bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Large scale analysis of violent death count in daily newspapers to quantify bias and censorship
Authors: casolino marco
Published: March 2020

Editorial bias and censorship can be quantified studying how the occurrence of the word ‘killed’ (‘morti’ in Italian) changes over time and reported location. To this purpose, we have analyzed the complete online archives of the major US newspaper (The New York Times - NYT) and the three major Italian ones (Il Corriere della Sera - CDS, La Repubblica - REP, La Stampa - STA).
After 1960 we find a common trend of decreasing coverage given to violent events in all three Italian newspapers (NYT is more stable), opposite to the growing perceived threat of violence in Italy.
In all Italian newspapers we also find that the female/male ratio is about 30% and roughly constant over the years, with only La Repubblica showing an increase of reporting of female deaths of about 3% /year . Even accounting for the lower female casualty rate, especially in work-related accidents, this hints to the presence of some gender bias in the reporting of violent deaths.
Historically, we show evidence of censorship in Italian newspapers during WW1 and Italian Fascist regime and estimate that in the period 1923-1943 ’ 57,000 articles (75%) featuring domestic deaths were censored in Italy.
We also find that the number of casualties is often (up to 26%) artificially increased to the next multiple of 5 or 10 to emphasize the importance of the article. The only exception to this editorial practice is found in domestic articles by Italian newspapers during the Fascist regime, another effect of censorship trying to downplay domestic casualties.
Furthermore, we find that in all newspapers, the distribution Nk of the number of articles involving k persons killed is described by a power law Nk =A*k^(-γ) for 2≤k≤1E6. The value of γ decreases
in wartime and increases in peacetime and reflecting how the state of belligerence of a country is being reported.
In foreign events, editorial bias results in a break of the power law for 2≤k≤10 resulting in up to 100% articles missing in comparison to what would be expected by a pure power law distribution, which
describes the distribution of all domestic articles.
The suppression of low casualties articles grows with geographical distance from the publishing nation with a rate higher by a factor 5 in the Italian newspapers than in NYT and by a factor 2 - 4 when
considering only countries in Europe (for the Italian newspapers) or America (for NYT), sign that the geographical distance plays a strong role when reporting among countries that share common social traits.
These techniques can be be applied in a wider context, e.g. toward specific ethnic groups and contribute to quantitatively assess the freedom of press in a given country.
Comparative Study of FPA and NFPA: The relationship between the clinical characteristics and visual function impairment in patients with pituitary adenoma
Authors: Qin Jiayin , Li Kai , Wang Xijuan , Bao Yongzhen
Published: March 2020

Background To investigate the relationship between the clinical characteristics and visual function impairment in patients with functioning pituitary adenoma (FPA) and non-functioning pituitary adenoma(NFPA). Methods Case series study. The medical records of pituitary adenomas patients were reviewed retrospectively. Cases with ophthalmic evaluation were enrolled. Tumor types were confirmed by histologic analysis in all cases. The diameter measured on MRI were recorded. The tumor volume was calculated. All the observation indexes of the two groups were compared. The correlation between visual field and tumor volume was studied and the scatter plot was drawn. Results 30 in FPA and 43 in NFPA group were enrolled. There were 23% of FPA and 41.9% of NFPA had the first symptom in eyes, the former was higher than the latter. The best corrected visual acuity of FPA was better than that of NFPA group. There were 34 (56.7%) and 73 (84.9%) eyes had visual field defect respectively. The visual field defect of FPA was lighter than that of NFPA. Except for the anteroposterior diameter, there was no difference in the other dimensions of tumor diameter between the two groups. The tumor volume of FPA was smaller than that of NFPA group. The tumor size exhibited positive correlation with MD and negative correlation with MS in both groups. Conclusions The tumour growth of FPA was slower and less visual function deficiency than that of NFPA. Special attention on multi-types of visual field defects caused by FPA and NFPA Is needed.
Power Vector Analysis of Corneal Astigmatism among Chinese over Fifty Years Old: a retrospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Pang Yilin , Cao Xiaoguang , Hou Xianru , Yuan Li , Bao Yongzhen
Published: March 2020

Background: To investigate the relationship between corneal astigmatism and age, axial length (AL) among Chinese over fifty years old. Methods: This study enrolled 1,082 right eyes of age-related cataract patients over 50 years old in the clinic of Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China. Axial length, magnitude and meridian of anterior corneal astigmatism were measured by IOLMaster. Restricted cubic splines and Spearman rank correlation coefficients were used to investigate the relationship of the magnitude of cornea astigmatism to age and AL. Power vector analysis method and linear regression analysis were used to assess the relationship of the meridian of astigmatism to age and AL. Results: For this study , mean age, AL, and corneal astigmatism value were 72.45 ±9.28 years, 23.90±1.93mm, and 1.12±0.74D, respectively. The magnitude of corneal astigmatism was 0.75D or higher in 63.8% eyes. The magnitude of corneal astigmatism increased with age after 65 years old. This correlation was statistically significant when AL was between 22.00mm and 26.00mm. The vector value in J 0 was inversely correlated with age. The mean vector value change from with-the-rule (WTR) to against-the-rule (ATR) corneal astigmatism was 0.22D/10 years during 50-65 years old and 0.15D/10 years during 65-85 years old, and was 0.22D/10 years in male and 0.12D/10 years in female, respectively. Conclusions: A large proportion of elderly Chinese cataract patients over 50 years old have corneal astigmatism more than 0.75D . There was a non-linear trend from WTR astigmatism towards ATR astigmatism with age, which was more obvious in elder age and in male. When AL is between 22.00mm and 26.00mm, the magnitude of corneal astigmatism increases with age after 65 years old.
Retinal Morphological Changes during the Two Years of Follow-Up in Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Atum Mahmut , Demiryurek Bekir Enes
Published: March 2020

