. , Salek Sherveen S. , Pearce William A. , Wells Jill R. , Yeh Steven
Published: May 2020

A 64-year-old man with a past medical history of liver transplantation on chronic immunosuppressive therapy presented with gradual worsening of vision over 2 months in his right eye. His recent history of Aspergillus and Nocardia pneumonia with positive bronchoalveolar lavage, in concert with vitritis and subretinal abscess, were concerning for endogenous endophthalmitis. A sputum culture and transbronchial lung biopsy stains grew Nocardia farcinica although aqueous humor sampling was negative. He was treated with four serial amikacin intravitreal injections over the course of 4 weeks. Pars plana vitrectomy for worsening macular traction and subsequent cataract surgery resulted in significant clinical and anatomic improvement of vision to 20/60 and consolidation of the subretinal abscess.
Ischaemic heart disease and Cancer: competing malignant conditions
Authors: Murphy Alexandra C. , Koshy Anoop N. , Yudi Matias B.
Published: May 2020

Background

The growing population of cancer survivors and their high frequency of cardiovascular disease have resulted in a dramatic increase in cancer patients requiring cardiovascular intervention. However, there is a lack of evidence to guide optimal management in this complex population who have historically been excluded from cardiovascular trials.

Discussion

We review the recently published meta-analysis by Roule et al. The findings of this analysis demonstrate that patients with cancer presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have increased rates of in-hospital cardiovascular mortality, bleeding and one-year cardiovascular mortality. All-cause mortality measured in-hospital and at one-year were also significantly greater in cancer patients as was all-cause mortality in cancer patients that undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In contrast to the short-term outcomes, rates of long-term cardiovascular mortality did not differ significantly between groups.

Patient-specific assessment of risk, accounting for disease characteristics and treatment, and close communication with oncology providers is vital in defining optimal treatment strategies in this population.
Stretta radiofrequency treatment vs Toupet fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux disease: a comparative study
Authors: Ma Lifeng , Li Tao , Liu Guochao , Wang Jianlong , Yin Zhaoqiang , Kang Jiansheng
Published: May 2020

Background

Outcomes of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) using Toupet fundoplication (TF) and Stretta radiofrequency (SRF) have not been compared and this study was conducted to compare therapeutic efficacy of the two methods.

Methods

This retrospective study analyzed a total of 230 patients undergoing TF or SRF at our hospital. Baseline data, reflux symptoms, the DeMeester scores, lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure and adverse events were compared over 1 year period.

Results

A total of 226 patients were included in the study. The time and frequency of reflux and percentage of reflux time before and 12 months after therapy were not significantly different. There were significantly interactions between the therapy method and follow-up time on the DeMeester score and LES pressure. Twelve months post therapy, the DeMeester score was significantly higher in SRF than in TF group, while the LES pressure was lower. At 12 months after therapy, multivariate Cox proportional regression analysis showed that reflux frequency, the DeMeester score and LES pressure were risk factors for poor prognosis in TF group, while reflux frequency and the DeMeester score, and LES pressure were risk factors for poor prognosis in SFR group.

Conclusions

Compared with TF, SFR can significantly improve the esophageal pH and pressure in GERD patients without increasing the risk of poor prognosis.
Relationships of self-management abilities to loneliness among older people: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Nieboer Anna Petra , Hajema KlaasJan , Cramm Jane Murray
Published: May 2020

Background

We investigated relationships of broader self-management abilities (self-efficacy, positive frame of mind, investment behavior, taking initiatives, multifunctionality of resources, variety of resources) to social and emotional loneliness among community-dwelling older people while controlling for background characteristics.

Methods

This cross-sectional study employed a representative sample of 41,327 community-dwelling people aged ≥55 years in Limburg, the Netherlands, identified using the population register (weighted per district, complex sampling design). In total, 20,327 (50%) people responded to the questionnaire.

Results

All self-management abilities were associated negatively with emotional loneliness. Taking initiatives, multifunctionality, self-efficacy, and a positive frame of mind were associated negatively with social loneliness. Self-efficacy had the strongest relationships with social and emotional loneliness.

