bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Altered Expression of Three EGFR Posttranslational Regulators MDGI, MIG6, and EIG121 in Invasive Breast Carcinomas
Authors: Meseure Didier , Drak Alsibai Kinan , Vacher Sophie , Hatem Rana , Nicolas Andre , Callens Celine , Lerebours Florence , Bieche Ivan
Published: April 2020

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signalling is a highly regulated process with a tight balance between receptor activation and inactivation in invasive breast carcinomas (IBCs) particularly in triple-negative carcinomas (TNC). Clinical trials using anti-EGFR therapies are actually performed although no activating alterations (mutations, amplifications, or rearrangements) of EGFR have been clearly recognized in order to identify new targeted modalities for IBCs. We explored mammary-derived growth inhibitor (MDGI), estrogen-induced gene-121 (EIG121), and mitogen-induced gene-6 (MIG6), three posttranslational EGFR trafficking molecules implicated in EGFR spatiotemporal regulatory pathway. We quantified MDGI, EIG121, and MIG6 at mRNA levels by using real-time quantitative RT-PCR in a series of 440 IBCs and at protein levels by using immunohistochemistry in a series of 88 IBCs. Results obtained by RT-PCR showed that in IBCs, MDGI, MIG6, and EIG121 mRNA were mainly underexpressed (25.7%, 45.0%, and 16.1%, respectively) particularly in the TNC subtype for EIG121 (60.3%). We also observed mRNA overexpression of MDGI and EIG121, respectively, in 12.7% and 22.3% of IBCs. These altered mRNA expressions were confirmed at the protein level. Some links were found between expression patterns of these three genes and several classical pathological and clinical parameters. Only EIG121 was found to have a prognostic significance (p=0.0038). Altered expression of these three major EGFR posttranslational negative regulators could create an aberrant EGFR-mediated oncogenic signalling pathway in IBCs. MDGI, MIG6, and EIG121 expression status also may be potential useful biomarkers (sensitivity or resistance) in targeted EGFR therapy.
Integrating Pharmacology and Microbial Network Analysis with Experimental Validation to Reveal the Mechanism of Composite Sophora Colon‐Soluble Capsule against Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Ding Yuxuan , Chen Mingjun , Wang Qiying , Gao Lu , Feng Yang , Wang Shida , Song Zitian , Tong Zhanqi
Published: April 2020

Ulcerative colitis (UC) has multifactorial pathogenesis that acts synergistically, such as immune system dysregulation and expansion of infectious gut microbiota. Therefore, a multicomponent treatment derived from Chinese herbal medicine that interacts with multiple targets synergistically is needed. Composite sophora colon‐soluble capsule (CSCC) is a Chinese herbal formula that has shown therapeutic efficacy against UC in randomized clinical trials. However, its bioactive components and potential target genes against UC remain unclear. Here, we used a network pharmacology approach to detect component‐target‐pathway interactions of CSCC against UC. A total of 29 gene targets, 91 bioactive components, and 20 enriched pathways of CSCC were identified. The IL‐17 signaling pathway activated by infectious gastrointestinal microbes and predicted by the network analysis to be a major pathway modulated by CSCC against UC was studied in a dextran sulfate sodium‐induced colitis model. CSCC showed remarkable efficacy against UC with respect to the attenuation of colon length, body weight loss, and disease activity index through gut microbiota recovery and intestinal immune homeostasis. The rectal administration of CSCC reduced the numbers of Th17 cells isolated from both mesenteric lymph nodes and lamina propria mononuclear cells and the levels of IL‐17A, IL‐6, IL‐1β, and TNF‐α. Additionally, the percentage of Treg cells and the levels of their hallmark cytokines were upregulated. Rectal administration of CSCC led to microbiota regulation with a significant correlation between suppression of Verrucomicrobiaceae and Ruminococcaceae, as well as the elevation of Lactobacillaceae, and CSCC administration via microbiome correlation heatmaps and cooccurrence network analysis at multiple time points. Thus, our study presents an effective herbal formula, CSCC, for UC treatment and explores its components and mechanisms of efficacy through the examination of gut microbiota and hallmark cytokines in the IL‐17 pathway.
MTH1 Inhibitor TH588 Disturbs Mitotic Progression and Induces Mitosis-Dependent Accumulation of Genomic 8-oxodG
Authors: Rudd Sean G. , Gad Helge , Sanjiv Kumar , Amaral Nuno , Hagenkort Anna , Groth Petra , Ström Cecilia E. , Mortusewicz Oliver , Berglund Ulrika Warpman , Helleday Thomas
Published: April 2020

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) oxidize nucleotide triphosphate pools (e.g., 8-oxodGTP), which may kill cells if incorporated into DNA. Whether cancers avoid poisoning from oxidized nucleotides by preventing incorporation via the oxidized purine diphosphatase MTH1 remains under debate. Also, little is known about DNA polymerases incorporating oxidized nucleotides in cells or how oxidized nucleotides in DNA become toxic. Here we show that replacement of one of the main DNA replicases in human cells, DNA polymerase delta (Pol δ), with an error-prone variant allows increased 8-oxodG accumulation into DNA following treatment with TH588, a dual MTH1 inhibitor and microtubule targeting agent. The resulting elevated genomic 8-oxodG correlated with increased cytotoxicity of TH588. Interestingly, no substantial perturbation of replication fork progression was observed, but rather mitotic progression was impaired and mitotic DNA synthesis triggered. Reducing mitotic arrest by reversin treatment prevented accumulation of genomic 8-oxodG and reduced cytotoxicity of TH588, in line with the notion that mitotic arrest is required for ROS buildup and oxidation of the nucleotide pool. Furthermore, delayed mitosis and increased mitotic cell death was observed following TH588 treatment in cells expressing the error-prone but not wild-type Pol δ variant, which is not observed following treatments with antimitotic agents. Collectively, these results link accumulation of genomic oxidized nucleotides with disturbed mitotic progression.

