bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reaching out and seeking help from frontline professionals: experiences of men perpetrating partner violence
Authors: Sengoelge Mathilde , Ponce Alvaro , Perry Elisabeth , Pauncz Alessandra , Geldschlager Heinrich
Published: December 2020

Background:

Research on help-seeking behaviour in partner violence has mainly focused on victims. This article reports on a multi-country qualitative study exploring the views and experiences of men perpetrating partner violence and their contact with frontline professionals. The study was part of a wider programme of training for professionals to enable disclosure of domestic violence by perpetrators (project ENGAGE).

Methods:

Eleven semi‐structured interviews and one focus group discussion with seven men were conducted and thematic analysis was used to analyse their responses. Emphasis was on understanding how professionals’ responses prevented or facilitated disclosure and seeking support and/or professional help.

Results:

The men revealed the difficulties they face in the process of disclosure and that help-seeking from non-specialised professionals had a negative emotional impact for most men. Four themes emerged: barriers to help-seeking for men; helpful responses from professionals; unhelpful responses to avoid; and recommendations for professionals to improve their interactions with men.

Conclusion:

This study has implications for the training of frontline professionals and underlines the need for changes in services to ensure that all men consistently receive an appropriate response and are directed to perpetrator programmes or specialised services.
Label-free imaging of fibroblast membrane interfaces and protein signatures with vibrational infrared photothermal and phase signals
Authors: Samolis Panagis D. , Langley Daniel , O’Reilly Breanna M. , Oo Zay , Hilzenrat Geva , Erramilli Shyamsunder , Sgro Allyson E. , McArthur Sally , Sander Michelle Y.
Published: December 2020

Label-free vibrational imaging of biological samples has attracted significant interest due to its integration of structural and chemical information. Vibrational infrared photothermal amplitude and phase signal (VIPPS) imaging provide label-free chemical identification by targeting the characteristic resonances of biological compounds that are present in the mid-infrared fingerprint region (3 µm - 12 µm). High contrast imaging of subcellular features and chemical identification of protein secondary structures in unlabeled and labeled fibroblast cells embedded in a collagen-rich extracellular matrix is demonstrated by combining contrast from absorption signatures (amplitude signals) with sensitive detection of different heat properties (lock-in phase signals). We present that the detectability of nano-sized cell membranes is enhanced to well below the optical diffraction limit since the membranes are found to act as thermal barriers. VIPPS offers a novel combination of chemical imaging and thermal diffusion characterization that paves the way towards label-free imaging of cell models and tissues as well as the study of intracellular heat dynamics.
Sub-ps resolution clock-offset measurement over a 114 km fiber link using linear optical sampling
Authors: Abuduweili Abulikemu , Chen Xing , Chen Ziyang , Meng Fei , Wu Teng , Guo Hong , Zhang Zhigang
Published: December 2020

We demonstrate a sub-ps resolution clock-offset measurement based on linear optical sampling technique via a 114 km fiber link by transferring a dual optical frequency comb. The time deviation between two distance clocks is 110 fs at 1 s and 22 fs at 100 s averaging, and the standard deviation of the measured clock offset is 237 fs. This sub-ps level of clock offset measurement should benefit many time synchronization applications via long fiber links.
Chaotic constant composition distribution matching for physical layer security in a PS-OFDM-PON
Authors: Ren Jianxin , Liu Bo , Zhao Delin , Han Shun , Chen Shuaidong , Mao Yaya , Wu Yongfeng , Song Xiumin , Zhao Jianye , Liu Xueyang , Xin Xiangjun
Published: December 2020

This paper proposes a probabilistic shaping orthogonal frequency division multiplexing passive optical network (PS-OFDM-PON) based on chaotic constant composition distribution matching (CCDM). With the implementation of a four-dimensional hyperchaotic Lv system, probabilistic shaping and chaotic encryption are realized with low complexity on the process of signal modulation, so as to enhance the system performance in the presence of bit error rate (BER) and security. An 8.9 Gb/s encrypted PS-16 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM)-OFDM signal transmission over a 25 km standard single mode fiber (SSMF) is experimentally demonstrated. And experimental results indicate that compared with conventional uniform 16QAM-OFDM, the encrypted PS-16QAM-OFDM can obtain a 1.2 dB gain in receiver sensitivity at a BER of 10−3 under the same bit rate. Moreover, the key space of the proposed scheme is 1.98 × 1073, which is a large enough number to effectively guard against any malicious attacks from illegal optical network units (ONUs). The combined superiority of BER and security performance enables a promising prospect for the proposed PS chaotic encryption scheme in a future low-cost optical access network.
DNN-FZA camera: a deep learning approach toward broadband FZA lensless imaging
Authors: Wu Jiachen , Cao Liangcai , Barbastathis George
Published: December 2020