Conclusions

In combatting loneliness among older people, investment in their ability to self-manage their social lives and activities, such as increasing opportunities for positive social interaction and social support and reducing maladaptive cognition, seems to be crucial.
Case report: nosocomial fungemia caused by Candida diddensiae
Authors: Kim Seong Eun , Jung Sook In , Park Kyung-Hwa , Choi Yong Jun , Won Eun Jeong , Shin Jong Hee
Published: May 2020

Background

Candida diddensiae, a yeast found in olive oil, is considered non-pathogenic to humans. Here, we describe the first case of fungemia caused by C. diddensiae in a hospitalized patient with underlying diseases.

Case presentation

A 62-year-old woman was admitted because of multiple contusions due to repeated falls and generalized weakness. She presented with chronic leukopenia due to systemic lupus erythematosus, and multiple cranial nerve neuropathies due to a recurring chordoma. She was given a lipid emulsion containing total parenteral nutrition (TPN) starting on the day of admission. Broad-spectrum antibiotics had been administered during her last hospital stay and from day 8 of this hospitalization. However, no central venous catheter was used during this hospital stay. Blood cultures obtained on hospital days 17, 23, and 24 yielded the same yeast, which was identified as C. diddensiae via sequence analyses of the internal transcribed spacer region and D1/D2 regions of the 26S ribosomal DNA of the rRNA gene. In vitro susceptibility testing showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration of fluconazole for all isolates was 8 μg/mL. On day 23, TPN was discontinued and fluconazole therapy was started. Blood cultures obtained on day 26 were negative. The fluconazole therapy was replaced with micafungin on day 26 and the patient exhibited improvements.

Conclusion

The use of lipid TPN may potentially contribute to the occurrence of nosocomial fungemia by C. diddensiae, an unusual Candida species.
An isolated vaginal metastasis from intestinal signet ring cell carcinoma: a case report and literature review
Authors: Zhu Xiao Dan , Wang Jin , You Qin Han , Jiang Tian An
Published: May 2020

Background

Isolated vaginal metastases from intestinal signet ring cell carcinoma are extremely rare. There are no reported cases in the domestic or foreign literature. The characteristics of such cases of metastasis remain relatively unknown. As a life-threatening malignant tumor, it is very important to carry out a systemic tumor examination and transvaginal biopsy, even though clinical symptoms are not typical and there is no systemic tumor history.

Case presentation

We present a case of an isolated vaginal metastasis from intestinal cancer in a 45-year-old female patient. The patient experienced a small amount of irregular vaginal bleeding and difficulty urinating. She had no history of systemic cancer. An early physical examination and transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) showed marked thickening of the entire vaginal wall. Pelvic nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and a colposcopic biopsy were used to diagnose her with chronic vaginitis. An analysis of the vaginal wall biopsy showed signet ring cell carcinoma. Colorectal colonoscopy revealed advanced interstitial signet ring cell carcinoma as the primary source of vaginal wall infiltration. We review previous case reports of vaginal metastases from colorectal cancer and discuss the symptoms, pathological type, and outcomes.

Conclusions

We hypothesize that vaginal wall thickening and stiffness accompanied by chronic inflammatory-like changes may be clinical features of a vaginal metastasis of signet ring cell carcinoma of the intestine. We also emphasize that it is very important to perform a systemic tumor examination in a timely manner when a patient has the abovementioned symptoms.
Process and outcome of child psychotherapies offered in Kenya: a mixed methods study protocol on improving child mental health
Authors: Wambua Grace Nduku , Kumar Manasi , Falkenström Fredrik , Cuijpers Pim
Published: May 2020

Background

Child and adolescent mental health problems account for a significant proportion of the local and global burden of disease and is recognized as a growing public health concern in need of adequate services. Studies carried out in Kenya suggest a need for a robust service for the treatment, prevention, and promotion of child and adolescent mental health. Despite a few existing services to provide treatment and management of mental health disorders, we need more knowledge about their effectiveness in the management of these disorders. This paper describes a study protocol that aims to evaluate the process and outcomes of psychotherapies offered to children and adolescents seeking mental health services at the Kenyatta National Hospital in Kenya.

