bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identifying and Characterizing Serious Adverse Drug Reactions Associated With Drug-Drug Interactions in a Spontaneous Reporting Database
Authors: Magro Lara , Arzenton Elena , Leone Roberto , Stano Marilisa Giustina , Vezzaro Michele , Rudolph Annette , Castagna Irene , Moretti Ugo
Published: January 2021

Background: Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) are an important cause of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). In literature most of studies focus only on potential DDIs, while detailed data on serious ADRs associated with DDIs are limited. Our aim is to identify and characterize serious ADRs caused by DDIs using a spontaneous reporting database.

Methods: All serious ADR reports, not related to vaccines and with a “definite”, “probable” or “possible” causality assessment, inserted into the National Pharmacovigilance database from Veneto Region (January 1, 2015 to May 31, 2020) were analyzed. A list of drug pairs was created by selecting the reports containing at least two suspected or concomitant drugs. We verified which drug pairs potentially interacted according to the online version of DRUGDEX® system. For each potential DDI we controlled whether the ADR description in the report corresponded to the interaction effect as described in Micromedex. A detailed characterization of all serious reports containing an occurring DDI was performed.

Results: In the study period a total of 31,604 reports of suspected ADRs from the Veneto Region were identified, of which 2,195 serious reports (6.9% of all ADR reports) containing at least two suspected or concomitant drugs were analyzed. We identified 1,208 ADR reports with at least one potential DDI (55.0% of 2,195) and 381 reports (17.4% of 2,195 reports) with an occurring ADR associated with a DDI. The median age of patients and the number of contraindicated or major DDIs were significantly higher in reports with an occurring DDI. Warfarin was the most frequently reported interacting drug and the most common ADRs were gastrointestinal or cerebral hemorrhagic events. The proton pump inhibitors/warfarin, followed by platelet aggregation inhibitors/warfarin were the drug-drug combinations most frequently involved in ADRs caused by DDIs. The highest proportion of fatal reports was observed with platelet aggregation inhibitors/warfarin and antidepressants/warfarin.

Conclusion: Our findings showed that about one-third of patients exposed to a potential DDI actually experienced a serious ADR. Furthermore, our study confirms that a spontaneous reporting database could be a valuable resource for identifying and characterizing ADRs caused by DDIs and the drugs leading to serious ADRs and deaths.
Acacetin Ameliorates Experimental Colitis in Mice via Inhibiting Macrophage Inflammatory Response and Regulating the Composition of Gut Microbiota
Authors: Ren Junyu , Yue Bei , Wang Hao , Zhang Beibei , Luo Xiaoping , Yu Zhilun , Zhang Jing , Ren Yijing , Mani Sridhar , Wang Zhengtao , Dou Wei
Published: January 2021

Acacetin, a natural dietary flavonoid abundantly found in acacia honey and citrus fruits, reportedly exerts several biological effects, such as anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative effects. However, the effects of acacetin on intestinal inflammation remain unclear. We sought to investigate whether acacetin ameliorates inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC). Our results suggest that acacetin alleviates the clinical symptoms of DSS-induced colitis, as determined by body weight loss, diarrhea, colon shortening, inflammatory infiltration, and histological injury. Further studies showed that acacetin remarkably inhibited both the macrophage inflammatory response in vitro and levels of inflammatory mediators in mice with colitis. In addition, some features of the gut microbiota were disordered in mice with DSS-induced colitis, as evidenced by a significant reduction in microbiota diversity and a marked shift in bacterial profiles. However, acacetin treatment improved this imbalance and restored gut microbiota to levels that were similar to those in normal mice. In conclusion, our work presents evidence that acacetin attenuates DSS-induced colitis in mice, at least in part, by inhibiting inflammation and regulating the intestinal microbiota.
Cerebrovascular Reactivity Mapping Without Gas Challenges: A Methodological Guide
Authors: Pinto Joana , Bright Molly G. , Bulte Daniel P. , Figueiredo Patrícia
Published: January 2021

Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) is defined as the ability of vessels to alter their caliber in response to vasoactive factors, by means of dilating or constricting, in order to increase or decrease regional cerebral blood flow (CBF). Importantly, CVR may provide a sensitive biomarker for pathologies where vasculature is compromised. Furthermore, the spatiotemporal dynamics of CVR observed in healthy subjects, reflecting regional differences in cerebral vascular tone and response, may also be important in functional MRI studies based on neurovascular coupling mechanisms. Assessment of CVR is usually based on the use of a vasoactive stimulus combined with a CBF measurement technique. Although transcranial Doppler ultrasound has been frequently used to obtain global flow velocity measurements, MRI techniques are being increasingly employed for obtaining CBF maps. For the vasoactive stimulus, vasodilatory hypercapnia is usually induced through the manipulation of respiratory gases, including the inhalation of increased concentrations of carbon dioxide. However, most of these methods require an additional apparatus and complex setups, which not only may not be well-tolerated by some populations but are also not widely available. For these reasons, strategies based on voluntary breathing fluctuations without the need for external gas challenges have been proposed. These include the task-based methodologies of breath holding and paced deep breathing, as well as a new generation of methods based on spontaneous breathing fluctuations during resting-state. Despite the multitude of alternatives to gas challenges, existing literature lacks definitive conclusions regarding the best practices for the vasoactive modulation and associated analysis protocols. In this work, we perform an extensive review of CVR mapping techniques based on MRI and CO2 variations without gas challenges, focusing on the methodological aspects of the breathing protocols and corresponding data analysis. Finally, we outline a set of practical guidelines based on generally accepted practices and available data, extending previous reports and encouraging the wider application of CVR mapping methodologies in both clinical and academic MRI settings.
Susceptibility of Four Species of Aphids in Wheat to Seven Insecticides and Its Relationship to Detoxifying Enzymes
Authors: Gong Peipan , Chen Defeng , Wang Chao , Li Mengyi , Li Xinan , Zhang Yunhui , Li Xiangrui , Zhu Xun
Published: January 2021

Sitobion avenae (Fabricius), Rhopalosiphum padi (Linnaeus), Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), and Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) are important pests of wheat and other cereals worldwide. In this study, the susceptibilities of four wheat aphid species to seven insecticides were assessed. Furthermore, the activities of carboxylesterase (CarE), glutathione S-transferase (GSTs), and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (P450s) were determined in imidacloprid treated and untreated aphids. The results showed that the susceptibilities of four wheat aphid species to tested insecticides are different and M. dirhodum has shown higher tolerance to most insecticides. Relatively higher CarE and GST activities were observed in M. dirhodum, and P450s activities increased significantly in response to imidacloprid treatment. Moreover, susceptibility to imidacloprid were increased by the oxidase inhibitor piperonyl butoxide in M. dirhodum (20-fold). The results we have obtained imply that P450s may play an important role in imidacloprid metabolic process in M. dirhodum. We suggest that a highly species-specific approach is essential for managing M. dirhodum.
Essential Role of IFN-γ in Regulating Gut Antimicrobial Peptides and Microbiota to Protect Against Alcohol-Induced Bacterial Translocation and Hepatic Inflammation in Mice
Authors: Yue Ruichao , Wei Xiaoyuan , Zhao Jiangchao , Zhou Zhanxiang , Zhong Wei
Published: January 2021

The mechanisms by which alcohol provokes bacterial translocation in the development of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) remain incompletely defined. Our previous study demonstrates that impaired gut epithelial antimicrobial defense is critically involved in the pathogenesis of ALD. The study was set to determine the mechanisms of how alcohol inhibits the antimicrobial ability of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and to explore possible solutions to this issue. C57BL/6J mice were fed either alcohol or isocaloric dextrin liquid diet for 8 weeks, and intestinal IFN-γ-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling was analyzed. We found that chronic alcohol exposure led to a significant reduction in intestinal IFN-γ levels compared to a control; the protein levels of phosphorylated STAT1 (p-STAT1) and p-STAT3 were both declined by alcohol. We then tested the effects of IFN-γ-STAT signaling on regulating antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), gut microbiota, and disease progression of ALD in a mouse model of chronic alcohol feeding, time-course acute IFN-γ treatment, and in vivo and in vitro IEC-specific STAT1 or STAT3 knockout mouse models, respectively. Administration of IFN-γ activated intestinal STAT1 and STAT3, upregulated the expression of Reg3 and α-defensins, orchestrated gut microbiota, and reversed alcohol-induced intestinal ZO-1 disruption and systemic endotoxin elevation as well as hepatic inflammation. Meanwhile, acute IFN-γ treatment time-dependently induced AMP expression and α-defensin activation. We then dissected the roles of STAT1 and STAT3 in this progress. Lack of IEC-specific STAT3 inhibited IFN-γ-induced expression of Reg3 and α-defensins and hindered activation of α-defensins via inactivating matrix metallopeptidase 7 (MMP7), whereas lack of IEC-specific STAT1 impaired IFN-γ-stimulated expression of α-defensins and the IEC marker, sodium-hydrogen exchanger 3. Lastly, we found that interleukin (IL)-18, a known IFN-γ inducer, was also reduced by alcohol in mice. IL-18 treatment to alcohol-fed mice normalized gut IFN-γ levels and ameliorated organ damages in both the intestine and liver. Taken together, the study reveals that IFN-γ is critically involved in the regulation of AMPs through regulation of STAT1 and STAT3; impaired IFN-γ-STAT signaling provides an explanation for alcohol-induced gut antimicrobial dysfunction and microbial dysbiosis. Therefore, IFN-γ remains a promising host defense-enhancing cytokine with unexplored clinical potential in ALD therapy.
Soilless Cultivation: Dynamically Changing Chemical Properties and Physical Conditions of Organic Substrates Influence the Plant Phenotype of Lettuce
Authors: Nerlich Annika , Dannehl Dennis
Published: January 2021