Significance:

These findings uncover a novel link between accumulation of genomic 8-oxodG and perturbed mitotic progression in cancer cells, which can be exploited therapeutically using MTH1 inhibitors.

See related commentary by Alnajjar and Sweasy, p. 3459
Capivasertib, an AKT Kinase Inhibitor, as Monotherapy or in Combination with Fulvestrant in Patients withAKT1E17K-Mutant, ER-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Smyth Lillian M. , Tamura Kenji , Oliveira Mafalda , Ciruelos Eva M. , Mayer Ingrid A. , Sablin Marie-Paule , Biganzoli Laura , Ambrose Helen J. , Ashton Jack , Barnicle Alan , Cashell Des D. , Corcoran Claire , de Bruin Elza C. , Foxley Andrew , Hauser Joana , Lindemann Justin P.O. , Maudsley Rhiannon , McEwen Robert , Moschetta Michele , Pass Martin , Rowlands Vicky , Schiavon Gaia , Banerji Udai , Scaltriti Maurizio , Taylor Barry S. , Chandarlapaty Sarat , Baselga José , Hyman David M.
Published: April 2020

Purpose:

The activating mutation AKT1E17K occurs in approximately 7% of estrogen receptor–positive (ER+) metastatic breast cancer (MBC). We report, from a multipart, first-in-human, phase I study (NCT01226316), tolerability and activity of capivasertib, an oral AKT inhibitor, as monotherapy or combined with fulvestrant in expansion cohorts of patients with AKT1E17K-mutant ER+ MBC.

Patients and Methods:

Patients with an AKT1E17K mutation, detected by local (next-generation sequencing) or central (plasma-based BEAMing) testing, received capivasertib 480 mg twice daily, 4 days on, 3 days off, weekly or 400 mg twice daily combined with fulvestrant at the labeled dose. Study endpoints included safety, objective response rate (ORR; RECIST v1.1), progression-free survival (PFS), and clinical benefit rate at 24 weeks (CBR24). Biomarker analyses were conducted in the combination cohort.

Results:

From October 2013 to August 2018, 63 heavily pretreated patients received capivasertib (20 monotherapy, 43 combination). ORR was 20% with monotherapy, and within the combination cohort was 36% in fulvestrant-pretreated and 20% in fulvestrant-naïve patients, although the latter group may have had more aggressive disease at baseline. AKT1E17K mutations were detectable in plasma by BEAMing (95%, 41/43), droplet digital PCR (80%, 33/41), and next-generation sequencing (76%, 31/41). A ≥50% decrease in AKT1E17K at cycle 2 day 1 was associated with improved PFS. Combination therapy appeared more tolerable than monotherapy [most frequent grade ≥3 adverse events: rash (9% vs. 20%), hyperglycemia (5% vs. 30%), diarrhea (5% vs. 10%)].

Conclusions:

Capivasertib demonstrated clinically meaningful activity in heavily pretreated patients with AKT1E17K-mutant ER+ MBC, including those with prior disease progression on fulvestrant. Tolerability and activity appeared improved by the combination.
Adapting to a Pandemic — Conducting Oncology Trials during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic
Authors: Tan Aaron C. , Ashley David M. , Khasraw Mustafa
Published: April 2020

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has necessitated changes in cancer care delivery as resources are reallocated. Clinical trials and other research activities are inevitably impacted. Start-up activities for new trials may be deferred and recruitment suspended. For patients already enrolled however, there are challenges in continuing treatment on trial. Regulatory bodies have issued guidance on managing clinical trials during the pandemic, including contingency measures for remote study visits, delivery of investigational product, and site monitoring visits. New cancer clinical trial practices during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic include new risk assessment strategies, decentralized and remote trial coordination, data collection, and delegation of specific therapeutic activities. This experience could provide evidence of more feasible and cost-effective methods for future clinical trial conduct.
Polycomb-like Protein 3 Induces Proliferation and Drug Resistance in Multiple Myeloma and Is Regulated by miRNA-15a
Authors: Yu Tengteng , Du Chenxing , Ma Xiaoke , Sui Weiwei , Yu Zhen , Liu Lanting , Zhao Lei , Li Zhongqing , Xu Jie , Wei Xiaojing , Zhou Wen , Deng Shuhui , Zou Dehui , An Gang , Tai Yu-Tzu , Tricot Guido , Anderson Kenneth C. , Qiu Lugui , Zhan Fenghuang , Hao Mu
Published: April 2020