Background: The study aims to investigate the relationship between the progression of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) and retinal morphology. Methods: The study was carried out with 23 patients diagnosed with early-stage IPD (phases 1 and 2 of the Hoehn and Yahr scale) and 30 age-matched healthy controls. All patients were followed up at least two years, with 6-month intervals (initial, 6th month, 12th month, 18th month, and 24th month), and detailed neurological and ophthalmic examinations were performed at each follow-up. Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part III (UPDRS Part III) scores, Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) scores, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement, central macular thickness (CMT) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness were analyzed at each visit. Results: The average age of the IPD and control groups was 43.96 ± 4.88 years, 44.53 ± 0.83 years, respectively. The mean duration of the disease in the IPD group was 7.48 ± 5.10 months at the start of the study (range 0-16). There was no statistically significant difference in BCVA and IOP values between the two groups during the two-year follow-up period (p> 0.05, p> 0.05, respectively). Average and superior quadrant RNFL thicknesses were statistically different between the two groups at 24 months and there was no significant difference between other visits (p = 0.025, p=0.034, p> 0.05, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in CMT between the two groups during the follow-up period (p> 0.05). Conclusion: Average and superior quadrant RNFL thicknesses were significantly thinning with the progression of IPD.
Development of a patient-reported outcome questionnaire for aplastic anemia and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PRO-AA/PNH)
Authors: Weisshaar Kimmo , Ewald Hannah , Halter Jörg P. , Gerull Sabine , Schönfeld Sandra , Senft Yuliya , Martinez Maria , Leuppi-Taegtmeyer Anne B. , Khanna Nina , Maier Birgit , Risitano Antonio M. , de Latour Regis Peffault , Tichelli Andre , Passweg Jakob R. , Drexler Beatrice
Published: March 2020

Background: The introduction of new therapy modalities has significantly improved the outcome of aplastic anemia (AA) and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) patients. However, relatively little is known about the exact disease burden of AA/PNH since standardized assessments of symptoms including health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are frequently missing or inadequately designed for this rare patient group. We aimed to develop an AA/PNH-specific questionnaire for self-reporting of symptoms, which could be included in electronic platforms for data collection and patient care. Methods: By scoping review, we extracted any reported symptoms in AA/PNH and their prevalence from the literature (Phase I). Consensus rounds with patients and medical experts were conducted to identify core symptoms reported in the literature and to add missing items (Phase II). Ultimately, an AA/PNH-specific patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaire including the selected measures was designed (Phase III). Results: Sixty-one symptoms in AA and 45 symptoms in PNH were extracted from the literature. Twenty-four patients and seven medical experts identified 11 core symptoms including HRQoL issues after three consensus rounds. Significant differences in the symptom ranking of patients versus medical experts could be observed. We determined a compromise between experts’ opinions on physical constraints and patients’ frequent demands on HRQoL. These items built the basis for the development of two PRO questionnaires separate for AA and PNH following the concepts of validated instruments. Conclusion: The development of a symptom self-reporting questionnaire for AA and PNH was feasible and the PRO questionnaire can now be validated within a web-based workflow in a subsequent feasibility study.
Distribution and Health Risk Assessment of Dissolved Metal in Surface and overlying water at the the Xiangjiang River in Southern China
Authors: Huang Zhifeng , zhao xingru , Qiao Xiaocui , Liu Chengyou , Zheng Binghui
Published: March 2020

Background: Metal pollution in rivers has been a serious environmental problem in aquatic ecosystems. The Xiangjiang River is an important drinking water resource for the Hunan province of China. It is crucial to ascertain the pollution status and health risk of metal in this river. In this study, both surface and overlying water samples were collected from the Xiangjiang River and 12 dissolved metals (Mg, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, As, Cd, Sb, and Ba) were investigated. Results: Average concentrations fell in the order of dissolved metal Mg > Mn > Ba > Fe > Zn > As > Sb > Ni > Cd > V > Cr > Co, all of which were lower than the threshold values for drinking water guidelines of China. There was no significant difference in metal concentrations between surface and overlying water. Health risk assessment shows carcinogenic risk (CR) values of As and Cd were higher than the critical value, and children are more susceptible to the health risk of dissolved metals caused by drinking ingestion. Conclusion: The water quality in this area was good overall. Metals pollution appeared more serious in the midstrean and on the southern side of the investigated area. Anthropogenic activities are the main source of heavy metals in the river. Dissolved metals have health risk to local children with hazard index (HI) > 1. While more attention should be paid to As and Cd, which had a potential carcinogenic risk to human. The results provide guidance for controlling metal pollution and protecting drinking water sources in the Xiangjiang River.
Characterization of new fungal carbohydrate esterase family 1 proteins leads to the discovery of two novel dual feruloyl/acetyl xylan esterases
Authors: Dilokpimol Adiphol , Verkerk Bart , Bellemare Annie , Lavallee Mathieu , Frommhagen Matthias , Underlin Emilie Nørmølle , Kabel Mirjam Anna , Powlowski Justin , Tsang Adrian , Vries Ronald Peter de
Published: March 2020