In agriculture, the increasing scarcity of arable land and the increase in extreme weather conditions has led to a large proportion of crops, especially vegetables, being cultivated in protected soilless cultivation methods to provide people with sufficient and high-quality food. Rockwool has been used for decades as a soil substitute in soilless cultivation. Since rockwool is not biodegradable, it is disposed in landfills after its use, which nowadays leads to ecological concerns and drives the search for alternative substrates, especially organic materials. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of organic materials (wood chips, sphagnum moss, and hemp fibers) in relation to rockwool substrate on plant growth and quality of lettuce as a result of physical and chemical properties of the mentioned substrates. We were able to show that sphagnum moss is a suitable substitute substrate for lettuce cultivation, contrary to hemp. All investigated substrates presented good physical properties, but differed in their decomposition stability. Within 8 weeks, 30% of the hemp and about 10% of both sphagnum and wood materials were degraded. It was concluded that the increased microbiological activity immobilized nitrogen and led to oxygen deficiency in the rhizosphere and resulted in increased phenolic acid contents in lettuce but poor yield on hemp. Sphagnum caused a pH decrease and accumulation of ammonium in the nutrient solution and allowed the highest yield for lettuce at moderate phenolic acid contents. Low yields were obtained on wood, which could possibly be increased by optimized nutrient solution, so that wood as an alternative to rockwool was not excluded. By applying used organic substrates as soil additives on arable land, the nutrients accumulated in it might fertilize the open field crops, thus saving mineral fertilizers. This, together with the avoidance of waste, would contribute to a greater sustainability.
Molecular Mechanisms of the 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylic Acid (ACC) Deaminase Producing Trichoderma asperellum MAP1 in Enhancing Wheat Tolerance to Waterlogging Stress
Authors: Rauf Mamoona , Awais Muhammad , Ud-Din Aziz , Ali Kazim , Gul Humaira , Rahman Muhammad Mizanur , Hamayun Muhammad , Arif Muhammad
Published: January 2021

Waterlogging stress (WS) induces ethylene (ET) and polyamine (spermine, putrescine, and spermidine) production in plants, but their reprogramming is a decisive element for determining the fate of the plant upon waterlogging-induced stress. WS can be challenged by exploring symbiotic microbes that improve the plant’s ability to grow better and resist WS. The present study deals with identification and application of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase-producing fungal endophyte Trichoderma asperellum (strain MAP1), isolated from the roots of Canna indica L., on wheat growth under WS. MAP1 positively affected wheat growth by secreting phytohormones/secondary metabolites, strengthening the plant’s antioxidant system and influencing the physiology through polyamine production and modulating gene expression. MAP1 inoculation promoted yield in comparison to non-endophyte inoculated waterlogged seedlings. Exogenously applied ethephon (ET synthesis inducer) and 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid (ACC; ET precursor) showed a reduction in growth, compared to MAP1-inoculated waterlogged seedlings, while amino-oxyacetic acid (AOA; ET inhibitor) application reversed the negative effect imposed by ET and ACC, upon waterlogging treatment. A significant reduction in plant growth rate, chlorophyll content, and stomatal conductance was noticed, while H2O2, MDA production, and electrolyte leakage were increased in non-inoculated waterlogged seedlings. Moreover, in comparison to non-inoculated waterlogged wheat seedlings, MAP1-inoculated waterlogged wheat exhibited antioxidant–enzyme activities. In agreement with the physiological results, genes associated with the free polyamine (PA) biosynthesis were highly induced and PA content was abundant in MAP1-inoculated seedlings. Furthermore, ET biosynthesis/signaling gene expression was reduced upon MAP1 inoculation under WS. Briefly, MAP1 mitigated the adverse effect of WS in wheat, by reprogramming the PAs and ET biosynthesis, which leads to optimal stomatal conductance, increased photosynthesis, and membrane stability as well as reduced ET-induced leaf senescence.
EMDR in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review
Authors: Portigliatti Pomeri Alberto , La Salvia Anna , Carletto Sara , Oliva Francesco , Ostacoli Luca
Published: January 2021

Background: Psychological distress is common among patients with cancer, with severe consequences on their quality of life. Anxiety and depression are the most common clinical presentation of psychological distress in cancer patients, but in some cases cancer may represent a traumatic event resulting in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Currently, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is considered an evidence-based treatment for PTSD, but recent studies also showed its effectiveness for anxiety and depression. The aim of the present systematic review is to summarize the current literature on the effect of EMDR on cancer-related psychological distress.

Methods: A literature search was conducted for peer-reviewed articles about “EMDR” and “cancer patients” in the following electronic databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Cochrane library.