Multiple myeloma remains incurable due to the persistence of a minor population of multiple myeloma cells that exhibit drug resistance, which leads to relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma. Elucidating the mechanism underlying drug resistance and developing an effective treatment are critical for clinical management of multiple myeloma. Here we showed that promoting expression of the gene for polycomb-like protein 3 (PHF19) induced multiple myeloma cell growth and multidrug resistance in vitro and in vivo. PHF19 was overexpressed in high-risk and drug-resistant primary cells from patients. High levels of PHF19 were correlated with inferior survival of patients with multiple myeloma, in the Total Therapy 2 cohort and in the Intergroup Francophone du Myeloma (IFM) cohort. Enhancing PHF19 expression levels increased Bcl-xL, Mcl-1, and HIF-1a expression in multiple myeloma cells. PHF19 also bound directly with EZH2 and promoted the phosphorylation of EZH2 through PDK1/AKT signaling. miR-15a is a small noncoding RNA that targeted the 3′UTR of PHF19. We found that downregulation of miR-15a led to high levels of PHF19 in multiple myeloma cells. These findings revealed that PHF19 served a crucial role in multiple myeloma proliferation and drug resistance and suggested that the miR-15a/PHF19/EZH2 pathway made a pivotal contribution to multiple myeloma pathogenesis, offering a promising approach to multiple myeloma treatment.

Implications:

Our findings identify that PHF19 mediates EZH2 phosphorylation as a mechanism of myeloma cell drug resistance, providing a rationale to explore therapeutic potential of targeting PHF19 in relapsed or refractory patients with multiple myeloma.
Efficacy and Safety of the 9-mm Intrabronchial Valve in Patients with Advanced Emphysema
Authors: Kontogianni Konstantina , Gompelmann Daniela , Valipour Arschang , Gerovasili Vasiliki , Schuhmann Maren , Stanzel Franz , Herth Felix J.F. , Eberhardt Ralf
Published: April 2020

Background: Endoscopic valve therapy aims at lung volume reduction that is associated with improved lung function, exercise tolerance and quality of life in emphysema patients. The size of intrabronchial valves of the Spiration® Valve System (SVS) selected to achieve lobar occlusion may have an influence on treatment outcomes. Methods: 49 severe emphysema patients (M/F: 24/25, age: 64 ± 7 years), with complete interlobar fissures on the side intended to be treated, underwent treatment with at least one 9-mm intrabronchial valve implantation at 3 centers and were followed up at 30, 90 and 180 days after intervention. Changes in pulmonary function tests (PFT), 6-min walk test (6MWT), modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test scores as well as possible complications were recorded. Results: Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) improved significantly over the 6-month period of the study, and the proportion of patients achieving a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for FEV1 was 46.4% at 6 months. Regarding the remaining PFT values, the changes were not statistically significant at 6 months, but when looking at the MCIDs, 44.4% of the patients achieved the MCID decrease for residual volume. The 6MWT distance also improved statistically significantly, and an MCID increase of ≥26 m was reached by 41.7% of the patients. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant improvement in the mMRC score. The incidence of pneumothoraxes requiring drainage was 26.5% while a valve dislocation rate of 24% was observed but only in the lower lobes. Conclusions: Endoscopic lung volume reduction with the 9-mm SVS valves was associated with statistically significant but modest improvement of FEV1, mMRC and 6MWT up to 6 months after intervention. These results were accompanied by an anticipated and acceptable risk profile. The relative increased incidence of device dislocation observed needs to be further elucidated.
Akrales amelanotisches Melanom, das wie ein nicht heilendes arterielles Ulcus erscheint
Authors: Cantwell Phillip , Van Dam Helena
Published: April 2020

Akrale Melanome machen etwa 2-3% aller Melanome aus. Wegen ihrer Seltenheit und weil sie anfänglich unscheinbar und tendenziell amelanotisch erscheinen, werden sie häufig verkannt. Der vorliegende Fallbericht beschreibt den Fall eines 70-jährigen Mannes mit amelanotischem Melanom, das als nicht heilendes arterielles Ulcus fehldiagnostiziert wurde. Die histopathologische Untersuchung zeigte ein akrolentiginöses Melanom mit einer Tumordicke nach Breslow von 2,3mm, Clark-Level IV, das durch eine chirurgische Intervention definitiv behandelt wurde. Dieser Fall zeigt, dass es wichtig ist, bei der Differentialdiagnose nicht heilender Ulcera auch ein Melanom in Erwägung zu ziehen.
Psoriasis: Lokalisation beeinflusst die Krankheitslast
Authors: Sondermann Wiebke
Published: April 2020