In mask-based lensless imaging, iterative reconstruction methods based on the geometric optics model produce artifacts and are computationally expensive. We present a prototype of a lensless camera that uses a deep neural network (DNN) to realize rapid reconstruction for Fresnel zone aperture (FZA) imaging. A deep back-projection network (DBPN) is connected behind a U-Net providing an error feedback mechanism, which realizes the self-correction of features to recover the image detail. A diffraction model generates the training data under conditions of broadband incoherent imaging. In the reconstructed results, blur caused by diffraction is shown to have been ameliorated, while the computing time is 2 orders of magnitude faster than the traditional iterative image reconstruction algorithms. This strategy could drastically reduce the design and assembly costs of cameras, paving the way for integration of portable sensors and systems.
Efficient and flexible approach to ptychography using an optimization framework based on automatic differentiation
Authors: Seifert Jacob , Bouchet Dorian , Loetgering Lars , Mosk Allard P.
Published: December 2020

Ptychography is a lensless imaging method that allows for wavefront sensing and phase-sensitive microscopy from a set of diffraction patterns. Recently, it has been shown that the optimization task in ptychography can be achieved via automatic differentiation (AD). Here, we propose an open-access AD-based framework implemented with TensorFlow, a popular machine learning library. Using simulations, we show that our AD-based framework performs comparably to a state-of-the-art implementation of the momentum-accelerated ptychographic iterative engine (mPIE) in terms of reconstruction speed and quality. AD-based approaches provide great flexibility, as we demonstrate by setting the reconstruction distance as a trainable parameter. Lastly, we experimentally demonstrate that our framework faithfully reconstructs a biological specimen.
Accurate prediction of kinase-substrate networks using knowledge graphs
Authors: Nováček Vít , McGauran Gavin , Matallanas David , Vallejo Blanco Adrián , Conca Piero , Muñoz Emir , Costabello Luca , Kanakaraj Kamalesh , Nawaz Zeeshan , Walsh Brian , Mohamed Sameh K. , Vandenbussche Pierre-Yves , Ryan Colm J. , Kolch Walter , Fey Dirk
Published: December 2020

Phosphorylation of specific substrates by protein kinases is a key control mechanism for vital cell-fate decisions and other cellular processes. However, discovering specific kinase-substrate relationships is time-consuming and often rather serendipitous. Computational predictions alleviate these challenges, but the current approaches suffer from limitations like restricted kinome coverage and inaccuracy. They also typically utilise only local features without reflecting broader interaction context. To address these limitations, we have developed an alternative predictive model. It uses statistical relational learning on top of phosphorylation networks interpreted as knowledge graphs, a simple yet robust model for representing networked knowledge. Compared to a representative selection of six existing systems, our model has the highest kinome coverage and produces biologically valid high-confidence predictions not possible with the other tools. Specifically, we have experimentally validated predictions of previously unknown phosphorylations by the LATS1, AKT1, PKA and MST2 kinases in human. Thus, our tool is useful for focusing phosphoproteomic experiments, and facilitates the discovery of new phosphorylation reactions. Our model can be accessed publicly via an easy-to-use web interface (LinkPhinder).
Searching through functional space reveals distributed visual, auditory, and semantic coding in the human brain
Authors: Kumar Sreejan , Ellis Cameron T. , O’Connell Thomas P. , Chun Marvin M. , Turk-Browne Nicholas B.
Published: December 2020

The extent to which brain functions are localized or distributed is a foundational question in neuroscience. In the human brain, common fMRI methods such as cluster correction, atlas parcellation, and anatomical searchlight are biased by design toward finding localized representations. Here we introduce the functional searchlight approach as an alternative to anatomical searchlight analysis, the most commonly used exploratory multivariate fMRI technique. Functional searchlight removes any anatomical bias by grouping voxels based only on functional similarity and ignoring anatomical proximity. We report evidence that visual and auditory features from deep neural networks and semantic features from a natural language processing model, as well as object representations, are more widely distributed across the brain than previously acknowledged and that functional searchlight can improve model-based similarity and decoding accuracy. This approach provides a new way to evaluate and constrain computational models with brain activity and pushes our understanding of human brain function further along the spectrum from strict modularity toward distributed representation.
Diagnostic differentiation of Zika and dengue virus exposure by analyzing T cell receptor sequences from peripheral blood of infected HLA-A2 transgenic mice
Authors: Hassert Mariah , Wolf Kyle J. , Rajeh Ahmad , Schiebout Courtney , Hoft Stella G. , Ahn Tae-Hyuk , DiPaolo Richard J. , Brien James D. , Pinto Amelia K.
Published: December 2020