Results: Our search identified 7 studies in which EMDR was used with a total of 140 cancer patients. The psychiatric diagnosis was PTSD in 3 studies. Otherwise, the diagnosis concerned the anxious and depressive disorder spectrum. Overall, EMDR treatment schedules used were highly heterogeneous, with a different number of sessions (from 2 to 12) and a different duration of therapy (up to 4 months). However, across all studies analyzed EMDR therapy was judged to be adequate in reducing symptoms of psychological distress in this population.

Conclusions: According to the results of our analysis, the level of evidence regarding EMDR efficacy in cancer patients is limited by the scarcity of studies and their low methodological quality. Although better quality research is needed, available data suggest that EMDR could be a promising treatment for psychological distress in patients with cancer.
Novel Solutions to Student Problems: A Phenomenological Exploration of a Single Session Approach to Art Therapy With Creative Arts University Students
Authors: Wilson Elizabeth
Published: January 2021

Within the Australian university context, research has uncovered increasing levels of psychological distress, in the form of stress, anxiety and depression. Higher rates of psychological distress have been reported in undergraduate students specifically enrolled in creative arts programs. Despite these increasing levels of psychological distress, university students are reluctant to engage with mental health and wellbeing supports. To explore ways to meet the mental health and wellbeing needs of creative arts university students, the Creative Arts and Music Therapy Research Unit at The University of Melbourne commenced a project exploring the benefits and pitfalls of a brief creative arts therapies approach for students attending a campus based wellbeing clinic. This exploratory research study formed the art therapy component of this much broader research endeavor. Creative arts students in this research study were invited to participate in a single session art therapy encounter that involved the visual exploration of the miracle question, asking students to visually depict “what the problem looks like and how it will look when the problem is resolved or you feel like you can cope with it better?” The descriptive findings of this exploratory research study revealed how the combination of art therapy used within a single session framework was able to afford students a novel means to externalize problems, leading students to forming a less internalized view of the self.
COVID-19: A Boon or a Bane for Creativity?
Authors: Mercier Maxence , Vinchon Florent , Pichot Nicolas , Bonetto Eric , Bonnardel Nathalie , Girandola Fabien , Lubart Todd
Published: January 2021

In many countries, the COVID-19 pandemic led to a period of lockdown that impacted individuals’ lifestyles, in both professional and personal spheres. New problems and challenges arose, as well as opportunities. Numerous studies have examined the negative effects of lockdown measures, but few have attempted to shine light on the potential positive effects that may come out of these measures. We focused on one particular positive outcome that might have emerged from lockdown: creativity. To this end, this paper compared self-reported professional creativity (Pro-C) and everyday creativity (little-c) before and during lockdown, using a questionnaire-based study conducted on a French sample (N = 1266). We expected participants to be more creative during than prior to lockdown, in both professional and everyday spheres. Regarding Pro-C, we did not see any significant differences between the two comparison points, before and during lockdown. Regarding everyday creativity, we observed a significant increase during lockdown. Furthermore, our results suggest that participants with a lower baseline creativity (before lockdown) benefited more from the situation than those with a higher initial baseline creativity. Our results provide new insights on the impact of lockdown and its positive outcomes. These measures may have inarguably negative consequences on the physical and mental health of many, but their positive impact exists as well.
Gearing Time Toward Musical Creativity: Conceptual Integration and Material Anchoring in Xenakis’ Psappha
Authors: Besada José L. , Barthel-Calvet Anne-Sylvie , Pagán Cánovas Cristóbal
Published: January 2021

Understanding compositional practices is a major goal of musicology and music theory. Compositional practices have been traditionally viewed as disembodied and idiosyncratic. This view makes it hard to integrate musical creativity into our understanding of the general cognitive processes underlying meaning construction. To overcome this unnecessary isolation of musical composition from cognitive science, in this conceptual analysis, we approach compositional processes with the analytic tools of blending theory, material anchoring, and enaction. Our case study is Iannis Xenakis’ use of sieves for distributing rhythmic patterns inPsappha. Though disregarded in previous accounts, the timeline and the gearwheel provide crucial conceptual templates for anchoring Xenakis’ idea of time for this score. This case study of conceptual integration templates for temporal representation seeks to gain insight into musical creativity, embodiment, and blending, especially into how virtual interactions with material structures facilitate the construction of complex meanings.
“We Feel Good”: Daily Support Provision, Health Behavior, and Well-Being in Romantic Couples
Authors: Berli Corina , Schwaninger Philipp , Scholz Urte
Published: January 2021