Background Feruloyl esterases (FAEs) and acetyl xylan esterases (AXEs) are important accessory enzymes in the deconstruction of plant biomass. Carbohydrate Esterase family 1 (CE1) of the Carbohydrate-Active enZymes database contains both fungal FAEs and AXEs, sharing a high amino acid sequence similarity, even though they target different structural molecules on plant cell wall polysaccharides. Results We recently classified fungal CE1 into five subfamilies (CE1_SF1-5). In this study, ten novel fungal CE1 enzymes from different subfamilies were heterologously produced in Aspergillus niger and characterized to gain insight on relationships among these esterases. The enzymes from CE1_SF1 possess AXE activity, as they hydrolyzed p NP-acetate and released acetic acid from wheat arabinoxylan, but were not active towards FAE substrates. CE1_SF5 showed FAE activity as they hydrolyzed methyl ferulate and other FAE related substrates, and release ferulic acid from wheat arabinoxylan. These FAEs preferred feruloylated arabinoxylan over pectin. Two CE1_SF2, sharing over 70% amino acid sequence identity, possessed the opposite activity. Interestingly, one enzyme from CE1_SF1 and one from CE1_SF5 possess dual feruloyl/acetyl xylan esterase (FXE) activity. These dual activity enzymes showed expansion of substrate specificity. Conclusions The new FXEs from CE1 can efficiently release both ferulic acid and acetic acid from feruloylated xylan, making them particularly interesting novel components of industrial enzyme cocktails for plant biomass degradation.
A novel bifunctional aldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenase mediating ethanol formation from acetyl-CoA in hyperthermophiles
Authors: Wang Qiang , Sha Chong , Wang Hongcheng , Ma Kesen , Wiegel Juergen , Abomohra Abd El-Fatah , Shao Weilan
Published: March 2020

Background: Hyperthermophilic fermentation at temperatures above 80 °C allows in situ product removal to mitigate the ethanol toxicity, and reduces microbial contamination without autoclaving/cooling of feedstock. Many species of Thermotoga grow at temperatures up to 90 °C, and have enzymes to degrade and utilize lignocelluloses, which provide advantages for achieving consolidated processes of cellulosic ethanol production. However, no CoA-dependent aldehyde dehydrogenase (CoA-Aldh) from any hyperthermophiles has been documented in literature so far. The pyruvate ferredoxin oxidoreductases from hyperthermophiles have pyruvate decarboxylase activity, which convert about 2% and 98% of pyruvate to acetaldehyde and acetyl-CoA (ac-CoA), respectively. Acetyl-CoA can be converted to acetic acid, if there is no CoA-Aldh to convert ac-CoA to acetaldehyde and further to ethanol. Therefore, the current study aimed to identify and characterize a CoA-Aldh activity that mediates ethanol fermentation in hyperthermophiles.Results: In Thermotoga neapolitana (Tne), a hyperthermophilic iron-acetaldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenase (Fe-AAdh) was, for the first time, revealed to catalyze the ac-CoA reduction to form ethanol via an acetaldehyde intermediate, while the annotated aldh gene in Tne genome only encodes a CoA-independent Aldh that oxidizes aldehyde to acetic acid. Three other Tne alcohol dehydrogenases (Adh) exhibited specific physiological roles in ethanol formation and consumption: Fe-Adh2 mainly catalyzed the reduction of acetaldehyde to produce ethanol, and Fe-Adh1 showed significant activities only under extreme conditions, while Zn-Adh showed special activity in ethanol oxidation. In the in vitro formation of ethanol from ac-CoA, a strong synergy was observed between Fe-Adh1 and Fe-AAdh. The Fe-AAdh gene is highly conserved in Thermotoga spp. and in Pyrococus sp., which is probably responsible for ethanol metabolism in hyperthermophiles.Conclusions: Hyperthermophilic Thermotoga spp. are excellent candidates for biosynthesis of cellulosic ethanol fermentation strains. The finding of a novel hyperthermophilic CoA-Aldh activity of Tne Fe-AAdh revealed the existence of a hyperthermophilic fermentation pathway from ac-CoA to ethanol, which offers a basic frame for in vitro synthesis of a highly active AAdh for effective ethanol fermentation pathway in hyperthermophiles, which is a key element for the approach to the consolidated processes of cellulosic ethanol production.
Optimization of Yarrowia lipolytica-based consolidated biocatalyst through synthetic biology approach: transcription units and signal peptides shuffling
Authors: Celińska Ewelina , Borkowska Monika , Korpys-Woźniak Paulina , Kubiak Monika , Nicaud Jean-Marc , Kubiak Piotr , Gorczyca Maria , Białas Wojciech
Published: March 2020