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a significant global health threat due to its potential for rapid emergence and association with severe congenital malformations during infection in pregnancy. Despite the urgent need, accurate diagnosis of ZIKV infection is still a major hurdle that must be overcome. Contributing to the inaccuracy of most serologically-based diagnostic assays for ZIKV, is the substantial geographic and antigenic overlap with other flaviviruses, including the four serotypes of dengue virus (DENV). Within this study, we have utilized a novel T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing platform to distinguish between ZIKV and DENV infections. Using high-throughput TCR sequencing of lymphocytes isolated from DENV and ZIKV infected mice, we were able to develop an algorithm which could identify virus-associated TCR sequences uniquely associated with either a prior ZIKV or DENV infection in mice. Using this algorithm, we were then able to separate mice that had been exposed to ZIKV or DENV infection with 97% accuracy. Overall this study serves as a proof-of-principle that T cell receptor sequencing can be used as a diagnostic tool capable of distinguishing between closely related viruses. Our results demonstrate the potential for this innovative platform to be used to accurately diagnose Zika virus infection and potentially the next emerging pathogen(s).
Isolation and characterization of a high iturin yielding Bacillus velezensis UV mutant with improved antifungal activity
Authors: Kim Young Tae , Kim Sung Eun , Lee Won Jung , Fumei Zhao , Cho Min Sub , Moon Jae Sun , Oh Hyun-Woo , Park Ho-Yong , Kim Sung Uk
Published: December 2020

To isolateBacillus velezensismutants with improved antifungal activity for use in the biological control of phytopathogenic fungi, wild-typeBacillus velezensisKRF-001 producing iturin, surfactin, and fengycin was irradiated by ultraviolet (UV) rays. Thein vitroandin vivoantifungal activities of UV mutants and characterization of the cyclic lipopeptides produced by a selected mutant were examined. A mutant strain yielding high levels of iturin showed over 2-fold higher antifungal activity than the wild-type againstFusarium oxysporum. A potent suppressive effect of the mutant was also observed on spore germination ofBotrytis cinerea, the causative agent of cucumber gray mold, at different butanol extract concentrations. Further analysis of the mutant by real-time PCR and high-performance liquid chromatography revealed increased expression of iturin and surfactin biosynthesis genes as well as enhanced production of iturin and surfactin metabolites. However, the amounts of fengycin obtained from the mutant strain BSM54 were significantly lesser than those of iturin and surfactin. Particularly, iturin A production by the mutant was 3.5-fold higher than that of the wild-type, suggesting that the higher antifungal activity of the mutant againstF.oxysporumresulted from the increased expression of biosynthesis genes associated with iturin production. The commercial greenhouse experiment using soil naturally infested withSclerotinia sclerotiorum(sclerotinia rot) andF.oxysporum(fusarium wilt) showed that the mutant strain reduced sclerotinia rot and fusarium wilt diseases (P= 0.05) more effectively than the wild-type and commercially available product Cillus® in Korea. These results suggest that the mutant with high iturin yield is a potential candidate for the development of a biological control agent in agriculture.
Applying Internet information technology combined with deep learning to tourism collaborative recommendation system
Authors: Wang Meng
Published: December 2020

Recently, more personalized travel methods have emerged in the tourism industry, such as individual travel and self-guided travel. The service models of traditional tourism limit the diversity of service options and cannot fully meet the individual needs of tourists anymore. The aim is to integrate sparse tourism information on the Internet, thereby providing more convenient, faster, and more personalized tourism services. Based on the shortcomings of the traditional tourism recommendation system, a deep learning-based classification processing method of tourism product information is proposed. This method uses word embedding in the data preprocessing stage. The Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is used to process review information of users and tourism service items. The Deep Neural Network (DNN) is used to process the necessary information of users and tourism service items. Also, factorization machine technology is used to learn the interaction between the extracted features to improve the prediction model. The results show that the proposed model can maintain an excellent precision of 64.2% when generating personalized recommendation lists for users. The sensitivity and accuracy of the recommendation list are better than other algorithms. By adding DNN, the word embedding method, and the factorization machine model, the precision is improved by 30%, 33.3%, and 40%, respectively. The model accuracy is the highest with 40 hidden factors, 100 convolutions, and a 100+50 combination hidden layer. Compared with traditional methods, the proposed algorithm can provide users with personalized travel products more accurately in personalized travel recommendations. The results have enriched and developed the theory of tourism service supply chain, providing a reference for constructing a personalized tourism service system.
The effects of selected biologics and a small molecule on Health-Related Quality of Life in adult plaque psoriasis patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Karpińska-Mirecka Anna , Bartosińska Joanna , Krasowska Dorota
Published: December 2020

Background

The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) is commonly used to assess the quality of life of patients with skin diseases. Clinical trials confirm the positive effect of the use of biologics and new molecules on the quality of life of patients with plaque psoriasis.

Main objectives

Investigation of the effect of infliximab, adalimumab, ixekizumab, secukinumab and tofacitinib on Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) measured by the DLQI in adult plaque psoriatic patients with respect to the patients’ race, type of used agent/placebo, agent’s dosage and treatment duration as well as the DLQI score prior to and after commencement of treatment.

Material and methods

Systematic literature searching for referential papers written in English using four databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov as well asandmanual searching (Google) Cochran’s (Q) and I2tests were used for evaluation of heterogeneity or the degree of variation in the true effect size estimates between the analysed studies. The standardized mean difference (the SMD; Hedge’s g score) was applied to measure the differences between the two means (i.e. two groups: treated vs non-treated or treated vs placebo). The data coding and Hedge's g values were calculated according to the guidance of MetaXL software version 5.3.