Intimate partners are an important source of support when pursuing health goals. A vast amount of literature documents the role of social support in alleviating recipients’ distress and facilitating health behaviors. Less studied is the phenomenon that providing support may entail a benefit for the provider, particularly in the context of health behavior change. In the present study, we investigated whether providing social support in daily life would be associated with more health behavior, and emotional and relational well-being that same day, using a sample of romantic couples aiming to become more physically active. Ninety-nine inactive and overweight heterosexual romantic couples (=198 individuals) participated in this dyadic daily diary study. Both partners reported on the provision of social support, positive and negative affect, and relationship satisfaction in electronic end-of-day diaries across 14 consecutive days. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was objectively assessed via triaxial accelerometers (Actigraph GT3X+). Using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM), dyadic data analyses indicated that providing support to the partner was associated with higher own MVPA, more own positive affect, less own negative affect, and more own relationship satisfaction (actor effects), over and above the effect of support provision on outcomes in the other partner (partner effects). The present findings suggest that the provision of daily social support in couples is strongly associated with enhanced well-being not only at a personal level but also at a relational level. Providing social support may also serve the function of relationship maintenance. Thus, shifting the focus away from the recipient to examine beneficial effects of social support in providers is highly relevant. Future research should address the question of when, why, and how giving support is beneficial.
Combined Vision and Hearing Difficulties Results in Higher Levels of Depression and Chronic Anxiety: Data From a Large Sample of Spanish Adults
Authors: Pardhan Shahina , Smith Lee , Bourne Rupert , Davis Adrian , Leveziel Nicolas , Jacob Louis , Koyanagi Ai , López-Sánchez Guillermo F.
Published: January 2021

Objective

Individually, vision and hearing impairments have been linked to higher levels of anxiety and depression. We investigated the effect of dual sensory impairment (difficulty seeing and hearing) in a large representative sample of Spanish adults.

Methods

Data from a total of 23,089 adults (age range: 15–103 years, 45.9% men) from the Spanish National Health Survey 2017 were analyzed. Self-reported difficulty of seeing and hearing (exposures), and depression and chronic anxiety (outcomes) were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression was assessed for difficulty with vision alone, hearing alone and with difficulty with both, adjusting for gender, age, marital status, living as a couple, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, BMI, physical activity, use of glasses/contact lenses, and hearing aid.

Results

Visual difficulty, hearing difficulty, and dual difficulties were all associated with significantly higher odds for depression (ORs 2.367, 2.098, and 3.852, respectively) and for chronic anxiety (ORs 1.983, 1.942, and 3.385, respectively). Dual sensory difficulty was associated with higher odds ratios for depression and anxiety when compared to either impairment alone.

Conclusion

Dual sensory difficulty is associated with significantly higher odds of anxiety and depression when compared to either vision or hearing difficulty alone. Appropriate interventions are needed to address any reversible causes of vision and hearing as well as anxiety and depression in people in these specific groups.
Increased Reward-Related Activation in the Ventral Striatum During Stress Exposure Associated With Positive Affect in the Daily Life of Young Adults With a Family History of Depression. Preliminary Findings
Authors: Martin-Soelch Chantal , Guillod Matthias , Gaillard Claudie , Recabarren Romina Evelyn , Federspiel Andrea , Mueller-Pfeiffer Christoph , Homan Philipp , Hasler Gregor , Schoebi Dominik , Horsch Antje , Gomez Patrick
Published: January 2021

Background:Being the offspring of a parent with major depression disorder (MDD) is a strong predictor for developing MDD. Blunted striatal responses to reward were identified in individuals with MDD and in asymptomatic individuals with family history of depression (FHD). Stress is a major etiological factor for MDD and was also reported to reduce the striatal responses to reward. The stress-reward interactions in FHD individuals has not been explored yet. Extending neuroimaging results into daily-life experience, self-reported ambulatory measures of positive affect (PA) were shown to be associated with striatal activation during reward processing. A reduction of self-reported PA in daily life is consistently reported in individuals with current MDD. Here, we aimed to test (1) whether increased family risk of depression is associated with blunted neural and self-reported reward responses. (2) the stress-reward interactions at the neural level. We expected a stronger reduction of reward-related striatal activation under stress in FHD individuals compared to HC. (3) the associations between fMRI and daily life self-reported data on reward and stress experiences, with a specific interest in the striatum as a crucial region for reward processing.

Method:Participants were 16 asymptomatic young adults with FHD and 16 controls (HC). They performed the Fribourg Reward Task with and without stress induction, using event-related fMRI. We conducted whole-brain analyses comparing the two groups for the main effect of reward (rewarded > not-rewarded) during reward feedback in control (no-stress) and stress conditions. Beta weights extracted from significant activation in this contrast were correlated with self-reported PA and negative affect (NA) assessed over 1 week.

Results:Under stress induction, the reward-related activation in the ventral striatum (VS) was higher in the FHD group than in the HC group. Unexpectedly, we did not find significant group differences in the self-reported daily life PA measures. During stress induction, VS reward-related activation correlated positively with PA in both groups and negatively with NA in the HC group.