Background: Nowadays considerable effort is being pursued towards development of consolidated microbial biocatalysts that will be able to utilize complex, non-pretreated substrates and produce valuable compounds. In such engineered microbes, synthesis of extracellular hydrolases may be fine-tuned by different approaches, like strength of promoter, type of secretory tag, gene copy number etc. In this study, we investigated if organization of a multi-element expression cassette impacts the resultant Y. lipolytica transformants’ phenotype, presuming that different variants of the cassette are composed of the same regulatory elements and encode the same hydrolases. Results: To this end, Y. lipolytica cells were transformed with expression cassettes bearing a pair of genes encoding exactly the same mature amylases, but fused to four different signal peptides (SP), and located interchangeably in either first or second position of a synthetic DNA construction. The resultant strains were tested for growth on raw and pre-treated complex substrates of different plant origin for comprehensive examination of the strains’ acquired characteristics. The best strain’s performance was tested in batch bioreactor cultivations for growth and lipids accumulation. Conclusions: Based on the conducted research we concluded that the positional order of transcription units (TU) and the type of exploited SP affect final characteristics of the resultant consolidated biocatalyst strains, and thus could be considered as additional factors to be evaluated upon consolidated biocatalysts optimization.
Assessment of left atrial function in feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by using two- dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography
Authors: Kiatsilapanan Arisara , Surachetpong Sirilak
Published: March 2020

Background : Left atrial (LA) function plays an important role in diastolic dysfunction in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) is a novel technique for assessing LA function. This study aimedto evaluate changes in the LA function inHCM cats compared to normal cats, using 2D-STE. Results: Seventeen client-owned cats affected with HCM and twenty healthy control cats. Conventional echocardiographic and 2D-STE variables were measured and compared between groups (the normal and HCM groups). The difference between two groups was compared by using the independent Student’s t-test. A p -value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Variability from the 2D-STE variables tests displayed good reproducibility (coefficient of variation ≤15%). The mean value of peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) in the HCM group (13.16 ± 8.64) was lower in the control group (28.54 ±10.31) ( p < 0.001). PALS was lowest at the LA roof region. The atrial longitudinal strain of septal and lateral regions was significantly lower in the HCM group than the normal group. PALS correlated with the percentage of the LA fractional shortening (LA-FS) (r=0.538, p =0.001), the percentage of the LA ejection fraction (LA-EF) (r =0.797, p <0.001), and the LA fractional area change (FAC) (r =0.746, p <0.001). Conclusions: PALS can be used to evaluate changes in theLA function in HCM cats. It is a reproducible method for assessing the LA function in cats affected with HCM. Keywords cats; heart; left atrium; strain
Effects of changes in culture conditions on the virulence and antifungal susceptibility of dairy cow mastitis fungal isolates
Authors: Yue Yuan , Ma Shengyan , Wang Xiaoyu , Zhou Xuezhang
Published: March 2020

Background: In recent years, the number of incidences of dairy cow mastitis caused by non-albicans Candida (NAC) have increased owing to the virulence factors, including cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) and phospholipase activity, of the causative agents, namely, Candida krusei and Candida parasitica. Temperature and pH changes in the cow's udder after fungal infection and unreasonable medication can affect the antifungal susceptibility of Candida spp. and their expression of virulence factors. Methods: In this study, the effects of different temperatures and pH on the virulence of NAC strains were tested, and the in vitro susceptibility of the fungal strains to Cu2+ and antibacterial agents were examined. Besides, the changes in the virulence factors of Candida spp., including biphasicity, hemolytic activity, CSH, and phospholipase activity under these test conditions were investigated, and the internal relationship between these factors was analyzed. Results: The results showed that the virulence factors and antifungal susceptibility of Candida spp. could be altered through changes in various physiological conditions. Both temperature and pH were noted to be important factors affecting Candida growth, antifungal susceptibility, and expression of virulence factors. Cu2+ inhibited the growth and virulence factors expression of Candida spp., whereas antibacterial agents directly promoted the growth of Candida spp., making them resistant, which is one of the reasons for breast inflammation symptoms in cows. Conclusions: These results on virulence factors, antifungal susceptibility, and physiological characteristics of NAC provide a theoretical basis for understanding and treating dairy cow mastitis caused by NAC.
The Participation Of Private Healthcare Facilities In Pharmacovigilance Activities: A Case Study In Tanzania Mainland
Authors: MAGANDA BETTY , Kagashe Godeliver A , Chagula Honorata , Mbuya Vitalis B , Mwamwitwa Kisa , Myemba David , Nkayamba Alex
Published: March 2020

Background: Poor quality products, adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and medication errors (ME) are reported to negatively influence health care cost, patients’ treatment outcomes and quality of life. One way which can help in detection and prevention of their occurrence is through spontaneous reporting of these effects/events to the regulatory bodies. Despite the efforts done by regulatory bodies in different countries including Tanzania, the rate of reporting has remained low. This study therefore, assessed the participation of private healthcare facilities in pharmacovigilance (PV) activities in Tanzania Mainland. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in selected regions in Tanzania from December 2017 to June 2018. A total of 169 healthcare facilities and 192 healthcare professionals were involved. Data was collected using questionnaires and standard checklist. Results: Only (17%) of the respondents had good knowledge on PV activities and only (29.7%) of the participants had attended training on PV. Over 50% of respondents were not aware that PV activities reports are to be sent to a National pharmacovigilance center. Majority (89.7%) of the healthcare facilities assessed had no system for monitoring and reporting PV activities. About (55.7%) of the respondents said that they had observed ADRs in patients while (27.6%) had detected poor quality products and (51.1%) spotted medication errors in their practice, but none of them sent a report to the National pharmacovigilance center. Lack of PV tools (60.9%), poor knowledge on reporting procedures (69.8%) and lack of feedback and weak supervision from Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA (93.3%) and (9.4%), respectively were the major obstacles for carrying out PV activities. Of the 47 respondents whereas, their healthcare facilities had systems for monitoring and reporting PV activities had a view that attending more training (74.5%), increase availability of PV tools (10.6%), frequent supervision from TMDA (12.8%), and inclusion of PV training in undergraduate and postgraduate training curricula (2.1%) may improve involvement in pharmacovigilance activities Conclusions: Majority of private healthcare facilities participated poorly in PV activities, because of lack of pharmacovigilance training, knowledge on reporting and unavailability of systems and tools for monitoring and reporting on pharmacovigilance activities.
Management styles and their effects on job satisfaction for radiographers in Gauteng province, South Africa
Authors: Khoza Thandokuhle Emmanuel , Nkosi Busisiwe Pauline , Sibiya Maureen Nokuthula
Published: March 2020