Main results

43 studies, in total 25,898 individuals, were evaluated by the DLQI and weighted mean scores were derived for the analysis. The mean DLQI scores ranged from 6.83 to 17.8 with the overall DLQI score of 12.12 (95%CI: 11.24 to 13.06). A random-effects model demonstrated significant considerable heterogeneity of the study results (I2= 98%; p<0.001).

Conclusion

Infliximab, adalimumab, ixekizumab, secukinumab and tofacitinib in adult plaque psoriatic patients improved HRQOL measured by the DLQI. The patients with lower quality of life before treatment obtained better results.
Assessment of Vibrio parahaemolyticus levels in oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and seawater in Delaware Bay in relation to environmental conditions and the prevalence of molecular markers to identify pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains
Authors: Almuhaideb Esam , Chintapenta Lathadevi K. , Abbott Amanda , Parveen Salina , Ozbay Gulnihal
Published: December 2020

This study identifiedVibrio parahaemolyticusin oyster and seawater samples collected from Delaware Bay from June through October of 2016. Environmental parameters including water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and chlorophyllawere measured per sampling event. Oysters homogenate and seawater samples were 10-fold serially diluted and directly plated on CHROMagarᵀᴹ Vibrio medium. PresumptiveV.parahaemolyticuscolonies were counted and at least 20% of these colonies were selected for molecular chracterization.V.parahaemolyticusisolates (n = 165) were screened for the presence of the species-specific thermolabile hemolysin (tlh) gene, the pathogenic thermostable direct hemolysin (tdh)/ thermostable related hemolysin (trh) genes, the regulatory transmembrane DNA-binding gene (toxR), andV.parahaemolyticusmetalloprotease (vpm) gene using a conventional PCR. The highest mean levels of the presumptiveV.parahaemolyticuswere 9.63×103CFU/g and 1.85×103CFU/mL in the oyster and seawater samples, respectively, during the month of July.V.parahaemolyticuslevels in oyster and seawater samples were significantly positively correlated with water temperature. Of the 165 isolates, 137 (83%), 110 (66.7%), and 108 (65%) weretlh+,vpm+, andtoxR+, respectively. Among theV.parahaemolyticus(tlh+) isolates, 7 (5.1%) and 15 (10.9%) weretdh+andtrh+, respectively, and 24 (17.5%), only oyster isolates, were positive for both genes. Potential pathogenic strains that possessedtdhand/ortrhwere notably higher in oyster (39%) than seawater (15.6%) isolates. The occurrence of totalV.parahaemolyticus(tlh+) was not necessarily proportional to the potential pathogenicV.parahaemolyticus. Co-occurrence of the five genetic markers were observed only among oyster isolates. The co-occurrence of the gene markers showed a relatedness potential oftdhoccurrence withvpm. We believe exploring the role ofV.parahaemolyticusmetalloprotease and whether it is involved in the toxic activity of the thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH) protein can be of significance. The outcomes of this study will provide some foundation for future studies regarding pathogenicVibriodynamics in relation to environmental quality.
Pituitary stalk interruption syndrome is characterized by genetic heterogeneity
Authors: Brauner Raja , Bignon-Topalovic Joelle , Bashamboo Anu , McElreavey Ken
Published: December 2020

Pituitary stalk interruption syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by an absent or ectopic posterior pituitary, interrupted pituitary stalk and anterior pituitary hypoplasia, as well as in some cases, a range of heterogeneous somatic anomalies. A genetic cause is identified in only around 5% of all cases. Here, we define the genetic variants associated with PSIS followed by the same pediatric endocrinologist. Exome sequencing was performed in 52 (33 boys and 19 girls), including 2 familial cases single center pediatric cases, among them associated 36 (69.2%) had associated symptoms or syndromes. We identified rare and novel variants in genes (37 families with 39 individuals) known to be involved in one or more of the following—midline development and/or pituitary development or function (BMP4,CDON,GLI2,GLI3,HESX1,KIAA0556,LHX9,NKX2-1,PROP1,PTCH1,SHH,TBX19,TGIF1), syndromic and non-syndromic forms of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (CCDC141,CHD7,FANCA,FANCC,FANCD2,FANCE,FANCG,IL17RD,KISS1R,NSMF,PMM2,SEMA3E,WDR11), syndromic forms of short stature (FGFR3,NBAS,PRMT7,RAF1,SLX4,SMARCA2,SOX11), cerebellum atrophy with optic anomalies (DNMT1,NBAS), axonal migration (ROBO1,SLIT2), and agenesis of the corpus callosum (ARID1B,CC2D2A,CEP120,CSPP1,DHCR7,INPP5E,VPS13B,ZNF423). Pituitary stalk interruption syndrome is characterized by a complex genetic heterogeneity, that reflects a complex phenotypic heterogeneity. Seizures, intellectual disability, micropenis or cryptorchidism, seen at presentation are usually considered as secondary to the pituitary deficiencies. However, this study shows that they are due to specific gene mutations. PSIS should therefore be considered as part of the phenotypic spectrum of other known genetic syndromes rather than as specific clinical entity.
Dynamic sentiment spillovers among crude oil, gold, and Bitcoin markets: Evidence from time and frequency domain analyses
Authors: Su Xianfang , Li Yong
Published: December 2020