Background: Real-world studies evaluating patients with challenging-to-treat localizations of psoriasis (scalp, nail, and palmoplantar) are limited. Objective: To characterize patients with versus without psoriasis in challenging-to-treat areas seen in routine US clinical practice. Methods: This retrospective observational study included all adult patients with psoriasis enrolled in the Corrona Psoriasis Registry between April 2015 and May 2018 who initiated a biologic therapy at registry enrollment. Patients were stratified by the presence of scalp, nail, or palmoplantar psoriasis (nonmutually exclusive groups). Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, disease activity, and patient-reported outcome measures (pain, fatigue, itch, EuroQol visual analog scale [EQ VAS], Dermatology Life Quality Index [DLQI], and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire [WPAI]) were assessed at registry enrollment and compared between patients with versus without each challenging-to-treat area using nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis tests for continuous variables and χ2 or Fisher exact tests for categorical variables. Generalized linear regression models were used to estimate differences in disease activity and patient-reported outcomes between patients with versus without each challenging-to-treat area. Results: Among 2,042 patients with psoriasis (mean age [±SD], 49.6 ± 14.7 years; 51.5% male), 38.4% had psoriatic arthritis (PsA), 38.1% had scalp psoriasis, 16.0% had nail psoriasis, 10.9% had palmoplantar psoriasis, and 26.2% had a combination of ≥2 challenging-to-treat areas and PsA; only 34.2% had body plaque psoriasis without PsA or challenging-to-treat areas. Patients in all challenging-to-treat groups reported higher (mean [95% CI]) itch (scalp, 58.01 [57.62-58.40] vs. 54.35 [53.99-54.72]; nail, 56.42 [56.02-56.81] vs. 55.59 [55.20-55.97]; palmoplantar, 60.22 [59.86-60.59] vs. 55.15 [54.79-55.54]) and lower EQ VAS (scalp, 68.12 [67.78-68.48] vs. 69.46 [69.12-69.81]; nail, 66.21 [65.89-66.55] vs. 69.48 [69.14-69.83]; palmoplantar, 66.21 [66.07-66.75] vs. 69.29 [68.94-69.94]) scores than those without the respective challenging-to-treat localization. Patients with nail or palmoplantar psoriasis reported higher pain, fatigue, and DLQI scores than those without. Higher proportions of patients with scalp or palmoplantar psoriasis reported work impairment compared with those without. Conclusion: Two-thirds of patients with psoriasis who initiated biologic therapy had PsA and/or ≥1 challenging-totreat area. Patients with challenging-to-treat areas had worse patient-reported outcome scores than those without, indicating a significant burden of challenging-to-treat areas on patients' quality of life.
Up-Regulation of GATA4 Regulates Human Lens Epithelial Cell Function in Age-Related Cataract
Authors: Xie Xiaodong , Song Xiaofei , Liu Xin , Luo Xiaogang , Nabijiang Maidina , Ma Mengqi , Li Ying
Published: April 2020

Purpose: GATA4 has emerged as a novel regulator that plays a critical role in mediating senescence. However, the role of GATA4 in age-related cataract (ARC), the leading cause of visual impairment, requires further elucidation. Methods: GATA4 expression was measured by quantitative RT-PCR and capillary Western immunoassay (WES). The MTT assay, EdU assay, and rhodamine-123/Hoechst and calcein-AM/propidium iodide double staining were used to investigate the role of GATA4 in the viability, proliferation, and apoptosis of cultured human lens epithelial cells (HLECs). Results: HLECs were subjected to 3 different treatment models, including prolonged exposure to low-dose H2O2, UVB irradiation, and mild heating, to simulate senescence and apoptosis. GATA4 expression was significantly increased in these models in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Overexpression of GATA4 reduced cell viability, accelerated apoptosis development, and reduced the proliferation of HLECs. Furthermore, the expression of GATA4 from ARC was up-regulated at both mRNA and at protein level compared with clear lenses. Conclusion: GATA4 is up-regulated in all 3 models of HLECs in vitro and the cells from ARC lenses in vivo. Up-regulation of GATA4 mediates HLEC dysfunction. GATA4-mediated effects in HLECs would provide a novel insight into the pathogenesis of ARC.
Maternal Obesity and Diabetes Mellitus as Risk Factors for Congenital Heart Disease in the Offspring
Authors: Helle Emmi , Priest James R.
Published: April 2020

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common anatomical malformation occurring live‐born infants and an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality across the lifespan and throughout the world. Population‐based observations have long described associations between maternal cardiometabolic disorders and the risk of CHD in the offspring. Here we review the epidemiological evidence and clinical observations relating maternal obesity and diabetes mellitus to the risk of CHD offspring with particular attention to mechanistic models of maternal‐fetal risk transmission and first trimester disturbances of fetal cardiac development. A deeper understanding of maternal risk factors holds the potential to improve both prenatal detection of CHD by identifying at‐risk pregnancies, along with primary prevention of disease by improving preconception and prenatal treatment of at‐risk mothers.
Taxonomic modifications in Tylospilus Stål (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Asopinae): redescription of T. nigrobinotatus (Berg), description of a new species and an updated identification key for the genus
Authors: BRUGNERA RICARDO , PAIM MARCELO REGINATO , ROELL TALITA , DELLAPÉ GIMENA , GRAZIA JOCELIA
Published: April 2020

The systematics of the New World Asopinae genera is still not completely understood, thus hampering their study in many areas of biological science. Tylospilus Stål is one of the less known genera among New World predatory stink bugs, despite its common occurrence and potential as a biological control agent in crops. Here, we make a contribution to the knowledge of Tylospilus; the species Tylospilus nigrobinotatus (Berg, 1879) is redescribed, and based upon the examination of type specimens, T. armatus Thomas, 1992 is considered to be a junior synonym of the above species. Furthermore, a new species is herein described, and an updated identification key for the species of Tylospilus is provided.
Physaloptera nordestina n. sp. (Nematoda: Physalopteridae) parasitizing snakes from Northeastern Brazil
Authors: MATIAS CICERA SILVILENE LEITE , MORAIS DRAUSIO HONORIO , ÁVILA ROBSON WALDEMAR
Published: April 2020