Conclusion:As expected, our results indicate that increased family risk of depression was associated with specific striatum reactivity to reward in a stress condition, and support previous findings that ventral striatal reward-related response is associated with PA. A new unexpected finding is the negative association between NA and reward-related ventral striatal activation in the HC group.
Aging as a Context for the Role of Inflammation in Depressive Symptoms
Authors: Straka Kelci , Tran Mai-Lan , Millwood Summer , Swanson James , Kuhlman Kate Ryan
Published: January 2021

Inflammation has been implicated in the pathogenesis and maintenance of depressive symptoms. The role of inflammation in depressive symptomatology may be complex, varying within endophenotypes and across the lifespan. Aging is associated with myriad changes in the structure and function of the brain. Yet, little attention has been given to the role of inflammation in depressive symptoms within a lifespan developmental framework. In this study, we examined whether the association between inflammation and depressive symptom domains varied by age. Participants were a community sample of individuals (N= 2,077, Range = 30–84) who participated in the Biomarker projects of the MIDUS2, MIDUS Refresher, or the MIDJA study. Inflammation was indexed by two inflammatory markers consistently implicated in depressed individuals, interleukin 6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP), measured in blood. Depressive symptom domains, including depressed affect, anhedonia, somatic complaints, and interpersonal problems, were reportedviathe Center for Epidemiologic Studies—Depression Scale (CES-D). Inflammatory markers were associated with more somatic complaints, more interpersonal problems, and less anhedonia. Age moderated the relationship between inflammatory markers and two depressive symptom subscales. Specifically, the positive association between inflammation and somatic complaints and the negative association between inflammation and anhedonia increased with age. These observations offer preliminary evidence from a large community sample that aging may be an important context for the role of inflammatory signaling in different aspects of psychological and behavioral well-being.
Inflexibility in Reasoning: Comparisons of Cognitive Flexibility, Explanatory Flexibility, and Belief Flexibility Between Schizophrenia and Major Depressive Disorder
Authors: Zhu Chen , Kwok Nate Tsz-kit , Chan Tracey Chi-wan , Chan Gloria Hoi-kei , So Suzanne Ho-wai
Published: January 2021

Introduction:Inflexibility in reasoning has been suggested to contribute to psychiatric disorders, such as explanatory flexibility in depression and belief flexibility in schizophrenia. However, studies tended to examine only one of the flexibility constructs, which could be related to each other, within a single group of patients. As enhancing flexibility in thinking has become one of the psychological treatment goals across disorders, this study aimed to examine three constructs of flexibility (cognitive flexibility, explanatory flexibility, and belief flexibility) in two psychiatric groups.

Methods:We compared three groups of participants: (i) 56 outpatients with a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder and active delusions, (ii) 57 outpatients with major depressive disorder and at least a moderate level of depression, and (iii) 30 healthy controls. Participants were assessed on symptom severity and flexibility, using the Trail-Making Task, the Attributional Style Questionnaire, the Maudsley Assessment of Delusions Scale (MADS) and the Bias Against Disconfirmatory Evidence (BADE) Task.

Results:Cognitive flexibility was reduced in the two clinical groups compared to controls. Explanatory flexibility was comparable across groups. The three groups differed in belief flexibility measured by MADS but not by the BADE task. Response to hypothetical contradiction was reduced in the delusion group than the other two groups, and the ability to generate alternative explanations was reduced in the delusion group than healthy controls.

Discussion:We found an effect of diagnosis on cognitive flexibility, which might be confounded by differences in intellectual functioning. Reduced belief flexibility tended to be specific to delusions.
Re-work Program in Japan—Overview and Outcome of the Program
Authors: Ohki Yoko , Igarashi Yoshio , Yamauchi Keita
Published: January 2021

Background: The objective of this study was to examine the effect of the Japanese re-work program (RP) to aid in recurrent sick leave prevention.

Methods: A multicenter retrospective cohort research was conducted for workers who returned to work (RTW) after sick leave due to mood disorder. Work continuation for subjects who RTW after RP participation and treatment as usual (TAU) and subjects who received TAU only were compared. The Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazard models were utilized. Additionally, propensity score matching was conducted to control for possible confounds.

Results: Log-rank test of overall cohort (n = 323) showed that work continuation of RP + TAU subjects was significantly better compared to that of TAU-only subjects (p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis found a hazard rate of recurrent sick leave for TAU-only subjects of 2.121 (p = 0.001, 95% CI: 1.360–3.309). Additionally, the propensity score-matched cohort (n = 100) had similar differences (p = 0.008), with a hazard ratio of recurrent sick leave of 2.871 (p = 0.009, 95% CI: 1.302–6.331) for TAU-only subjects.

Limitations: Only workers who RTW after sick leave were targeted, and no examination was made considering cases who dropped out from RP or TAU. Moreover, the sample was a non-randomized controlled trial, with propensity score matching performed. However, there was an inability to retrieve and adjust for working environment background factors after RTW.