Methods

This study will use a prospective cohort approach that will follow adolescent patients (12–17 years of age) receiving mental health services in the youth clinics at the Kenyatta National Hospital for a period of 12 months. During this time a mixed methods research will be carried out, focusing on treatment outcomes, therapeutic relationship, understanding of psychotherapy, and other mental health interventions offered to the young patients. In this proposed study, we define outcome as the alleviation of symptoms, which will be assessed quantitatively using longitudinal patient data collected session-wise. Process refers to the mechanisms identified to promote change in the adolescent. For example, individual participant or clinician characteristics, therapeutic alliance will be assessed both quantitatively and qualitatively. In each session, assessments will be used to reduce problems due to attrition and to enable calculation of longitudinal change trajectories using growth curve modeling. For this study, these will be referred to as session-wise assessments. Qualitative work will include interviews with adolescent patients, their caregivers as well as feedback from the mental health care providers on existing services and their barriers to providing care.

Conclusion

This study aims to understand the mechanisms through which change takes place beyond the context of psychotherapy. What are the moderators and through which mechanisms do they operate to improve mental health outcomes in young people?
Obstacles to intergenerational communication in caregivers’ narratives regarding young people’s sexual and reproductive health and lifestyle in rural South Africa
Authors: Nilsson Bo , Edin Kerstin , Kinsman John , Kahn Kathleen , Norris Shane A.
Published: May 2020

Background

Statistics from South Africa show the world’s highest HIV prevalence with an estimated seven million people living with the virus. Several studies have pointed to communication about sexuality between parents/caregivers and children as a protective factor. However, communication between generations has been described as problematic, especially due to discomfort in discussing sexual matters. The aim of this study was to explore how caregivers in a poor, rural part of South Africa talked about young people in general, their sexuality, and their lifestyle practices. A particular interest was directed towards central discourses in the caregivers’ narratives and how these discourses were of importance for the caregivers to function as conversation partners for young people.

Methods

In this qualitative study convenience sampling was used to select and invite participants. Information was collected from nine one-on-one interviews conducted with caregivers from rural areas within South Africa. The interview guide included nine main questions and optional probing questions. Each interview took place in an uninterrupted setting of choice associated with the caregivers’ home environment. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using discourse analysis.

Results

Interview narratives were characterized by three central discourses –demoralized youths in a changing society,prevailing risks and modernityanda generation gap.Theyouthswere discursively constructedas a problematic grouprelating to specific prevailing risks such asearly pregnancies,modern technologies,STI/HIVandcontraceptives. The interview narratives illustrated that caregivers tried to impose their views of arespectablelifestyle in young people. At the same time caregivers expressed amorality of despairmirroring a generation gap which counteracted their ability to communicate with their children and grandchildren.

Conclusions

The findings add to the body of earlier research illustrating that rural South African caregivers and their children/grandchildren hold different moral standards. The interview material reflected a ‘clash’ between generations relating to their differing perceptions of a desirable lifestyle. To overcome the generational gap, we recommend further research about how a well-founded national and community collaboration linked to school-based programs can support family participation in order to empower adults in their communication with young people.
An observational study of recess quality and physical activity in urban primary schools
Authors: Massey William V. , Stellino Megan B. , Geldhof John
Published: May 2020

Background

To date, there is scant literature that examines the recess context concurrent with, but separate from, levels of physical activity. The primary purpose of the current study was to examine how recess quality impacted physical activity levels, and how this was moderated by gender. A secondary purpose was to examine if differences in children’s engagement in activities occurred between recess sessions scored as low- or high- quality.

Methods

This was an observational study of children at 13 urban elementary schools in the U.S. Across the 13 schools, data were collected at 55 recess sessions, with 3419 child-level observations (n = 1696 boys;n = 1723 girls). Physical activity data were collected using Fitbit accelerometers, recess quality data were collected using the Great Recess Framework – Observational Tool (GRF-OT), recess engagement data were collected using the Observation of Playground Play (OPP), and basic psychological need satisfaction (BPNS) data were collected using a modified version of the BPNS for recess physical activity survey. Primary analyses were conducted using Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) with children nested within recess sessions.

Results

Gender moderated the relationship between adult engagement and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (b = .012; 95% CI .001, .024), student behavior and MVPA (b = −.014; 95% CI −.021, −.007), and student behaviors and light physical activity (b = .009, 95% CI .003, .015). Both boys and girls engaged in more play during recess sessions scored as high quality on the GRF-OT. Children reported higher levels of basic psychological need satisfaction at recesses sessions scored as high quality on the GRF-OT.