Physaloptera nordestina n. sp. (Nematoda: Physalopteridae) is described from the stomach of the snakes Oxybelis aeneus (Wagler), Pseudoboa nigra (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril) and Xenodon merremii (Wagler) (Squamata: Snakes), collected in northeastern Brazil. The new species has males with ornamented caudal alae connected ventrally, anterior to the cloaca, 21 caudal papillae, including four pedunculated and 13 sessile pairs (six surrounding the cloaca and three at tail), spicules sub-equal in size and with different shape. In addition, the females have the vulva located on the anterior third of the body and two to four uterine branches. Here we present the ninth species of Physaloptera that parasitizes reptiles from Brazil.
A Feature-Based Approach to Classifying Summertime Potential Vorticity Streamers Linked to Rossby Wave Breaking in the North Atlantic Basin
Authors: Papin Philippe P. , Bosart Lance F. , Torn Ryan D.
Published: April 2020

This study examines climatological potential vorticity streamer (PVS) activity associated with Rossby wave breaking (RWB), which can impact TC activity in the subtropical North Atlantic (NATL) basin via moisture and wind anomalies. PVSs are identified along the 2-PVU (1 PVU = 10−6 K kg−1 m2 s−1) contour on the 350-K isentropic surface, using a unique identification technique that combines previous methods. In total, 21 149 individual PVS instances are identified from the ERA-Interim (ERAI) climatology during June–November over 1979–2015 with a peak in July–August. The total number of PVSs identified in this study is more than previous PVS climatologies for this region, since the new technique identifies a wider range of cases. Variations in PVS size and intensity prompt the development of a new PVS activity index (PVSI), which provides an integrated measure of PVS activity that can improve comparisons with TC activity. For instance, PVSI has a stronger negative correlation with seasonal TC activity (r = −0.55) relative to PVS frequency, size, or intensity alone. PVSI in June–July is also positively correlated with PVSI in August–November (r = 0.67), suggesting predictive capability. Compared to the ERAI and Japan Meteorological Agency 55-Year Reanalysis (JRA-55) climatology, there are more PVSs in the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) but these have weaker average intensity overall. While no long-term trend in PVSI is observed in the ERAI or JRA-55 climatologies, a negative trend is observed in CFSR, which could be related to differences in near tropopause static stability early in the climatological period (1979–86) between the CFSR and ERAI datasets.
Unemployment Patterns of Local-Born and Migrant Youth in a Postcolonial Society: A Double Cohort Analysis
Authors: Shibuya Kumiko , Guo Hua , Fong Eric
Published: April 2020

In this study, we use postcolonial and migration literature to discuss the differences in the labor market participation of the local-born and migrant youth populations in Hong Kong. Hong Kong was a British colony until it was returned to China in 1997. Drawing on the 1996, 2006, and 2016 Hong Kong Census data, we use the “double cohort” method to compare how the birth and migration cohorts are related to the patterns of unemployment in Hong Kong. We find that the birth and migration cohorts are independently related to the unemployment rate, that they strongly interact with the likelihood of youth unemployment, and that migrant youths have benefited from the postcolonial environment and have lower rates of unemployment. Specifically, those who are younger and who arrived in Hong Kong after 1997 are less likely to be unemployed than those who are older and resided in Hong Kong before 1997.
Youth Labor Market Prospects in Times of Economic Recession in Brazil
Authors: Mont’Alvao Arnaldo , Costa Ribeiro Carlos
Published: April 2020

The article examines young people’s labor market prospects in Brazil during the most recent economic recession (2014–2017). We draw on data from the Continuous National Household Sample Survey (PNAD Continua), between 2012 and 2017, to estimate both average labor market indicators over time and proportional hazard models of unemployment and underemployment. We find that youths’ labor market prospects declined considerably over the period, and, as in many countries during economic downturns, young people were more affected than adults. The analysis shows that gender, race, and education impact the hazards of unemployment and underemployment among young Brazilians. Kaplan-Meier curves show that differences between white and African Brazilian youth, as well as between college-educated youth and high school graduates (or less), increased between 2016 and 2017, when economic activity was at its worst level.
Who Can Access the “Good” Jobs? Racial Disparities in Employment among Young Men Who Work in Paid Care
Authors: Sun Shengwei
Published: April 2020

Men have slowly increased their presence in paid care jobs that have long been considered as “women’s jobs.” But job growth in the paid care sector is polarized between “good” jobs and “bad” jobs in terms of pay and job security, and racial minority men are more likely to enter low-paying care-work jobs. Using work history data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 and 1997, this study examines the patterns and mechanisms of racial disparity in young men’s access to jobs of varying pay levels in the care-work sector and how such patterns have changed as the labor market has become more precarious and unequal. Findings suggest that young black men—especially those without a college education—have been increasingly excluded from accessing “good” jobs in the paid care sector. Moreover, this black-white disparity cannot be fully explained by racial differences in individual-level characteristics.
Changes in Early Labor Market Outcomes among Young College Graduates in South Korea
Authors: Choi Jaesung , Bae Hannah
Published: April 2020

The unemployment rate among youths (age 20–29) in South Korea has increased sharply from 6.6 percent in 2002 to 9.8 percent in 2016. At the same time, the college entrance rate remains around 70 percent, and skill mismatch among college goers is a critical policy concern. Little attention has been paid to temporal change in labor market outcomes among college graduates or to the kinds of graduates who are particularly vulnerable to labor market uncertainty. We investigate how labor market experiences for college graduates have changed over time using data from nine different graduating cohorts of the Graduate Occupational Mobility Survey (GOMS). The results reveal that the proportion of those searching for a job has increased over time, and that even for those who were employed, job quality deteriorated. We also find a growing gap in labor market outcomes by reputation of graduating universities and college major.
The Kabuliwalas: Afghan moneylending and the credit cosmopolis of British India, c. 1880–1947
Authors: Warner H William
Published: April 2020