Conclusions: Work continuation of subjects with RP was observed to be significantly better, suggesting that the RP was effective for recurrent sick leave prevention.
Panic Buying in Bangladesh: An Exploration of Media Reports
Authors: Arafat S. M. Yasir , Yuen Kum Fai , Menon Vikas , Shoib Sheikh , Ahmad Araz Ramazan
Published: January 2021

Background: As an erratic human behavior, panic buying is an understudied research area. Although panic buying has been reported in the past, it has not been studied systematically in Bangladesh.

Aim: This study aimed to explore the characteristics of panic buying episodes in Bangladesh in comparison to current concepts.

Methods: A retrospective and explorative search were done using the search engine Google on November 6, 2020, with the search term “panic buying in Bangladesh.” All the available news reports published in the English language were extracted. A thorough content analysis was done focusing on the study objectives.

Results: From the initial search, a total of 30 reports were extracted. However, six reports were not included based upon the exclusion criteria, resulting in an analysis of 24 reports. Five panic buying episodes were identified, discussing the precipitating events, responsible factors, goods acquired through panic buying, and prevention measures. Flood, curfew, COVID-19, and export ban were found to be precipitating events. Media reports frequently mentioned prevention strategies, expert opinion, supply chain status, rationing, and government action. The reported goods that were panic bought were items necessary for daily living such as rice, oil, spices, and safety products such as hand sanitizer and masks.

Conclusion: The study revealed preliminary findings on panic buying in Bangladesh; however, they are aligned with the current concept of it. Further empirical studies are warranted to see the geographical variation, precise factors, and to test the culturally appropriate controlling measures.
Study on the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) of Nursing Staff and Influencing Factors on COVID-19
Authors: Wen Xin , Wang Fan , Li Xiuyang , Gu Hua
Published: January 2021

The aim of this study is to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) care among nursing staff and analyze its influencing factors. The survey was conducted on February 18, 2020, among 7,716 voluntary participants from 143 medical institutions in Zhejiang, China. The findings indicated that KAP of nursing staff scored well. However, the accuracy of psychological nursing knowledge was much lower, 14.3% only. Nursing staff working in isolation wards have higher knowledge (OR = 1.776, 95% CI: 1.491–2.116), attitude (OR = 1.542, 95% CI: 1.298–1.832), and practice (OR = 1.902, 95% CI: 1.590–2.274) scores than those in general wards. In terms of KAP, nursing staff with working experience ≤ 10 years scored lower than those with working experience ≥ 20 years, with OR values of 0.490 (95% CI: 0.412–0.583), 0.654 (95% CI: 0.551–0.775), and 0.747 (95% CI: 0.629–0.886), respectively. It is necessary to take measures to enhance the training on COVID-19, especially for KAP of junior nurses in general wards.
A Machine Learning Approach to Uncovering Hidden Utilization Patterns of Early Childhood Dental Care Among Medicaid-Insured Children
Authors: Peng Jin , Zeng Xianlong , Townsend Janice , Liu Gilbert , Huang Yungui , Lin Simon
Published: January 2021

Background: Early childhood dental care (ECDC) is a significant public health opportunity since dental caries is largely preventable and a prime target for reducing healthcare expenditures. This study aims to discover underlying patterns in ECDC utilization among Ohio Medicaid-insured children, which have significant implications for public health prevention, innovative service delivery models, and targeted cost-saving interventions.

Methods: Using 9 years of longitudinal Medicaid data of 24,223 publicly insured child members of an accountable care organization (ACO), Partners for Kids in Ohio, we applied unsupervised machine learning to cluster patients based on their cumulative dental cost curves in early childhood (24–60 months). Clinical validity, analytical validity, and reproducibility were assessed.

Results: The clustering revealed five novel subpopulations: (1) early-onset of decay by age (0.5% of the population, as early as 28 months), (2) middle-onset of decay (3.0%, as early as 35 months), (3) late-onset of decay (5.8%, as early as 44 months), (4) regular preventive care (67.7%), and (5) zero utilization (23.0%). Patients with early-onset of decay incurred the highest dental cost [median annual cost (MAC) = $9,499, InterQuartile Range (IQR): $7,052–$11,216], while patients with regular preventive care incurred the lowest dental cost (MAC = $191, IQR: $99–$336). We also found a plausible correlation of early-onset of decay with complex medical conditions diagnosed at 0–24 months. Almost one-third of patients with early-onset of decay had complex medical conditions diagnosed at 0–24 months. Patients with early-onset of decay also incurred the highest medical cost (MAC = $7,513, IQR: $4,527–$12,546) at 0–24 months.