This paper examines the sentiment spillovers among oil, gold, and Bitcoin markets by employing spillovers index methods in a time-frequency framework. We find that the total sentiment spillover among crude oil, gold and Bitcoin markets is time-varying and is greatly affected by major market events. The directional sentiment spillovers are also time-varying. On average, the Bitcoin market is the major transmitter of directional sentiment spillovers, whereas the crude oil and gold markets are the major receivers. In particular, the sentiment spillover effects are major created at high-frequency components, implying that the markets rapidly process the sentiment spillover effects and the shock is transmitted over the short-term. Moreover, we also find that the sentiment spillover effects differ significantly in term of intensity and direction when compared with return and volatility spillover effects. The present study has certain applications for investors and policymakers.
Determination of changes in the microbial and chemical composition of Țaga cheese during maturation
Authors: Criste Adriana , Copolovici Lucian , Copolovici Dana , Kovacs Melinda , Madden Robert H. , Corcionivoschi Nicolae , Gundogdu Ozan , Berchez Mihaela , Urcan Adriana Cristina
Published: December 2020

Țaga cheese is a traditional Romanian smear-ripened cheese made from bovine milk and identified with the name of the village and caves where it is produced. As no previously reported microbiological and chemical studies have been undertaken on this product, this research aimed to investigate the microbiological and biochemical characteristics which ensure the uniqueness of Țaga cheese during the ripening process, to inform producers as to key quality determinants. Cheese samples, consisting of retail blocks, were collected on days 2, 5, 12, 18, and 25 of the ripening process. The evolution of lactic microbiota during the production and maturation of traditional cheeses involves isolating lactic acid microorganisms present in cheese. Cheese samples were analyzed for pH, fat, NaCl, fatty acids, and volatile compounds. The microbial ecosystem naturally changes during the maturation process, leading to variation in the microorganisms involved during ripening. Our results show that specific bacteria were identified in high levels during the entire ripening process and may be responsible for milk fat lipolysis contributing directly to cheese flavor by imparting detailed fatty acid flavor notes, or indirectly as precursors formation of other flavor compounds.
Perceptual learning of pitch provided by cochlear implant stimulation rate
Authors: Bissmeyer Susan R. S. , Hossain Shaikat , Goldsworthy Raymond L.
Published: December 2020

Cochlear implant users hear pitch evoked by stimulation rate, but discrimination diminishes for rates above 300 Hz. This upper limit on rate pitch is surprising given the remarkable and specialized ability of the auditory nerve to respond synchronously to stimulation rates at least as high as 3 kHz and arguably as high as 10 kHz. Sensitivity to stimulation rate as a pitch cue varies widely across cochlear implant users and can be improved with training. The present study examines individual differences and perceptual learning of stimulation rate as a cue for pitch ranking. Adult cochlear implant users participated in electrode psychophysics that involved testing once per week for three weeks. Stimulation pulse rate discrimination was measured in bipolar and monopolar configurations for apical and basal electrodes. Base stimulation rates between 100 and 800 Hz were examined. Individual differences were quantified using psychophysically derived metrics of spatial tuning and temporal integration. This study examined distribution of measures across subjects, predictive power of psychophysically derived metrics of spatial tuning and temporal integration, and the effect of training on rate discrimination thresholds. Psychophysical metrics of spatial tuning and temporal integration were not predictive of stimulation rate discrimination, but discrimination thresholds improved at lower frequencies with training. Since most clinical devices do not use variable stimulation rates, it is unknown to what extent recipients may learn to use stimulation rate cues if provided in a clear and consistent manner.
I will write about: Investigating multiword expressions in prospective students’ argumentative writing
Authors: Nam Daehyeon , Park Kwanghyun
Published: December 2020

Multiword expressions are a contiguous series of words in a text. This study examines the phraseological profile based on multiword expressions in argumentative writings in a 120,000-word collection of nonnative prospective university students’ writing. The profile is compared with two sets of American university students’ writing from two corpora that comprise upper-level American university students’ course papers and argumentative essay texts. The data are investigated both quantitatively and qualitatively in terms of the structure (i.e., noun, verb, and prepositional phrases) and function (i.e., stance, referential, and text organizer). The results show some noticeable differences among these sets of writing. The Korean student writers heavily relied on verb phrase-based expressions (e.g.,are a lot of) in their writing whereas the American students preferred noun phrases. Functionally, the Korean writers underused referential function expressions (e.g.,the idea of the) compared to their counterparts. In addition, the prospective Korean university students’ writing was found to represent the widest range of multiword expressions whereas the American students’ argumentative course papers exhibited the smallest range. The findings suggest that prospective Korean university students’ writing tends to use more features of verbal conversation while American university students’ writing exhibits features of structured argumentative writing. The implications for teaching writing and limitations of the study are discussed.
Japanese translation and validation of web-based questionnaires on overuse injuries and health problems
Authors: Mashimo Sonoko , Yoshida Naruto , Hogan Takaaki , Takegami Ayaka , Hirono Junichi , Matsuki Yuya , Hagiwara Maya , Nagano Yasuharu
Published: December 2020