Conclusions

Results of the current study showed that the quality of the recess environment, and the interactions of both adults and students in that environment, need to be taken into consideration in future school-based recess studies.
Are one-year changes in adherence to the 24-hour movement guidelines associated with depressive symptoms among youth?
Authors: Patte Karen A. , Faulkner Guy , Qian Wei , Duncan Markus , Leatherdale Scott T.
Published: May 2020

Background

There remains a need for prospective research examining movement behaviours in the prevention and management of mental illness. This study examined whether changes in adherence to the 24-h Movement Guidelines (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA], sleep duration, screen time) were associated with depression symptoms among youth.

Methods

Conditional change models were used to analyze two waves of longitudinal questionnaire data (2016/17, 2017/18) from students in grades 9–12 (N = 2292) attending 12 schools in Ontario and British Columbia, Canada, as part of the COMPASS study. One-year change in adherence to the MVPA, screen time, and sleep duration guidelines were modeled as predictors of depressive symptoms, adjusting for covariates and prior year depressive symptoms. Models were stratified by sex.

Results

Continued adherence to sleep guidelines and transitioning from inadequate to sufficient sleep were associated with lower depressive symptoms than continued nonadherence, and continued adherence was associated with lower depression than transitioning from sufficient to short sleep. For screen time, transitioning from exceeding guidelines to guideline adherence was associated with lower depressive symptoms than continued nonadherence. MVPA guideline adherence was not associated with depression scores, when controlling for sleep and screen time guideline adherence change and covariates. When combined, meeting additional guidelines than the year prior was associated with lower depressive symptoms among females only.

Conclusions

Adherence to the sleep guidelines emerged as the most consistent predictor of depression symptoms. Promoting adherence to the Movement Guidelines, particularly sleep, should be considered priorities for youth mental health at a population level.
Knowledge, attitude and willingness to donate organ among medical students of Jimma University, Jimma Ethiopia: cross-sectional study
Authors: Dibaba Fantu Kerga , Goro Kabaye Kumela , Wolide Amare Desalegn , Fufa Fanta Gashe , Garedow Aster Wakjira , Tufa Birtukan Edilu , Bobasa Eshetu Mulisa
Published: May 2020

Background

The lack of organ donors has become a limiting factor for the development of organ transplantation programs. Many countries are currently facing a severe shortage of organs for transplantation. Medical students, as future doctors can engage in the role of promoting organ donation by creating awareness and motivating the community to donate their organs besides their voluntary organ donation. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitude and willingness of undergraduate medical students’ towards organ donation at Jimma University.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 320 medical students from year I to internship using questionnaire in order to assess their knowledge, attitude and willingness regarding organ donation. Data collected was entered using epidata and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20.

Results

Mean (±SD = standard deviation) age of participants was 23.48 ± 17.025 years. 57.8% of the study subjects were male. There was a statistically significant interaction effect between gender and year of study on the combined knowledge questions (dependent variables) F(25,062) = 1.755,P = 0.014, Wilk’sΛ = .033. Variables which were related to a positive attitude towards organ donation were: being of the male sex (Odds Ratio = 1.156); having awareness about organ donation (Odds Ratio = 2.602); not having a belief on the importance of burying intact body (Odds Ratio = 5.434); willingness to donate blood (Odds Ratio = 4.813); and willingness to donate organ (Odds Ratio = 19.424).

Conclusion

High level of knowledge but low level of positive attitude and willingness was noticed among the study participants toward organ donation.
Establishing a diagnostic scale of subacute thyroiditis without radioisotope scanning
Authors: Xiong Zhouyi , Luo Chunying , Wang Li , Xiong Bin , Wu Jianneng
Published: May 2020

Background

Radioisotope scanning is important to diagnose subacute thyroiditis (SAT), but it’s not always available. So we aim to establish a diagnostic scale for SAT without radioisotope scanning.

Methods

The suspected SAT patients hospitalized in Yuebei people’s Hospital from January 2012 to December 2016 were selected and divided into study group and control group according to whether they were diagnosed as SAT. The clinical indexes of two groups were collected and the diagnostic scale of SAT was established by using binary logistic regression analysis. The effectiveness of the scale was evaluated by ROC curve.