Conclusion: Among Ohio Medicaid-insured children, five subpopulations with distinctive clinical, cost, and utilization patterns were discovered and validated through a data-driven approach. This novel discovery promotes innovative prevention strategies that differentiate Medicaid subpopulations, and allows for the development of cost-effective interventions that target high-risk patients. Furthermore, an integrated medical-dental care delivery model promises to reduce costs further while improving patient outcomes.
The Forbidden Reward. The Emergence of Parent-Child Conflicts About Food Over Time and the Influence of Parents' Communication Strategies and Feeding Practices
Authors: Spielvogel Ines , Naderer Brigitte , Binder Alice , Matthes Jörg
Published: January 2021

One of the most critical arenas for conflicts between parents and their children relates to food. Although parent-child conflicts about food are a real occurrence, this form of parent-child interaction has been rarely examined. Given the special role of parents in shaping children's diet, we especially focus on the impact of parental measures. This study investigates how parental communication strategies (i.e., active vs. restrictive) and feeding practices (i.e., overt control vs. covert control) affect the emergence of parent-child conflicts about food over time. Based on previous research, we assessed overt control through parents' use of food as a reward and restriction of their children's access to specific food types. We explored the impact of our predictors on both conflicts about unhealthy and healthy food with a two-wave panel study including parents and their children (N= 541; children aged between 5 and 11) in Austria between fall 2018 and spring 2019. Results of two multiple linear regressions indicated that predominantly parents' use of unhealthy food as a reward is connected to both healthy and unhealthy food conflicts. Furthermore, inconsistent parental educational styles increased the respective conflict potential. Active food-related mediation and covert control did not relate to food-related conflicts about unhealthy and healthy food. Parents' increased use of overtly controlling and restrictive feeding practices might not be only counterproductive for children's diet but also for food-related parent-child interactions. Instead, a “health discourse” (i.e., active food-related mediation) might prevent food-related conflicts and foster a healthy growth in the future.
Dementia Research in the Caribbean Hispanic Islands: Present Findings and Future Trends
Authors: Acosta Daisy , Llibre-Guerra Jorge J. , Jiménez-Velázquez Ivonne Z. , Llibre-Rodríguez Juan J.
Published: January 2021

During the last decade, the Caribbean Hispanic islands experienced accelerated demographic aging, representing the fastest aging region within Latin America. Age-related non-communicable diseases, including dementia, are now reported at high prevalence. The Caribbean islands share similar genetic ancestry, culture, migration patterns, and risk profiles, providing a unique setting to understand dementia in the Caribbean-Hispanics. This perspective article aimed to describe the impact of dementia in the Caribbean, at a local and regional level and reflect on research strategies to address dementia. We report on 10/66 project findings, described research projects and regional plans for the region. According to our results, the prevalence of dementia in the Caribbean is the highest in Latin America, with 11.7% in Dominican Republic, 11.6% in Puerto Rico, and 10.8% in Cuba. Preliminary data from new waves of the 10/66 study shows increasing numbers of dementia cases. Furthermore, dementia is expected to be one of the most serious medical and social issues confronted by Caribbean health systems. However, there is a scarcity of knowledge, awareness, and health services to deal with this public health crisis. In light of the new evidence, local and regional strategies are underway to better understand dementia trends for the region and develop policies aimed to decrease the impact of dementia. Implementation of our national plans is critical to deal with an aging population with high dementia rates. Current recommendations include emphasizing public health prevention campaigns to address modifiable risk factors and expand support to caregiver and family interventions.
Improving Resource Management for Unattended Observation of the Marginal Ice Zone Using Autonomous Underwater Gliders
Authors: Duguid Zachary , Camilli Richard
Published: January 2021

We present control policies for use with a modified autonomous underwater glider that are intended to enable remote launch/recovery and long-range unattended survey of the Arctic's marginal ice zone (MIZ). This region of the Arctic is poorly characterized but critical to the dynamics of ice advance and retreat. Due to the high cost of operating support vessels in the Arctic, the proposed glider architecture minimizes external infrastructure requirements for navigation and mission updates to brief and infrequent satellite updates on the order of once per day. This is possible through intelligent power management in combination with hybrid propulsion, adaptive velocity control, and dynamic depth band selection based on real-time environmental state estimation. We examine the energy savings, range improvements, decreased communication requirements, and temporal consistency that can be attained with the proposed glider architecture and control policies based on preliminary field data, and we discuss a future MIZ survey mission concept in the Arctic. Although the sensing and control policies presented here focus on under ice missions with an unattended underwater glider, they are hardware independent and are transferable to other robotic vehicle classes, including in aerial and space domains.
The Impact of Covid-19 on Women's Experiences of and Through Football in Buenos Aires
Authors: Lozano Juliana Román , Santino Mónica , Wood David
Published: January 2021

This research report explores the impact of Covid-19 on women's football in Buenos Aires. The suspension of all forms of football in Argentina as part of the country's hard lockdown measures threatens to undo significant gains made in women's football in recent years. By focussing on the experiences of key actors in a feminist Civil Society Organization (CSO) and a newly professional women's team, respectively, we examine what the pandemic has meant for women's football and for women football players at different levels of the game. We also consider the potential impact of the current situation on the future of women's football in Argentina, representative of wider social advances for women in the country.