Background: Management styles have been linked to high turn-over amongst health care professionals. Much of the available literature has been on nursing and other medical professional, while on few studies have been on radiographers. This study explored the influence of management styles on intention to leave amongst radiographers employed by tertiary hospitals in the Gauteng province, South Africa. Methods: A survey was conducted in four public tertiary hospitals within the Gauteng province. Data was collected from November 2018 to May 2019 and all radiographers who were present at the time of data collection were requested to participate. Results: The results of the Pearson’s test showed that there was a negative correlation between intention to leave and supervision, r = -.344, p= .000. In addition, the results also showed that there was difference in satisfaction with supervision across age, gender, race and tertiary hospital. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that management styles in tertiary hospitals affect job satisfaction and ultimately intent to leave. Therefore, it is worth evaluating the type of management styles used by x-ray managers to improve retention of radiographers in public tertiary hospitals. Keywords: Radiographers, intent to leave, job satisfaction and management.
Association between device measured and self-reported sitting in relation to depression: the 1970 British Cohort Study
Authors: Webster Andrew , Batty G David , Pearson Natalie , Stamatakis Emmanuel , Hamer Mark
Published: March 2020

Aims While physical activity appears to confer protection against depression, the relationship between sedentary behaviour and mental health is uncertain. Self-reported methods provide information about context although there may be error in the quantification of sedentary behaviour. Accordingly, we examined associations of both device-measured and self-reported sedentary behaviour with depression. Method Participants (n=4,704; 52.4% Female; aged 46-48) were drawn from the 1970 British Cohort Study. Sitting time and moderate-vigorous physical activity was measured using a thigh-worn accelerometer device (ActivPAL) over a seven day period. A range of self-reported sedentary behaviours was measured to provide context. Depression diagnosis was captured using a combination of self-reported consultation with a physician and use of anti-depressant medication. Malaise inventory was used to assess depressive symptoms. Results Relative to those who spent <8 hr/d sitting, those in the highest tertile of device measured sitting (>10 hr/d) had increased odds of depression diagnosis (odds ratio= 1.48 [95% confidence interval 1.05-2.08]). There was no association between self-reported TV viewing and depression diagnosis (1.07; 0.71-1.63). We observed protective associations between moderate-vigorous physical activity and depression diagnosis (highest tertile vs. the lowest tertile; 0.70;0.49-1.00). Associations of sitting time and physical activity with depression were mutually independent. Relative to <1 hours of internet usage, 2-3 and >3 hours of internet weekday usage were associated with increased odds of depressive symptoms (1.60;1.30-1.97 and 1.63;1.32-2.03, respectively). Conclusion Device-measured sitting is associated depression diagnosis, although less consistent associations are observed with self-reported sedentary behaviours. Regular physical activity and reducing sedentary time may be beneficial for prevention of depression.
Technology adoption and technical efficiency of smallholder farmers in Tolon district of Ghana: double bootstrap DEA approach
Authors: Anang Benjamin Tetteh , Alhassan Hamdiyah , Danso-Abbeam Gideon
Published: March 2020

The study explored the impact of improved variety adoption on technical efficiency of smallholder maize farmers in Tolon District of northern Ghana. Smallholder maize farmers in the study area were sampled using random sampling technique. Double bootstrap data envelopment analysis was applied to estimate technical efficiency and its determinants. The results indicate that producers in the study area have a bias-corrected technical efficiency of 57% under variable returns to scale (VRS) assumption and 52% under constant returns to scale (CRS) assumption. Controlling for potential endogeneity of the adoption variable, the results indicate that adoption of improved varieties enhance technical efficiency of maize farmers in the study area. Technical efficiency of the farmers increased with herd size but decreased with years of formal education, household size, extension contact, frequency of weeding, and farm size. Ensuring that improved seeds are made available and affordable to smallholder farmers and promotion of livestock rearing are policy measures likely to enhance technical efficiency of smallholder farmers.
CCL3 contributes to secondary damage after spinal cord injury
Authors: Pelisch Nicolas , Almanza Jose Rosas , Stehlik Kyle Edward , Aperi Brandy V , Kroner Antje
Published: March 2020