Immortalised in Rabindranath Tagore’s short story ‘The Kabuliwala’, the Afghan moneylender has appeared in many studies about rural and urban India as an unwanted interloper. This article presents an alternative picture. From the late nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century, Afghans regularly visited the financial frontiers of British India where they offered collateral-free loans with high interest rates to urban and rural communities on the fringes of respectable creditors, such as banks, cooperative societies and banking networks. More than simply predatory, Afghan moneylenders provided a micro-financial service when and where no one else would. As a result, Afghan moneylending operations, considered as a whole, provide insight into the cosmopolitan nature of credit relationships among the working poor in the colonial era and how social and cultural notions informed not only those relationships but also how the imperial government and its allies understood them. Beginning with the Great Depression, novel legal regimes emerged around the subcontinent aimed at eradicating Afghan moneylending and solving the social problems associated with it. In the process, the intrusion of the state into informal finance via regulation hampered deep historical patterns of interregional social connectivity and redefined the cosmopolitanism of credit relations in the informal sectors of the economy.
Caries Risk Prediction Models in a Medical Health Care Setting
Authors: Kalhan T.A. , Un Lam C. , Karunakaran B. , Chay P.L. , Chng C.K. , Nair R. , Lee Y.S. , Fong M.C.F. , Chong Y.S. , Kwek K. , Saw S.M. , Shek L. , Yap F. , Tan K.H. , Godfrey K.M. , Huang J. , Hsu C.-Y.S.
Published: April 2020

Despite development of new technologies for caries control, tooth decay in primary teeth remains a major global health problem. Caries risk assessment (CRA) models for toddlers and preschoolers are rare. Among them, almost all models use dental factors (e.g., past caries experience) to predict future caries risk, with limited clinical/community applicability owing to relatively uncommon dental visits compared to frequent medical visits during the first year of life. The objective of this study was to construct and evaluate risk prediction models using information easily accessible to medical practitioners to forecast caries at 2 and 3 y of age. Data were obtained from the Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) mother-offspring cohort. Caries was diagnosed using modified International Caries Detection and Assessment System criteria. Risk prediction models were constructed using multivariable logistic regression coupled with receiver operating characteristic analyses. Imputation was performed using multiple imputation by chained equations to assess effect of missing data. Caries rates at ages 2 y ( n = 535) and 3 y ( n = 721) were 17.8% and 42.9%, respectively. Risk prediction models predicting overall caries risk at 2 and 3 y demonstrated area under the curve (AUC) (95% confidence interval) of 0.81 (0.75–0.87) and 0.79 (0.74–0.84), respectively, while those predicting moderate to extensive lesions showed 0.91 (0.85–0.97) and 0.79 (0.73–0.85), respectively. Postimputation results showed reduced AUC of 0.75 (0.74–0.81) and 0.71 (0.67–0.75) at years 2 and 3, respectively, for overall caries risk, while AUC was 0.84 (0.76–0.92) and 0.75 (0.70–0.80), respectively, for moderate to extensive caries. Addition of anterior caries significantly increased AUC in all year 3 models with or without imputation (all P < 0.05). Significant predictors/protectors were identified, including ethnicity, prenatal tobacco smoke exposure, history of allergies before 12 mo, history of chronic maternal illness, maternal brushing frequency, childbearing age, and so on. Integrating oral-general health care using medical CRA models may be promising in screening caries-susceptible infants/toddlers, especially when medical professionals are trained to “lift the lip” to identify anterior caries lesions.
Polydrug Use During Pregnancy and Preterm Birth in a Low-Income, Multiethnic Birth Cohort, Boston, 1998-2018
Authors: Garrison-Desany Henri M. , Nawa Nobutoshi , Kim Yoona , Ji Yuelong , (Susan) Chang Hsing-Yuan , Hong Xiumei , Wang Guoying , Pearson Colleen , Zuckerman Barry S. , Wang Xiaobin , Surkan Pamela J.
Published: April 2020

Objective

The opioid epidemic in the United States increasingly affects women of reproductive age and has resulted in a rise in concurrent polydrug use. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of this polydrug use on preterm birth in a multiethnic birth cohort.

Methods

We analyzed data from 8261 mothers enrolled in the Boston Birth Cohort from 1998 to 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. We grouped substances used during pregnancy based on their primary effects (stimulant or depressant) and assessed independent and combined associations with smoking on preterm birth.

Results

Of 8261 mothers, 131 used stimulant drugs and 193 used depressant drugs during pregnancy. The preterm birth rate was 27.5% (2271 of 8261) in the sample. Mothers who smoked had 35% increased odds of preterm birth across adjusted models. Mothers who used stimulant drugs without smoking were not at increased risk of preterm delivery compared with mothers who used neither (odds ratio [OR] = 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.19-1.98), whereas mothers who used depressant drugs without smoking had more than twice the odds of having preterm delivery (OR = 2.31; 95% CI, 1.19-4.44), and infants were at risk of a 1-week reduction in gestational age (OR = −1.05; 95% CI, −2.07 to −0.03). Concurrently smoking and using depressant drugs was associated with increased odds of preterm birth (OR = 1.83; 95% CI, 1.28-2.61), as was concurrently smoking and using stimulant drugs (OR = 1.73; 95% CI, 1.14-2.59).