This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Overuse Injury Questionnaire (OSTRC-O) and the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Questionnaire on Health Problems (OSTRC-H) into the Japanese context. The validity and reliability of these translated questionnaires examining overuse injuries and health problems among Japanese university athletes were also examined. The translation was performed following an internationally recognized methodology. A total of 145 athletes were tracked over 10 consecutive weeks and four questions were added in the 10th week to examine the questionnaires’ content validity. Test-retest analysis for reliability was performed 24–72 hours after the 10th week of registration. Internal consistency was determined by calculating Cronbach’saduring the cohort study. No major disagreements were found in the translation process. The translated questionnaires had high acceptance and compliance, with an average response rate of over 80% throughout the 10-week cohort study. Most participants reported that the questionnaires were not difficult to complete, there were no items they wanted to change or add, and that the web-based technique worked effectively. Good test-retest reliability and high internal consistency was observed in the translated questionnaires. The translated questionnaires were found to be valid, reliable, and acceptable for medically monitoring Japanese athletes.
Autoclave treatment of the classical scrapie agent US No. 13-7 and experimental inoculation to susceptible VRQ/ARQ sheep via the oral route results in decreased transmission efficiency
Authors: Cassmann Eric D. , Mammadova Najiba , Greenlee Justin J.
Published: December 2020

Scrapie, a prion disease of sheep, is highly resistant to conventional deactivation. Numerous methods to deactivate scrapie have been tested in laboratory animal models, and adequate autoclave treatment can reduce or remove the infectivity of some classical scrapie strains depending on the heating parameters used. In this study, we autoclaved brain homogenate from a sheep with US scrapie strain 13–7 for 30 minutes at 121°C. Genetically susceptible VRQ/ARQ sheep were orally inoculated with 3 grams of the autoclaved brain homogenate. For comparison, a second group of sheep was inoculated with a non-autoclaved brain homogenate. Rectal biopsies were used to assess antemortem scrapie disease progression throughout the study. Five out of ten (5/10) sheep that received autoclaved inoculum ultimately developed scrapie after an experimental endpoint of 72 months. These sheep had a mean incubation period of 26.99 months. Two out of five (2/5) positive sheep had detectable PrPScin antemortem rectal biopsies, and two (2/5) other sheep had PrPScin postmortem rectal tissue. A single sheep (1/5) was positive for scrapie in the CNS, small intestine, and retropharyngeal lymph node but had negative rectal tissue. All of the sheep (10/10) that received non-autoclaved inoculum developed scrapie with a mean incubation period of 20.2 months and had positive rectal biopsies at the earliest timepoint (14.7 months post-inoculation). These results demonstrate that sheep are orally susceptible to US derived classical scrapie strain 13–7 after autoclave treatment at 121°C for 30 minutes. Differences in incubation periods and time interval to first positive rectal biopsies indicate a partial reduction in infectivity titers for the autoclaved inoculum group.
Pregnancy outcomes of women whom spouse fathered children after tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia: A systematic review
Authors: Szakács Zsolt , Hegyi Péter Jenő , Farkas Nelli , Hegyi Péter , Balaskó Márta , Erős Adrienn , Szujó Szabina , Pammer Judit , Mosdósi Bernadett , Simon Mária , Nagy Arnold , Für Gabriella , Hussain Alizadeh
Published: December 2020

Introduction

The introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has revolutionized the therapy of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Although the efficacy of TKIs is beyond dispute, conception-related safety issues are still waiting to be explored, particularly in males. This systematic review aimed to summarize all available evidence on pregnancy outcomes of female spouses of male CML patients who fathered children after TKI treatment for CML.

Methods

We performed a systematic search in seven electronic databases for studies that reported on male CML patients who did or did not discontinue TKI treatment before conceiving, and the pregnancy outcomes of their female spouse are available. The search centered on the TKI era (from 2001 onward) without any other language or study design restrictions.

Results

Out of a total of 38 potentially eligible papers, 27 non-overlapping study cohorts were analyzed. All were descriptive studies (case or case series studies). Altogether, 428 pregnancies from 374 fathers conceived without treatment discontinuation, 400 of which (93.5%) ended up in a live birth. A total of ten offspring with a malformation (2.5%) were reported: six with imatinib (of 313 live births, 1.9%), two with nilotinib (of 26 live births, 7.7%), one with dasatinib (of 43 live births, 2.3%), and none with bosutinib (of 12 live births). Data on CML status were scarcely reported. Only nine pregnancies (from nine males) and no malformation were reported in males who discontinued TKI treatment before conception.