Background: Secondary damage after spinal cord injury (SCI) is characterized by a cascade of events including hemorrhage, apoptosis, oxidative stress and inflammation which increase the lesion size which can influence the functional impairment. Thus, identifying specific mechanisms attributed to secondary injury is critical in minimizing tissue damage and improving neurological outcome. In this work, we are investigating the role of CCL3 (Macrophage inflammatory protein 1- α, MIP-1α), a chemokine involved in the recruitment of inflammatory cells, which plays an important role in inflammatory conditions of the central and peripheral nervous system. Methods: A mouse model of lower thoracic (T11) spinal cord contusion injury was used. We assessed expression levels of CCL3 and its receptors on the mRNA and protein level and analyzed changes in locomotor recovery and the inflammatory response in the injured spinal cord of wild-type and CCL3-/- mice.Results: The expression of CCL3 and its receptors is increased after thoracic contusion SCI in mice. We then examined the role of CCL3 after SCI and its direct influence on the inflammatory response, locomotor recovery and lesion size using CCL3 −/− mice. CCL3 −/− mice showed mild but significant improvement of locomotor recovery and a smaller lesion size compared to wild-type controls. In addition, neutrophil numbers as well as the pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, known to play a deleterious role after SCI, were markedly reduced in the absence of CCL3 .Conclusion: We have identified CCL3 as a potential target to modulate the inflammatory response and secondary damage after SCI. Collectively, this study shows that the absence of CCL3 can contribute to reduced tissue damage and better functional recovery during secondary injury after SCI.
CX3CR1 modulates cognitive dysfunction induced by sleep deprivation
Authors: Xin Jia-wei , Cheng Xiao-juan , Xie Chang-fu , Zhang Qiu-yang , Ke Yi-lang , Huang Xuan-yu , Chen Xiao-chun , Pan Xiao-dong
Published: March 2020

Background Sleep disorder-associated cognitive impairments are often accompanied by impaired synaptic plasticity. In the pathological process of sleep deprivation, microglia, as an important innate immune cell in central nervous system, are involved and mediate the synaptic pruning, in which the CX3C-chemokine receptor 1 receptor (CX3CR1) plays an indispensable role. In this study, the potential role of CX3CR1 in modulating the cognition decline during sleep deprivation was evaluated in terms of microglial neuroinflammation and synaptic pruning. Methods Middle-aged wild type C57BL/6 mice (WT) (13 months) and age-matched CX3CR1 -/- mice were either subjected to sleep deprivation (SD) or allowed normal sleep (S) for 8 h to mimic the pathophysiological changes of middle-aged people after staying up all night in real life. The hippocampus-dependent cognition was assessed by fear conditioning test. Mice brains were extracted for neuroinflammation and synaptic pruning studies. Data were analyzed by Student’s t-test and one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA). Results The CX3CR1 deficiency mice differed from WT mice in many measures. CX3CR1 deficiency prevented SD-induced cognitive impairments, in which the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylated cAMP-responsive element binding protein (p-CREB) were markedly increased in the hippocampus. Compared with the CX3CR1 -/- -S group, the CX3CR1 -/- -SD mice reported a markedly decreased microglial density in the dentate gyrus, notably-decreased levels of cellular oncogene fos (c-fos), and pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus, and a significant increase in the density of spines of the dentate gyrus area. Furthermore, the CX3CR1 -/- -SD group also showed a decreasing expression of microglial phagocytosis-related factors. Conclusion These findings suggest that CX3CR1 deficiency leads to different cerebral behaviors and responses to sleep deprivation. CX3CR1 deletion can alleviate the sleep deprivation-induced cognitive impairment. The inflammation-attenuating activity and the related modification of synaptic pruning are possible mechanism candidates, which indicate CX3CR1 as a candidate therapeutic target for the prevention of the sleep loss-induced cognitive impairments.
Insulin resistance may affect the functional recovery of acute ischemic stroke in non-diabetic patients
Authors: Chang Yoonkyung , Kim Chi Kyung , Kim Min-Kyung , Seo Woo‐Keun , Oh Kyungmi
Published: March 2020

Background Insulin resistance is associated with the occurrence of stroke and atherosclerotic disease. However, the relationship between insulin resistance and the prognosis of acute ischemic stroke in nondiabetic patients is unclear. We hypothesized that insulin resistance may affect short-term functional recovery after acute ischemic stroke in nondiabetic patients. Methods Between May 2014 and December 2016, 1377 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled from a prospectively maintained stroke registry. After excluding patients with transient ischemic attacks (TIA), pre-stroke disabilities, diabetes mellitus, and patients with incomplete evaluations, 517 patients were included in the study. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) score was used to evaluate the degree of insulin resistance. The factors associated with poor functional outcomes were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. Results The patients with the highest quartile of log HOMA-IR index scores were younger and had higher fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, and HbA1c levels. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that log HOMA-IR scores were independently associated with poor prognosis after adjusting for age and sex and p < 0.1 in univariate analysis. Conclusion Insulin resistance measured by the HOMA-IR index was associated with the poor functional outcome of non-diabetic stroke patients. This evidence supports treating insulin resistance in acute ischemic stroke patients with blood glucose levels within the normal range.
High prevalence of diabetes mellitus in hospitalized cardiorenal-syndrome patients with and without hyponatremia.
Authors: Pliquett Rainer U. , Schlump Katrin , Wienke Andreas , Bartling Babett , Noutsias Michel , Tamm Alexander , Girndt Matthias
Published: March 2020