Results

Of 309 patients, 58.25% of patients were confirmed with SAT and the remaining 41.75% of patients were not diagnosed with SAT. After univariate analysis, variables which were considered statistically different(P < 0. 05) between the two groups were selected as independent variables and the diagnosis of SAT was taken as dependent variable in the binary logistic regression model. The logistic regression model consisted of 4 variables, each was thyroid tenderness, firm on palpation, increased ESR and elevated thyroid hormone level. The P value of Omnibus tests was≤0. 001 and the Nagelkerke R Square was 0. 915. The diagnostic scoring scale was established with these four variables according to their regression coefficient. The area under the ROC curve for this diagnostic scale was 0. 991(95% confidence interval, 0. 982–0.999). The highest Youden index was 0. 912, the corresponding cut-off point was 7. Internally validation shows a sensitivity of 92. 78% and a specificity of 98.45% of our scale.

Conclusions

We established and validated a diagnostic scale for SAT without the need for radioisotope scanning for the first time. It has good application in institutions that do not have radioisotope machines or among pregnant and lactating women.
The three-dimensional stable mandibular landmarks in patients between the ages of 12.5 and 17.1 years
Authors: Chen Gui , Al Awadi Mona , Chambers David William , Lagravère-Vich Manuel O. , Xu Tianmin , Oh Heesoo
Published: May 2020

Background

With the aid of implants, Björk identified two-dimensional mandibular stable structures in cephalograms during facial growth. However, we do not know what the three-dimensional stable structures are with certainty. The purpose of this study was to identify the most stable mandibular landmarks in growing patients using three-dimensional images.

Methods

The sample was comprised of two cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans taken about 4.6 years apart in 20 growing patients between the ages of 12.5 (T1) and 17.1 years (T2). After head orientation, landmarks were located on the chin (Pog), internal symphysis (Points C, D and E), and mandibular canals, which included the mental foramina (MF and MFA) and mandibular foramina (MdF). The linear distance change between Point C and these landmarks was measured on each CBCT to test stability through time. The reliability of the suggested stable landmarks was also evaluated.

Results

The total distance changes between Point C and points D, E, Pog, MF, and MFA were all less than 1.0 mm from T1 to T2. The reliability measures of these landmarks, which were measured by the Cronbach alpha, were above 0.94 in all three dimensions for each landmark. From T1 to T2, the distance changes from Point C to the right and left mandibular foramina were 3.39 ± 3.29 mm and 3.03 ± 2.83 mm, respectively.

Conclusions

During a growth period that averaged 4.6 years, ranging from 11.2 to 19.8 years old, the structures that appeared relatively stable and could be used in mandibular regional superimpositions included Pog, landmarks on the inferior part of the internal symphysis, and the mental foramen. The centers of the mandibular foramina and the starting points of the mandibular canal underwent significant changes in the transverse and sagittal dimensions.
Serum free thiols predict cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in the general population: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Abdulle Amaal E. , Bourgonje Arno R. , Kieneker Lyanne M. , Koning Anne M. , la Bastide-van Gemert S. , Bulthuis Marian L. C. , Dijkstra Gerard , Faber Klaas Nico , Dullaart Robin P. F. , Bakker Stephan J. L. , Gans Reinold O. B. , Gansevoort Ron T. , Mulder Douwe J. , Pasch Andreas , van Goor Harry
Published: May 2020

Background

Serum free thiols (R-SH, sulfhydryl groups) reliably reflect systemic oxidative stress. Since serum free thiols are rapidly oxidized by reactive species, systemic oxidative stress is generally associated with reduced serum free thiol levels. Free thiols associate with favorable disease outcomes in many patient cohorts, and the current hypothesis is that oxidative stress might also play an important role in cardiovascular disease. In this study, we aimed to establish the role of serum free thiols in the general population by investigating their relationship with the risk of cardiovascular (CV) events and all-cause mortality.

Methods

Participants (n = 5955) of the Prevention of REnal and Vascular ENd-stage Disease (PREVEND) cohort study from the general population were included. At baseline, serum levels of free thiols were quantified and adjusted to total protein levels. Protein-adjusted serum free thiol levels were studied for their associations with clinical and biochemical parameters, as well as with the risk of CV events and all-cause mortality.