Conclusion

Malformations affected, on average 2.5% of live births from fathers who did not discontinue TKI treatment before conception, which is comparable with the rate of malformations in the general population. Large-scale studies with representative samples are awaited to confirm our results.
Pesticide application, educational treatment and infectious respiratory diseases: A mechanistic model with two impulsive controls
Authors: Gutiérrez-Jara Juan Pablo , Córdova-Lepe Fernando , Muñoz-Quezada María Teresa , Chowell Gerardo
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we develop and analyze an SIS-type epidemiological-mathematical model of the interaction between pesticide use and infectious respiratory disease transmission for investigating the impact of pesticide intoxication on the spread of these types of diseases. We further investigate the role of educational treatment for appropriate pesticide use on the transmission dynamics. Two impulsive control events are proposed: pesticide use and educational treatment. From the proposed model, it was obtained that the rate of forgetfulness towards educational treatment is a determining factor for the reduction of intoxicated people, as well as for the reduction of costs associated with educational interventions. To get reduced intoxications, the population’s fraction to which is necessary to apply the educational treatment depends on its individual effectiveness level and the educational treatments’ forgetfulness rate. In addition, the turnover of agricultural workers plays a fundamental role in the dynamics of agrotoxic use, particularly in the application of educational treatment. For illustration, a flu-like disease with a basic reproductive number below the epidemic threshold of 1.0 is shown can acquire epidemic potential in a population at risk of pesticide exposure. Hence, our findings suggest that educational treatment targeting pesticide exposure is an effective tool to reduce the transmission rate of an infectious respiratory disease in a population exposed to the toxic substance.
Machine learning-based e-commerce platform repurchase customer prediction model
Authors: Liu Cheng-Ju , Huang Tien-Shou , Ho Ping-Tsan , Huang Jui-Chan , Hsieh Ching-Tang
Published: December 2020

In recent years, China's e-commerce industry has developed at a high speed, and the scale of various industries has continued to expand. Service-oriented enterprises such as e-commerce transactions and information technology came into being. This paper analyzes the shortcomings and challenges of traditional online shopping behavior prediction methods, and proposes an online shopping behavior analysis and prediction system. The paper chooses linear model logistic regression and decision tree based XGBoost model. After optimizing the model, it is found that the nonlinear model can make better use of these features and get better prediction results. In this paper, we first combine the single model, and then use the model fusion algorithm to fuse the prediction results of the single model. The purpose is to avoid the accuracy of the linear model easy to fit and the decision tree model over-fitting. The results show that the model constructed by the article has further improvement than the single model. Finally, through two sets of contrast experiments, it is proved that the algorithm selected in this paper can effectively filter the features, which simplifies the complexity of the model to a certain extent and improves the classification accuracy of machine learning. The XGBoost hybrid model based on p/n samples is simpler than a single model. Machine learning models are not easily over-fitting and therefore more robust.
Impact of pharmacy-supported interventions on proportion of patients receiving non-indicated acid suppressive therapy upon discharge: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Singh-Franco Devada , Mastropietro David R. , Metzner Miriam , Dressler Michael D. , Fares Amneh , Johnson Melinda , De La Rosa Daisy , Wolowich William R.
Published: December 2020

Objective

Conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the impact of pharmacy-supported interventions on the proportion of patients discharged from the hospital on inappropriate acid suppressive therapy (AST).

Methods

To identify studies, the following databases were systematically searched on October 14th, 2018 and repeated on September 12th, 2019: Ovid MEDLINE(R) and In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations and Daily,Embase.com, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL (EBSCO), and ClinicalTrials.gov. Eligible studies consisted of adults, intervention and historical/usual care groups, description of active pharmacy-supported intervention, and proportion of patients discharged on inappropriate AST. Qualitative assessments and quantitative analyses were performed. Modified funnel plot analysis assessed heterogeneity. Preferred reporting items of systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) methodology was used to evaluate studies in this review.

Results

Seventeen publications resulting in 16 studies were included in the review. Using random effects model, meta-analysis showed a significant reduction in the odds of being discharged on inappropriate AST from the hospital in the pharmacist-supported intervention arm versus comparator (Odds Ratio 0.33 [95%CI 0.20 to 0.53]), with significant heterogeneity (I2= 86%). Eleven studies favored pharmacy-supported interventions, four were inconclusive and one favored usual care. Using modified funnel plot analysis, our final evaluation was distilled to 11 studies and revealed a similar outcome (OR 0.36 [95%CI 0.27 to 0.48]), but with less heterogeneity (I2= 36%).