Background Cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) defined as concurrent acute or chronic heart failure and acute or chronic kidney injury or disease frequently coincides with hyponatremia. We sought to identify potential risk factors for and outcome of hyponatremia in CRS. Methods In this retrospective study, CRS patients being consecutively hospitalized over 4 years (Department of Internal Medicine II, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany) were included. Depending on the presence or absence of hyponatremia on admission, they were analyzed for diabetes comorbidity, signs of hypovolemia on admission, need for renal replacement therapy during and after the hospital stay, in-hospital and one-year mortality. Results 262 CRS patients were included in this study, thereof, 90 CRS patients (34.4%) with hyponatremia (Na <135 mmol/L). The diabetes prevalence among CRS patients was high (>65%) and not related to the serum sodium concentration on admission. In comparison to non-hyponatremic CRS patients, the hyponatremic ones had a lower serum osmolality (293 versus 303 mosm/kg, p<0.001), and hypovolemia was more prevalent (41.1% versus 16.3%, p<0.001). As possible causes of hypovolemia, diarrhea, a higher number of diuretic drug classes and higher diuretic dosages were found. Hyponatremic and non-hyponatremic CRS patients had a comparable need for renal-replacement therapy (36.7% versus 31.4%) during the hospital stay. However, after discharge, relatively more hyponatremic CRS patients on renal replacement therapy switched to a non-dialysis, medical therapy regimen (50.0% versus 22.2%). Hyponatremic CRS patients showed a trend for a higher in-hospital mortality (15.6% versus 7.6%, p=0.054), but no difference in the one-year mortality (43.3% versus 40.1%, p=0.692). Conclusions All CRS patients showed a high prevalence of diabetes mellitus and a high one-year mortality. In comparison to non-hyponatremic CRS patients, hyponatremic ones were more likely to have hypovolemia, and had a higher likelihood to initiate a temporary, rather than chronic new renal replacement therapy.
Size-dependent Photovoltaic Properties of Solar Cells Containing Si Quantum Dots/SiC Multilayers
Authors: Cao Yunqing , Wu Dong , Zhu Ping , Ge Zhaoyun , Li Wei , Xu Jun , Chen Kunji
Published: March 2020

Recently, many kinds of Si nanostructures have been extensively investigated, in which, Si quantum dot (Si QD) is one of the potential candidates for all-Si tandem solar cells. Because the optical bandgap of Si QDs can be tunable via size controlling, it can match the solar spectrum in a wide range and consequently improve the spectral response. In this work, Si QDs/SiC multilayers with controllable dot sizes were fabricated and characterized. The Raman spectra and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation revealed the formation of size-controllable Si QDs. The absorption measurement showed that the bandgap of Si QDs was red shifted to the long wavelength range with the dot size increasing, which agrees well with the quantum confinement effect. Moreover, heterojunction solar cells containing different sized-Si QDs/SiC multilayers were proposed and investigated. The solar cells exhibited strong size-dependent photovoltaic properties and the best cell had the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.27%. Furthermore, the external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurement demonstrated the Si QDs contribution of light absorption and response in ultraviolet-visible range, which provides a promising way to realize better spectral match by applying different sized-Si QDs in the future photovoltaic devices.
Patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and their caregiver’s experiences of home-based rehabilitation (REACH-HFpEF): mixed methods process evaluation of the REACH-HFpEF single centre pilot randomised controlled trial.
Authors: Smith Karen , Lang Chim , Wingham Jenny , Frost Julia , Greaves Colin , Abraham Charles , Warren Fiona , Coyle Joanne , Jolly Kate , Miles Jackie , Paul Kevin , Doherty Patrick , Davis Russell , Dalal Hasnain , Taylor Rod S
Published: March 2020

Background: Whilst heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) affects almost 50 percent of the HF population, evidence-based treatment options remain limited. However, there is emerging evidence of the potential value of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation. This study reports the process evaluation conducted as part of the REACH-HFpEF trial. Methods: Mixed methods process evaluation parallel to a single centre (Tayside, Scotland) pilot randomised controlled trial with quantitative assessment of intervention fidelity and a qualitative exploration of HFpEF patients’ and caregivers’ experiences. The Rehabilitation EnAblement in Chronic Heart Failure (REACH-HF) intervention consisted of self-help manual for patients and caregivers, facilitated over 12 weeks by trained healthcare professionals. Data included audio-recorded intervention sessions; demographic information; intervention fidelity scores; and qualitative interviews conducted following completion of intervention in a purposeful sample of 15 HFpEF patients and 7 caregivers, Results: Intervention fidelity analysis was indicative of the adequate delivery of the majority of the REACH-HF components, with three items relating caregiver involvement (addressing emotional consequences of being a caregiver, caregiver health and well-being, and closure of the session) scoring poorly. Qualitative interviews identified three key themes for patients and caregivers: (1) understanding their condition, (2) emotional consequences of HF, and (3) patients’ and caregivers’ responses to the REACH-HF intervention were uncovered by qualitative interviews. Conclusions: The REACH-HF home-based facilitated intervention for HFpEF appears feasible and well accepted model for delivery of a CR intervention, with the potential to address key unmet needs of patients and their caregivers who are often excluded from service provision and current CR programmes. Results inform a future full multicentre randomised clinical trial.
Cellular senescence mediates the detrimental effect of prenatal dexamethasone exposure on postnatal long bone growth in mice offspring
Authors: Su Jianwen , Chai Yu , Ji Zhiguo , Xie Yongheng , Yu Bin , Zhang Xianrong
Published: March 2020