Conclusions

Using stimulant drugs and depressant drugs during pregnancy is a risk factor for preterm birth. The individual and combined effects of using these drugs with smoking must be considered together to reduce the risk of preterm birth in the United States.
Faith Integration in Marriage and Family Therapy Education: A Delphi Study of the Learning Experiences of Students Enrolled in Christian Faith-Based MFT Graduate Programs
Authors: Johnson Jake , Van Dyke David J. , Yoo Hana
Published: April 2020

This study explored how students in Christian faith-based marriage and family therapy (MFT) graduate training programs are taught and learn to integrate their faith with the discipline of MFT. A Delphi method was utilized to develop consensus among a panel of students enrolled in faith-based MFT training programs regarding what teaching methods and subject matter are most useful to MFT students’ integrative education. The results of this study indicated several helpful means by which to educate MFT students in matters of faith integration and also highlighted various ways in which students learn to connect their Christian beliefs and practices to the profession of family therapy. In tandem with these results, a number of recommendations for teaching integration to students enrolled in Christian faith-based MFT graduate programs are also discussed.
trans-Resveratrol ameliorates anxiety-like behaviors and neuropathic pain in mouse model of post-traumatic stress disorder
Authors: Yuan Yirong , Zhen Linlin , Li Zhi , Xu Wenhua , Leng Huilin , Xu Wen , Zheng Victor , Luria Victor , Pan Jianchun , Tao Yuanxiang , Zhang Hanting , Cao Shengsheng , Xu Ying
Published: April 2020

Background:

trans-Resveratrol has been extensively investigated for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-psychiatric properties. However, whether it could rescue posttraumatic stress disorder-like stress-induced pain abnormality is unknown.

Aim:

The present study examined the effects of trans-resveratrol on anxiety-like behavior and neuropathic pain induced by single-prolonged stress, which is a classical animal model for mimicking posttraumatic stress disorder.

Methods:

The single-prolonged stress-induced anxiety-like behavior and pain response were detected by the novelty suppressed feeding, marble burying, locomotor activity, von Frey, and acetone-induced cold allodynia tests in mice. The serum corticosterone levels and glucocorticoid receptor, protein kinase A, phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblot analyses.

Results:

trans-Resveratrol reversed single-prolonged stress-induced increased latency to feed and the number of marbles buried in the novelty suppressed feeding and marble burying tests, but did not significantly influence locomotion distance in the locomotor activity test. trans-Resveratrol also reversed single-prolonged stress-induced cold and mechanical allodynia. Moreover, single-prolonged stress induced abnormality in the limbic hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis was reversed by trans-resveratrol, as evidenced by the fact that trans-resveratrol reversed the differential expression of glucocorticoid receptor in the anxiety- and pain-related regions. In addition, trans-resveratrol increased protein kinase A, phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels, which were decreased in mice subjected to single-prolonged stress.

Conclusions:

These results provide compelling evidence that trans-resveratrol protects neurons against posttraumatic stress disorder-like stress insults through regulation of limbic hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis function and activation of downstream neuroprotective molecules such as protein kinase A, phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression.
The politics of exclusion: embedded racism and Japan’s pilot Refugee Resettlement Programme
Authors: Hatcher Pascale , Murakami Aya
Published: April 2020

This article discusses the socio-political significance of Japan’s pilot Refugee Resettlement Programme (RRP). It asks three questions: why Japan adopted this programme, why it has failed to meet its targets, and whether this programme signals a significant shift in Japan’s restrictive policies towards refugees and immigration more broadly. Insights from critical race theory suggest that the context of race remains a key determinant for understanding Japan’s historical and contemporary refugee policies and discourse. The article concludes that embedded racism was prevalent in decisions surrounding the pilot RRP and, as such, despite the appearance of change, race continues to be solidly rooted in Japan’s policies and discourses. In such a light, any serious strategy to revamp immigration and refugee policies in Japan needs to bring the country’s history of racism to the forefront of the discussion.
Study on the process of harmless treatment of residual electrolyte in battery disassembly
Authors: Zhu Yanbin , Ding Qing , Zhao Yuming , Ai Jinwen , Li Yan , Cao Yuan-Cheng
Published: April 2020

Residual electrolyte is the main pollution source in the lithium ion battery disassembly process. A practical detoxified approach is studied using the lithium hexafluorophosphate in the decommissioned power battery with dimethyl carbonate as a solvent. The pH measurement, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, micromorphology and phase structure characterization techniques showed that the process in this study is capable of removing lithium hexafluorophosphate from decommissioned power batteries, while controlling the proper ratio of NaOH can also completely precipitate F− into CaF2 crystal and allows recycling of the organic solvents. This process scheme of residual electrolyte treatment effectively reduces environmental pollution during the decommissioned power batteries recycling process, and has the benefit of resource reuse for valuable elements.
Exploring the Role of Artificial Intelligence in an Emergency and Trauma Radiology Department
Authors: Jalal Sabeena , Parker William , Ferguson Duncan , Nicolaou Savvas
Published: April 2020