Conclusion

This systematic review and meta-analysis showed that pharmacy-supported interventions were associated with a significantly reduced probability of patients discharged on inappropriate AST. However, heterogeneity was high and may affect interpretation of results. Using funnel plot optimization method, three positive and two negative studies were objectively removed from analyses, resulting in a similar effect size, but with less heterogeneity. To improve study quality, future researchers should consider utilizing a pre-post, multi-arm, prospective design with sampling randomization, training of data extractors (preferably two extractors), re-evaluating a small dataset to check for agreement and providing a comprehensive methodology in subsequent publications.
Use of workplace foodservices is associated with reduced meal skipping in Korean adult workers: A nationwide cross-sectional study
Authors: Shin Woo-young , Kim Jung-ha
Published: December 2020

Skipping meals is a poor eating behaviour known to result in poor diet quality and health outcomes. Nevertheless, it has become increasingly common over the past few decades in many countries. This study aimed to examine the potential association between the use of workplace foodservices and skipping meals among Korean adult workers using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016–2018, a nationwide cross-sectional survey of a representative Korean population. A total of 5,137 workers aged 20–64 years were included. Dietary assessment was conducted using a 24-hour dietary recall. In total, 41.2% participants skipped one meal or more per day. The percentage of workers who skipped meals was 43.1±1.0% among participants who did not use workplace foodservices compared to 31.8±1.9% among those who did (P<0.01). Skipping meals was significantly associated with not using workplace foodservices, after adjusting for other confounders including sociodemographic variables, health-related variables, and meal procurement source (odds ratio = 3.4; 95% confidence interval = 2.6–4.4; P<0.01). We found a significant association between using workplace foodservices and reduced skipping meals in Korean adult workers. This study suggests the importance of the provision of workplace foodservices for workers to potentially reduce poor eating behaviours such as skipping meals.
Development of an HPLC method with relative molar sensitivity based on 1H-qNMR to determine acteoside and pedaliin in dried sesame leaf powders and processed foods
Authors: Ohtsuki Takashi , Matsuoka Kiyoaki , Fuji Yushiro , Nishizaki Yuzo , Masumoto Naoko , Sugimoto Naoki , Sato Kyoko , Matsufuji Hiroshi
Published: December 2020

A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with relative molar sensitivity (RMS) based on 1H quantitative NMR spectroscopy (1H-qNMR) has been developed for food ingredients such as acteoside (verbascoside) and pedaliin (pedalitin-6-O-glucoside) without requiring authentic and identical standards as the reliable analytical methods. This method is used methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (MHB) as an alternative reference standard. Each RMS is also calculated from the ratio of each analyte's molar absorption coefficient to that of MHB after correcting the purities of the analytes and reference standard by 1H-qNMR. Therefore, this method can quantify several analytes with metrological traceability to the International System of Units (SI) using the RMS and one alternative reference standard. In this study, the content of acteoside and pedaliin in several samples, such as dried sesame leaf powders and commercially processed foods, can be determined by the proposed RMS method and demonstrated in good agreement that obtained by a conventional method. Moreover, the proposed method yields analytical data with SI-traceability without the need for an authentic and identical analyte standard. Thus, the proposed RMS method is a useful and practical tool for determining acteoside and pedaliin in terms of the accuracy of quantitative values, the routine analysis, and the cost of reagents.
N-Terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and coronary microvascular dysfunction in women with preserved ejection fraction: A report from the Women’s Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation–Coronary Vascular Dysfunction (WISE-CVD) study
Authors: Jones Erika , Wei Janet , Nelson Michael D. , Bakir May , Mehta Puja K. , Shufelt Chrisandra , Minissian Margo , Sharif Behzad , Pepine Carl J. , Handberg Eileen , Cook-Wiens Galen , Sopko George , Bairey Merz C. Noel
Published: December 2020

Background

Women with symptoms and signs of ischemia, preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and no obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), often have coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD), and are at risk of future heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is used to evaluate HF and myocardial ischemia. Relationships between NT-proBNP and CMD are not well defined in this population.

Methods

We evaluated resting NT-proBNP levels in 208 women with symptoms and signs of ischemic heart disease, preserved LVEF and no obstructive CAD undergoing clinically indicated invasive coronary flow reserve (CFR) as a measure of CMD-related ischemia and resting left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP). Chi-square testing was used for categorical variables and ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for continuous variables.

Results

Overall, 79% had an elevated resting LVEDP, and mean NT-proBNP was 115 ± 158 pg/mL. NT-proBNP levels correlated directly with age (r = 0.28, p = <0.0001), and indirectly with body mass index (r = -0.21, p = 0.0006), but did not independently associate with CFR. When stratified by NT-proBNP thresholds, higher NT-proBNP was initially associated with lower CFR, which did not persist with adjustment for multiple testing (p = 0.01 and 0.36, respectively).

Conclusion

Among women with symptoms and signs of ischemia, preserved LVEF, no obstructive CAD, and undergoing clinically indicated functional coronary angiography (FCA) for suspected CMD, while a majority had elevated resting LVEDP, we failed to find an independent association between CFR and NT-proBNP, although stratified clinical thresholds may relate to lower CFR. Further work is needed to investigate if these findings support the hypothesis that CMD-related ischemia may be a precursor to HFpEF.