Background: Prenatal dexamethasone exposure (PDE) induces low birth weight and retardation of fetal bone development which are associated with lower peak bone mass in adult offspring. Here we evaluated whether and how PDE affects postnatal long bone growth in mice offspring.Methods: Pregnant mice were injected subcutaneously with dexamethasone (1.2 mg kg ̶ 1day ̶ 1) every morning from gestational day (GD) 12-14. Femurs and tibias of 2-, 4-, 6, 12-week-old female offspring were harvested for histological, immunofluoresence, flow cytometric analysis, or microcomputed tomography (μCT) measurement. Results: PDE results in impaired bone remodeling as well as decreased bone mass in the long bone of mice offspring. During postnatal bone growth, significant decrease of CD45-CD29+CD105+Sca-1+ bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and CD45-Nestin+ cells, loss of type H vessels as well as increment of cellular senescence were found in metaphysis of long bone in mice offspring after PDE. We further show that eliminating the excessive senescent cells with dasatinib (5 mg kg ̶ 1day ̶ 1) and quercetin (50 mg kg ̶ 1day ̶ 1) during GD 12-14 rescued the above toxic effect of PDE on the postnatal long bone growth in mice offspring.Conclusion: Cellular senescence mediates the toxic effect of PDE on postnatal long bone growth in mice offspring, and inhibition of cellular senescence may be proposed for treating retardation of bone growth caused by PDE.
Joint multi-domain feature learning for image steganalysis based on CNN
Authors: Wang Ze , Chen Mingzhi , Yang Yu , Lei Min , Dong Zhexuan
Published: March 2020

Recently steganalysis methods based on convolutional neural networks (CNN) have achieved great improvement. However, detection against adaptive steganographic algorithms with low embedding rates has still been a challenging task. To deal with this problem, we propose a CNN steganalysis model employing the joint domain detection mechanism and nonlinear detection mechanism. For the joint domain detection mechanism, we use not only the high-pass ﬁlters from the SRM for spatial residuals, but also the patterns from the DCTR for frequency steganographic impacts. For the nonlinear detection mechanism, we enlarge steganographic eﬀects by nonlinearly transforming the extracted steganographic residual information. In addition, we innovatively put forward a model learning method based on the high learning ability of a model. That is, we use lower embedding rate image datasets to train a model and higher embedding rate image datasets to test the model, which eﬀectively improves sensitivity to steganographic traces. Compared with the existing steganalysis models such as SRM+EC, Ye-Net, Xu-Net, Yedroudj-Net and Zhu-Net, the detection accuracy of our model is about 4%∼6% higher than that of the best Zhu-Net model.
Relationship between Childhood Physical Abuse and Clinical Severity of Treatment-Resistant Depression in a Geriatric Population
Authors: Yrondi Antoine , Arbus Christophe , Bennabi Djamila , D'Amato Thierry , Bellivier Frank , Bougerol Thierry , Camus Vincent , Courtet Philippe , Doumy Olivier , Genty Jean Baptiste , Holtzmann Jérôme , Horn Mathilde , Lancon Christophe , Leboyer Marion , Llorca Pierre-Michel , Maruani Julia , Moirand Rémi , Molière Fanny , Petrucci Jean , Richieri Raphaelle , Samalin Ludovic , Stephan Florian , Vaiva Guillaume , Walter Michel , Haffen Emmanuel , Aouizerate Bruno , El-Hage Wissam
Published: March 2020

Background: We assessed the correlation between childhood maltreatment (CM) and severity of depression in an elderly unipolar Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) sample. Methods: Patients were enrolled from a longitudinal cohort (FACE-DR) of the French Network of Expert TRD Centres. Results: Our sample included 96 patients (33% of the overall cohort) aged 60 years or above, with a mean age of 67.2 (SD = 5.7). Most of the patients were female (62.5%). The Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Quick Inventory Depression Scale-Self Report (QIDS-SR) mean scores were high, 28.2 (SD = 7.49) [MADRS score range: 0-60; moderate severity≥20, high severity≥35] and 16.5 (SD=4.94) [IDS-SR score range: 0-27; moderate severity≥11, high severity≥16], respectively. Mean self-esteem scores were 22.47 (SD=6.26) [range 0-30]. In an age and sex-adjusted model, we found a positive correlation between childhood trauma (CTQ scores) and depressive symptom severity [MADRS (β=0.274; p=0.07) and QIDS-SR (β=0.302; p=0.005) scores]. We detected a statistically significant correlation between physical abuse and depressive symptom severity [MADRS (β=0.304; p=0.03) and QIDS-SR (β=0.362; p=0.005) scores]. We did not observe any significant correlation between other types of trauma and depressive symptom severity. We showed that self-esteem (Rosenberg scale) mediated the effect of physical abuse (PA) on the intensity of depressive symptoms [MADRS: b=0.318, 95% BCa C.I. [0.07, 0.62]; QIDS-SR: b=0.177, 95% BCa C.I. [0.04, 0.37]]. Preacher & Kelly’s Kappa Squared values of 19.1% (k2=0.191) and 16% (k2=0.16), respectively, indicate a moderate effect. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study conducted in a geriatric TRD population documenting an association between childhood trauma (mainly relating to PA) and the intensity of depressive symptoms.