Emergency and trauma radiologists, emergency department’s physicians and nurses, researchers, departmental leaders, and health policymakers have attempted to discover efficient approaches to enhance the provision of quality patient care. There are increasing expectations for radiology practices to deliver a dedicated emergency radiology service providing 24/7/365 on-site attending radiologist coverage. Emergency radiologists (ERs) are pressed to meet the demand of increased imaging volume, provide accurate reports, maintain a lower proportion of discrepancy rate, and with a rapid report turnaround time of finalized reports. Thus, rendering the radiologists overburdened. The demand for an increased efficiency in providing quality care to acute patients has led to the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field. AI can be used to assist emergency and trauma radiologists deal with the ever-increasing imaging volume and workload, as AI methods have typically demonstrated a variety of applications in medical image analysis and interpretation, albeit most programs are in a training or validation phase. This article aims to offer an evidence-based discourse about the evolving role of artificial intelligence in assisting the imaging pathway in an emergency and trauma radiology department. We hope to generate a multidisciplinary discourse that addresses the technical processes, the challenges in the labour-intensive process of training, validation and testing of an algorithm, the need for emphasis on ethics, and how an emergency radiologist’s role is pivotal in the execution of AI-guided systems within the context of an emergency and trauma radiology department. This exploratory narrative serves the present-day health leadership’s information needs by proposing an AI supported and radiologist centered framework depicting the work flow within a department. It is suspected that the use of such a framework, if efficacious, could provide considerable benefits for patient safety and quality of care provided. Additionally, alleviating radiologist burnout and decreasing healthcare costs over time.
Clinical and Dynamic Computed Tomography Features of 24 Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019
Authors: Jie Bingkun , Liu Xiaojin , Suo Huaqian , Qiao Guoqing , Zheng Qingshui , Xu Wanbo , Liu Zhenhe
Published: April 2020

Purpose:

To explore the clinical and dynamic computed tomography features of coronavirus disease 2019.

Methods:

We enrolled 24 patients with coronavirus disease 2019 treated at a regional center in Dezhou, China, from January 22 to February 5, 2020, and analyzed data retrospectively.

Results:

Nineteen cases had close contact with people with coronavirus disease 2019, and five patients denied a travel history in Wuhan City or contact with patients having coronavirus disease 2019. Symptoms were fever, cough, chest tightness, dyspnea, fatigue, and muscle pain. Chest computed tomography showed multiple ground-glass opacities distributed along peribronchial bundles and subpleural areas, often accompanied by bronchiectasis, vascular thickening, and interlobular septal thickening after coronavirus disease 2019 progression.

Conclusions:

Coronavirus disease 2019 has certain clinical characteristics and typical computed tomography features.
Bone Mineral Densitometry Reporting: Pearls and Pitfalls
Authors: Martineau Patrick , Morgan Sarah L. , Leslie William D.
Published: April 2020

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the method of choice for assessing bone mineral density (BMD). Unfortunately, the performance and interpretation of DXA can be challenging and errors are common. In fact, it has been reported that up to 90% of BMD reports contain at least 1 error. Errors can be the result of technique or interpretative in nature or both and can result in inappropriate diagnosis and management. In this article, we review the various types of pitfalls frequently encountered by physicians interpreting DXA studies. Being aware of these pitfalls will help readers recognize and avoid them when encountered in clinical practice.
Prognostic Value of Continuous Electroencephalogram Delta Power in Neonates With Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy
Authors: Kota Srinivas , Massaro An N. , Chang Taeun , Al-Shargabi Tareq , Cristante Caitlin , Vezina Gilbert , du Plessis Adre , Govindan Rathinaswamy B.
Published: April 2020

The objective was to examine the discriminatory ability of electroencephalogram (EEG) delta power in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) with well-defined outcomes. Prolonged continuous EEG recordings from term neonates with HIE during therapeutic hypothermia enrolled in a prospective observational study were examined. Adverse outcome was defined as death or severe brain injury by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); favorable outcome was defined as normal or mild injury by MRI. Neonates were stratified by Sarnat grade of encephalopathy at admission. EEG was partitioned into 10-minute nonoverlapping artifact- and seizure-free epochs. Delta power was calculated and compared between the groups using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. An area under the ROC curve >0.7 with P <.05 was considered a significant separation between groups. The favorable outcome group (n = 67) had higher delta power than the adverse outcome group (n = 28) across the majority of time periods from 9 to 90 hours of life. Delta power discriminated outcome groups for neonates with moderate encephalopathy (63 favorable and 14 adverse outcome) earlier in cooling (9-42 hours of life) than neonates with severe encephalopathy (21-42 hours of life). Outcome groups were differentiated after 81 hours of life in neonates with moderate and severe encephalopathy. Delta power can distinguish cooled HIE neonates with adverse outcome independently of the encephalopathy grade at presentation. Delta power may be a real-time continuous biomarker of evolving encephalopathy and brain injury/death in neonates with HIE.
Crime and Violence in Older Adults: Findings From the 2002 to 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
Authors: Holzer Katherine J. , AbiNader Millan A. , Vaughn Michael G. , Salas-Wright Christopher P. , Oh Sehun
Published: April 2020

Studies on criminal behaviors largely focus on youth and younger adults. While criminal engagement declines with age, the aging population and significant costs associated with older offenders warrant their increased clinical and research attention. The present study utilizes data from the 2002 to 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to estimate the prevalence and explore the sociodemographic and psychosocial correlates of criminal behavior in adults aged 50 years and older. The overall prevalence of older adults engaging in criminal behaviors during this time was approximately 1.20%. There was no significant difference in crime involvement between adults aged 50 to 64 years and 65 years and older. Older individuals who committed crimes were more likely to be male and Black and earning low income. Criminality was also associated with use of illicit substances and depression as well as receipt of mental health treatment.