Results

The mean protein-adjusted serum free thiol level was 5.05 ± 1.02 μmol/g of protein. Protein-adjusted serum free thiols significantly predicted the risk of CV events, even after adjustment for potential confounding factors (hazard ratio [HR] per doubling 0.68 [95% confidence interval [CI] 0.47–1.00], P = 0.048). Similarly, protein-adjusted serum free thiols were significantly predictive of the risk of all-cause mortality (HR per doubling 0.66 [95% CI 0.44–1.00], P = 0.050). Stratified analyses revealed lower HRs for subjects with a lower body mass index (BMI), without hypertension, and without diabetes. Conversely, HRs were lower in subjects with albuminuria.

Conclusions

In this large population-based cohort study, serum free thiols significantly predicted the risk of CV events and all-cause mortality. Our results highlight the potential significance and clinical applicability of serum free thiols since they are amendable to therapeutic intervention.
Evaluation of the recombinant proteins RlpB and VacJ as a vaccine for protection against Glaesserella parasuis in pigs
Authors:   on behalf of the BRaDP1T Consortium, Hau Samantha J. , Luan Shi-Lu , Loving Crystal L. , Nicholson Tracy L. , Wang Jinhong , Peters Sarah E. , Seilly David , Weinert Lucy A. , Langford Paul R. , Rycroft Andrew N. , Wren Brendan W. , Maskell Duncan J. , Tucker Alexander W. , Brockmeier Susan L.
Published: May 2020

Background

Glaesserella parasuis, the causative agent of Glӓsser’s disease, is widespread in swine globally resulting in significant economic losses to the swine industry. Prevention of Glӓsser’s disease in pigs has been plagued with an inability to design broadly protective vaccines, as many bacterin based platforms generate serovar or strain specific immunity. Subunit vaccines are of interest to provide protective immunity to multiple strains ofG. parasuis. Selected proteins for subunit vaccination should be widespread, highly conserved, and surface exposed.

Results

Two candidate proteins for subunit vaccination (RlpB and VacJ) againstG. parasuiswere identified using random mutagenesis and an in vitro organ culture system. Pigs were vaccinated with recombinant RlpB and VacJ, outer membrane proteins with important contributions to cellular function and viability. Though high antibody titers to the recombinant proteins and increased interferon-γ producing cells were found in subunit vaccinated animals, the pigs were not protected from developing systemic disease.

Conclusions

It appears there may be insufficient RlpB and VacJ exposed on the bacterial surface for antibody to bind, preventing high RlpB and VacJ specific antibody titers from protecting animals fromG. parasuis. Additionally, this work confirms the importance of utilizing the natural host species when assessing the efficacy of vaccine candidates.
Association of genetic polymorphisms related to Johne’s disease with estimated breeding values of Holstein sires for milk ELISA test scores
Authors: Mallikarjunappa Sanjay , Schenkel Flavio S. , Brito Luiz F. , Bissonnette Nathalie , Miglior Filippo , Chesnais Jacques , Lohuis Michael , Meade Kieran G. , Karrow Niel A.
Published: May 2020

Background

Johne’s disease (JD) is a chronic intestinal inflammatory disease caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection in ruminants. Since there are currently no effective vaccine or treatment options available to control JD, genetic selection may be an alternative strategy to enhance JD resistance. Numerous Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) have been reported to be associated with MAP infection status based on published genome-wide association and candidate gene studies. The main objective of this study was to validate these SNPs that were previously identified to be associated with JD by testing their effect on Holstein bulls’ estimated breeding values (EBVs) for milk ELISA test scores, an indirect indicator of MAP infection status in cattle.

Results

Three SNPs, rs41810662, rs41617133 and rs110225854, located on Bos taurus autosomes (BTA) 16, 23 and 26, respectively, were confirmed as significantly associated with Holstein bulls’ EBVs for milk ELISA test score (FDR < 0.01) based on General Quasi Likelihood Scoring analysis (GQLS) analysis. Single-SNP regression analysis identified four SNPs that were associated with sire EBVs (FDR < 0.05). This includes two SNPs that were common with GQLS (rs41810662 and rs41617133), with the other two SNPs being rs110494981 and rs136182707, located on BTA9 and BTA16, respectively.

Conclusions

The findings of this study validate the association of SNPs with JD MAP infection status and highlight the need to further investigate the genomic regions harboring these SNPs.